The Bookish Heavenly Virtue Tag

Thank you so much to @hardcoverhaven for tagging me! It’s been so long since I’ve done one and I forgot how fun they were. This is a great opportunity to showcase some books I’ve been reading in this strange year 2020.

Chastity

Which books do you wish you had never read?

The Kiss Thief by LJ Shen

Look, when I started this book, I didn’t think it was going to the best thing ever to hit the romance genre. I was just looking for a good time and I was sort of willing to forgive the alpha jealousy personality of the male hero but then THAT scene came on and I kept asking myself, what is happening?? There were so problematic things happening, and then all of a sudden all the little prior things in the story I ignored for the sake of an entertaining story became glaringly problematic and I DNFed the book right then and there.

TEMPERANCE

Which book/series did you find so good that you didn’t want to read it all at once and you read it in doses just to make the pleasure last longer?

Third Shift Society by Meredith Moriarty

This is actually a webcomic that’s been nominated by the Eisner award for best webtoon. It’s about a woman who teams up with a pumpkin man to fight supernatural mysteries in their town together. I tried to pace myself but ended up reading the whole thing in a few hours. I kind of fell in love with its cheesiness and just reveled in the sheer fun. It just reminded me of the days when I would ship couples endlessly on Tumblr and reblog every single interaction gif. Yeah, I’m shipping the two main characters so hard. The art style is easy to follow with its reminiscence to manga. It’s kind of like the Avatar the Last Airbender in art style, with a blend of Western and Japanese manga art style. I also like the supernatural mysteries and side characters. Can’t wait for more! You can read it free here.

CHARITY

Which book/series/author do you tirelessly push on others, telling them about it or even giving away spare copies bought for that reason?

The To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series and The Happiness Trap

A lot of my friends don’t read as much as I do so I always recommend To All the Boys because it’s easy to read quickly (plus it’s cute). I also usually recommend self help books because some of them have actually helped me. My favorite one by far would have to be The Happiness Trap. It helped me through some dark times and helped me form the values I have in my life while offering tips and tricks for how to be mindful.

DILIGENCE

Which series/author would you follow no matter what happens and how long you have to wait?

Scott Lynch – The Lies of Locke Lamora series

I feel like I’ve been waiting for the next book in the series for years now (at least 4 years now). And no sign of when he will publish it…The last book ended on such a cliffhanger too.

PATIENCE

Is there an author/book/series you’ve read that improved with time, starting out unpromising, but ultimately proving rewarding?

The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner

When I first read the first book in the series, I almost coudn’t finish it because to be frank it was kind of boring. The second book, however, was a masterpiece. Reading the second book was like seeing the real Mona Lisa for the first time after seeing a toddler’s depiction of it. This analogy sucks but you get the point. The rest of the series continued to be like that too, only getting richer and more complex with every book. I cannot wait for the last book and will be rereading the series before then.

KINDNESS

Which fictional character would you consider your role-model in the hassle of everyday life?

Kestrel from The Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski

Honestly, Kestrel is a queen. I just admire her cunning and intellect and the ways that she sticks to her principles. If you’ve read the story, (without spoilers for nonreaders), you’ll know that she was born to believe in war and conquering other lands. It was a way of life but she grew to develop her own sense of self and the journey was beautiful to read about. This trilogy in general is one of the most underrated YA fantasy series.

HUMILITY

Which author/book/series do you find most underrated?

The Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski March series by John Lewis

I wanted to say The Winner’s Trilogy but I mention that series a lot so I’ll say the March graphic novel series. It follows the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. I think why I like this series so much is that it shows the nuances of the Civil Rights Movement rather than showing it was a (literally) black and white issue but more of a gray progression to success. You get an appreciation for how difficult it is to have a movement like the Civil Rights movement, feminist movement etc. despite social stigma and uncertainty of whether it was going to be even successful.

I tag:

Alicia @AKernelofNonsense (when she is back from hiatus)

Rachel @LifeofaFemaleBibliophile

And anyone else who wants to do it!

Reviews: Romantic Comedies

It is exciting that we are finally seeing romantic comedies featuring Asian leads! The romantic comedy genre is a genre that I love despite being extremely picky about it.  Rom coms get a bad rep in general for being unrealistic and cliche and rightly so, they contain a lot of generic plot points, not-that-romantic leads, toxic ideals of love, and mostly white people. Do these romantic comedies do anything different? We shall see.

You can imagine my excitement when I realized that TATBILB was becoming a movie. It is, after all, one of my favorite YA contemporary novels of all time. I’ve reread the trilogy multiple times now and I still adore them. I love Lara Jean as a character, I love LJ and Peter, I love the family dynamics, I love the happy-go-lucky feel to it. While I thought the movie was entertaining, I did think it could have captured the essence of the books a lot better (although maybe I am just bitter it did not turn out as I had wanted it to which is also a problem). My main problem with the movie was the cinematography. You might think this is not a big deal, but it made a huge difference to the overall tone and atmosphere of the story.

For example, in one scene where Lara Jean and Peter were talking in the cafe about why Lara Jean kissed him out of the blue, the camera lays its lenses on one person and then abruptly lays them on the other. While this is great for seeing the character’s emotions, it does not bring any sort of chemistry or intimacy to the scene. A lot of the book depended on the chemistry between LJ and Peter and I’m sure the movie wanted to make us believe that they were falling in love, but the detached and stilted way the camera captures the whole room instead of the two characters and the frequent back and forth between just the faces did not help capture any sort of intimate banter between the two.

It also did not help when we were meant to relate to LJ and her relationship with her sisters. The climax did not feel climatic (This bon iver wannabe?? what kind of insult is that) and the denoument felt lackluster. The script also did not help adding to the stiff and almost formal nature of the characters.

I also had issues with Lara Jean’s character. This sentiment was exacerbated of the way the character should be written when I was watching Princess Diaries the other day. At the beginning of the movie, Mia is constantly dropping things and avoiding conversation with her grandmother. We, as the audience, really see that Mia is clumsy and all around socially awkward (although I hate this trope in general) in a unique way but in the case of Lara Jean, I’m only reminded of who Lara Jean is as a character by the way everyone else talks about her–or by the movie being portraying her as a cliche awkward outcast teen heroine as in the scene where she says her boots are from Etsy to the Gen the bully. Also where was all the baking? So in the end, when Josh is talking to LJ about how she cannot keep hiding her true feelings, it doesn’t feel quite as punchy. I did, however, like that they captured fairly well Lara Jean’s naivety and romantic idealism. It’s part of what makes her such a great teen main character.

The movie also did not make good use of its voiceover narration. It should allow the characters to jump back and forth in time but really, that happened only once. I felt it was used more as a copout to explain characters that they didn’t know how to insert in otherwise. For example, Chris did not have to have that introduction of being her best and only friend. We presumably would already know this in the next scene when she is waiting in the cafeteria all alone with no one to eat with her and texts Chris. Waste of a scene to be honest. Also, all the scenes with Gen were kind of a waste as well considering we don’t really meet her in the book until some time later if I recall correctly. I will say though that Noah Centineo who plays Peter Kavinsky was A+! I really could not have thought of a better actor for the role. He embodied a good balance of playfulness and sportiness but there was a sublime thoughtfulness to him that wasn’t forced. He was very different than other teen movie love interests. He was the hands down the best actor out of the whole bunch, with Lara Condor second and Kitty third. Speaking of which, I did not get nearly enough sisterly dynamics. I thought the ending ended on a cute note and it was overall entertaining at least. I guess I just had high expectations for a book series that was so close to my heart. B-

 

 

Romantic comedies are a fickle genre for me. On the one hand, I love romance, but I usually hate romance books and romantic comedies get some passes from me but they mostly end up in the C category. Well Crazy Rich Asians really fleshed out the parts of the romantic comedy that I did not like but still stuck to the genre.

The best reason why this romantic comedy was able to have depth is the secondary characters and Rachel’s viewpoints. I’ll start with the secondary characters. I absolutely adored the depth they were given. The obstacles given to the main character in rom coms are usually very one dimensional. Some storytime is given to Astrid, an old money type who contrasts Rachel. Her storyline was actually very surprising to me and it ended on a rather feminist note about the woman being the breadwinner in the relationship.Their storylines collide in similar ways and I really liked it. I also really liked the way the mother was portrayed. In a ton of korean dramas and Asian movies, I see this representation of the cruel mother in law who subjects our heroine to many humiliating experiences. But as disapproving as this mother in law is, we understand why she disapproves even as we are rooting for Rachel.

As she states, Rachel is not “one of our kind”. This statement would have been cliche had the movie not explored the mother in law’s past, had the movie not been truly seen through Rachel’s eyes. Throughout the movie, we see how overwhelming stepping into Nick’s world is. She literally feels like a fish out of water with constant humiliation. This is a lifestyle that she has not lived. As in most romantic comedies, the heroine is usually written to be relatable and it is great how this movie shows the problems specific to an Asian heroine. Rachel faces a lot of the problems that Asian American and Asian women face when they are faced with a disapproving mother in law, a fact that happened a lot. I love that the story constantly brings it back to Rachel’s perspective and how overwhelming it is for her to meet Nick’s family. It is not just a matter of her being poor and him being rich, it’s about the differences in lifestyles and perspectives in the world. Rachel struggles with not feeling good enough for this family and constantly trying to gain respect from people who think she is beneath them. The movie definitely sought to do more than share a romantic story with cultural clash however. It sought to inform the audience about new vs old money in Asia and the camera really dwells on the beauty of Singapore. One of my favorite scenes was the scene where Rachel, Nick and their friends are eating out through the street food markets that pass by.

The cast and crew really cared about making this movie authentic and as such the jewelry, dresses, and outfits were all hella extravagant and expensive.

This movie is very funny and just an all around feel good movie and in fact a movie I would recommend seeing in theaters. The opulence of the set design can be really appreciated on the big screen. I recently read a review on myanimelist about My Hero Academia. It was a review stating that this anime did not seek to break down any barriers of its genre. It sought to be the best of it. And that is what Crazy Rich Asians is to the romantic comedy (aside from of course, the all Asian cast). It did it well and I have to also applaud its focus on its heroines’ growth and change and did not fall into many toxic tropes used in romantic comedies that make us fall in love with the main characters. No clumsy heroine, no changing for a man, no stalkery tendencies, no wrist grabbing, and no infidelity with a mean ex or a nice-but-safe ex. This is what happens when rom coms pay attention to the details. A 

 

 

 

 

August 2018 Wrap Up

August 2018 is the year I realize my own mortality. How quickly time moves. I know this because I feel this sense of urgency, that I must accomplish things now before I lose the time and opportunity to do so. Feeling this urgency also helped me realize that I can take small steps but maybe bigger steps towards my goals will be better. As is happening more often than not now, I am feeling anxious about not reaching my dreams. I always thought things would work out one way or the other but now I realize I must really work towards them and make my dreams into goals. Speaking of goals, August is now that time of year that everyone goes back to school. This gives me anxiety that I’m not in school yet. Although I know my time will come, my anxiety comes in waves and questions start to wash over me. Are they reading my application? I tried my best, but maybe I should have tried harder? How can I possible compare to the thousands of applicants that apply? The good thing about this anxiety is that it gives me the motivation to be productive and to be motivated towards my goals, personal and professional. Because of this, I am trying to give 100% to everything I care about whether it is more to my hobbies and learning more for the sake of learning or whether it is cooking or scrapbooking or learning how to store photos. I hope I can keep this streak going.

One of the biggest highlights of my August was going to Disneyland!! I have missed this place so freaking much! I hadn’t been back in 3 years and let me tell you a lot has happened within those 3 years, so I was excited to see how I viewed Disneyland again. I went on the “new” Incredicoaster and the “new” Guardians of the Galaxy ride. I went on the not so great Monsters Inc ride (why couldn’t they have made a Tangled one??). Also, how could I forget the famous and classic Mickey beignets, or my old favorite Pizza Planet, which has some new pasta combinations, or my new favorite, the Mint Julep–a mint lemonadey drink–at New Orleans Cafe.

Ratatouille Postcard from Downtown Disney

Disneyland will always hold special memories for me. I’ve gone to Disneyland with the most important people that have been or are in my life. It’s always so fascinating to see what a different experience Disneyland is with each and every one of them. Sometimes I get swept up in every ride possible. Other times, I watch parades and animation academy and the other times like this, I really get to savor the food. It’s why I’m always excited to go back and I already can’t wait to go back again.

August also marks the month of my best friend’s birthday. Talking to her while we were eating ice cream, I am struck by how much can change in a year when you’re in mid 20’s. It’s a bittersweet time of rapid change and even greater revelations. My Instagram feed is full of people of who are getting engaged, getting into grad school, and even getting married. I once thought my life would never change and now it’s changing more than ever.

Rolling Ice Cream @ Rollin Creamery

My Lady’s Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curan (3/5)

I remember loving the Choose Your Own Adventure novels when I was a kid and when I heard there was a romance version, I was so pumped. Yet, the storyline is a little too simplistic for comfort. You literally know how some endings and caricatures are going to go. There’s the nice guy, the Darcy character etc. Also, the one storyline I did with the Darcy-like character suffers from an intense case of hate to instalove with no explanation. But it’s fun to see the different endings. I did end up dying once as a penniless orphan with syphilis so there’s that.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells (3/5)

All Systems Red is a Hugo award winning novella about a murder robot who hacks into her scripted programming and can make her own decisions and works for these human clients in exploring a new land but gets caught up in a bigger conspiracy when the other bots start to kill her human. The worldbuilding is amazing, but honestly I felt the characters were kept at arm’s distance and the plot, though suppose to be exciting felt like it was written by an eyewitness’s grandma’s cousin’s second stepsister. Too far removed from the action. The best part was hearing murderbot’s thoughts as she decides how to approach being more of a human than a bot.

The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller (4/5)

The Anatomy of Story is an introduction to writing, well, a story.  It shows you the basics of plot, character, character arc, scene building, and dialogue. I love the way this guide does not make this process seem too simplistic. Normally when I read guides on writing, it’ll say things like make your character relatable, give one or two flaws and then that’s it. But this guide really shows you how to make your story organic. I love reading writing guides even if I’m not too much of a writer yet and that’s because I think these make me a better reader and helps me better analyze story structure critically and actually use specific terms. I’ve even found myself analyzing books, TV, and movies with some of his techniques in the back of my head.

Fence Vol. 1 by CS Pascat (3/5)

16 year old Nicolas Cox wants to the best fencer. Headstrong and determined, he plays a match against the world famous Seiji Katayama and loses. Now he is determined to beat him and gets his chance at King’s Row, an elite fencing academy. Fence is very inspired by sports anime and manga and considering that’s not my thing, this is just ok. I just think the caricatures for these main characters are all the same. There’s that one mysterious guy that the main character wants to beat in game but there’s sexual tension between them and you get the idea. I also wanted to read this because I knew there was going to be a found family aspect but I feel nothing. I just really want more depth to these caricatures besides out of proportion drama and angst and a main character whose external motivation is very cliche and generic.

Polytopia

Polytopia is a strategy game where you capture cities and fight other tribes. I love polytopia, the aesthetics are freaking adorable!  It’s so fun and there are endless possibilities for creative gameplay. I love thinking about the maneuvering and seeing how using your resources affects how you play. It’s a completely free mobile game with some in game purchases but it is never at the expense of your gameplay or enjoyment of the game.

Plants vs Zombies

This mobile game is kind of old but no less entertaining than it was when I first played it years ago. It’s great for the casual gamer and it only took me a week or so to beat the game. The graphics are so cute. It’s not that challenging but challenging enough to keep you persisting through the game.

Sweetener – Ariana Grande

I’ve been listening to this album nonstop since it came out. It seems as though Ariana Grande is moving away from her pop roots and dipping her toes in more sultry rnb music. My favorites are sweetener, goodnight and go, and pete davidson.

The Nice Guys (B)

What Nice Guys ironically lacks in action sequences, it makes up for in its clever satire and even cleverer tongue-in-cheek dialogue. Ryan Gosling’s character’s daughter steals the show with her razor sharp bluntness. It definitely plays with the action and buddy cop genre. It was a very good time but don’t watch this if you’re in the mood for a mindless action film. It was definitely a lot more than that.

Blue Valentine (B-) 

I first was interested in Blue Valentine because I had always mean to, fascinated as I am with the analysis of marriage and watching Nice Guys with Ryan Gosling reminded me of that. Blue Valentine follows a young couple in the bitter throes of their marriage. Though their marriage is tumultuous and full of miscommunication and past hurt, it was not always like this and the movie explores the beginning of their relationship and where it all went wrong. It’s quite a sad tale. We really get to see how love manifests differently in the eyes of each character. Though they see it as love, their definition of love is imperfect and different than the other. The movie makes effective use of its blocking, the characters as mysterious to us as they are to each other.

         

The next two movies I will have reviews for in the upcoming weeks. I wanted to mesh them together because oh boy have I got a lot to say. I must say though I am so excited to see more Asian main characters on the silver and big screen.

Disenchantment (DNF – Netflix)

This show took me by surprise; I wasn’t expecting this level of emotional depth but it is just not my type of humor. Simpsons was never really my type of show so objectively pretty good, but not one I’ll be continuing on with.

30 rock 

The 30 rock binge marathon continues! this show just gets progressively better as it goes on and Seasons 3 and 4 are a testament to that. Although the character of Tracy Jordan really gets on my nerves.

Insecure Season 3 (Ongoing – HBO)

This comedy is so consistently good!! In this season Issa continues to navigate the throes of work, relationships, and friendships. Season 2 left off on a major change and I’m glad to see that although Issa’s flaws are the same, it is nice to see her navigate new changes and really self reflect. This is one of the few comedies that pays attention not only to the comedy but to its craft. The cinematography really highlights Issa’s isolation and thought processes which is awesome because she is a character who doesn’t really express her emotions easily through dialogue. But it is still fast paced and raunchy and keeps you bingewatching. Also, the music is always phenomenal.

How I Plan and Organize My Life – Jenn Im

Jenn’s videos always inspire me to be productive and this one was no exception. I love that her advice is not as basic as these productive videos tend to be (just write everything down in your planner! ugh) and it has really inspired me to strive for what I love whether personal or professional  and however simple it may be and paying attention to a long term goal through small steps is so worth it.

 

July 2018 Wrap Up

I haven’t written a blog post in 5 months but I missed blogging too much, so now that I have more time to dedicate to it. It would seem that even if I did have more time, that does not mean more blog posts as I’ve spent these past few weeks trying to finish my Anne with an E blog post but to no success. So I thought maybe a wrap up would ease me into it again. A lot has happened since I last wrote, most of which I will probably touch upon in my yearly wrap up for 2018. But so many things have happened and these wrap ups were a way for me to document my months. So July. First, at the beginning, I attended Anime Expo. I am not an anime fan at all but it was fun to walk around and see the different artists’ work and I ended up buying a couple of prints. I also walked around the exhibit hall with all the vendors selling posters, souvenirs, . There was a very interesting section for 18+ crowds where you could try out a sex simulation with a maid on a VR set. But the cosplays were so fascinating to see and it was worth just for that.

As always, I had a fuck ton of food adventures, featured below:

Love Letter – Garlic Chicken & Sweet Potato Pizza

Sip -Matcha Ice Cream (It was pretty good but melted really quickly)

Boba Guys- Jasmine Green Milk Tea (I’ve finally tried the infamous Boba Guys, it almost lived up to the hype but no quite)

Avocado Cafe – Salmon Avocado Toast with Pesto (Overpriced but this is avocado toast after all)

Hot pot 🙂 

Dim Sum! I do not like chicken feet though.

Cha For Tea – Matcha  Latte (Sooooo good)

What else happened, oh I got a haircut and some new glasses. I felt like I shed an old life when I got new glasses because I had had my old ones for so many years, since before college.

And of course, I cannot forget that I turned 24 this month! And I have to say, it was pretty much the best birthday of my entire life. Part of my happiness had to do with the fact that I felt 24. In previous years, every birthday felt like a year of non accomplishments. But this year, I felt like I had accomplished so many milestones and I was actively working towards my goals and dreams. But a huge part of my birthday happiness was due to the pleasure of spending it with some of the people I loved most in this world. It’s always an anxious affair when different groups of my friends meet up. I always wonder, will they get along? What will they even talk about? But as most of these things go, it turned out to be fine and I had a great time. I had an amazing time eating hotpot and drinking a little too much and then of course the drunk talks late into the night. Thank you for the memories and it makes me excited for the years to come.

Books

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – 3.5/5

I truly wish Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote literary fiction instead of genre fiction. She has all these ingredients of a good LF author; she focuses on complex character development. It follows Hugo, a famous actress in the ’50s and her rise to fame. She has been shrouded by mystery but is now coming out and willing to share the truth behind her seven husbands and her famous career. The caveat is that she only wants to tell her story to an inexperienced reporter, Monique Grant. The problem I see with Reid’s is that there is some huge twist that takes the spotlight away from the emotional core.

Another weakness was the reporter’s separate story when she is not interviewing Hugo. Her story was not nearly as interesting as Hugo’s and I found myself impatiently waiting for when we could return back to Hugo. I love how it analyzes the way Hugo uses her sexuality and embraces her image when everyone would judge her for being a woman of ruthless ambition who uses her looks to get ahead in her career. But I would have loved this book if it had about 25% less plot twists and 25% more character development/emotion.

The Lady Astronaut of Mars by Mary Robinette Kowal – 4/5

I really want to read Kowal’s The Calculating Stars now, which is essentially a prequel to this Hugo award winning novella. It follows a lady astronaut who was famous for going to Mars but is now old and cannot go on any more space missions. She has to make a hard decision about going on one last space mission. Like all scifi novellas I have liked, it teases the details of the world and lets you make the rest of the worldbuilding yourself. The characters are so well drawn for a short novella. A Hugo award well deserved.

Blankets by Craig Thompson – 3/5

Another one of my specialties, the quintessential coming of age graphic memoir. It is drawn in a very monochromatic palette, with basically only blacks and whites and a few grays in between. It has a sketchy but geometric drawing style with tidbits of the surrealist where the author is drawing his feelings instead of the reality.

I wish he had followed more of the relationship between his father, mother, and brother who he hinted he had more complicated relationships with, but instead he took a different trajectory and followed his love of the neighborhood girl. There’s a very fine line that would not allow this story to delve into the cliche but unfortunately it did. Their relationship became redundant and typical. I also wished he had explored more of his relationship with drawing and the more gradual exploration of how he lost his faith with Christianity. He spent too much time on one aspect and not enough on other aspects. As many coming of age stories around boys it features bullies, an unrequited love, and the feeling of not fitting in with the other boys when he did not fit the ideals of masculinity.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls – 3.75/5

You can find a lot of comparisons between TGC and Educated by Tara Westover; they are both memoirs about a more-than-eccentric family living off the grid with narcissistic parents that was highly skeptical of modern medicine and the government. At their cores, the books are about the authors’ struggle to find their identity while being in toxic abusive parental and sibling relationships. I enjoyed Educated more because of Westover’s inclusion of footnotes throughout stating her memories may not be completely accurate but that she consulted other witnesses to the events to ensure it was as accurate as possible. I also preferred Westover’s more sentimental and introspective writing. She would focus more on her internal thoughts which I appreciated because I wanted to know how she dealt with such mental pressure and dissonance. I also really enjoyed Westover’s comparison of her childhood versus the life she led after she started college and her perspective changed. Walls did not fully into her mental life after she moved to New York and separated from her parents. Her memoir read more like a progressive exposition of events that happened (I did this, then that) and although I appreciated the blunt unsentimental nature that prevented the memoir from spiraling into sappiness, it did take a lot of the emotion out of it. My favorite part, however, was the portrayal of the relationship between her father and Walls. Though they had a fraught relationship (he almost pimped her out once) she still loved him and although I personally would want nothing to do with him anymore, Walls helped me understand at least slightly why she would continue to have him in her life.

Youtube

Channel Cut

I love seeing how people interact so it’s no surprise I like this channel. I especially like the truth or drink featuring couples. Some of them are so awkward but I love all their answers anyways.

Music

Seventeen – Oh My

Seventeen is now the only kpop boy group I will follow by every song they release. They really make use of their large ensemble and I just love their music.

Childish Gambino – Summertime Magic

Honestly, Gambino never really disappoints me.

Kygo, Imagine Dragons – Born to Be Yours

A Kygo x Imagine Dragons collaboration was not going to disappoint me either. It is a great summer song.

Games 

World of Warcraft

I am currently playing as a retribution paladin and am level 20 so now and it gives me such high school nostalgia where I would spend hours on Wizard101 being lost in a fantasy world.

Movies

The Incredibles – 2/5

This movie was just ok. I remembered the first movie pretty vividly as it is one of my favorite Pixar movies. It was wonderfully dark, a near perfect blend of delicious satire and commentary around family and delivering blockbuster worthy action scenes. This one tried to do that. The last one was about how Mr. Incredible having a midlife crisis and wanting to do superhero work work instead of being with his family and working his 9-5 job. I loved that the second movie was going to focus on Helen and her identity outside of the family. But it didn’t really go far enough I felt. There was no resolution other than Helen getting the temporary spotlight. They also spent way too much time on Jack Jack and the discovery of his powers even though they were not even used that much in the movie. There was also a lack of tension and emotional stake, a compelling villain, and less than stellar family dynamic exploration. It definitely more like a studio cashout on a blockbuster than an authentic exploration of family which was pretty sad.

TV

I will have separate reviews for these as I’m pretty sure they will end up in my favorite TV shows of 2018.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – 4/5

To be honest with you, I was having a tough time getting into TV this year. I tried going through a lot of TV shows in the hopes that one would stick and this show broke my slump. It is one of my favorite TV shows of 2018, no question, if not my favorite. It is so charming with easily likeable characters and the Gilmore Girls signature whip fast dialogue.

Anne with an E Season 2 – 3.75/5

Definitely not as good as the first season but it still has its merits and I loved the deeper exploration of secondary characters especially Diane

30 Rock Season 1 -YES. My new Parks and Rec. Y’all know I cannot live without a good comedy in my life.

 

Trailers

To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before Trailer

Can it please be August 17 already??? I am hesitantly optimistic about this movie even though the last teen comtemporary I saw was Everything, Everything and that was sooo bad. Although maybe I’m looking at this trailer through rose colored lenses because this series is after all, my favorite YA contemporary series. But the casting is pretty spot on if you can ignore the non Korean casting of the Korean characters and the song! so lovely. And so far, they are really sticking to the core of who Lara Jean is. Also, I really support the decision to air it on Netflix instead of in theaters. There is less pressure to perform as well so they stylistic choices can be up the cast and crew instead of following the whims of a studio.

Book Review: Always and Forever, Lara Jean

 Title: Always and Forever, Lara Jean

Author: Jenny Han

Pages: 336

Series? Yes (Final book in a trilogy)

Synopsis: Goodreads

Rating: 4/5

Mild Spoilers for first two books but spoiler free for the last one.

 

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I started reading this book at 5pm on Saturday and kept reading until 1 in the morning with only an hourish break for dinner. In that 8 hour time span, my dear reader, I felt unbearable warmth, happiness and most of all nostalgia. And at the end, even though I knew it was the end, I still felt like there was so much more story left to these characters, that these characters have blossomed into people that I knew.

As with any last book in the series, I felt that preanxiety that comes with having such high expectations of a final novel. The story of this book’s inception is heartwarming in its own way. In an interview, Jenny Han spoke about how she was working on her new project but couldn’t because she kept thinking about what Lara Jean and Peter were up to.

Last winter, I was working on a new book, and I just couldn’t figure out how to unlock it. My mind kept drifting to Lara Jean and Peter, I kept thinking wistful thoughts, like, I wonder what those two are up to now. When I finished P.S. I Still Love You, I truly was done with the series. Always, it had been meant to be just the two. But I suppose time and space had made me nostalgic, because they were all I could think about. One night I called up my best friend and sometimes co-author Siobhan Vivian and asked her, would it be crazy if I wrote just one more book? She said not at all. She told me to try and see. So that same night, I started writing, and I couldn’t stop. I wrote until the sun came up.

-Jenny Han from EW article

There is something so natural about this story that I’ve never been able to find in other YA contemporaries. In this one, Lara Jean and Peter are in their final year of high school. They have graduation coming up and all the other things high school seniors look forward to: the senior trip, prom and of course the anxiety of college admissions. Lara Jean has plans for her future but they all start to unravel and she starts to question what is truly the right path for her.

I swear some scenes in this book took me back to some exact moments of my high school career. Not gonna lie, I kind of teared up a little when Lara Jean is anxiously opening up her email that determines whether she got accepted or rejected to UVA. Moments like these are what I’ve always loved about this series. Most YA contemporaries kind of skip this part or shove it in near the end as a sort of cherry on top of the icing at the end of the book and more often than not, they just get accepted into their dream school nbd. I just completely love the detail that Jenny Han puts into this series from the food (yaas to all the chocolate chip cookie baking in this one) to Lara Jean’s clothes (Lara Jean’s prom dress) and even to Peter’s lacrosse experience. Jenny Han even did research, people, research to make the college admissions part as true to life as possible. She even spoke to the Dean of Admissions and the lacrosse department at UVA.

University of Virginia campus

It just encapsulates a high school experience that feels so authentic, like this is truly what a YA contemporary should be about. I understand that YA contemporary is not suppose to be 100% realistic, otherwise where the hell is my Peter Kavinsky but just adding these tiny details that you only subconsciously absorb brought me more into the story, this more visceral experience. And I love it. Some scenes just brought me back to my final days of high school, my final class of high school which I probably just spent signing yearbooks, my final day of walking the grass behind my school for AP Government. and having this sense of finality and this feeling of an end but also this anticipation that things are just starting for you.

I also love seeing that reflected in Lara Jean. Throughout this series, she has always been content with where she is but she’s realizing that she can open herself up to new possibilities that she never thought were right for her.

And on top of that, Lara Jean learns more about her relationship with Peter. I feel like this book was the perfect combination of the fluffiness and cuteness of book 1 and the angst and them dealing with real problems from Book 2. I just love how you can see how much they love and care about each other. They have to think about what every high school couple thinks about, if they’re even going to survive being apart and the delicate state of a high school relationship.  Peter’s arc also has a wonderful sense of growth. His dad makes a reappearance in this one and he has to decide whether to let him into his life or not. I really like how Peter’s insecurities are put to the forefront. Peter has always been one of my favorites in this series because he is not necessarily this arrogant boy with a heart of gold or this nerdy guy who will understand all of your Star Wars references or even this sickly sweet nice love interest who can do no wrong. Let’s face it, most of your favorite YA contemporary male heroes will fall into one of these 3 categories. I’m really satisfied with the way Han wrote this relationship that feels as though it’s always evolving and not this you-are-my-soulmate-that-I-found-at-the-age-of-18-and-we-live-happily-ever-after type of relationship. I love them so much.

And of course, without a doubt, these books always come back to family. It’s bittersweet and ever changing. There is so much change happening around Lara Jean that she doesn’t really even notice. How Margot is now slowly living her own life in Scotland, how her Dad is marrying Ms. Rothschild, and how Kitty is growing up. And although Lara Jean is consistently changing and figuring out more things about herself, she will always fall back on her family and their support. Her mother is still an ever present force in her life and she’s always thinking about how her mom would approach a situation even as she is learning to find her own way.

I will always love these books, for their authenticity but also just for their feel-goodness and how they always bring a smile to my face. I know I will be swooning over Lara Jean’s mundane adventures for many more rereads.

Let me know if I should read Jenny Han’s Summer I Turned Pretty series. I’m not sure how it compares to this one so any advice is welcomed! And of course, let’s discuss this book in the comments because I need to vent.

March 2017 Wrap Up

March was long but in this case that means I got to read more! It was a busy month as well and weirdly enough I read more when I’m busy. I think it’s because reading relaxes but then again if I’m too stressed so it’s a weird balance. I did, however, DNF a couple of books (3). So in total I read 7 books, 2 short stories, and 1 graphic novel.

So the books first:

The Ever Never Handbook by Soman Chainani

 

3.5/5

The Ever Never Handbook is a companion book to The School for Good and Evil trilogy. This is like the equivalent to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to the Harry Potter series. It’s just a little bonus to the original books: how to survive going to this magical school, the course catalog, pictures of the cool creatures that reside there, school fashion and all that. I was kind of confused reading this book because there are excerpts of the characters sending letters and transcripts of characters talking to each other and they mention events that have not happened. So, at first, I thought cool, it’s a bit of an epilogue except the events that are happening are kind of depressing. One of the letters included is even “cut off” so you don’t know what happens after so that was rude. And then I look on Goodreads and found out there was gonna be a fourth book…(just as I was beginning to applaud myself for finishing one series in my life). But after reading the handbook, I realize I’m nostalgic for Sophie’s and Agatha’s world and want to go back to it again so at the end of the day, I’m happy there’s a 4th book but we’ll see.

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

I had high hopes for this modern Pride and Prejudice retelling but alas, it was pretty disappointing. However, I do like the wry and tongue in cheek writing as well as the fast-paced nature of the book. It’s the sort of book I could finish in one sitting if I wanted to. It also made me nostalgic for P&P retellings so I immediately went and rewatched the Lizzie Bennet Diaries afterwards and I had a lot of feelings so, in true Carolyn-fashion, I rant about them here.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

I was excited for this one ever since I first heard about it because it’s written like a fairy tale and it revolves around Russian mythology. Vasya’s family worships the house spirits but when her mother dies and a priest tries to convert everyone to a religion of one god, the village starts to erupt in chaos and only Vasya’s magical powers can help. The writing is atmospheric and promises mysteries and magic at every turn. However, because it was written like a fairy tale, the secondary characters, including the stepmother, the priest, and Vasya’s father all came out to be pretty cliche. Also, the pacing was so off. Plotlines were brought up and then dropped until the second half of the book where one plotline was followed till the end. I really liked the fantastical elements such as the blending of Russian mythological creatures. I also found the author’s note to be sort of problematic; you can take creative liberties with a story but alternating Russian words because it’s not aesthetically pleasing is a different story. It could have been better but it wasn’t necessarily bad. I’ll definitely be looking out for Arden’s future works.

Human Acts by Han Kang

In short, Han Kang has cemented herself as an auto-read author for me. My mini review here.

Koreatown: A Cookbook by Deuki Hong and Matt Rodbard

I just burnt bread this afternoon so you can tell how much of a cook I am but I checked this out because I love Korean food. Vietnamese food is great but there is something so communal and aesthetically pleasing about Korean food, not to mention the variety in color and type of food. What’s great about this cookbook is that there’s such a variety of recipes but each is prefaced by a little history or tidbit about the food and information about the different ingredients themselves. There’s also interviews with chefs who cook with Korean food, celebrities who love Korean food, and restaurant owners who cook a fusion of Korean and some culture of food. The photos are also really well-made and there’s even full page spreads of Koreatown and the Korean eating experience. I’m not making any of these recipes except for the one that was basically an improved version of how to make your shin ramyun (instant noodles) better but it really made me crave Korean food. Someone get me bibimbap and patbingsu asap.

Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson

This book has an amazing premise. A space ship is on its way to Aurora, its inhabitants hopeful in being its first colonizers. At the beginning of the book, the ship is on its 150th year in space and there’s still more years to go before they can even reach Aurora. Our main character, Freya, is the daughter of the ship’s chief engineer, Devi. The story sort of follows Freya as she learns to become a leader but it also follows the the ship’s apparently sentient perspective as it details the accounts of the journey. I’m really impressed with Robinson’s knowledge of biology, microbiology, population biology and physics. He does do a lot of infodumping but being the science major that I am, it was all so interesting especially when he explained the mechanics of the ship and its many biomes, how these inhabitants lived in the biomes. As can be expected, this novel is hard science fiction so do not read this if you’re not interested in any of the things I’ve mentioned above. Because it’s hard science fiction, the characters fall to the wayside but he does ask some interesting questions and gives twists to these questions that surprised me. Were we really meant to go beyond Earth given the limitations of our bodies? What happens, after generations of preparation and hope, when your destination is not everything you expected? And how do you fix the mistakes that the people who originally came on the ship didn’t forsee? Why should the generations after be forced to deal with the consequences when they might not have wanted any part of this crusade in the first place? After all, they were ultimately human, greatly ambitious but also inevitably fallible. It’s quite heavy in its scope and size and I found myself forgiving its flaws just because it was so fascinating.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before & PS I Still Love You by Jenny Han (reread)

               

Every once in a while, a very special YA contemporary will come into my life that just does it right. This is one of those series. It’s cute and fluffy to the highest degree but while most YA contemporaries of that nature are at highest 3 stars for me, these two always leave me feeling not just happy but satisfied. I’m planning on doing a reread discussion for these two or a review of the entire trilogy when the third and final book comes out in May! The days cannot go by faster…

Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien

Is it better to have been loved, or to love?

This is the essential question of Madeleine Thien’s historical novel that alternates between the present where Li-Ling and Ai-Ming piece together the story of their fathers and the past where we find out their grandparent’s and parent’s lives during the Cultural Revolution of Mao Zedong. As the Revolution grows more and more oppressive, we begin to see how her father and his family try to reconcile their personal passions and to an extent their inner selves and the constant danger of being arrested for being a counter-revolutionary. I really liked the undercurrent of music–particularly the violin and piano–throughout the book, a symbol of private desire. And I really liked reading about this struggle to maintain your identity when your very safety depends on your rejection of it. I also learned a lot about the Revolution in China during the 50’s and 60’s and how the aftereffects of that time period extended all the way to the 80’s and 90’s. I think the characters jumped a little too much from one motivation to another with no buildup in between. The pacing was also abrupt and jumps from one perspective to another with little sense of cohesion. But despite that, definitely worth a read.

Blonde Date (Ivy Years #2.5) by Sarina Bowen

Blonde Date is a NA romance novella that’s a part of Bowen’s NA series but you don’t have to read the previous books to understand this one. It’s about a girl named Katie who is in a sorority and she needs a date to go with her to a party because she has just broken up with her asshole of a boyfriend (for reasons that will be revealed throughout the story). She gets set up with Andy who is a sweet and genuine beta male (can we please have more of these in romance novels?). Diversity in romance is a problem in general but that’s a different story. I really liked that Katie, who would normally be the antagonist in a NA story is instead the protagonist. The dialogue was pretty cliche but it didn’t bother me too much. Blissfully unproblematic, cute, and enjoyable, highly recommended for a lazy afternoon read. I wish there was a full length book on Katie and Andy.

A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-min Prasad

Helena Yuanhi makes a living out of 3D printing realistic looking meat. She gets a huge gig printing out steaks for a wedding and she hopes that this gig can give her enough to run away and escape from her past. She enlists the help of Lily whose spontaneous personality serves as the perfect foil to the more quiet and reserved Helen. This short story was so great, It has a slight satirical undertone and it’s quite comedic and just plain enjoyable. I liked the two main characters and their budding friendship and all the mechanics behind the 3D printing. Highly recommended and you can even read it for free here.

 

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Through the Woods is a collection of horror-ish short stories in graphic novel format. The problem with this was it ended way too soon just when the story was starting to get interested. You know that scene in a horror movie where someone hears a lot of banging or whatever behind a door and they’re just about to open the door. The stories end right when the person is about to open the door which was kind of frustrating. I feel like if she prolonged one or two of these stories, I would have been so much more creeped out and invested. I particularly liked the story about the two brothers who go into the woods and only one of them comes back alive but then the next day, the dead comes back again as if nothing happened.

DNF

Crosstalk by Connie Willis

I got about 1/2 of the way through and it had me feeling really claustrophobic which I guess is kind of the point. It’s set in the near future where you can get a surgery that will help you better see your partner’s thoughts. This, in theory, will lead to a happier relationship. It’s a light sci-fi novel with a romcom storyline. I appreciated the numerous references to other social media but at the same time, I felt like they were being referenced by someone who doesn’t really use them. I also thought this could have been about 200 pages shorter since the scenes kept being dragged out with interruptions from one of her annoyingly endearing family members and it just got to be too much. The heroine is a protagonist straight out of Legally Blonde, smart but has ditzy and truly naive moments, and talks like she always has everything under control when she really doesn’t. I wish she had more agency in this book. I just didn’t care ultimately.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

There’s nothing technically wrong with this book. It just felt a little too safe for me and I guess I had higher hopes for a book that was longlisted for the National Book Award. It has a great historical setting (right after the American Civil War) but the storyline just felt too saccharine for me especially for a literary fiction novel that’s trying to be more nuanced.

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie Mclemore

I know this book is well loved in the book community and I really wanted to like this one because it explores themes of being transgender, being in a relationship with a transgender person and what it means to truly expose yourself. One of the main character is Pakistani which I never see in a YA book. I also really wanted to like this book because I really like magical realism but the writing felt a little too flowery and nothing was being said. And while the writing was pretty beautiful, the storyline felt like it was going nowhere. I understand coming of age doesn’t technically have a plot but I felt like Mclemore was trying to achieve another plot besides the coming of age and it just didn’t work for me.

And that’s my March reading! Let me know what you read in March, what your favorites were or if you’ve read any of these and what your thoughts were. =)

 

 

Discussion: My favorite romantic tropes

In the grand scheme of things, shipping is probably goes at the bottom of the list of things of importance. But shipping has always been and will probably always be important to me. I might be a pessimist at times but in my heart of hearts I will always be a lover of love stories, preferably ones with HEAs. So let’s talk about love stories and romance but more specifically, what makes a couple an OTP for me? What are some tropes on romance that I will devour again and again? 

Perhaps the most important thing to me in order to get me to ship a couple is to ask do I like them as individuals and can they exist as individuals on their own with a world apart from who they love. Love is a uniting of two people. How can I like them together if I don’t like them apart or if I get more development for one character and not the other how can I feel that they really love each other? This is where all these romance tropes are born. I love Kaz and Inej from Six of Crows because they are so independent from each other makes it more special when they come together, the fact that they are so independent lets the other person figures things out on their own while still silently supporting each other. Inej never tries to change Kaz and vice versa, but she won’t give up who she is for him.  It’s a reason why I’ve never really liked Edward and Bella from Twilight, Bella of course wanting to be a vampire solely because of Edward. What does she even like?

It sounds sort of weird but one of the most important things to an OTP for me and maybe the most important thing is their wit/banter or their chemistry with each other. You might be thinking, umm what about respect? honesty? Nope, it’s chemistry. It’s that initial attraction, something about these two people that makes you interested in them. It can start in a meet cute or some sort of romantic plot device to have them realize their feelings for each other. After that, it’s where the fun part comes in. Most if not all romances can be boiled down to a trope but when these tropes are executed well, an OTP is born.

1. The slow burn-usually culminates in a kiss after lots and lots of angst

My favorite couples of all time have been slow-burn, sometimes so painfully slowburn. Percy and Annabeth from the Percy Jackson series are one of my favorite slow-burns that felt so completely natural and lovable. It’s even more lovable because we get to see them grow up together from kids to young adults and it’s just so heartwarming. Chuck and Sarah from Chuck were also extremely slow burn mostly because Sarah had trust issues but it just felt all the more natural and sweet when they did get together.

Percy and Annabeth (I forgot where I got this but it’s not mine)

It’s important to note that even though I like slow-burn relationships, there’s still an initial spark to them that made me want to ship them in the first place. I love Arin and Kestrel‘s from The Winner’s trilogy initial tension but like mindedness in their wit and banter which made their slow-burn all the more heart achingly angsty.  Pam and Jim from the Office. I really got to see how they’ve changed over the course of the seasons and having them finally be together was just perfect

Arin and Kestrel playing Bite and Sting :3 (Credit)

2. Dynamic Duo-Two people are similar and capable in ways and just are there to mentally support the other

I love this trope because we get to see dynamic duos just take on the world together and the other half knows that the other person can handle shit and just mentally supports them. This is why I love Leslie and Ben from Parks and Recreation because they are so supportive of each other even as they have their own big ambitions. I also really like this trope  because it gives both parties a chance to save the other and have a battle of wills.My

Famous hand-holding scene in 2×05 

favorite non-canon couple is Shiro and Allura from Voltron. They’re both really intense leaders that feel the need to take on burdens and responsibilities for the rest of the team. But they often disagree strongly with each other and they’re kind of each other’s voice of reason. It’s all the more satisfying when they have their moment of happiness. My other favorite non-canon couple for this trope that I’ve been shipping for years is Eragon and Arya from the Inheritance cycle. And did my shipping pay off??? Nope, Christopher Paolini just decided to leave me hanging..

One ship that does this trope well in my opinion is Once Upon a Time’s Regina and Robin. I don’t even watch the show and I know what happens to Robin but holy shit, this ship is so much better to me than Captain Swan. I just completely love their strength but understanding that they can be vulnerable with each other without undermining that strength. Another dynamic duo that I ship and I don’t even watch the show but I love their gifs on Tumblr is Bellamy and Clarke from The 100. Again, the whole they’re both leaders

Phillip and Elizabeth 

and they subtly support one another is my jam. One show that I recently started watching, The Americans also does this well; Phillip and Elizabeth are already on my top OTP list because not only are they a great dynamic duo (they both kick ass and take no names), but their well-being depends on them forming sexual and romantic connections with other people but somehow the show is able to convey that they have a special understanding for each other and their silent support of one another gives me life despite their deepest reservations about the other. And speaking of silent support, San and Ashitaka and San from Princess Mononoke I love too because they like each other but they realize they have a duty to other people besides themselves and that kind of selflessness makes me love them all the more.

3. Weird meets weird- one person’s weird is perfect for another person’s weird

Every person is some level of weird and I like this trope because it makes me believe that there is someone on that same type and level of weirdness that just makes them perfect together. Probably the ultimate example of this is April and Andy from Parks and

Jimmy x Gretchen

Recreation. April is eternally annoyed and cynical. Andy eternally naive and optimistic. But somehow their eccentric humor and personalities just mesh and it’s just so cute. Gretchen and Jimmy from You’re the Worst are both terrible and pessimistic people that shouldn’t be in a relationship with anyone decent but somehow you just love the two of them together because they just get each other and they kind of throw societal expectations of what should happen in a relationship down the drain.  The opposite of that would be Jake and Amy from Brooklyn Nine Nine. They’re both too pure for this world but they’re nerds on the inside so they just meld p

Jake x Amy ❤ 

erfectly together. My other favorite workplace couple is Jonah and Amy from Superstore (they’re not together…yet..). On the surface, they seem like the stereotypical no-nonsense girl and the idealistic guy trope but as the episodes go on, you realize that they are so similar. They love getting into other people’s business and both have the same core views about the workplace. I love them so much

4. Witty Playfulness- Usually consists of witty banter and being playful with another person that they’re usually not with others

I normally make it a rule not to ship real life people together because I don’t truly know them but usually if they have a video together or act together, I just find myself loving their dynamic. I love this trope because it’s so telling of how their minds think and it just shows that they have the same type of humor. Haven’t you ever talked to a person that did not have the same humor as you and just felt awkward. Like can I really be with someone who doesn’t understand memes?? (jk, but not jk, but jk). This is why I’m in love with

Wow please tell me you two are back together please… 

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone‘s relationship ever since I saw them in The Amazing SpiderMan. Like I’m in this for life. Just look at any interviews they have together. Any and you cannot deny that they’re meant to be (i’m being dramatic). I know that they broke up and I respect that but have you seen the things they say about each other even now? Also they both just got nominated for Oscars and they hugged during the BAFTAs just two days ago. Don’t tell me love ain’t real.

For some reason, I also love Marzia and Felix who both have really popular Youtube channels. They’re so adorable. I’ve literally watched all their videos together.

5. Opposites Attract-Bad boy meets good girl or even better, bad girl meets good boy

In real life, this would more likely not happen because statistically, you’re more likely to be with someone who is more similar to you than not. I like seeing how two people who never really like each other because of who they are end up falling for each other anyway or somehow end up spending time together because of some unforeseen circumstance. The ultimate one for me right now (non-canon) is Haley and Andy from Modern Family. I mean she’s like this popular girl who’s too cool for school. He’s not that…cool and pretty nerdy but it just works. Another perfect example of the opposites attract is Ryuuji and Taiga from Toradora. Ryuuji is sweet and kind and loves doing housework and cooking but he has a face that makes him unapproachable to many people. Taiga, on the other hand, is super cute and short but she is actually irascible and has a really bad temper. Their interactions are just hilarious because they’re so different. Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows is kind of in that same vein. Nina is flirtatious and confident, Matthias more reserved and conservative and that just makes their interactions so interesting and fun to read because there’s always that tension, having these two personalities at odds with one another. The most recent one that I ship is Jonathan and Nancy from Stranger Things. I
know, I know, that the writers dared to actually have Steve undergo character development and that was such a pleasant surprise but please, you just can’t give me angsty stares and not have me ship Jancy. Again, I love the trope because these two people would have never crossed paths if it hadn’t been for the mystery of the strange creature.

 

6. Star-Crossed Lovers/Forbidden Love

This trope is so cliche but I eat it up like no other. I think, if done right, it’s actually one of the most insightful romantic tropes to be used. Forbidden love usually means there’s some societal, cultural, or familial aspect in the way of two people getting together. And if done right, this trope can prove what love makes people do. What are they willing to sacrifice for another and isn’t that one of the most romantic things of all? To defy the selfish nature of survival and humanity itself. My ultimate couple for this one has to Sharzhad and Khalid. They’re honestly one of my favorite couples in general of all time but Renee Ahdieh really plays this trope well because they will never apologize for loving the other person even though Khalid supposedly killed her best friend and Sharzhad is supposed to die.

Also, Khalid definitely knows how to talk.

They never deny their attraction to the other person which is common in forbidden love stories. The other couple that comes to mind is Evan and Maise from Unteachable because they understand how wrong on paper it is but they are attracted to each other and they’ll hide it but they won’t deny their attraction.

7. Rivals-Always competing against one another but everyone knows they should just hook up already

I think I first fell in love with this trope surprisingly when I read The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare himself. It was further cemented when I read The Night Circus, the two magicians, Celia and Marco being actual rivals in a deadly, magical game. I like this trope because it gives an automatic level of sexual tension above the others and it makes it so much more sweet when they do find common ground. This was especially true when I started shipping Keith and Lance from Voltron. They’re always bickering and trying to outdo the other person but when they share a serious moment, it is out of this world. Please be canon!!

And how could I forget Elizabeth and Darcy, always trying to outsass the other. Jane Austen probably knew what sexual tension was before it was even a thing.

8. Friends to Lovers

This trope is precious because often the feelings of love aren’t realized until something happens but that deep-seated love was always there even if the characters don’t see it but the audience does. Percabeth is a classic YA one but I also love Emma and Knightley from Emma and the webseries. Emma and Knightley have such a deep knowledge of the other person and it’s so endearing to watch them voice what the other person is already thinking.

 

9. Fake Relationship

This is my most recent favorite that I didn’t even know I liked but like friends to lovers, it deals with the concept of being so sure that the other person is just a friend or someone you thought was one thing to you but it turns out to be another. Fake relationships are fun because the person is using the other person to get someone else so they think they won’t fall for the other person. My favorite one so far is Peter and Lara Jean from To All the Boys I’ve loved Before. I also liked Gia and Hayden from The Fill-In Boyfriend though it’s not as well developed or endearing as Peter and Lara Jean.

OMG HOW ADORABLE. It’s Kitty, Lara Jean, and Peter!!  Credit

Of course, great OTPs will do these tropes well but they are also some combination of these tropes. Percy and Annabeth are a combination of the dynamic duo, the slow burn, the playfulness and a few shades of the opposites attract. What are some of your favorite tropes and your favorite otps that fall under these tropes. I obviously need more pairings to ship…obviously. I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day and if these ships have taught me anything, if you are in a good relationship, you’ll feel the love and respect you deserve everyday 🙂

 

 

 

 

Fictional Summer Lookbook

I’m feeling really summery right now probably because I just finished The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson aka Ms. Queen of Summer Contemporary. Sigh dogs, cute guys, quirky diners, and 4 awesome friends. What more could you want in a YA contemporary? What more could you want in a summer? Actually no, it would have been better if one of the dogs was a corgi because corgis are my favorite.

It is my least favorite Matson so far although I still have Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour left to read but still really enjoyable. Anyways, I was inspired to create some summer outfits for some fictional characters. I’m actually a really big fan of fashion so why not combine books and fashion?

So of course, first of all The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson. This outfit was actually inspired by one of the outfits the main character, Andie, wore for one of her dates.

 

I’m actually not a fan of denim but it’s seriously made such a comeback in the past year. But it’s definitely very versatile and I feel like this outfit works so well for whatever Andie is planning to do. Whether it be going to the diner with friends, walking dogs, going on casual dates, or doing a scavenger hunt, or you know going on last-minute bookstore trips (that scene was so cute)

Caelena in Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas is such a badass (even though her assassin skills are in question tbh) that if she existed in our contemporary world, I always imagine her in some kind of leather jacket (and then consequently beating up gangsters in the dark or something). So I gave it to her.

 

The thing about Caelena is that she can rock battle clothing but she feels very comfortable in a dress as well (which is really refreshing in a heroine) so I just added a really flirty top and some pink heel boots that are both feminine and edgy which I think is basically Caelena. Also I think it’s an awesome summer outfit for nighttime adventures. I can just imagine her going out on her motorcycle to watch the stars..

On the other end of the spectrum, I designed an outfit for Lara Jean from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. I feel like Lara Jean has such a distinct style, very cutesy and sophisticated.

I remember when she was dressing up once, that she liked to dress in vintage clothing? If I’m wrong, this is embarassing, but the collared top really has a vintage feel to it while being modern at the same time. I paired with the skater skirt because it’s fun but relatively conservative. I also adore the messenger bag mostly because of the buckles, it’s really sophisticated. Anyways I can totally see Lara Jean wearing this to bake something with Kitty or going on a casual Starbucks date with Peter.

What’s summer without going to the beach? The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler takes place in a beach town.

It’s been a while since I’ve read the book but I do remember the main character going to beach parties to..dance..I think. I used a lot of ocean type of jewelry because why not, they’re so cute. I would totally get that starfish ring. But I tried to pick flowy, nonconstricting types of clothing that you’d wear to the beach. The wedges are practical for the beach but I don’t care because I’m wedge-obsessed right now and this was the best outfit it worked with hehe.

One of my favorite scenes in Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson, is the one where Sloane and Emily try to go in a club with fake IDs (even though they didn’t actually end up going in) but I had a fun time imagining what they’d wear.

Ever since I bought red lipstick, I’ve been dying for a chance to wear it. Surprisingly, works really well for me. But yeah, I was going for sexy..

If Simon had a concert outside on a hot summer day with his band, it’s my headcanon that Isabella would wear something like this.

I honestly don’t know why chokers are so popular all of a sudden but I’m starting to warm up to them. I’m also all about the dark pink lipstick. I feel like this outfit would also work really well for sightseeing somewhere so maybe Anna from Anna and the French Kiss?

Which outfit is your favorite, if any at all? Favorite summer outfits? Favorite summer reads?

Disclaimer: All pictures of individual clothes are not mine. Creation of photosets was helped by the website polyvore.com.

 

 

 

 

Favorite Literary Couples Playlist

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you are having fun no matter what you’re doing, or if you’re single, married, in a relationship, or somewhere in between. I went shopping today because ya know Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to treat yo self.

I haven’t done any posts about the music that I like and that’s because I’m not versed in music. I just listen to whatever catches my attention, which means mostly pop, hip-hip and most recently, EDM/dance music.

So I decided to pair some songs with my some of my favorite literary couples. Obviously I have way, way, way more than the ones mentioned. These just are the ones that happen to pop up in my head.

1. Let’s start off with the basics. Lara Jean and Peter from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

“No more contract. No more safety net. You can break my heart. Do whatever you want with it.”

I think their song would be Our Song by Taylor Swift because they’re one of the quirkiest couples out there that I’ve read about. And I think the beat to this song is really quirky. It’s definitely the little things with Peter and Lara whether it be going to Starbucks together or baking together. And if anything, they would totally be the couple to sneak out late at night 😉

2. Raffe and Penryn from Angelfall by Susan Ee

Raffe and Penryn are definitely are a more seductive but also the more witty/bantering couple which is why I love them so much.

“Who knew? I had no idea that someone could be such a thorn in your foot during a death march and still be irresistibly attractive in some magical, undeniable way.”
“So is this what people call sweet nothings? Because somehow, I expected it to be a little more…complementary.”

I’m kind of taking this literally but I think Next to You by Chris Brown and Justin Bieber purely because of the “end-of-the-world vibe”.

Lyrics: One day when the sky is falling, I’ll be standing right next to youu..

I think they’d probably sing this song sarcastically to each other because of the cheesiness but they’d probably end up enjoying it anyways 😉

3. Arin and Kestrel from The Winner’s trilogy by Marie Rutkoski

I really can’t pass up an opportunity to gush about them. I love them so much because they are basically equals in every way but they often find that they can’t really express their feelings for each other because of something or another (don’t want to say because spoilers) but I love that no matter how confused they are they’re always drawn to one another and how instinctly safe they feel with each other.

“You don’t, Kestrel, even though the god of lies loves you.”

So I choose, Don’t Know Much by Linda Ronstadt.

4. Khalid and Sharzhad from The Wrath and the Dawn

They’re actually quite the romantic couple so I tried to pick a romantic song.

“What are you doing to me, you plague of a girl?” he whispered.
“If I’m a plague, then you should keep your distance, unless you plan on being destroyed.” The weapons still in her grasp, she shoved against his chest

It’s My Destiny by Katharine McPhee because I think it’s quite dramatic and urgent but slow at the same time which is how I would describe the romance in The Wrath and the Dawn and there’s a lot about changing destinies which I thought was quite fitting for Sharzhad and Khalid.

Lyrics: With you, finally I can break free
With you, I saw a changing in my destiny
Dream come true, it’s so funny now that I see
How different life turned to be

5. Winter and Jacin from Winter by Marissa Meyer

Granted, I’m only like 300 pages into Winter but I ship Winter and Jacin so, so hard. I love this Stay the Night by Zedd because there’s such a fuck everything attitude to it. And obviously, there’s a lot of emphasis on seizing the moment which I think applies to Winter and Jacin. Plus, they have had a lot of nightly adventures so far and those are the cutest parts.

6. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice

The couple of all couples who by the way was definitely not done justice to in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (I watched it this week and it was kind of a shit movie). Words can’t really do justice to this couple so I’ll settle for a piano piece.

“You have bewitched me, body and soul.”

Let me know what you think of my choices and what song you would choose for your favorite couple. Also, if you haven’t already,  check out my “Which Hogwarts House do I belong to?”, I’d love to know your opinion about how I got into a certain Hogwarts House..

 

 

Favorite Book Covers of 2015

SOMEONE HAS ANSWERED MY PRAYERS! THE WINNER’S KISS COVER WILL NOT CHANGE (at least for the hardbacks)!! AWW YEEE!

Before I get into my favorite covers of 2015, I just wanted to mention what I think is a good book cover. First and foremost, I think book covers should represent the book’s content. It can be the most beautifully stunning cover ever but have nothing to do with the book which is why I don’t like some of the remakes of classics. Like yeah they are visually pleasing but they don’t have anything to do with the book. Second of all, I’m a huge sucker for typography so if a book cover has cool typography, chances are I will really like it. Typography is everything. Imagine the Harry Potter covers in Comic Sans font, I would just start hating the series. Jk..but really..I also really like it when different color schemes are integrated really well into the cover and can capture the tone and atmosphere of the book. 

There are more book covers I really like but I’m just showcasing the book covers from books I’ve read or am currently reading this year.

Without further ado:

I also have a thing for minimalist and simple book covers that reveal a lot about the book.

 

Perfect example of awesome color scheme

Love the “vintage” feel to it. It looks like a old traveler’s journal.

aka if Tumblr had a book cover

Honestly, best cover of 2015. There are so many Easter eggs from the book but I like that it looks like an old fairy tale book.

I love the color scheme but also the style of art.

Can I marry this cover? It’s so mysterious and elegant at the same time. Also I’d imagine if Inception had a book cover, this one would work pretty well.