Books
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Format: Audiobook, Physical Paperback Age Demographic and Genre: Adult Classic Pages: 312 Rating: I love all the subtle commentary about communication. |
 Book and Author: Love and Freindship by Jane Austen
Format: Audiobook Age Demographic and Genre: Adult Classic Pages: 64 Rating: One of Jane Austen’s earlier short stories is surprisingly dark in its message and content. Love and Freindship is considered a parody on novels of sensibility, where excessive fainting and an absence of common sense ends with deadly results. Simultaneously, the story discusses the negative repercussions of elopement and how doing so will inevitably create a strain between child and parent. This epistolary short story is well written for a fifteen-year-old and proves Austen’s natural ability in writing commentary and parody. |
 Book and Author: Lady Susan, The Watsons, Sanditon by Jane Austen
Format: Audiobook, Physical Paperback Age Demographic and Genre: Adult Classic Anthology Pages: 171 Rating: Read for the 18 Reads of 2018 reading challenge: an anthology. Had Jane Austen lived a little longer, I think she would have edited and developed The Watsons and Sanditon a bit more. Both stories lack her natural wit, sarcasm, and intrigue. They seem like straightforward stories that have no commentary on Regency-era society. Lady Susan is my favorite story of this bind-up because of the mischief the older woman sparks amongst her peers. Lady Susan 4/5 Brief Thoughts: Funny, dramatic, and intriguing. The Watsons 3/5 Brief Thoughts: Boring, uneventful, no distinct characterization. Sandition 3/5 Brief Thoughts: Lost interest after the introduction. |
 Book and Author: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Format: Audiobook Age Demographic and Genre: Adult Classic Pages: 251 Rating: Despite the plot summaries and clips from film adaptations based on Northanger Abbey I’ve seen, Catherine’s obsession with Gothic novels has little to do with the plot. However, this aspect does affect her general character development and the execution of the narrative. I enjoyed the commentary about the credibility of novels as a form of entertainment. I think the arguments presented primarily by Henry Tilney are still valid today. Meanwhile, Catherine’s character presents the caution to not let your imagination and love of reading detach you from reality. Northanger Abbey is a fun, quick read with the right balance of humor, drama, and life lessons. |
 Book and Author: The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Su and Kate Rorick
Format: Audiobook, Physical Paperback Age Demographic and Genre: New Adult Contemporary Pages: 377 Rating: Read for the 18 Reads of 2018 reading challenge: a diary, real or fiction Click the link to read my book review. |
 Book and Author: Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Format: Audiobook, Physical Paperback Age Demographic and Genre: Adult Classic Pages: 412 Rating: Why must Austen’s longest novels be the most boring? Mansfield Park has no overarching plot and the most pointless plotlines seem to drag on the longest. I hate virtually every character except for Fanny. She’s mousy but tolerable, only because of the few times she voices her opinion. I hate how neglected she is by her aunts and uncle. Had they treated her like a daughter like they promised, she would have had other prospects for marriage besides Henry Crawford. Edmund seems like such a sensible man, so I don’t understand how is he so easily entranced by Mary Crawford. While I had no problem with the dynamic the two main characters built as friends, I think Edmund’s romantic affection for Fanny was too sudden and forced for the sake of a happy ending. |
Movies and TV
 Movie: Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Source: DVD Genre: Historical Romance Rating: This is the best film adaptation I’ve seen. |
 Movie: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Source: Netflix Genre: Romantic Comedy Rating: Ever since the release of this film’s first teaser trailer, I’ve been apprehensive about how accurate the adaption will be. Luckily, the first scene of this movie instantly eased my nerves. The To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before film reignited my love for the books with its humor, visuals, and soundtrack. The filmmakers perfectly captured the spirit of the novel with the attention to detail in the set design and characterization. Though a lot of scenes were left out from the first novel and the screenwriters added elements from P.S. I Still Love You, I think they created the best adaptation they possibly could considering their limitations. |
 Movie: Crazy Rich Asians
Source: Theater Genre: Romantic Comedy Rating: I’m loving this modern resurgence of the rom-com genre, and Crazy Rich Asians is no exception. This film is surprisingly funny, heartwarming, and full of familial drama. The stunning visuals and outlandish plot provide some escapism for the viewers. Simultaneously, it presents a story about succumbing to the will of one’s family to ensure security and future happiness for the group versus fighting for one’s own individual happiness, a conflict which as far as I can tell still lives within most Asian cultures. Not everyone may relate personally to this story, but I’m sure many will find enjoyment in this fun comedy about love and family ties. |
 Show: The Bold Type (Season 2)
Source: OnDemand Status: Complete Rating: Season two of The Bold Type seems a bit more formulaic than the first. Here, each episode focuses on a social issue like racial identity, religion, and one’s opinion on gun reform. I had no problem with these topics being discussed, but I wish they were executed a bit better. The gun episode, “Betsy”, especially felt irrelevant to the general story. The only necessary scenes from that episode surrounded Kat’s relationship issues. The worst part about the inclusion of such topics is that most of them revolved around Jane and worsened her character. Every time she expressed her disdain for guns or her inability to understand why people believe in God, the writers added emotional trauma to her character to justify her defensive and judgmental behavior. Sob stories don’t justify her lashing out on her loved ones and I’d rather she just have a fixed opinion without some emotional attachment. The social issues in Sutton and Kat’s character arcs, on the other hand, were generally consistent with their previously established characters. Whenever Jane wasn’t annoying me, I genuinely enjoyed the drama and storylines of this season. |
 Show: Once Upon a Time (Season 5)
Source: Netflix Status: Complete Rating: I didn’t think it was possible for Zelena to redeem herself, but by some miracle, the writers of Once Upon a Time season five achieved that feat. Ever since season three, I thought she was a whiney, underwhelming villain who I could have done without. But now seeing the well-developed contrasts and comparisons between her and Regina, I enjoy seeing her on-screen. Though Merida and Arthur serve a purpose during the first half of season five, they’re simply forgotten once the main characters travel to the Underworld. The closing of Arthur’s arc felt rushed and Merida disappeared with the remaining Camelot characters by episode twenty-two without a satisfying conclusion. The new Dark One hardly does anything evil, especially compared to Rumpelstiltskin. That and the many other character cameos seem like wasted opportunities. |
 Show: Death Comes to Pemberley
Source: Netflix Status: Complete Rating: In three hour-long episodes, Death Comes to Pemberley does an amazing job with dissecting the beloved (and hated) characters from the Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice. Uncovered secrets give characters like Mr. Darcy and Wickham more depth. The dire situation at hand also forces the two enemies to corporate in order to preserve the reputation of one and save the life of the other. Despite her dramatic attitude, a few scenes in the show allowed me to sympathize with Lydia as she deals with the consequences of Wickham’s trial and her unhappy marriage to him. I often forgot about the new side characters since most of them had no discernible personality, but I like that the plot justifies their appearance through their connections to the main characters. I only have two remaining questions: what poor soul wedded Mary Benett and what happened to Kitty? |
 Show: Avatar: The Last Airbender (Season 2)
Source: DVD Status: Complete Rating: Unlike season one, season two of Avatar: The Last Airbender quickly establishes the story arcs for the season. The plot seems more focused on the missions at hand and developing the previously established characters. Even filler episodes like “Tales of Ba Sing Se” contain some character development. The humor is still a bit childish, as expected, but it’s a lot more clever in subject matter and execution. |
Currently Watching
- Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventures (Tangled the Series) Season 2
- Cowboy Bebop
What I’ve Been Listening to
Haul
This month I picked up Beast: a Tale of Love and Revenge by Lisa Jensen from Target. I also bought books seven and eight from A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket – The Vile Village and The Hostile Hospital – from the Salvation Army Thrift Store.
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