kookeybird's reviews
66 reviews

To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick--and How We Can Fight Back by Alden Wicker

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informative

5.0

Informative, personal, quality journalism. I was nervous when I started this book that it would be filled with unrealistic expectations on how to combat consumerism and guilt trips about how people make purchases, but instead, it is a thorough account of the very real ways that people have been harmed by the shady business practices of textile and clothing companies. Menken provides a bulleted manifesto at the end with ways that corporations can make discernible change, and provides the reader with ways they can try to protect themselves against harmful chemicals. Very informative. 
Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

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funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Super easy read.  Fellman marries fantasy elements with reality so well that suddenly the possibilities of vampires in the real world seemed entirely possible lol. Really great explorations and perspectives on trans identity and gender identity in general 
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

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adventurous inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I wanted to rate this book higher, but with the way things developed, I started to feel confused about the overarching theme of the novel. There is so much going on that I felt like I never really had a chance to settle into anything- whether it be the setting, the magic systems, the interpersonal relationships, etc. I ended the novel feeling like I had more questions than answers 
The Girl With Glass Feet by Ali Shaw

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emotional mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Not really sure why I continued to read this one since the main character irritated me so much, along with the manic pixie female lead. The fantasy elements were captivating, and I kept expecting some major twist but… I finished it and I’m giving myself a pat on the back for that 
Goddess of the Night by Lynne Ewing

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-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

4.5

Read this originally when I was in middle school. I’m rating this highly mostly for the nostalgia. It’s a cute teen read with about as much edge as a butter knife- but the descriptions of the outfits and locations give Buffy the Vampire Slayer levels of millennial nostalgia. I will not be reading the rest of the series, but this was fun to revisit 
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-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

4.0

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

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challenging funny informative reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

My first foray into cannibal fiction~ 
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

Really enjoyable read with an interesting plot! Surprisingly, I found that the emphasis on Romance was a bit of a disservice to the novel (which is shocking for me to write since I love a little romance in my fiction.) The author has a built a really strong world and magic-system that I was looking forward to exploring more, but the love connection was definitely more of the driving force behind the plot. 
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I recommend this book often! Intriguing cast of characters. Well-built magic system. A setting that never gets boring or redundant. There’s a lot to love