Month: January 2021

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

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Title: The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman
Date Added: April 13, 2013
Date Started: August 9, 2018
Date Finished: September 13, 2018
Reading Duration: 35 days
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal/Supernatural, Young Adult (YA), Mid-Grade

Cover of The Graveyard Book by Neil GaimanPages: 286
Publication Date: September 30, 2008
Publisher: HarperCollins
Media: Paperback

In this ingenious and captivating reimagining of Rudyard Kipling’s classic adventure The Jungle Book, Neil Gaiman tells the unforgettable story of Nobody Owens, a living, breathing boy whose home is a graveyard, raised by a guardian who belongs neither to the mortal world nor the realm of the dead. Among the mausoleums and headstones of his home, Bod experiences things most mortals can barely imagine. But real, flesh-and-blood danger waits just outside the cemetery walls: the man who murdered the infant Bod’s family will not rest until he finds Nobody Owens and finishes the job he began many years ago.

A #1 New York Times bestseller and winner of many international awards, including the Hugo Award for best novel and the Locus Award, The Graveyard Book is a glorious meditation on love, loss, survival, and sacrifice . . . and what it means to truly be alive.

Per the blurb, this is a retelling/fanfiction of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, but without the blatantly racist aspects of the original work.  In using the graveyard as a paranormal stand-in for Mowgli’s jungle, Gaiman’s novel serves as a perfect parallel to the “return to your own world” narrative, and could in fact surpass Kipling’s motif to the same.  While Mowgli will never belong to the jungle, one day the graveyard will be Nobody’s place, and the somber meaning of his name will be fulfilled.

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The State of the Gamer: 1/28/21

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<–The State of the Gamer: 1/14/21           The State of the Gamer: 2/11/21–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Purchased

Nothing this week.

What I Finished

Title: World of Final Fantasy Maxima
Series: Final Fantasy
System: Nintendo Switch

Cover of World of Final Fantasy MaximaDate Started: 8/30/20
Date Finished: 11/27/20
Date Completed: 1/17/21

I was missing one Mirage, Garland, and needed to run around talking to characters in order to achieve 100% for Who’s Who.  Apparently, I’m not the only one who had problems doing this, as the google revealed forum pages of others asking how.

I really hope Squeenix releases some DLCs for this, because there’s so much they could do with it.  Add extra dungeons, more Mirages, more characters (like how many Final Fantasy characters even are there??  I should make a list lol), more towns/locations.  The options are literally limitless.

I’ve already reviewed this, so I’m not going to do another full review.  I might do an addendum to talk about the additions though.

What I’m Playing

Title: Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight
Series: Etrian Odyssey
System: Nintendo 3DS

Cover of Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir KnightDate Started: 9/7/20

I have a plan now that I’ve fought the 4th Stratum boss again.  I definitely need to level and and/or get better weapons, which I need to make money for.  Either way I can do both at the same time by grinding.  My plan is to go through the stratum and hit all the collection and mining sites while fighting the FOEs.  That should net me enough resources to afford the equipment as well as working on my levels.

What I Played

  • Picross S5 – I’m now on the 15×15 megapuzzles, so I alternate between them and the regular ones.
  • AVICII Invector – I felt like playing through some of my favorite songs the other night so I did.
  • Golf Peaks – Well it finally happened…I wound up googling a solution.  It was for puzzle 7-4.  I think if I’d realized you didn’t need the move that popped the ball into the air to get up a hill I might’ve gotten it, because I was going off the premise that I could only use one particular card for the final move.  I managed to solve the next puzzle, but I’m kind of stumped with 7-6, or it was late and I was tired lol.

What I Demoed

  • Fitness Boxing – I’m going to buy it.  I really wish I’d had the time/energy to play it again, because I really like it.  I can do it sitting down (even though you’re supposed to stand, but eh, modification is okay), and I love rhythm games.

I just downloaded the final demo for Bravely Default II and another one for a game called Balan Wonderworld from Square Enix (actually, they’re both from Squeenix lol, at least Squeenix sent me the email about Balan Wonderworld), but I haven’t had the chance to play them yet.  Will report back when I do!

What I Watched

  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (Olizandri) – Only a few more videos left!  I’m excited to continue this series and possibly play it myself.
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (Olizandri) – I just wanted a Zelda game to watch at work the other day, and MM is always an excellent choice.

So I got the notification that AOC is streaming Among Us again right before I started doing this.  I would’ve had this up sooner, but I passed out right after work (I was supposed to cut up vegetables for dinner, but oops, sleepy time instead!  The best part is I’d just downed a big ass mug of coffee), so this is coming to you later than expected (if you even expect this.  Why am I thinking you are???).  I still haven’t started a new Final Fantasy, but I did say I wanted to get my notes together.  I’d also like to maybe finish the review for FFVI.  I’m also working on notes for my WIP, so yeah.  I think it would make sense to get some things finished before I start anything else, at least something that’s going to be as time and emotionally consuming as FFVII. I may play Edith Finch in the interim.

<–The State of the Gamer: 1/14/21           The State of the Gamer: 2/11/21–>

The State of the Reader: 1/27/21

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<–The State of the Reader: 1/13/21         The State of the Reader: 2/10/21–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Purchased: 3

Total: $4.98

Books Finished: 0

On Hold

Title: Norse Myths That Inspired Final Fantasy VII
Author: M. J. Gallagher
Date Added: October 26, 2020
Date Started: December 8, 2020

Cover of Norse Myths That Inspired Final Fantasy VII by M. J. GallagherMedia: Paperback
Progress: 15%

I don’t know when I’ll be able to come back to this.  Just thinking about picking it back up triggers my gag reflex because of where I had to stop.  I’ve started reading an online translation of “The Maiden Who Travels the Planet” as a  non-fiction/reference/research replacement.  Not sure if I’m going to count it toward my book challenge total, but I probably will since it is on Goodreads.  I’ll probably read On the Way to a Smile and The Kids Are Alright next since I have physical copies of them both.

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The State of the Writer: 1/24/21

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<–The State of the Writer: 1/10/21         The State of the Writer: 2/7/21–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 1

Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Status: Preparation
Progress: Setting up notes in Scrivener

I wound up making a checklist of things I want to do in Scrivener before I start writing.  This was after I went through all of my old notebooks for any scribblings specifically related to the WIP like the stuff involving language and demographic background.  The checklist happened because I wanted a way to catalog what I still needed to nail down before I begin writing (plus I work better with checklists/to-do lists), but I also feel like I’m nearing the point where I just want to start and then figure things out as I go.

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The Broken Rose: Chapter 4 – Helpless

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Update: This year is already better for many reasons, but for me especially there’s more art from Bethany to grace my eyes.  I feel like we’re our own worst critics, and it’s for this reason and many fellow creators need to show love.  I adore the lighting on the piece at the end of the chapter, especially with the ocean out the window.  Words can sadly not capture my feelings for Aeris’ expression, so I’m afraid you’ll have to look.  As always, you can find her work on Art Station, Deviant Art, and Twitter, so please follow here there!

The Broken Rose Page

<–Chapter 3                                                                                                    Chapter 5–>

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII, its characters, and settings are all property of Square Enix so I can take no credit nor claim any ownership of that. I do take some credit for the story’s plot.
Banner Artwork Disclaimer:  The featured artwork for the banner is entitled White rose I and was created by the very talented Deviant Artist RemusSirion who was gracious enough to grant me permission to use it here.  The picture has been slightly altered from the original. All rights belong to the artist, and links are included for both the artist page and the work.
Chapter Artwork Disclaimer: The featured artwork for this chapter is entitled Aerith Gainsborough.  It has been slightly altered from the original.  All rights belong to the artist, and a link to the location has been included.

*******MAJOR CONTENT WARNING*******

Consistent and sustained graphic descriptions and mentions of rape/ sexual assault, sexual slavery/bondage, slavery, human trafficking, physical abuse, graphic descriptions of violence, mental abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, body shaming, starvation, torture, forced pregnancy, forced childbirth, miscarriage, forced miscarriage, abortion, and other potential disturbing and triggering topics.

Unable to walk or even crawl, Aeris is at Sephiroth’s mercy.

00-chapter-4-helpless

A painting of Aeris/Aerith sitting in the corner of what appears to be a cell with her back against a cracked and holed brick wall. She has her knees pulled up with her arms crossed on top of them. Her legs and feet are bare. Her head is laid in her arms hiding her face. She wears a pink ribbon in brown hair and also appears to be wearing a pink dress/robe. She sits in a shaft of light, and there are pink flower petals strewn around the floor of the cell with some on Aeris’s feet. “Chapter 4 Helpless” in pale pink is above and slightly to the right of her.

Every day Sephiroth knocked on the door, steeling himself against whimpers.  Then he would ask, “May I come in?”

And “Yes, master…” would be the reply.

The hush of the sea would frame his arrival as surely as split emerald light.  Silently silver and pale angel face with dark leather draped around.

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The State of the Gamer: 1/14/21

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<–The State of the Gamer: 12/31/20           The State of the Gamer: 1/28/21–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Purchased

Nothing this week.

What I’m Playing

Title: Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight
Series: Etrian Odyssey
System: Nintendo 3DS

Cover of Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir KnightDate Started: 9/7/20

I think I played this once in the past two weeks.  I leveled my characters up to 50, and I was going to give the boss another try just to see the best strategy, but it was late by the time I got to level 50 so I left it for the next session…which hasn’t happened yet.

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The State of the Reader: 1/13/21

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<–The State of the Reader: 12/30/20         The State of the Reader: 1/27/21–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Purchased: 11

Total: $133.14

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The State of the Writer: 1/10/21

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 6 Comments

<–The State of the Writer: 12/27/20         The State of the Writer: 1/24/21–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Status: Preparation
Progress: Setting up notes in Scrivener

I have reached the obsessive stage of my language creation lol.  I think I’ve found a pattern I like though, and I also think I can move on and back to other things while still working on this on the side.  I still have numerous items from my notebooks to work in, nor have I figured out some of the integral details of how the world operates.  It’s more hashing out how things work so that I can be consistent when I finally start to write.  Plus I want to go back to finding pictures of beautiful people lol.  I’ll start posting the ideas I have for the other characters, too.

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