It is a well-regarded fact that sequels usually fall short of their predecessor’s glory. Whether it be a TV show…
The greatest of stories often have the humblest beginnings. First recorded as a self-contained limited series by the comedic improv geniuses that are Griffin, Travis, and Justin McElroy along with their father Clint, The Adventure Zone has since become one of the most popular TTRPG podcasts to date with a solid 5.0 rating on the Apple Store, hundreds of millions of downloads, three graphic novel adaptations of their adventures that skyrocketed to the NYT’s Bestsellers list upon release, and accolades of the podcast gather at conventions and live shows to hear the latest shenanigans that the McElroys put their characters through…
Crystal Smith’s 2019 release Bloodleaf caught my attention as soon as I spotted it on the shelf and kept it until the moment I closed it with a satisfied sigh. The blurb on the back promised me a princess willing to risk everything to save her kingdom, a bloodthirsty and witch-hunting enemy, and love in the midst of chaos, and it definitely delivered. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with the characters and become invested in their good intentions and fast team work..
In these trying times, I have found myself yearning for the books and movies I used to watch and read when I was younger. I pulled my battered copy of “The Chamber of Secrets” from my bookshelf and was slapped with a wave of nostalgia. I remember the taste of butterbeer, the sound of the films’ soundtrack, the excitement I felt walking through Hogsmeade and exploring Diagon Alley, the feeling of a warm January day in Florida. I had forgotten how much of my childhood was built around Harry Potter…
Kurt Vonnegut’s 1969 novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” is a spectacular mix of the science fiction and antiwar genres that comes as a response to Vonnegut’s own experience having been one of the few to survive the Dresden firebombing of World War II. It’s fairly often that the reader finds themself stuck trying to distinguish between the two genres as the book’s main character, Billy Pilgrim, repeatedly becomes “unstuck in time” or, in simple terms, time travels between events in his life…
My favorite genre is fantasy YA fiction. Give me a book with female warriors, kingdoms, plot-twists, and magical powers, and I am happy. Graceling by Kristin Cashore checks all of those boxes and is hands-down one of the best books I have ever read. Within the first few chapters, I was hooked…
I certainly know that I am craving ways to give my mind a break from long days studying and pouring over my books. Here are my suggestions to create a perfectly autumnal study session!…
If you’re into the Halloween season and you’re a fan of the classics, then you’ve probably seen Hocus Pocus at least a couple times. During the month of October I’ve noticed people talk about one particular book, a sequel to this movie. It continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens…
“Mexican Gothic,” written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, is a “gothic suspense novel,” set in 1950s Mexico. We follow Noemí, an educated and spirited young socialite who’s been summoned to the High Place, which is the home of the Doyles, the family her cousin Catalina recently married into. The Doyles are strange…
Looking for an October read? Look no further! “Carrie”, by accomplished author Stephen King is the perfect combination of both psychological chaos and teenage trauma. It follows the story of a high school teenager named Carrie, who is a social outcast and the main victim of any mean girl’s torment. After suffering through school she comes home to her mother, a woman who carries an insanely cult-like worship to the Lord and the belief that her daughter is a demon. And, to be fair, she might not be entirely wrong…