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marywahlmeierbracciano's reviews
829 reviews
The Darkness Manifesto: On Light Pollution, Night Ecology, and the Ancient Rhythms that Sustain Life by Johan Eklöf
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
3.75
My favorite takeaway from this book is that it made me think about darkness and night in an entirely new way. With winter fast approaching, I’ve been able to appreciate—rather than dread—the longer nights for the power they give to beloved nocturnal species like bats and moths. I’ve also started to interrogate my human perception that darkness means danger—although this is complicated by womanhood—and to explore ways to reduce light pollution in my community. Other topics in this book include the ways in which different species perceive and process light and how plants and animals are guided by the moon and the stars. With short chapters and excellent narration, The Darkness Manifesto is a thought-provoking read.
The Book of Love by Kelly Link
adventurous
challenging
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? Yes
5.0
The Book of Love is so special to me that I struggle to put it into words. Days after finishing it, all I want to do is listen to the eponymous Magnetic Fields song—moody, romantic—and think about this book. Don’t let the page count scare you; Kelly Link’s effortless storytelling kept me reading, never bored over nearly 700 pages, and I didn’t want it to end. With a super dynamic cast of characters, this story is largely about grief and self-discovery, but its message is also that love can be supernatural—it can defy dimensions. It’s set in our world with just a twist of magic, and it’s very funny, playful, and sometimes delightfully absurd. It’s beautifully intimate and daydreamy, with John Cage references and niche guitar stuff that I didn’t get, and I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Racism, Vomit, Medical content, Cannibalism, and Murder
You Broke It! by Liana Finck
funny
4.5
I love Liana Finck. This truly funny (and funny because it's true) book is sure to remind parents what it's like to be a child. Kids do what kids do–let them live out loud!
Pikachu's First Friends by Rikako Matsuo
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
4.0
This is the cutest thing I've ever seen! Pokémon fans young and old will delight in this book about how Pikachu finds a new home. A feel-good story with gorgeous, charming illustrations.
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Death of Vivek Oji feels like an extended meditation on queerness and transness. In a country like Nigeria, where these identities are criminalized, it’s especially true for trans people that only they know what is best for them, though this will not stop well-meaning friends and family. Emezi’s heartbreaking parable invites readers to imagine a world in which a trans person living freely is not “dancing with death.” A world in which trans people are recognized as otherworldly gifts. Born on the anniversary of his grandmother’s death, Vivek Oji was destined to be different
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Sexual content, Transphobia, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Sexual violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Invocations is set in a world where only women can use magic, but it comes at a price. Butch heiress Jude learns this the hard way when a misguided curse leaves her with a necrotic wound. Zara’s racing against time to learn how to raise her sister from the dead before it’s too late. And Emer, a gifted polylinguist and curse-writer and the sole survivor from her coven, knows that being a witch is a dangerous thing. The three young women are brought together when it’s discovered that a serial murderer is targeting Emer’s past clients—women who were willing to sell part of their soul for magic. Grief leads the way in this whirlwind story, gruesome and truly scary as it confronts generational wealth, misogynistic violence, demons, and empowerment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Sexual violence, Torture, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
The Age of Deer: Trouble and Kinship with our Wild Neighbors by Erika Howsare
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.75
In The Age of Deer, Erika Howsare details the rich history of deer across cultures and contexts—from their hoofprints in the earth to their envied crowns of antlers; in stories and art, forests and gardens, crosshairs and truck beds. The resulting narrative is largely about our human relationship with deer—at times symbiotic and reverent, then grotesque, dominating. The author approaches the topic of hunting with an outsider’s trepidation, but her journalistic immersion into that world completely changed my perspective. I savored this book—its stunning, thought-provoking presence—slowly. I’ll never look at a deer the same way again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Cultural appropriation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Racism and Colonisation
Foe by Iain Reid
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook! Jacques Roy’s narration is so crisp and engaging—a truly great performance that adds to the ever-building suspense of this book. A married couple lives in the country outside of a town in a near-future climate dystopia. A stranger visits, delivering “good news” that doesn’t sound so good to Junior and Hen. This psychological thriller explores free will, choice, and selfhood while also commenting on the climate disaster, mundanity vs. novelty, and the institution of marriage. A satisfying, clever read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
The Devil of the Provinces by Juan Cárdenas
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
In a novel as concise as this one, every word counts, and Cárdenas certainly makes the most of them in this enigmatic tale, steeped with meaning. The writing style is superb, and the content and structure are weird, as I’ve come to anticipate from literary horror. Touching on subjects like legacy, climate change, and cultish Catholicism, with conspiracy theories being its most prominent theme, the novel seems to revolve around the question, What leads us to believe in things others find impossible? I was particularly intrigued by the discussion of telenovela culture and perceived reality. In short, the unnamed narrator grieves his brother, having returned to a home he’d rather have left behind only to become ensnared in a sinister web of secrecy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Alcohol
Minor: Mental illness, Racism, Slavery, Murder, and Outing