Heyo! I'm back with another entry. This month has been very eventful as an ARMY, there has been a ton of festa events, Jin is back from the military and had a hugging event, and Jimin is releasing a new album, MUSE. We've had almost nonstop content.
But let's put all that aside, exams have started and in a month, I'll be done with my first year of uni. Isn't that insane? Now, I just need to go out with a bang and ace my exams, I hope I'll be able to stay focused and disciplined, a lot is riding on this.
Enough with the sentiments, time to get into the media of the month. For someone who was preparing for exams, I watched and read a lot so let's get into it.
MEDIA INTAKE
Movies 🍿
20TH CENTURY GIRL
This movie is a tear-jerker. I went into it half-blind, since it's a popular movie I already knew the ending but it was still amazing. It's about two high-school students with an ill-fated love story. The two meet when she is stalking this guy on behalf of her best friend. She enlists him to help her since he is the boy's best friend and things escalate from there on. It's a really fun watch until you get to the end anyway. 9/10.
THE WEEKEND AWAY
My favorite character from Gossip Girls is Blair played by Leighton Meester, so I decided to check out more of her movies with this one being her most recent. The weekend away is a thriller about a girls' trip gone wrong. When her best friend disappears on their vacation in Croatia, Kate tries to figure out what happened and find her as soon as possible. With every turn she takes, she discovers more and more unsettling things, leading her to the ultimate deception and betrayal. Amazing performance from Leighton, it was quite refreshing to see her in a new role, and confirmed to me that she's a versatile actress. 8/10 would recommend it if you're into mystery thrillers.
DERRY GIRLS
I saw an edit of Nicola Coughlan on Instagram that prompted me to watch this series, a very good decision on my part. Derry Girls follows five high-school students in a catholic girls' school, never mind that one of them is a boy, as they handle the comical situations that they get themselves into against the backdrop of political conflict. The show is funny and emotional and you can't help but get attached to Derry and the characters that inhabit the small town. 10/10 would recommend it if you like sitcoms.
BRIDGERTON
Season 2
I decided to watch season 2 of Bridgerton only because I wanted to watch s3. I did not like Anthony in s1 and he still is not my favorite after watching this season. That being said, he certainly found his match in Kate Sharma. The events that led to their marriage involving the heartbreak of Edwina Sharma, Kate's younger sister are quite unfortunate but perhaps that is the only way they could have ended up together. I do wonder though if the people of those days were as stubborn and foolish as this couple were. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable watch. 7/10 would recommend if you like cringy, slightly overhyped shows that include scenes of the man sniffing the air of the girl who just walked past.
Season 3
My expectations were high and while it didn't disappoint, it did not exceed it either. I do not understand the romance between Penelope and Colin, and I don't care much for it either. I do like how Penelope handled being Lady Whistledown and her eventual coming out as her true self to society. She truly is an icon, the only one who isn't a coward amongst the mouthy Bridgertons. I look forward to seeing more of her in the next season and the trials she will undoubtedly have now that her identity has been revealed. Will her paper still be taken seriously and will she be able to keep getting information by sticking to the walls? I hope to find out soon. 8/10 one of the best seasons so far.
QUEEN CHARLOTTE; A BRIDGERTON STORY
Unquestionably the best of the Bridgerton franchise, the story of Charlotte and George is an epic love story that thrives in the face of strange ailments and outside scrutiny to transform high society.
The story features our favorite characters such as young Lady Danbury, young Queen Charlotte, and more. 10/10 would recommend if you like to see love triumph over all.
HIERARCHY
This was marketed as a revenge drama but was wholly unsatisfying and I had to push myself to finish it. Revenge was not achieved, none of the love stories fully bloomed and then a stupid cliffhanger was put at the end to give off the vibe that it was a badass movie. It was not. After an unfortunate event involving the death(murder) of a scholarship student, Kang Ha enrolls in the most prestigious school to find out the truth of his brother's death but ends up falling in love with one of the rich girls (like an idiot). 5/10 would not recommend.
THE ROOMMATE
Leighton really had me in a chokehold so l watched another of her movies and was not disappointed. This is a horror drama that unfolds when Sara, a college freshman meets her new roommate, Rebecca, and is oblivious to Rebecca's obsessions. Things turn deadly when Rebecca begins to target people in Sara's life, wanting her all to herself. It is thrilling and gruesome, truly a worthwhile movie. 8/10 would recommend it if you like psychological thrillers.
Books 📚
BUTTER HONEY PIG BREAD by Francesca Ekwuyasi
An amazing story following Kambirinachi and her twin daughters. Kambi believes she is an ogbanje/abiku and often does strange things, while this affects her daughters, it is not the reason they become estranged in adulthood. The trauma that lingers between them threatens to pull them apart till they finally face each other and address the wounds of the past. This book provided an amazing reading experience and has you attached to each character in different ways. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars, a truly brilliant debut book from the author.
TOMORROW DIED YESTERDAY by Chimeka Garricks
Garricks is up there on the list of authors I truly admire and he has done it again with this book. I wish he had more books, but the few he has do wonders at tugging at your heartstrings.
This is an unpredictable story highlighting the violence and corruption brought upon by the discovery of oil in Nigeria. The four men linked by their childhood show a variety of traits, each with their flaws that make them human and not just mere characters on paper. I enjoyed this book immensely and it gave me an insight into the history of Nigeria which I have found myself increasingly curious about. I rate this book out of 5 stars, a must-read, especially for fellow Nigerians.
STAY WITH ME by Ayobami Adebayo
A heartbreaking story that tells both husband and wife's story of their marriage and the mistakes that threaten to tear it apart. Yejide and Akin have been married for years without a child but their love seems to persevere that is until Yejide is ambushed by Akin's new wife. This new development strains their marriage and leads to irreparable damage with consequences that might be too much for the couple. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The author is masterful in her writing and causes you to ache for the characters.
Well, I'm gonna go study now. I hope you enjoyed this entry, I don't know what July is going to look like due to my exams but I'll surely be back with something. Wishing you happiness and resilience, let's work hard. Bye, mwah!! 💋