kodi_rae's reviews
280 reviews

Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman

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

5.0

I adore the twists Gillman puts on all of these stories. More queer-centered fairy tales please!
The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession by Susan Orlean

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adventurous informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

The whole time I was reading, I just kept thinking about how little I knew about that kind of ecosystem (the swamp) and Florida. Two complex and fascinating places. 
Yasmeen by Rob Jones, Fabiana Moscolo, Saif A. Ahmed

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dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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The Bone People by Keri Hulme

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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

3.5

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The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

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4.0

Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

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emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

Dark and thoughtful, focusing on Latinx/Indigenous women perspectives. These short stories touch on themes of colonization, gentrification, racism, violence against women, family relationships, etc. Reading this book is a unique, alternative way to learn a bit more about Colorado history (since all the stories are set there and the author is from Denver).
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Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca by Maria Goodavage

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dark informative sad tense medium-paced
My loving and very strong-willed aunt insisted I read this book. I feel too complicated about the nature of war to be the target audience however I can appreciate all the skills dogs are capable of learning and what comfort they can provide to people who need it. 
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Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

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

5.0

My first time rereading this since the first time when I was probably around Melinda’s (the protagonist) age. I remember really liking it then and it’s even more devastating now with time and experience. The claustrophobia of the mind and your own silence. 

While I’d like to think society has grown a bit since Speak was first published, I’m glad it still exists and can maybe provide validation and healing to those who need it. Does anyone else remember the movie with a young Kristen Stewart? Maybe I’ll pay that a visit too. 
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A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

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

5.0

It seems like I might be one of the few that has read this book first before Elatsoe. I loved all the characters and the non-binary and asexual representation. While I agree with some of the other reviews that there are lingering questions left, I wonder if that’s on purpose. Based on the titles of the chapters and the pacing of the story, I feel like the author is intentionally imitating linguistic storytelling style and putting it into writing. Will I be pleased if there’s a sequel? Absolutely! But do I also think it’s good enough on its own? Definitely. 
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In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

Somehow fun and empathetic while also being gristly and tragic - it’s a worthwhile novel for true crime fans although I was disappointed to learn that a lot of the facts remain unknown. 
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