The poetry reading era continues. I've been meaning to read Sappho for a long time!
Kudos to the translator of this. It must be incredibly difficult tThe poetry reading era continues. I've been meaning to read Sappho for a long time!
Kudos to the translator of this. It must be incredibly difficult to work with poetry fragments and have to translate them as well as piece the poems into something readable. But it was well done.
I enjoyed reading these. The rhythm and rhyme was translated across, as well as the sheer beauty in Sappho's descriptions.
I liked the Greek mythology elements, but I really loved the romantic poems more than anything else. As well as the wisdom in the verses. Written so many years ago, and it was relatable as well as beautiful to read.
I appreciated the formatting and how they were laid out on the paid to demonstrate the fragmentation while maintaining the sense of a 'whole' poem.
I wish we had more of it because I'd love to read Sappho's works in their entirety. ...more
A poetry collection by Sanah Ahsan, a nonbinary Muslim queer poet. A lot of these poems have hip hop rhythm, Qur'anic verse and themes of identity andA poetry collection by Sanah Ahsan, a nonbinary Muslim queer poet. A lot of these poems have hip hop rhythm, Qur'anic verse and themes of identity and queerness in them.
In the beginning it took me a bit of time to get accustomed to their writing style and the poems themselves. But once I did, I was immersed. I really liked these poems and how they were drowning in emotion -- be it grief (in multiple ways), or rebirth, familial connections or self realisation.
It does a very good job of depicting that duality... the duality of what you've been told and grown up with, and who you become and are. And how to live in spaces which may seem to conflict at first glance, but maybe don't have to.
The poems themselves felt like they made the rhythm and cadence they needed to. While reading this I wasn't breaking down the literary devices or analysing as much as I usually do, but more so feeling my way through them. Not to say they aren't poetic, but this different approach really worked for my reading experience. ...more
I thought I might like fae steamy romance more if Sierra Simone did it, but alas. This was still okay. It's a sapphic romance with bisexual rep, polyaI thought I might like fae steamy romance more if Sierra Simone did it, but alas. This was still okay. It's a sapphic romance with bisexual rep, polyamory, BDSM and fat girl rep.
The steamy scenes, as always with Sierra, were impeccable. My queen (no not the fae one, Sierra) knows how to write 'em.
I wasn't quite feeling the romance chemistry though. Which is probably because while our main character was vivid and full of life, I couldn't get much of a grasp on the queen's personality.
I really liked this depiction of fae! The courts were interesting even if we had limited access to the others. The lore leant on the traditional but was also unique enough that it was fun to learn about.
While I did see elements of the plot coming, I liked that it had one throughout with stakes. And there was a good element of suspense around the ending. You just need to suspend your disbelief for the timeline....more
This was an incredibly refreshing read. Tayari Jones is such a good writer. The two girl's voices sounded so distinctive, alive and realistic.
The conThis was an incredibly refreshing read. Tayari Jones is such a good writer. The two girl's voices sounded so distinctive, alive and realistic.
The concept of one of them knowing about the other, but not vice versa, put pressure on the narrative and kept me turning pages for that moment of realisation.
You also get a lot of insight into the parents and the father, and how this situation came to be. I was particularly interested in the two mothers and their choices regarding various plot points. And of course, impact those choices had on both children.
My only quibble with this is that the ending could've been stronger or had more finality to it. But otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this and how it read very much like a book about Black characters for Black audiences, rather than by a Black author and for a white one. (Which is what quite a few of the Black literary books I have been picking up feel like these days!)
It had me feeling sympathy a times, and blazing anger at others. I always like books that can take me through the full range of emotion. I want more books like this!...more
Of the Haig's I've read, my least favourites are when he blends sci-fi with his storytelling. (coughTHEHUMANScough).
I didn't care much for the characOf the Haig's I've read, my least favourites are when he blends sci-fi with his storytelling. (coughTHEHUMANScough).
I didn't care much for the characters, or the Ibiza setting, or anything really.
It's so so random. It doesn't need to be that random at all, and it makes the storyline feel disjointed and like he was making it up as he went along... adding elements he liked but that don't particularly suit the narrative. It feels messy in terms of (lack of) structure.
The message is sickly sweet and on the nose (as usual, for Matt Haig. I don't mind on the nose messaging too much when it comes to his books). I would've minded less if there was a more straightforward way that we got to the end message.
He also tried to cram in two moral messages which feels too much, because they don't feel balanced. He usually hones in on one and I think that better suits his books. And the doubling up this time made the messages feel more so over-sweet and patronising. ...more
This one had one the best drawn double page spread pages I've ever seen. It was so effective for the mNow this was an important volume in the series!
This one had one the best drawn double page spread pages I've ever seen. It was so effective for the moment it was communicating, and did that moment so much better than the anime.
It also had a turning point that I knew was coming, and yet still left me SHOOK. The art in that moment with the layout was emotionally brutal ...more
I love this series so much! And now it's finished :'(
This is a collection of short stories set in the Daevabad world. And while some of them are shorI love this series so much! And now it's finished :'(
This is a collection of short stories set in the Daevabad world. And while some of them are shorts, let's admit that a lot of them are basically deleted scenes. I still ate them up though so... I'm not really complaining.
I really loved revisiting the characters I've come to adore so much, and getting more backstory and insight into the side characters we haven't been able to hear from before.
It has been a fair while since I finished reading the original trilogy, so I was surprised by how easily I sunk right back into this world. And my, what skilled world building. I got to experience it all over again, and it was glorious.
The final short story in the collection was everything to me!! Absolutely perfection, 10/10.
I fangirled my way through reading this. I shipped characters, hurt so much for others and saw narrative from different POVs I hadn't considered previously relevant. All I want to do is go back and reread the whole series.
Prince Alizayd al Qahtani, you'll always ALWAYS have my heart <3 ...more
This is Raymond Antrobus' earliest collection and I think it shows. But I'm still glad I read it.
A handful of these poems were particularly wonderfulThis is Raymond Antrobus' earliest collection and I think it shows. But I'm still glad I read it.
A handful of these poems were particularly wonderful. And they were filled with clever narrative, straightforward style, Deaf & Black (mixed race) British-Jamaican representation I tend to love in his poetry.
But quite a few of them felt a little emotionally empty or plain. In them I can see the origins of the poetry he writes and performs now, but it's more rough around the edges.
Which I suppose happens when you backwards through a poet's backlist.
Will I be reading more Raymond? Absolutely. I consider his poetry among my favourites and I can't wait for his upcoming collection out soon....more
A short story set in the Spires universe, which is one of my favourite romance series ever and what I consider to be Alexis Hall's best. It slots in nA short story set in the Spires universe, which is one of my favourite romance series ever and what I consider to be Alexis Hall's best. It slots in neatly to my favourite one in the series as well: For Real.
It's not really a romance short story though, but a steamy scene extra where two side characters hook up. Which is why it's just an okay read to me. It also isn't the start of their romance story or anything -- it's framed as simply a hook up which made me think: what's the point? Of this bonus material.
I didn't like that it was a student / teacher dynamic (those make my skin crawl). And on top of that, the age gap was 29 to 18 which felt icky on top of the student / teacher element.
But Alexis hall does know how to write a good steamy scene, so the steam itself was really good ...more
A Y A contemporary about a Latinx butch feminist lesbian discovering herself, her identity and being a whole lot of messy along the way too.
This is nA Y A contemporary about a Latinx butch feminist lesbian discovering herself, her identity and being a whole lot of messy along the way too.
This is not a romance. There's a lot about romantic feelings in here as it's tied to her discovering her sexuality, but it's mostly about self-discovery.
I liked getting to see Juliet self-educate and learn more about who is and isn't good for her. There's a lot of hard confrontations here about white feminism, cultural safe spaces, the joys -- but also the exclusions -- of the queer community for queer POC.
It's not entirely perfect. There are some things said / touched on here that aren't right and aren't later readdressed, or better explained.
And you do have to be patient as well. There are some very unconventional and toxic characters in this, and that's so far from who I am that I had to pace myself with them. Especially as it takes a while for Juliet to realise why and how they are toxic too.
It's an important story thought, and well written. I'm glad it's out there and I enjoyed my reading experience.
Oh, I really am reading some stellar poetry this year.
This is not a 'light' read. It's by a Black Sudanese-American poet. It's about misogyny, FGM, vOh, I really am reading some stellar poetry this year.
This is not a 'light' read. It's by a Black Sudanese-American poet. It's about misogyny, FGM, victim shaming, sexual assault and stolen girlhood. Culture, displacement and identity.
It's top tier poetry. I sat with each and every one after I finished reading it, which is why it took me months to finish this collection. Because I needed to process and appreciate every poem individually, as well as collectively.
There's a reason for everything here. The spacing on the page and formatting, the words chosen, the order they are in, the repetition, the italics... I could go on. Everything is so carefully chosen and positioned to weave either a story or an emotion out of these poems.
There is anger, there is hurt. There is resignation and there is a call to do better and pay attention. I loved it. And I'll probably reread this and scribble annotations all over it at some point....more
This was such a good YA fantasy read! Brimming with Black characters, ace and queer rep.
I loved the intricate world building, the creative hallows (pThis was such a good YA fantasy read! Brimming with Black characters, ace and queer rep.
I loved the intricate world building, the creative hallows (powers) I hadn't come across before, and how it felt tied to Black culture while also feeling incredibly unique.
It has elements of political fantasy without being too heavy. It touches on royals, corrupt systems of power, history and ancestry and how they impact who we are today -- and yet, we can still forge our own paths.
The plot was always unpredictable. The story goes in a lot of directions without ever feeling like it strays too far from the main point.
There's a very well developed cast of characters as well. It feels quite found family. And I really liked how it discussed the complication of family trauma and family love. Our main character is so fierce. She has a lot of learning to do when it comes to trusting herself, and I liked seeing that internal development as well.
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