Yup, so I haven’t left my house in….. A long time. And so my only friends are characters in books, movies, and television shows, and voices on podcasts and youtube. It’s fine. I’m not crazy. I know they’re not really my friends… I do, I swear.
So I want to tell y’all what my favorites have been the past little while and because I market my books to myself, I assume if you like my books, you’ll like these things and maybe it’ll tide you over while I wait impatiently for the proofread manuscript of Ursa Minors. (Long story covid related, I’m doing my best to speed it up).
Alrighty, so let’s start with books.
Bearing in mind that I read almost exclusively Kindle Unlimited content, here are some of my faves in the past recent while. I’ll also flag if there’s any bias on my part with the books because I’m apparently a real author now so I have author friends and stuff which is kinda cool.
The Clecanian series by Aveline Victoria Theo started a bit clunky but by like 10% in I was hooked and suddenly it was 3am and I’d read all three books in the series. I am desperate for her to release Rejo’s (sp? I don’t remember the exact spelling but if you’ve read it you know who I’m talking about) story because I’m shipping him so hard with one of the human girls I cannot handle it.
Darkest Moon by Linsey Hall. Y’all. I am so invested in this story I cannot handle the wait for the next book. There’s magic and fated mates and rejected fated mates (which is obviously my jam). It’s this delicious mix of shifter fated mate, witches, and guilds. It’s like the best parts of Annette Marie’s Guild Codex with werewolves. Linsey needs to write faster because I want more Wolf Queen! (I haven’t read her other stuff but in doing this write up I realized that this is like the seventy-something title on her goodreads page so I’m diving in. I’ll come up for air eventually!)
Speaking of Guild Codex I’m deeply depressed that the series and the Demonized Guild codex series are over but they ended so well I reread all of them again and just had the warm and fuzzy action adventure which is great. Eagerly awaiting more on the Warped series) Annette Marie is so talented and I’m obsessed.
Other rereads: All of Hailey Edwards, all the time. Drew Hayes had a new release the Villains Code book two which I’d been waiting for…. For years. Literal years. So excited about it.
All the Ice Planet Barbarian, Icehome, Aspect and Anchor, Fireblood series….again. I love Ruby Dixon her books are campy and hilarious and heartfelt and sexy and I just love them. I cannot count the number of times I’ve read them. My favorites in no particular order.
** I know these authors. Well know like know, know as in we chat online but haven’t met in person because plague. I’ve read their books but these are my recs
Elizabeth Brady: Over Christmas I read all of her books. Literally all of them. Most are short, they’re all sweet. And they gave me the giddy feeling of flirty books that just make me happy. The Blakemoor Series is a great place to start.
Bethany Anne Lovejoy: Y’all if you like the Syndicate Series, you will love The City of Crows. Her books get better and better with each release and I’m still obsessed with Roland from Your Promise.
D.H. Willison: Finding Your Harpy Place came out and I mean. Rinloh. What else do I need to say? She’s amazing and I love her and only good things are allowed to happen to her if I can make demands.
TV, I’ll break it down by US streaming service that I watched it on, if you’re not in the US, I have no idea where to find this stuff so I’m very sorry but it’s worth finding. Bonus shout out for Beforeigners which I mentioned in my last quarantine blog post. I’m still obsessed with it and yes, it is indeed getting a season two so y’all better watch it…. Please… I need more of Beforeigners in my life.
Ghosts- Amazon Prime. British comedy about a couple who inherits a house infested with ghosts. After a death/near death experience the lady of the couple can see the ghosts and it is so funny. It’s funny, heartfelt. And has Lolly Adefope who I love (because I watched Taskmaster first and adore her).
Taskmaster- Youtube (yes I paid money for seasons of this show on youtube that’s how good it is). Greg Davies and little Alex Horne gather comedy friends for a bizarre show of tasks ranging from simple things to complicated things. It is so funny. I have no proper words for how much I love this show and how eager I am for Lee Mack (of Would I Lie to You glory) to be on the new season.
Virgin River- Netflix This is a currently watching. I read the books when I was in high school and got like four episodes in before I realized why the story and characters felt so familiar. It’s not like ground breaking television or anything but I watched it when I was sick and it was comforting and romantic and the music is great.
Truth Seekers- Amazon Prime Much like Ghosts this show was a pleasant surprise. Another British Comedy (this one tragically not renewed for more seasons), Truth Seekers is another hilarious, heartfelt, and kinda spooky show.
Bridgerton- Netflix- Okay, yeah, I watched it for the butts. Sooo many butts. I’m basically Tina from Bob’s Burgers. With Bridgerton I adored Penelope (so much so that I went out and bought her book in the Bridgerton series). There are a lot of elements of the show I fell in love with, but I struggle with other elements. Not saying what because it’s a spoiler but believe me, I have thoughts. I will watch season two but other than Penelope’s book, I didn’t really feel the need to read the books (I’m not super into Historical Romance) and based on a major plot point from the show that I’ve been assured is in the books, I’ll probably give the rest a pass too.
Queen’s Gambit- Netflix- Confession, I wanted to stop watching after the first episode because I wasn’t really gripped, but I’m glad we kept going because it was really good. I’m not super into the drugged out prodigy trope so I kinda rolled my eyes at those parts (sorry I know it’s like a thing for people but I just wanted to watch her play chess). But it was a really fun watch.
FARGO SEASON FOUR: Hulu: Okay, so if you watch nothing else on this list, watch the first 20 minutes of fargo season four episode one. It’s gorgeous. The whole season is just cinematic art. Every frame is a painting. Chris Rock does shockingly well in a role of the baddy. Orietta Mayflower is terrifying and if you wonder what I sound like, has my very accent.
Rewatches:
Peacock: Top Chef, The Office, Parks and Rec, Face Off
Netflix: Grey’s Anatomy, Great British Baking show
Hulu: Bob’s burgers (they have a thing now where you can just watch musical episodes and I’m here for it), King of the Hill, Lodge 49, Archer, How I Met Your Mother, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Movies:
I’m not a big movie watcher but here’s the list:
Extra Ordinary (Amazon but it was a rental). This is an Irish romantic-horror-comedy and my husband and I have not stopped quoting it since October. The first five minutes of this movie had me laughing so hard I was in tears. The rest of the movie was a great romcom with horror elements that weren’t too scary for me (I hate being scared).
The Big Short (amazon rental) Okay, so I had seen this before back when it came out. But with the $GME thing I needed Margot Robbie to explain shorts to me again. Plus Steve Carrell is a treasure.
Youtube:
Ordinary Sausage: Some dude decided to make sausages out of random stuff and I’m here for it. Seriously, my husband and I watch every episode together. “Hey der folks, welcome back….I guess” Gets me every time.
Evan and Katelyn: Two crafters who share their love of making and their love of each other. They’re funny and adorable, and if they haven’t inspired a contemporary romance writer to a best selling novel, I’ll eat my hat.
With Cindy: I’m so here for her insight on books, movies, and just life in general. She cracks me up and even if she hates a book, I kinda want to read it just to enjoy the pain with her.
Rachloveslife: A lovely Canadian mom who looks like a supermodel teaching me about trendy tik-tok recipes. I don’t know why I adore her so much, but every Saturday afternoon, I’m watching her and Francesca (her mixer) make cookies and stuff and it makes life a little brighter. Plus her and Christopher are so cute together I can’t handle it.
I’ve made a lot of blankets. I crochet like a fiend and the amount of granny squares in my house has reached store levels.
I’ve recently taken up needlepoint (cross stitch and embroidery). That’s been going shockingly well and I’m hooked.