I’m finally starting to get caught up on posts that should have come out sooner. In January I read five books which most were fantasy.
Books:
First I reread American Gods by Neil Gaiman on audio book for my book club. American Gods follows Shadow after he gets out of prison and ends up working for Mr. Wednesday. Shadow finds out that gods both old and new are real and that there might be a war between them coming. I enjoyed this more this time than the first time I read it and feel like the audio book is the way to go. However, I think I would like the TV show adaptation more (currently I haven’t watched any of it) as to me the story feel like it would be great in a visual medium.
The next books I read were Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas which are the fifth and sixth books in the Throne of Glass series. I feel like most people know about this series and if they are going to like it or not. I will say that Tower of Dawn is a bit of a slog considering where Empire of Storms ended and not immediately continuing with those characters. I’m planning of finishing The Throne of Glass series this year.
Next I read Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard which is a nonfiction book written my Gypsy about her past, present, and hopes for the future. This is not a full memoir but more of a recounting of conversations and writings from Gypsy. This gives insight into her personal feelings and the start of her telling her story on her own terms.
The last book I read in January and have a full review posted of was An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson. This is a Carmilla retelling set at an all girls Catholic college in the 1960s that is a dark academia story with a rivals to lovers romance between Laura and Carmilla. I really enjoyed this an could see many other dark academia and vampire loves enjoying this as well but it does have some dark themes so I would recommend reading the trigger warnings.
An Education in Malice is a Carmilla retelling set at an all girls Catholic College in the 1960s. This is a dark academia story with a revivals to lovers romance between Laura and Carmilla. This book does have darker themes including uneven power dynamics, murder, and inappropriate relationships between a teacher and a student so definitely heed the trigger warnings.
I’ve enjoyed S.T. Gibson’s others works and loved how this was connected to A Dowry of Blood. I know a little about the original Carmilla story and was not expecting the changes made. The poetry professor De Lafontaine is the vampire, not Carmilla which we learn early on. But Carmilla is a large part of her world and when Laura overhears she gets dragged in too.
I enjoyed how the “villain”/antagonist had a bigger role compared to A Dowry of Blood and that things are not as the seem later on in the story. I also loved how the ending was just open enough to have your own opinion on what decision Laura makes. If you have loved S.T. Gibson’s other work I feel like you will loved this one as well.
The last serval months have been fairly busy and I have gotten behind on posting things. In December I read six books including a novella and a short story.
Books:
Legends and Lattes and Pages to Fill by Travis Baldree was the first book and short story I read in December. Pages to Fill is a short story prequel to Legends and Lattes which was included in the back of my copy of Legends and Lattes. Pages to Fill allows us to see Viv when she was an adventure and warrior and the start of her wanting to open a coffee shop. While Legends and Lattes follows the Orc Viv who is done with adventuring and has decided to open a coffee shop in a town that has no idea what coffee is. I love the cozy vibes and all the friends Viv makes along the way.
Next I read the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire which is a reread for me. I still love the Harry Potter series all these year later and feel like these editions would be great as a gift to someone getting into the series.
Ghost Story by Jim Butcher is the 13th book in the Dresden Files series and follows the aftermath of Harry’s death in Changes. Its been six months and Harry’s ghost is told that if he doesn’t find his killer then his friends will be in grave danger. At times a sad book as we see how much Harry’s death has changed things and also feels like a bit of a restart to the series. I don’t know where the series I going next but I plan to continue reading.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells is the first book in the Murderbot series. We follow Murderbot a company supplied Sec Unit who has hacked his own governor module so that he can do what he wants. Murderbot would really like to be left alone to watch shows and decide who he is but when a group of scientists end up murdered he and the group he is protecting need to figure out the truth. I loved Murderbot and need to read more in this series.
The last book I read this month was Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin which was a book club pick. This is a fantasy comedy where our protagonist Skeeve gets pulled into a quest when the magician he is apprenticed under is killed. A cute take on fantasy and quest stories that I feel like I would have enjoyed more if I had read it when I was younger but could be a good introduction into a fantasy series.
Ghost Story is the thirteenth book in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Ghost Story follows the aftermath of Harry’s death in Change and starts about six months after his death. Harry’s ghost is told that if he doesn’t find his killer then his friends will be in grave danger.
Overall this book is much more melancholy then the rest of the series as we see how much his death has truly changed things and untimely feel like the restart/reset to the series. I loved seeing all the different characters and what is going on with then and the ending was not what I expected. I should have written this review closer to when I read it as I don’t know what else to say other than I plan to continue with the series.
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.
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.
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.
In September read seven books, watched several horror movies, and started playing a new mobile game that I will continue playing for a while. I’ve been very busy the last several months and I’m currently trying to get caught up on the posts that I’ve been meaning to write and schedule.
Books:
The first book that I finished in September was Tinker by Wen Spencer which is a fantasy/Sci-Fi novel that follows the inventor Tinker who lives in a near future Pittsburgh that now exists in the land of the elves. An interesting concept but I hated how everyone kept assuming Tinker knew certain things without anyone stopping to explain what was happening or going on. Its also very clear that it was written in the early 2000s and has many tropes common in books from then.
Next was Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire which was a reread for me as I continue on with the Wayward Children’s series. This one follows Cora and others from Eleanor West’s school going on a quest to help Rini and save her world. Rini is Sumi’s daughter but Sumi was killed in the first book which has thrown her world of Confection into chaos. To save Rini they must find a way to bring Sumi back to life. Not my favorite book in the series but I liked it better on reread.
FeedBack by Mira Grant is the last book in the Newsflesh series that retells the story of Feed from the perspective of the reporters covering the Democratic side of the election. While I enjoyed being back in this world, I loved the characters from the trilogy so much and we only get mentions of them I ended up loving this book like the others. The most interesting aspect of FeedBack to me was seeing the reactions of these characters when they find out what is really going on and how that is connected to the characters from the trilogy.
Next I read In An Absent Dream and Juice Like Wounds both by Seanan McGuire to continue reading the Wayward Children’s series. In An Absent Dream follows Lundy’s story and her experiences in the Goblin Market and Juice Like Wounds is a short story following one of Lundy’s adventures. In An Absent Dream is my least favorite of the series so far. I loved the concept of the Goblin Market but I feel like the most interesting things that happen to Lundy are not shone. Lundy has trouble choosing between her world and the family she loves to the point that the choice no longer is hers to make and is forced upon her. Juice Like Wounds is more what I was expecting Absent Dream to be like and it gives a better understanding to the choice Lundy is forced into.
The next book I read was Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling is a book written like a text book for the characters in the world of Harry Potter. I read the illustrated edition which is like a coffee table book and something I think fans should read once.
The last book I read in September was Old Man’s War by John Scalzi. This is a science fiction book where at the age of 75 you can join the Colonial Defense Force in Space. We follow John Perry who takes this deal and learns what humanity is up against in space. An interesting idea that remined me a little of Starship Troopers (I’ve only seen the movie). While this is a start to a series the end is such that you don’t have to continue it.
Movies:
The horror movies that I watched were Hell House LLC and its two sequels. Set five years after the death of 15 people on opening night of the Hell House haunted house attraction a documnetary crew is trying to find out what happened. They get tapes that show events leading up to the opening of Hell House which is set at an abounded hotel and as the movie continues you start to question is the hotel is haunted or not. The first movie is a good found footage horror movie but sequels removes all ambiguity of what happened and straight up decides to make it a battle between the forces of heaven and hell. I would recommend the first one but don’t feel the need to watch the sequels.
Video Games:
The only video game that I’ve been playing has been Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis which is a new mobile game that retells the stories of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core, and The First Soldier. Currently, I’m having fun with it but I’m making a point to not spend any money on this game. If you are a Final Fantasy VII fan I would recommend trying it out as its free but I can see many people not liking it.
In August I read seven books, including three comics, and went to the Barbie movie.
Books:
Grimm Rose by Kasi Blake is the start young adult fantasy fairytale retelling series with some interesting twists. The story follows Shayne a half-ling servant of the Ivory Queen who inadvertently and by force is going to marry the Ivory Queen’s son unless she steals Cinderella’s glass slipper. Overall, an interesting take on a fairytale retelling and I have a full review posted as well.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is the first book in the Winternight trilogy. We follow Vasillisa who can see spirits but as evil creatures from the forest threaten the village she must use her gifts to protect her family. Beautifully written and I loved the inclusion of Russian folk tales. I do plan to continue with this series.
The Tea Dragon Society, The Tea Dragon Festival, and The Tea Dragon Tapestry all by Kay O’Neill is a cute comic book series about dragons that grow tea leaves on their horns. Society follows Greta as she meets people involved in the world of Tea Dragons and learns more about them. Festival follows Rinn who has grown up around Tea Dragons but finds a young real dragon asleep in the forest and she helps him find out why he has bee asleep for so long. Finally, Tapestry follows Greta as she struggles to create something to impress a blacksmith for an apprenticeship while Minette starts to deal with her past. This is a very cute comic series that is great for those wanting something lighthearted.
Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies by Laura Thompson is a nonfiction book about the lives of heiresses throughout history and their struggles finding love and trying to trust those in their lives. Great for those interested in this topic and reads in a way that non historians would enjoy.
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire is the second book in the Wayward Children series. In this book we follow Jack and Jill as they go through their door into the world of the Moors and we find out what happens to them while they are there. I love this series and I’m making my way though all the books to catch up with the series.
Movies:
I also went to the movie theater and saw Barbie with my mom. Since there are so many reactions and reviews out now all I’ll say is that I loved it and if you haven’t seen it you should.
In July I read eight book most of them graphic novels and watched two movies.
Books:
First book I read in July was Secrets of the Vampire: A Supernatural Sourcebook of Our Legend and Lore by Julie Legere. This is a nonfiction book about vampires throughout history that I received as a review copy from Netgalley. This book focuses on historical and pop culture ideas about vampires and where these ideas come from while being “narrated” by a vampire. This is a great book from fan of vampires especially teenagers.
Witch King by Martha Wells is an adult fantasy novel following Kai who after being murdered and trapped finds a lesser mage trying to gain control of his powers. Kai, along with his friend Ziede, must figure out why they were imprisoned though they might not like the answers. I also have a full in-depth review already posted.
The last books that I read was all seven of the Monstress graphic novels that are currently out. I reread the was that I’ve read before and caught up to where the series is currently. I love this graphic novel series about Maika Halfwolf and her quest to find out more about her connection to this monster that also inhabits her body. I artwork is amazing and I can’t wait for the next volume.
Movies:
I watched two movies this month the first being Titanic 666. I sometimes see trailers for what is obviously going to be a bad Titanic movie but I want to see how bad it really is. This movie follows the voyage of the Titanic III, as this is a sequel to Titanic II, as they travel on the historical route of the original Titanic. A descendent of one of the Titanic’s passengers sneaks aboard to summon the spirits of the dead and kill everyone on board. I knew that this was a bad movie going in so I wasn’t expecting much but I do feel that the idea the the spirits of the captain and crew being the ones vengeful enough to kill these passengers and a deep mischaracterization of these real people who died while trying to save as many as they could no the Titanic.
The other movie I watched in July was 65 and was much better. 65 follows Mills a pilot on a two year journey from his home planet when the ship gets hit by an asteroid. Mills believes that he is the only survivor until he find a young girl name Koa but they don’t speak the same language. It turns out that they have crash landed on Earth 65 million years ago and together must try to get to the escape pod. Though their journey they are attacked by different dinosaurs and realize that another large asteroid is headed to earth. While I enjoyed this movie I feel like the marking focused more on the dinosaurs and because of that I wanted more action with them.
