Spoiler Free Review: Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

4.3 out of 5 Stars

This book was astonishing in its subtleties and accuracy about life... at least, from what I could tell. I feel like I should write a short punny line about how it was "a delicious book" that "satisfied my appetite for the story," but so many people have probably done that already at this point that it's been overdone and honestly I don't feel clever enough at the moment to cook up something new.

Really though, this book is incredible. The characters are so complicated and each is unique to themselves in a way that echoes and highlights what Tess is learning as she lives in New York. What I really love about this book, however, is that even though I know nothing- and I mean nothing- about fancy wine and foods, I was still able to enjoy the story without feeling stupid for not knowing what was being talked about. If anything, I feel like I was able to learn more about wine connoisseurship- please don't ask me anything because I still know next to nothing- and develop an appreciation for what goes into making wine and the different tastes that are created.

I picked this book up because I was intrigued by the trailer for the Starz TV show Sweetbitter. I am planning on continuing watching the show, and I read this while between episodes, but this review is solely about the book. Later though, when the TV series is done, I think I'll review that as well.

Thanks for reading!

Riverdale Season 2 Thoughts and Feels

Riverdale Season 2 Thoughts and Feels

4 out of 5 Stars 
 

Riverdale season 2 has ended and it is completely tragic, yet also completely well-timed. I first binge-watched season 1 of the show last summer, but I've been watching this season weekly while they aired. This season was more in depth than the last season, but also slightly more unfocused. I will give it to them that this was their first season with 22 whole episodes, so maybe they were working out the bugs of how to fill all the episodes, because I'm sure that's difficult. There were just a few character arcs that I would have liked to seen more of and others that were so minimal that I wish they didn't exist at all. Overall though, the show was different enough each week with a lot of great anticipation that I kept watching and loving the characters and their stories.

SPOILERS BELOW (including finale)


Looking at the larger plot of the seasons, we have a single murder mystery in season 1, the Black Hood in season 2, and I'm think a crime ring for season 3. The Black Hood though was only a portion of this season, and a part of me wishes they had done more with that character, especially the resolution. Yes, it was cool that Hal was the killer and I wasn't surprised that Tall Boy supposedly did it for the money from Hiram, but I wish that this could have been looked at a bit more. The later of the two in particular because Tall Boy just disappears somewhere in the season, so it seems very convenient for him to be the second Black Hood. This could potentially work somehow in the next season if Tall Boy were to somehow come back, but I also don't think it would work well at all if

I'm really curious to see where the show goes for season 3. In an interview, Roberto said to look back on episode 7 for clues for the upcoming season? (Also, this interview subtitle calls him Robert????) I don't have access to the episode right now, but looking at the online description this is the one with 48 hours of no sinning. I can't remember the details of it though and how it would tie in with what the season finale sets up for the next year....


Thinking about the finale, I think Polly has the "darkness" that was in Hal and Betty. It creeps me out in general whenever she talks about what she has learned at the farm, because I'm 99% sure that it really is just a cult. Polly has been brainwashed and I think it is just feeding the "darkness" that is genetically inside her. Also, I have a crackpot theory this is the link where Riverdale could potentially crossover with Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: that is, it would have if Sabrina wasn't coming out through Netflix. I'm not really sure what it going on there and how I feel about that.

Speaking of "darkness" though, where exactly is Hal? We saw him get arrested which is all fine and well, but then we see him talk to Betty through a clear all encompassing wall thing. Clearly, he is not in a normal prison cell, because we've seen those on the show before and they do not look like that. But is he in an advanced cell for psychopaths? Is he in an insane asylum? Biggest question in preparation for the new season- is he going to be moved to the prison being built on the south side?

One of my favorite things about the finale was when Archie confronted Hiram in his own house. That was so beautiful. All season, Archie has been acting like a stupid puppy tailing Hiram everywhere, so to see him finally stand up against Hiram- albeit in an idiotic way- was fantastic. That scene peters out in the end (I wish Archie had done something more than just stab the desk) but CLEARLY there was a larger ramification to that interaction. Hence, why it was slightly idiotic. Archie has done Hiram's bidding all season, pisses him off at the end of it, and thinks that there were going to be no consequences for that? The tricky thing with the arrest at the end of the finale is that Andre, the actual killer, is dead. There were no other witnesses either, so there is no way to tangibly prove Archie's innocence. But this also means that evidence would have needed to be fabricated by Hiram right? So I think all they really need to do is prove the evidence to be false in order to get Archie released.


Kevin had a really interesting story this season, but I wish they had put just a little more time into it because it felt very disjointed at times. He had the whole thing about finding hook-ups online, and then there was a maybe thing with Fang (so I thought), and over everything there's Moose. But it was just sprinkled in when it was convenient and I think his character could really benefit from being a larger focus in the story. I want to see more of how his life is and what the dynamic is between him and his father and what he does when Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead are always running around like the Scooby gang.


What Riverdale added to this season was the musical episode. I enjoyed the Carrie episode a lot. It was still relevant to the whole season while also being more entertaining and confronting so much of what needed to get pushed along in terms of character development and growth. I am not entirely sure though that this would work again as another musical episode. If they were to try to do this, I think they would need to place it in a very similar spot in season 3 that they did season 2 because then it would echo another spring show within the show. It can't be random or it won't carry over well.

In general, the music of Riverdale was SO GREAT. I loved so many of the song choices they had playing in the background of the show. This may not really be something that most people pay attention to while watching something, but I definitely notice it, and not only did the songs fit the events that were happening, but they were also I think just great songs. I am definitely planning on putting together a Spotify playlist for the songs from this season.

Along the same note of the music in the show, I really want there to be more of Josie and the Pussycats. I want the band to get back together, I want to hear more of their singing, and I want that to come back to Riverdale. I love their voices and the covers and songs that they perform and it killed me inside just a little that they weren't a thing in this season. I believe they will be coming back though, especially considering the comment Josie made in the finale about getting back to music.

Last big thing: Jughead and the Serpents. I love how Jughead is the king of the Serpents now and then he asked Betty to be the queen!!!!! I am really interested to see where the gang goes moving in the future with the consolidation of the two sides/ larger divide of south (with the Ghoulies now though) and the north (old Riverdale north + the Serpents). What I'm really really curious about is how many of the "northside" kids from the high school are going to join the Serpents and how is Jughead going to run the gang.

This is all only part of what I want to talk about, but the rest of it has to do with the characters and their relationships specifically and this post is already long enough, so I'll just make a separate post about the ships later and link it here when it is done.


Season 2 was really great and I hope the creators of the show keep learning and producing amazing work so that season 3 is a fantastic as I think it will be!

Thanks for reading!

Spoiler Free Review of A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

4.2 out of 5 Stars

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

A Court of Frost and Starlight was the perfect little break I needed from studying without being too distracting. All of the characters got to have some page time, there were little individual stories for everyone that all tied together, and it set up for the next few books beautifully. 

With that, there is not much more I want to add to this portion without getting into spoilers, because there is a very high chance that if you are looking to read this book, you have read the other books already and are just wondering if this is a book that has to be read. I would say, "YES," you do need to read this book. Not only because it was great fun, but because it lays the ground work for the rest of the books. 

It completely blows my mind that Maas was able to create a novella that wasn't just entertaining, but necessary for the continuation of the series. "Necessary" may be a strong word in this scenario, because someone could probably read right from book 3 to book 4, but this novella fills in so much context and character development that I really genuinely think that those readers who choose not to read this will be missing something as they continue the series.

Enjoy the novella. It will help get you ready for the next book, tide you over until the next Maas book, and it's worth the money too because to Sarah J. Maas a novella is 229 pages.

Thanks for reading!
Popsugar Reading Challenge: book by an author with the same first or last name as you

Avengers: Infinity War Movie Review

Avengers: Infinity War

Movie Review

5 out of 5 stars

 

It has been a long time since I have thought a Marvel movie was perfectly designed and executed, but Avengers: Infinity War really blew me away. It was perfectly balanced in every aspect of character development, plot detail, and humorous interjections. I was really worried about this one too because there were going to be so many characters and plot elements that needed to happen, or at least were set up to happen. 

Notes for the rest of this: 

1) There will be lots of SPOILERS. Read at your own risk

2) I have not read the comics, or even seen the movies a billions times. I am a Marvel fan, not a Marvel fanatic, so if I get small details wrong, please forgive them.

The first thing that I want to talk about is the character development of Gamora. She's always been a really cool character throughout the movies, but I really love how we get to see more of her history. It really rounds her out as a character and there is just the most perfect wait to let that history of her and her father sink in before Thanos kills her. That made the moment all the more heart-wrenching because of the lack of understanding on her part. 

The other character whose story has become really interesting is Banner's. His whole relationship with the Hulk side of him is fascinating. I'm not entirely sure what it is that is making the Hulk refuse to come out, but I'm wondering if is what happened in Thor 3? Or was there something preceding that movie that is making this happen? For whatever it is, it is really interesting to see play out across these multiple movies and come to a tipping point in this one. I really really hope the Hulk comes back for the next movie and that there is a kick-ass resolution for this character.

Apparently, none of the actors, or close to none of the actors, read the actual script with the real ending. And honestly, rightfully so I think because HOLY COW- so many people died in this movie! The deaths that really got me were Peter's and Bucky's. The latter because we just got him back, and then he died, so we lost him all over again. Peter's really got to me because he became so vulnerable at the end and he completely leaned on Tony in a way that showed their father-son-like relationship. And then, of course, my favorite died- T'Challa- and that massively sucked. I don't think all of these characters are dead though because a good deal of them have sequels coming out in the future.

My biggest lingering question from this movie is: how is Tony going to get back to Earth? Because I really think that's where he needs to go, if only to talk to Aunt Mae. The obvious answer is that Nebula is going to start up the ship or fly over there with him, but what is that relationship going to look like? Are they going to be able to commandeer a ship with just the two of them? Which ships are still working? Whose are they going to take? What will happen when they land? 

What kills me in this movie is that STUPID STAR LORD HAD TO POKE THE BEAR. Nearly literally- he just had to punch Thanos when he did. If he had waited until the gauntlet was off, then not only would the universe be safe and no one would have died, but he probably would have been able to beat the crap out of him due to pure anger afterwards at that point. Stupid. Just completely stupid.

Around this same moment, Dr. Strange gives up the time stone, which a couple of people I saw the movie with were wondering about. First, I really think that he had to do that because he saw that there was only one possible option to win the war and I think that had to be a part of the equation. Secondly, why did he not just chop off Thanos's head with the time sphere thing? Well, there are two points to that. The first is that he probably didn't know that was the way to kill Thanos. Sure it was probably a possibility, but the second point is that he might have seen that option and maybe Thanos was too quick in reacting to the sphere and it ended up failing spectacularly somehow. No matter what though, I have complete confidence that Dr. Strange knew what he was doing when he gave up the stone.

This leads into the question of how the time stone will play into the ending and if it will be used to bring characters back. Because while I think it could be used hypothetically to bring some back, it would be a cop out to use it to bring everyone back. Also, I really don't think everyone survives, specifically Captain America. This is based entirely on my own theories and whispers of what I think happens in the comics, but doesn't Cap die? Also, doesn't Chris Evans's contract end in 2019? Anyway, I also don't think the time stone could be used to un-kill half of the universe. This is a very serious problem that needs to get solved in the next movie, and I think the time stone will play a fairly large role in it.

 

Lastly, in the end credit we see Fury page someone, but all we see is a symbol. Again, in the theater, a lot of people were wondering whose symbol that was and who was being called on, but my immediate thought would be Captain Marvel? I've just heard his name, I have no clue where he fits in the timeline or the comics, but couldn't there be a way for it to make sense? I don't know enough about this hero to more fully elaborate on this theory, but there it is. Please make of it what you will- I'm going to blindly stick with it, but would love more info on it.

Thanks for reading!

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young Review

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

4.6 out of 5 Stars

*Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing a DRC for me to read!*
 
This book was actually something that initially caught my friend's eye and then I found out about it through her, and I'm so glad that it happened because this book was such a great historical fiction to read. What I think I really liked about this book was that it was very naturally historical and slightly natural while also tying in a lot of questions about how the role of family is thrown into the mix. [

SPOILERS BELOW

CHARACTERS:
 Eelyn: First thing I noticed about this name was that it sounded so similar to "Aelin" to me, from Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass. I was worried that Eelyn would be too similar to this character from the other series, but thankfully, she stood completely on her own and was kickass at the same time. What I really loved about her character though was that she was so fierce and at the same time so strongly loyal to her family and her convictions. She may be one of my favorite protagonists of all time because of this strength and confidence without being annoying or overly arrogant.

Fiske: I really appreciate how the first time they meet each other they are fighting literally to the death and Fiske just barely refrains from killing her. But looking at Fiske alone, he was really interesting to read about because the effects of his role in the house was not as obvious but it was still there. I feel like his character had a lot of moments like this: indirect characterization based on the words of others or a small look or action used in conjunction with them. Again, the familial loyalty in this character was really great to see.

Aska and the Riki: I'm putting the tribes as a character because they conflict that they have with each other is not just the premise of the novel but it is also a major conflict for it. It was so great to see this Viking rivalry though and learn about how these different tribes lived, yet were also so similar to each other. The only thing that was slightly cringe-worthy about this though was that it reminded me of the Montagues and the Capulets from Romeo and Juliette.

PLOT:
The plot was slightly disappointing in the sense that I feel like it all happens very suddenly at the end of the book. There is a lot of build up to the moment where the tribes need to go to battle, but there wasn't much of the actual fighting or resolution afterwards. For the amount of page time that the reader gets from the development of the characters and growth of understanding between the two main tribes, I would've like to have seen more time spent afterwards as well with the joining of the two tribes to tackle the common enemy tribe.

That being said, I loved the different details that were thrown in about how the warriors fought and dressed for battle. Everything from the way the moved with each other and how they prayed and buried the dead was fascinating. All of those details were beautifully interwoven throughout the entirety of the story.


The plot line that I think was handled perfectly was the romantic interest between Fiske and Eelyn. What I loved about this relationship was that it was not automatic and the characters really took their time to learn about each other and get past seeing each other as "an enemy". They took the time to really get to know each other and even at the end, they realistically have a conversation about what their future could look like, which added a nice element of a kind of maturity that typically isn't present in other young adult novels.

WRITING:
From what I remember, nothing really stood out to me as overly remarkable about Young's writing other than it was so smooth. I flew through this story, partially because it was a really good story, and partially because one sentence led you directly into the next. I also really loved that so many different details were added about the Viking culture (that I'm assuming are correct), which means that the author worked around the culture to create her story. I appreciate this because then you can learn more about this culture as you read as well.


The only drawback about this book is that there is only one and I WANT MORE!!!! I actually don't think this story would benefit in any way from an additional book, but the characters and story were compelling enough were I want to hear more about this world and their lives.

Sky in the Deep was a lovely break from the usual stories that are released and from the business of the end of the school year. It was captivating and engaging and I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a standalone novel that is not just contemporary romance.

Thanks for reading!
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: Book with a weather element in the title

Spoiler Free review of Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

4.6 out of 5 Stars

*Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing a DRC for me to read!*
This book was actually something that initially caught my friend's eye and then I found out about it through her, and I'm so glad that it happened because this book was such a great historical fiction to read. What I think I really liked about this book was that it was very naturally historical and slightly natural while also tying in a lot of questions about how the role of family is thrown into the mix. 



The only drawback about this book is that there is only one and I WANT MORE!!!! I actually don't think this story would benefit in any way from an additional book, but the characters and story were compelling enough were I want to hear more about this world and their lives.

Sky in the Deep was a lovely break from the usual stories that are released and from the business of the end of the school year. It was captivating and engaging and I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a standalone novel that is not just contemporary romance.

Thanks for reading!

Love, Simon Movie Review

Love, Simon

Movie Review

5 out of 5 stars

There are so many reasons why this movie is incredible, I'm not even sure where to begin. Love, Simon though is hands down going to be one of my favorite movies for the year. It was funny, heart-wrenching, important, beautiful, accurate, and just over all really, really well done.

For those of you who don't know, this movie follows Simon Spier and is a coming-of-age romance where Simon is a completely normal dude but has not told anyone yet that he's gay. It is based off the book Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, is directed by Greg Berlanti, and stars Nick Robinson, Alexandra Shipp, Katherine Langford, and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. among so many other performers.


Part of what makes this movie so striking is the ordinariness of it. Simon is completely normal; his family is completely normal; his friends are completely normal; his school is completely normal; everything is completely normal. But the one thing that Simon is keeping secret is that he's gay, which unfortunately is something that is normal but is not treated as such yet in today's society- not fully, which is why Simon is afraid to come out.

The romance of this story was so heart-warming. I don't think I have really enjoyed a romantic movie like this in a long time. But it was honest and touching to see the two characters of Simon and "Blue" fall in love with each other via email. They are both going through the same thing, and can talk to each other openly about their decisions and how they want to go about coming out. The support they have for each other is extraordinary and it makes their love for each other even better.

There were also moments that were completely heart-breaking, and for the sake of not spoiling the movie, I won't say which parts. I will say though that it was great to see all of this happen in a setting that is "typical". Simon himself lays it all out in the beginning of the movie. He loves his family and friends and they love him. He has an unbelievable support system in place, but he still does not want to come out.


This leads to a great commentary on the part of the movie about identity and respect that each person has a right to their own self that they alone have the right to share or express. There's a moment in the film (and I'm only mentioning this because it was in one of the trailers) where Simon looses it in front of another character. That was one of the scenes that I was crying during because it was so correct. What Simon was saying in that moment about his self belonging to him was beyond powerful and I think that is something that anyone can relate to.


Another great thing that I think this movie touched on, even though it didn't necessarily focus on it, was the use of the internet, for better or for worse. There are serious consequences of what is posted online and even though they are not directly addressed in the film, they are still present in a way that represents the reality of them.

On a more fun note, there are some really hilarious lines and moments in this film. I also really appreciated the pop culture references and the need for them all to get coffee in the morning. It really humanized them in a way that brought the characters off the screen. I too drink coffee every morning and obsess over Panic! at the Disco- same people.... same. :)


I can't speak to the accuracy of the portrayal of coming out in the film. I would hope though that people from the LGBTQ+ community can find a way to relate to Simon and that this movie overall has taken us another step toward overall equality. Representation like this is needed, and Love, Simon is one of the early steps to get us to the point where it is normal, not just to have gay or LGBTQ+ main characters, but just normal all around in our everyday lives.

The world has needed this movie for a while now, and I am so glad that it has been done in a way that is not just successful, but realistic and relatable. Please go out and support this movie in the theaters. It is important and I really think the live movie experience will make it even better.

Thanks for reading!