Audiobook lovers, this is your time to shine! It’s officially a new year, and THP’s book team is stoked for what’s in store. Not only do we have 12 months of new audiobooks to round up, but we also have plenty of 2026 book releases we’re keeping our eyes on.
In the mood for a thriller? How about a fake dating celebrity romance? Whatever you’re feeling, our Sweet Listens column has something for you. Here are three January audiobooks to start off your new year right!
Content warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful listening and checking the author’s website for any additional content warnings.
Beth Is Dead By Katie Bernet
Image Source: Simon & Schuster
Let’s start off strong with a January audiobook that we couldn’t hit pause on! Katie Bernet’s debut novel, Beth is Dead, reimagines the classic Little Women story into a thriller. In case you couldn’t tell, Beth March is dead, and it’s up to her sisters Meg, Jo, and Amy to find out who killed her. As the investigation unravels, the bond between the March sisters begins to crack. Secrets and suspicions paint each one with a potential motive for getting rid of Beth. The audiobook alternates between each sister’s point of view, including Beth’s in the form of flashbacks. And the ultimate twist ending is too good!
Love Goes Viral By Alexander Berman, Camille Stochitch, & Estelle Laure
Image Source: Simon & Schuster
The next January audiobook on our radar is Love Goes Viral by Alexander Berman, Camille Stochitch, and Estelle Laure. A swoonworthy romance with fake dating and all-too-real social media moments, we loved diving into this audiobook. Love Thompson is a beloved influencer with dreams of becoming a music artist. When she gets cancelled after taking the fall for her boyfriend’s mistake, Love needs some serious PR magic. By that, she needs to date someone more down to earth. Someone like Austin Grey, a boy trying his best to keep his family’s diner afloat.
Finally, we have Jessica L. Cozzi’s We’ve Hit Turbulence, a second chance romance with a scenic Hawaiian backdrop. 2026 seems to be a big year for second chances, so we’re sat for this January audiobook! Olive Austin wants to surprise her long-distance boyfriend Jack in Hawaii, but she can’t help but feel that their relationship is doomed. Her hope for a peaceful 13-hour flight gets crushed when her seatmate turns out to be her ex-boyfriend Tyler, the person she never truly got over. Their initial awkwardness turns into a trip down memory lane, leaving Olive’s heart as conflicted as ever.
What do you think about our first Sweet Listens of the year? Which of these January audiobooks are you most interested in listening to? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
December may be a time for joyous celebrations and holiday cheer, but we’re going against the grain for this month’s Sweet Listens. Another year of audiobook recommendations has come to an end, and we couldn’t be more grateful to share some of our favorites every month.
As the days grow shorter and colder, we want to rest up while also keeping ourselves occupied with reading and listening. So grab a device, cozy up in your favorite chair, and hit play on some of these chilling and thrilling new December audiobooks.
Content warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful listening and checking the author’s website for any additional content warnings.
The Obsession By Natasha Preston
Image Source: Penguin Random House
Much like our Sweet Listens from December 2024, we’re kicking this one off with another thriller by Natasha Preston. The Obsession follows sixteen-year-old Connie, whose has been forced into the digital spotlight thanks to her mother’s incessant vlogging. When her mom and older sister leave for a college tour, Connie can’t wait to act like a normal teen for once. Then an anonymous user starts sending her suspicious messages. And girls in her area start dying in tragic accidents, all of whom seem to resemble Connie. We could not have predicted the last few chapters of this audiobook, and we’re still gagged, honestly.
Our next December audiobook recommendation is Christina Kovac’s new psychological thriller, Watch Us Fall! It follows Lucy and her three best friends/roommates as they become embroiled in an investigation. The group leader Addie’s ex-boyfriend has gone missing, and detectives suspect the young women have an idea of what happened to him. In a dual narrative of the weeks leading up to Josh’s disappearance to the present-day investigation, this audiobook exposes everyone’s dark family secrets and suppressed childhood trauma. And Lucy seems to have a particularly vested interest in this case.
To round out the final Sweet Listens of the year, we have Nancy Banks’s paranormal fantasy, The Uninvited! Let’s set the scene: modern-day Paris, new girl in town, and a series of vampire attacks. Tosh is ready to leave behind her life in Portland, Oregon for a vibrant fresh start in Paris. With the help of her charming neighbor Nick, she finds her place in the city and a friend group where she belongs. But a vampire has been hunting the streets of Paris, and it lurks ever closer to Tosh and her friends. This audiobook subverts the traditional vampire tale, turning it into a powerful, feminist novel we absolutely loved!
Did any of this month’s chilling audiobook recommendations stand out to you? Which of these December audiobooks will you be adding to your wish list? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Content Warnings: violence, murder, sexual assault, substance abuse, infidelity
Summary:New Year’s Eve hits different in your thirties. Especially when the party ends in murder.
It used to be an annual thing—the raucous New Year’s party full of games and hors d’oeuvres. But for Olivia and her friends, the chaos of their thirties has really challenged the definition of annual. It’s been a few years since the close friends were last…close. But this year is gonna be different. The burnout, parenting stress, credit card debt, job drama, marriage troubles, addiction—they’re going to set it all aside for the night. No, really. They swear.
Oh, except for the secrets. Every last person has one… But secrets are only as good as the people you trust to keep them, and when the wrong one slips out…well, friends or not, that just might become motive for murder.
Everybody thinks they know their closest friends—until somebody winds up dead.
Image Source: Photo Courtesy of HarperCollins
New Year’s Eve is usually all about fresh starts and glittery optimism. But for Olivia and her long-time friends, that midnight countdown comes with a body count. Jenna Satterthwaite’s The New Year’s Party turns a familiar reunion scenario on its head with a story that’s both relatable and jaw-dropping. Written in a style that’s conversational yet polished, it draws readers in with wry humor and mounting suspense.
1. Old Friends, New Drama
After years of adulting (careers, kids, mortgages), Olivia and her once inseparable high school friends have drifted apart. This New Year’s Eve is their big chance to reconnect. From the moment they reunite, it’s clear each person is lugging more baggage than the overnight kind. Burnout at work? Check. Marriage on the rocks? Definitely.
Each thirtysomething in the room wears a polite party face that barely disguises the personal chaos underneath. It’s a scenario many readers in their late twenties or thirties will recognize: a bittersweet mix of nostalgia and the stark reality that growing up often means growing apart. And as this story shows, sometimes those old friendships hide new secrets capable of sparking serious fireworks.
2. Champagne, Confetti, And Crime
The setting is a classic New Year’s house party in the Midwest, complete with hors d’oeuvres, silly party games, and champagne fizzing over plastic flutes. There’s an almost cinematic quality to the backdrop: imagine a cozy living room decked with twinkle lights and half-forgotten inside jokes. It all feels comfortingly familiar until the stroke of midnight approaches and the atmosphere shifts from festive to foreboding.
The author uses the holiday’s bubbly energy as a clever contrast to the darkness lurking among the guests. One minute, the friends are clinking glasses, and the next minute, we’re reminded that this isn’t your typical New Year’s bash. The confetti isn’t the only thing hitting the floor tonight. By the time the clock strikes twelve, someone will be dead, and that glittery party backdrop suddenly feels more chilling than cheerful.
3. No Resolutions, Just Revelations
If New Year’s is about resolving to change, these friends are more focused on revealing what’s been hidden. Every guest at Olivia’s party has a secret (or three) tucked away, and watching those secrets spill out is half the thrill. Satterthwaite masterfully unravels the group’s tangled web of lies and grudges through sharp dialogue and tense exchanges. Little confessions drop like unexpected party favors, each one upping the stakes.
Did someone just confess to an affair under their breath, or is that a hint of financial disaster behind a forced smile? With each reveal, alliances in the room shift on a dime. It’s the kind of drama that feels uncomfortably real (who hasn’t worried about a friend blabbing a confidence after a few drinks?), yet it escalates into deliciously high-stakes territory. In The New Year’s Party, secrets aren’t just social ticking bombs; they’re motives, each potent enough to push someone over the edge.
4. Ten Perspectives, One Wild Night
The novel doesn’t stick to one storyteller. Instead, it hands the mic to nearly everyone at the party. That means we hop between multiple characters’ viewpoints, each chapter peeling back a new layer of the night’s events. This narrative style gives readers a 360-degree view of the chaos. We see grudges, fears, and long-held resentments from every angle. It’s an ambitious move, but it pays off by making the mystery feel rich and communal.
Every friend has their moment to shine or incriminate themselves. The shifting perspectives mimic the vibe of actually being at the party: snippets of whispered conversations, side glances, and private thoughts that only we, the readers, get to piece together. It might sound like a lot to track, but the narrative keeps each voice distinct enough that you quickly remember who’s who and who’s hiding what.
5. Twists And Turns (Spoiler-Free!)
It’s hard to talk about the best parts of a murder mystery without giving things away, but here’s what can be said: The New Year’s Party does not disappoint when it comes to twists. The novel opens with a bang, quite literally, as we find out in the first few pages that one of the friends is dead. From there, the story rewinds to the morning of the party and methodically builds suspense.
Every chapter ends on a note that dares you not to read the next. Satterthwaite plants red herrings throughout, so just when you think you’ve figured out the victim or the culprit, another curveball hits. By the final chapters, multiple mini-bombs drop, each one more shocking than the last. It’s a thrill ride that will make you second-guess every character’s alibi. Best of all, the big reveal lands with a satisfying punch, leaving no loose ends in the confetti.
6. A Thriller Worth RSVPing
At its heart, The New Year’s Party is both a cautionary tale and a celebration of the messy bonds between friends. It asks how well we really know the people we grew up with, and how much we’ve all changed since high school. The narrative flows like a lively conversation, mixing nostalgia and shock in equal measure. For a younger audience, especially, the story feels fresh and dynamic, addressing modern anxieties (hello, burnout and social media envy) while delivering old-school thriller payoffs.
It’s a page-turner that can make you cringe in recognition one moment and gasp in surprise the next. Polished yet playful, this novel has the irresistible vibe of a New Year’s Eve party you’d hate to miss (minus the actual homicide, of course). In the end, Jenna Satterthwaite serves up a fizzy cocktail of suspense and insight that goes down easy with a wicked aftertaste!
The New Year’s Party manages to be both a razor-sharp friendship drama and a crackling murder mystery that leaves you breathless by midnight.
Content Warnings: sexual assault, stalking, blackmail, coercive control, infidelity, trauma
Summary:Jenna, who runs a successful private therapy practice, still struggles with trust issues of her own. She’s made a promise to stop snooping in her husband Colten’s phone, but sometimes she can’t help herself. One night, she discovers a troubling exchange between him and his cousin Bodie, who’s one of his closest friends. A dancer from a bachelor party they both recently attended is threatening Bodie, claiming they crossed a line sexually and that she’ll expose the truth to his family if she doesn’t get what she wants. They don’t know much about this woman, or how far she’s willing to go. But Jenna might.
Lexus Chardonnay, the stage name of the dancer from the party, is one you don’t forget. And Jenna’s heard it before—from one of her clients.
Kaitlyn is a medical school student who dances on weekends to put herself through school. Jenna’s been her therapist for years, except she hasn’t seen her for three months. Not since Kaitlyn stopped showing up for treatment, without explanation. As Jenna begins to listen back to their past sessions, desperate for answers, a more complicated picture emerges, and she must decide who to trust as her career and her family hang in the balance.
Courtesy of Simon & Schuster
Everyone says they want honesty in a relationship, but how many of us have sneaked a peek at a partner’s phone when nobody’s looking? Jenna knows she shouldn’t, yet one quiet night, she breaks her promise and scrolls through her husband’s texts. What she finds isn’t your run-of-the-mill flirty message or a secret Instagram account. It’s something much more alarming: a digital Pandora’s box that threatens not just her marriage, but the very career built on trust and confidentiality.
Lucinda Berry’s new thriller, This Is A Safe Space, puts a modern twist on the old idea that some secrets refuse to stay buried. In an era when our whole lives (and our darkest lies) can hide behind a lock screen, this story taps into a very real, very today kind of fear. What if the person who creates a “safe space” for others has nowhere safe for herself? It’s a question Jenna is forced to confront as her professional world collides with a deeply personal nightmare.
1. Our Phones, Our Secrets
What would someone find if they opened your phone right now? It’s a disarming question, and in This Is A Safe Space, the answer nearly shatters one family. Jenna’s late-night phone snooping isn’t just a plot device; it’s a painfully relatable lapse in judgment. In an age of fingerprint locks and Face IDs, the smartphone has become a diary, confession booth, and safe deposit box of our secrets all in one. Jenna promised herself she’d trust her husband Colten, but the temptation of that glowing screen proves too strong. And when her worst suspicions appear confirmed by a string of cryptic texts, it kicks off a chain reaction of suspicion and fear.
This thriller gets how a tiny breach of digital privacy can snowball. One moment of “just checking” leads Jenna into a web of lies connecting her home to her therapy practice. It’s a modern scenario that feels disturbingly familiar, tapping into the way real trust issues often begin with a single notification at 2 AM. By anchoring the mystery in something as ordinary as a text message, the story makes its psychological punches hit close to home!
2. One Name, Two Lives
Meet Lexus Chardonnay. It’s a stage name you won’t easily forget. For Jenna, it’s the name that makes her blood run cold. Those threatening messages on her husband’s phone revolve around a mysterious dancer with this flashy alias. But Jenna has heard it before, in a far different context. Lexus is actually Kaitlyn, a bright medical student who has sat across from Jenna in therapy for years. By day, Kaitlyn is studying to heal others; by night, under neon lights, she becomes Lexus, dancing to pay the bills.
This dual life isn’t just a plot twist; it’s a commentary on the curated identities people juggle. On social media, we often present highlight reels of our lives, and some of us even keep whole parts of ourselves hidden under alter egos. The novel deftly shows how those separate worlds can collide in an instant. Jenna suddenly realizes the woman sending shockwaves through her family is the same person she’s tried to help through panic attacks and personal struggles. It’s a collision of worlds that raises the stakes and begs the question: how well do we really know anyone, even those we’re supposed to trust most?
3. Victim Or Villain?
Thrillers thrive on uncertainty over who wears the white hat and who’s hiding a dagger behind their back. This Is A Safe Space takes that uncertainty up a notch. The dancer threatening Jenna’s family might be an extortionist preying on men’s worst fears, or she could be a young woman lashing out after surviving something unspeakable. The story constantly tugs the rug out from under assumptions. One chapter, you’re convinced Bodie (Colten’s hapless cousin caught in the scandal) is being unfairly trapped; the next, you wonder if he’s not as innocent as he seems.
It’s a fascinating tightrope walk between sympathy and suspicion. The novel asks if it’s possible to be both a victim and a perpetrator at once. In real life, people who are hurt sometimes hurt others in return, intentionally or not. Berry isn’t afraid to live in that gray area. She lets readers sit with the discomfort that comes when you simply can’t slot someone into “good” or “bad.” It makes the suspense that much more intense.
4. When Control Turns Coercive
Behind the thriller’s twists lies a sobering commentary on power and credibility. The situation Jenna uncovers isn’t just about a scandal. It’s about who gets believed and who gets blamed. Kaitlyn’s alter ego, Lexus, resorts to late-night threats and demands, behaviors that look like stalking on the surface. But the novel nudges readers to consider why she feels this is her only recourse. Women who speak up about being harmed are too often dismissed as “crazy” or attention-seeking, especially if their story threatens a tight-knit family’s reputation. It’s a frustrating reality that This Is A Safe Space digs into: if Kaitlyn truly was wronged, would anyone believe her without proof or pressure?
The flip side is equally unsettling. If she’s lying, then she’s weaponizing the doubt that real victims face, making it harder for others to trust women’s stories. The narrative walks this fine line without preaching. Instead, it heightens the suspense: every character is unsure who to trust, and that creeping feeling of being watched or manipulated keeps both Jenna and the reader on edge. Coercive control isn’t always overt violence: sometimes it’s a barrage of texts, a veiled threat, or the silent treatment that warps reality. Berry shows how these subtler forms of manipulation can be just as chilling, especially in a world where deleting a message doesn’t erase what happened.
5. Blurred Boundaries, Big Dilemmas
Therapists are supposed to keep a professional distance, but what happens when the “someone” needing help is on the other side of the couch and also at your dinner table? Jenna’s predicament is every psychologist’s nightmare scenario. Ethically, a therapist shouldn’t entangle their personal life with a patient’s, yet here she is, smack in the middle of her client’s secret crisis. When Kaitlyn vanished from therapy without a word three months ago, Jenna never imagined their next encounter would be like this. Now Jenna is combing through old session notes and audio recordings, searching for clues in conversations that were meant to heal, not solve a mystery.
The book grapples with the ethics of these dual relationships in a very human way. Jenna isn’t portrayed as a saint or a sinner for the choices she makes, just a person trying to protect her family and her patient at the same time. It raises tough questions: Can you ever really separate personal feelings from professional duty? Jenna knows the rulebook, but This Is A Safe Space shows how real life often laughs in the face of those rules. The tension of watching her walk that tightrope between what’s right as a therapist and what’s necessary as a wife and mother adds another layer of depth to an already twisty thriller.
6. When Betrayal Hits Home
Beyond the mystery and mind games, Berry delves into the emotional wreckage that betrayal leaves behind. Jenna might be a therapist, but discovering her husband’s possible deceit puts her on the other side of the couch, reeling, doubting, and hurt like anyone else. The novel illustrates betrayal trauma in a way that young readers and older ones alike can feel in their gut. When someone you love breaks your trust, it doesn’t just sting; it alters how you see the world. Jenna’s outlook shifts as she grapples with the notion that the man she built a life with may have dangerous secrets. Her empathy is tested too; can she still sympathize with her client’s pain when she’s drowning in her own?
Lucinda Berry’s background as a psychologist shines through in these moments. The story doesn’t lecture about trauma; it shows it unfolding in real time, from Kaitlyn’s anxiety spirals to Jenna’s simmering panic behind her professional poise. The characters’ reactions feel authentic, messy, and human. This Is A Safe Space isn’t just another page turner; it’s a thriller that truly understands the psychology of broken trust!
The scariest part of This Is A Safe Space isn’t what people confess; it’s what they keep to themselves.
It has been far too long since we’ve read a speculative novel as powerful and political as Helena Haywoode Henry’s debut novel, Last Chance Live! This book centers around a reality TV show of the same name starring ten death row inmates between the ages of 18 to 21. The winner gains clemency, and the losers receive the death penalty within a week of exiting the show.
Last Chance Live! has all the makings of any popular reality show: drama, sabotage, secrets, and betrayals. Viewers root for and decide which contestant deserves a second chance at freedom. It sparks conversations among the general public and readers of which capital crimes can be forgiven, especially when the perpetrators are so young.
We sped through Last Chance Live! within a day, and we have a feeling it’ll stick with us for years to come. Its social commentary and themes of justice, mercy, and agency are too compelling to ignore. Here are three things that stood out to us about Helena Haywoode Henry’s Last Chance Live!
Image Source: Penguin Random House
Book Overview: Last Chance Live!
Content warnings: death, murder, death penalty, suicide, suicidal thoughts, bodies/corpses, prison, graphic violence, gore, torture, rape, sexual abuse, cutting, bullying, fatphobia, slurs, guns, car accident, attempted arson, swearing (Please read at your discretion!)
Summary:Last Chance Live! is the most popular reality show in America—and eighteen-year-old death row inmate Eternity Price’s last chance to live. Getting cast on the show could win her clemency preventing her execution… if she can convince the viewing audience she deserves a second chance. The catch? If America doesn’t vote for her, she loses the chance to appeal her sentence, and she’ll be executed within a week of being eliminated from the show. And since Eternity’s been unpopular her whole life, she’s terrified America won’t pick her. But any chance of getting out of prison and back to her little brother Sincere, no matter how slim, is better than rotting away in her cell.
Eternity never expected to find her first real friends in a reality TV house full of people battling for survival after being convicted of capital crimes, but that’s exactly what happens. So when she gets the opportunity to sabotage them and secure her own victory, she has a choice to make: protect the friendships and acceptance she’s always longed for at the cost of her own life, or sacrifice her newfound community. Eternity must ultimately decide what forgiveness, family, and freedom mean to her, and how far she’ll go to win a game where the stakes are literally life or death.
The Show’s Contestants
Last Chance Live! gives us a diverse group of young convicted criminals with a wide range of crimes. When we watch any reality show (or in this case, read about it), it’s easy to root for more than one contestant to win. But when the show’s sole winner gets freedom for a new life and the rest inevitably gets the death penalty, we learned not to get too attached to the characters. Even so, we had so many conflicted feelings toward each person, especially after the reveal of their crime. Like Eternity, the more the show went on, the more we wanted multiple contestants to survive and make it out.
Eternity’s Strategies
When the cast of Last Chance Live! are all death row inmates, it’s safe to say there are a lot of morally gray areas to consider. Eternity and the other contestants are fighting for their literal lives. They need to curry favor with the public, making sure their image on the show gives them the most votes. They also need to be ruthless no matter what. Eternity learns this the hard way after trying to set up an alliance with all the Black contestants. She twists and sabotages her way through each vote, somehow making it farther than she expected. But things come to a head when she starts to see how much her actions affect others, and she doesn’t only want herself to win anymore.
The Narration In Verse
Another thing that stood out to us in Last Chance Live! is the use of verse in Eternity’s narration. These poems allow us to slow our reading and really take in each word. We aren’t quite sure if there are any clear patterns behind each section of verse. And we never know when they’ll happen. They’re abrupt, cutting in to the prose and then reverting right back almost as if they didn’t happen. This unabridged access to Eternity’s thoughts puts us directly into her shoes, feeling her anxiety and terror as a result of her environment. Now we’re the ones in survival mode—in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode.
It didn’t take much for us to be hooked on Helene Haywoode Henry’s chilling speculative novel, Last Chance Live! From its themes of justice and agency to its masterful characterization and narration, we already want to reread it and uncover even more layers.
Last Chance Live! by Helena Haywoode Henry comes out October 7th, and you can order a copy of it here!
What do you think of the concept behind Last Chance Live! by Helena Haywoode Henry? Did you connect with her debut novel as much as we did? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
September’s in full swing, which brings us ever closer to the spooky season! THP’s book team have had a solid mix of paranormal and Gothic fantasies this month. All with some romance included, of course. But before we introduce our next book review, we want to set the scene.
It’s 19th-century Manhattan and London. There’s a killer on the loose. And his hunter? A vengeful, newly awakened Medusa. With multiple perspectives and a thrilling timeline, Julie Berry’s If Looks Could Kill is an incredible and unique read.
We thoroughly enjoyed Julie Berry’s new novel, and we’re hoping you’re interested in reading it, too. Here are three signs to know if If Looks Could Kill is a good fit for your TBR!
Image Source: Simon & Schuster
Book Overview: If Looks Could Kill
Content warnings: serial murder, death, violence, gore, bodies, sex trafficking, mentions of rape and sexual assault, alcohol use, forced captivity, guns, weapons, serious injury (Please read at your discretion!)
Summary:It’s autumn 1888, and Jack the Ripper is on the run. As London police close in, he flees England for New York City seeking new victims. But a primal force of female vengeance has had enough. With serpents for hair and a fearsome gaze, an awakened Medusa is hunting for one thing: Jack.
And other dangers lurk in Manhattan’s Bowery. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl discover that a girl they once helped has been forced to work in a local brothel. Tabitha’s an upstate city girl with a wry humor and a thirst for adventure, while farmgirl Pearl takes everything with stone-cold seriousness. Their brittle partnership is tested as they team up with an aspiring girl reporter and a handsome Irish bartender to mount a rescue effort, only to find their fates entwine with Medusa’s and Jack’s.
You’re A True Crime Fan
If you love true crime documentaries and podcasts, then we’ll take that as a sign that you’ll enjoy If Looks Could Kill. The infamous story of serial killer Jack the Ripper continues to be prominent in today’s media. (Do we dare say he was the blueprint?) And in this thriller, he meets his match against Medusa. We love how this story pits these two historical figures together into one timeline. It couldn’t be clearer that the author did her due diligence in creating the lore and thoroughly researching each facet of it.
You Love Feminist Revenge Tales
We recognize the ancient myth of Medusa as a story of female rage, revenge, and empowerment. In If Looks Could Kill, there isn’t only one Medusa. Any woman with a dark past or traumatic experience dealing with men can develop the powers to turn them into stone. As long as the men are capable of feeling enough guilt and shame for their heinous acts against women. The Medusa’s are ruthless, and rightfully so. But they’re also fiercely loyal and protective of their sisters, turning their rage into something lethal.
You Enjoy A Romance Subplot
Amid the dark and heavy themes within If Looks Could Kill, we get a taste of romance between Tabitha, a Salvation Army volunteer, and Mike, a handsome Irish bartender. Their sweet courtship had us grinning ear to ear, especially seeing Tabitha meet Mike’s family. The two of them get into plenty of sticky situations dealing with thugs from a local brothel to the police to Medusa. But their romance gave us some relief in between Jack and Pearl’s perspectives. They absolutely deserved their happy ending.
With a deadly matchup between the infamous Jack the Ripper and a newly awakened Medusa, If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry is a historical thriller that instantly reels you in!
If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry comes out September 16th, and you can order a copy of it here!
What do you think of Julie Berry’s new book, If Looks Could Kill? Did you love the true crime and ancient mythology mashup? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Content Warnings: death (including parental death), car accident, drowning, violence, psychological manipulation, grief
Summary: A dead teacher at an elite boarding school. Four students who had every reason to want her gone. Who is the monster?
At an elite New England boarding school, eight students are selected for an exclusive storytelling workshop with the one and only Meredith Graffam—an enigmatic writer, director, and actress. For sixteen days, they will live in the isolated estate of the school’s founder, surrounded by snowy woods and a storm-tossed seas. Only one of the chosen will walk away with a lifechanging opportunity to realize their creative dreams.
Everyone, including Graffam, has a compelling reason to be there—Effy, the orphan, Isaac, the legacy, Ness, the wallflower, Ramon, the outsider, and Arlo, whose unexpected arrival leaves Effy spiraling—but only the most ambitious will last the term. Graffam’s unorthodox methods push the students past the breaking point, revealing their darkest secrets, taking unthinkable risks, and slowly starting to turn on one another. But Graffam never expected they would turn on her . . .
Image Source: Courtesy of Penguin Random House
Ever wondered what secrets lurk behind ivy-covered boarding school walls? Jennifer Niven’s latest novel When We Were Monsters invites readers into an elite world where ambition runs high, creativity is a blood sport, and not everyone makes it out alive. In this engaging new YA thriller, Niven, best known for heartfelt favorites like All the Bright Places, trades small-town angst for a dark academia setting dripping with suspense and stormy New England atmosphere. The result is a story as dynamic and fresh as it is chilling!
Let’s break down why When We Were Monsters is capturing attention and imaginations, especially among younger readers. From its killer premise (literally) to the relatable fears it taps into, here are the key takeaways from this conversational yet polished review of Niven’s newest page-turner.
1. A Killer Premise That Hooks You Early
Niven doesn’t waste time drawing us in; the novel opens with a line that practically dares you not to read on: “The day before we kill Meredith Graffam is calm and blue. Like Massachusetts in summer after rain.” With that evocative sentence, we’re immediately thrust into a murder plot at an elite New England boarding school. The victim? Meredith Graffam, a charismatic yet feared teacher running an exclusive 16-day storytelling workshop for eight hand-picked students. The twist? Each of those students has a motive, and each had every reason to want her gone. It’s a classic whodunit setup, a dead mentor, a locked-room (or rather, locked-mansion) mystery, but given a contemporary spin that feels anything but dated.
This killer premise hooks you early by combining the glittering upper echelons of society with the creeping suspicion that monsters walk among us. The phrase “Who is the monster?” becomes the novel’s haunting refrain. Is the monster one of the ambitious teens vying for their big break? Is it Meredith herself, whose teaching methods verge on psychological warfare? Or is it something more metaphorical: the darkness lurking in each of them? By posing these questions up front, Niven crafts an irresistible hook. You find yourself playing detective from page one, looking for clues in every tense interaction and snowy corridor. The hook is set, and trust us, you won’t escape it easily!
2. Dark Academia Vibes With A Gothic Twist
If you’re a fan of dark academia aesthetics, think old manor houses, secretive seminars, and stormy nights, this book delivers in spades. The setting is an isolated estate on the New England coast, complete with “snowy woods and storm-tossed seas” as a backdrop. That remote mansion might as well be a character itself: its halls bristle with decades of secrets, and its walls seem to whisper dread. There’s even a dangerous cliffside nearby, upping the stakes (and the gothic drama) as the story progresses. It’s easy to imagine candlelight flickering against wood-paneled walls while a nor’easter howls outside; a perfect stage for things to go very, very wrong.
Seasoned readers might catch homages to classic gothic thrillers. The atmosphere is drenched in unease, wrapping around you like a thick fog. Yet, Niven keeps it fresh for a younger generation. This isn’t a dusty old haunted house tale; it’s more like The Secret History meets Pretty Little Liars. The students wear contemporary school uniforms and trade barbed comments and furtive glances in the age of Instagram (though phones aren’t much help when you’re snowed in at a remote estate). The result is a vibe that’s both classic and cutting-edge; as if the Brontë sisters got a TikTok account and a taste for murder mysteries. It’s atmospheric, yes, but never boring. You can practically smell the old library books and feel the chill in the air as you read, completely immersed in Niven’s wintry scholastic nightmare.
3. Characters With Secrets (And Scars) To Spare
Any good thriller needs a compelling cast of suspects, and here we get eight teenage creatives who are anything but cookie-cutter. Each student arrives at the workshop with baggage and burning ambitions:
Effy: the orphan determined to turn her tragic past into story gold. She’s piecing together a tale about the betrayal that led to her mother’s death, and that personal quest makes her equal parts vulnerable and fierce.
Arlo: the outsider who wasn’t originally invited. He hopes to publish a novel and maybe win back Effy’s heart after ghosting her three years ago. (Yes, there’s history there, and it’s juicy!) His unexpected arrival immediately puts everyone on edge, especially Effy.
Isaac: the legacy student under pressure to live up to his family name.
Ness: the wallflower who observes more than she lets on.
Ramon: the wild card from a different background, fighting for his place among these elites.
And that’s just to name a few. Everyone, including Graffam herself, has a compelling reason to be there. They’re competing for a life-changing prize, only one will win this coveted mentorship opportunity, so jealousy and drive are dialed up to ten. It’s a recipe for drama even before anything sinister happens.
What’s also intriguing is how Niven peels back each character’s layers through the intense workshop challenges. Dark secrets? Check. One by one, under Graffam’s demanding eye, the students reveal things they’d rather keep hidden. The novel alternates between Effy’s and Arlo’s perspectives, giving us intimate access to their thoughts. We feel Effy’s anxiety as old wounds resurface, and we ride along with Arlo’s determination to prove himself; not just to Graffam but to the girl whose heart he broke. The dual POV adds a relatable depth: one moment you’re in Effy’s head, wrestling with grief and attraction, the next you’re with Arlo, balancing guilt and ambition. It’s an effective one-two punch that keeps the narrative personal even as the external stakes (you know, little things like murder accusations) escalate.
You will likely find pieces of yourself in these characters. Who hasn’t felt like the outsider at some point, or yearned to redeem a past mistake? The students’ vulnerabilities make them more than potential killers; they feel real and flawed, like people you might know…if your friend group was comprised of aspiring novelists and filmmakers with a possible murderer among them.
4. A Mentor From Your Nightmares
At the center of this storm stands Meredith Graffam, the famed writer-director-actress who runs the workshop. Imagine the intimidating aura of your most challenging teacher, then crank it up to eleven. Graffam is enigmatic, brilliant, and more than a little unorthodox. She’s the kind of mentor who might quote Shakespeare one minute and set a near-impossible creative task the next, all with a serene smile that says, “Trust me.” Under her tutelage, the teens are pushed past their breaking point. She has them confront their fears, spill their secrets, and push their art to extremes. It’s the sort of high-pressure, borderline cruel mentorship that breeds both geniuses and, well, monsters!
You will love to hate Meredith Graffam. She’s a charismatic genius with a cruel streak, a character so larger-than-life that everyone’s drawn to her despite the fear she instills. At times, you catch glimpses of a more human side, hints of regret, or empathy, but just when you think you’ve got her figured out, she reminds you who’s in charge. This dynamic creates a delicious tension: Graffam is ostensibly there to help these kids achieve their dreams, but her methods and motives are suspect from day one. Is she a villain, a victim, or something in between? That ambiguity makes every interaction with her crackle. And it makes the question of “who turned on whom” all the more compelling when she ends up dead.
One can’t help but think Niven had fun crafting this character. In a recent interview, she revealed that Graffam was partly inspired by a real professor who wronged her in college. That real-life bitterness adds an authentic bite to Graffam’s scenes. She’s the embodiment of every authority figure who ever abused their power, and seeing students push back (or plot back) is oddly satisfying. By the end, Meredith Graffam stands as one of the more memorable YA mentors in recent memory; not entirely a monster, but far from innocent!
5. Thrills, Twists, And A Slow-Burn Suspense
Though When We Were Monsters involves a murder, don’t expect a typical breakneck thriller with jump scares at every turn. Niven opts for a slow-burn suspense that simmers from start to finish. The tension in this story is like a low, eerie hum in the background; you might not notice it at first, but before long, it’s under your skin. From the moment the students step into that isolated mansion, an impending sense of doom blankets the narrative. Little conflicts and strange occurrences keep stacking up: a rivalry here, a betrayal there, an unexplained midnight scream down the hall. Each chapter leaves you with that unsettled feeling, wondering what fresh drama the next day will bring.
The payoff for this steady build is a climax that feels both shocking and earned. No spoilers here, but let’s just say that by the time the big reveal comes, you’ll be clutching the book with clammy hands. Some savvy readers might guess the culprit before it’s revealed. The novel plays fair with its clues, but even if you do, the journey is the real thrill. Niven keeps the twists coming in the interpersonal dynamics as much as the murder mystery itself. Alliances form and fracture among the teens. First kisses happen at decidedly inconvenient moments. Secret alliances and lies complicate what could have been straightforward investigations. It’s messy and human in the best way!
One standout aspect is how Niven maintains suspense without relying on gore or cheap tricks. The dread is psychological. Much of the fear comes from watching characters we care about make potentially catastrophic choices. The students are asked to do some truly alarming things in the name of “art” (there were moments we thought, “Nope, couldn’t be us…” We would’ve bolted from that mansion on day two). This creates a different kind of horror: not jump-out-of-your-seat scares, but the creeping realization of how far people will go for success or validation. By the end, you might find yourself questioning what you would be willing to do in their shoes. It’s a thriller that makes you think, even as it keeps you entertained.
6. Emotional Depth And A Sizzling Undercurrent Of Romance
Despite the spooky setting and deadly stakes, this novel beats with a lot of emotion at its heart. Jennifer Niven made her name writing about teen feelings, love, loss, mental health, and those themes haven’t gone away just because there’s a murder afoot. In fact, the emotional arcs give the story its soul. Effy’s journey through grief (she’s still haunted by her mother’s death and the unanswered questions around it) adds a surreal layer to the narrative. Her writing project for the workshop forces her to confront that tragedy head-on, which is both cathartic and painful to witness. Arlo, for his part, carries guilt not just about how he left things with Effy but something more secret, too. When these two share scenes, the pages practically spark with unresolved feelings and tension.
Yes, there’s a romance subplot here, and it’s a good one. Niven weaves in a “sizzling romance between two stubborn, wounded people” (hello again, Effy and Arlo) that doesn’t overwhelm the thriller but complements it. Their chemistry offers a ray of light in an otherwise dark tale. It’s the kind of push-and-pull romance where a heated argument might suddenly turn into a surprise kiss, or a midnight collaboration on a story becomes an excuse to be close. Fans of Niven’s earlier love stories will be happy to know she hasn’t abandoned heartfelt moments; she’s just set them against a backdrop of danger this time. And because the novel is third-person and written with a bit of journalistic polish, the romance avoids sappy territory. Instead, it feels earnest and earned, a natural outcome of two people thrown together under extreme circumstances.
By the final chapters, don’t be surprised if you’re not only eager to learn whodunit but also genuinely invested in whether these characters heal their hearts. In the midst of lies and accusations, there are scenes of genuine connection, friends confiding fears, a wistful midnight dance in the snow, perhaps, reminding us that even in a story about “monsters,” humanity shines through. This blend of thrills and feels is classic Niven. It’s what makes the book resonate on a deeper level. You come for the murder mystery, you stay because you actually care about these people making it out okay (or as okay as possible).
7. Why When We Were Monsters Stands Out
Jennifer Niven has taken a bold step outside the expected with When We Were Monsters, and it pays off. The book manages to be edgy and poetic at the same time, much like an adrenaline rush with a soul. It combines the suspense of a psychological thriller with the heart of a coming-of-age story. In other words, she’s serving up something new that still feels like Niven; fiercely emotional and compulsively readable.
This novel also taps into the current YA zeitgeist. Dark academia is having a moment, and Niven’s take offers a fresh perspective by centering creative competition and the pressure to succeed. It asks timely questions: What do young people sacrifice for ambition? How do trauma and talent intersect? And who do we become when we’re pushed to the brink? The story doesn’t preach answers, but it gives you plenty to chew on between thriller beats.
Stylistically, the narrative flows with a clear, conversational tone that will appeal to younger audiences without ever talking down to them. There’s an almost cinematic quality to the prose, no surprise given Niven’s screenwriting chops, that makes you feel like you’re watching the drama unfold in real time. The dialogue snaps, the descriptions transport you, and the pacing keeps you turning pages late into the night.
Ultimately, When We Were Monsters is more than just a murder mystery at boarding school. It’s a tale of creativity and corruption, of young love and old grudges, of what it means to confront the monsters around us; and those within us. By the final chapter, one thing is clear: Jennifer Niven isn’t afraid to venture into darker territory, and she does so while keeping that empathetic touch that made readers fall in love with her work in the first place. The result is a book that feels at once eerily haunting and achingly human. Only the monstrous will survive; and in Niven’s capable hands, that makes for one heck of an engaging read!
A taut, atmospheric thriller that balances chills with emotional depth; When We Were Monsters is Jennifer Niven like you’ve never seen her before!
Summary: Two years ago, Mercy Gray was hailed as a hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. She still carries souvenirs from that day: the fragment of a bullet lodged in her back, a mountain of medical debt, and guilt for ignoring her sister’s warnings that the sweet boy next door was anything but.
So when billionaire turned TV host Damien Dare recruits Mercy to compete on his new survivalist reality show, she can’t turn down a chance at the whopping cash prize that could send her sister to college. But when she and the other contestants arrive at the off-grid location, something isn’t right. The set is empty. The gates close without warning, trapping them inside. And then one of them turns up dead. What appeared at first to be a tragic accident quickly transforms as more contestants start dropping like flies. With time and resources running low, surviving this show takes on a whole new meaning. Mercy must figure out who to trust. Before she’s next.
Image Source: Courtesy of Penguin Random House 
Imagine signing up for a reality TV survival show, only to find out the cameras aren’t rolling and the stakes are life or death. That’s the nightmare scenario at the core of Kate Alice Marshall’s new YA thrillerWE WON’T ALL SURVIVE. Written in a gripping, conversational style, the novel blends a high-octane survival game with a whodunit twist. It’s a story that feels chillingly relevant in the age of viral stunts and billionaire showmen. The premise might sound like The Hunger Games crossed with One of Us is Lying. But Marshall makes it feel fresh.
In WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE, Mercy Gray is a teenager carrying some heavy baggage. Two years ago, Mercy became an unlikely hero after saving lives during a mall shooting. But that “hero” label came with scars. She’s got a bullet fragment lodged in her back, a mountain of medical debt, and guilt for ignoring her sister’s warnings about the sweet boy next door (who turned out to be anything but). That’s not exactly the happily-ever-after you’d expect for a teen who saved the day. Worse, Mercy is haunted by guilt. She ignored her younger sister’s warning about the shooter beforehand, a mistake that weighs on her every day.
Now 18 and desperate to help her family, Mercy jumps at a strange but tempting opportunity. Enter Damien Dare: a billionaire-turned-TV-host with a flair for the dramatic (and the bank account to fund it). He recruits Mercy to compete on his new survival reality show. The prize? A life-changing cash payout that could solve Mercy’s problems in one fell swoop. A billionaire running a private survival game for entertainment sounds almost dystopian, right? In 2025, it also feels just plausible enough to give you chills. Mercy figures braving a few weeks in the wilderness on camera is a small price to pay for a shot at financial freedom. What could possibly go wrong?
1. Lights, Camera,…Murder?
Mercy and a motley crew of fellow contestants arrive at an isolated, off-grid camp. They expect the usual reality TV setup: camera crews, producers, maybe some cheesy team challenges. Instead, they find no cameras, no crew, and no way out. The set is eerily deserted. Before they can say “tribal council,” the compound’s gates lock shut, trapping them inside. Then one contestant turns up dead under mysterious circumstances. It’s clear this isn’t the game any of them signed up for. There’s no audience to vote anyone off the island. No medic to call when things go wrong. Just a group of terrified teens and a ticking clock.
At first, some think the death might be a freak accident; after all, they are roughing it in the wild. But as more contestants start falling victim one by one, it becomes obvious that someone (or something) is picking them off. Is there a killer among the contestants? Is this all an insane stunt orchestrated by Damien Dare for ratings? The novel keeps you guessing. Each chapter raises new questions and doubts. Trust quickly erodes between these stranded competitors. In a twisted funhouse-mirror version of Survivor, alliances form and break in real time. Literally no one knows if they’ll be alive by the season finale.
The billionaire puppet-master, Damien Dare, is notably absent once the mayhem kicks off. His presence looms over the story through the elaborate game design. And there’s always the fear that he might be watching from behind the scenes. It’s like he created his own private Lord of the Flies experiment for the TikTok generation. Honestly, the idea of a celebrity billionaire trapping people in a secret survival game doesn’t even feel far-fetched. Not in our era of extreme reality TV. That subtle “this could actually happen” vibe makes the reading experience that much more thrilling and unsettling!
2. Mercy Gray: A Hero With Scars And Heart
One of the reasons WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE hits so hard is its protagonist. Mercy isn’t your typical horror-movie final girl or attention-seeking reality show contestant. She’s grounded and relatable. A girl who’s been through tragedy and is just trying to protect her little sister and secure a future. Marshall gives Mercy a depth that’s sometimes rare in thrillers. Yes, Mercy is tough and resourceful (you don’t survive a shooting at 16 without some serious grit). But she’s also vulnerable. She has lingering trauma and survivor’s guilt from that day at the mall, and a cynicism beyond her years. When she agrees to join the show, it’s not for fame or fun. It’s out of a sense of duty to her family, and maybe a bit of desperation. That motive makes her easy to root for from page one.
Mercy’s past also plays into how she navigates the deadly game. She’s been hailed as a hero before, but she doesn’t feel like one. In the reality show gone wrong, she’s cautious and guarded. Mercy is wary of playing hero again unless absolutely necessary. That internal conflict adds a compelling layer to the story. Everyone expects her to be the fearless hero, but inside she’s still a terrified teen. It’s not just about external survival. It’s about Mercy grappling with what survival even means to her. Watching Mercy slowly come to terms with the fact that she wants to survive (not just for others, but for herself) is quietly empowering amid all the chaos.
And let’s be real: Mercy’s not the only one carrying baggage. Each contestant on Dare’s show has their own secrets and reasons for being there. (Honestly, who signs up for a survival game like this unless they really need the money or the fame?) The book drops hints that everyone has something to hide, which means plenty of red herrings once bodies start dropping. Mercy must decide whom to trust. She knows that trusting the wrong person could be a fatal mistake.
3. High Stakes And Twisty Mysteries
Describing WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE as a page-turner almost feels like an understatement. Marshall cranks up the tension to 11 and never really lets your heart rate drop. The moment Mercy and company realize this isn’t just play-acting for TV, the novel launches into survival-mystery overdrive. Every chapter seems to end with a mini cliffhanger. There’s always a new puzzle piece that makes you question what you thought you knew. It’s the kind of book where you tell yourself, “just one more chapter” at midnight. Suddenly, it’s 3 AM and you’re wide-eyed, wondering who will make it to morning. (Consider yourself warned).
Marshall also knows how to play with tropes and expectations. Think you’ve identified the love interest or the sidekick? Think again. The story doesn’t hesitate to put anyone in danger. There were moments that had us yelling, “No way did that just happen!” Marshall isn’t afraid to shock you, but nothing feels like a cheap trick. The twists are earned, and clues are cleverly laid out for sharp-eyed readers to pick up (you’ll have the urge to play detective alongside Mercy). As the contestant pool shrinks and paranoia skyrockets, you start suspecting everyone. And that’s exactly what the author intends. It’s a wild ride, but a fair one; all the puzzle pieces click by the end! Just know that the finale brings one last surprise that might make you gasp, and it cements the book’s status as one of the most entertaining YA thrillers of the year.
4. Themes (More Than Just A Thrill Ride)
For all its adrenaline and “gotcha” moments, WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE also packs some thematic punches. This isn’t a shallow slasher story. Marshall uses the extreme scenario to explore deeper issues. The book tackles trauma, for one: how people cope (or don’t) after surviving the unthinkable. Mercy’s trauma from the mall shooting didn’t magically vanish. It’s an ongoing part of her life, influencing her choices. Through Mercy and others, the narrative shows how survivors are treated by society. They’re hailed as heroes, then left alone to deal with nightmares and medical bills. There’s a streak of social commentary here about media and voyeurism, too. A billionaire literally turning tragedy into prime-time entertainment sounds crazy, but it also hits a nerve. Are we as a society guilty of turning real pain into spectacle? Shows like Squid Game might be fiction. But the popularity of extreme reality contests makes Marshall’s premise feel like a pointed cautionary tale.
The novel also isn’t afraid to call out toxic masculinity and power imbalances. Remember that sweet boy-next-door who turned out to be a violent threat? Mercy’s backstory highlights the danger of ignoring warning signs. And the story at large examines how some people manipulate trust and sympathy, whether in personal relationships or on a larger scale (looking at you, Damien Dare). Indeed, the messaging is there if you look for it, but it never slows down the story’s pulse. You can absolutely enjoy WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE as a straightforward thriller. Alternatively, you can delve into the questions it raises about trust, guilt, and the lengths people will go to in order to survive. Both readings are equally satisfying!
Finally, there’s an underlying theme of community and alliances. A crisis can bring people together or tear them apart. Strangers start as teammates, then become suspects, then, in some cases, friends who’d sacrifice for each other. The relationships (and heartbreaks) that form under life-or-death pressure give the book its emotional core. It’s not all doom and gloom. There are moments of human decency shining through the darkness, too. Those bonds make you care about the characters’ fates even more.
5. A Fresh, Fast-Paced Read For Thrill Seekers
Stylistically, Marshall delivers a thriller that’s brisk and accessible. The prose is conversational and not overly drenched in gore. It stays suitable for a teen audience without sacrificing suspense. In fact, the book’s restraint on graphic violence lets the tension and psychological fear take center stage. Readers who might shy away from full-on horror will appreciate that WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE is more about nerve-wracking suspense than gross-outs. It’s the kind of read that’s perfect for a wide audience. Seasoned mystery lovers will enjoy piecing together clues. Horror fans get the survival-game chills. Even more casual readers will be hooked by the reality-show-gone-wrong premise.
Pacing is one of the novel’s strong suits. At about 336 pages, it’s a quick read that wastes no time. Marshall sets the scene and kicks off the action early. You’re deep in danger before you know it. But she also gives you just enough breathing room to latch onto the characters. The alternating beats of character reflection and sudden peril create an addictive rhythm. If you’re a fan of witty banter or gallows humor among stressed-out teens, there’s a bit of that, too. It offers welcome relief amid the tension.
For those who keep up with YA trends, WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE stands tall among 2025’s releases. It shares DNA with other popular YA thrillers (think Holly Jackson or Karen McManus vibes). But it also feels uniquely timely. Marshall’s earlier work, like I Am Still Alive, showed she knows her way around survival stories. And here she ups the ante. It’s clear she’s in command of the genre. She knows when to hit the gas and when to let a character’s quiet fear sit with you. By the time the book reaches its climax, you’ll likely be incredibly invested. You might even find yourself mentally bargaining with the author to let your favorite characters live. And that emotional investment is the mark of a thriller doing its job!
WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE is more than a catchy title, it’s a promise, a pulse-pounding ride that entertains while holding up a scarily plausible mirror to our obsession with spectacle!
We’re back with another translated book! If you’re anything like us, then you’ve been trying to broaden your reading horizons. And we don’t know a better way than by reading a book originally written in another language.
Today, we’re reviewing Kim Ryeo-ryeong’s The Trunk, translated from Korean. And it’s the perfect time to get into this feminist thriller. The Trunk will soon be getting a Netflix adaptation featuring Seo Hyun-jin and Gong Yoo, and we’re so excited!
Alright, let’s get into our book review. Here are three signs you’ll love reading The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-ryeong!
Image Source: HarperCollins Publishers
Book Overview: The Trunk
Content Warnings: stalking, explicit sexual content, mention of domestic abuse and human trafficking, divorce (Read at your discretion!)
Summary:Meet Noh Inji: almost thirty years old, with five wedding rings and counting, she’s never once been in love.
When Inji first accepted a job at Wedding & Life, the popular matchmaking service that’s taken Korea by a storm, she never imagined her role would be with NM, their secret marriage division that rents out “husbands” and “wives” to their wealthiest clientele. Just like a real marriage, Inji’s assignments involve a wedding, some sex and a bit of housework, all tailored exactly to the client’s desires and length of time before they go their separate ways – no legal battles, no fights, no emotional baggage.
After several marriages, Inji has become an old hand. She certainly isn’t interested in finding real love, despite everyone trying to convince her otherwise (her brazen neighbor Granny, her flirtatious best friend Shi-jeong, and her failed blind date, Tae-seong, who won’t take no for an answer).
Then one of Inji’s old husbands, a mysterious high profile music producer, requests her back for another year. Over the course of their marriage, the secrets of Inji’s past begin to unravel – as well as the dark, sinister underbelly of NM’s management team, who will stop at nothing to preserve their reputation… and their clients…
You Love Girlboss Main Characters
If you love no-nonsense, girlboss main characters, The Trunk definitely fits the bill! Noh Inji is the type of independent woman who stays in her bag. And she works hard to fulfill her side of the marriage contract, no matter who her husband is. She’s honest and not afraid of upsetting anyone by her harsh words. Honestly, we want to be like her when we grow up. It’s so easy to root for Inji on her endeavors, whether that’s making it through a year of marriage or quitting her job.
You Like Women Supporting Women
Would The Trunk be a feminist read without women supporting women? No, it would not. Although Inji takes care of herself just fine, she’s also not afraid to accept help from others. Especially from her best friend Shi-jeong and the director at NM. These women stick together, no matter how much time they spend away from each other. Inji also supports Shi-jeong on all her new hobbies, like a true best friend. We weren’t expecting their friendship to take the turn it did, but you’ll have to read the book to find out!
You Enjoy Uncovering A Layered Plot
As with any thriller, nothing is quite as it seems in The Trunk. Inji deals with much more than contract marriages. We felt super nervous for Inji after her blind date turned into a dangerous stalking situation. Even after NM steps in to “take care” of the problem, Inji still feels uneasy. It turns out the director has some secrets of her own. And everything goes back to how much power and money one person can have. The people you know can truly change your fate, as long as you know the right ones.
With a girlboss protagonist unraveling a complex plot amidst contract marriages and company secrets, Kim Ryeo-ryeong’s The Trunk is the feminist read you’ve been missing!
The English translation of The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-ryeong comes out November 19th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!
What do you think of Kim Ryeo-ryeong’s The Trunk? Are you looking forward to the Netflix adaptation? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Boysober is a surprising trend in the dating world – is it right for you?
It seems the “swearing off things” continues to be a trend. First came Movemeber in 2003 where guys didn’t shave and grew mustaches, then Dry January, then California Sober (where you stop drinking and just use marijuana) and now comes Boysober. What is it? It is a deliberate break from dating and focus on personal growth and self-discovery. A hard fact is if you aren’t happy and comfortable with yourself, it makes being in a relationship extra difficult. The term was coined by comedian Hope Woodard when she decided to take a break from various aspects of romantic pursuits. Since then, boys over is a rising trend, is it right for you?
Gen Z is struggling in the dating area. They are the generation to use dating apps the least. They are also struggling with flirting, a skill honed by trial and practice. This is leading to them having the most anxiety of any generation.
But for anyone, embracing the boysober can offer numerous personal advantages. It provides an opportunity for self-reflection and development. The goal is by focusing on oneself can boost confidence and self-worth and allow you to build better relationships. Taking a break can help individuals better understand what they truly want in a partner and what they might need to give. Comprise is a key part of all relationships. It can reduce stress and anxiety associated with dating pressures and boost self esteem.
To start Boysober, it is key to abstain from various aspects of romantic pursuits The core principles of going “boysober” include:
No dating apps
No dates
No exes
No situationships
No hookups
This trend is not about swearing off relationships forever, but rather about taking a purposeful pause from the often exhausting and sometimes toxic world of modern dating.
Several factors have contributed to the rise of the boysober movement. The leader is dating app fatigue. Many users, particularly women, report experiencing harassment, abuse, and disappointment on dating platforms. The constant swiping and superficial interactions have left many feeling burned out and disillusioned.
Additionally, younger generations, especially Gen Z, are reevaluating traditional notions of relationships and finding fulfillment in other aspects of life.
There’s a growing emphasis on prioritizing personal needs and goals over romantic pursuits. This shift reflects a desire for self-improvement and healing from past relationship traumas. If you are comfortable with yourself, it is easier to to be in the give and take in a relationship and grow together with someone.
Halloween is a great time of year for tricks and treats…but if a little marijuana is your treat, maybe you should watch true horror movies.
Halloween is here and the next week will be filled with parties, ghosts, and more. So why not add in some cannabis to the festivities? Almost half the population with celebrate in some way, even if it just enjoying all the candy! While alcohol has been a big player for parties and celebrations, cannabis is become more popular, especially with Gen Z and younger Millennials.
Older generations can remember the old myth of people giving out edibles to kids, and yet it was never proven or had an example. Especially with the cost of edibles now! But with the California Sober movement, more people are using vapes, gummies and old school joints. Here are fun ways to celebrate Halloween with marijuana.
The first is enjoy a little chill time with the following strains or an event with a few people to do a ghostly “strain tasting” evening. Here are perfect strains to go with your spooktacular high.
Blueberry Ghost OG
Zombie Kush
Jack the Ripper
Killer Queen
Ghost Train Haze
Set up a tasting station with descriptions of each strain’s effects and flavors.
The Shining
One of the most popular ways to enjoy marijuana during Halloween is through edibles. You can bake cannabis-infused cookies or brownies to fit the Halloween theme. For instance, using cookie cutters, create spooky shapes like ghosts and pumpkins. To make these treats, you’ll need to prepare cannabutter by decarboxylating your cannabis concentrate, then mixing it into your cookie dough.
Music, marijuana, and Halloween create a unique trifecta of cultural celebration, especially during the spooky season. Crafting a playlist that embodies this vibe can enhance gatherings, whether for a Halloween party or a chill evening alone or with friends. Include tracks evoking the eerie atmosphere of Halloween. Classic songs like “Thriller” by Michael Jackson and “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr. set the tone. Fold in some laid-back tunes that pair well with marijuana. Songs like “Because I Got High” by Afroman and “Hits from the Bong” by Cypress Hill resonate well with the cannabis culture and provide a relaxed listening experience. And mix in some upbeat tracks to keep the energy alive. Songs like “Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell blend fun with a hint of spookiness.
Another idea is a pumpkin carving contest by turning mini gourds into smoking devices.
Carve out your pumpkin as usual
Drill a hole for the downstem
Insert downstem and attach bowl
Carve a mouthpiece on top
Load bowl and enjoy your festive pumpkin pipe
While integrating marijuana into Halloween festivities can be fun, safety should always be a priority. Ensure that all edibles are clearly labeled and stored out of reach of unsuspecting people and pets. Educate your guests about responsible consumption, particularly if they are unfamiliar with cannabis products. And make sure you don’t hit and drive.
Did you know BOSSIP is Harold Perrineau’s wife’s favorite site? The actor told us himself ahead of the season 3 premiere of his hit show FROM.
Source: Courtesy / MGM +
What Is FROM About?
If you’ve never watched before, FROM unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest – including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down. In the wake of Season Two’s epic cliffhanger, escape will become a tantalizing and very real possibility as the true nature of the town comes into focus, and the townspeople go on offense against the myriad horrors surrounding them.
Check out the Season 3 trailer below:
This show makes it hard for us to sleep at night, but we keep coming back for more!
Source: Courtesy / MGM +
Harold Perrineau Hints At Tensions Ahead Between Boyd And Other ‘FROM’ Characters In Season 3
We spoke with Harold Perrineau about his character Boyd coming under even more intense pressure in the new season. With the town and its terrors showing an increasing amount of hatred for him, we asked how Boyd’s relationships with the other townspeople have been affected.
“The town is is really picking on him,” Perrineau told BOSSIP. “It’s like a bully, they’re just picking on him, like this whole thing and I think playing the character, it felt like at any time he could just explode in the middle of the street, just like a pile of blood. ‘Like wow, that’s it, it’s over.’”
Source: Courtesy / MGM +
‘It’s made his connection with one character in particular really explosive, but with some of the other characters it’s edgy. He’s like, ‘You don’t get in my way and I’m trying to get you home! Don’t make me beat you up to make you safe.”
Source: Courtesy / MGM +
“It’s a really weird place for him to be, but I think he’s got no no choice,” Perrineau continued. “The town is literally like singling him out and picking on him and and it’s a lot to deal with when you’re trying to get everybody home to safety, right? It’s made his relationship with some of the other characters really, really interesting and he has some compassion for other characters, but for some he has zero time. Zero.”
Anybody want to guess which characters Boyd gets most fed up with?
Source: Courtesy / MGM +
We’re super excited to watch this season unfold!
The series stars Harold Perrineau (Lost) leading an ensemble cast which includes Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace, The Affair), Eion Bailey (Band of Brothers, Once Upon a Time), Hannah Cheramy (Under Wraps, Van Helsing), Simon Webster (Strays), Ricky He (The Good Doctor), Chloe Van Landschoot (Charity, Skin), Corteon Moore (Utopia Falls), Pegah Ghafoori (The Perfect Wedding), David Alpay (Castle Rock), Elizabeth Saunders (Clarice), Elizabeth Moy and Avery Konrad (Honor Society). Season 2 added new series regulars including Scott McCord (East of Middle West), Nathan D. Simmons (Diggstown, This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Kaelen Ohm (Hit & Run, Eumenides Falls), Angela Moore (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Maid), AJ Simmons (Reacher), and Deborah Grover (My Next Door Nightmare, Jann).
Source: Courtesy / MGM +
FROM is created and executive produced by John Griffin (Crater), directed and executive produced by Jack Bender (Lost, Game of Thrones, Mr. Mercedes), and executive produced by showrunner Jeff Pinkner (Fringe, Alias, Lost). Alongside Pinkner, Griffin and Bender, serving as executive producers are Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Scott Rosenberg from Midnight Radio, Anthony and Joe Russo, Mike Larocca from AGBO, and Lindsay Dunn. Midnight Radio’s Adrienne Erickson serves as co-executive producer. The series is internationally distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
Source: Courtesy / MGM +
FROM Season 3 will debut on MGM+ on Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 9PM ET/PT.
Actor Pedro Pascal’s net worth in 2024 is rising rapidly. Well, all credit goes to his latest blockbuster casting as Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Reed Richards in the cult franchise Fantastic Four. Even though for some people, it seemed like the actor just rose to fame overnight, he actually spent over two decades in Hollywood before making it big. The actor, who has starred in a couple of shows, namely The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, has also starred in massive global hits like Game of Thrones and the cult Netflix crime thriller Narcos. Pascal earned a lot of appreciation in the series.
Although, most people, however, saw him first in the show Narcos on Netflix., the actor went on to star in all three seasons. The hit crime thriller was based on the real-life events of DEA agent Javier Pena, who helped lead the international investigation and manhunt for Pablo Escobar, the Colombian drug lord. Before we go on in detail about the shows Pascal has featured in, let’s take a minute and explore more about his early life, net worth, personal life and insights into his career altogether.
1. Early Life
Pedro Balmaceda, better known as Pedro Pascal, was born on April 2, 1975, in Santiago, Chile. He is the eldest child of Verónica Pascal Ureta, a child psychologist, and José Pedro Balmaceda Riera, a fertility doctor, both of whom are immigrants. His parents were vocal opponents of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorial regime, and when Pedro was still young, the family was compelled to leave Chile, eventually resettling in the United States. After a period in Texas, where Pedro excelled as a competitive swimmer, the family relocated to southern California. It was there that Pedro’s interest shifted towards acting, leading him to enroll at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana.
In 1993, Pedro began his studies at New York University (NYU). Two years later, most of his family, including his parents and his two siblings, decided to return to Chile. This move coincided with allegations against José Balmaceda, who was accused of messing with embryos at the fertility clinic where he worked; in 2022, he admitted to tax fraud. Pedro Balmaceda completed his degree at NYU in 1997. Following his mother’s death two years later, he adopted her surname, Pascal. While pursuing an acting career, he tackled various roles, including working as a waiter at a restaurant and doing other side jobs.
2. Career
What can we say about this brilliant actor’s career, As mentioned in the introduction, Pascal has been in Hollywood for more than two decades now.
In 1999, Pascal started his TV career with various shows, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And he soon became a known face on the small screen, landing guest spots in soaps like Touched by an Angel, NYPD Blue, Nurse Jackie, Homeland, and different Law & Order iterations.
Notably, he portrayed an assistant district attorney in the first 2 seasons (2009–11) of The Good Wife, and essayed the role of an FBI agent on The Mentalist in 2014. Alongside his TV work, Pascal made his big-screen debut in Hermanas (2005; Sisters) and appeared in movies like The Adjustment Bureau and Sweet Little Lies (both 2011), although TV remained his main area of interest.
Despite working steadily for a while, Pascal’s breakthrough time arrived in 2014 when he stepped into the role of Oberyn Martell on season four of the wildly popular HBO series Game of Thrones.
He played the vindictive prince who met a tragic end, Pascal’s role earned him immense fame and rose to fame after that. Further success came with his starring role as Javier Peña in the Netflix crime series Narcos, which premiered in 2015 and ran until 2017. Portraying a DEA agent hunting down drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, Pascal’s performance garnered praise from both critics and audiences.Pascal’s star continued to rise with his portrayal of the character in the Star Wars universe’s sci-fi series, The Mandalorian.
As the bounty hunter known as Din Djarin or Mando, the character protects a young creature known as Baby Yoda (Grogu), forming an unexpected bond and goingon a journey where there is danger. If thats not all, Pascal is also into old school plays and theater shows; in fact, he has routinely gone back to the theatre world. Some of his known roles included productions like King Lear, Maple and Vine, Beauty of the Father, Sand, Based on a Totally True Story, Old Comedy After Aristophane’s Frogs, Some Men, Much Ado About Nothing, and Macbeth.
3. The Last of Us Salary
According to Variety, Pedro made a whopping $600,000 per episode (aka $5.4 million total) for season 1, which made him one of the highest-paid actors in 2021. Oh, and according to celebrity net worth, that per-episode salary, more specifically, made the celeb the 12th highest paid actor on TV that year.
Pascal was cast as Joel Miller in the HBO series adaptation of The Last of Us, a drama show whose storyline was based on a popular video game. In the show, set in a post-apocalyptic world going through a fungal infection turning people into zombies, Pascal’s Miller agrees to escort a teenage girl named Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey), who is immune, to a research lab in hopes of finding a cure.
4. Personal life
Pedro Pascal’s personal life has been everyone’s interest ever since he rose to fame. And we cannot blame his fans either; after all, celebrity lives are barely their own these days, but the actor is not married yet and although he might have played the best father roles to date on screen, he does not have any children.
Despite his commercial success, the actor has been extremely private about his personal life. Furthermore, his only relationship that was quite public was with Law and Order actor Maria Dizzia, whom he reportedly dated in the 1990s. The two were even seen together at a lot of public events, but the reason for their breakup remains unknown to the media.
Another woman Pascal has been rumored to be dating in 2014 is none other than Lena Headey, who played Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones, although neither of them confirmed or denied the rumours. Therefore, his current relationship status still remains unknown to us.
Disclaimer: All amounts mentioned in the article are sourced from public platforms. In some cases, celebrities or their teams give their inputs too, which we incorporate if provided by them. We take all efforts to share possible accurate numbers, however unless otherwise mentioned they are all approximates. We are open to feedback and suggestions on editorial@pinkvilla.com.
There’s plenty of great thriller films to watch on Netflix. But if you prefer your stories to be more procedural, there’s just as many fantastic TV series to choose from on the service.
We’ve put together our conspiracy corkboards, crunched the numbers, and followed the money to bring you our list of the top suspects for the best thriller TV series to watch on Netflix. From modern classics like David Fincher’s Mindhunter and You to pulse-pounding murder mysteries like Erased and more, Netflix has a selection of thriller TV just waiting to become your next obsession.
Here are the best thriller series you can watch right now on Netflix. Our latest update added The Diplomat as our editor’s pick.
A throwback to the kind of plot-heavy political thriller that used to run television (and the screwball comedies of days gone by), The Diplomat is a delightful star vehicle for Keri Russell. She is Kate Wyler, a whip-smart career diplomat whose plans are thrown into disarray when her upcoming assignment in Afghanistan is changed to what seems to be a cushy post as the new U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. For Kate, who loves her work and is very good at it, this is a clear downgrade, but the more power-focused people in her life (including her conniving husband Hal, played by Rufus Sewell) are delighted by the new role. What follows is a whirlwind of intrigue and mystery, with snappy dialogue, strong chemistry between the leads, and plenty of twists and turns.
After courting many viewers for its first season, The Diplomat will return for a second. We can’t wait, especially after the first season’s cliffhanger ending. —Pete Volk
Babylon Berlin
Image: X Filme Creative Pool
Bad things are coming to 1929 Berlin. We know this, of course — with the vantage point of history, the Weimar Republic era was marked by economic insecurity and the beginning of the Nazi Party. But the ’20s in the world of Babylon Berlin exist just before that horror, when the degeneracy from all that economic downturn could give way to roaring ’20s clubs just as easily as unending darkness.
That tension is captured in Babylon Berlin by two protagonists: Gereon Rath (a soft and strong Volker Bruch), a vice inspector on a secret mission to take down an extortion ring, and Charlotte Ritter (Liv Lisa Fries, all vinegar and chutzpah), the new police clerk who moonlights as a sex worker. Together they provide two very distinct vantage points on the Weimar Republic’s waning days, exposing the rot of what’s to come at the same time they find hope in what could’ve been.
Babylon Berlin’s trick is by not getting ahead of itself. The show is perhaps one of the slower boils on this list; the thrills of the mystery, such as they are, come from meticulous pacing. Answers don’t come easy, and a whole country’s politics don’t change overnight. Babylon Berlin is a web of history and conspiracy, and by taking those elements equally seriously and methodically, you get a twisty, hardboiled detective story for the ages. —Zosha Millman
Bodies
Image: Netflix
Solving a murder is hard enough, but how do you go about apprehending a culprit whose crime literally transcends space and time?
Bodies is a terrific cerebral whodunit with an excellent ensemble cast whose stories weave into one another effortlessly as the series builds and the mystery deepens. Created by Paul Tomalin (Torchwood) and based on Si Spencer’s 2014 comic, this sci-fi crime thriller follows four detectives living in different time periods of London who find themselves investigating a strange murder. What’s so strange about it? Well, the victim’s body appears — and reappears — in each time period in the exact same location. What’s even stranger is that the victim was last seen alive in 2053, despite being seen dead both in that year and as early as 1890.
A engrossing drama that feels like a mashup between Class of ’09, Dark, and Alex Garland’s Devs, Bodies is one of Netflix’s most compelling releases this year and wholly deserves to be added to your watchlist. —Toussaint Egan
Erased
Image: A-1 Pictures/Aniplex of America
This sci-fi mystery thriller miniseries from 2016 centers on Satoru Fujinuma, a 29-year-old delivery man who is inexplicably sent back in time and reawakens in his 11-year-old body. Determined to save the lives of his mother and his elementary school classmate, who died and disappeared, respectively, under mysterious circumstances, Satoru must combine his knowledge of the future with his ability to change the past in order to apprehend the culprit and bring them to justice.
Erased is a compulsively watchable thriller anime, filled with enough twists and turns to keep audiences guessing right up to the series’ exhilarating conclusion. —TE
Ganglands
Image: Netflix
French action cinema is having a bit of a renaissance, and one of the leading figures is director Julien Leclercq. He made the very good Olga Kurylenko thriller Sentinelle, the Jean-Claude Van Damme-led The Bouncer, and my favorite movie of his, the tense crime thriller Braqueurs (also known as The Crew).
Six years later, Leclercq took his talents to television with the Netflix series Ganglands (also known as Braqueurs). It shares the same name, lead (the excellent Sami Bouajila), and general vibe, but is not technically a sequel or a remake. In Ganglands, a crew of expert armed robbers are drawn into a gang war: They’re so dang good at crimes, everyone wants to hire them, even the people they rob.
Leclercq and writer Hamid Hlioua have created a muscular little thriller anchored by strong leading performances and the director’s tension-filled style of building action and conflict. The second season was recently released on Netflix, and both seasons are very much worth your time. —Pete Volk
Lupin
Image: Netflix
The thrill of the heist — there’s just nothing like it. Ask Assane Diop (Omar Sy). He’s been working as a con artist and thief for years, drawing his inspiration (and moniker) from an obsession with the literary gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. His thrills are hard-won, but they’re also smoothly meticulous. For Assane, the art of the heist — even with a priceless diamond necklace worn by Marie Antoinette — is a given.
What comes less naturally is revenge. Lupin’s first season follows his quest to seek vengeance on the rich family that wronged his father, and the show is full of twists and turns as his mission starts to bleed from his gentleman thief persona back into his real life.
The French series was a breakout hit when it premiered on Netflix, thanks in large part to Sy’s performance. He is magnetic as he makes con artistry look easy, with the sort of natural charm that makes you believe he can fake his way into any vault or safe in France (and that’s all before we get into his thieving skills and connections). With a heist, the end is, typically, self-assured. Sy’s performance ensures Lupin has the same confidence, and makes every step of the ride along the way its own thrill. —ZM
Mindhunter
Image: Netflix
David Fincher’s exacting vision is applied to the television format in one of the best shows Netflix has ever produced. Over two seasons, odd-couple FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (the terrific Holt McCallany) interview serial killers in the burgeoning field of criminal psychology.
In a nice twist on conventional character tropes, it is the young agent who is often cold and emotionally removed, and the older one who worries about the consequences of their actions. Their chemistry, as well as Mindhunter’s deep study of our culture around serial killers and the approach to stopping them, makes the show excellent, and it never veers into the exploitation of its peers in the genre.
How exacting is Fincher’s vision? Take a look at this mind-blowing VFX reel from the show, which literally changed how I watch modern cinema. —PV
Monster
Image: Madhouse/Viz Media
If you’re a fan of the 1960s crime drama series The Fugitive, you’ll likely love the 2004 anime adaptation of Naoki Urasawa’s psychological thriller manga. After all, the series was inspired by it! Set in Germany before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Monster centers on the story of Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon living in Düsseldorf. After being implicated in the murders of his superiors, Kenzo must go on the run to clear his name by tracking down the real culprit: a young man he once treated.
Spanning 74 episodes, Monster is a labyrinthine drama filled with a rich cast of characters and enough harrowing twists and revelations to fill a Matryoshka doll. —TE
The Night Agent
Photo: Dan Power/Netflix
Sometimes, you want a “light brain” thriller — something not too deep that might be perfect for a bucket of popcorn or for background viewing while you fold some laundry. The Night Agent is Netflix’s quintessential plot-heavy popcorn thriller, elevated to solid fare thanks to the surprising chemistry between its two leads.
Adapted by The Shield creator Shawn Ryan from the novel, The Night Agent stars Gabriel Basso as an FBI agent who has been relegated to watching a phone that never rings in the basement in the White House. When that phone does ring one night, he and the person on the other end (Luciane Buchanan) are brought into a vast conspiracy that threatens to unravel everything he knows. —PV
You
Image: Netflix
No one is doing it like Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley). The man is in a league of his own when it comes to stalking women and obsessing over them. This is the double-edged sword of watching You and following Joe in his unethical exploits: He is outright the villain of his own story.
Luckily, You is very aware of this, taking the initial premise of the first season — boy meets girl, boy stalks girl, boy manipulates her whole life to a dangerous degree — and continues flipping it over, putting Joe through his paces, letting him scramble to cover his ass as he gets in deeper and deeper. Each You season is a flavor unto itself, switching locales and ladies and letting Joe make the worst kind of case for himself.
You is not a show for the faint of heart, but it’s also not a thriller that rests easily on its underlying darkness. Joe may be an absolute piece of shit (even Badgley thinks so, and would really like it if you did too), but the show knows how to keep him engaging as it turns the screws on him. Each of the four seasons challenges him in new ways, and it makes for a snaky and startlingly good time. With You there’s only one thing you can always expect: for Joe to go to extreme and violent lengths to prove he’s not the bad guy. Also a plexiglass vault. —ZM
Ninja Kamui doesn’t waste any time getting from zero to 100. Within five minutes of its first episode, a bespectacled salaryman is ambushed by a flurry of projectile needles and attacks thrown by a dozen or so armored assailants, bobbing and weaving with uncanny precision as he counters each of their strikes before being viciously beheaded by a sneering brute with dreadlocks. It’s a strong first impression for the first original series from director Sunghoo Park following his work on Jujutsu Kaisen, one that boldly spells out Ninja Kamui’s declaration of intent with bloody and balletic finesse. In an anime season packed with strong premieres, Ninja Kamui positions itself as an action anime worth keeping an eye on.
Image: E&H production/Adult Swim
[Ed. note: Minor spoilers for Ninja Kamui episodes 1 through 2.]
Produced in collaboration with Sola Entertainment, the first original anime production from Park’s studio E&H Production follows the story of Higan, a former ninja who flees with his wife and infant child to build a new life in America after escaping from his clan on threat of death. Assuming new identities and making their living as farmers, Joe and his family live an idyllic and quiet life — that is, until Higan’s clan finally catches up to him, massacring his wife and child and leaving him a hair’s breadth from death himself. Surviving the attack on his home, Higan embarks on a single-minded quest for revenge as he attempts to hunt down his former masters and avenge his family’s murder.
There isn’t a whole lot in the way of subtlety in these initial episodes, though there are some cool minor details that convey the scrupulous lengths Higan was willing to go to protect his family, such as covertly wiping their fingerprints after leaving a supermarket or setting up an elaborate multi-camera surveillance system to spot potential threats. While the primary focus of the series is on Higan bashing and slashing anonymous baddies, there are still notable supporting characters, such as FBI agent Mike Morris and his partner Emma Samanda, an eccentric cat-loving doctor who previously worked with Higan before defecting from his clan, and the as-of-yet unnamed CEO of Auza, a ubiquitous mega corporation heavily implied to be in league with Higan’s former employers.
Image: E&H production/Adult Swim
Not much time is spent focusing on these characters though in these first two episodes, but that’s fine, because those details are all in service of the real draw of Ninja Kamui: the action. Park earned significant acclaim for his work on the first season of Jujutsu Kaisen and its 2021 feature-length prequel Jujutsu Kaisen 0, both of which featured fast-paced and creative fight sequences with memorable choreography and editing. Fans of Jujutsu Kaisen won’t be disappointed here, as the action in Ninja Kamui is easily on par with JJK’s, albeit far more gratuitous in the amount of blood and viscera. Character designs by Takashi Okazaki, the creator of Afro Samurai, also add to the appeal of the Ninja Kamui, as fans of 2007 anime and its 2009 sequel film Afro Samurai: Resurrection will also feel right at home with the level of violence and action choreography on display here.
There’s no especially grandiose or bold ambitions on display when it comes to Ninja Kamui’s opening episodes. The series knows what it is: A hyper violent revenge thriller with expertly calibrated action sequences and uniformly dark and somber tone. With that in mind, Ninja Kamui thoroughly succeeds as an engaging and entertaining action anime. With a confirmed total of 12 episodes, only time will tell how this initial premise will evolve and change over the course of the season. But what I know something for certain, which is that Ninja Kamui is a stunning addition to Adult Swim’s catalog of anime programming, and no matter where this story goes, one thing is certain: There will be blood.
Ninja Kamui airs Saturdays on Adult Swim and is available to stream on Max.
Will, Netflix’s imported Belgian movie about the moral impossibility of life under Nazi occupation during World War II, announces itself with shocking bluntness. Within its first 10 minutes, it’s made clear that co-writer and director Tim Mielants intends to confront the grisly horrors of the Holocaust head-on. But it’s also apparent that the film is constructed more like a thriller than a somber drama, and it tightens the screws on its lead character — young policeman Wilfried Wils (Stef Aerts) — in a series of breathless setups with escalating stakes.
It’s an effective way to pull viewers into empathizing with the awful dilemmas faced by an occupied population, and into bearing fresh witness to familiar horrors. But the thriller genre sets up expectations — climax, catharsis, redemption — which risk trivializing the material, and set something of an ethical trap. Who’s going to fall into it: the filmmakers, or the audience? Mielants is too tough-minded to be caught, it turns out, but that’s bad news for the rest of us. Will nurses a glimmer of hope in the darkness, only to snuff it out completely. This is a bleak, bleak movie.
It’s 1942, and Wil (referred to in the subtitles by the Dutch spelling of his name, despite the English title Will) and Lode (Matteo Simoni) are fresh recruits to the police force in the port city of Antwerp. Before their first patrol, their commanding officer, Jean (Jan Bijvoet), hands out regulation platitudes about the police being “mediators between our people and the Germans.” Then he sheds that pretense and offers some off-the-record advice: “You stand there and you just watch.” The ambiguity of these words echoes through the whole movie. Is it cowardice to stand by and watch the Nazis at work, or heroism to refuse to cooperate with them? Are the occupied Belgians washing their hands of the Nazis’ crimes, or bearing witness to them?
Wil and Lode don’t have long to contemplate these questions. No sooner have they left the station on their first patrol than a ranting, drugged-up German soldier demands they accompany him on the arrest of some people who “refuse to work”: a Jewish family, in other words. The young men are initially paralyzed by the situation, but things spiral out of control, more through desperation than heroic resistance on the part of the two policemen. In the aftermath, Lode and Wil return to work in a state of paranoid terror.
Image: Les Films Du Fleuve/Netflix
Mielants, working with screenwriter Carl Joos from a novel by Jeroen Olyslaegers, wastes no time in using this premise to explore the paranoid quagmire of the occupied city. Can the two young men trust each other? Where do their sympathies lie? Wil’s civil-servant father leads him to seek help from local worthy Felix Verschaffel (the excellent Dirk Roofthooft), who boasts of being friends with the Germans’ commanding officer, Gregor Schnabel (Dimitrij Schaad). Suddenly, Wil is indebted to a greedy, antisemitic collaborator.
Meanwhile, Lode’s mistrustful family — especially his fiery sister Yvette (Annelore Crollet) — want to know more. Does Wil speak any German at home? What radio station does he listen to? In occupied Antwerp — a region where German and French phrases naturally mix in with the local Dutch dialect — an innocent choice of word or of leisure listening comes freighted with dangerous political significance. “There isn’t much on the radio,” Wil responds. “Can you recommend something?”
Time and again during the movie, Wil uses deflections like this to squirm out of taking a position on the occupation. But eventually, he starts working to save Jewish lives. Actions may speak louder than words, but even in the teeth of a febrile affair with Yvette, Wil continues to keep his words to himself. As Schnabel’s net closes in, Wil’s caution keeps him and his friends alive, but the cost is heavy.
It’s a bold move to center a thriller about the Holocaust on a protagonist who, on some level, refuses to pick a side. We can only empathize with Wil because Mielants so effectively loads almost every scene and line of dialogue with implicit threat. Will is a tense, dark, frightening movie, filmed claustrophobically in a boxy ratio with lenses that blur the edge of the frame. The acting is intense (sometimes to a fault), and there are frequent bursts of unpleasant, graphic violence as the pressure builds.
Photo: Les Films Du Fleuve/Netflix
But even though Schaad sometimes seems to be doing a weak impression of Christoph Waltz’s Hans Landa in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, Will isn’t that movie, and Mielants isn’t interested in Tarantino’s style of catharsis. At the end of the movie, the vicious, inescapable trap he set for all the characters simply snaps shut. Will shows that under the remorseless illogic of Nazi occupation, survival is collaboration, and resistance is death.
That’s a miserable payload for the movie to carry, and it’s debatable how constructive it is. Jonathan Glazer’s chilling The Zone of Interest, currently in theaters, shows that challenging new perspectives on the human mechanics of the Holocaust are as essential now as they have ever been. Thirty years ago, Schindler’s List achieved something similar, and just as necessary, through radically different means: It found a thread of hope and compassion that could lead a wide audience into the heart of the nightmare and throw it into relief.
Will is too burdened by its point of view to manage anything similar. It’s clear-sighted on the cruel compromises of occupation and collaboration, but so fatalistic about them that it winds up wallowing in its own guilt and hopelessness. That’s a dark kind of truth, and not necessarily one that anyone needs to hear.
Avenge the Crows is an American crime-thriller film directed by Nathan Gabaeff. Starring Steven Bauer and Danny Trejo, the film revolves around a gang based out of LA who are seeking revenge.
Here’s how you can watch and stream Avenge the Crows via streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video.
Is Avenge the Crows available to watch via streaming?
Yes, Avenge the Crows is available to watch via streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Joker, an ex-convict, is out to murder Loca, the former leader of the Los Grajos gang, who is out to get revenge for the devastation of her clan.
The film stars actors such as Danay Garcia, Lou Diamond Phillips, Steven Bauer, Danny Trejo, and Emilio Rivera.
Watch Avenge the Crows streaming via Amazon Prime Video
Avenge the Crows is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Prime Video, also known as just Prime Video, is an American over-the-top (OTT) video-on-demand streaming and rental service that can be accessed alone or as part of an Amazon Prime membership.
You can watch via Amazon Prime Video by following these steps:
$14.99 per month or $139 per year with an Amazon Prime membership
$8.99 per month for a standalone Prime Video membership
Amazon Prime is the online retailer’s paid service that provides fast shipping and exclusive sales on products, so the membership that includes both this service and Prime Video is the company’s most popular offering. However, you can also opt to subscribe to Prime Video separately.
The synopsis of Avenge the Crows is as follows:
“A former gang member and her young cousin become embroiled in a vendetta between L.A. gangs, as rivals seek revenge for old crimes.”
NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.
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The new high-altitude thriller I.S.S. comes out in theaters this Friday, and for both star Ariana DeBose and director Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the move was a way of testing their limits as artists.
“For me, it’s new territory,” Cowperthwaite said when we sat down with her and DeBose to talk about I.S.S. “I’ve always been a thriller film goer. I love thrillers, I love horror, all these things that I’ve never been allowed to make. So it was really fun to be able to do something completely new.”
“I was very clear with myself that I don’t want to be a one-trick pony,” DeBose added. “I told my team, ‘just find me anything that I can go for’ … Dr. Kira Foster felt so different from any other character I’ve played thus far.”
In I.S.S., Kira is the newest crewmember aboard the International Space Station. At first, she and the other researchers bond over the quirks and peculiarities of life in microgravity. However, when an apocalyptic war breaks out on Earth, the American and Russian contingents aboard the station each get new orders: take control of the I.S.S. at all costs.
But stepping out of their comfort zones opened up a whole host of challenges. “The biggest [challenge] for me involved this big production machine that I hadn’t experienced before,” Cowperthwaite said. “My filmmaking in the past has been very agile. You come in, there’s a lot of feeling the room and seeing what actors want to do, and taking that as the lead …. There was a new, exciting, rather intimidating aspect to[I.S.S.], in that I had to have everything ready to go before I stepped on the stage.”
“This film taught me about the limits of my own body,” DeBose said—especially since filming involved performing in harnesses to mimic microgravity. “No matter the amount of pain or fatigue you’re feeling, there’s always a little bit left in the tank. If you just quiet your mind, your character will speak and come through in a way that will surprise you.”
Check out our full interview below! You can also see our other interviews on our Youtube channel.
Julia Glassman (she/her) holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and has been covering feminism and media since 2007. As a staff writer for The Mary Sue, Julia covers Marvel movies, folk horror, sci fi and fantasy, film and TV, comics, and all things witchy. Under the pen name Asa West, she’s the author of the popular zine ‘Five Principles of Green Witchcraft’ (Gods & Radicals Press). You can check out more of her writing at <a href=”https://juliaglassman.carrd.co/”>https://juliaglassman.carrd.co/.</a>
Kiss the Girls, directed by Gary Fleder and starring Morgan Freeman, is a 1997 American neo-noir psychological thriller film. Based on James Patterson’s best-selling novel of the same name, published in 1995, David Klass wrote the screenplay. In 2001, a sequel to the film called Along Came a Spider was released.
Here’s how you can watch and stream Kiss the Girls via streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video.
Is Kiss the Girls available to watch via streaming?
Yes, Kiss the Girls is available to watch via streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Alex Cross, a successful forensic psychologist played by Morgan Freeman, learns that his niece has vanished. After speaking with police Detective Nick Ruskin (Cary Elwes), Cross comes to the conclusion that “Casanova,” a psychotic killer, is responsible for the disappearance. In the meantime, this villain kidnaps Dr. Kate McTiernan (played by Ashley Judd), and she sees numerous other imprisoned women in his lair. McTiernan joins forces with Cross to attempt to capture the insane Casanova after barely escaping.
The film stars Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes, Tony Goldwyn, and Jay O. Sanders.
Watch Kiss the Girls streaming via Amazon Prime Video
Kiss the Girls is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Prime Video, also known as just Prime Video, is an American over-the-top (OTT) video-on-demand streaming and rental service that can be accessed alone or as part of an Amazon Prime membership.
You can watch the film via Amazon Prime Video by following these steps:
$14.99 per month or $139 per year with an Amazon Prime membership
$8.99 per month for a standalone Prime Video membership
Amazon Prime is the online retailer’s paid service that provides fast shipping and exclusive sales on products, so the membership that includes both this service and Prime Video is the company’s most popular offering. However, you can also opt to subscribe to Prime Video separately.
The synopsis of Kiss the Girls is as follows:
“Forensic psychologist Alex Cross travels to North Carolina and teams with escaped kidnap victim Kate McTiernan to hunt down “Casanova,” a serial killer who abducts strong-willed women and forces them to submit to his demands. The trail leads to Los Angeles, where the duo discovers that the psychopath may not be working alone.”
NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.
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Brand-new year, brand-new TV! We’re not totally done with last year’s television, though: This Sunday will be the Golden Globe Awards, honoring a lot of the best films and TV shows of 2023 (along with some duds — award shows, what’re you gonna do?). That will be airing at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST, and will be streaming at the same time it’s on CBS.
But that’s not the only big offering in television this week — Michelle Yeoh is back on TV! This time, she’s the mom in Netflix’s The Brothers Sun, a charming action comedy about how little you know your family (sorta).
Here are all the best new TV premieres this week to start off 2024:
New shows on Netflix
The Brothers Sun
Genre: Action comedy family drama Release date: Jan. 4 with all episodes Showrunner/creator: Byron Wu and Brad Falchuk Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien, Sam Li, Highdee Kuan, Alice Hewkin, Jon Xue Zhang, and more
After somebody takes out a hit on his dad, Charles (Justin Chien) flees to make sure that his mom (Michelle Yeoh) and brother Bruce (Sam Li) in America are safe. Only, Bruce didn’t know his family was rich… let alone the head of a Taipei gang.
Gyeongseong Creature
Photo: Lim Hyo Sun/Netflix
Genre: Horror Release date: Dec. 22 Writer: Kang Eun-kyung Cast: Park Seo-joon, Han So-hee, Soo Hyun, Kim Hae-sook, Jo Han-chul, Wi Ha-joon, and more
Part 2 of this show arrives, and not a moment too soon — the final three episodes are here to conclude the mystery of the strange creature haunting Gyeongseong in 1945, as Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-joon) and Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee) try to untangle the mystery around its existence.
New shows on Hulu
The Great North season 4
Image: Fox
Genre: Animated comedy Release date: Jan. 7 on Fox; on Hulu Jan. 8 Showrunner/creator: Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, Wendy Molyneux, and Minty Lewis Cast: Nick Offerman, Jenny Slate, Will Forte, Dulcé Sloan, Paul Rust, Aparna Nancherla, and more
Beef Tobin (Nick Offerman) is just trying to look after his four kids in the remote, fictional town of Lone Moose, Alaska. He loves his family and tries his best — which is the perfect premise for a good ol’-fashioned family sitcom.
New shows on Paramount Plus
The 2024 Golden Globes
Photo: Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty Images
Genre: Awards show Release date: Jan. 7 at 8 p.m EST/5 p.m. PST Host: Jo Koy
The 2024 Golden Globes will be airing live on CBS. But they’ll also be streaming on Paramount Plus and in the CBS app. Comedian Jo Koy will be making his hosting debut for the program.
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