Book Review - Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: Evidence of the Affair
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Romance/ Fiction
Published: 2018
 
Description: A desperate young woman in Southern California sits down to write a letter to a man she’s never met, a choice that will forever change their lives.
 
The correspondence between Carrie Allsop and David Mayer reveals, piece by piece, the painful details of a devastating affair between their spouses. With each commiserating scratch of the pen, they confess their fears and bare their should. They share the bewilderment over how things went so wrong and come to wonder where to go from here.

Review: “Evidence of the Affair” by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a compelling and emotionally nuanced short story that sheds light on the complexity of infidelity in a unique way. The book tells the story entirely through letters between Carrie and David, two strangers who discover that their respective spouses are having an affair with each other. This epistolary format works surprisingly well; it makes the reader feel as if they’re secretly eavesdropping on their deepest secrets, pains, and growing bond.
 
In just eighty pages, Reid succeeds in creating characters who feel genuine and relatable. Their grief and anger are palpable, and the evolution of their correspondence keeps the tension constantly high. I really wished this was a full-length novel. Some emotional shifts could have used a little more breathing room.
 
Nevertheless, the ending of the book felt satisfying and the story leaves a lasting impression. Highly recommended for a quick read.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer

Title: Trad Wife
Author: Saratoga Schaefer
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Published: 2026
 
Description: When Camille Deming isn’t cooking, cleaning, or homesteading in her picture-perfect country farmhouse, she’s posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. She takes inspiration from other tradwives on social media, aspiring to be like them, but Camille’s missing a key component: a baby. And contrary to what she posts online, things with her husband Graham have been strained. Pressured by her eager followers, Camille fears that without a baby, her relationship will suffer and her social media will never frow out of its infancy.
 
When Camille discovers a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby. Afterwards, she has unsettling experiences that she convinces herself are angelic in nature, and when she’s visited one night by a strange creature, her wish comes true.
 
Camille’s pregnancy announcement gets more engagement than anything she’s ever poster. So what if Graham’s reaction is lukewarm? Camille’s life is finally falling into place. Never mind that her pregnancy is developing freakishly rapidly and she’s suddenly craving raw meat. Being a tradition wife is worth it.
 
Review: With “Trad Wife”, author Saratoga Schaefer delivers an intriguing horror thriller that grips you from the very first page.
 
We meet Camille, a 24-year-old influencer who curates a perfect, submissive tradwife lifestyle online. Desperate for a baby to fix her failing marriage and boost her social media metrics, she makes a wish at a mysterious well and is visited by a demonic creature. When she gets pregnant, her life finally falls into place, instead the pregnant is developing faster than usual.
The book masterfully weaves the oppressive atmosphere of a seemingly perfect traditional life with an underlying, constant sense of menace. Schaefer builds the tension with care, making the urge to keep reading irresistible.
 
We dive into the world of tradwives and Schaefer paints a nuanced portrait of a woman who consciously chooses a hyper-traditional role, driven by a deep longing for peace, control, and clarity in an overwhelming world. Instead of the simplistic black-and-white thinking.
 
The greatest strength of this novel lies in the psychological depth of its characters. Shaefer writes with a sharp, observant pen. I found it hard to relate to Camille though, since my view of feminism, autonomy and happiness is so very different from hers. And Graham is insufferable. But the socially critical undertone is palpable throughout and compels.
 
This is an absolute must-read for anyone who loves psychological fiction with strong social relevance.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Obsession

Director: Curry Barker
Genre: Horror/ Romance
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter
 
Description: After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic (Michael Johnston) finds himself getting exactly what he asked for, but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.
 
Review: Socially awkward Bear is in love with his childhood friend Nikki, but no matter how much he practices with his friends, he just can’t bring himself to ask her out. Even when she asks him point-black if he has feelings for her, he’s too scared.  But then Bear finds a so-called “one wish willow” in an occult store: a wish stick that grants him one wish. You can guess what happens next: out of frustration Bear breaks the stick and wishes that Nikki loves him more than anyone in the entire world.

At first glance, Bear’s solutions seems like every incel’s wet dream in the manosphere, where the prevailing idea is that women should be subservient to their men. But the saying, be careful what you wish for, exists for a reason. And the longer Bear and Nikki are “together”, the crazier, more unpredictable, and more obsessive her behavior becomes.

Bear is such a naïve fool that you almost overlook the fact that something isn’t quite right from the very beginning. Director Curry Barkers initially cleverly positions Bear as the protagonist in a rom-com, making you root for his success in love. Things get more interesting after the wish, when none of Nikki’s bizarre actions prompt Bear to take concrete action. Not even when his friends are seriously concerned about her mental health. Until Bear finally gets a taste of his own obsession and that true love suddenly isn’t that great anymore.

Barker added a delightfully devilish sense of humor. This is largely thanks to Inde Navarrette, who plays Nikki. This is one of the best lead roles in horror I have seen in the last years. It’s amazing how Navarrette walks a fine line between grotesque, humor and mental torture. Even in a finale, that is so unhinged, she never lets us forget for a moment just how deeply unsettling it all is.

Curry Barker, who started out as a content creator on YouTube, proofs with this horror film that he is a lot more than just an internet sensation. He created one of the best horror films in modern history with a very small budget. It’s not an easy watch, it’s very uncomfortable, but this film will haunt you for a very long time. And that's a good thing.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Genre: Horror/ Comedy
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Elijah Wood
 
Description: Grace MacCaullay (Samara Weaving) battles old wounds with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) while rival occult dynasties hunt them through a deadly contest that promises power, survival and betrayal before dawn.
 
Review: “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” is a louder and more grotesque sequel to the 2019 surprise hit. While the original has a small-scale, claustrophobic atmosphere, the second installments opts for more chaos, blood and action, complete with an excellent cast.

The film picks up exactly where “Ready or Not” left us. Grace has just survived her in-laws during a deadly game of hide and seek. With the house burned down, the police is questioning Grace, since there were also human remains found in the house. And the blood on her dress is not hers. While she is being escorted to the police station, she is being hunted again. This time her estranged sister Faith is with her, while rival occult dynasties will hunt them down in a deadly contest for the ultimate power.

Samara Weaving was already the highlight of the first film and there is no difference for the sequel. As the indestructible Grace you are constantly rooting for her and this is the ultimate “good-for-her” story.

The sequel is so unhinged, it’s very fast paced, brutally violent and very gory. If you loved the first movie, you will not automatically like this one. But if you loved the first and appreciated the dark humor from the first, and don’t mind adding gallons of blood and over-the-top action, you will definitely have a good time. But it’s missing the suspense and simple structure from the first installment, and that might be a reason you wouldn’t like it. For that reason I believe the first movie was better, but I highly enjoyed “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come”.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: The Babysitter Lives
Author: Stephen Graham jones
Genre: Horror
Published: 2022
 
Description: When high school senior Charlotte agrees to babysit the Wilbanks twins, she plans to put the six-year-olds to bed early and spend a quiet night studying: the SATs are tomorrow, and checking the Native American/ Alaskan Native box on all the forms won’t help if she chokes on test day. But tomorrow is also Halloween, and the twins are eager to show off their costumes.
 
Charlotte’s last babysitting gig almost ended in tragedy when her young charge sleepwalked unnoticed into the middle of the street, only to be found unharmed by Charlotte’s mother. Charlotte vows to be extra careful this time. But the house is filled with mysterious noises and secrets that only the twins understand, echoes of horror that Charlotte gradually realizes took place in the house eleven years ago. Charlotte has to admit that every babysitter’s worse nightmare has come true: they’re not alone in the house.
 
Review: “The Babysitter Lives” is an atmospheric and psychological horror novella that keeps the reader in a stranglehold from the first page.
 
Charlotte is babysitting the Wilbanks twins and plana on studying for the SATs once the kids are in bed. What was supposed to be a quiet babysitting gig, turns into a claustrophobic nightmare. She discovers that a gruesome murder took place in the house years ago. As the evening progresses, the house literally begins to change and the children are behaving strangely.
 
Author Stephen Graham Jones is known for his ability to delve deep into the human psyche, and in this shorter novel, he uses the well-worn horror cliché of the babysitter in a creepy house to create something very modern and unique. The way the story builds atmosphere is definitely the strongest point. Jones creates a claustrophobic and feverish atmosphere in which the line between reality and paranoia constantly blurs.
 
Although the story excels in suspense and atmosphere, due to the novels length the plot doesn’t always get the space it deserves. As the story approaches its climax, the pace accelerates drastically that the finale feels rushed. And much of the interesting mythology and the background of the supernatural elements remain superficial.  
 
“The Babysitter Lives” is a clever, terrifying ride that ends just a little too soon, but is still worth the time due the original and creepy plot and strong ending.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Zootopia 2

Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Shakira, Patrick Warburton, Danny Trejo, Bonnie Hunt

Description: Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.

Review: “Zootopia 2” is a fantastic, fast-paced, and socially relevant sequel that lives up to the high expectations set by the first film.

The detective duo Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are back. This time, they dive into a mystery that takes them to a whole new part of their city where the reptiles used to live.

Like its predecessor, the film dares to tackle bold social themes. Topics such as gentrification, abuse of power, and historical segregation are cleverly woven into the plot. Despite the heavy themes, the story remains manageable and understandable for the whole family thanks to its humor.

Adults will revel in the countless pop culture reference and clever puns and there are some new characters like Gary De’Snake and Nibbles Maplestick, bringing a fresh, dynamic energy to the film.

The film is an absolute must-see for Disney fans and people who loved the first “Zootopia” film. Rock-solid humor, stunning animations and a layered message.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Voicemails for Isabelle

Director: Leah McKendrick
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Comedy
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson, Harry Schum Jr. Leah McKednrick, Nick Offerman, Lukas Cage, Ciara Bravo, Gil Bellows, Tanis Dolman, Toby Sandeman
 
Description: Jill (Zoey Deutch) leaves voice messages to her deceased sister telling her about her chaotic life in San Francisco. Unwittingly, a mysterious Austin TX real estate agent (Nick Robinson) begins to receive their confessions..
 
Review: “Voicemails for Isabelle” is a beautiful, bittersweet drama that leaves a deep impression from the very first minute.

To cope with the sudden loss of her younger sister, aspiring pastry chef Jill begins leaving long, hilariously candid voicemails on her late sister’s phone number. Unbeknownst to her, the number has been reassigned to Wes, a real estate agent living across the country. As Wes listens to Jill’s vulnerable, stream-of-consciousness confessions about her grief, her chaotic dating life, and her demanding boss, he slowly starts to fall in love with her voice from afar.

The film excels thanks to its intimate atmosphere and original concept, in which grief and unrequited love ar made tangible through abandoned voicemails. This emotional foundation is supported by rock-solid performances from both Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson, who deliver authentic portrayals that never feel forced or overly melodramatic.

Romance is not my go-to genre, but I can really fall in love with one if the characters are ones I can relate to and the story has emotional depth. And that is exactly what “Voicemails for Isabelle” has and why I loved it so much.

I will be recommending this movie to everyone, it makes for an absolute must-see.  

Rating: 4,5/ 5