Scan barcode
poisoned_icecream's reviews
1995 reviews
A Horse at Night: On Writing by Amina Cain
informative
reflective
This book was such a joy to read. The essays are so thoughtful and interesting. Anyone who enjoys reading books may appreciate this.
We Are Here to Hurt Each Other by Paula D. Ashe
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
These stories are so gross and disturbing, and yet they're written with so much empathy and compassion for the flawed and traumatized characters. Paula D. Ashe is a talented writer and I'm always eager to read anything by her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Rape, and Murder
Limitless: Poetry of an Aromantic & Asexual Journey by Patrick Bex
hopeful
informative
reflective
This poetry collection is about growing up not knowing about asexuality and aromanticism in an amatonormative culture. They're all accessible and do an excellent job at showing how difficult life can be when someone doesn't fit the norm, but also how freeing self acceptance is. I really enjoyed this collection and am excited to read anything else Patrick Bex puts out in the future.
Romantic Killer, Vol. 1 by Wataru Momose
challenging
funny
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-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? No
Poor Anzu, all she wants in life are video games, her cat, and chocolate. Unfortunately those are taken away from her by a stupid, horrible, obnoxious fairy named Riri that wants her to become romantically and sexually involved with a generic hot guy. Fuck Riri, the entire time I wanted to throw him against a wall and then stomp on him over and over until he's dead or gives up on forcing romance and sex onto Anzu. This manga is a great example of how enraging amatonormativity is, regardless of whether Anzu is canonically aroace or not (I see her as aroace and nobody will change my mind about that).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
PTSD Radio 2 by Masaaki Nakayama
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
This is so creepy and terrifying. Just like the first two volumes, volumes three and four are written as short vignettes. I dreaded turning the page but it's so fun that that I sped through it.
Evocation by S.T. Gibson
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
David is a medium who needs help with a demon that has been possessing him, so he turns to his ex-boyfriend and rival Rhys and Rhys's wife Moira. While working together to solve David's dilemna, he and Rhys start to get close like they used to be, and David develops a strong friendship and psychic bond with Moira. This book shows how poly relationships require a lot of communication, trust and healthy boundaries in order to work. At times I was frustrated with David and Rhys because of how they wouldn't just talk about their feelings and they put Moira through their drama, but once they finally talked it got better between all three of them.
Hairspray and Switchblades by V. Castro
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Maya works as an exotic dancer to support herself and her younger sister Magdalena after their parents were murdered. There is also a serial killer on the loose. I really enjoyed this. The way Maya and Magdalena look out for each other was so sweet. Also really liked the gory and bloody moments. The only thing I didn't like is when "female" is used as a noun. Aside from that I really liked this novella, along with everything else I've read by V. Castro.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
Good Night, Sleep Tight by Brian Evenson
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
These stories are so strange and unsettling. They all managed to remind me of The Twilight Zone. There's a decent mix of horror and science fiction, and all of them are thought-provoking in their own way. All of the stories have similar themes but told in different ways, such as what it means to be human, servitude and slavery, childhood fears, and climate change. Brian Evenson is a talented writer and I am definitely gonna be reading more of his writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Mental illness, Slavery, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Pregnancy
White Pines by Gemma Amor
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Megs goes to the home she inherited from her grandmother after her the dissolution of her marriage. There she uncovers secrets and terrifying revelations about her family history, as well an island called White Pines. This excellently combines folk horror with cosmic horror, and Megs is such a flawed and interesting character. The moments between her and Matthew bored me, but overall I enjoyed this book. Many of the images were so well written that they will forever be in my head :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Hotell by John Lees
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This is about a motel in which scary things happen to the people who stay there. I'm glad I borrowed this from the library. All of these stories are interconnected, which I enjoyed seeing. I did not care for the first and second stories, but the third and final were more interesting in my opinion. The first is about a pregnant woman who left her abusive boyfriend and the second is about a husband whose wife keeps coming back to life each time he murders her. The third one is about a woman searching for answers about her sister. The final story is about a man who's convinced his mentally ill son is actually possessed by a demon, which made me more sad than scared. Right now I'm not motivated to read the next volume, but maybe I'll change my mind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy