Books & Film

You Will Love ‘Things I Will Tell My Daughter’ by Joan Thatiah

Published

4 months ago

July 24, 2024

I stumbled upon Joan Thatiah’s books on X. She wrote this elaborate thread on the life of a male sex worker. I loved her narration and I respected her craft. As a society that shuns even age-appropriate sex education, having writers humanize sex workers is a necessity. From then on, I fell in love with her work. I have had her books on my TBR list for close to a year.

This year I have been lucky to read Things I Will Tell My Daughter. Severally, people have said books find you. I do not believe it is true (mainly because I feel I’m behind in my reading and don’t need any excuse) but this specific book found me. Turning twenty-four feels like new womanhood. A new level of adulthood. The last year before my prefrontal cortex develops.

Baby fever imenitwanga this year, wacha tu! Because of this, I jumped to part 4 – Motherhood. The first chapter I read was, And the perfect time to have a baby is… In a well-written chapter, she reminds us it is okay to never want children, to plan for our pregnancies and only have kids for ourselves, and if you do keep an unplanned pregnancy nothing is wrong with you, understand it ain’t easy. Safe to say, the baby’s fever went down. I love the age I was born and raised in, millennial and Gen Z mums are more open to discussing the struggles of motherhood, openly. We can now make informed decisions.

Book Review

In part one – Womanhood, Joan Thatiah feels like a big sister: paving the way for you and reminding you where to step. She reminds us to be confident, to set boundaries, to read, to accept our bodies, to show up for ourselves, and to only honor the girl code when it makes sense.

Part two – Your Heart, felt like those late-night chats with your besties. The ones that end with promises to do better, be better, choose better partners… those nights when you have a heart-to-heart conversation. She dropped a bomb too: the butterfly feeling in your stomach can blind you to red flags in a relationship. She then reminds us, that when the honeymoon ends and the commitment phase of the relationship begins, there will be no more butterflies.

In part three – Your Money, she places femininity and money together. According to spirituality, femininity and money go hand in hand. But I have never seen them grouped career-wise. She narrates how they judged a colleague who dressed well and played the game (office politics) and now has an illustrious career. Growing up we had the cousins and aunties we were warned about. The rebellious ones. Part three felt like talking to this aunty. Sitting in her expensive home, sipping something, a long expensive-looking rob covering just the essential parts, probably reading a magazine. She stops reading and reminds you this is your life. She reminds you, that you’re a woman and you have been and will continue to be judged. She looks at your chest, tells you, you are growing, and gives you a lacey bra. Tells you red lipstick would look good on you and reminds you to read. She probably makes a shit load of money, only helps those she wishes, and drives “like a man”.

Would I read the book again? Yes! As I re-read the book, I will use the book as a journaling guide. In part three, I found certain statements triggered more than just an aha moment. I had to sit with them. For example, on page 111, she reminds us that this is a man’s world and we do not have to conform to how men get things done. I had to question how I was getting things done. Was I in alignment with who I was? Or was I performing for this world?

And as for my daughters, when I can afford to have one or two, will be reading this book. You should read it too!

Read: The Best Gifts For Writers

Books & Film

MOVIES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN CINEMAS THIS NOVEMBER!!!!!

Published

2 weeks ago

November 4, 2024

KANYINA MITCHELLE

November is closing spooky season and beginning Christmas early with holiday movies and more. Do not miss out on this exciting adventure. Get yourself some popcorns and let’s dive in to what the cinemas have to offer this month:

1. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Will Be Released On November 8, 2024

Six juvenile delinquent siblings who inadvertently find themselves participating in the local church pageant during the holidays unleash chaos but they might just teach a shocked community the true meaning of Christmas.

2.Heretic

Will Be Released On November 8, 2024

Heretic is a horror thriller of two young missionaries who try to convert Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant). However, the mission takes a sinister turn as Mr. Reed is actually far more dangerous than they could have anticipated. Will their faith help them make it out alive?

3.Small Things Like These

Will Be Released On November 8, 2024

Cillian Murphy is back after his previous movie Oppenheimer which hit the cinemas last year! Let’s take a look at what he has to offer this year.

Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy), a coal merchant living next to a convent. Furlong ends up discovering the dark secrets and disturbing things that happen inside the convent, leading him to confront the secrets of the Irish town of New Ross.

4.Red One

Will Be Released On November 10, 2024

Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans star in this christmas comedy film where Dwayne Johnson head of security of the North Pole, and Chris Evans the infamous hacker and bounty hunter team up to save Santa Claus who has been kidnapped. Will they save him on time to save Christmas altogether?

5.Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point

Will Be Released On November 15, 2024

A family gathers on Christmas Eve for what could be the last holiday in their ancestral home. As the night wears on and tensions arise, one of the teenagers sneaks out with her friends to claim the wintry suburb for her own.

6.Gladiator II

Will Be Released On November 22, 2024

With rage in Lucius’ heart and the future of the empire at stake, he looks to the past to find the strength and honor needed to return the glory of Rome to its people. Will he succeed? Let’s find out.

7.Wicked

Will Be Released On November 22, 2024

Wicked tells the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), who has been misunderstood due to her green skin her whole life, but she forms a profound friendship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), who longs for popularity. Their relationship soon reaches a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.

8.Moana 2

Will Be Released On November 27, 2024

Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) reunites with the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and along with her crew, they go into the far seas of Oceania to break the curse of the god Nalo on the hidden island of Motufetu.

9.Maria

Will Be Released On November 27, 2024

Maria tells the story of real-life opera singer Maria Callas (played by Angelina Jolie), following the final years of her life.

Books & Film

A Journey of Self-Discovery: Book Review of Educated by Tara Westover

Published

2 months ago

October 2, 2024

Wanjiru King'ori

In Tara Westover’s Educated she unlocks her memories and takes you on a roller coaster of her early life growing up in the Mormon culture.

Tara is the youngest of seven children born to Gene and LaRee Westover. .

At Buck Peak’s somewhere in Idaho, she looks over the princess, a mountain. She wonders what lies ahead past that. The only world she’s ever known off is that built by her family. Where seeking an education would lead them to be infiltrated by societies such as the Illuminati and forget the norms of Mormonism and dress as a tiny harlot while at that.

Funny thing is that Tara was allowed to drive and work at a certain grocery shop. It’s not until her elder brother Tyler, took an interest in wanting to seek an education outside from the little homeschooling that they had been taught by their mother, is when Tara also gained interest.

She recalls of how she would lie at the feet of Tyler in his room, listening to some of his music while he studied. The only texts that Tara had ever read was the Holy Bible and those of John Smith and other Mormon leaders.

Tyler passed his General Education Development (GED) test and went ahead to study at Brighton Young University (BYU) where Tara would equally follow suite years later.

Tara’s mother was the type who always stood by their husband. She was a midwife and also a herbalist. The family alongside with other Mormons did not believe in hospitals or modern medicine. The unveiling of several accidents including two road accidents, which left her mother recovering at the basement for months, Luke’s leg getting burnt and her father being blasted and most of his skin scarred, all these cases were treated at home.

A rift with Tara and her father began when one day her brother Shawn got an accident and instead of bringing him home to mother for treatment, she called an ambulance instead to the hospital.

However, Tara excels in her university education earning her Masters and PhD from Cambridge University.

Finally, she manages to break from the shell of her family. This was after exposing, the physical and emotional abuse that Shawn had subjected her too. Nobody believed aside from her brothers Richard, Tony and Tyler. Everyone else completely cut her off.

It is a story of strength and liberation. Seeking her own self, world, identity outside of the norms of Mormonism. Also a story of loss and grief as she struggled to accept that her own family chose to disown her instead of believe her. But most importantly it is a story of great courage and seeking better for oneself, an education.

A cacophony of transformation, metamorphosis, falsity and betrayal.

Books & Film

Packed Fall 2024 Anime Lineup: What to Expect This Season

Published

2 months ago

October 2, 2024

Muinde Brian

This October is packed with a stellar(you’ll only get it if you’ve seen SpyxFamily) lineup of anime releases. Several highly anticipated series and returning favourites are coming back, making the fall season a major event for anime enthusiasts. Here’s what you should be most excited for

1. Re: Zero Season 3

OCTOBER 2

The third season of Re: Zero returns after a long wait, continuing Subaru’s intense journey through alternate realities filled with dangers and hard-won triumphs. The gripping storyline and beloved characters will certainly keep fans hooked.

2. Dragon Ball Daima

OCTOBER 11
The Dragon Ball franchise introduces a new spin with Dragon Ball Daima. While keeping the franchise’s core characters like Goku, Vegeta, and Bulma, the plot focuses on a fresh storyline that involves Goku’s “grand adventure,” filled with new enemies like Gomah and the Masked Majin. With Toriyama heavily involved, this is expected to be a high-energy addition to the Dragon Ball legacy.

3. Blue Lock Season 2

OCTOBER 5
Following its massively successful first season, Blue Lock Season 2 kicks off with more intense soccer action. As Yoichi Isagi and the team face tougher challenges from international players, the stakes are higher than ever. This series is perfect for sports anime lovers, especially those drawn to fierce competition and emotional growth. I hope the trailers are not a foreshadowing.

4. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3

OCTOBER 5
The war continues in Bleach, where Ichigo Kurosaki and his allies are thrust deeper into the battle with the Wandenreich. This part of the series, highly anticipated by fans, promises even more action-packed scenes and dramatic plot twists. Let the conflict begin.

5. Tower of God Season 2, Cour 2

OCTOBER 6
Following the success of its first part, Tower of God resumes with its intricate plotlines, testing the limits of Bam and his companions as they continue their climb in the mysterious tower.

6. Danmachi Season 5

OCTOBER 4
The adventures in Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? return, bringing viewers back to the labyrinthine world of Orario. Season 5 promises more adventures, romance, and challenges for Bell and his companions.

7. Uzumaki

SEPTEMBER 28
For fans of horror, Uzumaki, based on Junji Ito’s spine-chilling manga, is finally arriving this fall. Its visually disturbing art and haunting storyline will likely make it one of the top horror anime of the season.

Fall 2024 anime release dates

Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II (October 4, 2024)
Look Back (October 4, 2024) [MOVIE]
Ranma 1/2 (October 5, 2024)
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (October 10, 2024)
Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance (October 11, 2024)
My Hero Academia: You’re Next (October 11, 2024) [MOVIE]
Attack on Titan The Movie: The Last Attack (November 8, 2024 in Japan) [MOVIE]
Arcane season 2 (Beginning November 9, 2024)
Fate/strange Fake (November 2024)
Beastars season 3 (December 2024)

This season’s lineup offers a broad spectrum of genres, from sports (Blue Lock), action (Dragon Ball Daima), and fantasy (Danmachi), to horror (Uzumaki), showcasing just how packed and exciting October will be for anime fans.