Happy Halloween! Even though I’m not actually doing anything to celebrate. It’s just a normal Sunday for me.

Last month I was telling everyone to watch Dragonheart (which you still should, if you haven’t). This month I’m telling everyone to watch Sunshine (2007)! It was another rewatch, about 11 years since I’d last seen this one. It’s such a fantastic sort of sci-fi thriller. It absolutely does not get enough attention for how incredible a movie it is. It’s SO INTENSE. And it delves so well into what people will do, both good and bad, when they’re put into terrible situations. Set on a space ship, but no aliens or anything, just humans. Check it out if you get a chance. Trigger warning for suicide.

Sunshine is such an underrated movie. Intense. So intense. Emotional. Just the right amount of creepiness. Great story. Great acting.

Also, it's got Cillian Murphy and Chris Evans… in case that entices anyone to give it a try… https://t.co/0g9pYBfMUH

— Kit (Metaphors and Moonlight) (@KitTheNameless) October 9, 2021

Anyway!

I finished Red Embrace: Hollywood, a visual novel about vampires, and really enjoyed it. Most of the endings are very bittersweet, or sometimes just plain sad, but I respect that. I love how it explores some of the potential darker sides to vampirism/immortality with characters who are struggling. It has some really interesting, complex characters. I recommend it!

Blog/Bookish Updates:

Nothing.

Books I Received for Review:

I got Proper Scoundrels by Allie Therin and an audio copy of The Marvellous Light by Freya Marske from NetGalley and Revenge by Dani Hoots from BookSirens.

Books I Finished:

If you’re considering buying one of the books below from Amazon, I’d really appreciate if you’d use my affiliate link!

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell – A sweet m/m romance with super lovable characters! But also an intricate plot with a political mystery, set on another planet.

Boys of Alabama by Genevieve Hudson – A strange book, literary fiction(?), about a gay teen with the power to bring dead things to life moving to a small, religious town in Alabama. I enjoyed the strangeness and the sort of hazy feel of the writing.

Revenge by Dani Hoots – Queer sci-fi set on another planet. Unfortunately not for me. Just writing/plot/character annoyances that built up for me, but that’s subjective, so I wouldn’t discourage anyone from checking it out if it sounds good to you.

The Sol Majestic by Ferrett Steinmetz – This was a slow, calm kinda story, and quite strange. Some unique space-y world-building, some sweet, touching elements, and a m/m romance.

The King of Infinite Space by Lyndsay Faye – This one really grew on me the further into it I got. Also one of those books that I find myself still thinking about, so it left more of an impression than I first realized. A queer Hamlet retelling, but you don’t have to remember Hamlet (I certainly don’t). Although I wouldn’t exactly call this a romance, the description calls it “achingly romantic,” and I have to agree.

Ninety-Nine Righteous Men by K. M. Claude – This was a spontaneous reread, after I recommended it in my light horror Twitter thread and blog post. I enjoyed it even more this time, with all its darkness and all the pain and longing between the two characters. I probably won’t repost it, so here’s my updated review, in case anyone is interested.

Wolf Hall by Harper Fox – Another spontaneous reread (well, re-listen) because I got an Audible free trial, and this is one of the freebies you can borrow. Anyway, it’s a great short story with lovely writing and also a lovely werewolf.

Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson – This was a sweet m/m YA romance, and there’s something very fun about rival magicians, especially when some actual magic is involved in the story!

Unhappenings by Edward Aubry – This was an interesting time travel story, though it started to drag a bit for me after a while, and I got more and more confused by the time travel stuff.

In Case You Missed It:

– I reviewed Life of Melody by Mari Costa, a cute m/m fantasy graphic novel.
– I talked about a surprising similarity between vampirism and chronic illness.
– I reviewed Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, a wild book that sort of turned into murder mystery with space necromancers.
– I shared some gorgeous book covers featuring skeletons.
– I reviewed The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen, an absolutely ADORABLE m/m YA romance with an empath.
– I recommended some mildly creepy/spooky/horror-ish books, games, and movies for scaredy cats like me.
– I wrote some more supernatural creature poems!
– I reviewed Sable Dark by Al Hess, the second in a near-future sci-fi series with Art Deco subculture, sweet relationships, a sentient AI, and lots of queer rep.