Nicky > Recent Status Updates

Hi folks! I've changed the spelling of my name. It used to be Nikki; now I spell it Nicky. So I hope nobody gets too confused!

Oh gosh, this is not nearly as fluffy as the first book. Eek... :( I know it'll have a happy ending, but yikes.

However, it's the first thing I've read so attentively in a couple weeks, so yay, thanks for solving my lockdown reading slump, Cat Sebastian. <3

I'm sort of back! As far as I know Goodreads haven't fixed the bug, but I'm missing having conversations about books. I never got chance to remove my old reviews anyway because of a new job, and in all this current mess I need more human connection.

Bit of a climbdown for me, fixing my darn book records myself, but heyho.

It's been a year since I reported a bug preventing me from using GR for cataloguing my books. They haven't fixed it and when I inquired this week, informed me there's no intention to fix it soon. As such, over the next month I'll be pulling down my past reviews. If you're looking for me, I'm still very active on my blog (breathesbooks.com) and on Litsy (https://www.litsy.com/web/user/shanaqui). Hope to see you there!

If you miss me on Goodreads, I'm pretty active over on Litsy, which just finally launched a web version! https://www.litsy.com/web/user/shanaqui

Hey guys! If you want to follow my reviews or see my general thoughts on books as I read 'em, check out my website (breathesbooks.com) or find me on Litsy (@shanaqui). I can't sort my books anymore on Goodreads since February, and until there's a fix you won't catch me around here. :)

My belief in all Pryor's work is being severely shaken by his errors and omissions when talking about Arthurian literature. Robert de Boron brought the blood of Christ into the grail legend -- not Malory. Pryor completely ignores the saints' lives which mentioned Arthur -- and so far, also 'Pa gur' and The Mabinogion.

Gah, so sorry everyone will have had all my shelf reorganisation updates pushed to your feeds. I don't have it selected but it happens when you mess with exclusive shelves!

Before I forget -- giveaway on my blog! http://breathesbooks.com/2015/12/03/n...

There'll be even more of a lag before the reviews start appearing on GR, but here's a post about my plan to read female authors only for a month: http://breathesbooks.com/2015/04/06/f...

Um, Chretien de Troyes did not write La Romance de la Rose, last I heard.

Up to now, reviews have been going live on GR before they go up on my blog. I'm now reversing that. They'll still appear on GR, but if you want to see the latest reviews and other content, breathesbooks.com is the place to follow me nowadays!

I'm not that knowledgeable about the older versions of various comic characters, but talking about them being sexless, or the central fantasy being power vs powerless... Brubaker's Winter Soldier and the fact that Steve has clearly had a sexual relationship with Sharon Carter would contradict that, and his portrayal in Steve Rogers: Super Soldier suggests that it's not so clear-cut anymore.

I'm not that knowledgeable about the older versions of various comic characters, but talking about them being sexless, or the central fantasy being power vs powerless... Brubaker's Winter Soldier and the fact that Steve has clearly had a sexual relationship with Sharon Carter would contradict that, and his portrayal in Steve Rogers: Super Soldier suggests that it's not so clear-cut anymore.

Intriguuueeeeddd. Unusual choice of POV for what this story seems to be.

I hate it when one chapter briefly mentions something as background and then the VERY NEXT CHAPTER goes "oooh look it's actually plot important!" and whacks you over the head with it. Chekhov's guns are all very well, but geez. Subtlety!

Finished this just, review in the morning. It's fun; the writer has a lot to learn, but I had fun.

When I read that it was based loosely on Jane Eyre, I was intrigued but also worried -- I don't tend to like "updates" of traditional literature, not as serious reading, anyway. But this doesn't stick too close to JE at all, picking out its own path with its own story logic. Enjoying it.

Very dark so far, in that rape is a big plot point. For now I'm enjoying (for a certain value of enjoying) the quiet despair of the rape victim: it's a portrayal I don't see enough, and one I identify more closely than with the screaming hysterics version.

Of potential interest: I'm running a little giveaway on my blog! http://breathesbooks.wordpress.com/20...

I liked Ellen Kushner's story. Made me smile.

Enjoyed Elizabeth Bear's story -- wouldn't mind more of this world! Wish it had been LGBT after all, like it seemed, though.

Not a Glen Cook fan, really. Just skimmed his.

Hmmmm. Ellen Klages' story was amusing, and hey LGBT characters, but... meh.

Not sure what I think of Redick's story. I like the idea but I'm not sure how well it pulled together for me.

Ehhhh, not a fan of Jeffrey Ford's story. Definitely beeded more editing, at least.

I think I like Kate Elliot's story. I want to know more about the world -- especially Uwe. A trans character in a fantasy setting is interesting -- not sure I've seen it before at all.

I thought K.J. Parker's narrator was a bit too chatty -- strong narrative voice, but a bit too much. Liked the story, though.

Hello all, my blog now exists! http://breathesbooks.wordpress.com/

I liked Trudi Canavan's story. I still feel ambivalent about the characters after the ending -- she didn't try to force a judgement either way.