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bibliokyra's reviews
1111 reviews
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
5.0
Linus is a straight-laced caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth and oversees the well-being of children in government run orphanages. When he’s not working, he spends his free time holed up with his cat and his records. Linus’ world is turned upside down when he is tasked with a top secret assignment to oversee the Marsyas Island Orphanage. He must observe six highly dangerous children and their mysterious caretaker, Arthur Parnassus. It doesn’t take long for the kids to win over Linus’ heart and it’s clear that Arthur would do anything to protect these children. At forty, Linus is finally beginning to find himself.
This book is PERFECTION. I turned the last page and wanted to read it all over again. All of the characters are precious and had me laughing out loud. Klune has crafted a magical, queer tale about family, hope and acceptance and he isn’t afraid to explore heavier topics like bigotry and violence. I couldn’t have asked for a better book to read right now and I’m going to urge you all to pick this one up if you haven’t already. Read, hug, repeat.
This book is PERFECTION. I turned the last page and wanted to read it all over again. All of the characters are precious and had me laughing out loud. Klune has crafted a magical, queer tale about family, hope and acceptance and he isn’t afraid to explore heavier topics like bigotry and violence. I couldn’t have asked for a better book to read right now and I’m going to urge you all to pick this one up if you haven’t already. Read, hug, repeat.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
4.0
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
HOMEGOING begins with the story of two half-sisters born in separate villages in eighteenth-century Ghana, unaware of each other’s existence. One sister is married off to an Englishman slave trader and lives comfortably in a castle while the other sister is sold into slavery, imprisoned in the dungeons of the same castle and eventually shipped off to America.
Gyasi takes us on an emotional journey tracing the subsequent generations of the two women from the Gold Coast in West Africa to present day America. Each descendant narrates their own chapter aptly expressing their pain, frustration, longing and joy.
HOMEGOING describes the horrors and harsh realities of the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, segregation and modern day racism in a clear, accessible way. Gyasi flawlessly transitions from generation to generation with remarkable detail and I felt as though I was traveling along through history and time.
I favored certain characters over others and thought they deserved more than one chapter but that didn’t take away from the significance of each story. HOMEGOING is an extremely powerful and educational book that should be required reading in high school, college and beyond. This book and its unforgettable characters will certainly have a lasting impact on me.
HOMEGOING begins with the story of two half-sisters born in separate villages in eighteenth-century Ghana, unaware of each other’s existence. One sister is married off to an Englishman slave trader and lives comfortably in a castle while the other sister is sold into slavery, imprisoned in the dungeons of the same castle and eventually shipped off to America.
Gyasi takes us on an emotional journey tracing the subsequent generations of the two women from the Gold Coast in West Africa to present day America. Each descendant narrates their own chapter aptly expressing their pain, frustration, longing and joy.
HOMEGOING describes the horrors and harsh realities of the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, segregation and modern day racism in a clear, accessible way. Gyasi flawlessly transitions from generation to generation with remarkable detail and I felt as though I was traveling along through history and time.
I favored certain characters over others and thought they deserved more than one chapter but that didn’t take away from the significance of each story. HOMEGOING is an extremely powerful and educational book that should be required reading in high school, college and beyond. This book and its unforgettable characters will certainly have a lasting impact on me.
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
4.0
Black Buck is a dark, satirical novel written in the style of a sales manual. The main character Darren (later re-named Buck) is propelled into the tech startup world after he impresses a customer with a sales pitch at his barista job. We follow Buck on his wildly entertaining and depressingly realistic journey as a black man trying to rise through the ranks in a predominantly white business. The narrative provides a thought-provoking examination of white privilege, racism, and discrimination in the workplace. I thought the sales tips and advice scattered throughout made this novel really special and it all came together nicely at the end. I highly recommend this eye-opening read. Many thanks to @hmhbooks for sending this my way!
Sarahland by Sam Cohen
4.0
Sarahland is a short story collection full of wit, humor, and originality. Each story is about Sarah—many different Sarah’s and their search for identity. The stories explore sexuality, gender, individualism and culture. I highly recommend this one if you enjoy your stories quirky, dark and fabulously queer.