July Hiatus

 

I wanted to drop by the blog for a minute and mention my break. I'll largely be absent this month (except for a review that's scheduled to go up later in July). 

Music Monday (319): Emotional Oranges & Jaehyun, Chapel Hart, Tetrarch

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: I recently came across this music duo called Emotional Oranges. One of my favorite songs (from their 2025 album, Orenjii) is Call it Off featuring Jaehyun.

Adri: I'm still enjoying Tetrarch's Ugly Side of Me; so for today, my pick is Headspace.

Andrea: Hi all, this week I'm listening to If You Ain't Wearin' Boots by Chapel Hart. Have an Amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

Short Stories I Read In May

It’s the twenty-ninth of June. So it’s time to write about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in May.

Yarn Theory by Marie Vibbert (Clarkesworld Magazine; Issue 224—May 2025)

I started the month with Yarn Theory by Marie Vibbert. This was a story about math, first contact, and knitting. At first glance, it seemed like a random assortment of things tossed together, but Vibbert’s story is quiet but interesting —and spent a good chunk of it with the character’s internal monologue. And I found the solution (the decoding/translation) of the alien message a fun take on first contact. I almost wish it had been longer than it was, just because I liked it so much.

Commonplace by Naomi Novik (Buried Deep and Other Stories)

Then I moved on to Buried Deep and Other Stories. This one was called Commonplace, Novik’s take on Irene Adler, a character from Sherlock Holmes. The story takes place when news of the famous detective’s apparent death has reached Irene Adler, and basically follows her complicated emotions and subsequent actions in response to what happened, during a period of her life that I would describe as relatively quiet. While not my favorite story of the collection, Commonplace was still pretty good, and I mostly appreciated it for Novik’s choice to center the narrative on Adler instead of any other character from the Sherlock Holmes canon.

Seven by Naomi Novik (Buried Deep and Other Stories)

I also read a second story from Buried Deep and Other Stories in May. This one was called: Seven. The beginning read like a love letter to a fictional city, explaining part of its history, as well as where, like the place, the story took its name. But, it was mostly about pottery/ceramics; the process of creation, the cost/toll of art, the way a master’s work can influence those who come after them—or someone could (or at least wanted to) carve their own path. I like stories about art. And I like stories that are about artists. And Seven is a little bit of both, with its focus, Kath, even if the story is largely told from Grovin’s perspective. Kath was one of my favorite parts of this one, and I liked how she happened into “clay-shaping” in the wake of a drastic change in not only her life but for her children as well. And though the story was from Grovin’s perspective, it was about Kath in the end, how her artistry and reluctant participation in the city’s longstanding tradition of statue making—with a particular and dangerous clay— disrupted his assumptions and forced him to change his ways (or at least to view the situation from someone else’s perspective). Seven was a great story.

What I've Been Watching (May 2025)

May was a month where I spent most of my viewing time rewatching some of my favorite movies.

Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal

These are two movies I often associate with each other. Not just because they feature puppetry work by The Jim Henson Company, but also because I typically watch them back-to-back whenever I see them on—which has recently been on Roku’s free channels (since that’s the TV I have). Labyrinth is a coming of age narrative, while The Dark Crystal lands more in the chosen one territory with a story centered on resisting and undertaking a quest to reclaim a dying land before it’s too late. I love these movies equally.

Jaws

Jaws is still one of my all-time favorite man vs creature films. It’s a classic, and the cinematography and acting are part of what makes the movie so memorable. I’ve seen it a handful of times, and even during my latest viewing, I found myself dissecting certain scenes (and admiring the way it was shot).

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

This movie has a special place in my heart. For starters, it’s fun and kind of silly. But, because of how much I liked it, it ended up being the whole reason why I read the book and most of the sequels. Also, the opening musical number is still, to this day, incredibly catchy.

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

After reading the novel, I was itching to rewatch the 2005 movie adaptation. I have a new appreciation for this film. It does cut out some of the scenes from the book, which is often true for most adaptations. However, it captures the essence of the book—like the tone, time and place, as well as the personalities of the characters.

Contact (1997)

Whenever first-contact stories are mentioned, I usually think of two films: E.T., and Contact. After a number of years, I finally watched this movie again last month, and it holds up pretty well. I like this one, generally, for the characters and its approach to tried and true staples of the genre, while putting a spin on it. And, like Jaws, I also appreciated Contact for the style of its filming.

 

So, that was just about all the movies that kept me entertained in May. What have you been watching lately?

What I've Been Listening To (May 2025)

I listened to so much good music in May, not to mention how three of my most anticipated albums/EPs for the second quarter of the year were released after long waits. So, with that, welcome back to the music minded corner of Our Thoughts Precisely.

The first of my anticipated May releases was Kilo Kish’s new EP, Negotiations. The singles were a complete vibe, and I enjoyed the overall style of the visuals—which were this tired office aesthetic. And the rest of the EP lived up to my expectations. It continued with the moody pop and electronic infusion featured on the singles.

Then the second of my most anticipated May releases was Pink Pantheress’ newest release. There are some mixtapes that just feel like albums (like FKA Twigs’ Capri Songs), and that’s pretty much how I view Fancy That. It was a whole lot of fun to engage with. I also wasn’t very familiar with UK Garage before this, but now I want to delve more into that genre.

And finally, there was Lethal. I loved it so much. It was everything I like about Rico Nasty’s past discography but from a slightly different angle. Lethal was a combination of rap and punk rock, and Rico Nasty leans into what she does best here. It just works.

Emotional Oranges is one of the duos I checked out last month, with their album Orenjii. It was solid R&B with influences that called backed to music from the 90s and early 2000s (which is kind of a trend lately)—and if you’ve listened to any of it, some of the songs here might feel familiar (such as That Girl). But, the album had plenty to offer, because its influences weren’t the sum total of what it was. Instead, it used its references effectively, and delivered an album firmly grounded in the group’s style. It was fun.

And last but not least, one of the most unexpected (and surprising) finds from last month was Better Dreaming by Tune-Yards. The duo is new to me, and their new album came up under my recommendations. Some bodies of work are what I would describe as smooth, and Better Dreaming fits that bill perfectly with its indie alternative sound. This was very easy to listen to.

Singles that made it to my playlist: Cali by Clea, No Holding Back by Joya Mooi featuring Joeyturks, The Only Love We Know by Naomi Sharon, Messed Up Ways by Abi Ocia, Toes in the Grass by Adanna Duru, Rozzelle Court by TheBabeGabe and The Human, Spend It by Cydnee with a C, Maybe by HIHEME featuring Yourz, and three songs by Ambar Lucid (Stranger Dressed In White, 6am, and I Feel Everything).

Music Monday (318): Clea, Original Broadway Cast of Boop! The Musical, Shaboozey, Jelly Roll, Chapel Hart

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: I really like this song by Clea, who is new to me. Check out Cali!

Adri: I've been listening to Boop! The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) since it released. I haven't seen the show but it sounds like it's up my alley. So my picks for today are A Little Versatility and Where I Wanna Be by Jasmine Amy Rogers, David Foster, and Original Broadway Cast of Boop! The Musical.

Andrea: Hi all, this week I'm listening to Amen by Shaboozey and Jelly Roll, and Perfect For Me by Chapel Hart. Have an Amazing eek!

What are you listening to this week?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Title: Pride and Prejudice
Series: n/a
Author: Jane Austen
Source/Format: Purchased; Paperback
More Details: Classics
Publisher/Publication Date: Originally published

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Spirited Elizabeth Bennet is one of a family of five daughters, and with no male heir, the Bennet estate must someday pass to their priggish cousin William Collins. Therefore, the girls must marry well—and thus is launched the story of Elizabeth and the arrogant bachelor Mr. Darcy, in a novel renowned as the epitome of romance and wit. Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen’s masterwork, an entertaining portrait of matrimonial rites and rivalries, timeless in its hilarity and its honesty.

Although I have no formal goals for this year (as far as the blog is concerned), the backlist and classic titles that I’ve wanted to read for years, have been on my mind lately. So far, I’ve read The Shinning, and now I can cross Jane Austen’s classic, Pride and Prejudice, off my TBR list as well.

I knew of the basics premise of the story, thanks to having seen various adaptations of it (that was years ago, but I’m hoping to rewatch the 2005 one soon), but as is true for most adaptations there was bound to be differences. And I find there is usually value with going back to the source material. All that to say: Pride and Prejudice was a delight to read. Darcy and Elizabeth both, at times, let their preconceived notions, bad impressions, and assumptions about the other guide their actions into misunderstandings. Bingley and Jane had a story of similar circumstances, but from the beginning they had a better impression of each other and were slightly more open about their intentions, but their side of the novel wasn’t without conflict. After all, the relationships and potential marriages—the complicated interpersonal ties between the characters—are what propel the story forward and was a standout when it came to why I found Pride and Prejudice so entertaining.

The story was further supported by a cast of minor characters as well, which made the everyday ordinariness (for the time period) as interesting as the relationships central to the plot. That included (but wasn’t limited to) the other Bennets (Lydia was just messy), Bingley’s sisters, the Collins’, the Lucas’, as well as others.

 
There are a couple more Austen novels that I definitely want to read (Persuasion and Mansfield Park are at the top of my list), regardless, Pride and Prejudice is a new favorite.

Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings

Title: Meet Me at the Crossroads

Series: n/a
Author: Meagan Giddings
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Literary Fiction
Publisher/Publication Date: Amistad; June 3, 2025

Goodreads    Barnes & Noble

Synopsis from Goodreads...

From the award-winning, critically-acclaimed author of Lakewood and The Women Could Fly, a dazzling novel about two brilliant sisters and what happens to their undeniable bond when a mysterious and possibly perilous new world beckons.

On an ordinary summer morning, the world is changed by the appearance of seven mysterious doors that seemingly lead to another world. People are, of course, mesmerized and intrigued: A new dimension filled with beauty and resources beckons them to step into an adventure. But, perhaps inevitably, people soon learn that what looks like paradise may very well be filled with danger. Ayanna and Olivia, two Black Midwestern teens—and twin sisters—have different ideas of what may lie in the world beyond. But will their personal bond endure such wanton exploration? And when one of them goes missing, will the other find solace of her own? And will she uncover the circumstances of what truly happened to her once constant companion and best friend?

Megan Giddings brings her customarily brilliant and eye-opening powers of storytelling to give us a story that dazzles the senses and bewitches the mind. Meet Me at the Crossroads is an unforgettable novel about faith, love, and family from one of today’s most exciting and surprising young writers.

The synopsis is what sold me on Megan Gidding’s new novel, Meet me at the Crossroads. I mean: portal fantasy with an air of family drama involving twin sisters (one of them missing).

While I liked this book in the end (enough to give it a high rating on goodreads), I think the synopsis gave me the wrong impression, which initially clouded how I viewed the story. Let me explain.

Meet me at the Crossroads was portal fantasy, but it also wasn’t at the same time. The portal aspect had a presence in the story but much smaller than I assumed it would be. And that’s on me for assuming. The portals (the mysterious doors) inhabited an almost metaphorical role. While, if I look at the story from a more literary fiction angle, then the way it handles its subject and theming makes more sense to me.

Meet Me at the Crossroad was, essentially, a study of characters, grief, and depression—or the study of grief and complicated relationships through the novel’s characters. It was also kind of a haunting as well as a story about the aftermath of tragedy (how it can destroy a life and tear apart a family; and it did go to some dark places).

And, I don’t mean that as a criticism, though. I think the book did well with those aspects, especially since I was, by the end, far more interested in the characters and the resolution of the interpersonal relationships than I was about the doors specifically.

In terms of the doors, by the end, they were fine. They were a subject often not just discussed between the characters but also researched/theorized throughout the story. But, it was also an experience that impacted them in a myriad of ways, whether good or bad—creating extraordinary circumstances or some of the worst tragedies (and sometimes the lines blurred so much it often felt like a combination of the two).

While I had a somewhat rocky start, the complexity of Ayanna’s story was something I loved!

About the author....

Megan Giddings is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota. Her novel, Lakewood, was published by Amistad in 2020. It was one of New York Magazine’s 10 best books of 2020, one of NPR’s best books of 2020, a Michigan Notable book for 2021, was a finalist for two NAACP Image Awards, and a finalist for a 2020 LA Times Book Prize in The Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction category. Her second novel, The Women Could Fly (Amistad 2022), was named one of The Washington Post’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy novels of 2022, one of Vulture’s Best Fantasy books of 2022, and was a New York Times Editors’ Choice. In Fall 2023, she was the Picador Professor at Leipzig University. Her third novel, Meet Me at the Crossroads, will be published on June 3rd 2025. Her first short story collection, Black Arts, will be published in 2026.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Amistad) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Adia Kelbara and the High Queen's Tomb by Isi Hendrix

Title: Adia Kelbara and the High Queen's Tomb

Series: Adia Kelbara #2
Author: Isi Hendrix
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Middle Grade
Publisher/Publication Date: Storytide; June 3, 2025

Goodreads     Barnes & Noble

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The second book in a fast-paced, witty, and bighearted debut Afrofantasy trilogy about a twelve-year-old apprentice in the kitchens at the prestigious Academy of Shamans who must ally with a snarky goddess and a knife-wielding warrior to save her kingdom.

Perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and The School for Good and Evil!

Adia Kelbara may have defeated the power-hungry god Olark and saved Zaria, but now she must face something even more Her first semester as a student at the Academy of Shamans. As her abilities are tested during orientation, a mysterious affliction causes everyone except for Adia and Thyme to pass out—and a reanimated corpse appears, with a horrifying message. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Emperor Darian sends news that the same phenomenon is happening across the kingdom and that someone is siphoning energy from the living to resurrect corpses, creating cracks between the realms of the living and the dead. Now it will be up to Adia to push her magical abilities to the limit and journey to the tomb of the ancient High Queen in search of answers and a cure for the sleeping sickness besieging Zaria. But rising corpses aren’t the only threats that stand in her way—a new enemy looms, and if Adia can’t defeat them, Zaria may soon become another realm of the dead.

One of my most anticipated sequels of 2025 was Isi Hendrix’s Adia Kelbara and the High Queen’s Tomb, the second entry of the Afrofantasy series. I was more than ready to dive back into the world and see what the author had in-store for the characters.

The tone of this second outing felt far bleaker than the previous entry in the series, which made sense. The danger wasn’t at an end, and the High Queen’s Tomb presented another magical—albeit dark and challenging—journey for the burgeoning shaman. I mean, the dead were literally rising. However, it wasn’t a typical take on zombies. I appreciated how the author developed the situation too, because it was more complex than it first appeared. The consequences made the story into a race against time, and the stakes were considerably raised because of it. But, the prospective danger wasn’t only to the world but also in a personal sense too.

After all, Adia had a lot on her plate. She was dealing with the aftermath (and trauma) left by her experiences fighting against Orlark as well as her complicated feelings over the loss of a friendship. Adia had to learn some VERY hard lessons in the High Queen’s Tomb. With her powers: she needed to understand the responsibility that came with them. With the friendships she’d forged (with Thyme and the emperor, Darian): to better value (and rely) on the people who had her back. And, at the same time, she also had to navigate the changes to the Academy of Shamans.

As far as secondary characters, there were new and familiar faces; unexpected allies, and even shocking betrayals. (Bubbles, the cat, was still adorable.)

Adia Kelbara and the High Queen’s Tomb was an excellent follow-up to the first.

 

About the author....

Isi Hendrix is a Nigerian American children’s book author who has been lucky enough to live and work all over the world, from the Himalayas to the Amazon rainforest, during her past life as an anthropologist. Now she’s based in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY, where she lives with a rotating roster of foster kittens and a stubborn refusal to accept that she is highly allergic to cats. You can find her at www.isihendrix.com.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Storytide) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Music Monday (317): PinkPantheress, Morcheeba, Miley Cyrus

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: My pick this week is a song called Romeo, which is from PinkPantheress' new mixtape, Fancy That.

Adri: Another favorite artist, their new album, and me unable to pick one song. This time it's Morcheeba's Escape The Chaos, which released on May 23rd. My picks are Call for Love and Escape The Chaos.

Andrea: Hi all! This week I'm listening to new music by Miley Cyrus, End of the World and More to Lose. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

Short Stories I Read In April

It’s the twenty-ninth of May. So it’s time to write about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in April.

Buried Deep by Naomi Novik (Buried Deep and Other Stories)

On the short fiction front, I started April by reading more from Novik’s short story collection, Buried Deep and Other Stories. This time, I tacked the titular story, Buried Deep. This one was a retelling of a Greek myth, reimagining the story of the Minotaur, Ariadne, and the labyrinth into a short tale about the bond between siblings and the unfortunate circumstances which the two found themselves in. It was a time period/society which didn’t leave them with many options either, and it was the kind of situation that was lose-lose no matter which way it was approached. That being said, Novik’s treatment of the myth offered an interesting spin. So Buried Deep was another good one from this collection.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (Buried Deep and Other Stories)

And, finally, I reached the short story that was one of the reasons I picked up this collection to begin with. Spinning Silver is still one of my favorite wintery novels, and for the longest time I was curious about the original short story. And, I liked this version too. It was essentially a condensed version of the novel, especially the first few chapters—although the book greatly expanded on what happened and added the perspectives of Irina and Wanda. This narrative was much more straightforward and followed only Miryem and the consequences of her boasting. Spinning Silver is easily one of my favorites from Buried Deep and Other Stories.

From around the web…

• The Uselessness of Dachshunds [Maggie Stiefvater’s Substack]: I liked this essay about creating art even when it doesn’t have a specific value.

The Friday 56 (254) & Book Beginnings: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme created by Freda's Voice, where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. **Note: Freda @ Freda's Voice is taking a break from The Friday 56; Anne @Head is Full of Books is hosting.**

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Spirited Elizabeth Bennet is one of a family of five daughters, and with no male heir, the Bennet estate must someday pass to their priggish cousin William Collins. Therefore, the girls must marry well—and thus is launched the story of Elizabeth and the arrogant bachelor Mr. Darcy, in a novel renowned as the epitome of romance and wit. Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen’s masterwork, an entertaining portrait of matrimonial rites and rivalries, timeless in its hilarity and its honesty.

Beginning: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

56: "In consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth wrote the next morning to her mother to beg that the carriage be sent for them in the course of the day."

Comments: I finally read Pride and Prejudice, and I loved it as much as the 2005 movie adaptation with Keira Knightley. (I'm looking forward to rewatching it soon.) What are you reading (or watching) this weekend?

Whistle by Linwood Barclay

Title: Whistle

Series: n/a
Author: Linwood Barclay
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Horror; Paranormal
Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow; May 20, 2025

Goodreads   Barnes & Noble

Synopsis from Goodreads...

New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay enters new territory with a supernatural chiller in which a woman and her young son move to a small town looking for a fresh start, only to be haunted by disturbing events and strange visions when they find a mysterious train set in a storage shed.

Evil has a one track mind...

Annie Blunt has had an unimaginably terrible year. First, her husband was killed in a tragic hit-and-run accident, then one of the children’s books she’s built her writing and illustrating career on ignited a major scandal. Desperate for a fresh start, she moves with her son Charlie to a charming small town in upstate New York where they can begin to heal. But Annie’s year is about to get worse. Bored and lonely in their isolated new surroundings, Charlie is thrilled when he finds a forgotten train set in a locked shed on their property. Annie is glad to see Charlie happy, but there’s something unsettling about his new toy. Strange sounds wake Annie in the night—she could swear she hears a train, but there isn’t an active track for miles—and bizarre things begin happening in the neighborhood. Worse, Annie can’t seem to stop drawing a disturbing new character that has no place in a children’s book. Grief can do strange things to the mind, but Annie is beginning to think she’s walked out of one nightmare straight into another, only this one is far more terrifying…

After reading King’s The Shining, I was in the mood for another horror novel. Luckily for me, I had Linwood Barclay’s May 2025 novel, Whistle, for review.

Where to even begin with this book?

To start, I liked this one as much as The Shining. But, also like that book, Whistle dealt with some heavy topics, and it was horror through-and-through, but with a twist involving toy trains (which I never thought could be so creepy, but hey, I was proved wrong).

The basics are: Annie Blunt was having a hard time and, in looking for a break, heads out of New York City for what should’ve been a relaxing time so maybe—just maybe—she could work on her next book. Like King’s novel, Barclay’s set up Whistle’s opening really well. It was detailed and engrossing, and it did a lot of heavy lifting when it came to developing Annie, Charlie, and even her late husband. It was easy to be sympathetic in the wake of her grief, and understanding toward her troubles and how she tried to cope as well as keep going because her son needed her. And Charlie’s chapters, though brief by comparison, offered an insight into his perspective. But, the work on the backstory didn’t over stay its welcome, and there were plenty of clues peppered throughout the early narrative which pointed toward what would ultimately be the uncanny and creepy nature of the core of the story.

One of the standouts was Barclay’s treatment of the toy trains. I went in with an open mind. And, as I mentioned above, they weren’t portrayed as a gimmick but instead had a presence in the story that cast a long shadow. They also presented quite a mystery.

Annie, however, wasn’t the only character stuck in that mess. There was the present storyline, which followed her and her son. But, part of the story took place in the past as well; those sections were real foreboding. At times, I knew more than the characters did, but it worked out, because part of what made the novel thrilling, eerie, and a page turner was waiting to see how the different ends of the story would intersect. It was great!

Whistle was exactly what I was hoping it would be. It wasn’t necessarily fast paced, but it was the kind of horror novel that slowly unfolds and was driven by its characters as much as it was by the supernatural aspects that fueled its more frightening moments.

 

About the author....

Linwood Barclay, a New York Times bestselling author with twenty novels to his credit, spent three decades in newspapers before turning full time to writing thrillers. His books have been translated into more than two dozen languages, sold millions of copies, and he counts Stephen King among his fans. Many of his books have been optioned for film and TV, a series has been made in France, and he wrote the screenplay for the film based on his novel Never Saw it Coming. Born in the US, his parents moved to Canada just as he was turning four, and he’s lived there ever since. He lives near Toronto with his wife, Neetha. They have two grown children.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (William Morrow) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!