Sarah (she / her)
I’m trying to diversify my reads, but I always find myself going back to the young adult, fantasy, and adventure types of stories. You could call it escapism, but I call it “well-read.” Anything with well written, fleshed out characters with great development, I’ll enjoy.
"An absolutely stunning historical fantasy. Nghi Vo managed to subtly tell a deep and grueling story in such a short amount of time, building vivid characters and relationships that drive feminism. It’s a story that resists erasure, mapping out the lives of two women living in a world against them."
Haunting, mysterious, full of ghosts and shadows, and a family history that leaves you with more questions than answers, Gallant caught my attention the moment I picked it up. With a mute main character, and therefore, no dialogue from her, I expected a first-person point of view narrative as a means of connecting and understanding Olivia. Instead, I was met with an interesting dynamic and intimate close third person perspective that allowed for that and more. Ultimately, a great story for young readers.
Peeling back the layers of a complicated and racially driven society and structure, we are guided through all the nuances and meanings behind seemingly surface level issues. Brittany Cooper analyzes and illustrates how racism and sexism are not mutually exclusive and that the blurred lines often create layered obstacles in her daily life. As a Black feminist, she identifies the fundamental elements of what feminism is and how it’s essential to women’s ultimate success.
Opening the story with one of the main characters serving in prison for a crime he may or may not have committed, the story unravels with a group of seven actors studying Shakespeare and putting their skills to the test by lying to the police. With each character playing a role, a set that steps off the stage, and a story that leaves you reeling, I could not put it down.
Dark and disturbing, you delve into the mind of a man struggling with mental illness and feelings of alienation. Viewing human beings as an entity apart from himself, the discussion of depression and anxiety is overwhelmingly blunt and visceral. It's a slow descent into an extremely dark place. A read unlike anything I've ever come across. (Please check trigger warnings before picking it up)
Whimsical, lyrical, and unforgettable, this story is perfect for readers who want to fall in love with a character and watch them grow with the world around them. Addie La Rue walks through history like a shadow, desperately trying to find ways to leave her mark and be remembered. Filled with art, magic, love, and war, you will be absorbed the moment you begin.