Breana: I’m listening to music from Tayla Parx's 2019 album: We Need to Talk. Disconnected is one of my favorite songs. It’s so short, and I wish it was longer....
What are you listening to this week?
Monday, April 8, 2019
Friday, April 5, 2019
The Friday 56 (150) & Book Beginnings: The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi
Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.
The Interdependency, humanity’s interstellar empire, is on the verge of collapse. The Flow, the extra-dimensional conduit that makes travel between the stars possible, is disappearing, leaving entire star systems stranded. When it goes, human civilization may go with it—unless desperate measures can be taken. Emperox Grayland II, the leader of the Interdependency, is ready to take those measures to help ensure the survival of billions. But nothing is ever that easy. Arrayed before her are those who believe the collapse of the Flow is a myth—or at the very least, an opportunity that can allow them to ascend to power. While Grayland prepares for disaster, others are preparing for a civil war, a war that will take place in the halls of power, the markets of business and the altars of worship as much as it will take place between spaceships and battlefields. The Emperox and her allies are smart and resourceful, but then so are her enemies. Nothing about this power struggle will be simple or easy... and all of humanity will be caught in its widening gyre....
Beginning: "Years later Lenson Ornill would reflect on the irony that his time as a religious man would be bracketed by a single and particular word."
56: "I understand the House of Nohamapetan--your house--is currently debating whether or not to ask the state to charge you with destruction of property."
Comments: I finally read The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi, and I loved it. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, The Last Emperox. What are you reading this week?
Monday, April 1, 2019
Quarterly Recap: January-March
February Reviews:
- The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross
- The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Medieval World by Andrew Jotischky & Caroline Hull
- A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos
- A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn
- Fashioning Fashion, European Dress in Detail 1700-1915 by Sharon Sadako Takeda & Kaye Durland Spilker
Other February Posts:
Other March Posts:
Also, there are two upcoming reviews I’m excited to share on the blog. The first is for The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi, which will be on the blog next Wednesday. And the other is for The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos, translated by Hildegarde Serle—which will be posted closer to the release date...
Monday, March 25, 2019
Music Monday (73): Nao, Bishop Briggs, Two Steps From Hell
Breana: Well, I’m still listening to music by Nao. I’ve sort of rediscovered how much I enjoy listening to For All We Know, her first studio album which was released on July 29, 2016. Bad Blood is one of my top favorite songs from the album.
I’m also listening to Bishop Briggs. White Flags is one of my favorite songs.
Adri: Lately, I've been listening to Two Steps From Hell, especially since they released their new album Dragon. While listening to Bravestone, I noticed a lot of comments mentioning Emerald Princess featuring Chris Bleth and Merethe Soltvedt. So I headed on over, and gave it a listen. I then discovered how much I love this song and the meaning behind it....
What are you listening to this week?
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Review: Fashioning Fashion, European Dress in Detail 1700-1915 by Sharon Sadako Takeda & Kaye Durland Spilker
Title: Fashioning Fashion, European Dress in Detail 1700-1915Series: n/a
Author: Sharon Sadako Takeda; Kaye Durland Spilker
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Nonfiction; History; Fashion
Publisher/Publication Date: Prestel Publishing; September 22, 2010
Goodreads Amazon Barnes & Noble Book Depository
Synopsis from Goodreads...
The creation of eighteenth and nineteenth century fashion moved at a much slower tempo than the lightning-speed pace of contemporary fashion, so great attention was paid to the smallest detail. Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915 celebrates these and brilliantly examines the transformation of the fashionable silhouette over this span of more than two centuries. Lavish photographs and illustrative text provide historical context, showing how technical inventions, political events, and global trade often profoundly affected style. It is little wonder that many of today's top haute couture designers often look to fashion of the past to find inspiration in the present. The intriguing and stunning examples of historic dress in this opulent volume are as captivating today as they were centuries ago. Fashioning Fashion showcases nearly two hundred highlights from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new European collection of rare pieces of historic fashion and accessories for men, women, and children. LACMA recently acquired this singular collection, which numbers more than 1,000 objects and represents a total of fifty years of acquisitions by prominent historic dress dealers and collectors Martin Kamer of England and Wolfgang Ruf of Switzerland. The pieces were chosen for their roles in the story of fashion's aesthetic and technical development from the Age of Enlightenment to World War I. This in-depth look at the details of these luxurious textiles, exacting tailoring techniques, and lush trimmings is the first presentation of this remarkable collection...
“Plain but functional items such as linen shirts, which had to endure frequent washing, were more carefully stitched than silk gowns, which eventually would be unpicked to be altered or “turned” (resewn with the reverse side of the textile facing outward, to prolong the life of the unwashable garment). Because Fabric was so valuable, it was customarily recycled, and clothes were not constructed to last as long as their textiles.”(p.73)
I found the relationship between technology and fashion interesting. I also liked the sections that talked about the “blending and manipulation” of the four principle fibers—silk, cotton, linen, and wool—to get other textiles. This book also touched on the working conditions of factory workers, as well as other issues relevant to this topic. There’s so much more I could say about this book, but then this post would turn into a summary of the book. That’s not what I’m trying to do.
Overall, Fashioning Fashion was fantastic. There’s still so much I don’t know about this topic, and I would be interested in finding more books like this one....
Monday, March 18, 2019
Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For + Recent Releases I'm Listening To...
One of the topics I wanted to talk about before it got too late into 2019, is some of the upcoming music I’m looking forward to. Of course, we’re 3 months into year, and I can’t forget about the recent releases. There have been a number of excellent albums and singles that are already available, and some of them—like Lizzo’s Juice—have me excited for albums releasing in the coming months. So, I went on a music listening binge to see what I could find....
Upcoming Albums…
Cuz I Love You by Lizzo (April 19, 2019): This is probably my most anticipated album of 2019, because I’ve been waiting for more new music by Lizzo. I’ve already gotten that with singles like Juice and Cuz I Love You, which are excellent and catchy songs. If you haven’t listened to them yet, I highly recommend that you do. They have me hyped to see what the rest of the album has to offer. Luckily, the wait won’t be too long, because Cuz I Love You will be out in April 2019, and I can’t wait to listen to it.
Legacy! Legacy! By Jamila Woods (May 10, 2019): Recently, I’ve been into music by Jamila Woods. I like what I’ve already heard, and I’m also a fan of how the music videos for Woods songs are filmed and edited. As such, I’m looking forward to Legacy! Legacy!.
TBA (To be announced)
***This is the section for untiled or upcoming albums that don’t have a concrete release date. However, there’s no reason why I can’t get excited about them now.***
Adele: I’ve liked Adele’s music in the past and am looking forward to her next album.
Rhianna: I’m still over here waiting for the follow-up to Anti. And you know what? I will wait for as long as I have to.
October 2018 – March 2019 Recent Releases
Don’t Feed the Pop Monster by Broods (February 1, 2019): I’m more of a casual listener when it comes to music by Broods. I had my favorite songs. Still, I was looking forward to their new album: Don’t Feed the Pop Monster. I like it. It’s cohesive and interesting, and offers a good listening experience. Now, I want to go back and give their earlier music a serious listen.
Saturn by Nao (October 26, 2018): I continue to enjoy music by Nao, and, unfortunately, when Saturn came out, I completely missed it. I have since rectified that and, you guys, Saturn is so good. I don’t know what else to say about it, because there are so many excellent songs on the album like: the titular Saturn, the catchy beat and lyrics of Love Supreme, and the phenomenal songs Orbit, Drive and Disconnect, Curiosity, and many more.
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
ARC Review: A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn
Title: A Dangerous CollaborationSeries: Veronica Speedwell #4
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC
More Details: Historical Fiction; Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley; March 12, 2019
Goodreads Amazon Barnes & Noble Book Depository
Synopsis from Goodreads...
Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell is whisked off to a remote island off the tip of Cornwall when her natural historian colleague Stoker's brother calls in a favor. On the pretext of wanting a companion to accompany him to Lord Malcolm Romilly's house party, Tiberius persuades Veronica to pose as his fiancée--much to Stoker's chagrin. But upon arriving, it becomes clear that the party is not as innocent as it had seemed. Every invited guest has a connection to Romilly's wife, Rosamund, who disappeared on her wedding day three years ago, and a dramatic dinner proves she is very much on her husband's mind. As spectral figures, ghostly music, and mysterious threats begin to plague the partygoers, Veronica enlists Stoker's help to discover the host's true motivations. And as they investigate, it becomes clear that there are numerous mysteries surrounding the Romilly estate, and every person present has a motive to kill Rosamund...
I guess you could say A Dangerous Collaboration was a story about secrets—some old, some new; some about strong emotions or actions; and some about the past and others about the present. So many secrets packed into one story! But given how isolated the setting was made out to be and in the context of the mystery surrounding the reason why Veronica and the others were called to the Romilly residence, it made sense. And no, it wasn’t only about the butterflies.
A Dangerous Collaboration was an all-around interesting story. It was a relatively quick read that wasn’t too action-packed but when there was danger involved, the stakes were typically high. There was an almost foreboding atmosphere which only deepened when more details came to light. So, I liked the mystery as well as the historical time period the book took place in.
As I mentioned above, the setting was fairly isolated: centered on an island owned by the Romilly family, accessible only by boat. It was a challenging place with many secret passageways, and it remained at the mercy of the weather—often storms—as well as the water because of the shifts in the tide and currents. Raybourn made good use of the location, which served as a perfect backdrop to the mystery at hand.
One of the things I most enjoy about this book is the main character Veronica Speedwell. She’s witty and smart and her passion about butterflies lends to some simple yet well written moments of quiet tranquility between her and other characters. I personally found the bits about the butterflies incredibly interesting in how well they were described—even the made up Romilly Glasswing butterfly (Oleria romillia), whose real life inspiration/counterparts are just as fascinating as their fictional version. I also enjoyed the banter between Veronica and Stocker and—once again—how well they worked together as a team to try and solve the mystery behind Rosamund’s disappearance.
With a cast of characters that had motivations as equally differing as their personalities, A Dangerous Collaboration was a fantastic installment to the Veronica Speedwell series....
About the author...
A sixth-generation native Texan, New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a double major in English and history and an emphasis on Shakespearean studies. She taught high school English for three years in San Antonio before leaving education to pursue a career as a novelist. Deanna makes her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband and daughter...
Goodreads Website Twitter Instagram
Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by First to Read for this review, thank you!
Monday, March 11, 2019
Music Monday (72): Nao & Solange
Breana: Over my break, I was working on a music related post (which will be up next Monday). In preparation for it, I’ve been listening to a lot of different music. One of the best songs I listened to was Curiosity by Nao. I’ve been a fan of Nao’s music for a while, and when Saturn was initially released in October of 2018, I missed it. That being said, Saturn is now one of my favorite albums. There are so many excellent songs—like Orbit, Love Supreme, and Drive and Disconnect—so it was hard to choose just one to talk about for Music Monday....
Adri: Lately I've been chilling to Solange's new album When I Get Home. Here's the YouTube Playlist. My favorite songs are Down With the Clique and Almeda. Though I always end up listening to Almeda first, I love the whole album.
What are you listening to this week?
Friday, March 8, 2019
The Friday 56 (149) & Book Beginnings: Fashioning Fashion, European Dress in Detail 1700-1915 by Sharon Sadako Takeda & Kaye Durland Spilker
Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.
Synopsis from Goodreads...
The creation of eighteenth and nineteenth century fashion moved at a much slower tempo than the lightning-speed pace of contemporary fashion, so great attention was paid to the smallest detail. Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915 celebrates these and brilliantly examines the transformation of the fashionable silhouette over this span of more than two centuries. Lavish photographs and illustrative text provide historical context, showing how technical inventions, political events, and global trade often profoundly affected style. It is little wonder that many of today's top haute couture designers often look to fashion of the past to find inspiration in the present. The intriguing and stunning examples of historic dress in this opulent volume are as captivating today as they were centuries ago. Fashioning Fashion showcases nearly two hundred highlights from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new European collection of rare pieces of historic fashion and accessories for men, women, and children. LACMA recently acquired this singular collection, which numbers more than 1,000 objects and represents a total of fifty years of acquisitions by prominent historic dress dealers and collectors Martin Kamer of England and Wolfgang Ruf of Switzerland. The pieces were chosen for their roles in the story of fashion's aesthetic and technical development from the Age of Enlightenment to World War I. This in-depth look at the details of these luxurious textiles, exacting tailoring techniques, and lush trimmings is the first presentation of this remarkable collection...
Beginning: "The fashions of the times record the social history of a world transformed by revolution and industrialization, a world clinging to an idealized past even as it embraced modern technology."
56: "Repeating patterns of fanciful vignettes depicting whimsical human figures, fantastic architectural structures, and out-of-scale flora and fauna appear on this figured silk fashioned into a dress."
Comments: Fashioning Fashion was another book I checked out from the library. It was a fascinating look at fashion history from 1700 to 1915. The beginning comes from page 15 instead of the preface, because I felt it better represented the kind of information found in Fashioning Fashion. Plus, I just like the quote. What are you reading this week?
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Review: A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos
Title: A Winter's PromisSeries: The Mirror Visitor
Author: Christelle Dabos
Translated by: Hildegarde Serle
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Young Adult; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Europa Editions; September 25, 2018 (First published June 6, 2013)
Goodreads Amazon Barnes & Noble Book Depository
Synopsis from Goodreads...
Volume 1 of The Mirror Visitor Quartet; Winner of the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire....
Where once there was unity, vastly different worlds now exist. Over each, the spirit of an omnipotent and immortal ancestor abides. Long ago, following a cataclysm called the Rupture, the world was shattered into many floating celestial islands, known now as arks. Ophelia lives on Anima, where inhabitants can read the pasts of objects. What’s more, she is also a “mirror-traveler,” possessing an ability that has been passed down to her through generations. Her idyllic existence on Anima is disrupted when she is promised in marriage to Thorn, an influential member of a distant clan. Still only a girl, Ophelia must leave her family and follow her fiancé to Citaceleste, the capital of a cold and icy ark called Pole. But there, her future husband seems indifferent to her and she slowly realizes that her presence on Pole is part of a much bigger plot and has far-reaching ramifications not only for her but for her entire world.
An unforgettable heroine, an insightful study of relationships, a rich and bountiful universe, intrigue and suspense, A Winter’s Promise is perfect for readers of Margaret Rogerson, Scott Westerfeld, Melissa Albert, and N.K. Jemisin....
One of the elements that initially drew me to A Winter’s Promise was the event known as the Rupture. There was a lot of mystery surrounding it, which persisted throughout the novel. However, there are sequels to A Winter’s Promise. I hope some of those answers will be provided as the series goes on, because the history of the setting was fascinating.
The overall premise is pretty simple: Ophelia ends up in an arranged marriage she can’t escape from, and she’s not exactly the biggest fan of her new fiancé. Yet, the plot was anything but simple, and it was something that became apparent as more of the details surrounding the engagement were revealed. The situation also afforded a direct look into the individual societies on the two arks prominently featured in the story. Anima, Ophelia’s home ark—while strict about their ways and the expectation placed on her about her engagement—was still almost idyllic in comparison to that of Thorn’s. Pole was like Anima’s polar opposite. On Anima, the weather was fair and everyone was like family. On Pole, it’s always cold and snowy, and there was a clear hierarchy with distinct classes of people. A point of interest for me was seeing how Ophelia would adapt, if at all, to the new environment.
The characters were also something to make note of. I won’t go into specifics since I don’t want to spoil anything, but I enjoyed reading from Ophelia’s perspective. The synopsis says “an insightful study of relationships,” and that’s what I got from the story. It was a character driven story, and a lot of time was devoted to exploring relationships as well as everyday happenings. I did like how seemingly innocuous abilities could have unintended consequences. One such effect was Ophelia’s clumsiness. Initially, it came off as a bit off-putting at times, but I did catch the details about the cause of it. Thorn was a mystery and mostly remained as one, and what information there was about him revealed hints of an interesting character. I hope to see more of him in the next book.
So, there are a number of questions I still have. Thus, I’m looking forward to The Missing of Clairdelune. Luckily, the wait won’t be too long…
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
