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dobbsthedog's reviews
1727 reviews
Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
4.0
This was cute! I’ll definitely try to pick up the next volume, which I believe is out next year.
Also, I would like my own Blob Ghost, please!
Also, I would like my own Blob Ghost, please!
Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
4.5
I’m really unsure how to rate this and how to review it. I guess probably 4.5 stars, as 4 doesn’t seem like enough, but I’m not sure that it was a 5 star read?
I really liked this book. And all the thanks to Will M Watt for promoting his narration of the audiobook, otherwise I likely never would have come across it!
This is the story of Ludwik, a young man who falls in love with another young man at a summer agriculture camp in Soviet era Poland (early 1980s). The story between Ludwik and Janusz is sweet, but challenging; homosexuality isn’t illegal, but it’s also not exactly legal. It was interesting to read about Ludwik and the challenges he faces as communism is beginning to fall in Poland, how corrupt everything was. You really couldn’t do anything or have much of a life unless you were a member of The Party (the communist party); you couldn’t see a doctor or get medications, you couldn’t get proper rations, you couldn’t pursue a higher education, unless you knew the right people. And Janusz knows the right people, is working his way up within the party, whereas Ludwik sees the reality of it, the struggle of the everyday person.
I truthfully don’t know a lot about Soviet era history or the history of Central/Eastern European countries, so I found this all really interesting. As a proponent of Marxism/communism, it’s so disheartening to see it used in a racist and totalitarian way, the way it was in the Eastern Bloc. The fact that this book uses Ludwik to critically look at the political and social systems is probably why I enjoyed this short little book so much.
I really liked this book. And all the thanks to Will M Watt for promoting his narration of the audiobook, otherwise I likely never would have come across it!
This is the story of Ludwik, a young man who falls in love with another young man at a summer agriculture camp in Soviet era Poland (early 1980s). The story between Ludwik and Janusz is sweet, but challenging; homosexuality isn’t illegal, but it’s also not exactly legal. It was interesting to read about Ludwik and the challenges he faces as communism is beginning to fall in Poland, how corrupt everything was. You really couldn’t do anything or have much of a life unless you were a member of The Party (the communist party); you couldn’t see a doctor or get medications, you couldn’t get proper rations, you couldn’t pursue a higher education, unless you knew the right people. And Janusz knows the right people, is working his way up within the party, whereas Ludwik sees the reality of it, the struggle of the everyday person.
I truthfully don’t know a lot about Soviet era history or the history of Central/Eastern European countries, so I found this all really interesting. As a proponent of Marxism/communism, it’s so disheartening to see it used in a racist and totalitarian way, the way it was in the Eastern Bloc. The fact that this book uses Ludwik to critically look at the political and social systems is probably why I enjoyed this short little book so much.
Home Ice Advantage by Ari Baran
5.0
*SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!*
CW: racism, racist slurs
I really enjoyed this one! Both MCs are in their 40s, they’ve retired from professional hockey, and are now coaching.
There was definitely a lot more hockey in this one than in the previous books in this series. Or, maybe not more hockey, but a lot more on the technical side, as that is now these two characters’ relationship to the game. I was good with it, having played and coached, but I could see it being a stumbling block for someone not overly familiar with the game. There is a lot of talk about the different drills that are being run, specific types of plays during games, etc.
This book had one of my favourite tropes, rivals to lovers, and I love that it comes about when the two coaches are having a fight and then just kiss. Like, obviously that’s the right way to end an argument with someone you don’t like. 😂
I really appreciated that this book had a third act conflict instead of a breakup and that it was external to the couple. And that it was resolved in a way that I found to be really satisfying. It was quite low angst in terms of how these conflicts go, which was really nice. Obviously I know that you need that conflict in order to prove why the couple should be together, but the typical third act breakup gets really old. I love seeing the creative ways that authors are changing this up!
Definitely my favourite in the series thus far and I’m really looking forward to reading the next!
CW: racism, racist slurs
I really enjoyed this one! Both MCs are in their 40s, they’ve retired from professional hockey, and are now coaching.
There was definitely a lot more hockey in this one than in the previous books in this series. Or, maybe not more hockey, but a lot more on the technical side, as that is now these two characters’ relationship to the game. I was good with it, having played and coached, but I could see it being a stumbling block for someone not overly familiar with the game. There is a lot of talk about the different drills that are being run, specific types of plays during games, etc.
This book had one of my favourite tropes, rivals to lovers, and I love that it comes about when the two coaches are having a fight and then just kiss. Like, obviously that’s the right way to end an argument with someone you don’t like. 😂
I really appreciated that this book had a third act conflict instead of a breakup and that it was external to the couple. And that it was resolved in a way that I found to be really satisfying. It was quite low angst in terms of how these conflicts go, which was really nice. Obviously I know that you need that conflict in order to prove why the couple should be together, but the typical third act breakup gets really old. I love seeing the creative ways that authors are changing this up!
Definitely my favourite in the series thus far and I’m really looking forward to reading the next!
Settle the Score by Kris Ripper
4.5
Audio ARC received from NetGalley, thanks!
Happy sigh… Pete Cross so totally did this book justice with his fantastic narration. Really elevated it, and gave Des and Orion so much depth, it was really great.
Received from NetGalley, thanks!
CW: suicidal ideation
I am SO happy to have a new Kris Ripper book to read! And did I ever devour this.
While it's not my favourite Ripper book, it is still so, so good. It's incredibly readable and I loved both of the characters. Plus, I think this is the first book I've read that has a character names Orion in it??? (that may be the name of one of my children, so I'm a bit biased)
Going into the book, I wasn't really sure about the premise; how could anything happen between a former reporter who publicly outed the then star soccer/football player? But, it worked. Ripper made me believe it, and in a totally real way, too. Des and Orion both struggled with their past and their current feelings for each other and how to deal with all of that. While maybe not entirely realistic, it felt real enough to me and I totally bought it.
I am also a huge sucker for forced proximity as a trope, which is basically all this book is. Well, the majority of it, anyway. Des ends up trapped at Orion's secluded cottage after a freak snow storm in April. I think that everything that happened while they were forced to share a space was realistic and something that could actually happen. Maybe finding a limping, nearly blind dog in the middle of a snow storm is a bit less likely, but I don't care, it worked for me. Rescuing a stray dog as a plot device to bring the two characters together 100% worked for me.
I'll say it again, I am SO happy to have a new Kris Ripper to read and I can't wait to have the actual book in my hands so that I can add it to my ever-growing mountain of KR books.
Happy sigh… Pete Cross so totally did this book justice with his fantastic narration. Really elevated it, and gave Des and Orion so much depth, it was really great.
Received from NetGalley, thanks!
CW: suicidal ideation
I am SO happy to have a new Kris Ripper book to read! And did I ever devour this.
While it's not my favourite Ripper book, it is still so, so good. It's incredibly readable and I loved both of the characters. Plus, I think this is the first book I've read that has a character names Orion in it??? (that may be the name of one of my children, so I'm a bit biased)
Going into the book, I wasn't really sure about the premise; how could anything happen between a former reporter who publicly outed the then star soccer/football player? But, it worked. Ripper made me believe it, and in a totally real way, too. Des and Orion both struggled with their past and their current feelings for each other and how to deal with all of that. While maybe not entirely realistic, it felt real enough to me and I totally bought it.
I am also a huge sucker for forced proximity as a trope, which is basically all this book is. Well, the majority of it, anyway. Des ends up trapped at Orion's secluded cottage after a freak snow storm in April. I think that everything that happened while they were forced to share a space was realistic and something that could actually happen. Maybe finding a limping, nearly blind dog in the middle of a snow storm is a bit less likely, but I don't care, it worked for me. Rescuing a stray dog as a plot device to bring the two characters together 100% worked for me.
I'll say it again, I am SO happy to have a new Kris Ripper to read and I can't wait to have the actual book in my hands so that I can add it to my ever-growing mountain of KR books.
Pansies by Alexis Hall
5.0
ARC of the rerelease received from Edelweiss, thanks!
HAPPY SIGH. 🫠
This has now become my most reread book ever, at 9 times.
HAPPY SIGH. 🫠
This has now become my most reread book ever, at 9 times.
Who's Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler
5.0
This book was a fantastic look at intersectionality and gender. However, I must say, that I didn’t find it overly accessible. I haven’t read anything else from Butler, but I’ve heard that their writing tends to be quite high level. This was by no means an easy read, but it was worth it.
Some of the bits that I found to be most interesting:
• how colonization is at the root of A LOT of anti-gender laws/attitudes
• that the pervasiveness of the English language has negatively impacted on non-western gender identities
• sexual discrimination actually also covers queer folks (if you think about it logically)
• how terrible TERFs are (obvs I already knew this, but Butler really digs into this topic and it’s fascinating)
I listened to this as audio, and Butler narrates it themself, and I’ve got to say, I don’t know if I was entertained or mildly offput by the number of times this mid-60s non-binary person said the word penis. SO MANY TIMES. It was in the section about TERFs and how it basically boils down to the fact that they blame penises for rape, and it was an excellent take down of TERF rhetoric. But, so many penises…
Overall a fascinating read, though quite academic.
If you want a more thorough review, I highly recommend this one, which is the entire reason I picked this book up in the first place.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6101982360
Some of the bits that I found to be most interesting:
• how colonization is at the root of A LOT of anti-gender laws/attitudes
• that the pervasiveness of the English language has negatively impacted on non-western gender identities
• sexual discrimination actually also covers queer folks (if you think about it logically)
• how terrible TERFs are (obvs I already knew this, but Butler really digs into this topic and it’s fascinating)
I listened to this as audio, and Butler narrates it themself, and I’ve got to say, I don’t know if I was entertained or mildly offput by the number of times this mid-60s non-binary person said the word penis. SO MANY TIMES. It was in the section about TERFs and how it basically boils down to the fact that they blame penises for rape, and it was an excellent take down of TERF rhetoric. But, so many penises…
Overall a fascinating read, though quite academic.
If you want a more thorough review, I highly recommend this one, which is the entire reason I picked this book up in the first place.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6101982360