July 2020
M O V I E S
Hamilton (2020 on Disney+)
FINALLY. You don't UNDERSTAND.
Honestly, this being a stage performance recording, experience of the show wasn't that amazing. There were cuts (close ups, over shoulder, birds eye view) that made this show video taping of the show a lot more enjoyable.
Anyways, Since I knew the songs, it was really fun watching the show. There were bits that I've heard so many times before, but watching it "live", the intonation they used surprised me and was really funny. Another on of my favorite moments was Thomas Jefferson dancing his way in and his floofy hair flopping around. And boy does Lin Manuel-Miranda know what he was doing. This whole musical was absolutely stunning and amazing.
I sound like a child in this review. I'm sorry. My brain is a little fried.
Overall:
Rating: PG-13
Length: 2 h 40 min
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Created by: Lin Manuel-Miranda
Would be 10 stars if I got to see it live...
B O O K S
The Near Witch (2011)
This book took me a year to finish (haha). I remember reading it at SIGgraph convention last year in LA. Anywho, finally got to finish the book. Here are my thoughts.
A girl finds herself drawn to a shadowy figure outside her window one night. The thing is, there are no strangers in the little town she lived in. The next day, children began disappearing. Whispers of the Near Witch, the myth of a witch who died centuries ago reached this girl as she attempts to uncover the mysteries of the disappearing children. With the help of this mysterious stranger, and the town sister witches, she digs up a little more dirt than she intended.
I thought the world building was beautiful. The description of the little town, her relationships with the town folks, absolutely amazing. It feels like I'm in the town with her, scrambling to save the children. What I didn't like, The sense of superiority. This girl's dead father is so different fro the rest of the town, it makes her feel like a "know it all". She's the only one who trust witches because her father did. She trusts the stranger (even though his appearance lines up with the disappearing children). Sure, isolating the protagonist, but it seems like she can't do wrong. She's the "chosen one". Also, it felt like ages for them to dig up the bones. And does no one sleep?
Considering this is Victoria Schwab's first book, phenomenal.
Overall:
Rating: YA
Length: 284 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Adventure
Written by: Victoria Schwab
She really did just fall in love with him didn't she
The Ash-Born Boy (2012)
I thought this prequel mini book to the Near Witch was a lot easier to read. It follows the mysterious witch that arrived in Near, before he left his old home. And within such few chapters, I was engrossed.
Maybe it was the fact that the book was due within minutes of me rushing to finish it, but this short story was finished in a heartbeat for me. To me, the character and what I thought of him didn't exactly change. But as far as Schwab's writing style, I could see a lot of improvement. The story just flowed so much better. And for a reader who had slight glimpses to his past, it was satisfying to see it play out, shown not told.
I mean, if you read the Near Witch, just keep reading, this and that comes in a package.
Overall:
Rating: YA
Length: 61 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Adventure
Written by: Victoria Schwab
His name is WILL
Children of Virtue and Vengeance (2019)
I have much to say about this.
First off, I don't even know who the bad guy is. Sure the mother and General are the "cartoon villians", but Zelie being stubborn as a rock, and Amari being so careless and reckless, it seems like everybody is at fault for this war. And don't get me started on Inan.
Ok, so Zelie. She falls in love with every bachelor she meets apparently. Then one dies and another one almost does, though I'm sure he is going to soon. (I hope not, he's my favorite.) She is so presistant to fight this war, even when Inan presents ideas of peace to stop bloodshed. She makes herself so devine, she can do no wrong.
Amari just goes in and becomes a leader of this place, after almost killing the previous in a fight? And after Zelie told her not to use the spell against her people? Did she NOT watch Hunter Hunter?!?! Like, sure, you're the princess, but like terrible choices all around, Not to mention she killed an entire village of people because she thought they were nessesary sacrifices, when she didnt even kill who she needed to? I mean, no thank you.
And Inan. So his character doesn't change at all. He wakes up with a revelation to be a good guy that nobody believes. He does everything to prove he is a good guy, but then he's too coward to stop the bad guys. He's just a stinking coward.
Lastly, the deus ex machina. Sure, they are connected to the gods and such, but this magical thing just works for them when it was only done once before with catastrophic results? Oh sure, the key to winning the war. The war that seem to be decades long but has only been like a week long?!
Oh wait, there's another book.
I say, kill the mom, clear up all the fucking miscommunication, and Zelie and Inan get married so that a maji is on the throne and everybody is happy.
Overall:
Rating: YA
Length: 404 pages
Genre: Fantasy, War, Romance (eug)
Written by: Tomi Adeyemi
I feel bad because she's an ARMY.
Only Mostly Devastated (2020)
This book left me only mostly devastated.
I realized I loved a nice cheesy romance. Give me a grease inspired book with a gay twist, I'm sold.
After a hot steamy summer fling in North Carolina, boy's family changes plan, deciding to stay there rather than go back to California. Therefore, he finds himself going to the same school as said summer fling. He finds out this boy is a basketball star, with an image to keep. His summer fling, never happened. Don't worry tho, boy two never stopped loving boy one.
The romance transports you back to high school, sitting alone in the corner of a cafeteria, reading steamy fanfics of Solangelo. To keep things interesting, boy one's aunt has cancer. I really liked how it wasn't a pity tagalong to the character, but it effects how the character acts and brings the two together. Bottom line, they cute.
Overall:
Rating: YA
Length: 288 pages
Genre: Romance, Drama
Written By: Sophie Gonzales
The kiss though, you know what I mean.