Monday, September 15, 2014

Dorkette Book Club: Spooky house, twin sisters, and a sewer...

Let's talk books. I love to read. Nothing too educational or "smart" just the good fluff stuff. I mean if I could live on Fear Street I would. Luckily I'm too old to be a casualty, but I'm young enough to warn the teens about the perils of killer best friends and the scariness of new girls or new boys; to say nothing of evil cheerleaders or stepsisters. So let's check out some fun books, brought to us by my friend Sarah.




I adore my friend Sarah. She has been mentioned and featured on this blog numerous times. She hails from Canada where all the cool kids live. She is also a librarian. Oh, and we totally have similar tastes in pop culture. Every now and then we will send each other things and the other day I received a package; a trio of books to whet my carnal hunger for words printed on paper. Let's look!

Goosebumps came out right after Fear Street had established itself as the go-to series for young adult thrillers in the 90's. Picked for the younger set, Goosebumps should not have appealed to me (I was soo not the target demo) but I gobbled them up. The bumpy title and creepy cover art were more than enough to call me and say, "We'll be your boyfriend, each and every single issue. Come on, sit a spell." Welcome to Dead House was actually the first Goosebumps book I got, so to see this book again is a real treat. I sold most of my original Goosebumps books when I was in high school. I have been able to track some of them down (most of my original books were still collecting dust at the used book store) but this is one that I did not have the chance to reunite with. Until now. I don't remember much about the story line except that some kids move into a house run by zombies or something. I remember it being creepy, not as scary as Fear Street, but creepy enough for me to collect most of them. Goodness R.L. Stine, is there anything you touch that doesn't turn to gold?

Next up: Sweet Valley Twins! Sarah and I both have a soft spot for anything Sweet Valley, but she is like a hardcore Sweet Valley fan. She has like every book, the dolls, and other pop culture related item. I am beyond impressed. I also loved the simplicity of the covers for this series. I never read the Sweet Valley Twins set of books, but I always wanted a twin sister when I read these stories. It was that whole, "I wish I had that one person that could read my mind and feel physcial pain when I was hurt or in danger." I mean, that's what twins do right? Actually, I'm left handed, and I've often been told that people who are left handed actually had a twin in the womb that died. I think that is supremely morbid, but I sometimes wonder if I was meant to have a twin that didn't make it into full development. Not in the way of the X-Men story line where Charles Xavier killed his twin Cassandra in the womb because he could read her mind and find out that she was evil, but more like the little zygote twin just didn't fully get to turn into anything. It doesn't really work like that does it? I was never good with biology. I flourished in geology though. Oh goodness the things I could tell you about seven different rocks that all looked the same. This whole paragraph just took a turn into creepy town. Sorry guys and gals, it's like nearly two in the morning as I am typing this.

Either way, go Sweet Valley High!

Finally, we have this little gem. A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie tie-in book. Oh I adore this. While we all know I love me some She-Ra, I do love my Turtles. I remember TMNT was a big deal the moment those toys came out. I realize there was a comic and everything before that, but at the age of five I was just aware of the cartoon and toys. Those toys were everything. I got a good report card in my class and since I had been struggling with my grades for the whole year, getting those great grades with my class work and conduct (I tended to talk a lot in class) my mom felt it would be a nice surprise to get me an April O'Neil figure. I was so thrilled to have that April. Her yellow jumpsuit and friendship with the Turtles was so cool and it led me to want to befriend talking turtles and even fall madly in love with a certain party turtle. 

Anyways, speaking of the Turtles, what have you all thought of the movie from last month? I finally saw it last weekend and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't the greatest movie ever, but it could have been much worse. I felt a little weird though because a scene in the movie was similar to something I did during that Total Darkness One Shot, and all I could think was, "I really hope people don't think I copied that from the movie." I had posted that way before I even saw the movie, honest! I did enjoy the movie though. I've also enjoyed collecting the toy line too. When do I not enjoy collecting a toy line? 

So that is about it. I have got to thank my friend Sarah again. I heart her so much. It's crazy, because without this blog I would not know who she is. And I am so glad I do know her. She is one of the good ones. So thanks Sarah! Hope all is well sweetie!

I hope you are all doing well. I have been working on some new installments for All My Toys, and I am so excited! These next few months are going to be so exciting. Take care everyone!

15 comments:

  1. Have you heard Stine is starting up a new Fear Street series?

    Oh man, if you need to reclaim your Goosebumps, Savers is the place to go! I can't tell you how many I see there every time I go. They're cheap and if you buy 4 you get 1 free!

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    1. I wish there was a Savers near me! I need to look into this.

      And I am so excited for the new Fear Street book! I am freaking out. I had forgotten that it came out. I need to hunt one down. I am so glad they are coming back.

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  2. I was really, really into Goosebumps back in the 90s. I'm going to say that I was pretty into them from mid 1994 until late 1996. Pretty shortly after that I started reading a lot more of the Star Wars novels and the works of Michael Crichton and Stephen King. I do want to try and track down the original series, though. About 7 or 8 years ago I worked at a used book store and we still had families coming in buying the books for their kids.

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    1. Yeah Goosebumps were a really big deal. I also read a lot of Stephen King and Michael Crichton. I never read the Star Wars novels, but I have heard good things about them. But yeah, Goosebumps! One of the greatest series ever!

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  3. You don't have to sell me on how great books are! My first apartment was literary across the street from the public library, it was practically my second home! In fact I just got a call today about interviewing for a job as a librarian assistant this weekend!

    Goosebumps was huge when I was growing up, but I never read any of them. I blame the combination of scary-as-heck cover illustrations to a little kid and very conservative parents who would have said no on principle even if I were interested.

    That absorbing the twin deal DOES sound creepy. Probably too creepy for a Goosebumps story anyhow. I don't know that I'm one to talk about twins. My mom used to dress my brother and I alike and people at the store would always ask if we were twins which always drove me nuts!

    I remember the days of movie storybooks! For me it was always about getting to look at photos from films that I was too young to see myself.

    The general consensus on the new Turtles movie I've gotten from my friends who have seen it is "its not as bad as you'd think." Fair enough. Really my issue is that these days movies cost so much and take so much time that I've gotten REALLY picky about what I see at the theaters and what can wait until DVD. (I can't wait to tell future generations about how we used to have to wait A WHOLE YEAR for a movie to come out on VHS Tape. Now its just four to six months. Thats nothing!)

    As far as theater going in 2014 I've seen The Lego Movie, Captain America 2, X-Men and Guardians of the Galaxy. The only other feature I'm planning on seeing when it comes out in theaters in Big Hero Six since its a Disney film based on a Marvel Comic that spoofs Japanese Toku Heroes. How can I pass that up?!

    I had wanted to see Godzilla and How to Train your Dragon 2, but I couldn't get a posse together so I guess it just wasn't in the cards. Though I won't have to wait too much longer to see your boyfriend on DVD...

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    1. Yeah, when Fear Street came out it was sort of like that with my parents.Like a lot of people did not like those books and thought they were too scary for teens, but my parents didn't really pay too much attention to what I was reading. lol

      The twin thing is a bit creepy. I admit that too. lol

      I am the same way about movies. They have gotten too long. The price is not a problem, because the theater near my house has really cheap ticket prices. However the length can be a bit daunting. X-Men was a great summer movie, but darn if it wasn't long! And while I could have enjoyed a longer one, I wanted more scenes of the stuff that they weren't going to show.

      You should really see Godzilla. It's a good movie, I really enjoyed it.

      I am looking forward to Big Hero Six. It looks beyond cute. I also really liked Guardians of the Galaxy. It was such a good movie.

      And my boyfriend is out on dvd! I am so excited! have you seen it yet?

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    2. I was telling Chris we need to have an X-Men movie retrospective on the podcast since not only is it Marvel's longest running film series, but its gone through some significant highs and lows, so theres plenty to talk about. Plus I'm looking for a chance to clear the air on Days of Future Past since I didn't like it as much as everyone else did. By no means did I hate it, I just thought it was okay.

      I did really like Godzilla though. I was so impressed by the technical aspect how Godzilla is always shown to scale with something, kind of like Michael Bay does with his shots, only competent. Just wish Elizabeth Olsen had been given something to do.

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  4. Man, Goosebumps were the shizzle! I love the Monster Blood series, and The Night of The Living Dummy series further enforced my fear of dummies. The absolute favorite Goosebumps book of all time has to be Escape From The Carnival of Horrors. It was one of those "Give Yourself Goosebumps" choose-your-own-adventure style books. And speaking of Goosebumps, I actually came across some more Goosebumps merch that I wanna share with my friends this Halloween season. I'll send some your way. :)

    I still haven't seen the TMNT movie and I probably won't until it reaches video. If Bebop and Rocksteady had finally made it into a TMNT movie I would have taken the plunge.

    It's simply amazing how many friends I have made in the past few years thanks to a love of dorkiness and the good old world wide web! Can't wait for the next instalment of All My Toys! Take care Miss M!

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    1. Hey Mason! The Night of the Living Dummy series was one of my favorites too. The cover was just so iconic.

      The TMNT movie wasn't terrible. I wouldn't say it was the best movie of the summer, but it wasn't bad. I liked it. I would love to see Bebop and Rocksteady in a movie. I'm just happy they are getting new figures in the new toy line. That is pretty cool.

      And I know! It really is great to be able to know all these cool people. I am lucky too. Hope all is well Mason!

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  5. Ah Sara and Michael, two of my favorite people on the Facebooks. Didn't they make a sweet valley high show? Seems like a Disney Channel no brainer. Isn't Zoey 101 basically the same story, only without the twins.

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    1. Aww Kal! We both adore you! I haven't seen Zoey 101, but there was indeed a Sweet Valley High show. I think it came on Saturdays. Sarah would know more! She is the Sweet Valley High expert.

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  6. the stine books always found to be what steven king writting just kids books would be like that and chris pikes books too mostly the series chain letter and the sweet valley books the author now has a series where the characters are grown up and the twins don't get along any more.

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    1. Oh don't even get me started on my love for the Pike books! I love them so much. And I actually picked up one of the newer Sweet Valley High books at a Dollar General. I haven't read it though. I am ready though! Hope you are doing well.

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  7. You know, I thought since Michael Bay is a man-child, he would have just thrown in every single goofy thing from the cartoon we wanted to see. Beebop, Rocksteady, Krang, the Technodrome, etc. I certainly didn't expect him to make any reference to the original comic books, like the 89 movie did, because I seriously doubt he even knows that Ninja Turtles ever was a comic book. When I found out Verne was gonna be in the movie, I had high hopes. But then I found out, no Krang, no Beebop, no Rocksteady, no Technodrome...and a truly dreadful, and unappealing design for the turtles. I hated the Transformers movies, but I was never a huge Transformers fan. I am however a huge turtle fan, so I take a Michal Bay turtle movie as a personal insult to me. If I didn't hate him before, I truly do hate him now.

    Just give me the fucking TMNT license Hollywood. I PROMISE, all the cartoon characters plus MANY nods to action figure and comic book characters like Man Ray, Mondo Gecko, Mutagen Man...WYRM!!!! Scumbug. I will write a script that has so many mutant cameos, it will be the Star Wars of Turtle movies! You will be able to get an endless amount of action figures out of it!! Just give me the license Hollywood. That's all I ask.

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    1. I would love for you to be in charge of the Turtles movie.

      I didn't hate the movie, but it did sort of feel like TMNT meets GI Joe. I would really love all those characters to appear in a movie. I think it would be so awesome. One can only hope that more of that stuff will appear in future sequels. I want to see Irma in a movie!

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