Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts

Wednesday 1 August 2018

Month in Review(s) - July 2018

Where did July go?!

Like... I know sometimes time goes quick, but really?!

July title image with funky grape and banana shapes

I think it's the heat.

I spent most of the month slouching around the house, trying to cool down, and being a generally not-nice person to be around.

Me + heat = grump monster! Lol.

Mini-Review! - The Girls by Emma Cline

(Warning: this post discusses and refers to serious topics such as rape and child abuse. Please be careful my nerdlets.)

The Girls title image with girl standing in a field with flowers overlaid

Title: The Girls

Author: Emma Cline

Genre:

Adult Fiction*, Historical Fiction*, Crime*, LGBTQ+ (M/F, F/F)*✢

*(ish - it's a really difficult book to define tbh!)

✢ The LGBTQ+ and F/F rep isn't great (neither is a lot of the M/F tbh,) see main review.

Amazon: USA

Really Mini-Reviews! - Swing Time by Zadie Smith and The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

What have I got for you today?

Some more awesome-sauce Really Mini-Reviews!

girl writing while sitting on a flying book with a happy sun in the background

So, here are my reviews of Swing Time by Zadie Smith, and The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware:

The Play's The Thing!

I was watching the BBC version of Hamlet starring Andrew Scott the other day (y'know, the Irish guy who plays Moriarty?) and a thought popped into my head:

Plays should count for the Goodreads Challenge!

curtain in front of painted backdrop of sky with clouds

(My Goodreads account is private. Sorry.)

Friday Fics Fix - Greek Chorus

Occasionally, I remember that I'm a book blogger (I know, right? Shocker!) and find a suitably book-related fic to recommend to you, my lovely nerdlets.

fics fix title image with purple background and white lightning bolt

This week, I was lucky - I didn't have to look that hard.

Some weeks I literally have to trawl through soooooo many fics, and it takes me hours to find one decent enough to rec. to you all (seriously, I love fanfiction, but there's some utter cr*p out there.)

Plus, you know me, I love bringing you things which make you think - new takes on characters and storylines, deeper examinations of events, diverse rep. that we often just don't get in mainstream stuff.

Month in Review(s) - March 2018

March. Ah, March.

March, for yours truly, was one of those months with too much trouble, and too little time to deal with it.

There was some good, incredible, awesome stuff - like a Fall Out Boy concert last week (completely awesome!) and hitting 200k page-views on Dora Reads (I LOVE YOU MY NERDLETS!!!) - but there was also a lot of stress, worry, Anxiety, etc.

There's a lot of personal stuff going on atm, including my grandmother being in hospital since the beginning of the month - and thanks so much for your support my dearest nerdlets! You rock, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!

Friday Fics Fix - Overloaded

Sensory overload can occur with several different disabilities.

Most commonly, it occurs with ADHD, Autism, Fibromyalgia, and Anxiety Disorders. It can also occur with migraines and many other conditions.

I get it with migraines (and I'm going to be honest, the Anxiety and the synaesthesia probably don't help with this.) It is a freaking b**ch.

Review Time! - The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse

The Art of Hiding title image with two hands making a heart shape with sun shining through in sepia tones; small note in corner reads 'Book Review @ Dora Reads'

Friday Fics Fix - On Witches and B**ches

Yesterday was International Women's Day, so why don't we get feminist for this week's Fics Fix?

Too often, we dislike female characters - not least because their authors and/or creators make them unlikable.

Mini-Review! - An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

An Untamed State title image with bird flying outside bird cage in a vintage style with purple and brown tones; 'Book Review @ dorareads.co.uk' is written in the bottom-right corner

Title: An Untamed State

Author: Roxane Gay

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

This book is an open wound.

It is raw. It is powerful. And, somehow, it finds a way to be beautiful.

Friday Fics Fix - Everyone From Harry Potter Has Mental Health Problems, M'k?

You want some Harry Potter fanfiction discussing mental health problems? (Of course you do, is that even a question?!)*

This fic could be heavy sh** for some people, so be CAREFUL when reading my nerdlets.

Review Time! - Goodnight, Boy by Nikki Sheehan

Goodnight boy title image with book stack and purple border

Title: Goodnight, Boy

Author: Nikki Sheehan

Genre: Kids (Middle Grade/MG,) Young Adult*, Contemporary**

*YA crossover appeal

**ish

Amazon: UK - USA

Friday Fics Fix - Why So Sirius?

(Apologies for the title-pun. Couldn't resist 😅)

If there's one fandom that always goes above and beyond, it's the Potterheads.

Yes, those fans of Harry Potter can always be counted on to take even the smallest of details from the books and run with them - to the extent that there are now fully-established fandoms within the fandom.

(Is that like fandom-ception or something?! So much meta.)

Quick warning: this post may contain some very mild Harry Potter spoilers.

Friday Fics Fix - Use Your Head

This week's fic made me metaphorically punch the air. Because dudes - yes!

This fic is one of those which you don't need to be all that familiar with the fandom itself to enjoy - which is good because it's from the re-booted MacGyver fandom, which is kind of smaller than most fandoms.

2017's Top 4 Books (...In The Opinion of Yours Truly)

2017 can't be well and truly dusted off and put back on the shelf* without some input from your favourite Bookish Rebel (moi, ofc,) on the bestest books of the year.

two people with capes and flags acting very victory-ish

This is TOTALLY MY OPINION ONLY.

Obviously, I can only pick from books I've read. And within that only books published in 2017.

Even given those rules, there's a bunch of books that I've read that I didn't include - THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T LIKE THEM!!!!

This is basically a snapshot of the stand-outs. There were loooooads of other books I could've included - promise!

(My Anxiety kicks in when I think I might be leaving someone/something out that deserves recognition - does it show?!)

*Ha, shelf? Books? Hehe! XD

Friday Fics Fix - Combined Forces

Here we are then, in 2018! And it's time for the first Friday Fics Fix of the year!

In case you don't know (because the internet has a short memory, and also you might be new to Dora Reads - in which case, welcome! Please stay! Lol,) Friday Fics Fix is a weekly post where I recommend (or 'rec') a piece of fanfiction.

Basically, I started this post series because fanfiction totally counts as reading! And it should be completely counted as such! #EffTheSnobs

So with that established, let's take a look at this week's rec!

OK, I have some Star Wars for you this week - which I haven't done before, because while I like Star Wars, it's not like my be-all-and-end-all. And I know people take Star Wars pretty seriously!