biggaywave's reviews
252 reviews

Blues in Stereo: The Early Works of Langston Hughes by Langston Hughes

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective

5.0

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Rifqa by Mohammed El-Kurd

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced
A powerful and extro/introspective collection of poems and concluding essays that allows its words to be a bomb built in a garden. The interwoven motifs such as those of crows, jasmine, and fangs tie the collection together, weaving a story of resistance, revolution, and resolute commitment to decolonization efforts globally. Beautiful and precise in every detail. 
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

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emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

Nothing made me hungrier than reading this recipe for humanities capability for love and connection. There were stories and narration I wish was given greater time and attention. Overall, the poetic lyricism Zauner utilizes is compelling and precise, like a mother’s recipes.
Freedom House by KB Brookins

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

Using varying forms of poetry, KB tells us just what is on their mind, and it is a scathing review of the failings of cis/hetero white capitalist and colonized America. These poems give meaning and emotion to the individual and community plights that reject these structures daily. 
Confessions of a Teenage Drag King by Markus Harwood-Jones

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Funny and an engaging plot, this book is good for a middle-grade reader. The main character was incredibly flawed, and I would have liked to see more clarity on the critic of this character by those around them in the conclusion. 
If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

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challenging emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

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adventurous hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

A powerful and informative collection of essays that are together a critical read for young adults of all identities. But this books is especially important for black queer and trans kids as they search for meaning and connection in a world that denies them. There were times I’d lose the narrative thread, but ultimately this memoir succeeds in loving its audience always, and allowing that to be the message.