Ranking all the Morgan Matson Books!

February 8, 2022February 8, 2022 Kat Impossible18 Comments

Morgan Matson is one of my favorite contemporary YA authors and I’ve read all her books. Sadly, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m slowly growing out of that age range, especially in the contemporary genre, but since she always used to be an auto-buy author for me, I thought it would be fitting to rank all the Matson novels. I want to make it very clear that this is a subjective list and only my opinion – if you feel differently, that’s cool! In addition to that, I didn’t dislike any of the books, which means even if something was in last place, it wasn’t bad. And lastly, I am a huge proponent of there one day being a Morgan Matson cinematic universe, since I’m really crossing my fingers for someone to finally adapt her novels.

(Also, shout out to My Bookish Universe, who did a ranking as well. At the time of reading their post, I thought we’d match exactly, but I apparently reconsidered since. Check it out here!)

Now, let’s get started on the ranking!

6. Take Me Home Tonight

Take Me Home Tonight is the latest installment in Morgan Matson’s bibliography. Technically, it has all the right ingredients – a strong focus on friendship, a cute dog, sweet love interests – and yet, it just didn’t hit as home as previous books of hers did. Maybe it was the ridiculous Teri-subplot or how everything ended up being just a little bit too convenient, either way, that landed it the lowest ranked spot.

Still, this is the book for you if you enjoy the likes of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist!

Check out my review here!

Goodreads | Storygraph

5. Second Chance Summer

This book made me bawl my eyes out. In fact, I don’t think I know a single person that didn’t feel some kind of big emotion reading Second Chance Summer. I definitely preferred the family-storyline over the romance one, but most of all, I had read many other Matson books by the time I picked up this one and I could just sense that it was one of her earlier works. I feel like there were tiny flaws in her writing and that she had grown quite a lot since the release.

Check out my review here!

Goodreads | Storygraph

4. Save the Date

I surprised myself with where Save the Date ended up in the ranking. Having the focus be on the family was a smart decision, but I just love how all of Morgan Matson’s stories have familiar elements (the dogs you’d love to adopt, the romance subplots but centering family and friendships for the most part, etc.) and yet makes each book unique. The comic strips were a lovely addition and even in the plot’s predictability, I found humor and drama.

Check out my review here!

Goodreads | Storygraph

3. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour

This road trip romance almost has it all! I remember it feeling super relatable, charming and heart-warming at the time, but somehow I was missing a clarifying conversation or something of the likes either with Amy’s mother or Charlie. Still, I have such fond memories and just want to go on a road trip thinking about it …

Goodreads | Storygraph

2. The Unexpected Everything

Okay, I just love when writers write about writers! At first, I was a bit put off by the size of this book, because it’s quite long for a contemporary novel, but the longer I think about it, the more I cherish this book. Not only does it have one of my most favorite Matson love interests and even more dogs (yes, this is a recurring plus point for me), but it was her first (to my knowledge) foray into Fantasy and I WAS HERE FOR IT! Even if it was just dribbles here, I’d totally read a Matson Fantasy!

Check out my review here!

Goodreads | Storygraph

1. Since You’ve Been Gone

Since You’ve Been Gone – I love this book with all my heart! Sometimes people really underestimate how tangled up we are in friendships and how friendship-break-ups can be some of the worst experiences. This was the first Morgan Matson novel I read and I immediately fell in love with it. There was no turning back for me after that! (Also, I don’t know a single person who doesn’t get the song stuck in their head because of the title … she truly is the queen of picking catchy titles!)

Goodreads | Storygraph

Are you a fan of Morgan Matson’s writing? Would you agree on my ranking? Let’s chat!

Mini Reviews: Every Heart a Doorway, Take Me Home Tonight

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022 Kat Impossible8 Comments

As I’ve previously mentioned, I’m going to do mini reviews more often this year. Sometimes there’s just not enough to be said for a whole post, but some thoughts still want to be shared. Both books for today are in the YA age range, but the content couldn’t be more different!

*links to Goodreads and Storygraph will be provided after the ratings!*

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children #1)

Publisher desrciption:
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced… they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of things.
No matter the cost.

My Thoughts:

Even before I read a single word, I just had a feeling that I would like this series and – to no one’s surprise – I was right.

For some reason, I thought that these books would be much more childlike, but Every Heart a Doorway is actually quite dark, weird and gritty. All of that’s fantastic, at least for me! With each book being around 200 pages, the whole series honestly seems like such a great palette cleanser between heavier books, if only they weren’t so expensive. I looked into it and I don’t think I can afford them at the moment, even though I definitely want to continue with the Wayward Children books.

“For us, places we went were home. We didn’t care if they were good or evil or neutral or what. We cared about the fact that for the first time, we didn’t have to pretend to be something we weren’t. We just got to be. That made all the difference in the world.”

I was especially surprised by the fact that I was really emotionally touched in the end. Considering how short and not entirely in depth the world-building was, I was rooting for those kids to get their doors back, to escape to those strange and at time gruesome worlds they were missing so much. It also got me started on wondering where my door would have led to, which world would have seen something special in me.

“You’re nobody’s doorway but your own, and the only one who gets to tell you how your story ends is you.”

I’m so very glad I finally picked this up!

CW: death, gore, transphobia (not condoned), body horror

Fazit: 4/5 stars! I wish I could dive into the rest of the series immediately!

Goodreads | Storygraph

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson

Publisher desrciption:
Two girls. One night. Zero phones.
Kat and Stevie—best friends, theater kids, polar opposites—have snuck away from the suburbs to spend a night in New York City. They have it all planned out. They’ll see a play, eat at the city’s hottest restaurant, and have the best. Night. Ever. What could go wrong?
Well. Kind of a lot?
They’re barely off the train before they’re dealing with destroyed phones, family drama, and unexpected Pomeranians. Over the next few hours, they’ll have to grapple with old flames, terrible theater, and unhelpful cab drivers. But there are also cute boys to kiss, parties to crash, dry cleaning to deliver (don’t ask), and the world’s best museum to explore.
Over the course of a wild night in the city that never sleeps, both Kat and Stevie will get a wake-up call about their friendship, their choices…and finally discover what they really want for their future.
That is, assuming they can make it to Grand Central before the clock strikes midnight.

My Thoughts:

This book was a gift from my lovely friend, Marie! I cannot thank her enough for her generosity. Check out her review of the book here.

I have come to the very sad realization that I’m growing out of contemporary YA and that likely also means Morgan Matson. I’ve read every single one of her books (there’s a ranking for those coming soon!), but I had a really hard time staying engaged with this one.

The story is told from the POV of Kat, Stevie and Teri, but I quickly realized that I was most invested in Stevie’s life. When I was a 15-year-old teen, I was certainly a mix of all those girls and even if they seems super dramatic at times, I can attest to that being the authentic teen experience.

“Why do people see a benefit in disowning the things we loved when we were little? Why are we always casting everything aside?”

What I appreciate about Morgan Matson’s books is that they often focus on family and friendship and put the romance a bit on the back burner. It’s still there, but not always in the forefront. Take Me Home Tonight is no exception and even features a new dog to fawn over (another typical Matson feature). However, the events take such a ridiculous and convenient turn at times, that I couldn’t help but role my eyes. With Teri especially, I just couldn’t deal anymore, because it was neither necessary for the story nor believable. All of that ended in me clinging to Stevie’s more grounded parts and that not being entirely enough.

This was fun, but a bit too over the top.

Fazit: 3/5 stars! Unfortunately, not a new Matson favorite.

Goodreads | Storygraph

Have you read either of those books? Do you want to? Let’s talk!

Thursday Movie Picks: Holiday Party

December 23, 2021 Kat Impossible14 Comments

It’s Thursday and I’m back with a new Thursday Movie Picks feature post. This series is hosted by Wandering through the Shelves and offers you a weekly prompt to post some movie recommendations/talking points according to the theme. Usually, you are supposed to post about 3-5 examples, which I find a very manageable amount.

This week, as we’re nearing Christmas at an unstoppable pace, it’s all about Holiday Parties! Of course, a holiday party doesn’t necessarily have to be about Christmas though, because there’s many more celebrations out there. Let’s see what I can come up with!

Holidate

This movie is literally about two people forming an arrangement to be each other’s +1 to various holiday parties, because they’re tired of the pressure of bringing people or dating during the holidays in general. It’s not the best movie out there, but it’s enjoyable enough.

Happiest Season

This might be my favorite queer Christmas movie (and I’m saying that, not having watched Single All the Way yet). Kristen Stewart didn’t feel as misplaced or awkward here and I really liked the movie. The parents are throwing a rather huge Christmas party, so I figured it would fit the theme.

Last Christmas

I don’t want to spoil this movie for anyone, but I have fond memories of it, because I got to go to a special advanced screening with Emilia Clarke and the director, got a branded advent calendar and a green Santa hat. I had a great time. In the movie, they’re also doing a huge event for charity, which isn’t exactly the same as a party, but I’ll just use it as such anyway.

What are some holiday party movies you could think of? I know there’s one literally called “Office Christmas Party”, but I haven’t watched it nor do I intend to, so I didn’t want to include it. Let’s chat!

Thursday Movie Picks: Rags to Riches

December 9, 2021December 9, 2021 Kat Impossible12 Comments

Today’s theme is all about movies that feature the Rags to Riches trope! I wouldn’t say I’m actively seeking out films with that particular story progression, but I don’t mind it either. There’s already a couple ideas swirling around in my head, so let’s get started with the list.

Catch Me If You Can

I love this movie and have seen it so many times, I have lost count. You could argue that DiCaprio’s character isn’t exactly rich by the end of it, but he still amassed quite some wealth with his cons. I was trying to think of something a little more unconventional.

A Knight’s Tale

Poor squire rises up to be a real knight? Not sure how much actual money is involved in knighthood, but I’m sure he got some riches by the end of it. I also just enjoy the movie because of its various anachronisms.

Sweet Home Alabama

Reese Witherspoon’s character becoming a successful designer and her high school sweetheart becoming successful with his own business, when they both thought they couldn’t afford anything fancy back in the day – I like it! I also like that the money was just helpful (which it is), but not the thing they needed the most.

Maid in Manhattan

With the upcoming release of the comic book adaptation of Marry Me with Jennifer Lopez as the lead, I was just reminded that I really quite enjoy her romance movies. So, this ended up on the list.

Of course, movies like Aladdin, Cinderella (both those titles in all their different iterations) and Annie would have worked just as well. What are some of your picks and what did you think of mine?

TMP – Oscar Winner Edition: Best Foreign Language Movie

December 2, 2021 Kat Impossible10 Comments

This week is once again part of the Oscar Winner Edition, which will continue to be a reoccurring theme during each month. This month is all about Best Foreign Language Movies. I certainly know one movie that comes to mind, but I’m sure I’ll once again have to consult some lists to see which movies won in the past years. Let’s get this started!

Parasite (South Korea)

This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned Parasite and it probably won’t be the last. I mean, Parasite made history, so why would I not mention it first thing in this post!?

Amour (Austria)

I could not resist including movies that represent my own country, despite this movie being shot in French! I know the director, Michael Haneke, and his work well, I’ve even met him a couple of times. I have to say, I’m not his biggest fan? However, I very much respect the career he has made for himself and you can’t deny there’s a certain genius in him. After all, he won with Amour, but he was nominated another time as well.

The Counterfeiters (Austria)

Austria’s movie industry was once described as the feel bad capital of the world, so … the movies are mostly on the depressing side. We still won though?

Amélie (France)

Amélie did not actually win, but it was nominated. I feel like it was more of a commercial success despite its quirkiness and I also feel like commercial appeal doesn’t always work with the Academy? Could be only my interpretation …

Well, this certainly proves again that I do not watch very many Oscar nominated movies, but I somehow still don’t think I’m really missing out? I do think that there’s probably some hidden gems in the international section, but I still very often question the Academy’s selection.

TMP – TV Edition: Mystery

November 25, 2021 Kat Impossible18 Comments

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for the Thursday Movie Picks feature. This series is hosted by Wandering through the Shelves and offers you a weekly prompt to post some movie recommendations/talking points according to the theme. Usually, you are supposed to post about 3-5 examples, which I find a very manageable amount.

As it so happens, we change it up once per month and talk about TV shows instead of movies and today is all about shows in the Mystery genre! I feel like that’s such a huge pool to draw from, because there’s also a million sub-genres, that I’m super curious to see what everyone will come up with. Here are my picks!

Yellowjackets

Two episodes in and I am disturbed yet fascinated, grossed out but curious. It’s not a show for everybody and I find myself not being able to stomach some things, but it’s still interesting. I like the different timelines and how we only slowly uncover what happened and to what extent the situation really escalated. They went into more than just survival mode.

Only Murders in the Building

I didn’t think this was going to be for me, but it was so fun, I binged it all in a day or two! It has those typical amateur detective elements, but really great twists and hilarious cameos on the way. I enjoyed it a lot and am glad to know there’s another season coming.

Cruel Summer

Throughout the entire show, I kept finding myself going back and forth on who to believe and who to trust. I really liked the ending too, because of the implications it held, even if that meant that it wasn’t really closed. It works as a limited series for me.

I definitely went with more recent shows! What do you think? What are some of your mystery picks?

Thursday Movie Picks: Book Adaptations

November 18, 2021November 17, 2021 Kat Impossible16 Comments

Today we shall talk about Book Adaptations, which most of you will know, is a topic I’ve talked about on numerous occasions here. Seen as this blog is dedicated to books, TV shows, movies and really anything I can think about, it does tend to be a repeat subject.

Here are some examples of previous posts regarding adaptations:

I’m going to try my very best to not to repeat myself too much from previous posts (and to stick to movies and not TV shows). There’s not really a theme here, other than that I have actually read all the books for the movies as well as watched them. (Because there’s still some books I haven’t watched and some films I haven’t read … if that makes sense.)

Stardust

Stardust is one of my absolute favorite comfort movies and I can watch it pretty much any day, whenever it is on. There’s no such thing as too much Stardust. I also have to say that I enjoy the movie more than the book, because I didn’t actually connect to Neil Gaiman’s writing at all. I know he is brilliant and a much beloved author, but this book wasn’t really it for me. The movie is where it’s really at!

Charlie St. Cloud

I read this book after watching the trailer, while I was doing my internship in the French countryside. Something about this story was just magical and although I think the movie didn’t capture that as well as the book, I still enjoyed both.

The Spectacular Now

The Spectacular Now is one of those cases where I thought I would really enjoy both, the movie and the book, but ended up feeling very confused about both. It’s not a fluffy teen romance at all, it has a deceptively amount of depth. It’s even quite sad …

Dumplin’

I cried watching and reading Dumplin’. It’s a really beautiful story, but it was interesting to see on what different aspects the two variations focused on. I remember the book featuring more of Bo (who I adore as a love interest), while the movie had a clear focus on the mother-daughter-relationship. Then again, how could you not utilize having Jennifer Aniston in your movie …

This Is Where I Leave You

I have a thing for grief explorations and complex family dynamics, so I was immediately drawn to This Is Where I Leave You. The book obviously has the room to go much more into depth on some of the relationships, which I missed in certain scenes, but generally, it was a well done movie. Some things were even improved (thank the lord we didn’t have to hear Judd’s horny thoughts all day long).

What are some of book to movie adaptations you like? Let’s talk about those!

Thursday Movie Picks: Dream Sequences

November 11, 2021November 10, 2021 Kat Impossible13 Comments

This week is all about Dream Sequences! I honestly couldn’t think of a single one from the top of my head, which just means that dream sequences aren’t something I pay a lot of attention to. Either way, we are … or rather I am going to try and come up with some.

Inception

Does it count when basically the whole movie is a dream? I’m just going to say yes. Inception had such a great concept and I loved the world of possibilities it opened up. I really enjoyed watching that movie back in the day, although I haven’t revisited it much to be honest.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Walter Mitty’s daydreams were wild and ridiculous at times and then really beautiful as well. I love that movie, despite some flaws, because it’s just such a great motivator to be brave and go into the world. It’s also just very human.

Grease

Okay, who could ever forget the Beauty School Dropout scene? I sure couldn’t, so it made this list. Grease didn’t age particularly well, but it’s one of the musical movies I enjoy more than others.

What are some dream sequences in movies you enjoy? Do you tend to remember those very vividly or did you have to look it up? Let’s talk!

Thursday Movie Picks: Horror Comedy (Halloween Edition)

October 21, 2021October 20, 2021 Kat Impossible17 Comments

The entirety of October is dedicated to a special Halloween Edition, meaning we’ll take a look at themes through the lens of Spooktober! This week is all about Horror Comedies, which is something I can get behind more than just plain scary stuff. To be fair, I’m not sure all the movies really fit the category, but imdb put them under horror and comedy, so I thought that would be alright.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

I remember getting the DVD because it was on sale and then watching that movie for the first time alone at home, and I might have been glad no one was there. At that point, I had no idea how iconic it was, but it was fun and it stuck with me.

Ready or Not

I’ve seen this one so many times now? I really didn’t expect to like it as much as I did and while I think the ending is in no way good for Grace, she was amazing and so was the movie. I still wish Daniel didn’t have to die though.

The Babysitter

I thought I’d mind this one way more. It’s super silly, but I actually laughed quite a bit during this one. I do tune out a lot of the violence though, it turns out. I even watched the sequel! Not that it was all that great, but I did watch them both.

Warm Bodies

In general, I wouldn’t consider myself a zombie fan, but I liked this one. It’s not so much a comedy as it is a romance, but still. There’s a certain kind of sweetness to it and I enjoyed that.

Death Becomes Her

Look at me bringing in some classics this week! This movie was made before I was even born, but I’m pretty sure I have watched it as a kid … like I remember the whole in the body and the turned around head? How young was I when I first watched it!? I’m now questioning some stuff …

What did you think of my picks? What are some horror comedies you like? Let’s chat!

Thursday Movie Picks: Folk or Urban Legend (Halloween Edition)

October 14, 2021October 11, 2021 Kat Impossible11 Comments

The entirety of October is dedicated to a special Halloween Edition, meaning we’ll take a look at themes through the lens of Spooktober! Today’s topic is all about Folk and Urban Legends. Me being me, I have always had a knack for Folk Legends more than the Urban ones, I suppose. To me folk legends just means fairy tales, because that’s where fairy tales originated from. I do realize that folk tales are usually without an accredited author and passed on orally, but hey, I don’t do spooky well, so that’s the drift you’ll be getting from this post. Hope you enjoy!

Red Riding Hood

This is what you get when you try to make a fairy tale for teens during the heydays of Twilight. It’s full of angst and love triangles, but teen me ate it up. I know it’s a silly movie, but the werewolf premise did intrigue me and I would have been lying if I had said, I didn’t want a sequel to it. I might have also been slightly in love with Max Irons … maybe … possibly.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

I watched this movie in 3D in cinemas and I had a blast. I know it’s silly and all, but sometimes that’s just what you need? Also, this is one of the few roles I like seeing Jeremy Renner in. Gemma Arterton is just always amazing, so there’s no debating here.

Snow White & the Huntsman

I thought this movie was beautifully shot. It’s not actually all that spooky, but oh well, I still picked it. I listened to that soundtrack up and down and even bought the book, cause the movie never even mentioned the Huntsman’s name. Rude.

Pan’s Labyrinth

This is probably the only movie that actually fits the prompt, but what can you do? I told you all that I would be struggling to come up with picks for this month, but I still tried. This is not the first time I’ve used Pan’s Labyrinth for my TMP posts, so I won’t go into detail. I just like it a lot.