Amy C. Shaw

The Top 3 Superhero Side Characters Who Deserve Their Own Spotlight

September 12, 2014 • 8 Comments

Sometimes there are side characters in the superhero story that really deserve their own chance to shine. These are the three that I would love to see get there own spotlight… in no particular order…

1. ROBIN John Blake

My husband and I recently rewatched the three movies of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, and it just confirmed what I’ve always wanted: to see Christopher Nolan turn Joseph Gordon-Levitt into Batman. So why do I love John Blake so much? He’s intelligent, resourceful, and brave. He isn’t dramatic and he doesn’t get distracted. I’m not saying he’s perfect, but… he’s pretty awesome. And he deserves his own trilogy! Step aside, Batfleck!

2. Peggy Carter

My love for Peggy Carter and my enthusiasm for the upcoming Agent Carter TV show is unending! I adore how she is feminine yet tough and able to handle herself. She grew to care for Steve for his courage and heart, and she possesses those qualities as well. And though it was hard, she was able to move past his death and accomplish great things. She’s amazing and totally deserves this show and I cannot WAIT!

3. Lady Sif

Lady Sif is awesome. More awesome than Jane, more awesome than Thor. She doesn’t need some silly hammer to knock down the enemy. She did appear in an episode of Agents of SHIELD, which was GREAT, but I could definitely use more Sif! A Sif movie? TV show? Even a one-shot! Just give me more SIF, please!

Which side character from a superhero story would you like to see in the spotlight?

Bookish Wedding Inspiration: The Hunger Games

September 8, 2014 • 24 Comments

*Warning: Hunger Games trilogy spoilers below! But seriously, who hasn’t read these books yet?

I thought it might be fun to try creating themed wedding ideas based off of books, and how the main character’s wedding might look with our modern sensibilities, and thus, Bookish Wedding Inspiration was born! First I did Tiger Lily, and then The Grisha Trilogy (and Leigh Bardugo herself liked it on Tumblr! WHAT WHAT!), but today’s post is actually what I was inspired to do first, which is a wedding for Katniss and Peeta! I’ve collected so many pictures for this and I’m happy to finally share them with you all!

Bridal Look

The Dress

Look guys, I can’t beat Cinna’s dress That’s probably what Katniss would really wear, or something simple. But if Katniss went dress shopping today, I think she might like this Watters gown. Flowers really play a big theme in the trilogy and they are something Katniss values, and while this is very nice dress, it’s also simplistic enough, not too frilly.

The Hair

Picture source and hair tutorial here

Obviously a braid must be involved, and I just love this style.

The Accessories

I came up with quite a few ideas for accessories, and I certainly don’t think Katniss would implement all these at once, but here are some various options!

The Locket

Like the locket Peeta gave Katniss in Catching Fire, Katniss might want to have a locket with pictures of her her dad and Prim on the inside, to have them close to her on her special day. She might want to wear a locket (like this one with a Mockingjay pendant) or have one wrapped around her bouquet.

The Arrow

Obviously the arrow is important to Katniss, and there are many jewelry options, from bracelets (pictured, not pictured) to necklaces that can reflect this! Understandably, she might not choose this for her wedding day because it might remind her of the violence she endured, but I still really wanted to share these fun arrow accessories. (Fun fact: Black Widow wears this arrow necklace in Captain America: Winter Soldier!)

The Pearl

And of course, who can forget the single black pearl that Peeta found in the second arena and gave to Katniss, and that she hung on to when she had lost him? This single black pearl on a strand would be a perfect symbol of their love.

The Bouquet

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This bouquet goes along with the colors I had in mind for Katniss’ wedding: earthy colors with some orange (Peeta’s favorite) mixed in.

The Groom

I collected a few images that I thought could reflect a good groom’s look for Peeta, including cute bow and arrow cufflinks!

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The Portraits

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The Location

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I thought a wedding in the woods would be fitting, and isn’t this tree dynamic? It stands well on its own, or they could have a backdrop like so…

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The Food & Cake

Image source for table spread and table setting with quote

Obviously, there would be bread. And hot chocolate (though it’s not pictured). I don’t think there would actually be Peeta quotes lying around, but I still wanted to include the picture. And of course, CAKE.

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Hope you enjoyed The Hunger Games edition of Bookish Wedding Inspiration! What would you expect from Katniss and Peeta’s wedding?

Movie Review: Clueless

September 4, 2014 • 12 Comments

I would have never been interested in Clueless were it not for the fact that it is a light adaptation of Emma. I probably would not have cared for it much either were it not for that.

Clueless feels a bit like Mean Girls, only set in the 1990s instead of the 2000s, though it focuses on popular girl Cher (Emma), who decides to befriend new girl Tai (Harriet), who she sees as a project.

First I’ll get my complaints out of the way. I know that this movie is just depicting teenage life, not necessarily condoning all aspects of it, but I really had a problem with the drug usage in this movie. There’s not a ton of it, and I know for most people it will seem overly sensitive of me to feel this way, but this sort of thing is exactly why I don’t read many YA contemporaries. I didn’t hang out with those kinds of people, and I don’t have an interest in reading about them/watching them on screen. I expected there might be some sex talk and language, especially within a crowd of popular kids, but I was surprised by the drugs. It’s something I would expect more from, well, the kids like Travis (Robert Martin), but even that bothered me. Anyhow, at least he was turning around in the end.

Also, stereotypical popular girl characters just annoy me in general, which is a reason why I don’t really like Mean Girls that much. I can appreciate the satirical writing, but I don’t connect with the characters. The same applies here with Clueless.

One last thing, does it bother anyone else that Josh (Knightley) is Cher’s ex-stepbrother? I’ve never had a stepbrother before, but that seems really awkward to be kissing yours a few years after your parents divorce, even if you were only related legally for a little while…

Though admittedly, Paul Rudd’s portrayal did win me over.

What I did appreciate was the journey Cher went on. Though she does start off pretty much the way you would expect based on stereotypes and cliches, she does grow through the film. As she learns to appreciate people for who they are and learns to think beyond herself, she really becomes a better person and friend, and I appreciated that. Her character arc and Josh’s character were really the main highlights of the film. And drawing the Emma comparisons, with some of the differences between the original and the film turning up a little surprising…

Clueless is also quotable and has some fun moments in it, but I definitely don’t have the same endearment for it as Emma Approved or other Emma adaptations. It’s still worth at least a watch though if you’re a fan of the original story and interested in the idea.

If you’ve seen Clueless, what are your thoughts on it?

The Top Ten Book Characters That Would Be Sitting At My Lunch Table

September 2, 2014 • 14 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s topic is Top Ten Book Characters That Would Be Sitting At My Lunch Table, in honor of school being back in session. Thank goodness I’m finished with school. Except I do miss summer break. But regardless, if I could hang out with some fictional folks at lunchtime, here’s who I think I would get along with best!

1-2. Lizzie & Charlotte from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

I feel like these BFF’s pretty much come as a package deal, and what an entertaining package they would be!

3-4. Kiggs & Seraphina from Seraphina

Since I’ve read Seraphina I’ve talked a lot about how much I love these two, and I don’t even know how to describe why. They’re just likable people. I want to hang out with them!

5-7. Prince Kai, Cinder, and Cress from The Lunar Chronicles

rapunzel — I will never apologize for pretending this is Cress, because basically, it is.

I like Prince Kai and Cinder a lot, and Cress… Cress is just so sweet and funny and would be so fun to hang out with! Then one day she’d bring along her boyfriend Carswell Thorne and he would annoy me at first, but then I would get used to him and enjoy having him around too.

8. Justen from Across a Star-Swept Sea

Again, I just loved this book and I loved Justen. He’s intelligent and kind and I just like him.

9. Hermione from Harry Potter

As I mentioned in my recent review of Harry Potter, this girl is even more intense about her studies than I ever was (which to me, is kind of amazing)! Still, I can relate to her drive to study, study, study, and it would be nice to have her around as a study buddy!

10. Peeta from The Hunger Games

Because who doesn’t want/need a kind, loyal friend who can also bake to sit at their lunch table?

Who would you want sitting at your lunch table?

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

August 31, 2014 • 23 Comments

In case you’ve been living underneath a trapdoor guarded by a 3-headed dog, or you know, are just new to my blog, you should know that before August I HAD NEVER READ A HARRY POTTER BOOK.

Well, this has now been remedied and I can gladly say that I really enjoyed the first installment and look forward to reading more!

I knew that the first book of the series was going to feel a bit younger than my usual fare, and though I am glad I have these expectations, I think I would have been fine just expecting what I normally get from reading YA. Yes, it does feel younger, but there is so much richness in the story itself that helps you look over the more simplistic writing style. And simplistic writing generally does not bother me as long as I can get into the story. I was also told that the story doesn’t really pick up until book 3, but what I was hoping to see in this book was potential for the epicness everyone talks about when they talk about Harry Potter, and I did see that.

The World-Building

I think J.K. Rowling did a very good job of establishing how the world of wizardry works within the world we work, and everything unfolded very naturally as Harry is learning along with us. I really loved reading about Diagon Alley and the different shops there specifically for wizard things.

The Characters

I know how much everyone loves the characters of Harry Potter, (particularly Harry, Ron and Hermione) and while I didn’t connect with them on some amazing deep level, again, I definitely saw the potential of connecting with them more and more as the series goes on and they face new challenges and grow older. I mean, they’re 11 in this first book. It’s been a long time since I was 11. But I liked them and I look forward to experiencing this journey with them. And I could definitely relate to Hermione the perfectionist, though she’s even more anal than I was in school!

Hogwarts

Hogwarts itself is a pretty awesome setting, and I know everything in the books won’t take place there, but I’m looking forward to spending more time there! More Quidditch matches, please; what an interesting sport!

The Story

In addition to an interesting world and likable characters, the story also kept me engaged. And I have to say, I was just surprised as Harry at the end when he realized what exactly was going on! I was always excited to pick up the book and dig deeper into the storyline.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone met all my expectations and did not disappoint me! It definitely felt like a beginning and it did not have quite the awe of a 5 star book, but I was extremely satisfied with my first time reading it and feel it deserves a solid 4.5 stars!

Tell me your favorite thing about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone! Or share your experience with reading the book for the first time. Or if you haven’t read Harry Potter yet either, did I pique your interest?

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