Book Review - Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies by Catherine Mack

Title: Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies (Vacation Mysteries #1)
Author: Catherine Mack
Genre: Mystery/ Fiction
Published: 2024
 
Description: All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the Vacation Mysteries series. Is that too much to ask?
 
Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life, the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with then years ago and now can’t get out of her life, Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case.
 
Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker and even her ex Oliver, theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?
 
Review: “Every Time We Go On Vacation Someone Dies” is a fresh, humorous whodunit set against the beautiful backdrop of Italy. We follow Eleanor Dash, a murder mystery novelist who is stuck with her arrogant ex-boyfriend Connor (and the main character of her books) during a book tour. When an actual assassination attempt is made on him, Eleanor must use her own detective skills to find the culprit.
 
The biggest strength of this book is its pace. Author Catherine Mack writes fluidly, the chapters are short, and the Italian atmosphere practically jumps off the pages. The concept is cleverly conceived: a murder mystery packaged as a satirical look at the book world and influencer culture. As the narrator, Eleanor regularly speaks directly to the reader through footnotes, which creates a very fun and unique dynamic.
 
The humor is very present and sometimes teeters on the edge of being too cynical. As the main character, Eleanor is quite sarcastic (which I loved about her) and self-centered (which I hated about her). While that is part of the book’s charm, it sometimes makes it hard to really empathize with her. The central murder case gets a bit buried under the constant bickering between the characters and the many subplots, causing the tension to drop half-way through.
 
“Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies” is a delightful, unpretentious beach read for fans of whodunits with humor and a healthy dose of sarcasm and slightly chaotic characters.  
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Project Hail Mary

Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Genre: Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 156 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller
 
Description: A science teacher (Ryan Gosling) wakes up alone on a spaceship. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing Earth’s sun, and realizes that an unexpected friendship may be the key.
 
Review: “Project Hail Mary is an absolute triumph for modern science fiction cinema. Directors Phil Lord and Christoper Miller succeed in transforming Andy Weir’s complex, scientific source material into a visually stunning cinematic spectacle that excels in both scale and pure humanity. The film strikes a fabulous balance between the cosmic grandeur of “Interstellar” and the optimistic humor of “The Martian” (which was also based on a book by Andy Weir). Maybe an unpopular opinion and a very rare statement, but I think the film is better than the book.

Ryan Gosling plays the cynical yet resourceful scientist Ryland Grace. He effortlessly carries the film and he is at his best in “Project Hail Mary”. He manages to make the existential loneliness of space palpable, while simultaneously retaining his irresistible, dryly humorous charm.

The introduction of the alien Rocky elevates the film to a masterful level. The interaction and communication through musical tones is exceptionally creative. It results in one of the most heartwarming, believable, and memorable friendship in film history.

Greig Fraser’s cinematography makes space feel as terrifying as it is beautiful. The mix of physical effects and CGI ensures that Rocky never feels artificial.

The flashbacks on Earth provide the film with the necessary context. Sandra Hüller shines as the cool, pragmatic Eva Stratt, which serves as a perfect contrast to the more relaxed, emotional tone in space.
In the final fifteen minutes, the film leans a bit to heavily on feel-good sugar coating. A bit too Hollywood for me and the only reason I couldn’t give it a full 5-stars.

“Project Hail Mary” is the ultimate science fiction experience of 2026. It redefines the classic space film by wrapping a pitch-black scenario in a hopeful, moving, and at times hilarious adventure about universal connection. An absolute must-see for every sci-fi.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Parable of the Talents (Earthseed # 2)
Author: Octavia E. Butler
Genre: Science Fiction/ Fiction
Published: 1998
 
Description: It continues the story of Olamina in socially and economically depressed California in the 2030s. Convinced that her community should colonize the stars, Lauren and her followers make preparations. But the collapse of society and rise of fanatics result in Lauren’s followers being enslaved, and her daughter stolen from her. Now, Lauren must fight back to save the new world order.
 
Review: “Parable of the Talents” is the sequel to Octavia E. Butler’s “Parable of the Sower”. That was one of the most compelling dystopian novels in modern literary history. The first book emphasized the journey and survival in a collapsed America, this second book focuses on the daunting task of reconstruction, the preservation of humanity, and the destructive power of ideological blindness.
 
The story picks up in the early 2030s. Lauren Olamina has founded a thriving and peaceful community in Northern California called Acorn. Here, she puts into practice the principles of her self-developed philosophy and religion, Earthseed: the belief that God is change, and that humanity must seek its ultimate destiny among the stars. However, the fragile peace is brutally disrupted by political shift in the country. The new, populist president, Andrew Steele Jarrett, is gaining popularity with the promise to restore order and purge America of sin. His followers, organized into violent Christian fundamentalist militias, begin hunting down anyone who doesn’t fit their mold. Acorn becomes a target, with catastrophic consequences for Lauren and her loved ones.
 
Butler’s depiction of a polarized America, including the literal campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” of the dictatorial President Jarrett, demonstrates her unparalleled sociological insight. This book was written in 1998. She predicted the rise of populist nationalism and religious extremism twenty years before it dominated the world news.
 
Unlike the first book, which consisted purely of Lauren’s diaries, this book introduces multiple perspectives. The most significant addition is that of her daughter, Larkin (Asha Vere). Her bitter, retrospective comments cast a critical light on Lauren’s actions. This creates a moral conflict: was Lauren a visionary savior of humanity, or an obsessed mother who abandoned her own child for a higher cause?
 
Butler spares neither her characters, nor the reader, at any moment. The chapters describing the occupation and systematic abuse in Acorn are extremely raw, graphic, and depressing. This heavy tone means the book at times pushes the limits of what is bearable. It’s not an easy read. But it’s absolutely essential.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Title: The Last House on Needless Street
Author: Catriona Ward
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Published: 2021
 
Description: This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.
 
All these things are true. And yet they are all lies…
 
You think you know what’s inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you’ve read this story before. That’s where you’re wrong.
 
In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it’s not what you think…

Review: “The Last House on Needless Street” is an intriguing, yet at times frustrating , psychological thriller. The book excels in atmosphere but loses momentum due to an overabundance of plot twists.
 
We meet Ted, a lonely man who lives in a boarded-up house at the edge of a wild forest with his daughter, Lauren, and his talking cat, Olivia. Dee, a woman driven by vengeance, moves in next door. Dee is convinced that Ted is responsible for the disappearance of her younger sister, who vanished from a nearby lake eleven years earlier. 
 
The story’s strength lies in its unique narrative structure and its gloomy atmosphere. Catriona Ward creates an oppressive world surrounding the protagonist Ted, his daughter Lauren and the talking cat Olivia. The characters are untrustworthy, which creates constand underlying tension and a sense of disorientation for the reader. The gothic, dark setting, centered around the dilapidated house at the end of the street, on the edge of the forest, is beautifully described.
 
However, the structure is also the novel’s weakness. The book relies so heavily on mysteries and deception that the plot begins to drag halfway through. The constant shifting of perspective and the surrealistic elements make the story unnecessarily confusing at times. Although the final resolution ingeniously puts all the pieces of the puzzles in place, the build-up to it feels like an emotional battle of attrition that doesn’t remain equally engaging throughout.
 
It’s a daring and original horror story, at the end you will be wondering what the hell you just read. It’s a psychological puzzle, but the pace in the middle section and the overkill of plot twists keeps it at a solid three stars.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - The Body by Stephen King

Title: The Body
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 1982
 
Description: It’s 1960 Castle Rock. Ray Brower, a boy from a nearby town, has disappeared, and twelve-year-old Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body along the railroad tracks. During the course of their journey, Gordie, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio come to terms with death and the harsh truth of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t offer much in the way of the future.
 
Review: I have read Stephen King’s “The Body” before, but this time I decided to listen to the audiobook narrated by Wil Wheaton. One of my favorite movies, “Stand By Me”, is based on this novella and Wheaton plays Gordie Lachance.
 
Although Stephen King is known as the “King of Horror”, but he proves with this novella that he is the absolute master at capturing the human soul and the bittersweet transition from childhood to adulthood.
 
Four boys go looking for a dead body along the railroad tracks. It sounds simple, but it’s a deep, emotional journey filled with friendship, fear, and the realization that the worlds isn’t as safe as you hope it is as a child. The raw, honest way King describes the dynamics between the boys remains unmatched.
 
Wil Wheaton is the perfect choice as a narrator. He brings a vulnerability and sincerity to the text that perfectly matches the book’s melancholic tone. If anyone aside from King himself, knows this story, it’s Wheaton.
 
This book is an ode to friendship. Whether you’re familiar with the film or not, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves compelling characters development and atmospheric storytelling. A timeless classic that will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Remarkably Bright Creatures

Director: Olivia Newman
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Alfred Molina, Colm Meany, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Joan Chen, Sofia Black-D’Elia
 
Description: Through unlikely bonds formed during night shifts at a local aquarium, Tova (Sally Field), an elderly widow, learns of a life-changing discovery that may bring her joy and wonder once again.  
 
Review: There are movies you watch, and movies you experience. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” undoubtedly belongs to the latter category. Director Olivia Newman has succeeded in translating the complex emotions from Shelby Van Pelt’s bestsellers into a visually stunning and deeply moving drama that lingers in your mind for days. The beating heart of the film is the extraordinary bond between 70-year-old Tova Sullivan and Marcellus, a giant octopus at the Sowell Bay Aquarium.

Sally Field plays Tova with a fragile strength that immediately touches you; her loneliness following the loss of her husband and the disappearance of her son thirty years ago is palpable in every scene where she silently scrubs the floors of the aquarium. When she and Marcellus (with the masterful, gruff voice of Alfred Molina) find each other, a chemistry emerges that is almost magical. Marcellus is not a pet, but a highly intelligent being who observes humanity with a cynical eye. Except for Tova. Their silent understanding and the way Marcellus helps her unravel the truth about her past form one of the most original and moving friendships I’ve ever seen.

In addition to the connection with Marcellus, the arrival of Cameron (an excellent Lewis Pullman) drives the story forward. Cameron is a man in his thirties who cant seem to get his life together and ends up in Sowell Bay in search of answers about his origins. The dynamic between the dutiful, reserved Tova and the chaotic, searching Cameron is beautifully crafted. What begins as an awkward working relationship grows into a deep human connection. Tova sees in Cameron the potential he himself does not yet see, while Cameron unconsciously fills the void left by the disappearance of Tova’s son. The film sublimely demonstrates how two strangers can heal each other, simply by appearing in each other’s lives at the right moment.

Visually and emotionally balanced, the cinematography perfectly captures the misty, melancholic atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest, which forms a beautiful contrast with Marcellus’s colorful and almost otherworldly appearance.

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is a rare film that both breaks your heart and mends it. It is an ode to the power of friendship, in whatever form it takes, and a reminder that it is never too late to find the truth to start over. With top-notch performances and a script that never misses a beat, this is an absolute 5-star must-see. Don’t you just love it when they get the book to movie adaptation right?

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Author: Shelby Van Pelt
Genre: Fiction/ Contemporary
Published: 2022
 
Description: After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors an tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors – until her forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
 
Review: “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt is a rare kind of debut novel: one that moves from the very first page, makes you laugh, and ultimately leaves you with a lump in your throat. It is a beautifully woven story that shows that hope and connection can be found in the most unlikely places.
 
The absolute star of the book is Marcellus, a headstrong and highly gifted giant octopus who lives in the Sowell Bay Aquarium. His observations of the human world are sharp, humorous, and surprisingly wise. Marcellus is not just an animal; he is a fully-fledged character with a voice of his own who compels the reader to look at the world and intelligence in a different way.
 
The human heart of the story is Tova Sullivan, a seventy-year-old widow who cleans the aquarium at night to dispel the silence in her life. Tova carries a heavy loss with her: the unsolved disappearance of her eighteen-year-old son Erik, thirty years ago. The bond that forms between Tova and Marcellus is one of the most heartwarming friendships I’ve read in a long time.
 
When the young Cameron arrives in Sowell Bay, the various storylines begin to come together in an ingenious way. Van Pelt carefully builds the tension and emotional release, allowing the reader to see every piece of the puzzle fall into place.
 
The book tackles heavy themes such as loneliness, grief, and aging, but does so with a light, almost magical touch. The town of Sowell Bay feels like a warm community you’d want to be a part of yourself. And besides to bond between Tova and Marcellus, Tova also forms a bond with Cameron, which I absolutely loved as well.
 
I have read many books where we follow several characters, but never have I read a story with chapters told from the perspective of an octopus. It could become silly, but Van Pelt makes Marcellus believable and unforgettable.
 
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is an ode to the power of friendship and the ability to come to terms with the past. It’s a book you don’t just read, it stays with you long after you closed it. An absolute must-read for anyone looking for a story with soul. This is the ultimate feel-good read and it is now one of my all-time favorites.
 
Rating: 5/ 5