Bayou Bytes Blog

  One of the biggest acts of courage is in being vulnerable. Fear, anxiety, and shame are "emotions to overcome," yet seen as problems. Men especially are socialized to not talk about or share anything that can be used against them.      In this nonfiction by Justin Baldoni (actor/filmmaker of  Jane the Virgin  fame ), the author explores the harmfulness in upholding traditional masculinity. Societal masculinity states that men are supposed to be smart, rational, problem-solvers, and cut off from their emotions. Many aspects of "toxic masculinity" are discussed from the dad bod to the alpha/beta male. There's even insight from feminist author, bell hooks, who's stated that men "kill off emotional parts of themselves." Mostly, and b est of all, Baldoni pulls from his own experiences in such a human way, people from all genders will be able to relate.   At times heavy and emotional, he encourages the reader along with a light and empathetic tone. ...

 Like most other people who are interested in Xiran Jay Zhao, I first learned about her when I saw her viral Twitter thread critiquing the details of Disney's Mulan. For her, and for us, it was a perfect accident because she was still in the public eye when her book Iron Widow was announced.   Not only does Iron Widow have an absolutely gorgeous cover, it is a delightful read. Xiran Jay Zhao reimagined China's infamous empress, Wu Zetian, and placed her in a fantasy world at war, where paired pilots command mythological creature mecha. The male pilots are doted upon and celebrated, but their female partners are drained like batteries and frequently die in battle.   Enter Wu Zetian. After her sister is killed by a famous pilot, Zetian joins the fray as a female pilot. And she is determined to take down the system from within.   Iron Widow is the first in a series, so I'm already eagerly awaiting the next installment. The worldbuilding here was well don...