WINTER FAVORITES 2024 (December-February) | books, films, and music

    Hey, everyone! Today I'm going to be sharing a collection of art I've enjoyed this past winter. Without further ado, let's begin!

📚Books 📖

 Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson

 

    🌿The chapters were a tad disorganized, but I still really enjoyed a lot of what he had to say here. It's definitely more akin to him sitting across from you and having a chat over coffee, than fully structured essays on the writing craft. Different than what I expected, but not necessarily bad because of that.
  

Dearest Josephine by Caroline George

 

Picture by me

✉️This one was really good! Admittedly, I wasn't obsessed with it, but it was still a genuine work of art. I have a review elsewhere on the blog with a bit more of my thoughts, which you can read here.

 

Of Fire and Ash and Of Sea and Smoke by Gillian Bronte Adams

 

                                              

 

    🐎Eagerly, eagerly awaiting the final book in this series!!! I already have a review for the first book "here", (the link color is malfunctioning, apologies!) so in speaking about the second one, I'll just say I have much the same thoughts. Which was that this series was EXCELLENT!!!! Characters: vivid. Prose: gorgeous. World building: imaginative. Plot: riveting. Can't say enough good things, please read these two books!!!

🎬Films and Shows🎥

 Percy Jackson and the Olympians (TV show)

 

    🖊️🗡️I think the fandom is divided on whether or not they liked the new Disney plus series. I know I really loved it! I loved the soundtrack, Walker Scobell's acting in the last couple of episodes, and that they allowed him to be a Main Character. And I don't mean the the definition of a MC I've seen online over the past handful of years, or even the technical definition. But what it used to mean before that, in many of the action and adventure stories of the early 2010s and 2000s. A person who grows to be kind and wise and strong and confident, but is still human through it all. A genuine, selfless hero who not only characters within the show or film can look up to, but also us, as the audience. A leader who looks after his or her group and ensures to the best of their ability that no one is left behind, and if someone is, it's going to be them. 

    I could genuinely just be watching the wrong films, but I haven't seen a character allowed to be this kind of hero and leader in almost anything that's come out within the last several years. Probably no one on the big screen since some of the original Marvel superhero characters, e.g., Cap and Spider-Man. (If you know of a character, feel free to mention them below) 

    I also really loved getting to look forward to each new episode dropping every Tuesday. I loved the anticipation!

The King's Daughter (Film)

 

    🌊I first watched this a year or two ago when it came out, but re-watched it this winter. It has an interesting backstory which is that it was actually filmed in 2014, but released in 2022. As a result, the cinematography and score have that gentle, early 2010s, fairy-tale movie vibe. So just very sweet and dreamy.

🎧Music🎵

   "𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 | can't take my eyes off you (classical, dreamy strings, Piero Piccioni) [reupload]"  uploaded by buu

    🎻I just love the instrumentals in this playlist from YouTube! 😍😍🥰🥰 My favorite song starts at 32: 12.

"a light academia calming piano playlist to study to" uploaded by sky

    🎹This is a collection of gentle piano pieces, lovely to have in the background while you work. My favorite song is the first song!

"M83 & STAR WARS | My Tears Are Becoming A Sarlacc Pit (mashup)" uploaded by Anything Vintage

    🎧(You're gonna want headphones for this one!) Oddly enough, I found this song on a funny video that it looked like two adult sons filmed with their dad. While I did find the video hilarious, I spent the next 10-15 minutes trying to track down this song!! Finally, I had M83 and Samuel Kim's separate songs, but I couldn't find THIS. A search or two later, and I finally found the actual edit. This mashup is just incredible and I don't have any worthwhile commentary to actually add. It's just awesome!

     

    Fin.

 

    Well, that's all for today's post! Have you read, watched, or listened to anything I talked about here before? What were your thoughts? Or was any of the art new to you? Also, let me know what art you enjoyed this past winter!

    Thanks so much for reading!

    With love,

    the hopeful pen.