Culture Consumption: April 2026

Books

I received an advanced copy of In These Gilded Ghostly Hearts from the author Gwendolyn Kiste, whose work I continue to admire with each new horror novel or story she puts out into the world. And I feel much the same about this new book, which is set in the world of The Great Gatsby.

Mel has had an estranged relationship with her mother Daisy Buchanan for years. Even when they lived together, Mel has always known that her mother was never really there, lost to abuse, alcohol, and the ghosts of her past. But when Daisy is found dead in an abandoned West Egg mansion in 1955, Mel follows her mother out to the estate, where she meets a would-be psychic promising that she will be able to communicate with her mother again. Instead, she encounters the charming Jay Gatsby, still the center of the swirling, dancing spirt memories of the massive parties he once through, still longing for the Daisy he once lost.

Kist writes her ghosts with a gilded edge, evoking the grandeur of Gatsby’s parties with a sense of crowded, lush vibrancy layered with the dripping, rot of those long since dead. This is a past that will not let go, the revelers still lost in the lust and greed of their festivities. Even the mansion itself is hungry, clinging to and feeding off of the desires of the living. All of which makes Mel’s attempt to free her mother from the house extremely dangerous.

Kiste’s supernatural story feels like a fitting continuation. The 1950s she presents is vastly different from the 1920s opulence in the original Gatsby, and yet, the tale circles many of the same themes regarding wealth, capitalism, and the great longing for what we can seem to have — be it success or love.

Clown in a Cornfield 2: Friendo Lives by Adam Cesare is a fantastic sequel, which explores the aftermath of the Kettle Springs massacre. The main survivors from the first book, Quinn, Cole, and Rust, must contend with both the physical and psychological scars of their survival, as well as notoriety of being survivors when not everyone believes the truth. Internet conspiracy theorists have spun their own versions of events, making it even more difficult for them to move on.

I love my main characters and their dedication to protecting each other, and I enjoyed many of the new characters who bring additional perspectives on past and current events. It’s so interesting how Cesare has continued to expand this world, and I’m definitely interested to see where the story goes from here.

Books Finished This Month:

1. The Haunted Computer and the Android Pope: Poems by Ray Bradbury

2. Clown in a Cornfield 2: Friendo Lives by Adam Cesare

3. In These Gilded Ghostly Hearts by Gwendolyn Kiste

4. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Total Books for the Year: 12

Still in Progress:

The Liminal People by Ayize Jama-Everett and Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.

Short Stories & Poetry

A selection of works I recently read in journals and online publications, with a few lines from the text shared here.

Horror: “The Specialist's Hat” by Kelly Link:

Poetry: “you cannot grow a garden with tears” by John Reinhart

Movies

In Ready or Not 2, Grace learns that the in-laws who attempted to killer were only one branch of a much larger demonic cult. Now that she’s survive the game of hide and seek, she has to play a whole new game of survival — only this time with her estranged younger sister in tow. The movie is just as fun as the first one, full of action, humor, and bumbling villains. The ending is also just as satisfying at the first. Though, I’m seriously hoping this is the end of Grace’s story, because she has been through enough.

New-to-Me Movies Watched Last Month:

1. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2026)

2. Superman (2025)

3. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

Television

Sometimes I just need a show that’s low-key and allows me to relax emotionally and mentally — and in April, that show was all eight seasons of The Rookie. After surviving a bank robbery, recent divorcee John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) joins the Los Angeles Police Department as the state’s oldest rookie. The first season focuses on the training of John and two other recent Academy graduates, Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil) and Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.), as they learn what it means to be police officers on the streets, facing drunk and ridiculous folks, violent felons, and moral dilemmas. As the seasons continue, new rookies are filtered in for training — and even when John and his friends are promoted, they find themselves feeling like rookies all over again as they learn the ropes of their new roles.

All of the main characters are attractive and charming in their own unique ways, whether they are Type-A and awkward or gruff and knowledgable. As a result, the show sometimes feels a bit like a sitcom, with comedic friendships and banter. Pulling over a case could be anything from a humorous situation (like a man rolling his brother to the local bar in a coffin) to a gang member who opens fire on the cops. There’s a blend of shootouts, kidnappings, robberies, and serial killers with practical jokes, romance, and annoying parents.

One of my favorite kind of scenes (which happens a few times each season) is when the officers are on patrol and radio each other for advice on a personal matter, kicking off a conversation between the group with a lot of fun teasing involved. It’s a fun demonstration of the closeness of their relationship and how wrapped up in each other’s lives they all are.

Because it’s set in LA, the show also has fun incorporating cameos from actors playing themselves. I was particularly delighted seeing the scenes with Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles from Supernatural, Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej from Ghost Files (a youtube show about ghost hunting), and Sam Reich and various cast members from Game Changer (a game show feature improv comedians where the rules change every episode).

So, it’s a good time. Definitely the perfect show when I was craving some much needed distraction.

Games

I knew nothing about 1000xRESIST (Sunset Visitor) going in, except that it has been highly praised for its narrative. The game immediately launches the player directly into a shocking scene, in which a prayer is interrupted by violence. There’s confusion in this moment. What is happening? Who are these people who call each other “sister” and then “mother”? What is this shiny scifi world?

The story then shifts backwards to explore the events that lead us here. Taking the role of Watcher, who is being inducted into new knowledge by being granted permission to explore the memories Iris (“Mother”), only to witness and report a betrayal from Fixer.

We learn a number of things through these memories and from conversations with the other Sisters. This is a society of clones, all designated by color and their purpose, with no true names. In the past (when Iris was a teenager), a disease began to infect the world and only Iris was immune, which somehow lead to the present reality.

I’ve only finished a couple of hours of the game before having to go on several trips, so I need to dive back into it. But I’m fascinated by what I’ve seen so far. The story has layer after layer of information, so much so it’s sometimes a lot to absorb and remember. It feels like one of those stories I might have experience a couple of times to fully understand.

In April, I participated in the Unlikely Collaborator’s Game Jam. My team and I completed “Haiku Hike,” a puzzle adventure game about hiking up a mountain, being awed by nature, and writing poetry. In addition to working on and releasing a game, I played a number of games created by other teams for the jam — and these were some of my favorites.

• “Chimeric Dysplasia” by Define Narrative is a point-and-click puzzle game in which the player shifts between the present and a medieval time period to escape a dungeon.

• “Field Study” by The Sheep's Meow is a surreal experience, flowing through a series of images like poetry.

• “Time's Tokens” by b_a_m, wwentting-z, so_sleepy, and ge0rgiee is a puzzle game in which the player opens up a high school time capsule from the past and then fills a new time capsule to bury for the future. The challenge is deciding what will fit into the capsule.

• “Open Ended” by ConfusedNarwhal is a narrative experience about an author trying to figure out the ending to their fantasy series while using social media, text messages, and other content on their computer as inspiration.

• “A Rock's Life” by DorkyYorky is a platformer about a rock that comes to life and goes on a journey. In particular, I loved the art style and would have kept playing, if the game had more levels.

• “When We Found Us” by Dana is a visual novel about a couple coming together and finding love. An interesting aspect involves controlling both character simultaneously to bring them together.

• “Awestruck” by remarkablegames is a rogue-like card game, in which the player fights off increasingly stronger and more aggressive bugs.

• “Caterpillar Climb” by Super Ninja Fat, turboshook, and Me_gan is a puzzle game about a little caterpillar comprised of three segments that the player must help climb a tree. I really enjoyed the platforming challenge of this one.

That's it for me! What are you reading? Watching? Loving right now?

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