Happy fall, y’all! Welcome back to crisp mornings, cloudy skies, and cozy blankets—perfect for commandeering the couch (pirate style, obviously) and tackling my TBR pile!
I Read…
THE MIRROR OF BEASTS by Alexandra Bracken! In this sequel to SILVER IN THE BONE, Tamsin and her friends face the aftermath of Avalon’s destruction and Lord Death plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin must muster allies, track down powerful artifacts, and traverse into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.
Central to her quest is the Mirror of Beasts—a powerful object full of dangerous secrets, and Tamsin must confront her darkest fears to harness its strength.
This book has sooo many good things: Arthurian legend, dangerous quests, curses, fast-paced adventure, secret identities, found family, witty banter, betrayal, redemption, perfectly executed character arcs, and a ton of emotional depth. I also loved the heartwarming moments with the Librarian (a.k.a. C-3PO). Aaand, because it’s an Alex Bracken book: prepare to have your heart ripped out…
I Watched…
The second season of THE RINGS OF POWER on Amazon Prime! As with season one, the plot in the first couple of episodes moves super slooow. If I weren’t a massive J.J.R. nerd eating up the magnificent visualization of Tolkien’s world-building skills, I might have been a bit bored. It isn’t until episode 5 (out of 8 episodes) that things finally get nasty, and the plot’s pacing picks up.
In summary: Sauron has returned, and he is one vile son of a b*itch. He is not simply evil—he is dangerously clever-evil. He is manipulative and rotten and cruel, but in the most spectacularly subtle ways. Also: it’s a delightful masterclass on how to write a compelling villain 😉
Speaking of villains: can we all agree that Kemen is the absolute worst!? Where Sauron is evil incarnate in the most sophisticated way, Kemen is a sniveling, backstabbing, rich-boy, power-hungry asshole (excuse my French). Ugh!
Anyway, once again, the acting in this season is exceptional, the world-building is mesmerizing, and the action sequences are so, so beautifully choreographed (the destruction of Eregion was gut-wrenching and I won’t recover any time soon).
Also: Elrond!!
I Listened to…
THE RINGS OF POWER season two score! Because, how could I not? The soundtrack to the first season is one of my go-to listens—especially when I’m commuting. It’s perfect for staring out a window. It’s perfect for reading. It’s perfect for writerly shenanigans. I raved about the score in this post and I’m still raving!
Composed by Emmy® Award-winner Bear McCreary, the score for the second season builds on the themes from season one with new dynamics and colors (OMG, Elrond’s theme evolved into an epic battlefield piece).
There are also several new themes, for example for the city of Eregion, Rhûn, Tom Bombadil, and Estrid. By the way: the children’s choir in the Eregion theme gives me chills, and the deathly whispers of the Barrow-wights are so creepy! Also, did I mention Elrond’s theme is in battle mode? Gah, so good!