Quote of the Month:

Quote of the Month:

Thursday, December 28, 2023

My Favorites of Fall 2023

🍂  My Favorites of Fall 2023 🍁

Below, I have listed some of my favorite music, movies, YouTube videos, and TV that I have watched or listened to this fall. This has been a great season for some amazing entertainment. I also wanted to share the stories I loved on A03 from this season. 

🎞️ Movies/Specials:

1. The Super Mario Bros. Movie 🍄

~ Took me way too long to watch this movie but I had a great time with this one. Jack Black is fabolous as Bowser. I love how they made the plot simple but fit so well in the Mario world. This movie did well so I’m sure they will make a sequel and I hope they do. I have loved the Mario games since I was a kid and I’m glad they did the characters and world justice. 






2. Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger 🎄

~ This movie is absolutely ridiculous and had me laughing so hard. I will definitely be watching it every year now for Christmas.





3. Single All the Way 🎁

~ A sweet Christmas movie that I love watching every year. I adore the romance in this and how they have one of my favorite Christmas songs “My Only Wish (This Year)” by Britney Spears





4. Wonka 🍫

~ Beautifully magical movie with a great soundtrack. Timothee Chalamet does a wonderful job embodying a young Wonka. I loved the story between him and Noodle.


🎵 Music:

This year has been absolutely amazing for new music. Here are some of the best that I loved in Fall 2023. My absolute favorites have an asterisk  (*) by them. 

1. Sunday at Foxgloves album by Boys Like Girls- I have adored Boys Like Girls music for a very long time and I was so happy to have new music from them this year. 

2. Good Witch Deluxe album by Maisie Peters*- I cannot say how many times I have listened to this album since it come out but I’m glad I found Maisie this year. Her music is wonderful. 

3. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) album by Taylor Swift (especially the Vault songs)- 1989 has always had some of my favorite Taylor songs and I was looking forward to hearing the Vault songs. They were definitely some of the best that we have had come out for the Taylor’s versions. My favorite is “Say Don’t Go.” 

4. “Us” by Chxrlotte

5. “Come With Me” by Chxrlotte

6. “Fair” by The Amazing Devil 

7. “Battle Cries” by The Amazing Devil

8. “Rhythm of the Heart” by Rod Stewart*

9. “Bigger Mistakes” by Mitchell Tenpenny

10. “Tails I Lose” by Parker McCollum

11. “maybe i’m the problem now” by MICO

12. “Don’t Stop the Car” by Blake Rose*

13. “Paradise Calling” by Birdy

14. “Elvis Song” by Maisie Peters*

15. “Put a Little Love on Me” by Niall Horan

16. “Still” by Niall Horan

17. “Garden on the Kitchen Floor” by Tors

18. “Cruel Summer”- Live from TS | The Eras Tour by Taylor Swift

19. “Cars Not Leaving”- by Gabriel Bruce*- Probably my favorite song of the season. Absolutely love this one with all my heart. Damn. 

20. “We Danced Anway” by Deana Carter- I have loved Deana’s music ever since I was a kid. I can still vividly remembering listening to “Strawberry Wine” at my grandma’s when I was about 8 or 9. This is one I had never heard before this fall but I fell in love with it. Definitely a new favorite

21. “Tell Me Why” by Wynonna- This song is everything to me. 

22. “You Win My Love” by Shania Twain 

23. “How Your Love Makes Me Feel” by Diamond Rio

24. “Tim + Faith” by Madeline Merlo

25. “Where the Wild Things” are by Luke Combs- I love Luke’s music so much and this is the best that I have heard of his songs. 

26. “It Matters to Me” by Faith Hill

27. “From This Moment On”- Pop On- Tour Version by Shania Twain

28. “Trust Me Mate” by Dean Lewis 

29. “One of These Days” by Busted 

30. Greatest Hits 2.0 (Guest Features Editions) album by Busted- I have heard most of these songs so many times over the years but it was great hearing them again on this album. I love how Busted brought in so many other great singers and bands to sing their classic songs. We get McFly, Hanson, Jonas Brothers, Bowling For Soup, Dashboard Confessional, and so many others. 

📺 TV Shows:

1. Ghosts (2021 version)- watched episodes 1-4 so far

~ Such a hilarious show 

🖥️ YouTube:

1. Dominic Noble

~ The Last Narnia Book Was Super Dark 

~ A Christmas Story~ Lost in Adaptation- Interesting 







2. DanandPhilGames

~Dan and Phil are Dating Boys Oh my God!! They’re back!!! I have been waiting 5 years for this day and I never believed it would happen. Haven’t laughed this hard in who knows how long. 

~DIL HOWLTER IS BACK- Dan and Phil Play: The Sims 4 #64- I cannot believe that this is their 64th Sims video. Goodness

~ Dan and Phil Play POPPY PLAYTIME- Scared me to death. God. The start of Spooky Week. 

~ DON’T SCREAM- If You Scream You Lose!- Well, I know I’d lose this one pretty damn quickly. Lol


~ Will Dan and Phil go back in the closet?- Good lord this was terrifying. I’ll never watch these late at night. 


~ Halloween Baking- SLIME AND SADNESS CINNAMON ROLLS- Always wanted to try what they bake in these videos. Oh my gosh, Sister Daniela. Haha

~ Dan and Phil are FEUDING- DAN VS PHIL is coming back!!!




Other Favorites


1. My favorite stories on A03

~ Angelic Whispers by AppleSeeds*

~ Warmth by Dannye Chase

~ Take Some Pictures or Something by his_infinitevariety

~ Azirafalala by AppleSeeds*

~ Fond(ant) by ddagent*

~The Longest Third Date by Caedmon

~ On Espionage and Prophecy (or How to Accidentally, but Wholly, Fall in Love With a Soho Bookseller) by RockSaltAndRoll*

~ Along the Changing Tide by NaroMoreau 

~ wake up and find what you’re looking for by NaroMoreau*

~ You Might Think I’m Crazy (All I Want Is You) by soft_october

~ The Haunting of the Angel’s Bookshop by DarkAngel2891

~ Natural Enemies by Ineffable Cliche

~ Pray for Us, Icarus by Atalan*

~ Seared into Skin by Vagabond*

~ A sweet world by NohaIjiachi

~ An Absence of Stars by mllekurtz

~ Postcards From Paris by ghostrat*

~ Love Bug by PrincessDianaArtemis

~ Wrapped by AppleSeeds

~ Star Crossed by AppleSeeds
 
~ That Odd London Bookshop series by WritesEveryBlueMoon

~ it’s a new craze by attheborder 

~ Aziraphale in the Evenings by Caedmon*

~ The Summoning by AppleSeads

~ On Hold by AppleSeeds

~ Any Foolish Thing by Caedmon

~ All I Want for Christmas is You by Caedmon

~ First Class (Hons) Christmas, University of Tadfield by heloluv*

~ Angel in the Window by themaybedoctor

~ Rearrangements by sheendav*

~ Slides of Stars series by Mjazilem*

~ Books are Works of Fiction by Yellowvelvetcake*

~ I Knew I Loved You by AppleSeeds

~ Recently by Caedmon

~ in the house we remain by commodorecliche

~ A Study in Hazel by angelsnuffbox

~ Snow Angel by Vagabond  

~ The Big British Baking Bash by Caedmon*

~ Balance by AppleSeeds

~ Barriers, and the Breaking Thereof by Cardinal_Daughter

~ The Uninvited Guest by entanglednow

~ The Value of Wild Hearts by Lurlur

~ The Rose and the Serpent by Atalan*

~ Sonnet & Vine by TicketyBoo_Delaney

~ Solve et Coagula by AppleSeeds*

~ Changing of the Seasons by AppleSeeds

~ Mon Horrible Cheri by ghostrat

~ Press L in the Chat (for Love) by chamyl, Djapchan, …

~ Everything But the Kitchen Sink by KiaraMGrey

~ Candelight by AppleSeeds*

~ Azi and the Demon by tiresius

~ The Heart of the Forest by Kalimyre

~ Secret Santa by AppleSeeds*

~ Into the Woods by ranguvar82

~ My True Love Gave to Me by CQueen*

~ through the silent wood by summerofspock

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

My Favorites of Summer 2023

 🌻 My Favorites of Summer 2023 ☀️

Below, I have listed some of my favorite music, movies, movie trailers, YouTube videos, and TV that I have watched or listened to this summer. This has been a great season for some amazing entertainment. It'll be fun to show that off, also. 

🎵 Music:

This year has been absolutely amazing for new music. Here are some of the best that I loved in Summer 2023. My absolute favorites have an asterisk  (*) by them. 

1. “Waffle House” by Jonas Brothers- This song made the list again, because I absolutely adore it and it’s my most listened to song in the last 6 months. It had to be here. 

2. “Have a Good Summer (Without Me)” by Valley*

3. “Blow Out My Candle” by Betty Who

4. “Steal the Show” by Lauv

5. “Language” by Boys Like Girls*- Boys Like Girls has been one of my favorite bands ever since middle school, so I’m always excited for new music from them. 

6. “Blood and Sugar” by Boys Like Girls

7. “Good Old- Fashioned Lover Boy” by Queen 

8. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) Album

9. “All This and Heaven Too” by Florence + The Machine*

10. “In Case You Don’t Live Forever” by Ben Platt

11. “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Darlyn

12. “Sigh No More” by Catherine Tate and David Tennant

13. “The One that You Love” by Air Supply

14. “Shadows of the Night” by Pat Benatar

15. “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” by Vera Lynn*

16. “Anything Can Happen” by Tors

17. “Used to Be Young” by Miley Cyrus 

18. “bad idea right?” by Olivia Rodrigo 

19. “Cry” by Boys Like Girls

20. “I’ll See Your Heart and I’ll Raise You Mine” by Bell X1

21. The Good Witch album by Maisie Peters*- I adore this album.

22. “Get Him Back” by Olivia Rodrigo

📺 TV Shows:

1. Good Omens Season 1 (watched July 2nd-23rd) 

~ I absolutely adore Aziraphale and Crowley with all of my heart and cannot wait to finally get Season 2 later on this month. So, to catch up for that, I decided to rewatch the first season. The best part of the show will always be our favorite angel and demon duo and their adventures over the last 6000 years. Watching the show, I realized just how much they made the show for me and how much I wanted the focus to be mostly on them. The other side plots are obviously important to the story but the two leads are what makes the show what it is. I love the humor and how much this could get me to laugh. Crowley’s Bentley scene in the fire is one of the funniest scenes that I have ever watched. 



2. Good Omens Season 2 (watched July 28th-29th)

~ To say I was excited for this season, would be an understatement. I have been waiting for this for over four years. It makes me glad to say that it was just as wonderful as I thought that it would be but man, did it make me so sad by the end. I cannot believe how hard this show had me laughing throughout all six episodes, and then how hard it had me crying by the end. I never would have thought that I would be crying from Good Omens, but I guess I was in for the surprises with this season. It took me on an emotional rollercoaster that I haven’t had in a piece of fiction in a long time. Going into this show, I knew one thing that it was probably going to end on a cliffhanger that would make me desperate for a 3rd Season. I won’t spoil any of the plot for those that have not watched it, but I was right. 

~ Like the first season, the best part of this show was the dynamic between Aziraphale and Crowley and also the humor. I loved watching the scenes of them together throughout their past and seeing even more of their relationship develop. The very first scene of the season was beautiful and everything I wanted and the show just continued from there. I am beyond happy that this season focused mostly on Aziraphale and Crowley. They are the heart of the show and I’m glad that Neil decided to focus mostly on their relationship. 

~ I loved the whole mystery throughout this season of what was going on with Gabriel. It kept me guessing the entire time and I never was able to fully guess what was going on with him. His ending surprised me, but I really liked where Neil took his character in this season. Gabriel as Jim was great for some more comedy gold. Jim is an incredible side character that brought a lot of joy into the episodes along with our favorite duo. 

~ The ending pulled out my heart and stomped it into tiny bits. I won’t go into any details

because I don’t want to spoil anybody, but that was the most heartbreaking ending I could have imagined. It really says something about the incredible writing of this show, that so many people are heartbroken and devastated by what happens to the characters at the end of the season. Never would have thought Neil would have ended Season 2 like that. It makes me anxious to see what will occur in Season 3, godwilling we actually get it. Fingers crossed.

~ Crowley and Aziraphale are one of my favorite couples in fiction and I hope that they will get the happy ending that they deserve. David Tennant and Michael Sheen do an amazing job embodying these characters and I will miss them in the roles when it is eventually finished. I have already started rewatching scenes and I know that I will be rewatching this season over and over again. It is beautiful!

3. Staged (started July 30th- August 1st)

~Absolutely, brilliant in every way. This show made me laugh hysterically throughout the whole thing but also had me thinking a lot. David and Michael are incredible together. I needed a good laugh a lot of this summer and this helped bring that for me.

4. Doctor Who (started September 9th)

~Well, this one is a long time coming for me. My best friend has been trying to get me to watch this gem of a show ever since we were in high school (over a decade ago). So here I am completely obsessed. I have only gotten through the first 9 episodes at the time I am writing this (I started with Chris Eccleston’s Doctor). He is so enjoyable to watch as the Doctor and I’m kind of upset we only get one season of him. I mean obviously, I cannot wait to get to David Tennant’s Doctor but I do love Chris’s 9th Doctor and Rose’s dynamic with all my heart. 


🖥️ YouTube:

1. Books and Lala

~ Drawing Book Covers from Memory CHALLENGE- I love Kayla’s ideas. 

I was right (and also very wrong) about these 5⭐ predictions



vampires & mysteries🩸 Summerween Day 4 + 5 READING VLOG- Love her vlogs. She will always be my favorite booktuber. 


Comments Control What I Read 😅 Books I've Never Heard Of- I love her videos like this, especially when she designs the covers. 

Reading the Childhood Books You Loved 📚👶- So many of these books are my favorites, especially The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. That book is one of my absolute favorites of all time. 


predicting & designing 4 book covers- Love her cover design videos 

2. SuperCarlin Brothers



~ The Hunger Games Master Plan | Hunger Games Film Theory- I would love for them to do more theories like this on other books, especially Percy Jackson.  


3. The Library of Allenxandria

~ Qui-Gonn learns he was the last person to ever die- These will never not be funny. Lol







5. Dominic Noble

~ Talk to George RR Martin About HIS Favorite Book- This is such an awesome video. Loved watching them talking together. 

~ Murder on the Orient Express ~ Lost in Adaptation






Other Favorites


1. David Tennant Does a Podcast with…
Michael Sheen
~ It is such a joy listening to Michael and David talking during this podcast. I love when they work together. They both are such brilliant actors and it was so interesting hearing them talk about acting and their lives. I hope that they continue to work with each other in the future. Now, I’m obsessed with Michael Sheen the way I have been with David Tennant since high school. 

2. Much Ado About Nothing (David Tennant and Catherine Tate version)
~ I first read Much Ado About Nothing back in college and did not enjoy it at all. The professor I had for my Shakespeare class did not help to make any of Shakespeare’s plays interesting in the slightest. Over the years, I had heard nothing but incredible things about this version of the play. David and Catherine are so damn great as Benedict and Beatrice. I had the time of my life watching this and I know I will be rewatching it again sometime soon. 


3. Twelfth Night at the BTE
~I had such a great time watching this performance with my best friend. It had me laughing so hard I was crying. 


Monday, August 28, 2023

Review Weeks 33-34

 Reviews Weeks 33-34

August 14th-27th

Book 124: Twelfth Night

By William Shakespeare

Read August 17th-18th

📚📚📚📚📚

Twelfth Night is my favorite of Shakespeare’s comedies. It’s such a fun experience to visit this one again after so many years away. I cannot tell you how many times this had me laughing out loud, especially with the Malvolio scenes. This had me feeling quite bad for him this time around. Poor guy didn’t deserve to be treated so poorly by Maria, Andrew, and Sir Toby. Though those scenes are some of the best. I love the yellow garters. 

If you have not yet, I recommend the version with Stephen Fry. It is one of the best things I have ever watched. I love how all of the parts are played by men like it would have been in Shakespeare’s time. It brings so much more comedy into the performances. Also, the BBC radio version with David Tennant is a masterpiece. 

Book 125: Witches Abroad

By Terry Pratchett

Read August 24th-25th

📚📚📚📚📚

I have been having the time of my life revisiting The Witch subseries this year. Witches Abroad is one of my favorites of the Discworld books and I loved going on this “roadtrip” of sorts with the witches. 

Review from October 24th- 25th, 2020
Definitely, in my top three favorite Discworld books. I loved how Terry played with the fairy tales here and also other classic fantasy stories. There are so many references throughout and it was so funny to see how he used them in the story. There are references to Circe, Achilles, Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs, Sleeping Beauty, (obviously) Cinderella, Golllum, and so many others that I won't spoil here. Each were great additions to the story that helped Terry play with classic tropes and turn them on their head. He was such a brilliant writer. 

I love how the witches: Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat play off of each other. They are just so funny to read about. Each has such distinct characteristics that help create a funny situation after another funny situation. And I also really loved Death's part in this as usual. He's always my favorite character.

Overall, I really enjoyed this "road trip" of sorts that the witches go on and the insanity that ensues.

Monday, August 14, 2023

Reviews Week 32

Reviews Weeks 32

August 7th-13th

Book 121: A Lover’s Gift: From Him to Her

Narrated by Michael Sheen

Read August 11th

📚📚📚📚

Michael Sheen is the perfect choice to read these pieces of prose and verse. I’ll never get enough of listening to him read, especially poetry. He creates a voice for each that fits incredibly well with the writing. The music that went along with the writings was beautiful too. I highly recommend this for poetry and romance fans. Michael brings so much for each of these. 

My favorites from this collection were the letter from Persuasion and the scene from Romeo & Juliet (which fully shocked me because I do not like Romeo & Juliet). It even made me want to reread Romeo & Juliet with the audiobook version. Never thought I would see the day. I cannot recommend this enough.

Book 122: Much Ado About Nothing

By William Shakespeare

Read August 12th

📚📚📚📚

The first time I read this play was in my Shakespeare class in college and I did not enjoy it at all. This time around I decided to read the play while following along with the David Tennant and Catherine Tate version and I had a completely different experience. I feel that Shakespeare’s plays are better experienced when you watch or at least listen to them. Plays in general are better this way. I loved the humor in this play.

Book 123: Shakespeare’s Sonnet

By William Shakespeare

Read August 13th

📚📚📚📚

I have read Shakespeare’s Sonnets many times before, the first time being back in high school. This is the first time that I have actually read the entire collection though. Many of the sonnets are on the same topics and he expresses the same feelings and emotions throughout. The two main topics are on the young man and then “dark woman.” I will forever love the idea of how a poem can keep someone alive even long after they are dead. Look at what poetry and plays have done for Shakespeare, himself. This is a beautiful collection that I will continue to revisit for the rest of my life.

Monday, August 7, 2023

Reviews Weeks 30-31

 Reviews Weeks 30-31

July 24th- August 6th

Book 120: Great Poets of the Romantic Age

Narrated by Michael Sheen

Read August 2nd

📚📚📚📚📚

Michael Sheen does an amazing job narrating this collection of poems. His voice fits so well with each one and I will definitely be looking for more narrated by him.

Monday, July 24, 2023

Reviews Weeks 28-29

 Reviews Weeks 28-29

July 10th-23rd

Book 112: World’s Collide

By Chris Colfer

Read July 10th

Pages Read: 448

📚📚📚📚📚

World’s Collide is one of the best endings that I have ever read for a series. I love how Chris brings everything from the rest of the series together to culminate in his finale. One day I hope that Chris will continue on with Alex and Connor’s story in some capacity. I would love to see more adventures with them and the gang in The Land of Stories. 

Book 113: Cat’s Cafe

By Matt Tarpley

Read July 1oth

Pages Read: 168

📚📚📚📚📚

I adored this set of comics and cannot wait to read the second book sometime soon. These were funny and oftentimes heartwarming. A sweet collection of stories that I cannot wait to read again and again. I will definitely get a copy for my collection.

Book 114: Make You Mine

By E.M. Lindsey

Read July 11th-12th

Pages Read: 288

📚📚📚

I was a fan of how sweet and genuine Noah and Adriano’s relationship felt. There was not a minute that I didn’t feel that they were not a good match. This book did drag for me near the middle but picked up again towards the end. I enjoyed the sweet moments that they had as a couple. There are also a lot of family elements that are hard hitting.

Book 115: I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 5: Gert’s Inferno

By Skottie Young

Read July 13th

Pages Read: 128

📚📚📚📚

I have been hoping that Skottie would return to Gert and Fairyland and was excited to read Gert’s new adventures when he announced them. This was a lot of fun and had me laughing. Love the references as usual. The one thing this made me want to do is reread the rest of the series again. Can’t wait to see what happens next after that ending.

Book 116: Hans Christian Anderson Lives Next Door

By Cary Fagan

Read July 19th-21st

Pages Read: 160

📚📚📚

The title of this book was what intrigued me about it from the beginning. Then, the premise had me wanting to pick it up and learn more about Andie’s story. Andie’s voice feels authentic, and you believe that she is a middle school girl throughout. The first-person perspective fits so well with the story. It did drag for me throughout the narrative and pulled me away from the events a bit. 

Andie is an aspiring poet who is drawing inspiration from Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales. At the beginning of the book, she meets her new neighbor, whom she believes is Hans Christian Anderson. She spends most of the book believing this fact. The story focuses on her friendship with this neighbor, gaining new friendships along the way, and growing as a poet. I enjoyed seeing her growth as a poet throughout the story and how it felt like a middle school girl’s first attempt at poetry. They were not perfect, but they again felt authentic to her voice, which I loved. 

Overall, this was a book that I enjoyed, but not as much as I wanted to. I would recommend this to middle grade readers, especially the aspiring writers out there. Also, the illustrations were cute and fit well with Andie’s narration. 

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Book 117: Twelfth Grade Night

By Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm, Jamie Green 

Read July 21st

Pages Read: 160

📚📚📚📚

This was a cute retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night set in a modern-day high school setting that I loved. It had many references to some of his other plays, which is probably going to set up further adventures in this series. I particularly loved the A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet ones. The scene with Polonius behind the curtain was hilarious. Also, the illustrations throughout this graphic novel were stunning. I adored it and will definitely pick up the future books in this series.

Book 118: The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book

By Neil Gaiman

Read July 2th-23rd

Pages Read: 512

📚📚📚📚📚

To get ready for Season 2 of Good Omens, I decided to rewatch Season 1 and finally read this script book. This is basically the entire show just written out as a script, along with the deleted scenes. I know that script books are not for everybody, but they always bring me back to my college days of reading a ton of plays. I loved this book along with the show, which I surprisingly forgot some of the details about. Cannot wait to watch the next season at the end of this week!


Book 119: The Time-traveling Caveman

By Terry Pratchett

Read July 23rd

Pages Read: 315

📚📚📚📚
I love Terry’s short story collections and this one was quite a lot of fun. Again this is a collection of his earliest writings from when he was a teenager working for the newspaper. Even at the age of 17, Terry had a way of writing that draws you into his stories. His sense of humor shines through repeatedly throughout this collection.