Becca

BeccaThis was my first exposure to really cozy stories and I was immediately hooked. I enjoyed how the people were just... people. Flawed enough to make me frustrated at them, but winning enough to make me cheer for who the reader's meant to cheer for. The real draw of the book is the setting. Everywhere this story takes you, the place is a character all its own. I think the author did very well building the world and I especially enjoyed the charmingly unconventional bookshop and the main character's challenges in building her new life. This book is a love letter to book lovers from a book lover, and it shows. But I also gotta admit that the charm of the story lies mostly with its settings and world-building, not really with the characters and storyline. I found myself reading just to get the feeling of being in Scotland, not so much to find out what happens. The predictability of the storyline is part of what makes it so cozy, I guess - it's a low-stakes story. But the pacing of the romance rubbed me the wrong way and I found the overall storyline very anti-climatic. I just wasn't emotionally invested in Nina and the others. Bottom line, this is very cute, very easy to read, and a very safe choice. I'm happy it exposed me to the world of cozy stories, so it'll always have a warm spot in my heart. I loved the setting, didn't love the characters, and didn't find it difficult to get through.

BeccaThis ties with Ugly Betty as my favourite telenovela adaption to date. There are charming performances and character arcs, really heartfelt storytelling, and a thorough checklist of telenovela troupes that do a great job keeping things from being too serious. I love the focus on family and appreciate the evolution of their relationships and how the family grew, both in number and as people. I've cried at this show but it's also made me laugh aloud. I've felt everything while watching this - satisfaction and happiness with characters' arcs, annoyance at their realistic flaws, and a very real adoration of a love story with a HEA guarantee! This show is a bright spot that I love to replay. The chemistry is great, the narrator is a total icon, and even though the last two seasons drop in quality imho we still got the best ending and I was sad to say goodbye to some of my favourite fictional characters ever. 💛

BeccaDeeply fun! I saw other reviews saying there was nothing new about this movie and it wasn't as funny as it tried to be, but I disagree. The ending was bittersweet but satisfying (don't miss the post credits scene!), the performances were everything I hoped they'd be, the style and aesthetic of the whole thing made it impossible to look away. The humour hit its marks imo and kept this from being just another gritty revenge movie. I thought the casting ranged from an interesting choice to perfect, but the main roles were better than I thought they'd be and Michelle Dockery as a psycho PR expert and producer is my new favourite thing. Thumbs up across the board!

BeccaA cute classic with fabulous performances! I didn't find the climax to be all that climatic, but it's nostalgic all the same.

BeccaWill forever be one of my favourites! The humour, heart, and action are a cut above. The overall aesthetic is a character all its own and even though it's a longer than average movie, it doesn't waste a minute, imo. It doesn't take itself too seriously but has this really charming and interesting mix of funnies and feelings with a heavy dose of action and storytelling that grabs you almost immediately. I also deeply appreciated the opportunity the movie had to go in a depressing, foreboding direction, but chose to paint kindness, hope, and love as strength. This has been the first movie I said I would happily watch again immediately after finishing it.

BeccaLong and not as historically accurate, but is beautifully shot and well acted - would watch again!

BeccaIt's joined my short list of shows I have on repeat. Between the stunning historical wardrobe and world building and the quick, witty Gilmore Girls style dialogue, it's guaranteed entertaining. Enter empathetic yet ambitious storytelling and truly awesome performances, and it's one of the best shows I've watched. Love it!