book reviews
Reviews of books by relationship gurus, dating experts, and cautionary tale-tellers.
Book Review: Starbinder by Mark Timmony
Forged in betrayal. Tempered by the stellar winds. Chosen by the stars. For five hundred years since the Sundering, the order of the Shaluay Starbinders has been dwindling. With their Starwells lying dormant, key artefacts of their order lost and their seers driven mad by the powers that broke the world, only one hope remains to the man who leads them; a fifteen year old girl. Born to a clan of Wanderers, Reiana has been raised by a harsh grandmother who blames her for the death of her daughter, Reiana's own mother. When bandits attack the clan's camp, Reiana leaves the safety of the caravans to pursue the abductor of her younger cousin, heedless of the dangers. But when a creature of the Void takes notice can Reiana's own untapped abilities save her, or will the truth of a betrayal see her lost forever? CW: suicide, gore, child abduction; allusion of child murder
By Marie Sinadjan3 years ago in Humans
Book Review: The Adventures of Phyllo Cane series by Sharn W. Hutton
Phyllo Cane and the Circus of Wonder (Book 1) When Phyllo accidentally burns down the big top, he can forget his dream of being a magical confectioner, it’s the Circuit for him instead. Now he must face a daunting string of magical apprenticeships to find his talent and prove his worth. Straight in at the deep end, his first is with the flyers of the high trapeze. Training is knee-trembling and mind-bogglingly dangerous, but when Phyllo finds himself in another near-fatal disaster, he realises it’s not just his nerves that are holding him back. Other acts crumble. Masked men stalk the cast. Something dark and evil conspires against them all and, Phyllo discovers, if the Circus of Wonder is to survive, he must solve the problems of the past… or lose the magic forever. Phyllo Cane and the Magical Menagerie (Book 2) Magically magnificent, fantastic and ferocious... at least, that’s what you’d expect of a fire-breathing dragon. But what if yours won’t come out of its pen to perform? What if the Ringmaster thinks it’s worth more in the apothecary chop-shop than as part of the troupe? The Beast Whisperer of the Circus of Wonder must bring her beloved dragon back up to its performing peak fast, if she’s to save it, and she thinks she knows what to do. The unhappy creature needs a mate, but the male sand dragon is a rare beast indeed, and she’ll never be able to catch one alone. Time for Phyllo to become the Beast Whisperer’s apprentice…
By Marie Sinadjan3 years ago in Humans
Audiobook Review: Heir of Memory and Shadow by Rachanee Lumayno
Kaernan Asthore may be one of the most gifted Seekers in the kingdom of Orchwell, but he wants nothing more than to be rid of his gift: the ability to find lost loves, which often ends in heartbreak. So when Lady Adallia Pahame hires him to find her own lost love, Kaernan assumes it will be an easy, routine commission. But when the mystery surrounding his new traveling companion causes them to run afoul of an infamous gang of bounty hunters, Kaernan realizes this is one commission he might not return from. Will he be able to uncover the truth in time to save his friends — and himself? CW: suicide, attempted rape, murder/accidental murder, kidnapping
By Marie Sinadjan3 years ago in Humans
Book Review: Tinderbox by W.A. Simpson
The Riven Isles. A place outside of our known world, where the characters of myth and fairy-tales exist, and their legends influence the lives of the people. Among them is Isbet, a witch skilled in the craft. Her return home marred by the murder of the woman who raised her. The old witch’s prized possession, stolen–the Tinderbox. A common man has used it to seize a throne. The same man who conquered Prince Bram Greyward’s land and forced Bram to become his heir. When a chance encounter gives Isbet the opportunity she needs to ingratiate herself into the king’s house, she meets Bram, whose bravery and kindness impresses her. Isbet’s goal is revenge and to retrieve the Box. For Bram, it is to free his homeland. When they receive a summons to an underground kingdom, they must set aside their personal desires as they discover an ancient source of magic, long dormant, is being brought to life by beings unnatural and it threatens to destroy the land. They have pulled Isbet and Bram into a battle not their own and struggle to locate the source of the darkness. However, Bram is caught in the aura of shadows surrounding the king and fearful of the demonic creatures within the box. CW: attempted sexual assault, on-page sex
By Marie Sinadjan3 years ago in Humans
Book Review: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
In every person’s story, there is something to hide... Four strangers in the Reading Room at Boston Public Library are introduced by a scream. Caught up in the subsequent murder investigation, each one finds themselves revealing more than they intended about their pasts as they race to solve the murder before one of them gets hurt. Whilst their stories unfold, so does another. Dear Hannah... As correspondence between the author and an avid fan becomes interwoven with the core tale, the boundaries between what is fiction and what is real life begin to blur, highlighting the lengths people will go to keep their secrets. Through these entwined narratives, Gentill delves into the complicated nature of friendships, the lives we show versus the lives we lead and the ways in which art can imitate life. Or perhaps it’s the other way around?
By Marie Sinadjan3 years ago in Humans
Book Review: Dogs of the Deadlands by Anthony McGowan
Chernobyl 1986. Those left behind must fight to survive. The world is coming to an end. Dragged from her bed in the middle of the night and forced to leave her beloved puppy behind, Natasha has no idea if she’ll ever return home. Growing up in the shadow of the ruined nuclear power plant, pups Misha and Bratan need to learn how to live wild - and fast. Creatures with sharp teeth, scythe-like claws and yellow eyes lurk in the overgrown woods. And they’re watching the brothers… But will the dogs survive without humans? And can humans live without them?
By Marie Sinadjan3 years ago in Humans
Learning To Cultivate The Appropriate Mental Attitude.
To get into this routine, though, you need to have the correct mental attitude. You can try to push things and keep your old perspective while adopting new habits, but in the end, neither of these strategies will be effective.
By Estalontech3 years ago in Humans
Animism
At the beginning of the eighth chapter, Taylor briefly discusses the question of the universality of religion: "Is there any obscurantist tribe of any religion?" He believes that the obscurantist people who are incompatible with the concept of religion may also have the possibility of religion. Not only did the Australian-born have no notion of a supreme god, creator, arbiter, or object of worship -- that is, no idols, no temples, no sacrifices -- but they had no trace of any religion or ritual, Dr. Langer declared; And it is religion or ritual that distinguishes them from the unspiritual animals. At the same time, however, he left details in the book that the Aborigines' belief that smallpox was the result of evil works contradicted their belief. There are also inconsistencies in Moffat's account of the Bejuan people in Africa and in Azara's denial of religion in South America. So what people like Lange do not recognize is a religion that is not similar to the so-called civilized national theology. So what is religion? According to Taylor, the basic definition of religion is the doctrine of spirits, "animism".
By XinJing Gao3 years ago in Humans
The Negative Feedback Loop: How often do teachers give negative feedback to students?
Negative feedback doesn’t have to be reserved solely for the boss at work or your cranky neighbor who hates everyone’s music being too loud. In fact, it’s an integral part of our lives, and one that you can use to improve your own life. Negative feedback has the potential to help us overcome challenges and achieve more than we imagined possible, but only if we face it head-on instead of taking the easy way out and avoiding it altogether.
By Subhan Ahmed3 years ago in Humans
Post-pandemic, the 4th Annual South Asian Literature, and Art Festival commit to making a lasting impact through programs.
SALA aims to examine and celebrate different points of view but also recognize that, ultimately, humanity triumphs. Montalvo Arts Center and Art Forum SF present the festival in partnership with Stanford Center for South Asia and UC Berkeley Institute for South Asian Studies.
By Tushar Unadkat3 years ago in Humans
Best Quotes from Persuasion
After the catastrophe that was Netflix's new adaptation of Persuasion (read more here), I revisted the novel and found some dog-eared pages with quotes that I adored (I mean if I could I'd probably just dog-ear the whole book- or all of Jane Austen's books).
By The Austen Shelf3 years ago in Humans
