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mitzee's reviews
340 reviews
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A fun, simple, puzzle game. It feels like a bit of a murder mystery but not; there’s no murder, there is a mystery to be solved. Someone dies and the main character is driven to figure out why this person left her his billions of dollars instead of the family (daughters and grandsons) he left behind.
There’s a love triangle between Avery and two of the brothers, Jameson and Grayson. Its history repeating itself with a death of a girl named Emily in their past. This part of the story felt pointless? Like it was introduced to add to the drama but I guess it was being used as a red herring. A choice by the author but ultimately a dead end and in the end it felt like an inconsequential loose end. Overall I enjoyed the journey, it’s fun to fantasize about inheriting a lot of money. I also enjoyed the puzzles and mystery aspect.
There’s a love triangle between Avery and two of the brothers, Jameson and Grayson. Its history repeating itself with a death of a girl named Emily in their past. This part of the story felt pointless? Like it was introduced to add to the drama but I guess it was being used as a red herring. A choice by the author but ultimately a dead end and in the end it felt like an inconsequential loose end. Overall I enjoyed the journey, it’s fun to fantasize about inheriting a lot of money. I also enjoyed the puzzles and mystery aspect.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse
Minor: Gun violence
Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I think I need to listen to this again while taking notes. A lot of this is a recounting of personal experiences - which is really helpful as someone who is not of the disabled community and wants to educate themselves. It would be a good reread/listen to take notes and think about what actions an ally should take to make accommodations and create a more accessible environment for others.
Also side note, I was almost halfway through the book before I realized she was not saying “cutie bipoc” but QD bipoc, as in Queer Disabled. Hahaha. Cutie bipoc is cute tho.
Also side note, I was almost halfway through the book before I realized she was not saying “cutie bipoc” but QD bipoc, as in Queer Disabled. Hahaha. Cutie bipoc is cute tho.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A fun, femme first (but not queer) story that feels somewhere between sci-fi and fantasy (maybe more off-Terra fantasy).
Tress is a basic girl who lives on an island and falls in love with the Duke’s son, who tells her he is some low level servant. Something happens to rock her world and she sets off on a journey and gets an opportunity to show off her intelligence, empathy, cleverness, and vulnerability.
notes for me (major spoilers here):
Things I really enjoyed: Disabled, deaf representation. Tress’ ability to see her own faults and evaluate her ideas from an objective POV. The spore seas were fun. I would want to hear more about this. Similar to the powers, and magic from Sanderson’s Mistborn series, it felt very creative and new. Really enjoyed this one and the audiobook includes a note from the author who reads it himself who sounds so much younger than what I thought based on the Stormlight Archive series
Tress is a basic girl who lives on an island and falls in love with the Duke’s son, who tells her he is some low level servant. Something happens to rock her world and she sets off on a journey and gets an opportunity to show off her intelligence, empathy, cleverness, and vulnerability.
notes for me (major spoilers here):
Things I really enjoyed: Disabled, deaf representation. Tress’ ability to see her own faults and evaluate her ideas from an objective POV. The spore seas were fun. I would want to hear more about this. Similar to the powers, and magic from Sanderson’s Mistborn series, it felt very creative and new. Really enjoyed this one and the audiobook includes a note from the author who reads it himself who sounds so much younger than what I thought based on the Stormlight Archive series
Just Kids by Patti Smith
emotional
informative
slow-paced
3.5
I only gave it 3.5. In the end it was something I was able to finish but not necessarily something I found that interesting. I think this book would be better for someone who is a fan of Patti Smith or Robert Maplethorpe and/or a fan of the art, writing, music that came out of the creatives who lived in the Chelsea Hotel in the 70s.
I was drawn to it because someone else had recommended it and I have heard about Patti Smith and have seen Maplethorpes work but I didn’t really know too much about them. I don’t think I learned from this book why they were important. I did learn about Maplethorpe’s struggle with internalized homophobia and about how it didn’t take much to get by in the 70s in NYC.
I was drawn to it because someone else had recommended it and I have heard about Patti Smith and have seen Maplethorpes work but I didn’t really know too much about them. I don’t think I learned from this book why they were important. I did learn about Maplethorpe’s struggle with internalized homophobia and about how it didn’t take much to get by in the 70s in NYC.
River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
At the time I borrowed I wasn’t ready for the level of detail for the crime investigation. Maybe come back to this later.
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
Left this book for a break. Need to have the time and headspace for the content which is obviously not going to be written with modern phrasing.
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
I had to stop reading because I was reminded how challenging the text was. This was something I realized after finally
Making it through the first book, felt like I only paid attention to half of what was going on - which is probably why I didn’t leave a very detailed review of the first.
I need a better guide or system for remembering the characters. Just wasn’t in the right headspace for the high stress, constantly defensive storylines.
Making it through the first book, felt like I only paid attention to half of what was going on - which is probably why I didn’t leave a very detailed review of the first.
I need a better guide or system for remembering the characters. Just wasn’t in the right headspace for the high stress, constantly defensive storylines.
Allies: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, And Trying Again by Shakirah Bourne, Dana Alison Levy
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
This series of essays is a great starter of stories that help people understand the value of allyship, what it looks like to be an ally, what it looks like to fail to be a good ally.
While I understand it’s intended to be fitting for YA audiences also, I give it a 5 because it doesn’t hit hard enough for me. The tone is generally softer and I think that’s great to not make people feel alienated from the concept of becoming an ally, but I wanted it to be more explicit in criticism of what the systems of oppression.
While I understand it’s intended to be fitting for YA audiences also, I give it a 5 because it doesn’t hit hard enough for me. The tone is generally softer and I think that’s great to not make people feel alienated from the concept of becoming an ally, but I wanted it to be more explicit in criticism of what the systems of oppression.
He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters by Schuyler Bailar
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
A great starting point for cis folks to educate themselves. Bailar goes over basic concepts about being gender identity, sexual identity, facts about gender identity in childhood and development (using stats and research conducted by medical professionals-not himself). Also covers baseline etiquette that cis people may not think about when trying to talk to trans people about their gender identity or transness.
Also touches a bit on intersectionality since Bailar is also Korean American.
Also touches a bit on intersectionality since Bailar is also Korean American.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s overall sad, or gives me very emo vibes at least (like early 20s, in my feelings and loving it kind of vibes), and I loved it.
Story summary for myself
Sadie and Sam grow up together in their youth and seem to separate around high school/early college - for 6 years. They come back together as young adults and begin to make games together. Both of them are a little bit shit, broken in some ways. Then there’s Marks who is the best of them but also Sam calls him boring/an NPC. He loves them both but ends up having a baby with Sadie. The chapter (or chapters?) in which Marks is shot is told from his PoV when Sam and Sadie are out doing press tour for their new game. I don’t know how Marks knew what to do and how to stay calm in that type of situation. Until that point I was definitely ambivalent about him as a character but after that I really felt like he was the glue that held everything together without anyone even realizing it. Is that the kind of person I want to be?
Story summary for myself
Sadie and Sam grow up together in their youth and seem to separate around high school/early college - for 6 years. They come back together as young adults and begin to make games together. Both of them are a little bit shit, broken in some ways. Then there’s Marks who is the best of them but also Sam calls him boring/an NPC. He loves them both but ends up having a baby with Sadie. The chapter (or chapters?) in which Marks is shot is told from his PoV when Sam and Sadie are out doing press tour for their new game. I don’t know how Marks knew what to do and how to stay calm in that type of situation. Until that point I was definitely ambivalent about him as a character but after that I really felt like he was the glue that held everything together without anyone even realizing it. Is that the kind of person I want to be?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Sexual violence