3 stars I received an advance reader’s edition of this book through The Reading Room in exchange for an honest review. This was a powerful and eye-opening ethnography of eviction and poverty in Milwaukee. The bulk of the book follows various people, from landlords to tenants, and reveals the hardships and inequalities of housing in…

4 stars This is a very adventurous and entertaining read.The only really downsides to this book are the time period in which it was written and its prevalence in modern pop culture. As to the first point, the time period makes the female characters fairly dull and nearly useless, although Mina is a pretty powerful…

3 stars I received this book through Goodreads’ First Reads in exchange for an honest review.I will start by saying, for an independently published book, this one is pretty impressive. The writing itself was, overall, well-done, with minor grammatical errors, and the world building was intense.The world set up for this book was crazy impressive….

3 stars A nice short play that really delves into the depths of human relationships. This work is simple, but also acts as an interesting case of the ways people change and learn from each other. While Hoke’s character is a pretty bland representation of a black man, his candid and honest comments to Miss…

5 stars I received an uncorrected proof of this book through The Reading Room in exchange for an honest review. This is the most powerful and inspiring book I have read all year. Following Toorpakai’s journey as she overcomes multiple obstacles and unbelievable hardships, the reader is taken on an unforgettable adventure with a truly…

4 stars Definitely my least favorite so far in the series, but in no way a bad book. The thing I didn’t like about this book was the repetitiveness of it. One thing that is nice about the Rot and Ruin series is that it is easy for new readers to pick up, because each…

2 stars A cute little book filled with pretty common sense advice. It’s an easy read, but not really all that profound or ground-breaking. The basic advice in the book is “don’t worry; it’s not that bad”. I see how this may be beneficial for some people with normal day-to-day anxiety, but definitely isn’t helpful…

4 stars This is a very humorous book which includes a variety of poems. The age range varies on the poems, as I feel that there are some that are best enjoyed by younger children, but a lot that can only be understood by those who are older. This is also a book that can…

4 stars This is a good book that gives many helpful suggestions, not only on how to manage stress, but also on how to basically be a better person. While some of the strategies overlap and seem repetitive, each gives a beneficial way of viewing life and the problems it presents. Despite originally being publish…

4 stars This is a good continuation of the series. A lot happens in this book, but since it is split between a bunch of characters, it doesn’t feel like the overall plot moves that much. The same blood and sex stuff as the previous books, but still with interesting storylines and great characters.