Movie Trailer: Twilight

Here's the newest trailer for the upcoming Twilight movie which comes out on December 12 (aka: not soon e-friggin-nough).



At first I was skeptical of Cedric Diggory as Edward but now that I see it I am happy. Kristin Stewart should be good, I liked her in Speak. Here's the other trailer that's out.



For more Twilight info the movie site is here, IMDB is here. The book site is here. And the new book comes out August 2nd. Chances that I will be going to midnight madness for that book? 100% baby.

The Tarot Cafe Volume 1 &2 by Sang-sun Park

Volume 1:

• Paperback: 184 pages

Publisher: TokyoPop (March 8, 2005)

• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595325557
• ISBN-13: 978-1595325556
• List Price: $9.99

Volume 2:

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop (June 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595325565
• ISBN-13: 978-1595325563
• List Price: $9.99

First off: my new puppy ate one of these books, which is awful. We won't be repeating that mistake again. In any event: Viggo says they are tasty.
So: this is a fairly popular comic book series. Basically you have Pamela, who has crazy hair, tells fortunes and runs the cafe. She happens to tell fortunes to a hodge podge of different folks: like a dude who's really a cat. Or a blind male model/vampire. So, what you really have is little vignettes of their stories framed by Pammy in the cafe.
The vignette I liked the best was in the first book with the vampire dude. He keeps finding his true love over again and then offing her sister. I hate when that happens. There is also a cool one about a puppet master who's boy puppet falls in love with him. Please enjoy a visual sample, here:

The next book has a little more about Pamela and there's also a werewolf boy, which is cool. I can see how this is popular with the tweeny girls cause it has some dark ideas/themes plus fantasy fun. Here's one thing, now: anime male characters are often very pretty but these guys are downright beautiful (and they might be wearing lip gloss. strawberry lip gloss) and I often had to use context clues and dialog to make sure I knew the sex of the character. See, check out cat boy, pretty, huh? I wish my lips were that full. Either way, it's something I found funny and a little odd. Boys will have to be pretty secure in their masculinity to dig on this as much as the female of the species.
If you lurve this series you can join a fan group here. Also, here's the TokyoPop webpage, if you want to check out similar manga.

Dracula: the Graphic Novel by Bram Stoker, Gary Reed and Becky Cloonan

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (March 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142405728
• ISBN-13: 978-0142405727
• List Price: $10.99

Let's start with the cover shall we? Wow. First, Dracula looks like a male stripper/Elvis impersonator version of a vampire, no? Not nearly as sexy as Stuart Townsend or Keifer Sutherland (or really anyone from the Lost Boys) and not nearly as creepy as Bela Lugosi. Also, Mina looks like Christina Ricci. A lot. Not that there's anything wrong with that but she should totally sue.
Okay, that's off my chest. Now, the actual illustrations. There's nothing wrong with them, per say. It's just that...well...everyone looks like they are in a goddamn emo band. Seriously. It's bizarre. Please check out Jonathan Harker getting bitten by Dracula here: He's all "Oh noes! Please don't mess up my eye makeup!" All I'm saying is: he looks like Pete Wentz. Which is bad news. (Damn you, Becky Cloonan, for making me admit I know who that douche is.) And you think Dracula looks bad there? When he gets young he grows flowing locks of fury. Spooky! The female characters actually look pretty good. They have good hair that artfully blows into their faces as all comic book females should (I wish my hair did that). Dr. Seward looks like a malnourished Snape with a ponytail. And he's inexplicable sweaty. Oooh! And Van Helsing sort of looks like a wolf man.
Thirdly: the adaptation. I'm not saying it's bad. But I'm not saying it's good. I'm just saying this: if I hadn't just read Dracula I would probably be very confused.
I have to hope that this kind of book would appeal to the tween population and maybe I'm just too old and lame to get it. But, I kinda doubt it.
Now, for fun: please enjoy a booknerd recommended video. My excuse for posting this is that this song is definitely vampiric. And it's effin rad. Thanks, Chip!

bee's random ramblings

So, my astute lovelies, you've probably noticed that this post isn't a book review. And you'd be right. It's a love note from me to tell you that I will be out of town a lot during the rest of the month. I'm going on two separate trips to Florida, and will have only sporadic internet access.
I mention this because I like to think you'll miss me. The real moral of the story is that I won't be on my meebo chat so if have something really important to say you can e-mail me (check out my profile for the address).
In other news: I have been asked several times lately how I choose what to read next. Mostly, I choose based on two things: recommendations from friends/colleagues, or book reviews. I read lots and lots of book reviews at my job. Anywho: up till now I have collected titles of books I wanted to read on little post it notes (have I mentioned that I'm a school supply junkie? check out this cryptic quiz of movies made out of office supplies. it's good times.) Because the post it's have been taking over my life I have begun to make an actual list that I won't loose. You can peek at it here, please note that it's just a random listing of some of the post its I've collected with titles i want to check out. Also note that I hate capitalizing things. I'm not sorry. Feel free to give me more suggestions, I'm always looking.
Okay, one last thing to share with you: I totally stalk where people come from to get to my site and what search terms lead people here. Some of them are hysterical and I will now share them for your amusement.

• schmoozing geek
• what happens in the champagne room (no sex, that's what, son!)
• gay bum sex (heehee! I can't imagine why!)
• how to get an awesome ponytail (I'm number 2 - that cracks my shit up!)
• werewolf sex room (okay, that's too weird even for me)
  
• foxy librarian (that's me!)
• naughty greek gods
• homosexual priests
• inappropriate behavior
  

There are actually tons of ones about these two things: gay porn and man ponytails/80s hair.
So, if you've come here accidentally while looking for porn please stick around even though there is no boobage or naked men (but you know, there are some books about gay sex) If you've come here trying to find how to have an awesome 80's man-shag maybe, um, you should reconsider that look. Just sayin' So, lovely reader...how did you get here? (perv)
The moral of this post: I'll be on vacation but I promise I'll be reading a lot (finishing up my challenge books!) and I'll post when I can! p.s. pretend like you miss me!

Strangehaven Vol 3: Conspiracies by Gary Spencer Millidge

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Abiogenesis (September 21, 2005)
• ISBN-10: 0946790078
• ISBN-13: 978-0946790074
• List Price: $14.95
• I finished this book on April 10

I know you're expecting the exciting conclusion to Strangehaven right now, but too bad: it wasn't the end! That's right, guys, its happened again. Remember A Distant Soil? Argh!! And once again, the last book isn't even available yet. Boo. To. That.
Anyway, I suppose I will begrudgingly tell you what happened even though I'm mad. Ku Klux Klan outfit guys tried to get Alex into their group, and while he was inclined to say boo to that a couple of the people from town convinced him to go in as a spy. Apparently Strangehaven is a kind of magical hot spot that affects the whole world (not to be confused with the Hellmouth, guys). And the KKK dress guys are gonna put the whammy on the universe if they aren't balanced by the white witches in the town.
In other news, the murder (which was actually two like I thought) from the last book is pretty much ironed out and don't worry one of the many ponytailed men was exonerated. There was also more infidelity and the switching of identities. Oooh! And there was a ghost who came back to hang with his wife when she died. That's sweet, and you know it. Warms my heart.
So this is the problem I always have with graphic novels and comics: I can't get my hands on the good ones in order. Hopefully when this next one comes out I'll be able to get my hot paws on it quickly and share it with you all. Cross your fingers
If your interested, you can check out some of Millidge's other artwork: here. And for fun: here's a picture of Millidge with his flowing locks of love falling over his face as he signs some comics. I dunno, guys, it's funny to me.

Strangehaven Vol. 2: Brotherhood by Gary Spencer Millidge

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Abiogenesis (March 1, 2001)
• ISBN-10: 0946790051
• ISBN-13: 978-0946790050
• List Price: $13.95
• I finished this book on April 10

So, I've gotta tell you kiddies, a lot just happened. Like I mentioned, the first book had various bizarro plot lines going on and they kept right on going in this one.
So, this book did not focus on Alex as much as the first one did, though he played a part in it. He gets lost in the woods for like a week (which is apparently enough time to grow a ponytail) and then comes back to start teaching. Imagine his surprise when there are only two students and some creepy dummies in the classroom. Other than him there's an affair going on in which the young woman decides to tell the wife (because that always works out well) and of course, our pal the alien guy who I think has a skullet (looks like from balding though, not shaving). Either way, there are many many plots weaving in and out here.
Now, I like to think I'm a sharp cookie (what does that phrase even mean, when you think about it, it doesn't even make sense) and I can follow a confusing plot. Having said that, it might be easier for this girl to understand it is every man in the book didn't have long hair wearing a ponytail. Seriously, there's at least 3 ponytail guys in here. Not to mention that because of Millidge's interesting illustrations and shading these guys sometimes look blond and sometimes not - so I'm all "huh?" and have to go back and think about which ponytail dude I'm looking at. Maybe that makes me visually illiterate or something, but I'm okay with that. I have a theory that perhaps Mr. Millidge only has so many male characters with long hair because that's clearly the style he likes to rock. As evidenced by the photos of his flowing locks. So, for fun: please enjoy a picture of him getting made fun of for his awesome 80's hair at a comic con (pic is halfway down the page - caption is priceless).
Sorry, I got all sidetracked thinking about petting the author...dreamy. Anywho: did I mention that there was one death, possibly two at the end of this book? There was. So, yeah, I have to go and find what happens. Up Next: the exciting conclusion!

A Distant Soil: Coda by Colleen Doran

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158240478X
• ISBN-13: 978-1582404783
• List Price: $17.99
• I finished this book on Jan. 8

Oh my, boys and girls. Let me tell you a story about A Distant Soil. Here's me on my big comfy chair with a blanket and one to two purring snuggly kitties. I'm reading A Distant Soil: The Aria (Book 3) and I'm starting to get close to the end. I say to the kitties "Gee, I'll bet there's like a cheesy wrap it up quick ending because I'm getting close to the end of the book and there's still a lot going on." The cats nod and go back to sleep. Then they wake in fear at my screams of anguish when I get to the end of the book and it wasn't the end! I had no idea. I had taken books one through three from the library. Since it was all they had I assumed it was a trilogy. Anyway, I had to wait quite a while for my order of the fourth book to come in.
While it definitely sated my hunger temporarily it was not the quenching drink of great graphic novel goodness I was hoping for. This is mainly due to the fact that it's still not the last book and worse...the final book is not out yet. Boo to that.
The story of this graphic novel as best as I can relay it is thus: Seren is the embodiment of a God on his planet, but is at best a figurehead and at worst a slave to the sadistic politicians that make up the hierarchy. He leads a double life, that of the Avatar, and that of a leader of the resistence against the heirarchy. He travels to Earth and recruits two human youths who are the children of one of Seren's teacher. This makes them half of his race, and they turn out to be exceptionally powerful beings. With the help of other human fighters they try to take on the Heirarchy. Craziness goes down, however, and they end up cutting off Seren's beautiful man ponytail.
So the story is amazing, though I realize my description makes little to no sense. This particular volume wasn't my favorite so far though, I must admit. This is probably because the relationship between Seren and D'mer is my favorite part and they were apart for the whole book. I had to take solace in D'mer hitting on the super uncomfortable Kovar. One thing I do like about these books is that everyone is beautiful and almost naked all the time (mmmm, cartoon sex). They are funny and sexy ( I'm totally into man on man action!). I really could cry and laugh on the same page. The illustrations are amazing and I love pretty much everything about it. The only reason this doesn't get the Bee seal of approval-love is because it's not the effin end to the story. The moral of the story is, though, that you should read it.
Check out the site here