Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let's share some songs we've been enjoying lately! If you would like to play and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below.
Rules:
Every Monday share a few songs you've been enjoying lately. It doesn't have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites - just something you'd like to share with others. If possible, share a music or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s), and/or music video(s).
If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post's url.
This week I'm spotlighting Barns Courtney- I just happened to hear "Fire" (2016) on the radio where they said it was one of their big songs from last year. I don't remember hearing it at all last year, but I'm glad I've finally heard it for the first time because his voice is pretty fantastic. Courtney only has a few songs posted on his YouTube channel right now, but my next favorite is easily "Glitter & Gold" (2016). I will definitely need to pick up a copy of his debut album, The Attractions of Youth(2017) asap! If you're a fan of Imagine Dragons and Kaleo, I have a feeling you like Barns Courtney too.
On Friday's I take part in three weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice, Book Beginnings, hosted by Rose City Reader, and 50/50 Friday is a new weekly link up and it is hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader and Laura @ Blue Eye Books. For The Friday 56, you choose a book, a book you have just finished, a book you are about to start, your current read, and share a line or a few lines that grab you (but don't spoil anything) from page 56 or 56% of the way through the ebook. Post it and share your post's url on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post. As for Book Beginnings, you share the first sentence or so and your initial thoughts, impressions, or whatever else it inspires, and then link up your post's url with Rose City Reader. Then, for 50/50 Friday, every week there's a new topic featuring two sides of the same coin - you share a book that suits each category and link up on the hosts blogs.
This week I'm spotlighting one of my current#BeatTheBacklist reads, Golden Son (Red Rising #2) by Pierce Brown. I really enjoyedRed Risingback when I read it this past November for Sci-Fi Month and I can't wait to see where Darrow goes from there. This year long challenge gives me a great opportunity to get caught up on this trilogy.
Beginning:
My silence thunders. I stand on the bridge of my starship, arm broken and held in a gelcast, ion burns still raw on my neck. I'm bloodydamn tired.
56:
"You have a weird sense of humor."
"I know. But I'm so glad you get my jokes. So many prickly Peerless these days. Duels! Honor! Blood! All because they're bored. There's no one left to fight. So gorydamn tedious."
What are you reading this weekend? Have you tried any of these books? As usual, thanks very much for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!
Happy Tuesday everyone! Welcome to the first Top Ten Tuesday now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is Books to Read By the Pool/At the Beach (this can also serve as your Summer TBR), so I'm going to share some new and upcoming releases coming out this June - August. Hopefully, I'll be able to get to all of these books on my Summer TBR this season! Here we go:
June:
A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews - Release date: June 7th - I'm really excited to try Paper Fury's debut novel - my hopes are very high to say the least! I've ordered a copy, now I just have to hope it shows up soon!
A Reaper at the Gates (Ember Quartet #3) by Sabaa Tahir - Release date: June 12th - I have absolutely loved the first two books of this series and I'm absolutely dying to get to this! I just picked up my copy this past Friday and I just can't wait!
Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie - Release date: July 17th - I don't know about you, but this sounds like it's going to be a stunning YA sci-fi story! I added it to my tbr as soon as I heard of it.
Scream All Night by Derek Milman - Release date: July 24th - YA horror that dives into cult horror classic movies - this sounds like the kind story of book I'll get hooked on!
August:
#Murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil - Release date: August 7th - I was approved for an ARC via NetGalley and the concept of The Hunger Games meets The Purge sounds pretty intriguing to me.
Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let's share some songs we've been enjoying lately! If you would like to play and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below.
Rules:
Every Monday share a few songs you've been enjoying lately. It doesn't have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites - just something you'd like to share with others. If possible, share a music or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s), and/or music video(s).
If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post's url.
I've been hearing both of these two songs on the radio lately and I love the sound of both songs. I've enjoyed Beck's music for a while and I really like "Dreams" as well, especially when you hear it back to back with "Life to Fix" by The Record Company. I'd never heard of that one before, but I've got to say I'm a new fan. Now, I'm off to listen to more of their music!
Oh my! What a week - so much has happened! Earlier this week I went on a road trip to Cincinnati with a friend. We'd been planning it for ages and it was so exciting to actually go down and see the sights. I also had the opportunity to pick up a few new-to-me books that I'm really looking forward to trying. Plus, on Friday night I treated myself to seeing Incredibles 2 which was absolutely awesome! Keep going to see some of my favorite photos from the trip, my book haul, and my mini review of the movie:
Newport Aquarium
A shark and a giant grouper saying hi during the dive show.
That grouper is probably about 800 pounds by the way.
Moon jellyfish - so ethereally beautiful, don't you think?
A shark swimming overhead - so creepy!
That giant grouper's back!
The Cincinnati Zoo
A couple of elephants playing in the water while another one grabs a bite to eat.
It took me forever to spot the vulture - see him?
I've never seen young giraffes race before these two - their legs were going everywhere!
Fiona and her mother, Bibi, are taking a nap. I'm going to be honest Fiona is one of the animals I was most looking forward to seeing. That little hippo is just about 800 pounds now, so about the size of that giant grouper from the Aquarium in comparison.
I took a lot of pictures of the penguins, but this one is one of my favorites of one partially underwater.
I really love this one too - I mean, what secret meeting did this guy stumble into?
This owl, the one in who's really leaning over to look at me, was really staring at me from the second I walked into the room. I thought he was just looking in general, but as soon as I moved he had to keep his eyes on me!
Cincinnati Art Museum
This was an amazing surprise - we didn't realize they were having special exhibition featuring the Terracotta Army! I've always wanted to see these figures, but never expected I'd get the chance in person! Being in the presence of these 2,200+ year old warriors was easily the highlight of the entire trip! It's simply extraordinary (and almost overwhelming) to see them up close and in person - the photos just don't do them the justice they deserve. You need to do yourself a favor and try to see this exhibit - it runs until August 12th if you're in the Cincinnati area.
Even the horse looks so realistic and stunning!
Look at that detail - there is even tread on the bottom of the kneeling archer's shoe!
What would be even cooler - seeing them with their weapons intact, in this case a bow!
This charioteer is only missing the reins of his chariot.
I took these two photos to show the general layout of the main room of the exhibit - for the most part my photos of the figures travel in order of the display.
I can't describe this experience in any better way than to say it was absolutely mind blowing!
Book Haul
Morning Star (Red Rising #3) by Pierce Brown - I've been looking for a copy of the third book to complete my collection, and now I'll be ready for when I get there as a part of the #BeatTheBacklist Challenge. I can't believe I dug up such a great looking copy from a thrift store!
Necropolis by Michael Dempsy - I spotted this at a thrift store too and I honestly couldn't pass it up either. I mean, noir cyberpunk - how could you go wrong?
The Renegade Queen (Rebellious Times #1) by Eva Flynn - I picked up this fictionalized story of the life of Victoria Woodhull at the library. She was a fascinating real life figure - in fact, she was the first woman to run for President of the United States back in 1872 - and I'm intrigued to see how she'll look in historical fiction.
Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl - I had no clue that Pessl, the author Night Film which is one of my all time favorites, was releasing a new YA sci-fi mystery thriller novel at the beginning of this month until I happened to see it come across my desk at the library. Although I've seen a few mixed reviews for her newest released, I'm still really excited to give it a shot.
❋ ❋ ❋ ❋
I can't believe it's been fourteen long years since the release of the first movie. The first film is still one of my favorites, and luckily this sequel is pretty fantastic. Seeing Incredibles 2 on the big screen is so much high octane fun and it has a great sense of humor. Plus, it has a killer soundtrack. Even though I've seen a lot of superhero movies since 2004, this movie still manages to feel refreshing. I absolutely love getting to the dynamics of the Parr family again. Elastigirl and Frozone are still some of my favorites, but Jack-Jack totally steals the show. I loved getting to see more of his powers - his scenes with that raccoon and his interactions with Edna Mode are absolutely priceless. Of the new supers to join the team, my favorite is easily Voyd; her powers are similar to Blink's from X-Men. My only issue with the movie is that the third act is a bit predictable, but overall I absolutely loved this movie and I wouldn't say no to a third outing with The Incredibles. By the way, did you catch the references to The Outer Limits, Johnny Quest, and Dementia 13?
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom- Release date: June 22nd - I've loved this series for the last 20+ years, so of course I'm going to see this!
Ant-Man and the Wasp- Release date: July 6th - I enjoyed the sense of humor in Ant-Man a lot more than I expected to and I'm really looking forward to this, especially since Hope gets her moment. Plus, it's the newest installment in the MCU - I have to see it in theaters! Of course, I've also got to know what these guys have been doing since Avengers: Infinity War.
Finally! If you've made it all the way to the end, congratulations! What have you been up to? Have you been on any little vacations, seen anything cool, picked up any new-to-you books, or seen a great new movie? As always, thanks for visiting my blog, and perhaps even commenting down below!
