CW: A lot, my memory is shocking, but Self Harm, Graphic Violence, Transphobia, Police Brutality

I might have to give up my conviction that perfection doesn't exist.

I just consumed the audiobook in one sitting and was just left sobbing at the beauty of the journey, the bravery of the author, and simply just how magical and viscerally meaningful reading this was, especially today.

I couldn't put it down. I felt every emotion I would ever want sheiks reading. I am truly in awe.

If Hollywood and beyond lost their minds for Sarah by JT LeRoy (Laura Albert), the world and all existence need to give Kai Cheng Thom her fucking flowers. (I actually think Sarah is a phenomenal novel, despite all the everything around it. I also have empathy for Albert, but the lack of accountability isn't OK).

I'm just stunned. I wish I could be more articulate.

The magic realism moments are wonderful and strange. There is such heart and truth in the parts that happened and those that didn't. The specifics don't matter. The darkness and visceral violence are brutal. The darkness and might throughout the book are equally explored and held up for inspection.

I really need to read everything else by this author and then read this again because this was everything I needed. Bloody brilliant! ( )

The genre bending and unreliable narrator were intriguing and came together very well. The main character's struggles with her rage and violence were tragic and understandable. There was a lot packed into a short page count, but I still found it all satisfying and not rushed. ( )

A very weird book. Good, but weird. I honestly don't know what more to say about it. Took me some time to get into it but read the second half in one sitting. ( )

2019. This book delivered what I want in a trans femme revenge fantasy; a girl gang killing scumbag men, a trans femme goddess/ancestor watching over them, a ghost, a potential love story, and a strong heroine who rejected the easy answer of the love story to seek further adventures. Somehow I didn’t love it as much as I felt I should have. It felt glib and surface-y. It didn’t reach a satisfying emotional depth somehow. But still a good read. ( )

audio fiction/trans pride (~4 hrs)

cw/tw: self cutting, references to drug use and childhood abuse, sexual situations, scary police interactions

part poetry, part trans-positive fairytales (no waiting around for gender-affirming things to happen to THESE girls), part disjointed narrative of a trans girl leaving home and finding a new trans family (temporarily at least). I liked the part where she beats the bro up with her martial arts skills. ( )