Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller by Jackie Wullschläger
I love Hans Christian Andersen. I love his deranged and depressing stories. Three of my favorite fairytales are his, and I've gotten a lot of mileage for my F*cked Up Fairy Tales from poking fun at him. But he is the first person on my list of "Dead or Alive People I'd Like at My Dinner … [Read more]
Ichi the Witch (vols. 1-2) by Osamu Nishi, Shiro Usazaki
Ichi the Witch is, at least in the first two volumes, both generically entertaining and trope-ily generic. Clueless hero with one big talent that’s pretty handy? Check. Know-it all mentor/senior student? Check. Set up for harem comedy? Also check. Basic premise: only women can wield magic and be … [Read more]
108 Asian Cookies by Kat Lieu
8 is apparently a lucky number in Chinese culture, so instead of 100, we get 108 Asian Cookies: Not Too Sweet Treats from a Third-Culture Kitchen. For me personally, this one is going to be more of a read for info and interest (and also local library summer reading challenge [adults can play too!]) … [Read more]
Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle
Please note that I received this via NetGalley. This did not impact my rating or review. Be warned readers, this is pretty bloody/gory. A couple of scenes did turn my stomach a bit, but I kept plugging through. I won't lie, readers are not going to like the main character, Poppy Stringer at all. … [Read more]
The Story of Birds by Steve Brusatte
Like a lot of other elder millennials, I got very into birdwatching during the pandemic lockdowns, but I've always been interested in birds. I remember the first time I saw a bird and wanted to know more--a scarlet tanager at a nature center when I was a kid. In a time before cell phones, I couldn't … [Read more]
Damsel in Distress by Shannon Drake
All that heiress Katherine de Montrain wants is to stay in control of her estates and assist her cousin, who masquerades as the notorious Robin Hood. Though she is forced for wed Lord Damian Montjoy for her own protection, she vows she will never submit to him. This is a pretty entertaining … [Read more]
