#Robin Meloy

[therealmrpositive]

Macabre Month 7 Part I: The House on Sorority Row

In today’s review, I find that burying bodies and dealing with killers might be a part of the curriculum. As I attempt a #positive review of the 1982 slasher classic, The House On Sorority Row #KathrynMcNeil #EileenDavidson #JanisZido #RobinMeloy

The thing about the freedom of university life is with the relative freedom comes the responsibilities that go with it. Responsibilities seems to be the operative word as your actions. If you make a mistake, you’re going to have to live with it, and the hallowed halls of college can be one of the earliest places to learn about it. In 1982, seven women would learn that lesson and the dark truths…

[moviesandmania]

THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW (1982) Classic slasher - free to watch on YouTube

‘Sorority Sisters… Sisters in Life. Sisters in Death.’ The House on Sorority Row is a 1982 American slasher horror film about a group of young women who are stalked and murdered in revenge for a past prank. Also released as House of Evil Written and directed by Mark Rosman (The Invader; Evolver; Mutant [uncredited]), with additional dialogue by Bobby Fine, the VAE Productions movie stars Kate…

[rosewaterandivy]

stop making plans / start making sense

Summary: eddie finds himself smack dab in the middle of an ap english iv class, all because some do-gooders at Hawkins High happen to “believe in him” or whatever. the catch? it just so happens to be your ap english class.

A continuation of this blurb and the result of an ongoing eddie munson hc convo with @powderblueblood 💚

Warnings: eddie’s senior year 2.0, no Upside Down, scary smart debate team captain reader, NHS president and tutor nancy wheeler, ap music theory nerd and general nuisance robin buckley, pretentiousness alert - you have been warned!

W.C.: 1771

It’s his second time around as a senior, not even the first week of school under his belt when Mrs. Meloy calls him into her office. The counseling center, which he is unfortunately far too familiar with, is busy as it usually is at the beginning of the year— schedule changes, registration, students complaining about not getting late arrival or early dismissal. Before he can settle in one of the worn chairs by the door, a woman pops her outside of an office door. She glances around, blue eyes searching for someone or something, before landing on Eddie.

“Think the wall can hold itself up just fine Edward,” She calls as she opens the door to her office and waves him in.

He grouses at the use of his full name and rolls his eyes, languidly strolling into the smaller room that smells overwhelmingly of cinnamon.

“Go ahead and make yourself comfortable.”

She’s turned around, fingers flicking through thick manilla files in the cabinet in front of her. A cup of coffee sits on her cluttered desk, cold, from the looks of it. Mrs. Meloy mutters under her breath before turning from the filing cabinet in annoyance.

“It’s only the first week of school,” Eddie points out, “I haven’t done anything.”

The yet between them goes unspoken.

The older woman merely raises a knowing brow and takes her seat opposite him. She sorts through a few loose papers on her desk before letting out a surprised huff, “Gotcha!” Flipping through the file, his file, Eddie supposes, her eyes scan over what is undoubtedly his lack of academic achievement.

Satisfied with her perusal, she sets the papers down on her desk and addresses him.

“Round two.” Mrs. Meloy begins, resignedly. “Hopefully the NHS tutoring placement will be to your benefit Mr. Munson. Miss Wheeler is an exemplary student and I have high hopes for you under her tutelage.”

She then runs through his current schedule, emphasizing the classes he needs to perform well in (mostly all of them, save for English and a few others).

“Which brings me to the reason for our meeting today,” she says with a smile. “It has not escaped my notice, nor that of Mrs. Seguin, that you are quite adept in English class. At least,” she qualifies with a pull of her lips, “When properly motivated.”

And yeah, okay, he was decidedly not trying all that hard in Mrs. S.’s senior English class last year and he breezed through with a respectable A minus.

Wayne even got a little choked up when he read that particular report card.

“I guess so,” he says with a cross of his arms.

“Rather than having you repeat the same content and curriculum this year, Mrs. Seguin and I have petitioned the principal for permission to move you into a more challenging and appropriate English class.”

Well, that perks him right up.

“Principal Higgins has agreed to the change, with a few stipulations.”

Of fucking course.

The gist of it is, Eddie’s admittance to the AP English IV class will be probationary for the first quarter, given his past exploits and record. If he can keep his grades at a respectable B across the board, Eddie will be permanently placed in Mrs. Seguin’s advanced class. If he can’t, it’s back to regular Senior English with that crone, Mrs. Cotter.

Easy peasy.

And he’s almost out the door when Meloy stops him with a furitive, “Eddie,” and pauses to look him in the eye. “We believe in you and we went to the mat with Higgins on this.” She says emphatically, standing up to escort him through the office, “You can do this, Eddie, we know you can.”

She smiles and sends him off with his newly revised schedule, the summer reading assignment, and information for Wayne to peruse about Advanced Placement courses.

The rest of that day unfolded as expected despite his new schedule. Slight differences were made, such as: Eddie sitting in the middle of the class instead of the back, hopefully next to Buckley or Wheeler if he could swing it.

With Nancy’s help, he was able to narrow the summer reading options down to books that would hold his interest. The librarian, Ms. Berkowitz, was more than happy to oblige him with checking out a copy of Notes from the Underground by some Russian dude whose name Eddie couldn’t possibly pronounce.

The bell for the final class of the day rang just as he slipped through Mrs. Seguin’s door.

“Timely as ever,” she teased and kicked the door stop into the classroom.

Her room was the same as last year, but the mood within was markedly different— more relaxed and at ease. Students sat where they pleased and chatted amongst themselves while Mrs. S. checked off the roll and fielded a few questions from the group.

Eddie settled in the only open seat right in between Nancy and yourself. He tried not to be offended that you didn’t even glance up from your furious scribbling on the page, seemingly writing a mile a minute, as if you couldn’t get the words out fast enough.

Ink smeared on the college ruled paper underneath your hand.

Eddie found it endearing.

“Okay, okay, let’s get this show on the road.” Mrs. S. set her clipboard on the desk and leaned against it with a casual grace.

She was one of the newer teachers to Hawkins High, from some big name school out west with not one, but two degrees framed on the wall behind her desk. She was young and quick to laugh; the older teachers were a bit weary of her and those “new agey” teaching philosophies, but the results produced were proof enough for her to granted the AP English III and IV courses for this year. According to Nancy, she’d only had AP juniors and regular seniors last year.

Eddie, being one of those regular students, would know.

“Alright, hopefully we’ve brought in our summer reading novels today. The goal is to break you all into thematic groups based on your selected text. From there, you will collaborate with your peers to create a presentation on your findings.”

With this, she steps away from her desk and begins writing on the chalkboard.

“Consider such things as character archetype, thematic resonance, literary merit, of course. But more importantly,” she says, turning to the class with a smile, “How did the story affect you? What new perspective or insights were gained? What concepts were reinforced? Did you despise the protagonist, or did you identify too closely with them?”

The class has fallen to a hush, you’ve stopped writing and are rapt with attention. Eddie, used to overworked teachers and coaches who could care less, is shocked.

“I remind you, as always, that there are no right or wrong answers in here. As long as you can support your interpretation���” She begins.

“With evidence from the text,” The class choruses in reply.

“Good, exactly.”

At that, students break away into smaller groups and begin talking in hushed tones about the project.

“Whatcha got there?”

This, from Robin, who unceremoniously plucks Eddie’s book from his grasp. She flips through it, eyes lighting in interest, just as Mrs. Seguin makes her way over.

“Eddie, always good to see you.”

“Right back at ya, Mrs. S.”

She smirks, eyeing Robin scanning through Dostoevsky. “Had a feeling you’d gravitate toward the nihilists. Got a chance to start reading yet?”

He swipes the book back from Robin and ignores her petulant pout.

“Uh, kinda. Started it during lunch today.”

She nods knowingly, “Well, I’m sure you’ll be caught up in no time.” Surveying the classroom she nods to herself, “And now that I think of it,” She turns back to Eddie, “Looks like you’re in the right group over here.”

He almost says there is no group over here, but then he notices Nancy and Robin chatting with you. Feeling his stare, you turn back from where you’ve set up shop on Robin’s desk and jerk your head, an invitation by any other name.

“C’mon Munson, we don’t have all day.” You say this softly, chidingly, with no real heat behind it. Your eyes narrow as a group gets particularly loud across the way, “Because I’m certainly not about to let Phillips show us up.”

“Oh, bite me!” Phillips crows from his desk.

“You wish, you cretin!”

Eddie does his best to hide the curl of his lips and stifle a laugh while Phillips sulks at his desk.

Robin thumbs through a worn copy of Nausea while Nancy talks Eddie through the plan thus far. She’s read The Death of Ivan Ilyich and come to the conclusion that the novels in the group are both deeply depressing and deal with themes of existentialism, and in some cases, nihilism.

“I dunno. Philosophy is all well and good, but,” you pipe up, “Mine had elements of magical realism and a satirical critique of Soviet Russia.”

Eddie attempts to process what you and Wheeler have just said. Sensing a lull in the conversation, you slyly pass your novel over to Eddie and start to take notes over whatever it is Nancy is rambling on about.

The Master and Margartia.

Huh, weird title.

He reads the blurb on the back cover and kind of regrets not choosing this one to read. Maybe you’ll let him borrow it after the project is over. Setting it back on your desk, Eddie peruses the syllabus Mrs. S. must’ve slipped him.

“So, will that work for you Eddie?”

Lost in a daze of genres and titles, he looks up. “Sorry, what was that?”

Nancy sighs, “We’re going to meet at my house on Thursday for a study group. I know you and Mike have that thing on Fridays, so.”

“Oh, yeah. Thanks Wheeler; that’ll work.”

With a smile, she goes back to chatting with Robin.

“Psst.”

A neatly folded paper lands on his desk. Eddie glances at you, curious, taking in your arched brow and smirk.

Scary smart, he reminds himself as he unfurls the page.

I know Nance is your NHS tutor, but if you feel like you need to catch-up for this class, give me a call.

Your deft hand and neatly printed letters dance across the page, an errant smear of ink where the heel of your hand drug across the paper. The digits of your phone number underneath your missive make his heart race.

Annotating your copy of Dune without permission was one thing. And at that you didn’t even bat an eye, but this…

Well, this had potential.

He tries not to let the possibility of what if turn to ash in his mouth.

[odonism]

no one tagged me yet, but I love this kind of stuff so here are nine books I plan on reading in 2023!

I’ve made a resolution this year to finish reading all the books on my shelves before I treat myself to any new ones, so welcome to a small selection of my personal library! I’m also currently reading The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk and Under Wildwood by Colin Meloy, not pictured! the books that are pictured include:

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

The Thief Knot by Kate Milford

The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe

The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Winged Histories by Sofia Samatar

The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz

Dark Matter ed. Sheree Thomas

Cruising Utopia by José Muñoz

obviously this is just a sliver of everything I hope to read this year, but this selection is representative of the general trends—middle-grade fantasy, adult sci-fi & fantasy, more anthologies, more nonfiction!

the only person I’m officially tagging is @brownpaperhag (mwah) but mutuals, if you see this and wanna do it, you can say I tagged you! ♥️

[ladamarossa]

The House on Sorority Row (1983)

[mariocki]

The House On Sorority Row (House Of Evil, 1983)

“Does… does that mean she could still be alive?“

[nofatclips]

The House on Sorority Row

[aliteraryprincess]

Fantasy November Wrap Up

Fantasy November is now at it’s end.  I read a total of 11 books and they were all good.  Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell was my absolute favorite, and I highly recommend it.  The full list and my ratings are below.  I did all the weekend challenges and eight of the event challenges.  So I think this has been a pretty successful month!

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley - 5 stars

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine - 4 stars

Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas - 3 stars

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke - 5 stars

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce - 5 stars

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - 5 stars

Wildwood by Colin Meloy - 4 stars

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie - 4 stars

Chalice by Robin McKinley - 5 stars

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater - 3 stars

Tides by Betsey Cornwell - 4 stars

Fantasy November Event Challenges:

Post a quote from your favorite fantasy book.

Read at least 10 pages outside.

Read a book with blue on the cover.

Read a book by a female author.

Read uninterrupted for at least 1 hour.

Read a book by an author you haven’t read before.

Read a diverse book.

Write a book review.

Make a recommendation post for your favorite fantasy books.

Top 5 favorite fantasy characters.

Thank you so much @books-and-cookies for organizing this.  I had a great time!  And great job to everyone who participated!  It was lots of fun to see what you all were reading.

[psychicfangface]

the thought of you thinking of someone else how i think of you makes me ill,, and not in a way where i’m just anxious and sad,, like to the point of me vomiting my own organs and tearing away my skin,, it makes every atom of my body want to decompose and rot away into nothing without you,, you’re everything i need to survive,, you are my everything,, so the thought of someone else being that to you,, i might as well be nothing,, leave myself to turn to compost in the soil,, for worms to burrow into my flesh,, i need you to need me,, i need you to love me,,

[4x4girl]

I hate that I feel this song right now. Just how he sings it 😔

I don’t understand why he treats me the way he does now vs when we first started dating.. and I say that like we’ve been together for year, when the reality is it’s only just been a year. We just had our “anniversary” which included me asking if we were going to go to dinner and we went to Red Robin.. I’m not complaining about it in terms of fancy or cost. I’m complaining about how he put zero thought into it. I asked about dinner. I was the only one offering suggestions on where to eat. There was no contribution other then paying for the bill. Which I feel has come to be a deal I unknowingly made. He pays the mortgage and utilities, the big stuff he pays for. Granted he also makes well over what I make. Even though we both work 40hrs. His does have potential for a lot of overtime. And will work it if given the opportunity. But it seems that just because he makes more then me that EVERYTHING else falls on my shoulders. Taking care of our 4 dogs. (His mom does watch them during the day, and has helped care for them too mind you.) but the dogs, cooking, cleaning. And I will say I do love her, his mom is A LOT to deal with. She lives with us as she has fibromyalgia and diabetes. She’s on a fixed tight income and there’s no way she could afford anything and survive monthly. So she lives with us. Occupies 80% of the house. Eats like the pickiest 5yr old alive. And is petty AF. But either way. Basically what I’m saying is he’s lazy. And it’s effecting me in a big way. He doesn’t put the effort in to anything lastly our relationship. Bottom line I feel like I’m doing most of the work in the house and the relationship, just because he makes more money. It’s not a relationship. It’s a more like an employer and employee. Maaaaan idk…. I’m high af. And for sure in my feelings right now. But I don’t have many friends I can talk to about this. So I just have me and occasionally I’ll see my mom. My sister and nieces. But that’s not often. I changed my job in the company I’m working for and am now a manager. Part of that job is to be there at 4am or 3am. So I wake up an hr before to get ready and get there. I fucking hate mornings 😑 I’m a natural night owl. I just have so much more energy when I’m on a night schedule. Going to bed at 2am instead of waking up at 2am. But I changed it for him. Now with his new job we have no idea what his hrs will be. So who knows if I made this drastic change for nothing or not yet…

I just feel so discouraged lately. I’ve tried talking to him and telling him how I feel and I think he hears me for about 1/4 of it. But it seems I’m less and less important by the day. He doesn’t need me. But it also doesn’t seem like he wants me. To me… that’s worse. But I’ll have happy moments. Where I remember what it felt like before. Or when we were in Montana and it was just us. Just enjoying each other’s company and seeing new and beautiful things. Experiences that are once in a lifetime. I loved that man so hard. But what he is lately is so far from the other that I don’t know if this is a phase, if there’s something he’s not sharing with me, or if he’s just falling out of love with me and doesn’t know how to tell me.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t reminisce the time I was living in Montana, the ranch, victor, living in a camper just me and the dogs. Just LIVING my life, and loving it so fucking much!! It breaks my heart every time I think about it to be honest. I miss the passion and connection I had with victor. It was effortless and made me feel like I was someone to be treasured and loved. I thought that’s what you’re supposed to feel with your partner. If they’re the one. Or is it more a comfortable partnership? I don’t know what a healthy relationship looks like as I had zero to model growing up. All I know is after Montana, after Montana Cowboy…I changed. I stand up for myself. I speak my mind. I love harder. I work hard. I always am trying to be a better person. I put in as much of myself as I can in to whatever I am doing, with passion and excitement! I don’t think Anthony sees that about me. If he does, he doesn’t value it as much as he should. Plus it’s something I want both of us to do! To strive to be the best versions of ourselves and support one another however we can. I want someone who actually WANTS to know how my day was, not just asking because they feel obligated. That’s what I feel like, an obligation. Or someone to make him dinner.

I want to make this relationship work. More then anything. But I can’t be the only one. If he’s not willing to do the actual work it takes to be in a healthy relationship it’s going to take communicating, understanding, compromise, love and desire. I’m giving all that. But he road blocks me when I try to communicate any of my feelings it seems. And when I do get out some of my feelings he instantly says “I don’t wanna hear it cause it’s just gonna be how I’m not doing some bullshit, or I need to do something” and it’s the most dismissive response and hurts every time. Like he doesn’t care about me and my happiness in the relationship at all. I know if my partner is upset I’m going to want to help them not be upset. However that looks for them. Weather it’s talking or space. He sees me crying and then listens a little bit better. But all I feel like is he’s laying there thinking, “when will she get over this. I have video games or football or my phone waiting.” Or he will fall asleep. I come last. I don’t come first. That’s something I always told myself I wasn’t going to allow to happen anymore. Reasons I didn’t want to date people with kids. (Not because I don’t love kids, I do!) because I didn’t want to be a second priority. I also wouldn’t want to be the first over the kids if I was with someone that had kids because to me kids come first. Period. 😓

I just know something needs to change soon. Cause otherwise I’m just wasting my time as well as his. I don’t want to keep someone from the life their meant to live. And I don’t want my time to be used up until it’s too late for me to do things like have a baby. Start a family. Live in Montana. Two things I don’t ever want to give up. Swore I never would for another man either.

Man, this post is too long. And I’ve gone back and forth on weather I wanted to post it. I don’t need a bunch of opinions on my relationship. I just needed somewhere to vent. Maybe look for some support or advice on how I can help things in my relationship and life. Cause duck if I know what I’m doing!

Also reminder… stoned this whole time, so ignore the terrible writing and spelling errors.

[tbhstudying]

do you have any book recommendations?

i think my current content recommendations continue to be the one i talked abt in my 2020 plan with me video which are:

mary oliver

specifically “wild geese” and “in blackwater woods”

e.e. cummings

specifically “[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]” and “love is the only every god"

ocean vuong

specifically “reimagining masculinity” and “a letter to my mother that she will never read”

madeleine saito jubilee

specifically her “30 days of comics” from 2019 with the environmental focus

“braiding sweetgrass” by robin kimmerer

the only actual “real” book here oops but still a fascinating read (for me at least)

“the real banishment is the family we made along the way” by scioscribe

admittedly a fic abt thor ragnarok but damn it’s good. i love me some good found family fics

other book recommendations that i’ve received but haven’t read yet:

wildwood by colin meloy

a friend of mine recommended it to me and i impulsively bought it the same day. i’m still searching for the time to read it though

spqr by mary beard

it was recommended by the classics professor who’s teaching a class i’m taking next semester, and i figured, why not? i read the first 2 chapters and i’m rather intrigued

on earth we’re briefly gorgeous by ocean vuong

i would’ve bought this but it was too damn expensive. now i’m trying to hunt it down in the library

the goldfinch by donna tartt

i recently realized that i never finished the damn book because i got so side-tracked by other things but the start was interesting

i think i prefer “the secret history” from donna tartt though because there’s something infinitely funny about melodramatic, mostly drunk classics majors at a liberal arts school now that i’m actually in a liberal arts college myself

the bell jar by sylvia plath

i was gifted a book comprising journal entries by sylvia plath (or maybe it was virginia woolf, i can’t quite remember) and subsequently received multiple recommendations of things written by sylvia plath. unfortunately, i never read any of them due to a lack of time, but perhaps the recommendation is better off being passed down to another person who might take it up

[moviesandmania]

The House on Sorority Row - USA, 1983 - reviews

The House on Sorority Row – USA, 1983 – reviews

  ‘Sorority Sisters… Sisters in Life. Sisters in Death.’

The House on Sorority Row is a 1983 American slasher horror feature film about a group of young women who are stalked and murdered in revenge for a past prank; read on for reviews.

Written and directed by Mark Rosman (The Invader; Evolver; Mutant [uncredited]), with additional dialogue by a Bobby Fine,  the VAE Productions movie stars Kate…

[davidosu87]

[shelby-bach-books]

Ever Afters Reading List

Dear Addison (of Charlotte, NC),

You mailed me a lovely note, asking me to recommend a fairy tale series like The Ever Afters that you might enjoy. I’ve been thinking about how to answer you for a while now. Then I realized you didn’t include your return address, so I am answering you via the internet.

I have bad news: you are asking the wrong person.

(Don’t worry—good news will come later because that’s how I roll.)

Authors aren’t the best at recognizing what books are similar to our own series, mostly because we’re too close to our own books. (Kind of like how a bunch of people will tell you that you look like so-and-so, and you don’t see how you and so-and-so look similar AT ALL, except maybe that you have the same hair color.)

And to be perfectly honest, in the early days of writing The Ever Afters, I would sometimes read what someone said was a lot like my series, and when I started to read them...it didn’t always feel like a compliment. I didn’t finish some of them, because they annoyed me so much.

I have since returned to some of those books, and I’ve realized that they’re realized that they’re not as annoying as I thought. Actually, they’re well-written and highly entertaining. They just weren’t the book *I* wanted to write, but similar enough where reading them could have tugged me a bit off-track, especially if I enjoyed them enough to emulate them.

So, in that way, me getting annoyed was the defense mechanism of my creativity—keeping my mental compost bin clear of influences that weren’t right for The Ever Afters.

So, that brings us to the good news I mentioned before: you may be asking the wrong person, but you’re asking me at the right time. Now, four years after I finished OEAE, I’m better read, and my opinion is less influenced than it was in say, 2012.

Anyway, that said, my answer is: What other books you like depends on what you liked about my books.

Like the Virgo I am, I have compiled an exhaustive list of recommendations (see below). It’s a mix of books I outright loved and books I came to love later on—and possibly a few books I just think more people should read.

With this list, I hope for two things: first, that you actually see this, and second, that you find some solid summer reading out of this list.

Thanks for writing, Addison!

Shelby

—

Straight Fairy Tale Retellings (i.e. one at a time)

- Robin McKinley’s Beauty and Rose Daughter and Spindle’s End (Chalice is also good, and The Blue Sword—but they’re not retellings)

- Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted and Ever (also loved the Two Princesses of Bamarre, but it’s also not a retelling)

- Diane Zahler’s the Thirteenth Princess among others

- Edith Pattou’s East

- Heather Dixon’s Entwined

- Shannon Hale’s The Goose Girl

Mash-Up Retellings (i.e. more than one):

Olden Days ReMix:

- Patricia C. Wrede’s Dealing with Dragons series

- Grace Lin’s Where The Mountain Meets the Moon

- Catherynne Valente’s The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

- Neil Gaiman’s Stardust

- Adam Gidwitz’s A Tale Dark and Grimm

Modern-Day Twists (Adult, but I read them first in high school/college):

- Elizabeth Ann Scarborough’s The Godmother’s Apprentice

- Kathryn Wesley’s The 10th Kingdom

- John Connolly’s The Book of Lost Things

Romance-heavy, lush and lovely world:

- Marissa Meyer’s the Lunar Chronicles series

- Holly Black’s Tithe and The Darkest Part of the Forest

Well-paced plot of several tangled fairy tales, humor AND mystery:

- Michael Buckley’s The Sisters Grimm

Personal Transformation (ALL THE FEELS):

- Anne Ursu’s Breadcrumbs

- Patrick Ness’s A Monster Calls

- Matthew Kirby’s Icefall

Magical beasties, and also dynamic and believable sibling relationships:

- Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven

- Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi: The Spiderwick Chronicles

Modern-Day DESTINY IS UPON YOU YOUNGLING series, with multiple kids growing up together through friendship and adventures:

- anything by Rick Riordan (but The Lightning Thief is still my fave)

- Suzanne Collins’s Gregor the Overlander series

- Shannon Messenger’s Keeper of the Lost Cities series

- Rachel Hawkins’s Hex Hall series

- John Stephan’s The Books of Beginning series

- Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis’s The Wildwood Chronicles

Follow Your Dreams, Lena-style:

- Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonsong and Dragonsinger

Austen Retellings:

- funny and magical and middle grade: Stephanie Burgis’s Kat, Incorrigible (plus the other two)

- Funny and rom-com: Shannon Hale’s Austenland

- Beautifully captured, keenly felt scifi world: Diana Peterfreund’s For the Darkness Shows the Stars

Lady Warriors:

- anything by Tamora Pierce, but especially Protector of the Small and the Trickster series

- Kristen Cashore’s Graceling and Fire and Bitterblue

Plot Twists like whoa:

- Jennifer Nielsen’s The False Prince

[ravenya003]

Stuff I Read/Watched in December...

Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran

Suki Alone by Faith Erin Hicks and Peter Wartman

Katara and the Pirates by Faith Erin Hicks and Peter Wartman

Toph’s Metalbending Academy by Faith Erin Hicks and Peter Wartman

The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman

The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher

The Velvet Fox by Catherine Fisher

The Midnight Swan by Catherine Fisher

Wildwood by Colin Meloy

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by J. R. R. Tolkien (translation)

Robin Hood (1922)

The Matrix (1999)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Avatar (2009)

Spectre (2015)

Botticelli, Florence and the Medici (2020)

No Time To Die (2021)

Dune (2021)

Encanto (2021)

John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979)

The Snowman (1982)

The Angel and the Soldier Boy (1989)

Supergirl: Season 5 (2019 – 2020)

Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)

Lost in Space: Season 3 (2021)

Doctor Who: Season 13 (2021)

Robin Robin (2021)

Beebo Saves Christmas (2021)

Annie Live! (2021)

More details on blog...

[that-bookworm-guy]

What To Say Next - Julie Buxbaum The Wind Up Bird Chronicle - Murakami Juniper - Monica Furlong Super Sad True Love Story - Gary Shteyngart Sunshine - Robin McKinley Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery Fablehaven Series - Brandon Mull Wildwood - Colin Meloy Rant: The Oral Biography of Buster Casey - Chuck Palahniuk