The Kinds of Books I Want to Write (May Book Wrap-Up)

Holy crap, where did this month go? I feel like May just breezed on by. The first half of this month I was really focused on finishing my first year of college, and the weeks following that were basically me just chilling out, reading, writing, and going to baseball games. I feel rather proud of myself, because I actually read five books this month, and I'm AHEAD of my reading goal on Goodreads for the first time all year! Booyakasha!

Writing
I didn't get as much writing as I'd like done this month, but considering that I just came out of Camp NaNo and was preoccupied with finals week for the first half of May, I don't think it was a total loss. My goal was to write four chapters of my story and I wrote three. Not terrible! The nightmare scene that I talked about last month was received extremely well - I have more comments on that chapter than any other for this story. Readers either liked the dark route I took, the semi-romantic moment that followed, or both. My current stats for "Dude, This is No Vacation" are as follows: 2,870 reads; 234 votes; and 60 comments. It's really interesting to look back after a month has passed and realize just how much can happen in that time.

In addition to my fanfiction, I've taken some time to consider my real writing as well, since I've been sorely lacking in that area as of late. I do have my reasons for that, but it finally came to my attention that even though I would love for "Follow the Raven" to be my first published novel, it may be time to think about the possibility of that not happening. Perhaps another one of my stories is destined to be first - like "Escape to Utopia" (my NaNoWriMo 2014 novel) or even one I haven't written yet. Who knows? Nothing is set in stone. For now I'm going to keep my options open and see what happens.

Reading
Like I said earlier, I actually read five books this month instead of just four, which put me ahead of my reading goal for the first time this year. Yes, it's a small lead, but it's still a lead! After epically failing this month's Crush Your TBR, something just kick-started in me and I was like, "OK now, seriously, it's time to start reading." So here's what I read this month:

• The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten (started April 29)
• Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
• Son of the Mob by Gordan Korman
• The Fix-Up Service by McClure Jones
• An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund

Going Postal was recommended to me by my friend, who is an avid Terry Pratchett fan. When in Barnes and Noble one evening, I asked him, "If you could choose just one of his books for me to read, which one would it be?" He instantly picked up Going Postal. All I have to say is this: Terry Pratchett was a genius.

Son of the Mob was a surprisingly intelligent read, considering the book is often found in the kid's section as well as YA. I learned a lot about the Mob and enjoyed a unique love story all at once, so it was pretty good all-around. The Fix-Up Service was interesting mostly because it was written in 1985 (30 years ago), and MY GOODNESS how times have changed! The girls in the book were appalled at the thought of calling a boy, whereas today we don't give it a second thought. Also, cordless phones were the latest and greatest things at the time, and today those are seen as totally old-school. It was kind of neat to take a look into what life was like for my parents when they were about my age.

The Kinds of Books I Want to Write
I've known I would be a writer for a long time. I was in third grade when I wrote my first story, and over the years since then I've experimented with different genres and writing styles, alternating between first and third person, trying on everything from romance to science fiction. Over time I've come to discover that my best work usually falls into the fantasy or sci-fi categories, and I write best in either limited or omniscient third person. My style of writing is unique, as is my voice. Most of the time I don't really sit down to think about these things, but every once in a while, I take the time to consider what I want my readers to gain from my stories. The kinds of books I want to write and share with the world.

From my beginnings with "Sarah and Hope," I have almost always focused my stories on friendship above everything else. Looking back on things now, it's truly amazing to see how many of the stories I wrote focused on friendship rather than romance. The genres vary; what started as realistic fiction quickly morphed into fantasy, but the message is still the same. "Follow the Raven" is about two girls who become friends and fight for each other. "Escape to Utopia" is about two strangers who work together to save the solar system, becoming companions in the process. Even my fanfiction emphasizes the importance of having true friends around. I didn't set out to do this when I started writing, but the theme is there in every one of my books and novels. (Maybe that explains why I love My Little Pony so much.)

I've mentioned in previous blog posts that sometimes I'll pick up a book and just know that I'm destined to love it even before I read the first sentence. This is a rare occurrence, but I think it's interesting to look back and realize that both Skulduggery Pleasant and The True Meaning of Smekday are centered around friendship. Some of my favorite books in elementary school were that way as well (ie. The School Story).

All that being said, I think it's obvious where I'm going with this. I had no idea the stories I wrote would all be centered around the same theme. I didn't even realize it until just recently. I also didn't put two and two together as to why I favor some books over others. 90% of the books on my favorites shelf are focused on the idea that friendship is magic (yes, MLP reference, get over it). I'm not going to get all stereotypical and say that "I want my books to encourage readers to be friends with everyone around them" and blah blah blah. That's not it at all. But what I am saying is this: I want my readers to finish my novels and come away with the same warm feeling I have when I read books like those I've mentioned above. There's just something about those types of stories that stands out. Why do you think Skulduggery Pleasant and The True Meaning of Smekday are so popular? The latter was recently made into a movie, which was also received extremely well. Think about Big Hero 6. Heck, even Frozen was about the bond between sisters.

Friendship is important. It makes the world go 'round, if you think about it. And I want my readers to read my books and feel as though they've just made a new friend.

...Well, this post got real cheesy real quick. Don't worry - adventure, action, mystery, suspense, and even a touch of romance await you in my novels as well! And that's all I have for this month! But stick around...something special is coming your way in June. Stay tuned for that! See you next month. :D

Memorial Day Weekend Haul

This weekend my family and I went out of town, and I came back with so many cool things (mostly Sonic related, not gonna lie). I am beyond excited about it all, so I figured I'd share the nerdiness with you! Before I get into that, though, I forgot to mention in last week's blog that my parents bought me a Nintendo DS Lite with four games as a first-year completion gift. One of those four games is a collection of Classic Sonic titles. I've been going crazy playing Sonic 3 as well as Sonic Battle. I've had Battle sitting on my shelf of games for almost two years and now I finally have the platform for it! Patience pays off! :-)

First, on Wednesday I finally received the the three graphic novels I'd ordered from the Sonic Super Store when they were having their huge sale. They came on a day when I was in a lot of pain, too, so it made the whole ordeal worth it. In this package I received Sonic Select #3, Sonic Select #9, and Sonic Legacy #3. SS#3 is about the rise of Mammoth Mogul and the return of King Maximilian, which is super exciting. When Sonic SatAM ended, the king was still trapped in the void, so I'm curious to see how he got himself out of there. SS#9 is about various Sonic games, such as Dark Brotherhood and Dash. (And although Shadow is on the cover, he is not in the actual novel. Kind of misleading, but I'll live.) Finally, SL#3 is a 500-page collector's novel that tells several stories, from the first appearance of Hershey Cat to the first Metal Sonic to the first introduction of the Chaotix. A lot of firsts! I can't wait!

This past week I also received my E+J shirt to support Ellie and Jared on YouTube. If you don't know who they are, go check them out! They just had their second baby this weekend and he is so precious. I can't wait to see how their lives are going to change now that he is here.

On the day their baby was born, my family and I went out of town as we sometimes do to just get away from things. While in the city I always make sure to go to three places: Hastings, the mall, and Barnes and Noble. Hastings was a Sonic jackpot this weekend. I was so lucky to get what I did! From there I purchased Sonic Select #1 (which is completely sold out online), Sonic Boom #5 (the LAST one on the shelf), and my very first Sonic air freshener for my car! Strawberry scent! :-)

I visited my usual stores within the mall: JCPenny's, Spencer's, and Hot Topic. Despite the new line of Sonic toys and apparel that was just released, the only thing I found (and bought) was a really unique shirt featuring Classic Sonic characters. It was only after I got home and was removing the tags that I discovered it is a collector's edition t-shirt. Heck yeah!

Finally, Barnes and Noble. I'd say a good 80% of the time I spent in the store was me trying to find Connor Franta's A Work in Progress. I searched for it for a while upon entering the store, and when I didn't find it I figured I'd just browse and eventually run into it. Just when I was about to give up and ask for help, I found it in the biography section. It is a memoir, so it makes sense. I ended up leaving Barnes and Noble with that and another book I'd found while browsing that I'm super excited to read. (My TBR has grown to about 14 books now.)

In addition to all the cool events and things I found, my town's high school had its graduation ceremony yesterday. I went for my friend Katie, who has been the only person to stick with me the entire six years I've lived here. It was so cool to see her get her diploma. It was also really touching to hear my other friend Alex's name called. He is in a hospital in Denver right now recovering from a gunshot wound to the head. This was the first high school graduation I've attended besides my own. Also, for the record, one year ago today is when I graduated. Hard to believe I've made new friends, written an entire novel, and finished my first year of college in that time! It's amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it.

All in all, it's been a great weekend! I'm excited to read my new books and graphic novels as well as enjoy some time with my family. This will be my last full week off before I begin my summer class in June, and I plan to utilize it as much as possible. Hope your Memorial Day weekend has been awesome! Check back here next week for my May book wrap-up! :D

Freshman Year In Review (College Edition)

Fall 2014

Ignore that giant block in Monday's slot. That was my orientation. I don't know why it ended up on the schedule.

I learned a lot from English 1010 when it was all said and done. I didn't really enjoy writing most of the papers in that class, but I did learn more about my writing style when it comes to academic papers and managed to develop a system that works for me. I've used what I learned in 1010 for other classes and gotten A's and B's on those papers as well. Bonus!

U.S. History to 1865 was boring, but necessary. The lectures were very difficult to pay attention to, honestly. My teacher had a very unique way of talking about things and he just had one of those voices that kind of put you to sleep...but you know, I actually liked him just fine. When evaluations came around a lot of people were complaining about him, but I made a point to say that he was a perfectly good instructor. He just had a different way of getting things done was all.

My Personal Wellness and Walking classes were again boring but necessary. Personal Wellness was ridiculously easy. I honestly don't even think it should be required since the same exact class was required in high school for a majority of the students on campus, but what can you do? Walking was just a simple way to get my gym requirement out of the way. I would have taken something a little more vigorous, but when that time of the month rolls around, I just cannot do anything, and it would have affected my grade. I'm sure you ladies can relate.

Western Civilization I was actually one of my favorite classes. Though many students dread taking the course, I thought it was extremely interesting and helpful. When NaNoWriMo 2014 rolled around, I was even able to use some things I'd learned in that class to help me write my novel. Score! The teacher was great, too. She really made the class enjoyable. I can't imagine taking the course with any other instructor.

Math. I am beyond done with stupid math. I passed with a C, I'm satisfied, and that's all I want to say about it.

Choir was all right. First semester was definitely easier than second semester, but I think it's because it was so easy that I didn't really care for it at first. I grew to like it more the second time around (HA!! TMNT reference!!).

During the fall semester I began to have a falling out with my friends from high school. It lasted from mid-summer all the way to early December. During this time I began to make new friends and meet other people on campus. It really surprised me that we have such a diverse group of students since we're kind of in the middle of nowhere, but we have people from all over the world attending our college. It was also during this time that I went on my first dates ever with a young man from southern Wyoming. We are currently not seeing each other, but we are still friends.


Spring 2015

Why did I think it was a good idea to take a class at 8 AM? Seriously. I must not have been in my right mind. In any case, I took Spanish 1020 this past semester, having taken 1010 through concurrent enrollment at the high school. I quickly realized that the course was way too easy for me. Everything that was being taught was stuff I learned in Spanish I and II at the high school.Thankfully my teacher was understanding, and she worked with me to arrange my schedule in such a way that I did all the homework online through distance learning and only came to class on test days. Now that that's over, I will never take a class that early again if I can help it. Night owls were not meant to function in the early morning.

English 1020 was much more fun than 1010, mostly because it was more focused on reading than writing. We did short story, novel, and poetry units. Only three papers were written for this course; our final was a presentation on a poetry piece of our choice. I breezed through the novels and dragged through poetry. The short stories were kind of my neutral zone; I neither liked nor disliked them. The only thing I really didn't care for was the analysis paper we had to do on a short story of our choice. I don't like being analytical in English. As a writer, I need my mind to be creative and free from restraint. I lose my ability to simply enjoy the things I read if I have to analyze everything.

I am also beyond done with science. I have a lot of complaints about the class I took last semester (Historical Geology), but I passed with a C, I'm satisfied, and that's all I'm going to say about it.

Western Civilization II was my favorite course last semester. I had the same teacher as before which definitely helped, and I just really enjoyed learning about how we got into the World Wars and the Cold War and whatnot. It's amazing how much I didn't know about our world's history until this semester.

Choir was much better during the spring semester because we were really learning college-level pieces of music (like Mozart's "Requiem.") It was certainly difficult, but it was so worth it in the end. We managed to pull off a great concert - one that even my brother enjoyed. He's hard to please when it comes to choral music! However, despite it being a better experience the second time around, I am still unsure whether I will take the class again in the future. I won't be taking it this fall.

My high school friends and I got along all right for the first couple of months last semester, but by the time mid-March rolled around things started going downhill fast, and by the first week of April we'd fallen off a cliff. As of right now I have not seen or heard from anyone in over a month, and I'm kind of to the point where I just don't want to bother anymore. They say the friends you make in college are the ones you'll keep anyway. Last semester I met Jolene, who started out as my co-worker and ended up being one of my closest friends. She's up on the mountain all summer, but chances are we'll be seeing each other again come fall. (She also reads my blog, so...hi, Jolene!)

Overall, I'd say my first year of college wasn't that bad. It had its ups and downs, to be sure, but it was a cool experience for me. Right now I'm enjoying some much-needed time off before my summer class begins, and after that it's back to campus for sophomore year! Maybe this time I'll actually get to live on campus. That would be nice.

That's all for now. Hope you enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

SonAlly vs. SonAmy - Whose Side Am I On?

It's a huge, huge debate among Mobians - Sonic x Sally (SonAlly) or Sonic x Amy Rose (SonAmy)? For some, the choice is obvious. Sally was around first, she's original, so she is the right one. But Amy was created for the next generation, and her relationship with Sonic is canon now, so she's the right one. People get into huge fights over this, which I think is silly, but I can understand both sides. (There are also Sonic x Mina, Sonic x Fiona, Sonic x Bunnie, etc. fans, but we're not going to get into that here.)

First, a little background on each character.

Sally's full name is Princess Sally Alicia Acorn. She was introduced in the early 1990s in the TV show Sonic SatAM (Saturday Morning) as well as in the comics. Her relationship with Sonic is obvious right off the bat. He clearly likes her, and she finds him frustrating but lovable. In the SatAM episodes "Hooked on Sonics" and "The Doomsday Project," they even kiss on screen (for a long time, too!). Sally is portrayed as a tomboyish princess with no regard for personal modesty (until the past year or so) who has a stubborn, independent air about her. She is the leader of the Freedom Fighters and apparent heir to the throne of the Acorn Kingdom. (The comics have really jumbled things around recently, so I don't entirely know what's going on in the hierarchy right now.) Sally is about eighteen years old and is a very organized, well-rounded leader, though she does seem to have a lot of breakdown moments. Despite that, Sonic has adored her from the beginning. He marries her in the 25/30 Years Later Sagas. They have kids together. OBVIOUSLY these two were meant to be.

And then there's Amy Rose. Introduced as a crazed fangirl who simply could not contain herself or keep out of harm's way, her character has really matured over the years into a beautiful, confident, still love-struck seventeen year old (though now she is much better at keeping her love for Sonic in check). In the comics as well as the games and TV shows, Amy was shown to be obsessed with him from the get-go, often going to absurd lengths just to get him to notice her. Sonic was often annoyed with her constant nagging and went to even more absurd lengths to get away from her. However, as she has gotten older (mostly in the comics), Amy has greatly matured. While she still loves Sonic like no other, she is less vocal and crazed about it and is perfectly capable of spending large amounts of time away from him without complaining. Sonic Boom has made SonAmy canon, with the two sharing a mutual liking for one another. (They even go on dates from time to time.) "Now that it's canon, there's no stopping the SonAmy crowd!" SonAlly fans say.

So...whose side am I on?

For the LONGEST time, I was on the fence about this. I grew up watching Sonic X, which of course starred Amy Rose. I didn't even know an older version of Sonic existed until later, and when I learned there was a Sally I didn't like her much to begin with. But as I started growing as a Mobian, I learned to like Sally's character and her relationship with Sonic as well. Any time it came into question as to who Sonic should be with, I was always neutral. I simply couldn't make up my mind.

Well, seven years later, I have finally decided on SonAmy.

And before you explode on me, let me explain why. Amy, as I mentioned before, was the one I knew about first. I grew up watching her in Sonic X. But aside from that, now that I am a full-fledged Mobian, I have had the opportunity to look at both sides of this debate and draw my own conclusions. Yes, Sally was around first, and Sonic does like her, but now that Amy is more mature than she was and serious about the Great War, he likes her as well. He likes her independent, confident, I'll-kick-your-butt-if-you-mess-with-me attitude, which Sally is sorely lacking right now. Amy is a great character with a great personality. In addition to that, she is a hedgehog just like Sonic. I KNOW many Mobians cross-breed, and I'm totally fine with that, but I think it's nice to stay in the same species every now and then. (Look at Sonic's parents - both of them were hedgehogs!) Finally, SonAmy is now considered canon. That really didn't have anything to do with my decision; it was Amy's rebooted character that did it for me. She has really come a long way over the years, and there is plenty of proof that Sonic likes her in the comics, games, and TV shows. (For the record, Amy has now been in two TV series. Sally was only in one, and it was on the air for much less time.)

So there you have it, folks! I've made my choice: Sonic x Amy for me. That doesn't mean I don't like Sally or will be irritated when he continues to date/marry her in the comics. I like her just fine. I'm just not a SonAlly fan, that's all. I also would like to point out that the girls are perfectly fine with each other, too. Amy isn't bitter that Sally gets all of Sonic's affection; she just wants to see him happy. Sally was the one who made Amy a Freedom Fighter. The two of them are friends, just like SonAlly and SonAmy fans should be friends. Mobians may not agree on everything, but we always agree on one thing - we love Sonic, just like Sally and Amy do!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: What to Expect

So I was planning on posting this tomorrow. But as it turns out, our Internet will be MIA all day tomorrow, so I'm going to go ahead and do this now. Why not, right?

All right. Whether you like it or not, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 is filming as we speak. It was announced two days after the release of the first movie last summer, with a date already in mind: June 3, 2016. (I'll be going to opening night again, for sure.) I personally loved the first movie despite all it's flaws, and I'm super excited for this new one because it shows a lot of promise. Whether you loved it or loathed it, here is everything I know concerning the next movie in Michael Bay's TMNT series. (Ick, that sounds so wrong.)

First off, CASEY JONES CONFIRMED! We pretty much already knew that he would be in the second film based on the fact that he's a fan favorite, but it was so exciting to hear his character confirmed. Stephen Amell has been cast as the hockey mask-wearing vigilante, and from what I can tell, he is a good fit for the character. (I had never heard of him before, but I sought out some scenes from "Arrow" to kind of familiarize myself with him.) There has already been a photo released of him on set as Casey Jones...and if my eyes aren't playing tricks with me, that's Raphael's sai there. You know what that means!!

Bebop and Rocksteady have also been confirmed for the second movie. This will be the first time these mutants will appear in a live-action film. I'm curious to see who will be cast for these two, as well as what they will look like once all the CGI stuff is finished. I hope they turn out well. I know they were idiots in the 1987 show, but they are amazing villains in the 2012 series. Here's hoping they will be awesome in the movie as well! (The following photo is UNOFFICIAL concept art.)

Tyler Perry has been cast as Baxter Stockman, the scientific mastermind / humble servant of Shredder (depending on which series you watch). I'm curious as to how his character will fit in to the new movie. Also, will he become a fly? If he does, that would kind of be pushing the mutant limit for me, personally. Slow down, Bay! You can only introduce so many mutants at once!

Finally, Brian Tee has been cast as the official Shredder for the TMNT movie franchise. There was a Shredder in the first movie, of course, but we never really saw his face and it was very obvious he was only there for reshoots. William Fitchner was originally going to be the Shredder, but there was a Nerd Uprising that led Michael Bay to change his character to Eric Sacks instead. (Again, I beg the question: Why was Eric Sacks even there?) I've heard a lot of good things about Brian Tee, especially as a villain, so I'm excited to see how he portrays Shredder's character. He looks the part, too, which helps.

(On a side note, Alessandra Ambrosio has joined the cast as a mystery female character. She is currently credited as "Vernon's girlfriend." Maybe...Irma?? Just spitballing here. I know she doesn't look anything like Irma.)

In addition to new characters / new cast members, the Battle Shell has also been confirmed for TMNT 2, with the words "Tartaruga Brothers" written on the side. Tartaruga is Italian for "tortoise." Here is a picture of the vehicle:

I saved this for last because I JUST found out about it and I'm not 100% sure that it's been confirmed, but...HUN?! Apparently C.M. Punk auditioned for the role, but I haven't heard that Hun is going to be in this second movie. I hadn't even considered it. I've been so distracted with all the other new characters. Hun?! If this is true, I am SO EXCITED. Hun is one of my favorite bad guys. He was just introduced to the 2012 series, too. It would be so cool to see him on the big screen.

And that's all I've got for now! I will keep you informed as more develops. I am super excited for this movie, mostly because of Casey Jones. I'm hoping this second film will fill in a lot of the plot holes that were dug in the first movie, too, because there were a lot of them. Staying optimistic! :-)

Weekend of Fangirling *Spoilers*

So, I figured this weekend would be about normal. I'd go to work on Saturday, and by the time I got home my Sonic Boom and MLP episodes would be available to watch. I'd view, enjoy, and move on to TMNT on Sunday. Well, I did view and enjoy. But HOLY CRAP this weekend was far from normal!! All three of my shows brought their best and really amazed me, especially Sonic Boom. Here's why:

Sonic Boom
Most Sonic Boom episodes follow a pretty standard pattern. Sonic and his friends are enjoying a normal day, doing normal things, when Eggman or some other villain / threat appears and they stop what they're doing to take care of the problem. Sometimes just a couple of characters are involved and sometimes all of them are. It just depends on the issue. This week, however, Sonic went solo for the first time all season. The plot of the episode? Return a library book on time to avoid paying a late fee.

I know it sounds simple, but this episode alone taught me more about New Mobius and offered a better look at Sonic's character than any other I've seen so far in this series. As he's running around trying to get the book to the library, Sonic keeps running into obstacle after obstacle. First he almost runs over an elderly man, but quickly stops and insists the man go first. The man is very slow and a little bit out there, but Sonic takes it all in stride and handles it like it's no big deal. After that he runs into some other people and then (long story short) has to run an errand for Eggman. This errand takes him across a good portion of the island to pick something up from a warehouse two towns over.

New Mobius geography lesson! Sonic lives in a beach house (which I find ironic and slightly out of character since he can't swim), so obviously the area he inhabits is close to the shore. But we see him pass through a jungle, over a mountain, through a desert valley, and back into another beach-y area as he journeys to another town and back. All of these areas are flawlessly connected to one another. It's an interesting concept since that wouldn't really work here on Earth. (These areas also have some unique names, by the way.)

After running into an endless stream of obstacles, Sonic is finally starting to lose his cool about the situation, but despite it all he remains respectful to others and just goes with the flow of things. In the end he does get the book to the library (with ten seconds to spare), and he turns around and says to Amy, "Told you I'd get it here on time!" With a huge smile on his face.

This episode was really good! A simple idea gave way to a ton of funny moments (like Knuckles flying off of this contraption he and Sonic had put together...seriously, I had to pause the episode and just laugh for a few minutes) and a further glimpse into Sonic's character and his world. I really, really like the "rebooted" Sonic that they've introduced. He's a lot like Next Gen Sonic, but because his world is different, he is different as well, and I think he's changed for the better. Love that blue hedgehog!

MLP

I don't usually mention My Little Pony here on this blog, because all things considered, it really is just a show I watch for fun. I don't take it nearly as seriously as I do Sonic and TMNT. But I felt this weekend's episode was worth mentioning. (Hope you all know your MLP terminology, because I'm not going to define and explain everything here today!) In this episode, titled "Appleoosa's Most Wanted," the CMC are wandering around a huge rodeo in hopes of getting their cutie marks. However, things don't entirely go as planned when an "outlaw" by the name of Trouble Shoes starts ruining the fun. Long story short, Trouble Shoes (a MASSIVE stallion) really isn't trying to cause any harm. He just happens to be extremely clumsy. He sees his klutziness as a curse in the beginning, but by the end of the episode the CMC manage to convince him that his "unlucky" cutie mark is actually a good thing. 

This episode was extremely well done and had a very excellent message. I loved the story and I loved Trouble Shoes' character. I really, really thought that at least one of the girls was going to get their cutie mark in this one. We saw a ton of maturity happen here. Compare the girls now to how they were when we first me them and you can totally see the difference. It's just a matter of time at this point. I swear, if one of them does not get their cutie mark this season, I will scream.

TMNT

Oh my goodness, I don't even know where to BEGIN for this one!! I'll start by saying this: unless another episode comes along later in the series that tops the one from this weekend (and I think I'd probably die from fangirling if that happened), "Clash of the Mutanimals" is my favorite episode of TMNT 2012. Period.

Two of the Mighty Mutanimals are captured by Tiger Claw and brought to Baxter Stockman's lab, where they are to be test subjects for Shredder's new mind control serum. When they are set free and return to the Turtles' lair, Slash is the first to lose it and he attacks Splinter so fast I did not even see it coming! If I'd blinked, I would have missed it. Splinter took a HARD hit and was knocked out in one blow, and that started quite possibly the most epic in-lair fight in this whole series. Leo made me fangirl so hard when he said, "You will not hurt our sensei again!" He already didn't like Slash, so the fact that he took down Splinter was enough to make Leo hate him.

Long battle short, Slash and Rockwell knock out Raphael and grab him before returning to Shredder's lair. Once there, Raphael is subjected to the same testing as the two mutants before him. That scene is what made me stop and realize, "Wow, this episode got dark real quick." The mind control thing was bad enough, but with Raphael, we actually see the process and hear him screaming and everything. It was a really intense moment.

After this, Leo is like, "All right, enough is enough. Let's take down the Shredder." He leads what's left of his team and the Mutanimals on a rescue mission that breaks out into the GREATEST BATTLE OF ALL TIME. Before they get there, though, we see Raphael trying to attack Shredder but being unable to due to the serum, and then the walking tin can has the GALL to turn around and start TRAINING Raph. Ugh.

Once the others arrive to rescue them, the coolest battle sequence I've ever seen from this show follows. Donnie vs. Rockwell, Mikey vs. Tiger Claw, Leatherhead vs. Slash, Pigeon Pete vs. Baxter Stockman, and my personal favorite, Leo vs. Raph. I love Leo and Raph battles. They are rare in this series, but they are SO EPIC when they happen. This one really topped them all, though. As they're fighting, Leo is trying to get to Raph first by reasoning with him and then by calling him names and taunting him. It's enough to make the hothead so angry that he overcomes the serum and is freed from control.

Donnie notices this and begins doing the same to Rockwell, who breaks free a lot faster due to his incredibly powerful mind. Rockwell then turns around and frees Slash. Once everyone is back to normal, all EIGHT of them surround Shredder and attack all at once, and they still get their butts handed to them. It's kind of sad, really, but the whole rest of the episode is totally epic enough to make up for it. Our heroes return to the lair, where Slash apologizes for what he'd done to Splinter (Splinter wasn't exactly fond of the guy, either). Sensei forgives him, Raph gives Leo a huge hug, and the episode ends.

But next week MONDO GECKO is coming, so...yeah. WAY excited for that. He's a throwback to the 1987 series.

I loved everything about this episode. The mind control thing has been used in this series before, but never to this degree of severity, and it's never come about in such a dark way before. In previous episodes the guys had either been stung by a mutant wasp, attacked by mutant pizzas, or controlled by a thousand-year-old spirit. We've never seen a mutant worm (carrier of the serum) drill straight into the victim's skull, and we've never really heard the victim's suffering before. Small grunts and brief episodes of passing out and waking up again are nothing compared to the screaming we heard in this episode. I get chills just thinking about it.

I mostly loved this episode because of the amazing battle sequence at the end. It was extremely well done. The camera just moved along with whoever happened to take center stage at the time rather than randomly flicking from one set of characters to another. The battles themselves, quick and spastic as they were, flowed seamlessly as weapons clashed and characters moved around one another in a kind of dance. (And that's not just my writer's description taking over.)

I'm super excited to see where the series takes us now, especially since new characters are going to be coming in and Shredder's mind control serum didn't work the way he wanted it to. I'm curious about how they're going to save Karai, I REALLY want to see Mona Lisa come in officially, and we haven't seen April or Casey the past couple of episodes, so I wonder what's going on with them now that NYC has been relieved of its Kraang visitors. (I still think Capril is going to happen. Just saying. I've been a Capril fan since Season 2, Episode 4.)

That's all for now! I wasn't planning on writing this blog post at all until I saw the TMNT episode yesterday. All three of my shows giving me their best over the same weekend? This is a momentous occasion! How could I not write about it? (If you follow me on Twitter, you've seen my unstoppable fangirling.)

I'll be writing another blog post later in the week concerning Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, as I've stated before. I'm excited to cover that topic with you guys. Until then, booyakasha!

Free Comic Book Day Haul (May Day Special)

BOOM! Two posts back to back! Bet you didn't see that coming. And as far as the title goes, I don't know what May Day is...I just know that it's a thing my parents celebrated growing up that I have never heard of before. It's just fun to call this post a special, because it is in a way.

Tomorrow is the legit Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), but we were celebrating it at school today because there's hardly anyone on campus over the weekend. It was so cool to be a part of it. I was a judge for the Comic Art Contest as well as the Costume Contest. While there really weren't many people involved, it was such a cool experience. It was like the tip of the iceberg of a Comic Con. (And I mean the TIP.)

And THIS fangirl was all over the place. I collected several comics, both free ones and the ones that came in the mail via subscriptions. So without further ado, allow me to give you a FCBD Haul! These are the titles I picked up today:

• IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (FCBD 2015)
• DC Teen Titans Go! #1 / DC Scooby-Doo Team-Up #1
• Stan Lee's Chakra the Invincible
• Motorcycle Samurai by Chris Sheridan
• Action Lab's Gronk ft. Hero Cats of Stellar City
• BBC's Doctor Who

I have never heard of most of these, but hey, it's always good to try something new! Of course, TMNT was the first one I picked up, and I know about TTG! and Doctor Who. But I'd never seen the others before. I particularly enjoyed Action Lab's Gronk, which is about a little monster girl who epically fails at being a monster because she's so adorable and kind-hearted. That comic also featured the Hero Cats of Stellar City, which I fell in love with immediately. Both stories were really cute. I also took the time to read BBC's Doctor Who, featuring three mini-stories about Doctors 10, 11, and 12! (I may have also grabbed an extra copy for my friend in high school, who had no idea this was going on. She'll be psyched.)

I haven't yet read the other titles I picked up at FCBD, but I will, if only to turn around and be like, "What did I just read?"

Besides those comics, though, over a period of a few months I have collected quite a set that I really need to just sit down and read already. I have my reasons for two sets, but not the third. NO EXCUSES, NERD!!

Anyway.

• IDW TMNT Micro Series #4: Leonarodo
• IDW TMNT #14
• Sonic the Hedgehog #268-271: Champions
• Sonic Universe #71-74: Spark of Life
• Sonic Universe #75

I don't know why I haven't read the TMNT issues. They're solo stories. I think it's because they've been sitting beneath my Sonic comics this whole time. Out of sight, out of mind.

As far as the Sonic comics go...lately I've been waiting until the whole story arc comes out within a series because I hate cliffhangers. But now that I have the full stories for both Sonic titles, once I read those and get all caught up, I won't wait for the entire thing anymore. I'll just have to hang off those cliffs until the next ones come out! I love my Sonic! I don't want to wait! #gottagofaster

On a side note, I received Sonic the Hedgehog #271 in the mail this afternoon, which is partly what inspired this post. So many comics today, and even though I didn't get my free Sonic comic, I got one in the mail. It just seemed like a perfect way to end FCBD. And HOLY CRAP did I fangirl when I got it. Want to know why? Because freaking SCRATCH AND GROUNDER were on the cover, and they haven't been on the cover of a Sonic comic since the 1990's!! I love those guys!! It is so cool to see them back in the spotlight again. (I guess there IS an upside to the effects of the Second Genesis Wave after all...)

And there you have it!! Those are the comics I've collected recently - now to sit down and read them all! I'm particularly excited to finish "Spark of Life," because the fact that Nicole meets her father is kind of a big deal. Like, I didn't even realize her father was still alive. (Genesis Wave!)

One more thing: a couple of days ago I realized that the Sonic Super Store was having a huge sale on Sonic Graphic Novels, and I spent an hour or so trying to figure out which ones I really, REALLY wanted. It was hard! So many of the Sonic Select series contained rare miniseries (Sally, Tails, Sonic Quest, etc.). In the end I ended up getting Sonic Legacy #3, Sonic Select #3, and Sonic Select #9. I previously had not owned any of the Sonic Select series, and now I have two on the way! I'm really psyched for #9, because it's all about gaming and it has Shadow on the cover. <3

That's all for now. I'll be back next week with some interesting information about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 (casting, photos, news, etc.). See you then!