loischanel's reviews
312 reviews

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Simply brilliant! Detransition Baby is such a mentally stimulating and cognizant read. I loved how it explored the intersections between, motherhood, familymaking and the type of womanhood that has access to these things. A taboo-busting treasure.
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You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

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challenging emotional reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The narrative was a bit too skeletal, there were unfinished story arcs and I had some issues including the story's use of dialect and the setting of the 'island' where most of the story takes place. Otherwise, this is an absorbing, impactful romance that explores grief with dramatic tension and artistry.
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The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

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challenging emotional funny mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Set in Uganda, The First Woman is a memorable coming-of-age epic that speaks on the complexities and nuance of womanhood against the backdrop of a violent dictatorship and paternalistic ideals.
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Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

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challenging dark funny reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Ingrid Yang, a PhD student in modernist literature is trying and failing to put together her final dissertation piece on the revered Chinese American poet, Xiao Wen Chou, a poet she never wanted to study in the first place. Amidst her academic woes, she stumbles upon a ground-breaking secret, one that balloons into a full-fledged campus scandal, threatening to shake the very foundations of the otherwise becoming Barnes University.

Disorientation seeks to disrupt and destabilise reader perceptions, disorienting Orientalism and on this front I think it succeeded. I found it to be a contentious yet comedic character study and a bold debut. 
Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera

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adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

This book is such a tender and passionate read. I loved how innocent and sincere the romance was. The conflict that Desta and Elias met with towards the end was delightfully emotional. I loved that these two characters fell hard and fast for each other and the steamy lustfulness of it but then there's also the tension of them not having a lot of time left together and the difficult decisions they each have to make in their personal lives. 
So why only two stingy stars? Well inasmuchas I loved the mood in this romance and its infectious main characters, the story wasn't written well. The writing got a lot better in the second half of the book but for the most part, it felt forced, there were lots of typos, the pacing and time jumps between paragraphs felt disorienting and it was telling, such that I couldn't fully enjoy the romance as much as I wanted to.
Also Sam got way to much airtime.
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Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 This young and vibing novel is a summery, feel-good celebration of Blackness, Africanness and love. Babalola's writing exudes rich, flavoursome romance. I was so obsessed with her tasteful descriptions and the current feel of the story that I didn't mind having what felt like a plethora of archetypal romance clichés being thrown at me right until the end. As a reader that prefers more hard-hitting, grittier novels, I was impressed by the way Babalola wielded these otherwise textbook tropes and made me believe it. 
The Modern Craft: Powerful voices on witchcraft ethics by Claire Askew, Alice Tarbuck

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informative mysterious reflective fast-paced

4.0

The Modern Craft is an elusive yet empirical essay anthology collection that questions the modern day ethics of Western witchcraft practise. These essays form a robust roadmap for both new and seasoned practitioners alike to ensure that their use of witchery is ethical, environmentally friendly and inclusive to all.
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Border Nation: A Story of Migration by Leah Cowan

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challenging informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

A vigorous, defiant text, unwavering in its scrutiny of border control laws and an excellent myth-buster. Border Nation is only 149 pages long but it thoroughly addresses the many nuances of the inherently oppressive, inherently racist nature of border policing.
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Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Ugly Cry is an adolescent story about growth, facing one's fears and deriving strength from within but also from genuine friendships. Quinn is initially an unlikeable character but through losing her prized journal and subsequently being blackmailed because of it, she undertakes a journey that results in her becoming a more confident, resilient person. Goffney's simple writing style lays a strong foundation for keeping you turning pages, always providing persuasive plot hooks with an easy naturalness and I loved the tension between Quinn and Carter. 

Onto the not so good bits; Quinn's parents were extremely grating for most of the story. And the confrontation between Quinn's father and Carter seemed contrived. Quinn's father simply bumping into Carter and asking 'Excuse me, who are you?' translated into Quinn's father hating his own race and accusing Carter of criminality on the part of all of the characters. The whole encounter was completely blown up into being something it wasn't for the sake of the plot. I thought that more dialogue was needed from that exchange to truly convey the message it wanted to convey because asking a stranger what there're doing in your house didn't have the intended effect on me.

That aside, this book was blossoming, assertive young adult novel. 

It must also be noted that if you're like me and you have a serious thing about v*mit, then please skip the last page of chapter 15 and all of chapter 16, you're welcome!
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Untouchable by Talia Hibbert

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book is all the feels! Very cheerful despite many a heavy theme, believable, aware and sweet. A bit hyperbolic sometimes but perfect if you're in need of a happy sappy book.
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