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David McK (3623 KP) rated Lords and Ladies (Discworld, #14; Witches #4) in Books
Oct 30, 2022
As a character, Granny Weatherwax first appeared in the third Discworld novel Equal Rites, which was about, well, Equal Rights for both sexes. She then re-appeared (and beacem the unofficial head of her coven) in both Wyrd Sisters (where the broad outline of the plot bears a striking resemblance to certain Scottish play) and Witches Abroad (fairytales as you've never heard them before!). This is thus the fourth Discworld novel to include her as a main character, this time taking its inspiration from another Shakespeare play: A Midsummers night dream.
In this, and unlike the Elves of most comtemporary literature (Elves = good), the Elvish race are a foe to be reckoned with! This quote from about half-way through sums it up:
'Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
Elves are fantastic. They creat fantasies.
Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake ...
No-one ever said Elves are nice.
Elves are bad.'
In this, and unlike the Elves of most comtemporary literature (Elves = good), the Elvish race are a foe to be reckoned with! This quote from about half-way through sums it up:
'Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
Elves are fantastic. They creat fantasies.
Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake ...
No-one ever said Elves are nice.
Elves are bad.'
Merissa (13358 KP) rated Incognito in Books
Jun 2, 2023
Miranda was 'burned' by her first lover and has had a problem ever since. If she is attracted to someone, then she freezes up and can't speak or interact without being wooden. She is researching Victorian stories from an unusual angle and manages to draw their influence into her own life, sometimes with crazy risks. Mark is interested in Miranda but is prepared to give her space to sort out her issues. Will he be as understanding when her activities come to light?
This is a very enjoyable and well-written book, with lots of references made to Victorian literature, which were both tantalising and informative. A hot and erotic story of someone exploring their sexuality. Full of incredible detail and history, this is much more than 'just' erotica. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 12, 2016
This is a very enjoyable and well-written book, with lots of references made to Victorian literature, which were both tantalising and informative. A hot and erotic story of someone exploring their sexuality. Full of incredible detail and history, this is much more than 'just' erotica. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 12, 2016
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Bunny Finds a Friend in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Cara Jong is working as a process server when she delivers a summons to a Santa. Except this Santa is a gorgeous woman, who immediately strikes a chord with Cara. The two share a "moment," which stays with Cara for some time. She eventually tracks down said Santa, who turns out to be Jude Donovan, a well-known children's book author. The two "meet cute," so to speak, at a reading of Jude's and sparks fly. They begin dating, but it seems like things just aren't meant to be. Will Cara's flighty nature and lack of commitment (all well-documented by her older sisters) doom the relationship? What about Jude's ex and her young daughter Zoe, who doesn't seem happy to have her Mom dating again? Can Cara and Jude overcome these obstacles and find happiness?
This was a cute book, with fairly realistic characters leading a fairly realistic life--something that's harder to find than one would think in lesbian literature. Cara's a regular gal, with a typical lack of commitment found in a myriad characters in literature, gay and straight. Perhaps the biggest issue with this book is that it sort of seems like a sketch of what could have been an even more fully-developed and even more enjoyable novel. We don't get to see a lot of Cara and Jude's actual relationship development, for instance. Their courtship and issues are quickly glossed over. I would have liked to have seen more of what led them to fall for each other--and fall apart. After all, those sorts of things (falling in love, struggling to maintain a relationship while juggling exes and children and jobs) are what we all have in common.
Cara's sisters are also supposed to add a bit of comic relief, perhaps, to the novel, but they sometimes come across as harpy and annoying. While several of them are dealing with complex issues, they don't get the full attention they truly deserve.
Still, this was a fun, quick read. It's always refreshing to read lesbian fiction with normal characters navigating life. I liked Cara, sympathized with her on a multitude of levels, and did enjoy reading about her journey. Overall, 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley - thank you!
This was a cute book, with fairly realistic characters leading a fairly realistic life--something that's harder to find than one would think in lesbian literature. Cara's a regular gal, with a typical lack of commitment found in a myriad characters in literature, gay and straight. Perhaps the biggest issue with this book is that it sort of seems like a sketch of what could have been an even more fully-developed and even more enjoyable novel. We don't get to see a lot of Cara and Jude's actual relationship development, for instance. Their courtship and issues are quickly glossed over. I would have liked to have seen more of what led them to fall for each other--and fall apart. After all, those sorts of things (falling in love, struggling to maintain a relationship while juggling exes and children and jobs) are what we all have in common.
Cara's sisters are also supposed to add a bit of comic relief, perhaps, to the novel, but they sometimes come across as harpy and annoying. While several of them are dealing with complex issues, they don't get the full attention they truly deserve.
Still, this was a fun, quick read. It's always refreshing to read lesbian fiction with normal characters navigating life. I liked Cara, sympathized with her on a multitude of levels, and did enjoy reading about her journey. Overall, 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley - thank you!
The Oxford Guide to Library Research: How to Find Reliable Information Online and Offline
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Beauty: The Fortunes of an Ancient Greek Idea
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Those who study the nature of beauty are at once plagued by a singular issue: what does it mean to...
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Ricks knocks it out of the park with this jewel of a book. On every page I learned something new....
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Blemished (Blemished, #1) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I received this book as a give away as part of a compilation [Shattered Worlds]. I have decided to give each book it's own review as I finish them to give the authors their due.
The Ministry had genetically created the perfect person. The are called GEMs and the rule society. Those who were not created perfect are called "Blemished" and are used as slaves for the upper class. Not all blemished are happy with this situation. Mina has a special gift that could help her but also be very dangerous to herself and those she loves. She will do anything to protect them and herself, as well as avoid the "operation" that all blemished girls get so they can not have children but often drives them mad as well. Secrets are kept, laws broken, lives risked and saved all fro freedom.
This was a well written novel. I could have done without the love triangle aspect because I thing that has been over done especially in YA literature and the characters were a little predictable. Overall the story flowed well and the action kept the plot moving along.
The Ministry had genetically created the perfect person. The are called GEMs and the rule society. Those who were not created perfect are called "Blemished" and are used as slaves for the upper class. Not all blemished are happy with this situation. Mina has a special gift that could help her but also be very dangerous to herself and those she loves. She will do anything to protect them and herself, as well as avoid the "operation" that all blemished girls get so they can not have children but often drives them mad as well. Secrets are kept, laws broken, lives risked and saved all fro freedom.
This was a well written novel. I could have done without the love triangle aspect because I thing that has been over done especially in YA literature and the characters were a little predictable. Overall the story flowed well and the action kept the plot moving along.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Probability of Miracles in Books
Jan 15, 2018
If you read a lot of books like I do, you know by now that you can't always trust what the back cover says. Someone comes up with a way to make even the crappiest book seem like it is the most well written, entertaining piece of literature you'll ever see. Well...I can happily say that the back cover of Wendy Wunder's book does not lie, especially the part that says, "...will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn on the page."
This book tells the story of Campbell, a 16 year old dying from cancer. Her mom, in one last effort to save her life, decides to move the family the family to Promise, Maine. A town that is said to produce miracles by the truck load. The book follows Cam through her journey in Promise and lets the reader watch her slowly realize that miracles can and do happen, even if they aren't the miracle you came looking for.
I won an ARC of this book on First Reads and am I ever glad I did! I will be sure to suggest it to anyone who is willing to listen!
This book tells the story of Campbell, a 16 year old dying from cancer. Her mom, in one last effort to save her life, decides to move the family the family to Promise, Maine. A town that is said to produce miracles by the truck load. The book follows Cam through her journey in Promise and lets the reader watch her slowly realize that miracles can and do happen, even if they aren't the miracle you came looking for.
I won an ARC of this book on First Reads and am I ever glad I did! I will be sure to suggest it to anyone who is willing to listen!
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Housekeeping: Faber Modern Classics in Books
Sep 7, 2017
Haunting imagery, tremendous classic American literature
There was something deeply unsettling yet moving about this book exploring abandonment, solitude and loss over the span of three generations of women in a family.
Ruth, who is our main narrator, is speaking about her childhood in which her sister Lucille and her were continually abandoned by one family or another. Eventually they end up with their deeply eccentric aunt Sylvie, and she seems completely incapable in many ways of being a responsible parent, but rather a sister instead. She leads a transcient life, having deserted her husband, jumping on trains to get from place to place. She's a spirited wanderer, and sees Ruth as an ally and her own sister, Helen, who killed herself at the start of the book.
Their solitary life of never mixing, but staying in the great outdoors both seems idyllic and claustrophobic. There are images of the lake where the children's mother committed suicide, that seem to draw the women to this area. The metaphors are cold and quiet hence it feels unnerving.
It's a classic American tale about real women, which makes this different to the old books talking only about marriage and fidelity.
Ruth, who is our main narrator, is speaking about her childhood in which her sister Lucille and her were continually abandoned by one family or another. Eventually they end up with their deeply eccentric aunt Sylvie, and she seems completely incapable in many ways of being a responsible parent, but rather a sister instead. She leads a transcient life, having deserted her husband, jumping on trains to get from place to place. She's a spirited wanderer, and sees Ruth as an ally and her own sister, Helen, who killed herself at the start of the book.
Their solitary life of never mixing, but staying in the great outdoors both seems idyllic and claustrophobic. There are images of the lake where the children's mother committed suicide, that seem to draw the women to this area. The metaphors are cold and quiet hence it feels unnerving.
It's a classic American tale about real women, which makes this different to the old books talking only about marriage and fidelity.
ClareR (5991 KP) rated The Beauty of the Wolf in Books
Feb 21, 2019
A refreshingly different retelling
I rather liked this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It's set in Elizabethan England, and there are some twists to the original story, which were both surprising and refreshing.
I really liked the language used: it was poetic with a good smattering of the more 'earthy' Elizabethan English (it's what we English are good at I think, isn't it!). I also liked the mix of fairytale, folklore and history. It just felt as though the author had done a bit of historical research with regards to life in London and as part of a theatrical group.
It was a good story that illustrated that what's on the inside is what really counts far more than appearances and that, I suppose, there is someone out there for everyone. Someone who will love you for yourself, regardless of what you look like - in fact, probably precisely because of what you look like.*
*This book actually caused me to check in my cynicism at the first page. And that's no bad thing in literature!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
I really liked the language used: it was poetic with a good smattering of the more 'earthy' Elizabethan English (it's what we English are good at I think, isn't it!). I also liked the mix of fairytale, folklore and history. It just felt as though the author had done a bit of historical research with regards to life in London and as part of a theatrical group.
It was a good story that illustrated that what's on the inside is what really counts far more than appearances and that, I suppose, there is someone out there for everyone. Someone who will love you for yourself, regardless of what you look like - in fact, probably precisely because of what you look like.*
*This book actually caused me to check in my cynicism at the first page. And that's no bad thing in literature!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.