Reading Ideas for Lit Fic Lovers

I love having a list of reading ideas ready to go in case I don’t like the books I start reading and am then lost for what to read next. Here’s my list and why I chose them. I hope you’ll find some good reads to add to yours too! 

Watch or Skip? Let Go on Netflix

Let go netflix

Throughout Let Go Netflix we were all wondering did Stella push this trip for the kids’ sake or to win him back? Her motivations seemed to keep fluctuating… At some point Gustav says her issue is she doesn’t want him but also has trouble letting go, so I thought that must have been it, until it became clear.

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter: Book Review

Ripe sarah rose etter book and pizza girl book 2

Ripe was literary fiction at its peak. It was soothing to the black hole we all have hovering near us. Like MYORAR, it’s more of a “no plot, just vibes” book, or you can focus on the plot: the pressures from her job, if her relationship is going anywhere, what will happen with her pregnancy…

Movies Based On Books to Add to Your Watchlist

movies based on books 2

Just like movies and shows based on true stories have a much higher chance of being quality, so do movies based on books, either fiction or non fiction. If I’ve read both the book and seen the movie I’ll let you know whether to read the book first or not. Sometimes the movie really is better!

The Lovely Bones: An Analysis

The lovely bones analysis

I first saw The Lovely Bones around 10 years ago as a teenager and it stayed with me so much I wanted to read the book after. Spoiler alert, the movie was better. Recently I came across a YouTube analysis of the movie and knew I wanted to see The Lovely Bones again. The analysis discussed how this movie focused on the emotional distress of being murdered and the process of coming to terms with it, rather than the physical horror. This is such an interesting distinction as many of these horror movies rely on surface level shock value, rather than going deeper for the victim. And I don’t know about you, but spare me the gore, what I want to see IS these complex processes play out on screen. I also liked how the movie aimed to tell a realistic story, but it was of subject matter beyond our knowledge: what happens after death, which put it in a unique category. 

The Adult by Bronwyn Fischer: A Review

The Adult Bronwyn Fischer

In The Adult, Natalie is 18 and just starting college. She grew up in a small town and it seems this is her first time away from home. She is shakingly insecure and unsure of her every move. Early on in her year she meets Nora, an older woman who ends up sitting next to Natalie at the park as she’s working on her poetry writing for class. Instantly, Natalie feels a calling towards her. They date and the relationship consumes Natalie’s focus. But where is the relationship going? It’s not clear to Natalie and she doesn’t have anyone to talk to about it.

8 Series and Shows Based on True Stories to Check Out This Weekend

Shows based on true stories

It’s hard to go wrong when it comes to shows based on true stories. Maybe more is invested in the show because there’s a built in audience who will want to see it, or maybe real life is just better than fiction. Or at least, more reliable. For this reason memoirs usually pan out as well. In this list I focused on drama shows and mini series that aimed to reenact true, if shocking, events. I skipped over documentaries or shows loosely based on true stories.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles: A Review

Maro's Got Money Troubles review

I don’t normally go for such popular, mainstream books but the premise of this one sounded too good. As soon as I started reading I was like, “whoa, this is high tier.” It was relaxing for my brain to read something where the author took such great care to set the stage, make sure not much came easily to Margo, and that nothing unnecessarily lingered on the page too long. It was smart and fast moving; beautifully done.

The Platform on Netflix: What It All Meant

The Platform on Netflix

While this fight-for-survival movie is all about its messages, it’s not 100% clear what they are. Here’s my take. When we boil it down, survival instincts make up a huge portion of how we behave in this world, so