My Top 5 Villains

Ah, villains... How we love to hate them. Today I thought I would show you my five favorite villains from various books and series. Feel free to comment down below to share your favorite villains with me. If you want to do your own version of this post, go ahead! Just don't forget to link it back to my original post ;) 

Alright, let's begin. So at the 5th position we have...

5. Luke Castellan from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

Luke is a demigod, the son of the Greek God Hermes. Although be befriends main character Percy at the beginning of the series, he ends up betraying his demigod bretheren and siding with the series' main villain, the Titan Kronos. Luke remains a great antagonist throughout the series as not only is he relentless in his pursuits, but he actually also has pretty strong justifications behind his choices and behavior. Aside from being a powerful antagonist, Luke is also a well flesh-out character with enough complexities for you to both love and hate him as a character. 

4. Sebastian Morgenstern from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Sebastian Morgenstern is probably the most interesting villain I've read about in the YA genre. He is born to the Shadowhunters, a race of demon hunters, but later sides with demons. Evil to the core and equally beautiful and smart, Sebastian is a formidable foe and a genuinely lethal threat to the heroes of the series. He is portrayed so cleverly that by the time you realize that he is actually evil, he will have already won your weak fangirl heart over. He also has one of the most beautifully written character arcs in the entire series.

3. Bellatrix Lestrange from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling 

Bellatrix is one of the most interesting characters in the Harry Potter universe. She is loyal to Voldemort almost to the point of fanaticism, making her one of the most lethal of all Death Eaters. She is as powerful as she is sadistic and is second only to Voldemort as the series most evil character. In the movies, she is portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter, as pictured above. 

2. Cersei Lannister from A Song Of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

Cersei is my favorite female character from the whole series. Seriously morally impaired and vicious to the bone, she is one of the most interesting characters in the series. She genuinely considers herself to be wickedly smart while she keeps making the worst mistakes possible. No one is as big an enemy to her than she is to herself. She is the Queen Regent, widow of the last King of Westeros. She helps her son becomes the next King when in reality he is an illegitimate child born from her incestuous relationship with her twin brother. Her forbidden romance with her brother is also one of the things that make her such a complex and interesting character. Cersei is portrayed by Lena Headey in Game of Thrones, the TV show adapted from the books. 

1. Lestat de Lioncourt from the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

Lestat is a powerful and immortal vampire of questionable morality. The best part? He is also the main character of the series and actually narrates several of the installments. He is bold almost to the point of fearlessness although he does have his vulnerabilities. One of his greatest fears is loneliness, which drives him to commit irreparable acts such as turning an innocent child into a vampire only to secure the ones he loves to his side. First curious of the origins and limitations of his kind, he quickly grows defiant of the laws binding the vampire community and goes on to break the rules and challenge forces he does not entirely understand. Lestat is driven by passion, which leads him to both great discoveries and impossible pains. His defiant and temperamental personality eventually earns him the nickname Brat Prince among his vampire brethren. And let it be heard, Lestat is my favorite literary character ever. He is portrayed by Tom Cruise in the brilliantly adapted movie Interview with the Vampire and by Stuart Townsend in the butchery that is the second movie adaptation, the Queen of the Damned. 

So that's it for my favorite villains guys. And like I was saying earlier, if you want to do your own version of this post, please do so 'cause that's something I'd love to read! Just don't forget to link back to my post :)

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And because I can never get enough of Lestat... 

Matilda by Roald Dahl - Book Review

Another adorably bookish book that I've come across this month is Matilda by master storyteller Roald Dahl. (See my previous review to know more about The Storied Life of A.J. Ficky, another bookish wonder). I actually listened to the audiobook of Matilda, which was so fun it didn't even feel like it was actually over 4 hours long. Read on to discover or rediscover this classic of children literature.

The Plot

At barely 4 years old, Matilda is a genius who not only teaches herself to read, but who also takes an early interest in books. Her passion leads her to the public library where she soon discovers the magic of books. Later on, as she starts school, her teacher, Miss Honey, is quick to notice the remarkable intellect of her new student and decides to help the little girl shine to her true potential. Between playing tricks on her painfully negligent parents and avoiding the wrath of mean headmistress Miss Trunchbull, Matilda continues her eager exploration of the universe of books and learns more about the people and the world around her.

My Review

The Characters
Matilda is a formidable character who is likely to inspire children to grow a love for books as they discover her story. She is a sweet, level-headed and very smart little girl. Though she is young, she is smart enough to know no one is allowed to bully her and doesn't hesitate to do what she must to defend herself against those who are mean or downright cruel to her. She is a character who stands up to her bullies without stooping to their level, making her one of the best role models in youth literature. The 'villains' are also nicely portrayed, ranging from the shamelessly indifferent parents to the mean headmistress Miss Trunchbull. Matilda's teacher, Miss Honey is a great supportive adult character who not only lends her support to the little girl but who also goes out of her way to allow Matilda to rise to her true potential. 

The Story
The book covers Matilda's many adventures, presenting the narrative as a series of distinctive but related stories. The story is captivating enough to encourage even an adult to read on. Though it is a story meant for children, the story has deep moments that are likely to make young and adult readers alike pause and think. 

The Prose
Though the author is writing for a younger audience, he neither takes a patronizing nor a cheesy voice, keeping the language whimsical but beautiful. An adult reader is also likely to capture subtleties spun in the text that might escape a younger child. Older kids might pick up those subtle messages and make a deeper meaning of their reading. The language employed thus makes this book highly accessible to readers of all ages.

The Ending 
Matilda being a children's book, it naturally has a beautifully written happy ending. The last few pages brings Matilda's story to a satisfying conclusion that points at a happy continuation for the young heroine. 

The Rating
I gave this book a very well deserved 4-star rating on Goodreads.

If you have kids or young siblings and relatives, I highly recommend you give them this book. I wish I had discovered Matilda as a kid! Though I really don't see how much more of a book nerd I might have turned out as :p

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Movies for when you're feeling kind of meh

A few days ago, I posted my book recommendations for days when you're feeling a little low. You can check that out here: 
Books for when you're feeling kind of meh

Sometimes, when we're a bit gloomy, we just don't feel like reading. Yes, that's actually something that happens even to us, book lovers. Instead, we might prefer to put on a nice movie and not think of anything for at least a couple of hours. Here are a few recommendations for you of movies which are sure to make you feel a little better. So grab a big bowl of junk food, get comfortable on your couch and press play. The movie is about to start. 

Which one would you have picked?

1. Love Actually - Directed by Richard Curtis 

This is for me the ultimate cheer-up movie. It's about love and it's not even cheesy. Set during the Christmas season, the movie visits the different aspects of love through ten different storylines. As the countdown for Christmas begins, these stories began to intertwine. With a very good plot and an ensemble cast of formidable actors, this is one of the best romance/holiday movies ever made. You can check out the trailer below:

Cast: Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln and Colin Firth among others.

2. Up - Directed by Pete Docter

When Carl Fredricksen and his lifelong love, Ellie, were still children, they made a promise to one day visit Paradise Falls together. Later, after they got married, Carl began to save money for their trip. Years later, 78-year-old Carl finally has enough money for their trip. Ellie however falls ill and dies, leaving her wish to see Paradise Falls unfulfilled. Refusing to break his promise to her though, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his home and sets out to see the wilds of South America. At the last minute, Carl discovers there is a stowaway on board his makeshift airship. On a quest of his own to earn his final merit badge, Russell, a young Wilderness Explorer, has decided to follow Carl on his adventure. This endearing movie with leave you with all the feels. With its occasional funny bits, great characters and awesome animation and music, Up is bound to bring a smile or two to your lips. Watch the trailer here:

Cast: With the voices of Edward Asner and Jordan Nagai respectively as Carl and Russell

3. It's kind of a funny story

After contemplating suicide, 16-year-old Craig checks himself into a mental health clinic. The youth wing being closed, he's sent to the regular adult floor. There he soon meets fellow patient Bobby, whom he quickly befriends. Later, he meets Noelle, another teen patient, and thinks getting closer to her might be the best way to get over the unrequited high school crush that he's been trying to forget. The movie deals with issues such as depression and mental health while keeping the tone light and fun. This interesting take on an otherwise serious topic makes this movie an unexpectedly fun one to watch. Here's the trailer:

Cast: Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts and Viola Davis

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4. Silver Linings Playbook

Patrick "Pat" Solatano, Jr., a man with bipolar disorder, goes back to living with his parents after being released from a psychiatric hospital. Now that he is out of the hospital, Pat is determined to win back his estranged wife. Soon he meets Tiffany, a recently widowed young woman. Tiffany offers to help him win back his wife but only if he accepts to enter a dance competition with her. Pat accepts and they begin to train. Soon, not only are they growing closer, but Pat also starts to cope with his problems and explore his relationships with the people around him. With its humor, awesome plot, great acting and a good measure of dancing, this movie will make you laugh and forget your troubles. Plus it has Jennifer Lawrence in it! Take a look at the trailer:

Cast: Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as main characters Pat and Tiffany

5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Adapted from the book by the same name, which I mentioned in my book recommendations for this topic, this is one of my favorite movies ever. I've watched this like 5 times already. I'm not even kidding. The story is about Charlie, a shy and socially awkward boy who slowly begins to learn about life, love, sex and relationships as he meets new people and tries new things. Charlie stands out as a character for being a very sensitive and intelligent guy. The movie is beautifully done and the acting is superb. Not only does Emma Watson star in it, but Logan Lerman (Charlie) and Ezra Miller (Patrick) are also awesome in their respective roles. You can check out my previous post to know more about the story. Here's the trailer:

Cast: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller

#Special mention: Anything from Disney

Whether it's a classic like The Little Mermaid, Cinderella or even Sleeping Beauty, or a recent one like Frozen, Disney movies always have the power to cheer you up. Romance, magic, singing and the occasional sassy princess (looking at you Meg)... what else do you need, really?

Do you have any particular movie you like to watch when you have the blues? Comment down below and let me know! 

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