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bipoc_reading's reviews
419 reviews
The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Rep: British Bisexual MC, Gay Welsh SC
Fridge the woman, murder all the women in the story in fact. It’s unsurprising that this story is written by someone who is obsessed with true crime and stories about woman being murdered and tortured.
The amount of privilege in this story from the MC was a lot and…
Listen, I’m going to be honest. We all know I don’t read book blurbs before I start them but NO ONE WAS RESURRECTED? Boo…whatever.
Fridge the woman, murder all the women in the story in fact. It’s unsurprising that this story is written by someone who is obsessed with true crime and stories about woman being murdered and tortured.
The amount of privilege in this story from the MC was a lot and…
Listen, I’m going to be honest. We all know I don’t read book blurbs before I start them but NO ONE WAS RESURRECTED? Boo…whatever.
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Rep: Yt Bisexual MC, Black Bisexual SC, Yt Bisexual SC, American-Mexican LI
Overall: I found it a little disappointing. The world building right off the start begins with the spread of Christmas (with the analogy that it is a mega corporation which, honestly, valid) to the whole world and breezed over the fact that it is in fact colonization for that to occur as it is the spread of Christianity (or at best Capitalism). And then by the endall the bad people including the dad who is a massive abuser are all forgive
The romance was trying too hard. There was slut shaming within it and that trope of “I seem like a playboy but haven’t slept with that many people” and the “I fooled around once and it was traumatic but you healed all that”. Which, if that’s you’re cup of tea have at it, but personally I think healing takes longer and that there is nothing wrong with a long string of past lovers.
Overall: I found it a little disappointing. The world building right off the start begins with the spread of Christmas (with the analogy that it is a mega corporation which, honestly, valid) to the whole world and breezed over the fact that it is in fact colonization for that to occur as it is the spread of Christianity (or at best Capitalism). And then by the end
The romance was trying too hard. There was slut shaming within it and that trope of “I seem like a playboy but haven’t slept with that many people” and the “I fooled around once and it was traumatic but you healed all that”. Which, if that’s you’re cup of tea have at it, but personally I think healing takes longer and that there is nothing wrong with a long string of past lovers.
How to Sleep at Night: A Novel by Elizabeth Harris
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Rep: yt bisexual and lesbian women, yt gay men
Honestly…I thought it’d be a tough read given the political climate in the United States at the moment but slay. It’s just a story about a bunch of terrible people. The only downside is the ending. There should’ve been more divorce and more Leopards eating faces.
Honestly…I thought it’d be a tough read given the political climate in the United States at the moment but slay. It’s just a story about a bunch of terrible people. The only downside is the ending. There should’ve been more divorce and more Leopards eating faces.
Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Mind the Trigger Warnings
Rep: Native Indigenous, Two Spirit
Thoughts: Feeling lots of pain because of the heavy reality. A definite must read.
Rep: Native Indigenous, Two Spirit
Thoughts: Feeling lots of pain because of the heavy reality. A definite must read.
Swordcrossed by Freya Marske
Did not finish book. Stopped at 1%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 1%.
I don’t like spice and it was a brown man in Victorian era, I already knew it was gonna be racist
The Verifiers by Jane Pek
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
0.0
Rep: Taiwan MC written by a Singaporean, Ghana SC
It shows that this book is written by someone who isn’t from Taiwan. I found it pretty problematic. Taiwan is controversial considered part of China, against their will. There was overt racism from within the main character and in the endit was the Black man who was the criminal.
Also, it was criminally boring.
It shows that this book is written by someone who isn’t from Taiwan. I found it pretty problematic. Taiwan is controversial considered part of China, against their will. There was overt racism from within the main character and in the end
Also, it was criminally boring.
At the End of the River Styx by Michelle Kulwicki
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
The rep: white male main character, BIPOC side character
Worldbuilding fell flat, relatively uninteresting to me. It also didn’t make sense that some random guy from Oregon was going to Greek hell?
Worldbuilding fell flat, relatively uninteresting to me. It also didn’t make sense that some random guy from Oregon was going to Greek hell?
Bad Gays: A Homosexual History by Ben Miller, Huw Lemmey
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Rep: all white gay/bisexual men, from the lens of a BIPOC ally
I really liked what the book was saying and it gave me a new perspective on how bigotry and fascist politics can shape a gay and make a gay assimilate negatively.
I really liked what the book was saying and it gave me a new perspective on how bigotry and fascist politics can shape a gay and make a gay assimilate negatively.
Single Player by Tara Tai
Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.
Rep: She/they MC, sapphic romance, Asian MCs (if specified, I missed it), asexual SC
I DNFd because office enemies to lovers is not for me, but if it’s for you definitely read It! I liked the discussion of feminism in video games and parental pressure to turn out how they want.
I DNFd because office enemies to lovers is not for me, but if it’s for you definitely read It! I liked the discussion of feminism in video games and parental pressure to turn out how they want.
Where Black Stars Rise by Nadia Shammas, Marie Enger
adventurous
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Rep: Iranian female MC, Lebanese female MC, Black SC, Sapphic
Ooh! Good shit! Hello!
Okay: it’s an eldritch horror rewritten. The OG horror story this is based off of is a southern white American story. Add a little spice by putting some BIPOC queens in there! Very goood!
I thoroughly enjoyed the retelling from a BIPOC lens of “how do BIPOC people do in a white man’s horror” (spoiler, we’ve been doing it our whole lives so here we are!)
TW: schizophrenia, not listening to mental health, immigrant (iykyk it’s traumatic I am one myself)
Ooh! Good shit! Hello!
Okay: it’s an eldritch horror rewritten. The OG horror story this is based off of is a southern white American story. Add a little spice by putting some BIPOC queens in there! Very goood!
I thoroughly enjoyed the retelling from a BIPOC lens of “how do BIPOC people do in a white man’s horror” (spoiler, we’ve been doing it our whole lives so here we are!)
TW: schizophrenia, not listening to mental health, immigrant (iykyk it’s traumatic I am one myself)