Review: PROUD – Stories, Poetry and Art on the theme of Pride

By Michelle Nathan

 

Starting the year off with a bang, I was so excited to receive an ARC of ‘PROUD – Stories, Poetry and Art on the theme of Pride’ on NetGalley, after hearing about it a few months ago, and it did not disappoint. This collection of short stories, poetry and artwork shares tales from a multitude of perspectives from those within the LGBTQ+ community, and it is stunning. From gay penguins, to a queer retelling of ‘Pride & Prejudice”, and even a sprinkle of Dungeons & Dragons, this anthology has a bit of everything. Sweet, funny, sometimes sad but always hopeful, I was left with that glorious warm glow in my stomach and smile on my face that only comes from reading something that genuinely lifts my spirits. Click below for the full review!

REVIEW: XX BY ANGELA CHADWICK

By Michelle Nathan

Hi friends! So discovering NetGalley this year has been a dream – it really is the gift that keeps on giving! I acquired ‘XX’ by Angela Chadwick back in October, and while it took me a few chapters to warm up to it, by the time I got to the end I was savouring every last page. Chadwick has crafted a beautifully honest and realistic portrayal of how the world would react to the scientific advancement of two women being able to have a baby together. It is a unique take on what it means to be a parent above and beyond your biological connection to your child – something which many people have experienced before, but not quite like this. Click below to read the full review!

Review: The One Who Wrote Destiny by Nikesh Shukla

By Michelle Nathan

 

Another lucky acquisition from NetGalley, The One Who Wrote Destiny by Nikesh Shukla is a book I have been excited to read for a while now. This book is wonderful in many ways, but I especially loved how it made me feel connected to my family and Asian heritage while also reminding me, and consolidating a belief I already hold strongly, that no one person’s experience is the same. As a group, first generation Asian immigrants and their children have certain shared experiences, of course, but all of us have lived very different and individual lives as well. Shukla does an amazing job of balancing these two ideas of shared and individual experiences pretty much perfectly in this book – which is something that I go into (alongside much more!) in my full review below.

Review: ‘The Illumination of Ursula Flight’ by Anna-Marie Crowhurst

By Michelle Nathan

 

Hello lovely Book Buds! I was lucky to receive an ARC of  ‘The Illumination of Ursula Flight’ by Anna-Marie Crowhurst from NetGalley, and had many thoughts and feelings about it (as per usual…!) Read on for the full review, and hope you enjoy 🙂

Recommend to a Friend – Ms Marvel Volumes 1 – 5

Hello friends! Today we’re trying out a new format called ‘Recommend to a Friend,’ where one Bud recommends something that they think another Bud will enjoy, and we see if it’s a match made in heaven or a hellish experience they’d rather forget (hopefully the former!) I lent my collection of ‘Ms Marvel’ comics (Volumes 1 – 5) to Elen and Kate, so let’s see how they fared with them!

Literary Listography 2 – My Favourite Science Fiction

Hello friends! So for my second ‘Literary Listography’ post I’ve decided to write about my favourite science-fiction novels. Please note that these are my current favourite sci-fi picks, and they will probably change in the (near!) future, as I love the genre. From the novels set in space, with weird and wonderful alien species and wayward voyagers discovering new worlds, to the books with a more dystopian spin, which look at how technological and scientific advances could shape and affect humanity. You never know what you’re going to get with sci-fi, and that’s what I love about it!

Comedy Review – Austentatious

By Michelle Nathan

 

A hearty hello, young lords and ladies! Over the weekend I had the pleasure of going to see AUSTENTATIOUS – an improv comedy show in the style of Jane Austen, where the plot line is based solely on title suggestions from the audience, making every show completely unique. I’ve been trying to go to one of these shows for over a year now, so when the stars finally aligned on Sunday my expectations were high and I could barely contain my excitement. I was slightly worried, however, as I know that improv comedy can be very hit or miss, depending on the style of humour (and, frankly, how talented the actors are!) but the show was absolutely incredible. I can’t remember the last time I laughed that much while watching a live performance, and by the time the cast were taking their final bows me and my friends were already talking about booking tickets for their next London show.

Review: WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI by Sandhya Menon

By Michelle Nathan

 

Hi friends! This month I am reviewing WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI, a tale of romance, comedy and some carefully orchestrated destiny centring around two young, first generation Indian-Americans whose parents have plotted an arranged set up between the two. But, in the vein of all classic rom-coms, only one of them knows about the arrangement, while the other is initially completely oblivious. Miscommunication, hijinks and all of the cutesy rom-com tropes in the world are afoot in this charming story about young love, chasing your dreams and following your heart. Hope you enjoy!

Review: WING JONES by Katherine Webber

By Michelle Nathan

Hello my lovely book buds! This month I have decided to write a review of a book that I absolutely fell in love with and stormed through in about two days (almost missing my train stop on three different occasions.) WING JONES by Katherine Webber. Hope you enjoy!

 

SPOILER WARNING: This review contains very minor spoilers.

 

HAPPY GALENTINE’S DAY <3: On Fictional Female Friendship

By Michelle Nathan

Hi all! So, in honour of my third favourite holiday of the year, Galentine’s Day (Christmas and Halloween come in 1st and 2nd, in case you were wondering) I have decided to write about 5 books that depict female friendship, in all it’s glorious complexity. Galentine’s Day is celebrated on February 13th, and is an (un)official national holiday created by fictional character Leslie Knope in my favourite TV show, Parks and Recreation. To quote Leslie, it’s about “ladies celebrating ladies,” a Valentine’s Day for your platonic loved ones.

But I have to admit, I really had to rack my brain to think of even 5 books that have female friendship at the centre of the storyline, or even fictional female friendships that really stood out in my mind as being iconic. I have a list as long as my arm for the same criteria in TV and film, but I clearly need to up my reading game to include more stories that depict memorable, complex, honest, interesting female friends, as I’m sure they do exist, I’m just not looking in the right places. Anyway, let’s get to the good stuff – the books!