Deerskin | 
Non book related—the sun briefly came out and I ignored the humidity and took the dog on a short walk. It‘s pretty blurry because I was trying to zoom in and keep the dog from giving chase and we were halfway down the street but I rarely see deer when I‘m out and it‘s super rare to see them in the middle of the day.
so-so3/5⭐ I almost DNFed it because it was so slow, but the writing was strong enough that I could tell the author had deliberately crafted a dense fairytale tone. I appreciated the in-depth main character arc of dealing with trauma (warning for rape). The relationships w/ the dogs were wonderful. (Read my full Goodreads review for pet spoilers.) However, many magical elements didn't make sense. The book is worth a read but I wouldn't pick it up again.
Rereading an old favorite (as one might guess by my username). It may be an unlikely comfort read, but I've loved it since I first found it in middle school when looking for fairy tale retellings.
so-so#Audiobook #Review: Deerskin by Robin McKinley with @TantorAudio. This book was not at all what I was expecting, but I loved the magical aspect and all the hounds.⠀
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https://buff.ly/2khZZrD⠀
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#bookbloggers #reading #fantasy #comingofage #bookreview
pickAnother one down from my #FreakyFriday list provided by the lovely @PenguinInFlight
I had no idea what to expect going into this story, and I'm glad. It was brutal. The lack of foreknowledge allowed me to experience Deerskin's story more viscerally. This will NOT be for everyone.
So far, this is my favorite of Beverly's recommendations.
Thanks again to @Clwojick and @monalyisha for organising this spectacular event!
These are my next planned #FreakyFriday reads from @PenguinInFlight s list.
I started the tagged book last night and wound up staying up way too late reading. I'm going back to it tonight at bedtime... You see where this is going ➡ Sleep Deprivation. #blameitonLitsy.
@Clwojick
@monalyisha
pickRobin McKinley hasn‘t let me down yet. I can always count on her for quality world-building that never feels forced, and for strong, complex female protagonists. That said, this book‘s plot centers around the protagonist being brutally raped by her own father, and if I had known that going in, I may not have begun it. My issue, not the book‘s. Quality story, well-told, although the ending is a bit too happily-ever-after to suit the tale.
Omg!!! @Reggie you are the best Secret Santa ever!!! I love everything! I‘ve been waiting forever to read Deerskin &The Love That Split the World. I‘m super excited for Boy Wonder & The Fisherman(both right up my alley!). I read I Hate Fairyland the second I opened it! The buttons are fabulous & so true to life! 🦊 bookmark = adorable! Enough Reese‘s for a lifetime! And amazingly you managed to get me an Alice Funko that I don‘t own! I love it! 🤩
panAs always McKinley's writing is excellent, but I had a really hard time with the subject matter of this one.
pickis the tale of a girl who disappears into the unforgiving wilds following an unspeakable trauma at the hands of her father, and manages to survive the winter before carving out a new life, finding strength and ultimately facing and overcoming her past. Her constant companion is her dog, essential for her survival throughout what can be a harrowing novel. This book is based on an old fairy-tale called Donkeyskin by Perrault
This book has stuck with me since reading it, and so it is my choice for #Scars
There are few physical scars in this book, they are mostly emotional. The trauma that Deerskin undergoes causes her to lose her memory and she must struggle to survive with her dog Ash through a cold winter, before making her way back to civilisation and coming to terms with her past.
#JuneTunz #TriggerWarning
#BestOfMay #MayBookFlowers
So I read 3 books this month, and I rated them all pretty highly, so I can't pick just one!
Allegiance of Honour is part of one of my fave series so I was always going to enjoy it, but it was an excellent end to the story arc.
The Last Kingdom was a solid first in a series. Great writing and I will definitely continue!
Deerskin was the one that stayed with me the most, and I enjoyed it despite the trigger warning. 💕
pickAlthough there was a HUGE #TriggerWarning at the beginning, I really enjoyed this book.
Loosely based on the #Fairytale Donkey Skin by Charles Perrault, this was an intense but beautiful read.
Recovering from a trauma that has forced her memories into hiding, Lissar and her dog Ash are struggling to survive a harsh winter. When intuition guides her to the golden city, she gets a job in the king's kennels and discovers her past.
#DogsInBooks
"You're a wealthy farmer's daughter," said Lissar, still distressed that Ossin should be thrown away in a princess with hairy breakfast-rolls for dogs.
Haha this made me laugh. ?
Just finished part one.
I knew there was a trigger warning, but Jesus!
#TriggerWarning #DarkFantasy #DogsInBooks
pickI'm debating between pick and so-so... It was a good story, tho toward the end I felt that there was a lot of "filler" that didn't need to be there and I'll admit to skimming a bit in the last few chapters. This is not your average fairytale, this is super gritty. (Triggers) Abuse, incest, rape, blood... But it was really a story of survival and growth. And dogs, lots of stuff about dogs.
I'm about half way into this book and wow. The story line, so far it's rough. There are definite abuse triggers in here, so be warned.
Starting this one next, it's D on my #litsyatoz with some Paleo Pho with zucchini noodles.
panThis one. This was a visceral & literal #threwitacrosstheroom. And I love most McKinley, so felt the more betrayed!
#ugh #gross #photoadaynov16
pick🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 5. Beautifully written retelling of the disturbing fairytale Donkeyskin by Charles Perrault. (The afterword notes that the original version is left out of many of many publications due to content, or is severely altered. I'm guessing I have never read the original version.) I've been a huge fan of McKinley for years, and I was not disappointed by this story.
I'm totally okay with being at home on a Saturday night, curled up with my furbabies 🐶🐱 and reading. Completely in love with this book...😍😍
pickMcKinley takes one of the most graphic Fairytales I know and focuses on the young heroine's journey towards self-acceptance and empowerment after a horrific rape. Some fantasy ignores the human in favor of the fantastical, but Deerskin addresses deeply human issues in a magical world. Splendid.
