Sidetracks - March 23, 2013

[helloladies]

Sidetracks is a collaborative project featuring various essays, videos, reviews, or other Internet content that we want to share with each other. All past and current links for the Sidetracks project can be found in our Sidetracks tag.

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➝ Signups for the 2013 round of DOINK! Final Fantasy Exchange are open. :) I've been co-moderating this exchange since 2007 with seventhe and justira. It's a super fun time if you like creating Final Fantasy fanwork. :)

➝ I haven't really been too vocal about how Lydia's arc in the Lizzie Bennet Diaries wore off a lot of the shine of the series for me, but it did! I went from YAY NEW EPISODES to "oh, is that still happening?" because the creators totally fucked Lydia's arc up beyond redemption. I caught up just in time for the bitter cockles of my heart to be warmed by this episode (which I may have watched multiple times with no shame) and for THIS EPISODE TO HAPPEN and nalskdjalksjdalksjdlkjdasdd this is what they should have been focusing on the whole time instead of creeping victim-blaming, slut-shaming nonsense. ;___; ROMANCE.

➝ This game is addicting and horrible and ADDICTING. :|

➝ I'm really going to miss Genre Reviews :(

➝ I've been having a great time watching Sword and Shell, which will probably be fun for those who enjoy watching people play video games (Katie is hilarious).

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➝ In 2013 and the Emergence of the Disgruntled Reader, Cass says:

I'm sick of bad or mediocre young adult books getting overwhelming amounts of praise just because they include a trans character, even if they do it in a way that dehumanizes a real group of people, characters who are a lot like my friends, people that I love. I'm sick of not being able to go to the bookstore and easily find a love story that bears any resemblance to either my actual love life or my dreamed of love life. Why is it that even gay or lesbian romance novels are so often tragic? Where's my escape?

Go read the post in its entirety — it's well worth it.

➝ Cheryl Morgan recaps the Bristol Women's Literature Festival, which included discussions of the VIDA numbers and how to break this pattern.

➝ And speaking of Cheryl Morgan, she recently reviewed Fanny & Stella: The Young Men Who Shocked Victorian England by Neil McKenna. This book caught my eye on NetGalley a while ago, but I wondered whether it was going to be sensationalistic. Morgan's review makes me want to pick it up ASAP, though.

➝ Melissa at The Feminist Texican Reads read The Feminist and the Cowboy so the rest of us don't have to.

➝ In honour of Women's History Month, Duke University Press put together a Pinterest board with all their titles on the subject. I kind of want them all right now.

➝ Probably everyone's seen this, but allow me to go EEEEEEEEEEEEEE: Much Ado About Nothing trailer.

➝ Finally, a Tumblr I could hardly fail to love — Women of Library History.

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➝ Bookslut's Book of the Week feature continues to smash everything. This week they're spotlighting 'One Nation Under Stress' by Dana Becker. The interview with her again reminds us that everything is not our fault and a can-do attitude is not all it takes to get ahead. Those are some refreshing and badly needed thoughts.

➝ I love doing my nails but I'm not very adventurous when it comes to nail art. It always seems like you need so many special tools. But do I ever love looking at other people's efforts and pretending that one day I'll do something similar. By combining YA book covers with nail art photos The Bookish Manicurist may have secured my undying blog following devotion.

➝ More reasons to love Kristen Stewart.

➝ These horses sculptures made out of recycled plastic keep reminding me I should probably be reading 'The Scorpio Races'. Welcome to my brain... I kind of want a novel about racing horses built from cast off kitchen tools now.

➝ And speaking of some beautiful art, check out this paper homage to Harry Potter. It is delectable.

➝ I'll leave you with 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons, a song I currently can not be parted from. Enjoy:

Comments

[theliteraryomnivore.wordpress.com]

Oh, Jodie, "Radioactive". I loved how it was used in the trailer for The Host (which I might see? I am forever in thrall to my love of high-budget, low-quality sf films). I only like two songs off Imagine Dragons' album—"Radioactive" and "It's Time". The latter is perfect for driving around late at night in a city you love.

[bookgazing]

I've just made plans to see the Host - go see it ;) I haven't seen a really good aliens as love struck teens piece since Roswell and I'm hoping this one will be strong, if cheesy.

[theliteraryomnivore.wordpress.com]

Oh whoops I guess I have to now. ;)

Twilight + Gattaca = The Host is what I'm hearing, so odds are good.