I follow bodyposipanda on Instagram when I need positivity during this time of uncertainty. Bodyposipanda is run by Megan Jayne Crabbe, an eating disorder survivor who has quit dieting and is trying to promote positivity around how our bodies look. I find her Instagram page to be inspiring. Our bodies are ridiculed for not looking a certain way, and Megan has battled this persona. Megan wrote a book titled Body Positive Power: Because Life is Already Happening and You Don’t Need Flat Abs to Live it. I purchased this book toward the beginning of Quarantine, and it made me feel better about myself and improved the relationship I have with my body.

“I’m sure we all know someone who eats junk food, never exercises, and stays thin no matter what. Yet we refuse to believe the opposite could be true, that you can be fat, eat well, exercise, and stay fat.” – Megan Jayne Crabbe.

In this book, Megan shares everything she knows about the weight loss industry, our bodies, and her journey to overcoming her eating disorder. Megan details her experience spending time in a facility for her eating disorder. Reading this section was difficult, but an important part of Megan’s story. This book targets Anorexia specifically because of Megan’s personal experience, but she does touch on binge-eating disorders too.

One of the most interesting sections of the book was when Megan breaks down the ingredients in diet teas and diet pills. I knew the Kardashians were promoting their stomach tea, but I didn’t know what the tea consisted of. Two ingredients in diet teas include: Senna and Chinese Rhubarb root. Both of these ingredients promote the emptying of the bowels. Another interesting topic was the discussion on diet pills such as dinitrophenol (found in herbicides), various amphetamines, and even Fen-Phen, which led to heart valve damage. It’s sad how our society is more concerned with people losing weight than with doing it safely.

After finishing this book, I felt slightly irritated. I spent so much time hating my body when I could have been living my life. I will always have insecurity with how my body looks, but I want to be nicer to myself. I don’t want to force myself to give up the food I like, but instead focus on portions. I’m not going to journal my food, as that’s where it becomes too much of an obsession for me. Megan’s book confirmed for me that my flaws are what make me unique and normal. My cellulite, fat surrounding my stomach, and even my acne are normal for a human body to have.

I would consider myself somewhat active in the body positivity movement. Body shaming is insensitive and disgusting. If you’re struggling and need a pick-me-up, this book is worth it. Megan is making this world a better place. 

Barbara Gordon is the best DC Comics, female superheroine and I cannot be convinced to change my mind. The Birds of Prey are the kickass, female, superhero group where each member has a different background and talent. In March, I picked up the Birds of Prey graphic novel released coinciding with the movie. Additionally, I read Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Vol #1 Who is Oracle which should be no surprise. I decided to combine the reviews in one post since they do go hand in hand.

Birds of Prey: 4 Stars****

This is a graphic novel compilation of stories featuring the six characters from the movie: Harley Quinn, Huntress, Cassandra Cain, Renee Montoya, Black Canary, and the Black Mask. This isn’t highly rated on Goodreads since it’s a compilation. I knew this going into the graphic novel, so I wasn’t disappointed. My favorite stories were Huntress, Black Mask, and the Black Canary.

The Huntress was my favorite because Nightwing and Huntress share the steamiest kiss. I hardcore ship Nightwing and Barbara Gordon together, but this wasn’t bad. I’m not sure if this is the best story told, as I like it so much solely because Nightwing was in it. The Black Mask story shows how violent and brutal he can be. Black Mask isn’t the most well-known Batman villain, but he’s ruthless. Finally, the Black Canary story features a fun cameo of another DC character, which I won’t reveal.

I rated this four stars because I mostly enjoyed the stories picked, and it’s a fun graphic novel for me to add to my DC collection.

Batgirl Volume #1: 4 Stars****

This Batgirl rendition features Barbara out of her wheelchair and fighting crime with her bestie, Black Canary. Huntress’s interests align with theirs, and she teams up with them. Oracle’s identity is stolen online, and the three try to uncover who this mysterious, fake Oracle is.

The negative reviews surrounding this graphic novel have to do with which Barbara Gordon you prefer. This outing features a younger, more immature Barbara in her crime-fighting days. If you’re used to the older Birds of Prey stories, it shows an older Barbara who has already been wounded by the Joker and is embracing the Oracle identity. Many of the negative reviews don’t like this “hippy” or “trendy” Barbara swiping through dating apps.

I’m devoted to Barbara Gordon as a character throughout the several runs of her story. This Barbara is younger, more naive, and at times, foolish. She’s also young and is trying to balance her three identities: Barbara, Batgirl, and Oracle. I miss Barbara Gordon in a wheelchair because I felt she added disability representation in comics. However, can we eliminate the Joker story from comics? I hate The Killing Joke with a passion, and how it intertwines with Barbara’s injury.

Overall, I rated this four stars as I do enjoy this portrayal of Barbara. This isn’t for everyone, and I get that. It’s all about what version of Barbara is your favorite. I like them both.

Quarantine has given me plenty of time to read my comics and graphic novels stack. What have you been reading? Let me know in the comments below.

I’m picky when it comes to reading romance books. The Kiss Quotient, written by Helen Hoang, was recommended by almost every booktuber I watch. One of the factors for picking this book to read was how the main character is on the spectrum. My best friend and my brother both are on the Autism spectrum; therefore, I was looking at this book critically. I’m pleased to say that this is a delightful read.

Stella Lane is a successful econometrist who makes a six-figure salary. Her work drives her routine. She is on the spectrum, and struggles with socializing, loud noises, and sex..? She claims she’s bad at sex and relationships, so she hires a male escort named Michael Phan to help her get better at sex. Similar to Pretty Woman, they fall in love. Although they both come from two unique backgrounds, can they make it work?

What makes The Kiss Quotient authentic is that Helen Hoang is also on the spectrum. Hoang herself was diagnosed in her adult life with being on the spectrum. This helps to write an authentic and non-offensive portrayal of someone on the spectrum. The way Stella interacts socially, especially with Michael’s family, highlights how differently Stella sees the world. Stella is a character I would fiercely protect as she reminds me of my friend in real life.

Many reviews I read stated this book had too much sex and wished there was less. I disagree with this statement. The sex shows how people on the spectrum are still sexual people. The sex to me enhanced the book because it showed how Stella was becoming more in tune with her body and what she wanted from a romantic partner.

This was a solid read. When I think of my all-time favorite romance books, this book would belong on the list. Helen Hoang has written a sequel to the series, and a third book is coming out in 2021. I already shelved it into my to-be-read shelf on Goodreads. The Kiss Quotient is the perfect division between romance and character development.

Content Warning: discussion of sexual assault in media.

I started reading The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen graphic novel after watching the movie. I’m only twenty or thirty pages in, and there have been two instances of sexual assault. I pause and reflect on other stories I have read written by Alan Moore. There’s another instance of attempted sexual assault in Watchmen. It made me wonder why Alan Moore utilizes rape with his female characters in his stories. It’s not something I alone have been wondering about. Typing into google “Why does Alan Moore write about rape” and there are countless articles as to why he writes about rape regularly. I wanted to discuss my thoughts about this because, as a reader, I’m tired of putting sexual assault as back story for women in media.

Before exploring this topic, there are a couple of things I want to address. I’m not saying sexual violence or rape shouldn’t be written about nor that if it’s included it’s automatically misogynist. There are ways to address sexual violence in a way that’s respectful to survivors. Most often, I see sexual assault being used as a plot device to demean the characters, and it doesn’t contribute to their development. The last statement I want to make is that anyone of any gender can be victims of assault. I cite female characters in this post as I see female characters being subjected to sexual assault in Moore’s work. However, anyone can be a victim of assault.

If we look at Alan Moore’s statements in this article, where he addresses sexual violence against women in his stories, he states, “As regards non-sexual violence, there is clearly a lot more non-sexual violence in my work that there is violence of the sexual variety, although in our current culture that’s true of nearly everyone’s work, isn’t it?” His instances of consensual sexual activity don’t undo the scenes he writes. Further into the article, Moore talks about the implications of rape, throwing out statistics of sexual assault. It seems Moore is educated about the origins of sexual assault and why it happens.

In the first paragraph, I mention how I’m tired of seeing sexual assault being used as a plot device to make a female character strong while also showing how evil a character can be. Rape doesn’t always have to be utilized to demonstrate this in media. Manipulation or gaslighting are alternative options to inform the viewer how evil a character can be.

I remember the first time I read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I was in high school, and I had no idea what I would be reading. Lisbeth is subjected to many forms of abuse. However, there’s so much more to her strength than only surviving her rapes. She’s a hacker, has a photographic memory, and can intelligently plot her way out of a horrific situation. Plus, Lisbeth gets back at her rapist, physically scarring him. I have never read a book where a rape victim got savage revenge against her rapist. It doesn’t undo the scene itself, but it makes it more manageable to read about.

I still enjoy reading Alan Moore’s work. Moore wrote these stories to be enjoyed by readers, so it shouldn’t be a surprise when readers connect the dots between the way he tells his stories. If anyone finds sexual assault triggering in any way, I highly recommend never reading anything by Alan Moore. I’d be happy to hear in the comments section below on your thoughts with SA in fiction, along with your opinions on Alan Moore’s stories.

In 2003, I was in third grade and playing pretend games with one of my friends who lived in a neighborhood over. We would pretend to play Teen Titans. She would be Starfire, so she could be dating Robin while I was relegated to being Raven. We ran around her yard pretending to defeat supervillains. Teen Titans will always hold a special place in my fandom heart. When I heard about a Raven young adult graphic novel being released by Kami Garcia and illustrated by Gabriel Picolo, I knew I had to read it. Teen Titans: Raven was a refreshing take on Raven’s origin story.

Raven is driving with her foster mom when they are involved in a deadly car accident. Raven lives without her memory while her foster mom is taken to the morgue. Raven is sent to live with her mom’s sister and her younger daughter, Max. Raven is navigating using her powers while being a normal high school teenager.

The best part of this graphic novel is easily the illustration. Gabriel Picolo does an excellent job of blending black & white with Raven’s purple color. It’s seen in Raven’s hair, lighting within the panels, and the writing bubbles. This novel is set in New Orleans, which coincides well with Raven struggling to have control over her demons… literally.

Additionally, I like Raven’s support group. Max is Raven’s best friend. She gives Raven noise-canceling headphones to cancel out the voice she’s hearing. Max takes Raven to an occult shop to discover more information about her powers. I would read a story of only Max and Raven living their lives in New Orleans.

My only minor complaint is that the story felt predictable and corny in parts. This is a young adult novel, so I believe that’s why I felt this way while reading. The male interest in Raven’s life is the stereotypical jock and nothing is interesting about him. There is a surprise appearance of a well-known villain, but I won’t reveal who this is.

I rated Teen Titans: Raven four out of five stars on Goodreads. The artwork is intricate, while the story knocked off a star on a five-star rating. Raven isn’t the only Titan to receive the graphic novel treatment. Garcia and Picolo will be writing/illustrating other books with the other Titans. The Beast Boy graphic novel will be released on September 8th, 2020. Teen Titans: Raven can be purchased at any local bookstore or comic store.

I met Chris Everheart at MSP Fallcon in October last year. I struck up a conversation at his booth, where he was telling me about his comic, Badass Girl. He graciously gave me both issue #1 and issue #2 to review. I’m finally back to a semi-regular blogging schedule, which means more comic reviews, including this series: Badass Girl.

Badass Girl has no name, but she slays the game. When I say game, I mean surviving an alien invasion and being scarred by the death of her parents. She wanders through the land, and to some, she’s a legend. Her experiences throughout the comic give you an idea of who she is and where she comes from. I can’t say much else without spoiling the series.

If Mad Max: Fury Road included aliens, Badass Girl would be the comic version. This is set to be a four-issue comic series, with issue #3 not being available to purchase yet.

With the coronavirus, independent comic artists need your support. Many conventions are being cancelled or postponed. This is absolutely the right thing, but many creators are out of funds for airline tickets or sales they would have made at conventions.

All comics for Badass Girl can be purchased digitally or in a physical copy at a convention. On the Badass Girl website, you can find t-shirts, coffee mugs, and other swag from the series.

My favorite season is, without a doubt, Autumn. It’s the reason that my fiancé and I have decided to get married in October. When I heard about the graphic novel partnership between Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks and how it revolved around an apple orchard, I knew this would be an automatic purchase. Pumpkinheads is the cutest, fall-themed graphic novel I have ever read. Instead of writing a typical review, I decided to use this inspiration to do my ABCs of Autumn. One word per letter of the alphabet to summarize fall. Here we go:

A is for. . . Autumn

Autumn is a better word to describe the season than Fall. It’s a beautiful word to say.

B is for . . . Books.

Being able to read a book with the sunlight filtering in my reading corner is heavenly. I plan on re-reading Pumpkinheads around August to get myself hyped up for the season.

C is for . . . Cinnamon / Apple Cider floats

A tradition I hold for attending the Renaissance Festival is ordering an apple cider float with cinnamon ice cream. It’s slightly spicy, less sweet, and the best beverage for Autumn. I believe you can make this boozy by adding cinnamon schnapps or hard apple cider.

D is for . . . Dress Code

Autumn is for cardigans in themed colors. Plaid shirts with dark jeans and thigh-high boots in light and dark browns. Graphic sweaters with fall-themed patterns. The style this time of year is what I live for.

E is for . . . Exercise

When Autumn hits, I walk outdoors for exercise. Looking at the colors of the leaves, seeing the sun rising high in the sky, and feeling the cool breeze move my hair. It’s truly bliss. I will work out outdoors instead of being stuck indoors.

F is for . . . Friends

Doing fall-themed activities with friends. The Renaissance festival, apple orchards, and visiting the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. ‘Tis the season for fun events with friends.

G is for. . . Grantolini

Grant is my fiancé. Early on in our relationship, I started calling him Grantolini. The name has stuck.

H is for. . . Halloween

Halloween is my favorite holiday that’s not a typical holiday. I adore costumes, reading horror-themed literature, watching scary movies, and wearing a costume. Last year, I was the Angel of Death, which was a spontaneous costume idea I had on Halloween. Me and a few friends went to a brewery and had a few beers in costume. Last year, Halloween was a special memory because the day after was the last day at my old job. I started my new job, which I’m currently in, and I’m super happy at.

I is for . . . Igniting Candles

Grant has picked up numerous fall-themed scents in candles. Being able to light a pumpkin or cinnamon smelling candle makes our apartment smell amazing.

J is for. . . Josiah & Deja

Josiah is one of the main characters in Pumpkinheads. He is emotional, real, and passionate about the apple orchard. Deja is outgoing, quite the opposite of Josiah. These two characters make Pumpkinheads as enjoyable as it is to read.

K is for . . . Kitchen

When I have the time to cook, I enjoy being in the kitchen preparing a new recipe. Fall-themed recipes include hot dishes (in Minnesota, we don’t use the term casserole), chilis, and soups.

L is for . . . Leaves

Leaves falling everywhere. Seeing the leaves pile up and kids playing in them… so cute.

M is for. . . Maroon

Maroon is an autumn color. It’s one color I would love to have as my wedding color.

N is for. . . Nippy

This is how the temperature is like in Autumn. I can walk outside with a cardigan or light jacket. I could wear a cute hat or gloves and I would be warm.

O is for. . . Orange

Maroon, burgundy, and orange would be my three color choices for an autumn-themed wedding.

P is for. . . Pumpkin Coldbrew Coffee

There’s a coffee shop/game store in my area that makes the best pumpkin infused, cold brew coffee. It’s a cold, black coffee with hints of pumpkin. It’s so good. Every year, I message this shop asking when it will be available. They used to sell growlers of it and this year I’m committed to purchasing one.

Q is for. . . Quilts and blankets

Sitting next to me is a quilt I received from Grant’s twin brother. This quilt comes from Senegal where he is in the peace corp serving his last year. I’m also using a quilt made by my grandmother. I love cozying up underneath multiple quilts and blankets.

R is for. . . Renaissance

The Renaissance Festival in Minnesota. I go almost every year. It’s fun to walk around, see the shows, and eat some fall treats. As mentioned, I always order the apple cider float. Another fun part of the Renaissance Festival is shopping for jewelry. I look for earrings, necklaces, and rings.

S is for. . . Spooky

Last year, we made a trip to Goodwill for Halloween decorations. We found so many cute items to hang. It made me happy to see Halloween stickers on the windows and knick-knacks on our sofa table. We will need more window stickers for this year.

T is for. . . Tea

I drink more tea in Autumn than in any other season. I like vanilla black tea if I want caffeine. Green tea is more for when I need less caffeine. If I’m feeling in the mood or sick, I like spicy cinnamon tea.

U is for. . . Umbrella

Autumn can be a rainy time of year. I lost my polka dot umbrella and I’m notorious for forgetting to bring an umbrella even though I know it’s going to rain. Additionally, I love breaking out my British / Union Jack rain boots.

V is for. . . Vivid

Vivid colors! Enough said.

W is for. . . Wedding

I will be disappointed if we don’t get married in October. We haven’t found a venue, but we toured one we like. We want to make sure we settle on a venue we love. Weddings are expensive.

X is for. . . being Xtra

Taking a selfie with the first Pumpkin coffee drink or using Instagram to take a boomerang of you throwing leaves. It’s a time to be Xtra this season.

Y is for. . . Young

I’m not a mom. If I decide to have children, I will take my kids to the apple orchard, the Renaissance Festival, and other fall-themed events. I want to share my joy with my kids again if my life path allows for kids.

Z is for. . . Zigzagging through a Haunted House or Maze.

I haven’t done a corn maze in a while. I went to a haunted maze at Valleyfair’s Valleyscare. Valleyfair is a small amusement park south of the Twin Cities area where I’m from. I don’t like going to the amusement park in summer, but in Autumn, they make it up to be Halloween-themed. I haven’t been back in a while, but I hope to go this year.

Yay, I found a word for every letter of the alphabet. If you haven’t read Pumpkinheads, you need to. Pumpkinheads is written by Rainbow Rowell and drawn by Faith Erin Hicks. Pumpkinheads can be purchased at any place where books are sold, though I highly recommend supporting your local book store.

Content Warning: Discussions about harm to children and violence against women. This is a truly horrific crime. I won’t go into any details about the crime itself because I don’t want to glorify it. However, I will touch on a basic background of the case.

With the writing I do for Twin Cities Geek, I’m on all kinds of early access emails. One of the emails I received was about the book My Daddy is a Hero: How Chris Watts Went From Family Man to Family Killer. This details the true crime story of Chris Watts. I was graciously sent a review copy of this book to read. This is a heavy book to read, and while it was interesting, I don’t think I can ever re-read it again.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own. 

I remember watching Chris Watts on TV stating how much he wanted his wife and their two children to be returned. Turns out, Chris murdered them all, and he’s now serving consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. What’s so scary about this is that Chris didn’t look like a killer. He looked like an ordinary person. Detailed in Lena’s book, not one person who was interviewed in this case would have believed Chris would have killed his entire family, so why did he?

Lena does a great job detailing the background information leading up to their deaths. She goes to great length in painting a picture of Shanann. Shanann is a beautiful, loyal, and happy mother who moved to Colorado from North Carolina to raise their daughters. It seemed like Shanann and Chris had a perfect marriage.

Lena Derhally is a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in relationship therapy. She mentions red flags in a relationship that shouldn’t be ignored. The sad part about reading these is that I have seen these in my friend’s relationships, along with my relationships, in the past. I want to list them out for you all:

1. They exhibit no empathy for you or your perspective. – Empathy isn’t the same as sympathy. The definition of empathy is understanding and sharing the feelings of someone else. Sympathy is offering condolences, but not trying to understand what that person is going through.
2. They’re ready to walk away or retreat emotionally. – This is seeing someone become a different person. Did they used to do romantic gestures, and now will go days on end without talking to you? This might be a leap in predicting if someone can be violent, but it’s something to be aware of.
3. They gaslight you. – For those who aren’t aware, gaslighting is where someone makes it seem like it’s your fault for something they have done. For example, if a partner is caught cheating. If their first reaction is to say that it’s your fault they strayed, run the fuck away. You have every right to feel the way you do. This is incredibly abusive and manipulative.
4. Trust your gut. – Women, especially, are taught to be respectful and kind to everyone they meet. If you feel unsafe or if someone keeps trying to talk to you, be rude. This is difficult for me as I’m generally a nice person, and feeling rude feels out of character for me. Our gut is usually right. Be rude and get out. This is easier said than done, but it’s worth noting.

This is a True Crime book that’s extremely well written. It gives a couple of gentle reminders about what can be signs of an abusive relationship. I don’t want to forget Shanann’s existence and how she was an exuberant person in the lives of many. Bella and CeCe were bright and spirited girls who carried their dolls around with them everywhere. I hope they’re all at peace.