bookdragon217's reviews
591 reviews

"In the end, maybe it's disturbing how easy it was to adjust. How easy it is for the worst things imaginable to become normal." 

I won Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine through a @goodreads  @tornightfire giveaway and it was such a creepy, little mind game. For such a short tale, it had all the terrifying elements I love that made me close the book at night because it was eerie and sinister. I love an unreliable narrator, atmospheric writing and dystopia caused by an event where the consequences aren't fully revealed yet. This one is described as Bird Box mixed with the Last of Us and it lived up to the hype but it also gave so much area as far as tension and  character struggle. I was completely tuned in and couldn't wait until the truth was revealed.

The psychological aspects of this story are what really kept me interested until the end. The author really took her time building this world and introducing characters that had an air of mystery about them. I didn't really know who to trust because the characters were guarded but their world's circumstances amplified their isolation and feelings of anxiety about others. In their world, literally looking at someone could be the trigger to activate the "infection" that causes someone to spiral into violence. Riley, the main character has been isolated for so long that when she comes in contact with Ellis, old traumas resurface and her mind begins to play tricks on her. As a reader at one point, even I questioned if there even was a reason to not look because no one had a definitive answer as to what exactly was the cause of their current situation. 

The mood definitely parallels the paranoia and fear people have felt during the last several years of this pandemic. By the end of this one, I could definitely understand how eventually some people could just snap and how the mind plays tricks on people in order to protect them from their innermost demons. The ending was jarring and left me with my jaw on the floor because it was pretty twisted. I have so many questions but I'm almost afraid to know more because this one really makes you feel uncomfortable and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

If you fancy slow paced, horror novellas with lots of gore that delve into what happens to the human psyche when pushed to the limit then definitely give this one a try and read it in the dark. Movies and shows that come to mind when I think about this one are: The Strangers, The Walking Dead, The Crazies and The Happening. I loved this one so much I can't wait to read more of Moraine's work.

"How the Boogeyman Became a Poet" by Tony Keith, Jr. is a poignant, memoir in verse  that will capture your heart forever. Tony's poetry has sharp edges and cuts you deeply at times but it also scoops you up in a big hug and leads you towards the light of hope. Keith makes you take a long look at the ways that queer Black youth are made to feel unsafe and forced to role play their lives in order to make others comfortable and not want to hurt them. 

I loved the format of this novel. It included photos, poems and pages from Keith's notebook. This mixed media form was a perfect way to show how Keith navigated life as an anxious, queer Black boy trying to figure out his own sexual identity and make place for himself in a world that is hostile and violent towards Black people. I loved that the poems gave you a personal glimpse into Keith's thoughts and you are given the opportunity to question what he questions about society.

Reflecting on this one, I am left pondering about:
▪︎the ways that straight performance pervades every aspect of society
▪︎ the ways that queer kids have to hide within themselves and battle their own inner voices of shame because of not having safe spaces to be themselves 
▪︎ the ways that poetry can speak what is in the heart and be used to break down systems of oppression
▪︎ the importance of community and acceptance for queer kids
▪︎ the ways that people pleasing create anxieties and heighten fear about showing up authentically and in the fullness of ones identity 
▪︎ the ways that self-talk is important when you're learning to take leaps of faith in yourself and get over the imposter syndrome
▪︎ the"coming out" journey as a complex process that is further complicated by racism, homophobia, violence, social stigma & toxic masculinity
▪︎ how HBCU's can foster self esteem and become a safe space for self exploration
▪︎ how language and the arts can create freedom 
▪︎ the importance of safe adults to development of self-worth and identity

If you loved The Black Flamingo, When We Make It, The Poet X and All Boys Aren't Blue, then run and go grab this one immediately. There are so many beautiful lines.Thanks to @epicreads for the gifted ARC. 

Not in the mood and felt like I needed to read first book

"I feel like I've been betraying them every time I'm not miserable. And I know that's not how grief works. One second of being happy doesn't erase all the other moments of mourning. I know that I can't stay sad all day, every day. But I can't help but feel like people are looking at me judging me for not being sad enough. Or for being too sad. I can't figure out what the normal amount is. 

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson was a lighthearted read that touched on themes of found family, grief, fatphobia, microagressions, racism and religious discrimination. Mila Flores is a fat, body positive Mexican teenager who loves Doc Martens and practicing wicca with her best friend Riley. When her best friend and the two resident mean girls are found dead under suspicious circumstances, Mila struggles with her grief and won't accept that they committed suicide. Mila casts a spell to bring Riley back to life so she could find out the truth but instead all three girls are resurrected as zombies.

This was a quick, easy read that didn't delve too heavily into harder topics. Mila did experience fatphobia but I like that author made her a very layered character beyond her fatness. Mila didn't shy away from speaking her mind and calling out racism and fatphobia. She didn't shy away from having tough conversations with the mean girls and school counselor.  Grief was a main theme in the novel and I think it was explored the best because Mila was constantly contemplating her process and seeing how others were dealing with their grief in different ways. The tone of the writing was optimistic and it never felt didactic. Because there were so many side characters with back stories, I think the story remained focused on the relationship between characters, rather than the overarching big themes. Overall this was a cute and fun read with witchy, girl power vibes.

I read this one for The Diverse Baseline Challenge February Prompt: BIPOC author w/ Fat Main Character. Read this one if you like:
✨️ Girl Power Narratives
✨️ Found Family
✨️ Grief Process
✨️ Zombie Stories
✨️ Witchy vibes & plant magic

#UndeadGirlGang #LilyAnderson #thediversebaseline #tbr #bookstagram #ReadPuertoRican