Best of 2020

Courtesy of Sweatpants & Coffee

2020 was a rather, um, interesting year, which explains the abundance of TV shows on this list...

New (to me) TV shows that I enjoyed in 2020 (in no particular order):

Upload

Unorthodox

Degrassi: The Next Generation (this has links to all my posts about the series). I followed it up with Next Class, but it didn't have enough episodes/seasons to become a favorite for me.

Schitt's Creek (So great, I watched it twice! Hoping to make that "thrice" eventually...)

I found this in a Schitt's Creek group on Facebook

Love, Victor

Never Have I Ever (See the link for Love, Victor)

Little Fires Everywhere: Great adaptation of the book that provided even more backstory about Mia and Elena and gave more depth to the teenagers.

The Baby-Sitter's Club: I loved this as much as my kids did and even cried a bit. They updated it for the 21st century and even included a transgender child.

The Umbrella Academy

My two favorite characters from The Umbrella Academy

Council of Dads: This show did not have enough episodes and was cancelled too soon. It was really good and it had potential to go a lot further. 

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist: It's coming back in less than a week!!! I love the storyline and all the music, as well as some great characters. 

The Queen's Gambit: Really well done miniseries. The fashion, scenery, and music really established the era during which it took place. Anya Taylor-Joy was fabulous in the lead role. 

Emily in Paris: Perfect for fans of Younger and The Bold Type. Lily Collins is delightful as Emily. I already can't wait for a second season!

Dash and Lily: I really enjoyed this show and hope there will be a second season, since there is a sequel to the book. It has a You've Got Mail feel. 

Hollywood: Really well done overall. I wish it wasn't so NC-17 rated, as there's an important underlying message that would have been good for younger audiences. 

I'm currently in the first seasons of Shtisel and One Day at a Time, so if I like both throughout the series, I will talk about them in 2021. 

Movies I enjoyed in 2020:

Just Mercy: Incredibly well-done and captivating.

Long Shot: I did not expect to like this as much as I did, but it was a sweet romantic comedy.

 

The Prom: It's based on a Broadway musical. That's all you need to know, really. Oh, and I cried a few times. 

Most of the other movies were ones I watched on streaming channels, but can't say were my favorites from the year. 

Top Ten Favorite Books I read in 2020 (Some may be from previous years or publishing in 2021): 

I've shared my top five chick lit favorites at Chick Lit Central. I read so many amazing books this year (go to my Goodreads page and see all the five-star books) and am sad to have to narrow it down at all. Links are to reviews (or Instagram shout-outs).

1. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

2. The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

3. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

4. Well Met by Jen DeLuca

5. I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

6. Woman on the Edge by Samantha Bailey

7. Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer (link also has a review for Off the Page)

8. Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

9. The Assignment by Liza Wiemer

10. The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie Wiseman

Even though I didn't see any musicals this year, I wanted to give a shout-out to Six, as I am so into the music now!

Courtesy of Playbill

Famous people I want to meet:

*Dan Levy because, like, obviously! ;) (I also wouldn't mind meeting the cast of Schitt's Creek though!)

*Michael Judson Berry: He's so funny with his Schitt's Creek impressions and videos and he seems like he's so down-to-earth and friendly too. 

*Randy Rainbow: When have I NOT wanted to meet Randy Rainbow?!? He's saved my sanity since 2016. 

*Almost anyone from Degrassi, except for the girl who plays Esme or the guy who plays Rick. 

I can't really list favorite moments of 2020 since most of my time was spent at home playing board games, reading, and watching TV shows. Some cool things that happened: 

*Getting to interview Rachel Bloom for Chick Lit Central and then seeing a post about it in her Instagram stories. 

*My sister got engaged and I couldn't be happier for her!

*My best friend got married to a total mensch. I was thankfully able to attend their chuppah ceremony (all with social distancing and masks, of course). 

*I had a book dedicated to me: The Unfortunate Fall by Tracy Krimmer.

*I got to see a play that was written by my drama teacher from high school. 

I will list some silver linings from this year, however:

1. Saving money on gas. I barely had to fill up my car this year. 

2. Getting to connect with authors on Zoom through my friend's book club, which I wouldn't be able to attend otherwise, since it's in San Francisco. (I can deal with being on a chat at 10:00 pm my time.)

3. It pushed me to buy a mail scale and pay for postage through PayPal, so no more waiting in line at the post office!

4. Spending lots of quality time with my family and still getting along almost a year later.

5. Having virtual Thanksgiving dinner with my in-laws. While I wish we could see them in person, it was still nice to be together in some way. Also, we didn't have to make a giant feast. (Not that I mind in normal years.)

6. Getting to dip my feet in the waters of the publishing world, since I could work with publishers and publicists without having to go into an office. Also, working with authors to edit their novels. 

7. Instacart. I ended up becoming the primary Costco shopper in the family as a result. (I don't like actually going to Costco, even in a non-pandemic year, because it is so overwhelming.) 

8. My kids getting to take piano lessons from their bubbe via Skype. (Except for the one who taught himself to become a piano maestro, even if it's just with Scott Joplin tunes and a few Beethoven selections.)

9. Not having to drive as often at night.

10. The Kosher food program for kids in our community. It's really amazing. 

11. Getting to sleep slightly longer than I would if I had to get all three kids out the door for school. 

12. The results of the 2020 election, as painfully dragged out as it was... 

Two more shout-outs before I end this post:

1. Kyra Pro, for her workout videos that use lots of Disney music and show tunes, amid the popular songs. Her smiley face got me through 2020 and inspired my youngest child to do more exercising. 

2. The Holderness Family, for their hilarious parody videos that mock 2020 and Covid-19. They also kept me sane this year and made my youngest child laugh. 

I'm hoping we can create new memories in 2021! 

Whatever it takes: Thoughts on Degrassi: Next Class

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Since I loved Degrassi: The Next Generation so much, I just had to continue the fun by watching Degrassi: Next Class. While it picks up where TNG left off, there are only ten episodes per season, and only four seasons altogether. So there's not a lot of time for character and plot development and a lot of things get dropped. There are some intense moments, but even those get rushed. Like after a huge cliffhanger at the end of season two, the beginning of season three was basically a montage to get to the next plot point. This being the case, I'm going to write about four seasons all in one post.

This time around, my younger son was watching the show with me. There were some awkward moments on the show that I wish he hadn't seen, but he was mature about it. Most importantly, he and I agreed on how awful Esme was. 

Before I go on, I wanted to list my top five favorite characters from this series:

1. Zig: Even though he had some bad moments, I still like him so much. 

2. Grace: She is so down-to-earth and doesn't take crap from anyone. It was also nice to see her vulnerable side. 

3. Yael: If anyone deserves to have "This is Me" from The Greatest Showman as their theme song, it's Yael. 

4. Tiny: He's grown and changed a lot from TNG and was really likable through all four seasons. He was so sweet to Shay too. 

5. Jonah: He started off as a bit guarded on this series, but then grew more likable over time. I loved watching him and Grace together. 

Least favorite characters:

1. Esme: She is so manipulative and just incredibly unlikable. If there were time for her to become a better person, that would be nice, but there never was and now she lives on in infamy. 

2. Hunter: I tried to like him after he got out of the psychiatric hospital, but then I hated how he treated Yael once they came out as nonbinary. 

3. Zoe's mom: I can't get on board with any parent who kicks their child out of their home for being gay. 

Season one:

The new intro is a fun twist on the TNG theme song.

I'm glad Snake is back as the principal. 

Miles is still a handful. I'm glad he got disqualified from the presidency. I also had a feeling his parents were getting back together. He's so ridiculous with the drug use. I hope he can actually benefit from the addiction counseling.

That's something new, with Grace having cystic fibrosis. You don't see that mentioned much in shows. I like how Zoe is sticking around though.

I am glad Frankie's friends catfished her because it could have totally been another Emma situation otherwise. 

Tiny has changed a lot and I'm glad he's not in a gang anymore. He and Shay could be cute together.

I don't like Jonah's new hairstyle or personality. I hope the latter will at least change over time. It's interesting to see him and Frankie together. He seems to go for these really nice girls who have been through something stressful. Hmm...

I don't really feel bad for Shay. Her parents were open to meeting Tiny and she shut that down. If he lost interest because of that, it's not his fault. She could have told him what was going on. 

I'm annoyed that Tristan ruined what could have been a good thing because he's still dwelling on Miles, who doesn't deserve to be dwelled upon. 

Even though the feminist girl was being frustrating, Hunter's racist comment was out of line. I'm worried for Maya with all the cyberbullying she's experiencing. The stuff that's going on is so next level. I'm glad it got resolved, but Hunter has some major issues that he needs help with. I was hoping he'd be sent to juvie, like Luke was in TNG. I'm glad Miles could diffuse the potential shooting, but it was strange for Hunter to go after Maya in the first place when Goldi was the one who got the video game club shut down. 

That was not cool what Zoe did with Zig to make Grace jealous. She needs to deal with rejection better. It's sad that Zoe blew up Maya and Zig's relationship because she wanted to get back at Grace. 

I had a feeling Tristan just had a UTI. He should have seen a doctor before scaring other guys and looking like an idiot. 

The music producer was being a jerk to Maya, but I get that he was also being realistic. 

I'm glad Miles is going to boarding school. Esme was so manipulative. He definitely needs to get out of there for a while. 

Season two:

I'm glad Miles told his mom about what Hunter was really doing and that Hunter is finally getting some help. 

I was really annoyed at Lola for telling Zig that his cheating was Maya's fault. I don't blame Maya for cooling off on Zig a bit. I hope he can repair things though.

I hope Frankie owns up to the racist painting. I'm glad Shay said something to her. Frankie seems a bit out of touch with reality in regards to racism. I hope she can repair the rift she has created, especially now that she has learned something about herself from running away.

It was a fun surprise to see Peter again. I wonder if he'll be on more now that Maya got the co-op job.

It seems like Grace and Zig are inching toward potentially hooking up. That might be complex with Maya and Grace being friends.

Zoe needs to let go of what people think of her and be a lesbian if she wants to. It was rude what she said to Tristan about being normal. I wonder how long she can convince Winston that she's into him. I like how Winston stood up for her to Esme.

I like Yael and hope there will be more storylines about her soon.

Episode five was so good! It was like a mini-reunion. I love how the characters from TNG would refer to things that happened a long time ago. It was so nice to see everyone again. It looks like Paige and Marco are on good terms now. Paige's eyebrows got really dark. It seems strange that Spinner and Emma weren't hanging out together but he later mentioned being married. 

I am glad Lola is standing up for what she believes in. It gives her more substance. I'm glad that Shay didn't end up caving to what the sports camp wanted her to say. This show opens up a lot of conversations about racism. 

I am glad Tiny told Lola how he was feeling about Shay. I wish Zoe would be as honest with Winston since she is clearly using him to stay in the closet. 

I'm glad Tristan and Miles were able to patch things up with their relationship.

Too awkward with Zig's dance audition. I hope Esme doesn't try to make a play for him. I'd rather he get together with Grace. It sucks that he's not into Grace that way though.

I'm glad Grace told more people about having cystic fibrosis. I'm also glad Maya told Winston that she's gay and that he was so supportive. 

It's nice that Peter recognized Maya's talent and is giving her a new opportunity. 

I'm glad Frankie apologized to everyone over the racist drawing and I hope she has learned her lesson. I'm also glad that Shay stood up for herself more. Lola shouldn't be able to dictate who dates each other. Shay and Tiny are cute together. 

Sounds like Hunter is more self-aware and I'm glad he is trying to make things work with Yael. Hopefully she will be good for him. 

Scary about the bus accident! I don't think they're going to get rid of half the main characters though. 

Season three:

It's sad that Tristan is still in a coma after 10 weeks. I really hope he will be okay and that they don't kill him off the series. 

I thought Hunter wasn't allowed to go back to Degrassi. There never was any closure with his online harassment situation.

I'm glad Zoe is starting to come out more and I hope she'll be able to tell her mom soon.

I don't like that Esme is with Zig now. I feel like she's manipulating him. I don't like her in general as she's always mean to everyone. 

Lola is still annoying me a lot and now she's taking Hunter's attention away from Yael and also moving in on Miles.

I like Jonah's hair now. I don't like Maya's hair though. 

What is the deal with Maya wanting those pictures? Seems a bit disturbing. I get why she wanted to do them, but I also hope she can get the help she needs to feel like herself again. 

I like that they have Muslim characters on the show that are starting new dialogue about religion, prejudice, etc. Rasha seems really cool and I wish Miles gave her the lead role in his show. 

I'm glad Tristan is alive, but it's sad that he has TBI. I wonder what will happen for him going forward. It seems like he's able to communicate in some way, which is good. He even talked a little bit in the season finale and he's getting his sense of humor back. 

Lola really got herself into it with taking birth control pills the wrong way and sleeping with Miles. I'm sure she'll end up getting pregnant.....And I was right. I can't say I'd make the same choice she did, but I get why she made it. When Erica did the same thing on Degrassi High, she got a lot of flack for it. I guess times have changed a lot. I wonder how this will affect things with Miles going forward.

I like Zoe and Rasha together and I wonder how things will work when both of them have to be mostly closeted. 

I still can't stand Esme. That's all. (Also, she made Maya's situation all about herself. She doesn't even like Maya.)

It's unfortunate that Frankie and Jonah are taking a break, but they haven't really been jiving well lately. I ship him with Grace though. It was lame that Frankie was snooping through his e-mails. I'm kind of glad she got caught. It was out of line that she went behind Hunter's back to fix things with Yael too.

While it was nice to see Katie again, it's scary what happened with Maya. I hope she goes to a psychiatric rehab to get more help. Kind of interesting that she went the drug route since Katie had a drug problem for a while. 

It sucks that Zoe's mom kicked her out, but I'm glad Zoe stood up for herself. It's also good that she and Rasha are doing okay now. 

Scary about Grace's prognosis. I hope she can get a lung transplant soon. She's still one of my favorites.

Did Maya and her mom move to a different house? Either that, or they're not utilizing the same rooms they usually do. 

Season four:

I'm glad Jonah and Grace are finally together. I don't feel bad for Frankie since she was the one snooping through his e-mails. 

Esme gets more and more unlikable as the series goes on. Ugh!! I really want Zig and Maya to get back together. 

I don't like how people are treating Saad. He only punched Zig because Zig was picking on him and broke his camera, and that was because of Esme putting ideas into Zig's head.

I can totally relate to what Yael is going through physically. I can't say I wouldn't shave, but it's annoying that Hunter was trying to make them do it.

Scary about the racist incident with Goldi. I'm glad she's going to help other students. 

The dick pic incident with Winston was funny. I figured it was a misunderstanding, but weird that he would send it to Miles.

I'm glad Tristan is doing so much better, but it would be nice to get an episode from his perspective and also see how he got from waking up from his coma to where he is now. 

It's nice that Maya is getting back into writing music. It was sweet how Tristan was helping her. I'm glad that Craig invited her to "audition" for his opening act. That would be really cool for her and it's nice that he validated her feelings behind the suicide song.

Saad is complex, but I feel bad for him. I get why he said what he did and was annoyed that people weren't giving him a chance to explain himself better. 

I am glad Yael figured out who they really are and I'm annoyed that Hunter was being a jerk to them. Lola scored brownie points with me for helping them out though. 

I wish Zig would just dump Esme and date Frankie exclusively. Or just go back to Maya altogether. He should really apply for culinary school though. 

It's nice that Rasha and Zoe are still together, even after Zoe kept messing things up.

I'm so glad Zig finally broke up with Esme after she pretended to have an allergic reaction to get his attention. I hope there's still possibility for him and Maya though.

It's sad that Tristan broke up with Miles, but I get why he did it. It seems like they're still amicable and I'm guessing Tristan may have ended up with his roommate? 

Tiny's promposal to Shay was cute. 

I hope Yael doesn't try to get Saad in trouble from taking the picture of his conversation...And, of course, they did. As much as I love them, I didn't like that they told the police Saad was responsible for the bomb threat in any way. I'm glad Saad accepted their apology and it was sweet that Lola kissed him.

Esme needs some serious help, like the kind Hunter got a while back. She was not getting any of what Zig was saying and she almost killed him. 

It's sad that Zoe's mom didn't show up to graduation and I guess we'll never know what that letter said. I love how her friends were so supportive though. I can't say she's my favorite mean girl to nice girl transformation, but I'm glad she is more likable now. 

I love the way they ended the series with little follow up pictures. Miles went to Europe. Grace got her new lungs. Tristan graduated from rehab. And Maya and Zig were together in a car. :) 

If you watched this series, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Degrassi TNG seasons 13 and 14

Photo courtesy of TVLine

If you're reading this post, it means I have finished watching all fourteen seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation. This show has become a lifeline for me during the pandemic and I couldn't get enough of it. I got my friend hooked on it, so thankfully I can relive past seasons vicariously through her. (I'm so excited about who she has yet to meet!) I feel so connected to the characters, even though they are in high school. I've even had dreams about some of them! So much has happened to each one that I was worried the school was cursed or something. No one could avoid having at least one bad thing happen to them during their time at Degrassi. I loved all the drama on the show. It was better than a soap opera! I even found myself reeling after some episodes that had big game changers. I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to watch Degrassi: The Next Generation and I definitely plan to watch Next Class soon.

I recently watched It Goes There: Degrassi's Most Talked About Moments after finishing the series. It's definitely worth checking out! It was also nice to see some of the cast looking all grown up. 

I'm listing some favorites below. I'm not explaining why for the overall series, as you will have seen in past posts why they were chosen throughout the time I was watching.

Top five favorite guys from the series:

1. Marco

2. J.T. 

3. Eli

4. Adam

5. Sav

Top five favorite girls from the series:

1. Holly J.

2. Fiona

3. Ellie

4. Jane

5. Imogen

Favorite characters from these past two seasons:

1. Zig: At first, I found him annoying and then I didn't like what he was doing with his life. That all changed when he moved into Maya's house and started softening up a bit. I hope to see more of him in Next Class.

2. Becky: Originally, I couldn't stand her when she quit working on the show for homophobic reasons. Then she fell in love with Adam and changed so much as a result. Sticking up for Zoe, even though it meant getting her brother into huge trouble, sealed the deal for me. She's not the same person that she was at the beginning of season twelve and I ended up liking her a lot. 

3. Tristan: I first thought he was over the top in terms of his personality, but then he grew up a bit more and his personality worked on him as he matured. I really like who he is now, even though he enjoys stirring up trouble sometimes. He cracks me up too.

4. Frankie: She's just fun to watch and I can't wait to see what happens for her going forward. Hopefully nothing bad! She has a great singing voice. 

5. Grace: I just like her personality a lot. She doesn't take BS from anyone. She also can be really nice when she wants to. 

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

Check out my thoughts on seasons five and six.

Check out my thoughts on seasons seven and eight.

Check out my thoughts on seasons nine and ten.

Check out my thoughts on seasons eleven and twelve.

Season thirteen:

No more long intro! Now I have to guess who some of the new actors are playing. Also surprising that Tori is already off the show. 

I came into the season in the wrong order, thanks to some mistake on YouTube. I then watched the other episodes to catch up to when that episode happens, so it was fun to see how everything fell into place.

If I didn't already love Eli, I do even more now. I feel bad for what Clare has to go through, but I'm glad she has him as her cheerleader. I can't believe he even remotely stepped out on her though. I wonder if their relationship will be okay. Especially now that Clare kissed Drew and is fantasizing about him. I feel bad for Eli that Clare broke up with him, but their relationship was starting to drift. Although it seems like they could get back together again. Yet there's the bombshell for Clare, and I'm guessing it involves Drew....

I think it was a bit demanding of Becky to tell Adam not to hang out with Imogen. I'm annoyed that she got mad at Adam for acting jealous of Todd.

I feel bad for Tristan having to see Miles make out with Zoe. Tristan looks really good this season. And it looks like he might still have potential with Miles...

I don't like Imogen's new glasses. The other ones enhanced her face more. These new ones hide her face a bit.

It was bad enough they killed off JT, but ADAM?!? So, so, so sad! The tribute video and celebration of his life was such a tearjerker. I hope this speaks volumes to anyone considering texting and driving.

It will be interesting to see how things go for Drew this year. They're not starting off too well. I feel bad that Bianca ended things. I'm glad he's trying to be a better president though. I like the chemistry between him and Claire more than I was expecting to. Too bad things went south between them. I hope they can get back to a good place together soon. It looks like they're on that path again. 

I really don't like Zoe. Maybe she'll change like Paige and Holly J. did. I'll give it some time. I hated what she did to Maya over the internet though. I don't see how they will ever become friends, but somehow I also see it happening in the future. I didn't like how she was so manipulative with Drew and then acted like a victim. I do feel bad for her about what happened at the party. I'm glad Luke and the other guy got in trouble for it. I hated how Luke was trying to pull a Brock Turner defense. I love how Drew, Dallas, Miles, and the others were there for Zoe at the end of the episode. I'm also glad she's taking more ownership of her life. I felt bad for her with the whole trial situation. The defense lawyer was awful. How can women do that to each other? 

I'm not sure I trust Leo yet. The arm grabbing sent off Rick vibes. I like that Alli is calling the shots and I hope he is able to change. It's horrible that he beat her up again and I'm glad Alli told the cops on him. I hope he will be deported. I was worried it would get to the point where Alli ended up in the hospital like Teri. I'm so glad she is taking steps to get him out of her life.

Zig changed a lot. I wasn't expecting to see him looking and acting so different. I find his whole bad boy thing really annoying. I thought toward the end of last season, things were better between him and Maya and that there was promise of possibility. 

I'm glad Dallas got his act together. I was getting worried for a while. I love how supportive he's been of Alli with her whole abusive ex-boyfriend situation. I'm so glad Dallas and Alli are finally together. 

Maya and Miles's relationship annoys me sometimes. I guess I'll have to wait and see where things go with that. 

I'm glad Imogen was able to effect change at the school in terms of the dress code. The new girl she's interested in seems cool. I also love her friendship with Becky.

I feel like Maya inviting Zig to stay at her house is asking for trouble. It was lame that Miles tried to pull a Peter move on Zig, but at least he didn't actually frame him for having drugs. I'm kind of enjoying the sexual tension between Maya and Zig. I'm glad he is getting help in order to leave the gang and I was surprised Miles's dad is the one behind all that. I'm glad Zig is starting to get his life back to a good place. I am surprised Vince is back. I thought he was put away for the shooting at prom a while back. 

I am furious on Dallas and Connor's behalves for being racially profiled. The cops should have called Snake and asked if he gave his permission to borrow the car. WTF?!? I'm glad Mike is going to file a complaint. I hope something comes out of it. 

I think Dave is no longer on the series. That's too bad, as I liked him.

I hope the new teacher doesn't try to make a play for Tristan (and I don't mean write a play for him to star in). I guess my hopes were too high. I kind of feel bad for Tristan and also kind of don't. The whole situation was inappropriate and would end up blowing up in someone's face. This is no different from Paige with the student teacher. 

The graphics in Realm of Doom seem sub par for 2014. It was hard to take that game seriously. I'm glad the British guy isn't another situation like Connor had with the older woman or what happened with Darcy and the sexy photos. However, it's kind of sucky that things fizzled out between him and Becky just because she couldn't handle him being in grade nine.

Luke brought the whole house arrest and legal situation on himself. I am so mad at the mom for asking Becky to stick up for him. I'm glad Becky told the truth though, as hard as that was for her to do. 

It's lame that Drew got fired when Mrs. Hollingsworth was the one who acted inappropriately. I'm glad Drew was able to get something out of the situation instead of having to make it a news story.

I really like Imogen and Jack together. So cute! I'm also warming to the idea of Drew and Becky together. 

I love that Zoe was singing "Defying Gravity." She has a good voice. I also liked when she sang the Golden Girls theme with Maya. They have a good harmony.

Season fourteen:

Things are already starting off rocky with Clare's pregnancy. It's sad that it's going to break things apart for her and Eli. I don't blame him for being mad, but he needs to stick with that instead of going back and forth with Clare.

Maya still annoys me for some reason. Maybe it's her constant need to fix things. She needs to get therapy for Cam's suicide. I feel like she never did that.

Miles and Tristan are cute together. I still don't like Miles' dad and I hope his mom will find out about how he gets abusive. I hope Miles gets his act together soon. I was annoyed at him for driving high and then making Maya lie about it. I'm glad Tristan is mad at him.

I like that Becky has become more edgy and less of a little miss sunshine. I don't blame her for being mad at her brother. This new band guy (Jonah) seems intriguing. I like him and Becky together.

I'm sure the nude photo "fundraiser" will blow up in everyone's face soon. I feel bad for Frankie for being ostracized for not going along with it. I also feel bad for Zoe for being blackmailed. I wonder who is behind that. I feel bad for Frankie with how Zoe was treating her without gathering any evidence first. I'm glad Zoe deleted the photo, but it sounds like the situation did bite her in the butt after all.

I feel like Jenna and Connor are suddenly missing from the show. Jenna would be a good person for Clare to talk with about pregnancy and potentially keeping the baby. I'm glad to finally see them back on.

It was nice to see Spinner again, although it's so random that he's suddenly managing The Dot after being away for so long.

I'm glad Mike and Alli are still in a good place with their relationship. I was starting to get worried. 

I'm glad Imogen sorted things out with Jack, but now that we know she's still in the closet with her family, that's another hurdle for their relationship....and it looks like they didn't get past it.

There was a funny coincidence with a current event. On December 1st, Elliot Page came out as transgender. That same night, I was watching an episode where Zoe talks about being in a movie with Elliot's dead name. What are the odds?!?

If I didn't get teary-eyed from the plan to name the baby Adam, finding out that he is really Eli's totally sent me reeling. I hope he will listen to Clare soon. I feel bad for Drew though, but I'm annoyed that Mike told him instead of giving Clare a chance to. I was worried when Eli wouldn't hear what Clare has to say, but I'm glad he found out the truth and that things could become good between them again. I still love them together. 

I'm annoyed that Miles's mom didn't believe him about his dad being abusive. I'm glad Frankie and Hunter helped him stand up to their dad. I'm also glad that Frankie told her dad how much he hurt her. I hope he can do something to repair his relationships and not just throw money at everything. 

I am glad Zoe finally confessed about the Degrassi nudes. I don't feel bad for her for getting consequences, as she's been a mean girl from the very beginning. I hope this makes her a better person. Sounds like she and Miles could get back together.

Clare's dream about Snake was so funny. Also, the facial hair just isn't working for him. Too bad he's no longer principal though.

I'm worried about Zig's whole situation. It's scary that his friend got stabbed and I'm glad he's okay. Scary that Maya's house got robbed. I'm glad Maya and Zig are together now, although the last thing he said before the credits has me worried for them. I hope he doesn't get sucked back into the gang lifestyle. 

So sad about Clare losing the baby. I did not see that coming. I'm glad Eli is helping her through that, even though it affects him too. I can't decide if she's going too far in regards to the video cameras.

I'm so glad Maya and Tristan are friends again! I also hope that things with this new guy work out for Tristan. They seem like they'd be cute together. 

I'm glad Lola told Frankie about the kiss. I feel bad for Frankie, but I think she needed to hear the truth. Hopefully she and Winston can get to a good place again. They were so cute together in the musical and I'm glad they kissed and made up.

The sex stuff on the computer in class was hilarious. Poor Becky! I'm glad she's starting to ask questions though. Being sheltered about sex isn't doing anyone any favors. Too bad about Jonah stealing her money to pay back Vince. It's sad that Becky can no longer trust him.

Where did Clare's stepdad disappear to? Same with Maya's dad and Becky's dad.

I'm glad Zig got everything sorted out with all the gang violence and that he has someone looking out for him and Tiny. I'm also glad he and Damon made up.

I like how Drew helped save the prom and how everyone stood up for him at graduation. I can't stand the new principal. I want Snake to come back! It was nice to see him at graduation though.

I'm glad Clare and Eli sorted things out and that their relationship won't suffer during her gap year. They are meant to have a future together! 

Someone was peeling onions next to me during the tribute to Adam at graduation. 

It was strange to have the summer story at the end of season 14 instead of at the beginning of Next Class. The mystery was interesting though and I kind of guessed who was behind everything after a while. Also nice to see Scott Thompson from Kids in the Hall. Zoe is becoming more likable, but her thing with Grace is totally the same as Paige and Alex. I'm annoyed that the situation caused the end of Frankie's relationship with Winston. Logan wasn't even that cute! Tristan was so funny with his commentary. 

Now that I'm set up for Next Class, it's time to get watching!

Degrassi TNG seasons 11 and 12

Photo courtesy of Degrassi Kid

These past two seasons were really long, with around 40 episodes. Most were two-parters and both carried a lot of changes, including some of the characters' personalities. Drew's mom became a lot nicer and I like her now. Bianca also changed a lot and Drew's mom had some impact on that change. (See my post about seasons nine and ten as to why I didn't like them before.)

Here are my latest favorite characters:

1. Fiona: She's come a long way from the spoiled rich girl who was clinging to her brother. I really like the person she has become.

2. Eli: If I were in high school, he'd be the guy I'd have a crush on. He's also grown and changed from where he started a few seasons ago. 

3. Imogen: I like her quirkiness, but she also has a lot of depth. I enjoy watching her, as she lights up the screen with her smile.

4. Adam: He's just a genuinely good person and has had to put up with so much. He handles everything so maturely, for the most part.

5. Katie: For a while, she came off as a bit needy and annoying, but I like how she took control of her life and became a good support system for her sister and best friend. 

The worst characters:

1. Asher: He's such a jerk and I hope there is closure soon so that we can see him get punished for how he treated his interns.

2. Becky's dad: I wanted to smack him when he gave Adam that pamphlet about camp and was telling him how to think and feel. I'm glad Becky defied him. 

3. Becky's brother (I think his name is Luke): He's just so skeevy to me.

4. Vince: For telling his gang to beat up Drew, for blackmailing Bianca, and for shooting Adam. 

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

Check out my thoughts on seasons five and six.

Check out my thoughts on seasons seven and eight.

Check out my thoughts on seasons nine and ten.

Season eleven:

KC is really annoying me with trying to get away from the baby all the time and now flirting with Marisol. He even bought her an mp3 player when he has a kid to take care of. And that small package of diapers does not last a week. A box from Costco lasts a week! I'm so fed up with his BS. He barely spends any time with the baby and now he's against giving him up for adoption? I'm glad he got in trouble with Jenna for cheating on her. I also wasn't sad about them giving the baby up for adoption, given it's an open adoption and they really weren't ready to be parents. The baby is so cute though! I also got annoyed at KC at trying to infiltrate himself back into the baby's life. I'm glad he's finding other things to do with his time now.

So Drew gets beat up by these gang members and now we don't know what happens for another six episodes. I'm worried for him but I'm glad he's learning Krav Maga. I hope it will come in handy. I'm also glad that Katie is reining him in a bit and teaching him tae kwon do. I hope Bianca can get out of the arrangement she has with Vince. Yikes! The shooting situation was scary, but thankfully Adam is okay. I hope this ends the whole situation with Vince and his gang. I'm a bit annoyed with Drew for suddenly going back to Bianca when things get complicated with Katie. I'm glad Bianca is trying to take more control of her life, but still. I'm also glad that Drew's mom became nice. 

The issue between Adam and Dave was intense and I'm glad Adam finally helped Dave understand what he was going through. I got teary eyed when they had their dialogue on the radio show. I'm frustrated for Adam because he still sounds like a girl and no one seems to trust his judgment that he knows he's a boy. I hope the FTM group can help him. I had a feeling that Tori would try to set Adam up with Tristan, but I'm glad they reached an understanding and that Adam feels more confident. 

I don't know if I trust Imogen yet. I think she could be really bad for Eli's mental health. It's also weird that she calls everyone by their last name. I don't like how Eli is acting and I am glad his dad found out that he's not really taking his meds. He reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago and I can't say it's a good thing. I kind of feel bad for Imogen now that Eli rejected her, but I'm glad she's moving on. I worry that he has an emotional hold on Clare though. And I was right, given the season finale. I wonder what will come of that. 

I am so mad at Riley for breaking up with Zane instead of confronting his parents. I'm sure it will all come to a head later on. I'm glad his mom finally accepts that he's gay. 

I think it's kind of lame that Charlie somehow needs to be able to drink and so she and Fiona are no longer going to work out. 

I am not pleased with Anya's new druggie rebellious side and I hope she gets her act together soon. It took another six episodes to see what is going on with her and it's not looking good. I'm glad she finally got her act together and is joining the army. 

I'm glad Connor got caught in the girls' locker room. I hope he's able to find a healthier outlet for his hormones.

Dave and Alli are cute together. I like them as a couple. It was funny when Alli's mom called him a "friendboy." I'm annoyed with Alli for gambling and ruining things with Dave though. The whole situation with Dave and Jacinta is really annoying too, especially now that Jacinta got into the accident that was her own doing. 

I'm so glad Fiona made it work so that Holly could get a kidney from her birth mother. I feel bad for people who need kidneys and don't have extremely wealthy best friends. Her birth mother looks like Miranda from Sex and the City. How is a dress from 1993 considered vintage in 2011? 

How is it not a conflict of interest for Wesley's uncle to be his teacher? I still am not a Wesley fan. I don't get how Hannah is still into him. 

I like Katie a lot and am glad she is class president. Marisol was being a handful, but I'm glad they patched things up. However, I was not happy with Katie for stealing her mom's codeine. I feel bad for her that she can't play soccer, but she was also making the problem much worse for herself. 

Sav and Ms. Oh?!? I guess once he graduates, things aren't off limits anymore. It just seems like they have other road blocks to contend with. Sav looked good with facial hair. He reminded me of Justin Baldoni a bit. 

The situation with Clare and Jake becoming stepsiblings is kind of stupid since it's not like they are blood-related. They should be able to date if they want and not have to hide their relationship. Not that it matters anyway. The whole situation with her living at the marijuana house was weird. I'm glad that's done with. 

I wish they had split the second half of the season into a new season instead of keeping it as season eleven. Especially since they took all the graduates out of the opening credits and put in new students. (Why can't they keep some graduates in so we can see what college and adult life is like for them, like we did with Paige, Marco, Emma, Manny, etc?) It was nice to see Holly at the end of the season. She looks so healthy again.

While Imogen can be a bit quirky, I feel bad for her in regards to how socially awkward she is. I hope someone will like her for herself. It's too bad things got intense with Eli so quickly, but I'm glad they can be friends now. I like Fiona and Imogen together. I hope things work out for Fiona to stay at Degrassi given her parents' situation.

I still can't look at Tori and NOT think she's Angela. That's what happens when the same actress is cast into a different role. Anything to avoid bringing Joey back, I guess. (Side note: The actress is sisters with the actress who plays Manny.) I'm not so keen on Zig yet, but he has his moments. 

It's nice to see an openly gay kid at school for once, after Marco and Riley were so secretive about it for a while. Tristan reminds me of Damian from Mean Girls. Sometimes he's a bit too over the top though.

Season twelve:

I noticed that Wesley is no longer on. Finally!

I have to admit it was funny when the "chicken cutlet" fell out at Maya's audition.

Drew should have 'fessed up to Bianca before the drunk sex with Katie came back to bite him. I'm glad things are good with him and Bianca again. The concussion situation was scary. Katie's new look is interesting, but it works for her.

Becky is a bit too enthusiastic for my liking, but she's an interesting foil for Eli. Too bad she's homophobic. I love how Eli gave Tristan the part in the musical and Tristan's reaction to the news.

I'm glad they don't need uniforms anymore, but now I'm not going to remember who is in which year.

I'm glad that Alli is not pregnant. Like we need another pregnancy storyline. Sad that things didn't work out between her and Dave.

I feel bad for Zig with being poor, but I'm glad Tori isn't judging him over it. 

I hope Fiona and Imogen find a good balance with each other. 

Asher is such a jerk. I hope he gets in trouble for what he did to Clare. I wouldn't mind if Eli got revenge on him in some way. Although I am impressed that Eli handled things in a mature way. I hope Asher doesn't get away with what he did. I wonder if there will be closure now that the other girl admitted it happened to her.

I feel bad for Campbell, but I also don't get what his deal is. If he doesn't want to play hockey anymore, he should just quit. 

Interesting with Drew living with Fiona now. I wonder if that will work out long term. It seems a bit impulsive that he asked Bianca to marry him, even if she's on board. I can see why Bianca is in a rush to get married now.

I feel bad for Imogen with what she's going through with her dad. 

I'm surprised about KC leaving mid-season, but I'm glad he's doing what is best for him and his mom.

It's nice that Jenna is able to figure some things out for herself. However, I did not like that she outed Adam to Becky like that. It's not her place to do so. If Adam wanted to tell Becky, he should be able to when he's ready, not when someone else tells her for him. I'm so pissed off about that! I love love love how Adam put Becky in her place! I was surprised they ended up dating and annoyed for the reasons that it fell through.

I felt bad for Dallas for a few minutes regarding Katie's "rejection" of him, but then I changed my mind after the garden destruction. He's being such a bully to everyone. At least he's trying to be nice to people again. I appreciate that he treats Adam like a guy. 

I'm glad Adam's mom is open to him starting a conversation about testosterone. I'm also glad Becky stood up to her dad about their relationship. I'm also glad Adam had a chance to talk with Chaz Bono. 

I was annoyed with Marisol for accusing Mo of doing drugs when she didn't ask him questions about what was really going on. 

Zig was stupid to kiss Maya. Clearly that didn't work so well for him. I'm glad Maya still wants to be with Cam, but it sucks that Tori had to find out about the kiss the way she did. 

I am not pleased with Tristan or Alli for not taking care of themselves. They're lucky things didn't turn out worse. I'm glad Alli is starting to realize that she shouldn't fast track. 

I hate that Cam felt like suicide was the only option for all his problems. I also hate what Zig said to him before it happened. Zig should feel guilty for that and I'm glad that's starting to hit him. I'm glad Maya and Tori are best friends again. I'm glad Zig is trying to make things right with everyone. I was annoyed with how Maya was acting out, but I'm glad she got to the root of her problems and is finding her way back to what matters in her life.

I'm kind of glad that Eli is taking some time off from Clare. She can be really pushy and bossy sometimes. I don't like that he did drugs to escape his problems, but the shower and streaking scene was so funny. I forgot about Snake finding someone who killed themselves a long time ago. Was that Claude? 

I'm glad things got resolved for Drew and Bianca in regards to their relationship together and with Drew's mom. I love when Drew sang to Bianca to win her back. I'm also glad Drew won the election. It's nice that he picked Clare as his V.P., but I think this is a step in the right direction for him. 

I didn't like what Katie did out of desperation in Vegas, but I'm glad she was able to talk through her regrets and try to make things up to Jake. 

I actually like Jenna with Connor. It was cute and creative how he made the spaceship for her. I think he needs to get over his hang-up about Jenna having time with her friends. 

Scary about what happened to Fiona. I didn't like that she went to an unsafe neighborhood to illegally purchase a gun. I'm glad she's okay. I love Fiona and Imogen together. They are such a sweet couple. 

I like that Dallas has a kid. I think it softens him a lot. 

I'm sad that Fiona and Imogen broke up, but at least it was amicable. 

I actually will miss the graduates next season. I really hope they bring some back to see their life after high school. I'd love for Eli and Fiona to stick around for sure.

The Dirty Dancing flashmob at graduation was cute!

Jake reminds me of Jake from Schitt's Creek. I know they're different actors, but that's how I imagine Jake to be when he's older.

I'm worried about Clare now. I hope she will be okay. 

Onto the last two seasons. I may have to start watching the new class after this. I just can't get enough!

Degrassi TNG seasons 9 and 10

 

Photo from Teen Nick 

Since there's a whole new batch of characters, I thought I'd weigh in again on some favorites, as well as people I don't like.

New favorites:

*Holly J: She started off the same way Paige did, as the mean girl. However, she's changed so much and has become so likable. I find myself rooting for her all the time.

*Peter: He also changed a lot from how he started out. I like how he turned the space above The Dot into a club. 

*Jane: I liked her as soon as she started on the show. She's just so genuine. She has such a great singing voice too. 

*Zane: Not only is he adorable, but he's also a good balance for Riley and I love how he is supporting him in coming out.

*Sav: He used to annoy me, but he's grown a spine recently and I also like how kind and good-natured he is. 

People I don't like:

*Drew and Adam's mom: She's just so frustrating in every possible way. She's not only hard on her kids, but she abuses her power on the school board.

*Bobby's defense lawyer: She is what I imagine Amy Coney Barrett is going to be like soon enough. 

*Owen: Even though he tried to redeem himself at the end of season ten, he still thinks women want to be with him just because he's a football player. I also can't forgive his homophobic behavior.

*Wesley: See why in my thoughts on season ten. 

*Bianca: Although she is starting to become more likable, she is going to have to show some vulnerability before I can completely change my mind on this matter. 

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

Check out my thoughts on seasons five and six.

Check out my thoughts on seasons seven and eight.

Season nine:

I wanted to smack Peter for getting addicted to meth so quickly. I'm glad he realized he was in trouble and asked his mom to come back home. I'm also so glad that Mrs. H is principal again. 

Alli was acting so stupid with sexting Johnny. What did she think would come of it? I'm glad Mrs. H gave her a good talking-to.

Where did Derek disappear to? It's the middle of the school year and no one even mentioned that he wasn't around. I didn't like him, but still...

I don't trust Jenna. And my lack of trust was validated.

I like Fiona a lot already. I was hoping she'd be a better singer though. Too funny! 

Not so fond of the new theme song voice. It doesn't work as well with a male singer.

They took Liberty out of the credits. I wonder if she'll still make any appearances.

Jane is being a coward in regards to breaking up with Spinner. If she does it, then maybe he can get with Holly instead. It seems like things resolved themselves and now Holly is with Declan. I like that Holly and Jane are friends though.

What is with Manny's lip piercing? And is she done with college now that she's in a movie?

The new basketball coach was sooooo creepy. I'm glad the cops apprehended him at the game. I hope he gets arrested.

I love that Ed from Barenaked Ladies plays the music teacher. 

I was annoyed with Riley for wanting to get conversion therapy, but I'm glad he's starting to come around to accepting himself as gay.

I feel like all these changes with Emma happened out of the blue. I'm glad she's trying to figure out what she wants for herself. Kelly was being a tool so I'm glad that's done with. 

It's nice to see Marco back as a student teacher. He got even cuter! I hope he can help Riley in some way.

I'm actually glad Sav and Anya broke up. Their relationship was dysfunctional. He was lying to her a lot and then he got mad when she lied to him one time. Sav annoys me in general as he doesn't seem to have a spine most of the time.

I love that there was a Rocky Horror poster in the drama room.

Zane is really cute. I'm glad he's getting Riley to come out a bit more. I actually got emotional when Riley kissed him.

I love that Clare told K.C. off. I feel bad that he used her to try to pass the exam. I totally can't stand Jenna.

Jane is such a great singer. She has great stage personality too. It sucks what happened between Jane and Spinner, but I guess the Declan situation was eventually going to come back and haunt her. I am kind of digging Spinner and Emma together now. I love that they got married. I'm glad Jane didn't actually stop the wedding from happening.

Funny about the meta Drake mention.

I've lost my admiration for Fiona. She was being such a brat. Does she have a Flowers in the Attic thing going in regards to Declan? I actually was glad when Holly locked her in the room. I have a feeling this is just the beginning of that war though. It was so gross that Fiona kissed Declan. I'm glad he finally stood up to her. 

I love Liberty's new hairstyle. It works really well for her. I'm not as much of a fan of Spike's hairstyle though. 

Season ten:

I love what they did with The Dot. It's weird that Spinner isn't there and that he's not in the credits anymore. I feel like all of the cast from the first six or so seasons is gone now. Except for Snake, of course.

I love that Snake is principal. That was long overdue.

I love Clare's new hairstyle. It frames her face nicely. 

I'm surprised they're keeping Declan and Fiona around now that they're in New York, but whatever it takes... I am glad Fiona has become nice again. Her boyfriend is such a jerk. It's good that they moved her back to Degrassi.  I feel bad that she's under so much stress over it. I'm glad Fiona won the deposition, even if she didn't win Holly's heart. I'm glad Declan decided not to go back to Degrassi after all. I didn't like how Declan was being so pushy over getting back together. 

I didn't recognize KC in the credits and thought he was off the show. Oops! He changed so much! Connor grew up a lot too. And Anya's teeth look great post-braces.

The whole situation with Holly and Sav for the election was all kinds of messed up. Even though I like Holly, I'm annoyed that she put Anya in that situation. She can't really blame anyone for it backfiring on her. I'm annoyed that Anya and Sav are back together though. I don't think it will last since it's already going south again. And now he and Holly are together, which is surprising. I like their chemistry, but if it didn't work for Sav to be with Anya, why would this work either? Their little plan is going to backfire. Too bad Holly lost interest in Sav anyway. He's become more of a catch these days. 

I like Eli. He is definitely ballsy and it cracks me up that he drives a hearse. I think he and Clare could be really cute together. Of course, there is the drama between him and Fitz, which is kind of getting old. I was worried about another JT situation happening. Even though Eli gets in over his head, I still am rooting for him. There's something so unique about his look too. I love that the actress who plays Jocelyn on Schitt's Creek plays Eli's mom. Of course, he has to go and get all intense now. Grrr...

OMG there are 44 episodes this season. Wow. I guess it's 22 hour-long episodes if you combine each two-parter.

I'm so annoyed with Riley for trying to hide that he is gay. It's worth coming out in order to be with Zane. I'm so glad he finally did. He and Zane are so cute together! It's sad how Riley's mom is acting and I hope she'll come around. 

I don't know if I like Drew or not. He's being a jerk to Riley in order to get his way, but then he's also really cute flirting with Alli. Then again, he cheated on her. I kind of like him with Bianca, but I also think she's a bad influence on him. Time will tell, I guess.

I don't think KC is being fair to his mom. I feel bad for her because she is trying so hard to make things right. I'm glad Jenna stood up for her. I'm starting to respect Jenna more....except for the diet pill "incident." I also think KC is being a dick to Jenna about the pregnancy. I love that she announced it on TV and that KC's mom found out that way. It's nice that his mom is being supportive. I'm glad KC finally came around and is back together with Jenna. I'm also glad Jenna didn't steal Sav from Holly. That would have been really stupid. Jenna and KC's baby is so cute!

I love that they have a story arc featuring a trans character. My heart already hurts for how people are treating Adam, including his mother. I love that Clare and Eli are so accepting. I'm glad his mother is starting to come around, but I think it will be a slow process.

The whole "friendship" between the older woman and Connor was so gross and inappropriate. I'm glad he's done with her. I had a feeling she'd try to hit on him. 

I don't like the "new" Degrassi and I hope Snake will see the error of his ways soon. I totally can't stand Drew and Adam's mom. She's such a Karen! 

It sucks that Alli is going to a different school now, but I get why she had to make that decision for herself. I think Sav and Alli act out a lot because their parents are too strict. I get why they have some cultural expectations, but making all the rules only encourages Alli and Sav to sneak around and lie. I feel bad that Alli got tricked into holding a cigarette in front of her mom. I hope she gets Malika in trouble. I'm glad she ended up going back to Degrassi, even though it took her running away for her parents to finally loosen up a bit.

I think Clare should be relieved about her parents getting divorced since they fight all the time anyway. Also, why did they never bring Darcy back to the show? I thought the Africa thing was only six months?

I find Wesley to be really annoying, almost on par with Screech from Saved by the Bell. I get that he has feelings and all, but I just end up feeling sorry or embarrassed for him most of the time. Good for him on getting a girlfriend though.

I noticed that Peter and Leah were removed from the opening credits. I'm glad Zane was added as a regular though. 

Sadie is cute and I am glad Dave was able to get over the height issue, as they could be a good couple. 

It was fun to see Grace from Manifest on one of the episodes.

Holly was being stupid with neglecting her health to suit her type A personality. I'm glad the doctor lectured her about it.

So much happening in just one season. I feel like 44 episodes went by way too fast!

Stay tuned for my thoughts on seasons eleven and twelve....

Book Review: Between the Lines and Off the Page

Over the past couple of months, I read two fabulous novels. I have always been a fan of Jodi Picoult (ever since a friend recommended The Pact in 2004), but I had held off on reading her young adult novels that were written with her daughter Samantha van Leer. My older son devoured both novels and told me I just had to read them, so I decided to give Between the Lines a chance. I was blown away by the sheer creativity and imaginativeness of this novel. 

While I normally share the synopsis from Amazon, I'm not going to do it this time, as to not spoil anything. Basically, Between the Lines is about a fairy tale where the characters are real people living inside a book and the story they are telling isn't the one that they are actually living. One day, a lonely teenage girl named Delilah picks up the book and finds that the main character, Oliver, is trying to communicate with her. The story takes off from there, connecting these two people in their quest for Oliver's freedom from the pages and his daily minutiae. Off the Page picks up where Between leaves off and there are many more adventures and complications for Oliver, Delilah, and everyone else in their lives. 

These novels are perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and Enchanted. I loved them both so much. I had no idea what would happen in each book and was kept guessing the entire time. There were so many interesting surprises along the way. I could definitely relate to Delilah with being unpopular and obsessed with books. (Although, I read horror and V.C. Andrews novels in high school and would not want any of those coming to life!) Even now, I'm obsessed with something I'm probably too old for. Oliver sounded like he was really cute and the pictures said as much. I love how the book characters led these other lives when the story wasn't being read. Like the pirate who practiced orthodontia on the side. Or the queen who liked to cook and bake extravagant feasts. And the villain who was an artist. 

There were funny moments, as well as a few sad parts. I hope there will be a third novel, as I feel more could still happen with this story. Even though I'm an adult, I was easily drawn in (no pun intended) and my husband enjoyed them too (but not to the same level that my son and I did). 

I noticed an inconsistency at one point in Between, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. I sometimes need to take off my editor glasses when I read! 

I definitely recommend both novels to anyone who wants an escape, some humor, creativity, and adventure.

Movie casting suggestions:

Delilah: Jordyn Negri
Oliver: Alex Cowgill
Seraphima: Angourie Rice
Rapscullio: Sacha Baron Cohen
Jules: Maya Hawke

Queen Maureen: Saffron Burrows

Allie: Belle Shouse

Delilah's mom: Zoe McLellan

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."

Degrassi TNG seasons 7 and 8

Courtesy of Next Episode

I am over halfway through the series and still completely hooked. A lot of new people have joined the show, but some characters have completely fallen off the radar. I wanted to list a few of those before sharing my thoughts on seasons seven and eight.

1. Teri: I know she got injured and all, but I thought she was getting better. Instead, she was just written off completely. 

2. Joey: Where did he go?!? I thought Caitlin bought his house for him so he could stay there longer. Instead, he just disappeared. I also saw on IMDb that the girl who plays his daughter comes back to Degrassi later as a different character. 

3. Alex: After things ended with Paige, that was the end of the road for her, apparently.

4. Kendra: Does Spinner no longer have a sister? No one even mentions her anymore.

5. Toby: I had a feeling his time on the show was coming to an end, but at least he has a guest appearance in season eight.

6. Sean: He joined the army, but will we ever find out what happened when he went to Afghanistan? I hope he's okay, at least.

7. Griffin: I liked him and was hoping he'd stick around, but I guess when everyone left the house, he left the show?

8. Hazel: She basically disappeared after graduation.

One of the characters from the past couple of seasons is not in the season nine credits and there hasn't been mention of them yet in the season. I won't say who yet....

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

Check out my thoughts on seasons five and six.

Season Seven:

Not sure if I like Manny as a blonde and/or with those bangs. I'm glad she went back to her natural color eventually.

I'm glad Marco is finally pulling the plug on his relationship with Dylan. Creepy about the guy trying to pimp Marco. I'm glad he didn't go for it.

Surprised that Alex isn't in the opening credits but some new people are. I'm guessing they're going to become regulars. And if Toby was moved off the credits and is still around, then I have hope for Alex to show up often. Although I'm worried if she and Paige are done for good. Weirdly, I was more on Paige's side for the whole reason for their breakup. Paige found a job she liked and was trying to be good at it and Alex sabotaged it because of her own principles. I get why Alex was upset over Paige's job, but it wasn't her place to get Paige fired. It looks like Paige got her job back anyway, even if it's totally Devil Wears Prada.

Spinner has cancer now?!? Given I've seen that he's going to be around in future seasons, I'm not too worried. I still feel bad for him though. I'm glad things are good between him and Jane.

Why did Holly go to Lakehurst if Heather (her older sister) went to Degrassi? Also, Holly is evil. Worse than Paige ever was when she used to be mean. I felt bad for Anya at first, but after she made that rude comment to Mia, she's on her own. I'm glad she finally sees Holly for what she really is though and that she is standing up to her and cutting off their friendship. 

That was not cool what Darcy did to Snake. I can't believe he doesn't hate her for it. I hope the damage can be undone. I would have slapped her if I were Emma. Regardless of what she's been through, she needs to get professional help for it already! I hope the boot camp will help Darcy in the long run. 

I'm worried about Snake, thanks to what Darcy did. I feel so bad for him! I'm glad Emma is supporting him and that Spike has come around. 

Emma was pretty daring with exposing herself to make a point. So awkward that Snake had to see that. 

I like Manny with Jay and am disappointed that he keeps screwing up so royally. If the Degrassi Goes Hollywood movie is any indication, maybe there's a chance for them later down the road...

It was nice seeing Caitlin again. I didn't like what Ellie did to her, regardless of what happened with Jesse. Caitlin looks great with her new hair color and style. I hope Ellie doesn't become an alcoholic and I'm glad she dumped Jesse.

I like that all the episode titles are names of songs. 

I didn't like what Derek did to Danny at the store. I'm glad Danny isn't letting him off the hook so easily, even after he made the video. The store manager was what we call "Karen" these days. What a racist b-tch! 

I really like Mia and I am rooting for her. Isabella is so cute too. I hope Lucas really has grown up and can take responsibility as a dad. It's stressful enough to be a mom as an adult, so I can't even imagine what it's like for a teenager. I hope Emma can connect her with Spike. 

I am glad Jimmy blackmailed his father. I know that sounds weird to say, but I saw that coming and it's nice that Jimmy got to choose something he wanted for himself. I like him and Trina together. I also love what he did for Spinner during the science exam. I'm glad he didn't get caught doing it either. 

Too crazy about Marco and Ellie hooking up. I'm glad it hasn't ruined their friendship. It will be interesting to see where things go from here.

I'm actually impressed by Liberty doing something outside the norm. I am glad her friends forgave her for it. It was cool that she was able to get Natasha Bedingfield to sing at the prom. I wonder if she and Damian will stay on the series, now that they're going to the same college.

I wonder if Peter will actually try to get emancipation from his parents.

I got teary eyed when they put the graduation cap by JT's picture at the very end of the season.

Season Eight:

They went back to the original theme song, but changed it up a bit. So many new people in the cast, as well as people from before who weren't in the opener until now.

I thought Liberty got into Banting. I was surprised to see her at Smithdale. I'm actually annoyed that Emma switched the room assignments for everyone. It's not the worst thing to room with someone new. Maybe she missed out on meeting her new best friend this way. The whole racist sorority thing made me so uncomfortable. Those girls are such idiots and I'm glad Liberty didn't join. 

I hate that Mia felt she had to sleep with Tom Blake to get the job. I wish they had told her she had it already. Can I say again how adorable Isabella is?!? She's even talking more now! I don't blame Leah for being mad at her, but it wasn't her place to tell Danny what Mia did. I feel bad for her when Holly used it against her with the media.

I feel bad for Clare (Darcy's sister) with the open mic situation. However, the vibrator situation was priceless. I'm glad that led to an honest conversation with her mom. I also love that she is at the center of a quasi love triangle and she's suddenly hot because of her new clothes.

The new principal is so annoying. Sexist too. I hope he gets fired soon. I love what Clare did to him at the assembly. I'm surprised they let him work there again, even with sensitivity training.

Where did Snake's godson (Connor) come from? Is he the child of some original series characters? Interesting that he has Asperger's. I'm glad that's something they are addressing on the show.

Jane changed a lot between last season and now. I admire her strength with the football team. I also feel bad for her about what happened with her dad when she was a kid. She shows an incredible depth of emotion.

How did Derek become even more of a jerk than he was last season? Wow. Just wow. I'm glad he redeemed himself with Danny in regards to Leah though.

I don't totally feel bad for Holly with the money situation. It sucks, but I don't think she's learned anything from it yet. I'm glad Spinner tried to give her some perspective. I kind of felt bad for her after the cyberbullying incident, even though she was being mean to Alli to begin with. I'm glad she's starting to mellow out a bit more.

I know Drake has moved on to his music career by now, but it was nice to see Jimmy again. I was hoping he'd be able to walk again. It's sweet that he's proposing to Trina.

I like the chemistry between Emma and Kelly. They are cute together. I am so annoyed at her for being so stupid with the pot and getting him kicked out of the dorm building. 

Nice that there's another gay storyline, but it makes me miss Marco. I also love that Jordan Garvaris was on an episode! I wonder where they will go with this, since they left it hanging.

I like that Alli has softened up Johnny a bit. 

Interesting to see Noah Reid play a bad guy on this show. I like how Holly handled things at The Dot and I'm glad Spinner is okay. I'm also glad that Spinner acknowledged what Holly said and empowered her. It's nice that he's loyal to Jane.

I like seeing how the Hollywood movie fits into the season, even though we never got to see how things developed with Manny and her asshole theater professor in the first place. It looks like it came out of nowhere. Now that I know what happened between her and Jay, I can understand the tension between them. Also, when and how did Paige get a job as an assistant to a diva actress? Did her fashion career just derail?

Meta moment: Hayley mentions Shenae Grimes in part one of Paradise City (Degrassi Goes Hollywood). Shenae played Darcy on this series.

I like that there's promise for things between Manny and Jay and Ellie and Craig. I hope Paige can repair her friendship with Marco. 

I'm currently watching season nine, so there will be more of these posts to come...