Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
8.5
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'The degradations, the wrongs, the vices, that grow out of slavery, are more than I can describe.'...
Killing Poetry: Blackness and the Making of Slam and Spoken Word Communities
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In recent decades, poetry slams and the spoken word artists who compete in them have sparked a...
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Forgotten Storm (Storm #1) in Books
May 27, 2020
Nikki is a strong female character who has dealt with more than she should have done, which has left her with coping mechanisms she doesn't think anyone will understand. Logan is her mate and a strong character in his own right. He has done what he thought was right for Nikki, even to his own detriment, to ensure her safety. Of course, nothing goes according to plan so both of them have to deal with unforeseen issues.
This is, quite simply, an amazing book. There are some hard-hitting subjects raised here including sexual abuse, assault, BDSM, plus more that I won't go into. There are no slow points in the story and the pacing is perfect for the story. I loved how Nikki was into martial arts 'before' she knew anything so that helped her progression. Logan is a darling and I loved him! He's also an Alpha Male so obviously he needed a whomp upside the head at times and Nikki was the perfect one to do so.
A brilliant start to a series that I can't wait to read more about. Highly 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. *
The London Monster
8.0
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In 1788, exactly one hundred years before Jack the Ripper terrorizes the people of London, a sexual...
Historical Fiction
Thorn of Secrets (My Darkest Secret #2)
6.0
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In love with the same face that haunts me…. The falling leaves of autumn are like the deceit in...
Young Adult Romance Urban
When Ola opens the file on Twitter, she doesn’t expect to see her fiancés name on the list, but there he is. Someone has accused him of sexual harassment and assault at a Christmas party, and he’s on the same list as men who have been accused of far worse.
Interesting points are raised in this:
The duality of social media - it can raise you up and pull you down equally as quickly;
Everyone can have their say: free speech is important after all. But what if that opinion isn’t an honest one?
People’s anonymity gives the freedom to say whatever you like, and if you have a score to settle, what better way of doing it is there?
It’s a shame that the main characters Ola and Michael never actually seemed to talk to one another about what was going on. But perhaps this is the future that social media gives us: people are more interested in what they read about their prospective partners online, rather than getting to know them.
This was a sobering and a VERY frustrating read at times! That said, I did enjoy it.
Skin and Bones (London Love #3)
Book
Hugo Burrows has life under control. He has a decent job, a long-term relationship and a flat in...
Contemporary MM Romance Hurt/Comfort Grumpy/Sunshine Eating Disorder
Laura (40 KP) rated Moxie: A Novel in Books
Oct 21, 2017
Something I really liked is that Vivian is not some perfect all-knowing feminist. She listens and learns to people, after the Moxie zine starts the conversation. Through these conversations between various characters, so much is discussed, taking advantage of different perspectives. There is this wonderful feeling of community, of support and safe spaces. The very concept of feminism is analysed, challenging the misconception held my many that feminism equals men hating, and exploring the stigma attached to the word ‘feminist’.
There is also a romance plotline running through the book. Vivian is attracted to new boy Seth, and she is even more interested when she realised that he is actually a nice guy, unlike so many other boys at school. He actually likes the Moxie zines, and shows his support for the movement. However he is not perfect, and sometimes he just does not get certain things. This opens the discussion that while a man can be a feminist, it is important to listen and learn about how everyday sexism effects women.
The overall message is about girls supporting each other, and Moxie being an inclusive movement for everyone. I loved that there was next to no girl hate in the novel, and that the way women and girls are pitted against each other was brought up and addressed. There are so many wonderful, empowering moments in this book, I used a lot of sticky notes to mark them all. Having said that, obviously this book deals with sexism, but it also covers sexual harassment, and sexual assault/attempted rape, which may be triggering for some readers. Please be aware of this going in, it’s addressed, there is an overall atmosphere of female empowerment and overcoming, but I don’t want anyone to get caught by surprise.
I wish this book had been around when I was in high school. I really wish it had been around for my younger sister, who had a similar experience with dress-code enforcement as shown in the book. This book is so powerful, and so important.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Anatomy of a Scandal in Books
Jun 5, 2019
James is accused of rape one of his assistants, but did he do it? While his wife Sophie is seemingly supportive on the outside, on the inside her mind is going crazy thinking about his alleged crimes and what he could in fact be capable of. Just how long can she remain loyal as the story unfolds?
We travel from the court case, back in time to Oxford in the 90s and into the current murky goings on within the privileged political world, where money, corruption and power rule the day.
This is an extremely well written and cleverly plotted, insightful story, which I can easily see adapted into a BBC drama, very much like Louise Doughty’s Apple Tree Yard.
Sarah Vaughan has mastered a treat for us with Anatomy of a Scandal, a sharp, engrossing and poignant political drama, which highlights some shocking hard-hitting facts with sensitivity and realism. Terrific!
What Women Want: An Agenda for the Women's Movement
6.0
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What Women Want is a trenchant examination of the struggle for women's equality, and a prescription...