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Emily, on May 18th, 2010 |
 Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Buy It Now: on Amazon
Description: After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Faery War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she’s angry. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he’s under scrutiny by the new Vampire King because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the Shifters coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie’s connection to the Shreveport pack draws her into the debate. Worst of all, though the door to Faery has been closed, there are still some Fae on the human side-and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry…
Emily’s review:
All the good fangirls out there should know that HBO’s True Blood is awesome. You should also know that it’s based on these books (all good things come from books!). But the last two books in the “Southern Vampire Mysteries” series, were not my favorite. It felt like author Charlaine Harris had too many balls in the air; she managed to juggle them all but it was awkward and a bit confused. In other words, they weren’t that great. At the end of the last book, Dead and Gone, I was annoyed that I had purchased it in hardcover instead of waiting for the cheaper paperback.
While I wouldn’t say that this is the strongest book in the ten-book series, I think it’s stronger than the last. It’s a tighter story, revolving around the theme of family. Sookie’s fairy relations are mostly gone following the fairy war of the last book, except for two she’s not very fond of–Claude and Dermont. Meanwhile, the vampires are having their own family troubles. Eric’s vampire maker (SPOILER ALERT: he’s not the hottie Godric that appears in the TV series) has come to town, and he and Eric’s “brother” are causing all kinds of trouble. Even Vampire Bill, who spends most of the book recovering from a case of silver poisoning from the last book, has a family subplot involving the Bellefleur clan and the fellow vampire child of evil Lorena.
Even reading over what I’ve written, it’s getting a little confusing, so you can understand the trouble Harris is up against. There are a lot of characters and a lot of backstories. I also didn’t quite feel the bad-guy reveal was earned, but at least things tied together in the climax. There were also some really cute moments of Sookie with her brother Jason (who I’ve missed!), her cousin Hunter (who is too cute), and Vampire Pam (who I love, always), so I was ultimately happy with the book.
Now can we talk about True Blood season three?
 Emily
Emily is a book nerd currently living in New York City. She recently completed a master’s degree at New York University and doesn’t really know what to do with her free time. When she is not reading, working or sleeping, she is planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. She doesn’t really like writing bios, but if you would like to know more about her then you can contact her at bintwin @ yahoo.com.
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Emily, on February 1st, 2010 |
 Dr. Strange accidentally turns Iron Man into an iron, Wasp into a wasp and Thor into a frog.
I’ve lately become obsessed with Marvel’s SuperHero Squad Show which debuted in September 2009. At first I thought a TV show based on a toy line was a silly idea, but then I remembered how awesome Jem and the Holograms, Thundercats, GI Joe and a slew of others were, and I felt better.
The Superhero Squad toy line was all about making cute, little figures (like the MiniMates but less Lego) so the result was a cross between DC’s Tiny Titans and Fischer Price’s Little People. Needless to say, it is full of cute.
In the show, the Superhero Squad live in “Superhero City” (Mayor: Stan Lee) and the bad guys live in “Villain Ville.” Before the series began, Doctor Doom and Iron Man fought it out over an object of endless power—the Infinity Sword, but it broke into pieces called “fractals.” (Don’t worry, this is recapped in the theme song, if you’re getting confused.) Each fractal has its own magic juju, which invariably causes hijinks that last just one episode. The Squad was formed to retrieve the fractals before Doom can get them all and reform the Infinity Sword.
Upside: Zany things happen to our heroes, when they come in contact with a fractal. (Like attached image of Iron Man turning into an iron.)
Downside: You will have to pretend you do not know that actual fractals should all look the same as the Infinity Sword did before it broke.
For those wondering, “The Superhero Squad” is pretty much another name for “The Avengers.” Perhaps “Avengers” was too dark for kid TV? Regular members are Iron Man (the leader), Wolverine, Falcon, Thor, Silver Surfer and the Hulk. Young Reptil also shows up in the second episode and becomes a junior member of the squad, presumably because kids need someone young to relate to. I try and ignore him.
Instead I focus on the adorable-ness of the other “Squaddies.” Thor has become a particular favorite of mine, because his unique speech patterns mixed with modern-day jokes never fails to amuse me (“I be rubber and thou art glue, whatever thou sayth doth bounce of me and cling to you!” he tells his brother Loki when they are arguing). And out-of-touch-with-modern-life Captain America reminds me of my grandfather. (They both like to say “HUP HUP HUP!”)
Another high point of the show is the nerd-friendly guest cast that appears. For fans of the Marvel movies, Ray Stevenson and Shawn Ashmore reprise their roles as the Punisher and Iceman. Buffy the Vampire Slayer alums James Marsters (Spike) and Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn) show up as Mister Fantastic and Valkyrie respectively. BSG star Tricia Helfer is Sif; hottie Taye Diggs plays Black Panther; and, my personal favorite, LeVar Burton guests as War Machine (and there is a Reading Rainbow joke!). Lena Headey, aka Sarah Fucking Connor, voices Mystique (pretending to be Black Widow). Heroes actors Adrian Pasdar and Greg Grunberg appear as Hawkeye and Ant-Man. Pasdar’s Hawkeye is so wry and cranky that I’d have let him go with a warning.
My only real gripes with the show is that there is too much potty humor (lots of fart jokes, which I can’t imagine even young kids think are witty) and there is no female member of the Superhero Squad. It’s an all-boys club. Ms. Marvel often shows up as the agent of SHIELD in charge of keeping the boys in line, but she’s reduced to a shrill middle-management stereotype (very concerned with cleanliness) which is a shame because Ms. Marvel is awesome. If only the Wasp (who, despite being small manages to kick all kinds of ass) were a regular member, I’d be totally happy.
No wait, if you could get Gray Hulk to call the Wasp’s costume designs “matronly” in that Michael Kors on Project Runway voice again, then I would be totally happy.
The Superhero Squad Show airs on Cartoon Network at 8:30 am on Saturdays, and then again at 7:30 pm. Check CN’s schedule for additional airings.
Emily
Emily is a book nerd currently living in New York City. She recently completed a master’s degree at New York University and doesn’t really know what to do with her free time. When she is not reading, working or sleeping, she is planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. She doesn’t really like writing bios, but if you would like to know more about her then you can contact her at bintwin @ yahoo.com.
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Emily, on December 31st, 2009 |
It’s the time of year when everyone is making “best” lists. I always find it really difficult, because there are so many great books out there, it’s hard for me to pick. So I narrowed it down very specifically to genre works, published in 2009, that female readers will enjoy. I’m calling them “NerdyGirl” books.
#1: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Buy it now at Amazon). The Hunger Games became a sensation last year. A lot of people, myself included, thought that the sequel could never measure up, especially since the first book involved a televised fight to the death. But, after a bit of a slow start, Catching Fire grabs hold and never lets go. It’s truly amazing what Suzanne Collins has accomplished with this series. She’s proven how very awesome YA literature can be. There’s no doubt that the third book (to be released next Summer) will be one of the biggest hits of 2010.
#2: The Magicians by Lev Grossman (Buy it now at Amazon). Time columnist Lev Grossman’s first book was one of the most high-profile fantasy debuts this year. I was hesitant to put it on the list, however, because this was a list of NerdyGirl books. The Magicians is decidedly fanboy-centric. The man character grows up a huge fan of a CS Lewis-type book series, and when he gets accepted to magic school–he learns that it was all real, but not exactly what he expected. I’m not a big fan of the main character, or the ending of this novel, but it’s definitely worth a read. The beginning of the novel is so rich, and the dream-come-true element will strike a chord with anyone who grew up loving Narnia, or even Harry Potter.
#3: Soulless by Gail Carriger (Buy it now at at Amazon). TDF Pamela already put this book on her year-in-review post (see below), but I just can’t help mentioning it again. A novel with strong-willed female characters, werewolves, vampires, parasols, high-necked dresses, Queen Victoria and mad scientists really has it all. …Oh, and there’s romance too.
#4: Masterpiece Comics by R. Sikoryak (Buy it now at Amazon). You may have already seen some of Sikoryak’s literary and comic mash-ups over the last decade or so, but surely any collection that includes “Mephistofield” (a combination of Dr. Faustus and Garfield) deserves a second look. And, really, didn’t we always want Bazooka Joe to go to Dante’s Inferno? For a literary and comic book nerd like myself, this is Heaven.
#5: Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper (Buy it now at Amazon). Though this book hasn’t been as popular as the others listed here, I’m throwing this up here anyhow. Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs is the story of Jane, a children’s librarian, who is fired from her job and ends up turned into a vampire when she very nearly meets an ignoble end. What I love about this is the voice, which sounds more like a Joss Whedon show than your typical romance novel. Plus, it’s a novel about job loss and vampires–what better sums up 2009 than that?
So that’s my list, what are your favourite books of 2009?
Emily
Emily is a book nerd currently living in New York City. She recently completed a master’s degree at New York University and doesn’t really know what to do with her free time. When she is not reading, working or sleeping, she is planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. She doesn’t really like writing bios, but if you would like to know more about her then you can contact her at bintwin @ yahoo.com.
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Emily, on October 23rd, 2009 |
 Cover of "Fire" by Kristin Cashore Buy It Now: At Amazon | At Powell’s
Description: She is the last of her kind…
It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.
Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don’t need to have read Graceling to love Fire. But if you haven’t, you’ll be dying to read it next.
This review is based on a free, review copy received from the publisher at a trade show.
Emily’s Review: B
The publisher’s summary doesn’t give a lot away. “Fire” is the prequel to Kristin Cashore’s debut novel, “Graceling” but saying they are set in the same world would be too strong. It’s more like they are set in the same universe and one character is able to move between the planets. Unfortunately for the characters of both novels, that character is the antagonist in both. In this world–the Dells–there are mutant versions of every animal. They are called “monsters” and are brightly colored (think day-glo) with strange abilities. After the death of her father, Fire, the titular heroine, is the last known human monster.
It would be easy to say that Fire is a Mary Sue. Those of us who read too much fanfiction can spot them a mile away. She has a uniquely beautiful appearance (red, red hair), all the menfolk are in love with her (she has to literally bar the door to keep the King at bay), and she has powers that no one else possesses (she can read and control minds). Yes, Fire does fit all of the characteristics of a Mary Sue, but the conflict in this novel is that sticking out that way is terrible. People want to use her. Other monsters attack her. People fear her. Part of Fire wants to run and hide from the world, and another part of her wants to use her powers for good. It’s just that she doesn’t always know what that means, and she’s terrified of becoming like her crazy father. Instead of thinking she is too perfect, I find myself really glad that I am not her. I pity Fire and am glad she finds a small bit of happiness at the end of the novel.
I like Kristin Cashore’s writing. I don’t love it, but there is something homey about her style. It reminds me of fantasy books I read as a kid. I think of Robin McKinley and Tamora Pierce. Yet even though parts of “Fire” seem like they have been done before, every now and again, Cashore manages to surprise me. I would recommend “Fire” and “Graceling” to any YA fantasy fan and I will definitely pick up a copy of the third book in the series, “Bitterblue”, when it comes out.
Emily
Emily is a book nerd currently living in New York City. She recently completed a master’s degree at New York University and doesn’t really know what to do with her free time. When she is not reading, working or sleeping, she is planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. She doesn’t really like writing bios, but if you would like to know more about her then you can contact her at bintwin @ yahoo.com.
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Emily, on October 5th, 2009 |
 Cover of Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks … but don’t panic. I don’t mean that Z Day has arrived (but when it does, I’ll be sure to blog about it). Zombieland is #1 at the Box Office this weekend, surprising everyone but me. Tomorrow the highly anticipated graphic novel sequel to Max Brooks’ The Zombie Survival Guide, called The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, is released in bookstores around the country.
Conventional wisdom would tell you that zombies are more of a “dude” thing, but fangirls like me enjoy a good zombie tale. I think we always have but if you’re new to the genre I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite undead tales.
You’re probably sick of people blogging about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It’s been everywhere since the awesome title was released. Personally, I think it was a great idea but had poor execution so it doesn’t make my list. There are plenty of other recent books you should read first. Of course, World War Z is a must-read. It sort of goes without saying. WWZ is probably the best zombie book I’ve read. I also do not understand why everyone isn’t reading Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead comics. There is no excuse at this point.
There’s also been a slew of zombie YA recently, like The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan and Christopher Golden’s Soulless. It sounds like it shouldn’t work since YA is often about romance. Romance and zombies? Both at the same time!
You know what phrase also isn’t often associated with the word “zombie”? The musical. Evil Dead: The Musical , the production, based on the Sam Raimi film series, is still making its way around the globe. I saw the show when it was in New York City and had a great time. It’s currently in Louisville, KY and will be opening soon in Michigan. If you’re in either of those areas, I highly recommend the splatterzone experience.
There are tons of other things I could mention here but instead I’ll just ask: what are you favorite zombie films/books/musicals?
Emily
Emily is a book nerd currently living in New York City. She recently completed a master’s degree at New York University and doesn’t really know what to do with her free time. When she is not reading, working or sleeping, she is planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. She doesn’t really like writing bios, but if you would like to know more about her then you can contact her at bintwin @ yahoo.com.
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