There’s been a slew of novels set in the pandemic on Netgalley recently and I for one am not here for them. I am so tired of lockdown and COVID and social isolation–the last thing I want to read for fun is something that highlights these things. Give me escapism baby! […]
Even before COVID-19, I worked at home. I’d get the kids ready and to school, wave my husband off to work, walk the dog and then settle down with my laptop. Many days, around ten, I’d realize the silence was bumming me out, and I’d turn on tunes. For me, music is a basic mental health need. Every day, I listen to at least an hour, from all genres and eras. I sing in the shower, the kitchen, and while exercising. For me, musicians are akin to benevolent gods.
And yet, I haven’t read that many romances I love that feature them as leads. […]
This week an author we’ve reviewed frequently declined to discuss her latest work of women’s fiction with us. Her reason?
….AAR is not the place to discuss this book, simply because of it being called All About Romance. This book, we feel, is really mainstream….
I don’t think she’s alone in thinking the name is too freighted for where the industry would like to go. […]
An ongoing consideration at AAR is whether or not it’s worth doing more than one review per book. Typically, we have a list of books reviewers can choose from and one reviewer picks a book and reviews it. Sometimes, if there’s a lot of interest in a release, we do a Pandora’s Box where reviewers discuss a book. However, I’m interested in greenlighting more dual reviews for two reasons. One, I want reviewers to review books that they’re excited about. Two, as cultural critics have begun to look, openly, at books for how appropriate they are–a values’ based judgement–as well as the technical merits of a book, I want to make sure that our views on books are as expansive as our readership. […]
In some ways, it seems as if it’s never been better to be fat. Body shaming is frowned upon–publicly at least–, Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue has plus sized models, Hollywood loves Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer, and Lizzo is still ruling the world. This year, several best-selling romances featured curvy leads.
But…. […]
I am blessed with a lovely daughter who, despite all attempts on my part to discourage her, keeps encouraging me to watch The Bachelor (and its gender flipped twin, The Bachelorette.) I don’t watch any reality shows, not ones where people make chess pieces out of biscuits, almost die on far away islands, ponder the need for bigger breasts/lips/hair, or get jiggy on top of the covers. […]
In our lively discussion about Bridgerton, several readers have shared how much they lust for love Regé-Jean Page, the absurdly sexy British-Zimbabwean actor who plays Simon Basset aka the Duke of Hastings. […]
It’s the first day of 2021 and, really, it’s not a moment too soon. Worst year ever? No. That goes to 1348 when the Black Death wiped out half of Europe. It’s not even the worst year in my lifetime–that has to be 2001, the year of 9/11. Still, it’s been a dumpster fire of an annum!
2021 has to be better.
For my part, I have made some resolutions I hope will make the year shine. Here are those that focus on reading.
Many of us sat down today and started streaming Bridgerton on Netflix. The TV show is such a big deal it’s been (positively) reviewed in both the Washington Post and the New York Times. I particularly love the WaPo review–it nailed why so many of us are likely to adore the show. Critic Hank Stuever wrote: […]
Every year, in December, there’s a bevy of social media postings and articles about how much people loathe Love, Actually. And, of course, there are a host of articles and posts declaring their love for the film. I treasure parts of Love, Actually and will never trash the whole film–I simply fast forward through every scene involving Colin, the interminable Mr. Bean cameo, and that whole tragic Laura Linney just can’t let herself get laid by her dream man clip. (When I saw it in the theater, as we walked out, a woman in front of us was shaking her head. “Her brother would have been just as crazy ten minutes later,” she said.) But whether you’re a fan or not, there are so many other holiday films to consider. […]