sara_m_martins's reviews
333 reviews

A short poetry collection that centers on disability and chronic pain, but beware if this cold trigger you. The writing style wasn't for me, but I did appreciate the DnD references. I also think the queerness aspect is not *that* present, considering where it was presented in the synopsis - if you go in looking for that, I think you will be dissapointed. 
Overall, good for people that like some of the newer poetry styles (like Amanda Lovelace), and looking for themes of disability and chronic pain/illness. 

Nice little comic anthology. It provides a multitude of perspectives and existences of the trans experiences. The styles are all very different, and I simply didn't vibe with the style of writing or the art, which makes me knock it down to a 4*. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.  I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

lesbians and animals . had high hopes... 
I simply didn't vibe with the stories. The first was okay but nothing special. second one had a "character development arc" that was just wild to me and grated me. third one starts with, frankly, animal abuse and i was at a point with the book where i didn't care to go through with it

1st story - 3stars
fun.

2nd story - 2stars
being a lil' snarky doesnt warrant an AA like transformation. 

3rd story - dnf
very much disliked how the MC agreed fostering when she was completely not able to grasp basic concepts of being responsible for an animal. 

A great piece of science communication to the younger audience! Professor Tallamy adapts his bestseller on natura conservation for the youngest audience, but also great to be consumed by everyone else!
The writing is clear, informative and easy to take in! It has great calls to action with clear how-to.
The illustrations are very nice, alongside with the many photos, which works to keep readers of all ages engaged and gives them first-hand knowledge of what to look for, regarding these issues of conservation.
Keep in mind that the book is geared to information of Northern-American native species and problems in ecosystems.

Parallel follows Karl in a dual timeline: just after WWII in a divided Germany, starting his parallel lives (marriage, kids VS being gay when it is a crime), and in his first months of retirement, in the 80s (fairly alone, estranged from his daughter). 
This is a very sad story. It is a story of a gay man in a time and place where it was illegal to be. There is a flicker of joy here and there and it ends in a more or less uplifting note, but overall it's quite depressing.  The characters are not loveable (except for one side character or two), they are complex and do as much bad stuff as they do good. But this makes it quite an unusual story to read. If you are looking for something to warm your heart I don't think this one is right for you. This one if for those that want an unusual queer tale from an unusual historical place and perspective.
The art style is quite monochrome and stark throughout, the colorfulness of the left side of the cover isn't present. 
Overall, this one wasn't outstanding for me - something never quite clicked correctly, but it was an interesting read.
TW: Homophobia (by individuals and police), outing, suicide of a side character

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and OniPress for this opportunity.

A very sweet&melancholic slice of life and wuick read, following mother, daughter and son the day of Princess Diana's death, and seeing each personal drama.
Beautiful artstyle, marrying the real-world both with the fantasy world of the child and with the inner worlds of the older characters.

i have ever so many quotes from this book! right from the start to the end i found ever so many of them! i adored the writing AND the writing VOICE! this book was infused with humour throughout, being emotional when it needed to be.

annie krabbenschmidt writes exquisitely about girlhood in this world, about sexuality (particularly lesbianism and comphet) and how that flows together and apart with gender and gender identity. she writes about the relationships around her, from the romantic ones, to friendships and her family, including the realization that maybe you and your mother could actually be best friends only if you weren't in that pre-destined relationship from the start. 
this book is about her ✨journey✨ to find herself and along the way i saw echoes of my thoughts, over and over. but of course, in some way or another, all queer experience will reflect one another in some way. i'm deeply grateful to have come across this book when i did. i wish you all the same happiness! 

Great LGBTQ+ Speeches compiles a series of speeches (sometimes interviews or dialogue, not speeches per say) throughout queer history. Together with a small introductory note on the orator (and context on the speech setting) a section of the speech is presented, along with a fun graphical presentation.
This is a good starting point reference book, due to its characteristics above. It lacks from having the full speeches, as when compared with Great Speeches on Gay Rights from Dover Thrift, but the introductory note makes up for it somewhat. Additionally, it does a great job in the span of speeches presented - from 1897 all the way through really recently in 2019.

TL;DR: An excellent piece of science communication, presenting research from the last 5 or so decades that deconstruct the sex-differences ideas inputed into science in Darwin's Victorian days, and that have long been unchallenged. With humour and heart, Cooke introduces us to the new discoveries that give us a broader state of possible existences for females (and males) in the natural world, as well as showing us that the binary is not supported by science and that homosexuality is present in many organisms.

this book is INCREDIBLE!!!
I cannot underline, bold, italicize how much I think everyone should read this book! am i biased as a biologist? yes! do i still think this is an incredible book? yes!
I've finished Bitch: On the Female of the Species about a month ago or so, and I while I was reading it and since then, I have thought about it often and discussed the knowledge i got from it several times with other people!
this isn't simply a biology book, but it shows the flaws of science has a discipline created by humans, and the genesis of which is necessarily biased as society is. but the truly astounding, incredible, hopeful part of it, which makes me fall in love with science and nature time and time again, is the knowledge that is presented along the way. it's the fact that's these scientists (most of them female themselves) went "hold up, let me check something" and uncover another marvel of the natural world, broadening our minds to the beautiful complexity of the world, instead of murking away in the same unproven (or already proven wrong but dismissed) old theories.
this book is both extremely interesting about thinking where our ideas of "sex differences" and "gender characteristics" (including gender identity and sexuality) come from and if they are really supported by science or not, but also it just is an extremely well-done piece of science communication and the knowledge of the natural world stands by itself as truly fascinating. Cooke informs us of all of this with this same wonder and with plenty of humour and heart along the way, keeping you hooked the whole book.

”My first reaction wasn’t, ‘I’ve made this great discovery,’ it was, 'I’ve really screwed up my lab work.'"

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing with an eARC for an honest review.