‘Julia’ Review: A new look at an old classic
Do you ever read a book and think to yourself, “Wow, what would I give to discuss this in my high school AP Lit class?” Sure, maybe the discussion wouldn’t be especially intellectual, but it would be fun, and you would just love to hear your classmates’ off-the-wall takes. Well, if you haven’t experienced this […]
‘Station Eleven’ review: art in the apocalypse
“Station Eleven” was initially released in 2014, and it was adapted into a miniseries in 2021. Nevertheless, I did not read it until 2024, and I am glad I did not first encounter it at the peak of its popularity. For all its emphasis on hope and survival, the future “Station Eleven” speculates about, in […]
Five books I should not have finished
I have a bad habit of refusing to quit books, even when I really do not like them (as evidenced by my article from January, “Every book I read instead of finishing ‘Silver Nitrate’”). In an effort to remind myself that it is okay to give up on a terrible novel, and the sunk-cost fallacy […]
For the love of ‘Pressure Machine’
If you have heard a song by The Killers, it probably played while you were at a party, when the host made the wise decision to blast “Mr. Brightside” so everyone could scream along. You may even be a little more familiar with the band than that, if you’ve enjoyed radio hits like “Somebody Told […]
‘Mr. Texas’ review: Mr. Lamb goes to Austin
It would be easy to label “Mr. Texas” as Lawrence Wright’s love letter to Texas, but this novelization of Texas politics is so much more than that. It’s an exposé, it’s a warning and it’s a satire. But yes, it is a love letter at heart. Wright finds the humanity and nuance in the characters […]
Every book I read instead of finishing ‘Silver Nitrate’
I very rarely abandon a book without finishing it. This is quite a bad habit, as it means I waste my time forcing myself through books that I don’t like very much when I could be reading something more enjoyable instead. Sadly, I never learn. The latest novel I made myself finish was “Silver Nitrate” […]
‘Check and Mate’ review: Ali Hazelwood is a gift to humanity
Ali Hazelwood’s latest book, “Check & Mate,” recently won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction, but it’s not a stereotypical YA novel. This book, which is Hazelwood’s YA debut, is about a romance between two rival chess players, Mallory and Nolan. As someone who has generally avoided YA novels since I graduated […]
Reading and reviewing ‘The Bromance Book Club’
I have read many, many romantic comedies in my time. I say it’s my favorite genre, but the truth is that I am extremely picky and I have found that few of the romcoms I have read are actually worth recommending to anyone. I started the “Bromance Book Club” series by Lyssa Kay Adams with […]
Spooky novels for horror-movie haters
I am a certified hater of horror movies. Hater is probably too strong of a word, since I am actually just too terrified to watch horror movies and therefore shut down anyone who suggests one to me. However, that has not stopped me from reading (somewhat) spooky books! The following is my recommendation list of […]
Book review: ‘The Death I Gave Him’
I love a good adaptation. Movie to musical? I’m in the audience! Book to miniseries? I’ll stream it tonight! Shakespeare play to modern novelization? I will be at the bookstore in the morning! (Just joking, I prefer ebooks. Please don’t judge me.) One of those examples is a bit more specific than the others, but […]
