Mini-Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill

Title: The Tea Dragon Society

Author: Kay O'Neill

Genre: Kids/Middle Grade, Fantasy, LGBTQ+ (F/F; M/M)

Series: The Tea Dragon Society

Amazon: UK - USA

Friday Fics Fix - Super Chatty

You know what's fab? Fandom doesn't care about little things like continuity or multi-franchise media universes.

Fandom says 'screw it, we're just throwing all of them into a f**king group chat, cos it'd be great!'

Month in Review(s) - October 2017

October was fun, yes?*

*I mean if you ignore the news and the garbage pile that is the world's current affairs. *desperate laughter* 😅

Release Day Review!!! - Strange Weather by Joe Hill

Title: Strange Weather

Author: Joe Hill

Genre: Novellas, Anthology, Horror

Release Date: 24th October 2017

Amazon: UK - USA

Premise:

Strange Weather is a collection of four novellas or short novels by writer Joe Hill.

Snapshot, Loaded, Aloft, and Rain are connected by bizarre weather events, providing a backdrop - or a catalyst - to the events which unfold.

Release Day Review!!! - Mirror Mirror by Cara Delevingne and Rowan Coleman

Title: Mirror Mirror

Author: Cara Delevingne and Rowan Coleman

Genre: Young Adult/New Adult (YA with crossover appeal,) contemporary, crime*, LGBTQ+(and gender questioning)(F/F)

*ish

Release Date: 5th October

Amazon: UK - USA

Friday Fics Fix - Anything But Ordinary, Please

In fandom, anything that can be shipped eventually will be shipped.

Which is both awesome and terrifying when you think about it. 👍😅

(Fangirling notes: fandom is here used as a collective term for fans.

Shipping is wanting two (or more) characters to be in a romantic or sexual relationship. This may or may not conform to the official materials, known as canon.)

Month in Review(s) - August 2017

August. Yeah, August...

August, for me, was stressful.

My 88-year-old grandfather was very unwell and ended up in hospital, he's better now but we still have to do a lot to make sure he and my grandmother are safe, happy, and as healthy as they can be.

Comics Wrap-Up - Miss Atomic Bomb

Film Trailers and Films

I'm actually gonna give you some slightly older trailers for two based-on-comics films I've seen over the past two weeks*

*Yes, two films in two weeks. I bought a year cinema pass, so I literally go there every week; after the first 20 films, it's paid for itself.

And I've seen like 24 or 25 now. If you're a movie fan, maybe look at similar deals where you are? #BudgetTipsWithCee - lol! ;)

Review! - Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

Title: Our Own Private Universe

Author: Robin Talley

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance (F/F)

Amazon: UK - USA

Friday Fics Fix - I Can See It There In Your Eyes

Some things in this world are pure awesome - one of those things is that Sanvers is canon.

Because Supergirl is an excellent TV series, and was like, 'dudes, let's see Supergirl have a lesbian sister who kicks criminal alien butt!'

And the kids of this world are all the better for it.*

*Link warning: discussion of suicidal thoughts in relation to LGBTQ+ issues/coming out.

Review Time! - Thirteen Hours by Francis Gideon

Title: Thirteen Hours

Author: Francis Gideon

Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Paranormal, Zombies, Steampunk, LGBTQ+, Romance (M/M; secondary F/F,) Novella/Short Story

Amazon: UK - USA

Comics Wrap-Up - So I Hold Two Fingers Up To Yesterday

Film Trailers


More Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 2 shenanigans!


Warning: flashing images

#Prideathon TBR

Comics Wrap-Up - Candy Love

Film Trailers



OK, the thing that made nerd-dom collectively lose its sh** this week was the first teaser trailer for Thor: Ragnarok!

(And once again, proof that Chris Hemsworth needs to be in more comedy - his timing dudes, his timing.)

Really Mini Reviews! - 3 #OwnVoices Asian Historical Novels

Over half of the world's population lives on the continent of Asia, without counting people of Asian descent or birth who live elsewhere.

My reading certainly doesn't reflect that, does yours?

Comics Wrap-Up - Tale As Old As Time... Sort Of

Film Trailers

First up, there's another li'l Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 2, trailer for you to sink your little nerdlet-y fangs into!

(Yes, I've had coffee - this is gonna be fun! 😎)

Month in Review(s) - February 2017

February. The shortest of months, and the one with Valentine's Day crammed into the middle there.

Which may explain why four of the 5 books I reviewed this month were romances - guess it even got to yours truly! (I'm not going all soft on you though, dearest nerdlets, I'm still your Rebel Valentine! Lol.)

Really Mini Reviews! - 3 Contemporary F/F (Lesbian) Romances

It's funny isn't it, how there seems to be a lot more support for M/M romance than there is for F/F romance?

That's not to say that M/M romance doesn't deserve support (it totally does!) but F/F romance shouldn't have to linger by the wayside.

Now, I have a habit of reading... pretty much anything I can get my hands on, which includes F/F romances, of course!

But I also tend to go for cheap/on-offer, and free books where possible (I'm broke dammit!) - so in this post, I review 3 short (novella/short story) contemporary F/F books that I managed to snag as freebies. (Woo!)

All three of these books are classified as lesbian romances; there isn't an awful lot of non-lesbian F/F romance out there, which is another reason F/F romance needs more support!

'3 F/F lesbian romances!' Click to tweet

Title: Flashbang

Author: Lee Winter

Verdict:

OK, this one is 18+ only guys, on account of sexy-times.

This is about two journalists at a glitzy Hollywood party.

To be honest, there's not much plot – it's a short pre-sexy-times scene, followed by a sexy-times scene.

But it actually feels really... intimate, and lovely.

It's got real heart, and it's a small snapshot of a relationship that clearly means a lot to the characters involved.

Goodreads – Author's Site

Title: The Morning After

Author: Jae

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

This is really sweet, fluffy, and enjoyable.

Kathryn wakes up at a strange apartment, with a hangover, not remembering much from the night before.

I really loved the stomping all over stereotypes, and the realistic characters, in this.

I also love the conversations between our main characters, lesbians Kathryn and Michelle, and the whole sweet 'when you least expect it' vibe.

If you're looking for something sweet (but not too sweet,) light, and free of sex-scenes, I really recommend this one. It's well written t'boot! :)

However, some people might find some of the language used in the opening date scene ableist towards people with mental health problems. ('Psycho,' 'loony,' - that kind of thing.)

I personally wasn't bothered, but I can see why it would bother a lot of people.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

Title: The Sexy Librarian

Author: Nicolette Dane

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

This one is also 18+ on account of sexy-times.

This was actually less trashy than the title would suggest (or than the cover would suggest...)

There's actual plot here! (Which I know from M/F romance/erotica, isn't always the case!)

Don't get me wrong though – there was still a lot of graphic sexy-times!

What I loved about this one though (aside from the romance stuff) was the real love for books and reading in general that shone through the writing. That was awesome.

Not so great was the occasional... odd verb choice... when it came to the sex scenes. It wasn't terrible. It was just... a bit odd.

Perfect indulgence reading though.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

Like this post? Check some of these out:

• 5 Simple Rules For Reading and Reviewing LGBTQ+ Books
• Mini-Review! - Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
• The Bookish Diversity Link List 2017
• My Contemporary YA TBR

Review Time! - Santa Muerte by Lucina Stone

Title: Santa Muerte

Author: Lucina Stone

Genre: New Adult/NA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Witches, Vampires*, Werewolves*, Historical Fiction* (*ish)

Series: The Daniela Story #1

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book from the author, Lucina Stone, who I'm in contact with on Twitter.

This does not affect the content of my review; my review is fair and honest.

I agreed to read this with only the vaguest of notions of what it was about - I had read Naz @ Read Diverse Books' review of it, but had mostly forgotten about it by the time Lucina Stone contacted me.

I definitely didn't realise that it was urban fantasy - so that was a pleasant surprise!

I love urban fantasy - a subgenre of paranormal which involves magical-type-people (witches, vampires, etc.) faffing about in cities and/or towns in which they have their own societies (sometimes open to human society, sometimes hidden.)

It's strange, really, since I don't like cities in general - too much of a rural kind of girl. *shrugs* But there you have it.

Premise:

Turns out there's more to Daniela's family than she thought there was.

In the year 2030, Daniela sees no end to the pain. Depressed and hurt by an abusive relationship, she tries to take her own life...

...and wakes up somewhere strange.

This can't be happening. She can't be in the 1920s... right?

Dani doesn't get this time period, has no idea about magic, and, with a farm-girl named Daphne in tow, is being chased by a bunch of people who want her dead - or at least in jail.

All she wants is to go home to her mothers, but that seems almost impossible from here...

Best bits:

I love the chatty tone of this book. Stone grabs hold of you and says, 'come on guys, this way!' Which is spot on.

And the time travel element is well done! DID YOU HEAR THAT???? THE TIME TRAVEL ELEMENT IS WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!

Too often, time travel gets unnecessarily messy, or even just plain naff, but not here.

Here we have the reality of suddenly finding yourself in a world full of racism and rigid gender rules (Daniela ends up posing as a dude because of her short hair and trousers.)

And it's an element which is missing from your average time travel plot: the day-to-day-ness of living in that period, especially as a person of colour (PoC) in the USA.

I liked the Mexican variations on the stalwarts of urban fantasy.

All of the different species of the paranormal and urban fantasy worlds - vamps, wolves, witches, etc. are removed from their White European stereotypes and instead seen through the lens of Mexican folklore.

Most notably we have the brujas - the Mexican witches - who are written with skill and intrigue, and are far removed from the average urban fantasy witch-chick (who is normally a white goth-girl and/or biker-chick.)

The depression representation is good overall, devastatingly realistic as a whole - but I did have a minor issue with it, which I'll write about in the next section.

The sense of hopelessness and worthlessness depicted is accurate and heart-breaking, and Daniela doesn't magically get better the moment she ends up in 1923, meaning it's not treated as just a plot point.

And we get a same-sex, lesbian, parenting couple - which is awesome.

Not so great bits:

First thing, as ever, is first, here's the potentially distressing content from this book (hold on, there's some stuff to get through):

• depression
• attempted suicide
• suicidal thoughts
• hanging
• abusive relationships
• low self-worth/self-esteem
• racism
• racial slurs (including the 'n' word)
• the KKK
• lynching
• segregation and discrimination
• sexual abuse
• child abuse
• sexual assault
• rape
• torture
• kidnapping
• burning (as a form of torture)
• attempted murder
• homophobia
• grave-robbing
• missing persons investigation

I think that's everything - v. sorry if I've missed anything out.

There's swearing and violence; if you can handle all the other stuff though... *shrugs*

At one point, the phrase totem pole is used in as a metaphor in a non-native setting, which is seen as cultural appropriation, affecting some First Nations tribes (this piece by Robin R R Gray explains more.)

It was only once, but was still disappointing, and I hope won't occur again in future books.

Also, and this one is more of a personal preference, the relationship between Dani's mothers is referred to as a lifestyle. I don't like this.

I'm aware that a lot of LGBTQ+ people are ok with it (especially from older generations,) but I am personally not a big fan of the term.

But then, a lot of LGBTQ+ people find the term queer very offensive, but I personally identify as both sexually fluid and queer.

I guess you just have to understand that some people will be offended by both of these terms, and you need to examine how and why AND WHETHER YOU SHOULD use them in any given context.

Occasionally it felt like the representation of Daniela's depression was a little bit hit-and-miss, simply because at the times when it wasn't affecting her so much it was almost as if it didn't matter any more.

Honestly though, the representation of depression was, overall, heartbreakingly affective.

Verdict:

This is a great book - a strong foundation for the series, with great characters and interesting paranormal elements.

If you're an urban fantasy fan, this is a must. But those not so familiar with the genre will love it too.




UPDATE 22nd APRIL 2017:

A couple of people have raised issues with the lesbian and depression representation in this book, as well as a few other matters. Some people have equated Dani's lesbian mother having sex with a man with biphobia.

I personally don't agree with the lesbian rep/biphobia criticism - because if anyone knows that sexuality is fluid, it's yours truly. But I see the validity of the points made.

For an overview of the issues that some people have with this book, see C T Callahan's Goodreads review.

I do find C T Callahan more than a little harsh on this book, but you guys all know that I believe in having all the cards on the table so that you can make up your own minds.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

Liked this post? Try these:

• My 7 Top Picks of 2016's Books
• Review Time! - Eyes of Persuasion by Adrienne Monson
• Review Time! - Nina Is Not OK by Shappi Khorsandi
• Review Time! - Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

Month in Review(s) - January 2017

Well, that was January 2017... don't blame 2017 too much, guys, it keeps following 2016's examples.

I'm sure that in time it'll move away from the influence of it's older sibling, who was, let's face it, a freaking disgrace of a year.

2017 though can still be steered in the right direction with the help of intervention programmes, and stopping it from hanging out with the wrong people. We hope.

On a more positive note, this was the month that yours truly, along with Angel, Jolien, Dina, Lara, and our fearless leader, the lovely Ely, ran #DisabilityDiaries2017.

And it rocked. In case you hadn't noticed. ;)

You can check out alllllll of the posts from everyone during the event in this Google+ collection, and most of the posts in this BlogLovin collection.

If I've missed your post out, please let me know! Some of the posts I couldn't add to the BlogLovin collection, because not all of the blogs involved had an account there.

You can also submit your discussion and list posts from the event to The Bookish Diversity Link List 2017.

So, I only reviewed 2 books in January (I know, I know, I need to review more!) and both were for the Disability Diaries:

Unspeakable by Abbie Rushton

Jerkbait by Mia Siegert

My other posts for #DisabilityDiaries2017 are listed below:

Harry Potter and the Representation of Scarring

Nerd Church - No Shame, No Stigma

The Writer Diaries - The Challenges of Writing With Depression and Anxiety

And that's January! :)