Lora Durance
Why does a book about dragons have so little actual dragons in it? Especially when they’re the best part? The hype for this series seems like it’s driven by networking and big publishing money. Good writing and pacing and a great hook, rallying dragon lovers everywhere. But hard pass for me on the rest of the series. Here are a few reasons why:
Insultingly ableist: I have the same hypermobility disorder, so I found MC’s attitude toward healers and her “just push through the pain” plot device internal dialogue not only bullshit but insulting. Rock climber here, and you do NOT just “push through” when your wrist ligaments or other joints pop out of alignment while you’re in the middle of moving because literally it’s like a when your chain comes off the bicycle and no matter how you peddle, you’re NOT moving. To turn down healer powers because “people would think I’m weak” when 1. They already do and 2. You ARE because you have a disability made my blood boil. What I wouldn’t GIVE to have access to a magical healer. You wanna tell an asthmatic, if you take that albuterol during your 5K people will think you’re weak! And when they literally can’t breathe and all the oxygen is disappearing from their tissues, they’re waving away the inhaler. “No, no I’ll just push through it.” So. Incredibly. Insensitive.
Not believable: Having been a military spouse, I found the world building silly at best. Popped me right out from almost the first chapter — if you’re going to wage war, you don’t kill 99% of your canon fodder in ego-based military exercises. Maybe you use these exercises to cull the herd, to find the diamonds and leaders, to spot weakness points. But you don’t unalive the infantry. No, you reassign them to the front lines. You’d think the author wasn’t actually a military spouse or at least wasn’t paying attention. Finally as a survivor or sexual assault and with a first-hand knowledge of the realities of a brutalistic militaristic culture, the LACK of attempted SA and rape felt like either a marketing ploy to keep from having to add content warnings or to prevent the inevitable backlash reviews that claimed the author was making some kind of statement or referencing the very really sexual assaults experienced by 1 in 5 females attending the U.S. Air Force academy in the y2k era, for example, or it was a Pollyanna oversight by the author that smacks of unseriousness.
Again, fun action scenes, spiciness was nice, somewhat memorable moments. Passing on next in series.
A gem – Doable, everyday tips for being mindful and happy
I picked up this book having read some of Dr. Kent's other books and knowing that his style of “choose what fits your personality” has put me at ease in the past. He's hit it out of the park with this one! There are so many books out there on mindfulness, you might ask how this one is different.
Here's what sets this book apart:
1. Using simple, friendly language, Dr. Kent talks about mindfulness in a fresh, authentic voice—like a friend, rather than a guru.
2. It's brimming with easy-to-use, creative tips for incorporating mindfulness into everyday life so it doesn't take more time out of your busy day.
3. It contains snapshot summaries at the end of each chapter that you can use a quick-reference guide to trying out some of the fun ideas for making your daily activities and interactions with people more enjoyable through mindfulness.
4. It's nonjudgmental and nonreligious—anyone can try these tips and tricks.
5. Dr. Kent makes clear his belief that we're all different—what you enjoy might not be the same thing as what I enjoy, which means our mindfulness exercises might be different—and that's okay! Do what works for you. I love this, as it's so different from the regimented structures and formulas espoused in most books.
I particularly liked his Bubble of Possibilities and mindfulness during social activities to get the most of engaging with others.
Finally, the book isn't one of those little pamphlets masquerading as a book. This is a meaty get-started tutorial chock-full of exercise ideas to help you dip your toe into the mindfulness pool. If you're on the fence, definitely give this book a read.
So sweeping and epic historical fantasy is hard to pull off, but The Twelve Realms does it expertly. Sloane digs up forgotten nuggets from history and inserts them into the tapestry of this book, pulling from African and Druidic lore and blending them with elemental magic: water, air, and fire. swoon
Though vastly different (an intellectual vs a warrior), Nabii and her twin Nahlah both control water, and their story is one of two powerful sisters who carry the fate of the world in their hands. Even when they make decisions you know they shouldn't, you can't help wanting them to succeed because the world they're living in is so ruthless, magical, beautiful, and often times deeply patriarchal—you want these two women to overcome the challenges facing them.
Yet the elemental and prophetic conflicts are, at bottom, human stories. I enjoyed the painstaking vividness of being plunged into ancient Africa and Mesopotamia. The characters stole my heart. If there's a book 2, I'm in.
Thanks to the publisher for the 2nd edition of this book.
Yikes! I didn't know what I'd be getting into with this one, but I was on the edge of my seat to crack the who-dun-it. A classic murder mystery set on Mars, with a dystopic spin. I have a policy of reviewing books I liked at 5 stars and not reviewing books I don't like. I just see no reason to depress an author's work just because it didn't suit me. I will say the ending was not to my liking (left me feeling confused) and felt anti-climactic. I also felt the continued reference to “psychology training” was a bit overdone. Let actions speak for themselves, eh? But overall the story was fast-paced and engrossing. Read straight through breakfast and lunch! If you like a classic mystery with a sci-fi twist, here it is!
I liked a lot of the concepts in this book, and it certainly was creative given that it riffs on Avatar and is also maybe a mashup of Speaker for the Dead and military sci-fi. It manages to paint a picture of peace and hope alongside the warlike images, showing that all things have duality.
Here are some quotes of the descriptive style:
“His voice was indulgent and deep and sounded like the rumbling of an old diesel engine.”
“At that moment, the windows exploded and through the rain of the shining glass bits, dozens of small black creatures, like wild furies, cannoned into the interior of the vehicle.”
I particularly liked the use of “cannoned” in that sentence.
I didn't like the opening, which felt like infodump backstory, and I wasn't 100% keen on the structure.
But I did find the book refreshingly heartening and creative.
This little book is packed full of interesting facts about the US Presidents. I enjoyed the word searches and learning little tidbits I didn't know before! I would love to see an augmented version of this book with just a touch more info. For instance, the $100,000 bill. I had to google to find out that it did, indeed, exist, but that it was never for public circulation and that it's illegal to own one! But perhaps that's the idea, to whet one's curiosity and get you googling. Fun!
This little book is in some ways quite astonishing. As someone who has played several instruments, can sing, and was a drum major in high school—but CANNOT dance (though I'd dearly love to)—I never considered that there could be books on dancing. And moreover that a book could actually make dancing something as mysterious as the tango seem just a tiny bit more accessible.
Clapping on the beat along to music. Can you do it? If you can, then you probably think everyone can or at least that they should be able to. If you can't you probably think that having rhythm is akin to being born able to fly.
But this book tells us there is middle ground. That rhythm and musicality can be learned. And in little doses, step by step, it gives us the tools to start practicing.
I definitely recommend actually watching all the recommended videos and doing the exercises. And I appreciated the compassionate instructor voice that does not insist any of these seemingly rudimentary skills should be easy. For some, especially those who might pick up this book, musicality might very well be still a good ways off.
Some favorite quotes:
“Even classical music which often seems to pathologically dislike drums”... This had me laughing.
“It's not about getting the “right” answer—you don't have to pass a written exam in this. It's about finding what works best for you as a social dancer.”
“Thankfully, there are no Tango Police.”
I got to the end and immediately wanted more because there's so much more world to explore in this series! Since I binged the Sookie series last year, I was reminded a bit of those books. The action didn't let up for a minute—which I adore. Definitely recommend, and of course I'm own waiting for the next one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Not sure how I feel about this book. Star systems are too crude for me to rate to it here. I read it late into the night, so obviously I wanted to find out what happened. I didn't think it fit the horror genre. As a person who's worked with and adjacent to child protective services for many years, who also has chronic PTSD from child abuse and sexual abuse, I connected to the exploration of dissociation — and was intrigued by the extreme to which this book takes the experience. As a story, without that connection, the book may not have captured me. I did find the dialogue somewhat weak and the character reactions and actions, aside from the dissociative elements, a little less than realistic. So it was an interesting blend of gritty realism alongside a truly speculative plot. Worth reading, yes. Enjoyable? Not sure. Compelling hook with predictable ending? Yes. Regretted reading? Definitely not. Would recommend? I think so... The one thing that really bothered me (which isn't fair, I know) is that the book's main characters who suffered the trauma are all female, when the writer himself is male. I know, unfair, but it niggled at me, given the subject matter. The treatment of trauma is sensitive and appropriate, however. Ultimately, kudos to the author for being brave enough to write this book and put it out there, regardless of his gender.
I think maybe I need to be a bit older – to have grown up in the times – to be able to really sink my teeth into this one. I had gotten into my head that this was a book of short stories. I read the first chapter and was blown away. That was one of the best short stories I'd ever read. And then, I realized it was a novel. Not sure if that made it harder for me to get into. Honestly, the book was just okay, not great, for me. I like likable characters, and this one featured a lot of not-so-likables. Still, I'm glad I read it, and it was pretty illustrative. Not what I read fiction for, though, illustrative-ness.
Sanderson is a master of this craft.
I started out reading this book like a writer. Then like a jealous writer. Then like a stunned and awestruck would-be writer. Then like a well-eff-that-I'm-just-gonna-drool reader. Then I wasn't reading anymore. I didn't exist. There was just the story.
Then, oops, I was done.
Realm of the Elderlings: “Homecoming” by Robin Hobb - 2.5 stars
A Song of Ice and Fire: “The Sworn Sword” by George R.R. Martin - 3 stars
The Tales of Alvin Maker: “The Yazoo Queen” by Orson Scott Card - 3 stars
Outlander: “Lord John and the Succubus” by Diana Gabaldon - 4 stars
Majipoor: “The Book of Changes” by Robert Silverberg - 2 stars
Otherland: “The Happiest Dead Boy in the World” by Tad Williams - 4 stars
Pern: “Beyond Between” by Anne McCaffrey - 2 stars
The Riftwar: “The Messenger” by Raymond E. Feist - 1 star
The Symphony of Ages: “Threshold” by Elizabeth Haydon - 4 stars
American Gods: “The Monarch of the Glen” by Neil Gaiman - 4 stars
Shannara: “Indomitable” by Terry Brooks - 2 stars
The Dark Tower: The Little Sisters of Eluria by Stephen King: 3 stars
Discworld: The Sea and the Little Fishes by Terry Pratchett: 4 stars
The Sword of Truth: Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind: 2 stars
Tales of Alvin Maker: Grinning Man by Orson Scott Card: 3 stars
Majipoor: The Seventh Shrine by Robert Silverberg: 3 stars
Earthsea: Dragonfly by Ursula K Le Guin: 3 stars
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn: The Burning Man by Tad Williams: 1 star
A Song of Ice and Fire: The Hedge Knight by George R. R. Martin: 4 stars
The Riftwar Saga: The Wood Boy by Raymond E. Feist: 2 stars
The Wheel of Time: New Spring by Robert Jordan: 3 stars
Girls growing up in small towns or religious families or girls soon becoming women facing that question about what to do with love and life–read this book. I believe we haven't yet overcome the Feminine Mystique. And though Friedan writes from a different era, though some of the things she says about sexual orientation and preference seem downright ignorant (they are!), the meat of this book proclaims woman=human. Perhaps we are long overdue a man=human book (see “Metamorphosis: Two Generations Later”), too. . .
This book is for tango lovers who have the beat in their blood or for those who are new to the dance who still feel compelled to dance to every song the DJ plays. I can't help thinking it's a bit like rock climbing. I constantly feel pressure to “try everything” and to like the same routes as my fellow rock climbers. The truth is, as with most things in life, and as Kent so keenly puts it, “There is no one right way.”
If you're new to tango, this book will give you a bird's-eye view of the genre from its Old Guard, early 1900s roots to the last mid-century classics to the new and experimental styles popping up today. It's an excellent overview for the newcomer, who might not know where to start in finding music they enjoy dancing to: “I liked that one song but not that one...but how do I find more of the former? What even WAS that song?” How often I would've liked someone to take me by the hand and lead me through the annals of some genre of music or other—this is handheld guidance for exploring tango music and finding what makes you want to move the most.
Peppered throughout are expert tips by Kent, who is a longtime dancer and teacher himself—and it shows! These tips fill in the blanks for the tango aficionado and the newbie alike. With so much music available to us, how do we discover what we love? And (and perhaps the biggest question): Is it okay NOT to love everything that makes it to the dance floor? The answer from every page of this book is a resounding YES. It's okay not to like everything—so dance to what makes you want to move. And Kent argues that you will actually improve your dancing (rock climbing? work life? reading life? intimate partnerships? thoughts my own) if you explore all the options and then choose to engage in the style of music that suits your skills and tastes.
Extra fun stuff: Ever wanted to be a tango DJ? Ever thought, Gee, how does that DJ play the right song every time? Find out in this book.
Overall, this series is invaluable for its in-depth exploration of tango in a way that is at once approachable and highly informative, filling in the gaps and answering the questions we were too cringe to ask (hint: “Never be afraid to ask a stupid question.” This book is a nice addition to the series.