COLLEGE YA ALL DAY, EVERY DAY: I Hate Everyone But You Review

March 30, 2018March 24, 2018 fangirlfury3 Comments

Summary: Told through a series of emails and text messages, Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin’s I Hate Everyone But You follows Ava and Gen’s friendship while attending their first semester of college at different schools. Ava and Gen promise to document their everyday happenings to one another, with Ava at school in California and Gen away in Boston. From self-discovery, new relationships, sexuality, mental illness, first loves and heartbreak, Gen and Ava help each other figure out their new lives while trying to keep their own friendship together.

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

I Hate Everyone But You by Allison Raskin and Gaby Dunn has been popping up on my TBR radar since the book came out in September 2017. If you’ve been here even for a bit, you’ll know that I love using the phrase “a bit”, but also that I am always on the hunt for college YA, or young-adult books that have college-aged protagonists or protagonists who are in college. After reading Gloria Chao’s American Panda, I decided to keep my college YA reading going by picking up I Hate Everyone But You.

I love how the book is told in a series of emails and text messages, perfect for readathons and one-to-two sitting readers. Definitely different in subject matter, but I was reminded a lot of Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern, since the book is told in a familiar format. Through the emails, we are able to get a first person POVs from Gen and Ava. While we get plenty of humor-infused emails (go back and read the titles of said emails, I personally love “Love, Lust and Beer Pong” and “All the Single Ladies”), the text messages also provided plenty of humor and personality. I admit that I liked Ava’s emails better, mainly because I related to Ava more. I could relate to Ava’s struggle with trying to make friends and navigating new relationships, as well as her temptation to go home on the weekends. Her POV showed the less glamorous side of being a freshman and trying to figure out this new life. And this isn’t to say I didn’t like Gen because I thought she had some funny encounters herself and it was cool to see her adapt to life in Boston.

However, I felt that the book could have have taken place over one year instead of over one semester. Yes, I Hate Everyone But You is on the shorter side, but considering its one semester length, some of the events and the relationships felt a bit rushed. Also, who has the time to get into all the things Ava and Gen do in one semester, let alone their first?? I was lucky enough to find time for a Stranger Things marathon my first semester, between my coursework and adjusting to college life. Additionally, Ava and Gen’s plots were a tad stereotypical when it comes to the “expectations” of college. From the start, Gen parties every weekend and Ava finds herself trying to join a sorority when she’s not too sure if she even wants to take part in Greek life. I think it would’ve made more sense for AVA to NOT be in sorority, but going Greek ends up influencing her storyline.

I Hate Everyone But You addresses a variety of topics. For Ava, the biggest is mental health and for Gen, it’s sexuality. In my opinion, both topics weren’t handled in the best fashion. Ava often references her mental health as a joke, but then delves into some darker moments. I feel like it needed to be fleshed out a bit more, especially when she has problems with her therapist (I also found these emails to be a tad confusing).Gen’s sexuality could have also used a bit more development (I understand that it might not have because Gen is trying to figure it out herself), but I hated when she flipped out on Ava about it.

Overall, I recommend reading I Hate Everyone But You if you enjoy books with unique formats or if you’re looking for college YA. Before heading into the book, I was unfamiliar with Gaby and Allison’s Youtube channel, Just Between Us, but I’ll be definitely checking it out now!

Have you read I Hate Everyone But You? Do you watch Just Between Us? Share in the comments!

Top Five Wednesday: Favorite Mentors

March 28, 2018January 2, 2019 fangirlfury1 Comment

Today’s Top Five Wednesday is all about our favorite bookish mentors or teachers. While I could go on and on about my love for Professor McGonagall and Lupin, we’re encouraged not to talk about our HP mentors–do I sense a future T5W post for discussion???

Surinder from The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan – I love how Surinder pushes Nina to open up her shop and encourages her to do what she wants in her life. I also love her humor, and I think she needs to move to the Highlands ASAP to reunite with her best friend.

Review: Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel

March 27, 2018January 21, 2019 fangirlfury1 Comment

Summary: Angie Dovage knows there’s something more to Reece Fernadez, the cute boy who’s just moved in next door. And the crows taking over her town are definitely not normal either. When someone, or something, supernatural tries to attack her and Reece is there to save the day, Angie is thrown into a plot involving good and evil that’s set to destroy her town. But nothing is as bad as falling in love with a harbinger of death.

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

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I Sense a New Favorite TV Show: Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 1 Discussion

March 26, 2018March 24, 2018 fangirlfury8 Comments

As some of you may know, I am a Pawnee Goddess, frequent customer of the Low Cal Calzone and Tom’s Bistro, patient of Dr. Richard Nygard, avid Johnny Karate watcher, and supporter of Treat Yo Self. In other words, I am a Parks and Recreation fan.

A few weeks ago, I watched the first two seasons of an increasingly popular and deservingly so show called The Good Place, and now like everyone else, I must wait until the third season. Like books, I definitely enjoy watching TV shows when they’ve already ended because Netflix and Amazon Prime have spoiled me into becoming a binge-watching machine. In addition, February 25 marked the third anniversary of the end of Parks & Rec, my all-time favorite TV show. Since then, I’ve been craving a show that makes me feel almost as happy as Parks and Rec. Because of how much I love Parks and Rec and The Good Place, I decided to remain in Michael Schur territory and watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine. This is also a good time for me to admit to you guys that yes, I have tried watching The Office, and no, I can’t get into it, and yes, is literally the best show out of the two. Anyways,…

Like The Good Place, I’ve seen nothing but rave reviews of Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Twitter and Youtube, so I figured it was time that I tried it myself. The only problem? Brooklyn Nine-Nine is only available for streaming on Hulu, one of the few subscriptions I don’t have *hides because this also means that I still haven’t watched The Handmaid’s Tale*. Luckily, spring break came around and my local library has all four seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine that have come out so far on DVD (and they’re also ordering The Handmaid’s Tale!). Over spring break, I completed the first two seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine , and I’ve come to the conclusion that I absolutely love this show and it gives me so many Parks & Rec feels! For those who are unfamiliar with the show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a police sitcom set in the fictional 99^th Precinct of the NYPD in Brooklyn, following a team of detectives under a newly appointed captain.

While different in subject, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has reminded me so much of Parks & Rec because of its set and characters. For most of the season, I thought that Brooklyn Nine-Nine might’ve been filmed on the Parks set, but the show started while Parks & Rec was still on air. However, the precinct is a pretty similar style of the Parks and Recreation office—same floor tile, wallpaper, and desks, but I haven’t noticed any Parks Easter eggs (hopefully yet, anyway). A lot of people believe that The Good Place and Parks & Rec take place in the same universe, and I can definitely see Brooklyn Nine-Nine fitting in there as well. And here’s my character breakdown of who would be friends with who between Parks and Brooklyn (honestly guys, this was my inspiration to do write this post):

I am convinced that Rosa and April are cousins
Amy and Leslie would be best friends for their go-getter attitudes and love for pants suits (but of course no one could replace the cunning, pliable, chestnut-haired sunfish that is Ann Perkins)
Andy, or should I say, Bert Maclkin, would replace Santiago as Jake’s partner
Boyle definitely plays Cones of Dunshire and would partner up with Tom to open a Tom’s Bistro in Brooklyn
Ron would appreciate Holt’s no need for conversation (and would probably find him hilarious like everyone else except for the squad).
Chris and Terry= workout buddies
Gina would be the newest member of the Treat Yo Self team
Jerry/Gerry/Larry is the combination of Scully and Hitchcock

I love the entire cast of characters on B99, but I think my favorites so far are Jake, Rosa, and Gina. I honestly laugh at all the right moments when it comes to Jake, and I am most definitely rooting for him and Amy to get together– my favorite scenes include when Jake talks to her through the teddy bear and having to hideout in Holt’s bathroom with Terry at his birthday party. I think my favorite episode of the first season is “The Party” because EVERYONE has at least one moment where I laughed out loud (my favorite episodes of Parks & Rec are also like this). I feel like there’s a lot to explore about Rosa, and like I said above, she reminds me so much of April Ludgate, but I will say that she’s better about expressing how much she cares for the squad. And yes, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedy, but Gina provides the best comic relief. “Tactical Village” is not only one of my favorite episodes for getting to see more of Amy and Jake’s relationship, but also for Gina and Holt’s obsession over Kwazy Cupcakes (which I may or may have not downloaded on my phone).

Overall, I’ve really enjoyed Brooklyn Nine-Nine for its cast of characters, humor, and over arching storylines. While each episode has a new investigation, the reset button doesn’t affect our character’s problems and relationships. I’m invested in how Jake and Amy’s relationship will play out, and it’s been fun to see Holt’s guard come down a bit (him being a robot is still questionable though). I’m hoping to somehow watch seasons 3 and 4 before my spring semester ends, but if not, I’ll definitely be watching them right at the start of my summer break and will be catching on season 5 ASAP.

Do you watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Share in the comments!

I LOVE COLLEGE YA & HERE’S WHY: American Panda by Gloria Chao Review

March 23, 2018April 2, 2018 fangirlfury7 Comments

Summary: Mei has always tried to meet her parents’ expectations. After all, at seventeen year old, she should be a high school senior, not a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her parents’ biggest expectation? Going to MIT as a biology major to then go to medical school at Harvard and become a doctor. Mei’s biggest problem? Mei hates germs. Her dilemma grows worse when she only has eyes for Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese– only Taiwanese boys are allowed for Mama Lu’s daughter. After seeing her brother disowned by her family for dating the wrong woman, Mei can’t bring herself to tell her parents the truth, but she can’t live with lies either.

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

College YA & American Panda Thoughts:

Spring break finally allowed me to read Gloria Chao’s American Panda. I’ve seen nothing but great reviews for Gloria Chao’s debut novel following a COLLEGE freshman. Why the emphasis on college there? BECAUSE I LOVE BOOKS WITH COLLEGE-AGED PROTAGONISTS OR CHARACTERS WHO ARE IN COLLEGE!

Young adults aren’t only found in high school, folks. YA, or at least YA contemporary, is typically categorized as such because the central characters often experience some sort of “first”. But let me tell you, college is filled with plenty of young adults and firsts, and I’m not just talking about having to do your laundry for the first time.

So why I am always on the lookout for college YA?

I’m a college student. Give me people who also live in dorm rooms and live away from home and have to operate on -3 hours of sleep and go to class.

Growing pains. Yes, I love plenty of YA books with high school aged characters, but as I get more mature (fine, older), I find myself not being able to relate the problems that come with being a high school student and the drama as much.

So why did I love American Panda for being a college YA?

Mei is somewhat more able to stand up to her parents. Yes, potentially being disowned as a college student whose parents pay for your tuition has a lot of problems, but being away at school acted as some sort of barrier between Mei and her parents. I also appreciated her hot chocolate time with Darren.

MEI GOES TO CLASS AND DOES STUDENT-LIKE THINGS, INCLUDING HOMEWORK. Even though I still want to know if she goes to the dining hall or even has a meal plan.

The balance between school and family. I would say the biggest element of American Panda is family, but it was nice to see Mei be able to live her life at school and then spend time with her family. Contrary to her roommate’s belief, some college students (ME) don’t mind seeing their families on the weekend.

There’s no partying or drinking. Yes, this is definitely a no-no on her parents’ list, but I loved how Mei is never tempted to party and has no effect on the plot.

So what else did I love about American Panda?

Mei is Taiwanese-American, but her parents expect her to follow their Chinese traditions and expectations. I really enjoyed learning more about Chinese culture (sidenote: where can I found a Domaeron plush??), and I would love to see more books with characters and authors of such diverse backgrounds. While her family’s expectations drive Mei nuts, I liked how she still appreciated her culture. For example, a lot of Mei’s dancing is infused with Chinese dance, and she acts as a mentor/teacher for young girls of a similar background.

Mei’s mom’s voicemail intros for each chapter were hilarious. I liked how they became a bit more heartwarming toward the end (even though her wisdom and tidbits about Ying-Na were funny), and I’m happy about the state of Mei and her mom’s relationship at the end of the novel.

I read the entire book in a day! Plenty of people are able to read a book in just one sitting, but I haven’t had the opportunity to in a long time. Snow days are good for something! I also found myself not wanting to part with American Panda because I needed to know what happened then and there. I highly recommend reading American Panda for a readathon or de-reading slump motivation because it’s such an addicting read and on the shorter side (just over 300 pages).

While I loved American Panda overall, there were a few things I didn’t enjoy just as much:

There was a lot of MIT lingo that I felt could easily have been replaced with regular college lingo. For example, instead of Mei using the course numbers to say what class she was in, she could have just said Intro to Bio or Calculus 101. However, I think readers who are familiar with MIT/are current MIT students/are past MIT students/are MIT tourists like the ones we see in the book will really appreciate all the MIT-ness, and it was a cool personal touch from Gloria Chao, a MIT grad.

Some of the chapters, especially in the beginning, jumped around a tad much and I was quite confused. I’m specifically talking about Chapters 5 and 6, where Mei has to go to the medical center. I realize now it’s used as a jump start for Mei to realize she doesn’t want to be a doctor, but I felt like it was just thrown at us. We go from her having dinner to her parents to then going to the medical center at 3 AM and finding out she has herpes (trust me, not a spoiler) and having a weird encounter with Dr. Chang??? I really couldn’t distinguish between reality or if Mei was having a stress dream of sorts.

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Have you read American Panda? What college YA books do you enjoy? Share in the comments!

A POST ABOUT MY FAVORITE PLACE: Library Lovers Book Tag

March 21, 2018March 21, 2018 fangirlfury4 Comments

If you’ve been here for a while, you know I love using my local library. I basically live by the following Throne of Glass quote: “Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons” (and don’t forget the paper cuts). As I read more and more book blogs, I’ve realized how fortunate I am to have access to two libraries throughout the year, at home and in my college town. I really encourage you to use your local library if you have access to one (find more motivation from yours truly here). So when I saw The Library Lovers Book Tag on The Darlings Diary, I knew the tag needed to have a home on my blog as well.

How often do you visit your local library?

When I’m home for school breaks, I visit my library 2-3 times a week. The amout of visits per week really depend on if I’m going there to pick up books I’ve ordered from other branches or to pick something off their shelves.

Are you the type of person who checks out more books than you know you can read or are you someone who only checks out the exact amount of books you intend on reading before they are due?

I am definitely an over-ambitious book-checker-outer (and yes, that is the official name of us library users). In the summer, I typically take out 3-5 books at a time. Luckily, my library system is really awesome about renewing books, and I can have them out for up to 8 weeks (unless the book is really popular and a lot of people want to read it).

How old were you when you got your first library card?

I want to say 6 or 7, and you better believe I headed straight to the rack full of The Baby-Sitters Club.

Do you go to your library looking for a particular book or do you check out anything that peaks your interest?

I more often than not go with particular books in mind, and before I go, I use their online database to see if the book is on the shelf. If not, I’ll put it on hold from another branch. However, I find myself venturing into the adult section more and picking up whatever peaks my interest—it’s how I discovered Jenny Colgan!

From what section of your section of your library do you check out a majority of your books?

Definitely YA, but like I said above, I’m starting to use the adult section more often (YA will always have my heart, but growing up is weird, friends).

What is your favorite part of using your local library?

Getting to read (almost) ALL the books without having to obviously buy them! I save so much money and space, and more importantly, using the library gives me the opportunity to read nearly everything my heart desires. And the used book sales are awesome—give me 25 cent books all day, everyday!

Gotta appreciate that plastic-library book shimmer commonly found in my bookstagram photos.

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Do you use the library? What’s your favorite part of using the library? Share in the comments!

Love, Fangirl Fury: Love, Simon Movie Review

March 19, 2018January 21, 2019 fangirlfury8 Comments

March 16^th marked the day that almost ALL of us YA bookworms have been looking for: the premiere of Love, Simon, the film adaptation to Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. For me, March 17^th was even bigger for me because I went to see Love, Simon in theaters! It’s definitely an understatement to say that I am jealous of anyone who was able to attend an advance screening beforehand, so I’m glad that I was then able to complete my mission of seeing the film opening weekend. For those unfamiliar with Love, Simon or Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, the story follows a teenage guy named Simon who has a normal life filled with family, friends, and plenty of iced coffee- MV5BZTVkOWJkOTYtM2FlZS00YTBlLWE2YTYtODEyZWJjMTZkM2IzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQ4NzkzOTA@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182,268_AL_ except for that fact that no one knows he’s gay.

Before jumping into anything else, I have to say that I adored Love, Simon. I often get nervous about book-to-movie adaptations not doing the book justice and while there were a few changes (like many book-to-movie adaptations), I think Love, Simon perfectly captured the message behind Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. And yes, I know Nick Robinson doesn’t perfectly match the physical characteristics of book Simon, but to me, he was the perfect Simon. He captured the Simon we all know and love, humor and awkwardness included. One of my favorite light-hearted scenes with Simon was when him and Leah dress up as John Lennon and Yoko Ono for Halloween, and Nick mistakes him as fancy Jesus. Speaking of Leah, whose wardrobe and character I loved, since we now have Love, Simon, does that mean we’ll get an on-screen version of Leah on the Offbeat??

Mystery Blogger Award Round 3

March 18, 2018March 15, 2018 fangirlfury4 Comments

The Mystery Blogger Award was created by Okoto of Okoto Enigmas Blog, and the purpose of the award is to honor bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging. Since this is my third go-around, I am not going to be tagging anyone today, but I really appreciate the lovely Ally of Ally Writes Things for nominating me! I’ve been friends with Ally since the beginning of my blogging days, and she provides awesome & unique book recommendations.

3 Things About Me:

1. I am currently busy as ever at university. This is the second semester of my sophomore year of college, and it’s definitely been my busiest one yet. Between working three jobs, homework, and you know, going to class, my days are non-stop. But somehow I’ve been able to read 20+ books so far In 2018 and March isn’t even over yet??

2.Over my spring break, I finally tried an Acai bowl. My sister is obsessed with Playa Bowls, an Acai bowl chain that is taking over the NYC area and Jersey Shore, and she finally convinced me to try it out. I love fruit and I’m always on the lookout for healthier options (pizza being the exception), so I wasn’t too surprised to find out that I loved Playa. I had the tropical bowl, with Acai, granola, honey, coconut flakes, bananas, and pineapple.

3.I cannot wait to go to the beach this summer! My need for the beach probably has something to do with my semester stress, but I am so excited to kick back on the sand with a good book .

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Ally’s Questions:

If you could change one thing about a book, what would it be?

I’m not sure if this question is posed toward a specific book, so I’m going to lean towards books overall. When it comes to physical books, I would love if they stayed open on their own when you multitask—for me, I’m talking about when I’m snacking & reading.

What’s a bookish turn-off — something that will make you not read a book?

Books with vampires. I never got into the whole vampire trend, and I never understood the Twilight hype when I read the first book.

If you could attend any bookish wedding, which would it be?

Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley. Hermione as the maid of honor, Ron as the best man, Neville as a groomsmen, Hagrid as the ring bearer, and maybe Luna as the oficiant??

What’s your favorite type of tea?

I basically live on green tea, right after water. I don’t mind hot green tea, but I prefer iced.

Who’s your favorite Disney princess?

Ariel. I know Belle is supposed to be the bookworm answer, but I loved watching The Little Mermaid and The Little Mermaid 2 on VHS growing up. My favorites also include Mulan and Rapunzel.

The Librarian of Auschwitz Review & Recommendations

March 16, 2018March 10, 2018 fangirlfury7 Comments

Summary: Basted on the story of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, Antonio Iturbe’s The Librarian of Auschwitz follows fourteen-year old Dita as her and her family are imprisoned at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Dita has been placed in charge of the camp’s small, but highly valuable and prohibited book collection under Fredy Hirsch, Block 31’s Jewish leader. Contrary to the Nazis officers’ knowledge, Fredy runs Block 31, the hut thought to be a sort’ve daycare, as a school for the camp’s children, and it is Dita’s responsibility to give the books out for lessons as well keep them hidden from the Nazis.

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

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My Thoughts:

The Librarian of Auschwitz is a unique story for its focus on books, a subject that typically isn’t discussed when addressing the Holocaust. The book reminded me a lot of Ruta Sepetys’s Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray in that I had never heard of Dita Kraus’s story and Block 31, or schools, taking place within concentration camps. While The Librarian of Auschwitz is considered a young-adult novel, it’s a book that does not have to be sorted into an age category. Yes, Dita is fourteen years old when the novel begins, but she’s forced to grow up and mature under the inhumane conditions she must live through—there’s a lot of discussion in the novel, as well as in interviews with Dita Kraus, that she didn’t really get to have a childhood due to all the restrictions on Jewish citizens in Prague. The novel not only focuses on Dita, but other members in Auschwitz. Many of the characters are based on people who were in Auschwitz with Dita, but Iturbe also incorporates real-life figures from the time period.

If you enjoyed The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, I think you will enjoy The Librarian of Auschwitz because both novels are quite and rightfully dark takes on the World War II and the Holocaust period. Additionally, both have an emphasis on books. Both books are definitely not a quick read—they’re quite heavy stories, between their page length and detailed stories. Each novel contributes something that the other novel doesn’t do with the time period; while The Book Thief focuses on civilian life and the danger of hiding Jews for both parties, The Librarian of Auschwitz tells what could’ve happened if The Book Thief took an even grimmer turn for the worse.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and I often reach for books that take place during World War II and the Holocaust. Since I wrote a bit shorter of a review than I normally write for the sake of spoilers, listed below are a few books that I was reminded by while reading The Librarian of Auschwitz and highly recommend if you’re looking for books that take place during this time period:

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys- As I mentioned above, Ruta Sepetys often tells forgotten or less-discussed stories. Salt to the Sea focuses on the worst maritime tragedy in history, the Wilhem Gustloff, as thousands of individuals race to escape the Nazi takeover and Soviet advance in East Prussia.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah- The Nightingale was one of my favorite books of 2016, and it focuses on the different lives of two sisters in WWII-era France. With her husband away on the front, Vianne is left to raise her child in occupied France and things become even more stressful when she is forced to provide room and board for a German soldier. Vianne’s younger sister, Isabelle, wants to have a purpose in the war and joins the French resistance effort.

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman– Prisoner of Night and Fog is a quite unique YA novel for featuring a main protagonist who grew up in the Nazi Party. When she meets a Jewish reporter, Gretchen begins to suspect that her upbringing, including her father’s murder, isn’t all what it seems to be

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys- My favorite Ruta Sepetys book, Between Shades of Gray is just so heart-wrenchingly beautiful and again tells one of the less-discussed conflicts of the WWII era, following the Soviets persecution of people from the Baltic States. Fifteen-year-old Lina and her family are forced to leave their life behind in Lithuania and live in a work camp in Siberia. I’m really looking for to Between Shades of Gray’s film adaptation, Ashes in the Snow.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak- The Book Thief is probably the most widely read out of these books, and like The Librarian of Auschwitz , it focuses on the power of books, as Liesel finds herself addicted to the books the Nazis so heartlessly ban. I also recommend watching its film adaptation.

Have you read The Librarian of Auschwitz or any of the books above? Share in the comments!

I Like Words on Screen: What I Watched Winter 2018

March 14, 2018March 10, 2018 fangirlfury6 Comments

While reading is my #1 way to relax, I love being able to escape to movies and TV shows. When I have free time during the school year, I love relaxing with some Netflix and Amazon Prime because it takes less concentration—being an English and Communications double major means a lot of time with words (which I obviously love) so it’s nice to time a break here and there. And while I do admit that I feel guilty sometimes about choosing film over reading, I’ve watched SO many great things between from December and February that it’s been completely worth it. The following movies and tv shows do not include rewatches (we’d be here for a while if I counted all of my Parks and Recreation time) or Christmas specials that I watched in December.

Movies

Pitch Perfect 3– While I love Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2, I admit my sister and I went into with low expectations. Since the Bellas are finished with college, I didn’t know how the storyline would continue. While the plot wasn’t the most realistic, I soon fell in love with the music and even though I missed not having Skylar Austin and Ben Platt being in this installment, I really appreciated the focus on our female characters and characters. The soundtrack for this movie is actually my favorite out of all the Pitch Perfect movies because it really higlights Anna Kendrick’s talent. My favorite songs include “Freedom! ‘90” , “Toxic”, and “I Don’t Like It” and I was soon inspired to make a Spotify playlist with all my favorite songs from the movie.

Ocean’s Eleven– Ocean’s Eight is one of my most anticipated movies of 2018 for its female cast. In order to prepare myself for Ocean’s Eight, I know I needed to watch the movie that started it all, Ocean’s Eleven. If you’re a Six of Crows fan and need some more heists in your life, I highly recommend checking this one out.

The Big Sick– The Big Sick kept popping up on Amazon Prime whenever I logged in, so I figured it was a sign to watch it. Even though there’s plenty of comedic moments, The Big Sick is not a light & fluffy comedy, as the movie is based on Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon’s real-life experience with Emily’s illness. I grew up watching Everybody Loves Raymond with my parents, so it was really fun to see Ray Romano play Emily’s dad.

The Greatest Showman – The Greatest Showman is my surprise and absolute favorite out of the movies on this list. Beforehand, I kept referring to The Greatest Showman as “that circus movie” but so many of my friends and fellow reviewers kept giving it such rave reviews that my sister and I had to see it. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have listened to the soundtrack everyday since—it’s my favorite thing to listen to when I workout! The cast was absolutely phenomenal and the movie just felt so magical and surreal. I highly recommend at least checking out the soundtrack if you haven’t already and I cannot wait until it’s released on streaming services or DVD.

Fun Mom Dinner– In my opinion, Fun Mom Dinner is the funnier and a tad more realistic version of Bad Moms. By no means am I bad-mouthing Bad Moms because I loved Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, and Kathryn Hahn as its leading ladies and I will probably watch Bad Moms 2, but the comedy in Fun Mom Dinner felt so much less forced. I absolutely loved the cast – Toni Collette is becoming one of my favorite actresses, I’ll watch anything with Adam Scott, AND LET’S HAVE MORE MOVIES WITH ADAM LEVINE, PLEASE- and like the name, it’s the perfect movie if you’re looking for something fun.

Miss You Already– I cannot tell you the last book or movie that made me ugly cry as much as I did during Miss You Already. Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette star as two best friends, and I figured I was in for some tears from the get-go, as Toni Collette’s character, Milly, is diagnosed with breast cancer. I loved this movie so much, especially for its the emphasis on Milly and Jess’s friendship and the focus on their family and romantic relationships. I cried SOBBED for the last thirty minutes and continued to cry afterwards (reminder that I need more Kleenex for my dorm room).

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TV Shows

The Good Place– I talked about The Good Place in my February Wrap-Up, but I basically started TGP because so many people on Twitter were talking about ALL OF THE PARKS & REC Easter Eggs. While a comedy, TGP is so thought-provoking, as the show follows a group of characters who mistakenly end up in ‘The Good Place’ after their deaths, for its discussion on the meaning of good and bad. The cast is phenomenal, and I love all of the guest appearances, especially from the Parks & Rec cast — I loved Maribeth Monroe as Mindy St. Claire & Maya Rudolph as Gen and please let there be more Adam Scott in season 3.

Ghosted– February 25^th was the third anniversary of the ending of Parks and Recreation, and besides some season 6 rewatching, I knew I wanted to watch something with the P&R cast. As I’m sure you can tell from above, Adam Scott is one of my favorite actors, so I decided to continue watching Ghosted. The show features Craig Robinson and Adam Scott as detectives for a government agency that montiors paranormal activites. I watched the pilot back in September, and the Parks & Recreation anniversary inspired me to pick it up again. I’m excited to see more episodes come out in March because of Craig Robinson and Adam Scott’s chemistry and the flow of the show grows more with each episode.

What shows or movies captured your heart this winter? Any from above? Share in the comments!