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michaelion's reviews
288 reviews
Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Part of the first book I didn't like was the fact that we didn't get Stargirl's perspective, not really, just the boy who was both amazed and embarrassed by her. This Stargirl isn't manic pixie dream girl. she’s a girl! She's really real, less of a fantasy, fully fleshed out. I’ve known girls like this! So I like this one better for that reason. She should’ve been in this town the whole time not Arizona!
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A perfect girl. Perfect example of what an autistic child will end up like if their parents listened AND cared AND let them have the freedom to be themselves.
Part of the first book I didn't like was the fact that we didn't get Stargirl's perspective, not really, just the boy who was both amazed and embarrassed by her. This Stargirl isn't manic pixie dream girl. she’s a girl! She's really real, less of a fantasy, fully fleshed out. I’ve known girls like this! So I like this one better for that reason. She should’ve been in this town the whole time not Arizona!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Deadnaming, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Blood
Minor: Violence
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
No matter how much I hate the characters I always love when sisters sister. When sisters are sistering, I am sat. You have my full attention. I don't care if they're good or evil. I love them. Makes me wish I wasn't an only child, even if she was a serial killer! (I'm kidding but not really. Kinda.) Also based off the title alone I thought the book was gonna be set in New York lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Mental illness, Misogyny, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Police brutality, and Car accident
The Voice of the Children by June Jordan
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
the kids just wanna be happy it's very heartbreaking. i felt the same way at this age. why is there so much suffering in the world? this was 50 years ago and what's changed?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, and War
Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-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
PERFECT book. A world I never want to leave! Mr. Whiskers laughs at Jane for not actually hating herself and he’s right; she never hated herself, she hated the way people made her feel and internalized what they said, but it’s very clear she never really believed it even before her act 3 revelation. Jane is my favorite Disney princess! Loved the guy from Spongebob cameo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit and Car accident
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
Back to basics, I made the lesbian / sapphic reading list because this book frustrated me. Queer relationships aren't a gimmick, something for a bi girl to do with her player lesbian bestie, just for her to end up with a man in the end. Nor are queer relationships gateways for a man to be in a societally acceptable looking relationship in the end. The queer relationships in Emezi's books frustrated me to make the list because its' the same thing I would write as a teenager. It's just a little easter egg funny little tidbit that the female main character kisses and goes on dates with her lesbian best friend! But they;d never end up together! Her soulmate is a man! Very sad. Very frustrating. I don't do that anymore. This critique of Emezi is more of my own personal issue that bubbled up. I still love their work and still will continue reading but I wanted to voice my frustration for my future self who's gonna look back at my reviews and go "How did I feel about that one again? Oh yeah. Woof."
From my notes: Emezi writes sex a lot like Toni Morrison did, either the characters or very bored or it is deeply animalistic. I love it. Also my guess for the location of the island is Dominica. French influence, English speaking, near Antigua. I don't know if Dominica has mountains though... Also also love them name dropping their sister. I'd do it too!
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
3.5
This is my last Emezi book, I’m up to date on all their works finally! I’m having a good time, not the greatest time, not the best time, but a good time.
This book also made me start a lesbian / sapphic reading list for a specific reason present in Emezi’s other books. This is about to become a review I don’t usually write, an actual critique of an author's work. Emezi’s talented at everything they do, no complaints there. It’s poignant to me, though, to have two bisexual characters who end up with the opposite sex. Of course bisexuals can end up with whoever but ALL of Emezi’s books are like that (I guess not the YA). This book could’ve been more powerful with a milf mommy. The book could’ve been more powerful if Alim explained to his kids that he previously chose them over another great love (the man he dated) and this person now reminded him that he shouldn’t’ve had to choose. But knowing what I know about Emezi, based on all of their books, they don’t care to explain things to people. Even in this book Feyi tells Nasir she doesn’t owe him that explanation. It happens in Freshwater with the Ala and their ex husband, I’m pretty sure it happens in Little Rot. This seems to be a fundamental feature of, if not Emezi’s mindset as a person (not me armchair diagnosing), Emezi’s writing style / themes that will always come up in their writing. A very “I don’t owe you anything” mindset. The only reason I don’t like it is because this could’ve enhanced the story, made way for more character exploration. This is so long.
Back to basics, I made the lesbian / sapphic reading list because this book frustrated me. Queer relationships aren't a gimmick, something for a bi girl to do with her player lesbian bestie, just for her to end up with a man in the end. Nor are queer relationships gateways for a man to be in a societally acceptable looking relationship in the end. The queer relationships in Emezi's books frustrated me to make the list because its' the same thing I would write as a teenager. It's just a little easter egg funny little tidbit that the female main character kisses and goes on dates with her lesbian best friend! But they;d never end up together! Her soulmate is a man! Very sad. Very frustrating. I don't do that anymore. This critique of Emezi is more of my own personal issue that bubbled up. I still love their work and still will continue reading but I wanted to voice my frustration for my future self who's gonna look back at my reviews and go "How did I feel about that one again? Oh yeah. Woof."
From my notes: Emezi writes sex a lot like Toni Morrison did, either the characters or very bored or it is deeply animalistic. I love it. Also my guess for the location of the island is Dominica. French influence, English speaking, near Antigua. I don't know if Dominica has mountains though... Also also love them name dropping their sister. I'd do it too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity and Car accident
Minor: Child death
The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories: A Collection of Chinese Science Fiction and Fantasy in Translation from a Visionary Team of Female and Nonbinary Creators by Yu Chen, Regina Kanyu Wang
adventurous
informative
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? N/A
4.0
At first I was like none of these have anything to do with spring! Then I got to the titular bitchular, and I see why she’s the titular bitchular. The stories were all cool. The lowest ratings I gave were 3.25, the highest were two 5 star stories (one of which was the titular bitchular). But I do wish all the stories would've had something to do with spring based on the title of the book as a whole. The book should've been something about contemporary Chinese writers instead. Very worth my purchase. I liked taking a peak into a culture I know almost nothing about really.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Misogyny, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Cancer, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
Blood, Bread And Poetry: Selected Prose, 1979 1985 by Adrienne Rich
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
I didn't actually finish, I DNF'd with 3 essays left. But I got the gist of it. Love! The family essay blew me away, that one alone I'd give 5 stars. I'd read Comphet before and I change my rating to 4.5 for that essay off vibes alone. Very great essays all together. I wish she wrote fiction too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Antisemitism, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Suicide
Nothing by Janne Teller
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Peak white people behavior. Absolutely disgusting. I'm thinking to myself, is this white culture? It must be. White people long for manifest destiny, the call to colonize "new" lands is deep in their bones, and yet they do (or write) sick and twisted shit like this! If there were students of color here, or people of color in general, none of this would've happened. The kids get put on punishment for like a week then they get famous and the parents forget about it??? Be serious. Also I know his was written in the 90s or before 9/11 but the Muslim / Arab characters being the worst depiction possible proves my point of the call of evil deep in white people's core. Sick! Twisted! Disgusting! And I must clarify this is peak white people behavior because did me and my friends do weird shit when we were pre-teens and teenagers? Sure. Nothing to the level of what happens in this, even as many of us saw and experienced the horrors of the world. Not a single one of them had a mind to say no? Or empathy? Or, above all else, the idea to just ignore the other kid? Go get his parents? Why is there a kid in a tree all year? Did he go down to use the bathroom? What did he eat? Only plums? For six months?? His parents didn't go looking for him? Did he climb down after all the other kids and teachers went hope then woke up bright and early before anyone else and climb back up at the ass crack of dawn and get back into position? I almost bought this fuckass book because the concept is so interesting. In fact, it's the most interesting part. I'm so glad I saved my measly $10. I've ranted long enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism and Religious bigotry
The Follower of Flowers by Natalia Hernandez
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The books are in third person perspective so starting the chapters with character names in pointless. Many plot twists / reveals in chapter 29 out of 30 which sucks because I liked the ending more than the rest of the book so that double sucks. But I had a good time all the way through.
My rating for the short story The Rock and the Doe
4.25 stars
I love gay people!
My rating for the short story The Rock and the Doe
4.25 stars
I love gay people!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Ableism, Slavery, and Outing
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is like my 5th time unintentionally reading a book about myself! I love everything about it. I don't have much to say!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Infidelity, Blood, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent