Tumblr is all about books right?

[stephariara]

14/52

A Book with Magic- Dorothy Must Die 

The Good: An intriguing book- lots of questions and things to have found out and I, personally, love a good fractured fairytale

The Bad: the writing wasn’t on par with some of the great young adult novels. I was disappointed to find out that I had to read more of these books to have all those questions answered. Also I’m quite sick of female characters who are the saviours not allowed to get angry at men who screw them over because the men say “you put the big picture at risk!”. For once can the woman not be rightfully angry and tell the man to fuck off for being a douche while also recognising that she (well both of them really) put the bigger picture at risk. 

[stephariara]

13/52

A Book a friend recommended.

My boss bought me this book; The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K Le Guin. 

He bought it for me because he quite likes Ursula Le Guin and she writes from quite a feminist and environmentalist view point. Ian thought it would tap well into my interests. 

I thought the idea and the message behind the book was very poignant and something that should be reflected on by everyone but I can’t say I cared too much for Le Guin style of writing. 

Still a nice read.  

[stephariara]

12/52- The Traitor Queen

A book by an author you love but haven’t read yet

I loved Trudi Canavan when I was younger. I've read the Black Magician trilogy numerous times and so was interested when this second trilogy came out set in the same world. It took me a long while to get into- I read slowly through them and it wasn’t till my second attempt (this one) that I absolutely devoured this book.

Really all I want to do is go back and read the first trilogy again! 

I did feel the second one in this trilogy had a big climax, that then made the third book feel like a slow start and ultimately a smaller climax for the third book and the overall series. Still a  good and enjoyable read. 

https://books.google.com.au/books/content?id=tZdEAQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&imgtk=AFLRE73ggix6Nho6t7Le9a66SlSEmxl2Y1Mm09hIOXmmWArVgzlyvoJlJ4KJJ8OoOxDe_vT1_LeRtY05st8lWcR15htFpxV0wYve35GmZjGccl7WNx6y7HAoxSjB58iwuHawu6tudXr5

[stephariara]

11/52 I’m running a bit behind! Hopefully during the uni break I’ll be able to do some catching up!

Fifty Shades of Feminism.

Highly recommend.

Somewhat a response to 50 shades of grey and the pronounced issues facing feminism and women today as well as a reflection on what feminism was meant to be about. With 50 women from all backgrounds contributing it is a great a read with poems and drawings included. 

Ticking off: a book of short stories

[stephariara]

10/52

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

Category: A book published this year.

I love Anne Bishop. I waited over a year for this book and read it in three days. It only took so long because i had to sleep for work. But I’m so sad it’s over and i have to wait at least another year for the next instalment. I guess I should just be glad she doesn’t take as long as George R. R. Martin to release the next book!

[powells]

#BlackLivesMatter (at Powell’s City of Books)

[stephariara]

9/52

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling  

Category: A Funny Book.

Thank you to Rachel and Jenny for the Book! It was a very good read. 

I loved a paragraph on the second last page;

“Why didn't  you talk about whether women are funny or not? I just felt that by commenting on that is any real way, it would be tacit approval of it as a legitimate debate, which it isn't. It would be the same as addressing the issue of “Should dogs and cats be able to care for our children? They’re in the house anyway.” I try not to make it a habit to seriously discuss nonsensical hot-button issues.”

That last line, fyi, is something I’m stealing. 

[stephariara]

8/52

Woo so it’s been a while! Uni is back in action, work is ramping up and my reading for pleasure (rather than uni readings) is slowing down. But i’ve finally ticked off another book;

He’s a stud and she’s a slut and 49 other double standards by Jessica Valenti.

Ticking off; a book with a number in the title. 

And now on to the next one!

[stephariara]

7/52

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn  

Category: A Book set in different country

Gillian Flynn writes very interesting books and she'll be on my to buy list for quite sometime. I highly recommend reading them for a crime novel that also makes you think about the world. This one reflected on what it is to be poor, what it was like during the 80's/ 90's farm crisis in America, Satanism in the US during the 80's and notes about injustices that arose from the fear of it.  

There are always very interesting relfections on certain aspects but they can also be very intense. Sharp Objects, for example, had some disturbing rape scenes/ memories.  While Gillian Flynn doesn't necessarily come right out and say this is wrong she does question this treatment of people through other characters. All her books are quite intense reads and, from a feminist perspective, can leave you questioning the intent of some of the questions that rise out of the book.

But all the same a good book and one i would recommend for a book club or English class to dissect. I've enjoyed her books a lot more than the average crime novels as it has a lot more in them than just whodunnit-ohwegotthem.

(Also I just figured out how the hashtags work... my apologies for them up to this point)

[stephariara]

6/52

Creation in Death - J.D. Robb (which is the pseudonym for Nora Roberts )

So this was to tick off A book with Antonyms in the title. Only after reading it did i find out in the same series there are the books 'Born in Death' which probably would have been a better antonyms. Ah well.

Also I had a bit of a hiatus from the challenge and read 8 other books in between Number 5 and Number 6 of the Challenge. 

Creation in Death is a crime novel set in 2060 and it is part of a series so I didn't really understand all the personal interactions but it was still interesting. There also wasn't huge character development throughout the book. I don't read crime novels often but the few series I have read do have a bit of overall movement outside the "whodunnit" storyline that moves and grows the characters. 

Anyway It's been a while since I've read Nora Roberts, who usually writes romance, I read The Circle Trilogy which is more fantasy and romance and quite enjoyed it. 

Anywho on to number 6... which is Gillian Flynn's second book; Dark Places. 

[jmjk54]

When somebody's trying to take away your book:

[stephariara]

5/52

A Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan 

A Book you can finish  in a day- ticked off. 

Good stuff. David Levithan writes a lot of important, idealistic, creative and often queer focused literature. This one was very creative and is actually set up as a dictionary to tell a love story, not in chronological order. 

[stephariara]

4/ 52

Number 4 down; Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn 

A popular author's first book- ticked off. 

It was a very interesting read. I'm not sure if Gillian Flynn is quite purposefully sexist or trying to show us how sexist the world is and how detrimental that is for women. I need a full on year 12 english dissection section of her books.  I'm also very interested in her third book; Dark Places, now that I've read the other two. I'll see if I can fit it in somewhere on the list but I'm not sure that I can.  Anywho I highly recommend this book to everyone to get their brain ticking. 

[stephariara]

3/ 52

Book 3 down. 

A Graphic Novel

Not sure it's really a "novel" but that's what manga roughly translates into right? :/ I really wanted to read Persepolis but wasn't sure I'd get my hands on an edition and, as I mentioned previously, I want to do books I already own and haven't read so;  Morinaga Ai's My Heavenly Hockey Club Vol 7

I also read 5 and 6 to remember the storyline. 

Highly recommend for reminiscing high school (not because this book reminds me of my high school but rather because I haven't really read manga since high school).

Also now I'm even with Josh- we are both on our fourth books. 

[generally]

im fuckin dying 

[stephariara]

Book 2/52 Down. 

A book that became a movie- tick.

I think it would have been much more of a shocker if I hadn't already seen the movie. Ah well was still an interesting read. I'll read Sharp Objects, the first book written by Gillian Flynn, to tick off on of the other categories and I'll see whether that is just as twist filled and get the full experience. Also by the time I saw Gone Girl on film it seemed like the big twist wasn't that big of a twist. 

But in exciting news Josh, my boyfriend, is also going to do the reading challenge! Problem is he already as three categories he can tick off. The one time he's actually done more reading than me! Ah well soon I shall catch up. I'm trying to get my mum to do it too. 

[onlysayitonce]

52 Books

So, a friend posted a reading challenge list on facebook, to read a book each week in the year, with a theme for each week. We’re only a week behind, so it’s not hard to catch up. I decided to take up the challenge, but I’m adding the condition that, wherever possible, I’ll be reading books I already own and haven’t read before, because this shit is getting out of hand.

I’m going to try to track my progress with a “52 books” tag, and hopefully I’ll use it more than once or twice. Prepare yourself.

Read More

[stephariara]

Update on last post of about a minute ago. Books 51 and 51 are the second and third books of "a Trilogy" . I was counting them as one because I am smart like that at after midnight.  I will also be trying to do the above; "I’ll be reading books I already own and haven’t read before" with the minor exemption for books that I do not own but have borrowed and are already sitting on my night stand.  Now off to plan the other 50 books!