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a review of some (e)books
LJ is quiet these days, not unexpectedly. Myself, I've also given up the near daily posting I used to keep up, even on my personal journal -- but that does get far more upkeep than this journal, which was the first, which was the fannish. I guess I feel largely unfannish these days, or perhaps unanchored from any particular fandom. I still have feelings towards many fannish things! I am just less inclined to share them the way I used to. Perhaps it's getting older and getting busier; perhaps it's just enjoying things in a new way.
Here are a few brief reviews for books I've read this past month or so. Fair warning, this devolved quickly into incoherent ramblings:
These are primarily original m/m because I found a rec list and got an urge...
Also in my queue: Provoked (Enlightenment series) by Joanna Chambers. This looks like it may be more up my alley, so fingers crossed!
In non-fiction, I'm still working on Shady Characters, a book on typographical symbols (like # & @), and have Sir Pterry's book of essays, A Slip of the Keyboard lined up.
And this isn't touching all the stuff in my To Read list that have been sitting there forever... /o\ Though all this reading lately has put me behind watching Running Man and Abnormal Summit, but they will always be there for me, subbed! Though I think the new subber for AS also quit after episode 34 because, lol, that show must be a pain in the ass to sub. But that means I have a good 10 or so episodes left to get to at my leisure!
Here are a few brief reviews for books I've read this past month or so. Fair warning, this devolved quickly into incoherent ramblings:
These are primarily original m/m because I found a rec list and got an urge...
- Think of England by K.J. Charles - Edwardian England m/m romance. Spies! Plot! The characters and setting were fun and believably built up, though halfway through this I started thinking, This author must ship Thor/Loki and then couldn't unsee it from the characters and the way they were portrayed. The antagonism and sex was hot, the plot was not the meatiest I've ever read (they could have done so much more intrigue! but it was a short book...) but not totally flimsy, the feelings were satisfyingly angsty, and overall it was a good way to spend a few hours.
I have heard good things about the author's Charm of Magpie series (Victorian London m/m with magic!) so I will check those out later. - A Minor Inconvenience by Sarah Granger - Regency m/m yesss. I am all about that Regency romance. I can't remember anyone's names without reference but I am terrible at that stuff. Anyway, you get to see if not the other side of the Marriage Mart and endless parties here at least a new perspective, of a military man rather than a gentleman of the ton. More spies and intrigue! That bit was nice. The emotional story felt a bit...I don't know, wild? Violently careening all over the place? I feel like the main character had a lot of intense feelings that I didn't see the root of and so didn't quite buy. I'm just not sure I felt that emotional intimacy between the two leads, though I was assured by the narrative that of course they were very close and had a lot of feelings for each other. From a personal standpoint, there was not NEARLY enough UST. I hate when they get together so early because then all the fun conflict/tension is over. Sure, there's other conflict, but it's way less fun for me. But overall a fun read.
- On a Lee Shore by Elin Gregory - PIRATES. PIRATES IN THE 15th (?) CENTURY FROLICKING AMONG THE CARIBBEAN SEAS. Okay, I adore this. It's so well researched about, oh fuck, everything. The West Indies, the trade routes, so much crap about ships I know nothing about but absolutely contributes to the authentic setting. There is a great emotional connection that felt shown rather than told! There was a longer period of UST! There is a fully fleshed out cast of characters rather than the two main leads existing in a bubble! There is blood and fighting and burning ships and a whole world that exists, in which shit happens, some of which affects the story and some of which is background. But really, the key part was that it felt like a well-told story in a fully built world, rather than characters existing in front of a prettily-painted backdrop they never interact with. Also, yeah, totally a fan of the characterization. Characterization, in that it exists and each person felt tangible and like they could change their minds while still being the same person. Apparently this is harder to achieve in original m/m than might be believed, given how accustomed I am to fic and ready-made characters with motivations and issues I already know and care about.
- Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels - OK, I'm only halfway through this (page 173/329) and I've been hate reading since, I don't know, page 60. There is so much TELLING. These characters feel paper thin. I'm told that what's his face is sad because he lost his wife. That's nice. He has four kids. None of them have any personality that makes them stand alone as humans, much less stand out from their other siblings. I aggressively don't care about his or the other dude's ~sad life problems~, which basically amount to having a tragic past and struggling to find meaning in their lives...until they meet each other! And then there is some magical pull! They're not even gay, they just love each other! Somehow the sex is electric and amazing and perfect! No one has a gay crisis in the least!
And suddenly that dude with the kids has in-laws who were great sees them suddenly transform into evil monsters who don't respect the way he treats his kids! I can already tell they're going to fight him for his kids when they find out he is Teh Gay. I don't think I can finish this, because I don't caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare about any of these people. To the point I even skipped all the sex because it is unbearably boring when you don't give a fuck about either party engaged in it. This makes me sad, because I love a good kidfic! I eat up domestic get-together step-parent fic with a spoon! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE BRIOUX FIC? This book was the antithesis of excellent Brioux fic. - Miss Lacey's Last Fling by Candice Hern - so this is het! The usual Regency romance. It has such a fun, delightful premise! Miss Lacey, who's always been straightlaced and the good girl, thinks that she's dying so she's going to go to London and live it up, being reckless and scandalous and having a grand ol' time because it's her last chance and, well, she won't be around to face the consequences. The execution was a bit wanting, though, but I was holding it up to the unreasonably high standards of Georgette Heyer. The prose and plot felt sparse; the characterization felt...not flat but a bit lacking, especially given the way Heyer can flesh out secondary characters to the point where you haaaate them, or love them, because they're written so deftly.
I mean, of course Miss Lacey is so lovely and vibrant and so different from all those other boring young misses because she flouts all decorum, and that just attracts allll the boys to her yard. Including the rake who has never believed in love. But then of course it turns out she's not dying, and then she's mortified, and then the rake comes help her realize she was always truly that crazy girl inside and it's okay! He loves her!
OK, no, seriously, I make it sound shallow and flaky but it's regency. And this is a premise I could totally adore. (I love Arabella so much.) It was a very fun read! It just felt like a much thinner story and world than Heyer's regencies, and that was my main qualm in the end. It felt superficial. Heyer's regencies, while often just as frothy, somehow manage to imbue the world and characters with a richness that makes you able to sink into that world for the duration of the book.
Also in my queue: Provoked (Enlightenment series) by Joanna Chambers. This looks like it may be more up my alley, so fingers crossed!
In non-fiction, I'm still working on Shady Characters, a book on typographical symbols (like # & @), and have Sir Pterry's book of essays, A Slip of the Keyboard lined up.
And this isn't touching all the stuff in my To Read list that have been sitting there forever... /o\ Though all this reading lately has put me behind watching Running Man and Abnormal Summit, but they will always be there for me, subbed! Though I think the new subber for AS also quit after episode 34 because, lol, that show must be a pain in the ass to sub. But that means I have a good 10 or so episodes left to get to at my leisure!
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It is always a back and forth thing reading hockey and for the longest I held out very well and didn't get caught up in the real life antics on ice. And now I have questions so I came to you because you actually watch the sport and understand what is going on, if you have the time of course.
I save myself from Georgette Heyer books because I remember just how beautiful they really are and can never read anything after that without comparing. Except for a very rare few i.e. Patricia Veryan, Loretta Chase, Carla Kelly, and Diana Gabaldon and maybe early Laurell K Hamilton though she sets off a different genre altogether.
LOL and now you present me with m/m regency and edwardian fic... sigh.. I will be bookmarking those because I know I have to look at them. I love that era and always have and the idea that anyone has been smart enough to finally write this ... how can I not?
Did you move yet? If so, hope it went well!
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Man, I haven't read hockey in forever! I somehow faded from the online fandom aspect of it and now I mostly follow the sport the same way I follow my other sports: mostly with despair, hahaha. But if you have questions, feel free! I can do my best.
Speaking of Heyer, I feel like there are still a few of her Regencies I haven't read so I have to look into that. Or maybe rereading some I haven't read in years. Always a delight. I'll look into your recs though! I'd love more people who write like Heyer, even if it's not many.
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My questions are mostly about stats I think. And crop up randomly. I am more impressed by individual players (an overwhelming number of which are Russian except for Pat Kane) than teams so I am more interested in how they play and how stats are determined.
Of course right now none of the players that drive my interest seem to thinking playoffs... aargh. And I started paying attention at the tail end of the season soooooo
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But when I have them I will send them to you, if that is alright?
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But when I have them I will send them to you, if that is alright?
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(As an aside, I hate that system and think they should follow the football/soccer 3-point system where regulation win is 3 points, regulation loss is 0 points, and draws are 1 point. THEY SHOULD ALLOW TIES; THE SHOOTOUT IS AWFUL. /soapbox)
individual players (an overwhelming number of which are Russian
Right? Tarasenko, damn. And Ovechkin! So many excellent standout players who happen to be Russian. ;) And Patty Kane stands on his own; it's always exciting to watch him play (and I love him even if I don't want his team to win...)
The playoffs are super exciting though! They're what really hooked my interest when I first got into hockey, and then you have a boring summer but the rest of the new season to slowly figure out the stats and the sport. Sometimes it can be hard paying attention or carrying during the regular season because it's so long and there are so many games and things can change so much... everything in the playoffs Matter. And Matter A Lot. It's fun!
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Thank you for answering the first question. I had to let the rest of what you said about scoring sit in my head to process (which I am still doing) but that falls under the heading of learning something new everyday. :) One thing leads to another luckily and one question leads to another.. or three. lol
When I have those questions sorted out I will give you a poke.
Who are you rooting for btw?
I am still so invested in players vs teams that I don't have a solid preference (completely ignoring the totally irrational love I have of the Pens) and am happy that several teams that have players I like made it. It is nothing more than a good time for me right now.
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I have a lot of players I like and want to do well on practically each team, but oh man they don't trump my wanting the team to lose as a whole. Team rivalries are my thing, with Premier League soccer and having been indoctrinated in UNC v Duke early. Like Toews and Kane...really like the players, still hope Chicago loses. (Unfortunately for me, not looking super likely, haha.)