Happy International Women's Day!

I had been trying to enjoy a lazy Sunday but I wanted to post about International Women's Day! This is a day to celebrate women all around the world and all our achievements but also to focus on many of the issues that we still have to keep fighting for. From pay inequality to health care and not to mention that women with disabilities and trans Women are often overlooked by society. So, today and everyday, I hope we continue to dream, achieve and make the world a better place.

Happy International Women's Day!

On My List: Young Sherlock TV Series

Looking at the trailer for the Young Sherlock TV series it feels like a prequel to the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movies. It wouldn't be far-fetched especially since Ritchie is one of co-creators for the TV series and how seeing the similar mannerisms are for both versions of Sherlock Holmes.

Despite the mixed reviews I've seen for this series, I am very interested in watching it. I want to see how the story and mysteries will unfold. I do wonder why James Moriarty was added to the series? By including the character so early on, it takes away the mystery or mystique of his character. Well, he was also included in the 1980's Young Sherlock Holmes movie but in that he still had that mysterious element.

Hopefully, his presence won't take away from Sherlock finding his own self-growth and strength and while he continues hone his deductive thinking and skills. Anyway, I can't wait to watch this. The first season has eight episodes which are all available to watch.


Young Sherlock (Amazon Prime)

Starring: Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Dónal Finn, Zine Tseng, Natascha McElhone, Max Irons, Numan Acar, Ravi Aujla, Colin Firth, Joseph Fiennes and more

Creator: Peter Harness, Guy Ritchie and Matthew Parkhill

Based on: The Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Description:

A disgraced, 19 years old Sherlock Holmes finds himself wrapped up in a murder case at Oxford that threatens his liberty. His first ever case unravels a globe-trotting conspiracy, culminating in an explosive showdown that changes his life forever.

Book of Interest: Out of Step, Into You

Yesterday, I mentioned that I found two books that I'm interested in reading and here is the second one, Out of Step, Into You by Ciera Burch. It's a young adult sports romance that's about two former best friends Taylor and Marianna who are now on the same cross-country team. I guess trying to work together to be good teammates they must end up becoming friends again which will lead to something more. I don't read a lot sports romance books but this seems like an interesting read.

Book: Out of Step, Into You by Ciera Burch

Description:

Out of Step, into You is a sapphic contemporary romance following childhood friends turned cross-country team rivals who are forced to work together to win the state championship – for fans of Kelly Quindlen and Rachael Lippincott.

You can’t outrun love.

Taylor and Marianna were each other’s whole world – best friends, running partners, practically sisters – until Marianna moved away and Taylor promptly ghosted her. When the former best friends turned rivals end up on the same cross-country team three years later, everything is a competition… and a reminder of old feelings, as well as blossoming new ones.

Marianna runs because she’s angry. The oldest child of a single mother, she knows all about responsibility – for her siblings, at her part-time job. She just has to stay focused and be faster than the past nipping at her heels if she wants to secure a new, brighter future. With or without Taylor.

Taylor runs to prove herself. The only child of a Divison 1 athlete, she’s no stranger to high expectations. With enough effort, she knows she can immortalize herself with a state record and make her parents proud. Then, she can discover her own passion. She definitely doesn’t have time to untangle her feelings towards Mari.

Can this pair figure out a way to work together before their past catches up with them?

Book of Interest: Mr. & Mrs. Witch

There are two books of interest I found, I'll post the other one tomorrow, this first one I found Mr. & Mrs. Smith by Gwenda Bond seems like a fun read. A witch and a witch hunter marry without knowing the truth but once it's revealed they are going to have to figure out what to do. Well, since this is a romance, this is most likely going to have a happy ending at least romance wise. But I'm interested in what secret they uncovered that would lead them to working together.

Book: Mr. & Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond

Description:

In Mr. & Mrs. Witch, the next novel from bestselling author Gwenda Bond, a couple discovers at the altar the surprising secret identities they’ve kept from each other.

Savannah Wilde is a witch, a very powerful one―an identity that only her fellow witches know. Following a whirlwind romance that surprised herself and her family, Savvy is all set to marry the love of her life. But she isn’t the only one with a secret that needs to be kept, even from her soon-to-be husband.

Griffin Carter is a top agent for a clandestine organization that, well, used to primarily hunt witches, but now mainly tries to shut down supernatural threats their own way. He can’t wait to lay his eyes on the woman he’s about to spend the rest of his life with.

As Savvy walks down the aisle to Griffin, the wedding quickly goes from blessed day to shit show when their true identities are revealed. To say there’s bad blood between their factions is putting it mildly. Savvy and Griffin are tasked to take the other out, but when they discover a secret that could take down both of their agencies, they realize the only way to survive is to team up. With assassins hot on their trail, will Savvy and Griffin make it out alive to try again at ‘I do’?

Book Girl Thoughts: Current Events

With the current state of events and the world, it was difficult to write about books, entertainment and fandom stuff which is why I haven't posted until now. The United States joining forces with Israel to start a war with Iran and for some reason not expecting Iran to retaliate. The United States has no right to tell another country how to rule when this administration is actively doing everything they can to harm the people. From trying to take away our rights to funding and operating concentration camps to covering up a large scale pedophile ring to all the nonstop corruption. This administration can not judge other countries and with that said, make sure you're registered to vote. Hopeful after the midterm elections there can be a change to impeach and get rid of as many of these horrible people in this administration.

Fandom Friday: Random Fandom Thoughts #52: May and Ravi and Buck and Eddie (9-1-1)

Happy Friday, I only have this one 9-1-1 fandom thought:

- I'm happy that last night's episode of 9-1-1 wasn't another dumpster fire but I'm disappointed with how quickly and randomly they can put May Grant and Ravi Panikkar together. What I find so interesting is that the 9-1-1 Showrunner and writers showed just how easy it is to put a random straight couple (May and Ravi) together without them having any prior scenes together or any real build up. Meanwhile, fans have been asking and hoping for Evan "Buck" Buckley and Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz for years. And instead of that happening, the Showrunner and writers do nothing more than twiddle their thumbs and make up excuses and bait fans instead of letting Buck and Eddie be together.

May and Ravi feel like when they don't know what to do with characters so they just put them together. It reminds me of what they did with Chloe Sullivan and Oliver Queen on Smallville and Malia Tate and Jordan Parrish in the Teen Wolf Movie. They were each single characters, so they just put them together, despite each couple having zero chemistry. It made absolutely no sense. And for 9-1-1, May who is a main character, has barely had a storyline in this ninth season and now she's being reduced to nothing more than a love interest. That's so disappointing. I would really like to know why it's so easy for two characters (May and Ravi) who have never had any interaction, can be put together so quickly? While two characters (Buck and Eddie) who have had years of bonding, a deep connection and chemistry, however can't be together?

Currently Reading: Hex Hall

I can't believe I had this book Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins sitting on my shelf for so long. I forgot I even had it. As I always say, it's never to late to read a book. Even if I'm just now getting around to reading it. The description seems so interesting with Sophie Mercer finding out that she's a witch. And it looks like it's going to lead to a lot of problems. The description makes it seem like it's going to be a bit of a supernatural mystery or at least have mystery elements to the story. I can't wait to start reading this.

Book: Hex Hall (Hex Hall book #1) by Rachel Hawkins

Description:

On Her 12th Birthday, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. Three bumpy years later, after a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, she's exiled to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Then when a mysterious predator begins attacking students, and Sophie's only friend is the number-one suspect, a horrifying plot begins to surface. Soon, Sophie is preparing for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Book Review: The Jane Austen Diet

Book: The Jane Austen Diet: Austen's Secrets to Food, Health, and Incandescent Happiness by Jane Austen and Bryan Kozlowski

Description:

What can Jane Austen teach us about health? Prepare to have your bonnet blown…

From the food secrets of Pride and Prejudice to the fitness strategies of Sense and Sensibility, there’s a modern health code hidden in the world’s most popular romances.

Join Bryan Kozlowski as he unlocks this “health and happiness” manifesto straight from Jane Austen’s pen, revealing why her prescriptions for achieving total body “bloom” still matter in the 21st century. Whether that’s learning how to eat like Lizzie Bennet, exercise like Emma Woodhouse, or think like Elinor Dashwood, explore how Austen’s timeless body beliefs are more relevant, refreshing, and scientifically sensible now than ever before. After all, it's still a truth universally acknowledged – Jane Austen’s heroines don’t get fat.

Trailer: The Mandalorian and Grogu

When it was announced that The Mandalorian was getting a movie instead of a fourth season, I was disappointed because with a show you can get more in depth with the story in comparison to a movie. But looking at the trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu, it seems like the movie is going to have an interesting story. Grogu really seemed to be taking to his training and in the long run he's going to be a very good Mandalorian Jedi.

I'm not sure if the end of the third season will tie into this movie or not. It's been a while since I've watched it, so I don't remember as much as I thought I did. Which is why I'll rewatch the third season before I go an see this. And since this movie isn't released until Friday, May 22nd, I have plenty of time to rewatch it.

Regardless, I can't wait to see this movie.

Happy Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year), Mardi Gras and Ramadan!

Today is not only the beginning of Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) but it's also Mardi Gras and Ramadan (at sundown). To all my readers celebrating, I hope you have fun and I wish you all the best.

Quote: Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander (Heated Rivalry)

Hearing a loon call

Ilya: What the fuck was that?

Shane: A loon?!

Ilya: A what?

Shane: A loon. It’s a bird.

Ilya: Sounds like a fucking wolf.

Shane: It’s a bird, trust me. You’re so scared!

Ilya: What kind of a bird makes a noise like that?!

Shane: A LOON. A fucking wolf?!

Ilya: A stupid Canadian wolf bird!

Shane does a loon call

Ilya: Oh, so now you speak bird, too.

Shane: Fluent.

Ilya: I hate you.

Shane: No you don’t.

~ Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, Heated Rivalry season 1 episode 6: The Cottage

I just thought this scene was so funny. Because Ilya, who is usually so confident and tough immediately became scared when he heard that loon call. Shane told him it was a bird but Ilya was looking around just in case a "wolf" suddenly appeared. I just love how Shane had a good-naturedly chuckle about it. He was probably just as surprised to see how scared Ilya was over a bird call.

(Heated Rivalry season 1 episode 6: The Cottage)

Book of Interest: The Woman in the Library

Over the weekend, I saw the movie Crime 101 and I really enjoyed it. It's a good movie and it had me realizing that I read a lot of mysteries but not a lot of thrillers. I have read very few thrillers, which is so surprising. A thriller that I found interesting is The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill. According to the description, one of them is a killer but which one is it. With how busy some libraries can be, I wonder how the murderer was able to pull this off. But hopefully by the end of story, they are found out. This just seems really interesting.

Book: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

Description:

Ned Kelly award winning author Sulari Gentill sets this mystery-within-a-mystery in motion with a deceptively simple, Dear Hannah, What are you writing? pulling us into the ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library.

In every person's story, there is something to hide...

The tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who'd happened to sit at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning—it just happens that one is a murderer.

Sulari Gentill delivers a sharply thrilling read with The Woman in the Library, an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all.

Happy Valentine's Day!

It doesn't matter if you're in a relationship or single, I want to wish everyone a very Happy Valentine's Day! This is not the be all day of romance, Valentine's Day can be a fun day to celebrate anyway you want. And even more so if you're single. So, have fun my fellow bookworms and geeks. Pour your heart out and show the people you care about how much they mean to you. And that includes yourself as well.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!