Lets Talk About Older Artwork...

I haven't done a discussion post in a long time. It was one of my blogging goals of 2017. "At least once a month," is what I told myself; although, I never really found my rhythm and didn't find the time to write as many as I wanted (or couldn't think of topics to write about). That being said, it's a new year, and I finally have another discussion post ready. So, today, I'm here to talk about old artwork....

Old artwork. If art is your hobby or job, you’ve inevitably got a pile of old artwork stashed in some deep, dark, and forgotten corner of a closet or drawer. I mean, I have a lot of old art—some of it is from when I was kid—and admittedly, it’s a little awkward to look at. My immediate response is to cringe at it, laugh it off, or just quickly shut that drawer and walk away. However, old artwork is a good thing. And, like it or not, it’s always going to be a thing.

I view old artwork as a roadmap to my current art ability. If not for some of my old artwork, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I didn’t get this way overnight. It took years of practice, and even to this day I still find areas that I feel aren’t as on par with other aspects of my abilities.

I say that old artwork is a good thing because it serves as a visual reminder of where I was. Its a literal documentation of all the learning curves I've gone through, the style changes, and experiments. If I look back at pieces from early 2017 and compare them to some of my current projects, there’s a big difference. By comparing old with new, I can see the areas where I have improved as well as others that I still need to work on. But the signs of improvement are often sources of encouragement to continue. For example, the pictures below. The one on the left is a drawing from 2016 and the one on the right is the redraw I did for it on March 2, 2018.

What I’m trying to say is there’s no shame in old artwork. It’s older artwork for a reason. Is it kind of awkward? Yeah, sometimes, but that doesn’t change the fact that a year from now, I'll look back at everything I'm currently working on and will label it as older artwork. And, in a way, those ones (Those roadmaps to every learning curve) will always be just as important as recent pieces of art. Where's the shame in that?

What are your thoughts on older artwork?

Music Monday (39): Transviolet, and Oshun

   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: My pick this week is Bloodstream by Transviolet. I head this song while listening to google music and instantly loved the sound of it. Since then, I’ve listened to more music by Transviolet…

Adri:  My pick this week is Parts by OSHUN. I absolutely adore this song. From the futurism/sci fi right down to the beat, I have had it on repeat. I also love the clothes, especially from the later half of the video.

What are you listening to?

The Friday 56 (126) & Book Beginnings: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

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...

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines--puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win--and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape...

Beginning: "Everyone my age remember where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the contest."

56: "Ogden Morrow was a brilliant programmer in his own right, but his true talent was his knack for business."

Comments: Earlier in the week, I received Ready Player One by Ernest Cline for review and liked the story more than I originally thought I would. There were as many 80s references as I expected, and overall I found the story to be interesting. What are you reading this week?

Review: Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

Title: Daughter of the Burning City
Series: N/A
Author: Amanda Foody
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Young Adult; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Harlequin Teen; July 25, 2017

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Sixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. Her creations are her family, and together they make up the cast of the Festival’s Freak Show. But no matter how lifelike they may seem, her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered. Desperate to protect her family, Sorina must track down the culprit and determine how they killed a person who doesn’t actually exist. Her search for answers leads her to the self-proclaimed gossip-worker Luca, and their investigation sends them through a haze of political turmoil and forbidden romance, and into the most sinister corners of the Festival. But as the killer continues murdering Sorina’s illusions one by one, she must unravel the horrifying truth before all of her loved ones disappear...

I’ve wanted to read Daughter of the Burning City for a while now. I freely admit that I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and premise, which promised a magical and dangerous circus-y type setting—which is a favorite trope/element of mine that I don’t read often enough. I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. It was a deeply atmospheric story. There were so many things about it that were cool and unique that I almost wish I’d read it sooner, but it is what it is.

Overall, I liked the story. There was a lot going on between the mystery about who was killing Sorina’s illusion, and the broader conflicts surrounding Gomorrah’s travels through the Up-Mountains. There were a lot of unexpected twists. And the setting was sort of fun—it’s a festival after all—but it carried through on some darker themes. In that way, the burning city lived up to its name. And Foody succeeded at capturing the atmosphere of Gomorrah: the danger and mystery; how something of its nature moves from place to place, and what the way of life was like for the people who lived and worked there. The lore surrounding the smoke that clouds Gomorrah’s sky was as unexpected and cool as the scenery and members of Sorina’s show. There was, of course, a world outside of Gomorrah. There could have been…more to it, but there were clear hints of the landscape and brutal extremism in the Up-Mountain beliefs that often ended in violence.

Now the characters—for the most part, I liked them, particularly Sorina and her illusions. Sorina is a character I would best describe as somewhat naïve, but considering the story, her upbringing, and age, it ultimately worked because it fit with her personality. Now, Sorina is a character without eyes, and some of the expressions used to describe her emotional reactions were a little confusing. Such as when she was crying, but without eyes I wasn’t certain how it worked. I wish that her emotions had been better reflected in her illusion jynx-work. But otherwise, I thought her character and abilities were fine.

I don’t know. There was something about Daughter of the Burning City that I loved, a certain charm to the characters, story, and setting. And I liked the end. It was a satisfying conclusion for the characters, despite some lingering questions. Needless to say, I will definitely read more books by Amanda Foody...

The Longest Book Tag

Today, I’m here to participate in another book tag. I haven’t done one in a long time, but recently I was tagged by Ronnie @ParadiseFound for The Longest Book Tag. And I thought: “Why not?” It’s a short tag. But then, I ran into a dilemma: Some of the longest books I’ve read were ones I didn’t enjoy, and in the end, I made the decision not to include them on this list. Instead, I want to focus on books I did like and ones I'm looking forward to. 

Before I get started, I have to get to the technical details of this post. The nitty gritty: This book tag was originally created by Bewitchingly Paranoid. You can find the original post HERE. You can also check out Ronnie’s post HERE

The rules…

• Make a list of the 5 longest books you’ve ever read
• Select 2 of the longest books on your tbr
• Discuss
• Tag others

Longest books I’ve read and enjoyed...

1. Cold Magic by Kate Elliott; 528 pages
2. The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams; 815 pages
3. The Portable Nineteenth-Century African American Women Writers edited by Hollis Robbins and Henry Louis Gates Jr.; 656 pages
4. The Diviners by Libba Bray; 578 pages

Longest books on my TBR…

1. The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin (I actually read the first book in the omnibus edition, but have yet to get to the other two. So, it’s still on my TBR list.); 1442 pages
2. Cold Steele by Kate Elliott; 614 pages

My thoughts on long books…

I like long books but don’t think they’re any better or worse than something that has a lower word count. I try not to judge writing based on length. I read short stories and novellas and know that a good story can be told no matter the length.

Who I’m tagging…

Generally...

• everyone

Specifically...

•  Adri @Toile, Think, Go
• Lauren Stoolfire @Always Me

What are your thoughts on longer books? Does the length of a book matter to you?

Upcoming Albums I'm Waiting For

You know, in early February it occurred to me that in January I failed to talk about the upcoming music I was waiting for during the time I was discussing goals and 2018 books. Music is a regular subject that I and my co-bloggers discuss on the blog, particularly for the weekly meme, Music Monday. So, this post makes sense in the grand scheme of things and is long overdue. Plus, there’s a lot of new music coming out this year by some of my favorite artist…

New album by Grimes — Grimes’s music has a very particular sound. Art Angels (2015) was one of my favorite albums of the year. It includes songs like Butterfly, Realiti (studio and demo version), and Venus Fly featuring Janelle Monáe. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to new music by Grimes.

Joyride by Tinashe—Tinashe is an artist that I sporadically listen to. Her music has been catchy in the past, and there are specific songs that I really love. And then, No Drama happened. I’m so hyped for this album, plain and simple.

Rihanna 9th Studio Album—I’ve listened to Rihanna’s music on and off through the years. But then there was Anti. Anti is my favorite album by Rihanna, and since its release I’ve been eagerly waiting for her next album. No release date yet.

Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe—EXCITED SCREAMING!!! There was rumors of a 2017 release, but it didn't happen. However, last Friday, Janelle Monáe released the title and a short teaser trailer for her upcoming album Dirty Computer.

Cardi B Studio Album—Bodak Yellow was one of the catchiest singles to come out of 2017. I’m looking forward to whatever music Cardi B releases next, whether it’s another single or a full album.

Twenty One Pilots—Who knows when we’ll get an update on their next album, but I’m willing to patiently wait.

Florence and the Machine 4th studio album—Ceremonials was the album that introduced me to Florence and the Machine. I still love it seven years later. It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything about the band, and I recently checked for news and saw that they’re working on another album. No release date as of when I wrote this post.

Childish Gambino’s next album—I’m sad about this one. I really am. If you google his name + new album, you’ll see that Donald Glover is retiring his Childish Gambino pseudonym after this next album. I’m so sad, but I’m also looking forward to it.

So, that is my list of music I’m looking forward to. I’m certain that as the year goes on more and more music is likely to be added.

What albums are you waiting for?

Music Monday (38): Kendrick Lamar, SZA, & Jorja Smith; a.k.a. This Is About Black Panther; I Have No Regrets

   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 thought I had this post all planned out. I'd already decided on which songs I would talk about, but then, the Black Panther movie soundtrack happened and I was done for. Oh well. I have no regrets. But, can we just talk about how awesome All the Stars by Kendrick Lamar and SZA is? Not only that, but the music video is visually stunning...

There are so many good songs from the album. It's hard to choose just two to talk about. My second pick is I Am by Jorja Smith. It's lit.

I have to admit, this is one of my favorite movie soundtracks, and I highly recommend listening to the whole album. It's worth it...

What are you listening to?

The Friday 56 (125) & Book Beginnings: Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

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...

Sixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. Her creations are her family, and together they make up the cast of the Festival’s Freak Show. But no matter how lifelike they may seem, her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered. Desperate to protect her family, Sorina must track down the culprit and determine how they killed a person who doesn’t actually exist. Her search for answers leads her to the self-proclaimed gossip-worker Luca, and their investigation sends them through a haze of political turmoil and forbidden romance, and into the most sinister corners of the Festival. But as the killer continues murdering Sorina’s illusions one by one, she must unravel the horrifying truth before all of her loved ones disappear...

Beginning: "I peek from behind the tattered velvet curtains at the chattering audience, their mouths full of candied pineapple and kettle corn."

56: "Throughout the story, Villiam keeps a stoic expression, as if contemplating a puzzle from one of his books. I don't know how he can keep himself so contained."

Comments: I have finally read Daughter of the Burning City, and liked the story more than I thought I would. I kind of wish there was a sequel. What are you reading this week?

Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Title: The Cruel Prince
Author: Holly Black
Series: The Folk of the Air #1
Source/Format: Borrowed from the Library; Hardcover
More Details: Young Adult; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Little Brown Books for Young Readers; January 2, 2018

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository


Synopsis from Goodreads...

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever. And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe...

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences. In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

I have been a fan of Holly Black’s writing for a number of years. I've always particularly enjoyed her books about fairies including The Spiderwick Chronicles (which I read as a kid), the Modern Faerie Tales, and The Darkest Part of the Forest. So, you can imagine how excited I was for The Cruel Prince.

I enjoyed this book. The plot had me hooked from the very first page. One thing I particularly enjoyed about The Cruel Prince was how it expanded the world already established in other books—like Tithe—and some familiar faces appeared briefly in the story.

The Cruel Prince didn’t necessarily offer anything new in terms of fairies—especially if you’ve read books by this author before. It read like Black’s usual take on fey lore with the fairies being cruel tricksters, and their society dark and atmospheric full of magic, danger, and politics. But that’s what I was expecting and it was done so well. What I didn’t expect was how much I liked the majority of Jude’s perspective. For the most part she was okay. I didn’t necessarily like all the decisions she made, and parts of her personality reminded me a little of Hazel from The Darkest Part of the Forest. At some parts, their goals were kind of similar, particularly in the beginning of The Cruel Prince. That being said, their stories were vastly different. It was also interesting to see the courts from the viewpoint of a human forced to live among the nobility of the fey and what daily life would be like for Jude and her twin.

The prince implied in the title, well…I didn’t like his character for about 50% of the book. The title says it all: he was intentionally cruel to Jude to the point of endangering her life. And that crossed the line. However, the twists with his character were unexpected, and he went through some much needed development in book 2 (part 2). I wasn't exactly sympathetic to his character, but he was tolerable.

Overall, The Cruel Prince was everything I was hoping it would be. The last few chapters were amazing, and I look forward to what Holly Black has in-store for this story.

Music Monday (37): TLC & Olivia Newton-John

   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: Lately, I’ve been in a mood where all I want to listen to is older music. As such, my first pick is Physical by Olivia Newton-John. The one I’m talking about today is her live performance at the Sydney Opera House. It’s a gorgeous version of the song; although, if you haven’t heard the original then I recommend giving it a listen too.

My second pick is No Scrubs by TLC. I cannot accurately describe how much I love this song. Also, the esthetic of the music video is still one of my all-time favorites.

Of course, I’ve been listening to more than just the above mentioned songs including music by Samantha Fox, Pretty Poison, and SOS Band, among many others. What are you listening to this week?