#Alexandra Novelle

[wornoutspines]

The Wild Robot (Movie Review) | Why Is It a Must-Watch for Fans of Animation and Heartwarming Tales

The Wild Robot (2024) is a stunning masterpiece of animation & emotion. A robot, a goose, and an island full of heart. It made me cry 3 times (not ashamed)! Beautiful watercolor visuals, incredible voice work by Lupita Nyong’o & Kit Connor, and a story you’ll never forget. 🦢💔 ✨ #TheWildRobot #Animation #MovieReview #LupitaNyongo 💬 “I can’t remember the last time I cried this much over a movie, let alone a robot and a goose!” Read the full review ⬇️

If you’re looking for a movie that will tug at your heartstrings, make you laugh, and have you marveling at every frame, The Wild Robot is an absolute must-watch! I just wish I’d seen it in 2024 because it would have made it high on my 2024 list. Directed by Chris Sanders and based on Peter Brown’s bestselling novel – that I am now eager to read -, this animated film completely blew me away. I…

[alaturkanews]

The Wild Robot - Review by Efe Teksoy

THE WILD ROBOT, A SCIENCE FICTION AND SURVIVAL ANIMATION Cinema Writer/Film Critic Efe TEKSOY; adventure, science fiction and drama animation “THE WILD ROBOT”, for America’s Los Angeles-based Internet Newspaper @alaturkanews. THE MOST IMPRESSIVE ANIMATION OF THE YEAR The Wild Robot, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024, is based on the book series of…

[bimbo-graphic-novel]

TRIGGER WARNING: implied drug use, guns

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(a/n: I apologise for the lack of updates, it was quite the year for me… But Bimbo is far from finished! Wishing you all a happy transfer to the next year, here’s to more chapters, to more updates and to more success :) Peace to us all! xx)

[starful02]

Back at it with something different today! Have some memes inspired by Alexandra Rowland's newest queer pirate novel Running Close to the Wind. I struggled keeping my composure as I put these together! 😂 Which is a very similar experience to reading the book actually.🤣 It's available for purchase (and likely upon request at your local library if it doesn't have it yet) just about anywhere but if you'd like to take a peak at before seeking it out, you can do so here:

[wonder-worker]

Some say Elizabeth of York was overshadowed by her mother-in-law Margaret Beaufortt and didn't like each other?

No, I disagree.

I think Elizabeth of York and Margaret Beaufort had a harmonious relationship and consistently worked together in both political and familial matters. We know that Margaret spoke about her affectionately in her letters, and Elizabeth seems to have trusted her during times of crisis: for example, during the Cornish uprising in 1497, she took her children and fled first to Margaret’s townhouse, with the two of them then making their way to the Tower of London together. It’s important to remember that they had known each other for a while from the time of Elizabeth’s childhood: her parents seem to have liked Margaret, even naming her godmother for their youngest child, Bridget. They also shared familial links beyond Henry and Elizabeth’s marriage, as her sister Cecily of York was married to Margaret’s younger half-brother, John Welles. After Cecily’s love marriage to Sir Thomas Kymbe after being widowed, it was Margaret who protected her from Henry VII’s anger.

It’s clear that Elizabeth of York was fully capable of asserting herself and making her own decisions independently of her mother-in-law, as she did so on multiple recorded (and presumably, many more unrecorded) occasions. For example, while she and Margaret jointly supported the candidature of Thomas Pantry for an office at Oxford University in 1500, Elizabeth supported an opposing candidate the following year. So, she was clearly willing and able to make autonomous decisions based on her own preferences and priorities. That she and Margaret cooperated closely despite this can only mean that they had a positive – rather than negative – relationship, probably enhanced by their mutual desire to see their dynasty succeed.

All of this being said, I really dislike revisionist historians who, in their efforts to highlight this positive relationship between Margaret Beaufort and her daughter-in-law, end up diminishing and infantilizing Elizabeth of York in the process. This is usually done by claiming that Margaret was some kind of seasoned mentor figure with Elizabeth as a usually naïve and sheltered protégé under her tutelage, entirely dependent on her for guidance. Elizabeth of York was not a child, not inexperienced, and not an unaccustomed foreign bride – she was a 20-year-old adult who had faced immense hardships the past few years and had been trained to be queen her whole life. This is the same woman who perfectly navigated her uncle's court despite him murdering her brothers, persecuting her mother and maternal kin and bastardizing her, and whose potential queenship was feared by Richard's associates because they believed she would seek to avenge her maternal family if she was ever crowned queen. How on earth can anyone claim she lacked experience or that she was unable to stand up for herself when she needed to? Elizabeth was also an English princess who had been raised at the heart of the English court and would have had far more in-built connections there than Henry or Margaret (neither of whom were in the political centre of anything before 1485) would have had.

Another reason I dislike this interpretation is that it ends up virtually erasing Elizabeth Woodville – Elizabeth of York’s mother who we know she was close to and relied on for comfort, whose unusually powerful queenship Elizabeth would have been able to observe firsthand her whole life (Her mother is similarly erased when people overemphasize the entirely unknown relationship between Elizabeth of York and Anne Neville due to one single Christmas PR gathering. It’s almost like it’s a pattern or something). This is exemplified by Elizabeth of York and Margaret Beaufort’s joint commission to Caxton in 1491 to print The Fifteen O’s of St. Bridget of Sweden. It has often been assumed that Margaret was the driving force behind this given her extensive patronage, with Elizabeth as a supporting protégé. “However, a recurring marginal pattern within the book hints at a different interpretation: most of the border patterns are of stylized flowers, mythical beasts, and semi-human creatures, quite possibly reused from other books, but one is of a vase of gillyflowers, the emblem of Elizabeth Woodville, whose family had been such important patrons of Caxton, and just over half-way up the margin these flowers lead into a rose branch, crowned with the emblem of her daughter's marriage, the Tudor rose, as if in reference to Elizabeth of York's adoption of her mother's patronage.” (Laynesmith). Contrary to popular perception, it seems that this was Elizabeth of York’s initiative, inspired by her own mother and maternal family, with Margaret Beaufort taking on a supporting and secondary role.

Similarly, there is an equally patronizing revisionist trend of acknowledging that Henry VII and Elizabeth of York were in a happy marriage and that he treated her well, while also portraying her as passive and apolitical (sometimes making the marriage happy precisely because of that). I've spoken about this before, but this misunderstands the nature of queenship at that time, which was inherently political. Elizabeth's queenship was more conventional when compared to her mother's and Margaret of Anjou's, but she was active and important in those spheres, and her scope of activities & channels of influence were generally not much different from theirs, or from her successors. It also ignores the fact that we know Elizabeth felt comfortable expressing her wishes to Henry VII and we know that he listened to her. In 1498, a letter from Pope Alexander to Margaret Beaufort revealed that they had suggested a candidate for the bishopric to Henry, but the king explained that he had already promised Elizabeth to appoint her confessor. This can’t be used to determine levels of influence perse – Henry wasn’t choosing one over the other, as he had already promised Elizabeth her candidate before– and it wasn’t anything out of the norm, but regardless, “this degree of influence by the queen in a sphere in which we are accustomed to think of Henry acting alone comes as something of a surprise” (Malcolm Underwood).

Elizabeth was no doormat and was fully capable of disagreeing with Henry publicly on other occasions, as evidenced by this report by De Pablo:

“The King had a dispute with the Queen because he wanted to have one of the said letters to carry continually about him, but the Queen did not like to part with hers, having sent the other to the Prince of Wales.”

In conclusion - Elizabeth of York does seem to have been very gracious and was probably a soft touch (like her siblings and her father), but there is no reason to assume that she was overshadowed by her mother-in-law or that she was unable to assert herself with Henry VII. Quite the opposite on both accounts.

Hope this helps! I'm sorry for the delay in responding.

[triviareads]

What is your favourite "oops, I banged my brothers best friend and caught feelings" book?

I am looking for a fun read.

Here are my favorites and they're all fun :D

Historical:

Bed Me, Earl by Felicity Niven: Phineas is Caroline's brother's Edmund best friend (Edmund is a future hero with a worryingly large dick apparently); Caro shows up in Phin's bedroom in the middle of the night and wordlessly conveys that she'd like to have sex with him (and by wordlessly i mean she lets him grope a tit), and the way Phineas is so down and ready..... he's one of the true rake heroes I've recently read. ALSO the funny thing is he doesn't recognize her??? She's a recluse and she just lets him believe she's a maid or something when he deflowers her lolol.

Sold to the Duke by Joanna Shupe: Actually so underrated because how many historicals do you know begin with VIRGINITY AUCTIONS? Eliza has always had a crush on her dead brother's friend Lucien and he ends up "buying" her but refuses to sleep with her and obviously the logical thing for Eliza to do is to reject his charity and be very pissy about him not banging her until he agrees.

When The Viscount Wanted Me by Lydia Lloyd: In which former slutty hero's best friend is *horrified* that his friend's sister has apparently lost her v-card and is all "HOW COULD YOU" but then when Henrietta asks Trem to sleep with her he hesitates for another half-second before agreeing. Guiltily.

The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh: Biiiiig huuuuge enormous Dom Kilburn's sister Celeste agrees to help Dom's friend Kieran find a wife in exchange for him showing her the *scandalous* side of London and obviously witnessing borderline sex parties leads to fucking around, which leads to Feelings.

A Rogue's Rules for Seduction by Eva Leigh: Dom may be Willa's brothers' best friend but the dumbass brothers in question helped Dom jilt Willa on their wedding day for Reasons and now Dom's sooooo cut up about it and finds himself accidentally stranded on an island with Willa...... whatever will they do.......... So I guess the banging comes after feeling here but it's too good to not include.

In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti: Henry is a starchy lawyer who's always been in love with Margo, his friend's sister, and they're stuck on a road trip together to "rescue" Margo's fellow disaster twin Matilda. There's some erotic cherry stem knotting with one's tongue in this.

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan: Aurelia was actually friendly with her older broher's friend Max until she sees him with another girl at a party and now she's upset and draws a revenge cartoon that insinuates he has a small dick, making Max, uh, kind of unpopular for a minute. It's a light, zany enemies-to-lovers situation.

Sidenote I met Sophie Jordan the other week!?!?!? I was not expecting to but she was sitting like 2 rows behind me at a book event.

Contemporary:

Sinner by Sierra Simone: Sean is Zenny's MUCH OLDER brother's BFF :D; she's training to be a nun and asks him for sex lessons before she fully becomes a bride of Christ. So many "teach me daddy" moments it's so great.

Saint by Sierra Simone: And in an ironic twist of fate, Sean's brother Aiden dates, then breaks up with Sean's friend Elijah... who is also Zenny's brother. Now it's 5 years later, Aiden is a MONK and Elijah shows up engaged to a other man, ostensibly to write about trappist beer and they go on a European beer tour, together. Spoiler, cock cages and chastity are involved.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey: Georgie has always been in love with her older brother's friend Travis but he always saw her as an annoying little sister type. Now he's a washed up baseball player trying to get a commentating job that involves them fake dating to make him look "respectable" and to signal to the world Georgie is a big girl now lol.

The good thing about these books is that none of them do that obnoxious thing where they're all "your brother's gonna kill me" very much, but the age-gap ones lean into the taboo-ness more or less which is appreciated.

[hardcovernights]

I’m currently reading Alexandra Vasti‘s In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint and I cannot wait for her full length debut next year oh lord

Our mmc Ashford just got out the reading glasses for some light work and had to ("brutally"!!) pack them away again until further notice because Matilda would not stop staring at him. Just getting absolutely hot and bothered for this old man with his spectacles that she starts making him uncomfortable. Real

[elliepassmore]

Mirror of Beasts review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: portal fantasy, Arthurian legends, quests, found family

Silver in the Bone review

Big thanks to Netgalley, Knopf Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book opens exactly where Silver left off. Our main group is reeling from everything that happened in Avalon, and then are forced to deal with their unexpected visitor. Tamsin naturally has mixed emotions about the visitor, especially once it's revealed that 1) they're carrying surprising information, and 2) are about to pull their same old shit. Things quickly pick up as Death and the Wild Hunt begin prowling the mortal world and Tamsin and the others have to race to stop them. Like the first book, this is a very quest-oriented story and the characters have a clear end goal. That being said, there are a lot of curves in the road and more than one unexpected discovery.

In book 1 Tamsin had to learn how to open her heart to other people, and this book focuses a good deal on her learning to not close herself back off when things get rocky. She loves Neve, Cait, and Olwen, but she's also used to people leaving her and doubts sometimes that their bond is enough to sustain them. She has to choose optimism in this one, despite the fact that that's contrary to her nature. But as usual, once someone has gotten past her defenses, Tamsin will defend them to the end, and that includes fighting against her own pessimistic and anxiety-inducing thoughts. Despite this growth, Tamsin is still the funny and generally pessimistic person we grew to love in Silver.

Caitriona is dealing with a lot as a result of the fall of Avalon. Everything she had dedicated her life to is gone and that obviously leaves a mark on someone, especially someone who has fought as hard as Cait. We see her start down a somewhat dark path as anger and grief begin to take over. That being said, she is still fiercely protective of the group, particularly Olwen, and is determined to see Lord Death's end.

Cait and Tamsin are still the most similar to each other, and I liked seeing the moments when they leaned on one another because they knew their more optimistic counterparts might not understand. It was nice to see them having moments when they could rely on one another to understand their thoughts without having to explain.

Despite everything that's happened, Neve is still as sunny and optimistic as ever. She still sees the good in people, and the good in the sorceresses, though at the same time is protective of her friends and is willing to threaten people to protect them, even if the 'threat' is saying she'll send Tamsin or Cait after them. I like that Neve is able to bring brightness to the story and the group, and I do think her optimism is tinged with a little more realism now than it was in Silver.

Her and Tamsin have a strong bond, and I think it's helpful for Tamsin to have someone so naturally sunny to lean on. While Neve may not understand Tamsin the same way Cait does, she understands her in a different way and is able to help Tamsin see things from a different perspective. And speaking of Cait, I enjoyed seeing her and Neve's relationship develop beyond the hints in book 1. Cait is still wary of the sorceresses while Neve is hopeful about them, and while they may bicker about that, the two of them are past the initial antagonism and well into the kind of flirting a socially-awkward Cait can manage.

Olwen actually has a lot of off-page time in this book, but like Neve has maintained her relatively optimistic disposition. She's definitely weighed down somewhat by the grief of what happened in Avalon, and it's clear those events will haunt her for a long time. But she's also fascinated by the mortal world and is eager to explore it and learn more about her new home.

Emrys does turn back up pretty early on, though he's back to being his obnoxious self. To be fair, there's more going on behind the scenes than is initially clear (though imo it is clear that something is going on with him). We do get to learn a bit more about Emrys' past and his family life, which obviously isn't pretty. It was definitely interesting to see his relationship with Tamsin in this book vs. Silver, and he has a lot of making up to do before he can even hope to be on her good side, let alone the good side of her friends (Neve is especially pissed with him).

The main quest in this one is, obviously, stopping Lord Death. Like with Avalon, I did figure out what was going on fairly early on, but Bracken includes enough misdirection that at times I second-guessed myself. There was also still a lot that I didn't see coming and the plot revolves less around this 'mystery' and more around finding a tool/weapon that can stop Lord Death. The group also runs into trouble from various allies and enemies and enemies-turned-allies and people who don't quite fall into either category. There was a lot of really interesting things going on in this book and I loved it!

Overall this was a very satisfying conclusion to the duology and I think action scenes and character growth are well balanced. I definitely think there's potential for some novellas or a sequel story focusing on Neve + Cait or Olwen, and I would definitely be interested in reading those (and Bracken has done side-character novellas before, so it's possible!).

[marvelousgeeks]

Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley is a gorgeous, breathtakingly atmospheric debut that wraps readers in a cozy blanket from the first page to the last. It’s a story about renewed hope, the little moments that count the most, and healing. And it’s the kind of romance novel that’s achingly tender and scorchingly hot simultaneously.

Whether the reader has been to Edinburgh, Scotland or not, Kiley’s prose are so beautifully and transcendently immersive that you’re there in the Highlands with the characters. You’re walking through the gloomy, bitingly cold streets and can feel every ounce of the magic sprinkling from all the city’s edges. As someone who has been there, I felt like I was immediately transported back, and now I miss Scotland with a thousand fires in my soul. How Kiley works with the weather and the rich history that envelops every corner of the country is nothing short of brilliant. A tremendous amount of love is bursting through every page, which gorgeously translates into a lasting love letter to one of the most enchanting places in the world.

Continue Reading

[wornoutspines]

Gen V (S1 Review) | Dawn of the Villains?

#GenV came in with sophisticated commentary when I fully expected this to be a dumber version of #TheBoys with more gore and sex. #TVShowReview #PrimeVideo #TVSeries #Review

This spin-off was not something I wanted, I didn’t think it would be a good idea. As much as I trusted Evan Goldberg, Eric Kripke, and Craig Rosenberg – the show creators – I didn’t want it. Having Jaz Sinclair and Chance Perdomo, who I both loved in season one of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, cast in the show didn’t move the needle. Shelley Conn who I’ve seen in many projects at this…

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[lostxones]

Alexandra Sullivan

bio | playlist

[meeghanreads]

January 2025 TBR

Hello friends!! Welcome to my January 2025 TBR. A post where I will attempt to take my best guess at what I will feel like reading for the upcoming month. It’s a new year, and therefore a new me! Only joking. I will continue to be my usual mood reading pest. However, I would like to be *slightly* more accountable in 2025 about it. Partly because I enjoy ripping on myself. But also because I asked…

[starful02]

Life is wild sometimes. I made a small decision almost a year ago, based on a recommendation of one of the most positive individuals to ever grace my life so far, and I firmly believe that it has changed the course of my life. The decision was to sign up for a class about fantasy writing and publishing that my university was offering, which is the exact genre I so desperately want to have a career in (I want to be a writer you see). That fall I took the 8 week class and it happened to be taught by none other than the absolutely wonderful, utterly amazing fantasy author Alex Rowland (aka @ariaste). If you asked myself or any of my peers, we will happily tell you that this class was one of the comfiest, kindest, most encouraging academic experiences we have ever had and that it has changed our lives. Anyone who has taken at least one creative writing class in their life will tell you of the horrors that ruthlessly plague them and all sorts of traumatic incidents endured. This class was a soothing balm to a disheartened soul with trampled ambitions. You might be wondering where I'm going with this? Well, when you take a class with an author, they tend to gush rather happily about their work. It did not take long for me to know in my heart of hearts that I NEEDED to get my hands on Alex's latest book, A Taste of Gold and Iron (aka ATOGAI). And when I finally got the perfect chance to read it a little over a month ago, when I tell you, it was chapter five when I became undeniably aware that this book had snatched my heart and I would gladly let it have it for the rest of my life. If I hadn't already bought all of Alex's books on a strong hunch that I would absolutely, completely and utterly fall in love with ATOGAI, I would have definitely right after I finished that chapter. This is inarguably one of the best books I have ever read, checking all my boxes (including ones I didn't even know I had). I don't think it's possible to praise it enough because it deserves it all. The wait I endured before I could read it was so worth it and I will be forever grateful for the sheer chance that it and it's author entered into my life. It shattered my high expectations and I will never be the same and couldn't be happier about it. Now, I still have to read the other books that Alex has written (and I will savor them like a piece of the finest of desserts and I haven't the slightest doubt, despite that I tend to be more on the quiet side, I will be absolutely mouthing off about them to anyone who will listen), but I want to specifically highlight their upcoming book, Running Close to the Wind (aka RCW). Because I was in their class and a part of their Discord, I have been treated to several chapters of the book and I can very firmly tell you that you need this in your life. It's terribly funny, utterly vibrant, very queer, full of gremlin chaos and pirate shenanigans, all good and wonderful things, right? I knew I needed it in my life half way through Alex reading chapter two to us. It comes out in June of this year and I so highly recommend you give it a look see. You can read an excerpt in the link below!

And if you too decide that you need this book in your life, go preorder it and then come join a Discord full of awesome queer pocket people that are also terribly excited for this book to be in our hands! I will also be posting fanart of ATOGAI and RCW if you also want to keep an eye on this little habitat of mine. :) Either way, best wishes and happy reading!

[alley-cat777]

Book Review: The Resting Place by: Camilla Sten

Prosopagnosia, face blindness. It means my brain doesn’t process human faces the same way others’ do. I can’t recognize faces, so have to memorize distinguishing features instead. The Resting Place by: Camilla Sten Initial Thoughts: I am a translator by trade, and translated novels have always fascinated me. I often think about how the translator adapted the book from one language to the other.…

[triviareads]

Hello, sorry to bother, can you recommend historicals where the hero or heroine play an instrument? Or even don't play but like music

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard: Montcroix a cellist and there's an EXCELLENT scene where he's hard after watching Nève dance and he's trying to play his cello to exercise his frustrations but then she shows up and he proceeds to play her like a cello, vibrato and all.

Theory of Earls by Kathleen Ayers: Maggie plays the piano so stirringly that apparently it borders on wanton for her Victorian audience. The hero Tony is also a gifted pianist and this book features piano fingering, piano oral, and a ruination... on a piano.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing A Rake by Sarah MacLean: Ralston is secretly a great pianist and he's playing very angstily when Callie sneaks into his house to request that he give her her first kiss.

Patience by Lisa Valdez: Both Matthew and Patience are cellists, I think they duet at some point, and there's a this super hot scene where she's in his lap with her legs spread and they're both playing his cello which leads to more.

Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas: Helen is an accomplished pianist and plays for Rhys in the prior book while he's recovering from his injuries and he's *entranced*. In Marrying Winterborne, Rhys also tries to bribe her into sleeping with him by offering to buy her a new piano. It does work. Kind of.

An Island Princess Starts A Scandal by Adriana Herrera: I mean, they must enjoy the opera enough for Cora to go down on Manuela in their private box during a performance.

In Which Winnie Halifax is Utterly Ruined by Alexandra Vasti: Ditto for Spencer and Winnie ^^

And if you wanna read about endearingly shitty musicians, there's always the Smythe-Smith Quartet series by Julia Quinn.

EDIT:

M is for Marquess by Grace Callaway: Thea and Tremont first meet after she plays the piano and he's super stirred by it and he later admits he wanted to take her on said piano.

[crossbackpoke-check]

in love with your novels in the tags, they're so much fun to read - @softvikings

thank you!!! i have so much fun writing them and i love hearing that they bring other people joy as well, these are Our Tag Novels now 🥹💕🥰