Music Monday: Favorite Disney Villain Songs, Pt. 2

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 back sharing more favorite Disney villain songs - "Be Prepared" from The Lion King (1994) & "The Mob Song" from Beauty and the Beast (1991).  The Lion King was the first movie my mom ever took me to see at the movie theater, I was 5 and the stampede scene and this song just about did little me in!  When they do the live action version of this movie, I wouldn't care if everything else was different, but Scar has to be exactly the same - Jeremy Irons has to come back to provide the voice!  "The Mob Song" is also just as scary now as it was when I first saw it, but you have to admit, Richard White has a marvelous singing voice!  I have to admit that I was pleased with how the scene turned out in the new live action movie - who knew Luke Evans could sing?!

Environmentally Friendly by Elias Zanbaka - Review

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I received a free copy of this short story from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Sgt. Schaefer, an LAPD officer, helps people fight their enemies. Even if one of those people, Sgt. Major Bushnell, has just broken out of a psychiatric ward, has declared war on Mother Nature and has brutal plans to exact his revenge on nature. Schaefer has a whole team, willing or otherwise, to help him make sure Bushnell's revenge goes off without a hitch to better help him in the long run.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this short story, but it's a nonstop adrenaline rush of a tale. For only nineteen pages long, Environmentally Friendly sure packs an intense punch. It took me a couple of pages to get into the swing of things, but once I did I was absolutely hooked. I wouldn't say no to seeing more of Sgt. Schaefer in the future. If you're looking for a unique and clever short story to keep you on the edge of your seat, you need to try Environmentally Friendly by Elias Zanbaka.


I read this short story ebook on July 12, 2017 and my review is also on Goodreads.

The Friday 56 (With Book Beginnings): Nevernight by Jay Kristoff + 50/50 Friday

 

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 reads, Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle #1) by Jay Kristoff.  This is going to be my fourth book on my way to my first Bookish Bingo - I actually hosted a poll on Twitter to narrow it down to this one!  I actually don't know why I haven't already read this because it sounds like it'll be amazing.

Beginning:

People often shit themselves when they die.

56:

"Why do you call your horse Flowers?" Mia asked, as she and Tric prepared to climb.

"... What's wrong with Flowers?"

"Well, most men name their horses something a little more... manly, is all."

"Legend or Prince or suchlike."

"I met a horse named Thunderhoof once."  She raised a hand.  "Light's truth."

50/50 Friday: Most/ Least Favorite Character Name

Most - Adelina from The Young Elites (The Young Elites #1) by Marie Lu - Although Adelina is not a heroine, she still has one of the most beautiful names out there.  It's still one of my favorites.

Least - Renesmee from Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga #4) by Stephenie Meyer - Renée and Esmé are fine names on their own, so please just pick one.  And, what the heck was with that nightmare CGI baby in the movie?

The Liebster Award, Pt. 11

Thanks very much for nominating me for The Liebster Award, Genni! I can't believe this is my 11th nomination...wow, thanks everyone!  If you haven't checked out Genni's blog @ Ready, Set, Read!, you're really missing out - you need to check out her little space on the internet.  This time I believe I'll just be sharing my answers to the questions that Genni has set to me. Let's get started:

1) What is your favorite book of the year so far?

A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3) by V.E. Schwab - A perfect series ender!

2) If you could un-read a book, what would it be?

Probably Fallen by Lauren Kate - and I only read the first couple of chapters!

3) If you could read a book again like it was the first time, what would it be?

The entire Harry Potter series - no doubt about it!

4) What advice would you give to a blogger who just started off?

Read what you enjoy and post about what you are interested in.

5) Shout out some of your favorite bloggers!

Tammy @ Book, Bones & Buffy
Emily @ Ink, Inc.
Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense

Anne @ My Head is Full of Books

Sam @ Tsundoku

6) Dream cast the book you answered for number 1!

This is so difficult!  Okay, how about this:

Lila - Brianna Hidebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead from Deadpool)

Kell - Cameron Monaghan (Jerome from Gotham)

Rhy - Avan Jogia (Beck from Victorious)

Alucard - Rahul Kohli (Ravi from iZombie)

7) What is your favorite classic or a classic that you want to read right away?

One of these days I will read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - I can't believe I've missed it!

8) What do you prefer: e-books, audiobooks, hardcover, or paperback?

Hardcover, but if only they weren't so expensive.

9) If you could only read one author for the rest of your life, who would it be?

J.K. Rowling - see answer to question 3!

10) What has been the best movie you have seen all year?

In the theater?  I loved having the opportunity to see both Wonder Woman and Baby Driver!  I highly recommend them!

11) And lastly (and possible most importantly).... dogs or cats?

Cats - just look how cute Finn is in this photo!


Again, thanks so much for the nomination, Genni!

Summer 2017 Comment Challenge August Sign-Up Post

The Comment Challenge, hosted by Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense and Lonna @ FLYLēF, is back for August!  This challenge is an fantastic way to connect with fellow book bloggers.  If you haven't already taken part, I highly recommend giving it a shot as it's a great way to make new blogging pals.  Through previous incarnations of this challenge last summer and winter, I've had the opportunity to get to know Ellen and Sierra @ Quest Reviews, Mari @ Story and Somnomancy, Anne @ Head Full of Books, Lia @ Lost In A Story, Bill @ Billbrarian, Lonna @ FLYLēF, Balie @ Nerd in New York, and Rissi @ Finding Wonderland.  I plan on being ambitious by commenting 10+ times with my to be assigned partner - I can't wait to get to know you, whoever you are!  You can also tweet along on Twitter with the hashtag #Summer17CC.  It's been a wonderful Summer so far!

Strange Practice by Vivian Shawn (ARC) - Review

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I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Greta Helsing follows in her family's footsteps by inheriting an extremely specialized, and sometimes just plain freaky, medical practice. She's one of very few doctors to supernatural creatures and everything that goes bump in the night. Greta doesn't have magical powers herself, unless you count treating banshees for vocal strain, mummies from coming completely unraveled, and the like. It's fairly quiet and doesn't pay a lot, but she's been prepared for this all of her just supernatural-adjacent life. Then, a group of monks suddenly begins killing fellow Londoners - the living and the undead - and Greta has to put all of her not inconsiderable skills to the test if she wants to stop these deranged murderers, save her life, clients, and her medical practice.

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw is an incredibly promising beginning for a brand new urban fantasy series. I'm so glad that I got selected via NetGalley to review this novel. It has so much to love about it from a great central mystery, an intriguingly quirky cast of characters, a great monster lineup, and it's plenty creepy. Although some of the medical aspects comes across as a bit overly technical and clinical, the characters are what really make the story come to life. My favorites from the story are Ruthven and Fastitocolon (you can call him Fass). Ruthven is a vampire, of the classic draculine type, and a long time friend of Greta's and Fass has known her family for generations, he's definitely powerful but no one really wants to be the one to directly ask him what he is exactly - that would be rude. Another character that's really cool to see get a modern treatment is Francis Varney, aka the title character from the gothic penny dreadful Varney the Vampyre. And, yes, there is quite a difference between vampires and vampyres!

Overall, if you love dark urban fantasy, gothic horror, a solid mystery, and memorable characters, Vivian Shaw's newest novel, Strange Practice is a real treat. I'm dying to see what's next up in the Dr. Greta Helsing series. Do yourself a favorite and try your next favorite!

I read this ARC from July 2 - 12, 2017 and my review is also on Goodreads.

Music Monday: Favorite Disney Villain Songs, Pt. 1

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 sharing two of my favorite Disney villain songs - "Friends on the Other Side" from The Princess and the Frog (2009) & "Hellfire" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996).  "Friends on the Other Side" is easily my favorite song from The Princess and the Frog and - Keith David, as Dr. Facilier, has great voice.  As for "Hellfire", this is probably the darkest song of all Disney songs and it used to scare the crap out of me when I first saw it as a seven year old.  Also, this is the song that makes me think Disney would do a decent job with Les Miz.