Mini-Reviews: Summerland, Ladies in Black, Mary, Queen of Scots

Accidentally, this set of mini-reviews has a period drama theme. What can I say, a girl likes what she likes!

variety.com

Summerland

Words can barely describe how perfect this film is. Honestly, it was just beautiful. I've been a fan of several of Gemma Arterton's works for quite a while now, and so I was excited to see this one even though I didn't know too much about it to start. Actually, I don't even believe I had watched the trailer for it! But after seeing it, I was moved by it in so many ways. It was a lovely story, beautifully filmed and acted, and it has stuck with me for months after. I would absolutely recommend it many times over.

netflix.com

Ladies in Black

This movie was...fine. I really loved Angourie Rice in Every Day, and I can't fault her on her performance here, nor that of Rachael Taylor. Overall though, I just didn't really attach to it much. If it's on, I wouldn't be against watching it again, but I wouldn't actively seek it out to view it.

theguardian.com

Mary, Queen of Scots

You might know that I'm a huge Tudor history lover, so I watched this rather cautiously. A lot of the films and shows that come out regarding this time period I avoid like the plague because I can get very hung-up on the lack of historical accuracy, and I instead prefer documentaries (if you know Lucy Worsley, know that I adore her). You know the saying "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"? Let's just say that the music is gorgeous, and Saoirse Ronan does a decent job. Does that tell you enough? Shockingly I finished it...I must have been very strong that day.

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Have you seen any of these? What do you think? Are you a stickler for details in historical pieces, or are you fine with some creative license?

TMST: Pandemic-Born Hobbies

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature started by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and now hosted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

Have you kept any hobbies that you started during the pandemic?

Yes and no. The two main hobbies I picked up during the pandemic were gardening and working with polymer clay. Now, prior to this I had done some gardening before, but during the years of the pandemic I really brought this into overdrive. I have to admit that I have not only not calmed down, I have actually sort of gotten worse. My house is being taken over by plants haha.

With polymer clay, I used to use air dry clay, and always loved working with it. I finally decided to try polymer clay (you need to bake it in the oven to cure it, rather than the air dry variety), which I had been interested in for years but had been intimidated by it. I made a sort of palm stone/emblem to help a friend going through a really tough time and learned how the medium worked. Then my clay obsession transferred to this new style, and I haven't looked back. Now I mostly make magnets and figurines for my friends, and have tried a few pairs of earrings.

So although those two hobbies were definitely kicked into hyperdrive during the pandemic, they were activities I enjoyed in some form or another prior to.

What are some hobbies you picked up during the pandemic? Did you continue doing them afterwards?

Mini-Reviews: Daisy Jones and the Six, Bewilderment

Working through my huge backlog of books, movies, and TV shows from the past year or so, so I'm focusing on some mini-reviews. If you've read any of these, I'd love to chat more about them!

goodreads.com

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid

I listened to this one on audiobook and thought that was the perfect format for it! Switching between multiple characters, the audio version had different actors for each voice. This made it easy to follow and engaging, allowing me to connect with it in a way that I don't think I would have in print. I haven't read any other books by Taylor Jenkins-Reid, or watched the series that was based on this book, but this was an enjoyable introduction to her work. I'd recommend it if you're a fan of the era, but I don't think the interview format this book is written in is going to work for everyone.

goodreads.com

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

This book was a ride. At first I had very little idea of what was going on (and honestly, even after finishing it, I know I didn't get everything), but I was instantly intrigued. The relationship between Theo and his son Robin was both sweet and heartbreaking at different moments, and Robin's experiences with neurofeedback training constantly made me wish I could be inside his head to learn more. That is the brilliance of the book though. Even if you know where it's going, the journey was still such an important one.

TMST: Mid-Year Check-In

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature started by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and now hosted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

Mid-Year Check-In: What books have you loved so far in 2024?

Hello! Excuse me while I get my bearings blogging again! Unfortunately my blogging and reading life have often had to take some hiatuses these past few years, but I've recently been able to push through and set aside some time for both.

I think the only book that I would say I thoroughly enjoyed so far this year was Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice. I've read a couple of  other things that were decent, but this has definitely been the standout for me. This is technically a sequel, but I didn't have any difficulty reading it without having read the first novel. The worldbuilding was wonderful and it was inspirational, informative, heartbreaking, and character-driven all at the same time. I would definitely recommend it!

The Boy and The Heron (2023)

 

imdb.com

Hayao Miyazaki just doesn't want to truly retire...and honestly, I am so glad. What would I have done without this movie? Being all at once dark, cute, quirky, and beautiful, t's not going to be for everyone (something I feel like I've been saying a lot about my movie choices lately), but if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli films, I really think this one is an amazing addition to their collection.

What's this film about? I almost don't want to tell you! In some ways, I don't know if I even could do it justice. I walked into it after seeing a trailer for it, but didn't really know much, honestly. And I really feel like that was a perfect way to experience it. Twist after twist, laugh after laugh, and constantly waffling between awe and bewilderment, it was an incredibly fun cinema experience. There are some dark moments (particularly at the beginning), so be aware that this isn't a young child-friendly film.

I watched this one in Japanese with English subtitles. I was happy to watch it either way, and would love to watch it again in the future with the English dubbing. I feel like both methods have their merits, and often different experiences, so I would say to watch it in whichever way works best for you. I know that for some it can be difficult to focus on anything other than the subtitles in a piece, and this movie is so visually stunning that I would make sure you watch whichever method allows you to see that to its full extent.

Here's what I feel I can say about it:
It's fantastical
The animation is beautiful
There are multiple twists that I don't think you'll see coming
The music is gorgeous
You might honestly question what kind of fever dream you walked into multiple times

So, without telling you too much other than this, I would absolutely recommend it!

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Do you enjoy animation? Have you seen any Studio Ghibli films before? If so, what are your favourites?

Copenhagen (2014)

This post contains some information that may, although mildly, spoil portions of the plot. If you would like to avoid any chance of spoilers, please come back to this post after watching the film!

imdb.com

Copenhagen is a 2014 film by Mark Raso, starring Gethin Anthony and Frederikke Dahl Hansen. 

The tagline for this one really says is all - "When the girl of your dreams is half your age, it's time to grow up". William, travelling to Copenhagen to deliver a letter to his unknown grandfather, meets Effy who is interning at his hotel. Upon asking for help, William and Effy are now tied together (for better or for worse) through William's journey to learn about his family.

This movie is absolutely not for everyone. Based on today's sensibilities, there are a lot of people who are going to feel highly bothered, offended, or creeped out by this movie, and I completely get it - but it didn't feel that way to me while watching it. Perhaps its all of the French movies I used to watch, or how I separate things in my head, but I was both fine with it as well as recognizing its problematic nature.

At its core, it's a film about a man with some serious emotional parent-related trauma, and a girl he meets, who is in that phase between girl and woman and learning what that means. These two form a relationship, all at once necessary and healing, yet unhealthy and rash. Their age difference is significant - Effy, is 14, just on the cusp of turning 15 - the age of consent in Denmark, and William is 28. Although Effy doesn't know William's exact age at the start, she has a better idea of the difference than he does - William is fully ignorant of it. And when he does know, he is both horrified and cautious.

Perhaps this is where all of their knowledge of each other should have ended, but it doesn't. If it progressed any further than it does in the movie, I would be highly bothered by it. However the director and writer, Mark Raso, handles it in a way that I think is tasteful, beautiful, and an experience of growth for both characters, rather than a terrifying cautionary tale.

It's a movie that ends peacefully, even if not exactly happily. You wonder what the future holds, but also don't feel like you need to know that in order to sit with it.

There are a lot of things to dislike in this movie, not just limited to inappropriate relationships: underage drinking, bad friendships, creepy interactions with a parent's partner, theft, breaking and entering. I would advise most watchers to be aware of their own feelings about viewing these things before they start. Although so many movies and shows portray these things now, and many may be numb to them, they can be jarring to others, especially when you realize how young the characters are.

Overall this is one that I enjoyed and would be happy watching again in the future.

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Have you seen this movie before? What did you think? How do you feel about problematic themes in film - do you find them fascinating? - do you avoid them?

TMST: Favourite Supernatural Creature

 Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature started by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and now hosted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

What is your favorite supernatural creature?

As a lifelong fan of fantasy and mythology, I think it's pretty safe to say that I can instantly think of a dozen supernatural creatures that I love. Picking a favourite is kind of like picking a favourite flower in a garden that you lovingly cultivated. And yet, there is always one creature that stands out for me in a different way than the rest...

The Phoenix.

I have always loved them. From their beautiful flame coloured feathers, to their sleek appearance, to their symbolism of rebirth - they have always fascinated and charmed me. So, if absolutely forced to choose favourites here, I feel very little torment at listing them as mine.

I feel that I would be remiss without mentioning a few others that fight for dominance here:

Gryphon
Manticore
Cŵn Annwn
Ouroboros
Cockatrice

There are so many incredible ones from different mythologies and cultures around the world, and I am constantly fascinated to hear more. Do you have any favourites? Tell me about them!

TMST: Libraries - Online or In-Person?

 Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature started by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and now hosted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

Libraries: do you prefer to visit in-person or check out on-line?

No contest for me this week - I am a browser through and though (and no, I don't mean Google Chrome...ha...ha...ha). Whether it's a bookstore, thrift store shelves of CDs, or you name it, I love to stare down the endless racks and shelves until my eyes hurt. 

Online content is great - I love it for when I'm going on a trip, or when I desperately want to read or watch something that is out in its physical copy, or when I'm feeling sick. Otherwise I love to make the time to go to the physical library. And yes, even though I'm been working in one for a long time, I still love going to them. Any time I'm in a different city, I love going to visit their library. I love large libraries, small county ones - you name it. Show me how you catalogue and classify, how you file, what types of resources you have for kids or students. I just can't get that kind of experience online.

I'm so happy that the online content exists - it's an incredible option to have, and makes things accessible to so many people, but I will keep the physical libraries alive for us all with my enthusiasm for them.

TMST: Going on Vacation

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature started by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and now hosted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

Overnights, long weekends, a week away: What's your preference for a trip?

Usually when I go on a trip, it's for about a week at a time because I end up going to a different province. Being from Canada, this is a pretty significant distance to travel a lot of the time, so a large chunk of the first and last day are spent exclusively travelling to and from that location. However, I find by the end that, although I want to experience more things, I desperately want to relax and be back in my own bed.

Overnights though, I feel like can be a bit too short. If I am in a different city, and want to experience a bunch of things, they may not be open on one of the days (especially if you go on a weekend), or I may just not have the time to fit them in on one of the days. Long weekends, although often busier with more people being off, are ideal. I just prefer to make it a weekend where it isn't already a holiday weekend to get the best of both worlds.

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What about you? What's your preference? Is there a trip or vacation you are looking forward to soon?

TMST Favourite Summer Thing

 Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and currently assisted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

What is your favorite thing about summer?

My favourite thing about summer...would have to be the long days. What I love more than anything, is being able to go for walks in the evening, and the long summer days are the perfect time to do that. It's not too cold or too dark, and I can catch the sunset while out for a stroll.

There are so many reasons that I love this season, including the pace of things, and the chance to be outside all of the time. I'm Canadian - I try to avoid being out too much in the winter because of how cold it is! So summer is my beautiful opportunity to soak in as many rays as I can. I love summer activities, and the Olympics, and summery foods and ice cream. I feel like it's a time where I truly come alive. I get motivated to read and write (and blog!) and take part in all of the wonderful hobbies I have that I can barely keep up with it all - and I love that. The long days help me feel like I can accomplish so many more of those things too.

So, although I would say that the long days are my favourite part, it's really so much more than that.

What's your favourite thing about summer?

TMST: TBR Pile

 Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and currently assisted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

Have you found a way to cut back significantly on your TBR pile?

I have! Although I really, desperately need to go through my Goodreads list, I have mentally cut back on so many books that used to be part of my TBR pile. For me, I stopped adding books in that other people wanted me to read. Recommendations are one thing, but so many people constantly tell me I "have to read this" so I eventually would cave to the pressure of it and, since it sounded interesting, would add it in. Now I just add in what I legitimately want to read. Sure, some of them are because of recommendations from other people whose tastes I trust, but a lot are ones I discover on my own.

Working a library is both a gift and a curse for a TBR pile because I get to see everything. At the same time though, it means that people always ask you if you've read this or that and it can be a lot of pressure to feel like you need to cater to that. Although I do still feel that sense of pressure sometimes, I've been able to squash a lot of it.

July 2023 Update (2)

In an effort to work through a backlog of old posts and remember the things I have actually watched and read, this post was completed roughly a year ago and is being posted now.

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In the past several months, I've been focusing on some of my other hobbies, such as painting and working with polymer clay, so my T.V. show viewings definitely haven't been super high! I wanted to update you all regardless, and since it's been months there has actually been a decent buildup of content.

I have been doing a few re-watches as well, but I haven't included them here this time.

So, here are a few things that I've watched:

elle.com

Emily in Paris - S2
Complete fluff? Maybe. But I find this show addictive regardless. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as season 1, but I'm still really looking forward to seeing what season 3 brings us. What a cliffhanger!!

cosmopolitan.com

The Witcher - S2
Love this show. So much. I tried to not blast through it, and actually spread it out...I failed. I started playing the Witcher 3 video game as well and have been completely obsessed. I've heard mixed things about the books, so I am happy to leave it at these two formats for now, but I'm very excited for the next season.

rottentomatoes.com

Arcane - S1
Okay, so I walked into this one with very, very little knowledge about the source material, League of Legends. I really loved this one, but the tone shift a few episodes in caught me so completely off-guard that I had to step away from this one for a little bit (If you've seen it, you know what I mean).  Once I came back to it though, I did really enjoy it. There were a few parts that were a bit confusing with the flow of it, but I did find it really enjoyable and will most likely watch another season if it comes out.

pbs.org

All Creatures Great and Small - S2
All Creatures is the sweet series that has been exactly what I've needed. It has just enough going on to keep you engaged, but at the same time, you know that things are going to be okay in the long run. I don't have to feel stressed watching it, and I get to learn a few interesting things too. Lovely scenery, nice characters that you grow attached to, and all-in-all just a lovely watch. Similar vein to The Durrells, but with less quirkiness, if anyone loved that series as much as I did.

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Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - S1, S2
This is a show that one of my closest friends recommended to me...a few years ago. I finally got around to trying it out. It was a nice diversion, and I was enjoying it, but it ended up getting too far-fetched and silly for me that I haven't really wanted to continue into the third season.

latimes.com

Bridgerton - S2
Another perfect example of a pure fluff show. I was obsessed with this season, and adored it. I'm reading the first book in the series right now (The Duke & I) as I needed just something mindless on a recent vacation, and this was perfect for the plane. I'll most likely finish it, although I don't know if I'll continue on with reading the series...but definitely will start watching the next season. It's one of those shows where I say..."Is it good?" "No" "Do I love it?" "Yes!"

netflix.com

Castlevania - S1, S2 (started)
Hello gore-fest! Wow. Okay, so I walked into yet another show with no background. Look where that gets you, Shayna! I was interested in the characters instantly, but found the level of gore and violence to be a bit much. I decided to stick with it, slowly, and it has toned down a bit, so I am glad I did. One of those shows where I don't watch it often, nor do I know how much of it I will end up watching, but it's been an interesting experience, and different from my typical viewing habits.

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Have you watched any of these shows? Do your television habits fluctuate throughout the year, or stay pretty steady?

July 2023 Update

I know, it's been a while.

Far too long, actually.

In some ways my life looks very much like it did before, but in so many other ways it has changed so drastically that I hardly recognize it. Things are really good, but they are busy, and I am trying to adjust to it all and to find out how to slot things in again. I promised to come back to blogging, and I truly want to...but where to start? I feel like I've said that a hundred times.

I'm not really reading a lot right now, nor am I watching a lot of movies or television - so what do I write about?

I think the only way to move forward is to casually mention some of the books/movies/tv shows that I have consumed over the past months, but then to focus a little more on Library Life posts. Eventually it will all come naturally again. I just have to be patient.

So, I'm here. I'm here, and happy and working towards being healthier, and I miss you my dear blogging community!

Just bear with me a little.

TMST: Movies or TV Series

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and currently assisted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

7/26/2022 Do you prefer movies or TV series?

Traditionally, I prefer movies if I had to pick between the two overall, however there is definitely a bit to talk about here! (Forgive me, this post is a bit scattered this time!)

Movies, for me, are that lovely escape for a few hours, with everything self-contained. TV shows  can go on for a long time, you don't know if or when you are going to get a conclusion on things (and don't even get me started on when they don't pick the show up for the next season!). I really like that shows are broken up into smaller chunks of time and you can hold onto them longer than movies, but I really prefer the defined beginning and ending of movies, and how fully formed everything has to be to work together. I know that shows can be especially great if you're just looking for something quick to unwind or to watch with dinner. There are less issues with continuity often in movies than in television series (except in the case of films that have had large chunks cut out in edits).

And yet, I would like to cheat a little and say that I think the absolute perfect medium is mini-series. I don't personally consider these to be TV series, although I believe that some people do classify them that way, but I think of them closer to movies honestly.

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What about you? Are there reasons you prefer one form over the other? Do you find that you prefer one over the other because of your schedule/watching habits?

TMST: Bookish No-No's

TW: This post briefly discusses assault/violence in point 2. 

Whoops, I'm a little late getting this post out, but it was one I was definitely interested in doing, so I figured better late than never!

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and currently assisted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

6/21/2022 What are book no-nos that make you figuratively want to toss a book across the room?

1) When everyone (or the two leads, in the case of a romance) has a quirky name. Nicknames, sure, that's fine (ex. The Divergent series - Tris and Four don't bother me only because they are nicknames, but they drove me insane before I read the books and learned that). Or, if for some reason it is part of the plot, I am okay with it, but otherwise? Please stop.

2) Characters experiencing sexual assault/violence that is described within the book. I know that these types of situations are real, and I don't think we should cover up their existence to make people comfortable, but I find it far too upsetting to read these situations described in full detail, and often cannot handle books that do this. If it is mentioned for a moment without description really, I can manage...but my imagination is far too vivid to handle much more than that.

3) Short, choppy dialogue that is formatted oddly. You know those books that don't use quotation marks, and poorly define their characters' speech? And then they also try to mimic conversation, but it ends up being extremely choppy? Yep, this is one of my largest pet peeves. 

4) Very short chapters of no purpose. A short chapter can be an extremely useful and effective writing tool. It can be used to briefly peek into the mind and eyes of a character who is otherwise "off-screen" in the book. But here's the thing: it has to be for a purpose. Some writers just do this for dramatic effect, and it often feels just like a space filler to me. Or, if you write a short chapter that is only about a page without any revelation...this just feels like something you refused to let your editor get rid of.

Spencer (2021)

I watched Spencer a few months back, and am just getting around to cleaning up my review now - whoops!

imdb.com

I'm going to start this off by saying right away that I have conflicting feelings regarding this movie. When I was asked if it "was good" I found that I couldn't answer it properly. However, did I like it? I would have to say no. It absolutely had some strong merits though, so I want to go over both sides. This is mildly spoiler-y, but considering it's based on the life of a real person...it's more just spoiling aspects of the filmmaking style.

Things I didn't enjoy:

The dinner soup scene. Honestly, I get that this was supposed to be artsy and a depiction of her feelings rather than accurate, but I disliked watching it, and don't think it added anything to the movie. It felt out of place and absurdist to me.

Rather than feel compassion or understanding for Diana, in general I just found that she seemed, well, unreasonable and overwhelming. That isn't to say that I felt this way through the whole movie (as there were "unreasonable" moments that made 100% sense as a viewer), but there were a lot of things where I just found her to be incredibly unlikeable because of her actions.

The self-destruction. And I don't mean specifically the emotional frustration or anything, but the self-inflicted injuries and such that happened. I couldn't tell because of how it was shot if these things were supposed to be taken as "real" or as artsy moments like the dinner scene.

What I liked:

Kristen Stewart did a great job. I think she got the look and essence right of Diana and absolutely think she deserves praise for it. Several of her mannerisms felt really right, and I was so impressed and surprised. I've liked Stewart in the past for several roles, so I knew she was a solid actress, but usually I find biopics (especially involving figures like Princess Diana) are more like caricatures than strong acting.

The costumes were fantastic, and they brought the whole thing to life perfectly. Every person was dressed in just the right way, from their more simplistic attire (like Diana's pink top and jeans) to their dinner finery.

I like that we didn't get a regurgitation of the exact same story. We got a snippet of a few days, and this allowed the story to focus on different aspects than we usually get on Diana's life. Because this shows a really emotionally tormenting portion of her life, we get to see both the good and the bad. Many depictions of Diana show her as entirely lovely and just insecure, but this allowed the audience to see a more multidimensional person.

I appreciated that the movie starts by saying that it is a "fable". It's always been a pet peeve of mine that biopics act as though they are completely factually accurate, when we don't know what most closed-door conversations were - we can only imagine.

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Have you seen Spencer? How did you feel about the more artistic take on this period in Diana's life? Do you tend to watch biopics, or avoid them?

Red Sister (Mark Lawrence)

 

penguinrandomhouse.com

What It's About

The first book in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy, this series follows young Nona taken from her village and sold as a ring fighter. Accused of the murder of a noble, the nine year old girl is set to be hanged when she is rescued by Abbess Glass who brings her to the convent of Sweet Mercy. Here, for the first time, she is given a warm bed, food to eat, an education...and training in the arts of death. But an entire convent of girls training as killers is not without its tension, and noble families do not forget when justice hasn't been served.

What I Thought

A few years back, I picked up one of Mark Lawrence's earlier books, Prince of Thorns, to see if it might be of interest to a loved one. It was really easy to get through, but I felt the writing style was a bit juvenile, even if the subject matter was gruesome. Because I didn't have any real investment in the matter, beyond the brief analysis of it for another, I read several chapters and then put it down. 

When I heard the synopsis of Red Sister, I was instantly intrigued. I mean, warrior nuns? It sounds both a little too weird, and also really cool at the same time. I picked it up - and thank goodness I did! I can thankfully credit this book as getting me out of the horrible reading slump that I've been in. Now, I'm still not going to say I'm reading a lot, or quickly, but I sure did read this one faithfully!

The writing style was still a bit juvenile at times, and at other moments it seemed like Lawrence tried a bit too hard and therefore lost some of the meaning from words altogether, but overall it flowed decently. The concept and storyline though, were wonderful and what kept me engaged the entire time enough to happily keep at it.

The violence can get pretty graphic, so if you're squeamish at all, I would stay away. Now, I don't know if I wasn't paying the best of attention, but there are some plot points that felt very unclear while I was reading. Some things were over explained, and other things...well, I either didn't get answers, or got them so late in the book that I had truly thought I was never going to get them. There wasn't much of a reminder that these things were mysteries, and instead it just felt like Lawrence forgot to explain them. I'm currently on the second book, and finally have some answers, so I am hoping this was intentional and not just the work of a strong editing team giving him a reminder.

If you need a diverting piece of fantasy with a cool new concept that isn't too tricky of a read, then I would absolutely recommend this one. It was very enjoyable and I am hoping to finish the trilogy.

December 2021 Update

It's been awhile! I've been feeling overwhelmed by reviewing and not knowing where to start, so in a lot of ways, I just want the opportunity to start fresh. The easiest way for me to do that is to let you know what I've been reading and watching, and then...let it go! Now, some of these I likely will end up reviewing (one review I'm actually nearly complete), but I want to get rid of that pressure. So please, I'd love to chat about some of these - leave a comment about any you want to talk about (or that you'd appreciate a review on), but otherwise, here's what I can remember of the past few months:

Books

The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

Red Sister - Mark Lawrence

The Stranger in the Lifeboat - Mitch Albom

Movies

That Forsythe Woman

Love Hard

The Lady Vanishes

Little Women (2018)

A Christmas Prince

The Little Mermaid (2018)

High Strung Free Dance

After We Collided

Holidate

Elizabethtown

He's All That

The Princess Switch

V For Vendetta

When We First Met

Summerland

Ladies in Black

Belle

Mary, Queen of Scots

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again

Shows

Emily in Paris

Witcher S1 (rewatch), S2 (in progress)

All Creatures Great and Small

Portrait Artist of the Year S7

TMST: Do You Use Your Library?

 Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and currently assisted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

This week's topic is: Libraries...do you use yours? 

...Nah. End post.

I'm kidding. It's a bit unusual though, working in a library. I see the usage of it very differently than I used to, however this also comes from a change in lifestyle from when I started working there.

There are certain features of the library that I use extremely often (books, movies), some I use occasionally (music, online courses, audiobooks), and some that I don't make use of at all (newspapers, legal resources, etc.). I used to take out tons and tons of fiction, but now I mostly take out movies, cookbooks, and some fiction, with a smattering of other things in between.

The hardest part is the overwhelming desire to read and watch...well, everything. You see it come in, you talk to people about it, and you realize that there are just not enough hours in the day. It's definitely a struggle, and sometimes it can be a bit paralyzing if you are not careful, in that, there are so many choices that you don't even know where to start. But man, will I never complain that that is my problem rather than not having access to all of these beautiful things!

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What about you, do you use your library? What are some resources you especially like?

Period Drama: Gunpowder

nytimes.com

What It's About:

Remember, remember the fifth of November...

Guy Fawkes might be the name you think of when talking about the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, but its story starts with Robert Catesby. This three part mini-series details the circumstances, plotting and planning from lead architect Catesby, and how he puts together perhaps the most famous royal assassination attempt in British history.