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callme_tippy's reviews
177 reviews
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This book was bizarre.
I am unsure what the point was to be completely honest, like I get the overall message, but not the way it was presented to us.
The first half takes place in Zimbabwe from Darlings point of view as a child and seemed to just bop all over the place with no direction in mind. I struggled to figure why the beginning was so long and aimless when not a whole lot was given. It's hard to explain.
The second half of the story taking place in America was also disjointed but at least felt more like a coming of age story than the beginning which felt "wandering aimlessly". I still did not exactly enjoy the second half because it gave very little actual information.
I would have liked this better had it been written in 3rd person and we were able to get more information and nuance.
I don't know, I was not feeling this style of writing or story telling, and the ending was...a choice.
I wish I had dnf'd this one, bc I'm left feeling empty and like I wasted my time at the end, unfortunately.
Also I pushed through the more inappropriate portions with the hope that it would come together or be explained or something by the end, but nope, no such thing happens.
There is a portion where the Chinese people are said to be "ching chonging" (again this would have been better from 3rd person to give nuance),Chipo has the child that was conceived via rape from her grandfather (we get no info beyond Chipo saying he raped her to Darling) , Fatphobia runs rampant in this book, and child abuse is excused for just being "culturally different". This was not it.
I am unsure what the point was to be completely honest, like I get the overall message, but not the way it was presented to us.
The first half takes place in Zimbabwe from Darlings point of view as a child and seemed to just bop all over the place with no direction in mind. I struggled to figure why the beginning was so long and aimless when not a whole lot was given. It's hard to explain.
The second half of the story taking place in America was also disjointed but at least felt more like a coming of age story than the beginning which felt "wandering aimlessly". I still did not exactly enjoy the second half because it gave very little actual information.
I would have liked this better had it been written in 3rd person and we were able to get more information and nuance.
I don't know, I was not feeling this style of writing or story telling, and the ending was...a choice.
I wish I had dnf'd this one, bc I'm left feeling empty and like I wasted my time at the end, unfortunately.
Also I pushed through the more inappropriate portions with the hope that it would come together or be explained or something by the end, but nope, no such thing happens.
There is a portion where the Chinese people are said to be "ching chonging" (again this would have been better from 3rd person to give nuance),
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Deportation
Moderate: Eating disorder, Incest, and Rape
House Gone Quiet: Stories by Kelsey Norris
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
I am not connecting with this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Genocide, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Pregnancy
Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Skye is the most likeable terrible character ever lol!
This was a lovey look at real relationships with all the up's, downs, and in-betweens that real life offers.
Skye is a mess and I loved every minute of her messy journey.
I laughed when she laughed, cried when she cried, and was both angry for and at her.
This was not a perfect romance, a perfect character redemption, or a perfect ending, but it was a real relationship, and a real exploration of a character that had a hard life and wants to be and do better.
Definitely would recommend!
This was a lovey look at real relationships with all the up's, downs, and in-betweens that real life offers.
Skye is a mess and I loved every minute of her messy journey.
I laughed when she laughed, cried when she cried, and was both angry for and at her.
This was not a perfect romance, a perfect character redemption, or a perfect ending, but it was a real relationship, and a real exploration of a character that had a hard life and wants to be and do better.
Definitely would recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Transphobia, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury
This book was way too long!
(Keep in mind that I am writing this as someone that loves horror, but doesn't like YA all that much.)
With 400+ pages you would think the book would make more sense. Honestly we could have done without 200 of those 400 pages.
Things I did not like:
I so wish the author would have heavily leaned one way or the other. Either make it that her whole family is delusional and they don't want to accept the fact that they are actually not good people and enjoy killing small animals, or make it heavy on the occult.
I would have preferred the occult version I think. It could have been so creepy.
Imagine if Sunny was a regular level of annoying but still likeable and always noticed something weird about her family.
Imagine she wanted to build a relationship with Dom, but her family always deterred and stopped her. Imagine she'd see creepy stuff over the years but always explained it away, or wondered what was up with family.
Imagine the lore actually made sense and was creepy.
Imagine she found her mothers diary and was super confused and creeped out by it, but we only got it in bits and pieces because she had to sneak to read it.
Imagine all of this going on while all the stuff with Dom was still going on.
How great would that have been?!
I so wanted to like this book, I'm giving 2 stars because at around 200 pages it stared to pick up and it kept me guessing, but that ending was lack luster and flat. A magic book? Really? Give me break.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
.
***Below review contains unhidden spoilers!***
This book was way too long!
(Keep in mind that I am writing this as someone that loves horror, but doesn't like YA all that much.)
With 400+ pages you would think the book would make more sense. Honestly we could have done without 200 of those 400 pages.
Things I did not like:
- Sunny's overall attitude, like are we supposed to like her at all, because she's pretty annoying. How are we meant to like a character that is fake 100% of the time with literally everyone??
- Are we meant to believe that Sunny is that good of an actor all of her life that her siblings are surprised at her just saying she's not okay? far fetched!
- Besides Sunny, all of the rest of the siblings are super flat and very "character 101" (not to mention also unlikeable).
- The only person I kind of liked was Dom and that's mostly because I felt bad for him for how his family treated him since we don't get to learn much about him.
- Every scene with Sunny interacting with her boyfriend and "friends" was useless, added nothing to the story, and could have been taken out of the book completely.
- The lore, don't even get me started, not only is lore confusing, it also doesn't make any sense! Am I supposed to believe this whole Milk Man thing started with a little girls "game". Where did she learn this game? Why did her parents and all the adults follow along? Were they all maidens? If so who were the calves? I'm still so very confused!
- 200 of those pages could have been used to flesh out the Milk Man lore and actually make a storyline that actually made sense. Instead we get useless interactions with people that the main character hates and adds nothing to the book.
- We're supposed to believe that a grown, smart, business savvy women, wanted her 18 year old daughter to run the family with the instructions in a diary she left behind? A diary that's convoluted and confusing at that!
- So the whole family was okay with one child being treated like a non-member and sub-human for his whole life and no one questioned this? Okay.
- I'm annoyed that we got the diary info before Sunny got it, in fact Sunny didn't know what was in the diary until after the book was practically over!
- What exactly does this Milk Man do?? Like can we have more back story on this lore please? Maybe it would come together more if so.
- Those stupid nursey rhymes drove me up a wall!
- All the bear imagery and literal bear memorabilia only for it be because her father gave her mother bear keychain when they were children? what? I get that it's a play on their last name but they made it seem like it meant more only for it to fall flat.
- The father didn't want to mercy kill his brother in jail in order to have this Milk Man stop cursing/helping their family or whatever. But instead he is okay with his son being a Milk Man calf that does his bidding and he would treat his son as sub-human and exclude him from the family. That doesn't make any sense! Especially because the father has killed other people too!
- We're supposed to believe that as a child her sister was able to kill a woman and somehow did this with out the police seeing anything wrong with that or discovering it was her???
I so wish the author would have heavily leaned one way or the other. Either make it that her whole family is delusional and they don't want to accept the fact that they are actually not good people and enjoy killing small animals, or make it heavy on the occult.
I would have preferred the occult version I think. It could have been so creepy.
Imagine if Sunny was a regular level of annoying but still likeable and always noticed something weird about her family.
Imagine she wanted to build a relationship with Dom, but her family always deterred and stopped her. Imagine she'd see creepy stuff over the years but always explained it away, or wondered what was up with family.
Imagine the lore actually made sense and was creepy.
Imagine she found her mothers diary and was super confused and creeped out by it, but we only got it in bits and pieces because she had to sneak to read it.
Imagine all of this going on while all the stuff with Dom was still going on.
How great would that have been?!
I so wanted to like this book, I'm giving 2 stars because at around 200 pages it stared to pick up and it kept me guessing, but that ending was lack luster and flat. A magic book? Really? Give me break.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, and Cultural appropriation
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was disgusting in all the best ways.
I enjoy books with unhinged women so I had high hopes for this one and it did not disappoint.
This was a light exploration of misogyny, anger, hatred, responsibility, and family dynamics.
Does this book have some cliches that I normally roll my eyes at? Yes.
Is it the most amazing writing ever? No.
Did I still every second of this weird ride? Absolutely!
Would recommend!
I enjoy books with unhinged women so I had high hopes for this one and it did not disappoint.
This was a light exploration of misogyny, anger, hatred, responsibility, and family dynamics.
Does this book have some cliches that I normally roll my eyes at? Yes.
Is it the most amazing writing ever? No.
Did I still every second of this weird ride? Absolutely!
Would recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
This is not written in a way that I enjoy.
This Cursed House by Del Sandeen
The theme of forgiveness completely ruined this book. I want my horror in this specific genre to be horror. Give me revenge, give me anger, give me actual horror! Don't give "forgiveness heals all" garbage! Especially when the forgiveness is given to racist, classist, colorist, anti-Black, "white passing" (due to the time period, otherwise they'd just be white) people.
This was such a let down. It could have been so good, and the constant lies, secrets, and reveals were great, but like I said, the forgiveness theme is so enraging. Like, eff all that "forgiving my oppressor to set me free" garbage, give me revenge served hot and horrific! I hated this theme and will be very hesitant to read more from this author.
I'd advise to skip this one, it was not it.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
While I enjoyed the mystery of this one the overall theme is a no for me.
The fact that the main plot point of this book is to forgive, drives me absolutely crazy!
The author wants us to root for the main character to forgive her estranged long lost family for:
The fact that the main plot point of this book is to forgive, drives me absolutely crazy!
The author wants us to root for the main character to forgive her estranged long lost family for:
killing her father because he was too Black and dark skinned. Sending her away from her family/mother because she looked too Black and they would have killed her otherwise. Cutting out her mothers tongue and forcing her to work for her own family as the maid Lying to her, not telling her mother is alive and is in fact the maid. Putting her down for being too Black. Lying about who her brother is. Other micro aggressions.
The theme of forgiveness completely ruined this book. I want my horror in this specific genre to be horror. Give me revenge, give me anger, give me actual horror! Don't give "forgiveness heals all" garbage! Especially when the forgiveness is given to racist, classist, colorist, anti-Black, "white passing" (due to the time period, otherwise they'd just be white) people.
This was such a let down. It could have been so good, and the constant lies, secrets, and reveals were great, but like I said, the forgiveness theme is so enraging. Like, eff all that "forgiving my oppressor to set me free" garbage, give me revenge served hot and horrific! I hated this theme and will be very hesitant to read more from this author.
I'd advise to skip this one, it was not it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Gore
The Hole by Pyun Hye-young
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this slow tense thriller/horror.
I liked the slow reflective pace of this one. I feel like this one would make an excellent slow paced psychological thriller/horror movie.
I enjoyed the way we were inside the main characters head and were hearing his thoughts come to him. The stream of consciousness slowly revealed more and more about what lead to him being in the hospital to begin with.
This had a nice slow eerie feel to it, I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!
I liked the slow reflective pace of this one. I feel like this one would make an excellent slow paced psychological thriller/horror movie.
I enjoyed the way we were inside the main characters head and were hearing his thoughts come to him. The stream of consciousness slowly revealed more and more about what lead to him being in the hospital to begin with.
This had a nice slow eerie feel to it, I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Car accident, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
I enjoyed this quick middle grade read, however had I known that it was a slavery origin or beginning story I would not have picked it up.
The synopsis does not give any hint that that is the type of book this is, the synopsis makes it seem like it is an action adventure type of story with life lessons along the way. While I think the book was good, I feel kind of tricked. I do not like that.
I like to know what I am getting into when I decide to pick up a book and I was not mentally prepare for this narrative at all. This has made me wary of trying anymore of this authors works as I not sure what I will be going into even if I read the synopsis and back cover.
I also think the way this has written has some messages and imagery that might be hard for a middle grader to pick up on. I think this would be a great guided reading book where a teacher helps students understand the hidden meanings, but it might be hard for a middle grader to just pick up all of them on their own.
Overall, I think this was a great book, but I wish the synopsis told more about what I was getting into. As a Black American, this was not a topic I thought I was getting into, and I was not mentally prepared to read. A little warning would have been great.
The synopsis does not give any hint that that is the type of book this is, the synopsis makes it seem like it is an action adventure type of story with life lessons along the way. While I think the book was good, I feel kind of tricked. I do not like that.
I like to know what I am getting into when I decide to pick up a book and I was not mentally prepare for this narrative at all. This has made me wary of trying anymore of this authors works as I not sure what I will be going into even if I read the synopsis and back cover.
I also think the way this has written has some messages and imagery that might be hard for a middle grader to pick up on. I think this would be a great guided reading book where a teacher helps students understand the hidden meanings, but it might be hard for a middle grader to just pick up all of them on their own.
Overall, I think this was a great book, but I wish the synopsis told more about what I was getting into. As a Black American, this was not a topic I thought I was getting into, and I was not mentally prepared to read. A little warning would have been great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Rape
The Braid Girls by Sherri Winston
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
Has this author ever met a middle grader??
Why do these children speak like geriatric millennials or young gen x-er's??
Very hard to get into when a bunch of middle schoolers are speaking like slightly out of touch 30 year olds. Yikes.
Also, the dialogue, the plot, the situations, everything feels like a very badly written Nickelodeon children's show episode.
I love middle grade novels, this is one is not it, do not recommend.
Why do these children speak like geriatric millennials or young gen x-er's??
Very hard to get into when a bunch of middle schoolers are speaking like slightly out of touch 30 year olds. Yikes.
Also, the dialogue, the plot, the situations, everything feels like a very badly written Nickelodeon children's show episode.
I love middle grade novels, this is one is not it, do not recommend.