Tag Archives: Tangled

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I’d Wish Could Have Their Own Book

Posted in Fun, Novels by

toptentuesdayThis was such a hard post to write! I have no idea why, but I spent so much time wracking my brain trying to think of characters I’d want to see more of. I even had to ask my husband for suggestions ;) But I could only come up with nine! So you’ll have to give me suggestions for a tenth one…

Characters I Wish Could Have Their Own Book (or Spin-Off):

Sloane from Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson – Firstly, I loved this book. It’s probably the second best book I’ve read all year (the first being Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments). Right after I finished it, though, I started thinking about how cool it would to read a sequel or a companion novel told through Sloane’s POV. We don’t see much of Sloane in the book, but we do get to see how interesting and conflicted she is. I would love to know what happens with her after the book ends.

Little John from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle – This book is actually told through the 3rd person, but it obviously follows Robin Hood’s adventures, and the adventures of his Merry Men after they join the gang. I’ve always had a soft spot for Little John, and I’d like to see what could become of him after the band goes their separate ways.

Captain Wentworth from Persuasion by Jane Austen – I know there are already books from his POV, but I haven’t read any yet. I really want to though!

Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – I know I’m not the only one who’d love to read about Neville’s adventures after Hogwarts. I feel like his story was only just starting to begin when Deathly Hallows ended.

Ginny Weasley from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – Another HP character for this list (she’s also my favorite). I’d love to have a story told from Ginny’s POV during her 6th year at Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were off hunting horcruxes but we know Ginny was fighting off Death Eaters with the remainder of Dumbledore’s Army. There’s so much potential for a companion novel here!

Bailey from Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares – This happens to be my favorite book from the entire Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I loved how the Sisterhood’s stories were resolved, but I think it would be wonderful to know what happens to the next generation. It would be kind of fitting with the original origin of the Sisterhood.

Haymitch Abernathy from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – I would love to read a prequel to The Hunger Games when we get to discover all of Haymitch’s back story. A lot of it was shortly covered in Catching Fire, but I want more!!!

Lucien from Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson – Another one of Morgan Matson’s characters for this list! She has awesome characters. Lucien is a very minor character, but he was so sweet and interesting! If you’ve read the book you know how his story is kind of just cut off, and I’d like to know what happens after his weekend with Amy and Roger.

Flynn Rider from Tangled – I can’t tell if I’d want to see a sequel with more of Flynn’s adventures or if I’d want to see one that involves his and Rapunzel’s (future) children. But I know there is plenty of potential for a Tangled sequel…Disney’s just making us wait =P (to be fair they did give us the Happily Ever After short)

Ok, which character would YOU like to see have his/her own sequel? Books, television, movies…which fictional character would you like to see more of?

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I’d Totally Want To Be For Halloween!

Posted in Holidays, Novels by

toptentuesdayThis week’s Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish, is all about Halloween! Last year I shared with you all my Top Ten picks for Halloween reading and today I’m talking about ten characters I’d love to dress up as. Some of these characters I have already impersonated before, as the pictures will show, but I love them so much I wouldn’t mind wearing those costumes again!

Top Ten Characters I’d Like To Be For Halloween

lolaLola from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins- Anybody who’s read this book knows how awesome it would be to dress up as Lola. I mean, she dressed up as Marie Antoinette for a school dance! Lola never wears the same outfit twice and each one is her own special creation that reflects her mood for that day. The thing I’d love most about dressing up as Lola would be wearing a really cool wig!

ginnyGinny Weasley from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – Ginny is my favorite HP character (welllll…that’s kind of a lie, because Sirius is also my favorite, but Ginny is the HP character who I’d most want to be). After years and years of wanting a reason to dress up as Ginny, my friends and I finally agreed on dressing up for the midnight premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. It was a super simple costume, but I totally felt like Ginny all night :) I even had my wand from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to make my costume complete. My two best friends dressed up as Luna Lovegood and Dobby! It was so much fun.

TangledRapunzel from Tangled – I’ve mentioned this before, but one of my biggest dreams is for my husband and I to cosplay Flynn Rider & Rapunzel. We both already feel so much like these characters, and Tangled is one of our favorite movies of all time…all that’s missing is for us to actually be Flynn & Rapunzel! Sure we could go buy costumes but we want to do it BIG. One day we’ll throw an epic Disney costume party (or we’ll go to Comic Con) and I will finally get to be Rapunzel :) (Side note: we did have a Disney costume party this summer, which I will be blogging about soon, and we got to dress up as two of our other favorite Disney/bookish characters which was so much fun!!)

robinhoodRobin Hood – Another of my favorite characters whom I’ve already dressed up as, but I’d do it again because it was a blast, was Robin Hood! This photo is back from 2008, when I went to a British Invasion party. The costume I used in this photo was actually from a Peter Pan costume…they are very similar if you think about it. The rest of the costume was simple, and my favorite part was the bow & arrow (although I did love wearing those green tights with my suede boots)! My brother and I would take turn hitting each other with the suction-cupped arrows for months after Halloween.

poeEdgar Allan Poe – My brother actually suggested this costume idea, and I agreed that it would be really fun! It’s fitting, too, since I live an hour from Baltimore, the city where he died & which named its NFL team in his honor. If I dressed up as Poe, I would go around quoting some of his creepier lines and see how long it would take for people to figure out who I was. I think Michael Sheen makes an excellent Poe impersonator in this photo :)

catinthehatThings 1 & 2 from Dr. Suess’s The Cat in the Hat – Ok, one more costume that I’ve already done. I’m repeating myself a lot, but being Things 1 & 2 is so much fun. My two best friends and I did The Cat in the Hat one year and to stay in character we just went around terrorizing everybody. 15 minutes into the party and we were ready for bed. Next time I’ll jump around less ;)

DIVERGENTTris from Divergent by Veronica Roth – I think the coolest thing about the Divergent world is the factions. I knew right away that if I was in Tris’s world, I would also be a Divergent, and I would have also most likely picked Dauntless. I love the characters’ boldness, and their outfits, and their tattoos! My husband also loves them–he thinks Four’s tattoos are awesome as well. This would be a really simple last-minute costume to do: black shirt, black pants, black shoes, and a cool bird tattoo.

willywonkaWilly Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl – Willy Wonka is a total nut job, but it sure would be fun to dress up like him for Halloween. Either Johnny Depp or Gene Wilder’s version would be cool, as long as I get to wear a velvet suit jacket and carry around a cane. And you can bet that I’d bring a big bag of Wonka candy to give to all of my friends.

musketeersD’Artagnan from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas – I think this would be an awesome group costume idea. Cool hats, mustaches, and swords! Plus, I really like wearing tights. D’Artagnan has always been my favorite, but I wouldn’t mind being any of the Musketeers.

poisonivyPoison Ivy from the Batman comics – Sometimes villains make the best costumes, don’t they? I have always loved Uma Thurman’s portrayal of Poison Ivy, probably because of her outfits, honestly. Clearly, I have a thing for tights, but I also love dressing up as redheaded characters. If I ever go to a Superheroes vs. Villains party, I will most likely go as Poison Ivy :)

There are ten characters I’d love to dress up as for Halloween! Did you like any of my choices? Which character would you choose?

Top Ten (Thurs)day: Favorite Films

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toptentuesdayI was once again too preoccupied this week to post my Top Ten list on Tuesday, but I’m on vacation so I have a good excuse :)

This week’s meme was about ten things I like other than books, so I picked…

Top Ten Favorite Movies
(and yes, it’s in order!)

Pride and PrejudicePride and Prejudice (2005)
The story is based on Jane Austen’s novel about five sisters – Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia Bennet – in Georgian England. Their lives are turned upside down when a wealthy young man (Mr. Bingley) and his best friend (Mr. Darcy) arrive in their neighborhood.

I wasn’t too into romances until nearly the end of high school, but when they started playing this movie on the TV all the time during my senior year of high school, I was hooked. Even though I read the book afterwards, I still love this version. Cinematography. Music. Acting (the rain scene is my favorite!) I could watch this movie all day, everyday.

TangledTangled (2010)
The magically long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but now that a runaway thief has stumbled upon her, she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.

This movie never fails to make me laugh! Firstly, it’s perfectly casted. It’s also entertaining for all ages and genders, since Rapunzel and Flynn are both main characters. And it’s another example of Alan Menken’s musical genius. This movie also holds a special place in my heart, since Matt and I danced to “I See the Light” for our first wedding dance <3

Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (1991)
Belle, whose father is imprisoned by the Beast, offers herself instead and discovers her captor to be an enchanted prince.

A classic. The first animated movie ever nominated for Best Picture. THE movie that got me into romances back in high school. I remember watching this movie multiple times EACH night one week when I was 16, crying when we think the Beast died, and smiling through my tears when he says, “Belle, it’s me.” Awwww <3 Again, wonderful music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and on the newer releases there’s a fantastic documentary about the making of Beauty and the Beast that will make you cry.

Love ActuallyLove Actually (2003)
Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

It doesn’t need to be Christmas for me to watch this movie. My friends and I in college would watch this all the time. My favorite story arch is Colin Firth’s, of course. I love that proposal! I also really like the Prime Minister’s plot too, although I HATE Billy Bob Thornton, and between his character and that one sex-obsessed guy, I’m convinced the director/writer hates America. But the rest of the movie is great :)

The Young VictoriaThe Young Victoria (2009)
A dramatization of the turbulent years of Queen Victoria’s rule, and her enduring romance with Prince Albert.

This is the movie that made me fall in love with Emily Blunt, and which has also made it hard for me to despise George Wickham in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice because that actor also plays the romantic Prince Albert in this movie. I adore the acting and the music in this movie, and I love all things about the Victorian-Era, so of course this movie belongs in that category.

Ever AfterEver After (1998)
With the sudden death of her loving father, Danielle is made a servant by her new stepmother. Still, Danielle grows up to be a happy and strong-willed young lady, and one day her path crosses that of handsome Prince Henry, who has troubles of his own at home.

Another movie I fell in love with during high school, this movie still gets me all dreamy-eyed. I was never really that into Cinderella, but this version features a stronger, stubborn heroine and the incredibly talented eyebrows acting of Anjelica Huston. Also, I will finally be visiting the main castle, Château de Hautefort, this summer!!

Star TrekStar Trek (2009)
The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father’s legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful, time-traveling Romulan creates black holes to destroy one Federation planet at a time.

This is probably the most random entry on my list, but it is also probably the film I have watched the most. I’m not that well familiar with Star Trek. I’ve watched the original series and some of Voyager (because my dad watched it all the time), but I was never super into it. Not until I saw this movie in theaters. I knew it was going to become special to me after I found myself crying within the first 5 minutes. I love movies that make me cry. And soon after I would put this movie on every night to fall asleep to (I also did this with Young Victoria). My best friend and I both love this movie so we quote it to each other all the time :)

PenelopePenelope (2006)
A modern romantic tale about a young aristocratic heiress born under a curse that can only be broken when she finds true love with one who will love her faithfully.

I found this movie by mistake, but right away I loved it. It helps that I have a celebrity crush on James McAvoy :) if you like quirky romances, you’ll definitely love this one! Great acting with a fun modern fairy tale plot.

You've Got MailYou’ve Got Mail (1998)
Two business rivals hate each other at the office but fall in love over the internet.

I have always liked this movie, but it just recently made it onto my list of favorite movies. I went through a 90s chick flick phase last fall, and I probably watched You’ve Got Mail at least a dozen times. I love the Pride and Prejudice romance, and, although I feel like I’ve said this about every other movie on my list, the acting is wonderful. Plus Meg Ryan’s character owns a children’s bookstore! Love it :)

Meet the RobinsonsMeet the Robinsons (2007)
When an orphaned child genius named Lewis has his science fair project ruined by a mysterious time-traveling villain from the future, he must join forces with a strange boy in order to travel to the future, steal his invention back, and save a new-found family from a bleak future where mind control devices enslave the masses.

I feel like most people have never even heard of this geeky Disney movie, but I can’t get enough of it. The characters are so lovable and they make you laugh out loud all the time. It’s really a bunch of randomness tied up with a heartwarming bow, so if you need some warm, but not-necessarily-romantic fuzzies in your life, give the Robinson family a try :)

There you have it! So, what are some of your favorite moves? Do we have any in common?!

Christmas in France

Posted in France, Holidays, Married Life by

I know this post is a little overdue, but Matt finally started his new job so I have actually been a bit busy getting back into the routine of things and recovering from all the traveling we did last month. But here is how our Christmas went!

Literally 2 days (more like 36 hours) after getting home from our trip to Disney, we were off to spend a week in St. Sorlin with Matt’s family and with our sister-in-law’s family. Depending on how you celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas in the States, Christmas in France is pretty different. Normally, Matt’s family opens their presents on the 24th (my family does it late Christmas morning), but because some of us didn’t arrive until almost 9pm that night, we waited until the 25th. Instead we ate lots of French finger foods (veggies and small pieces of toast with olives, charcuterie, salmon, and foie gras…not my favorite things) and then played a gag gift exchange game that is sort of like Telephone, but you alternate between writing a sentence and drawing a picture to pass on. It was a lot of fun and since there were 11 of us playing, things were pretty crazy. We voted at the end for “best” gag gift, and the one Matt and I picked out won! It was hideous. The two gifts we got placed second, and we kept them because I love them!

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Christmas Eve treats

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Christmas ice cream logs

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Ok, the top is a deer head magnet, and we hung the ugly ornament around the deer’s antlers. It is currently, and proudly, hanging on our fridge!

We didn’t get to bed until around 1am and then–thanks to our 1-year-old niece–we were up before 6:30…yay! By 8am everyone was up and ready to start opening presents, which took up half of the tiny cabin space. My family, since there are only 5 of us, each take turns opening a present so that everyone can see. I prefer that way, or else I miss out on people’s gifts and reactions and it feels like half the fun is gone! But since there were so many of us, we only went one time around opening one present each and then it was noise and paper everywhere. Matt says that’s how they usually do things, but we take at least 45 minutes to open everything.

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Christmas with 12 people = tons of presents!

Some of our gifts: Matt finally got his 3DS that he’d been wanting all year and I got a Monet puzzle with a roll-up matt, a gift card for new clothes (which I desperately need!), some movies, and a snowglobe/music box that Matt bought be from Disney. It plays “I See the Light” from Tangled, which was the song Matt and I danced to at our wedding.

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And he forgot about his other presents after he opened this one…

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Our niece pushing around the Tigger toy we got her in her brand new stroller! So cute.

It snowed in St. Sorlin, but not nearly as much as in Bourg d’Oisans a month ago, and it was pretty warm so it started turning into slush…but Solo still had a lot of fun! We went sleigh riding, which Solo does not like. Something about us speeding away from him gets him all worked up! We also went skiing a little, and I picked it back up more than I thought I would.

After our week at St. Sorlin we went to visit Matt’s uncle’s family in Gap, where we also went skiing and I had a blast! We went up to where there weren’t many people and where the snow was great and it was the best time I have had while skiing so far. The first couple of times were no fun, but this time was great.

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Gorgeous! (Photo credit goes to Matt)

It was hard being away from my family for Christmas, that was the most difficult thing for me, especially since I haven’t seen them since May. But next year we are already planning on being in the States for Christmas! Hope you all had a wonderful time with your families, celebrating your own traditions and having fun spending time with loved ones!

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Our 2nd Christmas together!