Synopsis: The disregard of a dying woman's bequest, a girl's attempt to help an impoverished clerk, and the marriage of an idealist and a materialist — all intersect at an estate called Howards End. The fate of this country home symbolizes the future of England in an exploration of social, economic, and philosophical trends during the post-Victorian era.
This book did not pull me in like Maurice and A Passage to India did, but the allegories won me over. Eventually.
Rather than being a novel about characters and their individual fates, Howards End is like a mirror made of fractured pieces that show the truth about society in small details and in the lack of a full picture.
“The poor cannot always reach those whom they want to love, and they can hardly ever escape from those whom they love no longer. We rich can.”
If this is what you take away from it, you’ve not read the same book I did. No, my experience is closer to these two quotes:
“The poor are poor, and one’s sorry for them, but there it is.”
and
“There are just rich and poor, as there always have been and always will be.”
Aside from the monetary aspects, it’s always sad to read about a woman who sacrifices so much of herself for companionship and deludes herself to being in love. Yet, maybe the true tragedy lies not in the characters and their fate, but in the people who criticise Margaret for her choice and fail to see that women of today still marry their Mr Wilcoxes. Maybe the the most poignant of it is that they never ask why.
Synopsis:
It is India in the year 1924 or thereabouts. After a mysterious incident during a visit to the Marabar Caves, Dr Aziz is accused of assaulting Adele Quested, a young Englishwoman. As he’s brought to trial the fragile structure of Anglo-Indian relations collapses and the racism inherent to colonialism is exposed—a theme which still has powerful, dangerous realities today.
This is a biased review: I am too blinded by the beautiful language and awestruck by the reach of the story and its implications.
Dr Aziz is quite far from a likeable character. He is thoughtless, he has a high opinion of himself and definite opinions of others. He also copes with the English authority by the means of humour. He laughs at them and lets them laugh at him. Dr Aziz meets Mrs Moore in a mosque when he scolds her about keeping her shoes on. When it becomes clear that she’s not wearing any footwear, apologies are made and an honest dialogue begins. That discussion comes to an end when Dr Aziz has escorted Mrs Moore back to the Club into which Indians aren’t allowed.
Through Mrs Moore Dr Aziz meets Ms Quested—a newcomer to India like Mrs Moore—and ends up escorting them both to the Marabar Caves. It is at the caves where something happens.
Like so often in real life, even today, it’s never made perfectly clear what exactly happens at the caves. All that is known is that Ms Quested fled from the scene quite upset and that Dr Aziz is to blame. Or maybe not. He claims he’s innocent and Ms Quested isn’t quite sure herself what happened, but she’s the victim and beyond reproach. She’s a naïve young woman but more importantly she’s an Englishwoman and he’s an Indian.
Watching the events unfold was like watching a documentary from the year 2013. I’m serious, nothing’s changed in ninety years. When a white woman is attacked the dark man is to blame. He’s guilty until proven innocent and maybe not even then. The courts may let him go but that’s a failure on their part not evidence of his blamelessness.
It’s still true today that while individuals may bridge that gap between the races and become friends, society as a group almost never does. Old prejudices die hard.
While the legacy of colonialism is quite foreign to me, I could still identify with Adele Quested because she’s a woman. She’s someone who wants to see the best in people and ends up making a horrible mistake. She’s also the one whose word weighs least when it comes to the crime she’s the victim of. As soon as she’s uttered one accusatory word, the men take over. The Englishmen. They’ve arrested, put Dr Aziz on trial, and judged him before the first hit of the gavel. Dr Aziz is guilty and thus every Indian is. The English are better. Even the women but who listens to the women? Certainly not Dr Aziz who is furious to be accused by someone so ugly.
Contradictions. This book is full of contradictions, but so are people. I just wish we’d learned to know better by now.
When a zombie movie starts filming in town, things get crazy, and white trash zombie Angel Crawford suspects it’s not just the plot of the movie that’s rotten. With zombies both real and fake roaming the streets, it’s up to Angel to fit all the pieces — and body parts — together to save herself, her town, and quite possibly the human race. Business as usual, right? Oh, and there will be blood. I mean flood.
My impressions:
As you might remember I've read the first two books and really enjoyed them (my reviews of the previous parts can be found here and here). Of course it's generally just mind-candy but, hey, I have absolutely nothing against that from time to time as long as it doesn’t feature too-stupid-to-live characters doing too-stupid-to-endure things. Well, unfortunately I have to admit my enjoyment stopped while reading the third part. Why? I think I expected more from the premise, something, well, apocalytpic, I guess. After finishing that one, though, I got the feeling that the third installment describing the adventures of Angel Crawford, didn’t really go anywhere and nothing important really happened – a perfect example of a weaker ‘filler’ in the middle of a series. We have a bad guy that we never really identify, working on a zombie project we don't completely understand, and a climactic final scene that doesn't seem that dire and climatic after all is said and done.
Small wonder: the cool zombie stuff is already out there. If you, like me, read the previous installments you know that completely sentient, intelligent, long-living, regenerating-after-a-snack-or-two zombies have already been established and described thoroughly. The second book had an evil corporation as the bad guy which was fine; however, we're not really sure who the bad guy in this book is and whether he/she is related to that evil corporation at all. Also, there was pretty much zero humor in this book, which constituted a big chunk of the enjoyment I had with the first two.
Another part of the problem was that I found the pacing at the beginning really slow, and there were some aspects of the plot I could only call cliched and boring. The movie filming, surprise, surprise, didn’t help a lot although I thought at the beginning it was simply a great idea. Well, it proves that great ideas not necessarily translate into great plot devices.
I admit it, Angel is growing as a person and getting her life together - she doesn’t take as much crap as she used to take from anyone and she gets to do some heroic stuff. Still I had that feeling she became a bit tame in the process, I do wonder why. Perhaps Ms. Rowland is just trying to have a zombie Sookie Stackhouse. Angel's relationship with her dad was the most interesting aspect of the book. I was a little frustrated at her coddling her dad and being the parent in their little dysfunctional family of two but I guess it was realistic since her dad was portrayed as such a loser. Also, I thought it was sweet that he never turned his back on her, not even when he found out she was a zombie. I'm not sure I would have liked the book as much if it hadn't been for their relationship.
Let me also add that I find it rather annoying that everyone important in Angel's life is male — her dad, Marcus, Philip, Nick, Derrell, Brian, Nikas, Pietro. The novel passes the Bechdel test but just barely so. Angel needs some female friends or role models… Heather was a nice addition but there were too few scenes with both chicks together. Well, the series is hardly finished so there is some hope, right? Still even the cover I liked less this time...
Final verdict:
I don't know how many books Rowland is on contract for, but I'd like to think by now we'd get some clue as to why Angel is so special and where Pietro's guys are getting all these brains. No such luck. I admit it made me start questioning the whole series. White Trash Zombie Apocalypse wasn't a bad book, not really, but overall it left me disappointed.
If you liked the first two books, go ahead and read this one as well, but be warned: it leaves so many unanswered questions on the table that it didn't really make me want to read the next one.
These short stories were written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
"I want to feel that again. I've never felt that before. You were amazing. Like totally and completely over-the-top amazing.
Yeah. Not so much. This is a little pwp without either of the p's. It's simply without. Someone might disagree but I've blocked out the pathetic attempt at the porn from my mind.
I liked this one. The author focused on the behind the scenes stuff and relationship development rather on the publicity side, which I would have liked to have seen more of. Snark is one way to my heart and there was a distinct lack of snark here. As for their competitors: Oh how I miss the days when we Finns didn't suck at keeping the doping secret ;) Nah. We've always been terrible at that.
I'm rounding up to four stars. This is where the sickly weak bookworm gets his own story. Best of all, he doesn't he already lives in a fantastical world, which gives this gay version of Tristan & Isolde like meet cute it's own flavour.
I liked it, I really liked it but there were just one too many convenient lessons in Kit's past as well as packing accidents. The vocabulary was off, which I could have ignored had it been revealed that Kit was lying about certain things. And then there was the fact that the author was obviously a keen student in the school of euphemisms. *shudders*
I really liked this one but then again I do have a huge soft spot for anything angsty and borderline melodramatic. One of my pet peeves is the presence of lyrics in prose: I don't mind a line or two but a whole song no matter how original is too much. Some stories can overcome that crippling flaw but this one had a tad too sappy reunion and ridiculous ending for my taste.
The Invisible War is a 2012 documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Amy Ziering and Tanner King Barklow about sexual assault in the United States military. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the U.S. Documentary Audience Award. The film was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 85th Academy Awards. I am not surprised - it fully deserves far more than just that.
My impressions
The movie features interviews with veterans (mainly female but also male) from multiple branches of the United States Armed Forces who recount the events surrounding their assaults. Their stories show many common, depressingly recurring themes: the lack of recourse to an impartial justice system, reprisals against the victims instead of against perpetrators, the absence of adequate emotional and physical care for survivors, and something which I found perhaps the most sickening of all, the unhindered advancement of perpetrators' careers, and the forced expulsion of survivors from service. In short they show how low the US Army really values their best and brightest soldiers.
In the film's most prominent narrative, Coast Guard veteran Seaman Kori Cioca struggles to earn benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for the many medical difficulties that have resulted from her very brutal rape perpetrated by one of her colleagues. Although she has a husband and a little daughter, Kori cannot function normally and she needs urgently several costly operations but nobody wants to hear about her problems, let alone finance the treatment. She shows that the doctors keep prescribing her the same set of pills which, combined, might have led to her premature death - fortunately she's learned not to take them together. With the help of attorney Susan L. Burke, Cioca, along with other survivors featured in the film, brings a civil suit against the Department of Defense alleging a failure to adequately address sexual assault within the military. Their suit is, surprise, surprise, unsuccessful. They don't give up but you can say it is going to be one long struggle, lined with barbed wire and concertina of neglect, lies, procrastination and humiliations.
If you're a young person thinking of enlisting in the U.S. military, you might want to give this some thought: a recent court decision held that rape was actualy among "occupational hazards" of the job. I bet they haven't included that one in any recruitment materials, have they? Department of Defense official figures indicate 22,800 rapes occurred last year in the Armed Services. Most of the victims were women, but perhaps 10 percent were men. Everybody agrees it is just a tip of the iceberg because most of assaults, like 80%, aren't reported - for obvious reasons. If victims are told that they might be accused of adultery, public intoxication and slander in turn, then publicly punished shamed and demoted, you should be hardly surprised they do think twice before filing a complaint.
Why rape is so disgustingly popular among military? Why is it so difficult to get any amount of justice? The military is a macho, adrenaline-fueled culture which in turn draws attention of power-crazy, abusive sociopaths. It doesn't mean every single one of military men and/or women is a rapist; it rather means that a violent rapist might be particularly inclined to join the ranks of military because he/she might perceive it as an opportunity for having mostly nonpunishable 'fun' and a fresh batch of victims in a form of recruits.
The Army lay great emphasis on authority and teamwork. You follow the leader - no questions asked. You go along with the program - no matter at what cost. You never mention anything negative or criminal because it might lower the morale and cast a shadow on your own career prospects. What's more, your complaint not only puts your commanding officer in a bad light, but also may involve him; the film says "25 percent of women didn't report an incident — because their commander was their rapist." Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Until a few months ago, there was no way to go above your commander to report a rape. Defense Dept. Secretary Leon Panetta saw this film, and two days later, issued an order changing that practice. But the over-all problem remains. Rape is twice as common in the military as in civilian life, and "an estimated 15 percent of recruits attempted or committed rape before entering service." In other words if you need a rapist in your life, join the Army - any branch will do - and sooner or later you're bound to meet one.
If I had to choose the most disturbing moment I would be really spoilt for choices; still I guess my award would go to that silly military sex abuse prevention campaign which was supposed to make all the difference. One of its slogans reads: 'ask her when she is sober'. I found it highly offensive, especially after getting to know all those sad, horrible stories of rape. So, accroding to the military PR specialists, basically only women soldiers get drunk, right? And, after all, it IS a bit of their fault because they tend to overuse alcohol and then some men, poor things, simply cannot restrain themselves...but still, mind you, they will always ask you first, like fine gentlemen they are...what a pile of stinking, macho bullshit.
Finally the most moving and absolutely heartrending parts were about the aftermath of rape. Every victim, and we speak here about incredibly strong women and men, both physically and mentally, cried when talking about their experience. Some said it was actually more humiliating than the rape itself. Their tears were more telling than any statistics or facts provided.
Final verdict:
An absolute must-see for any young woman who dreams about a military career in the US or anywhere else - watch it before it is too late, do your research and ask the right questions during the recruitment process. Also a strong documentary which tries to explain why rape culture is alive and kicking and why, even if you are a high-profile professional, male or female, you cannot demand any respect or decency from your military superiors and coworkers. The film's implication, quite starkly, is that a strong military doesn't favor crybabies, that a certain degree of rape is simply unavoidable — and inevitably, that some women may have been asking for it. Begging for it in fact. One hearing noted that the victim was dressed provocatively in a short skirt- the said skirt being the part of her official uniform. How very indecent of her. Catch 22 anyone? The US Army is waiting.
Synopsis: The last thing dragon shifter Stig Wyvern needs is his dead friend’s kid sister showing up on his doorstep. He’s just minutes away from entering a mating phase. Sharing his isolated house with the young woman he’s desperately lusted after for quite some time is a recipe for disaster.
But Cora Cardenas has nowhere else to go. She’s in deep trouble with some really nasty people and Stig is the only one who can protect her. That he’s deliciously sexy and makes her tingle with the simplest of smiles is just a bonus.
Cora quickly realizes Stig is hiding something from her. To make matters worse, she’s plagued with breathtakingly naughty dreams starring a shadowed lover who bears a startling resemblance to her host. And just what the hell is going on down in the basement at night?
Stig needs to get Cora out of his house but his inner beast has other ideas. He’s found his mate and she’s not going anywhere...
Cora is on the run from a bad situation and the only place she can think to hide in is with her dead brother’s marine friend. How is she to know that said friend, Stig (sans the helmet), is about to go into a heat and be turned into a dragon against his will? Of course the two of them sharing a bathroom leads to sexy times, and because this is a novella it happens very quickly.
I’m sorry to say this didn’t work for me. Truly sorry, because my usual gripes are absent. There’s quite a bit world building with a long and complex history that promises to be expanded in the sequels. The main characters are pretty well sketched with dreams and fears of their own even if I had trouble believing an immortal being that keen on joining a war after another. Due to the length of it, the story is rushed but it remains logical and believable within its world’s rules.
No, this time it was the erotica part of the book that failed me. More accurately, the erotica vocabulary:
…yeah, no. Because I couldn’t lean on the insta-lust crutch, I didn’t buy the insta-love angle either. I simply couldn’t enjoy roadrunner fast the romance. Too much of a stretch even for my active imagination.
It’s too bad, because had the smut adjectives and nouns been less repulsive to me, I’d have wanted to read more about the world Lopez has created.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Vaysita
(Sita), a half-elf orphan, has been palace-bred and trained all her life.
Adopted by Queen of Arlis she was made the companion and bodyguard of her son, prince
Tio, a very handsome jerk. Soon some extra-curricular subjects were added to Sita's normal daily
schedule: lock-picking, burglary, close
combat, dagger throwing and such – not exactly skills expected from a high-born courtier who calls the Queen her Aunt Tima.
One night
Sita is sent by her shadowy tutor to rob her own castle’s treasury. During the
test she meets a real burglar Kailev (Kai) – a handsome young thief, far more
skilled than her and with magical
abilities as well. His simple, straightforward compliments, so different than
the oblique wooing of mercenary court elves and half-elves of noble birth, make Sita
blush too easily. Kai is clearly smitten with the pretty burglar girl but doesn’t promise
himself a lot – she is evidently a refined lady and he lives on the streets. Still soon enough
Sita will need his help in a very important mission and he won’t be able to say
‘no’. How long will the calf love last? Is it really just a case of calf love?
What I
liked:
I am very
glad to say the second part of Theft and Sorcery was far better than the first
book. The author limited the amount of romance (in the previous installment
there were two couples of identical twins in love; in this one we get just Sita
and Kai) on behalf of world building and her choice paid off. From my point of
view the novel was far more interesting than the first one.
The romance
itself was also quite well executed – although Kai was instantly in love with
Sita it took him plenty of time and effort to understand properly not only his
beloved and her feelings but also himself. I really enjoyed how these two had
to adjust each other’s ideas of
relationship to the reality they had to face. I didn’t expect much and I was
very positively surprised – take it from a regular romance-basher! The fact
that Sita had to overcome her previous infatuation with Tio Prince Charming
added to the romantic story arc a much-welcomed reality factor and was more
than enough to justify the first person narration. Overall well-done!
If it comes
to the world building I really, truly adored the Tizar household of Nayev and
his family! Far better than Rivendell and Elrond’s home, I am telling you – not
high fantasy of course but who needs high fantasy when you are having fun?
The cover art is simple but I like it. At least you don't have to look at another plastic naked, headless torso.
What I
didn’t like:
Once again
the whole plot sometimes made me nonplussed to say the least because the mission of prince Tio and Sita was close to suicide. The longer I thought about it the less
pleasant epithets I had for the Elven Queen and her outlandish ideas of spying on those ugly, plotting elven lords. Let's face it, she
endangered two important people close to her just to get some proof which could
have been bought with gold and favours – what a prodigality! Of course you
might argue that if not for the mission Kai and Sita would never got to know
each other so well.
Final
verdict:
I like a series which gets better and better; I am pleased to say this is one of them. Light
read perfect for the summer with elves, half-elves, magic, theft and a lot of steamy
romance – if you don’t have anything against the genre I recommend it and no,
you don’t have to start with the first part in order to get your bearings.
This book did not pull me in like Maurice and A Passage to India did, but the allegories won me over. Eventually. 
