 I Am the Flower Avenger by Jarad Johnson Do you ever look at other people’s yards? I do. I’m always curious as to what my neighbors are growing. There are some basics that I’ve noticed: Forsythia, hostas, and roses. Forsythia in particular seem to be in every yard I see. Sometimes people have trees, but other than the wayward maple or redbud I don’t see them often. Often, houses will have hanging baskets on the front porch, or in one instance, a very sad looking petunia.
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 Dreamworld Author, Sut Jhally by Jarad Johnson The film Dreamworld focuses on the role of women as accessories to male singers and illustrates the way in which women are used as interchangeable sexual objects and accessories to an infantilized dreamscape designed and curated for men. Undeniably, women in these videos are showcased as accessories to men, status symbols, like ornaments on a tree.
 The Arrival Author, Shaun Tan by Mekala Trout The Arrival, a graphic novel by Shaun Tan, is the story of an unnamed immigrant finding his way in a strange new country until he can bring his family to their new home. While there are no words in The Arrival Tan uses his art to show the state of the protagonist’s home country and his reasons for leaving. Tan uses colors, lines, and angles to draw dramatic differences between the two countries.
Julie  I’m going to go with the funniest thing I’ve ever read. No contest. It’s a collection of stories with cartoon illustrations called Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem and Other Things That Happened. It’s a series of stories from the author’s life, including the hilarious inner thoughts of her dogs. It also discusses her depression in a way that's entirely recognizable to fellow sufferers, but still somehow funny. Been longing for a book that will make you laugh until snot comes out your nose? Or your diet coke goes up it? A book that will make you laugh until you cry off your makeup just before work? This is that book. Warning: you will become annoying to others as you force them to stop what they’re doing to read snippets.  From Here to Eternity Author, Caitlin Doughty by Jarad Johnson Disclaimer: Today, Jarad tackles the book, From Here to Eternity, a discussion of death and funeral practices around the world. Please be warned that this may be disturbing to some readers, so choose to read accordingly.
 The Peck Lilies by Jarad Johnson I go to MTSU, and one of the things I’ve always appreciated about it are the plants and trees all over the place, especially on the older parts of campus, where my dorm is located (coincidentally, it strongly resembles an old school mental asylum, not exactly comforting, but a story for another day). There are different types of trees planted everywhere- redbuds, flowering pears, maples and huge cedar trees that look to have been there since the school was built. Of course, the newer side of campus is not as heavily landscaped, though they are making headway.
 The Moor Author, Laurie R. King by Julie Carpenter and Jarad Johnson This review is done in a point/counterpoint style. We thought it would be interesting to show two different perspectives on the same book! Synopsis –
Mary Russell receives a mysterious summons from her theological studies at Oxford to join her husband, Sherlock Holmes to help him investigate a death and some very odd, if not supernatural circumstances. They meet at the home of Holmes’ friend the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould, a character central to the plot, and an old-fashioned, curmudgeonly foil for Mary. This case recalls one of Holmes’ most famous, the Hound of the Baskervilles, and takes place in the same area. Has the Hound returned? Central to the plot are the odd characters that abound on the moor.  From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty
The author of this book also has a youtube channel that I watch called Ask a Mortician where she talks about death and what she does as an alternative funeral director. That's where I first heard about her book, and I was very interested in reading it. I found it while browsing through Barnes and Noble and had to pick it up! In it, Caitlin explores death rituals around the world and analyzes why Western culture is so afraid of death and everything relating to it. So far it's been great and I look forward to reviewing it!  An Ever Darkening Sky Author, Roy Peak by Julie Carpenter You may know Roy as our go-to music reviewer here at Sacred Chickens, but his music also provides many a work day soundtrack for me. I first got to know Roy’s music when I reviewed his first Album, All is Well. That album is still on my playlist, with its dark/light, sharply funny and straightforward emotions funneled through Roy’s gravelly voice and punk/folk fusion. So, I was excited about the new album and a little nervous about whether it would live up to my expectations.
 My Dream Garden by Uncle Morty Your Uncle Morty dreams every day of the garden he will create when this assignment is done, and he is allowed to return to the Netherworlds. Let’s imagine it together, shall we?
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