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mesy_mark's reviews
742 reviews
Bad Habit by Alana S. Portero
emotional
sad
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
3.0
It was a slow-to-like book. Having the translated audiobook, I listened to this novel about a transwoman in the closet. Learning the way of the night and just trying to find her place.
I wasn't much of a fan for the book's first few chapters. Getting into as our MC joined the queer sense spiked interest. The book is well-written, sad, and tender. A good mix of emotions I felt at the end of the book.
I wasn't much of a fan for the book's first few chapters. Getting into as our MC joined the queer sense spiked interest. The book is well-written, sad, and tender. A good mix of emotions I felt at the end of the book.
Neuroqueer Heresies by Nick Walker
informative
1.25
This was an audiobook format that I used. I felt the essays were repetitive. The pathological model vs neurodivergent model doesn't have to be one or another thing in my eyes. It can be both an honoring of those who are disabled by being autistic and acknowledging that others have less support needs to manage day to day. Most of what I heard was semantics over words. And the neuriqueer aspect is making in at the very end. Variety in essays and less condescending would have helped this work
Zig-Zag Boy: A Memoir of Madness and Motherhood by Tanya Frank, Tanya Frank
sad
1.5
So another book where the caregiver delves into the woe is me while not trying to understand her career. Tanya, like any caregiver in a broken system, wants to help her son but this memoir looks how she gets all antsy trying to deal with her sun across continents and countries. I didn't like this book and I come at the angle of the one needing help in the broken system. You (Tanya) might be at the wit's end but your son (smi individual) is doing much worse.
The book for being a memoir on a mother through SZ in her son lacks understanding of his world. We get ideas of what some delusions and hallucinations might be but if I didn't know SZ already I would have just thought yeah screw the meds all it causes is side effects and they don't work. Or are meds working if he is sedated so much? Or just the basics, what is schizophrenia? voices, sleeping all the time, what? And comparing him to animals of his state I was not so keen on
The book for being a memoir on a mother through SZ in her son lacks understanding of his world. We get ideas of what some delusions and hallucinations might be but if I didn't know SZ already I would have just thought yeah screw the meds all it causes is side effects and they don't work. Or are meds working if he is sedated so much? Or just the basics, what is schizophrenia? voices, sleeping all the time, what? And comparing him to animals of his state I was not so keen on
Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Bastian and Lore are nonbinary neurodivergent teens who have seen the world under the lake. Together seven years ago and when Lore has returned to the town. It is a sweet book with a great rep for BIPOC, neurodivergent, and trans characters. I lived the way the author presented the magic realism of the world under the lake, I could easily visualize it. Overall an enjoyable short listen.
The Transmasculine Guide to Physical Transition: For Trans, Nonbinary, and Other Masculine Folks by Sage Buch
This book covers physical transition for trans masc. From the start to all the options to choose from. Factual, clear, and even adding the author's own experience. A valuable book for sure.
informative
3.5
This book covers physical transition for trans masc. From the start to all the options to choose from. Factual, clear, and even adding the author's own experience. A valuable book for sure.
The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina—Separating the Myth from the Medicine by Jen Gunter
informative
lighthearted
4.5
A Guide to the Dark by Meriam Metoui
- 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? Yes
3.25
There is a room in a small town motel. People die in that room, will the next occupants get next?
I enjoyed the pacing and style of this book. Love the photos included, bw being my favorite form, and the errieness of room 9. It's a Suttle hunt. Enjoyed it
I enjoyed the pacing and style of this book. Love the photos included, bw being my favorite form, and the errieness of room 9. It's a Suttle hunt. Enjoyed it
Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
dark
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This wasn't the book for me. Johhny is sexing his way through clients to get enough money to get back to the rez for a funeral. Interwoven with his cash earnings is his life on the rez. More than anything in this book I was board. Yes, the writing had some good points and was great for a two-spirit rep, but as I typed above, it just wasn't the book for me.
The Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup by Evan Hughes
informative
sad
3.5
We've heard about the big guys behind the opioid epidemic, and now this book tells of a little company with a novel way to administer fentanyl, through a spray. Once this company had it go head they aggressively marketed the drug, which was intended for end-of-care cancer patients, to anyone with slight pain. It was turning those who took it into addiction and despair.
It was an interesting book where the top was ordering the bottom to sell sell sell. Collecting the facts, the company inside to see where the corruption was started and bleed into was very interesting. There were a lot of moving parts from the heads up of who is who to who was fired all the way to those who were pushed to get the medication approved. Greed can really corrupt and this company did just that
It was an interesting book where the top was ordering the bottom to sell sell sell. Collecting the facts, the company inside to see where the corruption was started and bleed into was very interesting. There were a lot of moving parts from the heads up of who is who to who was fired all the way to those who were pushed to get the medication approved. Greed can really corrupt and this company did just that
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
dark
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The writing in this book is done pretty well if not repetitive sometimes. Andrew comes to Nashville at first to study at the university where his friend (maybe it was not to clear to me) Eddie committed suicide. Or was it a suicide??
I was able to keep going through this book only because of the audiobook format. Once I hit a certain point in an audiobook for me the sum cost fallacy gets to me. I didn't think the book did a great job at a foundation of the supernatural for this book. Everything describing the supernatural elements in the beginning felt like I was missing the basics of it and as it went on the only reason I caught onto the later ones was because some things were explained. But not all supernatural elements get explained so it leaves you wondering what are the rules for the supernatural.
I felt like more time should have been spent at the university rather than on drag racing and drugs because that part felt more random and pointless than actually getting into the story about what Eddie studied before he died.
Overall just not a book for me.
I was able to keep going through this book only because of the audiobook format. Once I hit a certain point in an audiobook for me the sum cost fallacy gets to me. I didn't think the book did a great job at a foundation of the supernatural for this book. Everything describing the supernatural elements in the beginning felt like I was missing the basics of it and as it went on the only reason I caught onto the later ones was because some things were explained. But not all supernatural elements get explained so it leaves you wondering what are the rules for the supernatural.
I felt like more time should have been spent at the university rather than on drag racing and drugs because that part felt more random and pointless than actually getting into the story about what Eddie studied before he died.
Overall just not a book for me.