Randomness Friday: It's Been a While!

(Thanks Libby!)

Wow... My last Randomness Friday was in... guess what?... October!!! So, yes, it's been a long while to be deprived of such randomness...

So the banner has gotta be bigger to make up for all of those days missed- duh! :P

and the NEW YEAR is in a few HOURS! Yippee!!!!!!

Okay. Granted, some of y'all are already celebrating the new year. Yay!

*puts philosopher thinking cap... hat... toga?...on* What is it about New Years that we enjoy so much? Perhaps it is the closing of one year with a big sense of finality, perhaps joyfully or sorrowfully, and being about to rejoice at the prospect of a wonderful new year full of work, fun, and prayer. (Well, unless Jesus comes back... Now, THAT would be a year to remember, huh?)

My plans for tonight, you ask? Well, I plan to curl up on my couch, pretend there's a warm fireplace by my side, and read through the books that I have (about half of the series) of the Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley. It's been a while since I've read through all of my books, and I'm hoping I can read every single one tonight. I absolutely love the character of Jake in the series- he's one of my all-time favorite guy characters.

Oh, and I kinda owe my well-being to the series. Haha.

We'll see what else I do... Maybe catch a movie on TV if its good.
~*~

Speaking of movies, thanks so much for all of the comments on my review of Tron: Legacy and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader!

I plan to see Tangled tomorrow (I have never frequented the movie theater so much in my entire life!) with my sister and a friend. I believe, from all of the reviews I've read on your awesome blogs, that this will be an awesome, adorable movie. I'll do my best to review it this coming week.... in the new year!!!!

I absolutely love the horse from what I've seen from this movie. Rapunzel is a surprising change from the classic story- I like the idea of her using her hair and a pan to fight off enemies. And Flynn is probably one of the coolest guys in a Disney princess movie yet...

We'll see how it is tomorrow! YAY! So excited.


~*~

Wow, looking back on this year, this has been the best blogging year yet! More posts this year than last year, hit some big post goals (400 posts and counting!!!!), interviewed some awesome fellow bloggers and some authors, and you awesomeful people are commenting and following more than I could ever ask for! Thank you so much.

I absolutely love blogging and reviewing books, music, and movies. Oh, and don't forget, being absolutely random!!!
~*~

Be sure to cast your vote in my latest poll- What do YOU (yes, you!) like most about GoMC (A Girl of Many Colors)?

So far, the reviews are winning! :P
~*~

By the way, do any of you think my blog title is funny-sounding??? "A Girl of Many Colors"....

I mean, I'm really not multicolored... You get the whole play on words, right? Many interests, many emotions, many different types of post, girl of many colors?

Wouldn't that be funny, though?

Rainbow colored hair.... colorful clothes.... random pigmentation...

Random Person 1: "Dude, your lips are blue!!!! Are you cold or something?!"
Me: "Nope, just the way I am... I'm A Girl of Many Colors!"
Random Person 2: "Never knew you meant it literally...Whoa...-ness"
Me: "What're you tryin' to say???"
~*~

Well, that's all for now, folks! Have an awesome day, and I'll see you next year!

Blessings,

Review of Invasion!

Invasion by J. S. Lewis is the first book in the C.H.A.O.S. series, a science fiction book about a boy's mission to uncover the scary truth about a huge company with some big secrets.

Colt McAlister's happy, surfer-boy life is suddenly shaken when his parents get killed in a car accident. He soon moves in with his grandfather, close to his friend Danielle, a technological junkie. Just when life starts to get somewhat normal, Colt meets an oddly familiar guy whose knowledge pulls Colt into a strange and somewhat frightening adventure. What if his parents' car accident was no accident, but a way to get rid of his mother, an investigative reporter on the verge of exposing Trident Biotech? This revelation leads to a uncovering of a big secret- alien takeover!

This book was awesome. The characters were distinct and easy to follow, the setting was perfect, and everything was believable, even though the ideas of aliens using mind control is pretty abstract. That's what I look for when I read science fiction- Does it totally disregard reality or does it use it to further propel the plot? All of the main protagontists- Colt, Danielle, and Oz were great. Most science fiction books are geared either for girls or for guys, but the author makes it exciting for both guys and gals.

My biggest complaint? The sequel comes out in January 2012! Some other items I was a little unsure about was that I felt Colt didn't talk to his grandfather as much as he should have. I mean, he is one of the biggest guides Colt could have! Also, Colt and Dani's reaction to the aliens was a little weird. Realistically, they should have panicked or thought, "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?!" but nope, they just take it all in stride and work to conquer the aliens... Not a big deal, but it was a little weird.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five.

Specifics (from amazon.com);
~ Hardcover: 336 pages
~ Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 4, 2011)
~ Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches

Note: I received this book freely from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am not obligated to write a positive review- only an honest one.

Blessings,

Review of Dragons of the Valley

Dragons of the Valley by Donita K. Paul is the second book in her latest series about a young princess named Tipper and the adventures she and her friends experience. Longtime fans of the author will find that the world of her famous DragonKeeper series is the setting for this new fantastic journey of discovery for all ages.

And it is truly a family-friendly book.

The land of Chiril is usually peaceful, and it is the land of Princess Tipper and her artist friend Bealomondore. However, an army soon begins attacking Chiril, forcing her to escape with three special statues made by her father. Bealomondore must learn to put down his brush and learn how to wield a sword to fight a terrible monster called The Grawl. They must journey to the Valley of Dragons before their enemies destroy any chance of peace.

   Donita K. Paul does an excellent job of crafting a totally new and unique world with her words. I enjoyed the journey filled with familiar and new characters that seemed to be a culture so distinct. It was really like stepping into the land of Chiril. And the dragons are just the whipped cream on top of the ice cream!
   My favorite character would have to be Bealomondore. His character is a lot like some of us- we're often put into situations that force us to go above and beyond our comfort zone. Another character I found interesting is Lady Peg; she is one of the most unique characters I've seen in a long time. I've rarely read a book where a character talked so much nonsense yet made sense! It was a good comedic relief in the story, and I applaud the author for creating such unique characters and such a fantastic setting.
   The truths ring loud and clear in this book, and I can easily imagine it as a book a family would read before bedtime or during the weekend.

   I admit I haven't read the DragonKeeper series in a long time (a.k.a Wizard Fenworth and his librarian were my only "aha's!" I had to look in the index in the back to figure out who was who a lot. Indexes are helpful things...), so I was excited when I heard of this new book. I haven't read the first book in this series and I wasn't even aware that there was a first book until I searched the book online... So, this is my background; it may be just me who was confused with several elements of this story.
   My advice? Read the first book first. I was confused when I first became reading. It wasn't until halfway through the story that I remembered things I had read in the Dragonkeeper series along with understanding the story as it went along. This world in the book is really unique, and because of that, readers may get confused or bored pretty easily. I'll repeat the idea: the index in the back with all of the information about what was what, who was who, and where was where really helped out.
I felt that at some places, the story tended to drag on a little. I struggled through the first half of the book because it was all so unfamiliar and the background elements were being set into place. It took an effort to finish the book, and for me, that's a rarity. 

All in all, I rate this book a three out of five.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 384 pages
~ Publisher: WaterBrook Press (September 21, 2010)
~ Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches

Note: I received this book freely from WaterBrook Multanomah Publishers. I am not obligated to write a positive review- only a honest one.

How did I do? Please rate my review :)
Go here to rate my review

Blessings,

Review of TRON: Legacy and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader!

I had the awesome opportunity to watch two new movies this week with friends and family- TRON: Legacy and Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader this week. Both awesome movies that I enjoyed, and below are my reviews. By the way, I know what some of you are thinking... "Wait... Prism reviews movies now??? WHAT?" Well, I rarely go see new movies, but we'll see if I can continue reviewing films.

My ranking:
1. TRON: Legacy
2. Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader

TRON: Legacy:

Synopsis: In 1989, Sam Flynn’s father mysteriously disappeared one night after telling Sam about The Grid, a computerized world of programs who look and act like humans! Fast forward to today. Sam is a twenty seven year old who is content with messing around with ENCOM, a mega-corporation. Soon, his father’s old friend shows up saying that he has been paged by Sam’s father. This leads Sam to visit his dad’s old arcade and discover his father’s office, which leads him into The Grid. Sam finds this world a dark place, far from what his father had described. He soon discovers that his father’s creation, Clu, has turned against his father and plotted to take over the human world. Can Sam find his father and get to the portal to the real world in time?

The Good: I absolutely enjoyed this movie. I came into the theatre without a clue about what Tron was or even that it had a predecessor. This movie does well as a standalone; it didn’t take me long to grasp what everything was referring to or how things worked. (But I watched the original after seeing the movie, and a lot of seemingly random things in the movie suddenly made sense) So do I recommend seeing the original Tron before seeing the new movie? Well, yes… but the old one is a little boring at places and it is… well, old…
The new animations were absolutely brilliant. There are light bikes and jets that look really real. Kevin Flynn and Clu were expertly done (both portrayed by the same actor but computer effects are used to make the computerized character look young). The technology and scenery of The Grid is creative and I loved that it all seemed to tie together, as The Grid is supposed to be designed by Kevin Flynn alone.

My favorite character would have to be Quorra, who sacrifices herself for the Flynns several times and is absolutely tough. Quorra is Flynn’s assistant/apprentice who is a program. She is curious and intelligent, and she yearns to see the users’ world. The relationship between Sam and his father was really strong, and they are both willing to sacrifice for each other.
The music was also incredible. It fit the movie perfectly, and I’ve had one of the songs, “Derezzed”, stuck in my head for the past couple of days.

The Not-So-Good: There actually isn’t much I can say I disliked about this movie. The suits did tend to be a little skin-tight, especially on the sirens who suit Sam up for The Grid.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader:

We’ve all probably read the books and seen the first two movies; this movie doesn’t disappoint.

Synopsis: Edmund and Lucy are back with their cousin Eustace Scrubb in a new adventure in Narnia. The Pevensies have been stuck living with Eustace since the rest of their family went to America. Eustace is an absolutely terrible child- arrogant, mean, and an overall nuisance. The three soon get immersed (literally!) into the world of Narnia and join the crew of the Dawn Treader, whose leader is King Caspian. They must find the seven lords and defeat the ugly green mist that has been making people disappear.

The Good: I have read all of the books and seen both of the movies in this series, and I can attest that this is good material. It’s all adventure and action, and I absolutely loved seeing the characters grow and mature and learn good lessons. The main theme to me seemed to be temptation- overcoming it and yourself. Aslan is as wonderful as ever, the movies capture exactly how I imagined him as I read the books and dreamed of adventuring there.

The new character of Eustace was absolutely spot-on. His attitude changed totally and the actor portrayed him almost exactly as I imagined the character of Eustace to behave. I look forward to seeing how this character continues to grow in the movies to come. The character of Lucy has now matured and struggles with wanting to be beautiful as her sister Susan, and this is her giant to face. Edmund seemed very similar to Peter in this movie for me, he wants power and respect, but he too has changed from the Edmund in the first movie. We also get to see Reepicheep again. He was my absolute favorite character in the whole series when I read it as a child. He is instrumental in Eustace’s transformation from a bratty boy to a real person while keeping his charm. I loved seeing his soft side in this movie.

The movie sticks with the books enough for there to be “Oh, I recognize that!!!” moments yet it is creative enough to be new for old fans. Now, this may be considered a good thing or a bad thing to different people, but I did like the new elements and characters that fleshed out this movie.

I felt it was much for lighthearted and adventure-filled than the previous movies. The movie seemed to have more depth for me while retaining a fun spirit.

And was it just me, or did Caspian seem really different? I mean, this isn’t technically in the Good or Not-So-Good categories, but I felt as if the accent was a lot lighter and more British. Yes, I know the actor is British, but I thought it was a little funny.

The Not-So-Good: Again, not much I can say that I disliked about this movie. Can I say it’s the best of the series thus far? Yes. Can I say it’s the best movie I’ve ever seen? Not quite. The movie seemed boring at times for me, and to tell you the truth, I am a little annoyed by the White Witch now and how she seemed to require appearances in Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to torment Edmund. I mean, if she shows up in the next movie (which is unlikely since Edmund may not appear unless in a cameo appearance), I might moan, “Aw, maaannnn!” right there in the theatre. But to be sure, my annoyance will soon be quelled by the overall excitement and child-like wonder I experience seeing the adventures of Narnia come to life.

Blessings,


P.S. Merry Christmas Eve!!!! Wow, it's almost here! May you all be blessed as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, tomorrow!

P.P.S. This is my 400TH post!!!! Wow!!!!! Thanks, y'all, for following!!!

Tag!

 I have been tagged by Samarah! Thanks! I've always wanted to do this tag.

Here's how it works:

1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Tag 20 friends.
5. Everyone tagged has to do the same thing.
6. Have Fun!

Note: This image does not belong to me

Here are the questions:

IF SOMEONE SAYS ‘ARE YOU OKAY’ YOU SAY?
"Glow" Britt Nicole
Haha! Can you imagine that? People would think I'm a lunatic or something...


WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
"Bless Me Indeed" MercyMe

Ha... It would probably be something like, "Loud Me Indeed"... I'm a loud person sometimes

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
"Meant to Live" Switchfoot
Haha!!!


WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"Million Voices" Barlowgirl
Uh, no... That would be pretty noisy, yeah?

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"Fire" Krystal Meyers
Ha. Nope... More like the opposite of fire... Anti-fire or ice or something. I'm pretty tired today.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
"Only You Make Me Happy" Krystal Meyers
okkkkaaay....

WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO?
"Take My Chances" BarlowGirl
Hm... Sorta true. It depends on the circumstance!

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"R.I.O.T. (Righteous Invasion Of Truth)" Carman
Oh my gosh!!! Hahahaha... I doubt that, but this song is an oldie but a goodie :)


WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Heart Attack" Stephanie Smith
HAHAHAHA! Wooooow...

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"Fearless" Building 429
Aw, I love that song...


WHAT IS 2+2?
"Time For You To Go" Barlowgirl
It's Christmas Break, man! No math XD


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"One of Those Days"
We all have 'em ;)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Ignition" Tobymac
Huh?

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Hold On" Tobymac
Awwww... That is such a sweet song

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"Sound of Melodies" Leeland
I really wish I could sing...


WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Running Out of Time" Barlowgirl
How about, "Have All the Time in the World to Care about That Stuff and I Really Don't "XD

 WHAT WILL YOU DO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"No Plan B" Manafest
XD Hope it won't be that bad...

 WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
\"Stand and Scream" Krystal Meyers
Uh, no... :P


WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Circles" Switchfoot
So, I like spinning?


WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
"Movin'" Group 1 Crew
So, y'all... I have a fear of motion... So I just sit here all day- so not true! XD


WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"Sweet Revenge" Barlowgirl
Uh, never done that.

WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
"Beautiful" MercyMe
Awwwwww...


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Made to Love" Tobymac
We do love each other... most of the time XD
 

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
"Run" Charmaine
?

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
"Move" Mercyme
What is it today with me and moving? Haha

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
"Catchafire (Whoopsi-Daisy)" Tobymac
That song is funny-ish

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
"Wake Up" Danyew
I don't love sleep that much... Haha


WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
"I Believe in Love" Barlowgirl
XD

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
"God-shaped Hole" Plumb
Don't have one of those! I love Jesus.
 

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
"Showstopper" Tobymac
So, yes? XD


IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
"Elevator" House of Heroes
Yeah! No more elevators, more stairs! Haha


WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
"Feelin' So Fly" Tobymac
Nothin'!

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU?
"Sing Me A Love Song" Barlowgirl
Haha. no... Thanks for tagging me, Samarah!

WHAT WILL YOU NAME THIS NOTE?
"One Trick Pony" MercyMe
uh...

I tag:
Okay, do you guys see the follower widget in the sidebar that says "Followers" and has some of you awesome people's icons? If you see your icon, you're tagged! :)

Blessings,

Review of Double Shot!

   Double Shot by Erynn Mangum is the third and final book in the Maya Davis series. Maya is engaged to her best friend and love of her life, Jack Domingez. Now they have a wedding to plan! But just when things start to get crazy, it gets even crazier! A family emergency soon shakes Maya’s plan for perfection, and Jack soon gets a job offer all the way in Seattle! Can Maya trust God’s plan for her life, or will she decide to do things her way?

   I absolutely loved this series, and I can happily say that this book didn’t disappoint as the final chapter in the story of Maya Davis. I absolutely love how the author keeps the story lighthearted and fun it while fusing it with reality. It is sometimes really hard to trust that God is control, and this book shows us that. The characters are truly characters, and I love how everyone is unique yet so relatable. Additionally, I admire the cleanness of all of the author’s books, not just Double Shot. The Maya Davis series and Lauren Holbrook series by Erynn Mangum, which I have read and enjoyed thoroughly, are series that I would recommend to both young woman and older woman. Rarely do I find a book that a preteen and forty-year old would enjoy reading.

I rate this book five out of five stars. Absolutely highly recommended!

Specifics (from amazon.com):

~ Paperback: 288 pages

~ Publisher: NavPress; 1 edition (October 29, 2010)

~ Dimensions: 2.9 x 1.5 x 0.5 inches

Note: I received this book freely from NavPress publishers. I am not obligated to write a positive review- only an honest one.

Blessings,

Little Babe in the Straw

Blessings,

The Digital Story of the Nativity

Blessings,

"Carol of the Bells"- Lanae Hale

Can you tell I really like this song? And have had it stuck in my head for the past 2 weeks? :)

Blessings,

Lovin' It?

I hope you guys are enjoy my little Christmas music playlist. Want more? Amazon is giving away a free Christmas single every day of December. Go here to check it out!

Blessings,

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"

I love how the all put it into perspective at the end. :)

Blessings,

"12 Days of Christmas" - Relient K

I absolutely love this version of the song. Relient K is so hilarious.

"What's a partridge?
and what's a pear tree?
I don't know, so please don't ask me.
But I can bet those are terrible gifts to get."

Haha!

Blessings,

"Christmas This Year" by Tobymac feat. Leigh Nash!

Blessings,


P.S. A review of Double Shot by Erynn Mangum will posted as soon as I, um, *cough* finish reading it... Sorry, folks! I'll do my best to finish it this week and review it by Friday.

More Christmas Music!

Today has been amazingly wonderful for me, and I am so excited that CHRISTMAS IS COMING IN LIKE 15 DAYS!!!!
WAHOOOOOOOOOO! ;)

Here's some awesome Christmas music to celebrate the Christmas season.

Notice I'm saying Christmas a lot??? Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas! Ok, notice it now? :) Jesus is the true reason for this season and let's celebrate with some wonderful music!









Blessings,

Carol of the Bells/ Sing We Now of Christmas- Barlowgirl

Okay, I am officially in the Christmas mood. Thanks, y'all!

Here's one of the songs that has gotten me into the festive mood:



Blessings,

Getting Into the Christmas Spirit...

... is a little hard these days.

Shall I explain my situation to you wonderful people?

1. We have no Christmas decorations to speak of anywhere in my home (My dad's gone on a trip so we've not done anything)
2. We didn't really have a Thanksgiving dinner this year (Again, Daddy gone = fun gone)
3. I haven't been able to listen to the radio much with school avalanching on me, so no Christmas music!
4. I haven't gone to the big stores in a while, like the malls or Walmart, so no Christmas-y feelings there

And what day is it? Oh yeah, the 2nd of December! Christmas is twenty-three days away! Dude!

(Note: I know Christmas is all about Christ. I am not downplaying that in any way. There's just something special about Christmas and the whole festive feeling about it, and I seem to be wanting.)

Prism has always had a problem with getting into the whole happy, giddy, let's decorate the Christmas tree feeling. The problem is almost as big as the problem Prism has with talking about herself in third person.

Note: This is NOT my image

Can someone turn on "happy elfish Prism"?

How about you guys? Getting into the holiday spirit? What have you been doing? Any suggestions for me?

Blessings,