February/March 2020 Update

The funny thing about being in isolation during a pandemic...you think you would blog more, right? Nope. It's been very hard to find motivation. So, here's me trying - it's just a little late!

Started Watching:

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Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir - season 2 & 3, started and finished

I love this show. I would be lying if I said I didn't. They released the next seasons on Netflix, and I watched multiple a day every day until I finished it. I barely paced myself. Yes, I do regret that now...but it was also totally worth it. It's cute and it makes me happy.

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Maid-Sama! - started and finished

This one was cute. It took a little bit to get into, but I ended up finding it really fun, and overall relaxing. It switches between two animation styles a lot throughout the whole thing (the regular style, and the chibi style), which is effective in certain areas, but felt a little overdone to me.There were a few episodes that were a bit disjointed (and I was watching those while also playing on my phone), but overall well done. I got through the whole thing in a few days. The best part are the random fourth wall breaks, haha.

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Outlander - season 5
I started the fifth season, but I really wasn't feeling it. I missed one episode and all of my motivation left. I have some of them recorded, so I will likely just have a day where I blast through these, but I'm not sure. I might also just wait until it comes out on DVD. There's nothing wrong with the season (from what I saw...although my friend is further than me, and would disagree!), but I haven't read the book this season is based on, and I don't really care about this period in American history, so it's a double "meh" from me.

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Unrequited Love

The Chinese dramas are back! I'm about ten episodes into this, I think? So a little under halfway, and have really liked it. We're getting into rocky territory though, so if it gets too depressing, I'll need to take a break during quarantine! Overall, it's been good though (even if it has brought up some past feelings!)

Drums of Autumn (Diana Gabaldon)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however as it is part of a series, some comments may spoil portions of the plot of previous books by default. This book is the fourth in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. A television series is also currently out. It recently finished its fourth season, which covers the contents of this book.

dianagabaldon.com

What it's about:

From Scotland to France to Jamaica, Claire and Jamie Fraser have travelled many miles on their journey together. Now in North Carolina, another chapter of their lives is beginning. Journeying to River Run, they meet Jamie's aunt Jocasta, and then move onward to make themselves a home on the newly named Fraser's Ridge. Yet the uncolonized land presents its own challenges - along the way both new and old friends and foe are encountered which will have lasting consequences. Back in the present, Claire and Jamie's daughter Brianna learns the history behind her parent's future - and knows she has to help them in any way she knows how.

Favourite Five: Period Drama Shows

I think one of the most important things to know about my television and movie tastes is that I am wholly and utterly obsessed with period dramas. If there is a new one coming out on television, it is highly unlikely that you telling me about it will be new information. This is one genre that I just can't seem to get enough of.
So, in honour of my unending love and dedication to period dramas, I want to share five of my absolute favourites. I am limiting it specifically to television shows, however. So that means that movies are out, as are mini-series. So anything on this list either has lasted more than one season, or was created with the intention to last more than one season. That means that adaptations like Pride and Prejudice or North & South are out, no matter how much I adore them.
So, here are five favourites and why you should give them a go:

tvovermind.com

1) Poldark
I put off watching Poldark for a bit because, well, I knew I was going to be obsessed with it. I didn't have the time to devote to it, and then when I did try to pick it up was when I couldn't seem to get my hands on it from the library because everyone else wanted it too. Poldark is not only a stunning way to fall in love with Cornwall (or in my case, further in love than I already was), but it's got a little bit of everything. War, love, lust, jealousy, revenge, justice, questionable morality...it is just so, so good.

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2) Victoria
I love anything to do with British royalty (not really...but kind of really), and Victoria is no exception. If you want an intense story right at the peak of a period of great change and progress for England, then this is a great one. Victoria is not without her faults, and you get to see them, but she still remains very likeable and utterly respected. Costumes and sets are gorgeous, you get to really watch Victoria grow and change in her role, and the cast is brilliant. It's still going strong in season 3.

pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com

January 2019 Update

A complete reverse from December - this has been a month for shows! I'm back in a new semester for school, so that means that I'm watching more shows than movies. An hour of television is a more reasonable study break than a 2.5 hour movie.

Started Watching:

pbs.org

Victoria - season 3

I really love this show. Honestly, I think everything about it has been done brilliantly. Jenna Coleman plays Victoria with strength, elegance and grace, but is not without her faults. Costumes are beautiful, and the cast are all lovely actors who have fantastic backstories to really get invested in.

bbc.co.uk

Poldark - season 1, 2, 3
Nah, I'm not obsessed with period dramas at all! I knew I was going to like this, but I kept having roadblocks to starting it, and then just delayed it for a bit. Wow! I sure wouldn't have been delayed if only I'd known what I was in for! I'm really loving it. I've slowed down on season 3 a bit because of school, but I should be able to finish up season 3 and start season 4 within the next few weeks.

2019 TBR Pile Challenge

Yes, I'm doing it again! Originally I had decided that there was no way I was going to do Roof Beam Reader's TBR Pile Challenge again, but when I started going through some of my books, I realized that I still have so many that I want to get through, and have for many years. Now I don't particularly mind if a book is a year or two old before I get around to reading it, but some of these I've wanted to read for about 10 years now...and I really want to finally get them off my TBR list!

So, how does this work?

Pick 12 books that have been on your TBR (to be read) list for at least a year and finish them by the end of 2019. Two alternate books can be chosen to replace any books in the challenge that are just "unfinishable". All of these books must be reviewed and linked back to the original post.  

For a full explanation of the rules for this challenge, check it out here.

Here's this year's list:

November 2018 Update

We're nearing the end of the year, which means I am nearing the end of my TBR challenge, A Queen of Air and Darkness will be out soon, and my school semester is coming to a close. Television hasn't been a major priority, but I do have a few things I have been watching. As a heads-up, it's 1:30 in the morning when I'm writing a good chunk of this post, so...sorry in advance?

Started Watching:

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Outlander - season 4

I'm back to a similar position as I was with the first season - I haven't read this. If you follow me on Goodreads, you'll see that I haven't made any progress on book four, Drums of Autumn, in over a year. I do know some plot points further on in the book, but I've technically only read a bit under half of it. Considering the series is zooming along, they will definitely surpass me soon. Yes, watching the season makes me want to pick the book back up, but I have much more pressing reads right now. I'm annoyed at one big deviation from the book (it seems like a minor detail, but it is in fact not), but otherwise liking how they are handling it for the most part (asides from my normal issues with their pacing). I should stop rambling now. Can you tell I'm blogging when I'm tired?

Fireworks Book Tag!

As Clare from The Regal Critiques reminded me, it's Bonfire Night (or as many of us in Canada know it as, Guy Fawkes Day). So, I'm grabbing this tag from her, which she originally found here.

Screamers: A book that made you want to scream (in a good or bad way)

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I legitimately screamed when I read the ending, and proceeded to start back at the beginning instantly. This is one of those book where the beginning occurs after the end, and the whole thing is a memory. Anyway, if you haven't read this one, the ending is divine.

Bombers: A book that you read before it "exploded" in the book community

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I read this maybe two years after it came out? Regardless, it wasn't one I had really heard that much about at the time. But now there's a show, and everyone and their dog knows about it.

Banger: A banned book you've read

So many. I feel like a lot of my favourite books can be determined by looking at a banned book list. Let me see...The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I love the "banned" content of this book so much that when I realized that they had released the original, uncensored version, I instantly sought after a copy.

Books You'd Mash Together

This week's Top Ten Tuesday by That Artsy Reader Girl is Books That You'd Mash Together. I absolutely love this one, and have been working on it for a few weeks now. I'm super excited to share these ones with you!:

1) Robin Hood and The Hunger Games
Outside of the arena, Robin steals from the Capital. Inside, Katniss kicks butt and takes names. Later, they share tips on taking down a deer by bow and arrow.

2) The Secret Garden and Frankenstein
You know why they keep the garden a secret?  Corpse reanimation.

3) The Thorn Birds and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
One day the roles will be reversed. What then? Also, what would a baby do with that kind of money?

4) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Yes, Willy Wonka is the Wizard, Oompa Loompas are the Munchkins, and The Wicked Witch is trying to steal factory secrets.

5) Anne of Green Gables and The Girl Who Owned a City
Can Anne uphold her romantic ideals amidst the apocalypse?

Top Ten Series That Should Have Ended Earlier

What an exciting week! That Artsy Reader Girl has given us a super fun topic for our Top Ten Tuesday - it's whatever we want! This was at first exciting, then daunting, and then a delight. I had several ideas swimming through my head, so it took a bit before I settled on this one, however as it was a post I had been wanting to do for some time, I figured this was the perfect opportunity. Heads up, this post will definitely contain mild spoilers for the books mentioned. So, here are ten series that I think would have been more more effective if they had ended earlier:

1) Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares
Where and Why: It should have ended at book three. Book one was fantastic, enjoyed books two and three as well, but book four to me felt like we had lost the essence of all of our characters. Everyone needed a boyfriend, or to have sex, and instead of the girls deciding that they didn't need the pants anymore and packing them away, they actually lose them? I thought that was a horrible ending.

2) The Giver by Lois Lowry
Where and Why: Book two. I can accept Messenger, it's technically fine, but it doesn't have the same magic or depth to me as The Giver and Gathering Blue, and I sort of dislike that the ambiguous ending (of a sort) from The Giver is taken away because everything feels explained and resolved in Messenger. The fourth book Son, however, I can't stand. I thought the writing felt childish and the story was too far from anything that made sense in these worlds to me. I would have enjoyed the overall concept much more if it was original and not tied in Jonas and Kira's stories.

3) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Where and Why: Book three. I loved the first book, Outlander, because it took place in Scotland during a fascinating time period, and had so many things going for it. Book two took a downturn because we moved to France (nothing wrong with France, but I picked up the series because of Scotland), however we go back to Scotland again later. Book three takes place in Scotland and Jamaica, but it's still a cool storyline. Then we get to book four, Drums of Autumn, which I feel like I have been reading for a decade because it is so slow. It takes place in America, and honestly I could hardly care less about it.

4) The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Where and Why: Book four. Gasps and ahs I'm sure from you all, but I think the series would have been much more effective if it was about four books long. I think the last two books, although the content was overall interesting, didn't need to be anywhere near as long as they were. I drastically slowed down at this point and nearly stopped reading them (except that I wanted to know how they concluded). I really feel that these last two books could either have been combined together, or that the last three books could have been smushed into two. Each had some good points, but the whole thing felt like a stretch.

5) Divergent by Veronica Roth
Where and Why: Book two. In all honesty, this probably should have ended at book one, but I'm trying to be generous. Book one was a cool concept and well-done, book two was okay, and book three was a struggle to get through. I actually knew the major plot spoiler ending from page one. I'm not exaggerating, the actual first page. The rest of the book just didn't capture my interest like the first two, and I really just finished it because I figured I should.

Top Ten Favourite Book Quotes

This week's Top Ten Tuesday from That Artsy Reader Girl is Top Ten Favourite Book Quotes. I love quotes. I love to memorize them and I have a small book where I write down some of my favourites. Needless to say, I found this really difficult to narrow it down to just a few when I feel like I am swimming in favourite quotes. So, after struggling for an excessive amount of time over which ones to pick, here is a itsy bitsy sampling of my favourite book quotes:

1) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier 

“I could fight with the living but I could not fight the dead. If there was some woman in London that Maxim loved, someone he wrote to, visited, dined with, slept with, I could fight her. We would stand on common ground. I should not be afraid. Anger and jealousy were things that could be conquered. One day the woman would grow old or tired or different, and Maxim would not love her anymore. But Rebecca would never grow old. Rebecca would always be the same. And she and I could not fight. She was too strong for me.”

2) The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco
"'Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.'”

3) The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
“I didn't go to the moon, I went much further—for time is the longest distance between two places.”

4) Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
"'I'm claiming the right to be unhappy.'"

5) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
"'There must be something in books, things we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing.'"

6) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
"'When I asked my da how ye knew which was the right woman, he told me when the time came, I'd have no doubt. And I didn't. When I woke in the dark under that tree on the road to Leoch, with you sitting on my chest, cursing me for bleeding to death, I said to myself, 'Jamie Fraser, for all ye canna see what she looks like, and for all she weighs as much as a good draft horse, this is the woman.''"

Five Books I Meant To Read In 2017 But Didn't Get To

As many of you probably know, Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish will now be hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. As this is the last official TTT that they will be hosting, I definitely had to make sure to do this one. Although my TBR is stupidly long, there were a few books that I intended to focus my efforts on in 2017, but just didn't get around to. Some of them I am part way through, and some I didn't even touch. So, here we go:

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Tower of Dawn - Sarah J. Maas

Now, do I actually want to read this? Originally when I heard about it I was hesitant to pick it up (especially because the character of Chaol did a complete 180 in Queen of Shadows, and I don't care one way or another about Nesryn). Then I decided I would give it a shot and took a copy out from the library. Now though? I just can't seem to get into it. 

librarika.com

Under The Greenwood Tree - Thomas Hardy

I love Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Far From the Madding Crowd, so I've wanted to explore more of Hardy's work. With this one being his shortest, and apparently "most cheerful," I thought it would be a good one...but I could barely get into it. I've tried reading it once and listening to it on audiobook. Although the audio format was better, I am not particularly motivated to continue it. Hopefully I can make myself get through it this year. 

Top Ten Unique Book Titles

Thanks once again to the wonderful blog The Broke and the Bookish who hosts this Top Ten Tuesday series (TTT). Here is my version for this week's installment, but you can see ones by others here: Top Ten Unique Book Titles.

1. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
   I've always thought this was a great title.
2. Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
   Also see: The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo.
3. There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by Louis Sachar
   Ah, Louis Sachar...

Top Ten Book Boyfriends

Thanks to The Broke and the Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday series (TTT) for this great post idea: Top Ten Book Boyfriends. I had a lot of responses for this one, so...I tried to limit myself, but I still ended up doing two separate lists - one for books, and another for movies, TV, etc. I just couldn't help myself!

I'm sorry...once I saw this photo I couldn't resist using it

Books

1. William (Will) Herondale - The Infernal Devices (series), Cassandra Clare
2. James (Jamie) Fraser - Outlander (series), Diana Gabaldon

Best Outlander Characters

With the return of Outlander this Sunday for season 3, I've been re-watching the second season this past week to get myself all caught up again. I think one of my absolute favourite things about this series is the richness of the characters. Even if a story is great, I won't be able to get into it if the character development is poor, but I am more likely to put up with a lackluster plot for wonderful people. So here are some of the delightful folk from the first two seasons/novels that make this great series worth a watch.

1. James (Jamie) Fraser
   Where else to start but our favourite red-headed leading man? Dashing, intelligent, good with horses, and fiercely loyal - what's not to love? Well, maybe that he's stubborn as an ox?
   
   

   

   outlander.wikia.com

2. Claire Randall Fraser
   The one and only time-travelling nurse we've all grown to love. Her strength and intelligence, quick-thinking, and determination make her someone to admire. Her stubbornness is matched by few other than her husband.
   
   

   

   outlander.wikia.com

3. Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser
   Murtagh might seem rather cold to many people, but he really is the biggest sweetheart. He looks after his godson Jamie like he is his own flesh and blood.
   
   

   

   outlander.wikia.com