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Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare, Vol. 1 by Yuhki Kamatani
Ever since reading Nabari No Ou back in the early 2010s I have been a huge fan of Yuhki Kamatani. To call Nabari No Ou my favourite series ever doesn’t convey just how much it means to me. Our Dreams at Dusk boasts Kamatani’s beautiful artwork and storytelling. Once again Kamatani provides some wonderful platonic…
4 STARS, bullying, coming of age, f/f side, favourite authors, first love, found family, friendships, gay, gender identity, HIGH SCHOOL, identity, japan, JAPANESE AUTHOR, lesbian side characters, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, MAGICAL REALISM, manga, mental health, My reviews, Our Dreams at Dusk, queer, re-reads, READ IN 2019, read in 2021, reading, SEXUALITY, Shimanami Tasogare, SLICE OF LIFE, trans side characters -
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
“Desire is the cause of all suffering. All Zhu had ever desired was to live. Now she felt the pure strength of that desire inside her, as inseparable as her breath or qi, and knew she would suffer from it. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the awful magnitude of the suffering that would be…
14th century, 5 STARS, ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE, Adult, ALIENATION, anti-hero, Asian Australian author, battles, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, China, court intrigue, f/f, FANTASY, friendships, gender identity, ghosts/spirits, HISTORICAL FICTION, identity, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, loneliness, MAGIC, monasteries, mongolia, myths, netgalley, political intrigue, published in 2021, queer, read in 2021, RETELLINGS, revenge, sapphic, She Who Became the Sun, Shelley Parker-Chan, terrific prose, war -
All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue
Caroline O’Donoghue’s foray into YA will definitely appeal to fans of the genre. Although I do have a few criticisms I can safely say that I found All Our Hidden Gifts to be an entertaining read. Set in Ireland, our narrator and protagonist is sixteen-year old Maeve Chambers, the youngest in a big family. She…
1st pov, 3 STARS, all girls school, All Our Hidden Gifts, Caroline O’Donoghue, coming of age, Contemporary, cults, curses, Dreams, FANTASY, female authors, FOLKLORE, gender identity, IRELAND, IRISH AUTHOR, lgbtq+ side, MAGIC, missing girls, missing persons, PARANORMAL, published in 2021, queer side characters, read in 2020, ROMANCE, social issues, tarots, WITCHES, YOUNG ADULT -
An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon
“With no words, Yeyemi says, I am the strength and fire in you, I am everything that is and was and every will be. You are the stuff my stars are made of. I am you and you are me.” An Ordinary Wonder tells a moving coming of age, one that will definitely appeal to…
1990s, 20th century, 3 STARS, An Ordinary Wonder, Black & Black heritage authors, boarding/private school, Buki Papillon, bullying, CHILDHOOD, coming of age, curses, family, female authors, FOLKLORE, friendships, gender identity, gods, growing up, identity, intersex, lgbtq+, MAGICAL REALISM, mothers & daughters, Nigeria, Nigerian author, published in 2021, read in 2020, twins, YOUNG ADULT -
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Felix Ever After is a refreshing, relevant, validating and super-inclusive YA novel. This also happens to be one of the few YA books (the only other one I can think of is Camp by Lev A.C. Rosen) that focuses exclusively on queer teens (there a few straight parents in the background). Kacen Callender’s portrayal of…
1st pov, 3.75 stars, America, American, ANGST, ART/CREATIVITY, ARTISTS, Black & Black heritage authors, caribbean author, coming of age, drama, fathers & sons, Felix Ever After, FRIENDS TO LOVERS, friendships, gender identity, HIGH SCHOOL, Kacen Callender, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, m/m, NEW YORK, published in 2020, queer, read in 2020, ROMANCE, Saint Thomian author, SEXUALITY, Summer, summer reads, TRANSGENDER, YOUNG ADULT -
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi — book review
The Death of Vivek Oji is an enthralling novel. Akwaeke Emezi’s lyrical prose is by turns evocative, sensual, and heart-wrenching. With empathy and understanding Emezi writes about characters who are grappling with grief and otherness, as well as with their gender identity and sexuality. “Did it feel like terror? More like horror, actually. Terrible sounded…
1990s, 20th century, 4 STARS, Adult, Akwaeke Emezi, arc, Black & Black heritage authors, Contemporary, DEATH, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), friendships, gender identity, GRIEF, incest, intergenerational, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, LITERARY FICTION, mental health, MYSTERY, netgalley, Nigeria, Nigerian author, published in 2020, queer, read in 2020, SEXUALITY, social issues, The Death of Vivek Oji, tragedy, TRANSGENDER, trauma
luce [is reading] 