Review: Stay and Fight

Stay and Fight by Madeline Ffitch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Three women build their own house and live off the land in Appalachian Ohio. Karen and Lily are a couple, expecting their first child. When that child turns out to be a boy, they must leave the Women's Land Trust property on which they had set up their first home. Helen, who has traveled to the area with her boyfriend, reaches out to Karen and Lily after the boyfriend takes off. She has purchased a twenty-acre stretch of land, and asks the other two women, whom she barely knows, to throw in their lot with her in a partnership, building another cabin, hunting, growing a garden, constructing a life. Even with all their amazing skills and strengths, life is unimaginably hard. And black snakes, which apparently are almost impossible to get rid of, infest their house. Most people I know, including myself, might have a hard time relating to these three women. After all, when was the last time you ate a nettle sandwich, or brewed a raccoon stew? Ugh. But the boy, the heart of the "family," Perley, is the most lovable, winsome young character I've read about in a long time. He's smart and funny and eager to learn. It's when he insists that he wants to go to school that things begin to crumble. After the county officials find out about the living conditions, they intervene. (Snakes sleeping in the bed are apparently frowned upon. Along with the lack of indoor plumbing.) Things don't go well, and the women hit rock bottom. How they deal with it, and how Perley processes it, and rises above it, finding a true friend along the way, make this book a true gem.

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Review: Stephen King at the Movies: A Complete History of the Film and Television Adaptations from the Master of Horror

Stephen King at the Movies: A Complete History of the Film and Television Adaptations from the Master of Horror by Ian Nathan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ian Nathan’s Stephen King at the Movies is a perfect match for any fan of King’s novels, short stories, or the films and television series inspired by them. Claiming to be “a complete history of the film and television adaptations from the master of horror,” this compendium covers everything from 1976’s Carrie – which you’ll learn has already been remade twice – to 2019’s Doctor Sleep, chronologically giving every movie, mini-series, and TV show its own chapter complete with original poster art, filmmaking credits, photos from the set, and a review that includes making-of factoids as well as King’s own involvement (cameos!) and thoughts on each project.

This book also includes a few added sections I enjoyed as well. For instance, the introduction did a nice job of showcasing King’s career as a writer while at the same time explaining why his writing is so readymade for the silver screen. And, the author includes his own personal ranking of every movie and show in a section called The Final Reckoning. I won’t spoil which project got the top slot, but I have to agree with nearly all of the Children of the Corn sequels being near the bottom of the list.

The only dilemma with this book is that it became outdated the instant it was published. With shows like The Outsider currently airing, and over fifteen King-related projects slated for production, it seems the public demand for all things Stephen King is at an all-time high. But, what’s here in this compilation is outstanding – a film-geek and King-Completist’s dream. We can only hope for updated editions sometime down the road.


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Review: Infinity Son

Infinity Son by Adam Silvera
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Growing up, twins Emil and Brighton idolized the Spell Walkers, a group of crime-fighting magical vigilantes, and hoped to manifest their own powers someday. At 18, Brighton still dreams of the fame and glory powers would bring, but Emil would be happier living a normal life. The Spell Walkers’ popularity has waned, and some in the government want to lock them up along with the Blood Casters, a group of power-hungry alchemists who steal magical blood to create powers in themselves. When the brothers find themselves caught in a battle between the two magical groups, it’s Emil who discovers he has phoenix fire. When a video of Emil’s fight goes viral, the brothers must go into hiding, both from the Blood Casters and the government enforcers.
This fast-paced fantasy combines a fun twist on the Chosen One trope with all the things I love in a Silvera novel: complicated relationships, a diverse cast of compelling characters, and unexpected plot twists. This is the first book in a trilogy, and I’m very excited to see where Emil and Brighton’s story takes them.

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