Saturday Screen Time #46: Spooky & controversial

 

Happy Saturday, everyone! I'm back today with another movie and TV update. Since it was spooky season, I watched a ton of horror movies, but also some sci-fi and fantasy. I have some controversial ratings for you today and I can't wait to hear what you all thought! 

RECENTLY IN (NEW TO ME) MOVIES

THE BEST

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - My husband and I made a trip to the local drive in (I can't believe we have one of those) to see Shang-Chi and knew nothing going in. We were both so pleasantly surprised with this movie! I loved the new characters and mythology, the cameos, and the visuals. I am so excited to see how this ties into the new generation of Marvel movies! This is one I'll definitely be buying a physical copy of. (5/5 stars)

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin - The new Paranormal Activity movie is nothing if not polarizing. I happen to fall into the camp that really enjoyed it! No, it doesn't seem to have a single tie to the OG Paranormal Activity franchise, but I loved the claustrophobic atmosphere and creepy cult vibes. The demon in sufficiently spooky and I liked that the ending left room for a sequel. If only the characters didn't consistently make idiotic choices. (4/5 stars)

THE WORST

Dune - Controversial opinion time! I was honestly hesitant about giving two and a half hours to this film, but my husband really wanted to see it and I caved. I feel like there must be an incredible story here (and maybe we'll get that in part two), but this movie just dragged. It was gorgeous to look at, but the characters are as dry as sandpaper and I found that I didn't care about any of them. I didn't necessarily need more action because I love a ton of really slow movies! I just needed more to care about. I'm glad so many other people loved this one, but it was not for me. (2/5 stars)

Found Footage 3D - This was a buddy watch and I honestly don't know if I would have finished it on my own. There were great ideas, but the execution was questionable. A lot of Found Footage 3D was repetitive and the characters didn't make realistic decisions. I did like the last several minutes, but I feel that this would have been better as a short film. (2/5 stars)

RECENTLY IN REWATCHES

RECENTLY IN TV

Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 - I think I might finally have outgrown this franchise. I haven't watched a main season since Colton's started and I found myself watching this just out of fear of missing something. I didn't really care about any of the participants and the drama was over the top. Goodbye for now, Bachelor Nation. (1/5 stars)

You Season 3 - I thought I knew where this season was going to go, but I was so wrong! They definitely took Joe and Love's story completely over the top, but I didn't hate it. I know people were split over the ending, but I loved it and I can't wait to see what happens next! (4/5 stars)

Big Brother Season 23 - After skipping most of last season, I decided to give this one a chance. While I did enjoy it way more than Cory's popularity tour, I hate that most new seasons are complete steamrolls and this one fell into that category. The winner was fine, but the journey to get there just wasn't as fun as in older BB seasons. (3/5 stars)

WATCHLIST & CURRENT WATCHES

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Have you seen Squid Game yet?
What controversial movie opinion do you have?

Let me know in the comments!

Book Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Title: Big Little Lies
Author: Liane Moriarty
Publication Date: July 29, 2014
Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books
Pages: 458
Add to Goodreads

Sometimes it’s the little lies that turn out to be the most lethal...

A murder . . . a tragic accident . . . or just parents behaving badly?
What’s indisputable is that someone is dead.
But who did what?

Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads:

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

This was my second Liane Moriarty book but my first Moriarty mystery book. Big Little Lies starts off with a murder. The reader doesn’t know who died or who killed them, all they know is that someone died at an elementary school’s parents’ trivia night.

The story has three points of view – Madeline, Celeste, and Jane. Madeline is a spitfire with a strong personality and she’s the first one to try to right an injustice no matter how big or small. Celeste has the kind of beauty and wealth that makes people stop and stare on the street and makes women who know her jealous. To the outside world, she and her life were perfect, but no one ever knows what happens behind closed doors. Jane is the newest and youngest mom on the block. Just 24, she and her son Ziggy moved to a new town. Madeline, Celeste, and Jane all had kids in the same kindergarten class. On the tip of the iceberg, this book is about elementary school parents and the cliques they separate themselves into. Under the surface, however, this book tackles issues such as bullying, eating disorders, sexual assault, and others.

My favorite character in this book was Celeste. She was the only character I found myself completely enjoying no matter what happened to her. Each of these characters felt extremely real to me. I had to constantly remind myself that they weren’t real people to keep from crying. This story continuously kept my guessing. I’m usually good at guessing how stories will end but there was so much of this book that I didn’t see coming. My favorite part of this book was the climax. I literally found it impossible to put the book down once I reached it. The only thing I disliked about this book was my attempt at watching the HBO series based on it. I didn’t even make it five minutes into the show before I had to turn it off.

This book was a five-star read for me and I would definitely recommend it to others. There are some disturbing topics in this book talking about sexual assault, domestic abuse, and bullying so I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who cannot handle these topics, but if you can handle these topics and you love drama, intrigue, and mystery, this is the book for you! 

ARC Review: Her Soul for Revenge by Harley Laroux

Title: Her Soul for Revenge (Souls Trilogy #2)
Author: Harley Laroux
Publication Date: October 30, 2021
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 461
Add to Goodreads
Review for book 1

//I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review//

Juniper
After a cult tried to sacrifice me to their wicked God, I went on the run, doing whatever was necessary to survive. Until a demon offered me a deal: give him my soul and he'll help me claim the vengeance I seek. Blood will be spilled, and the monsters I once ran from will soon be running from me. But damning my soul was just the beginning - it's my heart the demon wants next.

Zane
I've been hunting souls for centuries, but she's the ultimate prize - vicious and feral, with a broken soul as dark as my own. I thought claiming her would be a simple game, but Juniper is far from simple. I chose to follow her on a path drenched with the blood of her enemies, but it's our blood that may be spilled next. As an ancient God wakes from Its slumber, neither of us may survive.

Her Soul for Revenge is book 2 in the Souls Trilogy. Although all the books are interconnected, they are stand-alone and can be read in any order.

Recently I reviewed Her Soul to Take, cementing its place on my blog as a favorite of 2021. I adored Leon and Rae so much, but I was also really curious to learn more about Juniper, the sacrifice who got away, and her demon Zane. Thank goodness, I was approved for an ARC and got to jump into this story even sooner than expected!

Her Soul for Revenge is a parallel story to Her Soul To Take, showing the same events from Juniper and Zane's point of view. Although I was wondering exactly how this would work, I loved every second of it! I loved seeing bits and pieces of Leon and Rae's relationship from another perspective! Even more than that, Juniper was the protagonist I've always hoped for! She was an absolute badass who just needed a bit of help from a demon to get her revenge. 

The romance was just as good as book one, while being completely different. I loved these two extremely independent, ruthless characters going all soft and mushy for each other. And of course the spice was FIRE! Harley Laroux consistently puts out some of the best spice I've ever read.

One of my favorite parts of Her Soul for Revenge was getting more insight about Hell and the mythology surrounding the Deep One. I am here for Lovecraftian horror and the blending of the creepy, dread-inducing monsters with such a fantastic romance is everything I've ever wanted in a dark romance. The ending was perfect and I loved the brief discussion of mental health and the importance of therapy. 

I know that book three is about Everly and Callum and I absolutely cannot wait to read it! If you're a fan of dark romance and horror, you definitely need to check this series out! It's available today, so you don't even have to wait. But PLEASE check the trigger warnings! It isn't for the faint of heart. 

My favorite (and least favorite) spinoffs

Every time I see a new spinoff announced, I get a little bit worried that they won't live up to the original series. Today I'm sharing some I loved, some I didn't, and a few I still want to read! 

HATED

Believe me when I tell you I LOVED The Selection series and was so hyped for The Heir to release! Imagine my disappointment when America and Maxon's kid was insufferable.

Ah yes, another series I was absolutely obsessed with. I rushed out on release day to buy a copy of Noah Shaw and was extremely sad when I couldn't even bring myself to finish it.

LOVED

After the disappointment of The Heir and The Becoming of Noah Shaw, I was skeptical of The Midnight Lie. Thankfully, it ended up being one of my favorite reads of 2020! The sequel wasn't perfect, but only because I wanted more of it.

TO READ

I haven't gotten around to reading A Shadow in the Ember only because I still need to finish A Crown of Gilded Bones! I've heard amazing things about it though and I definitely want more from this world! (Also I just noticed the leaves are identically placed on the covers).

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What spinoffs have you loved or hated?
Which would you love to see written?
Let me know in the comments!

Book Review: The XY by Virginia Bergin

Title: The XY
Author: Virginia Bergin
Publication Date: November 6, 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 352
Add to Goodreads

Sixty years ago, a virus wiped out almost all men on Earth. Now women run the world, and men are kept in repopulation facilties, safe from the deadly virus. At least, that's what everyone has been led to believe…until River discovers a young man on a country road—injured but alive. Mason has been outside for five days since escaping from his facility, and no one can understand how he has survived. Hiding the boy violates the rules of their world, but as the women of the town band together to try to save him, River begins to suspect that the truth behind Mason's existence is darker than she could have imagined. 

Unfortunately, I was very underwhelmed by this book. I don’t give low ratings often, but this was a 2.5 star read for me.

This book is about River, a teenage girl growing up in a world completely run by women. Two generations before River, there was a virus that, for some reason, was a threat to the male population but not to the female population. For some reason, the virus killed males but it laid dormant in females. Since males are needed to continue the population, all boys and men were sent to secure and sterilized facilities, called sanctuaries, where they could live free of the virus. When a male is born, he is immediately taken from his mother and taken to the nearest sanctuary. She doesn’t even get to hold him. Most of those who remember the “once-was”, as River calls it, are hoping for the day when males can reenter society. Those who came after the once-was, like River and her mother, grew up being taught that men were nothing but bad. This book and their lessons were full of blatant misandry which could have been forgiven had there been redeeming qualities towards the conclusion of the story. In my opinion, there weren’t.

MAN
MEN
KNIVES
RAPE
MURDER
GUNS
WAR
KILL
DEATH

This is a quote from the book, one that is repeated throughout at least the first half of it. Males were taught to fear females and vice versa. The boys in sanctuaries were brought up believing that all women were she-wolves and she-devils who only wanted to rape and kill them. Considering they were brought up in enclosed areas where their usefulness to society was fully dependent on the sperm they produced, I cannot blame them for feeling that way. However, the girls in the outside world were also brought up to believe that men were evil.

When River runs into a sick XY in the woods, she loads him up in a cart and takes him home because according to the rules of their society, you must help everyone. Her grandmother, Kate, is the only one in the house equipped to deal with an XY because she was from the once-was. She was the only one throughout this book that consistently treated mason like a human being.

Males were completely dehumanized for most of this book. For about the first 60% to 75% of the book, both River and her mother must keep being reminded by Kate that Mason, the XY, is a HE, not an IT. Even though River had many conversations with Mason, she was still struggling to see him as the human being he was. While reading this book, it felt as if feminism was being defined by misandry and that is not what feminism is or should be. When misogynists argue against feminism, this is a book they could use to make their case.

Also, it’s mentioned in the book that some women became lesbians because there were no men around instead of because they were naturally attracted to women which was also just extremely offensive.

River’s world is also defined as having no war or violence as if women are always sunshine and daisies and as if we can’t commit atrocious acts of violence as well.

I had SUCH high hopes for this book and the potential it had. I thought it would be similar to The Gender Game by Bella Forrest where females ran their own country and males ran their own except neither sex would be allowed in the others’ country. I had so many questions going into this book. How did men and women survive without each other? Would it be easier to be bisexual or gay in a world where you’re surrounded by your own sex? In a world where There are no females around males and vice versa, how would transgender and nonbinary people feel; would they find it hard to fit in?

It isn’t until the very last sentence of the book when River fully realizes that Mason isn’t an “it” and that he isn’t just a boy, but that he’s a person. I don’t say this often but I actually regret purchasing this book and supporting such misandry and discriminative drivel. I’m the first to laugh at a good “men ain’t shit” joke, but I also know that there are some REALLY good men in the world; too good for this book to have been published. I have another Bergin book on my shelf, H2O, and I’m not sure now if I’ll be able to bring myself to read it. 

Weekly Recap: 10/3 - 10/23

HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG

Hi, everyone! Once again, not a weekly recap, but I made it back sooner than last time! I've been down the fanfiction rabbit hole and nothing else matters. Currently I'm also watching season 3 of You and absolutely loving every second of it. I haven't started Squid Game yet, but that's soon! This week I'll be watching as many spooky movies as I possibly can in anticipation of Halloween! Anyone else?

NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK

  

THIS WEEK I READ

 

   

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Book review of Her Soul to Take

I revisited my 2020 TBR

Audiobook review of The Hollow Heart

Book review of The Favorite Daughter

UPCOMING REVIEWS

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I'm linking up to Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post!