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thebakersbooks's reviews
281 reviews
Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Barracoon: Adapted for Young Readers by Ibram X. Kendi, Zora Neale Hurston
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Well told, well recorded. Excited to read the original (non-kids') version once my library acquires it because I don't love how much Kendi inserted his voice into this reinterpretation, including his *personal preference* for capitalizing 'white' (as in white people) in addition to Black. Since 'Black' wasn't a term used in the book, there was just a lot of capital-W whiteness going on.
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
2.0
Author overdescribes everything, which sucks since he is also a misogynist who seems to have a problem with fat people. Haven't seen that level of fatphobia directed against a child character since Harry Potter. Really happy the Lockwood & Co Netflix series did better by George.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
From Below by Darcy Coates
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-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
4.5
An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
challenging
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Pedophilia, Torture, Transphobia, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Abortion
The Partition Project by Saadia Faruqi
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
The Stand-In by Lily Chu
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-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
4.5
4.5/5 stars — alternately tense, funny, and poignant
This might be a good book for the older crowd that reads young adult anyway—this has the tone and some shared tropes with YA contemporary romances, but deals with the more adult issues of career/finances and aging parents. I really liked how the story took its time following the threads of all three major characters and their family dynamics.
other high points of the book for me:
- discussions about differing treatment/acceptance of visible mental illness between cultures (the main character and one major supporting character have depression and experience panic attacks)
- this conversation about the double standard of expecting non-politicians from certain foreign countries especially to publicly address political issues: "Do Canadian actors speak out against your own country's abuses?" "Not often." "Do you ever think about why we're responsible for answering for our government when they're not responsible for yours?"
Finally, on a personal note, I have beef with this author because the planner/organization app called Eppy that the MC develops in-book looks and sounds incredible but it (of course) is a work of fiction and I can't actually use it! (This is a joke. But I do want that app.)
a very incomplete list of content notes: anti-Chinese racism by unsympathetic characterss, racist bias (alternately toward or against, depending on the source) regarding mixed-race people; described unwanted sexual advances and past sexual assault
This might be a good book for the older crowd that reads young adult anyway—this has the tone and some shared tropes with YA contemporary romances, but deals with the more adult issues of career/finances and aging parents. I really liked how the story took its time following the threads of all three major characters and their family dynamics.
other high points of the book for me:
- discussions about differing treatment/acceptance of visible mental illness between cultures (the main character and one major supporting character have depression and experience panic attacks)
- this conversation about the double standard of expecting non-politicians from certain foreign countries especially to publicly address political issues: "Do Canadian actors speak out against your own country's abuses?" "Not often." "Do you ever think about why we're responsible for answering for our government when they're not responsible for yours?"
Finally, on a personal note, I have beef with this author because the planner/organization app called Eppy that the MC develops in-book looks and sounds incredible but it (of course) is a work of fiction and I can't actually use it! (This is a joke. But I do want that app.)
a very incomplete list of content notes: anti-Chinese racism by unsympathetic characterss, racist bias (alternately toward or against, depending on the source) regarding mixed-race people; described unwanted sexual advances and past sexual assault
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Death of parent