#also i recommend checking out season 1 episode 6 of friendship is magic | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thecoramaria · 3 months

Note

Do you have any advice for self-promotion for people who feel anxious about promoting themselves? Sometimes I fear I sound too "arrogant" or "overconfident" when I'm trying to promote. I don't want to come across as self-important, but I want to hype myself up to an extent. Thank you!

I think it comes down to identifying what "arrogance" and "overconfidence" actually are and how they would actually look in this situation. Being arrogant about promoting your fic would be:

Going on about how your work is inherently amazing or that you're objectively talented. Or that writing fic is easy and implying that anyone who struggles with it has something wrong with them.

Putting down other writers, fics, tropes, or ships to try and make yourself and your work look better.

Declaring anyone who hates your work a "hater" who is "jealous" or has "bad taste."

Being blind to your own flaws.

Promoting your work on other people's work without any kind of prompting, or only using certain communities (such as discord servers) as a place to promote your work instead of interact.

And plot twist! Putting down your own work or lampshading all the problems is a type of arrogance as well, because you're already assuming the reader will hate what you've done. The reality is that if they do like your work, those kinds of comments from the author will make the reader feel stupid for liking it anyway.

Basically, arrogance is trying to tell other people how they should feel about your work. That's what puts a bad taste in people's mouth.

The following is not being arrogant about your own fic:

Sharing snippets of your work so people have the opportunity to decide for themselves if it interests them and would be worth checking out.

Saying how proud you are of your work, or how hard you've worked on it to get it to where it is. There's nothing wrong with showing pride in what you do, and often when people see how much work has gone into something, they get even more interested in it.

Creating memes, graphics, artworks, or shitposts about your own fics. Be your own fandom! I promise it's like the most normal thing ever.

Recommending your own fic to someone when they express a desire to read something like whatever you already happen to have written.

Pointing out particular elements of your own work that you enjoy. People will post about how they write their dream fics all the time.

Providing behind-the-scenes commentary on what you've written or pointing out particular moments from your story you love. E.g. "Omg I just wrote this super fluffy scene and it's sooooooo cute! I can't wait for you to read it and I hope you all squee~!"

Pitching your fic. This is when you try to appeal to your "target audience". E.g. "Are you looking for a spicy enemies-to-lovers slowburn about [Ship Name]? Then boy howdy have I got the fic for you!" Basically, you're describing the premise of your story and elements people might be interested in and then throwing it out there.

The difference here is that you aren't telling other people how they should feel about your work. You can say you're aiming to evoke a certain feeling, but ultimately, you aren't making it sound there's an objectively correct way to go about it.

In conclusion, as long as you aren't trying to tell people how to think or feel about your fic (or promote it in inappropriate situations), you're never going to come across as arrogant or overconfident about your work. If anyone does think that, it's worth asking yourself if that's a "them" problem first and foremost, or even get a second opinion from someone you trust.

#described in alt text #also i recommend checking out season 1 episode 6 of friendship is magic #since it does explore the difference between being arrogant and just showing off your talents #cora's original posts #cora's ask box #just fanfic things #fanfiction #fanfiction advice

16 notes · View notes

crisp-sweet-pink-lady · 2 years

Note

Where would you recommend starting with Strawberry Shortcake? I adore MLP and Carebears, and I had some of the Strawberry Shortcake toys as a kid. It seems like something I would really like but I’ve never seen any of it. Which show should I start with?

Well, it really depends. Each version is pretty different, and hits a different (though similar) demographic.

The original 1980s specials are probably the easiest to get into, if only because there are only 6 of them and they're all on youtube. These are the ones that every other version is based on, though every version takes the characters in its own direction, so it's not necessary to watch them before watching the other series.

If you want to see actual kids doing actual kid things while living in a world of candy, and you like lots of songs and loads of characters, then the 2003 series is probably for you. The pacing of the plots is a little slower, especially in the first 4 specials, so depending on what you like, it might feel like a bit of a slog, or it might be a relaxing watch.

If you prefer a closer-knit cast and fewer songs, with zippier plots, and CG animation, then Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures is the one you should go with, especially if you happen to like voice actors from the Ocean Group (a lot of the voice actors also worked on Care Bears: Adventures in Care-a-Lot and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, among other things, and a few are on the latest SSC reboot).

If you like episodes that are short and sweet, but with a heavy dose of comedy, then you'll want Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City. You mentioned liking My Little Pony, and if you mostly mean Friendship is Magic, then you'll be happy to hear that the person in charge of this series also worked on that show, including writing the movie, and it has occasional songs by Daniel Ingram, also of FIM fame. Plus, it's currently on-going, so there's new episodes every week, though each episode is only 4 minutes long.

As my Summer of SSC rewatch project has shown, there are good things and bad things about each different version. Each version is its own continuity, so start with whichever version appeals to you most.

As for where to start watching, the 1980s specials in order are The World of Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City, Pets on Parade, Housewarming Surprise, Strawberry Shortcake and the Baby Without a Name, and Strawberry Shortcake Meets the Berrykins. As I mentioned before, you can find them all on youtube, but as only the first two had DVD releases, most of them are iffy quality.

Seasons 1, 3, and 4 of the 2003 series are available on TubiTV, but Peacock has all 4 seasons, plus The Sweet Dreams Movie (which takes place mid-way through season 3) available on the free-tier, but you do have to make an account.

Peacock also has the pilot for Berry Bitty Adventures, as well as The Sky's The Limit movie (the proper start of the reboot), and the whole series. TubiTV has all four seasons of BBA, except for one episode of season three that is inexplicably missing.

The first season of the latest reboot, Berry in the Big City, is available on Netflix, and season two drops later this month. But all the episodes of season one, the currently aired episodes of season two, and a handful of bonus material videos are all available on the official youtube channel. If you can, I recommend watching the episodes on Netflix for two reasons: 1. a number of episodes were uploaded out of order on the youtube channel for various reasons; 2. the Netflix episodes have an opening theme and end credits. But do check out the bonus material on the youtube channel. There's some fun stuff there.

Hopefully that answers your question, and good luck in checking out the many different versions of Strawberry Shortcake!

#replies #Anonymous #strawberry shortcake #summer of ssc #all strawberries are valid

15 notes · View notes

dinapaulson · 3 years

Text

The Top Ten Times Bridgerton Titillated Me AKA Gave Life

After making haste to consume the series in a day, and the next rewatching Simon and Daphnes’ scenes only (highly recommend), at the crack of the following, I realized it was the magic of seemingly smaller moments, sometimes, in the form of behind-the-scenes and back story beauty, woven into the larger storyline expositions that really stayed with me—a storytelling feat Her Majesty, Shonda Rhimes, is known for. Here are the top ten times this happened, causing my cinephile soul considerable thought and feels.

1. Simon’s bedside manner while Daphne is in labor

It struck me the first time while watching how—how shall I put it—calm Simon looked, while Daphne screamed and breathed her head off. No, calm is not quite the word—eerily still, without any emotion or exertion of his own. At first confounded by His Grace, I realized he was terrified; scarred and petrified into a place that had no emotion to rely upon. Would Daphne survive childbirth? Was he having an out-of-body experience, imagining, as I am sure he was told, his immense a**hole of a father pacing outside the room where the Duchess was giving birth to Simon, obsessed with the “outcome” and would not deign to be by her side, what that must have felt like, to be so cold and removed from life, feeling, humanity, and here Simon was, in perfect, firm love, at Daphne's side, being a whole part of their child’s birth? (When their son is born, his stock Simon-ness returns, as he, filled with emotion, gently holds their son from Daphne’s arms, then implies, impishly, because of the Bridgerton family tradition, their son’s name must begin with “A.”)

2. A chocolate will do just perfectly

The perfection of friendship between Eloise and Penelope is well on display throughout the series. There was one moment that caught my breath for the sheer ease of what friendship is—truly relating without needing to fully understand the other but being, sitting, anyhow, in pure acceptance of the other and mutual situation. Such is what happens when Penelope tells Eloise, in gentle expository explosion, her path is and will be different, more difficult to navigate than hers, without having a sister who is a Duchess, and moreover, she thinks she wants a life different than the independent dream the two of them speak of. And, to that, Eloise offers a chocolate, and to that, Penelope's smile-inducing smile and simply reaching for one is friendship goals.

3. “I beg your pardon?”

As others have pointed out, there is plenty of hotness to Simon buttoning Daphne’s cuff as a clear metaphor for the sexual unbuttoning/buttoning to come. But, what gets me every time is Simon’s reaction to Daphne’s question, his face both gently confirming and sexily contorting, which seems to beg the idea that in a different house of language, not one for promenade but perhaps one a rake aka Regency f*ck boy would inhabit, this term had an, o, one might say, slightly less innocent meaning.

4. The nighttime, swing chats between Eloise and Benedict

I dare say it was Eloise who checked her brother on his white man privilege that sent him (still) strolling to Henry Granville’s house to take a (completely protected, see white privilege) risk of himself as a potential new somebody, in this case, an artist.

5. Were others hoping Henry and Benedict would have a go at it?

I think I mistook their mutual intrigue for desire, though I dare say Benedict flinging himself with considerable umph into the ménage-a-trois with Madame Delacroix and her friend, may have been, in part, a turn-on from stumbling upon Henry with his love, Lord Willoughby, making love. I recognize this ponderance might be a stretch, but, if I may—remember that conversation A Happiest Season launched in queer Twitterverse about the likelihood, with multiple siblings, of at least one sibling being gay? Come on, there are eight of them! Tell me I am not the only queer fan who would love to see one Bridgerton explore a truthfully desired same-sex relationship on the show.

6. “Simon” (**heart begins to ache**)

After Simon gives one of his best speeches, in episode five to the queen, in his and Daphne’s effort to persuade Her Majesty to assist them in getting a marriage license, so moved is Daphne by what he says, that she turns to him, as if no one else is in the room, with an emotive quiver, staring watery and straight into his eyes, and out comes a quaking: “Simon.” Indeed, Simon’s speech of the love from whom he cannot stay away nor let be the one who got away is the discursive, definitive foreplay to their physical consumption of each other. Later, he says quietly to her heart twisted back: “Everything I said to the queen was true.”

7. “From the mornings you ease, to the evenings you quiet, to the dreams you inhabit, my thoughts of you never end...”

Um. So, this is just one of the most perfect romantic things I have ever heard one human being utter to another.

8. Also: this was a nearly all-female credited writer cast (with the exception of the series’ premiere and finale episodes, credited to showrunner Chris Van Dusen). I delightfully sighed as each woman writer’s name danced in Bridgerton font across my screen. What genius interplay of words that cut and bit and lobbed and heeled, then healed, revealed, and felt so completely—wonderful. Here are the writing credits:

Janet Lin for episode 2, ”Shock and Delight”

Leila Cohan-Miccio for episode 3, ”The Art of the Swoon”

Abby McDonald for episode 4, “An Affair of Honor”

Joy C. Mitchell for episode 5, ”The Duke and I” Sarah Dollard for episode 6, ”Swish” Jay Ross and Abby McDonald for episode 7, “Oceans Apart”

Additionally listed under writers are Jess Brownell as Executive Story Editor on “Shock and Delight” and “Diamond of the First Water,” Joy C. Mitchell also as Executive Story Editor on “Shock and Delight” and “Diamond of the First Water,” and Abby McDonald as Staff Writer on “Shock and Delight” and “Diamond of the First Water.”

9. Simon goes down—a lot

At least two times we know of, but we may assume more, that giving Her Grace pleasure between her legs is something that comes easily, perhaps even needily, to him. Just that. It is hot and wanting and you know, with various talk about men not wanting to go down on women, well, representation matters.

10. Choosing present over past

This is a Golden Age TV theme of late, strong in the final season of Jessica Jones and luscious The Queen’s Gambit, though, perhaps, choosing to be present is the overall life theme, always, and just manifests differently in all of our journeys. The fabulously eviscerate Lady Danbury says: “Pride, Your Grace: it will cost you everything and leave you with nothing.” What Simon gains by choosing to be in his present is not only the opportunity to feel and develop a love, and family, with Daphne, but he gives himself space—cleans out the leftovers, once and for all—to fully inhabit the now, which means anything could be ahead.

#bridgerton #bridgerton netflix #daphne bridgerton #simon hastings #duke of hastings #daphne x simon #simon x daphne #simon and daphne #daphne and simon #top ten #shonda rhimes #thank you shonda #shondaland #netflix #chris van dusen #women writers #golden age of tv #your grace

72 notes · View notes

saijspellhart · 4 years

Text

Things I binged recently:

(Still coping with grief and depression, and one of the ways I tend to do that is just to distract myself from it all with Netflix. Here are some things I watched or tried watching. And my thoughts on them.)

The Office: Hated this show. Which was a shame because I really really enjoyed Parks and Rec, and these shows are supposed to be similar in style. Unfortunately this show is cynical, mean, and pessimistic. Characters get away with being outright racist, sexist, and antagonistic. Are unapologetic about their hurtful actions, and it sickens me. I was told season one was bad, and to watch season two, and I did. And even season two was awful. And I shouldn’t have to slog through three seasons of a show before it gets to a point where it’s like-able and good. If it takes you three seasons to figure it out, then no thanks. That’s a lot of show I have to suffer through before I MIGHT get to something I enjoy. I loved Parks and Rec because the characters loved and cared about each other, had genuine friendships, aspirations, and optimism. They strived to better the world around them, despite many mishaps and obstacles along the way. Parks and Rec was uplifting and sincere, where The Office is cynical and mean. 1/10.

A Whisker Away: Good, although I found the romance between the main character and her crush to be insincere and weak. I think the message of love would have been stronger if the best friend ended up being the one going to rescue her in the end. It never felt like the boy actually had feelings for her, just a begrudging respect and budding friendship. And it felt like his feelings were guilted and coerced by her actions to run away in the end. Like, “shit, I messed up and she ran away from home. Better tell her I love her, so she comes back home.” I understand that wasn’t what they were trying to do in this film, but it’s how the relationship came across. Manipulative. Especially since most of it was one sided, with her spying on his life as a cat. The love someone has for a pet does not equate romantic affection. Excellent movie for the heavy themes, Magic, and story, just think the overall message and relationships should have been overhauled, and worked around. I think the love the main character’s best friend had for her was more pure and powerful that the one-sided obsessive crush she had on the boy. 6/10.

Brand New Animal: Great show. Both my husband and I loved it. And were gushing about it even after we finished it. My only critique is all the heavy handed exposition. It felt clunky, ham-handed, and unnatural. I think with a few more episodes to the show they might have been able to parse out that exposition and find more natural ways to feed the audience that information, rather than huge unsolicited info dumps on the Main Character. Especially since half the time she didn’t earn that info, didn’t need it, didn’t ask, and just plain shouldn’t have been told some of it. Like why would you just spit classified secret information out to a character you know can’t keep secrets, or even follow directions?? Aside from that, solid characters, solid friendships, cute story, lots of interesting events, and just a blast from start to finish. Would highly recommend it to anyone. If you like Zootopia or Beastars, you’ll probably enjoy this too. 8/10.

Japan Sinks 2020: I. LOVED. THIS. SHOW. Omg, it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I just couldn’t stop watching. It’s in the disaster movie genre. Like Volcano, Dante’s Peak, or The Day After Tomorrow. That “what if this catastrophic natural disaster occurred,” and you follow this group of survivors as they work together to stay alive. And damnit if I wasn’t emotionally invested in every single one of them. I wanted to see them survive, and see how they made it through. I wasn’t sure if I was gonna be able to connect as strongly with their struggle given that it was animated rather than live action. But that didn’t matter at all. The tone is serious, and everything is given the weight and consideration it deserves. The animation style has a realistic tone to it, and the fact that it was an anime never got in the way of the journey and the emotions and the intensity for a second. I felt ALL of it. 10/10.

Unsolved Mysteries Netflix (documentary): I’m a slut for documentaries, all kinds of documentaries. So it’s no surprise I watched this. If you like unsatisfying true stories then this is it. A whole season of unsolved crimes. You get all the information wrapped up and handed to you in a neat little interesting package, and are left to just gnaw on it wondering who did it, and if they’ll ever solve it. One of the episodes isn’t a crime though, it’s a UFO story, which was a weird change of pace and tone from the rest of the season. Still creepy, but in a different way. I liked it, but it can be frustrating when you want answers. It gets an 7/10 because I wanted answers.

Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts: I could watch this show over and over again. My husband and I were foaming at the mouth waiting for season 2, and when it finally released, we gobbled it up and then watched it again right after. Excellent show. Post-Apocalyptic story, where the surface of the earth is overrun with mutant animals, and humans are living underground in “burrows.” The main character Kipo gets separated from her people and stranded on the surface, and has to find a way home. Along the way she makes some human friends, and mutant friends, and connects with people through music. And even learns some deep dark secrets about her Mom and Dad, and even herself. It’s a beautiful story emotionally, but also an exciting adventure. I love it. 10/10.

Eurovision, the Story of Fire Saga: Good. Which is saying something because I’m not a fan of Will Ferrell and he plays one of the main characters in this movie. I enjoyed the movie, and it made me laugh. Which was another surprise because I’m a cold-hearted bitch when it comes to comedy, and most things don’t make me laugh. So when a comedy works for me it’s a surprise. And this comedy worked in places. Not ALL places, but it did get some chuckles and a laugh or two. And I did enjoy the story it told. The movie is about two friends who are musicians/singers that enter singing/performance contest, and the drama that ensues along the way. It’s a cute underdog story. 6/10.

Floor is Lava (game show): The name of the game says it all. Groups of three contestants must navigate rooms using only furniture, and chandeliers, and shit. They can’t touch the floor because the room is flooded with hot orange koolaid. And if they fall in they “die.” Prepare to watch grown ass adults hop, hobble, and flop over furniture, tables, and other obstacles, as they try to get from one side of a room to the other side without falling into the koolaid. It’s exciting, and fun, and although the commentary is awful, the struggle of the contestants more than makes up for it. 8/10.

Splice: Never seen this movie before. Thought I’d give it a try since it just showed up on Netflix. It’s... odd. I’m having a hard time deciding if I loved or hated it. It’s an interesting look into what could happen should we start experimenting with human DNA and other sentient life. And how that could go all kinds of wrong very quickly. I like horror, and this delivered on some of the horror elements, but mostly it just jabs you over and over again with moral dilemmas. And you end up feeling like all the characters in the movie majorly failed each other, and they were all the bad guys. I’ll give it a 5/10 because I’m conflicted whether I liked it or not. But it was worth seeing once.

Ju-on Origins: I’ve seen a couple of the Grudge movies, which is the Americanized version of this horror franchise. But I’ve never seen any of the Ju-on movies. So it was a new experience watching this. It’s non-linear storytelling can be challenging to follow, but the stories it’s telling are fascinating and unnerving. I had to watch it with the shitty English dub because my attention span is too short for subtitles. And this wasn’t just a single movie, it’s a show with an entire first season. Episode 4 was definitely where shit hit the fan, and things got really scary. But I like slow burn horror, so I enjoyed the build up of the previous three episodes, and how they just carefully built on the apprehension and dread until things really got scary in the fourth episode. After that the rest of the show is just a roller coaster of highs and lulls, that leave you wondering where the series is gonna go in season 2. Definitely my favorite installment in the Grudge/Ju-on franchise that I’ve seen so far. And it’s got me curious to check out the other Ju-on movies. 8/10.

The Girl with all the Gifts: I’m a sucker for zombie movies and this was a unique and refreshing take on them. The idea is that the zombie outbreak is caused by a strain of the Cordyceps fungus that ends up infecting humans. And the surviving humans are using children born from infected mothers to try and find a cure for the outbreak. The children are like this functioning hybrid of fungus and human, and not completely lost like the humans who were directly infected. The movie explores the moral dilemma of how the children are treated, and the further of humans. I enjoyed the movie, and the concepts. It was a great addition to the zombie franchise. Would recommend. 7/10.

Abducted in Plain Sight (documentary): another crime documentary. This one dealt with a kidnapper/pedophile who managed to kidnap the same girl twice, and the lasting trauma his actions had on that girl. It was sad, and heartbreaking, and horrifying. If you like crime documentaries and have a steely stomach, check this one out. I won’t give it a rating because it deals with real life stuff and children and it’s not a show.

Evil Genius (documentary): one last documentary on this list. I was on a crime documentary spree. Usually I like animal documentaries. This one was about a couple who masterminded a bank heist by attaching a collar bomb to a man and sending him on a wild goose chase scavenger hunt. There’s also a case about a corpse in a freezer, and how the two cases are connected. It’s absolutely bonkers. Just wow. It’s four episodes long, a mini-series, but just an interesting experience. I mostly watched/listened to this while slowly chipping away at a commission. If you like crime documentaries it’s worth a watch. I give this one a 6/10 because I won’t be watching it a second time, but also because I think the format and how they explained everything was kinda long winded.

#movie recommendation #movie recs #show recommendations #show recs #netflix #netflic recs #netflix recommendations #saijspellhart recommends #reviews #rates #movies #shows

30 notes · View notes

undefeatednils · 7 years

Text

Just 13 YouTubers I Love

Internet videos: certainly the dominant kind of content I currently consume, and it’s one which allows for very diverse voices on different issues. So I wanted to showcase some YouTube channels which I watch, all of which are relatively unknown (all of them are below 200k subs, and only six of which are above 100k subs). Now please note that I can’t watch everything, so keep that in mind please. Anyways, I’m gonna sort them based on the subscriber count in ascending order. Enjoy!

#1: Laura Kate (aka Laura K Buzz)

Laura Kate’s channel isn’t super popular, but this video game journalist isn’t a complete unknown. She’s host or co-host on several podcasts, including The jimquisition Podcast, and has written for both gaming and general outlets such as Destructoid, Kotaku UK, and The Guardian. Her channel consists mainly of gameplay, though my favorites are her opinion pieces and news coverage. Oh and she recently started a podcast with the two girls from Geek Remix (you’ll hear more about them later; spoilers) talking about videogame-inspired pornography, which is super unique, tasteful, and fun. Bonus point: she’s an very out and proud transwoman in a cismale dominated landscape, so her presence is doubly welcome. And to be honest this is really just a big shout-out to her work overall and not only her YouTube channel, so... Check out her stuff.

#2: Jackson Bird (jackisnotabird)

Jackson Bird is a YouTube icon, despite his criminally low subscription count. He’s been active on YouTube over six years, mostly as a vlogger and both in front and behind the camera at the Harry Potter Alliance, but he has two other claims to fame: first of all there is his Grade A “why isn’t this a trend?” show Will it Waffle, where he tests if certain food items (and occasionally non-toxic non-food items) work if put into a waffle iron, and secondly he is an LGBTQ rights and education advocate for as long as he’s been on YouTube... Which makes a lot of sense for a bisexual transguy who’s been very open about his gender identity and transition. Overall his content (outside of his vlogs on his side channel) are a bit sporadic but definitely worth a look.

#3: rantasmo Three words: Needs. More. Gay. Rantasmo has been creating his little show on LGBT culture for over seven years now and it’s delightful and educational. In his videos, where he for instance covers topics like Game of Thrones, beards, Undertale, and The Wizard of Oz, he examines how LGBT people are portrayed and treated, what queerbating is, and lots more stuff. None of his videos are super long, like rarely do his videos last longer than 9 minutes, but they are still very entertaining and educational, so I highly recommend binging on a few of his more recent episodes to get you started.

#4: No Small Parts Productions I love watching movies and I presume you do, too. And occasionally you just notice either certain actors who you swear you’ve seen before but don’t know their name, or they just stand out in general but you have never heard of them. No Small Parts is a YouTube video essay series which covers exactly that. Run by bit-part actor Brandon Hardesty, No Small Parts provides lovingly crafted retrospectives on the lives and works on character actors. Thus far Hardesty has covered people like Crispin Glover, André the Giant, Darlene Cates, Scatman Crothers, and several others. It’s super fascinating, and all episodes are over 20 minutes long. He also has started to expand the channel to talk more about underrated movies and other related stuff, so it’s gonna be interesting to see how this channel develops.

#5: rewboss

Andrew Bossom is a British man living in Germany... And as a German who is very much entrenched in the culture of the “traditional anglosphere”, that alone makes his videos appealing to me. Rewboss is a culture guy, and it shows. The German language, customs, travel destinations... He talks about it all and has been doing so for years. He originally even did half of his videos in German, but eventually dropped the habit because his German viewership didn’t really need it anymore. But anyways, Rewboss has been a YouTube educator for ages now, and he has even dabbled in helping other YouTubers, so a bunch of his older stuff might be of interest to you if you wanna get some basics in regarding the topic of online video. I’ve been a fan of his work for years and I think he deserves your attention, too.

#6: KyleKallgrenBHH (Brows Held High) My love for cinema is shining through again, this time with professional movie critic Kyle Kallgren, host of Brows Held High. Brows Held High looks primarily at arthaus movies, the avantgarde, the artistically noteworthy entries into the cinematic canon, though occasionally you also get William Shakespeare (basically every June), as well as yearly retrospectives and thematic analysis of both movies and occasionally other media like video games or theater. So if you are looking for very “high brow” stuff, Kyle is your man. Just be warned that some of the material he covers can be a bit NSFW visually and audibly, so keep that in mind once you tune into his work.

#7: Innuendo Studios

And we’re back at video games again, at least for the most part. Innuendo Studios, run by Ian Danskin, is definitely part of the more intellectual portion of this list but his videos are still very much approachable. Theories on authorship, genre death, the nature of coolness, and narrative are all explored here in a bunch of wonderful video essays ranging from short-ish to over an hour long, with that particular example being a series of videos about the psychology and history of Gamergate from a feminist point of view. The videos might be scarce but they are super smart and well-sourced. Dive in, you’ll definitely enjoy Ian’s work.

#8: Stop Skeletons From Fighting (formerly The Happy Video Game Nerd)

We all need positivity in our lives and SSFF is definitely the kind of positivity I think the video game crowd should try to emulate. SSFF is an examination of videos from a very critical but also loving point of view, looking at forgotten or maligned games and looking for what they can teach and what they did right and wrong; looking at certain aspects of video gaming history, including behind the scenes information... All that and more has been part of Derek Alexander’s work for several years now. If you wanna learn more about what makes good video games good and you do already watch Extra Credits, then do yourself a favor and check out Derek’s videos. I can also recommend his pre-SSFF stuff, back when he called himself the Happy Video Game Nerd, a character he created as a response to the negativity-focused reviewer culture during YouTube’s early days as exemplified by the Angry Video Game Nerd and the Nostalgia Critic, though of course those videos are relatively ancient. #9: Jenny Nicholson Confession time: about seven years or so ago I was quite into My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It was a good show back then and I was always a sucker for fun musical numbers, so it was a nice fit (plus I didn’t know how toxic the brony subculture was becoming so that didn’t hamper my enjoyment of it). But anyways, I actually stumbled across Nicholson for the first time during that time period because she was making an abridged series of MLP: FIM called Friendship is Witchcraft, which was and IMO still is hilarious. She voiced all of the female characters (except Celestia), and when Hasbro was putting an end to it via copyright strikes, I lost sight of Nicholson... But earlier this year I rediscovered her and her wonderful, wonderful snark. If you enjoy nitpicking apart blockbusters, especially Star Wars, then Jenny is your gal. She could give screenwriting classes, her stuff is that good and funny. She’s also recently been hired by ScreenJunkies to host the Star Wars-centered Millenial Falcon, which I also recommend if you love the old SW like myself. Also we have officially passed the 100k subscriber threshold, so we’re talking about the popular kids now! #10: hbomberguy British people are inherently funny- and smart-sounding, even though most aren’t (I’m sorry British people; feel free to make as many Germany-bashing jokes as you’d like). But hbomberguy definitely is both smart and funny. Whether he is talking about (British) politics, responding to YouTube “skeptics” or MRAs, or ranting about media for hours, he’s always a joy to watch and hear. Probably one of my favorite videos of his is his almost two hour long masterpiece “Sherlock is Garbage, And Here’s Why”, in which he finally managed to put into words why Sherlock’s fourth season was the worst and why Moffat is just a horrible, horrible showrunner including on Doctor Who, which is something that has hampered by enjoyment of Doctor Who and I was’t even fully aware of it and can finally express myself on this topic the way I’ve been wanting to for ages, and that should be enough of an endorsement from my end.

#11: Folding Ideas Dan, the Foldable Human, is an expert on editing, working behind the scenes in the movie industry, how YouTube works, and how culture shapes media. I honestly can’t even summarize this channel even further because I’ve hit the nail on the head and just want to you watch this Canadian guy and hear him talk about mostly movies. “The Art of Editing and Suicide Squad” is a very good starting point in his videography, close to 1 million views, and it is everything you need to know about this channel in a 35 minute long package. Just check out at least that video and if you like what you’ve seen, dig deeper. You most likely won’t regret it.

#12: Lindsay Ellis (The Nostalgia Chick) We have reached “the big ones”! Lindsay Ellis has been in online video for almost a decade now and she has mastered the art of the video essay. She’s been looking at media from a feminist perspective for ages now and her body of work speaks for herself. 90-ish episodes of The Nostalgia Chick, 23 episodes and counting for Loose Canon, where she examines how different characters have been portrayed throughout the years, thus far nine long-form video essays, and her recent series The Whole Plate, where she covers the basics of film studies by looking at Michael Bay’s Transformers. Check out her stuff, I implore you. You will spend hours watching her content and learn so, so much!

#13: Geek Remix (Mari and Stacy)

You love fun let’s plays hosted by several people but think that there should be more women doing so, too? Me, too! And that means you’ll probably enjoy Geek Remix, aka Mari and Stacy, who are two lovely ladies playing so many games! Night in the Woods, Dragon Age Inquisition, Resident Evil 7, Life is Strange, Contradiction: Spot the Liar, and so many more. Otherwise you can also expect theory videos, conversations about human sexuality, easter egg listings, and a lot of other fun stuff on their channel, which with about 147k subs is definitely the most popular channel on this list. Special shoutout to my friend @hella-flawless-amythyst who introduced me to them, so if you get sucked in by Mari and Stacy’s charm, you can “blame” her, too (if you actually blame her I will hunt you down though). So... That was my list. Lots of stuff on there, sadly nothing music-related if you were looking for that (but if you speak/understand German, I highly recommend Bina Bianca, who is just adorable and is an honorable mention), but I hope that you’ve found a channel or two that might interest you. This took ages to write, by the way xD

#long post #YouTube #listicle #YouTubers #top list #top 13 #top13

5 notes · View notes

stacks-reviews · 7 years

Text

New Releases 7/18/17

Happy New Release Day! There’s a lot going on in books, a few things in movies, and a certain beta I’ve been waiting on.

In Books –The Betrayal Knows My Name volume 7 by Hotaru Odagiri Yuki is an orphan with a strange ability to feel others emotions when he touches them. One day a beautiful stranger named Zess appears and saves Yuki before he can be hit by a car. Yuki feels like he knows this stranger from somewhere

I have been waiting for this for FOUR YEARS. I checked yesterday and volume 6 came out in September of 2013. After volume 6 I would check every now and then like I do for the series I follow monthly but I never heard a word about it. After about a year I just finally came to terms that it had been canceled. Then they announced its return earlier this year. It has been on hiatus for Hotaru Odagiri’s health. I’m just glad it’s finally back. I really enjoyed it the series when it first came out except for the fact that I had trouble telling some of the characters apart. I will soon be rereading the whole series because I can’t remember what happened at the end of volume 6. There should be at least one more volume to go. Not long after they announced it’s return, they also announced that it would be ending soon. There is also a twenty-four episode anime based off the series that was released in sub titles only by Funimation earlier this year.

–Blood Mirror (The Lightbringer #4) by Brent Weeks (in paperback) This will contain spoilers if you have not read book 3 The Broken Eye of the Lightbringer series. At the end of The Broken Eye Gavin Guile is powerless and is locked in the prison he made for his brother. Kip has fled the Chromeria with the help of his grandfather to try and slow the advance of the White Kings army. Karris is taking over as her duties of The White and will try to keep the empire from falling apart. Teia will go deeper into the spy organization she is infiltrating while also reporting on their actions to Karris. Ironfist has shown his true colors and has also left the Chromeria to continue his work for his true master.

I love this series. I had so many theories destroyed in this book but it also created a lot of new ones. I’m still numb from the realization in The Broken Eye that Andross might actually be the good guy here instead of the villain I’ve always seen him as. And where could I even start about Gavin. Then there’s Kip and what happened in this book.

It’s a really great series. I love the ocular powers in this series. Just how it is set up, how each color has it’s own properties, and the consequences of using it too much. There are so many twists and turns. I really recommend this series if you haven’t read it yet.

–Dept. H volume 2 by Matt Kindt, water colorist Sharlene Kindt, and letterer Marie Enger Mia is a special investigator sent to research the murder of her father in a deep-sea research station. Everyone in the station is a suspect, including her own brother.

Mind MGMT was my first experience with Matt Kindt’s work and I was blown away. The story is fantastic (I’m about to start volume 3 out of 6). The illustrations are amazing water colors. I had to read more of his work. And Dept. H did not disappoint.

After waiting months for another copy of volume 1 to arrive at my work, I finally got to read it last week. It also has a great story with wonderful water colors. There was a moment where my jaw dropped open because chaos happened and it came out of nowhere. Not everything has been revealed yet. For example Mia has talked about her mother a few times and how she died from some kind of infection of which there is no cure. Although not expressly stated, it would appear that those in the station are trying to find a cure but even the fish they are examining might also be infected. Volume 1 was amazing and I can’t wait to read volume 2.

–Kakegurui Compulsive Gambler volume 1 by Homura Kawamoto Hyakkaou Private Academy is an institution for the sons and daughters of the wealthy. here it’s learning how to read your opponent, the art of the deal that keeps you ahead. To hone those skills Hyakkaou Private Academy has a rigorous curriculum of gambling. Here the winners live like kings and the losers are put through the wringer.

I’m interested in this series because it reminds me of Liar Game by Shinobu Kaitani but with less murder. Maybe. There might be murder. I would like to give it a try because I love mind game series. Watching as L and Light played mind games with each other is a big part of the reason I enjoyed Death Note as much as I did.

–Liselotte and Witch’s Forest volume 5 by Natsuki Takaya “They say that in a place far, far away; in the east, of the east, of the east…there is a forest where witches dwell. They are said to bestow blessings or inflict curses, brew potions in steaming cauldrons, practice their magic…and fly their brooms into the night sky. This is where Liselotte has decided to live after she was banished from her home by her brother.

The final volume of this cute series by the creator of Fruits Basket. It is still on hiatus while Natsuki Takaya looks after her health.

It is a cute series that follows Liselotte as she and two attendants live in the forest. One day she is saved by a stranger who looks a lot like a boy she was in love with who had died. Volume 4 never came to a bookseller near me and I haven’t had time to order it yet.

–Monstress volume 2 (B&N exclusive edition) by Marjorie M. Liu, artist Sana Takeda, and letterer/designer Rus Wooton “Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900′s Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, Monstress tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers.”

The Cumea are a race of sorcerers who experiment and kill a race called Arcanics, magical creatures with human characteristics. Maika; who is suffering from some memory loss, is an Arcanic who’s mother was killed by a Cumea. Desiring answers Maika infiltrates a sorcerers home and chaos ensues because of the ancient god who is living inside of Maika.

It’s been a while since I read the first volume and a friend is currently borrowing it so I don’t have much to fall back on for more details. I enjoyed the first volume. It was dark, violent, beautifully illustrated, and has a very rich world building. The series; at least from what I’ve heard cause I haven’t seen many cats (talking cats, what’s not to love about that) in the graphic novels I’ve read lately, has some of the best cats in graphic novels right now.

I actually saw where the B&N exclusive edition arrived last week to my local B&N but I also wanted to mention it on it’s official street date in case other B&N go it late for some reason.

–Princess Jellyfish volume 5 by Akiko Higashimura In the bustling city of Tokyo there resides a place called Amamizukan, a safe haven for girl geeks (otakus of trains, jellyfish, Japanese dolls, and more) who are terrified of ‘stylish’ people. One such girl is Tsukimi who loves jellyfish. One night she meets a stylish lady who helps her save the life of a jellyfish at a pet shop. This chance encounter will result in an odd friendship (at first anyway) between the two and the rest of the residents at Amamizukan. But this stylish girl is actually a boy.

It’s super cute shojo series that was made into an anime a while back. As well as a live-action film that according to one of my friends is very well done.

–Twinkle Star volume 3 by Natsuki Takaya Sakuya lives with her cousin Kanade. In times of pain, she looks up at the stars. On her birthday a strange boy shows up at her house with a present and then leaves. At school she finds out his name is Chihiro and he just transferred there. He treats her coldly until an incident at the club information session. Will it bring them closer or will they forever remain in the dark?

Another cute series by Natsuki Takaya. I have the first volume but haven’t finished it yet. It is a completed series. There should be two more volumes after this one.

–Waiting for Spring volume 1 by Anashin Mizuki is a shy girl who is about to enter high school. She vowed to open herself up to new friendships but the four stars of the boys basketball team is not who she had in mind. Soon she’s targeted by jealous girls and forced into the spotlight.

This just sounds like a really cute shojo series.

In Video Games –Destiny 2 Beta The beta of Destiny 2 opens to all preordered PS4 versions of the game today. I’m really excited for it.

In DVD/BLU-RAY –Adventure Time complete season 7 Finn, Jake, and the whole gang return. This season contains the miniseries Stakes starring Marceline and that creepy but good episode where we find out BMO’s imaginary friend Football is real and lives inside that mirror.

–K: Return of Kings The second season of the series K that takes place after the movies K: Missing Kings. It has been a while since I watched K and although I own the movie, I haven’t had time to watch it yet. K was really good and the animation was fantastic. It was gorgeous to watch. Return of Kings follows the events after Missing Kings.

–Record of Lodoss War (DVD/BLU-RAY combo pack) “In a land torn by war, young Parn and a ragtag team of adventurers set out to restore peace to the island of Lodoss. While an evil sorcerer seeks the destructive power of an ancient goddess, the Grey Witch presides over all with a cold-hearted bent for neutrality. The ensuing battles cost many lives before a brave new generation of heroes rises to face the sinister enemies once and for all.”

This combo pack contains episodes 1-13 of the OVA series Record of Lodoss War and episodes 1-27 of Chronicles of a Heroic Knight. I’ve never seen the series before but I’ve heard of it several different times. I have one friend who loved the series when he first saw it years ago and was excited to hear that it was getting this release by Funimation. I really want to give it a try sometime. I looked up the trailer and it looks pretty good. The dub to it doesn’t sound that great because some of the characters in the trailer didn’t sound like they tried very hard. I’m hoping that it will improve in later episodes. As a general rule if an anime I purchase has a dub, I have to watch the dub first. Unless the dub is really bad then I may switch to subbed. Second watches I watch it subbed.

1 note · View note

recentanimenews · 7 years

Text

FEATURE: 10 Best Anime to Watch on Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! As perhaps the most unabashedly feast-or-famine holiday around, today is a time for either treasured memories with loved ones or maybe just a whole bunch of ice cream and TV marathons. Fortunately, whether you’re celebrating the season alone or together, there’s plenty of anime out there to help you get in the spirit, with lots of them already available right now on Crunchyroll. From first crushes to destined loves and flirty traveling companions, anime runs the gamut of romance, and today I’ll be offering just a few shows that represent the mushier side of drama. In no particular order, here are some romantic highlights to bring some warm fuzzies to your day!

1) Toradora

Okay, I said “no particular order,” but in truth I meant no particular order except for Toradora. Toradora stars the diminutive Taiga and mild-mannered Ryuuji, who wind up working together after each learns the other has a crush on their best friend. The chemistry between Ryuuji, Taiga, and each of their friends is consistent and endearing, and Toradora follows these charming characters through all manner of romantic adventures. Toradora is also blessed with perhaps the best sarcastic best friend character of all time - Ami Kawashima. Combining lovable characters, thoughtful dialogue, and high drama theatrics, Toradora is the full romantic package.

2) Spice and Wolf

While Toradora may star one of anime’s best romantic ensembles, Spice and Wolf might have the medium’s all-time romantic couple. Lawrence is a merchant in a vaguely medieval world, shipping raw materials for profit all across the land. Holo is a wolf god, a spirit abandoned by her believers who now seeks a voyage home. Together, the two of them trade snipes, sell goods, and generally make the most of their time on the road. Spice and Wolf is a rambling road trip with two very likable friends, a slow romance that truly embodies the importance of the journey.

3) Kyousogiga

Of course, romantic love isn’t the only kind of love worth celebrating. Kyousogiga does indeed have some romantic love (between a magical painter and a drawing of a rabbit!), but it’s also suffused with many other kinds of love - love of family, love of home, and love of the world itself. Starring three siblings suspended in a mystical version of Kyoto, and livened by the little sister they never knew, it’s a madcap story that spins from first romance to family breakdown and a final, difficult reunion. It’s a beautiful and creative story that embodies what love is all about.

4) My Love Story!!

But getting back to the strict romances, My Love Story!! offers something too few anime get to: a couple in an actual, committed relationship. Gentle giant Takeo ends up confessing to his crush Rinko within the first few episodes, and the rest of My Love Story!! involves the two of them and their friends exploring the actual hurdles of a young relationship. Starring a great cast and dangerously suffused with cuteness, My Love Story!! is basically a warm, lovey-dovey blanket to snuggle under.

5) White Album 2

Unfortunately, sometimes love isn’t quite that easy. White Album 2 falls at the far end of romances, centered on a love triangle that puts all three of its members through the emotional ringer. White Album 2 is defined by distinctly thoughtful characterization and brutal dramatic turns, as its protagonists Haruki, Kazusa, and Setsuna all grasp at happiness on the edge of young adulthood. Don’t worry if you haven’t seen the first White Album - this story’s entirely self-contained, offering a brutal dramatic package for anyone who’s ready for it.

6) Nana

Love doesn’t really get any easier when you leave high school, though. Starring two girls who share a name you can probably guess, Nana follows punk rocker Nana Osaki and starry-eyed Nana Komatsu as they seek fame, fortune, and romance in the often confusing adult world. Nana brings a world-weary perspective to its drama, acknowledging that no romance is meant to be, and that sometimes life brings us to places we never expected to go. Nana understands that love is great, but sometimes just getting by is hard enough.

7) Actually, I Am

Those last couple picks got a little heavy, so let’s lighten things up a bit. Actually, I Am stars the loose-lipped Asahi Kuromine, who secretly has a crush on his classmate Youko Shiragami. But as it turns out, Youko has a pretty serious secret of her own - she’s actually a vampire. Having discovered her secret, Asahi swears to tell no one, and so begins a ridiculous series of frantic harem escapades. Actually, I Am distinguishes itself from most romcoms by starring a cast not defined by antagonism, but firm friendship (and also being vampires/aliens/etc). All of this show’s characters like each other - they’re just too stupid to successfully fall in love.

8) Katanagatari

I’m stretching a little to include this one among a bunch of romances, but Katanagatari is centered on such an endearing core relationship that I couldn’t leave it out. Katanagatari is a story about the strategist Togame and martial artist Shichika, who journey together across Japan to collect twelve mythic swords. The show is beautiful, has an excellent musical score, and is full of thoughtful conversations on legacy, identity, and much else besides, but the building relationship between Togame and Shichika reflects the true wonder of love - how finding someone important to you can help you discover yourself, and grow in directions you’d never expected. Kataganatari is many things, but it is definitely a standout romance.

9) Kids on the Slope

There’s just something about music and romance, I guess. Kids on the Slope begins in the summer of 1966, and focuses on two jazz-loving teenagers: Kaoru and Sentaro. Combining a coming-of-age story, terrific musical performances, and plenty of romantic drama, Kids on the Slope offers a beautiful and life-affirming reflection on the power of music to uplift us and bring us together. It’s an excellent character story and fascinating period piece.

Incidentally, if you’d like even more shows that scratch that music/romance itch, I’d check out the career-spanning Nodame Cantabile and the beautiful Your Lie in April.

10) From Me to You

Let’s end on something nice and peaceful. From Me to You stars the shy Sawako and energetic Shota, and offers a slow and satisfying journey into a very gentle romance. Giving us a close look at all of Sawako’s insecure thoughts, From Me to You exemplifies a well-worn approach to shoujo romance. Bolstered by its strong secondary cast and full of endearing moments, From Me to You is fine comfort food to anyone searching for an easy-going love story.

And that’s it from me! I’ve covered a pretty wide stretch of shows here, but there’s always more romance to dig into, and even more shows that hide stellar romances in larger stories. Just from skimming through Crunchyroll’s own genre entries, I can already see half a dozen more I’d be happy to recommend. Either way, I hope you find something to enjoy, and please treat yourself and those you love this Valentine’s Day!

-----

Nick Creamer has been writing about cartoons for too many years now, and is always ready to cry about Madoka. You can find more of his work at his blog Wrong Every Time, or follow him on Twitter.

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

2 notes · View notes

readingsanctuary · 6 years

Text

This months haul is a little out of control. I knew it would possibly be higher than normal because I always buy books while I’m on holiday, but this time it’s worse because I started panic buying books to take with me, because it felt like a good way to fix my reading slump. It only sort of worked, in that I managed to read a few graphic novels. I didn’t do so well with full length books.

Giant Days – volumes 2 & 3

Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of handwringing boys, “personal experimentation,” influenza, mystery-mold, nu-chauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of “academia,” they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive. Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird.

I’ve been kicking myself for only buying the first volume for months, so when I finally had the chance, I picked up these from one of my favourite indie comic book stores. I’ve already read both of these and I really enjoyed them. I love the episodic, slice of life format, and the humour that works really well with the fun art style.

The Backstagers – volume 1

All the world’s a stage . . . but what happens behind the curtain is pure magic literally!

When Jory transfers to an all-boys private high school, he’s taken in by the only ones who don’t treat him like a new kid, the lowly stage crew known as the Backstagers. Not only does he gain great, lifetime friends, Jory is also introduced to an entire magical world that lives beyond the curtain. With the unpredictable twists and turns of the underground world, the Backstagers venture into the unknown, determined to put together the best play their high school has ever seen.

I’ve been wanting to pick this up ever since I read and reviewed the first issue from Netgalley, and loved it. The only reason it’s taken me so long to get to it is that I’ve struggled to find a copy in stores, and I prefer to support physical stores wherever I can. I’ve already read this and I’m in love with the series. I need to get my hands on the second volume soon.

The Ancient Magus Bride volumes 2, 3, 5, 6, & 7

Her name is Chise Hatori, a penniless orphan troubled by visions. Sold as a slave to an inhuman mage, she is about to begin a strange new life, filled with magic, fairies, and other beings of a fantastical nature.

So, I clearly have a problem. This series has sucked me in, in a big way. I loved the anime, and I’m planning on slowly making my way through the manga. I’m having slight difficulty locating volume four in stores, so I might have to order it online.

Bruja Born – by Zoraida Cordova

Three sisters. One spell. Countless dead.

Lula Mortiz feels like an outsider. Her sister’s newfound Encantrix powers have wounded her in ways that Lula’s bruja healing powers can’t fix, and she longs for the comfort her family once brought her. Thank the Deos for Maks, her sweet, steady boyfriend who sees the beauty within her and brings light to her life.

Then a bus crash turns Lula’s world upside down. Her classmates are all dead, including Maks. But Lula was born to heal, to fix. She can bring Maks back, even if it means seeking help from her sisters and defying Death herself. But magic that defies the laws of the deos is dangerous. Unpredictable. And when the dust settles, Maks isn’t the only one who’s been brought back…

This was a last-minute purchase before I went on holiday because I started panicking about what books to take with me, due to my reading slump making me ridiculously fickle. I mean, I was planning to wait and put it on my birthday wishlist, but I am glad to have this in my hands, even if I haven’t managed to read it just yet.

Lumberjanes: volume 1

FRIENDSHIP TO THE MAX!

At Miss Qiunzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s camp for hard-core lady-types, things are not what they seem. Three-eyed foxes. Secret caves. Anagrams. Luckily, Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are five rad, butt-kicking best pals determined to have an awesome summer together… And they’re not gonna let a magical quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! The mystery keeps getting bigger, and it all begins here.

Collects Lumberjanes No. 1-4.

I am always seeing this series recommended, and have been meaning to check it out for a while now. Since I’ve been reading more graphic novels this month, I decided to pick this first volume up and see why so many people love it. I have already started reading this and so far I’m enjoying it. Hopefully this becomes a series that I love, and want to continue on with.

Spinning Silver – by Naomi Novik

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders… but her father isn’t a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife’s dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty–until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers’ pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed–and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold.

But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it’s worth–especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

I simply could not resist this stunning hardcover when I saw a signed copy in the bookstore. I’ve seen so many glowing reviews, that I’m confident I’ll enjoy it. I’m even more excited to get to it now that I’ve finally read (and adored) Uprooted. I just hope I don’t wait another three years before reading this one.

The Accident Season – by Moïra Fowley-Doyle

A bewitching, dark and beautiful debut novel about a girl living in the shadow of a mysterious curse.

It’s the accident season, the same time every year. Bones break, skin tears, bruises bloom.

The accident season has been part of seventeen-year-old Cara’s life for as long as she can remember. Towards the end of October, foreshadowed by the deaths of many relatives before them, Cara’s family becomes inexplicably accident-prone. They banish knives to locked drawers, cover sharp table edges with padding, switch off electrical items – but injuries follow wherever they go, and the accident season becomes an ever-growing obsession and fear.

But why are they so cursed? And how can they break free?

I’ve been intrigued by the idea of the book for years, so when I saw it in a second-hand book store while I was on holiday, I didn’t think twice. I feel like this is a very autumnal book, so I’m hoping to read it in a few months time, possibly in October, since that’s when this book takes place.

Love Letters to the Dead – by Ava Dellaira

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more — though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was — lovely and amazing and deeply flawed — can she begin to discover her own path in this stunning debut from Ava Dellaira, Love Letters to the Dead.

This was another second hand book store find, it was more of an impulse purchase than the other books I’ve bouhgt this month. I don’t know too much about it, but it caught my eye, and after reading the first few lines, I was interested enough to want to keep reading. I have no idea what to expect from this, or how I’ll feel about it, and if I’m honest, I’m quite looking forward to going in to it blind.

S.T.A.G.S. – by M.A. Bennett

Nine students. Three bloodsports. One deadly weekend.

It is the autumn term and Greer MacDonald is struggling to settle into the sixth form at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as S.T.A.G.S. Just when she despairs of making friends Greer receives a mysterious invitation with three words embossed upon on it: huntin’ shootin’ fishin’. When Greer learns that the invitation is to spend the half term weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt, the most popular and wealthy boy at S.T.A.G.S., she is as surprised as she is flattered.

But when Greer joins the other chosen few at the ancient and sprawling Longcross Hall, she realises that Henry’s parents are not at home; the only adults present are a cohort of eerily compliant servants. The students are at the mercy of their capricious host, and, over the next three days, as the three bloodsports – hunting, shooting and fishing – become increasingly dark and twisted, Greer comes to the horrifying realisation that those being hunted are not wild game, but the very misfits Henry has brought with him from school…

This book I bought out of curiosity. I’ve seen some quite mixed reviews that have only made me more intrigued about this book. I’m not sure I would have paid full price to try this book out, but since it was cheap in a second hand book store, I decided to give it a go.

Record of a Spaceborn Few – by Becky Chambers

From the ground, we stand. From our ship, we live. By the stars, we hope

The incredible new novel by Becky Chambers, author of the belovedThe Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.

Centuries after the last humans left Earth, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, a place many are from but few outsiders have seen. Humanity has finally been accepted into the galactic community, but while this has opened doors for many, those who have not yet left for alien cities fear that their carefully cultivated way of life is under threat.

Tessa chose to stay home when her brother Ashby left for the stars, but has to question that decision when her position in the Fleet is threatened.

Kip, a reluctant young apprentice, itches for change but doesn’t know where to find it.

Sawyer, a lost and lonely newcomer, is just looking for a place to belong.

When a disaster rocks this already fragile community, those Exodans who still call the Fleet their home can no longer avoid the inescapable question:

What is the purpose of a ship that has reached its destination?

I finally have this book in my hands! I can’t even tell you how happy I am that I finally have a copy of this book. It is my most anticipated book of the entire year, and I am so excited to read it, although I do feel compelled to take things slow and savour it. I’m just so very, very happy that this book is in my life!

So, that’s my excessive book haul for the month. I have no idea where most of these books are going to live, I’m kind of overrun by books at the moment. What books are you excited about this month? Have you read any of the books that I’ve hauled this month? What did you think of them? I love hearing from you in the comments!

Want to chat, about books or anything else, here are some other places you can find me:

Twitter @reading_escape

Instagram: @readingsanctuary

Goodreads

Tumblr

July Book Haul This months haul is a little out of control. I knew it would possibly be higher than normal because I always buy books while I'm on holiday, but this time it's worse because I started panic buying books to take with me, because it felt like a good way to fix my reading slump.

#book blog #book blogger #book haul #book recommendations #bookish #books #graphic novels #July Book Haul #YA #ya books #young adult #young adult books

0 notes

stacks-reviews · 7 years

Text

Tuesday Releases 6/20/17

Happy New Release Day! There’s a lot going on in books but not much (at least that I’m interested in) on DVD.

In Books

–Dorohedoro volume 21 by Q. Hayashida If you have never heard of it before Dorohedoro consists of a world made up of Sorcerers; who live in a separate world/dimension, and the humans who live in a place called The Hole. Every so often Sorcerers will travel to The Hole using their magic called Smoke to open a door there. Once there they experiment on humans to improve their magical abilities. Caiman was experimented on by Sorcerers and had his head turned into a lizard head. And as result he lost his memories of everything leading up to the transformation. Now he spends his days with the help of his friend Naikaido hunting down Sorcerers trying to find the one who transformed his head in order to fix it and hopefully regain his memories. I really like this series. It’s dark, it’s gory, and I enjoy the art style. The art style is similar to comic books than manga but it does have it’s problems. They did print some issues in color for a few pages at the beginning of different chapters but it usually comes out a little blurry. But I’ve heard that it isn’t a problem in the digital volumes. I often have to go back and reread the previous volume to help remember what will be going on in the new one. Sometimes even having to go back two or three volumes to understand it. But it has gotten better in the later volumes cause I think I’ve finally figured out what is going on so I’m a little less confused. It is a complex story line but I enjoy it. There is some nudity in the series so just be aware of that if that is something you don’t like to see when you read manga or comics.

–Erased omnibus volume 2 by Kei Sanbe The manga that the hit anime of the same name is based on. But if you are unfamiliar with either of them: Twenty-nine-year-old Satoru has a unique ability that he calls ‘Revival’ that allows him to travel back in time; sometimes against his will, to when he was eleven. When he was eleven there was a series of child-kidnapping in his hometown which resulted in the death of a girl named Kayo Hinazuki. By traveling back in time he hopes to be able to prevent the murder of Kayo and to prevent a tragedy that happens before he travels back in time. It’s a poor summary but the anime was very good and one of the hits of its season. The culprit was kinda predictable but the real charm of this series is watching as Satoru tries to save Kayo in more ways than one. I do have the first volume but I haven’t had time to read it yet. I did flip through it a little bit and from what I saw the anime seems to follow it pretty well.

–Magical Girl Raising Project volume 1 by Asari Endou Another manga that inspire an anime of the same name. There is a game that exists that creates Magical Girls but one day the game decides that there are too many magical girls. Their numbers must be cut in half. So begins a deadly contest between them. I haven’t had the time to try out the anime yet but it is on my queue. I’ve heard good things about and would like to try out the light novels as well as the show. If you like dark magical girls I would give it the show or the light novels a shot.

–Management Style of the Supreme Being by Tom Holt The Supreme Being and his son decide that they no longer wish to be supreme. So they decide to sell. Our new owners; the Venturi Brothers, have a few ideas how the world should really run. They don’t care for Good and Evil and decide to rid the world of right and wrong. But one of the old gods didn’t want to move out and he needs to know if you’ve been naughty or nice. I was first drawn to the title and I like the idea behind it. That our universe is more or less run like a company and can be sold. Not really sure how Santa will play into or why. Especially considering that this comes out in June. Unless this is for the paperback edition. Which I forgot to check when I looked this book up. But it still sounds good.

–Motor Crush volume 1 by Brenden Fletcher “By day, Domino Swift competes for fame and fortune in a worldwide motorcycle racing league. By night, she cracks heads of rival gangs in brutal bike wars to gain possession of a rare, valuable contraband: an engine boosting machine narcotic known as Crush.” I haven’t heard much about this series but it sounds good. I wanna give it a try.

–Princess Jellyfish omnibus volume 5 by Akiko Higashimura In the bustling city of Tokyo there resides a place called Amamizukan, a safe haven for girl geeks (otakus of trains, jellyfish, Japanese dolls, and more) who are terrified of ‘stylish’ people. One such girl is Tsukimi who loves jellyfish. One night she meets a stylish lady who helps her save the life of a jellyfish at a pet shop. This chance encounter will result in an odd friendship (at first anyway) between the two and the rest of the residents at Amamizukan. But this stylish girl is actually a boy. It’s super cute shojo series that was made into an anime a while back. As well as a live-action film that according to one of my friends is very well done. Though do note: Rightstuf has it noted as a release for today but it looks like B&N will not be getting it till 7/18/17, according to their website.

–Spell on Wheels volume 1 by Kate Leth, illustrator Megan Levens, and colorist Marissa Louise Three witches who head out on a road trip to retrieve their belongings that were stolen from them before whoever stole them does any damage to the items. I don’t know too much about this series but I enjoy magical stories. And I like the looks of the art style.

–Strange Attractors by Charles Soule and illustrated by Greg Scott Dr. Spencer Drownfield claims to have saved New York City from itself in 1978. Ever since he has been tinkering with the people of New York to keep the city afloat. A young mathematician is chosen as his successor. Is there truth to Dr. Spencer’s claims about how the Butterfly Affect and his complexity math applies to the city’s patterns. Or is it simply the raving of a broken man as he tries to make sense of the world around him. I like the idea of a person secretly ‘tinkering’ with people in order to save his city. And at first I thought it would be done on a real power but now I am not so sure. It may end up being more on a reflection of how we interact with the world and try to understand our place in it. Either way, the story sounds good.

–Tokyo Ghoul volume 13 by Sui Ishida In case you haven’t heard of this series yet. Tokyo Ghoul is about a world infested with human eating ghouls. One day Ken Kaneki goes on a date with a cute lady who turns out to be a ghoul and tries to eat him. Due to a strange incident the ghoul is killed and Kaneki is rushed to a hospital. Where they transplant the ghouls organs (who they don’t know is a ghoul) into Kaneki to save his life. Turning him into a half-ghoul. I really like this series. There’s lots of action and it has an interesting story. It is an exploration of what really makes a person human (one of my favorite story types, especially if it involves robots; GitS). If you have seen the anime but haven’t read the series yet, you should. The anime started to deviate away from the manga around volume 5 or 6. But both are worth reading/watching. There is just one volume left after this before the first series is over. Tokyo Ghoul Jack will be released digitally only, but in full color if I remember right. Tokyo Ghoul: re volume 1 will be out in October.

In Movies and Television

–The Big O Complete Collection Forty years ago the citizens of Paradigm City all lost their memories. Negotiator Roger Smith does his best to find resolutions for any troubles that Paradigm City finds itself in. With the help of his butler Norman, his android assistant Dorothy, and his giant robot (also called a megadeus) Big O. The classic anime is back and for the first time on blu-ray. I love this show. It has been a long time since I last saw it, back when it was still on Toonami. It’s a great film noir series with mecha’s. What’s not to love. Seriously though. It has been a long time since I last saw the full series. I don’t think I could explain it well enough to do it justice. I really recommend it. If I remember right the first season is more episodic while the second season has a more on-going story. Like GitS S.A.C. and 2nd gig. I do have the full series on dvd from Bandai but I would like to retire it someday for the blu-ray. Once you watch it, you too will start shouting out, “Big O! Showtime!”

–Sailor Moon S P2 The second part of Sailor Moon S, episodes 109-127. There is a gwp version on Rightstuf’s website that includes art cards. Really excited to see part 2 out. Mine actually arrived in the mail yesterday. And now that I have both parts of S, I can finally watch them. I like to wait till I have both part of the Sailor Moon seasons before I watch them.

3 notes · View notes