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mesy_mark's reviews
738 reviews
Ravensong by TJ Klune
adventurous
emotional
funny
slow-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
4.25
This is an excellent follow-up to the first in the series, We folow the witch Gordo of the Bennit pack. And the alphas and Joe and Ox must lead their pack against a new threat.
The audiobook is a long one, about twenty hours and it's a good one. The detail and care Klune takes to show the tethers through the Bennet pack are great. I enjoyed the beginning where we alternate between the 3 years the pack was separated and Gordo's upbringing. It melde nicely and I can see many points that carry through this chunky book.
And my impression of the middle and end carries just like the beginning. A well-fleshed out fantasy world including more elements of Gordo's vision but also not losing how Bennet pack has their individuality. I was laughing at the funny moments. Rooting for the werewolves during the middle and end,
I absolutely enjoyed this novel
The audiobook is a long one, about twenty hours and it's a good one. The detail and care Klune takes to show the tethers through the Bennet pack are great. I enjoyed the beginning where we alternate between the 3 years the pack was separated and Gordo's upbringing. It melde nicely and I can see many points that carry through this chunky book.
And my impression of the middle and end carries just like the beginning. A well-fleshed out fantasy world including more elements of Gordo's vision but also not losing how Bennet pack has their individuality. I was laughing at the funny moments. Rooting for the werewolves during the middle and end,
I absolutely enjoyed this novel
Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity by A. Scott Duane, Micah Rajunov
emotional
informative
medium-paced
3.0
This is a collection of essays written by nonbinary across all gender expressions letting the reader know what it means to be nonbinary, which is different and unique to each individual. Overall I enjoyed the essays but found some repetitive and unsure how the theme of each section played out in each grouped essay.
Wolfsong by TJ Klune
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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
4.0
Queer werewolves have a special place in my heart. And this book meet my expectation of being a great read. It is a long listen, nearly 19 hours, and covers a slow-paced story of found family, and love. The only issue I had with the book was the age gap relationship between our MC Ox and Joe. Joe first meets Ox at 10 and Ox is a teen so as the Bennet pack welcomes the first person Joe has talked to in a long time, Ox is essential growing up with Joe. If Klune had just up Joe's age to 18 instead of 17 I would have been more comfortable when the dating started. It would still be a gap but being one as two adults versus minor and adult.
Overall I am very glad to dive into this series of witches and werewolves. Pack and found family
Overall I am very glad to dive into this series of witches and werewolves. Pack and found family
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In the book The Deep, we met mermaids where one holds onto the memories of the the past. The past of being descendants of African women pregnant in the slave trade. BUt Yetu does not want these memories, this history of all her pod, so she leaves in the middle of the ritual where briefly all of the mermaids temporally know the history Tetu was assigned to hold.
I liked this book's concepts and even the little bit of romance Yetu was feeling towards her two-legged fisherwomen. It was short but different in how mermaids could be. it was good, at times, it was hard to understand when going through the past history of the mermaids. Overall, it is a deep short book.
I liked this book's concepts and even the little bit of romance Yetu was feeling towards her two-legged fisherwomen. It was short but different in how mermaids could be. it was good, at times, it was hard to understand when going through the past history of the mermaids. Overall, it is a deep short book.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Listening to the updated audiobook, I have learned a lot This book is look out how Kendi has shifted views to be an antiracist from the racist viwes he once had. Sharing that with what it means to be antiracist it about the equitity of all to be equal.
I found some points in explaintios hard to follow and more of a tell not show aspect of the book. VUt it kept me interested and opened me up to new ideas
I found some points in explaintios hard to follow and more of a tell not show aspect of the book. VUt it kept me interested and opened me up to new ideas
Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Wren really does ruin it all/He is a very unlucky unlikable whiny character who apparently hates the Valentine Day dance for two reasons, a waste of money and the romance/raging hormones of his classmates because he is asexual. But here is the thing his asexuality is mentioned a couple of times but never done well for you to understand what asexual is if this is their first time reading about ace spectrum.
Wren complains, that his dad for his likes and ways, hates all holidays it seems (every holiday brought up he had a reason not to like it), and is self-centered. His grand idea of being school president is to end the most beloved dance and then because of the Buddy App being used to fund the dance he wants to ask someone to go to the dance so on top of everything he is, you can add hypocrite.
At least I am done with this audiobook. The narration was on par but can not save the wren.
Wren complains, that his dad for his likes and ways, hates all holidays it seems (every holiday brought up he had a reason not to like it), and is self-centered. His grand idea of being school president is to end the most beloved dance and then because of the Buddy App being used to fund the dance he wants to ask someone to go to the dance so on top of everything he is, you can add hypocrite.
At least I am done with this audiobook. The narration was on par but can not save the wren.
Bad Habit by Alana S. Portero
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It was a slow-to-like book. Having the translated audiobook, I listened to this novel about a transwoman in the closet. Learning the way of the night and just trying to find her place.
I wasn't much of a fan for the book's first few chapters. Getting into as our MC joined the queer sense spiked interest. The book is well-written, sad, and tender. A good mix of emotions I felt at the end of the book.
I wasn't much of a fan for the book's first few chapters. Getting into as our MC joined the queer sense spiked interest. The book is well-written, sad, and tender. A good mix of emotions I felt at the end of the book.
Neuroqueer Heresies by Nick Walker
informative
1.25
This was an audiobook format that I used. I felt the essays were repetitive. The pathological model vs neurodivergent model doesn't have to be one or another thing in my eyes. It can be both an honoring of those who are disabled by being autistic and acknowledging that others have less support needs to manage day to day. Most of what I heard was semantics over words. And the neuriqueer aspect is making in at the very end. Variety in essays and less condescending would have helped this work
Zig-Zag Boy: A Memoir of Madness and Motherhood by Tanya Frank, Tanya Frank
sad
1.5
So another book where the caregiver delves into the woe is me while not trying to understand her career. Tanya, like any caregiver in a broken system, wants to help her son but this memoir looks how she gets all antsy trying to deal with her sun across continents and countries. I didn't like this book and I come at the angle of the one needing help in the broken system. You (Tanya) might be at the wit's end but your son (smi individual) is doing much worse.
The book for being a memoir on a mother through SZ in her son lacks understanding of his world. We get ideas of what some delusions and hallucinations might be but if I didn't know SZ already I would have just thought yeah screw the meds all it causes is side effects and they don't work. Or are meds working if he is sedated so much? Or just the basics, what is schizophrenia? voices, sleeping all the time, what? And comparing him to animals of his state I was not so keen on
The book for being a memoir on a mother through SZ in her son lacks understanding of his world. We get ideas of what some delusions and hallucinations might be but if I didn't know SZ already I would have just thought yeah screw the meds all it causes is side effects and they don't work. Or are meds working if he is sedated so much? Or just the basics, what is schizophrenia? voices, sleeping all the time, what? And comparing him to animals of his state I was not so keen on
Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Bastian and Lore are nonbinary neurodivergent teens who have seen the world under the lake. Together seven years ago and when Lore has returned to the town. It is a sweet book with a great rep for BIPOC, neurodivergent, and trans characters. I lived the way the author presented the magic realism of the world under the lake, I could easily visualize it. Overall an enjoyable short listen.