The Shortlist: Best Of 2017

It has been so long since I've posted on my blog, but I wanted to stick with tradition and continue my annual year-end list compiling my favorite things in entertainment from the past twelve months. Below I have listed my top three books, my top three movies, and my top ten songs that were published or released in 2017 (to allow for diversity I only chose one song per artist). Keep in mind that these are all personal favorites, and what is to be considered "the best" of the year is completely subjective. Please share your own favorite things from 2017 in the comment section, and enjoy my list!

BEST BOOKS OF 2017:

You Don't Know Me But I Know You
Rebecca Barrow

They Both Die At The End
Adam Silvera

The Night Bird
Brian Freeman

BEST MOVIES OF 2017:

Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig

Logan
James Mangold

What Happened To Monday
Tommy Wirkola

BEST SONGS OF 2017:

I Dare You
The xx

[listen]

Truth Is A Beautiful Thing
London Grammar

[listen]

Perfect Places
Lorde

[listen]

Run For Cover
The Killers

[listen]

This Isn't The Place
Nine Inch Nails

[listen]

Almost Had Me
Lights

[listen]

Planet Hunter
Wolf Alice

[listen]

The Sound Of War
Susanne Sundfør

[listen]

J-Boy
Phoenix

[listen]

Black Rain
Creeper

[listen]

Movie Review: What Happened To Monday

The science fiction thriller What Happened To Monday, starring Noomi Rapace, was recently released on Netflix. The trailer for this movie promises viewers an edgy, action-packed experience and I wanted to share my thoughts about it with all of you.
What Happened To Monday follows the story of seven sisters who are secretly living together in a world where only one child is allowed per family. Their father names them after each day of the week, and together they assume the identity of a single woman and take turns living her life on the day of their name. When Monday goes missing, the remaining six sisters set out to find her and must avoid compromising their true identities to the government.
After watching What Happened To Monday, my overall opinion about the film was pretty mixed. There were certainly elements about it that impressed me, perhaps most notably the acting on Noomi Rapace's part. I found it quite impressive how well she pulled off acting seven different characters on screen and gave them all unique personalities and traits that made them stand out as individuals. I also enjoyed the main plot of the film; how it told a different story that I haven't seen in many other movies. I was immediately drawn into the lives of the seven sisters and the fear that they had living in a world where they were targets.
Where What Happened To Monday missed the mark is with its use of unrealistic sequences throughout the storyline. Whether it was having characters get shot down while leaping off rooftops or dramatically fainting on stage, these scenes transported the film too far into the realm of unbelievable, rendering it nearly comical at times. There is also the issue of how this film rehashes extremely common plot points found in most movies. What Happened To Monday has a very creative storyline on the surface, but the insertion of predictable shootoffs turn it into a slightly modified version of a typical action flick.
To summarize my final thoughts on What Happened To Monday, it's an enjoyable film to watch and certainly was able to hold my attention for the entirety of its two hour run time. It does fall a bit flat in terms of delivering a truly unique storyline, but it is acted well enough to make it worth watching if you have the chance.
Rating: TV-MA

Genre: Action/Sci-Fi

Run Time: 123 minutes

Release Date: August 18, 2017

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Book Review: The Night Bird

Brian Freeman's recently published thriller The Night Bird was quite riveting from the first page. I had been on the lookout for an engrossing mystery to read, and this novel certainly fulfilled my desire for a suspenseful story. As it is a newly released book, I wanted to share my thoughts and opinions in a review for anyone debating whether or not to read this book.
The Night Bird follows detective Frost Easton as he delves into the mysterious deaths of several women who have seemingly gone crazy immediately before they die. His investigation leads him to Frankie Stein, a psychiatrist who uses a controversial form of therapy to erase terrifying memories from the minds of her patients. As the so-called Night Bird continues to terrorize more victims, Frost and Frankie scramble to unearth more details surrounding the case and discover that many secrets lurk beneath the surface than they ever could have imagined.
Ultimately this book is very well executed. Freeman introduces diverse and complex characters in The Night Bird that make this novel stand out among the hoards of other crime thrillers and mysteries available to readers. By alternating the storyline between the determined detective Frost, stoic Frankie Stein, and cautiously romantic Lucy, a varied narrative is created. Another strong element to this book is how it is more than just a mystery. The addition of certain elements transforms it into a psychological thriller with appropriate doses of emotion for each character.
Where The Night Bird falls just slightly short of its potential is regarding its villain, the infamous Night Bird. The image that Freeman creates for this character almost passes from creepy to comical with the Night Bird's sing-song voice and smiling mask. This clown-like appearance makes the Night Bird harder to take seriously, and undermines the credibility and intelligence of the villain. Adding to this, the identity of the villain was slightly disappointing when revealed. I had expected a big twist ending and felt that how the book concluded was slightly restrained.
To conclude my review in a short statement, I would say that The Night Bird delivers a fast-paced story that will take a very short amount of time to read. It will sweep you along until the very end, where it unfortunately loses just a bit of its intensity. But despite having a few very minor faults, The Night Bird is a walloping novel with a unique and intriguing plot that I would highly recommend.
Author: Brian Freeman
Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 346

Year Published: 2017

My Rating: ★★★★☆

Molly's Music: Entry 5

I've been discovering a lot of great new songs lately from both mainstream and indie artists alike. As I occasionally have done in the past here on this blog, I wanted to share some of these tracks with all of you fellow music lovers out there. Give the tracks below a listen and let me know what you think! I would also love to hear what you've been listening to as well, so feel free to comment with your own favorites.

The Japanese House - Clean:
A recent artist that I had the pleasure of discovering is The Japanese House, the solo project of English musician Amber Bain. I've only just started listening to her music, but from the dreamy, electronic indie sound of "Clean" I'd certainly say she's one to watch.


Phoenix - J-Boy:
Although I will always associate the band Phoenix with the atmospheric, new wave sound of their hit "1901," their recent single "J-Boy" delivers an infectious injection of groovy energy. It's a bit different from their old style, but I'm really starting to appreciate their musical divergence.


Bishop Briggs - Hi-Lo (Hollow):
Another English musician to check out is Bishop Briggs. Completely by chance I stumbled on her 2017 single "Hi-Lo (Hollow)" and was blown away at the vocals that she delivers on this track. If you haven't heard it yet, it is absolutely worth a listen.


Lorde - Perfect Places:
Lorde's "Perfect Places" was a song that slowly grew on me over time. After my first listen I can't say it was a favorite, but something about this song's chorus is so incredibly catchy. Now I find myself listening to it quite a bit. I would say that so far it's my favorite single from Lorde's upcoming album Melodrama.


VÉRITÉ - Saint:
I've been a fan of solo artist VÉRITÉ for some time now, and she never fails to deliver when she releases a new song. This trend continued with "Saint," taken from her debut album that's due to be released on June 23. If you haven't heard of VÉRITÉ yet, then I'd recommend giving her songs a listen.

The Best YA Books that Tackle Heavy Topics

I read a fair share of young adult books and often find myself being drawn to the ones where the author addresses some pretty intense issues. The subject matter of these books can range from depression and other mental illnesses to school shootings, and although sometimes difficult to read I think that books like these can provide important insight when tactfully written. I have compiled a list in no particular order featuring some of my favorite books that achieve this. They all manage to shed light on a difficult topic while maintaining a certain level of sensitivity and humanness to the characters dealing with these burdens.

Jumping Off Swings
Jo Knowles

Although I read this book several years ago, Jumping Off Swings has managed to stay with me ever since. This novel deals with teen pregnancy and ultimately how it can have a huge affect on more than just one person. What Knowles does brilliantly here is tell the story from the perspective of four different teenagers, all dealing with their own lives and problems. It opens readers up to the fact that what looks like a personal issue can have a greater impact than is initially believed.

The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Cynthia Hand

The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a touching story of a young girl grappling with the recent suicide of her brother. This novel gives a refreshing perspective on the topic of suicide by putting readers in the shoes of someone deeply affected by its aftermath. Cynthia Hand does a superb job of illustrating the transformation of the main character as she slowly begins to embrace the healing process after a family tragedy.

Clean
Amy Reed

Amy Reed's young adult novel Clean dives into the topic of addiction, following a group of teenagers as they all undergo treatment at the same rehab center. Told from the point of view of multiple characters, the story shows how five seemingly disparate teens can find common ground and help each other to overcome their addictions.

If I Was Your Girl
Meredith Russo

If I Was Your Girl is a beautifully crafted story that follows a teenage girl as she tries to find a place for herself. Having been biologically born a boy, she moves to her father's small and largely religious town in the attempts to escape her troubled past and create a new identity as a female. This is a novel that goes beyond simply being a book with a transgender protagonist. Russo creates a very relatable main character that anyone can empathize with on her journey through adolescence.

The Way I Used To Be
Amber Smith

Amber Smith's debut novel The Way I Used To Be deftly addresses the topic of rape among young adult readers. The story follows the protagonist, Eden, through her high school years as she struggles to come to terms with a sexual assault from her brother's friend when she was younger. Smith illustrates the heartbraking inner turmoil of Eden as she attempts to navigate her life and find the strength to overcome the traumatic event from her past.