Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2018

Lol I meant to post this a couple of months ago. Don't mind me, I can't keep a schedule to save my life. I would like to remind you guys that these are the favorites that I watched for the first time in 2018, not necessarily ones that came out in 2018. There are a lot of those, but some of them didn't come out in 2018. It was actually kind of hard to compile this list because I've gotten so bad at finishing movies if I'm not in a movie theatre. I wanted to put Call Me By Your Name on here but I never actually finished the movie because I got distracted by other things. But I would like to give it a shout out for being a good movie.

1. Deadpool 2

Holy shit, I didn't think this one would be as good as the first one, but it was! I legit can't decide which one I liked more because they were both perfect. Maybe this one because I did end up crying near the end, you know the one scene. If you've seen the movie you probably know what I'm talking about if you haven't then I'm not spoiling it for you. Such an amazing movie.

2. Infinity War

People were kind of split on this one, but I personally loved it. There was just so much to see, there was never a boring moment. There were just so many characters that they didn't have time to have a single boring moment in the movie. It does feel very much like a precursor for Endgame, but I'm completely fine with that, it was a great movie.

3. Into the Spiderverse

There are only two movies that I have ever gone to see in theatres twice and both of them are on this list. The first being Infinity War just because I felt like there was so much I didn't catch the first time and I needed to go see it again as a refresher, however, for Into the Spiderverse, I went to go see it again purely because I loved it so much the first time. You know, I was just hanging out with my friend in a bookstore, go figure, and she got a call from her parents asking if we wanted to go to the movies. Fate lined up perfectly, enabling us to go see this fantastic movie because if we had gone to see any other we would have been late.

4. A Simple Favor

This one was so awesome until the very end. I didn't really like the last couple of scenes because it just felt so messy compared to the rest of the film. But the rest of the movie I think was amazing. It's best to go into this one knowing as little as possible.

5. Incredibles 2

I didn't like this quite as much as the first one, but it was still an awesome sequel. I think it may be my favorite of the latest Pixar sequels. The rest just don't seem to be doing it for me, but this one has. Maybe it's because the Incredibles was my favorite movie as a kid. I'm so glad that they got the majority of the original cast, it made it feel like a legit sequel.

6. Crazy Rich Asians

I was so excited about this one! I actually had a doubleheader with my friend when I went to see this movie, I don't know about other movie theatres, but the one closest to where I live does this thing on Tuesdays were movie tickets are half priced so we decided we would see two. It had been a long day at school and both of us just wanted to chill and watch some movies so before this we had actually gone to see the Nun (which may just be the worst movie I actually watched in 2018. It was not scary and relied heavily on jump scares), and decided to see Crazy Rich Asians after to destress. When I was watching this movie there were so many moments where I was like "Yes! My family does that!" and I felt like such a special snowflake because I actually understood when they spoke Cantonese. REPRESENTATION MATTERS!

7. Happy Death Day

I didn't actually want to watch this one because I thought it sounded dumb. But in my defense, it actually still sounds sooooo dumb. My friends wanted to watch this so I agreed and surprisingly really enjoyed myself. It was a horror film that didn't take itself too seriously but still actually had a pretty good plot. Just a really enjoyable movie. If you aren't into horror films this might actually be the perfect "horror" film for you.

8. Jurrasic World

I watched Jurassic World for the first time and it was amazing. I've never watched any of the Jurassic Park movies because apparently I just didn't have a childhood. I will hopefully be watching those soon, but as of right now I've only seen Jurassic World. The bar is set high.

9. Love Simon (Kind of Spoiler for Leah on the Offbeat)

I loved that we got a YA movie with more LGBT representation. Still kinda salty that they made Leah straight though. If they make a Leah movie, and I hope they do, then they bETTER FIX THIS!!!!

10. Crimes of Grindelwald

I know a lot of people didn't really like this movie, but fuck it I did. I am physically incapable of disliking anything set in the Wizarding World. Although it wasn't the best movie I still liked it and that's why it's at the number 10 spot and not higher up. Fight me.


What movies did you guys love from 2018?


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Harshville Spoiler Free Review

I had this review saved in my notes and I had already posted it on Goodreads. I have no clue why I never posted it on here so I'm doing it now.

Harshville by Olivia Wildenstein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis:

No one ever said the music business was easy, but did it have to be this harsh?

High school senior Angie isn’t usually a secretive person, but when her idol launches a songwriting competition which her mother forbids her from entering, Angie decides to do it anyway. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... possibly her lucky break into the music industry.

When Angie meets Nevada, who has an extraordinary voice, she’s convinced that they’ll win if they work together. But Tennessee, Nevada’s older brother, is wary of Nevada’s friendship with Angie—especially when he learns about the contest.

Can Angie convince Tennessee that she’s interested in his family for the right reasons—or will her dream of becoming a songwriter crumble before her eyes?

Against the glittery backdrop of Nashville’s music scene unfolds a story of betrayal and abandonment, of first love and acceptance, and of ties that go far beyond those made of blood.

My Thoughts:

I received an ARC through Netgalley for an honest review

I gave this book 4 stars. Where do I being with Harshville? It was a lot. The central premise around this book didn’t really have me scrambling for my ereader. However, I figured I would give it a shot because I do really enjoy Olivia Wildenstein’s writing.

I’m not really a country fan, quite the opposite really, I will listen to anything but country music. So already this book was at a bit of a disadvantage. The bright side is that I didn’t actually have to listen to country music to read this book. If you are in fact a fan of country music, here is a book about a girl who really wants to make it in the country industry. Enjoy!

The book starts off with a girl named Angie wanting to enter into a music competition run by her idol, Mona Stone. And so commences a storyline that actually wasn’t as drama-filled as I thought it was going to be. I mean there was definitely drama, but I was actually expecting a lot more teen drama, but it was more real-life drama.

Enter Tennessee, a really hot new guy. Ten is a character I genuinely like. He isn’t just this mysterious bad boy that shows up and does nothing but brood. He legitimately has motivations and shows actual emotions. I feel like we just don’t get enough of that sometimes in YA romances.

I kind of feel bad for reviewing this right now since after checking out the release date, I found that it was pushed back. It’s not coming out for another year and a half-ish. 2020. So if you guys are in fact swayed into reading this by my review then I sincerely apologize because there will be quite a wait.

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A Pack of Blood and Lies Spoiler Free Review

A Pack of Blood and Lies by Olivia Wildenstein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis:

The primal rule of winning: don’t fall in love with the contender. 

Three months shy of her eighteenth birthday, Ness is forced to return to Colorado. Even though it’s been six years, and the wolves of her all-male pack don’t recognize her, she recognizes them. People who shun others because of their gender are hard to forget.

Especially Liam Kolane—son of Heath, the crudest and cruelest Alpha to have ruled the Boulder Pack. Liam is as handsome as he is infuriating, as kind as he is punishing, and he makes Ness’s traitorous heart race, which isn’t good. After all, he’s a Kolane. Like father like son, right?

When Heath dies, Liam vies to become the new Alpha and no one dares challenge him. 

Except Ness. 

Thus begins a treacherous game. 

The rules: winner takes all…including loser’s life.

My Thoughts:

I received a copy for an honest review

I gave this book 4 stars. While I enjoyed it and got through it fairly quickly, I found that it still wasn’t my favorite of the author's works. There were a lot of parts that dragged a little bit in this. However, there was also a lot to be said about the action. The parts I did like far outweigh what I didn’t like about the novel.

This story is about a girl named Ness who was taken away from her home at an early age by her mother. She’s lived away from everything she’s known for years and has become incredibly self-reliant, until one day she is dragged back by her uncle and his family. This novel contained one of my personal favorite tropes. A girl runs/sent away and is then brought back to a life she no longer knows how to live and has to confront her past in an epic way. Winning back the friends and family from her past.

I’m a total sucker for werewolf novels and an even bigger sucker for YA werewolf romances. We don’t get a lot of those. It’s a huge romance genre thing, but we don’t get a lot of werewolf books for teenagers and every time we get one it feels like a win. I really did love that aspect of it.

Another trope that I’m a total sucker for that was present in this book was the trials. I am the worlds biggest sucker for competitions and female characters showing how badass they are. I just really like competitions, it’s probably why I loved the Hunger Games so much. If you too like books with heated competitions then I think you would enjoy this.

From what I know of the author's previous work, I feel like there is going to be a very specific plot twist that is going to happen in the second book. A part of me does believe that this author could repeat a plot twist from one of her previous series’, but another part of me also can’ believe that this could happen with this specific set of characters. I really don’t know.

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In Another Life Book Tour

In Another Life

By C. C. Hunter

Release Date: March 26th, 2019
352 Pages
Young Adult/Mystery

Synopsis:

What would you do if your whole life was a lie and learning the truth could cost you your life? 

From New York Times bestselling author of the Shadow Falls series comes C. C. Hunter’s new YA thriller about a girl who learns that she may have been kidnapped as a child, and must race to uncover the truth about her past before she winds up a victim.

Chloe was three years old when she became Chloe Holden, but her adoption didn’t scar her, and she’s had a great life. Now, fourteen years later, her loving parents’ marriage has fallen apart and her mom has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Starting twelfth grade as the new kid at school, everything Chloe loved about her life is gone. And feelings of déjà vu from her early childhood start haunting her. 

When Chloe meets Cash Colton she feels drawn to him, as though they're kindred spirits. Until Cash tells her the real reason he sought her out: Chloe looks exactly like the daughter his foster parents lost years ago, and he’s determined to figure out the truth. 

As Chloe and Cash delve deeper into her adoption, the more things don’t add up, and the more strange things start happening. Why is Chloe’s adoption a secret that people would kill for?

My Thoughts:

I received an ARC for an honest review

I gave this book 4 stars. It was a really wild story arc. Going into this book I wasn't sure what I expected. I have read quite a few of this author's works. I enjoy her paranormal books a bit more than her contemporary, but it was still something I had a great time reading.

Chloe Holden has just moved from the home she has always known to Texas. That's always a good way to start off a book. Also, I'm not surprised this is set in Texas. ANyway, Chloe has a lot of things she needs to juggle from trying to make new friends, to making sure her mother doesn't sink into a deep depression, to finding out if she was kidnapped as a baby. Wild from start to finish. If you're interested in Young Adult Mysteries then this book may be for you.

Cash Colton grew up a con. He had a strained relationship with his father, stunting his ability to bond with his foster family, one that actually seems to care. Cash meeting Chloe initially assumes she is a con because of the resemblance she has to the stolen daughter of his foster parents and thus ensues the wild ride.

There was a little while there where Chloe was driving me crazy. There were so many questions that were unanswered and she just didn't want to know the answers. If something like this had happened to me I would have been unresting trying to find out the truth. She was so passive about it. I understand that she was trying not to hurt her mother's feelings and such but come on. I think she should have talked with her mother about what she thought was happening, and maybe her mother would have been able to help her in some way. I think the fact that Chloe was keeping secrets made things a bit worse in the end.

This is one of those books where you just need to get past the first couple of chapters and then you really get into it. It took me a while to read the first 10 percent of it, but then I read the rest in 2 days. It is very fast paced once you gain some momentum with it.

Overall, if you enjoy a little mystery, a little action, a little bit of dysfunction, and a tad bit of romance then I would suggest reading this one.

Author Bio

C. C. HUNTER is a pseudonym for award-winning romance author Christie Craig. She is lives in Tomball, Texas, where she’s at work on her next novel.

Christie's books include The Mortician's Daughter series, Shadow Fall Novels and This Heart of Mine.

Social Links:

http://www.cchunterbooks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CCHunterFans/

http://twitter.com/CCHunterBooks

Buy Link:

http://wednesdaybooks.com/the-real-deal/in-another-life/

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The Mermaid's Voice Returns in this One Review

The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One by Amanda Lovelace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis: 

Goodreads Choice Award-winning poet and USA TODAY bestselling author Amanda Lovelace presents the mermaid’s voice returns in this one — the third and final installment in her “women are some kind of magic” series, featuring a foreword from Lang Leav and 13 guest poems from leading voices in poetry such as Nikita Gill, KY Robinson, and Orion Carloto.

The mermaid is known for her siren song, luring bedroom-eyed sailors to their demise. However, beneath these misguided myths are tales of escapism and healing, which Lovelace weaves throughout this empowering collection of poetry, taking you on a journey from the sea to the stars. They tried to silence her once and for all, but the mermaid’s voice returns in this one.

My Thoughts: 

I received an ARC for an honest review

This one legit brought tears to my eyes. Some of the topics in this book made me really anxious because I've never actually been in a relationship and this made me terrified of the types of relationships I could find myself in one day. I'm a romantic on paper but when it comes to real life I don't want to touch it with a ten-foot pole. This review makes me feel pretty vulnerable because I wouldn't usually put so many of my personal deep-seated feelings out there like that on the norm. Since it is a poetry book about baring your soul and stuff, I feel like I should. To honor the source material.

I feel like Amanda Lovelace really hit home with a lot of women (and maybe some men) out there who have gone through similar events. Obviously, I'm not one of them per my earlier ramblings about my deep-seated terror of being in a relationship with another human.

As always I flew through this. It wasn't hard, it's not long. Also, the format of these books is the best. I love colored text. I loved it with the Wolves of Mercy Falls series and I love it now. It fits with the vibes.

I loved how she had a little spot at the end of the book where you could start writing your own poetry. It made me smile a little bit. I mean I myself would never write in one of my books unless it's for school and it's already been written in. It was a cute gesture though. Still wouldn't do it.

Verdict: would spend my money on.


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