Scan barcode
bkwrm1317's reviews
213 reviews
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I’ve had Due on my TBR for a long time and this novel is evidently evidence as to why.
Based on a real place, where real young men lost their lives, The Reformatory follows young Robert Stevens, Jr, his sister Gloria, and others who love them in the Jim Crow south after the death of their mother (lost to cancer), and their father’s need to leave after his attempt to unionize workers strikes fear into the pocketbooks of white folks in their community.
Young Robert defends his sister from the untoward advances of a young white man from a former plantation owning family with a swift kick to the knee, but McCormack senior sees the exchange and convinces a judge to send young Robert to the Reformatory, a place reeking of violence and bloodshed, the mysterious deaths of young men behind its barbed wire fences, and more.
What unveils is a story of friendship created under duress, the ghosts haunting the Reformatory impatiently waiting to exact their revenge on the man representing the system of inequity that led to their untimely deaths, and the horrors hiding under the surface in the Funhouse, the shed, and elsewhere at the Reformatory.
Based on a real place, where real young men lost their lives, The Reformatory follows young Robert Stevens, Jr, his sister Gloria, and others who love them in the Jim Crow south after the death of their mother (lost to cancer), and their father’s need to leave after his attempt to unionize workers strikes fear into the pocketbooks of white folks in their community.
Young Robert defends his sister from the untoward advances of a young white man from a former plantation owning family with a swift kick to the knee, but McCormack senior sees the exchange and convinces a judge to send young Robert to the Reformatory, a place reeking of violence and bloodshed, the mysterious deaths of young men behind its barbed wire fences, and more.
What unveils is a story of friendship created under duress, the ghosts haunting the Reformatory impatiently waiting to exact their revenge on the man representing the system of inequity that led to their untimely deaths, and the horrors hiding under the surface in the Funhouse, the shed, and elsewhere at the Reformatory.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Gore, and Racial slurs
Minor: Cancer, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Death of parent
The Fall is All There Is by C.M. Caplan
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Read for Indie Ink 2024 judging for the category of Disability Representation by a Disabled author.
Really appreciated the realistic framing of the protagonist as having processing issues, executive functioning issues, and the purported solution to them in the world of the novel. Interesting world building, and author effectively brings readers into the world they’ve created.
At times hilariously funny, dark, and plot line of political intrigue/pending civil war between the four royal siblings after the death of their father.
Rating of novel here is per my personal taste and does not reflect how I scored the novel for the Indie Ink Awards.
Really appreciated the realistic framing of the protagonist as having processing issues, executive functioning issues, and the purported solution to them in the world of the novel. Interesting world building, and author effectively brings readers into the world they’ve created.
At times hilariously funny, dark, and plot line of political intrigue/pending civil war between the four royal siblings after the death of their father.
Rating of novel here is per my personal taste and does not reflect how I scored the novel for the Indie Ink Awards.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Cursing and Violence
Minor: Ableism
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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? No
4.0
Nice little light SF about someone laid off by the CEO where he’s an executive at the start of COVID who then, by a series of events, ends up with a job offer to work with kaiju on a parallel Earth. Equal parts hilarious and feel good, this little SF novel will keep you turning the pages and rooting for the good guys.
Long Division by Kiese Laymon
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Picked up for Voyage Out to try to re-engage and the book was so so but didn’t really do it for me/not the right mood.
The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Schwab brings readers back home to the world of multiple Londons. Red London’s original Antari, Kell Maresh has been unable to access his power for seven years (since he, Holland, and Lila fought back the literal darkness of Osaron and Black London). Lila trains him in other ways in the meantime aboard her ship, the Grey Barron.
Meanwhile, a young child queen, Kosika, takes power in White London and foreshadows much to come in this new trilogy.
In Grey London, things are much as they once were, although Tes, our newest beloved character, gets to meet Ned Tuttle and experience Grey and White London briefly herself as she fights against a coup planned by an organization calling itself the Hand, hoping to murder Red London’s king, Rhy Maresh.
More swashbuckling, elemental and Antari magic, and adventures through and across the varied Londons will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Meanwhile, a young child queen, Kosika, takes power in White London and foreshadows much to come in this new trilogy.
In Grey London, things are much as they once were, although Tes, our newest beloved character, gets to meet Ned Tuttle and experience Grey and White London briefly herself as she fights against a coup planned by an organization calling itself the Hand, hoping to murder Red London’s king, Rhy Maresh.
More swashbuckling, elemental and Antari magic, and adventures through and across the varied Londons will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Kidnapping, and Grief
Self harm CW is not a traditional use of this CW but is somewhat apt. Ditto for grief and kidnapping.
The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Not sure what it was, but this novel felt more all-over-the-place and less compelling than the other two in the series. I love SGJ, and I love Jade, especially, but something just didn’t quite click for me in the same way here.
There were, nonetheless, some five star moments, lines, and bits that felt pulled straight out of a slasher film. I’m glad Jade gets her well-deserved rest, and hopefully Proofrock, ID does too.
There were, nonetheless, some five star moments, lines, and bits that felt pulled straight out of a slasher film. I’m glad Jade gets her well-deserved rest, and hopefully Proofrock, ID does too.
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
Wow. What a powerful debut.
Simultaneously commenting on all that makes the US carceral system the evil that it is, and narrating characters who bring to life the embodiment of hope in a hopeless world, and love in a world of violence, this novel packs quite a punch.
The added statistics throughout actually made the story more impactful, as it roots readers in the realities of the carceral system and how it doubly harms Black and Brown bodies, as well as femmes, queer and trans folks, etc.
Simultaneously commenting on all that makes the US carceral system the evil that it is, and narrating characters who bring to life the embodiment of hope in a hopeless world, and love in a world of violence, this novel packs quite a punch.
The added statistics throughout actually made the story more impactful, as it roots readers in the realities of the carceral system and how it doubly harms Black and Brown bodies, as well as femmes, queer and trans folks, etc.
System Collapse by Martha Wells
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
Oh, Murderbot, how I love each and every installment of your story. I’ve missed you, literary friend.
I particularly love the way that Wells has a slow burn to a big reveal around Murderbot (and other SecUnits’) mental/psychological state. Just fantastic.
I particularly love the way that Wells has a slow burn to a big reveal around Murderbot (and other SecUnits’) mental/psychological state. Just fantastic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Medical trauma, and Colonisation
Minor: Slavery and Injury/Injury detail
Heart, Haunt, Havoc by Freydís Moon
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Update: this book was removed from Indie Ink 2023-24 due to the author pretending to be a writer of color/Latine/x, a gross misrepresentation of their identity/identities. I have also removed my ranking of the novel due to learning this, and will not be reading any additional writing by this writer (under any of their names). If you're curious, google their name and look into their many pen names, and why they moved away from trad pub (probably due to being problematic and doxxing folks who name that).
Finished reading this book for Indie Ink Judging on 3.30.24. The following review does not necessarily reflect how I judged the novel for the specific Indie Ink categories I judged it for:
Heart, Haunt, Havoc is quite dark and brooding, a bit funny, and really tender in the most lovely way.
Protagonist, Colin (really both main characters are protags of this story), is hired to complete a sort of exorcism of a house for Bishop. Little does Colin know that Bishop comes from a family line of brujería, where Tezcatlipoca, the Mexica (Aztec) god who governs the night sky, is connected directly to Bishop and offers Bishop a unique magic.
I am generally not a fan of romance, but there was just the right balance between sensual/romance-y scenes in this novella with plot and story arc, as well as individual character/protagonist growth. Further, Moon writes desire incredibly convincingly.
I loved the additional nerd references peppered into the novella here and there as well (e.g. listening to Critical Role, and how Moon intersperses these lighter references with the occult, demonic posession and integration, and angelic stuff a la Catholicism.
I will definitely be continuing this series outside of my Indie Ink judging capacity, as there are two more novellas already published in the series, and I can't wait to get to them likely later this year.
Check CWs and note that all minor CWs I've listed are either not emotionally charged or mostly in passing within the novel (e.g. animal death is part of a ritual sacrifice of a familiar, which is reanimated, so animal cruelty is not part of CWs, etc.).
Finished reading this book for Indie Ink Judging on 3.30.24. The following review does not necessarily reflect how I judged the novel for the specific Indie Ink categories I judged it for:
Heart, Haunt, Havoc is quite dark and brooding, a bit funny, and really tender in the most lovely way.
Protagonist, Colin (really both main characters are protags of this story), is hired to complete a sort of exorcism of a house for Bishop. Little does Colin know that Bishop comes from a family line of brujería, where Tezcatlipoca, the Mexica (Aztec) god who governs the night sky, is connected directly to Bishop and offers Bishop a unique magic.
I am generally not a fan of romance, but there was just the right balance between sensual/romance-y scenes in this novella with plot and story arc, as well as individual character/protagonist growth. Further, Moon writes desire incredibly convincingly.
I loved the additional nerd references peppered into the novella here and there as well (e.g. listening to Critical Role, and how Moon intersperses these lighter references with the occult, demonic posession and integration, and angelic stuff a la Catholicism.
I will definitely be continuing this series outside of my Indie Ink judging capacity, as there are two more novellas already published in the series, and I can't wait to get to them likely later this year.
Check CWs and note that all minor CWs I've listed are either not emotionally charged or mostly in passing within the novel (e.g. animal death is part of a ritual sacrifice of a familiar, which is reanimated, so animal cruelty is not part of CWs, etc.).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Alcohol
The Fear of Winter by S.C. Sterling
dark
tense
medium-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? Yes
2.5
Received this book as part of an author giveaway on StoryGraph. Wasn't familiar with the author prior to reading and was a solidly middle of the line read for me. Characters weren't particularly complex/developed through the novel, and characters weren't particularly compelling for me. I generally enjoy more complex and compelling characters, hence the lower rating for this novel. Having read many thrillers and mysteries, the plot didn't make up for the weaker character development from my perspective.
Do check CWs, especially around self-harm, addiction, and domestic abuse for those who may be impacted by these.
Do check CWs, especially around self-harm, addiction, and domestic abuse for those who may be impacted by these.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Self harm, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
Minor: Drug use and Sexual violence