3 Mistakes The Idol Committed

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The Idol was supposed to be the show of the summer, but instead, it ended up being a murky mess. The show’s biggest sin wasn’t that it was gross or controversial – but rather that it was overwhelmingly boring. With Sam Levinson at the helm, I figured that it would’ve been interesting, after all, he created Euphoria which is a show I loved – so I decided to go into the show with no preconceived notions or expectations. After watching all the episodes I can say that this show

LONG SCENES

Don’t get me wrong, long scenes can be good when said long scenes are actually INTERESTING and not so boring that you’re looking at your clock wondering why the final episode mostly consisted of a glorified talent show that lasted 45 minutes. Many of the scenes in The Idol were simply too long. The only long scene that I liked and that actually showed characterization and needed to be long was in Episode 2 when Jocelyn is

TRYING TO BE BASIC INSTINCT

From the very first episode, they tried to act as though this series was a modern take on Basic Instinct. The problem is, that in order for a sexual thriller to work, there needs to be chemistry between the characters (sorry but no one would credibly believe that Jocelyn would ever hook up with Tedros in real life) and you need the thriller part and this series lacked both. In the last episode they really tried to lean in on the Basic Instinct part by having Jocelyn dress in a white dress and headscarf combo with sunglasses that looked like it had been swiped from Sharon Stone’s movie closet. But just because you can dress the characters to look like a certain character doesn’t mean you actually pulled off in making the series be sexy or thrilling.

TERRIBLE DIALOGUE

I don’t know about you, but much of the dialogue for this series was seriously subpar. I kept getting pulled out of the series every time people spoke in ways that seemed so cringe. Basically, anything Tedros uttered was eyeroll-worthy or simply made me want to mute the TV. Bad writing overall, and I wish I could overlook bad writing but ever since I’ve been focusing on screenwriting and paying attention to dialogue even more so in series or movies, this is something I simply cannot overlook.

Other issues with the series:

  • Why wasn’t it set in 2003, when a pop star like Jocelyn would’ve made more sense? Especially her music? We live in a world where Taylor Swift is a megastar, and it makes no sense that someone like Jocelyn would actually be a huge star in today’s current climate.
  • What’s up with the insta-love between Jocelyn and Tedros? Not to mention that they had her hate him for all of episode 5, to then pull a complete 180 in the last few minutes and call him the “love of her life” in front of her adoring fans. Again, makes no sense whatsoever.
  • Why wasn’t this series longer? I feel like we needed at least 8 episodes to fully flesh out all the characters and situations they had happen, instead, we got an extremely rushed ending that made ZERO sense.
  • They had an 85 million budget, and the whole show was shot in 4 locations (the Weeknd’s real house, So-Fi Stadium during the Weeknd’s real gig, Rodeo Drive Valentino shop, and music video lot).

And no, not hating this show because the internet has loved to hate it, but finding it to be extremely disappointing when Sam Levinson has been riding the Euphoria high and this was utterly BORING.

Have you watched the series? What did you think?

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Book Review: Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Augustina Bazterrica

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PLOT SUMMARY:

From celebrated author Agustina Bazterrica, this collection of nineteen brutal, darkly funny short stories takes into our deepest fears and through our most disturbing fantasies. Through stories about violence, alienation, and dystopia, Bazterrica’s vision of the human experience emerges in complex, unexpected ways—often unsettling, sometimes thrilling, and always profound. In “Roberto,” a girl claims to have a rabbit between her legs. A woman’s neighbor jumps to his death in “A Light, Swift, and Monstrous Sound,” and in “Candy Pink,” a woman fails to contend with a difficult breakup in five easy steps.

Written in Bazterrica’s signature clever, vivid style, these stories question love, friendship, family relationships, and unspeakable desires.

GRADE: A-

REVIEW:

Let me preface this by stating that I was absolutely blown away by Bazterrica’s novel Tender is the Flesh, so of course I was beyond excited when I received an ARC for this. I love short stories, but it’s also hard for me to read a whole collection in one go, so I took a break midway through it and then picked it back up recently. Now, as all short story collections, there are always going to be hit or miss ones, because that’s just the nature of short story collections, but overall, I really enjoyed this collection.

What I enjoyed the most is that with almost all of the stories, I didn’t quite know how they were going to end so that was a pleasant surprise.

One of my fave stories was A Light, Swift, and Monstrous Sound. I know some people don’t like the second person, but I really love the second person POV (maybe because a lot of Italian authors use this POV too?). It’s so descriptive and evocative in all its monstrous ways.

Another of my faves was Candy Pink (also in second person POV), but I love a good breakup story cause that’s when things get really unhinged.

The Solitary Ones is also in second-person POV, but it’s a story that sort of stuck with me, as it’s very creepy and atmospheric, and just the idea of being stuck in tunnels in the dark is very terrifying.

Overall, these twenty short stories range from different genres and POV’s. Some of them have stuck longer than others, but I would recommend this collection if you too love short stories and want to read a genre-bending author. I will say that I did enjoy the fact that these were indeed short stories and not mini-novellas disguised as short stories. This is the perfect beach read since you can finish a story and pick up the book again whenever you want.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Scribner for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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Flash Fiction: Across The Woods

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Darkness cradled me in its arms.

There was a tickle at the back of my neck as the woods stood still. Not a single sound was heard across the vast forest. I waited for my eyes to adjust, both curious and afraid of what may lie before me. Gooseflesh prickled my exposed arms, but all I could think about was the cake that would be waiting for me at home. Sweet sixteen. I hope it was red velvet with a heavy dose of cream cheese frosting. I wondered if my sister had made the special punch that I loved. But I couldn’t go home until I finished what I came here for.

I took another tentative step, well aware that only because I couldn’t see them didn’t mean that the red eyes weren’t watching, hidden behind brush or gnarled limbs. Again, I felt a tickle at the back of my neck. I stopped. Not yet. My fingers wrapped around the only weapon I had brought along with me.

Sometimes I despised my family’s eccentric traditions. This was one of them. Every Myrige daughter was tasked with crossing Ember Woods on their sixteenth birthday. It was a rite of passage. Why? I could only find out once I was on the other side. My ears perked for any sounds and when it was clear that there were none, I started to half jog down the worn path that now, after my eyes adjusted to the darkness, could see.

How many Myrige girls had walked blindly into the woods not knowing what would lie before them? When had the tradition begun and why were the origins such a huge secret whenever I tried to ponder?

Then I heard it.

Footsteps.

I stopped. There was a tickle at the back of my neck. Only this time it was different. This time teeth followed. I yelped quickly turning around to meet the offender.

“Drew!” I exclaimed when I caught sight of who had nipped me.

He laughed unable to contain himself. “You should’ve seen your face, Marlo!”

“I told you not to follow me!”

“I know, but when you said that I thought you were ditching me to see another boy.”

I rolled my eyes. “Please, I told you that I had a family affair that I needed to tend to.”

“Honestly, who isn’t allowed to spend their most important birthday with their boyfriend?”

“This girl,” I said and turned around. I continued walking, watching the moon slowly peek through the clouds. I clutched the weapon hidden in my letterman jacket. It’s almost time. Dread seized my chest, stifling it like a set of bricks.

“What’s the hurry?” Drew chuckled, grabbing hold of my free hand to spin me around to face him. “I’d almost say these creepy woods could be romantic,” and his lips grazed my own. I allowed myself to abandon in the kiss before I sunk the blade deep into his belly. Blood spilled from his parted lips. Confusion knitted his brows.

“I’m sorry,” I shrugged. “It’s a family tradition.”

Then the eyes came out from the woods and everyone was dressed in black robes.

“About time,” my mother stepped out. Then she knelt down and dipped her fingers into Drew’s wound and rose up to meet me.

“Happy birthday, now you’re a true Myrige witch,” she said carefully painting an upside-down cross on my forehead with Drew’s blood. Some of it trickled down to my lips and my tongue flickered at the metallic liquid.

“Tastes just like red velvet,” I smirked.

*This short story was recently made into a short film! I’ll share the video once it’s available.

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Book Review: Crime Scene by Cynthia Pelayo

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What lives in dark woods
What emerges from depths
What creeps within alleyways.

PLOT SUMMARY:

Cynthia Pelayo sings a song for the least of us, the victim we want to forget as soon as possible, the one who disappeared before ever really appearing. With a fairy tale gaze and a heart bigger than the world, her siren song insinuates itself past our defenses, past the hardened calluses and apathy we’ve erected to protect ourselves from the everyday horror of another missing girl.

Pelayo relates the familiar story, poem by poem; a body is found, a brutal crime investigated, clues take us in circles, and lead us nowhere. We are on an epic journey, the hero’s journey, and it must play out to the end in all its painful, ticking moments. Pelayo imbues her hero, Agent K, with the entirety of our dedication and that crumb of hope we’ve been hiding, saving for later. We will need to save for years, for decades, if we want to come out the other side. The job takes its toll, the answers are never complete and whys fracture, crack and spread. Still there is no turning away. We must bear witness, though it changes and contorts us.

GRADE: A+

REVIEW:

This poetry collection recently won the Bram Stoker for best poetry collection of 2022 and with good reason. But this isn’t your typical collection, as it reads more like an epic poem in the way one would read Homer’s classics like The Illiad or Gilgamesh. This collection opens with a horrific discovery of a body, and soon Agent K is tasked with trying to find the killer of the victim, and it’s a race against time. Each poem is titled as police report numbers, which packs a punch as a reminder that this isn’t just a story, this is real life. As we learn more about Agent K, we know that she had her own tragedy that sparked her reasoning to become a detective. Pelayo paints such detailed, dark imagery that stays with you long after you’ve reached the end. This is an excellent, heartbreaking tale, that sadly feels very close to many of the true crime stories we see time and time again, adding to the tragedy of how no matter how many victims there are, there never seems to be an end to this kind of story.

I absolutely recommend this if you love horror, true crime, and lyrical poetry with dark imagery.

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3 Horror Movies to Stream Right Now!

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EVIL DEAD RISE

A reunion between two estranged sisters gets cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.

Now streaming on MAX.

CLOCK

A woman enrolls in a clinical trial to try and fix her seemingly broken biological clock after friends, family, and society pressures her to have children.

Now streaming on Hulu.

WATCHER

As a serial killer stalks the city, a young actress who just moved to town with her boyfriend notices a mysterious stranger watching her from across the street.

Now streaming on Shudder.

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Book Review: Rouge by Mona Awad

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If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret, now would it?

PLOT SUMMARY:

For as long as she can remember, Belle has been insidiously obsessed with her skin and skincare videos. When her estranged mother Noelle mysteriously dies, Belle finds herself back in Southern California, dealing with her mother’s considerable debts and grappling with lingering questions about her death. The stakes escalate when a strange woman in red appears at the funeral, offering a tantalizing clue about her mother’s demise, followed by a cryptic video about a transformative spa experience. With the help of a pair of red shoes, Belle is lured into the barbed embrace of La Maison de Méduse, the same lavish, culty spa to which her mother was devoted. There, Belle discovers the frightening secret behind her (and her mother’s) obsession with the mirror—and the great shimmering depths (and demons) that lurk on the other side of the glass.

Snow White meets Eyes Wide Shut in this surreal descent into the dark side of beauty, envy, grief, and the complicated love between mothers and daughters. With black humor and seductive horror, Rouge explores the cult-like nature of the beauty industry—as well as the danger of internalizing its pitiless gaze. Brimming with California sunshine and blood-red rose petals, Rouge holds up a warped mirror to our relationship with mortality, our collective fixation with the surface, and the wondrous, deep longing that might lie beneath.

GRADE: A

REVIEW:

A fever dream, a fairytale, a nightmare. This book is all those things and more. As someone who is as skincare obsessed as Mirabelle, this novel resonated a lot with me. Awad writes some of the best mad, unhinged women in literature, and I’m absolutely here for it. When her mother unexpectedly dies in a tragic accident, and Mirabelle leaves Montreal for So-Cal, her descent to madness doesn’t take that long. Much like her previous books, Awad manages to capture the protagonist’s slip from reality in a way that is both poetic and terrifying. This novel is steeped with silent rage, mommy issues, and the color red. Often, as the reader, you can’t tell what is real and what is madness, a bit of an Alice in Wonderland moment, if you will. But one thing is certain, you can’t look away, and you continue down the proverbial rabbit hole along with Mirabelle, trying to make sense of the craziness as best as you can. This is one wild ride that explores our obsession with beauty and youth and to what lengths one might go to be beautiful.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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3 Horror Books to Read by Bi-Authors During Pride Month

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RELUCTANT IMMORTALS by GWENDOLYN KISTE

2023 Lambda Literary Award Finalist
2023 Bram Stoker Award Finalist for Superior Achievement in a Novel

Reluctant Immortals is a historical horror novel that looks at two men of classic literature, Dracula and Mr. Rochester, and the two women who survived them, Bertha and Lucy, who are now undead immortals residing in Los Angeles in 1967 when Dracula and Rochester make a shocking return in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco.

Combining elements of historical and gothic fiction with a modern perspective, in a tale of love and betrayal and coercion, Reluctant Immortals is the lyrical and harrowing journey of two women from classic literature as they bravely claim their own destiny in a man’s world.

TO BE DEVOURED by SARA TANTLINGER

What does carrion taste like? Andi has to know. The vultures circling outside her home taunt and invite her to come understand the secrets hiding in their banquet of decay. Fascination morphs into an obsessive need to know what the vultures know. Andi turns to Dr. Fawning, but even the therapist cannot help her comprehend the secrets she’s buried beneath anger-induced blackouts.

Her girlfriend, Luna, tries to help Andi battle her inner darkness and infatuation with the vultures. However, the desire to taste dead flesh, to stitch together wings of her own and become one with the flock sends Andi down a twisted, unforgivable path. Once she understands the secrets the vultures conceal, she must decide between abandoning the birds of prey or risk turning her loved ones into nothing more than meals to be devoured.

THE REYES INCIDENT by BRIANA MORGAN

A local legend gone haywire.

A small-town cop.

An impossible eyewitness testimony.

Which is easier to believe—that killer mermaids exist, or that one person is worth risking everything for?

For fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Into the Drowning Deep comes a chilling horror story steeped in urban rumor.

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Review: Ice Cream Liquid Lipstick from Dito Cosmetics

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What It Is: A vegan liquid lipstick.

Verdict: First things first, the packaging is incredibly adorable, and why I selected it as one of my items for my June Ipsy bag. When you first apply this lipstick, it smells heavenly – like actual ice cream. The lipstick feels lightweight and the colour is really pretty, a berry shade. Now, the issue I had with this lipstick was that after four hours it began to BLEED/FEATHER (what this means is that it began to run over the natural lipline, into the skin). By the time it was 6pm, the lipstick looked like the Harley Quinn smudged lipstick. Usually, all the liquid lipsticks I’ve used from Urban Decay or Maybelline have lasted me from 7am-9pm sans bleeding/feathering, or smudging. So to have this one start to bleed after only four hours, it was such a letdown. So I can’t really recommend this lipstick if you’re looking for longevity, because it’ll turn messy and I’m not a fan of messy lipstick AT ALL.

Price: $35

Where To Buy It: https://ditocosmetics.com/

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5 Ways to Improve Your Writing That Have Nothing to Do With Grammar by Stephanie Haywood

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It doesn’t matter whether you write fanfiction, marketing copy, or a blog delving into your innermost demons; at the end of the day, you want to write your best. That’s why The Inkblotters have put together these five non-writing tricks you can use to help the words flow more freely and smoothly.

Create a positive home environment.

Writing requires silence for some, busyness for others, and something in between for others, still. Whatever you need to focus your mind on is exactly what you should do. Leadership coach Ciara Conlon recommends dedicating a space in your home just for the task at hand. You’ll also want to pay attention to the rest of your home. If it’s filled with negativity, you’ll take these emotions into the place that is supposed to be your safe space. Clear out negative energy by cleaning and decluttering, or take a tip from ancient Native Americans and burn sage to symbolically banish bad spirits.

Get to know your subject.

You’ve heard the phrase “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” your entire life. As it turns out, this is simply the act of feeling empathy, and it can be a huge help when writing. When you can walk someone else’s proverbial path, you can write in a way that’s more accurate to how they might react to certain situations. Similarly, you must take the time to get to know the era in which your story is set. If you’re writing a book about mythology, for example, you’ll find plenty of resources to immerse yourself in this world on this list from Redeemed Reader.

Read often.

It’s true that reading often will help improve your writing by increasing your grammar skills and vocabulary, but there are other benefits as well. When you read many different types of works, you expose yourself to new styles, which you might want to incorporate into your own manuscripts. Importantly, reading someone else’s words takes your mind off your own. This will give you an opportunity to look at your keyboard/screen with a fresh set of eyes if you experience writer’s block or other delays.

Learn to spot fluff and remove it.

Words are beautiful things, but not every word belongs in every piece. When writing for an audience, remove fluff and filler, get straight to the point, and keep redundancy to a minimum (unless you’re trying to make a point by over-accentuating a thought, feeling, or action).

Visit faraway places.

If you want to be a better writer, travel. Like getting to know ancient civilizations, visiting faraway places will add authenticity to your tales, and it might even help you come up with a new storyline for your next great work. The Creative Penn blog also asserts that traveling can help extend your network, especially if you attend a conference or writer’s retreat in another country.

The idea of improvement is unique to all of us. But the tips above, from creating a more positive environment at home to traveling, reading, and getting to know your subjects, can help you be a better writer, no matter what it is you write. Tell your stories with as little fluff and filler as possible, and don’t be shy to look for ways to enhance your technique that don’t include getting to know the inner workings of the English language.

Guest blog post by Stephanie Haywood, read her previous guest blog post HERE and HERE.

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Skin Cycling – Discover the Derm-Approved Skincare Routine That’s Gone Viral

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Photo by Thirdman on Pexels.com

What is skin cycling?

Skin cycling may sound complicated, but it’s actually based on a less-is-more approach that helps you achieve healthy-looking skin and protect your skin’s barrier. To start, you’ll follow a four-day evening routine with one key type of product designated for each night.

The rotation begins with exfoliation on the first night, followed by retinol on the second night. The third and fourth nights are dedicated to recovery skin barrier-protecting serums and moisturizers. Then, the cycle repeats.

Every Day & Night: Some products are too essential to skip out on and should be used every day of your routine. This includes serums and moisturizers.

Night One: Exfoliation

Kick off your cycle with an exfoliating formula to help minimize the look of your pores, buff away dull or rough skin, and prep your face to receive the benefits from the rest of your products throughout the cycle. First, cleanse your face and make sure it’s 100% dry. Then, apply your chosen exfoliating product. For this step, some of my favorite exfoliating creams are Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator or Glam Glow Brightmud Dual-Action Exfoliating Treatment.

Night Two: Retinol

The star of night two, retinol is a common yet powerful form of Vitamin A that can accelerate skin renewal and, over time, help reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Just like night one, cleanse and dry your face completely before using your retinol. Then, apply a retinol formula. I personally love Kate Somerville +Retinol Vitamin C Moisturizer, Shani Darden Retinol Reform, and Boscia Pro-Retinol Repair + Renew Waterless Advanced Treatment.

Nights Three & Four: Recovery

On nights three and four, focus solely on recovery with your serum and moisturizer. After cleansing, apply the serum of your choice (my personal fave is Beautaniq Beauty Raindrench Serum) and gently smooth all over your face. Follow with your moisturizer of choice (my all-time fave is Korres Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturizer and my current fave is Keys Soulcare Transformation Cream).

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