Now I Rise

Now I Rise by Kiersten White

4/5

The second novel in The Conqueror’s Saga, Now I Rise follows the siblings Lada and Radu after the defining choice each had made at the end of the first book. Though the two go on very different journeys, their struggles and their relationship remains at the forefront of their stories.

Crimson Peak

Rating: A

From the moment I saw the trailer, I could tell that this would be my kind of movie. After all, it was a period piece, had supernatural happenings, and a gothic tone to it. After finally watching it, I can say that it did not disappoint.

Swimming Lessons

Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller

3.8/5

This book was read within a day. There is so much within this novel that you could talk about but for this post, I’d like to focus one of the overwhelming themes of truth and imagination, what is real and what has been made up? This is a question that is brought up a lot when the characters and the readers wonder what really happened to Ingrid, a woman who disappears one day, leaving behind a complicated history with her husband and two children. But the more we read, the more we see that this is not, in fact, the question that matters.

Unicorns, Dragons, Fraps, Oh My!

Last week, the Unicorn Frappuccino was making its round on social media. This week, it seems as though the Dragon Frappuccino is the new, mythological-creature named drink that has people talking.

This Savage Song

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

3.5/5

I blew through this book in one day. ONE. DAY. It was that good.

Caraval

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

2/5 stars

For a book that promised a magical good time, I was left feeling more confused than enthralled.

Birds: A Living Nightmare

Bottomless, beady eyes peering at you. The tilt of its head. The shiver that runs through you as it takes a few, halting steps towards you. You pray it doesn’t come closer. You hope that no one startles it into motion. Go away, you mutter, just leave.

To Walk Invisible

On Sunday night, PBS aired To Walk Invisible, a movie that follows the Bronte sisters as they struggle to get their work published while dealing with familial issues. What was wonderful about this drama was picking up on the tidbits of fun facts about the sisters- from Emily’s love of her dog to Charlotte’s enrapturement with Emily’s poetry. For those familiar with the works of the Brontes, it was astonishing to see the sisters go about daily life in the often dark and dull atmosphere of their home with the knowledge that this environment produced colorfully imaginative works. And that imagination we catch only in the brief scenes where the sisters and their brother are shown playing as children. Indeed, after watching, this movie is as much about Branwell as it is about his famous sisters.