Scan barcode
lilatov's reviews
251 reviews
Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
4.5
ultimately seanan mcguire has some of the most beautiful writing I've ever had the privilege of reading
I love how she talks about death and people and the place we take up in the world and relationships and anxieties
I love the way that her work is self referential and you can see the ideas that she's invested in across her body of work
in this book specifically, I cared more about the writing and the experience of reading it than the plot
I love how she talks about death and people and the place we take up in the world and relationships and anxieties
I love the way that her work is self referential and you can see the ideas that she's invested in across her body of work
in this book specifically, I cared more about the writing and the experience of reading it than the plot
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
5.0
beautiful writing
beautiful playing with form
things of note:
- footnotes
- queer self awareness
- memoir as a piece of art & reflection
- framing narratives
- meta
beautiful playing with form
things of note:
- footnotes
- queer self awareness
- memoir as a piece of art & reflection
- framing narratives
- meta
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
5.0
there's just something about reading a book that makes you cry multiple times at 7 am in the morning before work
making stories your own
is it worth living across the ocean from your family for the sake of a piece of american paper and having your family members die across the ocean while you wait on that paper
the fear of rejection and cultural differences
making stories your own
is it worth living across the ocean from your family for the sake of a piece of american paper and having your family members die across the ocean while you wait on that paper
the fear of rejection and cultural differences
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
5.0
Beautiful form
Beautiful writing
Beautiful story
Thank you Bri for recommending it
Beautiful writing
Beautiful story
Thank you Bri for recommending it
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
4.5
Absolutely beautiful and heart wrenching story with some really wonderful and creative choices.
However. I did find that the last third of the book was rather anti-climactic. There were two "big reveals" at the end, one of which was not a reveal for me / it was something I understood to be true and thought was meant to be understood to be true from rather early on in the book, and the other wasn't really a surprise either, it made sense for the progression of the book because we knew that there was going to be this reveal.
So another amazing book with a somewhat lackluster / disappointing ending :(
However. I did find that the last third of the book was rather anti-climactic. There were two "big reveals" at the end, one of which was not a reveal for me / it was something I understood to be true and thought was meant to be understood to be true from rather early on in the book, and the other wasn't really a surprise either, it made sense for the progression of the book because we knew that there was going to be this reveal.
So another amazing book with a somewhat lackluster / disappointing ending :(
The Twelve Huntsmen by Briandaniel Oglesby
Honestly this is one of the best made for high school plays I've read. There's so much room for creativity in the way that the various stories are told and there's an ability to highlight different student talents woven into so many of the stories and to teach students new theatrical skills and approaches. All while actually being engaging and real.
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
1.5
I might change this rating after discussion, but frankly this book is a waste of time.
If you have a day to kill and no other options, binging it may be worth it, but the moment you start thinking about what you're reading, it all goes out the window.
The way women and people of color are treated by the narrative and the way people little literally keel over dead in efforts of protecting the main golden boy is laughable.
Once you start noticing harry potter parallels it's impossible to ignore them and not a single one of them shines a good light on this story.
There are better books to read.
If you have a day to kill and no other options, binging it may be worth it, but the moment you start thinking about what you're reading, it all goes out the window.
The way women and people of color are treated by the narrative and the way people little literally keel over dead in efforts of protecting the main golden boy is laughable.
Once you start noticing harry potter parallels it's impossible to ignore them and not a single one of them shines a good light on this story.
There are better books to read.
Loveless by Alice Oseman
4.75
Honestly this book is practically perfect. It's a beautiful and honest reflection on the confusion and pain of coming to terms with your sexuality in a world that isn't oriented towards it.
Major down points are that there's a nonbinary character that is referred to as nonbinary and introduces themselves with multiple pronouns, but only the gendered ones are used throughout the entire narrative :/. Which sort of sucked.
Major down points are that there's a nonbinary character that is referred to as nonbinary and introduces themselves with multiple pronouns, but only the gendered ones are used throughout the entire narrative :/. Which sort of sucked.
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
4.0
very cute book - definitely going into my classroom library. deals with the anger of a teenage girl against a xenophobic and islamophobic world in high school specifically in 2002 (right after 9/11)
sweet romance with a message of letting others care about you and that you can't protect everyone from the consequences of caring for you
sweet romance with a message of letting others care about you and that you can't protect everyone from the consequences of caring for you