The friday 56 (189) & Book Beginnings: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

It has a dark past – one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”. But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks…

Beginning: "SecUnits don't care about the news."

56: "I sent an acknowledgment. I was trying to isolate why I felt so uneasy."

Comments: I finally read the second book in the Murderbot Diaries series, Artificial Condition. I loved the story and am looking forward to the next book. What are you reading this week?

Movies I Watched In October....

This year, I decided not to talk about most of the movies I watched in October. It would have been redundant, mainly because they’re pretty typical for the month: think Hocus Pocus, Corpse Bride, and other Halloween classics. That is to say, that wasn’t all I watched, and today I want to talk about two of Netflix’s recent releases. 

The first is A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting (released on October 15, 2020). The movie was, overall, a really enjoyable one to watch. It’s essentially about babysitting, monsters, and what those two have to do with each other—as experienced by Kelly Ferguson, who was reluctantly recruited into watching the son of her mother’s boss. The story may have been simple but it sure was entertaining, due in part to how good the characters were (hats-off to the actors on this one) as well as how well the special effects worked. Right away, the opening scene introduced Kelly, some of her backstory, and the lore that would play a bigger role later on. The pacing was effective here, as it felt like enough time was spent on each scene to really build a solid starting point. So when the movie picked up and the reveals started happening, there was solid footing to stand on.

The second movie was one I was looking forward to since I first heard about it, which was Vampires vs. The Bronx (released on October 2, 2020). I enjoyed this one as well. We don’t often get vampire movies that step outside of the norm in terms of characters—one of the few I can think of is the Blade series. Vampires vs. The Bronx felt, at times, like a timely narrative (with gentrification being a focal issue in the story) with a paranormal edge. I liked all the characters, as well as how the paranormal side of the story was handled. The setting also afforded for some spooky ambiance, and there were a few comedic moments. Like A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting, I had a lot of fun watching this movie.

So what do these movies have in common? They may be vastly different, but man they were fun. It was the kind of campiness in the same vein as older films like Disney’s Halloweentown: quirky, kind of cheesy, but still an excellent viewing experience.

What have you been watching recently? If you have any recommendations, leave them in the comments.

Music Monday (137): SZA, The O'Jays, Lone, Grace Jones

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: I took a break last week. I really just needed it. Now I'm back, and my pick this week is Anything by SZA. Its one of my favorite songs by this artist. 

Adri: I've been focusing on drawing a lot, which means I haven't been listening to new artists at all. So here's some of the music I've been listening to from Grace Jones and Lone. Sinning and Don't Mess With The Messer by Grace Jones, and Not Seeing Is A Flower by Lone.

 

 

Andrea: This week, I'm listening to A Brand New Day by Diana Ross and Love Train by The Ojays. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

Pencil {October 2020} #4: Happy Halloween!

  

Comments: And, we made it to the end of the month. Happy Halloween! I know it looks a lot different this year, with Covid-19 and all, but I still hope to have a fun day anyway and I wish the same for everyone else. For today’s artwork, I was influenced by an old painting I did a few years back, which I’m certain I referred to as the “spider bride.” I wanted to redraw this character, and I finally got around to doing it. I tried to exaggerate the proportions of the character a little, because I wanted her to appear a little more ghostly (hence there are no feet).

Short Stories I Read in September

 

It’s the 29th of October, so it’s time to talk about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in September.

Metal Like Blood In the Dark by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine; Issue Thirty-Six, September/October)

The only short story I read last month was Metal Like Blood In The Dark. This was a lovely and engrossing story about a man who built enormous machines, who he named Brother and Sister and programmed to be intelligent. From the very first line of this story, I was intrigued and invested in the characters. I have to commend the author there, because the machines were such vivid characters, full of personality and a bit of naivety. One thing that stood out about them was their needs—for metal as nourishment, for company, and their care for the person who created them—and that aspect of the story was developed quite well. At times a harrowing journey across the vast reaches of space and part coming-of-age tale as told by sentient machines, Metal Like Blood In The Dark was a fantastic story.

From Around The Web…

• Print Run Podcast episode # 135
• Our Opinions Are Correct episode # 65
• Sleeps With Monsters: Into the Wood With Emily Tesh and Carrie Vaughn (Liz Bourke; Tor.com, August 25, 2020)
• Print Run Podcast episode # 136

Review: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 5 by Jun Mochizuki

 Title: The Case Study of Vanitas

Series: The Case Study of Vanitas #5

Author: Jun Mochizuki
Source/Format: Gift; Paperback
More Details: Altenative History; Fantasy; Manga
Publisher/Publication Date: Yen Press; January 22, 2019

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Long ago, France was terrorized by The Beast of Gévaudan, who indiscriminately murdered hundreds. Before the creature could be stopped, the Beast vanished into thin air. Now, on the streets of nineteenth century Paris, news breaks of the Beast's gruesome return. As Noé and Vanitas rush to learn more about the Beast and its connection to vampirekind, none other than the Holy Knight, Astolfo, and Jeanne, the Hellfire Witch, stand in their way...

I’m steadily working my way through the current volumes of The Case Study of Vanitas. I’m on to number five, and it is a bit of a departure from the calmer chapters at the end of the previous volume. I guess you could say that it was the calm before the storm. The story takes on a darker tone, as the plot takes the main characters out of Paris. A lot of backstory is revealed for characters like Noe. There was even a little more about Jeanne (the Hellfire Witch), as some of her backstory is revealed through the exploration of her connection to the beast stalking Gévaudan.

The events of volume five once again demonstrated the murky morality in play with the characters of the series. Most of them are secretive and morally ambiguous, and so the lines between right and wrong are often blurred. It’s one of the strong suits of The Case Study of Vanitas. They’re characters you can care about and get invested in, who sometimes mean well, who think they’re doing right—and sometimes have the justification for it—but their secrets, motivations, and methods by which they get to that conclusion makes for situations that rarely have simple explanations or solutions.

There was plenty of action and mystery in this volume, which I greatly enjoyed. I also liked how Mochizuki incorporated real-world influences here. Such as how the Beast of Gévaudan was incorporated into the story so that it fit with the overall lore established in previous volumes—and as I was reading I thought the name sounded somewhat familiar, so I did google it.

Overall, this was another great volume, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

Music Monday (136): The Neighbourhood, Kerli, Epica, John Coltrane, The Gap Band

 

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: I'm currently enjoying music by The Neighbourhood. I haven't listened to them as much in the past year or so, but over the weekend I got into their music again. One of my favorite songs is Lost in Translation.

Adri:  I'm mainly sticking to my same playlist, which is nothing new. Recently, I have rediscovered some songs I haven't listened to for a bit. My picks for today are Walking on Air by Kerli and Quietus by Epica.  

Andrea: Hi all, this week I'm listening to Party Train by The Gap Band and A Love Supreme by John Coltrane. There are three parts to Coltrane's song, but I have only posted part one. Have an amazing week!

   

What are you listening to this week?

Pencil {October 2020} #3

  

Comments: Adri and I recently watched Over The Garden Wall. I’ve been hearing about it for a while, and I wanted to watch it this year. So I picked up the DVD while it was on sale at Barnes & Noble. I really loved the series, and it’s one of my favorite shows from Cartoon Network to date. My artwork for today is partly inspired by the spooky and whimsical feel of Over the Garden Wall, but it’s not influenced by any scenes from the show—so you don’t need to worry about spoilers if you haven’t watched it.

The Friday 56 (188) & Book Beginnings: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

Beginning: "Dusk at the end of winter, and two men crossed the dooryard of a palace scarred by fire."

56: "Olga gathered her daughter into her arms."

Comments: I recently reread one of my all-time favorite reads: The Winter of the Witch. What are you reading this week?

ARC Review: The Eternal City: A History of Rome in Maps by Jessica Maier

Title: The Eternal City: A History of Rome in Maps
Series: n/a
Author: Jessica Maier
Source/Format: Publisher; eARC
More Details: History; Cartography; Nonfiction 
Publisher/Publication Date: University of Chicago Press; October 22, 2020

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

One of the most visited places in the world, Rome attracts millions of tourists each year to walk its storied streets and see famous sites like the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Trevi Fountain. Yet this ancient city’s allure is due as much to its rich, unbroken history as to its extraordinary array of landmarks. Countless incarnations and eras merge in the Roman cityscape. With a history spanning nearly three millennia, no other place can quite match the resilience and reinventions of the aptly nicknamed Eternal City. In this unique and visually engaging book, Jessica Maier considers Rome through the eyes of mapmakers and artists who have managed to capture something of its essence over the centuries. Viewing the city as not one but ten “Romes,” she explores how the varying maps and art reflect each era’s key themes. Ranging from modest to magnificent, the images comprise singular aesthetic monuments like paintings and grand prints as well as more popular and practical items like mass-produced tourist plans, archaeological surveys, and digitizations. The most iconic and important images of the city appear alongside relatively obscure, unassuming items that have just as much to teach us about Rome’s past. Through 140 full-color images and thoughtful overviews of each era, Maier provides an accessible, comprehensive look at Rome’s many overlapping layers of history in this landmark volume. The first English-language book to tell Rome’s rich story through its maps, The Eternal City beautifully captures the past, present, and future of one of the most famous and enduring places on the planet.

I haven’t read many books on cartography, so The Eternal City was one that immediately got my interest. It turned out to be as fascinating of a read as I thought it would be. Interspersed with text and visual examples alike, The Eternal City focused on the history of Rome as told through maps. It was quite the read too, since it offered a visual and written account of how Rome changed over the years. Many of the details proved to be examples of the way the city developed according to the needs and ambition of who was in charge at the time, as well as how that affected the living conditions for the citizens. So there were maps for practical purposes, ones for commemorative/souvenir reasons, and others where artistic license was taken, but there was still an aspect of accuracy to them. All the maps that were pictured in this book were, to say the least, gorgeously rendered, and I could appreciate the detail that went into them. The Eternal City also covered how complicated such a thing was—the growing pains of a city—as power exchanged hands and religion came into play. It also took at a look at the establishment of some of Rome’s most recognizable monuments. Overall, The Eternal City was an excellent read.

About the author...

Jessica Maier is associate professor of art history at Mount Holyoke College. She is the author of Rome Measured and Imagined: Early Modern Maps of the Eternal City, also published by University of Chicago Press

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (University of Chicago Press) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!

Music Monday (135): Meet Me @ The Altar, Mary J. Blige

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: Recently, I've been listening to music by Meet Me @ The Altar. They're relatively new to me, but I really enjoy listening to their songs. One of my favorites is May The Odds Be In Your Favor. The sound kind of reminds me of Paramore's earlier music. 

Andrea: This week I'm listening to Mighty River by Mary J. Blige. Mighty River was released a few years ago as a part of the soundtrack for Mudbound. I never watched the Netflix movie, and I just heard the song for the first time on Friday while I was listening to Spotify. I simply love Mighty River's message. You can listen to the song below.

I can't wait to discover what everyone is listening to this week. Have an amazing week & stay safe!

What are you listening to this week?

Pencil {October 2020} #2

  

Comments: Today’s artwork is this pumpkin. It’s kind of a simple one, and it’s based off of a ceramic candy dish I got way back in early September. As soon as I saw the shape of it (a jack-o-lantern), I knew I wanted to draw it with a candle in the opening in place of candy. For reference, here is a picture of the candy dish.