Unboxing Owlcrate! October 2020 “Legends and Lore” Edition – Blogtober!

October 19, 2020October 20, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

I have been a firm follower of Owlcrate for nearly five years. I have received every monthly box, some of their exclusive boxes, was on their Facebook group “The Owlcrate Society” until it got nuked late last month (don’t ask)… And now it is time to unbox October’s offerings.

What is Owlcrate? Owlcrate is a Young Adult book box subscription. Every month for a decent fee, you receive a newly published book and 4-5 bookish items. I actually use a good portion of their items every month. The items range from beauty products (lip gloss has been included before), candles, paper items, practical items, décor, ect. Basically any number of things. Oh, and blankets, pillowcases, and bags too!

While they used to swap between YA Sci-fi/Fantasy and YA Contemporary books, they have mostly stayed with the former in the past few years (they sell better, according to them).

Anyway, my October 2020 Owlcrate arrived yesterday, and I actually remembered to take some pictures of what was inside (fair warning, I didn’t edit them, and I had like five minutes, so they’re not the best). Let me give you an idea of just what’s inside a typical Owlcrate.

The box has the logo on it, but of course I forgot to take a picture of it… amateur hour, here we come. This is what you usually see when you open an Owlcrate. The spoiler car is always on top, which lists out everything in the box, as well as who made it. Give credit where credit is due to for the artists! Underneath is usually the paper packing material, which I detest and chuck as soon as humanly possible. (Otherwise, they migrate and I find them six months later.)

First inside is a bowl cozy by Janine Lecour, inspired by Spin the Dawn. This is supposed to help you not burn you fingers when you make a bowl of soup or stew. Since I love to make microwaved white rice (because I’m weird and lazy), this will actually come in handy!

Next up is a soap bar from Motherland Essentials, inspired by A Song of Wraiths and Ruin. This is actually the only item I did not unbox, but that’s because I can’t use it. My skin is too sensitive for pretty much anything but the plainest soap, unfortunately. But it did smell every good.

Also included is the exclusive enamel pin (an Owlcrate monthly staple), designed by Hey AtlasCreative. It relates to the book included in the box, which I’ll name by the end.

Another item is this beautiful bamboo phone stand, inspired by The Star-Touched Queen, designed by Lady Chubb Letters. I’m actually using it right now to hold my phone so that I can have Discord as a second screen.

The Owlcrate team came up with this these absolutely gorgeous windchimes inspired by Woven in Moonlight. I can’t hang the outside, so they get to decorate my room!

Paperbackbones designed this beautiful glass nail file, inspired by Girls of Paper and Fire. I love how it fades from the near clear to the deep purple.

And finally, we have the book of the month. This is Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, which has been on my to read list since it was announced. It has an absolutely gorgeous cover and the premise is amazing. The book is a modern-day twist on the Arthurian legends, with a good helping of Southern black Girl Magic as well! The other picture is the included little booklet with an interview with the author, among other things.

This was a backed box, and I’m in love with it. This month was a great box with some amazing items. The spoiler card says that next month’s theme is “Growing Wild” and it is going to include a reading planner for next year, if that makes any sort of difference. I’m very excited to see what ends up in the next box.

I hope you guys enjoyed this write up of this months Owlcrate unboxing. Let me know if you want to see more of them!

Until next time!

The “Rapid Fire” Book Tag – Blogtober!

October 19, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Hey all! I’m feeling much better from yesterday, but I’m still not 100%. So I decided I would do an easy book tag, which is also a kinda get-to-know-me type tag? At least, that’s the feel I get from some of the questions._{(This is also coming out later than I wanted to, but Luca Maricelli decided to slay my heart by being precious during a zoom call today. Oh, and I watched one of his other movies. I do not care.)}

Without further ado, let’s go!

E-books or physical books? Physical books like 95% of the time. Only when I’m travelling do I like e-books. Or, right now, where I can check out brand new books online and not risk having to go to the library. But I absolutely prefer physical books that I can hold.
Paperback or hardback? I love the feel of hardback books, and I purchase most of my books within six months of publishing, so they end up being hardbacks. I don’t mind paperbacks though, especially if I’m carrying them around.
Online or in-store book shopping? In store. I lived for my monthly trip to Barnes and Noble pre-pandemic. I’ve only shopped online since, but I miss walking bookstores.
Trilogies or series? Trilogies, for the most part. Most series feel like they get drawn out too far. But trilogies can suffer from “middle book syndrome”, where the middle book so clearly sets up the final book. I’d rather read a trilogy than a long series at this point.
Heroes or villains? Both. I love compelling villains and complex heroes. It’s not an either/or deal breaker for me. Poorly written characters are a complete turn off.
A book that you want everyone to read? I would love to recommend so many books to people. It always depends on who I’m speaking to. For long reads and mature audiences, I’d throw out Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. A newer thriller I’d throw out is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (sequel coming out next year!). If you want the book that reminds me the most of myself, I’d say Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia.
The last book that I finished? … The Old Guard: Force Multiplied. Around the end of August. I’ve been so unable to read lately.
The last book that I bought? The Martian by Andy Weir. I’ve always wanted to read it, so why not. (I also bought Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, but that came in like two days prior.)
The weirdest thing I have used as a bookmark? My Avengers DVD. I needed something quick and I already had the blu-ray. It was worth it.
Used books, yes or no? Honestly, no. I always end up with the book that has been marked it. I prefer to open a book for the first time, not one that someone else had first. (Unless the book comes from my mother. She doesn’t damage them.)
My top three favorite genres? Urban Fantasy, Slice of Life, and Sci-fi. In no particular order.
Borrow or buy? Buy, always buy. I hate borrowing books, as well as lending them out. I’d rather pay money and get the book and not risk it.
Characters or plot? Both. Okay, hear me out. A great plot can be ruined with terrible characters. Wonderful characters can be wasted on a horrible plot. Put the good together and you get amazing books.
Long or short books? Medium length books. Long books usually feel bloated, but short books feel over too quickly. 300~ pages is usually a good length.
Long or short chapters? Shorter chapters. I don’t mean chapters that are a page or two in length. I mean about ten or fifteen. The thing is it depends on when the chapters need to end naturally.
Name the first three books that you think of? The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, The Martian by Andy Weir.
Books that make you laugh or cry? Cry. I’m not one out laugh at the written word, but I can be such a baby. (Seriously, if I need a good cry, I read angsty fanfition. I still don’t reall laugh out loud though.)
Our world or fictional worlds? Our world, I think. While I do enjoy reading about different worlds, lately I’ve been happier reading books based more in our world instead of another.
Audiobooks, yes or no? Unfortunately, no. I know that many people enjoy them, but I just can’t focus on audiobooks. I’m glad that others do enjoy them though!
Do you ever judge a book by its cover? All the time. I’m serious. If the cover doesn’t catch me, I honestly will probably not check out the book. I can’t really help it, I have too many books at this point.
Book-to-movie or book-to-tv adaptations? So this is a surprising opinion. I prefer book-to-movie. So often, tv adaptations stretch plot lines that just don’t really need to be stretched. Or, in some cases, they combine so many plotlines to make it “different” from the source material, to the point that they are their own separate things. Book to movie at least usually keep to some semblance of the plot of the source material. Usually. But nothing is perfect.
A movie or tv show that you prefer over the book? Nerve (based on the book by Jeanne Ryan) is better as a movie, especially with the third act, hands down, this is my hill to die on, I will scream it from the heavens. Also, The Old Guard film takes a major twist from the comics and I actually think I prefer it. (But I love the comics too, because I’m contractually obliged as an TOG fan to say so.)
Series or stand alone? Stand alone. Too often a good book feels rushed or ruined because the story is split over two or three books. Not that there is a problem with having a series of books, but sometimes a story doesn’t need to be in three parts, separated by a year each. I’ve gotten into more stand alone stories lately, or novels that are only loosely related to one another (most of Sarah Dessen’s novels, for example).

That’s all for today. Tomorrow, I hope to do a double post, to play catch up for those few days I missed. I’ll see you then!

Until next time!

An Off Day – Blogtober

October 18, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Today I’m having an off day.

No, I don’t mean I’m not posting something. Obviously. I mean, you’re reading a post right now, right?

Sorry, I get a bit sarcastic when I’m not feeling 100%.

An off day for me is where I just feel out of it. I just don’t have the energy to really read or watch something new or really focus on anything of note.

I’ve spent most of the day just kinda lying around, feeling meloncholy.

I’ll be back in better form tomorrow. (Have to celebrate the Dodgers winning the NLCS, right?) Sorry for the short post, but I guess I just needed it.

Until next time

Keeping On Tack in Quarantine (Part One) – Blogtober!

October 17, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

So, I’ve been in quarantine since April 17th. Yes, I know the exact date.

The problem is, keeping everything that is needed on track has always been a problem for me. I’ve tried all sorts of different organization tricks, from planners to the Calendar app to making lists. But I finally found something that works.

Before I say what I use, let me go over the other three things I mentioned.

The planner that I have used for years is the Happy Planner. I would always get the Classic style planner. The planner is about a half inch thick, monthly planner just slightly smaller than the average sheet of paper. While I enjoyed using this planner, I always felt like I was missing something when I was using it. There was always so many blank spaces each week, and it caused me so much anxiety. So I decided to move on from this method.

The next method tried was using the calendar app on my phone. While I always have my phone on my hand, I noticed that I wouldn’t check the calendar when I needed to. It was just there, without me wanting to check it. I just could not get into the app on a consistent basis. So again, I moved on.

My final attempt actually came from my Dad. Every Sunday, he would sit down and make a long list of all the things needed for the week, for all of us in the family. I actually used this method during college, to keep track of all my assignments. (Considering that I usually had two different novels to read at the same time as writing a short story almost every week, it did come in handy.) Unfortunately, this method just didn’t work for me in 2020.

I was about to just give up with having any semblance of organization until the end of the pandemic when the world goes back to semi-normalcy (so… June 2021?). Then I found something. On Youtube.

I found bullet journaling.

I’ve been setting up my bullet journal for the past few days, and I already enjoy it. I can make the layout in any way I want. I can have whatever stickers I choose, without having to worry if they will overlap with a square that I might needed later on in the week. I can make lists for the week if I want, or just jot down that I need for that day. And because it’s an actual physical item, I can’t really ignore it every day. Because I’m smart and have it sit on my chair in front of my desk every night so that I can’t miss the thing.

In the coming days, I’ll show off what my bullet journal looks like. Don’t expect something like you might see on Tumblr or Instagram, or god forbid Youtube. I’m not that talented.

But I’m enjoying it. So I hope you’ll like to see it too.

Until next time!

The “Do I Have That OTHER Book?” Challenge – Blogtober!

October 16, 2020October 15, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Because doing one book challenge in a week wasn’t enough.

As I said at the end of yesterday’s post, after I finished the “Do I Have That Book” challenge, I found out there was a part two to the challenge. So, I decided to go ahead and do it, because why not?

I will say that I’m using a video to hear the questions, but I’m pausing as soon as I hear each challenge, finding my book and typing my answer, then continuing the video. So I really don’t know what’s coming. I’m trying to go back and touch any completed answers, except to correct my horrible spelling. I have a thing for seeing the nice little red line every couple words or so.

^{[Quick note: I’m still typing one handed, because bruised hand plus I may have sliced the tips of two fingers. This won’t be as detailed as I wanted, but I’m doing what I can!]}

Do you have a book with a fox on the cover or as part of the plot? So, I’m going to assume that this counts. Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa features of mask that is in the shape of a fox, and the main character is half kitsune. So I’m counting it. (My copy is from Owlcrate, so it’s signed.)
Do you have a book published the year you were born, or within a three year radias? So I was born in 1990. So no surprise, but I don’t have anything. The closest book to 1993 would be That Summer by Sarah Dessen, published in 1996. Most of my books are 2000 and beyond. I bet there is at least one book in my mom’s personal library, but I’m not going in there right now.
Do you have a book with music as a weapon or magic? Well, that was easy. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab came right to my mind. Music is part of the magic system in this duology. I’ve read this one, but unfortunately it’s just not popping into my mind right now. I just remembered that music was a major part of the story.
Do you have a series with mismatched covers? Yes, and it irks the hell out of me. I have the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. Every couple books, the publishers changed the cover style. Then for books 11-13, the made the book half an inch taller. I almost screamed. But it’s a wonderful series featuring strong women and so many different types of mystical creatures, starting with werewolves, then magic and vampires and so on. It’s a lot of fun, and one of my favorite adult series.
Do you have a book with a shapeshifter? Why yes, yes I do. Insert my obligitory Cassandra Clare book here: The Infernal Devices series. Tessa Gray is a shapeshifter. It’s been years since I read TID and I really want to give it another shot.
Do you have a book signed by the author? … *glances at my three shelves of Owlcrate books* … Why yes. Yes I do. But in the interest of not pushing myself down that rabbit hole, I’ll chose another. I met Karen Traviss, author of Sacrifice in May of 2007 at Hollywood Studios in Orlando. She was still an official Star Wars author at that point, and Sacrifice was the middle book of nine in the Legacy of the Force series (before Disney recon-ed the entire series and make this one non-canon. Boo. I want my Mara Jade Disney, you suck.) And yes, it is personalized to me.
Do you have a book with a mostly red cover? I’m proposely ignoring my latest book purchase for this one, as I haven’t read it yet (Blood and Honey, if you’re curious.) Instead I’ll choose Perfect by Cecelia Ahern, which is a sequel to my second ever Owlcrate book Flawed. I actually never read the sequel. I reread Flawed and had some issues with it, but I was gifted the sequel, so I own it. But it has a very pretty cover!
Do you have a book between 287 and 306 pages? Why so specific, you evil challenge makers? But I found one! Beastly by Alex Flinn, who I got to meet while I was in college. She was amazing, and she signed my beat up copy so I’m a happy camper. (Don’t ask about my feeling about the movie, what were they thinking??) Oh, and it is 300 pages exactly.
Do you have a book where the main character wears glasses? Ok, I’m being lazy with this one. I’m gonna pick the obvious series here. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. Yes I still own this series. I have three full sets, all bough like ten years ago. Sucks that the author is a bitch that I wish would just shut her mouth with her transphobic views… But yeah. Harry has glasses. Yep.
Do you have a book with a title with the same number of letters as your first name? Another counting one… Well, my first name is Elizabeth, so that’s nine letters. I picked Heartless by Marissa Meyer, only because it was the first thing I saw with nine letters. I really enjoyed this book… Until the end, which ruined the main character. I have a rant about this book somewhere…
Do you have a book where cybercrime or technology is an important plot point? This one is an easy one for me. Warcross and Wildcard by Marie Lu deals with cybercrime. I enjoyed this series, though I did have issues with certain plotpoints. It could have been much worse, honestly. But it was a fun read, and I’m glad I blasted through both books.
Do you have a book written in another language or translated? So, all of my books are in English, except for my language texts, but I really don’t think those count. Instead I’ll be chosing one of my all time favorite books, translated from Japanese to English. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. I’ve spoken in length about how much I enjoy this book, so I won’t here.
Do you a book written by an Asian author? Yes I do, and I won’t pick an obvious choice! Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen was one of the final books that the Barnes and Noble YA Book Club discussed in person before the shutdown. My group pretty much loved it. (Oh how I miss discussing books in person. Via text just doesn’t do it.)
Do you have a book with a moon on the cover? This took me a few minutes to find, which is shocking considering the suprising amount of space-based scifi novels I have. I picked Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhonda Belleza, which I believe was a book box pick, though I’m not entirely sure. Regardless, I don’t think I’ve ever opened it… But the cover looks cool.
Do you have an illustrated children’s book? I do! I didn’t think I did, even wrote that as my answer, then I remembered that one of my residents in Florida at my old job gave me a beautifully illustrated copy of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis before I moved! It’s one of the few books that I duplicates of, because I don’t want to ruin it. (The other is the His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman. Another resident gave me a collector’s edition hardback copy and I basically babied that thing across the States. I miss my Florida residents. They were so kind.)
Do you have a collection of myths or fairytales? Ok, this one is pushing it, but it’s technically fairy tales, so shush. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling is fairy tales for children… so I’m counting it. Because I got rid of my Mythology book by Edith Hamilton. Because I suck.
Do you have a fantasy or a sci-fi that has an alliance of different races? I’m going to go with the easy, obvious answer for this one, as my brain in failing me. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare deals with Shadowhunters teaming with vampires and werewolves. And much more, that’s an oversimplification, why is this my life. But yeah.
Do you have a book with a narrow front cover? No, and here’s why. I absolutely hate them. I have gone out of my way and purchased more expensive hardcover novels just to avoid the narrow front cover trend. I don’t even know why they are popular! (I also don’t like painted edges, if we want to get into it.)
Do you have a book that includes the first chapter of the sequel? I actually do, surprise surprise. Most of my books are hardcover novels, mostly because I can’t stand to wait until they are released as paperbacks. However, I didn’t start reading Sarah Dessen novels until I picked up her twelfth, Saint Anything, about a month after it was published. Once I finished it, I bought all the previous books, including The Moon and More, which included the first chapter of Saint Anything! Yay! I never even noticed, because I went into another SD novel right after.
Do you have a book with a broken spine? I do, and I actually treasure it. My hardcover copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire came on release day, and I read it in about five and a half hours (because I was supposed to be going to Girl Scout Camp the next day and I couldn’t take it with me, but we got rained out so I rushed for nothing). Anyway, I opened the book and the spine cracked immediately. I now own two other copies of the entire series, which is what I read because I don’t want to damage my first editions any more. But yes, cracked spine.

There was also a bonus question, but my hand is about to commit mutiny, so I won’t be doing it. I’m off to ice it and watch something fun.

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed these two days of book loving. I have a lot of fun doing prompts like this, so I may scour the internet for some others.

Until next time!

The “Do I Have That Book?” Challenge – Blogtober!

October 15, 2020October 15, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been meaning to get back into my bookshelves lately, and what better way than to do a book tag! Basically there is # questions, and you search your shelves for books that fit each prompt. I figured this would be a pretty fun tag to give a shot to, so here we go!

^{[Quick note: I’m still typing one handed, because bruised hand plus I may have sliced the tips of two fingers at dinner last night. This won’t be as detailed as I wanted, but I’m doing what I can!]}

Do you have a book with deckled edges? Absolutely! One of my favorite books from this year has deckled edges. The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth. Apparently there are some people who feel strongly about deckled edges, but they don’t bother me too much.
Do you have a book with three or more people on the cover? Yep! The first book I saw on my bookshelves was Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, which is one of my more recent purchases. It’s the pick for Barnes and Noble’s YA Book Club for October, so I had to get that edition. I haven’t started it yet, but there are three bodies on the cover, two young men and what looks to be the Mummy. I’m counting it.
Do you have a book based on another fictional story? I tried to go a little bit off the wall with this one, since I actually own a lot of retellings. I picked Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan, which is obviously a retelling of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
Do you have a book with a title ten letters long? I grabbed an Owlcrate book for this one. Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova, which has been on my to-read list for way too long. It was the choice for May 2020, and the exclusive cover is gorgeous.
Do you have a book with a title that starts and ends with the same letter? This took longer than it should have, especially since after I pull a book for a prompt, I put it back on the shelf before hearing the next prompt (more exercise that way). This was four books away. Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim was picked for January 2020 by Owlcrate. It’s another I haven’t had a chance to read, but I really really want to.
Do you have a mass market paperback book? I actually didn’t think I did! Well, until I started looking in the very corner of my most blocked bookcase. I have the novelization of X-Men by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. Yes, it’s based on the first movie. Yes I own more novelizations than I thought I did, and I could have picked any one of them. No, I’m not saying which ones I have, because there’s more than five, and I really need to hide those away.
Do you have a book written by an author using a penname? I have many books written by authors using pennames. I’ll go with one of the obvious ones though. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, whose real name is Judith Lewis. And yes, I own all but one of the Shadowhunter Chronicles.
Do you have a book with a character’s name in the title? Well, that’s an easy one. One of my all time favorite Owlcrate picks from 2017, Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. Eliza is the main character, and she is flawed and amazing.
Do you have a book with two maps in it? I honestly to god thought I didn’t. Then I gave one last book a try. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, paperback edition, has two maps, one right after another. This is a series I just haven’t gotten into yet, but I hope to do so at some point.
Do you have a book that was turned into a TV show? I have many! I won’t choose the obvious, since I already used it for another challenge. Instead, I’ll choose the one I have yet to see, simply due to not having HBO right now. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. It’s on my list to watch right now actually.
Do you have a book written by someone who was originally famous for something else? I decided to again not go with the obvious, and thus I stayed away from my few biographies. I chose the very first Barnes and Noble YA Book Club pic, way back in June 2019, Again, But Better by Christine Riccio, who is a major booktuber over on Youtube.
Do you have a book with a clock on the cover? One of my childhood classics does, and I actually bought a copy right before quarantine because I was going to read it to my cousins! It’s The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, in which my mother stole many life lessons from. It was one of my first chapter books as well. I still hold it on my list of favorite books of all time, and I always gift it to 10 year olds when I need a birthday/Christmas gift idea.
Do you have a poetry book? Hey look, something I don’t have! I’m not much of a fan of poetry, so I don’t really bother purchasing it. I gave away my last poetry books from school before I made the cross country move (14 boxes of books were enough, thanks).
Do you have a book with an award stamp on it? Well, it’s not stamped, but I have a copy of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas with a “National Book Award Longlist” sticker, so I’m counting it. Usually, I’m buying books right after they release, so unless they have been given awards prior to publication, they aren’t included yet.
Do you have a book written by an author with the same initials as you? I actually do! I have The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry. I picked it up because it was an Owlcrate selection from before I subscribed (February 2016, I joined for March). I’m just happy because I couldn’t find anything for the longest time.
Do you have a book of short stories? I have two! My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories and Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories, both edited by Stephanie Perkins. I absolutely love them both, and have read some of the stories multiple times. They were some of my first rebuys once I moved.
Do you have a book between 500 and 510 pages long? I have multiple that are just over 510, but I actually found one right as I was about to give it. Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray, 501 pages in hardcover, Which has the distinction in my collected for being the most restarted book I own. Every time I sit down to start reading it, I end up blasting through three or four other books, only to return to this one and having to start it over again. Shame, really. It have a great opening.
Do you have a book that was turned into a movie? Really? Multiple. So many. I’ll go with one of my oft-mentioned books, Nerve by Jeanne Ryan. The movie fixes so many issues from the third act, and is actually pretty good. (My second choice would have been Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, but I hate that movie. And I have MANY others I could have chosen.)
Do you have a graphic novel? Yes! And one that isn’t manga! Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson was released as a graphic novel about four years ago and I bought it immediately. (If we want to talk manga, I should do a separate post. I have feelings about certain manga.)
Do you have a book written by two or more authors? I have several. I’ll go with one of my favorite newer series, The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. I put off reading it until I moved, and immediately bought the whole series as soon as I could. Fun fact, I finished reading all three volumes using copies from my local library before they could arrive by mail. Whoops!

There you have it! Twenty questions about books. And as I finished this challenge, I found out that there is a part two, “Do I Have That OTHER Book”. So, you can guess what the theme of tomorrow’s post will be.

Let me know if you want me to talk about any of the books I’ve mentioned here. There’s some I could talk about for days.

Until next time!

What’s On My Current “To Watch” List – Blogtober!

October 14, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Okay, I’m prepared to say that I’m somewhat obsessed with the cast of The Old Guard at this point.

Over the past couple months, I’ve been slowly working my way through the filmography of Luca Marinelli, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Kiki Layne, and Charlize Theron. It’s a thing. I don’t really care at this point.

My goal has been to try to broaden my movie-viewing. By that, I mean I’m watching films in a language other than English (or animated in Japanese). I totally admit that I’m a bit of a snob about what I watch, and I’ve done my utmost to only watch certain genres for years. But I’m getting better!

For instance, I absolutely loved Far from the Madding Crowd, which is based on the 1874 book by the same name. It’s one of Matthias’ films, and it was amazing. To the point that I actually went and bought the book to read it (though I now get to wait until my mother gives it up at some point). I’ve also watched A Bigger Splash and A Little Chaos, please see yesterday’s post for my thoughts on that.

I also was able to get a hold of several of Luca’s films, most of which are only available in Italy, so it was a bit of a chore. Waves was odd but interesting, and Il Padre d’Italia broke my heart. Luca needs to not cry on screen, it makes me cry damnit. I also watched him on Trust, which was a FX miniseries, where he played an Italian gangster who led the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III. Ever feel conflicted rooting for a villain in certain scenes? Yeah, here too. (I live for the 70’s murder-pornstash dear God). And let’s not forget A Dangerous Fortune, a German TV film where Luca plays the bad guy/man whore (at least, manipulator/man whore. That was my take, anyway.). He’s hot, the story sucks, and the ending is an utter waste.

As for what I’m planning on watching, I have several films for each of them queued up. I’ll break up that list by actor, only for the sake of my sanity. I also may add movies to this list, this is just what I have right now.

For Matthias, I’m about to watch Rust and Bone and Bullhead. Probably some of his others as well, depending on if I can get my hands on them. (Not The Loft. NO.)

Luca’s list is bigger. I’m planning on watching Martin Eden, Ricordi?, Fabrizio De Andre: Principe libero and Il mondo fino in fondo. Ok, basically everything he’s been in. Don’t judge me.

From Marwan’s list, I want to watch Wolf and Aladdin (again, for reasons). Probably some of his others, depending on the subject matter.

Of Kiki’s filmography, the only film I really want to see is If Beale Street Could Talk. No offense to the other amazing films, they’re just not for me.

As for Charlize, I’ve already seen a number of her films over the years. But I would love to finally see Atomic Blonde, and I want to rewatch The Italian Job (once again, for reasons).

I guess I have a lot of watching to do. Hopefully I find the time before the end of the year, because I really need a smile.

Until next time!

_{[For the record, I typed the back half of this post one handed, because I managed to smash my hand into a pot at 6AM yesterday, and now my knuckles are is so much pain that typing hurts. So… Yeah. Enjoy the short content. Hopefully by tomorrow I’ll be able to type more.]}

Watching Movies in Cars For Reasons – Blogtober!

October 13, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

I spent most of today sitting in my car outside various doctors, waiting on my uncle who got cataract surgery today. The locations were just far enough away from our apartment that it didn’t make sense to go back home while I was waiting on him. I also didn’t want to potentially bring something home to Mom, so staying away until we were entirely done made more sense. (Also, there were delays, so what should have been four hours total stretched to nearly seven).

I ended up watching a couple movies I had pre-downloaded while I waited. Three that I had already seen, one that was new to me. All were Matthias Schoenaerts’ films.

I started with Far From the Madding Crowd, which is a adaptation of the novel of same name by Thomas Hardy. It’s a period piece, one that served Schoenaerts’ talents of long looks and quiet acting, while also giving him the ability to show some of his range. I happened to watch it a few weeks ago with my mom, and it was spectacular. I am not someone who particularly enjoys period pieces, preferring to stay within the modern settings if possible. But something about this movie made me watch it again. I’ll be started the book in the next few days, once I can get it from my mother’s grasp, so I’m curious to see how well the adaptation is.

The next film I decided to watch was A Bigger Splash, also starring Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton. Wow, I should not have been watching this one in public. I’m actually very glad that I was in my car with the windows up, because there are a few scenes that I wouldn’t want to watch around people I don’t know. It’s a good little film, with some problematic themes and making me want to punch Fiennes in the nose for reasons. I am glad that I watched it though, because it’s fun watching Matthias get to act in a modern setting. Also those blue shorts. Why.

For the new film, I ended up watching A Little Chaos, directed by Alan Rickman. Another period piece, the film takes place in the 1680s and tells the story of one of the designers of the gardens of Versailles in France, as commissioned by King Louis XIV. While I enjoyed the film overall, I will say I had trouble with Kate Winslet as the lead. Nothing against her acting, I just felt that the role just didn’t do her justice. A minor complaint against a stunning backdrop and halfway decent story. Also, there were springer spaniels, which makes the film perfect for the two seconds they are on screen. (Let’s just not talk about Matthias’ wig for this one. No offence, but they could have done more. Or better. Or… anything.)

And of course, for the final film I watched. Ok, I watched a bunch of scenes from The Old Guard. In my defense, I couldn’t get my Youtube downloads to load, and I had no wifi. It was the last movie I still had downloaded. I didn’t have time to watch the whole film (less than an hour actually), so instead I just skipped around to my favorite scenes, or scenes I really watched to watch again. So, the hotel scene, the kill floor, Nile vs Andy on the plane, the campfire cave talk (which Matthias is in full form, fight me), Andy’s capture and Booker’s betrayal (… I want Oscar nods for them. If only for that scene. There is range.), and the third act. I know that I have an almost unhealthy obsession with this film, but I was having too much fun watching the actors that I’ve grown to like.

If you’re curious, I’m starting to watch the filmography of the five main actors. Not everything, due to me being a selective brat, but a good selection. I think I have like five of Matthias’ films left on my list, a bunch of Luca’s, and too many to name for the other actors. There are some films I’m having trouble getting, but we shall see what the next day brings.

Now I’m going to bed. Sitting in a car for like seven hours is boring as all get.

Until next time!

Breaking Out the Comfort Media – Blogtober!

October 12, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

With everything going on, I’ve realized that I’ve gravitated towards what I call my comfort media, especially in the last few months (before the current RT nightmare which has overtaken my thoughts).

When I talk about “comfort media”, I specifically mean the pieces of entertainment that bring me comfort in some way. Now I’ll be the first to admit that some of my… choices (for lack of a better term) are quite odd. But there are reasons I come back to them, time and again.

For video games, it’s easy. I’ll turn on a Kingdom Hearts game, usually KHII. I have been slowly replaying KHIII so that I can blast through the DLC, but I’m not rushing through this time. I’m trying to enjoy every minute. But when I play KHII, I’m taken back to high school, where I spent three days in the middle of the week blasting through the entire game, sobbing in the finale. (Not unlike KHIII, as it were.) Remembering how I used to play with some of my friends, how my first collaborative fiction was a KH/anime fusion with an old friend. It brings back memories that I love.

Books are different. There are certain books that I will reread every year, such as Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. I shouldn’t like this book, simply for the content (38 students battle for survival). But there’s something in the fact that all but a few of the characters get a chance to have their own voice, with distinct personalities, that just catch me. (And please don’t get on the “Hunger Games copied it” train. It’s totally possible to have two pieces of media with similar plotlines. So hush.)

Another book, or rather, book series that I consider “comfort media” is the Illuminae Files by Jay Kristoff and Aime Kaufman. I really love how these two authors used different styles of media to bring the story to life, from emails to audio transcripts and so on.

The final books I come back to often are Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia (thanks to an early Owlcrate box) and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Both books feature strong female voices, and they empower me to keep moving forward.

(As an aside, the Harry Potter series would have been on this list at one time, but then the author announced herself as a transphobic sub-human, so I cannot in good conscious touch that series right now. So, yeah.)

When it comes to movies, it’s different. I can watch the Battle of New York in Avengers any day of the week, but I have to be in the mood to watch the whole movie. I can (and have, lately, ~~THANKS RYAN~~) watch The Old Guard in it’s entirety, as well as The Italian Job (studied to this in college) and Now You See Me (before the sequel killed the franchise). If I need an immediate pick me up, I’ll through on the President’s speech from Independence Day, but if I have hours, it calls for Galaxy Quest, The Princess Bride, and/or Push.

Comfort media in film is so odd to me, as it just depends on what I need. Lately, it;s been a mixture of epics (Inception) and not-so-epics (I have a quiet love for Valerian. Shut up about it. It sucks and I love it.) And if I’m in the mode to mentally debate a film that is better than the book, I’ll throw on Nerve and spam text my mom that I’m gonna be loudly comparing the two again. (It’s a thing. She just mutes her phone and goes back to work.)

My rule for comfort media is that it has to make me feel. Now, I don’t mean “feel better” because some times I just need a good cry. But it just have to make me feel… something.

I’ve been breaking out my comfort media more and more in recent weeks. If you need to do something like that too, go for it. There’s a reason why it exists.

Until next time!

Check In Post – Blogtober

October 11, 2020 ~ Liz Harrison ~ Leave a comment

Hey guys, it’s been a minute.

Obviously I needed to take my own advice and step away for a few days. It was needed, and I feel more mentally prepared to deal with what comes next.

I felt like I hit a wall after news broke last week that two people from Rooster Teeth had personal chats and photos doxed and stolen from them. Then the stories came out about one of them, to the point that mentioning his name gave me a panic attack.

For the sake of my mental health, I ended up unfriending/unfollowing pretty much everyone at RT. I couldn’t take seeing the posts about what happened, or seeing people trolling with pictures of that person, or just hearing about it.

I also just stepped away from blogging as planned. I couldn’t get past thinking that my favorite member of Achievement Hunter… Nope. Not going there. Google is your unfortunate friend. I’m not bringing that nightmare fuel into my safe space.

Anyway, this is just a check in post. I’ll be back to regular blogging for Blogtober starting tomorrow, as well as posting four more posts to catch up, since I’m now behind and that bothers me.

I’ll see you tomorrow. Take care of yourselves.

Until next time.