We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.
Books: Artifacts of An Ex and Brooklyn Bound
Today we are recommending Artifacts of an Ex by Jennifer Chen. After Chloe moves across the country and gets dumped by mail, she decides to turn her box of memories into art instead of throwing them away and encourages others to do the same in order to create an art exhibit. When she spots Daniel filming her exhibit and tries to stop him, the two end up really hitting it off and forming a friendship. Chloe realizes her feelings for Daniel run deeper than friendship but Daniel is adamant that he doesn't want to be just another girl's rebound guy and Chloe may not be as completely over her ex as she thinks.
This is a really engaging and original story. It is full of extremely likable characters. Even the ex-boyfriend is not a complete jerk and Daniel is so sweet and lovable that you just want to hug him right through the pages of the book. His relationship with Chloe is so adorable in a not cloying way that you just know they belong together.
The other relationships in the book are equally enjoyable. Chloe's friends and family are so supportive of her that it is a little unreal at times that it could all be so perfect but we definitely want to live in a world like that. Her relationship with her Grandmother is especially touching and a subtle reminder that even when the memories fade the person that you love and that loves you is still in there somewhere. All in all, it's just a charming and delightful read that we would highly recommend.
Today we are recommending Brooklyn Bound. This is a fun coloring book loaded with pages full of pictures of iconic locations in different areas of Brooklyn. There are also a few additional short sections with pictures of different kinds of housing in Brooklyn and Brooklyn methods of transportation. If you are not familiar with the different areas of the Borough, you may not recognize all of the buildings and locations in the drawings except for the obvious ones like the Cyclone in Coney Island and the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO. However, that doesn't make the coloring book any less enjoyable. It is still full of beautiful intricate drawings with plenty to color. It may even inspire you to explore different areas of Brooklyn in person if you are able or online if you can't get there yourself.
Movie: Mermaid
Today we are recommending Mermaid. This is a short film about a suicidal 9-year-old struggling with gender identity who crosses paths with a sassy confident drag queen. It seems like it would be a downer of a film, but really it is not. It is actually rather life-affirming and reminds us of the importance of human connection and how we all just need to reach out to each other and be there for each other because you never know when you are going to provide the spark that changes someone else's life in a positive way.
For more about Mermaid and other films by Perera Pictures, visit www.pererapictures.com/about-9
And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.
Book images used in this post are our own. Film images have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us here, and we will look into the matter.