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sinvvas's reviews
292 reviews
Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure: A Graphic Novel by Lewis Hancox
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
5.0
Welcome to St. Hell is an incredible point-blank telling of what it is to be transgender in your teens, but more than that it is an empathetic look on our past and the people who were there with us. Lewis goes back in time to walk us through his teen years and also to help his younger self out. He talks about what mattered to him then compared to him as an adult. He spoke to his family members and friends who were less helpful during his transition, and forgave and accepted them. Most importantly though, he was able to look at his younger self and tell him that he knew how hard it was and that it did get better. A kind, empathetic, and oftentimes messy look at the experience of being transgender and being a teen. I can only hope we get more books like St. Hell in the future.
Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 1 by Inio Asano
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
5.0
This manga took my heart out of my chest, crushed it, and then spit on it. It was one of the best manga I’ve ever read and I fully understand why it’s a cult classic. This is a super poignant coming-of-age story. The main character is drawn as a little bird in comparison to every other character being fully illustrated. The contrast makes the character stick out and makes you truly put yourself in his shoes. The relationships in this manga are deeply personal, funny, and heart-wrenching. If anyone has any doubts about graphic novels, this is a perfect example of how the medium truly upholds the story. I also fully can't describe how DISGUSTING the main character becomes. Please read all of the trigger warnings before reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
5.0
Sometimes when you mourn you have to do so loudly and messily. Joan Didion taught me that through her grief. She lost both her only child and her husband of 40 years on the same day. Two people who have been in her life were suddenly gone in the blink of an eye. This book is both a primal cry about how unfair the world can be, and a somber process of grief, acceptance, and ultimately love for both yourself and the ones we leave behind. As a person who has experienced sudden grief, this is one of the most empathetic and cathartic books I have ever read. Joan Didion reminds us that it is okay to feel hurt and ugly emotions, as long as we treat ourselves with grace afterward.
Maurice by E.M. Forster
5.0
Dark academic queer love story that is set in Edwardian England. It was also written during this time and was not published until the 70's. It is a rare queer book with a happy ending where nobody dies. Yet it is a bittersweet story about living authentically and how much you let others' opinions harm you. It is also evident that the story was written by a person who let others' opinions harm him, and that he wrote this knowing that he may never have this type of love but continuing to hope that someone one day would.
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
4.75
Unfortunately most vampire books live in the shadow of Brom Stoker’s Dracula, however Carmilla is not one of them. Written 25 years before Dracula, Carmilla is a dark and gloomy seductress who can hold her own weight against the king of the vampires. This book is a goth kid's dream. A Victorian woman who spends all of her time alone with her father in a gloomy mansion, has an unexpected visitor show up. This visitor is a beautiful woman who wishes to befriend her and maybe something more, but she harbors a deep bloodsucking secret. For fans of queer stories, dark settings, and sexy vampires this is the book for you.
The Kiss by Kathryn Harrison
slow-paced
4.0
This is one of the most disturbing, yet important memoirs to read surrounding the MeToo movement. When we talk about the sexual abuse of women it often seems so far away and that strangers are the ones that perpetrate the crime. But it’s not. For most women it is their coworkers, classmates, friends, and, in the case of this book, family. There is no kind way to say the things that happened to the author. Most are cruel and confusing, but she handles it with grace. She speaks about the horrors and joys that come out of instances of sexual abuse, and how to heal from it through anger and hurt.
Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke
5.0
Aliens are invading! (dun, dun, duh!!!!) But they are not here to hurt humanity, they are here to cure cancer, end wars, and stop hunger. But why? That's the question that carries for the rest of the book. This book borders between hopeful science fiction and existential horror of the unknown. It will keep you on your toes and make you feel awfully small in this big universe. The author also wrote the cult classic 2001: A Space Odyssey and single-handedly inspired the entire science fiction genre.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Shirley Jackson’s signature wit and knack for finding the absurd and horrifying truly comes to light in this classic. This chilling tale has none of the usual horror elements. There are no ghouls, goblins, or ghosts. It is simply about an odd 18-year-old girl named Mary Katherine, and the strange and dubious fall of her parents and the house she grew up in. She and her sister Constance provide the witty, yet disturbing dialogue that proves Jackson to be a literary genius. The scariest parts of the novel are the things that are left unsaid and sneak up behind you. You will only realize the true terror of this book after reading it. You will sit and think about the minute creepiness for days after. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of psychological horror.
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.5
Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5