ArmchairBEA: Intro

It's time yet again for another Armchair BEA! How do the years fly by so fast? Sheesh. I kinda wish that some year I'll be reporting from the actual event, but by the time I can actually go I wonder if I'll even care anymore! I guess we'll see!

In the meantime, I'll play along from the armchair! Here are my intro questions for the day!

Required:

1. What is the name you prefer to use?

SUEY! Yeah. I know. It's weird. But so am I. And so it works.

2. How long have you been a book blogger?

In March I crossed over to the nine year point, meaning I'm now working on my tenth year. Freaky.

3. Have you participated in ABEA before?

Yeah, since the beginning!


Optional:

1. Do you have a favorite book? If you cannot choose a favorite book of all time, pick your favorite book today - just this second. Remember that favorites are allowed to change if something affects you deeply enough.

I always say The Book Thief when faced with this ever impossible question. Because... you kno... The Book Thief.


2. What is your favorite genre and why?

Ah guys. I don't have a favorite! They are all my favorites! I'm especially fond of fantasy, science fiction, YA contemporary, and historical fiction, though I never seem to get to that one these days. Oh wait... why? Why...because... they are awesome! I love to escape, to read about new worlds, to see the amazing imagination of authors... and to learn about history. Oh, and all the angst and stuff of YA contemporary makes me happy for some strange crazy reason.


5. If you could create a playlist that reflects your bookshelf, what would be the first song you choose? (You can include more than one if you want :D)

This one for the space/science fiction stuff I've been loving lately: Louder Than Words

This one for the romance stories that are my most favorite: Neverland

This one for all the local authors on my shelf: Warriors

(P.S. Did you notice? I included no kpop. Just in case you didn't notice.)

6. How do you arrange your bookshelves? Is there a rhyme or reason? Or not at all? (#ABEAShelfie)

No rhyme. Or reason. The downstairs shelves attempted it once, but have been since messed up. Mostly it's classics in a spot, regular fiction in a spot, and lots of hardback signed books in spot. Picture books and MG have a spot too. I have award winners sort of on a shelf of their own too. Sort of. Mostly it's a mess.


9. If you could choose three characters to have lunch with, who would they be and why? 

I think I'd love to hangout with the couples from the Starbound Trilogy: Tarver and Lilac, Flynn and Jubilee, and Gideon and Sofia. Yeah. That would be fun. (P.S. I cheated, yes? I always do!)

Have a great Armchair BEA everyone! I'll see you out there!

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite Nonbookish Websites

Oh hey! It's a non bookish topic over at The Broke and the Bookish today! I'm a bit late, but why not join in? And so I give you:


Websites I love not about books:

Pixlr online video editor: the easiest place I've found for making collages

YouTube to mp3 : for grabbing songs from YouTube

Korean keyboard: Just in case you want to type something in Hangul you know

Kpop Lyrics: because sometimes we do want to know what they're saying!

Viki.com: my new Netflix

NaNoWriMo: this mostly in November (this is not about books really right?)

Spotify: well, it's a website, but I use the app and I wonder how I lived without it

YouTube: um, is this a given?

(I was going to list Amazon, but then I remembered... not about books....)

Um,,. that's pretty much everywhere I'm going these days. Where do you hangout online? That aren't too bookish?

Sing Along Saturday (on Sunday again!): Moms

Here's a perfect song for today. And since it's also the theme of Sing Along Saturday, I figured I'd share, even though I'm sure you are all sick of Korean songs. Sorry, I'm not sick of them yet and it may be awhile.

I wish this version had English subtitles for the lyrics, but instead, I will just include the lyrics below it. Anyway, I wanted to share this live version of these guys singing about their moms because the solemnity and emotion of their faces is awesome. (Also, seeing the slides of them with their moms... ah!!) And Donghae (the darker haired one in this particular video) actually wrote this one, which makes it even more awesome.

Anyway... to mothers everywhere, I give you this song simply called: Mother.

(Thank you) I can’t express with words
(Thank you) I’m here because of you
You always embraced my young and immature self

(Love you) Words I couldn’t tell you
(I love you) I’m finally telling you now
Now I know your heart and how you always believed in me

And I know, Yes I know, you always look to me
And I know, Yes I know, even if the world turns away

Love you mother, I love you
Like no other, I thank you
I endlessly shed tears when I think about you
Love you Mother, I love you
Like no other, I thank you
Now I’ll be your strength and return that bright smile

And you know, You know,
You know, I love you, I thank you

(Thank you) Wherever you go, don’t be small
(Thank you) Because I’m standing right behind you
Even if your back is hurting or your eyes grow dim

(Love you) Words I’m so bad at saying
(I love you) Finally, I’m saying them
You’re the prettiest in the world, I’ll place you in my eyes

Look at me, don’t rush anymore
Lay down your heart, it’s alright now, slow down
Because of your endless love, your unchanging love
I am here today

Thank you Mother, I love you

Kdrama Review: Descendants of the Sun

Drama: Descendants of the Sun
Genre: Military/Medical Drama
Starring: Song Joong Ki, Song, Hye Kyo, Jin Goo, Kim Ji Won
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Up until now I've been "catching up" on past dramas...dramas that aired last year, or a couple or three, even four years ago. This time, I decided to be part of the current buzz and watch one that was happening in real time.

How it works is that it airs in Korea and then the next week, the episode is available on the site/app for all to see. I joined the party about 10 or so episodes in, quickly caught up and then had to do the waiting thing. Not fun! (I was very tempted to pay the monthly fee in order to get them faster, but held off for now. That might still come though!)

But fun to be part of the current buzz!

And this one was amazing! Oh my word! I can't even. It felt like a movie instead of a TV show. With sweeping epic music and special effects and amazing locations. Awesome.

Sheesh this guy!

It's the story of a guy who is on the "alpha team" for the Korean army which means he has to go diffuse highly toxic and volatile situations. And he's good at it. Dang good. But it's oh so very dangerous and scary.

One day on leave, he happens to meet this doctor girl and sparks fly immediately. I remember thinking.. wow.. if they are together so fast what story is left to tell? Yeah. Well, then so much happens! She decides he's not for her after all (she is crazy) and so all is off. Then he gets assigned to a country called Urk (heard of it? Me either. That's cause it's fictional! LOL!) and she gets assigned to be a medical volunteer squad to go serve in... yep.. Urk.

And so they meet again. And... sparks fly. And there's a bad bad guy, and a natural disaster, and some highly charged political maneuverings and a plague and... wow. So  many thing to keep them apart!

The romance is intense and lovely. Ah the banter! So much banter! This one has the best banter that I've seen so far in a drama. Also, there are several other romance stories going on at the same time. And tragic back stories to deal with. And all sorts of awesome side stories that totally suck you in.

Here's the other couple. They have an awesome story too.

For instance,  the sweet naive doctor who feels like he fails everyone and has to find himself again.  I later learned that was the acting debut of one of the band members from SHINee and wow. He blew me away. Sheesh, these guys can do it all!

Here's our main character doctor on the right with the new doctor
played by Onew from SHINee, Who was awesome.

My only complaint is the the few cheesy English speaking actors. I'm not sure what's up with that. You'd think they could get actors for the English parts that can truly speak English, you know? Anyway, I cringed a couple of times there. Other than that....

Bottom Line: I loved everything about this one.  Swoon swoon swoon! So glad I decided to jump on board!

And just one more.
My feelings exactly.
Sigh.

This one has a bunch of awesome trailers that are actually English subbed this time! I can't choose one! They are short, watch them all!

His story:



Her story:




Both stories:




And the epic instrumental theme song:




 And another favorite song this one highlighting the other couple:

 

Author Signings: Ally Condie, Julie Berry, Darren Shan, Maggie Stiefvater

There's been a bunch more author events! Time to catch up with a few pictures!

DARREN SHAN

Here we are with Darren Shan, famous for the Cirque du Freak series.
My daughter-in-law was ecstatic to meet him so we gave her the position of
honor... to be straggled by him! I guess this is his trademark pose.
How fun is that!?

My DIL Jenniffer talking to her most favorite author!

Darren Shan reads from his book.
And he knows how to read!
I'm wondering if he does his own audio books. He's dang good!

JULIE BERRY

Here we are with Julie Berry, one of my favorite authors.
I can' wait to read this latest book, The Passion of Dolsa.

Julie Berry gave us a most awesome medieval history lesson.

ALLY CONDIE

Here we are, (sister Megs included) with Ally Condie.
Toto won a shirt with Ally's face on it. Funny!

Talking with Ally Condie.

Ally Condie signing books.

Sister Megs got to visit and attend this event with us. We had a blast!

MAGGIE STIEFVATER

Maggie Stiefvater signing books.
I love her look!

We had a pile go together for this one.
Kathy, Jenni Elyse and Jenny. 

There was a huge crowd and we are glad we got a spot to sit!


That's it until the next time! What authors have you seen lately?

April 2016 Reading Recap

An April picture: hiking in southern Utah

These are the books I read this month:

The Pages Between Us by Lindsey Leavitt: A fun middle grade book about two friends who write stuff to each other in a notebook they pass back and forth between them. Cute!

The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski: The conclusion to this awesome and intense series. Does everything end happily ever after for Erin and Kestral.. or not?

Winter by Marissa Meyer: The conclusion to this awesome and intense series! So many stories and angles to wrap up! And who wins the war? The evil queen or the handsome prince?

DNF: Memoris of a Geisha by Arthur Golden: I just... couldn't get invested. Bottom line for me on this one was.. too too boring. Sigh.

Plans for May:

• Finish Summerlost which I started this weekend.
• Read Burning Glass for book club
• Maybe give Bluescreen a shot too. 
• I'd love to get my hands on The Raven King

What did you read this month?

Saturday Snapshot... On Sunday: Kids and Food and Currently

Share your pictures of the week (or the past) from Saturday Snapshot hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads! 

Here's a couple of random pictures from me:

We went to a restaurant in the area that is getting rave reviews.
I enjoyed the food a lot, but the prices are pretty crazy!
#BlackSheep

All my kids!
Spouses and grand babies included!

And I thought I'd stick a quick CURRENTLY post here too! 'Cause it's been awhile.

Listening: I posted a bunch of songs yesterday that I'm currently listening to. But I can share another one:



Ah, it's so pretty. I love the ballads as much as I love the dance-y poppy ones. I'm currently fascinated with this particular dude since discovering he had a great part in the Descendants of the Sun. (Review of that to come this week.)

Watching: We are all caught up on Survivor! Maybe we'll actually watch the final episodes live? Not sure. We'll see. I think that's the only "currently playing" show I'm watching these days. I'm in the middle of a kdrama called Boys Over Flowers which is popular enough to actually be on Netflix, but sheesh. This show. I will have so much to say when it's time to review it! Just... don't watch this one for your first kdrama experience!! Yeah, no.

Reading: Just started Ally Condie's Summerlost and it's awesome so far! Here's hoping I finally figure out the balance between reading and kdrama's soon!

Writing: I've been trying to spiff up my first 10 pages for the conference coming up and they are so terrible that I want to scrap them and start over. But I'm not finding the guts to do it yet. I have only five days left. Think I can manage this?

Blogging: I'm doing okay, don't you think? It's still happening. Not sure I'm keeping any readers, but I hope so! I plan to participate in Armchair BEA in a couple of weeks. Join us!

Health Watch: zero zero zero

Misc:

• We've had lovely lovely rain this week!
• This past week was an awesome down week. This next week is going to be awesome crazy. Deep breaths.
• Um, I guess nothing else to interesting has happened this week. Stay tuned!