Battle of the Ophelias

Two great alternative songs came to my attention over the weekend. Both are titles including the name "Ophelia". Let the reviews begin.


Title: Sweet Ophelia
Artist: Zella Day
Album: Kicker
Genre: Alternative
Video: Sweet Ophelia

Review:
I was lucky enough to see Zella Day preform live at the Broken Hearts Ball in Scottsdale, Arizona this month where Haley Reinhart, Blue October, and Andy Grammer also performed. The ultimate test for me when it comes to any music is if it can still sound good live. She and her band absolutely crushed it. I might even dare say that I prefer hearing them live to recorded. Overall, Kicker is an awesome alternative album that I highly recommend to anyone who is a fan of the genre. This particular song has a dreamy quality to it. Zella's voice is higher, sweet and dreamy in nature. The instrumentals are smooth and supports the vocals nicely without overwhelming them or taking over the show. Certainly, this is not a high energy song. I suggest checking out Mustang Kids and Hypnotic to get a better feel for Zella's sound if you're not already familiar with her.

Title: Ophelia
Artist: The Lumineers
Album: Cleopatra (available April 8, 2016)
Genre: Alternative
Video: Ophelia

Review:
Like most people, I fell in love with The Lumineers back in the heyday of Silver Linings Playbook when "Ho Hey" was extremely popular. Their newest album entitled Cleopatra is expected to be out April 8, 2016. As a piano player, I love that the piano's notes ring out identifiably. You can even pick out the tambourine. The energy is a little higher in this one compared to "Sweet Ophelia" and the lyrics stand as far more memorable for me. The lines "heaven helps a fool who falls in love", "you've been on my mind girl since the flood", and "you've been on my mind like a drug" all stick in my mind long after the final notes fade away. Overall, this is a fun song to have on during a chill afternoon at home, whether you're cleaning or doing homework.


Final Verdict:
Both are great, obviously, though "Ophelia" tends to get stuck in my head a bit more than "Sweet Ophelia". Which are you craving?

The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan

Title: The Lost Hero
Author: Rick Riordan
Page Count: 553
Rating: A
Keywords: Demigods, Greek, Roman, Mystery, Adventure, Amnesia, Love, Mythology
Genre: Middle Grade
Younger Readers: Since this is a middle grade novel there is nothing graphic or overly inappropriate in this book. Some of the humor might be lost on much younger children.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Jason has a problem.
He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper, and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret.
Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools.
When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who;s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason's amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts?


My Review:

Rick Riordan is quickly becoming one of my favorite author's of all time. I read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series about a year ago and loved every single one. The Heroes of Olympus series is the continuation of this series. At first I was apprehensive. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover aren't the main characters? Grover and Percy aren't even in book one? When you're attached to characters it can be hard to move on in a series when they're not present. I really shouldn't have worried. The Lost Hero was fantastic! Well developed characters and an intriguing storyline carry this new installment.

Riordan's humor is present immediately and had me laughing the entire time. I try not to write on my non-school books, so my copy is COVERED in sticky notes marking all the funny, awesome, and adorable moments. Lines such as "goat fu" and "home dawgs" had me giggling (out loud) throughout the read. The adventure was fun and kept the book going at a nice pace. Plenty of conflict and intriguing new mythology to keep readers engaged. It flew by and certainly did not feel like a 553 pager.

If you're a hopeless romantic like me, Jason and Piper will make you smile. Despite amnesia and ridiculous antics they are so cute. As soon as Jason thought "Cute, smart, and violent. Jason wished he remembered having her as a girlfriend" I knew that I was going to love them together. Piper saves the day from time to time and is not a constant damsel in distress. She's spunky, strong, and complex. But she also has doubts and fears. She's not perfect. I love multidimensional female characters that actually represent the reality of being a girl, so much easier to connect with. Jason encounters plenty of girls but still only has eyes for Piper. Soooooo cute. They are supportive of one another.

Grover provided comic relief in the original series and Leo does not disappoint as the new source of comic relief. This son of Hephaestus is hilarious and easy to love. Silly mistakes, massive crushes and instalove on cold goddesses, and heroic antics make him loveable. He's multidimensional like Piper, with a complex history and doubts of his own. His relationship with the dragon Festus was so much fun and absolutely heartbreaking at times. I was crying like a baby at certain points.

Some of the humor might not be caught by REALLY young children but I would recommend this for all ages. You're an adult? Read it. You're a kid? Read it. Recommend for everyone. This would especially be a great idea if you're looking for a book to read with a child/tween. Just be ready to feel all the feels.

The Single if You're Not a Fan of Your Ex

Not every breakup goes smoothly. Not every ex is a saint. For when you're just over it.


Title: You're Such A
Artist: Hailee Steinfeld
Album: Haiz EP
Genre: Pop
Video: You're Such A

Review:
Unexpectedly, this a fun breakup song. The clearly pop vibe is not sad in the vain of Adele. Definitely a song for the person that is officially over their breakup. The tears have all dried up and all that is left is sheer annoyance. Not the best song for the person that still has feelings for their ex. My favorite line from this sassy song had to be "And if you're all that's left when the whole world ends no I still don't wanna hear it anymore". This is from the singer of "Love Yourself" but I do not hear many similarities between the two songs. I would recommend a listen with a few caveats. If you are not a fan of pop then I would not recommend. Reviews from listeners were mostly negative if the person was not inclined to like this particular genre. Hailee does not sound like her character from Pitch Perfect in this one. If you like more bubble gum type pop with a sassy edge then give it a listen.

Bonus: It's only $0.69 on iTunes right now

A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin

Title: A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray
Author: Ann M. Martin
Page Count: 182
Rating: A
Keywords: Dogs, Animal Abuse, Adventure, Family, Love
Genre: Children's Fiction
Younger Readers: This is a children's book. Be prepared for questions from younger children but should be appropriate for most.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Squirrel and her brother Bone begin their lives in a toolshed behind someone's summer house. Their mother nurtures them and teaches them the many skills they will need to survive as stray dogs. But when their mother is taken from them suddenly and too soon, the puppies are forced to make their own way in the world, facing humans both gentle and brutal, busy highways, other animals, and the changing seasons. When Bone and Squirrel become separated, Squirrel must fend for herself, and in the process makes two friends who in very different ways define her fate.

My Review:

My boss actually loaned me this book to read. I read children's books both because I enjoy them and like being able to have recommendations for my students. Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely love my dog. So this was a no brainer for me.

Overall this was an enjoyable read as we follow Squirrel from birth to old age, from hardship to happiness. It truly is written like an autobiography, but from the point of view of a dog. There are certainly cute moments but it also has some horribly sad moments that made me tear up a bit. These sad moments added to the reality of a stray's life though and made me enjoy the book even more.

I would actually recommend this to young children. Reading this to or with a younger child would be a great way to teach kindness towards animals. Squirrel does experience abuse and reacts to it. The confusion and fear that is described from the perspective of the dog is a great tool to teach children about their actions towards animals.

Overall, yes I recommend this one. It would make a great gift for an animal lover.

Some children are more sensitive than others. In case you're wondering if your child can handle the sad moments I listed some of the major ones below for your consideration:

-A fox named Mine is shot, not described in detail
-It is alluded to that Squirrel and Bone's mother dies
-Bone and Squirrel are thrown from a vehicle
-There is a dog fight

*The book is recommended for 8 and up. I think the difficult points mentioned are important lessons to learn and are not graphic enough to make me say a child should not read it. Just be prepared to offer guidance to younger ones.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Movie Review

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Release Date: February 5, 2016
Director: Burr Steers
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 1 hour and 47 minutes
Trailer: https://youtu.be/JWY5QkKH6Pw

My Rating: A
Keywords: Jane Austen, Love, Zombies, Gore, Humor
Recommend: Yes

Short Review:

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly. It was cute, funny, and had plenty of gore. A must for Austen fans. Great idea for a date movie.

Full Movie Review:

Quite simply, I loved this movie. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is one of my all-time favorite books. I have two copies (the nice edition that was my mother's when she was a child and the smaller paperback one I can throw in my purse) and have reread it numerous times. At the age of eleven I repeatedly watched the 2005 movie adaptation with Kiera Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen. My poor hopeless romantic heart has had rather high expectations of men ever since. I am mildly obsessed with the movie Austenland. All of this in mind it was no surprise to anyone that I wanted to see this movie. If you are an Austen fan then I suggest you proceed to the nearest movie theater and watch. If you are not yet convinced, then read on.

Lily James was the lead in Cinderella (2015) and Sam Riley was Diaval in Maleficent (2014). I enjoyed their performances in both of these films and adored them in this movie. As Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy they do very well. If you are a Game of Thrones fan, Lena Headey (aka Cersei Lannister) plays the zombie slaying Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Matt Smith (Doctor Who) made for a humorous Parson Collins.

When I was recommending this to one of my friends the easiest way I could explain the overall feeling of the movie is that its Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Jane Austen. Spunky, monsters, bookworms, and timeless romance. There was also a touch of mystery to keep the story moving along.

While I am absolutely a hopeless romantic, I did enjoy that this was not the traditional boy meets girl, proceed directly to happily ever after. I enjoy when stories are not simply about a girl falling in love with a man and relying on him for absolutely everything: happiness, financial support, personality, purpose. Falling in love and being someone's equal, respected partner has always been more of my dream. Falling in love with someone that is capable of being your best and most true friend. And yes there is cheesy gore and humor in this movie, but Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. Lizzy does not need Mr. Darcy. She wants Mr. Darcy. He does not simply desire her. He respects her. THEY ARE COMPATIBLE AND NOT JUST LUSTFUL. It was sweet.

I have been leery of reading the book since its 2009 publication. The movie had me convinced. I immediately went to Target and picked up a copy. Hopefully I get a free moment or two from schoolwork to read it and quickly post a review of that as well.

Go forth. Watch. Enjoy.

Smoke + Mirrors Tour

Tour Details:
Album: Smoke + Mirrors
Artist: Imagine Dragons
Genre: Alternative



Concert Details:
Date: July 25, 2015
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: US Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ
Opening Acts: Metric and Halsey


Review of the location:

   Compared to some other concert venues in the Phoenix area, US Airways Center was pretty great. You might be more familiar with this as home to the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury basketball teams as well as the arena football team, Arizona Rattlers. The concessions were more varied than other places I have been to, though beware the prices are a little high. The only con in this respect was that at the beginning of the concert the fountain soda machines were not working. I only noticed this because I am crazy addicted to Diet Coke. One major pro, especially because this is Phoenix in the summer, is that this location has AC! This is a huge deal and made the performance far more enjoyable. Bathrooms were clean and lines were never too long. This is practically unheard of for women's restrooms. All of the ushers were extremely friendly and helpful. Overall, it was a very clean and well maintained facility. I would absolutely consider seeing another concert here.

Review of the musical performance:

   Metric was the first on stage. Before the concert I had actually never heard of this band. Some background on them is that they are a Canadian alternative band that formed in 1998. I would recommend listening to a few of their songs before attending a concert. Individuals that knew their songs were very excited to see the performance and were jumping around singing along. Most people around me had never heard their songs before though. The instrumental aspect of the performance was great with a lot of energy. This was probably an issue with the sound system in use, but the singer's voice was very difficult to understand and was almost like humming. I even noticed this when she was speaking to the crowd.
    I believe Halsey was meant to perform next but she was absent from this concert. This was definitely a bummer.
    Finally, Imagine Dragons took the stage. The performance was musically fantastic. There were quite a few epic guitar solos and I liked that there was a lot of movement and energy on the stage from the performers. The coordination of lyrics, music intensity, and lights was absolutely perfect and created an awesome atmosphere. Everyone was dancing, jumping, and singing along. Since I am not huge on ballads, I especially enjoyed the higher energy "I'm So Sorry", "Friction", and "Radioactive". The camaraderie present on stage was great to see as well. Some shows it feels like the various musicians are competing for attention. This was more like a group of friends that respected each other and were willing to share the spotlight. The band did a great job musically as well as creating a visually awesome show. Many families, parents and children aged around 10-14, came to the concert together. There was not much alcohol consumption that I noticed either. This kept the atmosphere family friendly. Be warned though that the lights used in the performance make it nearly impossible to get a great picture and if you're sensitive to flashing or strobe lights this could be a problem.

Review of the show:

   For several reasons this was not the smoothest show I have ever been to. Metric came on after 8:00PM and Imagine Dragons started playing after 9:00 with an intermission of about an hour between acts. Many people became restless and one couple near me even left. This sounds odd but was later explained by the fact that the show was nearly cancelled. It was announced that a virus was affecting several members of the tour and that Imagine Dragon's lead singer, Dan, and one of the opening acts, Halsey, were ill. Halsey did not perform at all. I believe this is the reason for Metric playing for so long and the awkwardly long intermission.

Overall experience:

   This was a great concert, even with the few snafus, and everyone there seemed to be really enjoying themselves. Facebook was full of friends that had attended and everyone agreed that it was amazing. I was beyond ecstatic to have gone to this concert. I've mentioned before that they are my absolute favorite band. For two years I tried seeing Imagine Dragons in concert but I was away at college and every time they came to Phoenix it was one or two days after I had had to return to campus. It was everything I was hoping it would be.

Because it's the weekend

Who doesn't like to dance? It might not actually be in front of other human beings or in public, but dancing is always a fun stress reliever. Feeling cranky? Tired of sitting still? Bored? Get up and move! Or at least bob your head. That works too. Here are five songs that I've been dancing to lately. Turn up the volume and dance around!

1)

      Song: Problem
      Artist: Natalia Kills
      Album: Trouble
      Genre: Pop
      Video: Problem 

2)

      Song: Stranger
      Artist: Skrillex
      Album: Divergent Soundtrack or Recess
      Genre: Dance
      Video: Stranger

3)
  
       Song: Worth It (feat. Kid Ink)
       Artist: Fifth Harmony
       Album: Reflection
       Genre: Pop
       Video: Worth It

4)

       Song: Overdrive
       Artist: Calvin Harris & Ummet Ozcan
       Album: Motion
       Genre: Dance
       Video: Overdrive

5)

       Song: Slow Acid
       Artist: Calvin Harris
       Album: Motion
       Genre: Dance
       Video: Slow Acid


I hope you enjoy! Just a couple of things about the above songs before I wrap this up. First, the song and video for "Problem" are labeled explicit. Content may not be super appropriate for very young listeners and viewers. Second, "Overdrive" and "Slow Acid" do not have lyrics. Have an amazing weekend!