raisinreads's reviews
466 reviews

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Still Life with Bones by Alexa Hagerty

4.0

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Cannibalism, and Murder

Outdrawn by Deanna Grey
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.

The audiobook narration was not pleasant to listen to. The story was fine but I just couldn't get into it.

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.

the narrative voice for the immortal characters was so uncharacteristically immature, it was just not believable that they would talk or think like that, i promise Death himself is not gen z. 

despite this, i was having a good time w the plot for the first bit, it was fun and enjoyable. and then, it became way too ambitious and convoluted for this author

Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

not really a spoiler bc it happens very early on in the book, so i want to mention in this that this books deals HEAVILY with child abuse and sexual assault and pedophilia. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Alcohol

Moderate: Deadnaming, Death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Cancer, Gun violence, and Pregnancy

Elegy for the Undead by Matthew Vesely

• Loveable characters? No

3.0

two cheating plotlines both based around them not having as much sex as the other wants so its partly justified?? the romance was not strong enough for me to root for them through cheating, especially w the weird reasoning

the writing was fine, not bad, not something to write home about, the characters weren't super loveable (to me), it felt like neither the romance or the characters had much depth. felt very flat even with the obvious drama. also, i'm not one for any pop culture references in a book but that's obviously just a personal preference

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Violence and Murder

Minor: Homophobia

Girl Juice by Benji Nate
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.

barely cohesive, not my humor

Stargazer by Laurie Petrou

dark

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content

The Iliac Crest by Cristina Rivera Garza

reflective

3.75

i was completely entranced by this novel from the first page. the prose is stunning & the discussion of dividing lines and border (of gender, of life and death, of sanity and insanity, and yes the obvious of physical borders bw cities and countries) was so interesting, while also leaving a lot of room for discussion.

i will note that the summary makes it seem like the story focuses almost entirely on gender, which i will say, though the idea of gender is explored, it is not explored as much as the summary would have suggested (imo)