Misc. Monday: Thanksgiving Week

Well, hello, people of the interwebs! Just dropping in to share a few updates for the week coming up.

See Any Good TV Lately?

This past week's Supernatural  had Cas in it again! Happy Dance! With Bobby gone, Cas is by far my favorite character, so I'm looking forward to seeing more of him this season!

Once Upon a Time killed off Billy/Gus the Mouse (apparently), and gave us some more backstory and development for Ruby, one of it's most interesting secondary characters. I like this version of Red Riding Hood because she's portrayed as a very typical, urban fantasy style werewolf with all of the conflicts there in--controlling the beast, finding a pack, maintaining humanity, and so forth. Very cool, indeed.

I'm glad Arrow seems to be doing well, since I really feel that TV needs a superhero or two, and why not one with a hood? My only critical comment about the overarching plot is HOW are all of these really corrupt people all in one city? I guess Sterling is to sleezy business men as Gotham is to psychopaths?

Grimm is a great show in many ways, but it annoys the piss out of my husband. He can't get over how slow the overarching plot is to progress--"I see one out of three shows, but I don't feel like I missed anything!" And he's not entirely wrong. It is first and foremost a procedural cop show with a fairytale twist, so right now it leans more toward episodic than saga style storytelling--fine for some viewers, apparently frustrating for others. What can I say? I still find the show engaging. Although I agree with hubby on his one other criticism, which is that Juliette has become horribly annoying in her obliviousness and lack of judgement. She can die any episode now, doesn't matter to me.

Beauty and the Beast is stupidly cheesie and not all that original, but still very watchable. If it were a book series, it would be paranormal romance Lora Leigh style, but without all the sex. It would be better with sex. As would so many things.

I also caught one episode of Revolution, and I liked what I saw. Problem is, I don't really have time for all of my TV and books as it is (I'm losing sleep here, people), so to fit this in something else would have to go. Anyone been keeping up with this? Want to tell me if it's worth squeezing in?

Reading Goals Are Holding Steady!

 

I surpassed the number of books read last year (97) and just hit 101! I'm so very proud of my extreme nerdiness! My goal for the year was 112 books, and with just over a month left I can't slow down now, but I'm confident I'll make it!

What will my goal for next year be? Perhaps 113, or something even more ambitious. Next year may be a bit easier without school or a wedding to deal with.

Some Thanksgiving Advice From Your Friendly Neighborhood Penguin

 

If I'm not around much this Thursday and Friday, it is of course because of the holiday. We here in the US will be celebrating our Thanksgiving diners, and then on Friday the shopping madness begins. On Friday . Friday. And that's the first point I want to make to you all, is that Black Friday should be strictly a Friday thing. Thanksgiving is for food and football and time with your family. Many retailers have gotten greedy and are starting their sales at 7 or 8 on Thursday. Nonsense.

I bring this up because right now, I have a day job (sometimes night job) at one such popular retailer. My schedule for the holiday actually worked out okay for me. But many of my coworkers were not so lucky. In the past, everyone had to work on Thanksgiving, but only 4 or 6 hour shifts. To cope with the early sales, almost everyone has to work 9+ hour shifts on Thanksgiving--sacrificing their time with their families. Do us a favor, please--vote with your pocket books, and stay home until Friday. Friday morning--go nuts, shop til you drop, we're ready for you. But please don't encourage companies to continue with these early sales--the hidden costs are paid by workers and their families.

Happy Holiday Season, Everyone!

Misc. Monday: Wreck It Ralph

Another week has just begun, folks. There are a lot of great reviews coming up this week, but for today I'm just going to share a few brief updates and a short movie review.

I Watch TV Now! Sometimes...

 

This season probably sets the record for the most shows that I've actively tried to follow at once. It used to be one. Now it's...five? I think there are five. Holy cow.

ABC's Once Upon a Time is probably the one that I look forward to the most right now. So far, I really like season 2. I appreciate the fact that it's gone in a different direction from season 1, that it hasn't started to feel formulaic. I really like most of the characters, and I like that the world feels big and it seems like they have loads of stories to tell. Is it kind of BS to have characters like Lancelot or Mulan or, God help me, Frankenstein in a fairy tale world? Yes, yes it is. But on some level, I don't care, because the show amuses me. That is all.

Supernatural is the stale bread of TV shows right now. It is no longer, and will never be as awesome as it once was...but it's still consumable. I've found season 8 at least passably entertaining, even though the overarching plot--Sam's normal relationship, Dean having been gone, blah blah--to be redundant of things hashed out in previous seasons, and just uninteresting overall, there are other things about it that I do like. I just hope they wrap up the show before it molds over completely.

Those of you who've been with me since last fall will remember that I had mixed feelings about Fox's Grimm. I still have mixed feelings. Some episodes are good, but some are far too procedural cop show for my tastes. But I like Monroe. And I'm intrigued by the royals, or whatever they are...

Speaking of procedural cop shows, masquerading as something more interesting...Beauty and The Beast is a thing now, again. The "Beast" is a guy who was given adrenaline based super soldier powers by the military, and is now in hiding. Beauty is a detective, but doesn't seem to be great at her job. It's honestly a bit of a train wreck, and boy is it cheese-tastic, but I'm going to keep watching it.

I've been watching Arrow, and it is also full of the cheese, but I do like it. It's basically a typical superhero story, but I like that sort of thing. Umm, the acting is kind of bad though.

Movie Review! Wreck It Ralph

 

Hubby and I knew we wanted to see this the minute we saw the previews. In sum, it's a story about video game characters, specifically Ralph, who is a bad guy that wants to be a good guy. So he leaves his game and goes to other games with the goal of winning a medal that will earn him respect and so forth...

What Worked In This Movie...

 

Ralph is likeable. The premise is likeable. You sympathize with his and you get emotionally invested in his desire for a less miserable life.

It was a lot of fun to see cameos from games that we know and love--Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-man, and so forth. The references were fun. I got the feeling that the writers know and feel affection for video games, and for arcades, and for the era when such things were at their peak. I loved the attention to detail.

It's just a really happy movie. It made me smile. But, I mean, it's a kids movie, it ought to make you smile.

Except this part. Homelessness is a bummer.

 What Didn't Work

 

If I had to name a disappointment, it would be the amount of time they spend in the race game "Sugar Rush", with the little girl character, Vanelope (sp??). Yeah, she's cute, but I wanted to see more, different games. She kind of takes over the plot. It's not bad, but I can't help but feel that this movie would be so much better with less of her.

Recommendation

As such things go, I would recommend this movie. That is, if you like children's/family movies, this is a good one. I like gamers in particular will get a kick out of it.

That's all for now, fellow penguins. What have you been watching lately?

Misc. Monday: TV Finales

Today, I thought I'd return to my Misc. Mondays roots a bit and share my final thoughts on my favorite TV shows for the season.

Supernatural: This is still probably my favorite show on television. I think it's past it's true golden era (seasons 4 &5), but I still enjoy the hell out of it.

Things I Loved In Season 7:

• The dynamic between the boys remains strong. Even when Sam was off his rocker, dealing with Satan induced insanity, there was still a lot of great dialogue to be had.
• A few really great individual episodes. My favorite of the season was Death's Door, when Bobby wonders around in his own head after being shot, trying to climb back to consciousness long enough to deliver a message to the boys. Seriously, Bobby, I love you. You're like the alcoholic uncle I never had. And you will be missed.
• Castiel. Simply love his character in general. I loved his appearances in the final two episodes, in which he became a peace loving tree-huger. Cas, if you're out there and you're reading this: I will help you save the monkeys. 

Bullshit Moments:

•  As an overarching villain, the Leviathans just didn't interest me. There was just so much heavy handed "Americans are fat, and it's killing them!" subtext in this story. Instead of dying from heart disease, we're all going to be eaten. Fine. Whatever.
• They freaking perma-killed one of my favorite characters! Sad panda!

• After seven seasons, I think they're starting to severely stretch their limits when it comes to dramatic season end cliffhangers. I could almost hear the writers' thoughts: "Well, we've already sent them both to hell, put them in comas, stolen their souls, unleashed Satan and other untold evils...but we haven't sent either of them to purgatory yet! Score!" I should probably withhold judgement on this until I've seen what they do with it next season, but all I can say is--really guys? 

Once Upon a Time: This is the finale that surprised me the most, and I'm wondering if it won't spell creative death for the show. I hope not, because I really enjoyed this first season.

Things I Loved:

• Emma is a kick-ass heroine. She's likable, but not perfect. You can sympathize with her, although she's led an unusual life. Her growing relationship with Henry was the most engaging aspect of the non-fairytale half of the show.
•  The fairytale portions of the story were pretty much always entertaining. I enjoyed seeing familiar stories with unfamiliar twists. 
• So many individually wonderful episodes. It's honestly difficult to pick a favorite. I'd have to say Skin Deep is the one that pops to mind first. In this episode, we learn some of Rumpelstiltskin's backstory, including an occasion when he fell in love. Beauty and the beast, and a sympathetic villain? Yes, please!
• Engaging characters. I loved Red Riding Hood, I loved August, I loved the nun/fairies, all of it. I love that even the freaking mirror is a character.

Bullshit Moments:

• I don't think I'm ever going to think of Regina as sympathetic. Giving her a cheesie and predictable young adult love story didn't help. Sorry.
• Mary Margaret and David. Interesting how I enjoyed, even adored, the Snow white/Prince Charming part of the story, yet heavily despised them in their real world versions. I especially disliked the soap opera-esc cheating/revenge/miss person plot. Ugh...really?
• Didn't really care for the ending. If this had been the series finale, and it was all over, sure. But I feel like they've written themselves into a place were the story is going to have to increase in ridiculousness or be retconned in order to stay interesting. I hope I'm wrong.

Grimm: The show I care the lease about while still caring. I think it's because I love fantasy but don't really love cop shows, so I don't know how to feel about something that merges the two. 

Things I Loved:

• I find Nick to be at least marginally likeable. He's kind of an average Joe, other than the fact that he's a Grimm, so it's hard to get really attached. But it's hard to hate him, too.
• Loved Monroe and everything about him. Such a quirky, fun character.
• Favorite episode was Last Grimm Standing, because it involved cage fighting among supernaturals. Don't ask me why I find that exciting. 

 Bullshit Moments:

• Hello, overarching plot? Remember me, the viewer? You want to explain what you're doing? Seriously, they've been working so hard to make the mythology dense and interesting--good for them. But sometimes, you are going to need to stop and explain what the pieces are, if not how they fit together. Plus, sometimes, less is more
• Dear Nick: Keeping supernatural secrets from your loved ones never works out well in the end. Call Mary Winchester from Supernatural, ask her about it...oh wait, you can't. BECAUSE SHE DIED. I was continuously baffled as to why Nick would stay with Juliette, let shit happen to and around her, and not tell her anything until the last possible second. Bad boyfriend. Bad!

 Honorable Mentions: I tried to watch The Secret Circle, but gave up maybe five episodes in. I'm a little surprised that they cancelled it, but not sad. Terra Nova train wrecked, which I thought was a little disappointing. There aren't enough good science fiction shows for me. I also briefly watched Awake, which was a show that wanted to be so much more than a show ever can be. I felt that story would have been better as a movie, and wasn't surprised that it got cancelled.

So that's that, folks. What about you? Did you watch any of these shows, and if so, did you like them? Agree with me? Disagree with me? Through carrots at me? Share your comments. Happy Monday!

Miscellaneous Mondays: Collectable Penguins

Last week's poll asked whether or not you collect things. Most of us do, but none of the voters admitted to being heavy collectors/pack rats! Very interesting.

This question came to me after helping my fiance move his childhood stuff out of his mother's house. Now, when I was a teenager we moved twice in the span of a year or so, and in that process I donated/sold/threw away most of my toys and things to make the moving process easier, so I just don't have very much of it anymore. Certainly nothing compared to his collections. He's got tons of toys--Sesame Street, the Muppets, Rugrats, Marvel action figures, the list goes on...plus books, games, movies, posters. Basically my reaction was "Holy crap!" I felt both envious and pitying, but my primary reaction was panic as to where we're going to keep it all--because apparently we're keeping quite a bit of it.

Now, I've collected a few things over the past few years--things that I particularly love. I have the penguins, of course, and I have my books. Even with the books, though, I only keep the good ones. They still overflow the shelves, but that's because I read so many good books! I have these guys--

--who I feel look really nice along side all of my fantasy/paranormal books. Who doesn't need a vampire doll and her werewolf boyfriend? So I guess I'm just as guilty of wanting to keep a few pointless objects, but I try to be sane about it.

What sort of things do you hold on to? Sentimental stuff? Knickknacks? Every book/movie you've ever read/watched? Nothing at all? Share your collections in the comments!

Miscellaneous Weekly Updates:

I finally got Josh to watch Tangled--and he loved it! A good Disney movie is a wonderful thing.

In TV news:

• I watched the newest Supernatural and LOVED it, even though I could call the end just from the previews. Dean seems to always be the one to fall in neck deep with the monsters.
• I'm still keeping up with Grimm, and enjoying it alright, but my GOD the overarching plot is moving slow. I hope it's building toward something climactic and awesome, because right now it's a B show for me.
• I've been watching Merlin online, trying to catch up with it. I tend to multitask when I watch this show--I don't feel too attached to it, but it's nice to have on it the background. I'm not a huge nerd when in comes to Arthurian/Camelot legends, but I used to be. I think if your in an Arthur phase at present you'd really like this show, so I do recommend it. 

Don't forget that the 300 followers giveaway is still going on!

Lastly, the new poll is up--we're asking what types of movies you enjoy! Don't forget to vote! Happy Monday, and Happy Reading!

Miscellaneous Mondays: Embracing my Inner Nerd

Hello all! It's finals week in my little world, so that means some extra studying and a lot of extra hours at work. I'm ahead of the game this semester, so hopefully the stress won't get to me. In the meantime, check out my nerd moments for the week!

Grimm


I promised to share my thoughts on both new episodes, and so I shall. The first episode was about the Pied Piper, which is admittedly a fairy tale that I don't know a lot about. I vaguely remember a few cartoon versions of it, but never read the original and I have no emotional attachment to it. In this episode, I liked the concept of the Piper--weird and interesting at the same time. However, the underlying conflict of the poor kid getting teased because of his dad's job? Kind of boring. Again, this is something you could do with absolutely any crime show. I liked it better than the Bluebeard episode, but I still thought they could have done more with it.

I liked Friday's episode quite a bit. I like Monroe as a character, and getting some back story for him was a lot of fun. I also thought that this episode put some real effort into showing the complexity of the world of these creatures--they don't all like each other, and there are genuinely deadly situations that can arise. This has the potential to put Nick in some dilemma filled situations, and the show really needs that.

Overall though? This show is a cool concept, it really is, but I do feel like it's struggling to use it's fairy tale characters effectively. It's doing well with Monroe, but the rest of them just seem to come and go like extras in a B movie.

Supernatural, The Anime Series

After getting caught up in the live action show (Poor Bobby!) we finished watching the anime version. It spans the time frame of seasons 1 and 2 of the live action show, basing some episodes on those episodes, but having some that are completely original. Unless your a big Supernatural geek, you probably won't like it. But if you are, it offers a really different perspective on a familiar plot. There's a lot of things they can do in animation that aren't possible in a life action show, so it offers some disturbing and creative imagery. For my part, I was pretty entertained.

Once Upon a Time

This episode focused on the Huntsman from Snow White--Graham in the modern world--who is the first character to start to remember his old life. Josh called the ending of this one pretty early on, but it bummed me out anyway. They did a good job turning him into a compelling and likeable character in the span of one episode--that isn't easy to do. Overall, I think this show is getting comfortable with it's paranormal aspects, and hopefully it has a lot of good stories left to tell.

I'm also intrigued that there's a book coming out, presumably with the shows version of the fairy tales that it's been using.

Poll Results

In the question of killing evil, it's a three way tie between explosives, mental powers, and embracing evil. This leads me to conclude that most of our voters are mad scientists or evil inventors. Or both, I suppose.

The new poll asks: At what point do you think a series has too many books? Is there such a thing as too many? I definitely think there is, in fact I have some pretty strong opinions on this matter. I'm hoping that next week we can have a discussion about our favorite series, and why they should or shouldn't end any time soon. In the mean time, please vote on the right side of your screen. Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that the books in question are written by a very talented and beloved author. Happy Reading!

Miscellaneous Mondays: Catching Up

This week the name of the game was multi-task, as I tried to complete as many mundane tasks as possible while also watching the shows and movies that I've really wanted to get caught up on. So, here follows an account of my adventures in TV land. But first, a personal anecdote.

Sometimes Plans Change...

This is the dress in question...

I don't know that I've mentioned before that I was to be a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding in May. In any case, that friend and her fiance broke things off over Thanksgiving break. It was one of those break-ups that, while shocking and sad, was really for the best.

Emotional drama aside, the incident has left me with what I'm referring to as The Dress Dilemma. Our bridesmaid dresses were bought and paid for months ago, and it's too late to return them. Thankfully it's not a fancy or expensive dress, as the wedding was to be a simple one. I thought about keeping it, because it's pretty close to my taste, and maybe it could be worn to a baby shower or wedding some day down the line...but I don't want my friend to see me in it, because she does NOT need the reminder. The other problem is that it's a tiny bit big--a size 4 was the smallest size available, and we had planned to get it altered because I'm very petite in the bust area.

Interestingly, when The Dress Dilemma was brought to the attention of certain male parties (who shall remain nameless), the reaction was "Oh just keep the damn thing!" Some people told me to donate it, but I don't know how useful a sundress would be to the city mission in the middle of winter. So I'm selling it on ebay, for way less than I paid for it, just to be rid of it.

I'm not trying to imply that this is some huge tragedy or frustration for me. It's just that life was going in one direction, took an abrupt left turn, and left me in a different situation where a dress became useless baggage. Things change.

What I've Been Watching

I got caught up on Terra Nova. I have to say, the novelty is starting to wear off for me on this one. It still has it's interesting aspects, and I'll keep watching it for now...But it's definitely my least favorite of the shows I watch (now that The Secret Circle has been taken off the list). It's starting to feel a lot like Lost used to, where they are constantly trying to build up to some big reveal that is never satisfying, and each episode adds a layer of ridiculousness until you can't even remember the point of the show. But I guess that's what happens when your shows entire premise is a location.

I am NOT caught up on Supernatural, having missed the mid-season finally do to impromptu napping. So don't spoil it for me. Seriously, I am prepared to fling penguins at you.

The last episode of Grimm that I saw featured Bluebeard as it's villain. It was a decent episode...But it felt a lot like Law and Order SVU with a slight paranormal element. This show has loads of potential, but it needs to get more confident with it's use of mythology and supernatural aspects. I think next week there will be two episodes, so I expect I'll have a lot to say about it. Incidentally, last year I read an erotica version of Bluebeard that I can't seem to find (if someone thinks they know, please send me the link). Anyway, the erotica version prompted me to read the originally version, and I enjoyed both equally.

I think Once Upon a Time is the show that I currently look forward to the most. I am well and truly aware that it's basically a soap opera with fairy tale characters. I don't care. I find it cozy, familiar, interesting, and occasionally surprising. I love the Disney references, I love the characters, and I love the storytelling style. This week's episode gave us a back story for Prince Charming (James) and I have to say, I'm loving his character.

Our Favorite Fantasy Creature!

 Dragons took the lead in this week's poll, with over 30% of the votes! I really love dragons. They're a part of all that great high fantasy that I really wish I read more of. Sometimes they're monsters, other times sidekicks, and sometimes heroes. Even the monster dragons are majestic and demand respect. So yeah, I wish their were more dragons in my books and movies.

This week's poll is a blood thirsty one--What's your weapon of choice when battling evil? Remember to vote on the right side of your screen! Have a great week, and Happy Reading!

Miscellaneous Mondays: Evening Edition

Those of you who have checked in for previous editions of MM probably know that I'm late today! Between tests, presentations, and papers I am absolutely swamped this week as we prepare for Thanksgiving break next week. I hope you'll forgive me if I'm not able to visit as many blogs as I normally do, but I promise to make up for it soon.

TV Talk

Really hilarious Supernatural this week! I always like the ones with a lighter, comical feel, and this one definitely delivered. I was amused by the addition of Garth to this episode, a character that I believe had been mentioned in passing but not previously seen.

I'm still keeping up with Grimm as best I can. It has the potential to be such a good show. This particular episode, though enjoyable, had it's issues. For one thing, it features bees that look so fake they are hard to take seriously. I know it's just a TV show, and budgets are limited and effects are tough. But yeah, it was a tough thing to look past. I also thought that the writers placed Nick in a pretty contrived situation and then had him make some remarkably questionable decisions. I'm not too upset though, the show still has a lot of room to grow in.

Once Upon a Time, on the other hand, still has me totally captivated. There are so many interesting stories to be told in the world that the show has set up. The one problem is, as Josh has pointed out to me repeatedly, the premise comes with an end date of sorts. The whole point is that eventually, all of the people who have forgotten their fairy tale origins will realize or remember them. At least, that's where I thought it was going. If/when that happens, the show can't really continue on in the same way. But, it's early in the running and who knows what will happen.

Lion King...In 3D!

We caved and went to see the Lion King at our local discount theater. For people my age this movie is extremely nostalgic, and being able to sit through it in a theater again brought back such awesome memories. Yeah, I know, it's a gimmick on Disney's part. And no, the 3D doesn't add anything. But it kept me entertained for an hour and change, so for me it was worth it.

Who Wants Superpowers?

Here are the results from last weeks poll! I'm a bit surprised at this one, because I would not have predicted telekinesis to win. Is it that people don't want to get up to retrieve the remote control across the room? I guess manipulating objects with your mind is pretty cool. If you got really good at it, you might be able to unlock vaults or make yourself levitate.

When it comes to reading, I love a character with superpowers. My philosophy toward it, though, has always been less is more. I think it's really interesting to take an otherwise ordinary character, give them one extraordinary power, and watch what they do with it. Jennifer Estep is doing a good job of this with Gwen from the Mythos Academy series: Gwen is psychometric. Everyone around her has crazy fighting skills, but she has only this unique psychic gift, and that puts her in some pretty interesting situations. Another good example is Mercy, from Patricia Brigg's series. She's just a shape-shifter, which is kind of rare but in no way makes her invincible or super special. Yet she accomplishes a lot with the abilities she has.

Does anyone want to share why their favorite superpower is the best? Leave a comment!

This week's poll is favorite pie flavor, because I love pie. Vote on the right side of your screen!

Don't forget to enter the 200 followers giveaway: Extra entries can be earned by tweeting or posting about it, so make sure you take advantage of that!

Miscellaneous Mondays: In Honor of Heroines

Kicking off yet another week with Miscellaneous Monday, I want to talk about something a little more specific than usual: heroines. Anyone who reads my reviews has probably noticed that I'm tough on heroines. Not only do I want them to be well written, three-dimensional, and fully developed, but I also want them to be tough, smart, and talented. I'm quick to point out when the leading lady isn't up to snuff. Why am I so tough on heroines? I guess it's because when I read a book, even one written in third person, I tend to "see" everything through the heroine's eyes. She becomes like my tour guide through the story, and if I like her I feel like she's my friend. If she's stupid, whiny, or boring, I end up hating her and the entire book by proxy. The same goes with shows and movies (just look at how I reacted to The Secret Circle). Let's look at some of the heroines in my fictional life.


Once Upon a Time

Emma from Once is a great example of how you can have a likeable heroine who isn't boring. She's a loner, and she's lonely, and her social skills are questionable. She obviously hasn't had an easy life. But she has a lot of heart, and she wants the best for her son. So she stays and fights even when she'd much rather leave. If you've seen the show, than you know what I'm talking about. And if you haven't, than you need to. It's like a family drama and a fantasy show melded together.

Terra Nova

Elizabeth is the "wife/mom" character in Terra Nova. Like everything else about the show, Elizabeth's character is pretty cliched--but cliched does not mean unlikeable. She's a doctor and sometimes researcher (because all scientists know everything there is to know about science), but she also occupies the typical mommy role in a big way. I recall one episode when she works late and asks her husband to handle the kids and make dinner, and of course he fails without her--dads can't do mom things, that's just crazy! I do like her, though, because she's a smart, optimistic, forward thinking character. In the most recent episode she spent a day trying to heal a baby dinosaur so that it would hatch from it's egg healthy--just so her daughter wouldn't be upset. That whole thing was a bit over sweet for my taste, but it did show how much she cares.

Grimm

I'm cheating a bit with this one because Aunt Marie is not the heroine of the show--she isn't even a main character. She's more like the plot device that kicks everything off. But I don't care, I like this show and I want to talk about her. Aunt Marie has apparently had quite and interesting life, fighting the monsters from the old Grimm fairy tales. At one point a nurse comments about her many scars and asks what line of work she was in, and Nick replies that she was a librarian. A librarian who kicks ass--that's simply fantastic! It saddens be that we aren't likely to get much more of her story, but I'm filing her away in my cool fictional characters list.

Disney Heroines

I made this the subject of last weeks poll because I've been on such a fairy tale kick. A lot of people, especially really hard core feminists, like to go on and on about how Disney heroines are not stellar role models. On some level I can see their point, but it's not something I take too seriously. To me they've always been fantasy characters from another time and place, and you can't hold them to the same standards that you would a contemporary character of today. That would be like berating the ladies of Jane Austen's books for not getting jobs.

Anyway, Mulan ended up winning in the poll, which I find exciting because she is an entirely different kind of heroine. Not only is she actually heroic, she has goals that have nothing to do with romance and getting married. Sure, the romance is there, but it's a secondary concern to all of the cross dressing, self discovery, and saving China plot threads. I just watched Mulan over the weekend for the first time in quite a few years. Questionable handling of Chinese culture aside, I really love that movie.

So, who is your favorite heroine (Disney or otherwise)? What makes her awesome?

As always, a new poll is up! In keeping with the fantasy theme, this week I'm asking what super-power you would choose. Take a second to vote on the right side of your screen. Thanks a bunch, and Happy Reading!

Miscellaneous Mondays: Celebrating the Supernatural!

Welcome to Miscellaneous Mondays! Happy Halloween! As you might guess, Halloween is probably my favorite holiday. Unfortunately, I'm not doing much to celebrate this year due to time and money constraints. But, in place of the costumes and candy deal, I'm going to talk about some of the creepy/cute/fun supernatural stuff in my life!

Monsters!

This week's Supernatural revisited another classic motif of the show: The bad guys pretending to be our heroes, and thus getting them in a ton of trouble. Personally I think shapeshifters that have the ability to look like anyone are freaking terrifying. Hunting monsters that look like monsters would be bad enough. Hunting monsters that might look like your brother or your best friend or your grandmother? That seems impossible.

In other monster news, here is my updated Monster High doll collection.

The three new dolls are Draculaura, Clawd, and Holt Hyde. All were birthday presents from Josh.

Fairy Tales!

Watching the premier of Once Upon a Time kind of got me on a fairy tale kick. It appears to be a show that's going to mix fairy tales with contemporary drama. It remains to be seen how successful the blend will be, but I love the concept.

I also watched the premier of Grimm online, since it's on at the same time as Supernatural. This one seems to be a crime show mixed with fairy tale characters. Again, I love the concept, but I have no idea if it will be something that the writers and cast can continue to make interesting week after week.

All of this called back to mind one of my favorite obscure shows--The Tenth Kingdom. This was a miniseries that aired back in 2000. It's basically about young woman named Virginia who, along with her father, gets sucked into a world where fairy tales are real. It was a fun show that didn't take itself too seriously--it's delightfully awkward and cheesy. It is also, unfortunately, very hard to actually find. If you can track it down online to watch it, it's totally worth it. I introduced it to Josh, who enjoyed it quite a bit. We're both bummed that there was no sequel or follow up of any kind.

Weekly Poll Results: Beauty and the Beast Wins!

I chose this poll because of my aforementioned fairy tale kick. Here's what the results look like in pie form!






It was a pretty close race between Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, but in the end Beast prevailed. I love all fair tales, but yes, Beauty and the Beast is my favorite too...

See, I have evidence!

  ...This is from last Halloween. Yep, you never quite outgrow the awesomeness that is Beauty and the Beast. And yes, before anyone seeks to educate me in this matter, I realize that all fairy tales have been around long before Disney came along and sanitized the hell out of them. But it was the Disney version that I saw first, so that's what started my affection for it.

Leaving aside cartoons for a moment, beauty/beast stories are used pretty frequently in romance novels. Sometimes it's as a deliberate  retelling, such as in When Beauty Tamed the Beast. But in other cases, it's a subtler thing. One of my favorite examples is J.R. Ward's Lover Awakened. You have a hero who is horribly and permanently scarred, and has zero social skills. The heroine, seemingly his opposite in every way, has a herculean task in even getting him to trust her. In the end, the story is surprisingly touching. Do you have a favorite beauty/beast book? Do share!

In keeping with the fairy tale theme, this weeks poll is Favorite Disney Heroine. Please take a second to vote, on the right of your screen. Happy Reading!