Latest news with #possession
The Review Geek
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Head Over Heels – K-drama Episode 8 Recap & Review
Episode 8 Episode 8 of Head Over Heels begins with a flashback showing Yeom-hwa's strained relationship with Sung-ah's spirit mother and revealing their connection as spirit mother and spirit daughter. We also learn that Yeom-hwa had long been plotting to make contact with the evil spirit. Elsewhere, Sung-ah and Gyeon-woo share some sweet moments together, hiding their bound hands from the other students, while Ji-ho silently struggles with his feelings. On their way home, Sung-ah and Gyeon-woo talk about how they feel for each other and almost share a kiss—until Ji-ho interrupts them. Inside Gyeon-woo's house, they discover Ji-ho's action figure is broken, while Sung-ah's human amulet proxy remains intact. Later, Ji-ho comically confesses his feelings to Sung-ah while she and Gyeon-woo are still holding hands. The three agree to sort things out only after they've dealt with the bigger issue: Bong-su's possession of Gyeon-woo. That night, Sung-ah and Gyeon-woo go to bed unaware that during the 'Hour of the Ox' (between 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.), Bong-su awakens. We find that he also harbors feelings for Sung-ah, which is why he often ends up cooperating with her. During this time, Yeom-hwa visits him, asking him to prepare to become her patron deity. However, she grows annoyed upon realizing that Bong-su has no intention of doing so anytime soon. She also realizes that because she's spiritually bound to him, she has no choice but to wait. Sensing evil energy from Bong-su, Sung-ah's spirit aunt and her mother's elder spirit sister arrive and create a commotion in an attempt to get him banished. When they try to strike him, Bong-su lashes out defensively but falters when the elder chants a verbal spell. At that moment, Sung-ah touches him, and Gyeon-woo returns. Gyeon-woo tells Sung-ah to take control of the situation. She locks the door from outside and calls his phone, triggering the sound of gunfire, a sound that deeply traumatizes Bong-su. He breaks down crying, and this emotional response compels him to stop acting out. He apologizes to everyone. It's then revealed that Gyeon-woo's spiritual senses have begun to awaken—he can now hear ghosts. Eventually, his other senses (sight, taste, smell) will open one by one. Once he's able to smell ghosts, there will be no turning back—he will merge with the spirit world entirely. At the same time, Sung-ah finds out that Yeom-hwa was once her own spirit sister. Later, Sung-ah talks to Bong-su and makes him promise not to hurt humans. She discovers that he was searching for the memorial stone of student soldiers, which is why he insisted on using Gyeon-woo's body. Eventually, they find out the stones had been moved. Sung-ah also helps Gyeon-woo train for the competition by gently placing her hand on his back. Bong-su, despite everything, ends up helping Sung-ah find a solution so Gyeon-woo can compete as himself. Sung-ah draws a powerful amulet on his body that will allow him to be free of Bong-su's presence for one day. It's a once-in-a-lifetime spell that can't be repeated, and surprisingly, it works. The next day, as Gyeon-woo prepares for the archery competition, a bitter Yeom-hwa begins a counter-ritual, trying to merge her spirit with Bong-su's. This brings Bong-su back and opens Gyeon-woo's spiritual eyes, allowing him to see Sung-ah's spiritual energy for the first time as the episode ends. The Episode Review The plot of Head Over Heels is now officially all over the place. While the dynamics between Bong-su, Sung-ah, Gyeon-woo, and Ji-ho deliver some genuinely funny and enjoyable moments, the sheer number of subplots, sudden tonal shifts, and unresolved narrative inconsistencies continue to drag the story down. A perfect example of this inconsistency is how Sung-ah's spirit mother curses Yeom-hwa and is supposedly meant to be punished for it—yet later, she performs a cleansing ritual on Yeom-hwa without any consequences. It just doesn't add up. At this point, the story feels stretched, as if Bong-su was added midway just to create enough narrative material to fill the remaining episodes. His arc could have been far more effective if introduced earlier. His transformation from a supposedly dangerous spirit to a love-struck, helpful entity feels abrupt and jarring. While Bong-su adds an unpredictable and often humorous element to the show, the overall lack of structure, weak antagonists, and muddled storytelling prevent the series from becoming as impactful as it could be. Previous Episode Next Episode
BBC News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Cifuentes arrives with work to do but little time
Nearly three months after relegation was confirmed and three weeks since Ruud van Nistelrooy eventually left the club, Leicester City finally have their Cifuentes arrives at King Power Stadium with plenty of work to do and not too long to get it terms of the football, I'm told we can expect something similar to the style implemented by Enzo Maresca during his time at the club, with possession a key focus. That may have frustrated some of the Foxes fans, but we know it's a way of playing admired by the players who were part of the 2023-24 Championship winning with the squad off to Austria this week and the start of the new season less than four weeks away, time is already against Cifuentes to get his ideas across and his players ready. He also needs to target new recruits with not much money to play fans would have wanted this appointment confirmed much, much earlier. But hopefully now it's finally done, it's one they can get behind.
The Guardian
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Spain overcome early Italy scare to win and set up tie against hosts Switzerland
There are suggestions that the era of possession heavy, carefully choreographed, positional play, may have passed its zenith but, if that message worries Pep Guardiola disciples, Spain's women remain unperturbed. As usual the world champions hogged the ball as they won a third consecutive group game at Euro 2025, scoring their 12th, 13th and 14th goals of the tournament in the process. Yet if, in one sense, it was business as usual for Montse Tomé's queens of on-field geometry, Italy actually did a pretty good job of emphasising that La Roja are mortal after all. Indeed in certain cameos it was almost possible to detect glimpses of the way in which this particular Spanish empire might eventually fall. Italy are not quite good enough to bring them down; not now, not yet. But Andrea Soncin has constructed a smart counterattacking unit that revelled in not merely going toe-to-toe with Spain but demonstrating why their cloak of invincibility contains a few loose threads. Opponents blessed with even greater speed and a more aggressive press should be suitably encouraged. A draw would have been a far from unjust result but, Portugal's defeat against Belgium, confirmed that Italy are also quarter-finalists. While Spain, as group winners, face Switzerland in the last eight back here in Berne next Friday, Soncin's team will meet Norway in Geneva on Wednesday. Italy swiftly settled into five at the back mode but, rapid in transition, looked to counterattack at every opportunity and it would have been no surprise had the crossbar developed a significant fissure after Elena Linari thumped the most powerful of early headers against it. Spain failed to heed that warning and paid the price when they failed to clear a low cross. Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey for once displayed a heavy touch and Italy's gloriously intrepid right wing-back Elisabetta Oliviero used her left foot to expertly redirect the loose ball into the back of the net. It prompted some prolonged, and extravagant, celebrations but when the dust finally settled, Spain suddenly started playing in the manner of a quietly furious team. The World Cup holders evidently regarded that goal as an insult to their pride and Real Madrid's Athenea del Castillo responded by equalising with a first-time shot into the top corner. It followed a sumptuous dribble and one-two with Barcelona's Alèxia Putellas whose adroit back heel confounded Soncin's rearguard. Quite apart from repairing wounded egos it took Spain's goal tally to 12 in three games since arriving in Switzerland while also emphasising that Del Castillo looked the brightest of the half dozen fresh faces Tomé had rotated into her starting XI. Tomé's side had already qualified for the quarter-finals but their evident irritation whenever Italy slowed the game down – not least as Soncin's goalkeeper, Laura Giuliani, collapsed with an apparently unfathomable injury that enabled the manager to issue a series of urgent tactical instructions – was real. Perhaps such rising tempers proved counter-productive to concentration because Irene Paredes subsequently, and self destructively, handled Sofia Cantore's cross after making an awful hash of an attempted header. Italy fans were convinced it was a stonewall penalty but a VAR review detected that Cantore had been offside in the preamble and the Barcelona centre-half, Spain's captain, was duly able to forget one of her rather less distinguished moments. Uefa's half-time statistics indicated that Spain had completed more than 400 passes, while Italy had managed less than 200. Not that Tomé would be fooled; her team were in a tough match, against extremely awkward opponents with a highly effective style of their own. It had been a hot and sunny day in Berne but, as the second half began, those fans who had made their way to the Wankdorf Stadium in shorts and T-shirts started pulling on emergency jackets and jumpers. Soncin though suddenly started feeling the heat. He needed nothing more than his fitted white shirt and tie as Del Castillo ran, slalom style, through his defensive chicane and Martina Lenzini's weak clearance headed to Patricia Guijarro. She could hardly pass up such a generous invitation to shoot Spain into the lead and duly did. No matter that it was not exactly the cleanest of hits, Guijarro's strike still flew in via the inside of a post and Italy seemed to sense an almost palpable shift in the power balance. For the first time on the night La Roja really looked on top. Nonetheless Adriana Nanclares, once again preferred to Cata Coll in goal by Tomé, performed wonders to prevent Cantore's awkwardly deflected, high velocity, shot restoring parity. Granted Giuliani did well to deny Aitana Bonmatí a chance to celebrate her recovery from meningitis by diverting the latter's elegantly curving left-foot shot. And, admittedly, Esther González's close-range stoppage time goal after her connection with Putellas's sumptuous cross highlighted Spain's very real threat. But, on this evidence, Tomé's team do not look unbeatable, let alone unplayable.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Spain overcome early Italy scare to win and set up tie against hosts Switzerland
There are suggestions that the era of possession heavy, carefully choreographed, positional play, may have passed its zenith but, if that message worries Pep Guardiola disciples, Spain's women remain unperturbed. As usual the world champions hogged the ball as they won a third consecutive group game at Euro 2025, scoring their 12th, 13th and 14th goals of the tournament in the process. Yet if, in one sense, it was business as usual for Montse Tomé's queens of on-field geometry, Italy actually did a pretty good job of emphasising that La Roja are mortal after all. Indeed in certain cameos it was almost possible to detect glimpses of the way in which this particular Spanish empire might eventually fall. Italy are not quite good enough to bring them down; not now, not yet. But Andrea Soncin has constructed a smart counterattacking unit that revelled in not merely going toe-to-toe with Spain but demonstrating why their cloak of invincibility contains a few loose threads. Opponents blessed with even greater speed and a more aggressive press should be suitably encouraged. A draw would have been a far from unjust result but, Portugal's defeat against Belgium, confirmed that Italy are also quarter-finalists. While Spain, as group winners, face Switzerland in the last eight back here in Berne next Friday, Soncin's team will meet Norway in Geneva on Wednesday. Italy swiftly settled into five at the back mode but, rapid in transition, looked to counterattack at every opportunity and it would have been no surprise had the crossbar developed a significant fissure after Elena Linari thumped the most powerful of early headers against it. Spain failed to heed that warning and paid the price when they failed to clear a low cross. Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey for once displayed a heavy touch and Italy's gloriously intrepid right wing-back Elisabetta Oliviero used her left foot to expertly redirect the loose ball into the back of the net. It prompted some prolonged, and extravagant, celebrations but when the dust finally settled, Spain suddenly started playing in the manner of a quietly furious team. The World Cup holders evidently regarded that goal as an insult to their pride and Real Madrid's Athenea del Castillo responded by equalising with a first-time shot into the top corner. It followed a sumptuous dribble and one-two with Barcelona's Alèxia Putellas whose adroit back heel confounded Soncin's rearguard. Quite apart from repairing wounded egos it took Spain's goal tally to 12 in three games since arriving in Switzerland while also emphasising that Del Castillo looked the brightest of the half dozen fresh faces Tomé had rotated into her starting XI. Tomé's side had already qualified for the quarter-finals but their evident irritation whenever Italy slowed the game down – not least as Soncin's goalkeeper, Laura Giuliani, collapsed with an apparently unfathomable injury that enabled the manager to issue a series of urgent tactical instructions – was real. Perhaps such rising tempers proved counter-productive to concentration because Irene Paredes subsequently, and self destructively, handled Sofia Cantore's cross after making an awful hash of an attempted header. Italy fans were convinced it was a stonewall penalty but a VAR review detected that Cantore had been offside in the preamble and the Barcelona centre-half, Spain's captain, was duly able to forget one of her rather less distinguished moments. Uefa's half-time statistics indicated that Spain had completed more than 400 passes, while Italy had managed less than 200. Not that Tomé would be fooled; her team were in a tough match, against extremely awkward opponents with a highly effective style of their own. It had been a hot and sunny day in Berne but, as the second half began, those fans who had made their way to the Wankdorf Stadium in shorts and T-shirts started pulling on emergency jackets and jumpers. Soncin though suddenly started feeling the heat. He needed nothing more than his fitted white shirt and tie as Del Castillo ran, slalom style, through his defensive chicane and Martina Lenzini's weak clearance headed to Patricia Guijarro. She could hardly pass up such a generous invitation to shoot Spain into the lead and duly did. No matter that it was not exactly the cleanest of hits, Guijarro's strike still flew in via the inside of a post and Italy seemed to sense an almost palpable shift in the power balance. For the first time on the night La Roja really looked on top. Nonetheless Adriana Nanclares, once again preferred to Cata Coll in goal by Tomé, performed wonders to prevent Cantore's awkwardly deflected, high velocity, shot restoring parity. Granted Giuliani did well to deny Aitana Bonmatí a chance to celebrate her recovery from meningitis by diverting the latter's elegantly curving left-foot shot. And, admittedly, Esther González's close-range stoppage time goal after her connection with Putellas's sumptuous cross highlighted Spain's very real threat. But, on this evidence, Tomé's team do not look unbeatable, let alone unplayable.
Geek Girl Authority
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Book Review: THIS IS MY BODY
Thank you to Quirk Books for sending me a copy of This Is My Body in exchange for an honest review. This Is My Body is the second horror novel by Lindsay King-Miller, who earned notoriety with her debut, The Z Word. While I haven't had a chance to check out The Z Word yet, I will soon, based on the strength of This Is My Body. A tale of possession, exorcism and intergenerational Catholic trauma, This Is My Body is as hard to put out of your mind as the most stubborn and persistent of demons. This Is My Body In This Is My Body, we're introduced to Brigid Byrne. A gay single mother and business owner, Brigid lives in the (fictional) small mountain town of Bristlecone, Colorado. She lives with her daughter, Dylan, a teenager who has entered an exceptionally rough patch. Brigid also runs her shop, Tenth Muse, which sells Tarot cards, magick books, trinkets and colored candles to tourists. Brigid isn't a true believer, but her two employees are. Dylan's difficulties at school and home are growing more severe. After an altercation with a boy who used to be her friend, she is facing disciplinary action. Meanwhile, a figure from Brigid's past appears in the shop. This is Eileen Mulligan, mother of Brigid's long-lost first love, Alexandra 'Zandy' Mulligan. RELATED: Book Review: Crueler Mercies Brigid and Zandy used to be neighbors back when they were both teens living in Denver. In those days, Brigid lived with her (now late) mother, Adelaide, and her mother's brother, Father Angus. However, her mother and uncle were both oppressively Catholic. When Brigid's fledging romance with Zandy was discovered, Brigid was forbidden from ever seeing her first love again. Ultimately, Brigid left home when she was old enough to go to college and never looked back. But as Brigid reconnects with Zandy, she learns Angus is still a fixture in the neighborhood. As the two women begin to rekindle their relationship, Dylan's troubles grow more pronounced. Soon, they escalate to new and unignorable depths. However, Angus had a specialty: exorcisms. With nowhere left to turn, Brigid must bring her daughter to the one place she'd never considered bringing her before: home. Father Uncle Exorcist A tight, tense horror novel that neither skimps on nor is bogged down by its depth, This Is My Body is an excellent and irresistible read. As the novel progresses, the narrative steadily rises until it reaches a rolling boil in the climax. I couldn't put this book down. I started reading it on Wednesday afternoon and finished it by Friday at five. Now, I don't think I will be alone in this. And as horrific as the story can be at times, I enjoyed spending time with the characters throughout. As usual, the trick with these reviews is to share my thoughts without sharing any spoilers. Suffice it to say that one of my favorite parts of the novel is the way the core theme becomes clear not in the earliest pages but in the story's climax. Like the best reveals, this serves as a key that retroactively contextualizes the entire book. Much is made these days about horror with a deeper meaning (not that it's actually anything new). RELATED: Book Review: A Far Better Thing But while some high-profile horror is characterized by its facile engagement with its ostensible themes, that's not the case with This Is My Body. As a queer woman who was raised Catholic and subsequently left the Church, I found this novel's thematic explorations to be meaningful, thoughtful and satisfying. There's another element of my personal history that played into my enjoyment of this novel as well. I lived in Colorado for a decade when I was younger. This Is My Body does a superb job of including details about the state that really makes the setting come alive. It is very clear that King-Miller is writing the Mile High State from a place of personal experience. Available August 5 While the release date is a month away, you'll want to mark August 5 on your calendar. This is because you'll want to devour this book as soon and as quickly as possible. RELATED: Book Review: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil This Is My Body is a meaningful and engaging horror novel. And following on the heels of the critically acclaimed The Z Word, her sophomore outing may just cement King-Miller as the heir to the American horror writer throne. The only question is: which horror subgenre will she tackle next? This Is My Body will be available at your local bookstore and/or public library beginning on August 5, 2025. Book Review: PETER MILES HAS TO DIE Avery Kaplan (she/her) is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. With her spouse Ollie Kaplan, Avery co-authored the middle school textbook on intersectionality Double Challenge: Being LGBTQ and a Minority. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 - 2024 Cartoonist Studio Prize Awards and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, the Gutter Review, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, in the Comics Courier and in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.
