Wednesday Roundup: Dystopian TV Goodness

It's official: I'm in reading mode. I haven't played many games because I've been too busy getting into some new books and TV shows.

TV

Continuum: I discovered this show thanks to a tip from a friend of mine. It's a Canadian show set in Vancouver, and it alternates between 2077, where Kiera Cameron, the lead character, is working as a police officer in pursuit of a terrorist group named Liber8, and 2012, where she and the terrorists end up when their execution goes awry. The first season was only 10 episodes, and I just finished watching it. I liked how the plot thickened with each episode, how the scope of what happened became wider and more interesting, and how morally complicated the episodes sometimes are. It can be really difficult to find a good sci-fi show on TV, but this one is particularly well done. Plus, fans of the X-Files will appreciate that the actors who played The Smoking Man and Krycek both appear in the series. My favorite part: Kellog, because it's so hard to figure out exactly what his agenda is.
     
Bones: We've finally caught up and are now watching the current season. It's been a rough go for Angela and Hodgins, but I'm a little leery of where the show's going with Pelant. He's becoming borderline superhuman, and that worries me. Up until now, I thought he was the scariest villain the show's had yet, but I'm afraid he might end up on the cartoonish end of the scale. I fully expect to see him again before the end of the season. Sweets is really disappointing me this season--for a psychologist, he's spectacularly bad at diagnosing his own destructive behavior, but maybe that's the point. Still, Sweets, you're letting me down. The subplot about Booth in the Derby episode was touching. I love how Booth and Brennan both alternately frustrate me and make me love them.
     
Person of Interest: We're a few episodes behind here. Reese is treading in dangerous waters, and I'm amazed by how Carter's character is changing, but in a good way. I've always liked her character, so I'm digging the somewhat vigilante edge she's developing. I'm still worried about Fusco and hoping his problems are going to work out okay. What I do like about Reese being locked up, though, is it gives us more of a chance to see Harold in action, which I really like. I thought his connecting with the young computer genius was moving. Actor crossover alert: Why, it's Finn without his Southern accent and his courtship of Cam's daughter!

How are the mid season shows? Any good ones I ought to look into? We've still got Battlestar Gallactica to finish up, as well as 30 Rock, and I've got my eye on Downton Abbey, but I'd still love the lowdown on any new shows worth seeing.

Books

This was one of those books that had been sitting on my Goodreads "to read" list for quite some time, so I snapped it up when Amazon offered it as a Daily Deal. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you don't know this about me yet, I majored in French and used to be a French teacher, so it probably goes without saying I love anything and everything that references France. I loved how Perkins describes Paris, and I was busy making a mental list of all the places I need to try to visit when I go to Paris this summer. And Anna's right on when she talks about how sublime macarons are. They are more than just a food, they are an experience. Anyway, I loved the characters and thought the love story was fantastic. It evolved naturally and I could understand why the characters loved one another. The book was also laugh-out-loud funny in some parts, yet it was also reflective and touching. Plus, I rooted for Anna all the way, even when she was kind of being a jerk. This was a really enjoyable read.           

The concept of this book sounded intriguing, but I was left feeling rather ambivalent about it. There were some elements that disturbed me, such as Faith's date with Wade. At first, I thought the book painted what happened as okay, and I was having trouble continuing with it. I was relieved by what ultimately happened, but I still thought there were some alarming edges to the romances. In general, I don't think the relationships portrayed were healthy ones. I also didn't really understand what motivated Clara, who seems a bit one-dimensional. There's some good action in the book, but it takes a while to build up. Still, the world wasn't fully realized and some things about it just didn't make sense to me.

    

Warning, there will be a few minor spoilers if you haven't read Dollhouse. For a little while, I was more interested in what was happening with Jessamine. I enjoyed her back story and liked that it added new facets to her character. I disliked her so much that I was happy that Allyn made me feel sympathetic for her in the end. One of my favorite tricks is when an author can provide a different perspective on a seemingly irredeemable character and make me look at that character in a new light. The action surrounding Cassie ramped up a lot at the end of the book, and some interesting new elements were added to the story, along with a twist that took me by surprise. I'm looking forward to the next book.

That's it for me this week. I'm thinking about going to see Silver Linings Playbook this weekend and, if I do, I'll share my thoughts about that next week. I've also got my eye on a documentary that's been on my list for a while, so I'll try to watch that as well. And, of course, I'm reading books, books, and more books! At this rate, I'm going to blow my goal for the year out of the water. MOAR BOOKS!

Wednesday Roundup: Gotta love books that mess with your head

My hiatus from video games continues, which means I've been doing a lot of reading. So, without further ado, here is what I've been devouring over the last couple of weeks:

Books

I'd heard a lot about this book and had it on my to-read list for a while, so I was happy when it became the selection for my book club as it finally propelled the book to the front of my list. My mind was absolutely blown by it.

I love books with unreliable narrators, so Gone Girl drew me in right from the first pages. I didn't trust Nick and was openly suspicious of a lot of what he did, but there was something about Amy's disappearance that just didn't sit right with me, so the last half of the book made me gasp out loud.

Since I only heard some vague things about the book based on the buzz, I had no idea about the plot twists, and it's something I wouldn't want to spoil for anyone else. Instead, I'll just stop at saying this book ended in a way that was so unexpected and so messed up that I kind of stared in disbelief at the last words. If you like psychological suspense, this is the book for you.

I try to spend quality time on my elliptical at least five days a week, and I read while I'm going to town on it. My elliptical is in my basement, and this is an important detail because of the setting of this book. My basement is finished, so that helps cut down on the creep factor of it but, if you're like me and have ever lived in a house with an unfinished basement, you know how creepy they can be. Don't read this book in your basement.

This is a work of YA Gothic horror that revolves around a group of teenagers and one young girl who are trapped in the "Dollhouse", a creepy underground prison. The setting of the book is so ominous. It dragged me right down into it. Allyn sets her scenes so vividly I could see them in my head.

While I like the characters in this book--particularly Sophronia, who intrigued me--I was more drawn into the plot and the setting. Though there is a definite ending to this book, it still leaves some big questions unanswered, setting up the sequel perfectly. I'm sure it comes as no surprise when I say I'm now trucking away on the elliptical in my basement while creeping myself out with Paper Dolls, the second book in the series.

I've come to realize that I'm more a fan of sci-fi than I thought. While I love Star Wars, Star Trek the Next Generation, and games like Mass Effect, I don't typically like to read space operas. Instead, I tend more toward dystopic fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, or sci-fi that explores things like alternate universes or advanced technology. I found False Memory so satisfying because it contains a lot of the high tech, plot-driven themes that I love.

From start to finish, this book is pretty much non-stop action. Centering on a group of teenagers who seem to have been raised to become some sort of weapon, the story is still very human. There are a lot of action scenes, but they all felt feasible to me and none of the characters has that annoying habit of seeming so uber that they can't be touched. In fact, at times I was surprised by how difficult the characters had it--and that was a good thing.

The other big plus of this book for me was Miranda, the lead character. I love YA fiction that features strong, pro-active female characters, and that was Miranda to a T. She's capable but still vulnerable, and I really felt for her as she struggled to make sense of who she was and what was happening to her. I'm really looking forward to the next installment in the series. 

Television

My hubby and I are still working our way through Bones on Netflix, and last night we watched the season six finale.

I give Bones huge props for handling characters downfalls in a way that is heartbreaking and compelling. The second to last episode of season six made me cry in a way I haven't cried since the subplot surrounding Zach. The characters on Bones are really quirky and sometimes downright annoying, but the writers do such a great job of making them human beings with whom the viewer can relate, that it's hard not to be affected by some of the great tragic events that happen in the series.

However, I wasn't all that thrilled about the season finale cliffhanger. That one just felt too cliché for me, and I wonder how it'll affect season seven, as well as how it's affecting season eight.

Movies

On Monday, I enjoyed a fabulously lazy movie day with my kiddos. The features included Up and Ratatouille, two movies I haven't watched in quite some time.

Up does something that I think is amazing, with a skill that I envy: in the space of a few minutes, the opening montage tells a compelling, heartbreaking story with barely any spoken words. We see the young Mr. Fredericksen meeting his wife as a child, then the music begins and we get to see what their life together was like. I find this opening sequence so touching because it perfectly portrays the everyday joys and tragedies of life. When the Fredericksens find out they can't have children, it's heart-wrenching. When they have to constantly delay their trip to Paradise Falls because life gets in the way, it's so moving. And, when Ellie Fredericksen dies, you love the couple and their life together so much that it makes you weep. This is a textbook example of how to do a love story and do it well.

I enjoy Ratatouille for other reasons. While I like Rémy and the story of his struggle for acceptance with his family, and I think using a rat is a good way of symbolically showing what a struggle it can be to do the thing you love when society is set up in such a way that the doors are barred to you, what I really enjoy about that movie is the food. Every time I see it, I want to go to Paris and eat at a fancy restaurant. Since I'm going to Paris this summer, I just might get that chance! If you love food and/or cooking, I don't see how Ratatouille can't tap into that passion you feel for the subject.

However, I can't sum that movie up without pointing out something else I love about it: the subtle feminist message. I love Colette's direct talk about how difficult it is for a woman to break into the world of fine cuisine, and that she addresses the hard work and struggle she's faced to get where she's at. One of the things I really like about Pixar movies is how they tackle some pretty complicated themes in a very straight-forward, non-preachy way.

So there are my pop culture highlights for the week. Any good books or video games you'd like to recommend? I'm particularly interested in good RPGs or strategy games.

Wednesday Roundup: Bookworms unite!

It's time for the Wednesday roundup, where I discuss the pop culture I'm currently obsessing over.

Now that the holidays are over and things are settling into their normal routine, I'm taking a bit of a breather before plunging back into writing next week. This means I've spent tons of time reading and very little time behind my computer. So no music or video game comments this week. This time around, it's strictly books, books, a movie, and a bit of TV.

Books

I was really on the fence about reading this book. I've read a lot of praise for it, but I also know some people felt like the book's message was kind of heavy handed. I'm glad I ultimately decided to read it, because I loved it.

I didn't find the message too heavy handed because I felt it was simply part of Katsa's character, and I understood where Katsa was coming from and what it was about her psychology that made her feel the way she did. Still, I can see why some people don't take to her. I thought she was a pretty unconventional character who could be very abrasive at times.

I'm not a huge reader of fantasy, but this book drew me into the world, probably because it was mostly about Katsa and her relationships with others. I love Po and thought he was a wonderful love interest--I'm not going to deny that I developed a pretty mad crush on him myself.

I'm not yet done with this book--around 60% through it. I picked it up immediately after Graceling, but I don't like it as much as Graceling, though I think it's starting to get better. As unlikable as she could be at times, I liked Katsa a lot more than I like Fire. I get Fire's dilemma, but she feels kind of whiny to me at times.

I also don't like the setting of this one as much. The monsters are kind of interesting, but I feel like they take up too much page time. I liked that Graceling focused more on people, and I like this book better when it does as well.

I don't like Archer very much at all. I'm not impressed with a love interest who blames the female main character for his own shortcomings.

Movies

I went to see Les Misérables with my husband over the weekend, and I loved it. I've seen the stage show several times, so it probably goes without saying that I'm a fan. While I did really like the movie, it loses a little something when you see it on a flat screen versus being performed on a stage. Still, it made me cry buckets. I haven't felt that many emotions at a movie in ages. I thought Anne Hathaway was the best Fantine I've ever seen--it was like I could just feel her every emotion when she was singing I Dreamed a Dream. And though Hugh Jackman's voice was not quite as powerful as Valjean's should be, he was amazing in that role. My husband said he didn't even recognize him at first. Russel Crowe was also good though, again, his singing was a little weak. In general, the whole cast was wonderful, and I liked the technique of having the actors actually sing as they were performing a scene, though it admittedly did make it hard to hear some of the lyrics at times. If you haven't seen it yet, go, but be sure to bring a LOT of tissue with you.

TV

I'm now on season five of Bones, and I'm a little uneasy with Temperence at times. She seems to be coming off as more obnoxious than she has in a while, as if her edges suddenly became as sharp as they were in season one. It makes me a little wary of her character. I got really nervous when Wendell lost his scholarship because I was convinced for most of the episode that Temperence wasn't going to do anything about it. I still like her, but she's a little much at times. I also like Booth, and it's interesting to see some different facets of his character.  I like what they're doing with Arastoo--and boy did he look nice in that suit in Booth's dream episode! I sometimes miss Zack, but I think that Sweets was a nice addition. He's adorable, but it frustrates me how rudely Booth and Brennan brush him off--and he's always right!

So that's my roundup for the week. I'm bummed because two of my favorite TV shows--Fringe and Leverage--are no more, so I'm going to be looking for some good, new TV shows to watch. I like high-concept shows and I'm hoping there might be some good mid-season options.

Wednesday Roundup: Spelunking my way through Skyrim

It's a new year, so I thought I might try a new feature. I always want to spend more time on the blog talking about pop culture, namely the books, TV, movies, music and video games I'm currently enjoying. So, without further ado, here's what I'm spending my free time doing:

Video game: Skyrim. I'm pretty addicted to this game. The danger of it is that I can set out to do a quest, spend hours playing, and never end up doing the quest. I both like and dislike the open-endedness of the game. I like that Skyrim has a huge world that I can explore to my heart's content, and I really love that I can create whatever blend of skills and abilities appeals to me. I'm the kind of person who will spend hours gathering plants so I can make potions--I know, total geek alert, right? But sometimes that game just feels so overwhelming that I have the sense I could play it for the next forty years and never finish it.

Music: Imagine Dragons, Night Visions. I picked this album up on a whim when Amazon had it for $1.99. I'd heard a lot of buzz about it and I was curious to see what it was all about. Turns out, it's exactly the kind of music I like. I have some pretty eclectic taste in music, and I like bands that explore various sounds, which is just what Imagine Dragons does. I'm only sorry it took me this long to discover them. I'd have gladly paid more for this album.

Book: I just finished Mind Games by Kiersten White. I thought it was an excellent psychological thriller with a really compelling relationship between the two sisters, Fia and Annie. One of my favorite adult genres is mysteries and thrillers, and I thought this book had all the elements of some of the best those types of books have to offer. When done well, I often find really gripping psychological tension to be the biggest page turner, and I definitely think White nailed it. If Goodreads is right, there will be a second book, and I'm very anxious to find out what will happen next.

Movie: The Hobbit. I love the book, but I thought the movie was just okay. I think it was too long--and I didn't feel that way about any of the Lord of the Rings movies. It just seemed like there was too much extra tacked on, and like the action sequences were longer than they needed to be. Still, I loved Martin Freeman as Bilbo--if you haven't seen him in the BBC series Sherlock, what are you waiting for?? And let it be known that I am officially declaring Thorin Oakenshield the handsomest of all dwarves.

TV: My husband and I are making our way through Bones on Netflix, and we're hooked--to the tune of watching 3-4 episodes per day. We're just now finishing up season 4. What I love most about the show--about any TV show I'm passionate about, really--are the characters. They are so quirky, and each of them is distinct. I know I'm invested in them because I find myself getting mad at some of them and having my heart broken by others. Plus, the science geek in me is very interested in shows about the behind-the-scenes parts of crime solving.

That's this week's roundup. Next week, I'll hopefully be discussing Les Misérables in the movie portion of the post as my goal is to go see it this weekend. It's one of my all-time favorite musicals, so I'm dying to see if I think Anne Hathaway is as good as I've heard.

Woo Hoo Wednesday: I'm obsessed with coffee

It's time for Woo Hoo Wednesday, the weekly (well, usually) event where I take a few minutes to share some thoughts about the little joys in life.

Last week, our toaster oven died, so I made a journey to Bed, Bath, & Beyond to get us a plain old toaster.  It turns out that 4-slot toasters are way fancier and a little pricier than I'd expected, but I eat toast nearly every morning, so a new toaster was a necessity.  Anyway, after finally settling on a new toaster, I also stumbled on the Aerolatte.  I'd seen it a few times and thought about buying it, and because I was there with coupons in hand, I decided to get myself one.  I've used it several times now and I love it.  Using my Keurig, I can make myself a coffee, heat some milk in the microwave, froth it up with the Aerolatte, and I have myself a delicious coffee treat.  Yes, it's the simple things in life that please me.  Woo hoo for Aerolatte!

Another woo hoo because I finally figured out how to use the birthday reward that had been loaded onto my Starbucks gold card.  Not that it's complicated, but I'd assumed it would just automatically come up when I paid with the card.  Actually, you have to tell the barista that you want to use it.  Yesterday, I had a nice Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino and it was free.  Free is always my favorite kind.

Are you sensing a theme here?  I sure do like my coffee, don't I?

I'll throw in a woo hoo for finding a TV show I love.  I'm way late to the party, but my hubby and I started Netflixing Bones and we're totally hooked.  We don't watch a whole ton of TV because we're pretty picky, so we're always excited when we find something that we like.  The mysteries on Bones aren't always all that difficult to figure out, but I absolutely love the quirky characters, especially Temperance.  Characters are always king for me, and I think that tends to come out in my writing.

Lastly, a woo hoo for my being close to finishing NaNoWriMo.  I've been stressing about it a lot because I know some people really enjoyed The Eye of the Beholder (yes, I do read reviews--they help me see my writing in a different light and give me some really invaluable ideas about areas to focus on for improvement), so I really want them to like this book.  I mean, I want everyone to like it, of course, but I want to feel like I'm really writing something great for those who buy another of my books, putting their faith in me to deliver a good read.  Writing Asleep is a very different experience because of this.  Before publishing, I wrote books that I thought worked, but now I want to be sure I'm trying my best to give my audience what they like and want out of my books.  I've always been a perfectionist, but now I'm exerting another form of pressure on myself, and it's very eye-opening.

Well, that's that for me this week.  Hope you're all having a lovely week and having lots of moments that make you want to shout, "Woo hoo!"