Orphan Black "The Antisocialism of Sex" Review

So this review might be a few days late but there is a very good reason for that. Hear me out. The entire universe was set against me watching this episode of Orphan Black! I tried watching it the night it came out and it wouldn't load and every night up until tonight I tried watching it On Demand and it wouldn't load then either. It was so frustrating!

Luckily tonight was the night that the world decided I was able to FINALLY watch Orphan Black and watch it I did. Now, while this episode wasn't anywhere near as intense as the last one it was exactly what the show needed right now. It wouldn't have made sense if people didn't lose their crap a little bit after what happened last week. Arguably, (and understandably) Cosima took things the worst. She was pretty mean to poor Scott but this was because she got a little desperate to find a cure now that her research and the original are both gone. Luckily, Felix saved her just in time with the knowledge that there could be more of this to come in her future:

On second thought Felix may have saved more than just Cosima with this news. The world is just better when Cosima and Delphine are together. Also Sarah was a mess again in this episode which we haven't seen for a while. But like they say when it rains it storms. Like that crap got REAL bad but it ended up okay and it resulted in a glimpse at these telepathy powers or whatever they are that we're seeing from Kira. Who is by the way so adorable! I'm wondering if when Beth said it was the last night Sarah would see her if that meant that she's now uncovered everything that Beth had and because of this their journeys are no longer mirroring each other.

The real twist in this episode was with that slumber party scene. Poor Donnie! Who could just barge in and arrest this poor innocent face:

Oh right. I guess it was a matter of time... But still it's Donnie! :( Hopefully this gets addressed in the next episode because I don't think I can wait long to know that he's okay. Also Cosima and Scott have got to get back on track with finding a cure. I personally think M.K. is going to come into play with the solution to that problem somehow.

My Motor City Comic Con 2016 Experience

I go to the Motor City Comic Con every year for my father's birthday and it is my favorite time of year. This is where I met John Barrowman two years ago. This year topped the past few years big time though. This year Comic Con happened not too long after I started finally getting over my bout of thyroid cancer. While I was sick during this past semester of school I hardly even had the energy to read. One of the few things I could do was watch TV and a lot of the celebrities I met at Comic Con this year were the ones whose shows really got me through this hard time. Because of what I went through I was overjoyed to have the opportunity to thank them for helping me through it whether they knew it or not.

When I first got to convention the first person I met straight away was Elden Henson. He plays Foggy in Daredevil and Pollux in The Hunger Games. I think he was my favorite person I met the whole time I was there. He told me my hair was "f*cking awesome" and when I told him how much Daredevil helped me through being sick and how Foggy is my favorite character he gave me a big hug. He was also offering free selfies with autographs and I just about died. He was just so kind and nice and season two of Daredevil really did help me the most out of any show because I was watching it while I recovered from my first thyroid surgery which was probably the worst part of my whole cancer journey. I also really do love Elden's performance as Foggy in the show - the character who made me laugh and smile the most even while I was sick. So yeah meeting him was the best part of the whole con.

After Elden I tried to get in line to meet James Marsters for the first time but found his line was closed. Instead I went over to Lena Headey who plays Cersei on Game of Thrones and met her. She was nice but didn't say too much. She wasn't doing meet and greets really but I got an autograph so it was still cool. After that James Marsters' line was still closed so I went to Robbie Thompson's panel. Robbie Thompson was a writer for Supernatural and as a writer myself his panel was fascinating. I got to ask the last question in his panel so I asked what the process for the music was on the musical episode "Fanfiction" and if he had ever worked with theatre before writing that episode.

When the panel was done I thought about staying in the room for the Daredevil panel with Elden Henson and Jon Bernthal but decided against it because I needed to try again to get into line to meet James Marsters. So try again I did. BUT his line was closed AGAIN! So I went and met Robbie Thompson in person. I told him that I really looked forward new episodes of Supernatural while I was sick and thanked him for writing such wonderful episodes as "Baby" this season. I also told him that "Fanfiction" was my favorite episode in the whole series and that I was really happy that he made one of the girls in it a stage manager because that's something I do. He also gave me writing advice and was so super nice. He was definitely my second favorite person I met only after Elden.

Next I FINALLY got to meet James Marsters. The line was closed so I had to trade places with my dad and get his autograph for him but I made it just in time and did indeed meet him. James Marsters plays Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He's also been in Torchwood and has an awesome band. I loved him as Spike though. I was a total Spike girl and always rooted for him on the show. It was amazing to meet him! When I told him how I kept trying to get in line to meet him he told me a story about how he almost got to meet Leonard Nimoy when he was younger and was devastated when he had to leave right before he could meet him. He sad that he hoped he never had to do that to anyone and was glad I got to meet him. He also told me that I was the same height as Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy, duh!) and called me "Slayer Size" and I am totally getting that on a shirt.

After meeting James Marsters I also got to meet Josh McDermitt and Michael Kudlitz who play Eugene and Abraham on The Walking Dead. This was another show that I really looked forward to every week while I was sick and I got to tell them both that as well as how much I love their dynamic together on the show. They are both hilarious! Josh was the nicest. When I went to shake his hand he squished my face instead and said "They call me Josh. And what do they call you?" Over all my experience at Motor City Comic Con this year was just the best and I already can't wait for next year!

Supernatural "Alpha and Omega" Review

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Tonight's episode was the best Supernatural finale I've seen in a long while. I've cried at almost every finale so far. However, I was determined not to cry during this one. That did not last long. I was good even through Rowena telling Dean that he had to be the bomb. What finally made me break was:

Dean saving the world with nothing more than a heart to heart with God's sister was probably the most badass thing that's ever been done on the show. I'm really glad that Chuck got to live and that Cas is back. I'm totally shipping Crowley and Billie after this episode. Also that ending? Absolutely phenomenal! I have faith that Sam is okay so I'm just really wanting to know about the London Men of Letters and what was with Amara bringing back Mary! I feel like Mary won't be back for long and Sam will be held prisoner by the other Men of Letters. Luckily with them thinking Dean is dead and Cas knowing something is up I'm sure they'll be able to go get Sam back. I already can't wait for Season 12. Things just keep getting better and better!

#Readathon Day 1

I decided to participate in #radreadathon on bookstagram! Here's my TBR:

So far I read 300 pages of Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare and I am loving it! I wan't a huge fan of Clockwork Angel but its sequel has won me over. Will, Jem, and Tessa are pretty much my favorite characters in any Shadowhunters book yet! I can't wait to review this one. I plan to finish it today. I'm reading this one for the read a book 500 pages or longer challenge.

Storytelling: The Love of My Life (or What I Learned While I Had Cancer)

So during this past semester of school I had cancer. It was thyroid cancer. Not "just thyroid cancer" either. It was kind of Hell and I'm sick of people belittling my cancer by calling it "just thyroid cancer" or "the good cancer." It's not. Thyroid cancer is still cancer and while the kind I had (follicular) may not have been the worst it wasn't even the "best thyroid cancer" let alone the "best kind of cancer to get." Yet these were the sort of things that people, even doctors, had the audacity to tell me. My cancer sucked just as much as anyone's cancer sucks. Now that I've gotten that prelude to my story out of the way I'd like to talk about what I came here to talk about. Because my cancer sucked I had literally zero energy. I couldn't even bring myself to read unless I absolutely had to for school (yes I continued to attend school while I had cancer that made my brain go all fuzzy and still got a 4.0) and even then sometimes I listened to audiobooks instead. If you know me then you know that this is the ultimate devastation for me. Reading has probably been my favorite past time since I was about four years old. I also tried to write while I was sick but I had about the same luck with that as I did with reading.

Luckily, however, while I couldn't bring myself to power through reading or writing for enjoyment I could manage to watch TV. The TV shows I watched quickly became the light of my life. Every week I looked forward to and counted on Supernatural and The Walking Dead to bring some joy to those dark days. In between episodes of Supernatural and The Walking Dead what got me through tough times was Season Two of Marvel's Daredevil. Little did I know that these shows would help me past more than just this bout of cancer. Watching these shows along with another experience I had when I was just starting to finally get better made me realize what my ultimate goal in life is.

A little over a week ago I went to the Motor City Comic Con (this was the aforementioned experience in the paragraph prior) and was so grateful to be able to thank people involved with all three of these shows. I was able to tell them that they had been a part of something that helped me through one of the worst parts of my life. One of these people I had the pleasure to meet was Robbie Thompson, writer for Supernatural and the Silk comic book series. I also went to Robbie's panel and hearing him talk about writing for television really inspired me.

You see, I'm an English major but I only became an English major halfway through my Sophomore year of college (right before I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer). I used to be a theatre major until I realized something major. (Haha puns!) I realized that what I love about theatre is getting the chance to help bring stories to life. After thinking on this for a long time I decided that I didn't just want to help bring stories to life. I wanted to create stories. I didn't know just what kind of stories I wanted to create or even what kinds of mediums I wanted to create them for but I knew that I needed to write. I figured that until I knew otherwise I could just write books and short stories because that was something I knew.

Now I know different though. I know that I do want to write books and short stories at some point because books are where my love of stories started but my ultimate dream job is to write for television. Television is a much more universal medium even than books and is something that almost everyone can experience no matter their age, ability, wellness, gender, or race. Some TV shows can be all that someone needs to get through life and writing for TV is something I think I would be really good at. Writing for TV also provide the opportunity to both create a story and be a part of it being brought to life. Two things I love. (You may ask why not write for theatre? I'm just not drawn to playwriting. I couldn't tell you why.) Cancer sucked but I'm really glad that cancer, TV, Motor City Comic Con 2016, and Robbie Thompson made me realize what I want to be when I grow up (or if  that never happens - Because who wants to grow up? - then whenever I get out of school and need a new goal to start working toward).

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any TV show logos used in this post.

Preacher "Pilot" Review

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Dang was this ever good! I think this was THE BEST pilot episode of a show in recent years! The action scenes were so fast-paced and badass. From what I've seen so far Tulip is quite possibly the strongest female character I've ever seen on television before. My favorite scene in the whole episode was a tie between the kickass introduction of Tulip and the wonderful emotionally-charged scene between Preacher and Eugene. The action-packed scenes on the plane and the bar were also awesome in their own right though. The end was also so intriguing. I already can't wait to see what happens next. I have to know what is going on with this. I may even start reading the comics just to get a better idea of what actually is going down. A great start to what I'm hoping will be an awesome new series.

Fear the Walking Dead "Shiva" Review

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This week's episode of Fear the Walking Dead was EXACTLY what I've been waiting to see. When Madison finally stepped up and her first Rick Grimes moment by locking Celia in with the walkers I just about lost it. Such a great moment! The entire time Travis was looking for Chris all I could think was:

He is so clearly and totally insane! He. Is. A. Serial Killer! However, when Travis finally took Chris' side in the end I actually thought that was the right thing to do. Chris is young after all and he has been through a lot. You kind of have to give him the benefit of the doubt. The very end of the episode was the most badass scene the show has scene yet. All the zombies coming at them and everything on fire. It was so great! I cannot wait for the next half of the season in August. I am dying to know the fate of the group - Daniel, Travis, Chris, and Nick in particular.

"Royal Day Out" Review

SPOILER ALERT: There are spoilers for The Princess Diaries series as well as the first book in the  From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess series in this review.

"Royal Day Out" is a new short story in the From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess series by Meg Cabot. It could be considered 1.5 in the series. I loved this cute little story. It was a great snapshot of what is happening over in Genovia. The story is told by the main character, Olivia Grace. Olivia Grace is Mia's 12-year-old little sister. At the start of the story the reader finds out that Mia (who is pregnant with twins) has been having terrible morning sickness while trying to plan her and Michael's wedding. So in order to cheer Mia up Olivia and Grandmère decide to go shopping and buy Mia a present. Their day does not go perfectly according to plan but in some ways it goes better than it might have. While the story did not introduce any major events it was a cute story that tided me over until I could get my hands on Royal Wedding Disaster and it was free. I also loved how clever Olivia is. I think she reminds me of a cross between our favorite princess, Mia, and Eloise from the Eloise books by Kay Thompson. A great bit of writing from one of my favorite authors.

The Final Verdict?

Five stars because of how cute and refreshing it was. I've been reading a lot of Fantasy with heavy topics and this was exactly the witty break I needed from that.

Orphan Black "The Scandal of Altruism" Review

Hello other Clone Club members!
Before I dive into tonight's episode of Orphan Black there is something else that needs to be appreciated real quick. THIS SELFIE:

I took this to show off my new clone club necklace that I wore since today was Orphan Black day. Can't you just see Alison wearing this outfit to a community theatre rehearsal though? I can and I love it! I don't often take selfies that I like this much so I thought I'd share. I'm thinking of doing more clone-inspired outfits. Let me know what you think of this idea!

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Anyways onto the episode - which was, by the way, SUPER INTENSE!

Me at the beginning of the show when they came up with the plan to save Leda but not Castor:

The writing for this episode was so clever. The amount of hope provided at the start of the show parallels the devastation that occurs in the end. I almost felt bad for Ira though. Almost...

Let me just say - I am loving Krystal being back. The scene where she maced Felix was absolutely perfect! One of my new favorites up with the Donny massage scene from last week.

Me at the end of the show:

So yeah, the end of this week's episode actually made me cry. How are our clones ever going to get better? Poor Kendall! WHY???? This is just all too sad. Not gonna lie either I kind of wanted to be Beth while she was punching freaking Evie Cho in her stupid evil freaking face. As sad as all this was however, I also think this was exactly what the show needed. The stakes have been raised now and I can't wait to see where things go from here. It is going to get even more difficult and time sensitive to find a cure. I predict this will drive the plot better than any other turn of events in past seasons.

A Court of Thorns and Roses Review

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When I first delved into A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas I was enthralled by the world she was building. A huntress supporting her family? Freezing cold woods? Dangerous faeries? I was all in! As the story went on I was entranced by Tamlin and his court as well as the mystery surrounding the blight. The romance was as steamy as I had heard as well. This was not a disappointment!

BUT I was not a fan of how out of nowhere Tamlin and Feyre's relationship seemed. Also, the fact that he took care of her family so well and that this was made clear so soon seemed a bit odd. In short I liked the beginning and the end of A Court of Thorns and Roses but it did drag a bit in the middle and I still don't know if I REALLY ship Tamlin and Feyre.

The Final Verdict?

I would give A Court of Thorns and Roses a 4 out of 5 stars. I loved Feyre's backstory and her obsession with painting. I loved the world and the faeries. The only thing I didn't like was the instalove and the fact that it was advertised as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Tamlin could choose to be a handsome prince with only a mask hindering his appearance. He didn't really have anything wrong with him. It was still a good start to the series though and because this was the first Sarah J. Maas book I read I will be giving its sequel, A Court of Mist and Fury, a try.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Re-Read

Like so many others I have had a long relationship with Harry Potter. Like really long. I started reading the books when I was four years old and they were my world. Harry Potter got me reading and writing and it was my gateway fandom. If I had not fallen so hard for Harry I would not be who I am today. Because of this you can imagine my excitement over the release of the script for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This new release has prompted me to return to the wizarding world full force with a re-read. I started at the beginning and I'd like to offer up my thoughts on it since up until now I had not re-read the books in about eight years. So let's get into it, shall we?

Since Sorcerer's Stone is the Harry Potter book I've read the most I decided to make it even more exciting by reading the picture book edition I received for Christmas. This book is GORGEOUS!

Some new realizations I had and little things I noticed while re-reading Sorcerer's Stone:

-Dumbledore really isn't the amazing hero I used to believe he was. He's endangering small children! Also why is his being able to turn invisible without a cloak never revisited and explained? Get on it JKR?! We've seen how good at backtracking and filling in plot holes you've become.

-J.K. Rowling mentions Harry feeling as though Snape can read minds. That is some pretty early planning for the occlumency introduced in Book 5. I loved that!

-I forgot how much more antagonizing Draco is in the books. He's so obsessed!

-I still love Lee Jordan's quidditch commentary!

My final verdict:

Harry Potter has come to be much more to me than any other book has throughout my entire life. Letting myself get lost in the series again has been a bit like finally going home after a long vacation. However, now that I have developed a much more critical mind toward literature I found myself able to see small flaws for what they were: human. J.K. Rowling is just as human as you and I and everyone else in the world. She made some mistakes when she wrote the series. She tries to cover them up as best as she can but she can't go back and rewrite the books. Does this take away from the books whatsoever? NO because she also did follow through on the plot of the books very carefully and created a wonderful world. Who cares if she made a mistake here and there? That only makes her all the more relatable and the books more lovable in my opinion. I will never be able to experience the books completely anew but going back was every bit as lovely as it ever was.

Supernatural "We Happy Few" Review

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SO... This week's episode has got me all like:

First off let me start by saying did they really let that battle happen the week before the finale?!?! What on Earth, Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory is going down next week?! Second off does anyone else think not killing "Chuck" was a bit predictable? I really think that should have been left on a cliff hanger at the very least. The battle in this episode was epic! Everyone getting their own part in helping take down Amara? Exactly what the show needed. However pulling so much focus from Sam and Dean may have been a bad move. It was cool but I still have mixed feelings about it. I will say this however... This arc with the Darkness has been so epic and confusing on an almost Biblical sort of scale that the finale has got to blow all past finales out of the water if it's going to live up to what fans are expecting. Like we're talking as good as Season 5. Personally I feel like at the end of the season we are going to lose both Amara and God but on the other hand I'm kind of hoping that God sticks around simply because Chuck is awesome! More than anything whatever happens next week what I'm looking forward to most is: