TV #36 of 2018: Marvel’s Jessica Jones, season 2 The storyline is unfortunately not as tight as the first season of this show, but it remains a trenchant examination and critique of gendered violence. Without getting into spoilers, this season also explores a particular dynamic between superpowered loved ones that felt new to me for …
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Book #153 of 2018: Florida by Lauren Groff The short stories in this collection are not all set in the title locale, but Florida’s presence looms large over the characters even when they leave its oppressive humidity in search of a more hospitable clime. Author Lauren Groff, a ten-year Florida transplant, has absolutely nailed the …
TV #35 of 2018: Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger, season 1 This is pretty much the weirdest corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there’s a lot about it that doesn’t work for me in this first season. The title characters are kept isolated from one another too much of the time, and each one’s special …
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Book #152 of 2018: Everless by Sara Holland (Everless #1) This YA fantasy novel can sometimes lean a bit hard on its tropes, but as the story progresses, it proves to be a cut above the usual fare for the genre. There are solid twists and unexpected flairs, and its system of time magic — …
Book #151 of 2018: Star Wars: Canto Bight by Saladin Ahmed, Rae Carson, Mira Grant, and John Jackson Miller Four loosely connected Star Wars novellas, all set in the decadent casino city from The Last Jedi. They’re generally solid but unremarkable little sci-fi action tales, entertaining but adding little to our understanding of Canto Bight …
Book #150 of 2018: The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine who Outwitted America’s Enemies by Jason Fagone Author Jason Fagone sometimes gets a little lost in the weeds recounting the details of Elizebeth Smith Friedman’s codebreaking activities, but he shines a welcome light on her forgotten …
Book #149 of 2018: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (Gentleman Bastard #1) Over a decade and countless rereads later, this long-time favorite of mine is still an incredible read. It’s an Ocean’s Eleven or Mission: Impossible style heist story crossed with a Godfather-esque tale of honor-bound criminal vengeance, all set in a …
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Movie #16 of 2018: The Greatest Showman (2017) A musical thrives first and foremost on its music, and I’m sad to say that the original numbers in this film fall short for me in that regard. Much like La La Land, the songs are fine in the moment but have not at all stuck in …
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Book #148 of 2018: Force of Nature by Jane Harper (Aaron Falk #2) This Australian crime thriller is not quite as good as its predecessor in the series, which offers more emotional resonance via its setting in the detective hero’s hometown. Here Falk is on a new case far from home, investigating the disappearance of …
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Book #147 of 2018: Village of Secrets: Defying the Nazis in Vichy France by Caroline Moorehead Informative but dense, and lacking much of a narrative throughline. It’s also a little difficult to keep track of the sprawling cast of characters, especially when listening to the audiobook. Still, this is an interesting look at the resistance …
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