forestofglory

Noodles Rhapsody (2022), ep 1-2— This a documentary about noodles and culture in China, its got 12 20 min episodes. I’m enjoying learning a little bit about different kinds of noodles and different cities in China

New Life Begins (2022), ep 7-21 — I’m still really enjoying this for the gentle plot, strong female friendships and excellent material culture. Though the plot line about teaching the nomads to farm really ticked me off, at least it was short.

Cupid Calling by Viano Oniomoh— I don't remember who recced this to me, but I was interested because it's an m/m romance that takes place on a reality show, and I love reality show AUs. This was fun and cute. It didn't hit all the same buttons that reality show fic does for me but it hit a lot of them.

The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit by Thomas J. Sugrue— Read for Urban planning book club. I had read this in grad school about ten years ago, and the last couple of books we read had talked about mid 20th century US cities without talking enough about race. So I wanted to reread this book which is a very fine grained depiction of racism in postwar Detroit. (Content note quotes sources that use racial slurs)

Anne of West Philly words by Ivy Noelle Weir art by Myisha Haynes— A graphic novel retelling of Anne of Green Gables set in modern day West Philadelphia. I thought this was well done. I liked how it updated Anne's way of speaking. Some of the situations from the book felt like they didn't quite fit in a contemporary story but most of them worked well.

Witches of Brooklyn Series by Sophie Escabasse—
This is a series of three (so far) middle grade graphic novels about a girl whose mother died so she goes to live with her eccentric aunts, who turn out to be witches and teach her magic. I normally don't read dead mom books, and I'm not sure why I kept reading these. They were fun but not standouts. I did really like the aunts though.

The Sprite and the Gardener by Rii Abrego and Joe Whitt— A charming but short graphic novel about a sprite and the girl who she helps with her garden. The art was lovely but this went by super fast.