February Wrap-Up: 28 (Very Short) Days Later

Wow, February went by like a blip. Not the best reading or film month (eight books, four films) - mostly graphic novels and kidlit with the former - but dang it, had February been a full 30/31 days, the numbers would have been different; am more than halfway through three novels I am genuinely enjoying, all of which would have been done with a couple more days' grace!

Rant aside, some good quality in February; I always enjoy the shenanigans of the Wolf in Underpants, and Big Nate collections remain funny as always. Made a new friend in Ghoulia, a zombie girl who only wants friends and to have fun; this was book one, and I look forward to more of  her adventures. For graphic novels, Grimoire Noir is rich and darkly beautiful from cover to cover, with Snapdragon being my first 5-star graphic novel of 2021; all the right feels with that girl! Also loved my second adventure with Amy Wu, whose energy and upbeat spirit are always so contagious!

Films varied, but happy to add another, well-done Andy Lau film to what I've watched of his resume via Blind Detective, and my other Asian Cinema watch - The Bridge Curse - was almost too twisty with its plot but a lot of fun, as many times with scary movies from Asia, those "Ah-hah!" moments both exciting and enlightening. With Ghosts of War ... well, I can't wait to write that review. If you watch it in the meantime, please do yourself a favor and stop twenty minutes from the end. Just ... stop. You're welcome.

Here's a surprise - way behind on reviews! But with March actually freaking HAVING 31 days in it, I promise to try and do better starting this month.

Meanwhile: Spring, where are you??

Reading: THE WOLF IN UNDERPANTS AT FULL SPEED - Wilfrid Lupano (author), Mayana Itoïz & Paul Cauuet (illustrators), Nathan Sacks (translator)

1st Line: "The Big Race: THE FAST AND THE FEATHERIEST!"

Prose (Story): Everyone in the forest has been preparing for months for The Big Race - until suddenly, throughout the forest, posters for the events are showing up vandalized! Now on friendly terms with the wise wolf in underpants, the other animals enlist his aid in finding the culprit, the wolf's investigation turning up a tiny little chickadee with a very big attitude. Learning the reason behind the chip on the bird's shoulder, the wolf - aided by his trademark underpants, no less - finds a way to again bring peace to the forest in time for the big event, in book three of the popular series.

Don's (Review): This is my second Wolf in Underpants book (still have to read the debut, but The Wolf in Underpants Freezes His Buns Off was terrific), and while the same themes of making friends of supposed enemies and working together for the greater good still make for a great story here - and while I loved the chickadee and hope to see her in future volumes - I would rate this book just a tiny bit behind the previous one, as for me the previous story of the wolf being more at odds with his fellow forest creatures, his attitude more cantankerous, made for better conflict. It's a mild quip, though, as the characters and story here are as fresh as ever - and really, who couldn't love a wolf in striped underpants, under any circumstances?  4/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

January Wrap-Up: Books & Movies & Books About Movies; A Decent Mix

Would have liked more variety in the reading for January, but already taking steps for just that (two blog tour posts coming up soon, plus participating in the BookTube Spin Challenge, as you can read in a recent post) - though am happy to get the film wagon back on track with eight films for the month, and my first 5-star read of 2021 was ironically a book about a film: Grease: The Director's Notebook by Randal Kleiser. If you like the film at all, you will LOVE his behind-the-scenes look at the making of the hit musical. A genuine must-have.

George Takei's graphic memoir about the years he and his family spent in Japanese internment camps (here in the States) during WWII was also amazing and heartbreaking - make sure to get the Expanded Edition when reading it - and OMG finishing book three in Barry Hutchison "Teddy" series, Invasion of the Living Ted, was a joy; it's easily as brilliant as its two predecessors! Whether you're eight or eighty, this (so far) trilogy deserves a place on your shelves!

Film-wise, it was nice to finally catch up on the shenanigans of Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, and watching Soul was a wondrous experience that made me laugh, get misty-eyed, and even look into my own soul a bit. Dear Ex, better than even I expected, also had me grabbing for tissues between laughs.

Reviews to come (big surprise: am behind, as always). Meanwhile ... February. The weather has gotten so cold here it's making my knees ache, so guess even a better reason to cover up, grab a mug of chai tea, and crack open a good book or stream something on-screen. Hope you are all warm and fuzzy wherever you are, and here's to an early Spring thaw!

Reading: BRACELETS FOR BINA'S BROTHERS - Rajani LaRocca (author), Chaaya Prabhat (illustrator)

1st Line: "Bina had three big brothers: Vijay, Siddharth, and Arjun."

Prose (Story): Raksha Bandhan is coming up, and to surprise her brothers young Bina wants to make each of them a special beaded bracelet incorporating their favorite colors. After a little snooping to determine which colors each brother likes or dislikes, Bina sets out to make each bracelet via a special pattern, discovering math can actually be fun along the way.

Don's (Review): There is a lot packed into this short picture book for kids - and that's meant in the best possible way, as author LaRocca incorporates the information in a way that never feels jammed together, much less like the reader is being taught. This is a Storytelling Math book, developed in cooperation with math experts at the STEM education nonprofit TERC, which shows children utilizing math and patterns in their everday lives in a positive - even fun - way, which Bina does here in trying to make the best beaded bracelets she can for her special gifts. It's very well-executed here, as the love Bina has for her older siblings shines through as well, so by no means is this "a book about math" and in fact feels anything but. Chaaya Prabhat's lush, brilliantly-colorful illustrations help to set mood and tone for both the story and the Hindu holiday of Raksha Bandham, and to me anytime a children's book can teach me this much without it feeling like learning, said book deserves a place in any kid's library - in this case for its diversity/cultural value, alone. Very sweet. (Available April 20).  4/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Reading: WITCHES OF BROOKLYN - Sophie Escabasse

1st Line: "Once upon a time n Ditmas Park, a calm neighborhood in Brooklyn ... "

Prose (Story): In this middle grade, first-in-a-series graphic novel, Effie - a young girl still reeling from the death of her mother - comes to live with her two eccentric aunts in Brooklyn ... and soon discovers their little quirks seem to include being a pair of practicing witches. 

Don's (Review): A sweet story about a young girl finding her place, and finding it in the magic community. Effie is an engaging character, her aunts even more so, and when Effie's favorite female pop star shows up on the doorstep of her aunt's home, seeking their special brand of help, the little girl and her two friends become even more involved in the proceedings. The artwork by author Escabasse is equally well-done, adding to both character development and story - and while I want to continue with the series in August, when book two drops, there was something about this debut that just ... didn't grab me. Much as I enjoyed the read on a surface level, a part of me fell just short of completely becoming invested in the characters and story, and to this moment I can't even fully understand why. I think kids will love it, and I myself will be doing a re-read of this one before book two releases - sometimes it's not the book, just the head-space you're in when you happened to read the book - but far as recommending, I think any middle-grade kid will enjoy it, and Effie especially, for sure; very well-done!  3/5 stars

Reading: INVASION OF THE LIVING TED - Barry Hutchison (author), Lee Cosgrove (illustrator)

1st Line: "'Yes, yes, Agent Strong, we get it.'"

Prose (Story): Book three in the comedy-suspense adventure series for kids picks up three days after Revenge of the Living Ted, where young Lisa Marie and her stepbrother Vernon find themselves flying solo when a government agency has taken away Bearvis and their teddy bear army to be studied ... just in time for Grizz, the arch-nemesis they thought was now defeated, to return with a new plot involving now taking over the entire world via a new, insidious invention. What can the kids, especially without their friends, do when teddy bears everywhere - really, really angry ones - start springing to life, determined to rule?

Don's (Review): Easily in my top ten favorite children series of all time, book three - just like its predecessor - joyously escalates both the suspense and scale of possible disaster with Grizz's latest plot. The mayhem here extends way beyond the young siblings' small town/community, and seeing evil teddies (via Cosgrove's always glorious, always funny illustrations) come to life in the middle of London, taking to the streets with destruction on their minds, really sets a new bar for what Lisa Marie and Vernon need to do, in order to stop them. Bearvis returns, of course, Elvis-y as ever, and even in the middle of trying to thwart the villain's most complex, dastardly plot yet (which includes a gigantic, King Kong-sized teddy the kids must somehow vanquish, no less), author Hutchison still fnds time to interject plenty of humor, some of it laugh-out-loud, even while building suspense and character. The fact that an epilogue of sorts hints at a potential fourth book doesn't hurt, either; this children's series is so charming and funny, its characters and plots so well-drawn, I'm here for it till the end.  4.5/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Reading: LEMONADE CODE - Jarod Pratt (author), Jey Odin (illustrator)

1st Line: "This is the story of how I got this black eye."

Prose (Story): Young Robbie Reynolds is an up-and-coming mad scientist genius following in the footsteps of his mother, Doctor Mama, whose own career has stalled, so she holds down a day job. In her absence, Robbie has invented an automatista robot who, solo, operates a sophisticated lemonade stand in Robbie's front yard, where it can make any flavor of lemonade your heart desires - from bagels to boogers or anything in between - and do it in record time. It's a big hit, and both Robbie's pride and head swell to huge proportions ... until the new kid across the street (a girl, no less!) named Daphne opens up her own, old-fashioned lemonade stand in her own front yard. This sets Robbie off (to be fair, it takes very little to set Robbie off), and when it seems Daphne's cuteness and sincerity and positivity make her stand more popular than Robbie's, the young mad scientist proclaims her his first arch-nemesis and seeks to take her down fast.

Don's (Review): Love the artwork on this frenetic, over-the-top graphic novel, as well as the sharp contrast between Daphne's seemingly-endless sweetness, while Robbie is about as all-over-the-place as it gets (think "needs Ritalin") - and especially love Doctor Mama, who I wish we saw more of throughout the book. I can also see where kids would enjoy this battle-of-the-sexes lemonade competition, especially as hidden things we didn't know about are revealed as the story goes on. That said, for me the book really dragged in the middle, bogged down in Robbie's mayhem and ongoing scientific descriptions and lingo, not finally picking up again until toward the end, when some final (and unexpected) battles ensue. Not a bad book, just wish the middle didn't seem stretched out and over-long (for me, Robbie even got a little annoying and boring, during this time), because once we get to the climax (and more Doctor Mama), the book rocks all over again.  2.5/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. 

The BookTube Spin #1 - My List!

I have had a years-long love/hate relationship with BookTube, only now following a small handful of people I feel really do what they do for the love of books and reading, over being monetized or gaining "fans" (aka subscribers) - and one of my very favorites is Barter Hordes, led by Robert who is the creator of the BookTube Prize, currently in its second year of judging. It was, in fact, through Robert that I found Rick MacDonnell and The BookTube Spin, a challenge he's hosting through his channel and Instagram for those who A) want to work at clearing up their TBR list; and B) up for a little randomness/game of chance in their reading life. I was all for it, after watching his post explaining how it works (which you can find HERE), and will try my best to explain the premise:

1)These Violent Delights; 2) Cemetery Boys; 3) The Deep; 4) Swimming in the Dark; 5) Hamnet

Essentially, you choose 20 books off your current TBR. Books you already own, in particular books you have maybe been putting off reading ... maybe feared reading, due to their size ... maybe been a bit intimidated to read for some reasons - whatever. Choose 20 titles, assign each a number, then post your list somewhere PUBLICLY (your blog, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, do a video on your own YouTube channel) to hold yourself accountable. You do NOT have to have a YT channel or be a book tuber in order to participate (neither apply to me), and you can even get in touch with Rick with your list as he wants to see them; nope, it's just a fun challenge that begins on January 31st ... when, on Rick's channel, he will sping a virtual wheel with numbers on it, 1-20, and whatever that number is - you read the corresponding title on your list during the months of February and March. That's TWO MONTHS to read the one book, at which time Rick will do another spin and another challenge (to-be-announced).

6) Into the Drowning Deep; 7) One by One; 8) Revival; 9) Midnight Crossroad; 10) Malibu Rising

Onto the books: check out Rick's post above - they can be 20 you've been wanting to knock off your TBR for ages, or you can break them down, say 5 titles in four different genres or categories (classics, LGBTQ+ fiction, biographies, cozy mysteries, etc.) for variety; shoot, you can even only choose 10 titles and just double up on their places on your numbered list (again, watch Rick's post above, he explains it much better than I do). Again, this is just to put a little spark of random in your reading life, as well as knock a much-needed title off your TBR. 

11) Skulduggery Pleasant; 12) Lovecraft Country; 13) Red, White & Royal Blue; 14) The Only Good Indians; 15) The Lost Village

This post is just to make my list public. Hope fellow book nerds will come aboard, and check out Rick's wheel spin on January 31st to see what your first book will be. Welcome to the BookTube Spin!

16) The Lost Apothecary; 17) Blacktop Wasteland; 18) The Year of the Witching: 19) The Lions of Fifth Avenue; 20) The Push

Watching: THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY (1934)

Director: William Beaudine

71m/Not Rated

Prose (Story): The late, great W.C. Fields stars as The Great McGonigle, head of a rundown, rather shady traveling theatrical troupe who've just shown up at a small-town boarding house in time to start rehearsals for "The Drunkard". McGonigle, forever just one step ahead of bill collectors, process servers, and sheriffs, tries working his magic to charm a rich widow staying at the boarding house into backing his show, while at the same time trying to turn his own daughter Betty - part of the troupe - into a star, even as she's falling in love with an actor wannabe.

Don's (Review): I love W.C. Fields, but am woefully behind in seeing all his films, so was overjoyed to accidentally find this, uncut, on YouTube. The film starts off in typical Fields style - sarcastic humor, some very funny physical bits of business and one liners, and double entendres ... and Fields's attempt to woo the talentless but rich widow who only wants a part in the play, as well as thwart a naughty little boy McGonigle only wants to throttle, are borderline hilarious. But then, for me, the film takes a bizarre turn in regards to the widow, the end following suit with the story winding up in a way that, while it seems fitting (I guess), is also a bit of a downer. For me that, sadly, cost the film at least one star off my rating, alone. (NOTE: clicking on the image below will enable you to view the full film, not just the trailer!)  3/5 stars

Reading: GREASE: THE DIRECTOR'S NOTEBOOK - Randal Kleiser

1st Line: "In late 1976, after I signed on to direct the movie, producer Allan Carr organized a trip to Chicago to attend the road company production of the iconic stage musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey."

Prose (Story): Director Randal Kleiser takes readers through a detailed, bird's-eye view of his experiences directing the now-iconic film musical Grease, still as popular 40+ years after its release as it was in its original run - with new interviews/thoughts from members of the cast, including Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta, Stockard Channing, and more. 

Don's (Review): I was a teenager when Grease hit theaters in 1978, and instantly fell in love with the film's songs nd choreography, humor, 50's slice-of-life, and the brilliant chemistry of the cast - Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta especially, but the entire cast was letter-perfect. Having listened to the soundtrack so much, I know every song on it by heart - watched the film so often, I can quote entire scenes worth of dialogue from memory - and read/heard so much trivia about the film and its cast over the years, I was more than a little curious as to other insights director Kleiser could, or would, reveal here. Turns out, it's a lot. This is a freaking amazing book of memories, in which Randal Kleiser puts it all out there for fans - his original production notes, original script pages (including plenty of scenes or bits of business that never made it into the film), never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photos, and so, so much more - as he takes us literally from the film's beginning, with the opening Frankie Valli theme and where/how the opening animated credits came about, then continues dropping his bread crumbs as we follow along, scene by scene through the film via his eyes, to the accompaniment of the aforementioned script pages, images, call sheets, costume design details, thoughts on cast members ... my God, there is so much here, for what is actually a pretty short book, and I read it slowly, devouring every word and absorbing all this new information like a sponge. Truly, it was like watching the film all over again, but with new eyes and from behind the scenes; easily a five-star read, and an absolute must-have for any fan of the film. Forty-three years after its opening, this love letter of a book (which includes a forward by John Travolta) reminds you that Grease is - will always be - the word.  5/5 stars

Reading: THE DARKEST DARK - Colonel Chris Hadfield & Kate Fillion (authors), Terry & Eric Fan/The Fan Brothers (Illustrators)

1st Line: "Chris was an astronaut."

Prose (Story): An autobiographical picture book by astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield, about a young boy named Chris who  - though completely enamored of space and rocketships and going beyond the stars - still has one minor issue that could hamper his future career: he's afraid of the dark!

Don's (Review): Sweet story about a young boy reaching for his dream to go into space, whose fears unfortunately come out at night in the dark - and the transformation he goes through when he, his family, and neighbors gather together in front of a TV to watch the first moon landing in 1969. Colonel Hadfield's love of his subject matter (and memories from childhood) rings true on every page, but to raise the heart and soul of his story even further is the rich, deeply atmospheric artwork that breathes to life on every page, courtesy of Terry and Eric Fan (The Fan Brothers). In smoky blues, purples and indigos, at first the picture book depicts the night as strange and myserious in young Chris's eyes ... before the brothers Fan transform Chris's fears into a landscape of wonder and adventure after Chris's viewing of the moon landing changes his perception of the endess night skies. Exceptionally well-done by Col. Hadfield (if you get/the digital version, the narration guiding you and your kids through his story is wonderful), with - as always - The Fan Brothers elevating any kidlit they touch into genuine art, with their own formidable, one-of-a-kind skills on every page.  4/5 stars

Watching: DEAR EX (2018)

Directors: Kidding Hsu, Mag Hsu

100m/Rated TV-MA/in Mandarin w/English subtitles

Prose (Story): Sanlian (Ying-Hsuan Hsieh) has pretty much been in a bad mood ever since her husband came out of the closet and requested a divorce, effectively ending a marriage she'd long thought ideal. Struggling to raise their combative teenage son as a single mom while still nursing the wounds of being dumped by a gay husband, Sanlian's world doesn't get any better when, after her ex-husband passes away, she learns that he had - prior to his death - changed his will, leaving everythng he had to a stranger name Jay instead of his own son. Enraged and confused, Sanlian confronts Jay (Roy Chiu), who turns out to have been her husband's lover, soon letting him know she will do anything she must to get that money for her son - including revealing Jay's sexuality to everyone from the autorities to Jay's own mother - but Jay won't be intimidated ... and when her son decides to move in with Jay for awhile, not only to escape his over-the-top mother but also to learn more about his father, and Jay's relationship with him, a suddenly-alone Sanlian realizes she must re-evaluate her life, her son ... and where the heck to go from here.

Don's (Review): Dear Ex is a heartfelt, touching, at times laugh-out-loud-funny film that reflects on life, a life lived honestly, and finding your  definition of family. Performances all around are terrific, Ying-Hsuan Hsieh in particular bringing a shrill ferocity to Sanlian that, thankfully, never teeters over the edge into melodrama; she is a ferocious, protective mama tiger to her son, even while inside still reeling from the breakup of a marriage that's left her wondering about her own inadequacies, as not just wife but now mother. Sanlian channels emotion trough her rage and pain, pushing her son away even as she fights for what she feels rightfully belongs to him, and indeed the relationships between all the characters in this film grow both more resonant and complex as the film goes on, and conflict builds to confrontation. Beautifully, beautifully done on all levels. Maybe have a tissue or two handy.  4.5/5 stars

Watching: SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (2019)

Director: Jon Watts

129m/Rated PG-13

NOTE: Generally spoiler-free review, but do NOT read further (or watch the trailer below) if you have not yet seen Avengers: Endgame, and/or don't want that film spoiled for you! 

Prose (Story): The events of Avengers: Endgame have left the world mourning and badly in need of what few superheroes remain - so when Peter Parker, on a European trip with his high school class - comes across both a new hero and a new threat, the young webslinger finds himself concripted to help in a world where good and evil - and all the rules about both - may have changed for good.

Don's (Review): Tom Holland remains pretty much the perfect live-action incarnation of the teenaged Peter Parker, who is simply trying to balance his duties to humanity (and Tony Stark) as a superhero with trying to live the life of a teenager, which includes the ongoing crush on MJ (Zendaya) he's hoping to turn into a real relationship ... until this latest threat to the world throws the proerbial wrench in the works. With Stark gone, it's now Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) Spider-man answers to, and along with a new hero named Mysterio (an earnest Jake Gyllenhaal) the screen blows up with explosions and CGI whenever the set-piece fight scenes play out with this new dynamic duo, all action/all the time. But it's in between where the film finds its best moments in the quiet ones - Peter trying to woo MJ, dealing with a potential new arrival for her affections, or even staring in awe at the spontaneous romance his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) has fallen into during their class trip. These are the nicest, funniest aspects that ground the film: Peter dealing with his classmates and teachers, or his feelings for MJ, all while remaining a genuine, unsure-of-himself introvert behind the mask when it comes to her. Nothing original, but sweet. But this is a superhero film, which means the action must dominate - and the big "reveal" here isn't much of a surprise - its backstory right out of a primer on how to write a superhero movie - but the finale comes to the rescue soon after, pulling both toned-down and ramped-up story arcs together in a satisfying "final battle" that helps to answer some questions, while also (duh) setting up others for the next film in the franchise. Fun and full of action, what the film may lack in originaility it more than makes up for in its unlikely hero, Peter Parker - Tom Holland absolutely solidifiying his ownership of the iconic film role here. 4/5 stars          

Reading: THEY CALLED US ENEMY: EXPANDED EDITION - George Takei & Justin Eisinger & Steven Scott (authors), Harmony Becker (illustrator)

Prose (Story): The deluxe edition (featuring sixteen pages of bonus material) of the bestselling graphic memoir from actor/activist George Takei, with co-authors Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott (the wonderful artwork via illustrator Harmony Becker), chronicling his family's experiences during WWII - when he was just a child - as the U.S.'s anti-Japanese sentiment stripped them and others of Japanese descent of their assets and rights, before forcing them to relocate to "relocation centers" (internment camps) far away from home. 

Don's (Review): Though out of school for more years than I'd care to admit, I don't even remember the Japanese internment camps, set up in America during WWII, ever being mentioned in a single history or social studies class. I have learned and sought out more information, as an adult, about this horrible and dark period of American history, but still wasn't prepared for the deeply-personal spin George Takei puts to the ordeal. The bombing of Pearl Harbor also detonated the lives of many Japanese and Japanese-Americans up and down the west coast, and even if you spent your life in the States or were born here, to suddenly have your loyalty not only questioned but villified was unthinkable ... and yet the Takeis lost their home, possessions, and family business before being shipped off to a "relocation center" - all of this viewed through the eyes of a very young George, who stayed strong taking care of his younger brother even while watching the toll the camps took on his parents. Especially George's father, the proud patriarch of the family, who worked for years to build both a strong family and successful business, only to have the latter stripped away and his family treated like criminals. With a big toe-hold in today's America, They Called Us Enemy should be compulsory reading in schools; a genuine primer for how easily panic and paranoia can take hold in enough hearts to turn an entire country against its own. In light of the violence exploding across this country now against the Asian community, thanks to the dangerously idiotic rhetoric of a deposed despot (though I read this book in January, the review is actually being written in early March), while thankful that Takei manages to remain positive and a stalwart supporter of human rights - as well as the country that once called him enemy - I can't help but be shocked and sickened by how little progress America has made in remembering the melting pot it was meant to be from its inception. Or that we are, indeed, all God's children, created equal.  5/5 stars

Watching: THE NIGHT CLERK (2020)

Director: Michael Cristofer

90min/Rated R

Prose (Story): Bart Bromley (Tye Sheridan), a third-shift desk clerk on the autism spectrum who works at a small chain motel, finds himself in over his head and under suspicion when the hidden cameras he's placed in one of the rooms captures not just the privacy of a beautiful woman ... but also her murder.

Don's (Review): Tye Sheridan continues to grow into being one of my favorite actors, here doing an admirable job capturing Bart as a curious and intelligent young man on the autism spectrum whose voyeuristic tendencies land him in hot water - not just with the investigation of the woman murdered at the motel, but also with another, younger woman, closer to his age, who comes to stay soon afterward and whom Bart finds himself intensely attracted to. His performance would help anchor the film ... if this were the well-written, engaging mytery-thriller that writer/director Cristofer was shooting for. Instead we get a thriller with few thrills, and a mystery where the killer is all-too obvious from the start, as the film makes no attempt at any additional characters so that we even have some kind of a suspect pool. Helen Hunt is quietly sympathetic as Bart's put-upon mother, but in truth she's virtually the only genuinely likable character in a cast of either under-developed or just plain unlikable caricatures (Sheridan's Bart can be quite likable, but also at times irritating, as Bart seems much too smart to do some of the dopey things he does). Even John Leguizamo, always so great in everything, is under-used and seems almost bored here, as the cop investigating Bart and the murder. The slight twist at the end redeems things a bit - as does Sheridan's performance - but, sadly, not enough to save the weak and cliched script.  2/5 stars

New Cover Reveal: THE PRINCESS TRAP - Talia Hibbert

Happy Tuesday! I've teamed up with Honey Magnolia PR for a new cover reveal event for bestselling author Talia Hibbert, author of the much-loved Brown Sisters series! 

Here is the beautiful new cover for her novel The Princess Trap, a steamy romance much in need of a place on your TBR. Get your copy now!

THE PRINCESS TRAP BY TALIA HIBBERT

From bestselling author Talia Hibbert comes a story of wicked royals, fake engagements, and the fed-up office worker trapped in the midst of it all ...

Cherry Neita is thirty, flirty, and done with men. As fa as she can tell, they're ovverrated, overpaid, and underperforming - in every area of life. But a girl has needs, and the smoking-hot stranger she just met at the office seems like the perfect one-night stand.

Prince Ruben of Helgmøre is reckless, dominant, and famously filthy. The outcast royal is rebuilding his reputation - all for a good cause - but he can’t resist a pretty face. And bossy whirlwind Cherry’s got the face, the body, and the attitude to make Ruben’s convictions crumble. Even better, when she propositions him, she has no idea who he really is.

But when paparazzi catch the pair, erm, kissing in an alleyway, Ruben's anonymity disappears faster than Cherry's knickers. Now the press is in uproar, the palace is outraged, and Ruben's reputation is back in the gutter. There's only one way to turn this disaster around - and it involes Cherry, some big fat lies, and a flashy diamond ring. On her left hand.

Unfortunately, Cherry isn't pleased with Ruben's 'fake engagement' scheme ...

And neither is the king ...

The Princess Trap is a steamy, diverse royal romance featuring a take-no-sh*t heroine and a misunderstood hero fighting to survive at the palace. There's fake relationship fluff, a healthy dose of angst, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after. Please be aware: this story contains scenes of abuse that could trigger certain audiences.

#ThePrincessTrap #DirtyBritishRomance #TaliaHibbert #HonMagPR

Reading: THIS IS ME - Jamie Lee Curtis (author), Laura Cornell (illustrator)

Prose (Story): Actor Jamie Lee Curtis teams up again with illustrator Laura Cornell for this award-winning picture book, this time on the topic of immigration. Here, we follow a grade-school teacher telling her class the story of her great-grandmother, who - as a child - emigrated with her family to the United States. The little girl, only allowed one tiny suitcase for the journey, had to make some tough decisions about which of her possessions to take and (even tougher) what to leave stay behind ... and after sharing her story, the teacher then asks each of her students to go home that night and do the same: figure out what they would pack, if they only had a small suitcase to hold their most treasured possessions, to take with them on a journey to a new home so far away.  

Don's (Review): Kudos to the idea of addressing the timely subject of immigration in this country with a young audience - especially in a manner that puts the child in a "What would you do?" scenario. Indeed, the best, most enjoyable part of the book is seeing what the individual classmates choose to include that night, at home, and why they make some of their own tough choices. Idea, story, artwork - all commendable and top-notch, but for me the choice to tell the story in verse felt somewhat forced; in a few places the rhyming cadence felt off or awkward, even after reading the entire book through twice, and each time it happened I found myself thrown out of the story, having to pause in my reading. But that's just one very personal opinion; the book itself remains timely, well-wrtitten, wondrously-illustrated, and a story that needs to be shared even more, especially with young people.  3/5 stars

Watching: A BABYSITTER'S GUIDE TO MONSTER HUNTING (2020)

Director: Rachel Talalay

98min/Not Rated

Prose (Story): Joe Ballarini's popular middle-grade novel gets the Netflix treatment via a young girl named Kelly (Tamara Scott), new to babysitting and with her own past/childhood issues with monsters, who finds her world thrown into a tailspin when the young boy in her care is abducted by troll-like monsters. Soon after she meets the Buffy-like Liz, who seems to not only know what's going on, but comes complete with her own monster-fighting arsenal and skills ... before pulling Kelly into an underground group of babysitters whose duty is to not only save their charges, but the world, against an evil monster - the Grand Guignol - with sinister plans of his own for the children his minions steal. 

Don's (Review): Director Talalay has fashioned a fun, all ages, fast-paced ride for kids, with plenty of humor throughout the plot and action sequences, and villains that lean to the goofy side though that works within the confines of the film. And while Tom Felton - Draco Malfoy of the Harry Potter film universe - does indeed get the humor of the Grand Guignol down, he can't quite capture the level of menace needed to make his Guignol ever come off a real threat, softening the film's storyline even as the babysitter's gear up to fight him. The performances from the youthful cast are typical of a made-for-TV film - servicable, but nothing outstanding - and though the film has its charms and is a fun watch, in this reviewer's opinion its semi-silly, over-the-top story, effects, and style will have a much broader appeal for its target middle-grade audience than the average adult viewer.  3/5 stars

Reading: HOUSE OF EL BOOK ONE: THE SHADOW THREAT - Claudia Gray (author), Eric Zawadzki (illustrator)

Prose (Story): This well-done, highly readable graphic novel is just book one of a proposed trilogy by DC that appears to start at the beginning of what will ultimately become Krypton's downfall as a planet. The Shadow Threat opens on a Krypton where the division between castes seems to grow every day, even as groundquakes that have the lower castes fearing the future of their planet are virtually ignored by the higer-ups, who follow the tribune's "everything's okay - no need to panic" message that's sent over the airwaves across the planet daily, almost as if hypnotizing the populace. Meanwhile, these same leaders are sending military crews out to nearby planets on a massive and seemingly urgent terraforming mission, as if the need may be coming very soon for a new planet for Kyptonians to live on - and when an intelligent, brave female soldier named Sera, along with Zahn, a member of the upper-caste who is secretly working with a militant group determined to expose whatever's really going on with Krypton, learn some startling information about themselves and the genetic makeup of generations of Kryptonians, both must work together to find a way to save a planet that seems ultimately doomed for destruction, even if their fellow Kryptonians don't seem to either understand or care about it.

Don's (Review): Though I wasn't sure about the story at first, Claudia Gray's characters and plot sucked me in pretty quickly, both as gritty as Eric Zawadzki's precise artwork that gives you a sense of the intimacy of character in some panels ... and both the beauty, and now-lost beauty of different sections of Krypton the next. Pretty much anyone who knows Superman's story knows what ultimately befalls Krypton, but The Shadow Threat gives readers a nice backstory that teases at potentially answering some of the questions that remain of the cause behind what happened to Krypton in the end. The multi-layered political, social and personal plotlines are nicely textured - especially for a graphic novel - and toward The End I rememberd this was only book one so I was ulikely to get a wrapped-up/satisfying conclusion here ... but again, was surprised when, though definitely the expected cliffhanger, the ending provided more closure to the actual events going on in this book than I expected. But seriously: 2022 for volume two?? No way! (Available January 5)  4/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

December Wrap-Up: EAT IT, 2020!

Can't remember when I was so anxious before to see another year end; 2020, for so so many of us, is that ultimate year. Friends and loved ones lost to a pandemic that, insanely, other friends and loved ones refused to acknowledge, only fanning the flames and hastening the deaths of so many more. People out of work, out of money, out of time, out of hope - and so much of it easily laid at the doorstep of the mentally unstable despot who wanted to turn one of the most powerful nations on earth into his own private lap-dance, even as he flipped the middle finger to us all (none more so than his own acolytes).

But 2021 has already promised a vaccine, an end to the cancer infesting 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and a restoration - even if it takes time - of some level of sanity. But 2020 remains the year we couldn't focus, or even often handle reality ... and so some of us, when we needed to, did our best to escape into the world of books, films, TV, or whatever would engage our minds from the daily news that kept playing out like Stephen King's latest bestseller.

December was a much better reading month for me; I marveled at some beautiful Christmas picture books and a really cool variety of graphic novels, read my last J. K. Rowling for all time (The Ickabog), finished the first romance novel I have ever read that didn't make me want to gag or do eyerolls throughout (Teddy Spenser Isn't Looking for Love) and discovered a debut novel that awoke so many dormant childhood memories in me of being teased as a kid for being overweight, I think everyone on earth who has ever faced that issue needs to read it (I'll Be the One). Not bad that two of the eleven books I read in December made my Top 10 of 2020 list (scroll down to check out that post), either ... and YES, as usual am behind on reviews. Working on it - please keep checking back!

Similarly, of the four new films I watched in December, one - a very funny horror-comedy that feels sort of like The Goonies meets The Lost Boys - made my Top 10 Films of 2020 list, as well (Vampires vs. the Bronx). Overall 2020 wasn't a great year of movie-watching for me, I saw only 31 new ones, a number of which were disappointing, but am already working on that for 2021, getting squarely back on my 50 Films project ... for the fourteenth year in a row!

And lastly, if you are interested in hot/interesting upcoming 2021 new releases in fiction, you can chek out my Pinterest board HERE. And keep checking it out, in fact, as I am adding to it constantly. Some very good authors and very big titles are coming to a bookshelf, library, or Kindle near you.

Meanwhile, stay safe and sane and healthy in 2021; we've come much, must too far to blow it now!

Watching: TOP 10 FILMS OF 2020!

Every year for thirteen years, as of 2020, I have been tracking my movie watching, making sure to see at LEAST 50 new (to me, at least) films every year. I missed in 2020, big-time, watching only 31 new films (thanks, COVID); there were lots of changes to my personal life in 2020, and I found myself falling more into the world of books, finding even sitting down to watch a film difficult as I would suddenly have all the attention span of a goldfish. This, combined with the fact I saw a fair share of middling/mediocre films this year, made it easier than the books to narrow down to a Top 10 - though I still managed to include a couple of re-watches on the list, just because they are such personal favorites of mine. 

Again, these are films I WATCHED in 2020 - not that were necessarily RELEASED in 2020 - and the list is, again, in NO particular order; my opinions my own. Hopefully you've seen all of these; if not, you should. Each, in its way, is pretty terrific!

#10 - Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020/PG-13, directed by Osmany Rodriguez). A teenage boy from the Bronx fights to save his neighborhood from gentrification when he and his friends discover their entire borough is quickly being bought up by nothing short of a pack of vampires. This low-budget gem is decent on story, terrific on performances, and is in places so funny I found myself laughing out loud at the awesome "Stranger Things"/Lost Boys mash-up. Loved it!

#9 - Jojo Rabbit (2019/PG-13, directed by Taika Waititi). Waititi, of What We Do in the Shadows fame, takes his place both behind and in front of the camera (playing Hitler, no less), giving heart and soul to this WWII drama about a young boy, recruited into Hitler's army, who finds his blind loyalty tested when he learns his own mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home. What will Hitler, his imaginary friend, say? With equal doses of pathos and dark humor, this brilliant, moving film is one of those few that can make you shed both happy and sad tears in its 108-minute runtime. Oscar winner for Waititi's Best Adapted Screenplay; deservedly so.

#8 - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018/PG, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman). Miles Morales is a street-savvy teen (and pretty awesome graffiti artist) in New York City who, like Peter Parker, is bitten by a spider that imbues him with super-spider-like abilities. This, however, is only the beginning of Miles's troubles, when a villain to end all villains makes it necessary for Miles to join forces with five other Spideys, each from a dfferent dimension, to stop a machine that could destroy all their realities at once. Great script, voice performances, action, story, and popping animation - it's all here, and it's all incredible to watch. Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature Film, and boy did Oscar get it right. 

#7 - Good Boys (2019/R, directed by Gene Stupnitsky). IMDb sums this one up best, I think: "Three 6th-grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally-stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party." It's foul-mouthed and hilarious and probably not for everyone, but I laughed until I almost wet myself. 

#6 - Charlie Chan in Rio (1941/Not Rated, directed by Harry Lachman). REWATCH. I grew up enamored of the alternating Sherlock Holmes/Charlie Chan classic films that WGN would show on Sundays at noon, and while I know the Chan films aren't exactly politically correct (what was, in 1941, movie-wise?), to this day the nostalgia they bring and light, comedic mysteries most of them contain still keep me watching over and over. This is a personal favorite, largely due to the on-screen relationship/banter between Charlie and #2 son Jimmy, in a story where Chan goes to Rio de Janeiro to arrest nightclub chanteuse Lola Dean, who murdered a man in Honolulu ... only to find the beautiful singer stabbed to death in a houseful of suspects when he arrives with the local police in tow. One of the best in the series, and watching these always feels like going home again.

#5 - 1917 (2019/R, directed by Sam Mendes). It takes a lot for me to love a war film, and this one's a masterpiece of direction and acting, the camera following along in what Mendes was going for as a continuous-loop feel (as Hitchcock attempted in Rope), sucking viewers into the story as we watch a pair of young British soldiers at the western front on April 6, 1917, as they are tasked with the duty of taking an urgent message to another regiment - literally crossing through enemy territory at the height of the fighting - that will, if delivered, save 1600 soldiers from walking into a trap that will otherwise mean their deaths. And suck  you in the film will; not one frame is wasted as we follow the inexperienced, scared-out-of-their wits young men into the fray, feeling like we're right behind them getting a cinematic taste of the horrors of war through their eyes. Amazing, at times heartbreaking, film. Three-time Oscar winner for Best Achievement in Cinematograhy, Visual Effects, and Sound Mixing - and it shows in every minute on the screen.

#4 - Knives Out (2019/PG-13, directed by Rian Johnson). Possibly the most talked-about comedy of 2019, this comedy-mystery boasts an all-star cast of familiar faces, each of them deliciously chewing scenery as we follow what happens when the elderly head of a rich and super-eccentric family is found murdered ... and pretty much every member of his whack-job of a family wanted him dead. It's a big job for the pair of detectives sent to investigate the crime, and Knives Out - feeling like a bit of a throwback to something like, say, Neil Simon's Murder by Death - quickly becomes a Clue-like game of lies and deception and ulterior motives, the plot ultimately twisting and turning until you're not exactly sure what's going on - and then sort of gasp when the final twist reveals the solution. Genuinely funny and beautifully written, while I didn't quite gush about this film as much as many of its more rabid fans have, it was still a super-easy, no-brainer of a pick for my Top 10.

#3 - Forgotten (2017/TV-MA directed by Zhang Hang-jun). I love Korean cinema so much it makes my chest ache, and this film is a perfect example of why. Here we follow a young man, Jin-seok, who has just moved into a new home with his parents and older brother, when on one rainy night soon after he witnesses his brother being forced into a van and kidnapped. The police seem to be of no help, even when Jin-Seok can provide a license plate number, and no ransom demand comes ... but nineteen days later Jin-Seok's brother suddenly reappears, perfectly fine and with no memory at all of where he has been or what happened to him. Or maybe not so perfectly fine, as Jin-seok begins to notice small tells, little changes in his brother appearance and behavior, that eventually have him convinced the man who returned home is not really his brother at all. If you've watched any modern Korean thrillers, you know that just when you think you have what's going on figured out ... nope, the film veers onto a different, wholly confusing track, and you realize (more often than not) that what you thought and what's really going on are two entirely diffeernt things. Such twists happen a few times in Forgotten, it's a film you have to sit and watch - no bathroom breaks or trips for food (unless you pause the film) if you don't want to get lost - but man oh man, is it worth it all when the truth is finally revealed. Not the most upbeat film, but a mind-blower worth your attention.

#2 - The Little Foxes (1941/Not Rated, directed by William Wyler). REWATCH. Lillian Hellman's iconic play of a corrupt, money-hungry family in turn-of-the-century deep south has at its apex a career-defining role for none other than Bette Davis as Regina Giddens, formerly Regina Hubbard and proud member of the ridiculously rich Hubbard family, which has been doing their best for years to bleed the local community of whatever wealth they can use to line their own pockets. Regina has a block of ice where her heart should be, never more on display than when she tries to bully her invalid husband - recently returned home after a massive heart attack - into investing in her crooked brother's latest, and even more crooked, scheme. The film doesn't hit a single false note, and while a quiet drama on its surface, watching the story unfold as Regina tries wresting control of both her family and her husband to suit her own narcissistic needs is so brilliant, it's almost painful to watch. Powerful and magnetic, especially whenever Davis is on-screen; you hate her, but can't stop watching her.

#1 - Onward (2020/PG, directed by Dan Scanlon). Pixar's brilliant and beautiful fantasy about two young male elves from the suburbs - brothers - who go on an epic quest to bring back their deceased father for just one day, ranks up there with the studios best, as the brothers encounter dangerous traps, magic spells, and a confusing map on their journey, all the while not knowing that they're completely ticked-off mother is also coming after them the entire time. To say much more wold go into spoiler territory, but both from a writing and animation standpoint this film is nothing short of stunning; a heartwarming, funny, and action-packed film that adults and kids would equally enjoy. Keep a tissue or two handy, as always with Pixar.

Reading: TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2020!

I read 91 books in 2020 - the Year from Hell for most of us - and from children's books to incredible and complex novels, it was a great year in reading for me; so much so, once I finally jotted down twenty titles I'd place among my favorites, it felt nearly impossible to narrow them down to my Top 10. Disclaimer: these are books that weren't necessarily published in 2020, I just read them in 2020. They are also in no particular order ... with the exception of my #1, which became my favorite book of the year when I finished reading it on June 1st of 2020, and never got bumped from the top spot after that.

Again, the rest are in no particular order, and I could easily have made a top twenty list; that's how good a reading year 2020 was for me. Good to know 2020 was good for something!

#10 - Death of an American Beauty by Mariah Fredericks. Book three in the Jane Prescott mystery series, set in Gilded Age New York City, finds Jane coming to the rescue of her uncle when he comes under suspicion in the grisly death of a young woman, a former resident of his women's refuge. Great writing, great mystery, all set in my favorite city, and Fredericks doesn't spare readers the slightly more grisly details of the violence rooted in real evil here. 

#9 - Dover Two by Joyce Porter. Book two in the Dover series, originally published in the 1960's, finds the belligerent, narcissistic, lazy and self-serving pompous inspector dispatched (by bossess all too happy to be rid of him) to a small village in northern England, when a young woman - shot in the head by an unknown assilant eight years ago, and left in a coma - is smothered to death in her hospital bed. Are the murderer, and attempted murderer from eight year ago, the same person? And if so, why finish off a job eight years after it was first attempted? The imcompetent, overweight and inept detective has his work cut out for him, in one of the funniest - but also nicely-plotted - mysteries I've read in years.

#8 - The Barnabus Project by The Fan Brothers (Terry, Eric and Devin). Far beneath the busy, popular store Perfect Pets - where genetically-engineered "perfect" animals are created for children and their parent to buy and take home - sits a secret lab where the rejects, or not-so-perfect pets, live as "failures" and await their fate. One such "imperfect pet" is Barnabus - half mouse and half elephant - whose dreams of wanting, even deserving a life above-ground leads him to rally his imperfect friends together to plan an escape. The only kids/picture book to make my list (in a year when I read many, many good ones), this is a wondrous, touching story, made all the more joyous a read as it contains some of the most stunning, visually breathtaking artwork you will ever find between the covers of a book. 

#7 - Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany. The first in a new cozy mystery series finds Lily Roberts, new owner and head pastry chef of Tea by the Sea tea shop after relocating from NYC to Cape Cod, in over her head when her take-no-prisoners grandmother Rose becomes the #1 suspect when a shady local real estate developer is murdered on her bed-and-breakfast property next door. I read some terrific cozies in 2020, but the marvelously rich characters and sharp, somewhat snarky humor of this veteran mystery writer's latest series debut felt a slight notch above the rest. 

#6 - The Survivors by Jane Harper. Due for release in the US in February, I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of Harper's latest after its release in Australia, and while not as good as The Lost Man (my favorite read of 2019), this is a compelling mystery about a youg man named Kieran Elliot who returns to his childhood home on the seaside coastal town of Evelyn Bay, on the Tasmanian island coast of Australia, where twelve years earlier a reckless mistake occurred that cost the life of Kieran's brother Finn and his best friend. Kieran, still battling the guilt that consumes him from his role in that fateful day, finds himself front and center when a young woman is found dead on the beach soon after his arrival; a death that stirs up a lot of old memories, anger, and suspicion that threatens to tear the town apart as Kieran himself begins to question the events of that day twelve years ago. Again, not as compelling a page-turner as its predecessor, but still a cracking read from Harper.

#5 - The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. Told in two timelines, this ghost story/mystery-thriller follows the sudden disappearance of a young woman - who worked and lived in the creepy Sun Down Motel in 1982 - and also that of her young niece, who arrives in the same small town of Fell in upstate New York in 2017, and takes the same overnight shift at the motel, determined to find out what happened to the aunt she never got to know. A creepy page-turner full of twists and turns I couldn't put down. So brilliant.

#4 - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Set in 1950's Mexico, this chiller opens with beautiful, independent young socialite Noemi Taboada, who - after a frantic letter calling for help arrives from her recently-married cousin - finds herself traveling to a very remote area of the country to High Place, a crumbling, formerly-grand estate in the mountains where she finds herself unwelcomed by her cousin's husband and family, even as she immediately becomes convinced that something is very, very wrong here. This gothic thriller turns full-out horror about two-thirds of the way through, after which it becomes a rollercoaster ride that had me unable to put it down until I was done. Bizarre, genuinely unsettling, at times as creepy as a hand of rotting flesh touching your shoulder .. and wonderful. 

#3 - The Ickabog by J. K. Rowling. Like many, I became forever sworn off any new J. K. Rowling titles after her hateful and intolerant transphobic views came to light, but had for so long been curious about this originally-online project of hers - a fairy tale set in the kingdom of Cornucopia, in which greed and deception and a myth involving a great and murderous monster all theaten to topple the happy kingdom and its people - that this one became my swan song. Illustrated throughout via colorful drawings by children throughout the US and Canada who entered an online competition to be in the book, my initial frustration while reading this (the bad guys are so bad, after awhile it becomes a downer, as if nothing good happens to Cornucopia or the good peope who reside there for a long, long time) turned to fascination upon realizing that what Rowling has written here is more in keeping with the tone of a Grimm's fairy tale over the Disney-fied fairy tales many of us have grown to know today. Once I settled into that groove, I sat back and enjoyed the story like few others I have this year, especially after the "big reveal" toward the book's end. My last Rowling, but thankfully a good one; I'm just not so sure, with all the violence and death throughout, how appropriate this might be for younger kids.

#2 - I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee. The only debut author on this list, I rushed to finish this YA novel before midnight on New Year's Eve because I had known - from about page nine - that it was going to make my Top 10. Set in the world of K-Pop (Korean pop music, of which I have been a fan for ... well, ten years as of 2021), this follows Skye Shin, an overweight sixteen-year-old Korean-American girl in Orange County, California, who has spent her life being told what she can and can't do (even by her own mother, no less) because of her weight, who - after dancing and singing since childhood - sets her sights on entering (and winning) the L.A.- based TV competition show "You're My Shining Star", an "American Idol"- style show that sets up its winners (one for dance, one for singing) with the opportunity to train in South Korea to become the next K-Pop sensation. But getting in is only the start of a journey that finds the young, very self-confident teen butting head-to-head with an industry that is (to say the least) unkind in its fatphobia, as Skye also has to contend with a biased judge, nasty comments from her fellow contestants, a mother who shames her for her weight at every turn ... and the famous, exceptionally handsome Korean-American model, Henry Cho, who may be her strongest competition for the dance portion of the show, even as Skye starts to realize he might just not be the pompous, stuck-up jerk she assumed him to be. Growing up a bullied and weatherbeaten fat kid myself, who never felt the approval of one of his parents, Skye Shin absolutely burst into life for me from page one, and emotionally I could not have been more invested in all she goes through during the course of this endearing, funny, poignant, and heartwarming novel that head-on tackles fatphobia and all it entails while simultenously showcasing an inpiring, confident and lovable heroine who refuses to believe in the misconception that being more means you're actually less. Just one opinon, but to me every person who has ever been more than, say, twenty pounds overweight needs to read this book; you will find so much of yourself in it, and cheering for Skye all the way. Along with great "fat rep" there is also some terrific LGBTQ+ rep going on in this one, too.

#1 - The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. As much as I enjoyed - loved - American Gothic, Goodreads users got it sooo wrong (again) this year; Grady Hendrix's insane, aggressive and visceral novel should have won best of the year in the horror category. The "Steel Magnolias meets Dracula" mash-up attributed to this book is spot-on, as it tells the story of a group of wives in the south, who've formed a book club of sorts where they read true-crime thrillers their husbands would not be happy knowing about, and what happens when one of them comes across what appears to be a genuine vampire living right next door. While set in the 1990's, author Grady Hendrix has done a masterful job of making the book - and the women's group - come off situated in a very old-fashioned, "genteel" south, which of course makes the contrast of the nasty, violent and quite bloody shenanigans to come that much more a punch to the gut to read. Not for everyone - the violence/gore level gets quite off the charts toward the end - for me this was a near-masterpiece of dark humor, full-on horror, and social parody that feels set in a world long gone by. A book I still think about, certain scenes playing over and over in my head like a movie (truly, Hendrix is a gifted writer who lays cinematic images in your head like those slimy eggs in the Alien films) to this day. Oh, how I absolutely love this book.