Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Posting on a Sunday again! Lots to share this week in terms of movie/television trailers.

BOOK

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks (goodreads)

The Royal We is one of my favourite reads. I immediately wanted a sequel or companion novel upon finishing and was thrilled when it was finally announced that there would be a sequel! I hope Freddie has a much larger focus in this sequel but I am also looking forward to reading all about what Nick and Bex are up to.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Rebecca Serle recently announced her next book and I need it immediately. It is not up on Goodreads yet but you can read all the details over at Deadline.

S&S Imprint Atria Lands U.S. Pub Rights To Rebecca Serle Novel ‘In Five Years’ https://t.co/In77GBtQhQ pic.twitter.com/IkRi7C0cEY

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) March 30, 2019

I cannot wait to learn more about this book (like a release date). I am even more excited that Rebecca is continuing to write adult books because I loved The Dinner List so much.

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

The Umbrella Academy: Volume 2 by Gerard Way

The Umbrella Academy: Volume 2 by Gerard Way, Gabriel Bá, and James Jean
Release Date - September 16, 2009
Publisher Website - Dark Horse Comics

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  192 pages
My Rating - 3/5
**borrowed from library**

** Spoilers For Volume One ** 

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

The team is despondent following the near apocalypse created by one of their own and the death of their beloved mentor Pogo. So it's a great time for another catastrophic event to rouse the team into action. Trouble is - each member of the team is distracted by some very real problems of their own. The White Violin is bedridden due to an unfortunate blow to the head. Rumor has lost her voice - the source of her power. Spaceboy has eaten himself into a near-catatonic state, while Number Five dives into some shady dealings at the dog track and the Kraken starts looking at his littlest brother as the key to unraveling a mysterious series of massacres… all leading to a blood-drenched face-off with maniacal assassins, and a plot to kill JFK

I was eager to dive into the second volume of The Umbrella Academy after thoroughly enjoying the first one and devouring the Netflix television show. Sadly, some of the things I loved about the first volume felt missing in this follow up. I wanted more character stuff and instead got a plot heavy story that didn't quite connect with me in the same way.

The art of Gabriel Ba, once again. captures the imagination. It is bright, vivid, and done in way that matches the comedic and violent elements of the story Gerard Way has written. They work together with the art enriching the story. The panels scream out for you to linger and examine them and is one of the highlights of this volume.

Vayna had something really traumatic happen to her at the end of the first volume. I anticipated and looked forward to that being dealt with or addressed in some way. Sadly, Vanya gets very little mention in this installment. We don't deal with the fallout of what she did to Rumor or what was done to Vanya. It felt like a lost opportunity to deepen the relationship between the characters and a major plot point that was just left hanging without any real payoff (at least in this installment).

Luthor (Spaceboy)'s plot is mainly used to highlight how awful he feels and for some laughs. Klaus (Seance) gets some more to do but it doesn't quite feel fleshed out enough. Number Five gets a large part of the story arc and it really works when focusing on those parts. The plot involving the assassination of John F. Kennedy is, I felt, the strongest part of this story arc. I just wish the plot had given us some character moments. I didn't feel the sibling connection the way I did in the first one and I missed it. A large part of what I love about this comic is the Hargreeves siblings and I want to see them interact and have conversations in ways that matter.

The addition of Hazel and Cha Cha was delightfully fun. I loved them as much as I did in the Netflix series. They're larger than life, vivid characters who offer comic relief and the type of antagonist that works for the tone of the overall story. Their sugar obsession is just one of the many things I loved about them. They're fun villains in a story that needs its villains to be as fun as its heroes.

This is a rare case where I think the adaptation has surpassed the source material. I can appreciate them both for what they are but the television show focuses on the character development instead of just running with a plot at breakneck speed. I predict many will love this comic more than I did, but while I found the plot engaging enough, I was left wanting more from the other elements of the story.

Waiting On Wednesday ... Ninth House

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

The mesmerizing adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

I am a huge fan of anything Leigh Bardugo writes and was incredibly intrigued when I heard about her first foray into adult fiction. It's about secret societies and that would have been enough for me to read it all on its own. They, however, also released this amazing synopsis and incredible cover and now I am fully obsessed. It sounds amazing and I am going to impatiently be waiting for October when I can get my hands on this one.

It's basically a perfect spooky season read and I cannot wait to pair this with a pumpkin spice chai latte and a cozy blanket.

Expected release date - October 1, 2019

Daisy Jones And The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Daisy Jones And The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Release Date - March 5, 2019
Publisher Website - Penguin RandomHouse  

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  368 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**purchased**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice. 

Daisy Jones and the Six is the type of book you devour in one sitting. It's a beautifully written book that will make your heart ache. It packs the same lyrical beauty and intensity that a song does. It is so vividly written, and packed with so much emotion that it will leave you breathless.

Daisy Jones is the type of character that is unforgettable. She easily steals a little piece of your heart. Her wild flower child vibe, sense of self worth, and drive make her one of the most interesting characters I've encountered. The book tells you that everyone fell a little in love with Daisy and the reader instantly is able to discern why.  One of Reid's talents is crafting characters and that is on full display with Daisy.

Billy Dunne is another character who sees to leap off the page. All of the members of The Six feel incredibly developed but I felt that Billy (and Daisy) are the ones that shine. Billy could have been a caricature of a character. He's a man who turns to his vices to deal with the stress put on him. He feels broken inside and does his best to make it match on the outside. He's a much more developed and interesting version of this character who has been done many times before. His demons are many and the portrayal of his addiction feels pitch perfect.

The creative energy that ignites when Daisy and Billy meet is electric. It is the proverbial lightening in a bottle. That spark feeds into all aspects of their relationship. It is at times antagonistic and at other times they are so in sync with one another that it hurts. It's a palpable energy that leaves the reader, and the rest of the band, feeling like they've been left in the wake of an earthquake.

The relationships between the band members are just important to the story as the one that exists between Billy and Daisy. This feels like a true ensemble piece where each of the characters adds something vital to the story being told. It is a story of the rise and fall of a band and that requires all of the members. Their dynamics are a large part of what pushes the story forward. It's more of a character driven story than a plot driven one and those characters are used to their fullest impact.

While I was reading I had to keep reminding myself that this band never actually existed. I wasn't going to be able to listen to these incredibly sounding songs no matter how badly I wished I could. Part of the power of Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing is entrancing you so fully that you believe every word that is being spun. You're captivated by this fictional band and so in love with their story that you forget over and over again that none of it is real. The choice to write this as an oral history where each of the band members tells their story adds to this as well as creating a really interesting commentary on memory. Events are remembered differently by different band members, and pieces of the story are only held by certain people. It makes for a vastly more interesting read because the truth is probably somewhere in the middle a lot of the time.

Music is such a large part of the story being told that it was necessary to have the songs feel as authentic as possible. They had to fit within the story and the reader had to be able to feel them. They're integral to the story and many of the important scenes are back dropped with the creation of one of the songs. They are woven into the plot so expertly that it only adds to the realism of the story. Reading the song lyrics at the end of the novel only deepened my appreciation for this book and Taylor Jenkins Reid's talent. So much of this book hung on her nailing those songs and she did just that.

Daisy Jones and the Six is a love letter to so many things. It's a love letter to creative passion and the way it can command your soul. It's a love letter to music and the power it has to invoke feelings from us so effortlessly. It's a love letter to love itself and its messy, complicated nature. It's a book that works itself into your very being the same way a really great song does. It is the kind of book that lingers. I won't forget Daisy Jones and the Six. I'll be thinking about their story for a long time. It is a raw, richly woven story that I cannot recommend enough.

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Posting on a Sunday again! Lots to share this week in terms of movie/television trailers.

BOOK

Cover Of Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (goodreads)

Leigh Bardugo's first adult novel just had its cover reveal and it is PERFECTION! I love the dark, unsettling vibe of this cover. It matches the synopsis perfectly and manages to be eye catching.

I have a feeling that this book is going to be talked about A LOT as the release date nears/right after release as I anticipate it'll be one of those books everyone is reading.

TV / MOVIE

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Trailer

I have been curious about this one since the premise was announced and I am really intrigued to see Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate.

We finally got our first look and I am a fan of the trailer not giving much away.

It's certainly fits the teaser trailer description but its enough to keep my interest piqued.

I also love the poster that was released (at least the Margot Robbie one).

She looks great and the poster certainly gives off a 70s feel.

Stranger Things Season 3 trailer

My reaction to this was incredibly embarrassing. It's my favourite show at the moment and I was just so happy to return to Hawkins (even if briefly via this teaser).

My main thoughts after watching this were: these kids are growing into teenagers really quickly, the music is amazing, IS BILLY TRANSFORMING INTO SOMETHING?!, WHY IS WILL CRYING?!, Steve and Dustin are still adorable, and I am entirely not okay with Steve getting injected with something! I loved our first look at the mayor (played by Cary Elwes) as well. Happy Fourth of July, indeed. I'll be binging this along with almost everyone else.

Lucy In The Sky Trailer

The true story that this is loosely based off of is one I am only sort of familiar with and the trailer doesn't hint too much at it so I am not going to spoil it, but it has the potential to be REALLY good.

Natalie Portman looks great in this. I sort of expect her to be in the conversation around awards season just based on the trailer alone. The movie is scheduled for a fall 2019 release which puts it in a good spot to gain some awards consideration.

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

Top Ten Books I Hope Are At Book Expo

It is the time of year when I start getting really excited about Book Expo and begin speculating what books might be highlighted at this year's event. I pretty much annoy everyone with how excited I am and how impatient I am for the schedule. I like to plan and plan ridiculously early.

To help deal with this restless time between having signed up and having a schedule to plan my days I decided to do a blog post sharing which titles I hope are there. A list of the titles I am most excited to hear more about and cannot wait to read.

These titles may not end up being featured but I hope it at least helps grow your reading pile.

1. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Leigh Bardugo's work. I've loved all of her previous books and always look forward to whatever she is writing next. Her next work involves secret societies which I think is a perfect fit for her writing style. Ninth House is probably the book I most hope will be at Book Expo. 

2. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

This book was referred to as a 'feminist Lolita' when it was first announced which immediately piqued my interest. It was just recently named one of the Book Expo Buzz Books selections (which means it will definitely be at Book Expo this year) which has only increased my interest. I have a feeling everyone will be talking about this one upon its release.

3. American Royals by Katharine McGee

Books about royalty are always high on my list. Katharine McGee's newest about an alternate history where America created a royal family when they won the Revolutionary War. It sounds incredible and like a perfect book club read.

4. The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

Those of you who, like me, have been dying for vampires to make a come back will want to check out this next book from Renée Ahdieh . It's set in New Orleans, features a murder mystery, and also happens to have a historical setting. It's basically perfect and I hope to be able to read it after getting a copy at Book Expo.

5. Permanent Record by Mary H. K. Choi

A book with a main character who sounds a little like Britney Spears is going to catch my attention. It also happens to sound like a great contemporary young adult read that has a fun romance at its core.

6. Into The Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo

This is teased as a gangster fantasy and I immediately think Peaky Blinders with magic. That alone is enough to make me eager to get my hands on this one. Combine that with the fact that I really enjoyed Alexandra Christo's previous book and it is easily becomes one of the books I am most hoping is at Book Expo.


7. Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

I was surprised with how much I loved Carry On and could not wait to return to this world. I, like many others, was thrilled when Rainbow Rowell announced  a sequel. I would love to get my hands on it at this year's convention. 

8. Twice In A Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

My love of Christina Lauren books is well known so when I discovered that they have a new one releasing in the fall of 2019 I instantly thought of Book Expo and hoped that it would be there.

9. Waiting For Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey

This one is the least likely to be at the convention because it comes out just about two weeks later. I would love for it be there though. It is another adorable sounding romance read that sounds like it'll be a perfect summer read.

10. Neverland by Meagan Spooner

I know nothing about this book other than it is a Peter Pan retelling and it comes out in January. It is unlikely to be at Book Expo (but possible, there has been promotion for books releasing in Janurary and February before) but that doesn't stop me from  hoping it is. I love any kind of Peter Pan retelling and I cannot wait to hear more about this one.

Are any of these books on your radar? Are you going to Book Expo this year? If you are, what books are you hoping will be featured? Let me know in the comments.

Waiting On Wednesday .... Sea Witch Rising

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is Sea Witch Rising by Sarah Henning

** Spoilers for Sea Witch **

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

“The Little Mermaid” takes a twisted turn in this thrilling sequel to villainess origin story Sea Witch, as the forces of land and sea clash in an epic battle for freedom, redemption, and true love. 

Runa will not let her twin sister die. Alia traded her voice to the Sea Witch for a shot at happiness with a prince who doesn’t love her. And his rejection will literally kill her—unless Runa intervenes.

Under the sea, Evie craves her own freedom—but liberation from her role as Sea Witch will require an exchange she may not be willing to make. With their hearts’ desires at odds, what will Runa and Evie be willing to sacrifice to save their worlds? 

Told from alternating perspectives, this epic fairy tale retelling is a romantic and heart-wrenching story about the complications of sisterhood, the uncompromising nature of magic, and the cost of redemption.

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning was is one of my favourite villain origin stories. It captured the heart of story it was reimagining and put a sympathetic twist on a character that had always fascinated me.

I was delighted when I heard that there would be a sequel and that it seemed to follow the events of The Little Mermaid (at least the Hans Christian Anderson version) a little more closely.  I cannot wait to see where Evie's story goes next and see her take steps to become the villain we love to hate.

Expected release date - August 6, 2019

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Back on my regular Saturday with some new trailers and a book cover that was just released!

TV/MOVIE

Good Boys trailer 

I have heard good things about Good Boys coming out of SXSW this week. I hear it is more than just  raunchy comedy that has tween boys swearing up a storm. It is said to have a lot of heart and deal with friendships and growing away from each other. It also, obviously, is a raunchy comedy.

The start of the trailer with Seth Rogen explaining to the young cast that they cannot actually watch the red band trailer for their own movie is hilarious. The movie seems to hit the expected notes for a typical comedy of this nature but you can just get a glimpse of the heart underneath too.

Avengers: Endgame trailer

Marvel surprised dropped the Avengers: Endgame trailer this week and it did not disappoint. I got goosebumps and perhaps a new Marvel ship!

'I like this one' - with those words a ship was born. I am ready to see more of their interactions and see what could possibly develop. I do expect Thor to be a big fan of Carol though (just based on how he has reacted to strong women before).

This whole trailer has a very epic tone to it and I cannot wait to see what the last ten years has been leading up to.

BOOK

Cover of Wayard Son by Rainbow Rowell

I was sort of surprised with how much I enjoyed Carry On when I read it and was pretty excited when news of a sequel was announced.

I cannot wait to experience the next part of Simon and Baz's story. I am hoping it is just as good as the first one.

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

A Curse So Dark And Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse So Dark And Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Release Date - January 29, 2019
Publisher Website - Raincoast Books

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  496 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

An instant New York Times Best Seller! In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Fairytale retellings are a weakness of mine. I love them and will pretty much read anything that comes to my attention. A Curse So Dark And Lonely is one of the best, if not THE best, Beauty and the Beast retellings I have had the pleasure of reading. Brigid Kemmerer captures the essence of the tale as old as time while making it entirely her own in so many ways.

The world of Emberfall is the foundation of the story. The curse bleeds into so many elements of the world Prince Rhen inhabits. Getting the world right was vital and Brigid Kemmerer nails it. The contrast between modern day Washington, DC and the fairytale world of Emberfall only serves to create the atmosphere this story needs in order to work.

This is a story of Harper finding her strength and her voice. She is used to people treating her a certain way and blossoms as she learns to rely on herself and trust in herself. She's smart, tenacious, and resilient. She has an inner strength that makes her one of the strongest characters in this novel. She is determined and that determination makes her formidable. She experiences a lot of growth during her journey. She comes into her own in a way that is inspiring and brave.

Rhen is a desperate prince. All he wants is to break the curse that dooms his kingdom. He, in typical Beauty and the Beast fashion, is a spoiled, arrogant young man who seems to not learn from his mistakes. His growth rivals that of Harper's own in this novel. He has a sweet soul (naturally) but getting to it takes some effort. Sympathy for him is woven into the story in believable ways and we get to spend time inside his head which also helps.

There are a bunch of side characters that light up the story. Grey, Rhen's commander of the royal guard, stands out as a character that people will flock to. His relationship with Harper is as vital to the story as her relationship with Rhen. Lilith, the sadistic enchantress, is deliciously evil and fun. I wish we had gotten inside her head a bit because I expect there is more to her than we get to see. There are other characters who enhance the story being told in a way that feels entirely natural.

The romance in Beauty and the Beast is always a little tricky to pull off. There is an element of Stockholm Syndrome to the entire relationship that can be portrayed very poorly. The elements I do not like about the romance are mostly nonexistent here. Rhen and Harper get to know each other gradually. The curse is unique from most others in retellings of Beauty and the Beast in that Rhen is in human form for most of each autumn season. He only takes the form of the beast towards the end which gives a much richer, more complex courtship to their relationship. Trust and respect are vital to their relationship and it drives any connection that may be forming between the two. I like that this novel doesn't offer a typical romance or friendship between them. It feels more authentic to me because every inch feels earned. It also isn't something that either of them trusts in. They struggle with unraveling what is real in a way that made their relationship crackle with realism.

The ending of this part of Harper's story will make the reader desperate to get their hands on the sequel. Brigid Kemmerer has set up a delicious tension for the second book and there is plenty to theorize about while waiting for the sequel to be released. It's the type of ending that only serves to reignite the reader's desire to return to this world as quickly as possible.

Fans of fairytale retellings will delight in this unique take on a tale they are all too familiar with and those who are exhausted by the retelling boom will delight in the imaginative differences woven into this story. It's a more, perhaps surprisingly, modern take on the story and filled with characters who work their way into your heart.

Waiting On Wednesday ... Waiting For Tom Hanks

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is Waiting For Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Can a romcom-obssessed romantic finally experience the meet-cute she always dreamed of or will reality never compare to fiction, in this charming debut adult novel from Kerry Winfrey.

Annie is twenty-seven years old, single, and obsessed with romantic comedies (she and her mother watched them religiously, before her mom died). Her dating life is limited by the expectations she’s formed from these movies. She is not as open to new experiences as she might be, because she’s waiting for her Tom Hanks–i.e., a guy she’ll find in the perfect, meet-cute romantic comedy way. When Annie does finally meet her perfect match, it’s not quite in the way she expected, and she’s forced to reckon with the walls she’s built around herself over the years.

This book sounds like the cutest rom-com and I cannot wait to read it. The wait won't be too long for this one since it comes out in June and is basically perfect for a summer time read. Anyone else immediately want to watch all of Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movies?

Expected release date - June 11, 2019

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Posting on a Sunday again as life has been kind of hectic. Hoping to get back to a regular schedule soon though.

BOOK

Cover for Twice In A Blue Moon by Christina Lauren (goodreads)

Christina Lauren writes compulsively readable romance novels that are always a favourite of mine. The cover for their newest was just released and it is fun and exactly what one would expect based on the tile of the novel.

The synopsis sounds incredible as well which makes this one even more of a must read for me.

TV / MOVIE

Good Boys Poster

I caught a glimpse of the poster for Good Boys and immediately stopped to take a second look. It's eye catching and pretty charming. The young boys not being tall enough to see their own movie works for what this movie is going to be. I feel the team behind it tells you everything you need to know about what kind of movie it is going to be and this poster just reinforces that idea.

The trailer (which will be a red band trailer) is debuting on Monday. I am looking forward to getting my first look at this movie, but am happy to see that the poster is working for me in the meantime.

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

Celebrating International Women's Day

Happy International Women's Day, everyone! I thought I would celebrate by linking to a post I did before highlighting some of my favourite female characters and adding some that I can not believe I left off!

First... go check out my previous post! I am amazed at how accurate that list still is for me. Amy Elliott Dunne, Vanessa Ives, Liv Moore! All of the ones on my previous list still resonate for me and are worthy of celebration. 

Now, here are a few more that I should have highlighted last time as well: 

Buffy (from Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

She was one of the first female characters that really resonated with me. She was small but mighty. She took the trope of someone (or something) stalking the pretty blonde down an alley and turned it on its head. She was one of teen me's heroes and she is a character who still means a lot to me.

Christina Yang (from Grey's Anatomy) 

Christina Yang was brilliant, driven, and unapologetic about it. She also happened to be a really great friend. She didn't let anything (or anyone) stand in the way of what she wanted and refused to diminish her greatness for others. 

Hermoine Granger (from the Harry Potter series)

Hermoine is the type of character who is proud of who she is. She is book smart, a loyal friend, and works hard for her success. She is a character that much younger me would have looked up to and that current me is happy to introduce my nieces to. 

I hope to add Brie Larson's Captain Marvel to the list. I'll be celebrating International Women's Day by going to see Captain Marvel (which I think is entirely fitting).

Who are some of the female movie and television characters that would make your own list? Let me know in the comments. There are so many amazing ones I cannot wait to see who everyone chooses!

Waiting On Wednesday ... American Royals

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is American Royals by Katharine McGee

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

What if America had a royal family? If you can't get enough of Harry and Meghan or Kate and William, meet American princesses Beatrice and Samantha.

Two princesses vying for the ultimate crown. 
Two girls vying for the prince's heart. 
This is the story of the American royals.

When America won the Revolutionary War, its people offered General George Washington a crown. Two and a half centuries later, the House of Washington still sits on the throne. Like most royal families, the Washingtons have an heir and a spare. A future monarch and a backup battery. Each child knows exactly what is expected of them. But these aren't just any royals. They're American. And their country was born of rebellion.

As Princess Beatrice gets closer to becoming America's first queen regnant, the duty she has embraced her entire life suddenly feels stifling. Nobody cares about the spare except when she's breaking the rules, so Princess Samantha doesn't care much about anything, either . . . except the one boy who is distinctly off-limits to her. And then there's Samantha's twin, Prince Jefferson. If he'd been born a generation earlier, he would have stood first in line for the throne, but the new laws of succession make him third. Most of America adores their devastatingly handsome prince . . . but two very different girls are vying to capture his heart.

The duty. The intrigue. The Crown. New York Times bestselling author Katharine McGee imagines an alternate version of the modern world, one where the glittering age of monarchies has not yet faded--and where love is still powerful enough to change the course of history.

Show me a book about royalty and I will instantly want to read it. Katharine McGee's American Royals twists American history and provides the country with a royal family in the process. The idea is unique and filled with such potential that this is easily one of my top reads of 2019. The synopsis has only made me want to read it even more.

It's a long wait for this one! We will be able to enjoy it with a pumpkin spice latte which honestly seems like the perfect way to devour this one, but fall seems extremely far away as we head into spring.  Here's hoping ARCs of this one show up at Book Expo!

Expected release date - September 3, 2019

Frenzy Presents Recap

I recently was fortunate enough to be invited to visit the Harper Collins Canada offices to take part in HCC Frenzy Presents. It's a fun event that hypes up all of the titles in the upcoming season that should be on your radar. It's always a blast and I enjoy getting to see everyone! It's a lot of fun to be surrounded by people who love books just as much as you do.

They focused on quite a few (27 in total) titles this round. I am going to include all of them with links to their Goodreads page so you can find out more about any titles that catch your eye.

1. Opposite Of Always by Justin A Reynolds

2. Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi

3. Love And Other Curses by Michael Thomas Ford

4.The Meaning Of Birds by Jaye Robin Brown

5. The Tiger At Midnight by Swati Teerdhala

6. Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard

7. Last Things by Jacqueline West

8. With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo 

9. Nocturna by Maya Motayne

10. The Missing Season by Gillian French

11. Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D Jackson

12. The Wise And The Wicked by Rebecca Podos

13. This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura

14. Sorry For Your Loss by Jessie Ann Foley

15. Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

16. The Beholder by Anna Bright

17. Ordinary Girls by Blair Thornburg

18. The Rest Of The Story by Sarah Dessen 

19. The Exact Opposite Of Okay by Laura Steven

20. The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter

21. Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro and Cornelia Funke

22. Destroy All Monsters by Sam J Miller

23. The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair

24. Let's Call It A Doomsday by Katie Henry

25. Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry

26. A Dress For The Wicked by Autumn Krause 

27. Fan The Fame by Anna Priemaza

A ton of amazing sounding reads with a little something for everyone on the way in spring/summer of this year. I am excited about plenty of these but I especially cannot wait to read Last Things, The Evil Queen, The Beholder, and Broken Throne. I added The Beholder to my list simply because of this event. It wasn't on my radar until I heard the Harper Collins Canada staff talk about it and it sounds like it is going to be a fun, soapy read.

Another fun perk are the amazing swag bags that we are given. I got three titles in my swag bag.

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D Jackson
This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura
Nocturna by Maya Motayne

All three sound interesting and I am excited to get to them as soon as I am able. I also loved the cute mug that was in the swag bag. Expect to see it pop up on my Instagram a lot.

I was excited to see the samplers of The Evil Queen in there as well. My excitement for this one is well documented so I am looking forward to getting a tease of what to expect.

I want to thank all of the people at Harper Collins Canada (but Ashley specifically) for the invite and the amazing afternoon. It reinvigorated my creative spirit and I cannot wait to get back to blogging.

Any of these titles on your radar? What are you most looking forward to? Let me know in the comments.

My Sinemia Experiment: Month Seven

February is known for being a bad month for movies. There tends to not be a lot released and what is released tends to be not very good. Luckily, I managed to see three really good movies this month out of the ones that were released. The three movies I saw in February with my Sinemia account were Isn't It Romantic, Lords of Chaos, and How To Train Your Dragon 3. 

I thought Isn't It Romantic was super fun and just a sweet movie to watch around Valentine's Day. It was hilarious and used the tropes I love in rom-coms while pointing out how ridiculous they actually are. Lords Of Chaos is an interesting movie that I am still working out my feelings towards (expect a review on the blog soon-ish). I binged watched the first two How To Train Your Dragons so I could go see the third with my sister and thought they were well done. Toothless is adorable!

My savings for this month was $29.34 after taking the convenience fees into consideration. This brings my grand total savings up to $163.98 (last month's total was $137.64).  Unless something drastic happens between now and August I am pretty certain I'll be extending my membership for another year. I've had ups and downs with this company but ultimately love how much I am going to the movies and the discount it offers me. 

Now that we're officially done with this Oscar season (where I can confidently say that the wrong movie won Best Picture) I am starting to look forward to the upcoming movies that could potentially be in Oscar contention. I am excited for Little Gold Men (one of my favourite podcasts) to start speculating and letting me know what movies should be on my radar. It looks like another year filled with great movies so I am excited.

Now that I am over halfway through this year long experiment I have been looking back to the beginning and it is almost bewildering to me that I could have ever been as uncomfortable going to the movies on my own as I was when I started using Sinemia. If nothing else, this program has allowed me to grow more comfortable spending time by myself which is pretty amazing. 

The down side to this is that hardly anyone has seen as many movies as I have and I don't have anyone to talk to about them. My friend, Kelly, who does go just as often as I do tends to see different movies than I do. Between the two of us we have them all covered, but it doesn't help with either of us having someone to talk to about them.

Since I am planning my 2019 movie schedule, let me know what movies you are excited to see this year. What movies are already on your must watch list? What ones are you excited to hear more about? Let me know in the comments.

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Posting this on a Sunday again as I have not had a chance to take some photos for my weekly book round up. Those are coming back as soon as possible!

Just a few things to share this week that I was pretty excited about.

OTHER

Six : The Musical 

This was brought to my attention on Twitter thanks to Shae and I could not be more happy to have discovered this musical!

It's not a surprise that I am fascinated by anything involving King Henry the 8th and his six wives. I feel especially drawn to Anne Boleyn's story. She got slut shamed something fierce (same with Catherine Howard).

I haven't gotten to listen to it all yet but the songs I have heard are a ton of fun! I am going to spend some more time with this but I am already really charmed. You can find the entire cast recording on Spotify.

Book Expo

I'll once again be heading to New York City to take part in Book Expo. It is one of my favourite events of the year and I cannot wait to see everyone there.

I already have a few titles that I hope are there and have been busy planning things to do in New York during this time. I've decided that I am definitely doing the True Crime Tour NYC that I recently discovered. It sounds like an interesting way to spend a couple hours on one of the days that I'll be in the city. I am looking at Broadway plays as well. If you have any suggestions on what I should do/see let me know in the comments.

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

Monthly TBR and Recap

It is the start of another month which means checking in with how I did with my February list and what I have added for March.

February did not go as well as I wanted it to. It wasn't a total failure but I would not call it a success either. I managed to read some of the books on my list and some that were not.

The books that were on my list are:

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (goodreads)
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (goodreads)
Enchantee by Gita Trelease (goodreads)
The Umbrella Academy: Volume One by Gerard Way, Gabriel Ba, Dave Stewart (goodreads)
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte (goodreads)
99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne (goodreads)

Plus I had two ebooks on my list:

The Blood Spell by CJ Redwine (goodreads)
The Au Pair by Emma Rous (goodreads)

I managed to read three books on my list and two that were not. The books not on my list that I managed to read were:

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas (goodreads)
Hollywood Princess by Natasha Madison (goodreads)

I am now looking forward to March and the books I am hoping to read. I am currently reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer so I will include it in my March recap that I'll post in April.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (goodreads)
Enchantee by Gita Trelease (goodreads)
We Set The Dark On Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia (goodreads)
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte (goodreads)
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (goodreads)

I am also including two ebooks for this month.

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor (goodreads)
Hired by Zoey Castile (goodreads)

As you can see I have a mix of leftover books from last month and some new additions to the list. I am excited to dive into all these!

What books are you reading this month? Have you read any of the ones in my list? If so, let me know what you think in the comments.