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 week. 

It's been too long since I have posted a Weekly Obsessions post. There hasn't been a lot being announced, and everything was getting pushed back and delayed. I am restarting this because we've been getting more announcements lately and I have hope that with a vaccine being rolled out and things being released to streaming that this trend might continue.

I have decided to shift this post to Fridays to close out the week!

We've got some fun things coming up and I am very excited to share what has me most excited this week.

BOOKS

Cover of Gilded by Marissa Meyer (goodreads)

I love Marrisa Meyer's novels, especially her fairytale retellings. I was thrilled to discover that she is releasing another one that is based on the Rumpelstiltskin tale. It's very pretty cover was just revealed and it has made me even more excited.

Also exciting? It's releasing THIS year. It'll be out in November which makes it perfect for peak fall reading.

Cover of All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman (goodreads)

This book sounds incredible and it has an excellent cover to go along with its amazing synopsis.

I have been looking forward to reading this since the deal announcement so I am definitely looking forward to getting my hands on a copy in November. 

Cover of The Final Girl Support Group (goodreads)

How eye catching is this cover?! I love the red against black color scheme and the blood dripping off the chair is perfect. 

The blood smudges on the title are a nice touch! I anticipate this one being a popular beach read this summer.

MOVIES/TELEVISION

Promo for the Law and Order: SVU and Law and Order: Organized Crime Crossover Event 

Olivia and Elliott from Law and Order: SVU were one of  my early ships. I was not happy when Chris Meloni left the show without them ever exactly getting together. 

Chris Meloni has decided to return to the Law and Order franchise in their newest spin off - Organized Crime. There will be a cross over episode with the SVU team though and that means Olivia and Elliott are going to reunite!

I love this promo! The way that Olivia breathlessly says 'Elliott' at the end makes me so happy. She's obviously shocked (and hopefully happy) to see him. It gives me hope they might eventually end up together after all.

Shadow and Bone Television Show Key Art

Fans of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse books are eagerly waiting for the release of Netflix's television adaptation. We received a new series key art image and it is INCREDIBLE!

It also seems that a trailer is being teased to be released on Friday (today when you are reading this) so don't be surprised if it ends up in next week's post.

OTHER

Hamilton Funko Pops

It was only a matter of time before Hamilton Funkos became a reality and they were just recently announced. I am sure they are going to be VERY popular so I recommend getting them early.

My only question? WHERE IS KING GEORGE?! I need him to complete the set.

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

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

 

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian 

Release Date - March 18, 2018

Publisher Website - Penguin Random House Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter

Pages - 480 pages
My Rating - 4/5

**purchased**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

From the author of The Guest Room, a powerful story about the ways an entire life can change in one night: A flight attendant wakes up in the wrong hotel, in the wrong bed, with a dead man - and no idea what happened.

Cassandra Bowden is no stranger to hungover mornings. She's a binge drinker, her job with the airline making it easy to find adventure, and the occasional blackouts seem to be inevitable. She lives with them, and the accompanying self-loathing. When she awakes in a Dubai hotel room, she tries to piece the previous night back together, counting the minutes until she has to catch her crew shuttle to the airport. She quietly slides out of bed, careful not to aggravate her already pounding head, and looks at the man she spent the night with. She sees his dark hair. His utter stillness. And blood, a slick, still wet pool on the crisp white sheets. Afraid to call the police - she's a single woman alone in a hotel room far from home - Cassie begins to lie. She lies as she joins the other flight attendants and pilots in the van. She lies on the way to Paris as she works the first class cabin. She lies to the FBI agents in New York who meet her at the gate. Soon it's too late to come clean-or face the truth about what really happened back in Dubai. Could she have killed him? If not, who did?

Set amid the captivating world of those whose lives unfold at forty thousand feet, The Flight Attendant unveils a spellbinding story of memory, of the giddy pleasures of alcohol and the devastating consequences of addiction, and of murder far from home.

When I was looking for mystery novels to read for this year's #PopCultureResolution I knew I would be adding The Flight Attendant to the list. A woman in a foreign country wakes up next to the dead body of last night's one night stand and some serious gaps in her memory. This premise sets the stage for a story filled with murder, travel, sex, and lies. 

Cassie is the type of character people would easily describe as a hot mess. She's self destructive, and admits that she can be a bit of a disaster. Her choices are not always the best ones and she manages to make situations worse than they have to be thanks to those choices. Worse is the fact that she rarely registers or thinks of how those choices impact others. I can see many people having a negative reaction to this character simply because she is an imperfect female character. I imagine she would be an exhausting friend to have but there is something endearing about the vulnerability she shows that makes her character feel more than just the caricature she could have been. I also liked reading about someone whose choices were completely different than I would make. Her actions fit the character and that was all that ended up mattering to me.

Being a flight attendant certainly has some perks and could be considered a little sexy because you possibly could be traveling to all these different paces. It, in reality, is less glamorous than people think. They never really show the less fun side of the job in media so I was delighted to see that portrayed here. You deal with highly tense and emotional people in already high pressure situations. Her job is, in a lot of ways, perfect for Cassie though because she seems to be someone who always likes to run and escape whatever is going on. She hides from things and her job lets her do that with a ready made excuse.

The mystery elements are fun to see unravel but they are not super unique or surprising. There is a some comfort and familiarity here that made the story more fun than twisty. This could be because I watched the television adaptation first but I think it is more than that. There are tropes in this genre for a reason and I think that some of this shines through a little here. It is also a slower burn of a novel (and mystery) so those wanting a faster paced mystery may be disappointed. This is one that spends time with the main character and lets the mystery move at a pace that allows those character beats.

The Flight Attendant ended up being a fun, quick read that satisfied. It is not only has a thrilling plot but it is an interesting look at a flawed character thrust into situations that go from bad to worse. I highly recommend watching the excellent television adaptation when you are done. There are enough differences to make both enjoyable and enough the same to appeal to those who have read the book first.

Waiting on Wednesday .... Fresh

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 Fresh by Margot Wood

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

A hilarious and vulnerable coming-of-age story about the thrilling new experiences––and missteps––of a girl's freshman year of college

Some students enter their freshman year of college knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives. Elliot McHugh is not one of those people. But picking a major is the last thing on Elliot’s mind when she’s too busy experiencing all that college has to offer—from dancing all night at off-campus parties, to testing her RA Rose’s patience, to making new friends, to having the best sex one can have on a twin-sized dorm room bed. But she may not be ready for the fallout when reality hits. When the sex she’s having isn’t that great. When finals creep up and smack her right in the face. Or when her roommate’s boyfriend turns out to be the biggest a-hole. Elliot may make epic mistakes, but if she’s honest with herself (and with you, dear reader), she may just find the person she wants to be. And maybe even fall in love in the process . . . Well, maybe. 

Most young adult book fans know Margot Wood from her time at Harper Collins/Epic Reads. Her sense if humour and love of books help create a fun community. Needless to say I was pretty excited when I heard she had written a book.

I was immediately sold on Fresh when I heard it was set in college and that it was going to have elements of breaking the fourth wall within it. I was even more excited that Margot was the writer because I knew it meant it would have her sense of humour.

This releases in the summer and it sounds like a fantastic choice for your beach read.

Expected release date - August 3, 2021

The Birthday List by Devney Perry

 

The Birthday List by Devney Perry

Release Date - April 3, 2018

Publisher Website - Self Published 
Author Social Media - Twitter

Pages - 402 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**purchased**

Twelve Books/Twelve Friends Selection

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Poppy Maysen carries a journal in her purse. Its pages were filled long ago by a man who craved adventure, lived life to the fullest and never failed to make her laugh. The journal is his birthday list—one she vows to complete.

She’ll do the things he wanted to do most. Because maybe, just maybe, if she can finish his list, she can start to live again.

Poppy expects going through the birthday list will be hard. She expects it to hurt. But what she doesn’t expect is Cole. Could the man who watched her heart shatter be the one to put it back together again?

The Birthday List deals with processing grief and the ways in which opening ourselves up after a traumatic experience can be both complicated and rewarding. It's a beautifully told story that manages to both break your heart and mend it as you are reading.

The idea of the list from the title of this book is such an interesting one. There have been plenty of books about completing something in honour of someone who has died. The biggest thing that stood out to me about this particular list is how much we can tell about Jamie from the items on his list. The character work of explaining who he was is done in large part through this list and memories and it was done rather well. His sense of humour and outgoing nature is clearly captured.

The idea of moving on after Jamie's death is understandably something Poppy has mixed emotions about. She logically knows that Jamie would want her to live her life and be happy but she doesn't want to lose those precious memories of him. It brings up conflicting feelings and the reader gets to see her processing all of those emotions. The rush of falling in love again, the guilt that it stirs up, and finally acceptance as she works through all of it. Poppy was a very sympathetic character and someone that the reader is drawn to root for. 

Cole is one of the best love interests I have read about in quite a while. He is patient, gentle, and supportive. He knows what Jamie means to Poppy and respects that while still very much wanting to be part of her life. I appreciated that the book contrasted him and Jamie while making both guys seem decent and good for Poppy. The book doesn't shy away from either of their flaws and doesn't make Jamie a footnote in Poppy's story to further the new romance.

While this is a stand alone novel it does have a companion novel that focuses on some characters we meet in this novel. I am certainly curious to check out out the second book because the characters that it features are written in a way that makes you want to continue their story. 

Devney Perry is definitely an author whose work I want to explore more of in the future. The Birthday List made me cry, laugh, and swoon while also having a sweet message about healing. If your looking for a bittersweet story I highly recommend this one.

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 week. 

It's been too long since I have posted a Weekly Obsessions post. There hasn't been a lot being announced, and everything was getting pushed back and delayed. I am restarting this because we've been getting more announcements lately and I have hope that with a vaccine being rolled out and things being released to streaming that this trend might continue.

I have decided to shift this post to Fridays to close out the week!

We've got some fun things coming up and I am very excited to share what has me most excited this week.

BOOKS

Birds of California by Katie Cotugno (goodreads)

I was really excited when I heard that Katie Cotugno was releasing her first adult novel. I was even more excited when I read the synopsis because it is definitely something I am desperate to read.

It sounds amazing and it is going to be a long wait for summer 2022 when I can get my hands on it!

MOVIES/TELEVISION

Cruella trailer

Disney's villains are iconic and are just as popular as their other characters so I was not surprised when it was announced that they were going to do a live action movie detailing the origin story of Cruella from 101 Dalmatians. 

Emma Stone stars as a younger Cruella and based on this trailer she has nailed the part.

Her laugh is perfection. It reminds me so much of the one from the original animated movie and I love all of the fashion that is showcased here. I am also entirely here for them making her a villain right from the beginning. It doesn't seem like they are going to offer a sympathetic backstory (at least from this trailer). 

It's scheduled to be released in May. No word on if it'll be a theatrical release, or offered on Disney+ as part of their 'Premier Access' releases. 

Cruella Poster

Along with the trailer they also released a few posters that are amazing.

Excellent use of Cruella's black, red, and white colour palette. This particular poster was my favourite of the two they released. 

OTHER

WandaVision Funko

I cannot be the only one completely obsessed with WandaVision. I've been eagerly awaiting the release of each episode on Disney+ each Friday and have so many theories.

I am loving the inclusion of Evan Peters in the show and absolutely need this particular Funko!

It's from the Halloween episode which was one of my favourite so far and I think there is much more to be discovered both in the show in general and this character in particular. 

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

 

Predicting Five Star Reads

 

I have seen a lot of posts on Twitter talking about predicting which upcoming releases might be five star reads for yourself. I love this and it immediately got me thinking of which upcoming books I think will be five star reads for me.

I decided to share the three books that immediately came to mind. This was actually harder than I thought it would be. There had to be something extra than just excitement for me to predict this. It may have been previous experience with the author or something in the synopsis that made a deeper impact.

1. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (goodreads)

Why I Think It'll Be A Five Star Read:

The previous two novels from Taylor Jenkins Reid have cemented her as one of my favourite authors. I loved both Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and rated them both five stars so I feel confident that her 80s story of a group of siblings throwing a party in which a lot of drama ensues will also become a favourite. 

2. Survive The Night by Riley Sager (goodreads)

Why I Think It'll Be A Five Star Read:

This book not only has movie references (seemingly many classic Hollywood related) but it also seems to be written for those with an interest in true crime. The main character may be traveling with a serial killer. I have enjoyed the previous Riley Sager books I have read and have it on good authority (my friend Kelly) that this is one very good. 

3. All These Bodies by Kendare Blake (goodreads)

Why I Think It'll Be A Five Star Read:

I have rated every book I have read from Kendare Blake either 4 or 5 stars. I love her writing and am very much looking forward to her newest that has been referred to as a 'fictional In Cold Blood'. Not only do I have a good track record with this author's previous book but the synopsis definitely appeals to me.

What books would be on your own five star prediction list? I am definitely eager to see what everyone else is anticipating. Let me know in the comments.

Waiting On Wednesday ... All These Bodies

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 All These Bodies by Kendare Blake

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Sixteen bloodless bodies. Two teenagers. One impossible explanation.

It starts with a lone victim, found on his front porch with his throat cut and his body drained of blood. By the time it’s over, the Bloodless Murders leave a trail of sixteen bodies littered across the Midwest, with no suspects and no witnesses. Only questions: how were the victims chosen? Why didn’t they fight? And where, where is all the blood?

Michael Jensen yearns to become a journalist and escape his small-town life. He never imagined that the Bloodless Murders would come to sleepy Black Deer Falls, not until the night in September when the Carlson family is murdered in their farmhouse. The only suspect in the case is found with them in the house that night: fifteen-year-old Marie Catherine Hale, unharmed but covered in blood. She claims the murderer abandoned her at the scene, and though her story is suspicious, no one believes her capable of committing the crimes on her own.

When Marie refuses to talk to anyone but Michael, he agrees to record her side of the story. But how can he trust her confession when it calls into question everything that he holds to be true?

Marie knows that her time is running out. But she chose Michael for a reason, and his search for answers gives her one last chance to tell her truth. 

My pick this week will appeal to all those with an interest in true crime. I have seen this described as a sort of fictional In Cold Blood and was immediately interested in reading it.

We now have the full synopsis that makes me want to read it even more. Kendare writes amazing books so I am sure this will be no exception.

This releases just in time for the autumn reading season which is perfect for this kind of book.

Expected release date - September 21, 2021