I had a really busy month in terms of schoolwork, so my reading definitely took a backburner. I did read a lot, but mostly articles for school and textbooks, which I don't talk about here. Thankfully, I really enjoyed all the books I mentioned to read this month! But some of the projects for school required me to watch some movies, and I am also taking a film class, so I did end up watching a lot of films!
Books
1) My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi MeadowsI have wanted to read My Lady Jane since its conception, and I finally got around to reading it! I'm now highly anticipating the companion novel, My Plain Jane, that comes out later this year. I listened to the audiobook of this, which I think was the right way to go for me. The narration was excellent! I'm currently writing my review right now.
2) Nyxia: Unleashed by Scott Reingten
Nyxia: Unleashed is the sequel to one of my favorite books of last year, Nyxia. What's even more exciting for me was that Reingten is a local author! I haven't been able to go to any of his events yet due to school, but hopefully I'll be able to make it one day. Though I didn't like the second book as much as the second, I thought it was a great sequel overall, even if it did drag at times.
3) Geekerella by Ashley Poston
I picked up Geekerella on a whim during the weekend, and just ingested it! I think Geekerella is exactly what I needed, a palette cleanser of sorts. I just wanted to read something cute and angst-y, and it relieved the stress I have been having. I'm excited to get to Poston's new release, Heart of Iron!
4) Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
Lastly is Lady Midnight! It actually took me a long time to read this, but I think it is because the action doesn't start until about a fourth of the way through. When I don't have a lot of time every day to read, and when I felt like nothing was happening, I didn't feel compelled to read it. However, once I got to a certain point where the action was ramping up, I couldn't put it down, and read about 300 pages in a day. I think I'll be reading Lord of Shadows once college lets out though, so I can invest my time in the series!
Movies
1) Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Three Billboards was definitely a hard watch, but a great one. The movie was nominated for so many awards, and rightfully so. Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell act their asses off, and it's so impressive. The movie follows McDormand, a mother angry at the police after no arrests have occurred after her daughter was raped and then killed. Despite the very dark premise, the film as a lot of laughs, which I wasn't expecting. The humor inserts just enough levity that I let my guard down, just in time to be completely taken aback by its brutality.
Three Billboards was definitely a hard watch, but a great one. The movie was nominated for so many awards, and rightfully so. Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell act their asses off, and it's so impressive. The movie follows McDormand, a mother angry at the police after no arrests have occurred after her daughter was raped and then killed. Despite the very dark premise, the film as a lot of laughs, which I wasn't expecting. The humor inserts just enough levity that I let my guard down, just in time to be completely taken aback by its brutality.
2) CSA: The Confederate States of AmericaI watched CSA for a paper I wrote, and I thought it was pretty good. However, because I was watching this for a paper, I was constantly analyzing and worrying how I would incorporate the prompt with the movie. CSA is a mockumentary that analyzes what America would be like if the Confederates won the Civil War, and not the Union. I liked the movie, and after reading some interviews with the director, Kevin Willmott, I appreciate it. CSA is available here on youtube.
3) 42nd Street42nd Street is another movie I had to watch for a class, and this time it was my film class. I really enjoyed this one, but I did have a hard time figuring out who's who and who the love interests were for each person at first. Once I got it down though, the movie was entertaining! The song sequence at the end was just a tad bit long for my low attention rate, especially the night before a morning class.
4) Love, Simon
I was so excited for Love, Simon and I was not disappointed at all. I loved the book (review here) and thought that the movie stayed true to the heart of the story. I actually reviewed the movie, so you can check out all my glowing thoughts here!
5) Paddington 2
Paddington 2 is just such a heartwarming movie, as the first one was. But while I didn't fully connect with the first film, I did with this. Paddington 2 is honestly mesmerizing, and the animation is beautiful. I don't have much to say, besides that you should watch this sequel and it's predecessor. I don't think the movie has the audience it deserves (at least in the US), and its sad to see such a great film not get that attention.
6) The Martian
Maybe I set my expectations a bit too high for The Martian, or I didn't watch it in the correct setting, but I was a bit disappointed in the movie. I loved the book, and I didn't connect to Mark Watney as much as I did while reading. Also, I thought the ending of the film wasn't as good as the book. I get that movies want to be dramatic, but it felt a bit silly. I also watched this on my small television in the middle of the day, which is definitely not the best setting for what is supposed to be a high-stakes space film. Nevertheless, I thought Matt Damon's performance was strong, and I think I would enjoy the movie more if I watched it a second time.
7) Black Panther
Black Panther was out for a couple weeks before I saw it in theaters, and I had heard amazing things not only about the representation, but the plot in general. I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed, and it was exhilarating to see a predominately black production do so well commercially and critically.
8) The Bourne Identity
I watched The Bourne Identity for a film class I'm taking, and really enjoyed it! I've watched the movie before, but never actually payed attention. It's the movie that my dad likes and would happen upon while watching TV, not a movie that I dedicated a night to until this month. After watching the first movie in the series, I'm definitely interested in the sequels!
9) Blockers
Blockers is a new movie coming out early this month, that was screening early at my college campus. What I was worried was going to be another movie reprimanding teenage women for owning their sexuality was surprisingly sex positive and hilarious. Though I got aggravated at the parents sometimes - three of them try and stop their daughters from having sex on prom night - they act out of love, and they come around. I don't think the marketing is way off, but hopefully people will still go and see it!
10) The Landlord
The Landlord is another movie I watched for a college class, but I didn't like it nearly as much. The film is a satire on segregation, but if I wasn't told that by my professor, I would not have known. I just didn't know what to make of this. The Landlord is a film I'll have to watch twice to truly understand it, but I didn't enjoy the movie enough to warrant watching it a second time.
So those are the books I read and the movies I watched! After this next week, my schoolwork should relax, but I probably won't have a lot of free time until finals start approaching. Until then, I don't think I'll be reading as much as I'd like, but I keep reminding myself that I'm doing the best I can, and I shouldn't care about numbers too much!
I was so excited for Love, Simon and I was not disappointed at all. I loved the book (review here) and thought that the movie stayed true to the heart of the story. I actually reviewed the movie, so you can check out all my glowing thoughts here!
5) Paddington 2
Paddington 2 is just such a heartwarming movie, as the first one was. But while I didn't fully connect with the first film, I did with this. Paddington 2 is honestly mesmerizing, and the animation is beautiful. I don't have much to say, besides that you should watch this sequel and it's predecessor. I don't think the movie has the audience it deserves (at least in the US), and its sad to see such a great film not get that attention. 
6) The Martian
Maybe I set my expectations a bit too high for The Martian, or I didn't watch it in the correct setting, but I was a bit disappointed in the movie. I loved the book, and I didn't connect to Mark Watney as much as I did while reading. Also, I thought the ending of the film wasn't as good as the book. I get that movies want to be dramatic, but it felt a bit silly. I also watched this on my small television in the middle of the day, which is definitely not the best setting for what is supposed to be a high-stakes space film. Nevertheless, I thought Matt Damon's performance was strong, and I think I would enjoy the movie more if I watched it a second time.
7) Black Panther
Black Panther was out for a couple weeks before I saw it in theaters, and I had heard amazing things not only about the representation, but the plot in general. I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed, and it was exhilarating to see a predominately black production do so well commercially and critically.
8) The Bourne Identity
I watched The Bourne Identity for a film class I'm taking, and really enjoyed it! I've watched the movie before, but never actually payed attention. It's the movie that my dad likes and would happen upon while watching TV, not a movie that I dedicated a night to until this month. After watching the first movie in the series, I'm definitely interested in the sequels!
9) Blockers
Blockers is a new movie coming out early this month, that was screening early at my college campus. What I was worried was going to be another movie reprimanding teenage women for owning their sexuality was surprisingly sex positive and hilarious. Though I got aggravated at the parents sometimes - three of them try and stop their daughters from having sex on prom night - they act out of love, and they come around. I don't think the marketing is way off, but hopefully people will still go and see it!
10) The Landlord
The Landlord is another movie I watched for a college class, but I didn't like it nearly as much. The film is a satire on segregation, but if I wasn't told that by my professor, I would not have known. I just didn't know what to make of this. The Landlord is a film I'll have to watch twice to truly understand it, but I didn't enjoy the movie enough to warrant watching it a second time.
So those are the books I read and the movies I watched! After this next week, my schoolwork should relax, but I probably won't have a lot of free time until finals start approaching. Until then, I don't think I'll be reading as much as I'd like, but I keep reminding myself that I'm doing the best I can, and I shouldn't care about numbers too much!
Have you read any of the books or watched any of the movies?
Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!
Happy Reading!
Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!