Saturday, December 17, 2016

Book Review: the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Let's talk Disney. Well, technically not Disney, but it's darn close.

The Lunar Chronicles are books that take characters we already love and put them in a dystopian world. In this version of Earth, there are humans (and lots of cyborgs and androids!) living here on Earth and "Lunars" living on the moon. Lunars mhave powers to make themselves appear however they'd like and can basically mind control, so they've been banned to Luna. There, of course, are other intricacies but this is the basic idea within this world.

Now, let's talk about the characters. If the idea of people living on the moon that can also mind control doesn't hook you, these people will. Of course, you have Cinder(ella) and Prince (...Kai who is charming!) but here's the thing: Cinder is a cyborg. Yep! Prince Kai is just a normal person but then we have Cinder's best friend, who is an android who has the hots for all males within the story. She's adorable, I promise.

The story is that Cinder falls for Prince Kai, who visits her to get his android repaired (yep, she's a mechanic!). While that's happening, the plague is spreading and Cinder ends up twisted all up within that and tensions between the Queen of Luna and Earth. The Queen can be easily compared to the Wicked Stepmother and we later meet characters based off of Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White. If you've seen Doctor Who or Torchwood, we also get a character who reminded me an awful lot of Captain Jack Harkness. He's hilarious. :)

I highly recommend this series. I picked up the first book after my best friend raved about it and ended up reading the first half of the series in just a few days. If you do pick it up, I recommend reading the books in the following order, as there are extra novellas (Fairest and Stars Above) that will enhance the story if you do.
Cinder --> Scarlet --> Cress --> Fairest --> Winter --> Stars Above

If you have read it or end up reading it, please let me know your thoughts!


Saturday, December 3, 2016

DIY Christmas Gifts

Christmas can be difficult--especially if you don't have a job and you have lots of friends you want to get gifts for. That was always me in school. These are some super easy and pretty cheap gifts I found while browsing the Internet. Most of them can be done cost free if you happen to have the supplies already. :)

Ear Bud Case
I will be real, I totally stole this image from an awesome blogger named "GigglesGalore" because I never eat mints and didn't have an empty container to use to make one myself. This is seriously so easy, though, and everyone in today's age can certainly use one.

All you need is an empty mint container (any will work just fine--including Altoids--but I think the Ice Breakers containers look the nicest), some paper or duct tape, Mod Podge and a brush for the Mod Podge.

Carefully remove the sticker from your container, if you are using one with a sticker label, and then cut out your paper or add your duct tape to your container. If you're use duct tape, you'll also need a knife to carefully (and slowly!) due the label to the right shape. If using paper, use Mod Podge to stick that to your container. When you're finished with either, paint Mod Podge on top to seal your design to the container.


Emoji Jar
This is something I'd love if someone made for me because I can always use jars. I have lots of make-up brushes, pencil liners and things that need homes so these are great for beauty or art lovers.

You can get mason jars at Pat Catans and other craft stores super cheap. From that point on, you just need to paint the inside whatever color you'd like and then paint a face on the front. You can also find faces online, print and cut them out, and use Mod Podge again to stick them on. I like this particular look with the cap on it but! If you take out the middle section of the cap, the middle part that is left is usually sharp. Make sure you file that down with some sandpaper, hot glue on it or use tape to cover that up. Those things can cut you up pretty badly.


Super Easy Stress Balls
Do you have friends that are mildly (or severly) stressed out all the time? I totally love this one. It's so stupidly easy to put together.

Get some baking soda and hair conditioner and put them in a bowl. You'll want a lot of baking soda and not a lot of conditioner. Now mix the two up well and use either a funnel or the top of a pop bottle that you've cut off to move that mixture into a balloon. Don't fill the balloon up very much. Then, tie it off! If you want it to look extra cool when squishing it, take a bag potatos and some times apples come in and put the balloon in that and tie it off. It'll look pretty sweet when you squeeze it then. Make sure you've tied the balloon off really well and bam. Easy, homemade gift!

Bam, easy Christmas mode active!

Saturday, November 19, 2016

How to Balance School Reads with Fun Reads

One of the hardest parts of high school and middle school for me was trying to fit in reading books I wanted to read while reading the not-so-inspiring choices made by my teachers for required reading.

I'll be honest, there were a few books I ended up loving (Tuesdays with Morrie, for example, was fantastic), but I basically disliked everything else I had to read. The worst part was that, after reading the required books, I ended up uninspired to read anything else.

Here is a small list of tips and tricks I learned to keep myself reading for fun! :)

1. Always carry a book with you.
I used to only carry the books I had to read for class and it made me miserable. Every time I saw that book, I wanted to read it less and read anything else even less than that. Instead, carry a book that looks interesting so you see it and want to dive in.

2. Try a series
I find that, once I'm hooked on a series, I can't not finish it. Often times, I'll carry around the first book to a series that has an interesting cover. Before I know it, I've been reading this series for two months and never felt bogged down even while reading my required materials in between.

3. Read a book based off of a movie you enjoyed
A great way to get into reading, especially if reading for school has you too stressed to even look at written words, is to read something you've already seen the movie of. I wouldn't say every book to movie is good but most of the ones I've read were made into movies for good reasons: the books have a faster pace and you've finished reading it before you even realized how much you've read.

My last recommendation is definitely only for certain people but I would recommend picking up a manga series (or even comics!). They're much easier to read, as they consist of mostly images, and, because of that, you can read them quickly. If you need a break from Huckleberry Finn or Oliver Twist, grab the first volume of a manga series and read that to break up those longer (and dryly written, at least to me) books. It'll keep you energized to read more for school while keeping your spirits up with a great manga series.


Saturday, November 12, 2016

Book List: School Setting

The books on the list for this month utilize a school setting. If you like books that take place within a school, or at least use this setting for more than 10 pages, this is perfect for you!

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling (Harry Potter book 1)
2. Variant by Robison Wells (Variant book 1)
3. Looking for Alaska by John Green
4. Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger (Finishing School book 1)
5. Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
6. Initiation by Imogen Rose (Bonfire Academy book 1)
7. Fallen by Lauren Kate (Fallen book 1)
8. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight book 1)
9. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

(Please note that these will always be compilations from lists posted on GoodReads.com, which is an amazing resource for any reader wanting to keep track of what he or she has read, as well as anyone wanting book suggestions. Also, these are not all books I have personally read or, if I have read them, books I myself loved. This is a list meant to inspire anyone interested in this month's category into trying one of these his or herself. These are also not in any particular order.)

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Reading Children's Books is OK Too

As we get older, there's a stigma often attached to reading books geared towards children. You can't go back and read Green Eggs and Ham any more because you're 15 and people may look at you funny. It doesn't matter that you love Judy Moody because you should be reading the Hunger Games at your age.

Should you though? Should you really? And who tells you what you should and should not enjoy reading? You do!

I'm here to tell you that picking up your old favorites when you were a kid is not only acceptable, it can give you that warm fuzzy feeling just like watching your favorite Disney movie. And reading your favorite Berenstein Bear book is going to take significantly less time than watching the Lion King (though I love the Lion King so you should still go and watch it again).


I'll tell you the truth--even before I became a librarian I was going back and rereading old classics. The Giver never gets boring and I love heading down the Rabbit Hole with Alice and you are allowed too.

Of course, I definitely recommend picking up chapter books over picture books (those super skinny oddly large books with 90% pictures, 10% words). They're more of a challenge and are much easier to carry around, but there's no reason why you can't love books you read when you were 5. It's part of what makes us who we are. We had to start somewhere, right?

Next time you're in the library, stop in the children's room and pick up a book you loved when you were younger. I guarantee it will put a smile on your face and brighten the rest of your week.

What we read does not determine our age! :)

Saturday, October 29, 2016

TV Show Review: Delirium (pilot episode)

One of the saddest parts about loving young adult fiction is when a book is set to be made into a movie or TV show and that project is dropped (especially if the book is part of a series and the project gets dropped after the first or second movie--looking at you Mortal Instruments!!!).

This is sadly a review (well really me just promoting it because I have nothing bad to say) about a TV show that was based off of a series that only made it as far as a pilot.

You may recognize the actress playing the main character in Scream Queens (I know lots of you teens out there are super into this series right now! :)), American Horror Story or Unfabulous. I personally loved her most in Nancy Drew back in 2007 but I digress.

This pilot was based off of the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver. I found this book series quite randomly one day on the shelves here at McKinley and found the cover interesting, so I picked it up. Before I knew it, I had read the entire series.


The idea is that, in this dystopian world, love is not permitted. Love is so bad that it is considered to be a disease that will make you go crazy and die. This show takes the idea of this and runs straight into politics. This was an aspect not introduced in the series but one that I think would have added a great deal to Lena's world (Lena = main character = Emma Roberts).

In the TV show, you have the added idea of two politicians competing for a position in the government. One seems to be against the censorship of love while the other is all for it. Now, granted, we were only given one episode for this show so I could be totally wrong on a lot of this. I'm just going off of what I got from the episode. You are also introduced to numerous characters that don't even appear until the second book to add to the government plot.

The first episode hits hard taking you through almost the entirety of the first book. I'm guessing they planned to do a lot more regarding Lena's life in the Wilds (the area outside of the city where those against "curing love" live), as well as go much farther in depth with the DFA (Deliria-Free America organization) and the characters associated with it.


Sadly, as this was not picked up for a full series, we'll never know the direction it was to take. Regardless, the first episode had me hooked and I loved seeing these books in action. The casting choices were fantastic, in my opinion, and I wish we had more.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

TV Shows to Watch Out for

I'm not going to write too much of an intro for this. This is just a friendly reminder to check out some of these awesome TV shows this fall. This should be a great season for shows and these are all super appropriate for you so no worries about your parents questioning your taste in television!

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD: Ghost Rider and DC's Legends of Tomorrow
I'm mashing these two together because, frankly, some people prefer Marvel, some prefer DC and some (like myself), love both.

Agents of SHIELD has been running for a few seasons now (3 going on 4!) and follows the storyline that's also currently running in the Marvel movies (Iron Man, Captain America, the Avengers, etc.). The cool thing about keeping up with this show is catching all the hidden bits and pieces in the show that match up with whatever movies have just been released or are about to be released. This is great for any superhero lover, especially those interested in Marvel. Agents has a great balance of lighthearted humor with action and feels like you're watching an hour long version of an Avengers movie.

Now, if you like Agents but you want a little less humor and a little more salty and gravely characters (think bad guys), give Legends of Tomorrow a shot! It stars a time traveler (Doctor Who fans, ironically, it's the actor who played our beloved Rory!) trying to save the world by assembling a team of "misfits," so to speak. He gathers Firestorm, Atom, White Canary, Hawkgirl, Hawkman, Heat Wave and Captain Cold! You may actually recognize Captain Cold and Heat Wave from another show they did together.


Supernatural
Talk about an oldie but a goodie--I remember this show debuting while I was in high school and all of my friends being super into it. Somehow, I missed the boat on this show and never truly caught up. That said, if you're into anything spooky and, dare I say, "supernatural," this is perfect for you. There's a solid level of suspense that makes things just scary enough and there's enough seasons to keep your attention for quite a while (11 seasons already out and season 12 is starting up on October 13th!).

I think the best part about this show, though, is that, after ten years, the two main characters are the same actors. It's always been Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles. They're both really great guys and do a fantastic job in this show.

The Librarians
I know, I know, it's super cliche for a librarian to recommend a show about librarians, but it's so much more than that. Have you ever seen the National Treasure movies? How about the Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons. Think lots of puzzles, and all sorts of plot lines that deal with actual history and facts. If you enjoy learning and puzzles, this is a great show for you.

The TV show is actually a spin-off of the movie series of a similar name, the Librarian, starring Noah Wyle as the one and only...librarian. But the title of librarian is much more than helping people find books and put materials people returned back where they belong. This Librarian is in charge of all the world's treasures. It's his responsibility to find and keep items like Excaliber (the sword, and also his pet!), the Judas Chalice and Pandora's Box safe and sound in the library. The show is exactly that but with many more well-known objects.


The Crown
Now this is a brand new show so I can't actually give you a review for it but I can tell you that, if you enjoyed Downtown Abbey or historical shows at all, this is definitely for you. Oh, and did I mention it's basically a BBC show? I mean, it's technically a Netflix original but it stars Matt Smith (...former Doctor Who--I promise it wasn't intential for me to choose two shows with Doctor Who ties!) and Claire Foy (star of the BBS drama Wolf Hall). I'm not quite sure how interesting this is going to be but I do trust Matt Smith an awful lot! If you end up watching it, let me know your thoughts!

Stranger Things
Let's be real, isn't this all anyone's talking about right now?! Stranger Things is fantastic. Honestly, I feel like 2016 is a year full of suspense and supernatural TV shows and I'm okay with that. Now, as I'm writing this, I still have two episodes left of season 1 but I can't think of a single part of the show this far in that was bad.

I'm honestly afraid to give a synopsis of this show because you start out basically just knowing there's a group of young boys that play Dungeons and Dragons together and are best friends. After that, the plot moves quickly and has plenty of supernatural (and some times scary!) twists and turns. There is a definite 80s vibe to the whole show, which may bother some, but I thought it gave the show a more classic vibe and I enjoyed seeing the combination of current special effects with older film styles.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Banned Books Are Fun!

Did you know there's a list of books that are actually banned in some places? I'm sure you probably did but it's amazing to me the number of popular young adult fiction books I found on the list. The most amazing part to me was seeing books I actually had to read for school on these lists--books like the House on Mango Street and Kite Runner were quite popular requirements for class back in my day.

One set of books frequently challenged, or banned altogether, which shouldn't be surprising to you, are books written by John Green. Yep, every single one of them has been challenged or banned in the recent years. I find that, when a book becomes extremely popular, that is when most people tend to challenge its presence.

But how does a book become banned or what criteria does a book need to meet to even be challenged? There's no real set of reasons a book will be challenged but the most popular reasons are offensive language, sexuality, violence, drugs, racism and occult or satanic content. Of course, all of these are up to the eye of the beholder. Something you may find offensive may not be offensive to someone else.

That's where book banning becomes complicated and how, thankfully, lots of books that are challenged remain on our shelves today.

Of course, this blog entry wouldn't be complete without a lovely list compiled of frequently challenged (and awesome) books to read yourself!

1. the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
2. the Giver series by Lois Lowry
3. Looking for Alaska by John Green
4. the Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
5. the House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
6. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
7. the Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
8. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
9. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin
10. Internet Girls series by Lauren Myracle (ttyl is the first in the series!)


Saturday, August 6, 2016

Feel Good Movies

Hi guys! Last post was all about exercising while relaxing and this post is all about relaxing with a good movie!

My first recommendation is brand new on DVD and is Zootopia. Despite the fact that I'm a grown adult, I love a good animated film, and this does not disappoint. I cried, I laughed so hard I cried, and I squeed quite regularly from how adorable the character are at times.

This movie tackles some important lessons in being different, following your dreams to become anything and changing your life at any moment to be a better person.


The second recommendation is a 3 part movie and it's a long one, but it's a great one: the Hobbit. If Lord of the Rings is a bit too dry for you, Harry Potter is too long and you aren't in the mood for Hunger Games--pick up the Hobbit movies. They have battles, of course, and fighting (and a minor love story!), but the movies themselves are just easy to watch. They honestly always put me in a good mood and make me feel relaxed. I'm sure it's partly because I adore Martin Freeman, the actor playing the main character, but still--give these a try!


If you like super hero movies, I can't not recommend Ant-Man. It wasn't as dark and suspenseful as what we are used to seeing in Batman or Avengers movies, but it was worth a watch. My favorite part is when a tiny Thomas the Train toy gets blown up to be the size of a house. My second favorite part is watching Ant-Man train a small hoard of ants. This one is full of comedy, sprinkled with romants (sorry, it was a great pun opportunity!) and still contained a good amount of suspense with fighting. Plus, how can you not love Paul Rudd? He's adorable and a genuinely nice dude.


Those are easily my top three when I want to sit down and relax. There are plenty of others to watch on a nice day free of school, including Disney classics like the Lion King, but these give a nice variety! :) Let me know if you check any of them out for the first time--I'd love to hear your review!

Saturday, July 23, 2016

How To: Pokémon Go (Part 1)

Pokémon Go is the current topic all over from the news to just common conversations, but what is it and what's the hype all about?

Now, I grew up in the time where the Pokémon games were brand new and played one from every generation (some times two!), so I'm totally biased on this topic, but still. Let's chat about it.

This game was created by the same people that made Ingress, Niantic, Inc. Ingress is quite similar to Pokémon Go, as it is an augmented reality game where you are required to walk around to do better in the game.

The basics of Pok
émon Go are simple: you walk around to find Pokémon, gyms and PokéStops. In the process, you gain experience. You can also earn medals by collecting certain numbers of Pokémon, as well as a number of certain types of Pokémon (water, grass, bug, electric, etc.). The more you level, the stronger your Pokémon should become and then you can start taking gyms and such. I personally have no interest in taking gyms and just play for fun catching what I can and trying to get my Pokémon as strong as I can, which is another more casual way you can play this game.

For this game, only the first generation Pokémon are available (so Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Pidgey, Weedle, etc.--the first 151 in the Pokédex), but a lot of them are more difficult to find and to catch. There's no guide for this game out officially, but it seems there is a ranking of Pokémon rarities in the game, which I've put in the teen display here at the library for reference. The most basic Pokémon are everywhere and will be pretty easy to both catch and level up.

The most important part of this game is how to actually catch the Pokémon. It's quite simple. When walking around, you'll want to occasionally check your app (do not check it while walking!!!) to see if there are any appearing on your map. If there are, you simply click on that Pokémon and it'll open up on your screen to catch. You use Pokéballs to catch them and will just drag your finger on the Pokéball towards that Pokémon. Remember: you don't have unlimited Pokéballs so use them wisely! You can pick up more at a PokéStop, which I will talk about in another part of this blog series.


Another important aspect of this game is how you level up your "team," so to speak, or those currently kept in your Pokémon inventory (for lack of a better word). If you want to level or evolve your team, you will need to catch multiples of that Pokémon. Once you have caught some, you will want to send your lower levels of whoever you are leveling or trying to evolve back to Professor Oak. In order to do that, you will tap on whichever you'd like to send back, then scroll down to the bottom of that specific Pokémon's page and click Transfer. It'll inform you that, once you transfer, that specific Pokémon will be gone forever. Once gone, that Pokémon will give you candy for whatever Pokémon it was and you use those to level up and evolve.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Stayin' Fit Doin' Little

I know. It's summer. We all want to relax and enjoy the sun, but sitting around the TV or computer all day isn't going to do anything for you but cause you back, shoulder and neck problems in the future (trust me, I know).

Aside from hopping in a swimming pool or walking around your house to get snacks or grab the remote, we need to stay active all year round. Especially now that school's out so you're not running from class to class.

Here are just a few ideas of what you can do while binge watching the latest show on Netflix or catching your favorite streamer on Twitch.

Commercial break or time for your advertisement while on Twitch?
Try and see how many crunches, push-ups or squats you can do during that time. It'll keep your mind sharp never really knowing when you'll have to jump up and do them and will keep your heart rate up.

Don't feel like getting up that quickly?
Lay down on a couch (or the floor!) so you're on your side facing the TV/iPad/laptop/etc. and rest your head on your elbow. Then do some leg lifts. All you have to do is lift your leg towards the ceiling, while keeping it straight, over and over. When you're done with one side, flip yourself so you're still facing the TV and do your other leg. Easy, right? You can even do this while enjoying a snack (sort of defeats the purpose but something is better than nothing!).


This is possibly the easiest exersize but, according to multiple websites, you can lose roughly 40 calories per hours by doing this. Get yourself an exercise ball. Sit on it for an hour. Bam, bye bye 40 calories and say sayonara to the snack you just consumed doing leg lifts.

Say this is all too much. You just want to be lying down watching TV and not moving at all. Easy, just put your feet on the couch and form a capital T by stretching yourself out in front of it (feet still on the couch!) while resting your head on your elbows. You're basically doing a plank and this is also a great exersize that requires little to no energy. Technically, you could even have a nice cold glass of lemonade in front of you with a straw so you can enjoy a cool beverage while you work out.

Summer may be the time to just chill and relax, but it doesn't mean you can't still stay in shape by doing very little!

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Book to Movie Review: the Fifth Wave

Before I get any farther into this, I'd like to say, yes I'm late to the party on this one, but I finally saw the Fifth Wave movie, based originally off of the book of the same name by Rick Yancey.

I was actually ridiculously sick with the flu earlier this week and finally decided to try and be somewhat productive while in bed. So I opened up my iPad and rented this on iTunes. I think it was like $4, which was worth it for how sick and miserable I was at the time.

If you have read the book, or the series, you'll know the writing in it is rather choppy. There's no clear direction and I honestly found it pretty messy to read at times making me walk away from the series in the end (I made it about halfway into the second book, the Infinite Sea). I was truly disappointed in the books. I found the concept of aliens wanting to take Earth without damaging it too much super unique and interesting in the world of Young Adult Literature, and I wanted to love it.



So when the movie came out, I was hopeful that it could fix some of the problems I had with the writing style in the books. I was happy to find that it did! That said, after already knowing what happened in the first book, I was a little less into the movie because the only major plot twist was one I already knew. To be honest, though, I think I'd have guessed it even without knowing already.

The acting was done well and the effects were super awesome. My favorite part, of course, was the fact that it all takes place relatively near where I live now and there are little mentions of places and things nearby, like Kent State University and, of course, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base that's just a few hours away.

I appreciated the movie a lot more than I thought I would and I would recommend it to those interested in a sci-fy twist to dystopia. That said, the plot is predictable, I think, but the next one is less so. I hope they continue to make these movies, as I think the movies do a far better job at telling Cassie's story than the books.


Friday, May 13, 2016

Is the McKinley House haunted?

We recently had a super cool event down at the McKinley Birthplace Home where we had the Collective Paranormal Research Society show our members of YAC (Youth Advisory Committee) what they do. What is that you may be asking? They look for evidence of ghostly activity and try and prove that the paranormal does exist.

This particular group is located right in Youngstown, Ohio, and travels around conducting various investigations.

We were lucky enough to have them not only perform a mini investigation with YAC, but they taught us about what they do and how they do it. We learned about devices like EMF detectors and EVP recorders, as well as what they have learned and seen in their travels. It was truly an amazing experience for our teens and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

They closed the evening walking around the home and trying to make contact with anyone who may be present but not exactly living among us. Everyone was surprised when that contact was made. All of the teens attending, as well as the leader of YAC, Miss Kim, announced who they were and asked various questions with the lights out. They had wanted anyone present to light it up any time his or her answer to the question was yes.

The question all the kids are talking about is whether or not the ghost (or ghosts!) likes Miss Kim being around and hosting programs for children and teens at the house. The flashlight, to everyone's surprise, light up brightly with no one remotely close to do it themselves. Our teens also insured that no one on the Research Society had a button that would trigger it on and off. The investigators would ask whoever was present to step away and turn the light back off before asking another question, which it did.

It was a wonderful experience for everyone and now myself and Miss Kim are a bit spooked down at the house, even if the presence there is a friendly one! It seems we have our very own Casper.

If this is the sort of thing you are into, hop onto Facebook and like their page. They are actually going to be live on Facebook this evening  at the Bissman Building, so please do check them out!

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Kicking Allergies in the Butt

If you've ever had to deal with allergies, you know they're awful. You wake up and you're stuffy, have a scratchy throat and are probably coughing up a storm. I have gone through an entire jumbo extra large family package of cough drops already the last two months because my allergies have been a mess.

The news reports all say this is going to be the worst year for allergies yet. The pollen levels are going to be out of control.

But how can we deal with these? Allergy medicine is, of course, an easy way out but it can make some people super drowsy. I know, for me, even if it's "non-drowsy," I feel like it's nap o'clock after the meds kick in. Well, I recently learned that the ingredients are what cause drowsiness. When you're at the store, look for an anti-histamine (offbrands work just the same as Benadryl and the more pricey versions) that DOESN'T contain chlorpheniramine, clemastine, and diphenhydramine. Those are what cause the drowsiness and will certainly make you sleepier than any other ingredients.

Remember, if you do go the medication route, start taking it immediately, you need to take it every single day or it won't work. That's a pain in the rear, I know. I always take it before I go to bed. I generally keep a bottle of water next to my bed, so I put the bottle of pills there, too, and just take it right before sleeping. Otherwise, I will totally forget. (And yes, try and find the 24 hour pills--that's why I can take it at night.)

Keep your windows shut--at least in your bedroom and the rooms you frequent! The pollen will make its way inside and will cause you more grief than it's worth. If your parents say no air conditioner, we must use the windows for cool air, try and stay away from the windows. My best recommendation: take your shoes off when you come inside--they bring in all sorts of allergins. Then, and I know this isn't fun but it works I swear, vacuum your house! Or, again, at least the rooms you frequent. You'll make your family happy and save yourself some tissues.

Have to go outside? Wear a mask! They make super cute masks on Amazon that are also really cheap--you can get a cute set of 6 for under $10.
I know, people may look at you like a weirdo but these are super normal in a lot of other countries and they also help prevent illness, as your mouth and nose are protected from any germs as well. I love face masks.

The most important factor is to keep up with pollen counts. It's annoying and tedious but if you know the pollen count is going to be super high, stay indoors as much as you can, or you will have a massive headache and won't be able to stop sneezing until the pollen is all out of your system.

We will get through this awful allergy season together! Just remember that, eventually, winter will come back and the snow will destroy the allergens. As awful as snow can be, I honestly prefer that to feeling like I'm going to die from my allergies, even using all of these tips.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Battling Bullying

Bullies are apart of every day lives--some times you may not even notice it happening around you. Bullying can be as intense as someone throwing someone into a locker, or as subtle as someone constantly giving you the stink eye for no reason. And it's not something you have to put up with, nor is it something you can ignore. Stepping up to the plate when you see bullying can help the person being attacked more than you will ever know.

What is bullying?
It can be a multitude of events or circumstances. You may hear someone insinuating that another person doesn't smell clean in the locker room at gym, or you may see a group of people constantly trying to make another feel like an outcast. No one should have to feel that way. Bullies are people who want others to feel inferior to them--think Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter or Regina George from Mean Girls. Regina is the queen of talking negatively behind someone's back, and that's bullying as much as calling someone a mudblood, for you Harry Potter fans reading.

Studies have shown that bullies are usually kids who need to pick on others to feel better about themselves. I'm not saying you have to feel bad for someone bullying you, but there is definitely a bit of compassion needed for him or her. And, if you are being bullied, you certainly do not need to sit and take it, even if it doesn't bother you all that much.

But how does one prevent such an unstoppable force as a bully? Simple: confidence and positivity. No one wants to pick on someone who will be unaffected by it. I know you're probably thinking, "There's no way I can walk around school confidently. It's just not me." Okay. No problem. If someone tries to attack you verbally, start walking away. You can turn and smile to them, "Have a good day!" My mother always says "Kill 'em with kindness!" And she's absolutely right. It works almost every time.

"Okay, but what if the bully is physically attacking me or someone else?" If you're witnessing the attack, find a teacher, teacher's aide--any adult that works in the school immediately. It can be a secretary or even the lunch lady. Don't try and fight back because you could get hurt and get the person being attacked hurt even more. It's best to be safe and just try and get help immediately. Bullies don't want to feel embarrassed and getting an adult to call them out on their behavior and send them to the principal's office for a suspension or something along those lines will always work. If you can't get help and you're stuck alone, then you can fight back. I find a good punch to the nose always works! (I'm joking--but I do know from experience being a goalie in soccer than getting hit in the nose freaking hurts!)

Most importantly, remember that you are important. You matter. If your parents or whoever you are living with are ignoring your cries for help against a bully, find someone who will care. Find a teacher or, again, even a secretary. I know guidance counselors aren't always the most welcoming, but they will be helpful, they will listen and they will believe you. It doesn't matter how old you are--your life matters and you should be able to live a life free of bullying and free of feeling attacked at school. You have the power to take control and help yourself and even help others.

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Book Review: The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman

Hi guys and welcome to my first book review, so bear with me! :)

I was pretty pumped when I saw we had a new book series sitting in Teen and couldn't wait to check it out. Unfortunately, the first book had already been checked out, but, right before I left on my vacation, both the first and second books were in. I knew that was my moment to shine. Time to get reading.

This book series takes place all over the United States, but frequently stops by familiar cities, including Akron, where the main character is from.

In short, the story all circles around the idea of "unwinding," which is like donating a kidney but it can be done with every single part of a person. Creepy, right? In the time period this series takes place, parents are allowed to sign an "Unwind Order" while a child is between the age of 13 and 17. If that child is able to escape before being unwound, he/she has to go into hiding until his/her 18th birthday, when he/she can no longer be unwound. Later in the series, this law drops from 18 to 17, allowing more children the chance to live a life free of an unwinding.


The main characters, Connor, Risa and Lev, are all set to be unwound. Connor's parents signed his unwinding order, Risa was set to be unwound by the state home where she was a ward and Lev was chosen to be tithed, which is a nice way to say his parents gave him life so he could be specifically unwound and given back to God. Unlike most unwinds, tithes are happy to be chosen and want to be unwound.

Essentially, Connor escapes custody, he causes a bunch of accidents, including ones for the vehicles carrying Risa and Lev. Connor, thinking Lev is another unwound needing saving, pulls Lev out of his car, while Risa breaks out of the bus carrying her. From this point on, they live as fugitives running from their fate to be unwound. Lev eventually decides to not be unwound and all three take a stand against unwinding.

The series has so many twists and turns that it's simply impossible to put these books down. I actually had to double check that I read all four because they went so quickly I was certain I had missed one in the process. Shusterman, the author, has a really wonderful writing style, giving just enough detail while keeping important details concealed until later in the books. Matter of fact, one of my friends started to read these after I had finished the first one and she asked me what "clappers" were. They were mentioned in Unwind (book #1), but not even truly explained for a while, keeping the reader guessing.

I cannot recommend this series more--especially if you're into a good chase with some mystery. Maybe it's just me, but the whole concept of unwinding is something that could actually happen, which also made this a bit of a horror series.

If you're looking to try a series that is like watching the Empire Strikes Back, definitely start reading the Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman.


Saturday, March 12, 2016

Miniature Food?!

This has been a sort of "underground" trend in fun for the last two or three years, but, in the last 6 months or so, this trend has moved on to be everywhere.

What is miniature food? Are people just cutting recipes in 1/20th and making tiny muffins like you can get at the grocery store?
Miniature food is mini edible food, yes, but it's made using special kits that use a combination of powder mixes and water, as well as a microwave in some. Pretty simple, right?

The cool part is that there are so many different varieties--from a hamburger and fries to sushi made out of gummy candy. Of course, the down side is that a lot of these kits are only in Japanese, as that's where they originated.
Kracie's Popin' Cookin' is probably the most popular set of kits out there and they can be easily bought on Amazon (Ebay as well, but I'm always afraid of knock-off/fakes that won't work as well). I know, I know, the instructions are impossible because you're not fluent in Japanese. That's perfectly fine! There's like a billion YouTube videos teaching you how to do each kit, as well as tutorials people have typed up on blogs and other websites. Personally, I prefer using videos so I can make sure mine looks exactly like the one created by the person I'm watching.


The English version of this wasn't created all that long ago from what I could find, but that brand is called Yummy Nummies. If we're being honest here, the name is sort of lame and the commercials look like this is only meant for young kids, but definitely not. I personally think these are fun for anyone who wants to make a silly snack with friends. I made the Popin' Cookin' ice cream kit with one of my best friends and, though it didn't take long to make, we had a lot of fun putting them together.

These kits are super cheap and run from $5-10, depending on where you get them, and are perfect for sleepovers and movie nights with friends. They make adorable little snacks and, while there might not be much of them to eat, they are all tasty.







Be warned: the hamburger and fries really taste like a hamburger and fries, and the pizza tastes like pizza. But the sushi? Definitely tastes like grape, melon and "soda" flavor (soda is a flavor in Japan that's impossible to explain unless you've had it).

If you have tried these kits or are interested in them, also check out the Neru Neru Ne! They usually only have 3 steps to make and are more fun than delicious!

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Pokemon Sun and Moon

Helloooo! Today, we have an exciting entry because a new set of Pokemon games was announced.

Maybe I'm a bit of a dork to love Pokemon as much as I do after many years of playing them, but I'm still super pumped.

The two that were announced are Pokemon Sun and Moon and they are set to release late this year.
Nintendo was kind to all of us Pokemon fans for this epic moment and provided us with a trailer on YouTube that you can watch below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmzDL1l3Fag

It doesn't give us much of a preview of Sun and Moon, but it does take us back to the beginning showing players how this gaming series has developed and grown over the years, starting back on the original Gameboy to the 3DS.

This is the 20th anniversary of the Pokemon series/the release of Pokemon Red and Blue (Blue was my favorite, by the way), and a great way to celebrate such a big anniversary.

As Nintendo likes to do, we have not been given much on the new set of games. We know there will be a new bird Pokemon, as well as Magearna (who is adorable, if you ask me), who was announced in a magazine talking about the Pokemon movie set to release this year.


One of the few secrets the video did reveal, however, was the possibility of vehicles. We don't actually know if these will be means of transportation players can use or not, but the art work is pretty awesome and I'm looking forward to knowing why they put so much effort into these. (Please let me drive an ambulance filled with my team of Pokemon, Nintendo!!!)

Finally, by utilizing the Pokemon Bank app on our 3DS's, we can officially transfer Pokemon over from our DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ONLY Red, Blue and Yellow games. I think at this point, I've given up ever being able to get my team from my original Blue and Yellow games to new games. But, at least Platinum allowed me to get all sorts of early gen Pokemon (including legendaries), so I can't complain too much.

If you're a Pokemon fan yourself, which is your favorite game in the series? I have to say I enjoyed Platinum the most, simply because you could, essentially, catch them all. I enjoyed the wide variety of generations you could get and I loved the fact that I could get basically every legendary Pokemon ever. Whoo!

Who's excited for Sun and Moon!?

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Living in Dystopia

If you're a reader and you read a lot of YA (young adult), you know dystopias are where it's at. It all sort of began with Harry Potter and has now expanded to the Hunger Games, the Maze Runner, Divergent and many other worlds that have yet to be moved onto the silver screen.

I read a lot of dystopian YA. I'm not going to lie--lately, I've been reading almost exclusively anything dystopian. I don't know why it's so intriguing to read about worlds similar to ours but completely different, but I'm obsessed and I know many other people are as well.

While the mainstream series are, for the most part, enjoyable, I thought I'd take a minute to recommend some lesser known dystopian series that are equally as fantastic. These are in no particular order, aside from the order of which I thought of them.


1. The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman

I haven't actually completed this series yet, but I felt it needed to be listed because, first off, the main characters in the first book are from Ohio, and, second, the concept is super unique. The whole idea is that children can be sold off by their parents to be "unwound" or, essentially, taken apart piece by piece and given to someone like a transplant donor. The children don't get to make the decision for themselves, and this is all about kids (teens, really) trying desperately to escape their future of being unwound.



2. The Giver (The Quartet Series) by Lois Lowry

I know, this is considered to be more for "kids," but, as someone who loves YA with a passion, I would recommend this 10/10 for anyone who loves YA. This has a sort of unique concept, in that the world is trying to life on the safe side not even allowing people to see color any more. Life is entirely regulated, like many other dystopian books. You are not raised by your birth parents. You are raised by parents assigned to be the best set of folks for your success. If you're extremely lucky, you are eventually given a good job suited to who you are as a person and you do not get to say no. The government makes all of those decisions for you so you don't have to. The first three books are relatively short but the final book should really fall under the YA category. These are some of my favorites.


3. The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

I recommend this to anyone ever. I don't care who you are, this deserves a lot more glory than it's received. The best part? Sequels are still coming out! I feel like a lot of series have finished now, but this is still relatively new.

The idea is that the prince (or later, princess) that will eventually become king/queen needs help finding a partner so, much like other series, people are able to apply for this position. This does take a sort of Hunger Games feel in that the girls narrowed down to compete are essentially contestants in a competition. There is a competition feel but, in my opinion, this has more of a romance feel to it. The two main characters are easily in my top ten YA characters--they're likable, quirky and have an air of normalcy to them, so anyone can relate. That, for me, is the best part. There is a good amount of suspense throughout with the competition, which keeps the plot moving, and none of this stops in the other novels. Granted, I am a fast reader, but I read the first part of the series (the Selection, the Elite and the One) in just a couple days. I love this series a lot.


4. The Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano

Holy crap this book! How did I never hear of it before randomly finding it on the shelves of this library?! The premise is interesting and one of my favorites: boys die at 20, girls die at 18. You can live a little bit (maybe a month or so) past that time, but never all that long, even with the best medical help in the world. Women are being bought by rich men that were born before the age curses for their sons who do have the illness to become wives. It's not in a creepy way--just in a "be my best friend before we both die" sort of way, and the world has become desolate. Picture a world that looks entirely like a run down amusement park or like the wastelands shown in the Walking Dead, but with random amazingly brilliant mansions filled with delicious foods, holograms and where Hawaii is merely a fairy tale.

This series all centers on a girl who is kidnapped from her brother and sold to the son of a rich man to be one of his three wives. It's she and her other two wives' job to try and give him a child before they both die, as well as live out the rest of their years happily ever after. You can imagine she doesn't enjoy being kidnapped and tries to get back to her twin brother. There's excellent characters, a beautiful love story, plot twists that left me completely shocked all surrounded by the mystic and magical world she's living in. There isn't actual magic, but there are certainly futuristic items and concepts that would probably be considered magical in the world we live in.


5. The Dissonance Series by Erika O'Rourke

I'm going to be totally honest--I only read the first book and I have absolutely no idea how to properly explain this and why it's so amazing. Del is the main character and she's a Walker. No, not a zombie from Walking Dead. She walks between worlds--it's a trait certain families have where one can simply find a crack where a decision was made, go through and see a world where a different decision would have been made (an echo). She falls in love with a boy in one of these worlds that she knows in her world, but a different version of that boy. This is the story of how she continues to find that boy in every world, how she falls in love with him and how she fights desperately to keep both him (the him in her world--and the other worlds, too) and her world alive and in harmony with all the other echoes of the world.

If that isn't enough information for you, I recommend looking the series up yourself. I find it's so unique I'm not quite sure how to put it into words, but I've really enjoyed it thus far. I love O'Rourke's writing style and her characters are pretty interesting as well.


Have you read any of these? Or any others that are often forgotten? If so, comment below and let me know! I'm always looking for a new dystopia to fall in love with!

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Get Your Coloring On

School is stressful. Relationships are stressful. Basically, life is stressful. Video games can help unwind some times and, personally, I love a good dystopian book or movie for relaxing, but there's a craze that's exploded this year that's just as good: coloring. Coloring between the lines is no longer for elementary kids--it's moved its way all the way up through teenagers to adulthood. Not gonna lie, some of these coloring books and sheets are super intense.



It's no longer about coloring Pooh to be gold with a red shirt, or making Pete the Cat blue with yellow eyes. These coloring pages are about completely forgetting real life while you sit down and color these small details in however your heart feels at that current moment. These allow you to mindless go through and be creative with pens, markers, pencils or even crayons.

The coolest part about this? You can print off pages online for free. There are so many resources and people designing these for anyone to use. The rest is all up to your imagination. Well and, frankly, even if you don't have an imagination to speak of, it's therapeutic to just mindlessly color in the empty spaces.

I personally enjoy these for times where I feel really anxious about something--especially travel. I'm getting ready to go on a trip now as I type this, and these have been perfect for letting go and escaping the world for 10 minutes.

I know a lot of you have finished your exams for the first half of the year. While I'm not too sure how strict teachers are today, when I was in school, we were allowed to bring work to do after we finished each test. For me personally, coloring something as intense as this would've been a good way to clear my head for the next test.


I'm not sure which brilliant human came up with the idea to make such intricate coloring pages, but they deserve 5 gold stars. Coloring and art has always been something I've enjoyed, but I can't draw decently at all, so coloring is really all I have.

Have you hopped on board this hype train? If so, what do you enjoy coloring with most? Pens? Pencils? Markers? I definitely prefer colored pencils, but I think markers and pens can create some awesome almost stained glass-like art.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Starting a Blog

This is something I feel I have an expertise on. Granted, my degree isn't in blogging and I'm not sure there is one on "writing casually about thing I enjoy talking about," but I've been blogging for a really long time so I think I know at least something about it.

The first thing you need to think about when considering starting a blog is a topic--or a broad subject. It could be something as simple as writing about your daily life, to beauty, to music, but you need a subject to try and gain followers. Of course, you can totally just write about whatever you want if you don't care at all about people reading and responding. I have found, though, to keep people reading and returning, having a category to write about specifically tends to work best.

Once you've decided on that, you have so many different places you can start one. Personally, 10/10 recommend Wordpress. Blogger isn't bad, and you can use Tumblr, but I think Wordpress is the easiest to work with and you can typically get a pretty nice and short URL to link people to opposed to other places. I'm super biased, though, because I've been using Wordpress for at least 8 years now I think. It's great.

Blogger is okay and the customization for its appearance is definitely similar to Wordpress, but I felt it was still more complicated. With Wordpress, you can basically design the graphics you want in it (or Google image search them if you want to live life on the edge with copyright infringement--which I do not recommend) and go to the customization area, upload them and bam.

Tumblr is roughly 10x more complicated. I honestly feel like, if you have zero knowledge on how to build and code a website from scratch (aka CSS and HTML), it's super complicated. That said, if you have knowledge of those two things, Tumblr is fantastic. I have one that I almost never update! (Seriously, I update maybe once a year if I remember.)

Once you've done that and you've decided where you want to start it, come up with a name--short and sweet. The shorter, the easier to remember the better. Remember, if you're looking for people to read it, you'll want it to be memorable. I had one for a while that was simply my nickname.me (.me is like a .com or .net) and it did pretty well. There's also famous people that have things like Zoella (Zoe+lla) and SprinkleOfGlitter, which is longer but still rolls of the tongue.

Then you're going to want to create your blog. Make sure the design isn't totally crazy colorful and easy on the eyes. Color is never a bad thing, but you want people to want to stay and not run away from the blinking lights and neon colors.

Write that first blog post--an intro. Who are you? If you don't want to use your real name, what nickname do you want people to call you? And don't choose something silly--you don't want to come off like a weirdo after all. Talk about what you're planning to blog about, what your goals are and say hi to those reading it. It may take a while to acquire readers but, once you do, you can connect with them through comments and replying to those comments and it's a great feeling to interact with people that enjoy what you're doing.

Finally, be sure to always have fun. If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong. Hobbies are all about fun!

Now, get out there and blog!~

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Resolutions

It's 2016 and the start of a new year. Maybe it's just me, but 2015 flew by so quickly that I only remember a few bits and pieces from the year. Unfortunately for me, in a lot of ways, it was an extremely rough year--one of the hardest I've ever had, which makes me want 2016 to be the best! How am I starting that off? Resolutions. But not just random ones, because I'll never keep up with those. I've picked myself out a few that I know I can and will keep up with this year--ones that will make me a better and happier person.

I thought it may be a good idea to list out my main goals of 2016 in hopes of helping you create a good year for yourself  as well!

1. Sleep less, but sleep better.

This may sound a bit weird but I love sleep. I'm going to take a shot in the dark and guess that you do too, am I right? The issue with that is, when I have nowhere to go, I'll sleep in until I can't sleep any more and then I'll hang out in bed with my iPad on Netflix or CrunchyRoll. My goal is to go to bed at a decent time or at least try to and not sleep in past 10 on any day. If I can get myself on a decent sleep schedule, I'll feel less tired throughout the day and the more awake I am, the less grumpy I am!


2. Take my failures and turn them into learning experiences.

Being negative isn't good for anyone and can easily make you depressed. When you're depressed, you lose faith in yourself and in life, which makes continuing to push yourself and grow even more difficult. The best thing you can do is take those negatives and make them positives. I plan to start doing that by taking any failures I have and seeing them for what they really are: a way to learn and grow. Some times, you need to take a situation and look at it from a different angle, and that's what I plan to try and do.


3. Be able to run 3 miles.

This is definitely something I can accomplish and it's an extension of last year's goal to be able to run a mile. I find that taking a goal you've already passed and pushing yourself harder is another way to stay motivated. You already did it once? Why shouldn't you be able to do it multiple times and even better? My goal is to be able to run 3 miles by the end of the year and if I could push myself to run one mile in less than 6 months, I think I can get to 3 this year!


4. Keep pushing myself to go out and do things alone

Being alone is probably the hardest thing for a person to experience. It's hard to find things to do constantly and, at least for me, getting out and going places alone is a form of torture. I suffer from anxiety, which is something a lot of people experience, and mine stems from being alone. Last year, I went from not being able to go hardly anywhere by myself to being able to go to certain grocery stores, different shops and can officially run more important errands by myself. My goal of 2016 is to go even farther. I have my first vacation where I'll be traveling alone in just a month and I'm hoping that will open a lot of doors for me to continue going out there. Freaking out any time you're alone outside of your house or work makes life almost impossible some days, and, when your anxiety controls you, you become a not-so-great version of yourself. You always want to try and be the best version, so I plan to take more steps this year to continue to be a better Hannah.


5. Exercise and eat healthy

I know everyone has this goal and it's pretty much a staple in everyone's resolutions, but it's one that I do try and go for every year. To be honest, I may not exercise as much as I used to, but I do love to run and I enjoy dancing. I plan to try and do both of those more this year, which shouldn't be too hard. I recently graduated from college and have a few extra hours a week I'm going to dedicate to cleaning my life up (literally--I have a lot of things I need to organize) and working out. As far as eating goes, I generally eat more on the healthy side. I eat a lot of salad, chicken and tend to rarely go overboard on junk food. Don't get me wrong--I absolutely love chips. I'm especially fond of the brand they carry at Aldi's and could eat them all day, but I typically sort of feel when I should stop downing the entire bag and I do. As usual, I plan to try and cook more now that I have a bit more free time, as well as continue eating as I do with mostly chicken and rice. If you're looking to start a new diet, I highly recommend (and have been recommended myself by health nuts) chicken and rice. It's delicious, easy to make and quite good for you.


Let's make 2016 a good year together and cheer each other on with our goals for the year. The best way to continue with resolutions is by having lots of support. I'll be here to support you through yours--let's do this thing! :)

Friday, January 8, 2016

Superheroes Take 2016

2016 is the year of the superhero movies! Well, not technically, but I can't recall a year prior to 2016 where so many were coming out in theatres.

Deadpool

Set to release first on the 12th of February (just in time for Valentine's Day?), I'd say Deadpool is the most anticipated superhero movie of the year. His character is one anyone can appreciate--he is a hero that is constantly breaking the 4th wall in the comics, loves to talk, and is a total goofball. Of course, who would be better to play him than Ryan Reynolds, who is one of the goofiest guys in Hollywood right now.


Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall the previous Superman movie doing too well, so I'm looking forward to a new adaptation of the character. Personally, I enjoyed Man of Steel and I look forward to Henry Cavill getting another movie with the character. He definitely embodied Superman for me. We also have the first (maybe only because, with these, who knows) Batman movie with Ben Affleck as Batman! This movie is sort of full of firsts, though, because we also have Fast and Furious's Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ray Fisher as Cyborg (so excited for that!), Jason Mamoa as Aquaman (who's ready for his movie in 2018?) and last, but certainly not least, a new Flash, played by Ezra Miller. I'm quite anxious to see all these new characters on screen (or new actors as old characters) but a little nervous to see this Flash. I've grown rather attached to Grant Gustin in the CW's Flash. He nails the character for me, so this will be interesting! This movie is set to release a month after Deadpool on March 25, 2016.



Captain America: Civil War

Holy crap there are no words in the English language to express how excited I am for this one. I have loved every movie this Captain America has been in and I'm expecting to love this one just as much as Winter Soldier, if not even more. I think Chris Evans's portrayal of Captain America is absolutely on point for what these movies are calling for and his look is everything I could want in a Cap. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't this character's biggest fan before his first movie, but now I adore him. Prep yourselves for an epic storyline--one of my favorites in the comic universe! This releases May 6!


X-men: Apocalypse

This releases May 27th, so prep your wallets for May between this and Civil War! Okay, now, perhaps I'm more excited about this one than Civil War, simply because I grew up reading X-men comics my entire life so, by default, I have extremely high expectations for this one. This movie takes place after the previous, First Class sort of. It takes place after the events that occur in the 80's in First Class. Due to that, we will get some fabulous Jennifer Lawrence action, as well as some more of Michael Fassbender as Magneto and James McAvoy as my beloved Charles Xavier. I felt they did an excellent job casting those two as the mid-twenties versions of Magneto and Xavier, so I am quite pumped to see this story line play out.

Suicide Squad

I'm honestly going to completely bypass Suicide Squad because every preview I have seen thus far has continually disappointed me in casting, style, etc. I may not have read a lot of Suicide Squad comics, but I don't plan to see that one and I recommend you save your movie money to finish out the year because the two final movies for 2016 are going to be mind blowing, I'm fairly certain.

Gambit

It took everything in me to not title this in all capital letters because this is my favorite X-men character and one of my absolute favorites in comics altogether. I honestly have no idea why, but I don't remember loving anyone more than him ever for some reason.

This is set to release on October 7th and stars the always fabulous Channing Tatum as Gambit, the explosive card throwing mutant. That said, they've had some issues with the director so chances are it won't be coming out this year. I am still holding onto hope that I'll see my favorite X-men properly portrayed soon! There's really no back story to give--this will essentially be a movie about the character and is supposed to closely follow him in the comics. Yay for a canon movie!

Tatum is so fabulous.


Doctor Strange

As hard as it was for me to not write Gambit out in all capital letters, this is even more difficult. If you aren't living under a rock with current movie and tv releases, you'll know that Benedict Cumberbatch has blown up and we will be seeing an awful lot of him for quite a while. I mean, he's reported that the reason Sherlock (BBC TV show) has been so behind is because both he and his co-star Martin Freeman are too busy to film together with the other shows and movies they're filming.

Doctor Strange has been awaiting his film debut for a while, I feel, and this movie is bound to be epic with Cumberbatch portraying him. He looks just freaking like him in costume. Any ways, Doctor Strange is, well, basically magical just like Cumberbatch (sorry, I really love that guy). Quite similarly to his role as Sherlock, Strange is another narcissist and, after losing his hands in an accident ruining his career as a neurosurgeon, he ends up getting granted these magical powers. He's essentially going to be the gateway into the magical universe of Marvel.

Seriously guys, see this. If you can see no other superhero films this year, go and see this one. I promise you won't be disappointed. I will make no apologies for you finding yourself to be in Cumberbatch's fan club. Sorry not sorry! You can view the first preview trailer here and the movie is set to release on November 4th.


2016--the year of the superheroes, and I am not complaining one bit! Bring it on, 2016!