#i am seriously dreading the final book in the trilogy

[iturbide]

12 & 13?

12. Any books that disappointed you?

Unfortunately I had a string of them of the four debuts I read over the summer, it was a 50-50 split of delightful and deplorable. While Voyage of the Damned and So Let Them Burn were both absolute delights, To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods and The Poisons We Drink were incredibly frustrating reads -- interestingly in very similar ways, despite being written by very different authors. Both of them sounded really interesting, too, which makes it even more disappointing that they felt so poorly written and edited.

13. What were your least favorite books of the year?

Foxglove King and Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten, hands down the worst books I read this year. Foxglove King I technically read last year, but it incensed me so much with how promising it seemed and how it proceeded to squander its whole premise that I had to subject it to two of my best friends (misery loves company and all). And then as payback I was forced to read the sequel, which was somehow even worse than the first one which is so frustrating because these books sound like they should be fucking catnip to me. Reading them makes me want to scream. yes I am going to subject at least one of those same friends to the torment of that one, too

📕 End-of-Year Book Asks 📕

[thewitchblue]

"Are you... reading Twilight?"

You had asked Jason, who broke into your apartment while you were gone grocery shopping. He only gave you a hum and continued reading as you set your grocery bags on your kitchen table.

You watched him turn the page and felt a sense of dread. It was your copy from when you were 13 years old. It had notes and doodles in the margins. Did he read your notes? Of course he would. He reads the annotated versions of Jane Austen he has for fun. Why wouldn't he read your notes? The world seemed to be against you this day.

You were so mortified you didn't even hear him laugh at a doodle you had of Edward biting a dog with the word "nom" next to it. He was almost done with the book.

You've only been dating for a handful of months. Would the notes break up your relationship? You don't remember the majority of them.

You haven't touched the trilogy since school, and you originally didn't even want to read it. The social pressure from your friends became to be too much, and it felt like a religious experience at the time.

You had forgotten about the book entirely in the years you've had it crammed in a bookcase next to the rest of the series, which, with great horror, you saw he also pulled out to read.

"Don't tell me you're enjoying the book."

You said in disbelief. The memories run through your head of your blushing cheeks at simple words on pages while the girls ganged up on you to ask which team your on. What team is Jason on? Or has he read this before behind closed doors? He shrugged and simply replied,

"I am."

You wanted to bolt out the door, but you had melting limited addition candy cane ice cream in your grocery bag.

Instead of running away, you bravely start putting away your groceries with your eyes trained on Jason. He seemed to genuinely enjoy your trashy romance book that's so incredibly dated. This is so bizarre to you. He's a fan of the classics and loves books that he can revisit without cringing.

The book appeared partially destroyed by the abyss of your backpack with a torn cover and a broken spine, but it drew Jason's attention. Of course, it would draw his attention. He always said a well loved book is one you take everywhere. A book with a broken spine and torn cover is going to make him curious.

He never had the normal teenage phase, so he's never read the book. He was curious, and he was rewarded so far. He understands now why teenagers like the trilogy so far.

You decided to break into the ice cream. You tensed at every page turned. What did you write in there? You tried to remember. You vaguely remember writing "yummy muscles" on a page. You cringed. Oh, the horrors of a horny teen.

The ice cream was as delicious as you expected it to be. How could you look him in the eyes ever again? Will he tell the whole family? You were stress eating.

Jason finished the book and went to pick up the next one, but you plucked it out of his hands before he could open it and grabbed the final book as well.

"I'm seriously going to throw these in the shredder."

Jason smirked at you. He enjoyed your little doodles and notes. It was as if he was meeting you when you were kids. He pointed out,

"I think they are too big to shred, pipsqueak."

You pouted, which only made him more amused. He pulled you into his lap and kissed your cheek. You huffed,

"I can still try."

He laughed. You were so adorable. He might have to embarrass you more. He murmured to you,

"I especially enjoyed your note of 'delicious dog meat.'"

You groaned and held your face in your hands, making the books fall to the floor. You hated your past self in this moment. Why did you keep those books? For Jason to show up and read them?

The feeling of dread eventually went away the more he kissed you. You filed away the fact you can know for a fact Jason read Twilight now, and part of you wondered if he'll spiral into the hellscape of fanfiction as a result. You are going to burn those books.

You like to think you ended up with a better love story than Twilght. Sure, you may be dating a zombie instead of a vampire or werewolf like teen you had wanted (if we can have Superman, we can have a sexy vampire or werewolf), but your zombie is perfect in his own ways.

[hyukascampfire]

hello ashlynn, it’s 🌰! there is so much i want to talk about with you but this message won’t comprise of everything. i also got caught up in the whirlwind of holiday celebrations so it’s totally understandable if some of your blurbs for the event get postponed ヽ(*´∀｀) you deserve to rest and enjoy yourself, given how hard you work for us! your dedication to writing is seriously so inspiring— i know you never do anything half-assed so thanks for always returning the same energy ♡ your favourite scene in the trilogy AAAAA i can’t believe i didn’t notice the parallels （ ; ; ） that was a great observation on your part. and YES, i have read cardan’s letters to jude in exile… what to say, i love a man who takes penmanship seriously. i definitely agree with what you said about how well holly black did the enemies-to-lovers trope— i hate current marketing strategies that throw this concept around when the vast majority of the ships concerned are just rivals-to-lovers or two people who can’t stand e/o’s ass. or lovers-to-enemies, which is absolutely not interchangeable with enemies-to-lovers.

i’m done reading how the king of elfhame learned to hate stories and what a sweet resolution that was, to jude and cardan’s story. the fairy tale vibes were immaculate. and the illustrations OMG. interesting how malleable aslog’s tale was and how cardan gained the courage to rewrite it after everything went awry and he had no choice but to face the imminence of the prophecy he dreaded his entire life. love me a good ol’ “to be loved is to be changed” moment. oh and, i haven’t told you this enough but i also miss tsfawc bunches and i’m glad you share the sentiment. the people of hyukascampire-ville wouldn’t forget its roots‼️

since the end-of-year is all about distributing awards, should i reveal my top 3 from your holiday event once all 12 are out? (there will be special mentions as well though, i obviously can’t pick just 3 > < ) you may present your guesses if you’d like ☆

keep warm and take frequent breaks! eat lots of good food! love u 🌰♡

HIII CHESTNUTTT! i’m finally able to answer! idk if i ate smth new on christmas or smth, but i had an allergic reaction that has been plaguing me 😭 i’ve been knocked out for a good amount of the past few days. i’m doing better now though, and am very excited to yap w u >.< you always make my day.

YES!! when he said that to her, omg. chills. their relationship is so very complex. i don’t even know how to feel about madoc, and so i’m sure it’s even more complicated for jude. it’s also interesting to see each of the sisters’ relationships with him as well—jude’s being the most complicated, as she takes the most after him and the world he is a part of, and vivi’s being the most strained despite her being his only true daughter, and then how delicately he treats taryn. and then, oriana? holly definitely could’ve gone with the simple ‘evil step mother’ route for her, and it seemed that she did for most of it, but she is much more complex than that. i love how holly does twists on common tropes,, it makes a lot of sense considering that it’s set in a world that’s supposed to be in so much contrast with the human world.

i love his letters 😭😭 come be angry at a nearer distance? LMAOOO cardan PLEASE

also i agree like a thousand percent. most enemies to lovers has devolved into just two very sexy people that think each other are sexy, and the ‘hate’ they have for each other is more like banter with thinly veiled sexual tension. it’s not so fulfilling as enemies to lovers can and should be!

how the king of elfhame learned to hate stories was literally like opening a fairytale book. it was so fun, and getting backstory in cardan helped me sympathize with him a bit more. (FUCK U LADY ASHA!! me n my homies hate lady asha.)

tsfawc being hyukacampfireville’s roots 😭 that’s home base. we’re all missing jt so bad :,) BUT WE ARE BACK GUYS!! we are back! part six here we come!

UM YES? i woukd love that ?! my personal thoughts are that you liked at swan lake, it will come back and… hmmm…. velvet fuzz? I NEED TO KNOW.

love you bunches, always!! i’m literally opening my ipad to plot tsfawc so i really do mean that she’s coming soon. :3!!

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #451

��taste the waste of their god’s grace & spit your hate upon your young”

Who are you subscribed to on YouTube? A shitload of people. Do you like to go to the farmer's market? Yeah, sure. What will (or was) the color of your wedding dress be? Probably black. What's your favorite melon? I don't really like melons, actually. What was the name of the last pet of yours that died? Teddy. :( When was the last time you wished the day would just get over with? Literally every day. Seriously. It's funny, I dread fighting to sleep at night, but I also just want it to be time to sleep so time will pass. My life is just so fucking boring that I just... wait for something exciting to happen. Name one person you've never had a fight with: Tez. What are you currently listening to? "Sex Metal Barbie" by In This Moment. What would you rather have: cat or dog? I prefer cats. Who is your least favorite person in real life? Probably my sister's husband. Do you ever watch anybody's live stream of... anything, really? I'll sometimes watch live let's plays. Does your house have security cameras? No. If you go grey as you age, would you dye your hair or let it be? I'll be dyeing it. What was the last establishment you stopped going to due to bad service? What happened? I'm not sure. What soundtrack do you listen to the most? Silent Hill 2's, definitely. Was there a family secret you weren’t told about until you were an adult? I don't know if it's really a secret, but I didn't know until this year that my dad did some really dangerous drugs before us kids were born. Do you have an opinion most people you meet seem to disagree with you? Yes. What’s something you like to have many options to choose from? Food, ha ha. Feels great to have a full kitchen after a grocery trip. What’s the strangest decorative object you own? Nothing "strange" to me. What’s a thing you couldn’t imagine doing with your life right now? One biggie is having a baby. I just... could not imagine. My life would plummet. What’s been your proudest moment? Graduating in the top percentile in my high school graduating class. What’s the filthiest non-pornographic movie you’ve seen? Omfg, Sausage Party. That movie was so gross. Do you know anyone who doesn't seem to be fond of animals? Thankfully, no. I don't even think I could befriend someone who doesn't like animals. Are you planning any outings or trips anytime soon? Whereabouts? No. Do you know anyone who has a phobia of a certain animal? Yeah, like me with whale sharks. Is there a particular brand of technology/electronics that you prefer? Not really, no. Is there a singer whose voice gives you goosebumps/chills? Amy Lee's. And is there a singer whose voice you simply can't stand? Yeah, such as Bob Dylan. Are there any authors that are particularly dominant on your bookshelf? Tui T. Sutherland, but only because I read their series Wings of Fire. Have you seen any photographs or videos that made you smile today? I'm sure on Facebook at some point. Which item in your fridge are you most looking forward to consuming? Does the freezer count? If so, this Healthy Choice grilled chicken pesto bowl I have in there. I am like addicted to them. Has anyone you know got into a new relationship lately? I don't know. If you menstruate, do you experience much PMS prior to it? It varies month-to-month. Have you ever had a tattoo covered up or added to? I had my Markiplier tattoo essentially redone by a better artist. I also plan on getting my "ohana" tat covered, as well as my "how rare and beautiful it is to even exist" one (I adore the quote, but it's not an original design, which I don't like having anymore), and I want to move and redesign my "perfectly flawed" one because I want a bigger tattoo in its location. Can you remember the last time you had a sudden change of mind? Yeah; I'm pretty sure I like-like my friend Girt now, something I was never entirely sure about. When was the last time you did something on a whim? *shrug* Were you raised by both of your parents? If not, then who raised you? Well, I guess both, but Dad didn't do a lot of the teaching part about life and stuff. Have you ever began a relationship with someone you knew for less than a week? No. Has one of your friends ever tried to ‘hook you up?’ Yes. Colleen tried that with me and Girt and only succeeded in making us very uncomfortable. She said something I wanted to slap her for that I won't repeat. What is your card game of choice? Magic: The Gathering. What is your favourite books series? I think my favorite series of all time was the Shiloh trilogy. I adored both the books and movies. Do you prefer landmarks or street names when being given directions? You'd better give me landmarks, ha ha. Do you read the prologues in the beginnings of books? Of course. What was your favourite gym class moment? There're such things as GOOD gym memories in school? Do you think that ocean boardwalks are fun? Yes. Do you dread when people ask you to sign their yearbooks? No, I always thought it was very flattering that they even wanted mine. Do you have a favourite Scooby-Doo movie? The Phantom Virus one. I had the video game as a kid, too. Could never beat the damn thing. Do you think it’s cute when toddlers try to run away and fall down? No? I don't like seeing children - or anyone - fall. Do you enjoy listening to your grandparents tell stories of their past? So, this really only happened once, and it was coincidentally the day I learned of her pancreatic cancer, but before Mom told me. I had an assignment to interview someone of an older generation about how various sources of media affected their lives, like the development of TV and such, and she really got into it. It was very interesting to learn about. Do you have a crush on someone? I guess I do idfk. If so... what does his/her name begin with? "D." What attracts you to them? More than anything, the fact he's been there for me without fail. Both single and when I was with Jason and he was interested in me, he's just... been there and has made an effort since high school to be in my life in one way or another. Do they know that you like them? Not anymore, no. We dated for a few months, but I broke up with him because he felt more like my brother, so I would assume he doesn't think I do. Maybe he still is family to me. I really don't know what I feel. If they don't know, why didn't you tell them? I might at some point, idk. We just haven't talked in a while. Name two people that you miss: Jason and Megan. Have you ever seen Titanic? When I was in the hospital, yes. Everyone was crying, lmao. Have you ever swam with dolphins? No, but I would. When was the last time you had a stomachache? Now. Mother Nature finally visited me after three whole fucking months and is v angry. What's going to bed early for you? Like 7:00. Do you want to have a big family in the future? Of pets! Human kids ain't for me. What was the last thing you did that gave you a rush? Hell if I know. Favorite Nicholas Cage movie? Ghost Rider. Have you had your Covid vaccine yet? Which one, if you have? Yes. I got Moderna. If you've had your vaccine, did you experience any side effects? I did on my second dosage. I was OUT of it the day afterwards, but then I was fine. What's the next item of clothing that you intend to buy for yourself? I need new bras badly. What Facebook groups have you found the most helpful? It's called "Not Just A Pet Rock (Python regius)" and is a group for advanced ball python husbandry. It is very informative, but I will say there is a SHITLOAD of very rude elitists. Do you like your butt? Why or why not? NO because it's a PANCAKE and I want CAKE. Have you ever personally been a victim of homophobia? I personally think so. When Sara visited and we were trying to go to my older sister's so she especially could meet her, Ash entirely ignored Mom's messages. I know her homophobic husband well enough to nearly be able to guarantee he didn't want us coming over because the kids "don't need to see that." Ash kinda does what Nick says, so... you know. Do you think you’d be happier if you had a pet? I know I'm happier with pets. Who was the last person you went on a date with? Sara. Were you ever hospitalized as a little kid? No. What’s your favorite way to curl your hair? It's too short to do that. At what age did you start swearing? However old I was in 7th grade. What is something you physically can’t do? Clean up vomit lkdsjal;sdkjfa;lkwd. I can't clean up my pet's or even my own. I literally can't. My mom has to. What do like better, apples or oranges? Apples. I don't like oranges. Around the holidays, do you hope for snow? Yes!!! What are your top two favorite bands? Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica. How many people do you 100% trust? Like two. Maybe. Do you care what others think about you? Way too much. Has anyone ever called you a bitch? My grandmother has. Did you watch Teletubbies when you were younger? Omg yes, I was obsessed. Do you have any licenses other than your driver's license? I don't even have that. Could you live the rest of your life without eating meat? No. Not because I don't want to, because I do, but I would have an extreme protein deficit if I did that. Besides meat, I don't like enough protein-rich foods. Have you ever had a rolling backpack? Yes. Did you make any money today? I haven't made any money in a very, very long time. I'm only ever paid when someone hires me to take pictures for them. What was the highest place you've ever jumped from? I don't know. Definitely not very high. Have you ever gone swimming in a river? Yes. What was the last souvenir someone got you? I have zero clue. Do you have a favorite remix of a song? Hm. Perhaps this techno-y remix of "Psychosocial" by Slipknot. I don't know for sure, though. What do you think is the most saddest sounding instrument? Either the violin or piano. Do you really pay attention to the ratings on movies? Nope. Do you have a favorite species of wild cat (tiger/lion/cougar/etc.)? Probably clouded leopards aesthetics, but I think lions overall. If you had $500,000, what would you do with it? Pay off school debt as well as help Mom with various financial issues, buy new glasses, buy Mom and I a new house and car, get Venus a great tank with all the optimal supplies, get LOADS of tattoos, donate to various charities, adopt a few specific pets, travel to Yellowstone, get laser hair removal on my legs and teeth whitening... There are a lot of possibilities. Did the last person you touched lips with have a kid? Just scaly ones. :') "First loves are never really over." Is this true for you? Yeeeep... Did you like Michael Jackson before he died? I didn't really have an opinion on him. I know/like a couple songs, sure. What are some things that would make you break up with someone? If they became abusive, started doing drugs, acted arrogantly, didn't understand my mental conditions and were unwilling to be emotionally supportive, stuff like that. What was the worst breakup you've ever had? Ha, the one with Jason. For. Fucking. Sure.

[thehonestreader]

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Rating: B+

Vasilisa Petrovna can’t stay home; it’s just become too dangerous for her. With Morozko’s help, she sets out into the forest to visit lands she’s only ever dreamed about. But soon she stumbles across villages burned down by raiders who also stole young girls from their families. After learning of this, Vasya tasks herself with finding these girls and bringing them home, which inadvertently reunites her with her older brother, Sasha. But it’s dangerous for a girl to be traveling alone, so she takes on the persona of Vasilii Patrovich, forcing her siblings to play along and pretend that she’s their brother. Her actions against the bandits earns the admiration of the Grand Prince, much to Sasha’s horror. In Moscow, Vasya will have to ensure the truth about her identity remains hidden. Yet there’s some strangeness happening that no one else sees, meaning she’s the only one capable of stopping it.

--

Dread was the first thing that hit me as I started reading this book. The first few chapters follow Vasya’s brother and sister, Sasha and Olga, and I was so scared that this was going to become one of those books that continuously jumps between characters. I didn’t want it to go between them and Vasya. But I got so sucked in to what was happening with Sasha that when the story did finally go to Vasya I got mad about it. That’s the magic of this author’s writing: that I got so caught up in a side character that when it was finally the main character’s time to shine I was legitimately upset about it. Let me tell you, it was a trip.

I’d like to point out that this is my dream book. I like historical fiction, I like fantasy, but I absolutely lose it when the two are together. And this story blends them so well. By far the best thing this book brings to the table is that it allows these characters to grown properly. I always saw Vasya as a child in the first book, and that made me feel a bit disconnected from her and what was happening to her. But here she’s more mature and I can see how her character is changing. I also like that the setting has changed to a bigger city; there’s only so much of the family homestead I can take before it gets dull. And while I said I didn’t mind the slow build-up in The Bear and the Nightingale, I’m glad the action has picked up.

This book definitely improves on some of the things that I didn’t like in the first one. The Bear and the Nightingale struggled so much when it came to pacing that all the action happened right at the end in about ten pages, tops. The pacing here is better, although I think it can still be worked on. I hope everything get explained in the next book since things kind of just end abruptly. The main issues get solved so it’s satisfying enough, but I want to know the ins and outs of what exactly is going on.

However, I am extremely bummed that all the cool creatures from book one are almost non-existent here. I miss them. They were a big part of the reason why I really liked this series, so the fact that they’re not here upsets me. Plus, as I said in my review for the first book, I still don’t know how I feel about this romance with Morozko. I’m leaning more toward dislike, though. I have a feeling on how that plot point is going to end and I’m seriously hoping I’m wrong.

Still, this book charmed me more that the first one. I’m willing to say I like this one more, and when can you ever say that about book two in a trilogy? I can’t wait to finish this series.

- Review by Челси (C.M.) (yes I’m keeping this shtick going)

[fl0w3rp0w3rgrl]

Never Fear: the Renegades are Here!

Or fear a bit because there was some serious internal corruption in this book. In a good way.

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer is the second book in her Renegades trilogy, and I was as satisfied with it as I was Renegades. If you haven’t already read Renegades, I seriously recommend it. This series is on my ‘to-buy’ list.

Quick Summary: It’s hard enough upholding the shining reputation that Renegades have gotten in the city of Gatlon. It’s harder for Nova because she isn’t really a hero or a Renegade. She’s a member of the Anarchists, sent undercover to gather intel. Then, there’s also Adrian Everheart, adopted son of two of the cities most beloved heroes; he has a few secrets of his own. Nova’s supposed to get close to Adrian, but is she really acting? Corruption, secrets, and hearts make this a thrilling super hero read. 

The story alternates between Nova and Adrian’s perspectives, which give the reader a broad view of what is going on at all times.

I am absolutely fascinated by Nova’s character. We can call her an anti-hero. She’s one of the Renegades assets as Insomnia, but also a hindrance as Nightmare. She is a great example of circumstance and being a product of one’s environment. One of the things I love the most about Nova is her outward perspective. She sees everything in varying shades of gray, and is willing to question the order.  

Though she is meant to oppose the Renegades, she is never depicted as heartless. i think It can be easy to write infiltrators as cool and composed, but add emotional attachment and guilt--that makes for a more compelling story. 

Adrian’s character is just as rich. His backstory isn’t as harsh as Nova’s but you can see how it affects his actions in the present. Adrian is interesting because he was raised among Renegades. It is all he knows. His mother was Lady Indomitable, and following her death he was adopted by Captain Chromium and the Dread Warren--all who are members of the council. However, Adrian has the opportunity to see the Renegades from another side as his vigilante persona The Sentinel. 

There are a lot of great themes in this book, such as loyalty, family, and justice. Zeroing in on justice, Archenemies probes the question about when is something right. I don’t want to give anything away. (I try to stay committed to a spoiler-free zone!) However, there are elements introduced to the story that make the reader question what draws the line between a hero and a villain. 

Meyer rarely disappoints. (Check out Heartless!) The world of the Renegades Trilogy is no exception. There is a rich history of super powers--known as prodigies. She created a complex backstory built on interpretations of social order and what freedom truly is. While the reader is focused on the inter-workings of prodigy life style, they also get exposure to what it is like to be an ordinary civilian in a world where superheroes patrol the streets. 

All aspects of the plot blended together very well. I got my questions (mostly) answered, and am in eager anticipation of the third--and final!--book, which comes out November 2019. 

If the length of this post is any indication, it is that Archenemies, is a great book to read. 

[opheliakeeauthor]

A Negative Review?

So I got a single star review today on Goodreads for Dread Allies: Shadow King Part 1. At first I was sad. Then I read it. ​The reviewer only read the first page and a half of the story! I am not sure that should even be considered a review. It felt far more like they simply were not feeling the book and put it back on the shelf. I personally do not review books that I have not actually read, but a review is a review. I get so few of them that in a messed up way I was excited to get even a bad one. LOL. The reviewer failed to realize that the Dread Allies series is a spinoff from Draoithe and so they were missing the back story. I can't fix the fact that they ignored the note to the reader at the very beginning disclaiming that. (The reviewer noted in the review that they ignored it. I am not making this up!)

New Titles by Ophelia Kee Links Page!

The reviewer did have one thing to say that made me truly think about my ebook structure. He did not like my chart with my book links, so maybe that was not one of my better ideas. That was actually helpful, so I am taking that advice to heart. Most of the time in traditionally published books, you will find only a simple list of the books in a saga in the order that they are meant to be read. I experimented with a table. Apparently that did not fly. So here is the new list that will be published in my books soon.

Titles by Ophelia Kee Complete Volume Short Read Miniseries Draoithe: Tantalu *Prequel Draoithe: A Pack Forms Volume 1 Draoithe: The Council Volume 2 Draoithe: Magic Calls to Magic Volume 3 Draoithe: Dragons Come Volume 4 Draoithe: The Ruiri Complete Volume 5 Draoithe: Light and Dark Magic Volume 6 Draoithe: The Dark Gift Volume 7 Draoithe: Elementals Volume 8 Draoithe: Fire and a Gryphon Volume 9 Draoithe: Synner And Sainte *Forbye Draoithe: Dream Therapy Volume 10 Draoithe: Filth and Death Volume 11 Dread Allies: Shadow King Miniseries *Spinoff Eyrie Iolair: Prodigal Sons Miniseries *Spinoff Eyrie Iolair: Sky Dreams Miniseries *Spinoff Draoithe: Dragon Masters Volume 12 Draoithe: Precious Treasures Volume 13 Draoithe: War Dogs Volume 14 ***Coming Soon*** Draoithe: Past in the Present Short Reads Set in the dream Draoithe: The Thread *Prologue Volume 1 Draoithe: Arctic Fox *Prologue Volume 2 Eyrie Iolair: Dragonesque *Sky Dreams Tangent Draoithe: Weaver’s Tale Miniseries *Novela Draoithe: Smoke of the Fire  *Short Read Trilogy Eyrie Iolair: Risky Rewards *Short Read Trilogy Draoithe: Still Waters *Short Read Duet

Wow! On the blog this feels like an incredibly long list. It is not so overwhelming in a 6x9 book format. LOL. I will be using this new format for all future work and then go back and correct the look of previously published titles. There is still a huge backlist of stories to be published. I wonder if I don't need an assistant. Nah. They would expect a paycheck and writing is for sure a labor of love.

Shameless Self Promotion!

This Weekend until Midnight on Monday evening you can download a copy of Synner and Sainte Part 1 for FREE! It is always FREE with Kindle Unlimited! But not all of us have that option, so I am still trying to find ways to make it easier to step into the dream. Even if it is only one title at a time.  Thank you for reading my stories. I am humbled that so many like them. You are awesome!

Behind the Scenes!

I got the storyboard tiles from Dread Allies finally posted to Pinterest. It took me long enough, didn't it? As you can see I began publishing it back in March. Sometimes if I don't have it on a calendar in front of me things slip by me. The entire Dread Allies short read miniseries is now fully published. (Mostly I prefer writing to marketing, but that is life. Kindly forgive me that.) Check them out on my Ecxerpts board. If you have a Pinterest account and follow, I follow back. I would love to connect with you all there. 

I am editing The Library, so I have to run away. Before I leave, let me remind you to be kind and please leave your reviews when you read. Indie authors that you enjoy could seriously use them. To all of you who have been kind enough to write reviews of my stories, Thank You immeasurably. Be Careful! Happy reading, ​Ophelia Kee

[daleisgreat]

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Now it is time for the film I have been dreading to cover the most of the quadrilogy of Indiana Jones adventures and yes I am talking about Indy’s return to the big screen after a 19 year absence with 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (trailer). For new readers you can catch up on my posts for the original trilogy by clicking right here. When it originally released it was the only film in the franchise I vividly recall seeing in its entirety on release week. I recall walking out of that film irate because of a few gut-wrenching cornball scenes I will touch on later, and also because it featured Shia LaBeouf in one of the lead roles of the film fresh off his ultra-annoying performance in the first Transformers film. Needless to say I recall being furious anytime Shia’s mug appeared onscreen. This was 11 years ago however, so it was interesting revisiting this with a fresh set of eyes. Before I continue bear with me for a quick sidebar. I specifically recall Crystal Skull being the last film playing in what was once the featured theater in my town throughout my childhood. The good ‘ol Columbia 4 was the place where I waited in long lines for tickets to see family blockbusters like Home Alone, D2: The Mighty Ducks, Beethoven and Major League II. Later in the 90s a 10-plex opened, and in 2007 a 15-plex debuted which was the catalyst for the Columbia 4 turning into second run $1 theater a couple months later. For the next several months I caught at least two movies a month there and would chance anything for a $1 but felt something was amiss when the only movie they had playing on all four screens for its last three weeks was Crystal Skull until they finally locked their doors. I miss $1 movies and I hope we get another second-run theater again someday.

Back on track, Crystal Skull opens with Indy (Harrison Ford) and his colleague Mac (Ray Winstone) being thrown out of a trunk by the Soviet KGB. Yes, Indy is no longer squaring off against Nazis in the 1930s, but now communists in 1957. The standard thrilling opening chase sequence transpires with Indy evading peril once again, but with the Russians constantly on his tail. Not all is well for Indy back home as his latest capers leads to his dismissal from his longtime professor job at the university, but he has a hot tip for this film’s self-titled Magoffin, a legendary Crystal Skull. This leads Indy to meeting up with one Mutt Williams (Shia LeBeouf) for more info on the Skull’s whereabouts, and that leads the pair to tracking down the kidnapped duo of Indy’s former pal, Dr. Oxley (John Hurt) and Mutt’s mom Marion (Karen Allen). The Russians are led by one Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), who has some hinted psychological gifts early on, but that part of her persona is quickly brushed aside and she is essentially one of the weaker Indy antagonists. Mac is pretty amusing though with his constant double-crossing. Sadly, Sean Connery does not return to reprise his role as Indy Sr. as Connery stated in interviews at the time he was already a few years into his acting retirement and enjoying it too much to return to the screen, but there is a nice quick little tribute to him here. After re-watching the original trilogy and now having 100% reverence for Marion’s role in Raiders, I was thrilled to see her return this time around. Her chemistry with Ford does not miss a beat and the two shine together whenever they share a scene after Marion’s introduction halfway into the film. Some of my original qualms was Ford obviously being too old to make a return to all the swashbuckling action the series is famous for as he was 65 when Crystal Skull was filmed. Ford must have had some bizarre combination of good makeup and training, because he comes off as barely spry enough to pull off most of the vintage Indy acrobatics and I was further stunned to see the interviews claim how he did most of his own stunts to boot. Being many years removed from the dreck of the original Transformers trilogy also helped re-watching this as I was able to give Shia’s performance a now un-biased perspective and I was legit surprised LeBeouf actually pulled off a pretty good outing as the greaser, Mutt Williams.

Most of the requisite chases and swashbuckling action scenes of Crystal Skull hold up surprisingly well. As a matter of fact nearly halfway through the film I jotted down in my notes in all caps ‘THIS IS ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD SO FAR.’ There are still a few instances that are big asterisks where Crystal Skull does not tiptoe over the wrong side of the line of groan-inducing, hokey moments, it straight up jumps the shark on them. The first instance is a jeep chase that was going well until monkeys and vine swinging gets involved and it instantly took me right out of the moment. The second moment was when Indy and crew all survive a mammoth waterfall drop and instantly all of them walk right out of it without even a scratch. I would be a fool at this point not to point out the elephant in the room in what is the most ridiculous jump the shark moment in cinema history….really….when Indiana…..I am not kidding….survives a nuclear blast on a testing ground by hiding in a lead-lined fridge and to rub salt in the wounds walking out of it WITHOUT EVEN A SCRATCH OR DROP OF BLOOD (SERIOUSLY, CLICK HERE TO RELIVE THIS ABSURDITY)!!! For that last instance it knocks the bonkers ball right out of the park and I can almost give Spielberg and Lucas a pass for being brazen enough to include it in here…almost.

My final gripe with Crystal Skull is how the final act plays out. I remembered enough bits and pieces of the original trilogy going into my first viewing of the fourth film to expect some supernatural material, and the inclusion of it is not what bothered me, but how it is pulled off is. When Spalko gets her just-deserts upon her inappropriate handling of the Crystal Skull, the way the CG-affair plays out is way too over the top to be taken seriously and get on the edge of my seat for like in previous films. This is also the first Indy film in the HD-era and Lucas already had the polarizing Star Wars prequels under his belt which featured the latest and greatest CG so it is baffling how silly the CG alien spectacle is executed. On the bonus features disc of the BluRay set there is only one extra specific to Crystal Skull and that is Making of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It runs just under a half hour and it does a good job interviewing Lucas, Spielberg and Ford on how the fourth film came to be and how it is an ode to the 1950s alien invasion B-movies like how the original trilogy was an homage to 1930s serials. I checked out the last several bonus features on the extras disc that run 10-12 minutes each to round off all the bonus content I had not seen yet. These shorter extras cover the filming locations, the leading women of the films, and post production. They are all well done, but of them the only one I would recommend would be the extra containing excerpts from a panel interviewing the three lead women of the movies that looked like it was shot shortly after The Last Crusade. The actresses are interviewed in the other bonuses, but it is nice to see them shine on their own here and give more insight and anecdotes than the other interviews.

For those interested in one more extra not contained on the set, the Cinemassacre crew did another recent video debating on whether Temple of Doom or Crystal Skull is the worst Indiana Jones film you can check out by clicking here. If it was not for these guys making these videos in the last few weeks it would have taken me several months to get around to covering the last two Indy films so kudos to them for driving me to get to them sooner than later. As far as which of those two films do I rank as the inferior Jones caper, I would have to rank Temple of Doom at the bottom. As I detailed in my entry for Temple of Doom, I had a lot of beef with it and the only parts I cared for were the opening sequence and the final mine-cart and rope-bridge scenes which only tallied up to about a quarter of the film. For Crystal Skull however my opinion of it turned a complete 180. Yes, I detailed four major gripes above with the film, but those are my only noteworthy problems and other aspects of the fourth film aged better than I could have imagined and I was on board for around two-thirds of the film! I still would rank it as only my third favorite of the series behind Raiders and Last Crusade being my standout favorite, but Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will likely be the only movie in the history of this blog that I had a positive 180 change of opinion on. Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: Civil War Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Countdown Creed Deck the Halls Die Hard Dredd The Eliminators The Equalizer Dirty Work Faster Fast and Furious I-VIII Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Guardians of the Galaxy Hercules: Reborn Hitman Indiana Jones 1-4 Ink The Interrogation Interstellar Jobs Joy Ride 1-3 Man of Steel Man on the Moon Marine 3-6 Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Mortal Kombat National Treasure National Treasure: Book of Secrets The Replacements Reservoir Dogs Rocky I-VII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Shoot em Up Skyscraper Small Town Santa Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Take Me Home Tonight TMNT The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Vision Quest The War Wild Wonder Woman The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Days of Future Past

[ismael37olson]

The Power of Love Can Make a Zombie Too!

It's hard to believe it's over. It was five years ago that I set out to write The Zombies of Penzance. It seemed so perfect, so deliciously fucked up, and the process of "translating" the story , the changing of Gilbert's pirates into zombies, hardly disturbed the plot at all (though I later made some larger plot changes). I know you want to ask, so yes, I was seriously stoned when I thought of the idea. I immediately loved everything about it. I already deeply loved The Pirates of Penzance. I love zombie movies. I love mashups. Plus, I quickly decided that my approach would include an elaborate, though entirely false, backstory about the creation of The Zombies of Penzance. In fact, that meta-layer became an important part of the humor. We tell the audience Gilbert wrote these zombie lyrics, but then throughout the evening, we keep smacking them with anachronisms, four-letter words, and other morsels that Gilbert would/could never have written -- including every reference to zombies, which hadn't entered the awareness of Western culture yet. I loved all of that. The inherent wrongness of it all. More than anything what I loved most was the fundamental idea of telling a horror story in the language of English light opera, possibly the most "wrong" storytelling form imaginable for this content. That was the appeal for me, more than anything else. I love things, particularly art, that are obviously wrong or fucked-up. That's so interesting, and often, so funny. I also loved the idea that this would be New Line's second zombie musical, since we did the very serious Night of the Living Dead in 2013. And its our seventh horror musical, following our productions of Rocky Horror, Sweeney Todd, Bat Boy, In the Blood, and Lizzie. Should we also count Urinetown...? Throughout the time I've been working on this, I was always mindful of the fact that no matter how funny or meta-ironic my text was, it had no real value on the page. It's only a zombie operetta when it's live (dead?) onstage. I needed lots of people to make it into live theatre. That's true of all our shows, but since this was an awfully odd experiment, it was constantly in my awareness. When I talked to friends about it, at some point I'd always throw in, "...if I ever finish it, and if we produce it..." We held a public reading in January. To my amazement, 150 people showed up, and to my greater amazement they followed the plot easily and fully embraced my multiple layers of meta, my blatant anachronisms, and the four-letter words sprinkled throughout. The audience really loved both the ways in which I had stayed true to Gilbert & Sullivan and their traditions, and also the ways in which I violated that. It's actually a fairly complex piece, and I was delighted that many of the reviewers noticed and appreciated that. Paul Friswold wrote in his Riverfront Times review:

Scott Miller and John Gerdes are the responsible parties, tinkering with Gilbert's lyrics and Sullivan's music to create something more than the sum of the parts. The two St. Louisans have added modern references, profanity and a careful adherence to the spirit of the original operetta. Portraits of George A. Romero and Queen Victoria hang above the old-fashioned stage and its working footlights, hinting at the twin forces at work here. Romero is the godfather of zombies in popular entertainment, and Victoria led the society that simultaneously embraced Gilbert & Sullivan's jaunty work and harbored a morbid fascination with life after death. All of these elements come together on stage, to strange and often comic effect. . . . But it's not all fun and pop-culture riffs. Despite his lethal nature, the Major-General has a most troubled conscience. The second-act song "When the World Went Bad" cracks open the show's candy coating to reveal the darkness within. Stanley sings of his fears about the forces bringing the dead to life, and worries about the coarsening of his soul. Is he less moral than the Zombie King, who spares some people (albeit under false pretenses)? The Major-General kills them all, and then shakes with terror and remorse late at night. Is he worse than what he hunts? It's a question that harkens back to Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend, which was Romero's own inspiration. The book also informs the finale, which is preceded by a delightfully ridiculous brawl between the Stanley daughters, who are in their bloomers and bearing cricket bats and nunchucks, and the zombie horde. Things become very dark indeed. But you know what they say: It's always darkest before the dawn of the dead.

Some people reflexively dismissed the show -- without seeing it of course -- as a stunt, a bastardization, a one-joke show. I'll admit that my new Major-General lyric is a stunt, but so is Gilbert's original. That's what patter songs are. Beyond that, The Zombies of Penzance is an experiment in form and content, it's a big over-arching meta-joke about lost and discarded works, and it's a translation in terms of cultural context and also in terms of themes. As I wrote in another blog post, The Pirates of Penzance is about how absurd and arbitrary class distinctions are. But though I changed the basic story very little, the substitution of monsters (zombies) for "monsters" (pirates) changes more than you'd expect. The Zombies of Penzance is about the Other-ing of those who are different from us, particularly by those who claim the moral high ground.

And also, because I cut the policemen from the story, and gave their songs to the Stanley daughters, who are now trained zombie hunters, it's also a story about women standing up for themselves, fighting back, solving their own problems. I was honestly shocked at how empowering it apparently felt for women in our audience when the daughters marched on in their zombie hunter clothes in mid-Act II, particularly I think for women who know Pirates. The journey's been five years for me, but it's also been two years for John Gerdes, who adapted the music and orchestrated it. He adapted and orchestrated all the music for our reading last January, then he orchestrated Yeast Nation for us, then he came back to Zombies, finished his work and incorporated my rewrites from the reading. And then John and his wife Lea played in the band for the show. So I suspect John will have some zombie withdrawal as well. This amazing cast has been working on this show since last November, when we started rehearsals for the reading. They have worked so hard on this score, both musically and conceptually. I realized early on that we had to apply the lessons of Little Shop, Bat Boy, and Urinetown to The Zombies of Penzance. The more seriously we take it, the funnier it gets; and in parallel to that, the better we sing the music, the more seriously we take that, the funnier the show gets. This isn't Evil Dead. To maintain the crazy meta-story, our audience had to believe this was intended to be performed at the Savoy Theatre in 1879. The more legit the music, the funnier the show.

And likewise, the better the craft -- rhymes, scansion, etc. -- the funnier the show. The Major-General's big patter song, "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Era Zombie Killer," is funny partly because the craft is good. Really, I guess all this is a lesson Gilbert and Sullivan learned long before Little Shop of Horrors. Almost all their shows are inherently ridiculous stories (about inherently ridiculous aspects of Western culture) which they present utterly straight-faced. No matter how wacky Gilbert's text gets, Sullivan's music is always straight-faced. This has been such a wonderful experience for me, bringing two of my greatest loves together, G&S and zombies. To quote my own lyric:

Hail, zombies, thou heav’n-made dead! Forsaken by the God we dread. Great metaphor for all we fear! All hail the end of all that we hold dear!

I was very lucky to find a cast full of really strong, funny, talented, fearless actors to bring my show to life, and almost all of them have stayed with the show since last November. I am very grateful. And then to get such warm, overwhelming responses to it! Look at some of these press quotes:

"Another triumph for New Line. . . a hilariously inspired joke." -- Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch "The funniest show that New Line Theatre has ever mounted." -- Judy Newmark, All The World's a Stage "Both a nightmare and a delight — let's call it a delightmare." -- Paul Friswold, The Riverfront Times "Uproarious." -- Jeff Ritter, Critical Blast "It's amazing. . . so much fun." -- Kevin Brackett, ReviewSTL "A wonderful whirlwind of apocalyptic delight." -- Tanya Seale, BroadwayWorld "Reverently irreverent and witty. . . a delightfully fun, pointedly funny musical." -- Tina Farmer KDHX "Let the wackiness ensue." -- Lynn Venhaus, STL Limelight "In terms of humor and sheer musicality, it’s remarkable." -- Michelle Kenyon, Snoop's Theatre Thoughts

But our show has closed and my zombie journey ends, for now. We've already gotten a couple requests for rights to perform the show, so the Zombie King may live (die?) on. But for all practical purposes, the ride is over. I will miss these characters and this beautiful music, and this extraordinary cast. It was so thrilling every night when they sang the a cappella chorale late in Act I, "Hail Zombies!" -- such a massive, gorgeous sound (due in large part to music director Nic Valdez)! John and I will be cleaning up / correcting the script and score, and then we'll publish them on Amazon, so they'll be available soon. And I won't swear to it, but we also may be releasing a live cast album. And yes, we will license other theatres to produce it.

And don't tell anybody... but I'm already working on another "new" G&S show. No promises, but I may end up writing a G&S horror trilogy before I'm done. I can hear the heads of G&S fans exploding as I type this... Suggestions are welcome for source material for the third in the trilogy. I'll leave you with one of my favorite bits from Zombies. Thank you, St. Louis, for once again, taking a chance on us and totally embracing the insanity we've wrought. We owe you so much!

My zombie hunting habits, though a potent, little metaphor, Are really more subversive than the critics give me credit for. In nineteenth cent’ry operetta, comedy or thriller, I am still the very model of a modern-era zombie killer!

Long Live the Musical! Scott from The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre http://newlinetheatre.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-power-of-love-can-make-zombie-too.html

[ishouldreadthat]

I spent a good portion of yesterday convinced it was Wednesday. Where has this week gone? No, seriously. Where? September is absolutely flying by and I cannot believe it! Fortunately, we have books to keep us sane during these crazy months.

  Books I read

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

What a great reading week this was! I finished two amazing books — Godsgrave was my audiobook read and Tempests and Slaughter was a proof copy. I absolutely loved them both. My review of Tempests and Slaughter will go live next week before the publication date, and both Nevernight and Godsgrave will have reviews the week after so keep an eye out!

Reading Tempests was such a great experience for me, and I now have a hankering to go back and read all her Tortall books. Would anyone be interested in a Tamora Pierce reading project?

  Books I am currently reading

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Snapshot by Brandon Sanderson

Career of Evil is my audiobook for this week now that Godsgrave is over. I really love the narrator for the Robert Galbraith books, and I’ll be caught up on the series when Lethal White comes out next week!

I’m still reading Daughter of the Pirate King, I swear. I think it’s going to be my weekend book! I’m really loving it, but have had so many reading deadlines recently that I’ve just not had a chance to get stuck in. Now that most of those are cleared away, I’ll have a chance to get back to our sassy pirate captain. I’m also borrowing this and don’t want to take it on the bus with me!

Finally I’m powering through Sanderson’s latest novella, Snapshot. I’m starting to fall into it a little more, but it hasn’t grabbed me in the same way his other novellas have. I fully trust him to bring things to a stunning conclusion though!

  Books I DNFed

The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh

Right. This is a weird one. I finally decided to put this down about halfway through, but it was a really tough choice to make. Why? It was so compulsive! One of the reasons I didn’t finish Tempests and Slaughter until late last night was that I was picking up The Water Cure as soon as I got home. But I wasn’t enjoying it? In fact, it made me incredibly uncomfortable. This book is filled to the brim with abuse and self-mutilation. Also heavily implied sexual abuse. It’s just not my thing at all, but I initially couldn’t stop. Finally, I ran out of steam and set it aside.

I’d love to know what you thought of The Water Cure if you’ve read it. Did you have this experience too?

  Book post

A Time of Dread by John Gwynne

Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

I have received some amazing book post this week! First of all, A Time of Dread looks like a fantastic new series from John Gwynne. I’ve not read any of his books yet, although I recently discovered I own Malice on Kindle, and I’m so looking forward to this. I’ve heard amazing things about his books!

Okay, I’m sure you guys can imagine the excited noises I made when I opened up a package and Winter of the Witch slid out. I absolutely adore Katherine Arden’s books! The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower are two of my absolute favourites, and although I’m sad the trilogy will conclude with this book I’m so excited to see where Vasya’s adventures lead her. I’m going to hold off on this until the weather gets colder because these books are so atmospheric and gorgeous.

  Books I bought

Price Guide to the Occult by Leslye Walton

The Corset by Laura Purcell

I am weak! I walked into a bookstore yesterday and walked out with two books! At least they’re exciting new releases. I read and adored The Silent Companions last year, despite the fact that it scared the ever-loving shit out of me (hiss hiss), so I naturally had to pick up The Corset. Purcell writes masterfully spooky Victorian fiction and you should totally read her books if you haven’t yet.

Price Guide to the Occult is one I’m very curious about! I know people love her other series (which I have on hold at the library), but this sounds great! I really want to read more witchy books, and this seems like a great place to start.

  NetGalley approvals

An Empress of all Seasons by Emiko Jean

Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli

Gollancz is nailing it with fantasy this season! An Empress of all Seasons is a book I’ve been oh so curious about ever since I heard about it earlier this year. I’m loving how many east Asian inspired fantasy novels we’re getting in 2018!

I am beyond thrilled to read Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli! I liked Last Namsara last year, but had some problems with the romance. I was unsure about reading the next book until I found out that Caged Queen is a companion novel rather than a straight up sequel. And it follows Roa, a very minor character that I thought had so much potential. This book has so many tropes that I absolutely love — marriage of convenience! Hate to love! Dragons that aren’t boring! I am on the blog tour for this book and you can expect to see a review on 24 September!

  That’s it for this week! It has been such a good week for me and I’m so pleased with my reading progress. I’m still staggering under the weight of my TBR, but I’m clearing away obligations and getting through the stack. 

For the curious, I have cleared out all the books I’ve unhauled from my Insane Book Mastersheet and have a clear count of all the books I own. I’ve read 195 of the 561 physical books I own. That is…not as good as I thought. But hey! At least it’s progress.

  Not amused by human shenanigans

What did you read this week? Did you get any great new books? Let me know!

I read two amazing books, hauled some new books, and snuggled cats this week! Weekly Wrap-Up: 14 September 2018 #bookbloggers #reading I spent a good portion of yesterday convinced it was Wednesday. Where has this week gone? No, seriously.