#picture book review

[nedlittle]

it drives me bonkers the way people don't know how to read classic books in context anymore. i just read a review of the picture of dorian gray that said "it pains me that the homosexual subtext is just that, a subtext, rather than a fully explored part of the narrative." and now i fully want to put my head through a table. first of all, we are so lucky in the 21st century to have an entire category of books that are able to loudly and lovingly declare their queerness that we've become blind to the idea that queerness can exist in a different language than our contemporary mode of communication. second it IS a fully explored part of the narrative! dorian gray IS a textually queer story, even removed from the context of its writing. it's the story of toxic queer relationships and attraction and dangerous scandals and the intertwining of late 19th century "uranianism" and misogyny. second of all, i'm sorry that oscar wilde didn't include 15k words of graphic gay sex with ao3-style tags in his 1890 novel that was literally used to convict him of indecent behaviour. get well soon, i guess...

[lanceschaubert]

Picture Book Review

Kid Review – Harry Rides the Danger – picture book

[ancientsstudies]

I am too fond of reading books to care to write them.

ig credit: vintagesoul_reads.

[emilyscastlevania]

[therefugeofbooks]

Hell Followed With Us by Joseph Andrew White mini review

What I liked:

Complex relationships

Fast-paced

It's gory

What I didn’t like

Repetitive inner monologues

Weak side characters

Overall, it was one of the best ya books I read in a while. It’s violent and cruel, and it doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. Recommending for anyone looking for a horror book!

[blottyink]

My August Reads Ranked

1. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig: This was by far my favorite read this month. I love this book. I love it more than I love The Folk of the Air. More than the Dark Rise series. More than Captive Prince. Because it has EVERYTHING. The plot, the magic system, the characters, the writing, all of it is as equally good as the rest. Even though at the ending there’s a twist that’s sad, I was still EXCITED to see what happens next (more hype than sad). I root for the Nightmare too. “Long live the King.” The writing is show don’t tell and I fucking LOVE IT. I FUCKING LOVE IT. I am so tired of seeing a lot of telling in story books, and all my favs serve show.

2. Bunny by Mona Awad: This wasn’t as dark as I thought it was going to be, but it won me over with the writing. It’s clever, dark and hilarious. Samantha’s dilemma with the bunnies was relatable for me, especially the first smut salon she attends. It was a fun ride, and I enjoyed this book for reasons I wasn’t expecting to. The way Awad describes feelings is spectacular.

3. The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black: It was good to be back in Elfhame. I liked Prisoner’s Throne more than Stolen Heir because, of course, Jude and Cardan. I thought Wren and Oak’s story was cute and I had a fun time reading it, but I’m not over Jude and Cardan yet and that’s all I want.

4. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black: At first, I was a bit put off by how Jude-like Wren was, and how Cardan-like Oak was, but I had a good time. If Black wants to go back and write scenes showcasing Jude and Cardan falling in love, I’m all for that. Would love to see the two of them snuggling by a fire.

5. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King: I knew I’d like this because every time I watch King speak, he’s fun. He’s fun to listen to, he’s fun to read. He’s at his best when he’s shooting the shit. This was a good time.

6. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: I love the dialogue in this, it can be interpreted in different ways and it’s exciting to think about. I’ve never read anything as quotable as this book. I lived for every time Dorian threw himself on a couch in a fit of angst.

7. The Corsair’s Captive by Ruby Dixon: Dixon never lets me down. It’s another cozy, fun sci-fi romance with the big blue dudes. I have to read her shifter smut; it’s going to be everything.  

8. The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr: I appreciated how blunt this book was, and the information provided was interesting. If you’re looking for a book about why humans tell stories as well as scientific reasons why you should have an existential crisis. This is the one.

9. Victor by Brianna West: The most egregious offense to me was the smut. Because. How are you screwing an Angel, and it’s vanilla? No mention of where his wings are? Nothing special about his equipment? Only fucks in missionary? They could fuck in the air, but we’re going to sidestep that? Other than that the world-building wasn’t there for me, and the writing was a whole lot of telling. The adverb intense descriptions didn’t land for me, and I didn’t care about any of the characters. The fmc was annoying.

10. Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton: Zade is so Neil Breen coded. Like, if I found out Breen wrote this character for Carlton, it would make a lot of sense. I hate this book. I don’t know why I do this to myself.  

The books I'm most stoked to read in September are: Monstrilio by Gerardo Samano Cordova, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett and Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig.

[chiropteracupola]

“He could see it distinctly; a human eye it appeared to be, for surrounding it was the small part of a dead white face..."

[karda]

idk why this is making me giggle so much

[sc3n3-doll]

When someone says let me spoil you baby girl this is what the hell I expect

[jesncin]

The message from The Child is part of why I don't get some folks when they say kids books should never include real world topics cause they won't get it or something any kid can relate to feeling left out. That being said the postcard you made was adorable 🤗

Thank you! And that's true! I love hearing from kids (which I cherish since most of the time I hear from parents or adult reviewers) and I'm always so delightfully happy when they're able to relate and discuss kids books like Lunar Boy in a really in depth way. Even if it's through their kids-speak, you can tell they've made a connection to the story.

Kids are just so much smarter with stories than adults like to believe!

[hernepenthenotes]

There has to be a moment at the beginning when you wonder whether you’re in love with the person or in love with the feeling of love itself.

If the moment doesn’t pass, that’s it —– you’re done.And if the moment does pass, it never goes that far. It stands in the distance, ready for whenever you want it back. Sometimes it’s even there when you thought you were for something else, like an escape route, or your lover’s face.

From A Lover's Dictionary

[nedlittle]

wow dude do you think oscar wilde may have been gay? should we tell the discord? should we inform rupaul?

[sicksadlit]

If a book is banned, this is probably why.

[emilyscastlevania]

One of the most influential books ever.

[newlullabies]

Book Sculptures by creativerascal on Etsy

[bigdreamsandwildthings]

Review: The Bright Sword (Lev Grossman)

Rating: ★★★★/5

“Stories never really ended, they just rolled one into the next. The past was never wholly lost, and the future was never quite found. We wander forever in a pathless forest, dropping with weariness, as home draws us back, and the grail draws us on, and we never arrive, and the quest never ends. Till the Last Day, and maybe not even then. Who knows what stories they tell in Heaven.”

This was a heck of a journey, with so many little side quests and things going on and history to absorb.

Collum has always dreamed of being a Knight of the Round Table. His adolescence has been rough, and at the first chance he gets, he sets out from the Out Isles for Camelot, sure that his destiny awaits there. And sure enough, it does, but the road will be anything but easy, and Camelot will be nothing like he expects, for King Arthur is dead, and the future of Britain is uneasy.

I have never felt a really intense pull towards King Arthur and the stories of Camelot, but like anyone, they've been a part of the media I've consumed for my entire life. I always enjoy the stories, but I don't have a super deep understanding of the lore. This book, and the historical note at the end, made me curious about it, more so than any other book or show or movie ever has. It made me want to know what the *real* story was, even knowing that there really isn't one, that Arthur is a legend that has morphed and changed over time so much that we can never really know what reality was.

The format of this one is really fun and, despite its high page count, made it feel like a quicker read. I absolutely LOVED learning about the knights and their stories, how they came to be who they are, and why they make the decisions they do in Collum's time. Nimue was a highlight for me, as was Palomides, and though I really enjoyed Collum's story too, it was those interspersed short stories that kept me reading.

I also felt like I could sense the Magicians in certain ways that this was written. Collum has a lot of little side things happen, and especially when he spends a year down the well, all I could think of was Quentin and Eliot. I loved that part of things, because it just shows that Lev can write pretty much anything and infuse it with that same heart and quirkiness and depth of character.

The meandering nature of the story + the high page count are the only thing that keep me from giving it a full 5 stars. I really enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but it just didn't reach that level of fave for me. I think anyone who's a King Arthur buff should pick this up, and it will undoubtedly stick with me; I won't be able to read anything else about Camelot or Arthur without thinking of this tome.