4/5 “Most of what she knew, she'd learned from the wild. Nature had nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would.” A lovely, thoughtful book about nature and one woman’s relationship with it. Popularized as a coming-of-age story with a dash of murder mystery, Where the Crawdads Sing is truly about Kya Clark,…
Book Review: “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. 5/5 “It’s always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly.” After finishing up Becky Albertalli’s Leah on the Offbeat,…
Book Review: “Leah on the Offbeat” by Becky Albertalli
4/5 Bi girls! Cute couples from previous books! Healthy relationships with parents! Loads of swearing and clever banter! Seriously, what’s not to love about Leah on the Offbeat? Like many fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (rebranded as Love, Simon by 20th Century FOX), I was thrilled to hear Becky Albertalli was working on…
Original Work: The Puppet and the Doll – Part II
Glossary of terms: Fyrnen (feer-nen): weapon derived from the wielder’s body; power depends on body and soul, said to link the two; damage to a fyrnen means grievous harm to the wielder Raiko has a fyrnen that takes the shape of a scythe. Black thread: a soul bond Temeer: a magic user whose power is imbued directly into…
Original Work: The Puppet and the Doll – Part I
Glossary of terms: Fyrnen (feer-nen): weapon derived from the wielder’s body; power depends on body and soul, said to link the two; damage to a fyrnen means grievous harm to the wielder Raiko has a fyrnen that takes the shape of a scythe. Black thread: a soul bond Temeer: a magic user whose power is imbued directly…
Book Review: The Book of Night Women, by Marlon James
4/5 Holy cow, this book was difficult to rate – almost as difficult as it was to read. But this makes perfect sense, as Marlon James’s The Book of Night Women is not a satisfying book. The story it tells is frustrating, disturbing, and, ultimately, deeply unsatisfying. My knee-jerk reaction to feeling anger and frustration…
Cormoran Strike Books 1-4, by Robert Galbraith
4/5 If you’re looking for an exciting, intricate, well-paced mystery and crime series, look no further than Robert Galbraith’s Cormoran Strike. Packed with clever cases and fantastic character development, this series intrigues on both narrative and character-driven levels. It should go without saying that Robert Galbraith is J. K. Rowling, and Cormoran Strike is a fitting,…
Book Review: The Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang
2/5 Before anyone takes this review to heart, it should be noted that my opinion appears to be in the minority. In fact, reading Helen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient has simply affirmed that I don’t enjoy stories rooted solely in romance. For that reason, this rating – and the criticisms that contribute to it – should…
Book Review: “Muse of Nightmares” by Laini Taylor
4/5 Holy cow, Muse of Nightmares is an emotional rollercoaster of a story. I finished it yesterday and I’m still reeling. Picking up immediately after the events of Strange the Dreamer, Muse of Nightmares finds Lazlo at odds with the uncompromising Minya, with Sarai’s fate hanging in the balance. As the godspawn struggle to meet…
TV Review: The Dragon Prince
4/5 “But on the eve of last winter’s turn, the humans used unspeakable dark magic to slay Thunder. Then, without mercy, they destroyed his only egg. His heir. The Dragon Prince.” An adventure set in the midst of a conflict between elves and humans, The Dragon Prince is a story full of magic, humor, and…
