#charle jane anders

[graphicpolicy]

Preview: New Mutants #31

New Mutants #31 preview. Personally recruited by Emma Frost herself, Shela Sexton reluctantly joins her fellow mutants on Krakoa in the hope that the X-Men can prevent the death of her best friend. But is Emma telling her the whole truth? #comics

[excavatinglizard]

✨ Hello all it is that time once again!! ✨

Do you like queer sci-fi and fantasy? Do you see the same books recommended everywhere? After a year I’m back with a collection of strange and sometimes dark books that you may have heard of, but I hope I’ve found a few you haven’t! I’m just chucking these into the void so if you enjoy these recs or have read any, let me know!

Meet Us by the Roaring Sea, Akil Kumarasamy

Honeycomb, Joanne M Harris

Hot Head, Simon Ings

Are You Listening, Tillie Walden

Hell Followed With Us, Andrew Joseph White

Enigma, Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo

Ninefox Gambit, Yoon Ha Lee

Salt Slow, Julia Armfield

Never Have I Ever, Isabel Yap

All the Hometowns You Can’t Stay Away From, Izzy Wasserstein

I’ll put the full descriptions below the cut, but as always I’d love to hear if you have any more recommendations!

Meet Us by the Roaring Sea, by Akil Kurasamy

Meet Us by the Roaring Sea by Akil Kumarasamy was one of the strangest books I’ve read this year, but also one of my favourites by far. This is a story within a story, following both the near-future second-person narration of a woman training an AI while grieving her mother, and the lives of a group of Tamil medical students. This is a story about grief and the sensationalization of war and the things we do to live each day—but at its heart, it’s a story about women who love each other in whatever way they can. This book has some of the most gorgeous prose I’ve encountered in a long time, and it’s strange and meandering and contemplative.

Honeycomb, by Joanne M. Harris

Honeycomb by Joanne M. Harris follows the well-trodden path of fairy stories—a child swapped, a woman seeing what she was never meant to and being blinded for it—and slowly expands into an intricate web of stories and characters. Worlds within worlds within stories make up this book, and the illustrations by Charles Vess bring everything to life. The characters in these stories feel ancient in a way I can’t explain, and if you enjoyed the Starless Sea you’ll almost certainly enjoy this.

Are You Listening, by Tillie Walden

Are You listening is a book that I’ve picked up over and over again—it’s a graphic novel which I can finish in one sitting, and each time I have to sit and think and just feel afterwards. This is a story of a girl who’s run away from home, and who encounters another woman heading on her own way. What started as an escape becomes a road trip across Texas full of cats and shifting roads and tiny quiet moments. Strange and dreamlike at times, this book manages to make me cry over each character and their individual stories every time.

Tw for references to SA

Hell Followed With Us

Hell Followed With Us is one of those books that I didn’t realize how hard it was hitting me until I finished and couldn’t function for two hours. This book follows a young man in a world plagued by a disease that makes mindless monsters out of its victims—only he’s been infected by the church he was raised under, and he’s slowly turning into something much worse. Benji tries to escape, but his past isn’t ready to let him go just yet and the infection is only getting worse. The author describes this book as beginning as a ‘fit of rage’, which is truly the only way to describe it. While this is technically a YA book, beware of body horror, transphobia, religious extremism and disease. Somehow this book managed to look inside me and see so many things I’d never been able to put into words, all bundled up in a mass of viscera and grieving boys.

Enigma, by Peter Milligan

I discovered this comic through a newsletter from Charlie Jane Anders, and then proceeded to absolutely lose my mind over it and have to tell everyone I know about it. Enigma is a story about a man stuck in a dead-end job and a dead-end relationship, who suddenly finds that the characters of his favourite childhood superhero comic have come to life. The art style is gorgeous though it changes throughout the book, and Enigma swerves between a vast and bizarre story of gods in wells and far too many lizards, to incredibly intimate moments and interesting characters. Be prepared for body horror and a constant general sense of unease.

Ninefox Gambit, by Yoon Ha Lee

If last year was giving in to reading Gideon, this was my year of going insane over Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (this is sadly the only space opera on this year’s list). Ninefox Gambit has everything I love in science fiction—casually queer characters, intricate universes, strange definitions of self and TRAUMA. Someone please get these two some therapy. When a major position of power is attacked, Kel Cheris finds herself with a promotion to general and the disgraced strategist who massacred his crew inside her head. The thing that stands out to me about Yoon Ha Lee’s work is his characterizations—even the most minor character has quirks to make them feel like a person, which is only stronger in the main characters.

Salt Slow, by Julia Armfield

Saltslow is the first of three anthologies on this list, and it’s the debut collection by Julia Armfield (who wrote Our Wives Under the Sea. For an idea of what you’re getting into). Following the trend of strange and a little dark this year, a lot of these stories border on horror and explore experiences like losing your ability to sleep, shape shifting through puberty and being a roadie to a band that leaves mass violence in its wake. While Our Wives Under the Sea will definitely stay my favourite Julia Armfield book, Saltslow managed to pack a whole lot into such short stories full of queer women and trans feels.

Never Have I Ever, by Isabel Yap

I picked up Never Have I Ever on a whim and I’m so glad I did, since it definitely ranked in my top anthologies of the year. Never Have I Ever is a collection of short stories, often centered around Filipino and Japanese folk lore (although there is one story about a wizard in San Francisco making a love potion, what of it). This collection ranges from funny to sad and explores Filipino culture, the anti-drug campaigns and the horror that is growing up. Often short stories feel unfinished but every part of this collection felt well thought out and polished, plus the cover is gorgeous.

All the Hometowns you Can’t Stay Away From, by Izzy Wasserstein

The final anthology, All The Hometowns You Can’t Stay Away From is mostly sci-fi with a handful of fantasy-leaning stories, though whatever technology there may be takes a back-seat to the characters who stood out as the heart of each piece. Unplaces, a story set up as a researcher’s notes in the margins of an atlas, desperately trying to make the world a better place in whatever way she can, and Everything the Sea Takes, It Returns—a story about living after the end of the world—were the two that really stuck with me. The writing here is perhaps more straightforward than some other entires on the list, but each story is a perfect little piece of character and emotions which truly make an excellent anthology.

Anyway, that’s this year’s list! Go forth and read more strange queer books, and support your local libraries!

[filmparaden]

Trouble Every Day (Claire Denis, 2001)

Wings Of Desire (Wim Wenders, 1987)

Sympathy For The Devil (Jean-Luc Godard, 1968)

Dekalog (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1989)

Russian Ark (Aleksandr Sokurov, 2002)

Tale Of Tales (Yuriy Norshteyn, 1979)

Time Regained (Raoul Ruiz, 1999)

Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (Werner Herzog, 1972)

Grey Gardens (Albert & David Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer; 1975)

One From The Heart (Francis Ford Coppola, 1981)

Man With A Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov, 1929)

Dogville (Lars von Trier, 2003)

Sombre (Philippe Grandrieux, 1998)

Cul-de-sac (Roman Polanski, 1966)

Brown Bunny (Vincent Gallo, 2003)

Le feu follet (Louis Malle, 1963)

The Swimmer (Frank Perry, 1968)

A Special Day (Ettore Scola, 1977)

La maman et la putain (Jean Eustache, 1973)

The Battle Of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966)

The Big Lebowski (Joel & Ethan Coen, 1998)

Touch Of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958)

Playtime (Jacques Tati, 1967)

The Long Goodbye (Robert Altman, 1973)

Goodbye, Dragon Inn (Tsai Ming-liang, 2003)

Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1950)

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)

A Summer's Tale (Eric Rohmer,1996)

The Turin Horse (Béla Tarr, Ágnes Hranitzky; 2011)

Baby Doll (Elia Kazan, 1956)

Daisies (Vera Chytilová, 1966)

Unsere Afrikareise (Peter Kubelka, 1966)

Thérèse (Alain Cavalier, 1986)

La jetée (Chris Marker, 1962)

Le gamin au vélo (Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, 2011)

Les 400 coups (François Truffaut, 1959)

The Piano (Jane Campion, 1993)

I'm Not There (Todd Haynes, 2007)

Killer Of Sheep (Charles Burnett, 1978)

The Piano Teacher (Michael Haneke, 2001)

Dead Man (Jim Jarmusch, 1995)

The Women (George Cukor, 1939)

Pickpocket (Robert Bresson, 1959)

Paper Moon (Peter Bogdanovich, 1973)

Don't Look Back (D.A. Pennebaker, 1967)

Little Fugitive (Ray Ashley, Morris Engel, Ruth Orkin; 1953)

Midnight Cowboy (John Schlesinger, 1969)

The Night Of The Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955)

The Ice Storm (Ang Lee, 1997)

Man On The Moon (Milos Forman, 1999)

Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)

Enter The Void (Gaspar Noé, 2009)

Snatch (Guy Ritchie, 2000)

The New Land (Jan Troell, 1972) 

Los olvidados (Luis Buñuel, 1950)

Border Radio (Allison Anders, Dean Lent, Kurt Voss; 1987)

Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)

The Adventures Of Prince Achmed (Lotte Reiniger, 1926)

Les triplettes de Belleville (Sylvain Chomet, 2003)

Brief Encounter (David Lean, 1945)

Gare du Nord (Jean Rouch, 1965; segment of Paris vu par... )

Vagabond (Agnès Varda, 1985)

Slap Shot (George Roy Hill, 1977)

Le sang d'un poète (Jean Cocteau, 1932)

Breathless (Jim McBride, 1983)

Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984)

Upstream Color (Shane Carruth, 2013)

Saturday Night And Sunday Morning (Karel Reisz, 1960)

Gadjo dilo (Tony Gatlif, 1997)

Rebel Without A Cause (Nicholas Ray, 1955)

A.K.A. Serial Killer (Masao Adachi, 1969)

The King Of Comedy (Martin Scorsese, 1982)

The Hours (Stephen Daldry, 2002)

In A Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950)

The Honeymoon Killers (Leonard Kastle, 1969)

Meshes Of The Afternoon (Maya Deren, 1943)

When We Were Kings (Leon Gast, 1996)

Broadway Danny Rose (Woody Allen, 1984)

A Woman Under The Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974)

To The Wonder (Terrence Malick, 2012)

Beavis And Butt-head Do America (Mike Judge, 1996)

Araya (Margot Benacerraf, 1959)

Kes (Ken Loach, 1969)

Skammen (Ingmar Bergman, 1968)

Duel (Steven Spielberg, 1971)

The Bridges Of Madison County (Clint Eastwood, 1995)

The Man Who Fell To Earth (Nicolas Roeg, 1976)

Roma città aperta (Roberto Rossellini, 1945)

Diva (Jean-Jacques Beineix, 1981)

Limite (Mario Peixoto, 1931)

The Fountain (Darren Aronofsky, 2006)

La cérémonie (Claude Chabrol, 1995)

The Draughtman's Contract (Peter Greenaway, 1982)

Amour fou (Jessica Hausner, 2014)

Happiness (Todd Solondz, 1998)

Hausu (Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977)

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead (Sidney Lumet, 2007)

Gomorra (Matteo Garrone, 2008)

The Full Monty (Peter Cattaneo, 1997)

Låt den rätte komma in (Tomas Alfredson, 2008)

[booksandchainmail]

Hugo Award Nominees Thoughts

Best Novel:

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Translation State by Ann Leckie

Witch King by Martha Wells

Largely makes sense to me: Saint and Glory were my nominees as well, and probably the strongest on my short list. Witch and Translation were on my longlist, both good and unsurprising nominees. Adventures I haven't read but have heard good things about, I wasn't a fan of the author's early work so I hadn't picked it up but it sounds fun. Villain I don't know about but I'm willing to try.

I'm not surprised that my other nominees didn't make it: Chain-Gang All-Stars I think was billed more as literary fiction than sci-fi, He Who Drowned the World I thought might be on the list but I imagine missed the cut, and Furious Heaven was never going to make it (second book in a series, less-known author, lengthy military sci-fi)

Best Novella:

“Life Does Not Allow Us to Meet”, He Xi / 人生不相见, 何夕, translated by Alex Woodend

Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

Rose/House by Arkady Martine

“Seeds of Mercury”, Wang Jinkang / 水星播种, 王晋康, translated by Alex Woodend

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Thornhedge, Mammoths, and Mimicking were all on my longlist. Rose/House has been on my "want to read" list for a while, but is bafflingly unavailable at the library. Seeds and Life I don't know, but am excited for.

None of my nominees made it in, which I'm sad about. Keeper's Six, The Twice-Drowned Saint, The Narrow Road Between Desires, and Lost in a Moment and Found were all excellent. I nominated less than my total number of slots in an effort to avoid just filling my ballot with everything good that was eligible in a category I don't read much in.

Best Novelette, Best Short Story: I have read none of these, though many of the authors are familiar

Best Series:

The Final Architecture by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Imperial Radch by Ann Leckie

The Last Binding by Freya Marske

The Laundry Files by Charles Stross

October Daye by Seanan McGuire

The Universe of Xuya by Aliette de Bodard

Last Binding was one of my nominees, glad to see it made it. I'd completely forgotten that Imperial Radch would be eligible again, happy that others remembered. October Daye is a perennial favorite, though not a nominee of mine this year. Xuya is a personal pet-peeve: every book of it sounds amazing, and they never work for me, and I keep reading them and being frustrated. Architecture I haven't read, but I've loved everything of Tchaikovsky's I've read. Laundry I'm dubious about, given how hard I bounced of his other series.

My other nominees were the Craft series, which I'd love to see get more attention, Unconquerable Sun, which is my personal darling blorbo books that I desperately want people read and love, and Kushiel's Legacy, which was newly re-eligible thanks to the publication of a companion novel, and never got the critical sff attention it deserved.

Best Graphic Story, Best Related Work: haven't read any of these, but it looks like interesting nominees

Best Dramatic Presentations: I don't really care about these

Best Game or Interactive Work:

Alan Wake 2

Baldur’s Gate 3

Chants of Sennaar

DREDGE

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

New category! I don't know enough about games of 2023 to speak on these nominees, but it looks good at a glance? and it's clearly better than the steam awards at least

Best Editors, Zines, Artists, Writers, and Casts: I don't follow these fields enough to have opinions

Lodestar (not a Hugo):

Abeni’s Song by P. Djèlí Clark

Liberty’s Daughter by Naomi Kritzer

Promises Stronger than Darkness by Charlie Jane Anders

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

Unraveller by Frances Hardinge

Shape was one of my nominees, one of my favorite books of the year all over. Very glad to see it here. Since it was published and marketed aimed at adults, even though it's about teenagers at magic school, I imagine we'll see a repeat of the Scholomance eligibility discourse. Booksellers was... fine? But nothing particularly noteworthy to me. Abeni and Liberty I don't know, but like the authors. Unraveller I don't know, but have heard good things about the author. Promises I am going to preemptively not read given how much I disliked (and DNFed) the first two.

I'm sad to see my other two nominees, The Shape of Drowning and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth not on here. Drowning reminded me very sharply of Diana Wynne Jones, and Spirit was one of my best books of the year, with an excellent narrative voice. Maybe teen horror isn't doing that strongly now?

Astounding (not a Hugo):

Moniquill Blackgoose (1st year of eligibility)

Sunyi Dean (2nd year of eligibility)

Ai Jiang (2nd year of eligibility)

Hannah Kaner (1st year of eligibility)

Em X. Liu (1st year of eligibility)

Xiran Jay Zhao (eligibility extended at request of Dell Magazines)

So can we just go ahead and call this one for Xiran Jay Zhao already? Even leaving aside that they are a strong nominee, I can't imagine voters not using this as a protest against last year's scandal. Of those I've read, Blackgoose is my favorite, and was one of my nominees. Kaner and Liu both had good first novels/ellas and are solid nominees, though not my picks. Dean and Jiang I don't know.

My other nominees were Isabel J. Kim, Maya Deane, Vajra Chandrasekera, and C. E. McGill.

Overall:

This is a very reassuring ballot, after last year. Nothing here is deeply surprising, nothing is deeply surprising to be missing. The announcement also included an explanation of nominees that declined (Martha Wells continues to be classy in declining further nominations for Murderbot) or were ineligible, and why.

I have ~15 fiction books to read for voting, which is very manageable. In particular, already having read 4/6 of the series is a major help.

[logi1974]

Südengland 2023 - Tag 11 Teil 2

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Der Lower Ward von Windsor Castle befindet sich direkt westlich des Round Tower. Man geht durch das Normannen Tor, und ist in zwei Bereiche unterteilt.

Das College of St.George, bestehend aus Residenzen für den Dekan und die Kanoniker von Windsor im nördlichen Teil und die historische St.Georg’s Kapelle im südlichen Teil des Lower Ward.

Schon von weitem können wir auch hier wieder die Menschenschlangen sehen, die alle anstehen und in die Kirche wollen.

Die erste Kapelle ließ König Heinrich III. im frühen 13. Jahrhundert bauen. 1475 entschied sich dann König Eduard IV., eine neue, größere Kapelle zu errichten. Die Bauarbeiten zogen sich allerdings über fünf Jahrzehnte hin, so dass die Kirche bis 1528 lange ohne Dach blieb.

In hellem Sandstein gebaut, mit großen Fenstern und verzierten Strebebögen, gilt die Kapelle als eine der bedeutendsten spätgotischen Kirchen weltweit. 

Der sogenannte "Perpendicular Style" mit seiner strengen horizontalen und vertikalen Linienführung, mit erstaunlichen Details und einer atemberaubenden Steindecke, war typisch für englische Kathedralen in jener Zeit.    

Sie ist eines der besten Beispiele für gotische Architektur in England. Seit ihrer Erbauung wurden verschiedene Ergänzungen vorgenommen.  

Leider sind hier nicht nur wieder die Schlangen enorm, sondern es gilt ebenfalls wieder ein Fotografierverbot. Deshalb auch hier wieder Bilder aus der Broschüre.

Im Inneren der Kirche fällt besonders das prächtig geschnitzte Chorgestühl aus Eiche für die Ritter des Hosenbandordens auf. Über ihren Sitzplätzen hängen die Banner der aktuellen Mitglieder, sowie die Wappenschilde von über 700 früheren Mitgliedern des Ordens.  

Die St. George's Chapel dient den Rittern des Hosenbandordens für ihre Zeremonien. Dabei geht der Name der Kapelle auf den militärischen und nationalen Schutzheiligen George zurück. Insbesondere im 19. Jahrhundert gab es, unter König George IV, immer wieder umfassende Renovierungsarbeiten, dabei wurde auch die königliche Gruft errichtet.  

Die Privatkapelle ist aufwändig, in einer ziemlich überwältigenden Mischung aus klassischem, gotischem und Rokoko-Stil, eingerichtet. Sogar die Möbel und Einrichtungsgegenstände wurden nach Maß gefertigt, um dem großen Renovierungsplan zu entsprechen. Die Räume wurden kurz vor dem Tod des Königs im Jahr 1830 fertiggestellt.  

Heute ist die St. George's Chapel insgesamt 72 Meter lang. Der Name "chapel" - auf Deutsch "Kapelle" - ist da etwas irreführend, wirkt das Ganze doch eher wie eine Kathedrale.  

Seit 1833 werden die Ritter des Hosenbandordens "Military Knights of Windsor" genannt. Auch Prinz Philip war Mitglied des Ordens, einer der angesehensten Orden Europas. Die Queen war die Großmeisterin und band mit diesem Orden Ritter an sich, die meistens Mitglieder anderer Königshäuser sind - ein Privileg. Der Orden tagt einmal im Jahr im Altarraum von St. George's.

Die Chapel dient auch als Mausoleum, hier sind etliche vormalige englische Monarchen bestattet. Karl I. wurde 1649 wegen Hochverrats verurteilt und im Whitehall Palace enthauptet. Das Parlament ordnete an, dass er ohne Prunk und Trubel beigesetzt werden sollte. Sein Leichnam ruht in der Gruft mit Henry VIII. Weitere Mitglieder der königlichen Familie, die hier begraben wurden, sind Edward IV., Henry VI., Henry VIII. und Jane Seymour, Edward VII. und Königin Alexandra sowie George V. und Königin Mary.  

Es gibt auch zahlreiche Denkmäler zu bewundern, von denen das denkwürdigste ein Marmordenkmal von Matthew Wyatt für Prinzessin Charlotte ist, die bei der Geburt starb.  

Trotz ihrer 800 Plätze ist die Kapelle eher für den kleinen, intimeren Rahmen gedacht. Die Schlossmauern von Windsor Castle hindern zudem Schaulustige daran, direkt vor den Eingang der Kirche zu treten.

Harry und Meghan haben ihre Hochzeit hier vergleichsweise klein mit 600 Gästen zelebriert. Der heutige britische König Charles III. heiratete seine zweite Frau, Camilla Parker-Bowles, die nun den Titel Queen Consort - Königsgemahlin - trägt, ohne viel Aufsehen ebenfalls in der Windsor-Kapelle.    

Fast alle Trauerfeiern der britischen Königsfamilie werden in St. George's Chapel abgehalten. Hier werden auch hochrangige Familienmitglieder wie etwa George III., George VI., die "Queen Mum", sowie Margaret, die Schwester von Queen Elizabeth, bestattet. Ein historischer Ort, an dem jetzt auch Queen Elizabeth II. und Prinz Philip ruhen.

Und zwar in der King George VI. Memorial Chapel. Dort ist die Grabplatte von Queen Elizabeth und Prinz Philip zu sehen. Der Stein besteht aus handgeschnitztem schwarzen belgischen Marmor und verkündet auch die Lebensdaten von König George VI. und Queen Mum. In der Mitte prangt das Wappen des Hosenbandordens, dem alle vier Royals angehörten. Auch die Urne von Prinzessin Margaret, der jüngeren Schwester der Queen, ist in der Seitenkapelle untergebracht.

Hier ist der Trubel natürlich besonder groß. Man kann gerade einmal 1 Sekunde auf die Grabplatte blicken, dann wird man auch schon weiter geschoben. Die Aufpasser kennen keine Gnade und ermahnen jeden Besucher streng, der sich mehr Zeit nehmen will, um seiner Königin die Aufwartung zu machen. Move- move - move ...

Etwas versteckt, hinter der St. George's Chapel befindet sich das “Tudor Viertel” aus dem 15. Jahrhundert - das 1480 erbaute Horseshoe Kloster in dem der Klerus untergebracht war. Es umfasst den Pfarrer-Chor und die Laienangestellten der Kapelle. Seit 2011 werden die Räume als Büros, Bibliothek und als Häuser für den Dekan genutzt.

Hinter dem Horseshoe Kloster befindet sich der Curfew Tower (Clock Tower), einer der noch erhaltenen Teile des Lower Ward aus dem 13. Jahrhundert. Das Innere des Turms enthält ein ehemaliges Verlies und die Ausfallpforte, einem geheimen Ausgang für die Bewohner in Zeiten der Belagerung.

Im Obergeschoss befinden sich die später (1478) aufgestellten Schlossglocken und die Schlossuhr von 1689. Das konische Dach im französischen Stil ist ein Versuch von Anthony Salvin aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, dem Turm nach dem Vorbild von Versaille etwas internationalen Glanz zu verschaffen.

Geich gegenüber liegt der Haupteingang der St. George's Chapel. Dieser ist verschlossen und wird nur zu besonderen Gelegenheiten geöffnet, zum Beispiel, wenn Prinz Harry eine gewisse Miss Meghan Markle heiratet.

Auf der Südseite des unteren Bezirks befindet sich das Tor von König Heinrich VIII., das das Wappen von Katharina von Aragon trägt und den zweiten Eingang zum Schloss bildet. 

Durch dieses Tor verlassen die Tagesbesucher das Gelände wieder. Rechter Hand des Gates befindet sich die Abgabestation für den Audioguide.

Nach rund 4 1/ Stunden, die wir im Castle verbrachten, geht es auch für uns durch das Henry VIII Gate, zurück ins sprudelnde Leben von Windsor.

In einer der Seitengassen genehmigen wir uns eine Cappucino, der mit 2,80 £ sogar recht preisgünstig ausfällt.

Unten am Royal Theatre machen wir noch ein paar nette Aufnahmen, denn jetzt ist auch die Sonne rum.

Es geht zurück zum Auto und wir fahren noch einmal kurz rüber nach Old Windsor.

Und wir finden tatsächlich auch die Einfahrt zu dem Anwesen, das einem anderen König gehört. Und zwar einem König aus dem Showbiz: Sir Elton John.

Für uns geht es wirklich zurück zu unserem Appartement - uns qualmen die Socken und der Kopf raucht - und packen müssen wir auch schon wieder.

 Good Night!

Angie, Micha und Mister Bunnybear (Hasenbär)

[byneddiedingo]

Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman in All That Heaven Allows (Douglas Sirk, 1955) Cast: Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Agnes Moorehead, Gloria Talbott, William Reynolds, Conrad Nagel, Charles Drake, Virginia Grey, Jacqueline deWit, Donald Curtis, Merry Anders. Screenplay: Peg Fenwick, based on a story by Edna L. Lee and Harry Lee. Cinematography: Russell Metty. Art direction: Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom. Music: Frank Skinner.  Pauline Kael called All That Heaven Allows "trashy," and others have called it "campy," but the ongoing reevaluation of the work of its director, Douglas Sirk, has delivered a new respect for the film, leading to, among other things, its selection in 1995 for inclusion in the Library of Congress's National Film Registry. Some would still call it a triumph of form over content, because no one today seriously questions Sirk's brilliant exploitation of the technical resources available to him, specifically his unusually expressive work, in collaboration with cinematographer Russell Metty, in Technicolor, a proprietary medium whose proprietors had rigidly fixed ideas about what could be done with it. Sirk called on Metty for, among other things, more shadows and more use of reflections than were conventional in Technicolor. See, for example, the near-silhouetted figures of Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman in the still above, with its subtle backlighting. And notice how the television set that's an unwelcome gift to Wyman's Cary Scott from her children is used in the scenes in which it appears: It's never turned on, but instead its blank screen reflects Cary's face, almost as if the set is a cage in which she's trapped. In another scene, it reflects the flames in the fireplace, becoming a little bit of hell. But that symbolic use of the TV set also suggests why we ought to take All That Heaven Allows more seriously for its content, as filmmakers like Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Todd Haynes have done by echoing it in their films. Because ATHA is the epitome of the "woman's picture" as ironic commentary on what women experienced in the 1950s. For all her masculine name, Cary undergoes a constant reminder of her vulnerability as a woman: She is nearly raped by the drunken Howard Hoffer (Donald Curtis). At or near 40 (Wyman was 38), she is thought by her children to be beyond remarrying for love or even sex: Hence their tolerance of a proposal from the asexual or possibly closeted Harvey (Conrad Nagel), who admits he can't offer her much beyond "companionship." The television set is pushed on her by everyone who thinks it will provide relief from loneliness. The children only come round to something like acceptance of their mother's independence after she has broken off the engagement to the handsome, virile (and younger) Ron Kirby (Hudson), and they have started new lives of their own: The daughter is getting married and the son is going off to work in Iran --  a reflection of different times. No wonder Cary suffers psychosomatic headaches. I admit to having problems with the film's ending, in which she seemingly finds fulfillment only by devoting herself to nursing the now-vulnerable Ron back to health, as if a woman can only be useful by serving a man. But Sirk himself had problems with that ending, which was imposed on him by the producer, Ross Hunter. Sirk wanted more ambiguity about whether Ron would live or die. All That Heaven Allows was ignored by the Academy, though Metty's cinematography certainly deserved notice -- it was probably judged a little too unconventional by his peers -- as did Frank Skinner's score, with its effective use of quotations from Liszt and Brahms and its resistance to melodramatic overstatement.

[rabbittstewcomics]

Episode 357

Non-Marvel/DC September 2022 Solicits

Comic Reviews:

DC:

Aquaman and Flash: Voidsong 1 by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Vasco Georgiev, Rain Beredo

Black Adam 1 by Christopher Priest, Rafa Sandoval, Matt Herms

Dark Crisis: Young Justice 1 by Meghan Fitzmartin, Laura Braga, Luis Guerrero

Flash 783 by Jeremy Adams, Amancay Nahuelpan, Jeromy Cox

Earth Prime 6: Hero's Twilight

Milestones in History by Reginald Hudlin, Steven Barnes, Amy Chu, Melody Cooper, Leon Chills, Alice Randall, Toure, Tananarive Due, Pat Charles, Kathryn Parsons, Francesco Francavilla, Jamal Igle, Ray-Anthony Height, Denys Cowan, Eric Battle, Don Hudson, Ron Wilson, Arvell Jones, Maria Laura Sanapo, Domo Stanton, Jahnoy Lindsay, John Stanisci, Jose Marzan Jr, Mike Gustovich, Chris Sotomayor, Michael Atiyeh, Emilio Lopez, Hi-Fi, Dan Brown, Eva De La Cruz, Andrew Dolhouse

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen's Boss Perry White by Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, et al

Marvel:

Marvel's Voices Pride 2022 by Mike O’Sullivan, Stuart Vandal, Rob London, Andrew Wheeler, Daron Jensen, Alyssa Wong, Patrick Duke, Chris McCarver, Christopher Cantwell, Danny Lore, Luc Kersten, Grace Freud, Ira Madison III, Alex Philips, Charle Jane Anders, Ted Brandt, Kei Zama, Lucas Werneck, Brittney Williams, Ro Stein, Scott Henderson, Lorenzo Susi, Stephen Byrne, Lee Townsend, Rachelle Rosenberg, Rico Renzi, Jose Villarrubia, Michael Wiggam, Tamra Bonvillain, Brittany Peer

Miles Morales and Moon Girl 1 by Mohale Mashigo, Ig Guara, Rachelle Rosenberg

New Fantastic Four 1 by Peter David, Alan Robinson, Mike Spicer

Punisher War Journal: Blitz by Torunn Gronbekk, Lan Medina, Antonio Fabela

Who is Jane Foster Thor Infinity Comic by Torunn Gronbekk, Leonard Kirk, Matt Milla

Marvel Meow 9 by Nao Fuji

Image:

Beware the Eye of Odin 1 by Doug Wagner, Tim Odland

Clementine GN by Tillie Walden, Cliff Rathburn 

Silver Coin 11 by James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh

Dark Horse:

Lonesome Hunters 1 by Tyler Crook

Ahoy:

Wrong Earth: Confidence Men 1 by Mark Waid, Leonard Kirk

Dynamite:

Samurai Sonja 1 by Jordan Clark, Pasquale Qualano

OGNs:

Runaways Diary by Emily Raymond, Valeria Wicker, James Patterson

Creepy Cat vol 3 by Cotton Valent

Additional Reviews: Obi-Wan ep6, Ms. Marvel ep3, Kevin Can F*** Himself s1, Star Trek: Prodigy s1, Spiderhead, Absolute Fourth World vol 1, Trevor: The Musical, Bone Orchard Mythos Passageway, Centaurworld

  A new feature announced!

  News: Kraven movie plot, Conan license to Titan, Omninews, Miracleman Silver Age, Riverdale spinoff featuring Jake Chang, Scout kickstarts Stabbity Bunny, new OGN series from Molly Knox Ostertag

  Trailers: Stranger Things s4.2

  Comics Countdown:

Batman: The Knight 6 by Chip Zdarsky, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Ivan Plascencia

Deadly Class 53 by Rick Remender, Wes Craig, Lee Loughridge

Newburn 8 by Chip Zdarsky, Jacob Phillips , Casey Gilly, Soo Lee

Nocterra 11 by Scott Snyder, Tony Daniel, Marcelo Maiolo

Nightwing 93 by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Wade Von Grawbadger, Adriano Lucas

Lonesome Hunters 1 by Tyler Crook

Something is Killing the Children 24 by James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera, Miquel Muerto

I Hate This Place 2 by Kyle Starks, Artyom Topilin, Lee Loughridge

Beware the Eye of Odin 1 by Doug Wagner, Tim Odland

Flash 783 by Jeremy Adams, Amancay Nahuelpan, Jeromy Cox

Check out this episode!

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 8.13

Beer Birthdays

Arnulf of Metz (582 C.E.)

William Blackall Simonds (1761)

Anders Jöns Ångström (1814)

Charles Wells (1842)

Lilly Anheuser (1844)

William J. Lemp Jr. (1867)

Mark Carpenter (1943)

Dave Keene (1955)

Tom Nickel (1972)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Ben Hogan; golfer (1912)

Annie Oakley; sharpshooter (1860)

Philippe Petit; high-wire artist (1949)

George Shearing; jazz pianist (1919)

Felix Wankel; German engineer (1902)

Famous Birthdays

Felix Adler; ethics philosopher (1851)

Giovanni Agnelli, Italian businessman, founded Fiat (1866)

Anders Jöns Ångström; Swedish physicist (1814)

Benny Bailey; trumpet player (1925)

John Logie Baird; Scottish engineer, television inventor (1888)

Grace Bates; mathematician (1914)

Kathleen Battle; opera singer (1948)

Danny Bonaduce; actor (1959)

Neville Brand; actor (1920)

Jane Carr; English actress (1950)

Dave Carter; singer-songwriter and guitarist (1952)

Fidel Castro; Cuban dictator (1927)

William Caxton; English linguist, printer (1422)

Bobby Clarke; Philadelphia Flyers C (1949)

Will Clarke; author (1970)

Tom Cohen; philosopher (1953)

Dave "Baby" Cortez; R&B pianist, organist, and composer (1938)

Alex de Renzy; film director (1935)

Joycelyn Elders; admiral and physician (1933)

Dan Fogelberg; pop singer (1951)

Julius Freed; inventor, "Orange Julius" (1887)

James Gillray; English caricaturist (1756)

Paul Greengrass; English film director (1955)

George Grove; English musicologist and historian (1820)

Pat Harrington Jr.; actor (1929)

Alfred Hitchcock; film director (1899)

Don Ho; singer (1930)

John Ireland; English composer (1879)

Salomon Jadassohn; German composer (1831)

Bert Lahr; actor (1895)

George Luks; painter (1867)

Salvador Luria; Italian-American microbiologist (1912)

Bernard Manning; English comedian (1930)

Debi Mazar; actor (1964)

Jimmy McCracklin; blues/R&B singer-songwriter (1921)

Vladimir Odoyevsky; Russian philosopher (1803)

Tom Perrotta; novelist (1961)

Valerie Plame; CIA agent and author (1963)

Kevin Plank; businessman, founded Under Armour (1972)

Thomas Pogge; German philosopher (1953)

Llewelyn Powys; British writer (1884)

Gene Raymond; actor (1908)

Herb Ritts; photographer (1952)

Buddy Rogers; actor and musician (1904)

Frederick Sanger; English biochemist (1918)

John Slattery; actor (1962)

Goldwin Smith; English-Canadian historian (1823)

Lucy Stone; feminist, suffragist (1818)

Margaret Tafoya; Native American Pueblo potter (1904)

Regis Toomey; film director, actor (1898)

Richard Willstätter; German-Swiss chemist (1872)

[petervc88]

Cappelle Calling - 3 juli 2023 - 90FM

De LP van de Week was het laatste album van The Police dat 40 jaar geleden verscheen: Synchronicity. De Filmplaat stond in teken van de sterfdatum van Jim Morrison 52 jaar geleden. Wat twee jaar eerder toevallig ook de sterfdatum was van een ander lid van de club van 27: Brian Jones, dus draaide ik ook iets van de Stones waarin hij prominent op is te horen.

Terugluisteren kan hier.

Dit was de playlist:

Uur 1:

Chic - Le Freak (1978) Dawn Brothers & DeWolff - Neighbor (2023) The Rolling Stones - Lady Jane (1966) The Police - O My God (1983) (LP van de Week) Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness (2012) Jon Batiste - Calling Your Name (2023) Paolo Nutini - Jenny Don't Be Hasty (2006) The Weeknd - Jealous Guy (2023) (DisCovered) Madonna - Vogue (1990) The Doors - Five To One (1968) (Filmplaat - uit 'Cruella) Live - I Alone (1994) The Police - Synchronicity II (1983) (LP van de Week)

Uur 2:

Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere (2007) Greta Van Fleet - The Falling Sky (2023) The Police - King Of Pain (1983)(LP van de Week) The Paper Kites - Black & Thunder (2023) John Lennon - Jealous Guy (1971) (DisCovered) Blur - St. Charles Square (2023) Tom Jones & The Cardigans - Burning Down The House (1999) Corinne Bailey Rae - New York Transit Queen (2023) The Police - Wrapped Around Your Finger (1983)(LP van de Week) Tangarine feat. Benjamin Herman - Still Kids (2023) The Police - Tea in the Sahara (1983)(LP van de Week) David Bowie - Rock 'N' Roll Suicide (live, 1973)

Cappelle Calling is iedere maandagavond van 20:00 t/m 22:00 te horen op Radio 90FM. Iedere woensdagmiddag wordt de uitzending herhaald van 18:00 tot 20:00. Suggesties voor DisCovered of De Filmplaat zijn welkom via de Facebookpagina van het programma of via cappellecalling@gmail.com.

[joostjongepier]

Wat?   Portret van Everett Millais door Charles Allston Collins (1850), Portret van Charles Allston Collins , Portret van William Holman Hunt (1854), Portret van Ford Madox Brown (1853) en John Ruskin (sketch for portrait) (1853) door John Everett Millais (1850), Portret van Laura Theresa Epps (Lady Alma Tadema) als een kind (1860) door John Brett,  The Day Dream (1872-78) door Dante Gabriel Rossetti en Study for Home from Sea (ca. 1857) door Arthur Hughes. Ter vergelijking de schilderijen John Ruskin door John Everett Millais en Home from Sea door Arthur Hughes.

Waar?   Tentoonstelling Pre-Raphaelites – Drawings and Watercolours in het Ashmolean Museum in Oxford (en twee schilderijen uit de vaste collectie van het museum)

Wanneer?   9 augustus 2022

De kunstenaars van de Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood maakten liefdevolle portretten van elkaar, hun familie en vrienden. Martha en Thomas Combe waren vroege mecenassen en fungeerden als een soort surogaat-ouders voor de groep. Vanmiddag ontdekte ik bij toeval dat er een naar hen genoemde straat is in de Oxfordse wijk Jericho. Veel van de prerafaëlitische werken in het Ashmolean werden door Martha nagelaten aan het museum.

Charles Alleston Collins en John Everett Millais maakten in 1850 pentekeningen van elkaar, toen ze logeerden bij de Combs. Op verzoek van Thomas Combe tekende Millais een ander lid van de broederschap: William Holman Hunt.

Ford Madox Brown was al een ervaren kunstenaar toen de broederschap werd gevormd. Hij werd nooit lid, maar zijn werk toont grote overeenkomst met het werk van de prerafaëlieten. Millais noemde hem een “kregele oude man”, maar maakte desondanks dit ontspannen portret van hem.

John Brett schilderde een portret  van Laura Theresa Epps, de latere echtgenote van de Lourens Alma Tadema.

Opnieuw van Millais is de schets voor een schilderij met een portret van John Ruskin. Het uiteindelijke schilderij hangt elders in het museum. Toen het geschilderd werd, was Millais verliefd geworden op Ruskins vrouw Effie. In 1854 werd het huwelijk van John en Effie Ruskin ontbonden en een jaar later trouwde Effie met Millais.

Jane Morris was een favoriet model van Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Opmerkelijk aan dit werk is de combinatie van monochromie en kleur. Het benadrukt Jane’s elegante handen en weelderige haar.

Arthur Hughes schilderij Home from Sea hangt elders in het museum. De schets die de kunstenaar maakte, toont een jongen die terug is gekomen van zee om te ontdekken dat zijn moeder ondertussen is overleden. Op het uiteindelijke schilderij is een zus van de jongen toegevoegd, wat een element van troost brengt in het trieste tafereel. Zowel op de schets als op het schilderij zijn een lam en zijn moeder van elkaar gescheiden door een grafsteen, een soort symbolische verdubbeling van de hoofdscène.

[bibliobethblog]

Hello everyone! This #stacksaturday I’m doing another #authornamestack post. This time it’s celebrating the name Charlie/Charles which I have five of on my shelves! 12 Birds To Save Your Life - Charlie Corbett (TBR) Tales Of Ordinary Madness - Charles Bukowski (TBR) All The Birds In The Sky - Charlie Jane Anders (TBR) Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens (read and loved) The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse - Charlie Mackesy (read and loved) I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books or authors. Let’s have a chat in the comments and have a lovely weekend everyone! 🤗😘 #bookstagram #scottishbookstagrammer #bookstack #booksandplants🌵📖 #12birdstosaveyourlife #charliecorbett #talesofordinarymadness #charlesbukowski #olivertwist #charlesdickens #allthebirdsinthesky #charliejaneanders #theboythemolethefoxandthehorse #charliemackesy #booksbooksandmorebooks📚 #bookobsessedgirl https://www.instagram.com/p/ChflEroryDv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[allthingsdarkanddirty]

Historical romance for a wonderful cause is in bloom! Don't miss Sunflower Season: Historical Romance Anthology for Ukraine available now!Universal: https://geni.us/Sunflower_Season Available on all platforms. BLURB: SUNFLOWER SEASON is a charity collection featuring stories (some never-been-published and some old favorites) by over 70 -- that's right -- SEVENTY of your favorite Historical Romance authors. ALL royalties will be donated to humanitarian relief in Ukraine. This set will be released on June 7, 2022 and will only be available for a limited time. Preorder now and enjoy a summer of historical romance!

Featuring novellas, stories and novels by Sabrina Jeffries, Christi Caldwell, Amalie Howard, Virginia Heath, Caroline Lee, Golden Angel, Bree Wolf, Lori Ann Bailey, Nicole Locke, Natasha Blackthorne, Royaline Sing, Lenora Bell, Sabrina Jeffries, Amy Quinton, Janna MacGregor, Annabelle Anders, Rachel Ann Smith, Eva Devon, Sandra Sookoo, Tabetha Waite, Diana Bold, Sadie Bosque, Cheryl Bolen, Erica Monroe, Kate Bateman, Cara Maxwell, Tracy Sumner, Jenna Jaxon, Jane Charles, Eliza Knight, Mariah Stone, Robyn DeHart, Wendy LaCapra, Hildie McQueen, Madeline Martin, Amy Rose Bennett, Ava Bond, Kristin Vayden, Piper Huguley, Fenna Edgewood, Kathryn Le Veque, Caroline Linden, Nancy Yeager, Dawn Brower, Celeste Barclay, Lauren Royal, Michele Pollock Dalton, Glynnis Campbell, Rose Pearson, Erica Ridley, Sydney Jane Baily, Deb Marlowe, Rebecca Paula, Amanda Mariel, Christine Sterling, Ava Stone, Lauren Smith, Sawyer Quinn, Caroline Warfield, Jessica A Clements, Jude Knight, Anna St. Claire, Tamara Gill, Gina Conkle, Charlie Lane, Terri Brisbin, Bronwen Evans, Emmanuelle de Maupassant, Merry Farmer, Tammy Andresen, Cecelia Mecca, Meredith Bond, Christine Donovan, Lana Williams, Carrie Lomax, Eve Pendle, Bethany Bennett, Bianca Blythe, Maggie Dallen, Samara Parish, Anna Campbell and more????

Again, ALL proceeds will be donated to Ukrainian relief efforts. We are not affiliated with any charities but are only doing what we can to provide help for the innocent people who've lost so much as a result of this senseless tragedy.

#releaseblast #releaseday #newrelease #bookbirthday #nowlive #newbooks #historicalromance #historicalfiction #romancenovels #romancebooks #romanceanthologies #romancecollections #charityanthology #romance #kissingbooks #steamyreads #romanticfiction #regencyromance #sunflowerseason #ukraine #charity #philanthropy #givingback #readers #booklovers #bookbuzz #bookclub #booksbooksbooks #bookish

[80booksblog]

REVIEW: A People's Future of the United States, Edited by Victor LaValle

REVIEW: A People’s Future of the United States, Edited by Victor LaValle

By Heather A.

4 out of 5 stars   ★★★★☆

February 5th 2019 by One World

Synopsis:

For many Americans, imagining a bright future has always been an act of resistance. A People’s Future of the United States presents twenty-five never-before-published stories by a diverse group of writers, featuring voices both new and well-established. These stories imagine their characters…

[gxrlcinema]

recasting the mcu with actors from the tvd universe

@babycap and @pellucid-constellations expressed interest in this so here y’all go. feel free to ask me about any of these choices.

Bruce Banner - David Anders (John Gilbert)

Bucky Barnes - Michael Malarkey (Enzo St. John)

Clint Barton - Colin Woodel (Aiden from TO)

Peggy Carter - Leah Pipes (Cami O’Connell)

Phil Coulson - Zach Roerig (Matt Donovan)

Carol Danvers - Kat Graham (Bonnie Bennett)

Drax - ? Nobody is himbo enough

Nick Fury - Robert Pralgo (Tyler’s Dad)

Gamora - Nishi Munshi (Gia from TO)

Groot - ?

Ikaris - Paul Wesley (Stefan Salvatore)

Scott Lang - Steven Krueger (Josh from TO)

Loki - Joseph Morgan (Klaus Mikaelson)

Mantis - Kaylee Bryant (Josie Saltzman)

Wanda Maximoff - Danielle Rose Russell (Hope Mikaelson)

Nebula - Claire Holt (Rebekah Mikaelson)

Okoye - Tracy Ifeachor (Ayo from TO)

Peter Parker - Quincey Fouse (MG)

Pepper Potts - Candice King (Caroline Forbes)

Peter Quill - Nathaniel Buzolic (Kol Mikaelson)

James Rhodes - Demetrius Bridges (Dorian from TVD/Legacies)

Rocket - Daniel Sharman (Also Kol Mikaelson)

Steve Rogers - Nathan Parsons (Jackson Kenner)

Natasha Romanoff - Riley Voelkel (Freya Mikaelson)

Sersi - Remember Sophie’s sister Jane Anne from TO S1? Her.

Shang-Chi - Ben Levin (Jed from Legacies) (there is literally one asian man in the entire franchise I s2g)

Shuri - Omono Okojie (Cleo from Legacies)

Tony Stark - Ian Somerhalder (Damon Salvatore)

Stephen Strange - Daniel Gillies (Elijah Mikaelson)

T’Challa - Yusuf Gatewood (Finn Mikaelson/Vincent Griffiths)

Thanos - Sebastian Roche (Mikael)

Thor - Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood)

Valkyrie - Maisie Richardson Sellers (Eva/Also Rebekah Mikaelson)

Hope Van Dyne - Danielle Pineda (Sophie Deveraux)

Vision - Casper Zafer (Finn Mikaelson)

Sam Wilson - Charles Michael Davis (Marcel Gerard)

[cricketnationrise]

Reading Roundup: June 2021

previous reading roundups

like 80% of these are from my local library | averaged 1 book per day

The Ladies Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite: book 1 in a series. romance. sex on the page. wlw lady scientists! historical! astronomers pretending to be men in order to be published!

Prime Deceptions by Valerie Valdes: book 2 in the Chilling Effect series. should definitely read them in order. rag tag cargo ship crew gets more and more embroiled in an intergalactic conspiracy

Milk!: A 10,000-Year Food Fracas by Mark Kurlansky: non-fiction, the history of milk and its by-products. examines how cultural norms around drinking milk has shifted as well as how gender roles in a dairy have shifted. contains delightful sketches of milk-producing animals and funny chapter titles.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston: wow wow wow wow wow wow i love this book so much. i didn’t know i wanted stuck-in-a-time-loop-wlw-riding-the-subway romance but that is for sure what i got. features a scene that directly makes fun of Bella Swan googling information about vampires. so that’s fun.

The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite: book 2 in a series. romance. sex on the page. older women protagonists, a beekeeper and a woman who runs a printing press. interesting historical backdrop. don’t need to have read them in order.

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman: alternating pov YA novel. what happens when you get contacted to do art by your favorite niche podcast and it turns out to be made by the person who lives across the street from you? chaos. chaos happens.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles: towles’ debut novel. set in NYC from Dec 31, 1937 - Jan 1, 1939. rich people problems as experienced by a person who is not rich. 4 parts, each labeled with a season.

Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All by Jonas Jonasson: a hitman, a motel receptionist, and a priest come up with increasingly convoluted ways to make money. they accidentally start a religion. humor.

People I Want to Punch in the Throat: True(ish) Tales of an Overachieving Underachiever by Jen Mann: non-fiction/memoir, taken from and expanded blog posts, follows Jen Mann through meeting her husband and having kids and having to deal with living in the suburbs and all that that entails

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld: reread. book 1 in the Leviathan trilogy. alternate universe WW1. the son of archduke ferdinand of austria is spirited away the night his parents are assassinated in order to protect him. deryn is a girl disguising herself as a boy in order to join the british air force. their paths cross. alternating pov. very cool worldbuilding that is vaguely steampunk-ish.

Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch: non-fiction. a look at how the internet has changed language/writing. fascinating read.

Song for a Viking by KJ Charles: short story set in the Think of England series. follow up to Think of England. sex on the page.

Think of England by KJ Charles: historical m/m mystery romance. sex on the page. stuck in a manor house mystery. warnings for blackmail, kidnapping, murder, being left in a cave, violence, period typical anti-semitism/racism/homophobia

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld: reread. book 2 in the Leviathan trilogy. must read in order.

It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn: book 7 in the bridgerton series. historical romance. sex on the page. don’t need to read in order, but it helps.

On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn: book 8 in the bridgerton series. historical romance. sex on the page. don’t need to read in order, but it helps.

Proper English by KJ Charles: historical f/f mystery romance. prequel to Think of England. sex on the page. stuck in a manor house mystery. warnings for murder, violence, period-typical racism/homophobia

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: literally read it one sitting. YA m/m romance. trans male protagonist. accidental ghost summoning, dia de los muertos. warnings for youths with shitty home lives, homophobia, transphobia, kidnapping, violence against children/teens, blood

Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn: book 1 in the Rokesby series, a prequel series to the Bridgertons. historical romance (revolutionary war era england). sex on the page. frenemies to lovers.

Sabriel by Garth Nix: book 1 in the Old Kingdom series. fantasy. when her father, the Abhorsen, who’s job it is to make sure the dead stay dead, goes missing in the land of the dead, its up to Sabriel to figure out what happened and how to save the Old Kingdom where magic is alive and kicking.

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn: collected short stories. a second epilogue for each main book in the bridgerton series. also contains violet (the mom’s) story

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin: book 1 in the Inheritance trilogy, fantasy, with her grandfather stepping down as emperor, he names 3 heirs who must duke it out to the death. the gods are watching and in some cases, meddling.

How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole: book 2 in the Runaway Royals series. do not need to read in order. f/f romance. sex on the page. sort of an Anastasia retelling.

To Seek and to Find by Tamryn Eradani: ...look its just straight up erotica okay? BDSM. safe/sane/consensual. m/m. book 1 in a trilogy.

Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love by Myron Uhlberg: non-fiction. growing up in the depression in NYC as a hearing boy with 2 Deaf parents and an epileptic younger brother. includes how his parents met and fell in love.

Nevertheless, She Persisted: Flash Fiction Project: tor.com published short stories by a variety of authors including Seanan McGuire and Charlie Jane Anders. All start with/feature the phrase: “She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”

To Have and to Hold by Tamryn Eradani: ...look its just straight up erotica okay? BDSM. safe/sane/consensual. m/m. book 2.

To Love and to Cherish by Tamryn Eradani: ...look its just straight up erotica okay? BDSM. safe/sane/consensual. m/m. book 3.

Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan: YA f/f romance. private school. warnings for racism, homophobia, toxic relationship, alcohol use, teen on teen violence (one girl gives another a severe allergic reaction).

Highfire by Eoin Colfer: the last dragon in the world just wants to be left alone in the swamp where he is hiding to watch TV. Squib just wants the police officer to stop hitting on his mom and make some money. the crooked police officer wants to take over the local mob boss’ operations. their lives intersect. warnings for: kidnapping, violence against women/children, murder, blood, removal of toes, dismemberment

[sunshine-and-waffles]

2020 Book-End Review

Here it is! My 2020 Book-End Review. My only consistent New Years tradition.

HARD COPIES 

Kingdom of Copper: The second book in the Daevabad Trilogy. Female protagonist, Islamic influenced fantasy world, love stories (gay and straight). Uhg, this was so good. I literally couldn't put it down and was subsequently sleep deprived for a week. I did get a little confused with all the titles and names, but that's what google is for. I haven’t read the third book yet because I haven’t had the time to completely give myself over.

The City It The Middle of The Night- Charlie Jane Anders: Science fiction with female and non-human protagonists. Themes of colonization, the polarization of government, and human nature. It was so hard to get into, but by the end I was completely enthralled and was wishing for more.

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card: Time travel, fairytale (sleeping beauty), Jewish protagonist. It’s simple and enjoyable. I read most of it in the swimming pool :)

All The Birds in The Sky-Charlie Jane Anders: Again, Ander’s books deal with duality, only this time the duality is magic and technology. This book was easy to get into, complex, and brutal. It was so complex, I think I could read it a few more times and get something out of it each subsequent time.

The Lost Gate-Orson Scott Card:  The first book in the Mithermages series. All gods are real,  coming from an alternate world where their magic and power originates. The gate between worlds has been closed, so the gods' strength has withered. A young boy, from the norse god family, escapes their abusive clutches and discovers his special strength. Meanwhile, on the other world, a young boy observes the palace intrigue and his own powers. The plot is so strong and enjoyable. It’s easy to read, and is well written, which is such a rare quality.

Loving Across Borders: A book on how to navigate multi-cultural relationships. I was hoping this would be interesting and insightful, but I found it to be dry and obvious. The author didn’t include significant personal stories (which is what I find the most interesting and helpful). Essentially, a summary of the book is:  Communicate with people, each situation is different, and set boundaries… Duh. 

 2020 Audio Books

The Polygamist's Daughter - Anna LeBaron: A memoir told by the daughter of a cult leader. It is told from her adult perspective, remembering her childhood which is full of abuse and neglect, and then working through her trauma with a therapist at the end. It was an interesting enough story, but could probably have benefited from some editing. I honestly wouldn’t recommend it. 

The Heart Goes Last: Freaking love this book. A dystopian future where the poor and disenfranchised can sign up to live in a compound with shifts in a utopian world and then in a prison/work compound. In this setting there is love, romance, and DRAMA. I listened to it twice.

Little Fires Everywhere: Socioeconomic differences, race, art, women’s rights, mother daughter relationships, infertility, motherhood. The book is better than the show.

An Easy Death- Charlaine Harris: Book one of the Gunnie Rose series. A little western/gun slinger genre, a little magic, a little alternative history. A hot Russian magician and a female gunslinger protagonist. It’s not a great book, but I bought the second one, so I guess it was good enough.

A Longer Fall- Charlaine Harris: The second Gunnie Rose book. I actually liked this one more than the first book. The characters seemed more flushed out and the story was more complex. The ending left me wanting more, and I’m looking forward to the third book in Feb 2021.   Widdershins-Charles Delint: The follow up to The Onion Girl, the background story is a war between native spirits and fairy, while the protagonist Jilly faces the abuse she endured as a child and the guilt she carries for leaving her younger sister in the abusive home in order to survive herself.

His Majesty's Dragon: Book 1 of Temeraire. Alternative history of Napoleonic wars with DRAGONS. A sea captain unexpectedly bonds with a baby dragon, and has to change his whole life to accommodate it. I really enjoyed that this book has almost no romance. It’s just straight up about the relationship between a man and his dragon.

Throne of Jade: Book 2 of Temeraire. The Captain and the Dragon/Temeraire travel on a mission to China, where dragons are treated with respect and care.  The dragon/Temeraire is becoming more mature and the disparity between West and East is highlighted, which causes some tension between the captain and the dragon, as well as between the reader and the book (at least for me).

Black Powder War: Book 3 of Temeraire.  I gave up on this series with this book. The main human character’s inability to stand up to society and the government to demand that they treat his  his dragon (who’s basically a soulmate) as a whole and independent being was too frustrating.

Moonheart -Charles Delint: This is the third time I tried to read this book, and I didn’t finish it. I just can not get into it. I love Charles Delint, but this book isn’t for me.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: I love Harry Potter, and with the quarantine, listening to the whole series was the best mental comfort food. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

Midnight Sun: LOL, sorry not sorry. This is trash and I love trash. However, Edward is super self-pitying and creepy. I knew that from the original series, but reading it from his perspective made that feel even more clear.  I spent a lot of time making rude comments about Edward under my breath. I’d honestly listen to or read the rest of the Twilight series again, but I’d skip this one. 

The Witch's Daughter: Female protagonist, with an immortal witch, and a young female apprentice. I had to force my way through it until the last quarter, and then I was really engrossed. The ending was nicely wrapped up, and I don't feel the need to read the sequel. Interestingly, I really disliked the narrator's voice, but it was the only audiobook I’ve listened to that Kal didn't mind. (Because he hates the sound of audio book I usually use my headphones).

Too Much And Never Enough: Donald Trump’s niece exposes their shared, terrible, abusive, and sad family history. It sheds some light on who Donald Trump is as a person. The psychological background doesn’t make his actions any better, but it helped me to understand how he could be the way he is. Honestly, this book was good for my mental health. 

A Deadly Education-Naomi Novik: I LOVED THIS BOOK. In a world where the magicaly gifted are hunted by terrible monsters, magical children go to a school where they have to fight to live. It deals with how inequality in socioeconomic standing impacts students and their ability to succeed… with magic and romance.

The Betrayals: This book started a little slow. The characters are all flawed and make terrible mistakes because they are too proud. There is romance, magic, and redemption; I enjoyed the ending, but there were so many emotionally tense moments I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the book as a whole.

Caraval: Sisters escape their abusive father to become embroiled in a magical game where what is real and what is fake is unclear. Magic, romance, sisterly love, and mystery. The writing isn’t perfect, but I enjoyed the ride of this book. 

Currently Reading: 

Hard Copy: The Gate Thief, Book 2 of the Mithermage Series. 

Audiobook: Legendary, Book 2 of the Caraval Series.

Poetry: Salt

I read/listened to 29 books this year.  I'm tempted to try to finish a 30th before my 30th birthday on Monday. We'll see if I make it :)