We Are Lady Parts is a British sit-com about an all-girl Muslim punk band, and it is glorious. It is sweet, empowering, and very, very funny with a diverse, female-led cast and some very clever writing. The series runs for six 25-minute episodes written and directed by Nida Manzoor, and we watched the whole thing in a single sitting, alternately cackling with laughter and hiding behind the sofa in an agony of vicarious embarrassment. The … Continue reading We Are Lady Parts, created by Nida Manzoor →
Finding Faeries: Discovering Sprites, Pixies, Redcaps and Other Fantastical Creatures in an Urban Environment purports to be a scholarly reference work on liminal creatures. Part encyclopedia, part practical guide, this book introduces us to more than fifty species of fae, both the well known and the lesser known. The text is adorned with detailed pen and ink illustrations by Miles Äijälä, which are a little reminiscent of antique scientific illustrations of animals. These are very … Continue reading Finding Faeries: Discovering Sprites, Pixies, Redcaps and Other Fantastical Creatures in an Urban Environment by Alexandra Rowland →
CW: Off the page suicide attempt of a minor character. Classism, including jokes about hobos. The blurb for Last Tang Standing recommends it for “fans of Crazy Rich Asians and Bridget Jones’s Diary.” I liked those books, and I can see the superficial similarities—this is a humorous diary set in wealthy Singapore—but this book doesn’t bring much of an original perspective to the story of a 30-something finding themselves. Last Tang Standing tries so hard … Continue reading Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho →
Trigger warning: Lots of violence, death of major characters Fire & Water is the third urban fantasy novel featuring Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator. I have not read the previous books in this series, but I had no trouble finding my way into Kane’s world – she provides the necessary backstory in her laconic, humorous style, and it’s enough. Having said that, I’m not sure that it stands alone, precisely – the end, while not a … Continue reading Fire and Water by Alexis Hall →
