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My Favorites of 2025

Hi everyone! I believe this post requires no introduction. You know the drill with this one. Please enjoy my favorite things from this year. Here’s to a great 2026! (Let’s face it. 2025 was a sh*t show. The only way to get through was by finding literally anything to enjoy.)

Books

  • Oathbringer (Book 3 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Ithaca (Book 1 of the Songs of Penelope) by Claire North
  • Rhythm of War (Book 4 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara
  • Near the Bone by Christina Henry
  • The Final Empire (Book 1 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Fury of the Gods (Book 3 of the Bloodsworn Saga) by John Gwynne
  • Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
  • Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConahgy
  • The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes
  • Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
  • The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon
  • Brother by Ania Ahlborn
  • Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
  • And Then I Woke Up by Malcom Devlin
  • The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland
  • I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
  • The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Geisbrecht
  • The Well of Ascension (Book 2 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Orphia and Eurydicius by Elyse John
  • The Hero of Ages (Book 3 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Assassin’s Apprentice (Book 1 of the Farseer Trilogy) by Robin Hobb
  • Wind and Truth (Book 5 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
  • The Alloy of the Law (Book 4 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
  • Dune by Frank Herbert
  • Elektra by Jennifer Saint
  • Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen
  • Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
  • Uprooted by Naomi Novik
  • Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
  • One’s Company by Ashley Hutson
  • Grey Dog by Elliot Gish
  • We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
  • The Unworthy by Augustina Bazterrica
  • The Haar by David Sodergren
  • Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
  • One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford
  • Shadows of Self (Book 5 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • House of Odysseus (Book 2 of the Songs of Penelope) by Claire North
  • The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Movies

  • Sinners (dir. Ryan Coogler)
  • Thunderbolts* (dir. Jake Schierer)
  • Superman (dir. James Gunn)
  • The Fantastic Four: First Steps (dir. Matt Shakman)
  • The Long Walk (dir. Francis Lawrence)
  • Frankenstein (dir. Guillermo del Toro)
  • Wicked: For Good (dir. Jon M. Chu)

TV Shows

  • It: Welcome to Derry (Season 1, HBO Max)
  • The Mighty Nein (Season 1, Prime)
  • Heated Rivalry (Season 1, HBO Max)
  • Severance (Seasons 1-2, Apple TV)
  • Murderbot (Season 1, Apple TV)
  • Hazbin Hotel (Season 2, Prime)
  • Yellowjackets (Season 3, Paramount)
  • Fallout (Season 2, Prime)
  • Andor (Season 2, Disney+)
  • Only Murders in the Building (Season 5, Hulu)

Music

  • Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd (album)
  • The Giver by Chappell Roan (single)
  • Forever is a Feeling by Lucy Dacus (album)
  • RUSHMERE by Mumford and Sons (album)
  • At The Beach, In Every Life by Gigi Perez (album)
  • I Don’t Know How But They Found Me! by Jensen McRae (album)
  • Even In Arcadia by Sleep Token (album)
  • Man’s Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter (album)
  • Virgin by Lorde (album)
  • The Cosmic Selector Vol.1 by Lord Huron (album)
  • BITE ME by Renee Rapp (album)
  • Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You by Ethel Cain (album)
  • Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams (album)
  • Breach by Twenty One Pilots (album)
  • Good Boy by Paris Paloma (single)
  • The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift (album)
  • Everybody Scream by Florence and the Machine (album)
  • The Hand by Annabelle Dinda (single)
  • Silver Spoon by Erin LeCount (single)
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My Favorites of 2024

Hey everyone! Welcome to my annual favorites list! I intended to post another review but decided to leave that for next month/year. I fully intended to post more reviews in December, but life/the holidays/health/other things got in the way. I did get a bunch of books for Christmas that I am looking forward to reading and reviewing, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my annual favorites list. Happy New Year! I can’t wait to see you all in 2025!

Books

  • The Winter Soldier: Cold Front by Mackenzi Lee
  • The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwyne
  • All’s Well by Mona Awad
  • The Employees by Olga Ravn
  • Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval
  • Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
  • Brutes by Dizz Tate
  • Monstrillio by Gerardo Samano Cordova
  • The Deep by Alma Katsu
  • How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
  • Intercepts by TJ Payne
  • Godkiller and Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner
  • Sign Here by Claudia Lux
  • The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
  • Rouge by Mona Awad
  • Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke
  • Angels Before Man and Angels & Man by Rafael Nichols
  • The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
  • Out by Natsuo Kirino
  • Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy
  • Eynhallow by Tim McGregor
  • Night Film by Marisha Pessl
  • The Ascendancy Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
  • Bliss Montage by Ling Ma
  • The Obelisk Gate and The Stone Sky by NK Jemisin
  • Last Days by Brian Evenson
  • A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock
  • Chlorine by Jade Song
  • Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
  • Boy Parts by Eliza Clark
  • Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
  • Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh
  • The Way of the Kings and Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
  • All Systems Red by Martha Wells
  • Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay
  • The Vegetarian by Han Kang
  • Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly
  • They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe

Movies

  • Wicked (dir. Jon M. Chu)
  • Deadpool and Wolverine (dir. Shawn Levy)
  • Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (dir. Tim Burton)
  • Inside Out 2 (dir. Kelsey Mann)
  • I Saw the TV Glow (dir. Jane Schoenburn)

TV Shows

  • House of the Dragon: Season 2 (Max)
  • The Legend of Vox Machina: Seasons 1 and 2 (Prime)
  • The Boys: Season 4 (Prime)
  • Arcane: Seasons 1 and 2 (Netflix)
  • Interview with the Vampire: Season 2 (Prime)
  • Squid Games: Season 2 (Netflix)
  • Agatha All Along: Season. 1 (Disney+)
  • Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1 (Disney+)
  • Hazbin Hotel: Season 1 (Prime)

Music

  • Unheard by Hozier (EP)
  • Epic: The Concept Album by Jorge Rivera-Herrans (album)
  • THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY by Taylor Swift (album)
  • HIT ME SOFT AND HARD by Billie Eilish (album)
  • Clancy by Twenty One Pilots (album)
  • Cacophony by Paris Paloma (album)
  • Beyond Beyond Beyond by The Crane Wives (album)
  • OBSERVATIONS FROM A CROWDED ROOM by Joy Oladakun (album)
  • Ampersand by Bastille (album)
  • The Great Impersonator by Halsey (album)
  • The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams (album)
  • JOYRIDE by Kesha (single)
  • Harpy Hare by Yaelokre (single)
  • Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter (album)
  • Punish by Ethel Cain (single)
  • Sailor Song by Gigi Perez (single)
  • Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar (single)
  • GNX by Kendrick Lamar (album)
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My Favorites of 2023

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays this year and were able to take a nice break. I also hope you got some good books as gifts that you will read this upcoming year. My TBR list looks pretty good, and I will post a new review sooner than later. Now, it is time for my annual favorites list. I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you so much for continuing to support my blog! I’m wishing you all the best for 2024.

Books

  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
  • My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Odessa Moshfegh
  • Birds of Paradise by Oliver K. Langmede
  • A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske
  • Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
  • Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
  • The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
  • Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
  • The Hades Saga (Books 1 – 3) by Scarlett St. Clair
  • The Blood Gift Duology by N.E. Davenport
  • Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • Bunny by Mona Awad
  • Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
  • The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
  • The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
  • The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
  • The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
  • The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Ohsiro
  • Pew by Catherine Lacey
  • Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
  • Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
  • Tell Me I’m Worthless by Allison Rumfitt
  • Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid
  • She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker – Chan
  • Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
  • Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste
  • Dead Astronauts by Jeff Vandermeer
  • A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
  • The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
  • Jawbone by Monica Ojeda
  • Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
  • A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
  • Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno – Garcia
  • Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
  • Shadows of the Dark Realm by Tyler Edwards

Movies

  • John Wick: Chapter 4 (dir. Chad Stahelski)
  • Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (dir. John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (dir. James Gunn)
  • The Little Mermaid (2023) (dir. Rob Marshall)
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (dir. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson)
  • Barbie (dir. Greta Gerwig)
  • Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (dir. Sam Wrench)
  • Five Nights an Freddy’s (dir. Emma Tammi)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (dir. Francis Lawrence)

TV Shows

  • The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
  • The Witcher: Season 3 (Netflix)
  • Castlevania: Nocturne: Season 1 (Netflix)
  • Good Omens: Season 2 (Prime Video)
  • Our Flag Means Death: Season 2 (Max)
  • Loki: Season 2 (Disney +)
  • Ahsoka: Season 1 (Disney +)
  • What We Do in the Shadows: Season 5 (Hulu)
  • The Last of Us: Season 1 (Max)
  • The Mandalorian: Season 3 (Disney +)

Music

  • This Is Why by Paramore (album)
  • labour by Paris Paloma (single)
  • Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard? by Lana Del Rey (album)
  • So Much (for) Stardust by Fall Out Boy (album)
  • Daylight by David Kushner (single)
  • – by Ed Sheeran (album)
  • Take Me Back to Eden by Sleep Token (album)
  • Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (album)
  • Unreal Unearth by Cozier (album)
  • The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We by Mitski (album)
  • Autumn Variations by Ed Sheeran (album)
  • the rest by boy genius (album)
  • 1989 (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (album)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Music Inspired By) by Various Artists (album)
  • the record by boygenius (album)
  • Dead Man by David Kushner (single)
  • GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo (album)
  • Barbie: The Album by Various Artists. (album)
  • Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) by Noah Kahan (album)

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My Favorites of 2020

Hello everyone! Well, 2020 sucked to say the least. I hope all of you are doing well, all things considering. If you are like me, you are maintaining cautious optimism for 2021. If you are also like me, you developed certain fixations during quarantine. My list is going to look a little different this year because there weren’t many new movies or tv shows this year. I’ll be including new things I discovered this year that may have come out previously. I will also be including books I read in class that I did not review here. I hope you enjoy my list and I wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe 2021.

Books

  • The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
  • Dracul by Dacre Stoker and JD Barker
  • Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
  • Trumpet by Jackie Kay
  • Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
  • Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
  • Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
  • The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal
  • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
  • Blood of Elves (Book 1 of The Witcher series) by Andrzej Sapkowski
  • Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
  • The Tower of Nero (Book 5 of The Trials of Apollo series) by Rick Riordan
  • We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Movies

  • Onward (dir. Dan Scanlon, 2020)
  • Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn (dir. Cathy Yan, 2020)
  • Hamilton: An American Musical (dir. Thomas Kail, 2020)
  • The Lighthouse (dir. Robert Eggers, 2019)
  • Jennifer’s Body (dir. Karyn Kusama, 2009).
  • Jane Eyre (dir. Cary Joji, Fukunaga, 2011)
  • Wonder Woman 1984 (dir. Patty Jenkins, 2020)
  • The Devil All the Time (dir. Antonio Campos, 2020)

TV Shows

  • The Mandalorian: Season 2
  • Supernatural: Season 15
  • Doom Patrol: Season 2
  • The Boys: Season 2
  • Batwoman: Season 1
  • The Flash: Season 7
  • The Good Place: Seasons 1 – 4
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Seasons 1 – 7
  • The Umbrella Academy: Season 2
  • Stargirl: Season 1
  • Legends of Tomorrow: Season 5
  • Black Lightning: Season 4
  • Blood of Zeus: Season 1
  • Supergirl: Season 5
  • Lucifer: Season 4

Music

  • Manic by Halsey (album)
  • After Hours by The Weekend (album)
  • folklore by Taylor Swift (album)
  • evermore by Taylor Swift (album)
  • No Time to Die by Billie Eilish (single)
  • Cape God by Allie X (album)
  • Positions by Ariana Grande (album)
  • Level of Concern by Twenty One Pilots (single)
  • Light of Love by Florence and the Machine (single)
  • Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams (album)
  • WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? by Bastille (single)
  • my future by Billie Eilish (single)
  • Dreamland by Glass Animals (album)
  • Use Me by PVRIS (album)
  • color theory by Soccer Mommy (album)
  • Ferris Wheel by Sylvan Esso (single)
  • Let Me Love You Like A Woman by Lana Del Rey (single)
  • Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers (album)
  • Death of an Optimist by grandson (album)
  • Maps by Wednesday’s Wolves (EP)
  • Afterglow by Ed Sheeran (single)

Podcasts

  • The Magnus Archives
  • The Penumbra Podcast
  • Wolf 359
  • King Falls AM
  • Motherhacker
  • My Brother, My Brother, and Me
  • Passenger List
  • SCP Archives

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How (Not) to End a TV Show

Hello everyone! I’m so close to the end of my semester and I should be able to squeeze in a novel or two before the year is over. Like everyone else, I have been using television to help me escape the reality of COV!D this year. Last night, one of my favorite shows ever, Supernatural, ended and, wow, it was something. I rarely get to see a show come to an actual series finale since either a.) I don’t finish the shows or b.) the show gets cancelled. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the different series finales I’ve watched and where they’ve gone very right or horribly wrong. The following is a list that no one asked for about things that should (or shouldn’t) be done to properly end a show, especially one with a dedicated fan base.

Kill Your Darlings, but Nicely: Since I watch a lot of sci-fi/fantasy/action/etc., character deaths are to be expected. If you are going to kill off a character at the very end, however, make it as poetic and dignified as possible. No one wants to see a character who has been through the wringer die in a completely mundane way. It doesn’t have to be a sacrifice, but it should make the audience and the other characters feel okay with the loss.

Remember the Lore: This mostly applies to the fantasy genre as a whole but canon is also important to any show. If you have elaborate backstory, the least you can do is keep the main threads going and keep in mind all of the important plot points or foreshadowing that has been established. The whole point of a prophecy is it has to come true in some way so make it happen! Fans can theorize all they want but the writers are the ones who get to make these things come to life on the screen.

Cycles Matter: We love seeing a story come full circle and homages are really nice for all of the fans who have stuck around. Easter Eggs and references are great for this. Even inside jokes can help ease us to the end. It’s okay to poke a little fun at the show’s past and reminisce. Let the characters go back to the start in some way then have them learn from the past.

Make Every Minute Count: Whether the show if half an hour, an hour, or two hours, every second counts if it is the end. Do not pad out the show with a montage unless it is super relevant. I don’t want another montage that only exists to show the passage of time. It rarely works. I also especially don’t want a montage about the past. I was there! I saw it! Give me new stuff!

Legacy? What is a Legacy?: Leave the fans something behind to enjoy. The legacy of a show doesn’t necessarily have to come in the form of a spin off or an open ending. I don’t always need a hint at something more. Sometimes, a show just needs to be done. Epilogues are fine and all, but they are all trying to copy off of Harry Potter where someone has a kid who is named after a deceased character. It’s become a weirdly specific trope that I am starting to get tired of. Just let us have the memories and let me enjoy my rewatch without thinking I’m going to be disappointed again.

To Ship or Not to Ship?: Quit teasing a relationship. Either make them friends, put them in a relationship, or at least address it in an appropriate manner. I am all for emotional complexity in a show, but it does get tiring after a while. By the end, we should know whether two characters are going to end up together or not. Please just decide or not, writers. It’s exhausting and I don’t want to read any more fan fiction.

CAMEOS: Give me some indication that the past characters mattered. A cameo is great if the actor is available. If not, at least, acknowledge the fan favorites that weren’t main characters. I get so excited when I see a cameo and I would love even more. Please give me cameos!!!

And that is the end of my post that no one asked for. I hope you enjoyed it and I would love to hear your opinions in the comments. Thank you and stay safe!

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My Favorite (Cancelled) TV shows and some post-semester thoughts

Hi everyone! I am truly and officially done with my semester. I had to wrap up some grading and deal with some rather…angry students. That was honestly the most frustrating part. Email doesn’t allow for proper communication because you obviously can’t read tone through an email. It was hard, to say the least. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one dealing with it so it felt good to be in similar company. I can honestly say that I did not enjoy my first time teaching a class on my own. I have higher hopes for the next time I teach, though. I’m sure many of you have similar frustrations and just need a break. That’s why I’m giving you my list of favorite tv shows that were sadly cancelled before their time. To clarify, I’m talking about tv shows that were cancelled after a season or two and not shows that had a proper series finale. I figured some of you might not want to commit to an ongoing tv show so here’s some that require little commitment and are still satisfying to watch.

Firefly – Let’s start with one of the most famous cancelled tv shows. Firefly is such a unique sci-fi show as it combines the gritty and atmospheric feel of a Western with the futuristic tech of science fiction. This show only lasted one season and was created by Joss Whedon. It is still a cult classic with a large following. The spin off movie, Serenity, is also fantastic if you are feeling disheartened after finishing this series.

Agent Carter – Marvel may have a great track record with movies, but they haven’t had as much success with tv shows. Agent Carter, though, was definitely a winner. Peggy Carter is a bad-ass icon who kicks ass in every episode. It was a great take on comic book media with a unique twist to it. There was even a musical episode. All of the seasons are currently on Disney Plus if you are going through Marvel withdrawals.

Forever – Forever didn’t last long but it will stay in mind..forever (I couldn’t resist). This show was about a doctor who accidentally discovers he is immortal and now works as a mortician for the NYPD. He must solve crimes and try to hide his secret, while also learning why he is immortal. It stars Ioan Gruffud, who you may recognize as Mr. Fantastic from the 2000s movies. It was a charming little show with a great premise as well as it was a crime show (and I am a sucker for a good crime show).

Pushing Daisies – Again, we have another quirky crime show with an element of magical realism. This show is about a pie maker named Ned (played by Lee Pace) who has the ability to bring dead things back to life with a touch, and send them back with another touch. He uses his ability to help solve crimes. Along with that, he brings back his girlfriend and they must navigate their strange new relationship. It’s a charming little show with a sweet romance at the center. It is also just morbid enough without losing its charm.

Sleepy Hollow – And now we have yet another crime show but this one isn’t as…cute. Sleepy Hollow begins with Ichabod Crane coming back to life after being supposedly killed during the American Revolution. He must discover what happened to bring him back by teaming up with a no-nonsense detective as they investigate all of the supernatural happenings in Sleepy Hollow. This was a really great crime show with a supernatural twist. You can find this one on Hulu if you’re interested. (By the way, I would recommend visiting the actual town of Sleepy Hollow. It was so much fun and they really embrace the legend.)

Constantine – Now, I’m making a bit of an exception with this one as the show is cancelled but Constantine the character is very much active in the current DC tv shows. Constantine is great because it’s like Doctor Strange but imagine if Doctor Strange was an alcoholic. I love my underdog, unconventional heroes and John Constantine fits the bill. It had some great visual effects too.

Swamp Thing – This one was a recent cancellation and I talked about it before a previous list of tv shows I enjoy. I am normally not a fan of the monster genre but I was pleasantly surprised by this show. It took something I considered hokey and made it genuinely scary. If you want a good horror show, I would recommend this one.

I hope you enjoy some of the shows on this list. I’m planning on doing another podcast list because I finally have time to dedicate to the fictional audio genres that I’ve been sitting on forever. Stay safe, stay sane, stay healthy.

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My Favorites of 2019

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a good Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, etc. (or you at least had some relaxing time off). I had a pretty eventful year in general and I mean that in a good way. It is now time for my annual list of favorites across all creative mediums. I got a bunch of new books over break that I will be reviewing soon. I hope for the best for all of my followers in 2020! (Note: these are probably not in chronological order. I know my book list is rather short but I did not consider everything my favorite. Also, leave me your favorites of 2019 in the comments.)

Books

  • The Shades of Magic trilogy by V.E. Schwab
  • This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
  • The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
  • The Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan
  • The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
  • The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
  • The Villains duology by V.E. Schwab
  • Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

Movies

  • Captain Marvel (dir. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck)
  • Avengers: Endgame (dir. Joe and Anthony Russo)
  • Spider-Man: Far From Home (dir. Jon Watts)
  • John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum (dir. Chad Stahelski)
  • Zombieland: Double Tap (dir. Ruben Fleischer)
  • Shazam! (dir. David Sandberg)
  • Polar (dir. Jonas Akerlund)
  • Jumanji: The Next Level (dir. Jake Kasdan)
  • Frozen II (dir. Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee)
  • Toy Story 4 (dir. Josh Cooley)
  • Bohemian Rhapsody (dir. Dexter Fletcher)
  • Fyre Fest: The Party that Never Was (dir. Chris Smith)

TV Shows

  • The Mandarlorian, Season 1 (Disney +)
  • Stranger Things, Season 3 (Netflix)
  • Doom Patrol, Season 1 (DC Universe)
  • Swamp Thing, Season 1 (DC Universe)
  • Supernatural, Season 15 (CW)
  • The Flash, Season 6 (CW)
  • Batwoman, Season 1 (CW)
  • Arrow, Season 8 (CW)
  • Supergirl, Season 5 (CW)
  • Black Lightning, Season 3 (CW)
  • Crisis on Infinite Earths: Five Part Crossover (CW)
  • Nancy Drew, Season 1 (CW)
  • Good Omens, Season 1 (Amazon Prime)
  • The Boys, Season 1 (Amazon Prime)
  • The Witcher, Season 1 (Netflix)
  • A Series of Unfortunate Events, Season 3 (Netflix)
  • Jessica Jones, Season 3 (Netflix)
  • Lucifer, Season 4 (Netflix)
  • The Punisher, Season 2 (Netflix)
  • The Umbrella Academy, Season 1 (Netflix)
  • His Dark Materials, Season 1 (HBO)
  • Russian Doll, Season 1 (Netflix)
  • Queer Eye, Season 4 (Netflix)
  • The Umbrella Academy, Season 1 (Netflix)
  • The Haunting of Hill House, Season 1 (Netflix)

Music

  • Norman F*cking Rockwell by Lana del Rey (album)
  • Wasteland, Baby! by Hozier (album)
  • WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish (album)
  • Beetlejuice: The Original Broadway Musical (album)
  • Six: The Musical (album)
  • Doom Days by Bastille (album)
  • Blinding Lights by The Weekend (single)
  • Nightmare by Halsey (single)
  • Graveyard by Halsey (single)
  • I’m Too Sensitive for this Sh*t by Hayley Kiyoko (EP)
  • Landfall by Claire Wyndham (single)
  • DEATH STRANDING: Timefall (Original Music from the World of Death Stranding) (album)
  • CHAMPION by Bishop Briggs (album)
  • Cheap Queen by King Princess (album)
  • Hallucinations by PVRIS (album)
  • Don’t Call Me Angel by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey (single)
  • Destroy Me by grandson (single)
  • FEVER DREAM by Of Monsters and Men (album)
  • Happiness Begins by Jonas Brothers (album)
  • For The Throne (Music Inspired by the HBO series Game of Thrones) (album)
  • Free Spirit by Khalid (album)
  • Sing to Me Instead by Ben Platt (album)
  • Hadestown: The Original Broadway Musical (album)
  • Truth Hurts by Lizzo (single)
  • Artemis by Lindsey Stirling (album)
  • K – 12 by Melanie Martinez (album)
  • The Birth of Violence by Chelsea Wolfe (album)
  • Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief: The Musical (album)

Podcasts

  • The Last Podcast on the Left
  • Red-Handed
  • Wolverine: The Lost Trail
  • Motherhacker
  • RNZ: The Worst Sitcom Ever Made
  • Queer as Fiction
  • Passenger List
  • My Favorite Murder
  • Behind the Bastards

Favorite Events of 2019

  • Seeing Freestyle Love Supreme on Broadway where Lin-Manuel Miranda performed live (!!!!)
  • Getting floor seats to a Jonas Brothers concert and touching Nick Jonas (!!!!)
  • Starting (and surviving) fall semester of grad school
  • Visiting the Mansfield Reformatory (where they filmed the Shawshank Redemption)
  • Seeing my little sister graduate from high school and start college
  • Successfully working two jobs at once over the summer (I know a lot of people do that and don’t have the same luxury as I do of having an optional part-time job but I did not think I would be able to handle it as well as I did)
  • Successfully being a teaching assistant for two courses
  • Not crying that much over things (lol)
Posted on by bookreviews628 · 1 Comment

I too have an opinion on the final season of Game of Thrones

Hi everybody! Sorry but not sorry that it has been so long since I have last posted anything. I now have two jobs so, I hope you understand I have make that paper. I’m sure many of you on this website are fans of Game of Thrones. I read the books in high school around the time that the show started. It’s safe to say that I have been invested in the series as a whole for a while. This final season, which should have been incredibly epic and satisfying, has been anything but that. Before I go any farther, I do want to say that this is no shade towards the actors or the actual filming, as both are still great. I want to talk about the writing and some weird decisions that the writers seem to have made. BIG SPOILER WARNING! If you are not caught up, you may exit now. If you don’t care about spoilers and/or the show, then you may proceed.

The Character Development: Who needs consistency in their characters’ development, right? Honestly, this is my biggest gripe with the show currently, even though there is only one episode left. It’s really disheartening to see some of my favorite characters grow so much, only to be stopped for the plot. For an example, I shall direct you to Tyrion and Jaime Lannister. In my humble opinion, they have had some of the best personal development in this show. The Lannister brothers have fought so hard against their sister and we were all so proud when they finally broke away from Cersei. What happens next? Tyrion somehow becomes very convinced that she’s going to willingly surrender, even after we watched her blow up the Sept just to keep her crown. Jaime, even after he finally gets together with Brienne, decides to run back to Cersei for no reason other than he feels guilty. I’m sorry but what? You keep expecting for some sort of turn around but, then it doesn’t happen. They aren’t the only victims of this, though. Jon Snow and Daenerys aren’t much better off. Cersei even ended up being a bit of a letdown.

The Pacing: With a short run, the episodes can’t be too jam packed in order to draw out the suspense. I do normally love that but, in this case, the pacing of the show has just been off. From the battle with the Night King to the battle in Kings Landing everything feel like it should be in a different order. I don’t know how to explain it any better. Maybe some you know what I am trying to get at. I just feel like everything could be rearranged in a better order to make the story feel more cohesive. Honestly, I think that the battle for Kings Landing should have happened in the middle and the battle with the Night King should have happened at the end. I also think that the character deaths have been put in weird places as well.

The Treatment of Women: Let’s put on our feminist lens for just a moment. For starters, none of the episodes have been directed by or written by women. I’m going to call that a red flag. The female characters have not always been treated well in the show but, we have seen them bounce back and become triumphant. Unfortunately, these strong female characters have been devolved to pure emotion. Now, I’m not saying that female characters have to be perfect and strong all the time, but they do have to have development that sticks. In this season, it seems like all of that amazing characterization has been thrown out the window. (See character development above). The only female character whose development has stuck is Arya. (Honestly, she is my favorite this season). It seems like they’re going back to favoring the male characters.

The Forgotten Lore: As you all know, the show contains forms of magic that have been explored throughout the various seasons. They have helped to compose various plot points as well. Some of the biggest forms of magic have been in prophecies. Azor Ahai (aka The Prince who was Promised) and the Valonqar (Cersei’s prophecy) were huge points in the books and they were brought up in the show. It seems, however, that they have been tossed aside as well. I really liked the magical aspect of the show and I wish we could have explored it further. (By the way, I’m going to leave it to you to look up those prophecies. It leads into a lot of fan theories.)

Those were my gripes. Let me know in the comments if you have any other grievances that I may have forgotten.

Posted on by bookreviews628

The Weirdest TV Shows I’ve Watched

Hi everyone! So, as you all know at this point, I’m a tiny bit of a tv addict. I have a bunch of shows I like to keep up with and a lot of them are kind of strange. Much like the one about weird books, I do have some criteria for what I mean by “weird.” In this case, I’m talking about television shows that use strange narrative structures, bizarre visuals, or characters who have strange traits and/or powers. I’ll be excluding television shows that have weird elements like magic or time travel but still have relatively straight forward plot lines (i.e. Supernatural, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, etc). I’ll also be excluding anime because I don’t watch anime nor do I know that much about it.

Legion: Based off of the the X-Men comics, Legion is about David Haller, a young man diagnosed with schizophrenia, who begins to realize that his mental illness might be more than just that. The show is set in the 1960s so there are a bunch of trippy visuals and strange lighting. The characters have weird powers, such as Sydney, who can swap bodies with other people. The show is constantly jumping around in time. The setting is constantly changing. There are main plots but there are subplots that are popping up throughout the show that are meant to confuse you. I am behind on the show but I do really enjoy it.

Preacher: This is another show based off of a comic book. It’s about Jesse Custer, a preacher in a small Texas town, who is given an unearthly power. He then goes on a mission to find God with his gun-toting ex-girlfriend Tulip and an Irish vampire named Cassidy. This show begins out fairly straight forward then takes the turn for the bizarre as Heaven and Hell become involved in the story. The show is as funny as it is strange with its depictions of the afterlife and what God looks like. It is a very graphic show, so you have been warned. All in all, I have found it incredibly enjoyable. This is another one I definitely recommend.

Doom Patrol: Here’s yet another superhero show, but I still love them. In this one, Cliff Steele, a former race car driver, gets into a car accident and wakes up to find that his brain has been put into a robot and he is living with other “outcasts” like himself. When the Chief, who brought them together, goes missing, they must put aside their differences to find him and stop the villainous Mr. Nobody. The first thing I love about this show is that the characters are so weird yet so relatable as they are all really just dealing with their pasts. The show (so far) has involved a giant eye that disintegrates people, a donkey that’s a portal to a different world, and a nice healthy dose of magic. I have been absolutely loving this particular show and I’m surprised more people aren’t watching it.

Russian Doll: This one isn’t the weirdest but I’m still going to put it on this list because I love this show. Nadia died on her 36th birthday…but then she came back. Now, she must figure out how to break the cycle before her death becomes permanent. The show certainly isn’t afraid to get deep while still being absolutely hilarious. Natasha Lyonne is absolutely wonderful in this show. If you want a show with a strong female lead that, go watch this one on Netflix.

Black Mirror: If you love The Twilight Zone, then you will love Black Mirror. I initially thought this show was a bit overhyped but I got sucked in and ended up loving it. Here’s a few of my favorite episodes: “The USS Callister,” “Playtest,” “Nosedive,” and “Black Museum.” Go watch any of those and, I promise, you might change your mind.

American Gods: This show is based on one of my all-time favorite Neil Gaiman books. The second season came out and it is just as weird as I wanted it to be. For those of you who don’t know, the show is about Shadow Moon, who is released from prison early after learning his wife died. He soon meets a mysterious man named Mr. Wednesday who draws him into a world that he won’t come back from the same. Obviously, the idea of the gods, both new and old, is already a weird concept and the show fully embraces this. The visuals are as beautiful as they are weird. It’s really cool how the show moves between regular America and the gods’ America. The show also has some powerful messages. I definitely recommend the book a bit more but go check out the show too.

Posted on by bookreviews628 · 2 Comments

Pop Culture Trends I’m So Over

Hi everyone! Let’s begin 2019 with a rant, shall we? I’ve been noticing some patterns in various areas of popular culture and, boy, do I have some thoughts. Some of you may disagree with me while others may agree completely. Either way, I’d like to hear your opinions as well.

Disney Remakes: I get why the live action-remakes of Disney movies are being made but just because we can doesn’t mean we should. It’s not like any of these movies, like The Lion King or Aladdin, are outdated necessarily. I’m pretty sure a child of today can watch the original movies and appreciate them. I don’t need flashy special effects or new songs. Just leave my childhood alone please.

Movie to Musical Adaptations: If you’re a musical theater fan, then you can understand this one. The next musical season is going to be flooded with musical adaptations of movies like Mrs. Doubtfire and The Notebook. Again, I see the market and the reason for this but there are sooooo many to the point that any original musicals or revivals are going to get absolutely buried. I’m not saying I think these musicals are going to be bad. I’m just saying that the originality factor has gone out the door and I blame Mean Girls (even though I do love the musical adaptation).

“Trendy” Horror Movies: You’ve got to stay hip with the kids, right? So that means making technology the center of your horror movie. I’m going to included Internet urban legends (i.e Slenderman) into this category. It’s honestly just so cheesy. It never turns out meaningful. This whole “what if your phone is possessed?” thing feels like it’s written by parents who are tired of their kids being on their phones.

Overly Dramatic Teen Shows/Movies: I’m specifically calling out “Riverdale” for this one because it started the trend. There’s a fine line between escapism and just being unrealistic. Netflix also recently had an influx of teen-centric movies that just strike me as being way too dramatic for the wrong reasons. I understand that I am not the target audience but I would still like to appreciate shows like this. Back in my day, you got some vampires and that was enough. (Also, to anyone who watches Riverdale, how do you classify the show? Is it supernatural? Is it horror? Is it a drama? I don’t get it). (Please read this in an old man voice).

Gender Swapped Remakes: Obviously, we need more female led movies but simply remaking a movie but with a woman instead of a man is just soooo lazy. There’s so much material out there with female leads that could be adapted to the screen and that should be adapted to the screen. There’s also probably plenty of people with completely original ideas out there. Though this trend is starting to die down, I’m afraid it’s not going to stay down.