Showing posts with label Thought Corner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thought Corner. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

About Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

**Note: There may be mild spoilers for book one and two.**

I’m steadily making my way through The Raven Cycle (not the spinoff series). And, with Blue Lily, Lily Blue, I’m officially over halfway done, and all that’s left is The Raven King. If you want to know what I thought about the prior installments (The Raven Cycle and The Dream Thieves) click HERE and HERE. But I digress.

The best way I can sum up Blue Lily, Lily Blue is: change, balance, and the power of three. On a specific note, the characters struggled with coming to terms with the changes in their lives. They were growing up and considering what their lives would look like after high school, after the quest for Glendower was over. And while some of the interpersonal plotlines were resolved in The Dream Thieves, its ending left the familiar cast in a…less than ideal spot. There was their new ally—Mr. Gray, the reformed (reforming) former hit man—which was good. But what was less good about it was: Maura was missing. The “how” and the “where” were answered fairly early, but that didn’t lessen the impact Maura’s absence had on the residents of 300 Fox Way and her daughter, Blue. And with a new obstacle arriving in town to, once again, shake things up—with a motivation that was pure acquisitive and vengeful—Blue Lily, Lily Blue was exciting.

“”This is the corpse road,” she said, aligning her body with the invisible path. As she did, she could feel something inside her begin to hum agreeably, a sensation very much like the satisfaction that came from aligning book spines on a shelf.”—page 1

I wouldn’t call it a cat and mouse chase, exactly, but the present, aforementioned, danger had a way of looming in the background, casting a cloud over the story. There was a sense that time was running out, for the characters, for their hunt for Glendower.

The series has always been gradually building toward something. In The Dream Thieves, the conclusion of their adventure—including the prophecy about Blue and her kiss and the implication of seeing Gansey on the corpse road—didn’t feel as pressing as they do here. The clues were portent, which ramped up the tension. And, for a story that is largely driven by its characters—and the way they inhabit and influence the world in the books—that was a good thing.

On the other hand, the series has also been about searching for the impossible and finding magic in unlikely places. I appreciate the meticulous detail and care given toward weaving together the folklore and Welsh mythology with the respective powers possessed (or lack thereof) by the characters. It wasn’t, of course, without its own particular and gut-wrenching brand of pitfalls and unpredictability. But for me, the reader, however, it was fun to follow the characters as they explored new locations.

I’m still enjoying The Raven Cycle and am looking forward to the conclusion. So I know it won’t be long before I read The Raven King.


About the book...

The third installment in the all-new series from the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost. Friends can betray. Mothers can disappear. Visions can mislead. Certainties can unravel.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

I Listened to Girl With No Face by Allie X


Before February was over, there was one last music release I was waiting on: Allie X’s highly anticipated third studio album, Girl With No Face. For context, it’s been four years since Cape God (2020)—and three from the release of its deluxe edition with five additional songs (Cape God Theme, Milk, Limited Love, Anchor, and Rising Tide). There was plenty of time to build anticipation for Allie X’s next project, and, going into 2024, Girl With No Face was at the top of my list for albums releasing in the first quarter of the year.

On February 23, Girl With No Face arrived. Before then, the direction of the sound, aesthetic, and themes were teased for months with the release singles like Black Eye and the titular Girl With No Face. This album is a blend of pop, synth, and a little bit of glam rock. It feels very retro, especially in terms of how the beats are arranged. But Allie X manages to set her music apart with her vocals and lyrical depth, which keeps the album from feeling redundant.

Some of my favorite tracks (not including the singles) were Galina, You Slept On Me, Staying Power, and even the closing song, Truly Dreams. Another good one is Hardware/software, which sounds, honestly, like a soundtrack you would find in a video game from the eighties.
 
Girl With No Face was another excellent project by Allie X. Even the most upbeat track on the album—in terms of sound anyway—deserves more than a passing listen. There’s so much to sit with and chew on, and I know I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time. For today, however, I’ll leave it here. Just know: I enjoyed every second of my listening experience.   


Friday, March 8, 2024

Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For!

It’s only March, and I didn’t think I would be back so soon with a proper “Upcoming Music I’m Waiting For,” except there have been some developments on that front. So here I am. 


First up, Normani has announced her long-awaited debut album: Dopamine. There’s no concrete release date as of writing this, but from everything I could find out about it, it seems like it’ll drop sometime in 2024.

Next, Tierra Whack is returning with her second studio album called: World Wide Whack. The wait for this one is super short, since it’s going to be released on March 15.

Later this month, on the 29th, Beyoncé is finally releasing the follow-up to Renaissance, Act ii. While the former album was inspired by house, this one is, from what I’ve read—and the genre of the two singles—is going to be country.

Then there’s Conan Gray’s upcoming third album, Found Heaven. I’ve only started listening to this artist recently, because of Never Ending Song (coincidently one of the singles from Found Heaven). Even so, I’m anticipating its release on April 5th.

Later in April, on the 19th, Taylor Swift is releasing The Tortured Poets Department. I’m a much more casual listener, when it comes to Taylor Swift. But, from time to time, I’ve liked some of her music. And I’m interested in seeing where this one goes.

On May 17th, Twenty One Pilots is releasing their next album: Clancy. It's the conclusion to the storyline that began with Blurryface (2015) and continued with Trench (2018) and Scaled & Icy (2021). The first single from Clancy, Overcompensate, has me very excited to see what the rest of the album has to offer.  

And last but not least, there seem to be some rumblings about a new FKA Twigs album and one from Doechii as well. I’m going to have to keep my eye on that.


That’s it for me, for today. Have you listened to any good music lately?


Wednesday, March 6, 2024

What I've Been Listening To


We’re already three months into 2024. It feels weird to write that, because, every time I glance at a calendar—whether digital or on paper—I realize how much it feels like the year is flying by. But I digress, because the point of today’s blog post is music, specifically everything I’ve been meaning to write about—even from last year—that I never go around to writing about. 

Albums

The last quarter of 2023 was actually pretty busy in terms of music releases—and specifically there was new stuff from some of my favorite artists.

On November 3, 2023, Tkay Maidza returned two years after 2021’s Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 3) with her second studio album: Sweet Justice. Part R&B, pop, and rap, Maidza delivers a stylish offering. Sitting at fourteen songs, Sweet Justice leans into what this artist is good at: vocals, lyrics, and production. There’s never a dull moment (no skips) on Sweet Justice, and it’s, hands down, one of my favorite albums of 2023.

On that note, I came away with a similar view of Tinashe’s sixth album, BB/ANG3L. Released on September 8, 2023, this was a shorter body of work with just seven songs, but every second of it was enjoyable. She’s singing about the many faces of relationships, good, bad, and everything in between. But, despite the tried and true subject, Tinashe always excels at giving it a spin, which makes BB/ANG3L straight to the point and perfect at its length. Her approach to R&B remains as one of my favorites.

There was also Victoria Monet’s debut studio album Jaguar II (August, 25 2023). As a long time listener of Monet, I was beyond pleased with this release. Supported by the singles Smoke featuring Lucky Daye, Party Girls featuring Buju Banton, and On My Mama, this was an air-tight and enjoyable listening experience.

As for 2024, so far I’ve listened to ORQUIDEAS, Kali Uchis’s fourth studio album, the deluxe edition of Carolina Polachek’s Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, and Girl With No Face, Allie X’s third studio release.

Kali Uchis has a style and she knows how to utilize it to its fullest potential. The deluxe edition of Desire, I Want to Turn Into You was a happy surprise and added a handful of songs to an album that was already quite good—with another version of Butterfly Net (featuring Weyes Blood) and the single, Dang, among others.

Singles

Beyoncé is back! I feel like I had to start with that, because I have been waiting for the follow up to Renaissance. The wait isn’t too long, because Act ii will be dropping later this month, on the twenty-ninth. Until then, there are two singles to listen to: Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages.

Some of the other singles that have made it to one playlist or another of mine include: Oh No :: He Said What? By Nothing But Thieves; Hunned Racks by The Whales featuring Tkay Maidza, Never Ending Song by Conan Gray, Overcompensate by Twenty One Pilots, and Your Blood by Aurora.


Honestly, the year is off to a strong start, and I’m looking forward to what the rest of 2024 has to offer. What about you, have you listened to any good music lately?

Friday, February 16, 2024

About The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

In January, I posted a Thought Corner about my reread of The Raven Boys. If you read it (HERE), you’ll know I was in desperate need of a refresher before attempting to continue with the series. It had been around a full decade since I last picked it up, and details get lost overtime. That was true for my recollection of the VERY fine print about the overall story of The Raven Boys. So, I reread it. And when I was considering what my 2024 blogging goal would be, one of the series I kept in mind was The Raven Cycle.

“There are three kinds of secrets.”—page 1.

The prologue begins with a page long monologue about three kinds of secrets and what Ronan Lynch has to do with them. In a way, it does some heavy lifting by informing the reader about the exact kind of story The Dream Thieves is going to be.

Where The Raven Boys was about exploring (the hunt for Glendower and the places it took the characters), new friendships, and laying the groundwork for the series. The Dream Thieves felt (and often read) like a book about consequences, risks, and implications.

The book is hectic, but I mean that in the best way possible. The consequences—Adam’s sacrifice, Blue’s prophecy, Ronan’s penchant for trouble, Gansey’s quest, and Noah’s reliance on the ley lines—were catching up to the main cast. It tossed a proverbial monkey-wrench into the fray, which tested the limits of both the platonic and romantic relationships. And that was coupled with the introduction of The Gray Man (a literal hitman) and Kavinsky (an endless source of potential trouble), which only added to the strain. Something had to give. And give it did.

And where The Raven Boys felt more like Blue’s story of how she got involved with the hunt and the titular Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves felt like it was for Ronan. The other characters were present and had their own growth to go through. There was a broader exploration on the meaning of Ronan’s secrets: a deep dive into his character, his family, and the circumstances and aftermath of his father’s death and the terms of his will. Since dreams and dreaming were a large aspect of the story, the focus on these things, on his character, was only fitting. I liked the way it was handled. It was portrayed as a serious, and more often dangerous, manner that never crossed the line into being hyperbolic—the consequences were too steep for that.

I enjoyed The Dream Thieves as much as The Raven Boys. Up next, I look forward to tackling Blue Lily, Lily Blue.

Happy reading!
About the book...
If you could steal things from dreams, what would you take? Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself.One Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things.Ronan is one of the raven boys - a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface - changing everything in its wake.

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

I Watched Pokémon Concierge!


Released on December 28, 2023, Pokémon Concierge is a stop motion animation series on Netflix. It follows Haru, a tired office worker, who, after a week of unfortunate personal and professional luck, decides she’s in need of a change of pace and joins the staff of the Pokémon Resort.

I love stop motion animation. It’s one of my favorite styles—i.e. Coraline is still one of my most frequently cited examples of this. I really enjoyed the design of this show. Visually it was a feast for the eyes. The characters (and Pokémon), background, and even the topographical details of the setting were bright, colorful, and full of a variety of textures that made it interesting to view. It really conveyed a laidback atmosphere of paradise, relaxation, and vacation.

Haru was interesting. Her story was a pretty simple and straightforward one, and much of the four episode length is about her learning to navigate her new job. There was a learning curve full of humorous mishaps and endearing interactions with some of the Pokémon (and trainer) guests who were staying at the resort.

Overall, the series keeps a lighter tone, and it goes for cute and funny over something darker and more serious. That’s what I liked about it, though. It was as fun as I thought it was going to be. So it was true to the trailer, which you can checkout below.

If you’re looking for a quick series to view, then I highly recommend checking out Pokémon Concierge.

Check out the trailer!



Wednesday, January 24, 2024

On Rereading The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

 

There are so many new releases and backlist titles I want to get to in a given year, I rarely have the time to reread books as much as I would like to. But, in December, I took the time to revisit Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys.

I first read The Raven Boys in September of 2013. So it’s been just over a full decade since I first picked up this book, at the time of writing this in December of 2023. So fast forward to November 2023, I’m going through some of the older titles on my bookshelves, and I decide to spontaneously reread the first four pages—the prologue—of The Raven Boys. And I was, to say the least, very intrigued.

Granted, it’s been a very long time and, while I remembered some details of the plot, my recall of the majority the story was…vague. Back then, I liked The Raven Boys, but it wasn’t a favorite novel of mine. But I was also a very different reader then than I am now. I was less into folklore and mythology; I was still discovering what my reading tastes actually were; and my reading habits depended, in large part, on my mood. Most of those things aren’t applicable now, and I’ve gotten very good at being able to tell which books I’ll like—give or take a few instances when I happen to be wrong.

“It was freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrived.” Pg.1

The Raven Boys is a book about hunts—for Glendower, for the ley lines—and the people who search for them, explore them, or simply seek to experience or just to glimpse something…otherworldly. For Blue Sargent, she’s tired of being the sensible one, and wants a glimpse of what her family of psychics see—and is also involved due to rebellious decisions. For Ronan, Adam, and Noah, they’ve joined Gansey’s quest to find Glendower—and they form most of the friend group, and are often referred to as the titular Raven Boys.

Knowing (vaguely) what happens didn’t change how much I enjoyed my reread of The Raven Boys. I took my time with it, just appreciating the details. There is a lot of context and clues to keep track of, some of which I know is laying the groundwork for the sequels (the implications were literally everywhere!). I know I must have overlooked some of it before, or it was simply that I didn’t have as much appreciation for what the story was doing—because it has a lot to say.

The Welsh Mythology is one of the key factors of interest for me. Stories that are deeply entrenched in mythology and folklore are some of my favorites. A more recent book that I read that has a similar vibe was Kate Pearsall’s Bittersweet in the Hollow.

This isn’t the kind of story that has hard—almost scientific—rules for its magic. It had a soft, almost murky quality to it, making it feel natural to the nature of the story’s setting of Henrietta, Virginia. Some things just were or were wrapped with layers of mystique.

But The Raven Boys is also about its characters and their nuances. The cast is colorful, troubled, obsessive, and eccentric. Large personalities that, at times, clash, but the friendships were complex as well as enjoyable to read about, as the story explored their corners.

The ending is…a cliffhanger.

As far as I remember, I never continued with this series, but I plan to finish The Raven Cycle this year. That should be easy, since I now have copies of The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily Lily Blue, and The Raven King.

About the book...

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.


Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.


Wednesday, January 17, 2024

I'm Back + Most Anticipated Releases of 2024

It’s been a minute, but I’m returning from my annual break from the blog. Once again, Happy New Year!

So, what have I been up to?

I always tell myself I’m going to read a lot more during my breaks than I ever do, but during the holidays, I inevitably end up preoccupied by other things. Whether that’s with a TV series, movies, some form of arts and crafts, or video games. This time, I got into making miniatures. They were supposed to be for small unfinished snow globes, but I got overly ambitious and overestimated what I could do with the size constraints. I had maybe too much fun with that, since the project is ongoing and has followed me right into the New Year.

As for video games, I’m working my way through the last dungeon in Fae Farm as well as the remainder of its central story. This is a game I’ve really taken my time with, and I don’t have any plans to change the pace with how I engage with it. I’m also still playing Tears of the Kingdom. There’s just so much to explore, but I’m genuinely enjoying it.

So, what are my 2024 blog goals?

I don’t have any other goals this year, except to finish a couple of book series (especially the two that I already have the books for).

What upcoming books am I looking forward to?

I always try to keep my anticipated books list kind of short, because I know I’ll come across plenty of novels as the year progresses. What I am looking forward to is: The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden, The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo, The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo, Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue by Kate Pearsall, and Holly Horror: The Longest Night by Michelle Jabes Corpora.

What upcoming albums am I anticipating?

Like books, I know I’ll come across my albums later in the year. For now my list includes: Lana by SZA (sometime in 2024; deluxe version of SZA's 2022 album, SOS) Savior by Green Day (January 19), Girl with No Face by Allie X (February 23), Funk Generation by Anitta (Unscheduled), Into the Unknown by Nero (Unscheduled), and ORQUIDEAS by Kali Uchis (Already released; January 12, 2024).

What upcoming video games am I looking forward to?

Last, and certainly not least, I want to go over the video games coming out in 2024 that I’m most excited for. I primarily play on my Nintendo Switch Lite, so the games I’m going to mention consists of releases that will be available on that console.

Luigi’s Mansion HD (Luigi’s 2: This Dark Moon Nintendo Switch Port) is at the top of my list for 2024 video game releases. Even though I always wanted to play the original, I never did. So I’m very excited that it’s coming to the Switch. Another one is Princess Peach: Showtime! How many years has it been since Peach had her own game? And from the look of the trailer, it seems like it’s going to be an exciting game. As for indies, the two I’m watching for potential Switch releases is Moonlights Peaks, a vampire life-sim, and Camper Van: Make It Home, a decorating game.

So yeah, I’m looking forward to the year ahead. Happy reading!

Monday, December 25, 2023

The Cookie Book Tag (Batch 6; Solo Edition)

 

It's December 25th, so Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! And Happy Holidays to everyone else! I hope everyone has not only a great day but a safe one.

Today I'm going to participate in The Cookie Book Tag. It's the only book tag we do annually on Our Thoughts Precisely, because it's a fun way to look back at the books we've read. It's a year to the day since Batch 5. Adri usually participates but, this year, she's decided to skip it. Before we begin, here are the more technical details about the tag.

The Cookie Book Tag was created by Nicole @ Sorry, I’m Booked. And you can check out the original tag post here: Sorry, I’m Booked, The Cookie Book Tag.

The rules…
  • Link back to the person who tagged you + the creator of this tag 
  • Pick a book that corresponds with the cookies theme 
  • Have fun 
  • Tag 1-3 people

Chocolate Chip: A Classic Book That You Love or Really Enjoyed (interpret classic how you want, it can be a classic written 100 years ago or 20 years ago)

Breana: I have to go with The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett. I went back to the very beginning of the Discworld series this year since, previously, I had read a couple of the Tiffany Aching novels.

Thin Mints: A Fandom That You Really Want to ‘Join’ AND/OR a Hyped-Up Book You Want To Read (your source(s) of a book being hyped can be from anywhere)

Breana: A hyped book I want to read is Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell by Suzanna Clarke. I've heard nothing but good things about it, plus Piranesi is one of my all-time favorite books.

Shortbread: An Author You Can’t Get Enough Of

Breana: It's honestly a tie between Katherine Arden, Leigh Bardugo, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Nghi Vo. 

Samoas/ Caramel DeLites: An Emotional Rollercoaster (this cookie was hard … so any book that made you feel more than one emotion, strongly. The choice of emotions is up to you)

Breana: This one is easy: The Only Harmless Great Thing by Brooke Bolander. This book is dark, complex, and very sad. It's a tragedy that's inspired by the same history recounted in Radium Girls by Kate Moore. If you've read that book then you know what to expect from The Only Harmless Great Thing.

Oreos: A Book Whose Cover Was Better Than The Story OR Vice Versa, Where The Story Was Better Than Its Cover

Breana: I never really have a good answer for this question, because I don't typically judge books by their covers. If I had to choose one, it would In Search of Perfumes. It's nonfiction. The cover is nice, but, unfortunately, it just wasn't the right book for me in the end.

Tagalongs/ Peanut Butter Patties: A Book That Wasn’t What You Expected (good, bad, or just different, interpret how you wish)

Breana: Prior to reading Ninth House, I'd heard some stuff about it, so I wasn't sure if I would like it. But it ended up being one of the best books I read this year. So much so that I also read it's sequel, Hell Bent.

Snickerdoodles: A Book You May Never Stop Rereading/ Loving

Breana: I actually have a nonfiction book for this answer: The Cult of We by Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell. It's such a good write up about what happened with WeWork. A couple of other books are Starling House by Alix E. Harrow and A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid. It hasn't been too long since I read them, but I already want to go back and reread them. 

Bonus: Choose a cookie I didn’t list and make up a question!

Our question from 2018: Monster Cookies have bold flavors and a long and varied list of ingredients such as M&Ms, chocolate chips, peanut butter, oats, and even sometimes raisins. It’s like a handful of cookie types mashed into one monster of a cookie. So… Monster cookie: name a book with a bold and whimsical title or a book title with four or more words.

Breana: I have a couple of books for this one: Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans; Bittersweet in the Hollow, Field of Screams, and Mammoths at the Gates.


That's it for today. We tag you to do the cookie book tag. If you're curious about our original take on the tag and our second, third, fourth, and fifth batch visit the posts HERE, HERE, HEREHERE, and HERE



Friday, December 22, 2023

2023 Favorites: Music, Movies, and TV

 

The blogging year is coming to a close, and I thought it was time to go over some of my favorite things from 2023. This concerns media—books, short stories, music, movies, and TV shows—that I read, watched, or listened to this year. In this second part, I’m focusing on music, movies, and TV.

Music

There was so much good music that was released in 2023. My top albums and Eps released in 2023 were: Sweet Justice by Tkay Maizda, So Much (For) Stardust by Fall Out Boy, A Reckoning by Kimbra, Going…Going…GONE! by Hemlocke Springs, Tension by Kylie Minogue, and Feed the Beast by Kim Petras. I also enjoyed Holiday Sidewinder’s Forever or Whatever, Wednesday Campanella’s expansive backlist, The NYChillharmonic’s album 1, and Marina’s The Family Jewels. Along with songs by Halle (Angel), Caroline Polachek (Bunny Is A Rider, Dang, Caroline Shut Up, and Welcome To My Island), METTE (Van Gogh), Doechii (Pacer), Aurora (Your Blood) and Allie X (Black Eye and Girl With No Face).
Movies and TV

I didn’t watch as much this year as I thought I would. For movies, some of my favorites were: Barbie, The Haunted Mansion, and The Portable Door. As for TV, I’ve mostly been watching: Mystery Science Theater 3000, SurrealEstate season 2, Svengoolie, and a number of classic shows like Murder she Wrote.

And, with that, there is my list of 2023 favorites. If you want to check out the first part, you can use THIS LINK.

Happy reading!

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

2023 Favorites: Books & Short Stories

The blogging year is coming to a close, and I thought it was time to go over some of my favorite things from 2023. This concerns media—books, short stories, music, movies, and TV shows—that I read, watched, or listened to this year. In this part, I’m focusing on books and short stories.

Books
I read a good number of books in 2023 and, overall—besides a few hiccups—I’m pretty happy looking back.

My favorite young adult books and manga were: A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid, Holly Horror by Michelle Corpora Jabes, Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall, A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, and Clock Stricker vol. 1 by Issaka Galadima and Frederick L. Jones. For general fiction, my favorites were: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Ninth House & Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo, Starling House by Alix E. Harrow, The Fatal Folio by Elizabeth Penney, The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland, The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett, and Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo. My three middle grade reads were excellent: Field of Screams by Wendy Parris, Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix, and Totally Psychic by Brigid Martin. And last, but certainly not least, my favorite nonfiction books were: Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton, The Cult of We by Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell, and The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan.
  Short Stories

My favorite short stories I wrote about toward the end of each month, for the blog’s Short Stories segment—with the exception of The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Review HERE). Plus I started reading an anthology this year called The Book of Witches. I'm no where near finished with it, but I still wanted to include stories from it. The ones I liked were: What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata by P. Djèlí Clark, Met Swallow by Cassandra Khaw, and The Nine Jars of Nukulu by Tobi Ogundiran. I read other short stories this year as well, and that includes those that can be found on online magazines like Strange Horizons, Uncanny, Apex, Lightspeed, and Tor.com. I'm linking back to them here, for ease of finding them. And those stories were:

That’s it for today. Up next: Yearly Favorites Part 2. Until then, thanks for stopping by and happy reading!

Friday, November 17, 2023

What I've Been Watching


October is one of my busiest viewing months, or, well, the whole holiday season is. I blame it on the seasonal shows, new seasons, and old favorites that I like to rewatch as the year winds down. Stuff I’ve written about before like The House With a Clock in Its Walls and Hocus Pocus, among many others. I won’t be recapping my experience with those, and instead I’m going to focus on what’s relatively new on my end….

One of my most anticipated films of the year was Barbie, and I’ve finally watched it. I had an incredible amount of fun with this film. I enjoyed the humor as well as how great the performances were. Margot Robbie was the perfect choice for Stereotypical Barbie, and the same can be said about Ken and the rest of the casting too. In general, though, the overall story was great. It had its silly lighthearted moments, but it was balanced with some serious themes and tense moments, as Barbie went through an existential crisis. If you haven’t already watched it, then I highly recommend it.

Another movie I checked out was The Portable Door. I know this one is based on a book, which I haven’t read. That, however, didn’t deter me from watching the movie anyway. It was a fun and campy magic-tinged adventure with the classic heroes journey at its heart. Overall, it was pretty good and, if there’s ever a sequel, I would watch it.

Out of the majority of Disney’s 2023 releases, The Haunted Mansion was at the top of my list, right behind the live action The Little Mermaid. I actually like the 2003 film and, for so many years, it’s been a staple on my annual October viewing list. So I was very-very excited that another version was going to be released, especially since it featured the Hatbox Ghost. I like this one too. It had its funny moments, but it was also surprisingly heartwarming by the end of it. The design of the titular (and very) haunted mansion was eye catching, and I liked how reminiscent it was of the actual ride. It also worked well as an obstacle the characters had to navigate alongside the ghosts. I have a feeling that this one is going to be another October staple.

And last but certainly not least was one of my most anticipated second seasons of the year: SurrealEstate. I loved the first season, but it was open-ended leaving the future of the characters—and The Roman Agency—uncertain. So I was glad when I heard the series would be continued this year and right on time for October. It’s still airing as of when this post was written but, so far, the second season has been a true delight. It’s creepy and eerie in the right way, with great filming, effects, and ghost designs. The cast puts on a great performance as a charismatic team that’s (mild spoiler) hit a rough patch after experiencing an abrupt shake-up in their dynamic. Though the storytelling is episodic, there is an overarching plotline happening alongside each self-contained narrative. I, for one, am looking forward to the rest of the season, particularly for how some of the interpersonal issues and other mysteries will be resolved.

So that’s a pretty good idea of what I was watching through the month of October. Until next time, happy reading!

Friday, November 3, 2023

2023 Candy Corn Finds

Happy Halloween!* It’s actually been a few years since I tried to find some of Brach’s candy corn flavors. So I did just that! This year’s flavors include the ones I typically see like Original, Mellowcreme Pumpkins, Autumn Mix, etc. But I wanted (what I assume to be) the special ones: Fall Festival and Mellowcreme Caramel Apples.

The first one I had was Fall Festival. I was excited to try it, but I was side-eying Kettle Corn. Overall, the bag was just okay.

As figured, my least favorite was Kettle Corn. On one hand, it tasted like oil/butter with a hint of salt. On the other hand, it was like soggy popcorn. I tried so many times to like it, but I couldn’t. The first taste brought back memories of a butter jelly bean I disliked. I did wonder if I would have liked this now if liked that jelly bean then.

Anyway, next are the flavors that I found just okay. Strawberry funnel cake tasted just like the name. I’d even say, oddly, fried. Caramel Apple was nice, but I liked the caramel and apple separate. 

Then there’s Cotton Candy, which was another memory jogger. At first, I didn’t like them as much as my co-blogger did. Initially I thought it was more like mild cough syrup, but I gave it a few more tries. Then I thought it tasted like mild dum-dums lollipops (of the same flavor) than actual cotton candy. After that it wasn’t so bad. 

Last are my favorites from this mix: Lemonade Shake-Up and Lemon-Lime Snowcone. Lemonade Shake-Up was lemony, mellow, and enjoyable. But honestly, I don’t have much to say about it. Lemon-Lime Snowcone had a really nice flavor, and was another one that kind of tasted like its name. I thought this was the best flavor in the entire bag.

 

Since I was a little disappointed, I went searching for Mellowcreme Caramel Apples. When I found it, I also picked up a bag of original while I was at it.

If you’ve seen my first Candy Corn post, you probably know that Green apple alone is a favorite of mine. With the addition of caramel it was pretty good too. In comparison with Green Apple, I’d say Red Apple has a more natural (an artificial one, of course) flavor. I found it pleasant. And I liked it more than the one in Fall Festival.

 

This year, obviously, I preferred the Caramel Apples and Original flavors. Although I found Fall Festival to be average, there were some interesting and nice flavors. On the plus side, I loved the packaging art.

Anyway, that’s all for now. Thanks for reading.

*This was first posted on Toile, Think, Go.*

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

What I've Been Listening To: September 2023

September was a busy month for music, at least on my end, with some of my most anticipated albums and Eps of 2023 being released.

I have been waiting for Going…Going…GONE!, an EP by Hemlocke Springs, and I’m so happy that it’s finally here. Released on September 29th, it was some of the last music I was anticipating for the month. Hemlocke Springs does the awkward black girl style so well with catchy earworms like the viral hit Girlfriend, followed by other songs like Haevun. And while Stranger Danger! and Sever The Blight aren’t on the EP, the music video for POS has references to Hemlocke Springs’ other music videos—like the plushy and outfits from Girlfriend and the paper bag character from Stranger Danger!. It was a neat little detail that sort of tied everything together. Going…Going…GONE! did exactly what I was hoping it would do and delivered a seven track EP filled with quirky and fun music.

Tension (Deluxe), Kylie Minogue’s sixteenth studio album, was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and I liked it. It felt like a sequel (or continuation) to her 2020 release Disco, but Tension still had its own thing going for it with plenty of catchy songs on its tracklist. I mean, it’s Kylie Minogue + disco/pop music, and that’s always a good combination. 

Some of the singles that have made it onto my playlist are:
  • Van Gogh by METTE
  • Pacer by Doechii
  • SZA’s acoustic version of Snooze
  • Jersey by Baby Tate
So that’s about everything I was listening to in September. If you have any recommendations, feel free to leave them in the comments.
 

Friday, October 6, 2023

Books To Read This October

It’s October, a.k.a. one of my favorite months in any given year. And, typically, I put together a short list of recommendations, comprised of books that I’ve read throughout the year that are perfect for the Halloween season too.

  • The first one is Breakup From Hell by Anna Dàvila Cardinal. Technically I read this book last year, but, since the HarperCollins union strike was happening, my review was posted later in 2023 instead. There is a strong religious element in the story, since it deals specifically with demons, as the title pretty much suggests. But Breakup From Hell was still a good story with a few scares. (To read my review click HERE)
  • Up next is Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall. I’ll have a review for this one later in the month, but I’m choosing to mention it here as well. I won’t say too much about it right now, but just know that it has magic, mystery, plenty of folklore-like aspects, and a strong witchy vibe to it.
  • My next recommendation is Michelle Jabès Corpora’s Holly Horror. It’s an eerie and incredibly atmospheric story. And while it’s setting—including Hobbie House—wasn’t isolated, there was an insular and solitary note to the story that’s due to how the perspective of the main character was written. If you’re looking for a creepy ghost story, then Holly Horror is one I would definitely recommend. (To read my review click HERE) 
  • Another ghost story is the middle grade novel: Field of Screams by Wendy Parris. There were plenty of frightening moments in this story, which was balanced with the personal journey for the main character, Rebecca, as well. (To read my review click HERE)
  • Ninth House and Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo were a surprise for me. They’re dark, but I really like how Bardugo does the mysteries alongside the supernatural and secret society aspects. But, while I loved them, this recommendation comes with a slight warning. These are very dark novels, and I’d keep that in mind. (To read my review click HERE and HERE
  • A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid had gothic trappings in a fantasy setting combined with myths, academic rivals, and a sense of dread and isolation. It’s one of the most atmospheric novels I’ve read this year and, with everything mentioned above, it would make for a perfect read this October. (To read my review click HERE)
  • My next one is The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland. This is one of my top favorite books of the year so far because of its take on vampires. It’s essentially a character study, for a vampire grappling with what it means to be a vampire and live that long of a life through the many horrors of history. It’s also a dual timeline novel, set throughout history and to the present of the character’s life.(To read my review click HERE) 
  • Last but certainly not least is Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! This is another good one. Films and occultism in 90s Mexico, delivered with Moreno-Garcia’s usual flare for vibrant characterization and a thrilling page-turning adventure. (To read my review click HERE)

So those are my recommendations. If you have your own, feel free to leave them in the comments. Thanks for reading!   

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