pretty little recap: smashing mugs

4.04 Face Time

How are we already on episode four? I feel like the season just started five minutes ago. Oh right. It's because I marathoned the first 3 episodes... Oh well. Another week, another batch of creepy masks!

It's night time! Why wouldn't you hang out at a creepy mask place? Photo credit: ABC Family

Pretty Little Highlights

1. Let's get this out of the way up front. Pretty much any episode featuring Hot Caleb means Hot Caleb is going to be a highlight. And it's not just because he's hot (though, yeah, obvs). It's also because he's brave, tries to do what's right, and looks out for Hanna like a boss. I love these two together. Can they please just stay together forever and ever? Please? PLEASE? I DON'T WANT HOT CALEB TO LEAVE THE SHOW! HE IS THE BF MVP OF THE CENTURY!

2. Aria's new dude is turning out to be pretty awesome too. When he was giving her the advice about figuring out if she's hurt or injured, I was thinking, "Man, this guy is too cool for Aria" and then Aria went and proved it by having no clue what the eff he was talking about. It's a pretty basic metaphor, Aria. How has she made it this far in school? Oh right. She was banging her teacher. Zing!

3. Spencer and Aria spying on Melissa was pretty entertaining since they were basically standing RIGHT THERE and Melissa is so dopey that she still didn't see them. I feel like Melissa is the cheerleader version of an evil mastermind. (No offense to cheerleaders--I just needed to stereotype to quickly/easily explain what I mean. You guys are admirably athletic!) Plus Sparia almost always makes for excellent dialogue. Much like Hanna + anyone.

Pretty Little Mistakes (a.k.a What Aria Did)

1. The Emily after school special continues. Something in that storyline needs to either happen or go away. I'm not diggin it.

2. Melissa, why oh why would you desperately (it has to be desperate because it's night time) take the masks from the shop only to dump them in the water nearby? Sure, she's smashing them (poorly), but a) they're still fairly accessible and b) stop littering off that guy's dock! I'm sure he doesn't appreciate waking up for his morning coffee by the lake to find pieces of smashed masks all over his dock and where he likes to swim.

3. Aria's studded sweater and weird pants combo (as partially portrayed above). Enough said.

4. Creeper Toby's Mom blah blah blah. I'm sorry. Usually making fun of Creeper Toby is enough to entertain me during his scenes, but there's nothing to make fun of in this storyline so I need it to end! It almost pains me to say this, but I need good old shirtless-for-no-reason Creeper Toby back!

Pretty Little ZOMG WTF?!

1. Melissa... killed...Wilden?? Maybe??

2. Or was it Ashley?? I'm so confused right now. Am I the only one who had trouble understanding everything Melissa was talking about?

~PLR~

why there is no excuse

I was planning to do a Friday5 this week. There's been big news in the US, leading to more exciting news (our dear KB aka Veronica Mars pulled a twitter proposal on uber-lovable Dax Shepard!), but there's something else that keeps popping up in my Facebook feed, and my blog feed, and in the news, and, it seems, everywhere I look. So I'm going to talk about that instead. I apologize for being serious and somber on the Friday before a long (at least in Canada--HAPPY CANADA DAY!) weekend, but my thoughts on the subject of Paula Deen have been bouncing around in my head all week and the more I read about the controversy, the more I worry for this society my young daughter is poised to grow up in.

I'll try to keep this brief... 

I get what she did. I get the people who are upset about it. What I don't get, are the people who think it was too small and too distant an incident to fuss over. The people who say nobody is perfect, and everybody has done something they regret, and feel it should therefore be excusable. Why should we hold Deen to a higher standard than the rest of us? Because she's in the public eye. She's in a position to influence our brains and our children and our culture. That's why. Those things you've done that you regret? Odds are, they weren't okay either, but because nobody knows about them (or cares on a society-wide scale), nobody is condemning you to the level they're condemning Deen.

That's why.

Let's set aside for a moment the fact that I personally think Deen's apologies are more PR than they are sincere. Even if it was an isolated incident that happened in the past and she regrets it, as a society who has now been exposed to a concrete example of this type of behaviour, we can't just let it slide. Because the moment we excuse it in ANY FORM is the moment we let our children believe that under some circumstances, that type of thinking is okay. And it's not. It never was. Even back when it was "acceptable", it wasn't actually fine, it was just a bunch of people who were wrong and didn't know any better. That makes it something we can learn from. But it still doesn't make it okay.

If someone is truly sorry and appears to have a firm understanding as to why what they did was wrong, then I think they should be forgiven. Forgiveness is important. And yes, if Deen really is sorry, we should forgive her. But don't try to minimize what she did. Don't claim it's being blown out of proportion. That's damaging to progress. Your excuses are hindering my ability to raise my daughter in a world where she has no reason to question the fact that prejudice and racism are ridiculous and disgusting.

So please, for the sake of evolution, go ahead and forgive Deen if you believe her apologies, but don't try to rationalize what she did. Or downplay it in any way. It doesn't matter when, or where, or why. It's forgivable, but it's not okay.

pretty little recap: new season, new insanity (and a bit of the old too!)

Season Four, Episodes 1-3

Hello my lovely PLLers! I am happy to say that I'm finally all caught up on PLL! I marathoned the first three episodes and my head is still spinning! But before we dive into the juicy deets, welcome to the Pretty Little Recap 2.0 a.k.a. the less stream-of-consciousness version of the PLR. As much as I enjoyed the live-blogging format, I found it was occasionally detracting from my enjoyment of the actual show. My attention was split between the TV and the computer screen and that's not good for a PLLer who wants to absorb every last clue (but still fails miserably cause the crazy is too intense on this show!). So, as promised, the PLR is getting a makeover and I hope this new format will allow me to pay more attention to the show while I'm watching and keep this recap (of sorts) to just the good stuff :) Without further ado, here's a condensed PLR for Season Four, episodes 1-3...

This poster totally makes me think I shouldn't mess with Aria. But I'm going to anyway.

Pretty Little Highlights

1. It took 3 episodes, but Hot Caleb is back on my tv screen! (But seriously PLL, why did it take three episodes?? You're lucky I watched them all at once...) My goodness have I ever missed our resident Rosewood pretty boy/bad boy. And he was in fine form, being all noble and defending Hanna. I know these two are in a comfortable place in their relationship now, but that girl owes him some serious makeouts.

2. Crazy Mona is still being creeptastic, but in a whole new way. I don't know if I should trust the girl or not and I love that about this show.

3. Spencer isn't broken. Our dear girl Spence is back to her old self, and yes, she's back with Creeper Toby (whom I WILL NEVER TRUST), but she's also back to her quippy Spencer self (College rejections aside). I would follow her through another mental breakdown if it came to it (because she's so entertaining to watch), but I'm glad we have our jokey, generally happy Spencer back.

4. Aria has a new sorta-boyfriend! Nothing against Ezra--I really do like the guy and I'm even fine with Aria ending up with him--but that storyline was becoming so boring and repetitive. It's nice to have a new (hot!) guy on the scene to stir the pot. He's not Hot Caleb hot, but he's more than welcome on my screen.

5. Tibby is officially my third favourite liar (after Hanna and Spence, natch). That bird has style. I have to give husband credit (he never watches PLL, but my marathon catch-up session forced him to glance up from his laptop occasionally), he totally called the phone number thing before I did. But to be fair (to me), the bird wasn't even finished whistling the tune once and husband yelled out "It's a phone number!" probably because he watches a lot of TV and is suspicious of everything and randomly guesses that things are phone numbers and when you do that, there's a good chance that eventually you'll be right! At least, that's what I'm telling myself. I was more impressed with how well Tibby managed to impersonate Aly. They should just slap a blonde wig on the bird and take her to school with them!

Pretty Little Missteps (a.k.a. What Aria Did)

1. Oh Emily. I love you, girl, but seriously, taking your mom's painkillers? This is PLL, not an after school special. You need to get your shiz together. If you injured yourself, you should get your own pills (you're already lying about what happened to your shoulder) and leave it at that. Stop being silly, Emily. The Rosewood lesbian swim team community is not impressed with how poorly you're representing them.

2. Aria's wardrobe (I told you she wouldn't escape... this section is dedicated to her after all). Clearly her fashion sense isn't improving with age. Maybe new guy (blanking on his name atm) will take her shopping or at least give her some of his old gym sweats to wear. Anything would be better than that bedazzled dress she wore to Wildren's funeral.

3. And speaking of the funeral, how many times are we going to see the liars, all dressed in black, standing outside the church post-funeral, getting a simultaneous!text from A? I feel like there should be a montage of these scenes set to Graduation by Vitamin C (Because that was the first montage song that popped into my head. Yes, I know it doesn't make much sense.).

4. The Rosewood Moms are up to something... at least Ashley is. Ashely, rule #1 in being a sneaky no-goodnick is to NOT THROW YOUR MURDER PUMPS IN THE GARBAGE! You need to burn those kicks ASAP! You know your daughter is one of the queen sneaks of Rosewood aka Sneaktown and still you pull an amateur move like that! Get your act together, Ashley.

Pretty Little ZOMG WTF?!

1. The masks. Oh God, the masks. Why PLL? Why dolls and masks and other creepy things?? I can't. I just can't. I feel like the writers have a hat with terrifying plot devices and they just randomly draw one on a weekly basis.

2. One of the A-teamers decided to choke a bitch. Yes, Mona was attached. Yes, it was creepy as all get out. Though I do find myself wondering how the attacker managed to jump into the front seat and drive away so quickly after Mona hurled herself out of the car. Does this imply that the attacked is small and nimble? Or am I reading too much into it?

3. Looks like we're in for more spooky plot devices as we end episode 4.3 on an x-ray of Emily's injured shoulder (spooky) and a crackly old recording of Dem Bones (extra spooky, unless it also makes you think of cartoon skeletons dancing around... which, yeah, kinda).


That's it for this week, PLLers! This was a bit of a whirlwind recap, but now that I'm up to speed, things will be a little more focussed with only one episode at a time :)

~PLR~

over the hills and far away

Hello blog friends! How I've missed you! Just a quick update this evening, lest you think I dropped off the face of the earth again (note to self: stop doing that!).

There's a skunk living under our shed this summer. It's an adult, but as a general rule. aren't baby skunks cute??

Things have been busy--last week was the annual husband's birthday/father's day convergence, which meant planning, parties and presents. And cake, but that gets its own sentence cause it doesn't start with a p. And then, as if that wasn't enough busy days in a row, husband is out of town on business, leaving me to solo-parent all while taking on the homestretch of my WIP! In short, yeah, time's been tight.

The good news is, my WIP isn't really a WIP anymore--it's officially a first draft! It's amazing how productive I am when husband isn't here to cause diversions. I'm just going through and checking the formatting on file, and then it's time for the rest period, wherein I take a few days off to let my brain recharge. It allows me to approach phase 2 (revision!) with a semi-fresh pair of eyes. I highly recommend a rest period between drafts. It's like that bit of time you let your steak rest after it comes off the BBQ and I have no idea what it does, but doesn't steak taste good? :)

The second bit of good news is that PLL is back!!!! The bad news is I haven't seen EITHER of the new episodes yet. I know right? What is wrong with me?? How am I supposed to do the Pretty Little Recap if I haven't seen the episodes? Well, the answer is that I'll catch up soon and then all will be well.  You see, we recently made the decision to cancel our cable. We weren't using it very much since we watch so much Netflix and stream so many shows online, but it's made it a little less convenient for me to watch shows like PLL so I need a little time to get myself organized on that front. As soon as I do, the PLR will be back and better than ever! I have big plans for a new format that I think will make it easier for me and hopefully more entertaining for you, my dear bloggie friends.

So that's what's been going on with me. How are you?

the writer's arsenal: you are not an island

I know what you're thinking. Where's the Friday5? Right? ;) Well, I've given it some thought, and right now, I really only have time to blog once a week (I'm hoping that will change one day, but alas, truths are better accepted than denied... Whoa! Where did that come from? I've been watching too much Downton Abbey/Game of Thrones/Britishy stuff). If I blog once a week, and it's always an edition Friday5, I'll never get around to blogging about anything else! So I'm going to switch it up from time to time and do a Friday5 when there's some awesome news to report (not that there isn't this week...) and then throw in a few regular posts for variety. Today, I'm in the mood for a long-overdue edition of The Writer's Arsenal so let's get to it!

You are not an island...but you could end up on one.

I've talked before about writers vs. authors and what I personally think the difference is. In short, writers write to write, while authors write to be published (Huh. That was easy--maybe I didn't need to write that post!). Today I want to touch briefly on the subject of authors in the public space. I say briefly because it’s a topic that’s been covered elsewhere, and covered well, but I want to add my two cents because good advice bears repeating.

If you write to be published, please, please, PLEASE be mindful of the self you portray online--even if you’re not yet published. Yes, even if “nobody reads my blog anyway”. It seems simple and yet so many authors get it wrong. Famed actors will often talk about how the downside to their chosen career is the forfeit of their privacy. The reasonable ones accept it for what it is—part of the job. Others can’t seem to grasp the necessity of a public persona, go on to behave ridiculously and then blame the media for invading their privacy. Is it fair that people should have to take on the burden of being scrutinized to do what they love? No. Of course not. But if privacy is important to you, chose a career that’s not in the public eye.  Being watched is PART of celebrity and celebrity is part of the job.

Authors are also in the public eye, though to a lesser extent. Regardless, people ARE watching and so an author too must be on their very best behavior. It doesn’t matter if you’re still on the journey toward being published, a debut author, or an experienced author with many books under your hat. You must—absolutely must—mind your manners in public. And yes, in this case, public means the internet, public engagements, the line at the supermarket, etc. If people can observe your behavior, you need to make sure you give them every reason to like you and no reason to feel incensed by you. Does this mean you can’t ever let off steam? EVER? No, you can, but be SMART about it. Be diplomatic. Write opinion pieces, not rants and be wary of anything that could be too polarizing. If you feel the need to really dig in bitterly on a subject, do it in private.

How you present yourself in public is part of being an author, just as writing, marketing and sales are also part of the job. Who you are matters to your readers (and potential readers). It’s a saying you’ve heard since you were a child, but it never gets old—if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. At least not in a public arena.   

Of course, all of that is assuming you don’t want to ruin your career ;)

 

friday5 for May 31, 2013

1. Let's catch up--how have you been? Sorry for the lack of a Friday5 last week. Things have been busy. The early part of summer is a crazy busy time when you work in publishing with conference prep (BEA, a conference I'd love to attend one day, is happening right now!) and lots of exciting stuff happening in-house. We're on summer hours now, which means I get Friday afternoons off (so yay to that!), BUT I plan to use that time to work on my current WIP (which is me finally finishing the back-half of my NaNo project) and do summery things like taking my daughter to the park and gardening and beating the crowd en route to the cottage and you know, summery stuff like that. While the blog isn't going to be on hiatus for the summer, posts will possibly be even more inconsistent than usual. I am hoping to start throwing in more non-Friday5 posts soon as well. I have a few topics for The Writer's Arsenal that I'd love to discuss (cause, whoops, neglect and all that) so those will hopefully happen it the coming weeks too!

2. Before we get to pop culture news, and since I mentioned that my Friday afternoons have kickstarted me lavishing more attention on my WIP, I wanted to share a snippet because--full disclosure--there is some stuff in this book that I find myself giggling at when I'm skimming through it, which yeah, whatever, you're probably not supposed to find your own writing funny, but some of the characters in this one are just so much fun to write. For your reading pleasure, here's a sample:

First I hit up the hardware store. I didn’t really know what I was looking for, but when people go about nefarious deeds in movies, they tend to always hit up the hardware store. I’d already thrown some rope, duct tape, a hatchet and a butane lighter into my basket when I dropped the damn thing at the sight of Monica folded over the paint service counter, clutching a coffee, her blonde hair braided down her back as she rested her head in her arms.

She startled at the sound, whirling around to face me as I scrambled to gather everything I’d dropped and duck behind a rack of carpet samples.

“Luce?” She tilted her head forward, her sunglasses falling down the bridge of her nose. “Lucy!”

“Oh hey!” I said, as though I’d only just noticed her. “What, uh, what are you doing here?”

“Dad’s making Stephen and I help him paint the back fence. He got us up at the crack of dawn.” She took a long swig of her coffee. “Stephen’s just arguing with this Cook’s Hardware lifer about whether or not Dad pre-paid for the paint.” She nodded toward the end of the service counter where sure enough, Stephen was looking through an order binder with a thirty-something-year-old guy wearing a yellow Cook’s Hardware apron.

“What about you?” Monica asked. She glanced into my basket, her expression nonplused as she returned her gaze to me. “What’s with the serial killer supplies?”

“Uh…” I stalled, absolutely nothing coming to mind. “Umm…” A total complete blank. “They’re for a friend?”

Monica gasped. “You liar! Lucy Girard, why are you lying to me?”

“Because it’s a surprise? For…you?”

3. This kinda blew my mind. So brilliant. The marketing team behind The Hunger Games franchise continues to impress. If I'm ever lucky enough for there to be a film based on one of my books, it's entirely possible I'll be all "HUNGER GAMES MARKETING TEAM ASSEMBLE!" How cool would that be?!

4. Arrested Development is officially back, y'all! (I think that was the first time I've ever said y'all. It felt wrong. I apologize.) Because of life obligations, I did not marathon the whole thing in one sitting and I think that's kind of good because I've enjoyed digesting it in smaller marathonettes (when you only watch 3-4 episodes in a sitting instead of an entire season like a crazy person). I get the impression from the interwebs that people who tackled the thing as a whole were left unable to appreciate it as much as they might have if they'd spread it out a bit more. There is a lot going on in these episodes and I've personally been very pleased with the quality. I'm ready for more! Is it too early to say bring on season five?

5. Day job represent! Today I'm featuring a new release by one of Harlequin Teen's own--Katie McGarry. Dare You To is the highly anticipated follow up to 2012's Pushing the Limits.

Rainy kisses, amiright?

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....(Summary from Goodreads.com)

If you're looking for a swoon-worthy (and I mean swoooooon-worthy) summer beach read, look no further. Katie's books are some of the very best contemporary YA romances I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The plot is tight, the characters are fantastic and if you're into YA romance at all, you will not be able to put this one down.

Happy weekend!

friday5 for May 17, 2013

Summer Movie Preview Edition! It's the beginning of the long weekend here in Canada, which basically means summer has arrived! And also means that the summer blockbuster season is upon us! There are plenty of movies to be excited in the coming months (and I don't know about you, but I'm ready for Catching Fire now--alas, it's a fall film), but here are a few that I'm particularly excited about:

(Oh and I'm skipping some of the awesome flicks that are already out, like The Great Gatsby and Iron Man 3 and the new Star Trek cause, well, they're already out and this is a PREVIEW EDITION!)

1. THE BLING RING. Cause Sophia Coppola can do no wrong in my books. I've talked about my love of The Virgin Suicides before. I've been waiting for another Soph-Cop (yeah, I just made that up, but feel free to use it) film for a while and it's finally here. And it looks great! Plus Hermione! You also can't go wrong with Emma W.

2. THIS IS THE END. Cause it looks hilarious. And how can it not be? If you see one silly/stupid/but still awesome and hilarious comedy this summer, THIS IS THE END is a safe bet for a fun time.

3. MONSTERS UNIVERSITY. Cause the original Monsters film is still one of the best Pixar has put out and this one is sure to be a winner too.

4. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Cause Whedon is our God. And if that's not reason enough, it's Wes and Fred together again!

Those are just my absolute top picks--which summer blockbusters are you most excited to see?

5. I thought about using all five slots for my summer movie preview, but I just couldn't skip over a very exciting YA book that was published this week. School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins, the first book spun off from her fantastic Hex Hall series.

Like Hex Hall with a fresh twist

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 

Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as theNew York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance! (Summary from Goodreads.com)  (I can't see to get rid of the wonky white highlighting on this.. so whatevs)

As fans of the Hex Hall series know, Izzy was introduced in the third and final volume in that trilogy and now we get to see her story. Rachel is one of my absolute favourite YA authors. Her manuscript for what later became Hex Hall was one of the first YA manuscripts that I completely fell for when I read it as a submission at my day job. She ended up being published by another house, but I've been a big fan ever since. She's hilarious, writes swoonworthy makeout scenes, but doesn't shy away from tightly-plotted dramatic action either. She hit the NYT Children's list with her second book for a reason. These books are fantastic and I'm so excited to keep reading!

Happy weekend!

friday5 for May 10, 2013

1. As I touched on last week, I love a highly anticipated cover reveal. It's almost as exciting as a book's release date. Okay, not quite, but it's pretty damn exciting. Without further ado:

What do you think? Personally, I love it. I can't wait to see all three books together on my shelf!

2. In less happy YA book news, two YA-series-to-small-screen adaptations have been canned this week, neither making it into the fall schedule after their pilots were shot. The much buzzed about pilot for Lauren Oliver's Delirium was passed on by Fox, while the second go-round at Keirra Cass's The Selection apparently still wasn't what the CW was looking for. In looking at the popular and successful The Vampire Diaries and PLL, I can't help but feel like the length of a YA book series is a huge factor in determining whether or not its adaptation is better suited to the small screen vs. the big screen. Why were Delirium and The Selection slotted for TV instead of the movie theater in the first place? Don't they seem like big picture stories to be told? Obviously whomever optioned the rights made that call, but it begs the question--do stand alone titles or duology/trilogy series have any place on TV? Does a YA book series have to be on on-going lengthy series (like PLL) to make for good weekly programming?

3. Kickstarter. It's in the news a lot these days. I've blogged before about the phenomenal Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign that seemingly started a trend. Well, now Zach Braff (super <3 him from his Scrubs days) is using Kickstarter to fund his next indie film project (the non-connected follow-up to Garden State). There are people who, for whatever reason, think it's okay for Rob Thomas to use Kickstarter, but not Zach (cause he's... copying? Which... doesn't make any sense? Or maybe... I don't understand this double standard?) and then there are people who have a problem with "Hollywood types" using Kickstarter at all. Personally, I don't have a problem with it (and in fact, have contributed to both campaigns). Nobody is forcing anybody to do anything. And as Zach has explained, he's contributing his own money to the project already, but this was an opportunity for him to make a great film instead of a lesser version of his vision. And yeah, if you aren't on board with his vision and don't care to help him make his film, don't contribute. That's kinda how this whole thing works. But why should the fact that he's a celebrity prevent him from using a publicly available service to raise money for an art project he feels passionate about? Zach talks about the whole situation here and I support him 100%.

4. Sigh. Community. The season four season (series?) finale just aired and I feel like if I'd blinked I'd have missed this entire season. Way too short. Yes, it had some growing pains as it adjusted under the helm of new show runners, but it was still one of the highlights of my TV week. As I write this, the final decision on whether or not the show will have a season five is looming. Fingers are firmly crossed! As different as the fourth season felt, I still love my Greendale Seven and I'm not ready to say goodbye.

5.Lots of great books hitting the shelves this week! At a time when publishing seems to be in constant flux, I love to see that great books are still managing to make it through the ever-changing system. This week I'm feeling rather enticed by The End Games by T. Michael Martin:

It happened on Halloween.

The world ended.

And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.

Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.

In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.

But The Game is changing.

The Bellows are evolving.

The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.

And the brothers will never be the same.

T. Michael Martin’s debut novel is a transcendent thriller filled with electrifying action, searing emotional insight, and unexpected romance. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

Okay, first of all, I am feeling tremendous amounts of love for this cover. It has many of the elements I love in a strong, eye-catching cover. Gorgeous design elements, a vibrant colour-scheme and and a mix of character and tone that puts you in the story before you even read the back cover! It's perfect. As for the story itself, I may be on a zombie kick these days, but it's not just zombies, it's fresh, interesting twists on zombies and I'm loving the set up for this one. The brothers aspect is intriguing and endearing. I love a good male protagonist too. It's a nice break from the female voices that dominate YA (especially when I primarily write in a female YA voice. It's good to change things up and get a feel for something different.) And then there's The Game. Not exactly a new concept, but the way it's being used here sounds twisty and dire. I like it :)

Happy weekend!

music: a vacation for your ears

"Ah yes," said the bunny. "That's totally my jam."

Music is a powerful thing. It can affect our mood in an instant, a feat that very few external influencers can manage so effectively. We all have our favourite tunes to listen to when we're relaxing, feeling down, or are ready to celebrate. Aiming to pump yourself up? Just crank the volume a little on a favourite tune. The excitement that washes through you isn't your imagination, it's a reaction your body is having to the music. It's science!

Emotions aside, music can also transport us to other times and places. Fond memories (or sometimes bad memories) come flooding back at the sound of a familiar song. I like to load my iPod up with a varied mix of tunes on a regular basis--old favourites for sure, but I like to try new artists and genres out from time to time too. Earlier this week, when I was out walking during my lunch hour, I loaded up Carla Bruni's Quelqu'un m'a dit and felt instantly transported. Listening to the lyrics (which I only understood bits and pieces of, having only first year University French under my belt) made me feel like I was in a different place altogether. The world around me seemed different. I felt a little like a tourist. Right here in my own familiar work neighbourhood! It was almost... magical. 

A lot of writers listen to specific music when they're writing so that they can be in the right mindset for their story. It's not uncommon for authors to pair playlists with their novels. While there are definitely songs that remind me of certain characters of mine, or situations that play out in my novels, I personally can't listen to to the type of music I usually enjoy when I'm writing (classic rock/modern rock/punk/ska/alternative). The lyrics get in my head and I can't concentrate, but I do like to listen to specific music when I'm getting ready to write (like when I'm reviewing my outline or some such administrative task). So while I don't usually write to music, it is often a part of my process. And yeah, sometimes I can find a good bit of film score to write to (lyric-free!) because it fits the tone of a scene I'm writing perfectly and I think in those cases, it really can help to keep my mind where it needs to be as the words make their way onto the page.

Is music a part of your writing process?

friday5 for May 3, 2013

1. It's May! This is exciting for several reasons. We finally have some spring weather (which is quickly sliding into summer weather, which, yeah, seems a little hasty, but I'll take it since it was snowing a few weeks ago). It's also season finale time (and series finale time in some cases). There are some shows that I'm just not ready to see go (Like Community. Maybe. I'm not sure if there's been official official word yet) and there are others that I've watched over the years and am ready for their big send-off (like The Office, which I enjoy, but it really is time). Which season/series finales are you most looking forward to? Nothing that I've seen air so far has shocked me. I'm waiting for that finale that everyone is talking about it... which one will it be?!

2. Okay, so I'm still processing this news. I need Hot Caleb in my life, PLLers. That's a fact. If this means he'll be on both shows, then I'm on board, but if it means a permanent move to a spin-off that might then be cancelled (and I don't even want to think about what this means for Haleb), then I'm concerned. I need more info before I can fully digest... Oh, Hot Caleb. Please don't leave my screen!

3. This is a short, but sweet bit of news to add to your calendar: Allegiant Cover Reveal. May 9th. You know you don't want to miss it.

4. Teaser teaser trailer time! (Yes, that's a teaser twice removed.) Ender's Game. Lots to be excited about here, even for such a short sneak peak. I think I need to re-read the book before this comes out! 

5. This week I'm taking a look at The Program by Suzanne Young. This book seems like a big departure from some of the lighter fare that Suzanne launched her career with, but there's a lot of buzz surrounding it and Suzanne is a talented author so I think it's one to check out:

I wonder if the yellow jumpsuits are optional... it's so not my colour.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

This may come off sounding really shallow, but sometimes I'm too mentally exhausted to handle "issue books". I'm certain I'm not alone in feeling that way. Cancer, suicide, depression, family death, heavy sadness--they're important topics, but an issue book has to be really good to draw me in and keep me reading. Books like Thirteen Reasons Why, If I Stay, The Virgin Suicides, The Fault in Our Stars, etc. There are definitely issue books where the story and the message is well written enough that you can actually kind of embrace the sadness of it all and enjoy. Issue books can  also go horribly wrong. But let's not talk about those. Suzanne Young definitely has the writing skill to handle a book centered around the topics of suicide and depression. And I like the fact that it's an issue-driven book with a dystopian element--that's very intriguing. Most issue books are contemporary. I could very well end up not enjoying it, depending on how the issues are handled, but the dystopian element will likely help with that, and like I said, there's buzz around it, which makes me confident it's doing something right.

Happy weekend!

friday5 for April 19, 2013

As you may or may not have noticed, I kinda skipped out on doing the Friday5 last week... There were circumstances, I swear! Life gets in the way sometimes. But there's lots to cover this week so let's get to it!

1. Obviously, the major news story on everyone's mind this week is the horrific tragedy that happened at the Boston Marathon. I can't add anything that hasn't already been said (and said well), but I will say that it takes time to process this type of thing, to wrap our brains around the idea that this kind of evil is living among us, but comfort, love and strength are all things that exist in this world and they'll find you, and lift you up again if you let them. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this dark and inhumane act. I hope you find what you need to get through this so you can heal.

2. Real world news aside, let's discuss something a little lighter. The heart-poundingly-awesome-no-seriously-I-might-have-peed-my-pants-a-little first trailer for Catching Fire has arrived!
I seriously can't watch this without getting chills. It looks SO GOOD, you guys! There isn't a single scene in this that doesn't have me squeeeing with fangirlish delight (yeah, even the Katniss/Gale kiss, which whatevs cause Team Peeta all the way, but yeah, even that made me squee so...) The whipping scene and the added material with Snow and Plutarch.. it's just too much. I may watch this about a zillion times between now and November. Yeah, a zillion.

3. The ALA has released the list of most challenged books in 2012. Not surprised to see Fifty Shades of Grey on there, but as I've said before, I never fail to be shocked by some of the books that make it onto this type of list. Captain Underpants is #1? Really? Doesn't this list just make you want to go out and buy every book on it (that you don't already own, and except for Fifty Shades of Grey)? Yeah, me too.

4. HUGE NEWS this week for fans of Veronica Roth's Divergent series. The title for the highly-anticipated third book in the series has finally, after much-teasing and spoofing, been revealed! Allegiant is due to hit shelves in late October and I have to say, I'm happily surprised that the title ended up being something other than the most popular guesses. Now can we pretty please have a cover reveal? :)

5. So I haven't done a YA Book Rec for April yet, which is why I'm going to cheat a little and instead of recommending something that was released this week, I'm going to go back in time (cause I'm capable like that) and rec a book that not only sounds amazing, but also happens to be penned by one of my uber-cool agentmates, Bethany Wiggins! Let's take a look at the gripping awesomeness that is Stung:

As if you needed another reason to run away screaming at the sight of a bee...

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right. 

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark. 

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

Right? Right?? How creeptastic does that sound? And that cover is seriously appealing to my love of iconic covers that manage to be clean and simple yet thoroughly chilling. If the synopsis doesn't already have you hooked, you can also check out an excerpt here. So good!

Well, that's it for this week, kids... I'd love to get more discussion on this blog so how about a question--what are you reading right now? (Not literally right now cause I know the answer is "Your totes awesome blog!", but you know, what are you in the process of reading when you have time to curl up with a book?)

Happy weekend!

friday5 for April 5, 2013

A plague on my one and only house... Okay, not a plague, but definitely some form of non-giving-up illness. Clingy like that awkward boy who IMs and texts when you tell him not to call. I am so not down with the sickness, bloggies. The sickness is not welcome here. So because my head is still fuzzy (though I'm happy to say, much improved since earlier in the week), I'm going to change things up a bit for today's Friday5. I present to you, my Top 5 Re-watchable in your Jamms and Blanket Cozy Couch Flicks aka classic comfort movies to watch when you're sick and your brain is only sort-of working:

1. High Fidelity. This is one of my go-to re-watchable movies. It's funny, heartfelt, and John Cusack is just so lovable. Plus, the soundtrack is great. And hey, nothing like a movie about Top 5 lists to top the Friday5, amiright?

2. The Virgin Suicides. What is it about this movie that I love so much? I don't even know if I can explain. It's haunting and sad, but something about it is so beautiful. I love Sophie Coppola's soft focus style. It makes everything so pretty and dream-like. There's just something about this film that captivates me--a magic that makes me wonder if it's possible for a known ending to turn out differently, at least in the way it affects us.

3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Because it's awesome.

4. Where the Heart Is. I'm not normally a chick-flick kinda gal, but I love Natalie Portman and will watch her in (almost) anything. Plus, vegging on the couch while sick is exactly the right time to indulge in those guilty pleasure genres you might normally avoid. "You feel that, that little bomp, bomp, bomp? That's where the heart is."

5.SLC Punk! This is my wildcard pick. The truth is, I have more than five go-to movies for when I feel like being lazy and watching something I've seen before (I'll probably instantly think of 20 more after I publish this post), but SLC Punk! made the cut because it's such a fantastic, and yet little known, film. It starts out as one thing, but quickly transforms into another, and for a film that many could easily dismiss, it actually carries a really important message.

See? Just like that you have a variety of entertainment options should this yo-yoing weather leave your body weakened and on the couch.

Happy weekend!

friday5 for March 29, 2013

1. Happy Easter! Sort of... Okay, it's only Good Friday, but that means Easter is right around the corner and since this is a Friday thing, Happy Easter! I am personally hoping that Easter ushers in some warmer--dare I say spring-like--weather because I am so beyond sick and tired of winter dragging on and on and on and on.... I feel like this is payback for the mild winter we had last year, but come on! Spring in southern Ontario is short enough as it is. At this rate, we are going to jump from dreary grey freezing rain to unbearable scorching heat. So come on Easter Bunny, please leave a little sunshine and spring weather for us to find when you're hiding those eggs! Otherwise the baby chicks won't know what season it is and mass hysteria will ensue!

Like this, but with more fluffy confusion!

2. I have to admit, I'm not totally 100% up on news this week because the Studer household has been stricken with the dreaded pink eye. I don't recommend it to anybody. But while I was home with a sick little bay this week, I discovered the wonder that is The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I know. I know. I'm waaaaaay behind on this one, but it's really enjoyable (and though some aspects of it are a little too familiar, I like it enough to consider it an homage to The Guild, which is almost as fab as its creator, Felicia Day). TLBD (is that a thing?) is fresh and funny and yeah, kinda sorta addictive. When I sat down to check it out I found the sheer number of episodes intimidating, but they're quick and compulsive and before you know it you've watched 50 of them. So yeah, if you haven't checked it out, it's worth a look!

3. Okay, I don't really understand exactly what the link is yet, BUT this week ABC Family announced that there's going to be a PLL spin-off! I feel like I should be more excited about this than I am, but that might just be because I don't understand exactly what makes this a spin-off aside from the claim that Ravenswood (spin-off town) is an awkwardly named neighbouring city to Rosewood (I feel like it should be Ravenwood, not Ravenswood. But whatever.). Despite the fact that I don't know what the show is really about or how it's connected to PLL, if it's anywhere near as juicy and well-plotted as PLL then I'm in!

4. I hope you're all watching the new season of Community, even if it feels kinda strange. Like that time you accidentally put your underpants on backwards and were all "What is going on with these underpants? OHhhhhhh! They're on backwards!" What was I saying? Oh yeah. Community. Yes, this season does have a different vibe to it, but I'm still enjoying it and I'm still waiting for it to feel familiar again. I don't know whether or not it ever will, but it's still one of the best comedies on TV and everyone should watch it. If you're a fan and you're feeling a little confused about the show these days, this editorial piece on Hypable does a fantastic job of summing up how I think most long-time Greendale Human Beings are feeling through this strange (but still entertaining!) fourth season.

5. YA book rec time! I feel like I keep saying that I don't actually read a lot of contemporary YA, but I think that might be a lie. I think the real truth is that I don't read AS MUCH contemporary YA as I do other sub-genres, but I definitely enjoy me some good contemporary YA! In that vein, this week I recommend Going Vintage by the highly skilled Lindsay Leavitt:

Classic AND classy!

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

 I love love love the concept behind this book! And how kickin is that cover? I love the pink and green and the print and outfit--I love it all! Even the title is a perfect fit! But if you're gonna check it out, you pretty much need to go with the print edition--I feel like it would be in poor taste to read a book on this topic in e-book format, no?

Happy weekend!

friday5 for March 22, 2013

1. THE VERONICA MARS MOVIE IS HAPPENING! I never thought this day would come, but huzzah! Rejoice! The dream is a reality! Thanks to a groundbreaking, record-setting kickstarter campaign, show-runner Rob Thomas and series star, Ms. Mars herself, Kristen Bell, have put a plan to bring Veronica to the bring screen into full-on, movie-making action. Not only did they hit their goal in record breaking time, making the Veronica Mars movie a thing--a real thing that we'll one day get to see with our real eyeballs and there will be much weeping over the epic love story of Veronica and Logan--but the prizes they're offering are fantastic and well-priced and just everything about this is SO EXCITING, YOU GUYS! If you haven't checked out the hilarious video they made to launch the campaign, get to clickin! Uuuuhhh, I mean, no! Wait! Read the rest of this post first then get to clickin!)

2. Shailene Woodley is on fire. Not literally. That I know of. I don't really have any way of checking on her, but I'm going to assume she's not literally on fire. But her career is definitely blowing-up. She's Mary Jane in the new Spiderman, and as we've discussed, she's Tris in Divergent (which is getting a lot of buzz and will very probably be a very big deal when it comes out), and now, as though those roles weren't already putting her name everywhere, she's now been cast as Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars. I feel really torn about this news to be honest. As I've said before, I think Shailene is quite talented and I fully support her as Tris, but now here we have her in another big YA book to film adaptation and it feels... weird. Now, to be fair, Divergent is a big franchise while The Fault in Our Stars is a one-off, but still. I shall reserve my judgement until I see how this pans out for myself! They are very different stories so we shall see!
2.2 Bonus Item! There is so much Divergent casting news that I seriously can't recap it all, but Four has been cast and Kate Winslet's role has been revealed! If you're as excited about this film as I am, be sure to check out the updated IMDB page! I will likely weigh in with my thoughts after I've had some time to digest some of these casting choices!

3. Emma Watson is basically amazing. For some reason (where some means, but seriously WTF?), people have been speculating that Watson might play the female lead in the Fifty Shades of Grey film adaptation. My reaction to this news has always been along the lines of, "That's some serious fanboy wishful thinking. Emma would never bother with a role like that!" Well, it looks like Emma herself has been thinking along the same lines. You rock, Emma.

4. Two things you must watch on the interwebs if you haven't already: School of Thrones and A Very Potter Senior Year (make sure you've seen first two productions beforehand--it's a lot of viewing time, but it's soooooooo worth it!)

5. It's not newly out this week, but since I was on hiatus I need to play a bit of catch-up! This week's YA Book Rec is Requiem by Lauren Oliver. Oliver has been rockin it since Before I Fall and Requiem is the finale to her Delirium trilogy--dystopian romance done right. 

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

Okay, so, confession time, I don't love the cover. I don't know what it is about it that irks me, but it's something. It might be her eyebrows, even if that makes me a horrible person. And that said, I don't hate it. It's just meh for me. But that's okay because it's the contents of Oliver's books that are the reason I'm rec'ing this series. In a market flooded with dystopian romances, the Delirium trilogy stands apart because of Oliver's skilled prose and likable characters. If you're looking to satisfy your dystopian YA appetite, this series is deffo worth checking out!

Happy weekend!

pretty little recap: spin the murder bottle

Hello my dear PLLers and bloggies alike! I am back from my blog-cation. Sort of. I'm mostly back, but still not going to be totally back to normal for another few weeks. Here's the sitch: the details of my day job recently changed quite a bit and the learning curve + catch-up work has left me feeling all kinds of exhausted. Let's just say it's Wednesday, but I definitely feel like it should be Friday. Actually, no, I feel like I should be May. That's how drained I'm feeling. But I have a very long to-do list that I'm slowly but surely working my way through and when I finally reach that sweet, sweet end to the list... well, there will probably be more stuff on it, but I'm hopeful that once I'm in the swing of things, it will be normal-busy instead of insane-busy.

So that's all just a long way of saying that I'd been hoping to recap the last two episodes of PLL, but alas, didn't happen. I did watch them (and enjoyed them--Hello angry Hot Caleb!), but I kind of watched them in a puddle of slothiness while my laptop remained buried on my desk.

But the finale aired last night and I can't deny my faithful readers a "quality" finale "recap". So let's fire up the PVR and get to it because this show, like our dear Spencer, just keeps crazier!

3.24 A Dangerous Game

Previously on PLL: Creeper Toby looks like a bad guy, Ezra's spawn looks like a girl, Hanna and Emily look shocked at the morgue, things are looking bad for Spencer...and Aria, and Hanna, and Emily... It looks like it's going to be one hell of a finale!

Hooray for Spencer not being in a nightgown! Photo credit: ABC Family

What is up with Hanna's hair lately? I love me some Hanna, but what is happening on her head? Is that... a bird's nest? Sorry... distracted. Spencer is out of Radley and ready to share her pain! She seems eerily in control. And apparently ready to party. Cause nothing says everything is effed up like a party!

I get the whole hooded A thing in public, but I don't see why the A teamers have to keep a low profile when they are with each other in their secret A lair. That seems super unnecessary. If I was on the A team, I'd be all, "Whew! Sure is nice to be out of that stuffy black hoodie! Who wants to watch Gilmore Girls reruns on the TV in the doll room?"

School drama! Emily relationship drama! Ezra for some reason being allowed back at Aria's school drama! None of this is really registering high on my care-o-meter.

Ah Jenna being suspicious.. that's more like it! Speaking of suspicious, I hope we hear something about our dear J-Pouf. I never thought I'd miss that pouffy hair, but I do!

Looks like Mr. Aria is on to Ezra's poor life decisions. At least somebody sees a problem with that plan!

No! Hanna, you're not allowed to utter the words "Caleb's out of town." That is not acceptable! It's bad enough that this is the finale and I'll have to wait months for more PLL, but no Hot Caleb ??

Ooooh, Jenna is meeting with suspicious sexy Shana! And here I thought she was just a homewrecker. She's clearly up to something more sinister!

And it looks like we've reached the point in the episode where Aria and Ezra break-up. Haven't we already been through this? Several times? They love each other but can't be together? Meh.

Creeper Toby is alive! And he is looking SUPER CREEPY! I had no doubt that he was alive by the way.

Oooooh! Spencer!!! I feel like I kinda saw that coming too. But man, she looks intense! Troian is killing it this season. Spencer is either unhinged or she's finally reached the point where she is just doing what she has to do to finally get some answers and make some progress. Either way, I'm on board!

Hanna seems like she might actually be a pretty cool babysitter. It could be a good fall-back career if she doesn't make it as a child interrogator. Which... seems likely.

Melissa being suspicious--what else is new?

So, I think I still don't quite follow Creeper Toby's motivation here. Maybe I'm just being slow. If he was doing it to protect Spencer, why not tell her? Something about this still doesn't add up.

I love Spencer's black nails. Very covert ops. Aww, creeper love. Also, kinda ick.

Ha. Aria is ready to check into Radley. That I'd like to see. She'd have to wear one of those plain white nightgowns! Oh man, she'd hate it!

More creeper love. Creeper Toby has a lot of shirtless time to catch up on I guess. I'd still be feeling pretty betrayed if I were Spencer, but I guess that's love for you. It's not always wise and it doesn't always make sense.

Aria's reasoning for not waiting seven months (it's too hard) doesn't make much sense. She needs to just get a pair and tell Ezra that she just doesn't want to be with him cause she's too close in age to his son. Come on, we all know that's why! Again with the Aria walking away from Ezra scene. I feel like we've seen this a million times!

Oooooh Red Coat! I think if I were Red Coat, I'd probably just stop wearing the red coat, you know? Like what's the point anyway? Again I find myself questioning the extreme decisions the A team seems to arbitrarily make. But I still love a good reveal..... Oh, it's Hanna. And a set-up. But is Spencer still one of them?

Yeah, she is. And it looks like she definitely believes in Creeper Toby 4-evah! I'm not sure that's wise, but again, love is blind blah blah blah.

Crazy Mona seems to feel the same way about Creeper Toby makeouts as I do. Heh. I definitely don't follow what's about to happen here. There have been so many twists this season that my brain can't keep up.

Is Creeper Toby faking? Is Spencer? Is this part of the plan?? I think it is... but now the other liars think otherwise. Meanwhile, it's confrontation time! Sorry Crazy Mona, you just got served. Kind of. Okay, I don't really know when it's an appropriate time to use that phrase, but it seems like she maybe kinda got served something.

Uh oh. That's a whole lot of fire. Girls, get out! Get out now! You don't stand around trying to call someone when you're in a burning building! Alright, fine. The doors are locked. That seems unlikely, but still, the point is, you try!

Ooooh even Mona doesn't know who Red Coat is.

But I think we're about to find out! But for reals Spencer, keep back! Creeper Toby is right--you get to see her, but she shouldn't be able to see you!

Ah! Is Creeper Toby dead for reals now?? Or just knocked out. I didn't think I cared. But apparently I kinda do. Looks like a good old fashioned framing!

Red Coat is... Ali??

Creeper Toby is not dead. That's good I guess. This show needs his creepy ways!

Are they friends with Crazy Mona again? But what about all the crazy???

Ahhhh! The ghost police cruiser! It's back! Nooooooo! That thing and its flashing light will haunt me forever!

Melissa and Shana and Wilden and incriminating evidence and...

Whenever the phones all go off, my heart stops beating. What's in the trunk?? Seriously, that car is going to be the death of me!

The zombie hand from Halloween is back! And it has a friend! AHHHHHH! How long do we have to wait for more PLL?? I can't handle it!!!

Until next season, PLLers!



The semi-return to form continues on Friday with the Friday5 where I'll attempt to highlight the news I'm most excited about from the past few weeks! Plus a new YA book rec! Hooray!