#i give it 3.5/5 ⭐️

[h0ney8ee]

just finished gone girl. i was upset amy decided to come back but thinking about it more......... i do love when two toxic people bring out the worst in each other

[claygoestothemovies]

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Greg Berlanti’s FLY ME TO THE MOON had my theater cackling, myself included. Unfortunately, the rom part of this rom-com crashes on take off. Thankfully, this screenwriter (Rose Gilroy, based on a story by Keenan Flynn and Bill Kirstein) at least appears to know how a cat acts in real life, unlike another recent film.

The razor sharp caper follows Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson playing Don Draper if he was fast on his feet and had a sense of humor), a marketing genius who’s “encouraged” by a man working for Nixon (Woody Harrelson) to take on a job in Florida. What will she be marketing? Why, the moon, of course! America is deep in the Space Race, and NASA needs a social facelift if it’s any chance of succeeding. On the more technical side of making Apollo 11 happen is launch director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum), and the last thing he needs is a smart and attractive woman making distractions, or something like that.

The big hook of the film is that in order to ensure that the moon landing goes off without a hitch to the American People and the world, they have to take measures to fake it. The comedy of all of this is hysterical. I haven’t laughed so much at a con since DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. The jokes consistently land, and make fantastic use of Tricky Dick being in office. Scarlett Johansson is at the top of her game here, more films should let her be funny! Give us a ScarJo/Rachel McAdams buddy comedy, someone! Rose Byrne can come, too! Tatum is fine, and he handles the comedic elements satisfactorily. Harrelson and the rest of the supporting cast seem to be having a marvelous time, especially Jim Rash as the high strung director brought in to make the top secret film. Ray Romano also gives a warm turn as Henry Smalls, a fatherly figure working at NASA. A delightful black kitty is also featured. What a year for cats in cinema!

If this had just been a comedy, I would mostly give it top marks. Although I would definitely deduct points for that inexcusable runtime, no comedy - romantic or otherwise - needs to be 132 minutes long. But it’s not just a comedy. It’s a romantic comedy, and in that department, it somehow fails entirely. Everything about the romance, except for maybe the meet cute, feels so utterly forced I never bought in for a second. It’s the Sixties, I should be feeling Doris Day and Rock Hudson levels of sexual tension between these actors! Johansson could have chemistry with a napkin, yet Tatum seems like he could be her character’s brother; romantic sparks are not the vibe they give while sparring.

While overlong, and that could have been fixed by Nix(on)ing (sorry) the romantic plot, and my issues with the romantic aspects aside, I still had a great time with this one! I laughed a lot of that runtime, enjoyed some possibly revisionist history, and got to see ScarJo rocking period costumes and hair while making all the men around her look dumb. It’s not rocket science, but as far as popcorn entertainment goes, you could do a lot worse.

3.5/5

[keepanhonesty]

I love the flashback to the first movie we were given in the beginning. One thing I wish they did was go back to the longer scenes. This one felt rushed with the quick camera cuts and pacing. It just didn't feel like enough time was put into world building in this movie. I wish they either had one more day of camp or let us see Paul in the process of rebuilding like the first one. Not much for me to go off of in terms of the characters other than they're really horny in the 80's.

I love the scene towards the end where we got to see the shrine Jason made for his mom. Seeing the psychology at play when Ginny wore his mom's shirt she died in and pretended to be her to get Jason to be vulnerable for an attack. That scene made me feel sympathy for Jason as it showed he's really distraught about his mother and now is really lonely without her. I saw this movie as Jason seeking vengeance for his mother.

This wasn't a bad movie,it just was too fast paced for me at times. But,I'm curious. If Jason drowned in the water when he was young,then how is he an adult now? I hope the next movie gives us more of what happened that day.

(3.5/5)⭐️

[foodiefootprints]

📍BLOC Campsite, Cavinti Laguna

3.5/5⭐️

Oh to wake up to this view! BLOC Campsite gives an unforgettable experience of glamping among breathtaking surroundings. Even though the restrooms were a short walk away and not particularly clean, still my cousins and I had an amazing time. We laughed, shared stories around the campfire, and amazed at the natural beauty that surrounded us. Although we may not return to this specific location, the charm of glamping has inspired a sense of adventure in us that will certainly drive us to other glamping sites in the future.

Stay tuned and be the first to know where we’ll leave our footprints next!

[fiv]

Then comes “The Long Game” a wonderfully weird Doctor Who episode with a charismatic villain … or stooge.

God Doctor Who is fun when it’s weird.

So I totally forgot about the “Bad Companion” that is Adam Mitchell. Man he sucked, good riddance.

I loved the chemistry growing between Rose and the Doctor. They have this really fun energy at times and even when he gets frustrated about Adam and gives Rose a hard time about it he still shows signs of caring about her.

How can I watch this episode and not mention “The Editor” played by Simon Pegg, who was clearly enjoying himself and I can’t say I blame him. He has that sinister playful energy that reminds me of Tom Hiddleston’s turn as Loki.

Christine Adams comes off well as Cathica who plays heroine to Adam’s blundering villain. Also Tamsin Greig cameos here which is fun.

I know that some find this episode a bit dull and without real threat, but come on, Simon Pegg rules here.

A very solid 3.5 out of 5.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[sophiesbookishthings]

April Reads

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Another Neil Gaiman book! I got a gorgeous illustrated edition of Stardust from litjoy so I was excited to read this one. It was interesting and very quintessentially Neil Gaiman. Something I love about Neil's books is that they fall into several different genres but they all have a similar Vibe. Stardust is a pure fantasy with fae and quests and... sky pirates. Something I really loved was how the different storylines tied together in the end. One of Neil's best endings in my opinion.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

This book (and the whole roots of chaos series) lives in my brain. I genuinely don't think a day has gone by where I haven't thought about this book or the series since I've read it. I read the prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, first and the way Priory wraps up and answers several of the big questions was impeccable. I dont want to give spoilers here and I don't want this to get longer than it already is so I'll just say that I genuinely can't say enough about this book/series and could write essays. Also I'm waiting for the revised editions of Samantha Shannon's other series The Bone Season to be released because I adore her writing.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cress by Marissa Meyer

This whole series is so fun. I'm continually impressed by how the multiple fairytales are intertwined while still managing to give justice to the one being focused on, in this case Rapunzel. The characters are interesting and the ending made me so excited to read the next book. It's all coming together!

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Oof this book. I think I went into this book expecting something different than it was. And while I do think this book mostly does what it set out to do I couldn't help be a little bit disappointed, mostly because of the length, I think. There were certain parts of the story I felt could have been expanded upon. However, this is a book that you have to think deeper about and can't just read on surface level so I keep going back and forth on if I really do think elaboration was necessary or if the gap in information was intentional and serves the story better. Either way, I feel like this book was very cynical and portrays the worst of humanity. That was clearly the intention but like I said, it feels cynical. Almost to an unnecessary degree. Also if you choose to read this book check the trigger warnings. It's very graphic.

3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Books I’ve read so far in 2023!

Friend me on Goodreads here to follow my more up to date reading journey for the year!

___

108. Different Seasons by Stephen King--No Rating

DIFFERENT SEASONS is the first short story/novella collection by Stephen King that I've ever finished reading. I'll admit, this was a bit of a ride and had a lot of highs and lows. I'm so torn on what to rate this, so I'll not rate the overall collection, but each individual novella.

My library doesn't have DIFFERENT SEASONS in its entirety as an audiobook, but it had three of the four novellas in individual audiobooks, so that was fun and kind of weird--especially since that meant that the last story was a physical read for me (it was a really interesting contrast to doing audiobooks for the other three.

Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption: 5 Stars

To be fair, I absolutely adore the film adaptation. I loved seeing the little details left out of the film and the despair that can only come fr0m reading about an experience, rather than watching actors acting it out. One of my favourite things about this novella is how I was hooked from the beginning. Definitely a favourite from this collection! If you loved the film, I highly recommend this novella because it gives you a different experience that you might end up loving.

Apt Pupil: 2.5 Stars

One of the things I've always loved about King is how he has this power to make you incredibly uncomfortable through his provocative and dangerously line-crossing writing. But I'll be honest that this novella made me squirm in my seat. Maybe that alone should raise the rating, but what's also stopping me from raising the rating is the fact that I was eventually starting to zone out. I was NOT feeling this story and I think it's definitely my least favourite from the collection.

The Body: 3.5 Stars

I'll admit that this took a while to grip me. I don't know if having had watched the movie first so many years back was a detriment to reading this novella because I wasn't expecting this book to be so heavy with stories and reminiscing. I know this is the point of this book, since it's a journey (both literal and metaphorical) for four best friends who are about to have their lives changed. I will say that once I was finally into the story, there was no going back. The characters were vivid, the friendship a reminder of childhood adventuring and endless hope for what might come the next day. I ended up really enjoying this one in the end, but it took a while to get there!

The Breathing Method: 5 Stars

Hot take but, this is my favourite of the four novellas. I enjoyed the main character and his naive way of navigating this new world that has just opened up to him. I loved the concept of a men's club sharing stories of all kinds during Thursday nights. And that ending, as my friend said, is very much a Stephen King thing to do. I think this carried some really good scares (traditionally speaking) and an ending only King could write. I felt that the story flowed a lot better than two of the other novellas, and that in itself makes it a winner. I also enjoyed the story so much because it felt so unique, even thought there are a lot of people who get together on occasion to share stories, this grabbed my attention immediately since it was written in such a compulsive way. I love thinking that somewhere in the bowels of New York City there is a group of older white men telling each other horror stories.

___

109. Alive by Piers Paul Read--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've read horror books that have tackled some of the topics explored in this nonfiction recounting of the survivors of the Andes plane crash. I thought I would be super ready because truly, what story with cannibalism could be as jarring as TENDER IS THE FLESH? But I was so wrong, especially because this one was a true story.

Before I get to the meat of this nonfiction survival book, I want to mention how amazingly it is written. The pacing is great, the chapters being split on occasion between the survivors and their forever hunting and searching parents was amazing. While it was definitely important to see the perspectives of the parents, I loved that the main focus was on the survivors and their tale. I think a lot of books mess this up, so props to the author for getting this balance between the two just right.

Also, the events were told in such a way that it literally felt like a fictional story. It's hard to believe that these young men went through such horrors and somehow survived by the end of it all.

Now, for the raw aspects of the story: I think most people, when they talk of this plain crash, they speak of the cannibalism that occurred. The way it was explained by the survivors was both genius and terrifying. By the point where eating the bodies of the deceased became the norm, the dehumanization that occurred was what grossed me out the most. Referring to it as "meat" and just casually mentioning the body parts and spoiled "meat" tasting like cheese made me want to pause the audiobook and take a deep breath. One truly doesn't know what their brain is capable of until they are in that situation.

The survival aspect of this book is absolutely incredible. I highly recommend it--but please, for the love of all that is meaty, strengthen your stomach before you take a bite out of this one.

___

110. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pretty much everyone knows about this book by now. The hype has risen this book to bookish stardom and it's gotten to the point where we get at least one phone call per day (at the bookstore I work at) asking if we have it in stock.

Before I went into this, I was preparing myself. I was worried that the hype would set my expectations for this book at ridiculous levels. I avoided reviews and tried my best to avoid spoilers. When I finally picked this up, I tried my very best to have low expectations. If it sucked, it sucked. If the characters were meh, they were meh. If I was bored, it was fine. I could DNF it.

Ha.

FOURTH WING was incredible. It was the wildest ride I've had with fantasy in a long time and I enjoyed every single minute of it. I devoured the 20 hour audiobook in a day and a bit and my only regret is that it is done. With the sequel safely pre-ordered, I can say that I absolutely need it. Like, tomorrow.

The characters were amazing (even if a few of them should dive into a tub of acid--screw you and your creepiness dude I won't name, but if you've read this book you know who it is--he's a freaking PREDATOR.) and the MC's internal dialogue was *chef's kiss*. I loved the relationships and how they formed and how you couldn't get too attached to them because the Yarros is ruthless. You think you can bond with some characters? Nah, you can't because they'll be dead in the next chapter. It's wild, but I honestly loved it. Especially with how some of the deaths were dealt because dang, some were too funny and I'm probably going to hell.

The plot was addicting and so quickly paced. There was always something going on and I couldn't wait to see what came next. I'm also a massive sucker for the "prove everyone wrong" trope, which Yarros maneuvered masterfully with her novel. Plus, seeing as the MC has chronic pain, or her body is a lot more fragile than the other riders, made this book so much better. I loved that aspect, especially when others acknowledged how hard she worked.

The romance was GREAT. It was predictable, but so delicious. And I don't feel weird saying that because they were in their 20s. I loved how open the MC was about her sexuality and horniness, and how the love interest absolutely devoured her when given the chance. Those spicy scenes be spicy, especially the one near the end....I also loved the fluidity of sexuality in the academy because it's realistic af.

I loved the dragons and their sass (and the occasional adorableness of one of them). It makes me want to read more dragon stories!

One of my favourite things, however, was how I could see the MC growing through the writing style. When the book first started, it felt very YA. The MC was naive and she definitely needed to learn the keys to surviving her new and dangerous world. But as she grew into her experiences and as a character, the writing grew with her. Of course, more people died and that also helped mature the writing. But by the end of the book, the YA writing style felt like a thing in the distant past.

I loved this book and I know that it might not be for everyone and that some people may think it's over hyped, but it's just...pure fun? The tension, the adventure, the constant threat of death, the cunning, and the characters who never stopped striving to succeed made Fourth Wing a force to be reckoned with and I'm so glad I finally read it!

___

111. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi--⭐️⭐️⭐️

Super unpopular opinion here: While the message of the book and topic are extremely important, the storytelling was...okay? I don't know. I think it started of beautifully, especially the descriptions of how the world was and who the monsters were, but somewhere along the way, the writing lost its hold on me.

I almost DNFed this because I wasn't into it. I kept going because there's so much love for this book and given the topics it explores and the themes it shines a light on, I can totally understand why. I think it just felt like this weird in between of middle grade and young adult, but with swearing thrown in. And I don't mind either of those things because I love MGLit books and I will swear until I'm blue, but the the combination was just odd and off-putting.

Also, the MC was kind of....annoying near the end. I understood what she was doing, but maybe it's the Taurus in me that was so annoyed by her actions. It read, to me, as an adult putting their morals onto a teenager who might not act in the same way if they were real. It's always been a thing that irks me with certain YA books, because it doesn't feel like a thing teenagers would do.

I don't know. Like I said, the messages were super, SUPER important. I loved the idea of calling these awful human beings monsters (because they are) and how by thinking that they've all been eradicated and/or rehabilitated, a town could live in peace even though some monsters hide in plain sight. I enjoyed the heart of the story because truly, if you ever watch true crime, it'll usually feature a town that thought it was safe from such evil. I really liked the concepts and the main idea, but the writing felt lacking for me. And that MC just felt too unrealistic.

If you DO decide to pick this up, though, trigger warning for CA and CSA.

___

112. Lost in the Moment & Found by Seanan McGuire--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My new favourite in this series!

LOST IN THE MOMENT & FOUND is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time (especially when the MC sees both a new future and the potential for a second chance at a future. Heartbreaking because, TW, of the horrors living in her home and the threat of CSA (but like the author says in the preface, she runs away).

From the author's heartfelt TW page, to the reveal of what was really happening in the MC's new life, this book was magic. McGuire's ability to take words and create a narrative both so naive and oddly mature at the same time is masterful and while the other books dealt with the whimsical, bullying, lost dreams, and other forms of childhood formative experiences, this one hit different. I felt so ill reading the first half of the book, but I knew the MC, even at such a young age, was someone incredibly powerful in her own right--even as this monster was attempting to steal her strength.

Highly recommend this series--each book offers so much magic.

___

113. Clown in A Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives by Adam Cesare--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

While this one, in my opinion, wasn't as good as the first book, I still found it to be entertaining and full of stomach-churning moments. This was like...reading the sequel to SCREAM and knowing that it will probably not live up to the first movie.

The story for this started just as slowly as the first book did, but it definitely played with the idea and concept of the victim being blamed to the point where they look like the villain. I think that was pretty well done, especially because there were instances where I got pretty pissed off with the people victim blaming.

I loved seeing the continuation of a couple that was revealed in the first book, but it hurt to see the issues between them--especially when I just want to see them succeed together. I found that their issues weren't really resolved and just kind of...swept to the side? But I think this is also par for the course, especially since these books are written in a way you'd expect to see for a potential film adaptation.

The horror was gruesome, the deaths were just as gory as the first book, and the ridiculousness of the whole thing was so much fun. I highly recommend these books, especially for October!

Don't go in expecting a masterpiece, but just go in to have a bloody good time.

___

114. Horror Hotel by Victoria Fulton & Faith McClaren--⭐️⭐️⭐️

While HORROR HOTEL isn't perfect, it's such a fun read--especially if you're a fan of the Cecil Hotel.

When I first heard about this book, I was instantly hooked on the idea of it. A group of teenagers who are paranormal investigators going into a hotel that is hella haunted and has a dark af history? Sign me up. The central case and character that is often referenced at the beginning of the book is a mirror of a famous death that happened there a few years ago and while some might find it questionable, I think it was an interesting.

When the Elisa Lam case first appeared on the internet, I was so curious and terrified by the footage. The idea that this poor woman could have experienced who knew what and ended up where she did was such a heartbreaking mystery. Obviously, there are only a couple of similarities in this book to the real-life case, nothing too macabre, but it was enough to pull me in.

The character relationships were interesting and had some layers that could have benefitted from a bit more exploration. This story really felt like we jumped into it in the middle of these friendships, kind of like an episode of their show where we only know what they show us and nothing more. In a way, this really did feel like I was watching an edgy episode of a ghost hunting show--this one just included a serial killer and a lovestruck teen boy.

Like a lot of young adult horror, don't go in expecting perfection. If you want a pretty straightforward ghost story with a real killer, some questionable side characters, and a group of teens making less than great life choices, then this is a book to add to your TBR. I'm always wary of the star rating on Goodreads for horror novels because honestly, the genre can be incredibly divisive.

___

115. What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I remember seeing this book at work and being so curious about it. One of the things I love doing is browsing the middle grade shelves because sometimes I find gems like this one. WHAT HAPPENED TO RACHEL RILEY? is such an important read. And listen, I know I say this a lot about middle grade novels, but oftentimes, books like this one have such important messages and undertones.

Swinarski tackles bullying in this one and I really appreciated it. Yes, there's a mystery and a teenager who is an aspiring journalist/podcaster, but the heart of this book is about a girl who fell from the pedestal she was put on and was taken down quickly and harshly. Rachel, the bullied subject of the MC's "project" handles the bullying so well and so maturely. What's messed up, though, is that she has to do this at such a young age.

As a person who suffered HEAVY bullying in middle grade, I can say that middle school is hell. Kids are cruel and will do anything to avoid being the next target. One of the topics explored in this book was also that of sexual assault and the many forms it may take. It's also important to note that these kids show how society has essentially groomed girls to laugh SA off if it doesn't fit the "typical" SA behaviour. If a young reader reads this and sees a situation they might have witnessed while in school, they may now have a tool to speak up against the behaviour. This is why literature like this matters. This book attempts to break that cycle and although it shows how difficult that can be, it also shows that there is hope that one day the cycle will be easier to break.

I highly recommend this, not just for middle grade kids, but also for adults who might have been kids like the ones in this book who thought laughing discomfort off was the only way to survive the jungles of middle grade.

___

Have you read any of these books? Let me know your thoughts!

___

Happy reading!

[luminoustarlight]

— mae’s 2024 reads

(because i don’t want to give out my goodreads)

this is how i rate my books:

5 ⭐️- LOVED IT! An absolute favorite, would rec, cannot stop thinking about it.

4 ⭐️- SO GOOD! A great read, would rec, keeping it on my shelf.

3 ⭐️- ENJOYABLE! A good read, kept me interested. Might rec, no regrets reading but not my fave.

2 ⭐️- MEDIOCRE. Not quite for me. Decent enough to get through the book but not a fan.

1 ⭐️- NOT FOR ME. Waste of time, almost DNF, why did I read this?

i do not count books i dnf (do not finish) towards my reading goal. i often use .25/.5/.75 in my ratings.

📖 send me book recs! i’m open to all genres. i have kindle unlimited, audible, and i use libby to get books from my library. my tbr is extensive and embarrassing. but i’m getting through it!

2024 reading challenge: 36/80

ebook = available on kindle unlimited | ebook = library borrow

book list below the cut ⤹

J A N U A R Y

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

12.26.23-1.1.24 // physical // 4.5 ⭐️

2. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

11.12.23-1.2.24 // audio // 4 ⭐️

3. Babymoon or Bust by Ava Hunter

1.1.24-1.4.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

4. The Risk (Mindfuck 1) by S.T. Abby

1.4.24-1.5.24 // ebook // 3.5/3.75 ⭐️

5. Sidetracked (Mindfuck 2) by S.T. Abby

1.5.24-1.5.24 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

6. Scarlet Angel (Mindfuck 3) by S.T. Abby

1.5.25-1.7.24 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

7. All the Lies (Mindfuck 4) by S.T. Abby

1.7.24-1.9.24 // ebook // 3.75 ⭐️

8. Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar

1.7.24-1.10.24 // audio // 4.5 ⭐️

9. Paint It All Red (Mindfuck 5) by S.T. Abby

1.9.24-1.10.24 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

10. My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

1.11.24-1.16.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

11. That One Night (Jacksonville Rays #0.5) by Emily Rath

1.16.24-1.16.24 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

12. Saddle Up (Ryker Ranch #1) by Kim Lorraine

1.17.24-1.19.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

13. Bucked Off (Ryker Ranch #2) by Kim Lorraine

1.20.24-1.21.24 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

14. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

1.18.24-1.27.24 // physical // 5 ⭐️

F E B R U A R Y

15. The Exception to the Rule (The Improbable Meet Cute #1) by Christina Lauren

2.03.24-2.03.23 // ebook // 5 ⭐️

16. Worst Wingman Ever The Improbable Meet Cute #2) by Abby Jimenez

2.03.24-2.03.23 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

17. The Trade (Brentwood Boys #4) by Meghan Quinn

01.21.24-02.03.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

18. Rosie and the Dreamboat (The Improbable Meet Cute #3) by Sally Thorne

02.03.24-02.04.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

19. Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (Finlay Donovan #2) by Elle Cosimano

02.07.2024-02.12.24 // ebook // 3.75 ⭐️

20. Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham

01.16.24- 02.13.24 // audio // 4 ⭐️

21. Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

02.12.24-02.19.24 // ebook // 3.5 ⭐️

22. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

02.01.24-02.24.24 // physical // 4.5 ⭐️

23. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park

02.25.24-02.25.24 // ebook // no rating

24. With Any Luck (The Improbable Meet Cute #5) by Ashley Poston

03.09.24-03.09.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

25. Drop, Cover, and Hold On (The Improbable Meet Cute #4) by Jasmine Guillory

03.10.24-03.10.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

26. Royal Valentine (The Improbable Meet Cute #6) by Sariah Wilson

03.10.24-03.11.24 // ebook // 2 ⭐️

27. Amelia's Shadow (Blaze Collection) by Marie Benedict

03.23.24-03.23.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

28. The Block Party by Jamie Day

03.13.24-03.23.24 // ebook // 2 ⭐️

29. The Forgotten Chapter (Blaze Collection) by Pam Jenoff

03.26.24-03.26.24 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

30. The June Paintings (Blaze Collection) by Maggie Shipstead

03.24.24-03.26.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

31. Fires to Come (Blaze Collection) by Asha Lemmie

03.28.24-04.01.24 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

32. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

03.21.24-04.01.24 // audio // 4.5 ⭐️

33. Tune in Tomorrow (Blaze Collection) by Melanie Benjamin

04.01.24-04.03.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

34. Fallen Grace (Blaze Collection) by Sadeqa Johnson

04.04.24-04.07.24 // ebook // 4 ⭐️

35. Barriers to Entry (Blaze Collection) by Ariel Lawhon

04.08.24-04.09.24 // ebook // 3 ⭐️

36. Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier

04.11.24-04.17.24 // physical // 4 ⭐️

[annegirl13]

Book Review

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Another middle grade book! And another one that I would read happily to 3rd to 5th graders. I think it’s really neat. That is exploring a different culture, one that I really didn’t know much about. It’s definitely following in the footsteps of Percy Jackson, and of Rick Riordan’s other series, The Kane Chronicles. He wrote the introduction at the beginning of this book, and it’s Rick Riordan presents so it’s definitely meant to be following in the footsteps of those series.

The Kane Chronicles is one of my all-time favorite book series. I like them even more than Percy Jackson, and most of that is to do with the audiobooks. The reader for Aru Shah is not as great as the readers for The Kane Chronicles, but I do recommend the audiobook.

All that being said, I gave this a 3.5 out of 5. It was a fun story, it was interesting to learn about Hindu mythology, and I thought Aru was a really interesting and engaging main character. The reason I’m giving it 3.5 instead of 4 is mostly because of the little pop culture references. Those always take me out of a story and well. I think that the upper elementary and middle school yours would find them funny, I really don’t care that the supernatural council gets together once every full moon and also every time Game of Thrones is on. I think that’s kind of silly, and I think it dates the book. Kids reading this 10 years from now, might not know what Game of Thrones is.

I did like this book more than Amari and the Night Brothers, but I think this is going to be the last middle grade book I read for a little while. I know there are other books in this series but I don’t think I’m going to continue reading them. It was nice to get a taste. I’ve seen this book around for a while now, and I’ve been wanting to try it, but I am not invested enough in Aru’s story to continue.

[girlspiece]

tagged by @sent2heaven tysm for the tag! 💗⭐️

answer these questions and tag 9 people you want to get to know better--

last song i listened to: wild horses by the sundays! one of my top 5 and probably even 3 songs of all time. grew up listening to it so have loved it since elementary school. i actually like it better than the rolling stones ver 🥸

three ships: okkk i dont really know if i can answer this q because i don't really consume a lot of movies or shows which is weird ik BUT. if i had to pick.. kelso and jackie from that 70's show half because of the happiness it gives me and half because of mila kunis and ashton kutchers real relationship from that is so.. <3333 my second pick would be utena and anthy from rgu because how could you not and also childhood memories and i honestly cant really think of a third one im sorry 😭😭

currently reading: i've been stuck on heaven by mieko kawakami for a while- not because it's bad or long but because i'm just REALLY bad at reading consistently if its not divided into very consecutive chapters, but i actually plan to finish it tonight and after that I'm going to start on pachinko by min jin lee !

last movie i watched: equilibrium! it was pretty good had a hot christian bale in it so.... just basic dystopian sci-fi stuff, still pretty interesting though and good music! like a 3.5/5 ? 4/5? i'm so bad at rating movies

craving: a couple days ago i bit the inside of my cheek and its been annoying to eat/chew food since.. -_- but if i could have ANYTHING rn..? i'd have some cold spongecake with fluffy frosting and a foamy latte~

tagging!: i fr cant think of 9 people to tag but! @hxh @rocket2017 @sticky-pearls @poppies @garlicfry and anyone else who wants to do this!

[anniesboookshelf]

Okay so i feel like i’ve done an awful job at keeping my bookblr updated on my reads SO, im gonna give y’all the 15 titles and what i ranked them at!

i’m first gonna start with my 13 physical books that i’ve read so far in 2023!

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker: 4/5 ⭐️

The Child Who Never Grew by Pearl S. Buck: 4/5⭐️

Hatchet by Gary Paulson: 4/5 ⭐️

The Office Orc by Kate Prior: 2.5/5 ⭐️

Claimed by the Orc Prince by Lionel Hart: 3.5/5⭐️

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang: 4/5 ⭐️

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint: 3/5 ⭐️

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood: 4/5 ⭐️

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry: 3/5⭐️

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson: 4/5⭐️

Neutral Zone by Teagan Hunter: 3/5 ⭐️

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren: 3/5⭐️

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal: 4/5 ⭐️

Now for the 2 Audio books if listened to so far! (i included pictures of the titles i’ve read because i didn’t have the physicals on me)

Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott: 3.5/5 ⭐️

The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert: 4/5

Love y’all and stay hydrated 🫶🏻

With love,

Annie

[steddie-island]

Finished

The Haunting of Alejandra - V. Castro 4/5 ⭐️

Electric Idol - Katee Robert 3.5/5 ⭐️

Learn My Lesson - Katee Robert 5/5 ⭐️

A Worthy Opponent - Katee Robert 4/5 ⭐️

Death Between the Pages - Peggy Jaeger 3.5/5 ⭐️

The Hellbound Heart - Clive Barker 3/5⭐️

My Darling Dreadful Thing - Johanna van Veen 5/5⭐️

Requiem for a Memory - Saige Denmark 2.5/5⭐️

Hunt on Dark Waters - Katee Robert 3/5⭐️

The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson 4/5⭐️

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke - Eric LaRocca 2/5 ⭐️

Camp Damascus - Chuck Tingle 4/5⭐️

When I Arrived at the Castle - Emily Carroll 4/5⭐️

From the Belly - Emmett Nahil 5/5⭐️

Hexis - Charlene Elsby 3/5⭐️

Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Dan Kois 4/5⭐️ (This was sort of a book of short stories and would've been a solid 3/5 but one of the stories gave it another full star!)

How to Sell a Haunted House - Grady Hendrix 5/5⭐️ (This was my first foray into Grady Hendrix and holy shit I love him. This book was so good, I finished it in one night.)

Incidents Around the House - Josh Malerman 5/5⭐️ (Holy fuck, one of the best horror books I've ever read. It sucks you in from page one, definitely one of my top reads of the year!)

The Mary Shelley Club - Goldy Moldavsky 4/5⭐️ (Could have used another edit, basically the first half of the book was setup, but holy shit it had a GREAT ending.)

My Best Friend's Exorcism - Grady Hendrix 4/5⭐️

Currently reading The goal is to get through these three by the end of the month and then just read Horror Movie for book club but we'll see!!

A Dowry of Blood - S.T. Gibson (Definitely not hitting the way I wanted it to, it feels like not a whole lot has happened yet? We'll see how long it takes to pick up.)

Horror Stor - Grady Hendrix (I'm really really trying to get into this one but it's not pulling me in the way his other books have. But I'm not giving up yet!)

The Salt Grows Heavy - Cassandra Khaw

Upcoming TBR We'll see how many of these I actually get through, with all of the ST writing events and kinktober 💀

Horror Movie - Paul Tremblay

The Final Girl Support Group - Grady Hendrix

DNFs of the year

Never Whistle at Night - A dark fiction anthology

The God of the Woods - Liz Moore

Still Life With Bones - Alexa Hagerty - What I read of this was really good, but it was also super heavy and really intense and maybe the time to read this would've been now, given the multiple genocides going on in the world, but I just. Couldn't cut it. I will absolutely be returning to this later, but for now I had to DNF.

Manhunt - Gretchen Falker-Martin - Again, what I read was good, but it also hit too close to home right now given gestures around fucking everything going on with trans people. I'm planning on revisiting this one eventually, too, but at this point in time it made me too anxious to enjoy reading it.

(Previous versions of this post x x x )

[claygoestothemovies]

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

After the most aggressive marketing campaign since the Crusades, SPEAK NO EVIL is finally here. More importantly, we never have to see the trailer ever again. As its own thing, it’s actually pretty fun! As a remake of SPEAK NO EVIL (2022), it fails epically.

The story follows Ben (Scoot McNairy), Louise (Mackenzie Davis), and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) as they go to visit some new friends they recently met while vacationing in Italy. After moving to London and having some marital difficulties, going to the county for a long weekend seems like just what they need, even if they barely know the people they’ll be visiting. Upon arriving, things become increasingly uncomfortable as their hosts display behavior that is, shall we say, a bit out of the norm.

As the villainous hosts, James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi are nearly pitch perfect. McAvoy in particular seems to be having a blast with the material, and is far more sinister than the campy performance the marketing suggested, thankfully. Davis and McNairy do as well as they can in their straight man roles, and I wish I could have seen them dig to the depths that were asked of the performers in the original, but that’s not the movie we got. I was, however, impressed by the child actors! Dan Hough’s Art and Lefler’s Agnes were surprisingly nuanced for people their age.

The original SPEAK NO EVIL was one of my favorite horror films of 2022, and one of the bleakest movie watching experiences I’ve ever had (complimentary), so with America’s track record of diluting foreign horror when we do the inevitable remake, I was nervous to say the least. The experience of watching this remake was fascinating and maddening all at the same time. On one hand, I was really enjoying myself, even though I was fully prepared to aggressively hate it. On the other hand, when the film did the generic thing that I had been expecting ever since the project was announced, I was furious. James Watkins, director of EDEN LAKE, doing a neutered and defanged version of SPEAK NO EVIL was not exactly on my bingo card for the year.

If you aren’t familiar with the Danish original, you’ll more than likely really enjoy this. It doesn’t reinvent the horror movie wheel, and is about fifteen minutes too long, but it’s largely inoffensive. If you are familiar with the original version, you’ll probably want to walk out of the theater about two-thirds of the way through. Will I ever understand why we felt the need to do an American remake of a film only two years old that’s largely in English already? Absolutely not. Did it do exactly what I was afraid of it doing? One hundred percent. I don’t think it succeeds as a remake, and fundamentally misunderstands the material, but ultimately, the films are doing very different things, and I have to give it props for trying to distinguish itself, if nothing else. It’s worth a rental at least for McAvoy’s performance alone, but unlike the vacationers, maybe choose to sit this one out.

3.5/5

[thebookdragonshoard]

August Reading Recap

I read 8 books this month, here they are in order and with ratings + short thoughts. ✨

No Longer Human - Osamu Dazai

5/5 ⭐️ - A long, beautifully written suicide note and introspection to the human condition. I originally picked this book up because of Bungou Stray Dogs and now I’m so glad I did. This book sucker punched me, stole my glasses, and called me a little bitch. Yozo Oba’s struggles with his own humanity, or his believed lack thereof, rang a little too true in my heart. I loved the cynicism Dazai was able to write with while also keeping this poignant. After researching Dazai’s past a bit after finishing this book. I cried. Will definitely be rereading this book again, it’s one of my all-time favorites.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

4.5/5⭐️ - This was my first time reading The Hunger Games, despite being 20yo and this book being a staple in the lives of many in my generation. I only wish I read it sooner. Panem being based on the American Government, the muttations at the very end of the games (seriously wtf), Peeta’s leg. My jaw was on the floor.

The Nature of Witches - Rachel Griffin

4/5⭐️ - I read this in one sitting. I was falling into a reading slump and this book dragged me right out of it. I enjoyed how the main character’s personality and outlook would change with each season as her powers shifted. A very good fall read, in my opinion. I also enjoyed how this book was a commentary on climate change and the effect humans are having on the world.

The Setting Sun - Osamu Dazai

5/5⭐️ - Another five star read for the month. courtesy of Osamu Dazai. once again. He is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The snake analogy in this book. I am STILL thinking about it a week and a half later. I again love the cynical despair Dazai is capable of portraying while also making this a book that can speak to people of multiple backgrounds, regardless of class. age, gender, or even era. It’s a book that had an impact nearly 80 years ago, and it’s a book that still has an impact now.

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

4/5⭐️ - The fig tree analogy kidnapped me, threw me in the trunk of its car, ran over said car with a monster truck, and then tossed the wreckage into the Mariana Trench. Great read that gives insight into the uncertainty of life, especially as a young woman, and the distorted views of the world that can lead to. One girl’s struggle with her place in the world and what she’ll do with her life accompanied by her experience in an asylum and receiving electroshock therapy. However, the ending did leave me a bit unsatisfied with how abrupt and open-ended it was. I have more thoughts on the fig tree analogy posted on my feed, if you’re interested.

Rashomon and Other Stories - Ryunoske Akutagwa

3.5/5⭐️ - Not going to lie. this was a bit of a let down. I’m not usually a short stories kind of girl, but I picked this up because of Bungou Stray Dogs. For the most part, this collection of short stories didn’t have much that stood out to me, but the stories inside are still enjoyable. I found them enjoyable, relatively easy-to-digest short stories and while I admittedly didn’t understand the underlying concept for some of them, I enjoyed them nonetheless. I particularly liked In A Grove and The Martyr (poor Lorenzo.)

Good Girl, Bad Blood - Holly Jackson

3.5/5⭐️ - If you’ve seen my previous posts, it should come as no shocker that I’m not a huge fan of this series. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that it’s bad! I found it to be an enjoyable read, but I only really started getting into when the plot twist rolled around in the last 50 pages or so. I think all the hype for this series, and this book, gave me such high expectations that the reality didn’t quite compare. However, I did read the American version. We love Stanley Forbes though and that was certainly a tear-jerker.

Seraphina - Rachel Hartman

5/5⭐️ -Once again, another five star read! I love dragons, hence the blog name. And this book was such a unique take on dragons in fantasy that I found it quite refreshing! This book quickly sucked me in and had me falling for the characters in less than 400 pages. Court politics, forbidden love, music, and draconian governments. Plus, a look into the complexities, intricacies, and maladies of emotions. And just how human are they?

✨bonus review✨

I couldn’t finish this post without also including a review for the sequel to Seraphina, which I started the first day of September and finished tonight.

Shadow Scale - Rachel Hartman

5/5⭐️ - Are we surprised by this rating? Well, we shouldn’t be. Once again: dragon lover. With the sequel go Seraphina, we get to dive further into the world of draconian politics and explore the world this wonderful duology is set in. Another thing this book does well is the representation and diversity amongst the characters. SPOILER: There’s even a dash of polyamory sprinkled in with the main character, and as a fellow polyam, this made my heart SOAR. This duology has thoroughly enamoured me and I will never regret spending the $4 at the thrift store to purchase them both. By far my favorite thrifted books to date.

[lxvedthestars]

ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ || The City of Stardust

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ || Georgia Summers

ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ || 30 January 2024

ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇʀ || hodderscape

ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ || ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛs || I really wanted to give this 4 stars but the very end just let it down for me. I loved the story and the pace is on point; I’d have been happily satisfied without the Epilogue but I understand why Summers added it. I can’t wait to read what she writes next though - I love her writing style ☺️

[fiv]

Rewatching modern Doctor Who. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for ages but I’m finally going to give it a go.

Love the chemistry between The Doctor and Rose in the pilot. Originally I missed most of season 1 and only caught the finale (thanks work) so I totally forgot how good they are together.

Also forgot how meh Micky was at the start. How things change.

Enjoyed the pilot. Fun interesting start to the new show. Loved the high tempo music used at various points and the quick cuts as they really tried to up the pace of the show.

Basic effects (it’s a pilot I’m not complaining) and a relatively non-terrifying villain of the week which as a dad is a plus for me. Could watch it with my 4yr old son no worries.

If I was scoring I’d say 3.5 out of 5. (That’s a good score).

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨