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Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Lydia, Woman of Philippi in Books

Feb 27, 2019  
LW
Lydia, Woman of Philippi
Diana Wallis Taylor | 2017
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am a picky reader when it comes to Biblical fiction. I've found very few authors who captivate me completely with the Biblical fiction. Diana Wallis Taylor is one of those few authors. When I sit down to Ms. Taylor's work, I know that I can prepare myself for the powerful messages within, I can prepare myself for the feeling as if I am right there in the middle of some of the most incredible happenings in the Bible. That's how good her writing style is. 

With Lydia, I got just that. Taken from the book of Acts and Lydia's story, we learn all about the wonderful woman of the color purple. The things she endured with a father who didn't care for the fact that she chose her mother's religion, and with an arranged marriage.....it just really tugged at my heart and made me fall in love! I loved the way she was chiseled so vividly. The way she overcame her issues, and her determination to stand tall despite it all, and the way her heart opened up after meeting Paul....it all really just enveloped me and took me on a ride that I won't soon forget! 

This is definitely a 4 star worthy Biblical novel. If you love learning about the Bible in interesting ways, if you want a deeper relationship with reading and with God, then Ms. Taylor's Lydia is one you don't want to miss. You'll be taken to the center of the story, captivated completely, and fall in love with the Biblical accounts in a whole new way. I know I did! I can't wait to read another amazing, moving, and heart twisting story from the talented work of Diana Wallis Taylor. 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
  
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Cat Goddess Freyja (16 KP) rated The Bear and the Nightingale in Books

Dec 5, 2018  
The Bear and the Nightingale
The Bear and the Nightingale
Katherine Arden | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
9.4 (17 Ratings)
Book Rating
Writing Style, Story Progression, Literary Choices (0 more)
Nothing! It does, however, follow a straight fantasy story line. (0 more)
Fantastic Read
Contains spoilers, click to show
I loved reading this book. Since reading it, a few weeks ago, it has become the first book that I recommend to someone looking for a good read. The author has brought her characters alive in a beautiful and alluring way. The story is based in Russia with a country noble's family being the main focus. The story itself, is a mixture of a coming of age story- in which the young main character, Vasya, discovers her place in the world- a fairy tale- a mythical snow demon who can only be calmed by a 'sacrificial' woman, who in turn fights with the snow demon against his evil brother- and a religious historical fiction- there is a strong opposition between Vasya, who believes strongly in the magic and old ways of her village, and a christian priest who comes to 'correct' their pagan beliefs and steer them towards God. There is a touch of romance, but it is not overwhelming and is charming in its own way. The characters come across as natural human beings/ mythical beings, and their choices in the story are logical and works well with whatever conflict they face. My absolute favorite thing that the author, Katherine Arden, did, however was her word choice. Karherine studied Russian in school, and knows quite a bit about its culture and language. A brilliant choice on her part, was recognizing that many of her readers may not be as familiar with the Russian language and culture as she is. So, to keep the feel of Russia alive in her book, she took the time to teach her characters beliefs to the reader, and come up with words that sound close to their Russian counterparts but are easy to pronoun for readers who don't know Russian. This is a very thoughtful fiction book and one I recommend for anyone who wants their imagination to shine.
  
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Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Nasty Women in Books

May 13, 2017  
Nasty Women
Nasty Women
404 Ink | 2017 | Essays
10
8.3 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Honest, tragic, brilliant and brave (0 more)
Nothing (0 more)
Nasty women is hard-hitting, eye-opening, and unashamedly honest.
‘Sometimes the role model you need is not an example to aspire to, but someone who reflects back the parts of yourself that society deems fit.’ -
Becca Inglis

Nasty Women, published by 404 ink, is a collection of essays about what it is, and how it feels to be a woman in the 21st century. When I first picked up the book, I assumed, like I think most readers would, that it would be an easy book to just pick up and put down whenever I had a spare ten minutes. Wrong, I was sucked into this book right from the beginning, and read it all in a day. That doesn’t mean it was an easy read, or perhaps easy is the wrong word – it isn’t a comfortable read - and it isn’t meant to be. Nasty women is hard-hitting, eye-opening, and unashamedly honest.
The book opens with ‘Independence Day’ by Katie Muriel. A story of mixed race and identity in Trump’s America, Muriel discusses her experience of inter-family racism, heightened by political differences, ‘This is not the first, nor is it the last family divide Trump will leave in his wake, but I refuse to think of him as some deity who stands around shifting pieces on a board in his golden war room.’ The anger in this piece is clear, but it is the rationalism and clarity of the writer that speaks volumes. Race, racism and xenophobia, is a prominent feature in these stories. Claire L. Heuchan, for example, talks about ‘Othering’ a term that readers will see repeatedly in this book, ‘Scotland,’ she writes, ‘is a fairly isolating place to be a black woman.’
Survival is a key trope in Nasty Women. Mel Reeve, in ‘The Nastiness of Survival,’ talks about being a survivor of rape and emotional abuse, ‘I do not fit the ‘right’ definition of someone who has been raped.’ This statement alone is filled with irony.
I was particularly drawn to Laura Waddell’s essay, ‘Against Stereotypes: Working Class Girls and Working Class Art.’ Laura talks about the difficulty of both gender and class inequality, and, in particular, the lack of working class writers and working class fiction being published, ‘I have read a lot of fiction’ she says, ‘I have read almost none from housing estates such as the one I grew up on. These stories are missing, from shelves, and from the record.’ As a Scottish fiction writer from a working-class background myself, these words resonate deeply.
Alice Tarbuck’s ‘Foraging and Feminism: Hedge-Witchcraft in the 21st Century’, is almost fun to read in a deeply devastating way. There is a desperate tone in this piece, and a desperate need to escape society. ‘There is beauty and bounty around us if we look for it, and perhaps that is all the magic we need. Or perhaps, what we need is real magic, whether that comes in the form of resistance and community or the form of blackthorn charms and skullcap tinctures, and howling to the moon.
I loved this book. This book gives women a voice. And it is loud! Well done 404 Ink, and all the contributors, for bravely breaking the silence.