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libraryoflanelle's reviews
697 reviews
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Torture and Murder
Obligations to the Wounded: Stories by Mubanga Kalimukwento
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
In this concise yet impactful collection, Mubanga Kalimukwento delves into a multitude of important and complex human experiences through the lives of Zambian women and children. The stories explore themes such as navigating life with a homophobic mother, grieving a lost parent while battling postpartum depression, the slow heartbreak of losing a loved one to dementia, and the challenges of adapting to forced assimilation and casual racism as a child in a new environment, to name just a few.
This collection sheds light on the often painful and deeply real experiences of women and children within the Zambian diaspora. I found myself reflecting on the nuances and complexities of the individual and collective stories portrayed, particularly those that played with reality as a device to explore overarching themes.
As with many short story collections, I connected with certain stories more than others. My personal favourites were "Do Not Hate Me", "Mastitis", and "#BaileyLies".
While some stories were particularly effective and powerful due to their brevity, I couldn’t help but feel that several could have been even more impactful as full-length novels or novellas. In particular, the stories centred on the experiences of children in the Zambian diaspora seemed perfect for expansion into a layered, multigenerational family saga. I would certainly be eager to read more from Mubanga Kalimukwento in the future. With her beautiful writing, compelling subject matter, and the freedom to explore these themes across more pages, I’m confident I would fall even more in love with her work.
I highly recommend this collection to anyone seeking diverse perspectives, whether they mirror their own experiences or offer a window into vastly different lives.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Dementia, Grief, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Deadnaming, Mental illness, Violence, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, and Deportation
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
I wanted to love this book so bad! Queer vampires are my favourite, and Lucy is easily one of my top vampiric characters. I've read my fair share of vampire novels, but sadly, I had to DNF this one because I just couldn’t bring myself to want to pick it up. This was my first Kiersten White book, and I'm fairly certain it will be my last, as I simply didn’t connect with the writing style.
I found the book unnecessarily slow-paced and somewhat predictable. The potential was there—the concept and material were promising—but the execution fell flat. The dialogue often left a bad taste in my mouth, and I just couldn't push through to finish all 400+ pages.
If you're drawn to the premise of this book, I’d recommend exploring more authentic and beautifully written vampire fiction, such as S.T. Gibson's work (which has abundant queer representation) or ‘House of Hunger’, a unique vampiric tale by a WOC author. For a retelling that specifically features Lucy, I’d recommend giving ‘Reluctant Immortals’. And of course, if you haven't already, I’d also recommend checking out ‘Carmilla’ and ‘Dracula’
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.
Two-Step Devil by Jamie Quatro
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
In ‘Two-Step Devil’, we catch a glimpse into the lives of a seventy-year-old prophet and a teenage girl as their paths unexpectedly intersect. Throughout the story, we also come to meet 'Two-Step Devil' for better or worse… The novel goes on to explore what it means to be driven by prophecy and longing.
I absolutely loved the premise of ‘Two-Step Devil’. Sadly, the execution, whilst unique and intriguing left me wanting more. Many people already love this book, and many more will, but the storytelling approach just didn’t work for me personally. While I admire how Quatro employed multiple narratives and an experimental structure, these aspects ultimately detracted from the reading experience and left me feeling a little lost at times.
Quatro’s writing is playful and compelling, and I really appreciated the exploration of prophecy alongside the painfully human experiences of loneliness and belonging. The storyline was clearly well thought out and written with care. I would certainly try more of Quatro’s work in the future, but sadly this one wasn’t a new favourite.
If you enjoy experimental literary fiction that explores the philosophies and intricacies of human existence in inventive ways, this may be the book for you!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, and Trafficking
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility
When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen
3.0
Quick casual review ahead:
This book was very mid and honestly a little forgettable. I had a fun enough time listening and was definitely hooked enough to want to find out what happened. However, I felt like the themes around enslavement and white supremacy could have been explored in a lot more depth. I simultaneously felt that I could have enjoyed the storyline significantly more in a short story form as there were many aspects of the overarching plot that were predictable and drawn out.
Overall I had a fun enough time but was very much left wanting more!
This book was very mid and honestly a little forgettable. I had a fun enough time listening and was definitely hooked enough to want to find out what happened. However, I felt like the themes around enslavement and white supremacy could have been explored in a lot more depth. I simultaneously felt that I could have enjoyed the storyline significantly more in a short story form as there were many aspects of the overarching plot that were predictable and drawn out.
Overall I had a fun enough time but was very much left wanting more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, and Pedophilia
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Time of the Flies by Claudia Piñeiro
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Claudia Piñeiro is an absolute master of unputdownable, complex narratives, filled with rich with socio-political commentary and grounded in realism, whilst also unapologetically playing with reality.
This is my third Piñeiro, and you can bet I’m not stopping any time soon. This book was truly sensational in the most grounded and authentic way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Transphobia
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Body shaming