Robin’s Comments (group member since May 29, 2018)

Robin’s comments from the 2022 ONTD Reading Challenge group.

I read Geisha, a Life and it was interesting, although I found her writing style too kind for my taste. I guess it makes sense for her to be so nice since her memoir served to dispel the idea of the geisha as put forth in Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha (she won a lawsuit against his lying ass).

I also read A House in the Sky. It follows this young, idealistic woman who wants to travel the world. She decides to go to Somalia of all places and is held hostage for over a year. This memoir is her account of what happened during that year in captivity. It's disturbing and terrifying.

I plan on reading:

Geisha, a Life Mineko Iwasaki tells her life story from early childhood to being a geisha.

Elizabeth I This lady was way ahead of her time. While she chose never to marry, she used the idea of marriage in her politics, like many women today.

The Best We Could Do So this is a graphic novel and memoir depicting one family's journey as refugees from Vietnam to California.

A House in the Sky Honestly, I fell for the beautiful cover at first. But this is a memoir about a woman who wants to travel the world and then is kidnapped and held hostage.

I read The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon and I definitely recommend it. The female protagonist has a secret power and attracts the attention of a prince, who also has a secret power.



I also read A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It honestly felt like Twilight but set in England with characters who pass for 10 years older. You would think it would be more mature, but it's the same ~perfect woman is quirky and captures the attention of a scary vampire with a shady past~ There's a ridiculous scene with vampires, witches, and daemons doing yoga together that was just...extra. Because I am a masochist, I also read the second one, Shadow of Night. That one was even worse. There was no discernible plot, and the author spent the majority of it dropping names of famous history figures that the vampire is friends with.


Fantasy is actually my favorite genre, so if anyone needs help with any recommendations, let me know!