Book Review - Heartstopper: Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

Title: Heartstopper: Volume 3 (Heartstopper # 3)
Author: Alice Oseman
Genre: Graphic Novel/ Romance/ LGBTQ+
Published: 2020
 
Description: A school trip to Paris. Not only are Nick and Charlie navigating a new city, but also telling more people about their relationship AND learning more about the challenges each other are facing in private…
 
Meanwhile Tao and Ellie will face their feelings for other, Tara and Darcy share more about their relationship origin story, and he teachers supervising the trip seem… rather close…?
 
Review: The “Heartstopper” series is a super cute, fun and lovely book series to read. Always perfect if you’re in the mood for a heartwarming, quick and sweet read. In this third volume, Nick and Charlie are going on a school trip to Paris. Nick starts feeling more comfortable telling people about his sexuality, telling more people about his relationship with Charlie. But both are also facing personal struggles, that are not fully surfacing yet.
 
Again, this book just makes you happy. But it does touch on some more heavy themes, like self-harm or an eating disorder. I figure this last part is one we’ll dive into more in the fourth volume. Because it was mentioned, Nick believes Charlie is dealing with this and he’s researching it.
 
We also get an insight in some other relationships at this school, Like Tao and Ellie, Darcy and Tara and some of the teachers. I love how Nick and Charlie are exploring their relationship together.
 
Of the three books, so far, this is my least favorite. But I still really loved it. These books are just too cute to not love.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Title: Yours Truly (Part of Your World # 2)
Author: Abby Jimenez
Genre: Romance/ Contemporary
Published: 2023
 
Description: Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to fins a kidney donor, and the promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor. But when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game… by sending Briana a letter.
 
And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet”, and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable – a kidney for her brother – she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy ne doctor… especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.
 
Review: I say it every time I start a romance: I’m not much of a contemporary romance reader. But last year, after reading “Part of Your World”, I believed that author Abby Jimenez might be my kind of romance author. But was it just that one book? “Yours Truly” is the second book in this series, following different characters. And Jimenez did it again, she made me swoon.
 
Briana is the character we’re following in this, and we had already met her in “Part of Your World”. Her divorce is about to be finalized and her brother’s health is not improving, since he needs a kidney donor. Bri doesn’t really see an upside. Especially when the promotion she thought she was getting after her friend Alexis left, might not even be hers anymore. The new Doctor, Jacob Maddox, is also in the running. And Bri already hates him. But when Jacob writes her a letter, she thinks she might have been wrong about him.
 
My problem with most romcoms is that I always dislike one of the people that we’re following. I loved both characters in “Part of You World” and the same goes for “Yours Truly”. Both characters are very relatable and are dealing with struggles. Bri has trust issues, since her marriage of ten years ended because her husband Nick cheated on her with a friend. And because of her father who left his family. Jacob is an introvert and suffers from anxiety, which makes it very hard for him to be in social situation. I could especially relate to Jacob, I felt like I was reading about myself. I understood his feelings so well. And I love these two characters together.
 
“Yours Truly” made me laugh, Brianna is such a funny character. And it’s heartwarming, Jacob really stole my heart. When I read “Part of Your World” I said you should never settle for less than someone like Daniel, but the same goes for Jacob. For now, I don’t know which of the two is my favorite, but I do know that both books are favorites in general.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Title: The Wedding People
Author: Alison Espach
Genre: Fiction/ Contemporary/ Romance
Published: 2024
 
Description: It’s a beautiful day in New Port, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years. Only now she’s hit rock botting, determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every details and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe’s plan.
 
Review: In “The Wedding People” we follow Phoebe, a recently divorced woman, who hit rock bottom. She has always dreamed of staying at the Cornwall Inn, so she books a room there to have one last decadent splurge. What she doesn’t know yet, is that all the other guests in the hotel are part of a wedding. She meets Lila, the bride, who is having second thoughts.
 
The book has humor, an emotional journey and hope. The story starts on a very dark note, finding out that one of the characters is planning on killing themselves. But due to the people they meet, starts seeing the brighter side of life again.
 
The book is a bit too long-winded and the humor sometimes feels forced. Some parts, that are supposed to be for laughs, I didn’t find funny at all. There is one moment in the book, where a car is being ‘violated’ in a very obscure way. That just felt strange and out of place. I can’t believe they left that in the story.
 
I really liked Phoebe, she is a good character that I can see readers relate to. I didn’t, but she feels relatable. Lila, on the other hand, was a horrible character. I don’t understand how any on these characters wanted to be part of her life. She is only truly being herself with Phoebe, who she just met.
 
The book isn’t predictable, for the most parts. Some parts are clichéd, but I really liked the ending. Author Alison Espach could have easy gone the tradition romcom route here, but she didn’t fully do that. Especially regarding the characters of Lila, Gary and Phoebe.
 
“The Wedding People” is a mixed bag for me. Some parts I really liked, some I didn’t care for. It ended up being just fine for me, I don’t regret reading it, but I wouldn’t really have missed out of I never picked it up either.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Better Man

Director: Michael Gracey
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ musical
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno
 
Description: A singular profile of pop superstar Robbie Williams, chronicling his meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence
 
Review: Robbie Williams says he has always felt less developed than others. This feeling explains why he is portrayed by a chimpanzee in his biopic. Those around him do not see him as different, but the feeling of insecurity and not being able to keep up with his peers who are smarter, more attractive, and/ or more talented has always gnawed at him. The appearance of an ape seems like an artificial plot device, but it works wonderfully well.

Equally impressive is the achievement of covering the six-year period in which Williams was part of Take That without featuring a single original song by the five-piece band. The now fifty-year-old singer describes his time in the band with nuance and love. Williams looked up to the looks and skills of his fellow band members.

“Better Man” comes across as a completely honest portrait in which Williams does not deny himself or his background. Coming from a modest background, he is constantly seeking recognition. Not only from his fame-hungry, mostly absent father, but also from his audience. Take That, in which he played the role of bad boy, sprouted in the gay nightlife scene, but the fanbase was quickly expanded to teenage girls.

Directory Michael Gracey has directed many music videos, but is know to the general public for his feature film debut “The Greatest Showman”. This musical was full of spectacle. In his Robbie Williams biopic, however, he keeps the flamboyant circus within the bounds. The most spectacular scene in “Better Man” is a dance sequence in London’s busy Regent Street.

This showstopper marks the peak of the Take That era. Once Williams had tasted success, the world seemed to be at his feet. He begins a complex relationship with All Saints member Nicole Appleton, who gets to know Williams’ complex nature. He does not spare himself when addictions and self-destruction comes into play.

Gracey connects the stages of Williams’ life through a musical-like setting that further emphasizes the power and, above all, the beauty of his songs. The subject matter is presented from a single point of view, but because Williams not only talks about the good things and also focuses on the bad things, the tone is authentic. The bond with his father also remains a recurring theme. The scenes with Williams’ father seem a bit messy and fragmented. Verbal explosions full of reproaches alternate with moments that almost put his father on a pedestal.

Even if you’re not a fan of Robbie Williams, this biopic manages to impress and even move you.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Queer

Director: Luca Guadagnino
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 137 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Jason Schwartzmann, Colin Bates,
 
Description: In 1950s Mexico City, and American immigrant (Daniel Craig) in his late forties leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival of a young student (Drew Starkey) stirs the man into finally establish a meaningful connection with someone.
 
Review: William Lee, an American expat living in Mexico in the 1950s, spends most of his time in the Ship Ahoy bar, always on the lookout for a man he can take back to a hotel. He is always looking for the wrong men, until he sees Allerton. But when Lee approaches him, Allerton shows no interest, at first.
Luca Guadagnino shows us the romantic desire and longing, the search for the ideal complement to a lovely soul with his image that give us an insight about both characters and their journey from the start. A starting relationship that becomes somewhat toxic. Lee wants to be with Allerton all the time, but it’s fully not mutual.

Guadagnino made one of my favorite movies of all-time: “Call My By Your Name”. And the synopsis somehow felt similar. And while the film looks visually stunning and the acting is good, I did not look “Queer”.

Guadagnino want to provoke with “Queer”. Daniel Craig tries to make hist character Lee someone we feel sorry for because of his loneliness, but also feel rejection because of his addiction and self-destruction. There are many question about Lee, that we never get answers too. And I understand that a little mystery is good, but there are essential parts of his characters that we no nothing about. What brought Lee here? Why is he running away? What hurt him so much? Drew Starkey plays Allerton, the object of affection. But Allerton is a one-dimensional character. He doesn’t become more then the man Lee loves, but gets rejected by over and over again.

The way it was filmed is beautiful, but for the story and the execution of it I cannot say the same. The film was boring, it didn’t feel credible, a lot of abstract symbolism that felt out of place. “Queer” had so much potential and was promising, but just didn’t deliver. I did not enjoy it.  

Rating: 2/ 5

Book Review - Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

Title: Once There Were Wolves
Author: Charlotte McConaghy
Genre: Fiction/ Mystery
Published: 2021
 
Description: Inti Flynn arrives in the Scottish Highlands with fourteen grey wolves, a traumatized sister and fierce tenacity.
 
As a biologist, she knows the animals are the best hope for rewilding the ruined landscapes and she cares little for local opposition. As a sister, she hopes the remote project will offer her twin, Aggie, a chance to heal after the horrific events that drive them both out of Alaska.
 
But violence dogs their footsteps and one night Inti stumbles over the body of a farmer. Unable to accept that her wolves could be responsible, she makes a reckless decision to protect them. But if the wolves didn’t make the kill, then who did? And can she trust the man she is beginning to love when he becomes the main suspect?

Review: Australian biologist Inti Flynn and her twin sister Aggie travel to the Scottish Highlands as projects leaders of an international environmental project to rewild landscapes by introducing specially bred wolves, in order to rebuild a healthy ecosystem and save the devastated Highlands. The local populations, who live off agriculture and livestock farming, are not all that happy about the reintroduction of 14 wolves and are putting up fierce resistance. But it’s not only the wolves who have build a new life. Inti must also change and create a new life for herself. Due to her upbringing, broken childhood, and events involving her sister Aggie, Inti has lost her trust in people and has become withdrawn and closed off. As she observes the wolves and follow their actions to claim a place in the world, she slowly but surely notices that her high walls are beginning to crumble. And she becomes even more involved with the local community when one of the farmers is murdered and Inti, fearing that her wolves will be blamed, makes a far-reaching decision.
 
Charlotte McConaghy has written a very complex book with “Once There Were Wolves”. It is not just a story about an environmental project and nature conservation, a psychological novel about a troubled woman, or a murder mystery. Not is it just a love story. It is a combination of all these things. And it makes the story so fascinating. The story grabs you and doesn’t let go.
 
McConaghy has a clear, vivid, and lively writing style, with strong characters and interesting, in-depth storylines that slowly but surely intertwine and come together to form a strong plot. It never becomes sentimental or vague, despite the depth and emotion that come to surface. “Once There Were Wolves” remains mysterious, captivating and exciting. An absolute must-read and a new all-time favorite for me.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Ocean with David Attenborough

Director: Colin Butfield, Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: David Attenborough
 
Description: Attenborough explores the planet’s undersea habitats, revealing the greatest age of ocean discover and emphasizes the ocean’s vital importance while exposing its problems and highlighting opportunities for marine life recovery.
 
Review: Just before his 99^th birthday, Sir David Attenborough is releasing one of the most important films of his career. In the documentary “Ocean”, the world-famous documentary maker takes viewers on a journey to discover how the oceans play an important role in saving biodiversity.

With “Ocean” he wants to show that the ocean is humanity’s greatest ally in the fight against global warming. Which makes this a very important film. At almost 100 years being on this planet, Attenborough shows how the state of the oceans and our knowledge of how they function changed during his lifetime. Looking back on his dive in the Great Barrier Reef in 1957, which made him forget how to breath when he first saw it. Since then, life in the oceans has declined catastrophically.

The documentary discusses various causes that show who and how the damage to the oceans has been caused. For example, these are shocking images of a trawler, a commonly fishing method. Large, heavy chains scour the bottom of the ocean and damaging and killing everything that is drag along. A prefect example of how industrial fishing sucks the life our of the oceans.

According to Attenborough, the state of the ocean was so dramatic that he almost lost hope for the future of life on the planer. An important reason was the near extinction of whales. But when whaling was banned, whales came back. The ocean can recover faster than we ever thought possible.

Less then 3% of the ocean is protected and that should be a lot more. Because if we leave the ocean alone, it will restore, faster then you think. And we can have our beautiful oceans back.

“Ocean with David Attenborough” is a beautiful, yet heartbreaking documentary, brutally honest but also very hopeful. The people who will see this film, probably already know the problem and are trying to help. The people who really need to see it, also most likely don’t care. I believe this film should be showed in schools.

Rating: 4,5/ 5