artsy musings of a bibliophile

Top Ten Tuesday: TV Shows for a Perfect World

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I love TV shows! They’re the sole purpose of my existence (no, they’re not but this is a perfect world and so they’re today). So is unlimited tea, free time of course, books. So I came up with ten shows I’d be watching endlessly because I’ll never get tired of them. It’s all will be just very good.

Imagine six seasons for each of the book and extra episodes for the bonus scenes. I’m aware that I’m only on book two but that doesn’t make the show sound any less appealing which I’m sure would be hell of a lot more appealing than say, the *cough* Vampire Academy movie coming out on 14 February next year *cough*

“If I let myself love you, I won’t throw myself in front of her. I’ll throw myself in front of you.”

Mara Dyer sounds so much better than well, any creepy mystery show ever made. I love the process of unraveling a mystery, being engrossed in something deeply and still not get enough of it. Needless to say The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is all these things and more. There’d be a real Noah Shaw in the perfect world.

“Thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real.”

 

1876 Philadelphia. Zombies AKA the Dead. Eleanor Fitt. Does it get any better than this? I don’t think so. Just aim for the knees when it comes to Something Strange and Deadly and carry on.

“You have the curiosity of a cat and common sense of a goldfish.”

Assassin nuns. It’s like the catholic Game of Thrones. All the chilling intrigue, romance and politics in Grave Mercy would be something ah-mazing as a TV show.

“This is what I want to be. An instrument of mercy, not vengeance.”

As a TV show, Perfect Chemistry would be be like unlike anything ever seen on TV. Everyone hides their true self, Perfect Chemistry shows how.

“We’re actors in our lives, pretendin’ to be who we want people to think we are.”

Aren’t we all tired of shows where cases are dealt with on an episode basis? How about a heist per episode? Why is everything so much better in the perfect world? Oh, Heist Society. (There is a movie in the works, though).

“It is an occupational hazard that anyone who has spent her life learning how to lie eventually becomes bad at telling the truth.”




Edie is just the best character ever and she’d rock as a character on TV. I just love this series so much and have read it countless times, so just gimme a TV version of it. I deserve it.

“It wasn’t like I’d woken up and decided to be a bitch, it was more like I’d woken up to find bitchiness thrust upon me.”

Little Earthquakes is a beautiful book. Five mothers and their ups and downs in life. I wouldn’t mind watching
such a show.

“She thought of what it would be like to grow up without the one certainty that every baby deserved – when I’m hurt or cold or scared, someone will come and care for me – and how that absence could warp you so that you’d lash out at the people you loved, driving them away when all you wanted to do was pull them closer.”

In Remember Me?, Lexi’s memory loss due to a car accident came with many complications. She is sad, quirky and deep at the same time and I’d love to see her cope with her life when she’s actually living the one she had three years back. Intrigued, yet?

“The trouble with giving yourself a pep talk is, that deep down you know it’s all bullshit.”

Every girl on this planet have been called fat at least once in her lifetime and Jemima J is no exception.

“I do believe in fate, but I also believe that we control our own destinies, and I’m not sure which I believe in more. I think that mostly I believe that life is a bit like a tree, and that there are several branches we could take. I think that’s where the controlling our own destiny bit comes in. If we choose a certain branch then our life will go one way, and fate will throw things at us from then on.”

Have you been TV-ed yet? Leave a link to your top ten Tuesday post and I’ll be sure to visit!

Review: Golden by Jessi Kirby

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ABOUT THE BOOK
young adult contemporary road trip published by Simon & Schuster on 14 May 2013 

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.
Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.
Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

THE RATING

THE REVIEW
There are books that leave you feeling breathless, then there are the ones that leave you feeling overwhelmed. The ones that leaves you restless like a thought that has come to a halt after reaching a point of realization and words that die on your lips. Golden left me feeling all three of these and more. So much more. A ‘love and a question.’
Each chapter begins with a line from a poem, the words just enough to travel inside the words written on the page. The beautiful, beautiful words which made me fall in love with the book. I’ve always been attached to words. Silence is something which will always be something you put in a corner and pick it up from time to time. But words, words are alive, the center of the being. Especially written words because they’re a mixture of silence and sound. The words of Julliana Farnetti.
Parker Frost is someone I could’ve been a few years back if I haven’t gathered my bearings and took a stand to study something in life that I wanted to instead of just driving myself crazy in order to become a doctor. It’s just something I thought I needed to become so I completely understand the choices she makes and why.
However, Parker is one of those who needs proof they can see and feel before they can believe in something. It is stupid yes, but for certain things in life, it’s all you need. A shock, a trigger, a flash and belief is there. Just like Kat’s believe in carpe diem. 
Kat, the one I admire so much. She’s one of those people who make you realize that it’s okay not to be perfect and do your own thing. A reminder like that never hurts because really, it is all about seizing the day which cannot be done if we’re acting on choices others make for us.
In between Parker’s hesitation and Kat’s boldness in life, Trevor Collins proved to be awesome. Really, there is no other word to describe him. His words are full of smiles and are true to the core. He’s substantial and real and yin to Parker’s yang. Chasing after the mystery of the love that was, it’s beautiful to read about the love that could be.
Golden is one of those books that do more than just tell a story. They change something inside of you. As I read Golden, I was reminded that poems are essential in life. They’re the fire and ice of words in life. And in the end, ‘nothing gold can stay.’ But y’know what? I’m glad the words of Golden will forever stay inside me.
THE QUOTES

‘But it seems to me that the experiences that stay with you, the things you’ll always remember, aren’t the ones you can force, or go looking for. I’ve always thought of those things as the ones that somehow find you.’

‘I sink into it completely, letting everything else fall away so all that’s left is this. A moment like a poem.’

Monthly Recap: August

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August has always been one of those months which gets lost in the summer if it wasn’t for the Independence Day on 14 August. So apart from the display of patriotism, August wasn’t all that high on activity since all I pretty much did was nap, read and tweet. Things worthy of note are of course mentioned below.

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

Since I pretty much hung out at home, most of these things happened online.
Buzzworthy
BuzzFeed released a new category: BuzzFeed Books. It is as awesome as it sounds and it’s part of the reason I didn’t blog as much as I should’ve. It’s like a gifs heaven out there! And the lists, oh, the divine lists! I loved this list, this one, and ooh, this one’s the best!
Photoshopping
I started learning Photoshop (okay, it was back in July but it totally counts). I did a few tutorials and this is my best effort up till now. You like?
Geek Out
I geeked out at YouTube’s Geek Week. I discovered so much awesomeness; Gravity Gun being one of the best. Yes, I’m all for sci-fi.
Seriously, it’s like the web series to watch in 2013. I know it’s my first one but this is me venturing into anime (okay, anime-syle). It’s a big deal and the soundtrack kicks ass!

My addiction to #RWBY is- Wait, is it Thursday yet? When is it going to be Thursday? Please, Thursday?
— Sana (@artsymusings) August 10, 2013

Book Clubbing
EpicReads revamped their book club on Goodreads and they chose Something Strange and Deadly for August. Then Susan Dennard started her own SS&D book club which I just had to join. I had so much fun digging deeper to answer the discussion questions and I finally read Something Strange and Deadly so win-win.
Saga-ed
At 9:18 am on 8 August 2013, I discovered the epic The Starkillers Cycle saga by Susan Dennard and Sarah J. Mass. Elena from Novel Sounds posted about it’s existence and I freaked out just after reading the first chapter ’cause it’s that amazing!

#TeaTime
EpicReads changed the timings of Tea Time from 4pm to 7pm. I can’t take part now because for me that means 4am in the morning. I got sad.

Sci-Fi
I joined Sci-Fi Month which will be happening in November all because of Rinn from Rinn Reads.
Niece
My second oldest sister gave birth to a baby girl on 19th August 2013. She’s so adorable and very clever. Another reason of not blogging all that much.

Burqa?
Lady Gaga wrote a song titled Burqa which is so not cool. Here’s why.

TV WATCH

I watched the first season of Orange is the New Black and loved it. It is a little too skin-showing for my taste (okay, a lot). 
I also watched a couple of episodes of Teen Wolf but I’ve yet to fall in love with it.
The midseason finale episode of Pretty Little Liars was the bomb! I bet October 22nd episode will be the best Halloween episode ever.
I also watched some episodes of Mistresses because it’s from the creators of Gossip Girl. Not really my cup of tea because it’s full of sex, scandals and a lot of drama. Might finish watching the first season though.
Suits is going good but the storyline kind of dwindled into another mess all too fast. I just want it to slow down.

MOVIE WATCH

The Croods (thumbs up)
Passion (meh)
Before Midnight (thumbs up)
Bachelorette (meh)
The First Time (thumbs okay)

LIST OF READS

I read 7 books in August. I could have read more but I’m happy that five of these are for my (93) days of summer goal.
Five Summers by Una LaMarche
Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt
A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
Heist Society by Ally Carter
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I didn’t post as much as I should’ve since I don’t have a schedule. However, I have one now because I started using OneNote (thank you, Asti!) and I feel much more organized. 
I posted my review of Just One Day by Gayle Forman. The book killed me.
I posted answers to discussion questions for the SS&D book club for week one, two, three and four.
I posted a Top Ten Tuesday list of books set in tech-heavy surroundings and secondary characters.
I waited on Crash Into You by Katie McGarry on a Wednesday.
I posted my answers to A to Z book survey.
I posted my review of Everneath by Brodi Ashton. I read this book because a Secret Reader chose it from my to-read list.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

I ordered most of these online and it was my first time ever doing that. I’ll be doing it more often now. 
Inferno by Dan Brown
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Cinder by Marissa Meyer 
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Heist Society by Ally Carter
Five Summers by Una LaMarche
Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt
A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

PLAYLIST

Most played tunes in August, favorites first. I’d love to know which one you like or was your favorite this month.
How was your August?

Book Club: SS&D Week Four

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The other day Epic Reads decided to revamp their Book Club on Goodreads and picked up Something Strange and Deadly for the month of August. I decided to join in because I seem to need an extra bit of motivation when it comes to reading books set in the past. There are pictures of 1876 Philadelphia, first impressions of Daniel Sheridan and a discussion going on about favorite characters in the series.
Then I happen to discover that Susan Dennard also started her own book club for both the books in the Something Strange and Deadly series. It’s a lot of fun because there’s happen to be discussion questions going up every Monday and there’s also participation and weekly giveaways (if you want to participate, click here).
Onto week four discussion question:

“‘Eleanor, you have a choice,’ [Jie] said softly. ‘You always have a choice’” (p. 166, Something Strange & Deadly)

How do you think this quote relates to the overall theme of Something Strange and Deadly? Do you think Eleanor behaves as if she has a choice at the start of the book? What about at the end of the book? And do other characters behave as if they have a choice or do some see themselves as victims of circumstance?
I believe that the overall theme of Something Strange and Deadly are choices. One of my favorites quotes from the book is about choices and by Eleanor: “The fault is not in our stars,” I whispered to the ceiling. “But in ourselves. This was my choice.”


At the start of the book, Eleanor does believe that she has a choice. An ordinary sister would’ve have given up on Elijah and moved on in life just as Mrs. Fitt did. But Eleanor’s mindset isn’t anything like that. She is quick to accept whatever situation she is in and acts accordingly. It is admirable and one of the reasons Eleanor is such a kickass character. 
As for the other characters, the Spirit-Hunters are the epitome of making choices and working together on them as they go along. However, Allison and the Virtue Sisters (from what I could make of them) definitely see themselves as victims of circumstances which I find to be very weak. Clarence Wilcox does see himself as a victim but he acts on it despite not changing his mindset which sets him apart from all the other characters.

So choices are important, right. What do you think? I want to know!

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
young adult mythology fantasy published by HarperCollins on 24 January 2012

first book in the Everneath series

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her boyfriend—before she’s banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance—and the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki’s time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s queen.

THE RATING


THE REVIEW

I went into Everneath with a very particular mindset: I wasn’t expecting anything extraordinary. I added it on my to-read list because of the mythology aspect as the story of Persephone and Hades is so intriguing. However, Everneath surprised me. A lot. Brodi Ashton captured the essence of the characters perfectly. I could feel the emotions that made Nikki go over the edge. I could feel Jake’s hurt and I just couldn’t bring myself to hate Cole.
At the beginning of Everneath, Nikki is waking up after lying in an uncomfortable position for a long time. She doesn’t want to let go yet a face is compelling her to. It made me curious. I like reading books where the main character’s fate is already written and the story is really a story of accepting that fate. Redemption, regret and the desire to make everything right drove Nikki. The core of Everneath is what humans go through: realizing the value of something after it’s gone.
Nikki is a complex character from the very beginning. Life has been tragic for her and she had to get away. The backstory is told in pieces; what happened in the past is synced with what’s happening in Nikki’s life now. It provided a refreshing perspective on how Nikki’s life took such a sharp turn. From having a whole life to feeling empty of emotions. I just felt that more focus should’ve been put on Nikki’s best friend, Jules.
Jack is the one who got left behind. He acts pretty normal when he sees Nikki after six months. He went through a hard time when Nikki disappeared but Nikki doesn’t know that. Their relationship dynamic is done so beautifully by Brodi Ashton: there are questions, there’s hurt, there’s love but there’s also patience. The true love of Eurydice and Orpheus shines through in Everneath.
Cole is as dark and hell bent on convincing as they come but he isn’t broody. He has accepted the sacrifice of humans in order for the Everlivings to survive which is where Nikki disagrees with him. I understood where he was coming from and how he tried to stop Nikki from spiraling into the Everneath with him in the beginning. So I know he’s just looking out for himself. However, I could feel his defences lowering when it came to Nikki. He’s deep that way.
Everneath is beautiful. The writing sucked me in, all the emotions in the book overwhelmed me and the characters felt real. The character of Mary was perfect the way it was and she added a little more substance to the essence of Everneath. A fantastic start to a series! Brodi Ashton weaved a perfect modern day mythological story. I’m glad to have read it. More, please.

THE QUOTES

‘Sometimes, when something hurts us, our hearts break a little-in a slightly more … literal way than for humans. Our pain sort of spills out and onto anyone around us. We call it a cracked heart.’
‘We’d both been stripped of all the evasiveness, all the lies, everything we’d ever kept from each other. Layer by layer, we had given up our defenses and our excuses and our demands for whys and hows, and what was left were two broken beings. Clinging to one last shred of hope. Tethered to each other.’
I read Everneath as part of Secret Readers feature by Paperback Princess.