Want to Read Wednesday

Feminism Edition!

Continuing strong into the second "Want to Read Wednesday" with a subject that I'm sure is near and dear to most of our hearts: feminism. I decided to go with a mix of fiction and nonfiction, because I feel that essay and be just as powerful as stories; it depends more on the execution than the medium. Happy reading!

5 Books I Cannot Wait to Read:

5. The Vagina Monologues, by Eve Ensler

Why: The Vagina Monologues is a compilation featuring interviews from women talking about their vaginas. What isn't to like about that? I've heard about it from pretty much everywhere; it's an incredibly infamous piece of writing, and I'm curious to find out why. I've read some more negative reviews about it recently, so I'm also interested it reading it on my own to form my own sort of opinion on it from start to finish. I feel safe to say that it's considered to be a classic of feminist literature, so regardless of the current consensus, I'd like to add it to my "read" list, more than anything else. Plus, it seems at least mildly entertaining.

4. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood

Why: Once you've known me for about five minutes, you'll know that I love dystopian fiction. A world where a women's only real purpose is reproduction sounds horrifying, and like something that may have noticeable parallels to a society from not so long ago. The Handmaid's Tale is on virtually every "Read Before You Die" list, and based on premise alone, I'm inclined to agree. Plus, I'm a bit of a purist, and so I really want to read the book before I see the movie (which looks incredible, by the way). 

3. Beauty Queens, by Libba Bray

Why: This book has everything. Girls, beauty contestants, LGBT character(s), dance numbers (?), and, I'm sure, plenty of talk about societal expectations and roles. And it's funny! I'm a little split on my opinion of books with a ton of relevant characters, and even more split of books with multiple POV's, but I've heard so many great reviews of this Beauty Queens that I know I need to give it a try. 

2. Rejected Princesses: Tales of History's Boldest Heroines, Hellions & Heretics, by Jason Porath

Why: First, I know what you might be thinking if you read above- "why is a male author on a list about feminist books?". Rather than beginning the argument over whether or not men should be in the feminism movement (they should), or whether they have any right to write about it (Jury's still out), there is no possible way that this book couldn't be classified as pro-women. Based on historical accounts of women's accomplishments in the past centuries, (the earliest one is from 1500 BCE), based on the Table of Contents), what Porath has done is collect dozens of women who deserved to be in history textbooks but were left out. When it first came in the mail, I couldn't help but to read the first few stories, and my God, are they interesting. He added some fairy tales in there that have since been largely forgotten, and I'm happy at the representation I'm seeing. Probably far from exhaustive, the list still contains histories and stories from all around the world, and will surely please the little historian inside me. 

1. Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kaur

Why: This has been on my to-read list for almost a year. I have no excuse as to why I haven't read it yet. I've reblogged countless photos of it on Tumblr, read select poems posts by other bloggers, and even read The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace (otherwise it would be on this list), which was noticeably inspired by Milk and Honey. So why the hell haven't I read it yet? I think maybe I feel unprepared for it. It's no doubt going to be incredible, but it also feels like the book of poems will be a journey, one that I'm unsure if I'm in the right head space for at the moment. Every line is so powerful, that I know I'm going to want to take my time and not breeze through it, and that takes both willpower and patience, neither of which I possess at the moment. So, until that time comes, Milk and Honey will be left at the top of my "must read" list, until I am ready for that impact on my life. 

Extremely Honorable Mention Goes Out To:

1. We Should All Be Feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2. Bad Feminist, by Roxane Gay
3. The Purity Myth, by Jessica Valenti
4. Only Ever Yours, by Louise O'Neill
5. Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights, by Katha Pollitt

Have you read any of these books? What would be on your "Want to Read" List, with feminist characters/subjects? Put any books that I should check out in the comments below!

Mail-Time Monday

This past week's been pretty chill-  I haven't really left the house, so the only new additions to my book family I have to show are ones that actually came in the mail. Please be proud that the name actually makes sense.

Rejected Princesses - Jason Porath  |  Purchased via Amazon

Synopsis: Blending the iconoclastic feminism of The Notorious RBG and the confident irreverence of Go the F**ck to Sleep, a brazen and empowering illustrated collection that celebrates inspirational badass women throughout history, based on the popular Tumblr blog.

Well-behaved women seldom make history. Good thing these women are far from well behaved . . .

Illustrated in a contemporary animation style, Rejected Princesses turns the ubiquitous "pretty pink princess" stereotype portrayed in movies, and on endless toys, books, and tutus on its head, paying homage instead to an awesome collection of strong, fierce, and yes, sometimes weird, women: warrior queens, soldiers, villains, spies, revolutionaries, and more who refused to behave and meekly accept their place.

An entertaining mix of biography, imagery, and humor written in a fresh, young, and riotous voice, this thoroughly researched exploration salutes these awesome women drawn from both historical and fantastical realms, including real life, literature, mythology, and folklore. Each profile features an eye-catching image of both heroic and villainous women in command from across history and around the world, from a princess-cum-pirate in fifth century Denmark, to a rebel preacher in 1630s Boston, to a bloodthirsty Hungarian countess, and a former prostitute who commanded a fleet of more than 70,000 men on China’s seas.

Excitement Level: 10/10


The Serial Killer Files - Harold Schechter  |  Purchased via Barnes & Noble

Synopsis: Hollywood’s make-believe maniacs like Jason, Freddy, and Hannibal Lecter can’t hold a candle to real life monsters like John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and scores of others who have terrorized, tortured, and terminated their way across civilization throughout the ages. Now, from the much-acclaimed author of Deviant, Deranged, and Depraved, comes the ultimate resource on the serial killer phenomenon.

Rigorously researched and packed with the most terrifying, up-to-date information, this innovative and highly compelling compendium covers every aspect of multiple murderers—from psychology to cinema, fetishism to fan clubs, “trophies” to trading cards. 
Excitement Level: 6/10

Honorable Mention (AKA This Isn't Book Related but I Count It Anyway, For Some Reason):

Staedtler FineLiners - 36 Count

Why Do I Count Them?: Because I use Staedtlers for my Bullet Journaling (I'll make a post about that later) and I count that as something towards my blog, so it counts, damnit!

Plus, look how pretty! 

Now, all I need is a proper pencil case, because the cardboard box these came in is not nearly as suitable for travel as I seem to need. 

Excitement Level: 11/10

Weekly Wrap Up

Sunday's are the days where I like to look back on my reading week and see how it goes. Or, you know, guilt myself into reading more, because I get lazy as hell during the semester.

I am adding a few from the end of the last week, because I red them while I was planning out this blog, so I'm going to count it as a long week (only be a day though, so it's okay).

Finished:

I Hate MySelfie - Shane Dawson  |  228 pages  |  Jan 3 2017 - Jan 6 2017

Stars: ✮✮✮✮✫
Opinion: I went into this book having read Dawson's followup months prior, so I had a pretty concrete idea of what to expect. That being said, it was interesting to see him talk about sexuality and to make jokes at his own expense when, not long after I Hate MySelfie's release, Dawson came out of the closet as Bisexual. Seeing this as sort of a precursor, or even as a stepping stone on his path to understanding. His books are like watching his YouTube videos (mainly the one's on his second channel which I think is the only one he really updates anymore), so if you don't like his internet personality, you will not like his written one.
Recommend?: Y/N

Strong Signal - Megan Erickson & Santino Hassell  |  229 pages  |  Jan 6 2017

Stars: ✮✮✮✫✫
Opinion: Let me start by saying that yes, this is a mlm romance novel. They're a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine (is that bad? I'm sorry if it is). The reason I picked this up, however, had little to do with the romantic aspect (as surprising as that surely is, with a URL like mine) and much more to do with its characters. Kai was a lot of things that I hadn't read, and filled a void I didn't realize I'd been fostering. He was a Twitch streamer, playing video games as his source of income. My YouTube viewing history is filled with video game Let's Players, so for the story to focus on a demographic that is a major part of another aspect of my source of entertainment was instantly intriguing. To add icing to the cake, Kai has anxiety. He experiences panic attack and hadn't left his home in nearly three years. Reading about his evolution was fascinating, and the romance was pretty enjoyable too, if I may say so myself. It would've deserved three stars, if not for the ending, but it was still a good enough way to end the story; just not how I would have preferred.
Recommend?: Y/N

High Contrast - Tess Bowery  |  226 pages  |  Jan 9 2016

Stars: ✮✮✮✫✫
Opinion: Again, this is a mlm romance. I can normally finish romance novels in a day, regardless of the romantic orientation present. This one was no exception. I actually found it because I was looking for LGBT+ New Adult books (for a reading challenge I'm taking part in), and Goodreads recommended one about a tattoo parlor, a guy who does piercings for a living and may be more metal than man, and his ensuing relationship with a guy who interns at some white collar business. It was definitely... interesting. I originally gave it a 4 star review on Goodreads, but looking back, I think i might have aimed too high. I have a tendency to sway my review based on how good the ending was, if I try to rate the book right after I finish it. I can, however, say that this story will stick with me; from this book, I learned that there are more places on the human body to pierce than I previously knew possible!

Not Finished:

Gemina - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff  |  130/608 pages  |  Dec 29 2016- 

Opinion So Far: I'm intrigued, but like I said on Tuesday, I want to wait to form a more concrete opinion until I'm further in the story. These are the types of books where your opinion can change wildly within twenty or so pages. High hopes, but hesitant to say more. 

Rejected Princesses - Jason Porath  |  25/384 pages  |  Jan 11 2017-

Opinion So Far: Love the concept. Love the art. Love the introduction, where Porath apologizes for everything he got wrong, but hopes that he was close enough to the truth anyway, because this kind of author's note reminds me of basically every essay I've ever written. I think it's interesting that he used to work for Dreamworks, and I feel like that really shows in his art of casual storytelling- he can go on tangents without detracting from the story, and it feels like someone is telling you what's happening, rather than you reading words printed on a page (which is my favorite way to learn of historical accounts). I'm trying to hold off on reading too far into this, because I want it to still count as a "want to read" instead of a "read", but that might be a losing battle.