Thank you Knopf for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5 (rounded down to 4)
Warnings: Death,Thank you Knopf for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5 (rounded down to 4)
Warnings: Death, Suicide, Grief, Racism, Addiction, Police Brutality, Sexual Assault
“Someone Like Us” is an emotional ride that is told in shifting timelines that all come together in the end to reveal a heartbreaking truth. The author was able to spectacularly tackle the themes of generational trauma, diaspora, and grief while following along with an unreliable narrator.
I would recommend this book to those that are fans of stories filled with reflection and don’t mind that a story is not told linearly.
For this not being a very long story, I found this packed in so much depth. We follow Mamush as he takes steps towards better understanding a past he was told never to question. Through even the smallest moments of reflection, we are revealed sides of Mamush’s life that he had kept locked away, even from himself. All of these smaller stories build up into a moment that I found myself having to hold back tears for.
Not only was I not expecting to tear up, I was also taken aback at how much I related to Mamush’s childhood. Being a first-generation Filipino-American with both parents that worked as many hours as they could, I quickly recognized the messaging that Mamush got at a young age. Although his life lessons were told in much different ways, I could definitely relate to the expectations being placed on him to be a model American citizen.
Ultimately what held me back from giving this a five star rating was how abrupt the use of shifting timelines felt. When this writing style was first introduced in the story I was worried that I had missed a chapter and kept re-reading sections but as things continued I was able to put myself in the proper headspace to fully delve into Mamush’s past and present.
I would definitely read future works by this author. I was most impressed at how they were able to make the moments that seem small feel incredibly heavy and life changing....more
Thank you Random House Publishing Group for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5 (rounded doThank you Random House Publishing Group for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5 (rounded down to 4)
Warnings: Child Abuse, Physical Abuse, Homophobia, Death of a Parent, Suicide, Cancer
“The Lost Story” is an entertaining twist on the classic fairy tale, combining all of its elements in a way that makes for a completely new type of story. We follow three main characters as they come to find themselves having to enter the Red Crow Forest. Emilie is searching for a half-sister that she’s only recently learned about and seeks out Jeremy, the best man at finding lost girls. Jeremy was once lost with his friend Ralph in the Red Crow Forest and reluctantly decides to help Emilie find who she’s looking for, but only if Ralph is willing to go. After some convincing, Ralph agrees to join and they all quickly begin to learn a lot about themselves during the journey.
I would recommend this book to those that are fans of well developed characters in a story that emphasizes found family and finding one’s own happiness.
My favorite aspect of this book was how loveable each of the characters came to be. At different portions of the story I found myself rooting for each and every one of the main characters, hoping that they could learn what they needed to find their own happily ever after. What I think helped sell the characters to me was how the relationship dynamics developed throughout the story. It felt natural to me how they all came to grow close and to form the support system that helped them each grow.
What held me back from a perfect rating was the pacing of the plot. Some of the major plot points I was able to call out a bit early on, but was still interested enough in the characters to see how it all came together. However I felt it was a bit heavy handed on forcing the characters to make a decision that I don’t think they would have otherwise made. I understand why the story took that turn in order to create some tension, but it felt like the crux of the moment had come out of nowhere.
Despite that, I did still find this a very enjoyable read. I would definitely read future works by this author. They know how to build a fully fleshed out setting, how to create characters that are memorable, and how to write really enjoyable and witty dialogue...more
Thank you Tor Publishing for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5 (rounded down to 4 stars)
WThank you Tor Publishing for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5 (rounded down to 4 stars)
Warnings: Death, Injury Detail, Blood, Murder, Racism, Body Horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Torture, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Sexual Assault, Bullying, Classism, Misogyny, Stalking, Hate Crime, Fire
“The White Guy Dies First” is a diverse collection of short horror tales that unapologetically share the rage that the entitled can leave in every one of us.
I would recommend this to anyone that is a fan, or has been curious of the writing style, of any of the contributing authors. You’re more than likely to discover a new favorite amongst them, I know I found a few that I plan on reading more from!
My favorite aspect of this collection was its variety. Each story felt like they could stand out on their own, either in its unique voice or its fun twist on a classic horror trope. I also felt that each story really showcased how the horror genre can be used to highlight and explore social commentary in visceral ways. I didn’t go into any of these stories expecting to be mad, but boy did I start supporting people’s wrongs by the end of it! It was honestly so cathartic rooting for the less than perfect main characters represented throughout, but I’m a sucker for messy characters that I can connect with.
I also appreciated the flow of the stories. They were ordered in such a way that it felt like a quiet anger simmering and building up into a final story that let out all of its pent up rage. I had initially worked through this by reading a single story a day but I almost wish I read it in fewer sittings to get this full effect. It was also such a nice touch to build a world around the collection to give context on why the stories were gathered together.
However, this collection wasn’t quite a 5 star read for me as I felt that some stories were not nearly as fleshed out as others. There were a few that I found myself wishing were actually full length and others that felt a bit rushed to fit into the format. That may be due to some personal taste, I know that certain subgenres of horror fall flat for me, so this may not be the case for all reading experiences....more
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Warnings: Body Horror, Blood, War, ViolencThank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Warnings: Body Horror, Blood, War, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury Detail, Death, Colonization, Confinement, Murder, Slavery, Cursing, Genocide, Racism
I would recommend Rakesfall to those that enjoy stories that play with timelines in fascinating ways to examine the human condition. There were portions of this story that felt like they went over my head, so some background knowledge in South Asian mythology and culture may help bring the full story to life.
I'll start off by saying I really enjoyed the humor and self-referencing nature of this story, I just wish I had the background knowledge to fully understand the work. Despite feeling like quite a bit went over my head, I really enjoyed the writing style - confusing at first but SO addicting when the reincarnation pieces standing to click in my head. The twisty narrative had me constantly guessing what would come next while keeping me invested in how each new perspective would connect to ones already established.
I was impressed with more than just the writing style, Rakesfall also managed to make me want to learn. It sparked a curiosity in me to research the stories, figures, and historical events that were referenced throughout. With that set of knowledge I'd give this a reread with the hopes that I can grasp the full context and better understand the author's vision.
Although I don't feel equipped to give a more in-depth review of this story, I can at least promise you that I enjoyed the time I spent with it. I laughed, I empathized, and I highlighted so many passages. It was a beautifully told reminder that power corrupts and it's negative affects can be felt across several generations and reincarnations....more
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5, rounded down to a 4
CThank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5, rounded down to a 4
Content Warnings: Sexual Content, Death of a Parent, Terminal Illness, Homophobia, Violence, Racism, Grief, Classism, Cultural Appropriation, Dementia, Deportation, Drug Use
I would highly recommend this novel to those that enjoy generational stories that utilize multiple perspectives.
I found this story absolutely beautiful and masterful in its ability to cover so much between generations, how much can be passed between them, and how heavily secrets can weigh on yourself and those around you. It felt like there was so much care given to cover such a vast set of heavy moments faced by each of the characters. Along with that, it felt as though the art of lucha libre was a character in of itself. I especially appreciated how much I got to learn about the love and art of Mexican wrestling and its importance to a culture and community.
As beautiful as I found the work, I did find myself struggling at times with how the swapping perspectives were handled. I would sometimes worry that I read things out of order as the timelines shifted in non-linear ways and it would cause me to backtrack. However, I did love the snappiness to each perspective as it made this book feel quite fast-paced. When a point of view would come to a close, I was always eager to get back to it to learn more of that character’s story.
Along with that, the format of this had me invested in each character and helped to make them all stand out in such unique ways. Each swap of the perspective developed the characters so well and helped to build up the relationships between each one. Even though their circumstances were all so different, I could come to understand how they were shaped by their life experiences and I wanted to give them all such big hugs for everything that they had fought through. Being as invested as I was, I found the ending to be the perfect emotional payoff.
I definitely plan to read the other books in this author’s catalog. ...more
Thank you to Doubleday Books for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4 / 5
Warnings: Homophobia, VioThank you to Doubleday Books for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4 / 5
Warnings: Homophobia, Violence, Child Abuse, Sexual Content, Cancer, Terminal Illness, Death of a Parent, Gun Violence, Police Brutality
I would highly recommend this novel to those that were fans of the film Moonlight or other similar media.
“Blessings” is a raw coming of age story that follows Obiefuna as he navigates the complicated feelings of being a queer teenager in Nigeria. The themes of self-acceptance, grief, and the weight of societal expectations all come through beautifully as the reader is shown glimpses of Obiefuna’s life experiences.
We’re brought into Obiefuna’s life just as he meets a young man that he finds himself falling for. His father soon catches the two together and Obiefuna is banished to an all-boys boarding school. There he finds himself having to hide inwards, not only dealing with the pain of being ripped away from his home for his sexuality, but also because of the cycle of violence that the student body perpetuates onto the youngest students. Not long after Obiefuna graduates, he leaves for college and begins his first serious relationship with another man. Through this he navigates what he’s witnessed in the past and begins to find what it means to be able to love and accept oneself when society seeks to tell you that you shouldn’t exist.
This story was a bit tough for me to get into in the beginning since it felt like we were dropped right in the middle of Obiefuna’s life, not given much time to adjust to the setting and situation before seeing him begin to navigate his sexuality. Despite that, I could feel the raw emotion from the very beginning. I also felt that this story was a bit slower paced than my usual taste but the emotional beats in the latter half made this well worth the read.
The aspect of this book that I appreciated the most was the complexity of it. The characters, the situations, the moral quandaries, all of it felt so nuanced and left me thinking about how I would struggle to handle what the characters were facing. Most of all I enjoyed how complex every character was, Obiefuna especially. Watching him have to handle such morally intense situations left me so worried for how he would come out on the other end. Multiple times I wished I could reach through the pages of the book to tell him he was strong for what he did, especially in the moments when he chose to protect himself. I cannot say that I have lived any of his experiences myself, but I could feel the emotional weight to each moment.
I would definitely read another work by this author. Their writing style was beautiful and managed to pull out so many emotions in a rather short book. I look forward to what else the author has to offer....more
*** Full review to come later - I struggled at first to wrap my head around the narrative style, but once I did I was fully sucked in. I got so attach*** Full review to come later - I struggled at first to wrap my head around the narrative style, but once I did I was fully sucked in. I got so attached to the characters that it became a page turner for me even though it is a pretty slow paced novel. After the halfway point I wanted to highlight almost every other line because they were written so beautifully, but alas I had a library copy....more
Thank you Vintage Books for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5 (rounded down to 4)
WarningsThank you Vintage Books for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.25 / 5 (rounded down to 4)
Warnings: Panic Attacks, Toxic Family Relationships, Toxic Romantic Relationships, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Self Harm, Drug Use, Blood, Homophobia, Sexual Assault
“Please Stop Trying To Leave Me” is an emotional journey that is told as excerpts of therapy sessions and writings through the eyes of Norma. The story begins with Norma explaining the concept of oblivion to her new therapist as if it is something entirely unique to her, but her new therapist quickly gives clinical names to what Norma is experiencing. With her world view rocked, Norma makes it a mission to prove to her therapist that she’s a unique case. As each session progresses, it becomes clear that Norma is taking small moments out of therapy to reflect upon and heal from her past traumas.
This book is one I would highly recommend to those that enjoy stories that focuses on a very raw and personal emotional journey for a character (such as Our Year of Rest And Relaxation, The Bell Jar, or Convenience Store Woman). In comparison to those, I found that the structure of this book was more engaging. At times it reads like a play and other times like a formal novel and the combination of the two gives the reader the opportunity to really feel how much Norma's thoughts race through her mind.
I will admit that in the beginning of this I struggled with being in this character’s head, however I did find it interesting to read her experiences with disassociation and derealization as they were quite different from how I experience those trauma responses. Upon reflection, I realize now that the start of the story was tough for me as it greatly reminded me of how I felt during my intake session with my therapist. I am glad I stuck through to read Norma’s full journey as I found myself able to relate to her more and more as the story went on. As someone who has been in therapy for multiple years, I definitely understand the lows and highs of finally receiving the help you thought you never needed and how much you wish to not force other people along that journey with you. Towards the last third of the book I found myself rooting for Norma so that she could feel like herself again.
When I started the final chapter of this book I was initially confused (and admittedly sad that things played out like that for their relationship!) but found that I really enjoyed the change in narrative style. I felt that it rounded out the story really well, giving us some additional information on moments that Norma didn’t understand fully and helping the reader understand why the love interest fought so hard for them.
I would definitely read future works by this author. I really enjoyed the narrative styles used in this, especially with the use of short stories to fill in as moments of reflecting on Norma’s past. It was also so raw and honest that I felt like I was a fly on the wall for Norma’s therapy sessions. By the end of the story I wanted to be able to hug her and tell her that therapy is hard work, and that I’m proud of her for doing it....more
Thank you to the Random House Publishing for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 3.75 / 5 (rounded uThank you to the Random House Publishing for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 3.75 / 5 (rounded up to 4)
Warnings: Cancer, Medical Content, Emotional Abuse, Homophobia, Toxic Relationships, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual Assault
“Oye” is a humorous coming of age story where the author was able to capture the feelings of expectations, self-acceptance, grief, complicated family relationships, and generational trauma all through one-sided phone conversations between Luciana and her sister Mari.
The story begins with Luciana complaining to Mari about the incoming Hurricane Irma and the lengths that their mother is going to during their evacuation. While away from home, Luciana couldn’t help but worry about her grandmother refusing to come with them. When they return, they find that Abue looks terribly ill. During a hospital visit they find what looks to be cancer but they’re promised that its operable. As the story continues, they find that the news becomes harder and harder to bare. Luciana finds herself having to be an adult in the family and it quickly begins to weigh on her.
Honestly, in the beginning I struggled with seeing the situation unfold from Luciana’s perspective. I found that aspects of her personality were introduced in some heavy-handed ways. I understand the situation was daunting for her, especially since her older sister was allowed to live out her college life and Luciana was expected to be the rock for the family at too young of an age, but it felt like some potential moments of character growth became stagnant and it became a bit frustrating to see her repeat the same grievances.
Despite that, I did find myself falling in love with the second half of the story. Seeing parts of Luciana begin to soften was truly endearing and I found myself relating to her in a few ways. One being the person that gets surprised with stories of generational trauma and two being the person that finds all of their energy being given to everyone but themselves. While my therapist wants me to believe that being a good listener is a blessing, it definitely feels like a curse in a dysfunctional family. Ultimately, I did find it heartwarming to see that Luciana learned that she should make her inner child happy at a much younger age than I did.
Ultimately what held this book back for me was the internalized misogyny that seemed to carry Luciana’s narrative. As a teenager that wasn’t considered “feminine enough” I recall having similar views of others that leaned into their femininity in ways that I never felt comfortable with. However in this story, we got to watch Luciana better understand her grandmother’s choices and begin to give her grace but the same did not seem to be given to her sister. This stood out to me since her harsh views on her sister's behaviors felt like a character flaw introduced as a means to exemplify Luciana’s character growth. While Luciana seemed to ease up a bit, it still felt to me like Mari was used as the butt of a joke.
Overall I did find it impressive how well the author was able to touch on the subjects of feelings of expectations, self-acceptance, grief, complicated family relationships, and generational trauma all in a unique format. Although it was tough at times to read through the main character’s perspective, I would read another work by this author....more
*** Full review to come later - Really cute and fast paced graphic novel with a great variety of representation. Loved the illustrations and the relat*** Full review to come later - Really cute and fast paced graphic novel with a great variety of representation. Loved the illustrations and the relationship between the two main characters....more
**** Full review to come later! - Absolutely stunning memoir told in a linear fashion, where Geena explores the intersectionality in her life and how **** Full review to come later! - Absolutely stunning memoir told in a linear fashion, where Geena explores the intersectionality in her life and how that has all lead her to finding her identity and voice to advocate for trans rights. Her journey from beauty pageant winner in the Philippines to model in New York City to a TED talk speaker was told like an intimate story shared among friends. HIGHLY recommend this as an audiobook, a fantastic production where Geena's voice truly shines....more
*** Full review to come later - This a really heartwarming story where we watch Ash and Daniel discover how they each don't fit into gender norms but *** Full review to come later - This a really heartwarming story where we watch Ash and Daniel discover how they each don't fit into gender norms but find ways to accept themselves while becoming more vulnerable with others. I listened to this as an audiobook and there were some dialog choices that I found jarring compared to the rest of the writing, but realistically middle schoolers do speak with a lot of slang.
BIG WARNING: if you have recently lost a pet recently, please read with care. I did struggle at points but the story never took too dark of a turn....more
Thank you to the The Knopf Team for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
Warnings: Injury/InjuThank you to the The Knopf Team for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
Warnings: Injury/Injury detail, Mental Illness, Sexual Assault, Miscarriage, Animal Cruelty, Suicide, Classism, Racism, Pregnancy, and Misogyny
“Real Americans” is a generational tale that resonated with me in ways that I didn’t expect. A story told in three parts, each highlighting a different generation, had moments that I would have to sit there and simply process what I read. I was in awe at how someone was able to write about experiences that I always struggled to put words to.
What I truly loved about this book was Khong’s ability to carry the central themes through each of the character’s perspectives, making it all feel truly connected. Even as we moved through the lives of three very different individuals, there were constant discussions of how one’s circumstances dictate the trajectory of their life, how time is ever fleeting, and how wealth does not always make one fortunate.
While carrying through these themes as a contemporary fiction, Khong was also managed to weave in some mystery and science fiction elements that had me glued to the pages, eager to learn the truth. However, I did find that the middle part of the story dragged for me a bit and I found it odd that the final portion of the story seemed to jump perspectives when the first two parts did not.
Despite those issues, I found that all of this came together to tell a beautiful story of how the gaps between people can grow quite large. As individuals the characters in this book all tried to do the best with what they had, taking what they’ve learned to try and do better. Their actions were mirrored in such fascinating ways by highlighting how hard it was for the younger generations to truly understand their intentions. As I was going back through the quotes I had highlighted, it made the story feel more rich realizing how much the final part of the book had me looking at the beginning differently....more
“Death’s Country” is a stunning queer reimagining of the classic tale of Orpheus and Eurydice that beautifully blends Latine heritage with the already well known Greek tales and mythology.
My favorite parts of this book were the characters and the way that Romero was able to handle such heavy themes with care. Through only short vignettes or quick interactions between characters I found myself able to quickly grasp who each person was or what they represented in the City of the dead. Along with getting to know these characters, we got to know their pasts and, although many of their stories were quite heavy, they were told in very respectful ways.
The pacing of the story seemed to follow the feelings of the main character, Andres, slow and intentional in moments of joy but rushing to the finish line in uncomfortable situations. In some ways this helped me get a sense of what being inside of his head was like, however I do think it made for the beginning of this story to feel rushed. Especially since the time spent in the City of the dead was given so much world-building and in-depth moments. If the beginning was given as much detail I think it would have really helped the reader feel more invested in the triad’s relationship and make the stakes feel even higher.
While it took me a bit of time to find the rhythm within Romero’s style of verse, I found I really enjoyed their linguistic choices and their beautifully laid out metaphors. There were so many passages I found myself highlighting, as the raw emotion or dreamy imagery just exuded off of the page. The most disjointing thing to me was how on the nose some references were. Although a wonderful love letter to classic epic poems, it did feel off that characters would almost self-insert themselves, stating exactly who they were representative of during the journey. Along with that, there were some formatting choices in the ARC edition that I found myself constantly stumbling through to catch the rhythm again. The biggest issues I ran into were the choices of bold text that I could not discern if they were meant to be read with emphasis or a new section of the story and that the chapter headers were not separated out onto new pages.
Overall I would recommend this to someone who either loves novels in verse or someone who loves the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. The themes and messages this novel focused on were handled very well, there were some really strong quotes that will sit with me for some time, and the journey of Andres growing to learn what it means to love and be loved is such an important message for YA readers....more
Thank you to the publisher for making this available as an ARC on Netgalley!
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
Warnings: Death of Parent, Grief, Homophobia, ToxicThank you to the publisher for making this available as an ARC on Netgalley!
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
Warnings: Death of Parent, Grief, Homophobia, Toxic Relationship, Death of Sibling
Review: This contemporary fiction is filled with so much emotion that I think the best way to kick off this review is with a quote that I had highlighted: “But a lot has happened this weekend. We are not ourselves. No one can be. in the face of grief. Nothing hurts like death.”
I am all too familiar with grief and how heavy it can be, and while the core of this story is about the passing of a family member, I found this story to feel like a warm hug. It helped to remind me that there is no “one way” to feel or process grief. The vast number of responses to losing a loved one were shared as vignettes into various family members as they each learned the news.
While I tend to be nervous to read stories that include a large cast of characters. each one in this story was completely unique and recognizable. I was able to relate to or at least empathize with how they approached the situation (even the Auntie with a prophecy!). I was invested in each character so much so that I found it very satisfying to watch them all work through their individual character arcs. Also, naturally with a lot of people stuck in one place all getting bad news, there was some pretty tense family situations. Some were so jaw-dropping I had to stop reading and immediately share it with a friend!
Out of the entire family, I found myself relating heavily to Joy and her personal growth journey. Which is funny, as I didn’t expect that when I first started the book. When we’re introduced to her I thought to myself “at least I don’t need to be THAT much in control of the things around me”. Jokes on me. There were quite a few aspects to Joy that hit close to home for me. One, was her acting in a self-proclaimed family role and how frustrating she found it. Two, how she still feels like she’s fighting against the traditional family expectations. Three, how even in her late thirties she’s still struggling with identity and diaspora. And lastly, how she has to work towards becoming vulnerable and allowing herself to ask for help.
As much as I enjoyed that the story-telling moved through various perspectives, I did find some of the side character moments to feel like nice anecdotes but not necessarily ones that I felt added to the main story. There were also times that the jumps between characters felt so quick that I had to reorient myself to understand who I was now following. There were also a few characters that would have been nice to see further developed, such as Nnenna’s children. Despite all of that, I was engrossed in the story and eager to see if each character would find healthy ways to express their inner thoughts with their fellow family members....more
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