Sunday Funday: Weekend Update, Book Haul, and Incredibles 2 (2018)

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?

A Reaper at the Gates (Ember Quartet #3) by Sabaa Tahir - I'm dying to see where this series goes and when I saw it for only $12 at WalMart I couldn't resist!

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?

My review was originally posted on Letterboxd.

Next Up At The Movies:

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!