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caseythereader's reviews
1744 reviews
5.0
- DINNER ON MONSTER ISLAND is a knockout essay collection. De Rozario fills this short book with rage, love, and thoughtfulness.
- De Rozario speaks not on just being queer, but being fat, brown and queer in a society that actively works to suppress or eliminate all these things. I think we in the U.S. often think of Singapore as being an incredibly strict society, and while that’s true, a lot of what is described isn’t so far off from the way we treat each other here.
- A good chunk of this book centers on self-policing and what to do when your fellow citizens are the ones doing the surveillance and reporting. I’m not sure there is an answer since it’s such a big thing to grapple with, but it’s something to open our eyes to for sure.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Cancer and Pandemic/Epidemic
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
- When I finished THE FETISHIST, I thought, “What the heck just happened? That was awesome!”
- If you’re looking for a book that is slightly unhinged, funny, and yet filled with deep emotions, this is the book for you. It’s also a weirdly fast paced for a character-based story; I couldn’t put it down.
- I heard about this book because it was published by Min’s daughter after Min’s death. I wish we’d been able to see more from her, and I also hope people will pick up this strange little book and appreciate what she did give us.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
- The world Kacen Callender has built in INFINITY ALCHEMIST is one of the best YA fantasy settings I’ve seen in a long time. It’s complex without being overly complicated, and explores hard topics alongside some really cool visuals.
- This book gets deep into classism, racism and power the way the best fantasy books can: it’s parallel to our world, but not didactic.
- I love how deeply queerness is woven into this book. The main characters are a trans boy and a person who shifts gender and pronouns at will, and it’s done in a way that I can’t imagine the book featuring any other characters. Plus - and I won’t give total spoilers here, but - fans of the love story in IRON WIDOW will also want to check out INFINITY ALCHEMIST.
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use and Sexual assault
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
- Yamilet is a great character with a unique voice, and you will root for her even when she’s making mistakes.
- Nearly everyone makes mistakes - both big and small - in this book, and that’s part of what makes it great. Everyone is just trying to get through all the hard things happening to them, and no one is doing it perfectly but they figure out how to love each other regardless.
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Deportation
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
- Anita Kelly continues to be the best with HOW YOU GET THE GIRL. Kelly brings their signature wit and heart to this sapphic sports romance. I swooned, I cried, I cheered.
- Where this book punched me in the heart, though, is Julie’s character. Julie is me and I am Julie. I think I’m ace, but maybe not, because this person has knocked me off my feet? Am I pathetic for being “behind” everyone in terms of experience? Do I need a label? What if I never sort it out? NO, YOU’RE CRYING! (this is me saying thank you for bringing this character into existence, truly.)
- Characters from Kelly’s previous two books feature pretty heavily in this one (I squealed every time), so I would recommend reading those first to get the full background and experience. And you should read them anyway because they’re great!
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
- I’m so happy to be back with Mossa and Pleiti for another cozy mystery on Jupiter! I could honestly read an endless number of books set in this universe.
- These books are so clever, both in the worldbuilding and in the actual mystery.
- And I love watching Mossa and Pleiti slowly work their way back into each others’ lives. They don’t always understand each other, but they’re so tender and thoughtful.
Graphic: Death and Murder
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
- Y’all! SO LET THEM BURN is so good! Dragons! Queerness! Jamaican history and gods! Life or death stakes! Love!
- I loved Faron and Elara and crew. I love a prickly girl protagonist, and SO LET THEM BURN delivers that and shows us exactly why they feel that way.
- This book blends the joy of fantasy with a close look at the destructive effects of colonization. The plot is fast and engaging, the world is detailed, and the issues it explores are real and important.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Racism, Violence, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Slavery and War
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
- And there is a lot of *really* hard stuff in this book. This is a slight spoiler, but I’m honestly not sure I’ve ever read a YA novel that has an abusive mom character. It was tough to read but I’m so glad this book exists.
- This book also includes characters who are fat, disabled, and sapphic, as well as all the main characters being people of color. Love it.
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism and Religious bigotry