Book Review: The Assignment

This week, Jewish people all over the world observed Tisha B'Av, which is a day of mourning. It is the day we remember the destruction of both Temples that once stood in Jerusalem as well as a number of other tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people over the course of history. (Description courtesy of My Jewish Learning.) So it's fitting that I recently read Liza Wiemer's sophomore novel, The Assignment. Based on the synopsis, you will see why.

SENIOR YEAR. When an assignment given by a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution, a euphemism used to describe the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people, Logan March and Cade Crawford are horrified. Their teacher cannot seriously expect anyone to complete an assignment that fuels intolerance and discrimination. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand.

As the school administration addressed the teens' refusal to participate in the appalling debate, the student body, their parents, and the larger community are forced to face the issue as well. The situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

About five years ago, I read Liza Wiemer's debut novel and was extremely impressed by it. So waiting this long for her to publish another one took a lot of patience from my end. I just wanted her to mass-produce books right away! I can confidently say for the record that The Assignment was well worth the wait.

The assignment itself was horrifying and the fact that two non-Jewish students were appalled by it gives me hope for their generation, as well as future ones. This was based on a real situation, which is written about in the author's note. Seeing what Logan and Cade had to put up with in hopes of getting the assignment cancelled was equally horrifying. It's similar to stuff that happens in real life, as well. The fact that a lot of comments people made were antisemitic was even more disheartening. Liza puts a lot of emotional impact into her story without making it sappy. She even presents the teacher's side at times. I also liked that there was focus on Logan and Cade's friendship and other characters got to share their perspectives, as well.

The story is educational for anyone who isn't familiar with what happened during the Holocaust by now. I think it should be included in school curriculum, whether it is for an English class or a history class. There is so much material to discuss and Liza leaves some things open ended, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. It's perfect for book clubs, as well. And if you have a teenager in the house, be sure to get this into their hands as soon as it publishes. If you think a preteen could handle it, let them read it too!

I definitely recommend this novel as it is insightful and thought-provoking. It will make you feel things and you might even want to have some tissues handy.

Movie casting suggestions:
Logan: Alexis G. Zall
Cade: Noah Lomax
Mr. Bartley: Tom Hiddleston
Mason: Jake Brennan
Heather: Harley Graham
Daniel: Jamie Kaye
Kerrianne: Jade Pettyjohn
Reggie: Christian Martyn

Thanks to Delacorte Press for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Schittiest Summer Ever

This summer has been one for the books, and we're only halfway through. Thanks to COVID-19, we haven't been able to do all that much. Camps were cancelled. The heat has been unbearable. And there's an icing on the cake moment that happened to me this week, but I will be okay. In any case...the one thing keeping me happy this summer has been one amazing show that I never thought I'd even watch. My friends kept telling me to watch it and I finally decided to give it a try, since we didn't have much else to do. Little did I know, I'd fall in love with this show and would be sad about finishing it. I've been waiting to write this post until I was completely done with it, and now I am. (And I already want to watch it again.) Given the title of my post, you may have guessed that it's none other than SCHITT'S CREEK!

Heads up: There are spoilers ahead. If you haven't seen all six seasons, save this post and come back when you're done. And if you were on the fence about watching it, get off that fence already! It's just so incredible and uplifting and you're going to want to binge-watch it (possibly over and over again). I could give you a billion more reasons for watching it, but I just think you should see for yourself why it's so great. The first season is a slow burn, but after that, it just picks up and takes off from there. The last few seasons are so wonderful in so many ways!

Photo courtesy of Glaad

I don't even know where to begin. I just love everything about this show. The comedy is fabulous, on par with Arrested Development in my opinion. It's quirky and there are a lot of inside jokes and fabulous memes and gifs to come of it. I'd laugh so much from some of the things the characters said or did. Here are some of my favorite funny moments:

* Roland telling David about his Devil Wears Prada role play and David's reaction.
* Twyla explaining to Alexis how to ride a bike.
* Johnny's conversation with Alexis when he thinks she's pregnant.
* Johnny trying to get Roland to keep Moira's surprise party a secret by having him ask Jocelyn to tell her it's for something else.
* Alexis's reaction to a beardless Mutt.
* The sign. "Don't worry, she's his sister!" (Also the sign at the very end.)
* Johnny trying to roast Roland.
* Moira saying "oopsy daisy."
* Stevie and David at the spa for their "honeymoon".
* Alexis breaking the sink in the bathroom at the store and then lying about it with a really bad cover story.
* Johnny not realizing who he rented rooms to until Stevie makes a certain hand gesture to explain.
* Anytime Moira slaps someone. (Especially the first time when she slapped Roland. I think that alone sold me on the show.)
* Twelve "things" of raw milk.
* David's reaction to the guy with Wendy, whom he thought was trying to look like him. Then Wendy trying to justify the mirror on the ceiling of the room her husband shares with another man.
* The whole scene revolving around the "happy ending."
* Jocelyn giving her baby the middle name Moira.
* Johnny and Moira going to the wrong cabin to have sex.
* "Fold the cheese!"
* Moira doing her crow voice.
* The "auditions" for Larry Air
* Patrick getting too much of a spray tan
* Bob's jog walk

These are just a handful of moments that really made me laugh. There were also some incredibly sweet and beautiful moments.
* Moira giving Stevie the lead role in Cabaret.
* Patrick singing "Simply the Best" to David at open mic night.
* David and Patrick's first kiss.
* David saying "I love you" to Patrick.
* Patrick coming out to his parents and the love and support he gets.
* Ted crashing the singles party to kiss Alexis.
* Johnny offering to partner with Stevie on the hotel.
* Roland standing up for Johnny at the investors meeting.
* Patrick proposing to David.
* The wedding.
* Alexis asking Ted what it was like when she broke up with him.
* David buying the house. Also his tearful conversation with Stevie beforehand.
* David and Stevie talking about being each other's best friend.
* What Patrick says to Johnny during their talk
* Jocelyn telling Moira how much Alexis has accomplished.
* When Alexis helps David get Heather as a client.
* Alexis postponing her date to help David through a situation with Patrick.
* Stevie singing "Maybe This Time".
* Alexis changing her mind about convincing Stevie to let her be maid-of-honor and then helping Stevie pick a tie.

Schitts Creek Obsessed GIF from Schittscreek GIFs

As you can tell, there is so much I love about the show. One of the key things is the cast. Schitt's Creek has the best ensemble cast. The only other show I've said this about lately is Speechless. I love everyone on the show and how well they work together and interact. All four of the Roses are amazing in their own ways. David is, hands down, my favorite though. There are also some great supporting characters. I'll list a bunch of characters and tell you what I like best about each of them.

David: Everything about David is AMAZING! His overall look just slays me every time, with the sweaters and the multiple rings on one hand and how he'll sometimes wear a kilt or short pants. I just can't get enough of him. I love his personality and facial expressions and he has such great lines. His sincerity bowls me over and I love that he's able to cry on screen like that. Dan Levy plays him to perfection and the fact that he also wrote this show adds even more to how wonderful he is. Dan has officially usurped Lin Manuel-Miranda for me, in that he's the number one celebrity I'd want to meet in person, even though I'd need paramedics standing by because I'd have a reaction similar to what David had to Mariah Carey in this video.

Moira: She's got it going on between her outfits, wigs, and the way she talks, which includes her accent. At first, Moira grated on me, but then I started getting used to her personality and she ended up surprising me sometimes. The moment I truly loved her was when she gave Stevie the role in Cabaret. I cry just thinking about that. I liked seeing how the town grew on Moira and watching all her comedic moments. I've always enjoyed seeing Catherine O'Hara in movies from Beetlejuice to Home Alone to Waiting for Guffman (one of my favorite roles of hers), but Moira takes the cake as her best character EVARR! (Say that in her voice.)

Alexis: Alexis is absolutely adorable! Her facial expressions, hand gestures, the way she talks, her outfits, etc. add to her essence. I loved watching her grow throughout the series and seeing her vulnerable side always threw me for a loop, but I loved it! Her name dropping and all the mentions of her time spent in other countries with random men was always amusing. I loved her banter with David too. (I thought it was funny that they had similar facial expressions and they looked more related than Dan Levy does with his real life sister who plays Twyla.) I love how she says "EW!" and have now attributed an "Alexis 'EW!'" to anything I think is gross. She's definitely girl-crush worthy. Boop!

Johnny: What I said about Catherine O'Hara earlier also applies to Eugene Levy, since they were in the mockumentaries together. I really like Johnny a lot for his role as a father to his kids and father figure to Stevie. He's more subdued than the others in his family, but he also has some great comedic moments, especially when he interacts with Roland. His smile lights up a room and reassures us all that everything is going to be okay somehow. He's a great balance for Moira, as well. This is definitely an iconic role for him and I can't imagine anyone else playing it.

Roland: Chris Elliot was really the best fit for this role. He plays Roland to perfection. While Roland can be super annoying (which is part of his "charm"), I like that he truly loves Jocelyn and that he tries to be a good friend to Johnny. He really won my heart in one of the last episodes though. There are certain aspects of him that remind me of my younger son, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Just his little quirks and facial expressions and the fact that his hair is always a mess. He has a good heart.

Jocelyn: I love watching Jocelyn interact with Moira. It makes for some great moments on the show. I also enjoyed seeing her come into her own. I think having another baby took her in a new direction. Even though I didn't like her new haircut, I get why she did it and I loved seeing her try to justify it to herself. I also love how she was such a good salesperson at David's store, but then realized it wasn't what she really wanted. She and Roland are a good fit for each other.

Mutt: He looks better with a beard. Enough said. ;) He seems like a nice enough guy, but I didn't like him and Alexis together all that much.

Stevie: One of my favorite supporting characters. I love how she has so many layers beneath her sarcastic demeanor. She and David are so great together as friends and I love how they bring out the best in each other. I also love the bond she forms with Johnny. Her awkward moments make her even more lovable. And after seeing her in her usual outfit, I enjoy seeing her in a dress or even a Sally Bowles costume. Watching her sing "Maybe This Time" was such an amazing moment. I also love that she wore a suit to David's wedding.

Twyla: As mentioned earlier, the actress who plays Twyla is Dan's sister and Eugene's daughter. So it surprised me that she didn't have an even bigger role. I wish she had as much on-screen time as Stevie. I like her personality a lot and it was fun to finally get more of a backstory for her toward the end of the series. Just like her real-life father, her smile lights up a room too.She also has some great lines. I love when she's teaching Alexis how to ride a bike.

Bob: This is all you really need to see. P.S. My husband does a great impression of his jog walk.

Ronnie: She's really funny with some great lines and I love how she butts heads with Moira a lot. My favorite moment of hers was when she outdid Johnny as Bob's wing man.

Ted: I saw Dustin Milligan on 90210 (the new series) in 2008 and thought he was one to watch. He left the show early into the first season though. So I was surprised and delighted to see an older version of him appear as Ted Mullens, a love interest for Alexis and competition for Mutt. I was mad at Alexis for breaking his heart but then loved how they slowly got back together when she realized she truly loved him and he realized the same. Then I was sad about them deciding to go their separate ways in order to let each other grow. I wish he would have come back for the finale and said that he found a better job in NYC or something. A girl can dream.... However, he needs to lose the beard. That's where he and Mutt are truly opposites.

Patrick: Just like the show itself and the song he sings to David, he's "simply the best". I was given a spoiler about him and David ending up together, but I loved watching things develop between them and how he balances David out in the best ways. He has such a sweet and earnest face and I love the things he says to David. Noah Reid has some albums, so I need to listen to them, even though I can't imagine him singing explicit lyrics. He's another favorite supporting character.

Ray: Where would we be without Ray? He's so funny and quirky. That's all.

Now for my favorite episodes! So I don't keep this post going on forever and ever, I'll just list my top five.

1. Singles Week (season 4, episode 12): David says I love you and Ted comes back to Alexis and kisses her in front of everyone.
2. Meet the Parents (season 5, episode 11): Johnny accidentally outs Patrick, but it leads to such a sweet conversation.
3. Happy Ending (season 6, episode 14): Best series finale ever!
4. Grad Night (season 3, episode 13): I loved this for Alexis...not only does Ted come to her graduation, but Moira and the Jazzagals perform! And David and Patrick's first kiss is everything!
5. The Hospies (season 5, episode 8): The episode where Moira gives Stevie the part in Cabaret.

Obviously, there were so many great episodes and moments overall, but I'd never finish this post and be able to share it with all of you otherwise, bebes!

If you've made it this far, it means you already watched the series and love it as much as I do. I'd love to hear any of your thoughts on it in the comments. Thanks for being on this journey with me. I love it for all of us!


via GIPHY

Two fabulous teen shows

Both pictures courtesy of IMDb.

Recently, I have really enjoyed two shows targeted to a teen/young adult audience. Since I am young at heart, these shows were totally up my alley. Here are some reasons you should watch these shows (spoiler free).

Never Have I Ever

I was sold on this show when I heard that Mindy Kaling was the creator and that it was loosely based on her life. I had heard good things about it and decided to check it out. I am SO glad I did and am even more glad that there will be a second season!

Check out the trailer:

Some reasons you should be watching:
*Two words: Equatorial Guinea. You'll see...
*The cultural stuff, like the party Devi and her family attended.
*Featuring a character with Down Syndrome in a positive way without it being focused on their disability.
*The fact that Ben got his own episode. It made me adore him so much more afterward.
*Kamala and her Riverdale binge-watching. I just love Kamala's personality in general. She's so much fun to watch.
*Devi is not perfect. She says things she regrets. She disappoints her mother and her friends. She lies a lot. The list could go on...
*Devi's two best friends are fabulous. I can't get enough of Fabiola's hair.
*The Rocky Horror Picture Show and 90 Day Fiancé get shout-outs.

Love, Victor

A couple of years ago, I read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and loved that book so much. I saw Love, Simon a while after that, but it didn't have the same effect as the novel, even though it was still enjoyable. As a TV series, Love, Victor won me over the same way Simon's story did in novel format. Ten episodes of this series is not enough for me and I really hope there is a second season coming, given how it left off. I haven't loved a show on Hulu this much since Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Check out the trailer:


Some reasons you should be watching:
*Same producer and writer as This is Us (Isaac Aptaker), also featuring an actress from that show (Rachel Hilson, who plays young Beth on TIU also plays Mia on LV).
*Awesome theme song that I can't get out of my head!
*Michael Cimino is adorable as Victor
*Nick Robinson (Simon) has a cameo both in voice and in person
*So raw and honest, not just in regards to Victor, but also with the other characters on the show.
*Ana Ortiz from Ugly Betty (Betty's sister, Hilda) plays Victor's mom
*Felix and Lake come off as annoying at first, but then they both grow on you so much and they become as lovable as Victor.
*Victor's little brother is so sweet and funny.
*Ali Wong has a small part as a teacher and she's really funny.

What I love about both shows:
*They have other story lines aside from the main character's, which I love.
*They feature an LGBTQ theme, but on Never, it's for a supporting character.
*They have so many great moments that have made me laugh and cry.
*They have strong casts that work really well together.
*They have great kissing scenes (I won't say who is doing the kissing though...)

If you haven't seen either of these shows, get ready to binge-watch them both! If you have seen them, let me know your thoughts.