#read 2022

Maya Angelou is one of the original nine LPBD books as such it is a bit different to the more recent entries. It feels more simplistic, it is when the series was still finding its style and it's one of only a handful not written by Sánchez Vegara. Though Kaiser does a good job of writing in a similar style to what Sánchez Vegara was using, making it feel consistent enough. While Maya's story is definitely tied to racism and segregation it doesn't feel like it dwells on it. This is a woman who succeeded despite or maybe in spite of the circumstances around her. Kaiser tells her story well.

I appreciate the colouring and cleanness of Salaberria's illustrations. The colouring isn't realistic but I do like it, realism isn't all it cracked up to be. She has drawn little Maya with such determination in her eyes too, that isn't easy to do. I like the diversity included in the book signing page, a queer couple, a young man in a wheelchair, a girl in punk fashion an older man. Her books are read and studied by many, as is Kaiser's point in the attached wording.  This is also the only page with her book titles on it, for some non-Americans, this is why they are likely to know her name. Something else that Salaberria has done well is age Maya with grace, she ages with each illustration rather than in seeming like it is in spurts. A valuable inclusion for a subject who had such a long career with so many important moments in it.

This goes from being cute and fun to playing something very close to the line of bestiality and with minor bdsm elements (pet/Sir names, coming from instinctual reactions). Essentially I loved the first half and hated the second half. I can see where this was coming from to a degree and I like that the moments that I feel are walking to the bestiality line are Rebecca following something she needs to. This is the only time in this series so far where I have actually felt uncomfortable reading, like uncomfortable enough that I was contemplating just dnfing it. It's 55 pages dnfing isn't something I would usually even be contemplating.

I do like the characters as much as we see of them. Particularly Jake and Sindra are brilliant kids, Rebecca's teenage twins who recognise that she needs to be herself after her divorce from their ass father. “I just want you to have a fun night out this year. No kids, no asshat dad. Go enjoy yourself, maybe find a partner or two and let loose.” (Rebecca) They spend an almost exorbitant amount of money on her Halloween treat. Jake is fantastic with Rebecca caring for her and defining her from Steve (the ex).

This is a midlife Halloween novella it does some minor redemption on that point. Caleb allows Rebecca to stand her own defence before playing knight in shining armour. His whole attitude towards her is good for the most part. Written in a way that is appealing enough to readers of a feminist disposition. But this just can't make up for all of the, wait what did I just read, with all of it in the second half just being quite off-putting to me.

This book has has so much power in it and some many Nobel Prize laureate. Clinton has included the right amount of detail for the age group in most cases and her quote choice are just the right mix.. Boiger's art is beautiful and well-thought-out. Each one suits the subject and the style pulls them together. I have included the countries each of the 13 women hail from. Each woman is from a different country and broadly there are countries from most regions of the globe. If I have one wish for inclusion it would have been for a map with little icons showing where each woman is from. Especially important for Libarain Leymah Gbowee. Liberia is not a country easily found on a map, depending on the level of education Kenya and Pakistan may face similar issues. Though I guess that makes it a potential learning experience for adults and children alike.

What I forgot to comment on in the review for She Persisted was the intelligent framing illustrations created by Boiger. She has created a museum of world-changing women for young girls to browse. What we are seeing is one display in that museum at a time. It looks like a lovely and comfortable space to be in, which is exactly what you want in an inspirational space.

I've written up a little on each of the thirteen entries on my goodreas.

This is a bad review written a year after I read it initially with notes and highlights as a guide. It was used as a quick story to serve my commute at a time when I was reading a lot and not having time to review. Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek is a well-executed, simple getting-together plot.

I adore these two protagonists. Tommy and Tavio are a smart seemingly opposite atttracts pairing. I like former soldier Tavio as a representation of the stoic. He is highly intelligent but just not quite ready for our world yet. Tommy is all kinds of surgery madness. He feels like a child perpetually hyped up on sugar. Tommy has a daughter, 9-year-old Kaylee, her mother is Savannah. There is no cheating, Kaylee was an alcohol-driven high school accident between best friends who remain best friends as well as co-parents. Kaylee and Savannah are fantastic. Kaylee in particular is cute as hell. There is a soft queer storyline beyond the obvious sexualities if you want to see it. I was surprised and pleased to see DADT running through both Tommy and Tavio's lives.

Some quotes and a comment.

Looking at the years in play for Kaylee. Kaylee is 9, Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek was published in 2013, Firefly was released in 2002-3, 10 years earlier. It is almost a given that the super, super geeky Tommy named his beloved daughter after Kaylee, a character who represents so much of what you would want your daughter to be. Seemingly most of her nicknames are equally geeky and several of them are equally strong characters.

 “Of course, I’m still going to see it. That’s what real fans do. Watch it and love it and tear it to pieces online—with lots of crying and mutual masturbation. First, you have to talk about the old versions to show how cool you are and how long you’ve been a fan. Then someone else gets to do it, so you can see whose nerd hard-on is bigger. Then, with the pleasantries out of the way, you can admit that you liked the new version even if it sucks. Geeks have rules about this sort of thing. Though some jerks never get to the fun part and just keep complaining and causing trouble. A lot of people are like that. I don’t get it. It’s more fun to enjoy things together than to jack off alone—metaphorically.” — This is so early in the novella but it made me laugh. It is a brilliant introduction to Tommy's geekiness and personality. At best guess given publishing dates, he's referring to Star Trek Into Darkness. As far as I can tell the novella isn't set in a previous time frame. (Tommy)

He never shut up and got excited about ordinary things like kids got excited for Christmas. Which was how he acted—like every day was Christmas—and how he looked at Tavio—like Tavio was something he wanted waiting for him under a tree. — I appreciate good descriptive passages. If you have met someone like this you know it. (Tavio)

“Thank you, Tavio. You are the best. The dark and broody highlight of my mornings. The bringer of caffeine and life-giving sugar.” — Am I the only one who has felt like actually saying this to the person you buy coffee from? This or something very similar. (Tommy)

“Kaylee Sugar Pop Pumpkin Pie River Song O’Shaughnessy Harper, do not talk like that—around your grandma, at least. She always blames me. Like when you wanted to be Jayne from Firefly for Halloween. Somehow that was my fault. It was a plastic knife.” — What Kaylee says is "They don't completely suck.". But I can only imagine a little girl like her dressed as Jayne. Oh and a horrified grandparent when they see what their beloved granddaughter is dressed as. (Tommy)

Okay, so I want to share a passage that I found really interesting. I'm not actually sure what R. Cooper meant by this, it isn't really explored. "“No.” It had been all Tavio had been able to say. If people had known about him—and he assumed they had, because no one could remember to switch pronouns all the time, even someone who barely spoke—they had never reported him. But they could have, anyone could have, true or not, and he would have been out. Disgraced and dishonored, without anything to show for his service except the knowledge that his family—his mother—would find out in the worst way possible the thing he had never intended for them to know." (Tavio). This is Tavio's response to “Like getting booted for having the wrong lifestyle for the Army. That’s no fun.”. Does this read as Tavio being trans to anyone else? It's never mentioned. It just feels like an odd thing to include and not do anything with. I don't know it just feels off to me.

I enjoyed the very short On Thin Ice much more than I expected to. It is very simple and a lot of fun with just a sprinkle of something, not quite angst. Everything I need a piece of fiction. There is a degree of predictability to it but you know 🤷🏼‍♀️ I gave up caring about predictability in something this short years ago. For me its about the characters and chemistry. The whole story only has 3 real characters Cameron, Chase and the ghost that is Dan. Dan is Cameron's best friend and Chase's ex, he's not dead just not present. (Oh and a tertiary character that is there only to introduce a moment). The exceptionally limited cast is perfect for a snowed-in plot. The lack of other people locked in the rec centre with Chase and Cameron allowed for a frank and honest exploration of feelings. It always is, let's all be honest it's a trope for a reason.

Cameron and Chase are sweet as hell. The personalities of Chase and Cameron just work for me, misunderstood Cameron and prickly Chase. They are nearing a Grump/Sunshine dynamic but it's hard to execute in a work this short. I may or may not be projecting it a bit. They are almost inverse to what you may initially expect, though Chase as a solo figure skater needs that alpha dynamic. But it is easy to perceive just a bit of realism in both of them. I do like the reason for their long-term existing dynamic even if Chase doesn't easily admit it. Chase gets one of the cutest confession scenes, ok it's straight out of a teenage rom-com but you know the cliches are sometimes the best.

Some quotes I liked

As my blades carved the rink, I entertained myself with imagining it was Dan's throat. A little violent, perhaps, but infinitely satisfying. — Ooof. Boy after my own heart. But given Dan broke up by text (with impeccably sh**ty timing) and Chase's alpha personality often a requisite for solo skating I do appreciate it. (Chase)

Necessary, too. The guy was gorgeous and cruel to equal extremes. With his blond hair, piercing eyes, and chiseled jawline, he looked more like a leading man than a star forward, and it was pretty easy to see why he was the object of lust for every straight woman on campus, and more than a few of the guys, too. — This is Chase describing Cameron and it creates one helluva mental image. Cameron does the same for Chase later. They are both stunning in different ways. (Chase)

This is such a sweet story. It follows 20-year-old witch Kova as he comes to terms with a recent development in his normally near non-existent power and Erik Jarsten the man Kova has been seeing in his dreams for years. To talk about Erik is to go into spoilers. But given Kova is a witch it is fairly safe to say the title is relevant to Erik. Their story isn't overly complicated. By the time they meet Kova is already half in love with Erik and Erik is well complicated. He has a lot of baggage to deal with and secrets. Their relationship is as much a knowledge exchange and healing and romantic match. Kova gets his knowledge. Erik gets his freedom. It's a fair trade. Erik is my kind of character. Guilt-ridden, Scandinavian and desperate for relief with a side of teasing. The almost sunshine that is Kova is a good match.

Erik and Kova's simple relationship is well suited to a prequel. Easy to follow while the lore of the Magic & Metal universe is introduced. Beyond the basic rules governing the shifters and others in the verse, it includes the war, the In Betweeen and the set-up therein. I can see a lot of potential in the world, the lore and the characters. There is still plenty more lore to be understood. That Bram has a story already makes me want to keep reading, I really like his history with Kova's mother. The chapter lengths are just done well. Erik's are so short while he is controlled by Nero but get longer as Kova helps him. Kova's are longer and there is a linguistic difference between them. I keep coming back to the prologue, it is fantastic.

Some quotes and comments...

I knew it was a dream. Knowing didn’t make the palm pressed against my throat any less rough. Didn’t lessen the fierce set of his jaw. Didn’t make the striking color of his eyes any less blue. — This has such a beautiful opening. It's definitely the beginning of a stunning mental image. I love the whole prologue so much. A dream. Or maybe fantasy, that depends very much on Kova. It is such an insight into them. Their antagonistic dynamic. (Kova)

Michelle Frost creates and uses interesting lore for her paranormal romance and I'm totally here for it. Of particular interest is the multi-animal werecreature packs. Kova's pack, the Black Dogs, is larger than we see but there are three main characters we meet. The Alpha of the pack Bram is a bear shifter and a paternal figure for Kova. His second is raven shifter Cyder. Kova's closest friend, Remy is a lion shifter.

It left his face in shadow save the gleam of his eyes and half a twisted smirk. His blond hair was tucked behind his ears. And as I watched, all the shadows in the room seemed to writhe and slither, gathering around him like a pulsing heart of darkness. He’d be beautiful, I thought wildly, if he wasn’t there to kill me. “Hello, Kova.” —Those shadows are important to Erik. Erik uses to travel through space. Also, sue me I love this descriptive passage. Not sure why but Erik's voice always sounds near seductive in my head. It really isn't supposed to here. (Kova)

The dream had missed so many details— the burnt spice smell of him, the dark lines of a tattoo peeking above the v in the collar of his shirt, the way his sheer presence filled up the room. He was dressed simply, in jeans, boots, and a t-shirt, all in black. I’d never noticed before. The simplicity of his garments didn’t detract from the power rolling off him in waves. — (Kova)

“You’re thinking awfully hard, Kova.” Erik’s voice came from beneath the trees beside me, making me jump. I huffed. “I think you enjoy startling me.” — There is such a sweet teaing in Erik's nature. That the man can slink through shadows (like a cat, huh is he feline in nature... hmmm) teasing the slight sunshine that is Kova comes natural. It's their chemistry too. (Erik and Kova)

I liked the meditation moment we get see Erik and Kova. Frost chose well a lake is ideal for Kova.

I enjoyed this more than I expected to. Protagonists Romi and Harsen made me smile and appreciate the journey and the development of their relationship. The plot is a bit of a wander and has a couple of twists, something that Yamila Abraham does so well, engaging and twisty plots in short word counts. I would wonder if on rereading there are signposts as to the truth. This is built on fantastic lore, that I won't go into to avoid spoiling how it ends. But let me say this has one of my favourite conclusions, favourite closing lines in quite some time.

I can't get over how cute Romi is. 20 years old and a bit of an odd-bod among his family. He has this undeniable innocence, sweetness and earnestness to him that is unexpected. Not just to Harsen but the reader as well, mostly because we see the world through Harsen's eyes. I appreciate Harsen. He is written with such a realistic take on his situation if you start thinking about what it about be talk walk in his shoes. I have total respect to Yamila Abraham for writing a priest in a romantic lead position. As a couple Romi and Harsen are endearing. Their 10 year age gap really shows in their experiences and their reactions to different situations (and each other). One of my favourite similarities for them is friendships between "miniature red dragon" Iyla (Harsen) and "philosophical demon horse" August (Romi). They are Harsen and Romi's confidants and guides through the worlds that are living in also they are wonderful.