#nicole mones

[thebryanandsilvergarbage]

The 2024 Silver Garbage Award Winners

September 14

Worst New Series: The Girls on the Bus (Max) The Golden Bachelor (ABC) Good Times (Netflix) Parish (AMC+) The Spiderwick Chronicles (Roku)

Worst Comedy Series: And Just Like That (Max) Good Times (Netflix) How I Met Your Father (Hulu) Tires (Netflix) Velma (Max)

Worst Drama Series: The Girls on the Bus (Max) The Idol (Max) Magnum P.I. (NBC) Parish (AMC+) The Spiderwick Chronicles (Roku)

Worst Special Class Program: All The Light We Cannot See (Netflix) Apples Must Fall (Peacock) The Golden Wedding (ABC) A Man In Full (Netflix) Secret Invasion (Netflix) 

Worst Reality Program: The Family Stallone (Paramount Plus) The Golden Bachelor (ABC) Jersey Shore: Family Vacation (MTV) The Kardashians (Hulu)

Worst Spin-Off, Reboot, or Revival: Frasier (Paramount Plus) - Revival of the Award Winning 1990s Sitcom The Golden Bachelor (ABC) - Spin-Off of The Bachelor Franchise The Golden Wedding (ABC) - Sequel to The Golden Bachelor: Season 1 Good Times (Max) - Animated Reboot of 1970s Sitcom Parish (AMC+) - Americanized Reboot of British Series “The Driver” Secret Invasion (Netflix) - Latest Chapter in the Marvel Universe

Worst Performance by a Cast of a Program*: And Just Like That (MAX) The Golden Bachelor (ABC) How I Met Your Father (Hulu) Jersey Shore: Family Vacation (MTV) The Kardashians (Hulu) Magnum P.I. (NBC) * - Only actors that are 21 and older and have appeared in 50 percent of the eligibility period episodes are included in this category.

Worst Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Hilary Duff - How I Met Your Father (Hulu) Mindy Kaling - Velma (Max) Sarah Jessica Parker - And Just Like That (Max) Miranda Richardson - Good Omens (Prime Video) Gina Rodriguez - Not Dead Yet (ABC)

Worst Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Max Burkholder - Ted (Peacock) Jon Cryer - Extended Family (NBC) Kelsey Grammer - Frasier (Paramount Plus) Dule Hill - The Wonder Years (ABC) Jay Pharoah - Good Times (Netflix)

Worst Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Caitlin Bassett - Quantum Leap (NBC) Melissa Benoist - The Girls on the Bus (Max) Lily Rose Depp - The Idol (Max) Paula Newsome - CSI: Vegas (CBS) Perdita Weeks - Magnum P.I. (NBC) 

Worst Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Matt Lauria - CSI: Vegas (CBS) Raymond Lee - Quantum Leap (NBC) Jay Rodriguez - Magnum P.I. (NBC) Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye - The Idol (Max) Gerry Turner - The Golden Bachelor (ABC) 

Worst Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Lauren Ash - Not Dead Yet (ABC) Kim Cattrall - How I Met Your Father (Hulu) Kristin Davis - And Just Like That (Max) India de Beaufort - Night Court (NBC) Cynthia Nixon - And Just Like That (Max) Nicole Ari Parker - And Just Like That (Max)

Worst Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Tom Ainsley - How I Met Your Father (Hulu) Jack Cutmore-Scott - Frasier (Paramount Plus) Donald Faison - Extended Family (NBC) Brad Garrett - Not Dead Yet (ABC) Christopher Lowell - How I Met Your Father (Hulu) Surej Sharma - How I Met Your Father (Hulu)

Worst Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Christina Elmore - The Girls on the Bus (Max) Carla Gugino - The Girls on the Bus (Max) Amy Hill - Magnum P.I. (NBC) Paula Malcomson - Parish (AMC+) Rose Jackson Smith - The Girls on the Bus (Max) Danielle Mone Truitt - Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC)

Worst Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Mark Consuelos - The Girls on the Bus (Max) Griffin Dunne - The Girls on the Bus (Max) Jesse Palmer - The Golden Bachelor (ABC) Stephen Hill - Magnum P.I. (NBC) Zachary Knighton - Magnum P.I. (NBC) Brandon Scott - The Girls on the Bus (Max) 

Worst Guest Performer in a Comedy Series: James Adomian - Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) John Corbett - And Just Like That (Max) Whitney Cummings - Physical (Apple+) Pete Davidson - Saturday Night Live (NBC) Lori Loughlin - Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO/Max) 

Worst Guest Performer in a Drama Series: Rhys Coiro - The Spiderwick Chronicles (Roku) Max Darwin - The Girls on the Bus (Max) Joanna Gleason - The Girls on the Bus (Max) Stephen Lang - Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC) Yara Martinez - Chicago P.D. (NBC) 

Worst Special Class Lead Performer: Candace Cameron Bure - My Christmas Hero (Hallmark) Jeff Daniels - A Man in Full (Netflix) Morgan Fairchild - Ladies of the ‘80s: A Diva Christmas (Lifetime) Jamie Lynn Spears - Zoey 102 (Disney+) Gerry Turner - The Golden Wedding (ABC)

Worst Special Class Supporting Performer: John Cena - Ricky Stanicky (Prime Video) Jim Gaffigan - Unfrosted (Peacock) Kim Kardashian - American Horror Story: Delicate (F/X) Lucy Liu - A Man in Full (Netflix) Tom Pelphrey - A Man in Full (Netflix) Trista and Ryan Sutter - The Golden Wedding (ABC)

Worst Screen Couple: AND JUST LIKE THAT - Sara Ramirez & Cynthia Nixon (Max) THE GOLDEN BACHELOR - Gerry Turner & Theresa Nist (ABC) THE IDOL - Lily-Rose Depp & Abel Tesfaye (Max) MAGNUM P.I. - Jay Rodriguez & Perdita Weeks (NBC) TED - Max Burkholder & Ted (Peacock)

Worst Writing in a Comedy: And Just Like That (Max) Frasier (Paramount Plus) Good Times (Netflix) How I Met Your Father (Hulu) Night Court (NBC) Velma (Max)

Worst Directing in a Comedy: And Just Like That (Max) Extended Family (NBC) Good Times (Netflix) How I Met Your Father (Hulu) Not Dead Yet (ABC) Worst Writing in a Drama: The Girls on the Bus (Max) Gotham Knights (The CW) The Idol (Max) Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC) Magnum P.I. (NBC) Worst Directing in a Drama: Chicago (Insert Series Here)/One Chicago (NBC) The Girls on the Bus (Max) Gotham Knights (The CW) The Idol (HBO) Magnum P.I. (NBC) The Spiderwick Chronicles (Roku)

Worst Special Class Writing: Apples Must Fall (Peacock) A Man in Full (Netflix) Mary & George (Starz) Ricky Stanicky (Prime Video) Secret Invasion (Netflix)

Worst Special Class Directing: Alice & Jack (PBS) Apples Must Fall (Peacock) The Golden Wedding (ABC) A Man in Full (Netflix) Secret Invasion (Netflix) 

[epicurioushippo]

11.05.2023 - Wok and Roll: Celebrating National Chinese Takeout Day

Image by Freepik “Chinese food tries to engage the mind, not just the palate. To provoke the intellect.” Nicole Mones Prepare your taste buds for a culinary adventure as we celebrate National Chinese Takeout Day! On this delightful occasion, food enthusiasts across the nation indulge in the rich flavors, aromatic spices, and diverse dishes of Chinese cuisine, all within the comfort of their…

[hannahdakotafanningth]

❖ บริษัท Lewellen Pictures

บริษัท​ของสองสาว จะร่วมกับสตูดิโอ A24, คุณเดวิด อี. เคลลีย์ และคุณนิโคล คิดแมน สร้างซีรี่ส์​จากนิยายเรื่อง Margo’s Got Money Troubles ของคุณรูฟี่ ธอร์ปค่ะ

เรื่องย่อของนิยาย Margo’s Got Money Troubles:

นิยายเล่าเรื่องของมาร์โก้ มิลเลต ลูกสาวของสาวเชียร์เบียร์และอดีตนักมวยปล้ำ โดยหลังจากที่เธอลอบมีความสัมพันธ์​กับอาจารย์​ที่วิทยาลัย​อาชีพของเธอจนตั้งท้อง มาร์โก้จึงหันมาเริ่มใช้แพลตฟอร์ม​ OnlyFans ในการหารายได้ จากนั้นเธอก็ได้กลับมาพูดคุยกับคุณพ่อที่ห่างเหินกันไปอีกครั้ง ซึ่งคุณพ่อก็ได้บอกเล่าข้อคิดที่เขาได้รับจากการใช้ชีวิตในวงการมวยปล้ำ​ให้เธอฟัง ต่อมามาร์โก้ก็ประสบความสำเร็จ​อย่างยิ่ง​ใหญ่​บนแพลตฟอร์ม​ OnlyFans​

[ghoulierstudio]

Sometimes when I encounter people, it’s like wow some people have no imagination

Living 3 dimensionally? No thanks.

- there was that time I told my mom about a book I was reading (A Cup of Light by Nicole Mones) & she was like ‘you read a whole book about cups?’ (Tsk tsk - Silly daughter) And I was shocked because obviously, ‘the cups held literal & allegorical nuance & as both an appraiser/collector the character walked the line of a hoarder tying back to the symbolism - what she holds on to, what & why she values it the habitual seeking & finding- a job that’s the manifestation of her personal neurosis, inner turmoil & trauma -cognition) .

😑 Surface dwellers

[thegridnetwork]

Lost in Translation | Review

Introduction

I had no intention to read this book when I first came across it. I was in the basement of the library where I am employed and saw a title by Nicole Mones called The Last Chinese Chef. Beside it lay the novel I would eventually choose as the first book for my club. I passed it over approximately three times before eventually deciding to pluck it from the shelf and read the synopsis. The story seemed interesting enough: a woman in her mid-thirties is struggling with self-identity and self-acceptance and finds herself in the middle of China as a translator for an archeologist. During this time, she is forced to come to terms with her reality and has to learn to accept things as they are instead ignoring them. I consider this sort of subject matter a late coming of age story. A person has to overcome the changes within themselves and the world around them in order to unlock their true potential. It seemed like a quick and easy read, so I tucked the book under my arm and carried upstairs to check out. Never would I have expected to have enjoyed the novel as much as I did.

Nicole Mones paints a beautiful image of Modern China. She details the heavy traffic, the bustle of people cycling to their destinations, and the excitement of the nightlife. We’re immediately introduced to our main character, Alice Mannegan. She’s a fiery redhead in her mid-thirties who is on her way to meet a man at a bar. She’s expressed to be very cut-and-dry despite having a multitude of thoughts and opinions. As the opening chapter progresses, we learn that she partakes in frivolous nights with men she never plans on seeing a second time. At first glance, the reader gathers that Alice is a single woman enjoying her fleeting youth. We learn she is a freelance translator, having studied Chinese at Rice. We also discover that she never uses her given name, rather her first personal introduction is with a pseudonym. Alice’s sexual pseudonym differs from her professional one of Mo Ai Li. When I read this, I automatically questioned why she felt the need to hide her true identity. Despite being thousands of miles from the United States, Alice carries a fear with her of her homeland. She is the daughter of a high-ranking politician named Horace Mannegan who is renowned for his bigotry and a speech he made when Alice was a young girl. The speech in question was in response to a tragic event that took place at a church where a group of young girls, presumably non-white, were killed. Alice was the subject of Horace’s speech as she tried to display sympathy for the families of the tragedy. However, Alice became known as the girl from the speech and was haunted by the ghost of her father’s ignorance and hatred until the day she left for China. Mones paints a beautiful picture of self-denial and discovery with Alice and the reader is able to experience her growth as Alice meets new people and develops new bonds.

Alice as Mo Ai Li

Alice Mannegan may seem self assured on paper, but in reality she is a walking ball of self-doubt and anxiety. As I read Lost in Translation, I quickly understood why Nicole Mones would title a book this. Alice is a very relatable character. She is woman who is determined to reinvent herself and break free from the trauma of her past. Her methods are nontraditional and her execution is fatal, but her determination is relentless. Alice firstly struggles with her self image. She hides her true identity of being a Mannegan by adopting a Chinese name and assimilating into Chinese culture. Throughout the novel, Alice is constantly reminded by friends, associates, and random people she encounters that she is not Chinese. Alice participates in old Chinese mourning customs when a close friend passes away and is judged for doing so, seeing as she is a white American who is desperately trying to force herself into believing she can change. As a Black woman who has very strong opinions on race relations, reading Alice’s struggle made me cringe. Her portrayal as Mo Ai Li is one of true self-hatred that, for once, doesn’t come from a disdain for her own skin color. In fact, Alice’s self-hatred is a defense tactic as well as an act of rebellion against her father.

It is revealed early on in the story that Alice’s mother died when she was very young, leaving just her and her father. Alice points out her father’s violent racism many times throughout the novel. One of the most moving moments where Alice confronts her father’s beliefs is in a flashback. Alice tells the reader a story of the life she almost had while living in China for the first few years. She had met a man by the name of Jian and the two had fallen in love. They were beginning to speak of marriage, which led Alice to request the blessing of her father. Upon learning that his daughter was to marry a Chinese man, Horace flew to China and met with his child. The conversation was tough and honestly, difficult to read. Horace’s very blatant criticism of his daughter’s choices made me feel as if I were Alice. I felt sorry for her as her father gave her the ultimatum of staying single or being disowned. Alice, not wanting to lose the only family she has, chose to end things with Jian. The heartbreak she experienced then aided in her disdain towards her father and eventually, towards herself. Alice expresses regret at allowing her father to control her and persuade her to not marry Jian. She questions why she didn’t push back harder and shames herself for valuing her father’s opinion. Her relationship with Jian ends on a bad note, with him believing she did not truly love him considering she didn’t fight harder for them to be together despite also being an advocate for her to respect her father’s wishes. In the years that follow, Alice only participates in meaningless sex. Most Chinese men fetishize foreigners and Alice capitalized on this behavior, while also feeling immense dread that she may be wasting her thirties.

As Mo Ai Li, Alice hides her otherness by cosplaying as a Chinese woman. She has deep respect for Chinese culture, which is seen in every interaction she has with the people who live there. However, toward the climax of the book, it is discovered that the people around her aren’t critical simply because she is doing everything she can to erase her American heritage and her ties to her father. They’re upset with her because she is being inauthentic. She cannot be Mo Ai Li and Alice because Mo Ai Li is not a real person, she’s a facade.

Mo Ai Li as Alice

While she is an alter-ego, Mo Ai Li is probably the most authentic version of ALice we see in the novel. She is an ace translator, an extremely knowledgeable woman, and is very business oriented. She is professional and does her best to contribute to the job she’s assigned to. As the novel peaks, Mo Ai Li is shown to be highly reasonable and doesn't do anything without at least thinking about it first. Alice, however, is impulsive. This can be seen with Alice’s decision to make Jian’s deceased mother her ancestor. She participates in an Ancient Chinese mourning ritual and is criticized by a peer for doing so. It is an impulsive decision rooted in her desire to separate herself from her father. In the end, Alice is able to reconcile Mo Ai Li and her true self, although it takes her world caving in for this to happen.

Alice Mannegan is Horace Mannegan’s Daughter

Alice has a terse and estranged relationship with her father, Horace. She refuses to call him “dad” or “father”, relying on the use of his first name. Her desperation to no longer be perceived as “Alice from the speech” and ���Horace’s daughter” is exemplified throughout the entirety of the novel. It is the basis for her forced cultural assimilation and for her dysmorphia. She is unsure who Alice Mannegan is outside of her trauma. She feels she does not belong to herself when she is Alice. Instead, she is her father’s daughter who is expected to share the same close-minded views as him. Alice wants so desperately to be her own person, she forgets to reclaim her power. As Mo Ai Li, Alice hides behind the idea that if she speaks perfect Chinese and studies the culture, she could become someone new. As Yulian, she is an American expat who has donned an exotic name in order to seduce men and feel wanted. As Alice, she is an American with more baggage than she can carry. During her job translating for an archeologist, she falls in love with a man named Lin. Dr. Lin is a Chinese man dealing with his own heartbreak but finds solace in the woman he comes to know as Mo Alice. Alice and Lin’s relationship is shallow at first but eventually blossoms into something more. However, Lin and Alice fall into a disagreement after it is discovered that Alice hired a private investigator to help Lin find evidence of his deceased wife. This argument led to Lin calling Alice out for her characterization of Chinese culture and her weaponizing it against herself. Alice realizes that she cannot erase who she is by blending into a new society. Instead, she must reconcile her trauma and forgive her father in order to heal and grow into the person she wants to be. Lin and Alice end their affair with loose promises to wait for the other, and Alice leaves for Washington D.C., where Horace works. She learned her father has late stage prostate cancer prior to her argument with Lin and had made preparations to leave. The novel ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Alice leaves for the U.S. and we learn nothing of how she reconciled with her father or if she was ever able to return to China and be with Lin. It simply ends with her getting on her flight.

Conclusion

Lost in Translation by Nicole Mones is a beautiful story of self-discovery and falling in love with who you are. I enjoyed Alice’s journey from anger and resentment to understanding. I avoided conversation on the other characters beyond Horace, Jian, and Lin because I wanted to center my review on Alice’s internal struggle. These three people had the most effect on Alice and her perception of herself. Mones did a fantastic job of curating a character so honest and relatable. Alice has joined the list as one of my favorite female characters. I felt connected to her in some ways, having experienced similar events in my life. I highly recommend this book. If I were to rate it, I’d give it ⅘ stars. I’d love to read your commentary on this novel. What stuck out the most to you?

[weirdesplinder]

Romanzi cinesi o dal sapore cinese

Sull’onda dei precedenti post dedicati ai romanzi dal sapore giapponese e coreano, ecco una piccola lista di romanzi cinesi o ambientati in Cina che reputo interessanti e voglio segnalarvi.

Nella terra dei peschi in fiore, di Melissa Fu

Link: https://www.amazon.it/Nella-terra-dei-peschi-fiore-ebook/dp/B09V7RXNFS/

Trama:  Cina, 1938. La guerra contro i giapponesi le ha già strappato il marito,  e adesso minaccia di toglierle tutto. Con la città in fiamme, Meilin  capisce di non avere scelta: per salvare Renshu, suo figlio di quattro  anni, deve scappare da Changsha e abbandonare il negozio di antichità di  famiglia. È l'inizio di una fuga che sembra non avere mai fine, fatta  di marce sfiancanti nelle campagne contese da comunisti e nazionalisti –  dove anche un semplice gesto di pietà può portare alla morte –, e  tentativi di crearsi una nuova vita nelle città martoriate dai  bombardamenti. Come unico ricordo e legame con tutto ciò che hanno  perduto, un prezioso rotolo di seta su cui sono illustrate fiabe e  leggende tradizionali cinesi. Ed è grazie a quel rotolo che madre e  figlio sopravvivranno. Prima con la forza delle storie raffigurate, che  Meilin racconta a Renshu nei momenti più duri per infondergli speranza e  fiducia nel futuro, e poi come moneta di scambio per ottenere due  biglietti per Taiwan. Ma quelle storie saranno il filo che continuerà a  unirli ancora tanti anni dopo.

L’albergo della sesta felicità, di Alan Burgess

Link: https://www.amazon.it/Lalbergo-della-sesta-felicita-Burgess/dp/B00LVXQ8LK/

Trama: da questo libro fu tratto il film La locanda della ssta felicità con Ingrid Bergman.E’ la  biografia romanzata di Gladys Aylward, missionaria in Cina, realmente esistita, e per niente  somigliante ad Ingrid Bergman, era una donna piccola e mora, che infatti  i cinesi avevano sopranominato Piccola donna. Gladys era di bassa estrazione  sociale e nata a Londra, e fin da piccola sognava di andare  come Missionaria in Cina, ma  le missioni però non la  ritenevano qualificata vista la sua mancanza di studi. Così lei risparmiò e  con quei risparmi partì sola per la Cina attraverso la Siberia. Un  viaggio terribile e lunghissimo.In cina poi collaborò con la  missionaria Lawson, acquisto la cittadinanza cinese e fu molto amata dai  cinesi, e durante l'invasione giapponese riuscì a portare in salvo  atraverso le montagne 100 orfani benchè lei stessa fisse stata ferita.Non  si sposò mai e a causa della guerra nel 1948 dovette tornare in  Inghilterra, tentò poi nel 1958 a tornare in Cina ma il governo  Comunista glielo impedì perciò ando a Taiwan e lì fondò un orfanotrofio  che curò fino alla sua morte.Il film aggiunge romanticismo, dove  si presuppone non ve ne sia mai stato, e io credo abbia fatto bene,  poichè un film così impegnato aveva bisogno anche di una certa  leggerezza per funzionare al botteghino, e pur con tutti i suoi limiti  ha controbuito a rendere famosa la figura di una donna valorosa che  altrimenti rischiava di restare nell'ombra.

Frasi tratte dal libro: Una vita tracciata è una vita chiusa, può essere sopportata, ma non vissuta. I  cinesi si augurano le 5 felicità: Longevità, Salute, Ricchezza, Dignità  e una buona Morte, qual è la sesta? Quella che ognuno trova dentro di  sè.

L’ultimo chef cinese, di Nicole Mones

Link: https://www.amazon.it/Lultimo-chef-cinese-Nicole-Mones-ebook/dp/B019IPN3S8/

Trama: Maggie è appena arrivata a Pechino, davanti alla casa del giovane chef  che ha deciso di intervistare per la rivista americana di gastronomia  con la quale collabora. La casa ha il tipico aspetto degli edifici  cinesi in stile antico: una costruzione bassa, con un portone rosso di  legno massiccio, che dà su un lago lungo e stretto, fiancheggiato da  alberi. Un paesaggio completamente diverso dal porto di Marina, in  California, dove Maggie è andata a vi-vere su una barca, e dove è  riuscita a ritrovare un suo equilibrio, dopo il tragico incidente che è  costato la vita a Matt, suo marito. Un equilibrio, tuttavia, decisamente  turbato dalla telefonata di qualche giorno fa di Carey. Ex  colla-boratore di Matt nel suo studio legale a Pechino, Carey le ha  comunicato, con un freddo tono giuridico, che nelle aule del tribunale  della capitale cinese giace un’istanza legale in cui una donna sostiene  che Matt è il padre della sua bambina. Maggie ha impiegato del tempo per  riaversi dalla sorpresa, poi ha deciso di prendere il primo volo per  Pechino per appurare la verità. Una volta in terra cinese, per non  macerarsi in una snervante attesa del test di paternità, ha pensato che  non c’era niente di meglio che offrire ai lettori di Table un servizio  finalmente diverso dalle solite litanie sulla cucina popolare americana:  il ritratto di Sam Liang, giovane chef emergente, per metà americano e  per l’altra metà cinese, erede diretto della scuola tradizionalista di  Liang Wei, autore del celebre trattato intitolato L’ultimo chef cinese.  Quando Maggie bussa al portone di casa Liang, dopo aver sentito dei  passi risuonare sul ghiaino, si trova al cospetto di un giovane uomo  affascinante, dagli zigomi pronunciati e dai capelli neri e lisci  raccolti a coda di cavallo. Ma quello che le toglie il fiato è il regno  di quell’antica casa: una cucina organizzata in modo stupe-facente. Ogni  centimetro delle pareti è coperto di mensole, con sopra ciotole,  contenitori, bottiglie e vasetti pieni di ogni tipo di salsa e spezie.  Al centro, poi, troneggia un magnifico bancone a isola, con sopra tre  lucide sezioni circolari di tronchi d’albero. Romanzo che come nessun  altro ci conduce nel cuore dell’alta cucina cinese, là dove il cibo  diventa raffinato gioco intellettuale ed efficace modo di prendersi cura  di sé e di stare insieme.

Legami Di Seta,   di  Amanda Roberts

Link: https://www.amazon.it/Legami-Seta-Amanda-Roberts-ebook/dp/B07KTHSVYJ/

Trama: Quando ero piccola, credevo che la mia vita sarebbe cominciata e  terminata sulle rive del fiume Xiangjian, così come era stato per  generazioni, nella mia famiglia. Non avrei mai immaginato che mi avrebbe  potuto condurre alla Città Proibita, presso la corte dell'ultima  imperatrice della Cina. Nata nelle campagne più remote della  provincia dell'Hunan, Yaqian, giovane ricamatrice, trova il proprio  destino presso la Corte imperiale, un luogo di intrighi, desideri, e  tradimenti. Dal letto di un imperatore, passando per il cuore di un  principe, fino a diventare il braccio destro di un'imperatrice, Yaqian  si apre la propria strada nei decenni più turbolenti della storia  cinese, e diviene la principale testimone della caduta della dinastia  Qing.

Lanterna e il distretto dei ciliegi, jia pingwa

Trama: https://www.amazon.it/Lanterna-distretto-dei-ciliegi-Pingwa/dp/8869934225/

Trama: Negli uffici amministrativi di Yingzhen, il Distretto dei ciliegi,  arriva Lanterna, una giovane donna molto bella che, scorrazzando in  motocicletta con i suoi irrinunciabili tacchi alti e i capelli al vento,  si dimostra ben presto funzionario acuto e capace, a cui viene affidato  il nuovo Ufficio affari generali con l'incarico di risolvere le  innumerevoli dispute fra gli abitanti e gli apparati statali. La  direttrice Lanterna sembra essere in grado di mantenere il delicato  equilibrio nei villaggi più poveri, in cui anche un pugno di noci  diventa una ricchezza, e nel suo operato al di sopra degli interessi  particolari e personali prende spunto dagli scritti di Yuan Tianliang,  vicesegretario col quale inizia una corrispondenza sempre più intima,  che sfiora i toni dell'amore. Le infinite piccole storie narrate con  ironia, realismo ma anche con grande poeticità in questo poliedrico  romanzo sono come tasselli di un vasto mosaico che riproduce la Cina  rurale contemporanea, molto lontana dal nostro immaginario abituale. E  il suo fascino risiede proprio in una inaspettata convivenza fra  tradizione e modernità, usanze contadine e politica di partito, in cui  le vite di decine di personaggi si intrecciano indissolubilmente con il  destino di un paese che trova nel contrasto la sua cifra identitaria.  

[gozdziak]

Currently reading

[abitofthisnthat]

He didn’t

[amandaklwrites]

March 2021 TBR

Here we go! Almost a whole new month of 2021! I know this next month will difficult in strange ways, as it’ll be a year since everything has gone down. But, while trying to keep my spirits going, I'm going to be reading a ton of books. I might read more than these (especially some on the side), but these are definitely the books I want to get to this month (and maybe going in the next month). 

1. Kingdom of Shadow and Light by Karen Marie Moning 

2. Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft 

3. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (technically a reread) 

4. The Serpent’s Shadow by Mercedes Lackey 

5. The Conductors by Nicole Glover 

6. Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley 

7. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (a reread to prep for the next book)

8. Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare 

9. Namesake by Adrienne Young 

10. The Witch of Salt and Storm by Kendall Kulper 

11. That Way Madness Lies by Dahlia Adler and many other s

12. The Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray (reread after MANY years)

So here is my TBR for this next month! Got lots to read, and I like to keep it that way. 

I hope you all have a good and safe month. Take care, and happy reading! 

[uwlmvac]

Bill Gresens’ Archaeology Book Review for June 2017

Lost in Translation by Nicole Mones (four trowels) 

A translator, an American archaeologist and a Chinese scholar search for the lost bones of Peking Man--and their own souls.  Link to read the entire review:  http://mvac.uwlax.edu/book-author/nicole-mones/

[abandoned--reality]

Don’t @ me but I’m confused why Nicole is taking everything so personally ?? I mean they’re final four, someone’s gotta go.

Jackson and Holly are a duo, obviously they’re sending cliff home. Am I missing something or why is she THAT upset like they’re doing something mean

[angelholme]

So the man behind the counter decided he knew better than :-

the woman who was asking for the prescription pills,

the doctor who had written the prescription,

the law that said she had every right to ask for those pills,

the company that employed him that said he had to stand aside and let someone else fill the prescription

and instead he basically said “I am going to decide your fate, because I have that power, and I know better than you, and if you don’t like it there is nothing you can do”

It’s good to know that the American Constitution, and the 14th Amendment, ensures equal rights for men and women and stops women being treated as second class citizens in the own country.

Because god knows what would have happened if she hadn’t been protected by THAT particular law.

[franticvampirereads]

The Last Book I…

Tagged by @ninja-muse! Thank you so much, this looks really fun 😊

Bought: it’s either Our Not-So-Lonely Planet Travel Guide vol 1 by Mone Sorai or Therapy Game vol 2 by Meguru Hinohara

Borrowed: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly (borrowed from the little free library next door 😊)

Was gifted: Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace (a birthday present!)

Gave to someone else: hmmmm….. I think it was probably The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures by Arron Mahnke

Started: Seance Tea Party by Reimena Yee

Finished: The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards

Gave 5 stars: Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh and The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards

Gave 2 stars: The Heat Is On by Lorelei M. Hart (had to go back to 2021 to find a 2 star book 😂)

Didn’t finish: Loud Mouth by Avery Flynn

I’m gonna tag @therefugeofbooks @svnshinebooks @resident-book-nerd @bookworm-of-camelot @ownedbybooks @dkafterdark @themelodyofspring and anyone else who would like to do this tag! 😊

[magicandmayhcm]

new muse alert

samantha miller | deputy superintendent | nicole ari parker | chicago pd

angela douglas | obgyn | danielle mone truitt | chicago med

like for a starter with one or both of them!!

[jeannekwong]

Update on Books Set in Shanghai

Back in May, I posted about the books I am reading that are set in Shanghai.

Here is an update on that reading

1. Night in Shanghai by Nicole Mones

2. French Concession by Xiao Bai

3. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

4. The Far Side of the Sky by Daniel Kalla 🥟

5. Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw 🥟

6. The Shanghai Murders by David Rotenberg 🥟

7. All The Flowers of Shanghai by Duncan Jepson 🥟

*Dumplings indicate books read