Abigail

    A new movie released in 2024 starring Melissa Barrera as Joey and Alisha Weir as Abigail, that I found streaming on Peacock. I am not a fan of horror movies but will watch occasionally if there is something unique about the film. I do enjoy vampire, werewolf, and zombie movies and this movie showcased a little girl as a vampire in the previews. 

    The movie starts as a crew of criminals break into a fancy mansion and kidnap a little girl. Each member of the crew shows off their impressive skill such as computer hacking and getaway driving. The mission goes off without a hitch and they successfully get the girl and make their way to the safe house. Once at the safe house they meet with the organizer of the crew and he gives them instructions that they will stay there for the next 24 hours and nobody enters the girls room except Joey. As the movie progresses you find out they do not know each other and keep there names private for amenity in case of somebody being caught. Joey interacts with Abigail and tells her everything is going to be okay and they will return her home as soon as her dad pays the ransom. Joey goes as far as pinkie promising that nobody will hurt her. The crew is waiting and each one showing off their instability while goofing off and drinking. One of the crew is attacked and the others find him with his head ripped clean off. They start to panic that the powerful father has sent somebody to kill them all and try to leave, only to find out they are locked in. Much to their surprise they are not locked in with a hitman or mobster but instead with a monster in the body of a little girl who starts to kill them off one by one. 

    I recommend this movie if you enjoy horror films. Overall a good movie that showcases great acting, action, and gore. The story is unique with plenty of moments in the film that will make you say, "what the heck". It is was not a movie that makes you jump or build tension while you are waiting to find what is going to happen next. Instead, it is an enjoyable horror film with a few unexpected twists. 

The Long Game

     A new release on Netflix staring well known actors Dennis Quaid, Jay Hernandez, Cheech Marin, and others.    

    Jay Hernandez plays JB Pena, a retired soldier moving to south Texas to be Superintendent for San Felipe High School. Based off a true story form the 1950s, the beginning of the movie showcases five Mexican-American teenagers caddying at a local prestigious golf club. They are treated poorly and paid worse. These boys love golf and are hitting golf balls in a field when Pena is driving by in his car. The boys make a bet that Joe could not hit the car, and Joe hits a bomb that breaks Pena's front window and hits him in the face. After chasing the boys away, Pena continues to his meeting at the local golf club where he is interviewing to become a member. Pena is denied because of his race, regardless of his military service and good standing in the community. The movie continues and and Pena finds the boys at the school and convinces them to be on his golf team he is starting. Together with his war buddy Frank Mitchell, they set off on a quest to make it to the state championship that is played at the local golf course. 

    A relaxing movie with an inspiring story and great actors that are showcasing their talent. The plot moves at a good pace and drama is placed at perfect times in the movie to build emotion. If you like movies showing determination and pride in the face of inequality and racism, this movie is for you. It is not a movie that will get your blood pumping and excited, but instead leave you saying that was a great story. 

    

    

The Book of Doors

 By- Gareth Brown

    Found this book in my local book store. As a book lover there is nothing better than a book about books. A story that contains magic, time travel, and books. Murderers, thieves, wealthy, and evil people secretly search the world for books of power. 

    Cassie is a young bookworm that lives a quiet and uneventful life. She shares an apartment with her roommate, Izzy, and works at a local bookstore. An orphaned girl raised by her grandfather who also died leaving her without family. Cassie's life is turned upside-down, when at the end of her work day a customer passes away in the store. The death itself was uneventful, as he passed from natural causes. However, before his death he left two books on the table with a note saying they were for her. One book is a simple edition of the Count of Monte Crisco, with more sentimental value than anything else. The other is a mysterious leather bound book, labeled The Book of Doors. Inside the book a handwritten note that does not make sense to Cassie, every door is any door. Cassie and her roommate accidentally discover that if she holds the book and imagines anywhere in the world she can open a door to that place. The arrival of the book thrusts the girls into a new world they did not know about. Where people search for different books of power, each one having its own abilities and gifts it bestows to its user.     

    I thought the book was well written, especially for being the authors debut novel. This stand alone novel does a great job starting and ending the story, answering any questions that a reader may have. The magic and time travel have clear rules that the story adheres to, while also being easy for the reader to understand. 

    I highly recommend this book to any readers regardless of whether you read fantasy fiction . The fantasy is believable and realistic enough that even people who read literal and contemporary fiction will enjoy the novel. Any reader can use this book to open the door and follow Cassie and Izzy on an adventure in time full of danger and surprise. 

Young Women and the Sea

     Daisy Ridley stars in a new movie released by Disney, that is available through the streaming service.  Daisy has been very popular since staring in the last star wars movies, I personally am a fan and have watched anything she has been in. Daisy plays the part of Trudy Ederle, first woman to swim the English Channel.

    Trudy is a young German girl raised by her mother and father, a butcher. Based on the true story during the 1920s before the second world war. After women's suffrage of 1920 and women earned the right to vote, many men were fighting against the rights of women. Trudy is a young girl who contracts measles and the doctor lets her parents know she will not live through the night. However, in the morning it is not the doctor who comes down the stairs but Trudy, who survived measles. Trudy still struggled physically from fighting the virus. After the tragic death of some people who burned alive on a boat because they could not swim Trudy's mother decides her children will learn to swim. Her daughters join a swim team and Trudy has to work hard to get pool time. Eventually through perseverance Trudy shows her speed in swimming during a swim met verse the Australian women's swim team. From that point on Trudy gets better and better at swimming, winning race after race and even breaking world records. All the while fighting the oppression of men treating women less than men. After competing for the first time in the Olympics' for women's swimming, the future of women's swimming is in jeopardy due to her swimming poorly. Trudy decides to set out on a journey to swim the English Channel and be the first women to do so.

    The Young Women and the Sea is an inspirational movie with great acting. Daisy Ridley does a great job to bring the magnificent story of a powerful woman overcoming sexism and insurmountable odds. I thought watching the movie, already knowing she was successful would make it boring but there is more drama than I imagined. I recommend this movie for anymore interested in learning more about a woman who changed the course of women's sports for our country and the world. 

    

Faebound

By- Saara El-Arifi

I am not sure what my obsession is with bright colored fantasy books but the bright red colors made me pull this book off the shelf at the library. After reading the back of the book and seeing it included magic, elves, and fae I checked it out and added it to my list of books to read. The story has a great introduction and explanation for the world we are entering. The world begins with three gods, who decide to create their own beings, elves, fae and humans. The fae and humans haven't been seen for a long time. Yeenan, the main character, has been recently promoted to Colonel and is preparing for her first mission. Lettle, her sister, studies divination and tell Yeenans that her glory lies to the east. The mission goes horribly wrong and as a punishment, Yeenan is exiled from eleven lands. While exiled she and her sister are taken prisoner by none other than the Fae. The Fae access magic through bonding with intelligent creatures called obeah. When sentenced to death for killing an obeah and subsequently a prince, Yeenan bonds with an obeah. If you like fantasy this book is great for you. The first book in the trilogy builds the world and characters that you are excited to learn about and root for with twists and turns you will not expect. 

Future

 By- Naomi Alderman

    I have seen this book listed in a lot of must reads for science fiction, so I added it to my to be read list. I finally checked it out of the library with the promise of a story about the inevitable future apocalypse and how we will survive it.    

    The main character Lai Zhen is a social media creator famous for her survival videos and content. While at a survival tech conference Zhen finds herself in a new complicated relationship after performing an interview with Martha. Martha is an assistant to a CEO of a major tech company and they hit it off in the interview. Zhen finds herself in a new social circle of the biggest tech billionaires in the world, that are obsessed with the end of the world. Zhen is gifted a high tech piece of technology that is supposed to help her stay alive. Will this help her survive the coming apocalypse?  You will have to read to find out. 

    Overall I gave the book a low rating based on my own personal preferences when reading. There are sections of the book that are written as if an online post, with comments from different users in the margins. This style of writing is probably on point with readers today. The format changed the flow of the story, it was like watching a movie that certain scenes were not recorded but they just posted the script for those scenes in the middle of the movie. My other issue with the book is the ending, there is a surprising twist at the end of the book. I enjoyed the twist, however, the results of that twist are hard to believe even though they are quite optimistic. 

    While I cannot recommend this book as a must read, if you are an avid reader looking for new books to read with a modern style and narrative, this may be worth checking out. 

IF

As a father of four boys it is a real struggle to find movies that the whole family can watch. We have the classic animated movies that you have watched a millions times, and other recent movies that can be torture to watch with your children on movie night. Every once in awhile a new movie comes out that is entertaining enough for children but interesting enough for parents. IF was the perfect combination with an absolute star studded cast. Actor Ryan Reynolds shows off his sarcastic humor and John Krasinski is an absolutely adorable dad. The voice actors are also stacked with names like Emily Blunt, Steve Carrell, Blake Lively, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Awkwafina, and many more. The main character Bea, played by Cailey Fleming, is reeling from the loss of her mother and the hospitalization of her father.  Living with her grandmother she discovers Cal and his strange friends, one of which is a giant purple creature. It turns out these creatures are called IFs or Imaginary Friends. Bea decides to help the IFs whose friends grew up and forgot about them. First Cal and Bea try to find new friends by parading the IFs in front of new children but it is unsuccessful. Bea changed tactics and set out to get the IFs to reconnect with their old friends. Finding the right circumstances for them to connect is a challenge but the results are beautiful and successful. I did have one complaint, there are a couple of adult words that I wish were not in the movie. As parents, my wife and I keep our children away from bad language and inappropriate material for children. In conclusion, I would still recommend this cute and funny movie with a surprise at the end you may not expect. 

The Splinter in the Sky

 

By- Kemi Ashing-Giwa

 I am not really sure what caused me to check this book out of the library, it may have been the quote on the front of the book about this story being, "A breathtaking space opera debut". I mean what is a space opera, after reading I still have no idea. I am also not sure what to think of the book, it is well written with characters that show depth and strength. However, something about this book bothered me when I was reading it. The story is based on the political landscape of an empire obsessed with conquering and subjugating other cultures and people. The main character, Enitan, is sneaky, resourceful, brave, and determined. She is swept up in the politics of her oppressors by the new God-Emperor, while being a political prisoner. Together the two of them take down the shadow government and change the future for the empire and the oppressed nations. What bothered me about the novel is Enitan is repeatably put in a situation where the only possible ending is her death. Nevertheless, each time something or somebody swoops in to save her. Now some stories are made better by the main characters death and others draw you in with the hope that they are victorious against all odds. But honestly there is a limit, and therein lies the rub. It seemed improbable, with so many near death situations she should have died by accident. Enitan’s ability to infiltrate and undermine seasoned political figures also seems hard to believe. If none of this bothers you than you should read this novel and prepare for twist and turns. 

The Hurricane Wars

  

By- Thea Guanzon

The first thing I noticed on the cover is the the monster with teeth, I won't give away any spoilers to whether or not there is one, you will have to read for yourself. Great read with unique story and original ideas. The last twenty years there has been a formula for popular mainstream books, the right combination of action, drama, love and fantasy. All boxes checked in the authors debut novel and first in the trilogy. The story starts in the middle of a war and immediately has you hooked to find out the who, what, where, and why. The author does a great job with character development but leaves room for the following stories. The magic has rules and limits which is important in fantasy books. There is interesting applications for the magic that is unique and intriguing. A love story that is complicated and forbidden has you wondering if it will turn out for good or bad. I do have to warn readers that, while I do love a good love story, I am not a fan of graphic scenes, and there is one in the book. It will not stop me from reading a great book I just wish sometimes they left it more vague and less graphic. There are several empires in the book some at war and some that will inevitably be sucked into conflict allowing the author to show different power structures and political climates and how the characters interact within them. Overall great book with a great ending leaving me excited for the next book. 

 

Meddling Kids

By- Edgar Cantero

I found this book while roaming through library shelves, the bright colors grabbed my attention and I had to see what this book was. I took one look at the cover and thought is that Scooby Doo and the Mystery Gang.  However, after reading the synopsis I knew it was not. It was in fact a modern story with a similar premise, five teenagers and one dog solving crimes. The story is about the team getting back together after many years and investigating the last case they solved. For anyone that watched Scooby Doo as a kid this book is for you. While it is not the same characters you grew up with, it is a modern and more adult themed book that you can easily relate to now. It is not a light hearted comedy but a serious mystery full of violence, suspense, drama, and dark humor. I highly recommend this book that will have you guessing page after page what is real and what is fake.