Month: February 2024

November 2023 Wrap Up

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In November I only read two books and watched two movies but as I was busy with other things that’s okay.

Books:

First I read From A Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi which is an anthology of stories from different characters perspectives set during Return of the Jedi. While I liked most of the stories I felt like too many had major flashbacks that took away focus from the rest of the story. Would recommend from fans of Star Wars.

The only other book I read this month is a reread that I have talked about before, Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant which I read for the book club I’m in. This is still one of my favorite stories and I hope one day we will get more of the murder mermaids and find out what will happen next.

Movies:

I watched Willy’s Wonderland which is a ridiculous Nicolas Cage movie where he ends up cleaning an abandoned family entertainment center which is inhabited by animatronics that are possessed by the souls of a group of serial killers. Cage also doesn’t speak throughout the entire movie. This is one of those movie that was created when news of the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie came out and is so over the top that it ends up being kind of funny.

The other movie I watched was The Pyramid which based on the poster one would think is a horror movie about mummies but instead its a bad found footage movie where the main cast gets trapped in a Pyramid in Egypt and are hunted by Anubis. I only finished this movie by using it as background noise and doing other things.

November 2023 Fairyloot

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Fairyloot is a Young Adult book subscription box focusing on fantasy based out of the UK. Each month you receive a new Young Adult hardback book and bookish goodies. Like most book boxes the hardback are special editions and the items are a combination of both practical things and more decorative items. November’s theme is Alchemy of Us.

The bookish items included this month are a id case and lanyard, one of the secret books, a SJM inspired desk calendar, and a set of hanging storage drawers. The monthly tarot cards feature character art from These Violent Delights.

All Fairyloot books come with exclusive covers, generally signed by the author and include a letter from the author. This month the book is The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker which is a Asian inspired high fantasy where the main character wants to become a royal alchemist to provide for her family. This edition also has digitally sprayed edges and foiling on the hardback.

December’s theme is Artefacts of Power.

November 2023 Illumicrate

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Illumicrate is a UK based fantasy and science fiction book box that has monthly boxes or just a monthly book only subscription. Each box also includes a selection of bookish goodies some more practical, others more decorative set around a monthly theme. November’s theme is Anti-Hero.

The items included in this box are a mug inspired my the Murderbot Diaries, a set of Locked Tomb book ends, an ornament and a foldable bag.

Illumicrate, like other book boxes, include a new hard cover each month and most months a letter from the author. This months book is Starling House by Alix E. Harrow which is a a gothic tale about a small town haunted by secrets. This edition has a full color hardback and digitally sprayed edges.

December’s theme is In The Stars.

October 2023 Wrap Up

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In October I read six books and watched two movies. I was around this time that I got very busy and posting just wasn’t happening so now I’m catching up.

Books:

The first book I read was The Curse of Moonseed Manor by D. Lieber which is a gothic mystery story set at a possible haunted house in the same vain as Rebecca. I do have a full review already posted and feel like that if you like mysteries and haunted houses you would enjoy this.

To Sleep In A Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini follows Kira who accidently finds an alien relic during a routine survey mission and is launched into events to save Earth and all of Humanity. This is Paolini’s first adult science fiction work and while I loved the characters and enjoyed most of the concepts I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if it had been split into two books.

The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Hadley Valhos is a nonfiction book about her interactions with patients that have impacted her the most so far while being a hospice nurse. While a hard topic with is a memoir that shows hos caring for others can change one’s life and how one deals with grief.

A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard is a sapphic Count of Monte Cristo inspired story set in space. I do have a full review posted as well but this is perfect for those that love science fiction with a romantic spin.

Britney Spears memoir The Woman in Me is Britney sharing her story in the music industry and the conservatorship that she was forced into. While at times sad, this memoir allows one to get a glimpse into who Britney Spears really is and how things have affected her over the years.

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein is a science fiction book about Michael Smith who is a human raised on Mars and has returned to Earth. Interesting concepts but you and can that it was written in the 60s and I didn’t enjoy reading it.

Movies:

I watched two movies this month the first was Grave Encounters. Grave Encounters is a found footage horror movie where a team of Ghost Hunters lock themselves into an abandoned asylum that is supposed to be haunted. As the night goes on it starts to become clear that the asylum really is haunted and the team is in danger. Not bad for a found footage movie but the effects could have been better in some scenes but a good horror movie overall for the Halloween season.

The only other movie I watched was Resident Evil: Death Island. This is the newest Resident Evil animated movie to come out and its set in the same universe as the video games. While not a bad movie its made for fans of the games but it was cool seeing fan favorite characters working together.

Book Review: A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard

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A Fire Born of Exile is a sapphic Count of Monte Cristo inspired story in space set in the Xuya Universe. This Universe is one in which Asian culture is dominate, scholars administrate different planets, and sentient spaceships have families. A Fire Born of Exile came out in October 2023 but I received a review copy from Netgalley and I’m currently catching up on things that I meant to post earlier.

The story focuses on Quynh an Alchemist who wants revenge for events in her past and Minh the daughter of the ruler of the Scattered Peral Belt who wants to escape her mothers plans for her. I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if I better knew the story of the Count of Monte Cristo but I still enjoyed this book. I love how different the Xuya Universe is to most of the science fiction that I’ve read and I want to read more set in this universe.