Book Review - 107 Days by Kamala Harris

Title: 107 Days
Author: Kamala Harris
Genre: Non-Fiction/ Memoir
Published: 2023
 
Description: For the first time, and with surprising and revealing insights, Kamala Harris tells the story of one of the wildest and most consequential presidential campaigns in American history.
 
Review: In “107 Days”, former Vice President Kamala Harris offers an unprecedentedly candid look at the shortest and most turbulent presidential campaign in modern American history. The book covers the intense period from July 21^st 2024, the day Joe Biden withdrew, to Election Day on November 5^th 2024.
 
Harris has crafted a narrative that reads like a political thriller. She describes the chaos of the first 24 hours, during which she frantically called Democratic leaders to secure her nomination. But also describes her somber 60^th birthday, just 16 days before the election, where exhaustion led to a heated argument with her husband Doug. Moments like these humanize a politician who has often been labeled as reserved.
 
Harris does not shy away from confrontation in this book. She is surprisingly candid about the tension within the White House. She reflects on her loyalty on to Joe Biden, but insinuates that this loyalty was not always reciprocated by his staff. She expresses her frustration about moments when the president unintentionally thwarted her campaign, such as the incident where he wore a Maga cap. She is critical of Trump, but also of Joe Biden.
 
While Harris acknowledges some strategic mistakes, such as her much discussed interview on The View, she remains fiercely defensive about her broader vision for the country.
 
“107 Days” is an essential historical document. It captures the spirit of divided America and the enormous pressure of a national campaign in record time. For anyone who wants to understand what it feels like to be in the eye of a political storm, this book is highly recommended. Adding to the fact that Kamala Harris is a black woman, who supports reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, climate change action and gun safety, my respect for her standing her ground in a male dominated world grew further while reading this book. Kamala Harris is a truly inspiring woman, even if she didn’t win the election. It was an impossible task within the 107 days she had.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - Man on Fire

Director: Tony Scott  
Genre: Actie/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 146 minutes
Year: 2004
Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Marc Anthony, Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke

Description: In Mexico City, a former CIA operative  (Denzel Washington) swears vengeance on those who committed and unspeakable act against the family he was hired to protect.

Review: “Man on Fire” is an intense, stylish action film directed by Tony Scott. It’s one of my favorite films starring Denzel Washington. He plays a traumatized bodyguard who seeks revenge in Mexico City after the kidnapping the young Pita, daughter of the family he has to protect.

My favorite thing about the film is the emotional bond Washington’s John Creasy forms with Pita. When Pita is taken, that makes Creasy’s quest for revenge even more intense. The film has a grim and gritty atmosphere.

Denzel Washington, but also his young counterpart Dakota Fannings are both very strong. The visual style is typical for Tony Scott. It fits the film. The film has a very quiet, emotional build-up and  has a violent, action-packed second half. The film is a tad too long with its 2,5 hours, but “Man on Fire” is a great piece of cinema.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - The Outsider by Stephen King

Title: The Outsider (Holly Gibney # 1)
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Published: 2018
 
Description: An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town parl. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League Coach, husband and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.
 
As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face?

Review: “The Outsider” is a masterful blend of hard-boiled police thriller and classic supernatural horror, a genre for which Stephen King is renowned. The book grabs you by the throat from the very first page and doesn’t let go.
 
The story starts in Flint City, with the gruesome discovery of the body of an 11-year-old boy. All the evidence – fingerprints, DNA and eyewitnesses – point to Terry Maitland: the popular teacher, father and coach of the Little League team. Detective Ralph Anderson arrests him in a very public manner. However, Maitland has a watertight alibi; at the time of the murder, he was miles aways at a conference, and there is even video footage to prove it. The central question that drives the investigation is how can someone be in two places at once?
 
Stephen King succeeds in creating an oppressive atmosphere of mistrust and sadness in a small community. What begins as a realistic whodunnit slowly but surely slips into a sinister, supernatural nightmare.
 
The build-up to the mystery is phenomenal, the final confrontation and explanation feel a bit rushed and less satisfying then the rock-solid first part of the story.
 
If you are a fan of horror and thriller, this dark investigation into the nature of evil and the limits of our belief and logic is an absolute recommendation. A solid four-star book.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Wuthering Heights

Director: Emerald Fennell
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 136 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi
 
Description: A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) and Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie).
 
Review: The 2026 film adaptation of “Wuthering Heights”, directed by Emerald Fennell (known for “Saltburn”), is a visual spectacle that unfortunately sacrifices the emotional depth of Emily Brontë’s masterpiece for style and provocation.

The film is undoubtedly beautiful to look at. The cinematography captures the rugged Yorkshire moors with and almost tangible atmosphere, and the costumes are Oscar-worthy. The addition of modern music by Charli XCX gives the film a bold, contemporary energy that will appeal especially to a younger generation.

Margot Robbie is the strongest element of the film. Robbie portrays Cathy torn between social expectations and wild desire. Cathy is highly unlikeable, complex character and Robbie really captured that.

Although Jacob Elordi, as Heathcliff, perfectly embodies the brooding heartthrob, his performance lacks the raw, exclusion-fueled pain that is essential to the character. As a result, he often comes across as a toxic, privileged man rather than the tormented orphan from the book.

That this adaptation is nothing like the book is an understatement. It’s a very bold interpretation of Brontë novel. The biggest flaw is that the film prioritizes sensuality over emotional depth. Fennell opts for shocking image and explicit scenes that distract rather than reinforce the tragic love story. I cannot even call it a love story, Cathy and Heathcliff are so toxic. There is really something wrong with you if you think what these two have in this movie is romantic.

“Wuthering Heights” is a bold, stylized reinterpretation that is great or the eyes but leaves the heart cold. It is and interesting film for those who love modern costume dramas, but those looking for the true soul of Brontë would do better to reread the book. Which I am definitely planning on doing.  

Rating: 3/ 5

80s Movie Review - Uncle Buck

Director: John Hughes
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 1989
Starring: John Candy, Jean Louisa Kelly, Macaulay Culkin, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Madigan, Laurie Metcalf

Description: Laid back commitment-phobe Buck (John Candy) babysits his brother’s rebellious teenage daughter and cute younger brother and sister.

Review: “Uncle Buck” is a timeless comedy and a childhood and family favorite film. It combines John Candy’s chaotic humor and John Hughes’ warm, human direction.

When the parents of the Russell family have to leave in a hurry due to an emergency, there is only one option left for the care of their three children: Uncle Buck. Buck is a bachelor who loves gambling, drinking, and his roaring car. He is the last person you would expect to find in a neat suburb, which immediately sets the stage for many comical confrontations with rebellious teenager Tia and curious younger siblings Miles and Maizy.

I grew up with John Candy, his films always made me smile. As a kid, but also now as an adult. Candy carries this film with his enormous charisma. He manages to portray Buck as more than just a clumsy uncle; he gives the character a heart of gold and a surprisingly strong moral compass.

The interaction between Candy and young Macaulay Culkin is priceless and even served as inspiration for “Home Alone”. The conflict between Buck and his cynical teenage niece Tia provides the necessary dramatic depth.

Although some to of the jokes Buck’s tough guy approach feel typically 1980s, the film stands up thanks to its sincere emotion. It’s not just a film about a failed uncle learning to be a responsible babysitter, but above all about a family learning what unconditional support means.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney

Title: My Husband’s Wife
Author: Alice Feeney
Genre: Mystery
Published: 2026
 
Description: Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently movied into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.
 
One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.
 
Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person’s date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blur, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.
 
Review: Alice Feeney’s books have become a hit or miss for me. I gave some five stars, I gave some two stars. “My Husband’s Wife” fall right in the middle.
 
Meet Eden Fox. She and her husband Harisson just moved to a seaside village called Hope Falls. When she returns from a run, Eden realizes her key doesn’t fit the lock. A strange woman opens the door, claiming she is Eden and lives there with her husband Harisson. This woman has taken over Eden’s life and her husband is in on it.
 
The premise really intrigued me, it’s a terrifying situation. Eden is being gaslit and her isolation in the village of Hope Falls is palpable and oppressive. There is also a separate storyline, set six month earlier, that follows a woman named Birdy who inherited Spyglas, the house that Eden is living in now. The first half of the book grabbed my by the throat, because the threat is so personal and psychological.
 
Where the book lost is for me is in its credibility. Feeney loves plot twists and she has done some of the best in previous books. But she goes overboard with them at a certain point. The conspiracy that is going on in this book is so complex and dependent on coincidence that it undermines the foundation of the story. The subplot surrounding the “Death Date” clinic also feels at times like a superfluous element from another genre, distracting from the core of the story.
 
The craftsmanship of the writing style and the page-turning quality are undeniable. It’s an entertaining roller coaster ride, provided you’re willing to suspend your logical mind for a while. The book is steeped in Feeney’s characteristic darkness and unreliable characters, which I loved. But the balance between a brilliant plot and total implausibility sometimes tips just the wrong way.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - All This & More by Peng Shepherd

Title: All This & More
Author: Peng Shepherd
Genre: Science Fiction
Published: 2024
 
Description: Meek, play-it-safe Marsh has just turned forty-five, and her life is in shambles. Her career is stagnant, her marriage has imploded, and the teenage daughter grows more distant by the day. Marsch is convinced she’s missed her chance at everything – romance, professional fulfillment, and adventure – and is desperate for a do-over.
 
She can’t believe her luck when she’s elected to be the star of the global sensation “All This and More”, a show that uses quantum technology to allow contestants the change to revise their pasts and change their present lives. It’s Marsh’s only shot to seize her dreams, and she’s determined to get it right this time.
 
But even as she rises to become a famous lawyer, gets back together with her high school sweetheart, and travels the world, she begins to worry that “All This and More’s” promises might be too good to be true. Because while the technology is amazing, something seems a bit off.
 
Can Marsh really make her life everything she wants it to be. And is it worth it?
 
Review: Peng Shepherd’s “All This & More” attempts to build an ambitious bridge between a modern sci-fi thriller and the nostalgic “choose your own adventure” books from our childhood. Although the concept of a quantum-powered reality show in which you can rewrite your past is fascinating and intriguing, the execution unfortunately gets bogged down in repetition and superficiality.
 
Marsh hasn’t won in life; failing marriage, estranged daughter, no fulfillment from her job. She could use a do-over. To her surprise, Marsh is elected to take part in a reality TV show called “All This and More”, where quantum technology allows her to go back to her past life and make different life choices, altering her path.
 
Marsch is a protagonist that I just couldn’t sympathize with. Despite her chance to change everything, she often remains indecisive and naïve, which is frustrating. Her characters feels flat because she is constantly swept along by circumstances rather than truly steering them. These choices also felt meaningless. The book’s unique interactive element ultimately proves disappointing. Instead of truly different paths, you’re often led to the same storylines and I felt like the book wanted to direct us into certain paths too. You never feel that your choices really influence the fundamental outcome of the story until the very last pages.  
 
It’s a science fiction book, but the science behind the “bubble” and quantum mechanics is barely explored. Making the world-building feel paper-thin.
 
I loved the concept and how it actually plays with the fact that there is no such thing as a perfect life. Whatever choices you make in life, there will always be some bad moments. The book has three different endings. Two of these paths I wasn’t interested in and the ending I eventually choose wasn’t satisfying either. The book lacks depth, I didn’t sympathize with the main characters and the choose-your-own-adventure element was exciting at first but ended up being more controlled because it never really affected the storyline. For a book about life’s choices, I would recommend “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig, not this.
 
Rating: 2/ 5

Movie Review - Send Help

Director: Sam Raimi
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien
 
Description: Linda (Rachel McAdams) and her insufferable boss Bradley (Dylan O’Brien) become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. Here, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, will they make it our alive?
 
Review: In the survival horror/ thriller “Send Help”, we are confronted not only with the brutal force of nature, but also with the psychological warfare between two survivors on a desert island. What begins as a classic survival story transforms, under the direction of Sam Raimi, into a claustrophobic study of power dynamics and the liberating power of feminine rage.

Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien form an unexpected electric couple. When their plane crashes, the situation forces them to work together. O’Brien plays the insufferable CEO of a large company and he does this with a nervous energy that slowly turns into a toxic need to prove himself. But it’s Rachel McAdams who takes the film to the next level. Her characters Linda, a grey mouse at the office who’s talent is underestimated and taken advantage of, starts out controlled and pragmatic. But as the isolation sets in and the threat of her companion becomes greater than that of the wilderness, we see a transition that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

The film excels in its portrayal of feminine rage. This is not blind anger, but a calculated, deep-seated outburst against years of underestimation and manipulation. Because all the men in this movie are dicks. The scene in which McAdams’ character finally takes control feels not only like a victory in the jungle, but like a universal catharsis.

Director Sam Raimi does not abandon his horror roots, this is still an R-rated movie. The film contains some blood-curdling moments and has gore that will make the viewer physically recoil. The tension is masterfully built up. Although the pace slows down slightly in the second act, this more than compensated for by the satisfying finale.

“Send Help” is a brutal, emotional rollercoaster that gives Rachel McAdams her most powerful role in years. It is a film about the will to survive, but even more so about the power that is unleashed when a women refuses to be a victim any longer. An absolute must-see for anyone who loves psychological depth with a sharp edge.

Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 197 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis,  CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Jermaine Clement, David Thewlis

Description: Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri’s (Zoe Saldaña) family grapples with grief, encountering a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Ash people, who are led by the fiery Varang (Oona Chaplin), as the conflict of Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.

Review: “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is the third installment in the “Avatar” franchise. Director James Camerom proves that Pandora is far from revealing all its secret. Whereas its predecessor immersed us in  the serene beauty of the oceans, this third film confronts us with the raw, destructive, and paradoxically beautiful power of fire.

It almost goes without saying, but the CGI is once again groundbreaking. The introduction of the Ash People – a Na’vi clan that lives in volcanic areas – provides a completely new color palette. The contrast between the glowing lava and the ash-gray skin of this new tribe is visually stunning. The action scenes, especially the confrontations in the ash clouds, are so fluid and detailed that you forget you are watching an animation.

We see that not all Na’vi are “good”. The Ash People, led by Varang, bring a much-needed nuance to the story. Their anger and thirst for revenge mirror humanity, blurring the line between hero and villain. This gives the film an emotional depth and a sense of menace that we haven’t felt to this extent before.

The core of the film remains the family. The dynamic between Jake, Neytiri and their children has matured. The consequences of their earlier losses weigh heavily, and the film takes time for mourning and internal conflicts. Zoe Saldaña’s acting is heartbreaking; her anger is almost palpable.

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” is more than a technological masterpiece; it’s an epic drama that dares to play with darkness and moral ambiguity. With a running time of over three hours, not a minute feels wasted. The middle section is a bit predictable, but the explosive finale more than makes up for it. I believe there is still two more movies in the making, and I’m in up for it.

Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Director: Michel Gondry
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2004
Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Jane Adams, David Cross

Description: When their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories forever.

Review: What I would call this genre? Science Fiction/ Romance maybe? “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” explores the value of painful memories. Joel and Clementine are in a relationship, but when things turn bad they decide to erase each other from their memory. Director Michel Gondry and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman created a visually striking, dreamlike film.

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet should not be matching, but they do. Perfectly so. Carrey shows a surprising subdued side of himself, while Winslet brings color and energy to the film. It’s a unique, sometimes chaotic film about the complexity of love and the resilience of the human spirit. It prompts reflection on whether erasing painful memories is desirable.

I think we can say the “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” can be considered a modern classic. I believe everyone who loves cinema should see this film at least once.

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

Title: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Genre: Horror
Published: 2025
 
Description: Cora Zeng is a crime scene cleaner, washing away the remains of brutal murders and suicides in Chinatown. The bloody messes don’t bother her, not when she’s already witnessed the most horrific thing possible: her sister being pushed in front of a train.
 
Before fleeing the scene, the murderer whispered two words: bat eater.
 
Months pass, the killer is never caught, and Cora can barely keep herself together. She pushes away all her feelings, disregards the bite marks that appear on her coffee table, and won’t take her aunt’s advice to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of hell open.  
 
Cora tries to ignore the rising dread in her stomach, even when she and her weird co-workers begin finding bat carcasses at their crime scene clean-ups. But Cora can’t ignore the fact that all their recent clean-ups have been the bodies of East Asian women.
 
Soon Cora will learn: you can’t just ignore hungry ghosts.
 
Review: Cora is a crime scene cleaner. She lost her sister, who was pushed in front of a moving train. Right before it happened, the killer whispered “bat eater”. They never caught the murderer. While working her crime scene clean-up job, Cora starts finding dead bats at these jobs. And all the victims are East Asian Women.
 
“Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng” is an intense horror novel. It’s set during the COVID pandemic in Chinatown, New York City. The book combines elements of serial killer thriller, supernatural horror and Chinese folklore, but also social commentary on anti-Asian hate. Protagonist Cora is in mourning of her sister and seeks revenge. It’s a unique genre blend, has a poetic writing style and in-depth character development of Cora. Dark humor is mixed with heartbreaking moments, but the plot can occasionally feel a bit messy.
 
This book is not for the faint of heart, because it has some gruesome, gory scenes. But it also contains explicit themes such as racism, child abuse, self-harm and animal cruelty.
 
“Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng” is a highly original horror book, which is poetic, compelling and makes for a very unique reading experience. Not for everyone, but a must for the experiences horror reader.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

80s Movie Review - Rain Man

Director: Barry Levinson
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 1988
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Valeria Golino

Description: After a selfish L.A. yuppie (Tom Cruise) learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother (Dustin Hoffman) in Ohio that he didn’t know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.

Review: “Rain Man” is a heartwarming, moving and powerful road movie with exceptional performances. I used to watch it all the time when I was younger, time for a rewatch.

Charlie Babbitt learns that his estranged father has passed and he left him none of his fortune. Charlie finds out he has an autistic brother Raymond, who inherited all their dad’s money.

Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Raymond is a world-class performance. Tom Cruise’s development of his selfish character into a mature human being is also a highlight. The two have excellent chemistry.

The film is moving and effective in showing a growing bond between two brothers, making it a feel-good experience despite the heavy subject matter.

Emotional Impact: The film is moving and effective in showing the growing bond between the brothers, making it a feel-good experience despite the heavy subject matter.

“Rain Man” is classic that resonates with its heartwarming story and brilliant performances. It remains an essential film about human connection and character transformation. I forgot how much I loved this movie.

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Title: Crying in H Mart
Author: Michelle Zauner
Genre: Non-Fiction/ Memoir
Published: 2021
 
Description: In this story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian-American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the east coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, performing gigs with her fledging band – and meeting the man who would become her husband – her Koreanness began to feel even more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live.
 
It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.
 
Review: In her memoir “Crying in H Mart”, Michelle Zauner, the singer-songwriter behind Japanese Breakfast, takes the reader through a painful process of loss and self-discovery. The result is an honest, sometimes heartbreaking book that celebrates the complexity of the mother-daughter relationship through the lens of Korean cuisine.
 
The supermarket chain H Mart serves as a sanctuary where memories of her mother are linked to the smell of fermented soybeans and the texture of rice cakes. For anyone who shares a culture though cuisine, this book will feel like a warm embrace. Michelle’s search for her Korean identity after her mother’s death is sincere and moving, raw and unfiltered.
 
Zauner does not spare herself or her mother. She describes their difficult relationship, full of misunderstanding and high expectations. Her mother’s physical decline due to her cancer is also described without embellishments. This makes the book heavy. It’s not a polished story about saying goodbye, but a reflection of the messy reality of death.
 
After the strong opening and impressive description of the period of illness, the story sometimes loses momentum in the middle section. The detailed lists of ingredients and cooking processes are a delight for lovers of Korean cuisine, but to me it felt repetitive and took the momentum out of the emotional story. In addition, her relationship with her father remains relatively underexposed.
 
“Crying in H Mart” is a beautiful book about grief, mourning, family, food and culture.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

TV Show Review - His & Hers (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2026
Starring: Jon Berntal, Tessa Thompson, Sunita Mani, Marin Ireland

Description: A journalist (Tessa Thompson) investigating a mirder in her hometown clashes with a suspicious detective (Jon Bernthal). There are two sides to every story, and someone is lying.

Review: “His & Hers” is a psychological limited thriller series on Netflix, based on the best-selling novel by Alice Feeney. The book is one of my favorites in the genre and the series is overall very faithful to the source material, with some minor changes here and there.

We meet Anna Andrews, a journalist who comes back to her job after a hiatus. Her anchor job has been taken in the meantime, so she is going to try it as a field reporter. Her main story: a dead body found in her home town. There detective Jack Harper is in over his head, never having to deal with such a case before in the quiet town.

First of all I have to say that Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal have great chemistry. Thompson plays a fragile but determined Anna, while Bernthal as Detective Jack Harper strikes just the right balance between authority and a dark past. Their performance elevate the story to a higher level.

The unique concepts, the story told from both sides, his and hers, works surprisingly well for television. In a book is easily done by switching perspectives each chapter. But translating it to the screen is something else. It’s not as prominent, but it’s there. You don’t know who’s telling the truth or who’s hiding what. The series is only six episodes, but it could have been shorter too. But they chose a slow-burn pace and it works better for the tension.

I remember my jaw dropping to the floor when I read the twist in the book and I was really curious how they were going to do it in the show. And it’s definitely a twist you will not see coming. It’s very well done in the show. I can see people hating the twist, because it’s a pretty bold choice. But I think it’s cleverly done

I don’t mind that changes are made, when it comes to book adaptations. Some things work perfectly on the page, but don’t translate well to the screen. There is only one change I didn’t like for “His & Hers”. Anna’s characters in the book was written much better. She was even more complex and more unreliable. I feel like we can trust her side of the story more than the one of Jack, while in the book both sides are flawed and questionable.

If you are in for a quick binge-worthy series, with a mystery that has you hooked from episode one, I would recommend “His & Hers”. But I do think you should read the book first. The books is (almost) always better.

Book Review - When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy

Title: When the Wolf Comes Home
Author: Nat Cassidy
Genre: Horror
Published: 2025

Description: One night, Jess, a struggling actress, finds a five-year-old runaway hiding in the bushes outside her apartment. After a violent, bloody encounter with the boy’s father, she and the boy find themselves running for their lives.
 
As they attempt to evade the boy’s increasingly desperate father, horrifying incidents of butchery follow them. At first, Jess thinks she understands what they’re up against, but she’s about to learn there’s more to these surreal and grisly events than she could’ve ever imagined. And that when the wolf finally comes home, none will be spared.
 
Review: “When the Wolf Comes Home” is a genre-bending nightmare that is far more than a standard creature feature.
 
The story starts with Jess, a struggling L.A. actress, discovering a terrified five-year-old boy hiding in the bushes outside her apartment. What starts as a tense rescue mission quickly spirals into a gory, surreal road trip when the boy’s father arrives, leaving a trail of butchery in his wake.
 
The book has a lot of gore and violence, but beneath all that is a heartbreaking exploration of generational trauma and fear. Author Nat Cassidy uses a bizarro fiction approach where the boy’s fears can literally manifest in reality.
 
Jess is a wonderfully flawed character. Her complicated feelings about her own estranged father and a layer of depth that makes her bond with the mysterious boy feel earned rather than forced.
 
The story is action-packed and adrenaline-fueled. Cassidy balances gruesome body horror with unexpected moments of dark humor.
 
While the concept is brilliant, the pacing is slightly uneven in the middle. The transition from a grounded thriller to full-blown surrealist horror involves several WTF moments – including references to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” – that felt a bit jarring and weird.
 
“When the Wolf Comes Home” is a bloody, deeply moving entry in contemporary horror. Very reminiscent of Stephen King’s “Firestarter”. If you’re expecting a regular werewolf story, think again. You’re in for one hell of a ride.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - The Wire (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 13
Year: 2002
Starring: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Idris Elba, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce, Seth Gilliam, Domenick Lombardozzi, John Domann, Clarke Peters, Andre Royo, Michael Kenneth Williams, Deirdre Lovejoy

Description: The Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.
The Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.

Review: “The Wire” is considered on of the most groundbreaking and realistic drama series every made, and it has been on my watch list for way too long.

“The Wire” is not a standard police series, where each episode a case is investigated and solved. Season 1 focuses on a single, complex drug and murder case in Baltimore over 13 episodes. It shows how both the police and the criminals are stuck in bureaucratic and hierarchical systems.

It’s not simply good vs. bad: the series stands out for its moral nuance. It’s not just black and white, no simple heroes or villains; both the cops and the gang members of the Barksdale organization are portrayed as complex, human characters with their own codes and shortcomings.

The start of the first season can feel a bit slow, but pushing through is definitely worth it. I heard someone describe the show as a visual novel. You have to take the time to know the web of characters; the reward only comes in the second half of the season when all the storylines come together.

The script, characters, and social criticism have depth and you really become invested in it once you’ve gotten through the first few episodes. “The Wire” shows a realistic view of justice. It’s a more layered crime drama and I will most definitely continue to the next season.