tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88443048226253538792024-02-19T17:07:56.049-08:00Confessions of a Book WhoreSmirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.comBlogger489125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-8959907311470557942017-02-06T06:38:00.000-08:002017-02-06T06:38:01.094-08:00GIRL IN PIECES - A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUD5E1diJ6ecxUIS6O9mFbevlNcLQtVbQNffTfKrdFXACvOVBAWSA54lXeVNt8sWkZeqd0pSRuiQ7k0H79yAFA-kxfANHzZL0iRQQ7i0VHxiUlR90qpXI0gJKR_JlXhmdPLPm3ZT6TlHU/s1600/girlinpieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUD5E1diJ6ecxUIS6O9mFbevlNcLQtVbQNffTfKrdFXACvOVBAWSA54lXeVNt8sWkZeqd0pSRuiQ7k0H79yAFA-kxfANHzZL0iRQQ7i0VHxiUlR90qpXI0gJKR_JlXhmdPLPm3ZT6TlHU/s320/girlinpieces.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Girl in Pieces<br />
Written by: Kathleen Glasgow<br />
Hardcover: 416 pages<br />
Publisher: Delacorte Press<br />
Language: English<br />
August 2016<br />
Genre: Young Adult <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i> Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you. <br /><br />
Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge. </i></span><br />
<br />
+++++++++++++<br />
<br />
<i> “Everyone has that moment I think, the moment when something so momentous happens that it rips your very being into small pieces. And then you have to stop. For a long time, you gather your pieces. And it takes such a very long time, not to fit them back together, but to assemble them in a new way, not necessarily a better way. More, a way you can live with until you know for certain that this piece should go there, and that one there.“</i><br />
<br />
Why am I so drawn to beautifully broken characters? Kara ‘Starbuck’ Thrace is so battle damaged and yet I love her. The same can be said for Jessica Jones, Celeana Sardorthien, Spike, Katniss, Sansa, and so many more. Do I see bits of my former self in them? Do I see hope and redemption? Or am I seriously just messed up? <br />
<br />
But when I think about it they are all survivors. Survivors of what they have done to themselves or what has been done to them. They did not break into pieces. They did not shatter and cease to be. They fought. Maybe not at first, but eventually they all did. Maybe that is why I really love them. Survivors. Warriors. <br />
<br />
Charlotte Davis has lost everything: her family, her best friend, her home, and her hope. When we first meet her she is lying in the grass in front of a hospital emergency room wrapped up and slowly dying, “I remember the stars that night. They were like salt against the sky, like someone spilled the shaker against very dark cloth. That mattered to me, their accidental beauty.” She thinks this is the end. She thinks this is how she is going to die. <br />
<br />
When she wakes up she finds herself at the self-harm ward of Creeley Center, a psychiatric hospital in Minnesota. Here, she can start to recover. Here, she finds people who are like her. <br />
<br />
<i>“I room with Louisa. Louisa is older and her hair is like a red-and-gold noisy ocean down her back. There's so much of it, she can't even keep it in with braids or buns or scrunchies. Her hair smells like strawberries; she smells better than any girl I've ever known. I could breathe her in forever. <br /><br />
My first night here, when she lifted her blouse to change for bed, in the moment before that crazy hair fell over her body like a protective cape, I saw them, all of them, and I sucked my breath in hard. <br /><br />
She said, "Don't be scared, little one." <br /><br />
I wasn't scared. I'd just never seen a girl with skin like mine.”</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>But the road to recovery is hard. Charlie doesn’t know who she is anymore. She is a girl in pieces. So many pieces. Putting the pieces back together is easy when you know what each piece is and where it goes, let alone what it makes when you put everything back together again. After her insurance runs out and her hold is up, Charlie leaves Creeley. But where does she go? Where can she go? Life with her mother is volatile, they both know and understand that. <br />
<br />
So she heads to Arizona, after her friend Mikey invites her. He wants to help Charlie, but is on his own road to recovery. Here in a strange, new town miles away from old memories and old habits, Charlie can finally start to pick up the pieces and find out where each one fits. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> Girl in Pieces is a rough book. The themes range from depression, self-harm, suicide, alcoholism, addiction, living on the streets, and sexual abuse. It’s about being at your lowest and about recovery and hope. But the road to recovery isn’t always so easy. <br />
<br />
So many stories of trauma or recovery ends with a mythological fairytale ending. Its tidy and it is neat. Very few books talk about the journey, and the ups and downs. It’s like CSI where forensic science is done within an hour and everything is so neat and clean. But we know life is not really like that. Healing doesn’t just stop when the bruises fade and the cuts heal. Things don’t magically go away. It will always be a journey. This is why this book is important. This is not to say that you won’t look and feel like a normal human being. You will and I do, but I also know that recovery will always be a part of my life. I will never stop being a survivor and a warrior. This isn’t a bad thing. It is just a thing that ‘is’. <br />
<br />
It’s great to see stories that look like you, feel like you, and struggle like you do. Having representation is so important. Having certain narratives equally so. Mental health, addiction, and recovery are still not themes and topics you see too much in popular fiction. The stigma on Mental Health is real, oh so frustratingly real. I say that as someone who worked in mental health and who has sought help with her own mental health. I’m normal. I’m healthy, have a loving mister, and a life I am pretty lucky to have. I also have scars. Some are visible, but many are not. <br />
<br />
Of course I connected with Charlie on many levels. How could I not. Her desperate need to start over, to pick up the pieces and start figuring out where each one goes, and what each one means. I still think I am putting myself together and I am fairly normal. Breathe Charlie, just breathe. It’s going to be okay. You will survive this. You will heal. Ugh, how my heart ached for Charlie. <br />
<br />
<i>“You can't break my heart, she cries, breathy and furious. You can't own my soul. What I have, I made, what I have is mine. What I have I made, what I have is mine.”</i><br />
<br />
The girl has been through a lot. Charlie’s father killed himself, leaving her alone with a mother who took his death out on her only daughter. Charlie cuts/self-harms to release all of that pain and emotion. It isn’t to seek attention, but the way she copes. A bright spot was her best friend, but she too attempted suicide and was taken from her. So she fled, out into the streets, surviving the best way that she could. When she and her addict friends find a safe place in the Seed House, it is far from the sanctuary that they were hoping for. To stay, Charlie would be pimped out to older men. All of it is too much. So, so much. She cuts, but sometimes those cuts are too deep. So yeah, this is a rough book to read. Its raw, it is dark, and yet it so beautiful. For a debut novel, damn Miss Glasgow….damn. <br />
<br />
I also like that Charlie is not always the most likable character. I don’t think she should be. We all have flaws. I will admit that sometimes I found it very different to empathize with her. That many times she was too much of a victim and not a survivor. She made poor choices. She was selfish. She was awash in self-pity. And yet then I remembered how hard it is recover. I was nowhere near where Charlie was and it was hard. But, ultimately Charlie is a survivor. She always has been. She survived her father and her mother, living on the street and being afraid of the dark. She survived the loss of her best friend, of her innocence, and her scars. She embraced each silvery line as I have. They are battlescars. And I remember each battle. <br />
<br />
There are other characters that aren’t likable, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the book. Riley is not good But we know that the minute we meet him. The age difference didn’t bug me as much as it did for others (he’s 27, she’s 17 so it is a bit of a big deal). What really bothered me was that he took advantage of someone who was hurting and recovering. She was drowning, trying to break her head up to the surface and he just held her underwater. He’s a man who has been in the recovery phase before. He knows what it is like. And it didn’t matter. That I cannot forgive. The thing is, they both do know that their relationship is unhealthy on a lot of levels. Riley never denies being an addict. Charlie tries not to care. But the thing is, two broken people do not make a whole person. <br />
<br />
There is a lot of hope in this book despite the heartbreak. I did like how there was value in artistic expression as a way to process and heal. <br />
<br />
Finally, sometimes you read a book that is painful to read and yet so beautiful. Snippets of the book stay with you and linger long after you have read the last page. Girl in Pieces was one of those books for me. More quotes in this book that either resonated or were so gorgeous in the way that they rolled off my tongue or lingered in my mind. It is so beautiful, but it is sharp and the cuts it makes are deep. It is imperfect. There are flaws, but as a whole it was an absolute joy to read. <br />
<br />
My favorite quote: <i><b>“Each aberration of my skin is a song. Press your mouth against me. You will hear so much singing.” </b></i><br />
<br />
Thank you Kathleen Glasgow. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> The pacing is slow at times. With all of the horrific things Charlie endured, the slow pace made it even more brutal and hope seems so far away; redemption nearly impossible to imagine. Ack, the heartbreak and the feels. So, so much. <br />
<br />
I think there might be too many broken characters. Her father, her best friend, the girls at Creeley, Riley, Ariel, etc. Yes, in a way we’ve all experienced tragedy in one way or another, but the tragedy in these characters define them somehow. It was a bit too much, too forced on occasion. These are minor things and yet they did make it an imperfect novel for me. I think you could still have told Charlie’s story without everyone being so tragic. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. Or at least pick it up from the library. Personally, I would have kept a copy of it at my old office. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Standalone. <br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For similar books I would recommend: Cut by Patricia McCormick, Impulse or Crank by Ellen Hopkins, All the Rage by Courtney Summers, and Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen. You might also like the TV show Recovery Road. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>4 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-66454944156708453172017-02-04T11:52:00.002-08:002017-02-04T11:52:46.973-08:00WATCH/READ/PLAY - FEBRUARY 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Holy cow, its already February. Where did January go? February is a great month for...everything really. It is also the month that I will be perpetually broke which isn't good the month before ECCC. So excited for the books, films, and games coming out though. I see you John Wick and Horizon Zero Dawn. Did I miss anything? Let me know.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><u><b>FILM & TV</b></u></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Expanse (Season 2 Premiere)</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> SYFY<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The Rogue and I really enjoyed the first season of the sci-fi show based on the books by James S A Corey. It surprised me and after the cliffhanger of the last episode I look forward to watching it, though probably not until it comes to Netflix since you cannot watch them online unless you have a cable sub which we don’t. (February 1st) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Madiba</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> BET<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> This is a three part, six hour biographical miniseries that stars Laurence Fishburne as Nelson Mandela (February 1st) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Powerless</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> NBC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Its another DC Comics series, but lets face it they kind of kick some ass with their TV shows. This one is a sitcom though unlike Arrow, Flash, and Supergirl. And it looks funny. Vanessa Hudgens stars as an insurance adjuster who helps protect people against the unintended damage caused by crime-fighting superheroes (mostly of the fringe variety, though a major DC character could theoretically appear from time to time). Plus Alan Tudyk, as a non-canon relative of Bruce Wayne. Yes, I will watch it just for him. (February 2nd) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Santa Clarita Diet</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>NETFLIX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> This comedy series from the guy who made Better Off Ted (which was hilarious) stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as suburban married realtors who experience a change that sends "both their lives down a road of death and destruction ... but in a good way." Basically Drew is a zombie. And I will be watching this. (February 3rd) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Space Between Us</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b> Adventure/Sci-Fi<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Britt Robertson, Asa Butterfield, Carla Gugino, Janet Montgomery<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> It looks so sweet. I need smiles right now and this might give them to me. Then again it might give me tears since it has been referred to as The Fault In Our Mars and the book it is referencing made me cry at work while I read it so… The first human born on Mars travels to Earth for the first time, experiencing the wonders of the planet through fresh eyes. He embarks on an adventure with a street smart girl to discover how he came to be. (February 3rd) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Rings</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b>Horror<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Vincent D’Onofrio<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> I love horror films and while I enjoy the original Ringu films more than the American remake, I did enjoy the first remake. And who doesn’t like having a jump or two. A young woman finds herself on the receiving end of a terrifying curse that threatens to take her life in 7 days. (February 3rd) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Journey to the West – The Demons Strike Back</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b>Comedy/Fantasy<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Bei-Er Bao, Mengke Bateer, Sihan Cheng, Chengpeng Dong<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The first one made the Rogue and I laugh, so I am curious to see how this next one is. A monk and his three disciples continue on their journey to battle demons. (February 3rd) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>I Am Not Your Negro</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b>Documentary<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Dick Cavett<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House. (February 3rd) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>24: Legacy</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> FOX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> A reboot of Fox's one-time hit 24, Legacy will exist in the same universe (and retain the real-time format) but feature a mostly new cast of characters, led by Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, The Walking Dead), who plays a troubled military hero who enlists CTU to save his life and prevent yet another large-scale terrorist attack. Miranda Otto, Jimmy Smits, Dan Bucatinsky, Gerald McRaney, and Teddy Sears also star, while Carlos Bernard will return from the original series as Tony Almeida. (February 5th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>APB</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> FOX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Said to be a cross between Person of Interest and Chicago PD, APB stars Justin Kirk as a Chicago tech billionaire who decides to put his own money up to privatize the police department’s 13th Precinct and implement cutting edge technology after he gets fed up with the city’s crime rate. Might give it a shot. (February 6th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Legion</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> FX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Have you seen trailers for this? Dan Stevens plays the lead character who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age who has been in and out of metal hospitals in the years since. (Oh, and he happens to be the mutant son of Charles Xavier.) The excellent cast also includes Aubrey Plaza, Rachel Keller, Jean Smart, Katie Aselton, Jemaine Clement, and Bill Irwin. The first season will run for just eight episodes. (February 8th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Collection</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> AMAZON<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> All seven episodes of this French/British period drama stream today. The series, which centers on a Parisian fashion house following WWII, stars Tom Riley, Richard Coyle, Mamie Gummer, and Irène Jacob. Yep, I will be wat hing this for the fashion (February 10th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The LEGO Batman Movie</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b>Animation/Family<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Will Arnett, Jenny Slate, Ralph Fiennes, Rosario Dawson<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span>LEGO Batman was kind of one of the best parts of the LEGO movie, so I am happy to see an irreverent Batman. Bruce Wayne must not only deal with the criminals of Gotham City, but also the responsibility of raising a boy he adopted. (February 10th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>John Wick: Chapter 2</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b>Action/Thriller<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Keanu Reeves, Bridget Moynahan, Ian McShane, Ruby Rose<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span>A couple of years ago the Rogue and I went to a movie for Valentines Day and absolutely frakking loved it. So of course we are more than happy to see some more John Wick….being a total badass. (February 10th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>59th Annual Grammy Awards</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>CBS<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> James Corden hosts (February 12th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Girls (Final Season Premiere)</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>HBO<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> I only started watching this show on Amazon, but I like what I have seen thus far. This final season of the show with have guest appearances by Tracey Ullman, Matthew Rhys, and Riz Ahmed. (February 12th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Last Week Tonight with John Oliver</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>HBO<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> I love John Oliver even though I laugh and then cry and then rage most of the episodes. Somehow I think with all of the events since his winter break we are in for a doozy of a second half. (February 12th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Missing (2nd Season Premiere)</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>STARZ<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The eight episode second season will feature a different setting, story, and characters. David Morrissey and Keeley Hawes star. Did anyone love the first season (February 12th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Humans (2nd Season Premiere)</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>AMC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Another show I have recently watched on Amazon was the first season of Humans. In the second season Carrie-Ann Moss will join for the eight episodes premiering this night. (February 13th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Girlfriend’s Day</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>NETFLIX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> I don’t know too much about this original film from Netflix. It stars Bob Odenkirk, Natasha Lyonne, Amber Tamblyn, Ed Begley Jr., Stacy Keach, Rich Sommer, June Diane Raphael, Andy Richter, and Echo Kellum. (February 14th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>A Cure For Wellness</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b>Mystery/Thriller<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, Mia Goth, Celia Imrie<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span>An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company's CEO from an idyllic but mysterious "wellness center" at a remote location in the Swiss Alps but soon suspects that the spa's miraculous treatments are not what they seem. The trailer for this looked interesting. Plus I love Jason Isaacs. (February 17th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Planet Earth II</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>BBC AMERICA/AMC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The six part sequel in all of its ultra-high-def awesomeness will be simulcast on AMC and Sundance, but the remaining five episodes will be exclusive to BBC America. Also David Attenborough returns as the narrator. It’s going to be grand. (February 18th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Big Little Lies</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>HBO<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> David E Kelley brings a seven episode adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s book to life. It has Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Alexander Skarsgard. (February 19th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Bates Motel (Final Season Premiere)</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>A&E<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Norman’s story is finally coming to end with the fifth season. Rihanna joins the cast as Marion Crane. Could be good. (February 20th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>NETFLIX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Trevor Noah and the Daily Show have kept me from screaming my bloody head off. I like him. He’s funny. He’s insightful and I will definitely be watching his Netflix special. (February 21st) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Blacklist: Redemption (Series Premiere)</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>NBC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The spinoff from The Blacklist has Tom Keen joining up with Famke Janssen’s Scottie Hargrave at her covert mercenary organization Grey Matters. Edi Gathegi (who plays Matias Solomon) also moves over from The Blacklist to the spinoff, while Unforgettable's Tawny Cypress joins Redemption as a regular. Terry O’Quinn (Lost) will recur. (February 23rd) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>I don’t Feel At Home in This World Anymore</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>NETFLIX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> This Netflix indie thriller is the directorial debut for Green Room/Blue Ruin star Macon Blair, and it just won the top award at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood star. (February 24th) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Patriot (Series Premiere)</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>AMAZON<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> This dramedy centers on an intelligence officer (Michael Dorman) whose mission to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons means that he has to go undercover at a Milwaukee pipe factory. In his spare time he is also a mediocre folk singer/songwriter. Terry O’Quinn plays his father and his boss. (February 24th) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Get Out</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b>Horror<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Allison Williams, Daniel Kaluuya, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span>The trailer looks awesome. Now that Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), have reached the meet-the-parents milestone of dating, she invites him for a weekend getaway upstate with Missy and Dean. At first, Chris reads the family's overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter's interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined. Written and Directed by Jordan Peele (yep same Jordan Peele), it definitely looks like something I would enjoy. (February 24th) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Tulip Fever</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b>Drama/Romance<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Alicia Vikander, Cara Delvingne, Dane DeHaan, Holliday Grainger<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span>Directed by Justin Chadwick it tells the story of an artist that falls for a young married woman while he is commissioned to paint her portrait during the Tulip mania of 17th century Amsterdam. I am a sucker for period pieces. Just ask the Rogue when I went nuts over the My Cousin Rachel trailer last night. (February 24th) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>89th Academy Awards</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>ABC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Jimmy Kimmel hosts. (February 26th) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>When We Rise</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b>ABC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Eight-hour miniseries about the history of America's gay rights movement from Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black stars Guy Pearce, Mary Louise-Parker, Michael K. Williams, Rachel Griffiths, and Ivory Aquino, with guest appearances from David Hyde Pierce, Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie O'Donnell, and Denis O'Hare. (February 27th) <br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><u><b>BOOKS</b></u></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>King’s Cage (Red Queen #3) by Voctoria Aveyard (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl's spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion? Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother's web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner. As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare's heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back. When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Introducing an instant classic—master storyteller Neil Gaiman presents a dazzling version of the great Norse myths. Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki, son of a giant, blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator. Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Once, when Thor’s hammer is stolen, Thor must disguise himself as a woman, difficult with his beard and huge appetite, to steal it back. More poignant is the tale in which the blood of Kvasir, the most sagacious of gods, is turned into a mead that infuses drinkers with poetry. The work culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and rebirth of a new time and people. Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerge these gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Ingrid Coleman writes letters to her husband, Gil, about the truth of their marriage, but instead of giving them to him, she hides them in the thousands of books he has collected over the years. When Ingrid has written her final letter she disappears from a Dorset beach, leaving behind her beautiful but dilapidated house by the sea, her husband, and her two daughters, Flora and Nan. Twelve years later, Gil thinks he sees Ingrid from a bookshop window, but he’s getting older and this unlikely sighting is chalked up to senility. Flora, who has never believed her mother drowned, returns home to care for her father and to try to finally discover what happened to Ingrid. But what Flora doesn’t realize is that the answers to her questions are hidden in the books that surround her. Scandalous and whip-smart, Swimming Lessons holds the Coleman family up to the light, exposing the mysterious truths of a passionate and troubled marriage. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Burning World (Warm Bodies #2) by Isaac Marion (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Being alive is hard. Being human is harder. But since his recent recovery from death, R is making progress. He's learning how to read, how to speak, maybe even how to love, and the city's undead population is showing signs of life. R can almost imagine a future with Julie, this girl who restarted his heart—building a new world from the ashes of the old one. And then helicopters appear on the horizon. Someone is coming to restore order. To silence all this noise. To return things to the way they were, the good old days of stability and control and the strong eating the weak. The plague is ancient and ambitious, and the Dead were never its only weapon. How do you fight an enemy that's in everyone? Can the world ever really change? With their home overrun by madmen, R, Julie, and their ragged group of refugees plunge into the otherworldly wastelands of America in search of answers. But there are some answers R doesn't want to find. A past life, an old shadow, crawling up from the basement. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Empress - Rhee, also known as Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta’an, is the sole surviving heir to a powerful dynasty. She’ll stop at nothing to avenge her family and claim her throne. Fugitive - Aly has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. But when he’s falsely accused of killing Rhee, he's forced to prove his innocence to save his reputation – and his life. Madman - With planets on the brink of war, Rhee and Aly are thrown together to confront a ruthless evil that threatens the fate of the entire galaxy. A saga of vengeance, warfare, and the true meaning of legacy. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed. Ok, so the real truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers. But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they? Until her not-so perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business. Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams? Or try to get her job back? Does Demeter – the woman with everything – have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems. And what’s wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway? <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> You know the future that people in the 1950s imagined we'd have? Well, it happened. In Tom Barren's 2016, humanity thrives in a techno-utopian paradise of flying cars, moving sidewalks, and moon bases, where avocados never go bad and punk rock never existed . . . because it wasn't necessary. Except Tom just can't seem to find his place in this dazzling, idealistic world, and that's before his life gets turned upside down. Utterly blindsided by an accident of fate, Tom makes a rash decision that drastically changes not only his own life but the very fabric of the universe itself. In a time-travel mishap, Tom finds himself stranded in our 2016, what we think of as the real world. For Tom, our normal reality seems like a dystopian wasteland. But when he discovers wonderfully unexpected versions of his family, his career, and—maybe, just maybe—his soul mate, Tom has a decision to make. Does he fix the flow of history, bringing his utopian universe back into existence, or does he try to forge a new life in our messy, unpredictable reality? Tom’s search for the answer takes him across countries, continents, and timelines in a quest to figure out, finally, who he really is and what his future—our future—is supposed to be. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Black Feathers: Dark Avian Tales – An Anthology Edited by Ellen Datlow (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Birds are usually loved for their beauty and their song. They symbolize freedom, eternal life, the soul. There’s definitely a dark side to the avian. Birds of prey sometimes kill other birds (the shrike), destroy other birds’ eggs (blue jays), and even have been known to kill small animals (the kea sometimes eats live lambs). And who isn’t disgusted by birds that eat the dead—vultures awaiting their next meal as the life blood flows from the dying. One of our greatest fears is of being eaten by vultures before we’re quite dead. Is it any wonder that with so many interpretations of the avian, that the contributors herein are eager to be transformed or influenced by them? Included in Black Feathers are those obsessed by birds of one type or another. Do they want to become birds or just take on some of the “power” of birds? The presence or absence of birds portends the future. A grieving widow takes comfort in her majestic winged neighbors, who enable her to cope with a predatory relative. An isolated society of women relies on a bird to tell their fortunes. A silent young girl and her pet bird might be the only hope a detective has of tracking down a serial killer in a tourist town. A chatty parrot makes illegal deals with the dying. A troubled man lives in isolation with only one friend for company—a jackdaw. In each of these fictions, you will encounter the dark resonance between the human and avian. You see in yourself the savagery of a predator, the shrewd stalking of a hunter, and you are lured by birds that speak human language, that make beautiful music, that cypher numbers, and seem to have a moral center. You wade into this feathered nightmare, and brave the horror of death, trading your safety and sanity for that which we all seek—the promise of flight. Seanan McGuire, Joyce Carol Oates, and other authors contribute creepy stories about birds to this anthology, edited by Hugo and Bram Stoker Award winner Ellen Datlow. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Echoes in Death (In Death #44) by J.D. Robb (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES . . . The chilling new suspense novel from the author of Brotherhood in Death. After a party in New York, Lieutenant Eve Dallas rides home with her billionaire husband, Roarke, happy to be done with cocktails and small talk. After another party, not far away, a woman retires to her bedroom with her husband—and walks into a brutal nightmare. Their paths are about to collide…When the young woman—dazed, naked, and bloody—wanders in front of their car, Roarke slams on the brakes just in time, and Eve, still in glittering gown and heels, springs into action. It’s been a long night for the tired homicide cop, and it’s far from over. Daphne Strazza is rushed to the ER, but it’s too late for Dr. Anthony Strazza. A brilliant orthopedic surgeon, he now lies dead amid the wreckage of his obsessively organized town house, his three safes opened and emptied. Daphne would be a valuable witness, but in her terror and shock the only description of the perp she can offer is repeatedly calling him “the devil” . . .While it emerges that Dr. Strazza was cold, controlling, and widely disliked—and that he treated Daphne like a trophy wife—this is one case where the evidence doesn’t point to the spouse as the first suspect. So Eve and her team must get started on the legwork, interviewing everyone from dinner-party guests to professional colleagues to caterers, in a desperate race to answer some crucial questions: What does the devil look like? And where will he show up next? <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>A Tragic Kind of Wonderful by Eric Lindstrom (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> In the vein of It's Kind of a Funny Story and All the Bright Places, comes a captivating, immersive exploration of life with mental illness. For sixteen-year-old Mel Hannigan, bipolar disorder makes life unpredictable. Her latest struggle is balancing her growing feelings in a new relationship with her instinct to keep everyone at arm's length. And when a former friend confronts Mel with the truth about the way their relationship ended, deeply buried secrets threaten to come out and upend her shaky equilibrium. As the walls of Mel's compartmentalized world crumble, she fears the worst--that her friends will abandon her if they learn the truth about what she's been hiding. Can Mel bring herself to risk everything to find out? In A Tragic Kind of Wonderful, Eric Lindstrom, author of the critically acclaimed Not If I See You First, examines the fear that keeps us from exposing our true selves, and the courage it takes to be loved for who we really are. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Somewhere on the outer rim of the universe, a mass of decaying world-ships known as the Legion is traveling in the seams between the stars. For generations, a war for control of the Legion has been waged, with no clear resolution. As worlds continue to die, a desperate plan is put into motion. Zan wakes with no memory, prisoner of a people who say they are her family. She is told she is their salvation - the only person capable of boarding the Mokshi, a world-ship with the power to leave the Legion. But Zan's new family is not the only one desperate to gain control of the prized ship. Zan finds that she must choose sides in a genocidal campaign that will take her from the edges of the Legion's gravity well to the very belly of the world. Zan will soon learn that she carries the seeds of the Legion's destruction - and its possible salvation. But can she and her ragtag band of followers survive the horrors of the Legion and its people long enough to deliver it? In the tradition of The Fall of Hyperion and Dune, The Stars are Legion is an epic and thrilling tale about tragic love, revenge, and war as imagined by one of the genre's most celebrated new writers. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Rise of Fire (Reign of Shadows #2) by Sophie Jordan (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> The richly suspenseful sequel to Sophie Jordan’s romantic fantasy Reign of Shadows. Luna and Fowler have escaped the kingdom of Relhok, but they haven’t escaped the darkness. When a battle against the dark dwellers mortally injures Fowler, Luna is faced with a choice: put their fate in the hands of mysterious strangers or risk losing Fowler forever. Desperate to keep the one bright part of her life alive, Luna accepts the help of soldiers from a nearby kingdom. Lagonia’s castle offers reprieve from the dangerous outside world—until the king discovers both Fowler's and Luna’s true ties to Relhok and their influence over the throne. Now pawns in each kingdom’s political game, Luna and Fowler are more determined than ever to escape and build the life they’ve been dreaming of. But their own pasts have a tight hold on their hearts and their destinies. Luna must embrace the darkness and fire within her before she loses not only Fowler, but the power she was destined to inherit. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones (February 7th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell. All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns. But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts. Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History by Bill Schutt (February 14th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Eating one’s own kind is completely natural behavior in thousands of species, including humans. Throughout history we have engaged in cannibalism for reasons of famine, burial rites, and medicinal remedies; it’s been used as a way to terrorize and even a way to show filial piety. With unexpected wit and a wealth of knowledge, American Museum of Natural History biologist Bill Schutt takes us on a tour of the field, dissecting exciting new research and investigating questions such as why so many fish eat their offspring and some amphibians consume their mother’s skin; why sexual cannibalism is an evolutionary advantage for certain spiders; why, until the end of the eighteenth century, British royalty ate human body parts; how cannibalism may be linked to the extinction of Neanderthals; why microbes on sacramental bread may have led Catholics to execute Jews in the Middle Ages. Today, the subject of humans consuming one another has been relegated to the realm of horror movies, fiction, and the occasional psychopath, but be forewarned: As climate change progresses and humans see more famine, disease, and overcrowding, biological and cultural constraints may well disappear. These are the very factors that lead to outbreaks of cannibalism. As he examines these close encounters of the cannibal kind, Bill Schutt makes the ick-factor fascinating. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>American Street by Ibi Zoboi (February 14th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie—a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola’s mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own. Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream? <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts #1) by Vic James (February 14th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.
A girl thirsts for love and knowledge. Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price? A boy dreams of revolution. Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution. And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts. He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy? <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle (February 14th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> From the acclaimed author of The Last Unicorn comes a new, exquisitely-told unicorn fable for the modern age. Claudio Bianchi has lived alone for many years on a hillside in Southern Italy’s scenic Calabria. Set in his ways and suspicious of outsiders, Claudio has always resisted change, preferring farming and writing poetry. But one chilly morning, as though from a dream, an impossible visitor appears at the farm. When Claudio comes to her aid, an act of kindness throws his world into chaos. Suddenly he must stave off inquisitive onlookers, invasive media, and even more sinister influences. Lyrical, gripping, and wise, In Calabria confirms Peter S. Beagle's continuing legacy as one of fantasy's most legendary authors. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Miranda and Caliban by Jacqueline Carey (February 14th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Miranda is a lonely child. For as long as she can remember, she and her father have lived in isolation in the abandoned Moorish palace. There are chickens and goats, and a terrible wailing spirit trapped in a pine tree, but the elusive wild boy who spies on her from the crumbling walls and leaves gifts on their doorstep is the isle’s only other human inhabitant. There are other memories, too: vague, dream-like memories of another time and another place. There are questions that Miranda dare not ask her stern and controlling father, who guards his secrets with zealous care: Who am I? Where did I come from? The wild boy Caliban is a lonely child, too; an orphan left to fend for himself at an early age, all language lost to him. When Caliban is summoned and bound into captivity by Miranda’s father as part of a grand experiment, he rages against his confinement; and yet he hungers for kindness and love. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Wish Granter (Ravenspire #2) by CJ Redwine (February 14th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> An epic, romantic, and action-packed fantasy inspired by the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, about a bastard princess who must take on an evil fae to save her brother’s soul, from C. J. Redwine, the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen. Perfect for fans of Graceling and the Lunar Chronicles. The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop. Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown. So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself. But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff (February 21st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> The Nightingale meets Water for Elephants in this powerful novel of friendship and sacrifice, set in a traveling circus during World War II, by international bestselling author Pam Jenoff. Seventeen-year-old Noa has been cast out in disgrace after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier during the occupation of her native Holland. Heartbroken over the loss of the baby she was forced to give up for adoption, she lives above a small German rail station, which she cleans in order to earn her keep. When Noa discovers a boxcar containing dozens of Jewish infants, unknown children ripped from their parents and headed for a concentration camp, she is reminded of the baby that was taken from her. In a moment that will change the course of her life, she steals one of the babies and flees into the snowy night, where she is rescued by a German circus. The circus owner offers to teach Noa the flying trapeze act so she can blend in undetected, spurning the resentment of the lead aerialist, Astrid. At first rivals, Noa and Astrid soon forge a powerful bond. But as the facade that protects them proves increasingly tenuous, Noa and Astrid must decide whether their unlikely friendship is enough to save one another—or if the secrets that burn between them will destroy everything. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3) by V.E. Schwab (February 21st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> The battle between four magical Londons comes to a head in this stunning finale to the New York Times bestselling Shades of Magic trilogy by rising star V. E. Schwab.London's fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire—and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes and foes struggle alike. The direct sequel to A Gathering of Shadows, and the final book in the Shades of Magic epic fantasy series, A Conjuring of Light sees Schwab reach a thrilling culmination concerning the fate of beloved protagonists—and old enemies. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Empire’s End (Star Wars: Aftermath #3) by Chuck Wendig (February 21st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Following "Star Wars: Aftermath" and "Star Wars: Life Debt," Chuck Wendig delivers the exhilarating conclusion to the "New York Times" bestselling trilogy set in the years between "Return of the Jedi" and "The Force Awakens." <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage (February 21st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Mira and Francesca Cillo—beautiful, overprotected, odd—seemed untouchable. But Ben touched seven parts of Mira: her palm, hair, chest, cheek, lips, throat, and heart. After the sisters drown themselves in the quarry lake, a post-mortem letter from Mira sends Ben on a quest to find notes in the seven places where they touched. Note by note, Ben discovers the mystical secret at the heart of Mira and Francesca's world, and that some things are better left untouched. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen (February 21st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Beware: Life ahead. Sixteen-year-old Petula de Wilde is anything but wild. A former crafting fiend with a happy life, Petula shut herself off from the world after a family tragedy. She sees danger in all the ordinary things, like crossing the street, a bug bite, or a germy handshake. She knows: life is out to get you. The worst part of her week is her comically lame mandatory art therapy class with a small group of fellow misfits. Then a new boy, Jacob, appears at school and in her therapy group. He seems so normal and confident, though he has a prosthetic arm; and soon he teams up with Petula on a hilarious project, gradually inspiring her to let go of some of her fears. But as the two grow closer, a hidden truth behind why he’s in the group could derail them, unless Petula takes a huge risk…<br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Cold Counsel by Chris Sharp (February 21st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> In Chris Sharp's new epic fantasy Cold Counsel, Slud of the Blood Claw Clan, Bringer of Troubles, was born at the heart of the worst storm the mountain had ever seen. Slud’s father, chief of the clan, was changed by his son’s presence. For the first time since the age of the giants, he rallied the remaining trolls under one banner and marched to war taking back the mountain from the goblin clans. However, the long-lived elves remembered the brutal wars of the last age, and did not welcome the return of these lesser-giants to martial power. Twenty thousand elves marched on the mountain intent on genocide. They eradicated the entire troll species—save two. Aunt Agnes, an old witch from the Iron Wood, carried Slud away before the elves could find them. Their existence remained hidden for decades, and in that time, Agnes molded Slud to become her instrument of revenge. For cold is the counsel of women. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Agents of Dreamland by Caitlin R Kiernan (February 28th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> A government special agent known only as the Signalman gets off a train on a stunningly hot morning in Winslow, Arizona. Later that day he meets a woman in a diner to exchange information about an event that happened a week earlier for which neither has an explanation, but which haunts the Signalman. In a ranch house near the shore of the Salton Sea a cult leader gathers up the weak and susceptible—the Children of the Next Level—and offers them something to believe in and a chance for transcendence. The future is coming and they will help to usher it in. A day after the events at the ranch house which disturbed the Signalman so deeply that he and his government sought out help from ‘other’ sources, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory abruptly loses contact with NASA’s interplanetary probe New Horizons. Something out beyond the orbit of Pluto has made contact. And a woman floating outside of time looks to the future and the past for answers to what can save humanity. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Infernal Parade by Clive Barker (February 28th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> From the beginning of his distinguished career, Clive Barker has been the great visionary artist of contemporary dark fantasy, a form that Barker himself has termed “the Fantastique.” Through his many novels, stories, paintings and films, he had presented us with unforgettable images of the monstrous and the sacred, the beautiful and the grotesque. His body of work constitutes a great and varied contribution to modern popular culture. This astonishing novella, Infernal Parade, perfectly encapsulates Barker’s unique abilities. Like the earlier Tortured Souls, an account of bizarre–and agonizing–transformations, Infernal Parade is tightly focused, intensely imagined, and utterly unlike anything else you will ever read. It begins with the tale of a convicted criminal, Tom Requiem, who returns from the brink of death to restore both fear and a touch of awe to a complacent world. Tom becomes the leader of the eponymous “parade,” which ranges from the familiar precincts of North Dakota to the mythical city of Karantica. Golems, vengeful humans both living and dead, and assorted impossible creatures parade across these pages. The result is a series of highly compressed, interrelated narratives that are memorable, disturbing, and impossible to set aside. Infernal Parade is quintessential Barker: witty, elegantly composed, filled with dark and often savage wonders. It proves once again that, in Barker’s hands, the Fantastique is not only alive and well, but flourishing. This is vital, visionary fiction by a modern master of the form. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Wrong Dead Guy (Another Coop Heist #2) by Richard Kadrey (February 28th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> In this fast paced sequel to The Everything Box—the second entry in New York Times bestselling author Richard Kadrey’s comedic supernatural series—chaos ensues when Coop and the team at DOPS steal a not-quite-dead and very lovesick ancient Egyptian mummy wielding some terrifying magic. Coop, a master thief sort of gone legit, saved the world from an ancient doomsday device—heroism that earned him a gig working for the Department of Peculiar Science, a fearsome top secret government agency that polices the odd and strange. Now Woolrich, Coop’s boss at the DOPS, has Coop breaking into a traveling antiquities show to steal a sarcophagus containing the mummy of a powerful Egyptian wizard named Harkhuf. With the help of his pals Morty, Giselle, and a professor that’s half-cat, half-robotic octopus, Coop pulls off the heist without a hitch. It’s not Coop’s fault that when DOPS opened the sarcophagus they didn’t find the mummy they were expecting. Well, it was the right mummy, but it wasn’t exactly dead—and now it’s escaped, using a type of magic the organization hasn’t encountered before. Being a boss, Woolrich blames his underling for the screw up and wants Coop to find the missing Harkhuf and make it right, pronto. Digging into Harkhuf’s history, Coop thinks the mummy is hunting for an ancient magical manuscript that will help him bring his old lover back to life. Which wouldn’t be so bad if she wasn’t a warrior sorceress hell-bent on conquering the world with her undead armies. Coop would very much like to run from the oncoming chaos. It’s one thing to steal a mummy, but another to have to deal with head-hunting bureaucrats, down-on-their luck fortune tellers, undead mailroom clerks, and a rather unimpressed elephant. Unfortunately, there’s nowhere to run. If he wants the madness to stop, he’s going to have to suck it up and play hero one more time. But if Coop manages to save the world AGAIN, he’s definitely going to want a lot of answers. And a raise. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (February 28th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice. Movie rights have been sold to Fox, with Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games) to star. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Ship Beyond Time (The Girl from Everywhere #2) by Heidi Heilig (February 28th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> The breathtaking sequel to the acclaimed The Girl from Everywhere. Nix has escaped her past, but when the person she loves most is at risk, even the daughter of a time traveler may not be able to outrun her fate—no matter where she goes. Fans of Rae Carson, Alexandra Bracken, and Outlander will fall hard for Heidi Heilig’s sweeping fantasy. Nix has spent her whole life journeying to places both real and imagined aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. And now it’s finally time for her to take the helm. Her father has given up his obsession to save her mother—and possibly erase Nix’s existence—and Nix’s future lies bright before her. Until she learns that she is destined to lose the one she loves. But her relationship with Kash—best friend, thief, charmer extraordinaire—is only just beginning. How can she bear to lose him? How can she bear to become as adrift and alone as her father? Desperate to change her fate, Nix takes her crew to a mythical utopia to meet another Navigator who promises to teach her how to manipulate time. But everything in this utopia is constantly changing, and nothing is what it seems—not even her relationship with Kash. Nix must grapple with whether anyone can escape her destiny, her history, her choices. Heidi Heilig weaves fantasy, history, and romance together to tackle questions of free will, fate, and what it means to love another person. But at the center of this adventure are the extraordinary, multifaceted, and multicultural characters that leap off the page, and an intricate, recognizable world that has no bounds. The sequel—and conclusion—to the indie darling The Girl from Everywhere will be devoured by fans of Rachel Hartman and Maggie Stiefvater. Includes black-and-white maps. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Frogkisser! By Garth Nix (February 28th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> The Last Thing She Needs Is a Prince. The First Thing She Needs Is Some Magic. Poor Princess Anya. Forced to live with her evil stepmother's new husband, her evil stepstepfather. Plagued with an unfortunate ability to break curses with a magic-assisted kiss. And forced to go on the run when her stepstepfather decides to make the kingdom entirely his own. Aided by a loyal talking dog, a boy thief trapped in the body of a newt, and some extraordinarily mischievous wizards, Anya sets off on a Quest that, if she plays it right, will ultimately free her land-and teach her a thing or two about the use of power, the effectiveness of a well-placed pucker, and the finding of friends in places both high and low. With Frogkisser!, acclaimed bestselling author Garth Nix has conjured a fantastical tale for all ages, full of laughs and danger, surprises and delights, and an immense population of frogs. It's 50% fairy tale, 50% fantasy, and 100% pure enjoyment from start to finish. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>One Blood Ruby (Seven Black Diamonds #2) by Melissa Marr (February 28th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Now that Lilywhite Abernathy is the heir to the Hidden Lands, everything is about to change. The Queen of Blood and Rage wants Lily to help broker peace with the human world, but Lily knows that harmony won’t come easily. After decades of waging war on the humans, who cost the queen her firstborn daughter, the fae are struggling to accept Lily, a half-human monarch. And the humans, while no match against faery affinities, will hardly agree to the queen’s détente without resistance. Lily wants to be a fair ruler but fears having to abandon the life she’s known to do so. Now that she and Creed are more than just fellow Black Diamonds—operatives for the queen—her priorities have shifted. But her worries about assuming the throne are derailed when it becomes clear that someone—or some fae—is masterminding violent attacks to discourage peace. In this gripping follow-up to Melissa Marr’s lush Seven Black Diamonds, Lily and her friends are forced to reckon with the truth of their own parentage and to protect one of their own, no matter what—or who—comes between them. <br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><u><b>GAMES</b></u></span> <br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Platform:</u></span></b> Nintendo 3DS<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short: </b></u></span> It’s a 3D port from the Wii U game. Plus, there will be new levels and get to play as Poochy. It looks like Yoshi can team up with a trio of Poochy Pups who will sniff out secrets. I have been looking for a new 3DS game and this little cutie might be it. (February 3rd) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Halo Wars 2</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Platform:</u></span></b> Windows PC, Xbox One<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short: </b></u></span> The real-time strategy game's new multiplayer mode, Blitz, is putting a twist on the genre's core mechanic by having the player focus on deck building and card-based strategy, rather than base building and resource management. The new villain in the single-player campaign, Atriox, along with his assembled a mercenary group, The Banished, plan to get their hands on "the most powerful weapons platform the galaxy has ever seen," Could be fun. (February 21st) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Night in the Woods</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Platform:</u></span></b> PS4, Windows PC, Xbox One<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short: </b></u></span> This single player adventure game has you play a cat named Mae, who recently dropped out of college and has returned to her hometown to find some unexpected changes. It looks fun and cute. (February 21st) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Horizon Zero Dawn</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Platform:</u></span></b> PS4 <br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short: </b></u></span> This looks so so good. While the Rogue is the Monster Hunter in our family, I might soon become one as well. Did I mention it looks beautiful and awesome. (February 28th) <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Torment: Tides of Numenera</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Platform:</u></span></b>PS4, XboxOne, Windows PC <br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short: </b></u></span> Funded on Kickstarter nearly three years ago and inspired by the 1999 RPG Planescape: Torment. The Rogue is also excited about this one. (February 28th) <br />
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-41461481213975941832017-02-04T06:33:00.000-08:002017-02-04T11:43:49.674-08:00THE SINGING BONES - A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNivnq7THxQN1mZAKRGaMiuWVv4RfhISVjc6BNIYziF-HhWhyphenhyphenaXBvUI9SBMAk55g9JIPrYyoPB14mqoSl-oBolLos70NtTADUbVn6PLBy8BkvfPkJeLK4V5Ga-C86EaRlNLmo9wULp3c/s1600/singingbones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNivnq7THxQN1mZAKRGaMiuWVv4RfhISVjc6BNIYziF-HhWhyphenhyphenaXBvUI9SBMAk55g9JIPrYyoPB14mqoSl-oBolLos70NtTADUbVn6PLBy8BkvfPkJeLK4V5Ga-C86EaRlNLmo9wULp3c/s320/singingbones.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
The Singing Bones<br />
Written by: Shaun Tan<br />
Hardcover: 208 pages<br />
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd <br />
Language: English<br />
September 2016 (first published Oct 2015<br />
Genre: Fairytales/Art <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i> A unique and alluring art book showcasing Shaun Tan's extraordinary sculptures based on the timeless and compelling fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. <br /><br />
In this beautifully presented volume, the essence of seventy-five fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm is wonderfully evoked by Shaun Tan's extraordinary sculptures. <br /><br />
Nameless princes, wicked stepsisters, greedy kings, honourable peasants and ruthless witches, tales of love, betrayal, adventure and magical transformation: all inspiration for this stunning gallery of sculptural works. Introduced by Grimm Tales author Philip Pullman and leading fairy tale scholar Jack Zipes, The Singing Bones breathes new life into some of the world's most beloved fairy tales.
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+++++++++++++<br />
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I have said it before, but I will venture to say it again. I love fairytales and folklore. They make me so very happy. I grew up listening to fairytales and legends. I wanted to be part of them. I wanted to visit the worlds and escape into the absurdity of some of them. They were my bedtime stories with my mother. And oh the dreams I had because of them. <br />
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Admittedly, I picked up The Singing Bones without knowing too much about the author. I knew that it was Grimm tales and the cover with the sculpture hooked me right away. How have I not heard of Shaun Tan? Have I been living under a rock? Yes, perhaps. <br />
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Like I said, it astounds me that I have not read any of Shaun Tan’s other works or realized how talented he is. Of course as soon as I was finished with the Singing Bones I remedied that and picked up The Arrival. He has his own unique style and yet one that fits so wonderfully within the worlds of Gaiman and McKean. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u></u></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> The Singing Bones is rather simple. On one page is a snippet of one of the Brothers Grimm fairytales, on the opposite page is a photo of one of Tan’s sculptures. There is no story that ties them all together. And yet each showcases a particular tale and a particular sculpture. I think Neil Gaiman said it best in the foreword that Tan’s sculptures ..”suggest, they do not describe. They imply, they do not delineate. They are, in themselves, stories. Not the frozen moments in time that a classical illustration needs to be. These are something new, something deeper. They do not look like moments of the stories: instead, they feel like the stories themselves.” <br />
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The fairytales themselves are just snippets from the original Grimm tale. For example Rapunzel’s story is just this: “Rapunzel grew to the most beautiful child under the sun. But when she was twelve years old, the sorceress locked her in a tower that was in a forest. It had neither door nor stairs, only a little window high above. Whenever the sorceress wanted to visit her, she would stand below and call out, ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.’” And yet if you look at the sculpture, you know immediately who it is. The sculpture alone holds so much weight. It tells its own story. <br />
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I also really loved that many of the tales are ones that many have probably not heard of. There were even a few obscure ones that I had not yet heard of and then immediately went and read more about (Though there is a lovely glossary at the end of the book that has a small cliff notes version of each of the tales should you need further reference). The Boy Who Left Home To Find Out About Fear and Godfather Death two really great tales by the way. I think that All Fur is my favorite sculpture. So, so gorgeous. I also loved The Little Shroud as well. Seriously these are beautiful pieces. Guh. <br />
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As I said before, each of the sculptures holds its own. Some are instantly recognizable (Rapunzel), while others are not. The figures are uniquely Tan, as I have come to learn as I see more of his works, and read other things he has done. They are quirky. Sometimes so simple, but holding so many stories within (The Little Shroud), and other times more complex in their interpretation of the tale. I really loved them so much. <br />
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<span b="" gt="" style="color: #cc0000;"><u><b>Things I didn’t like so much:</b></u></span> I have nothing here folks. This was one of my favorite reads this year. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. If you like fairytales and art this is perfect for you. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Standalone. <br />
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<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more Shaun Tan please check his others books The Arrival, Lost & Found, and Tales from Outer Suburbia. For more Grimm’s fairytales try Hansel & Gretel by Sybille Schenker, The Complete Grimm’s Fairytales, and Fairytales From the Brothers Grimm Edited by Philip Pullman. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>4 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-8677519345223061182017-01-31T11:55:00.000-08:002017-01-31T11:55:01.629-08:00TUESDAY TRAILERS - WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APESWhen I first saw Caesar I was smitten. Not just as a cute adorable CGI chimp, but an ape who knows more and wants more than what he has. Andy Serkis is once again the most amazing actor you never really see (similar to Doug Jones). I love these films (I am not a huge fan of the original), and while I am excited to see this film I know that ultimately Caesar will probably become a martyr. What do you think? Plans to see it?<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>Summary:</b></u></span> In War for the Planet of the Apes, the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet…Opens July 14th 2017.
Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-81759833800400625472017-01-24T06:54:00.000-08:002017-01-24T06:54:03.080-08:00TUESDAY TRAILERS - KONG: SKULL ISLANDI love King Kong. I have loved most versions of it from original to Peter Jackson. I am also highly intrigued by Skull Island as a whole. Now we get to go on adventures on it with Hiddleston. Yay! Unfortunately Sam Jackson is along for the ride (He’s fine, but lately he just plays various forms of Sam Jackson instead of actual characters) so that is a bit of a meh for me, but he might surprise me. Who knows. Still Hiddleston and Brie Larson, plus Kong (who is awesome and never should have died, cause he’s the best) What do you think? Plans to see it?<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>Summary:</b></u></span> Kong: Skull Island reimagines the origin of the mythic Kong in a compelling, original adventure from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts. In the film, a diverse team of explorers is brought together to venture deep into an uncharted island in the Pacific—as beautiful as it is treacherous—unaware that they’re crossing into the domain of the mythic Kong..…Opens March 10th 2017.
Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-22452242069607302992017-01-17T06:53:00.000-08:002017-01-17T06:53:03.197-08:00TUESDAY TRAILERS - BLADE RUNNER 2049It took me almost 30 years to finally watch Blade Runner all the way through, a nerd travesty I know, and the story was intriguing. It is not perfect, but it made me pick up ‘Do Androids Drink of Electric Sheep’ finally. When I heard they were doing a sequel I was intrigued especially since Harrison Ford was going to be in it (and that changes my theory about the ending of the first film perhaps). It also has Ryan Gosling which I don’t mind seeing in more dramatic roles. Will it be a worthy sequel? Not sure yet, but I think I will want to see it on the big screen. What do you think? Plans to see it?<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>Summary:</b></u></span> Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Blade Runner 2049, starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, with Dave Bautista and Jared Leto.…Opens sometime in 2017.
Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-63647250116683479962017-01-16T06:08:00.000-08:002017-01-16T06:08:03.286-08:00HELLO MONDAY: TRAVEL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTkkk8y1IVCjg0XWRDhaaWVrLnqIKGHC4cVJ2HhwIl3C8_nbnr-fqLEgTaEXlavicWyNR7xIQjQrKjdpyvwXZY3-79L16vrXt3ViuPlwF5eNpxav36bFtRFLk3jHmjBl1DNXBRpCBLaU/s1600/travel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTkkk8y1IVCjg0XWRDhaaWVrLnqIKGHC4cVJ2HhwIl3C8_nbnr-fqLEgTaEXlavicWyNR7xIQjQrKjdpyvwXZY3-79L16vrXt3ViuPlwF5eNpxav36bFtRFLk3jHmjBl1DNXBRpCBLaU/s1600/travel.jpg" /></a></div>
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Sad and yet so true. Happy Monday my friends. Enjoy your week.</div>
Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-42045455777367493422017-01-12T07:53:00.000-08:002017-01-12T07:53:01.020-08:00SHRILL: NOTES FROM A LOUD WOMAN - A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Shrill: Notes From a Loud Woman<br />
Written by: Lindy West<br />
Hardcover: 272<br />
Publisher: Hachette<br />
Language: English<br />
May 2016<br />
Genre: Humor/Memoir <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i> Coming of age in a culture that demands women be as small, quiet, and compliant as possible--like a porcelain dove that will also have sex with you--writer and humorist Lindy West quickly discovered that she was anything but. <br /><br />
From a painfully shy childhood in which she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her big body and even bigger opinions; to her public war with stand-up comedians over rape jokes; to her struggle to convince herself, and then the world, that fat people have value; to her accidental activism and never-ending battle royale with Internet trolls, Lindy narrates her life with a blend of humor and pathos that manages to make a trip to the abortion clinic funny and wring tears out of a story about diarrhea. <br /><br />
With inimitable good humor, vulnerability, and boundless charm, Lindy boldly shares how to survive in a world where not all stories are created equal and not all bodies are treated with equal respect, and how to weather hatred, loneliness, harassment, and loss--and walk away laughing. Shrill provocatively dissects what it means to become self-aware the hard way, to go from wanting to be silent and invisible to earning a living defending the silenced in all caps</i></span><br />
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+++++++++++++<br />
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<i>“Women matter. Women are half of us. When you raise every woman to believe that we are insignificant, that we are broken, that we are sick, that the only cure is starvation and restraint and smallness; when you pit women against one another, keep us shackled by shame and hunger, obsessing over our flaws rather than our power and potential; when you leverage all of that to sap our money and our time—that moves the rudder of the world. It steers humanity toward conservatism and walls and the narrow interests of men, and it keeps us adrift in waters where women’s safety and humanity are secondary to men’s pleasure and convenience.” </i><br />
<br />
The moment I saw that Lindy West was writing a book I was excited. I had heard her on This American Life, confronting the troll that impersonated her dead father, I had read her articles on Jezebel, and I had read about her debates on rape jokes. I like her. She’s funny. She can make you uncomfortable and make you think. Did I mention she makes me smile. After I read her I feel motivated and oddly empowered.<br />
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I read Shrill again after the election and after the holidays. I needed to remember some things, like “You can’t take good care of a thing you hate.” And “We're all building our world, right now, in real time. Let's build it better.” Obviously these things resonate with me on so many levels; on a world we are facing for the next four years, and how cruel we can be to ourselves. <br />
<br />
You probably know Lindy even if you don’t think you do. A few years ago Lindy’s rape joke debates made her famous, but it all took its toll. What should have perhaps sparked discussions instead makes her hate standup comedy now. “My point about rape jokes may have gotten through, but my identity as a funny person – the most important thing in my life – didn’t survive.” That is rough. It also made the trolls come out in full force, to the point where one impersonated her father that had died months before. Her entire being was on display, ridiculed and joked and threatened. She writes about these things and more. She writes about her husband and the death of her father. She also writes about re-watching Garden State, and the outfits in Troop Beverly Hills. She writes about her body, on how she views it and how others view it. In fact her opening chapter begins with the way heavier women are depicted in pop culture and not having too many cool representations when she was growing up. These stories are raw, humorous, and may make you uncomfortable. Maybe that is a good thing. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u></u></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> <i>“Maybe you are thin. You hiked that trail and you are fit and beautiful and wanted and I am so proud of you, I am so in awe of your wiry brightness; and I'm miles behind you, my breathing ragged. But you didn't carry this up the mountain, You only carried yourself. How hard would you breathe if you had to carry me? You couldn't. But I can.”</i> <br />
<br />
Obviously I really like Lindy. I think most women who find so many imperfections in our bodies can relate to some of the things that she writes about. Such as, “The “perfect body” is a lie. I believed in it for a long time, and I let it shape my life, and shrink it—my real life, populated by my real body. Don’t let fiction tell you what to do.” You do not have to be fat or thin for that to resonate. How about this one: “Please don’t forget: I am my body. When my body gets smaller, it is still me. When my body gets bigger, it is still me. There is not a thin woman inside me, awaiting excavation. I am one piece. I am also not a uterus riding around in a meat incubator. There is no substantive difference between the repulsive campaign to separate women’s bodies from their reproductive systems—perpetuating the lie that abortion and birth control are not healthcare—and the repulsive campaign to convince women that they and their body size are separate, alienated entities. Both say ‘Your body is not yours.’ Both demand, ‘Beg for your humanity.’ Both insist, ‘Your autonomy is conditional.’ This is why fat is a feminist issue..” <br />
<br />
As a woman it resonates and lingers. It hits me because I have body image issues like most women in this nation. We are never thin enough or perfect enough. We find worth in the way other people see us or how we want them to see us. We are always searching for perfection. We are mean to ourselves and our bodies. You do not have to be Lindy’s size to have what she writes hit you. It hits me. It hits me the way that sticker says: ‘WARNING: Reflections in this mirror may be distorted by socially constructed ideas of beauty.’ It hits me as I hit the gym for the 4th time in a week and wonder why I can’t be just a little bit thinner, why I need to cover the grey beginning to show in my hairline, and why it is so hard for me to go anywhere without just a little bit of makeup. Lindy’s memoir is more about body image, but they are the ones that linger the most of late. Sexist culture is not going away anytime soon. Especially not with a new President who believes a woman’s worth is based on her looks, that if you are strong and courageous you are a bitch, and god forbid your body is not something he can grab whenever he feels like it. Maybe it’s an echo chamber, but I dig what Lindy writes. I feel uncomfortable and powerful at the same time. <br />
<br />
Her stories are humorous. Sometimes it is acerbic, sometimes it is cutting, but all of it feels real. But I think what I liked about it is that even when she has her biting humor that makes you smile, it also makes you painfully apparent on what all of this has cost her. There are victories and losses within. There is laughter, anger, and even some tears. When she writes about humor and comedy, you can see her conflicting emotions. When she writes about her father, her husband, and just her life in general you can see the vulnerability. You can see the honesty. You can see the rawness of it. <br />
<br />
And you know what she is funny. Still funny. Maybe that is not her only trait that people see now. Now she is many more things. Things she may not have expected to be known for, but is known for in any case. Considering what has gone through for being herself, for being political and outspoken, for being feminist…you name it really, a person could easily become bitter and cold. They could break and shut everything away. But she is not and did not do any of those things. I am not sure where the state of my mental health would be if my inbox was constantly flooded with rape threats. It is why I try not to be political on my blog. I don’t want to go through what she went through. Ever. Does that make me weak. Yeah, a bit perhaps. And it also makes me sad. Sad that I cannot express those thoughts and feelings and fears without worrying about repercussions. Lindy did express all of that. I don’t know if I am that strong. Strong in other ways perhaps, but maybe not in that way. <br />
<br />
She does say that: “This is the only advice I can offer. Each time something like this happens, take a breath and ask yourself, honestly: Am I dead? Did I die? Is the world different? Has my soul splintered into a thousand shards and scattered to the winds? I think you’ll find, in nearly every case, that you are fine. Life rolls on. No one cares. Very few things—apart from death and crime—have real, irreversible stakes, and when something with real stakes happens, humiliation is the least of your worries.” <br />
<br />
I appreciate her honesty and for writing this book. I laughed, I cried, and I even wanted to punch things. I felt uncomfortable. I pondered if I was a good or bad feminist. I found new appreciation for the body I live in. All of these are good things. It’s been a long time since a book made me do that.<br />
<br />
Her quotes will linger with me. I even have one above my desk, just for a reminder.
<i> “The breadth of my shoulders makes me feel safe. I am unassailable. I intimidate. I am a polar icebreaker. I walk and climb and life things, I can open your jar, I can absorb blows—literal and metaphorical—meant for other women, smaller women, breakable women, women who need me. My bones feel like iron—heavy, but strong.” </i> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> Some may have read many of the stories in here if you are an avid Lindy fan. And yet why wouldn’t you want to have this in your library. <br />
<br />
Sometimes the humor isn’t always my style. Sometimes she is a little too in your face. She made me uncomfortable, but like I said maybe this is a good thing. It made me think. This is always a good thing. <br />
<br />
Yeah, that is all I have got. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. Or at least pick it up from the library. I would be interested in your thoughts. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Standalone. <br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more feminist and/or memoir books try: Sex Object by Jessica Valenti, pretty much anything by Roxane Gay, The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley, and You Can’t Touch my Hair by Phoebe Robinson.<br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>4 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-76198978318986690462017-01-10T06:51:00.000-08:002017-01-10T06:51:02.096-08:00TUESDAY TRAILERS - THE MUMMYI love the classic Universal Monster films. They were part of my childhood and as a horror film they have always been part of my life. Of course there have been many versions of The Mummy, most recently Stephen Somers versions from 17 years ago, which I love to little bitty pieces (Patience is a virtue. Not right now it isnt…I am a librarian) This looks to try and capture the horror bit of the Mummy and stars Tom Cruise whose films we tend to watch even though he might be complete nutter. It llooks good and the perfect summer flick. What do you think? Plans to see it?<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>Summary:</b></u></span> Tom Cruise headlines a spectacular, all-new cinematic version of the legend that has fascinated cultures all over the world since the dawn of civilization: The Mummy. Thought safely entombed in a tomb deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient princess (Sofia Boutella of Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension. From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, The Mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters. Cruise is joined by a cast including Annabelle Wallis (upcoming King Arthur, television’s Peaky Blinders), Jake Johnson (Jurassic World), Courtney B. Vance (TV’s American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson) and Oscar® winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator).…Opens June 9th, 2017.
Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-10897086495599569802017-01-09T07:59:00.000-08:002017-01-09T07:59:01.024-08:00HAPPY MONDAY PEOPLE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Enjoy the week!</div>
Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-34254711254956766372017-01-09T07:50:00.000-08:002017-01-09T07:50:01.793-08:00HOUSEBROKEN - ADMISSIONS OF AN UNTIDY LIFE: A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Housebroken: Admissions of an Untidy Life<br />
Written by: Laurie Notaro<br />
Paperback: 288 pages<br />
Publisher: Ballatine Books<br />
Language: English<br />
July 2016<br />
Genre: Humor/Memoir <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i> #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurie Notaro isn’t exactly a domestic goddess—unless that means she fully embraces her genetic hoarding predisposition, sneaks peeks at her husband’s daily journal, or has made a list of the people she wants on her Apocalypse Survival team (her husband’s not on it). <br /><br />
Inspired by Victorian household manuals, Notaro chronicles her chronic misfortune in the domestic arts, including cooking, cleaning, and putting on Spanx while sweaty (which should technically qualify as an Olympic sport). <br /><br />
Housebroken is a rollicking new collection of essays showcasing her irreverent wit and inability to feel shame. From defying nature in the quest to making her own Twinkies, to begging her new neighbors not to become urban livestock keepers, to teaching her eight-year-old nephew about hobos, Notaro recounts her best efforts—and hilarious failures—in keeping a household inches away from being condemned. After all, home wasn’t built in a day. </i></span><br />
<br />
+++++++++++++<br />
<br />
<i>“I’m not really a good housekeeper. It is what it is. I work a lot. I haven’t cleaned my house in five years and it looks like a hobo lives here, minus the shopping cart.” </i><br />
<br />
Laurie Notaro makes me smile and laugh out loud when I read her books. She is extremely relatable and I think we’d get along famously. Housebroken is the 8th book I have read by her and she still tells us all about her fabulous misadventures. I also still smile. <br />
<br />
These are her adventures of being unfriended by family on social media, of suburban chicken coops, living an untidy life, piles of to be read books, Kiss Cam incidents, sewing dresses for friends, and making cheese and twinkies. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u></u></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>My thoughts: </u></b></span> Like many of her other books these are short stories of her life. My favorite story was her reflections after reading ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’. “But when I got to the part where she talks about throwing away books that haven’t been read, I had had enough and closed the book. Those words are nothing short than the rantings of a lunatic. Madness…Tossing books you’ve never read is not just a sin, it’s a crime, one worthy of capital punishment. Frankly, if I walk into your house and you don’t have 200 books in there somewhere that you haven’t read yet, I don’t trust you.” My thoughts exactly. <br />
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She makes the most mundane things funny. I like that. Sometimes the stories fell a little flat for me, almost like she was trying a bit too hard to be funny and witty. But the majority of the stories made me smile. It’s not the strongest collection of stories (I like earlier ones a bit more), but this one even has recipes like those of her Nans (Meatballs and Vodka Sauce). <br />
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Also, Eugene, Oregon may be odd, but I kind of really want to go and visit there now. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. Or at least pick it up from the library. It will make you smile.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Standalone. <br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> You might also like memoirs from Jenny Lawson, Sloane Crosley, and Sara Barron. I am also a big fan of Self Inflicted Wounds by Aisha Tyler, Bossypants by Tina Fey, and Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me by Mindy Kaling. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>3.25 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-227307829933313522017-01-06T17:11:00.000-08:002017-01-08T20:00:30.797-08:00A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES: A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)<br />
Written by: Sarah J Maas<br />
Hardcover: 416 pages<br />
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens<br />
Language: English<br />
May 2015<br />
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Series <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i> When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. <br /><br />
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever. </i></span><br />
<br />
+++++++++++++<br />
<br />
<i>“I came to claim the one I love.“</i><br />
<br />
I love fairytales. They are the stories my mom told me when I was a child. She also told me stories about the Tuatha, of selkies, and Tamlin. My childhood was filled with faeries, elves, and bogies. It was also filled with Grimm fairytales and others like it. We went old school. Imagine my disappointment at Disney’s Little Mermaid when she didn’t turn into sea foam at the end. Happy endings? Pft. <br />
<br />
I also love retellings of classic fairytales and myths. After reading Throne of Glass and enjoying it, I heard that Maas was doing a Beauty and the Beast/Tamlin retelling with the fey. While the retelling of Cinderella slightly disappointed me (I wanted more bad ass assassin and less ‘oh look dresses’) I still think that Maas has the potential to be a new favorite author. Did I mention I love fairytales? I did, did I? They make me happy, especially Beauty and the Beast (Robin McKinley’s Beauty was and still is one of my favorite books). <br />
<br />
Once upon a time Feyre lived a fairytale, but then her mother died, and her father lost their fortune. Now 19 year old Feyre does what she has to do in order to survive. Even though her family vastly underappreciates her, Feyre will still try to move the stars for them. It was a promise she made to her mother and one she intends to keep. But prey is getting scarce, so she hunts closer and closer to the border between the human lands and the Prythian lands of the powerful and immortal fey. <br />
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When she kills a wolf, her life is forever changed. The wolf was no ordinary wolf and now Feyre has a very large debt she must pay, thus the Beast like creature demands of her one night soon after. She can Forfeit her life and thus her family (as they cannot fend for themselves). Or she can spend her life in the fey lands of Prythian with the mysterious Tamlin, never to return. There is only one option for her to choose. <br />
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Feyre leaves her family behind and becomes part of the household to Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court, and a shapeshifter. But there are secrets within the walls of the manor. Feyre, unknowingly becomes part of a game and there are far more players on this chess board then she is aware of. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u></u></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> Feyre is a great character. She is strong, independent, and will do anything to save those she loves. She is also incredibly flawed. She makes mistakes and makes decisions that leave you shaking your head. She also takes risks, even though consequences may be dire. She knows she has to do it because no one else will. It all makes her a well-rounded character. She feels real. I like her. I empathize with her. <br />
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Tamlin is great as well. He is not the perfect man. He, too, is flawed. But is also sweet, complex, loyal, strong, and let’s face it…hot. He is very much the Beast in the fairytale, but in the ways that I wanted. I loved watching him soften, watching him fall in love. Of course, I loved watching his relationship with Feyre blossom. And whoa the heat. Was not expecting that and I liked it. <br />
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My favorite character, however, is Lucien. I love him to itty bitty pieces. Lucien is cheeky and snarky. Of course I find him adorable. His verbal sparring with Feyre just makes me smile. <br />
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There are some recognizable Beauty and the Beast themes. We have a curse (masks instead of being turned into furniture, or beasts, or willow the wisps), she has to save her family, she needs to choose what is important to her (her old life or her new one). So , yes at the core, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It is also much, much more. It is different, not as predictable as I thought it was going to be, and I really enjoyed it. I will say the mask curse is a bit silly because masks are sexy. Having them be stuck in beast form seems more fitting, but I will let it slide. <br />
<br />
Ooh and I loved the challenges, Tasks to prove her love and worth. She is Princess Charming in this case and I love that reversal in roles. Makes me happy and these are some great scenes. <br />
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Of course I loved Prythian and the various Courts. I look forward to getting to know each of them as the series continues. Overall, this was a nice mix of fairytale, adventure, and romance. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> I don’t like Rhysand which may be an unpopular opinion. Here is why. Rhysand does horrible things, things that made me cringe. And yet he is painted as the handsome rogue, the tarnished knight, and the bad boy with the heart of gold. Of course there is a love triangle. Sigh. What he did to Feyre was a violation. She did not want any of it. It wasn’t right. I don’t care how it is painted. Please don’t make her choose him. I feel like Feyre and Tamlin are too good to be true, that she went through too much under the Mountain and she has come out not just fey, but different. Please let her choose no one. Let her discover who she is first, this new person, this new thing. Do not let her story be dictated by the men in her life. Pretty please.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. Or at least pick it up from the library. I went and bought the second one after I finished reading this if that is any indication. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Ongoing series. <br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more Sarah J Maas try her Throne of Glass series. For more fairytales try Beauty by Robin McKinley, Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi, The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier, and Snow White, Blood Red edited by Ellen Datlow. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>4 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-8680085271990261682017-01-04T06:47:00.000-08:002017-01-08T20:01:24.719-08:00AND THE TREES CREPT IN: A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And the Trees Crept In<br />
Written by: Dawn Kurtagich<br />
Hardcover: 352 pages<br />
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers<br />
Language: English<br />
September 2016<br />
Genre: Young Adult/Horror <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i> A stunning, terrifying novel about a house the color of blood and the two sisters who are trapped there, by The Dead House author Dawn Kurtagich <br /><br />
When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt's home, it's immediately clear that the "blood manor" is cursed. The creaking of the house and the stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too--the questions that Silla can't ignore: Who is the beautiful boy that's appeared from the woods? Who is the man that her little sister sees, but no one else? And why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer? <br /><br />
Filled with just as many twists and turns as The Dead House, and with achingly beautiful, chilling language that delivers haunting scenes, AND THE TREES CREPT IN is the perfect follow-up novel for master horror writer Dawn Kurtagich. </i></span><br />
<br />
+++++++++++++<br />
<br />
<i>“At least with my father, the danger was out in the open. I knew what to expect. But Auntie Cath is a different kind of dark altogether. The worst kind. The kind made from love.”</i><br />
<br />
Most of you may know that I am a big horror film, much to the Rogue’s dismay. I grew up watching Hammer films and fell in love with Argento. I was the girl who watched the slasher flicks, always had a King, Barker, or Koontz book in hand and could not wait for Halloween (haunted houses for the win). I was looking for something spooky to read for October. The cover looked delicious (though less creepy than the Creeper Man version of the book) and I thought I would give it a go. <br />
<br />
In the middle of the night Silla runs away with her little sister Nori. Escaping from their abusive father, they arrive at their Aunt Cath’s home hoping for refuge. La Baume, the Blood Manor, is where her mother and her sisters grew up. It sounds like the prefect sanctuary, tucked far into the woods, and far away from London and all of the dangers that the city still holds. Only Aunt Cath is left, but she welcomes them with open arms. For a time, Silla and Nori laugh and smile again. They are safe. <br />
<br />
There are few rules other than ‘Do not go into Python Woods alone’. Keep Nori safe from the ‘Creeper Man’. Eventually, whispers of war reach their little haven. La Baume is off the grid and they are isolated by the woods so they should be okay. But then the food begins to run out and the garden begins to die. Everyone from the nearby village on the other side of the woods flees until they are truly all alone. Nori has a new friend only she can see. And dear Aunt Cath slowly loses her warmth and her sanity until one day she retreats to her room upstairs and never comes back down. <br />
<br />
La Baume is no longer the magical sanctuary that Silla thought it was. It has become a cursed prison. The woods are no longer enchanted. Something lurks within them, keeps them trapped. The Creeper Man will not let them leave. Now, ever so slowly, the woods have crept closer and closer to their home. Soon the Creeper Man will be upon them. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u></u></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> Silla is an interesting character. She tries so hard and is willing to do anything to protect and save her little sister. I thought the author had a clever way of showing how much Silla’s mind is deteriorating. The little notes, the changes in font, and the visual craziness. You can feel her fear, her anger, and perhaps even a bit of her crazy. However, sometimes the disjointed writing style was a little too jarring. Like I said, I appreciate using varied fonts, design, and such to show Silla’s descent into madness, but at times there was too much. It felt contrived and forced. I am curious about the audio version of the book. Anyone listen to it? I wonder how they managed those bits. <br />
<br />
The Blood Manor is a great secondary character. I saw the bright kitchen begin to deteriorate, the dust begin to build up, the shelves begin to empty and the mold to set in. I saw the house’s long hallways, heard its creaks, and imagined how something so inviting could turn so imposing. I watched it fall and it was so sad. Also snakes in the toilet. Ewww! <br />
<br />
Its creepy, but not horrific. But I think this is a good thing. It’s more of the creeping psychological horror rather than a boogey man story. This means it is a slow burn with the story. It’s a good read (enough that I have Dead House on order), but not fantastic. There was something missing for me that made it truly great. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> At times the novel is bit convoluted at times and confusing as well. The whole premise of WWIII about to arrive, the reasons for the full isolation is never fully realized. So I asked a lot of questions that never really get any answers, or save the big plot holes. There were times when I was genuinely confused on how much time had passed, why they hadn’t ventured into the neighboring village sooner, etc. Perhaps that was the point. Silla did not seem to know and perhaps we were supposed to get sucked up into her confusion and madness. <br />
<br />
While I liked the ending, I almost needed a movie flashback to when the end really happened. I needed a The Others moment and I didn’t quite get that. Like I said the book was good, a nice quick disturbing little read, but I wanted a bit more than what I got. Still, this was my first taste of Dawn Kurtagich and I would like to read more of her work. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. Or at least pick it up from the library. An interesting concept and executed fairly well. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Standalone. <br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more young adult horror try the following: The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics, The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry, Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick, The Book of Blood and Shadow by robin Wasserman, or any early stuff by Christopher Pike. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>3 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-15435120163589317332017-01-03T06:50:00.000-08:002017-01-03T06:50:07.001-08:00TUESDAY TRAILERS - JOHN WICK 2When the first John Wick film came out we did so without really knowing what it was about. It was Valentine’s Day and I would rather see an action flick than a romance flick. And we absolutely loved it. Apparently all former stuntmen should write and direct action films. It was funny, the fight scenes were spot on, and after the first ten minutes I really, really wanted mayhem to befall the bad guys. It looks like more of the same, including the fabulous Winston and we are very, very excited. What do you think? Plans to see it?<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>Summary:</b></u></span> In this next chapter following the 2014 hit, legendary hitman John Wick [Keanu Reeves] is forced back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers…Opens February 10th, 2017.
Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-80942515302965697272017-01-03T06:31:00.000-08:002017-01-03T13:14:35.402-08:00DOCTOR STRANGE V.1 - A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doctor Strange (2015) Volume 1: The Way of the Weird<br />
Written by: Jason Aaron<br />
Illustrated by: Chris Bachalo<br />
Hardcover: 136 pages<br />
Publisher: Marvel<br />
Language: English<br />
May 2016<br />
Genre: Comic/Graphic Novel <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i> Only Doctor Strange can protect our world from the darkness beyond -- now, witness the full toll that constant struggle takes on Earth's Sorcerer Supreme! Every spell cast comes at a cost, but what happens when Strange falls behind on his tab? Find out as the good doctor wakes up somewhere very odd, nearly naked -- with no spell books, no weapons and no memory of how he got there...or why all the monsters are chasing him! And as a new visitor to Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum learns one wrong door can lead to oblivion, a magic circle of Strange's friends and allies are about to face their greatest threat. Dark forces are destroying everything mystical in the multiverse, and their sights are set on this dimension. Magic's days are numbered, and Doctor Strange is not ready! <br /><br />
Collecting DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #1-5. </i></span><br />
<br />
+++++++++++++<br />
<br />
<i>“Who do you call when things are coming out of your dreams and trying to kill you? Or when your daughter is cursing in Latin and walking like a spider? Or when your dog keeps screaming at you to strangle your neighbors? Doctor Strange, of course. “</i><br />
<br />
There are still a few Marvel characters I do not know very well despite being the Marvel fangirl that I am. One of them is Doctor Strange. Sure I know the basics and what I have gleaned from his appearances in other series, but I figured I should read what’s new in comics before I went and saw the film (as a refresher course). Jason Aaron’s new series seemed like a good start especially when the first trade came out this summer. <br />
<br />
The volume begins with a page of faded Silver Age panels giving the cliff notes version of how Doctor Strange came to be. It’s a quick origin story and that’s all you really need to know. But here is a more modern Strange and one I think I am going to like. I also pictured Strange as having a similar personality to Stark, kind of an ass, ego completely unchecked, but a hero in the end. Here, he is boyish and charming. Ego is still there, but I find him endearing. <br />
<br />
<i>‘My name is Stephen Strange and this is a normal Tuesday for me.’</i> And by normal we are talking about giant teddy bears for the win. Oh and monsters. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> Whoa Nelly, that art. I loved it. From the first splash page to the colors and how the Sanctum is depicted…loved it so much. Those opening pages set the tone for the rest of the volume and I hope the series. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and full of weird magic. Just how I like it. This was not the Stephen Strange I was expecting and I am so giddy that I was wrong. <br />
<br />
Like I said Doctor Strange still has his ego and his arrogance shows through at times, but he also is shades of aloofness and kind of Harry Dresden when I think about it. He’s funny. He has quips. He understands that though extremely powerful as the Sorcerer Supreme, that power comes with a high price. He’s acerbic and has ulcers the size of subway rats. Above all he is the hero in the story. You see it with his payment on the kid’s life at the beginning, how he helps our new librarian friend, and how much he truly cares about this world. <br />
<br />
I loved the Bar with no doors, sitting with Doctor Voodoo, Scarlet Witch and Shaman. I loved ‘‘Do not talk to the snakes.’ ‘Hey girl, what’s up?’ ‘What’s your hurry?’ (Can we revisit the snakes again in another issue). I loved the trippiness of the monsters. Yeah I just kind of loved it all. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> It ends on a cliffhanger. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. Or at least pick it up from the library. A great place to begin I think with Doctor Strange. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Ongoing series. <br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more Jason Aaron try his run with Thor (The Goddess of Thunder), Scalped, or Original Sin. For more Doctor Strange see how J Michael Straczynski did with Doctor Strange: Beginnings and Endings. For some more magic tinged comics give Black Magick by Greg Rucka a shot or maybe Monstress by Marjorie Liu. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>4 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-20543452385837749122017-01-02T11:29:00.000-08:002017-01-02T11:29:57.083-08:00FRESH ROMANCE: A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fresh Romance<br />
Written by: Sarah Kuhn, Kate Leth, Sarah Vaughn, and more<br />
Paperback: 224 pages<br />
Publisher: Oni Press<br />
Language: English<br />
August 2016<br />
Genre: Comic/Graphic Novel <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i> The critically-acclaimed anthology FRESH ROMANCE is finally available in print! Have you been wondering what the fuss is all about? FRESH ROMANCE is an exciting collection of romance comics from some of comics most talented creators, including Kate Leth, Arielle Jovellanos, Sarah Vaughn, Sarah Winifred Searle, Sarah Kuhn, Marguerite Bennett, and Trungles. From unhappy historical marriages to covert teenage romances, there's something for everyone in FRESH ROMANCE." </i></span><br />
<br />
+++++++++++++<br />
<br />
I am a sucker for a good romance. Case in point as I have just finished both Fresh Romance and The Secret Loves of Geek Girls. Nerd love for the win. I did pick up Fresh Romance largely for Kate Leth, but was drawn to some of the artwork I had seen through other bibliophile friends. Plus love. Mushy mushy happy love. While I may not always seem like the die-hard romantic, I am. As I said I am a sucker for a good romance. When I managed my movie store many years ago I fell in love with the romance manga. Titles likes Mars made me very happy on my lunchbreaks. It seems that Romance comics are making a comeback. I look forward to reading more. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>The stories: </u></b></span><br />
<b><i>School Spirit // Kate Leth and Arielle Jovellanos</i></b><br />
A great little story with two pairs of star crossed lovers. One set is about a witch who isn’t allowed to date mortals but she fell for one. The other is a pair of lovely women with homophobic parents. Oh and the school dance is the backdrop. They are all friends with one another and try to help keep both their secrets safe. I loved the character designs and I enjoyed the overall story, but strangely this was not my favorite of the anthology. I still liked how fun this was. Seriously, the artwork is great and overall I thought it was a nice way to open the anthology. <br />
<br />
<b><i> Ruined // Sarah Vaughn and Sarah Winifred Searle </i></b><br />
Okay this was my jam. A Regency story about a marriage of convenience that neither party particularly wanted. She is a Ruined woman and he needs her dowry. And yet perhaps it is turning into something more. It is a slow burn story and an incomplete story which is frustrating as I wanted more. I found it beautiful and wonderful. Did I mention I want more. Please. <br />
<br />
<b><i> Ruby Equation // Sarah Kuhn and Sally Jane Thompson </i></b><br />
A multi-dimensional being is tasked at playing Cupid here on Earth. In order to move on she has to make a non-believer of love fall in love. This one was a bit predictable, but it had a lot of energy and was fun. For me this was the weakest of the stories but it works well in this first volume of Fresh Romance. <br />
<br />
<b><i> Beauties // Marguerite Bennett and Trungles </i></b><br />
Absolutely gorgeous retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The artwork is exquisite and the story…le sigh. It is lyrical, stylized, and I loved every bit of it. The prose is magnificent and I ate up every bit of it. It is sugary loveliness, a fairytale that a die-hard mushy romantic like myself loves to read and watch. Between this and Marguerite’s entry in the Secret Loves of Geek Girls I am now a very big fan and will seek out more. <br />
<br />
<b><i> First, Last & Always // by Kieron Gillen and Christine Norrie </i></b><br />
The shortest of the stories it is about a young woman who feels her last kiss with someone when she has their first kiss. Love the artwork and of course love the story. It’s not long enough to have any real impact, but it is a nice little Le Fin. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. Buy. Buy. Or at least pick it up from the library. I would like to hear what you thought about it. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Hopefully the first volume of many more to come. <br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more nerdy romance give The Secret Loves of Geek Girls a chance. I would also recommend the following comics: Giant Days, Pride and Prejudice comic adaptation by Nancy Butler (se does other Austen stories as well), and Awkward and Definition by Ariel Schrag. For some adult comics try Oh Joy, Sex Toy and Rent Girl. <br />
<br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>3.5 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-72893521086797825352017-01-01T16:18:00.000-08:002017-01-01T16:18:24.027-08:00WATCH/READ/PLAY: JANUARY 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year everyone. 2016 was a difficult year, but I am going to be optimistic about this year. There are plenty of new books, shows, movies, and games for me to play, so that cannot be all that bad. January is a fun month for me most of the time. It is the beginning of resolutions, and new beginnings. Fresh starts and new adventures. Let’s begin shall we. Did I miss something? Let me know. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><u><b>FILM & TV</b></u></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Conviction moves to a new night</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> ABC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The Rogue and I have been enjoying Hayley Atwell’s new gig after Agent Carter was cancelled. Of course because I like it there will be no second season. So I have to be content with watching these last few episodes. (January 1st) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Sherlock Fourth Season Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> PBS<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Sherlock returns with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Toby Jones is the new villain (we’ve been watching him in the Detectorists which is really sweet by the way) and I look forward to more mysteries with them. (January 1st) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Beyond Series Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> FREEFORM<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> A young man awakens from a 12-year coma with special powers in this sci-fi thriller produced by Tim Kring (Heroes). New episodes will air weekly on Freeform (starting with tonight's 2-hour premiere), but all 10 episodes will be available immediately on demand and on Hulu beginning after the premiere. (January 2nd) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Bones Final Season Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> FOX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> It’s been a while since I have watched Bones, but I have a few friends that are both excited and slightly dismayed about the final season. (January 3rd) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Portlandia Seventh Season Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> FREEFORM<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Season 7 giest stars include Abbi Jackson, Andy Richter, Rachel Dratch and Laurie Metcalf plus some returning regulars like Kyle MacLachlan and Kumail Nanjiani. (January 5th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Emerald City Series Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> NBC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> This Wizard of the Oz reboot not only has Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) directing all ten episodes, but also has Kelly Sue DeConnick (Bitch Planet, Pretty Deadly) on the writing team which makes me very excited about this show. Plus Dorothy isn’t a kid anymore and Toto is a police dog. I think it looks pretty great and I will be giving it a go. (January 6th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Grimm Final Season Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> NBC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Thus begins the series final 13 episode season. We haven’t watched it all yet, but it is in our queue. (January 6th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Underworld: Blood Wars</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b> Action/Horror<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, and Tobias Menzies<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Selene has resurfaced yet again as she fights to end the battle between the Lycans and The Vampires once and for all. (January 6th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>A Monster Calls</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b> Drama/Fantasy<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Lewis MacDougall, Liam Neeson<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> This looks amazing and utterly heartbreaking at the same time. It tells the story of a young boy who seeks the help of a tree monster to help cope with the fact that his single parent mother is dying of a terminal illness. Lord knows I wish I had a monster to call when life gives me the suck in spades. (January 6th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>74th Golden Globe Awards</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> NBC<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Jimmy Fallon hosts this year. Award Season has officially begun. (January 8th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Taboo Series Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> FX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Tom Hardy stars in this 8 episode series about a revenge-seeking adventurer set in the early 1800s. It also stars Jonathan Pryce, Franka Potente, and Michael Kelly. I am a sucker for conspiracy thrillers and Tom Hardy. (January 10th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events Series Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> NETFLIX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Patrick Warburton, Neil Patrick Harris, Malina Weissman, Joan Cusack, and Aasif Mandvi star in this eight-episode adaptation of Daniel Handler's popular books. Handler himself is writing the series (which will cover the first four books in this first season), with Barry Sonnenfeld directing. So excited. (January 13th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Victoria Series Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> PBS<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Victoria, starring Jenna Coleman and Rufus Sewell, follows the Queen of the same name during her first three years on the throne, beginning when she was just 18. (January 15th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Young Pope Series Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> HBO<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Billed as a miniseries (though a second season is unofficially in pre-production), this 10-episode drama from acclaimed director Paolo Sorrentino (Youth, The Great Beauty) stars Jude Law as the (fictitious) first American-born Pope in history. (January 15th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>xXx: Return of Xander Cage</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b> Action/Adventure<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The Rogue is excited to see Xander Cage back in action with his over the top antics. In this outing he has been left for dead, though secretly returns to action for more impossible feats. I think this is why the Rogue likes him. Plus Donnie Yen, so… (January 20th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Split</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b> Horror/Thriller<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Anya Taylor-Joy, James McAvoy<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> I love James McAvoy and have since he was in the Children of Dune series many moons ago. I think he is insanely talented and I look forward to his myriad of personalities. I am also an M. Night fan (though not recently) and am one of those rare individuals that actually liked the Village and Lady in the Water. I hope this is M. Night returning to what I love about him. (January 20th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Red Turtle</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b> Animation/Fantasy<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> This dialogue-less film follows the major life stages of a castaway on a deserted tropical island populated by turtles, crabs, and birds. It looks beautiful, though with my luck will not play anywhere near here. (January 20th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Frontier Series Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> NETFLIX<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Jason Momoa stars in this series that chronicles the North American fur trade in the 1700’s. So while we wait for more Aquaman, try this series which has already been renewed for a second season. (January 20th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Beaches Movie Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> LIFETIME<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Lifetime's remake of the 1988 Bette Midler film stars Idina Menzel and Nia Long and is directed by Allison Anders. Will there be a new version of "Wind Beneath My Wings"? Count on it. Also make sure you have your tissues ready. (January 21st) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Magicians Second Season Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> SYFY<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The Rogue and I just starting watching this during the Holiday season since the first season became available on Netflix. If you still carry cable, check out the second season. (January 25th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Riverdale Series Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> CW<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> The latest CW comic book series comes without a single superhero; the source material here is the 75-year-old Archie Comics series. Greg Berlanti's latest drama aims to present a "surprising and subversive take" on Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and the rest of the gang from Riverdale, emphasizing the "surrealism" and "darkness" of small-town life. Producers call it a "teenage Twin Peaks," and, like that show, it attempts to blend murder mystery with high school romance and other elements. Not sure how I feel about it, but I know I will probably give it a try. (January 26th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Resident Evil: The Final Chapter</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Genre:</u></span></b> Horror/Action<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Stars:</u></span></b>Ruby Rose, Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Picking up immediately after the events in Resident Evil: Retribution, Alice (Milla Jovovich) is the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity's final stand against the undead. Now, she must return to where the nightmare began - The Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse. (January 27th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Z: The Beginning of Everything Season Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> AMAZON<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> This Amazon original stars Christina Ricci as Zelda Fitzgerald. Could be interesting. (January 27th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Planet Earth II Premiere</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Channel:</u></span></b> BBC AMERICA<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>In short:</u></b></span> Yay more animals and more David Attenborough. (January 28th) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><u><b>BOOKS</b></u></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Book Jumper by Mechthild Glaser (January 3rd) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Amy Lennox doesn't know quite what to expect when she and her mother pick up and leave Germany for Scotland, heading to her mother's childhood home of Lennox House on the island of Stormsay. Amy's grandmother, Lady Mairead, insists that Amy must read while she resides at Lennox House—but not in the usual way. It turns out that Amy is a book jumper, able to leap into a story and interact with the world inside. As thrilling as Amy's new power is, it also brings danger—someone is stealing from the books she visits, and that person may be after her life. Teaming up with fellow book jumper Will, Amy vows to get to the bottom of the thefts—at whatever the cost. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner and Other Stories by Terry Pratchett (January 3rd) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Do you believe in magic? Can you imagine a war between wizards? An exciting journey in an airship or down in a submarine? Would you like to meet the fastest truncheon in the Wild West? The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner is the second fabulously funny short-story collection from the late acclaimed storyteller Terry Pratchett. A follow-up to Dragons at Crumbling Castle, this second batch of storytelling gems features stories written when Sir Terry was just seventeen years old and working as a junior reporter. In these pages, new Pratchett fans will find wonder, mayhem, sorcery, and delight—and loyal readers will recognize the seeds of ideas that went on to influence his most beloved tales later in life. As Neil Gaiman says, “a Terry Pratchett book is a small miracle”—and The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner proves to be another miracle taking its place alongside Pratchett’s astounding and cherished body of work. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Windwitch (The Witchlands #2) by Susan Dennard (January 10th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies… After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed. When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first? After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Frostblood by Elly Blake (January 10th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a fireblood who must hide her powers of heat and flame from the cruel frostblood ruling class that wants to destroy all that are left of her kind. So when her mother is killed for protecting her and rebel frostbloods demand her help to kill their rampaging king, she agrees. But Ruby's powers are unpredictable, and she's not sure she's willing to let the rebels and an infuriating (yet irresistible) young man called Arcus use her as their weapon. All she wants is revenge, but before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to take part in the king's tournaments that pit fireblood prisoners against frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her and from the icy young man she has come to love. Fast-paced and compelling, Frostblood is the first in a page-turning new young adult three-book series about a world where flame and ice are mortal enemies—but together create a power that could change everything. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth (January 17th) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not—their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world? Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows. Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuvhe, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive—or to destroy one another. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Caraval by Stephanie Garber (January 31st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . . Welcome, welcome to Caraval—Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game. Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over. But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Wires and Nerve, Vol 1 by Marissa Meyer (January 31st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> In her first graphic novel, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestseller Marissa Meyer follows Iko, the beloved android from the Lunar Chronicles, on a dangerous and romantic new adventure -- with a little help from Cinder and the Lunar team. In her first graphic novel, bestselling author Marissa Meyer extends the world of the Lunar Chronicles with a brand-new, action-packed story about Iko, the android with a heart of (mechanized) gold. When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers' leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the bestselling series. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Bitch Planet V. 2: President Bitch by Kelly Sue DeConnick (January 31st) </b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short:</b></u></span> Eisner Award-nominated writer KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) and VALENTINE DE LANDRO (X-Factor) follow up on the success of EXTRAORDINARY MACHINE with the second installment of their highly acclaimed and fiercely unapologetic BITCH PLANET. A few years down the road in the wrong direction, a woman's failure to comply with her patriarchal overlords results in exile to the meanest penal planet in the galaxy. But what happened on Earth that this new world order came to pass in the first place? Return to the grim corridors of Auxiliary Compliance Outpost #2, to uncover the first clues to the history of the world as we know it…and meet PRESIDENT BITCH. This volume collects issues #6-10, a reader discussion guide and additional bonus materials. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><u><b>GAMES</b></u></span> <br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><b>Resident Evil 7: Biohazard</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Platform:</u></span></b> PS4, Windows PC, Xbox One<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><u><b>In short: </b></u></span> It’s first person perspective this time, but with familiar Resident Evil Gameplay such as green herbs. Could be fun. (January 24th) <br />
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-50150658924372083302016-12-22T17:14:00.000-08:002017-01-06T17:14:44.283-08:00CHOOSE YOUR OWN MISERY - HOLIDAYS: A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKR_xFcOsciwOURNBiPZWxrcMFW0mUaKr4U6X4ZLRwWblIsFYsMmhxNZ9IleGgP_NzZPIZqdlg8KcLNSwNAyzD7Vi44_Wm1iHjpgc3Ix68iSwedlPWdRqlqqvMJqhHqosgreQLN5Uz4I/s1600/holidays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKR_xFcOsciwOURNBiPZWxrcMFW0mUaKr4U6X4ZLRwWblIsFYsMmhxNZ9IleGgP_NzZPIZqdlg8KcLNSwNAyzD7Vi44_Wm1iHjpgc3Ix68iSwedlPWdRqlqqvMJqhHqosgreQLN5Uz4I/s320/holidays.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
Choose your Own Misery: The Holidays<br />
Written by: Mike MacDonald<br />
Kindle version: 362 pages<br />
Publisher: Diversion Publishing<br />
Language: English<br />
October 2016<br />
Genre: Humor/Holiday <br />
Thank you to Diversion Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC<br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i> From "The Onion" alum writers Mike MacDonald and Jilly Gagnon comes a hilarious choose-your-own-path story to ruin your holiday spirit. <br /><br />
This is the year you’re going to do it: you’re going to avoid Christmas completely! <br /><br />
...or you were, until your island getaway got washed out by a hurricane. Now you have to choose: should you spend the holiday with your shrewish sister and her Europhile husband, or endure your new girlfriend s family for a week? Help chop down a tree even though it might throw out your back, or endure the icy judgment of a woman who thinks only children and pussies help bake cookies? Jet off to the glamorous slums of Kingston, Jamaica, or accept the offer of a ride from a man who never stops smiling...and is probably going to turn you into a skin suit? <br /><br />
From the writers who brought you the hilarious parody "Choose Your Own Misery: The Office" comes a second helping of misery with a festive twist. Christmas is full of fun surprises for kids, but for adults, it’s just an endless series of aggressive crowds, overwhelming credit card debt, and pretending to like the people you re forced to spend it with. <br /><br />
Once you unwrap all the holiday misery hiding in these pages, the blackness of your heart will rival any lump of coal." </i></span><br />
<br />
+++++++++++++<br />
<br />
I grew up on Choose Your Own Adventure books happily bought from the Scholastic Book Fair at school. Quite often my fate was rather grisly and rarely ended well, but the journey was always fun. <br />
<br />
Now my holidays were and are rarely full of misery. Consider me lucky I suppose. We didn’t have a large family get together every season where the crazy uncle boozed it up and you rolled your eyes at every one of your cousin’s jokes. My family isn’t perfect, but the holidays weren’t hell. <br />
<br />
And yet I still enjoy watching or reading about Holiday misery. There is something wrong with me I think. Except, I guess I like the kind of misery where everything works out in the end. This is not the case for Choose Your Own Misery. There are no happy endings. <br />
<br />
Choose Your Own Misery: The Holidays is pretty simple. You are a single male who was planning on spending the holidays drunk on a tropical beach with your buddy from college. But the universe has different plans and the trip is cancelled due to a hurricane. So what now? Do you spend the holidays with your girlfriend? So you try to find somewhere else to go? <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> If you are a Christmas scrooge than this is right up your alley. It’s a great parody of family, drama, holiday perfection, and nauseating holiday cheer. The endings are different shades of miserable. It is choose your own misery after all. <br />
<br />
The kindle version of this was great because when you click on your choice it takes you immediately there. <br />
<br />
Its subversive and fun. Worth having around during the holidays if you like that kind of thing. Misery that is. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> The book is written from a male’s perspective so some of the frustration I didn’t relate to. Or the stereotypical characters found within the story. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood. Shrug.<br />
<br />
I wanted it to be funnier. I wanted there to be some reasonably happy endings. But then again, I am a mush head when it really comes down to it. Alas, this was a bigger problem for me than expected.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Borrow. In the end, it wasn’t for me. Apparently I like the holiday cheer more than I thought. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Standalone. <br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For another Choose your Own Adventure type story try: To be Or Not To Be, or Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North, Pretty Little Mistakes by Heather McElhatton, and Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>2.5 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-78164200370251800702016-10-21T06:46:00.000-07:002016-10-21T06:46:00.152-07:00QUEEN OF THE TEARLING: A BOOK REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQISkWirO0rMN5UC3JpdCM29FUFgSr5-_o0DSTz09ElPyiq5FEDTtnPNzTtveD0XF0u32FkZEqzUgHSNo4qfj2yQGPSY1JHc1kCap-HUQktsPqL_d3SdspkL2qV69QE_essk6X6Ky6BSw/s1600/queenofthetearling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQISkWirO0rMN5UC3JpdCM29FUFgSr5-_o0DSTz09ElPyiq5FEDTtnPNzTtveD0XF0u32FkZEqzUgHSNo4qfj2yQGPSY1JHc1kCap-HUQktsPqL_d3SdspkL2qV69QE_essk6X6Ky6BSw/s320/queenofthetearling.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
The Queen of the Tearling Book One<br />
Written by: Erika Johansen<br />
Paperback: 464 pages<br />
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks<br />
Language: English<br />
April 2015<br />
Genre: Fantasy/Dystopia/Young Adult <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i> Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her. <br /><br />
On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown. <br /><br />
Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust. <br /><br />
But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive. </i></span><br />
<br />
+++++++++++++<br />
<br />
<i>“Here is Glynn Queen, here is Red Queen, <br />
One to perish beyond recall, <br />
The Lady moves, the witch despairs, <br />
Glynn Queen triumph and Red Queen fall.”</i><br />
<br />
Invasion of the Tearling has been on my TBR shelves for a while because I mistakenly thought it was the first volume when I first bought it. I finally got around to picking up the first of the series this month. Sometimes I read a book that everyone loves and I could hardly finish. Other times I have read books that I thoroughly enjoyed and other people vehemently do not like. Queen of the Tearling is one of those books. <br />
<br />
Kelsea Raleigh has lived with her guardian foster parents in hiding far from prying eyes ever since her mother, Queen Elyssa Raleigh, died. One day she knew that she would become Queen. Today is that day. It is time to come out of hiding. Not all the books in the world could prepare her for what she is facing. The witch Red Queen of Mortmesne wants her dead as does her corrupt uncle Thomas, the Raleigh Regent. She knows nothing of her kingdom’s current state as so many things have been kept from her. For example, for years her corrupt Uncle has been sending Tearling citizens as slave cargo to the Red Queen in Mortmesne. <br />
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But the new Queen has allies in the Queen’s Guard and the powerful Tear sapphire that hangs around her neck. She may have been sheltered, but she was raised to be badass, to be sympathetic, to be kind, but to also do what was necessary. She is now the Queen of the Tearling. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> Kelsea is a flawed character. She may be Queen, but how do you prepare for that? Being a Queen is a complicated thing, There is politics, war, money, and sacrifice. How do you be just and fair without alienating, without starting war, without sacrificing the things you are trying to protect? <br />
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Kelsea isn’t beautiful or extra svelte. She is kind of plain and normal. In her head she has these ideas of what a Queen should be. A Queen, she imagines, would be beautiful and elegant and she does not consider herself either of these things. At first she imagines her mother was this idealized vision of Queenliness, and yet the more she understands her kingdom she understands that you do not have to be a supermodel to be a hero, to be a Queen, and to know your worth. That is a nice sentiment. In fact, she sees all of her mother’s frivolousness as a weakness to the Kingdom. <br />
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I like that Kelsea is strong and stubborn. She is willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of her kingdom. Not a bad start for a new Queen. She is also willing to buck the system. ‘Well that isn’t very Queenly’. Screw that I would like to stay around long enough for it to become Queenly thank you. She is not gorgeous or talented. She is not an exceptional fighter or an expert tracker. She is a book lover who has found herself Queen. <br />
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Yay books. Oh yeah, libraries and books may be a frivolous thing to some, but Kelsea recognizes their value. She knows her kingdom will not grow if her citizens cannot read. She knows that she cannot let Alexandria burn without risking and losing so much that may never be regained. So yes, it was a risk and perhaps a stupid risk, but I understood it. I applauded her for it. Of course I also loved seeing some more contemporary authors, nice little shout outs to authors that Johansen loves. Kelsea grows as a character throughout the book (though I believe she has far more to grow). She is a force to be reckoned with and the Red Queen should be scared. Like I said, I liked her. <br />
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Most of the supporting cast is far older than Kelsea. I kind of found that refreshing for some reason. Probably because it was different and it is also meant that there was a lack of romance for the win. In this way Kelsea gets older brothers and sisters instead of a bevy of love interests. Sure Kelsea notices the blokes…she has eyes and may be drawn to the rogue (aren’t we all), but the romance isn’t there. Most of the men surrounding her are many years her senior and are more like uncles and father figures. Plus they are focused on keeping her alive. This is about Kelsea becoming a Queen and not falling in lurve. Granted I think that romance will factor in by the end of the Trilogy, but it is not a focus like so many books are. It made me very happy. <br />
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Mace (Lazarus) is such a great character. He, too, is flawed. For all of his badass-ness, he is blind to the traitor in their midst until it is almost too late. The dynamics between he and Kelsea are great. As they are with the other characters. Yay Pen, Mace, and the Fetch. <br />
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I was and still am intrigued by the Red Queen. Who is she really? How did she get her magic? Why is she so scared? She is evil for sure, but not as one dimensional as I expected her to be. Though there are other characters that did not live up to my expectations (I will get to that in a bit). <br />
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One of the things I both liked and hated was the setting. At first I thought I was reading your average fantasy, then a dystopian fantasy like Shannara. This is the future and yet it is not. After the mysterious Crossing technology apparently vanished. Printed books are rare, horseback is common. Feels like more of a second Dark Age. I will admit that sometimes the confusing setting took me out of the story because I couldn’t fully realize where they were. Should I be seeing ruins of skyscrapers? Are they in a castle? How big are the eagles? Not Roc sized, but bigger than your average red-tailed hawk? What was the Crossing? How did magic come into the world? Is it magic? Where exactly is this new land on my current world map? What are the architectural highlights? What are people wearing? Like I said the world building is both confusing and interesting. In the end I am not sure what the setting is. My theory is that Tear created a tear to another world or dimension after technology destroyed humanity or some sort of cataclysm. I guess I will have to keep reading to figure it all out. <br />
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I was entertained. There was the right amount of intrigue and action for me. I enjoyed it enough that I recommended that the Rogue read it so that we could discuss. This is not to say that I didn’t roll my eyes at some of the plot holes and inconsistencies. But I have read far worse. In fact, for the first time in a long time, I couldn’t finish a book last month because it was so bad. I was surprised when I saw some lengthy rants about this book and how bad it was. Shocked as I had enjoyed it, but there are some who really, really did not. I understand though. I abhor the Twilight books (aha there is another book I couldn’t finish because it was so bad), but there are many readers who love them. To each their own. Thankfully there are many books. <br />
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Like I said, it is not the best ever, but I liked it. I am excited to read the next book. The story was entertaining, the world building both interesting and confusing (I will get back to that later), and the characters engaging. There is political intrigue, action and adventure, and some lovely magic. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> Of course I am not a fan of comparisons. This is not the next Hunger Games or Game of Thrones. When you make comparisons people get expectations and when things don’t live up to those expectations it is never a good thing. This is a YA political fantasy that feels like it was written to be a TV show or a movie series primarily due to both the third person narrative and the flow of the overall book. <br />
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The third person narrative mostly focuses on Kelsea though occasionally we will head over to the Red Queen or even a gate guard now and again. This choice of storytelling does not make it very personal which is why it feels like a novelization of a TV or movie script. Like I said it was like watching a movie instead of getting any real character development. I don’t get to really relate to Kelsea. I don’t get to see the turmoil rattling inside her brain and I love that stuff. It makes me feel like I am missing something which is unfortunate.<br />
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As I said earlier I do have some character gripes. I wanted her Uncle to be more villainous as there was such a big build up for him. He ends up being a pathetic ageing puppet who believes that everything is just SO unfair now that Kelsea has returned. I don’t even know how Thomas stayed in power. Seriously, how he managed not to be offed by a power hungry noble or upstart is beyond me. He is so weak that the Red Queen would have had no problem just coming in and conquering. Why didn’t she? <br />
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I also took a little issue to a scene in the first part of the book where the Queen’s Guard (who is hiding from a band of assassins and trying to make sure that their new Queen makes it to her coronation) decides that being loud, getting drunk, and leaving the very thing they have sworn their lives and loyalty to by herself. Yeah come on guys. I know it was to show how much of a fish out of water Kelsea was, how she has to earn their respect, give them all more character, yada, yada, yada…but really guys? <br />
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There are also some annoying tropes that had me rolling my eyes a bit. All of the nobles are evil rich bastards. The Church is completely corrupt. There also wasn’t a ton of diversity though no real concrete descriptions on much of the Tearling so in my head I made them diverse. <br />
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Oddly these gripes weren’t enough to make me dislike the book. I just hope that Invasion of the Tearling is a bit tighter. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. Or at least pick it up from the library. I would like to hear what you thought about it. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Trilogy <br />
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<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more strong ladies try Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Cold Magic by Kate Elliott, Rose Daughter or Beauty by Robin McKinley, Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, Legend by Marie Lu, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, and the Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>3 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-72627137770064855862016-10-13T06:02:00.000-07:002016-10-13T06:02:02.415-07:00PAPER GIRLS V.1: A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Paper Girls V. 1<br />
Written by: Brian K. Vaughan<br />
Illustrated by: Cliff Chiang and Matthew Wilson<br />
Paperback: 144 pages<br />
Publisher: Image<br />
Language: English<br />
April 2016<br />
Genre: Comic/Graphic Novel <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i> In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood. <br /><br />
Collects Paper Girls #1-5. </i></span><br />
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+++++++++++++<br />
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I will pretty much pick up anything that Brian K Vaughan puts out. I think he is an amazing writer and many of his comics are on my shelves. I picked up this first trade volume after watching Stranger Things on Netflix (awesome show by the way, so much love). Perhaps I was still feeling the 80’s nostalgia and reliving my oh so wicked childhood (also in the 80’s). It seemed like I would love it. <br />
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It’s early morning November 1st, 1988 and Mac, Erin, Tiffany, and KJ are starting their routes. Life can be rough for a bunch of twelve year old girls with paper routes. They have post Halloween revelers, teenage boys, and a cop to make things difficult for them. But if that were not enough, something weird is going on in the neighborhood. Weird, weird stuff and they might be the only ones who can stop it. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> Erin, Mac, Tiffany, and KJ are great characters. They each have their own personality and voice. They are all full of moxie and self-determination, plus you have two young ladies of color. Basically they are bad ass. They help each other. Tease each other, as friends do. Like Stranger Things the comic reminds me a bit like Goonies or Stand By Me except with young ladies. Whoo hoo, Girl Power. Erin, the primary protagonist is a great character. By the end I was invested a bit which is always a good thing. <br />
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It has the girl power and female bonding that I was expecting, but more crassness, violence and travel through space and time. Seriously, there is a lot going on. Huge beasts that look like Pterodactyls, time traveling kids that are slightly mutated and augmented, other creatures that make your life flash in front of you, weird alien languages, and so much more. It’s not PC at times, but that makes it a little more realistic to the time period. <br />
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Shout out for the Monster Squad poster in Erin’s bedroom. Shiny gold star for that. Man I love that movie. The story itself is also a bit reminiscent. <br />
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Chiang’s art is great. It fits the story, the mood, and the 80’s nostalgia perfectly. The girls look like teenagers and the clothes that they are wearing are appropriate to the time period. It is nice to see that each of them have their own distinct style. In fact, I think I rocked some of them when I was a kid. Matt Wilson coloring is sublime as well. I see the blues and pastels of Wicked + Divine, the vibrant colors for certain panels (looking at you flashback). <br />
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Finally, Language and BKV are becoming a thing. In Saga, those from Wreath speak Blue and in We Stand On Guard, which I read recently, French panels without any translation are quite frequent. I love it. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> My expectations were very high. Not just because its BKV, but because everyone was talking about it. Everyone loves it, raved about it, and recommended it. For me I loved the first half, but the latter half lost me until the very end. It is a confusing volume. I am still not sure what the hell is really going on, so it feels very much like a setup story which is both good and bad. <br />
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Something was missing for me, though I cannot quite place it. I am not quite hooked yet, and yet curious to see how it is all going to unfold. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. If you are a big BKV fan, I would give it a shot. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Series <br />
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<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more bad ass ladies give The Lumberjanes a go or perhaps the Rat Queens or Bitch Planet. For more Brian K Vaughan try Saga, Y: The Last Man or Ex Machina. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>3 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-89485430799982744492016-10-09T06:05:00.000-07:002016-10-09T06:05:08.927-07:00SUNDAY SEVEN: FICTIONAL WITCHES PT 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the great things about October is all of the witchy goodness. As part of my 31 days of Halloween thought it would be great to talk about the best witches of film and fiction. I started thinking about my favorite witches beyond the obvious Hermione Granger, Sabrina Spellman and Miss Willow Rosenberg. Last week I named some of my favorites such as Kiki, Morrigan, and Sarah Bailey from the Craft. Here are the other seven ladies I adore so much. So, of course, I have to ask…what are yours? <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Piper Halliwell</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Charmed</span></b><br />
Piper (Holly Marie Combs) was my favorite of the Halliwell sisters. She is the one that I related to the most and the power I totally dug. After the Halliwell sisters get their powers Piper gets the power to “freeze” her surrounding environment. This can come in handy as can later manifestations of her powers which included molecular combustion aka blowing stuff up. Piper was the peacemaker of the family, the shy one, and the sweet one. Also she ran a nightclub and I was uber jealous. Plus her chef abilities came in handy when making potions. Finally I am a Piper/Leo fan for life. <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Robin Sena</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Witch Hunter Robin</span></b><br />
Witch Hunter Robin is an anime that followed Robin Sena, a 15 year old pyrokinetic witch who is trained to hunt down other witches. She is shy, but brave. She also carries around thousands of years of witches’ memories in her head. As the series progressed she accepted who she was and stopped believing in the holiness of the STN-J. It was a great series and I have wanted to do her cosplay for such a long time.<br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Misty Day</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />American Horror Story: Coven</span></b><br />
Misty Day, played by the lovely Lily Rabe, is a young woman from a backwoods religious community in the bayous of Louisiana. She is also a hella powerful witch gifted with the power of resurrection. She is ethereal, a little lonely, and completely channeling Stevie Nicks (whom she thinks is a witch). I loved her quietness, her earthiness, and let’s face it most of her wardrobe. She was a great character in Coven and one of my favorite witches.<br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Medea</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Greek Mythology, Euripides</span></b><br />
You cannot discuss witches without mentioning Medea. A priestess of the goddess Hecate, she figures into the myth of Jason and the Argonauts. In the myth Jason is looking for the Golden Fleece and Medea agrees to help him as she has fallen in love. In return he agreed to take her with him and marry one once his quest was done. In my opinion Jason succeeds largely in part to everything that Medea does from potions, tinctures, warnings, and even perhaps murder. Of course in some stories she has a tragic end where Jason abandons her and their children to go marry the Princess of Corinth, Glauce. Medea has her revenge. It is a great myth and I love the many depictions of her throughout the ages. <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Regina Mills</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Once Upon A Time</span></b><br />
“My life was never just one story. It was many stories. To some, a villain. I hurt people... in ways I can never make up for. To others, I'm... a hero. They've seen my strength, my ability to do the hard things, even when I thought I couldn't. I want to start a new story. One where the Evil Queen doesn't get a part. “ Not only is she one of the more complex characters on Once Upon A Time, but she has sass to spare. I love Regina. I have loved her as the Evil Queen and I have loved her as a hero. She has an amazing wardrobe both in Storybrooke and elsewhere. Lana Parrilla plays her oh so well. I had to put this witchy lady on my list.<br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Nymphadora Tonks</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Harry Potter</span></b><br />
I had to put at least one Harry Potter witch on this list and Tonks wins. Hufflepuff for the win and wife of Remus Lupin, I love her story as tragic as it eventually ends up. She is tough, brave, and loyal. You kind of have to be when you are an Auror. Played amazingly by Natalia Tena in the film versions of the books, one of the other reasons I love Tonks is her fashion sense and the fact that she is a Metamorphmagus. She had to be on this list. Also, I wish I could change my hair color the way she does by the way. So jealous. <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Tara Maclay</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Buffy the Vampire Slayer</span></b><br />
When Tara first showed up into Willow Rosenberg’s life I was not a fan. I was kiind of a Willow/Oz shipper for a while and I thought Tara was too meek, almost too introverted for Willow who was finally starting to come into her own. But she grew on me. I let my former ship go and latched onto a new one. The relationship that she had with Willow made me smile. It was sweet. All Tara needed was time. I grew to really like her and admired that she didn’t need approval from anyone. She was who she was. She belong son this list because she is witch in her own right and has been practicing most of her life. Willow just had the mad skills. Man I miss Tara, too soon?<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><b><u> Runners Up Include: </u></b></span> Melisandre (Game of Thrones), Sanderson Sisters (Hocus Pocus), Eglantine Price (Bedknobs and Broomsticks), Mombi (Stories of Oz), Circe (Greek Mythos), Cassie Hughes (Hex).<br />
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-37283507048402672652016-10-04T06:22:00.000-07:002016-10-04T17:12:18.128-07:0031 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN: TRICK R TREATOne of the best parts of October is that I can break out the horror films a little more than usual. granted, I am a horror fan so every day is a good day for a horror film, but its when the temp gets colder and the leaves start to fall that I break out the old favorites. Trick R Treat is one of them. If I wasnt a six foot tall redhead I would seriously consider cosplaying as Sam some day. I am just a bit tall for that. If you have not seen the film I really recommend it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrP-HydIqZRVuWdKZASFK32CDV-8nl0wE5gOGq1aaVtl8Ev2J7evwGZqCcD2vav27rZs_0ZsKzuFASljNDh5iUGrRY271PsWyuyiXiN7zTE2DwShC2At-3tL06lZ7_EFnf5fWej5g_Tco/s1600/trick_r_treat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661188576896084514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrP-HydIqZRVuWdKZASFK32CDV-8nl0wE5gOGq1aaVtl8Ev2J7evwGZqCcD2vav27rZs_0ZsKzuFASljNDh5iUGrRY271PsWyuyiXiN7zTE2DwShC2At-3tL06lZ7_EFnf5fWej5g_Tco/s320/trick_r_treat.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 210px;" /></a> <span style="color: white;"><b><u>Trick R Treat</u></b></span>:(2007) <br />
<span style="color: white;"><b><u>Directed By</u></b></span>: Michael Dougherty <br />
<span style="color: white;"><b><u>Written By:</u></b></span> Michael Dougherty <br />
<span style="color: white;"><b><u>Genre</u></b></span>: HORROR <br />
<span style="color: white;"><b><u>Time</u></b></span>: 1 hr 22 min<br />
<span style="color: white;"><b><u>Starring</u></b></span>: Dylan Baker, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox and Tahmoh Penikett <br />
<span style="color: white;"><b><u>Plot</u></b></span>: Four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: An everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank; a woman who loathes the night has to contend with her holiday-obsessed husband. <br />
<span style="color: white;"><b><u>Comments</u></b></span>: It took forever for this film to arrive. I remember seeing a trailer for it in the theatre. Almost two years later they released it on DVD and I instantly picked it up and loved it. Now I love anthology films such as Cat’s Eye, the Creepshow films, The Twilight Zone movie and others. Even better this film is centered around my favorite holiday of Halloween. And essentially this is a love letter to my favorite holiday whether it is trick r treaters, things that go bump in the night and more. And who doesn't love Sam? (Seriously one of the best designed horror ‘monsters’ to come out of a horror film in years. But I love that there is one rule to this film: don’t break the rules of Halloween. It wont end well if you do. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYEz9YkMdsPlaqKC6lXyuVjPYxS15tEsZrfynMqloehOCnyD6D5zIJU4JqGBXjlkVQlJBzYyGVfyWatrJ0WWZ97fWnlJauGoLRHgfkojhTdSonOOxhyphenhyphenc8P88Ux48ARSKx_2LhYqt38Hc/s1600/trickrtreat2" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661188899554650962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYEz9YkMdsPlaqKC6lXyuVjPYxS15tEsZrfynMqloehOCnyD6D5zIJU4JqGBXjlkVQlJBzYyGVfyWatrJ0WWZ97fWnlJauGoLRHgfkojhTdSonOOxhyphenhyphenc8P88Ux48ARSKx_2LhYqt38Hc/s320/trickrtreat2" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 213px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>I think what is great about it are not only some of the visuals in the film but that it balances the scares with the humor. Its a classic Halloween horror film one that I watch with the Great Pumpkin and well the Buffy Halloween episodes. Set on one particular Halloween night, the movie begins with a young troublemaker who picks the completely wrong house to steal candy from. The owner, it turns out, is Steven (Dylan Baker), a school principal who serial kills on the side. Meanwhile, across town, twentysomethings Maria (Rochelle Aytes) and sister Laurie (Anna Paquin) head with two other sexy friends to the local parade, in hopes of bagging Laurie a date. Lurking among them is a vampiric murderer. The third tale involves a group of trick-or-treaters—Marcy (Britt McKillip), Sara (Isabelle Deluce), Schrader (Jean-Luc Bilodeau) and Chip (Alberto Ghisi)—who decide to play a nasty trick on nerdy classmate Rhonda (Samm Todd). Before the night is out, they will learn more than they bargained for about the town's infamous school bus accident urban legend. And, finally, living next door to Steven is the grumpy old Mr. Kreeg (Brian Cox), a man whose mean ways and lack of Halloween spirit come back to haunt him. Throughout there is also the fable of Sam who appears throughout the film as well as a discovery about what happened in the prologue involving a wife who ‘hates Halloween’. <br />
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Rent/Cinema?: Definitely worth owning as far as I am concerned. <br />
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4/4 popcornsSmirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-815195585392262452016-10-03T06:49:00.000-07:002016-10-03T06:49:00.222-07:00CLEAN ROOM v.1: A REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Clean Room V.1: Immaculate Conception<br />
Written by: Gail Simone<br />
Illustrated by: John Davis-Hunt, Quinton Winter, Todd Klein, and Jenny Frison<br />
Paperback: 160 pages<br />
Publisher: Vertigo<br />
Language: English<br />
June 2016<br />
Genre: Comic/Graphic Novel/Horror <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><i> Fan-favorite Gail Simone's (Batgirl, Wonder Woman) debut Vertigo series begins here! <br /><br />
Journalist Chloe Pierce had no idea that her fiancée, Philip's, decision to pick up a book by enigmatic and compelling self-help guru, Astrid Mueller, would change her life forever: by ending his! Three months after reading Mueller's book, Philip had blown his brains out all over Chloe's new kitchen and something in that book made him do it. <br /><br />
Now, Chloe will stop at nothing as she attempts to infiltrate Mueller's clandestine organization to find the truth behind Philip's suicide and a "Clean Room" that she's heard whispers of--a place where your deepest fears are exposed and your worst moments revealed. </i></span><br />
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+++++++++++++<br />
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Vertigo, in my younger years, was my go to publisher. After all I was smitten with Sandman, Death: The High Cost of Living, and Hellblazer. Later in my life it would be Y: The Last Man, Fables, Lucifer (Mike Carey not Holly Black’s new run), Preacher, and 100 Bullets. I have been a big Gail Simone fan for a while now as well. She has given me Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Red Sonja runs that make me absolutely delighted. Of course I also love her for Women in Refrigerators and her work on Tori Amos’s Comic Book Tattoo. She is a well-known powerhouse for a reason. Admittedly, I also picked it up because Jenny Frison’s cover is absolutely gorgeous. Seriously, think it needs to go on the office wall. <br />
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Journalist Chloe Pierce’s fiancé killed himself after joining a Scientology cult like group called the Honest World Foundation. Chloe is devastated and knows that the self-help cult and its charismatic leader Astrid Mueller are somehow behind his death, even if it was a suicide. What did Honest World do to him and what is the Clean Room? <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I liked: </u></b></span> I like sci-fi horror comics just as I do film, tv, and books. This idea that maybe a self-help cult like Scientology could actually be seeing things that we cannot is a great idea and terrifying at the same time. You have to admit it is interesting. <br />
<br />
The Surgeon and the Joker are very interesting characters. Actually, all of the monster designs were delightfully creepy. The subtle color palette makes the gore and horror stand out that much more. Especially when occasionally contrasted with all of that lovely pink. <br />
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I love the diversity in the comics, seeing a lot of strong and diverse female characters. I saw a little bit of everything in Clean room and it was incredibly refreshing. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Things I didn’t like so much: </u></b></span> Sometimes it was hard for me to get into. I felt like there was a lot of shock factor storytelling at times which took me out of the story for a bit. And yet I wanted more. Though not what I expected from Simone, I will probably read the next volume when it comes out. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Buy or Borrow:</u></b></span> Buy. If you are a Gail Simone fan, I would give it a shot. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Part of:</u></b></span> Series <br />
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<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Recommended:</span> </u></b> For more horror tinged comics give these a try: Locke and Key by Joe Hill, Next Testament by Clive Barker, Hellboy by Mike Mignola, Chew by John Layman, and The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman. <br />
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<span style="color: #a04042; font-size: 130%;"><b>3 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks </b></span></div>
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-10093917714898441442016-10-03T06:19:00.000-07:002016-10-03T18:20:15.697-07:0031 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN: THE HEARSE SONG<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPbYi4fFAtDczoF8D2esdIbYOExeRktNUG1qRvlcVRmYVW8f0GosIxsORa9mE_X-90VougkOIQP4wXakpALPS5ai1y3Kmnnlpbds_-3gHbb3K0_8ySY2MO1VHf6eWQTSp-yCPgTUdPE0/s1600/hearse" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664280347391682162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPbYi4fFAtDczoF8D2esdIbYOExeRktNUG1qRvlcVRmYVW8f0GosIxsORa9mE_X-90VougkOIQP4wXakpALPS5ai1y3Kmnnlpbds_-3gHbb3K0_8ySY2MO1VHf6eWQTSp-yCPgTUdPE0/s320/hearse" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 316px;" /></a><br />
<span style="color: white;"><b><u>THE HEARSE</u></b></span> <br />
Don’t you ever laugh as the hearse goes by <br />
For you may be the next to die.<br />
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They put you in a black box <br />
Then cover you up with dirt and rocks. <br />
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All goes well for about a week <br />
And then your coffin begins to leak. <br />
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The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out<br />
The worms play Pinochle on your snout. <br />
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They eat your eyes, they eat your nose <br />
They eat the jelly between your toes. <br />
<br />
A big green worm with rolling eyes <br />
Crawls in your stomach and out your eyes. <br />
<br />
Your stomach turns a slimy green <br />
And puss pours out like whipping crème. <br />
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Spread it out on a slice of bread, <br />
And that’s what you eat when you are dead.Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844304822625353879.post-42427379565566953412016-10-02T06:48:00.000-07:002016-10-03T14:49:19.628-07:00SUNDAY SEVEN: FAVE FICTIONAL WITCHES PT 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the great things about October is all of the witchy goodness. As part of my 31 days of Halloween thought it would be great to talk about the best witches of film and fiction. I started thinking about my favorite witches beyond the obvious Hermione Granger, Sabrina Spellman and Miss Willow Rosenberg. So I am revisiting and changing a couple of my answers from 5 years ago. As I wrote this I realized there are way too many cool witches in fiction, so here is part one of Seven of my favorite witches in film and fiction. So, of course, I have to ask…what are yours? <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Mildred ‘Milllie’ Hubble</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />The Worst Witch</span></b><br />
I grew up reading the Worst Witch books when I was a kid and then in 1986 I began watching the Worst Witch TV movie every year for Halloween on HBO. The film starred Fairuza Balk as Millie and Tim Curry as the Grand Wizard, but it also had Charlotte Rae (Mrs Garrett from the Facts of Life) and Dame Diana Rigg (Emma Peel from the Avengers). I loved Millie. Let’s face it we’ve all wanted to turn a nemesis into a pig, make an invisibility potion instead of a laughing potion, and save the day even if things never really went as planned. Plus, Jill Murphy who wrote the books (starting when she was 15) based the books on her own experiences at school. <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Sarah Bailey </b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />The Craft</span></b><br />
Let’s just say I went through a Craft phase while in high school. The whole goth catholic schoolgirl route and wanting my friends and I to play light as a feather, stiff as a board a lot (sorry no levitating). Robin Tunney plays Sarah in the film, the new girl who has a troubled past, but also has natural powers. Must be nice as I am still trying desperately not to be a Muggle. I am okay with a work accident that leaves me with superpowers. Where are my mutant powers anyway? Anyway, Sarah joins up with a group of girls rumored to be witches, Bonnie (Neve Campbell), Nancy (Fairuza Balk) and Rochelle (Rachel True). The girls start using their powers, but Nancy becomes greedy and wants to all powerful. After a student is killed, Sarah tried to bind Nancy’s powers so of course the coven turns on her. Bad for them as Sarah fights back. Seriously love this movie. Still. Even after all of these years. Sarah is awesome. <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b> </b></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Esmerelda “Granny” Weatherwax </b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett</span></b><br />
“Not dead, just restn” Granny is awesome. Self-appointed guardian of her little country, member of the Lancre coven, and snarky as well, Granny is from the mind of the amazing terry Pratchett. I love Granny because she reminds me of my granny, tough exterior, completely unaware of the notion of tact, and yet loves who she loves fiercely. She may be a good witch, but good doesn’t necessarily mean nice. She is no nonsense and completely badass. "Don't do what you will, do what I tells you." I have always though that Dame Maggie Smith would be great as Granny Weatherwax and Jean Marsh should be Nanny Ogg.<br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Kiki</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Kiki’s Delivery Service</span></b><br />
Kiki is awesome. A 13-year old witch, she leaves home to spend a year away from her village in a larger town in order to learn how to live independently by using and developing her magical abilities. Not only did I want Jiji, her cat, but I wanted to be Kiki. I understood Kiki. I related to her loneliness, I completely got wanting to find a new purpose to get my mojo back. But more importantly, just because you are vulnerable it does not mean that you are a failure or its ultimately going to lead to failure. <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Louise Miller</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Teen Witch</span></b><br />
Teen Witch was a heavily played movie when I was a kid as was Labyrinth, Legend, and She’s Out of Control. I understand how bad it is, but at the time I wanted to be Louise Miller. I wanted to wear cute jean and lace skirts, krimp my hair, get the hot guy, and be the most popular girl in school…oh and be a witch. If you have not seen this film, please check it out. Louise is a nerdy teenager who discovers that she is a witch on her birthday. Selfish spells ensue (see aforementioned becoming the most popular girl in school) until lesson is learned. Sing along with the songs and enjoy it for what it is. Louise Miller you are still cool, I don’t care what anyone says. <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Gillian and Sally Owens</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Practical Magic</span></b><br />
Yep I have to have both of them. I read the book by Alice Hoffman before the film came out in theatres. When the film came out its tone was much different from the book which a lot darker, I still loved it for what it was. Gillian and Sally are two very different sisters, but ones who love each other very much. Sally has more talent for the craft while Gillian is more of a charmer of people. As much as Sally wants to keep her daughters away from magic, it is part of who they are. And I love how they embrace it fully at the end black hats and all. You are who you are. I am definitely more of a Sally methinks. Also Midnight Margaritas!! <br />
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<i><span style="color: white;"><b>Morrigan</b></span></i>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Dragon Age</span></b><br />
"Men are always willing to believe two things about a woman: one, that she is weak, and two, that she finds him attractive." Morrigan is a Witch of the Wilds, raised and taught by her mother, Flemeth, in the wilds of Ferelden. She is also voiced by Claudia Black whom I love to little bitty pieces. She is snarky as all hell and a complete badass, a welcome addition to my party of characters. I seriously had the worst time towards the end of the first game deciding on Alistair or Morrigan when it came to who would leave my party. Admittedly I wanted my happy ending with both of them. Alistair as my honey and Morrigan as my bestie. Of course that isn’t exactly how it all plays out. Of course having her return in Dragon Age Inquisition just made me giddy with joy. More snark, more badassness, and kickass costumes to cosplay. I had to have her on this list. <br />
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<span style="color: white;"><b><u> Runners Up Include: </u></b></span> Maharet and Mehare (Vampire Chronicles), The Scarlet Witch (Marvel), Nanny Ogg (Discworld), Thessaly (Sandman), and Enchantress (Marvel). Check in next week for my favorite witches Part 2. <br />
<br />Smirking Revengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241391769230331797noreply@blogger.com0