Technically it’s a misleading to say this is an update of a fairy tale. Really, this is a reimagining of several, woven together with a Latinx flair and a contemporary openness to LGBTQIA sensibilities. If that sounds like a lot to pack into 375 pages, you aren’t wrong, but I think it’s a decent effort. Blanca & Roja tells the story of the del Cisne sisters, one of whom is destined by a family curse to become a swan. Told from four perspectives, this book […]
A beautiful, melancholy story from my Book Exchange buddy
I have a friend who likes to loan me sad books, and when I finish one and say “OMG that was sad!”, she’ll say, “I know, but wasn’t it SO well written?” I have a feeling that my friend and KatSings would get along well. My Book Exchange buddy got me this lovely, sprawling book, which is beautifully written and has an air of pervasiveness melancholy about it. I adored it anyway, and I appreciate that KatSings got me to read something that would not […]
Fun but ultimately unfulfilling
As a huge Harry Potter fan, there was no way I was skipping this book, which is essentially a collection of information from Pottermore, the official website dedicated to all things Harry Potter. I’ve read other supplemental texts affiliated with the series, but this feels like the least substantial of them all. The story is a small guide to Hogwarts – how to get there, fun facts about the school and its inhabitants – presented both as general information, and then commented on by Rowling […]
poetry that hurts to heal
I haven’t read a book of poetry in a long time, and this was a perfect way to get back into it. I used to love writing and reading poetry, especially in high school. I was even published once, in our lit mag. This is the type of poetry I have always loved, and I wish Amanda Lovelace had come into my life sooner. This slight and powerful book of poetry is based on Amanda’s life and while simply written, contains such multitudes of feeling […]