My Favorite Things (At the Moment)

by Camela Thompson

I had an exceptionally ranty post about the prevalence of ultra-alpha males and related lack of exceptional heroines in paranormal writing (yes, I realize it's not universal, but it's common), but chickened out when it came to hitting the "Post" button. I've given myself the week to walk away and think about things.

You're welcome. 

Instead, I thought I would talk about some of the great things I've seen and read lately.

Pan's Labyrinth

I am confused by del Toro. The Strain frustrated me and struck me as inherently misogynistic (a few interviews I stumbled across didn't help that perception), but that flies in the face of much of his other work. I loved Crimson Peak, and I finally watched Pan's Labyrinth. I adored it. It's just as depressing and dark as it is beautiful, but it's worth every minute. We'll be discussing the movie this week on Shadows on the Sound with Elise Stephens.

The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires (book 1 of Half Moon Hollow)

After reading several books fueling my aforementioned rant, this book was a breath of fresh air. The main character may not have been extraordinary, but she was smart, very sassy, and kicked major butt. I laughed out loud many times, and that just doesn't happen.

Jessica Jones

I enjoy Marvel despite growing frustrated with flouncy illustrations and fridged women. So far, this series has been a very pleasant surprise. I am enjoying the reign of Netflix awesomeness.

My other favorite things at the moment involve food and puppies, most definitely enjoyed very separately. On that note, I'll leave you with a dose of adorable evil mastermind:

What have you seen or read recently that you loved? Are there paranormal books with strong female protagonists you would recommend?