tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-685577827013038092024-02-21T09:50:59.947-08:00Basils Books and Things. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-73853802357823022002016-02-16T15:01:00.000-08:002016-02-16T15:01:03.433-08:00My Mental Health. This is not going to be a super happy post, and I am sorry about that, but there are things that I need to get out there. Here is your warning now, I will be talking about depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. So if that makes you feel uncomfortable in anyway, please, feel free to skip this post. I want you to feel safe.<br />
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For the last little while, I've been struggling with my mental health. More so than usual, and in different ways. And the first big one is my weight. I'm not large, I know I'm not fat. So why do I feel like I am? Lately I've been forcing away panic, and anxiety just so I can eat regularly. I'm pretty much underweight now, but it's because my metabolism makes it hard for me to gain weight. But even so, I never want to eat any more.<br />
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Food used to give me a lot of joy, and excitement. I used to eat just as much as I love to cook. But now, I'll cook something, and not want to eat it. Or I'll be trying so hard to find the healthiest ingredients, and not be able to use anything else. Like instead of wanting to make like brownies, or biscotti or something like that, I'm obsessively looking at dessert alternatives.<br />
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Healthy eating is great and all, but not when wanting a cookie causes so much anxiety. I've exhibited anorexic habits in the past. But they had very little to do with my weight. Now, I'm scared I'll have those habits again, but it'll be because of my weight. I don't want to end up sick and dying. But for some reason, things are just not going well up in the old noggin.<br />
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And my depression has come back in a lot of difficult to deal with ways. There have been a lot of dark nights. For me, my depression results in insomnia. So lately I'll go to bed between midnight and two in the morning, and wake up at six or seven. This is not healthy. I should not be feeling like this. But I am, and I don't know why, and it's beginning to scare me.<br />
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I am really sorry if blog posts are off, or if you read my tumblr poetry and it's a little dark. I've been trying to keep up this persona of joy, and happiness, but it's a struggle right now. And the fact that it could be any number of things does not help at all. I don't know where to begin fixing my little head, and getting myself back to being happy. I love all of my readers, and I hope you are all having a wonderful day. If you ever want to talk to me, all of my contacts are on the side of my blog, and drop by any time. You are all welcome in my little fairy kingdom. Hope your day has been wonderful.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-5314151224284084742016-02-14T16:22:00.000-08:002016-02-14T16:22:45.753-08:00The Martian Review. Alright, so I flipped back and forth as to whether or not I wanted to do a review of this book, and I decided I totally should. I have a lot of feelings and thoughts about this book. So let's get stared.<br />
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In a nutshell the book is about Mark Watney, a botanist, and an engineer who gets stuck alone on Mars. And the book follows his fight to survive Mars, and get back to Earth. <br />
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Now, I listened to this book on audio, and I really think that helped me actually be interested in the book. If I would have read it as a paper back, I think I would have been bogged down with all of the math, and the numbers. There is a lot of science that I didn't understand, but I'm sure there are people who do understand the science, I'm not one of them.<br />
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However the book is very good at not info dumping. So the author doesn't throw a lot of numbers or a lot of science at you. There is a little bit, but the book would have lost a lot without the math.<br />
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What I didn't expect is for the book to be as funny as it was. I found myself laughing out loud at a lot of the things that came from the book. And yes there are some very dark moments, those moments quickly have something funny following so the reader isn't too depressed.<br />
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As a kid I was always interested in space, and this book is just super interesting to read. From what I have read about the book, the author did a lot of research into the workings of NASA, and space travel. Even if it isn't accurate, it's interesting to read especially if you are into space travel.<br />
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This is a book I went in, having little to no idea what the book was about. I knew it was about a guy stuck on Mars. But there is a lot more as well. The book talks about his relationships with his other crew mates, and the complex plans to get him back to Earth, and the incredible things he had to do to survive.<br />
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This is a very modern survival story, that is rooted in science. And I loved every moment of this wild ride. It was witty, and smart, and I was never bored.<br />
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The narrator also did a very good job of capturing Mark, and now I'm not sure I can see the movie. Simply because what I imagine Mark to sound like is already ingrained in my head. There is a down side to R.C Bray's reading, and that is he is terrible at accents. There are characters who are Asian, and German, and other ethnicities, but he just cannot do accents at all. But still, it was an incredible experience to listen to him read.<br />
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I would highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in science, and space travel. As well as for people who just want something a little different to read.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-25544511064981840522016-02-13T10:42:00.000-08:002016-02-13T10:42:12.224-08:005 Least Favourite Anime Characters. I was talking to a group of friends about anime characters, and usually those conversations are about the one's we love. But this time it's about the one's we disliked, and so I thought it would be fun to make a list of my least favourite anime characters. These one's are actually in order of most to least liked. And just as a disclaimer these are all just my personal opinions, and don't really mean much. <br />
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5. Eren Jaeger. (Attack on Titan)<br />
I have a lot of weird feelings about this character. On one hand he is the most annoying, dramatic character I have ever seen. On the other hand, his dramatic nature is hilarious, and I find myself still rooting for him. He has some awesome moments, and a lot of really bad moments. But he far from my favourite character.<br />
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4. Emi Yusa (The Devil is A Part Timer)<br />
She has a lot more redeeming moments than most of the other characters on this list, but I found she ticked me off so much. She is way too stubborn, and refuses to give in to what she sees the decent person Maou is. And her stalkerish nature comes off as kind of annoying. I'm also a little biased with this character because I loved Maou and Ashiya a lot.<br />
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3. Light Yagami. (Death Note)<br />
He is just... well, he's the bad guy, so I guess you're not supposed to like him, but aside from all of the reasons your not supposed to like him, he's also boring. I found his character to be very dull to watch, and I would rather learn more about L than Light. Heck Matsuda was more interesting than Light.<br />
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2. Kouki Ichinose (Ore Monogatari)<br />
This guy, oh this guy made me mad. Now, he was a jerk before he fell in love with Yamato, but he was a bigger jerk afterwords. I had a lot of feelings of dislike over this guy, and I just did not like him in any way shape or form. He had very few redeeming qualities, as well as I could be pretty biased considering how much I loved Takeo and Yamato together and didn't want this guy to come in between that. As well, he isn't seen much in the series, but I still don't like him.<br />
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1. Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon)<br />
Now, when I say Tuxedo Mask, I don't mean Mamoru. I liked him, he was sassy, and hilarious, and like a nice guy. Tuxedo Mask however needs to step down. Literally give him pom poms, and a cheer uniform and he's just as powerful. I really, really don't like this character, but I know a lot of girls love him. But in my opinion, all he does is throw a rose, say a cheesy speech, then stand there for the rest of the battle. One of the sailor scouts could do that job. I have a lot of aggressive feelings towards Tuxedo Mask, more than I should.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this little list. If you do like any of these characters, I am sorry but these are my thoughts and feelings on them. If you agree with me on any of these characters then awesome! I hope you all have a wonderful day! :)<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-55364718451913647222016-02-09T06:57:00.000-08:002016-02-09T06:57:17.485-08:00Station Eleven Review. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel was an amazing ride from start to finish. And this book has everything that I love in it. Theatre, the end of the world, comic books, crazy prophets, and no distinct villain.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6K68RebEarhFReFIdR-iD08ZXN_AMKfFbcBK9yVSjed0DHc93JYIT6dYHHqKBn5xdSrxre4BzMyaJzvsxQn0F_057LM_8NrzkvlcG2vyowTmE7SvPHOG3lsAcfOMrvIGSLZ7Ym2HxePQ/s1600/51HGUeVaayL._SY344_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6K68RebEarhFReFIdR-iD08ZXN_AMKfFbcBK9yVSjed0DHc93JYIT6dYHHqKBn5xdSrxre4BzMyaJzvsxQn0F_057LM_8NrzkvlcG2vyowTmE7SvPHOG3lsAcfOMrvIGSLZ7Ym2HxePQ/s320/51HGUeVaayL._SY344_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="217" /></a>The book follows the story of several characters, mainly Kirsten, and actor in Year Twenty who works with the Travelling Symphony preforming Shakespeare all over North America. The other character is Arthur Leander another actor preforming King Lear in Toronto before he dies of a heart attack on stage. The book goes through his life, and his three ex-wives. </div>
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There is a lot more to this story, and all of the characters are so expertly woven together, and pretty much every character has some importance. I find with complex plots that interconnect and jump between flash backs, and the current time can be very confusing and difficult to follow. Station Eleven wasn't like that. And even characters you expect to just stop appearing after the outbreak, actually do keep appearing. </div>
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The characters themselves are also really interesting, but we don't learn a lot about them. We learn a lot about Arthur, and a bit about Kirsten, but there are still a lot of questions unanswered. I know some people hate this, but I kind of like it.</div>
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The climax is a little anti-climatic, and feels a bit rushed, but the pacing of the rest of the story makes up for it. It's a very quick read, but still a very interesting one. </div>
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And personally, I don't think the book is meant to be about the plot, but rather the relationships between this large cast of characters. All of these characters are connected expertly, and it's like a giant web. Even though the plot is nothing super special, the way St. John Mandel twines up the lives of all of these characters in a way that makes sense is amazing. </div>
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The world of Station Eleven is very well built, and you could easily picture it. Even though it is our lives after the end of the world, there is still world building to be done. And I like what the author did with futuristic North America. And what to me was most interesting is that one of the stories in the book takes place only 20 years into the future. Unlike a lot of dystopians I've read where it's hundreds of years. </div>
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Having this point in time is terrifying. You read apocalypse books, and they take place in the distant future. But this end of the world could take place today. And that was a really good choice in my opinion. It added another level of fear to this book. </div>
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So despite not having a huge climax, I really enjoyed this book. It was something I didn't think I was going to like as much as I did. But Station Eleven became the book I didn't know I wanted. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-13619201669867664632016-02-07T15:11:00.000-08:002016-02-07T15:11:32.454-08:00Princess Jellyfish Review. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlFQAFHgXSkTOpUqf_dDVpoy2dCWWzC1cBUdmmP9osrlnLF2uz4WES7vSSS7IxSIo0OTjqfqp0efkAvduZ9IvwRt96VpP4zXlMkfmBQL4nydy2-TNB7Sfwe1XVSkXIYSnaJBsKW4IZgI/s1600/Princess+Jellyfish+-+Cast.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlFQAFHgXSkTOpUqf_dDVpoy2dCWWzC1cBUdmmP9osrlnLF2uz4WES7vSSS7IxSIo0OTjqfqp0efkAvduZ9IvwRt96VpP4zXlMkfmBQL4nydy2-TNB7Sfwe1XVSkXIYSnaJBsKW4IZgI/s400/Princess+Jellyfish+-+Cast.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our quirky cast of characters</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alright, so I like to be able to have background noise for when I’m working on stuff. Usually the background noise is audio books, or podcasts, but lately it’s been anime, and tv shows. So, I’ve been getting through short series quite quickly. One of those series was Princess Jellyfish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Princess Jellyfish is about a woman Tsukimi who lives in what her and her housemates call ‘the nunnery’. They are a bunch of otaku (nerd) women who live together, and are safe to obsess over their chosen thing. In the case of Tsukimi, it’s jellyfish. One day she goes to talk to the jellyfish at a local pet store, and she finds that there are two jellyfish in the tank that shouldn’t be put together. With bad social anxiety it’s difficult for her to tell the shop keeper to switch the tanks. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6yLrHyK86lmN02TdZx_qbmQngRk4wGmGQJn1QvWRhQaKLIBvJ-Y7ZHP0G4Rtu6-h51Lkjar1LEjakgEp_4Pm25eTJh6g9g__2aD9Qqpoyf0F_DIfwZkP8wv6qZffbQESCDAbylskjpk/s1600/images-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6yLrHyK86lmN02TdZx_qbmQngRk4wGmGQJn1QvWRhQaKLIBvJ-Y7ZHP0G4Rtu6-h51Lkjar1LEjakgEp_4Pm25eTJh6g9g__2aD9Qqpoyf0F_DIfwZkP8wv6qZffbQESCDAbylskjpk/s400/images-2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the make over. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">However a beautiful woman comes and saves the day, and our main character ends up buying the jellyfish. In the morning she finds out that this beautiful princess who saved her is actually a boy. And her adventure with Kuranosuke<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">begins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This series is so cute, and so sweet. It’s all about being yourself, but letting your best beauty shine though. It isn’t about changing yourself to suit other peoples standards. Yes almost all of the otaku characters go through a bit of a makeover. But they always change back into the clothes they are most comfortable in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a super short show, and my biggest complaint is it left me feeling a little underwhelmed. I expected a lot more from the last episode and there were a lot of things that were just kinda left ignored and unanswered. I’m all for open endings, but this one lacked the big finale thing that I was looking for. All in all the series was amazing. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScSaLIAwugbrf-JLJfgHiG1hclHcFQ6L8xowBtJupog4l2EGpAHiUKcWlmtMAxpcxtFd4bcGD_3DgMxgAX8L_2yYromw4z-lKAPr9ZpZmy5yjREFd2S6coWDTO2qBWWhGNzIqNdMhZ0g/s1600/hqdefault-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScSaLIAwugbrf-JLJfgHiG1hclHcFQ6L8xowBtJupog4l2EGpAHiUKcWlmtMAxpcxtFd4bcGD_3DgMxgAX8L_2yYromw4z-lKAPr9ZpZmy5yjREFd2S6coWDTO2qBWWhGNzIqNdMhZ0g/s320/hqdefault-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our pretty anime boy. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The characters are all quirky in their own ways. And you find yourself finding you identify with the characters passion for the things they love. It’s also really nice to see characters that aren’t conventionally attractive, and have major social issues, and social anxiety. I love anime, and series that challenge the stereotypes a little bit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">My favourite character was Kuranosuke, our cross dresser. He is spoiled, a little bratty, but his heart is in the right place most of the time. And he makes real friends with these crazy otaku woman even though he isn’t allowed to be a boy when he’s with them. Kuranosuke doesn’t let his families dislike for his clothing style get the best of him either. He wears his wigs, and heels with pride and confidence. And it’s something I adore about this character. Plus he looks smoking as a girl. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The animation is stunning in this series. And I think I say that about everything I watch, but it’s true. I am drawn to beautiful animation, and this show does not disappoint. The jellyfish anim</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ation is really what caught my eye. They look so beautiful floating around in the tanks. I so badly wish there was a second season of the anime. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is another series that I highly recommend everyone watch. I hope you all have a wonderful day and I’ll see you next time. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-58701769602050048332016-02-05T08:22:00.000-08:002016-02-05T08:22:42.372-08:00January Favourites. The month of January is over, and now it's time to do a favourites list. And there have been quite a few things I've been loving this month, mostly Christmas gifts.<br />
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The first thing is the induction heat stove thingy. Thing is great. I'm full of anxiety about pretty much everything, and one of those things is gas stove tops. The flame makes me nervous, but this has no flame! And everything cooks really evenly, and really well and I really like it. The one down side is that you can't just use any pot on it. You need special induction heat pans and stuff. I only have one of those, but eventually I'll get more.<br />
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One of the things that I have fallen in love with this month is the "Warm Buddy" my grandmother got me for Christmas. And pretty much it's a sheep, and instead of regular stuffing, it's a bag of rice, and you put the bag of rice in the microwave, and heat it up. When the bag is warm, you put it back in the sheep and you have a warm little stuffy. It's great for cold nights or when I come in from outside. Keeps me toasty warm.<br />
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The last Christmas gift that I love is the used DSLR camera. It's the Canon Rebel 300 D, it's an older camera, and I adore it. However, there is a reason why you haven't seen any pictures from the camera yet, and that is because I left the battery charger back at my parents place and need to wait until March to get it back.<br />
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But let's move on from Christmas gifts, the next thing is cute fluffy anime. I've been watching a lot of sad movies lately (Inside Out and Big Hero Six) So, to balance all of that out, I've been watching cute anime. So look forward to another anime review.<br />
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One other thing that keeps me entertained while I'm working is youtube cooking videos. I love cooking, and baking so having a few new recipes to try out is going to be a lot of fun. As well as it's interesting to watch the techniques that are being used. So, while I'm knitting and sewing, I'm watching youtube cooking videos or anime.<br />
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I hope you all have a wonderful day, and let me know some of the things you've been enjoying in the comments below.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-51040965875899797562016-02-02T07:25:00.001-08:002016-02-02T07:25:23.079-08:00January wrap up, and tbr. <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alright, so the hectic month of January is over, and I have my wrap up, and what I’m going to be reading this month. This was a pretty decent month for reading. I’ve been getting out of my slump, and reading a lot more. So let’s go through the books that I’ve read this month. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Night by Elie Wiesel. I did a classic 101 on this book, and you can check it out: <a href="http://basilsbooksandthings.blogspot.ca/2016/01/classics-101-night.html" target="_blank">here</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hexwood by Dianna Wynne Jones I wrote a review for this book and you can read it:<a href="http://basilsbooksandthings.blogspot.ca/2016/01/hexwood-book-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I was not very impressed with this book, and I found myself going back, trying to understand what was going on through the entire thing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I finally finished Game of Thrones, and I will not be doing a review for that one, because you can find a million of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Station Eleven: The review for this book will be posted soon. But as a spoiler for the review, this book was me in book form. I loved it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And I listened to The Martian by Andy Weir And I wasn't originally going to do a review, but after finishing it, I have so many thoughts and I want to share them. So look out for that in the future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So onto this months tbr. February is a short month, so I have less time for reading. So I’ve picked out three books that I want to read this month. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Memoirs of a Geisha: I keep putting this one off in favour of other things, I have no idea why though. And there will be a review of this book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And maybe the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I won't be doing anything for this book other than reading it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also might read Of Mice and Men by John Stenbeck. It's a super short book that I remember reading most of when I got to class early one day. It's something I remember really enjoying, and would like to finish. I will be writing a Classic 101 for this book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And I’ll hopefully be listening to the Diviners by Libba Bray. I am not entirely sure if I am going to review this book, but if you want me to, I totally will! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So far for the year 2016 I have read 5/100 books. So I am off to a decent start. Let’s hope I can get more reading done in the next month!. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-70835925916102325022016-01-31T10:52:00.000-08:002016-01-31T10:52:05.563-08:00Hexwood Book Review. <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZByaV3oGx-zSGFqZsoqug-BksjU3eB6ZcTAnzAmNKp8-_s53V-xrgJK3TXcDdywpQZxAMLn0iAFwJ9z7LmZINBYVuq_za8kr3djQSyZSRg8adbEJ0RHJAOh8XmH87UVmCdQ4oRQGStA/s1600/images-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZByaV3oGx-zSGFqZsoqug-BksjU3eB6ZcTAnzAmNKp8-_s53V-xrgJK3TXcDdywpQZxAMLn0iAFwJ9z7LmZINBYVuq_za8kr3djQSyZSRg8adbEJ0RHJAOh8XmH87UVmCdQ4oRQGStA/s400/images-4.jpeg" width="243" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alright, so this review has been a long time coming, and the reason being, it’s been difficult to figure out how to word this. But I’m going to try my best. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was given this book a long time ago, and for some reason I could never finish it. As I am powering though it I remember why. It’s so confusing. I wish I could tell you what it’s about, but for me the book reads like a dream half remembered. I can’t piece anything together coherently. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The worlds are really interesting where I think there is a conspiracy or something going on in the future. And in the current time there is the answer to defeating the villain living in the forest as a young boy who is neither human nor Reigner the other creatures in this world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">From what I understood of the book the Reigners were people who controlled the whole of this futuristic society, and Mordion defied them, and was sent into exile. What gets really confusing is this guy is also in the Reigner world as well as the modern one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Time doesn’t make sense in this world, so things change a lot, and they change really quickly. Our main hero Ann lives in the modern world, but every time she travels into the Bannus they are in a different time and Hume our prophesied hero is a different age every time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I feel like this is one of those books you have to read a few times in order to get a handle on it. But it was just too much for me. I did finish it, and I left the book having no idea what was going on, or what at all happened in the book. I personally didn’t enjoy it, and personally didn’t get it. So this is a really short review but that’s just because I had no idea what was going on in this book what so ever. It was about as organized as this blog post. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;">I am really sorry that this post is so difficult to understand. My next review should be a little more coherent. But I really did not like this book, nor could I understand it. But from what I've read from Dianna Wynne Jones, her books are often very confusing and difficult to read. I think the time travel element in the book just made it even harder. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-21907567282757431122016-01-29T10:03:00.000-08:002016-01-29T10:03:24.000-08:00Fashion Identity. I've been going through a few changes in my life, especially when it comes to style and fashion. I have no idea what my style is anymore. But I decided to do a trip down memory lane to all of my weird style choices, and where I am going fashion wise.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiteY6cODlTc2UQ6csJ6bCcWG_pDqtvYpdul3j8so9di-FX4oH_i7DvOoE-xljZkQR5bBdha_susG_gfFB1IWdw_dITaX4cRwBDu5lXOpQpNLdMxNhvKhiEt-GO_mB-TqyV9X8V0LwhYU/s1600/386309_195482587194830_2040023850_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiteY6cODlTc2UQ6csJ6bCcWG_pDqtvYpdul3j8so9di-FX4oH_i7DvOoE-xljZkQR5bBdha_susG_gfFB1IWdw_dITaX4cRwBDu5lXOpQpNLdMxNhvKhiEt-GO_mB-TqyV9X8V0LwhYU/s320/386309_195482587194830_2040023850_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow...goth me. I wasn't allowed to dye my hair at this point</td></tr>
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My sense of style didn't really start emerging until high school. And in high school I was into the goth scene. And part of me still is. I loved the interesting fabrics used in goth clothing. And the idea of standing out appealed to me. As a kid, I was always that person people forgot about, and I really wanted to change that. And I thought if I dressed differently, I would get that and people would remember me. Not the case. But I was still very happy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgyTxhIJmtew60_uCSz1Avc6QH-mftz_79jpW3lufXm_YKYfPCN4mOAaCgfW64lwCZHoV7DwAolUQkpCbzWYRbdByJQ3x-Y1t0J-ahAdo9SCLfcVH3xRtCPjuj6EyKseFNTaq1Jwd2_A/s1600/tumblr_ntm75hvx5R1suhzpwo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgyTxhIJmtew60_uCSz1Avc6QH-mftz_79jpW3lufXm_YKYfPCN4mOAaCgfW64lwCZHoV7DwAolUQkpCbzWYRbdByJQ3x-Y1t0J-ahAdo9SCLfcVH3xRtCPjuj6EyKseFNTaq1Jwd2_A/s320/tumblr_ntm75hvx5R1suhzpwo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my favourite outfit. I still wear this </td></tr>
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This part of my life took many different forms but still the same aesthetic. When I first started out I was really into more of a punk look. I wanted crazy hair, and in crazy hairstyles. But I was terrified of getting my hair cut. You get one bad hair cut, and you're afraid of ever cutting your hair at all.<br />
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Then after a while I moved into lolita fashion. Now, I did a lot of casual stuff, I never did anything that I would deem real lolita. It's an expensive fashion, and I never had the funds to buy anything. So I admired from afar. Until I found kodona.<br />
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Kodona was at the point to where I was struggling with my gender identity. And that is still a struggle of mine. But with kodona I could experiment looking like a boy. But I was still too scared to cut my hair off. And I had a lot of fun with kodona. I could look super classy and not have to spend a lot of money. But eventually I did cut all my hair off, and gave kodona another shot. I did however mix it with mori kei.<br />
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Then I went on exchange and my whole style did an almost 180. This was the point in my life where I was discovering mori kei, and more bohemian fashions. So I forwent my blacks, purples and reds, for creams, greens and browns. And that went one for a while.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9LwYfdgb-3e24n-D9ME6C1LhT8QdZOH6lF_fh4jNgOdUMNxYDqRDS3YDoGzC6FJexza6t71mvAyu8enK4ovTPcLJmQ_I8HbnHWHWqASTlHpmRfjy2lO2whsnvxtY-Hcce4txkhERQkc/s1600/tumblr_nsvht4HLIk1suhzpwo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9LwYfdgb-3e24n-D9ME6C1LhT8QdZOH6lF_fh4jNgOdUMNxYDqRDS3YDoGzC6FJexza6t71mvAyu8enK4ovTPcLJmQ_I8HbnHWHWqASTlHpmRfjy2lO2whsnvxtY-Hcce4txkhERQkc/s320/tumblr_nsvht4HLIk1suhzpwo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This skirt makes me feel like a fairy. </td></tr>
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Now we get to this point in my life. Where I have no idea what my fashion style is anymore. I've been getting back into the goth scene but in a different way. With mixing pastels, and stuff with black in a more kawaii, pastel goth type style. But at the same time, I still love the greens and browns of mori kei. Regardless of what I wear, I am still going to be a fairy prince. Just different types of fairy prince's.<br />
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My biggest issue with having these two drastically different styles is I do not have the money to fund a new wardrobe. But for now, I'll keep playing around with goth, and mori, and kawaii. It's been a fun ride. But right now I don't quite know where to go with my style. I think my next big steps are getting fashion wigs so I can change my looks on a whim.<br />
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I hope you guys enjoyed this post with old cringe worthy photos of me as a teenager. Hope you have a great day.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-41853614817259361422016-01-26T06:55:00.001-08:002016-01-26T06:55:39.606-08:00Ore Monogatari full review. So, I've mentioned that I've been trying to get through a few series this year, and already I've gotten through one. And the series is Ore Monogatari, or My Love Story. And if you want the quick version of this review, the answer is I loved it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK8nOSWZX83KXOPebnbWzijZadi7SWxuJ9nzl6Plsu3wYWMbC0wiSLz8-ELNBISjdGp_akEwl2n3TkLTTnbfQCXZxWb2SjxOuC_pY7DZc-XjLySt4fr9ijN9B8OfdDqnT8_RlBRPJJtk/s1600/oremonogatari-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK8nOSWZX83KXOPebnbWzijZadi7SWxuJ9nzl6Plsu3wYWMbC0wiSLz8-ELNBISjdGp_akEwl2n3TkLTTnbfQCXZxWb2SjxOuC_pY7DZc-XjLySt4fr9ijN9B8OfdDqnT8_RlBRPJJtk/s320/oremonogatari-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takeo being Takeo</td></tr>
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My Love Story is about a young man named Takeo. Takeo is not your average first year high school. And what makes Takeo different is he is a very tall, very burly looking man who through out the series is mistaken for an adult. Now, Takeo wants to find love, and through middle school every time he would go to ask a girl out, he would find the girl asking out his best friend Sunakawa. However, one day he saves a young girl on the train from a creeper. And his luck with love changes.<br />
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The series is so cute, and so sweet. Takeo is such a sweet guy, and the girl he falls in love with Yamato is the cutest thing in the world.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhmJLgx6WP3p52Dldi-gz6T8jH5k2-x0sbS8aET9wmDqXf4PPe3uE3hAAJ9cc8maXeoYGuRAzduVy2QNt50FMesk-o-7mz4FQzjprHRcI4txR83BnqOViLrLIH1qF7ngdBM-T_JxiJcE/s1600/images-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhmJLgx6WP3p52Dldi-gz6T8jH5k2-x0sbS8aET9wmDqXf4PPe3uE3hAAJ9cc8maXeoYGuRAzduVy2QNt50FMesk-o-7mz4FQzjprHRcI4txR83BnqOViLrLIH1qF7ngdBM-T_JxiJcE/s1600/images-3.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rinko Yamato. </td></tr>
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I love that this series plays with the trope of the pretty anime boy getting the girl. Instead it's the less conventionally attractive guy wins the heart of the girl. And he doesn't change his appearance at all. He's just himself.<br />
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It's such a feel good series that you can watch over and over again. I honestly have only one bad thing to say about it, and that's I wish there was more. The series hasn't been approved for a second season yet. So yes the ending left me wanting more, but the writers probably have other things planned for a second season.<br />
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The animation in this series is also beautiful, and is what initially drew me to the anime. But I stayed for the endearing characters, the cute romance, and just the love I have for Takeo and Yamato's relationship. As well, the art for the food Yamato makes is just stunning. Honestly, I would probably rewatch this again just for the cakes she eats.<br />
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So if you are searching for a feel good romantic comedy, I highly recommend Ore Monogatari.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-55223098920928711842016-01-24T08:09:00.000-08:002016-01-24T08:09:37.464-08:00Cosplay Update. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_02KLSlhiuZzF-A9TKEEQIaR6RG2Xn1AOqeL-YQRPUxCS48umlb4aKNVVIHTRDj2yaGGdSse6l2qqX34-GoKLEOjIPqPPEtID5bxVol2p66vupywe6YtGeNj76NnfWIp1jVgW1xqt9E/s1600/20160123_122343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_02KLSlhiuZzF-A9TKEEQIaR6RG2Xn1AOqeL-YQRPUxCS48umlb4aKNVVIHTRDj2yaGGdSse6l2qqX34-GoKLEOjIPqPPEtID5bxVol2p66vupywe6YtGeNj76NnfWIp1jVgW1xqt9E/s320/20160123_122343.jpg" width="180" /></a>So I haven't done one of these in a while, and that's because I've been super lazy and haven't been doing much in the way of working on costumes.<br />
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Lately I've been designing what I want my Bill Cipher vest to look like, and what I want the tails to look like as well. Right now I'm working on embroidering the tails. Now since I have never done anything like this before by machine, let alone by hand, it's been a bit of a trial and error. But I'm making it work. So far I'm still not sure if I like the regular yellow thread or if I should get some real embroidery thread and a proper needle.<br />
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The only down side to that is it's going to cost me more money that I really don't want to spend. So maybe I'll stick with this for now, and wear it. and we'll see if I want to revamp it at a later date. Since I again stupidly forgot to bring home the vest, there is little I can do in the way of playing with it, and attaching the tails. So that's going to have to wait until March when I head back to the home town.<br />
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Next costume I am currently working on is Urushihara from the Devil is a Part Timer. The rest of this costume will be made at the home town. But I do have the DS painted. In the series you see the character either on the computer or playing a hand held gaming system. And I knew I had an old DS laying around that no one uses. So I decided let's paint it purple to match the rest of the colour palette of the character.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9275agcLEde0M58LlzIPcKA4R0ZgucHIFCPPVDDPdRpID7mA_WnYb4jAbHzafRT7eTj9wHwIF1HIjBNLt9RimVpUBcAU_cqT_9yGwGCwfSdOA-FFBbSwDqcX8_LDlBQWiPV7OCdMMpls/s1600/20160106_115740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9275agcLEde0M58LlzIPcKA4R0ZgucHIFCPPVDDPdRpID7mA_WnYb4jAbHzafRT7eTj9wHwIF1HIjBNLt9RimVpUBcAU_cqT_9yGwGCwfSdOA-FFBbSwDqcX8_LDlBQWiPV7OCdMMpls/s320/20160106_115740.jpg" width="180" /></a>So the first thing I did was paint the dark DS white as like a primer. And that way, since the purple is not going onto like a dark surface, the colour will be less dark. So I painted it white. Waited for it to dry, then started on the purple. It was actually kind of a fun little project to work on. So the only thing I have to do is dye the sleeves and collar of a white tee shirt I have kicking around purple. But what I don't know is if I am going to use fabric paint, or fabric dye. But I have time to decide.<br />
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The last costume is fem Germany from Hetalia. There isn't a lot involved in that. I need to work out a lot more. As well as get over the ear headphones, and bleach my hair. But besides those two little things. I would say it's pretty much done. I mean, she wears a sports bra, jeans, boots, and a jacket over her shoulders. One thing I keep forgetting is the iron cross that I thing I might make out of wood. It'll be something that my family will have lots of scrap wood to make a little iron cross then paint it. It'll be sturdy enough, and I think it would look quite good.<br />
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If my brother and I were closer I could ask him to make me one out of scrap metal, but I'm not going to do that. I'll ask my dad's help during my week off in the spring. For now, that's all of the updates I have for you.<br />
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If you want to see my cosplay Facebook page then click: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/princebasilcosplay/" target="_blank">here</a> and feel free to like it if you want. I need to update that page more, but I don't.<br />
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Have a wonderful day. :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-11840404838958059742016-01-22T12:54:00.000-08:002016-01-22T12:54:32.721-08:00Classics 101: Night <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCihYHsyJHk3F4-ZCiI-lg1_3ea2kYaEatEEgQeI1zM5qQOR_7HYfstj-HIk0S-wTHDhHltw1hogjl8oSrfq9dtSC0tbaOlXLjtuNOlWbkkLFXKL7MIdvo_u63QMiYmEizBargLwG-N4/s1600/41kkT0WKkXL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCihYHsyJHk3F4-ZCiI-lg1_3ea2kYaEatEEgQeI1zM5qQOR_7HYfstj-HIk0S-wTHDhHltw1hogjl8oSrfq9dtSC0tbaOlXLjtuNOlWbkkLFXKL7MIdvo_u63QMiYmEizBargLwG-N4/s320/41kkT0WKkXL.jpg" width="199" /></a>Here is another classic 101. And I think I know what I want to do with this little series. I want to create a base knowledge of plot, themes, and characters so that studying or even just reading a classic can be a little easier.<br />
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As a bit of a warning and disclaimer, I am not an English expert. I am just someone who loves books, and loves to read, and has found different things in different books and wishes to share them with you. The warning is this post will be about Night by Elie Weisel a memoir about a Holocaust survivor. If that makes you uncomfortable or triggers you in any way, then I invite you to skip this post.<br />
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So this book is more of a work of non-fiction, but there is still a lot of mass symbolism especially to do with Jewish faith. Now, I am by far from an expert on Jewish symbols, or the Torah, so I'm not going to mention much about it.<br />
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One of the symbols that is talked about frequently is God. Especially pertaining to Weisel's feelings about life and death, and his place in the world. One of the lines that really stuck out with me was "But now, I no longer pleaded for anything. I was no longer able to lament. On the contrary, I felt very strong. I was the accuser, God the accused... I was nothing but ashes now, but I felt myself to be stronger than this Almighty to whom my life had been bound for so long. In the midst of these men assembled for prayer, I felt like an observer, a stranger"<br />
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Throughout the book, we read quite a bit about the struggle Weisel has with his belief in God, and his belief in the goodness of people. And I think this is something very important to take into account. Because life in the camps was not just a physical battle against hunger, and fatigue. But a battle against one's beliefs and one's faith. And with all that we know about the holocaust, that concept something that we cannot easily grasp. And I feel like this book does a wonderful job at tackling that particular battle.<br />
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This book is a very simple read in terms of language, but the topic is very difficult to stomach. There are scenes in the book that just tug so much at my heart and make me cry. Particularly when we get closer to the end of the book and Weisel's father dies. Weisel's writing is beautiful to read, but at the same time it doesn't beat around the bush with slightly disturbing content.<br />
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The last line in the book is also something very moving, "from the depths of the mirror, as corpse was contemplating me. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me." This book is incredibly good at describing the horrors of the camps, but doing so tastefully. With a topic like this, it's very easy to go overboard, and I feel like that's even more difficult when you have been there. But Elie Weisel does a good job of describing the conditions well enough so that a reader feels something, but not enough to turn a reader off.<br />
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This is a book that is supposed to disturb a reader. It's not meant to have happy endings. So this book is a challenge to read emotionally. There is also language that some may not understand, either because it's in German, or it's Hebrew. And if you guys really want me to, I can create a pdf glossary of sorts. I think knowing the words ahead of time might be quite useful in understand what is going on, and what things are.<br />
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I remember reading this book in Grade 10 history class an not being able to finish it because mentally I couldn't handle it. I do caution you about that. But this book is something especially now that we should take the time to read, and reflect on.<br />
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I hope this helped you understand a little bit about Night by Elie Weisel.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-46186720028645535842016-01-19T13:19:00.000-08:002016-01-19T13:19:18.832-08:00Bookish Pet Peeves. Alright, so I've been seeing this on youtube a lot, and it's book people ranting about things either authors do, or book publishers do. And I wanted to make my own little list. So I chose five things that authors do, book publishers do, and as well readers do that just irk me. And just as a warning, this is a very rant-y post. And all of these things are just personal for me, and if you don't agree with them well that's your opinion.<br />
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1. Instalove/love triangles.<br />
YA gets a huge reputation for having this. All of the characters fall in love instantly, and I understand that a book can only be so long, but at least have the characters have one conversation before falling in love. The useless love triangle thing just makes me mad. I've seen it done well in some occasions, but it's usually when the girl has her eyes already set on a man, and there is another dude falling in love with her as well. That I am okay with so long as she isn't stringing the other guy along, but I really don't care to read about what guy a girl is going to choose. To me, I find that a little bit sexist for lack of a better term. I'm sure in some dystopian novel this girl has more important things to worry about than what guy she is going to be with. Or a guy for that matter.<br />
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2. Reading plays like novels.<br />
Alright, so I see this all the time with young people and Shakespeare. Plays are not novels! Plays yes can be read and enjoyed, but that's not where the medium thrives. You cannot expect a play to have all of the action of a novel. Plays are very much a visual medium and they combine so many different elements, from dance to music, to visual art, you cannot include all of that in a script. That's the directors job to make most of the creative decisions. As well, plays can't have "filler scenes" like novels do. Audiences get bored. And it drives me crazy when people read a play and expect it to be like a novel.<br />
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3. Dust Jackets.<br />
When it comes to cover changes and stuff like that I'm generally pretty laid back. I mean, no they don't match, and I think it looks cool when books are different heights. But the one thing that makes me really mad is dust jackets. I know they are meant to protect your expensive hard cover book. I get that, but they are still so annoying. Especially when I am trying to read, and the dust jacket is slipping off. No, just no. It's why I prefer paper backs. I don't want to have to adjust the book every time it slips. No thank you. And if I take off the dust jacket, I usually loose it, or it gets creased or something, and it's just a lot of no. <br />
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4. Reading elitists.<br />
Now, for me I feel like this can go both ways. It's more common to see those who read classics to shun those who read YA fiction. But I've experienced the exact opposite most often. And I think that's because of the level of popularity for YA books. But anyway, if I had a penny for every time I was called pretentious, or a nerd, or asked if I was only reading a book for school, I would be able to pay off my student loans. I like classics. That's the end of it. And yes, people can read classics for the sake of just enjoying a classic.<br />
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5. Romance for the sake of romance.<br />
Alright, so you know you're sitting and enjoying an awesome book, with kick butt action, and huge problems that need to be solved, and then all of a sudden, romance. No. Just no. I'm sure when the world around a character is falling apart around them, the last thing they have on their minds is romance. And to make more annoying for me personally, is the fact that it's all straight couples. As someone who isn't straight, it just grinds my gears. I feel like I saw this a lot in Sarah J Maas's book Throne of Glass. That romance, love triangle thing did not need to be there. In some instances I'll allow it, but most of the time I just get annoyed.<br />
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So that was a long rant about books. I really want to make more book related content. So if you enjoy stuff like that, then you're in for a real treat! Let me know some of the things you dislike about books.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-27606517394163930942016-01-17T14:49:00.001-08:002016-01-17T14:49:17.312-08:00Writing and Writing Updates.So, I've mentioned several times that I love writing. And I've been doing a lot more writing lately, and that makes me very happy. So, let me show you what I've been working on.<br />
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Well, first is my Nanowrimo novel. At the end of the month, the story was not finished. And I am still deciding if I am going to finish it. It has been difficult to sit there and write considering I was writing it in a bad place. For now I am putting it aside, and maybe I'll get around to finishing the first draft.<br />
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One thing is short stories and poems. I've been writing a lot of these, and if you want to see some of them and enjoy my writing please feel free to follow my writing blog <a href="http://writingtotheendsoftheearth.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Now these aren't everything I've been writing in terms of short stories and poems.<br />
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As I've mentioned in a previous post, I've wanted to make a book of poems, with a CD to accompany it. That I am pleased to say is currently being written. They are love poems, but they aren't all about loving another person. They are all about all kinds of love. I'm probably going to throw in something I wrote about my cat, so you have a bit of an idea. None of these will be able to be read until I have the thing finished though. I would like to have it done in the spring. But seeing as this is an ambitious project for someone who is only 19, we'll see how it goes.<br />
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Next is Camp Nanowrimo. Camp Nanowrimo is very similar to the event in November, but these events have a little bit more flexibility in word count. And they take place over the months of April and July. Yes I will be participating, but it's too early to tell if I'll be blogging about them. But if you want me to, I certainly will.<br />
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Since I was little, I've wanted to be a writer. And now I feel like that dream may actually happen. It's getting so close I can taste it. All of the advice I ever received from writers that I have met is "write lots." And that's what I feel like I'm finally doing. I feel like this is a lot of writing to be doing. And it makes me very happy.<br />
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I know my blog posting has been all over the place, but I am trying to get back on schedule. Thank you guys for sticking with me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-69826567636408914412016-01-13T13:27:00.001-08:002016-01-13T13:27:30.142-08:00Series I want to see in 2016. Now, usually through out the course of the year, I want to watch a few tv series. So here is a list of things I'll probably be watching in 2016, and of course, I put these into categories.<br />
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Anime:<br />
Ore Monogatari.<br />
Alright, so I guess I'm going to this in there even though I finished it this morning. Ore monogatari is about a first year high school student, who is our unlikely hero of a beautiful love story. I feel in love with the premise of this series, and I am happy to say it did not disappoint. It was cute, and I cried, and I laughed, and all in all I loved this series. Which is why I'm throwing it on this list.<br />
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One Punch Man.<br />
Now, I know very little about this series other than the main character is bald, and he can defeat villains in One Punch. It has me pretty intrigued, and I cannot wait to start watching this series.<br />
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Shougeki no Soma.<br />
This is a cooking anime about a young boy named Soma who goes to this elite cooking school. From what I've heard this series is fun, and cute, and I cannot wait to watch it.<br />
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Live Tv:<br />
The X-Files.<br />
I started this a few months ago, but it being 9 seasons, it's safe to say it'll take me a while to finish. But I love all of the characters, and all of the mysteries that need to be solved. Think of this as CSI meets Twilight Zone. And they are getting a revival six episode series at the end of January, and that has me very excited.<br />
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Firefly:<br />
I've never seen Firefly, but I've been told I need to, so this year, I want to watch it, and see what the fuss is about.<br />
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Merlin:<br />
This is something else I've been told to watch, and haven't quite got around to it. But I promise, I'll start it!<br />
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Cartoons:<br />
Gravity Falls.<br />
Now, you guys know that I have already seen Gravity Falls, but the series is finishing up, so that's why I'm including it on this list. There is one more episode I believe coming out in February, so I'll be of course watching that, and probably crying over it too.<br />
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And that's really it. It's a short list, but with everything else I have going on this year, I'm glad there aren't huge lists of shows I want to watch. I'll probably throw in a few more, and even do a full review of some of the series I've seen. For now, I'll talk to you soon! :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-55177104378704630862016-01-08T06:37:00.000-08:002016-01-08T06:37:26.534-08:00New Years Resolutions. So I am a little late for this, but I blame my little hiatus. But here are the goals I have for 2016.<br />
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Read more.<br />
So, I've talked about this before, I want to read more. This year I want to read 100 books, and put the books back in Basil's Books and Things. As well as I want to expand the types of books I read. I want to read more classics, and more adult books, and different types of YA books, and nonfiction books. And you'll get to be along for the ride.<br />
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Open my etsy shop.<br />
I've talked about this just a little. And I am happy to say, I've started making things for the shop. I cannot share any of those yet, but soon you'll get to see the things I've been making to sell. Right now there are a lot of different things I want to make for the shop from bath stuff, to cute accessories for cold climates. So hopefully by late winter, early spring I will have that up and running.<br />
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Write more.<br />
I'm going to be talking about this in another blog post. But essentially I want to write something every day. Even if it's just a blog post. I want to write something everyday.<br />
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Get healthier.<br />
I feel like this is on everyone's New Years resolution list every year. But it's a good thing to try and work towards. I don't only want to be physically healthier, but mentally as well. But I feel like with my mental health I need to literally start rebuilding all over again.<br />
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Create more.<br />
There are a lot of things I want to make, and a lot of things I want to do. I want to do more art, and more photography, and more cosplays. And there are a million things I want to do, and hopefully this will be the year where those things get done.<br />
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Use more photos.<br />
Up until recently, my blog has been pretty much all text. And that's been mostly because I haven't had a decent camera to work with. Now I have one, and I can add some hopefully beautiful photos to my blogposts.<br />
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I hope you guys have awesome plans for 2016! :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-87473942366173305142016-01-05T06:27:00.000-08:002016-01-05T06:27:50.177-08:00100 Book Challenge+January TBR. So, for 2015 I'll be the first to admit, I did not read as much as I wanted to. Life just got in the way. But 2016 one of my many new years resolutions is to read more. And this year, I want to read 100 books.<br />
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There is a website called the 50 book pledge <a href="http://50bookpledge.ca/" target="_blank">here</a> and they offer contests and help you track how many books you read. Now for me at least 50 doesn't seem like a lot of books. I want to challenge myself a little more. Through the site you can change the amount of books your read (fact check that). So, I'm going to try and read 100 books this year.<br />
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Now, I am not going to be super hard on myself if I cannot complete it. But still, I am going to try.<br />
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And in light of this challenge, my tbr posts will change a little bit. They'll include a little wrap up, and how many books I've managed to complete in total, it's not a huge change, but there is something. This will begin when I give you my February tbr pile.<br />
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Anyway, onto this months tbr pile!<br />
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So, the first books I want to finish are A Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin.... yeah, I'm still not finished it, but I am so determined to finish it this months. The holidays got in my way. As well as Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones. I was debating not even adding it to this list because I only have 100 pages left, but I'll throw it in there as well. And I will be doing a review on that.<br />
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The books I want to read are Memoirs of a Geisha. It wasn't a book that I got around to last month, but I'm getting back into reading more than one book at a time. So hopefully this will allow me to read more books.<br />
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The next book I'll be listening to is Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mendel. It was a Christmas gift, and I know nothing about it, other than it takes place in my city! I'll be doing a book review of this book!<br />
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And I'll be listening to some audio books. I found with audible it gives you a credit every month! So that's a free book every month, which I had no idea! So, I'll be listening to The Martian by Andy Weir. Since this book is so popular I'm not going to do a book a review on it unless you really want to read my thoughts.<br />
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Any way, there is my long list of books to read this month. Hopefully life won't get in the way, and I'll be able to make more time to read.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-48249404354632962932016-01-03T06:09:00.000-08:002016-01-03T06:09:05.576-08:00I'm back! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaKFcop6zfPypFfi_uGM3xxLjvfwC02qDHQPQKjAISGvOo6tyzV72xn1MbgLMOn2F-zq7i4RC2mJVYGvp9SVYpWXfnMQu8dknVf_oiia74AOzASOzA4C0AvfirHb9-ZhmRk3_hNnhZnE/s1600/20151222_064902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaKFcop6zfPypFfi_uGM3xxLjvfwC02qDHQPQKjAISGvOo6tyzV72xn1MbgLMOn2F-zq7i4RC2mJVYGvp9SVYpWXfnMQu8dknVf_oiia74AOzASOzA4C0AvfirHb9-ZhmRk3_hNnhZnE/s400/20151222_064902.jpg" width="225" /></a>So, I took a one week long internet hiatus to kind of situate somethings, and I'll be the first to admit I did have one night on the computer because I had a con ticket I needed to buy. And surprisingly I didn't get the things I wanted done, but I did a lot of other things.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxLSl5y9Ni0ltMfAhIXtroVJnclJXyrSuX4Laat8GZqMFnkimXsR5xbV4cLBhz3l-qs_UOAnLa4E9TVELwefqCSosCaSUVm-Vgd49LsBEiqdTxnk4MoGeVEQSW2c7LF_AbdrJ-OZjFg4/s1600/20160102_170210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxLSl5y9Ni0ltMfAhIXtroVJnclJXyrSuX4Laat8GZqMFnkimXsR5xbV4cLBhz3l-qs_UOAnLa4E9TVELwefqCSosCaSUVm-Vgd49LsBEiqdTxnk4MoGeVEQSW2c7LF_AbdrJ-OZjFg4/s320/20160102_170210.jpg" width="180" /></a>I went on lots of long walks, I had friends come over, my family did a sushi night. I did read a little bit, I did some knitting, and wrote lots.<br />
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Having some time away from the computer and the internet has helped in the ways of mental health, and put things back into perspective. I have lots of ideas for the future, and I feel much more refreshed.<br />
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However, I will be doing this internet hiatus thing twice a year, once in the winter, and once in the summer. I think it's hugely important to put away the gadgets once in a while. But, I am in no way condemning the use of them. I grew up with the beginnings of the internet, where most families had at least one computer in their home, and I see the use of them. But at the same time I see how they take over.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJClyBOFdv7y9jHJIeSzdpW51IXeBNgomdxmvdtfYjN9dTvXGAEKvG_jNdzP7s1sjztH8B9l82oblY6X9bli0bnlkVKPcoFvjsVVxvl5d_uMJsOirahlWP7GR2Z002yUAj51GBwcC3AsQ/s1600/20160102_173617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJClyBOFdv7y9jHJIeSzdpW51IXeBNgomdxmvdtfYjN9dTvXGAEKvG_jNdzP7s1sjztH8B9l82oblY6X9bli0bnlkVKPcoFvjsVVxvl5d_uMJsOirahlWP7GR2Z002yUAj51GBwcC3AsQ/s400/20160102_173617.jpg" width="225" /></a>So I am pleased to say that I have a little bit of a stronger hold on myself, and what I want to do for this little bit of time.<br />
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The last week has been incredible with watching movies with the family, and walking through the snow. Just enjoying personal time.<br />
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I have one more week in my hometown, and this week I hope to get a few things done as well. Like find my yellow thread so I can actually work on my Bill Cipher cosplay. It's my one regret this week that I couldn't work on that. All because I couldn't find my yellow thread.<br />
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But for now I am back on a regular blogging schedule, and I am so glad to be back.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-36447697146670793042015-12-26T06:50:00.002-08:002015-12-26T06:50:52.636-08:00Internet Hiatus. Alright, so I've been thinking about doing this for a while. And what better time than almost two weeks of posting every single day.<br />
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I am taking a short, one week online hiatus. No computer, no phone, nothing, for one week. I feel myself addicted to the internet, and I need to pull myself away a little bit, and get back to doing things I love. As you are well aware, there are a lot of things I want to do, and I feel like I never have enough time to do them. But if I take out the internet, I can get a lot of things done.<br />
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As well, my mental health has not been so great. Things have been hard, and I might do a whole post about my mental health story if you're interested, but it won't be happening until the far off future. There are things that I am not ready to talk about just yet.<br />
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I've also been struggling to come up with creative new ideas. I haven't been blogging for very long, but I find myself a little bit stuck as to where to go from here. I have no idea what to write about, I have no idea what I should share. I remember writing <a href="http://basilsbooksandthings.blogspot.ca/2015/09/feeling-small.html" target="_blank">here</a> and it was just me sitting and musing. I might go back to that a little bit. But for now, I want to get projects finished, and hopefully still have time to focus on my mental health, and seriously think about where I am going on this blogging journey.<br />
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So this week, here is the list of things I'll be working on.<br />
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1. Cosplays.<br />
I've been neglecting this the most. I don't want to be that person who is trying to finish their costume the day before the con. I know I still have a lot of time, but I want to work on getting more of my costumes done. So hopefully this week I can finish something.<br />
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2. Book sorting.<br />
I have a lot of books, and I keep adding to this collection. So, this week, I want to go through all of my books, and pick out the ones to either donate, or sell. I need to make more space for more books. I might do the same with my clothes, but I'm not sure yet.<br />
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3. Blog posts.<br />
Now, this blog isn't neglected in the least, it's one of my most active forms of social media. But I want to have some more content out and ready to share with you. Whether it be another look book, or a book review or something. So hopefully, I'll be making more things to show you. And hopefully something more original, and creative.<br />
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4. Crafting.<br />
As many of you are aware, I would love to start my own etsy shop. Through this week, I want to get a start on making somethings. It won't be much until the summer when I am in my home town, and not in class, but still, I'll do my very best to create as much as I can this week.<br />
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5. Read and write.<br />
This one is very important to me. I love to read, and I love to write. But I am not doing enough of either for my liking. So, I'll be writing lots this week, and hopefully reading lots too. That'll mean more book reviews for you to enjoy.<br />
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So, I'll be leaving you, and the next time you'll see me is in the new year, that's crazy. January 3rd I'll be back. I hope you guys have a great week.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-38818315566425541472015-12-23T05:51:00.000-08:002015-12-23T05:51:30.364-08:0012 Days of Christmas Day 9: Christmas Baking. Well, here we are almost done our 12 days of Christmas. And it's a little last minute, but I decided I needed to do some baking. As well as I have my grandmothers Christmas gift to make.<br />
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I love baking, it's always been something I've enjoyed doing. I like working with my hands, and creating something yummy. And Christmas time is when I do most of my baking. There is just something Christmasy about the kitchen smelling like baked goods. I don't know, maybe I'm just crazy.<br />
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This year I wanted to make breads and buns and stuff, so that's really what I focused on. And like yesterday, if you want a PDF file on how I made everything, I'll do my best to make it happen. The recipes I've gathered from all corners of the internet. And they all look really pretty, and they all taste really good.<br />
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Over the holidays, I feel like it's not Christmas without sweets, especially gingerbread. What are some of your holiday staples?<br />
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Happy holidays.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-35362313379719321322015-12-21T17:23:00.003-08:002015-12-21T17:23:33.142-08:0012 Days of Christmas: Gift DIY <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBf77rdqM_UkblAOzPax7kkGykx0MfxQoNUz0WDCK2A58cXNtfV8ZJjboHpdojFLNreQE6DirYsa45-_Ix-B5X4_ZgD8nQvAUfQ8nwSGNBJsoNpTUBb9DwfjMPPT_nrv3Fbq56M3nnBR0/s1600/InstaSize_1221201827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBf77rdqM_UkblAOzPax7kkGykx0MfxQoNUz0WDCK2A58cXNtfV8ZJjboHpdojFLNreQE6DirYsa45-_Ix-B5X4_ZgD8nQvAUfQ8nwSGNBJsoNpTUBb9DwfjMPPT_nrv3Fbq56M3nnBR0/s400/InstaSize_1221201827.jpg" width="225" /></a>So, every year because of my small budget I end up making quite a few gifts. It's a fun, and more affordable way to give this holiday season. If you want detailed instructions on how I made everything, let me know, and I'll make either a whole blog post about it, or a downloadable PDF file. But for now, here are the gifts that I made.<br />
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For my mom, I wanted to knit something. I always want to knit something. And any excuse to practice is a good enough reason for me. So I'm knitting my mom a set of coasters, as well as maybe some cloths or towels if I have time. For now, I know I can get the coasters done.<br />
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For my aunts, I've made an oatmeal bath soak. Sadly my mother took my idea for a spa kit, so I'll have to add my little gifts to hers. As well as I have some little hand made bags, and little tags that I made to go with them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhgvF-jfnaO_qyOM4UO6uMpEUgtgMzvuxbd1F-_8qAiVXLFKEvf-lINCLJQiX4uZwuqJ4xgSjTC-sXVDoZ_bqz1PEYbkjNwt1vqHeRig9KiL7jeJI3ulpA2J8nsM91ON4YDQfwBwVf2s/s1600/InstaSize_1221201746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhgvF-jfnaO_qyOM4UO6uMpEUgtgMzvuxbd1F-_8qAiVXLFKEvf-lINCLJQiX4uZwuqJ4xgSjTC-sXVDoZ_bqz1PEYbkjNwt1vqHeRig9KiL7jeJI3ulpA2J8nsM91ON4YDQfwBwVf2s/s320/InstaSize_1221201746.jpg" width="320" /></a>My dad is less of a home made gift, but a combination of some things that I bought. I got my dad everything he needs to make sushi. In this little package, I'll be including a way to make sticky rice with regular rice. That way he doesn't need to wait for me to come home with a bag of rice all the time.<br />
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And lastly my grandmother. My grandmother and I share this addiction to chocolate, and usually for every holiday I go out and buy her fancy chocolate. But not this year. This year I am making her truffles. I'll be sharing this one more when I do all of my Christmas baking tomorrow.<br />
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As well, I decorated the Christmas tree, so it's been a busy day. So you can have a bonus picture of the tree that I had to decorate by myself. I'm the only one in the house that is super excited for Christmas. And I guess that's okay. I'll spread the Christmas cheer all around.<br />
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Happy Holidays.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-84928129281139037952015-12-20T15:15:00.000-08:002015-12-20T15:15:57.066-08:0012 Days of Christmas Day 7: A Christmas Tag. I feel like challenges like this aren't complete without a tag of some sort, so I browsed the internet, and I found a Christmas themed tag. I hope you enjoy! :) Just like the last tag, I'll post a link to where I got the questions down at the bottom.<br />
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1. Favourite Christmas movie?<br />
My favourite Christmas movie is easily Elf. I'm not usually a fan of Christmas movies, the cartoon ones used to scare me as a kid, heck they still scare me. But Elf didn't scare me, and it's also hilarious. What's not to love about a fully grown man who thinks he's an elf?<br />
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2. Have you ever had a white Christmas?<br />
Yes. I live in Canada, so a white Christmas usually comes around. However this year is not looking so great for the white Christmas thing, but there is still time.<br />
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3. Where do you usually spend the holidays?<br />
Usually I spend the holidays at my parents place.<br />
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4. What is your favourite Christmas song?<br />
I have a few... I'm pretty picky about Christmas music. I've been doing choir most of my life, and we sing the same few songs every year, and it gets tiring. The ones I love are Gabriel's message, and Last Christmas. They are the only two we don't sing over and over again. BUT if Michael Bublé is singing any of them, then all Christmas songs are my favourite.<br />
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5. Do you open any gifts Christmas eve?<br />
Yes! Every year my family goes to my grandmothers house, and we have the big Christmas dinner, and open gifts and stuff. It's a lot of fun. Then Christmas day we are all too full to eat anything, so we snack all day.<br />
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6. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?<br />
Uhh... dasher, dancer, something..., comet, cupid, blitzen, Rudolf... no, no I can't. I did try though.<br />
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7. What holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?<br />
I'm kinda looking forward to bringing some Norwegian traditions to my family for Christmas, last year it didn't happen, but this year I am feeling the holiday spirit, so that'll be fun.<br />
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8. Is your tree real or fake?<br />
Real.<br />
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9. What is your all time favourite holiday food/sweet treat?<br />
My moms side of the family is German, so my favourite is any sort of German Christmas cookie. It's not Christmas without them! As well, I love Rømmegrøt, and hopefully I'll be able to share that with the family this year.<br />
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10. Do you like giving, or receiving gifts more?<br />
I like giving gifts. I'm pretty good at coming up with creative gift ideas, especially creative ideas on a budget. I also love making gifts, it gives me something to do to get excited for Christmas.<br />
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11. What is the best Christmas gift you've received?<br />
One of the best gifts I've received was a book of Viking poetry when I was in Norway. I still read it quite a bit whenever I'm feeling homesick.<br />
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12. What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday?<br />
Not gonna lie, I wanna go back to Norway, and bring my family with me. I think my family would love Norway. And I could celebrate Christmas with all of my families.<br />
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13. Are you a pro present wrapper, or do you fail miserably?<br />
I try really hard, but I fail so miserably. I generally just stick everything in a bag.<br />
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14. Most memorable holiday moment.<br />
I have two from the same night. I was celebrating with my host family in Norway, and the thing I remember most is giving grøt to the nisse in the barn. In Norway, they have nisse which are little elves that help the farmers. And every Christmas families give grøt or porridge to the little elves, and I remember watching the little lantern walking to the grøt and watching my host siblings being super excited about it. As well, as helping my little host sister make butter.<br />
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15. What shattered your truth about Santa?<br />
Not gonna lie, I don't really remember what shattered my truth about Santa. My grandmother still likes to believe in Santa. So that's cute.<br />
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16. Do you make New Years Resolutions? Do you stick with them?<br />
Every year I make them, and every year I fail. But hopefully this year I'll be able to stick with them.<br />
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17. What makes the holidays special for you?<br />
I'm not really sure. Not gonna lie, there is just something warm and fuzzy I like about Christmas, and the holiday season.<br />
Questions: <a href="http://enthusiastblog.com/2012/12/17/the-christmas-tag/" target="_blank">here</a> I couldn't find the original tag, but here is where I got the questions.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-3197639264956898442015-12-19T09:31:00.000-08:002015-12-19T09:31:02.111-08:0012 Days of Christmas Day 6: Gifts for Book Lovers. So Christmas is almost here, and like me I'm sure most of you have some last minute shopping you have to do. And I know from personal experience that unless you know a person really well, it's hard to pick out books as gifts. Especially if they are a little bit picky like me. So I have come up with a list of things that aren't books for you to get the book lovers in your life.<br />
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1. Gift Cards. <br />
The most obvious thing you can get them is a gift card to a local book store. That way they can go and pick out a book they know they would like. This is usually the go to for people who don't know what to get their reading friend. It's tried and true.<br />
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2. Book merchandise.<br />
If you know your reader friend is into certain series, try looking online to see if you can find tee shirts, or jewelry relating to their favourite books and series. You'd be surprised what you can find if a series is popular enough. Usually a series will have merchandise if there is a movie, or a tv show to go with it. But be sure your reader does like the movie or show before buying something that is super involved with the show like a poster of the actors, or board game.<br />
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3. Tote bags.<br />
If you reader goes and borrows books from the local library, then a nice tote bag might be something they could be interested in. They are long lasting, and come in lots of patterns and colours and designs. And of course these bags don't need to be for just hauling around books. You can even get ones that are related to series your friend loves, and they can use it for whatever needs they have.<br />
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4. Hot Beverages.<br />
There is nothing like curling up with a hot beverage and a good book. Find out what your reader likes, tea, hot chocolate, coffee, or apple cider, and get them some of that. They'll thank you for it. Make sure you know what they like before buying anything though. For fantasy readers, you could also get them mulling spices. That way they can drink spiced wine (or grape juice) as they read. <br />
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5. A book themed mug.<br />
Now, of course to go with the hot beverage you could get your friend a mug. But getting them any old mug is kind of impersonal. You can get lots of mugs with book quotes on them, or something like that. Even better is getting a plain white mug, and painting on it yourself. If your reader is really into Jane Austin style books, then you could get them a tea cup and saucer from a local thrift store.<br />
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6. BOOKMARKS!<br />
As someone who looses so many book marks, I know that you can never have enough. So go into your local bookstore and pick out a nice book mark. These are a great idea for people you don't know very well. Just basic laminated paper ones will work, but if you want to take it a step further and you know your friend will like it, then of course try for something fancier.<br />
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7. E-reader cases.<br />
I personally don't use an e-reader that often, but if your friend uses their e reader, and uses it a lot, then maybe think of getting them a nice case. You can get ones that look like real books for reasonable prices. And of course it doesn't hurt to have more than one case.<br />
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8. A snuggie.<br />
Now, I am serious about this. It's well known that readers like to curl up with their books, and blankets aren't great for that. So try getting your reader a snuggie or a fleece poncho. Something to keep them warm, but still give access to their hands so they can hold the book. I have a fleece poncho, and I love it to bits.<br />
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9. Decorative book ends.<br />
Find out if the person you are shopping for uses book ends first! Some people (like me) just don't have the space for them. But if the person in your life uses them, then pretty book ends look great on any book shelf. And there is a huge array of book ends to choose from. Check on etsy, or a local nick knack shop.<br />
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10. Book subscriptions.<br />
If you have a little more money to spend on your book loving friend, then try getting them a subscription to a book crate service. Pretty much what these services do is once a month they send you a box with some bookish things as well as a book usually revolving around a theme. These are awesome for avid YA readers. Here are a few services you can check out: (Add some book crate services)<br />
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11. A signed book.<br />
Now this is a little bit tricky, because getting a signed copy of a book isn't always easy. But it can be done. Usually it happens when a book is first released, or if the author has been to the book store. So keep an eye out for book tours. A lot of times these events are free. This is one of the harder things to get so don't worry too much.<br />
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12. A book light.<br />
Is your friend a night owl? Think about getting them a book light so they can read late into the night. Usually these are pretty cheap things to get, and they aren't hard to find either.<br />
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13. Pretty editions of books.<br />
Does your reader love pretty book covers? Well, you could get them a copy of a book they already have in a nicer cover. I find this works really well for those who love classics. A lot of covers look like they are text books. If you know your friend would be okay with it then maybe a nicer edition would be a great gift. Best place to begin looking is in used book stores, and of course the internet.<br />
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14. Audible credits.<br />
This is kind of like the gift card idea, but instead it's for audiobooks. Be sure that your friend actually listens to audiobooks before getting them this gift. But it's a great way to share something different with someone.<br />
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15. Notebooks.<br />
I feel like a lot of book lovers, even if they aren't writers collect pretty notebooks as well. Notebooks are just all around useful to have around. And especially if the book lover in your life is a writer too, then getting them a notebook might be a nice addition to their collection.<br />
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Here you are! Fifteen things to give book lovers this holiday season. Of course some of them are easier to get than others, but I hope you got some ideas from this list. But be sure your friend actually uses things before getting it for them as a gift. And of course if you know your book lover well, you can just get them a book.<br />
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Happy Holidays.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-36696485766643406312015-12-18T11:56:00.001-08:002015-12-18T11:57:46.552-08:0012 Days of Christmas Day 5: Giving Scarves. So a while ago, I made this post <a href="http://basilsbooksandthings.blogspot.ca/2015/11/5-knitted-scarfs.html" target="_blank">here</a> and I am proud to say that I have all of the scarves done! And today I went out to give away each of the scarfs I've made.<br />
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I feel so bad that I cannot do anything more to help these people. What I would love to do is get a big pot full of soup, and give that out as well. But I don't have the means for it. This will not be the last charity project I do, I can assure you of that.<br />
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So, I packed up all of the scarfs and headed down town. It's been such a heart wrenching day, and so harrowing. It makes one feel very thankful for what they have. They looked so happy getting something nice as a Christmas gift.<br />
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I think the favourite people I gave scarfs to were two guys sitting out with a banjo, they were out traveling around Ontario, and they had run out of gas. I sat down, and jammed with them for them for a bit. It was really interesting to sit an chat with them. So, I hope they made it home alright, and that they were kept warm.<br />
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I did ask to take photos, but most of the people didn't want their photos taken, and so I didn't take a lot of photos.<br />
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I know a lot of people didn't have mittens or gloves, so I think when I do this again next year, I'm going to knit mittens. I do want to continue this little project, and keep giving things to people who need them more than I do.<br />
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I hope you all had a good day, and I'll see you tomorrow.<br />
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Happy Holidays.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557782701303809.post-92128105695329661912015-12-17T07:33:00.000-08:002015-12-17T07:33:52.648-08:0012 Days of Christmas Day 4: Cloaked Book Review. <a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355868340l/7075298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355868340l/7075298.jpg" height="400" width="277" /></a>So it's been a long time since I've read something that is very young adult. I've lost a lot of interest in the typical YA books. But once in a while they are a fun read, and lately I want to read something light and fun. So let's jump right into the review.<br />
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Cloaked by Alex Flinn follows the story of Johnny a teenage boy who works in a shoe repair shop inside of a hotel. One day a princess from a small country in Europe comes to stay at the hotel. And when she comes to Johnny with a broken shoe, she explains to him that magic is real, and her brother has been turned into a frog and is missing somewhere. She has chosen Johnny to go find her brother and bring him back so she can break the curse. In return she'll marry him.<br />
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Now, I did enjoy the book for what it was. A cute young adult novel, nothing too serious, based around obscure fairy tales. But there were a few elements of the book that I was not okay with. One of them is Johnny's thoughts on Victoriana the princess. She is a very smart, clever girl, and we don't see a lot of it. A lot of what we see is her party girl side, and how hot she is. And it's almost the same with the other female character Meg. However since Meg gets more page time, we see a little more of her spunk.<br />
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As well, the idea that this young girl is offering to marry this boy she has never met bugs me so much. But it is an interesting idea on the instalove trope that is seen in a lot of YA books. It's clear she doesn't love him, she finds him cute, funny, nice, typical things one thinks when they first meet a person. But still marriage is a huge commitment, and should not be dealt out lightly.<br />
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The characters I feel are a little bit flat, especially Meg. We do see more of her, and we see more of her spunk. But the thing we see the most is the obvious crush on Johnny she has. She seems to only be there to help out our male protagonist. So the girls in the story, not so great. However I did enjoy Johnny's love for something that is typically feminine, and that's shoes.<br />
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However, there were some things that I found really interesting about the book, and it makes the story stand apart from other fairy tale retellings. One of those is it's not just one tale that is referenced, but several. And they aren't your "typical" stories. The most obvious one that is mentioned is the elves and the shoemaker. It's refreshing to not have yet another retelling of Cinderella.<br />
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As for the romance in the book, there isn't a whole lot of that. There is a little, but it's clear that the characters are focused on their goal to save the prince not on romance. The girl Johnny ends up with is a little predictable, but endearing all the same.<br />
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Johnny is an interesting character, and easily the most well developed character in the whole book. The choices he makes are to not only help his mom, but him as well. The reason he agrees to help the princess, is because of the money he is promised. I know being selfish isn't a great character trait, but it's real. And the author doesn't shy away from that. I think that's what I loved most about Johnny was that he was real. Granted I didn't care too much if he succeeded or not, but he was much like your typical teenage boy, and I could appreciate that.<br />
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Despite having a lot of negative things to say about this book, I enjoyed it. It was the break that I needed. I've been reading Game of Thrones, and I just needed something light and fun, and Cloaked was it. Do I recommend it? Kinda? I recommend it to people who need a break from serious books, or who want something that isn't super challenging to read.<br />
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As well if you are looking for a gift for your young reader this holiday, and they like the cute books like this. Then this is something to add to their book shelves this holiday season.<br />
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Happy Holidays.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862046832979455242noreply@blogger.com0