Jonathan Swift: His Life and His World
Book
Jonathan Swift is best remembered today as the author of Gulliver’s Travels, the satiric fantasy...
Marked for Life
Book
When a high-ranking head of the migration board is found shot to death in his living room, there is...
Sharp: The Women Who Made an Art of Having an Opinion
Book
Dorothy Parker, Rebecca West, Hannah Arendt, Mary McCarthy, Susan Sontag, Pauline Kael, Joan Didion,...
ClareR (6106 KP) rated Love Orange in Books
Jan 23, 2023
I can see why Jenny becomes increasingly frustrated with Hank - from his constant references to his Viking heritage, to his Mindfulness - he has little time for her.
Jenny hates her job, and decides to do something meaningful by writing to a prison inmate. She looks forward to receiving his letters that smell of oranges and taste rather too nice when she licks them. To be fair, it seems reasonable to lick an envelope (yes, I know how this sounds!) if it helps her though the daily drudgery and having to put up with in-laws who clearly dislike her.
Jenny’s life may look perfect on the outside, but it’s anything but that.
There’s a rather sizeable reference to the opioid crisis in the US that I found interesting, but what I found MOST interesting was how Jenny appeared to be completely hollowed out by her boring life, the lack of attention and care she gets from her husband and children, and what’s expected of her from society. I’d want to escape her life too.
There’s some seriously dark humour in this, and it does come across as bleak. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.
ClareR (6106 KP) rated Young Queens: Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power in Books
May 31, 2023
This book is about the lives of Catherine de’ Medici (married to the French Henry II), Elisabeth of Spain and Mary, Queen of Scots and how their lives wove together.
There are some really interesting facts here (Mary was nearly 6 feet tall - now THIS is the kind of fact I live for!). But it was the personal side that really interested me. Catherine loved her children fiercely even though she had little time with them. She wanted to know every detail of their lives. Her letters to Elisabeth when she went to Spain were filled with family gossip and instructions. Just the kind of stuff that any mother would send their daughter, and Elisabeth appeared to want to always make her mother proud.
Mary and Elisabeth were like sisters, so when Mary needed Elizabeth’s and Spain’s support when the Scottish Lords turned against her, it must have hurt her greatly when they refused to help.
What I liked most was having the opportunity to dip my toes in to the history of France and Spain. It sounded as tumultuous as our own.
I do think that I’m going to have to follow up on Cathrine de’ Medici, though. Now she sounds fascinating!
I’m so glad that I read this - thanks to The Pigeonhole!
The Chalice of the Gods
10.0
Rate It
Book
The original heroes from The Lightning Thief are reunited for their biggest challenge yet: getting...
Lindsay (1804 KP) rated Sycamore Circle (The Rumors in Ross County #2) in Books
Mar 2, 2026
We meet Bo and Mason at a coffee shop. We also meet a woman named Joy.
Will Bo and Joy hit it off, or will Bo put too much information on her too fast?
We do get Lincoln mentioned once more. I would like to know if we will get a bit more on Lincoln and his wife, or at least hear about his life and whether he started a family.
We meet Chloe. So we get a more subjective perspective. We have met a boy named Finn.
Will Finn find a way out of the Amish, or will he stay Amish? Seth might be able to help, or he won't. We will see. Are Amish really strict, or are some parents harsh on their children to stay in the church?
We see more of this relationship. But there seems to be someone watching Joy. But who was texting her from an unknown number? That's creepy and strange.
These letters and phone calls seem creepy and weird. But it shouldn't be something joy needs to worry about, but is and has a right to be.
Avocadolist PRO Grocery Shopping List, Lists apps
Productivity, Shopping and Stickers
8.0
Rate It
App
Avocadolist is easy-to-use and sophisticated application for making and sharing shopping lists. Do...
iCaller - T9 set, fast, search for contacts,secret
Productivity and Utilities
App
QUICK SEARCH AND SET OF CONTACTS New utility ICaller from KiraLine Inc is a modern search engine...
Note Taker HD
Productivity and Utilities
App
One of the first note taking apps designed specifically for the Apple iPad, Note Taker HD has long...