mahtzahgay's reviews
120 reviews

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

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

4.5

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 66%.
Listen I tried but the racism and fatphobia was too much for me. Also, if I've avoided reading a book for a solid week then it's probably time to let the cunt go. Just go read Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt.
Jackal by Erin E. Adams

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

5.0

Absolute masterpiece of Black historical horror writing. I read this in the span of 4 hours. I couldn't put it down. Adams' weaves real racism and histography with supernatural elements in a deeply captivating crime-thriller novel.
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House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

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

3.5

Now THAT'S what I call a vampire novel. Truly what all vampire literature should be: bloody, sexy, mildly deranged, & full of queers.
Feed Them Silence by Lee Mandelo

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

3.5

The Annual Migration of Clouds by Premee Mohamed

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dark emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Allow Me to Introduce Myself by Onyi Nwabineli

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

3.75

Growing up in the midst of the parent-fluencer/family blogger era of YouTube and social media, so much of the interactions and moments where Ophelia is using either Noelle or (a younger) Anuri for her mommy blogger media empire hit home, along with the intersection of race and weird white-parent-fetishism Ophelia regularly displays and subjects Noelle and Anuri to. 

I'm not here to pretend I'm a literary critic so I'll finish off by saying that Nwabineli is committed to portraying the complexity of her characters, particularly Nkem, and upholding Noelle and Anuri's autonomy and individuality. Allow Me to Introduce Myself is clever, empathetic, and sharp in wit. 
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
I tried. I really did. But genuinely this book was so bad. The writing was awful. The "humour" was both juvenile and reminiscent of 2018 'adult' lol so funny comedy. The world-building was poor. The warning sign should have been discovering that it was mighty popular on BookTok. 200 pages I will never get back bro
Manorism by Yomi Sode

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0