Hipsy's View: The City of Lost Souls

How many of you have gotten the chance to read the fifth Mortal Instruments installment? How many just started reading it? Are almost finished with it? Or are rereading it? How many of you have Mortal Instruments hysteria?! Okay, I might be going a little overboard there, but you can't tell me I'm the only one that enjoyed The City of Lost Souls, the fifth book to Cassandra Clare's popular series.

As many of you know, The City of Lost Souls came out in May of this year. I may not have been one of the first people waiting in line at a store to buy the book, but I was one of the first to check it out of my local library. Now with most of the stuff going on in my life at the moment, it has taken me a little longer to read than usual (the first book took me as long to read this one, but I read two through four within a month and a half!) But I got through it, and I loved it, especially the ending.....*wink* (you want to know the ending, then read it! lol)


Now, if none of you have yet read past the City of Ashes or City of Glass, take heed in reading the following; it's filled with spoilers.


In this one, Clary and the gang are back, and this time they're trying to find a way to save Jace (yet once again) and separate him from Lilth's curse that bound him to Sebastian, the real Jonathan Morgernstern and Clary's brother. It looks as though Sebastian is planning on carrying out Valentine's plans, but with Jace's help, and possibly Clary's. Throughout the whole story though, the characters face "daily" life problems. Simon has to find a way to tell his sister Rebecca about himself being a vampire; Maia and Jordan need to face their shared past and see if they can move on; Isabelle needs to tell something to Simon but doesn't know how to blurt it out; and Alec and Magnus seems to be falling apart. At the same time, they all need to find a way to save Luke from death and a way to break Lilth's spell on Jace (whether it be from Heaven or Hell). Will all this be done in time?


Now all that is left for those of us that love this series so dearly is to wait for the sixth and final book, titled City of Heavenly Fire and is expected to be published March 19, 2014. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to wrap my mind around it and finally read the prequels to the Mortal Instruments during this long wait. Until then, I hope you get a chance to read City of Lost Souls and enjoy the book as much as I did. I give this story a 5 star rating.

Hipsy's View: The New Electric Sound

Though this band can be found on Reverbnation.com, I first heard of it on Facebook. It was a linked video a relative of mine had posted. The name of the video was Crimson Sky (Acoustic). After that, I listened to the song more than six times, literally. On just another day of randomly clicking links to music, I heard and soon became a fan of a band called The New Electric Sound.

This is an Indie/pop-rock band -- formed in 2011 -- and is from Provo, Utah. It was created by Scott Vance, who is a singer and songwriter, as well as a pastry chef. As I read more about The New Electric Sound, I noticed how many compared NES's sound to older bands such as the Beach Boys, the Surfaris, and singers like Buddy Holly. Though I agree, I would also add the Crew Cuts to the list. When listening to NES's version of "I Only Want To Be With You", the Crew Cuts "Sh-Boom" came to my mind. NES also has a vibe about it that reminds me a little bit of Jack White and Iron & Wine mixed together. All I really have to say is that this band is great and is captivating. If you want to hear some new music from a new Indie band, I recommend the New Electric Sound. In my opinion, you would not be disappointed to give them a listen to.

The New Electric Sound can be found on Youtube, Facebook, Reverbnation, and their own website. Below are the links. Until next time, I hope you enjoy this band.
Sky aka Hipsy.

http://thenewelectricsound.com/
http://www.reverbnation.com/thenewelectricsound (also look for their new single "Heart Beat" and get a free download on this site)
http://www.facebook.com/thenewelectricsound
http://www.youtube.com/user/thenewelectricsound

Hipsy's View: Blue Asylum

Iris Dunleavy has been declared insane, not only by her slave-owning husband, but by a Virginian sheriff and a doctor that's experted in "the hysteria of women". In order to be "cured" and made a proper woman and a good wife again, she is sent to the Sanibel Asylum, on an island in the Keys. Can she prove she's not a lunatic and escape the asylum where the cure for everything is in the color blue? Or will she stay trapped on an island populated by everyone that is affected by the war and some type of lunacy (including the doctor)?


I had the privilege to get to read an advance copy of this book (because it is one of my Goodreads First Reads). I found it a little hard to finish, but what kept me going were the characters' stories all broken into pieces. So whether I wanted to give up on finishing the novel or not, a part of me was dying to know more about the characters' personal histories that brought them to the island's asylum. Though the main character refused to admit to being a lunatic, she could not deny that there was something that did push her - and others- close it, especially in a time of war. If she is not crazy, then who is? Is it the superintendent that has to deal with all the patients' problems as well as his laudanum-addicted wife's and his own? Or his twelve-year-old son who has declared himself a lunatic? Or is it the Confederate solider that is haunted by a dark past he faced during the war? Perhaps they are all mad, and the best place for them all is the asylum where the color blue leads its patients back to sanity.


This story was good, and I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in the back stories you never hear mentioned during the Civil War. I would also recommend it to anyone that likes to take their time to read a story.

Hipsy's View: The Woman in Black

     If you enjoy a good thriller, then I have a treat for you. But be warned, if you fear the dark and believe there are evil things in this world, take caution in watching this movie in the dark and after the sun has gone down.

During afternoon tea

There's a shift in the air,

A bone trembling chill

That tells you she's there.

There are those who believe

The whole town is cursed,

But the house in the marsh

Is by far the worst.

What she wants is unknown,

But she always comes back.

The specter of darkness,

The woman in black.

     Now I am not one for scary movies. When I watched The Grudge, I had a hard time going to sleep for a few nights (especially when I knew hiding under the blankets would not protect me). There was one movie, I cannot remember the name of it (and prefer never to see it again) that ruined a Grimm Fairy Tale for me and had scared me so badly that my mother had to baptized me and said the Lord's Prayer over me in order for me to calm down. You might think that strange, but I was raised in a family and town full of superstition and old legends. So I am very wary when it comes to scary things. But I have to say, though spooky, The Woman in Black was a good movie, full of suspense, mystery, and hope for the better. 

     The story follows a young lawyer (played by Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe) who has grieved the death of his wife for four years, and in that time raised their toddler son. He travels to the town of Crythin Gifford to tend the papers of a late client, Mrs. Alice Drablow, and prepare her estate to be sold. Though warned not to by the locals, Arthur goes to the estate of Eel Marsh House. There, he learns the truth of how the woman in black came to be and why she haunts the town. Can he find a way to bring her peace and save his son from a fate only she can cause?

     I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was watching this movie. Though spooky and good, I did my best to not be out in the dark after watching the movie. It kind of reminded me of one of the versions of a Hispanic story called La Llorona (The Crybaby). I know of at least four versions of the story, but the one this movie reminded me of was the one where a woman had gone mad and killed her children by drowning them in the river near her home. Once she realized what she had done, she became worse and dug her nails into her face before she committed suicide. Legend says if she comes upon you at night, she will dig at your face and scream like a mad woman. But you know when she is coming; you can hear her wailing everywhere near you.

     Though not exactly like this, the woman in black did go mad when her child was taken from her. And also like La Llorona, though she scares me, I feel pity for the woman in black. The saddest thing I can think of is losing your child. In a way, you can somewhat understand why she wanted revenge for her child's death (spoiler alert, sorry).

     So if you have not seen this movie yet and enjoy spooky thrillers (or this story seems intriguing to you as it did to me), I'd advise you to watch it. I give this movie four stars (I liked it, but it still scared me, that's why I give four stars instead of five).

Hipsy's View: Jane Eyre (2011 Version)

Well, I know that many of you that have stuck through reading my blogs (yes, I know it's been awhile since my last blog and I'm sorry I haven't posted anything lately) may have already seen the movie I am about to review. But if not, then welcome to the first Hipsy's View Blog of 2012!!!

Today, I am reviewing a movie based on one of my favorite books from the Romantic/Goth Era, Jane Eyre. In fact, I may have never read this book if not for my high school Honors Senior English class, so a shout out to my English teacher, Mrs. Burgoyne, for having me read the novel. 
Anyway, I must say this motion picture version of this classic story has to be one of my favorites between the two I have seen (this version I am reviewing and the 1996 version, starring William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg). The plot of the story follows a young governess in her personal journey in finding her place in life, and on the way she discovers pain, fear, anger, hope, and love. This movie's plot stays very close to the novel and I think the cast was chosen very well. Mia Wasikowska does a well job as "poor, obscure, plain and little" Jane, Judi Dench was perfectly chosen to be Mrs. Fairfax (in my opinion),  and Michael Fassbender's portrayal of Mr. Edward Fairfax Rochester is exactly how I imagined him to be as I read the book. Even the setting of Thornfield is wonderful and well-placed. The only things that I judged against were the portrayal of Blanche Ingram and the ending. I had always imagined young Ingram as a proud woman, with blonde hair, and a little older than Jane (but not by much). And the ending, I think, could have had more, even though it was a wonderful ending.
If you have not seen this movie yet, I advise you to watch it, especially if you are a Romantic (like myself when it comes to books and movies). Even those that have read the book before watching any of the Jane Eyre movies would enjoy this version, I guarantee it. And if you have not read this story before, I highly advise you to read it; classic stories like this one are always fun and interesting challenges to ensue. Until next time, this is Hispy telling everyone to enjoy your books, music, and videos.