souplover2001's reviews
263 reviews

c.l. polk will be like. here is a girl who WANTS!! who LOVES!!! and i eat it up every time

a short, sweet, and sad read! admire c.l polk's ability to capture a story and fit in so much desire and longing into a story of its sized however i think the ending could have benefited from another page or two. had similar themes to even though i knew the end which i loved. excited to read the sequel!

“our stories are not all the same, but the destination is: to get some place where we have some peace and harmony, and we can be at ease with ourselves and the people around us. you make the best of it all and hope you can help make it better for the gurl after you.” 

i started reading this book back in june, on the way to have some post-work drinks with my friends at a queer sports bar and felt incredibly reflective on my way home that night. how privileged i am to be bisexual woman in this day and age to live a beautiful and fulfilling life that would not be without those who came before me. i’m grateful for their time and work, for the insights shared here, and for the hope of a better world. loved reading the conversation between miss majors and meronek, you can tell there is a deep and genuine love between them <3 and through all the hardships and roadblocks and strife, the highlight of community and action was one that will stick with me for a long time. an essential read for anyone who is even mildly interested in queer liberation and trans history!

enjoying it so far, but also realizing that this is a type of book that I'd rather read and not listen to. will revisit in the new year

lotta fun! love daphne + miles character arc and the emphasis daphne's friendship with ashley

finished this book in mere hours oh lord....

i think this book has all the characteristics that make me love a good romance novel (effective and only sometimes cringe descriptive writing, third person pov, a fun setting where the main characters can fall in love, individual character arcs for both mcs that have me rooting for them as people and a couple, an ensemble of side characters that i think are fun) but the main premise is just sooooo. flabbergasting? unbelievable? not as insensitive as it could have been given the subject matter but still weird?? and while it made the rest of the plot interesting, it's leaving a bad taste in my mouth... idk man i have more thoughts on that and how it ties into helen being the Eldest Daughter of an Immigrant Family and how that was handled but. it's midnight and i'm sleepy 😴

a high 3.5 like definitely one of the better romance books i've read this year but the premise 😕 nevertheless, yulin kuang i will be watching ur career with interest

😭😭

fun!

haven't been reading for a while and since it's a collection of non-fiction essays that don't really need to be read in order i'll just mark when i've finished it as a whole

have a huge note on my phone with a bunch of different thoughts, observations, and conclusions but overall i think this book was just. interesting! the writing style, while good, feels a little dated even though this was only written a couple years ago. i think that more has to do with the fact that it is painfully obvious that the author spent too much time on either tumblr and/or engaging in internet discourse throughout the 2010s. despite all the blurbs and quotes on the book stating otherwise, i also did not find it to be all that funny or have any real humour – just callous and mean observations from irina about those around her.

i think that it presents a lot of different ideas and critiques about gender, power, desire and identity but still leaves much to be desired. where i do think this book excelled was in highlighting irina’s relationship with her art. without going into too much detail or large spoilers, i think that her journey to becoming the artist that she is, revisiting those moments in her education through her gallery show, and tying so much of her own self and perceptions into the art that she creates was a great way to understand her character’s arc throughout the book. 

exploring irina's relationship with her art and how it immobilizes any sort of personal growth i think also highlights similar issues to this book as a whole. that despite being provocative, risqué and uncomfortable, without any real sort of vulnerability or reflection (which, at least in irina’s case, is by design) it hinders its ability to truly make a lasting impact. i think the real value of the book will be able to talk and discuss irina’s character and experiences throughout the book with other women, so i am grateful that i'm reading this as part of a book club and excited to see what insights our discussion will bring!