Captain America: Civil War

Marvel movies are my guilty pleasure – I could watch the same Marvel film 5 times in a row and not get bored. I have seen The Avengers over 10 times, and if you ask me right now if I’d like to see it, I would still be game. The third Captain America film does not disappoint.

Why is this a Captain America movie, and not an Avengers movie, you ask? I don’t know what to say except that this movie is basically about Cap’s values and his friendship with Bucky. Yes, most of the other Avengers are in this film but the focus of it is Captain America. You could consider this as an Avengers 2.5 – I sorta do – but it is a Captain America 3. Consider it a sequel to both Age of Ultron, and Winter Soldier.

This movie focuses on the events after Age of Ultron. The weight of the event is visible on our heroes, especially on Tony Stark because he created Ultron and so feels responsible for the entire incident. This, in turn, makes Tony want to keep the team ‘in check’. After the events of Age of Ultron, another event takes place involving the team which results in more collateral damage forcing the UN to create the Sokovia Accords (Superhero Registration Act) which basically means that the team will be under the UN – responding to missions only the UN gives them. Iron Man is all for it however Steve Rogers is not. Steve sees it as another group with different people who has different agendas. This prompts the team to create two sides – Team Cap or Team Iron Man.

We see full-on Avenger v Avenger battle. Punches were thrown, new characters introduced, friendships were hurt.

“Here you get Ant-Man v Spider-Man, Hawkeye v Black Widow, Scarlet Witch v Vision, The Winter Soldier v Black Panther and Captain America v Iron Man, all rolled into one. And that is what you call the ultimate Marvel superhero event.”

I don’t think I need to mention how perfect the cast are for their roles. I adore every single actor in this franchise, which now includes 19-year old Tom Holland as Peter Parker. His Peter Parker is funny, quirky, goofy and instantly lovable.

Team Cap or Team Iron Man? Hell, I’m Team Marvel!

The movie is not just all action – though there is a substantial amount of it – but it also has emotional points. It’s friendships, camaraderie, loyalties.

I love every single Marvel film, but this is by far the best one yet.

I talk about spoilery stuff next, if you haven’t seen the movie, stop here.

“Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.” – Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

My Sister Rosa was released on the 27th of January. I was intrigued then, when I picked it up at the bookstore to read the blurb. It’s a psychological thriller, and I’ve been wanting to read more in that genre. I’m so glad I bought this book. The beginning of this book is spoiler free, I will clearly mark where the spoilers begin so be warned.

The following is from GoodReads:

What if the most terrifying person you’d ever met was your ten-year old sister? A spine-chilling psychological thriller from one of Australia’s finest YA authors.

‘I promise,’ said Rosa. ‘I won’t kill and I won’t make anyone else kill.’

I can’t see the loophole. Since the guinea pig there’s been nothing. Months now without Rosa killing as much as a mosquito.

As far as I know.

Che Taylor has four items on his list: 1. He wants to spar, not just train in the boxing gym. 2. He wants a girlfriend. 3. He wants to go home. 4. He wants to keep Rosa under control.

Che’s little sister Rosa is smart, talented, pretty, and so good at deception that Che’s convinced she must be a psychopath. She hasn’t hurt anyone yet, but he’s certain it’s just a matter of time. And when their parents move them to New York City, Che longs to return to Sydney and his three best friends. But his first duty is to his sister Rosa, who is playing increasingly complex and disturbing games. Can he protect Rosa from the world – and the world from Rosa?

My Sister Rosa will have you on the edge of your seat from the very first page to the last.

Oh my god this book is fantastic. I didn’t know what I was getting into when I started, only that the blurb sounded interesting and thrilling. That’s an understatement. I started the book tired and sleepy, eyes sore and dry but now that I’m done, I’m wide awake and reeling over this book. I wrote this at 4:10am; I started the book at 1am because I was sleepy but I wanted to get a couple of chapters in just so I know what I’m getting into. 100 pages later, my eyes was so sore and dry – I literally had my left eye shut, and my right squinting while I was reading the book. Another 100 pages later, I was wide-awake and truly enjoying the book but also I was terrified of what’ll happen next, I knew then I had to go to sleep because I have to wake up early the next day but there was only a quarter left to read and it didn’t make sense for me to stop then. At 4am, I finished the book and there were no traces of my earlier sleepiness; I loved the book and I’m glad I finished it. It was late, sure, but no regrets because that’s what I do: I value reading books more than my own sleep.

This book is like a roller coaster. If it was a movie, I’d be squinting or covering my eyes because I’m scared of what’ll happen next. If it’s an event at the next corner, I’ll be slowing down as much as I can and creeping upon it bc I don’t know what I’ll find. When starting a new chapter, I start it with caution because I have no idea what’ll happen.

This book is about Che, and his 10-year old sister Rosa who he believes is a psychopath because she doesn’t empathise, amongst other things. Rosa creeps the hell out of me. Rosa is not only not able to empathise, she enjoys killing ants, bugs, she even made someone kill their pet guinea pig bc she wanted to see the animal fight to live. She’s so curious about everything that she will do anything to see something she hasn’t seen before. She’s ten years old yet she’s so smart. That’s what scares me the most I think – she’s so smart that she can do just about anything and she’s good at manipulating people into seeing and thinking what she wants them to think. You know the movie The Orphan? The not-so-much-a-kid kid there is what Rosa makes me feel. Like honestly, this is not a horror/ghost book but I have to pee right and I’m kinda scared of leaving my room. Seriously, this book made me feel like this.

All the big reveals near the end? Wow, just wow. Did not see it coming – the ending made me drop my jaw because just wow. I’m so scared for Che, and for everyone else because Rosa. Rosa!

I know I didn’t really go into detail about the book – more like went into a bit of detail as to what I’m feeling bc I’m just full of feelings over this book.

I need more books to read into this genre – psychological thriller. I love how it made me feel: scared, excited, intrigued, exhilarated, thrilled.

I may, or may not, edit this post to add my summary of what happened. I started already but it’s proving longer than I thought it was going to be. I may, or may not, add it here later. 

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Rebel of the Sands was published on the 8th of March 2016. I’ve been wanting to read it but I was on a book-buying ban due to me losing my job in February. Today, I got paid for the first time after being unemployed for over 2 months! To treat myself, I bought this. It feels pretty good to be able to buy a book again, though I’m still kind of in a book-buying ban.

I plan to read this starting tomorrow. The hype surrounding this book is crazy – guess I’ll know soon enough what the fuss is about.

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there’s nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can’t wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up “wed or dead,” Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she’d gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan’s army, with a fugitive who’s wanted for treason. And she’d never have predicted she’d fall in love with him…or that he’d help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

(GoodReads)

 

The Crown by Kiera Cass

Since I first heard of Kiera Cass like 3 years ago, I’ve loved her. Now, anything of hers is an automatic buy for me especially if it’s in The Selection series. The Crown is the second book in the new The Selection series, but the 7th overall in the entire series. It’s still considered part of The Selection series, though it’s mostly about a new set of characters but the old ones are still in it. The Heir came out last year, it’s not about Maxon and America anymore but it’s about their daughter, Eadlyn. Eadlyn is the only daughter of Maxon and America and she’s holding a selection of her own. She must find a husband for the better of Illea, just as Maxon did.

The Crown is the book after The Heir and according to GoodReads, expected publication is May 3rd. Although according to Harper in Australia, release date is June 1st. We’re getting something late, yet again.

The cover is beautiful, as usual for Cass’ books. The cover for The Heir was also magnificent.

I can’t wait to read what comes next after The Heir, especially after that cliffhanger. I’m hoping to like Eadlyn more. If you read my unpopular opinions tag, you’d have read that I don’t like Eadlyn but maybe she’ll surprise me.

I don’t know if this’ll be the last book, but I think there’ll be another one after this. The original Selection series had 3 books after all, so maybe this’ll be a trilogy too.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

To say I’m anticipating the release of this movie is an understatement. I was literally jumping up and down after they announced it was going to be made into a movie. Another movie set in the Wizarding World? Yes please! And two more movies after this one? Hell yes!

Seeing the trailer a year later gave me major feels. The first trailer begins with someone using the spell ‘Lumos‘, and from then on I felt like I was home. That’s what this movie makes me feel: it makes me feel like I’m finally home after years of being away. I was crying by the end of the first trailer because the familiarity of it all, plus the use of Hedwig’s Theme, was a bit overwhelming for me. It’s a new story, but in a familiar world and I couldn’t be happier. The Wizarding World is my home, and it always will be.

Unpopular opinions tag

This tag has been making its circulation through YouTube for a while, but since I don’t have a YouTube account and I have no plans of making one, I thought I’d write it here instead. These are my opinions, and I’m sorry if you don’t agree with them but hey this is what I think and if you have different opinions then that’s fine too 🙂

TB to the first ever book proof I received

Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

Receiving this book proof is related to one of the best moments of my life. It was the 8th of August 2015, I had just started my new job at a bookstore (!!) and it was amazing. Of course, it has always been my dream to work in a bookstore and this particular role was a dream come true. I was hired full-time (my first full-time job!!) as the Special Orders Coordinator. Basically, I managed the Special Orders Department, I kept record of all the special orders, I ordered them, and I kept in contact with suppliers and customers. Working at that bookstore was the greatest experience I’ve ever had, it was the longest I’ve ever been happy. 6 months later, that bookstore closed and I sunk into depression but this post is not about that dark topic. This book will always have a special meaning to me because whilst I received plenty of book proofs after that, it was the first one I received at that job.

On my first day, my boss asked me what I read. I told him I mostly read Young Adult, and I named a few authors including Becca Fitzpatrick. He rummaged behind his desk for a couple of seconds and handed me this book. He said it was mine to keep, and that if I ever see a book proof lying around in the office that I liked, I can keep it. I knew then, I would never leave that job.

My goal right now is to work at another bookstore, I was jobless for two months. I applied at different bookstores but I never got in. It got to a point where I was willing to take any job to earn money. I found a job now, but I will never be at ease until I get a job at another bookstore. Working at a bookstore didn’t feel like a job because I was doing something that I loved; I really was at my element then. I worked Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30pm yet it didn’t feel like I was there for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. I guess time really flies when you’re having fun.

 

Arwen’s Evenstar necklace from The Lord of the Rings

I bought this necklace when I went to my first Comic-Con, Oz Comic-con 2016. It was such a good experience; I saw many things I wanted to get but had no budget for. Our trip wasn’t planned, we literally decided to go 2 days before Comic-Con so I had no time to save money haha. There were so many amazing costumes, and panels. That was the first time I went to a Comic-Con but it definitely is not the last. I wore this necklace once, after I bought it and I’d love to wear it more but it’s actually quite heavy. I’ll just keep it in my jewellery cabinet/mirror.

Arwen’s Evenstar necklace was made for the movie, it wasn’t mentioned in the books. Arwen is the youngest child of Elrond and Celebrian. Her name Ar-wen means ‘noble maiden’. She bore the Evenstar (or Evening Star), as the most beautiful of the last generation of High Elves in Middle-earth.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

“If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.” – Stephen Hawking

I read The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey late last year and I enjoyed it. End of the world, alien invasion, humans killing each other – what’s not to like? Of course this is not the first book/movie like this and it won’t be the last.

This book is so hyped, it’s one of the reasons I read it – I wanted to know what all the fuss is. This book wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read but I immensely enjoyed it. I felt for Cassie, her atmosphere was lonely, sad and isolated but she persevered to find her 5-year old brother through it all.I related to that part the most because I have a 5-year old sister and I can’t imagine her being separated from me or my family but I’d like to think if this were to happen, I would do what Cassie did and move heaven and Earth to find my sister.

This book is not original whatsoever but the overall humanity, darkness theme will surely pull you in.

P.S. This is my only book that has a film tie-in cover because there’s nothing I dislike more than film tie-in covers. My local bookstore just had a promotion where if you buy this, you get The Infinite Sea for free so who am I to pass up on that? Bottom line though, I don’t like film tie-in editions, don’t judge me for this book haha