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mweis's reviews
1104 reviews
The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports by Michael Waters
4.5
Fascinating and (unfortunately) quite timely considering some of the headlines we've seen during these Olympics. In The Other Olympians, Michael Waters creates a history of sports and trans identities and world politics in the 1930s.
I think the wildest part to me was just how much acceptance and support people like Mark Weston and Zdeněk Koubek received publicly. In fact Waters points out that a lot of the novelty of their transitions wasn't that they did it but that they did it publicly. Waters charts how 1930s science was tackling the issues of sex and gender and how even then it was commonly understood that it isn't binary even if they hadn't quite reached the 21st century differentiation between sex and gender. He also highlights that the most ardent supporters of "sex testing" came from the Nazi Party and their sympathizers and ideas of white supremacy and eugenics and that even their ideas of what "sex tests" might look like were half-baked at best.
I do think the structure could have been a little smoother, especially at the beginning of the book which is why I struggle to give this a full 5-stars. But on the whole, I think this was a well-researched and fascinating read and highly recommend for anyone with interest in queer history, sports history, or an interest in seeing how some of the current "culture wars" came to exist.
I think the wildest part to me was just how much acceptance and support people like Mark Weston and Zdeněk Koubek received publicly. In fact Waters points out that a lot of the novelty of their transitions wasn't that they did it but that they did it publicly. Waters charts how 1930s science was tackling the issues of sex and gender and how even then it was commonly understood that it isn't binary even if they hadn't quite reached the 21st century differentiation between sex and gender. He also highlights that the most ardent supporters of "sex testing" came from the Nazi Party and their sympathizers and ideas of white supremacy and eugenics and that even their ideas of what "sex tests" might look like were half-baked at best.
I do think the structure could have been a little smoother, especially at the beginning of the book which is why I struggle to give this a full 5-stars. But on the whole, I think this was a well-researched and fascinating read and highly recommend for anyone with interest in queer history, sports history, or an interest in seeing how some of the current "culture wars" came to exist.
Adventures in Volcanoland: An Exploration of Volcanic Places and What They Tell Us About the World and About Ourselves by Tamsin Mather
4.0
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
For me, Adventures in Volcanoland is to volcanoes, what The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World was for dinosaurs, and as a lover of both volcanoes and dinosaurs, I am so happy that there are experts willing to write about the topics they love in layman's terms.
I love that Tamsin Mather starts this book out with a childhood trip to Pompeii because I think for many, myself included, Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius is the first example learned about when talking about volcanoes and volcanic eruptions. This is science heavy but well explained and I love that she drops bits about her own travels and experiences throughout the story, and that she includes how volcanoes shaped or were incorporated into local communities and cultures.
The last section of the book is also deals with space volcanoes (which is not something I knew existed but now need to learn more about) and with how what we know about volcanoes can help us navigate the current climate crisis.
Overall, I thought this was a really great example of good science communication and highly recommend for anyone looking for a new science book or who also never grew out of their childhood volcano phase.
For me, Adventures in Volcanoland is to volcanoes, what The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World was for dinosaurs, and as a lover of both volcanoes and dinosaurs, I am so happy that there are experts willing to write about the topics they love in layman's terms.
I love that Tamsin Mather starts this book out with a childhood trip to Pompeii because I think for many, myself included, Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius is the first example learned about when talking about volcanoes and volcanic eruptions. This is science heavy but well explained and I love that she drops bits about her own travels and experiences throughout the story, and that she includes how volcanoes shaped or were incorporated into local communities and cultures.
The last section of the book is also deals with space volcanoes (which is not something I knew existed but now need to learn more about) and with how what we know about volcanoes can help us navigate the current climate crisis.
Overall, I thought this was a really great example of good science communication and highly recommend for anyone looking for a new science book or who also never grew out of their childhood volcano phase.
Blood Justice by Terry J. Benton-Walker
4.0
*I received an audio review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Blood Justice picks up right after the events of Blood Debts, following Cris and Clem after they've taken back their family's stolen throne. It's been a minute since I read Blood Debts, but I think Benton-Walker does a great job of seeding the events of the first book into the start of this one as a reminder of what happened.
I do think this had some pacing problems, especially in the second quarter of the book as it bridges between the resolution of Blood Debts and into the main conflict of this book and I think there might have been one too many plot threads rolling throughout this book for it to form a fully cohesive narrative for me. That being said, I think this was a good continuation of the story and I like a lot of the thematic exploration Benton-Walker pulls into this while still making it a fun twisty story that I know I would have eaten up as a teenager. There's murder and magic and messy family dynamics and commentary on the criminal justice system and the dehumanization of the unhoused and gentrification and cultural appropriation and systemic racism and productive outlets for anger and so much more. The exploration of "justice" throughout this book was really fascinating and would make for an excellent book club discussion.
The audio narration is full cast (including the incredible Joniece Abbott-Pratt!) and an excellent production. I really enjoyed the listening experience and look forward to seeing what comes next for Cris and Clem!
Blood Justice picks up right after the events of Blood Debts, following Cris and Clem after they've taken back their family's stolen throne. It's been a minute since I read Blood Debts, but I think Benton-Walker does a great job of seeding the events of the first book into the start of this one as a reminder of what happened.
I do think this had some pacing problems, especially in the second quarter of the book as it bridges between the resolution of Blood Debts and into the main conflict of this book and I think there might have been one too many plot threads rolling throughout this book for it to form a fully cohesive narrative for me. That being said, I think this was a good continuation of the story and I like a lot of the thematic exploration Benton-Walker pulls into this while still making it a fun twisty story that I know I would have eaten up as a teenager. There's murder and magic and messy family dynamics and commentary on the criminal justice system and the dehumanization of the unhoused and gentrification and cultural appropriation and systemic racism and productive outlets for anger and so much more. The exploration of "justice" throughout this book was really fascinating and would make for an excellent book club discussion.
The audio narration is full cast (including the incredible Joniece Abbott-Pratt!) and an excellent production. I really enjoyed the listening experience and look forward to seeing what comes next for Cris and Clem!
Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I absolutely adored Johnson's debut, The Space Between Worlds so I was thrilled when I saw that her sophomore release was going to be a companion sequel to that. This follows a side character from the first book in the years following those events. I don't necessarily think you have to read The Space Between Worlds to understand this, but it would probably help.
That being said, tonally this book is much angrier. Mr. Scales is just as complex and interesting as Cara was in the first book but where Cara has managed to leave Ashtown behind, Mr. Scales is firmly enmeshed as an enforcer in Ashtown so we get to see more of their society, which is fascinating to me.
There are so many twists and turns here that I don't want to say much about the plot other than, there is a coming apocalypse and I found myself fully engrossed in the story being told. I didn't love this as much as I loved the first book, mostly because there were some character decisions that seemed questionable to me, but I did really have a good time with this story. The discussions of xenophobia and comparisons to real-world events are even more on the nose here and I think the author's note really sets the tone for where this story goes. I'm not sure if Johnson would ever write more in this world, but if she does I would absolutely pick it up.
Also, while not in any way a major plot element, there was a romantic pairing that had me absolutely feral in a very unexpected way and I loved it.
I absolutely adored Johnson's debut, The Space Between Worlds so I was thrilled when I saw that her sophomore release was going to be a companion sequel to that. This follows a side character from the first book in the years following those events. I don't necessarily think you have to read The Space Between Worlds to understand this, but it would probably help.
That being said, tonally this book is much angrier. Mr. Scales is just as complex and interesting as Cara was in the first book but where Cara has managed to leave Ashtown behind, Mr. Scales is firmly enmeshed as an enforcer in Ashtown so we get to see more of their society, which is fascinating to me.
There are so many twists and turns here that I don't want to say much about the plot other than, there is a coming apocalypse and I found myself fully engrossed in the story being told. I didn't love this as much as I loved the first book, mostly because there were some character decisions that seemed questionable to me, but I did really have a good time with this story. The discussions of xenophobia and comparisons to real-world events are even more on the nose here and I think the author's note really sets the tone for where this story goes. I'm not sure if Johnson would ever write more in this world, but if she does I would absolutely pick it up.
Also, while not in any way a major plot element, there was a romantic pairing that had me absolutely feral in a very unexpected way and I loved it.
Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas
4.5
*I received an audio review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Is this objectively a 5 star book? No, probably not. But I love this world and these characters so much. Celestial Monsters picks up right at the end of The Sunbearer Trials, so I'm glad I reread the first book before jumping into this. The sequel also transitions to a dual POV story as we continue to follow Teo as he goes on his quest with Niya and Aurello, but also have Xio's POV, which I loved.
I think I struggled a bit with the pacing in this one because it is very much a quest book which for me left the plot feeling a little aimless at times. The characters have a clear end goal, but some of the adventures along the way feel a bit fluffy and meandering. But that could be my general disinterest in traditional quest stories. That being said, the end of this book absolutely had me tearing up and I will absolutely be returning to this series again and again.
Overall this is such a fun series full of Latine culture in a queernorm society. It has a lot of the traditional young adult tropes but plays with them in a fun way. Along the way Teo and his friends begin to question the structural inequality in their society. I also love the casual queerness in this world. Queer love is accepted without question throughout the story, Teo mentions how cool he thinks his top scars are, and Xio is questioning their gender and everyone is super cool when they say they're trying out they/them pronouns.
André Santana's narration is lovely as always. I really appreciate the distinction he makes in the voices of characters. I will absolutely be picking up this audiobook when it's released in September!
Is this objectively a 5 star book? No, probably not. But I love this world and these characters so much. Celestial Monsters picks up right at the end of The Sunbearer Trials, so I'm glad I reread the first book before jumping into this. The sequel also transitions to a dual POV story as we continue to follow Teo as he goes on his quest with Niya and Aurello, but also have Xio's POV, which I loved.
I think I struggled a bit with the pacing in this one because it is very much a quest book which for me left the plot feeling a little aimless at times. The characters have a clear end goal, but some of the adventures along the way feel a bit fluffy and meandering. But that could be my general disinterest in traditional quest stories. That being said, the end of this book absolutely had me tearing up and I will absolutely be returning to this series again and again.
Overall this is such a fun series full of Latine culture in a queernorm society. It has a lot of the traditional young adult tropes but plays with them in a fun way. Along the way Teo and his friends begin to question the structural inequality in their society. I also love the casual queerness in this world. Queer love is accepted without question throughout the story, Teo mentions how cool he thinks his top scars are, and Xio is questioning their gender and everyone is super cool when they say they're trying out they/them pronouns.
André Santana's narration is lovely as always. I really appreciate the distinction he makes in the voices of characters. I will absolutely be picking up this audiobook when it's released in September!
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
5.0
*I received an audio review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Action packed mythology based YA fantasy, this might be one of the best YA books I've read all year!
Aiden Thomas takes the best aspects of older YA books like The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson and makes it even better. In The Sunbearer Trials, he has built a world inspired by Mexican folklore and mythology that still feels modern as there are cellphones and in-world versions of social media platforms like TikTok. He centers themes of questioning the system when you see injustice and of finding your own path and the importance of collectivism and community, which are timeless but especially relevant in today's society.
Teo is so much fun to follow as a POV character! As a Jade semidiós, he never expected to be chosen to compete in The Sunbearer Trials and watching him come to terms with what competing (and winning or losing) meant was very compelling. I also loved his friends, Niya and Xio. They were all so different but those differences made their group dynamic shine. And the trials! I love a good competition story and Thomas was able to create a series of trials that felt unique and different enough that the plot remained engaging and the stakes felt high throughout. I literally couldn't put the book down because I had to know what would happen next. And that ending!! I cannot wait for the sequel!
I also loved that queerness and gender nonconformity was so ingrained in this world. There were several small scenes like Teo giving himself his T shot or talking to Xio about coming out and pronouns that were inconsequential to the plot but meant so much representation wise. And I loved that Thomas used Teo's wings to highlight his dysphoria. I also liked that normalization allowed for trans and nonbinary characters to be nuanced so that not all of them had to be likable or "good". And I loved the casual inclusion of and accommodation for Dezi as a deaf character.
Overall, I loved this and it cemented Aiden Thomas as an auto-read author for me. I also liked the audio narration by André Santana and will definitely be on the lookout for more of his work.
Action packed mythology based YA fantasy, this might be one of the best YA books I've read all year!
Aiden Thomas takes the best aspects of older YA books like The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson and makes it even better. In The Sunbearer Trials, he has built a world inspired by Mexican folklore and mythology that still feels modern as there are cellphones and in-world versions of social media platforms like TikTok. He centers themes of questioning the system when you see injustice and of finding your own path and the importance of collectivism and community, which are timeless but especially relevant in today's society.
Teo is so much fun to follow as a POV character! As a Jade semidiós, he never expected to be chosen to compete in The Sunbearer Trials and watching him come to terms with what competing (and winning or losing) meant was very compelling. I also loved his friends, Niya and Xio. They were all so different but those differences made their group dynamic shine. And the trials! I love a good competition story and Thomas was able to create a series of trials that felt unique and different enough that the plot remained engaging and the stakes felt high throughout. I literally couldn't put the book down because I had to know what would happen next. And that ending!! I cannot wait for the sequel!
I also loved that queerness and gender nonconformity was so ingrained in this world. There were several small scenes like Teo giving himself his T shot or talking to Xio about coming out and pronouns that were inconsequential to the plot but meant so much representation wise. And I loved that Thomas used Teo's wings to highlight his dysphoria. I also liked that normalization allowed for trans and nonbinary characters to be nuanced so that not all of them had to be likable or "good". And I loved the casual inclusion of and accommodation for Dezi as a deaf character.
Overall, I loved this and it cemented Aiden Thomas as an auto-read author for me. I also liked the audio narration by André Santana and will definitely be on the lookout for more of his work.