Lauren
I think most people wouldn't think about the links between food and racism, but it is most definitely a thing.
In EATING WHILE BLACK we get an examination of the different aspects of the role white supremacy has played in the practice and culture of eating.
All our lives the media, nutrition science, economics, and public policy have helped shape opinions among both Black and non-Black Americans about what is healthful and right to eat, and many of those opinions are influenced by racism. For instance, a savory french dish may be deemed eloquent and high class, while a savory soul food dish served will be viewed as unhealthy, indulgent and unsophisticated.
This book challenges us to examine the lens in which we view food, how we often shame people for their food choices, and to dive deeper into why we have those feelings.
***Thank you to Tantor Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
Pet names really give me the ick. But the story was very unexpected with solid twists and lots of intense spice. I really didn't like the mental illness rep in this. It was an unnecessary element and the behavior that resulted from it could have happened for other reasons. There is already so much stigma around mental illness, authors really need to not weaponize it when there can be other ways to achieve your character arcs. Be sure to check the content warnings before you dive into this.
A very well written narrative about what many people consider to be the first recorded mass shooting in America.
Considering everything that's been happening recently, the release of this book is very timely.
It's a well researched book, with many perspectives and opinions that will paint a very detailed picture of all sides.
The discourse around events like this hasn't changed much since 1949 and very little has been done to stop these acts of violence from continuing.
John Chancer's narration is compelling and drew me into the story.
***Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
2.5 and rounding up because I think there is an audience that will enjoy reading this.
As someone who is very particular about the romances they pickup because it's not a genre I tend to love, I'm always very conscious of my reviews because I don't want to turn people away from a book they will enjoy, just because I'm picky.
I really wanted to like this one, especially since it features a Black MC, and she's about to enter her 30's, so I was hoping it would be relatable since I met my husband when I turned 30, but I found so much of it extremely grating. At the 50% mark I was ready to give up, but felt like I had to continue because of receiving an ARC. I'm sure this book will be liked by many, but so much of the conflict centers on non-communication and that super irks me.
SPOILERS
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Firstly, Indigo is a 30 year old woman who was burned in the past, and therefore everyone in her family feels the need to gatekeep her dating life, particularly her father, who repeatedly states that he needs to approve of who she's with.
She is in love with her best friend, but they refuse to talk about their relationship. NOT COMMUNICATING as a means of causing conflict is a real pet peeve of mine.
So then she meets a really nice guy she likes, they talk every day, and yet it's over a month before they discuss the fact that she has a dog, and he's not a dog person? It's over a month before he tells her he's a recovering alcoholic? And she completely panics about it, and decides to not talk to him for days so she can figure out whether she wants to keep dating him? Again, wouldn't COMMUNICATING be the best move on this? That way you can figure out together how to best work together to be on the same page with what being together would like, and what they both need?
It felt like a badly orchestrated conflict to make a reason for her to start dating the rude guy that works for the same law firm as her parents, who has been chasing her despite her repeatedly telling him NO.
So sadly, this was a miss for me, but as I mentioned before I'm certain there is an audience who will enjoy this.
***Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
I wanted to love this since I, like the author, consume a lot of true crime media.
The parts about it that I found the most interesting were the timelines of when different cases happened and how the true crime genre has evolved.
It's a funny read and if you enjoy true crime you will probably find a lot about this book very enjoyable.
The thing that didn't work for me about the story telling was the memoir aspect. I just wasn't that interested in the repetitive nature of figuring out why she so intrigued by true crime or the fake conversations with people to move the narrative along.
I really just wanted more talk about true crime cases.
2.5 and rounding up
This has an intriguing premise, but it was a lackluster read, and something about the writing style was very disorienting. I was listening on audio, and by the time we were half way through I still was having trouble differentiating between the characters. They all felt like the same person, and there were many times within a POV that it felt like the POV switched even though it didn't. It was a frustrating listening experience.
The comparison to SIX OF CROWS has been mentioned to death, I do agree they have similar vibes, which I certainly would have counted it as something in it's favor, however, the things that make the found family/heist thing work in SIX OF CROWS, just didn't come together very well in this one.
I think a young YA audience will probably love it, more than someone like me who only dips in and out of YA and is comparing it to something like SIX OF CROWS.
I do want to mention that the voiceover did a great job, and it was nothing on their end that made the listening experience difficult, that is fully the responsibility of the author's writing style.
***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
This took everything I liked about CHAINSAW and made it better. I LOVED the multi POV and would 100% recommend the audiobook because it's full cast. chef's kiss
A queer-tastic retelling and much spicer than I was expecting.
As someone who loved LOVE ACTUALLY 20 years ago, but feel it really hasn't aged well, this was a lovely treat to come across. A set of LatinX centric short stories that follows the basic outline of the original film, and improves what has been lacking regarding consent, body image, queerness, diversity, communication and toxic relationships.
Really enjoyed this one!
***Thank you to Dreamscape Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
3.5 and rounding up.
As an audiobook narrator and voice actor, it's not every day you have a plot centered around our industry.
I don't read a lot of romance, but this felt very much like the Emily Henry and Beth O'Leary books I've read so if you are fan of those I would say you will probably enjoy this one as well.
And of course Julia Whelan's performance was top-notch. You are doing yourself a disservice not listening to such a talent.
It is absolutely astounding how the justice system displayed such incompetence every step of the way. Listening to the interrogation scenes and the Prosecutor's outlandish accusations was incredibly frustrating, and just left me feeling horrified at how many people must end up convicted of a crime they didn't commit because of the tunnel vision to fit a story to the evidence rather than evidence to facts.
I did find myself annoyed with the repetitiveness of the book, and think it could have been edited down to make the pacing better. There were sections in which we were getting a sort of inner monologue commentary from the Defense lawyer about how EVERY statement being made could never be believable to the Judge or Jury. After the first dozen times it was mentioned, it was just like...I GET IT.
I can see why the decided to make this into a TV series because it's very a much a truth is stranger than fiction situation.
***Thank you to Tantor Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
3.5
Definitely don't read if you are triggered by verbal abuse, particularly misogynistic, and body horror.
3.5 Great primer for those who have recently come out or for allies. I think the concept of shifting your perspective to “bisexuality is the majority default” can be helpful and healing to a lot of people vs feeling like you are an outlier.
Would have really liked more reflection on the discrimination happening in western countries, particularly the USA. While it is touched on, I think there was room to go further especially in regard to BIPOC trans folx who are bisexual.
Thanks to Goodreads for providing me with a copy via a giveaway.
First and foremost, be sure to check the content warnings on this.
If you are triggered by stories about cancer, this may be one you need to pass on.
I was so frustrated by the MC's super judgmental internal dialogue, that I really struggled to get into this one. However, I'm glad I stuck it out because there was definitely an arc to her character and while she certainly was still flawed, I appreciated that there was growth and self reflection on her attitudes and behaviors.
Once I was into the story and met all the side characters I quickly became quite invested in their relationships. In fact, I would have loved to delve even more into their stories, since I found every plot point in Keira's storyline easily predictable.
Danielle Cohen's narration was delightful, and I look forward to hearing more from her.
***Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
One of the things I really love about Talia Hibbert's characters is that they feel like real, complicated, and flawed people. The characters are well rounded and have growth that you can identify with. Its great to see it's often times rooted in healing from their past traumas so they can be in a healthy, fulfilling and long lasting relationship. Not to mention she has a real knack for making consent super sexy.
WHAT IT TOOK TO WIN, is a summation of the history of the Democratic party. I would highly recommend this for anyone interested in a more in depth look of the party rather than just relying on what you were taught in school.
My big take away is that since it's conception, the party has been practicing the same tactics and from the beginning, and that corruption and the lust for power being a major motivator is not a thing of the past, nor is it unique to modern times.
We often have tunnel vision when it comes to our lived experiences, and this book really illustrates how humans repeat the same behavior over and over again.
I appreciated the final 3rd of the book which explored how the support of labor/unions/workers is where the modern democratic party has found it's power, and that if they continue to turn their backs on that they will continue to lose the support of the people.
***Thank you to Tantor Audio for providing me with the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
As a Millennial who was very influenced by diet culture growing up, both directly from the those around me and indirectly by the media and society, (Weight Watchers, Low Fat diet, NutriSystem, Atkins diet, Keto diet, Paleo diet) I've worked hard the past 10 years on breaking free of disordered eating, negative body image and food thoughts.
It's been so important to me since becoming a parent to make sure I'm not passing these things on to my kiddo, and to ensure that they have a healthy relationship with food, eating, and their body.
This book really helps to guide you in shifting your thinking away from bad food vs. good foods and controlling how much and what kinds of foods your child (and yourself) should be eating to a more intuitive and food neutral approach. It gives you the language to help you change the narrative so you are creating a supportive, judgment free environment while acknowledging, it's important to still have boundaries and do what works best for your family.
The most important thing about this book is how it embraces intersectionality.
It repeatedly talks about how race, class, ableism affect the access people have to food, how they are treated by society and the medical profession, and that fatphobia fuels a lot of misinformation and manipulation which often leads to disordered eating and mental health issues.
If you are looking to change your feelings about food and model positive thinking to give your children the tools they need to feed their bodies and feel good about themselves, this is a great place to start.
***Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
3.5 stars
This was my first time reading an Africanfuturist plot line and it was very intriguing. This short story spans a wide range of topics including race, class, ableism, AI/technology advancements, government control, monopolies, and climate change. I found AO particularly interesting because of the discussion surrounding her choice to change/augment her body and how that was viewed in society.
Délé Ogundiran did a great job with the narration, and look forward to hearing more from her.
Even though I felt a bit lost at times with the storytelling in NOOR this was a great intro to the genre. I'm very interested in reading more from Nnedi Okorafor since I've heard wonderful things about her other books.
***Thank you to RB Media for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
This would have been a 4 star read if it weren't for the elitist tone of the author.
I truly appreciated the journey around Japan to see all the different facets that go into the art of sushi, from how the fish is caught and prepared, to the creation of sake and shoyu, and all the varieties of rice grown. It was really interesting to see everything from a 3 star michelin sushiya to the everyday Kaiten and homemade sushi.
However, as I previously mentioned the author had a very privileged, classist tone when talking about anything other than the most expensively prepared meal, with a highly trained sushi chef. The majority of people will never have access to that type of dining experience, and to look down at a more accessible variety of sushi was very off putting.
Sure, be mindful of whether restaurants are sourcing their fish locally. Whether it's ocean vs. farm fished. If preparing sushi at home, be aware of the practices involved in preparing dishes safely. But there was shaming tone used when talking about more affordable sushi options and I just didn't care for it which unfortunately took away from my rating of the book.
I would still recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick and easy way to learn about sushi. It certainly has peaked my interest to seek out more in depth reading about it.
***Thank you to Papercutz, NBM Publishing for providing me with the e-ARC for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
3.5 and rounding up.
I've read quite a few graphic novel memoirs this year and find that it's a very compelling way to read about someone.
While reading about young Magali who is in 7th grade in the 90's, I could see myself in her. How fixated/obsessed I could get about one thing in particular and that one thing could easily become something that would not only be an escape but also relied on to get me through difficult times in my adolescence.
The biggest drawback for me, was the cursive font that was used for the majority of the storytelling. I found it difficult to read and often had to zoom in on the digital copy I was reading in order to really see the text clearly. Also, if the cursive was all handwritten I'm equally as impressed that she has such nice penmanship even when writing in such small spaces!
SPOILERS:I do wish we had gone further into her mental health struggles. It was good to see she was in therapy, but she states about halfway during her year of homeschooling and therapy she stopped having things to say to her therapist. At that point in the story she has withdrawn deeply into herself and was spending all of her time alone or in her own world. Then one day she just decided to stop doing that and went back to school and all was well again. It just felt like an unrealistic resolution to someone struggling with anxiety and possibly some other underlying mental health issues. Just would have liked to dive deeper into the mental health side of things.It was great to see that her parents supported her and helped her find a better learning environment so that she wouldn't be struggling with her anxiety about school performance.Thank you to Europe Comics and Magali Le Huche for providing me with a copy of the eBook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.