We're Halfway Through April, Aren't We?

It's been about a month. I've been consuming a lot of media. What else is there to do? I'm trying not to let my disappointment and frustration with the vaccine rollout in Canada keep me down. It's hard though.

I also wrote a piece for the Diversity and Inclusion group at my day job. I know that based on what the word count limits are for communications, it's going to get cut down. I also tried to temper the emotional aspects of the piece. However, I have my very own blog. I'm going to give it a little edit and post it here later this week, I think.

What have I consumed and enjoyed in the last month-ish?

I read...

Mexican Gothic. Yes. So good. Read it. I'm really feeling the gothic genre right now. Gothic in 1950 Mexico!

Luck of the Draw and I cried. A lot. It was so sad, though maybe I was releasing some other emotions too. Because it's a romance, I was happy at the end.

Artificial Condition, the second installment in the The Murderbot Diaries. I still love Murderbot. I want to know where their adventure is going to take them next!

Immortal In Death, the third In Death book. I definitely have heart eyes for Eve Dallas and Roarke I wonder if when JD Robb wrote about Eve's engagement, she imagined there would be 50 more books after. 

I watched...

WandaVision <3

Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I <3 Bucky.

Zack Snyder's Justice League. I think my heart fluttered a little when Barry saved Iris.

Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. I'd seen both already, but my daughter was in the mood, so we watched all of Korra again and a few favourite episodes of Avatar. I love those series.

History of Swear Words on Netflix. It's really good. Interesting in a way I didn't expect. 

Dota: Dragon's Blood. My friend recommended it. It's like a cross between The Dragon Prince and Castlevania. At least that's what I thought as I watched. She called it "The Dragon Prince for grownups." 

Star Trek: Lower Decks. I really needed that show.

I submitted a couple short stories. Got a rejection. Good times.

I ate some Popeye's and it was SO GOOD. I'm really appreciating Skip the Dishes lately. 

How has your spring been so far?

Geekerella

I could not resist a title like Geekerella. Geekerella is full of the most amazing geek references. I sat reading it and every time the novel referred to some awesome geekiness, I yelled it out to my Hubby. When I commented on a reference to The Princess Bride, he asked me to stop, because he might read this book now. I loved seeing all this geekiness, all these different fandoms represented. The "geek" part of Ashley Poston's story takes two different forms. First, there's Starfield, a sci-fi series with a serious cult following. I had been kind of thinking of it as a combination of Star Trek and Firefly, with a splash of Star Wars, and some of Poston's own uniqueness. In the story, there is the original Starfield, the movie remake, and ExcelsiCon, which was started by someone who loved Starfield (Elle's father). The other geeky aspects of the book are more subtle. It's where all the fun references come in. Just in conversation, like a bad person being called a Dalek or a group of people being called the Fellowship. Technology, social media, and blogging, are all big parts of the story too. Geekerella is definitely set now. It is present and I think it's relevant.

I was beyond entertained. There were parts of the story where I thought I might cry. I loved Elle. She was looking forward, moving forward, even though it would be so easy to slip into despair. She was a modern Cinderella, but with an opportunity to find a best friend, instead of just a fairy godmother. Sage was just fantastic. I really enjoyed the glimpses of her home life with her mom. The twist with Cal was great. The people at the Con were great. They were so loving and excepting. I don't go to a lot of cons, but I've been to FanExpo and it is a great time. The cosplay contest and the ball were just amazing scenes I could read again and again. Geekerella is definitely a book I could read more than once.

There's something about Danielle's step-mom though, something underneath her "meanness". I think she really did love Danielle's father. I also think she doesn't see herself as the bad guy. I wouldn't mind knowing more about her, what she's thinking, and why she makes her decisions. Chloe is just an entitled brat though.

Darien Freeman is fantastic. He felt so real throughout the whole novel. I loved Danielle's story, and I loved his too. Darien is not just a nameless prince with a pretty face. His story is important too, taking up just as must space in the novel. It is the connection Darien makes with with Elle than anchors the story.

I can't say enough nice things about Geekerella. The geek stuff is great. The story is interesting and heartwarming, the characters are engaging. Geekerella is everything I could have wanted from a story with the title, Geekerella

Star Trek: Beyond

I'm such a geek. So even though this weekend was packed full of things to do, Hubby and I sacrificed a little sleep and went to see a late showing of Star Trek Beyond last night. Yes, it was definitely worth it. Before I get into how much I loved the film, the story, the effects, the characters, I just have to say that watching Anton Yelchin as Chekov was a little sad, but he was so good. I tried to "suspend my disbelief" and just enjoy his scenes, Chekov's time with Kirk and with Scottie, sharing looks with Sulu, being on the bridge, being on the planet. He was fantastic and I would have loved to see what he did in the future.

I only have one complaint that I'm going to get out of the way, something I didn't realize until Hubby pointed it out. It sort of has nothing to do with the actual movie. It was the trailers before the movie. There were no "geeky" trailers. I know that Comic Con was this weekend, so I know a lot of "big reveals" for trailers were happening, but we couldn't have a couple teasers? Suicide Squad is out really soon. How about Wonder Woman; Chris Pine is in that one. Dr. Strange? Fantastic Beasts? There wasn't anything? The trailers before Star Trek were just a little disappointing when we were expecting geekiness. Of course, I got over that fast when the movie started.

Of course it started with Captain Kirk, in another diplomatic position. A bit of humour, but later we realize how important it is to the story. I loved his introspection and later Spock's. I love Spock, both of them. I love Sulu and his family, Uhura and her necklace. I loved Jaylah, who I have just discovered played Gazelle in Kingsman: The Secret Service. She definitely had the moves. I loved her house. I loved the friendship she develops with Scotty. She was genius and generous. She was loyal and independent. Krall was brilliant. The performance, the growth and the change in him, the mystery that surrounds him, just amazing; everything about who Krall was and is, who his people were, where the technology came from. That technology, those ships were scary and so destructive. The "disruptive frequency" was so awesome, so "classic".

The effects were good, amazing explosions, weapons fire and crashes. Those drones were really frightening though, swarming, fear-inducing. I really didn't expect anything less from the series or director. The plot was complex without being overly complicated. It included moments for heart, decision and humour.

Really, if you haven't seen Star Trek: Beyond, you should. It's fun, tense, exciting and dangerous. I'm looking forward to seeing it again. Below, is one of the trailers for your viewing pleasure:

Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness was fantastically awesome.  I'm a geek and this was action packed, laced with awesome geek moments.  It was what I wanted from the sequel to the last Star Trek movie. I loved Kirk, Spock, Uhura and the whole crew.  I think the plot was a little busy, but whatever.  Even the 3D was excellent.  I actually had a moment where I kind of moved my head out of the way of something that felt like it was coming at my face.  The entire first sequence of the movie hooked you right in.  

My girlfriend and her husband came to see it with me and my Hubby. She had never seen any Star Trek incarnation before.  Ever.  No Original Series, no The Next Generation, nothing.  She had not see the last movie until her husband sat her down to watch it the night before we went and she said she liked it.  So my friend came to Star Trek Into Darkness with nothing but the last movie in her mind.  She really enjoyed it too. That's something I like about where the Star Trek franchise is now and where it looks like they're going.  A long time fan like me can watch the movies and love it, love the references and enjoy all the great moments between Kirk and Spock.  Someone new, like my friend, can watch just the two latest movies and enjoy them.  We talked about some of the references to the previous Star Trek movies, but not knowing they were there didn't diminish her enjoyment of the movie. The references, etc.,  were so seamlessly woven into the movie, that a fan might not even see them all at first.

That concludes the spoiler free portion of this post.  If you venture further, there will be points about the characters and plot.  I'll still try not to give too much away, but be warned.

Dr. Marcus!  I took me a little bit to figure out who she was, but I got it before the end.  Then I had to explain it to my Hubby.  It's been a long time since we've seen Dr. Marcus.  I can't wait to see how this will develop and I'm looking forward to... stuff.  

When Kirk said, "It's what you would have done." I nearly lost it.  So, good.  Then Spock did the yelling of the name.  Also, so good.  That entire reverse from the other movie was fantastic.

Kirk wants to know what it's like when Spock and Uhura fight.  He gets to find out!  When Uhura and Spock have their fight in the shuttle, I think it was hilarious.  (Though Spock doesn't so much "fight" as "emphatically argue".)  I think this new Spock is a bit more emotional than the last.  I think it's Uhura who is doing it to him.

My Hubby called it "phone a friend", Spock calling Spock when he has a question.  Paraphrase: "I vowed never to tell you anything that could change the course of your destiny.  That being said, here's everything you need to know to defeat this villain."  Is he going to be in all the Star Trek movies?  I didn't think he was going to be in this one.  Shatner must be pissed.

Redshirts!  I appreciate Kirk making them change.  Did they die?  Now I can't remember.

Tribble!

It was so good.  Yay Star Trek!  (I'm such a geek.  Ugh.)

Redshirts

Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas was awesome.  I loved every word.  I might have to hunt down more books by John Scalzi. I picked up Redshirts, because, well, it's about Redshirts!  I love Star Trek, mostly The Next Generation, but I have a place in the sci-fi part of my heart for the original and all the others series too.  Redshirts is so funny!  Yes, it grabbed my attention because of the title, but the synopsis really pulled me in and all the great things I kept hearing on the interwebs convinced me that this was a book I had to read.  It was funny and quirky and ironic.  I loved the main character.  Andrew Dahl was thoughtful, intelligent and honourable.  He may have been and Ensign on the Intrepid but he was the leader to his group.  I was also very excited by his conversation with Hanson at the end of the story.  Very meta.

I liked Maia Duvall, but I didn't like all her behaviour.  She was the only female lead character. There were a lot of other women in the novel, Collins led Xenobiology (and her last lines in the book were great); there were captains, security officers, scientists, everything.  I might even say there was 1:1 ratio of the supporting characters in the book. Am I just being prudish about Duvall? Everything she did forwarded the plot.  I don't know.  Though, now that I think of it, maybe she was just part of a play with archetypes.  Finn certainly could be considered a specific type of character, the brutish, overtly masculine male.  By the end, Finn and Duvall (along with Hester and Kerensky) became more. Nevermind, Duvall is fine the way she is. Maybe what I'd have liked is another leading female character?  I don't know if that works if we're altering typical science-fiction characters.  

This is what Redshirts makes you do unexpectedly, think.

I'm going to take a quick moment to mention how much I love John Scalzi's dedication.  It's probably because I also heart Wil Wheaton, Joe Malozzi and Brad Wright for geeky reasons involving words that start with "Star".

I really enjoyed the way the novel ended, with Andy and Hanson (funny and awesome), but I also was so excited to read the Codas.  Getting to know these "other" characters was really interesting and made the story even better.  Nick was hilarious.  Hester/Matthew was amazing.  The actual end of the book with Samantha Martinez was brilliant.  Each Coda was packed with emotion that you wouldn't necessarily expect after reading the novel.

Also, for some redshirt fun:

Guilty Pleasures: A Weekday Book Blogger Hop

Jennifer was a bit busy this weekend, so we have our first ever weekday Book Blogger Hop! This week's question comes from Aislynn who reviews at Knit, Purl, Stitch...Read and Cook!  "Outside of books, what is your guilty pleasure?"

Hmm… interesting question. The first thing that came to mind was Supernatural. It’s a television show and I think the Winchester brothers are amazing and dead sexy. I also enjoy a good supernatural story. In the beginning they dealt with the manifestations/interpretations of real legends. The storylines have gotten more and more out there as the years have past, but I still love the show. This guilty pleasure connects closely to another, Canada’s Space Channel. I love pretty much every show on that station. From Doctor Who, to Stargate Universe to Star Trek re-runs (of all the series). The movies they air can sometimes be pretty terrible, but I think I watch at least three quarters of their shows. What can I say? I’m a bit of a geek.

What guilty pleasures are you willing to admit to this week?

Stargazing blog by Malene Arpe

From Steoch

Came across this today and I just love it. Click below to find the original post.

Stargazing blog by Malene Arpe

Star Trek

I loved it. Simply put. Kirk, Spock, the entire cast was amazing. Chekov and Scottie were hilarious. Bones was brilliant. Uhura was alluring and absolutely gorgeous. Sulu kicked ass. Bruce Greenwood was a fantastic Christopher Pike. Leonard Nemoy’s performance was great. I was pleasantly surprised with the casting of Spock’s mother. I could say so much more, but I don’t want to give away anything. All I have to say is that you should see this movie. It doesn’t matter if you’re and avid Star Trek fan or not. This is a great, well constructed movie, that requires no previous Star Trek knowledge to enjoy. It was just so good!