raethereviewer's reviews
596 reviews

The Sprite and the Gardener, by Joe Whitt

lighthearted relaxing

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I saw this at my local library and decided to check it out, I'm pretty sure I've seen the cover floating around social media. This was a very cute read. I love the illustration style but I wish the story was a bit longer. My library classified this under YA but I think it's a graphic novel that could work for all ages, particularly middle grade. 

Gods of Jade and Shadow, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

adventurous dark mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

I read this for my mythologies in Latinx literature course and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve been meaning to read Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work and I’m glad I started with this one. I loved Casiopea and the plot moved along so quickly. Highly recommend for those who love a good quest fantasy.

Caribbean Discourse: Selected Essays, by Edouard Glissant

5.0

This is easily, by far, the most accessible and fascinating piece of academic writing I've engaged with. I'm thankful I read this for my thesis and it will definitely impact my personal writing.

Lore Olympus: Volume One, by Rachel Smythe

4.0

This is Greek pantheon fan fiction and I love that. 

Crossing the Mangrove, by Maryse Condé

4.25

This was so interesting. My thesis focus is Caribbean Literature so this was part of my reading list. I like how complicated the characters are and their connections to Francis Sancher were really fleshed out. The setting was distinct in a way that I couldn't imagine this story taking place anywhere other than this small town in Guadeloupe. 

The Last Cuentista, by Donna Barba Higuera

adventurous challenging emotional

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

5.0

I read this for the mythologies in Latinx literature course I’m taking this semester and going into it, I wasn’t expecting it to be so intense. I think this is perfect for that transition age between middle grade and YA. I’m a big fan of sci-fi and I love how much thought was put into the plot. So well done!

A Tempest, by Aimé Césaire

3.75

It's been a few years since I read Shakespeare's Tempest but reading this brought back lots of memories. I wasn't expecting it to be such a faithful adaptation but I also enjoyed the songs and additional speeches from Caliban that Césaire incorporates.

Abeng, by Michelle Cliff

3.0

I read this for my thesis since my focus is Caribbean literature. I enjoyed the first half of it, especially when we get the back and forth between history and Clare's present moment but as the story continued, I felt like some of this became a bit too convoluted, especially with the later character introductions. I think this book grapples with a lot of pressing issues that are still very relevant today but I wasn't as engaged in the second half.

Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear, by Jinger Duggar Vuolo, Jinger Vuolo

informative

2.75

I want to start off by saying that I have a lot of respect for Jinger Duggar Vuolo. It’s incredibly difficult to leave fundamentalist spaces like these and I’m glad she’s speaking out about the harm that IBLP and Bill Gothard have caused. My main qualm with this is that she seems to be painting her parents as blameless. I can understand that she may still be close to them but I hope she continues working through the role that they also played in her anxiety and trauma. This felt like she was mainly evangelizing and some of the chapters felt weighed down by all the Bible quotes.

Black Sun, by Rebecca Roanhorse

5.0

This book has been on my tbr for years now but I finally read it because of the Mythologies in Latinx literature course I’m sitting in on this semester and I must say, this was a masterpiece! The way the storylines intersect was masterfully done and I love how these heavy themes are tackled head on. The tension ran so high for a lot of it and it kept me super engaged. I can’t wait to read the next book (once I’m done with my thesis readings).