Image courtesy of Netflix
Like zombies? And satire? And suburb life gone all wrong? Then you need to drop everything and go binge Santa Clarita Diet on Netflix. It is absolutely hysterical. It IS a bit gory at times, but do not let this deter you. Mainly what it has is constant laugh out loud lines. It’s so good I want to go watch it instead of writing this, and I’ve already seen all the episodes. Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant star as a humdrum couple in a boring suburban life, whose world is changed forever when Drew’s character dies…but doesn’t. They must learn to live a different kind of life as Drew needs to eat people to survive. Timothy Olyphant kills this performance; he plays the bewildered and horrified husband who still wants to be supportive of his wife with such skill. Even his facial expressions made me laugh. Also excellent is Skyler Gisondo as nerdy next door neighbor Eric, who takes all of his neighbors’ eccentricities and newfound eating habits in stride. The whole cast just hits the right note. You can view the trailer, linked from IMDB, here: Trailer Santa Clarita Diet
This month I also finished the epic Tearling trilogy by Erika Johansen, with the final book, the Fate of the Tearling. It was a very satisfying conclusion to the story of Queen Kelsea and her troubled empire, the Tearling. This seems initially like historical fantasy but it’s also a dystopian story. Magic, battles, an evil queen, even some supernatural horror, a touch of romance (but only about 2% of the books), and mostly, the story of a young woman and the choices she makes to try to save her collapsing kingdom from complete ruin. The story travels from past to present in a unique way, and the POV shifts as well. In the middle book, The Invasion of the Tearling, I found the shifting POVs at times frustrating. This was the least successful book. The third book really did a nice job of bringing the story full circle and providing answers that were needed. If you like fantasy stories of epic battles, good vs. evil, and magic, this is a series to read.
I bought Bellweather Rhapsody when Goodreads kindly let me know that a book on my TBR was on sale via Amazon kindle. I didn’t even remember the book or why I put it on my TBR. I actually love opening a book and knowing nothing about it except that, at some point in the past, for some reason I was compelled to put it on my TBR list. As it turns out, I really liked this story. It begins in a format that seems like it will be a murder mystery set in a creepy old hotel (the author even references the hotel in the Shining right away). But there is so much more to this story. It’s also a coming of age tale, a story of redemption and revenge, a reflection on music and the beauty it bring our lives, and a tale of madness…in various forms. There are several main characters and shifting POVs. All are compelling, and all are fascinating to read. There are some beautiful moments of prose, and also a compulsively readable story. This is a winner.
Finally, these books round out my list of enjoyable reads form the last couple months. These all entertained me and were courtesy of Net Galley in exchange for honest reviews (fuller reviews on Goodreads and Litsy). Some were Advanced Reader Copies so may not yet be published.
The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond – creepy marriage cult, psychological thriller, intrigue, full of good twists and turns.
Girl Number One by Jane Holland – Murder mystery/suspense with female heroine. Not all that hard to figure out, but good characters and pace.
Final Girls by Riley Sager – Excellent suspense novel involving the survivor of a massacre reminiscent of 80’s slasher movies. Lots of layers, twists, secrets, keep-you-guessing moments. Winner!
The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda – Another twisty mystery with fun surprises and an intriguing heroine.
Are you still reading? Go binge Santa Clarita Diet!
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