kodi_rae's reviews
258 reviews

Yasmeen, by Fabiana Moscolo, Rob Jones, Saif A. Ahmed

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Rape, War, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide attempt

The Bone People, by Keri Hulme

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Medical content

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/injury detail, Death, and Grief

Minor: Body shaming

The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

4.0

Sabrina & Corina: Stories, by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Mental illness

Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, and Death

Minor: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Drug abuse

Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca, by Maria Goodavage

dark informative sad tense medium-paced

My loving and very strong-willed aunt insisted I read this book. I feel too complicated about the nature of war to be the target audience however I can appreciate all the skills dogs are capable of learning and what comfort they can provide to people who need it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Medical content, Injury/injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood

Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

My first time rereading this since the first time when I was probably around Melinda’s (the protagonist) age. I remember really liking it then and it’s even more devastating now with time and experience. The claustrophobia of the mind and your own silence. 

While I’d like to think society has grown a bit since Speak was first published, I’m glad it still exists and can maybe provide validation and healing to those who need it. Does anyone else remember the movie with a young Kristen Stewart? Maybe I’ll pay that a visit too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Bullying, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Self harm, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, and Blood

A Snake Falls to Earth, by Darcie Little Badger

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

It seems like I might be one of the few that has read this book first before Elatsoe. I loved all the characters and the non-binary and asexual representation. While I agree with some of the other reviews that there are lingering questions left, I wonder if that’s on purpose. Based on the titles of the chapters and the pacing of the story, I feel like the author is intentionally imitating linguistic storytelling style and putting it into writing. Will I be pleased if there’s a sequel? Absolutely! But do I also think it’s good enough on its own? Definitely. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Gun violence, and Blood

In the Garden of Spite: A Novel of the Black Widow of La Porte, by Camilla Bruce

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Somehow fun and empathetic while also being gristly and tragic - it’s a worthwhile novel for true crime fans although I was disappointed to learn that a lot of the facts remain unknown. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child death, Misogyny, Death, Miscarriage, and Murder

Moderate: Pregnancy, Body horror, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Injury/injury detail, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Classism

Minor: Infertility, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

The House We Grew Up In, by Lisa Jewell

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

An engaging and sad tale about the complexities of trauma and how it shows up within family dynamics. While I personally found the “reveal” to be a bit questionable and slightly unsatisfying, I was still throughly intrigued with each character and what would happen with them next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide, and Infidelity

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Body shaming, Death, and Medical content

Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, Incest, and Rape

The Enchanted, by Rene Denfeld

dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Magical realism meets the prison system makes for a beautiful, haunting, and deeply sad read. Though somehow there’s hope too, maybe?

While it’s not graphic in the traditional sense, take care and make sure to check the content warnings to get a sense of things.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Rape, Ableism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Drug use, Excrement, and Mental illness

Minor: Grief, Terminal illness, Injury/injury detail, Cancer, and Suicide