Comics Wrap-Up - It's Just Your Own Reflection

Watch out! Here comes the Spider-Man!!!!

Check out the comics stuff that's caught my eye this week -

Nerd Church - Media Overload: Quality, Quantity, and Diversity

There is more media and entertainment in our world today than ever before.

Even putting to one side the numerous web-pages and status updates that are published every single second, the rate at which new books, films, TV shows, songs, etc. are being created and published is immense.

Friday Fics Fix - Digging For Victory

Hello 2019! We got fanfiction, we got Bucky Bear, let's get down to it!

'Theoretically, she knew he must go other places sometimes, but it didn't seem to happen often, and from his overall air of nervousness, he seemed to be uncomfortable with it too.'

One of my favourite things on this planet is fanfiction which uses self-care and general mental-health recovery as its focus.

When the character involved just so happens to be my Bucky-bear, aka Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier, it's like icing on the cake.

(In related news, I'm hungry and would very much like some cake, with or without icing.)

Comics Wrap-Up - Symmetry In Shadows I Can't Hide

F**k yeah! It's 2019, I'm blasting my Heavy Metal playlist. Let's do this!

So, here it is, the first comics-y-ness post of 2019, featuring superhero shenanigans and all that jazz!

Month In Review(s) - December 2018

In order to fully boot 2018's a** out the back door, there's still a little business to attend to - in this case, December's wrap-up.

Except for Christmas (which is always amazing - I love Christmas,) December sucked.

The Bookish Diversity Link List 2019

Let's get moving my dearest nerdlets!

I didn't manage to make 2018's list all that I wanted it to be - not least because 2018 was stressful and hard as hell.

2019 though? Let's kick some butt!

Review Time! - Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

Title: Piecing Me Together

Author: Renée Watson

Genre: Young Adult (with New Adult crossover appeal,) Contemporary Fiction

Amazon: UK - USA

A Few Starting Notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. This is a fair and honest review.

This is where I once again point out that I’m a) Welsh and b) White. 

So my perspective of Black American life is obviously limited.

This book is like the forgotten sister of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – it covers a lot of the same ground, and was released in the US in 2017 (2018 here in the good ol’ UK.)

But it’s also a very different book to THUG, and is in no way a lesser take on the topics it handles.

This book is also Black American #OwnVoices.

The Premise:

Jade lives and grew up in a poor neighbourhood, where most of her neighbours are also Black people, and feels kinda out of place in her prestigious (and predominantly White) private school.

When she’s passed over for an opportunity she’s earned, and, seemingly instead of this opportunity, given a place on a scheme for under-privileged Black girls, Woman to Woman, she’s understandably pi**ed.

Add in a confusing friendship with a White girl who doesn’t seem to get the challenges Jade faces because of her race, and local police brutality against Black teenagers, and Jade’s really starting to feel out of place… well, everywhere.

The Best Bits:

This book is amazing.

The characters are so strong – both in the sense of their vividness, and generally as people.

Jade herself is complex and relatable.

Her frustrations as she battles to find her place in the world, and battles against the discrimination she faces, shines through the writing in a way that makes you honestly feel for her (and also wanna slap a few people on her behalf.)

But that doesn’t mean that the side-characters are one-dimensional – they’re not.

All of them seem to have a sense of being their own person, with their own motivations.

And, what is maybe unusual for YA, we also get complex adult characters, including Jade’s mentor on the Woman to Woman programme, Maxine.

Maxine is, in so many ways, just as lost as Jade – she just doesn’t think that she is.

The interactions between Jade and Maxine provide not only a medium for both characters to learn and grow as people, but also opportunity for the author to explore other themes.

Maxine’s family is considerably better-off, financially, than Jade’s, and that brings in a tonne of tricksy questions about the intersections and divisions of race and poverty and/or social class.

Elements of this book also reminded me a lot of Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera – a New Adult novel that deals with intersectional identities, and coming to terms with how the world sees you.

Related Reading: Review Time! - Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

Piecing Me Together weaves these strands together with awesome skill and maturity, while still not losing a tone that (in my humble, admittedly non-teenage, opinion,) is still bang-on for its YA audience.

Not So Great Bits:



This book isn’t for fans of quick, action-packed, plots. This is character-driven.

That’s obviously not a bad thing in and of itself, but a lot of people don’t get on with books which are more character-driven, and I get that.

(If you do decide to take the plunge though, it is an awesome book.)

It’s also not a fast read – I think maybe because there’s so much hard subject matter and layers here, that you have some stuff to think about!

With it being a YA and everything, the fact that it is quite a slow read (I’m a fast reader and it took me a while,) is probably worth noting.

Also, maybe not one for when you’re tired and looking for something light!

Content Warnings:

This book does deal with some difficult topics, so be careful dearest nerdlets!

- racism

- systemic racism

- police brutality against black teenagers

- poverty

- elitism

- body-shaming

- low self-esteem/self-worth

- body image issues

- victim-blaming and gaslighting

#OwnVoices Views:

Check out this #OwnVoices review @ The Black Lit Queen.

Let me know if you’ve written an #OwnVoices review you’d like me to link to!

The Verdict:

This is one of those eye-opening books that everyone should read if they get the chance. 

It’s also far too underrated – let’s change that, shall we? 😉

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads - Author's Website

Do you think there's room in YA for complex, character-driven books?

Do you think that sometimes books can be over-shadowed by other books dealing with similar topics?

Talk to me! 😊💬

You can follow me on Twitter @CeeDoraReads, on Dora Reads @ BlogLovin, and on Google+. For more ways to support me, check out the Support Me page

Related Reading:

• Review Time! - Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

• Review! - Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

Please remember to comment and share! 😊

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Last updated: 17th Jan 2019

Month in Review(s) - November 2018

Maybe you should all just assume that it wasn't a good month, unless I tell you differently? 😅

It'll save a lot of time and make me feel like I'm whining a lot less!

Friday Fics Fix - Get You Safely Home

'"I am a Malfoy, and Malfoys do not get drunk. We enjoy alternatives to sobriety."'

(Gentle reminder, dearest nerdlets, that getting drunk is not the smartest thing ever, and is best avoided.)

OK, so Draco's stinking drunk after a good/bad night out, depending on your interpretation, and Ron and Harry end up making sure that he gets home safe.

Because Ron and Harry are clearly good friends/colleagues (on account of they're all growed up now and have jobs.)

Also Harry maybe has a thing for a certain blonde Slytherin.

(But, you'll be happy to know, he acts the perfect gentleman.)

Comics Wrap-Up - These Other Thorns Are Rosy

Check out all the random comics and superhero stuff I've been watching/reading/whatever-ing this week:

'It's A Superpower!' - A Discussion On Synaesthesia With Evelina From Avalinah's Books

Synaesthetes are basically superheroes. (I’ve decided. #DealWithIt.)


We have two or more senses linked together - for example, some of us see music, or feel colours - and we each generally view the world in our unique way!

So what happens when one Synnie comes across another?

And what happens if they both happen to be book bloggers?

Will they write the longest post either of them has ever written in a random ramble of awesomeness?



Welp, we’re about to find out! 😉

On Dora Reads today we have the amazing-ful Evelina from Avalinah’s Books - a fellow Synnie and all around awesome-sauce person! 😆

Friday Fics Fix - A Different Kind of Poison

(Warning: this post is basically about Depression.)

'Today, however, all Venom can discern is what could be considered the cerebral equivalent of static. Everything is fuzzy and the thoughts that are trying to surface keep coming up blurry, with no real impulse behind them.'

I love Venom.

I love Venom to the end of the Earth. Cos I'm just that kind of weird sassy nerd.

So I've been reading Venom fanfiction.

Comics Wrap-Up - Still Got Pictures of Friends on the Wall

Aquaman, Arrowverse, and some real-life heroines: let's get to it!

Nerd Church - Remember Them, Too

I think it's important to remember, 100 years to the day after the end of the First World War, that marginalised people have always been part of, done their part for, and made the ultimate sacrifice for, this country.

When you remember those who served, remember that Black and Ethnic Minority (BAME) people, Muslim people, Jewish people, LGBTQ+ people, and many, many, other marginalised people, served this country too.

(I'm sure this also applies to other countries like the US, Canada, Australia, etc., but I can only speak for the UK here.)

Comics Wrap-Up - Where Is Your Boy Tonight?

What do we say when all the comics-y stuff comes under the 'Other Stuff' category...? That's right! BLAME LOKI! 😉

Via Giphy

Month In Review(s) - October 2018

Argh. October.

October was pretty much like the previous months - stressful, full of family worries, and working uber-hard.

My grandparents are both still in hospital. Life is still hectic.

Only October also managed to give me the gift of about four or five different colds. I'm one of those people who get colds on a rotating-door type basis. 😷

Friday Fics Fix - Am I More Than You Bargained For, Yeah?

'She comes back with a hiker’s backpack, out of which she pulls a pair of jersey shorts, black leggings, a red bandana and a bunch of colorful string bracelets.

"Jesus," Sam says, looking it over. "Is there some naked hippie grad student knocked out somewhere in the hotel right now?"

"None of these items will be traced back to us," Natasha says soothingly, which doesn't answer his question.'

Oh man, this fic! This fic is EVERYTHING.

Honestly, the dedication it takes to write over 500 pages of the Winter Soldier, aka Bucky Barnes, prioritising self-care and dealing with seventy years worth of trauma is freaking amazing!

Friday Fics Fix - Highjinks

'Chang snorted, “Are you trying to be breezy, Draco?”

“I am breezy, Chang.” Draco said, slumping even further back in his chair to prove his point. “Totally breez-”

It was then that Draco fell off his chair.'

More shenanigans to finish off our month of Harry-Potter-themed fanfiction!

Because October is for Harry Potter. *Nods sagely*

I didn't have long to throw this post together, so apologies if it's a little shorter than usual!

Really Mini-Reviews - Escorting the Escort by Lyss Em and Babyvamp by Lyssa Dering

You want some awesome M/M New Adult romance novellas?

Of course ya do!

Today I've got reviews of Escorting the Escort by Lyss Em and Babyvamp by Lyssa Dering - which are both written by the same author, just under different names.

They explore orientations beyond just Gay or Straight, and are pretty damned awesome t'boot!

Friday Fics Fix - The Brightest Stars

'Music was something all stars were familiar with, they sang their hymns and ballads among each other. Human music, on the other hand, was so much more versatile, and Sirius loved listening to all of the genres that they offered.'

Week 3 of Harry Potter October fanfiction-y-ness! 😁

Week 1 had Drarry, and so did last week's offering.

This week, though, we're stepping away from Harry Potter himself.

Away from Draco too.

And all the kids who went to Hogwarts at the same time as Harry.