Author: atthequillsmercy

atthequillsmercy

WIP Wednesday: Healing Time

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My son’s surgery was on Monday. We were there about 10am and didn’t get home till 7:30. He did amazing. I am handling taking care of the drains and making sure the pain is at a manageable level. I can’t believe how brave this kid is. I dunno if I could have done all this…

Needless to say, I have not been writing much. I am working through some ARCs, but I don’t think I’ve stopped being scared for him since Monday morning. If he doesn’t text me back, my brain spins with the worst-case scenarios, and I have to lay eyes on him and hear his voice to make sure he’s ok. I don’t even want to go on the treadmill or leave the house for more than 10 minutes.

It’s only been a couple of days, and he’s already moving around better and eating more than broth and crackers. I still might take another week off work to make sure he’s able to get around and do things on his own if I’m gone all day.

As he gets more mobile, I’ll be able to get lost in the worlds I’ve created again.

 

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atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Soft Targets: Guns in America and the Kids Caught in the Crossfire” by Camila Kerwin

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

In this combination of reporting, personal stories, and research, this graphic novel explores the lives of four kids killed by gun violence and the role of guns in American culture.

While sad because these are real lives lost, this is a well researched and respectful look into America’s love affair with guns. If you’re interested in a very digestible and personal look into this topic, this is a great way to get into it without being overwhelmed, hyperbolic, or exploitative. Camila is so respectful to the families and even handed with this book. 5 out of 5.

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atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “The Twilight Zone: Stories from the Fifth Dimension” by Dan Watters, Morgan Beem, Tom Scioli, James Stokoe & Nate Powell

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

This anthology is a collection of 5 stories:

  • Blanks: Billionare Edward Kane is dying and uses his money to find a way to be immortal
  • World of Your Wildest Dreams: Arlo Chapel is an officer on a ship looking for alien life
  • The Relic: A warlord captures a village that worships a mysterious god
  • False Bottom: A family goes to a cabin for the weekend and find a mysterious pit
  • Silent Warning: A meteor lands in the ocean and acoustics expert Dr Emily Sorensen is called to investigate

These stories are ok. The weakest story is the second one, the last feels kinda dated – a bunch of men not listening to a woman scientist – but overall, this all has the tone of The Twilight Zone, even if it can be predictable. But, I just don’t feel that sinking feeling in my chest that I’d hoped for. You know, that sense of dread that follows you even after your done reading? That. 3 out of 5.

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atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Mao” Vol. 25, by Rumiko Takahashi

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

The Bronze Mirror is causing havoc and when Mao and Nanoka go to fix it, Shiranui comes to claim the cursed item for the Goku Clan. When Daigo appears to aid in an assault against Shiranui, his motives are uncertain.

Off topic, the name Shiranui unlocked a core memory of wearing out this VHS as a teen. I think I still have it somewhere…

None of this went how I thought it would and that’s what I love about it. Even the supposed villain of the week stories are woven in to the larger story about the Goku Clan, Byokki, and all the interpersonal things going in. And it’s done in a way that I’m not confused about all the intrigue. It may sound silly at 25 volumes deep but I am SO invested in this story! 5 out of 5.

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atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “A Star Brighter than the Sun” Vol. 7, by Kazune Kawahara

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Sae and Kamishiro are headed into winter break and rumors of how other couples will be spending their time makes Sae wonder what the next step in their relationship will be.

It’s silly to see them fumble around. And in the “aww, you young people” type of silly. They’re almost too wholesome, so we have Sui trying to confess to Ayukawa to provide some conflict. It’s all still pretty low stakes and the characters are mostly levelheaded for teenagers. 3 out of 5 because it’s cute, but not doing anything new.

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atthequillsmercy

Finally Watched It – Comparison Edition: Girl From Nowhere, Girl From Nowhere: Reset

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Let’s get this out of the way right now. I was already biased against the reset since I loved the original so fucking much. Whenever someone says, “I wonder what to watch?” this is the show I mention. Girl From Nowhere is clever, darkly funny, creative, and ruthlessly entertaining. There are rumors that the original actress, Chicha, stopped due to health reasons. That’s why they did the reset.

The reset doesn’t work. Bless her, Becky is doing her best, but the writing is GARBAGE. Fuck, it’s straight up creepy sometimes. For example, episode 4: “OnlyNanno” is about basically dueling camgirls. One of them calls herself “MyBodyMyChoice” and while I thought that was about as subtle as a brick to the face, I thought it was going to be an interesting commentary about how sex work can be touted as empowering. Yes, you are doing what you want with your body, but you’re also at the mercy of your ravenous audience asking for more extreme things. But uh… No. Nanno just shows she’s willing to do whatever shit the guys want, so she gets all the attention, which backfires in a bloody fashion. And these aren’t college kids; they’re in high school. I don’t get that bit of dread/satisfaction I would get from the original series. I just feel gross, like I’ve been put on a watchlist.

I know they’re doing a Japanese version, and I hope it’s good. There’s something so special about the original series that is not only absent from the reset, but it seems to miss the entire point. It keeps setting up an interesting idea only to either get too pervy for my liking or take a flying leap over the point. And I feel bad saying this because I can tell everyone is really trying. Well… Everyone but the writer’s room, perhaps? I sincerely hope it gets better…

 

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atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Fool Night” Vol. 10, by Kasumi Yasuda

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

While Ai, the leader of Paupertown makes her move, Hourai is at the Seien-Ji temple to find out why a transfloration graft has failed.

I’m not surprised religion would get entwined with the transfloration process. While I found this mystery plot interesting, it wasn’t enough for me to really get into it. It felt disconnected from everything else going on. Unless this will all factor in down the line? If so, what would justify how long we spent here; especially the reason why the graft was rejected. This was very interesting but the Ivy arc was still my favorite. 3 out of 5.

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atthequillsmercy

It’s happening!

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No WIP Wednesday today. My son has his top surgery next week and we are running around getting things ready!

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Taika’s Reason” Vol. 2, by Paru Itagaki

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Taika is enjoying typical high school things; playing with the basketball team, enjoying the sports festival, and befriending a humanized cat named Anna. But Anna is not to be trusted, willing to manipulate Taika to her own ends.

It’s kind if spoilery of me to say that crows get such a bad rep. They’re cool! It’s the seagulls that are assholes…

Even though we’re suspecting Taika of murder, in this volume he’s just the goodest boi; learning to navigate the world after being humanized. While we have that mystery in the background, I’d be fine just watching him slice of life style. He’s just fun! But this comic does make sure to have bloody violence to remind the reader that this ain’t just fun and games. 3.7 out of 5.

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atthequillsmercy

Workout Dump: Busy, busy!!

This isn’t all my workouts since I’m in the process of getting things ready for my son’s surgery. It was very sudden; someone apparently cancelled, and they offered him the spot! I am very nervous and excited for him. I know he’s been waiting for this for years, and it means a lot of preparation for the post-surgery recovery and running around to pre-surgery appointments. I’m still doing the desk peddler whenever I can, and I’m counting moving furniture as a workout.

Those pickled red onions are still a fun addition, but now, they’re joined by some garlic scape chimichuri. I had some pork chops to throw in the air fryer, which was a great dinner. I usually end up with a dry, inedible mess when I try to make pork chops. I dunno how my Gramma did it… Either way, it was a success. I didn’t want to use heavy sauce and didn’t want to waste garlic scapes, that’s where the chimichuri came in. It has a kick to it (it’s garlic scapes, yellow onion, and garlic in olive oil and red wine vinegar). Whatever I’m doing is working because I am down to 206! I honestly don’t think it’s the food. I think it’s getting back into being active.

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