4/27/14: Fandom Update: Influences and Doctor Who

What Happened This Week?

      

John Green, Benedict Cumberbatch, and others for Top 100 Most Influential People

      Let's start with Benedict Cumberbatch, cause yeah, if anyone has swept away awards and the hearts of young girls this year, it's him. Benedict starred in many blockbuster hits like Star Trek into the Darkness as an alien criminal who wants to save his people, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug as a fire breathing dragon, and in the hit BBC series Sherlock that aired for 3 movie length episodes. Throughout the year, he devoted his time, not only to these great movies and shows, but to helping others in every way he could. Just recently, he backed up teenager Stephen Sutton, who is a 19 year old boy blogging about his terminal illness. Through his blogs about his bucketlist, he has raised 2.8 million dollars for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Benedict also earlier in the year during the filming of Sherlock season 3 advocated for the paparazzi to photograph more important things like the crisis in Egypt. Benedict continues to be an influential actor and a role model to all.

      Another that made the list, is John Green, a New York Times Best Selling Author and a role model to teenagers who want to change the world. John continues to lead his fan community along side his brother Hank, while taking on his new found fame from his book, and soon to be movie The Fault in Our Stars. Personally, John Green has influenced the way I live. He teaches you to observe detail, love life, and be who you are. He continues to make videos to update people on growing conflicts around the world and just talk about his favorite things. 

       Other large names that made the list were Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, writers of the hit "Let it Go." The song fit perfectly into the newest Disney film Frozen as it showed Elsa's end to her internal battle with her powers. It has also become an anthem for teenagers who struggle with their own anxieties. Robert and Kristen told the audience at the Grammys that they are up and open for Frozen 2.

      Many other names made the list, but these were the three people that I thought were most important to mention. To read more about the other 97 most influential people this year, reference the link below. 

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Doctor Where, Doctor What, Doctor Who!
       As summer rounds the corner, many of us are trying to take guesses at what the new Doctor will have in

store this coming autumn. We do have a sneak peak at a few things though! The series will include twelve episodes, which includes this years Christmas Special (which will air the same day as season 4 of BBC's Sherlock). Steven Moffat will continue to lead the show, along with writers like the beloved Mark Gatiss, and a guest writing from Neil Gaiman, who hopes to introduce a nightmare filled episode with a new monster. Another quest that will help with the show is Peter Jackson, the famed director of the Lord of the Rings series, who said that he will direct an episode, if he gets a dalek. Steven Moffat better give him a dalek. Of course, Peter Capaldi will step into the long worn shoes of the Doctor for the next season, along side his companion Jenna Coleman, and a new character Danny Pink, who will be played by Samuel Anderson. He has played many small parts in other TV series, but this will be the largest part yet. The first episode will kick off with the eleventh doctor's original gang: Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax. To read more about other quotes and rumors going about the series, read here. 
       On top of all that exciting news, the most prized companion herself, Billie Piper, is up for a Doctor Who spin off series featuring Rose and meta-crisis Doctor. Not much is known about another return by the beloved character Rose for Doctor Who, but we do know that Billie Piper would love to be back! So cross your fingers for a spin off from our favorite dymanic, and for a great new season. 
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Looking Forward To Next Week

Monday:

Tuesday:

• New Episode of Supernatural on CW: Bloodlines @ 8pm CNT

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

4/21/14: Fandom Update: It's a metaphor

What Happened this Week?

It's a metaphor.

      With the release of the new TFIOS clip, containing the "It's a metaphor" dialogue, came a whirlwind of popularity. "It's a metaphor" has now become a popular meme on many social media sites such as tumblr.

      On top of everything being a metaphor, the songs that will be on the soundtrack for the movie was released, and there are some serious fan favorites on there. The soundtrack features songs from Ed Sheeran, a notable tear-jerker, and other small indie stars. 

      

       

      The contest for which states will be featured in the the TFIOS tour is still going on at Demand Our Stars leading with Florida, California, and Illinois. Keep reblogging and liking the gif for your state for a chance to get John and Hank Green, Shailene Woodley, Ansel Egort, and Nat Wolff to come to your state. 

       Now, let us wait patiently (ha) for the movie coming out June 6th. I know I plan on rereading the book before then, but what about you? How are you planning? Buying a custom tissue box? 

Looking Forward to in The Next Week

Monday:

Tuesday:

• New Episode of Supernatural on CW: Alex Annie Alexis Ann @ 8pm CNT

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

• New Episode of Hannibal: Shiizakana @ 9pm CNT.

Saturday:

Sunday:

4/21/14: Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

Frozen

Cover: It is an interesting cover, but it doesn't really hint at too much in the book. It is a bit lacking.

Author: Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian, Romance, Adventure

Goodreads Blurb: From New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston comes this remarkable first book in a spellbinding new series about the dawn of a new kind of magic.

Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.

At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.

But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.

Published/ing: September 17th, 2013 Putnam Juvenile

Rating: 4.5/5

Review:

So I went into this book not expecting much. But I was extremely wrong by the assumption. 

The way the book starts out, diving straight into the character of Nat and her life and past life. I loved how immediately I knew what was going on. It took the perfect amount of time to explain why she was a fugitive, why the world was Frozen, and why she needed to leave. And gods it caught my attention like that. I was so anxious to learn more and learn why. 

Starting with the setting, I enjoyed it, but it could've been better. The whole idea of the world falling frozen rather than burning up like most dystopian books assume is definitely a new way to look at things. I wish that there was a bit more politics in it and it talked more about the world, but since it was in the point of views of characters with their own problems, I understood why that really couldn't be laced in. 

Another thing that might've enhanced it a bit, would be a map. They talked a lot about new lands and new societies of course, but it also talked about New Pangea, and it made me wonder if the land had shifted. So yeah- map. 

Otherwise, the world itself was so new and interesting and unlike anything I had read before, which excited me. 

So the story itself was 3rd POV, but it was told from the point of two people (like Percy Jackson if you need an example). At some points, it was sort of hard to tell the voices apart, but above all it was a good way to tell the story. It showed the two experiences and the two lives lived in the crushed world. 

Natasha, who I would say is the main character, was an interesting person. A character that you usually don't come across in these things. She isn't trying to save the world or any crap. She just wants to get away and find this mystical land where the Earth is green and the water is clean and it doesn't burn every time she takes a breath. 

And then we have Wes, who is a personal favorite of mind. He is just like "what the hell" on most things, but not in a stupid, idiotic way, but in a "why should I have to care so much about this" way. Like at a point in the book when something important is revealed about Nat's character, he's like "I don't care. You aren't hurting me so why should I care?" 

I just wish there were more humans like him. He also is a great hero for the story, but not the type that saves the girl. The type that saves the people. A loyal, honest, and working man. 

I really fell in love with the characters in this book, if you can't tell. 

Another aspect of this book that I loved a lot was FANTASY. There were elves and dwarves and drakon and yes. Drakon. Not to sound like a ten year old boy, but it was so cool.  

In the end it was bit busy and kind of hard to keep up and a bit cheesy, but overall it was just so cool. That fantasy aspect just blew the book away. 

Overall, it was an awesome book. It was bit shaky at some parts and could have been improved at other parts, but it exceeded my expectations and blew my mind; that, in my book, is a good novel. 

Future News:
The second book in this soon to be trilogy is set to be released November of 2014. 

4/15/14: Veronica Mars and The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Veronica Mars and The Thousand Dollar Tan Line

Cover: Simple, but attention catching, and it fits perfectly. 

Author: Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Genre: Mystery, Detective

Goodreads Blurb: From Rob Thomas, the creator of the television series and movie phenomenon Veronica Mars, comes the first book in a thrilling mystery series that picks up where the feature film left off. 

Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She’s traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.

Now it’s spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is no simple missing person’s case; the house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica’s past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined.

In Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas has created a groundbreaking female detective who’s part Phillip Marlowe, part Nancy Drew, and all snark. With its sharp plot and clever twists, The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Published/ing: March 25th, 2014 Vintage

Rating: 5/5

Review:

I really, REALLY enjoyed this book.

So I started the Veronica Mars television series about two months ago and am currently in the beginning of season three. I also watched the movie. I got hooked on this fandom because of my dad's ultimate obsession (he won't tell me, but I'm pretty sure he donated like $200 something dollars to that Kickstarter program). I am a huge fan of Nancy Drew and other female lead detective series, so getting into this was easy. Kristen Bell is also an exceptional actress.

I have to tell you know that IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE TV SERIES OR MOVIE YOU WILL BE SPOILER AND CONFUSED.

Thank you.

Alright. So Rob Thomas, the creator of Veronica Mars, wrote this book with the help of Jennifer Graham. Being written partially be the creator himself, I had high expectations, and those expectations were reached. Nothing, and I mean nothing, was wrong with the characters or the development or anything. All details were on point.

I also had a great time with the setting, because I knew where it all was. I didn't need a map, because all the authors had to do was mention the Camelot or the Mars Investigation and I knew exactly where Veronica was and what situation she was in.

The plot was also a high point of the story, because it was different. It built itself off the idea that spring breaks in Neptune, California are absolutely insane, and that is completely believable due to the crime, drug, and utter drunkenness in Neptune. Not to mention rich boys and stupid law force.

I liked that throughout the book, you were kept in suspense. Something was going to happen, you didn't know where a character was, someone was about to be killed. It is exactly like the show in the fact that you had your suspects, but you didn't get the real answer till the end, and it was quite the plot twist.

Another warning: If you have not seen the TV series or watched the movie, it will not make sense. You should go watch the tv series because it is worth your time.

Future News:
The next book in the series is scheduled for November of this year. 

4/13/14: Fallen Quadriligy by Lauren Kate

     There are no words for how unbelievably happy I am that I finished this series. 

Let's start from the beginning. It was a bitter fall Thursday when I came across Fallen for $4.99 at Barnes and Nobles. With $150 of birthday giftcards and a warm Earl Grey tea in hand, I thought 'Hey, this is a bargain I shouldn't pass up,' so I bought it. 

Oh how naive I was.

I didn't read the book itself until a while after I bought it due to the five other books I had bought along with it, but when I finally did read it, I regretted it. 

The book was horrible and not worth my five dollars. Although the writing was extremely poetic and beautiful, the plot was stupid. The accuracy was also off. 

Luce and Daniel's relationship was completely cheesy and unresolved. I also was completely confused at was going on. To read more about what I thought of that first book all those months ago, click here. 

Torment was the exact same way for me; boring and useless. At least I figured out what Daniel and Cam were. The plot thickened with stupidity and was going absolutely no where. I didn't like Luce's character or her choice in relationship. 

Passion was so SO much better. I adored the fact that finally (FINALLY) Luce wanted to figure all this shit out. Why did she really even like Daniel in the first place? What were all her past lives about?

The historical fiction aspect, combined with time travel and fantasy caught my attention and I ate that book up (not literally of course). You can read my full review of that here. 

So I put off reading the last book. I knew it wasn't going to be good and I just didn't want a read a book I knew wasn't going to be good. 

But there was a gap on my bookshelf where my copy of Rapture had to fall to complete the set and I was determined to fill that ugly hole (as readers I am sure you all know that feeling). So I conquered it. 

It wasn't good. But it wasn't as bad as the first two. For the first part I wasn't to intrigued, and the whole apocalypse thing was a bit unnecessary. Then when Lucifer turned out to be Luce's ex, I was laughing out loud. This whole book was just a very cheesy and 'I'm trying to be a grand ending' kind of book. It actually reminded me of Mockingjay in a way.  

Either way, I am glad I finished the series. I am currently reading the novella Fallen in Love that goes with and am completely overjoyed to be reading about somebody else's relationship besides Luce and Daniel's. 

My overall rating for this series was probably 2.5. I hope Lauren Kate writes something good after this. I think she could go into to poetry, because I loved the writing. 

Other Notes

For completing this series I earned 17 points in the 2014 Prequel & Sequel Challenge. To see more about this challenge, look to my 2014 Challenges tab. 

4/13/14: Divergent Movie Review

Divergent

Trailer: My only problem with the trailer was the fact that it made it seem like this movie was going to be extremely sexual and that they were going to over sexualize Tris as a character. 

Genre: Dystopian, Action, Romance

Based Off: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Director: Neil Burger

Noted Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Egort, Kate Winslet

Rating: 8/10

Review: 

I went into this movie extremely skeptical. The trailer made the relationship between Tris and Tobias seem overly romantic and sexual. But as clips began being released, and those clips contained passages from the book, I grew more excited.

I actually think this was a great adaptation. Over course not everything was exactly to my ideas of the book, but everyone reads the book differently.

Shailene as Tris was not bad, but seemed a bit... lacking. I kind of wish she hadn't been cast as both Tris and Hazel Grace, from John Green's bestselling novel The Fault in Our Stars, because I won't completely separate the two. Especially Caleb, who is played by Ansel Egort, who will also play Augustus Waters in The Fault in Our Stars.

Can I get a Woot Woot for incest?

Moving on to the other characters, Ansel as Caleb was amazing. Just spectacular. That is exactly how I pictured Caleb and the acting was spot on. I cannot wait to see him as Augustus.

Theo James as Tobias was also not bad, but not perfect either. He is naturally British, and at some points in the film I think you could here the accent a bit. He was quite the looker though, and had pretty good acting skills for the character.

I am a bit disappointed that they left out important scenes like Peter's stabbing of Edward and Tobias' flirtatious drunkenness, but I understand it is hard to fit a 400 page book into a two hour movie.

But as the movie continued on, a lot of my favorite witty lines had been left out and that made me a bit sad.

Otherwise the visual expedience and the CGI was very pleasing. I especially liked the zip line scene, because I felt like I was flying through the air as well.

I hope that the next three movies are good, and that they don't go off the book. *sends a prayer to every higher power there might be*

Future News: 

Insurgent and Allegiant (a two part movie) are confirmed for 2015, 2016, and 2017. 

4/13/14: Fandom Update: Hello Black Widow, Goodbye Harry Potter

I am extremely sorry about the lack of posts. It has been very busy and stressful for me lately and has set aback my reading and writing time. Hopefully summer will come quick. 

What Happened This Week?

Captain America Spreads Patriotism through Theaters Everywhere

      Cap received $96M for his stunning step across the silver screen, which pretty much guarantees a sequel to Captain America: The Winter Soldier and any other future movies Marvel decides to make. I would like to write a larger article for this, but I have yet to see the movie due to my vacationing in the great city of Washington D.C. After the success of the latest Captain America movie, Scarlett Johansson talks to The News Journal about the serious possibility of a Black Widow movie. Nothing it is known about this movie except that it is in the making and will be directed by David Hayter and written by Stan Lee. I am extremely excited to see where this goes and will be ecstatic when we start to get more information on it. 

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Daniel Radcliffe to say Goodbye
     In a recent article by the Daily News and The Huffington Post, Daniel Radcliffe stated that he will most likely not be starring in anymore Harry Potter related films. He is quoted saying, "I am getting to old to wear a schoolboy's outfit." He does not say that he is fully against being in the upcoming Harry Potter spin-off film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but he says he probably will not be participating. For now he enjoys acting in plays like his upcoming one, The Cripple Inishmaan. To watch the interview Daniel had with CBS news, look below. 
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Look Forward to this Week

Monday:

Tuesday:

• Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
• New Episode of Supernatural: Meta Fiction @ 8pm CNT

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

• New Episode of Hannibal: Su-zakana @ 9pm CNT 

Saturday:

Sunday:

4/1/14: There Will Come a Time by Carrie Arcos

*This book was provided by Edelwiess in exchange for an honest review

There Will Come A Time

Cover: Such a beautiful design! And it goes a long with the book perfectly. 

Author: Carrie Arcos

Genre: Contemporary, Music, Grief, Death

Goodreads Blurb: Mark knows grief. Ever since the accident that killed his twin sister, Grace, the only time he feels at peace is when he visits the bridge on which she died. Comfort is fleeting, but it’s almost within reach when he’s standing on the wrong side of the suicide bars. Almost.

Grace’s best friend, Hanna, says she understands what he’s going through. But she doesn’t. She can’t. It’s not just the enormity of his loss. As her twin, Mark should have known Grace as well as he knows himself. Yet when he reads her journal, it’s as if he didn’t know her at all.

As a way to remember Grace, Hanna convinces Mark to complete Grace’s bucket list from her journal. Mark’s sadness, anger, and his growing feelings for Hannah threaten to overwhelm him. But Mark can’t back out. He made a promise to honor Grace—and it’s his one chance to set things right.

Published/ing: April 15th, 2014 Simon Pulse

Rating: 4/5

Review:

I really enjoyed this book for a book that I totally judged by its cover.

Not even kidding. I took one look at the cover and said "I must read that."

And it turned out that you can judge a book by its cover.

I loved the settings of the book and how they were described. I loved the ocean and the mountain and even Hanna's backyard. The author really took time in describing every aspect of the story and tying it into the main character's emotions.

Speaking of characters, I loved the different personalities. Although we have our main character, Mark, who is well rounded and is fully affected by grief of his sister, we also have quirky, side characters that help him through it each step of the way, and I believe that's what helped the conflict become more believable and realistic; the fact that people are always there to help you along the way.

I must mention the fact that Pete was my favorite character. He did not even care what Mark was going through, he was just like "You agreed to my show and you are going to fulfill that promise" and I think that that really helped Mark at times. Pete, along with his other friends, helped him stay awake and not fall further into his grief.

The emotions in the story were also accurate. The jealousy, grief, and confusion were so well described at points, that I felt as if I could feel them myself.

The ending was also exceptional. I knew that was how it would end, but I think it was great that it had a sort of happily ever after. Mark deserved to have some of the guilt and grief lifted at the end. I would've loved an epilogue.

Overall, this story was amazing and I think everyone should read it when it comes out. I loved it to quite an extent. 

Future News:
There is no news regarding this book or the author.

~Monty