sara_berlin's reviews
270 reviews

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker

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adventurous funny hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

I admit, before I read this I didn’t really understand what queer theory is. I kind of got that it was a discipline of analysis of queerness but I hadn’t encountered many specific examples. I think this was a great starting point but also supplement to my ever changing opinions and knowledge on these topics. It’s interesting to me how much of this I had already discussed with friends or seen talked about online, although often in more specific or more general terms than this. I really liked this as a staring point and it helped me understand the big picture a little better, but also understand my own feelings around gender and sexuality, as someone who doesn’t always “fit in” with a lot of the binaries and has found that a lot of those constructs have closed just as many doors as they have opened for me. 
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

Honestly, it felt kind of long. I realize that the book is 500 pages, but I figured that because it was a more mixed-media format, it would be shorter. In reality, the format and perspectives made it a little more difficult to understand what was happening, as well as seeing the big picture of the story. I think it was very unique, and honestly pretty scary when you think about the similarities of COVID and the way AI is becoming more and more present nowadays. The goal of many science fiction novels is to present real life problems in a more hypothetical and extreme, often more frightening, setting,  but also in an emotional way, and I think this book did a good job of that. On my way to get the rest of the series :)
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Honestly, I've heard very mixed reviews about this book, but I really loved it! I think for what it is (a YA fantasy) it does a great job. Jude and Cardan were actual enemies to lovers, and the world is fascinating too. It's also not completely shallow; there's a decent amount of political intrigue and Jude isn't unrealistically perfect but she's also not stupid. And the plot twists worked! I'm not the best at predicting what will happen because I'm normally too wrapped up in the story to try to see what will happen, but I was surprised. Also, it was just plain old fun. Excited to read the sequels but not in a rush, as I have a couple other series to occupy me for the time being. 
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

This was beautiful. I always wonder at Leigh Bardugo’s ability to wrap up an ending in what seems like a short span of pages. I don’t want to spoil anything so there’s not much I can say, but this is probably my favorite after the first Six of Crows book. You can clearly see how her writing has improved over the course of writing the Grishaverse. 
I liked how it revisited and reviewed themes and characters from the previous books, as well as building on the complex magical world that they live in. I feel like there’s still room for sequels, and I await them with great anticipation. I also feel a bit of sadness at finishing such a wonderful collection of books that has made me think and feel so much, and has also brought me together with people in real life. I’ll read the anthologies, and reread these books, but there will never be anything like reading this again for the first time. 
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

I'm not really sure why I took half a point off except for the fact that Six of Crows was still better. Also, I wish she gave us slightly more information on what happened in the gap between the end of Crooked Kingdom and the start of this one. Either way, I really liked seeing Nikolai's perspective, and even more of Zoya and Nina's character development. I missed them for sure. Also, the world expands so much! It was super interesting seeing things we learned previously be subverted, but not contradicted (Leigh Bardugo would never). 
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

I think I prefer the poetry format of this book over the graphic novel, simply because I like free verse poems, but it does have a slightly different tone this way. It feels a little more distant. Either way, it was a gripping depiction and I really appreciate the way magical realism was used to convey real world issues. 
Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

I found this one more vivid than Long Way Down in verse, and the art was really good and portrayed the text in a very attention-grabbing, suspenseful way. It's a really moving book and a great commentary on gun violence and the chain reactions that happen. 
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

I think this was the perfect companion novel/sequel, in that it gives more background on the world and helps understand the characters from the other book, while still being strong enough to stand on it's own. I also really enjoyed the commentary on the different kinds of people who are needed in a movement, how it's not just front line work, because I feel like that's something that often lacks in some progressive spaces. It was also just really emotional but entertaining to read. I'm very grateful to Akwaeke Emezi, I think they did a wonderful job. 
Flamer by Mike Curato

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad 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

I think it was a very accurate portrayal, at least from what I've heard from people who are in Boy Scouts, and it was interesting to show this perspective. There are a lot of community hallmarks that have caused queer people throughout the years many difficulties and suffering, including religion which also played a big part in the story, but Boy Scouts isn't one you see portrayed frequently. 
American Street by Ibi Zoboi

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adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

This was such a fascinating and unique story. I rarely see representation of immigrants, much less from Haiti, in young adult novels but I think this one did a great job showing the experience of moving to a completely different place with a very small or nonexistent support system and how you try to survive. It was also a very emotional book, which was kind of what I expected, but some of the revelations surprised me anyhow. Either way, I think this is an important book that doesn’t get enough hype.