Striking Keys

Other Writerly Happenings: A Book Cover!

2021-06-11T13:50:00.004+12:00

Announcement time!

The Unflinching Ash releases in ONE MONTH!

In a world like ours, Mystics once ruled the night. Well, so long as they were men. On Ash’s day of naming, she chose the Mystic path nonetheless. The same illusions that garner gasps of awe from the lamp-lit crowds earn her scorn from the basilica. There is only one way forward: a perilous quest – earn the Queen’s Seal, a badge of honour, and immunity. She’ll simply have to avoid being hanged, burned or drowned first.

Armstrong’s language is rich and immersive, with a beautifully drawn cast of characters for readers to love and loathe. Her masterful story-telling is reminiscent of the legendary Sherryl Jordan, textured, thought-provoking, swoon-worthy and potent. The Unflinching Ash is sure to ignite hearts and imaginations.

Rachael Craw, award-winning author of the Spark trilogy and The Rift

* * *

You don't have to mark your calendars, just pre-order a copy --

it will automatically deliver on 12 July 2021.

Bloggers and Instagrammers interested in review copy, get in touch via the author contact page.

Ivy's Agenda

2020-11-01T19:01:00.002+13:00

I found this on the floor back in January, but January was madness, so I simply took a picture and tucked it away. Found it today and was entertained all over again. This is Ivy's plans for the day (ideas are all her own).

Kid-quote-fest I

2020-05-13T16:00:00.002+12:00

I've opted to share less about my kids on the blog in recent years -- because they're older and those are their stories -- but I have their consent to share some quotes I've amassed over the past year and a bit. Some of you may have heard these stories -- in person, or maybe you're one of my five followers on twitter -- whether they're new or your reminiscing with me, I hope you enjoy!

THINGS MY KIDS HAVE SAID IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO:

*****

Long drive; many games played. One is taking turns naming fictional characters -- the first name of the next you name must start with the letter of the surname of the last one named.
Mia, shouting exultant after "Willy Wonka": Won Weasley!!!

*****

My kids discuss trivia acquired via silent reading...
Ivy: A peek and guess can be stubborn, you know
Me: Do you mean...Pekingese?
All three girls eyes and mouths fly wide

*****

I read inside while it rains outside and the girls have screen-time
Mia appears, dashes to kitchen
Mia: This movie is beautiful and nice and makes me thirsty!

*****

Sitting still and quiet next to Ivy, I hear her throat release that weird, whiney spring sound inside we all get sometimes (don't we?)
I whisper: You've smuggled a frog in your throat?!
Ivy, deadpan: Toad.
My mistake.

*****

Ivy: Can you sing me a song at bedtime?
Me: If you want me to
Ivy: Great! I'll write down the words for you
Me: ...
Ivy: Here you go. It's a song from the book Holes
Me: So this is a song we don't. know. the melody. for?
Ivy, eyes closed: Oh, I know it.
Me: gulp

*****

Mia has recently lost her two top front teeth
Esky, looking at Mia: You kind of look like a vampire!
Mia, horrified: But I don't want to be a grampa!
(A mondegreen that only really works in a kiwi accent)

*****

Ivy,. to me: You were born in the one-thousands, right?
Me:

*****

Mia: I know I shouldn't say this, but, I need to let you know, I'd really like a surprise party for my birthday.

*****

Esky, pointing to a small gap between furniture: Octopus test, can you fit through there?

*****

Mia: You all have inny belly buttons, I have an outy belly button; I am New York!
Esky: Do you mean unique?
Mia: Yes, newnique!

*****

Reversing out of our drive-way
Squeal from back of car
Me: What's the matter!?
Sound of window going down
Ivy: SPIDER! There's a SPIDER on my shoe!
Thunk. {Reader, she threw her whole shoe out the window.}
Arachnophobe Esky: Thatta girl!

*****

Halloween 2019 answers to "Who are you dressed as?"
Esky: A unicorn
Mia: Sacajawea
Ivy: Venom4
Person asking:
Ivy: It's a character from a book I'm going to write

*****

Esky: Ow! I just hit my foot on that open drawer!
Mia: Me too! Do you think it's our enemy or something?

*****

Esky: Can you ever tell just by looking at someone that they'll have a fake voice?
Me: Can you?
Esky: Maybe.

*****

Walking through a bird eco-sanctuary
Ivy: Takahe poo! Make a wish!

*****

Mia: What do you do in an earthquake?
Me: Get under a strong table, if you can.
Mia: But we need the honey. I guess we just keep the honey under the table.

*****

Home-school session in the library; I write, Esky reads, Ivy writes, Mia knits.
The school day ends; schoolers arrive for Lego Club / computer access.
Mia, stills her needles, turns to me, her expression wan and says: I prefer to knit in quiet.
What have I created?

*****
Esky heads up a page she plans to fill with sketches. Things take an unforeseen turn, as pictured.
Me: Keep it, see where it takes you
Esky, ignores me, starts over. REPEATS THE ERROR
Ivy: Don't fight it, Flute Scamander is speaking to you.

Mini Movie Reviews: Bulk Hit No 57

2020-04-24T18:10:00.001+12:00

Alita: Battle Angel
This is a puzzling mash-up of Disney-esque casting, acting, script and story choices playing alongside violent and brutal content. I enjoyed the thrill and fascination-factor during the fight scenes but found the aforementioned elements distracting and odd. I started feeling like a lot of moments deserved a face-palm. Also: Psssst...Jennifer Connelly is not aging like the rest of us.

Mary Queen of Scots
Historic fiction with Saoirse? Sign me up. Oh, it's quite sexy. Lots of powerful moments and breathtaking costume, but once is enough for me.

Sierra Burgess is a Loser
I wanted to like this, and I wouldn't call it time wasted...but the catfishing is just too much.

Ready Player One
This was okay. It hasn't stuck with me or begged a re-watch, but I enjoyed it at the time. If you had to choose between only giving this or Tron a go for someone you love, I'd go with Tron.

Just One of the Guys
From the vault (1985), this was another reminder of how much nudity and sexual content was already in movies decades ago. I made a note of this fact, and that I found this "interesting," but I've already forgotten it.

Isn’t it Romantic?
I watch everything Rebel is in *guilty hands up.* Found this fun.

Gifted
There are two stand-outs in this bulk hit and this is one of them. Haki and I both enjoyed this one. Me, emphatically so. Will watch again with the girls later.

One for the Money
My notes on this simply say "entertaining, no kiss." So...apparently I am super-antiquated and simple-minded...and felt frustrated at its end and like I should warn anyone else going in with hope there will be kissing?? Tell me if I'm wrong!

The Cured
Well, it's a zombie movie, so it had its work to do from the start (Haki's pick that night, obvs). I remember one dude's creepy face and manner more than any zombie-looking-zombie, so he did a good job at being creepy. I wouldn't highly recommend it, but if you love zombie movies, it's a different angle.

Cargo
So Haki talks me into zombie movies more than once a year. Of these two, I found this one better. I never though I'd watch it, the premise seemed like too much...but the post apoc elements really resonated with me. If you're not a zombie fan neither of these is going to win you over...but if you sometimes go there (that's me), this is one of the best zombie movies I've seen. It's memorable. Top 3, I reckon. (I think it's restricted, which is breaking from my MO, so you may find this a lot "more" than other mature recs here.)

What We Did On Our Holiday
This is the second stand-out on this list. Highly recommend. What a gem of a movie. Possibly an all-time favourite. Yeah, I think so.

The Great Wall
There's some cool moments here, but I'm sorry, the white saviour narrative and undecided accent are too. much.

Scent of a Woman (1992)
I felt like not having seen this was an oversight. Remedied it. Didn't love it, but appreciated the characters a great deal. Quite sweary.

Barakah meets Barkah

Interesting.

Ghost in the Shell
So, I was just trying to explain to Haki just last night, that even if I don't like a film's story or acting or script, sometimes I feel like there's this other criteria I rate "watchability" on that is essentially "world effects." With science fiction, almost always, I can forget almost everything about a film except its aesthetic...and I am glad to see each future imagined, even if I didn't like the movie. Alita and Mortal Engines are both examples of "world effects" I liked more than the movie.. Ghost in the Shell is like that too -- I liked seeing another set of "world effects," not the movie so much. Did I like the over-sexualisation? I did not.

The Perfect Date
Okay, so I disagree with the audience ratings on this one. This movie features great parents, good morals and less sexual references and sexualisation than most high school / college movies ...I think it's a great teen movie! Maybe for some that made it less edgy? Fun? Funny? I'm not sure, but it's a great addition to the teen movie canon, in my opinion, especially given its technological content.

Ones I think can be passed:
Going the Distance
Unnatural Selection

How it Ends

Something Real -- I can't even find this one any more, but the classification was so off! There's drug use, abuse, sex x3, swearing...and I felt there was really no warning that would all be there.

I posted a bulk hit yesterday and the day before too.

Mini Movie Reviews: Bulk Hit No 56

2020-04-23T17:38:00.003+12:00

Love Wedding Repeat

Mom, this one is not for you (cussin' and crass). So, based on the synopsis, I thought I was in for an edgier, British Groundhog Day, featuring a lead I'd liked in things. It's not all of those; especially don't hold out for the alternate versions of the same day so much, though that element is there. I did not find greatness here, but I did enjoy it and want to see it through to its end. Haki did not, and he bailed. It's a bit of an awkward circus, so avoid if that bugs you.

Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse

This was okay. Technically, impressive, but overall enjoyment was at def "okay." Haki fell asleep. Dare I say, another case of "all the best bits were in the trailer." But not bad. Wouldn't watch it again or buy it.

Abominable

I liked this more than Into the Spiderverse. The girls still talk about this one and want to see it again (saw it once, in-cinema), and our entire family quotes it...so it did alright with us. There's something irresistible about this one.

Woman in Gold

An excellent film. This one is for you, Mom. And anyone who enjoy a sassy octogenarian (think something akin to the Downton grandmas). Available on Netflix.

Downton Abbey

Speaking of Downton, of course I went to see the film. OF COURSE, I did. I was very satisfied with it. *smug satiated face*

Dumbo (2019)
For some reason, as a child, I treated Dumbo like religion. Watching the 1941 version as an adult I'm a bit befuddled by this. I remember feeling unsettled watching it back then too...very. And yes, as well as the yucky feeling, the movie has many flaws. Me now doesn't like the original, even my nostalgia for it is muddied by the gross feeling. I like the live action update even less. Blah.

To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
This was fun like the first. Still like the movies more than the books. Really appreciate the sensuality and content choices for these teen films.

IO
Dark...slow...yet intriguing. It's a genre I find hard to look away from, so I stuck with it when many would not. The score's probably the strongest part. It has the lowest rating on imdb for anything in this list, so probably for other post-apoc die-hards? Not for Haki at all.

Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu
Pretty good...but also frustrating. *shrug of apology*

Swiss Army Man
THIS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE OH MY GOSH PROCEED WITH CAUTION. Haki and I exchanged so many looks during this and kept saying, "Who could we recommend this to? I mean, WHO?" We both enjoyed it, but like I say, we have no idea who else would. It's like a much less reverent, more morbid and weirder Life of Pi? I think it's safe to say if the premise sounds like something you'd rather not see, you shouldn't, and here it is: A hopeless man stranded on a deserted island befriends a dead body and together they go on a surreal journey to get home. If you're intrigued by that and "weird, morbid and irreverent," well, maybe you're the answer to our puzzle!

Austenland
The general consensus on this and the book seems to be "mediocre" but I enjoyed both. It took me years to see the film adaptation because of this talk, but maybe that was for the best? I went in with very low expectations and found it quite fun...and when I read the book, I wanted to see a film of it. Thank you, Hollywood.

Falling Inn Love
Better than I expected. I was thinking this would be Hallmark movie standard (I mean, the punny title screams it) but it's a cut or two above that. There is definitely the possibility you will watch it and say, "Oh, it is that, Ange." *more shrugs* I quite liked it! Though casting an Australian as a lead in a kiwi film and not saying as much was a bit buggy. I let the girls watch it after I watched it, too -- they asked to, and it has no sex, nudity, violence or profanity.

The Light Between Oceans
HA! Now to a very different story! This is more artistic, has a sex scene (it snuck up on me, it's PG-13!), and a powerful and unforgettable narrative. Beautifully acted, elegantly told and achingly tragic. A great Film Club film. What. a. cast! And what a premise! I'm certain I projected all over the show. I have not read the book, but the story reminds me of something Bryce Courtney would pen.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Alright. Interesting moments I'm glad I saw. It's like a younger Guardians of the Galaxy x Babylon 5 hybrid (so right up my alley, you would say?) But...a lack of chemistry where I think they hoped there was some, and less punch.

OtherLife
Australian. Swearing and some sex scenes (rated M). EXCELLENT sci-fi concept.

Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Haki and I found this funny. I will watch it again in two years when I've forgotten most of it to enjoy again. Lots of sexual references.

The Knight before Christmas
Quite awful really, but watched alongside the girls in all its corniness. I'm glad they enjoyed it, and I didn't hate it. This, this is the Hallmark movie one that is exactly what you expect from its punny title and HSM cast member.

Jumping the Broom

More of a typical rom-com. I liked it.

I caught up on some mini-reviews yesterday, and more are coming tomorrow.

Mini Movie Reviews: Bulk Hit No 55

2020-04-22T20:25:00.002+12:00

Stargirl
I posted about reading the book upon which this film is based back in 2013. When I saw Grace VanderWaal was cast for its adaptation I was excited -- I'm a huge fan and I think this was an inspired call. The movie is good...and I think worth seeing for its points of difference from the teen film canon and for the discussion I think it's so great at generating. Available in Disney+.

The Boy who Harnessed the Wind
Haki and I really enjoyed this one. It's got some tough scenes...my kids aren't ready for it yet. Available on Netflix.

I Am Mother
This is one of two jaw-droppers on this list. I love love loved it. Haki and and I looked at each other after it was over and went, "That was so good." I can still talk about it at length with someone else who's watched it. I think this has earned a place on my favourite films of all time list (the last new entry for this was The Martian). If you enjoy sci fi, don't read a synopses, just watch it. It's such a treat.

1917
This is the second jaw-dropper. This is my favourite war film of all time. It's certainly not for everyone (if you don't usually like war movies, I doubt this will change that). It is incredibly well-executed. I'm so glad I saw those one in the big theatre. Wow.

Jojo Rabbit
I saw this in theatres with Haki because: we like Taika. We were both dubious. I enjoyed it more than Haki did! My biggest gripe is its egregious classification as M; I think it should have been restricted. There's some incredibly disturbing imagery I can't believe kids were watching alongside us. It has some truly magic moments. If what you know of it doesn't interest you, I wouldn't bother -- your instincts are probably right, for you -- I did enjoy it.

Knives Out
I am a huge fan of this one -- I found it clever, playful, noir-ish, fun to dissect and pretty to look at. Haki thought it was good but not as great as I was making it out to be. Whenever I've seen Daniel Craig's face since I feel a sense of affection because of this film; him as James Bond is forgotten.

Green Book
Ripper. This one was a home run for me and Haki, and he's brought it up a number of times since, simply reflecting on how good he found it. Available on Netflix.

Let It Snow
This was a good time. Hit the spot on the night I felt like watching it -- and that's the kind of rec I'd make for it -- if it looks like what you're in the mood for, it might scratch the teen flick itch.

Little Women
It took me a while to be okay with the postmodern treatment...but by the end, I was sold. The chronological jumps made it harder for my youngest to follow (I took all three girls to see it, in cinema), but she got there. I cried a lot. Saoirse is one gifted creature. Remake it a hundred times and I'll watch it every. time.

Gente que viene y bah (In Family I Trust)
I dug the chemistry in this Spanish film, and found more depth and authenticity to the acting and story than a Hollywood rom-com. It isn't something I'd often feel like watching though, or watch again.

The Addams Family
Maybe I was in a bad mood when I watched this? But we paid to rent it on appleTV for Ivy's birthday and I found it pretty meh *shrug*...sure glad I didn't pay to see it at the movies. It's one of those ones where I feel like I caught all the best gags in the trailer.

Frozen II
I like the Frozen films. I feel things, watching them. Most of all, I appreciate the dimensions it's adding to Disney romance. No longer are love stories founded on well- or boat-sightings alone, but they're born from overcoming things together, seeing each other in crises and through good, and there's doubt and then a conscious determination to work and stick with it -- yes please! Are things still relatively simplified? Yeah, it's a 2-hour film for families. Is it a heck of an improvement on the love-at-first-sight-but-now-willing-to-die-for-you model? YES. I think it's fantastic that we get to see Kristoff working out feelings (!) and being so loyal and supportive. Haki thinks the music in the second movie is nowhere near the quality of the first, I disagree; love both soundtracks. I also love Anna's boundary-setting (though Elsa doesn't appear).

Aladdin (2019)
Oh, there are more big Disney's I saw yonks ago to catch up on, folks! I had a great time watching Aladdin. I think it's my favourite animated movie from my childhood and I enjoyed seeing it adapted. Wahoo for Jasmine having more lines! I'm finding it hard to hear American accents in all-world settings lately, but overall...it was so fun.

Mary Poppins Returns
This wasn't bad, but it didn't win me over like it did some of my friends...but then, I am not a massive fan of the original; I like both well enough, but...eh.

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
I really really like Rey and this episode gave me a good Rey dose. Thoroughly enjoyed. I know haters aren't happy with the new stuff, but I am thrilled with updates being made to this universe, particular for female characters.

Crazy Rich Asians
Okay. Fun at the time. Forgettable though.

Rim of the World
B-gradey.

The Lion King (2019)
I did not love watching a remake of this. The animals looking real made them talking weird. I have chosen.

Gifted
Great film. I was very slow coming to this party but yay for getting there in the end. Available on Netflix.

I'll be back tomorrow and the next day with two more bulk hits. It's been a while...

Five Home Education Recs at 5:00

2020-04-15T17:00:00.000+12:00

Welcome to homeschooling! Muaha! You've been forced to join our ranks! I hope you make some ripper memories during this time together.

But also: *hugs* if you're finding it hard. I know this isn't easy for many. If you're one of those that this is challenging for, hang in there.

I personally don't believe loading kids up with heaps of prescribed stuff to do is as important as kids being happy and seeking and finding answers to questions. I bet plenty of you have done just fine with keeping your kids engaged too. But if a few of you are looking for ideas of things to try with kids during their increased time at home, here are a few simple activities we really enjoy. Maybe something on here will remind you of something you've been meaning to do or lead to another idea. To reiterate: I don't think you need to set up a home >> school<< -- with desks and systems and paperwork. Adding one intentional activity each day can promote plenty of growth!

Read-aloud. I've consistently read books aloud to my girls, but this has become a restorative, healing practice during lockdown. During read-aloud time no one fights, all is quiet, and lots of genuine and thoughtful questions are asked. If you've always meant to read a chapter book aloud to your kids, or haven't it done it in a while, it's a great time to pick up a favourite and get it done.
Learn to play a new song / instrument basics. We have been meaning to access all the tools available to teach ourselves to play the ukulele for years but it wasn't made a priority. During lockdown we made it one, and now (so far) we can all play three chords that are used in hundreds of popular songs in different combinations. It's more of an emotional / mental block with these things, for me -- I think it's hard because I haven't done it before. There are so many apps and YouTube channels dedicated to musical learning out there, there's few solid excuses really. I think lockdown is a great time to learn together. You can know nothing and still give it a go.
Tuck into TKI. NZ's education resource website has some great formal learning stuff. If you don't feel like having a serious rummage, I get it, maybe you could just check out one of my favourite inclusions currently available? It's a graphic novel (which you can have read to you, if you want), about the Treaty of Waitangi. It's really cool to read alongside your kids and learn together in a way that's so accessible. This is really worth a look!
Download and use more eReaders. We've used Borrowbox to check out audio and e-Books for years. But during lockdown, we've exhausted the collection on there (or the queue's too long for items we haven't read), so I looked up what other platforms our libraries use (you read that plural right). This week we installed an app called Libby, and the girls have been rereading all of their favourite graphic novels on it, as well as finding titles in chapter book series' they had long waits for on Borrowbox. Check out on your library's website for which apps they're using -- most will be using at least three. Maybe, like us, there's some you're yet to dip into! You'll find the information on your library's "Digital Library" / "Electronic Resource" / "eBook" tab., or something similar.
Try making your favourite take-out together. I love take-out food. After the library and swimming at the beach, the thing I've missed next is being able to get take-out or eat at a restaurant now and then. I haven't missed it terribly, but I do so enjoy other people making me food. Ingredients are one thing that is still available -- so I decided why not maximise the joy-output from one of the things we're allowed by trying to make something new? I love the idea of that memory being formed during lockdown -- of the first time we made that food. For us, we made Vietnamese Summer Rolls for the first time this week. They were easy and delicious; everyone was capable of rolling their own, and enjoyed it. I followed the recipe on the back of the rice paper packet (but added coriander, and free-range chicken for our meat-lovers' rolls)...but there are loads of great ones online, like this one from Nadia Lim.

Five Tidbits at 5:00

2020-04-14T17:00:00.000+12:00

So, the whole house-sit-for-world-travelers-model has its kinks, you know? Like when world travel ceases. So our chance of a lifetime appears to be on pause due to the pandemic of a lifetime. We had a li'l scramble to find a place to live there, for a minute, but we're sorted for now. If paying rent like plebeians is the greatest toll Covid takes on our family, we're doing alright. We hope we'll still do the year-long house-sit in the future -- as to when, repeat the mantra with me now -- Who knows? More details on our accommodation status, for those still hungry for 'em: We're staying in a furnished place in Mangawhai Heads in a great spot to be locked down -- it's more than we need to be comfortable and ride this thing out for a spell. The bulk of our belongings are in the garage at the year-long house. I found mice had done some damage to a box containing our wheat bags...which was an unpleasant discovery, but totally my bad. I hope the rest of our stuff does okay continuing to sit indefinitely where it is. I'm guessing we'll review things after three months at this place. I'm not sure where we'll go next. I was hoping we were going to stop moving for a season so writing (and many other) routines would resume, but the past few weeks have been filled with lots of contingency planning and execution. I hope I'm truly back now.
My kids fight a lot in lockdown. I mean, I do my darnedest to present a variety of things to do, but their fuses are soooo short. I guess they've kind of been in mobile isolation with each other for months now, so we prefaced this phase with a perfect storm for contention to rain down, but still...I'm sorry we haven't been able to avert the beast. I'm so happy when we go an hour without someone screaming someone is gross or annoying. Guys, we've gotta count the wins. There have been other positives too, of course. Ivy celebrated her 9th birthday in lockdown and still felt it was suitably celebratory. We saved Disney+ until now, so have a small reservoir of unwatched treats for rainy days (oh, about those, we don't get them here? *head scratch* So this qualifier has been amended for "days we were tired or have worked hard and earned it").
Of all the services I have gone without during lockdown, the library has hands-down, been the hardest. I've downloaded many new e-Book platforms this week, but it does not resolve the body-to-screen ratio in our household (which I do not regret overall, but right now, is a challenge). Our girls are starting to memorise whole scenes from chapter books because they've read them so many times (not entirely a bad thing). We all miss the library a great deal.
My most frequently asked question at the moment is about my other writing ventures, so I'll give it a paragraph. I'm hoping my agent is working for me, because I am writing at about 5% of my norm. I.e. I'm still entering flash comps and brainstorming bigger stuff...that's been it. I hope today marks the beginning of carving out more writing time, because we'll be in one place for more than a week or two...which hasn't been the case for a very long time, and I've found the duties and enticements of an ever-changing locale difficult to demote in priority.
It's a fundamental aspect of My Recycling Process to pronounce "Emulsify!" upon a recyclable item as I dash detergent inside (then, if you must know: add warm water; replace lid; shake-shake-shake; rinse; reserve water for other house-hold purpose). Please tell me you wash your recyclables properly. You know they just throw them out if they're dirty. In related news: they're doing soft plastics recycling up here again and I am elated.

THANK YOU for the messages of support in response to me resuming posting. They meant a lot. x

Alex

2020-03-09T07:00:00.000+13:00

Alex, Tessa Duder
A YA novel set before cellphones that still packs plenty of punch today! I've had a copy of this novel for a long time, and been meaning to read it. Once I got into it, I welcomed the opportunity to settle into a swimming story. It's different, and it's compelling. I appreciated it being set in New Zealand and I enjoyed finding it easy to read. I wouldn't rank it as a marvel of wordsmithery or life-changing read for me, but I value that it's a unique contribution to YA lit.

We Hunt the Flame

2020-03-09T00:00:00.000+13:00

We Hunt the Flame, Hafsah Faizal

Press: We Hunt the Flame to be set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

Until the time of posting, it didn't occur to me that reading a retelling of Mulan alongside this was an interesting coincidence / non-coincidence -- both are ancient and feature strong women disguised as men, being awesome. Buuuut...this one is fantasy, way less about romance, and more quest-driven. Though there are some formulaic aspects -- reluctant allies, desperately-sought ancient artifacts, to name two -- a new place and voice made it well-worth my time. I would have delighted in more banter and humour, but overall, enjoyed it. If that sounds like just what the doctor ordered, you should get on it.

A YA Mulan Retelling

2020-03-06T07:00:00.000+13:00

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan, Sherry Thomas
Before I start with this one, I'm likely stating the obvious, but will point out that the Mulan tale originates from a folk song called "The Ballad of Mulan" from the North Wei Dynasty (386 AD - 557 AD). So while it was popularised by Disney, this story has been around for centuries. With this in mind, I approached The Magnolia Sword, not as a re-frame of a Disney movie, but as a retelling of an ancient legend...with a BA heroine! Which is to say: I approached it eagerly.

Bullet-time...

I was not disappointed. The Magnolia Sword is enriched by in-depth historical world-building and strengthened by positioning the love interests in a vastly different way to the Disney film. While I struggled to hold the entire host of soldiers introduced as distinct and different individuals, I relished more comprehensive characterisations for Hua Mulan's family, opposition and friends.
Sensuality is kept at a simmer, but that the love story is epic -- an excellent combination for my sensibilities.
I relish reading action scenes featuring highly proficient females, and Thomas' fights are well-written with excellent mental staging.
I thoroughly enjoyed this iteration of this figure. She's a great lead -- introspective, but also sometimes silly and young, which also makes her hopeful. She's remorseful yet bold, disciplined and resilient...I could go on! She's a protag I want to spend time with!
You can check out Thomas' end notes on how she came to tell this story, here. (If you haven't heard of Sherry Thomas, don't be fooled into presuming her name suggests a lack of authority on China.)

Rainfall

2020-03-05T12:39:00.002+13:00

Rainfall, Ella West

Rainfall is a tightly plotted little noir, drenched with kiwiana and gentle humour. Ella West captures vulnerability in both character and township with sparse prose and punchy imagery, and even weaves in an eager smoocher!

Some further notes:

The high-speed romance has some predictable elements, but these are easy to forgive due to a West's emphasis on character over appearance and a prevailing sense of authenticity. It's also a great match for me in terms of tastefulness.
At times I felt frustrated by the protag's choices, but when I'd pause and consider her age, I thought, "Yeah, this is en pointe -- I'd be frustrated with real people acting this way, and it's likely they would."
The motif-rich world-build is solid. In addition to making a great contribution towards capturing a real place, Rainfall supplies relevant and worthy commentary on mining as an issue within that world.
There's a brilliance in the eeriness invoked by simple details, making this an excellent introduction to the thriller genre for younger readers. The foreshadowing is also smashing.

Easy to read, this gave me a satisfaction similar to my feelings after watching Hunt for the Wilderpeople. I suspect advanced readers, who've already devoured The Hunger Games and other high body count narratives, may miss the beauty in the nuance for this one, but those gradually working up into more challenging titles, who've not yet ventured into violent or graphic realms, should find a pleasing level of action here. Highly recommend.

I'M BACK and Five FAQs at 5!

2020-02-12T05:00:00.000+13:00

So, last year I mentioned I'm still here.

Last. year.

I know. Rude.

But I'm BACK!

A lot has happened since then, and I mentioned the aforementioned silence had cause (naturally), and that I'd explain more.

Well...we're moving! And changing things up a fair bit.

After living in Dunedin for 20 years (me), and for all of our children's lives, and almost all of Haki's, we're leaving the city I love so much. So, this is not an in-city move.

Where? Well, almost the opposite end of this fair land of ours. We're bound for Whangarei!

We're already en route to our new Northland home, where we'll be for at least a year. We've made a slow migration of it, taking in some of our favourite places and people on the way (though there's never enough time for all the good).

I don't have a lot of details about our destination and plans beyond that...except that we're leaning into a sense of peaceful uncertainty; we feel it's right that we move, though many surrounding particulars are still being illuminated.

Five Frequently Asked Questions at 5:00

So what about your reviews? I rely on you for book and movie recs and you have really failed to deliver for QUITE some time, I hope this means the reviews are back on. You're right, I really have failed to deliver. The good news: I've been keeping notes during the online quiet, though I wasn't posting. I cannot promise the full reviews they might have been if my life had been less topsy-turvy, but I will get them up here and you will have QUITE the list to work through.
Why Whangarei? It feels right. Nope, it's not the call of a job, and it's not because we've bought land...yet (to both!). We have been offered a great opportunity to house-sit for a year on a lifestyle property caring for three dogs, a cat and a little orchard. This is a dream come true for our children, and we want their childhood to be enriched with things that make them happy and help them grow -- this decision has been guided by that, as much as a shared feeling it was time for change. Also: Haki and I have felt an inexplicable call to try out Whangarei for some time. This is our chance. We know very few people and know the area even less. It's our next great adventure (read: we have no idea what's going to happen).
What has been going on for the past few months? Readers' Digest version, please. Well, four major things have happened for us. 1) We started house-sitting as a way to travel for less and broaden our girls' experiences...and help other people at the same time. We worked together on farms, visited beautiful spots (like Milford Sound), and spent a lot of time at the beach. The girls snuggled kune kune, bottle-fed lambs, played with puppies, threw hay, rode on trailers pulled by their parents driving quad-bikes, kayaked, dug for cockles, went on many walks, and played a lot of fetch. It's been a family-centred time...and an investment in our house-sitting portfolio. Our experiences gave us both memories, and some house-sitting street cred. Thanks to the owners who took time to post reviews after our stays, we have been able to secure more and more house-sits...including a year-long one at the other end of the country. 2) Haki had to leave his job. He's been riding through a storm with his mental health for a while, but it reached a tumultuous crescendo towards the end of last year, and we agreed no more sleep-overs and therefore, no more of that job; we are done with years of sleeping apart. So Haki resigned. We also spent some time in psychologist appointments together working through Haki's anxiety and our way forward as a family. This was really valuable (and brave of Haki). 3) Haki's (Dunedin-based) mother, who's been battling and winning against breast cancer, got a mammogram that came up clear. These three things have all churned in our cauldron of change and contributed to the spell we're casting, and led to 4) All the packing an cleaning. When we weren't traveling and house-sitting together, this was my life. Much of the past few months has been that and more of that. I really don't enjoy moving AT ALL and I am still coming down from how cranky I was. I'm sorry...everyone.
What's happening with your writing? Well, I have an agent now. Frances Plumpton is pitching one of my unpublished novels for me, and representing my work overall. When the topsy turvy began I decided it was time to agent up. I'm still entering comps, writing stories, and working at it, but life has definitely come first for the last 4-5 months. Thank you to everyone who has read my self-published stuff or checked the blog for posts, even when none were coming, you're such sweeties!
What is going on with the girls!? Over the past few years, I've shared less and less about our kids here because I want them to have more privacy. I then felt that babe and little kid material was fair game, but now they're older it isn't my story to tell. But I will say: the girls are 6 (Mia), 8 (Ivy) and 10 (Esky), they are mostly excited about our move...but plenty sad to leave loved ones behind. We are still home-schooling. It's given us all this flexibility to uproot and travel and house-sit and explore and do things however the heck we want. I don't foresee this changing for us anytime soon. It's okay if you don't do it, it's not for everyone.

Thank you for being here. I hope you'll stick around.

x

Still here

2019-09-19T12:00:00.003+12:00

Well, I'm pretty sure that's the longest radio silence I've had on the blog since its inception, more than a decade ago.

But inactivity on here equates to frantic activity in my real life, which means news is coming.

Look forward to sharing soon.

In the meantime, I've got a bunch of reviews to trickle through. Keep watching.

P.S. I'm really touched to see there are still people clicking through daily to check for updates. Bless your hearts.

Unnatural First Edition Paperback, out now

2019-05-29T00:00:00.000+12:00

You can now order a hard copy of Unnatural for your physical bookshelf.

Get yours here.

The Boy Who Steals Houses

2019-05-02T15:38:00.002+12:00

The Boy Who Steals Houses, C.G. Drews
I listened to an audiobook of S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders while I read The Boy Who Steals Houses and the High School English teacher in me cannot get enough of how deliciously this played out. These would be soooo good to study alongside each other. (Guys, they both even opted for initials-only bylines! The conversations that could be had!)

The premise is dynamite, the opening smashing and the language imagery-rich. I couldn't look away.

Of all the things that impressed me about this book, most of all I applaud the aftertaste. Without being preachy, there are messages here, and there are consequences (something I'm often sorry to see glossed over in some other hard knock stories). The wrap-up is handled with expert finesse.

Advisory-wise, there's some colourful language and some violence. No sex scenes.

A great discovery for fans of Holly Goldberg Sloan -- The Boy Who Steals Houses is a contemporary, both-eyes-open redemption tale with a big heart.

Review copy received from Hachette.

The Quiet at the End of the World

2019-04-29T17:05:00.000+12:00

The Quiet at the End of the World, Lauren James
A cousin cover to this appeared on SK a couple years ago with the directive, "Just read the book, not its reviews." The covers have some semblance for good reason -- in both books, ya get Jamesed; you know, when you're sucker-punched with surprise but that somehow satiates all your narrative cravings? In addition to appreciating the corresponding branding, I liked the en pointe sparse marketing for this title.

As well as being a slice of satisfying entertainment (and an easy, one-afternoon read), James elegantly tackles some big questions, making a significant contribution to the contemporary SF canon. Questions I'd considered some via Marissa Meyer and Bernard Beckett were framed in a subjective, integrated way that made me sit up and try to answer them. I respect that.

Another thing I feel James does incredibly well is share worthy morals without clobbering me with them. Her books don't read preachy but those I've read make me think, "I'd love for more YA to be reading this kind of YA."

If you liked The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, you should check this out. And if you like this one, you should check out Unnatural...because...the premise is essentially identical (but there's a lot of divergence thereafter). (So yes, when I saw promotional material appearing my heart sank a little. But hey, widespread infertility is a crisis I'm happy to see addressed again and again.)

Review copy received from Walker.

Seven at Sea

2019-04-06T11:48:00.000+13:00

Seven at Sea: Why a New York City Family Cast Off Convention for a Life-Changing Year on a Sailboat, by Eric Orton & Emily Orton
Three ARCs have languished on my shelf over summer until they've degraded to simply RC's. And boxes of books keep arriving. So when three people I love said they'd finished a book not on my trade list and would I like to read it, I thought, "I'll get to it when I can." But yesterday I was guided by a sudden exigent need for their rec to jump the queue. I read all afternoon.

For the sake of transparency, it must be said I'd already heard of the Ortons. The aforementioned recommending trio has lovingly spoken of this family for years; I even have Karina Orton on my Spotify playlist -- and not just because the recommendations of people I love matter, but because I really like Karina's music. But I've never met the Orton family or communicated with them. It's possible my awareness of a single degree of separation between us heightened my connection with their story, but I don't know that I could read Erik and Emily's writing and not connect with their tender honesty, under any circumstance.

Their story is an interweaving of recounted experiences and family philosophy, both of which I found compelling and resonant.

I began reading with a degree of disconnect founded on my certainty I'd struggle to relate to these people who had done something I couldn't fathom even considering. I'm open to risks and adventure, but braving the beautiful and terrifying ocean? With my kids? I surely would find these sea people, other; I'd be just fine viewing them like fascinating specimens with whom I didn't consociate.

I was so wrong. I felt their family meetings, mulled on their marital growth, nodded at their mantras, and reflected with gratitude on my own spouse's unfailing support of my "day jobs" (home-schooling and writing) and unconventional pursuits (like opening an art gallery at a very inexperienced 21). I felt alive reading the Ortons' story.

They weren't this other, Sailing Sort I'd assumed they were. They were instead dreamers who consciously set goals and became sailors in spite of not inherently being that. The well-selected opening chapter lays excellent exposition, clarifying the Ortons' exceptional experiences were something they bravely claimed instead of a privilege they were born to. I was shedding weak suppositions left and right as I learned Emily once feared deep water, that they all experience motion sickness, and how their sailing experience came by way of inventive frugality. Suppositions shed, I was primed to project all over the place, which for me, makes for seriously emotional reading. And it was!

The prose itself is nice to read; I pursed my lips with amusement at Erik's love for puns (and corniness generally) and caught my breath at Emily's sudden bursts of contemplation in amidst surface retelling. Then there's the honesty. Holy crap the honesty is good. These people got mad sometimes. They got stuck in funks. They had doubts.

I collected little gems as I read -- turns of phrase and imagery I want to hold onto -- sloths on deck, dinghy dates, and friends willing to suck diesel / be electrocuted for you. There are quotes I've recorded to keep for rereading because I don't want to forget what I felt when I read them.

I'm so glad I read this book and think anyone with a dream (or even the tickle of one forming) would be glad to read it too.

King of Scars, More Grishaverse

2019-04-05T07:00:00.000+13:00

King of Scars, Leigh Bardugo
This is the first in a duology about Nikolai.

I've been impressed with all of Bardugo's books, but in King of Scars the narrative voices are more distinct and nuanced, the romance is richer and the dialogue is almost perfect;

The story is told from multiple perspectives, but each is engrossing and unique.
Queer and bicurious voices are integrated in a way I think significantly contributes to the movement.
I wanted more from the romance in some of the earlier books (okay, mostly Six of Crows), but here I found romance that didn't drive the narrative but that made the story better. It's an art.
Although there is apparent attraction, there are no sensual scenes.
The world-build is exquisite.
Of everything that is strong, the strongest for me has to be the dialogue. I wanted to read sections aloud all the time because I wanted to replay and share how good it was. It is so so good, and many of you know, good dialogue is important to me.
The only downside I found, is that I have read these as they've come out, and so a lot of time has passed since I read the first books. Sometimes I make time to reread leading up to a new release, but this new year that hasn't been feasible. The expositional catch-up and review portions are pretty solid, but I knew I didn't have the depth of appreciation and connection with the characters I could have had if the earlier books had been a recent undertaking. So if you're coming to this late, you're in for a treat to be able to read them all back-to-back and come into Nikolai's portions with that heightened love for all the players. (Because there are a lot of players you know and love here!)
This book may be about a king, but the women pack all the narrative punch. I mean, for sure, Nikolai's story and battle is an underpinning, interwoven thread, but the women are the powerhouses here. So many great ladies! Ah!

Available in bookstores now.

Review copy received from Hachette.

We Are Displaced: Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World

2019-04-04T13:36:00.003+13:00

We Are Displaced, Malala Yousafzai and Various
This book belongs to many women, not just Malala. But Malala knows her name's placement on its cover will help these other voices be heard -- that because people will pick up a book by Malala, many will also come to know about Marie Clare being jubilantly thrown in the air at her graduation ceremony, Marīa's longing to pluck a mango from a tree outside her own home, or Analia's fond memories riding clutching her father on his motorbike, secured to him by a yellow strap. I felt punched with power by the details.

Often the common narrative on displaced persons underscores the trauma or celebrates “improved circumstances.” But We Are Displaced reminds us of beauty lost. That yes, while there was cause to flee, there were also good things left behind, things that made the place they were fleeing, home.

I needed to read this book. In a time where people debate immigration policy, refugee housing allocation, the risk of assembly and a foreign presence in our communities, I believe many would benefit from reading this book. In a world where nearly one person is forcibly displaced every two seconds as a result of conflict or persecution, I think hearing their stories is more important than ever before. An unprecedented 68.5 million people around the world have been forced from home (source).

If your heart already aches, you'll be open to feel and to learn a little more. If you haven't given it much thought or gone beyond the numbers, this book may help awaken you to the people and the details behind those staggering figures. If you're anti- all of it already, you're probably not reading my blog anyway.

I believe how we talk about and what we do about displaced people will be what defines this time in history.

As a production, the book is excellent. The stories read well in the order presented, are abridged elegantly with Malala's own experience and introductory comments, and the colour photographs at its centre were something I kept turning to again and again.

Proceeds from the sales of this book go to the Malala Fund -- to help more girls to school and reach their potential.

Available from Hachette (Jan 2019).

Catch a Falling Star: Five Stars...albethey late in falling

2019-02-12T14:34:00.001+13:00

Catch a Falling Star, Meg McKinlay
I received an advance reading copy for this back in December. As to why I am only now sharing my thoughts on it, I have pieced together thus:

It took all of one voracious evening for me to read it from title to end matter. After I closed it, I felt full. I luxuriated a few minutes in satiated afterglow, then apparently clickety clicked my way onto GoodReads, smugly stamped it with a whopping 5/5 stars, then...fell asleep.

There is nary a sentence of accompanying praise to go with those stars, there's not a word saved in my phone's "Notes"about my reading (which I thought I always did), and there's certainly no drafted review post to be opened now and polished. How could this be? This was so unlike me! Something had gone seriously amuck.

This has come back to me because I did some digging. And by digging, I mean I scrolled down a smidge on GoodReads to find the date I read Catch a Falling Star. Bingo. New Year's Eve. It was this discovery that brought it all back to me. My husband worked New Year's Eve. After an hour's read aloud for the offspring (Wildwood Dancing, if you must know) and a dance party thereafter, I tucked in my beloved listener-dancers for the night and welcomed 2019 by crawling into my bed for an uninterrupted book binge. It was quite an after-party!

The next day we spent at Long Beach playing pole tennis, sun-worshipping, body boarding and throwing back half-thawed popsicles. Reading thus (without making notes or drafting a review upon completion) and relaxing outdoors with my family thereafter robbed this title of the glowing and timely review it deserved! I loved this book. I mean, it was how I saw in the new year, and I 100% would do it all again the same way if given the chance.

I had to get that out of the way -- you must know the delay is not a reflection of mediocrity by any means, but rather an unfortunate price paid for the opposite -- this book was my delicious treat for myself at a time I thought little of homework and more on pleasure.

Now, why did I love it?

The writing is charming and accessible. I felt like Frankie was confiding in me conversationally. This helped make a single sitting reading possible.
And the curation of details is just so. What this student is wearing, what that child said -- it's a highly effective highlight reel of Frankie's experience. (One reoccurring specific in the ARC drew a blank for me though; a texta was regularly used to write things. From context I guessed this would be a Sharpie in terms-familiar-to-me, and a good google confirmed as much. You're welcome, if you are also non-Australian or in the dark on this one.)
The 70s setting for this novel lends a warm filter to its accompanying imagery; space station Skylab's omnipresence charges the narrative with quirky fascination and fervour-- a motif that feels rich with relevance.
There's a delicate suspense for having these physical and emotional trajectories mapped alongside each other.
As the reader juggles both of those balls, there's no room for romance. This is a family story and a story about grief. Don't wait for a love interest to appear.
The interplay between relationships is the meat of it; how imperfect people do their best to be there for each other but how hard that can really be.
In the best way, it shares some of the refined magic and messages of The 10pm Question, only I'd venture in a less confronting way (and so perhaps could be suitable for a younger audience).
But in terms of suitability and advisory notes on content, Catch a Falling Star is refreshingly clean and a slam-dunk on the tasteful front.

So these are my words, to go with my 5/5 stars; Catch a Falling Star is a winner. It captures the fragments of warmth and tenderness that flutter and fall through mortality's sieve of pain. Highly recommended.

I read an ARC from Walker.

On the Come Up

2019-01-31T12:59:00.001+13:00

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least make it out of her neighborhood one day. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died before he hit big, Bri’s got big shoes to fill. But now that her mom has unexpectedly lost her job, food banks and shutoff notices are as much a part of Bri’s life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it.

Before I attempt to frame some of my thoughts about this story, I'll quote Neil Gaiman:

“Fiction gives us empathy: it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gifts of seeing the world through their eyes. Fiction is a lie that tells us true things, over and over.”

This idea -- that reading fosters empathy -- is the main reason I decided to review On the Come Up. Because if I'm completely honest, as a middle-class white person, I'm pretty nervous about writing a review on this book. Because: What do I know? And what right do I have to comment? Those questions tugged on my anxiety strings. But louder, was a call to Empathetic Arms; my belief that more middle-class white people should read more widely, acquaint themselves with more voices -- hear diverse stories (and then talk about them). So though I can't tell you if Angie Thomas writes these voices authentically or confirm whether her novels capture the spirit of the neighbourhoods she describes (though I have it on good authority she does), I can do what I do for any other work of fiction I read -- share what the narrative voice says to me and what feelings I feel are captured (although I'm still a little nervous).

My first note, is that reading this from the outside, I felt some acclimatising needed to take place. The dialogue read like a dialect of my own tongue so foreign to me I had to sometimes pause, re-read, and decode characters' speech. Perhaps this might be taken as an indicator of authenticity in and of itself, ha!

The messages -- that women can have ambitions and that's more than okay, that dreams may take a fight, and that breaking with expectations can be part of that fight -- will speak to a lot of people, from all walks of life. Those translate loud and clear. The harsh and heart-aching struggles for low-income families hit me hard. Hard too, was riding the climbing click-click-click of Thomas' carefully-plotted rollercoaster alongside Bri -- knowing we both would need to come slamming down before the ride was over. Because for sure, Bri makes some choices that had me going, "No! Don't do it! She did it..." But after the climb and slam, there was also relief, progress, learning and closure. The plot is tight.

Lastly, advisory-wise, there's some heavy content references, so concerned parents could consider reading alongside / before their kids. There are no sex scenes. There's a fair amount of cussing.

If you loved The Hate U Give, you don't need this review -- you'll be lining up to get your hands on a copy of this (same neighbourhood, new people) sequel next week. But if you're someone who sees these covers and doesn't identify with what you see, this review's for you: Read wider; support more voices; empathise more.

ARC received from Walker.

Sometimes the movie is better

2018-12-24T07:00:00.000+13:00

So often I hear people echo the catch-cry, "Seen the movie? The book's way better, but that's always the way..."

I disagree.

Sometimes a film adaptation elevates a story for me; be it an exceptional score, better pacing, incredible acting, moderation for minorities or a certain narrative tightening, sometimes a big team and/or a big budget can make magic from a book and leave me whispering, "I think I enjoyed that more than I did the book!" I'm surprised when it happens, because I agree -- often my imagination's direction of a book can't be topped -- but sometimes, sometimes a film moves me in a way its source book does not.

I've been compiling a list of such anomalies for a while. This is not to say I loved all of these movies (though the ones I did love are marked with an asterisk), it is to say they moved/thrilled/entertained me more than the books from which they are adapted did. Some of the source books I couldn't even finish (so perhaps you could argue it's not a fair trial?), but I definitely finished their movie counterparts. I think that's telling.

Here we go.

Movies that moved me more than their books:

Mortal Engines

Never Let Me Go

To All The Boys I've Loved Before

The Princess Bride*

The Davinci Code

If I Stay

Mockingjay 1 and 2

How to Train Your Dragon

Paper Towns

P.S. I Love You

Forrest Gump

The Prestige*

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Allegiant

The Lord of the Rings* Trilogy (comments are turned off, don't bother)

The Notebook

Stardust*

Jaws

Books I anticipate will be better as movies:

Caraval

Mini Movie Reviews: Bulk Hit No 54

2018-12-22T07:00:00.000+13:00

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
I prefer the Newt franchise to the HP films. I don't love number two as much as the first, but I still liked it very much. It's way too dark to show my kids anytime soon. Haki thought the story got a bit too convoluted. I hear that, but then...it still seemed predictable, so is it too much then?

The Good Lie
I count this as one of Netflix's hidden gems. Have watched twice and loved twice. All thumbnails and posters misrepresent the story, baiting with Witherspoon's face. Do not watch this film to see her. My favourite Netflix watch of this year. Not a romantic comedy. Not for young ones. After the second viewing with Haki he said, "Good pick, hon'".

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
I enjoyed the movie more than I did the book (which I found fun but oddly juvenile in patches) and overall, I found this better than the average high school movie. Well acted and good dialogue. I'll definitely watch the sequel.

Murder on the Orient Express
Haki and I both really enjoyed this.

The Clapper
A nice subtle little film. We found it interesting to watch and talk about; a discussion-piece.

Set It Up
Risqué for sure but excellent rom com in all its rom-comishness.

Mother’s Day
It's okay. Has some funny moments. Way to make a watcher feel frumpy though.

Wonder
I can't believe I haven't shared...I love this movie. Cried through it with a sister-heart in the theatre. Bought it. Girls love it too, have watched more than once. Adore the book and film both in different ways.

The Shack
Eugh. I see there's value here but...this chewed up my heart and spat it out. I can still get upset thinking about it now, months and months later.

Battle of the Sexes
I wasn't adequately prepared for the kind of film this turned out to be, and thus was quite disappointed. Tonally, I expected a grand slam comedy. It isn't. It felt more about the battle against queer prejudice than gender prejudice.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure
It's alright. I like the whole trilogy, even if it's only alright.

The Dark Tower
Forgettable, sadly. Haki had read the comic and had particularly high hopes that weren't satisfied.

A Monster Calls
I don't think this is a bad adaptation, but I do mourn the warmth and humour that came through in the book being lost in this considerably darker film. The movie had a lot to live up to. Great book.

City of Ember
Fool's gold, this. I thought I'd found a Netflix gem -- it looked so interesting -- but it was weak. Also, wanted to scream at characters, "Come on, parents!" I think my girls may like it sometime though, ha! The set is great.

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!
The first one is so much better. I was still entertained, but I don't think I'd watch it a second time. Haki was very disappointed (he really liked the first one!).

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
See previous review; Ctrl + V here.

Equals
My irresistible sub-genre. I found it very intriguing and unsettling in the right way. Not for those who don't like sci fi. Quite steamy.

The Cloverfield Paradox
Not the best but not time wasted, sometimes I crave a wee space thriller; this is that.

The Titan
It starts swell then gets too weird. Haki was mad at it at the end, like, throw your shoe in regret for having stayed so long, kind of mad. I don't recommend it.

Never Let Me Go
More irresistible subject matter to me. Liked the book. Think the movie made it even better. I'm gonna write a whole post about this rare phenomena. There's sex scenes and full shots of someone looking at 2D porn in this...I'd avoided the film for a long time because of the sticker warning, but I really wanted to see the adaptation so opted to watch and AE (avert eyes, lol).

Missable:

Sierra Burgess is a Loser - it's wrong, people

How it Ends - sweary and poorly executed

The Princess Switch - I was hoping this would be one of those cross-over ones where my girls like it and I like it; no such luck (but the girls did)

Yesterday's 20 here.

Mini Movie Reviews: Bulk Hit No 53

2018-12-21T17:54:00.001+13:00

These bulk hits are growing title-wise but the word count doth shrinketh. You can decide if me posting now about some movies I saw in-cinema a year (+) ago is a neg or not. Maybe I failed to spare you purchasing a ticket for something it turns out we agree wasn't worth it. Sorry. Or...maybe you'll get to enjoy these as back-catalogue titles that slipped through the cracks. (It really has been a long time I've been saving these up. So when you see how many are here, take pause before you panic I do little else, I haven't posted a hit since August of last year. I'll break this up over two posts, one today, one tomorrow.)

Here we go...

Mortal Engines
Haki and I saw this in-cinema just this week, that's why I'm leading with it. I read the book two years ago because Peter and Fran were attached to the adaptation project. I enjoyed the film. It's worth watching just to see the premise realised, if nothing else -- it's a fascinating idea and the film opens with a punch delivery of Reeve's vision. There's some unfortunate preaching, heavy-handed imagery and glaring disappointments that undercut the overall power of the film (including a moment that is too Death Star to ignore), but I'm so glad I saw it! Because: older protagonists, incredible effects and well-paced action improve on the original story for me! I found the book revolved around Tom, who I found unlikable and unworthy of being the hero. The film is Hester's story, and it's better for it. Sadly one of the biggest disappointments is that Hester is robbed of something that should have been hers (and so is Anna Fang; let's discuss). Shrike? Brilliant. Visually, I devoured it. It really tickled my post-apoc-tastebuds. Is it my film of the year? No.

Candy Jar
You know how some high school movies are wittier and better than the bulk of them? (for they are what they are) This is one of those. (Wardrobe is also a bonus.)

Ant-Man
My third-favourite Marvel movie, which is to say I liked it.

Ant-Man and Wasp
This on the other hand, I did not like as much. I didn't dislike it, but it was just okay.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The effects are top notch. Not a fave.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
A bit funny...though the trailers gave me most of it. *curse you, trailers* (And having re-watched the original with my elder two this year, I have to say, the reboot doesn't give the same chills; seeing other-world in our world trumps entering other-world. But I get it, it's an update.)

Orbiter 9
Spanish sub-titles. I know I lost some people already. This is the kind of premise I can't resist. It wasn't all I hoped it would be and the sensuality registered higher on the heat scale than would allow me to recommend it to more people, but if a lonely woman in space appeals to you and you have some patience, this is worth a look (watched on Netflix).

Coco
Miguel's voice! This one's attention to detail and strong story make it a happy addition to the Disney-Pixar canon; it's quite the all-rounder.

Pitch Perfect 3
I returned for Rebel and laughed at Rebel. Otherwise not great.

A Quiet Place
This is one of my favourites of this year. It sits in my scary sweet spot. Haki and I saw it in the theatre for a day date. We went in knowing nothing but the cast and the tagline (my favourite thing to do) and felt so rewarded for it. It went there with the children (something I usually can't tolerate) and one scene was a little too done for my liking (ask me), but so much was perfect; the suspense, the performances, the showing instead of telling -- just right. I wish I could show my kids this like an education tool (if the going gets tough you MUST listen to me and ask. no. questions!). The day will come they can see it, but it's a ways off. P.S. Yes, I cried.

Kong: Skull Island
Humans are the worst. Didn't like Samuel L.'s...anything, really (do I ever?). Also didn't like that the only person in a singlet was a woman and that Samuel L. was wearing gauze around his face to protect from bugs at the same time woman wore said singlet. Disappointing overall, and I remember little beyond these notes a year later.

A Country Called Home
Found on Netflix. For all the sad things in this story I found it surprisingly hopeful; I appreciate the messages about redemption and fresh starts. Oft-times understated, consistently well-written and well-acted, supported by a strong soundtrack and an interesting end. There are no sex scenes, but there's swearing, alcohol misuse and mighty servings of disappointing choices. This one's not a family movie, though a message about being intentional in making people our family spoke to me. It's pretty tough on the South, but one character represents a break from archetypes.

Robot & Frank
Another one found on Netflix. This one's pretty cute and funny. A bit sweary.

Mary and Martha
Ones like this get me every time. This film was the inspiration for my last charity dinner (you can help defeat malaria here). Available on Netflix. (Speaking of charity events, my girls hosted this year's one, and they did the work. It was a lovely arrangement.)

Sheep & Wolves
Terrible.

Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2
I want to like this. For me: not funny.

Everybody Loves Somebody
Spanish subtitles. A bit rude. Great script. Enjoyed.

Solo: A Star Wars Story
A pretty good time. Rogue One's still my fave.

Blade Runner 2049
Good. Haki was disappointed.

The Greatest Showman
This is old news, I know, but in the sake of thoroughness, let it be documented, I thoroughly enjoyed this film when I saw it in-cinema (and the second time, with my kids). Yes, it’s a flawed, inaccurate movie, but its radical oversimplification, gorgeous mise en scene and constant moving percussion have their own magic. As a work of fiction taken at face value, I consider it an utter delight. I do think Barnum's actual life warrants a discussion, post-, and I'd really like to see more people from RL margins being cast in spotlight roles about marginalised people, but guys, this movie did something for me that movies don't often do. It got me grinning and wishing it wouldn't end. Even if it's been thrashed and over-alluded to since, I won't forget that.

Come back for another bulk hit -- 20 more reviews(!) in brief -- tomorrow.