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immodestgender's reviews
9 reviews
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Kind of an odd book, feels like filler and Feyre deciding she actually does want kids now feels like a really odd and sudden shift in character. Overall it's fine, but nothing really happens.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism and Mental illness
Minor: Violence
They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
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
This book will rip your heart out and make you sob. Even though you know it's going to. The characters are so real and so tangible, you feel every moment with them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Medical content
Minor: Animal death
In Black and White: A Young Barrister's Story of Race and Class in a Broken Justice System by Alexandra Wilson
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
A must read, especially for those interested in how the law hurts those in society most at risk.
Alexandra Wilson manages to inform the reader without getting into heavy and confusing legal jargon. I felt for so many of the defendants spoken about in this book, and how so many of them needed help not a criminal charge.
If anything I'd say the rhetoric in this book is too lenient in its interpretation of outdated laws, institutionally racist police, criminalisation of poverty and poor mental health, and chronic underfunding of services. The message is there, but perhaps saying it outright as a practicing barrister isn't possible without damaging your livelihood. I'm grateful that she is shining a light on the issues so that people can come to their own conclusions.
I'll also add that while the book goes into detail about the impacts of race, gender, socioeconomic status and disability (including mental health) on ending up in the legal system, LGBTQIA+ issues aren't even mentioned. Given the high rates of mental health issues and homelessness among the LGBTQIA+ community, I doubt there's not a connection.
Overall though Alexandra Wilson is an excellent writer and making strides for equal representation at the bar. I shall certainly be picking up any other books she comes out with in future.
Alexandra Wilson manages to inform the reader without getting into heavy and confusing legal jargon. I felt for so many of the defendants spoken about in this book, and how so many of them needed help not a criminal charge.
If anything I'd say the rhetoric in this book is too lenient in its interpretation of outdated laws, institutionally racist police, criminalisation of poverty and poor mental health, and chronic underfunding of services. The message is there, but perhaps saying it outright as a practicing barrister isn't possible without damaging your livelihood. I'm grateful that she is shining a light on the issues so that people can come to their own conclusions.
I'll also add that while the book goes into detail about the impacts of race, gender, socioeconomic status and disability (including mental health) on ending up in the legal system, LGBTQIA+ issues aren't even mentioned. Given the high rates of mental health issues and homelessness among the LGBTQIA+ community, I doubt there's not a connection.
Overall though Alexandra Wilson is an excellent writer and making strides for equal representation at the bar. I shall certainly be picking up any other books she comes out with in future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, and Grief
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Car accident, and Murder
In Their Shoes: Navigating Non-Binary Life by Jamie Windust
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
2.75
Jamie is the sort of person I would love to have as a friend. They're bubbly, bright, honest and true to themselves through all - as well as obviously outrageously queer.
However I think this book would have been better had it been written 5 or 10 years from now. Jamie says themselves that they were still figuring themselves out only a few years before writing In Their Shoes (They were 22 at time of writing). I felt that the books was muddled. It didn't know what it wanted to be. Is it a memoir? A self-help guide for other trans and nonbinary folk? A learning tool for cis people wanting to be better allies? Jamie gives us teasing mentions of other queer people they look up to, or have influenced them, but most we never hear any stories about. If we do, it's always used to teach a lesson, or make a point.
I'd love for Jamie to write a book 10 years from now. One that isn't full of information for naive audiences or advice for baby gays, but full of the rich stories of their life and the amazing people in it. I want to read about other queers, not as a learning moment, but just because we're amazing people worth reading about.
I recommend giving it a read if you're not that informed about trans people and trans culture, especially on the nonbinary side (though remember that their experience isn't the same as other people's).
However I think this book would have been better had it been written 5 or 10 years from now. Jamie says themselves that they were still figuring themselves out only a few years before writing In Their Shoes (They were 22 at time of writing). I felt that the books was muddled. It didn't know what it wanted to be. Is it a memoir? A self-help guide for other trans and nonbinary folk? A learning tool for cis people wanting to be better allies? Jamie gives us teasing mentions of other queer people they look up to, or have influenced them, but most we never hear any stories about. If we do, it's always used to teach a lesson, or make a point.
I'd love for Jamie to write a book 10 years from now. One that isn't full of information for naive audiences or advice for baby gays, but full of the rich stories of their life and the amazing people in it. I want to read about other queers, not as a learning moment, but just because we're amazing people worth reading about.
I recommend giving it a read if you're not that informed about trans people and trans culture, especially on the nonbinary side (though remember that their experience isn't the same as other people's).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, and Transphobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, and Police brutality
Sing for the Coming of the Longest Night by Iona Datt Sharma, Katherine Fabian
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was so queer it made me feel at home. It was done so well, it felt so authentic and real. I couldn't put it down for that fact alone.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Really incredible coming of age story. The author did an amazing job of making the characters feel so real. I was really brought back to how it felt to be 15 and struggling to find myself.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Transphobia
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
Honestly incredible book. Sugar has a way of seeing the world that is all at once heartbreaking and immensely hopeful. I was given this by my partner and I hadn't finished it before I bought a copy for my Mum. It really helped me do some much needed processing about a past relationship and look at the world a little differently. My only gripe is that Sugar at one point describes someone who's polyamorous as needing to make a descision and settle down, which is pretty disheartening to read as a polyam person.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Abortion, and Death of parent
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed Name of the Wind. It was superbly written, and the magic system is really well designed. However I didn't get that can't-put-it-down feeling with this book. I still recommend giving it a read, and the storytelling moved me to tears on multiple occassions. However, the lack of diversity did definitely put a dent in my enjoyment, and even now I'm well into the second book I don't feel especially connected to the main character.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
5.0