Sunday Post #345

  

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Book Date 

  

How is everyone coping? I hope you are all well. I had to laugh this week. My aunt was telling me about how my uncle, ever since he had his stroke, has been hoarding stuff like hand sanitizer, Kleenex, you name it. It'll be all over the house. It's been this way for a few years now, and drives her nuts. Well, now they have plenty of ALL the things. Talk about a silver lining!  

I've been listening to MyNoise off and on and the neat thing about that is- you can customize the sounds. It's an ambient site where you can listen to rain or storms or anything- they have a bunch. I just discovered Implanted Memories.  

I started Tales From The Loop this past weekend on Amazon and I liked the first few episodes, although the last couple have left me a little less enthused. Is anyone watching?   

Song of the week

PULP COVER OF THE WEEK: 

NEW ARRIVAL/ UPCOMING REVIEWS:

BOOKISH LINKS  

Here's a behind the scenes on Tales from the Loop.

Here's Coffee Shop ambience via MyNoise

Tales From The Loop Episode One "Loop"

"Not everything in life makes sense"

This might be the best description I can come up with for episode one of Tales From the Loop on Amazon Prime. As you may know this is a series based on the paintings of Simon Stålenhag and early impressions are good. This first episode sets the stage for  an anthology series that explores the lives of ordinary people in an extraordinary town. The paintings depict a Sweden from the 1980's with a twist- a particle accelerator underground has changed things, so alongside 80's aesthetics you have robots and abandoned futuristic machinery littering the landscape. It's an amazingly fresh juxtaposition and it works somehow. Amazon has moved the setting to rural America but I am glad to see they have captured the look and feel of the paintings very well. 

This episode gives us the premise of a small town in Ohio where impossible things can happen. This is more of a show about ordinary people who encounter extraordinary things, and how it affects them. The emphasis though is strictly on the people, and I like that. At the same time, however, this is clearly Tales From the Loop- the visual references are everywhere.

I saw some of my favorite paintings in the first few minutes of the show brought to life. It was so gratifying to see that done so well.

Loretta is a young girl whose mom is a little strange. Their relationship is a little off, too- she calls her mom Alma rather than "mom"- for reasons we don't really find out, but Alma has a secret. She works underground at the Loop- the particle accelerator that dominates the town- and when she disappears Loretta is all alone. She soon meets a boy named Cole and together they try to discover what happened to Alma. If you're thinking the Loop has something to do with it- well, you're not wrong.

This episode hit some real emotional beats for me- it's powerful but understated, with a message that is both bleak and hopeful. I can tell already that not every episode may have a happy ending, perhaps bittersweet is the best to hope for, and yet at the same time I was satisfied and it felt right. Being young can be a bitch, frankly, and this is just eerie enough to satisfy the Stranger Things vibe without becoming mired in the science fiction elements.

Things I liked:

The robots and whatnot in the background. One of the elements of the paintings is that this stuff just exists seamlessly along with the other visual elements of 80's Sweden.

As I mentioned, some of my favorite images were brought to life. It's never explained what they are- they're just there.

It's never stated when this is set but I'm guessing this episode anyway as 70's or 80's. The old phones and just the aesthetic- everything has that quaint older feel to it.

I highly recommend this show for some enjoyable binging and a nice break from reality.

"Not everything in life makes sense"

Pretty appropriate for the times, right? 

SPOILERS

Young Loretta staring at the cooling towers to start the show off- so perfect. 

Loretta being Cole's mom (!) freaked me out!

No easy answers- Loretta tells younger Loretta that they spend years trying to find out what happened with Alma, but they never find out why.

Girls #13 & #14

The horror continues. Wes and his group are hiding in the cornfield and watching the horrific events taking place at the - whatever-it-is. Sperm monster? It is assimilating the dead (and still living) women and when it picks up Ma Pickett her husband starts shooting at it, to no avail. The sperm monster then lashes out with its tentacles again, like last time, and they book it out of there. Why didn't the "girls" attack though? Anyway, they go back to the McCallisters and catch each other up on events, and ooh there's a new wrinkle- they spot the National Guard outside the bubble working to free the town. Well, that's nice. Oh, and it is a bubble or sphere that is enclosing the town. Wait... are they in an egg?

Wes also has to come to terms with Nancy's insistence that men don't leave the group. No more sex with "girls". I mean, how many more of these things can they take anyways? Love the comment about Lester "doing" four of the "girls, and how was that even possible for him? The humor here at times is understated. Trying to question the captured "girls" doesn't go so well, but for fuck's sake at least they finally put some clothes on! 

Supplies are running low (or gone, actually) and tempers fray as some just want a supply run while Nancy doesn't want men leaving. And one of the prisoners gets loose when one of the kids makes an ill-advised attempt to enter the shed with a corkscrew- was he going to kill the "girls"? The prisoner causes a panic and Ruby falls down and begs for mercy, but the "girl" runs right past her. Why didn't she attack her? Is it because Ruby is carrying a son? 

So we have a "girl" on the loose but she's quickly tackled and subdued. Why is she naked though when they had earlier dressed the captives? And oh oh- there are eggs in the shed. And the escapee actually drops another egg while they're standing there. Um, okay who went in the shed and had sex with the "girl"? Accusations fly and Wes accuses Ethan. Okay I've had it up to here with Wes, frankly. The debate then becomes... what to do about the eggs? Ted is horrified at the thought of burning them, but Nancy's all like- do it! So... Wes burns 'em, and when one hatches on the fire and the occupant dies, the "girls" wail.   

Tears are streaming down the "girl's" faces but Nancy is undeterred. Meanwhile later the women are debating who went into the shed. Ethan and Taylor have a nice heart to heart, and we learn more about their early relationship. And again, just like a few issues ago, I'm kind of appalled by how much of an asshole Ethan is in that conversation. Like, Taylor you are better off without this guy, even if Wes is an asshole. Anyway, after an unexpected death they begin debating a supply run and several of them want Ruby- who's pregnant- to make the run since the "girls" won't harm her apparently. Her husband is like fuck that. Why don't the men- Wes- step up and just go, regardless of Nancy's bullshit?     

And... she goes. Ted is like no way, but she says she can do it. And they send her off without even someone to go with her? Ted doesn't go?? Weird. Meanwhile the "girl" is laying eggs still and Wes is trying to hold things together. We get a glimpse of Ruby in the store and the place is full of "girls" eating everything in sight- but they don't touch Ruby. Ethan meanwhile is whining to Merv about his convo with Taylor- grow up, man- and we find out that Merv is the one who entered the shed. Oops!! And as Ruby is heading home she hears a noise, but doesn't see anyone- but it's Kenny in the woods. Where's he going? No way...

Tuesday Tagline #184

Escape Me Never 😳           

  

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week a new Top Ten list will be posted. Everyone is welcome to join. Link back so everyone can check out other bloggers' lists. It's a fun way to get to know fellow bloggers.

This week is Top Ten Books I Bought/ Borrowed Because... reasons. I'm going with mostly stuff I bought for the cover.   

The cover did it for me but also the description.



The premise of this one was the draw for me.



The covers of these drew me in but the story and premise are way awesome too!



This is one of my fave covers.



Great cover even if I didn't love the book



Cover adoration





How many times have I used for Top Ten? Love the cover and the book.

Song Lyrics

Steve Perry! Probably at the height of his popularity with Journey when this solo came out.       

 One very happy warm summer night

I saw your face, what could I do? 

So carefully I walked straight up to you

And in the shadows of a moonlit night 

I saw those eyes a shinin through 

Heart of gold, I love you misty blue

Oh it's hard to love somebody

Especially when they don't belong to you

Cause they're loving someone else

Strung out and hung up on you 

I feel like Bogart in a crazy movie 

Bogie n me, we never beg

But this time maybe I've got voices in my head

They're saying that he's never been good to you

And he's always hurt and let you down 

If what you need is good loving I'll be around 

It's hard to love somebody

Especially when they don't belong to you

Cause they're loving someone else 

Strung out and hung up on you

Strung out, strung out 

Well it's hard to love somebody

Especially when they don't belong to you

Cause they're loving someone else

Strung out and hung up on you 

It's hard to love somebody

Oh when they don't belong to you

Cause they're loving someone else

Strung out and hung up on you

Yeah strung out
Yeah strung out

Sunday Post #344

  

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Book Date 

  

I had a pretty good week. You know, in spite of the world falling down around us. I hate to be negative- I mean, I want this to be a happy place so I need to focus on the positives. And there were some this week! A highlight for me was playing back to back games of LIFE and Monopoly with the girls and then doing some Just Dance 4. Um, I'm not as young as I used to be! 

I'm starting Tales From The Loop this weekend on Amazon. I've been in a streaming mood and there's a bunch of new shows on Netflix I want to try also. What is everyone watching? 

One of the interesting (and scary) things I saw this week was that 1 in 4 people who get Covid-19 may show no symptoms but still be spreading. Also a fascinating interview with the head of the Chinese CDC who says, among other things, that countries not using masks are making a serious mistake. Key quote: "Many people have asymptomatic or presymptomatic infections. If they are wearing face masks, it can prevent droplets that carry the virus from escaping and infecting others."

Oh, and I'm just gonna say right now that I hate the term "respiratory droplets" and never wanna hear it anymore. 

Okay, enough of all that. I just want to switch gears a sec and talk about fantasy worlds. As a coping mechanism I think they're phenomenal. With the pandemic raging around us I think they're even more essential. Tolkien showed us how immersive a world could be and I think, more than ever, we need escape and a respite from all the stress. I'm thinking of doing a post on this... 

I wanted to share this as well. Anyone who loves Middle-earth may get a kick out of this. As some of you know I'm a big fan of Lord of the Rings Online- they really do a good job of bringing M-E to life. Check this out- especially the beginning in the Shire.

Song of the week

PULP COVER OF THE WEEK: 

NEW ARRIVAL/ UPCOMING REVIEWS:

BOOKISH LINKS  

Girls #12

Another awesome issue. 

I like how the group is split up so not everyone knows what's happening. Anyway, Wes' group argues over what to do- go after the captured Molly and Shelly or bug out to the McAllisters, and Wes decides to go in. Meanwhile at the McAllisters the aftermath is being felt- Sally and Chester are coming to grips with what they did, and while Ying-Ma is being a selfish bitch, she does crack me up.  

"Who you think you are? You people come to my house, eat all my food, shit in my broken toilet. What else you want from me?"

Um, okay. Meanwhile, three of the "girls" are still alive, and an argument breaks out over what to do with them. Ted and Nancy have differing views, to say the least. Seth steps up- he won't touch the "girls". 

"Guys. I'm sort of... gay."
"Sort of?" says Nancy. 
"But Seth, what about those times we-- are you sure you're fully gay?" Alexis wants to know. 
"Look, we've all experimented a little, haven't we? I-I was curious, confused... but I'm okay now." Seth assures her. 

Nancy's like fuck it, though- if you have male parts, you can't be trusted. And obnoxious as she is, she has a point. Also... the prisoners. Nancy wants to kill them and Ted is aghast. They can't just execute them... right? 

Back to the cornfield. Wes and crew make it to the sperm- thing and find the "girls" eating their dead prisoners. The live ones, though, are being taken into the sperm- thing.