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claudyne's reviews
1229 reviews

The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore

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dark mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for permission to read this work prior to its publication date. 

Ramona and Grace are childhood friends want to be actresses. When given the opportunity to train at an esteemed campus nicknamed “The Dollhouse” their friendship and perseverance are tested. Are they willing to give up everything they ever loved for everything they ever dreamed of? 

I thought I would enjoy this book more. It had interesting twists and a satisfying conclusion, but I didn’t feel connected to the characters with the intensity I could have. 
The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander by Denny S. Bryce

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3.0

Black Girls and How We Fail Them by Aria S. Halliday

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informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Thanks to University of North Carolina Press and NetGalley for permission to read this work prior to its release date. “Black Girls and How We Fail Them” reads like a dissertation of the societal structures and media representations that inform and inhibit Black girlhood. From TV, movies to iconic Black women and their daughters, Halliday breaks down the stereotypes and expectations placed on them. The author shares her own stories of trauma and provides a comprehensive bibliography for further study. It’s not a happy read, but an important one. 
Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

 Thank you  Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for permission to read this work prior to its publication date.  This novel had developed and complex African-American characters, address the many atrocities of slavery and had an intense ending. I think this was a spectacular read. 
Avocado Anxiety: and Other Stories About Where Your Food Comes From by Louise Gray

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informative medium-paced

4.5

I enjoyed Louise Gray’s writing style and fondness for food. There are international efforts being made to keep us well fed and minimize food waste; I loved learning about them. The recipes were also a nice touch! 
Haiti Noir by Edwidge Danticat

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This beautiful collection of stories captures the unique myths, mysteries, superstitions and vices of Haiti. I’m sorry it took me so long to listen to it. 
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Cleavage: Men, Women, and the Space Between Us by Jennifer Finney Boylan

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for permitting me to read this work prior to its publication date. 

In a world where the mortality rate of transgender people is high than that of cisgender people, it is an honor and privilege to bear witness to a life as unique and loving as Jennifer Finney Boylan's life. This work recalls her life before, during and after transition, addressing marriage, parenting, teaching, publishing and overall living. I appreciated her observations of the way her body and relationship to everyday things (for example, food) changed as she embarked on her journey for her mind and body to reach their most idealized versions of themselves.
Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"Women's Hotel" centers around the fictional Biedermeier Hotel, with a diverse cast of tenants, ranging in ages, ambitions, histories and desires. While some women have live at The Biedermeier for years, others live there for a season. While some tenants are falling in love with men they meet in the city, others are lesbians, while others aren't seeking relationships at all. We also meet a tenant who seems "stranger" to others, but her habits and peculiarities would be recognized as neurodivergent today. This novel depicts life for single women before the independence that the feminism movement fought hard to achieve. 
Erasure by Percival Everett

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

4.0

I read “Erasure” after learning it was adapted into the film “American Fiction” (2023). It’s quite a critique of  the publishing world, how Black life is depicted in literature and the perceptions of Black life created in these works. The novel also addresses family drama, death and even sadder, losing the ones we love to dementia before their physical death. “Erasure” is layered, as life is also layered. 
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Macbeth by William Shakespeare

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dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No