#31 - They're Defrosting Mariah Carey As We Speak
AKA "you gotta keep your head up, whoa-oh"
PROLOGUE
Happy “All I Want For Christmas Is You” Season to all who celebrate! Technically, I start listening to Christmas playlists as early as July, but November for me is the start of snowy season and all the holidays (Christmas, Solstice, Kwanza, Hanukkah) this entails. I know we’re all beyond anxious about tomorrow (i.e. Election Day in the United States), so I hope this newsletter brings you some light and comfort going into the rest of the week. There’s a picture of my cat in it again!
Reading has been a tall order for me, but I finally finished Phantasma by Kaylie Smith, my agent sibling, and it was so fun and Gothic and steamy and sensational. It’s no wonder Kay has been on the USA Today Bestsellers list since the book came out—though, in my opinion, you should also check out her YA debut, A Ruinous Fate, and anything she writes ever.
I’m about to watch Arcane (I watched the first two episodes, then had to tap out due to a lack of an attempted suicide warning) and call it book research (*vague*), so look forward to my lukewarm takes on that on my Twitter. And, finally, between all of the Christmas music, I’ve got Halsey’s new album, The Great Pretender, on loop. Talk about music to cry through autumn to.
CHAPTER 1: THIS WAS THE YEAR I FINALLY SAW HOCUS POCUS
It’s been a running joke on my social media that as soon as September hits I start wondering if I’ll finally sit down and watch classic Halloween movie Hocus Pocus. It’s one of the ones I missed growing up, but it still seemed incredibly my shit—and yet every day we would reach November and I hadn’t watched the movie. This year, readers, I finally did it, thanks to my friend Brit who was staying with me and appalled I had yet to watch the movie. And I LOVED IT.
I loved the Sanderson Sisters. I loved Thackery Binx. I loved Thackery’s love for his sister, Emily, and I loved the relationship between Max and his sister Dani. I loved the “I Put a Spell on You” number and Billy Butcherson and the sheer, joyful cheesiness of the film. Max’s teenage Cool Boy cynicism being so strongly countered by Dani and Allison’s belief and respect for the town lore, and how Thackery taught him that you should love the people you love, loudly and unironically, while you still have them?
This movie was literally made for me and my view of the world.
I wouldn’t call myself an optimist; the world we live in is way too fucked up for that. But because the world is so fucked up, I’ve grown into a person who loves to enjoy things. Without irony or cynicism, I love as hard as I can—and things don’t have to be “good” in quality for me to love them. If they brought me some measure of joy in a dark world, I’ll love them and love them loudly and there will be nothing meta about it.
(Note: Obviously, I am not applying this to things with problematic aspects or creators that would financially benefit from an outpouring or support.)
As we inch toward the end of the year and I look back at the things and people who made me smile this year, I guess I just want to ask that you do what you can to put a little more love in the world. Whether that’s informing yourself of the issues as you go out and vote tomorrow, donating to the causes that matter to you and do good work on the ground for the people most in need, or raising awareness so that people with the means can donate too, please love yourself, love each other, and love this madcap world we live in.
CHAPTER 2: THE REC ROOM
Welcome to the Rec Room, the section of my newsletter that I use to highlight books coming out each month I’m really excited about. For November, we have…
STRANGER SKIES by Pascale Lacelle
Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this riveting sequel to the New York Times-bestselling dark academia fantasy Curious Tides, following Emory, Baz, Romie, and Kai on their desperate quests through space and time.
HEART-SHAPED LIES by Elizabeth Agyemang
John Tucker Must Die meets A Good Girl's Guide to Murder in this tongue-in-cheek mystery about three feuding exes of a social media prank star who are forced to work together to uncover the truth behind his death when his deactivated account resurfaces online with claims that one of them murdered him.
THE LOTUS EMPIRE by Tasha Suri
This sweeping epic fantasy brings the acclaimed Burning Kingdoms trilogy to a heart-stopping close, as an ancient magic returns to Ahiranya and threatens its very foundations, Empress Malini and priestess Priya will stop at nothing to save their kingdoms—even if it means they must destroy each other.
CHAPTER 3: LOOK AT MY CAT!!!
Sora has been adjusting so well to her new home in Seattle. For a while, she was sleeping on the couch instead of in bed with me, but now she’s back where she belongs and looking so cute while she does it.
EPILOGUE
Thank you for subscribing and/or for sticking around! I hope you like rambles, shenanigans, and nonsense, because that’s truly all this is. Happiness isn’t a choice (stupid brain chemicals!), but you do have the choice, every day, to do one small thing to make yourself smile. And I hope you make that choice.
