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graveyardpansy's reviews
556 reviews
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
4.0
I’m debating between 4 and 4.5. I LOVE the premise and the suspense is built up well in my opinion, even if the pacing is a bit odd and there was one twist in particular that doesn’t make much sense/isn’t really foreshadowed as well as it was meant to be. I also wasn’t a big fan of the romance aspect, BUT i’m not a big romance person in general so I don’t wanna count off the book for my personal taste.
I’m often wary of books with switching POVs, but it’s done pretty well in this case, although I wish each lead’s voice was a bit more distinctive. Other than those few downsides though, this book was thrilling. The characters were well-developed; the setting and community aspect was really, really strong. I love when authors draw horror from real-world fear, and Cole does a great job of doing that without the outcome being outlandish at all — the levels of realism made the whole novel that much more thrilling. The story picks up on really topical and important discussions regarding race, too. Sometimes it feels like things are being over explained to the reader, but I could see that being a pro for some people. Overall, I really enjoyed this book regardless of its minor flaws, and if the premise interests you it explores some really interesting things!
I’m often wary of books with switching POVs, but it’s done pretty well in this case, although I wish each lead’s voice was a bit more distinctive. Other than those few downsides though, this book was thrilling. The characters were well-developed; the setting and community aspect was really, really strong. I love when authors draw horror from real-world fear, and Cole does a great job of doing that without the outcome being outlandish at all — the levels of realism made the whole novel that much more thrilling. The story picks up on really topical and important discussions regarding race, too. Sometimes it feels like things are being over explained to the reader, but I could see that being a pro for some people. Overall, I really enjoyed this book regardless of its minor flaws, and if the premise interests you it explores some really interesting things!
Feminist, Queer, Crip by Alison Kafer
4.0
4.5, epic, very glad i read this one!! some slightly outdated queer-related language, but overall really solid. built upon discussions I've had and things I've read before, which I love. a lot of this book will absolutely stick with me, really enjoyed a lot of the discussions, will most likely look back at in the future for reference.
Luster by Raven Leilani
4.0
The ending was somewhat unsatisfying, but overall this was beautifully written, tackles difficult themes with elegance, and successfully evokes so many emotions. (My one obligatorily nitpicky complaint/confusion is the odd use of 'agitprop' in a not-exactly-correct way.) I'm glad I got around to reading this though, and it's a really impressive debut!
Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment by Patricia Hill Collins
5.0
4.5 - some outdated bits, but overall this book means a lot to general feminist theory. it's really well-written and more accessible than a lot of baseline feminist theory, which is done intentionally. I'm glad I read the second edition - the preface alone was really meaningful, and it's lovely to see Collins actively expanding her past work to be more and more applicable to contemporary structures and ideas. will probably reference in essays/videos in the future, it's definitely a wonderful background for Black and intersectional feminism, and would recommend to anyone.
Lakewood by Megan Giddings
4.0
really solid 4 stars, maybe more — once again, horror by women of colour is simply worlds above that by random white men (looking at u, King and Joe Hill.) the way horror like this, maybe comparable to When No One is Watching or anything by Carmen Maria Muchado, ties into real life and real corruption and fear is simply so wonderful and jarring. I’m surprised I haven’t seen more hype around this book, honestly. If you like horror that is a little too close to real life for comfort, human experimentation, derealization, and a touch of body horror as a treat, give this novel a shot!