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bashsbooks · 1 year

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Iron Widow Book Review

★★★★★ ~ 5 out of 5 stars

Due to its popularity on Tiktok and Tumblr, I have long heard rumors about Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow. I tend to be skeptical about social media hype, but after a friend recommended it to me personally, I added it to my to-read list, forgot about it for like a year, and then promptly remembered it when I was figuring out what books to read for my 2023 reading challenges. And as soon as I started reading, I was like, “Oh shit. I should’ve read this sooner.”

Iron Widow lives up to the hype. Actually, it smashes through the hype and goes way past what I expected. Set in a futuristic alternative universe based on Chinese history and mythology, Iron Widow follows Xu Zetian as she volunteers to be a concubine-pilot, a deadly but supposedly necessary role required to power Chrysalises, which are basically giant supersuits used to fight off aliens. Concubine-pilots usually die in the process of powering Chrysalises, though their families are heavily compensated for this sacrifice. At the beginning of Iron Widow, Zetian is desperate to get vengeance for her sister was forced to become a concubine-pilot by their family - and then murdered by a male pilot before she could. (Interestingly enough, piloting the Chrysalises is not deadly for men - usually.) So Zetian volunteers with the ulterior motive of killing her sister’s murderer and quickly finds out that everything she knows - about the piloting system, gender and social dynamics, about the war - is a lie.

Although the patriarchy is a primary antagonist in Iron Widow, not every man in the book sucks sucks; in fact, Zetian manages to find not one but two love interests in Gao Yizhi, the son of the richest man in the country, and Li Shimin, a man who murdered his whole family (for good reasons, he’s valid) and is only being kept alive because he’s the best damn pilot in the war. As a hater of love triangles and a lover of fellow bisexual men, I am pleased to report that Yizhi and Shimin are also very interested in each other.

Iron Widow contains such a nuanced and fascinating take on how the patriarchy fucks over everyone. Zetian is understandably upset with the way women are treated, but she learns over the course of the novel that things aren’t all sunshine and roses for men, either. This does not diminish her passion for fighting for women (and indeed, it is never really poised as a competition of who has it worse; it’s pretty clear that it’s by-and-large worse for women), but it allows her to see men as fellow humans rather than inherently The Enemy.

Zetian is also disabled, having had her feet broken and bound from a young age to turn them into ‘lotus feet’, which are considered beautiful in her culture. She has trouble walking, even with the aid of a cane, and she constantly feels pain in her feet. This is a central aspect of her character, not an afterthought, and it’s woven into the novel thoughtfully. It parallels and interweaves with the novel’s exploration of gender and gendered expectations - much like Zetian cannot be reduced to the caricature of womanhood expected of her, nor can she be reduced to a caricature of her physical disability. Instead, the integration of these aspects into her character are complex. Her successes are not in spite of her womanhood and her bound feet, but because of them, and that makes her all the richer as a protagonist.

I love Iron Widow, and I’m happy to recommend it with a full 5 out of 5 stars. Its sequel, Heavenly Tyrant, comes out in August, and I can’t wait to read it. Xiran Jay Zhao, Iron Widow’s author, is here on Tumblr (@/xiranjayzhao) and they have already posted some Heavenly Tyrant memes to tide me over until then. (And if you like authors commenting on their books outside of the text, then I recommend following their Tumblr after you’ve finished Iron Widow.)

#iron widow #xiran jay zhao #ya books #sci fi books #ya sci fi #queer books #book reviews #my book reviews #5 out of 5 stars #i could not find a nongrainy picture of the cover anywhere i swear #what is up with that #anyway read iron widow it's awesome #can't wait for the sequel later this year

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quoteablebooks · 4 months

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Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Rating: 5 out of 5

Content Warning: Homophobia, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Racism, Self harm

Summary:

Maeve’s strangely astute tarot readings make her the talk of the school, until a classmate draws a chilling and unfamiliar card—and then disappears.

After Maeve finds a pack of tarot cards while cleaning out a closet during her in-school suspension, she quickly becomes the most sought-after diviner at St. Bernadette’s Catholic school. But when Maeve’s ex–best friend, Lily, draws an unsettling card called The Housekeeper that Maeve has never seen before, the session devolves into a heated argument that ends with Maeve wishing aloud that Lily would disappear. When Lily isn’t at school the next Monday, Maeve learns her ex-friend has vanished without a trace.

Shunned by her classmates and struggling to preserve a fledgling romance with Lily’s gender-fluid sibling, Roe, Maeve must dig deep into her connection with the cards to search for clues the police cannot find—even if they lead to the terrifying Housekeeper herself. Set in an Irish town where the church’s tight hold has loosened and new freedoms are trying to take root, this sharply contemporary story is witty, gripping, and tinged with mysticism.

*Opinions*

In case you don’t want to read this whole review, let me give you a tl;dr version. I loved this book as an adult, but it would have been my whole personality if I had read it as a teenager.

Still here? All Our Hidden Gifts is a YA novel that follows Maeve Chambers as she discovers a deck of tarot cards in the dusky basement of her all-girls school and finds reading them comes naturally to her. However, as her popularity rises with her readings, it sends her on a collision course with her former best friend Lily. After a disastrous reading, Lily goes missing and Maeve starts to believe that maybe there is more to her natural ability to read the card than coincidence. As she joins up with aspiring actress Fiona and Lily’s older sibling Roe to figure out what happened to Lily, they discover that much darker and more powerful forces are working in the city of Kilbeg, Ireland.

Everything about this story is such a “me” book that I am surprised that I hadn’t heard about it before randomly finding it at a bookstore. There is witchcraft, tarot cards, interpersonal relationship drama, an urban fantasy that interacts with real-world issues, and a flawed main character who is trying her best. I can’t think of anything about this book that I would gripe about, though if you are more of a plot-driven reader, this could be seen as dragging in places. As I am more of a character-driven reader I was pulled into Maeve’s story and how she interacted with those around her. At times I wanted to shake her and other times give her a hug, but that’s what it is like being a teenager.

I was so uncool that it never occurred to me that I might be able to climb the social ladder in middle and high school. That being said, I luckily played an instrument and therefore had a built-in group of kids that I at least had something in common with and did well in terms of academics. However, with my anxiety, I could see myself being like Maeve, desperate to fit in and have friends, even if it meant hurting someone else if I had an ounce of self-confidence. Who knew that low self-esteem had some perks? There is something so relatable about Maeve and her outbursts in an attempt to deflect from her fears and insecurities. While Maeve does not always make the best decisions, we have all been in a place where we have made them before. She is one of my favorite heroines.

While this is a YA novel, it deals with heavy topics of homophobia, the rise of the far right, and gender identity. I feel that O'Donoghue carefully crafts the story so that these topics are handled in a serious way, but without taking on a lecturing tone. I really liked that none of these issues are magically fixed by the end of the novel, in fact, it is a rather ambiguous ending, but this is also the first book in a series. I appreciate an urban fantasy, especially a low-magic one, that makes a point to show that magic isn’t going to fix everything because some people are just horrible. I think that Roe’s whole character was beautifully handled and also that Maeve’s attraction to him doesn’t change or is even questioned as his gender expression changes.

O’Donoghue also writes Maeve and Roe’s relationship in a way that made me kick my feet at times but never shies away from all the complications of Roe being Lily’s sibling. Roe is so kind and patient with Maeve but has no problem taking her to task when she needs to be checked. While everything is new, I can see them becoming a favorite couple if they stay together throughout the series. I also really liked Maeve and Fiona’s friendship and the awkward moments but also the genuine understanding they have for one another as well. When she is so jealous of Fiona at times reminded me of cringey memories from my own teenage years.

Overall, I just really loved this book. I wanted to keep reading and see what was going to happen. The characters are lovable and the story is compelling. I have the next two in my shopping cart for when I need a little treat and decide to buy myself books. 5 out of 5

#All Our Hidden Gifts #The Gifts Series #5 out of 5 stars #caroline o'donoghue #booklr #book review

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geraltofkrypton · 2 years

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can phoenix like, step on me, marry me, or smth?

#top gun maverick #phoenix #movies #top gun #watched #5 out of 5 stars

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clarislam · 2 months

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Book Review: "Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors" by James Lovegrove

What happens when Sherlock and Watson encounter three murders over three winters? Find out in "Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors" by James Lovegrove! #bookreview #SherlockHolmesAndTheThreeWinterTerrors #JamesLovegrove #fiction #mystery #murdermystery

Cover of “Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors” by James Lovegrove. I’m back with another book review, and this time I’m reviewing “Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors” by James Lovegrove! As a reader and author of murder mysteries, I think it was inevitable that I’d pick up a book related to Sherlock Holmes at some point. Not all of Holmes’ mysteries are murders, but this book…

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#5 out of 5 stars #book review #fiction #James Lovegrove #murder mystery #mystery #reading #review #Sherlock Holmes And The Three Winter Terrors

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mittthrawnuruodo · 11 months

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ND-5 in Star Wars Outlaws

#swedit #sw edit #star wars #star wars outlaws #nd 5 #videogames #I LOVE HIM #commando droids are my favourite type of droids akdfjsjgh #out of the way a new fave just dropped #i'm literally making gifs i never make gifs #*gif

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ooowyn · 8 months

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Hey Snips.... We've got a lot to talk about

i'm so excited/worried for the next couple of episodes

#ahsoka spoilers #anakin skywalker #ahsoka tano #star wars #ooowyn art #you will not believe how badly i wanted to draw something for this episode #and everything i drew was horrible #then popped this out at 5 am like what in the goddamn #ahsoka show

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saltyseaturtle · 9 days

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Mount Tantiss x Narkina 5

The Bad Batch x Andor

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mugwot · 3 months

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someone

#act 5 my beloved my beloathed #at this point in the game i think my brain was a bit fried cos i legit forgot how stories happen and was like yep this is how i die #made it so i straight up exploded afterwards lol just inconsolable #mal du pays #is me when i fucking gets you #cracking open a boy with the cold ones #oh to have your head grabbed in a vice grip by your inner demons <3 #isat spoilers #like kinda big ones #isat siffrin #isat mal du pays #in stars and time #some pose practice kinda got away from me #turns out if you change up how you sketch it can make you a bit looser with it which was nice c:#in this case i sketched with light colour on a dark background #my art

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fudgecake-charlie · 5 months

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CHEERING AND WHOOPING I finished @applestruda's DTIYS! This took. so long.... first finished painting in over a month though so I'm very happy :D

Closeup (and a phonescreen version, this is already desktop sized!) under the cut

#BeeBoatemDtiys #hermitcraft #boatem #Grian #Mumbo Jumbo #Pearlescentmoon #ImpulseSV #Goodtimeswithscar #art out the oven #this was soo fun even if the process was a bit all over the place #I did one layer for each person and then merged it to soften the edges between everything nicely #(<- had to paint the stars on pearl's PJs like 5 times because of this)#Also tried to do work on my face variation??? i don't know how obvious it is lol OTL i'm trying my best!!#[scheduled]#edit the phonescreen dimensions were wrong but thats fixed now!!

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homenetteusa · 2 years

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#HomeNette #Following #|#5 out of 5 stars #Vintage Rug #Old Fashion Carpet #Boho Rug #Washable Carpet #Non-Slip Floor Carpet #Cotton Floor Carpet #Living Room Carpet

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imminent-danger-came · 4 months

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The Devil and the Lovers

Stills Under the Cut!

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bashsbooks · 1 year

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Loveless Book Review

★★★★★ ~ 5 out of 5 stars

Loveless, Alice Oseman’s fourth and most recent novel, has yanked asexuality and aromanticism to the forefront of book club discussions with its insanely relatable characters and the messy way they go about figuring out interpersonal relationship dynamics. And as a certified, card-carrying queer who has a lot of aro and ace friends, I am totally here for it. I was so happy and excited to see them represented in popular, mainstream media - and in YA, no less! But I am juuuust old enough to remember when queer representation trickled into books like crumbs, rather than the whole cookie, so to speak, so I was surprised - and delighted - to realize that the ensemble cast of Loveless represented across the rainbow, that this book was not about an aroace woman adrift in a sea of allocishets, but about her discovering our community and finding her place within it.

Loveless follows Georgia Warr, a freshman at Durham University in England, who is obsessed with the idea of romance, but finds herself repulsed and uncomfortable whenever she tries to get involved with anyone. Her two best friends from secondary school, Pip Quintana and Jason Farley-Shaw, are with her at Durham, and she becomes fast friends with two other people on campus: her roommate, Rooney Bach, and her college parent, Sunil Jha. Navigating the university environment, the meshing of old friendships with new, and the confusing realization that she may not, in fact, feel any sort of attraction, Georgia grows to understand herself and relate to those around her more authentically.

This is a hilarious coming-of-age novel, but it also doesn’t pull its punches. It’s not afraid to let its leads fuck up. Georgia and her friends feel authentic. They are a gaggle of eighteen year olds (except Sunil, who is a couple of years older), and they still have a lot of growing up to do, some of which they do throughout the novel. The conflicts are relatable; I remember being a teenager and trying to figure out my gender and sexuality, feeling like an imposter within the queer community, and not being one hundred percent happy about the conclusions that I came to.

Even if you aren’t queer, Georgia is relatable in other ways - she worries about not having enough friends, about not being cool at parties, about having hobbies that are ‘weird’ (she loves slash fic… this book really slapped me in the face by referencing Drarry and Korrasami in the second chapter).

Which leads me to something else that I love about this book: the references! I feel like I’m the perfect age to get all of the references in Loveless, from those iconic ships (and a few more that are referenced later) to the live action Scooby-Doo movies. Shakespeare also comes up a lot, because Georgia’s roommate, Rooney, is obsessed with Shakespeare - this speaks less to my age group, but still heavily to my interests. (Georgia does roast John Keats at one point, though. Not cool, Georgia.)

The way the characters learn information feels more natural than I’m used to in mainstream queer media. Oftentimes, it is awkward and stilted, definitional and over-explanatory, usually so that the (non-queer) audience knows what words like ‘aromantic’ and ‘asexual’ mean. I find this type of scenario inauthentic, as most of my experience learning new sexuality and gender terminology comes from someone of that sexuality or gender very casually explaining, rather than me looking it up in the OED. Even when I do start by Googling it, my second step is always finding a primary source that isn’t so… well-rehearsed. Georgia learns new terms from her friends in much the same way I did, and I like that inclusion.

Honestly, I like pretty much everything about this book. I’m pleased to rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I’m excited to read more Alice Oseman soon - I’ve already picked up the first volume of Heartstopper from the library!

#loveless #alice oseman #book review #my book review #read #5 out of 5 stars

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quoteablebooks · 10 months

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Genre: Science Fiction,

Rating: 5 out of 5

Trigger Warning: Animal death, Cursing, Alcohol, Sexual content

Summary:

After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.

They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.

Becky Chambers's new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?

They're going to need to ask it a lot.

*Opinions*

This series is just delightful, these characters are delightful, this world is delightful, and the questions that this novella raises make me think far too much about morality and existence than one would think possible in a book that is just under 150 pages. I was worried that this second novella wouldn’t be able to live up to the feeling that the first novella gave me, but it was like slipping into a warm sweater to go back on the road with Sibling Dex and Mosscap as they return to society after their adventures in the wilds. Becky Chambers gives snippets of that adventure and the questions that it raises and gives a better look at this hope-punk world that she has created. While this novella didn’t make me cry, I still enjoyed every single page. Chambers once again tackles the ideas of purpose and burnout in this novella, which makes me confront myself about how I take care of myself and approach the world and my place in it. However, Chambers does it in a comforting way, staying in the scenes in which Dex confronts these ideas just enough to get the point across without sending the reader into a spiral of despair. The discussions about purpose are the same, though I feel like that is more of a focus in this novella with both Dex and Mosscap questioning their place in the world and how to complete what they see as their mission being with each other. Chambers really doesn’t try to answer any of these questions, just lets the characters discuss it on the page and pull meaning as they see fit. It is rather calming to have other people wrestle with these issues and not have to engage in them if you don’t want to. Dex and Mosscap as characters are relatable and rather anxious individuals, which I appreciate as someone else who has anxiety. They are both attempting to do their best, but are constantly confronted with new ideas and how they fit into a world that is changing or being seen in a new way. Their banter and conversations are just lovely to read and I like their buddy road trip from village to village. They have learned to understand one another without words and what the other needs, sometimes before the other individual did. It was just so nice to watch them become friends and protective of one another. As always, Chambers makes gender and sexuality just things that exist in this world and not needing explanation or shame. Dex’s parents have multiple partners and everyone lives rather harmoniously on the farm together, which is so nice. There is no label placed on anyone’s sexuality, but it is nice to see that non-monogamous relationships are just as accepted as any other. With everything going on in the world, it is so refreshing to escape into a world where people are allowed to be who they want to be and love who they want to live in peace. It’s sad and frustrating that sexuality and individual presentation seem to be more far-fetched than some of the science in this science fiction these days. Overall, a warm hug of a book or listening to two friends talk about life and philosophy on a relaxing weekend away. I strongly recommend this series and will probably read it again and again over and over again. Five stars, no questions.

#a prayer for the crown shy #Monk and Robot Novella #5 out of 5 stars #Becky Chambers #book review #booklr

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dustykneed · 15 days

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not a SINGLE day goes by where i don't think about that post with the photo of andrew's death grip on alex's waist. you know the one

(i have, regrettably, once again, lost the damn post. if anyone has any clue as to its whereabouts i would be much obliged if you could drop the link lol. but at the very least i had the presence of mind to download the photo so here yall go xDD:

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clarislam · 4 months

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Book Review: "The Blonde Identity" by Ally Carter

A mistaken identity and amnesia will do little to survive enemy spies out to kill the main heroine in "The Blonde Identity" by Ally Carter! #TheBlondeIdentity #AllyCarter #bookreview

Cover of “The Blonde Identity” by Ally Carter I’m back with another book review, and this time I’m reviewing “Blonde Identity” by Ally Carter! “It’s the middle of the night in the middle of Paris and a woman just woke up with no memory. She only knows three things for certain: 1. She has a splitting headache. 2. The hottest guy she has (probably) ever seen is standing over her, telling her…

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#5 out of 5 stars #action #Ally Carter #amreading #book #book review #books #fiction #reading #spies #spy #The Blonde Identity

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robotsandramblings · 1 month

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🥵🥵

#im actually speechless........this set of pixels is the hottest shit alive #the Sassy Hip RETURNS......god bles #hunter #the bad batch #star wars #bad batch spoilers #HOT DAMN #R&Rphotoset #come out here and get y'all juice...bc i know you's THIRSTY #can't wait to see other ppl's thirst tags... they're my fave lol #it's ok bby i know u get your ass handed to you 5 sec later but you're still hot af 🥰

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