When a fairy tale changes from nightmare to reality. — Drowning is one of my phobias. It’s ironic since my parents taught me and my siblings to swim. As a result, stories that feature drowning can either terrify or fascinate me. I am a fairly decent swimmer but would rather stay on land. Fortunately in this novel, the drowning is…

Let this romance author cast a spell for your next read! — Meg Cabot’s protagonist’s can be anywhere — in a fancy restaurant taking princess lessons, deep in the Underworld arguing with a Greek god love interest, or fending off vampires with the power of sheer stubbornness and hatred for predictable soap operas. No matter what, they find adventure and love. Her…

Three’s a crowd, but four is a team. — Each episode of Hailey’s On It gets weirder. I do appreciate they are giving Kristine more of a focus in these episodes. She is a treasure, and her sense of humor is delighted. We also see that she does have limits when it comes to other people’s whims and wishes…

I may not show mercy in real life, but I remember despite everything, it’s still me. — It is Undertale’s eighth anniversary. Creator Toby Fox, who has delivered fun stuff each time, says that this year he’s letting Fangamer take the lead in releasing Undertale slumber party merchandise come January 2024. Given Toby’s modus operandi, I am expecting some sort of big surprise or return to form…

A revival of a 1960s play remains relevant (and funny) for 2020s audiences. — I wasn’t sure what to expect from Purlie Victorious, and didn’t even know that Leslie Odom Jr. was doing a new show. Yet thanks to some flight plans changing, I was able to go and attend a preview showing of Purlie Victorious, which promised to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It…

Biases affect everyone, more than you think. — Some people are very naive. When you talk to them, they’re all about a worldview that can eschew suffering and show a lack of perspective about another person’s situation. I admit that I’ve been in that boat, but work every day to fix it. Then you get some people who…

From dresses to natural disasters and diverting romance, this book has it all! — Meg Cabot has always been one of my comfort read authors. I picked up The Princess Diaries on a whim when I was a kid. Since then, I’ve been privileged to see her at two different book signings before the pandemic. Each time she has been sweet, comforting, and reassuring…

Finding a dangerous man in another city is harder than it looks. — Having a trilogy make a genre shift from steampunk mystery to fantasy thriller can be quite fun. It means that you get different flavors of story elements, along with continuity and emotional pain. The Slickdust Trilogy continues to experiment with words. After they saved Huile in the previous book, private…

All my recaps of The Owl House on Medium. — The Owl House may be over, but my recaps are still online. You can view all of these recaps and some miscellaneous articles in these posts. I’ve linked them in airing order. Season One