I Made Some Lists!

I have been working on various Diversity and Inclusion tasks at my day job. I'm really excited that they are letting me/us/the committee do this work. Some of the things I've written or been involved with are serious and others are just fun. I like and appreciate both. Last week I made a couple lists to post about Women's History Month and the month before I created a list of books for Black History Month. I thought I'd share them here, because who doesn't want recommendations of great books, movies and television shows featuring under-represented groups.

For Black History Month, myself and other team members shared a variety of recommended books. I've read all the books except for the new releases. 

1. How to Be an Anti-Racist – By Ibram X. Kendi

Part memoir, part instruction manual, this book really makes you think about behaviour, while tugging at your heartstrings.

2. Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

Classic, poignant, a definite favourite. A strong African-American woman living her life the way she wants during a time where it was almost impossible to do so.

3. Go Tell It on a Mountain, by James Baldwin

Inspired by his own life, Go Tell It on the Mountain, tells the story of a young black man struggling with his identity.

4. The Color People, by Alice Walker

Probably on a lot of Black History Month book lists, but if you haven’t read The Color Purple, you really should. A powerful novel.

5. The Complete Collection of Poetry, by Maya Angelou

When people mention Maya Angelou and recommend her work, they talk about Why the Caged Bird Sings, but today, we’re recommending her poetry. It is poetry that paints a picture of her life and experiences.

6. Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi

For all the fantasy lovers all there, this story takes place in a fantasy version of Africa. It is filled with adventure and strong characters.

7. Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler

Classified as “science-fiction”, Kindred crosses literary boundaries. Tense and Heartrending, a modern classic.

Now for a few new releases…

8. Concrete Rose, by Angie Thomas

The latest book by Angie Thomas, the author is ready to make another statement about the life of a black teen in America.

9. You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey – By Lacey Lamar and Amber Ruffin

Watching Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar talk about the book makes it a must read. A book that will make you laugh and cry.

10. A Promised Land, by Barack Obama

Another new release and one that this list couldn’t be without.

List #2 - Women's History Month TV and Movie recommendations. It was a less detailed list.

1. Hidden Figures

2. Mulan

3. Girlfriends

4. WandaVision

5. Captain Marvel

6. Wonder Woman

7. Mean Girls

8. A League of Their Own

9. Clueless

10. Alien

Another less detailed list. Books to honour/celebrate Women's History Month. Also put together by myself and a couple coworkers. The books are varied. Fiction, non-fiction. General fiction, graphic novels, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, even poetry.

1. Hidden Figures, by Margot Lee Shetterly (it was a book before it was a movie)

2. I am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai

3. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley (Where would monster stories be without her?)

4. Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kaur

5. Lumberjanes (graphic novel series), by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, etc.

6. Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler (I think I recommend this one a lot)

7. Captain Marvel: Higher, Further, Faster, More, by Kelly Sue DeConnick (The whole series is good.)

8. Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi

9. Becoming, by Michelle Obama

10. Naked in Death, by J.D. Robb

11. The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater

12. The Temperance Brennan Series (Bones), by Kathy Reichs

13. Little Women, by Lousia May Alcott

14. Cat’s Eye & The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood.

15. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë

I hope that the people we created these lists for (coworkers) took in some of the titles and watched or read the recommendations. The ones I haven't read/watched were contributed by others who had. 

Vacation Reads - Part 1

Summer was busy. There were parties, barbecues, kid-events, family gatherings, and girls and guys nights. It was hot, too rainy, then not rainy enough. Even though summer is technically June 21 to September 23, I always feel like summer doesn't really start until the last weekend in June when school is out. Then something happens, it's like the flick of a switch and suddenly it's fall on September 1 (or August 29 this year).

Like many summers before, there were a lot of long drives, including our family vacation. We visited beautiful Prince Edward Island for the third time. I highly recommend going. PEI is amazing. The people are beyond nice. Everything about the island makes me happy. I plan on continually going. We road-tripped it to PEI from Ontario and it was the beginning of my "summer reading". That involved a lot of Romance of one kind or another. Everything I read this summer was "fun", (except for Faefever's ending and a bunch of Stephen King short stories), and they left me with a smile on my face. I guess I just wanted happy reads in between all the busy days and nights. I picked out a few of the books to share.

Faefever

The ending. Just, whoa. What is going to happen to Mac? I'm very worried about her. I was really hoping that there was going to be a last minute something, but nope. This is probably one of the most major cliffhanger endings I have ever read. It's definitely an ending that comes from a book in the middle of a series. After Mac as the main character, I was left wondering if that would change. I think it's the kind of ending that keeps readers invested in the series.

Bridal Boot Camp

A short story from Meg Cabot. Bridal Boot Camp is essentially a prequel to her upcoming release, No Judgments. It was a cute, fun story, but more than anything, I want to know what happens when the storm hits. It came up in the "Just Added" section of my library's ebooks. An author I like, a readily available short story, a good, fun read, it was an easy selection. 

The Kiss Quotient

Even though I have been reading a lot of love-centred stories, I still like finding stories that are out of the ordinary. That brought me to The Kiss Quotient. Helen Hoang's debut novel is about a single woman finding love, like so many romances. What makes it different is who Stella is. Stella Lane has high-functioning autism/Asperger's. The story follows Stella as she navigates love and life with all her unique qualities. I couldn't put it down. I was a bit surprised at the "steam" level (as I've seen  romance writers/readers call it). The cover and synopsis did not fully describe how hot the book is. Stella and her "love-interest", Michael, were full, complete, complex characters. Michael had his own issues and journey to go on and was just as interesting. I think it's the best Romance I've read this year. It might be one of the best ever.

That's just three of the books I read. Part 2 will be here in [hopefully] a couple days.

An Easy Death

In An Easy Death, Charlaine Harris brings together Western and Fantasy through an alternate American history, with a little magic thrown in the mix. I loved Gunnie Lizbeth Rose. She was strong, intelligent, self-assured and confident. Gunnie Rose kicked ass. She followed orders and she gave them. She could shoot, but she didn't kill without reason. Growing up in such a harsh world, with cruelty all around her, Lizbeth has become a good person. She is fair, though not always kind. She is loyal and honourable. I am invested in what happens to Lizbeth now. An Easy Death is the first in Harris' new Gunnie Rose series and after that ending, I wonder what is next for Lizbeth Rose.

Her mother did well for Lizbeth and for herself. She married a good man, who seems to care for Lizbeth. There were times, however, I wondered why Candle wasn't around her daughter more when she returned from jobs. She did fuss, but Gunnie kept giving the reason that she wanted to go home, to her own house. She didn't want to inconvenience her mother and step-father or bother them. If it was my daughter, in this harsh life, I think I'd tell my husband I was going to spend a couple days with her. At least one overnight? Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Jackson, Gunnie Rose's step-father wasn't affectionate, but he treated both her well, also ensured to cover anything owed by his step-daughter while she was gone - owing someone is not a position you want to be in. 

I was maybe a little in love with Eli too. He is so different than Gunnie Rose, but they connect. They learn to trust each other deeply. There are many words unsaid between them, but they see beyond that. Apart from his relationship with Gunnie Rose, Eli goes through a lot. He suffers different, deep losses and I think it was good that Lizbeth was there. 

The alternate history is really interesting. The way Harris explained it in the novel was woven in well. It didn't feel like an info dump, though I knew that is what it was. You can only mention "New America" and "Texoma" so many times before you have to explain what happened. Is it weird that the Canadian in me likes the idea of Canada getting a chunk of the northern states? (The good thing is that they'd all have universal health care.) Mexico gets a chunk of the south too. When the Russian royal family flees, they don't all die. Instead the Tsar settles in California and some western states become the Holy Russian Empire. I really wish I had a map. The copy I read is a library ebook. I'm going to have to check out a print edition the next time I'm in a bookstore or library to see if there is a map. I think one would be fascinating. 

There was so much that pulled me into An Easy Death, but the main thing was Gunnie Rose herself. It's a harsh, hard world that she lives in, especially for women. Yet she survives and even thrives. I'm interested to see where her journey takes her and I wonder if she'll make it to the HRE one day.

Wonder Woman: War-Torn

I started out pretty frustrated with Wonder Woman: War-Torn. I was wondering what Meredith Finch and David Finch did to this series that I had been seriously enjoying until now. The ending saved the book. Not just Diana getting more in touch with the island, but her final battle with Donna Troy and the flashback chapter. Oh, Hippolyta.

Irony: "She's everything they used to mock me for."

I don't agree with quite a few of Diana's decisions in this story, not that I have to in order to enjoy it. Diana seems to be that "wonder woman" who aims to do it all. She is a member of the Justice League, Queen of the Amazons, and God of War. Can I be honest? I would give up being a member of the Justice League, at least a full-time member. I'd keep in touch, help when the big things are happening, like alien invasions or whatever, but both God of War and Amazon Queen seem like full-time positions. I think that's what frustrated me. Also, when Diana was dealing with First Born, where was the League? I get that it was an Olympus problem, but this involved the FATE OF THE WORLD. Even Orion came from ANOTHER PLANET to help. Sorry for all the All Caps. I have feelings about this book.

Speaking of Orion, where is he? I missed him. I missed Zola and a bunch of the characters from the previous story arc. I know there is a new writer and artistic team, but still! Also, if they want to see who has Hera's favour, Diana couldn't just ask her to stop by? That would have saved lives, no? As I mentioned, the end saved the entire story for me. There were some touching moments. I wonder about Wonder Woman's relationships with Superman and Batman, and if they'll be explored the next two books. I also wonder if all those characters I loved will come back and what these new creators will do with them.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up The Marvel Universe

With a title like, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up The Marvel Universe, how could I resist? The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up The Marvel Universe is my first Squirrel Girl comic, but it definitely won't be my last. I adore Team Squirrel Girl. I love Nancy, Koi Boi and Chipmunk Hunk. Their names are amazing. Also, Squirrel Girl's dynamic with Tony Stark is fantastic and fun. I also enjoyed watching Squirrel Girl have a little banter with Spider-Man. Her final outfit change was perfect. 

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up The Marvel Universe was the perfect book to start off my 2019. It was fun, very funny, but also had a female hero at the centre of a crazy storyline, who was also just a girl. Doreen Green is a 2nd year computer science student. Her hero team are more nerds. She balances her super hero life with her school life. Homework is a high priority and so is her best friend, Nancy. Also, Tippy. Tippy is the BEST squirrel ever. Based on this little squirrel's awesomeness, I hope that she's in the other Squirrel Girl comics that I have. Ryan North and Erica Henderson have created an amazing team of young heroes, who are totally capable of saving the world.

Wonder Woman: Bones

Wonder Woman: Bones is the sixth volume in The New 52: Wonder Woman series. It was fun, exciting, and just what I needed to get me out of my latest slump. I LOVE Diana. She's strong, intelligent, brave, and full of love and compassion. I really can't get enough of her. I also really liked the coming together of the characters they've visited throughout the series. Hephaestus is pretty amazing. So is Demeter. All of them. I wish there was more Orion though. I'm hoping that he and Diana get to spend more time together. There are three more New 52 books after this one.

The ending was pretty spectacular. There were some surprises I didn't expect, especially the one about Zola. I did not see that coming at all. Sometimes I forget that all these gods are siblings, especially with the offer First Born made to Diana, but then they call each other "brother" or "sister" and it comes back to me. 

I'm left wondering what will happen next. Bones is the end of Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang's run on Wonder Woman, so it makes sense that this is the end of the First Born arc. I have really enjoyed their work over the last six volumes. I have appreciated the way Chiang draws Wonder Woman with strength. I enjoy the faces of all the characters, there is so much expression, contributing greatly to the story. That's what has kept me reading. The story. I know DC likes to rework and rewrite its heroes and villains. I watch the shows, I've watched the movies. When it comes to DC, I'm not really worried about cannon. I want a story that engages and surprises. Wonder Woman has done that. I'm looking forward to see what the next New 52 has in store. 

Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was a quick, fun read, but also deeply thoughtful and a bit life-affirming. Adichie wrote the book first as a response to an email from her friend about how to raise a feminist daughter. I’d like to think I’m raising a feminist daughter and son, but am I? I opened this book not just as a reader, but as a parent. I was very interested to see if Adichie’s advice matched some of the choices I have made.

The 15 suggestions that she outlines are so detailed, some to me are so obvious. Not for raising a “feminist daughter”, but for raising a good human. I recently “suggested” to a pregnant friend not to raise her kid to be an a$$hole, as a boy was a super jerk at my son’s soccer game a few weeks ago. She agreed that this should be the basic goal of every parent. After experiencing life as a parent, I don’t always think this is true. I try to not judge other parents, but sometimes I definitely do.

Adichie addresses judgment in her letter. She also talks about gender roles and marriage. I honestly loved this little book. The 15 suggestions are impactful, but also assured me of many of the choices I have made. I borrowed it from the library, but I feel like I want a copy of my own. Something I can refer back to, something I can share with my children when they are older.

While I think the "letter" was fun, it was also serious, but told in such a way that you don’t notice. The tone is light, as though it really is a letter from a friend giving you advice. I could disect each of the 15 suggestions, but I'm not going to. Instead, I am going to keep them within me and share them with people I know. Even if you don’t have a daughter, or don’t have children, this is something you should definitely read.

The Surgeon

The Surgeon is the first novel in the Rizzoli and Isles series by Tess Gerritsen. It was recommended to me not just as a reader, but as something to read as a writer. Gerritsen creates compelling, multidimensional characters that you love and hate at the same time. She weaves subplots easily into the main storyline. She creates surprises. The pace is amazing. A 350 page paperback does not take a lot of time to read, as the story grips you.

Characters are always what keeps me reading a story. I really connected with Catherine Cordell and Thomas Moore. They were amazing. Catherine was so quietly strong and defiant. She went through something horrible, beyond horrible, and though it took time, she worked through it. I loved Detective Moore. He was strong, caring and vulnerable. He was practically the perfect man, though his flaws made him seem more real. I was drawn to him, wanting to know his reactions and his thoughts on everything.

Then there was Jane Rizzoli. I disliked her, but admired her. She was a woman working in a man's world. She endured mean-spirited pranks, and purposefully being left out. She was full of resentment, family issues and had a chip on her shoulder the size of a boulder. As I was reading the novel, I couldn't believe this was the character the series would be based on. Yet, I could also understand it. More than Catherine and Moore, Rizzoli has the most room to grow. She learned about herself and others in this novel, and I'm interested to see what else she learns.

I haven't seen the Rizzoli and Isles television show. I watched way too many police procedurals, and I'm still not over it. That being said, I've seen the actress who plays Rizzoli on the show. Angie Harmon is gorgeous and tall, with beautiful hair. That is not what the Rizzoli of the novels looked like. Of course, they changed it for television. But that's not the only difference. In the first Rizzoli and Isles novel, there is NO ISLES. Where is she? When does she enter the series? In the next novel, right? So, while I might not be watching police dramas, I will definitely be reading them. One book and I know I will read more about Jane Rizzoli and hopefully soon be reading about Maura Isles.

Lumberjanes: Out of Time

The more I read the Lumberjanes series, the more I love them. These are some fantastic girls. Their personalities shine. They are so different, and they love each other so much. They love Jen. I was glad we got to spend more time with her. Being their Camp Counselor must be so hard! They are always getting into trouble, sneaking out, or fighting the supernatural! What is Jen to do? Jen understands the girls more in Out of Time, and she learns more about Rosie too. I think this is the most we've seen Rosie. Rosie is usually this overarching presence, without being involved directly in what the girls do. This time though, Rosie finds herself in the midst of not just saving Jen and the girls, but the whole forest.

I really liked that we got to see more of the forest and what lives in those woods. Is every creature living there evil? Are any of them? We learned more about the Bear Woman too. I feel like there's so much more to that story.

What about Abigail? When are we going to see her again? Because she's not done with the forest or Rosie. What happened to her was sad, but she did not deal with it well. She was an interesting character, a real contrast to those we've met so far. 

Jo was a stand out for me too. She always seemed like such a leader to me, sure of herself and her place among the group. In Out of Time we got to see her have doubts. She had to deal with one of the Scouting Lads from earlier in the series. April befriended Barney and we got to see him return with his kitten (which was a call back to the brainwashing story, so that was fun). Barney wants to be a Lumberjane so much, he wants to go on adventures and thinks these girls are amazing. Through this interaction, we get to see Jo grow as a person, become more mature and reflect on herself. We also get to see her call her Dads and what that reveals about the camp the girls are in.

Lumberjanes: Out of Time was the fun and uplifting story I wanted it to be. I'm so glad I have more Lumberjanes waiting for me. I've introduced them to my daughter too. I'm excited to start talking to her about these fun and fantastic stories.

Wonder Woman: Flesh

The end of Wonder Woman: Flesh was fantastic. I couldn't have asked for it to be better. Though it feels like a "middle" book (it definitely leaves off on a cliffhanger) there is character growth. We get to see not only Diana change, but also Hera and even Apollo. I was starting to feel bad for First Born, but nope, I don't. I think I feel bad for Cassandra though. I don't think she saw that coming. I would like for Zola to learn something, to be more active in her own safety. I understand that everyone is some kind of god or demi-god, but still, something. Also, I could have used more Orion.

Again, I find myself enjoying the art. I love the thick lines and expressiveness. Wonder Woman's smirk after a certain fight was perfect, and so telling. The art of Flesh and of the series so far, has been engaging, not just fitting well with the story, but adding to it as well. Flesh has left me very excited to read Bones. There are battles to be fought, destinies to be fulfilled, babies to raise. Diana has suffered so much loss, but also gained so much love. What is next for Wonder Woman?

The Sun and Her Flowers

I'm so glad that I picked up The Sun and Her Flowers. I've slowly been reading more poetry over the last couple years. I had, of course, heard of Milk and Honey. It was on the Bestseller's list, bookish people were talking about it, my cousins were talking about it. Then, Rupi Kaur published another book. People were excited. When I saw The Sun and Her Flowers looking up at me from a display table, I felt I had to read it. I hadn't heard much about the new book yet, as it had not been as hyped as the first. Though since purchasing, I've been seeing more and more about it.

I connected with The Sun and Her Flowers, enjoying the words, the structure, the images. I've read that people are not sure that it is actually a book of poetry. I can see why they might think that. Rupi Kaur writes about being the child of immigrants, relationships, and discovering herself. They could easily be topics or sections in a memoir. There is memoir in Kaur's words. To me, however, The Sun and Her Flowers is poetry, even if you count the entire book as one long illustrated poem, the poem of her life.

There kept being short passages, moments, that I had to share. So, I Instagrammed them. They connected with me, the whole book did, the struggles that Kaur goes through. How often do we compare ourselves and our paths to others? I know I do all the time. As a mother, friend, daughter, writer, reader, and so many other ways, I have compared myself to others. How can I be there for my children more? Is my husband happy with me? Why aren't I writing more? Why can't I read as much as all these other people?

Kaur reflects on immigration, focusing much on the journey of her mother. It made my wonder about my own parents, particularly my mother (though both from Trinidad, my parents met here in Canada). From the stories they've told me, my father did all right. It was still difficult, but he wasn't sheltered the way my mother had been. My mother was the youngest and a girl. I also wonder about the difficulties her mother faced. She was a single mother bringing her children to a new country, leaving a place where, from what I can tell, her husband had been beloved (he died in a car accident when my mother was seven). They are powerful words indeed to make me thing about all these things.

The Sun and Her Flowers is a book I can see myself coming back to over and over again. It is a book I could just let live at my bedside or on my desk. A book where I can just randomly open a page and read a few words. A book full of words to meditate on, consider, question and inspire. I look forward to reading more of Kaur's work.

Lumberjanes: A Terrible Plan

You know what isn't "a terrible plan"? Reading this book. Lumberjanes #3: A Terrible Plan was fun. It was lighter than the previous two books. I felt like the girls were in less mortal peril.  A Terrible Plan was about the girls having an opportunity to navigate normal life and learn more about each other. There was definitely still some adventure. Some questions were answered, more were asked.

A Terrible Plan was the book that I needed. I have been in a reading slump. It has been a little while, but I have also been in denial. Since the new year, I had only finished one book. One! When I'm not reading, I'm not writing very much either. When I think about it, I feel bad. I feel as though I'm missing something. I started reading It when this reading slump began (not realizing that I was in a slump). I have been struggling through it. Not that I am not enjoying it. Once I pick it up and have time to dive into it, I enjoy it. I'm excited to see what happens in Derry, what happened when they were kids, and what will happen to Pennywise. But trying to get through a Stephen King novel is not how I get through a slump, though I tried and tried. I was about halfway through when I decided to take a break. I decided what I needed was a fun graphic novel. I think Lumberjanes: A Terrible Plan may have just done the trick. I'm feeling more excited about reading. The story and the art grabbed me. Am I reading to go back to It? No. Next, I'm going to read Wonder Woman: War. (The cover is freaky.)

Maybe I'll need to read another Lumberjanes book or I'll decide I need some short stories. I'm definitely going to let my feelings guide me for the next little while.

Like Mal and Molly's feelings? I really enjoyed the developing of Molly and Mal's relationship. They're getting closer, learning more about each other, their "real lives" not just their lives at the camp. They also get into adventure, and learn a little more about the past of the camp. I'm excited to see more "Bear Woman" too.

I liked seeing more of the other campers. The camp seems to be filled with exceptional girls. As the other three explore more "common" goals, the readers get to see even the "common" is special at the Lumberjanes camp. 

I need to mention that the art is different in this volume of the Lumberjanes. It's not bad. It took me a bit to stop missing the previous artist and stop comparing (which I'm going to do here a bit anyway). I found every thing more "round". I'm not sure that's the right word, but that's the one I'm going with. The faces, the eyes, the hair, the background, there was a roundness to it. I enjoyed the expressions, the faces and the emotions they conveyed. So, it was good. It was just noticeably different.

I have not checked (and try not to check) to see if the artists have changes for book 4. Part of me never wants to know. It's not like I like being surprised, it's just with graphic novels, I feel like even a little bit of peaking can give something away. 

Wonder Woman: Iron

That did not end the way I thought it would. Though, I really liked it. It was unexpected. The final image was fantastic. I ended up liking Ares more than I thought I would. I liked learning more about Diana's past, specifically, her childhood. I think I might have a crush on Orion. When I started Wonder Woman: Iron, I wasn't sure where the story was going to go. Obviously, they had to search for Zola's baby, but beyond that, I didn't know.

I really enjoyed the dual story lines of Wonder Woman and the First Born. First Born was definitely an interesting character. I wonder if he is the reason Hera punishes Zeus's other children. Though it's not their fault. If Zola is any example, not all of the mothers knew who he was. Even if they did, it is not the child's fault. Not Diana, Lennox or Siracca. I loved Siracca, I loved how her relationship with Diana has begun. I hope we get to see her again.

Ares has me so confused. Is he good? Bad? Selfish? Selfless? What has changed in him from when Diana first met him to now. His behaviour during Apollo's party was interesting. We certainly know who his favourite siblings are. I think Diana has become more of target of the Olympians as well.

I'm also left wondering what Orion will do in the end. Will he fulfill his mission? How will he fulfill it? Will he find a loophole? Brian Azzarello has created an intriguing story. Cliff Chiang and the other artists created a very visual appealing story. I loved Diana's expressions. All the characters showed their emotions and intentions on their faces. Except for Aphrodite, of course. I don't want to see what someone thinks perfect beauty looks like. Wonder Woman: Iron had a great ending, but also left me excited to read Wonder Woman: War.

Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max

Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max was so much fun. It was exactly what I expected and exactly what I needed. I loved Jen. Jen is the best camp leader the girls could have asked for. Jen wanted to have adventure, but her first priority was always the safety of the girls. We learn more about the personality and motivations of someone we only saw as “in the way” for the Roanoke campers.

I like that in this volume we get to see more of the camp. There are more cabins, and they are filled with more girls. Their safety is Rosie’s top priority. We also get introduced to new and unique characters. Diane was interesting. I wasn’t sure where she was going to lead the girls. I also liked that we learned more about the boys camp. Who was the bear lady

The bull coming out of the woods thing was pretty funny

I wish Lumberjanes was longer. There was an issue of another comic at the end. It was good, I just expected more Jo, April, Mal, Molly, Ripley and Jen. And Rosie. Who is Rosie? I want to know so much more. I have the next 2 volumes and I know there are at least 4 more after that. I’m hoping we’ll find out more about Rosie in one of them. Because I think the Lumberjanes camp is no accident. There’s definitely something going on.

Also, Jen’s happiness at the end made me happy. Molly and Mal made me happy too.

Wonder Woman 2: Guts

Wow. That ending was nuts. Diana, Hermes, Zola, wow. I couldn't put it done. Wonder Woman: Guts was fantastic. It was exciting, full of action, emotion and the unexpected. It was a great, maybe perfect sequel to Blood. Hermes! I thought one thing, then it was totally something else. Brian Azzarello, Cliff Chiang and the team did a fantastic job. 

I don't know if I could have been more excited by what Guts did with all the characters. Diana, of course, was amazing. I loved seeing more of Apollo. We got to see Artemis, Demeter, and Persephone. The time with Hades, his whole story, left me a little heartbroken, but also with hope. I wonder if we'll see more of him in the future. The characters were explored and made three-dimensional. 

I'm not sure what else to say... If I say much more, I'm going to give away the end, because Hermes... Demeter... damn. Otherwise, I'm just gushing about how much I enjoyed this book and I am very much looking forward to more Wonder Woman from The New 52.

Wonder Woman

Yes. Just, yes. Wonder Woman was everything that I hoped it would be. Diana was amazing. She was tough, determined, strong, sensitive and iconic. I don't know if I could have loved Diana more. I loved her insistence about training. I loved her directness. Gal Gadot was strong and brilliant, emotional and expressive. She brought Wonder Woman to life on screen with class and independence. Her performance, seeing Wonder Woman up there kicking ass, having a formidable presence, but also being a part of a deep, complex story, was wonderful.  I loved the emotion in the story. I loved that the story made sense, that it was Wonder Woman's origin, but that it also tied into the DC Universe and looks like it will lead nicely into the Justice League movie. I hope there is a lot of Wonder Woman in that movie.

Wonder Woman was my favourite part of Batman V Superman, and I was so very much looking forward to finally seeing her movie, but I was also worried. While I thought the DC Universe stories were okay (I don't hate on them as much as I've seen others), they all disappointed me in some way. So though Wonder Woman looked amazing, and I thought she should have had a bigger role in a movie with the title Dawn of Justice, I was still worried that this film would not live up to my expectations, that it would be like the DC films before it. Seriously though, how has there never been a Wonder Woman film before this? Wonder Woman is 76 years old. There are at least 6 Superman movies I can think of off the top of my head and 8 of Batman. Honestly, I know there are more, but looking them up will probably frustrate me. You know what, let's get back to how awesome the Wonder Woman movie was.

Watching Diana transition from her sheltered life on Themyscira to the world of man was interesting. She knows a lot, over 100 languages and she's read countless books. She's studied and trained hard. But she is not prepared for how women are treated. She is not prepared for the laws that govern the world. She is not prepared for the clothes. I would not be very happy with some of the clothes either, though the outfit Diana settled on seemed to fit her personality well. 

I loved when Diana and Steve were on the boat together. I really enjoyed Steve Trevor. He didn't take over the story. He was the guide with whom Diana could understand the world of man. Through him, she also saw how there was good and evil in everyone. She saw how people make choices and can change. Steve had the typical instinct to protect Diana, but once he saw what she could do, once he learned, she leaped into battle with a cheer; he needed her. Would it have been nice if he trusted her abilities at her word? Yes, but I also think about the World War I era and that this would be typical male behaviour. 

I also have to say I really loved that French village. Diana was amazing there (and everywhere). Her/Steve's men were great there too. In that village, they all learned more about each other, about who they really were and who they could be. It would have been easy to let them be who they seemed at first, but movie let us see more in them, see their goodness.

I want to see Hippolyta again. I want to see what happens when Diana goes home. I want to see how the relationship with her mother has changed and what other changes there may have been on the island. We deserve another Wonder Woman movie. Wonder Woman is easily the best movie DC has made in a long time. I hope they keep that going and everyone watches this fantastic story.

Unless

Unless was art. From the first chapter, this simple, yet complex tale struck me on an artistic level. It fully deserves every award and accolade it has ever received. I don't even know if I can fully describe how much I loved it. Carol Shields' Unless is definitely one of my new favourite books. As I was reading it, I felt it happening, felt myself falling more and more into the story, the characters and the craft of the words. I felt myself fearing the end, fearing the reveal as to what caused Norah's change. Ends can make or break a book for me, but this ending was a bit surprising, but also sort of what I had hoped it what be. I say only a bit surprising, because if I think back to some of the things Reta talked about with her friends, her arc and the story's arc throughout the novel, it is not that surprising. I feel like subtle literary hints were dropped. Of course, they were expertly weaved into the story.

Part of me feels like, why didn't I read Unless years ago? I've only had this copy for about a year (that's not that long compared to some of the unread books I own), but it was published in 2002 and it's by a great Canadian author. I feel like maybe I aught to have read it when I first read The Handmaid's Tale. The other part of me, the maternal part I think, is glad I read it now. I connected with Reta. Though my children are much younger, I also struggle with finding stories, whether books, film or television, with strong female representation. Not just for my daughter, but for my son too. (I'm going to stop there before I get too political and I'll stick with Reta's story.) The letters that she writes grow more and more scathing. I really liked when she said, you couldn't include Virginia Woolf? (I'm paraphrasing.) But she was right and she was connecting it with trying to figure out what happened to Norah.

There's so much in Unless. Motherhood, marriage, women, friendship, mentorship, all ran throughout the story. I found myself questioning Reta's relationship with Danielle Westerman. I don't know if I liked her. Though I always tried to remember that she was 85 and had been used to a certain dynamic with Reta. Now there was a change. Not just with Reta's home life, but Reta had other projects she was working on too. I felt that Danielle expected Reta's feelings to always be like hers, and they weren't. I reminded me of a bit of a parent-child relationship, where you expect your adult child to be more like you than they actually are, then are surprised. Reta's editor was driving me a bit nuts too. He just wouldn't let her talk, she couldn't finish a sentence. All the changes he wanted to make were infuriating. Unless invoked strong emotions with every chapter. It was a great, consuming read. There are so many more aspects I could explore and I look forward to finding more in future readings.

Lumberjanes: Beware The Kitten Holy

Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy is just so cute! It's funny and sweet, smart and tough. These are five different girls, who are friends, who trust and rely on each other. They drive their camp counselor crazy, but the camp director seems to have other ideas. I had a feeling that I would like the book, but I didn't know how much I would enjoy all its fun, interesting and unique quirks. I picked up Lumberjanes on a whim. Part of me was actually thinking this story would be great for my children in a few years. Now I am the one who has to read the whole series.

I really like how different Molly, Mal, Jo, Ripley, and April all are. They each have not only a distinct look, but distinct personalities. If this were a novel, without the visual "help", I'd easily be able to tell these girls apart. The visuals were great though. Bright when they needed to be, dark when it was time to be scared. Their expressions conveyed how they were feeling. I loved Camp Counselor Jen's expressions too. This is a difficult group of "hardcore lady types" to be in charge of. Jen does the best she can. I'm surprised these girls don't make her rip her hair out. Rosie's look is very distinct too. When you find out the girls are going to be taken to the director, you do not expect Rosie. Noelle Stevenson and the entire group who created Lumberjanes have done an amazing job.

The ending though... I mean, the whole book was great. Each chapter was a fun-filled adventure. The end really made the book even better. What they learned, the potential for danger, the new relationships, are all going to change how they continue to pursue this mystery. 

There are so many things I could talk about with this graphic novel. There's diversity, strong women who are all have their own strength, their pledge, their leader, the males they encounter, but what I want to say is that with all those aspects, the plot, the story is worth reading for everyone. 

I have to say though, this badge was one of my favourite parts of the whole book.

I'm so happy that I picked up Lumberjanes and I can't wait to find out what happens to them next.

One more thing... I made an infographic with an app called Bookout. I couldn't change anything about it, it just generated based on my reading stats for this book. I'm not sure what I think.

I read Lumberjanes Vol. 1. Here's an infographic about it made with @bookoutapp

Can You Keep A Secret?

So cute and silly and funny. Some real emotional moments I could relate to. Can You Keep A Secret? reminded me why I love Sophia Kinsella. I could read the book again right now.

I could relate so much to Emma. I've totally faked my way through a job I didn't understand (I wasn't even sure how I ended up there). I may have acted like I had more more money than I did at that age, trying to impress the "right" people. I've been awkward (I'm still awkward). I've said I liked things when I didn't, just to make someone else happy. That stuff with Emma's family hit a nerve too. It was more extreme, but I think a lot of people can relate to what's going on with the Corrigans.

The story is pretty simple, girl meets boy, girl thinks she's going to die, girl spills all her secrets to boy, they don't die, girl thinks she'll never see boy again, boy turns up at her office. Seriously, that sums up the first bit of the book. Everything that happens after is hilarious and touching. Sometimes I cringed, sometimes I smiled, I laughed, I wanted to know what happened next. I stayed up way too late reading. Even though the plot seems simple, Kinsella packs the books with so much emotion, tension, and laughter, that you can't put it down.

Besides Emma, the other characters are great. Many of them are searching for pieces of themselves, on journeys of discovery. Jack is practically the opposite of Emma, I think. Lissy is trying to be more than what she's been labeled. Maybe Jemima even learns about herself. The ups and downs, the misunderstandings, the tears, were all worth it for them in the end. The ending made me love the book even more. Not just the Epilogue part, which was beyond cute, but the part with Lissy and Jemima. She so deserved it. I'm so happy with my book choices so far this year, I'm excited/nervous about what the next story will bring, though I know that the next book I pick up by Kinsella will surely make me laugh again.