Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme created by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do to participate is pick a book from your Goodreads TBR, and explain why you want to read it.
This one has only been on my TBR for a little over a month, but it sounds like a refreshing and original addition to the world of YA dystopia! Plus, I’ll read anything with a sapphic romance…
Let’s begin, shall we?
GOODREADS MONDAY (1/25/21)–GEARBREAKERS by Zoe Hana Mikuta
We went past praying to deities and started to build them instead…
The shadow of Godolia’s tyrannical rule is spreading, aided by their giant mechanized weapons known as Windups. War and oppression are everyday constants for the people of the Badlands, who live under the thumb of their cruel Godolia overlords.
Eris Shindanai is a Gearbreaker, a brash young rebel who specializes in taking down Windups from the inside. When one of her missions goes awry and she finds herself in a Godolia prison, Eris meets Sona Steelcrest, a cybernetically enhanced Windup pilot. At first Eris sees Sona as her mortal enemy, but Sona has a secret: She has intentionally infiltrated the Windup program to destroy Godolia from within.
As the clock ticks down to their deadliest mission yet, a direct attack to end Godolia’s reign once and for all, Eris and Sona grow closer–as comrades, friends, and perhaps something more…
So why do I want to read this?
First off, let me just say…I LOVE that “we went past praying to deities and started to build them instead” line! Grimly poetic, in a way.
I usually don’t readily jump for dystopia these days, since I’ve gotten so jaded from how formulaic it’s gotten in the YA genre in the past decade or so. But this…this sounds incredibly original! Cyborgs, giant mechs, and a WLW ROMANCE? Of course you have my attention! I’m getting some Skyhunter vibes too…[tightly crosses fingers]
Also, whoever made this cover deserves a raise. The art style, the color scheme, the lighting, the…everything…
Gearbreakers comes out this June, so I’ll see you all then!
Today’s song:
OK THE GUITAR IN THIS SONG–
That’s it for this week’s Goodreads Monday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you all well.
After how overwhelming last week was academic-wise, I had a blessedly light homework week. So I felt a whole lot better overall. I spent the day off on Monday not doing a whole lot other than reading, which was a good break.
As far as my reading week…is there a word for a book slump that’s momentarily interrupted by one (1) 5-star read, and then goes back to being a string of meh reads? Because that’s what happened this week…I didn’t enjoy The Novice (for my book club), then had a 5 star read, then the last two books I read this week were a 2 star and a disappointing sequel. Sigh…
But hey, things might be looking up! I got another great library haul on Friday afternoon, and my digital hold on I’m Thinking of Ending Things (I’ve wanted to read it ever since I watched the movie), and I was finally able to pick up the three books I bought with the gift card I got for Christmas! So hopefully my reading will pick up from there…
Other than that, I’ve steadily been outlining the second draft of my sci-fi WIP, listening to a lot of 6ths, and eating pizza and fried rice. It’s been a peaceful week, I’d say. And Joe Biden’s in office now! Good news! (Also, I CAN’T NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE BERNIE MEMES…they never seem to get old…)
Would you look at that…for once, I actually have a post that isn’t a meme, an update, or a book tag…
I’ve been planning for this one a little bit, and I’m excited to get into it! If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know how much I love sci-fi. So for this post, I decided to go semi-in-depth on my favorite subgenre of science fiction and dole out some recommendations of mine.
Let’s begin, shall we?
So first off, what is space opera anyway?
In all forms of media, space opera is a subgenre of science fiction. It tends to focus less on the heavy science/physics of the universe it’s in, and more on aspects such as plot and characters. There’s often adventures at a breakneck pace, intergalactic war or conflict, strange planets/other locations, and drama between a set of characters. A lot of space opera media that I’ve consumed tends to throw in a ragtag bunch of characters with nothing in common together, and then throws them into an adventure of epic proportions. (Commonly referred to in many of my posts and reviews as “[chaotic] space misfits.”) More often than not, there’s some light elements of fantasy, sometimes as placeholders to explain the workings of the universe. And, as you probably can figure out, it’s usually set in space or on a distant planet.
Star Wars is often used as the quintessential example of a space opera–dogfights in space, romance, strange worlds, and (amazing) lightsaber duels. (What more could you possibly want?) Although it’s probably not *the original* space opera, it’s influenced a huge chunk of space opera/sci-fi media for the last 40-ish years. Guardians of the Galaxy is another widely-known example of space opera, and from= the world of literature, Dune and Foundation are some of the most well-loved space opera classics.
Sci-fi has only become my favorite book genre in the past…six or seven years; for a while, I was mostly drawn to fantasy, but after reading Tony DiTerlizzi’s Search for WondLa trilogy, there was no going back. And I was raised on a steady diet of Star Wars, so it was bound to happen eventually. There’s a multitude of reasons why I’m drawn to it. Even though fantasy has virtually no limits as far as making up universes goes, there’s just something about about flying through the vast reaches of space and traveling to strange worlds that has always appealed to me. And as someone who’s been something of an outcast for the better part of my life, I’m drawn like a magnet to any kind of found-family tropes. Now, I know full well that it’s not exclusive to space opera, but everything from Star Wars to Aurora Rising has a cast of strange and distinct characters that come to see themselves as a family, and I’ve always loved the theme of finding your tribe of weirdos.
So now, if you say “space opera,” there’s a good chance that I’ll immediately want to read it. (Doesn’t mean I’ll love it–there’s good and bad books in every genre, of course–but I’ll certainly read it.)
Now, I’ve compiled a list of some YA space opera recommendations! Each one is tailored to different types of readers/tastes, because I firmly believe there’s something for everybody, even if sci-fi isn’t normally your thing. So let’s get to it, shall we?
A retelling of the story of Anastasia, this unique duology boasts a diverse and lovable cast of characters, royal intrigue, creepy androids, and some really cool spaceships.
A retelling of Arthurian legend where the reincarnation of King Arthur is a pansexual woman of color and a spell gone wrong made Merlin age backwards…into an awkward, voice-cracky teenager. Super diverse, super feminist, and super fun!
In short, this is what happens when you put Captain America in a spaceship with his sister, his ex, a whole bunch of random students from the bottom of his class, and a girl with a glowing eye that may or may not start an intergalactic war. Hands down, my favorite series of all time.
The worldbuilding and the imagery are beautiful in all three books, but it’s really the unlikely relationship between Noemi and Abel that shines in this one. [🥺 intensifies]
For readers who like plots with high-stakes competitions…
(Would you look at that…another pansexual protagonist!)
I had my expectations a *bit* too high for this one, but it was still a whole lot of fun! A lot of reviewers have pitched it as Aurora Rising meets The Hunger Games, and I’d say that’s pretty spot-on. I’m excited to see what Coffindaffer has up their sleeve for book 2.
This one has elements of both sci-fi and fantasy woven in–royal intrigue on other worlds, and lots of clockwork hearts! Plus, it’s a beautiful queer story; we have a wlw romance, as well as a beautiful aro-ace coming out scene for one of the main characters.
Another space opera retelling of Anastasia, comin’ right up…
Last of Her Name is a truly beautiful novel, with intricate and detailed worldbuilding, tender romance, and no shortage of twists that I couldn’t see coming. I do wish we’d gotten a larger glimpse into this world, but it was still satisfying as one book.
Normally, I’d try to avoid putting two series from the same author(s) in a post like this, but Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff are masters of sci-fi, so I kind of *had to.* Composed of interviews, emails, security footage, and more, this is truly a trilogy like no other.
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK? What are your favorite space opera books? Do you have any space opera recs for us? Tell me in the comments!
Today’s song:
That’s it for this post! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles! (And hey, Trump is out of the White House tomorrow, so that’s certainly cause for celebration! Won’t to worry about my basic human rights being taken away for a while…[relieved sigh])
Anyway, I read this one in close to one sitting yesterday on my day off. I expected it to take me a few days to read (close to 500 pages long), but I gobbled it up at alarming speed. Zero Repeat Forever had been on my TBR for almost exactly two years, and I had no idea what was in store for me. A diverse dystopia that was all at once tense and tender!
Raven and her friends were away at summer camp when a legion of heavily armored aliens invaded Earth, laying waste to cities and leaving almost no survivors. After one of the aliens–dubbed the Nahx–kills her boyfriend Tucker, her friends flee, eking out an existence in the Canadian wilderness.
Eighth, a member of the Nahx, has no name–only a rank. After his companion is killed by a human, he sets off on his own. An encounter with a young human leaves him questioning his mission to kill all humans in sight, and he makes it his quest to find her and bring her to safety.
Chance brings Eighth and Raven together, both separated from their friends and fending for themselves. They soon realize that their situation may not be so black and white–and that there may be a chance to turn the tides.
TW/CW: Graphic violence, descriptions of injury/sickness (fever, broken bones, etc.), racism, loss of loved ones, loss of parents (off page), substance abuse (smoking, drinking)
WOW. I didn’t even have any expectations for this one–I just picked it up because I needed some more sci-fi in my life. But Zero Repeat Forever was such a powerful novel–a tale of setting aside differences in the midst of division that threatens to split the world in two, and the relationships that define our lives.
First off, there’s some amazing diversity in this novel. Raven, our protagonist, is mixed race (half white/half Black–Black mother, white father, and she also had an Indigenous stepfather), and there’s several other POC characters present. As a mixed-race person, it always makes my heart so happy to see mixed-race characters starring prominently in their own stories. 💗
There’s also a gay couple that features in the first part of the novel, but the thing about them is a bit complicated–they’re the only explicitly LGBTQ+ characters in the novel, but they both end up getting killed, which would fall into the bury-your-gays trope. However, these characters weren’t harmfully stereotyped, and it really doesn’t seem like killing off the gay characters was intentional in a homophobic way. (Plus, by the end of the novel, most of the main characters are dead–we’re talking Fargo levels of main character deaths.) Even so, it didn’t sit completely right with me. Again, it didn’t seem intentional and it’s a small part of the novel, but I think it’s important to take that into account. (Most of the reason why I didn’t rate this one the full five stars–see my rating below.)
Zero Repeat Forever is a special kind of dystopia–sure, there’s plenty of dark and bleak material, but it manages to balance that with tenderness and hope, making a beautifully poetic kind of novel. One way that this novel really shone was in the portrayal of human emotion, and how different people deal with different things. Each character is distinct in dealing with the horrific subject matter, and the interactions between all the different personalities were executed in a refreshingly authentic way.
I especially loved the relationship between Eighth/August and Raven. Their dynamic did have an unusual tendency to be a bit mercurial (Raven’s feelings about him seemed to change at a startling frequency, but it makes sense to some degree), but at its heart, it was so poetic. Messy, but poignant and tender. It called to mind everything from The Iron Giant to The Shape of Water, and I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t get a little bit choked up. I love those two.
And the cherry on top? EDGAR ALLAN POE REFERENCES, OF COURSE! Can it possibly get better than that? I think not.
All in all, a truly unique dystopia that yields the perfect balance of darkness and tender love. 4.75 stars, rounded up to 5!
Zero Repeat Forever is the first book in G.S. Prendergast’s Nahx Invasions duology, which ends with Cold Falling White. She is also the author of the Ella series (Audacious and Capricious) and the middle grade novel Pandas on the Eastside.
Today’s song:
That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
First off, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the fact that it’s Martin Luther King Jr. day. Thank you, sir, for everything you have done in an effort to better this nation. ❤️
Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme created by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do to participate is pick a book from your Goodreads TBR, and explain why you want to read it.
I put this one on my TBR after being blown away by How to Hang a Witchlast year, and it sounds just as gripping! I still haven’t read Haunting the Deep, but I’m eager to get into more of Mather’s work.
Let’s begin, shall we?
GOODREADS MONDAY (1/18/21)–KILLING NOVEMBER by Adriana Mather
It’s a school completely off the grid, hidden by dense forest and surrounded by traps. There’s no electricity, no internet, and an eye-for-an-eye punishment system. Classes include everything from Knife-Throwing and Poisons to the Art of Deception and Historical Analysis. And all of the students are children of the world’s most elite strategists—training to become assassins, counselors, spies, and master impersonators. Into this world walks November Adley, who quickly discovers that friends are few in a school where personal revelations are discouraged and competition is everything. When another student is murdered, all eyes turn to November, who must figure out exactly how she fits into the school’s bizarre strategy games before she is found guilty of the crime…or becomes the killer’s next victim.
So why do I want to read this?
One thing I’d definitely like to note…I haven’t even read Deadly Class, but this book sounds similar…(has anybody here read or watched it? Let me know…)
[ahem] anyway…
Mather’s talent in How to Hang a Witchwas 100% her characters and mastery of the art of tension; with the medium of a school where the students are literally bred to kill, I’m so excited to see how she executes this again! I’m usually not one for mysteries or thrillers, but this is a twist on it that I’ve rarely seen in the world of YA. The “every student for themself” aspect also gives it another layer of tension, which I’m eagerly looking forward to.
This one’s available at my library, so I might have to snag a copy soon…
In conclusion, Madeline finds herself, in a very rare instance, actively looking for a certain YA thriller.
Today’s song:
[insert Walter dog here]
That’s it for this week’s Goodreads Monday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you well.
As I mentioned earlier, the beginning of the week was rather overwhelming, so I had to take a short break from posting so I could get my schoolwork done. But things are quieting down for the time being, so I have a bit more time to wind down.
I *accidentally* got a huge library haul last week (a bunch of my holds came in when I least expected them to), so I had a lot to read. It was definitely a little bit hit-or-miss, but I’m glad to say that some of my most anticipated releases lived up to the hype! I also have some books that I ordered with my gift card that should be ready soonish, and I can’t wait to read them…
I’ve also been steadily working away at editing my main sci-fi WIP, and I finished up my initial edits on Friday! From here, I’ll be doing a whole lot of tweaking for my outline and some other research, but in a few months’ time, I’ll be on my way to writing my second draft!
Other than that, I finished up season 2 of The Mandalorian (*sniffles*), watched Barton Fink, and listened to a whole lot of Julien Baker. I’m also going to start WandaVision tonight with my family, and I’m SUPER excited! (I’ve always had a soft spot for the Vision…)
You probably noticed that I didn’t post anything for about a week and a half or so. The first two weeks of school were just really overwhelming and I had quite a lot of projects to do and quizzes to study for, so I had to take a little time away. But things are starting to go back to a manageable level school-wise, so I’m back. For now. And hey, three-day weekend!
Anyway, I went through some of my tags that I’ve been wanting to do, and I found this one! Enola Holmes was absolutely a series that shaped my childhood, and even though I found the Netflix movie to be a bit of a disappointment, I think we can all agree that Millie Bobby Brown is phenomenal.
This tag was created by Cielo @ Bellerose Reads, and that’s where I originally found it as well. 🙂
Rules
List the rules and the prompts of the tag in your post
Thank the person who tagged you and pingback to their post
Give credits to the creator of the tag, Bellerose Reads, and pingback to her post.
Tag at least 5 people to do the tag.
Let’s begin, shall we?
🌹THE ENOLA HOLMES BOOK TAG 🌹
ENOLA HOLMES: An independent and smart female protagonist
Alosa Kalligan from Daughter of the Pirate Kingwas my first thought–strong-willed, independent, and the captain of a pirate ship at just 17. Gotta love Alosa.
SHERLOCK HOLMES:Your favorite mystery/thriller book
I don’t read much mystery, but Grownwas such a raw and powerful book! Monday’s Not Coming was incredible too…I’ve only read three of her books, but Tiffany D. Jackson is definitely a master of the YA mystery genre.
EUDORIA HOLMES: A character that defies the rules of their society
Rory Thorne from How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverseis the perfect example for this prompt–not just defying the royal family by taking control of her situation and starting a revolution, but…I mean, eventually becoming a space pirate is the ultimate defiant move when you’re a princess, I would think.
MYCROFT HOLMES: The most annoying character you know
It’s been a while since I’ve read The Hunger Games, but I haaaaaaaaaaated Gale. The whole “catnip” nickname was just an instant dealbreaker…[vomits]
LORD TEWKSBURY: A character you want to protect at all costs
Zofia from The Gilded Wolvesis just too good for this world. And now that I’ve read book 2…[cries]
INSPECTOR LESTRADE: A loyal side character
Sanjeet from Raybeareralways stayed by Tarisai’s side, and he was the PERFECT side character! I think he was my favorite character in the whole book, honestly…
MISS HARRISON: A book that aged like milk
Whew, this one’s a throwback for me…
The Familiarswas my favorite series for a while when I was in elementary school, but even when it was still coming out, I remember being super disappointed by the fourth book. (Unnecessary, didn’t like the style of the illustrations, cliffhanger that was never resolved…) I’ll still always have a soft spot for this series, but I remember outwardly cringing at the writing the last time I flipped through it…
LINTHORN: A character you hated from the very beginning
This one was a major disappointment…
Pru from Instant Karma bothered me almost from the get-go…she was just so demanding and bratty. (And hey, I get being mad for getting a C on a group project, but…would it really kill you to settle for a B?)
EDITH: Your favorite book with Black rep
It was super hard to pick just one book for this prompt, butI read An Unkindness of Ghostslast summer, and it blew me away!
Anyone else who wants to participate! If you see this post, consider yourself tagged! (And if I tagged you and you haven’t read/watched Enola Holmes or you didn’t like it, my bad!)
Today’s song:
NEW JULIEN BAKER AND IT’S ABSOLUTELY TRANSCENDENTAL (plus this video is INCREDIBLE)
That’s it for this book tag! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles! This is my last day before I have to go back to school… so heads up, I’ll probably be posting less frequently in the next few months because of school.
Anyway, this book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. Ashley Poston is one of my favorite authors, and I’ll always hold her Heart of Iron duology close to my heart. And although Among the Beasts & Briars didn’t quite hit the level of wondrousness of that duology, it was still a fantasy like no other that I’ll always cherish.
Cerys leads a quiet life in the kingdom of Aloriya, working with her father to tend the royal gardens. But behind her life of peace is a haunted past–as a child, the woods surrounding her kingdom stole her friends and her mother. She has never seen them again since. But by some miracle, the woods left Cerys alone, marked only by traces of magic in her blood.
When the woods invade the coronation of Aloriya’s new queen, Cerys is forced to flee. Joined by a familiar fox who followed close behind her in the gardens and a bear hiding momentous secrets, she must journey to the heart of the woods, where it is said that an isolated town has escaped the curse that took her mother and friends. But the woods hold secrets darker than the three could ever know…
I saw a fox outside my window this morning when I woke up…maybe it was a sign that today was the perfect day to write this review…
I think Among the Beasts & Briars was the last book I read this year, and I honestly can’t think of a better book that I could’ve ended the year on. Ashley Poston’s pulled off another masterpiece, chock-full of lovable characters and lush imagery.
With all of Poston’s novels, what shines the most is usually the characters; I’m delighted to say that Among the Beasts & Briars was no exception! Cerys was such a lovable heroine. I’m always drawn to and relate to characters who don’t possess the typical qualities of traditional heroes/heroines–they’d rather stay on the sidelines, aren’t quite so brave, and are unwillingly forced into strange situations. Like Aurora Rising, I really resonated with the message that you don’t have to be brave or be from a noble background to be the hero of your own story, and Cerys exemplifies that theme in its fullest.
And I can’t talk about characters without talking about Fox! He was such a delightful character, and I loved his development as he grappled with his transformation. There’s no shortage of interesting details in his POV of the shifts between his fox form and the unintentional human form, and he and Cerys had the best chemistry. Vala was also wonderful, and they made for a perfect trio of fantasy misfits. I won’t spoil anything, but Seren was one of my favorites too–REDEMPTION ARCS DONE RIGHT, PEOPLE!
I also loved the fantasy world of Aloriya and the woods. Poston’s prose makes for so much lush imagery, making for a world that’s as lived-in as it is fantastical. My favorite aspect was absolutely the Woodcurse–there was clearly so much time spent creating the mythology around it, and it was simultaneously fascinating and creepy. And Hellboy made me a sucker for all sorts of spooky monsters, and everything that got swallowed by the Woodcurse just made the paranormal part of my heart so happy.
As with most of Poston’s novels, Among the Beasts & Briars was reasonably dark, but at its heart, it had such a resonant warmth to it, a glimmer of hope and joy no matter what. With every novel she writes, it clearly shines through how much she loves crafting stories, and it shines through on every page.
All in all, a fresh and unique addition to Poston’s pantheon of masterful literature. 5 stars!
Among the Beasts & Briars is likely a standalone, but Poston is also the author of the Heart of Iron duology (Heart of Iron and Soul of Stars) and the Once Upon a Con series (Geekerella, The Princess and the Fangirl, and Bookish and the Beast).
Today’s song:
I’m disappointed that we didn’t get the version with the whole cast on the Legion score, but Noah Hawley has such a gorgeous voice…this makes me cry every single time
That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme created by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do to participate is pick a book from your Goodreads TBR, and explain why you want to read it.
I shelved this one early last year and forgot about it, and I definitely want to see if it’s available at the library now…I’m always here for tales of magic gone sinister.
Let’s begin, shall we?
GOODREADS MONDAY (1/4/21)–MARROW CHARM by Kristin Jacques
Azure Brimvine lives in a world decimated by magic. One where humans have retreated underground from the overwhelming dangers of the surface. But Below is no safer than Above. Magic borne plagues continue to eat away at the remaining human cities. A sickness that doesn’t merely kill, but creates aberrations from the stricken: people twisted by magic into something dark, dangerous, and powerful.
But when Azzy’s brother, Armin, is infected and cast out into the Above, she sets out after him, determined to be there for him no matter what he becomes. The world Above is full of monsters, both wild and cunning, some more human than Azzy was led to believe.
Her search for Armin leads her to Avergard, a ruthless city of inhuman lords and twisted creatures. Azzy must find allies and forge new bonds in this broken world, brave the perils of the Above, and reach Armin before his new power is used to open the Gate once more.
So why do I want to read this?
Leave it to me to do a Goodreads Monday on a book involving plague during a global pandemic…
[ahem] anyways…
Even though our protagonist’s name definitely bugs me, I LOVE any kind of story that explores the dark side of magic. I especially love the idea of a sickness borne from magic itself, something that molds its victims into something more sinister. Reminds me a little bit of the Woodcurse in Among the Beasts & Briars. And if the writing’s good, I’m excited to see if/how Jacques explores the effects of this magical plague on this human society.
All that, and the cover gives me THE BEST of vibes…
In conclusion, I’m here for the dark magic and the spooky vibes. Shut up and take my library card.
Today’s song:
OKAY SO I LISTENED TO THIS WHOLE ALBUM LAST NIGHT AND IT HAS NO BUSINESS BEING THIS GOOD
That’s it for this week’s Goodreads Monday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope these first few days of 2021 have treated you all well.
My last reading week of the year was definitely a surprisingly good one–almost all of what I read, I ended up rating in the 4-5 star range! I never really plan out my monthly TBRs, but I have some great reads in my cart from the gift card I got to my local bookstore, as well as a bunch of holds from the library that have started to trickle in. I don’t want to jinx it, but January seems like it’ll be great for reading.
I also finished my 2020 reading challenge with 279 books! I put my goal at 275 this year, so we’ll see how it goes.
And I forgot to mention this in my 2020 post (linked below under “posts and such”), but I have one more resolution: Read more books from marginalized voices! I feel like I’ve tried to do that for a few years, at least, but this year, I definitely want to make more of an effort.
Other than that, New Year’s Eve/Day were both fun; my family always does a movie marathon for NYE, and we did some Christopher Nolan movies this year. Of course, since both of them were pretty lengthy, we only ended up watching two movies. Interstellar was depressing but beautiful, and it was a lot of fun to rewatch Tenet. Even if the latter still confuses me to no end. We also watched Wonder Woman 1984 on New Year’s Day, which was…disappointing, to say the least. It’s honestly shocking to me that it’s the same director that made the triumph of a movie that Wonder Woman (2017) was. Sigh…
I’ve also been listening to a bunch of music–I downloaded Julien Baker’s Turn Out the Lights and The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds; I haven’t listened to the latter in full yet, but the former was decent. Not as good as Sprained Ankle for me, but still good. And then there’s the matter of the Fargo and Legion scores…[cries]
so heads up, I’ll probably be posting less frequently in the next few months because of school. 
