I am so behind on the monthly wrap ups, that I’m mashing it up into TWO seasons, WOW!
Don’t worry, that won’t happen again, I’ve already got the templates for future wrap ups drafted.
For now though, below, check out what I’ve been watching and reading in the little bit of time that I’ve had over the past few months. (The holiday season kicked my day job’s behind and it hasn’t slowed down much since.) I’m pretty sure I missed a movie here and there in my wrap up because the past few months have really been about TV for me (mainly comedy because I want to laugh after the longs days, plus I am exhausted and don’t have much energy for anything else), so, if I remember something later, I’ll input it here haha. But I’m pretty sure I got down 98% of everything here. Okay, let’s just dive in!
October
Movies: I met Spike Lee. The Spike Lee. At a Blackkklansman press screening.
Pop Culture: I attended LA Comic Con in October, walked the floor and went 2 panels, “Sketch to Screen: Ready Player One, Rampage, and Beyond” and “Crazy Nerd Asians.” They were great and the con was awesome but I really hope work allows for me to attend the whole thing this year! One day was such a tease.
Books: I attended a speaking engagement for Luvvie held at the Melody Eshani boutique.
November
TV: I binged Doctor Foster. Season one was fantastic but season two I could have done without as it was all quite predictable and for a story like this, it’s not necessarily one that’s entertaining after the story has been established, more like torture. So if there is a third season, I won’t be watching, it simply is not for me anymore. In more exciting news, I went to a taping of James Corden’s late night show which I meant to write about right after it happened but that clearly didn’t happen.
Music: I met Lauryn Hill! God bless the meet and greets at Melody Eshani’s boutique! #Legend
Life: Our family cat, Skittles passed way after 17 years. You can read all about that here.
December
TV: December was all about Nailed It! Holiday! which was absolutely hysterical. Highly recommend saving that for the next winter holiday season if you missed it. In the meantime, check out The Final Plate if for some reason you haven’t caught it yet. I also binged the new (and final – womp womp) season of Travelers and trying my hand at Black Mirror: Bandersnatch a handful of times. That was fun!
Books: If you read and enjoyed The Diabolic, I highly suggest the Alex + Ada graphic novel series which is a limited run of 3 volumes and so quick to read through. I finally got around to finishing the run and was so pleased. So good.
January
TV: I FINALLY got into Altered Carbon. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to watch this show but it just didn’t click with me until now and I’m so glad it did because this show is fantastic and I knew it was, I just needed to be in the mood to sit down & watch.
February
TV: This month was all about Russian Doll and Umbrella Academy! Whoa, those shows are amazing. AMAZING. I also finally started watching Schitt’s Creek. WHAT. Cannot believe it took me so long omg this show is perfection. My kind of comedy 100%. Oh my God. Yes.
March
TV: Shrill on Hulu is absolutely fantastic. It’s body positive, sex positive, and did I mention body positive? How refreshing! It tackles internet trolls, standing up for yourself at work and in everyday life in general, not being polite to accomodate other people and allowing others to take advantage of that and so, so, so much more. It’ about confidence, standing in your agency. I love it and want it to go on for many seasons.
I finally started watching Netflix’s Queer Eye. I’m VERY limited when it comes to non-scripted television so while adding this to the mix was necessary because who doesn’t want to experience this joy, it was also quite an exception. So glad I made the exception!
E-book/Book/ARC/Audiobook Haul
* The Write Track: A Screenwriter’s Goal Planning Guide from Brainstorming to Submissions by Samantha Wilson
* What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera
* A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
* Fresh Ink: An Anthology Edited by Lamar Giles
* Science Fiction Handbook for Readers and Writers by George S. Elrick
* Ebert’s Little Movie Glossary by Roger Ebert
* Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
* Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh
* Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza
* The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana
* A Million Junes by Emily Henry
* Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
* Slayer by Kiersten White
Books I Read Fall 2018 – Winter 2019
If you’d like to keep track of my reading progress as it happens and reviews as they are posted, feel free to follow me on Goodreads!
Audiobooks That I Listened To (Own/Library):
1. When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha Bandele (October)
2. American Panda by Gloria Chao
3. This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps (November)
4. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
5. Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
6. Bird Box by Josh Malerman
7. Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff by Chip Gaines
8. How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life by Lilly Singh
9. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
10. I Don’t Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star by Judy Greer
11. The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid (December)
12. Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
13. Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West
14. Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
15. Someday by David Levithan (January)
16. Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton
17. Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya
18. Becoming by Michelle Obama
19. A Separation by Katie Kitamura
20. Educated by Tara Westover
Graphic Novels That I Read (Own/Library):
1. The Walking Dead, Vol. 29: Lines We Cross by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Stefano Gaudiano, Cliff Rathburn, Dave Stewart (January)
2. The Walking Dead, Vol. 30: New World Order by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Stefano Gaudiano, Cliff Rathburn
3. Alex + Ada, Vol. 2 by Jonathan Luna, Sarah Vaughn
4. Alex + Ada, Vol. 3 by Jonathan Luna, Sarah Vaughn
5. Saga, Vol. 5 by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples
6. Saga, Vol. 6 by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples
7. Captain Marvel, Volume 2: Stay Fly by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Marcio Takara, David Lopez
8. Captain Marvel, Volume 3: Alis Volat Propriis by Kelly Sue DeConnick, David López
9. Prodigy: The Graphic Novel by Marie Lu, Adapted by Leigh Dragoon, Kaari
10. Champion: The Graphic Novel by Marie Lu, Adapted b Leigh Dragoon, Kaari
11. Fables, Vol. 9: Sons of Empire by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Gene Ha, Andrew Pepoy, Joshua Middleton, Mike Allred, Iñaki Miranda , M.K. Perker, Jim Rugg, Joëlle Jones, D’Israeli, Jill Thompson, David Lapham, John K. Snyder III, Eric Shanower, Barry Kitson
12. Berlin, Vol. 1: City of Stones by Jason Lutes
13. Moonstruck, Vol. 1: Magic to Brew by Grace Ellis, Shae Beagle
14. Monstress, Vol. 3: Haven by Marjorie M. Liu, Sana Takeda
15. On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
16. The Spill Zone: The Broken Vow by Scott Westerfeld, Alex Puvilland, Hilary Sycamore
17. Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Leonardo Favia, Maarta Laiho, Brooke Allen, Brooke A. Allen
18. Giant Days, Vol. 5 by John Allison, Max Sarin, Liz Fleming, Whitney Cogar, Jim Campbell
E-books That I Read (Own/Library):
1. King of Fools by Amanda Foody (October)
2. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill (November)
3. Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church by Lauren Drain
Novellas That I Read:
1. Down Time by Barry Lyga (January)
Short Stories That I Read (Own/Library):
1. Wikihistory by Desmond Warzel (Tor) (January)
My top five reads the past few months: Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff by Chip Gaines, How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life by Lilly Singh, Someday by David Levithan, Becoming by Michelle Obama, Educated by Tara Westover
Movies & Documentaries I Watched
Watched in October 2018
22 July (Netflix Streaming)
A Star is Born (Movie Theaters)
A Simple Favor (Movie Theaters)
The Hate U Give (Movie Theaters)
Night School (Movie Theaters)
Watched in November 2018
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (Netflix Streaming)
Doctor Strange (Netflix Streaming)
The Princess Switch (Netflix Streaming)
Ralph Breaks the Internet (Movie Screening)
Watched in December 2018
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (Netflix Streaming)
Dumplin’ (Netflix Streaming)
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (Netflix Streaming)
Bird Box (Netflix Streaming)
The American Meme (Netflix Streaming)
Watched in January 2019
Tomb Raider (Netflix DVD)
Abducted in Plain Sight (Netflix Streaming)
Mom (Netflix Streaming)
Watched in February 2019
Velvet Buzzsaw (Netflix Streaming)
Occupation (Netflic Streaming)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Movie Theaters)
Alita: Battle Angel (Movie Theaters)
Watched in March 2019
Skyscraper (HBO Now)
Self/Less (HBO Now)
My top five favorite movies the past few months were: A Star is Born, The Hate U Give, Bird Box, The Princess Switch, Abducted in Plain Sight, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Until next month, which will be on time, happy reading and viewing!