NEW SEGMENT: "Random Recs"

Hello all! I've decided I want to start a new segment on here called "Random Recs" (recommendations). This category is going to be my on again/off again segment where I discuss different things I've been loving recently and give mini (mostly spoiler-free) reviews on all things from movies, books, podcasts and more! Hopefully y'all can enjoy these little posts and find new things to check out for yourselves!

Note: (I'm excited to do this new segment, but I also know that this is putting my opinion out there for people to see on the internet. [GASP!] Obviously, not everyone is going to jive with the things I enjoy or find interesting. Please be courteous and remember that these are my opinions and if you don't like what I recommend you don't have to look into it. ;) Okaynowbye!)

Recommended Book

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill is a book that quickly has become one of my favorite reads of this year so far. I started it on our family vacation to Oceanside, CA and it was perfect for sating the craving I get for fantasy that stirs up in me whenever Summer arrives.

TGWDTM is a charming little book about magic, love, consuming sorrow, and consequences of actions. It follows the tale of a little girl who is sacrificed to the witch who lives in the forest. But unbeknownst to the village who makes the sacrifices, the witch is kind, and cares for the child until she can become the hero and rescue the village from a darker power that keeps them captive.

The author writes in a way that is so beautiful. I never found a moment that I was dragging through the story. Although TGWDTM is written for a middle-grade audience, it has moments and lessons that moved me and that I could identify with as an adult--such as the danger of letting sorrow eat up the hope of life.

This book is beautiful and well-written--it does have story elements with magic, witches/wizards, and the like, so anyone who is not comfortable with that content can pass on this one. ;)

I fell in love with the descriptions of the world and the characters, and I definitely recommend this book as a quick and fun Summer read for anyone who thinks they would enjoy it!

Recommended Podcast

The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast with Adam Young has been one of my favorites since it was suggested to me a year ago. This podcast is all-things therapy, trauma, and story-work rolled into one beautiful bunch of easy to understand lessons. The therapist who leads the podcast, Adam Young, has an amazing way with making very complex and difficult topics clear and listener-friendly. Young's counseling practice is centered in Fort Collins, Colorado (A fact I didn't know until after I started listening.)

Since listening to this podcast I've learned all sorts of things about trauma and family-of-origin stories from a Christian perspective. I have come to address a lot of things I hadn't known about my own story and pain. Adam addresses topics all the way from attachment theory, to past abuse, to finding the intricate details of how our past stories of harm have shaped us into the adults we are today. The first episode I listened to that got me hooked was episode 18: "Why Your Story Makes it Hard to Hope."

More and more, I am convinced that almost everyone could benefit from therapy of some kind, even if things seem to be going well in life at the moment. This podcast is a really good way to get an introduction to therapy and healing before you take that first step of booking a consultation with an actual therapist or counselor.

You can find this podcast for free on most podcast apps and on his website at: adamyoungcounseling.com

Recommended Movie

When I heard that The Mitchells vs. the Machines movie was made by the same people who created Into the Spiderverse and The Lego Movie I was intrigued. Into the Spiderverse had some revolutionary art direction and The Lego Movie had no business being as witty or as funny as it was. The trailers for The Mitchells were your typical, action-and-silly-moments thrown in a kid's movie commercials.

I chose to watch it after my husband left on a weekend trip, and though it wasn't revolutionary, it was very enjoyable.

The story follows a dysfunctional family as they try to work together and save all of human existence after the earth is overrun by modern internet technology. The story was fairly simple--focusing on the oldest child, Katie as she prepares to leave for college and bond with people that she thinks will finally "get" her creative and unconventional outlook on life. Katie's relationship with her family--particularly her dad--is strained from personality differences that each of them try to resolve in various and hilarious ways. As the story progresses, the family has to learn to work together to defeat not only the inevitable destructive forces of robots trying to imprison humanity, but also their own prejudices and hurt they hold against each other.

For those who care about this, we do learn that Katie is a queer character by the Pride flag pin she wears on her hoodie as well as a small comment about "bringing home" her female college friend for Thanksgiving. It is a small inclusion that does not appear many times in the overall story, but I thought I would mention it.

The story and characters are fun, the art design is exquisite, and there were plenty of real laugh-out-loud moments for me through the whole thing. Though The Mitchells may not be anything life-changing, it was a light-hearted and enjoyable watch that a variety of ages can enjoy.

Recommended Music

And finally, for my last random recommendation of this post, I'd like to recommend people to listen to the album Bury the Moon by Asgeir. Asgeir is an Icelandic artist with a lovely voice and music that reminds me of a blend between Josh Garrels and Novo Amor. It is alternative music with feelings of home, longing, and memory.

I first discovered Asgeir when a friend recommended to me his song King and Cross. His music is calming and enjoyable for those moments that you just need something chill to have on. Please check him out on whatever platform you stream your music from.

Thanks for reading my first installment of "Random Recs"! Let me know if you enjoyed any of my recommendations this time around and feel free to let me know your favorite bits of media right now in the comments. I am always looking for more books to read, podcasts to listen to, and other things to enjoy!

-RNM