Sunday Post

Let's chat about what's going on this week... on my blog.. on other blogs... on the internet... and just everywhere!    I link up my post to Sunday Post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Reader.

I was gone last week to the state of TX.  I loved it.. the weather, friends and family.  Back to reality now.  I love TX weather in the winter.  Just perfect. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got to eat lots of food! I dropped my phone in the toilet. Yeah that's right. It was in my back pocket and when I pulled my pants up.. plunk!  Such a bummer. Luckily I still have my iPhone 4 so I am going to hook that back up.  I am addicted to games on my phone so it was such a bummer!   I am going to attempt to go to a yoga class this week.  I am a little nervous about it but people seem to love it.  Sooooo... Monday I am going to a beginners class.  I always hear it is stress reducing helps with anxiety.  So next week I'll let you know how it goes.

Tough Travels- Missing Heirs

This week’s topic is MISSING HEIRS:

MISSING HEIRS occur with great frequency. At any given time, half the countries in Fantasyland will have mislaid their crown princess/prince.

This week's topic is going to have some easy ones that probably everyone is going to answer.  The big one we might as well get out of the way.  Aragorn from Lord of the Rings.  I remember the first time I read the books I was just about to be a freshman in high school and just loved Aragorn.  Then when I saw Viggo Mortensen play him in the film I really fell in love the character of Aragorn. 

Next up is A Song of Ice and Fire series.  Everyone is from somewhere and they are all lost.  I have refused to read anymore of the books until GRRM finishes them.  I first read them in 2003 and I am STILL waiting for more.  Done.  I did go to see GRRM at a  book signing though and that was pretty amazing.  Plus I was RIGHT next to him at San Diego comic con once too.  Fun times.

I love LOVE LOVE the Lunar Chronicles series.  I can't stress that enough.  Sooo.. this could be a spoiler for those who haven't read the series.  Cinder is the heir to the throne of the moon! I am fangirling over here about these books!!   I just can't wait for the rest of the series to come out.... soon.  Very soon.

Now the next three books .. I am not sure if they really count but whatever! First up.. Percy Jackson from the Olympians series.  He technically doesn't have a throne to rule but he had no idea he was the son of Poseidon until he was older. Love this series and have been meaning to read more books after the first 5.







Next up Hercules.  Similar to Percy Jackson.... his parents had no idea who he was at first. Zeus slept with Hercules mom disguising himself as her husband. I love the tales of Hercules.  Well.. I love all mythology.  Is mythology fantasy???  Does this count for Tough Travels?? I don't know but I'm adding it. 






I am going to add Princess Peach from Mario games in this list too.  Technically ... she knows she the heir... but she is always lost and Mario always has to find her. I just couldn't leave her out.  I mean.. I have spent hours looking for her!!!

What about you??  Do you know of any lost heirs???  Be sure to join in next week!! We are going look for BUGS

BUGS- Not in the Tough Guide but it should be. Let’s all find anything creepy or crawly, big or small, six legs, eight legs, or more. Bugs, bugs, bugs.

Mockingjay Part 1- Movie Review

I have always loved the Hunger Game books... way before they were movies.  Such a great series.  The movies are great as well which makes me so happy!  There is nothing worse then your favorite books becoming terrible movies.  It should be obvious from the title that there is another movie coming... so of course this one ended in a cliff hanger.  So we'll have to wait another year before seeing the next film!  ERRRRrrr..  yes I know what happens but I still want to see the whole thing.

Sunday Post

Let's chat about what's going on this week... on my blog.. on other blogs... on the internet... and just everywhere!    I link up my post to Sunday Post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Reader.  A cold cold week here.  We were down in the single digits.  First snowfall of the year and it was pretty! Picked up some new comics from the library and can't wait to get started on those. For those following the anxiety/depression updates I am doing good.  This week still had ups and downs... I do think things are getting better.

I am looking forward to a new show called The Librarians on TNT.  Have you heard of it?? It's based off those fun movies with the same name. The show is about an ancient organization hidden beneath Gotham’s Metropolitan Public Library, dedicated to protecting an unknowing world from the secret, magical reality hidden around them.  If you haven't seen the movies you should watch them.  It's fun.




On the blog:
I review the movie Big Hero 6
I discuss Group blogs.. confusing or fabulous?
I finally participate in Tough Traveling where this week we are talking about named Weapons! 

Around the Blogospere:
A blogger I love at Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity had an amazing post this week called Find Your Beauty.  I recommend you all go and check it out.
Where to start in comics??  Nylon Admiral has a great post about this.
Sci-fi month is still going strong!  Here is a post about Archeology in Science Fiction by Oh the Books.

What is going on in your world this week? 

Tough Travels- Named Weapons

 


“Tough Traveling” is a weekly Thursday feature created by Nathan at Review Barn where participants make a new list each week based on The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones. This hilarious little book cheerfully pokes fun at the most prevalent tropes in fantasy. All are welcome to take part, and there is a link up over at his site. Join in any time! This week’s trope is NAMED WEAPONS:

Surprise! This is not from the Tough Guide but fits the spirit of it well. So let us say for this topic the weapon either needs to be A. Named, B. Famous, or C. Sentient. Thanks to Mogsy for the idea!

I would like to get into more fantasy reading to be honest.  I just need to find some to read.
Some of the weapons I came up with:

Joe Hill wrote a graphic novel series called Locke and Key where keys are used and are magical.  The series is a mixture of horror and fantasy.  All the keys have different names. Shadow Key, Head Key, Animal Key... and so on.

Next up from the Percy Jackson books: Anaklusmos: The sword of Perseus Jackson, it was given to Hercules by the hesperide, Zoe. Made of the mythological metal Celestial Bronze. Its name in English means Riptide.  

 Excalibur from TH White The Once and Future King.  I have tried to get through this book twice.  I just can't it's so boring to me.  But Excalibur is a great sword.  I love the Disney film The Sword in the Stone.

 Last I'll list Icingdeath & Twinkle Scimitar that Drizzt uses in the series by RA Salvatore.  I love these books and play Dungeons and Dragons weekly. 

Next week is MISSING HEIRS

MISSING HEIRS occur with great frequency. At any given time, half the countries in Fantasyland will have mislaid their crown princess/prince.

Group blogs.. confusing or fabulous?

I love visiting blogs!  I really love to get to know the person behind the blog.  Usually their personality comes through in their posts and those are the ones I end up following.  Of course though.. some of the blogs I visit are "group blogs".  Group blogs to me are blogs with three or more bloggers.  Ok.. sometimes I even consider blogs with two bloggers a group blog.  With a group blog it is much harder to discover the people behind the posts.  Each person needs to work harder to make their personal voice known.  A great example of a group blog that works is Oh the Books.  Not only is the template set up for the readers to easily know who they are reading a post from but each blogger also has their own feature.

I have also read some group blogs where I have no idea who is saying what.  I recently visited a blogger's blog who used to have their own blog and now have taken part in a group blog and I had no idea who was writing what.  Their voices are lost.   While the posts may still be good I prefer to know who I am talking to.  Having an author signature in these types of blogs is very important. Seriously... important!  There is another blog Picture Us Reading that does a fun husband/wife team.  I do keep trying to get my husband to contribute to my blog but alas... he has not.  Though he has helped me with graphics from time to time.

I also feel like having a group blog just to get up more posts is bad... bad.  I don't want to read a blog because it posts once a day.  I want to read a blog because it's fun and interests me.  I would rather the blog have one blogger who is fun and interactive then a whole group.  I like to see the group bloggers interact with each other too. That is why the two blogs I listed are great group blogs... they interact with each other.  Another good example of this is goodreads.  If I am apart of a book club on goodreads and the moderators don't interact why am I even in the group.  The moderators should be what keeps the group actively discussing and new.

 

So sometimes group blogs really work... sometimes they don't for me.  I know that some people think by taking on a co-moderator or a few co-moderators is great but if they don't put in the work to make these co-moderators fit in the blog could just fall flat. What do you think??  Any great group blogs you know of that you want to tell us about?  Do you have a group blog...  how is it working for you?

Big Hero 6

This weekend I went to see Big Hero 6 and loved it.  It was a fun movie. This is a movie for everyone.  I was surprised at how packed it was on a Saturday afternoon but I guess it is a movie for kids so that's when the parents will take them (I don't have kids).  What I liked about it was that it showed a kid who is depressed.  Well not what true depression is but that he was very sad.  And then the film shows him become happy again.  Such a great lesson. 

I really loved Baymax.  That is the big white guy.  He was the perfect friend.  You can't watch this film without wishing Baymax was your friend. I haven't read the Marvel comics that this is based off.  Though I did read it is a totally different take.  I guess Baymax is not nice and cuddly in the comic.  So I don't know if I will read them since I don't want my views of Baymax to change.

There is a great scene at the end of the credits... because of course this is a marvel movie.  I did think the movie was a little too long.  Maybe by 20 minutes.  But very enjoyable.  I would recommend everyone seeing it.

Sunday Post

Let's chat about what's going on this week... on my blog.. on other blogs... on the internet... and just everywhere!    I link up my post to Sunday Post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Reader.

Hello!  How is everyone?  This week I had some good times with anxiety/depression and some bad times.  I have been praying hard about it. Keeping myself busy is the key, for some reason I can't seem to take naps.  I lay there and just my mind keeps thinking about anxiety and then I just have to get up.  I can't wait to take naps again.  Night time sleep is going ok .. mainly because I have some sleeping pills to help with that.  I am so lucky to have my husband here to help with the panic attacks.  I feel so bad for those who have to deal with mental illness alone. 

I finished a book!!  I finally finished Eragon.  It took me a while but it felt good to not only finish it but get up a review about it. I am addicted to the show Property Brothers.  These guys are fun to watch and have a great personality.  Nov 29th they are going to have a new show on about them remodeling the house they live it.  How fun that these brothers are so close and even live together.

On the Blog:
Eragon by Christopher Paolini- Review
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor Video Game Review


Here are some posts I loved this week:

If you are on facebook there is a Bookish Ball coming up.  Looks kind of fun.
There's a Harry Potter read along coming. 
Scifi Month Bingo card.  These are always so fun... though I don't read fast enough to do them.
Do you know very much about epilepsy?  She is too Fond of Books talks about it.  I am glad... more of us should talk about our crutches in life so others can either learn from them or maybe even relate to them. 


My internet has been down since Friday.  That has been such a bummer.  But it's back so that is good. FINALLY!  What's going on with you???

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor Video Game Review

I was excited about Shadow of Mordor when I first heard about it.  Then I heard it is a mix of the Batman games and Assassin Creed games.  I love the Batman games but can't stand the Assassin Creed games.  So I gave it a shot. Honestly it is way too violent of a game for me.  I am going through some anxiety right now so things that are too violent bother me.

We do actually get to go in and see Mordor though it is not how I would picture it at all.  People are living there.  You run around an open world fighting a bunch of different Orc bosses.  If they end up killing you then that Orc continues to level up.  You can level up your weapons too.  It's crazy... every time you go to face a new Orc captain there is a whole intro scene for that Orc.  The Orcs also have hilarious names.

The constant blood everywhere and beheadings just weren't for me.  I am not usually sensitive to violence but it was just too gory.  I play a lot of first person shooters and just like my violence to be more pretend.  Shooting aliens and what not with fake looking blood.  Eventually a friend came over and played the game and I just read while he was doing it so I didn't have to watch all the gore and just looked up during cut scenes.

I didn't love this game... but plenty of people out there do.  It has a high score from reviewers so I guess it just depends on what you are looking for. 

Eragon by Christopher Paolini- Review

Title: Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini
Pages: 503
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: Owned book
Links: goodreads, 
The Inheritance Cycle

One boy . . . One dragon . . . A world of adventure. When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

I finally finished a book! Yes!! I have read this book twice before. One of those times was when I was having anxiety really bad and I remember being happy that I read the book. It was an easy comfortable read. I am currently dealing with anxiety again so I thought why not read this book??? I have been meaning to re-read it anyways since I never read the last two books in the series. So I now plan to finish the series. It did take me a while to get through it.  I would read it... get side tracked with anxiety and then pick it back up.

Eragon is such a fun book.  The movie is awful... don't bother watching it.  This book though has just a lot of great fantasy.  The descriptions of the world is amazing.  The book was my first YA book as an adult really.  At the time I was so used to reading books like Stephen King so this really introduced me into a whole new world.  Now I love YA books.  I also enjoyed that this book is written from a boy's point of view.  Thought that was a great new take other then the books that are usually from a girl's point of view.

What the book is about really is Eragon finding his way in the world.  Though.. if I were in his situation I would just panic. He finds a dragon egg... which hatches.  Then people come looking for him and destroy his home including his caretaker.  Really he has no one now.  Then he must go through several adventures trying to figure out what is next in life for him.  Isn't this something we all must do???

I am excited to get started on the next book in the series.  I did read that one once before... but I don't really remember it.  I probably will once I get started reading it. Hopefully it doesn't take me as long to read that book as it did this one.  I do have a road trip coming up and will probably be able to get a lot of reading done on that trip.

Sun is shinning!!!  Great day to go outside and read this book.

Other reviews for books in the series:
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Sunday Post

Let's chat about what's going on this week... on my blog.. on other blogs... on the internet... and just everywhere!    I link up my post to Sunday Post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Reader.
Happy Weekend!  I got a few posts up this week.  Been feeling a little better with anxiety/depression.  Just a battle everyday to get over the hump.   I am still not finished with Eragon.  I guess I am reading really slowly.  Maybe I am just not into the book???  But I am almost done so I am going to finish.  I have to force myself to read sometimes when I am anxious and once I get going it does calm me down some.  Since I am going through this I thought I would add it to the blog so every now and then you'll read about my journey of getting over anxiety/depression.  I have gone through major episodes twice before. No fun but maybe it will help someone else out there get over theirs.  I'll probably talk about it on the Sunday Posts.  Clearly by the name of the blog you probably already figured out I deal with anxiety.

I am excited about Sci-Fi November.  I did sign up for it but realized I wasn't really blogging so I backed out.  I can't wait though to read everyone's posts this month though.  I still can't believe it's November. October was also a great month on blogs... everyone talking about scary books and movies.  A blogger I loved has been talking about his favorite scary movies ... be sure to check it out!  Here is a quiz about what is your fate with monsters by Oh the Books.  There is a Secret Santa bookish event hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

I think it's crazy how far out the superhero movies are planned out by both DC and Marvel.  It really is crazy to me. Though something to look forward to.  Next weekend I am going to see Big Hero 6.  it looks cute to me.  There really haven't been any movies in the theaters lately.  I think the last one I went to is Guardians of the Galaxy.  That was a while ago.   As far as video games go Halo the Master Chief collection comes out soon. I love Halo so I am really looking forward to this.  I can't believe that football season is half way over.  I wish football was all year long.  For me it's something to look forward to every Sunday.  

 

Well that's all from here this week.  Next week hopefully I will finally have up the Eragon review. Then it's on to finish the series.