The Changing Face of Obsession

Dear All,

You may have noticed recently, if you're as addicted a blog stalker as I am, that my blog has had a bit of a facelift. If you're not an avid follower, just trust me, the blog has changed!

Whilst I really love my old blog header, and may reinstate it from time to time, I found it was too dark. Along with my recent Harry Potter background, I could barely read my own reviews without needing a new pair of glasses. *Yes I wear glasses. Are you surprised? I am a book and blog geek after all :)

So when my younger sister offered to draw me a new header I jumped at the chance. It's not exactly super professional but I like it and it fits me. It's bookish but not altogether super professional which is me down to my toes.

Over the coming week I'll be making some other slight changes to make the blog more accessible and I'll be fixing up the menu tabs which I have shamefully let slide because, let's face it, I am just plain lazy.

Apologies in advance if things go amiss.

Pash, Pick or Pass: Hogwarts Edition

Pash, Pick or Pass is a meme hosted by Belle's Bookshelf If you've never played before, the idea is that you choose from a particular grouping of guys who you'd...well....pash, pick or pass on! In honor of the imminent final film, this weeks contenders are chosen from the realms of Harry Potter and there are TWO rounds. Yay!

Round One: Gryffindor's Greats - Ron, Harry and Neville

My Choices

Pash: Neville. If you trawl through my blog you'll see why I have such love for Neville. He has come such a long way and I have to give him props for really growing a pair in the last few books. Also: see below for future swoon potential.

Pick: Harry. I've loved Harry from the first moment he stepped out of the closet under the stairs.I'm so glad he survived and so sad that the films are at an end.

Pass: Ron. He's cute but I can't see him as more than anything but a best friend type.

Side note: OK. So we can all agree that Matthew Lewis has done a good job growing up, but is anyone else seeing the Clive Owen resemblance or am I going out of my mind as usual? Come on, you know you can see it! Just nod your heads.

Round Two: Slytherin's Stars - Voldemort, Snape and Malfoy

My Choices:

Pash: Draco. Because let's face it, he's the looker of the bunch and after all isn't that what pashing is about?

Pick: Definitely Snape. I can see myself getting along with him like a cauldron on fire and he was probably the most interesting and in depth character of the whole series.

Pass: Voldemort. No explanation required. Even with the Tom Riddle image.

There you go! Those are my picks. Feel free to post your own. Happy pashing!

Top 5 Supporting Characters

So I've been thinking a lot lately about some of the supporting characters in the novels I've been reading and how they are completely kick-ass awesome but tend to get left out of the limelight a little. This is my tribute to those characters who left a big impression despite their smaller roles (BEWARE- may contain spoilers).

1. EDDIE CASTILE - VAMPIRE ACADEMY/BLOODLINES
I first thought of this post just after reading Last Sacrifice and it seems a little redundant now that Eddie is going to be a part of Bloodlines, but at the time I was seething. As much as I love Rose (my number 1 heroine), I couldn't for the life of me understand how the author could let her be OK with the fact that Eddie was thrown in jail. And hello Queen Lissa, try not to be so useless for once and get him the heck out! (as you can see I'm still holding on to some residual anger).
      Eddie is to me a mini Dimitri, minus the Russian accent and Strigoi experience. He's got it all. Dedication, loyalty, badass fighting skills, quiet thoughtfulness and a dead best friend he's guilty about not being able to save to give him the extra edge. I only hope that Bloodlines will cut poor Eddie some slack.

Image by Mellow Strawberry

2. NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM - HARRY POTTER
Poor little Neville. I loved you from the start and while I agree with the Luna love that seems to have swept Harry Potter fans, you will remain my favourite. At first, I liked Neville because of his penchant for herbology as I'm a bit of an avid gardener and florist. But the more the books continued the more Neville came into his own. I had to suppress a little fit on the train when Neville joined Dumbledore's Army and by the end of Deathly Hallows there is no arguing with the fact that Neville is nothing short of a hero.
       Harry might be the famous Boy Who Lived but Neville had a tough time growing up as well. And he had to do it without the best friends and extra support.

3. MATTHEW - OBERNEWTYN CHRONICLES
It doesn't bode well for a character when the author doesn't give them a last name. You can probably tell by now that I have a bit of a weak spot for underdogs. Mathew was the first misfit to reach out to Elspeth when she arrived at Obernewtyn. Matthew can only be described as a hopeless optimist and a fiercely loyal friend. I was so looking forward to seeing his character develop and then rip! the author had him captured by slavers only to reappear as snippets of Elspeth's dreams.
           Disappointment couldn't accurately describe how I felt when this happened. Especially since his name wasn't even part of the character glossary in my copy of the fourth book in the series, though I'm hoping this was an error of some kind. Some internet sources have even started to speculate that Matthew is the Destroyer that Elspeth is fated to encounter in her search for the beforetime weapons. I refuse to believe this could be true. He will always be the little misfit boy with a lilting accent and a slight limp to me.

4. THRESH - THE HUNGER GAMES
I don't know what it was about him but Thresh really hit a nerve with me. I was sad when the other tributes (even Cato and Clove) died but something about Thresh's death seemed so hollow. He received so little page time but every mention of his name spoke volumes for his character. District 11 had already given their thanks to Katniss for trying to save Rue and she told him so, but Thresh spared her life anyway.
      There was a bit of a Boo Radley feeling about Thresh and I like to think that his actions played a major part in Katniss' survival. I'll say this for the author, she sure knows how to pack a powerful character in a few pages. R.I.P Thresh. We will always remember your sacrifice.

5. JENNA - HEX HALL
OK. This last one is more me being wishful than anything else because Jenna has the potential to be absolutely rockin'. Instead, the author has her tailgating vibrant and sarcastic Sophie without having any of it rub off on her. I mean, come on lady! You are a freakin' vampire. Less of the pining and more of the fangs. PLEEEAASE! Jenna needs a big dose of WWBD (What Would Buffy Do?)
         I thought the trip to England would be a good backdrop for Jenna to really come into her own. Instead she just played house and made nice with another vampire. Huh? Huh? *tears hair out*
         Come on Jenna. I am expecting big things from you in the next installment. Please don't let me down.

So that's my list. Feel free to drop by and let me know which supporting characters get you going.

Over and Out.