Movie Review: The Electric State

February 23, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Electric State
Directed by: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Simon Stålenhag
Starring: Chris Pratt, Millie Bobby Brown, Woody Harrelson
Distributed by: Netflix
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure
Rating: 4 Stars (8 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Dicentra

An orphaned teen hits the road with a mysterious robot to find her long-lost brother, teaming up with a smuggler and his wisecracking sidekick.

I’ve always been a fan of Millie Bobby Brown’s work since she initially rose to fame as Eleven from Stranger Things, so getting to see her in another Netflix production where she teamed up with Chris Pratt and Woody Harrelson (among others) was a no brainer. Based on Simon Stalenag’s The Electric State book, Michelle (Brown) is an orphaned teen who refuses to buy into the mass technology usage that has swept across the world following a war between the robots and the humans. With robots being exiled into an ‘Exclusion Zone’ after losing the war, Michelle’s life is thrown into a chaos after a robot from her brother’s favorite cartoon shows up on her doorstep (claiming to know where her brother is). A cross country trek ensues, where they must fight off those from the mega corporation pursuing them as well as those tasked with the eradication of robots in human territory.

The cast of this movie is certainly stacked. Along with Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, and Woody Harrelson, there are some other major players like Giancarlo Esposito, Stanley Tucci, Ke Huy Quan and Anthony Mackie. It took me a second to recognize some of them as they are playing robots, and their voices were a little digitized at times but their mannerisms are definitely there (even in a metallic body). Admittedly, there were some moments where Chris Pratt’s character felt less like the rugged smuggler he was supposed to be and more like Starlord from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (see the music included in the movie), but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the film.

While the plot of the movie isn’t that original (it reads like a much more dystopian version of Ready Player One), the emotion is. Chris Pratt’s comedic timing showed through in the movie, and helped lighten some of the more tense moments. And the way that Michelle and the Cosmo robot were able to connect with very few words was particularly impactful. I started crying during the last scene between Michelle and her brother Christopher (Woody Norman), with Ke Huy Quan’s character PC looking on.

Overall, this was a great movie and I was very entertained. I’m not sure why critics viewed it so negatively. It’s available through Netflix, and I recommend it to sci-fi movie fans who also enjoyed movies like Ready Player One.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Movie Review, Television Show Tagged With: , , , , , ,

A Friend for Hope by Amie White

February 16, 2026 By Leave a Comment


A Friend for Hope by Amie White
Publisher: Noctilune Publishing
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Nine-year-old Zoe Meadows is the new kid in Ivy Creek. For homeschooled Zoe, every day starts the same: breakfast, then to the living room where Miss Ellis awaits. Only today, Zoe can’t focus—not when she notices neighborhood children playing outside, children she’s yet to meet. Watching all this unfold, Zoe’s parents decide it’s time for a companion—the furry kind, to be precise.

Everything changes when Zoe meets Hope at the dog shelter for the first time. The two girls form an inseparable bond over the following months and find in each other the one thing they both craved for a long, long time: a forever friend.

Loneliness isn’t forever.

Zoe was a sweet and kind protagonist. Many of the picture books I’ve reviewed have focused on more extroverted and sometimes noisy children for a variety of reasons, so it was refreshing for me as a reader to have someone leading the storyline who was a gentle and quiet soul. There’s something to be said for including all sorts of different personality types in fiction, after all!

I did find myself wishing that the plot had explained why Zoe didn’t seem to spend much time with people her own age since homeschooled children can still participate in all sorts of classes and extracurricular activities that will introduce them to potential friends. My first thought was that maybe she was immunocompromised or had some other serious health problem that made socializing in large groups unsafe for her. While I don’t know if this is what the author was intending to hint at, I would have loved to know more about her backstory and would have chosen a full five-star rating if the narrator had told us why adopting a dog was a better option for the main character than socializing with other children.

With that being said, I thought the adoption of Zoe’s new pet was a heartwarming chapter in her life. I especially appreciated the fact that Hope needed some time to warm up to the family after the stress of being abandoned and living at the noisy animal shelter for so long. This was a great reminder that how a new pet behaves at the shelter or at home for the first little while isn’t always the same as how they’ll act once they feel safe and loved.

A Friend for Hope was charming.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Candle in the Wind by Kim Baccellia

February 3, 2026 By 3 Comments


Candle in the Wind by Kim Baccellia
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

What if you discovered everything you’ve been taught is a lie? For most of her life, seventeen-year-old Espie Hernandez’s world revolved around the Branch of Thomas, a cult-like haven in what’s left of a war-ravaged America. Their ruler, Reverent Father, keeps them safe from the Others, those outside the compound who wish to harm them. Espie questions what she’s been taught and finds herself banished from the compound. She’s thrust into the harsh world beyond their walls with the mission to prove the Others actually have a plot against them. When tensions escalate, Espie must figure out who to trust before everything she loves is torn apart.

This book kept me enthralled from the first page. Espie and her sister have been raised to believe in the message of their Reverant Father and have been shielded from the Outsiders by their life in a secluded compound after a conflict that left their group fearful for their lives. There is a lot of fear built up in her over that outside world.

Once the questions start, though, so does the action. Espie starts to realize that the message she had heard her whole life is changing…and with those changes comes a disenchantment.

I admired Espie and the author did a good job in capturing the dichotomy in her feelings and emotions as more and more of the truth is revealed. This dichotomy leads to a powerful tension throughout the book as Espie tries to discover the truth.

And the action… it had me turning the pages as fast as I could read in an attempt to find out what happens. I was really caught up in the action. I could so see this on Netflix…maybe a bit expanded because the whole of the action seems to take place in just a few weeks.

I hope there’s a follow up book to this one. I enjoyed the ending but was left with so many questions that I hope will be answered. Thanks for the read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

The Door, The Key and the Kingdom by Emily-Jane Hills Orford

January 20, 2026 By 2 Comments



The Door, The Key and the Kingdom by Emily-Jane Hills Orford
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Fantasy
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Life is complicated enough when living in one era, but when Anne finds herself gravitating back in time to the sixth century, she’s not sure what to expect, or what to believe. Pulling the legendary Excalibur from its stoney sheath, she’s amazed at the power she possesses and the chance to make some things right for the post-Arthurian era.

This is a charming book…easy to follow and as I am a lover of all things Arthur and Merlin, I was really invested. It was fun seeing favorite characters from the legends and great seeing the new things the author did with the time.

It’s set first in the 21st century (I wish we had had more time to spend with her grandmother) and then during the 6th century after Arthur’s death and the fall of Camelot. The book touched on a lot of history during that time, and I loved how Anne fought to change the time and her people’s lives for the better. At times I was reminded of another old favorite, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.

I absolutely loved this book, but unfortunately due to a number of easily fixable typos I have to give it a four instead of a five. I realize this is the editor in me and they are things that might not bother the average reader, but I would be remiss not to mention them as they did detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Well done…I would love to read more about Anne and her adventures in her court.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Ruff Justice by Tara Choate

January 16, 2026 By 2 Comments


Ruff Justice by Tara Choate
A Canine Accounting Caper
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Irene Lisner was not expecting a request to mediate her sister’s marriage. Or to drop her own list of cases to help a coworker. Or a new dog to come into her life. Or a date. A talented principal and a rigid business manager have squared off over accusations of false enrollment, improper purchasing, and state curriculum violations. As Irene investigates the charges, she finds hidden agendas and ulterior motives that make her wonder if she can restore justice to the hardworking school. And, of course, Irene’s irrepressible best friend has something to say on everything, especially the new dog.

There are many different ways to learn the same lesson.

My review of the first book in this series, Paw Prints in the Ledger, mentioned a few pacing problems I noticed with the storyline. While of course I can’t say for sure whether or not Ms. Choate took that into account while writing the sequel, I was quite pleased with the pacing this time around. Irene steadily discovered new clues about what was truly going on, and there was never a good stopping point when I needed to take a break from reading. That reluctant feeling of tearing my eyes away from the page is something I love to experience as it means that there will be even more wonderful passages to read once I can return to the plot!

It would have been helpful to have a little more time dedicated to developing the mystery elements of this tale, especially when it came to the conclusion. I was a bit surprised by how quickly things were wrapped up given how complicated they seemed earlier on and how many of the early clues either didn’t pan out or could be interpreted in more than one way. This was the only thing holding me back from selecting a full five-star rating.

The subplots were well written and added depth to Irene’s character and life. One of my personal favorites involved a romantic arc that I thought blended in beautifully with the protagonist’s already busy life. It was something I’d love to see more of if or when this series continues as it did such a nice job of showcasing the softer side of a character who must always remain professional and practical at work.

Ruff Justice was thought provoking.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The New World by Shirley Bigelow Dekelver

January 14, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The New World by Shirley Bigelow Dekelver
Climate of Fire, Book Three
Publisher: BWL Publishing Inc.
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It is 2047, two years since Vancouver was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami. Taylor West, Carlie Fleming, and Mai-Li Wong, and two children, Eddie Coleman, and Debbie Ross, fear retaliation from Willie Arbuckle who they banned from their group for stealing food and threatening Carlie. They leave their winter sanctuary and continue their journey to the Interior and arrive at Blackfoot and are welcomed by the Chinese and the Similkameen Band.

Chief Pete Johnson and Mai-Li, now ruler of the Chinese, tell Carlie she must exonerate Willie, as there’s no room in Blackfoot for resentment and malevolence. Taylor tells Carlie he loves her, but before they can be together, she must confront Willie. Without informing her, he leaves with Pete on an expedition. Unable to forgive Willie, Carlie is banned from Blackfoot. She returns to the cabin and Lance, Pete’s grandson, goes with her. He talks about the culture and traditions of the Similkameen people and confesses he has feelings for her.

Taylor and Pete arrive at the cabin; Lance must return to Blackfoot to undertake leadership of the Band. Carlie refuses to return and is left on her own. She discovers an interest in wildfires and while exploring one day, is captured by Lars, a violent man from Taylor’s past who has a grudge against him. She escapes and is injured when she falls from an embankment. Will help arrive in time, will she find the strength to absolve Willie, and find peace and contentment with the man she loves?

Letting go of the old ways is the only way to survive.

The foreshadowing was handled nicely. While Carlie continued to make some decisions that she really should have thought twice about given everything that had already happened to her, I liked the way Ms. Bigelow Dekelver used those lapses in judgement to push the storyline forward. Everyone makes mistakes, after all, and there is something to be said for seeing what happens when someone had advanced warning that certain choices aren’t the best ones but insists on taking that route anyway.

Just as I mentioned in my review of the second instalment, Treachery, I once again found myself wishing that the romantic subplot had either been given more space to grow or left out of the tale entirely. I was happy to see a little more attention paid to it this time around, but it still didn’t have enough development for this reader’s tastes. This was especially true due to how many other conflicts Carlie was juggling simultaneously. She had such limited free time even before romance came into play. Of course I wanted her to find true love and live happily ever after, but at this point in her life she didn’t seem to have much energy to devote to a longterm relationship.

One of the things I’ve consistently appreciated about this series is how much effort it puts into describing what life would be like if society as we knew it disappeared. That is to say, Carlie and every other survivor had to adapt to a world where there were no stores left to buy essential things like medicine, food, or clothing. The social safety net that still existed in this universe relied upon small groups of people taking care of each other and sharing what little they had which meant that something as ordinary as falling off of a horse could have much more serious consequences than it would in the before times when doctors and hospitals still existed.

This is the third book in the Climate of Fire series that should be read in chronological order for plot and character development reasons.

The New World made me hope that we’ll someday have a fourth instalment!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Death Rocks by LJ Ross

January 13, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Death Rocks by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A COINCIDENCE…

When the body of a talented photographer is found on the rocks beneath the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, DCI Ryan and his team of detectives immediately suspect the worst. But, since none of their potential suspects seems to have a motive, the case runs cold.

Then, when another body is found dead on a lonely stretch of road near Hadrian’s Wall and their only suspect has an airtight alibi, the team are faced with another crime without a perpetrator.

With the number of unexplained deaths in the area increasing rapidly and only a series of coincidences to work from, Ryan and his team must find the invisible link between them to crack the case—before it’s too late.

Can Ryan solve his most dangerous case yet?

DCI Ryan and his team are called into what could be a suspicious death – but equally might just be a tragic accident – on Death Rocks. With no clear motive and no real suspects, the case quickly goes cold on the team. But when another potentially suspicious but possibly accidental death turns up DCI Ryan and his team know something just be going on – but can they work out what it is?

I’ve been enjoying this long running series and found this book to be an interesting and strongly written addition. While the team has been together for years and have a great cohesion to them, I feel that there’s enough progress – and a new team member joining the group – that this would be a perfect book to introduce oneself to the series.

I also felt the murder mystery was a delightful breath of fresh air. With no clear motive or suspects – and even a question over whether this is actually murder at all – I found the police procedural aspect to the book really well written, and it also felt fresh and interesting to me.

There is some friction between some of the team initially, and while I feel bad for Jack, sometimes I also feel he can be a real idiot. I was pleased, though, this tension and conflict was resolved fairly quickly but also realistically. Readers should be aware that this book has quite a twist and a character death at the end. Plus, while a lot of the plot is wrapped up there isn’t a complete conclusion of everything – a few aspects are left for resolution hopefully in the next book.

Readers who enjoy a well-paced and excellently written British police procedural should find this is a very good book – and possibly the opening to a whole new series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet

January 6, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

I’ve read the book Little Women more times that I’d like to admit. I know these characters. Katie Bernet does an admirable job in bringing the March sisters into the twenty-first century. The writing is fast-paced and kept me involved with the story. I needed to know what would happen and how it happened. I wasn’t able to figure out the ending, which is great. I like to be kept guessing.

The reader is introduced to the March sister, Amy, Jo, Meg and the perished Beth. Each girl’s personality shines through and they have been written in a thoroughly modern way. I liked the updates. That said, some who haven’t read the original book might not get the references to the Louisa May Alcott original, might get a little lost in the sauce. If one knows the source material, then this is a fun, twisted retelling. If one doesn’t, it can be a little confusing. There are a lot of characters to keep straight, which might be a challenge for some readers. While many readers may not mind the present first person telling of the story, it took me out just a bit. None of this is to say this isn’t a good book. It is.

If you’re looking for a novel with characters that seem familiar (or if you’ve read the original, are familiar) with plot twists you won’t see coming, then this is the book for you. This book kept me guessing. I suggest you find a copy and get to reading!

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

MOVIE REVIEW: Twelve Dates ‘Til Christmas by Directed by Emer Conroy, Megan K. Fox

January 5, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Twelve Dates ‘Til Christmas by Directed by Emer Conroy, Megan K. Fox
Writers: Jenni Bayliss, Erin Rodman, Davah Avena, Zac Hug, Lynn Sternberger
Starring: Mae Whitman, Julian Morris, Toby Sandeman
Distributed by: Hallmark Studios
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars (8 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Dicentra

Kate, a textile pattern designer, cares for her separated father Mac in Blexford, England. Laura introduces her to The 12 Dates of Christmas, a matchmaking program that rekindles her life and leads her to new adventures.

Twelve Dates ‘Til Christmas, the new Hallmark mini series starring Mae Whitman, Julian Morris, and Toby Sandeman, was a chaotic yet fun movie for rom-com fans approaching the Christmas holidays. An entirely different format than Hallmark’s more stereotypical films, I enjoyed the novelty of the format as well as the relationships that are carried through multiple episodes.

Kate’s (Mae Whitman) a textile designer who hasn’t gone on a date in a while and spends her time taking care of her father. Wanting her friend to be less lonely and find some magic in the season, Laura (Lucy Eaton) signs Kate up for the “Twelve Dates of Christmas”. Lots of shenanigans ensue, from Christmas rage rooms, escape rooms, and even coordinating crazy hats. The organizer of the event, Drew (Eimear Morissey), was quite fun and did an excellent job in her role as “Christmas cupid”.

While some of the date partners were not particularly memorable (as one might expect from a show that is set to feature 12 dates), I appreciated how they helped move Kate towards her happily ever after. Said happily ever after is definitely predictable, but it makes it no less heartwarming. Don’t want to say too much about Richard (Tobey Sandeman) and Callum’s (Julian Morris) characters, as that very much spoils how things end up. While Kate’s relationships are the focus, it was also nice to see so many other characters in the mini series get their happily ever after too. The storyline between Kate’s dad Mac (Nathaniel Parker) and Evelyn (Jane Seymour) was quite funny, and to see Delilah (Mary McDonnell) running around and meddling towards the end of things was both entertaining and cringe-inducing (I felt for Mac during the book club scene). Make sure you catch the Independence Day actor reunion though!

Overall, this was a great mini-series and I’m so glad I took the time to watch it. Highly recommend this series to those who enjoy rom-coms with guaranteed happily ever afters and large ensemble casts of actors. As a note for book lovers, this is based on the novel of the same name by Jenny Bayliss.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Movie Review, Television Show Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Go See America – 118 of the USA’s Greatest Hits (According to a Guy Who Visited Them All) by Matt Tory

December 31, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Go See America – 118 of the USA’s Greatest Hits (According to a Guy Who Visited Them All) by Matt Tory
Publisher: good.clean.fun.
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Want to explore America’s most wonderful, wild, and delightfully weird places — without nodding off halfway through a guidebook?
This is not your average travel book.

In Go See America, Matt Tory takes you on a humorous, heartfelt tour of 118 unforgettable places across the USA — according to a guy who went to them all. It’s part guidebook, part road trip diary, and entirely a celebration of what makes America… well, America.

Whether you love adventure, history, scenic views, or just a good laugh, Go See America isn’t just another bucket list: it’s an invitation to rediscover and fall in love with the country you thought you already knew – one memorable stop at a time.

Inside, you’ll find:
National parks, quirky attractions, scenic drives, and small-town surprises
A mix of must-see wonders and overlooked gems across the country
A not-too-serious guide that feels more like exploring alongside a good friend
Photos of every location
Insider tips and personal stories that both celebrate and lovingly roast America’s greatest hits
It’s the perfect blend of inspiration and levity – whether you’re planning your next trip or just dreaming from the couch. Go See America isn’t about checking off boxes; it’s about embracing the wonder, charm, and occasional absurdity of this big, bizarre, beautiful country.

Get inspired. Get going. Go See America.

Everyone deserves a memorable vacation.

Mr. Tory had a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that I thought paired well with his experiences visiting so many different portions of the United States. It was especially interesting to hear his thoughts on the destinations he included that tend to be more well-known among tourists and, in a few cases, might even be described as tourist traps. As someone whose travel tastes seem to overlap his quite a bit, it was amusing to read between the lines there about both the benefits and drawbacks of visiting those places.

I must admit to wishing that this had included more museums and notable historical places. There were some examples of this, especially later on as the author moved closer to the east coast, but I thought there was room here to talk about even more fantastic places that fit these descriptions as I know there many of them in the United States. Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to get a sequel to this guide someday that dives even deeper into the history of and various cultures that make up this country.

Other than that, I appreciated the fact that these 118 recommendations spanned such a wide range of options. Everything from restaurants to glaciers to hiking trails were included which meant that this book can be used by people from all age groups and levels of fitness. Obviously, more research would be needed in some cases to figure out accessibility for readers who, for example, use a wheelchair, have a guide dog, or have other special needs, but this seemed like it was a great starting space to compiling a list of exciting spots to visit that would fit all sorts of different types of folks.

Go See America – 118 of the USA’s Greatest Hits (According to a Guy Who Visited Them All) was delightful and made me want to plan a road trip.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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