beth_taggard's reviews
27 reviews
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
You are accustomed to thinking of fairy tales as make-believe, but they have only ever been mirrors.
I came into this world a rough and tumble tomboy with no need to be rescued; therefore, I never related to fairy tale princesses — though even I could see how blurry the lines of consent are in being kissed while in a death sleep.
But I love a twist on a tale and what a fascinating meta-verse humanity has weaved for itself in telling and retelling tales over time. I'm grateful Alix E. Harrow can cross the worlds and reveal them to us in her unique way of spinning words into wonder.
Overall, I appreciate our flower-named heroines and the spin this tale takes on a modern classic (Thanks, Disney.) rooted in a tale or two (or three) from another time.
Of note: The pop-culture references make this short read feel like a fantastical episode of the Gilmore Girls and I can see this being off-putting to some readers, but I find it — charming. Excuse the pun.
I came into this world a rough and tumble tomboy with no need to be rescued; therefore, I never related to fairy tale princesses — though even I could see how blurry the lines of consent are in being kissed while in a death sleep.
But I love a twist on a tale and what a fascinating meta-verse humanity has weaved for itself in telling and retelling tales over time. I'm grateful Alix E. Harrow can cross the worlds and reveal them to us in her unique way of spinning words into wonder.
Overall, I appreciate our flower-named heroines and the spin this tale takes on a modern classic (Thanks, Disney.) rooted in a tale or two (or three) from another time.
Of note: The pop-culture references make this short read feel like a fantastical episode of the Gilmore Girls and I can see this being off-putting to some readers, but I find it — charming. Excuse the pun.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Chronic illness
Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape
Minor: Cursing
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Abandonment, Addiction, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts
Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Exquisite. Since Viola Davis first landed on my radar, I have described her as “exquisite.” Far from ugly. My first memory of her is that of a criminal’s wife (that typecasting) in the film Out of Sight with George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez. It was 1998 — 16 years before the television show How to Get Away With Murder catapulted her into the mainstream after more than 20 years of her career as a working actress on both stage and screen.
This memoir is rooted in Viola’s childhood trauma and adult experiences of not feeling good enough or pretty enough because of her color and her features — and it rocked me — while simultaneously being both unsurprising and wholly educational about the black experience in America (and particularly in Hollywood). But I wasn’t raised in America. Though American, I was raised in East Africa — a translucent white, blonde-haired, green-eyed anomaly surrounded by black women of varying people groups. They were gorgeous to me, and I was envious of their rich ebony skin tones and non-stringy hair. I still see black women as exquisite. Perceptions are genuinely born of time and place.
Like a phoenix, Viola arose from adversity and then burned away to ash, only to rise again. She has done this with more grace and forgiveness than those around her may have deserved. “Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a different past. They tell you successful therapy is when you have the big discovery that your parents did the best they could with what they were given,” she writes. Her capacity to acknowledge the past for what it was and choose to live in the present is inspiring.
In the genre of celebrity memoirs, I have noticed a trend of unnecessary repetition to the point of using exact phrases or sentences a mere few chapters apart from one another. Finding Me also has this struggle. It’s the only thing that weakened the reading experience for me, but the contents are so powerful I don’t care. Like Viola, Finding Me is exquisite.
Find my full review at Dots and Beyond.
This memoir is rooted in Viola’s childhood trauma and adult experiences of not feeling good enough or pretty enough because of her color and her features — and it rocked me — while simultaneously being both unsurprising and wholly educational about the black experience in America (and particularly in Hollywood). But I wasn’t raised in America. Though American, I was raised in East Africa — a translucent white, blonde-haired, green-eyed anomaly surrounded by black women of varying people groups. They were gorgeous to me, and I was envious of their rich ebony skin tones and non-stringy hair. I still see black women as exquisite. Perceptions are genuinely born of time and place.
Like a phoenix, Viola arose from adversity and then burned away to ash, only to rise again. She has done this with more grace and forgiveness than those around her may have deserved. “Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a different past. They tell you successful therapy is when you have the big discovery that your parents did the best they could with what they were given,” she writes. Her capacity to acknowledge the past for what it was and choose to live in the present is inspiring.
In the genre of celebrity memoirs, I have noticed a trend of unnecessary repetition to the point of using exact phrases or sentences a mere few chapters apart from one another. Finding Me also has this struggle. It’s the only thing that weakened the reading experience for me, but the contents are so powerful I don’t care. Like Viola, Finding Me is exquisite.
Find my full review at Dots and Beyond.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Abortion
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love this series, but I docked The Well of Ascension one star for a single reason — angst. I'm not talking about teenage angst, even though our heroine is still very young. Every major character in this middle book is suffering with imposter syndrome. There is so much, "I'm not good enough..." that it's distracting.
Aside from this, as middle books go, it's pretty strong. Glory in the successes of the first installment are short-lived as ramifications surface. Politics and strategy are the focus as the land becomes a chess board for those who want power. The final 100-150 pages are so strong, that any weaknesses are almost washed from memory as Sanderson sets up for the grand finale in spectacular style.
Aside from this, as middle books go, it's pretty strong. Glory in the successes of the first installment are short-lived as ramifications surface. Politics and strategy are the focus as the land becomes a chess board for those who want power. The final 100-150 pages are so strong, that any weaknesses are almost washed from memory as Sanderson sets up for the grand finale in spectacular style.
The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
... and, boy, has The Cosmere grown from this original trilogy. It's a solid foundation and many before me have waxed poetic on the world-building and magic system.
The Hero of Ages is not perfect, but it speaks to me, hence the rating. I have many thoughts — mostly surrounding the religious imagery, faith, etc., but... spoilers.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
We create things to watch them grow — to take pleasure in seeing that which we love become more than it was before.
... and, boy, has The Cosmere grown from this original trilogy. It's a solid foundation and many before me have waxed poetic on the world-building and magic system.
The Hero of Ages is not perfect, but it speaks to me, hence the rating. I have many thoughts — mostly surrounding the religious imagery, faith, etc., but... spoilers.
The Man of the Crowd by Edgar Allan Poe, Ralph Cosham
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0