KJK Reads

  Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Nature Thoughts: This book is packed full of information despite being so small. The first part contains so many interesting facts about mushrooms, a few of which I’ve made a note of for future quiz questions. I liked the fact that Clark included a page on mushrooms and fairies as I’m sure we’ve all heard of fairy circles and seen fairies sitting on toadstools. The second part of the book covers many popular types of mushrooms with identifiers, a few facts and whether or not it’s edible which combined with the size means it could be a great foraging or just nature companion. I thought the illustrations throughout were also really pretty and I’d never thought of how pretty mushrooms can be but then again I had a pretty narrow consideration of mushrooms before reading this.  

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Short Story Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a really short story and I’m unsure exactly how I feel about it. There are three cups, not just the black one, and the cups themselves are described in exact detail so I could imagine them in front of me. The impact of drinking them was extremely detailed too. However, the psychological descent we were promised felt a little forced to me, as Saul seemed to derail from 0 to 100 in an instant and I was quite looking forward to the unravelling more than the details on the setting and props. Favourite Quote: “A man can adapt himself to almost any suffering, provided he believes it might eventually end. Remove that belief, and suffering acquires roots.”

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Memoir Thoughts: I’ve never read a memoir formatted quite like this before with each paragraph being titled with and in response to some form of quote said to or about Alabanza. I found it extremely enlightening as Alabanza discusses not only his gender identity but also his sexuality and race and the way in which they intersect which I hadn’t seen in the last gender identity memoir I’d read. It was interesting to see him acknowledge both the prejudice and discrimination his race caused while still acknowledging the privilege he has being lighter skinned compared to those gender non-conforming darker skinned peers he has. I liked that the book addresses both the joys of his identity and community as well as the negatives and traumas that can come alongside it which shows the recurring theme with the burger attack mentioned in the prologue. Overall, this is a seriously enlightening book that everyone should read to learn about gender non-conforming people, especi...

Rating:  5 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, LGBTQ+, Own Voices Thoughts: This is a really interesting collection of stories that shows the diversity in being trans, there are stories of happiness and hope alongside the harsh reality that can be faced socially or medically transitioning. I really enjoyed the insight into another part of the LGBTQ+ community from a broad lens as I don’t have these experiences but love learning more so I can better understand (although it is NOT the job of minorities to educate us, own voices resources like this are so important). I would have liked to have seen a little more on intersectionality as race and disability also impact the way different trans people are treated differently but I get that it’s competition winners so JKP couldn’t control who entered/won and published what they had to hand. This one is really worth a read, it's quick but really enlightening.  Favourite Quote: “We are everywhere and yes, we are changing the fabric of society, b...

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, LGBTQ+ Thoughts: This may be one of my favourite LGBTQ+ history books so far. It collates so much of our history from pre-Christian persecution and the reasons that homophobic attitudes spread (which is often ignored) all the way up to the year before publication (2019). I loved seeing Anne Lister mentioned as she is quite a historical institution who was nearly erased due to her family, and seeing her be able to be reclaimed is great as she never hid who she was. I liked that there was 3 whole chapters before the beginning of pride as it gave us quite a lot of our own history with pride being the middle of the chapters. I also liked the ‘Why I Have Pride’ at the end of each chapter as it brings a modern conversation in too which is great for young people who are still questioning their own identity. I also loved the touch of rainbow edges with each chapter being a different colour as it’s something I’ve not seen done before and is a great touch. I ...

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Classics Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was an interesting tale of Baldwin's life. I did feel like it was jumping about a bit but the fragmented history did add more to the story as we met people and events when they fit together rather than chronologically, like the suit just after he got successful to show the difference in how he was treated by family and close friends rather than when it actually happened when it wouldn’t have as much of an impact. It did feel a little weird hearing Baldwin discussing the attitudes to Arabs in Europe with how he was used to being treated himself in America but he conveys it like he shares in the oppressive views. Overall, it’s a powerful read and a great choice if you’re interested in the other works of James Baldwin for context. Favourite Quote: “It was strange to find oneself, in another language, in another country, listening to...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction Thoughts: I was quite conflicted with this book. On the one hand, Armitage does a great job of simplifying psychological concepts for the general public and it is great that the problem of devices in parenting is being addressed. However, I did feel like she was repeating herself, especially with highlighting things in the introduction, then in the age specific topic and then again in the case study. While I know repetition can be key to learning, it started to lose my interest when I was reading the same thing again and again. I did like the stopping the negative cycle and creating your own device management plan at the end as it gives parents and readers hope but it should be addressed that sometimes mental illness and neurodivergence is biological and/or inherited so not everything can be fixed by taking screens away. Favourite Quote: “Education surrounding how devices and social media impact our psychological health extends to anyone who is unfam...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Self-Help Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book is a gentle an easy introduction to the self-help genre and positive psychology as a general. There is an inclusive tone for the most part but in some parts it not only forgets the presence of disabled people but can be unintentionally harmful like the way in which health is handled. This is especially difficult as those who are newly disabled are likely to turn to self-help books or therapy to help them adapt and reading that “health is a gift and a responsibility" may do the opposite and make them feel worse. I did like the key takeaways at the end of each letter to recap the important parts as it can be used when flipping back for a quick refresher. The create your own A-Z at the end was a great touch as I’ve never seen something like that in an A-Z before.  Favourite Quote: “The essence of it all is that we are first and foremost, human be...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Graphic Novel Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This story threads the author's personal narrative with the history of Kim Jong Un and the U.S., North Korea and South Korea relationships. It was interesting to hear Kim Jong Un’s childhood and education contrasted with a Korean citizen such as the authors. Although having both lines meant there wasn’t a ton of detail, it was a great touch having people who had actual experiences either in North Korea or with the Kim Jong family interviewed and that being included. The illustrations themselves are great and the muted colour palate made sure that the illustrations don’t overshadow the text. Favourite Quote: “Seventy years since the Korean war armistice and the cycle goes on and on.”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Romance  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a simple, cute and easy read. The bet and fake dating are fairly low stakes with them both knowing what they were getting into from the off and overall it wasn’t too tense but there were some cute moments like the earring. I liked that Macy’s friends were focused on getting her to be able to stand up for herself more, especially when Noah joined in. The character growth for both of them was also quite good and the ending with each port being one chapter was like a montage in writing.  Favourite Quote: “When your life starts to fall apart, you second-guess everything, including your own version of reality. Your own sense of self. It's easy to believe that if everything else is wrong, maybe I'm wrong. I need some stable ground to work from.”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Short Stories, Disability  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I got suggested this anthology after having read and enjoyed Casper E. Falls’ Survival and Other Surprises last year so I went in with a few predictions and I wasn’t let down. The opening essay ‘Dystopia: A Crip Genre Essay’ by Ella T. Holmes is the only piece of non-fiction in the collection but opens it up really well with what we can expect to encounter throughout the different stories. As with all short story collections, some felt stronger than others but in a collection like this it’s natural that we’ as readers will feel a stronger connection to the stories we feel represented in. I liked that there was a story focusing on shortsightedness as the disability as it’s something we often don’t think about when discussing disability day to day but in those kinds of situations they’d struggle just as much as the rest of us. There were a...

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Romance, Short Story, Firefighter Romance, Single Parent Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my first Gunderson book and I wasn’t prepared for how cute it would be. First of all Colton is sooo cute and having a single dad romance may become one of my new favourite tropes because it led to both some really cute parenting moments and also some vulnerability I don’t often see in other romances. Rachel having to teach the firefighters pickleball after playing a competition with them is both cute and funny, showing the reality of social media lifestyles since we know they can play but the clips for socials don't. I also loved the water fight moment as it showed a cute and fun moment between the characters in the moment and then with Rachel editing and sharing the content later it gives us that moment with Jake’s reaction before showing how easily things can spiral when shared. Overall, I could fe...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction  Thoughts: This books an interesting enough summary of the Titanic from the idea starting through to what happened to survivors after. It is pretty much a whistle stop tour in order to be able to cover everything in a pocket sized book and many of the points that were made were only briefly mentioned. Especially the fire in the coal bunker which research in the Smithsonian showed could have weakened a segment and contribute to the overall sinking but the book only mentioned there had been a fire prior that had been extinguished (and some researchers speculate there’s a chance with such big bunkers it could have still been smouldering undetected till it was too late). I did like that at the end there was a glossary to help with the nautical terms and lists of tourist sites and films and stage shows for people to look into it further beyond the 1997 film we all know.  Favourite Quote: “People are just too fascinated by the story of the Titanic...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Romance  Thoughts: I was quite intrigued with the premise of this one as someone who loved the OG Gossip Girl and Clueless and making up the character sounded like a great mix up of the two. However, I didn’t end up liking either of the main characters. Violet is such a snob as well as starting off as a complete doormat and although she did grow a backbone throughout the story she didn’t seem to lose the thinking she is better than everyone else attitude just stopped caring what others thought of her. Cain is equally insufferable, I understand growing up struggling then finding out there was all this money that could have made life easier as an adult would hurt, he seemed dead set on hurting everyone around him. While the nickname of Duchess for Violet was cute, he found every opportunity to dig at her and put her down, even when hitting on her and/or being vulgar to get a rise out of her. The ending and epilogue was cute but the romance didn’t feel like it ...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Children's Fiction Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a cute way to look at different families and explain it to very young children. I liked that the two penguin dads were included as that not only links back to another book for further reading but is a great example they can see in real life too. Some of the animal mixes worked well like the pony and donkey which again can be seen in a mule or hinny in real life. However, some of them, though cute, were unrealistic like the otter and raccoon who are known to fight in the wild which means if kids start asking not everyone can be shown as real which can make the younger ones start questioning even more. The artwork itself is stunning and the poem like text makes it more fun for children.  Favourite Quote: “Although they are different, they're lovely to see. There's love at the heart of each family.”

Rating:  4 Stars Themes: Plays, LGBTQ+ Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I’m still quite new to plays but I think this is the closest to tears I’ve come with to with a play before. It is really emotional and shows the human impact of LGBTQ+ people in Nazi Germany and concentration camps. It shows the way in which human behaviour can be shaped by extreme circumstances with how Max’s relationship with Rudy changes. It also shows the limits to human capacity by the ending and the way in which Max, Rudy and Horst are shown by the end. Favourite Quote: “Well, for once, you're right. It is silly. There are queer Nazis. And queer saints. And queer geniuses And queer mediocrities. No better, no worse. Just people. I really believe that. That's why I signed Hirschfield's petition. That's why I ended up here. That's why I'm wearing this triangle. That's why you should be wearing it.”

Rating: 3.5 Stars Themes: Short Story, Trauma  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a really short but still really impactful read. It is quite difficult to read the way in which the father terrorised the household and the child only being 4 and a half at the beginning makes it even more brutal but I appreciate this is the realities of life for many children. The end did leave it a little sadder but again it’s the reality for quite a few who survive these kinds of childhoods.  Favourite Quote: “Aunt M tells me nobody realised what was happening. Nobody could know what was going on. People are suspicious, but people are unable to comprehend that an abnormal situation could exist. People do not want to become involved. People decided to ignore it.”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, LGBTQ+ Thoughts: 23 Queer individuals span all the way back to 218 with Elagabalus to some people who are still alive. I liked that there was the Queer and There bits in the Introduction to address the attitudes towards Queer people before colonialism spread Christian values across the globe which is something not everyone knows or remembers. The images on the initial page for each person was quite well done and I could guess some from the cover alone. Having a tl;dr on that same page was novel to me but since it’s marketed at teens (which I didn’t realise until I’d already started) it does make sense as a way to speak to them on their level. The text itself is also handled in a way that speaks to teens without infantalising the topic and I’m sure this could be a great book to help Queer teens feel seen/represented in history which the classes skip. Favourite Quote: “Queer history is world history: the stories of every culture from every era. It is ...