Random Promotion Thursday! Weekly Thursday event where I randomly promote one book, movie, and TV Show that I want people to know about!

Book: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

4 Stars

Graceling is an excellent addition to the YA Fantasy genre. Lots of action, magic, romance, and of course, long treks on horseback. Katsa is a fiery heroine who doesn’t know exactly who she is, letting others define her identity for her; until she meets Po. I loved this book, and have read it multiple times. Highly recommended for lovers of Fantasy. I also highly recommend Fire, a companion novel to Graceling, which I will be reviewing later this year; another fantastic fantasy, almost better than Graceling. The third of the series, Bitterblue, is high on my to-read list.

Good Reads Summary:
His eyes, Katsa had never seen such eyes. One was silver, and the other, gold. They glowed in his sun-darkened face, uneven, and strange. She was surprised that they hadn’t shone in the darkness of their first meeting. They didn’t seem human….

Then he raised his eyebrows a hair, and his mouth shifted into the hint of a smirk. He nodded at her, just barely, and it released her from her spell.

Cocky, she thought. Cocky and arrogant, this one, and that was all there was to make of him. Whatever game he was playing, if he expected her to join him he would be disappointed.

In a world where people born with an extreme skill—called a Grace—are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of the skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po’s friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away…a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Movie: Amelie or Le fabuleux destin d’Amelie Poulain

3.5 Stars

Rated R for sexual content

This French gem is absolutely delightful. In style, it is the closest thing I have found to the TV show Pushing Daisies. Very stylized, very fun, absolutely fascinating to watch; yes, it’s in French, so unless you are fluent, you have to watch it with subtitles. It’s lovely to watch Amelie and how she positively affects other people’s lives, paying it forward, standing up for others. There is some explicit sexual content in this movie, so not recommended for younger than 18. All in all, a very entertaining and interesting film.

IMDB Synopsis: Amelie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way, discovers love.

TV Show: Pretty Little Liars

3.5 Stars

I know what you’re thinking: Really Jessica? PLL? WHY?

But honestly, this show is more complicated and interesting than it sounds. Sure, it’s ABC Family, and with that designation comes certain things: not the best acting (although the acting on PLL is probably some of the best on the network, and has actually gotten a lot better than when the show began), soap opera plots (true, though some of the mysteries and conflicts on this show are downright chilling; much more interesting than your average soap opera) and taboo subject matter. This last one I can’t argue with. This show deals with incest, gay relationships, teacher-student romance, extra-marital affairs…I could go on. But they tend to spread the taboo stuff out so it doesn’t seem like ABC is beating you over the head with it. The main focus in the mystery side of things, although there are episodes that sometimes feel like filler episodes. But when they do an episode right, it can leave you staring at the screen thinking “WHAT DID I JUST WITNESS??” I quite enjoy this show. I guess one might call it a guilty pleasure of mine.

IMDB Synopsis: Four friends band together against an anonymous foe who threatens to reveal their darkest secrets, whilst unraveling the mystery of the murder of their best friend.