Well, this book ages really, really poorly. Some spoilers below. It reads exactly like the time it was written (1989): “progressive” enough to include, at least superficially, a cast of characters including a same-sex couple and people of color in mixed-race relationships, as well as treatment of the AIDS epidemic and drug abuse that leans more sympathetic than condemning. However, it’s not exactly “woke” enough to avoid stumbling into some major Don’t Do That’s. Weetzie, pixie bohemian darling protagonist, is signified as being creative and […]
A magical sports world where every athlete is uncommonly attractive and devoted to true love
Kristen Callihan is a hot name in NA, for her Game On series, which are football romances between the athlete heroes — all of whom are as astonishingly dedicated to academic/intellectual pursuits as to football — and heroines who are very outspoken about how little they are impressed with the formers’ football fame. The books tend toward insta-lust that becomes love *quite* quickly. I’m not bothered by insta-lust/love unilaterally, but if you read too many of that type of story in a row, the heat […]
Novik’s books aren’t just about magic; they are magic
Uprooted was one of my favorite books of the last few years, and possibly ever. Since I’d never read Novik’s Temeraire books, I had no idea if it was a particular stroke of genius from her, or if she’s just always been consistently great and I never knew. I still haven’t read Temeraire, but now that she’s 2/2 for me with Spinning Silver, the imperative to do so becomes more pressing. Here is the summary from Goodreads: “Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, […]
Boundary-crossing erotica that’s Courtney Milan approved
It’s been a minute since I’ve written a review, and I feel like I’ve forgotten how to do it. Let’s pretend I was never gone and this is actually going to be competent, shall we? So I said right in the title of this review that this is Courtney Milan approved erotica, which is a kind of flippant way of saying she gave it a 5/5 star rating with about a billion caveats. Specifically, I’m referring to this review of The Siren, the first book […]