Ketutar

Well, now... that was interesting.
There were some good things, but... the bad things kind of covered the good.

It's very racist. In a very unsettling way. The author genuinely believes in racism. There's no shame there, no joke, not even a hint of doubt. All the characters are racist and the author believes that's the way it should be. Well... there is some decency there, Laura does admit it wasn't ok to treat Ursula the way they did, but it's kind of empty decency. She doesn't realize the treatment didn't stop there at school, that it never stopped for Ursula. Also, it wasn't not OK, because racism is bad, but because it's not ladylike to treat people badly, even though they have darker skin. That Ursula was brilliant is of no concern. It just makes her a great villain.

I find it curious that they don't seem to see any difference in... how to put it... shades of dark. Ursula's mother was Javanese, and her father was white. She wouldn't have been mistaken for a black woman, or mulatto. Javanese people aren't that dark. But maybe that's just me. Maybe they called all non-white people black back in the 20s.

The plot was interesting, though it had some weaknesses. I suppose she was meant to fail. I think this might make a nice tv series, with 13 episodes, with one woman dying in each episode ending with Ursula dying. I think I want to see the movie.

Not as good as the first one. The solution to some of the problems were rather unsatisfactory. :-(
But, all in all, a very good book. Totally recommend it to everyone who shares my taste in books, and I am eagerly waiting for the continuation. I love Nicole Glover's characters.

It's a very good book, about Henning, a young man who moves to Stockholm and creates himself a life. The book ends with his death.
Per Anders Fogelström writes very nicely.

Another hard one to review...
I love her writing. It is poetic, yet not purple, easy to read, and interesting. I love her descriptions of the places, I get the feeling she truly loves New Orleans. But - it's such drivel. In certain parts, it feels like she's just writing down her own thoughts, feelings, and ideas, and I disagree with her strongly, so it feels like listening to some “idiot” yap about their stupid thoughts without the ability to inject my POV into the issue. I feel preached on.
And... the characters don't catch me. I really am not interested in these people or what happens to them.

So, I DNFd this. Maybe I'll finish it one day. Maybe not. There are plenty of good books to read.
I read about 250 pages, so I think I have a good enough idea of what this book is and what I think about it.

This is an alternative history story about people helping slaves to freedom. In this reality, there is magic. Fascinating magic, based on constellations. There are also other kinds of magic, healing, and sorcery, and probably other kinds as well.
The story follows a couple of “conductors”, Hetty and Benjy, and I love these people :-) The side characters are wonderful as well.
It's not only about the freed slaves, it's also a murder mystery.
I know I'm not making much sense, this is probably a very bad review, but I love this story, and I cannot wait to read more about these people and this world.

Interesting.
Some weaknesses, but all in all a good book. I'm looking forward to the continuation of the story.

Very nice, good, quick read.
I like how they treated the identities. I like how they presented ruthlessness, as a cold necessity, not without feelings, but in spite of them.
I like the hunger.

It was not what I thought it would be. It was better. Reminds me a lot of [b:The Empress of Salt and Fortune 51190882 The Empress of Salt and Fortune (The Singing Hills Cycle, #1) Nghi Vo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565188992l/51190882.SX50_SY75.jpg 71836130], [b:Crying in H Mart 54814676 Crying in H Mart Michelle Zauner https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1601937850l/54814676.SX50.jpg 68668937], and [b:Pachinko 34051011 Pachinko Min Jin Lee https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529845599l/34051011.SY75.jpg 50384116]. I thought Mah Jong would play a bigger role.

There's surprisingly much in this little story of Jennie, a terrier who loves to eat. She has everything, but wants something more in her life, so she goes out to seek for something more and finds it, in a most peculiar fashion. The artwork is - obviously - amazing, Maurice Sendak can be trusted there :-D It might be a bit too bleak for kids - the colors are all muted browns, greens and blues - but there's a lot to see in images. I love this book.

Well... rather uneven. It's an epic poem, which means it can be rather difficult to take in, though I didn't find it difficult. I think the choice made it harder for Alexander to express certain things. He had to stay in verse and rhyme :-D
Also, the... mood, nature, style of the work varied a lot. It is a bit difficult to define, like Romeo and Juliet. It is satirical, and I laughed out loud several times, but in the end it is rather sad. Another unhappy Russian woman.
It is ridiculous when one remembers that Eugene and Tatiana aren't even 25 when the book happens. I think Eugene was 26 at the very end, and when he refused Tatiana he was just a little older than 20 :-D And she was something like 17. Yet so big and strong emotions. She reminds me so much of Natascha. :-D I don't know if I was more or less mature to my age, but at 17, emotions weren't the end of the world and life. Life hadn't even really began yet. Yet, Eugene's life is at end at 26 because Tatiana got married. Come on, she got married to a soldier! He could easily die. Soldiers' widows were plenty in that time. Let's say in 10 years they meet and get married and live happily ever after.
(Also, how quick she got married :-D So ridiculous!)
Nevertheless, Eugene was a twat.

Hmm...

Two “breaths they didn't know they were holding”.

“She wasn't wearing a shift” - yeah, she was. Is it because of books like this the costumers think they can show girls in costume movies and series wearing their corsets on bare skin? They didn't. They wouldn't. Because 1) corsets are difficult to clean, and they weren't dirty bitches, and 2) it's not comfortable to wear a corset against bare skin.

It's not funny to have four guys burst into your dining room, abuse the butler and abuse the lord of the manor. And then have the heroines ponder about how these guys are the gentlest, kindest, wisest, best men in the world.

Also, the magic of the willow bark... hmm.

This was obviously a quick write. It was a quick read, too, and there was quite a lot of romance, so I can understand why Julia Quinn is a popular romance novelist. She is rather good, actually. But... because of some of the choices, only 3 stars.

There are some details in Julia Quinn's writing that are ridiculous, like “ancient act” or how she put it :-D I think she has mentioned it in every one of the 4 books I've read now :-D
Also, in this book “he released the breath he didn't know he was holding”
But, those are so typical romance novel things I can easily ignore them.

I liked this one. Also, because the main character is supposed to be plus-sized. Though I don't know, the description didn't quite fit a seriously fat person. I think Julia Quinn just imagined a normal-sized woman, while all the others were size 0 or something.

I also listened this as an audiobook, and I thoroughly enjoy Rosalyn Landor's reading. All the gasps and moans and that :-D And she does the male and female voices very nicely.

Julia Quinn's Cinderella - she leaves a glove behind, but - of course - gets her prince in the end.

I liked this a lot more than #2

Now, that was painful.

I HATE humiliation romance. I can't forgive Anthony for the study scene. You don't kiss a 21-years old girl and then mock her for responding. She has never been kissed, and certainly not like that. A gentleman would not behave like Anthony did. Kate was 100% right when she said he has no honor. Then, to turn on a penny and claim he is the kindest, most honorable, best man ever because he rescued Penelope... Yuk, yuk, yuk!

And how people can't understand how good-looking people can feel ugly... It takes years to get through that muck. It's not something you can manage in a couple of weeks.

Maybe I'm just projecting, maybe the themes and tropes got too close to home, but I don't like this book.

Also, I don't like Winston. Fat pets are legal animal abuse, and Winston was basically just a plot problem. I find it interesting that no one mentioned him after the carriage accident. He just vanished.

Julia Quinn writes well, the book is easy to read, and there are plenty of delightful scenes in here. Like the pall-mall game :-D

As a romance novel, this is a good one. I'm OK with the sex descriptions, and I'm glad about the fact that her first time didn't hurt. It's romantic enough and ends happily :-)

It's a bit uneven... it starts as quite OK horror and ends as quite OK James Joyce.

Thank you, Stephen and Charlie.

I thought it was just a retelling of Gatsby, but it was magical realism. Nice surprise.
I don't much care about the historical inaccuracies and improbabilities, it was a well told story and I liked it a lot :-)

Paingod (5/5)

“Repent, Harlequin!” Said the TickTockMan (4/5)

The Crackpots (4/5)

Sleeping Dogs (5/5)
Oh, my...

Bright Eyes (1/5)
I was really disappointed with this. It felt forced.

Bright Eyes by Dennis Smith


The Discarded (3/5)

Wanted In Surgery (3/5)

Deeper Than the Darkness (4/5)
Find the LONESOME SONG by Rusty Draper, and start listening to it at “But they listened when he came.” or sometime after that.

Oh my goodness...

I do hope Jan isn't going to burn other irreplaceable things in the future books... That hurt.

Poor Sverre. But I am happy the brothers are together again. Together one can survive more than alone.

And the practice with white feathers was disgusting.

Grattis, lilla Maud. :-DLittle Maud is a nasty old bitch. She kills people. Now, one can think her reasons to kill people are good, even commendable, but she is still a nasty old bitch. :-DThis book is a collection of short stories, about an almost 90 years old lady, who is very spry and agile for her age. It's funny. :-) Reminds me of [b:Suloinen myrkynkeittäjä 6792045 Suloinen myrkynkeittäjä Arto Paasilinna https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1369129931l/6792045.SY75.jpg 642985] (Interestingly enough that hasn't been translated into English.)

I love Octavia's stories.

The only problem I have - I have now read two books, Wild Seed, and Kindred - is the... expectation of women to submit. That women's job is to pacify, to appease men to get the smallest amount of consideration and respect. :-( This has been very strong in both books, and I hate it.
I mean, both Rufus and Doro are manchildren with too much power and too little compassion, and both Dana and Anyanwu are strong, intelligent, powerful women, who get forced into submission and placating the men with the power. Both need to give up their power to be able to survive. That's so f-d up!

Sometimes people use “respect” to mean “treating someone like a person” and sometimes they use “respect” to mean “treating someone like an authority” and sometimes people who are used to being treated like an authority say “if you won't respect me I won't respect you” and they mean “if you won't treat me like an authority I won't treat you like a person”
- Autistic Abby

Warning: animal abuse

Very good and very hard to read. I got so angry and sad about the treatment of Sámi people. :-(

For some reason, this book is practically impossible to get hold of if one isn't in RSA. My library, hail its name!, had to go to USA to find a copy they were allowed to borrow.
I don't understand it.
I love Tannie Maria mysteries, and I would love to own all of them.
I don't understand why it hasn't been translated into Swedish. Because it's wonderful.

It talks about the South African apartheid, and about families, and fathers. I was crying floods in the last couple of chapters. And the last words of the book! YAY!!!

I also love Sally Andrew's love of South Africa. The foods sound absolutely amazing, and I really want to try to cook some of the recipes.

I WANT MORE. MOAR!!!