To be “fixing to” means that you’re planning to do something. For Southerners, “fixing to” isn’t just an interesting turn of phrase—it’s a whole state of mind. Others might say they’re about to eat, but Southerners say they’re fixin’ to eat.
Whether you’re new to Southern cookery, or just looking for new inspiration, this bounty of homestyle recipes from breakfast to dessert (and every meal in between) is sure to make your mouth water. Between courses, “Libation Lessons” will show you how to pair Southern food with your favorite beer, wine, and spirits.
Add a little bit of love—the secret ingredient that makes good food great—and you’ll be Fixin’ to Eat! (Goodreads)
*I received an eARC of this book to review.*
The recipes featured in this book are pretty easy and I liked how quickly it flowed from one recipe to another. However, to me at least, this was more of a Southern-inspired cookbook than an actual book of southern recipes. I was born and raised in the south, so I am aware that different regions have different takes on things but I had never heard of pretty much any of the variations in this book (except for the biscuits). The versions in this cookbook are interesting though, and I think I may try some of them when I am feeling adventurous.
Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
The end result reminds me of the commentary from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and the bad lip-reading vids on Youtube. They constantly call out the stereotypical anime moments and frequently mention how certain ghosts are total ripoffs of big Japanese movies. The humor is often dark and offensive but somehow manages to fit perfectly with what is going on. I was using this as just something to have on in the background and it kept distracting me from what I was trying to do.
After watching about half of the series, I found myself very confused but entertained and I still have no clue what was actually going on. I also find myself curious as to the contents of the original script and if it did a better job of explaining the actual story.
Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆5/10
Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆5/10
To summon an Angel of Hell…
Ruxandra Dracula, a 250-year-old vampire, wants nothing to do with the fallen angel that created her. But when fellow vampire Kade tells her a group of magicians in Moscow is going to summon that angel, Ruxandra knows she must try to stop them.
In Moscow, Ruxandra finds herself caught in a web of political and supernatural intrigue. Empress Anna of Russia wants the vampires to be her spies. Her secret police have magic that is nearly impossible to defeat. A cadre of Russian nobles wants them to kill the Empress.
And the Alchemist, the beautiful, whip-smart leader of the magicians, wants Ruxandra as more than just an experimental subject.
As the magicians prepare to summon the fallen angel, Ruxandra must choose: will she kill them to keep the angel from coming, or face the angel and find out her purpose on the earth? (Goodreads)
I went into book three of this series with very low expectations because of how disappointing book two was. I wish I could say things got better, but that would be a lie. Mother of Chaos is an absolute borefest full of cliches frequently found in this genre that I grew tired of a long time ago. At this point, the only good thing about the Princess Dracula books is the covers. How such a horribly written series was able to have such beautiful covers is an absolute mystery. I will not be continuing this series.
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5
Join Princess Ruxandra, as she continues to exist in a world that is brutal and cruel and terrifying, but you’ll love to follow her through it. A slave to her own fears and desires, sometimes, but at her core, good. A gorgeous, complicated immortal, who loves art and beauty, and who risks herself to save the innocent time and time again. (Goodreads)
Regardless of all of its flaws, I actually enjoyed Princess Dracula. The same can not be said for book two in the series, Not Everything Dies. All of the characters come off as childish and immature. The complete naivety of Ruxandra is absolutely ridiculous and the cop-out of using a spell as the reason for her complete stupidity just did not work for me.
If I wanted a whiny mess, I would have reread a much better young adult novel. Do not get me started on all of the plot holes in this one. Anyone with the ability to think could easily tear this book apart. This has me concerned for the next in the series and I sincerely hope that this was just another case of an author having a bad book two.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 2/5
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 2/5
When a woman's fiancé disappears, Death gives her three chances to save him from his fate. (IMDB)
Rating: NR
Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes
Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Released: October 6th, 1921
Directed by: Fritz Lang
Written by: Fritz Lang & Thea von Harbou
Starring: Bernhard Goetzke, Lil Dagover, Walter Janssen
The way it was filmed though was amazing. The tinting was beautiful and fit perfectly. I also feel like I could easily fangirl over how Lang uses stairs in not just Destiny, but all of his films. They are never just stairs and instead are used to help portray the mood of the moment in the movie (from ominous to sad or even peaceful). During the early parts that dragged, I found myself feeling a little disappointed but by the end, I was almost in tears at how powerful some of the scenes and actions were. This is definitely a must-watch for anyone who loves cinema.
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10
Ruxandra learned everything she knows while growing up in a convent. Training to be the perfect nobleman’s wife, she relishes the prospect of a simple life. But everything changes when her father, Vlad Dracula, retrieves her on her eighteenth birthday. Securing her a marriage is the last thing he has in mind…(Goodreads)
*Please note that there are some minor spoilers in this review.*
After spending ten years at a convent, Princess Ruxandara is finally reunited with her father, Lord Vlad Dracula. However, the reason behind this reunion is quickly revealed to not be what the Princess expected. Her father hopes to sacrifice her to a demon in exchange for more power. Lord Dracula's plans go awry though, and Ruxandra finds herself changed, with horrifying consequences.
The majority of Princess Dracula is spent detailing the struggles the young woman must now face as part of her transition from royalty to living dead. We accompany her while she learns to hunt (which took up way too much of the book if you ask me) and easily predict the doomed fates of those she comes into contact with. Ultimately, as her failure to contain control over her new primal instinct grows and she experiences a disastrous (and overly dramatic) romance, Ruxandra is left completely hopeless. The book ends by doing a bit of a time jump to set up the second installment of the series by introducing someone I expect will be very important, Elizabeth Bathory.
For the most part, this was an enjoyable read. However, the hunting scenes had so much detail, to the point of being a little too much for me personally. There would be a little development in the story...and then it would go back to hunting. I get it...she needs to feed, but the amount of time spent on just this aspect of the story makes it start to feel like filler. I was also a little in shock at how incredibly cheesy the sex scene was. It was like I put down Princess Dracula and was suddenly reading a Harlequin romance from the 80s or 90s. One line in particular, "She didn't care about being a lady anymore.", somehow left me speechless while laughing hysterically in my head at the same time. Seeing as we start in book one with Vlad Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) and book two will have Elizabeth Bathory, it seems that each book will see Ruxandra's interactions with historical figures connected to the vampire mythology.
Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
This special may contain spoilers. You have been warned.
The Blair Witch Project, released in the summer of 1999, would significantly impact how movies are filmed and promoted. Since its release, the found-footage style has become popular in the horror and sci-fi genres. The deceptive marketing of films being true or based on true events (even if they were not) would also go on to be used by other famous films (ex., Paranormal Activity). While most of us laugh at how dramatic The Blair Witch Project is, there is no way you can deny how important it has proven itself to be in the movie industry.
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| Many went into this film thinking it was a genuine documentary. |
A sequel would quickly be put together after the unexpected success of BWP. Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows would be released a little over a year later, in 2000. Lacking everything that made the original great and plagued with horrible acting and a predictable, uninteresting storyline, Book of Shadows is both a total failure and a total bore-fest.
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| So much cringe. |
A decade and a half later, amid a movie industry that seems completely drained of new, original ideas, 2016's Blair Witch would attempt to do what its predecessor could not. It manages to be better than Book of Shadows, but considering how bad Blair Witch 2 is, that really isn't much of a compliment. The majority of the film, like the original, is spent trying to build up a mood of desperation and absolute terror. Unfortunately, it fails in its efforts to do this and wastes a little over an hour of your time with boring and stereotypical horror tropes. It picks up a little near the end, but nothing that happens is new and leaves you wondering if Blair Witch was instead trying to be a modern remake instead of a sequel.
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| The best part of the 2016 version, without a doubt. |
A good part of what made The Blair Witch Project good was how realistic it was filmed (shakiness, blurry, etc..) and the effective, and once again realistic, usage of sound effects. The woods sounded like the woods, and it looked like it was filmed by an amateur. Unfortunately, none of this made it into either of the sequels, and if someone decided to try again, they definitely need to keep these aspects in mind.
Ratings and Info (clicking on the film title will take you to a movie trailer):
The Blair Witch Project (1999) - ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7.5/10
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 21 minutes
Genre(s): Horror, Mystery, Found Footage
Released: July 30, 1999
Directed by: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez
Written by: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez, Heather Donahue (documentary material)
Starring: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000) - ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 2/10
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes
Genre(s): Horror, Fantasy
Released: October 27, 2000
Directed by: Joe Berlinger
Written by: Dick Beebe, Joe Berlinger, Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick
Starring: Jeffrey Donovan, Stephen Barker Turner, Erica Leerhsen
Blair Witch (2016) - ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ 5/10
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Genre(s): Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Found Footage
Released: September 16, 2016
Directed by: Adam Wingard
Written by: Simon Barrett
Starring: James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Corbin Reid, Brandon Scott, Wes Robinson, Valorie Curry
Should you watch them?
The Blair Witch Project should be considered mandatory for anyone who considers themselves a fan of horror. Skip the sequel, though. It is awful. As for the 2016 Blair Witch, I think it is decent enough to recommend; just don't expect it to be as good as the original.
A punk rock band is forced to fight for survival after witnessing a murder at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar. (IMDB)
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
Genre(s): Crime, Drama, Horror
Released: May 13, 2016
Directed by: Jeremy Saulnier
Written by: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Patrick Stewart
So I was left not liking the neo-Nazi gang and not giving a crap about what happened to the little punk band. That left me very bored and disappointed. More time to actually get to know the band would have helped with this problem. The highlight of the film is when the band opens their set (at a place known as a hangout for neo-Nazis) with a song that has them yelling "fuck Nazi scum". The rest is a borefest with occasional moments of gore that came off as trying too hard to be shocking.
Rating: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 3/10
Rating: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 3/10
Music can do wonders. It can bring people together or rip them apart (especially true in the modern age of fandom insanity). Perhaps most importantly, music has the ability to heal us. It can help you escape or just let you know you are not alone. Music, as a format, tells the stories of humanity and while many of those stories are happy, there is sadly an overwhelming amount of sadness, depravity, and injustice on this planet we call home. When these stories and the emotions associated with them are condensed into a song, the results can often be haunting and upsetting. These songs are not meant to make you happy and instead, expose a side of humanity that many wish to forget or just straight up ignore.
Below you will find the five songs that I have personally found to be profoundly upsetting. While doing some research, I began to notice that many of the lists of "disturbing songs" I found had a completely different definition of what "disturbing" really means. This makes sense since people are affected by different topics differently, but only one of the SEVERAL lists I looked at had the first songs I thought of when considering making this list.
(It was originally going to be a long list of the most disturbing songs ever, but the person behind disturbingsonglist.blogspot.com has done a pretty good job already, so this is just a personal top five.)
"Frankie Teardrop" by Suicide
I found this song a few years ago and holy crap is it an experience. Although I originally had it playing in the background while doing other things, I quickly found myself stopping and just listening. The song tells the tale of Frankie Teardrop. Frankie has a wife and a kid to support. Frankie is not making enough money and to prevent his family from suffering makes a tragic decision. The constant drum machine that seems to be mimicking both a racing heartbeat and the machine that is daily life plus the genius usage of silence broken up by screams of terror, despair, and disgust combine to make the story absolutely terrifying. This one sticks with you. After my first time listening to it I felt nauseous and incredibly anxious.
"Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday
A truly heartbreaking song about racism and the lynching of African Americans. It gives me chills and brings me to tears every time I hear it.
"Me and a Gun" by Tori Amos
Inspired by her own experience with rape, this song is made more haunting due to the absence of any instrumental and is sung acapella.
"...A Psychopath" by Lisa Germano
Germano took the powerlessness and revictimization that many women feel/go through after surviving abusive situations and turned it into a song. What really drives those feelings home is the real 911 call that is playing in the background. Incredibly uncomfortable to listen to, even the singer herself had trouble sleeping after recording it.
"Daddy" by KORN
It is a song about a kid being molested. It is believed that Jonathan Davis was inspired to write this because he was molested by a babysitter as a child. What makes this song so upsetting is the ending that features Davis screaming and weeping while a lullaby is being played. Of all the songs I have ever discovered, this is the hardest to listen to from beginning to end.
The kingdom needs an heir and Princess Charmaine is quite aware that the job rests solely upon her shoulders. When her elder sister dies, Charmaine has to take her place at the ball designed to find her a husband. With a hundred men to choose between and her wedding planned, all she has to do is pick one. But love can sometimes be found in the most unlikely of places and at the most inconvenient of times.
Cynder knows about the impending war between the people of magic and those of his masters, but working as an underpaid servant in the palace kitchens leaves him with little power to do anything about it. On one hand, he's a staunch supporter of equal rights for his own kind, but he can't deny the attraction he feels for the daughter of the king and queen he works for.
When the two meet, sparks fly and not just the magical kind...
Branded as a reverse retelling of the classic Cinderella story, I found the only obvious ties to be the names of Princess Charmaine and Cynder. The rest of the story feels heavily influenced by other very successful young adult books. In most cases, I would consider this to be a bad thing, but in Charm, all of these influences combine with the Cinderella base to create a truly refreshing and interesting tale.
The characters (for the most part) are enjoyable and I found myself wanting to know more about all of them (thank goodness it is a series!). The leading lady is strong and intelligent, but not perfect. I did find a few of the "woe is me" moments to be annoying, especially since these moments seemed to just be repeating the same things over and over again. However, that is my only complaint and it seems I now have yet another series to keep up with.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
I made the mistake of not letting Alishia know that we would need a mixer to cream the sugar, butter, and zest together, so we got to enjoy attempting that part of the recipe by hand. It was not perfect, but it still worked out. The batter was a gorgeous pastel yellow and it almost felt like a sin to bake it.
The directions we used said to leave the tea cake in the oven for 30-45 minutes, but even after almost 50, the center of our cake was still a little undercooked. So if you decide to give this recipe a try, keep an eye on that. The directions also stated that you should let the cake cool for a full twenty-four hours...we did not last that long.
It both tasted and looked amazing. The lemon is strong, but the cranberries and butter help even it out so that it is not too overwhelming. Of course, since I am obsessed with dried cranberries, I would have preferred to have more, but they were spread out pretty evenly throughout the entire thing.
What if you’re in love with heaven and hell?
Cassia Delamore is a foster kid. Shuffled from home to home all her life after losing her mother, she’s never known her father, nor what it feels like to be loved. She hopes to start a new life in the idyllic town of Heaven. She has a plan; graduate high school, pack her bags, and leave her tragic past behind her.
Yet fate is about to turn Cassia’s life upside down. On her first day of high school, she meets two very different men… bad boy Thames, who possesses a fiery temper, and cool Cairo, captain of the football team and all-around hero. But there’s more to these men than meets the eye. As Cassia grows closer to the boys, she discovers a world of angels and demons fighting for the souls of mankind. Cassia finds herself immersed in a holy war that isn’t hers, torn between Cairo and Thames in a love triangle straight out of a storybook.
Will Cassia taste forbidden fruit? Or will her epic romance end in a dark destiny? (Goodreads)
After escaping horrible circumstances, Cassia finds herself in a new town with a new foster mom. Almost immediately after arriving at her new home, strange events begin to happen. When school starts, she quickly gains the attention of two mysterious young men, Cairo and Thames. As the strange events continue to happen and Cassia spends more time with her two new friends, it becomes obvious that they are much more than they seem.
Torrent seems to be heavily influenced by both Twilight and Fallen. In most cases, I would find this annoying, but Megan Linski did such a great job that it comes off as a much better story than the possible inspiration. It is very dramatic and cheesy at times (in a good way), but I found it hard to put this one down and read it in one sitting.
Overall, this took everything I loved about Twilight and created a new, yet familiar, world that I look forward to returning to very soon.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
After losing his mother, a young boy is sent to a foster home with other orphans his age where he begins to learn the meaning of trust and true love. (IMDB)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour 10 minutes
Genre(s): Animation, Drama, Comedy
Released:
Directed by: Claude Barras
Written by: Céline Sciamma (screenplay), Claude Barras (contributing writer), Morgan Navarro (contributing writer), Germano Zullo (contributing writer), Gilles Paris (based on a book by), Christian La Monte (English script adaptation) & Michael Sinterniklaas (English script adaptation)
Starring: Gaspard Schlatter, Sixtine Murat, Paulin Jaccoud
This review contains spoilers. You have been warned!
This film led to quite a few tears, both happy and sad. In this adaptation of Autobiographie d'une Courgette by Gilles Paris, we are introduced to nine-year-old Icare, who prefers to be called Zucchini. After a heartbreaking accident at his home, Zucchini's alcoholic mother falls down a stairway and dies. At the police station, he quickly bonds with Raymond, a police officer. Raymond takes him to a foster home where he meets several other kids in similar positions.
Simon is the self-elected leader who tends to bully the others but has good intentions in the end. Alice is a shy, quirky girl with a very dark background and Bea is at the home because her mother was deported. Georgie and Ahmed are very much Simon's minions. It is insinuated that Georgie may be suffering from Munchausen syndrome due to his mother's extreme case of OCD. The home is run by Miss Paterson with the help of Miss Rosy and Mr. Paul (whose romance is great entertainment to the kids). Finally, we have Camille, a strong and empathetic girl with a big heart that seems to be a direct result of the tragedy she witnessed. Zucchini falls for her at first sight and they quickly become very close.
This film treated its child characters with respect and portrayed them as both intelligent and inquisitive which led to them being extremely realistic. While the story is focused mainly on Zucchini and Camille, each character stands on their own and could have easily taken the lead. I watched the English dub and it was very good, although I do wish that I had time to watch the original French version with subtitles. The stop-motion animation was wonderful and I loved how bright it was. If you decide to give this film a chance (which you definitely should), then I would also recommend watching the making of bonus feature.
Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10
As more events unfold and they are almost torn apart, the gang learns the important lesson that family is not just about blood.
Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10
Fried green tomatoes is a dish that we have grown up eating and I believe that most families in the south have their own version of it. After Fannie Flagg’s book, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, was adapted into a film in 1991, there was a surge in popularity of not only this recipe but several other southern classics. Therefore, when thinking of recipes to do for “From the Book to the Plate”, this was one of the first that I thought of.
*Quick note: There are three recipes for fried green tomatoes in Fannie Flagg's cookbook. For this installment, we tried fried green tomatoes I. We may try the other two in the future.
When it comes to preparing for this recipe, the hardest (and most important) thing to do is picking out the perfect green tomatoes. I wish I was experienced enough to now go into detailed instructions on how to do this, however, this was our first attempt at making any version of this recipe on our own...and we got lucky. The rest of the prep is actually very easy (as long as you are being careful when cutting the tomatoes).
Frying the tomatoes was a bit more challenging though. I am not completely sure if we did not have the pan hot enough or just did not use enough oil. I am positively certain, however, that the tomatoes were too wet to hold on to the batter properly. The end result was several tomatoes sliding out of their crust or sticking to the pan (these were referred to as “disaster tomatoes”).
Also, the original recipe says to use tongs to flip (only once) but I found that they caused the problems with the batter to increase. Using a spatula, however, just led to oil splashing everywhere. In the end, what worked best for me was to use a spatula to wiggle them free from the pan and then use the tongs to flip them over.
Regardless of the problems that caused things to not turn out entirely as planned, we still managed to fry several that turned out almost perfectly. The tomatoes were very tart and the crust added the perfect amount of crunch. We made a large plate of these that were a mixture of the perfect, messy, and complete disaster tomatoes and they all went super quick. So, even if you mess this recipe up a little, it should still be absolutely delicious.
You can find the recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes I below. Let us know in the comments if you decide to try it yourself!
Buy the book(s):
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe: Amazon, Abebooks
Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook: Amazon, Abebooks
A coming of age story involving young love and a mysterious music, coming from a crystal radio left as a memento by an absent father, that leads a young heroine deep into a hidden world. (IMDB)
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure, Drama
Released: May 7, 2011
Directed by: Makoto Shinkai
Written by: Makoto Shinkai
Starring: Hisako Kanemoto, Hisako Kanemoto, Kazuhiko Inoue, Junko Takeuchi
This was the second time I have watched this movie. I originally watched the subbed version but decided to watch the dubbed version as a refresher. As with most anime, the dub is not very good. The voices do not match the characters very well and the emotions feel forced (especially with Asuna). Both the animation and story are very close to being Studio Ghibli quality and a good portion of this film feels like it could easily be a tribute to the legendary animation studio.
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10
What do you do when you discover you’re a witch... And that using your new powers destroys your soul a little each time? Set in the Swiss countryside, this story blends ancient folklore with a coming-of-age tale about a young witch on the brink of womanhood. (Goodreads)
I went into reading this book mostly unaware of what it was about. I knew it was a middle-grade fantasy and expected a cute story about a girl who finds out she is a witch. I was very wrong about the cute part and was quite surprised at how dark it was. While the story is told from the perspective of a girl who has just turned 13, it does not come off as completely childish at all and found it to be a very enjoyable read even though I am an adult. The story has great lessons in both showing kindness to others and the battle of good and evil that we all fight within ourselves.
The only problem I had with this book was the constant references to Anne Frank and Malala Yousafzai. At first, I thought it was sweet that Anna Sophia looked up to them, but as the name-dropping continued and after a bizarre reference to The Hunger Games, it began to feel less genuine and more like product placement in a tv show.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
A seven-part docuseries about the unsolved murder of a nun and the horrific secrets and pain that linger nearly five decades after her death. (IMDB)
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 7 hours 16 minutes
Genre(s): Documentary, Crime, Mystery
Released: May 19, 2017
Directed by: Ryan White
On the night of November 7th, 1969, a nun went missing. Her body would be found two months later, but the questions surrounding her horrific demise would remain unanswered, almost 50 years later. Two of her former students, who were obviously impacted greatly by their teacher, reunite with the hope that they could do what the police had not (or perhaps just refused) and solve the who, what, and why of her mysterious death.
However, the box of dark unknowns that they began digging through provided much more than they were expecting. Over seven hour+ long episodes, a web of lies, corruption, pedophilia, and pain is exposed, leading to more questions than answers.
The ongoing pain and suffering of the incredibly long list of victims is just absolutely heartbreaking. The idea that monsters could get away with such disgusting behaviors so easily, is sickening and proof of how dark our world can really be.
After finishing this docuseries in one sitting, I was left feeling incredibly frustrated and angry. There is a strong sense of desperation to have the truth finally exposed before everyone involved is no longer alive and the case is forgotten forever.
Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10
The new drink is made with a much higher concentration of coffee than any of their other drinks, resulting in a more genuine coffee flavor. This is a more satisfying product compared with the Coolatta, which had an artificial, syrupy taste and left something to be desired.
While I really enjoy this drink, I have to take off a point from my rating due to Dunkin Donuts' unfortunate consistency issue. While I've heard that Starbucks has got their measurements down to a science, Dunkin Donuts products tend to taste significantly different from one day to another depending on who is making them.
Overall, this drink is for the coffee customer who wants something sweet, simple, and delicious for summer without breaking the bank. This is the coffee drink I have been waiting for.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
Just know from the start that it wasn’t supposed to go like this. All we wanted was to get near them. That’s why we got a room in the hotel where they were staying.
We were not planning to kidnap one of them. Especially not the most useless one. But we had him—his room key, his cell phone, and his secrets.
We were not planning on what happened next.
We swear. (Goodreads)
For the past several months I have been in a rather deep and annoying reading slump and I feel that most of the books I have reviewed this year thus far have made that pretty evident (plus I think I am currently burned out when it comes to fantasy YA). I got Kill The Boy Band as a reward for myself and had no intention of reviewing it. The title and simplistic cover immediately grabbed my attention and the summary instantly drew me in. Because of my reading slump, I figured it would take me at least a week to get through it, but surprisingly (and for the first time in a very long time), I practically devoured this book in one sitting. Kill The Boy Band gives a pretty accurate description of modern fangirls and the insanity that goes along with being obsessed with a boy band these days. The way Goldy Moldavsky described the community and the bonds (that are also easily broken) was spot on. That means that the majority of the story is actually pretty believable. Even though it was pretty dark it still managed to also be very funny and had me actually laughing and chuckling out loud multiple times.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
Book & Author Information: Goodreads
Published: February 23rd, 2016
Also check out: Boring Girls by Sara Taylor (Similar, but WAY darker and less comedic)
After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. (IMDB)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2 hours 20 minutes
Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Drama,
Released:
Directed by: Matt Reeves
Written by: Mark Bomback, Matt Reeves, Rick Jaffa(based on characters created by)
Starring: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval
As expected, the visuals in the film are breathtaking and the most immersive and believable use of CGI I have ever seen. The eyes of the apes are so detailed and expressive that they challenge you to find a flaw in the special effects. The action scenes are good but not what makes the movie worthwhile, emotion is the real star of this film.
Those who have seen the previous films will appreciate the returning ape characters the most and will feel the gravity of each major event the strongest. The movie also introduces a new character, Bad Monkey, who manages to bring some fiercely needed comic relief while continuing to highlight the thought-provoking themes of the film. I would recommend this movie to any fan of the original or new Planet of the Ape series, as well to any newcomers who are looking for a compelling philosophical journey into what truly makes one "human."
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆8/10
Cram ten hormonal teens into a spaceship and blast off: that’s the premise for the ill-conceived reality show Waste of Space. The kids who are cast know everything about drama—and nothing about the fact that the production is fake. Hidden in a desert warehouse, their spaceship replica is equipped with state-of-the-art special effects dreamed up by the scientists partnering with the shady cable network airing the show. And it’s a hit! Millions of viewers are transfixed. But then, suddenly, all communication is severed. Trapped and paranoid, the kids must figure out what to do when this reality show loses its grip on reality. (Goodreads)
I received a copy of this book in ebook format to review from Netgalley.com
The first half of this book left me feeling both frustrated and annoyed. The dialogue did not sound realistic at all and the stereotyping was taken to the extreme. It also felt like a bit of a rip-off of several recent popular sci-fi-related YA books. Oh, and do not get me started on the names of the majority of the characters. They just sounded ridiculous. I was also bothered by the book being set in 2017. It just did not make sense to me for these events to be set in the current time period. However, around the middle of the book, things began to improve immensely. I finally began to feel invested in the story and what happens to the characters (especially Nico) and by the end of the book all I could say was "wow". It felt like it was going to be very predictable, but it actually went in a direction I did not expect.
Rating: ★★★☆☆3.5/5
Book & Author Information: Goodreads
Published: July 11th, 2017
If you read this and like it, but want something darker, I would recommend reading 172 Hours On the Moon. Also, the format is similar to the Illuminae Files series, so if that is something you enjoy, check out those books as well.
Megan Stewart, 14, and her best friend Amy Herman, 13, though opposites in personality, are best friends. Megan carries the front of being the most popular girl in school, but this masks a lifestyle of hard partying, drugs, alcohol and indiscriminate sex. Amy, unpopular and socially awkward, clings to her relationship with Megan as a lifeline to social acceptance. Together, these two young girls forge a deep friendship based on their mutual needs. The two girls regularly communicate by web chat cameras or cell phone and even meet boys online. As Megan seeks friends who are different from her usual posse of hangers-on, she is introduced by a friend online to a 17-year-old boy named Josh in a chat room. Megan and Josh bond quickly, leaving Amy feeling a bit left out. One day, Megan goes to meet Josh in person, and she is never seen again. Amy launches into a concentrated effort to find her friend. As the media swirls around the story of Megan's disappearance, Amy discovers the horrifying truth about what happened to her friend. Based on research into seven actual cases of child abduction, MEGAN IS MISSING is an uncompromising, gut-wrenching view of the world children live in today. Harrowing in its realism, the film uses only fact-based incidences to depict the lives of ordinary kids walking in the midst of extraordinary evil. (IMDB)
Rating: NR
Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes
Genre(s): Drama, Horror, Thriller
Released: May 2011
Directed by: Michael Goi
Written by: Michael Goi
Starring: Amber Perkins, Rachel Quinn, Dean Waite
I found this on Hulu and decided to give it a shot. I was expecting a Lifetime-style drama about how talking to strangers on the internet is bad. What I got, however, was a found footage-style thriller/horror film. It opens by explaining this is based on true events and then goes on to portray the footage as "real". You are told from the beginning when the girls go missing. The majority of the film is spent following the very stereotypical girls doing cliche teenage stuff. The acting goes back and forth from being painfully believable and just feeling really forced. After Megan's disappearance, the creepy element really starts to kick in. There is one scene where Amy is sitting under a bridge with a teddy bear. While she is explaining why she keeps it there, a figure appears in the background behind some bushes. It is a very simple thing, but the way it was done creeped me out. From here on the movie takes a turn for the very dark and disturbing in a way that I wish I had been warned ahead of time about. The last 20ish minutes is very hard to watch and I would not recommend that anyone who is easily triggered watch this. It has been a few days since I watched this movie, and the images from the last half are still sticking with me.
Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆5.5/10
Inspired by her childhood, French-Korean filmmaker Ounie Lecomte recounts the emotional journey of a little girl abandoned by her father in an orphanage. (IMBD)
Rating:
Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes
Genre(s): Drama
Released: October 29, 2009
Directed by: Ounie Lecomte
Written by: Ounie Lecomte
Starring: Kim Sae-ron, Do Yeon Park, Ko Asung
 |
| Really, who hasn't felt this way at least once in their life? |
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆7/10
In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.
Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.
Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison, and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.
Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge? (Goodreads)
If there is one thing I can say about this book it’s that it is a perfect example of storytelling done right. Very rarely do I find a book that manages to make almost every character and side plot really mean something to the overall story. What really impressed me was the skill and ease with which Kristoff pulled the beginning and end of the book together so perfectly.
The story always keeps you engaged with a great balance of high-stakes action and slower moments to add to character and plot development. I have heard others suggest several different methods of reading the book based on the format in which it is presented. (Such as reading the past and present separately or just reading the author’s extensive notes at the bottom of the pages at once) However, I absolutely do NOT recommend doing this the first time around. These methods are for re-reading only. From my experience, the absolute best way to read this book for the first time is to be patient and take in everything as it comes. Even if it is tempting, try not to skip past the notes because most of them are hilarious and add a lot to the tone of the book.
While the main character, Mia, is sassy and interesting enough, the interactions between her and the cat of shadows are what really make her shine. The two characters compliment each other marvelously which helps to keep the reader invested. This book is filled with great side characters who are easy to become attached to so watch out because Kristoff holds no punches with this incredible story.
My recommendation: Anyone who likes the Throne of Glass series will probably find it easy to fall in love with this book. It also had a bit of a Hogwarts feel (yes, I know it seems like everyone says that about everything these days) but for me, it was the truth. There were a few scenes that specifically reminded me of the Last Battle of Hogwarts.
Extra side note: I purchased the UK hardback version of this book and it is absolutely gorgeous inside and out. It is honestly one of the most beautiful books I have ever purchased and if you are a US reader like me and you appreciate that kind of thing, it is 100% worth the extra effort and wait of buying and shipping it from overseas.
Rating: ★★★★★ 5/5
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