Blodeuedd's Monday Review: Cackle by Rachel Harrison

Format: 319 pages, Paperback

Published: August 30, 2022 by Berkley

Paranormal/borrowed

So this is listed as a horror. Someone called it pink horror. But yeah there is no horror, it is more a supernatural story.

Annie decides to make a new life as her boyfriend leaves her. This takes her to a teaching job in a small town. There she meets a Fabolous woman! Everyone loves this woman....or do they?

Her and Sophie becomes great friends. Sophie in her big empty house. Spiders. Strange things happening.

But this was about Sophie finding herself and being happy what she finds.

I liked it. It was another easy fun read

All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She’s stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation.  

Then Annie meets Sophie. Beautiful, charming, magnetic Sophie, who takes a special interest in Annie, who wants to be her friend. More importantly, she wants Annie to stop apologizing and start living for herself. That’s how Sophie lives. Annie can’t help but gravitate toward the self-possessed Sophie, wanting to spend more and more time with her, despite the fact that the rest of the townsfolk seem…a little afraid of her. And like, okay. There are some things. Sophie’s appearance is uncanny and ageless, her mansion in the middle of the woods feels a little unearthly, and she does seem to wield a certain power…but she couldn’t be…could she?

Movie Review: Project Hail Mary (2026)

Title: Project Hail Mary

Length: 2h 36m

Released: 2026

Genre: SciFi, Comedy, Drama
Rating: PG-13
Where I Got It: Drive-In Theater

SUMMARY:

A science teacher wakes up alone on a spaceship. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing Earth's sun, and realizes that an unexpected friendship may be the key.

Trailer

REVIEW:

Whoopsies. Meant to post this last week....eee!

Anyways...

Soooo I wasn't even excited to watch this. I'm so picky with my SciFi, and I feel like so many are just carbon copies of each other. However, the group wanted to stay and watch it, so I stayed too. ANNNND I was pleasantly surprised. 

Okay - so the story takes place in the future-ish. A science teacher wakes up alone on a ship and can't remember where or why he is there. He keeps getting flashbacks of his time on Earth. As he starts piecing together what happened, he realizes... it is up to him to save Earth. He is literally the last chance to figure out how to stop this mysterious substance from killing their Sun. This substance is killing all the stars, but one, and that is where he is headed. Along the way, he will team up with someone...something...unexpected. 

Okay. Okay. I take it back. I thought this was going to be boring and just a carbon copy. This was fresh and fun. Yes, Earth is in peril, but the movie still had some humor. It felt like real life in a weird way. Yes, dark and gloomy and scary, BUT there are good moments.

I LOVED Rocky. Best character of the year. I would burn the Earth for him. 

The cast was lovely. Our main was great...as usual. Awkward and adorable. Adorkable, some might say. 

The science-y parts were not too science-y, and I appreciated that. I hate when SciFi gets too lost in the details. Sure, I'm sure some science lovers wanted more "details". But meh. They balanced it well. Science stuff and then stuff for non-science people. Everyone can enjoy this. 

Some scenes could've been snipped and trimmed a little bit. Some dragged on a bit too long.

The ending was lovely, and I would've liked to see more. 

All-in-all, I was pleasantly surprised by this film! I went in a negative Nancy and came out wanting to watch this movie again. WHA? Yes! I'll watch it again. It was fun. Some scenes needed a bit of snipping to help the story along, but I liked it overall. 4 stars from me. 

Cast That Book: Call Me Maybe & Sweet Talk by Cara Bastone

A weekly meme that showcases my "cast" of a book if it were to become a movie or TV show. Anyone can join!

Going rogue. Doing a 2-in-1 since book 1 and book 2 kinda, sorta overlap. 

Just a reminder, if you would to join in on the fun you can cast the same book or a different one.

Rules (aka self-imposed...you don't have to follow them)

- A recent book I read

- Only books that I gave a 4 or 5 stars

- Casting the main cast and maybe some of the side characters

- Sky is the limit

Book(s):

Vera - Sarah Hyland

Cal - Nicholas Galitzine

Jessie/JD - Diane Guerrero

Eliot - Jeremy Allen White

Audiobook Review: Sweet Talk by Cara Bastone

Author: Cara Bastone

Narrator: Lidia Dornet & Chris Brinkley
Title: Sweet Talk

Series: Love Lines #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Humor
Format: Audiobook
Published:  April 22, 2021
Where I Got It: Audible 

Summary: 

It’s officially booty o’clock, I’m alone again in my kitchen choking down a slice of terrible chocolate cake…and I’m pretty sure I just got drunk texted by the man I have a ginormous crush on.

I’ve been daydreaming about Eliot Hoffman’s dimples for two months, and even though I’m sure this was a mistake on his end, it doesn’t mean it’s not an opportunity on mine. It’s the middle of the night, and I just wanna talk to him. So I text him back.

And then somehow we keep talking…ALL NIGHT. We’re both insomniacs, so talking all night soon turns into talking EVERY night.

And talking about nothing soon turns into talking about something.

And here we go from in-depth analysis of reality TV to my relationship with my family to his amazing artwork. There’s no topic we don’t cover…

Except for who I really am. It’s the only question of his I won’t answer.

As my crush turns into an avalanche of Eliot, I think of him all the time now. But if he knew who I was, the entire house of cards we’ve built this relationship on would come toppling down. I want him to be mine, but we might never be more than just a sweet dream….

Review:

Book 1 was good, and I HAD to listen to book 2 since it was about the brother, Eliot. 

Here we have Eliot and "JD". Eliot voice messaged the wrong person super late at night. Jessie shocks herself by answering back. An accidental voice message goes on to become an instant friendship and then more. They like each other a LOT. The only issue? Jessie can't and won't tell him her real name. He calls her JD, and they just talk. 

This was so stinkin' cute. Even with the serious moments, it was sweet. It felt...real? Is that the word I'm looking for? But it wasn't TOO realistic where it will make you think too much.

The story just felt so cozy, but there are some serious moments and things that could cause them to stop talking to each other. When we find out the real reason why JD keeps her name secret...I totally get it. I didn't know how the truth coming out would work. And you know it does.

I really adored this story, and I adored the narrators. They did such a great job.

Eeeee. I don't want to spoil anything!!!! What else can be said?

Some humor. Some love. Some drama. And lots and lots of talking. It was very sweet. 

5 stars. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #23