Month/Year in Review: December 2019

I decided to join together my month and year in review, one because I'm lazy, and two because I think more significant things happened in December alone rather than the entire year. So, here is what happened in December, as well as 2019 as a whole :)

What I Read:

Sissy: A Coming of Gender Story by: Jacob Tobia: 5/5 stars
Shadow and Bone by: Leigh Bardugo: 4/5 stars

Favourite book: Sissy is an amazing memoir by Jacob Tobia. It was hilarious, as well as made me really passionate about gender. (So much so, that I have been schooling a lot of people who enforce gender roles as of recent).

Favourite book of the year: This is difficult, because a lot of the books I read that I loved are quite different from each other. I think the title is gonna have to go to Crazy Rich Asians by: Kevin Kwan. This story basically dominated my entire summer, and I fell in love with the movie as well.

Goodreads Challenge: I barely scraped by with my challenge, reading 41/40 books for the year. I actually started with a goal of 50, but I did not read much in the middle of the year at all, so I slipped really far behind. I'm happy that I shortened my goal, because I finally was able to pull through at the end. Hopefully I can get up to my usual streak of 50 books a year in 2020.

What I Blogged:

I didn't really have a particular favourite blog post of the month, however I most definitely had a favourite of the year, and that was my rant about Don Cherry. You've probably heard me mention this post before, but it represented a drastic change in writing for me, because at that point I stopped being just a book blog, and realized that I wanted to branch out and talk about more issues that interest me. Expect more of these posts in 2020, especially one coming really soon in which my sister and I called out a food blogger for fat-shaming and promoting wastefulness. (Story to come!)

Favourite Blog Posts:

Cee looks back at Our Roaring 20s 
Veronika discusses Ten Things that Comfort Her
Karissa and Mary review The Rise of Skywalker


Life Stuff:

December was a really chaotic month for me. I had exams and final essays, finished off fall term with quite good marks, and of course, got ready for Christmas and my birthday.

I was really nervous for Christmas because of my social anxiety, but I am happy to report that I had no major incidents and actually was able to enjoy the season instead of worrying.

I also spent the first half of December preparing for my road test, which I am happy to report that, I PASSED. I finally have a full license, which is a huge relief for me because I no longer have to go through lessons or the stress of tests. My license has been the main source of stress in my life for about four years now, I am thrilled to finally be rid of it.

My Christmas was amazing, a lot of my family came down and I got some presents that will hopefully help to busy my mind during the more sad months of January and February. (I typically get very down in these months). I really wanted to take up knitting because I read that it helps to alleviate stress, so my mom got me knitting needles and yarn. I am so excited!

I also got Disney plus, which will be very comforting to me because pretty much all of my favourite shows and movies are on there. I also feel pretty badass because I have never had a streaming service before, so I feel like I can finally join in the fun lol.

I saw The Rise of Skywalker a couple of days ago, and boy do I have some thoughts. It was very bittersweet for me. I am sad to see the Skywalker saga go, and I didn't necessarily think that this movie did everything justice. However, there were also some moments I really loved. There will definitely be a movie review to come very soon, I just have to chat about a few things.

Overall, 2019, like most of my years, had an equal number of ups and downs. Anxiety tried to weasel its way in, but I took charge by starting therapy and trying new coping mechanisms. I think my main goal for 2020 is to try and keep my mind busy, especially when I am at my loneliest, because there is nothing more dangerous for me then when I am alone with my thoughts. So that is what I am trying to do to keep my mind healthy.

I am excited for 2020. I think that I can turn it into a great year if I try. I hope to get into some really good books, and leave the year feeling a lot happier and healthier.

Happy New Year to you all! I hope 2020 is your best year yet :)

How was your December/2019? Do you have any 2020 goals?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Anne of Green Gables by: Lucy Maud Montgomery

Genre: Classic, Children's Fiction
Published: 1908
Pages: 320
Rating: 4/5 stars

Desperate for some help around their quaint Prince Edward Island farmhouse, siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert decide to adopt a young boy. However, a mix-up at the orphanage results in them adopting Anne Shirley, a fiery young girl who knows nothing about Marilla's strict way of life. As Marilla attempts to teach Anne proper social decorum, Anne begins to teach Marilla, and her by-the- book new town, how to live life not so seriously.

I had to read this book for my children's literature course, and I did not expect it to go well. I have a love-hate relationship with classics, and this one is a bit longer and tedious. However, I was shocked to find that I completely flew through this book, and I definitely want to read more in the series.

I found Anne to be so incredibly heartwarming. The descriptions of peaceful PEI scenery, mixed with the lovable characters, made for a very light-hearted read. I didn't find it heavy or overbearing, just overall very adorable.

The secondary characters were very enjoyable to read. Matthew was a kind soul, Diana was a very patient friend, and I enjoyed reading about Marilla's change in character. These characters really won this book over for me. However, the one thing that didn't make Anne a complete win, was the main character herself.

I found Anne to be incredibly childish, and frustratingly stubborn. Even when she grew older, she just seemed to be unnecessarily difficult. I get that this is part of her charm, and part of what makes the plot. But for me, I never really enjoy characters like that. So, she kinda irritated me as a protagonist.

But other than that, I am so happy that I loved this book. It made studying it so much easier, and I would also love to go further in the series.

Have you read Anne of Green Gables? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 by: Jordie Bellaire, Dan Mora, Raul Angulo

Genre: Comic, Fantasy
Published: January 23, 2019 by: Boom! Studios
Pages: 30
Rating: 5/5 stars

Buffy Summers is no ordinary teen. She is the vampire slayer, chosen to defend the town of Sunnydale from the forces of darkness. When she befriends Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris, the trio, along with Buffy's watcher Giles, band together to protect their high school and each other, from all of the weird creatures lurking in the town.

I love Buffy so much. I have re-watched the series a number of times, and I think it is one of the most culturally iconic shows of all time. I have read a few adaptations from the world of Buffy, but never have I gotten into the comics. Finally, I saw this in a comic book store and decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did!

First off, props to the artists for creating such fabulous drawings. This comic takes a modern spin on the word of Buffy, meaning it's set in modern day as opposed to the 90's. I thought the artists did an awesome job at bringing Buffy into the modern world, through vibrant colours and techniques.

I was weary on how I would receive Buffy through a modern day set-up. I think that Buffy being set in the 90's is such an iconic part of the story, and I didn't want them to mess with that. But, I didn't find that an issue at all. I was fully immersed into the story, and Bellaire kept in all of the important aspects to Buffy's story that would have been too important to change. This comic felt like it came from the Buffy world, which I can appreciate.

So overall, this comic was a big win for me! I hope to read more Buffy comics, as I seem to really enjoy them.

Have you read/watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Helen of Troy by: Margaret George

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mythology
Published: August 3, 2006 by: Viking Adult
Pages: 611
Rating: 4/5 stars

Helen is the most beautiful woman of the Mediterranean. Fathered by Zeus himself, Helen's divine beauty becomes a hot commodity, and eventually she is married off to Spartan king Menelaus. But, their relationship soon turns sour, and Helen finds herself enthralled by Paris, a young Trojan prince whose land has just aligned with Sparta. All alliances are off when Helen flees to Troy to be with Paris, and Menelaus and his ruthless brother Agamemnon launch a brutal 10 year war to get her back. Inspired by the infamous Iliad, Margaret George changes up the classic formula of the Trojan War, by having Helen narrate her own story.

If you know me, you know that I am a sucker for anything related to the Trojan War. I read the Iliad for fun. David Benioff's Troy is one of my biggest guilty pleasure movies. I know, I know, the movie kinda sucks. But, movie adaptations of the Trojan War are slim so I don't really have much to choose from. And we got Ned Stark as Odysseus, so it's still a decent movie in my book.

I will pick up any and every book having to do with the Trojan War. I saw this book at the library, and with a whopping 600 pages, I knew it would be just the thing to read over summer vacation. (Yes, I read this book in the summer and am only reviewing it now. Can you say, behind on reviews much?)

Anyways, I was not disappointed by this novel. I knew at some point I just had to read a retelling of the Trojan War through a woman's perspective, because a lot of the adaptations are pretty misogynistic. And who better to hear it from than Helen herself? I think George perfectly captured Helen's voice, and I was not disappointed by her characterization.

Helen's characterization was something I was a bit worried for. A lot of adaptations portray her as dull and naive, basically just a pretty face. I thought she had large levels of intelligence and rationality within this novel. The girl knows what she wants, and I could appreciate that. I found that in this novel, Paris was more of the naive one, which I loved because I have always pictured Paris as a really stupid guy.

I thought that this book was accurate to the classic depiction of the Trojan War, which I really loved. I don't like it when adaptations sensationalize the war, or give it a Hollywood-esque feel. There are still classical texts that should be followed as the basic guidelines for the story. I could tell that George did her research on this novel, and didn't just piece together what is commonly known about the Trojan War and call it a day. There was textual accuracy.

The one thing that I didn't love about this novel, is that it is extremely character driven. I mean, this is rightly so, because the novel is from the perspective of a character who did not directly fight in the war. It makes sense that the novel would be based more off of her life then in the direct action of the Trojan War. But I guess for me, I was expecting more allusions to the battle and the important figures in the battle. I would have liked to see more of Helen's opinions on important figures such as Odysseus, Patroclus, and Achilles. I f*cking love Achilles. (When I say this, I picture Achilles as the morally developed gay icon in Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles, not Brad Pitt's misogynistic adaptation in Troy).

I knew that this review would veer off track, because I get a little carried away when someone so much as mentions the Trojan War. I'm just a little passionate, ok? Anyways, bottom line is, I really loved the characterization of Helen and George's attention to detail. I didn't love how we didn't see as much of the battle, and I wanted the novel to have a better balance of character vs. plot. But, overall, I would call this retelling a win!

Have you read Helen of Troy? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Month in Review: November

The Christmas season is officially upon us and I am almost done with this semester! Time flies when you're trying not to fail your classes :D Here's what happened in November:

What I Read: 

Anne of Green Gables by: Lucy Maud Montgomery: 4/5 stars
The Island of Dr. Moreau by: H.G.Wells: 1/5 stars

It was a bummer of a reading month, and both of these books were for school. I obviously enjoyed Anne of Green Gables a lot more, which is surprising because I didn't think I would like it at all! As for Dr. Moreau, well I am currently stressed out of my mind trying to write an essay on it. It's funny how difficult essays become when you really hated the book.

What I Blogged:

By far, my favourite blog post that I published this month was my rant on Canada's Idolisation of an Old White Man and his Racism. It was a discussion on the Don Cherry scandal, and it generated a lot of traffic blog-wise for me. I'm so happy it was well received!

Favourite Blog Posts of the Month: 

Veronika asks if YA Prices has Gotten out of Hand? 

Cee discusses Marginalisation in Dystopia 

Shayna reveals the Odd Things She's Found in Library Books 

Life Stuff: 

I am preparing for final papers and exams right now, and just wishing for Christmas to be upon me already. However, a part of me is also quite stressed for December. As a socially anxious person, the prospect of the amount of parties that Christmas entails is very daunting. I am already stressed about my work Christmas party on Monday, because I have had full on panic attacks at these kinds of gatherings before.

I also have my final road test on December 18, (one day before my birthday!) which has been the main source of stress at the back of my mind for probably the past three years. Once I pass this test I will finally be done with all of this bullshit, but I do not test well AT ALL and even though I am a good and careful driver, as soon as the instructor is in the car I will freeze up. I always joke that road tests take like five years off my life in terms of the stress they give me. So let's hope that come the end of December when I'm writing my month in review, I will only have good news to share!

That being said, I really do enjoy (the quiet) parts of Christmas and getting to go home. I am also getting a new tattoo this month which I am excited about.

I love how this portion turned from talking about stuff that happened in November, to worrying about the future. But, that's just how my brain works!

How was your November? What are you looking forward to in December?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Heretics Anonymous by: Katie Henry

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Published: August 7, 2018 by: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 329
Rating: 4/5 stars

After his dad switches jobs, Michael is sent to the strict Catholic school St. Clare's. There's only problem though, and that is that Michael is an atheist. He is determined that Catholic school will not change his mind. When be befriends Lucy, a loyal Catholic determined to make progressive changes to the church, he is whisked into the world of Heretic's Anonymous. This secret society plays host to a number of kids who want to live their lives truthfully, despite what their school may tell them. But, when Michael starts a mission that threatens to reveal the society to the school, he must grapple with his the new relationships he has formed, and his faith.

I have seen this book around many bookstores, and finally decided to pick it up. I am an agnostic who has struggled with faith and spirituality all my life. I also went to strict Catholic school, so I thought there would be an element of relatability to this book. I was definitely right.

This book was very funny. I am a sucker for using humour to deal with religious themes, and this book does that. There is also a heavy element of morality/ethics to it. Think of it like YA's answer to The Good Place. I happen to love that show, so I found this book to be equally as enjoyable.

This book was very easy to get through. It was light-hearted, and it didn't try too hard. It was funny enough to keep me thoroughly entertained, so I didn't find myself getting bored. It was a very fun read.

I'm not giving this book five stars, simply because it didn't give me a real "wow" factor. Yes, it was enjoyable. Yes, it was funny. But, there wasn't anything truly impactful about it to warrant it five stars. Sometimes books are just light-hearted entertainment, and that's fine.

Have you read Heretics Anonymous? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Paperback's Pondering's: On Canada's Idolization of Don Cherry and his Racism

Today's post is going to be EXTREMELY different from anything I have ever done. It's not even book related. But, if you're from Canada, this story has been the main headline for the past week, and I have so many opinions about it that I need to get out. I decided to take a page out of Cee @ Dora Read's book and get start writing about social justice issues that I care about, whether book related or not. So, let's get started:

For those of you who have no idea what's been going on, basically Sportsnet (one of the main sports networks in Canada) fired Don Cherry, a sports commentator who has hosted Hockey Night in Canada's Coach's Corner every Saturday for over 30 years. Basically, Don, now 85 years old, has a segment every Saturday night during the intermission for the NHL hockey games that feature Canadian teams. The broadcast airs nationwide, and he comments alongside his partner Ron McLean on hockey news, how the teams are playing, but he is also well-known for his dedication to veterans and his speeches on the Saturday before Remembrance Day. He basically became a Canadian icon, and a lot of people grew up watching him every Saturday. Myself included.

Growing up, I thought Don was kinda funny. I didn't really pay attention to what he said hockey-wise, but he always wore funky suits, and I thought he was just a cool symbol of Canadian culture. But when I got older, I began to recognise that the stuff he was saying seemed a little bit outdated, and offensive. Soon I began to see him as he really is: a racist bigot.

Last Saturday, so right before Remembrance Day, Don went on a rant, critcizing immigrants who come to Canada looking for "the land of milk and honey," but don't wear poppies. He called immigrants "you people," and he cited Mississauga, one of the most culturally diverse cities in Canada, as being one of the places in which he never sees people wearing poppies.

*for those outside the commonwealth, most commonwealth countries wear poppies up until Remembrance Day as respect for veterans.

Don never apologized for his actions, and people were outraged, myself included. How dare he state that immigrants, who may be coming here with absolutely no knowledge on Canadian culture, have no respect for veterans? How care he criticize culturally-diverse cities, while praising the "small towns" where nothing has changed. We know what you mean there Don, you mean small towns with all-white populations.

I also found it interesting that he seems to know who "immigrants" are just by walking the streets of Mississauga. Are you just assuming, Don, that if you see a brown person without a poppy, that they are an immigrant with no care for Canadian customs? You're not thinking of the fact that maybe their poppy fell off, or they're wearing a different coat, or they're wearing it under their coat? Of course you're just assuming, because you have a racist mindset, and a vendetta against anyone who isn't from the small-town white Canadian life you seem to champion.

The main argument from his defenders, is that he is an 85 year old icon who shouldn't be fired after all these years for one mistake. But, the truth is, that Don has made plenty of mistakes in the past. He has constantly made fun of European hockey players who react when getting hurt, calling them soft. He has championed that getting hit in the head is just "part of the game," and that concussion protocol isn't needed. He has perpetuated toxic masculinity within the sport. I don't care how many episodes of Coach's Corner I have watched in the past, I will certainly feel better not seeing him on my tv.

I'm also very pissed off that he decided to take the poppy, a cherished symbol of remembrance, and use it to perpetuate racism. However, this is a trend that I have been seeing with a lot of Canadians nowadays. For some, the poppy is now a symbol of how "good" of a Canadian you are. Wearing one automatically gets you the stamp of approval in the Canadian books. I feel like I'm being judged if I forget to wear mine, and especially if you are brown, not wearing one immediately puts a target on your back.

And, some people choose not to wear one for personal reasons. Some people don't wear it because they feel as if it glorifies war and militarism. Some First Nations people and other people of colour choose not to wear one because of the history of mistreatment both before and after the war against their people. It's a personal choice, and by not wearing one, it does not say anything about your status as a "good" Canadian, and it doesn't say anything about your respect towards vets. To me, you can still be respectful and appreciative of veterans without having something pinned to your coat. There are other ways to show your appreciation. And Don has no right to judge anyone for that.

I'm happy he was fired. He has consistently preached a white, nationalistic agenda, and his opinions are outdated and wrong. I just saw today that he was interviewed by Tucker Carlson on Fox News, so that should tell you everything you need to know about Don Cherry. I think it is about time somebody put him his place, and I don't think he receives any pass just because he was idolized by so many Canadians. If anything, I think that the fact that he is 85 years old, and still got fired, is a good example of how racism is not excusable at any age. He should not be excused just because he is from an older generation.

Good riddance, Don. My Saturday's are a lot nicer without you in them.

Emily @ Paperback Princess