Reader Rayna

Month: October 2016

  • Hobby Corner: October VIDEO GAMES Edition

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    Welcome to another edition of Hobby Corner, a monthly edition I introduced to talk about my hobbies and interests other than reading. It’s always important to not forget these things, so here I am to talk about some of mine.

    This month’s topic: video games!

    I love playing video games. I haven’t done it as much lately, but that’s just because I really haven’t been in the mood. I’ve always had a preference for first-person shooter games, role playing games like Final Fantasy and Tales of Symphonia, but I’ve also played games like Spider Man, Ray Man, Mario Kart, Pokemon, and more.

    Today I’m going to talk about some of my favorite franchises when it comes to games. I can get into more specifics at a later time, but today I’m just going to go into the broad topic of the franchises and why I enjoy them so much.

    Assassin’s Creed

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    My first game when I started playing this franchise was Brotherhood and it was absolutely amazing. And then I played a lot of the others and I was hooked. I love being able to be an assassin, how there’s a war between two powers, how the stories are told, how the characters are so different in each story arc, but I also really love how you’re able to go and really explore the world as much as you want. That’s seriously one of my favorite aspects about any kind of game. I mean, what’s the point if you can’t explore a little?

    I think this franchise is so fun and so elaborate. I love how it places with history and it can take you back to some really beautiful eras. The system of using hidden blades, neat tricks to take out enemies, and the sceneries are just awesome, too.

    Call of Duty

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    Now, I know a lot of people think the CoD franchise is overrated, but I’ve been playing this franchise since the beginning when it was on the computer, it was old graphics (but really cool for the time), and it was in WWI with Captain Price (who lived through a million games and wars, I swear). I can’t even remember the name of the game or what it was called online, but I played it! I’ve played almost every adaptation since, too, which is a lot but I just find it so cool to not only be a first person shooter, but to also get a look into what people in those situations go through. Obviously it doesn’t compare to the real thing, but still.

    I also found that this franchise gets more interesting (and more complicated) as different kinds of weapons are introduced and how different kinds of wars and strategies are thought to play out. It’s very interesting to me to see, but also hella frustrating because when you die 249039048483294240239432 times in the same spot, you get kind of angry.

    Final Fantasy

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    I. Love. This. Franchise. Now, I’ve only played a tiny handful of the games, but they’re beautiful and glorious and SO intricate in so many ways, it’s ridiculous. I find that the story is extremely compelling and interesting in every game that’s come out so far, and that the systems used in order to gain abilities and experience is really cool and efficient because you can choose what you want the characters to learn, which is awesome. Then there’s the ART. Oh. My. Glorious goodness, the art in these games is unbelievable. I can’t even.

    Of the games I’ve played, I’ve only finished one to completion because these games take TIME, and I think it took me over 100 hours of playing to beat the one game. But I also like to go and do as much as I can as I go through the game, and sometimes my characters still aren’t strong enough to beat bosses and it’s just frustrating as all hell. But man, this franchise is simply fantastic.

    Pokemon

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    LET’S BE REAL HERE. If I hadn’t listed this as one of my favorite franchises, I’d be a liar. I LOVE POKEMON. I have since it first started airing back in 1999 when I was a youngin’. I will admit, though, that I came late to the video game world, so my first Pokemon game wasn’t until Pokemon Gold. I’ve played Stadiums, Snap, Go!, Black, HeartGold, Y, X, Mystery Dungeon, etc. I’ve played a lot of them. And I don’t care if it’s the same kind of story every time, they’re just so fun and so addicting and so nostalgic! I think that’s one of the biggest factors when it comes to playing the games.

    Plus, who didn’t want to be a Pokemon Master as a kid and wanted Pokemon to actually be real? I know I did. It was one of my wishes for my birthday when I was a kid. Dreams. Shot. Down.

    Not many people know that I like to play video games. I generally surprise them when I say that kind of thing, but I really do. These are just a few of the franchises that I really enjoy playing. The next time I talk about video games I’ll talk about a few more of my favorite franchises and maybe some specific games.

    Let’s Chat! ≧◡≦

    Do you play video games? What’s your favorite franchise and what’s your favorite game in that franchise? Do you collect anything like characters or cards of characters from that game? Tell me all the things!

  • Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I’d Name My Dog After

    Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday as hosted by the lovely people of The Broke and the Bookish! Today’s topic is all about characters that we’d name our children/dog/cat/car/etc with. I love this kind of topic, which is similar to one I did a few weeks ago and I talked about characters that I’d name my children after, but now I’m going to talk about my next important love: dogs.

    I am such a dog person. I miss having a dog so, SO much. I love their noses and eyes and wiggly butts when they wag their tails and they’re the cutest things in the world. And these are some of the names that I’d probably name my dog after if I got one (if it didn’t already have a name that stuck to it). I’m going to separate between male and female, so here we go!

    Males

    • Magnus – Take this name from whatever series you want, but I LOVE this name and if I can’t name my child it, then I’ll name my dog with it. It’s strong, it’s magical, and it’s perfect. And I’d name a golden retriever with this name just to throw people off.
    • Flynn – I know I used this for my child names, too, but I just love the name Flynn. It’s cute and fun and I think it would fit a dog like some sort of terrier. Like, a high energy dog that’s really cute.
    • Gansey – I would need a prim and proper dog because that’s honestly all I can think about when I hear this name. I mean, I love Gansey and he’s not completely prim and proper, but he’s very polite, so I’d hope to have a friendly dog with this name. I can picture like a King Charles Spaniel or something like that.
    • Gideon, or G for short – I actually think the name Gideon is really cute. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about it that makes me happy. And it’s the name of two of my favorite book characters, so there’s that, too. I can picture a mutt with this name, really. So cute.
    • Fitz – Another cute, spunky name for a terrier, in my opinion. Honestly, if the dog has high energy, I can just imagine it having this name. And the name just makes me smile when I say it, so there’s that, too.

    Females

    • Feyre – Yup. I would do this. I do think that the name Feyre is really lovely and all of that, and it’s short enough that a dog would know that I’m calling her. I can picture this for like a German shepherd or a husky.
    • Vhalla – Hey, high fantasy names! You’re my favorite! I think the name Vhalla is just really pretty and I think it would more suit a setter kind of dog.
    • Shazi – From The Wrath & the Dawn, I think having a dog like a Shiba Inu or a long haired breed like a Yorkie or Papillion would be so cute. And hopefully the dog would have a fiery spirit to match the name.
    • Laia – I think this name is so pretty and even though I keep thinking Star Wars, I know that’s not the pronunciation of the name. Still, I think it’s fitting of a dog that’s like a Dalmatian or a Corgi. It’s befitting any kind, really.
    • Celaena – I know what you’re thinking, “Rayna, what are you doing?” BUT LET’S BE REAL, I’M TOG TRASH, OKAY!? And if I can’t name my human child Celaena/Aelin, then I’ll name my dog that. And she would be lovely and feisty and I’d love her to bits.

    And there you have it! Ten names I’d name my dog IF I HAD ONE. One day I’ll have a dog again and if there’s not a name that sticks then I’m picking one of these, I swear it.

    Let’s Chat! ≧◡≦

    What character would you name a pet after? It doesn’t necessarily have to be a dog, but maybe a cat or bird or fish or lizard. Tell me the cool literary names you’d name one if it were a male or a female.

  • Relating to Characters

    You know when you’re reading and you can feel part of yourself connecting with a character? Whether it’s because of their situation, their personality, how they talk, etc, there is usually something you find in a character that you latch on to and you find yourself needing more and more of that character.

    So I was thinking to myself, what kinds of characters do I relate to? Do I relate more toward the hero or the villain? What about the side characters? Is there a reason I always want them to be my best friends in real life? I’m going to decipher all of this and talk about some of each kind of character I can think of that I feel I relate to.

    Heroes

    • Karou from Daughter of Smoke & Bone – I feel like I relate to her in the sense that I feel the need to go places I’ve never been before. That wanderlust streak kind of overtakes me sometimes and I just need to get out. Of course, what that really is is anxiety, but still, very similar.
    • Cath from Fangirl – This book was me in college. I’m very much an introvert (well, more like an ambivert with introvert tendencies) and I just always wanted to stay locked up in my room away from everyone and do my own thing. Hell, I’m still like that now – and I’m married. I mean, I love my husband, but I need my Me Time, thanks. Plus, I love to write, as does Cath, so there’s that, too.
    • Samantha from Every Last Word – Now I have never been diagnosed with OCD or any form of it, but reading this has made me think on how I do have certain obsessive thoughts sometimes or how I need something to be just the right way where it was before. Just similar things that made me feel close to her.
    • Kakeru from Orange – I relate so much to him and this manga series because it’s about a character, Kakeru, who has depression and sucidal thoughts after the loss of his mother which he blames himself for. Now, I don’t blame myself for anyone’s death, but I do have depression and I have had suicidal thoughts before, so just the emotions is what I really understand greatly. The whole putting on a happy face and “faking it til you make it” crap… Yeah.

    Villains

    I honestly don’t know that I relate to villains. I mean, I know I have my ups and downs like anyone, but I generally don’t wish to hurt people. I’m sure there’s a villain somewhere that I relate to, I just can’t think of one right now.

    Side Characters

    • Simon from The Mortal Instruments – Simon is like a cute little morsel that I just want to keep in my pocket. Until it melts and gets all gross… BUT he’s funny and sarcastic and points things out like they are and I just love him. He’s probably my favorite character in this series just because of how fun he is.
    • Morrigan from A Court of Misty and Fury – Mor has a tragic past, yes, but she’s loyal to her friends and she’s funny, sarcastic, caring… Honestly, she’s just awesome because she’s also kickass.
    • Despina from The Wrath and the Dawn – I think I’m just drawn to sarcastic characters because every single character on this side character list is sarcastic. But despite that, she’s intelligent and knows how to keep a secret, and she tries to be strong when she should let others help with her burdens.
    • Zuzana from Daughter of Smoke & Bone – I LOVE HER. And her silly sarcastic quips. And her shyness and boldness at the same time. UGH. SHE’S SO AWESOME. I can’t put her into words.

    So either I relate to all kinds of mental illnesses, or to sarcasm. Nice. I mean, I’m generally a happy person who loves to smile and laugh, and these characters do, too, once they understand that it’s okay to. I think that’s probably the most relatable part out of all of them.

    Let’s Chat! ≧◡≦

    What characters do you relate to? What do you think you’re more drawn to in a character and what does that speak of your own? Do you have any villains you feel you relate to? Tell me all the things!

  • A Torch Against the Night Book Review

    atorchagainstthenightTitle: A Torch Against the Night
    Series: An Ember in the Ashes #2
    Author: Sabaa Tahir
    Publisher: Razorbill
    Publication Date: August 30, 2016
    Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy, Romance
    Pages: 452
    Format: Purchased Hardcover

    Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

    Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

    But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

    Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.

    As this is a sequel there may be spoilers in this review.

    This sequel to An Ember in the Ashes was nothing short of a roller coaster of a ride, and it was such a phenomenal way to continue the story.

    Remember when we weren’t getting a sequel? Oh, how those days were dark and unfair. But now that we have it, and we’re getting two more books after this one, I have to say that the publisher made the right decision because Sabaa SLAYED this book.

    The plot picked up right where the first book left off with Elias and Laia running for their lives from the Empire and Blackcliff. It was a few intense first chapters, including with Helene being interrogated for answers, and I thought that it was a strong beginning for the book. As the book continued, the plot began to grow and twist and there were so many hints that I tried to pick up as I went along to figure out if someone was who they were, or if a certain action was going to happen, or if there was something that foreshadowed something later in the book.

    It was a roller coaster ride and I think I fell in love with the characters even more in this book, though there were a few bumps along the way that had me wanting to yell at them to pick a different choice.

    Laia was just as strong in this book as the last and I felt that she definitely grew as a character. Her mysterious power was revealed more and she didn’t even realize she was doing it until an event later on in the book. I thought that her own surprise was a good thing to incorporate, but I also wish her powers were explained a little more. I do love her, though, because despite everything she’s gone through she still has a very kind and caring heart, and she has a fire in her that doesn’t burn out. Though there was misplaced trust and uncertain feelings, I thought that she was just an exceptional character.

    Elias was going through a lot in this book mentally and physically, and I think that coupled with what he had been told about himself being, essentially, a curse kind of took a lot out of him. He held himself back a lot and wanted to do a lot of things on his own when he would have benefited from having someone help him, which was very frustrating to me. But, I understood, at the same time, where he was coming from given his past and everything that went along with it. I did think he was extremely brave, though, and that he made a lot of good and bad decisions. He’s only human, after all.

    Helene was probably the most conflicted of all of the characters because her heart and her duty were at war with one another the entire book, and I felt so sad for her because of it. She tries to be the Blood Shrike everyone expects her to be, and she’s extremely smart and capable of her new job, but almost everyone looks down on her because she’s a young woman. I like that she never let that get to her, though, and instead showed everyone just how strong and capable she actually was. I want her to find her own happiness because she deserves it, damn it.

    There were so many secrets throughout this novel, so many questions that I have, and I need to know what they are. Why does Marcus talk to himself? What is the Commandant actually doing? What will happen with Elias and Laia? I need to know!

    The action sequences were also stellar because they were fast paced and I could imagine every single slice or hit with clarity; I felt like I was watching an action movie. Everything felt like it belonged in that world seamlessly, and I think that the way it was delivered made it beautiful.

    There was some romance in the book, and when a certain thing happened I was like, “But why?” And then more things were revealed and I was like, “Oh hell no.” I think that the tension between Laia and Elias was so thick you could have cut it with a knife, even though both of them tried to deny it multiple times. It was cute, really.

    I’m just reeling from this book. My mind doesn’t know what to think, where to go, or how to really comprehend everything that went on because there was SO much that happened. I’m satisfied with how it ended the way it did and I’m definitely excited to read the next book.

    I rated this book 5/5 stars and highly recommend it if you’ve read the first book.

  • Beautiful Books 2016| Introducing the Novel

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    Hey peeps and welcome to Beautiful Books, hosted by the lovely Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up & Further In. What is Beautiful Books? It’s very similar to the monthly link up of Beautiful People, but this month it focuses on NaNoWriMo writing projects rather than specific characters in the novels. You obviously don’t have to be participating in NaNo in order to join; it can be any writing project.

    So for today I’m going to be discussing the project I will be working on during NaNo, which is the one I started for Camp NaNoWriMo this past April: The Thief and the Magician. I want to restart this novel because even though I didn’t get very far the first time, I still didn’t enjoy what I was writing almost at all. I love my characters Nara and Mikail, but I didn’t like the way the chapters were coming out. I literally rewrote every single chapter that month to improve it because I couldn’t stand what I had written the day before.

    So for NaNoWriMo 2016 I’m going to be working on this story of mine that I really want to tell. With that, let’s jump into the questions:

    1. What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?

    I honestly have no idea where the initial spark came from. I have a writing journal where I write any idea that comes into my head that I would like to one day use in a novel, and I must have been looking at it one day because I have written in there: the thief + the magician. I don’t know if I wrote it in after I thought about writing it, which looks like the case considering I have more details than I normally write in my ideas area, but that’s probably where it started. I’ve had the idea for it since at least March or April of this year, so not too long.

    2. Describe what your novel is about!

    Here’s my current working synopsis:

    Nara is a thief of the Rising City, and she’s been one since she was a little girl, trained and abandoned by her father. Now, as a twenty year old, she is one of the most infamous thieves in all of the Rising City. But when one mistake almost costs her her life, she is thrown into a life debt by someone she never would have thought she’d ally herself with: a Magician.

    Mikail is a Magician, a rare breed that is seldom seen in the world anymore, and he is still honing his skills. When his powers manifested at a young age, he didn’t expect to be in the eye of every powerful person in the Rising City – especially that of the Queen. But when one day his magic goes haywire and he saves a thief from most certain death, he thinks that maybe she is his ticket to freedom.

    Though the two cross and their lives mix, neither one could be prepared for what happens to them – or their hearts.

    It sounds good, right? That’s the best synopsis I’ve ever written, and even I want to read this novel – but first, I have to write it!

    3. What is your book’s aesthetics? Use words or photos or whatever you like!

    I was seriously so excited for this question when I first read it, so here is my working aesthetic for my novel:

    thiefmagician

    4. Introduce us to each of your characters!

    Nara is a twenty year old thief who has been on her own for the last eight years after her father passed and her mother left six years prior to that. She learned all she knows from her father, whom she loved and respected greatly, and continues to learn all she can to become the best thief in the Rising City. She’s brave, sarcastic, quick on her feet, intelligent, but sometimes she gets too cocky, which can cause her to get in a bit of trouble. She’s also afraid of thunder storms.

    Mikail is an Illusionary Magician, a rare breed of Magician that is rarely, if ever, seen in the empire anymore. His skills have always been desired ever since he was a child. Now, at eighteen, he runs for his life. He may look pretty serious a lot of the time (resting bitch face is a curse, alas), but he’s actually pretty friendly and easy to get along with. He’s smart, kind, and has a compassionate heart, though that may one day lead to his downfall. He’s also afraid of heights and, on occasion, his own illusions.

    The Queen is a powerful woman who looks to be in her mid thirties but some think she is much older than that as she never seems to age and she’s been on the throne for a long time. Her game is political ploys and schemes, always looking for the next thing that can continue to increase her power and hold over the Rising City and the empire. She is intelligent, cunning, swift, and full of secrets. Though she does have one fear that she doesn’t let anyone know or get a hold of.

    The Lion is the Queen’s top guard, a man who is ruthless when it comes to serving his Queen. And like his Queen, he has very mysterious powers and secrets that none wish to uncover. He’s cruel, harsh, and cunning. He has no known weaknesses, which causes him to be even more of a threat. You do not want the Lion looking for you.

    5. How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?)

    What is this “preparation” you speak of? I hate outlining. With a passion. I also hate drafting, but I know it’s a necessary process when it comes to writing. I find that when I write out an outline all of my ideas go with it so I feel like I can’t write out what I’ve just written down. That’s why I like to keep as much as possible in my mind to write down for my story itself. I know my characters, what they look like, how old, and general appearances and personality, but it’s the story and how they act in the story that tells me who they are.

    But I also do enjoy chocolate. So there’s that.

    6. What are you most looking forward to about this novel?

    Finishing it. Seriously. I haven’t finished a novel since NaNo 2014, and then I’m very close to finishing another novel I started for Camp NaNo 2015, but I have no clue how it really got to where it’s at in the story and it was turning into a trilogy at that point… So yeah, I’m looking forward to finishing it. If it’s even a one book thing, I have no idea. I have no end in mind, just a general story I want to tell.

    But here’s what I hope to do:

    • Reach 50,000 words. (Duh.)
    • Get a nice romance going on. Maybe sexy times, we’ll see. OR just a nice friendship. I honestly don’t know where these characters are going to go in terms of that.
    • Learn all I can about my characters. Their ins and outs and everything in between.
    • Figure out what the hell I actually want to happen in the story.

    7. List three things about your novel’s setting.

    My novel mainly takes place in a city called the Rising City. I pictured it to have various sections around the city with grand buildings in the Shopping and Elite areas, warehouses and smaller houses in the Commons area, and then the Slums and Port. There’s large, elaborate buildings, museums, stores, a clock tower, beautiful lights, and such. They do have electricity in this world, but their modes of transportation is by horseback, caravan, or walking.

    But here’s three general things:

    • The Commons houses the majority of the people in the Rising City, the capital of the Empire. It is also the main thoroughfare and festival celebration area. Parties, ftw!
    • The Elite area does have the Queen’s castle, a large, grandeur structure with opulent windows, details, and finery. It’s truly a beautiful sight, inside and out. Though, like all castles, there are secrets within its walls.
    • Past the Rising City is the Grand Highway, a large, open area of vast valleys and plains where travelers took refuge and could get to any other major city or town in the empire. It’s also wrought with dangerous creatures and mysterious beings and happenings.

    8. What’s your character’s goal and who (or what) stands in their way?

    Both Nara and Mikail crave freedom, even if both are very different versions of it. Nara wishes for the freedom to come and go as she pleases without having to keep one eye open while she sleeps, while Mikail wants out of the City and into a land where he won’t be hunted and desired for his powers.

    For Nara, she’s really her own worst enemy in a way because she holds all the power within herself to change her circumstances, her life, and make different decisions, but thievery is the only life she’s ever known and she feels a connection to her father because of it. There’s something slumbering within her that calls her to it, and she’s not sure she can stop.

    As for Mikail, the Queen and the Lion are really who stand in his way. The Lion does the Queen’s bidding, and as the Queen wants Mikail for his power, he wants to get as far away as possible. He’d even be willing to give up his powers, somehow, for a chance at normalcy.

    9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?

    I’m not sure as I don’t even know where I want my novel to go. But as I’m typing this out, more and more scenes are playing in my head – which is nice! – just not the ending. So I’m anticipating it just as much as everyone else! I do hope that both Nara and Mikail come to terms with something by the end, but I have a feeling they’ll have more to tell than what one novel can hold.

    10. What are your book’s themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over?

    I feel like the main themes of the book are acceptance, learning to face fears, and trusting in others.

    When the book is over I’m hoping readers will feel one of these ways: 1) they’re craving more from these two, wanting to know what happens next; or 2) they feel like the story came full circle and that Nara and Mikail stand out in their own regard.

    I want readers to leave the book feeling like they got to know two people who were in very different places in the world, but who came together and made the most of what they could.

    There’s plenty I hope readers will get out of my story, but those are the main things.

    I’m so excited to get started on rewriting this story. I glanced over the chapters I’ve already written, and there’s some things I’ll probably keep, but a lot I’m going to end up changing. I prefer writing in third person, but I might switch to first person while keeping the dual perspective. I feel like this story is going to be a ride and I am so excited to go on this journey with Nara and Mikail.

    Let’s Chat! ≧◡≦

    Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? In three words tell me what your story is about! What do you hope readers of your story will take away from it? What genre does your story fit under? Tell me all the things!