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Journey: Memoirs of an Air Force Chief of Staff
Norty Schwartz and Ron Levinson
Book
The General's dysfunctional home life drove him to apply to the Air Force Academy almost 40 years...
ClareR (6106 KP) rated Stepsister in Books
Sep 29, 2020
The story, with a feminist slant, of the ugly sisters that Cinderella left behind.
I do like a good fairytale, and I seem to be enjoying fairytale retellings quite a bit when I come across them. Stepsister is a great example of a retelling - told from the other side.
Isabelle and Tavi are the ugly sisters, left behind with their unhinged mother, after Cinderella has left with her Prince. The ‘ugly’ sisters actions aren’t excused, in fact they are left to live and struggle with the consequences of their actions. Isabelle has a permanent limp where she sliced off her toes in the hope that she would be able to fit in to the glass slipper. All on the instructions of her mother. Isabelle is a strong character who feels hemmed in by her mother and the restrictions that society has thrust upon her. Her worth is dictated by her looks - something which she falls short on, as does her sister. Instead of the soft mannered, beautiful, obedient girls that society wants, the sisters are clever, resourceful and regrettably ugly. Maman tries to marry them off to the Prince in any way that she can - even making them mutilate themselves. When Cinderella leaves to marry her Prince and the locals discover how she was treated, Isabelle, Tavi and Maman are both ostracised and vilified. Isabelle truly regrets the way that she treated Cinderella, but doesn’t know how she can put right what she did. However, both Fate and Chance have now got an influence over her life, a vested interest, and they have opposing opinions on how Isabelle’s life should play out.
I thought this feminist slant on the after-story of Cinderella was really engaging. I loved it, and if I had a daughter I’d be passing it on to her to read next!
Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book.
Isabelle and Tavi are the ugly sisters, left behind with their unhinged mother, after Cinderella has left with her Prince. The ‘ugly’ sisters actions aren’t excused, in fact they are left to live and struggle with the consequences of their actions. Isabelle has a permanent limp where she sliced off her toes in the hope that she would be able to fit in to the glass slipper. All on the instructions of her mother. Isabelle is a strong character who feels hemmed in by her mother and the restrictions that society has thrust upon her. Her worth is dictated by her looks - something which she falls short on, as does her sister. Instead of the soft mannered, beautiful, obedient girls that society wants, the sisters are clever, resourceful and regrettably ugly. Maman tries to marry them off to the Prince in any way that she can - even making them mutilate themselves. When Cinderella leaves to marry her Prince and the locals discover how she was treated, Isabelle, Tavi and Maman are both ostracised and vilified. Isabelle truly regrets the way that she treated Cinderella, but doesn’t know how she can put right what she did. However, both Fate and Chance have now got an influence over her life, a vested interest, and they have opposing opinions on how Isabelle’s life should play out.
I thought this feminist slant on the after-story of Cinderella was really engaging. I loved it, and if I had a daughter I’d be passing it on to her to read next!
Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book.
The Guardians
7.5
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Book
22 years ago Quincy Miller was sentenced to life without parole. He was accused of killing Keith...
Together Bound (Sentries #2)
8.0
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Book
Todd Ruger is a sentry, a very good one, some might say the best. He was eleven when he and Nick...
MM Paranormal Science Fiction Romance Erotic
Ali A (82 KP) rated A Multitude of Dreams in Books
Sep 6, 2023
Trigger Warnings: plague, death, blood, racism, murder, self harm, genocide, survivors guilt
A Multitude of Dreams is a reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death. Four years ago, King Stuart gathered his royals, noblemen, and daughters and locked them into the safety of the castle walls. Every window was boarded up and every door sealed shut - all to protect those within of the horrible mori roja plague ravaging the land outside.
Told in third person, this novel follows Seraphina, a Jewish girl, who is also the (fake) Princess Imogene, and Nico, who once lived a comfortable life but now works for Lord Crane, the man who saved his life after he lost everything. When Lord Crane sends Nico and two others on the search for survivors, Nico meets a princess who wants out. But both are living in giant webs of lies and deception that they must unravel if they’re going to survive.
I wanted this title because I read The Poison Season and I really enjoyed it. So, when I saw Mara Rutherford had another YA novel coming out, I immediately put it on my TBR list. It’s also listed as Fantasy Gothic and
I was all about it and also the cover - like, I love it!
There were a few twists in here I didn’t quite see right away, which was nice. And, even some of the ones that I did see coming, I still enjoyed Rutherford’s storytelling and it kept me interested. And yes, there is some romance in this, but it wasn’t the main focus of the story - surviving and getting out of the castle was.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who’s in need of a good gothic fantasy with a hidden identity, Jewish representation, a masquerade, and the fight of survival.
*Thank you Inkyard Press and BookishFirst for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
A Multitude of Dreams is a reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death. Four years ago, King Stuart gathered his royals, noblemen, and daughters and locked them into the safety of the castle walls. Every window was boarded up and every door sealed shut - all to protect those within of the horrible mori roja plague ravaging the land outside.
Told in third person, this novel follows Seraphina, a Jewish girl, who is also the (fake) Princess Imogene, and Nico, who once lived a comfortable life but now works for Lord Crane, the man who saved his life after he lost everything. When Lord Crane sends Nico and two others on the search for survivors, Nico meets a princess who wants out. But both are living in giant webs of lies and deception that they must unravel if they’re going to survive.
I wanted this title because I read The Poison Season and I really enjoyed it. So, when I saw Mara Rutherford had another YA novel coming out, I immediately put it on my TBR list. It’s also listed as Fantasy Gothic and
I was all about it and also the cover - like, I love it!
There were a few twists in here I didn’t quite see right away, which was nice. And, even some of the ones that I did see coming, I still enjoyed Rutherford’s storytelling and it kept me interested. And yes, there is some romance in this, but it wasn’t the main focus of the story - surviving and getting out of the castle was.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who’s in need of a good gothic fantasy with a hidden identity, Jewish representation, a masquerade, and the fight of survival.
*Thank you Inkyard Press and BookishFirst for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
The Rosie Project: No. 1: Don Tillman
8.3
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Book
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is a story about love, life and lobster every...
The Story of Us by Quinn XCII
Album
The Story Of Us is the debut album from Detroit-bred vocalist/songwriter Quinn XCII. The album if...
Ali A (82 KP) rated The Meadows in Books
Sep 11, 2023
Trigger Warnings: conversion therapy, homophobia
Every youth hopes to get a letter to attend one of the places where only the best and brightest go to be even better and brighter: the Estuary, the Glades, the Meadows…
When Eleanor is accepted to go to the Meadows, it means her escape from the Cove and a hard life by the sea. But, though the Meadows is filled with beautiful and wonderful things, it hoards dark secrets: its purpose is to reform its students from their attractions, to show them that the way of life is only possible through their way. Maybe Eleanor starts to believe, but then she meets Rose, and everything changes.
A year after leaving the Meadows, Eleanor and her friends are on the outside, living back in society - but not everything is as they hoped. Eleanor is an adjudicator, someone who makes sure former students haven’t strayed from the lives they were trained to live. But the past isn’t letting go of Eleanor and as secrets unravel, Eleanor must fight against everything she has been taught to be, especially if she can find the girl that she lost.
I originally was interested in this title when I saw it on BookishFirst because it was being marketed as “a queer, YA Handmaid's Tale meets Never Let Me Go” and I was all about that. I also love a good dystopian novel so this was really right up my alley.
That being said, I absolutely loved and devoured this novel over the course of the weekend when I didn’t have the interruption of work. The world building is intriguing and the “perfect” society is everything but (aren’t they all). The characters were also complex and engrossing - even the ones I wasn’t the biggest fans of, I still wanted them to succeed.
I absolutely recommend this book to those not only those who love dystopian novels, but those who want a page turning science fiction with queer characters.
*Thank you Dial Books and BookishFirst for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Every youth hopes to get a letter to attend one of the places where only the best and brightest go to be even better and brighter: the Estuary, the Glades, the Meadows…
When Eleanor is accepted to go to the Meadows, it means her escape from the Cove and a hard life by the sea. But, though the Meadows is filled with beautiful and wonderful things, it hoards dark secrets: its purpose is to reform its students from their attractions, to show them that the way of life is only possible through their way. Maybe Eleanor starts to believe, but then she meets Rose, and everything changes.
A year after leaving the Meadows, Eleanor and her friends are on the outside, living back in society - but not everything is as they hoped. Eleanor is an adjudicator, someone who makes sure former students haven’t strayed from the lives they were trained to live. But the past isn’t letting go of Eleanor and as secrets unravel, Eleanor must fight against everything she has been taught to be, especially if she can find the girl that she lost.
I originally was interested in this title when I saw it on BookishFirst because it was being marketed as “a queer, YA Handmaid's Tale meets Never Let Me Go” and I was all about that. I also love a good dystopian novel so this was really right up my alley.
That being said, I absolutely loved and devoured this novel over the course of the weekend when I didn’t have the interruption of work. The world building is intriguing and the “perfect” society is everything but (aren’t they all). The characters were also complex and engrossing - even the ones I wasn’t the biggest fans of, I still wanted them to succeed.
I absolutely recommend this book to those not only those who love dystopian novels, but those who want a page turning science fiction with queer characters.
*Thank you Dial Books and BookishFirst for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
John Garrett (27 KP) rated Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) in Movies
Jul 11, 2017
Tom Holland (2 more)
The villain (thank god)
The script
No real stakes (1 more)
Not enough fighting scenes
Spiderman has never been better
Contains spoilers, click to show
Tom Holland is fantastic. Never has writing a review been so releaving. After the car wrecks that were the first 2 amazing Spiderman movies we finally get a great depiction of the friendly neighbourhood Spiderman. Tom played both the quick witted Spiderman and nerdy Peter Parker fantastically and actually looks like a high school kid.
Michael Keaton plays another winged comic book character in the vulture who unlike other marvel villains added some gravitas and was not just a throw away. He played almost a sympathetic villain where you understand his motivations.
The story was solid. We actually got to see a teenage Peter Parker with teenage worries in high school rather than trying to skip over his school life quickly in other iterations of the character. His high school sidekick Ned was a great comic relief and in my opinion created most of the laughs in this film.
One major worry going in was that iron man would steel the show. Luckily Robert Downey Jr was used almost sparingly and was there in just a mentoring capacity which was good to see.
Overall this was a funny, charming story with a great portrayal of one of the world's most loved characters.
Michael Keaton plays another winged comic book character in the vulture who unlike other marvel villains added some gravitas and was not just a throw away. He played almost a sympathetic villain where you understand his motivations.
The story was solid. We actually got to see a teenage Peter Parker with teenage worries in high school rather than trying to skip over his school life quickly in other iterations of the character. His high school sidekick Ned was a great comic relief and in my opinion created most of the laughs in this film.
One major worry going in was that iron man would steel the show. Luckily Robert Downey Jr was used almost sparingly and was there in just a mentoring capacity which was good to see.
Overall this was a funny, charming story with a great portrayal of one of the world's most loved characters.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Tryin' To Sleep In the Bed You Made in Books
May 10, 2018
Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made is a story of three friends. It traverses their lives from childhood to adults. And we get to see all the fun, joy, and pain that goes along with it.
Pat, Gail, Marcus, and Freddie are inseparable. They are classmates and best friends. One day when Freddie finds a gun and decides to share it with the rest of the group, the most tragic thing happens. This changes the lives of the other three forever. Pat is taken from her mother and temporarily put into foster care until Gail and her family take her in. Marcus, who was Freddie's brother feels he has to fulfill Freddie's life dreams instead of pursuing his own.
As they graduate high school and spread their wings to find new things, they are torn in different directions and their friendship is never the same.
I love reading books about friendship. Friendship lost and found. It makes me feel good on the inside and that is exactly how this book made me feel. It made me laugh and it made me cry, but overall, it made me want to call all of my friends and rekindle what we once had.
The DeBerry/Grant team are great writers. This is the second book I have read by them and I can't wait to read the next.
Pat, Gail, Marcus, and Freddie are inseparable. They are classmates and best friends. One day when Freddie finds a gun and decides to share it with the rest of the group, the most tragic thing happens. This changes the lives of the other three forever. Pat is taken from her mother and temporarily put into foster care until Gail and her family take her in. Marcus, who was Freddie's brother feels he has to fulfill Freddie's life dreams instead of pursuing his own.
As they graduate high school and spread their wings to find new things, they are torn in different directions and their friendship is never the same.
I love reading books about friendship. Friendship lost and found. It makes me feel good on the inside and that is exactly how this book made me feel. It made me laugh and it made me cry, but overall, it made me want to call all of my friends and rekindle what we once had.
The DeBerry/Grant team are great writers. This is the second book I have read by them and I can't wait to read the next.