lately in entertainment.

lately in entertainment - april/may 2016

movies.

Captain America: Civil War - Though it often feels like yet another Avengers ensemble film (only Hulk and Thor are absent from the lineup), the storyline of Civil War is driven by Steve Rogers' priorities coming into conflict with Tony Stark's values. Already under a microscope after the disaster in Sokovia (the end of Age of Ultron), the Avengers are basically grounded by the U.N. after Scarlet Witch accidentally sends an explosion into an occupied building. Just as he had to face the consequences of being an arms dealer in the first Iron Man movie, Tony Stark is confronted with the human collateral damage caused by the Avengers, and supports international oversight for the superhero team. Captain America doesn't trust the plan - as he puts it, "the safest hands are still our own." Where I thought I was going to clearly side with Steve going in to the movie, the film actually forces viewers to consider and understand both points of view - and to see the blind spots in each hero's vision. 

Steve's blind spot, of course, is his best friend turned supersoldier, Bucky Barnes, who is on the run from authorities after being framed for a bombing attack, and who the Internet has convinced me is a precious cinnamon roll. In pursuit of the real bomber, Steve teams up with Sam Wilson, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, and Scott Lang (Ant-Man), who is just thrilled to meet big-name superheroes, with sneaky help from Agent 13 (Sharon Carter). Tony teams up with Rhodey, Black Widow, Vision, Black Panther, and his ringer, Spiderman, who's freaking out even more than Scott. The resulting fight is the most comic book thing I've ever seen on screen, complete with a Spider-Man who is finally an actual teenager narrating his experiences the whole time. Obviously, someone's going to get hurt with that much muscle and power facing off, and the characters end up learning a lot of things they never wanted to know. I'd be fine with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely writing and Anthony and Joe Russo directing everything Marvel from now on - every character had clear, often conflicted, motivations that seemed completely believable.

The Huntsman: Winter's War - Since Thor isn't in Civil War, we also had to show our love for Chris Hemsworth by seeing his current film with "war" in the title. I was surprised by how much I actually loved Snow White and the Huntsman, but was a little skeptical about this prequel until I read a newspaper review that described it as the kind of movie that's so bad, it's good, and classed it with Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. Far from the gruff, silent Huntsman of the original film, Chris Hemsworth chews up the scenery and seems to love every minute of it. At the beginning of the movie, we learn that even though Snow White's kingdom is at peace, the mirror is driving her mad. She orders the mirror to be taken to Sanctuary so that the kingdom will be safe from its dark magic - but it is stolen along the way. Her husband, King William (hello there, Sam Claflin), and dispatches Eric, the Huntsman, to find the mirror, along with a couple of dwarves who insist on accompanying him (Nick Frost reprises his role from the first movie). This storyline allows the filmmakers to include Snow White in the form of a disheveled Kristen Stewart stand-on shown only from the back, then move the plot away from her kingdom so it's less strange that she isn't in the film. The threat to the mirror turns out to be Freya, Queen Ravenna's younger sister who basically turned into an evil version of Elsa from Frozen when she was betrayed by her lover. She's the one who kidnapped Eric when he was young and turned him and an army of other children into her elite Huntsmen, and the one responsible for the apparent death of his wife, Sara (if you've seen the commercials, you've surely worked out that Sara is alive). Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, and Jessica Chastain all seem to have a great time playing badass women in this movie, and there are even female dwarves this time around.


books.

Our Own Country by Jodi Daynard - The American Revolution isn't a period of history I've done much reading about, but I got sucked in to this historical fiction novel. The main character, Eliza Boylston, is the daughter of a wealthy merchant and lives a charmed life in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While it's completely normal to her to visit homes staffed with stableboys, coachmen, footmen, maids, butlers, and cooks - all slaves - Eliza's one real quirk is that she feels most comfortable in the kitchen, and her family's cook Cassie is her one real friend. For Eliza, there has never been any doubt that Cassie and other slaves are human, but she has never had to question their standing in her privileged society. As the Revolution comes close to home, Eliza's parents can no longer pretend that concessions like wearing homespun fabrics instead of imported gowns are mere inconveniences, nor can they ignore their son Jeb's participation in the rebellion when he marries Elizabeth Lee and moves to Braintree, home of John and Abigail Adams and "the despicable Quincys." Eliza takes for granted her family's beautiful home and wealth until personal tragedies devastate her and Cassie, forever turning her against her family's idea of "society." In 1775, the Boylstons have to leave Cambridge to seek refuge with an uncle in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she falls in love with a slave named John Watkins and makes a choice that will change her family forever. Though the synopsis I read led me to believe Our Own Country would be a romance novel, I would classify it as a bildungsroman - Eliza's coming of age and transition from naïveté to independence.  Though the Boylstons are fictional, Daynard obviously conducted intense research to write this novel, and it made me want to learn more about the Adamses, the Quincys, and their pastoral home.

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran - I'm going to try to keep up with Emma Watson's Our Shared Shelf book club picks, and luckily my local library has British journalist and feminist Caitlin Moran's book available in ebook format! As Moran's wry personal essays (with titles like "I Become Furry!" and "I Need a Bra!") make clear, becoming a woman is very confusing and happens, whether we want it to or not, without a manual. Moran's writing is reflective of her working-class British roots (the very first page had me Googling to find out what a Yob was), pop culture literacy, and intelligence. Raised in cramped public housing with five younger siblings by parents who were the only hippies in town, Moran's pubescent milestones were common knowledge. Her focus as a feminist, and the lens through which she presents the instances in her life when being a woman was most perplexing, is not "on the big stuff like pay inequality," but on "all those littler, stupider, more obvious day-to-day problems with being a woman," or, in other words, "All the Patriarchal Bullshit." Her response is to "look it in the eye, squarely, for a minute, and then start laughing at it."

The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima - Finally got around to reading the second book in this series recommended to me by several of my students and I liked it even more than the first because the two main characters' storylines finally came together for good - at a magical school! Is there a better setting for YA literature? As the book begins, former streetlord Han Alister and his best friend Fire Dancer are headed to Oden's Ford, the campus that is home to Mystwerk House. Princess Raisa is masquerading as a cadet at Wein House, the military school, to escape themarriage her mother tried to force on her. Their mutual enemy, wealthy and powerful Micah Bayar, and his twin sister are also bound for Mystwerk House, meaning that Han and Raisa both have to keep their guard up. At Oden's Ford, finally surrounded by people from all walks of life, Raisa learns that she will need to understand much more than politics to be a good queen, and Han finds out that the Bayars aren't the only ones after his secrets. Chima combines effortlessly lovely prose with witty dialogue and action-packed suspense.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital ARC of Our Own Country free from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• Have a great week, everyone!

SWOON.

• An elegant Pippin Hill wedding from S+I.
• A pastel Texas wedding with an airstream!
• At SMP, a spring floral inspiration shoot.
• The most amazing real wedding portrait.

SMILE.

Sugar and Cloth

• Every town needs a bright and colorful wall!
• Anthro's classic-with-a-twist birthstone cuff.
• Just Loki popping in with a weather report.
• Creative money-saving tips from Refinery29.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year: my entertainment faves, Rachel Held Evans' Searching for Sunday,
• Two years ago: classic Spring Break wardrobe, a spring and summer bucket list.
• Three years ago: a Sunday Social all about Twitter, citrus prints inspired by two of my favorite shows, and the Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure.
• Four years ago: Titanic dinner party.

this week's clicks: Spring Breakin'

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• My favorite part of Spotify is definitely the "Discover Weekly" playlist that generates a list of songs based on what I'm listening to and liking. Aren't algorithms cool? This week, one of my favorites from the list was Firekid's "Lay By Me" - how sweet are these lyrics?

SWOON.

Studio DIY via Love, Maegan

• Maegan's got the DIY for chic palm frond balloons.
• At S+I, a beautiful veil and funfetti wedding cake.
• SMP features a pretty pink Korean-American e-shoot.
• A fun, colorful Austin soirée from Wedding Chicks.

SMILE.

• A cheeky little pin for Spring Break outfits.
• Loving the inspiration for Jen's style challenge.
• Her Universe's Marvel activewear line is here!
• Spring Break style ideas on my Pinterest.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I pretty much predicted the Colors of the Year for 2016.
• Two years ago, Sunday Social was about ideals and accomplishments. I featured my fave green and black and white picks, and rounded up my April favorites.
• Three years ago I rounded up rainy day fashions, white bridesmaid dress inspiration, explained how we save money on groceries, completed my second Liebster survey, and shared my love story with Mr. Q for the Love and Marriage series.
• Four years ago I collected inspiration for an April Fool's wedding.

#5FandomFriday: Geeky Tattoos I'd Want to Have*

*If I wasn't terribly afraid of the pain.

5 Fandom Friday is a weekly prompt challenge hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick. This week, I'm rounding up Geeky Tattoos I'd Want to Have. Maybe one day I'll actually be brave enough to make one of these a reality!

1. A quill pen - If I was to get a tattoo, the most likely choice is a feather. My maiden name led to my dad and I having nicknames of "Bird" and "Birdy," my online alias has been "heatherbird" since the 1990's, and since I'm part Native American, feathers are also culturally significant to my family. I love the beach, so a seagull feather would be a nice touch. Since I'm a writer and English teacher, a quill pen gives the feather another dimension and turns it into a Harry Potter reference! Oh, and who has two giant feather tattoos by Kat Von D? Just my spirit animal, Dave Grohl.

Take #PeggysPledge at SDCC w/ these limited edition free "I Know My Value" temp ring tattoos! We have 100 to give! pic.twitter.com/rRPRZAnTLY

— *Lauren Gallaway* (@LaurenGallaway) July 8, 2015

2. "I Know My Value." - Agent Peggy Cater is my everything right now (my Halloween costume is STILL my Facebook profile picture) and I'd love to see a tattoo of her most famous line in a pretty script on someone's ribcage or bicep (the temporary version shown here is pretty sweet!).

3. Something Once Upon a Time related - I loved reading Peter Pan when I was young, and I've fallen head over heels in love with Once Upon a Time - it reminds me why I loved stories so much as a child and how important hope is in our lives. I'm also a total Captain Swan shipper, so I love both of these sweet little tattoo ideas.

4. A 4-leaf clover - Not necessarily geeky, but definitely nerdy. This is another symbol that has multiple meanings for me; I've been a 4-H member since I was nine, my birthstone is the emerald, and my first time traveling away from my parents (and first trip on an airplane) was when I spent two weeks in Ireland to study literature. I also have an Irish married name and love my family so very much. I think a tiny emerald green clover tattoo would be lovely.

5. A coffee spoon - It's about to get really nerdy up in here - in high school, the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot pretty much blew my mind (modernism can have that effect on a sheltered Southwest Virginia girl). In time, the "coffee spoons" in the poem came to represent the part of me that tends toward being a control freak and not taking chances, so the next logical step was to take that symbolism a step further by getting a coffee spoon tattoo. Until my mom told me people might think I was a heroin addict. True story. Thanks for crushing my youthful rebellion and saving me from potentially awkward situations later in life, Mom.

Do you have any geeky tattoos? I'd love to see them!

#5FandomFriday: Galentine's Day!

5 Fandom Friday is a weekly prompt challenge hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick. This week's #5FandomFriday topic is Womances, so I'm sharing my all-time favorite fictional female friendships and the ones that remind me the most of my own friendships.

Anne Shirley and Diana Barry - As an imaginative, dreamy child who wanted to be an author and teacher I totally identified with Anne Shirley. I was lucky enough to have a few friends as true as Diana, who were willing to along with the fantasy games I invented on the playground, join me in drawing magic-marker tattoos, or write articles for my first online 'zines.

Buffy and Willow - I love the moment in the first episode of BTVS where Buffy, by benefit of being pretty, well-dressed, and from L.A., clearly has the option of joining the clique of cool girls led by Cordelia, but instead chooses to ally herself with the girl they bully - nerdy Willow Rosenberg. It's such a great way to establish Buffy's character from the get-go, and Willow goes from being meek and reserved to being fierce and powerful over the course of the series. They are friends who build each other up, give each other great advice, and try to help each other have normal high school and college experiences while fighting evil and averting the apocalypse year after year.

Leslie Knope and Ann Perkins - This friendship reminds me of my "work wife" and I, because I am constantly reminding her that she is a magnificent land mermaid and trying to see the bright side in everything while she reins me in and helps me stay practical. I loved how these two always served as each others' biggest cheerleaders.

Penny, Bernadette, and Amy - A lot of self-proclaimed geeks really don't like The Big Bang Theory, but Mr. Q and I watch it every week and enjoy the geeky references. I think the show has gotten 100% better with the introduction of Bernadette and Amy to the cast. I love the dynamics of this girl gang - Penny the cool girl who occasionally does geeky things like become a WoW addict, Bernadette the tough cookie in retro dresses, and Amy who is trying to navigate having real friends for probably the first time in her life. I like how they all get to be the most capable girl in the room at some point depending on the situation.

Jessica Jones and Trish Walker - My favorite thing about Jessica Jones was that it was one of the realest depictions of having a best friend I'd ever seen on screen - that one friend you truly love and want to protect and do anything for. While making this list, I've realized just how few awesome female friendships there are in my favorite books, television shows, and movies - in fact, many of them probably wouldn't even pass the Bechdel Test. Mr. Q assumed Trish really was Jessica's sister the first time we meet her on the show because their interactions with each other were so familial. 

What are your favorite fictional womances?

#5FandomFriday: My OTPs!

5 Fandom Friday is a weekly prompt challenge hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick. This week's #5FandomFriday topic is OTPs, a term near and dear to my geeky little heart. The only reason I even know what fandom is started back in 2003 when one of my college dorm-mates shared a Livejournal code with me. I started a blog and gradually started making friends and joining communities - the true highlight of the LJ world. For me, the fact that there were places online to hang out and talk about Harry Potter and other fandoms, share headcanons, and read pretty decently writen fanfic (and try my hand at writing drabbles) was a revelation. Of course, those communities also included a lot of debates about OTPs, which I learned stood to One True Pairing. Geeks like me tend to "ship" characters, meaning when the chemistry is there, we want those characters to hook up, and we mourn our favorite fictional relationships long after they have ended. When you're in actual pain because there's so much unresolved romantic tension, you probably have an OTP. Here are the OTPs, in roughly chronological order, that still give me the feels when I think about them now.

"Lupin's eyes were fixed on Sirius."

Remus and Sirius, Harry Potter/Shoebox Project - I read the Harry Potter series late until OoTP, and discovered Remus and Sirius through fanfic before I'd encountered them in the actual books. There was so much R/S fic that I actually assumed their relationship was canon. Therefore, my version of Marauders-era Remus and Sirius is almost completely based on their counterparts in the Shoebox Project.

"Great love is wild and passionate and dangerous. It burns and consumes."

Spike and Buffy, BTVS - A.k.a. Spuffy. In the show's final episode, it becomes clear that Spike doesn't believe Buffy was really in love with him, and Sarah Michelle Gellar herself is an Angel/Buffy shipper, but WHATEVS. Angel never did it for me, and Spike did even when the Scoobies had him tied to a chair. Buffy grew as a person because he challenged her, and he proved that he would truly do anything for her.

"I couldn't live without you, I guess."

Tony and Ziva, NCIS - I know, I know, your grandpa probably watched NCIS. I haven't watched it since Cote de Pablo left the show and effectively ruined my hopes for Tiva ever becoming reality. This 'ship suffered from different writers treating the characters' interactions differently, but the spark between these two was always there and turned out to be the actual reason I watched the show every week. Word on the web is Michael Weatherly is leaving the show so I haven't 100% given up hope that Tony and Ziva can still ride off into the sunset and have little Italian/Israeli babies.

"When I win your heart, Emma, and I will win it, it will not be 

because of any trickery. It will be because you want me."

Hook and Emma, Once Upon a Time - Oh. My. Goodness. I did not like Killian Jones, alias Captain Hook, when he was introduced during Emma and Snow's trip to the Enchanted Forest and their run-in with the giant - I honestly thought he was kind of a creeper. By episode 3x5, "Good Form," I was onboard team Captain Swan, and now I'm full of anticipation for Emma to go save Killian from the Underworld. 

"That's in Scotland."

FitzSimmons, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - The science nerds that went from BFFs who completed each others' sentences to badass action hero cursed lovers. This pair gives me mini heart attacks with each of the cliffhangers the showrunners love to thrust on them, from Jemma jumping out of a plane, Fitz almost drowning, and Jemma being absorbed by a monolith and transported to a hell planet, to Fitz going back to the hell planet to save her space boyfriend because it was the right thing to do.

Honorable Mentions: Celaena and Chaol (Throne of Glass), Daryl and Beth (The Walking Dead), Nick and Jess (New Girl),  Hatter and Alice (SyFy Alice), Arthur and Ariadne (Inception), Sawyer and Kate (LOST),  Hyde and Jackie (That 70's Show), John Carter and Abby Lockhart (ER)

Which OTPs make your heart go pitter-patter?

#5FandomFriday: {Geeky} Holiday Wish List

5 Fandom Friday is a weekly prompt challenge hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick. You can see the upcoming prompts here at the Female Geek Bloggers community. For this week's #5FandomFriday topic, we're sharing our holiday wish lists, so I decided to share five geeky things I'd love to receive under the tree this year!

1. The Force Awakens tickets - Okay, so I'll be needing these before Christmas, but I love that we are living in a season of total Star Wars mania - if someone had told my 11-year-old self that someday the entire country would be geeking out about Star Wars, I wouldn't have believed them. Even though I'm a little sad about the Expanded Universe being cancelled out, I have high hopes for the film after seeing all of the trailers and clips.

2. Harry Potter Coloring Book from Scholastic - Why didn't this come out sooner? I haven't gotten in on the adult coloring craze yet, but it's Harry Potter!

3. Peggy Carter Funko Pop - Another craze I haven't gotten into that the #5FF community seems to be obsessed with are Funko Pop figures - they're cute, and I love seeing which ones my local Barnes and Noble has in stock, but I try to minimize the amount of trinkets and knick-knacks I bring into my house. However, this has been the year of Agent Carter for me and I know it would put a smile on my face to see Peggy on my bookshelf.

4. Outlander Season One DVD/Blu-Ray - I watched the first season marathon-style when we had a free weekend of Starz, but I'd love to own the episodes so I could watch them any time I want. I think the casting is perfect and I really love the costumes.

5. Raven Boys swag - Maggie Stiefvater has been one of my favorite YA authors for years, but she never really had a fandom until The Raven Boys. I love Emgrav's designs on Society6, especially the t-shirt covered with doodles inspired by the series.

What geeky things are on your wish list this year?

lately in entertainment.

concerts.

Miranda Lambert's "Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars" Tour at the Berglund Center - Mr. Q surprised me with tickets to this concert, which featured a lineup of all female country artists including my favorite pink guitar player. Opening acts were Courtney Cole, who reminded me of a country Zooey Deschanel but whose voice I didn't love, and Clare Dunn, who has a powerful Bonnie Raitt style voice and rock sound - she plays a Fender, so I loved her pretty much automatically. The first headliner was Ashley Monroe, who is in the Pistol Annies with Miranda, an amazing songwriter and a great singer in her own right - she has a delicate sound like Emmylou Harris or Allison Krauss. Miranda and Ashley brought out Angaleena Presley for a few Pistol Annies songs, and Miranda's other special guest was Patty Loveless, who was pretty much my country superhero growing up. The concert was about a week after the news about Miranda's divorce from Blake Shelton made headlines, and she did make a few short comments to thank the audience for supporting her, but otherwise she rolled through her set, and I thought her voice sounded fantastic.

books.

Paper Towns by John Green - After reading and enjoying (and by enjoying, I mean weeping over) The Fault in Our Stars and its movie adaptation, I wanted to check out more of John Green's work. Paper Towns has a lovable main character and quirky cast of minor characters all searching for the elusive and exciting Margo Roth Spiegelman, who turns out to be (spoiler alert!) not that great of a person. For me, Paper Towns was just okay - a few great John Green lines surrounded by a lot of pee humor. I might have liked this one more if I'd read it as a high school senior.

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee - I was really looking forward to Harper Lee's original novel until all of the "Atticus Finch is racist" stuff hit the fan right before its release date. This is another book I might have appreciated much more during another season of my life - particularly my third year of college, when my total daddy's girl self was grappling with the fact that my father's bad habits were literally killing him. To me, Atticus' backwards beliefs about race weren't all that shocking - I've heard many an ostensibly wonderful Southern person spout ignorant trash as they got older. My favorite character in Go Set a Watchman was Uncle Jack, who I didn't remember at all, and who gave Scout the same advice I often need to remind myself about making a life in the South: "the time your friends need you is when they're wrong, Jean Louise."

Warrior, Scoundrel, and Rebel by Zoe Archer - And now for something completely different: I read a review of the Blades of the Rose series on a friend's blog and thought it sounded fun, and then saw that all of the books are free on Kindle Unlimited. These books are like a cross between The Mummy and The Mortal Instruments - The Blades of the Rose is a society of scholars, inventors, and adventurers who travel the world saving precious magical relics called Sources from the Heirs of Albion, who want to use them to make Britain the most powerful empire in the world at the expense of native cultures. Each book in the series focuses on one of the Blades and his or her love interest as they face all sorts of death defying dangers, and there are some very steamy romantic scenes - I thought Outlander made me blush. It's not without its flaws and cliches (I almost gave up on the whole series when the Native American character turned out to be a shapeshifter), but the stories are a nice escape from reality.

movies.

Ant-Man - Y'all know by now that new Marvel movies are basically a religious experience in the Quinn household, and since we are trying to save money for a house we're visiting the theater very rarely. Ant-Man was definitely worth the trip - I wasn't sure I could buy Paul Rudd as a superhero, and even though I never forgot it was Paul Rudd onscreen I still kind of fell in love with his character's storyline. I also really loved Evangeline Lily as Hope Van Dyne, a strong kick-ass scientist businesswoman whose father, it turns out, has a very legitimate reason for not wanting her to become a hero in her own right. The final fight scene was absolutely awesome, there were plenty of Marvel Easter eggs, and Michael Peña's character Luis provided just the right amount of comic relief.

Only Lovers Left Alive - I felt like watching a vampire movie right around Halloween and stumbled across this total gem starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as beautiful creatures of the night who are trying to survive without killing humans. The problem is, pollution and disease have rendered most human blood poisonous to vampires, so they have to be very careful about where they get their "good stuff." It is very much an art-house take on vampires, with lots of scenes that are just weird music playing or Tilda and Tom's characters (Eve and Adam, natch) staring at each other. I was totally okay with that. They're busy being ridiculously good-looking and reminiscing about knowing Byron and Shelley when Eve's train-wreck sister Ava (played by Mia Wasikowska, perfect casting) shows up - ravenous for human blood. Also, Christopher Marlowe is a vampire and he's Eve's BFF, so if you were ever an English major who smoked clove cigarettes this is probably the vampire movie for you.

television.

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp - How did I miss out on Wet Hot American Summer the first time around? After finally getting on board via Netflix, I knew I wasn't going to miss the series. This movie has everything: bad wigs, Jon Hamm, send-ups of every 80's teen movie, good jokes, puberty, Chris Pine acting out the plot of The Doors, and the talking vegetable can's origin story (RIP, Gene).

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is better than ever right now - Iain De Caestecker could basically play James Bond after his performance in the season premiere, I truly believe that Elizabeth Henstridge should win some sort of Emmy for her portrayal of Agent Jemma Simmons trapped on a hostile planet in "4,722 hours." This show is at it's best when it's totally fun one minute (Agents May and Morse planning an attack in Mandarin) and totally angsty the next (that character the other characters and/or the audience has grown to love and trust? Always going to turn out to be evil).

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - If you are not watching this show yet, get on Hulu and catch up RIGHT NOW. The main character, Rebecca, has a (there's really no other way to put this) mental breakdown where she starts taking advice from a butter commercial, quits her Fancy New York Lawyer job, and moves across the country to the California suburbs after running into her summer-camp high school boyfriend Josh Chan. Aside from the fact that she's basically a stalker, Rebecca is making new friends and finding a happier life on the West Coast. Did I mention it's a musical with numbers like "The Sexy Getting Ready Song" and "Settle for Me?" I love shows that don't take themselves seriously at all.

5 Fandom Friday: Halloween Costume Ideas I Love

5 Fandom Friday is a weekly prompt challenge hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick. This week's #5FandomFriday topic is Halloween Costumes I Want to Wear! You can see the upcoming prompts here at the Female Geek Bloggers community.

5. Lt. Uhura - I love J.J. Abrams' take on Star Trek and I love Zoe Saldana.  Trek costumes are fairly easy to find at the big costume shops that pop up in empty strip malls this time of year, and I can totally rock go-go boots and a high ponytail.

4. "Toxic" video characters - Alias was my favorite show in high school and started my obsession with characters who are spies. Then Britney Spears' video for "Toxic" came out and converted me into a Britney van because I was pretty sure it was an Alias tribute. Every single costume in that video is awesome, although I'm pretty sure my version would be more conservative.

3. Daisy Buchanan - I did a post about creating a 1920's flapper costume a few years ago and still love the idea. I will definitely be Daisy for Halloween one of these days, and I'd love to throw a speakeasy-themed Halloween party.

2. A Sanderson Sister - The villains of the best Halloween movie of all time would make great costume inspiration for three girl friends (I'm pretty sure I could talk Breeze and my SIL into doing this with me), and witch hats and black, red, and blonde wigs are easy to come by.

1. Peggy Carter - I can't wait for next weekend because I'm dressing up as my favorite Marvel character (and Dubsmash queen), SSR Agent Peggy Carter! She's a literal boss and she knows her value. Until then, I'll be listening to the Andrews Sisters and watching victory roll hairstyle tutorials on YouTube.

clicks of note: don't want anybody else but you...

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• This was a random YouTube suggestion, and I have to say, I'm liking Joe Brooks' rendition of "Magic" even better than Coldplay's original version of the song. I guess the algorithm is working. I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Christine Sargologos

• A sweet city hall elopement from Christine Sargologos.
• Cassidy Carson features a fairytale wedding in Alabama.
• A dreamy summer wedding at Elizabeth Anne Designs.
• From Ryan Ray, a pretty Dominican Republic wedding.

SMILE.

• The Marvel Comic-Con Dubsmash battle is everything.
• Remember to treat yourself like a guest (Design Sponge).
• Deuce Cities Henhouse's clever, fun use for wallpaper.
• Famous women share the best advice they've ever gotten.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I participated in a Sunday Social about personal highs and lows, shared the gear that motivates me to stay fit, survived traveling with family, rounded up my favorite features from Colonial houses, and recapped my summer in entertainment.
• Two years ago, I shared wardrobe and entertaining inspiration for casual bridal showers, a sneak peak at some of our ideas for Breeze's rustic wedding, our Mason jar shower invitations and DIY decor, the food and drinks, and the games we played.
• Three years ago, Micah shared a DIY dresser makeover, I wondered about the origins of "Christmas in July" and geeked out about the London Olympics.
• Four years ago, I recapped the shower Mr. Q's coworkers gave us.  

Geeky Friday: Avengers Book Tag

No 5 Fandom Friday post for me today, since the topic is "Five things you own that you bought at cons" and I've never been to one! Instead, I'm going to keep it geeky with a Marvel-related book tag! Kristin Hackett created the Avengers book tag and I discovered it through My Life as a Teacup. I've included links to my original reviews for each book as well as some of my favorite passages (from the ones I read on my Kindle).

1) Iron Man / Tony Stark - A book that made you laugh out loud

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling: Probably the funniest book I've read as an adult - Mindy is oddly relatable to me and I wanted her to be my BFF while reading her first book. I loved the conversational tone.

"I have virtually no hobbies except dieting. I can't speak any non-English languages, knit, ski, scrapbook, or cook. I have no pets. I don't know how to do drugs. I lost my passport three years ago when I moved into my house and never got it renewed. Video games scare me because they all seem to simulate situations I'd hate to be in, like war or stealing cars. So if I ever lost eright I would also lose my only hobby. I have no discipline; I'm like if Private Benjamin had never toughened up but, in fact, got worse..." (p. 22)

2) Captain America / Steve Rogers - A book that sends a positive message

A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans: Rachel is one of my favorite Christian bloggers and I loved reading about her "experiment" in which she decided to follow the Bible's weird dictates for women by focusing on one Biblical virtue each month for a year. Along the way, the book's true theme develops: there is no one "correct" way to be a woman who follows Jesus.

"And so we codify. We legislate. We pull little girls to the front of the class and slap rulers against their bare legs and try to measure modesty in inches... We cling to the letter because the spirit is so much harder to master... It's not what we wear but how we wear it. And like clothing, modesty fits each woman a little differently." (p.148)

3) Black Widow / Natasha Romanov - A book with a kick butt female protagonist

Graceling by Kristin Cashore: I just finished this one and Katsa is one of my all-time favorite main characters! She's tough and fiercely independent, but also has a vulnerable, gentle side which I think makes her even more interesting. I also love that this YA book features a romantic relationship that operates on terms set by the female partner.

4) Hawkeye / Clint Barton - An underrated book you wish more people would pay attention to

Half Bad by Sally Green: I downloaded this book almost immediately after reading Charlie Jane Anders' review on io9, and it did not disappoint. Sally Green creates a wizarding world that is darker than Harry Potter - the main character, Nathan, starts the story not in a cupboard but in a cage, and his father is the world's darkest wizard. The "good" wizards are too caught up in bureaucracy and rules to actually be benevolent to a child who could potentially grow up to be very dangerous. This one should be right up there with The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner when people talk about young adult books.

5) Hulk / Bruce Banner - A book that made you incredibly angry

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: First of all, I felt like a big sucker because I did not see any of the twists coming. Second, I found that as the ending of the book approached, I could not sympathize with any of the characters, and for me, that meant I didn't care how it ended by that point. I definitely think the book was well written, it just wasn't for me.

"Maybe it was the clue I couldn't figure out, but I suddenly felt like I'd overlooked something. I'd made some huge mistake, and my error would be disastrous. Maybe it was my conscience, scratching back to the surface from its secret oubliette." (p. 144)

6) Thor - A book with a character whose strength you admired

Wild by Cheryl Strayed: My favorite memoir. Cheryl's ability to pick herself up from rock bottom by pushing herself to her physical and mental limit on the Pacific Coast Trail is absolutely inspiring.

"In my perception, the world wasn't a graph or formula or an equation. It was a story."

7) BONUS: Loki - A book with a twist or surprise that tricked you 

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier: Going into this one all I knew was that it's one of my mom's favorites and she had described it as similar to Jane Eyre, my personal favorite. Manderley estate definitely felt like a real place to me and the crumbling Victorian atmosphere added to the novel's suspense for me. The main character, young Mrs. de Winter, spends so much time trying to distinguish herself from the perfect, poised Rebecca, her husband's first wife, that the idea that Rebecca wasn't an absolute saint never crossed my mind.

Which books would you choose for each Avenger? If you choose to write a post (or make a vlog!) for this tag, please share your link in the comments. I'm tagging Shoshanah and Micah (Micah, I'm not sure if you've seen Avengers but I know you've read enough books to answer these questions!)