2.5/5⭐ Eh. A quick, mispell-laden adventure through friendship and life. It felt cursory and didn't really resonate with me. #buzzwordathon
2.5/5⭐ Eh. A quick, mispell-laden adventure through friendship and life. It felt cursory and didn't really resonate with me. #buzzwordathon
3/5⭐ The description implies it's a love story, but it's really not. This book takes place during the decline/assimilation of Jewish culture in Kaifeng, China in the 1800s & the tensions that result. The afterword about the historical context is helpful. There's a common theme throughout of sadness vs happiness that I found thoughtful. The midpoint takes a wild turn that I didn't think fit with the tone of what came before or after. #buzzwordathon
4/5⭐ Really fun, cute, relatable, and heartfelt. Perfect for fans of Catana Comics and Sarah Andersen. #Buzzwordathon
3.5/5⭐ As a romance story, it felt over before it even began, as did the plotline of the birthday party. The text needed a proofreader.
However, the daily realities of the characters living in the intersection of their identities felt very real, genuine, and down-to-earth with nuance and experiences I, at least, haven't seen much in fiction.
#buzzwordathon #52bookclub24 chapter headings have dates
2.5/5⭐ I liked the historical & magical worldbuilding & the Bishop house.
However, the romantic relationship was basically Twilight for adults. Matthew's alpha maleness & mindless possessiveness dominated the story & expected subservience at every turn. His rages were so unhealthy & worrisome, as were the ridiculous number of important secrets he & Diana kept from one another.
I have no desire to continue reading the series. #buzzwordathon
3/5⭐ The vagina monologues and the author have done great things for bringing awareness to the issue of violence against AFAB people and for empowering people to talk about the things the patriarchy has decided shouldn't be discussed. However, the monologues reduce women's identities to vaginas and are trans-exclusive. They're an important but narrow-scoped part of feminist history. #buzzwordathon
2.5/5⭐ Eh, it was just okay. The themes of history in the margins and self-actualization could have been interesting, but they were hammered to death with telling over showing. The constant switches between POVs/timelines made it difficult to stay grounded. The ending was muddled and vague in a way the book hadn't led to. The audiobook narrators were very good. #buzzwordathon