craftyscene's reviews
642 reviews

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Wild Houses by Colin Barrett

dark emotional tense 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? Yes

2.5

Blue Ruin by Hari Kunzru

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family by Jesselyn Cook

dark sad slow-paced

3.25

How the Pill Changes Everything: Your Brain on Birth Control by Sarah E. Hill

informative slow-paced

2.25

The author: “Let me tell you why birth control is the worst and will mess you up in permanent ways!”
The author: “I’d never suggest we get rid of birth control.”
Hill is an evolutionary psychologist, and she definitely leans into a heteronormative scope. There’s lots of information about hormones and the brain, but most of it seems to be correlation and not causation. Hill also promotes a period tracking app that tracks data, as well as the copper IUD, which is known to cause heavy periods.
The biggest issue I have is that her stance is one from privilege. Some people on birth control benefit due to regular cycles, decreased negative symptoms, and a free pill to break the racist, socioeconomic, and/or misogynist environments in which they live.

Devil Is Fine by John Vercher

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

Where was the editor?!

The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts by Mary Claire Haver, MD

informative medium-paced

3.0

Wealth of information, but too much diet culture. Intermittent fasting? Get real.

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75