Soft pick. I chose this particular book because I wanted to hear Boudica's story from the mouth of a woman who could be critical of sexist sources who used Boudica's story to further their own agendas. In a way, she reveals those agendas and some of their biases. But, for the most part, she simply retells their stories without too much criticism (where it was due). 1/3

This was an ARC which isn't the final version, so some things might change. Hopefully, some things might improve, because this book really deserves some further attention. It was hard to decide between a soft pick or a So-so+, but I think it's the latter. I didn't like how one of the twists at the end was done, which was frustrating because it's a really nice idea that could have been explored much better. 1/2

#TheTreasureHuntersClub #NetGalley

I think I enjoyed the first book more but this one was a lit of fun too!

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

“ 'Goodness, how it stormed!' Pippi would say. 'Even the fishes were seasick and wanted to go ashore. I saw a shark that was absolutely green in the face and an octopus that sat holding his head in all his many arms'“

🤣

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

"The old street lamp" is a beautiful tale about leaving behind a whole life (hopefully) well lived. It can be interpreted in various ways: it could be about retirement, death, our place in our family. A warm and magical tale you can read here: https://tardisgrades.blogspot.com/2024/04/a-tale-day-old-street-lamp.html?m=1

#ATaleADay

You can't argue with her logic... 😂

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

“ 'I'm making believe I'm a boat,' she said, plowing through the water. Just as she spoke she tumbled and went down under. 'Or, to be more exact, a submarine,' she continued calmly when she got her nose in the air again.“

Nice save Pippi, nice save... 😂

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

“The Two Brothers“ is a little tale to honour two important Danish personalities, Anders Sandoe Oersted and Hans Christian Oersted, who were brothers.
But I also see in this tale that there is more than one path to find the so-called “truth“ of the world. One can see the truth in many different ways. Some, like these two men, even devote their lives to it.
You can read the full tale here: https://shorturl.at/nopT3

#ATaleADay #History

One of the best horror stories I've ever read. It easily surpasses Poe's “The Fall of the House of Usher“ and does something very unique with the parts that are based on that story. Truly creepy and horrible but also a pleasant, smooth read with wit and humour. And it even has a non-binary character. How marvellous!
Hob is also an extremely charming character.
What an incredible book!

#serieslove2024

It really should come as no surprise that "In Defence of the Act", by Effie Black is my Book of the Week, although "How to Cook and Eat the Rich" by Sunyi Dean came as a close second: https://tardisgrades.blogspot.com/2024/04/book-of-week-april-1-to-7.html?m=1

#BookOfTheWeek

Proverb #3: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
The equivalents given by the book are in the picture, but I found more: https://shorturl.at/gyOS9

Some interesting differences show up when we look at how the same sentence is said in different languages: would you translate these keeping them as close to the original as possible or would you change them to fit the rules of the target language?

#translation #proverbs #translationtuesday

"But he used to put festive hats on his skulls depending on the season, and they all looked rather jolly."

?

"(...) if you don't make a fool of yourself over animals, at least in private, you aren't to be trusted. That was my one of my father's maxims, and it's never failed me yet."

Couldn't agree more!

"Hob, my horse, was grateful for the rest, but seemed annoyed by the surroundings. He looked at the grass and then up at me, indicating that this was not the quality to which he was accustomed."

Can't really blame him. If you have to carry a heavy monkey on your back through all sorts of rough terrain, the very least they can do is pay you back with a decent meal...

“We have entered the bears' home without permission and selfishly laid claim to what we found there. In the words of Wee Bear, 'someone' s been lying in my bed, ' and, well, here we are.“

So true, and such a good comparison to make!

#Naturalitsy #buddyread

Without a doubt one of the best books I've ever read. The subject matter (suic*de) is an incredibly difficult topic to address in any shape or form, but Effie Black manages to talk about it beautifully, with tact, facts, kindness and even humour. The story is captivating and the writing is so light and pleasant that you end up easily reading through a lot more pages in one sitting than you were expecting.

#LGBTQ+ #lesbianlove

A timeless classic that never fails to bring a smile to my lips. Ahead of its time in some things, not so much in others (and this should definitely be updated), it's a simple story (or collection of stories) with remarkable characters. It's hard, if not downright impossible, not to be charmed and inspired by Pipi.

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

"But if it's all bullshit anyway, I'm choosing the bullshit that will get me through the day."

This has been my motto for a while now. I used to try to form the most accurate, the most correct, the most informed opinions as possible on everything, but some things are just not that simple or even important. Now I just look for what makes me happy and gets me through the day. Because, in the end, most of it is just all bullshit anyway.

Not really the very first line, but

“ 'Feel free to shout out.' Everyone feels free. No one shouts out.“

is possibly one of my favourite passages.

This first page was the page that made me want to read this book and I'm so glad I did so, because I haven't been able to put it down! So, a bit more than a first line but I'm hoping it'll get others to read it too.

#FirstLineFridays

"I hurled it with such incensed vigour that it bounced back and onto the lap of the person next to me, to whom I apologized. Which I probably wouldn't have had to do had they read the book, because they would've surely understood the point I must have reached, and, remembering it, they would quite rightly have thrown the book on the floor in renewed rage themselves."

We've all read a book like that and I just love how she describes this ?

I would love to watch a horse dance the schottische 🤣

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

I really liked this passage from "Solving the P‘naptuk Paradox":

"Hear his mutterings
as they echo through time
like Noah‘s turtledoves
or a crushed butterfly
sending wavelets through time
embrittling your shackles"

#poetry

These type of sonets aren't usually my cup of tea, I'm a bit old-fashioned when it comes to poetry and I'm also not very fond of Wicca, so maybe I'm really not the best person to review this. BUT! As a Cthulhu fan, I found them to be nice sonnets, and I especially enjoyed the last one, “We Ghouls“, which is a bit more down my alley. The first one, “Invisibility“ I found to be very sweet and very relatable.

#poetry #fantasy #cthululhu #wicca

This short story is:

1 cup of wonderful writing
2 slices of delicious wit
1tbsp of the best one-sided dialog I've ever read
And a dash of dark humour, sprinkled to taste

Absolutely delicious!

#amazingbooks #shortstories

"We may be peasants in comparison, but enough peasants can slay a dragon."

I loved this quote. This story is just so wonderfully written!

A charming little tale about a mysterious visitor who leaves puzzling gifts in exchange for the books they borrow.

It's a very short story (about 10 pages long), so if you'd like to add some well written magic to your day, but don't have time to read a full book, I definitely recommend this little story.

You can even read it for free if you download Tor's free anthology with their best short stories of 2020: https://amzn.eu/d/8Xdm8Ka

“The Shepherdess and the Chimney-Sweeper“ is a lovely little tale about forbidden love between two porcelain dolls, with a lot of sentiment, humour, and charming characters.

If you'd like to be charmed and amused, I invite you to read the full tale: https://tardisgrades.blogspot.com/2024/04/a-tale-day-shepherdess-and-chimney.htm...

#ATaleADay

For those of you who, like me, didn't know, Tor publishes a digital anthology of their best short fiction from the previous year, some of which are completely FREE!
Here's the link to this one: https://amzn.eu/d/8Xdm8Ka

#FreeBooks #TorBooks #DigitalBooks

“You see, I am really very shy, so if I didn't give myself some commands I'd just stand in the hall and not dare to come in.“

I have to try that whenever my social anxiety hits 😅

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

I was a bit disappointed. The characters and the world were both interesting but I wasn't really moved by any of it. It was just a meh book. Fun, but nothing special.

#TheKnifeandtheSerpent #NetGalley

#WondrousWednesday

📖 Paperback to travel and Hardcover to read at home
🌠 Fiction
🛸 Science Fiction
🏛️ Depends but usually can't go wrong with a Classic
☕ Coffee in the morning and Tea in the evening
📚 Physical (though digital books are very practical)
📝 Print

😂

#memes

“ 'Aren't you going to dry the floor?' asked Annika. 'Oh, no, it can dry in the sun,' answered Pipi. 'I don't think it will catch cold so long as it keeps moving.'“

Good to know 😂

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

I can't get enough of Pipi's silly stories 🤣

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

“The Wicked Prince“ reminds us that even greed has its limits and that, sometimes, the best weapons are the simplest ones. However, this tale can also be interpreted as a warning against colonialism and capitalism, since our world is so firmly built upon greed. Perhaps we should take care not to end up like the Prince of the story...
Read the tale and the full post: https://tardisgrades.blogspot.com/2024/04/a-tale-day-wicked-prince.html
#ATaleADay

Proverbs #1 and 2 are very similar:
1. A bad workman always finds fault with his tools.
2. A bad workman quarrels with his tools.
The equivalents given by the book are in the picture, but I also found some variations in other languages online: https://tardisgrades.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-proverbial-tongue-bad-workman.html

Do you have any sayings about not taking responsibility for your mistakes in your language?

#translationtuesday #proverbs

I've had this little book for a very long time and would love to share it with you! As you probably know, proverbs don't translate literally between languages and this dictionary aims to offer equivalents in German, French, English and Portuguese.
Once a week, I'll post something about the translation of each proverb.
Full post: https://tardisgrades.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-proverbial-tongue-dictionary-of.ht...
#translationtuesday #proverbs

A proverb akin to our “stone soup“, “Soup on a Sausage-peg“ is a tale about making do with what we've got, and about the different ways to go about doing the same thing. After all, life is a big soup and it's all open to interpretation. Just make sure yours tastes good to you.
Does your culture have an equivalent tale? I'd love to hear it!
Read the full tale: https://tardisgrades.blogspot.com/2024/04/a-tale-day-soup-on-sausage-peg.html
#ATaleADay

“At that time she was usually grooming her horse or dressing Mr. Nilsson in his little suit. (...) Then she would sit down on the kitchen table and, utterly happy, drink a large cup of coffee and eat a piece of bread and cheese. “

Now, this is a girl that knows how to live! Though, I'm not so sure that drinking coffee when you're already a very hyperactive kid is a good idea 😅

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

“The Red Shoes“ is a tale that tries to warn you about vanity and reminds you that duty should always come first. However, I dislike it when we tell the poor, or indeed anyone, that they should be proud of their hardship and not “distracted“ by beauty, money, or fun. I mean, the girl was just happy she had nice shoes...
Read the tale and let me know what you think: https://tardisgrades.blogspot.com/2024/04/a-tale-day-red-shoes.html
#ATaleADay

Wait, no Europe? Unless the Eurasian Brown bear is mentioned and included in the North American chapter (although technically it shouldn't), this does not bode well... 😅
#buddyread #naturalitsy

“'My papa is a cannibal king (...) And as soon as my papa has built himself a boat he will come and get me, and I'll be a cannibal princess'.“, In “Pipi Longstocking“, by Astrid Lindgren.

How cool is that? I too would like to be a cannibal princess! 😂

#CHILDRENSCLASSICREAD2024

"And so long as you say" one" instead of "I", there's nothing in it and one can easily tell the story; but as soon as you admit to yourself that it is you yourself, you feel as though transfixed and are horrified.", In the short story" Wedding Preparations in the Country", by Franz Kafka.
One of the many things I'm loving about this anthology is getting to know Kafka's humour a bit better.

"A Dark And Endless Sea", by Blaine Daigle
What a ride! It's a mostly psychological horror story with some violence on the side, that reminds me a bit of a Cthulhian tale. You join the main character on a journey through the horrors of stormy seas, as well as those within his own fragmented mind. I just had some issues with the ending.
Full review: https://www.blogger.com/u/2/blog/posts/8273748095197997127
#ADarkandEndlessSeaANovel #NetGalley

"(...) as the sun took its last final gasp of the day before descending into the depths of a distant sky." In "A Dark and Endless Sea", by Blaine Daigle.
What a beautiful description of a sunset at sea.
#ADarkandEndlessSeaANovel #NetGalley

What the hell did I just read? 😂
I think I would need to read this book again more carefully to form an opinion on it. It's an interesting story which leaves the reader with more questions than answers. Its vagueness adds to the creepiness of this unusual ghost story, but I'm not sure how I feel about it...

Maybe it's not a book for everyone, but I really liked it!

"How men fear things that can't be quieted." In "The Salt Grows Heavy", by Cassandra Khaw

"“Eventually, this was all that remained. A membranous sac of cells and nerves, a sampling of brain, enough raw material with which to grow new organs, new limbs. I wonder sometimes if this consciousness is the same, if I am the same, or if I am a mere fabrication, strung together by circumstances.”
“There is nothing wrong with being a monster.” Their mouth bends.
“You always know the right things to say.”"
In The Salt Grows Heavy, Cassandra Khaw