Category: Not Just Books

Not Just Books: April 2026

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Movie: “Project Hail Mary”

Like everyone this month it seems, I dutifully left my house and booked a ticket to see what feels like the only true blockbuster of a film that’s come out in oh, I don’t know, years at this point! Ok, I joke. But it does seem like it’s been quite some time since there’s been a movie that has been so widely enjoyed. I didn’t get around to seeing this until it had been out in theaters for three weeks, and even then, my evening showing on a Thursday night was a packed house! I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen that! And the movie was well worth all of these sales. There was adventure, there was humor, there was heart. But most of all, it was an optimistic film with a central message about the need for true connection. In many ways, I feel like it’s the sort of movie that hit at just the right time. But even besides that, it was just a great movie-going experience, and I highly recommend a theater showing if you can swing it!

TV Show: “Top Chef”

Fall is for “Bake Off” and spring is for “Top Chef!” It’s a nice little tradition for my husband and to watch together: two shows where we can judge contestants as they create dishes we have zero chance of making ourselves! “Why, why would you try to do a soup for a quickfire? There’s not enough time to develop the flavors!” We definitely sound like we know what we’re talking about, and that’s all that matters. In this season in particular, we’ve spent a lot of time criticizing the one contestant whose arm seems to be more injured when she’s doing poorly or doesn’t want to do a quickfire but then magically repairs itself for the challenges where she feels more confident!

Video Game: “Eternal Strands”

This was a fun little palatte cleanser of a game between my obsessive “Baldur’s Gate 3” runs and my continued effot to work myself up to trying “Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader.” This was a much more manageable length, around 35 hours, and had a very fun game play loop. Most of all, I loved fighting the giant constructs and the various unique approaches you had to take to defeat each one. The voice acting was also incredible throughout, and by the end, I was quite attached to everyone in this odd little group. If you’re looking for a fun, fairly straightforward action game, this is a nice option to consider!

Kate’s Picks

Netflix Show: “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen”

It’s been a bit since I’ve watched a horror TV show that completely pulled me in and left me going WHAT ON EARTH DID I JUST WATCH. It’s been awhile since Mike Flanagan created a ghost story for Netflix, but if you have been missing that or something along those vibes, look no further than “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen”, because this show MESSED WITH ME. Rachel is a woman who is going to meet her fiancé Nicky’s family for the first time, with their remote cabin setting being the spot for their small wedding that weekend. But things are very strange at the house and with the family, with people acting weird, and an overwhelming sense of dread that Rachel can’t shake. To make matters worse, the family lore of a creature in the woods makes Rachel all the more nervous. But things are even more horrifying than she realizes as family curses and secrets start to come out of the woodwork. This show kept me on edge basically the whole time, with crazy reveals, incredibly unsettling imagery, and a great cast who all seem unhinged.

TV Show: “Deadloch”

As mentioned last month, “Deadloch” Season 2 dropped and now I am back with another entry focusing on this darkly funny Australian murder mystery! Dulcie and Eddie have left the small Tasmanian town and have headed for the mainland when Eddie wants to follow up on the death of her detective partner. But they don’t stay in Darwin long, because some body parts in the mouth of a crocodile in the small town of Barra Creek brings them there to investigate… And brings up the fact that Eddie has a past and connection to the community that she was hiding from Dulcie. And this time it’s involving crocs, feuding tourist companies, and MORE body parts washing ashore. Dulcie and Eddie still have great chemistry, and the mystery this time around is just as engaging and complex. We also have some new supporting characters, as well as some familiar faces (really happy to see Abby has returned and is fully into forensics, and wow, Cath is actually really fun this season after being wholly insufferable last time around!), and it’s still super funny, super queer, and kept me on my toes. I don’t know if we’re going to get more seasons after this one, but if it’s the end, it ended on a high note.

TV Show: “Dark Winds”

Another procedural on my list, though I was waiting awhile for “Dark Winds” to come back after season three, especially since we left on a bit of a cliffhanger (Emma left Joe!! NOOO!). And now “Dark Winds” is back, which means Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are back on the case. In Season four they are looking for a missing Navajo girl, who ran away from a Catholic boarding school and then vanished, last seen with a young man with a criminal past. Their search takes them to Los Angeles, where they get tangled up in the seedy underbelly of the crime world, as well as become targets of a meticulous killer. Meanwhile Joe is still reeling from Emma leaving him, and Bernadette has newly rejoined the Navajo Tribal Police after leaving her position with the border patrol, though her relationship with Chee is still new and growing, and the thought of a workplace romance feels complicated. I’m so glad this show is back, as I absolutely love Leaphorn and Chee, and still love how Indigenous perspective centered it is.

Not Just Books: March 2026

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Movie: “F1”

Look, I’m not super into car racing, but I do seem to enjoy the odd assortment of movies that Brad Pitt seems to choose. You never quite know what kind of character you’re going to get from him: the traditional, heroic sort of guy, or some complete oddball performance where you’re left wondering whether the character was written that way or if he just went off script. But this movie was kind of a mix of both! And, somehow, it managed to make a story about car racing compelling. Honestly, by the end I was on the edge of my seat worrying way too much about the time it might take to change a wheel on the car the next time it came in for a pit stop.

Netflix Show: “Seven Dials”

This is the kind of show that I knew I was going to watch the minute I saw the trailer. I love mysteries, and I really love historical mysteries. The cast is also incredibly strong throughout. While I feel like some of the actual mystery was telegraphed too clearly and then other parts never really made much sense, I still very much enjoyed it. What can I say, put the cast in period specific clothes and set the scenes on sprawling estates and I’m going to be in! That aside, this particular point of history, the 1920s, doesn’t usually get as much attention for stories like this, so that added a fun extra flair to affairs.

Documentary: “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model”

Like pretty much every woman in my generation, I watched the heck out of this show for almost all the seasons that it was out. I looked it up, and I think I only fell off at the very end, missing the two seasons. So, naturally, the minute I saw this pop up, I texted Kate and arranged to get together to watch it. And it definitely lived up to expectations! But honestly, most of the shock value came from the time period more than anything really revealed in the interviews. Reality TV was such a new thing, and it’s clear watching this show how very different it was back when it started, both from the expectations of the contestants (nowadays reality TV contestants all are “in” on the joke, mostly there to get started a “career” as a reality TV star than anything having to do with show in question) and the approach of the show itself (a lot of focus was put on what the show chose to film, and it’s obvious that no one really had a clear understanding of what should and shouldn’t be filmed). And, of course, the unhealthy standards of modeling in general was the other primary focus. So yeah, a few new juicy tidbits specific to the show, but as a look into a particular point in “history” and culture, this was definitely a great watch!

Kate’s Picks

Film: “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple”

After loving “28 Years Later” I had intended to go to “The Bone Temple”, but by the time I had the time to get to the theater it was already gone. Which is a travesty because when I did sit down and watch it this month I absolutely LOVED “The Bone Temple”. We pick up directly after the end of “28 Years Later”, with Spike being recruited/abducted by the violent Jimmies cult. Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) is the leader, who has told his followers that he’s the son of Old Nick (aka Satan) and has them do his violent biddings to anyone they meet by proselytizing a bastardized version of Satanism filtered through his father’s zealotry as an Anglican Vicar before the infection hit. Meanwhile Dr. Kelson has started making progress with Alpha infected Samson, actually making tenuous connections with him and tapping into his lingering humanity, which could lead to a breakthrough in understanding the infection as a whole. Both storylines were great. But it was the storyline between Kelson and Samson that REALLY worked for me, extending the themes of humanity, death, memory, and connection from the previous film. Also, the soundtrack has a lot of Duran Duran and is banging. It’s a great sequel, and I’m relieved the third got a green light so we can finish the story. Especially given the ending. If you know, you know.

TV Show: “Deadloch”

This was at the recommendation of one my friends, who told me that he binged it in a weekend and really enjoyed it and I would too. And he was right! “Deadloch” is an addictive and darkly funny murder mystery with an Australian flair. In the small Tasmanian seaside town of Deadloch, the body of a local washes ashore, shocking the town and creating a crisis for steady and dedicated Sergeant Dulcie Collins, who USED to be a detective but stepped down at the request of her overbearing wife. Reinforcements come from the mainland in the form of Detective Redcliffe, a brash and outlandish investigator who is the COMPLETE opposite of Dulcie. But the two women will need to team up to solve the mystery, as small town secrets start to bubble to the surface as well. It’s quite funny (even if it’s kind of morbid), and it has a solid mystery and a great cast of characters (my favorite is Sven, a quippy and somewhat ditzy member of the force who had me laughing out loud a lot). A good mix of humor and procedural (and also super queer)! And Season 2 started this month too! So you will probably see that in a near future Not Just Books post!

Long Running Comedy Bit: The Walker Texas Ranger Lever

So full disclosure from the jump: I did not like Chuck Norris. I didn’t care for his opinions about many things, I never found Chuck Norris jokes funny, and I remember my grandparents enjoying “Walker, Texas Ranger” on our visits to Iowa as a kid and I always found it very dumb. But I absolutely LOVED Conan O’Brien’s comedy bit “The Walker Texas Ranger Lever”, which happened when he was hosting “Late Night” when I was in college. The concept: there was a silly lever that Conan had at his desk and he would pull it and a random out of context clip of “Walker, Texas Ranger” would play and Conan, having not seen them, would react. Because, you see, this started when NBC and Universal merged (a harbinger of recent events if there ever was one) and they could play clips for free now. It was absolutely hysterical. It highlighted the absurdism and the cheesy earnestness of this ridiculous show with the most random bits of sappy sentimentality or over the top dramatics, and almost certainly explosions and roundhouse kicks. So I spent a good amount of time watching clips of it the day after Chuck Norris died. Not really in honor of Norris, but in honor of one of the most amazing comedy bits I have ever seen in my life. I have vivid memories of watching THIS clip as it originally aired and falling off my couch laughing, my then boyfriend now husband also crying with laughter. GOD it was such a good bit.

Not Just Books: February 2026

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Sports: Winter Olympics

Dun, dun, dun dun dun dun, Dun, Dun dun dun dun dada dadada DUN! It’s that time once again, the time when I both watch more sports than ever before and more TV altogether more than ever. This year is even more fun because both of my kids are finally old enough that they actually will sit down and watch a lot of it. My primary mission this year has been to get them past any “ew girls” kneejerk reactions and to truly appreciate the art that is ice skating. But there are simply so many great sports to watch, that we had a hard time picking and limiting it all, truth be told!

MORE Sports: Superbowl

Yes, not one sports entry but two from me this month! What can I say, February was the perfect month for me, sports-wise! While I’ve lived in Minnesota now for over a decade, I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and the Seahawks have always been my team of choice. The Vikings can be second, I guess. So this was great for me either way! All the more so because there was some smirking sent my husband’s direction since the Seahawks’ new quarterback previously played for the Vikings…heh.

Video Game: “Blue Prince”

There are a few other games I’ve been playing recently, but this puzzle game that I’ve been working my way through with my husband really stands out. It’s such a quiet, compelling experience, each day building a blue print of a sprawling manor and trying to piece together the history of the place and the location of the final, mystery room. It’s hard to gauge how far we are in it yet, but the puzzles we’ve solved so far have all been great and there a bunch of tantalizing loose ends that we still haven’t managed to figure out. I definitely recommend this one if you enjoy slower, puzzle games, especially if you have someone to play it alongside!

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”

We all know that I absolutely hated the way that “Game of Thrones” ended. And we also know that I won’t watch “House of the Dragon” because I just can’t abide watching the Targaryens fighting each other and the start of the downfall of the dragons in Westeros. So maybe it’s surprising that I’m watching “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”, the newest “Game of Thrones” spin off. But I am actually really enjoying it so far! Mostly because it just has so much more WHIMSY than the other GOT shows we’ve seen. Taking place between “GOT” and “HOTD”, we follow aspiring Hedgeknight Ser Duncan the Tall, who wants to become a legitimate knight. So he enters a prestigious jousting tournament. When he takes on a new young squire, a chatty and precocious boy who calls himself ‘Egg’, it turns into a bit of a misfit buddy comedy, though Egg has some secrets he’s hiding from his master. One downside is that there are no dragons in this show (sorry, Aerion, you don’t count). But that’s also a good thing because without the spectacle of dragons and magic, it has to rely on characters and engaging plot points. Also, we have Lyonel Barathon, aka the one good Baratheon male, popping up from time to time. It’s very fun, something I haven’t been able to say about other Westeros series.

Film: “Black Phone 2”

I greatly enjoyed the first “Black Phone” movie, not only because it was well done, super scary, and well acted, but because it was based on a Joe Hill short story that they adapted incredibly well. I was admittedly a little skeptical about “Black Phone 2”, because there was no Joe Hill short story to pull from and I didn’t see how it would work with The Grabber dead. But I was wrong to doubt, because I sat down and watched it this month and really liked it! A few years after he killed The Grabber, Finn and his sister Gwen are trying to adjust, though Finn is traumatized and Gwen is still having disturbing dreams of missing children. When her dreams seem to point her towards a youth camp in the Rockies, she convinces Finn that they are meant to go there. Unfortunately for them, there is, indeed, a dead phone that can contact them. And The Grabber may not be done with them after all. Not only was this a scary winter horror movie, it once again boasts fantastic performances from Mason Thames and Madeline McGraw. And the cinematography during the dream sequences is very Lynchian at its creepiest. Great sequel!

Film: “Waiting for Guffman”

This is not a new film to me in any way, shape, or form. I’ve actually been a fan of “Waiting for Guffman” since I was a high school theater kid, but when Catherine O’Hara died at the end of January I felt compelled to revisit it in her honor. The premise is simple: a small town in Missouri is preparing for its 150th Anniversary celebration and they ask local theater expert Corky St. Clair to write and direct a show about the town’s history. This faux documentary follows the people who are cast, the townsfolk, and the wacky journey they take creating a hometown show that they HOPE will end up on broadway because of rumors of a producer coming to see it. The cast is spectacular, with the usual suspects of Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, and Fred Willard, and of course Catherine O’Hara playing Sheila, a confident travel agent who has done community theater with her husband Ron (Willard) before. As a former theater kid I can tell you it nails the theater kid (or in this case local theater aficionado) culture, poking fun but never cruel. It’s a favorite O’Hara film of mine and I love hers and Willard’s RIDICULOUS rendition of “Midnight at the Oasis”. Rest in Peace, queen!

Not Just Books: January 2026


While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Video Game: “Hades 2”

As promised, here I am back again with the second Hades game! I’m definitely glad I played the first game before this one. Not only is it fun seeing familiar faces once again, but I find that I’m better able to jump straight into enjoying the story and characters now that I’m familiar with the general set up for the game play loop. Of course, this one amps up the entire experience in every way, with a bunch of additional tasks that can be completed at the home base (like brewing potions, growing plants, and recruiting pets as familiars!). I also really enjoyed the new characters and love interests. Icarus is still playing hard to get, so I’m still going strong, even past the True Ending. But Mel needs her romantic happy ending, so we’ll see how long this goes!

TV Show: “Pluribus”

This was kind of a no brainer for my husband and I to watch! We both really enjoyed “Better Call Saul,” so a dystopian/sci-fi featuring the same actress and creator was right up our alley! We did have some debates about the side characters and their behavior, but Carol was excellent in every way. I also thought the entire premise was very creative and surprisingly hilarious, even through some of the darker moments. That said, I’m very displeased with this crazy trend of releasing short season and then taking multiple (MULTIPLE!) years to produce a second, likely also short, season. Yes, this show had excellent production value. But let’s be real here, there’s nothing going on here that justifies wait times like this between seasons, and I truly think that these sorts of delays hurts any momentum a show likes this builds with its first season. Will I check it out? Yes. But will I be as hyped as I would be if I could watch it again next fall? Probably not.

Movie: “The Rip”

Again, on one hand, I’m always a bit skeptical of Netflix’s movies. But on the other hand…Matt Damon. Plus, it’s always fun to see him back working with Ben Affleck. Affleck is clearly talented, though I think he’s better as a director. But there is a weird thing that happens: when he acts across from Damon, he magically becomes more likable. Their chemistry is great, and that was apparent here. Much of the plot of this one is fairly predictable, but the cinematography throughout was excellent and, again, the two leads did a lot of the heavy lifting in making the experience worthwhile. If you want to watch a new action-packed thriller, this one is sure to please!

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “Ponies”

I’ve been a fan of Emilia Clarke since “Game of Thrones” (man that show did her character dirty, I AM A DAENERYS APOLOGIST, NOT SORRY), and when I saw that she and Haley Lu Richardson were in a new historical fiction thriller show called “Ponies” I decided that I was going to watch. Also the premise sounded good. Two CIA wives at the American Embassy in Moscow in the 1970s are just living their lives supporting their husbands… until their husbands die under incredibly suspicious circumstances in a plane crash. Bea and Twila are then recruited by the CIA to become operatives in hopes of getting more information about what happened to Tom and Chris. And since they are posing as secretaries, the thought is the KGB will never realize that they are agents (and will be ‘PONIes’, persons of no interest). It’s part spy thriller, part buddy comedy, and Clarke and Richardson have great banter and chemistry to help balance out the high spy suspense. I love both Bea and Twila, with Bea being intelligent and genuine and Twila being a sarcastic spitfire. I’m living for them and their hijinks.

TV Show: “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

It’s back! Normally I give myself a little bit of time to warm up to “Drag Race” before highlighting it on the blog, as I’ve been burned before with lackluster seasons (Season 13, anyone?). But at this point in time I am just going to find joy where I can, because being in the Twin Cities right now is a big ol’ ball of terrible and stress due to a violent federal government occupation, and catty drag queens bring me joy. Stand outs for me at this point include Jane Don’t (the Seattle girls always go hard), Athena Dion (though she’s a bit of a diva, but I LOVE her looks), and Myki Meeks (just adorable). I haven’t gotten a REAL feel for the season yet after two really strong seasons that came before it, but hey, an escape is an escape.

Film: “Predator: Badlands”

I love the “Predator” movies. The original “Predator” is quite possibly my favorite Schwarzenegger film (“Running Man” comes close), and I have enjoyed many of the films in the series, even the ones that people don’t really like (I liked “Predators”, thanks!). I unfortunately didn’t get to “Predator: Badlands” in the theater like I had wanted, but I did sit down and watch it this month and I LOVED it. It follows Dek, a Yautja (aka the Predator species) who is determined to prove his might in spite of the fact he’s a runt and scorned by most of his clan. After a heartbreaking confrontation on his home world he is sent to a far off planet in exile, and decides instead to try and get the apex predator the Kalisk to prove his worth (as the Kalisk scares even the most skilled Yautjas). But the planet is hostile, and Dek will need help from an unlikely source: Thia, a broken Synth from Weyland-Yutani that is on a mission there of her own. So yes, this is a “Predator” Sci-Fi action film with lots of great mythos and fantastic action, but honestly? At it’s heart is a cozy found family story as Dek and Thia connect as outsiders and form a bond. I ADORE THIS TROPE and it works so well in this movie.

Not Just Books: December 2025


While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Video Game: “It Takes Two”

My husband and I have taken a very twisted journey through the three co-op games released by this company. We started with the prison break one, decided to skip/miss the one that actually won “Game of the Year” and then played the most recent entry, “Split Fiction,” this last spring. So here we are, finally getting to that acclaimed middle entry. It’s definitely been a fun ride! At this point, I think I mildly prefer “Split Fiction,” but part of that could come down to the fact that I can’t get past the fact that I feel like these two people are just terrible parents! There’s an entire mission where they destroy their kid’s favorite toy to make them cry! The game definitely is self-aware and leans into it all, so that makes it fun in the end. Plus, I’m sure it will end well. But either way, it’s definitely a blast as a couch co-op which is the most important part!

Movie: “Earth Girls are Easy”

You have Kate to thank (blame??) for this one! After the annual cooking making party, we all get together to watch some random movie. And this year Kate introduced us all to the absolute madness that is this movie, a real-life, actually exists movie that probably 99% of population has never heard of but that features a ridiculous cast of young up-and-comers, including Jeff Goldblum and Jim Carey. It’s too weird to even describe, but I’ll just say that not only does it include numerous shirtless-Golblum scenes, but it’s also a musical complete with plenty of singing and dancing. And, of course, said up-and-coming actors all dressed up as colorful, hairy aliens…so…yeah.

TV Show: “The Office: Superfan Episodes”

It’s probably been about 5-6 years or so since my last re-watch of this series and lo and behold! When I pulled it up the other day to play in the background while wrapping presents, I discovered that they had released new versions that extend the episodes by ten minutes or so! While I can definitely see why some of this was cut in favor of a more streamlined episode composed of the best parts, there are still some real treasures hidden in these deleted scenes. Grumpy, drunken Oscar during the Booze Cruise particularly stands out! I definitely recommend it if you’re hankering for a re-watch and have a “more the merrier” approach to things!

Kate’s Picks

Film: “Wicked: For Good”

It was my birthday at the very end of November, and my husband took me to dinner and then to see “Wicked: For Good”. Which was really the best present I could have asked for! As I mentioned when “Part One” came out, I was obsessed with “Wicked” in college, and still love the play and the characters, music, and themes. In the second movie, we have Elphaba on the run being demonized by the Wizard and Oz, while Glinda is working as his propaganda mouthpiece… And they both desperately miss each other. And while “For Good”, which adapts Act Two of the musical, has some of the same pitfalls of the source material (theater kids know that Act Two is a lot weaker than Act One), as long as you have good performers for Elphaba and Glinda it’s still going to resonate and succeed. And Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are such performers, Grande especially here (as Act Two has always been Glinda’s arc). I laughed, I cried, prevented myself from singing along lest Alamo Drafthouse kick me the hell out. And now I love that the film adaptation of one of my very favorite musicals is complete, fully intending to do a double feature when I watch going forward.

TV Show: “Heated Rivalry”

Yes, I’m on the “Heated Rivalry” train, call me predictable, that’s fine. It’s soapy, it’s sweet, it’s steamy, it’s emotional, and I’m really enjoying it (I haven’t finished it yet, I’m HOPING to get the last few eps in with David while he’s in town so I’m holding off). For those unaware, it follows two hockey players on rival teams, Shane (for Canada) and Ilya (for Russia) who are both rising stars in their own right, and who have a rivalry narrative building around them because they are both incredibly talented. But they also happen to be deeply attracted to each other, falling head over heels in a sports culture that may not understand their relationship. It’s also based on a book series, that became SO popular due to the show that the printed copies of the book basically ran out, leading to a scramble and a lack of books right at the fever pitch of the show. I THEORETICALLY have a copy on the way from a local bookstore thanks to Bookshop.org, but we will see how that shakes out. Regardless, it’s been an addictive watch.

Video Game: “Stardew Valley”

I KNOW, I KNOW. I have highlighted this game so many times here, but I’m back into a hyperfixation cycle of it at the moment, and I’m going to highlight it again. I’m still farming (this time really focusing on artisanal goods like jam and cheese), I’m still pursuing friendships and love (my farmer this time is romancing Haley, and that has been more rewarding than I anticipated actually!), and I’m enjoying building up my skills, my friendships, and strategizing when to get more animals and when to try and fix up the community center. Look, we have what is probably going to be a LONG time to wait for ConcernedApe’s new game “The Haunted Chocolatier” so if I want more super cozy and chill gameplay with thoughtful and familiar storytelling (familiar is key), this is where I’m going to be focusing my needs for the foreseeable future. And I’m also helping my daughter play her own game now, which is so adorable.

Not Just Books: November 2025

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

TV Show: “Slow Horses”

This show is so dang good, and I think that’s largely down to its stellar cast. The stories themselves are fun, what with following a bunch of slightly inept MI5 agents run around trying to save the day but often making it worse. But the cast! Gary Oldman is, of course, a treasure, somehow managing to make you absolutely love a character who is gross, rude, and often downright mean. But ensemble cast surrounding him all hold their own, including James Callis who is absolutely hilarious as the bumbling head of MI5 itself. Season six has already been filmed it looks like, so I can’t wait to see what these fools get up to next time!

Podcast: “Dungeons & Dragons & Dramas”

You know you’ve reached new lows (or highs??) or nerdiness when you find yourself binging episodes of a podcast with at title like that! But it’s just that fun! And funny! It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of actors and such playing D&D and making a podcast out of the experience. But everyone is hilarious and their attempts at cohesiveness as a D&D party are questionable at best leading to some truly memorably moments. Most recently, they attempted to get through combat sequence by…making soup? It was definitely as ridiculous as it sounds, and I’m here for it!

Video Game: “Persona 5”

After loving “Expedition 33,” I’ve been on the lookout for other games like it. And this game routinely comes up as a favorite turn-based JRPG. So I’ve been making my way through it these last few weeks (it’s long!). I’m definitely enjoying it, with its unique mixture of action/combat and a lot of social sim elements, but it’s also one that I would hesitate to recommend with out warning. Cuz, yeah…there are some extreme moments of male-gaze and pretty misogynistic story beats. So, I can enjoy it for what it has to offer, but it’s definitely not the sort of game that will appeal to everyone, especially those who just don’t want to deal with the slightly toxic side of gaming that is still evident in games like this.

Kate’s Picks

Film: “Frankenstein”

I love Guillermo del Toro’s films, especially his Gothic ones, so obviously I was excited for his take on “Frankenstein”. The man knows how to capture not only a vibe, but also emotional beats of tragedy and longing and existential angst. And I really enjoyed his take on the story, making it his own and conveying a story about cycles of abuse and trauma. I’ve always been pretty neutral on Oscar Isaac with little to no opinion on him, but he really brought the narcissism and hubris of Victor Frankenstein to life. Mia Goth is always iconic and I wholly enjoyed her portrayal of Elizabeth, as well as the way the del Toro makes her more in charge of her own destiny in this story (also she loves science and bugs!). And my goodness, Jacob Elordi, another person I’ve had no real opinion on, KILLED IT as The Creature. Just killed it. His movements, his mannerisms, his speech patterns, everything is so damn good and heartbreaking. And yes, it’s all vibes, not only with great casting and acting but BEAUTIFUL sets, styling, and costume design. Loved it.

TV Show: “Only Murders in the Building”

My favorite cozy mystery show is back! I mean, it’s been back, but I like to save it for November and binge it all at once, and I did just that this month. I don’t know how they keep coming up with believable and interesting murders in the same damn building, but they did it! Oliver, Charles, and Mabel are back on the case, as Lester, the beloved doorman of the Arcadia, was found dead in the building’s courtyard fountain at the end of last season (legit devastating, I loved Lester). Their investigation is rife with crazy twists (naturally), with mobsters, billionaires, secret gambling parlors, and dismembered fingers abound! I still love the chemistry between Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, and we once again have lots of great humor, some fun twists, and so many great guest stars. There was a moment where there were FOUR Academy Award winning actresses in one scene (Meryl Streep, Renée Zellweger, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dianne Wiest) and I was freaking out. God I love this show.

TV Show: “Canada’s Drag Race”

My favorite “Drag Race” spin off is back!! And while my usual watch buddy has moved to California (I miss you, David!), I am still amped to watch Brook Lynn Hytes judge a bunch of Canadian drag performers with a kind of new judging panel (well, mostly it’s just that Brad left because I imagine he’s a very in demand stylist at the moment). We are only one episode in at this point so I don’t have a FULL feel of the contestants just yet, but some are standing out for me already (PM is incredibly intriguing, as are Saltina Shaker and Mya Foxx). And I just love Brooke Lynn Hytes as the host and main judge, she’s still exquisite and just kind and insightful and supportive. I’m also hoping for some good drama this season. Because this spin off has had some GREAT drama in past seasons (Melinda Verga vs everyone, anyone?).

Not Just Books: October 2025

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Video Game: “Hades”

I typically gravitate toward RPG video games, but, as I discovered with My Time at Sandrock, if the game is good, I’m up to explore outside that primary genre. I’d heard about this one for a while, but I’ve never really vibed with the rogue-like format. Dying over and over again just clearing the same levels? No thanks! But I saw that Hades II was coming out this fall featuring a female main character, so I thought now was probably the time to check out the first one before just jumping straight to a sequel. And boy, am I glad I did! The voice acting and writing are so good on this one! For a game that seems like it would just be repetitive, there was so much story to explore, especially if you’re a fan of the Greek pantheon. Beyond that, there is a “god mode” that allows you to focus more on the story, which is good for those of us who spent probably 50 runs dying pointlessly. But now that I’m done, on to the sequel!

Apple+ TV Show: “Silo”

I’ve seen this one on Apple+ for a while but never checked it out. I’ll admit, I feel like I’m extra wary of science fiction shows, having seen way too many C-level series in this genre in the past. But this one has really impressed me! The story is super interesting, and they’ve done an excellent job with the production value; everything looks great! I’m into the second season now, and I feel they are managing to strike a nice balance of adding questions and mysteries while also resolving some things as we go. Of course, I’m always worried whether shows like this will stick the landing, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

Video Game: “Cinderella Phenomenon”

More proof that I will play almost any game if the concept is interesting! This is pretty much just a story game, but the main concept was right up my alley! The story follows a “Cinderella”-like character who then must unravel various fairytale curses. As these are all fairytales, the stories all revolve around the different romances one can choose. Each “story” probably takes about an hour to play through, so they’re all very short. But I thought they were all well done and interesting, so this is a fun one to check out if you’re looking to sit back and just read through a story game—especially if you love fairytales like I do!

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “Law and Order: Criminal Intent”

When I was in high school and college and beyond I really enjoyed “Law and Order: SVU” and the original “Law and Order”, but I never really got into the third series “Law and Order: Criminal Intent”. It may have been the time of the week it was on, or a disinterest in the premise, but I just kind of missed it. But as a lady who has realized she enjoys ‘quirky savant’ investigator stories (looking at you “Monk” and “Psych”), I decided to go back and give it a shot, as I heard that the main detective is very much that. Oh, and also because I am now of the belief that Vincent D’Onofrio as that detective is a goddamn SMOKE SHOW. He plays Bobby Goren, an unconventional NYPD detective who goes head to head with the criminal of the week with his brilliant observational skills and outside the box thinking, all with the help of his partner Eames, and the cases are presented partially through the eyes of the perpetrators as well (I’m mainly sticking to the Goren and Eames years/episodes, but apparently Jeff Goldblum shows up eventually?!). It feels a bit like a Sherlock Holmes kind of vibe with Goren being so odd and brilliant. Is it at times problematic copaganda as only the aughts could provide, oh sure. But man. D’Onofrio. Smoke Show.

Film: “K-Pop Demon Hunters”

Having a kid who is now in Kindergarten means that she hears a lot of pop culture stuff from her classmates. No surprise that she came home one day asking if she could watch “K-Pop Demon Hunters”, as it has become something of a cultural phenomenon. I said we could watch it together, so that if it did seem inappropriate I could just turn it off. But not only did I find it perfectly appropriate for her, I actually really liked it too! I enjoyed all the gals in Huntr/x (Mira is my absolute favorite, while Zoey holds the keys to my kid’s heart), I liked the demon lore, it’s hilarious and heartfelt, and the songs are catchy as hell. It’s also fun singing the songs with my kid in the car while we wait in the drop off line at school. I will be very curious to see if they decide to do a sequel, and what it will look like if they do (okay, more like WHEN they do). I just hope that Derpy Tiger and Sussie the Magpie show up again if/when it happens.

TV Show: “Talamasca: The Secret Order”

I really loved what AMC did with “Interview With the Vampire”, and am sitting on pins and needles to see what they do with Lestat’s story in the upcoming season (being renamed “The Vampire Lestat” after the book it takes inspiration from, SO EXCITED). But while the fandom waits to see Lestat as a preening and dramatic rock star, we have “Talamasca: The Secret Order” to tide us over/being a whole new obsession. The Talamasca has been hinted at in IWTV, and seeing as it’s such an important presence in the Vampire Chronicles and beyond it just makes sense to give this secretive group its own TV series. Guy Anatole is a successful law school graduate who has the world at his feet (as well as some strange other talents), but soon meets a woman who recruits him into the Talamasca, a secretive organization that keeps an eye on all things supernatural. Guy’s mission is to try and uncover a rogue agent who is trying to destroy the Talamasca in its entirety. It’s a little bit “X-Files”, a little bit espionage, and it has serious potential.

Not Just Books: September 2025

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Movie: “Novacaine”

It’s been a while I feel since I’ve seen a new action movie that’s not connected to some pre-existing franchise. So, while bloodiness and gore of even the preview of this one had me flinching and covering my eyes, I was excited to check out what felt like a fresh movie experience! And, yes, it is just as gruesome as promised. But the gore is nicely balanced out by the effortless charm that Jack Quaid brings to his role. Honestly, without him so solidly holding down the core of this movie, it would have been very easy for this thing to fly off the wheels. As it is, this was a fun, funny, action-packed romp! Though definitely not for those who swoon at blood…

TV Show: “The Great British Bake Off”

It’s that wonderful time of year! It’s almost poetic, ever August I watch “Alone,” a show where people pretty much slowly starve to death over the course of a few months, full of grim thoughts on life and death. And then immediately after, in September, I watch a show that luxuriates in the wonders of baked goods and excess, full of ridiculous hosts and wholesome contestants. The juxtaposition is something else! As always, my husband and I pick our two contenders! So far, my two guys are holding steady while one of my husband’s has been a bit shaky! I feel like he’s won our little competition the last few years, so hopefully this year is my time!

Movie: “The Thursday Murder Club”

I haven’t read the book this was originally based on, but you can bet I’m now on a hold list for the audiobook version! This was pure, simple fun from start to finish. “Crime comedy” can be a tough sell to not go too far in one direction or the other, but this one managed it. The stellar cast sold these quirky characters, allowing the audience to laugh at their foibles but also become invested in their stories. The murder itself was twisty and fun (though not overly complicated) and the show avoided some of the obvious pitfalls (like when you can guess the outcome based on the casting along. If you enjoy cozy detective stories, this one is a must watch!

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “Peacemaker”

When it was announced that James Gunn was going to take over the DCU and that his first film was going to be “Superman”, I knew that he was going to nail it because of his work on Season 1 of “Peacemaker”. It’s probably my favorite DC media since “Batman Returns”, and I think it’s so funny, so ridiculous, and so heartfelt. And now it’s back for season 2! Chris is having a hard time because even though he and the 11th Street Kids saved the world from Project Butterfly, he’s still not taken seriously by anyone else. On top of that, his feelings for Harcourt are still there, but she’s feeling… complicated about it. So when he mistakenly stumbles into an alternate dimension that seems like a much better world (Harcourt openly likes him! His brother Keith is alive! The public LOVES him!), he thinks that maybe it’s better there. And hey, he can just replace his double (whom he accidentally killed out of self defense… whoops). Now my husband and I have theories about what’s ACTUALLY going on (we aren’t caught up, no spoilers!), but season 2 is still hilarious, emotional, and so creative and uninhibited. John Cena is still killing it as Chris too.

Podcast Live Show: “The Last Podcast on the Left: JK Ultra Tour”

It has been an exhausting Autumn for me. For one, my third kitten (I will introduce him eventually) has ringworm, and that has been a whole thing. For another, my husband has been traveling for work a lot and that kind of out of routine occurrence is VERY hard for my daughter. And then there’s just EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE WORLD. It’s been rough. So having a night out to see a live show of my favorite podcasters with dear friends of mine was a WONDERFUL respite. Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ed Larson are on tour right now talking about the Titanic, outlandish conspiracies, exorcisms, and other wild stuff, with well researched context and hilarious commentary. I hadn’t seen Ed live yet either, so that was a lovely thing too (as I absolutely adore Ed). It was a great show, and I’m so happy I was able to go.

Film: “The Long Walk”

I reviewed the book earlier this month in anticipation of the film adaptation. I went to see it opening weekend and was basically sobbing throughout the whole movie, to the point where my friend Michael was like ‘oh my God are you okay?’. This adaptation is a gut punch, keeping in the absolute brutality of the Walk and the horrible fates of the walkers who participate. Stephen King had sold the rights only if he could have a guarantee that it wouldn’t shy away from the brutality, and it does NOT. There are also some changes from the book, but overall I thought that they worked really well and understand why they made them. I also absolutely adored both Cooper Hoffman as Ray and David Jonsson as Pete, as their chemistry and talent brought their friendship and connection to life. And contributed to my sobbing. So much sobbing. It’s so good but so sad. BUT SO GOOD.

Not Just Books: August 2025

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Joint Pick

Film: “Superman”

It’s finally happening. The DC Film Universe (is it the DCU now?) is BACK, baby! Because both of us saw “Superman” and it was SO, SO GOOD AND CHARMING AND THRILLING AND HOPEFUL! Everything that a “Superman” story SHOULD be! We have a Superman (David Corenswet is a delight) that feels like he is actually at his heart Clark Kent and that he just wants to help people! We have a Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan is PERFECTION) that is a spitfire reporter who uses her journalism wiles and skills to not only help Superman but to help the greater good, without apology! We have a purely unhinged Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult, what on EARTH) who just feels like SUCH A HATER! And we have a fun cast of not as expected DC Superheroes to come to Superman’s assistance, from Guy Gardener’s Green Lantern (the most OBNOXIOUS Lantern!) to Mr. Terrific to Hawkgirl! And we also have Krypto being the bestest boy even if he’s so, so naughty at times too. This is the “Superman” we had both been waiting for. So punk rock. James Gunn…. Thank you.

Serena’s Picks

Video Game: “My Time at Sandrock”

As you’ll see, something about the late summer (or perhaps the onset of the coming school-related madness) has triggered both Kate and I to seek out some nice cozy video games to fill our time. Kate definitely has more experience with these types of games than me (I’m an RPG girl at heart), but now I’m soooo addicted, it’s unbelievable! Must….keep….building! Plus, there are a ton of fun characters and excellent romance options! I’m still fairly early on in the game, but I’m so excited to see how the story plays out from here!

Movie: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”

“Superman” is definitely my favorite superhero movie of the summer (and probably since a long time, since those characters are by far my favorite comic book characters!), but I’ve also been diligently keeping up with the Marvel movies. It’s not a shocking statement to say that the last few years for Marvel have been…rough. But between this and “Thunderbolts*,” it really feels like they might be finding the right track again at last! Simply put, they seem to have remembered that what made the original movies so good were the characters (and the actors they cast to play those characters.) Here, every single member of the ensemble cast knocked it out of the park. And for all that world-ending events are on the horizon, the story remains tightly focused on these characters and their personal arcs. I’m definitely excited to see them all again in the next movie!

Kate’s Picks

Video Game: “Tales of the Shire”

We all know that I am a huge “Lord of the Rings” geek. And I have started soft-launching an introduction to my daughter, as we’ve started slowly working our way through the movies (abridged a bit at my discretion) and we’ve looked at the artwork in my annotated “Hobbit” and my “Lord of the Rings” books. And most recently I got us “Tales of the Shire” on my Switch for us to play together. It’s basically “Animal Crossing” but with hobbits. It’s pretty simple, and it’s definitely cozy, and I like being able to cook meals for my neighbors, and growing a garden, and making friends with other hobbits. And it’s pretty low stakes and open sandbox, so my kid can play it and not feel any pressure or fear that she will screw up her game for her hobbit. I know that some people weren’t as impressed by it, and sure, it feels a bit repetitive at times, but as a game I can play with my soon to be kindergartner it works.

TV Show: “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”

I told myself that I really REALLY needed to get back into “Star Trek”, but like usual I just kind of let it fall by the wayside because out of sight, out of mind. But when I was on my way to Las Vegas for my husband’s birthday celebration I saw that “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” was available to watch on the plane. Which was a perfect distraction on the way out west! “Strange New Worlds” is technically a spin off from “Discovery” as well as a prequel to “TOS”, as it follows the characterizations of Captain Pike, Number One, and Spock from “Discovery” as they go on the Enterprise on their own adventures before Kirk takes over in a few years. It’s pretty episodic so far (I’m not TOO far in), but I have really been enjoying seeing more Anson Mount as Pike and Rebecca Romijn as Number One. But it was also fun seeing that Uhura is on this show too, VERY early in her Star Fleet career! It’s just fun and very enjoyable, and I am truly pleased to see both Pike and Number One getting more attention as characters many many years after their initial (not too prominent) runs back on the original series.

Not Just Books: July 2025

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Show: “Daredevil: Born Again”

While I haven’t kept up with or been overly impressed with what I’ve seen from Disney’s Marvel TV shows, I had a lot of hope for this one. I mean, I loved the first version of this show, and Disney rightly understood what they had with Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio and kept the focus largely narrowed in on these two. The show also did a great job of staying true to some of the more impactful themes from the first show (the focus on balance between vengeance and justice, largely). While I don’t think that the support cast was as good as in the first version, I was still satisfied with the new characters. All in all, it was just fun to return to this world and this story! (Plus, I now have an extra soft spot for Charlie Cox after he voiced my beloved Gustave in “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.”)

Movie: “How to Train Your Dragon”

While I’ve been to a few movies in the theater with my oldest, my youngest has been hankering for his turn! So this June we decided to all go together to the movies for the first time, and this movie came out just in time! Now, I’ve definitely started to lose patience with the endless stream of live action re-makes, but this movie is proof that it can still be a winning strategy. For one thing, the makers of this film understood the prompt: a live action REMAKE of the original. I don’t want added songs or character arcs or “interpretations” from these movies, especially not when the original story is great on its own, as these additions almost always make it worse. No, here we have almost exactly the same movie, shot by shot, only now in live action. The music is the same, the script is largely the same, we even have the same actors for certain roles. There are large chunks of this movie where you could play the original and this side by side and they would show the exact same sequence. And that’s all I want from these remakes! Also, you know, my kids had a fun time!

Movie: “The Fountain of Youth”

This is movie was pretty much exactly what it looked like: an “Indiana Jones” lite quasi sequel. And, in that light, it succeeds fairly well. There was a lot of action-adventure fun to be had throughout! The writing was definitely a bit weak at times (especially some of the explanations at the end of the movie about how everything worked). So things really lived and died based on the charisma of the actors, mostly John Krasinski. The rest of the cast was good as well, but without his natural charm, I do think this one would have verged into extreme cheese ball territory. As it is, it wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, but still a fun time, especially as a summer popcorn flick!

Kate’s Picks

Film: “28 Years Later”

I remember going to see “28 Days Later” in the theater with one of my good friends from high school the summer after graduation, and we were both wholly blown away by it. I have loved this movie ever since. When I saw the trailer for “28 Years Later” with Terror Tuesday people, I was nervous, but intrigued (I really hated the previous sequel). And when Terror Tuesday went to see it in the theater, I was, once again, blown away. Set 28 years after the Rage Virus Infection’s start, Great Britain has been quarantined. Infected still roam the mainland, having become more feral but also more evolved, and some survivors live peacefully on an island off the coast. When twelve year old Spike and his father go to the mainland for his right of passage Infected hunt, he has to experience the Infected like never before, which in turn leads to a poignant coming of age tale when he returns to the mainland with his ailing mother in hopes of finding her help. Because there are rumors of a doctor nearby. Yes, the ending is jarring, I’ll admit it. But I found myself sobbing more than I would have anticipated, as this movie is, in many ways, heartfelt and beautiful and not only about zombies and the end of civilization, but also never forgetting those we love and lose at the end of all things.

TV Show: “The Gilded Age”

I still love a soap opera, and if it is all dolled up in historical fiction finery and opulence I will love it even more. That’s why I enjoyed “Downton Abbey” so much, and that’s why I enjoy “The Gilded Age” (both by Julian Fellowes, boy does he love his soapy aristocracy shenanigans!). Season 3 is finally here, and it’s already off to a very scandalous start! Bertha is haranguing daughter Gladys into marrying into a Duke’s family even though Gladys is terrified and uninterested (boy do I loathe Bertha, but I do love Carrie Coon)! Marian and Larry are having a secret courtship! Agnes is having a hard time accepting that younger sister Ada is in charge of the household now since she has a fresh inheritance and Agnes is now penniless! Peggy is perhaps finding romance?! And AUDRA MACDONALD’S VERY PRESENCE!!! Yes, this show makes me want to tear my hair out at times (I mean they REALLY want us to believe that because George Russell is a hot wife guy that his anti-labor robber baron ways are FIIIIINE), but I love the costuming, I love the time period, having worked in a historic house that was very much during this time, and I love the drama.

New Family Addition: KITTENS!

Back in March we had to say goodbye to our elderly twenty year old cat Baby, who had been with me since my husband and I were in college, along with her sister Kasha who passed in 2022. We decided that this summer was the time to add some new pets to our family. And we have started with two kittens! One belongs to my husband, the other belongs to my daughter (I intend on getting my own in a month or two, I’m being VERY picky about what I want in a cat…), and boy, I had forgotten what HOOLIGANS kittens can be. But The Beast and Betty Draper (my kid insists it’s just Betty, but given this cat’s personality it’s absoLUTEly Betty Draper in my mind) are both very cute and a lot of fun, even if they are complete menaces, like all kittens should be. And hopefully soon we will welcome our third and final kitten into the family….. We may be insane for getting a third, but hey, we wouldn’t have it any other way.