#tess reviews

[tessetc]

It's been a minute since I reviewed a romance novel, but I recently moved, and the process of packing, sorting, and culling my books made me think I should take a break from Destiel and read some of my books, perhaps in order to cull them further.

I won't be culling this one.

This week I read Miranda's Viking by Maggie Shayne. It is Silhouette Intimate Moments #568, from May, 1994.

I haven't had a lot of luck with rereading category romances. They don't hold up well. But this one was a true gem.

The story is about Miranda, an archeologist, who discovers a frozen, 900 year old frozen viking in a cave. He is accidentally defrosted and comes alive.

Rolf is shocked to find himself in the 20th century but adapts quickly. Like.... freakishly quickly, becoming fluent in English literally overnight.

Miranda, of course, is a "modern" woman and the book makes great pains to make sure that's clear, highlighting her intelligence and career focus.

There is a mystery too, as some shady folks in the scientific community are intent on taking claim of Miranda's discovery.

The book is a little unrealistic, especially in terms of Rolf's character, and some of the scientific and historical stuff is sketchy, but that's all fine.

The 90s style feminism is kind of jarring, juxtaposing Miranda's theoretical independence with her need to be rescued by Rolf, her lack of sexual confidence, and Rolf's bodice-rippy behavior early on. The book attempts to address this by making consent be a major plot point, but I think her general "purity" vibe and Rolf's posessiveness kind of undermines the message. But, it was the 90s, so points for trying, I guess.

There are two sex scenes in the book, both of which were surprisingly spicy for what I've come to anticipate in rereading these old books. They were pretty graphic, if flowery, and they went on long enough to not feel rushed. They were very enjoyable.

Maggie Shayne went on to write dozens of romances, and won several awards. This book won the 1993 New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award for Best Long Contemporary. It is available as an ebook (link at the end of the post) as well as through various online sellers in numerous print versions ranging from about $5 to $70, although I didn't find one with this exact cover in my brief search.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It's a quick, fun read, and much better than several other category romances I have reviewed.

7/10 Tess Recommends.

#romance novels #tess reviews #tess recommends #maggie shayne #m/f #silhouette intimate moments #category romance #90s romance

[deancasforcutie]

The way Dean’s queer joy and revelation at others just being outside the stereotypical control images is also ours

Honorable mention:

#remembering reviewer Tess McGeer's post about ''this daunting undone softness from a character witnessing queer romance''... girl say that #what if instead of diminishing the healing and empowerment this lovingly crafted queer narrative has brought me I just didn’t? 🤯 #anyway a very happy Visibility Day to our resident bicon I'm so glad to have back 💕💜💙 #dean winchester #castiel #carlos cervantez #supernatural #spn #spnedit #the winchesters #destiel #dean is bi #spn is queer #mine

[laddersofsweetmisery]

Hello to those also awake at 3am 🌙

Just finished up this little diddy: The Rabbit Hutch, by Tess Gunty. I've gotta say it's probably one of the best books I've read this year. It's the kind of book that deserves to be read over and over again, pulled apart. I feel like I missed things while also feeling like I've retained too much for a single night. I likely won't sleep til noon tomorrow as I pick up another book as a cleanser, but I think I should read this again sometime soon. The writing style makes it a quick read, but there are some passages that will slow you down as you won't be able to stop yourself from rereading them several times over. It's a good book, a damn good book. It also has one of the best openings I've read in a really long time. This book feels like a parasite that I want to carry around and nourish even if it's not purely beneficial to my mental health. But that's what's so interesting about the feeling I have after reading this: I don't know if I'm better or worse for having read it.

Favorite words:

"The streets you walk, the food you eat, the job you work, the method of transportation you choose, the beauty products you purchase, the shows you watch, the links you click, the way you sit on a train, the way you speak to waiters, the way you take your coffee -- everything affects everyone. Find a way to believe this, even when sober."

"I’m surprised I called you good. Not because I think you’re bad - it would be absurd to describe a whole person as good or bad. You’re just a series of messy, contradicting behaviours like everyone else. Those behaviours can become patterns or instincts, and some are better than others. But as long as you’re alive, the jury’s out."

"I'm so sick of violence against women disguised as validation."

"When Hildegard depicted virtues and the vices together in this play she wrote, the vices got to be grotesque amd physical and there. But the virtues were invisible. Just voices. Why do vices get to be physical? Why do they get to clutter up the world? Why can't I see any fucking virtues?"

"I never told anyone. I obeyed you. I kept your secret because I mistook it for mine."

#the rabbit hutch #tess gunty #booklr #bookish #book reviews #book review #bookworm #book quotes #books #bibliophile #book blog #booksbooksbooks #books and literature #book reccs #book tumblr #booklover #reading #literary #literary fiction #english literature #literature

[climbhighsisyphus]

First thoughts?

The cookbook is really nice and it has a cute little short story involving Tess and Knox. It really just shows them both at Fablehaven which is something we really didn’t get in Dragonwatch…

I will say though, Seth and Kendra are not featured but are mentioned once if you were interested in those two! They are both busy at Wyrmroost apparently.

The recipes seem pretty easy but I’d have to test them myself to see, which probably won’t be for a week or two due to my recovery.

I will say, some of these look AMAZING, and almost every single character besides some endgame ones get their own little recipes. It’s really adorable.. I don’t think I can share the recipes, but I think I can share photos of what they are in the cookbook.

Safe to say, the fairy bread and Brackens milkshake/smoothie might kill me. They’re both really cute looking but I might die if I consume them which I’m a bit scared to try them in the future but we ball..

Seth’s food also looks absolutely amazing? And it’s a really easy recipe because let’s be honest, he probably can’t cook for the life of him. It’s just a peanut butter sandwich with banana and Nutella, and I’ve had that in the past and I can say from like a standard view, it’s pretty good and I recommend trying it (Apparently you can put potato chips and cereal with it, which,,, is unique to say the least!)

Kendra’s treat looks also amazing, it’s just Chocolate-covered krispies but it’s still pretty good looking, I’m definitely gonna try this one. This one also just has such a cozy feeling to it because of the little description they added which involves Kendra just letting the brownies make them late at night as it storms.. which, Seth doesn’t have that, it’s just a very short description on how he thinks peanut butter goes with everything.

Besides that, Kendra’s is very sweet and silly and I feel it goes with her character amazingly.

Hugo also has a recipe, it’s mudslide ice cream cake which seems so good? I’m definitely gonna try it when I’m able to as well.

Grandma Larsen also has cute little unicorn cookies and they’re genuinely so adorable looking, I would in fact, take a chunk out!

Aside from the recipes, the cookbook is really nice and it has a cute design on the inside upon opening it and I stared at it for a bit because the neurons in my brain were processing every little design there…The cookbook has such a silly design and feel to it and if you’re into baking as well as the series, it’s a cool thing to collect and also use if you ever wanna make a cool and unique looking treat for you or your family or friends! It’s your average cookbook but to me at the least it’s very sweet.

(PS: the hotdogs have little eyes on them and I couldn’t resist sharing a photo because they’re so cute)

#fablehaven #dragonwatch #cookbook #book review #the sillies… #Knox #Tess #fablehavencookbook

[milliondollarbaby87]

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) Review

The titans that are Godzilla and Kong must actually work together to protect their own existence as well as the world when a deadly threat which was deeply hidden begins to resurface. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Continue reading Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) Review

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#2024 #Action #Adam Wingard #Adventure #Alex Ferns #Anthony Brandon Wong #Brian Tyree Henry #Chantelle Jamieson #Cinema #Dan Stevens #Fala Chen #Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire #Greg Hatton #IMAX #Jeremy Slater #Kaylee Hottle #Kevin Copeland #Rachel House #Rebecca Hall #Review #Ron Smyck #Sci-Fi #Simon Barrett #Terry Rossio #Tess Dobre #Tim Carroll

[thisismyhauntedhouse]

My review of Barbarian is there was a lot going on there but playing Be My Baby during the credits was an iconic move

#barbarian movie #bill skarsgård #hannah’s spooky movie reviews #like it was scary but there was too much happening #also I kinda wanted Tess to just let the lady take care of her at the end

[theindyreview]

Album Review: Tess & The Details - Runaway

#AlbumReview: Tess & The Details - Runaway San Francisco punk newcomers release their debut album @DoubleHelix_AZ #newmusic #review #punk #poppunk #Tessandthedetails #SanFrancisco #punkrock #runaway

San Francisco punk newcomers, Tess & The Details, have unleashed their debut album, Runaway, with unbridled intensity. The album kicks off with the spirited punch of “Blondie’s Gonna Die,” delivering a swift one minute and 37 seconds of traditional punk energy. Drawing from inspirations like Alkaline Trio and Bad Religion, Tess & The Details add a refreshing twist of Dookie-era Green Day, making…

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#album review #emo #New Music #pop punk #punk #review #Tess & The Details

[multimediareviews]

I've seen a lot of ppl confused/concerned over the cordy kiss (bleh) at the end of ep 2 and I'm just gonna give my brief take away from it.

I feel like the kiss was there to establish a couple of things:

1. If you're infected you'll kinda be ignored by the hive mind (the companion podcast talks about this and while they dont mention that it hides you from the hive mind the creators did say that the more you try to fight the infection the more violent they are at getting you infected)

2. I absolutely believe that the one runner came up to her and kissed her (ewwww the tendrils) because they were feeling resistance to the hive mind/could also sense what she was about to do and wanted to speed up the infection process as a way to save themselves. Ironically i think speeding up the process and allowing Tess to flick the lighter slower/not as panicked is what lit it and ultimately led to their death

#the last of us #tlou #the last of us hbo #tess servopoulos #anna torv #the last of us review #ep 2

[tessetc]

Well this was exhausting to read.

Look. It was good. It was just fine.

But the girl (I just finished reading and I already forgot her name) is just so freaking high energy that I couldn't handle it.

Honestly both of them had some tiny issues but they were both generally well adjusted people who were honest and open with each other and dealt with their problems efficiently and without a lot of fuss.

Which just leads to a kind of generic bland fluffiness that was dull and irritating.

Also dogs are not my cup of tea.

Anyway, the girl....VERONICA!! IT JUST CAME TO ME!! Meets Milo and they flirt, then they run into each other a few more times, then they hook up then there's an extremely minor hiccup then they get together the end.

Every plot problem got set up and knocked down like it was a how-to list for mentally healthy people.

The language was a bit crass and the discussion of sex was frank but there was very little tension or anything, or even any sexy second guessing.

All in all, it might be relationship goals, but it was definitely a pretty mid read, as the kids say.

I remember reading books from this author before and liking them a lot, but I think the last too were just not doing it for me.

Anyway, read if you want some sort of fun feel good fluff. Otherwise, give it a miss.

5/10

#tess reviews #romance novels #lauren blakely #m/f

[egdonheath]

General spoilers follow:

Tess of the d’Urbervilles is my fifth Thomas Hardy novel and my favorite so far. In fact, it’s as impressive as any novel I have read! It is a richly constructed story that underscores the great inequalities of gender and class and how they contribute to the tragic exploitation of the poor in various ways. Hardy also points a finger at the un-Christian behavior of several men who claim to be men of God. And as he has done in other novels, he writes so evocatively of the natural world. I loved Tess, her courage, sense of duty, and conscience. Her young women friends and fellow laborers are also portrayed favorably. The men in positions of authority on the other hand are all either horrid or woefully inadequate. There are no Mr. Darcys, miracles, or a happily ever afters in Hardy’s Wessex, but I’m grateful for the realism, what influence Hardy may have had in advancing social awareness, and the beautiful writing.

Some memorable excerpts-

Excerpts about social inequality:

Angel Clare asks, “Why do you look so woebegone all of a sudden? he asked.

Tess: Oh, tis - only about my own self, she said, with a frail laugh of sadness... Just a sense of what might’ve been with me! My life looks as if it has been wasted for want of chances! When I see what you know, what you have read, and seen, and thought, I feel what a nothing I am! I’m like the poor queen of Sheba who lived in the Bible. There is no more spirit in me.”

“what’s the use of learning that I am one of a long row only – finding out that there is set down in some old book somebody just like me, and to know that I shall only act her part; making me sad that’s all. The best is not to remember that your nature and your past doings have been just like thousands’ and thousands’, and that your coming life and doings’ll be like thousands’ and thousands’.”

Critical views of religion:

“They had rambled round by a road which led to the well-known ruins of the Cistercian abbey behind the mill, the latter having, in centuries past, been attached to the monastic establishment. The mill still worked on, food being a perennial necessity; the abbey had perished, creeds being transient.“ One continually sees the ministration of the temporary outlasting the ministration of the eternal.“😁

“ You and those like you, take your fill of pleasure on earth by making the life of such as me bitter and black with sorrow; and then it is a fine thing, when you have had enough of that, to think of securing your pleasure in Heaven by becoming converted! Out upon such – I don’t believe in you – I hate it!“

“ How can I pray for you, she said, when I am forbidden to believe that the great power that moves the world would alter his plans on my account?”

“Why, you can have the religion of loving kindness and purity at least, if you can’t have – what do you call it – dogma.“

“She tried to argue, and tell him that he had mixed up in his dull brain two matters, theology and morals, which in the primitive days of mankind had been quite distinct.”

#thomas hardy #currently reading #tess of the d'urbervilles #book review

[raisedbyascreen16]

𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐭 𝐈𝐬: *𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐲 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲* | 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲/𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

#freaky friday #jamie lee curtis #tess coleman #live action #freakyfridayedit #liveactionedit #disneyedit #mcblings #usersugar #useryusi #zanisummers #userbbelcher #userstream #tuserval #* #constance #youtube video #movies reviews #movie reaction #movie commentary #films #movies #aesthetic

[derreckmayer]

On Monday we're dropping our 25th episode! Can you believe it? In the meantime, check out where our first 24 Nicolas Cage films land on our Cage-O-Meter! Do you agree with our rankings? Let us know!

#nic cage #nicolas cage #movies #movie reviews #the unbearable weight of massive talent #ghost rider spirit of vengeance #Prisoners of the Ghostland #dog eat dog #gone in 60 seconds #guarding tess #leaving las vegas #spider-man #into the spider-verse #zandaya #the croods

[my-stack-of-books]

Purple Hearts Spolier Review

I decided to read Purple Hearts after watching the movie. I know a lot of people didn't like the movie but I did. So when I found out there was a book I got it. I did not enjoy this book. At first, I thought there were only a few things changed from the movie and it wasn't bad at all. I liked it until one of the main characters Luke deployed. That's when a new storyline came into play. Cassie the female main character started dating one of her bandmates while he was gone. I am not a big fan of a love triangle and I knew that it would lead to one. I also didn't like that she wasn't open with him about the situation.

Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way was when Luke got back home. With the injury, he started to get addicted to drugs again. It wasn't something I like to read about. With the two main characters, I found myself not being able to root for them to get together. Their whole relationship was toxic. I could barely relate to either of them, between the two relationships and the drug addiction.

I did on the other hand like that Luke had PTSD. He didn't just come back and was okay after the traumatic experience. He went through something and now he was having to deal with it mentally. I wish they dived into this storyline without the drug use.

#purple hearts #Tess Wakefield #books #reading #read #book #bookworm #book review

[msghorbani]

uma perspectiva alternativa para TLWGQ

sobre o episódio 3x01............ (parte 1 da review)

Coisas que eu esperava:

 - passar raiva, muita raiva

 - avacalhação generalizada da trama

Porque a galera que escreve essa série só sabe acabar com tudo de bom que eles mesmos constroem. É uma verdadeira compulsão. E psicólogo que é bom ninguém procura, não é mesmo?

Sim, eu estava pronta para o ódio.

Só em dar o play o ódio veio. Vou resumir essa parte e dizer apenas que, até a marca dos 5 minutos, a raiva me consumia.

Bette e Tina? Não sabia o que pensar. Confesso, no entanto, que algo em meu coração foi tocado... Não deve ser Tibette, não faz sentido que seja! Been there, done that. Talvez eu esteja mexida com o término de um relacionamento de 5 anos? Sim, foi o término com minha namorada que me deixou soft, isso faz mais sentido que Tibette.

“Um ano depois”. Meu corpo estava contorcido em desgosto antecipatório. Minha face? Disforme. Só conseguia pensar em coisas ruins. A cena de sexo da Alice com um personagem que sabemos que será descartável? “Gen Zers are fun!” - será? Eu não estou me divertindo muito por aqui. Mas sabemos que é assim que funciona a série: coisas aleatórias sendo jogadas sobre nós (e cenas de sexo nos primeiros minutos com o único intuito de prender a audiência). Tom?? Cadê você?? Sumiu! Eu nem ligo para o personagem, mas não pude deixar de pensar nele!

E, dessa forma, com nada mais que 3 minutos já somos alertados de que seremos responsáveis por processar os pulos e preencher os buracos da narrativa. Nesse ponto, tinha certeza absoluta de que a experiência seria terrível. E eu teria que suportar isso pelas próximas semanas. Masoquismo; mais alguém?!

Aos 5 minutos, algo mágico acontece.

Não, nada de mágico acontece na série. Quer dizer, é claro que ver a Tess é sempre mágico. Para mim, ela não precisa sequer estar fazendo algo de relevante. A presença dela, por si só, é suficiente para amenizar as angústias do meu coração. Que mulher!

4 minutos e meio. Sei que irão arranjar algum jeito muuuito criativo (traição) para desferir um golpe no desenvolvimento de Tess e Shane como um casal e da Shane como pessoa. 4 minutos e meio. Puro ódio.

Sei que a série seguirá o caminho narrativo de sempre. Apelará para os mesmos desfechos. Veremos as mesmas situações, os mesmos “dramas”. Assistir The L Word é, desde 2004, como assistir o sol nascer no leste e se pôr no oeste. Sabemos de onde vem e para onde vai. É absolutamente previsível (se ainda hoje ignorarmos aquela sexta temporada do original lol). Ainda assim, we are here for the ride.

Adentramos oficialmente os 5 minutos. A tal da maquiadora é citada, sabemos o que isso significa. ÓDIO.

Pausa para o rosto da Shane. O que aconteceu aqui? O que foi isso? Eu achei a Shane ATRAENTE?!! Acredite, após 8 temporadas de TLW assistidas diversas vezes no que são agora 13 anos da minha vida (comecei com 15, faça as contas), isso é novo para mim.

Mas então, eis que aos 5 minutos algo mais aconteceu... meu cérebro me brindou com o insight que poderá, finalmente, me libertar do masoquismo no qual me aprisionei há muito acompanhando TLW!

“Essa série é uma comédia! UMA COMÉDIA!” - foi esse o poderoso insight que meu cérebro formulou. Wow, brilliant!!11!

Podem falar o quanto queiram que The L Word é uma série de drama. Eu não entendo sobre gêneros televisivos mas, para mim, uma série dramática é aquela que me fará levar a sua narrativa a sério. E THE L WORD NÃO É PARA SER LEVADA A SÉRIO! Podemos esperar coisas como seriedade, plausibilidade, coerência, consistência e complexidade ao longo do desenvolvimento da trama? Seja sincera, gata.

The L Word é como uma viagem de montanha russa - eu já sei, você já sabe. Nada se sustenta por muito tempo. A gente espera 2 horas na fila mesmo sabendo que vai passar 2 minutos no brinquedo. E a gente ainda quer ir de novo depois! Essa é a realidade. Por que continuamos com a vã esperança de que vai ser diferente? Não vai. O show nunca se comprometeu a fazer algo além disso. Esse é o seu jeito, a sua proposta. E a gente continua aqui...

As histórias e personagens que TLW constrói para então destruir devem ser somente, e tão somente, aproveitadas enquanto duram. Expectativas outras além da fruição cômica (e erótica?!) momentânea só nos trarão decepções. Isso é certo.

Vamos superar a Carmen? Não. A morte esdrúxula da Jenny? Não. A saída da Gigi? Não. Vamos superar toda essa ““criatividade”” e “”finesse”” a que os roteiristas nos submeteram? Não!!!

Quem está nessa jornada há bastante tempo sabe bem de tudo isso. Talvez o que te falte, assim como me faltava, é aceitar que a série é desse jeito mesmo. É para ser curtida, e só!

ENTÃO PARE DE SE ATORMENTAR E CURTE ESSA B*CETA!

[fim da parte 1 - grata pela paciência]

------------------------------------------------------------------

Obs: é possível que tudo isso não passe de uma elaborada defesa psicológica minha contra toda a dor a que seremos submetidas nos próximos episódios? Sim. Não é só possível, é provável!!

------------------------------------------------------------------

// na parte 2 irei falar sobre as surpreendentes impressões e sentimentos que tive nesse primeiro episódio que era para ser o portal do ódio nos lançando nessa tão aguardada terceira temporada de generation q //

#the l word #the l word generation q #leve esta review a sério ou não #risos #review #TLW #TLWGQ #3x01 #parte 1 #bette porter #alice pieszecki #dani nunez #gigi ghorbani #shane mccutcheon #tina kennard #tess van de berg

[fuzzjump]

Tess Sharpe somehow captures the agony and the ecstasy of grief and love in her latest YA release. So much so I read it in one sitting.

I've read all of Sharpe's books so I was doubtful that another time jumping story structure would play out successfully. But I should have known better. Sharpe's mastery of this story element hits all the feels at exactly the right time. It pulls you into the lives of these two young ladies so much so you feel as though you are a part of this special bond.

Although its a slow burn queer romance at heart, the heart wrenching examination of grief and separation of family really drives the story. I never had to deal with such harrowing conditions in my own life, but by the end I was teary eyed for both the happy and healthy resolution for the protagonists.

Please check content warnings before starting this absorbing read. But by no means should this stop you from reading this book if you're able to do so.

I can't say Thank You enough to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Tess Sharpe, and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

#tess sharpe #I just reviewed 6 Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did) by Tess Sharpe. #NetGalley

[doodlesink]

Listen to Me by Tess Gerritsen--Book Review

Happy Thursday!  Listen to Me by Tess Gerritsen has Rizzoli & Isles solving a complex case.  Stop by to learn more about the 13th Rizzoli & Isles novel.  Happy Reading!

https://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2022/07/listen-to-me-by-tess-gerritsen.html

#listen to me #listentome #tess gerritsen #rizzoli and isles #jane rizzoli #maura isles #theavidreader #book review #the avid reader #random house #ballantine #random house publishing