In February I read three books and watched one movie.
Books:
The first book I read was Slayers of Old by Jim C Hines which is a fantasy novel following several former chosen ones who have retired but are being called back to save the world once again. We follow Jenny, Amet, and Temple who think they are done fighting evil and work more to heal but someone is summoning an ancient evil. I loved how everyone you met is connected to the others and come together to save the world.
Next I read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. This is a dystopian where due to declining fertility rates the Republic of Gilead has forced both men and women but primarly women into very strict social orders. We follow Offred a Handmaid whose job and purpose is to have children for those who can’t but this has been forced upon her. I liked the concept but not how it was written. The writing at times feels disjointed and I had trouble following the timeline of events. Also how Gilead is formed and stays in power doesn’t make logical sense.
The last book I read in February was The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. This is a historical fantasy that follows Amina who was a pirate but is trying to no longer live that life. When she is contacted by a crewmate’s mother to go after her “kidnapped” granddaughter Amina gathers her crew for one las adventure. I loved how the story unfolded and what is really going on with the granddaughter. This could be read as a standalone but I’m looking forward to the sequel.
Movies:
The only movie I watched was 28 Weeks Later. 28 Weeks Later is a zombie movie and the sequel to 28 Days Later where after 28 weeks most of those infected with the rage virus have starved and there is now a military run protected zone in London. When two kids sneak out to their old home they find their mother who while infected shows no symptoms she is brought into the protected zone, her husband get infected, and the spreading virus destroys everything. While not a bad movie in comparison to 28 Days which felt like it had something to say about society 28 Weeks is just another zombie movie.
In January I read four books/short stories, watched four movies including two documenteries, and played one video game.
Books:
The first thing I read was the short story These Deathless Bones by Cassandra Khaw. This is a horror short story about a witch bride who is the second wife of a king and the conflict between her and his son. The son is a horrible person who kills both people and animal and he gets what he deserves. I loved Cassandra Khaw’s writing and the ending.
In Mercy, Rain by Seanan McGuire is a short story set in the Wayward Children series following Jack in the Moors. Set shortly after Jack goes with the mad scientist and gives us some idea on what Jack’s life was like in the Moors. I love this series and Jack is one of my favorite characters so I always like getting more of her story.
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amelie Wen Zhao is a Chinese inspired fantasy where demons roam the land after the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers. We follow An Ying who decides to enter the immortality trails to heal her dying mother. I loved the premise but not the execution. I’m getting a little tired of competition stories and I didn’t find the romance believable.
The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley is the first book in a slow burn enemies to lovers Romantasy. We follow Osric a member of an order of assassins whose magic is slowly dying. He forces Aurienne a healer to help him by funding a cure for a plague. The story is primarily about their relationship and budding romance but mysteries are uncovered. I loved this book and have a full review posted as well.
Movies:
In January I watched two movie and two documentaries. I rewatched Jurassic Park which has always been a favorite and I think will continue to be. Really all I have to say is if you haven’t seen the original Jurassic Park you should.
Next I was able to go see Iron Lung in theaters. Iron Lung is the YouTuber Markiplier’s first feature film and is a horror movie that is based on the video game of the same name. After the events of the Quite Rapture where all of the planets and humanity expect those on space stations have disappeared, moons covered in oceans of blood have been found. We follow the Convict Simon who is being sent down in a submarine to explore these blood oceans. I loved this movie and have a full review posted. I need to purchase a copy because this is one of those movies that I think is better understood on rewatch.
The first documentary I watched was Markiplier From North Korea, which is a documentary where Markiplier travels to South Korea with is mom and learns more about the family history and his grandfather’s escape from North Korea. I watched this because a book of the same name is coming out and I wanted to see what the documentary is. I would recommend this for fans of Markiplier.
Finally I watched the documentary Wick is Pain which is all about the John Wick movies, how the movies where made, and how physically tasking they were. I enjoyed it and I would recommend it for fans of the John Wick movies.
Video Game:
The only video game I played this month was the puzzle game Is This Seat Taken. Which is a puzzle game where your characters who are different shape have to be placed in cars, planes, buses etc. while taking into account each characters preferences such as not hearing loud music, being next to specific characters etc. I played this on Switch and found it to be a cute but quick game.
In December I read four books, most of them fairly short. December is one of the busiest months for me as I work in retail and the holidays are the biggest sales season.
Books:
The first books I finished was Saiyuki Reload volumes nine and ten. These volumes finish off this portion of the Saiyuki story and I plan to post a full review in the future. Also to note volume ten was never officially published in English therefore to finish the story I had to find online fan translations. These volumes have the first but probably not the last confrontation with Ukoku Sanzo and brings our main group back together. Hazel’s story is also brought to a close thou I wouldn’t be surprised if he shows back up in the future. I love Saiyuki but it is a series I’m not sure is the best to recommend.
The next book I read was Pocket Potters: Harry Potter. These are children’s picture books that introduce characters from the Harry Potter series. I liked this and found it cute but I think fans will like it more than those just getting into the series.
The final book I read by The Nightblood Prince by Molly X. Chang and I already have a full review posted. This is a young adult Chinese inspired fantasy with vampires. We follow Fei who is believed to be the prophesized Empress of All Empresses. However, she wants control of her life and her decisions. While I enjoyed the story I do think it is slightly miss marketed (which I go more into in my full review) but I do think young adult audiences would also enjoy it.
In November I read six books and watched one movie.
Books:
Dracula by Bram Stoker I listen to as the podcast Re:Dracula which takes the original novel and breaks it up chronologically so you are listing to events as they unfold and has a full cast narration. This is one of my favorite ways to read Dracula. Dracula is my favorite classic but I know that trying to read the novel can be a little bit of a struggle. I would recommend anyone trying to get into the original story to try out this podcast.
Mate by Ali Hazelwood is the sequel to Bride Hazelwood’s first paranormal romance omega verse book and I have a full review also posted. We follow Serena who is the first know human were hybrid and she has become a target that is seems everyone is after. The Alpha of the Northwest pack Koen Alexander turns out to be Serena’s mate but doesn’t seem to want to have anything to do with her. This is a more slow burn romance that I would recommend anyone who liked Bride to try out.
Elantris is Brandon Sanderson’s first published novel and is part of the Cosmere. Set in a fantasy world where ten years before something happened where the city of Elantris was essentially destroyed as those who have the power of the Elantrians are not considered dead and there is no hope for them. We follow prince Raoden who has been taken by Shoad and is sent to live in the city of Elantris, Sarene a princess who was meant to marry Raoden, and Hrathen, a high priest of Shu-Dereth while all of them have different paths their stories become intertwined. Raoden wants to figure out the secrets of Elantris, help his new people, learn to survive and hopes that Arelon doesn’t fall apart. Sarene to help her own people stays in Arelon and gets involved in the politics. Meanwhile, Hrathan has been sent to convert the people of Arelon and if that doesn’t happen they will be wiped out. While Elantris is one of Sanderson’s weaker novels I loved the characters and concepts. Similarly to the Mistborn series there is a focus on religion and how one’s faith can change over time.
The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson is one the secret project books. This is both a fantasy and sci-fi novel where a man wakes up in a version of Medieval England with no memory. When he finds parts of the Frugal Wizard’s Handbook it turns out that he has chosen to travel here. I find the ideas in this book interesting but didn’t love the main character having memory loss for much of the story.
Dumbledore: The Life and Lies of Hogwarts Headmaster An Unoffical Exploration by Irvin Khaytman is exactly what it says it is. This is a nonfiction book that reads more like an article about Dumbledore and what he is doing through the Harry Potter books. The focus is on what he knew, when he knew it, and how his decision impacted other characters. An interesting deep dive on Dumbledore but a little boring in some areas. I would only recommend this to fans that want to research different theories and understandings of these characters as this is a book that I feel only a select few will enjoy.
The last book I read was Saiyuki Reload volume 8 by Kazuya Minekura. This once again continues the Saiyuki story and I plan to have a more thorough review of Saiyuki Reload posted at some point.
Movies:
The only movie I watched in November was Hell House LLC: Lineage. Lineage is set after all the other Hell House movies. We follow Vanessa who survived Russell Wynn’s Insomnia production at the Abaddon Hotel and who now lives in town. It turns out that she and others are connected to the Abaddon Hotel, Carmichael Manor, and Andrew Tully. Going into this movie I believed that is would be the last movie in the series but with how this movie ends there are too many loose ends and I would expect another movie at some point. I enjoy the Hell House series but this one is no longer a found footage movie and because of that I feel like it loses some of the charm of the others. I have never found these movie all that scary this one is I didn’t find scary at all just creepy.
In October I read eight books and watched one movie.
Books:
The first book I read was Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places by Amy Bruni. This is a cookbook written by paranormal investigator Amy Bruni. She takes recipes that are connected to haunted places and uses this to tell the story of these places. A cool concept and I liked the stories but some of the recipes are out there and I’m not sure many people would make them.
Next I read Queen Demon by Martha Wells and I have a full review posted as well. This is the second book in the Rising World series and we follow Kai and his companions after the event of Witch King. The story focuses on the fact that Dahin believes that he knows the location of the Hierarchs well of power and the possibility of a new Hierarch rising. I greatly enjoy this series and based on the ending I do expect that there will be at least one more book in the series.
Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston is a Star Wars canon novel following Ahsoka after the end of the Clone Wars and surviving Order 66. She is traveling to different planets and working odd jobs while hiding that she used to be a Jedi. To save the people she has grown to care about Ahsoka realizes that she never really stopped being a Jedi and starts to work with the Rebellion.
A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djeli Clark is a short story set before A Master of Djinn. In an alternate Cairo where magic and supernatural entities exist, when an odd suicide happens investigator Fatima must find out the truth and stop a plot that could unravel time itself. While connected to A Master of Djinn it doesn’t require you to have read any part of the series before this short story. I enjoyed this and plan to read more of the series in the future.
Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom by Christine Brown Woolley is Christine’s story from the show Sister Wives. This book starts with her childhood, follows into her early marriage with Cody, then starting the show to eventually leaving both the Church and Cody. It’s nice to see this story told by one of the wives. Though I do feel like this is Christine’s truth which might be different for other members of the family.
The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher follows a young woman, Mouse, who agrees to clean out her grandmothers horded house but there are things in the woods. A creepy horror story but does tell you that everything will be fine at the beginning. The ending is fairly cathartic for the characters. This was a reread for me as my book club was reading it and I still really liked it.
Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire is the seventh book in the Wayward Children series and I have a full review posted as well. After having been to the Moors Cora is having nightmares and decides to transfer to the Whitethorn Institute the “sister” school to Eleanor West’s but this school focuses on making the students forget about their door and reinter society. However, it’s clear that something not quite right is happening at the Whitethorn Institute. I didn’t like this one as much as others in the series but I think some of the information introduced will come back in future stories.
The last book I read was I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider. An illustrated book/comic about books, book lovers, and writers. Cute but doesn’t have much substance though I would recommend to big book lovers.
Movies:
The only movie I watched this month was 28 Days Later. I’ve never watched 28 Days Later before but since 28 Years Later is now on Netflix I decided it was time to watch it. Overall, I enjoyed this zombie movie and can see why it was so popular.
In August I only finished one TV show and one movie so I decided to combine the August and September Wrap Ups. In September I read five books, watched two movies, and played the demo for a new video game.
Books:
The Unwanted Guest by Tamsyn Muir is a short story in the Locked Tomb series. Palamades Sextus and Ianthe Tridentarius match wits on a dreamlike battlefield. Mostly a discussion between these two characters which I don’t feel like I understood but I liked it. Honestly, most Locked Tomb things leave me confused.
The Cautious Traveler’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks is a historical fantasy where the Trans-Siberian Express train travels the wastelands to connect Russia and China. We follow different passengers on the train and learn how the wastelands are changing and how that impacts the passengers.
Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright is a dark fantasy set in a world where society is divided by between those who are blood workers and those who are not. Blood workers use blood to do different magic and is vampiric in nature. We follow Shan who is trying to protect her brother and Samuel who has a terrible gift as they have been tasked to find out who has been committing murders in the city. I liked the story overall and was not expecting how it ended. I look forward to continuing this series.
Manga Classics: Dracula is a manga retelling of Dracula by Bram Stoker and I have a full review posted. While it is a retelling based on changing the medium the story is told in it is using the original text of the novel and is fairly accurate to the novel. I enjoyed this take on Dracula and would recommend this as a way to get in to the story if you didn’t enjoy the reading experience of the original novel.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass is the first book in this romantasy series inspired by Beauty and the Beast. We follow Feyre who kills a wolf in the woods to use the pelt for money to feed her family. However, it turns out that the wolf was a fae and now Feyre must go to the fae realm and live there for the rest of her days. This is a reread for me as I intend to continue on with the series but I didn’t remember much from the first time I read it. While I understand that not everyone will like Mass’s world and stories I enjoyed it and would recommend it as an intro to romantasy.
TV:
The only TV show I finished was season one of The Terror. The Terror is a drama/supernatural anthology series where each season is a contained and unconnected story, the first season is based on a book by the same name. Season one follows the events of the Franklin expedition to find the North West Passage through the Arctic Ocean and was supposed to be a sea lane connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The expedition gets stuck in the ice and after an encounter with some of the natives a something starts terrorizing them. This is an interesting take on a historical event and while I enjoyed it, it’s a very slow start. I do intend to watch the next season which is set during World War II at a Japanese internment camp.
Movies:
The first movie I watched was A Quite Place Day One. Which heads up the cat survives because I did look that up before watching. This is the third A Quite Place movie but is a prequel to the other two as it follows the events of what happened when everything fell apart and the aliens appear. We are in New York City following Sam, a hospice patient, and Eric, a law student, who end up helping each other.
Next I watched Annabelle Creation which is the second Annabell movie and part of the Conjuring Universe. I’m slowly making my way through the Conjuring movies and trying to watch them in release order. Annabelle Creation focuses on how the Annabelle doll became possessed and what happened before the Warrens obtain it. While I’ve enjoyed all of the Conjuring movies so far I didn’t like this one as much and didn’t really care about most of the characters.
Last I watched The Nun. This is the first Nun movie in the Conjuring Universe and tells us some of the story about the Nun demon Valak before the Warrens become involved. We follow Sister Victoria and Father Burke as they investigate the suicide of a Nun at a remote monastery in Romania. I enjoyed this Conjuring Universe movie and expect that some of the characters will return from how the movie ends.
Game:
The only game I played was the demo for Draculesti which is a romantic horror visual novel where you play a Tans Renfield who is working for Dracula and might find romance along the way. Currently a Demo on Steam and has had a successful Kickstarter to finish the game. I enjoyed the demo and can’t wait to play the full game when it’s released. While not accurate to the original Dracula story I would recommend it to fans of vampires and visual novels.
The first book I read in July was Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson. This is a nonfiction book that tells the story of witchcraft and the witch trials in thirteen different trials/events. While interesting take on how to tell the story of witchcraft and a different way to study it I found that I wanted more information than this book gave. I also personally didn’t enjoy the more modern tales as I feel like it became more about the author’s opinion then what happened.
Next I read Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup which I have a full review also posted. Just Stab Me Now is a fantasy comedy story similar to the Princes Bride. We follow Caroline an author who is trying to write a fantasy romance with many popular tropes but the character’s won’t listen to her and take the story in a different direction.
Blood of Elves by Andrezj Saplowski is the first full novel in the Witcher series. We follow Geralt as he helps raise the prophesied child Ceri but evil forces are out to get her. I wanted to love this but I found myself not caring about what was happening and feel like I only got part of a story without a stratifying ending. While I’ve like the games and TV show I don’t know if I will continue with the books.
The last book I read was And Then You Die of Dysentery: Lessons in Adulting from The Oregon Trail by Lauren Reeves. This is a humor book with different takes on things that one can learn by playing The Oregon Trail and how it can apply to adult life. A combination of art and writing that I think those who love the Oregon Trial would get a kick out of.
Movies:
The only movie I watched this month was Alien Romulus. The most recent Alien movie and one that I liked but didn’t love. Set between the events of Alien and Aliens we follow a small group trying to steal cryostasis equipment from a Weyland-Yutani station which had picked up a cocoon from the wreak of the Nostromo. I enjoyed this Alien movie and I wouldn’t mind a sequel to it. I loved the combination of practical and CGI effects.
In June I read five books. All of them which I enjoyed.
Books:
The first book I finished was The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski which is a collection of short stories set in the world of The Witcher and is chronologically set before the first novel. This is where many people recommend to start the Witcher series as we met Geralt and many others before the events of the novels and can better understand the character relationships. I liked the short stories but some I found too long and I didn’t personally like the ones that put so much focus on Dandelion.
Next I read John Green’s new book Everything is Tuberculosis. This is a nonfiction about Tuberculosis how it has shaped the world and Green’s personal obsession with it. While interesting and thought provoking at times it doesn’t seem like it goes far enough but I can see this as a small step stone towards change.
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski is another collection of short stories following Geralt of Rivia set in the world of The Witcher. While some of the stories are hit and miss the last one goes directly into the events of the first novel. I do feel like if you are just starting the Witcher series you should start with the short stories collections.
From the Wizarding World Archive: Curated Writing from the World of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling is a collection of articles and anecdotes about the world of Harry Potter. Though it does contain interesting information I didn’t feel like there was a lot of new information or stuff. I personally would only recommend this to fans who like to read everything.
The last book I read in June was Queen B by Juno Dawson. Queen B is a prequel novella in the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series. This follows Anne Boleyn who really is a witch and her coven in the aftermath of her beheading. I loved this historical fantasy and look forward to reading more in the series.
In May I read four books and I enjoyed all of them.
Books:
Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray is a Star Wars novel set when Leia is sixteen and is starting to learn the truth about the empire and her parents’ role in this world. I really enjoyed seeing a younger Leia who is just starting to learn about the rebellion and who she is going to become.
Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor is a historical fantasy novel. We follow Madeleine Maxwell who joins St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research where they use time travel to figure out historical mysteries and there is another group using time travel to make chaos. While I liked the premise I didn’t love the characters and could have done without the sexual assault, the pregnancy and miscarriage.
The Kaiju Perseveration Society by John Scalzi is a science fiction novel set during the Covid pandemic. During Covid Jamie is a delivery driver but ends up joining the Kaiju Preservation Society. This is a group that travels to an alternate world where Kaiju (like Godzilla) exist. The job is to study and make sure they don’t come to our world. I liked the premise but I wish it was longer and that the villain wasn’t the evil tech billionaire.
The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim is a new Korean inspired fantasy romance. We follow Hani, known as the Scarlet Fox and Seokga a trickster god who end up working together to stop a demon. However, Seokga is also trying to catch the Scarlet Fox while Hani is trying to keep her secret but they are staring to fall in love. I loved this urban fantasy and the romance between Hani and Seokga. I wasn’t expecting how it would end and I look forward to reading the sequel.
In April I read four books, all of them fantasy and science fiction. I should have posted this sooner as I feel like I write better reviews closer to the time I finish a book but I will post what I have from some hand written reviews.
Books:
The first book I read was The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson the last book in Mistborn Era one. We follow from the events of the Well of Ascension where Ruin has escaped and Vin and the crew must try to stop it. While not my favorite of the Mistborn books I did love all the answers to lingering questions and what to Lord Ruler did and why. Also I wasn’t expecting who the Hero of Ages ended up being. I look forward to reading other books in the Cosmere.
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers is the second book in the Monk and Robot series. Dex and Mosscap travel to different cities and learn from each other along the way. This focuses on the idea that if you have enough and are comfortable in your life do you really need or want more. I love the relationship between Dex and Mosscap and how they learn from each other.
Saiyuki Reload volume seven by Kazuya Mirekura continues from the cliffhanger at the end of volume six. This volume starts to show where the series is going to go as Goku is injured and Sanzo wanting more answers ends up leaving the group. While I love this series I do find that I have trouble explain it to those who haven’t read or watched it before.
The last book I read this month was Rogue Protocol by Marth Wells which is the third book in the Murderbot series. In this one we follow Murderbot who has noticed that the case against GrayCris (the evil corporation from the first book) is slowly falling apart. He decides to travel to different locations posing as a security officer to try to find more information about GrayCris that could help the case. I love that in the end he decides to he needs to meet back up with the group from the first book.
Night Owl Reviews 