pickThe Underground Railroad in this book is a literal railroad: trains, tracks, stations, conductors, the whole thing. Each state has its own lesson to learn. Each leg of the journey teaches Cora about the illusion of freedom. What struck me the most was the cycle of violence in history. I kept thinking, “Oh, that‘s like *insert historical period here*” Over and over again, we hurt each other and we‘re still doing it.
pickA compulsive read. Chidgey takes a dystopian premise (I wont describe because spoilers) & carries it off in a completely fresh way. I think her strength is her ability to build multiple authentic, compelling characters - every interaction btwn them is interesting, you‘re awake to every clue as to who knows what about the mystery in the background. The blend of cheerful, domestic detail with an increasing creepy tension had me glued to the page.
pickAs lover of Jane Austen and member of Fictional Hangover's https://www.fictionalhangover.com/ Vampire Book Club I definitely had to read Jane and the Damned.
I think author did a good job of mixing Jane and Vampires. Love story was bit silly, but enjoyable read. I'm putting Book 2 Blood Persuasion on my December reading tbr.
#Pemberlittens
#JaneAustenThenAndNow
#PagesOfPersuasion
pickLove, love, loved this just as much the 2nd time around! ❤️ (I rarely re-read books.)
It‘s long, but so worth it.
pickThere are some things I noticed this time around that I didn‘t on the first read. I always hate gross sex or rape scenes as a shortcut to denote evil, and there‘s some of that. The ending is also rushed. I still found Apt Pupil to be one of King‘s most chilling stories as the evil is entirely human. #audiowalk
This is from the episode of Mad Men where JFK was assassinated. Betty is at home watching the news when Carla, the maid, comes in all distraught. Betty has to tell her the president is dead. They sit on the sofa and smoke cigarettes together, sharing their grief.
shared moment of grief
breaks down social barriers —
commiserating.
#haikuhive #haikuaday #madmen #tvhaiku #JFK
P.S. If you haven‘t watched Mad Men I can‘t recommend it enough!
so-soThe writing is engaging but full of stereotypes and cringeworthy scenes. Determined to finish for my IRL bookclub I jumped to the author interview, found it fascinating and forged ahead. My problem was fictional MC, Mary Dodd, as the incredible heroine of her own journals. I didn‘t believe an 1870s woman would make her choices because the consequences were too grave. However, everyone in my bookclub loved her and disagreed with my take.
pickI really loved this one. At first it was like any other fantasy; beckoning us to take a closer look at this train, its staff, and passengers. But don‘t look too closely at the passing landscape. It was dreamlike. The idea of being stuck on a train in the middle of nowhere, with an ever-changing landscape with unknown creatures on the prowl, sounds terrifying. But then it turns ethereal and whimsical, full of magic. The underlying theme is greed…⬇️
“We leave new life in our wake; young vines curling around ancient houses; new shoots stirring in the soil; flora and fauna not found in any of the natural histories so far written. We leave you to find ways to live alongside it, to make the choice that faces us all—whether to turn away from the changes, to fight, to flee; or whether to welcome them in.”
