#samantha Dahl

[daisychains111]

even though I'm a very avid reader, I have the horrible habit of skimming and it came back to bite me today bc I'm rereading darkest minds and I got to the part where ruby is telling liam about her parents/Sam and am sobbing bc I had never read the part where ruby says that she was "Sam's 'Chubs' until she wasn't" and for some reason I had never realized how close they had been(even though im also pretty sure they have a cute reunion scene in ITA but i need to reread the whole book too bc its been forever and tbh i dont remember how it ends) and it just broke my heart idk...anyway don't skim your books kids

[seeker-of-stories19]

Cole Stewart, Ruby Daly, Liam Stewart, Zu Kimura, Chubs Merriwhether, Jude, Cate Connor, Vida Bautista, Sam Dahl, Lucas Orfeo

[scenesandscreens]

The Strain, Season One (2014)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro, David Semel, Keith Gordon, Peter Weller, Charlotte Sieling, Guy Ferland, John Dahl, Deran Sarafian & Phil Abraham

[everythingunderthesky]

Which Witch? 

This moment in "Donnie vs. Witch Town" has repeatedly caught my notice, and I’ve now recovered enough to break it down! 

First off, here’s the list verbatim:

Visitors  Suzy Bannion Heather Donahue Nancy Downs Minnie Castevet Katia Vajda Miss Anjelica Ernst Samantha Stephens April O’Neil

Unfamiliar names plus cursive plus a lack of high-quality stills meant decoding this took a little longer than expected.

I have attempted to minimize spoilers for the mentioned horror movies when possible, but in pursuing two contradictory goals, I have accomplished both imperfectly. C'est la vie!

Please note: I am by no means a film buff, so feel free to add any relevant context! 

Oh, the Horror . . . [films]!

"Suzy Bannion" would be a reference to the 1977 film Suspiria in which Suzy, a ballet student, finds herself investigating a supernatural coven of witches.

"Heather Donahue" is a homage to the 1999 "found footage" movie The Blair Witch Project*, wherein three student filmmakers investigate a legend of a witch in the woods.

"Nancy Downs", from the 1996 R-rated film The Craft, is one of a trio of students rumored to be dabbling in witchcraft.

"Minnie Castevet", on the other hand, hails from the dark 1968 film Rosemary’s Baby (based on the book by Ira Levin), wherein Minnie’s character is suspected of being a member of a coven. 

"Katia Vajda", originates from the 1960 film Black Sunday, (loosely based on Nikolai Gogol’s short story "Viy"). Katia was accused of being a vampiric witch and executed by her brother—but that isn’t the end of her story.

"Miss Anjelica Ernst" simultaneously references Roald Dahl’s 1973 novel The Witches and its 1990 film adaptation of the same name. One member of the notorious child-hating coven is the Grand High Witch, Eva Ernst, who was portrayed by Anjelica Huston on the big screen.

"Samantha Stephens" lives the life of a "good witch" in the 1964 television series Bewitched.

Special Bonus!

"Abigail the Good", founder of Witch Town, may be an allusion to the character "Abigail Pershing" from the 2015 television show Good Witch. 

I’ll go ahead and credit my dad as my research assistant; he described these references as "deep cuts".

And really, what higher praise is there? 

*For more about Heather Donahue, the producer and writer of the sitcom The High Country, check out this article by GQ's Scott Meslow, The Blair Witch Project's Heather Donahue Is Alive and Well!

[book--brackets]

Author Stats for BFB

When putting together the Best Fantasy Book polls, I noticed that a lot of authors were popular choices, so I thought I'd do a little post about our most popular authors from ones that are in the list only twice to the most common author we have!

The preliminary round for BFB starts tomorrow!

2 Times

J. R. R. Tolkien

Erin Morgenstern

Cassandra Clare

Eoin Colfer

Terry Pratchett

Laini Taylor

Jim Butcher

Robin Hobb

R. F. Kuang

Samantha Shannon

Shannon Hale

Jonathan Stroud

Seanan McGuire

Enid Blyton

Clive Barker

Alix E. Harrow

Scott Westerfeld

Raymond E. Feist

Wayne Thomas Batson

Xiran Jay Zhao

Lloyd Alexander

Meagan Spooner

Katherine Addison

Christina Henry

Gene Wolfe

N. D. Wilson

Emily Rodda

Jude Watson

Ellen Kushner

Cliff McNish

C. J. Cherryh

Garry Kilworth

3 Times

Rick Riordan

Roald Dahl

Brandon Sanderson

Cornelia Funke

Gail Carson Levine

Garth Nix

T. Kingfisher

Patricia C. Wrede

Robin McKinley

Kieron Gillen

Francis Hardinge

4 Times

Holly Black

V. E. Schwab

Naomi Novik

5 Times

Diana Wynne Jones

6 Times

Tamora Pierce

9 Times

Neil Gaiman

Mercedes Lackey

[literarilylost]

2024 reading thread

His Face All Red by Emily Caroll (★★★★☆)

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (DNF)

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan (★★★★☆)*

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) by Rick Riordan (★★★★★)*

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) by Rick Riordan (★★★★☆)*

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4) by Rick Riordan (★★★★☆)*

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5) by Rick Riordan (★★★★★)*

The Secret History by Donna Tartt (★★★★☆)*

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0) by Suzanne Collins (★★★★★)

Comet in Moominland (Mumintrollen #2) by Tove Jansson (★★★★☆)

Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy (★★★★☆)

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (★☆☆☆☆)

An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley (★★★★★)

Tress of the Emerald Sea (Cosmere #28) by Brandon Sanderson (★★★★☆)

Huda F Cares? by Huda Fahmy (★★★☆☆)

The Orange and Other Poems by Wendy Cope (★★★★☆)

Desified by Zaynah Din (★★★★☆)

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (★★★☆☆)

Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs by Henry Carroll (★★★★★)

Smart Phone Smart Photography by Jo Bradford (★★★★☆)

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (★★★★★)

Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs of Places by Henry Carroll (★★★★☆)

Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs of People by Henry Carroll (★★★★☆)

Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades by Rick Riordan (★★★☆☆)

Poison by Roald Dahl (★★★☆☆)

The Book of Bill by Alex Hirsch et al. (★★★★☆)

Gravity Falls: Journal 3 by Alex Hirsch et al. (★★★★☆)

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror collected by Jordan Peele (★★☆☆☆)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (★★★★☆)

Gravity Falls: Lost Legends by Alex Hirsch (★★★☆☆)

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega (★★★☆☆)

Weyward by Emilia Hart (★★★★★)

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Steifvater (★★★★★)*

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Steifvater (★★★☆☆)*

Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Steifvater (★★★★★)*

The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Steifvater (★★★☆☆)*

Opal (The Raven Cycle #4.5) by Maggie Steifvater (★★★☆☆)*

Call Down the Hawk (The Dreamer Trilogy #1) by Maggie Steifvater (★★★☆☆)

Mister Impossible (The Dreamer Trilogy #2) by Maggie Steifvater (★★★☆☆)

Greywaren (The Dreamer Trilogy #3) by Maggie Steifvater (★★★★☆)

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (★★★★★)

Spear By Nicola Griffith (★★☆☆☆)

The Sea Cloak and Other Stories by Nayrouz Qarmout (★★☆☆☆)

The Houseguest and Other Stories by Amparo Dávila (trans. Matthew Gleeson) (★★★☆☆)

*reread

[sporadiceagleheart]

Emeline Grier Miller, Kimber Hibbs, Adrianna Hutto, Jayden-Jay Silvester, Emily Vitoria Tavares DaSilva, Mystique Genuine Pairama, Josie Burleson, Faithlynn Blankenship, Leena Arredondo, Sally Ann Chesebro, Paige Marie Nilson, Christine L.Ketchum, Andrea Lee Anna Castilla, Shirley Temple and baby Leroy, Ava Jordan Wood, Samantha and Tessara Crespi, Gabby Petito, Mei Leung, Dayle Okazaki, Joan of Arc, Mary Katherine Moore, Arthur Boyd Moore, Brianna Mariah Lopez, Saffie-Rose Brenda Roussos, Lily Peters, Olivia Pratt Korbel, Elizabeth Shelley, Sara Sharif, Charlotte Figi, Lucy Morgan, Star Hobson, Emilie Alice Parker, Catherine Violet Hubbard, Princess Sophie Hélène Béatrice, Louis XVII, Lois Janes, Sharon Lee Gallegos, Maite Rodriguez, Eliahna Torres, Jackie Cazares, Makenna Lee Elrod, Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, Jailah Nicole Silguero, Maranda Gail Mathis, Caroline Previdi, Charlotte Bacon, Olivia Engel, Olivia Dahl, Laila Marie Daniel, Paulette Gebara Farah, Barbara Tinning, Baby Abby Jennings, Olivia-Leigh Picton, Aisha and Lailani Ford, Caroline and Madison Rae king, Gillian and Jennifer Pollock, Madison Weeks, Violet Beckett, Kasi Sanders, Heather O'Rourke and Judith Barsi, Heather White, Jaclyn Dowaliby, Betty Jean Bartlett, Brianna Lynn Walker, Judy Garland, Darla Jean Hood, Frank Sutton, Jim Nabors, Eva Heyman, Lily Elsie, Nannie Tyler, Dicy Loud Ream, Emma Ochsner, Emma Ochsner Mundhenke, Little Darcy-May Elm, Mia Julianne Nicole Serrato, Sarah Shulze, Veronica Moser-Sullivan, Moa Leontine Björk, Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine, Rika Oudgenoeg, Makenna Grace Adcock, MaKenna Rae Fraaza, Mariah Lynn Sisco, Lesley Ann Downey, Sienna Maloney, Avery Nicole King, Angel Hope Herrera, Gerb Johansson, Th Princess Louise and Queen Victoria, Megan Rochelle Jenkins, Jennifer Sue Delgado, Soren Chilson, Joanna Pollock, Jacqueline Theresa Pollock, Robert Towne, Leona Gertrude Loud, Sirita Jimmina “BooBoo” Sotelo, Lee Williams rest in peace

[readingbooksinisrael]

March 2023 Read This Month

Rereads

The BFG/Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake (mg fantasy)-When Sophie sees a giant she is very lucky it is the BFG--the Big Friendly Giant--and not any of the other giants, like the Fleshlumpeater, who see children as snacks. Together, they hatch a plan to save children from being eaten.

Emily’s Runaway Imagination/Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush (mg historical fiction)-There isn’t much to do in a little farming town in Oregon in the 1920s and so Emily’s imagination often runs away with her; but maybe some of her ideas aren’t so crazy, like getting a library.

Matilda/Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake (mg fantasy)-Matilda is a very smart little girl, but her parents hate her and deride her. When she goes to school the Headmistress acts exactly the same way. Then she discovers she can move things with her eyes. Can she use that to save herself and the other children in the school from the terrible Trunchbull?

5 stars

Top Secret/John Reynolds Gardiner, illustrated by Marc Simont (mg contemporary sci fi)-Allen is certain he wants to do a project on human photosynthesis for the upcoming science fair, but everyone except his grandfather forbids him to. He’ll have to prove he can do it--and if that involves calling up the President? Well, it involves calling up the President.

3.75 stars

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches/Sangu Mandanna (adult low fantasy)-As one of few witches, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of the residents of Nowhere House.

3.5 stars

The Priory of the Orange Tree/Samantha Shannon (The Roots of Chaos #1) (adult high fantasy)-The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but makes a choice that could see her life unravel.

Two Dog Biscuits/Beverly Cleary, illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvio-Ryan (Two Times the Fun #2) (realistic fiction picture book)-Jimmy and Janet get two dog biscuits from their neighbor. How will they ever choose which dog to give them to?

3 stars

Haunted Castle on Hallow’s Eve/Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Salvatore Murdocca (Merlin Missions #2) (children’s fantasy)-On Halloween Night Jack and Annie receive another mission from Merlin: put order back to a castle, which the villagers say is filled with ghosts.

חבורת הרפאים/אביגדור שחן, מאוייר ע”י יואב בז’רנו (עלילות גבורה ומיסתורין #1) (ya Jewsish adventure and romance)-Avi is a refugee in a Jewish Romanian town after the Holocaust. He spends his days wandering around the streets when, all at once, he is invited to join two societies preparing for the aliya to Israel. One has the prettiest girl he’s ever talked to and the second is a secret society, preparing to steal back Jewish treasure from a church yard in the nearby Christian town.

2.5 stars

Cities of Wonder/ed. Damon Knight (adult sci fi collection)-A collection of stories ranging from the 20s to the 60s about sci fi cities.

[jxrm]

book log - 2021

party of two by jasmine guillory

the ballad of songbirds and snakes by suzanne collins

one to watch by kate stayman-london

the boy at the door by alex dahl

little cruelties by liz nugent

followers by megan angelo

the three mrs. wrights by linda keir

those other women by nicola moriarty

the affair by sheryl browne

influence by sara shepard

this won't end well by camille pagan

slay by brittney morris

the midnight library by matt haig

pretty little wife by darby kane

love & gelato by jenna evans welch

the prenup by lauren layne

firefly lane by kristin hannah

when you disappeared by john marrs

one year of ugly by caroline mackenzie

when no one is watching by alyssa cole

providence by caroline kepnes

the other couple by cathryn grant

musical chairs by amy poeppel

by the book by amanda sellet

all the good parts by loretta nyhan

the end of her by shari lapena

simmer down by sarah smith

there's something about sweetie by sandhya menon

over my dead husband's body by etta faire

what if? by shari low

the accidental beauty queen by teri wilson

searching for coach taylor by mindy kaling

bridal boot camp by meg cabot

the tenant by katrine engberg

meddling kids by edgar cantero

kind of hindu by mindy kaling

the last time i saw you by elizabeth berg

unscripted by nicole kronzer

dial a for aunties by jesse q. sutanto

lila by naima coster

big shot by mindy kaling

single asiactic male seeks ride or die chick by eddie huang

within these wicked walls by lauren blackwood

five total strangers by natalie d. richards

help is on the way by mindy kaling

love & estrogen by samantha allen

a touch of jen by beth morgan

instamom by cahntel guertin

second first impressions by sally thorne

the minders by john marrs

where the grass is green and the girls are pretty by lauren weisberger

undercover bromance by lyssa kay adams

the last mrs. parrishby liv constantine

if the fates allow by rainbow rowell

sweet virgina by caroline kepnes

less by andrew sean greer

the soulmate equation by christina lauren

crazy stupid bromance by lyssa kay adams

watermelon by marian keyes

graceful burdens by roxane gay

the last flight by julie clark

fly away by kristin hannah

isn't it bromantic? by lyssa kay adams

the rest of the story by sarah dessen

[noahsbookhoard]

📚 Hi! I'm Noah avid reader since age 6 and always happy to discuss books! 📚

I read almost all genre with sweet tooth for fantasy and sci-fi. I also have a growing interest in murder mystery and horror. Lots of queer fiction. I'm also catching up on my classics.

Mostly adult and some young adult but I have enjoy middle grade from time to time.

I especially love Terry Pratchett, Victor Hugo, Agatha Christie and T J Klune.

I read in both english and french, english not being my first language but I'm pretty much fluent.

Yearly book count : 138

Last finished reading

The Agatha Christie Book Club #1 by C A Larmer

Reading in progress

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei

Winter Spirits short story collection by various authors

Already read this year (in reverse chronological order)

(The lines in pink are book crushes)

Soie by Alessandro Baricco

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Retour à St Mary (Cosy Christmas Mystery #1) by Carine Pitocchi

Le Père Porcher (Chroniques du Disque-Monde #20) by Terry Pratchett

A Day of Fallen Night (Root of Chaos #0) by Samantha Shannon

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean #2) T J Klune

The Sword Catcher (Chronicles of Castelane #1) by Cassandra Clare

La Dame du manoir de Wildfell Hall (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall) by Anne Brontë

L'amant by Marguerite Duras

The Restaurang at the End of the Universe (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #2) by Douglas Adams

Une belle vie by Virginie Grimaldi

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Wintersmith (Discworld #34) by Terry Pratchett

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone (Ernest Cunningham #1) by Benjamin Stevenson

What Feast at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T Kingfisher

Le Bastion des Larmes by Abdellah Taïa

If We Were Villains by M L Rio

War and Peace by Leon Tolstoi

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

Rule of Two (Darth Bane Trilogy #2) by Drew Karpyshyn

Les Dragons by Jérôme Colin

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J Taylor

Le dieu d'automne et d'hiver by Pauline Sidre

Les Possibles by Virginie Grimaldi

A Close and Common Orbit (Wayfarer #2) by Becky Chambers

The Outsider by Stephen King

Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow

Tous les silence ne font pas le même bruit by Baptiste Beaulieu

Trois battements un silence by Anne Fakhouri

Kiss Kiss by Roal Dahl

Assassin's Apprentice (Realm of the Elderlings #1) by Robin Hobb

Halloween Party by Agatha Christie

Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diary #2) by Martha Wells

The Light Throught the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah

Et que ne durent que les moments doux by Virginie Grimaldi

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim

Ring Shout by P Djeli Clark

The Rest of the Robots (Robots #2) by Isaac Asimov

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgerton #8) by Julia Quinn

Our Missing Heart by Celeste Ng

Book of Blood I by Clive Barker

Ilos by Marion Brunet

Babel by R F Kuang

Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1) by Seanan McGuire

Thud! (Discworld #34) by Terry Pratchett

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel

Les aventures de Billy et du Pyrobarbare : la forteresse du chaudron noir by Bob Lennon

Space Opera by Catherynne M Valente

Magie et Sentiments : les secrets de Longdawn by Ariel Holzl

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

It's in His Kiss (Brigerton #7) by Julia Quinn

Les Cinq by Matthieu Rochelle

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Paul Smith

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C S Lewis

How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub by P Djeli Clark

An Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie

The Oleander Sword (The Burning Kingdoms #2) by Tasha Suri

Time to Orbit : Unknown by Derin Edala

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane

Under the Whispering Door by T J Klune

The Moth Keeper by Kay O'Neill

Cain's Jawbone by E Powys Mathers

Darth Bane : Path of Destruction (Darth Bane #1) by Drew Karpyshyn

Du thé pour les fantômes by Chris Vuklisevic

Labyrinthes (Caleb Tracksman #3) by Franck Thiliez

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers

Le dernier des siens by Sibylle Grimbert

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie

Going Postal (Discworld #33) by Terry Pratchett

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Blanche-Neige et les lances-missiles (Du temps où les dieux buvaient #1) by Catherine Dufour

When He Was Wicked (Bridgerton #6) by Julia Quinn

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Celle qu'il attendait by Baptiste Beaulieu

Jusqu'à ce que mort s'ensuive by Olivier Rolin

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Umbrella Academy Vol 1-3 by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bà

Il était deux fois (Caleb Tracksman #2) by Franck Thilliez

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

To Sir Phillip With Love (Bridgerton #5) by Julia Quinn

Le papillon des étoiles by Bernard Werber

Beren and Luthien by J R R Tolkien

A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld #32) by Terry Pratchett

Le manuscrit inachevé (Caleb Tracksman #1) by Frnaxk Thiliez

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Akata Witch (Akata Witch #1) by Nnedi Okorafor

Romancing Mr Bridgerton (Bridgerton #4) by Julia Quinn

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

An Offer from a Gentleman (Bridgerton #3) by Julia Quinn

Delicious in Dungeon vol 1-14 by Ryoko Kui

Doctor Who : the Star Beast by Gary Russell

La promesse de l'aube by Romain Gary

The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms #1) by Tasha Suri

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adam

The Illiad by Homer (trad Emily Wilson)

The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton #2) by Julia Quinn

The Me You Love in the Dark by Scotty Young and

The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) by Julia Quinn

Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

Nona the Ninth (Locked Tomb #3) by Tamsyn Muir

The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune

I, Robot (Robot #1) by Isaac Asimov

Monstrous Regiment (Discworld #31) by Terry Pratchett

The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in your Home by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink

Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 1-27 by Hiromu Arakawa

The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fischer by E M Anderson

All System Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

Veiller sur elle by Jean-Baptiste Andrea

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Segurant le chevalier au dragon by Emanuele Arioli

Chanson Douce by Leila Sleimane

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

He Who Drowned The World (The Radiant Emperor #2) by Shelley Parker Chan

Et à la fin ils meurent by Lou Lubie

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

The Wee Free Men (Discworld #30) by Terry Pratchett

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Harrow the Ninth (Locked Tomb #2) by Tamsyn Muir

Histoire de coming out by Baptiste Beaulieu and Sophie Nanteuil

Heartstopper Vol 1-4 by Alice Oseman

The Old Guard by Greg Rucka

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Le Comte de Monte-Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

La Cicatrice by Bruce Lowrey

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Us by Sara Soler

Gideon the Ninth (Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir

[dogear5]

2024 read

January

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

February

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

March

Heartstopper: Volume One by Alice Oseman

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

April

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse by Beatrix Potter

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

May

A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle

June

Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle

An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle

The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket

The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket

The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (reread)

The Tale of Little Pig Robinson by Beatrix Potter

July

The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien (reread)

The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien (reread)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (reread)

August

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket

The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket

The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket

The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket

The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket

The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket

The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket

The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket

The End by Lemony Snicket

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (reread)

September

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (reread)

Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

October

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford

The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice

Shady Hollow by Juneau Black

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

November

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

December

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

The Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells (reread)

[greensparty]

Green's Party Guide to the 2024 Oscar Nominated Short Films

Anyone who knows me knows I am a longtime champion of the Short Film categories for Animation, Live Action and Documentary at the Academy Awards, mainly because I have made short films and I know how hard it can be to tell a story in a short amount of time. I am very excited to continue my annual tradition of showcasing the Oscar Nominated Short Films (read the  2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 guides). 

2024 movie poster

This year’s nominated short films are available from ShortsTV both in theaters and online. I’ve watched all of them and here are my thoughts and predictions:

Best Live Action Short Film:

This year's Live Action Short Film nominees is one of the strongest collection of nominees in years! The After (U.K.) was produced by Neon Films and distributed by Netflix. In this heavy drama, after a traumatic experience with his family Dayo (played by David Oyelowo) becomes a rideshare driver and one of his jobs helps him to confront the past. Oyelowo (who also produced this film) has been excellent in a number of films including Selma and The Butler, and this is truly a showcase for him! Red, White and Blue (U.S.) was produced by Samantha Bee. In this drama, a single mother (played by Brittany Snow, another notable actress) bring her young daughter with her as she crosses state lines to get an abortion. Without getting into spoilers, it goes from a sobering to even more sobering and has a lot to say about the need for reproductive rights in all states. Knight of Fortune (Denmark) is about a man who's at a morgue to say goodbye to his suddenly deceased wife and he forms an unlikely friendship with another widower. In a category filled with heavy dramas, this one is among the heaviest, but there's also a humanity to it in showing in a very fragile state how a total strange can lend a helping hand. Invincible (Canada) is based on a true story of the last 48 hours of a 14-year-old boy's life while he's in a juvenile center. While there are some powerful moments, it does feel like at times like it's a feature being squeezed into a short. Netflix's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (U.S. / U.K.) is the most high-profile as it's from director Wes Anderson adapting from Roald Dahl and it was released on Netflix in September. Anderson had previously adapted Dahl's The Fantastic Mr. Fox and this time he's adapted a 37 min. film but with the same scale as a feature. The film explores a variety of stories narrated by Dahl (played by Ralph Fiennes), the main story being about Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch), who is able to predict the future and see through objects thanks to a book he stole. This one is easily the biggest budget, most star-studded and most visually impressive.

Will Win: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is the clear frontrunner. Wes Anderson has been Oscar-nominated in a number of other categories (Screenwriting both Original and Adapted, Animated Feature director, Directing, and producing Best Picture) and yet he has never won even though he is one of the most critically acclaimed and innovative directors working today. In some ways it is kind of unfair that an A-list director makes a short film on the scale of a feature when so many Live Action Shorts are low budget and trying to make something impressive in a short amount of time and don't have nearly the resources Anderson does to be able to get this cast, the production design and to adapt Dahl. On the other hand there's no rule that says Live Action Shorts are meant for newcomers and directors early in their career...so survival of the fittest. But something that needs to be said about this year's crop of nominees is that there's a lot of heavy drama, and this one is charming and lighter in contrast, which could steal the thunder.

Should Win: I'm going to have to say a tie. Henry Sugar is highly impressive, but Red, White and Blue stayed with me and had a twist that was devastating.

Best Animated Short Film:

This is also a great year for animated short nominees: Our Uniform (Iran) is about an Iranian girl unleashing her memories of school as she looks at her old uniform. The animation style and aesthetic is very unique. Letter to a Pig (Israel / France) is about a Holocaust survivor speaking to a classroom about how a pig saved his life and a student goes into a dream about it. This is very heavy and intense. But I do feel like animation purists are going to have an issue with the fact that is also used some live action footage interspersed with the animation. But either way, this is a very innovative approach to the subject matter. Pachyderme (France) looks at a young girl visiting her grandparents in the Summer countryside. A young female protagonist and/or a woman looking back at her younger self is a common theme in this year's nominees, but this one has some gothic and horror elements to it. Ninety-Five Senses (U.S.) is directed by Jared Hess (yes the director of Napoleon Dynamite is an Oscar-nominee) and his wife Jerusha Hess (writer with Jared on several films and Austenland). An old cowboy (played by actor/director Tim Blake Nelson) reflects on the body's five senses in his lifetime as he's about to run out of time. Let me just say I was not into Napoleon Dynamite at all, but what got my attention more than the directors was Tim Blake Nelson, an underrated actor who shines in everything he's in. I kind of liked how the animation changes within each sense Coy describes and also how it has a sense of nostalgia about the pre-digital era. WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko (U.S.) got my attention immediately as I am a lifelong Beatle / John Lennon fanatic. It was co-written by Sean Ono Lennon, who also co-produced with his mom Yoko Ono. Director Dave Mullins was previously nominated in this category for Pixar's 2017 short Lou. Set during a World War I front, a pigeon carries messages between two soldiers playing chess, unaware they are on opposite sides. There is no dialogue and the music score of Pixar veteran Thomas Newman enhances the powerful anti-war message of this colorful visual feat!

In addition to the official nominees, ShortsTV is including two additional films in the Best Animated Short Film program, both of which were on the short list but did not get nominated. Wild Summon (U.K.) is narrated by Marianne Faithfull and it was produced by Oscar-winner Adam McKay. It looks at the lifecycle of the wild salmon as it looks in human form. While it is a bit long, there is a strong environmental message to it. I'm Hip (U.S.) was directed by animation veteran John Musker, who was nominated for two Oscars for Animated Feature for The Princess and the Frog and Moana. This is about a hip cat who sings a song about how hip he is to the world around him...who don't agree.

Should Win: WAR IS OVER! is the best of this year's strong crop. With the state of the world what it is right now, an anti-war message anchored by a John and Yoko's "Happy Xmas" made a very strong statement. I'm a huge fan of Sean Lennon and it'd be awesome to see him accept!

Will Win: WAR IS OVER! Not only is there the name recognition of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, but the World War I setting completely driven by visuals and no dialogue will go a long way.

Best Documentary Short Film:

This is a great year for Short Docs: Nai Nai & Wài Pó (U.S. with Mandarin subtitles) was a festival hit acquired by Disney+. Director Sean Wang makes a touching and personal profile of his grandmothers who live together and dance, exercise and joke together. There is a sadness about mortality, but there's also a sense of humor to this that makes the subjects seem funnier than it would in another director's hands. The Barber of Little Rock (U.S.) is produced by Liz Garbus (a two-time Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Feature) and the New Yorker. In Little Rock, AR a local barber Arlo Washington has founded People Trust, a non-profit community bank fostering economic progress for underserved and underbanked residents. This doc looks at a number of people who have collaborated with People Trust (each of whom could easily be the subject of their own doc), but the through line is very much Arlo who is fighting the good fight to provide opportunities a lot of banks are not and to help the community as a whole. Island in Between  (Taiwan) is produced by the New York Times. The doc's director S. Leo Chiang reflects on his own relationship with Taiwan, United States and China from the islands of Kinmen, just off of mainland China. The cinematography is breathtaking to say the least! The ABCs of Book Banning (U.S.) was produced by MTV Documentary Films. It was co-directed by Sheila Nevins (a big doc producer and executive who is just now directing) and was co-directed by Trish Adams (a previous Oscar nominee for Best Doc Feature for GasLand) and Nazenet Habtezghi (a producer on American Experience). This looks at the topical issue of banned books from school districts in recent years. Instead of just documenting the battles and the politicians who campaigned for book banning, this doc talks with children and in some cases the authors of some of the banned books. This is very thought-provoking and lends itself to a longer conversation after the film is over. The act of saying a book cannot be read in a school district raises bigger issues and concerns about intent and prejudice. By the end of the film, I truly wished we could force Desantis and his staff to watch this! The Last Repair Shop  (U.S.) was produced by L.A. Times and distributed by Disney+ and it was co-directed by Kris Bowers and Ben Proudfoot, who are veterans in this category having been nominated A Concerto is a Conversation at the 2021 Oscars and Ben won for last year's The Queen of Basketball. Here Proudfoot and Bowers (an accomplished music composer for numerous films) look at Los Angeles, one of the few cities that offer to repair music instruments for the public school students at no cost. The doc looks at the repair shop, but more specifically the four craftspeople who specialize in these instruments as well as the students who play them. This is very much a doc that pulls at the heartstrings. But what I loved about this is that it is really an analogy about how music can be something that brings people of all walks of life together to make something beautiful.

Should Win: Some highly impressive docs in this category this year, but The ABC's of Book Banning made the strongest statement. But do not discount The Last Repair Shop, also about the need for art in our society.

Will Win: This could go any number of ways, but the fact that The Last Repair Shop is now on Disney+ and was broadcast on ABC-TV, definitely raises its profile significantly. The fact that it was a bigger budget doc with a sweet message is going to go a long way too!

This year's Oscar Nominated Short Films can be seen online from ShortsTV as well as select movie theaters including programs at Coolidge Corner Theatre and Landmark Kendall Square Cinema.

[capableism]

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Parties and Teenage Brains

I am not Jewish. Therefore, I cannot pretend to know how antisemitic  rhetoric and and violence feel.I am not part of that community that has a long history of discrimination and systemic barriers different from those of disability rights or racism that affect me more personally.

Popular media has shown non Jews for decades that Hanukkah and Bar/Bat Mitzvah must be the most  important celebrations for Jewish Americans.

Photo by Samantha Grades from Unsplash

This Americanization of Bar/Bat Mitzvahs has caused there to be a drop off of  Jewish children continuing their education in Jewish traditions and faith after the age of thirteen. 

Many bar mitzvahs in pop culture are viewed through the lens of a Christian protagonist. For example, 

The Wonder Years depicts Kevin and Paul's birthdays as only a day apart. When Paul needs his Bar Mitzvah on Kevin's birthday because a Bar Mitzvah happens on the Saturday after turning thirteen, they argue over whose party is more important. 

Kevin disregards Jewish traditions and is instead focused on money  and extravagance. In reality, this sets up 7th graders with unrealistic  expectations.

While working at Youth Education at Temple Beth Shalom, Amy Bernson  noticed a "sharp drop-off" of students after they had a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. 

"I had  parents tell me that their parents made them stay until their Bar Mitzvah, and  they still remained Jewish…

Other parents would leave messages on my  voicemail explaining that religious school had been the priority for years. 

Still, now  that their daughter has become a Bat Mitzvah, it was time for non-religious  activities—dance or cheerleading—to take priority so Sara wouldn't resent being Jewish. (Bernson 1-2)

The adolescent brain goes through a growth spurt of connections, making teens  distantly different from children. For all the strength and size gained, there are conflicting opportunities for recklessness in adolescence. 

"Adolescence is strongly associated with an increase in risk-taking, sensation-seeking, and  reckless behavior. In most measurable ways, adolescents have developed better reasoning and decision-making skills than children" (Dahl, 3).

Culture and religions have marked ages from thirteen through eighteen as significant in society, often featuring a celebration to mark the start to adulthood. 

Bar/Bat Mitzvah is one of these occasions that can be  tied to adolescents' need for social acceptance, with high expectations leading  to emotional behavior patterns.

 13 the Musical focuses on Evan Goldman. "My name is Evan Goldman, I live at 224 West 92nd Street in the heart of Manhattan, and my life just went to  hell." 

In the opening number of 13, Evan's parents are going through a divorce. Evan is forced to have his Bar Mitzvah in Indiana, away from all his friends. 

Throughout the Musical, he goes to extremes to receive validation from the popular kids in school who he invites to his ceremony, which  he calls his Jewish Super Bowl.

References Berenson, A. (n.d.). Bar Mitzvah phenomenon. History of Jewish Education: From Talmud Torah’s to Learning Communities, 1-6. http://tartak.huc.edu/guide/docs/08/Final%20CTF%20Berenson%20Amy.pdf Dahl, R. E. (2004). Adolescent brain development a period of vulnerabilities and opportunities. Annals New York Academy of Science, 1-22. https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/5740503/mod_resource/content/1/Dahl_Adolescent_brain_development.pdf

[book--brackets]

Submissions :

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Frank Baum)

Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie)

The Looking Glass Wars (Frank Beddor)

The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern)

The Starless Sea (Erin Morgenstern)

The World of Riverside (Ellen Kushner)

Thomas the Rhymer (Ellen Kushner)

Saga (Brian K. Vaughan)

Anansi Boys (Neil Gaiman)

The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman)

Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman)

Snow, Glass, Apples (Neil Gaiman)

A Study in Emerald (Neil Gaiman)

Sandman (Neil Gaiman)

The Bone Season (Samantha Shannon)

The Witches (Roald Dahl)

The B.F.G (Roald Dahl)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl)

Hmm, I think you have some favorite authors...

I added all of these with the exception of Snow, Glass, Apples and A Study in Emerald since one of my requirements is that a book must have chapters--I'm making allowances for short story collections, but not individual short stories

[seeker-of-stories19]

Rubiam Wedding Headcannons

- Liam plans this romantic trip to Virginia Beach and plans to propose to her at sunset front of the ocean.

- Went over the plan a hundred times with Chubs and Cole.

- He’s in the middle of his speech when Ruby sees Cate pull up and runs over to say got to Jude and Zu.

- He just stands there all disappointed and annoyed with himself trailing after Ruby dejectedly and deciding to propose after dinner on the beach under the stars.

- When they walk back into the hotel room Cole picks Ruby up and spins her in circles and congratulates her on her engagement.

- “I’m so happy for you Gem! You’re going to make a beautiful bride!”

-Sees Liam gesturing wildly over Ruby shoulder and panics.

- “Bride my bride, what I mean to say is will you marry me? You see I’ve always been in love with you…”

- Liam is just giving him a death glare the whole time.

-Ruby ignores him and turns toward Lee in complete shock. She’s already crying when he gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring.

-She says yes obviously and everyone is thrilled.

- Liam asks Chubs to be his best man because “you proposed to my girlfriend Cole!”

- But it doesn’t really matter because Ruby asks Cole to be her maid of honor. He’s honored and he picks her up again and spins her around to annoy Liam.

- For months Liam tries to convince Ruby to trick Cole into thinking he had to wear a dress as payback.

- Ruby doesn’t agree but Vida does and she freaks Cole out.

- Cole plans the most badass bachelorette party for Ruby, Zu, Vida, and Sam. The evening includes cupcake decorating and a really expensive dinner. (Everything they never got to do in the camps)

- The morning of their wedding Cole goes to Liam and he thinks it’s to comfort him but then Cole sits down and tells him that he’ll kill him if he ever hurts Ruby.

- Then hugs him and leaves him standing there super confused.

- The ceremony is beautiful and Liam and Ruby both cry.

- They have the sweetest handwritten vows.

- Liam dances with Zu and Ruby dances with Cole and they both have an amazing evening.

- Everyone wishes them good luck when they leave for their honeymoon to Hawaii.

- It’s some of the best days of their lives.