media update: March

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. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer:  Annie is a sentient robot whose sole purpose is to provide companionship and sexual services to her owner Doug.  She's initially content with the situation, but as she starts learning more about the world, she begins craving something more.

2. Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering:  Billie and Cassie have been friends for a long time, but a dark secret they share has fractured their friendship.  One day, when she gets the opportunity, Billie impulsively steals Cassie's baby.

3. The Hunter* by Tana French:  Former Chicago cop Cal Hooper, now accustomed to his new home in Ireland, gets caught up in a moneymaking scheme involving a shady Englishman and the father of Trey, the teenager he's close to.  Excellent, like all of French's novels, but heads up: do NOT read this if you haven't read The Searcher!  Don't even read the blurb.  The author pulled off a nifty trick in The Searcher that gets spoiled here.

4. None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell:  Alix, a podcaster, meets her "birthday twin" Josie at a restaurant and becomes fascinated by Josie's unusual life story.  Unfortunately, Josie is much more sinister than she seems.

4. Worry** by Alexandra Tanner:  Jules is living alone and working from home in Brooklyn when her younger sister Poppy comes to town for a visit and soon moves in with her. Poppy and Jules bring out the absolute worst in each other, but they keep trying to forge something better.  This is kind of a hard book to categorize, but I absolutely loved it.  It's sharp and blackly funny (at one point, they adopt a dog named Amy Klobuchar, which is funny enough on its own but made even funnier by the fact that the real Amy K. is a friend of my stepmother's) and I just really dug it.  My favorite book of the year so far.

2024 TOTAL SO FAR:  16

NONFICTION

1. Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley:  The author's apartment was broken into and several thousand dollars' worth of jewelry was stolen; exactly one month later, her best friend died by suicide.  Although she by no means equates the two in terms of magnitude, both incidents made her feel like precious things could be ripped away at a moment's notice.

2. If You Can't Take the Heat* by Geraldine DeRuiter:  A collection of incisive and occasionally hilarious essays about food and feminism.

3. Rabbit Heart* by Kristine S. Ervin:  When the author was eight years old, her mother Kathy was abducted in a mall parking lot, raped and murdered, and dumped in an oil field.  In this achingly sad and tender memoir, the author grapples with her immense grief and skillfully writes her mother back to life.

2024 TOTAL SO FAR:  8

MANGA/GRAPHIC NOVELS

1. Dead Company by Yoshiki Tonogai

2. The Apothecary Diaries vol. 11 by Natsu Hyuuga and Nekokurage

3. My Happy Marriage by Akumi Agitoga and Rito Kohsaka

4. I Think Our Son Is Gay vol. 5 by Okura

5. Is Love the Answer? by Uta Isaki

2024 TOTAL SO FAR:  9

MOVIES

1. Code 8:  Connor, a man with superpowers, teams up with criminals in hopes of raising money for his terminally ill mother.

2. Code 8: Part II:  In this sequel, Connor must protect a superpowered teenage girl who witnessed a crime.

3. I Care A Lot*:  Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) has made a fortune by becoming the legal guardian for numerous elderly people and then helping herself to their money and possessions.  Unfortunately for her, she eventually picks the wrong person to fleece. Riveting from the start, this pitch black comedy has a terrific cast which also includes Peter Dinklage and Dianne Wiest.  (I spent the whole movie thinking Dianne was Ellen Burstyn, which is a compliment of the highest order.)

4. Damsel:  When Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown, looking eerily like Lana Del Rey at times) is married off to a prince, it isn't quite the fairy tale she was expecting. Better than I thought it would be.

5. Ricky Stanicky:  Three lifelong friends have always blamed their misdeeds on a made up friend named Ricky Stanicky. When their significant others demand to meet Ricky, they hire an Atlantic City performer (John Cena) to play Ricky.  Mostly dumb, but it has a few funny moments.

6. Predestination:  A time traveling agent (Ethan Hawke) tries to prevent a tragedy. It can be very confusing, but overall it's pretty good.

7. Weird:  An amusing biopic of musician Weird Al Yankovic (played by Daniel Radcliffe) which takes, shall we say, some major liberties with his backstory.

8. Dream Scenario*:  A professor (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when he inexplicably begins appearing in people's dreams.  Original and sharp.

9. Road House:  A former MMA fighter (Jake Gyllenhaal) gets a job as a bouncer. Some bizarre (IMO) directing choices in a couple of scenes, but some great fights and a few good lines.

2024 TOTAL SO FAR:  26