overall the concept was soo interesting and I really liked how it manifested in the book. This is kinda like sense8 in a way? I also really enjoyed Nooverall the concept was soo interesting and I really liked how it manifested in the book. This is kinda like sense8 in a way? I also really enjoyed Nolans chapters, but I found Amara's not as strong. The worldbuilding was also not all there for me
The Witch Sea had an interesting Concept, but I feel like this book was too short to really capitalise off of it. The worldbuilding was okay, but the The Witch Sea had an interesting Concept, but I feel like this book was too short to really capitalise off of it. The worldbuilding was okay, but the contents was outlandish and so there really needed to be more worldbuilding to not leave me so confused, I think.
But what I loved about this was the tone, it's melancholy and dark and uniquely told from a first person present tense which was interesting. I don't know how I feel about the writing, on one hand it was pretty, but on the other I think it was too flowery, and I say this as someone who likes flowery. I think it's just because this described eyes as limpid, and that violently took me back to my fanfiction days
This was interesting overall, but didn't blow me away (though the ending 'twist' kinda thing was cool). I would definitely read Sarah Diemer's other book The Dark Wife
korrasami was the first f/f ship I shipped in a tv show that actually became canon that shit still takes my breath away to this day. when I found out korrasami was the first f/f ship I shipped in a tv show that actually became canon that shit still takes my breath away to this day. when I found out Michael Dante DiMartino was writing this comic I knew I had to have it.
One, because the Avatar Universe is my favourite fantasy world .. honestly probably ever. I've not rewatched a tv show as much as I've rewatched Avatar, and any chance at slipping back into the world was one I was going to take
Two, because Korrasami. I love them so much, and to see two bisexual women of colour depicted in a loving relationship is honestly rare. But it makes me so happy! And I wanted to see how their romance would continue after the sweet but entirely too short ending of The Legend of Korra
this was literally everything I wanted. Turf Wars begins immediately after the end of the tv show and instantly the gay is hyped up by about 300%! I mean check this out !
[image]
So I definitely got all the cute and the kisses I needed, and expected. I basically just went into this wanting Korrasami, and to see all the Gang back together and I got all of that, so I was stoked. but this comic then proceeded to knock it out of the ball park by expanding on the universe and queer politics in an interesting and logical way I really liked the exploration of how sexuality works in the world, and how it fitted into each element and kingdom. Plus, Us Bisexuals officially get to claim Avatar Kyoshi as ours and I've never been more pleased.
But genuinely, I think developing the world to be more considering of how sexuality works, and building more explicit sexuality into characters both old and new was such a great thing for this world.
the downside is that the plot probably isn't the best There was some action and a fight over the spirit portal, the Triple Triad came back and a bunch of massive problems hit Republic City following Kuvira's attack, but this all happened very quickly. For me though, Avatar's appeal has always been it it's characters and world so it didn't actually bother me too much. And I expect that the action will be more prominent in following Parts.
Honestly the most important thing about this is it made my heart go all 💓💓💓💓 . Thats what I came here for and that is what I got, and honestly I loved this so much and I can't wait for the next parts to be released
Book one of SapphicAThon complete! (Can we talk about how I've finished three books today holy shit)...more
My feelings are so mixed. On one hand, I loved the Brujo/Bruja 's and Los Lagos and all the magic and witchiness. This book had such unique and intereMy feelings are so mixed. On one hand, I loved the Brujo/Bruja 's and Los Lagos and all the magic and witchiness. This book had such unique and interesting story elements due to the incorporation of Latinx culture and I loveddd ittt.
BUT, I kinda feel like this wasn't what I was expecting and something didn't click with me. I really found this a slog at times, I think it's because I struggled to really connect with the characters so everything happening to them just left no deep impression on me. Also, the f/f romance was not as prominent as everyone made it out to be
Not sure if this is the book, or my mood though. I feel like if I reread this I'd like it more. Will ponder this and then post a full review...more
“Every time you shudder from the cold or wrap yourself more tightly in your furs, it reminds me that somewhere, the sun shines more brightly than i
“Every time you shudder from the cold or wrap yourself more tightly in your furs, it reminds me that somewhere, the sun shines more brightly than it does here. You carry it in your skin.”
I'm not a huge fan of retellings (unpopular opinion I know) I usually just find them boring and feel as if they don't live up to the original. Girls Made of Snow and Glass added so many unique elements to the Snow White story that really developed it beyond the original and I think that, on top of the interesting characters, was what really ended up selling this book to me.
Girls Made of Snow and Glass follows Mina (the "evil stepmother) and Lynet (Snow White). The development surrounding Mina and Lynet was my favourite aspect of this book. Mina especially was such an interesting character with some shades of moral grey and I just really enjoyed reading her perspective. I also think Lynet was developed really well, and the way the story followed her progression was so subtle you almost don't notice how well her arc is constructed throughout the story.
The fantasy elements, especially that these characters are literally made of snow and glass added so much for me to this story. I absolutely adore fantasy and I think that this element was added into the story really well. Bashardoust uses this element to further the themes, especially alienation and ostracisation. If you like books with magic you'll definitely like this because the use of magic was so awesome and I loved how it functioned within the book
“There are worse things in the world to be than delicate. If you're delicate, it means no one has tried to break you.”
For me one of the big ways in which this book fell flat was romance wise. I was so excited for an f/f romance between Nadia and Lynet but I found it to be underwhelming and not as developed as I would have liked. The two barely have chapters together so it felt like something tacked on, and I just think more time needed to be put into it to make me invest. I think they're fine, but it didn't make me really care which is a shame. I actually found the side f/m romance between Mina and Felix more compelling! Because their fraught dynamic and the complications in their relationship were more heavily explored. Although I did appreciate Nadia taking the role of the "kissing prince" away how incredible.
This book is also on the slower side plot wise. for me that wasn't a problem because I enjoyed the character interactions so much the plot fell on the wayside for me. But I can definitely see this being a problem for other readers. However, I genuinely think the character development and interactions are interesting and complex, and that the book plotwise doesn't suffer overall.
Because for me this book isn't exactly about the plot. it's strength is in it's examination and critique, and in these elements it excels. Girls Made of Snow and Glass carefully identifies and subverts fairytale tropes - but why I think it did this so well is that it recognised which tropes are inherently sexist or homophobic or racist but are hiding underneath a thin veneer that makes that -ism almost unrecognisable. Nadia replaces prince charming, and on top of that she's a surgeon - a role always given to men in fairytales. There are no seven dwarfs, because they're not needed.
Despite how Mina and Lynet fathers tries to control them, politics and power play a much more interesting an important role then beauty or fulfilling traditional gender roles. This book constantly looks at the ways in which women are perceived through a gaze, and then gives these characters their own narratives, centring them in stories about them regaining their own agency, because they need it. Motherhood is also explored, especially why it's important and what it means to different people.
For me these elements were so interestingly developed and compelling enough to keep me steamrolling through this without worrying about the plot as much.
[image] [image]
I genuinely think this is such an enjoyable, well constructed, well thought out book and it isn't getting the hype is deserved This is feminism that actually centres and represents marginalised people, and a novel which thoughtfully subverts known tropes in a way that's surprising. If you liked The Language of Thorns I think there is something here for you in Girls Made of Snow and Glass - it takes the same basic story elements and develops them in a way that's same same but different.
And finally, I listened on audio so as always I'll let you know about the audiobook. It's singular narrator, but I think the narrator does a really great job at giving both Lynet and Mina different voices and inflections that really made them sound so different to me. I also loved that the narrators voice is slow so if you have this in 2.5 speed it sounds "normal speed", it made me get through this so much faster.
“Weak or strong - she didn’t know what they meant anymore. Maybe they didn’t mean the same thing for everyone.”
I pretty much only read one smutty romance a year so when I finally choose one out I want it to be something quick and easy to read and entertaining aI pretty much only read one smutty romance a year so when I finally choose one out I want it to be something quick and easy to read and entertaining and for me Cover Up was all of those things
Cover Up follows Nate, a man who's in the middle of a divorce from his husband of ten years, Caleb. He goes into a tattoo parlour to get a tattoo that's significant to his marriage covered up, and the artist, Lucas, is someone he has an instant connection with. The two start a casual sexual relationship which slowly develops into a more serious relationship through the book
For me, I thought the chemistry was there enough for me to be on board with the relationship, and I definitely think the author portrayed the 'rebound' part of the relationship, and in contrast, the more emotional serious aspects. I don't think the instantaneous connection was so unbelievable at the start like some reviewers say, because for me it was pretty obvious it was a lust/one night stand kind of thing (or at least was supposed to be) at the start
I was actually pleasantly surprised with how well this book developed it's characters, and dealt with themes outside of the immediate romance. Both Lucas and Nate were characters that were pretty well written for such a short book, and you get a good idea of who both of them are outside of the romance. This book also deals with so many other topics - and actually manages to discuss them well without detracting from the romantic elements. I was really pleasantly surprised, and happy, with how Lucas' bisexuality was portrayed. The outright use of the word bisexual and the discussions around how bisexuality is perceived within the queer community was actually really satisfying to read and I was so happy it was there and well represented.
I think the slow-burn element does still come through in this book - even though the sex is in like, the third chapter, there is still slow burn as Lucas and Nate become more emotionally invested in eachother and I liked how that played out, especially as it was more seriously intertwined with the discussions around divorce and how Nate especially was dealing with his divorce, and using Lucas as a cover up.
Overall I was actually so pleasantly surprised by this book. I expected to just be entertained by something quick and smutty but I ended up so much more invested in the characters and the issues then I expected. It was nice that the discussion around bisexuality was there, and overall I just really did have fun reading this. I'd definitely give the others in the series a go when I feel like smutty romance again some time next year.
Be warned though, in case this bothers you, there is aloooot of smut in this book - wayy more sex chapters then I thought there would be to be honest...more
"You might have heard this before, but guys aren't always the best communicators" "You're pretty good at it" "Yes" Kareem says, then leans back with
"You might have heard this before, but guys aren't always the best communicators" "You're pretty good at it" "Yes" Kareem says, then leans back with both hands behind his head. "I am rather great, aren't I?"
Yet again I'm here to praise an ownvoices contemporary novel 2017 is the year for it, so many authors are killing this. LOVE, HATE & OTHER FILTERS was one of my most highly anticipated releases of this year and yet it still managed to impress me and go above and beyond my expectations
Love, Hate & Other Filters follows Maya Aziz, an Indian/American muslim teen who dreams of going to film school and has a big ass crush on a boy at her school. It's mostly a coming of age novel, with cute romcom elements, but it's also a serious exploration of being a brown muslim girl in modern America and how people react to that. What I loved this book is it found such a perfect balance between fun and serious.
For the Fun stuff. This book kind of reads like a romantic comedy. There's a love triangle (briefly, but it's killed off so don't worry if you hate them), there's funny banter and cute fluffy moments and lots of descriptions of incredible eyes and dimples and the usual .. but what was good was that this was all so CUTE, not cringey and awkward. I really liked that, the romance made me happy, not uncomfortable which was NICE.
And I think why the romance was so good was because the male characters were my favourite kind of male character. Aka, soft, sweet boys who care about feelings and are NICE. NICE BOYS. They are my favourite kind and I was so here for Phil, the love interest, and Kareem, a love interest/brother kinda figure to Maya.
One more light aspect of this book I LOVED was that Maya had a hobby she was passionate about and wanted to take further. For some reason hobbies in YA are rare and I loved that Maya was pursuing her film passions so heavily. One downside of this was that the heavy use of film references was hard for me because I didn't understand most of them.
I'm scared. I'm not just scared that somehow I'll be next; it's a quieter fear and more insidious. I'm scared of the next Muslim ban. I'm scared of dad getting pulled into Secondary Security Screening at the airport for "random" questioning. I'm scared for the hijabi girls I know getting their scarves pulled off while they're walking down the sidewalk––or worse. I'm scared of being the object of fear and loathing and suspicion again. Always
but on the more serious side, this book tackles a variety of important and relevant issues. Islamophobia, racism, and current events such as terrorism and "the muslim ban" in America were all addressed, in a way that was eloquent and important and relevant.
Maya, the main character, was an incredible character through whom most these discussions were facilitated. I think the author perfectly captured Maya as a character caught in a complex situation, and allowed her to express a variety of reactions and emotions to the issues which made her feel authentic and realistic rather then a "spokesperson caricature"
Love, Hate & Other Filters also explores the dynamic first generation Indian teens have with their parents and cultural challenges they face. I'm not a first generation teen or an immigrant so I can't comment on if this was well done, but I did find the exploration interesting to read and I definitely enjoyed reading that perspective. I recommend Kav's review on this aspect though, because she talks from a more informed standpoint about how she felt on the representation of Maya's parents.
REPRESENTATION
Want to slot in I think you should read Maha and Fadwa's review of this book as they are ownvoices reviewers. This book is OwnVoices for the Indian/American & Muslim rep btw!
My father picks up where my mother leaves off. "These terrorists are the antithesis of Islam. They're not Muslim. Violence has no place in religion, and the terrorists are responsible for their own crimes, not the religion and not us."
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Honestly, I highly recommend this book. I think a lot of people could really love it. It's doing what YA is great at right now - producing fun, relatable, cute content that also taps into the social political climate and makes a meaningful commentary. In this day and age I don't think you can afford to be tone deaf and this book perfectly finds a balance between serious and "non serious" issues. Ultimately, this book just looks at what it is like being someone like Maya in America - both the regular tv stuff we always see - crushes, school and friends, as well as the more serious, racist rhetoric that some teens have to endure everyday.
I really loved this, and I woud of given it five stars if it weren't for the ending that I just .. didn't love. (view spoiler)[ the book ends with her and Phil getting together but then in the epilogue they've split up? idk I just didn't like it it really annoyed me (hide spoiler)]
I haven't read When Dimple Met Rishi but I'm hearing from quite a few people if you think liked the representation in WDMR, but thought that Dimple was annoying and wanted something a little more serious, this is your perfect book!
Overall I really hope this one gets more hype and that everyone reads it on Jan 16 when it comes out. It was incredibly cute and fun, whilst also being relevant and informed. Also, it's so short and packed such a massive punch. Love love love
thankyou to Hot Key Books for providing me with my arc, this review is my honest opinion on the book!...more
This is a non fiction book with a brief history of .. the entirety of literature and it's pretty interesting! I did really enjoy reading about the booThis is a non fiction book with a brief history of .. the entirety of literature and it's pretty interesting! I did really enjoy reading about the books and the authors, I especially enjoyed the sections on romanticism and modernism.
I read this cover to cover but you can definitely jump around and read a little bit here and there if you wanted to. It's not /super/ in depth, but it does pretty well for a three hundred page book. I just wish more diverse writers had been included prior to the contemporary literature section. This book has a foreword about how including more "non white male" authors in the canon was important but I don't know how much they actually incorporated that
However, for such a short book I think this was really interesting and I liked reading about some books I hadn't heard of before, or had heard the name of but didn't really know what it was about
There is another book in this series about history so I will probably read that one too...more
A specter is haunting Europe, the specter of Communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this specter; Po
A specter is haunting Europe, the specter of Communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this specter; Pope and Czar, Metternich and Guizot, French radicals and German police spies.
Read for uni.
Karl Marx, just prior to writing this [image]...more
list of not so subtly dragged authors • William Shakespeare • Stephanie Meyer • Cassandra Clare • J.K Rowling • John GreeOh boy, it's here and it's sassy.
list of not so subtly dragged authors • William Shakespeare • Stephanie Meyer • Cassandra Clare • J.K Rowling • John Green • Jane Austen • AND MORE
So Brooding YA Hero is one of my favourite bookish twitters. The tweets that come out of it are always simultaneously funny and perceptive of the general YA community. I was excited to read this: I expected major sass, a bit of lowkey dragging and tea to be spilt all over the place.
Alone in his room, Broody McHottiepants contemplated his future. He was the best of all fictional characters ever created - that he knew. His phone never stopped ringing (playing his theme song from his latest hit-movie adaptation, of course) with Authors begging him to star in their latest novels. An endlessly talented man, he’d been everything from a vampire to a quarterback. Into each novel, he brought his incredibly adjective-filled beauty, his gemstone colours gaze, his strong, strong arms, and his potent blend of wish-fulfilment and slightly toxic masculinity.
And each time, people swooned.
Brooding YA Hero: Become a Main Character (Almost) As Awesome as me follows the exact same tone of the twitter page, but basically expands itself out to a full book length. I expected something funny, something a little biting and something that pointed out some of the issues with YA.
This book has all that, and surprisingly, has a plot too. Broody McHottiepants, the owner of the twitter, has been feeling neglected as a main character and has decided to share his experiences as a main character by writing a guide for his fellow characters to become a main character. He is helped by Blondie DeMeani, his ex who, because she dresses stereotypically feminine, is also considered evil by Broody (obviously!)
Brooding YA Hero definitely has a sharp sense of humour. There’s subtle (and not so subtle) drags on popular YA authors. The sarcastic tone of the novel allows itself to attacking and critiquing poor YA themes and tropes, all in the guise of Broody explaining his experiences as a main character.
The inclusions of quizzes, charts and horoscope guides was also a fun addition to the book. I definitely enjoyed the horoscope guides towards the end. (PSA! My horoscope says I best represent the car chase YA trope)
Brooding YA Hero also puts in a decent amount of time into critiquing and exploring how YA perpetuates problematic representations and characterisations. The “ethnically ambiguous” side character, the kill your (marginalised person) trope, the overrepresentation of allocishet white men as main characters and love interests, and the lack of complex female characters in YA are all directly called out within text, and Broody’s main story arc is coming to recgonise these stories are undertold and that marginalised people are often poorly written. I loved that during the section about love interests, the author made it clear everyone should substitute pronouns as needed. And also, the validation of asexual and aromantic peoples through Blondie DeMeani's imput on love interests.
“Did I do something wrong?” Well. That was a given. He usually did at least fifteen things wrong per book, but only in a swoony, romantic way, where all could be fixed when he took off his shirt.
This book is quite short, and so it would probably be perfect for readathons, but I actually think it’s a good book to read slowly, just a chapter or two at once. Broody’s narration and headspace is funny, but too much at once gets .. grating. Take Broody in small doses.
Overall, Brooding YA Hero Hero: Becoming a Main Character (Almost) As Awesome Is Me is funny, and on point. The joking about which gem coloured eyes best convey each personality, which classic YA trope fits your horoscope, and how best to conquer the love triangle are really funny and refreshing for anyone who’s ever felt frustrated with some of the overdone aspects of YA. This definitely is a tongue in cheek look at YA, and you’ll get a few easy laughs from it, trust me. Tea was spilt.
But this book also takes an oppurtunity to educate on the good YA is going, and the good it can continue to do, especially for those underrepresented.
Young Adult fiction is potential captured and frozen - a bright bolt of lightning caught on the page for everyone to read. It is both universal and incredibly personal, changeable and yet constant.
I'm dead Makina said to herself when everything lurched: a man with a cane was crossing the street, a dull groan suddenly surged through the asphal
I'm dead Makina said to herself when everything lurched: a man with a cane was crossing the street, a dull groan suddenly surged through the asphalt, the man stood still as if waiting for someone to repeat the question and then the earth opened up beneath his feet: it swallowed the man, and with him a car and a dog, all the oxygen around and even the screams of passers-by. I'm dead
Signs Preceding the End of the World is such a short book, but the story and the epic journey of the main character feels like it fills so much more then 124 pages. We follow Makina, a Mexican woman from a place she calls "Little Town", who's going to cross the border into America to try and find her brother, who's been lost in America. (Later, we learn he is not lost but captive to the American Dream) Makina has to cross the border, but it's the other borders that really matter - the borders between white Americans and nonwhite American's, the borders between language, and the way that colonialism and imperialism has othered Makina, her culture, and her people, forcing them to the periphery. Scenes in which Makina sees white restaurants selling "All Mexican Foods", or scenes in which her and other people of colour are targeted by a policeman, the plight of her brother, the sexualisation of and commodification of her body due to it's ethnicity. These are the real borders that Makina encounters.
Makina's story echoes the journey taken by the dead in Mexican & Aztec mythology. Each chapter allegorises a different stage of the underworld, thus Makina's opening line "I'm dead", is more then just a figure of speech, within the text it if figurative of her journey - Mexico to America, death to afterlife.
Makina is a brilliant main character. In a memorable scene she breaks the middle finger of a man who touches her on a bus - she is both frightening but also relatable, and her struggles as a Mexican woman, especially in America, are really well explored. You can tell Yuri Herrera really threw his ideas and passion into this, that it was something he really wanted to get out there
I also think the chapter titles are just amazing. I will list below. The writing throughout is honestly beautiful (and I loved the translators note explaining their translation choices) but the chapter heads were my favourite
• 1: THE EARTH • 2: THE WATER CROSSING • 3: THE PLACE WHERE THE HILLS MEET • 4: THE OBSIDIAN MOUND • 5: THE PLACE WHERE THE WIND CUTS LIKE A KNIFE • 6: THE PLACE WHERE FLAGS WAVE • 7: THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE'S HEARTS ARE EATEN • 8: THE SNAKE THAT LIES IN WAIT • 9: THE OBSIDIAN PLACE WITH NO WINDOWS OR HOLES FOR THE SMOKE
I definitely would love to read Yuri Herrera's other translated works. This, and the other Mexican literature I studied, Amulet, were some of my favourite books in this unit. This book was both terrifying and mesmerising, the writing is beautiful, the characters strong, the scenes rich.
They live in fear of the lights going out, as if every day wasn’t already made of lightning and blackouts. They need us. They want to live forever but still can’t see that for that to work they need to change color and number. But it’s already happening.
"And although the song that I heard was about war, about the heroic deeds of a whole generation of Latin Americans led to sacrifice, I knew that ab
"And although the song that I heard was about war, about the heroic deeds of a whole generation of Latin Americans led to sacrifice, I knew that above and beyond all, it was about courage and mirrors, desire and pleasure. And that song is our amulet."
The writing for this book is absolutely beautiful, that is honestly the top thing that sticks with me. The whole book is so beautifully written I wish I spoke Spanish to read it in its original form.
I'm so glad I read this twice because it was much easier to understand the second time once I had more of a picture of the overall story.
Amulet follows a Uruguayan woman named Auxilio who refers to herself as the mother of mexican poetry and living a bohemian lifestyle in Mexico among young poets she has befriended.
The story centres around Auxilio, who she becomes trapped inside a toilet in the Mexico City university after the riot police come to remove the students and professors. This is based on a true incident. Alone in the toilet for 13 days, she begins reading a book of Mexican poetry she had with her and thinking about the state of modern literature and latinx literature, as well as how this connects to the history and present state of Mexico and the rest of Latin America. The author is Chilean but spent a lot of time living throughout Latin America and I really thought it was interesting how he also wrote himself into the story.
This is such an interesting and unique read, and honestly I am really loving reading more literary fiction thanks to University. I'm going to have to try and keep it up even when it's not required reading.
“Still I kept walking. I walked and walked. And from time to time I stopped and said to myself: Wake up, Auxilio. Nobody can endure this. And yet I knew I could endure it. So I baptized my right leg Willpower and my left leg Necessity. And I endured.”
This was short and sweet! It follows a woman named Lana who's daughter Robin is attending a band practice. Lana is a lesbian woman recently out the clThis was short and sweet! It follows a woman named Lana who's daughter Robin is attending a band practice. Lana is a lesbian woman recently out the closet, and she falls for Robin's band teacher, who's a butch lesbian.
I think this was so cute, I loved that it was so tender and fluffy and positively represented older lesbian woman The romance was really nice and I think this would be an amazing book if it was longer. I also liked that there was such good friendly interactions between Lana and her child, and the other kids at the practice. Plus the music jokes were funny, I say this as an ex band nerd
IT'S NEARLY HALLOWEEN and I know you know that means you need to get as many spooky recommendations as you can because tis' the season. And boy do I gIT'S NEARLY HALLOWEEN and I know you know that means you need to get as many spooky recommendations as you can because tis' the season. And boy do I got one for you ESPECIALLY if you're a fan of queer historical fiction (hello! it's the next The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue)
I crouched down and snatched it up, framed between both sets of thumb and forefinger to read in the dim light: BLACK CROSS ORDER OF OCCULT OCCURRENCES PRETERNATURAL INVESTIGATION NO. 98 1⁄2 PORTLAND PLACE
PLOT
THE MISSING is set in Victorian England, and features a group called The Black Cross who hunt down and dispel ghosts and ghouls. It reminded me ALOT of Clockwork Angel and Lockwood and Co, a little of Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue as well as the Supernatural TV Show because of how they investigate the deaths and what is tying the ghost to the place they're haunting.
Will, the main character, is clairvoyant. Will's ability to see ghosts draws them to join The Black Cross and help hunt them.
One thing I really liked about this was how they had to determine what was keeping the ghosts tethered and go after that. The investigation aspect was really fun. I also liked how there was discussions about if killing the ghosts was really okay. Because the ghosts could talk, interact with their surrounding and befriend the living, there was a lot of discussions about if it was right to hunt them down and I really enjoyed that it seemed pretty unique for a ghost book.
“You act as though we’ve killed someone. She’s already dead. It was a bloody ghost.” “Yes, all right, - The girls are dead, but they’d been like us once. Feeling, breathing, thinking, living, and Della still thought and felt, even as a spirit.”
CHARACTERS
One thing I loved about the characters was their diversity. I think queer historical fictions are great because it's important to normalise diversity that has always existed. Will, the main character, is gender queer. How they deal with this in their space is one of the main themes of the book aside from the ghosty elements. I thought it was really well written and I loved following Will as they explored this aspect of their identity.
I enjoyed the majority of the side characters, but I do think they could have been better developed. For me one of the biggest disappointments of this whole book was Jessie - she is the only female character reoccurring but her development is weak and she was very much the "pretty, but not very smart, giggly" trope girl and that was disappointing. I would have loved a strong, well developed female character to appear in the cast. I sometimes got the characters confused because of their names being similar, but I enjoyed Clement and Cain's characters, you do get a pretty good sense of who they are as the story goes on and I thought both had interesting backstories, as well as a nice bit of grey morality. I also really liked the friendship that grew between the characters and the tiny hint of romance was sweet.
I'm really hoping this is a series because I'd love to see the characters have greater arcs and more development across a series - especially Jessie! It's just disappointing not to have even one female character to root for.
I'm going to talk about the representation a bit now Will's anatomical sex is female but they identify their gender as somewhere between male and female depending on the day. Will has dressed and appeared in public as male for most of their life. I asked for opinions on the rep on twitter and one person said it sounded bi-gender, another genderfluid. I've decided to just stick with the general describer gender queer - but here is some passages on the representation
"I felt both a young lady and a young man. Not at the same time—sometimes, Will; other times, Willow. And despite how it sounds, it all felt very normal to me. My normal. A kind of bi-genderness, something fluid between the two. Simple as that."
“Well,” I replied bitterly, “sometimes I am one and then the other. Either way, I’m Will."
“It’s not that I don’t want to be a lady,” I said. “Only that some days, I do not orient as one, while other days I do. I don’t mind it. Really, I don’t. I hardly even think about it. That’s how simple it is to me. I suppose I’m fluid between the two, male and female. A mix of both. Intermediate. Queerly gendered.”
I'd love comments about the rep from anyone who is gender queer - as I'm cis I didn't want to make a call, just post the info so everyone knows. I also would like to say the author identifies as gender queer so this book can be considered ownvoices. one more note: I find it strange the publishers chose to put a femme model on the cover when there is a heavy emphasis on Will's desire to present as masculine. I do not know who the cover model is or why they were chosen specifically, but I just find this a strange choice
The main rep aside, I also really liked how some of the side characters were also diverse and how diversity was just kind of sprinkled and normalised in the background. Like mention two women were dating, or that a man had interest in another man at a party, and stuff like that. I also loved how Lenk was able to find a balance between writing a queer story that wasn't hurtful because Will was generally accepted, but also that explored the hardships and prejudices of the time period and people in it.
In conclusion I really liked this ! The writing was fun and the book was action packed. The ghost elements were spooky, and I loved the development of the setting and the Black Cross. How Will's identity was built into the story was really well done and we definitely need more historical romances like this. I just hope that the side characters get more development in the sequels.
Also this book is free on kindle unlimited as an fyi!
thankyou to month9books for providing me with the arc and oppurtunity to read The Missing before release. All these opinions in this review are my own!
well this was totally freaking spooky and scary 👻 Ghost hunting, mansion hauntings, screaming staircases, murder and a trio of best friends? This boowell this was totally freaking spooky and scary 👻 Ghost hunting, mansion hauntings, screaming staircases, murder and a trio of best friends? This book really does have it all. All the Good Stuff
“Of the first few hauntings I investigated with Lockwood & Co. I intend to say little, in part to protect the identity of the victims, in part because of the gruesome nature of the incidents, but mainly because, in a variety of ingenious ways, we succeeded in messing them all up.”
I'm shocked you people all read this as children because some parts of this are genuinely terrifying. Don't know if it was the book itself, or the spooky voices the author put on to voice the ghosts, but I, for one, had the chills.
The Screaming Staircase is the first book in a ghost hunting series - we're introduced to The Problem, an invasion of ghosts and other ghoulies in London. Enter: The Agencies, companies run by adults that use children to investigate hauntings. Only children can sense ghosts and our protagonist Lucy Carlyle is particularly susceptible to hearing their voices. When she joins Lockwood & Co, the only independent Agency run by children in London, she has to help her new friends and colleagues Anthony Lockwood and George Cubbins investigate not only the murder of a young woman, but also the most haunted building in London. Their reputation as an agency is on the line, and so are their lives.
This book had so many elements I love, just in general but especially in middle grade. Strong friendships between the main characters, hilarious banter, and plenty of action. I listened to the whole middle of this book in one day because I was so drawn in by the action.
I think what I loved most though was the agency given to the children. Especially since this is middle grade, the focus on the children being capable and talented and not needing adults to interfere was my favourite. The focus on the plight of the children and how they were exploited by their agencies was one of my favourite themes of this book, and it's especially important considering this is middle grade.
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But I definitely think what was most memorable about this book was the characters. Lucy, George and Anthony are such fun protagonists to follow, and kind of reminded me of the Golden Trio. Each had a very unique voice and characteristics, and they were also quite fleshed out. Lucy especially was a fun female protagonist for me, she was so quick witted and talented!
Finally, the world building was very well done. Without being cumbersome the world was explained and there was so much interesting backstory and history, like the legendary Fitz's, or the development of the agencies, and how The Problem started at all. I think the worldbuilding was very detailed and complex, and managed to be so without feeling like it was all being dumped on me. Very well done.
Since I listened on audio, I should mention the narrator of the audiobook did an AWESOME job. The voices she used for each character were unique and easy to follow, plus the ghost voices were so spooky. I think she definitely managed to make it atmospheric and it was very easy to visualise which I liked.
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I will definitely continue this series, though I kinda wanna read one in physical form to see how everything is freakin spelt haha. But this series is definitely as fun and action packed as everyone said! The characters are great and I really want to follow their development and growth as a team, and to see those dynamics change and develop. Plus, the Anthony/Lucy ship must rise ?? This book just set up the whole series really nicely and I'm sure the books will get better and better
If you're looking for something a bit spooky with good worldbuilding, lots of action and characters who will actually make you laugh out loud go no further !...more
I've been to the tutorial for this book and now I'm an intellectual. time to write a proper review
“If a man couldn’t control his beast, it could tu
I've been to the tutorial for this book and now I'm an intellectual. time to write a proper review
“If a man couldn’t control his beast, it could turn so violent that nothing could restrain it once enraged.”
I read this for my English major world literatures unit, and it's the first piece of Indonesian literature I've ever read. I was incredibly excited to read it, because it was a first and also because I've heard good things about this book out and about. It's was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize in 2015.
I find literary books hard to rate often times, because there's a weird dichotomy between value and enjoyment. I didn't fly through this book, I didn't find it entertaining like I would find the usual books I read but I'm not sure if that's an excuse me to take away it's value or rate it low. It's a well written book and cultural examination.
Man Tiger is set in coastal Indonesia, following a boy called Margio who's got a white tiger inside of him. On the first page we found out he - or his inner white tiger - killed a man, and on the last page we find out why. We know he's done it, and the book follows the series of events and people that led him to that moment. It is an ownvoices book that heavily incorporates Indonesian - specifically Javan, culture, beliefs and a mixture of Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist religious beliefs.
A note and warning - there is graphic and explicit rape, domestic violence, infant death due to violence, parental violence toward a child and also general graphic violence. I found a lot of this book really hard to stomach and found lots of it very uncomfortable. Violence is a core theme, symbolised through the white tiger and while the violence often comes as an exploration of toxic masculinity and Indonesia's often violent past, as well as Indonesian cultural expectations, it was still really hard to read
I genuinely disliked the representation of women in Man Tiger. The preface of this book argues that Man Tiger contains Kurniawan's most detailed female characters, so I really don't like to think what is in his other books. The women were objects to be exploited, tropey and objectified and I really didn't think they were well written.
The timeline is non-linear, and jumps around quite a bit which can be confusing, but which also lends to some great scenes and allows the story to unfold in a really unique way. I loved to get a glimpse of Javan life and Indonesian literatures through Man Tiger - the way that the religions coexisted and manifested in the society was fascinating and I also liked Kurniawan's attempt to depict the "true" Java and not "post card" Java. The postcard Indonesia is very prominent in Australia and it was nice to see an Indonesian writer tackling this perception of Indonesia.
Man Tiger is one of those books I'd recommend, and I think has good literary value and it very well written but I wouldn't reread. However, I've heard he's just released an Indonesian retelling of Animal Farm which I think I might check out!...more
University reading. An interesting play revolving around Yoruba culture based on a true story. I found some of the dialogue difficult to read but it wUniversity reading. An interesting play revolving around Yoruba culture based on a true story. I found some of the dialogue difficult to read but it would be an AMAZING play to see live. ...more
" Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird."
I think this is arguably one of the most we
" Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird."
I think this is arguably one of the most well known and well loved classics ever. And it's not hard to understand why - the characters are memorable, the flow of the story is easy to follow for a classic, the writing is lyrical and poetic without being twenty five metaphors deep like some American novels, and probably most importantly it aims to promote an anti-racism, anti-bigotry message most of us can get behind. but the whole time I was reading this all I could think was it's not the best way to discuss these themes from todays standards. Now there's a lot of essays written about how To Kill a Mockingbird is not as good as people may think and honestly I have to agree. It's filled out with the white saviour complex and characters with white guilt. when you're entire anti-racism story is all about white feeling and characters and barely shows any black people, but when it does the narrative refers to them with derogatory language and slurs and barely gives them ANY characterisation I have to wonder and obviously this book was groundbreaking for the time, and it still is so so popular today - but it is interesting this book by a white writer featuring white characters is lauded as THE anti racism book, even though people like Maya Angelou, James Baldwin and W.E.B. Du Bois were Harper Lee's contemporaries.
I don't think you can really talk about this book in it's entirety without talking about the representation and race issues and yeah, because I've read book in 2017 about these issues I do think parts of it ring problematic. But since there are also black writers who love this book, so I'm not saying it's bad - I'm just saying calling it THE book with THE BEST exploration of these issues feels hollow to me After all it has so many tropes that ah .... eh. Non-fleshed out black characters, white man deemed a hero because he realised black people are people and a constant centring of white characters in black issues. But don't take it from me, go read some essays by the experts.
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
But regardless of thoughts on those issues, from an entertainment point this book is definitely enjoyable this is one of the most easy to follow classics I've read - partly because of it being so character driven, partly because of it's straight forward and well defined plot, and partly because the telling of it through Scout's eyes really simplified things.
I think the most memorable aspect of this book for me was the characters. The central characters - Scout, Jem and Atticus were generally interesting to follow, with dynamic characterisation that left me remembering them after the book. The process of growing up for Jem and Scout, as well as the unravelling of the mystery around Attitucs the father was enjoyable to follow and that was really what kept me most invested in the story.
Story wise, the first half was a little difficult for me to get into. I was waiting and waiting for the events to start happening and now I realise it's less about the "trial" which I considered to be the plot and more about Scout and Jem growing up, and seeing the world with more nuance. For me the second half went much faster, especially because of the court room drama (I love court room scenes). But the thing is despite the book being about learning to see in grey, this book still feels quite black and white to me. There are still essentially "good people" and "bad people" and I just think it's much more nuanced then that, especially when discussing things like race, racism and the impact of colonialism & slavery.
“Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”
From a purely entertainment point of view, I definitely liked this book. It had interesting central characters and the plot moved quickly in the second half. I definitely have remembered details of this book after reading it, which shows I enjoyed it. But I don't think I got the enjoyment everyone else did out of this. I read this and kinda closed is thinking .. well is that it ? Thats the book everyone loves so much?
And the thing is, in 2017 I think we can accept this book is not perfect in it's representation and it may be time to find something different or better. Not to say it's bad, but come on, this isn't perfect.
I definitely see why this book is a classic, Lee masterfully utilises the child narrator to explore issues contemporary to her, but ongoing today, and it was a complete game changer. I know it's seen as a sin to rate this book below 5 stars, but I just think can't help thinking it wasn't as good as everyone made it out to be. And honestly after reading a lot of literature on this book for uni I don't think thats such a terrible stance to take. 3.5 stars...more
I love this series so much, the characters are great and so is the world. Marko is the softest dad in the world, I love him so much. And Alana is suchI love this series so much, the characters are great and so is the world. Marko is the softest dad in the world, I love him so much. And Alana is such a fucking badass I'm shooked. The art is really beautiful too!
This wasn't my favourite volume, but I did like Sophie in this one and the inclusion of a gay couple AND Gwendolyn being bisexual. (but I wasn't jazzed on some homophobic slurs being used eh)
Also this cover is literally stunning I stared at it for 10 minutes before whispering, softly, "exquisite"...more
"But some people are just starfish. They need everyone to fill the roles they assign
FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED
this is genuinely one of the most wo
"But some people are just starfish. They need everyone to fill the roles they assign
FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED
this is genuinely one of the most woefully underrated books I've ever read. I literally feel stressed about how few reviews this book has, because it's beyond incredible Akemi Dawn Bowman writes a story thats authentic, simultaneously hopeful and harrowing.
Starfish follows Kiko Hiruma, a Japanese/American biracial teen who dreams of going to Prism art school, but struggles to show her emotionally abusive mother this is a worthy pursuit. The subject matter of this book is tough, and often hard to read, but what I really liked about it is that despite the incredible hardship Kiko faces, she goes on such an emotional and complex development journey and watching her flourish and succeed outside of a toxic environment was for me, the highlight of this book.
Kiko's development is honestly amazing to watch, it made me tear up a little. And I loved the way that relationships played into that development, whether they be positive or negative. On one hand, Kiko's relationship with her white mother is incredibly toxic. Her mother emotionally abuses her, puts her in harmful situations, gaslights her and perpetuates racist ideals onto Kiko. But on the other hand are characters like Jamie and Hiroshi. Jamie, the LI, is patient and kind with Kiko, and helps her with her social anxiety. Hiroshi was my favourite character beside Kiko. He's an artist who decides to mentor Kiko, and I loved the way he took her under his wing and helped her develop as an artist and person. It was a really important relationship, and that mentor relationship is something I'd love to see more of. I loved reading that.
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Starfish is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read, inside and out. The cover is beyond stunning, and the words on the inside feel like a love song. A love song to all the lost girls, and the girls in hard places. The people's who've struggled to survive, the people overcoming their own personal battles.
This book is so disgustingly slept on ! please read it ! I genuinely think it's comparable to contemporary favourites like The Hate U Give. It's pure emotive energy, thoughtfulness, and tender depiction of a biracial Japanese/American girl and her life made me fall absolutely in love with it in the first fifty pages.
Starfish is raw and painful at times, but it's authentic and honest, and it portrays a woman who's magnificent in her complexities and struggles. I honestly loved following Kiko so much and being a part of her growth.
This book for me is such a gem, from the amazing representation, to the fun characters, to the beautiful descriptions of art and what art means to people. Please read it, I'm literally begging you to embrace such a truly hidden gem.
I draw a girl with arms that reach up to the clouds, but all the clouds avoid her because she’s made of night and not day.
TWs: racism, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, parental abuse, suicide attempt....more
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