women

I want Olivia Gatwood as my new best friend

New American Best Friend by Olivia Gatwood

December 13, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

New American Best Friend is a book that makes me want Olivia Gatwood as my new best friend. Mostly because maybe then they can explain a few things to me. While the poems are straight forward, there are a few images I am trying to figure out what they mean as they can be interpreted a few ways. Then again, maybe that is the point? However, there is no real question about Ode to My Bitch Face (and trust me, if you say you did not practice your own bitch face while reading it, I am going to call you […]

12/13/2018 BlackRaven's CBR10 Review No:457 |

When you blend in and stand out at the same time

Smudge by Mahogany L. Browne

December 7, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

While Smudge by Mahogany L. Browne is out of print in stores and on-line, you can try for pre-loved copies or on Button Poetry’s website as well. The reason I am reviewing this book is not just because I read it, but this is a book that needs to be talked about. First, I was not the audience the book really was meant for. I am old fashioned when it comes to poetry. I like a nice box for my poetry. Granted, it can be unique in the subject, or even the way it is styled on the page. It […]

12/7/2018 BlackRaven's CBR10 Review No:443 |

Where did this pie come from? Nowhere, my friend, nowhere.

Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito

November 7, 2018 by BlackRaven 2 Comments

The unsung heroes of a story are just as important (or more so sometimes) then the ones that get their names in the history books. And Georgia Gilmore did a very important thing: she put food into the tummies of people. An army cannot go far on an empty stomach and when the people of Montgomery, Alabama were walking to work and places instead of taking the bus, she helped by selling her pies. She helped make lunches. She gave her home for secret meetings and food was given to the men. One man had the name Martin. Dee Romito’s […]

11/7/2018 BlackRaven's CBR10 Review No:413 |

No Matter the Wreckage there Can be Hope

No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay

August 21, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Sarah Kay, along with illustrator Sophia Janowitz, created her debut collection of poetry back in 2014. And in 2018 No Matter the Wreckage came on my radar. Kay’s poems celebrate family, love, travel, as well as the oddness, beauty and darkness of the world. She is powerful and soft. Bold and quiet. She hits you over the head and whispers in your ear. To hear her read her works (so far only on YouTube) would be a grand treat. Her voice is the perfect vessel for her words. No Matter the Wreckage has some amazing lines and some even more […]

8/21/2018 BlackRaven's CBR10 Review No:314 |

Speculative extremes of women’s futures clearly demonstrate how everyone loses when inequality wins

Red Clocks: A Novel and The Power by Leni Zumas and Naomi Alderman

August 13, 2018 by Mrs Smith Reads Leave a Comment

I’m reviewing these two books together because despite their opposite takes on speculative futures, they use similar storytelling techniques to describe how women’s lives might be different in both the near, and far future. Naomi Alderman’s The Power imagines a future where women develop an ability to physically harm others with electric shocks. Due to the release and dispersion of an environmental hazard, women begin to develop a “skein” within their bodies which allows them to physically overpower people (men) with a jolt of energy. The strength of this ability varies from woman to woman, but seems to be stronger in women and […]

8/13/2018 Mrs Smith Reads's CBR10 Review No:11 |

For all the brutal women

The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley

August 5, 2018 by dAvid Leave a Comment

CBR10Bingo: Listicles When I had my embarrassing epiphany this spring that my CBR reading list and library were unacceptably skewed toward male authors, I spent a number of hours googling female authors, particularly those in genres with which I’m less familiar. One of the best sources I found was a list called “27 Female Authors Who Rule Sci-Fi and Fantasy Right Now”, several of which I’ve purchased already and even more that are high on my wishlist. My most recent read from those recommendations was The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley, probably the most fitting read for me this […]

8/5/2018 dAvid's CBR10 Review No:43 |

The Sisters who Changed the Game

Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransom

July 27, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams mostly focuses on the early years of the Williams sisters. It introduces us to the two girls who started learning tennis well before they hit double digits. We see how one sister followed the other, but one day would beat her big sister in the game they both loved. We are shown how these sisters are both sisters, friends and rivals all at once. And Game Changers shows the struggles of becoming not only two of the best women athletes, or two of the best black athletes, but being two of […]

7/27/2018 BlackRaven's CBR10 Review No:282 |

Flynn: more like Gone Girl than Dark Places…which is good.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

July 8, 2018 by ardaigle 1 Comment

Gillian Flynn can definitely writer a thriller, and this one was a compelling page turner. I just discovered that I actually read her works in reverse order to her writing them. Sharp Objects is her first novel, followed by Dark Places and book-ended (heh) with Gone Girl. Flynn jumped on my radar like she did for many people, with Gone Girl, so I read it first, then Dark Places mostly because I could get it on audiobook quickly, and finally this one, also on audiobook. Actually, I just realized I also did Gone Girl as an audio. So, I guess […]

7/8/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:28 |

Danar the Barbarian on Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Eat But Were Afraid to CookIt's so good! Head up to H-Mart to get your supplies, and get cooking! :)
emmalita on Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Eat But Were Afraid to CookI have this cookbook, but haven't had an opportunity to cook from it yet.
Caitlin_D on “But how can I send my heart to him when he’s just said, in no uncertain terms, that he doesn’t speak its language?”Thanks guys! I'm really enjoying it and a lot of people listen to audio-books while they work so once I get a better handle on...
teresaelectro on Quick Questions with a Cannonballer: Bothari43This was so lovely! And I agree, all the chocolate. :)
emmalita on Take That Nuss Rewman, Ph.D., J.D.Their theory, which I tend to agree with, is that our disorder tends to fall into a logical pattern so that the things we use...