{Watch, Read, & Listen} All Together Now, Crowning Soul, & SOMI

♥ watch, read & listen is a weekly feature where I share and recommend

my current movie, book, music and podcast obsessions every monday. ♥

Watch: All Together Now on Netflix (2020)

Amber Appleton (Auli'i Cravalho) remains an optimist even when her personal life is far less stable than it appears on the surface. A musically gifted high school student with aspirations to attend Carnegie Mellon, Amber balances her beloved high school drama club helmed by Mr. Franks (Fred Armisen) with working long hours at a donut shop to help support herself and her down-on-her-luck single mom (Justina Machado). She also spends time at the local retirement community, giving care and attention to her favorite pessimistic resident (Carol Burnett). When new obstacles present themselves that threaten her dreams, Amber must learn to lean on the strength of her chosen family to move forward.

Starring Auli'i Cravalho, Rhenzy Feliz, Justina Machado

Read: Crowning Soul by Sahira Javaid

Be swept away in this unique fantasy debut from Sahira Javaid. A spellbinding adventure of belonging, finding hope and where the price of a soul is another soul’s fate. Perfect for fans of InuYasha, Children of Blood and Bone and The Candle and The Flame.

Nezha Zaman considers her gift to control fire a dangerous secret. A secret that unravels when she encounters a vengeful shadow jinni in a maze garden that has been stalking her family, and knows about her power. Weeks after seeing the demonic being, Nezha is torn from her world through her backyard pond and transported to another dimension which sought out the light inside her heart.

Nezha learns from two unicorns that the dimension is her family’s roots, and the light is a fragment of an angel’s shattered soul. The three must work together to find the soul’s shards in a land teeming with shape-shifting jinn. If Nezha fails to stop the corrupted Iron Prince, the malevolent jinn at his side will shatter her soul next.

Publication date: September 8, 2020

I've had the opportunity to read an advanced review copy of Crowning Soul and I absolutely enjoyed this fantasy story from Sahira Javaid. It's rich with lush world-building, culture, magic, nuances, and fierce, lively characters. Highly recommend! I hope you consider picking this one up tomorrow. 😊

Listen: What You Waiting For -- SOMI

Friendly reminder that Black lives still matter and that Black Lives Matter protests are still going on around the world -- Continue signing petitions (updated often), donating (if/when you can), protesting safely (more protest tips here and here), emailing/calling your reps/AG/DA, register to vote/vote-by-mail, and educating yourself and family members.

Also, consider donating to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund and/or donating directly to Jacob Blake's family fund to help him recover from the paralyzing wounds Kenosha cops caused him. Sign this petition to charge the officer who tried to kill him. (Note: Don't donate to change.org)

More ways to help support Black people and the BLM movement can be found on BLM's official Linktree, blacklivesmatter.carrd.co, and blmsites.carrd.co. More resources can be found on the sidebar as well. ➔