Rated NANO Fiction, Volume 6 Number 2 6/10
book
Rated The Birds & Don't Look Now 8/10
Two great, unsettling stories read by one of my favorites, Peter Capaldi. I will admit to listening to these solely BECAUSE of him and his fantastic voice, but these are legitimately enjoyable stories. I've seen the film version of The Birds, and it's always interesting to note the differences between the film and book versions. Definitely recommend this two-fer download.
Rated Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 8/10
<div>I was surprised by how much liked this.</div>
Rated Torchwood: The Green Life 9/10
<div>I like it when older Jo pops up in things, and pairing her with Captain Jack worked well. And I gotta say, just hearing about the giant maggots instead of seeing them this time was preferable, ha.</div>
Rated The Age of Innocence 10/10
<div>Edith Wharton is one of the best to ever do it.</div>
Rated Doctor Who: Colditz 8/10
I haven't listened to too many Seventh Doctor audio adventures, but I liked this one. Ace is always good, and it was interesting to hear David Tennant as the baddie, since this was made before the show came back. Decent story, side good characters.
Rated Love and Other Consolation Prizes 8/10
His best one yet.
Rated Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair 6/10
For some reason, I didn't connect with this one as much as I did with his Cien Sonetos de Amor, but I still liked it. More thoughts soon.
Rated The Abortionist's Daughter: A Novel 6/10
I liked The Abortionist’s Daughter, and it reminded me a little bit of another book I’ve read, [b:The House of Eliott|748336|The House of Eliott|Jean Marsh|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1177989270s/748336.jpg|734478] by Jean Marsh. Though Marsh’s book is set a decade later, both she and DeCarlo delight in describing the fashions and food of their chosen time period. I’m not an expert, but it <i>feels</i> authentic, and that’s the important thing. Although there are technical and craft missteps that took me out of the story here and there, I’m still pleased that I read it, and anyone looking for a lighter take on early feminism may very well enjoy it too.<br><br>(My full review appears at <a href="http://persephonemagazine.com/2014/11/book-review-the-abortionists-daughter-by-elisa-decarlo/">Persephone Magazine</a>.)
Rated Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic 10/10
Excellent. Would love to see the musical.
Rated Bad Feminist 10/10
Of course I recommend this wholeheartedly.
Wants to read I Miss You When I Blink: Essays
Rated The Rise 6/10
<div>There are way too many characters stuffed into this 85 page story, and not enough dialogue tags, but after recently reading some heavier fare, a simply murder mystery procedural was still an enjoyable balm —though that does sound funny to say, considering the subject matter.</div>
Rated The Narrow Door: A Memoir of Friendship 10/10
I guess if I were being nitpicky, I'd say it's a 4.5 for me because sometimes I was hoping for the story arcs to be a bit more firm/clear, but I also understand that part of the point is that life does not work out neatly. We do the best we can. Still, this is an excellent book.
Rated Magic Lessons: The Prequel to Practical Magic 8/10
<div>I got this prequel to <em>Practical Magic</em> ages ago and only just now got around to reading it. But since I finished it on a day when no one knows quite what to say, I'll just give you a quote from the book:<br><br><em>"Some creatures do not care how polite a person might be, they will hurt you for no reason, and then all you can do is heal yourself with whatever ingredients are necessary."</em></div>
Rated The Morningside 10/10
<div>What a great book. I've never read a Téa Obreht novel before (somewhere in my memory, I've come across a short story), and I'm glad I finally got to her.<br><br>THE MORNINGSIDE concerns a mother and daughter who live in the last upscale apartment building on their island, where the mother works as the super. They live in a not so distant future, where the tides are ever-encroaching and natural disasters cause population displacement around the world. The daughter does not know much about her past, or her mother's, but the unusual people around their building mix in her head with half-known folk tales, which sets a series of too-real events in motion. Is magic involved? Or is it a girl's magical thinking? What does everyday environmental trauma do to a person? How might we feel in control? But what if...?<br><br>There's a lot to consider here, and I like that the book does not offer easy resolutions. Well worth the read.</div><div><br></div>
Rated The Great Believers 10/10
What an amazing, beautiful, sad, hopeful, and still-relevant-today story. Reading this during a time where we're dealing with a different virus/pandemic, political protests, healthcare struggles (and the indifference of professionals who might not care about your illness at first), and the weird, heady mix of trauma and hope that can grow in a person... it's a lot. Do read this, if you haven't already.