February Recap
Mar. 16th, 2024 11:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sleepypapercrownsHi! The change of months was a stressful time for me because I was moving, so I hope you’re still up for a February recap even though that feels like ages ago.
A Power Unbound by Freya Marske (2023, fantasy/historical/queer romance)
The found family of it all!!!! Wow, what a series and what a way to end it! It was gripping the whole way through even though it didn’t end as I had expected. This series has become part of the Fic Clique discord server lore which it absolutely deserves and I was very glad to read this with a friend because these books need to be screamed about! I would totally be up to re-read them immediately. This book was even more explicit in its smut scenes than the previous ones which felt absolutely obscene to read even alone at home, lmao. In retrospect, I would’ve wished for a similar level of mind melting stuff for our f/f couple in book 2.
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz (2023, graphic novel/queer romance)
The most delightful graphic novel I have ever read. It’s so queer and joyful and cute and it has great colours and an awesome art style. The ballgowns!! The ending made me cry and then the acknowledgements about Deya Muniz and their wife made it WORSE. I loved this and would highly recommend everyone to pick it up.
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum (2022, literary fiction)
The first 150 pages of this book had exactly the vibe of being in a bookstore that is whisper quiet and feels separated from time and all responsibilities. I really enjoyed the vibe and development of the bookstore and our main character. We get to meet the bookstores barista, the coffee roaster in the neighbourhood, some regulars and other people in the life of our main character. The book’s main message is about how we all need community and also how we should slow down and find the things we’re good at and enjoy doing. In the middle a love story was introduced that was all in all pretty subtle but unnecessary and dragging in my opinion. I still really liked it!
There There by Tommy Orange (2018, literary fiction)
Sadly, this book wasn’t for me. There are 12 different perspectives in it which I could not keep up with at all. Granted, this might’ve been because of my slow reading pace but every time I had found my footing with one character I got pulled away to a totally different story again. The ending, too, was really abrupt and brutal. I am not sure I understood what Tommy Orange’s intentions were with this whole book. I did learn a lot about the lives of Native Americans but I wished I could’ve spent more time with a select number of the characters to really get to know them.
How to Read Numbers: A Guide to Stats in the News (and Knowing When to Trust Them) by Tom and David Chivers (2021, nonfiction/science)
My mom bought me this book probably close to its release date because she heard about it and wanted me to read it and relay the info. I then promptly put it on my shelf never to be seen again. Now that I have read it I can say that it was surprisingly fun and interesting. I loved maths in school and at uni so it was probably clear from the beginning that I would like this. Even if you don’t love love maths like I do it is a really accessible book that is divided into very short chapters which each cover a specific concept. It talks about the many ways that statistics in the media can be misleading and trains you to question them! If this sounds interesting to you, but you don’t want to read the whole book I would suggest reading this article that is also the summary at the end of the book.
Percy Jackson and The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (2006, middle grade/fantasy)
I’m just having a great time reading one of these each month (this reminds me that it’s time for the next one). Every time I am surprised by my bad memory but it’s working in my favour because it’s as if I have never read these before. It’s delightful. These kids are my children!
TBR Check-in
I read four books from my tbr and yet somehow it is still at 25… Have I done my math wrong?? I don’t know and I won’t find out!
Blue Eye Samurai (2023, animation/action)
My brother sent me a podcast episode about the hosts' favourite 2023 tv shows and this was part of it. I watched most of this while a friend was bleaching and dying my hair and it was a lot of fun! I was able to bear the gore and violence because it was an animated series but by the end it was still a bit much. It was fun to have a strong female character that is also morally grey and going on a revenge mission.
In Progress: White Collar Season 2 (2010, crime/drama)
Still watching this with K and having a grand old time. Although I somehow managed to forget about its existence for much of the month because my tv never shows me the disney+ stuff I could continue watching and I have zero object permanence.
The Gentlemen (2019, crime/action)
A movie I barely remember anything about. Very violent, but quick and snappy so it was easy to watch. H’s suggestion for movie club and I picked it because I wanted something to not think about.
The Boy and the Heron (2023, fantasy/adventure)
A rewatch because I wanted to drag a friend to the cinema. It was just as good the second time around. I could just focus on each blade of animated grass for another 12 times, really.
Uncharted (2022, action/adventure)
Since I now have letterboxd, I sometimes go and read reviews when I am bored instead of scrolling an app. The majority of the people were complaining about this being stupid. Meanwhile I chose it because it was going to be stupid! The end fight on the flying ships? Impeccable. Tom Holland hanging upside down from a crate that is literally dangling out of an airplane? Great! This was exactly what I wanted to see and I got what I came for!
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015, action/adventure)
I don’t know any of the other films in this franchise and also didn’t like this one. It was far too violent and weird for me especially because I didn’t have any context for what I would get myself into. This was H’s pick for our movie club and he had watched it before and didn’t even like it that much either!! I truly don’t know why he made me watch it. Tom Hardy grunting his way through this movie was exactly how I was feeling as well.
I only read one fic all month, but it’s by my friend V so of course it’s a favourite!!
best served warm by merryofsoul (zb1, jiwoong/zhang hao)
Books
A Power Unbound by Freya Marske (2023, fantasy/historical/queer romance)
The found family of it all!!!! Wow, what a series and what a way to end it! It was gripping the whole way through even though it didn’t end as I had expected. This series has become part of the Fic Clique discord server lore which it absolutely deserves and I was very glad to read this with a friend because these books need to be screamed about! I would totally be up to re-read them immediately. This book was even more explicit in its smut scenes than the previous ones which felt absolutely obscene to read even alone at home, lmao. In retrospect, I would’ve wished for a similar level of mind melting stuff for our f/f couple in book 2.
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz (2023, graphic novel/queer romance)
The most delightful graphic novel I have ever read. It’s so queer and joyful and cute and it has great colours and an awesome art style. The ballgowns!! The ending made me cry and then the acknowledgements about Deya Muniz and their wife made it WORSE. I loved this and would highly recommend everyone to pick it up.
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum (2022, literary fiction)
The first 150 pages of this book had exactly the vibe of being in a bookstore that is whisper quiet and feels separated from time and all responsibilities. I really enjoyed the vibe and development of the bookstore and our main character. We get to meet the bookstores barista, the coffee roaster in the neighbourhood, some regulars and other people in the life of our main character. The book’s main message is about how we all need community and also how we should slow down and find the things we’re good at and enjoy doing. In the middle a love story was introduced that was all in all pretty subtle but unnecessary and dragging in my opinion. I still really liked it!
There There by Tommy Orange (2018, literary fiction)
Sadly, this book wasn’t for me. There are 12 different perspectives in it which I could not keep up with at all. Granted, this might’ve been because of my slow reading pace but every time I had found my footing with one character I got pulled away to a totally different story again. The ending, too, was really abrupt and brutal. I am not sure I understood what Tommy Orange’s intentions were with this whole book. I did learn a lot about the lives of Native Americans but I wished I could’ve spent more time with a select number of the characters to really get to know them.
How to Read Numbers: A Guide to Stats in the News (and Knowing When to Trust Them) by Tom and David Chivers (2021, nonfiction/science)
My mom bought me this book probably close to its release date because she heard about it and wanted me to read it and relay the info. I then promptly put it on my shelf never to be seen again. Now that I have read it I can say that it was surprisingly fun and interesting. I loved maths in school and at uni so it was probably clear from the beginning that I would like this. Even if you don’t love love maths like I do it is a really accessible book that is divided into very short chapters which each cover a specific concept. It talks about the many ways that statistics in the media can be misleading and trains you to question them! If this sounds interesting to you, but you don’t want to read the whole book I would suggest reading this article that is also the summary at the end of the book.
Percy Jackson and The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (2006, middle grade/fantasy)
I’m just having a great time reading one of these each month (this reminds me that it’s time for the next one). Every time I am surprised by my bad memory but it’s working in my favour because it’s as if I have never read these before. It’s delightful. These kids are my children!
TBR Check-in
I read four books from my tbr and yet somehow it is still at 25… Have I done my math wrong?? I don’t know and I won’t find out!
Shows
Blue Eye Samurai (2023, animation/action)
My brother sent me a podcast episode about the hosts' favourite 2023 tv shows and this was part of it. I watched most of this while a friend was bleaching and dying my hair and it was a lot of fun! I was able to bear the gore and violence because it was an animated series but by the end it was still a bit much. It was fun to have a strong female character that is also morally grey and going on a revenge mission.
In Progress: White Collar Season 2 (2010, crime/drama)
Still watching this with K and having a grand old time. Although I somehow managed to forget about its existence for much of the month because my tv never shows me the disney+ stuff I could continue watching and I have zero object permanence.
Movies
The Gentlemen (2019, crime/action)
A movie I barely remember anything about. Very violent, but quick and snappy so it was easy to watch. H’s suggestion for movie club and I picked it because I wanted something to not think about.
The Boy and the Heron (2023, fantasy/adventure)
A rewatch because I wanted to drag a friend to the cinema. It was just as good the second time around. I could just focus on each blade of animated grass for another 12 times, really.
Uncharted (2022, action/adventure)
Since I now have letterboxd, I sometimes go and read reviews when I am bored instead of scrolling an app. The majority of the people were complaining about this being stupid. Meanwhile I chose it because it was going to be stupid! The end fight on the flying ships? Impeccable. Tom Holland hanging upside down from a crate that is literally dangling out of an airplane? Great! This was exactly what I wanted to see and I got what I came for!
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015, action/adventure)
I don’t know any of the other films in this franchise and also didn’t like this one. It was far too violent and weird for me especially because I didn’t have any context for what I would get myself into. This was H’s pick for our movie club and he had watched it before and didn’t even like it that much either!! I truly don’t know why he made me watch it. Tom Hardy grunting his way through this movie was exactly how I was feeling as well.
Fic
I only read one fic all month, but it’s by my friend V so of course it’s a favourite!!
best served warm by merryofsoul (zb1, jiwoong/zhang hao)
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Date: 2024-03-18 02:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-03-18 10:26 am (UTC)