Merry Christmas!

Currently: Fall 2022

Happy Fall! 

As you can tell by my serious lack of posts, life has been crazy for me. However, I've had very little time for posting all year. A fact I feel awful about because I have so many great ideas! I was nervous about Fall 2022 because if you remember last year's post, I was not in a good place at all. This fall has been very...unexpected...in more good ways then bad though.

Devotion

The Korean War in a nutshell is considered an extension of WWII. After a five year peace period that started when WWII ended in August of 1955, the Chinese Communist Party had begun to infiltrate other Asian countries. America was in a floundering state with the U.S.S.R. and the cold war that had been created between the two polar opposite societies. However, the Communist threat spread rapidly and America (for all its good intentions to remain neutral) knew it couldn't remain silent for long. 

 

No war should be forgotten or even called forgotten, because to do so would simply be disregarding the duty and sacrifice of the men who were there. Men like Ensign Jesse Brown and Lieutenant Tom Hudner.

Joan of Arc (1999 mini-series)

 

I know I haven't mentioned it a great deal here, but I've always loved Saint Joan of Arc. I mean what girl wouldn't admire her! For centuries Joan of Arc has been immortalized through every possible art medium, from 15th century drawings to feature length films. She is often portrayed as either an ethereal saint or as a noble warrior. This 1999 mini-series is one of the most beautiful and thought provoking movies that tells the full life story of the beloved Saint Joan of Arc.

The Chosen: Season 3 trailer

 

Goodreads Reviews: Cormoran Strike # 6 - The Ink Black Heart

The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Did you think that an online game moderator who's entire being is completely anonymous to the whole world could be the stuff of nightmares? I didn't think so.

Then I met Anomie. The the co-creator of Drek's Game which was inspired by the YouTube series, The Ink Black Heart created by artists Edie Ledwell and Joshua Bly. After their successful cartoon takes the world by storm, Edie and Josh are walking the road of success. However, success begins to demand a heavy price.

Edie Ledwell seeks Robin's help to track down a Twitter troll named Anomie, a superfan of The Ink Black Heart who has made it his mission to terrorize Edie online for her supposed disregard for the game he created due to her genius story. Never having done a cyber case before, Robin has no choice but to turn Edie down.

A week later, Edie is murdered and Joshua Bly is badly injured and Anomie is the primary suspect. But who is Anomie? A male or female? Teenager or middle aged? A superfan or a psychopath? It's hard to track down a murderer when their presence is only through cryptic Twitter messages and chat room conversations.

Edie Ledwell had no shortage of enemies and anyone of them that has any interest in playing the online game, could be a possible suspect. Robin, Strike and their team must research, survey and take into account every motion of each suspect to apprehend Anomie. Yet, Anomie is one of the most elusive, clever and maniacal suspects Strike and Robin have ever had to deal with. As his growing madness deepens, no one is safe until his identity is finally revealed.

Robert Galbraith completely nailed the toxic fan syndrome phenomenon in The Ink Black Heart. Anything can have a good start, but when people get in too deep, become too passionate and lose sight of reality, detrimental actions can't always be avoided. The delusional behavior of Anomie isn't made up. His toxicity is seen everyday in people who worship any form of media, whether it's music, television, books, actors, etc. Lives have been damaged, relationships broken, years of hard work wasted because fans are incapable of returning to the real world.

That alone is one of the reasons why I enjoyed the book so much. There was so much truth in what was being written about the fans of this online series and how it only mirrors the reality of our social media obsessed culture.

No Ship to Bear Me Hence - Tolkien's Widowed Fathers

 One connection I noticed in The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were the widowed fathers Lord Elrond, King Thranduil and Bard. Not only did they have to raise their children alone, but they were also leaders with people who looked up to them. The loss of their wives may not be spoken at time, but it is certainly felt with their interactions with others. Whether it's their own children or understanding strangers.

Tolkien Blog Party 2022: Giveaway + Tag

The party has arrived!

Proclamation and First Address of King Charles III

Send Her Victorious

Goodbye, beautiful and gracious Queen Elizabeth. 

 

Show me, my Woman, like a Queen

~ William Shakespeare 

Currently: Spring/Summer 2022

🌷 Hello everyone! I hope you all have had a wonderful, relaxing and overall fun summer! Seeing as my last Currently post was so late and actually moved into springtime, I just waited out the rest of spring and went into summer with this update and let me tell you, there's a lot to update!

Goodreads Reviews - Wizards: The Myths, Legends, & Lore

Wizards: The Myths, Legends, and Lore by Aubrey Sherman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One of the oldest mythical figures in human civilization, wizards, magicians, witches, druids, warlocks, sorcerers, mages, shamans, apprentices, seers, necromancers and mystics were once revered as healers, historians and prophets. Now they have become the inspiration for magnificent fantasy stories that span from Merin's Camelot to Harry Potter's Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The legends of wizards and other magical kind are numerous and widespread that almost every culture has their own variations and stories.

Wizards started off with the basics of the definitions of a wizard, how they came to being, their powers and abilities and their constant staying power. All the details such as notable wizards and witches from history, what they wear, where they live, what they're taught and in return what they teach, spells and spellcasting and their equipment from pointed hat to walking staff.

Merlin actually gets his own section and deservedly so. All that is connected to wizards and wizarding lore can be easily traced back to King Arthur's mentor and advisor. Merlin set the standard and all other cultural legends have followed since. Harry Potter is broadly covered as well, however, my primary complaint is that Aubrey Sherman could have done a reread of the Potter books before she wrote about them. There were several errors that only a true Potter fan could notice.

Wizards also went to great lengths to chronicle all that wizarding legends have contributed to the modern media. From books, movies and television shows, it seems that any story, whether fantasy or sci-fi, usually has a witch or wizard lurking about. (And God bless Marvel for finally distinguishing the difference between a wizard and a sorcerer) I was especially happy when the BBC's wonderful television series, Merlin received a good portion of recognition!

Like the rest of the MLL books, I greatly enjoyed Wizards and the plethora of knowledge about magic and its creators. The pictures and drawing that accompanied the book were stunning and I appreciated the Ravenclaw blue theme as well!  Exploring the different worlds of wizardry and magic, and also realizing how much the wizard lore opened the doors to both fantasy and science fiction, one can't help appreciate the mystical mediators between our world and the unknown.

Announcing The Tolkien Blog Party (10 years)

It's that time of year again (and the highlight of my blogging year)....

In Defense of Nancy Wheeler

It seems that female characters can never catch a break. If they're too perfect than they're Mary Sues. If they make too many mistakes that they're not role models. If they're not relatable then they're useless characters. If they're shy and quiet than they're boring. If they are bold and independent then they're feminist trash. And my personal favorite...If they're the middle of a love triangle than they're reduced to the role of a pawn, with no value except only what she can give to the male character.

Jesus Christ Superstar (1973/2000)

This wacky, but ultimately loveable musical is considered one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most controversial productions and understandably so. When JCSS first hit record stands in 1970 and then in less than 3 years became a full scale stage show, which led to a feature film in 1973, audiences really didn't know how to respond. For a time, in film and media, it was considered disrespectful to even show Jesus' face on film (Ben-Hur for example). How could you turn the life of the most honored and beloved of all historical figures into a musical and still maintain a sense of respect and decorum? 

Obi-Wan Kenobi

After years of waiting and speculation, one of Star Wars most beloved characters has finally received his own screen story. I was excited for this and certainly wasn't disappointed. Given the way that Star Wars has definitely declined in proper storytelling in the last few years, Obi-Wan Kenobi had a mighty task to complete. And who better to accomplish that task than the man who always believed in hope?

Goodreads Review - Vampires: The Myths, Legends & Lore

Vampires: The Myths, Legends, and Lore by Aubrey Sherman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Throughout every culture there is some modicum of a vampire legend. Created by superstition, fear, madness and no small amount of lustful romance, vampires have intrigued generations for centuries. Hailing from the legends of former human brought back from the dead, feared war heroes, maniacal nobility, serial killers and of course, the brilliant story Dracula that brought the whole world to vampire mania.

The vampire has become one of the most prominent staples in supernatural lore. Probably because of their versatility. As long as they have already died in some way and ingest blood (regardless of how it's done), then the sky is the limit when it comes to spinning a good vampire story. Vampires have found their place in pop culture for over 100 years. They were featured in literature as far back as 1816 (and earlier if you count small town folktales) and then made their way onto stage and screen where they have stayed comfortably for years.

As vampires are oftentimes seen as demonic spirits cursed to live on earth, then the idea of right and wrong and the struggle to adapt in a world where they aren't wanted adds a good moral element as well. This is quite often seen in shows such as The Vampire Diaries and its spinoff The Originals . Can vampires have a soul? Can they be redeemed? Or are they no better than the millions of other human murders out in the world? Unlike other supernatural creatures, vampires have always been a controversial source of moral debate and discussion.

I wasn't surprised to find a MLL book on vampires and I wasn't disappointed at the wealth of knowledge that was gathered and compiled. A great deal of the book had to do with the vampire's legendary role in film and television and its never ending inspiration for romance, mystery and sci-fi novels. However, some of it was nothing short of disturbing as well. Especially when regarding serial killers who had the same attributes to vampires. All that set aside, I enjoyed the history of the vampire and its cultural worldwide impact that has no plans of dying anytime soon.

The Day Life Won

Today after decades of battling with both losses and victories

ROE V WADE has been overturned

Stranger Things 4

Wow! This was one hell of an intense emotional and psychological ride...and it's not even done yet!!! Season 4 started out a little unsure; as if the story didn't really know where it was going. However, by about the fourth episode (and possibly the best episode in the whole show at this point!) it really began to find its footing and all the puzzle pieces were stating to take shape.

Top Gun: Maverick

 

I had grown up knowing about the 80s cult classic film, Top Gun, but never actually watched it till 2015. Afterwards it became my favorite film of the year; I must have watched it five times! So naturally when I found out that they were making a sequel, I wasn't holding out a lot of hope. I mean, Top Gun is a good film, but it's like Dirty Dancing in many ways; it's more of the nostalgia of when the film was made that is one of the reasons why it's considered a classic. However, after reading some great reviews, I decided to give it a shot. Could this sequel live up to its towering predecessor?

Yes. It did. Above and beyond anyone's expectations.

God Save The Queen

Celebrating 70 Years 

As England's longest reigning monarch

Congratulations on your Platinum Jubilee!

God Save The Queen

by Sarah Brightman and Alfie Boe

Goodreads Reviews - Dragons: The Myths, Legends & Lore

Dragons: The Myths, Legends, and Lore by Douglas Niles

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a MLL book that I was definitely looking for! I've always loved dragons and I like to believe that they are one (if not the) most popular fantasy creature in history. I grew up watching movies and reading books that featured dragons. From Disney's Pete's Dragon to Eustace Scrubbs Christian metaphorical transformation in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader . Dragon lore populates every culture in the world. Unlike the noble unicorn or the foul tempered leprechaun, the characteristics of the dragon is wholly dependent on the culture they derive from.

Dragon lore can be traced as far back as Babylonian and Ancient Egypt history and they are oftentimes revered as symbols of wisdom and strength; yet feared for their tempers, greediness and violence. They are also portrayed as immensely charismatic in most media dating from Fafnir of Norse mythology who became the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's Smaug the Terrible in The Hobbit .

There is a great deal about Dragon lore that can be discovered and written down. In this book the symbiology of the dragon and its origins gives a better understanding to their popularity. This is followed up by the worldwide cultural legends of the dragon through religion, communities, and of course, storytelling. Then finally dragons in popular culture, most notably in games such as Dungeons & Dragons .

Like with the rest of the MLL books, this one was just as fun and informative. The artwork that is taken from different cultures is stunning and I love the tan and red cover theme! Very fantastical and elegant. My only one complaint is that the latter part of the book seemed to drone on and on about the prominence of dragons in video games and it became very redundant. However, Dragons is a wonderful add to my growing MLL collection and any dragon lover and fantasy writer will surely benefit from its treasure trove on knowledge.

Fun Film Asks

Another ask tag that I found on Tumblr! I'm not going to tag anyone, but seeing as I follow a lot of movie lovers, feel free to do it!

Stranger Things 3

July, 1985. Hawkins, Indiana. The summer is full of sunshine, young love, an exciting 4th of July celebration and the growing success of the Starcourt Mall. However, there is still room for the strange and unexplained that threatens the lives of the citizens of Hawkins and this time the rest of humanity. Yes, just a typical summer in Hawkins, Indiana and the small groups of teens and their parents who must fight between their world and the ever evolving world of the Upside Down.

The Honestea Tag

Skye Hoffert tag me for this fun tag! Thanks Skye!

I tag 

Olivia - Meanwhile in Rivendell

 Catherine - The Lazy Hufflepuff  

Chloe - Movies Meet Their Match

Goodreads Reviews: Leprechauns: The Myths, Legends & Lore

Leprechauns: The Myths, Legends, Lore by Bob Curran

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I was looking for the next MLM (Myths, Legends & Lore) book to read, I really didn't think there was much to the leprechaun legend. However, as a longtime collector of books and series, especially aesthetically pretty ones, I was compelled to buy it so at least it could look nice with the books.

Leprechauns are an interesting and somewhat unpleasant legend. They often take center stage every March 17th in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Because leprechauns have such an evil mentality to them due to their greed, manipulation, magical abilities and chaotic natures, it's almost shameful that they are immediately connected to St. Patrick and his holiday.

Like Unicorns , Leprechauns are indigenous to the British Isles and so much of the book was about the Leprechaun lifestyle or the Who? What? How? as I like to call it. My reading has taught me that leprechauns are evil and lecherous little bastards that are usually written as the spawn of fairies and demons.

Similar to the unicorn myth, the leprechaun has been diminished to a cute cartoonish character like Lucky from the Lucky Charms cereal and the football mascot of Notre Dame University. Therefore the actual legend itself has been lost in watered down pop culture fantasy. However, the leprechaun world and the society is as unique as any mythological creature can get. From what they wear, to what they eat and drink, even the places than can and cannot go.

Much of the book was actually folk stories and supposed sightings of leprechauns and the madness that usually ensues when coming upon them. Leprechauns didn't have the same art content that the other books have, but still has the same charming appeal with its vibrant green cover and theme. I'm glad I got the book and found that the leprechaun for all it's wiles and wrongs is still a beloved symbol of Ireland because its the embodiment of Ireland's fierce and steadfast nature as well.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

     It was high time for me to return to the Wizarding World if only for a few hours. I've always had such an admiration for Newt Scamander and how his life is dedicated to his passion and not to what people think about him. From his devotion to his few friends, his growing friendship with his (over) protective older brother and of course his love for Tina. Newt may not have the appearance of a novel hero, but then again neither did scrawny, bespectacled Harry Potter. However, Secrets of Dumbledore is exactly what the title indicates and Newt plays a more secondary but important role in a bigger story.

Currently: Winter 2021/2022

 

❅Well, hello everyone! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Valentine's Day, Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy Easter! This year is possibly the first time I haven't made any holiday posts! Anyways, I've been MIA from my blog for awhile and even though I had several posts planned for April, the absence from my blog has been a good thing. There have been some great changes in my life, especially in my work. 

To put it simply I finally left my job...sort of...

Springtime Asks Tag

I found this Asks post on Tumblr and thought it would be fun as a tag. Juliette Deroulede, Miss Winifred Banks, Skye Hoffert, Livia and McKayla, considered yourselves tagged, so I don't have to tell you all individually. You can use my header and please give credit to the original Tumblr creator!

Goodreads Reviews: Unicorns: The Myths, Legends & Lore

Unicorns: The Myths, Legends, & Lore by Skye Alexander

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Of all the unique creatures that have been written about in myths and legends the unicorn is probably my least favorite. The reason being is because of how the unicorn itself has become so ingrained into popular culture. Whenever you think of a unicorn nowadays, you see a docile, smiling, white horse with a protruding golden horn and has a mane in blue, purple and pink (the official unicorn colors). The unicorn has become a distant cousin to the Care Bears with no meaning to its history; other than the fact it's marketed to be an overrated product and obsession for all ages.

Even when I saw the cover of the book, I was somewhat dismayed at the bright bubble gum pink cover and the obnoxious looking text. However, the Fairies and Mermaids books took me beyond Tinker Bell and Ariel and introduced to a plethora of other variations that I had been completely unaware of.

It seems like Skye Alexander had the same problem when it came to the 'unicorn obsession' and says as much throughout the book. I was pleasantly surprised at the unicorns deep history that goes all the way back to the Bible! Yes! The unicorn is mentioned several times in the Bible of all places. As with fairies and mermaids, the unicorn's identity has grown and developed over the ages through stories and fables, but also through religion and politics. For example, the unicorn is the symbol of Scotland and is featured on one side of England's coat of arms with a lion on the other side. The lion represents England and the unicorn Scotland. The irony is that the lion and the unicorn have always been written to be mortal enemies.

Unlike the other books, Unicorns doesn't really launch into other cultural myths and legends because it is completely ingrained into British history. The unicorn is one of a handful of supernatural creatures that is indigenous to one culture. So instead, the book focuses on the history of the unicorn, its rise and decline over the centuries and the constant battle of science vs magic.

After reading this book, I definitely had such an appreciation for the unicorn myth; while also a despairing mindset at how the unicorn, once a magnificent and powerful creature that inspired awe and mystery, has been reduced to a silly, nonsensical and nauseating pop culture icon. Thankfully this book offers a deeper understanding and context to the important and vital role that the unicorn has played in Western history and civilization.

Obi-Wan Kenobi - Trailer

 

Daredevil: Season 1

There's Marvel superheroes and then there is Matthew Murdock, a soft spoken, blind lawyer by day and the notorious Daredevil at night; both alter egos fighting the corruption of Hell's Kitchen. All three seasons of Daredevil had been on my Netflix queue for ages and after seeing Matt Murdock's hysterical cameo appearance in Spiderman: No Way Home, it was incentive enough to watch the series. Of all the Marvel films and shows that I've watched nothing could have prepared me for a story about a disabled man whose is a devoted Catholic and understands the true value of all life.