Book Review - The Unknown by Riley Sager

Title: The Unknown
Author: Riley Sager
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Published: 2026
 
Description: In 1926, five women disappeared from a remote island in Vermont. Now, one hundred years later, it’s happening again.
 
Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery on New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot.
 
Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums. Until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one.
 
Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island’s previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again.
 
Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon. And how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself.
 
Review: Riley Sager is back with his latest thriller “The Unknown”, and it makes for a very entertaining read. In my opinion, this is a big improvement over his last two books, which unfortunately fell short. His 2025 release “With a Vengeance” I didn’t even finish. Although it’s not a new favorite, Sager does prove with this book that he still has a knack for the suspenseful thriller genre.
 
We meet Marin, a struggling actress who unexpectedly lands a major role in a movie directed by a popular director. The movie centers around a century-old mystery. In 1926 five women mysteriously vanished from New Avalon, a remote commune in Lake Faraday. To prepare for the film, the director gathers the cast on this island for an immersive rehearsal week. However, as the cast dives into the history and begins reading the diary of one of the missing women, the line between fiction and reality start to blur. And history seems to repeat itself.
 
The atmosphere here is the best part: Gothic and deeply unsettling. The dual-timeline between the commune of 1926 and the modern-day indie film set is highly compelling. The isolated island setting immediately ramps up the tension and the concept of actor being trapped there gives it a psychological touch. The book has supernatural elements, that you will question the entire time.
 
Riley Sager is known for his plot twists and he succeeds for the most part in “The Unknown”. It’s surprising and it takes some dark and twisty turns, but the conclusion eventually feels a bit far-fetched. It requires a heavy suspension of disbelief. If you don’t think it through too much it’s pretty good, but there are a few plot holes that don’t make sense. I do love how Sager made you guessing whether certain things really happened or not, right until the very end.
 
Sager is back, I liked “The Unknown “ so much better than the two book that came before this. But it does not match “The Only One Left” or “Lock Every Door”.
 
Rating: 3, 5/ 5

Book Review - In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Title: In a Dark, Dark Wood
Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Published: 2015
 
Description: When reclusive writer Leonora is invited to the English countryside for a weekend away, she reluctantly agrees to make the trip. But as the first night falls, revelations unfold among friends old and new, an unnerving memory shatters Leonora’s reserve, and a aunting realization is not alone in the woods.
 
Review: As a fan of psychological thrillers, I was looking forward to “In a Dark, Dark Wood”. It’s Ruth Ware’s debut novel. I have read three other books by her, mostly solid, disliked one of them. The ominous title and the promise of a claustrophobic setting led me to believe this would be a blood-curdling story. Unfortunately the reality turned out to be a lot less thrilling.
 
The story follows Leonora (Nora), a crime author who largely isolates herself from her past. To her great surprise, she is invited to the bachelorette party of Clare, an old high school friend she hasn’t spoken to in ten years. Together with a select group of friends, she travels to a remote, ultra-modern glass house deep in the forest of Northumberland. What begins as an awkward weekend full of old tension and secrets quickly escalates into a full-blown nightmare when someone is killed and Nora wakes up injured in the hospital, with no memory of exactly what happened that night.  
 
The dynamic between the characters was pretty much the best thing about the book. Constant passive-aggressive comments, clearly underlying emotions from the past that haven't been worked through yet, and jealousy. I eat this up.
 
Although the atmosphere in the glass house feels quite oppressive at first, the book quickly loses steam afterwards. My biggest frustration lies in the plot development. A good thriller relies on unexpected twists, but unfortunately, I saw the so-called twists in this book coming a mile away. Nothing about the dénouement was surprising to me. The motives and the culprit were pretty obvious that the book really left me unsatisfied. Add to that the fact that the main character makes choices that are downright illogical, and the suspense is completely gone.
 
For first time mystery/ thriller readers this would be a solid choice, but if you are well-read in this genre you can skip it. It’s pretty average, and due to the unsurprising developments it never manages to rise above that.
 
Rating: 2,5/ 5

Book Review - The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

Title: The Caretaker
Author: Marcus Kliewer
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Published: 2026
 
Description: Macy Mullins can’t say why the job posting grabbed her attention. It had the pull of a fisherman’s lure, barbed hook and all. Vaguely ominous. But after an endless string of failed job interviews, she’s not exactly in the position to be picky. She has rent to pay, groceries to buy, and a younger sister to provide for.
 
Besides it’s only a three days’ work…
 
Three days, cooped up in a stranger’s house, surrounded by Oregan Coast wilderness.
 
What starts as a peculiar side gig soon becomes a waking nightmare. An incomprehensible evil may dwell on this property. And Macy might jus be the only thing standing between it and the rest of humanity.
 
Review: After enjoying Marcus Kliewer’s previous book, “We Used to Live Here’, I was really looking forward to his latest release, “The Caretaker”. Although, in hindsight, I thought his debut was just a tiny bit better, Kliewer has once again proven with this new book that he is a master at creating an ominous atmosphere and gives us yet another original horror/ thriller.
 
The story follows Macy, who takes a job as a caretaker at a remote, mysterious estate. What begins as a quiet, well-paid routine job quickly turns into a full-blown nightmare. The enormous house harbors dark secrets, and before long, terrifying, inexplicable events begin to occur, blurring the line between reality and paranoia.
 
Just like “We Used to Live here”, this book was once again incredibly creepy and nerve-wrecking. Kliewer is so good at building up the underlying tension that I simply couldn’t put the book down; I just had to keep reading. Still, in the end, I couldn’t give this book 5 stars either, for exactly the same reason as with “We Used to Live Here”: there are simply too many unanswered questions. Although a bit of mystery is inherent to this genre, in this specific case I also found the ending not entirely satisfying. It left me with a feeling that was just a little too vague.
 
In short, a must-read for fans of psychological horror and nonstop suspense. And if you don’t mind that not all pieces of the puzzle will fall into place, this is the book for you.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - The Wrecking Crew

Director: Ángel Manuel Soto
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison, Morena Baccarin, Romaita Fox, Frankie Adams, Claes Bang, Jacob Batalon, Stephen Root

Description: Estranged half brothers Jonny (Jason Momoa), a volatile suspended cop, and James (Dave Bautista), a disciplined Navy SEAL, reluctantly reunite in Hawaii after their private investigator father is murdered, triggering a dangerous clash with Yakuza operatives.

Review: With “The Wrecking Crew” director Ángel Manuel Soto brings a true throwback to the action comedies of the 80s and 90s. The film relies entirely on the immense physical strength and comedic talent of the lead actors. Although the chemistry between powerhouses Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista is undeniable and the action scenes are delightfully over-the-top, the film’s predictable plot leaves it stuck in the middle of the pack withing the buddy genre.

The film follows two estranged half-brothers after the mysterious death of their father, who was working as a private detective in Hawaii. Both men reluctantly return to the island. As they struggle their deep-seated frustrations, they become entangles in a dangerous conspiracy rife with political corruption, illegal casinos, and ruthless yakuza operations. Together, they must dismantle the criminal organization to protect their family.

The biggest stringy is undoubtedly the duo. Jason Momoa is clearly having a blast playing the impulsive loose cannon, which clashes perfectly with Dave Bautista’s deadpan and serious demeanor. Their bickering and witty banter carry the film during the moments when the story stalls.

The action is also top-notch: hard-hitting, old-school stunts with plenty of very brutal confrontations that fans of the genre are sure to appreciate. Where the film falls short is in originality. It follows the familiar “Lethal Weapon” formula so closely that almost every plot twist can be predicted miles in advanced. And the villains lack the depth to truly make an impression.

“The Wrecking Crew” is highly entertaining, perfect for an evening of mindless entertainment. The fantastic chemistry between Bautista and Momoa elevates the film, but the lack of an original story keeps this action comedy just average.  

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Disclosure Day

Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Science Fiction/ Thriller/ Mystery
Runtime: 145 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, Eve Hewson, Wyatt Russell
 
Description: If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?
 
Review: Expectations were high with the release of “Disclosure Day”. After all, an ambitious thriller that promises to explore the line between truth and conspiracy always grabs my attention. Unfortunately, the film fails to fully capitalize on the potential of its rock-solid premise.

The film follows a whistleblower and a team of investigative journalists who uncover a global conspiracy. On the day the government is forced to release shocking, top-secret documents, the so-called Disclosure Day, chaos erupts behind the scenes. As the clock ticks and shadowy forces try to destroy the evidence, the team must pull out all the stops to bring the truth to light before it’s too late.

The biggest strength of “Disclosure Day” is undoubtedly its central mystery. The premise is intriguing from the very first minute, and the film initially succeeds in creating a constant atmosphere of paranoia. In addition, the film is carried by an outstanding lead performance; Emily Blunt is excellent and, with her strong, nuanced acting, manages to anchor the film’s emotional core, even when the script lets her down. However, the film stumbles over its own ambitions. The plot is unnecessarily complicated, with countless side plot, plot twists, and characters who ultimately add little to the story. As a result, the whole thing feels very messy. Instead of a tight, suspenseful build-up, you lose track of the story halfway through due to the overload of information and the rushed editing.

“Disclosure Day” definitely has its strong moments, but it vacillates too much between an intellectually thriller and a chaotic science fiction movie to be truly convincing.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Book Review - The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

Title: The Blonde Dies First
Author: Joelle Wellington
Genre: Horror/ Young Adult
Published: 2024
 
Description: Devon is always being left behind by her genius twin sister, Drew. At this point, it’s a fact of life. But Devon has one last plan before Drew leaves for college a whole year early: The best summer ever. After committing to the bit a little too much, the twins and their chaotic circle of friends learn why you don’t mess with a Ouija board if you want to actually survive the best summer ever, and soon find themselves being hunted down by… a demon?
 
But while there’s no mistaking the creeping, venomous figure is not from around here, their method doesn’t feel very demonic at all. In fact, it’s downright human. Going after them in typical slasher movie kill order. And that means Devon, the blonde, is up first and her decade-long crush Yaya, is the Final Girl who must kill or be killed to end the cycle.
 
Devon has never liked playing by anyone else’s rules though, not even a demon’s, and the longer this goes on, the more she feels Drew and Yaya slipping away from her even as she tries to help them all survive. Can they use their horror movie knowledge to flip the script and become the hunters instead of the hunted? Or will their best summer ever be their last?
 
Review: With “The Blonde Dies First” author Joelle Wellington attempts to capture the essence of a nostalgic, self-assured horror movie in book form. Although the concept is full of potential and the nods to classic slasher films like “Scream’ are entertaining in theory, the execution unfortunately falls short. The results is a predictable story that fails to sustain the suspense.
 
Seventeen-year-old Devon Harris is blonde, outgoing, and terrified of losing her brilliant twin sister Drew, who is leaving college a year earlier than planned. To make their last few months unforgettable, Devon creates a list called ‘the best summer ever’ for their close-knit group of friends from Brooklyn. The plan goes completely off the rails when they play with a Ouija board at a party. They accidentally unleash a malevolent demon that begins hunting down the friends one by one. Strangely enough, the demon follows the strict rules of a cliché horror movie. Since Devon is the blonde girl of the group, she knows one thing for sure; according to the laws of the slasher genre, she’s next in line. The friends must all use their knowledge of horror movies to turn the script around and survive.
 
Devon is the protagonist and I found it hard to root for her. She is constantly jealous of her sister Drew and she was very self-centered. The group of friends is diverse, which is very positive. But due to the large number of characters, most of them remain stuck in one-dimensional archetypes. As a result, their interactions quickly become repetitive.
 
For a book that relies on parodying horror tropes, it lacks any real suspense. The murders and the character’s actions are painfully predictable. Moreover, the chapters are very long, and the plot becomes highly repetitive halfway through.
Wellington attempts to tackle serious contemporary issues, such as gentrification in Brooklyn and racial tension with the police. Great addition, giving the story a bit more depth. But they are not further explored and stay on the surface.
 
I think this is one of those books that will be enjoyed more by a younger audience, since it is a young adult book. It was not scary and although I liked the book poking fun at the slasher genre, I found the book cliché, slow and lacking tension.
 
Rating: 2/ 5

Book Review - Devolution by Max Brooks

Title: Devolution
Author: Max Brooks
Genre: Horror
Published: 2020
 
Description: As the ash and chaos from Mount Rainier’s eruption swirled and finale settled, the story of the Greenloop massacre passed unnoticed, unexamined… until now.
 
But the journals of resident Kat Holland receovered from the town’s bloody wreckage, captures a tale too harrowing to be forgotten.
 
Kate’s is a tale of unexpected strength and resilience, of humanity’s defiance in the face of a terrible predator’s gaze, and inevitably, of savagery ad death. Yet it is also far more than that. Because if what Kate Holland saw was real, then we must accept the impossible. We must accept that the creature known as Bigfoot walks among us and that it is a beast of terrible strength and ferocity.

Review: Following the iconic “World War Z” (which I have not read), Max Brooks returns with “Devolution”. This time he swaps the zombies for a legend that’s just as terrifying: Bigfoot. Brooks opts for a pseudo-documentary style, which creates a realistic and oppressive atmosphere. Although the book is definitely worth reading, it also has a few drawbacks that prevent it from being quite a masterpiece.
 
The story follows the residents of Greenloop, a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly, and completely self-sufficient residential community in the forests of Washington State. When the nearby Mount Rainier erupts, the high-tech village becomes completely cut off from the outside worlds. The residents, accustomed to luxury and technology, are completely unprepared for the approaching winter. Their situation deteriorates dramatically when a hungry, aggressive tribe of Bigfoot-like creatures is driven from their habitat by the natural disaster and chooses Greenloop as their new hunting ground. What follows is a bloody struggle for survival, told largely through the recovered diary of resident Kate Holland.
 
Brooks excels at slowly building tension. The transition from a naïve, ecological utopia to a brutal struggle for survival is fascinating and psychologically well-developed. The details about how the creatures hunt and communicate feel scientifically grounded and terrifyingly realistic. The final third of the book is a nail-biting page-turner that you won’t be able to put down.
 
The biggest problem is the pace in the first half. Brooks spends a great deal of time on interviews, background information, and character development. Although this contributes to world-building, it simply takes too long before anything interesting happens. You really have to push through and eventually will see it’s worth your time.
 
“Devolution” is a strong, clever horror story with a fantastic climax. It is very violent, trigger warnings for violence and gore. But importunely the story takes a little too long to get going.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer

Title: Serial Killer Support Group
Author: Saratoga Schaefer
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Published: 2025
 
Description: When Cyra Griffin’s younger sister is murdered by a serial killer, Cyra knows better than to expect justice from the hands of the police department. With the investigation already dying its own slow death, Cyra follows the blood trail and finds her own way forward.
 
Using insider information Cyra infiltrates a support group for serial killers by pretending to be one herself in the hopes of finding the person who ended her sister’s life. Proving herself to them comes at a cost, but it’s one Cyra is willing to pay in the name of revenge.
Unfortunately, the dangerous men in the group aren’t the only obstacles in Cyra’s path for vengeance, and the further Cyra descends into the deadly world of serial killers, the harder it becomes to hold on to her own humanity.

Review: For fans of pitch-black humor and unconventional thrillers, Saratoga Schaefer’s debut is an absolute must-read. “Serial Killer Support Group” thoroughly shakes up the classic thriller genre with a daring, feminist, and slightly bizarre premise. The result is and addictive game of cat and mouse that constantly keeps the reader guessing.
 
When Cyra Griffin’s younger sister is brutally murdered by a serial killer and the police quickly let the investigation fizzle out. Cyra refuses to accept this and decides to take matters into her own hands. Through an insider in the police force, she discovers the existence of a top-secret support group in the city: a support group for serial killers. Driven by revenge, Cyra manages to infiltrate the group and pretends to be a cold-blooded killer herself. Her goal is simple: to unmask her sister’s killer.
 
This book is a delightfully crazy ride that entertains from the very first page. Schaefer has a sharp, witty writing style that allows her to effortlessly combine the gruesome subject matter with a healthy dose of irony and dark humor. Cyra is a fantastic, unconventional protagonist; she is determined, physically strong, and morally flexible enough to fully draw you into her mission.
 
The build-up tension is very well-executed. The constant threat that Cyra will be exposed among the group of trained psychopaths creates a continuous, underlying sense of unease. As the story approaches its climax, the author also treats you to a number of sharp, unexpected plot twists.
 
The various killers in the groups all have fascinating, twisted backstories. I would have liked a bit more depth and interaction among them during the group sessions.
 
“Serial Killer Support Group” is a refreshing, thrilling and delightfully macabre debut that’s perfect for fans of “Dexter”. This is the second book I read by Saratoga Schaefer and I really love her work so far. An author to keep a close eye on.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - The Whisper Man

Director: James Ashcroft
Genre: Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan, Robert De Niro, Hamish Linklater, Michael Keaton,
 
Description: A grieving father (Adam Scott) and his young son relocate to the quiet town of Featherbank, which was terrorized by a serial killer known as The Whisper Man 15 years earlier, while rumors circulate that Whisper man worked with an accomplice.
 
Review: With “The Whisper Man”, director James Ashcroft and his cast aim to create a chilling psychological thriller. The film succeeds in evoking an oppressive and gloomy atmosphere from the very first moment. Unfortunately, the production fails to sustain this carefully built tension until the end. The result is an entertaining but ultimately predictable thriller that ends up falling somewhere in the middle of the pack.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom decides to move with his young son Jake to the quiet town of Featherbank. They hope to make a fresh start there. However, for decades the town has been haunted by the shadow of a notorious serial  killer known as The Whisper Man. When another boy goes missing and Jake begins to hear strange voices by his bedroom window, it becomes painfully clear that the danger is far from over. Tom must do everything in his power to protect his son from an elusive evil.

“The Whisper man” excels in cinematography and atmosphere; the somber visuals and ominous soundtrack immediately get under your skin. A definite highlights is Michael Keaton’s strong, albeit small, role. He commands attention in every scene and brings much-needed depth to the story. Michaelle Monaghan is also very solid as detective Amanda Beck.

For the seasoned thriller fan, the plot is too predictable, which allowed me to correctly predict the culprit’s identity very early on in the story. This takes the edge off the final and makes the climax rather clichéd. It’s an atmospheric, easy-to-watch film, with a great performance by Michael Keaton, but without any real surprises. I still enjoyed it and would recommend it though.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Look What you Made Me Do by John Lanchester

Title: Look What You Made Me Do
Author: John Lanchester
Genre: Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2026
 
Description: What if the year’s most talked about TV show was all about your marriage?
 
Kate, thirty years into her marriage, has a seemingly idyllc metropolitan, North London life. Phoebe, a young screenwriter, is the creator of the year’s hit TV show, Cheating.
 
When Kate’s world takes a darker turn, she thinks she sees details and intimacies in the the show that only she and her husband Jack could possibly have known. But who has betrayed who? Who gets to tell whose story?
 
Review: With “Look What You Made Me Do”, author John Lanchester attempts to craft a razor-sharp, contemporary psychological thriller. In this book he exposes the tension between generations and the dark side of the media world. Although the premise sounds promising and intriguing, the execution falls painfully short.
 
The story follows Kate, who shared a seemingly perfect marriage with her husband Jack for thirty years. And there’s Phoebe, a young screenwriter whose new series “Cheating” becomes a massive hit. The two woman’s world’s collide head-on when Kate watches the series. To her utter horror, she recognizes intimate details, secrets, and even the specific private language of her own marriage in the dialogue on screen. A dark and vicious battle ensues, filled with resentment, accusations, and acts of revenge, centered on the question: who stole whose story, and what is the ultimate price of this betrayal?
 
Although the premise of a stolen married life in a TV series has the potential to be a successful thriller, “Look What You Made Me Do” disappoints on nearly every front. Lanchester chooses to tell the story from the perspective of the two women, but barely manages to give them an authentic or believable voice. The characters remain stuck in shallow stereotypes: the bitter, privileged Kate versus the cynical, harried Phoebe. As a result, the intergenerational friction feels more like a rehash of clichés than a sharp social critique.
 
The biggest problem, however, is the plot structure. A good thriller relies on carefully built tension, but Lanchester opts for a series of implausible coincidences and far-fetched plot twists to drive the story forward. The pace if initially far too slow, after which the book suddenly derails in the second half into an over-the-top revenge comedy that completely undoes the carefully crafted psychological tension. The climax and the motives behind the betrayal feel contrived and fall apart at the seams. Lanchester occasionally writes quite entertaining and satirical passages about the London elite, but as a thriller, the books lacks any sense of logic, surprise or genuine psychological depth. The result is an unsatisfying whole.
 
Rating: 1,5/ 5

Movie Review - Toy Story 5

Director: McKenna Harris, Andrew Stanton
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Drama
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Greta Lee, Bonnie Hunt, Wallace Shawn, Kristen Schaal, Ernie Hudson, John Ratzenberger
 
Description: Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they’re introduced to electronics, a new threat to playtime.
 
Review: When Pixar announced that a fifth “Toy Story” film was in the works, the film world reacted with a healthy dose of skepticism. After the emotional and perfect farewell in the third installment, and the surprisingly strong epilogue in the fourth, it really seemed like the series had run its course. With “Toy Story 5”, however, directors Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris prove the opposite. The film manages to tackle relevant, modern themes without losing the nostalgic spirit of the franchise.

In “Toy Story 5”, Bonnie struggles with a universal modern problem: the allure of the digital screen. Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang are pushed into the background by tablets, smartphones, and high-tech VR headsets. When Bonnie’s favorite new gadget becomes infected with a malicious computer virus, her digital world is in danger of crashing. To save their child’s memories and happiness, the toys must literally travel into the digital world. There, they face an army of forgotten tech-toys and a glitchy, manipulative AI villain.

The greatest compliment “Toy Story 5” deserves is how cleverly it handles the concept of toys in today’s world. While the earlier films revolved around growing up and letting go, this installment tackles the struggle between tangible nostalgia and the all-powerful screen time. The transition to the digital world within the film brings a fresh dynamic. Pixar uses this scenario to showcase breathtaking animation techniques. The contrast between the warm, tactile textures of the classic toys and the neon-lit, sometimes eerily perfect digital environment are visually masterful.

As always, the humor is multi-layered. There are quick, physical jokes for younger viewers and sharp, satirical jabs at tech culture for adults. The introduction of outdated video game consoles and crashed software avatars, provides some hilarious moments. I especially loved Smarty Pants, voiced by Conan O’Brien. The reunion between Woody and Buzz remains the emotional anchor of the film.

“Toy Story 5” isn’t just another cash-grab, but a loving and much-needed reflection of what play means today.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

Title: The Night We Met (Say You’ll Remember Me #2)
Author: Abby Jimenez
Genre: Romance/ Contemporary
Published: 2026
 
Description: In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything…
 
For Larissa, it came when choosing which guy to ride home with after a concert. That night, she had no idea she’d met the perfect man. She and Chris are great together, co-parenting a slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie, sharing their favorite books, and judging bread (pumpernickel for the win!). For the first time amid all her side hustles to scrape by, thigs finally feel easy.
 
But Chris isn’t the one who drove Larissa home all those months ago, Chris is her boyfriend’s best friend. All Chris wants is for Larissa to be happy. Standing by on the sidelines is slowly killing him, but making a move would destroy someone else. And he’s just not that guy.

Review: When it comes to Abby Jimenez romance novels, I am a romance girlie. Because all books I have read by her were wins. “The Night We Met” got mixed reviews, so I went in with the possibility of me not liking it as much. But Jimenez did not disappoint. She proves once again that she is the queen of contemporary romance, striking a perfect balance between deep tragedy and sparkling humor.
 
The story revolves around a split-second decision that changes a whole life. After a concerts, Larissa has to choose who she’ll ride home with. She ends up in the car with Mike and eventually they start a relationship. Months later, however, it turns out that Mike’s best friend Chris, is her true soulmate. While Larissa makes ends meet with countless part-time jobs, she and Chris develop a deep friendship. They share favorite books, bake bread, and raise a quirky, rescued Yorkshire Terrier together. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but Chris refuses to betray his best friend. What follows is a heart-wrenching struggle between loyalty and true love.
 
The character development in this book is truly impeccable. The characters feel lifelike, with their traumas, financial stress, and moral dilemmas. In addition, the interactions and humor between Chris and Larissa are razor-sharp, witty, and written and written with a wonderfully authentic flow. The underlying tension and longing create a compelling slow-burn, and I prefer a slow-burn when it comes to love stories.
 
What really elevates this book is that Jimenez doesn’t shy away from heavy topics like loyalty, substance addiction, and deep friendship. This is a beautiful, painful, yet hopeful stoy about the impact of timing and fate. It lingers in your mind long after you’ve closed the last page.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: Carrie Soto
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Historical fiction/ fiction
Published: 2022
 
Description: Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular.
 
By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best played the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach.
 
But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan.
 
At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even is the sports media says that they never liked the ‘Battle-axe’ anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.
 
In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season.
 
Review: With “Carrie Soto is Back”, Taylor Jenkins Reid once again demonstrate her talent for creating complex, fallible, and utterly fascinating characters. After exploring Hollywood and the world of rock ‘n roll, Reid now delves into the cutthroat world of professional tennis. The result is a nail-biting, emotional and razor-sharp drama about ambition, growing older, and the price of success.
 
The story follows Carrie Soto, the most successful female tennis player of all time. She is fiery, ruthless, and known as “The Battle Axe”. By the time she retires from tennis, she has broken every record and holds no fewer than twenty Grand Slam titles. Six years later, in 1994, Carrie is sitting in the stands at the U.S. open. She watches as the young, talented Nicki Chan ties her record. Carrie is now 37 years old, and her body is no longer what it used to be. Still, she makes a radical decision: she’ll come out of retirement to defend her record. Together with her father and lifelong coach, Javier, she embarks on a grueling year of training. She must not only battle younger opponents and a skeptical media, but also her own physical limits and demons from the past.
 
Carrie is the typical anti-hero you will love. She is not likeable in the traditional sense of the word. She’s arrogant, selfish, and obsessed with winning. That’s precisely what makes her so formidable. Reid compels the reader to respect a woman who refuses to apologize for her ambition.
 
The relationship between Carrie and Javier is the beating heart of the book. Their bond is complex, loving, and at time heartbreaking. Javier reminds Carrie there’s more to life than just winning.
 
This book will sweep you away. I used to watch a lot of tennis, but if you have no affinity with tennis at all, this might not interest you. But the way Reid describes the matches with such intense dynamic, even someone who is not into tennis could enjoy it.
 
The only reason why I’m not giving it a 5-star rating is that the match rhythm halfway through the story lead to a slide sense of repetition.
 
“Carrie Soto is Back” is a triumph. It’s a powerful statement about how society treats ambitious women and a beautiful story about growing up, letting go, and the meaning of greatness. An absolute must-read.   
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Hoppers

Director: Daniel Chong
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Piper Curda, Bobby Moyhnihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Eduardo Franco, Melissa Villaseñor, Sam Richardson, Isiah Whitlock Jr.,
 
Description: A 19-year-old animal lover (Piper Curda) uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination.
 
Review: With “Hoppers”, director Daniel Chong delivers one of the studio’s funniest and most animated films in years. While recent films sometimes buckle under the weight of heavy emotional themes, this production resolutely opts for a fresh blend of absurdist humor and a classic ecological adventure.

When the grandmother of 19-year-old Mable, an impulsive anima rights activist, passes away, their favorite nature reserve is threatened with destruction by the corrupt mayor Jerry. He wants to build a highway. To stop the construction, Mabel enlists the help of a secret experimental government project: she has her consciousness “hop” into the body of an ultra-realistic robot beaver. She quickly infiltrates the local beaver colony to join forces with the animals against the bulldozers.

As soon as Mabel takes on the form of a beaver, the film shifts into high gear. “Hoppers” excels at visual comedy. The animation style is cute, combined with lush landscapes that proof Pixar is still technically at the very top.

Jon Hamm steals the show as the vain, power-hungry mayor, flanked by Bobby Moynihan’s great voice-performance as George the beaver. But it’s Piper Curda who carries the film: her portrayal of Mabel as a hyperactive, steadfast teenager with a big heart makes the character instantly memorable. I loved Mabel.

“Hoppers” is Pixar at its best: a wild, inventive and funny adventure. It’s the successful return of the studio’s roots, one that will effortlessly entertain the entire family.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Title: Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl # 1)
Author: Matt Dinniman
Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Published: 2020
 
Description: You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.
 
Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world, or just get to the next level, in a video game-like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.
 
Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.
 
Review: “Dungeon Crawler Carl” is a wildly crazy page-turner in the sci-fi/ fantasy genre. Very popular at the moment and the first in a long-running series. Author Matt Dinniman throws you right into the thick of a unique, modern subgenre that completely defies the conventions of traditional literature. The result is a rollercoaster ride that leaves the reader with a contact mix of amazement and adrenaline.
 
The story begins on a freezing cold night when Earth is abruptly overrun by an intergalactic syndicate, after which the remaining humanity is forced to participate in a live-broadcast, sadistic gladiatorial tournament. At the center of it all is Carl, an ordinary man who flees into the Apocalypse in his boxers and barefoot, along with his ex-girlfriend’s eccentric Persian cat Princess Donut. Together they must descend into a gigantic, underground dungeon with eighteen deadly levels, there, they must battle monstrous creatures, solve complex puzzles, and survive the levels to entertain the universe, all while amassing millions of alien fans.
 
The absolute highlight of this spectacle is its unparalleled humor, as the absurdist story had me laughing out loud several times at the most unexpected moments. The universe is filled with a colorful collection of the weirdest and most bizarre characters you’ll ever encounter in a book. Among all these extraordinary creatures, Princes Donut (a now talking and hyper-intelligent cat) absolutely steals the show as the most entertaining character, thanks to her regal airs and hilarious feline antics.
 
Still, the adventure also has a downside that you, as a reader, have to read through. The story is incredibly chaotic; there’s constantly so much happening all at once, and the enormous amount of information and statistics you have to process is overwhelming. That meant I had to get used to the structure and the breakneck pace. Fortunately, this doesn’t outweigh the rest of the experience; the concept is simply incredibly original and entertainingly executed. This addictive introduction leaves me wanting more, and I’ll definitely be continuing this series. I totally get the hype.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Testament of Ann Lee

Director: Mona Fastvold
Genre: Drama/ Musical
Runtime: 136 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Lewis Pullman, Thomasin McKenzie, Tim Blake Nelson
 
Description: Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried), the founding leader of the Shaker Movement, is proclaimed as the female Christ by her followers. This film depicts her establishment of an utopian society and the Shakers’ worship through song and dance, based on real events.
 
Review: With “The Testament of Ann Lee”, director Mona Fastvold delivers an extremely ambitious, feverish biopic that walks the line between historical drama and avant-garde musical. Although the film is visually stunning and pushes the boundaries of the genre, its emotional depth unfortunately leaves the viewer at a distance.

The film tells the true story of Ann Lee, an 18^th century woman from industrial Manchester. After the traumatic loss of her young children and a troubled marriage, she finds spiritual enlightenment within a radical religious movement. She emerges as the visionary leader of the Shakers, a cult that believes in absolute celibacy, pacifism, and radical gender equality. Her followers even regard her as the female incarnation of Christ. To escape severe persecution, Lee sets sail with her loyal followers to the American colonies to found a utopian community there. Their devotion and the absolution of sins are expressed not through traditional sermons, but in frenzied, ecstatic singing and group dances that border on a physical trance.

The absolute highlight is the way the Shaker hymns are brought to life. And Amanda Seyfried delivers a phenomenal, physically intense performance; her animated gaze and vocals effortlessly carry the film through even the most abstract scene.

Despite these mesmerizing elements, the film falls short dramatically. The film is repetitive, and has an episodic structure. And there is a psychological barrier, because as a viewer we observing Ann Lee, but they never truly dissect her. You admire the craftmanship on screen, but the characters leave you emotionally unmoved. The characters remain underdeveloped. And the 136 minute runtime is very palpable, it’s way too long. And in this time they could have done a lot more with the characters.

“The Testament of Ann Lee” is a daring and visually breathtaking experiment that uniquely turns the biopic formula inside out. However, those hoping for a gripping emotional drama or an in-depth character study may leave this utopian journey feeling somewhat unsatisfied.  As a highly emotional person myself, this movie did very little for me.   

Rating: 3/ 5