dhatislandbookworm's reviews
225 reviews

Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Adiba Jaigirdar

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emotional lighthearted medium-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? No

3.0

This was another book that was just *fine* for me. I liked the characters, and I appreciated the story’s focus on culture, community, repairing friendships, and processing grief, however, there were a few issues I could not overlook. 

My first gripe was that they never really addressed the racism and microaggressions that happen to Tiwa. This occurs multiple times, is called out once in private, and is never brought up again. There were so many opportunities to really delve into this. 

Next was the root cause of Said and Tiwa’s rift. Bruh. When it was revealed, I rolled my eyes so hard because HUH. The reasoning didn’t make any sense and wasn’t justified at all (and, like Gigi pointed out, it was lowkey a crime?????). 
 
But I think my main issue with this is that it is marketed as a love story when it didn‘t need to be. This could have been a story about healing a friendship and platonic love, and the content wouldn’t really have changed much. To be quite honest, I would’ve preferred that since the romance elements were very few and far between. 
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Lockjaw by Matteo L. Cerilli

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dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

Oh. My. God. This was a wild ride.
 
In Lockjaw, Paz Espino and her band of misfit friends team up to kill the small town monster who murdered one of their own — but soon realize that they’re more sinister things in Bridlington than just a monster. 

From the first chapter, Cerilli has you hooked. I was immediately enthralled by the unsettling atmosphere of the town, which we get to experience through multiple POVs of a well-rounded cast of characters. And though I can’t say much without spoiling major plot points, this had me reeling trying to guess what was going on. Just when I thought I figured something out, Cerilli said “SIKE” 😭 

This may seem like just another YA horror, but the author is able to make Lockjaw serve as an excellent examination of revenge, conformity, community, found family, and sisterhood. It also serves as a critique of how narrow minded ideals and neglect causes irreparable damage to more than the people it’s targeted at. 

I genuinely can’t believe that this is Cerilli’s debut. He was able to perfectly balance the social and monster horror and I can’t wait to see his career soar. If you’re a fan of horror, trippy novels, and stories à la Stranger Things or IT, then Lockjaw is for you. Even if it’s not, pick it up and read it anyway 👏🏾
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Normal People by Sally Rooney

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I finally decided to read Normal People because I was intrigued by the plot of Intermezzo and I wanted to get a feel for Rooney’s writing. A few friends have also been anxiously waiting for me to dive into it. 
 
Now that I have, I can confidently say that I feel very indifferent about this book. 

I didn’t particularly like the characters, but I didn’t hate them either. I didn’t like their relationship, but I didn’t absolutely hate it either. (I did hate the constant miscommunication, even though that was sort of the main point. Sorry.) 
 
Everything about Normal People was just *fine*. The first 75% of the book for me was the definition of “yes girl, give us nothing!” 

Rooney DOES write very human characters, which I usually enjoy, so maybe it’s just this particular book. But I will be reading Intermezzoto fully determine if maybe if it was just the book or Sally Rooney just isn’t for me 🤷🏾‍♀️ 
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Kittentits by Holly Wilson

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 58%.
DNF’d at 58% 

I tried getting through this. REALLY TRIED. But nothing is really happening or making any sense. 

It was pitched to me as a book similar to The Florida Project, which I can see. 

However, I think it’s trying too hard to shock its readers and isn’t really hitting the notes about grief and abandonment I think it actually wants to.
The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
DNF’d at 24%

Unfortunately, this wasn’t capturing my attention and I got bored 🥲

This would be really cool as a short story in an anthology, though.
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

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emotional reflective medium-paced
I have no words to accurately describe how amazing this memoir was. 
 
It was raw, introspective and Lamya manages to beautifully capture their experience of being a queer, non-binary Muslim. 
 
I was immediately intrigued by how Lamya used stories and figures from the Quran to segue into how they relate to specific parts of her life. This memoir is also not in chronological order, but it worked here because the writing was so compelling. 

I’ll be honest, I know this won’t be for everyone because of the content. However, I highly recommend giving it a chance because you won’t be disappointed. 
Napkins and Other Distractions by M.A. Wardell

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emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This was such a cute sapphic romance! 
 
Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, but oftentimes, the motivations of participating in a fake dating ploy can be quite ridiculous. However, in this instance, it made perfect sense since they both had something to ‘gain’! 
 
Hani and Ishu also plays into the grumpy x sunshine trope and the girls’ opposing personalties complimented each other well. 
 
The book also manages to perfectly balance the romance with the heavier topics such as prejudice, assimilation, abandonment, and the fear of failure. 
 
Unfortunately, the ending felt a bit rushed. The main antagonist didn’t face any repercussions for her abhorrent behavior and was essentially rewarded for it! 
 
We also didn’t get closure on certain plot points. This disappointed me because I felt that some of these points were very essential to the story. 
 
All in all, would still recommend if you’re looking for a delightful read. 
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The Black Girl Survives in This One by Saraciea J. Fennell, Desiree S. Evans

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mysterious fast-paced

4.0

As a Black horror fan, I get tired of the Black characters dying first or playing into the magical negro trope in films. We deserve to see ourselves as final girls too! That’s what’s so refreshing about The Black Girl Survives In This One: it turns this stereotype on its head. 

Each story prided itself in being atmospheric and pulled you in as soon as it began. The anthology also covered a few subgenres like sci-fi, body horror, and psychological horror, so there’s something here for everyone! My favorite stories were Harvesters, The Brides of Devil’s Bayou, The Screamers, The Black Strings, and Foxhunt. 

This would be a great companion novel to The Black Guy Dies First, a non-fiction book that discusses the history of Black horror, and perfect for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the genre. 
True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christina Li

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Ok… this might be the only VERY SLOW slow burn I thoroughly enjoyed 🤭 
 
Grace was an outstanding main character and I actually loved being inside of her head. She was engaging MC, but her self-critisism coupled with her over analytical nature caused her to make some not-so-great choices. (Same girl, same!) 

However, because of this, Grace felt like a genuine college freshman going through the motions of trying to figure life out. 
 
I also valued that Christina Li took the time for Grace and Julia’s romance to flourish. Watching them go from spiky, reluctant coworkers to friends to something more was a marathon, but it was sooooo worth it. 

I also went into this expecting a straight up romance, but we got more than that! 

Though Grace and Julia’s relationship is the main focus, we also explore a plethora of things: grief, sexuality, familial relationships, friendships, and the pressure to be a perfect daughter. 

This is definitely one book I would keep recommending.
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