renreads2much's reviews
54 reviews

The Loneliness Files by Athena Dixon
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.

The book is an interesting concept, writing about people who passed away alone, and using symbolism and analysis to compare your own loneliness to theirs. Finding parts of yourself in someone else's story. Despite the concept, I overall found the book too mundane and melancholy for my personal liking, and the end of each essay that I read, which were three, just felt like the same overall message. Talking about being alone or whatnot. I don't know, just not for me. 

Biting the Hand: Growing Up Asian in Black and White America by Julia Lee

emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

3.75

This book is not an easy read, for me I found it quite intense and aggressive. There were certain points where I felt extreme rage bursting from the pages. Sometimes it felt like someone was yelling at me with a microphone. However, I believe that I am also a bit more sensitive to this content and critique, being biracial with Immigrant, Filipino blood and American European blood, sometimes it feels like I have to make a choice between what I "sympathize" with most. This book really had me confront myself and realize many things that I hadnt even realized. The text is truly eye-opening.

I'm not going to act like this book is all about rage and suffering, because as Julia Lee said herself when she was teaching African American literature, she, "painted a picture of Black life so unrelentingly bleak and warped by racism and injustice that a reader might assume all Black life could be reduced to was suffering." And I want to avoid making that same mistake while speaking of this book. Because there was more than a "Angry Little Asian Girl," there were talks about how in the face of suffering, there is hope, love, and community. Those excerpts were quite touching, watching Julia Lee struggle to find solidarity in the academic world until she was a professor herself, teaching African American literature. Versus the "solidarity" she had with a White teacher in her middle school, when she got a good grade for putting down and rebelling against her Korean culture and parents. She didn't have to shrink to find comfort in others when she was an adult. She was allowed to take off her muzzle and write this book, biting the hand. 

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

4.25

This book was so dark and disgusting it literally took me months to get through. It's a hard read, but its definitely worth trudging through and digesting. Nabokov is a great story teller, he has an amazing way of putting you in the character's mind. Which in this case with Humbert Humbert, is a horrifying experience. But one that is all too real. And disgustingly, somehow makes you feel a small sense of understanding and pity.  The whole book feels like a crescendo, building up to the downfall of a man who was already at his lowest. 

(Side note, I really like how the last few chapters are written.)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Rape

Totem by Laura Pérez

challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

Beautiful book, beautiful art. Story isn't very heavy, but it is confusing and not very surface level. It feels more like an art piece than a book, which isn't a bad thing at all. But I believe that to really understand the "story" aspect, you would have to do a lot more analytical work. This would be a good choice for if I were to take MMST again. 

Rave by Jessica Campbell

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

Read this at the library when I was bored and didn't want to do work. Very quick read for me, but I believe that this book definitely has some deep symbolism and topics. However, I do feel that the title "Rave" is slightly misleading to what the book is about? At least at a first glance, maybe if I think about it more I can piece it together.

I enjoyed the art style, the panels were fast paced, black and white, and the art was in a sketchy/block print kind of style. In some ways, it reminded me somewhat of Daria from MTV.

But in regards to the story itself, I find it depressing. Although there wasnt much "meat" to it, as it was a quick read; I was still oddly touched and felt melancholy. However, I don't find this book to be something that I will "carry with me forever" or anything. Think of it as a romantic one night stand, feelings are genuine, but quick.

TLDR, good book. I really think that this would be cool to see if it was longer. But I also like it short?... I don't know, I kind of wish we got to see more character development and spent more time with them.

Quote that the author put on the opening page that fits the book quite well:
"Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians." - Pat Robertson, 1992.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Madagascar: New and Selected Stories by Steven Schwartz

emotional

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

4.0

Read the first part of the first short story on the “End of Year” celebration at my school. After that it was a lot of school work and POL’s, I didn’t have time to continue.

(UPDATE: I Picked it back up after POL's and have actually finished it now on July 9th 2024. Summer has been draining as well. Not much better than being in school in all honesty, but that's besides the point, I finished the damn book.) 

I really enjoyed all of these short stories, I don't remember or recall any that I had disliked. They all had charming aspects in some way or another, I found it interesting to read from a male perspective/man orientated collection as I am normally more drawn to woman and their voices instead. After reading this, I feel more encouraged to read more from the male perspective, this book holds the beauty and ache of boyhood and shows the complexities of growing into the body of a man and or simply living as one. 

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.

School was kicking my ass TOOOOO much, literally had zero time to myself.

Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.

Rengie will read later, she started reading Braiding Sweetgrass instead :3

Her by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Did not finish book. Stopped at 57%.

LITERALLY WHAT IS THIS MF TALKING ABOUT. He doesn’t make sense at all, I have no idea what he is saying ever. I feel my brain cells dying every time he says anything.

Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan

emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This was the perfect book for me to read. It was exactly what I needed for myself right now, it was amazing and I am truly at a loss of words. I already knew before, but this book is a good reminder that everything will be okay.