Book Review | Foul is Fair

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING AND I LOVE IT MORE THAN WORDS CAN DESCRIBE

However, I will try.

I completely and utterly loved Capin's first book, The Dead Queens Club. It is honestly one of the best books I have ever read about Henry VIII and his many wives. I know it seems strange to say that about a YA book told through the lens of a bunch of high-schoolers, but just trust me on it, okay? Especially with how perfectly she captured the essence and naivety of Katherine Howard, in Katie; my heart broke a million times for her in the book, just as it does for the real Katherine Howard.

OBVIOUSLY I am going to love Capin's second "retelling", right? RIGHT!

Okay, to be honest I was a little nervous at first because a lot of people said how violent it was and blah blah blah and I am sitting here thinking the whole time as I am reading these silly reviews, do they not know it is based on Macbeth? Is it more violent or bloody than the original material? Apparently they did not, in fact, know because when I finally got it from the library I dove in head first and LOVED EVERY FUCKING MOMENT OF IT.

The main character begins the story as Elle. She and her best friends, her coven, Mads, Summer, and Jenny, rule their world. They are rich and beautiful and everything belongs to them. The night Elle turns sixteen, the girls crash a party thrown by boys from St. Andrew's Prep. Elle becomes separated from her friends, and the golden boys of St Andrew's, they choose Elle as their next victim. Though we are thankfully spared the details of Elle being gang-raped by a group of the boys, there are flashback and references aplenty.

Little do these boys realize, they've picked the wrong girl.

Or perhaps, because of what happens over the course of the novel, they absolutely picked the right one.

The Queen shall have her revenge, and she will raise up a King, one of their own, to bring them all down.

Elle tells her parents that she was raped, but lies about where/when/who. They tell her they will do anything for her, and she says she wants to transfer schools. So she does. To St. Andrew's Prep. Now reborn as Jade (Elle's middle name), she will destroy the golden boys from the inside. She will befriend their girls, and she will make them all pay. Mack is a means to an end. He was not involved in her rape, but he is one of them, the nice one but still a golden boy. Never mind that though. Jade will manipulate anyone she needs to in order to get her revenge, and her coven is with her every step of the way.

I want to express all my feelings about this book but in a way that does not spoil anything because this book is so beautiful and savage and magical and raw. I am not really sure how to do that, honestly. I might ramble. Not often do books leave me grasping for words that are all jumbled in my head, that I can't actually articulate aside from shouting, "JUST READ THE BOOK AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND!" But I will try again.

The girls are ruthless, and I cheered Jade on every fucking step of the way. This is peak revenge fantasy and if people can't appreciate that for what it is, then too bad for them. (Seriously, I saw way too many reviews bemoaning the fact that Jade's parents never filed a police report after she told them she had been raped. Um HELLO! There would have been no story then. Shut the fuck up.) The golden boys tried to break her, thought they had succeeded. They took her power but watching her regain it and more - taking their power as well, and at their expense - was fucking beautiful. Honest to God, this is one of the most powerful books I have ever read and though I finished it weeks ago now, I can still feel it in my bones, in my soul. The story is in me and alive and is glorious even in its darkness.

Capin's writing style is unique here, as it is not entirely prose in the traditional sense, but it is prose, and that doesn't make sense I realize, but trust me. There are times where it becomes this stream of consciousness that flows on and on. Most often though there is a lyrical, poetic quality to the narrative that fits so well with the story itself, and also as this female-centered re-imagining of one of Shakespeare's greatest plays. If you are familiar with Macbeth you will recognize right away familiar names and lines, and it is comfortable even as the massacre begins. I was hooked from the first page and stayed up late, until I was finished with the book - what is a few hours sleep when reading a book that sinks it teeth and claws into you and won't let go? Nothing, that's what.

I am not sure how I expected the book to end, because I was so caught up in each moment, each golden boy coming to his perfectly perfect brutal end, that it did not occur to me that pretty soon they would all be dead and then what? The action kept going, right up until the very last pages, and I was nearly breathless at the end trying to understand everything that had just happened.

This is easily one of my favorite books of 2020 and I will read everything Hannah Capin ever writes (which I also said after I finished The Dead Queens Club). I noticed on Goodreads this is now listed a "book #1", so I am very curious as to how this could become a series? Even though perhaps not every question was answered, I don't think they all have to be. I think the end was brilliant, and wouldn't change a thing.

HIGHLY HIGHLY A MILLION TIMES RECOMMENDED.

NetGalley ARC | The House on Henry Street: The Enduring Life of a Lower East Side Settlement

I received a free digital ARC from the publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is utterly captivating and I could not put it down.

The author deftly weaves together a beautiful and sweeping narrative of how the House on Henry Street came into being after its founder, Lillian Ward, determined that there had to be a way to help the city's most vulnerable populations in need of the most care and services. It began in March of 1893, when a young girl came to Ward for help, the girl's mother was dying. She'd just given birth, but the doctor had abandoned the woman when she could not pay the fee for his services. It was this pivotal moment when twenty-six year old Lillian Ward, a nurse, decided to act. Through her determination, commitment to the poor, and generous benefactors, she was able to establish the Henry Street Settlement, an organization that still exists to this very day. Along the way we see how the settlement responded during times of crisis - the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic, the rise of violence, drug use, and homelessness in the 70s and 80s, and providing relief during the Great Depression. We also see how the Settlement fought on behalf of those the many they served, including immigrants and the working poor who had very little support.

The book is incredibly well-researched and truly a love letter to this place that has stood the test of time, constantly advocating for those who could not do so for themselves. I knew nothing about these settlement homes prior to reading this, and even have to admit that when I first requested the book I misread the title, substituting tenement for settlement. I am not sure why my brain did that, but it did. So, I was surprised by the content, but yet still engrossed immediately in the story. The idea of creating these settlement homes began in the 1890s and through that decade and the next Progressive-minded folks pushed to create these homes that would become so vital for the neighborhoods surrounding them. The author makes many references to Jane Addams and her founding of Hull House in Chicago, another topic I plan to explore further.

The book is divided into three sections that cover various important points in the life of the settlement. It is difficult to even choose a favorite portion of the book, though I suppose I am a little partial to the early days as Wald and her staff worked tirelessly on behalf of those they served. It is almost baffling to me that something like this could have been founded and thrived in the very late 1800s/early 1900s, yet we cant seem to organize quite on this level or with this ease of access today. This specific settlement house still does, but I mean on this level in other cities. As a teacher I routinely see how fractured so many services are and how many different organizations provide a myriad of services to our students in need. But what the Henry Street house did so perfectly from the start was to manage these services from one main organization. Since then certain services have been turned over to other agencies, but the majority remain with the place where they began. At the time of its funding, Wald and her team focused on four areas in which they could best serve the community: nursing, civic work, social work, and country work. There were arts programs including classes in art mediums like pottery, dance classes, and a theatre that has operated nearly the entire time the settlement has been in existence. The facilities offered (or still offer today) an on-site residence, daycare, access to health care, food, and clothing (including sewing lessons still offered today).

There's still so much more, but I don't know that I can actually do this book justice.

Highly recommended.

READ FASTER! Ninth Edition

You can find previous editions of me pouting HERE.

This post is not entirely serious, but maybe a little bit.

***Our library system is now open for curbside pick-up!***

...And I am happy to say they are not messing around with this COVID-19 bullshit. You call ahead to get an appointment, and you pick your books up within that half hour time frame. When you get to the location you've chosen to have your books sent to, you call and let them know which numbered parking spot you are in, and your name. A librarian brings the books out and sets them next to the parking stall sign. Once the librarian goes inside, you can exit your car to get your books. When you return books, they are left in a bin for three days before anyone touches them to check them back in.

Originally this list was ebooks only, but now that curbside has started, I am including all books I have requests in for.

Books I Am Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiting For

1. The Woman in Cabin 10 

Hold Date: April 21st

Starting Position: 24 on 3 copies

Current Position: 5 on 3 copies

I requested this one the same day as #3 because I was told they have a similar feel. Sweet baby Jesus, this is taking as long as Sun Down. Whaaaaaaat the fuuuuuuuck is taking so long??? This is getting beyond ridiculous. RIDICULOUS. I can't even with this one right now.

2. The Nanny 

Date Requested: May 24th

Starting Position: 5 on 6 copies

Current Position: In Delivery

I loved The Au Pair, so I am hoping this is similar in feel to that? The story lines are quite different, (on the surface at least, who knows what is actually in store for me) but I am hoping to like this one as well. I moved ONE SPOT in TWO WEEKS. FINALLY ON ITS WAY!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, so I realize in the grand scheme of things this is not a huge issue. But I really want these books, never mind the fact that I have a pile from NetGalley and hundreds of unread books on my Kindle and five-shelf bookcase stacked two and three deep.

#ALLTHEBOOKS!

Happy Reading,

Sarah

Stacking the Shelves #99

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature co-hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It is a chance to showcase all the goodies you've collected throughout the week, whether they're bought on-line or in-store, an ARC or a final copy, borrowed from a friend or the library, physical or digital, etc.

Author Gift

Library Treasures

  

Happy Reading!

Sarah

NetGalley ARC | Living in Medieval England: The Turbulent Year of 1326

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

If you know anything about medieval history, and especially the Plantagenets, then you know 1326 was kind of a big deal. Queen Isabella (of France, commonly referred to as the She-Wolf of France by guys who don't like powerful women) was done with King Edward II and invaded England with an army to prove it. Her goal was to topple the man rumored to hold her husband's affections, Hugh Despenser the Younger and while she was successful, she also brought Edward down in the process. Personally, I have always felt bad for Edward II. He wasn't really cut out to be king, and was happy in the company of commoners, doing all the things that made the nobility look twice such as thatching roofs, digging ditches, building walls, etc. If only he could have abdicated and been allowed to go off and life like a regular person. Considering the fact that Edward III would grow to become one of England's most successful monarchs in history, we can all probably agree that Edward II simply wasn't meant to govern and did not do it well. He rewarded his close friends (rumored lovers, but I don't really give a shit about that part. Unfortunately, the rest of the nobility did) with lands and money and titles, and this made a lot of others very, very angry.

The book, however, does not focus solely on this event, or any other happenings exclusive to the royal family. Instead, we have a month-by-month account of the year with highlights of both the royal family, and the everyday lives of their many subjects as well.

I appreciated what the author did, in bringing to light stories of people we would otherwise never know about. Some of the stories were humorous, others troubling, and a whole range in between. After a while, however, it did begin to feel repetitive. I still think ordering it by month was the way to go, given that all the stories could be grouped easily that way. I just don't know if all the stories were necessary. I also found it to be very interesting to see what was going on in the lives of the people, against the backdrop of the massive upheaval going on in terms of Edward and Isabella's actions.

There is a lot of detail here. So much so, that one almost drowns in the massive amount of detail, and that is why the book remains a three-star for me. I liked it find enough and am glad I had the chance to read it. I just found that the author's strength came to writing about Edward II, and looked forward to those sections far more, though the daily life glimpses were interesting most of the time. I think that might have to do with the writing style, because as I said, I definitely found the passages dedicated to Edward's movements throughout the year to be much more engaging.

Recommended for those who enjoy medieval history.

Book Review | Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I found this book entirely by accident but am glad I did. I was searching for more books about Stonewall to read and use for my June podcast and this one came up so I requested it from the library, not really paying attention to the fact it was actually a children's book. Turns out, it is exactly what I was looking for without even knowing it at the time.

I love the fact that the story of Stonewall is told from the point of view of the building itself. The story begins in Greenwich Village of the 1840s, where men in top hats and horse-drawn wagons grace the pages. The building we know today was once two buildings, built for the affluent citizens of NYC to board their horses. Slowly Greenwich Village changed, and we see wealthier residents move away. The Village becomes a place for immigrants to settle, who had made long and tiring trips, from all over the world. Into the twentieth century the Village continues to evolve as cars take over as the new mode of transportation. Art galleries, theatres, bakeries, restaurants all find a home there and in 1930 those two long-ago stables have become one building that housed a restaurant named Bonnie's Stone Wall.

At this point in the story, long before Stonewall became Stonewall, the theme has not changed. Greenwich Village remains a place the Inn describes as being welcoming to all. By the time the building becomes a restaurant, the Inn tells us, "Celebrities, artisans, tourists, and local residents lunched at our tables, shoulder to shoulder" and "Greenwich Village was a place where you could be yourself, and where being different was welcomes and respected."

The Stonewall brings us into the 50s next, telling the reader of the Jazz musicians, poets, artists. Also, however, the Stonewall makes a point to say, "Leading up to the 60s, our neighborhood welcomed gays and lesbians - men who loved men, and women who loved women. We were a home for people who were told that they didn't fit in or belong."

Finally we arrive in 1967, when the Stonewall Inn opened its doors as a gay bar/dance club and welcomed people from all walks of life. I especially appreciate the illustrations on these two pages, and the diversity shown specifically here, which is definitely lacking on other pages (which I will address further in a moment). It can never be overstated how critical POC, especially trans POC, were to the uprising itself, so to see that diversity if crucial. "Women and men, young and old, teenagers, transgender people, drag queens, veterans, businesspeople, students, people of different colors, religions, and cultures, gathered, chatted, laughed, and danced under our roof."

The book does not shy away from the ugliness directed at those who frequented the bar, but it does clean it up a bit for the intended audience and I think this is important also. For many children this may be their first time learning about Stonewall, or the LGBTQIA+ community in general, and I think the author handles this in an age-appropriate way, saying that there were people who were not accepting of the community, stating that you could be arrested, fired, and/or kicked out of your home. The Stonewall goes on to talk about the constant police raids, showing citizens in an arrest wagon. Even so, says the Inn, the doors were kept open night after night for the community to return to.

Then suddenly here we are, at that fateful night, June 28th, 1969. Officers storm into the bar, demanding IDs and lining up club-goers, detaining and arresting whoever they wanted to. Unlike earlier raids, however, this time those who were let go did not actually leave. They did not fade away into the night but stood defiantly outside, pent-up anger seething through the crowd. It was unleashed when a woman being arrested yelled to the crowd, "Why don't you do something?"

So the crowd did. The Stonewall describes how the crowd unleashed that rage, yelling and screaming, moving back toward the bar. With this, the police barricaded themselves inside the very building they had just raided, calling for help in the form of the riot police. Windows were shattered, fires were lit, but still the rage swept through the crowd. For several days and nights, the Stonewall tells us, the uprising continued.

The following year what will become known as the first Pride Parade happens on the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. First there were hundreds who marched, but then all of those people AND their friends and families joined. The parade wove its way through the streets of NYC. They were not going to hide anymore.

Then the Stonewall Inn  brings us to the present day, and seems to shine so brightly, proclaiming that some things have changed since that night, and the laws of this country have changed as well. It makes reference to June being Pride month, and that there is still a long way to go toward full equality. The story ends with, "It all began one night here at the Stonewall Inn, when two old horse stables became part of history."

So, first, I loved this book. It is not perfect, but it is not problematic when you look at the whole picture. The illustrations are beautiful in that they are well-done and there truly is some great diversity on the pages. However, this was not consistent. Too often the crowds were very white, and as I mentioned above, POCs CAN NOT be overlooked in this movement. That is my only real issue with the book, because even when the pictures were lacking, the text was definitely inclusive in at least stating that people of all colors, religions, and cultures were welcome. This is actually stated twice, in the quote I gave earlier, then again when describing the first anniversary celebration. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, so that is what makes the whitewashing all the more troubling. White dudes did not run everything, so let's please have visual representations of everyone.

The illustrations were strong, however, in their ability to evoke a variety of emotions. It was easy to feel the emotions of that night especially, the anger and fear that people felt as they decided this would be the night where they said no more to acquiescing and disappearing into the darkness. The same is true throughout the entire book, however, and the illustrator's play with dark and light colors really captured each feeling splendidly.

When looking over other reviews, I noticed quite a few people were frustrated by the language used, mainly referring to the club-goers as gay or lesbian. Transgender was used, but was not defined until the glossary section. I think it is important to remember that in the late 60s there was not have this massive list of acronyms that we have today that more accurately describe the LGBTQIA+ Community. That's why at the time it was called the 'Gay Rights Movement', which the book refers to, with an asterisk stating it is now referred to as the 'LGBTQ+ Rights Movement'. I think it makes sense that gay and lesbian were the primary words used within the text, as that gave it more historical accuracy. Using terms that are common today in a book describing an event and movement in the 1960s would feel out of place.

I appreciate the fact that the night of June 28th itself was described in an age-appropriate way. While people do need to understand the violence that took place, that is not necessarily true for the age group, which to me feels like K-2nd grade. (I might be off with this though, considering I have an upcoming second grader who has been reading at a 4th/5th grade reading level for a while.) I don't feel like this was sanitizing or cleaning anything up to make it pretty, because again I come back to illustrations and how well they evoke the same emotions one would feel if the author had described in more graphic terms some of the events that night.

At the end of the story, there are some helpful extras included. First there is a black and white photo of the exterior of the Stonewall Inn that year, accompanied by a brief history. It is here that the author mentions the use of the word transgender and how it is much more common today than it was in the 60s. He adds, "...transgender individuals were instrumental in the Uprising, with some historians saying that trans women of color led it." That's pretty accurate and it would have been helpful if this would have been reflected more clearly in the artwork. The two pages following include more black and white photos of that night and the ensuing years. I was glad to see a photo of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Ray Rivera included. Still beyond that there is a brief interview with Martin Boyce, and LGBTQ+ activist who was at the Stonewall Inn that night. Finally there is a glossary and websites and books listed for further reading, as well as the Making Gay History podcast.

Overall, I loved this book and think it is a great introduction to learning about this rights movement. I plan to read it to Eleanor to give her a better understanding as well. We have had conversations in the past, how anyone can love anyone else they choose (thought I admit I have so far stuck to binary language because she is six; a gender spectrum will be hard to grasp at her age), and it is not something out of the ordinary for her to see two men or two women holding hands. I have also begun discussing what transgender means and wouldn't you know, when I explained the meaning her reaction was, "Huh, okay." If kids can get there that easily, it should would be nice if more adults followed suit.

Highly recommended.

First Line Friday #111

First Line Friday is brought to you by Hoarding Books. Playing along is easy: open the book nearest you and share the first line. Then check out the link to see the other first lines posted this week.

"White people in North America live in a society that is deeply separate and unequal by race, and white people are the beneficiaries of that separation and inequality."

I read this book a couple years ago and have returned to it time and again. We all have biases we need to confront. From there we can figure out why we think that way, surrounded ourselves with people we can learn from, and change our thinking. This means hard questions and uncomfortable conversations but we are never going to become better if we don't start moving forward.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think, and leave a link to your FLF so I can stop by to see what you've posted this week.

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Books From The Backlog #50

Books from the Backlog, hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books, is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your shelf unread.

I am featuring books in the order that they were added to my Goodreads To-Read shelf, so sometimes there will be a couple weeks in a row of books on the same topic.

Neglected Book of the Week

Why did I add Eleanor of Aquitaine: Lord and Lady to my TBR?

If you know me BUT AT ALL, then you already know that I admire Eleanor of Aquitaine more than any other historical figure and I so desperately wish for every possible scrap of information I can find about it. It is no coincidence that my brave, beautiful, mighty girl shares her name with this queen. I've read several sections from it for research for my own book, but have yet to read the entire thing, so even though it is technically NOT backlogged, I included it anyway.

Have you read this book, or is it somewhere on your TBR? If you've read it, would you recommend it to others?

Happy Reading!

Sarah

Top Ten Tuesday | Books on My Summer 2020 TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

The books on this list are not necessarily being published this summer. I don't read a lot of fiction, so it is not like authors I am interested in are pumping out 2-4 books a year, what with the research that typically goes into the subjects they write about. Instead, this is a list of the books I am most looking forward to reading next.

If this topic if of interest to you as well - and I sure as hell hope it is. Our country is failing our Black brothers and sisters, and has been for 400 years - then you may find this reading list helpful as well. I created this list a few days ago and would love any additional recommendations to add to it. 

   

   

Are any of these on your radar, too? Let me know!

Happy Reading!

Sarah

Commenting Update

Okay, so I tried the comment moderation and what I like about it is that I can delete the spam and it never even gets a chance to show up on the blog. What I don't like about moderating the comments is that the conversations between fellow readers has been slowed down quite a bit and that part was always fun for me because I like when many of us are involved in one conversation, instead of just me interacting with everyone individually. I am removing comment moderation for the time being and hopefully those organic conversations will return. We will just have to ignore the random spammer who leaves the same comment over and over and over - and don't click on whatever link it is they want you to click on!

Thanks everyone for putting up with my changing things all the time.

Happy Reading!

Sarah