TMST: Favourite Supernatural Creature

 Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly feature started by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and now hosted by a team of bloggers, Roberta @ Offbeat YA, Karen @ For What It's Worth, Berls @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About, and Linda @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

What is your favorite supernatural creature?

As a lifelong fan of fantasy and mythology, I think it's pretty safe to say that I can instantly think of a dozen supernatural creatures that I love. Picking a favourite is kind of like picking a favourite flower in a garden that you lovingly cultivated. And yet, there is always one creature that stands out for me in a different way than the rest...

The Phoenix.

I have always loved them. From their beautiful flame coloured feathers, to their sleek appearance, to their symbolism of rebirth - they have always fascinated and charmed me. So, if absolutely forced to choose favourites here, I feel very little torment at listing them as mine.

I feel that I would be remiss without mentioning a few others that fight for dominance here:

Gryphon
Manticore
Cŵn Annwn
Ouroboros
Cockatrice

There are so many incredible ones from different mythologies and cultures around the world, and I am constantly fascinated to hear more. Do you have any favourites? Tell me about them!

July 2023 Update (2)

In an effort to work through a backlog of old posts and remember the things I have actually watched and read, this post was completed roughly a year ago and is being posted now.

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In the past several months, I've been focusing on some of my other hobbies, such as painting and working with polymer clay, so my T.V. show viewings definitely haven't been super high! I wanted to update you all regardless, and since it's been months there has actually been a decent buildup of content.

I have been doing a few re-watches as well, but I haven't included them here this time.

So, here are a few things that I've watched:

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Emily in Paris - S2
Complete fluff? Maybe. But I find this show addictive regardless. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as season 1, but I'm still really looking forward to seeing what season 3 brings us. What a cliffhanger!!

cosmopolitan.com

The Witcher - S2
Love this show. So much. I tried to not blast through it, and actually spread it out...I failed. I started playing the Witcher 3 video game as well and have been completely obsessed. I've heard mixed things about the books, so I am happy to leave it at these two formats for now, but I'm very excited for the next season.

rottentomatoes.com

Arcane - S1
Okay, so I walked into this one with very, very little knowledge about the source material, League of Legends. I really loved this one, but the tone shift a few episodes in caught me so completely off-guard that I had to step away from this one for a little bit (If you've seen it, you know what I mean).  Once I came back to it though, I did really enjoy it. There were a few parts that were a bit confusing with the flow of it, but I did find it really enjoyable and will most likely watch another season if it comes out.

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All Creatures Great and Small - S2
All Creatures is the sweet series that has been exactly what I've needed. It has just enough going on to keep you engaged, but at the same time, you know that things are going to be okay in the long run. I don't have to feel stressed watching it, and I get to learn a few interesting things too. Lovely scenery, nice characters that you grow attached to, and all-in-all just a lovely watch. Similar vein to The Durrells, but with less quirkiness, if anyone loved that series as much as I did.

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Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - S1, S2
This is a show that one of my closest friends recommended to me...a few years ago. I finally got around to trying it out. It was a nice diversion, and I was enjoying it, but it ended up getting too far-fetched and silly for me that I haven't really wanted to continue into the third season.

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Bridgerton - S2
Another perfect example of a pure fluff show. I was obsessed with this season, and adored it. I'm reading the first book in the series right now (The Duke & I) as I needed just something mindless on a recent vacation, and this was perfect for the plane. I'll most likely finish it, although I don't know if I'll continue on with reading the series...but definitely will start watching the next season. It's one of those shows where I say..."Is it good?" "No" "Do I love it?" "Yes!"

netflix.com

Castlevania - S1, S2 (started)
Hello gore-fest! Wow. Okay, so I walked into yet another show with no background. Look where that gets you, Shayna! I was interested in the characters instantly, but found the level of gore and violence to be a bit much. I decided to stick with it, slowly, and it has toned down a bit, so I am glad I did. One of those shows where I don't watch it often, nor do I know how much of it I will end up watching, but it's been an interesting experience, and different from my typical viewing habits.

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Have you watched any of these shows? Do your television habits fluctuate throughout the year, or stay pretty steady?

Red Sister (Mark Lawrence)

 

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What It's About

The first book in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy, this series follows young Nona taken from her village and sold as a ring fighter. Accused of the murder of a noble, the nine year old girl is set to be hanged when she is rescued by Abbess Glass who brings her to the convent of Sweet Mercy. Here, for the first time, she is given a warm bed, food to eat, an education...and training in the arts of death. But an entire convent of girls training as killers is not without its tension, and noble families do not forget when justice hasn't been served.

What I Thought

A few years back, I picked up one of Mark Lawrence's earlier books, Prince of Thorns, to see if it might be of interest to a loved one. It was really easy to get through, but I felt the writing style was a bit juvenile, even if the subject matter was gruesome. Because I didn't have any real investment in the matter, beyond the brief analysis of it for another, I read several chapters and then put it down. 

When I heard the synopsis of Red Sister, I was instantly intrigued. I mean, warrior nuns? It sounds both a little too weird, and also really cool at the same time. I picked it up - and thank goodness I did! I can thankfully credit this book as getting me out of the horrible reading slump that I've been in. Now, I'm still not going to say I'm reading a lot, or quickly, but I sure did read this one faithfully!

The writing style was still a bit juvenile at times, and at other moments it seemed like Lawrence tried a bit too hard and therefore lost some of the meaning from words altogether, but overall it flowed decently. The concept and storyline though, were wonderful and what kept me engaged the entire time enough to happily keep at it.

The violence can get pretty graphic, so if you're squeamish at all, I would stay away. Now, I don't know if I wasn't paying the best of attention, but there are some plot points that felt very unclear while I was reading. Some things were over explained, and other things...well, I either didn't get answers, or got them so late in the book that I had truly thought I was never going to get them. There wasn't much of a reminder that these things were mysteries, and instead it just felt like Lawrence forgot to explain them. I'm currently on the second book, and finally have some answers, so I am hoping this was intentional and not just the work of a strong editing team giving him a reminder.

If you need a diverting piece of fantasy with a cool new concept that isn't too tricky of a read, then I would absolutely recommend this one. It was very enjoyable and I am hoping to finish the trilogy.

Longstanding TBR - 50 Books That I'm Still Excited About

Back in May, I read a really awesome post by Nessa Luna on her blog October Tune, all about the books she still wanted to read but hadn't gotten to yet. Please check out that fun post here:

 50 Books I Still Really Want to Read in My Life – october tune

I was inspired to do something similar here, and although I'm doing it a bit differently than her, I wanted to cover books that have been on my TBR for a long time that I do actually still intend to read (rather than those ones you eventually weed off every few years). If I intend to read the series, I have listed it as the series title, but if I hope to at least read 1 book from the series and go from there, I have just listed the first book for now. So, without further ado, here's my list of 50 books that I'm still excited to get to!

TV Shows - October 2020 - April 2021(Part 1)

It might have been a while since I've done an update on the shows I've been watching, but I have been experiencing a real mix of things on television. Since I was only really watching one thing at a time, I didn't really have enough to do monthly updates, and then after that I didn't really know where to start! So over the next while I'll give you some mini-reviews on what I've been viewing so that we can get all caught up.

radiotimes.com

Bridgerton - Season 1

I devoured Bridgerton. Did I like it? Absolutely. Do I think it was good? No, no I don't. But it was fun, and addictive, and I definitely recommend it if you need a distraction from real life for several hours. Just...don't have any expectations about historical accuracy or anything (think The CW's Reign), or you will instantly hate it.

tvacute.com

The Spanish Princess - Season 1

I loved this. I have an absolute obsession with Tudor history, and a particular adoration of Elizabeth I and Catherine of Aragon. So, a show diving right in on Catherine and the tumultuous time between her journey to England and marriage to Henry VIII? I was excited, but also feeling very cautious. I think they did a brilliant job with it - keeping both to her character and Henry's, and also keeping it feeling historically accurate. I'm really looking forward to watching the next season.

May 2019 Update

May was definitely an intense month for television...I think I need some happier things for June, don't you?

Started Watching:

denofgeek.com

The 100 - season 6

I was a bit worried about whether or not I would keep watching this show, but it's looking like it has gotten a decent revival with the change of scenery this season. It's still pretty early on, but I'm liking it so far. I definitely don't feel desperate to watch the episodes the second they come out, but I am watching them within a few days, and am looking forward to them. If you're into basic sci-fi and dystopians, I would check this series out. It is also inspired by a book series, but they are only very loosely related to each other. The series came out before the first book was published, so it is only based on the characters and the concept, but most of the plot differs.

April 2019 Update

Yay, my semester is done! I have a few weeks with which to read and watch a bunch of stuff, and blog to my heart's content. That's a good thing because May has a bunch of awesome content that I am looking forward to.

Started Watching:

netflix.com

3% - season 2

I only have two episodes left of this season (which is all there is on Netflix so far), and then I will be done. There was a huge shift in the feeling and perspective of this season, so that took quite a bit to get used to. Where last season focused on the candidates in the Process, this season actually takes place before the next year's process. Although I found this interesting (and we get to see a lot of character backstories), I haven't been enjoying it as much as the first season. Still worth a watch, but I'm not as attached to it.

newyorker.com

Game of Thrones - season 8
No spoilers, don't worry. The show "everyone" has been waiting for. Love it or hate it, it's definitely everywhere right now. Unfortunately I am not always able to remain completely up to date with this because my family likes to watch it all together, so that can make being on the internet difficult. I am currently all caught up though, so it's nice to be online right now! Haha. Anyway, I'm not overall impressed yet, but there have been a few stellar moments, so I wouldn't list myself as disappointed. Bit of a deus ex machina type of thing going on for me though. We'll see!

YA in Review: Kingdom of Ash (Sarah J. Maas)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. As this is part of a series, this review may spoil portions of the plot from previous books in the series. Now, are you ready for a monster-sized review to go along with a monster-sized book?

amazon.com

What it's about:

It is the end. Aelin Galathynius must put everything on the line one final time to stand against Erawan and Maeve - saving not only her people in Terrasen, but all of the land of Erilea. With her loved ones by her side and Aelin's immensely powerful gifts, they could just stand a chance against all of Morath's evil forces. But, where is she? Captured by Maeve and separated from her husband, cousin, friends and allies, Aelin is unable to be found, let alone able to fight. With battles raging all around and all those she loves fighting constantly for their lives, how can they possibly be expected to win? And how will an army rally without a queen to lead them to victory?

YA in Review: Tower of Dawn (Sarah J. Maas)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. As this is part of a series, this review may spoil portions of the plot from previous books in the series.

chapters.indigo.ca

What it's about:

Chaol Westfall, former Captain of the Guard, now Hand of the King, has been given two missions: one, to convince the khagan of Antica and his children to join their side in the war against Erawan, and two, to heal the damage to his spine at the Torre Cesme - home to the greatest healers in the world. Yet the khagan's recent tragedy - the loss of a beloved daughter - clouds his judgement, the healer assigned to help him holds a grudge against his former king, and Erawan's forces grow stronger every day. There is no time to delay, and yet Chaol must use all of his past training in the palace to remember that political games, as well as true healing, take time.

YA in Review: A Great and Terrible Beauty (Libba Bray)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. This book is the eleventh one that I've completed for my 2018 TBR Challenge. One more to go!

libbabray.com

What it's about:

After the mysterious death of her mother, Gemma Doyle is whisked away from her home in India to the one place she has always desired to go - London, England. Immediately enrolled in Spence Academy boarding school, Gemma starts having strange and terrifying visions that she can't control. As Gemma learns more about what is happening to her, she discovers that her world is not exactly as she thought it was - that evil is lurking...and wants to find her desperately.

YA in Review: Red Queen (Victoria Aveyard)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. This book is the ninth one that I've completed for my 2018 TBR Challenge. Only three left!

harpercollins.com

What it's about:

The world is divided into two - those with red blood, the commoners, and the elite members of society who have silver blood and possess unique special abilities. Mare Barrow, a red-blooded girl is about to be sent to war, as is the law for those without skilled jobs when they reach eighteen. But Mare's skill is thievery - trying to feed her family, she steals to provide their basic necessities since her brothers are already at war. Yet one day she tries to steal from a stranger, who offers her a job in the palace instead. The stranger is the crown prince, and immersed in his world, Mare soon discovers that although she bleeds red, that she has more in common with the silvers than she ever could have predicted.

Blog-Along: Tin Man (Part 3 - Conclusion)

Are you ready for the third and final part of this mini-series? Well, here you go! Need to catch up on the other installments? See Part 1 and Part 2 here.

telfie.com

• 5:03 - My favourite part of this moment is how everyone looks surprised, but there's Raw looking like literally nothing just happened. Also, how did her mom know about the rock? Or would any rock do?
• 8:11 - What I find particularly interesting is what Azkadellia decided to destroy. The forest? Yep. The maze? Nope. Why not?
• 9:15 - Ah, so it was the rock! My question still stands. 
• 16:37 - You're still in there! Those teary eyes mean something.
• Did he find them?!
• I wish Glitch still had problems repeating himself once in a while. I don't see that anymore.
• 19:00 - Yes, let's descend into a hole that has high-pitched shrieking sounds coming out of it.
•  25:50 - How did the Seeker not notice the four other people? He evidently can't see things well enough to be of any help.
• Why haven't people on the run disguised themselves yet?
• Not that they have enough time to do this, but it would be interesting to look at the effects of the suit on Cain - like PTSD.

Blog-Along: Tin Man (Part 2)

On to part 2 of this science fiction retelling of The Wizard of Oz! We continue with our rag-tag bunch of  adventurers. What scrapes will they get out of this time? See Part 1 here.

telfie.com

Blog-Along: Tin Man (Part 1)

Welcome to my latest blog-along! For any new readers, this is the place where I informally review a movie moment by moment. Although I do mildly edit the content of these after to avoid large spoilers and to provide more clarity, these posts are essentially the purest version of quirky thoughts about the movie. For the best experience, watch the piece along with me and follow along with the time stamps, however you can also enjoy them just as is. Be warned, however, that some spoilers are inevitable because of this format, although I do my best to keep them to a minimum.
Now, on to this particular story!

telfie.com

Tin Man is a modern retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz with a science fiction twist. Released in 2007, this three-part mini-series stars big names such as Zooey Deschanel, Alan Cumming, and Richard Dreyfuss. Although I remember watching this not too long after it came out, I hardly remember a single detail about it now. So, this is sort of my first impression (but not really). Anyway, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!:

YA in Review: The Kiss of Deception (Mary E. Pearson)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. This book is the fifth one that I've completed for my 2018 TBR Challenge.

chapters.indigo.ca

What it's about:

When Princess Arabella Celestine Idris Jezelia of Morrighan (known affectionately as Lia) is forcefully betrothed to the Prince of Dalbreck, she demands to at least meet him before their wedding day. When this request is denied, Lia, afraid to be trapped in a loveless marriage like her parents, flees with the help of her maid and friend Pauline. But this event has offended Dalbreck and is treason against her father, the King of Morrighan, so Lia must stay hidden to protect both herself and her maid. Working as a tavern maid, Lia learns to enjoy her new life...until it all gets turned upside down by the appearance of two strangers - a disguised prince, and a careful assassin.

June 2018 Update

I have been watching so many things that I barely know where to start (even though it won't look like it)! I started and finished a few series this month, so formatting this update is going to be a bit interesting - bear with me! (Grr, I'm a bear).

Started Watching:

hypable.com

The Shannara Chronicles season 2 - started and finished

I missed the first couple of episodes of season 2 when it aired, so I decided to wait until I could get it on DVD. I got it right when I was in the middle of several shows, but I still breezed through it in a few days. It definitely had a different feel to season 1, but I still enjoyed it (even though not as much as the first season). Unfortunately no one picked this show up for season 3, so it looks like it's done.

bustle.com

One More Time - started and finished
I was having some K-drama withdrawal (as you'll see why later), so I needed something as a quick distraction and picked this one. At only eight half-hour episodes, this is a quick one to whip through when you just need to get your drama fix. I finished this in two days, and liked it. It's a much simpler one than some of the others I've been watching lately, but that made it a nice change. As a heads-up, this is a Netflix original.

May 2018 Update

You know how I said May would pick up? Well, May is crazy time at work (through until September), and everything started in April that I was watching and hasn't finished yet. So because of that, I'm including a few movies that I am not planning on reviewing, rather than just television shows.

Started Watching:

bbcamerica.com

Merlin season 3
I've slowed down a bit on Merlin since I've been busy with The 100 and The Handmaid's Tale this month, but I'm still watching it. The plot development is better this season, with storylines carrying forward more than they did in past seasons. Still a nice show to casually watch.

koreandramaland.com

Something in the Rain
This is a sweet little K-drama that I just started watching about two people who have known each other since childhood. As they get to spend more time together, they become closer and closer and fall for each other. I'm only a few episodes in, but really enjoying it. It's nice to find another K-drama I'm liking after having a string of bad ones!

The Shape of Water

Winning the Oscar for Best Picture (Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale), Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat), Best Director (Guillermo del Toro), and Best Production Design/Set Decoration (Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau, Jeff Melvin), The Shape of Water has received lots of accolades, so I was very interested in seeing what all the hype was about.

digitaltrends.com

What It's About:

Orphan Elisa Esposito is very different than those around her - empathetic, passionate, and mute. As one of the women responsible for cleaning in a government facility, she is rarely given the time of day except by her friend and co-worker Zelda and neighbour Giles. When a top-secret specimen is rushed into the lab under the supervision of army personnel, Elisa is curious about this creature, who resembles both a human and an amphibian. The more Elisa learns about him, the closer of a bond that grows between them, through food, music, and sign language. So when sadistic Colonel Strickland decides that the best way to study the creature is to cut him open, Elisa has a choice to make - a choice that might not only risk her heart, but also her life.

February 2018 Update!

Well, it's been a month of TV for me it seems! I've started a few new series and finished up several. Things have been pretty busy with work and school, so I haven't been reading too much, but it's nice to take a break and wind down by watching an episode here and there. Unfortunately with all of that, I'm pretty behind on my TBR Challenge, but I expect that I will be able to catch up in the spring, so I'm not too worried yet. So, without further ado, here's what I've been up to in February:

Started Watching:

miraculousladybug.wikia.com

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir
Yes, I started watching a children's show...and I loved it. It's cheesy, repetitive and predictable, but it's basically a modern Sailor Moon in Paris. I quickly got hooked on it, and I can't wait until season 2 is translated and on Netflix.

mahouka-koukou-no-rettousei.wikia.com

The Irregular At Magic High School
I'll be honest, I don't know if I'm going to finish this series. There are some interesting things about it, but it can also be downright creepy. If sibling relationships that are uncomfortably close and intimate bother you, then don't even consider this one for a second. If you can get past that, it has some interesting plot points. I don't think it's overly well explained though, so you kind of have to get over a few things to watch this one.

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:

sarahjmaas.com

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.