#book reveiws

[ilikereadingactually]

Because Internet

Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch

i've been wanting to read this book for ages, and my instinct that i would enjoy it proved totally true. it's a book very much of its moment (it came out in summer 2019) and McCulloch knows and embraces that, and it was actually fascinating to read a few years after the fact because even in that short time, i can already see how internet language and my own informal language have continued to change.

according to the internet speech cohorts outlined in the early chapters of the book, i am a Full Internet Person, maybe a little bit on the cusp of Old Internet Person, and i haven't felt so specifically seen since that article about the Oregon Trail Generation. but everybody's in here, pre-internet, post-internet, you name it, and the book lays out language evolutions over these waves in fun and smart and readable ways. why do boomers use ... at the ends of their texts?? why did emojis catch on?? how do memes evolve??? why do multiple question marks and almost no capitalization feel different than if i wrote this like i was about to turn it in for a grade???? go forth and read to find out!

the deets

how i read it: i read this one as an ebook on Libby, which was deceptive because there were a lot of endnotes and back matter! it was a quick read, for nonfiction, which often goes slower for me.

a line i liked: tag yourself im "kept the same username for decades even"

Those who joined the internet to meet new people kept the same username across platforms for years, decades even, so that their internet friends could find them. But for the internet users who joined in order to hang out with people they already knew, screennames were a way of performing identity, rather than obscuring it: your username might honor a favorite band or movie quote, and could change a few months later as your pop cultural allegiances shifted.

try this if you: think linguistics is cool, are an Internet Person, or want to spend hours thinking about what your top emojis say about your emotional expression (maybe that's just me?)

[salembehindbars]

I would have never dropped her for being “too depressed”. She deserved better.

[gardenfeather-book-reviews]

"Compound Fracture" by Andrew Joseph White

Generations ago, Saint Abernathy was killed by having a railroad spike nailed through his throat by the Sheriff of Twisted Creek in West Virginia. His great great grandson, Miles Abernathy, is still fighting the bloodline feud left behind. Miles and his family have always lived in fear of the Davies family. Miles has been raised to always look over his shoulder, especially now being a transgender youth in the wake of the 2016 election. 

       After sending a coming out email to his parents, he attends a party with photographic evidence of how cruel the Davies really are. Photos that depict his friend's dead mom being pulled out of a burning car. He just needs permission from his friend to show them to the town. To expose the Davies once and for all.

       Walking home in the dark, he hears a noise. The Davis son and a group of friends ambush him, he ends the night in a hospital bed. After a few months of recovery and an accidental murder, his friend is ready to fight back, but not in the way Miles had planned.

        Yet again, I have fallen in love with an Andrew Joseph White book. Compound fracture is an amazing novel. The main character is complex and I loved listening to the ways he processed the world and his opinions. He gave me perspectives on belonging in your hometown that I had never thought of before. He feels a connection and obligation to where he came from, even if living there means that he lives in fear. 

        The book tells a powerful story about family history. Saint appears to Miles through the book and shows him that his past is not full of strangers, but family and people like him. People he should continue to fight for. Miles' opinions on the politics of the town and the power dynamics are nuanced and deep. Additionally, the diction in this book is incredible. It really sets the scene.

        I loved how connected all of the elements are. Every analogy and reference is connected to the overall “vibe” of the novel. The representation of the queer community, autism, disability, and a whole host of other things is incredible. I would highly recommend checking out Compound Fracture when it comes out on September 3rd.

[lionofstone]

BODYSHARE is a fantasy novella about Luke Milton, a recent college graduate and divorcee who makes a deal with the devil: in exchange for success in his musical career, he agrees to share his body.

BODYSHARE comes out in October, and the author (me!) is currently looking for ARC readers! If you’d be interested in receiving a digital ARC, you can APPLY HERE.

Here’s the full summary:

Luke Milton made a deal with the devil. Now, he's getting everything he ever wanted: musical opportunities, charting albums, world tours, and a thriving fanbase. The only cost? His body, which he now shares with the devil itself as it goes about its mysterious business. All in all, the tradeoff isn't too bad. He's also always wanted an intimate connection.

After both his college diploma and his divorce papers are signed, twenty-two-year-old Luke Milton is approached by the devil—an energetic force that's been present in one way or another for his whole life—who lauds him with praise for his musical skill and insists that it could help him further his career. When initial reviews of his EP are shaky, it doesn't take long before Luke is agreeing, even though the terms of the deal require him making space in his body for the devil the share.

Luke's career develops rapidly, and so does his relationship with the devil. As they work together through album releases and world tours, they become further and further intertwined, and Luke has to wonder if it's worth it.

[ID: The cover for the book BODYSHARE by Leandra Inglis. The cover is made to look like a music player, with album art, a track title, an artists name, a progress bar, and play/skip buttons. The album art features a burning polaroid picture of a boy with a guitar on a red background. The word “BODYSHARE” is written across the top. Where the track title and artists name would go, instead it reads Bodyshare - Leandra Inglis. END ID]

[slurping-up-grass]

Twinks and Sex Workers in 19th century wartime literature

(if this is of interest to you)

So I'm sure we've all heard of Dorian Gay *gray*- I hated that shit, too many descriptions of flowers, not enough evil satanic sensual not-so-heterosexual romance for my tastes.

This academic year, the school has decided that I should read Maupassant's Boule de Suif, a book set just after the french defeat in the Franco-Prussian war of 1871, where France is still being occupied by German soldiers.

The author himself fought in the war and has much to say from this experience, but as we stumble into the second chapter, we find ourselves face to face with "Mademoiselle Fifi", who, as a non native French speaker, took me a beat to comprehend is a male, German, second lieutenant so twinkish in attitude and physique that his comrades have nicknamed him "Little Miss Fifi".

French is a strictly gender-binary language, and Maupassant consistently refers to Mr Mme Fifi with feminine pronouns and conjugation, which is quite an incredible level of gender-bending for his time period, considering that the language requires you to specify far more frequently than in English the gender of the person you are talking about, and Maupassant narrates "woman".

Our introduction to this character is remeniscent of other notable twinks-

Hamilton:🎵peach fuzz and he can't even grow it🎵

Mme Fifi: "pale face where her burgeoning moustache was barely visible"

And continues:

Dorian Gray "made a little moue of discontent to Lord Henry, to whom he had rather taken a fancy"

Mme Fifi "had taken up the habit of expressing her sovreign discontent towards people and things"

-basically, the common thread is cuntiness.

Maupassant fixates on Mme Fifi's teeny-weeny baby white waist for a little bit too long and we begin to wonder what might have really motivated him to drop out of law school to join the big manly war of 1781.

The men decide that they need some good prostitutes for their party, and Maupassant notes that "Mme Fifi" "herself" seemed "out of place". She is very uncomfortable, sitting up and down in her chair and decides she wants to break something, so stands up and shoots a painting of a woman with a moustache, you know, like the moustache he is too "coquette🎀"* to grow? *feminine

So after Frankenfurter reminds everyone that this is his god-damed rocky-horror gay-ass castle and he gets uncomfy when people put women in it, they all go to the castle museum where Fifi begins happily stimming and clapping her hands because they are going to play her favourite game "making faces".

She created this game after her meanie superior officers refused to "Ding-don-don" the churchbells for entertainment even after she tried "pussycat manners, womanly cajolery, and soft whispers of a mistress hysterical with desire" to persuade them.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO CREATE A MORE CAMP CHARACTER?

Sidepoint- a consistent theme that redevelops here is whether french "women of pleasure" should feel guilty for betraying their country by sleeping with German occupying soldiers, or whether this is just a service they sell to survive (the prostitutes reassure eachother that it is just their job and they shouldn't feel guilty.)

"It's the job that wants that"

They don't desire the soldiers, the separate entity that is their employment does.

The women get put in size order and the smallest woman (Rachel) is given to Fifi, the twinkiest man.

He then blows smoke in her mouth, which is pretty gross, but she doesn't voice her anger. We get the impression he is either freaky, or really not into women because instead of engaging in traditional pleasure, he enjoys pinching her to make her shout, then making out with her and randomly biting her to make her bleed.

He looks her in the eyes and reminds her he is paying to be able to do whatever he likes to her.

The men begin toasting the things they own and include in this The Women of France. Rachel cannot help but correct:

"Me! Me! I am not a woman, I am a whore; that is absolutely all we have given to the Prussians."

-she breaks the illusion of desire, this is a job to her

He slaps her. She stabs him. FIFI DIES. The women are locked up. There is disorder and Rachel escapes. The soldiers are punished for forgetting the aims of the war and exploiting their position with prostitutes. Rachel hides in the church, which is sacred ground the soldiers cannot enter, and is remembered as a hero after the occupation.

So yeah, patriotic prostitutes and crazy, jealous twinks🌈

I am fully convinced that nobody will ever read this @strange-aeons

[cluepoke-archive]

Don't underestimate the power of an aroace autistic ignoring whole pieces of plot and story in books as a kid

[the-void-within-the-form]

congratulations to They Both Die At The End for being the first book to make me cry

I got it that day at a bookstore along with two other books (Most Ardently & I’m Not Dying With You Tonight). I read all of them the same day because I’m silly & a fast reader.

I had heard of the book before but I had never gone too in it up until now, and I’m extremely glad I did. I tend to just read through books and not feel anything much but this book was gut wrenching. I wasn’t in the most positive mood when I started so that might have affected my reaction but I also got immersed in Silvera’s writing style, story, and characters.

Even before it got very sad, I was bawling my eyes out. Just the whole bittersweet atmosphere of the book, the development of Mateo and Rufus’s relationship, the background characters and the multiple POVs make the world of TBDATE feel lived in and more realistic. The last of what I’ve listed being one of my highlights of the book.

The romance between Mateo and Rufus was slightly unexpected to me, not because I couldn’t see it, just because I wasn’t sure Silvera would go though with it. This was my first time reading a work by him though and judging by people talking about his other works, queer relationships are a common thread in Adam’s stories. If I have the opportunity, I’ll definitely have to grab another book by him.

I’ve mostly gravitated towards the fantasy and mystery genres which generally don’t move me emotionally as much. I think what made this book connect with me was the real life setting and more realistic and natural story. I live on Long Island, so NYC is pretty close to me and I guess that made the story his closer to home. Hearing Jones Beach be mentioned was a super silly jumpscare.

anyways it’s definitely one of my favorites and I will be rereading often. Go read it too if you’d like

[llycaons]

reminds me of the insufferable hosts of that podcast who said 'torture should NEVER be shown onscreen' well have they considered sometimes something really awful needs to be depicted in order for a plotline to work. go read tgcf!!!

[diabolical-in-disguise]

My book Diabolical in Disguise: A True Story Of Resilience is out now! I’m so excited and nervous at the same time!

[wordshurtme5305]

WHM book review

TW: violence, gore, horror, child abuse, genocide, racism, sexism, ableism and sexual assault

(spoiler free)

Last week I had the pleasure of reading Cormac McCarthy's . . .

Blood Meridian.

The story follows a fourteen year old boy who ran away from his abusive home, wandering aimlessly and fighting men for a while he then joins a group of scalp hunters that are contracted by the Mexican government.

The vivid and visceral writing of the story puts you in this primal world of violence and hate as you're described how men are disemboweled and scalped, with every bloody detail.

Ultimately - I would give blood meridian an absolute ⭐⭐⭐⭐ of 5 for its great writing and horror

(I'm sorry I never came back to review Starship Troopers but I swear more book reviews will come)

[yippeecheapdvds]

This week i read "Warriors Graphic Novel: the Prophecies Begin Volume 1" by Erin Hunter, Natalie Reiss and Sara Goetter. Xenofiction/Adventure. Published 2024

I thought this was pretty good. I like the artwork, the character designs are charming and appealing with their sparkely eyes and big toothy mouths. Nether to cute nor to scary. i like the designs of each character individually as well, all the main characters are recognizable, and I especially like the way they did Yellowfang, Longtail and Tigerclaw. the page layouts were good, and the colors were gorgeous, omg. I don't think I've ever read a graphic novel that used color this well. it's very vivid and fits the tone well.

The story covers the first two books of the first series (Into the Wild & Fire and Ice). I thought they did a good job adapting the story, simplifying the dialogue, swapping a few things around and cutting some of the details to make the story flow better in a comic structure.

Exited to read the rest of the graphic novel adaptations when they come out, and see how they handle the more extreme violence in the later half of the series.

8/10

[greenb0i]

July 2023

It was my britday month and I watched a lot of flims like always. Also yes, barbie is the reason this month is so late. I have a lot of thought that i dont really know how to express.

Flims

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) Dir. Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, Kemp Powers

Yes I watched it agine. It still amazing, and i feel like seeing on the big screen adds to the whole thing much more. This is literally the only movie I've seen twice in cinama, and it's so worth it. It weirdly felt quicker to watch, but i think because I knew what i was expecting. But it's still so good. Especially, the ending crdits. I love how they look and how they symobolise every event in the movie. 10/10

Nimona (2023) Dir. Troy Quane, Nick Bruno

I watched this movie hungover and by god it was fucking great. It one of those movie that haven't stop thinking about (at the time of writing this) I just love thinking about the charaters and what they mean to each other, and the theme, and how the movie can explore so much and mean so many different things to different people. I also love the character design as well, and how imo, impove the desgins from the comic. Idk, it just one of those things that make me want to create my own stories 9/10

Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021) Dir. Kyohei Ishiguro

I remember i started this movie when it came out, got like 20 minents into it and i just wasn't into it. Anyway, I restarted it and ended up sobbing like a baby. Frist things first, i adore the colours, that what drew me to the movie in the first place aswell as how the movie animated. Idk, I'm not an expert, but the way the characters move just looked so nice and smooth . I don't know what extaly affected me, i think it has to with the exploration frist love?? idk. Like i said, im still not compltye sure. 8/10

The Report (2019) Dir. Scott Z. Burns

death2American. But ya i just felt so annoyed watching this movie. The movie itself was good, i like a lot of the acting and felt like they are a very cohersive story, dispit it taking place over a good few years and have a lot of movie parts. But ya, I feel annyed and angry that so about what some of the people did and never face any repercussions to what happened. But overall, heavy but interesting movie (7/10)

In the Heights (2021) Dir. Jon M. Chu

I really like this movie. I remember when it came out, i was so hyped, i just kept watching the first song over and over again. And i still think it is such a good movie, i love most of the song, esaliy abula song. Everything about that whole song was amazing and started crying during it. It just one of those movies that i forget about, but I love rewatching. (8/10)

Barbie (2023) Dir. Greta Gerwig

I really loved this movie. I saw it twice. It just a movie that i found so fun. Like everyone, i love the costume and the sets and just everything thing about the movie. I love the massage behind it, but at the same time, i feel like there is so much more it could say. It's a movie that i feel like i make me want to read more into feminism movement to see why some poeple dislike the movie (not for the stupit reasons, but the valid ones) with what it has to say about gender. Overall, I would say I really like it, and it probably gonna be a movie. I come back to watch over and over again, and my opinion will probably change the move I watch it (7/10)

Books

Biography Of X by Catherine Lacey

I ughh I really like this book. It was just so interesting to read about this fictionalised artist and this alternative version of history. It felt like it could be something that was real, and I think that due to how the well the auther blend and changed history in small or massive ways. It just so good, I love all the character who apper, the obsession of it, the explore of love and unhealthy relationships. God damnit I could write so much about this book, but then ill be spoiling it 4/5

Songs I love

Bug like an angle-Mitski

Rush- Troye Sivan

Malmo-Mook

Pulp-Lime Garden

Wishing Well-Screaming Females

[gardenfeather-book-reviews]

"Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" by Rebecca Thorne

 Kianthe and Reyna just want to run off and open a book and tea shop. But, Reyna is a guard for a selfish and murderous queen. And Kianthe is the Arcandor, the most powerful mage in the world. So, their relationship must stay secret. 

       But when someone attempts to assassinate the queen and Reyne ends up injured, they both agree that it is time to fulfill their dreams. They run off to the town of Tawny, where they open their cozy shop. But the town lies next to Dragon Country, and the queen's spies might catch Reyna at any minute.

       This novel is so cozy. Even though the stake felt very real, it was also very peaceful. The world building is incredible. The way Thorne introduces the magic and tells us how it works is a perfect balance of giving us enough information when we need it without info dumping. The magic system made perfect sense. 

       The characters only add to the warm vibe. The book shifts between the perspective of Reyne and Kianthe. Both of their voices are incredibly unique. 

        This book had a delicately crafted plot while still encapsulating the queer dream to run off with your partner and open a book/ tea shop. This book was the perfect cozy story.

[certifiedteaenthusiast]

Just finished Babel 😃. Ima just need a minute-

[punki-miltonia]

Ten Word Book Reviews: The Maidens

All the possibility, none taken; inauthentic, vapid; left wanting more

[crudelobotomiser]

Two men being enemies is inherently homoerotic. Like you wanna penetrate a MAN with your “sword”? You want to shoot a load of “lead” into a DUDE??? Ok buddy, as long as he’s into it too