Month: March 2017

#CurrentlyWatching: Younger

Kat Impossible13 Comments

Younger is a show that’s very near and dear to my heart. I stumbled upon it quite by accident, but man, am I glad I did. It’s really surprising I haven’t talked about it more, but since I was threatened with riots if I didn’t make it a topic this week (love it when people are as passionate about TV as I am), I thought, why wait any longer? (Also, I was a little afraid of said riots …)

First, I think this is the perfect show for this community because it is set in the publishing world – what else do bookworms dream about? So, I’d say Younger is a sort of comedy/drama. It airs on TV Land and will go into it’s 4th season later this year, which means there’s quite a few episodes to binge if you are looking for something to really dive into. There’s nothing quite like it in my opinion and that’s always something I very much enjoy. Seriously, so much these days is just more of the same.

A single-mom has to pretend to be in her twenties to get back into her previous field of work and also to stay afloat in today’s dating world!

There are so many reasons why I love this show! On the one side, it is simply hilarious, self-depreciating and incredibly witty. On the other hand it subtly displays how difficult the professional world can be for women. I’ve heard people refer to it as promoting amoral behaviour and lying, which I simply do not believe. Of course, Liza, portrayed by the ever magnificent Sutton Foster, shouldn’t lie about her age and general life. It’s obvious that whatever relationships are being built during this new chapter of her life will always be stained in a way. She lets it go on for way too long, but there are consequences to her actions. It’s not that easy and I would much rather showcase why she has to lie. She gave up her career to care for her daughter, which is an amazing thing to do. There is this stigma on housewives or stay-at-home parents in general and I just don’t get it. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make the most of the time with your kids, just like there is nothing wrong with starting work soon after giving birth. It depends on circumstances and personality, on support systems and many more factors. Re-entering the market after being away for such a long time is near impossible, especially once you’ve reached a certain age. Also, companies want young talent, preferably with years of experience. It’s a struggle and Liza was just trying to get ahead of the situation, even if it might not have been the best way to go about it. Obviously this doesn’t just concern women, but needing to take breaks from your professional career because of a pregnancy does. And it doesn’t just treat the professional world, but also the craziness that is dating and the expectations that are placed on people these days. The cast as a whole is kickass and brilliant. I just consider the show really thought provoking in so many ways.

Lastly, it shows a unique behind the scenes look into the world of publishing. Why do some books get published and others don’t? What kind of marketing measures have to be taken for new releases from famous and debut authors? I am not saying this is all 100% realistic, but it gives you an idea of how it might be. Also, it’s great fuel for your book-inspired dreams.

I find the love interests on this show quite fascinating. There’s Josh (Nico Tortorella), who is about the most amazing boyfriend one could wish for (at least in my opinion). He worships Liza and he is so supportive and understanding in everything she does. He is kind and funny and pretty much down for anything. Do they fight? Sure, but they always make up eventually. Still, I can’t help but wonder if their relationship will really work. I always try not to be ageist with relationships, because who am I to say if people can make it work or not. But they want VERY different things at some point (not going into detail as to not spoil anything) and that’s a real issue. In my mind, Liza, the real Liza, would work better with our other love interest option, Charles.

So, Charles (Peter Hermann) doesn’t appear until a bit later in the series. He is Liza’s boss, which already creates conflict, is roughly in her age-range, single and a father as well. They have so much in common, it immediately creates sparks. Again, this potential relationship isn’t without problems though. While I do believe they fit together better because they are at a similar stage in their life, I am just not sure if he is really into her or the idea he has of her, you know? Love is a deceitful thing sometimes. Ultimately, the tear between those two very amazing guys is just another factor that makes watching Younger so much fun.

You may notice that there’s no section displaying reasons why you shouldn’t watch this show and that’s simply because there are no reasons why you shouldn’t immediately drop everything and binge this. Okay, there are always people who don’t like the same things as me and that’s totally fine, but still, I see no reasons why you shouldn’t give this a shot.

Are you watching Younger? Do you want to?

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner (eArc Review)

Kat Impossible19 Comments

UK Publishing: April 6, 2017
Publisher: Random House
Page Count: 416

**I was provided with an eArc by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

When I first saw Goodbye Days, I didn’t even know what it was about. However, what I did know was that I needed to read it ASAP! I really enjoyed Zentner’s first book, The Serpent King, so I was over the moon when I got approved for the arc now (even though I pre-ordered it before anyway) and it was even more fun to read because I had Cátia and Cristina along on the ride!

Going into a book written by Jeff Zentner, you have to be prepared for sadness. I knew this, I hardened my heart, but I still cried multiple times. While the Serpent King was more of a punch in the gut, this was like a constant cloud of somberness following you around. There’s such an important message here – don’t text while driving! It’s what starts this mess and then unabashedly portrays the devastating aftermath. It sugarcoats nothing and goes deep into the self-blame, the anxiety, the loneliness and sometimes downright panic of the situation.

“For the most part, you don’t hold the people you love in your heart because they rescued you from drowning or pulled you from a burning house. Mostly you hold them in your heart because they save you, in a million quiet and perfect ways, from being alone.”

I thought that most of the story was handled in a very realistic way and that it flowed beautifully. No matter how emotional or intense the book gets, it never overwhelms you. The sadness comes in waves and little punches instead, always revealing something new to you about the people Carver cared so much about and he loved those boys so very much. I enjoyed that this was a book about friendship and family, especially the parents or guardians had important roles to play and we all know how rare that is in YA these days. There might be a sort of romantic sub-plot, but it didn’t take up too much of the time and I liked how that was left in the end.

The only reason this book isn’t a complete 5-star-read for me, is that I struggled a bit with the criminal investigation. While I understand the components of guilt and blame, I just couldn’t wrap my head around the legal charges. I think it was explained pretty well, but I just don’t believe that those claims were substantial, which is also why I wasn’t entire happy with the resolution of that part. It’s really only a minor thing though, something that adds to the drama I guess.

Finally, there’s a cameo of someone from The Serpent King and it’s bit of a spoiler if you realise that person is the cameo. So, I would recommend you read the other book first, but it’s completely up to you.

Fazit: 4.5/5 stars! Another crazy emotional ride with Zentner.

Have you read Goodbye Days? Do you want to?

#CurrentlyWatching: Wynonna Earp

Kat Impossible19 Comments

Welcome back to yet another #CurrentlyWatching! The decision for this week’s topic was up to the Twitterverse again and I am surprised happy to announce that the winner was (as you can see) Wynonna Earp! I’ve mentioned it a couple of times already, so it’s only fitting that it would get a whole post now.

I kind of stumbled upon this series by accident, having heard some of the names mentioned before, but never having read the comics or anything like that. Horror or demon-involving-shows always seem kind of scary to me, but then I just binged the whole thing in 2-3 days. Wynonna Earp has currently one season released and the second one coming this year. It airs on Syfy/Space but will be available on Netflix in some territories come April 1st.

Reluctantly, Wynonna Earp has to fulfill her family’s legacy and wield a magical colt to send demons back to hell.

From the beginning this was quite the surprise for me. A Western-Horror-supernatural show wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but it was apparently something that I needed in my life. While there are definitely a couple of flaws (especially in the CGI and visual department), the acting is on point, the show is very fun to watch and Wynonna and the fellow characters are easy to root for. The dialogue is so clever and really funny a lot of the time. It’s definitely not a show you should judge on the pilot alone. I don’t think it’s necessary at all to know the comics, although it might be more fun at times to have at least heard the names Wyatt Earp and/or Doc Holliday.

Reluctant heroes are always a lot of fun and Wynonna is seriously the perfect representation of that. She’s irresponsible, partially selfish, but fiercely loyal to her family and there when it really counts. She grows so much during this first season alone, having to make tough calls along the way, I am excited to see where she is going next season. But she isn’t the only amazing character. From heroes to villains – there are very few people I didn’t enjoy seeing each episode, simply because there is so much more to all of the characters than what you might see at first.

As action packed and full of demon-hunting as the show is, there is still plenty of room for shipping. You can go for the picture-perfect one, the odd coupling or the fan-favourite. The relationships of all the characters are so intertwined that the lines often blur.

When it comes to the main character, Wynonna, you don’t exactly peg her as someone who needs to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. She knows how to have fun and I think she purposely avoids getting too attached to people. However, that doesn’t stop her from having chemistry with people and I guess there are two ships people are quite into – WyDoc and WyDolls.

So, WyDoc is the ship name for Wynonna Earp and Doc Holliday. It’s always a little weird to me because he’s like … more than 100 years old and Wynonna is in her mid-twenties but if vampire movies/shows have taught me anything (not that he’s a vampire), it’s that age is irrelevant when it comes to supernatural love stories. He definitely cares way more about Wynonna than either one of them would like to admit, but there are still too many unknown variables to really say if this could go anywhere. They definitely have the whole non-committal-whatever-we-are-it’s-working-thing down.

WyDolls in turn refers to Wynonna and Agent Dolls. He’s a man that has his feelings very much under check, but I think he also knows which effect he has on Wynonna. I don’t know why, but I was a little surprised when things were going in the WyDolls direction. I saw them as great, admittedly sometimes flirty, partners and growing friends, but not necessarily the romance. There are worse things to base a possible love story on though.

As I said in the beginning, I don’t really see Wynonna as the relationship type. She’s badass by herself, but it’s still fun to watch those ever changing connections between people. While her love life is something I haven’t really decided on, there’s another ship I would definitely go down with!

In the end, I think most people will agree though that the most important ship on the show is WayHought, which I support all the way. It’s the blossoming relationship between Wynonna’s sister Waverly Earp and police woman Nicole Hought. Those two are incredibly cute, but it’s also so much fun to watch Waverly realise that she is into women (which you will see from the start, is not obvious to her). Them figuring everything out together was just great to watch.

If you aren’t into vulgar jokes, some foul language, a little bit of violence or consider yourself a bit of a TV snob … then, I don’t know? Maybe skip this one? I thought it was fun, so it’s definitely worth a try, especially if you are able to overlook the sometimes “cheap” looking visual effects.

Have you watched Wynonna Earp? Would you? Who are you shipping?

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde (Book Review)

Kat Impossible18 Comments

Publisher: Swoon Reads
Page Count: 288

Every once in a while you will come across a book that will make you want to squeal and dance and laugh out loud because it’s just everything – Queens of Geek is that book! It was simply written in a language that spoke directly to me. The setting, the people – I could find parts of myself in every little detail and it made me rejoice like crazy.

Set at SupaCon (something like ComicCon) we get the story of a group of friends, told in the alternating POVs of Australian-Chinese, bisexual Charlie and curvy, anxiety-ridden aspie Taylor. If you don’t see the amazing representation already found in my overly simplified description of the two, I really cannot help you. Both girls have their own voices and style, which never makes you forget who’s chapter you are currently reading. They are both geeks, but they are so very different and have to accomplish different tasks altogether. Then, of course, there’s their mutual best friend Jamie, who doesn’t get his own POV, but who is their rock and ultimately also really important member of the gang.

As I keep saying in every review of books that I enjoyed, I don’t know how to express that immense glee I felt while reading. The friendship was extremely supporting. The romance was fluffy and cute and if there ever was a conflict, it never felt like it was born out of a need for drama. There were so many pop culture and geek references and I GOT THEM ALL! I do pride myself on some of that knoweledge, but I never expected for it to be so on point. The message of the book was simple, loud and clear. Be you, be proud, don’t ever dim your light for others. It’s an incredibly fast read, but one you are sure to cherish for a long time.

My final statement here is the same as it was on Goodreads, I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE everything about this book!

Fazit: 5/5 stars! This was perfection!

Have you read Queens of Geek? Do you want to?

#CurrentlyWatching: No Tomorrow

Kat Impossible20 Comments

So, I gave you almost 3 weeks to catch up on all your TV watching without me suggesting new stuff (let’s pretend that was the reason why I didn’t post anything on the #CurrentlyWatching feature). To start us off mellow, I chose a very non-challenging show – No Tomorrow.

It’s a romantic comedy show on the CW with one season out so far. It hasn’t been renewed yet, but I hope it will be. It’s one of of those shows that makes you want to seize the day but that can also make you laugh with it’s over the top and crazy plot.

Evie Covington has always made smart and safe choices for her life, but all that caution goes out the window once she meets Xavier, a man who believes the world is about to end in 8 months. Struggling to arrange her beliefs with his, she’s going to take risks and discover more about herself and her friends than she ever would have without meeting Xavier.

First of all, I just find the message of No Tomorrow incredibly uplifting. As crazy and as much of a downer as the premise might sound, watching this show made me genuinely happy and laugh out loud every week. I get that every person’s sense of humour is different, but I would generally recommend to go into this not taking it too seriously. It is sometimes over the top, while still staying rooted in things we can relate to e.g. us wanting more from our current job, feeling really attracted to someone but being afraid of taking the risk or simply finding out what we really want. The cast has amazing chemistry and an even better development over the season. They all are real characters with strange quirks and faults, but to me that is what makes it so fun.

I mainly started watching this because of Jesse Rath as Timothy Fingers (who got more awesome with each episode, because in the beginning I was like “Whaaaat even is that role?”) but I stayed for everyone. I even considered making my own “apocalist” (list of things to do before the world ends) and venturing out in the world, because it’s light but also so thought provoking. My experience with this show was complete when Elliot Knight suddenly appeared in the finale of the first season, which was sad and happy and hopeful all at once.

As I’ve mentioned countless times now, I don’t know what to put in this section. If you can’t dispense belief while watching, this is going to be difficult. The show kind of encourages irresponsible behaviour, whether that be intentional or not, but I can’t find a real fault with it. Much of it depends on whether it clicks with you or not, because what I might find delightful, you could find dreadful and unoriginal. One never knows.

Did you watch No Tomorrow? Would you like to?

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour (Book Review)

Kat Impossible15 Comments

Publisher: Dutton Books
Page Count: 240

This is my third Nina LaCour book and by now she definitely qualifies as an auto-buy author for me. I realise that some of her books are pretty hit or miss for a couple of people, but so far she hasn’t failed to capture my heart with her stories. We Are Okay is a really low-key tale about relationships, grief and forgiveness. You definitely cannot call it a plot-driven story, because barely anything happens. Instead Marin takes you on a journey through the past year of her life and how everything got turned upside down.  I tried to figure out what happened for quite a while, but I think I blew the whole thing up in my head. The reveal was way simpler than that, but it didn’t make the betrayal sting any less.

Something I really appreciated about Marin and Mabel’s relationship was how simple and complicated their love for each other was. Throughout life, they were friends, lovers and sisters – the lines were blurred, but it did not diminish their feelings for each other. Even as their relationship towards each other changed, they wanted nothing but the best. They worried and cared, even when it did not always seem that way. I just love when there is no malice between girls, they get pitched against each other or show signs of toxic friendships way too often in books for my taste. So here’s an example of just how beautiful and full of good will a relationship can be:

I look at her. I wish her everything good. A friendly cab driver and short lines through security. A flight with no turbulence and an empty seat next to her. A beautiful Christmas. I wish her more happiness than can fit in a person. I wish her the kind of happiness that spills over.

I always have troubles expressing myself when I loved a book, because I want to say more than what you can clearly see – that I enjoyed it. This book was not just about romantic relationships, in fact, that was the smallest and most insignificant part of it. Much more it dealt with family, knowing where you come from and who the people really are who are by your side all the way. It was about grief, and how everyone deals with it differently. And finally there’s the forgiveness and learning how to move on, which wraps it all up in so much hope. I loved all of those parts, the quiet, simple and real way it was told, which is why there were tears rolling down my cheeks by the end of it all.

Fazit: 5/5 stars! A slow and extremely moving story about grief.

Have you read We Are Okay? Have you read other books by LaCour?