April Wrap-Up

Less of a book splurge this month, but I blame the fact that I ended up “reading” two books that were pretty much over 800 pages each. Never mind that I balanced this out by reading smaller stories and graphic novels, and technically Outlander was an audiobook. Um. Anyway, counting down to summertime when I can do moooore things!

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After by Skottie Young (3 out of 5 cookies)
Paper Girls, Vol: 1 by Brian K. Vaughan (3.5 out of 5 cookies)
Winter by Marissa Meyer (5 out of 5 cookies)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Vol. 1 by Yu Kinutani (3 out of 5 cookies)
The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman (4 out of 5 cookies)
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (4 out of 5 cookies) * audiobook
And I Darken by Kiersten White (3 out of 5 cookies)

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Risuko by David Kudler

Nothing substantial, unless you count fanfiction. Um. I may have written quite a number of those. Actually, ever since I started my 365-day prompts challenge, I’ve written at least five pieces of Mass Effect fanfiction. That’s a record, considering I haven’t written actual fanfic in…ages. So, uh, those are really the only things I’ve written and finished this month.

“Baby Steps” – Shakarian (in which Garrus contemplates his burgeoning relationship with one Commander Shepard)

“A Breath Too Many” – Shakarian (in which Shepard kicks herself up and dusts herself off)

“Meet Me at the Bar” – Shakarian–YES, DO YOU SEE A PATTERN HERE? (in which poor Tali hears too much and imagines too greatly)

Same as last month, really, so I am happy to note that I’ve further tightened the plot on my steampunk story and came up with a bit of background worldbuilding for my children’s scifi short, which hopefully will get written and sent off this month before I miss another one of those thematic deadlines. I’ve been very good at missing deadlines these days. Sigh.

“On Imperial Wings” – tentative title – children’s scifi short, based on a Chinese folktale

Amber and Tourmalines – tentative title – steampunk novel featuring Eirika and Lan. I gave up on this as a Camp NaNoWriMo project, because TOO MUCH PRESSURE.

Ghost in the Shell – I’m waiting for the GitS science fiction to turn into today’s science. No pressure, guys, only 13 years left until I’ll be expecting my camouflage cloak and cybernetic enhancements in the mail. Just saying.

The Holiday – Always a go-to chick-flick for when I’m tired and want nothing to do with stress and life in general.

Dior and I – I think I watched this sometime before we staged a fashion show for our little voldies and their parents. Interesting documentary in any case.

Game of Thrones – It begins again! I re-watched season 5 to prepare for season 6. That season 6 opener, though…

Outlander – So I’m kind of in love with Jamie Fraser. I mean, how can anyone not be with that smile. It’s a really nicely done show.

Death Comes to Pemberley – Matthew Rhys tho.

Gossip Girl – I’ve gone further than I ever have before. I’m just waiting now for Vanessa and Little J to hightail it out of the show so I can stop griping about them. Yep.

Halt and Catch Fire – I watch this on-again and off-again. It’s kind of dry, but I like the geekyness of it from time to time. Also Thranduil the Piemaker.

Sims 4 – I may have made a Commander Shepard and a Kaiden Alenko in my Sims 4 universe. Which I guess leads me to…

Mass Effect 3 – “My name is Garrus Vakarian and this is now my favorite spot on the Citadel.” Yeah. I totally tapped that.

Curry, Bulgogi, Tamarind Juice a la Cress

Chocolate Babka breadiness

So I came back to knitting by finally finishing up my Avatar: The Last Airbender pillows (which had been on hiatus for almost two years because I didn’t feel like knitting much). Since I had stuffing laying out in the shed, and honestly, I really had to get rid of the knitting stuffs on the coffee table, I figured I had to finish it.

Of course, then I had to learn to sew the seams on the pillow itself, because lining and everything.

Anyway, the whole thing is soooo comfy. I now keep them in my room with my gazillion other pillows, hah.

They’re reversible and everything!

Animated The Killing Joke looks promising, and I am looking forward to seeing this, since I’ve heard so much about this particular story arc.

Episodic FFVII – Um, still not sure what to think about this. I’d still play it, though. And maybe cry if it disappoints me too much.

Now this is what I call a Good Omen – CHYEAAAAHBOIIII.

GoT winding down! – It’s not like I’m surprised by this. The story had to end eventually.

No more Caskett?! – This still upsets me enough that I’m refusing to watch any more past season 7.

Ocarina of Time Makeover – Still one of my favorite Legend of Zelda games ever. And while it’s a fan-made makeover, it still looks amazing.

Studio Mir’s got something swimming to theatres soon – PRETTY FLYING DOLPHIN-THINGS. Um, Legend of Korra-ish animation. Want. Now.

New Doctor Who Companion! – Pearl Mackie casted as the Doctor’s new companion. I’ve yet to decide whether this is good or bad. From the clip I’d seen, she seems funny and may likely go the Donna Noble route of not falling in love with the goddamn Doctor. So we’ll see.

Lara Croft rebooted – Not sure how I feel about this yet, since I do love Vikander, but for such an actiony role? Still, it beats them casting Scarjo for another damn female action lead.

Wheel of Time on TV? – Too early to tell how soon fans will be able to see this fantasy series come to cinematic light (seeing as a studio hasn’t been named just yet), but it does elicit some excitement on the high fantasy corner of the world. The upside is that the series is actually finished, so readers will know what to expect.

What is this Mass Effect ride and how soon can I head over to California without breaking the bank?!

The Handmaid’s Tale gets a TV adaptation, slates Elisabeth Moss as its star. I haven’t read this book in a while, but I really liked it years back, so I might do a reread of it at some point.