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bookedbymadeline's reviews
913 reviews
Dinner on Monster Island: Essays by Tania de Rozario
Overall a poetic and informative memoir split into essays. I highly recommend if you enjoy horror movies, reflective writing that makes you think, want to learn more about Singapore, or just looking for a queer memoir to pick up! But be warned there’s a lot of trigger warnings for this one, mostly moderate in depiction
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Starting off February with a 5 star read and new favorite!!
Each essay looks at a different part of de Rozario’s life and experiences. The essays mostly look at complicated mother-daughter relationships, fatphobia, homophobia, racism/colorism and life in general in Singapore.
Beautiful poetic writing! I highlighted many quotes within the first 50 pages. Sometimes she uses horror movies or dystopian shows as connections to her own views of Singapore or her childhood which I found unique and interesting for a memoir!
She also looked at how horror movies reflect society (for example strained mother daughter relationships in Carrie, lack of bodily autonomy in The Exorcist, familial tragedy/trauma in The Shining vs Doctor Sleep). It was also interesting to learn about ghost stories in different Asian countries and history or significance of certain cultural traditions in Singapore. I especially enjoyed the look at Japanese/Thai/Korean horror films and how the stories could connect to folklore or have new meanings inside the cultural context of the countries!
As much as I learned about the author’s upbringing and being queer in Singapore, I also a lot about the country in general! I didn’t know much about this country before but reading the author’s experiences and sharing some of its history, I feel much more knowledgeable about the island.
As much as I learned about the author’s upbringing and being queer in Singapore, I also a lot about the country in general! I didn’t know much about this country before but reading the author’s experiences and sharing some of its history, I feel much more knowledgeable about the island.
Overall a poetic and informative memoir split into essays. I highly recommend if you enjoy horror movies, reflective writing that makes you think, want to learn more about Singapore, or just looking for a queer memoir to pick up! But be warned there’s a lot of trigger warnings for this one, mostly moderate in depiction
Rep: Brown/mixed race lesbian author (Indian, Sri Lankan, Japanese, Portuguese, Irish, English)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Suicide
Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
Stream of consciousness writing style. Because the diary entries are written from A to Z it makes the writing almost stilted as Heti jumps around. Just not for me
Where the Wind Calls Home by Samar Yazbek
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Writing style just isn’t for me. It’s very stream of consciousness and repetitive with more telling than showing. I’m sure many others will love it but just not my cup of tea
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling of America's Suburbs by Benjamin Herold
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for the eARC! Compelling book, not as dry/academic as I was worried it might be. As someone who studied sociology and has a large interest in that area, I found this book really insightful!
Herold interviews 5 families throughout the US: Evanston, Chicago, IL; Plano/Lovejoy, Dallas, TX; Penn Hills, Pittsburgh,PA; Compton, LA, CA; Gwinnett County, Atlanta, GA.
With the family in Pen Hills, he also writes about his own experiences as he grew up in the same suburb but had a different viewpoint as his white family left behind Penn Hills and left a lot of issues for the Black Families, like the Smiths, to deal with.
With the family in Pen Hills, he also writes about his own experiences as he grew up in the same suburb but had a different viewpoint as his white family left behind Penn Hills and left a lot of issues for the Black Families, like the Smiths, to deal with.
It shows that all suburbs are affected by similar issues specifically regarding education and it’s not just one county/state dealing with it. Since Herold is an education journalist it does mainly focus on the schooling issues in the suburbs rather than giving a fuller picture including economics, jobs, housing, etc. so in this way the book isn’t exactly what I expected/hoped for.
I enjoyed that he not only shares each family’s personal experiences/issues but also the history of the suburbs. Not surprisingly a lot of the problems and dwindling of the “American dream” in suburbia is due to racism, white flight, equality/income gaps.
Intrigued to learn that most suburbs were built post WW2 and they were at the center of desegregation since they were built for middle-class white families to escape the cities (which were majority Black and Brown).
I had zero sympathy for the Becker family in Texas who kept claiming they weren’t moving suburbs because of the more Black and Brown families moving in because they were “color blind.” The Smiths were racist as fuck and a prime example of why suburbs and public schools fall apart.
By the third chapter from them, I started skimming. I found myself clenching my jaw and getting furious with the BS anti vaccine, growth hormone, “we’re colorblind and I’m terrified for my white sons” conservative shit she was spewing. I couldn’t stand hearing about how “things used to be” from them and decided it wasn’t worth my time or energy to read that hateful nonsense. And on top of that, she thought she could “cure” her kids AHDH with vitamins/food restrictions and no vaccines?! So on top of being racist they’re also ableist.
I started skimming other chapters a little by the last third of the book. In giving us a glimpse at each family, I appreciate Herold trying to draw a full picture of their lives but there were a lot of tedious, overly descriptive details. I didn’t need the full algebra lessons or minute details of a school board member’s college experience. Also didn’t help that it was 2020 COVID/election stuff which I lived through so I didn’t want to read about it 😭
I was also frustrated that such a clearly well-researched book had the author using the term Indian when he meant Native American.
I was also frustrated that such a clearly well-researched book had the author using the term Indian when he meant Native American.
The first third of the book was insightful and captivating. I was really enjoying it by the last two thirds I was often bored or confused why he was sharing certain things. Overall an informative read I’d recommend for anyone interested in the issues and decline in American public schools (not so much suburbs/urban planning like I was expecting).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Police brutality
Moderate: Death and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Racial slurs, Antisemitism, and Mass/school shootings
City of Laughter by Temim Fruchter
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Sometimes too much telling instead of showing and overly descriptive. I was Intrigued by the narration of the mysterious/nameless Messenger. I wanted more of that story!
The chapters are way too long for my taste so it was hard to pick up when I didn’t have the energy to commit to a potentially 1hr+ chapter. Plus the pacing dragged at times making it even harder to want to read.
Almost DNFd twice and set it aside multiple times for other books, but kept coming back to see where the story of Shiva’s ancestors would take us. I also really wanted to learn more about Jewish folklore.
The folklore and the idea of a generational family saga drew me to this book but sadly the execution just fell flat. If the book had been made shorter or at least better pacing, as well as more of the folklore/prologue type writing as opposed to Shiva, I probably would have stuck with it. It just felt like the author was trying to do too much and didn’t pull everything together in a satisfying way
Sadly decided to DNF for good at 32%-another book with a great idea but poor execution. there are MANY glowing reviews so I definitely think others will love it more than me!
I’m having the WORST reading month and luck with my netgalleys 😭 I’ve DNFd every single eARC so far this month. Most of them due to excellent concepts but poor execution 🙈
I was also excited because the author is a Non-binary, queer, Jewish anti-Zionist who supports Palestine 🍉🫶
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity
Midnight on Beacon Street by Emily Ruth Verona
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins, and One More Chapter for the eARC!
What a debut from Verona! This was a quick read with good pacing. As the synopsis promises, Midnight on Beacon Street is a love letter to horror/slasher films. The story is told through switching POVs between Amy and Ben with each chapter progressing in different ways (Amy’s moves towards midnight up to the climax while Ben starts at midnight with the climax-without revealing anything of course-but then moves backwards). It was a unique and interesting way to tell the story!
What a debut from Verona! This was a quick read with good pacing. As the synopsis promises, Midnight on Beacon Street is a love letter to horror/slasher films. The story is told through switching POVs between Amy and Ben with each chapter progressing in different ways (Amy’s moves towards midnight up to the climax while Ben starts at midnight with the climax-without revealing anything of course-but then moves backwards). It was a unique and interesting way to tell the story!
The writing could sometimes be too repetitive and descriptive, especially in Ben’s chapters. I preferred Amy’s since Ben’s had a lot more telling instead of showing.
The twists were predictable, I wasn’t really surprised by any of them and guessed them a few chapters before it was revealed. But I did appreciate how the story unraveled!
Despite the predictability and telling over showing, it was an enjoyable read and one that I didn’t want to put down! Highly recommend if you want a quick, entertaining thriller. I’m excited to see what Verona writes next ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Blood
A Wilder Time: Notes from a Geologist at the Edge of the Greenland Ice by William E. Glassley
I was intrigued by this book despite the fact science was one of my least favorite school subjects 😅
A Wilder Time felt like two different books with the poetic writing of most of the book vs the intro and epilogue exploring the life/science of Greenland.
There were a few quotes I enjoyed and like I said, the descriptions were beautiful. I just wish Glassley expanded on the topics he brought up in the intro and hadn’t put all the scientific research findings in the epilogue, but paced it out throughout the entire book.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
“The edge of wilderness, offering little resistance, was silently retreating into a new future we unknowingly are shaping.
When wilderness is gone, even that which is responding naturally to climate change forces, all that will remain are memories and impressions of its textures and forms, its silences and screams, its smells and tastes.”
I was intrigued by this book despite the fact science was one of my least favorite school subjects 😅
The book follows the author’s experiences of Greenland from six different expeditions. The writing wasn’t as dry as I expected; it discusses not only the technical/informational research but also draws on the beauty of nature. It’s written in a very poetic way especially in the second half!
I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the landscape and animals. However it could be a little too philosophical and prose-y rather than diving into the scientific aspects mentioned in the introduction. I was pulled in but by the second half I had lost interest and was confused what Glassley was trying to say with this book.
A Wilder Time felt like two different books with the poetic writing of most of the book vs the intro and epilogue exploring the life/science of Greenland.
I expected something different based on the introduction and the science felt rushed in the epilogue because he chose the rest of the book to give us prose on nature and philosophical questions of existence 😭
In the introduction, he talked about Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat) and Inuit communities in terms of how they’re affected by climate change. As well as wilderness being affected by climate change and expansion of society. I thought we’d explore this topic more in the book but it was seemingly forgotten?
In the introduction, he talked about Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat) and Inuit communities in terms of how they’re affected by climate change. As well as wilderness being affected by climate change and expansion of society. I thought we’d explore this topic more in the book but it was seemingly forgotten?
There were a few quotes I enjoyed and like I said, the descriptions were beautiful. I just wish Glassley expanded on the topics he brought up in the intro and hadn’t put all the scientific research findings in the epilogue, but paced it out throughout the entire book.
“Life lived in Greenland is integrated with the life of the sea; it is balanced and nuanced, and nothing is taken for granted.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
The Secret Pianist by Andie Newton
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
I loved Newton’s The Girl I Left Behind but sadly the execution for this book fell flat. There’s all telling no showing which is a writing/narration style I hate. I’m just not intrigued enough to see if it gets better so DNFing after 55 pages
The Last Immortal by Natalie Gibson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Too much telling instead of showing and the time just seems to jump around without making it known. I love horror novels and this being a gothic story featuring immortality sounded right up my alley but sadly it lacked the execution. I was just bored and didn’t like the writing style. After reading other reviews, I’d end up DNFing sooner or later, or powering through but rating it low. I enjoy horror novels and dark, morally questionable characters but the stuff that is mentioned in other reviews makes it sound like trauma porn for the sake of shocking the reader rather than any sort of character/plot development. I’m fully aware the synopsis says not for the faint of heart but it seems the story is even more extreme than the synopsis suggests. Do not ignore the trigger warnings and I never would have requested this on Netgalley had I known how tasteless this novel would turn out to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Great narration by Michelle Williams, highly recommend the audiobook! Listened to this while crafting with my book club which made the experience even more enjoyable 🥰
This memoir was an eye opening look at Britney. I grew up listening to her and if you remember HitClips, Oops I Did it Again was my first one of those so I had a lot of nostalgia listening to her book. We get to see the other side of events that I remember growing up seeing in the media.
It was a very emotional and heavy story that gave me a whole new appreciation and love for Britney. It was a difficult listen at times because of the content so definitely check triggers before picking it up. Britney deserves the world and fuck her family
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Abortion
Minor: Miscarriage