Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

35 reviews

dblue236's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

Trigger warnings: Racism, pregnancy, sterilization of children, brief insinuations of child abuse. 

I passed on this book a couple years ago when I had the opportunity to choose it from Book of the Month, and then it recently showed up in my Little Free Library so I took it as a sign that I should give it a chance. I'm so glad I did. It's easily one of the most moving books I've read so far this year, and while it was often heartbreaking, it also left me feeling inspired and uplifted by the time it was over. The characters felt real, and learning at the end that the book was actually loosely based on true events felt like being punched in the gut. I cannot wait to pick up more from this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Racism

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, and Death of parent

aude's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Infertility, Abortion, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Medical content

Minor: Car accident and Cancer

esjackson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Medical trauma, and Racism

Moderate: Pregnancy and Abortion

cdoubet's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Racism, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Sexism

Moderate: Abortion, Body horror, Cursing, Alcohol, Blood, and Slavery

Minor: Stalking, Toxic friendship, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Terminal illness, and Violence

ola_aleece's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma and Medical content

Moderate: Ableism, Pregnancy, Racism, and Abortion

Minor: Rape

jaduhluhdabooks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Civil Townsend is a Black nurse who committed to healing her community, particularly the community of Black women in Montgomery, Alabama. Taking place in the early 1970s, this novel takes us on Civil’s journey with two of her patients, Erica and India - sisters who are recipient care from the clinic located in their part of town. Civil discovers that this clinic is doing much more than the prevention care it is aimed to do. After a horrific event, Civil vows to support the families in need who are victims of this injustice.

This a story about conquering. Conquering fears - whether it’s the fear of man or society, or the fear of self. This is a book about unconditioned love. What does it mean to love someone so deeply you would go to ends of the earth for them? Even if they’re not your blood, you would still give them everything to watch them know just how loved they are. This is a story about the realities of healthcare and Black maternal health, shining a light on the inequalities and inequities that existed then and continue to exist now when it comes to reproductive care and justice for Black women. It was heart wrenching and informative and a reminder that we still have so much work left to do.

In the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, this is a powerful and critical book to read. I am grateful to have listened to this story. For the healthcare providers who are fighting for Black women’s healthcare rights and the justice that is indeed pertinent to the cause of safety and care when it comes to Black women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Abortion, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, and Medical content

bowbeforeloki's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book was emotionally driven , heartbreaking and wonderfully written. It speaks of the reality of what women of color experienced during this time span and captures 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, Grief, Infertility, Misogyny, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Medical content, Ableism, and Classism

Minor: Sexual assault, Hate crime, Rape, Colonisation, and Sexism

marnash's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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

4.0

This book really spoke to the social worker in me, and more specifically, the NEW social worker in me. It deals with the hope to "save" our clients (or patients, depends on your perspective), assuming we swoop into their lives and make everything better. It deals beautiful with the question of client agency, accepting our clients for who they are, questions regarding agency and poverty, the right to live differently, the freedom to bare children (if there even is one). It touchs on all these and more thought provoking topics, and I can totally see this being a wonderful book club pick. I also loved the characters, even though something kept me from fully connecting with them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Pregnancy, Infertility, and Racism

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Terminal illness

arisol's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad 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? No

4.75

A deeply troubling, but vital novel, connecting a long history of system abuses to what we continue to see today. The character development and relationship-building is moving and carries an important weight to the plot. Highly recommend, will read other books by this author.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Classism, Sexism, Abortion, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Ableism, and Infertility

Minor: Cancer

gremlinpride's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Pregnancy, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexism, Classism, and Racism

Minor: Abortion

Includes descriptions of the medical, psychological, and criminal consequences of involuntary sterilization of poor black children in the 1970s, though the actual procedure is not depicted on page.