Let’s Rewind: July 2021

2021 is just chugging along. I see that it’s trying to be a better year than 2020 was, but the hiccups along the way are unavoidable since people are VERY intent on being asses. Anyway, let’s talk about July.

Let’s Rewind is a monthly wrap up but instead of talking about only books, I include all types of other stuff, like articles… bookish news… commercials… random-ass links… movies… art… podcasts… cartoons… and whatever else happened to me in the month. You know, the usual stuff that people talk about in monthly wrap ups. So read on to see what I did and read this month. You might stumble upon something that interests you.

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July was a fun month for me, although that wasn’t reflected on my blog. I got into a blogging slump in July and was not motivated to post much (which is why I’m VERY behind on review posts) or to even visit other blogs. I was just tired of it all, so I took a break from blogging toward the end of the month and now feel refreshed, thankfully. Expect several posts in the upcoming weeks and for me to catch up on other blogs as well.

Otherwise, I enjoyed July. I read some great books, went to the movies (which I sorely missed doing), hung out with friends and had a wonderful time doing so, and saw and visited family I hadn’t seen for over a year, which was THE best way to begin and end the month. I even made it to an outdoor party and felt SO awkward that I began questioning my identity, lol! It had been too long since I’d been to a party.

I also visited a new-to-me bookstore in NYC — Rizzoli Bookstore, which is beautiful. I like the décor. The also sell books in Italian so if you’re ever in NYC and happen to need a book written in Italian, you can go check Rizzoli for it. I wanted to visit the Harry Potter store that recently opened in Manhattan, but I only made it to the door. The waiting list was too long — took an hour for my number to be called for entry and by then I had to catch my ride home. BUT I intend to make it to that store the next time I visit.

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I thought I read more than I did.

Well, I wanted an audiobook to listen to and since I really would like to continue my reread of Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, I listened to Eldest, the second book in the fantasy series, which is narrated by Gerard Doyle. The story follows Eragon, a farm boy who learns he’s to become one of the fabled dragon-riders in his land. I actually enjoyed the story this time and wasn’t as sarcastic or impatient with the characters as I was on one of my previous rereads. I think it’s because I listened to the story instead.

I also read Eli Brown’s Cinnamon and Gunpowder, which is a historical fiction novel set in the early 1800s about a noted chef who’s kidnapped by a female pirate to create exquisite meals for her. Owen Wedgwood’s creativity is pushed to the limit as he uses inadequate resources to create splendid meals. This is one of the best books I read this year. I LOVE the writing and need to read more by Eli Brown. I also liked the story due to the strong character development we get in it. So, of course, it’s a favorite.

I also managed to read The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser. It’s a contemporary romance novel set in the U.K. about a woman who separates from her husband and moves to a small town, where she begins to work in a bookshop with its crotchety owner. I didn’t expect to like this one, but it was okay.

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★ Going In-Depth: A Seat at the Table: The Importance of Black Representation in Nerd Culture (blackgirlnerds.com)

— Opinion piece on Black folks participating in nerd culture and the push-back they receive

“When the representation of your culture is prevalent, your existence is normalized, therefore eliminating the feelings of alienation or unconventionality. In simple terms, representation shows people, ‘We belong here.’”

When Racebending Goes Too Far: Erasing Existing Black Characters (blackgirlnerds.com)

— An interesting perspective on the topic

How Cancel Culture Became Politicized — Just Like Political Correctness (npr.org)

— On how cancel culture began and what it has become

How It Went Down: Authors Go Deep Into Doomed 2020 Trump White House (npr.org)

— By the end of this book review, I wanted to read I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year. But I refuse to read any of the books about Trump; also, I’m not feeling how it’s written.

“This gives the Rucker-Leonnig storytelling a compelling sense of almost novelistic omniscience, as though the authors had been present and taking notes in a host of conversations they never heard. That is the style that has arisen in even the most respectable works of research in political reporting in our time… But readers should always look beyond the story itself to consider its ultimate sources and their motives. That is all the more important when the issues at hand are as portentous as they are here.”

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AROUND THE BLOG-O-VERSE

Unfortunately, I didn’t visit many blogs in July…. Actually, I don’t remember if I visited any. I’ll get back to doing so soon.

SOME STUFF I PUBBED

2021 Reading Wrap Up: Second Quarter

— A look at my reading progress during the second quarter of the year

Comics Roundup #57: Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins

— Review of a DnD-inspired comic book that I really enjoyed

Reading Firsts | 2021 & 2020

— A book tag that reflects on my reading progress so far

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I watched a bunch of Buffy the Vampire Slayer because the series is on Hulu. I didn’t get into it when I was younger because I was hooked on Charmed. But (like when I was younger) I’m not really feeling it. It made me want to watch Supernatural instead, lol, which I did.

Supernatural

Supernatural was fun as always because I like the characters. I picked up where I left off — an angel is in Sam’s body because Dean tricked him into accepting that inhabitation. Smh, the usual supernatural drama between these two.

Snake Eyes

A friend invited me to a prescreening of Snake Eyes, which I enjoyed although I know nothing about G.I. Joe. I was also skeptical of Henry Golding in an action role because he doesn’t strike me as an action dude, but he did well and I liked him as Snake Eyes. However, for me, Andrew Koji (Storm Shadow) stole the show. I LOVE his acting and was much more interested in his character’s story. I need to see that dude in another action flick. As for the story, it was okay. It didn’t blow me away, but I was entertained and wouldn’t mind seeing it again.

Gunpowder Milkshake

I also checked out Gunpowder Milkshake, which wasn’t at all what I expected. I both liked and disliked it. I liked the action and that it’s about female assassins (librarian assassins?) because I LOVE such stories, but it reminded me of Kill Bill and I’m not a fan of that style. I only like that style in Kill Bill. Still, I’m hoping there will be a part two to Gunpowder Milkshake. I just want more flicks about female assassins.

Blood Red Sky

Oh man! This was probably my favorite thing I watched in July. It’s basically a vampire show set on a plane that centers on a mother and her son AND I LOVE IT!! I need to watch it again. I just love these types of shows, and I LOVED the part where you see the mother fighting her urges to protect her son from herself. I may have teared up a little there.

Criminal Minds

I may have watched too much Criminal Minds in July and got a teensy bit paranoid, lol. I marathoned the thing for the majority of the month.

Black Summer

I finished up season 2. I thought it was okay, but I much prefer season 1. The show has an episodic nature, but season 2 was a bit too much so and some things I really didn’t get until a coworker explained it to me. I mean, half the time I thought the characters were hallucinating. Turns out they weren’t.

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And THAT WAS HOW JUly WENT.

HOW ABOUT YOU? WHAT DID YOU do?

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