Month: July 2022

Walking Gentry Home by Alora Young (ARC Review)

Kat ImpossibleLeave a comment

The cover for the book "Walking Gentry Home: A Memoir of My Foremothers in Verse" by Alora Young shows the profile of a young Black woman with only parts of her features in focus. The rest is blurry, disappearing and fusing with a light green and peach background. The blurb for the books says "Walking Gentry Home tells the story of Alora Young's ancestors, from the unnamed women forgotten by the historical record but brought to life through Young's imagination; to Amy, the first of Young's foremothers to arrive in Tennessee, buried in an unmarked grave, unlike the white man who enslaved her and fathered her child; through Young's great-grandmother Gentry, unhappily married at fourteen; to her own mother, the teenage beauty queen rejected by her white neighbors; down to Young in the present day as she leaves childhood behind and becomes a young woman. The lives of these girls and women come together to form a unique American epic in verse, one that speaks of generational curses, coming of age, homes and small towns, fleeting loves and lasting consequences, and the brutal and ever-present legacy of slavery in our nation's psyche. Each poem is a story in verse, and together they form a heart-wrenching and inspiring family saga of girls and women connected through blood and history. Informed by archival research, the last will and testament of an enslaver, formal interviews, family lore, and even a DNA test, Walking Gentry Home gives voice to those too often muted in America: Black girls and women."

PublisherA button to add a book to the platform "The Storygraph"A button that says "Add book to Goodreads": Hogarth
Page Count: 240
Release Date: August 2, 2022

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

CW: slavery, racism, rape, domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, teen marriage, loss of loved ones

Walking Gentry Home by Alora Young is a book, or should I say memoir, told in verse. That in itself is something you don’t come across every day, never mind find a review for on my blog. I will be the first to admit that I’m no expert on the matter, so I want to clarify that these thoughts I’m trying to compile are mostly based on what the writing made me feel – and that was a lot.

I’ve tried to learn a bit about my family’s history, but there’s many gaps and missing pieces, so I was impressed by what Alora Young uncovered and managed to bring to life on the page. Not only did she find a way to give a voice to generations that came before her, but she did so with few and yet impacting words. Her verses faced harsh realities of generational pain and trauma, but also let the light of mother- and womanhood shine through. As we followed key moments in Young’s maternal ancestry, I felt the connection and ties grow beneath each one of them and me as a reader. Sometimes it was as if we read from their perspectives, sometimes it was told from Alora Young‘s POV and other times it almost felt like a collective consciousness.

I know this is quite the brief review, but I thought Walking Gentry Home was masterfully done. I felt the emotional tether throughout, even if I got mixed up with the timeline sometimes. All of it seems not just rooted in Young’s personal family history, but that of Black history in America in general. Often thought-provoking and unflinchingly honest, it is sure to linger in your mind.

Fazit: 5/5 stars! Wonderful and impacting family history!

Do you often read entire books told in verse? Did Walking Gentry Home grab your interest? Let’s talk!

Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #28

Kat Impossible4 Comments

I realize that my content has been very one-note as of late, but today marks the first day of my vacation and I’ll be off work until mid-August. Here’s to hoping I can bring some variety into the mix moving forward, but today, let’s check out which shows and movies I’ve watched.

FINISHED TV SHOWS/SEASONS

I, once again, didn’t finish or binge any shows.

WEEKLY TV SHOWS

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Season 3)

This is going to be my girl Gina’s season, I just know it. She’s my absolute favorite, so I just want to see her on my screen all the time.

Good Trouble (Season 4)

There was no Davia, Luca or Dennis at all this episode, so I was only mildly interested. The cult thing feels so out of place with the rest of the storylines, yet it takes up so much screen time.

Roswell, New Mexico (Season 4)

It only took them … 7-ish episodes to figure out that Alex was missing? And his actual boyfriend still doesn’t know.

MOVIES

As always, don’t forget to add me on Letterboxd if you want to be up to date on all my movie experiences! 

Doula

Childbearing isn’t easy, but Doula really showed a specific kind of struggle. I was sometimes confused about the messaging, because … what was it even really trying to say? Maybe it just boiled down to the fact that every birth story is different and unique, but this definitely was a weird one. Oddly enough, it did seem on brand for Chris Pine to be involved in the movie. Can’t put my finger on it, but that part made sense.

Press Play

Press Play is a time travel love story and you can always wrap me around your finger those. I would definitely recommend this one more to people who are romantics than those who are really into the science-fiction part? I just think that you will have to take the time travel and the way it works on good faith, because it’s very specific and not explained at all.
I don’t think Press Play was the best this “genre” has to offer, but I enjoyed myself for the duration of the film. Lewis Pullman has also really become a draw for me when it comes to shows and movies, so I loved seeing him as a romantic lead.

The Gray Man

The Gray Man is alright? If you enjoy a huge chunk of your movie to be action packed with a familiar plot, this could very much work for you. Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas all did well in their respective parts, although I felt that Jessica Henwick and Regé-Jean Page were a little wasted. It sure was a stacked cast and I liked watching them, but the movie either needed to flesh out some of the plot more (e.g. Six’ relationship with the girl) or just cut some stuff, but 2+ hours is too long for an action movie.

Mr. Malcolm’s List

I thought Mr. Malcolm’s List was utterly charming. I liked the predictability of it and everyone’s performances. The casting director has my heart for casting Oliver Jackson-Cohen in a non-creepy role for once, because I adore the man and his acting abilities, but I don’t always want to have to be scared of him.
Anyway, OJC is not one of the major characters, who were rather embodied by the fabulous Zawe Ashton, Freida Pinto and Sope Dirisu. I 100% believed and bought into their respective performances. I’m just having a blast with these reimagined regency and whatnot love stories. (Sorry if I got the time period wrong.)

Did you watch anything I’ve watched? Let’s talk about that!

Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #27

Kat Impossible10 Comments

It’s been a busy, busy week for me, so I haven’t found the time to spend much time on the blog or watching anything. This is going to be a very brief recap of shows and movies!

FINISHED TV SHOWS/SEASONS

I don’t think I finished anything this week!? I’m now up to date with Campaign 3 of Critical Role, which feels odd, but also rewarding whenever I get to watch the episodes live now.

WEEKLY TV SHOWS

Good Trouble (Season 4)

Davia and Dennis continue to be infuriating, but I love Davia’s gig as a teacher. She’s doing such great work with Elliot, I just fear that relationship getting messed up when she eventually starts dating his father … which is totally what this is leading up to.

Roswell, New Mexico (Season 4)

I definitely understand why Malex as a ship is so popular, but I’m still salty because of how Malex fans treated Maria. Still, the show is doing those fans dirty by not having had Alex be in the show at all for most of the (final !!!) season so far.

MOVIES

As always, don’t forget to add me on Letterboxd if you want to be up to date on all my movie experiences! 

Don’t Make Me Go

Hannah Marks is one of my favorite directors. John Cho is an incredible actor, who is just mighty fine in the role of a dad. Add to that an emotional road trip? Sounds like perfection to me, but I am FURIOUS at the third act of the film. It didn’t come out of nowhere exactly, but it still felt like a rushed twist that didn’t pay off the way they likely intended it to. Up to that point, it had been a really great movie, but the end just doesn’t leave you satisfied.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between

Netflix realized that people really love YA book adaptations and apparently bought a bunch of rights to stuff. First we had To All the Boys and Moxie, but they really stepped it up this year. Along for the Ride, Love & Gelato (which I still need to watch) and this movie all within a couple months.

I don’t mind the return of the 90-minute flicks that are merely mediocre. I know that we, as film geeks and an audience with a certain palette, can get better, but it was alright. The cast has previously done some amazing stuff, so this was just … not really it. But it’s nice enough!

Did you watch anything I’ve watched? Let’s talk about that!

Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #26

Kat Impossible14 Comments

I’ve spent most of my week watching the 2020 BYU lectures on creative writing by Brandon Sanderson (which are fantastic and available for free on YouTube), but somehow I still watched a bunch of TV shows and yes, even movies. Let’s check them out!

FINISHED TV SHOWS/SEASONS

Ms. Marvel (Season 1)

Ms. Marvel‘s first season was an utter delight. If my memory serves me right, each episode was named after a comic book volume or issue and many characters got their MCU debut. I’m still a little bit sad at just how much her powers and her origins were changed (it’s confirmed now that she’s not Inhuman in this one), but I loved what the show brought to the table.

It had fast pacing, unique visuals and really charming personalities. I especially appreciated the cultural and historical backstory that was brought into this mainstream superhero universe. I love that we’re getting different point of views now.
While I got a bit overwhelmed with Marvel content as of late, this felt like a fresh take and it was fun to see more origin stories without too high a stakes in TV format. Obviously, it wouldn’t be a Marvel Disney+ show, if it didn’t continue in some sort of movie or other show, but what can you do! Really good 9/10 for me!

SkyMed (Season 1)

I more or less binged the whole first season in one go and I have no regrets. I’m not the right person to tell you whether SkyMed is medically accurate or not, but I can still tell you a lot about the shows. Most of it is very much focused on the romantic relationships of the various team members, nurses/medical staff and captains alike, but I was pleasantly surprised by it’s incorporation of indigenous communities, their struggles and the discrimination and prejudice they face.

Set in my beloved Canada, SkyMed is an easy watch, with way too much relationship drama, but gripping storylines nonetheless.

The Bear (Season 1)

Okay, I watched The Bear and I get it now. It’s formidably acted, well shot and manages to feel way too real. Just the other day, we got the confirmation that the show was renewed for another season and I’m very pleased by that fact. At the same time, I have to just say that The Bear gave me such anxiety while watching. I used to work as a waitress and I had nightmares about service rush hours for weeks when I started, it stressed me out so much. That show embodies that stress.

But as I said, it’s super realistic.

WEEKLY TV SHOWS

Good Trouble (Season 4)

I love that we’re tackling Luca’s story and homelessness this season. I also love Davia’s new plotline as a private teacher. She’s so going to hook up with the dad at some point, but we all saw that coming the moment he opened the door.

There was no Dennis or Malika at all this episode and they were missed.

MOVIES

As always, don’t forget to add me on Letterboxd if you want to be up to date on all my movie experiences! 

Persuasion (2022)

Persuasion is my absolute #1 Austen story and yes, I’m the kind of person who judges others based on their favorite Austen novel, so you can go ahead and judge me too if you want.

Prior to the release of Netflix’ Persuasion, there were a lot of bad reviews coming out, but none of them could dampen my spirits. And honestly, I’m glad I went in with an open mind, because I loved this movie. It was fun and funny, while still having very heartfelt moments. Birdy’s song “Quietly Yours“, which was specifically released for the movie, is beautiful and stuck in my head.

I love nothing more than sharing a conspiratorial look with Dakota Johnson’s Anne and laugh at the foolishness of some of these characters. The 4th wall breaks were perfect for me. If you liked shows like Dickinson or the latest Emma adaptation, I would say this isn’t nearly as extreme and you could easily enjoy this as well.

The Princess

What can I say? The Princess was such a disappointment?

I guess I just expected there to be more of a plot to it, but dang, that was a thin storyline. You can’t argue about the fight choreo though, because it was great. If you like action and the princess saving herself, this might just be for you. I thought it was fine enough, but for me to truly fall in love with a movie, it needs a bit more substance.

Did we watch anything I’ve watched? Let’s talk about that!

This or That: Comparing English/American & German Book Covers! #2

Kat Impossible14 Comments

Not too long ago, I compared book covers from different countries and you all seemed to really enjoy that. Therefore, I’m bringing this feature back and hope you all enjoy another round of pitching UK/US covers against German ones.

Obviously these are all my own, very subjective opinions! BUT I’d love nothing more than to hear your thoughts in the comments below, because the discussions were a lot of fun last time around. Also, as a little heads up, I don’t actually know which covers are from the US or the UK – I just either pick the one I own or see the most.

ROUND #1

a face made of stars with their eyes closed only the title of the book written in white all caps below it - "Sleeping Giants"       The cover is white with one robotic eye with a light blue iris. The black font takes up most of the space saying "Giants - Sie sind erwacht"

The Themis Files are one of my all time favorite Science Fiction series and I’m the proud owner of the hardcover copies, which I will gladly display on my shelf. The stars are actually all made to look shiny and silver and it’s such a treat to look at.

The German cover however … WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? First of all, “Giants – They have awoken” (which is the translated title of “Giants – Sie sind erwacht” sound so incredibly menacing and that message is just underlined with the cover. It completely loses the whimsy and curious feeling of wanting to explore space and discover who might else be out there. All the German cover gives me is evil robot vibes.

Right out of the gate, I have to hand this to the UK/US cover! So much more beautiful!

Read my review of Sleeping Giants here.

ROUND #2

A girl, who's face we cannot see, is riding a bike on a beach. The cover text says "Along for the Ride" in dark blue and "Sarah Dessen" in a lighter blue font     You can see the bare feet of a girl who is sitting on a washing machine and the back of a boy in jeans and a dark blue shirt. The title says "Because of you" in the curve of the washing machine door in red font and "Sarah Dessen" in orange font

In terms of the themes shown on the covers, both versions of Along for the Ride are valid. If you’ve read the book, you know that it ties into the story either way, but I have to admit that this isn’t an entirely fair fight. The cover on the left is a recently updated version, due to the release of the Netflix adaptation a couple months ago. While the original version from the 2010s still shows a girl on a bike, it has the same “outdated” look as the cover on the right.

I’m not super mad about the “German” cover, especially considering from when it is, but I’m definitely confused about the title change. Why choose something English, but not the original title? Sure, I know that they worry about people understanding it and “Because of you” is easier, but it still feels like an incredibly odd choice and not as fitting.

As I said, it wasn’t fair to begin with, but this one goes to the UK/US one again, just because it looks fresher.

Read my review of the Along for the Ride and the comparison to the movie here.

ROUND #3

a cubic looking red bird is mirrored by a blue one. The title of the book is "This Is How You Lose the Time War"       The background is a dark blue, on the right upper corner are blue leaves with geometrically placed light blue dots. On the lower left corner is a branch of deep red berries. The title of the book is "Verlorene der Zeit"

This Is How You Lose the Time War is a unique book and I can see the struggle of having to encapsulate that in a cover. I enjoy the simple background and the fractured birds from the English language cover, but I also understand the thought process behind the German one.

They once again chose to change the title, which would mean “Lost ones in time” if you translated it. Personally, I prefer the wittiness and the promise that comes with the original English title more. The one the German publisher chose makes me think about stranded people, rather than a complex story about how love can topple the best of plans.

This is very much a personal preference, but I’m once again here for the English language cover.

Read my review of the book here.

ROUND #4

a blue and green landscape of a small mountain town with figures skating on a frozen lake to play hockey. The title says "Beartown" in large white font that partially gets hidden by the tree line       a blue and green landscape of a small town. The title of the book is "Kleine Stadt der großen Träume", which means "Small town of big dreams"

Sometimes changes can be much more subtle, but still impact a lot. At first glance, these two covers are obviously very similar, but again … curious choices from the German publisher.

For those of you who don’t know, Beartown is a book about a Swedish High School hockey team that is about to make it big and help out the entire town with their success. The original cover has the hints of boys playing hockey right there, but because the German publisher amped up the saturation and made the green color more prevalent, it now looks like a small town with a field of grass rather than a frozen lake.

This is one of the few occasions where I’m actually fine with the translated title though. “Small town of big dreams” makes a lot of sense in this context. I’m going to say this is a tie, despite me actually leaning more towards the original cover.

Read my review of Beartown here.

ROUND #5

the background looks like a light wooden floor, with crushed pink flowers strewn on it. The title "It ends with us" by "Colleen Hoover" is written in a slightly darker pink than the flowers are colored over the entirety of the cover      

It Ends With Us is the only Colleen Hoover book I’ve read, but since it’s having its renaissance on TikTok/BookTok, I thought I could feature it as well. To begin with, the German title translates to “Just one last time”, which fits the novel still, but conveys a very different message to the original title in my mind.

Again, these covers aren’t super different from one another and yet … the UK/US one just looks better. There’s something about the German one that makes it seem cheap, maybe it’s the white background, maybe it’s the changed font for the author’s name? I don’t know, but my vote goes to the English cover again.

Read my review of the book here!

That’s it, you’ve made it! The UK/US covers are the obvious winners! I don’t even need to tally the exact points. I really tried to put more effort into finding good German covers this time around, but somehow they keep disappointing me. Maybe I’ll have more luck next time?

What did you think of the revival of this feature? Would you like to see more comparisons in the future? Let’s chat!

Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #25

Kat Impossible13 Comments

I had a really busy week, so this post on what I’ve been watching comes a bit delayed. However, I’m ALMOST caught up on Campaign 3 of Critical Role, which means I’ll have way too much time on my hands afterwards and there’s likely going to be more to watch that isn’t CR related. But let’s check out the latest stuff for today!

FINISHED TV SHOWS/SEASONS

Maggie (Season 1)

This show was originally supposed to air on ABC last fall, but then just never came. Now it all got released on hulu, which is great for me – because I can binge it all in one go – but not exactly good news for the show. I doubt it will miraculously draw in a huge crowd, although I really enjoyed the show.

Yes, it’s sometimes silly and doesn’t have the most natural characters out there, but rather over the top characterizations, but still … I had a lot of fun and I’d actually like to explore it some more. I thought I’d know exactly what the show would be based on the trailer, but it had some sweet turns and twists. Also, I’d just love to have the body type and budget to get Maggie’s entire wardrobe. More please!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Season 1)

It’s no secret that I very much enjoyed the show while it aired and am already extremely hyped for the next season, which is confirmed and filming and all is good in my world.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds felt like the perfect mix between OG Star Trek vibes and new interpretation of the material. It’s truly the best of both worlds with continuous storytelling for the characters, but case-of-the-week adventures each episode regardless. We could just tell the same stories over and over and over again, but I feel like they changed it up in just the right way. I got into a bit of a slump in the last third of the season, but they really knocked it out of the park in the season finale! I did not expect to meet certain characters already (despite knowing they were cast for S2 a while back) and it just made me so happy to explore where we’ll be going. Season 2 is going to be great!

Also, this version of Pike will forever be my favorite. Just saying ….

The Boys (Season 3)

I feel like I wasn’t very invested this season, which doesn’t necessarily speak to its quality at all.

To me, this show just does the same each season and I don’t know where it will end or if they’ll eventually end it. It’s so very violent, which I try to tune out, because I do not care for it, but it also has a lot of heart underneath it. My favorites are always Frenchie and Kimiko, but I think each one of “The Boys” got their time to shine.  It’s super eerie how it was only this season that some people realized that the show is satire of real life politics … disconcerting to be honest.

WEEKLY TV SHOWS

Ms. Marvel (Season 1)

While I super appreciate a blast from the past to explain certain things, I was also glad that not the entire episode took place there. The season is so short and it already feels like they’re going to have to rush through a million things next week, or leave a lot of open ends to be explored in upcoming movies … both of which isn’t ideal.

Good Trouble (Season 4)

Look, I love having the show back, but … this is taking too long. And by “this” I mean Davia and Dennis. I love a good slow burn like anyone else, but come on!? New potential love interests for both of them?? For what!?

MOVIES

As always, don’t forget to add me on Letterboxd if you want to be up to date on all my movie experiences! 

No movies this week, sorry.

Did we watch some of the same things or do you plan to? Let’s talk about that!