Dora Reads is the book blog of a Bookish Rebel, supporting the Diversity Movement, bringing you Queer views and mental health advocacy, slipping in a lot of non-bookish content, and spreading reading to the goddamn world! :)
(All posts may contain Amazon links, which are affiliate, unless marked otherwise. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. USA ONLY - please do not make UK purchases with my links)
Part 3 - the final part! - of my alternative Valentine's playlist. Aren't you excited? :P
Sooooo, this third part is all about destructive love - y'know, the down-side of things, the burn-a-hole-in-your-heart side of things. That's fun, right? ;)
A reminder that this is my personal taste in music - which tends to err on the emo/rock/indie/punk side of things.
And there's probably swearing in here somewhere.
Green Day - Brutal Love
Argh! This song! I love this song! It's like a soul-filled punch to the chest - in a good way. :)
My Chemical Romance - I Don't Love You
Soooo many levels to this song - all of them very tragic. A beautiful song, and one of my favourites.
All American Rejects - Hope He Gives You Hell
A bitter break-up song if ever there was one.
Fall Out Boy Ft. Foxes - Just One Yesterday
This is an incredible song about how love hurts. I love this song. So much. So very much!
James Blunt - Love Love Love
At first glance, you may think this is a lovely song - then, as with all James Blunt songs, you listen to the words and realise it's all about pain :) Enjoy.
Hope you've enjoyed my slightly-wacky list-making! :) I know I have.
So, here's part 2 of my alternative Valentine's playlist: here bright and shiny and new.
Sick of sappy love songs? Here's some alternatives from your dear Cee Arr (me, in case you were wondering) - this post is all about 'unusual' love songs.
'Unusual' love songs - for the purposes of this post at least - are songs about the things that normally mean love: weddings, kisses, love in general; that are slightly off-key, quirky, and/or unexpected. Listen to the lyrics, you'll get it.
Again, this is my personal taste in music - which tends to err on the emo/rock/indie/punk side of things.
There's probably swearing in here somewhere.
The Killers - When You Were Young
'He doesn't look a thing like Jesus...'
Panic! At the Disco - I Write Sins Not Tragedies
'But what a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore...'
Fall Out Boy ft Big Sean - The Mighty Fall
"How the mighty fall/ the mighty fall/ how the mighty fall in love...'
AFI - Love Like Winter
"She wanted love/ I tasted blood...'
So, there you go! Tomorrow's (last) portion of the list will be about Destructive Love (yes, I know some of today's could've gone in there - shhh.)
This week's Friday Fics Fix is FrostIron. Again. (Reminder: FrostIron is a Tony Stark and Loki romantic relationship. It works surprisingly well. And I read a worryingly large amount of it.)
I know, I have a problem. But I kind of don't care!
This is a loooong fic - I'm still on the last couple of chapters because it's like novella-length or something. But it's worth it.
This fic will make you feel things - if it doesn't, then you need some serious sensitivity training. Like, seriously.
So, to give you a little idea of what this is about:
Loki, in his Jotun (frost-giant) form has been banished to Midgard (Earth) by the ever-a**hole-y Odin. (Odin in fanfiction is usually about ten times more of a jerk than he is in the films, maybe even more.)
Loki isn't doing too well on Earth, and ends up homeless and ill on the streets of New York.
Eventually, a seriously unwell Loki is taken in by the Avengers. And Tony has sort of a soft spot for him.
There's also some crossover with the X-men: including the ever brilliant Nightcrawler. The fic-author manages to make this seem unforced and natural, which is quite an achievement.
You will want to hug Loki, and probably Tony, more than once.
It's also written really well, which is refreshing. Sure, it has some spelling/grammar issues here and there - but this is fanfiction, it doesn't have fancy-schmancy proofers to check through for typos.
There's also some swearing, alcoholism, homelessness, prejudice, bigotry, massive abuse and neglect by terrible parents, and some pretty icky medical moments. Just to warn you.
But, this is really well-developed and thought-provoking.
Honestly, this is one of those fics that remind you that fanfiction can be beautiful and genuinely worthwhile.
Read it, you'll love it.
Apparently there was a big-noise American football doo-dah called the Super Bowl over the weekend.
Here in Wales, there was far more noise about the rugby - a not dissimilar game to American football, except with a lot less padding, and a lot tougher. (I recommend the Friends episode where Ross tries (and pretty much fails) to play rugby - the clip they show on the TV actually seems to be an old Wales match.)
As a result, we were treated to a new clip of Civil War (ohmygosh! Arghhhh!!!!!!!!!!)
There are going to be feels with this one: I can sense them.
There was also a teeny tiny X-men clip (the clip is teeny tiny, not the X-men, though that would be cool,):
And one for Deadpool :) which is out on Friday. Although, technically, the Deadpool ad was for the 'Superb Owl' - which is just awesome.
Graphic Novels
This week, I reviewed two graphic novels - Grumpy Cat, Vol 1 (UK - US) (reviewed here,) and Red Sonja/Conan: The Blood of a God (UK - US) (reviewed here.)
Two very different graphic novels - but both published by Dynamite. I received free digital review copies of both in return for fair and honest reviews.
Single Issues
Runaways #1 (2003-2005 run) (UK - US) is about a group of kids whose parents have a considerable secret.
It has artwork in a bright-coloured, bold-lined, style; which you tend to find a lot in comics aimed at teens and tweens.
It also has a YA kind of tone, but doesn't feel overly 'young' - if that makes any sense.
I really enjoyed it, but now this song is stuck in my head:
Ahhh, you've got to love The Killers. Even if it is now playing on a loop in my brain.
My neighbours are going to hate me (I only have two singing volumes: quiet and LOUD - I tend to use the loud.)
Swords of Sorrow (#1 of 6) (UK - US) is a Gail Simone Dynamite Comics series featuring a range of heroines (including Red Sonja - who you all know I love!)
This first issue does an adequate job of introducing the plot and coming up with a mechanism to allow different heroines from different planets and time periods to unite and have massive cross-over-y-ness.
I can't say that I was immediately bowled over - but it did seem a promising start to the series.
I don't like that cover in particular though... how are those women balancing like that?!? It's not possible!
Siege #1 of 4 (UK) is a part of a Marvel event from a few years ago.
Honestly, I wouldn't advise this one for complete comics/Marvel newbies - you need at least a basic understanding of Marvel lore to figure out what's going on.
This is set during the period that Asgard ends up on Earth, and the Dark Avengers are faffing about with Norman Osborne - see? You need at least basic Marvel knowledge for this one. Sorry.
Basically, it's like they decided to hit the 'sh** hits the fan' button (that button was pressed by Loki, by the by,) and then stand back and watch what happens.
The artwork is fairly good: serviceable, but not noticeably 'wow' (not to me anyway.)
Other Stuff
The Super Bowl deal-y also gave us this:
I don't know what I just witnessed - but it's awesome.
I
received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.
NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair
and honest reviews.
This is a crossover between the wonderful she-warrior, Red Sonja, and Conan (i.e. the Barbarian,) which I really was looking forward to (swords and battles and two legends together, what could be better?)
Premise:
Red Sonja and Conan combine (mercenary) forces to defeat the foul schemes of an evil sorcerer - Kal'Ang; is there more to this battle than there seems?
Best
bits:
Nothing does barbarian sword-and-sorcery quite like Red Sonja or Conan do; and if that's your shtick (guilty, as charged!) then look no further than this book.
I also love the art - well executed, and in some places verging on beautiful; certainly striking, though the covers (including the cover gallery included in this volume) are variable in both quality and the amount of anatomy on show.
And the characters rock: that is the major strength here.
Both Red Sonja and Conan (wearing his hair in a heavy-metal style-y - as all the barbarians are doing these days,) are strong and admirable characters, who, quite simply, take no sh**.
Not
so great bits:
I felt like the story could've done with just a touch more fleshing-out. It was nearly there but there was just something missing - I honestly couldn't tell you what.
And I'm going to say it again. And I will keep saying it until it is no longer true. Sonja is over-sexualised in this book.
True, Conan wears very little clothing (though let's be honest, this is for the male aspirational angle rather than anything sexy,) but Sonja nearly pops out of her tiny coverings more than once - and please don't get me started on the horrendous posing, and the cringe-worthy flirting with Conan. (Sigh.)
Also, I imagine chain-mail wedgies are uncomfortable. Just saying.
Oh, and the gore, violence, swearing, and sexual content won't be to everyone's taste (though I honestly don't care.)
Verdict:
I enjoyed this book thoroughly - sturdy sword-and-sorcery fare that's well implemented and excellently illustrated.
I still have issues - but I still love Red Sonja in particular. I just wish she was treated in a way that's worthy of her awesomeness.
I
received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.
NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair
and honest reviews.
It's Grumpy Cat! When I had the opportunity to review this, I just had to. I love kitties, and I love Grumpy Cat with her cute little face.
This is a comic compilation of The Misadventures of Grumpy Cat and Pokey (#1-3) which have several stories in each issue.
Premise:
Grumpy Cat just wants the chance to sleep, eat, and scratch things. Pokey and the dog insist she do something else with her day!
Best
bits:
The artwork here is really cute - and the stories are the correct blend of cute, sarcastic, and funny.
The characterisation reminds me a lot of Garfield - which is by no means a bad thing, far from it.
I also love that the dog just wanders around saying, 'Good Dog!'
Not
so great bits:
Some of the stories were just a little forced - no more so than many other kid-friendly comics, but I noticed it in one or two.
It probably goes without saying, but if you don't like Grumpy Cat, this isn't the book for you.
Verdict:
A cute and fun compendium that made me smile more than once and is suitable for kids. I love Grumpy.
It's nearly Valentine's day again, and everywhere there are fluffy hearts and balloons and teddies and the whatnot.
There are also plenty of love songs faffing around the place - and I figured, why not provide some alternatives to the usual cohort of sappy ballads? So I give you, The Alternative Valentine's Playlist.
Part 1 is a short list of songs about diverse love. Songs which deal with LGBTQ+ themes and love - literally or by clear subtext.
Obviously, this is a list that I've thrown together, and only represents my own musical tastes (which tend to veer towards the weird/emo/rock,) but I hope you enjoy it!
Oh, and there's probably swearing in one or more of these songs, just to warn you.
Panic! At the Disco - Girls/Girls/Boys A really catchy song with about as clear a message as you're ever likely to come across: 'girls love girls and boys/ and love is not a choice.'
Mika - Billy Brown
A song about a man who 'fell in love with another man.'
Mika - Toy Boy
This is subtext rather than overt, but I think it speaks for itself: 'Had a boy once who loved me/ Now he's so afraid of me.'
Placebo - Nancy Boy
A fairly deep song (with a freaky video,) that talks a lot about gender and sexual fluidity.
