Thursday, October 31, 2019

Happy Halloween!


It's Halloween and that officially ends the spookiest of months. This, however, does not have to mean that you have to stop watching your favourite spooky movies or reading spooky books. I am going to share my five favourite Halloween season movies and books so that you can keep the chills going well into November.

MOVIES

My movie list is in no particular order and are filled with all of the movies I love to watch in the month of October. These are ones I return to again and again.

1. Scream                


Scream is one of my all time favourite scary movies. The infamous opening scene on its own makes this movie worth the watch, but the great cast, and smart script are also big reasons to check this one out. It also has Skeet Ulrich looking very hot. Just saying.

2. The Crow


This may not be specifically a Halloween movie, but I watch it every October. I feel the atmosphere and tone is sufficiently worthy of watching during the Halloween season. I, maybe surprisingly, find this to be an incredibly romantic movie. Eric and Shelly's romance is tragic but beautiful. Brandon Lee is freaking incredible in this. His performance gives me chills each time I watch it.

3. The Craft                    


This is another movie that perhaps doesn't scream Halloween, but is one I watch every October all the same. It's witchy and atmospheric in a way that entirely fits the season. 

4. Practical Magic


Another movie on this list due to it involving witches. It also has the best use of the song "This Kiss" in ANY movie. It's a story of sisterhood, magic, and love. It's perfect for those who don't want their Halloween movies to have too much of a scare.

5. Nightmare Before Christmas 


This movie gets to be both appropriate for the Halloween season and a perfect way to transition from Halloween to the holiday season. It's one I tend to watch towards the end when I am reading to say goodbye to the season of chills. It's charming and also a great way to introduce children to more scary fare.

BOOKS

My books list is a little different. These are ones I would recommend as perfect reads during the month of October. It'll be a mix of recent and older titles and they are, again, in no particular order.


 

This is a book filled with witches, forbidden romance, and plenty of atmosphere. It's also got a fantastic cast of characters.



Based on the true story of Lizzie Borden, this book has plenty of spooky atmosphere. It's about a woman's descent into madness and is definitely creepy at times.



Nothing scares me more than true crime stories. They're all the more terrifying because they are true stories. Michelle McNamara has written one of the best, and one of the most unsettling that I have read.



This book is a love letter to slasher movies, and is especially influenced by Scream. It's perfect for anyone who wants Scream in book format. It's basically made to be read in October.



This title may not seem like a Halloween season read, but I think it totally fits. Sometimes you just want a good mystery that has some great twists and turns. Dangerous Girls is a book I STILL think about even thought I read it back in 2013. It's stayed with me, and that speaks to its power to unsettle.

There are some recommendations in case you, like me, aren't quite ready to say goodbye to the spooky reads and movies of October. What are some books and movies you like to watch in the Halloween season? Let me know in the comments.

Monday, October 28, 2019

American Horror Story: 1984 - Episode 100


Welcome to Camp Crystal Lake Redwood. This season of American Horror Story takes a page from classic 80's slasher films and goes to summer camp.

Here is your official spoiler warning before we dive into the events of episode six - Episode 100.

American Horror Story is celebrating its 100th episode and I am hoping for a fantastic episode that ties in some of the previous seasons while still feeling like an episode of THIS season.

We start at a hotel that is giving me Cecil Hotel vibes. Richard Ramirez stayed at the Cecil Hotel in real life, and it is a hotel with a deadly history.

A woman is attempting to sleep but loud music is keeping her up. She decides to do something about it and goes to ask the other guest to turn it down. It's, naturally, Richard. He tells the lady that he can't turn it down because Billy Idol can only be played one way - full throttle. He looks her up and down with a smirk. He asks if she wants to see the sights and makes some sexual innuendo that tourist lady is super into (I get it, Zach Villa is attractive) but she demurs when he invites her inside and goes to leave. Richard grabs her and tries to pull her into the room. Jingles is there though and not at all into whatever Richard is up to. He wants to get some sleep. Richard lets her go and immediately starts complaining that Jingles is a drag now. It's been a year and Jingles is entirely over Richard's music, and definitely over seeing Richard kill people. Turns out that Jingles has been keeping count and Richard is up to eleven murders. He's haunted by the faces of those Richard has killed. Jingles looks exhausted. Richard reminds Jingles that it is Satan who gets to decide when they stop killing and that bad things will happen if Jingles bails.

We get a montage of Richard killing more victims while a visually drained Jingles looks on. This is definitely supposed to be the Cecil Hotel. I love that they are including actual parts of the real history.

We next see Richard and Jingles in a car. Richard runs into the corner store and Jingles take the opportunity to switch the music to something he enjoys a little better than Billy Idol - REO Speedwagon. He notices that Richard's face is on the cover of the newspapers and helpfully points this fact out to some ladies outside the store. Guess he found a way to deal with getting rid of Richard without making Satan angry. Richard exits to a group of people from the neighbourhood ready to apprehend him citizen's arrest style and he's entirely not here for it.


A chase ensues but the mob finally catches up with Richard and they tackle him and begin beating him. This is really freaking close to how Richard Ramirez was caught in real life (minus the whole Jingles thing, obviously). We see Jingles do a slowly drive by as all of this is going down and just keep going instead of helping Richard.

Back at Camp Redwood we see a tourist taking some photos. He has the unfortunate luck of running into Montana who is sunbathing in a bikini top and short shorts. She flirts with the tourist and stabs him when she gets close enough. The ghosts of the threesome group from the first episode is not happy about this turn of events but Xavier flounces down the dock and tells the 'old timers' to stop raining on their blood parade. He congratulates Montana on a murder well done, says he gets dibs on the next murder, and they start to make out. So, I guess being killed has made Xavier murderous now and apparently being a 'ghost' is really good for your skin because all of Xavier's burn marks are gone.

Margaret has done well for herself in the year that has passed. She has become rich enough to be profiled on the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous television show. She made her fortune in what is basically true crime tourism. She's bought up all of infamous properties such as John Wayne Gacy's house, Spahn Ranch, and Briarcliff Manor (aka the asylum from Asylum) and turned them into tourist attractions. We also learn that Trevor survived and is now married to Margaret. That marriage is going about as well as you would expect and Trevor is addicted to cocaine. Their marriage is volatile enough that they argue a lot and she threatens to kill him (because the darkness still lingers) and holds a knife to his throat. Trevor tells her to go ahead and stab him but make sure he is dead this time.

A flashback reveals that Trevor survived and he requests Margaret to come visit him. He, at first, plays along that Margaret was the victim and that Brooke is responsible for what is going on. He eventually fills her in on the fact that he remembers everything. He knows Margaret is responsible. He decided that Margaret was too rich and had access to too many lawyers for anyone to believe him. He proposes that she take care of him as his 'sugar momma' instead of him calling the police on her. This explains why he married her. It's Margaret who proposes marriage and it is just so that Trevor cannot testify against her.

Back in 1985, Trevor tells her that he wants out of the marriage. They argue and she throws in his face that he has nowhere to go. His only asset is his penis and that doesn't even work half the time thanks to his coke habit. They hit each other which turns into them having what is basically hate sex. They're interrupted by Margaret's assistant Courtney (played by Leslie Jordan). He has bad/good news (depends on how you look at it). Brooke has lost her last appeal and she's going to be executed. I am actually not surprised that Brooke was found guilty for this.

Brooke has been transferred to the execution facility. As luck would have it, Richard Ramirez is also being kept at this facility. She is marched past his cell and he laughs and says that he knew that he would see her again. He tells her that she should have just let him kill her in her apartment and save everyone the trouble. He expressed that Montana would be happy. Brooke is a bad ass now because she replies:


Richard retorts that Montana should be so lucky so he's still Satan's biggest fan.

Back at Camp Redwood, Montana and Xavier are going through their latest victims belongings to see what they might like to keep for themselves. Ray storms in angry about the mess they left at the docks. He apparently is the one who cleans up all the time but he's over it. He tells them that they cannot kill everyone who comes to the camp. Xavier and Montana are amused by this.



 Rey reminds them that they don't know why they are stuck in this afterlife/purgatory. Xavier is entirely over it though. He feels like nothing they do really matters. He tried to be good and it got him nowhere.




Being good got him nowhere and being bad feels really good so he's going to keep killing people. Xavier being murdered really messed with the kind person he was. He even lumps Ray in with the original 'ghosts' and offers these parting words:


They found a newspaper in among the camper's belongings and Montana celebrates Brooke's upcoming execution where Rey is not as jazzed about it. Montana feels like Brooke is getting what she deserves because she did, after all, murder her.

The guy Montana killed was there with his girlfriend and she comes up to the camp and rightfully wants to know who these weird people going through her stuff are. Ray tries to explain about Brooke but Xavier sneaks around and kills the poor woman. Ray is officially tired of their bullshit and he declares that he is not cleaning up after them anymore.

Brooke is sitting in her cell when she starts to hear Richard Ramirez's voice. He's rhapsodizing about the electric chair versus lethal injection. Richard would prefer the electric chair because the electricity running through his veins is very rock and roll. He points out that lethal injection actual hurts because it burns through your veins. He's almost taunting her and attempts to scare her. He offers to help though. Satan thinks she has potential and all she has to do is accept the help. Brooke's tells Richard to 'fuck off' though so she's still being smart.

Margaret and Courtney are having a company check in. She looks over the money coming in from the Lizzie Borden house and she wants an update on their purchase of the Ed Gein house. The purchase is not going well because, it turns out, that people are having issues with her turning these places of horror into something she is profiting off of. Margaret is angry about this. Courtney suggests selling the business because this is the third deal to fall through in the last few months. He feels they are at peak value but Margaret rejects this saying that murder has always sold well.

Trevor brings news of the murders happening at the camp. They've been discovered now that Ray isn't cleaning them up anymore. Courtney is worried about their liability if they still own the camp. Margaret, however, thinks it is the best news.

Jingles went and got himself a family since getting Richard arrested. He ran to Alaska, met a woman who seems to know everything about him but loves him anyway. They have a cute baby. His wife is really supportive and seems very kind. Jingles seems to have mellowed out. Family life is good for him. He works at a video rental store and is up for a promotion.

Margaret is holding a press conference. She is going to hold a concert at the camp. I am baffled. I am not sure how this is going to help anything but I guess people would be curious enough to purchase tickets. Chet hears this announced and wants to go kill Margaret. He is traumatized by his drowning death and wants revenge. Montana assures him that he'll get it.

Jingles sees the press conference on the news and realizes that he isn't affected by it anymore. He's finally free. He's happy and smiling. This can only end badly.

Richard has a pretty red head girl visit him. She brings news of the concert being held at Camp Redwood. Billy Idol is going to be performing. Red is going to go and record it and sneak the tape in for Richard. He's annoyed. He realizes that the 80's are ending and soon people like himself and Billy Idol will fade into the background. He needs to reinvent himself, just like musicians do, in order to secure his legacy.

Brooke is being taken to be executed. Her last meal looks rather boring but she does have a Snapple. As she walks by Richard's cell he offers her another chance for Satan's help. She gives him the finger. Richard performs some kind of ritual where he talks to Satan. He beseeches Satan to give him a chance at immortality and in exchange Richard will ensure to kill a lot of people.

They ask Brooke if she has any last words. Brooke uses the opportunity to talk to Margaret who she knows is watching through the two way mirror. She restates her innocence and tells Margaret that she'll burn in hell for watching her die. She is strapped down and the injection is given and she is pronounced dead. Margaret is not pleased because she found Brooke's death boring. Margaret is the worst.

Richard's plea to Satan works. A guard is, I guess, possessed by the devil. His eyes flash black and he goes and lets Richard out of his cell.

Back a Videoshack, an upset customer is returning some videos. It seems that Jingles has been switching out horror movies people are renting with non violent movies. He feels they are too violent and not good for people to watch. That's .... not at all hypocritical. He gets off work and goes home. He walks in excited to share that he got a copy of Who Framed Roger Rabbit for them to watch but his wife doesn't answer. The house has an eerie feeling to it. Jingles walks through the house and into the bedroom where he finds his wife murdered and the window open (an obvious calling card of Richard's). Jingles runs to the baby's room and discovers the baby in the closet in a car seat with a note that states 'Satan will have his vengeance'. Jingles drops the baby off with his wife's sister. He tells her that her sister is dead. He thought he could be free and have a life, but darkness will always be with him. He asks her to tell his kid that he loved him more than anything. He explains that he needs to leave to protect him and to go end 'this'. He is obviously going back to Camp Redwood to kill Richard. As he leaves the keys in his hand jingle.

The executioner wheels Brooke's body into what looks like a morgue. The executioner injects Brooke's body with something that causes her to spring awake. The executioner removes their hood and reveals it was Donna. She, most likely, switched whatever chemicals Brooke was supposed to get with something that would just make her appear dead.

Our cast of characters are all heading back to Camp Redwood to what can only be a final battle. There are definite teams being formed and I predict the next few episodes are going to be them fighting among themselves. I am particularly looking to see what happens when Richard and Jingles face off again.

Until next week ..... don't marry a serial killer.


Sunday, October 27, 2019

Weekly Obsessions


The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

BOOKS

Entwined by A.J. Rosen (goodreads)

I stumbled across the synopsis for this book while browsing the publisher catalog and immediately was intrigued.
Finding your other half can get a little twisted

For Greek god descendant, Avery Montgomery, turning eighteen is a big deal. Not only is it her ticket to the Court, the world’s most lavish party for descendants, it also unlocks the ability to hear a “click” with her one true soulmate. As her eighteenth birthday looms, Avery finds herself drawn to two royal
descendants who couldn’t be more different—from each other, and from Ava herself—as she stumbles upon a dark side of the Court, which pushes her towards a revelation that will forever alter her past, and her future.
It sounds really fun, and hopefully as romantic as I am expecting.

OTHER

Baz Luhrmann Tweeting About His Elvis Biopic

Seems that preparations for the Baz Lurhmann Elvis Presely movie are underway and Baz shared a photo of his Elvis, Austin Butler, looking very Jailhouse Rock (in my opinion at least).
There is still two years before we'll get to see this movie. It releases in Oct 2021 but casting is beginning to happen with Olivia DeJonge being cast as Priscilla. I already have this one as a potential Oscar contender.

Broke and Bookish Secret Santa (link)

The Broke and Bookish Secret Santa has been a yearly Christmas tradition for me the last few years. I was happy to see that it will be continuing this years.


I am going to sign up again and highly recommend you do as well. It's a fun way to get into the holiday spirit. I cannot wait to see who I am paired with and get started shopping!

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

American Horror Story: My Top Ten Fave Characters


American Horror Story celebrated its 100th episode last night. An incredible milestone that is worthy of a look back at some of my fave characters. This will not be in any particular order as that would be nearly impossible. I also predict that my choices may skew heavily towards my two favourite seasons - Hotel and Freakshow.

I am not including characters from 1984 as that season is currently airing (and I am not sure where all the characters will end up).

There are so many amazing characters and performances that it was hard to narrow it down, but these are my personal ten favourites.

1. Dandy Mott (Finn Wittrock) - Freakshow


Not only does Finn Wittrock absolutely slay the role of Dandy Mott but he also happens to be a fascinating character. His mix of American Psycho and old money with some mommy issues thrown in for good measure made for a dangerously fascinating character.

2. Liz Taylor (Denis O'Hare) - Hotel



Denis O'Hare's Liz Taylor was a stand out in an incredibly stacked season. There was something so achingly beautiful about this character and Denis' portrayal. Liz's snark, glamour, and intelligence is all the more reason to love her.

3. Tristan Duffy (Finn Wittrock) - Hotel


Tristan Duffy enters the scene in a memorable fashion. His model good looks catch the eye of the Countess (and pretty much everyone watching), but it's his biting humour, and sweet love story that made quite the impression. He may be a little clueless, but he proves himself to have a heart of gold in the end.

4. Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) - Coven


This list would not be complete without some Jessica Lange on it, and Fiona Goode in all her complicated, sexy, bad ass glory is one of her best performances. The character is made all the better by the strength of her interactions with Sarah Paulson's Cordelia Foxx. This role, for me, proved that Jessica Lange can still slay, and look incredible while doing it.

5. Michael Langdon (Cody Fern) - Apocalypse


Cody Ferns nails the part of the part child/all antichrist Michael with utter perfection. He is graceful and languid when it matters, and possess a child like innocence when it is needed. The character's extreme father issues are only second to his abandonment ones, and it makes for a complexly endearing character who pulls at your heartstrings

6. Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson) - Asylum


Lana Winters is iconic and Sarah Paulson is one of my all time faves. I could have easily said EVERY character that Sarah has played on this show but I limited myself to two. She not only slays serial killers, but she also manages to be one bad ass reporter.

7. Countess (Lady Gaga) - Hotel


Not only does the Countess deliver what is probably my favourite line in the show (see above) but her obsession with great jawlines is entirely relatable. Hotel is the sexiest season and a large part of that is the chemistry Countess has with plenty of the male characters. It also showed us that Gaga can actually act.

8. James March (Evan Peters) - Hotel


I am probably committing some kind of crime by not having Tate Langdon on my list, but he is not my favourite. I, instead, am drawn to the H. H. Holmes mixed with Clark Gable inspired James March. It is the one role where I feel Evan is truly having fun. It seeps out of him in every scene. Mr March is a zany, over the top character who's comedic one liners delighted me to no end.

9. Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange) - Murder House


Another iconic performance from Jessica Lange. Constance is undoubtedly the worst mother of the year, but Jessica Lange plays this deadly Southern Belle to perfection.

10. Cordelia Foxx (Sarah Paulson) - Coven



Cordelia and Fiona's relationship is one of my favourite elements of Coven and that is in large part to how Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson play off each other. I adored this strong Supreme in Apocalypse. She stands up for her coven, is entirely selfless, and also manages to have incredible hair while doing so. Oh, and she stands up to the antichrist. She's a bad ass.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Waiting On Wednesday ... You Say It First


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is You Say It First by Katie Cotugno


Here is the Goodreads synopsis
Meg has her entire life set up perfectly: her boyfriend Mason is sweet and supportive, she and her best friend Emily plan to head to Cornell together in the fall, and she even finds time to clock shifts phonebanking at a voter registration call center in her Philadelphia suburb. But everything changes when one of those calls connects her to a stranger from small-town Ohio, who gets under her skin from the moment he picks up the phone.

Colby is stuck in a rut, reeling from a family tragedy and working a dead-end job—unsure what his future holds, or if he even cares. The last thing he has time for is some privileged rich girl preaching the sanctity of the political process. So he says the worst thing he can think of and hangs up.

But things don’t end there.…

That night on the phone winds up being the first in a series of candid, sometimes heated, always surprising conversations that lead to a long-distance friendship and then—slowly—to something more. Across state lines and phone lines, Meg and Colby form a once-in-a-lifetime connection. But in the end, are they just too different to make it work?

You Say It First is a propulsive, layered novel about how sometimes the person who has the least in common with us can be the one who changes us most.
An opposites attract love story that is also long distance?! Not only is this super unique but it is not something I know I wanted until I was presented with the option.

Katie Cotugno writes amazing books so I am confident this one is going to be just as amazing. The premise has certainly gotten my attention and the cover is worthy of picking up all on its own.

This one comes out in time for summer and I cannot wait to read this while eating some delicious ice cream.

Expected release date - June 16, 2020

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

American Horror Story: 1984 - Red Dawn


Welcome to Camp Crystal Lake Redwood. This season of American Horror Story takes a page from classic 80's slasher films and goes to summer camp.

Here is your official spoiler warning before we dive into the events of episode five - Red Dawn

This week's episode kicks off with a flashback that clues us in on why Donna (whom her family calls Dee Dee) is the way she is. We see her sitting in a car staking out a house.  Another car pulls up and a man and woman get out and go into the house. Donna follows them and breaks into the place all too easily with a credit card. Once inside she hears noises coming from a room and she starts pounding on the door. She yells for her father to open the door stating that she knows what he is doing and he can either deal with her now or talk about it later with her mother. She, obviously, thinks her father is having an affair and cheating on her mother. He doesn't answer the door so she breaks in and discovers that her father isn't having an affair. He's actually a serial killer. He has the woman tied up and she's bleeding badly. He also has a bunch of Polaroid photos of previous victims strung up on the wall. The woman currently tied up isn't died (at least not yet). Donna says that she'll help her and tries to stop the bleeding. Her father enters the room carrying a bloody knife and tells her that she was never supposed to see this side of him. He tries to explain that he was born like this. It's a hunger that he can never satisfy no matter how much he kills. Donna is naturally conflicted and tearfully tells him that he's still her father and that he can change. She begs him to put down the knife. Her father ruefully states that he almost believes what she is saying before he kills himself with his knife. I feel like this explains A LOT.

We jump to Richard explaining to a still shocked Donna that Satan brought him back from the dead. His reason for Satan bringing him back:


Donna reacts to her nickname and Richard tells her that Satan filled him in on everything about that night. He seems almost impressed by her father's 'wild appetite'. She demands to know what Richard is and he tells her that he's evil. He basically makes fun of her work because he thinks you can't cure evil despite what she thinks. He claims darkness resides in everyone. He tells her that it even resides in her. It's her fault that Jingles killed anyone because she let him loose. In a way SHE killed those people. Richard tells her that she's evil which Donna rejects. Richard tells her not take his word for it and her father comes out from the woods and tells her pretty much the exact same thing. Her father wants her to follow in his footsteps. I have no clue how he is even there.

Back at the burning car, Xavier is loosing it. He wants to burn absolutely everything that they can so that it will attract help. He's manic and unable to be reasoned with even though people try. Eventually Margaret hits him over the head to knock him out so that he doesn't end up killing them all. Brooke suggests taking Xavier to a cabin. They do and try to come up with a new plan. They decide it's too dangerous to try to navigate the woods with all of the traps laid out. Brooke wants to just stay in the cabin until morning as there is safety in numbers and they have Margaret's gun. Margaret reveals she has no bullets left (claiming she wasted them killing Mr Jingles when he attacked her and Trevor). Margaret lies about seeing some lights on the other side of the lake and suggests going to see if there is anyone over there that can help. Montana volunteers a supremely not into it Chet to go with Margaret. His sarcastic "Sure, I love boats" is basically perfect.

Montana and Brooke are now alone which can only mean bad things for Brooke. Brooke wants to wake up Xavier. She's worried about him having a concussion. Montana muses that is probably best if he doesn't have to experience all of this night. Truth, Montana. Montana pretty much immediately grabs an axe to attack Brooke, but is interrupted by Brooke seeing Rey outside the window. Brooke's super happy that he came back and hopes he brought help. She runs out to get him and advises Montana to keep the axe close (which is kind of absurdly hilarious). Montana is obviously frustrated by this turn of events. Xavier wakes and asks if his fire plan worked and if help is coming. Montana tells him that help is not coming and fills him in on the fact that Rey might be back.

Brooke finds a disoriented Rey. She asks if he got help. Rey is not sure what happened or what is going on. He can't remember anything after getting on the motorbike and starting to drive out of the camp. Brooke is, naturally, concerned he hit his head. They hear something and run off thinking it is Mr Jingles. The campground seems to be operated under the same rules as Murder House and Hotel but I have many questions. Mainly, why aren't ALL of the counselors that Margaret killed all roaming around the place? It's just that one guy that we've seen so far. There has to be different rules, or this is some kind of side effect of whatever brought Richard back and the ghost counselor is something else entirely.

Margaret and Chet are crossing the lake in a rowboat when Chet realizes there are no lights over on the other side. Chet is being so kind and trying to reassure Margaret that they'll find help. Margaret continues to be the worst and reveals that she made up the story. There was never anything on the other side (which was obvious) and attacks Chet when he asks why she lied. Margaret replies, while hitting him with the paddle, that she just needed to separate them so she could kill them one by one. She hits him a few times and goes to cut his ear off. Chet starts screaming and fights back which means she doesn't get to fully remove the ear. Margaret ties an anchor to his leg and pushes him over the side of the boat while pulling his ear off. Bye, Chet. He, like Xavier, was a good one.

Rey and Brooke has hid in a cabin. They bond and Brooke reveals a story about a guy in school. She was first in the class to his second and it irritated this guy. He was popular so he made the other people in their class not talk to her. Brooke eventually just started to pretend she didn't know things to make her life easier. He took first place and asked her out for ice cream. She said yes. He eventually asked her to marry him and she said yes again. Her ex-finance was a real jerk. She says that she was never sure if she really loved him and pretended so long to be someone she wasn't that she isn't sure who she actually is anymore. Rey shares his own story of trying to impress people and forgetting who he actually is. This makes Brooke go all heart eyes and soft which leads to her kissing Rey. That kiss leads to them having sex after Brooke reveals that she doesn't want to die without feeling like she's really lived. Yup, ghost sex is officially happening. To be fair we've seen that ghosts can participate in sexual acts in Murder House and Hotel. I wonder if this will all turn out to be the devil attempting to bring about the birth of the Antichrist that eventually happens in Murder House.

Xavier is lamenting the loss of his acting career when Donna bursts into the cabin. Montana is not having it. Donna claims she is just there to help them escape. She reveals that she is why Mr Jingles is free and the entire 'study' she was planning to do. This set an already on edge Xavier off. He's livid and blames her for the state of his face (which is entirely fair).



Xavier pushes Montana out of the way stealing the axe from her and goes to kill Donna who takes off running with Xavier giving chase.

An awkward post sex talk between Rey and Brooke happens where she tells him that he was her first. Rey is gross about it. Brooke goes to get a drink after getting dressed and discovers Rey's head in the fridge. She, understandably, panics (I mean, she did just have sexytimes with a ghost) and yells at Rey to not touch her. Rey is, also understandably, dealing with his own trauma of discovering he's dead.

Brooke runs back to the cabin and loudly demands to know if Montana is dead too. Montana's reply is kind of the the best:


Brooke explains that Rey was standing beside her but his head was in the fridge and she basically begins to unravel.  She says that she wishes she never came to this place. Montana tells her that she'll be leaving soon and hits her. When Brooke comes to, Montana begins screaming at her and outlines her motivation. She explains how met Richard and realized that he was a bomb she could use because she didn't think she could murder Brooke herself. Everything about Montana being the sister of the Best Man at Brooke's wedding comes out. Montana begins choking Brooke with an electrical cord and seethes that Brooke may not have pulled the trigger but it's still her fault. Brooke stabs Montana in the leg telling her to say hello to her brother and runs from the cabin after throwing a boom box at her.

Donna is hiding from Xavier, but runs into Jingles. Again, I am not even sure how Jingles is back. Jingles tells her that he discovered that it was Margaret that killed the kids. Other than the war he hadn't killed anyone until tonight and it's her fault. Donna agrees and tells him to kill her. She offers herself up and Jingles refuses to do it. He says there is only one person he wants to kill and Donna doesn't get to be left off that easily. She'll have to live with what she did.

Montana catches back up with Brooke and they have a vicious brawl. Brooke gets a knife and threatens Montana with it while slowly backing out of the cabin door.

Jingles catches up to Margaret and he returns the ear necklace to her stating that the belong to her. He begins to choke her but Xavier comes and launches a bunch of arrows into Jingles. His aim is really good thanks to being Robin Hood at some point. It seems like Mr Jingles has died and Xavier celebrates as only Xavier could:


He goes over to check on Margaret who jumps him and ends up stabbing him and taking his ear. Basically everyone is dying this episode. What is going on?!  Bye, Xavier. You were too pure for your own good.

Mr Jingles reawakens and Richard is there with his evil laugh and asking if he believes in Satan. Jingles limply nods. I guess this means he's going to be whatever Richard is now.

Morning has officially come. We see the bus full of campers arriving. We also see Brooke and Montana still fighting. Montana has gotten the knife and is trying to stab Brooke. Brooke gets the knife back and the bus pulls up to Brooke stabbing Montana repeatedly. This causes the children to scream and for the bus driver to call the police. Those children are going to need therapy.

Margaret sees that the police are all over the scene and stabs herself in the leg. She limps out and claims that Brooke went crazy and started killing everyone. It's quite the performance.

Body cleanup is happening and we see Montana being put in a body bag. Rey comes across some paramedics who offer to help him. He is desperate. He wants to go home. The paramedic realizes he has no pulse and tells him to get into the back of the ambulance. They drive away but Rey ends up back at the camp as soon as they cross the entrance. I almost feel sorry for him. He despondently says he just wanted to go home and the ghost counselor tells him that he is home.

A police officer is loading evidence into the trunk of his car when it begins to drive away. The officer attempts to shoot at the car but it gets away. He goes to radio for help and Montana approaches him. She grabs the cops gun and shoots him. She's a ghost as well now and tells Rey and ghost counselor that they are doing purgatory all wrong when they chastise her. She thinks they can be gods at the camp. This cannot be good.

It was Richard and Jingles who stole the police car. They're driving towards LA. This tracks with real life as Richard Ramirez would be starting his murder spree in that area soon. Richard tells Jingles to put on his seat belt which the two find hilarious ... probably because the think they are immortal now.

We're only about halfway through this season so I have no idea what the rest of this season is going to even be about. I am guessing it'll be set partly at the camp with the newly dead ghosts adjusting to their new afterlife and partly in Los Angles where Brooke will be dealing with being charged with murder.

I hope Xavier is also back as a ghost and that somebody gets Chet out of the lake at some point. Oh, and I hope Trevor is back as a ghost. Perhaps he and Montana could still end up together in the afterlife.

We're down to just Brooke, and Margaret still being alive. I think it's safe to say that Brooke is the final girl.

Until next week ... it needs to be said again ... don't go to summer camp.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Weekly Obsessions


The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Posting on a Sunday. It's been a VERY long week and I have mostly been exhausted. There also wasn't too much released that caught my attention, but there are a few exciting things to chat about.

BOOKS

Cover of You Say It First by Katie Cotugno (goodreads)

This illustrated covers are always fun and this one definitely caught my eye. It's colour palette is perfect and gives up a vibe that fits the synopsis perfectly.


I really love the two characters and how they are drawn. Katie Cotugno always gets really fun covers, but I especially like this one.

MOVIES/TV

Marriage Story Trailer

I was already sold on Marriage Story thanks to the two teaser trailers that were released. I am even more sold after seeing this full trailer.

 


I have heard that Adam Drive gives an incredible, Oscar nomination worthy, performance in this. I heard all of the performances are good, but his tends to get singled out. I am also really happy that this is coming to Netflix so it'll be widely accessible to a lot of people.

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee



Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee
Release Date - September 3, 2019
Publisher Website - Penguin Random House Canada 
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  416 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis
Before the days of going toe-to-toe with the Avengers, a younger Loki is desperate to prove himself heroic and capable, while it seems everyone around him suspects him of inevitable villainy and depravity . . . except for Amora. Asgard's resident sorceress-in-training feels like a kindred spirit-someone who values magic and knowledge, who might even see the best in him.

But when Loki and Amora cause the destruction of one of Asgard's most prized possessions, Amora is banished to Earth, where her powers will slowly and excruciatingly fade to nothing. Without the only person who ever looked at his magic as a gift instead of a threat, Loki slips further into anguish and the shadow of his universally adored brother, Thor.

When Asgardian magic is detected in relation to a string of mysterious murders on Earth, Odin sends Loki to investigate. As he descends upon nineteenth-century London, Loki embarks on a journey that leads him to more than just a murder suspect, putting him on a path to discover the source of his power-and who he's meant to be.
I fully admit that my Marvel expertise is limited to the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. I haven't read any of the comics and I certainly do not know the characters inside and out. I, however, enjoyed Mackenzi Lee's version of Loki immensely.

There is a universal, very familiar, story at the core of this novel. The fact that it's so relatable under all of the superhero elements is one of the strongest aspects of the story. Loki just wants to impress his father and be seen. Loki and Thor fight and compete the way that most siblings do and yet they both still love each other despite all of that fighting. The human emotions at play here such as love, fear, jealousy, longing, and anger all ground the story in a realism that, I feel, makes this a book that even those who are not fans of the superhero genre will enjoy.

Loki's shown exactly the way this character should be - a gender fluid pansexual. I loved the subtle way this was woven into who his character is. All faceats of his personality are presented in this way so it makes these elements feel natural and just part of who he is instead of being all he is.

The complex relationship between Thor and Loki has always been a favourite of mine and that continues in this story. There is some great, hilarious banter between the two that was a pure delight to read. Their connection to each other is contrasted by the heartbreaking one that exists between Loki and Odin. I felt how desperately Loki wanted his father's approval and affection even if Odin seem incapable of those returning those feelings.

I could easily see these characters as younger versions of the ones I know from the Marvel movies. The personalities that I associate with these characters felt perfectly captured within these pages. Loki's voice, in particular, rang as very familiar.

The plot itself is a little bit of a mystery wrapped in a historical setting. The mystery itself is predictable but it is the impact these events have on Loki that is the true payoff of the plot. The relationships Loki makes while on Earth are formative and what he goes through will send him down the path to becoming the Loki we all know and love. It really is more about the characters than the plot.

I predict that those who already love these characters will enjoy Mackenzi Lee's twist on them. I also believe it offers a great introduction to those who are unfamiliar with the characters. It is a good entryway to this world and offers up an entertaining story in the process.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Waiting On Wednesday .. The Falling In Love Montage


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is The Falling In Love Montage by Ciara Smyth


Here is the Goodreads synopsis
Saoirse doesn’t believe in love at first sight or happy endings. If they were real, her mother would still be able to remember her name and not in a care home with early onset dementia. A condition that Saoirse may one day turn out to have inherited. So she’s not looking for a relationship. She doesn’t see the point in igniting any romantic sparks if she’s bound to burn out.

But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

Unbothered by Saoirse’s no-relationships rulebook, Ruby proposes a loophole: They don’t need true love to have one summer of fun, complete with every cliché, rom-com montage-worthy date they can dream up—and a binding agreement to end their romance come fall. It would be the perfect plan, if they weren’t forgetting one thing about the Falling in Love Montage: when it’s over, the characters actually fall in love… for real.
This sounds like it is made for pool side riding with some ice cream. It sounds fun, sweet, and romantic in the way that all the best summer books are. Anyone who is a fan of rom-coms and their montages should have this book on their radar.

You'll have wait through the very long winter before getting your hands on this one, but something tells me it'll be worth the wait.

Expected release date - June 9, 2020

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Weekly Obsessions


The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

A very book cover heavy obsessions post this week. So many pretty covers were released and I am highlighting my faves below. It's also Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada so Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Canadians. I hope you enjoy the long weekend.

BOOKS

Cover for More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn (goodreads)

This cover is immediately eye catching thanks to its bright colours. I also love that the o in more is a record.


The synopsis of this seems to match the cover perfectly and I cannot wait to read another Erin Hahn book.

Cover for Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles (goodreads)

Moulin Rouge meets Phantom Of The Opera is how this book is described and I would say the cover captures that description perfectly.



I love the colour scheme and this is one I am dying to get my hands on in 2020! It just sounds incredible and now it has a cover to match.

Cover for Seasons of the Storm by Elle Cosimano (goodreads)

This cover is perfect for a story about the human embodiments of winter and spring falling in love with each other! I love how the winter and spring sides blend I to each other.



It's so pretty! I am really into everything about this book and the cover has just made me want to read it even more.

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

Friday, October 11, 2019

American Horror Story: 1984 - True Killers


Welcome to Camp Crystal Lake Redwood. This season of American Horror Story takes a page from classic 80's slasher films and goes to summer camp.

Here is your official spoiler warning before we dive into the events of episode three - True Killers.

We begin this week with a flashback to Montana teaching an aerobics class. Richard decides to crash the class. He's obviously high on something and Montana notices him almost right away. She goes and berates him for not taking her aerobics class seriously enough.


They flirt. He calls her Bubblegum Barbie and is surprised she's into knives when she notices that he has one. A guy in the class starts to complain about the Billy Idol music Montana is playing. He wants something fun like Cyndi Lauper. Montana is pissed and goes and blasts Rebel Yell and kicks him out of the class as Richard watches.

Montana is cleaning up after class in the locker room when she notices a body has been hung up above the lockers. It's the guy she kicked out of class and his guts are now hanging outside his body. Richard comes in to announce it as his doing. He didn't like the way the guy spoke to her or his disdain for rock and roll. Instead of being entirely creeped out, Montana is super into it. She tells Richard it's super hot. They start making out which leads to Richard licking the blood she walked in off her feet (the real Richard Ramirez had a foot fetish so that is where this is coming from). The foot licking leads to sex. Montana tells Richard he has to remove the dead body before her next class in the morning. He assures he that he's good with cleaning as he was a janitor before. Montana asks if he's killed a lot of people. His reaction is ... less than comforting:


A shrug? What is that? YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU KILLED A LOT OF PEOPLE?! Montana asks the smart question and wants to know if he'd kill her. He hesitates but eventually says no. She next wants to know if he'd kill FOR her to which he replies "you gotta ask?" while gesturing to the dead guy in the room. My theory (which was worked out with my friend Kelly who shares the credit for coming up with it) is proven correct when it is revealed that Montana wants him to kill Brooke because Brooke got her brother killed. Her brother, naturally, was the best man at the wedding. She thinks Brooke slept with her brother. Richard is all for it. He promises that Brooke will not see another sunrise and that she'll suffer. Montana is super into THAT and they start making out again. Hmmmm, did she meet Brooke that next day?  What's the time line here? Either way, it's nice knowing I was right about why Montana wanted revenge.

We jump back to the present where Montana is still wondering why Brooke isn't dead yet. She mentions that Mr Jingles is there and she does not want him killing Brooke first. Why does it even matter who kills her, Montana? Richard not only knows who Mr Jingles is but is a total fanboy. Montana tells him that Jingles took out two guys right in front of her and Richard is impressed but Montana wants him to focus on killing Brooke for her.

Xavier and Trevor bring Chet to one of the cabins and lay him in a bed. Chet immediately passes out which they figure cannot be good so Trevor uses a shot of a epinephrine to jump start Chet's heart. Xavier isn't on board with the idea at first but Trevor assures him that it can't make Chet any worse. Chet almost immediately wakes up. Trevor mentions that he hopes Ray is back with the cops soon. Chet's over Ray's bullshit though because he's basically like "he's not going to show" and mentions that he told him that he killed someone in college. Xavier quips that he thought making porn was bad to which both Chet and Trevor are like:


Now is not the time, Xavier. Mentioning the porn gives Xavier a light bulb moment though. He remembers that Blake had his car and that the keys are still in the car which is parked right by the showers. They have an escape plan. Trevor wants to grab Margaret and Bertie and get out of there. They can't take Chet with them to get Bertie and Margret though. He's too injured. They decide that Trevor will go get Margaret and Xavier will grab Bertie. They leave Chet with a pair of scissors to protect himself which is kind of rude. Chet isn't going to be able to do anything if someone comes.

Margaret finds the two dead bodies of the Mr Jingles pranksters. Trevor runs up as she is examining the bodies and urges her to leave with him (because of all the dead bodies). She doesn't want to go though. The kids are coming in the morning and she wants to be there. She has to be there. She thinks she can keep all the kids safe with her gun. Trevor tells her that he is going to head back to the real world now because she's obviously living in a fantasy one. 

Xavier runs to the kitchen. Bertie tells him the kitchen is closed ... unless he wants a midnight snack (wink, wink). She is making sandwiches for when the kids arrive because they'll be homesick (which is the sweetest). Xavier tells her about all the dead people and she brushes it off until Mr Jingles walks in. Xavier hides under the table and Bertie tries to stall Mr Jingles by talking to him. She offers to make him a sandwich and even remembers his order from when they were previously at the camp together. They reminisce and talk about why Bertie came back to the camp (Bertie wanted to be there for Margaret because she felt that night was like a prison for Margaret). This plan seems to be working because Jingles sits to eat his peanut butter and jelly sandwich (cutting off the crust with his knife). Everything seems to be under control, tense but under control, until Xavier drops his flashlight and Jingles freaks out. He grabs Xavier and drags him from under the table. Bertie tries to save Xavier by hitting Jingles over the head with a meat tenderizer but she gets stabbed for her trouble and Xavier gets put into a oven that has been turned on literally being cooked alive. He can't open the door because it's been wedged shut with  a ladle. Xavier better not die!

We finally ind out where Donna (aka Not Rita) took Brooke. She's locked in some cabin. She proves herself resourceful and uses her body to break open the door. She takes off running and immediately comes across traps that have been set up. She gets caught up in a net trap that has her hanging from trees. Donna shows herself and Brooke calls her Rita and asks why she is doing this. Donna's reply made me laugh:


She tells Brooke what we already know about her taking the real Rita's place and that she is the one that set Jingles free. She is also the one that set the traps because she wants to see how a serial killer reacts to a victim being offered up on a silver platter - would he kill her or would he ignore her in favour of the chase. She claims this is all to study their behaviour and reminds Brooke that serial killer victims are overwhelming female.  She thanks Brookes for her sacrifice and tells her:


We cut back to Xavier who is not having a good time. His skin is starting to blister. It turns out that Bertie is not dead (at least not yet) and she manages to remove the ladle so Xavier can escape. Bertie, realizing she is dying, asks Xavier to put her out of her pain. He tearfully tells her that he can't but she insists and Xavier eventually does it. Goodbye, Bertie. You were a good one. Side note, how much therapy is poor Xavier going to need after this? He's too pure and his pretty face is now ruined.

Montana is walking through the woods calling out to Brooke. Brooke hears and yells to get her attention. Bad idea, Brooke. Montana comes and pretends that she is going to help Brooke get down. Brooke fills Montana in on the whole Donna not being Rita thing which surprises Montana. Montana pretends to try to get Brooke down but says she needs something to cut the net with. Brooke tells her to go and Montana tells her that she's so brave and that it'll all be over soon. She promises. Those two lines have a VERY different reading with what we know about Montana.

Margaret is back at her cabin. She takes out her gun and makes sure it is loaded. She notices a bear made out of wood in her drawer and we're treated to a flashback that shows how she got that bear. Jingles made it for her when she was a counselor at the camp. They seem to be a little flirty. The other counselors tease them which makes Margaret really angry. She says that she hates them. Jingles cuts himself on the bear and Margaret licks the blood from his finger. He says that he would do anything to protect her and it is hinted that what would protect Margaret is him killing the other counselors.

We cut to Richard doing some kind of ritual with his blood and a symbol made in the dirt on the ground. This reminds me a lot of the rituals Michael performed in Apocalypse. Montana comes and tells him that she knows where Brooke is and that she is defenseless right now. Richard wants to go by himself but Montana wants to see her die. Richard actually laughs when he sees Brooke trapped and tells her that she's as slippery as a hand full of water. He's about to kill Brooke when Mr Jingles shows up. Richard tells him that he shouldn't have crashed the party because now Richard will have to kill him. He can't resist fanboying just a little before though. He calls Jingles a 'campfire legend in the flesh' but Jingles already has his reputation set in stone. He'll be remembered forever. Richard is still trying to build his own legend. The two fight with each of them getting some good hits in on the other. Mr Jingles, eventually, picks Richard up by his throat and rams his head onto a tree branch. The branch eventually breaks and Richard's body falls to the ground. Did this show just kill off the Night Stalker?!

Montana decide she felt like fighting and while Jingles and Richard were busy she went after Donna. The two women fight with Montana getting the upper hand enough at some point to knock Donna out and run away.

Margaret is praying back at her cabin. Jingles interrupts but Margaret seems happy about this. She calls him Benji. She asks why he is there. He wants to finish what he started. Margaret replies with "what YOU started?" and we go into a flashback where we see that Mr Jingles wasn't actually who killed all those counselors at the camp years ago. He took the fall and underwent shock therapy. He now believes that he actually killed those people. However, it was Margaret. She tells Jingles that he broke his promise to protect her so Margaret took things into her own hands. They other counselors made her life miserable by teasing her and she needed it to stop. We get flashes of Margaret killing all of the counselors. We see her cutting off her own ear. She put all the evidence in Jingles cabin and he finally protected her by taking the fall for her actions. I knew I didn't trust Margaret. This also makes Mr Jingles' backstory really freaking sad. He adamantly insists it was him but Margaret is just as adamant. Mr Jingles finally gets it and realizes that everything he went through was because of her. He was never a killer, but he's now the monster that she made him. He lunges after her but he literally brought a knife to a gun fight because Margaret shoots him (a few times for good measure). I am not 100 percent convinced Mr Jingles is dead. I have seen a horror movie or two so I know how this works. I will also not rule out him being actually dead though.

Trevor obviously went to get Chet as we next meet up with them walking together. They hear a noise but it's just Montana. Trevor is happy to see her. She tells them that she was looking for Brooke. They hear gun shots (Margaret shooting Mr Jingles, obviously). Trevor tells Montana to take Chet and head towards the car that they now have and he takes off running to Margaret's cabin.

Trevor arrives to find Mr Jingles dead and he is relieved. He express that he cannot believe she actually killed him. Margaret replies that she killed Mr Jingles right after Jingles killed him and stabs Trevor. She starts spewing stuff about how right it feels to stab someone again and that she needed to restore the proper balance because her and Jingles lost their way. Trevor tries to grab the gun on the floor but Margaret stabs him again and cuts off his ear. Goodbye, Trevor. You were, surprisingly, the smartest and most decent person at this camp.

Xavier stumbles along the path and runs into Mr Jingles. It's not clear if it is a hallucination or if Xavier is seeing Jingles' ghost. Brooke runs up which startles Xavier and Jingles (ghost or otherwise) disappears. Brooke is, understandably, horrified by what Xavier looks like and asks what happened. Xavier is barely coherent and tells her that he saw Jingles just a second ago. Brooke is confused but before they can really get into it an explosion happens. They follow the source and arrive at the car that they were going to use to escape. A car that is now on fire.


Poor, Xavier. He's so done with everything. Monatana and Chet are at the car and Chet mentions that the car was on fire when they arrived when Brooke asks what happened.  Margaret shows up right after and tells them the lie about Jingles attacking her and killing Trevor.

We end the episode with Richard Ramirez's body starting to float off the ground. He slowly begins to rise and his wounds begin healing themselves as his eyes flash black.


My guess is that the blood ritual he did invoked some kind of deal  or connection with the devil who brought him back. 

Richard sees that Donna, who has regained consciousnesses from her fight with Montana, is hiding in the trees and smirks has he walks towards her.


We now have both Margaret and Richard going around killing people so we don't really need Mr Jingles anymore but I am fairly certain we'll see ghost Jingles again. We're not even halfway through this season yet and so much has happened. If the beginning of this season ends up being a movie or something I am going to be super unimpressed, but we're burning through plot so quickly that I feel like a twist has to be coming to give us our back half of episodes. We'll have to wait and see what it is. We need the ghost counselor explained along with whatever it is that brought Richard back to life.

Our body count continues to rise with us losing Bertie and Trevor this episode. At this point I want Chet, Brooke, and Xavier to make it out alive. They're literally the only ones not going around murdering. Minus Xavier, of course, who did murder but as a kindness (I know, I know. Cool motive, still murder). I guess if Montana can also live if she gives up this revenge fantasy.

Until next week ... always check that the killer is ACTUALLY dead.

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