💯

I don't feel like doing a real life update, so have some stuff I've enjoyed and not enjoyed -

TELEVISION

Baby Reindeer - This show was a lot. It was great (that feels like an understatement)—the actress playing Martha was phenomenal—and it made me feel really uncomfortable eight minutes into the first episode. (Nothing bad happened! It was the intensity of Martha and how I felt it was very reminiscent of some experiences I've had with strange men wishing to talk and bond with me when all I want to do is exist quietly.)

It's a very raw exploration of abuse and trauma response, and it really showed how fucked our [ GENERAL OUR ] legal system is when it comes to harassment. I disliked his prop comedy (one of the few things I disliked the most, which really is such a non-thing, given that's not the point of the show!). I caught myself victim-blaming Donny and then realised why I was doing it. (I found those I spoke to about the show also found themselves doing it.) It shows an imperfect victim, which I think we need to see more of in the media. I watched it in two days. I won't be rewatching it.

I'd recommend this if you don't mind fictionalisations of true stories. Please be aware that there's sexual assault (it's not what I would describe as overly graphic, but it's uncomfortable and present on the screen yet not prolonged), grooming, stalking/harassment, transphobia, and victim-blaming. There are warnings at the beginning of the episodes that contain the heaviest content.

Sent from my iPhone

The Flash - I forgot how much I loved this show. Seasons 1-2 are the best and the show never, ever reaches that level of writing and performance ever again.

The show begins to fall apart in season 3 because of how they disrespect Flashpoint (WHY WAS THIS NOT HALF OF SEASON 3?). The constant dogpiling on Barry was a lot, and I felt it depicted his friends as being rather callous towards someone with bad grief coping mechanisms and reacting from a traumatised place. ( season 3 spoilers. )

I remember being on Twitter when the last scene of season 3 was being filmed. I remember the on-location photos and everyone's theories. I miss being in fandom sometimes.

I want to get to season 9… Matt Letscher's Thawne comes back in seasons 7 and 9 lol. I'll do anything to see this man's version of Reverse Flash.

MOVIES

Challengers - THIS IS MY BRAINROT SO I WILL KEEP THIS SHORT. IT'S SO GOOD. I took the day off to see it and LOVED IT. The trailers do not do it justice! It's not a movie about threesomes and sex (though, the tennis is the sex). It's a character study of codependency, toxic relationships, and how tennis connects these three people together. It's so good; I've enjoyed reading people's theories and breakdowns on the movie and characters. The performances were phenomenal. The slowmo was a little overused, but I can look the other way because I'm still thinking about this damn story. This is a love triangle where all corners touch. I'd definitely go see it again.

Ghosted - We watched this for Friday night movie night and I wanted to include it to say that I remember being excited by the trailer. This movie was a dud. Chris Evans should do more comedy. Ana de Armas was okay! Their chemistry did not pop like it did in Knives Out. I think it was tonally confused, and that's why I didn't enjoy it.

BOOKS

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell - I found this on my bookshelf after we watched the movie. I believe kids books can be some of the best books you read, so I wanted something fun and light. It's definitely silly, but I felt that it was a bit long and overly tedious. It was not for me. I'm definitely donating this to a street library dedicated to kid books.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield - I cannot stop thinking about this book. It's a slowburn soft ocean horror with a sapphic romance at its core. I considered DNFing it, but Leah's POV was really interesting to me in the beginning because she gets trapped in a submarine for six months, so her POV explores her time there, while Miri's explores the aftermath of her return. I don't want to give too much away because it's such a thoughtful book that covers the themes of grief and letting go. The ocean imagery is beautiful, and the characters are well done. The romance is a priority on the page, and you really feel the love between these two women.

I cannot stop thinking about the last two pages—I was very emotional about the ending. I borrowed this book from the library and have considered buying my own copy. I looked into the theories about this book. Some call it an allegory. It's dual first person POV, with the tenses changing depending on the narrator.

I would recommend this if you don't mind a slowburn unravelling of a mystery. It's not heavy-handed in the horror; if anything, I feel the horror really kicks in towards the very last quarter of the book, and even then, the romance/relationship is still the priority. It's one that will leave you thinking afterward.

Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin - I skimmed Aegon's Conquest and read this for the Dance of Dragons section so I could be ready for House of the Dragon season 2.

I only got up to God's Eye because I was really tired of the threats of rape, impregnation to punish women, and calling women (especially Rhaenrya) "whore" (while Aegon II is just "The False King"). Quite possibly the bloodiest war in Targaryen history, and it's written really dully. It was a bit tedious, and I didn't care about a lot of side characters (something I feel GRRM fails at keeping in check). I wanted to read about Aemond, got there, then decided that I wasn't enjoying myself because the sexual violence against women (even the talk of it, or Mushroom's lies about it) was too much for me given the current climate in Australia when it comes to violence against women. Unfortunately, I picked this book up at the wrong time.

I just think if dragons can be real in your medieval world, violence against women can cease to exist, too.

Definitely a must for ASOIAF diehard fans. I am not a diehard fan, so I am okay with not reading anymore of it.

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison - I listened to the audiobook. This was a lot of fun. Aurora is bitten by a werewolf and turns into one while she's back in her childhood town to support her pregnant twin sister, Scarlett. It's a fun story about body transformation and your inner monster. It's written in first person, present tense, and I find it works well. The romance happens quickly, so there's no "will they or won't they?". I suspected one of the twists from the beginning, and felt satisfied knowing I was right.

I'd definitely recommend it if you don't mind graphic descriptions of shapeshifting/body transformation, some gore, and pregnancy.

*

I'm reading my annotated version of Six of Crows, which is AMAZING. I love Leigh's notes! I ordered the King of Scars annotated edition and cannot wait to get my grubby little hands on that.