Tag: books | Amy C. Shaw

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

Image source

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!

Image source

The Portraits

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Image source 1 and 2

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?

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?

What Makes a Character a Favorite?

August 29, 2014 • 14 Comments

I was thinking about doing a top 10 list of favorite book characters I have been exposed to just this year (meaning not Austen or Austen-adaptation characters, since I’m already really familiar with them outside of their books, nor characters from continuing series that I have already read), and when I jotted down my list, I was surprised by how few books were represented.

From the Grisha trilogy: (1) Mal, (2) Alina, and (3) Sturmhond

From Harry Potter: (4) Harry Potter, (5) Ron, and (6) Hermione

From Seraphina: (7) Seraphina and (8) Kiggs

From Across a Star-Swept Sea: (9) Persis and (10) Justen

I’ve read more than four books/series with characters that were new to me this year, so why did the other characters just not stand out to me? What makes a character a favorite? Here are some things that I personally gravitate towards…

1. Relatable

The reason why I have always liked Jo March (Little Women) so much was because I could relate to her. She was a tomboy who loved to write and act out stories. I wasn’t exactly a tomboy, but I was far from prissy, and I definitely related to her love of stories and writing. I often connect with characters who are writers, have a personality similar to mine, enjoy the same things I do, etc.

2. Likable

I know this can be vague, but I’ll explain what this means to me personally. I like people I can relate with, as mentioned above, but I also like people who balance me, or people who are just kind. And when it comes to book boys (or real-life guys for that matter), forget bad boys. I love the good guys, the sweet gentlemen. This is why I love Peeta so much, and root for Lincoln Lee in Fringe season 4. Good guys don’t finish last in my book! And then there are those people that are so likable because of their nature and good heart, like Cinna in The Hunger Games. With girls, a lot of time I find sweet, naive girls likable, like Cress, because they just seem so pure-hearted!

3. Strong

Fan art of Alina by Claire, can be found here

This doesn’t necessarily mean physically strong, but able to hold their own when times are tough. Obviously Katniss is an example of this, though she does have weak moments, but I think that’s also important because it’s human. I also think of both Alina and Mal in The Grisha Trilogy, who both struggle but are able to keep going, no matter how bad things get for them (and they get BAD). We root for characters who keep going.

4. Intelligent

I really, really, REALLY appreciate when a character is capable, when they can put the pieces together and figure things out, and I don’t feel the need to yell at them for their dumb decisions. Sometimes these characters are WAY smarter than me, like Sherlock Holmes, which I can appreciate, and sometimes their intelligence might feel more equal to mine, though they may be better versed in a particular area than I am. Either way, intelligence is always welcome as I don’t have to become so frustrated with the character!

5. Witty

Come on, we all love the characters with the clever one-liners. Flynn Rider, Han Solo, Carswell Thorne, Sturmhond, the list goes on. Who you calling scruffy-looking?

6. Otherwise Interesting

Some characters are just interesting in a way that I can’t describe. Sometimes they’re a bit eccentric or quirky, sometimes they have a haunting backstory, sometimes they just have that something that can’t be explained, like Effie or Caesar from The Hunger Games.

7. Positive Character Arc

Sometimes we don’t love a character from the start or might not understand them at first, but as we see them grow through their journey, they become likable, or we empathize with their plight and grow endeared towards them. Like with Jane Austen’s Emma, we see the main character learning from her mistakes and striving to be a better person in turn. By the end when she opens up her heart and accepts others, we in turn have grown to care for her.

For me personally, a character usually needs to have at least two or three of these traits for me to really latch onto them and continue to think fondly of them long after I finish their story.

What about you? What makes a character your favorite?

Book Review: Emma

August 27, 2014 • 12 Comments

I think Emma has possibly maybe taken over as my favorite Austen story. The 1996 film adaptation with Gwyneth Paltrow was my first exposure, and I enjoyed it, but then I saw the 2009 BBC mini-series version and I fell completely in love with it! Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller were truly perfection in it. And then with Emma Approved coming out this year, I decided my Austen read for the year needed to be Emma. And though as the longest of Austen’s works it did start to eventually wear on me and feel a little too long, overall it was still the most enjoyable experience I have had so far reading an Austen novel.

Emma is not the most likable character (though more likable than I think some people have made her out to be… mostly she’s just young and naive), and I don’t relate to her as well as Lizzie. I find all the interactions with her friends and family to be the most interesting out of any Austen story I’ve read, however, and there is just something so sweet about the Knightley and Emma romance. He has known her for her entire life and he knows her faults extremely well, and he’s not afraid to point them out to her. And yet, he loves her deeply. And for her the revelation that she loves him is, “Of course!” It makes sense.

I also love how many quirky characters are in the story, like Mr. Woodhouse, Miss Bates, and Harriet Smith. They are far from the air of perfection certain characters (the Eltons and Frank Churchill, namely) try to give off. Harriet is a nobody with very little in the way of social graces, but she is kind and loyal. Much can be the same as Miss Bates, though she is less charming and more chatty. Mr. Woodhouse is well-meaning and loves his daughter with great devotion, but is an extreme worrier and germaphobe who is basically afraid to live any life outside of his house. But we see just as many flaws in the characters that supposedly have it all together, including Emma. And I like that about the story.

If you enjoy the story from its various adaptations, I think you’ll enjoy the book. It might get a little tedious, and Austen’s writing is not the easiest to read in general, but I think it’s worth the journey.

Have you read Emma? What are your thoughts? Which Emma adaptation is your favorite?

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