And just like that, August closes.
I don’t know what the weather is like where you live, but it’s been cooling off early here. Everything is beginning to take on that bronze glow of autumn… I’m not sure I’m ready for it yet, but it is pretty!
Life Subplots
Hauling old papers out of my room, drinking lots of coffee, seeing friends, eating corn on the cob from the garden, and a four-person bicycle adventure in the rain are some of the highlights of my month! And lots of editing, but we’ll get to that later.
Screen Storylines
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
I’d heard amazing things, and this movie delivered amazing things. It was hilarious but also heartfelt at the right moments, and visually stunning too. Miles’ relationship with his dad is wonderful. Gwen is the best. And having so many iterations of Spider-Man in one place was pretty great!
ONCE UPON A TIME SEASON 4 & SEASON 7
You all know how slow I am with TV shows! I watched a grand total of one episode from season 4 (which I’m rewatching with my siblings) and three of season 7 this month. I’m close to the halfway point of 4 (thank goodness—I hate the Snow Queen) and some semi-interesting things are happening in 7…
THE FLASH SEASON 4
Erm, just one episode here. A new character was introduced and, well, I can’t take him seriously at ALL, but he’s so ridiculous I couldn’t help but laugh at everything he said.
EXO: CLIMB THE LADDER SEASON 2
I think I saw six or seven episodes with my sisters this month? They’re super short (the episodes, I mean), but rather fun. I confess that K-pop is turning into a guilty pleasure of mine!
Page Subplots
THE FANTASTIC AND THE WONDROUS // SHAINA MERRICK // 3 STARS
The Fantastic and the Wondrous was a sweet little collection of bite-sized short stories. I swept through it cover to cover in one evening. Funnily enough, I realized the author and I were both at Realm Makers 2019 earlier this summer, yet I never crossed her path!
Shaina has quite the mix of “fantastic and wondrous” genres in this collection: several flavors of fantasy in a variety of settings, sci-fi, time travel, and one story is even in an epistolary style. A few of my favorites were Protocol 1, Broken Clocks, and When the End Comes. I did feel it could have handled another set of editorial eyes.
(I was given a free ebook in exchange for review. Thanks, Shaina!)
SWORD IN THE STARS (new edition) // WAYNE THOMAS BATSON // 4 STARS
This is the new “authorized” edition of Sword in the Stars. I recently reviewed the original edition HERE. My thoughts on that one pretty much apply to this new version! Not much changed between editions. There are a few tweaks to the opening chapter and a continuity issue is resolved. (In the old version, someone died, then showed up alive with no explanation—that’s been fixed here.)
On a more minor note, there were some new formatting errors in this edition, like too-small outer margins and too-wide inner margins, along with a few funky paragraph breaks. Hopefully those things are fixed in a future print run. Otherwise, great story!
BY DARKNESS HID // JILL WILLIAMSON // 4 STARS
I’ve been following Jill Williamson for YEARS now, and can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read one of her books! But here I am, finally, on the other side of By Darkness Hid. It’s a deceptively small-scale fantasy story that’s actually a part of a much grander scheme, as we find out in the end.
I loved Achan and Vrell, the main characters. Achan was branded as a stray, but becomes a squire and begins to learn bloodvoicing—which is this world’s version of telepathy. Vrell was a feisty noble girl who dressed up as a boy to escape an arranged marriage. Both had true-to-life reactions to the things that happened to them, which I really appreciated!
Speaking of realistic, I learned so much! Jill has really done her medieval research. I can’t say for sure, because I’m not a historian, but this book feels like one of the most historically accurate medieval settings I’ve read about (even though it’s a fantasy world). Not romanticized at all.
The book felt a little slow at times, but still interesting somehow. And that twist ending! Ahhh! I’ll definitely be picking up the next two books.
THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE // NEIL GAIMAN // 4.5 STARS
This delightfully short little novel packs a punch. With a middle-aged man’s remembrances providing a frame story, and his seven-year-old self acting as an unreliable narrator of the main events, I was never quite sure what was real and what was imagined. Which, I think, was part of the point.
The narrative was deftly spun, and convincingly childlike in its observations. There’s a sense of magic and eerie, dark sadness pervading the story. From the warmth of the Hempstocks’ farmhouse kitchen, to the fear within the boy’s childhood home, to the otherworldly wonder contained in the ocean at the end of the lane… it’s all so lifelike.
I must also take a moment to say that Lettie Hempstock is a wonderful, spitfire, protective little girl. Her and her mother and grandmother are women of backbone.
A couple scenes in particular were quite cringe-worthy—one that was supposed to be, so kudos to the author for succeeding; and the other involves the boy discovering his father having an affair (details are limited to the child’s understanding, but it’s still uncomfortable).
This is the first Neil Gaiman book I’ve read, and I loved it overall! It’s a dark and sad tale, but there is the hope of healing by the end. He has a way with words that’s rather magical in and of itself!
CURRENTLY READING: THE WAY OF SHADOWS // BRENT WEEKS
Written Storylines
I’m happy to say I’ve had a productive writing month! I edited chapters 22-33 of The Brightest Thread, almost made myself cry over my characters, and grinned over the comments from beta readers I was combing over.
And with that, draft 5 is done! I started this draft last spring, but shelved it for nine months during my final year of college. So it feels great to finally reach another milestone with this story.
You know what this means, though, don’t you? Draft 6. Yep. The unfortunate part of having such a long break was that I lost my grasp of certain story threads (no pun intended), and so I couldn’t properly address some of the plot issues until I’d reacquainted myself with the whole manuscript, beginning to end. So… all the trickiest issues are left for me to hammer out in draft 6.
Issues like the beginning. And the ending. And the magic. And the villain. And the fact that my heroine does nothing for a third of the book while the hero takes the spotlight.
By the time this post goes up, I’ll likely have launched my draft 6 attack, armed with sticky notes, my editing notebook, and a large cup of coffee. Wish me luck!
Tell me about your August! Is it feeling very fall-ish yet? If you write, how do YOU attack plot problems? And who here is going back to school? (I’m sending you motivational dragons to do your homework!)
P.S. Stay tuned for MONDAY… the start of the 4th annual Silmaril Awards!
YOU WATCHED INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE!!! Wasn’t it so, so good? Like…it’s become one of my favorite movies. It was a masterpiece. So unique and fun! Annnd you read By Darkness Hid! 😀 I remember the second one being my FAVORITE (and it seems like it doesn’t have as many draggy scenes) so I’m anxious to hear your thoughts. Although, truthfully, it’s been so many years since I read that trilogy, I almost wonder what my thoughts would be of it now. o.o Are they as good as I remembered? I DON’T KNOW. I hope so! I NEED to reread them. It’s been so long. *collapses*
The Ocean at the End of the Lane was a FASCINATING book, but I’ve just decided horror novels are not my thing. I like some dark, creepy stuff, but the whole FEEL of that one just…eh. I didn’t like it. It was weird, because I couldn’t put the book down. I was utterly enraptured, while at the same time kind of grossed out. So on the one hand, I liked that book a lot. On the other, I didn’t at all. SO MANY MIXED FEELINGS. But I am glad you enjoyed it! It’s definitely an interesting one. o.o
I’M SO EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE TBT PROGRESS. EEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! Praying for you as you embark on draft 6. I know it’s going to turn out AMAZING. I mean, the book is already one of my favorites of EVER. So I can only imagine how utterly perfect the final product will be! EEP. So, so excited! *sends alllll the motivational cookies*
I do hope your September is a beautiful one, m’dear!
Well, this is embarrassing… replying almost A MONTH LATER. 😛
Into the Spider-Verse was surprisingly amazing! I’ll have to watch it again sometime. Ooooh, now I’m looking forward to book 2 of The Blood of Kings even more! Heheh, yeah, I always wonder about my Olde Favorite Series as well… and it makes me twitchy about whether or not to reread them and either rediscover the magic or find out it’s not as magical anymore… 🙁
That’s totally fair! It was a strange book for sure. There’s a particular KIND of horror element that I actually love to read from time to time, and other kinds that I really just DON’T. So. I can understand the mixed feelings!
EEEE THANK YOU!!!! It’s, erm, pretty much slowed down since this post… BUT THANK YOU ALL THE SAME. <3 Oh my gracious, one of your favorites? *cries* That's incredibly sweet!!! And I gladly accept any and all motivational cookies. 😉
I hope your September has been lovely too!
Ooh, I watched Into the Spider-Verse last month, I think? It was pretty good–much better than I’d initially thought it would be (the animation style isn’t my personal favorite, but it was still a good story, and I totally called the uncle being someone important to the plot!).
Also, congratulations on finishing Draft 5 of TBT! I enjoyed your pun, even if it wasn’t intended. XD
My August has really flown by, especially since two weeks were consumed with drivers ed; and when I wasn’t driving or sitting through classes or trying to learn the information from the book so I could pass tests, I was trying to finish a story for a contest (which I didn’t complete in time and am still working on).
Have a great September!
Fun, fun! It was a lot better than I was expecting too. I feel like that’s all I’ve heard from anyone who’s watched it–“It was better than expected!” XD The animation style was super interesting… I felt it fit this particular movie, but it wouldn’t work for everything, haha. (Yay! I loved his uncle!)
THANK YOU! <333 Glad somebody enjoys puns. XD
Ugh, driver's ed takes up SO MUCH TIME. But soon you'll get to drive places! 😀 Sorry to hear you didn't make that contest deadline... but go you for continuing to write that story anyway!
(And my apologies for being a whole month late to reply. -_- The flurry of the Silmaril Awards pushed this post to the wayside!)
GOOD LUCK WITH DRAFT SIX!!!! *gives you chocolate* You got this!
And oh, man, I have GOT to watch Into the Spider-Verse – I haven’t heard anyone say they don’t like it. It’s crazy!
Have an awesome September, Tracey!
I NEED ALL THE CHOCOLATE I CAN GET, SO THANK YOU. <3
Yesss, watch it! I feel like all I've heard anyone say about it is that it exceeded their expectations!
Hope you've had an excellent month, Nicole, and so sorry it took me weeks to reply! 😛
Congratulations on finishing draft 5! Onto TBT draft six! *battle pose*
I remember enjoying the By Darkness Hid books. I borrowed my cousin’s collection ages ago.
Thank you! *brandishes sword*
How fun! I’ll have to get my hands on books 2 and 3 sometime soon…
P.S. Sorry I’ve been a terrible blogger, leaving all the comments here in the dust for a month!
Is kpop a guilty pleasure of mine too?? Yes, yes it is. Especially music videos 😛
YOU TOO? YAYYY! You’ll have to tell me who your favorite bands are. 😛 Exo is mine, with some Shinee thrown in.
Fall weather isn’t quite settled in here yet (and probably won’t until October– sigh) but we’ve been having cooler mornings which always gets me excited!!
UGH THE SNOW QUEEN IS THE WORST.
theonesthatreallymatter.blogspot.com
I’ve taken so long to reply that you’ve probably got your fall weather already. XD I love those crisp mornings too!
RIGHT? I can’t stand her voice. 😛
So glad you read and enjoyed Jill’s book. And yes, Into The Spider-verse is AMAZING ;d It’s hard to find a hyped up movie that deserves the praise 😉
MB: keturahskorner.blogspot.com
PB: thegirlwhodoesntexist.com
Yes, it was a fun one! I know, everyone was telling me how good Into the Spider-verse was, and it DID live up to the hype.
(Apologies for a four-week late reply!)
YAYAYAY YOU WATCHED INTO THE SPIDERVERSE!! 😀 I am so in love with that movie. So. Good.
And AGH yay for finishing TBT draft 5!! I will definitely be rooting for you as you move into draft 6! Woot-woot!! *throws confetti in the air*
I loved how self-aware it was, twisting tropes the way it did! 😀
Thank youuuu!!! *sweeps all the confetti up into a motivational pile to keep*
(The Silmaril Awards bumped this post off to the side for a whole month, apparently… look how late I’m replying. XD)
I’ve been meaning to read Ocean at the End of the Lane, so it was nice to hear your thoughts on it.
Congrats on finishing draft 5!!! That’s amazing!
I think you’d love it, Skye! 😀
Thank you so much! <3 Draft 6 is a little daunting, but it's exciting to make progress.
P.S. Sorry for such a late reply!
Into The Spiderverse was AMAZING! (I heard they’re already working on a second one?)
Congrats on finishing the fifth draft!!! 😀
(ARE THEY? :O Cooool!)
Thanks so much, Sarah! And sorry for replying so crazy late. XD