1) Norman Mounter's Bitching Bits of Bone is FAR more understandable than the original Canterbury tales.
2) I am not
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Things I have learned:
1) Norman Mounter's Bitching Bits of Bone is FAR more understandable than the original Canterbury tales.
2) I am not a big fan of the Canterbury Tales.
3) But, I am overwhelmingly impressed with the clarity of the rendition.
For those not familiar, the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a set of 24 poems written by pilgrims on their way to St. Thomas Becker's shrine.
According to Wikipedia, Chaucer intended to write stories from the perspectives of the 30 pilgrims on their way to and from the shrine but ultimately died before he had the chance to finish.
Bitching Bits of Bones takes these original poems and formats them into chapters with updated language (though keeping true to the original idioms and phrasing of the times).
Unfortunately, I have not studied the originals in detail to truly pick apart what is true to form and what is input from the Mounter.
(Aside: It would have been nice to get a bit more information about the original and exactly what the updates were in an introduction of some sort. I don't think the Canterbury Tales are truly well-known enough to go without introduction outside of an academic setting...).
From what I can tell (from the back of the book), these stories were kept true to form but with added details and an overhaul of the language (and wow, reading even part of the original 14th century poems, thank goodness for the language update!).
Some of the stories I enjoyed and had characters that were witty. In those, the dark humor was just right.
Just be warned, there are definitely areas that are dark, very dark.
The insults and descriptions were clever and while I did not always understand them, I did have quite a few laughs at the crude-ness. There's this:
My arse is redder than a cellarer's nose for want of softer bum-fodder to soak up the stinking bean broth.
And this:
"I'm as worn out as a whore's mattress and as empty as a friar's oath."
However...I (for the most part) found this book to be...uncomfortable.
I'm still giving it four stars because what the author set out to do was certainly accomplished...I just don't think I care for the original content of the Canterbury Tales.
It's just too...rapey...for my tastes.
It seemed like everywhere women went, they were being raped for comedy or plot device or what ever possible reason. There's this:
"When she adamently refused, his desire became a savage lust. He wrestled her to the ground, violated her maidenhead and then left her for dead."
Inevitably followed by some sort of comment like this:
"Why can't more women just accept God's law and practice virginity."
All in all, I can see why an unabashed view on the Medieval times is valuable from a historical viewpoint, it just isn't something I'd enjoy reading on a regular basis.
That being said, this book definitely delivered on its premise. The insults were as clever as they were colorful and that certainly held my attention!
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Merged review:
[image]
Things I have learned:
1) Norman Mounter's Bitching Bits of Bone is FAR more understandable than the original Canterbury tales.
2) I am not a big fan of the Canterbury Tales.
3) But, I am overwhelmingly impressed with the clarity of the rendition.
For those not familiar, the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a set of 24 poems written by pilgrims on their way to St. Thomas Becker's shrine.
According to Wikipedia, Chaucer intended to write stories from the perspectives of the 30 pilgrims on their way to and from the shrine but ultimately died before he had the chance to finish.
Bitching Bits of Bones takes these original poems and formats them into chapters with updated language (though keeping true to the original idioms and phrasing of the times).
Unfortunately, I have not studied the originals in detail to truly pick apart what is true to form and what is input from the Mounter.
(Aside: It would have been nice to get a bit more information about the original and exactly what the updates were in an introduction of some sort. I don't think the Canterbury Tales are truly well-known enough to go without introduction outside of an academic setting...).
From what I can tell (from the back of the book), these stories were kept true to form but with added details and an overhaul of the language (and wow, reading even part of the original 14th century poems, thank goodness for the language update!).
Some of the stories I enjoyed and had characters that were witty. In those, the dark humor was just right.
Just be warned, there are definitely areas that are dark, very dark.
The insults and descriptions were clever and while I did not always understand them, I did have quite a few laughs at the crude-ness. There's this:
My arse is redder than a cellarer's nose for want of softer bum-fodder to soak up the stinking bean broth.
And this:
"I'm as worn out as a whore's mattress and as empty as a friar's oath."
However...I (for the most part) found this book to be...uncomfortable.
I'm still giving it four stars because what the author set out to do was certainly accomplished...I just don't think I care for the original content of the Canterbury Tales.
It's just too...rapey...for my tastes.
It seemed like everywhere women went, they were being raped for comedy or plot device or what ever possible reason. There's this:
"When she adamently refused, his desire became a savage lust. He wrestled her to the ground, violated her maidenhead and then left her for dead."
Inevitably followed by some sort of comment like this:
"Why can't more women just accept God's law and practice virginity."
All in all, I can see why an unabashed view on the Medieval times is valuable from a historical viewpoint, it just isn't something I'd enjoy reading on a regular basis.
That being said, this book definitely delivered on its premise. The insults were as clever as they were colorful and that certainly held my attention!
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
If there is an overarching story for a home, there's also a narrative for each room.
This sweet and short guide focuses 3.75 stars
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If there is an overarching story for a home, there's also a narrative for each room.
This sweet and short guide focuses on how to make your home the homiest-home on the block!
It begins by talking about the flow of a house and why that is important (and essential) to create a welcoming atmosphere.
From there, it goes into color choice and lighting options (both of which are absolutely essential).
The book also covers texture, accents and space and rounds itself out with how to add those touches of warmth to a room.
As someone who is a somewhat new home-buyer, I enjoyed reading this book and picking out what I could do to change up my house.
The illustrations were wonderful and definitely kept my attention.
The advice was helpful for the most part... but as someone who isn't in the design world, I did feel lost at times.
I think it is because author is speaking from a perspective of "understanding" - for example:
When I think of scale and proportion, I consider how the furniture or art pieces fit in the particular room, how they relate to one another, and how I feel in the spaces.
This moment (and others) felt very brief to me - I just wasn't sure what it meant by thinking about how I feel and relating it to furniture proportions.
She does go in a bit more detail about slim vs wide profiles are good - but again, I felt like I needed more guidance.
Overall though, this did feel like a lovely little book and it was a fun, quick read!
With thanks to Clarkson Potter for sending this one my way
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Merged review:
3.75 stars
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If there is an overarching story for a home, there's also a narrative for each room.
This sweet and short guide focuses on how to make your home the homiest-home on the block!
It begins by talking about the flow of a house and why that is important (and essential) to create a welcoming atmosphere.
From there, it goes into color choice and lighting options (both of which are absolutely essential).
The book also covers texture, accents and space and rounds itself out with how to add those touches of warmth to a room.
As someone who is a somewhat new home-buyer, I enjoyed reading this book and picking out what I could do to change up my house.
The illustrations were wonderful and definitely kept my attention.
The advice was helpful for the most part... but as someone who isn't in the design world, I did feel lost at times.
I think it is because author is speaking from a perspective of "understanding" - for example:
When I think of scale and proportion, I consider how the furniture or art pieces fit in the particular room, how they relate to one another, and how I feel in the spaces.
This moment (and others) felt very brief to me - I just wasn't sure what it meant by thinking about how I feel and relating it to furniture proportions.
She does go in a bit more detail about slim vs wide profiles are good - but again, I felt like I needed more guidance.
Overall though, this did feel like a lovely little book and it was a fun, quick read!
With thanks to Clarkson Potter for sending this one my way
Jessica has spent her entire life dreaming about another Earth. On it li
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Just published my
The Written Review
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Jessica has spent her entire life dreaming about another Earth. On it lives Princess Ella, who has spent her entire life in preparation for Earth's throne.
In Jessica's dreams there's four other superpowered teens in addition to the princess who are trying to save their world and the older Jessica gets, the more she wants to visit this world - if only for a moment.
And then....that happens.
Jessica falls into another world and gets to meet Ella in real life...unfortunately Jessica soon learns that her dreams are far different from reality.
So, this was a fun story.
Overall, the concept is something I've heard of before but at the same time, I enjoyed this version of it.
The plot was entertaining to me. There's a lot of heart and time put in this book and it definitely came across while I was reading it.
I was intrigued by Jessica's story from the start and after a bit of initial hesitation, I soon fell for Ella as well.
I feel like some of the side characters felt a bit one-note to me but it wasn't overwhelming. And I wish the book was longer - cause there were quite a few scenes that I thought were great but they could've used a bit more page space to develop.
All in all, this was lovely read!
With thanks to the author for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Merged review:
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Just published my
The Written Review
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Jessica has spent her entire life dreaming about another Earth. On it lives Princess Ella, who has spent her entire life in preparation for Earth's throne.
In Jessica's dreams there's four other superpowered teens in addition to the princess who are trying to save their world and the older Jessica gets, the more she wants to visit this world - if only for a moment.
And then....that happens.
Jessica falls into another world and gets to meet Ella in real life...unfortunately Jessica soon learns that her dreams are far different from reality.
So, this was a fun story.
Overall, the concept is something I've heard of before but at the same time, I enjoyed this version of it.
The plot was entertaining to me. There's a lot of heart and time put in this book and it definitely came across while I was reading it.
I was intrigued by Jessica's story from the start and after a bit of initial hesitation, I soon fell for Ella as well.
I feel like some of the side characters felt a bit one-note to me but it wasn't overwhelming. And I wish the book was longer - cause there were quite a few scenes that I thought were great but they could've used a bit more page space to develop.
All in all, this was lovely read!
With thanks to the author for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Just published my and whew! It was a lot of reading but so worth it!
The Written Review
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Dawnie and Billy are (quit
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Just published my and whew! It was a lot of reading but so worth it!
The Written Review
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Dawnie and Billy are (quite frankly) ready to retire. They raised their children and have decided (at 70) that they'd like to start over new.
Which is what brings them to Barnstaple, by the sea (temporarily). They plan to rent a home until they find the perfect seaside cottage.
But as soon as they move in...there's trouble.
Not all the neighbors like the look of a 200+ pound grizzled Harley biker and his "loudmouth" wigged wife.
Malcom and Gillian (next door neighbors) immediately know that those two are not to be trusted.
Despite the grumpy neighbor's warnings and misgivings, the other neighbors on the block slowly get to know the couple and realize that their first impressions were likely misconceptions.
Lonely Vinnie and his elderly mother find friendship in a time where they both felt isolated.
The "feminists" (Audrey and Sylv...to elderly ladies who happen to live together...for...companionship as Malcolm steadily believes) find themselves feeling younger than ever when they go on day trips.
Ursula and her husband find themselves swept up in the excitement.
There's only Malcolm and Gillian - and when Malcolm sees Gillian stepping outside of their carefully mapped lives....he's going to do something about it.
I absolutely ADORED this one.
It was SO well written and SUCH a refreshing read.
I absolutely LOVED how much the characters were in love - I feel like so many books focus on finding or losing love.
It is so nice to read one where the characters are simply IN love - consistently throughout (and that the book's plot/tension never jeopardizes that).
I loved the cast of side characters - the sweet elderly mother, her lost son, the "feminist" female neighbors.
They were all so memorable and entertaining.
I do think one of the character's transformation at the end happened a little fast to be fully believable but other than that, the book was sooo good.
With thanks to Boldwood Books, Judy Leigh and Netgalley for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Merged review:
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Just published my and whew! It was a lot of reading but so worth it!
The Written Review
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Dawnie and Billy are (quite frankly) ready to retire. They raised their children and have decided (at 70) that they'd like to start over new.
Which is what brings them to Barnstaple, by the sea (temporarily). They plan to rent a home until they find the perfect seaside cottage.
But as soon as they move in...there's trouble.
Not all the neighbors like the look of a 200+ pound grizzled Harley biker and his "loudmouth" wigged wife.
Malcom and Gillian (next door neighbors) immediately know that those two are not to be trusted.
Despite the grumpy neighbor's warnings and misgivings, the other neighbors on the block slowly get to know the couple and realize that their first impressions were likely misconceptions.
Lonely Vinnie and his elderly mother find friendship in a time where they both felt isolated.
The "feminists" (Audrey and Sylv...to elderly ladies who happen to live together...for...companionship as Malcolm steadily believes) find themselves feeling younger than ever when they go on day trips.
Ursula and her husband find themselves swept up in the excitement.
There's only Malcolm and Gillian - and when Malcolm sees Gillian stepping outside of their carefully mapped lives....he's going to do something about it.
I absolutely ADORED this one.
It was SO well written and SUCH a refreshing read.
I absolutely LOVED how much the characters were in love - I feel like so many books focus on finding or losing love.
It is so nice to read one where the characters are simply IN love - consistently throughout (and that the book's plot/tension never jeopardizes that).
I loved the cast of side characters - the sweet elderly mother, her lost son, the "feminist" female neighbors.
They were all so memorable and entertaining.
I do think one of the character's transformation at the end happened a little fast to be fully believable but other than that, the book was sooo good.
With thanks to Boldwood Books, Judy Leigh and Netgalley for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
The (aka tier listing 30+ books) is up! Now that you know where this one ranks, click the link to check out the rest!
The
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The (aka tier listing 30+ books) is up! Now that you know where this one ranks, click the link to check out the rest!
The Written Review
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Gisele Walker landed in the fighting pit face-first, and her mouth flooded with mud.
Gisele is a fighter - she's been one all her life - and this latest heist? She's confident she could handle it.
It was supposed to be an easy gig - take a object and deliver it to a certain someone.
Breaking in had been easy. Sneaking back out? Not so much.
>Annnd now...let's just say that things are getting a little complicated.
Gisele is half-demon, so hypothetically she's more than enough for whatever comes her way...but when she's paired with Shade (a full-demon), that "little complicated" just got pushed into the "difficult" category.
Baltimore’s mundane residents might have accepted that demons lived among them. But that didn’t mean they liked it.
As her city begins burning, and creatures begin crawling out of the woodwork, it's going to take a whole lot more than a "I'm sorry" to fix things.
But then again, her feelings were rarely—if ever—wrong.
Whew! This one was INTENSE but also a LOT of fun.
I thought the plot was fresh and exciting. I really had no idea where it was taking me but I enjoyed the journey so much!
I loved the world-building that Starks crafted. I'm a sucker for half-demon or demon books where the beings strive to be good.
I also thought it was fun how Starks set up the culture-clash between the supernaturals and the humans.
I loved Gisele's snappy character and Shade's dark-and-mysterious brooding. I do think sometimes the infighting got to be too much but for the most part it was a fun dynamic as the two of them played off each other.
All in all - this one was fun and I'm happy to have read it!
A huge thank you to Megan Starks for sending me a free copy in exchange for a honest review
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Merged review:
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The (aka tier listing 30+ books) is up! Now that you know where this one ranks, click the link to check out the rest!
The Written Review
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Gisele Walker landed in the fighting pit face-first, and her mouth flooded with mud.
Gisele is a fighter - she's been one all her life - and this latest heist? She's confident she could handle it.
It was supposed to be an easy gig - take a object and deliver it to a certain someone.
Breaking in had been easy. Sneaking back out? Not so much.
>Annnd now...let's just say that things are getting a little complicated.
Gisele is half-demon, so hypothetically she's more than enough for whatever comes her way...but when she's paired with Shade (a full-demon), that "little complicated" just got pushed into the "difficult" category.
Baltimore’s mundane residents might have accepted that demons lived among them. But that didn’t mean they liked it.
As her city begins burning, and creatures begin crawling out of the woodwork, it's going to take a whole lot more than a "I'm sorry" to fix things.
But then again, her feelings were rarely—if ever—wrong.
Whew! This one was INTENSE but also a LOT of fun.
I thought the plot was fresh and exciting. I really had no idea where it was taking me but I enjoyed the journey so much!
I loved the world-building that Starks crafted. I'm a sucker for half-demon or demon books where the beings strive to be good.
I also thought it was fun how Starks set up the culture-clash between the supernaturals and the humans.
I loved Gisele's snappy character and Shade's dark-and-mysterious brooding. I do think sometimes the infighting got to be too much but for the most part it was a fun dynamic as the two of them played off each other.
All in all - this one was fun and I'm happy to have read it!
A huge thank you to Megan Starks for sending me a free copy in exchange for a honest review
“A girl, a baby girl, how can she matter?� “She was never supposed to live.�
Myrbeth has always known of her somewhat unusual upbringi3.5 stars
“A girl, a baby girl, how can she matter?� “She was never supposed to live.�
Myrbeth has always known of her somewhat unusual upbringing. She's the only surviving villager of Twickerth and blessed by being placed into the welcoming arms of the King and Queen of a neighboring country.
She was raised alongside Frederick and Edmund, the true heirs of King Trevard. Her childhood, though a bit odd, was full of love and warmth. Tutor to her younger brother, companion to the oldest, she found joy despite the tragedy and loss clinging to her past.
Now that she's nearing her sixteenth, there's a whole new challenge on her horizon. Marriage.
“But you don’t want scores of suitors, just one, the right one.�
She knows that someone of her education and background must make a satisfactory match in order to achieve lifelong happiness (or at least contentment).
It all seems so simple on paper but being the ward of the king (and therefore lacking royal blood) has its challenges.
She had known the truth but hadn’t wanted to face it until now. This information was sharp and painful...
Despite the proposals (or lack thereof), Myrbeth has another...problem. She's long since wondered how was it she was spared and soon...the truth will come knocking.
"They were like the monster under the bed or the shadow in the cupboard. You try to convince yourself that it’s not real, that you have nothing to be frightened of. But this monster is real and I am afraid."
Overall, I thought this was a fair start to a series. It definitely feels like an establishing book for a longer series and the ending was enough to hook me for the next one.
The beginning of the story did feel a bit slow to me - introductions of characters, longer descriptions, and rather detailed scenes. However, once we had everyone figured out, the pacing and action picked up.
I liked the inclusion of castle life and the various duties performed by the royals. I wish there was a bit more action on the part of the characters but with the way it was set up for book 2, I feel like there will be a lot more happening.
The characters did lean towards stiff and formal to me, though that could just be the royal background, and they did loosen up more towards the end of the story. I wish there was more showing and less telling when it came to some of the relationships but perhaps that is being saved for later books.
The subplot, with Mercy and his tangled relationship with his crew and his (questionable) moral code, was interesting and truly paved away for an exciting direction in the sequel. I'm really looking forward to how that pans out. (5 stars for Mercy's sections!)
Ultimately, this story felt like the first arc of a longer series and I feel like a lot of the setup will come to fruition in the following books. Looking forward to more from this author!...more
Just released my - now that you know this one made the list, click the link to find the rest!
4.75 stars
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Just released my - now that you know this one made the list, click the link to find the rest!
The Written Review
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So, I've talked about this one on my channel a lot by now. And the long and short of it is that I enjoyed this book immensely.
I really enjoyed just discovering what this book was about without any external influence, so I'll keep my review short.
It's an atmospheric whodunit with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes.
The overall premise is that there's a wedding on a remote Irish island, the weather closes in and the island is cut off from the rest of the world. And then the body is found.
Not knowing the body and having an ever-growing list of potential-killers...you are left wondering who in the world could've done it. And why??
I loved and adored the setting and various atmospheric elements. The characters felt well fleshed out and the plot was intriguing throughout. I definitely recommend it!!
Other BookTube Videos involving this gorgeous book:
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Just posted my on Booktube! Click the link to check it out!!
Grady Whill and Aarush Patel are best friends - they may have their quirks but that never seemed to matter when they are together. They look out for eGrady Whill and Aarush Patel are best friends - they may have their quirks but that never seemed to matter when they are together. They look out for each other and make the two halves of a team.
Templeton Academy is THE most prestigious high school, and it comes to no one's surprise that Aarush is accepted. But then, Grady also is extended an invitation. And the school bully.
How odd. Puzzling.
For someone who never thought he was anything special, Grady now has a one-way ticket to a gold-plated future (if he can keep his bully at bay).
But there's something a little off about the school, and the others who are accepted. Something is a bit more sinister than Grady ever would have anticipated...and he's about to find out - one way or another.
Full disclosure here, I had the absolute honor and privilege of being a beta reader for this book. I had such a fun time reading the early draft then going through it again in its fully published form.
I really enjoyed the development of Grady's and Aarush's characters. I always love, love, love the transformation arcs in tween and teen novels, watching the characters grow and find their confidence hits that sweet spot for me every time.
This book has elements that I've long adored - the peculiar boarding school, mysterious powers and (of course) evil lurking beneath the surface - but the way they were combined felt fresh and exciting.
I also appreciated the author's hand when dealing with the hard-hitting issues of middle school. There's the usual bullying focused weight or other general insecurities, and the added complexity of autism and asthma. I feel like often such areas tend to be a bit too hard or not explored in a satisfactory way, and yet Roman's finesse allowed for the issues to be dealt with appropriately, thoroughly and in a relatable way for readers.
The pace of the book was fast but not clipped - I felt wholly happy with the balance between plot progression and all those lovely tiny details.
Overall, I truly enjoyed my time between these pages and am crossing my fingers for a sequel to come out soon...like now!...more
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