#I know video game lore can be kind of iffy

[average-monster]

Hollow Knight fandom I need your help!

You see, when I joined tumblr a few years ago, I immediately fell in love with your plucky little protagonist. I also love the aesthetic. The problem is that I have very little patience for story driven video games.

Is there anywhere I can read some lore? Just enough to find some fanfic I can read without getting lost. Or more, idk.

Thanks in advance. 🙂

[cartoonrival]

If I’ve only seen the Sonic movies, what’s the best series to try out?

to be honest i am very far from a seasoned sonic fan and i've only really seen/read a few sonic medias. in my opinion sonic is something that's kind of intimidating and difficult to get into because there are so many continuities and series and characterization is iffy from media to media even within the same universe, and a lot of important lore is from old games or comics that are a little tedious to comb through in my opinion. theres a million things going on and i am a little bit frightened all the time and have largely decided to only care about things that are appealing to me specifically instead of trying to know everything there is to know, especially since i'm more concerned with characters than with what eggman's plan is this time. i can find youtube videos summarizing the rest.

that said. READ IDW. from what i've been told the characterization is generally pretty accurate, and even not knowing anything about most of the characters beforehand everyone is incredibly charming, the art is adorable, different tones are handled really well, and its easy to get into even if you don't really know anything about the series going in. it does well giving lots of characters the spotlight and building relationships and things like that. changed my life. cannot recommend it enough. my second recommendation is ask @infizero she taught me everything i know

[smokeybrandreviews]

Smokey brand Reviews: What Is a Man

I wanted my next review to be The Invisible Man but i keep putting that thing off. I think it’s the pacing. it’s kind of funky. I’ll get around to it eventually. Spoiler alert, it’s pretty interesting so far. In the meantime, i finally caught up on a show that dropped and didn’t see when it first released; Castlevania! I passed on actually reviewing he first two season, well, season and a half. That first season was, like, six episodes. This ain’t the BBC, son. Thirteen or bust! Anyway, since we’re about three days from being under marital law, i figure i got time to revisit and review the series so far. Plus, i mean, i need to catch up since the fourth season has already been announced. F*cking Netflix, man. In that vein, pun in tended, here is my review of the series as a whole so far.

The Good

This show is not anime. It’s not. Avatar is not anime. It’s not. This is a sanitized facsimile of what the Japanese do with their animation. Stop calling this sh*t anime! That said, on it’s own, outside of that hilariously unflattering comparison, it can be pretty dope. I don’t think this sh*t holds a candle to studios like Trigger, Madhouse, Gainax, or Shaft, but it’s the best animation coming out of the US i’ve seen in years. The fight scenes in particular are absolutely gorgeous. You can really tell that Netflix invested the necessary resources to make this show look dope, even if the framerate is a little iffy between set pieces.

Now that i’ve died on my anime cross, i just want to acknowledge how good this show looks. It’s f*cking gorgeous, man. I mean, the world, alone, is a feat for the eyes, but i am absolutely in love with the character designs. If you google the characters from the games they are mad cluttered and full of extra nonsense. I’m never a fan of, like, flair on my characters. That’s why i hate the look of Mortal Kombat. That sh*t is gross. Castlevania has that same issue, culminating in the design vomits of Judgement. That game was gross to look at. Gross. This show takes the ludicrously gaudy designs of the games and make them presentable while still paying homage to the core design of the games. Sh*t is miraculous and i can’t help but marvel at that ingenuity. I mean, f*cking Carmilla, dude. Just look up Carmilla in the games and tell me this show ain’t good at it’s job.

Castlevania’s writing is kind of miraculous. As a cat that’s been playing these games since the late 80s, I’m mildly aware of the interconnecting lore between titles. It’s a mess. It’s a goddamn mess. There’s a dope story there, in the muck, but it’s so mired in melodrama, retcon, and years upon years of independent development, it’s completely lost. I appreciate Konami giving storytelling a shot during a time when gameplay was the principal seller of games, they didn’t have to do any of that, but, at some point, clean your sh*t up with a manga or reboot or something, man. The later titles do this sh*t fine. I adore Shanoa and Soma. Their games got the best of both worlds. The Belmonts? Not so much... This show does an amazing job of cutting through the bullsh*t and sharpening that story to a fine point. This is Trevor’s story, the first Belmont we take control of in game, so watching his line grow through the years, with this quality of storytelling, is mad compelling. I mean, you get right into it and it grips you from start to finish. I can’t wait to see where this goes.

The character work in this show is pretty legit. I was thoroughly surprised since the games themselves are rather bare bones and nauseatingly campy at times. Not this show. Nope! This sh*t is grim, dark, and violent. I love it! You can feel the plight one people and the rage of the vampires. Each main character s is beset with pathos and trauma and consequence, for two seasons. Season three is kind of light on growth but does a decent job explaining certain things. Like, this is Belmont’s tale but Sypha is definitely the most interesting character in the show. Everyone does a great job but there are, of course, a few standouts.

Speaking of my girl, did i tell you that Sypha is f*cking amazing? Ma is the most adorable, most badass motherf*cker in this show! I thought she was going to be kind of a weenie, like she is in the games, but nope! Ma is out here, burning motherf*ckers alive and slicing dudes up with ice blades, all the while being her peppy, adorable, kind of bloodthirsty self. F*ck, love Sypha and her voice actress, Alejandra Reynoso, is perfectly cast! She bring a levity and vulnerability to a woman who can take on an army all y her lonesome. I love that sh*t!

I have to mention how dope Dracula is in this how. He’s f*cking badass and, surprisingly, hilarious. His wit is as sharp as his fangs. Even with such overwhelming power, dude is still amazingly human, often time reminding you that he is just a broken, lonely, man. It’s incredible to see. you actually empathize with an entity hellbent of slaughtering humanity. I couldn’t believe that sh*t. A lot of that has to do with the writing but Graham McTavsh does an excellent job delivering those subtle emotional cues.

I feel like is should say something about Richard Armitage’s Trevor Belmont. Dude is dope. he’s how i always imagined Trevor to be. And Armitage is a seasoned veteran at this voice acting game so he does a great job. I’m not blown away or anything but he’s dope. Considering dude is kind of a supporting character in his own show, i think my indifference is warranted. He’s good, though, don’t misunderstand. I’m not decrying his performance or anything. Gold star for sure.

The best thing about season three, outside of my darling Sypha, is Lenore. Holy sh*t is she a great character! I was thoroughly surprised by how brazenly manipulative she turned out to be. Lenore is a f*cking genius and her feigned naivety is brought to life by an absolutely outstanding performance from Jessica Brown Findlay. Ma is on the long con and Carmilla might have some competition to look for.

I like Issac. This last season did wonders for developing his character. His arc is probably the best after Syph’s, mostly because he’s the only other character that even had an arc. His voice actor, Adetokumboh M'Cormack, does a great job developing the enigmatic Forgemaster into a character more than his humdrum game origins.

The Bad

This show is not anime! Stop telling me it’s an anime!

Alucard’s arc in season three was a little... me. I thought he was the one character let down by the writing but it’s not a terrible slight. I just felt he deserved more of a exploration than what he received.

Season three was straight up filler. I guess it has that in common with anime, even though most modern anime ha move away from the Filler system. I mean, i liked a lot of what went on and the character work was delightful but none of this is really of consequence. Most characters either didn’t grow or are exactly who we thought they were. It feels cheap.

Hector. What the f*ck, Hector. What the f*ck.

The Verdict

Season One showed a ton of potential. I enjoyed the whole Dracula arc, even though this was more a story about his disillusionment with humanity rather than how he became Dracula. Season two is the Castlevania know from the games. It was dope seeing that narrative removed from the shenanigans of that Konami narrative jank. I thought they id the characters dope ass justice and the story itself, was rather compelling. I didn’t mind the character changes and the stuff they added felt organic. Season three is the closest thing to a slice of life anime i’ve seen in this show and it’s ridiculous. Like, nothing really happens of consequence and it feels like setup for later seasons but it’s easily the best looking of the three seasons.

Overall, as a whole, Castlevnia is really good. It’s easily one of the best video game adaptions available. This show takes it’s liberties, of course, but it does so in a very respectful manner. The core of the Castlevania lore is revered and embellished with creative additions while keeping the characters true to their game selves. For the most part. I really enjoyed thee character of Dracula when he was around and, oh my god, Lenore is the goddamn best! Sypha is the MVP of this show, though, and i need you people to know that. The art style is beautiful, the narrative is compelling, and you’ll fall in love with the character work. Castlevania is dope and you should go binge all of it since there is literally nothing else to do under quarantine.

[smokeybrand]

Smokey band Reviews: What Is a Man

I wanted my next review to be The Invisible Man but i keep putting that thing off. I think it’s the pacing. it’s kind of funky. I’ll get around to it eventually. Spoiler alert, it’s pretty interesting so far. In the meantime, i finally caught up on a show that dropped and didn’t see when it first released; Castlevania! I passed on actually reviewing he first two season, well, season and a half. That first season was, like, six episodes. This ain’t the BBC, son. Thirteen or bust! Anyway, since we’re about three days from being under marital law, i figure i got time to revisit and review the series so far. Plus, i mean, i need to catch up since the fourth season has already been announced. F*cking Netflix, man. In that vein, pun in tended, here is my review of the series as a whole so far.

The Good

This show is not anime. It’s not. Avatar is not anime. It’s not. This is a sanitized facsimile of what the Japanese do with their animation. Stop calling this sh*t anime! That said, on it’s own, outside of that hilariously unflattering comparison, it can be pretty dope. I don’t think this sh*t holds a candle to studios like Trigger, Madhouse, Gainax, or Shaft, but it’s the best animation coming out of the US i’ve seen in years. The fight scenes in particular are absolutely gorgeous. You can really tell that Netflix invested the necessary resources to make this show look dope, even if the framerate is a little iffy between set pieces.

Now that i’ve died on my anime cross, i just want to acknowledge how good this show looks. It’s f*cking gorgeous, man. I mean, the world, alone, is a feat for the eyes, but i am absolutely in love with the character designs. If you google the characters from the games they are mad cluttered and full of extra nonsense. I’m never a fan of, like, flair on my characters. That’s why i hate the look of Mortal Kombat. That sh*t is gross. Castlevania has that same issue, culminating in the design vomits of Judgement. That game was gross to look at. Gross. This show takes the ludicrously gaudy designs of the games and make them presentable while still paying homage to the core design of the games. Sh*t is miraculous and i can’t help but marvel at that ingenuity. I mean, f*cking Carmilla, dude. Just look up Carmilla in the games and tell me this show ain’t good at it’s job.

Castlevania’s writing is kind of miraculous. As a cat that’s been playing these games since the late 80s, I’m mildly aware of the interconnecting lore between titles. It’s a mess. It’s a goddamn mess. There’s a dope story there, in the muck, but it’s so mired in melodrama, retcon, and years upon years of independent development, it’s completely lost. I appreciate Konami giving storytelling a shot during a time when gameplay was the principal seller of games, they didn’t have to do any of that, but, at some point, clean your sh*t up with a manga or reboot or something, man. The later titles do this sh*t fine. I adore Shanoa and Soma. Their games got the best of both worlds. The Belmonts? Not so much... This show does an amazing job of cutting through the bullsh*t and sharpening that story to a fine point. This is Trevor’s story, the first Belmont we take control of in game, so watching his line grow through the years, with this quality of storytelling, is mad compelling. I mean, you get right into it and it grips you from start to finish. I can’t wait to see where this goes.

The character work in this show is pretty legit. I was thoroughly surprised since the games themselves are rather bare bones and nauseatingly campy at times. Not this show. Nope! This sh*t is grim, dark, and violent. I love it! You can feel the plight one people and the rage of the vampires. Each main character s is beset with pathos and trauma and consequence, for two seasons. Season three is kind of light on growth but does a decent job explaining certain things. Like, this is Belmont’s tale but Sypha is definitely the most interesting character in the show. Everyone does a great job but there are, of course, a few standouts.

Speaking of my girl, did i tell you that Sypha is f*cking amazing? Ma is the most adorable, most badass motherf*cker in this show! I thought she was going to be kind of a weenie, like she is in the games, but nope! Ma is out here, burning motherf*ckers alive and slicing dudes up with ice blades, all the while being her peppy, adorable, kind of bloodthirsty self. F*ck, love Sypha and her voice actress, Alejandra Reynoso, is perfectly cast! She bring a levity and vulnerability to a woman who can take on an army all y her lonesome. I love that sh*t!

I have to mention how dope Dracula is in this how. He’s f*cking badass and, surprisingly, hilarious. His wit is as sharp as his fangs. Even with such overwhelming power, dude is still amazingly human, often time reminding you that he is just a broken, lonely, man. It’s incredible to see. you actually empathize with an entity hellbent of slaughtering humanity. I couldn’t believe that sh*t. A lot of that has to do with the writing but Graham McTavsh does an excellent job delivering those subtle emotional cues.

I feel like is should say something about Richard Armitage’s Trevor Belmont. Dude is dope. he’s how i always imagined Trevor to be. And Armitage is a seasoned veteran at this voice acting game so he does a great job. I’m not blown away or anything but he’s dope. Considering dude is kind of a supporting character in his own show, i think my indifference is warranted. He’s good, though, don’t misunderstand. I’m not decrying his performance or anything. Gold star for sure.

The best thing about season three, outside of my darling Sypha, is Lenore. Holy sh*t is she a great character! I was thoroughly surprised by how brazenly manipulative she turned out to be. Lenore is a f*cking genius and her feigned naivety is brought to life by an absolutely outstanding performance from Jessica Brown Findlay. Ma is on the long con and Carmilla might have some competition to look for.

I like Issac. This last season did wonders for developing his character. His arc is probably the best after Syph’s, mostly because he’s the only other character that even had an arc. His voice actor, Adetokumboh M'Cormack, does a great job developing the enigmatic Forgemaster into a character more than his humdrum game origins.

The Bad

This show is not anime! Stop telling me it’s an anime!

Alucard’s arc in season three was a little... me. I thought he was the one character let down by the writing but it’s not a terrible slight. I just felt he deserved more of a exploration than what he received.

Season three was straight up filler. I guess it has that in common with anime, even though most modern anime ha move away from the Filler system. I mean, i liked a lot of what went on and the character work was delightful but none of this is really of consequence. Most characters either didn’t grow or are exactly who we thought they were. It feels cheap.

Hector. What the f*ck, Hector. What the f*ck.

The Verdict

Season One showed a ton of potential. I enjoyed the whole Dracula arc, even though this was more a story about his disillusionment with humanity rather than how he became Dracula. Season two is the Castlevania know from the games. It was dope seeing that narrative removed from the shenanigans of that Konami narrative jank. I thought they id the characters dope ass justice and the story itself, was rather compelling. I didn’t mind the character changes and the stuff they added felt organic. Season three is the closest thing to a slice of life anime i’ve seen in this show and it’s ridiculous. Like, nothing really happens of consequence and it feels like setup for later seasons but it’s easily the best looking of the three seasons.

Overall, as a whole, Castlevnia is really good. It’s easily one of the best video game adaptions available. This show takes it’s liberties, of course, but it does so in a very respectful manner. The core of the Castlevania lore is revered and embellished with creative additions while keeping the characters true to their game selves. For the most part. I really enjoyed thee character of Dracula when he was around and, oh my god, Lenore is the goddamn best! Sypha is the MVP of this show, though, and i need you people to know that. The art style is beautiful, the narrative is compelling, and you’ll fall in love with the character work. Castlevania is dope and you should go binge all of it since there is literally nothing else to do under quarantine.

[quills-and-golden-ink]

Welcome one and all to the second part of the Monthly Guide to Monsters! The talented @downwithwritersblock​ and I have teamed up to bring you some quick and easy guides to some of the world’s most infamous creatures. 

The guide will include: basic background, historical information, abilities, how to defeat them, and portrayals in media. They’ll probably also come with some short stories or prompts! 

For this week, I’ve been tasked with probably one of my favourite mythological beings: vampires. These will be posted on Mondays and Thursdays, excluding this week (since I’ve been busy with stuff). We hope you enjoy! 

Monster Guide #2: The Vampire

Definition: A vampire is an undead or immortal being from folklore that subsists by feeding off the vital force (usually blood) of the living. Vampires are typically creatures that bring about mischief or death. For a long time, vampires were synonymous with demons. Many cultures actually classified vampires as being corpses that were possessed and animated by a demon.

Description: Many early tales described vampires to be bloated; with ruddy, dark, or purple skin, and almost always wearing some kind of dark shroud to hide themselves in (that they usually bring with them from their own grave). It wasn’t until the 19th century, with our more modern day lore that we started to see the classic frail, or gaunt and pale vampires that we have grown used to seeing in the media.

Abilities: These change from culture to culture, although many of them were birthed by Bram Stoker's Novel “Dracula” (which were, btw, super OP). Included are some of the most common abilities associated with vampires (you’ll notice that “glittering in sunlight” is absent because of this). 

Usually immortal, or with at least a very prolonged life span

Increased abilities such as strength, speed, sight, hearing and smell. 

Flight

Some hypnosis, telepathy, illusionary magic. 

Shapeshifting (typically into a bat)

Vampire’s Baptism: the act of healing one with a vampires blood, or turning one into a vampire through mutual biting

Regenerative healing

Immune or really unaffected by conventional or normal means of attack (like being punched, stabbed or shot) 

Night vision

Preventing Vampirism: Vampires eventually caused a bit of hysteria in some cultures, so we see many examples throughout the world of people trying to prevent the rise of the undead.

Some ways found to prevent the rise of a vampire were:

Buried upside down or flipped over.

Some cultures places scythes or sickles beside graves to satisfy the demons they thought would possess the dead. Why? Don’t know but that’s sick. 

Religious symbols, like wax crosses or pieces of pottery with biblical messages like “Jesus Christ Conquers” were commonly placed on corpses to prevent vampirism.

Some took the practical route and decided that separating or destroying the tendons in the legs of the deceased would also keep the dead from rising.

Shooting a bullet through the casket right before burial was also common

Some would put pieces of steel or silver over the corpse’s eyes, in their mouth, in their ears, or in between their fingers.

Pushing Iron needles through the heart was also said to stop a vampire from rising.

Decapitating after death. 

Curing and Killing: 

Garlic was said to keep away vampires

Crucifixes and rosaries were typically said to keep a vampire away.

They could not cross onto sacred or consecrated ground (like a church)

It’s also said they could not cross over running water (no bridges for vampires)

Some folklore says that they lacked shadows and would not show up in a mirror or a photograph (some folklore states that this is a reflection of their lack of a soul, although it could be due to the use of silver in these things)

Sprinkling mustard seeds along the roof of your house was said to keep vampires away, but if it didn't, you’d be alright becauseeee

Vampires, in many myths, could not enter a home without first being invited in. Be careful though, they only need the one invite. After that they might just be able to come and go from your house as they please.

Wild rose stems or hawthorn branches could potentially harm them

In many legends, vampires are warded off, and sometimes even harmed by silver. (Old mirrors were commonly backed with silver, and old photography also used silver specks, which might be the reason they’re not seen in them)

Holy Water or other items blessed by a priest were said to keep them away, and possibly even hurt them.

Vampires were said to be nocturnal, and were very vulnerable or damaged in sunlight. It might have even been able to kill them.

Being set on fire can kill just about everything, and vampires were no exception. 

@downwithwritersblock‘s favourite way to stop a vampire: Arithmomania. An expression or type of OCD in which the person who suffers from it feels compelled to count either their actions or the objects around them.  In many cultures around the world, especially in Eastern Europe and in Asia, it’s said that if you place small seeds (usually poppy seeds), sand or a type of grain like rice beside the grave, or in front of the vampire, they would compulsively have to count it, and that would keep them busy until either you kill them, or until the sunrises and the light kills them for you.

Decapitation was also a very common method in both preventing, and killing vampires.

And of course the most famous of all; A wooden stake through the heart. Many cultures will also tell you that the stake has to be made out of the same kind of wood as the cross that Jesus was crucified on.

History: Here we’ve included two of the most famous “real life vampires” in history! Up first we have...

Vlad Tepes (or as he’s more commonly known: Vlad the Impaler, or Vlad Dracula).

Born between 1428 and 1431 and died in either 1476 or 1477.

He was Prince of Walachia 3 times between 1448 and his death

The second son of Vlad Dracul, who ruled Walachia

Imprisoned in Transylvania, held in Visegrad from 1463 to 1475.

Vlad II got the name ‘Dracul’ when he joined ‘The Order of the Dragon’, a ‘monarchical chivalric order for selected nobility’ in middle Eastern Europe (aka it was mainly Germanic states).

Dracul(a) means ‘Dragon’, and in more modern Romanian it means ‘The Devil’

Vlad III’s prefered method of execution was impalement. Hence the nickname ‘Vlad the Impaler’

Rumours and stories of Vlad spread fast, in fact, books about his cruel acts were best sellers in the German speaking territories.

However, to his own people, Vlad was usually seen as a warrior and a hero.

Bram Stoker was the one to turn Vlad into the legendary vampire with his well known book “Dracula,” published in 1897. It relied on many of the ancient myths of blood suckers found in Romanian folklore. The novel was very loosely based on Vlad, considering Bram Stoker didn't actually know a whole lot about Vlad and Walachia.

Bram Stoker is also among the first to change the traditional vampire into what we know today. His book is, or at least part of the reason that the image of vampires shift into one that is pale and thin, the lack of a reflection or shadow probably starts with his novel as well.

Secondly, we have my favourite: Elizabeth Bathory, aka “The Blood Countess.” 

Considered to be the first female serial killer.

The accusations change a bit depending on the story, but, Elizabeth was a Countess who was accused of taking, torturing and killing hundreds of young girls. She was accused of some pretty gnarly torture methods like covering people in honey and ants, or burning and then dunking people in freezing water, not to mention mutilation. She was accused of cannibalism. She was also said to drink the blood of her victims, earning her the nickname ‘Countess Dracula’. Some also say that as a regular part of her beauty regimen she would drain the blood of young virgin girls, and bathe in it to help keep her young and beautiful. Sometimes I like to call her the inventor of the first bath bomb.

The highest number of victims she was accused of was 650; however, this, like many parts of her story are questionable, and from unreliable or iffy sources.

Vampires in Media: This list is absolutely massive, so I’ve included twelve titles. This includes books, tv shows, and movies, but excludes video games. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (TV show, movie, comics)

The Vampire Chronicles/Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice (movie and book)

Carmilla (1871 novel, cute lesbian 2014 youtube series, movie)

The Vampire Diaries (TV Show)

True Blood (Book series, TV show)

Van Helsing (Movie, TV show)

Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897 Novel)

30 Days Of Night (movie)

Twilight (Book series, movie)

The Originals (TV show)

Angel (TV show)

Blade (Movie)

And my personal favourite, which doesn’t fall under any specific monster, is the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. Would highly recommend. It’s 13 books in the main series, and features all sorts of awesome and well-known supernatural entities such as (but not limited to): werewolves, vampires, half-demons, witches, sorcerers, demons, angels, and necromancers. Fun 18+ supernatural mystery read (with triggers for violence, gore, and explicit sexual content however. Reader discretion is advised.)

Prompts:

1. “You’re so coldblooded!”

    “Uh, yeah? I literally don’t have any blood?” 

2. “The worst part about being a vampire is not being able to take selfies. Do you know how much I miss looking at my own beautiful face?” 

3. “I suppose the best part of this whole ordeal is not having to spend so much time in the vanity.” 

4. “I’m scared to do my eyeliner.”

5. “Werewolves have it so easy! What’s the big deal with turning into a wolf every once in a while? I’d slaughter a country if it meant I could go outside and enjoy the sun. Even as a four-legged mutt.”

[kitsoa]

Kingdom Hearts Recap Recommendation List

I was answering some questions on the subreddit when I realized I had an honest to goodness opinion on some of the better KH recap methods out there. What can I say, I like re-experiencing the series and seeing if people agree on the lore. Catching up with the series is a mounting task for a lot of folks and I’d hate for it to really turn someone away. Ultimately it’s best to either play the 1.5+2.5 collection followed by the 2.8 game-- but if you’re like me and suck at gaming and can’t swing the time (or don’t have a PS4) then here are some options you can do:

Let’s Plays/Streams

I’ve watched a few blind playthroughs that are pretty nice if having commentary helps the experience. Otherwise No Commentary Walkthroughs are a Youtube Search Away.

NicoB-- A funny and entertaining personality who is very keen on the lore and clearly loves the games. He can be bombastic at times but plays the game well and does some great dialogue reads!  

NyanCave-- Streaming style trio with all the bells and whistles that come with it like superchats and such. It’s well modded so there’s no spoilers and the team has a great welcoming energy that plays well off each other. They aren’t actually done yet and only just finished BBS.  

Recap Videos

The trade off is thoroughness but there are a variety of recap videos around. I recommend as thorough as one can personally manage to get the best experience out of KH3 in January, but should you just need a refresher, shorter videos are fine. In order from shortest to longest:

Frustrated Jacob's 20-minute recap-- Explains the basic plot happenings with a cynical but concise delivery. It’s actually rather amusing as it handwaves some of the more iffy concepts as one should sometimes. But lore concepts are touched with clarity and he provides visuals as well. It’s missing material from the 2017 entry and mobile game but adds it in a pinned comment.

* Suggestive Gaming's 36-minute summary--A thorough, game by game summary that unpacks finer details at a steady pace. Sometimes the multitude of character’s at play can get a blind viewer cross-eyed, but the level of nuance could prove vital to realizing all of what KH3′s story demands.

BestGuyEver's Kingdom Hearts 101 "Lecture"-- It's a 3 hours long, extremely amusing ‘classroom lecture’ setting, explaining it game by game in release order. Lore points are presented thoroughly with audience questions (which are sometimes factious but helpful) and visual aids. Corrects some discrepancies in the comments and has follow up for missed future content. It’s just kind of funny watching this. 

Everglow's Timeline Series--For the ambitious with time and dedication. This is a 70+ episode series formatting cutscenes, gameplay, and extra reports in chronological order with smart editing to create the most complete concept of the series proper. It doesn’t talk at you but unfolds the event like a large cinematic. It's beyond impressive and a gem to this fandom, but even I'm taking some time to get through it so it's more of a way to re-experience the series rather than recap.

*If you are unsure which experience to select I would lean toward this one as it’s the best compromise between length and content. 

Other

This is also a bit of a gag recap but I’ve always adored this google doc summary circa 2012 that gets me giggling. I love obtuse visual aids so if anyone knows of a simplistic one then go ahead and add it.

[bookaddict24-7]

June 2017 Book Wrap-Up!

Though the end of June has been an emotional mess for me, I did manage to read ten books in early to mid-June. I read the six pictured books, one borrowed book, and three e-galleys from Edelweiss. This was a really mixed month when it comes to ratings, so we will see how this goes! 

If you saw my June TBR, then you know I failed horribly on the books I wanted to read in June. Nevertheless, that stack remains on my dresser. 

I’m also trying to be a little better with reviews (especially with books I’ve received for review), so like the last two months, I’ll link those reviews under each book that applies. With that being said, this will be a slightly longer post because of all of the books. 

You can friend me on Goodreads here to see what I’m currently reading!

Tell me what books you have read this month and what you thought about them! I love seeing what you’re all reading!

Warning: There may or may not be spoilers ahead.

Question: Would you all like me to add anymore information regarding the books I’ve read in next month’s wrap up? 

Hellworld by Tom Leveen

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review

I’ve only read one other book by Tom Leveen in the past and my liking it was an unpopular opinion. I wasn’t naive enough to think that this would be an amazing read, but I mean, I had hopes that I would still enjoy it. The premise sounded cool and the cover was pretty interesting (ignoring the slightly cliche and inaccurate nature of what the image portrays regarding the story). While I didn’t absolutely hate it, I found it to be slightly problematic and I would be wary to recommend this one to other readers. 

You can check out my mini review here and you can add it to your TBR on Goodreads here.

I gave this book 2/5 Stars

The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review

I won’t lie--I was a little wary of this book. Mainly because I wasn’t sure if I was in the mood for contemporary, but also because I was worried it would be a fluffy teen romance that would just have me rolling my eyes all over the place. But you know, I’ve learned that though I roll my eyes, I secretly love this romantic stuff. That being said, however, this book had a lot more depth than I thought it would have. Despite the shallow persona of the protagonist at the beginning of the novel and her “popularity” and need to be popular, the character quickly grew into someone more interesting. 

This honestly felt like a more romance-themed mash-up of Paper Princess by Erin Watt and Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen--which may sound like a weird combo, but it sort of worked? My main issue was the dramatic aspect and meanness of some of the characters. But I’m a sucker for these “poor to rich” contemporary YALit storylines, I’m not even going to lie. 

You can read another mini review I wrote here and you can add it to your TBR on Goodreads here.

I gave this book 3.5/5 Stars.

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review

Noteworthy was probably my favourite read of the month. I think this is one of the most underhyped books I’ve seen for a while. Redgate’s novel has diversity, it explores the complexity of gender in our society, it acknowledges bisexuality, it’s funny, and it has some fantastic quotable insights.

Also, if you liked She’s the Man, you’d really like this--though it’s a little more serious in tone and deals with music instead of soccer. 

I wrote a slightly longer review here and you can add it to your tbr on Goodreads here (you won’t regret it!). 

I gave this book 5/5 Stars.

Warcross by Marie Lu

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: September 12, 2017

I haven’t added a review for Warcross on Goodreads because this book doesn’t come out until September and I know that it’s highly anticipated, so I’ve been a little wary of saying too much. 

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. It was exciting, intriguing, and addicting. The premise is interesting, but some of the events were slightly predictable. There have been some instances where this has been compared to Ready Player One (which is one of my favourite books) and while I can KIND of see where the comparison is coming from, for the most part this isn’t really and truly like RPO, which was based on a society that basically lived online (for argument’s sake I’ll say that in Lu’s world, they escape to their digital world, but for the most part, they spend their days in the real world.) 

Basically, if in RPO the characters hunting for the easter eggs was a televised event then I would be more keen on comparing Warcross to RPO. If that even makes any sense.

You can add this book to your TBR on Goodreads here. 

I gave this book 4/5 Stars.

Things I’m Seeing Without You by Peter Bognanni

I received this book via Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 3rd, 2017

This book will forever resonate with me, not because of how it was written or because of the main character, but because I finished reading it during one of the most difficult times that my small family has gone through. The title itself has become a part of my daily thoughts because of what it stands for. 

What I liked the most about this book was the treatment of grief and how it can be such a hard-to-manage experience. 

You can read my review here and you can add it to your TBR on Goodreads here. 

I gave this book 4/5 Stars.

Missing by Kelley Armstrong

I received an unsolicited copy of this book via Penguin Random House.

I don’t know what it is about Kelley Armstrong but her books have not been my favourite. A few months ago, I tried reading another one by her and couldn’t really get into it and this one sounded amazing but the protagonist made it really hard for me to fully enjoy this book. 

I can’t even remember how many times I asked “Why?” while reading Missing. This is truly my greatest disappointment of the month. 

You can read my rant review here and you can add it to your TBR on Goodreads here.

I gave this book 2/5 stars.

Insert Coin to Continue by John David Anderson

I read this one on a whim because it made me think of a middle grade version of Ready Player One. All I can say is that this was extremely adorable because of all the middle grade issues explored: first crushes, nerdy shyness, and a storyline completely made for those kids who love video games and want an alternative to their every day life. 

What I was a little iffy on was the protagonist and how he treated his best friend. I mean, I get that they’re only twelve, but it always irks me when main characters get away with treating their best friends like idiots and don’t really change on that aspect by the end of the novel. But even with that, I still enjoyed the funny and absurd situations this kid got himself into. 

You can add it to your TBR on Goodreads here.

I gave this book 4/5 Stars.

A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting by Joe Ballarini

I received an e-galley via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

When I pick middle grade books to read on Edelweiss, I always go for the ones who look really interesting and adventurous. Ballarini’s novel did not disappoint! Taking place over the span of one night, this novel not only explores the creepy world of the boogeyman, but it also teaches its readers that one should never put anyone else down for being different and that it’s okay to not fit into the “popular crowd”. It’s okay to be yourself and if being yourself means that you have the power and knowledge that it takes to defeat the monsters under your bed, then why would you ever want to hide that? 

I think the only reason why I didn’t give this a full five star rating is because it had some unnecessary cruelty in regards to bullying and it felt like the story went on a little bit longer than necessary. 

You can add it to your TBR on Goodreads here. 

I gave this book 4/5 Stars.

Generation One by Pittacus Lore

I received an e-galley via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 

I never finished the Pittacus Lore series and reading this book made me want to go back and read the rest of the series. From the first page, I was hooked on this book and its characters. I am putty for books with kids who get special powers and this one fell right into that category. 

The action and cool factor of this book was nonstop and I found that while there may have been some allusions to The Lorien series, it didn’t really throw me off the book. This could be read really well by people who haven’t read the previous series, they might just have to do a little bit of research on who the Lorien are beforehand. 

You can add it to your TBR on Goodreads here.

I gave this book 5/5 Stars

I See London, I See France by Sarah Mlynowski

I received an e-galley via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book. While I loved the travel aspects and the humour, I was really frustrated with how much of a pushover the protagonist was. Also, her best friend reminded me of a negative friendship I once had, so that darkened my feelings for this book. 

With all of that however, for the most part I enjoyed this book and where the characters went and the romance. 

You can check out my review here and add this book to your TBR on Goodreads here.

I gave this book 3/5 Stars

And those are all the books I read this month! Have you read any of these books? 

I hope you all had a good reading month and I’ll be posting my July TBR soon!

Happy reading!