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CRESCENT CITY EXCLUSIVE CHAPTERS

Please note that English is not my first language also I re-writed it from photos so there might be some errors.

HOUSE OF SKY AND BREATH

1. Bryce & Hunt Waterstones

2. Ruhn Books-a-Million

3. Tharion Target

HOUSE OF FLAME AND SHADOW

1. Bryce & Danika Indie

2. Bryce & Hunt Barnes & Noble

3. Bryce, Nesta & Azriel Target

4. Ember & Randall Books-a-Million

5. Ruhn & Linda Walmart

[elizabeth--reads]

Happy Halloween!

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One week until Halloween!

ghost + fashion

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All of this is typical girl-fear. Once you realize that The Exorcist is, essentially, the story of a 12-year-old who starts cussing, masturbating, and disobeying her mother—in other words, going through puberty—it becomes apparent to the feminist-minded viewer why two adult men are called in to slap her around for much of the third act. People are convinced that something spooky is going on with girls; that, once they reach a certain age, they lose their adorable innocence and start tapping into something powerful and forbidden. Little girls are sugar and spice, but women are just plain scary. And the moment a girl becomes a woman is the moment you fear her most. Which explains why the culture keeps telling this story.

Rookie, The Season of the Witch

For readings on the correlation in horror between puberty and the monstrous, see:

Barbara Creed’s The Monstrous-Feminine: Film, Feminism and Psychoanalysis (specifically, the chapter called “Woman As Possessed Monster”)

Aviva Briefel’s “Monster Pains: Masochism, Menstruation, and Identification in Horror Film”

“‘The Hair That Wasn’t There Before’: Demystifying Monstrosity and Menstruation in Ginger Snaps and Ginger Snaps Unleashed”

Bianca Nielson’s “Something’s Wrong, Like More Than You Being Female”: Transgressive Sexuality and Discourses of Reproduction in Ginger Snaps”

Shelley Stamp Lindsey’s “Horror, Femininity, and Carrie’s Monstrous Puberty”

(via bluntlyblue)

Okay, but I never pissed on the rug.

(via

tamorapierce

)

[elizabeth--reads]

Two weeks until Halloween!

a love letter

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it’s just a bunch of hocus pocus…

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

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Happy Spooky Season

Questions for the Ghost

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bizarro

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Lazy Sunday witch flipping through some old tomes.

I think October is going to be a month of “spooky” gifs for me because I need to do more animation.

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Quick Review: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

Tropes *grumpy + sunshine Pros: *humorous situations and banter between characters *lots of action makes for binge-worthy reading Cons *over too soon Spice Level *Fade-to-black (unfortunately) Will I read any sequels? *Yes

[elizabeth--reads]

I second the recommendation for The Mimicking of Known Successes.

I also enjoyed A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (regency fantasy)

Any good space operas/high fantasy books (novels or graphic novels) coming out lately/soon? As usual bonus points if it's queer, and NO YA please and thank you

[elizabeth--reads]

Book Review: Thief Liar Lady by D.L. Soria

I received an ARC of this novel via NetGalley. What follows is my honest review. There are some spoilers.

Thief Liar Lady by D.L. Soria is a Cinderella re-telling that takes place after the ball and the slipper and the marriage proposal. In this version, the protagonist (called Ash and Lady Aislinn) is motivated by much more than romance or curiosity to see the ball. She carries out her (still decidedly wicked) stepmother’s schemes, while also doing some plotting of her own. There is also a political component to this story, which is set in a country on the brink of a greed-motivated war.

My biggest issue with this book is that in trying to add so much complexity to the story of Cinderella, each narrative thread seems weak. Ash’s attempts to move past her childhood trauma. Her desire to help her mother’s rebelling people. Her romance with (the wrong) prince. Each of these would have made an interesting story, but together they end up feeling short-changed. This isn’t helped by a rushed ending that leaves many of these storylines either unresolved or resolved too easily. Still, readers who enjoy fairy tale retellings would probably enjoy this novel. A morally-gray Cinderella figure was certainly an interesting change.

Thief Liar Lady releases on July 11, 2023. Pre-order: Bookshop.Org | Barnes & Noble

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Quick Review: Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke

I received an ARC via NetGalley; what follows is my honest review.

Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke is a historical romance novel featuring a widower, a wallflower, and a wager. In a refreshing change of pace, the wallflower–Evie–knows about the wager and willingly participates in the scheme that transforms her from drab bookshop owner to belle of the ball. Unfortunately, other aspects of the novel failed to deliver. In particular, Max’s reluctance to marry outside the aristocracy isn’t a compelling reason to keep the couple apart when the book does little to convince readers that he was devastated by the death of his first wife. I think the book would’ve been more interesting if his characterization had included a greater depth of emotion. Overall, I enjoyed the book (and I love the cover!), but this novel doesn't quite make it onto my favorites shelf.

Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble

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Book Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

I received an ARC of Divine Rivals via NetGalley. What follows is my honest review.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross starts off as a workplace rivals romance before switching gears to a tense war story. The last third of the novel, especially, ramps up the action and violence. This switch might seem disjointed for some readers, but I think it makes sense in the context of the story. One of the themes early in the book is how distant the war seems for citizens in the city of Oath, despite the fact that men are leaving every day to fight it. Similarly, for readers, the war seems like background information until the novel’s protagonists, Iris and Roman, head to the front lines. 

Speaking of Iris and Roman, I loved their character development and the pacing of their romance. This novel convinced me that rivals-to-lovers is a top-tier trope, especially when one character is deeply invested in the rivalry and the other is secretly sorta-pining. I think readers who also enjoy Dramione fanfiction will enjoy this book. Ross does a good job with the secondary characters as well, giving them interesting backstories that add a richness to the story. 

Finally, I think the novel has a strong structure that really illustrates Iris’s growth and progression throughout the novel. The story ends with Iris finally getting what she wanted at the beginning of the story, but when it happens it feels like a hollow victory. The ending also does a good job of setting up a sequel, one that I think will expand on the lore and worldbuilding from the first book. I’m eagerly anticipating the next book. 

4.5 stars

Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble

[elizabeth--reads]

As we move towards the end of the semester and all those final papers, don’t forget to cite your sources. 

(via Oxford SA Blog | Tips to Avoid Plagiarism)

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Quick Book Review: A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn

A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn is the eighth book in the Veronica Speedwell series, one of my favorite book series to date. However, I was a little worried going into reading this book because the previous novel (An Impossible Imposter) was my least favorite of them all. For me, what makes these books so enjoyable is the dynamic between Veronica and Stoker, and An Impossible Imposter sets them at odds. I’m very happy to report that even though A Sinister Revenge has less banter than I would like, it does have Veronica and Stoker moving back towards reconciliation. I also thought the mystery was satisfying enough, with some unexpected twists and turns in the story. The brawl inside the life-sized dinosaur model was certainly a highlight.

A Sinister Revenge released March 7, 2023.

Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

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Book Review: Marvelous by Molly Greeley

genre: historical fiction

rating: 3 stars

Marvelous is, loosely, a Beauty and the Beast story rooted in history instead of fantasy. It follows Pedro, a man with hypertrichosis, and his wife Catherine as they try to navigate life on the edges of the French court. I think this will appeal more to historical fantasy readers than those who enjoy fairy tale retellings since it is really more of an exploration of marriage and disability in late 16th and early 17th century Europe. Because of this, you may want to seek out reviews by readers with disabilities for a more nuanced or in-depth analysis of that aspect of the book. 

Personally, I struggled with the book’s structure. It's a dual POV story, and it jumps between the beginning and end of these characters’ lives. I was also frustrated because the novel sets up this mystery about what happened to Pedro and Catherine’s youngest daughter, Antionette, but that storyline is never resolved. I understand why the author made this choice; in the historical note she explains how Antoinette disappears from the historical record after she was sent to live with the Marchesa di Soragna. But I found it to be a very unsatisfying way to structure and focus the book. Other readers, of course, may find this to be a very moving plotline. 

Marvelous will be published on February 28, 2023 in the US.

Preorder links: Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository