Tag: Identity

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A Lady For A Duke by Alexis Hall

This new racy regency romance is everything and everyone should read it immediately!

I have truly never read anything quite like it. It is a story about a woman trying to find herself, and a man who loves her as she is. But it is more than that—it is also an exploration into identity, femininity, love, change, forgiveness; it is the story of two souls finding love, and learning to accept each other unconditionally.

The Regency Era was not a great time for the lgbtq+ community, and though this is a fiction story, it’s not hard to imagine people actually going through this. Which is incredibly sad, but also empowering, because Viola is truly a role model! Her story is powerful, and important, and valid.

“I am trapped between who I am and who I was, always terrified that one will swallow the other.”

Lady Viola struggles with self-acceptance, confidence, and identity. Her fears and struggles move the story forward and give readers a glimpse into the difficulties transgender people face daily. From navigating the alien territory of finding clothing to fit your body, to being uncomfortable with small daily tasks (needlepoint or tea pouring or letter writing) that women seem to know as second nature, Viola feels behind in her womanhood, as if she missed out on precious and formative moments of girlhood. She also wants to overcome the shame and fear she carries, and pushes to make her own space in the world, for the freedom to live authentically, no matter the costs, which is what makes her such a strong character.

“But it was hard to put into words. It took a long time.”

Duke Justin goes through an inner journey of learning to accept Viola as herself, and eventually understands that she always was Viola, and proves to be an ally as well as a friend. He struggles with addiction, ptsd, and the ghosts of his past, but Viola is able to help his overcome his struggles, just as he helps her. They are very cute together, and they have great chemistry!

“We can make our own world, Viola, with our own rules.”

Light is a huge theme of the book, fading sunsets and shadows show dark, sundials for the passing of time, and echoes to reference the past. Chrysanthemums are also a hugely important theme in the book. Viola returns to this flower again and again, as it means something to her. In the Victorian Language of Flowers, the chrysanthemum represents friendship, happiness, and well-being: everything she wishes for, what her soul seeks.

“Your life is yours, you did what you needed to live it.”

Also. I demand fan art for page 283, and all of chapter 34 & 35!!! The descriptions of Viola’s flowing gowns are to-die-for and I want to see every single bit of her wardrobe! If you are a fan of Jane Austen, Bridgerton, The Courtship, and period drama, THIS is the book for you!!!

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The Gift of Rumi

As one of the world’s most loved poets, Rumi’s poems are celebrated for their message of love and their beauty, but too often they are stripped of their mystical and spiritual meanings. The Gift of Rumi offers a new understanding of Rumi, contextualizing his work against the broader backdrop of Islamic mysticism and adding a magical richness and authenticity that is lacking in so many Westernized readings of his work.

“The main goal of Sufism is to achieve loving union with the divine by detaching from the self and the desires of the ego”.

Dervishes try to free themselves from any attachments to the ego. One of the secrets to Sufism is to “die before you die”. It is seen as an intentional rupture of one’s attachment to ego, the material world, and identity.

Essentially, Sufism teaches us “how to live and how to love”. And the happiness of the Sufi flows from within—not from the material external world.

“Know that the way of pleasure is from within, not from without.”

Rumi

At the heart of Rumi’s mystical poetry is the “religion of love” which transcends all religions. Through his majestic verses of ecstasy and longing, Rumi invites us into the religion of the heart and guides us to our own loving inner essence. The Gift of Rumi gives us a key to experiencing this profound and powerful invitation, allowing readers to meet the master in a new way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Jane O’Dell has studied Sufism both academically, in her work and research at Harvard, Columbia, and the American University of Beirut, and in practice, learning from a Mevlevi master and his whirling dervishes in Istanbul. She weaves this expertise throughout The Gift of Rumi, sharing a new vision of Rumi’s classic work.

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Cazadora by Romina Garber

The Cazadora cover, featuring a girl, Manu, being split in two by her inner wolf. Manu's hair grows into wild foliage, all set against a bloodred background.

Cazadora by Romina Garber

Magical Realism | Fantasy | YA

If you enjoy magical realism, you will love Romina Garber’s newest book in the Wolves of No World series. Netgalley gifted me a free e-ARC of the sequel, Cazadora, and I was so excited to jump in and finish the series! In the follow-up to Lobizona, Romina Garber continues to weave Argentine folklore and real-world issues into a haunting, fantastical, and romantic story that will reunite readers with Manu and her friends as they continue to fight for a better future.

“That’s why every new generation makes improvements.”

First of all, I love that this book was filled with Spanish aphorisms and phrases, and includes vocabulary in-context to help teach Spanish to non-speakers. As someone who is constantly trying to improve my Spanish, this is something I really appreciate seeing in new books. Garber does it well, allowing the reader to infer meaning from context clues without needing to use a translator. However, I can also really appreciate having the translation dictionary available if I do need it, conveniently built into my e-reader. It saves a lot of time not having to click out of the book, and as a visual learner I enjoy seeing side-by-side translations because it really helps me to understand spelling and pronunciation.

Continue reading “Cazadora by Romina Garber”
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Authenticity of Voice in People of Paper: A Close Reading

Amazon.com: The People of Paper (9780156032117): Plascencia ...Salvador Plascencia’s debut novel The People of Paper raises questions regarding authorship and voice in a work. Blurring the lines between author and speaker, the work leaves readers questioning who is really getting to tell the story.

In a world where the victors of war (colonizers, or Saturn) dictate written history, The People of Paper offers a novel wherein the colonized (members of E.M.F.) have the opportunity to dictate their own point of view. This novel forces readers to question the authenticity of what they are reading; how much of the story has been fabricated, misrepresented, or mistold? This novel requires readers to glean their own understanding of truth by sifting through various sides of the same story. Continue reading “Authenticity of Voice in People of Paper: A Close Reading”

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