books, books, books: 2016 apr-jun

I read books! And had some thoughts about some of them, but had forgotten about others.

One Piece Vols 67-76 by Oda Eiichiro - The latest volumes published in English, tail end of Punk Hazard through about half of Dressrosa. (Dressrosa is such a long arc; it would have been a drag to read week by week so I'm glad I got to marathon it.) All new! I enjoyed it a lot and glad we got to know Law a little better -- he is still my favorite when he is being perplexed and distraught by Luffy and his crew though. Less Sanji but that's to be made up by the next (Zou) arc. I liked Dressrosa's backstory okay; mostly I got really, really excited about the substitute Lucy/Robin's revolutionary friend, and I predicted immediately he'd turn out to be who I thought...hoped... and he was! MY FEELINGS, MY HEART. ;__________; Waiting til the end of the year to get two or three more volumes published in English before I try to catch up again and hopefully finish the Dressrosa arc. I can't believe we have another ten years of OP before we finally get an ending.

A Gentleman's Position by K.J. Charles - It took me a few tries to get into this because I just...really didn't like Lord Richard Vane. I know we weren't supposed to find him justified in his insecurities and prejudices, but to some extent he was supposed to be sympathetic, as one of the protagonists and also hot desirable object of the other protagonist's feelings, but I'm not sure I ever got there. The story was competently written with decent use of the other characters in the series, and I guess the bad guy got his satisfactory comeuppance, but I personally didn't get a lot of emotional satisfaction from this book. The character/relationship dynamics just never fell in place for me I guess.

The Substitute Bridegroom by Charlotte Louise Dolan - I've read so many regencies they all tend to blend together -- even some of Heyer's less memorable ones. I read this back in May so now I'm googling, trying to remember this book's plot and characters, and really still drawing a blank. Lighthearted marriage of convenience, he goes to war, she loves him but thinks he doesn't love her but he secretly has feelings? Oh, I think some in-laws were hysterical and bitchy? I guess it was entertaining enough to read through all the way, but not particularly memorable in character or even shenanigans.

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer - This was fun! I liked the set up: a girl running away dressed as a boy and no one talks her out of it. The hero agrees to go on this adventure while drunk, because it sounds like a great idea. They were a fun pair and got into silly hijinks with a thief and a missing jewel and some crossed wires, but I liked their dynamic. Pen really is likable, reckless and innocent but game for most things and funny. Sir Richard is a mix of longsuffering and easily amused. Ad the brother of the hero's original expected fiancée was a hoot too. Very silly and unbelievable shenanigans, but I'm not reading frothy Regency romances for historical accuracy...

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer - Oh, a delight. I see now why so many people consider it one of their favorites, if not the top favorite, of Heyer's works. Crossdressing siblings! Just totally matter of fact, no freaking out about it or dramatic identity angst. They are both just excellent at it and at their lives, and really both develop relationship where I was rooting for them. Prudence and Sir Anthony probably have a little more of my support, but they were so good with and for each other. He doesn't want to change her! And when Prudence and Robin's dad comes in, he provides a hysterical and beleaguering presence on their lives with blackmailing and . So charming, so funny, so easy to read.

Imprudent Lady by Joan Smith - a reread, because I couldn't focus on anything for a while and I remember liking this story about two authors and their developing friendship and more. It was still quite good, although somewhat of a wish fulfillment story for the heroine. But I really did buy them going from strangers to acquaintances to friends. A nicely paced, quieter story, with less chaotic mischief and plans gone awry. A bit more at the end where it veers into soap territory, but it never really quite got there in terms of emotional games and jealousy. Hero and heroine tended to talk to each other, which is an amazing facilitator of getting to the truth!

Hikaru No Go Vols 1-23 (complete) by Hotta Yumi & Obata Takeshi - Boy had bought me the full series for I think my birthday last year. I finally got around to the reread and my heart, my tears, my feelings. As I tend to say, one day when One Piece finishes, it may be my favorite series, but for right now it's Hikago. HIKAGO. Entirely a story about growth and development of Hikaru and Akira as people, as go players, and as rivals. As friends, as soul mates, as each other's destinies... SERIOUSLY. I had underestimated and misremembered how obsessed with each other they were. I love Sai, but he was there as a catalyst in Hikaru's story, and I think he realizes that at the end. Not to undermine his importance, but god. GOD. Sai will always be there in some ways, and Akira will be able to see him. ♥

Arabella by Georgette Heyer - a reread and a comfort one; it's also pure fantasy wish fulfillment of a pretty country girl going into fashionable London and taking the ton by storm and also capturing the heart of the most popular, most handsome, and most wealthy man there -- who of course also proves he has a good heart so he is deserving of our heroine. But! It is Heyer and she tells the story so charmingly, with great secondary characters and a lovely little mongrel of a dog. One of my favorites to go back to when I need a little pick me up.

The Case Against the Supreme Court by Erwin Chemerinsky - Oh man, I found this book in the Harvard bookstore when we were in Boston last November for a wedding. I then checked it out of our library a month or two later, intent on reading it because what a fascinating premise -- and by the foremost constitutional law scholar in America. Honestly. Chemerinsky's ConLaw books are what every 1L uses in their required ConLaw classes. He's arguing our Supreme Court has failed us in key moments throughout history to defend the minorities: the poor, the employees versus corporations, the racial minorities, the prison population, the defendants who can't afford lawyers, the powerless ones with little voice who need the law and justice system to stand up for them. He acknowledges what the Court has done right and even though points out where it fails. He comes from a liberal POV but he tries to make his arguments objective and fair when he points out failures both sides of the aisles could agree to. And some of these decisions are absolutely infuriating. Incendiary. I read this book and was viciously glad that Scalia is dead.

So Chemerinsky proposes some ways to deal with this: first, the extreme of stripping the Court of its judicial review power. He makes a case for it, too, but then rebuts that. He believes there is a better case for judicial review (made pretty well by Marbury v. Madison) and proposes some other specific changes to the Court, some of which I really like. If only we could get them implemented. But the Supreme Court is crucial in this upcoming election: so vote.