media update: January

Asterisks denote something I particularly enjoyed or found especially worthy of my time; double asterisks are reserved for the creme de la creme.  As always, your mileage may vary.

When applicable, this page will be published as a work in progress and continually updated so I can provide timely feedback for advance reader copies.  Receiving an ARC does not affect my reviews in any way.

FICTION

1. Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody:  After her father dies by suicide, Teddy takes up his obsession with finding out the truth behind her sister's disappearance.  Disappointing, not least of all because it contains three separate graphic instances of animal death, only one of which has any bearing on the story (and that one is especially awful).

2. The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman:  Dr. Alex Delaware and his police lieutenant friend Milo Sturgis investigate the double homicide of a playboy and his married lover. Like all of Kellerman's books, it's a quick and satisfying read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC!  The book will be released on February 6th.

3. Interesting Facts About Space* by Emily Austin:  Enid is obsessed with space, true crime, and the persistent belief that she's a bad person.  Quirky and sad, but ultimately hopeful.

4. Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham:  Still reeling from the death of her best friend Eliza, Margot goes away to college only to meet an enigmatic young woman who draws Margot into her dangerous orbit.

5. Where You End by Abbot Kahler:  Kat wakes up from a coma with memories of her twin sister Jude and nothing else.  Jude promises to take care of Kat and help her regain her memories, but she has a reason for Kat to stay in the dark.

6. Margo's Got Money Troubles* by Rufi Thorpe:  After getting pregnant by her professor, Margo drops out of college to care for her son.  When she loses her waitressing job due to calling in too often and two of her roommates move out, she finds herself in a serious financial bind.  Enter two unlikely saviors: her estranged ex-wrestler father and OnlyFans.  By turns hilarious, hopeful, and heartbreaking, it's a fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!  The book officially comes out on June 11th.

7. The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean:  Detective Chelsey Calhoun is stunned when Ellie Black, who has been missing for two years, is found alive.  Ellie is strangely hesitant to share details of her captivity, but Chelsey is determined to get to the truth.  Pacy and shocking; the last fifty or so pages are wild.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!  The book officially comes out on May 7th.

8. One of the Good Guys* by Araminta Hall:  Cole is a self-proclaimed nice guy, living in an isolated cottage after his marriage ends.  Then two young women on a walk to raise awareness of gendered violence disappear, and I won't say anything else because this book is full of surprises that you deserve to discover yourself. 

9. Safe and Sound* by Laura McHugh:  Sisters Amelia and Kylee try to find out the truth behind the disappearance of their cousin Grace.  I've enjoyed all of this author's previous books, and this captivating novel was no exception.  In addition to being an engrossing mystery, it also has trenchant points to make about poverty and intergenerational trauma.  Bonus points for not being the typical "woman returns to hometown to investigate a crime"; the sisters stay in town!  

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!  The book officially comes out on April 23rd.

NONFICTION

1. Only Say Good Things by Crystal Hefner:  Hugh Hefner's much, MUCH younger widow talks about her time at the Playboy Mansion, both before and after she became Hugh's wife.  Spoiler alert: it mostly sucked and Hugh Hefner was a gross asshole.  It's pretty interesting, though.

2. Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s by Sarah Ditum:  An incisive analysis of tabloid culture in the early aughts, focusing on nine women (including Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan) who were especially targeted.

MANGA/GRAPHIC NOVELS

1. We're New at This vol. 15 by Ren Kawahara

MOVIES

1. The Equalizer 3:  Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), now living in Italy, springs into action when local crime lords terrorize the residents of his small town.

2. Cobweb:  A lonely young boy with overprotective parents (Lizzy Kaplan and Antony Starr, only slightly less threatening in this role than Homelander) hears strange noises from behind his wall.  Decently creepy.

3. The Creator:  In the war against artificial intelligence, an ex-soldier (John David Washington) is tasked with tracking down the "Creator", who has made a child with the ability to end the war.  It looks absolutely stunning, but I never felt emotionally invested until the very end.

4.  Lift:  A thief (Kevin Hart) and his team are recruited by an Interpol agent to pull off a daring heist.

5. The Holdovers*:  A cranky prep school teacher (Paul Giamatti) is forced to stay on campus over the holidays to supervise the students who have nowhere else to go in this bittersweet, occasionally funny film.