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).

Quarterly Recap: April-June

It’s the beginning of July. I can’t believe I already had to write that sentence, but here we are. And because it’s the seventh month of 2024, it means it’s time for another quarterly recap, where I take a look back at the blog post from the past three months as well as a brief look at what’s coming up. As always I’m starting with reviews.

April, May, and June Reviews...

• What Fire Brings by Rachel Howzell Hall
• The Manicurist's Daughter by Susan Lieu
• The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
• The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo
• Cathedral, Forge, and Waterwheel: Technology and Invention in the Middle Ages by Frances and Joseph Gies

Other April, May, and June Blog Posts....

• I Watched Marry My Husband (2024)
• Short Stories I Read in May
• What I've Been Listening To + Upcoming Albums
• Short Stories I Read In April
• I Listened to What Now by Brittany Howard
• I Listened to Found Heaven by Conan Gray
• Quarterly Recap: January-March
• I Listened to World Wide Whack by Tierra Whack
• I Listened to Act ii: Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé
• What I've Been Listening To (April)

Looking ahead this month, I have a couple of music related posts as well as reviews for some books releasing this month. So keep an eye out for that content.

Up next, I have a good selection of ARCs to read, including one of my most anticipated releases of the year from one of my favorite authors.

And in terms of gaming, the last Nintendo Direct brought some surprises and slightly expanded the list of games I’m looking forward to in the last half of 2024. Tales of the Shire (the Lord of the Rings farming sim), and The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom, the new 2D game set in Hyrule, where you get to play as Zelda, according to the trailer.

Quarterly Recap: April-June

Welcome! It’s July…already, and I feel like the year is flying by. It's already time for the second Quarterly Recap of 2023. This time, I’m covering blog posts that have appeared on the blog from April through June. As always, I’m starting with reviews…

April, May, and June Reviews...

• The Cult of We: We Work, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion by Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell
• The Book of Gems by Fran Wild
• Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
• The Border Keeper by Kerstin Hall
• Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
• Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell
• The Thorns Remain by J.J.A. Harwood
• Breakup From Hell by Anna Davila Cardinal
• A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross

**Note: Weekly memes (like Music Monday and The Friday 56 + Book Beginnings, can be searched with their labels: Music Monday, The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings)**

Other April, May, and June blog posts...

• Short Stories I Read in May
• Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For
• Short Stories I Read In April
• So I Played Ooblets
• Short Stories I Read In March
• So...I Played Aggro Crab's Going Under
• I Listened to So Much (For) Stardust by Fall Out Boy
• Quarterly Recap: January-March

Looking ahead, I’m pretty excited for the ARCs I’m going to be reading in the next couple of months. I won’t say too much here, but some of them are much anticipated sequels or new books from some of my favorite authors.

In July, there’s a new book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia coming out, plus I’ve finally gone back and read the beginning of the Discworld series.

As far as games, I'm slowly working my way through the Subnautica games. But, mostly, I’m knee-deep in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This game is massive, and I feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface of the story or the areas available to explore yet. But, I’m having so much fun.

Quarterly Recap: April-June

It’s July, so it’s time for the second quarterly recap of 2022. As always, I’m starting with the reviews that have appeared on Our Thoughts Precisely in the last three months.

April Reviews:

• A River Enchanted Rebecca Ross
• Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega 

May Reviews:

• We Free The Stars by Hafsah Faizal
• The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah 
• Shadow Grave by Marina Cohen
• Monsters in the Mist by Juliana Brandt

June Reviews:

• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
• Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
• Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert

Other April Posts:

• Short Stories I Read In March
• I Listened to Crash by Charli XCX
• Thought Corner: What I've Been Watching
• Quarterly Recap: January-March
• Break Notice

Other May Posts:

• I Played Horizon: Forbidden West
• I Listened to Serpentina by Banks

Other June Posts:

• I Listened to Hypnos by Ravyn Lenae
• I Listened to Harry's House by Harry Styles
• Short Stories I Read in May

Looking ahead, I don’t have any plans. I was exposed to someone who had covid and, at the beginning of June, I got sick. I’m feeling better now, but the whole thing just kind of derailed my month.

As for upcoming posts, I’m reviewing two of my most anticipated releases of this month and a recent (and favorite) nonfiction read. And, for later in July, there will be a post dedicated to Dawn FM by The Weeknd. Also, Adri is taking over one of the Friday weekly memes post, as well as talking about one of her favorite bands.  

Quarterly Recap: April-June

Well, hello. How is everyone doing today? It’s officially July, which means its summer. It has been really hot where I live lately, and I can’t help but wish it was already fall—when it will hopefully cool down a little. It’s also already time for April, May, and June’s quarterly recap. 

April Reviews:

• The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Case Study of Vanitas vol. #7 by Jun Mochizuki

May Reviews:

• Jelly by Clare Rees
• The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Aristocracy by William Doyle 

June Reviews:

• She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson 
• The Album of Dr. Moreau by Daryl Gregory 
• The Heartbeat of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, translated by Jane Billinghurst
• The Return of the Sorceress by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

April Other Posts:

• Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For (2021)
• I Listened to 1/f by Laura Mvula
• Quarterly Recap: January-March

May Other Posts:

• Short Stories I Read in March & April 
• I Listened to The Bitter Truth by Evanescence 

June Other Posts:

• I Listened to Scaled And Icy by Twenty One Pilots
• Short Stories I Read in May
• I Listened to 2000AND4EVA by Bree Runway 

Looking ahead, I don’t have any definite plans. Instead, I want to mention some upcoming reviews. The first is What Lives in the Woods, a spooky middle grade novel coming out in September. Next, my review for You Can Never Tell—an exciting domestic thriller and mystery—will be out sometime in august. This month, I’ll have reviews for Six Crimson Cranes (a retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales), and for The Brilliant Abyss, which is one of my favorite nonfiction reads so far this year.

Quarterly Recap: April-June

It’s hard to believe that it’s already seven months into 2020, but here we are. It’s also time for the usual quarterly recap. As usual, I’m starting with reviews.

April Reviews

• Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter
• Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire

May Reviews

• All Systems Red by Martha Wells
• The Night Country by Melissa Albert

June Reviews

• Ghost Squad by Clairbel A. Ortega
• The Case Study of Vanitas volume #3 by Jun Mochizuki 

Other April Posts

• I Listened to Death Stranding Timefall
• Sketchbook: Alice
• Short Stories I Read In March
• Quarterly Recap: January-March

Other May Posts

• Short Stories I Read in April
• Sketchbook: Watercolor
• I Listened to Super Sunset by Allie X
• Favorite Recipe: Dark Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
• I Listened to Shadow Works by Kerli

Other June Posts

• Favorite Recipe: Tortillas
• Short Stories I Read In May

Looking ahead, I really don’t have any solid plans for the next three months, and I’m not trying to make any. 2020 has been fairly unpredictable, and I plan on just rolling with the flow. I do have a couple of upcoming posts this month that I’m fairly excited to share. I recently read one of my most anticipated books of 2020: Haunted Heroine, book #4 in the Heroine Complex series by Sarah Kuhn. My review for it will be on the blog on the release day. Next, I listened to Chloe X Halle’s latest album, Ungodly Hour, and I have a post for that too (which will be up sometime this month). I also checked out Lindsay Ellis’s debut novel, Axiom’s End, so there will be a review for that too this month.

What have you been reading recently?

Short Stories I Read In May

Today, I’m here to talk about the short stories and miscellaneous posts I read in May. It was definitely a slower month, and I didn’t read as many things as I would have liked. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed everything I did read. So without further ado, here is what I read…

Beyond The Dragons Gate by Yoon Ha Lee (Tor.Com, May 20, 2020)

Reading Beyond The Dragons Gate was an experience. I loved this story, and in a lot of ways it reminded me of the Imperial Radch series by Ann Leckie. It was due to the questions that it asked (and the commentary) about the sentience of the AIs present in the story—and if those same AIs really had a choice in the face of duty (for soldiers too). In a lot of ways, this story was way too short. I’m happy with what I read, but I would definitely like more of it.

Have your #Hugot Harvested At This Diwata-Owned Café by Vida Cruz (Strange Horizons; Issue 4 May 2020)

Food and heartbreak are at the focus of this story. I liked it a lot, especially the descriptions about the food, the people who worked at Heartbreak Café, as well as the idea behind the establishment to begin with. This story also handled its themes well, and all around this one was another great read.

From Around the Web

• Howl-ever It Moves You: Diana Wynne Jones and Hayao Miyazaki Do the Same Work With Different Stories (Elyse Martin; Tor.com, May 5, 2020)

Quarterly Recap: April-June

It’s time for another Quarterly Recap. It feels like this year is flying by, but what can you do about it? Tell “time” not to go forward? I don’t think so. Besides, I have some upcoming posts—including a couple of reviews—that I’m excited to share on the blog. Plus, the release dates for some of the albums and fall books I’m looking forward to are approaching.

Looking back, I noticed that I didn’t get around to working on another colored pencil post. However, I’ve decided to hold onto that idea and use it at a later date. I was also largely inactive on the blog during the month of June. I needed the break, and it gave me some time to just read and create without feeling like I was running out of time. That being said, I read a lot of good books during the last 3 months. Among my favorites being: the entire Binti trilogy, Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey, and The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos. So, as usual, I’m starting off with reviews….

April Reviews

• Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

• The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi

May Reviews

• Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor

• Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor

• Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

• The Girl With the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis

• The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos

June Reviews

• Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Other April Posts

• Quarterly recap: January-March

• I listened to Cuz I Love You by Lizzo + The B Side

Other May Posts

• I listened to We Need To Talk by Tayla Parx 

Other June Posts

• n/a

Looking ahead, I have watercolor and music related posts that I will put on the blog sometime in July. And in September I will be talking about Word to the Wise (book #10 in the Library Lover’s Mystery series), as well as one of my new favorite romance novels: Well Met by Jen DeLuca. Word to the Wise is an excellent addition to the series. Well Met involves a Renaissance Faire and banter between the characters while they’re in costume. However, that’s all I’m going to say about those books until August and September. 

What’s a recent read that you really enjoyed?

Quarterly Recap: April-June

It feels like it was just yesterday when I sat down to write the last quarterly recap post, even though I know it was three months ago. So much has gone on, but I feel like I’m reading less—specifically, I’m having a harder time finding books I want to read. I do have to say that the books I finished reading were ones I really loved. So, that counts for something. Anyway, on to the recap!

April Reviews:

• Ace of Shades
• How To Break Up With Your Phone
• The Collapsing Empire

May Reviews:

• Heroine Complex
• The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
• Aggretsuko

June Reviews:

• Heroine Worship
• Bruja Born
• Heroine's Journey

Other April Posts:

• I Watched Jupiter Ascending Again
• Quarterly Recap: January-March
• Upcoming Music and Recent Releases
• In Which I Forgot About The Blogiversary

Other May Posts:

• Acrylics #2
• We're Gonna Talk About Romance Tropes

Other June Posts:

• Mid-Year Resolution Check-In
• I'm Now On Instagrm

I want to get back into the habit of reading more often; although, this one depends on what books I come across. Currently, I have some eARCs that I’m excited to dive into, including Jasmine Guillory’s The Proposal, and Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett. I also want to make some more art related posts since I really enjoy putting them together....

Quarterly Recap: April-June

Well, looking back at April, May, and June, I realized how much time I actually took off. However, it was kind of necessary because I've come up with some changes I want to make to the blog...

April Review:

• Labyrinth Lost
• The Hate U Give
• The Crooked Sixpence

May Reviews:

• Windfall
• Strange The Dreamer
• The Gauntlet

June Reviews:

• Colored Pencil Painting Portraits
• Starflight
• A Crown of Wishes 

Other April Posts:

• Quarterly Recap

Other June Posts:

• So Many Questions + Do I Still DNF Books?
• Weekend Tidbits # 11: Some Exciting Things

I don't really have much to say for this section of the post, because I have a few upcoming things that will go more in depth with what I plan to do. So, it just wouldn't make sense to repeat some of those points.

Quarterly Recap: April-June

It's hard to believe that 2016 is more than halfway over, and its already time for another quarterly recap. These past three months have been pretty good, but June was definitely a slower month. Anyway, I'm going to get on with it, starting with reviews for the month of April, May, and of course, June...

April Reviews:

• Batman V Superman
• The Illustrated Compendium of Animal Facts
• Flora Segunda
• The Wide-Awake Princess

May Reviews:

• Oleah Chronicles: Justice
• Founding Myths:Stories that Hide Our Patriotic Past
• The Darkest Part of the Forest
• The Body At the Tower
• Dead is a State of Mind
• Brain Freeze Journal

June Reviews:

• Need
• From the Notebooks of a Middle School princess
• Rain: A Natural and Cultural History
• Royal Wedding Disaster

Other April Posts:

• Musing Mondays: What I'm Reading This Week
• Release Day Blitz for The Glittering Court
• Thursday Tracks #1
• January-March Quarterly Recap 
• Release Day Blitz for The Rose & the Dagger 

Other May Posts:

• Random Weekly Questions
• It's All Historical
• What I'm Reading

Other June Posts:

• Recent Nonfiction Favorites
• Weekend Tidbits #7
• Random Weekly Questions
• Release Day & Giveaway: Eternal Sacrifice by Stacey O'Neale

I've had a moderately productive three months (plus my co-blogger dropped in with a new review). The majority of the books I picked up were either just okay or extremely good. So, I hope that that trend continues (fingers-crossed, that it stays that way; I hope I didn't just jinx myself).  Anyway, I also want to go back and read more of the older books I might have missed. I've had a ot of fun with that so far.