molly_dettmann's reviews
1873 reviews

I thought this was just a story of a football player and had no idea who this man was, but now I’m a huge fan! He shares his upbringing and how he got into football along with how he came to live his true self and be an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community he proudly is a part of. He gets detailed about his love life and football that felt a little repetitive so some parts I maybe hard skimmed to get the gist but overall this was a solid memoir. 

I thought this was a fine memoir about a journalist who also covered the infamous Murdaugh Murders. It all started with a boat accident in 2019 and the powerful/untouchable Murdaugh family and then ended in a murder conviction that made national news. I guess I was living under a rock because I hadn’t heard of this at all, so I’m glad I read this to catch up on everything. I liked Mandy Matney also sharing about her start in journalism, including the highs and lows, but the investigation itself was the best part of this read. 

I was hyped for this book when I first heard about it and it was even better!!! It was delightful and fun and 90s and had great artwork and lettering. I loved the messages different faiths coming together to fight evil and also the ones about acceptance and loving one another (though told through a really goofy/interesting plot of fighting demons). There were a few plots that didn’t fully flesh out, but I would highly recommend this one for the nostalgia alone, and also because it was a quite a ride of a read

This was a solid read as a reflective look at colonial trauma and healing for Indigenous young adults. As someone not Indigenous I thought it was eye-opening and informative. The books centers Indigenous readers and finding hope, healing, and background about a history of violence and identity. The format was very readable and there was lots of straightforward passages with lots of graphics, text boxes and bullet points, as well as warnings for difficult topics, and lots of quotations from Indigenous folks highlighting a lot of experiences and feelings. There was a nice list of resources and references at the end as well. This is a must-buy for high school libraries and a must-read for all educators. 

This was such an interesting collection of poems with a lovely organization to the overall book. You’d have an intro blurb from the poet, then the poem, then an essay of commentary and analysis from Pádraig Ó Tuama. I feel like I learned more about how to understand and read poetry from his commentary and it gave me better insight overall about a lot of different perspectives and experiences. There’s a podcast that I’m may check out just because I enjoyed this collection so much. 

I don’t know if I 100% understand what I read but it was still beautiful. 

What a dark read that sheds light on 4 older teens as they struggle in the poverty and violence that surrounds them on the island of Mauritius. Its short but powerful prose makes this a story I couldn’t put down and also will not forget. 

This was an interesting format and read and I’m excited it got picked up as a mini series because some metaphors maybe went over my head and seeing will hopefully clear up and bring life to some of the story I maybe didn’t all the way get. 

So I wouldn’t have any idea what was happening or any clue how to pronounce any thing if I hadn’t seen the movie. I was inspired to read this after seeing the movie and discovering the character Duncan Idaho. Duncan Idaho was indeed as much of a highlight in book form as in movie form. I don’t think I’ll continue anymore of the series but now I can say I read it and get the story a little more and that Duncan Idaho is the best book character ever. 

The artwork is wonderful and the flow and length of it make for a great readaloud and conversation starter or lesson opener about what it means to be a citizen for little kids.