Falling for Books Blog Hop: September 16th-30th (US) #TheStrain

One of my favorite things about fall is the start of the United States' largest television viewing season. I am looking forward to new episodes of Scandal (see #WWOPR at the bottom of this post), The Blacklist, Grimm, The Mindy Project, Agents of Shield, The Americans and Sleepy Hollow. The list goes on and on...

This fall, I'll be saying goodbye to The Strain, a television adaptation of the novel trilogy of the same name. Season one of the drama/horror* premiered on FX this summer and ends in October. FX renewed the series for a second season on August 6. Huzzah!

To celebrate, I am giving away a  hardcover copy of The Strain (The Strain Trilogy #1) by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan to a randomly drawn winner (U.S. mailing addresses only) via the rafflecopter widget in this post. Check out the vampire threat and a sample of the first chapter here.

*If vampires and/or horror are not your thing and you are selected as the winner, you can choose a book from my PaperBackSwap bookshelf (in the brown footer at the bottom of the blog) instead. I have some other movie-television-ish books listed.

Thanks for stopping by my post in the Falling for Books Blog Hop hosted by Lilybloombooks. Hop through all the blogs for giveaways at each stop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Check out the clip below where the cast and crew take you inside the adaptation of The Strain.

Inside The Strain: A Novel Approach

What differences and similarities exist between the book and series? - Hulu

FX | Sundays 10:00pm | Behind the Scenes | Aired on 08/28/2014 | TV-MA

Scandal Fan Fueled Recap: Episode 9

I'm counting down the days until Scandal's season premiere here on MAD Hoydenish by suggesting books for Olivia Pope's beach ereader. With 9 days to go, I'd add The Strain to Olivia's ereader for a little variety. Some of the scenes in season three of Scandal scared me as much as a scene from The Strain. Like the scene where Olivia's mother "opened" up her wrists as part of an elaborate escape plan. Eew. Or when Huck pulled out Quinn's tooth to "encourage" her to give up information. SMH. - Thanks to that scene, I now cringe whenever I see pliers or kitchen thongs. See the toothy highlights in this recap:




You Only Live Once, join Alie Ward as she recaps scandalous moments from Episode 9: YOLO.
From Season 3 Episode 9 | Aired on 12/06/2013 | TV-PG

What Would Olivia Pope Read? #WWOPR

#WhereisOlivaPope? According to my math, Olivia Pope and Jake Ballard are on a beach somewhere. They are drinking wine, eating popcorn, making out, and planning their next steps.

Olivia is always so busy on the show. She doesn't get many chances to enjoy a little quiet time. I am recommending that she get in some reading while hanging out at the beach.

I'm counting down the days until Scandal's season premiere by suggesting books for Olivia's beach ereader. They'll be books that a gladiator might enjoy. You know, based on stuff from the show.

Do you watch Scandal? Care to join me? What books would you suggest for Olivia's beach ereader? Check out my #WWOPR posts.



Countdown Clock

Fairy Tale Magic Blog Hop: Sept 15-22

Love... All things Fairy Tale? We're celebrating them in all their forms... originals, adaptations, twists and retellings. Sweet or steamy or a little bit twisted! Hop through all the blogs for giveaways at each stop. And don't forget to enter for the $100 Amazon gift card grand prize drawing too!

I am giving away a hardcover copy of Once Upon a Time: A Collection of Classic Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm and Kevin Tong (illustrator) and a book of fairy tale bookmarks to a randomly drawn winner (U.S. mailing addresses only) via the rafflecopter widget in this post. Once Upon a Time is an illustrated Brothers Grimm collection with a foreword written by the creators of the ABC television show, Once Upon a Time (returns Sunday, September 28 at 8|7c).

 

I always chuckle when a character mentions fairy tales on the ABC television show Scandal. It's usually in contrast to something bad that has happened. As if all fairy tales are nothing but happiness from start to finish. For example, check out the Scandal clip below where Olivia asks Jake how he got to her apartment after being held prisoner.

"This is not a fairy tale. This is not happily ever after. If you’re still alive, it’s because he still owns you, it’s because you’re still useful to him. And he’s going to find a way to use you against me." - Olivia Pope

I think that people forget that fairy tales are not all rainbows and kittens. A fair amount of scary stuff happens in many of them before the happily-ever-after ending. Season four of Scandal starts in ten days (Thursday, September 25, 2014 at 9|8c)! We won't know if Olivia gets her happily-ever-after (despite all of the craziness) for quite sometime. Until then, I'm adding Once Upon a Time: A Collection of Classic Fairy Tales to Olivia's beach ereader. She could use a little fairy tale magic.

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Here's the book's description:

“Once upon a time . . .”

Four simple words that, after more than two centuries, still have the ability to transport readers to lands of mystery, intrigue, and betrayal, life and death, love and abandon. Timeless are the tales of the Brothers Grimm who, in an effort to preserve native folklore, unwittingly crafted a cornerstone of Western literature.

With this book of fairy tales, beautifully illustrated by artist Kevin Tong, reacquaint yourself with the stories and characters you know and love. Run through the forest with Little Red Cap. Attend the ball with Cinderella. Eat an apple with Snow White. From witches to fairies, evil queens to kindly kings, frog princes and sleeping beauties, the Grimm tales are classics that are truly meant to be shared with young and old alike.

With a foreword written by the creators of ABC’s show Once Upon a Time, we see that these classic tales continue to endure and inspire more storytelling. The series brings some of these classic characters to life in a bold reimagination of the fairy tale world.

We invite you to reacquaint yourself with these magical stories and be transported once again with Once Upon a Time.

Entry-Form

Scandal Olivia Asks Jake How He Got Here


Olivia is terrified, certain Rowan is going to find a way to use Jake against her. - Hulu
From Season 3 Episode 3 | Aired on 10/17/2013 | TV-PG

This is not a fairy tale. This is not happily ever... | Scandal Moments http://t.co/bXGaQIitiQ via @Scandal_Moments
— Tallulah Scribbles (@madhoydenish) September 14, 2014

Thanks for stopping by the Fairy Tale Magic Blog Hop hosted by Herding Cats and Burning Soup!

What Would Olivia Pope Read? #WWOPR

#WhereisOlivaPope? Olivia Pope and Jake Ballard agreed to run away together at the end of last season's Scandal. According to my math, Olivia and Jake are at a beach somewhere. They are drinking wine, eating popcorn, making out, and planning their next steps.

Olivia is always so busy. She doesn't get many chances to enjoy a little quiet time. I'd recommend that she get in some reading while hanging out at the beach.

I am counting down the days until Scandal's season four premiere by suggesting books for Olivia's beach ereader. They'll be books that a gladiator might enjoy. You know, based on stuff from the show.

Do you watch Scandal? Care to join me? What books would you suggest for Olivia's beach ereader? Check out my #WWOPR posts.



Countdown Clock

What Would Olivia Pope Read? Good Self, Bad Self by Judy Smith #WWOPR | 15 Days to #Scandal

Did you know that Scandal character, Olivia Pope, was inspired by a real person?

Who is the inspiration, you ask?

It's crisis-management guru Judy Smith. That's who. You may have heard that Paula Deen hired her firm, Smith & Co., to help with the backlash surrounding Deen's use of racial slurs.

Smith, who is also a Scandal co-executive producer, wrote about some of the Scandal episodes on a blog called What Would Judy Do? on ABC's website. You should definitely check it out. It is interesting to read insights from a real "fixer."

Judy is author of Good Self, Bad Self: How to Bounce Back from a Personal Crisis. So of course, I'd add her book to Olivia's #WWOPR ereader. Olivia needed to start reading this book as soon as she got on the airplane with Jake.

For extra credit, you should also check out the article ABC bases ‘Scandal’ on D.C. insider Judy Smith (Washington Post) and the Scandal bonus scenes (below) where Kerry Washington talks about Judy. 

Just in case you missed it. My interview on ABC this Sunday. http://t.co/ras8V41yPI
— Judy Smith (@JudySmith_) July 29, 2013

Scandal Bonus Scene - Judy Smith's Influence - ABC Television Network

Scandal Bonus Scene - The Complexity of Olivia - ABC Television Network

 

What Would Olivia Pope Read? #WWOPR

According to my math, Olivia is at the beach. Which one? I dunno.

Olivia is always so busy on the show. She doesn't get many chances to enjoy a little quiet time. I'd recommend that she get in some reading while hanging out at the beach.

I am going to count down the days until Scandal's season premiere by suggesting books for Olivia's beach ereader. They'll be books that a gladiator might enjoy. You know, based on stuff from the show.

Do you watch Scandal? Care to join me? What books would you suggest for Olivia's beach ereader? Check out my #WWOPR posts.




Countdown Clock

What Would Olivia Pope Read? Chance Assassin #WWOPR | 20 Days to #Scandal

Somewhere between season one and season three, mild-mannered lawyer Lindsay Dwyer morphed into Quinn Perkins - fixer, cleaner, and gladiator.

I watched with morbid curiosity as Huck (Pope and Associates' tech guy) took Quinn under his wing and trained her in the secret arts of technology and espionage. Skills he honed from his former job as a dark CIA special agent. Neither I nor Huck expected Quinn to take to this training with such... um... zeal. He tried to reel her back in when he realized, too late, that she was going dark.




Toward the end of season three, I could see the sparks of attraction between them. Creepy, disturbingly twisted, attraction. Out loud, I didn't want it to happen. I shouted "no" at the television whenever I saw it. I felt like Phoebe (from Friends) when she discovered Chandler and Monica hooking up: "My eyes! My eyes!" But in the back of my head, I kinda sorta wanted it to happen. I secretly looked forward to their scenes together. I cringed as their relationship deteriorated and then sizzled with attraction.

SMH. Okay, I admit it. I. Could. Not. Look. Away.

Huck and Quinn's relationship has gone from kidnapper-kidnappee to mentor-mentee to frenemies-with-benefits. It's been a hellva ride! Who knew a bizarre mix of romance and psychopathy could be so intriguing? This revelation brings me to my next suggestion for Olivia's beach ereader.

For gladiators who are fans of a bad romance, I would add Chance Assassin: A Story of Love, Luck, and Murder (Chance Assassin #1) by Nicole Castle to Olivia's beach ereader. Chance Assassin's book description looks fairly straight forward. 

"Vincent Sullivan is down on his luck. When a chance encounter generates a job prospect he’s too desperate to decline, Vincent is well on his way to a career in crime. But after the job goes wrong and he’s gravely injured in the process, things couldn’t get much worse. Except that he may have just killed a man.

With the entrance of a mysterious stranger, life is finally starting to look up. Unless his luck is about to run out for good."

Gladiators, Don't let the smooth taste fool you. That description hides what lies beneath the book's cover. This book is a handful of "Whoa!" Does this book meet the #HuckleberryQuinn criteria? People with questionable morals? Check. People with violent tendencies? Check. Broken people that you hope can be redeemed?  Check. A bad romance that you can't help but pull for in spite of your better judgment? Check. Don't take my word for it. Check out the reviews on Goodreads and Amazon.

Take a look at a few of Huck and Quinn's disturbingly romantic moments. Emphasis on disturbing.

Check out Scandal: Huck Prepares Quinn for His Torture

From Season 3 Episode 9 | Aired on 12/05/2013 | TV-14: He's never done this with someone in the family before, someone he loves. - Hulu

Check out Scandal: Huck Comes to Put Quinn Down

From Season 3 Episode 14 | Aired on 03/20/2014 | TV-14: Huck comes to kill Quinn, but there's a surprising reason he hesitates. - Hulu

It's better than pulling teeth! 👅 #SummerGladiators pic.twitter.com/uaeCEFJMuq
— Quinn's Tooth (@QuinnsTooth) August 29, 2014

Check out Scandal: Quinn Takes Control With Huck on Hulu.

From Season 3 Episode 15 | Aired on 03/27/2014 | TV-14: Quinn shows Huck exactly how it goes...and things get even more mixed up. - Hulu

Check Out Scandal: Huck Tells Quinn He Wants Her

From Season 3 Episode 17 | Aired on 04/10/2014 | TV-14: Huck chides Quinn when she returns from finishing a job alone. Quinn lets Huck know she’s positive he’s aware she can handle herself, so he needs to say what he really wants. Huck tells Quinn he wants her and pulls her to him. - Hulu

What Would Olivia Pope Read? #WWOPR

#WhereisOlivaPope? According to my math, Olivia Pope and Jake Ballard are on a beach somewhere. They are drinking wine, eating popcorn, making out, and planning their next steps.

Olivia is always so busy on the show. She doesn't get many chances to enjoy a little quiet time. I am recommending that she get in some reading while hanging out at the beach.

I'm counting down the days until Scandal's season premiere by suggesting books for Olivia's beach ereader. They'll be books that a gladiator might enjoy. You know, based on stuff from the show.

Do you watch Scandal? Care to join me? What books would you suggest for Olivia's beach ereader? Check out my #WWOPR posts.




Countdown Clock

She's not your season one Quinn anymore. #gladiatorinaboot pic.twitter.com/TwIecabFVT
— Katie Lowes (@KatieQLowes) September 9, 2014

What Would Olivia Pope Read? The Little Black Book of Wine #WWOPR | 24 Days until #Scandal

#WhereisOlivaPope? According to my math, Olivia Pope and Jake Ballard are at a beach somewhere. They are drinking wine, eating popcorn, making out, and planning their next steps.

Gladiators, I was glad to find out that it wasn't just me thinking it: Olivia doesn't seem to consume much food - except for wine and popcorn. Well, I guess she eats the occasional hamburger for Jake's sake now. LOL!


"Jake Plays Olivia's Pretend Boyfriend: Jake dutifully arrives at Olivia's apartment to continue their relationship ruse, but draws some firm lines around the topics of real food and what Liv cannot tell him to do." - Hulu

Scandal: From Season 3 Episode 12 | Aired on 03/06/2014 | TV-14


We learned in a Scandal flashback that Rowan (Olivia's father) opened her eyes and taste buds to the world of wine. In honor of that moment, I would add The Little Black Book of Wine by Elizabeth Poyet to Olivia's beach ereader.

"The Little Black Book of Wine: A Simple Guide to the World of Wine serves up everything you need to know about wine, minus the pretense. Demystifies lingo and lore and teaches how to serve, preserve, store, and evaluate wines.

Covers wine terms, developing your wine sense, types of grapes, and wines of France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and Chile.

It's a mini tour guide to wine country and beyond!"

What Would Olivia Pope Read #WWOPR

Olivia is always so busy. She doesn't get many chances to enjoy a little quiet time. I'd recommend that she get in some reading while hanging out at the beach.

I am counting down the days until Scandal's season four premiere by suggesting books for Olivia's beach ereader. They'll be books that a gladiator might enjoy. You know, based on stuff from the show.

Do you watch Scandal? Care to join me? What books would you suggest for Olivia's beach ereader? Check out my #WWOPR posts.



Countdown Clock

Where is Olivia Pope?

#Scandal Season 4 is almost here! Where On Earth Is Olivia Pope? http://t.co/oSQszBOKDi -cy's aide
— Jeff Perry (@jscandalp) September 2, 2014

BTW:

I am listening to The Red Dragon as part of the Travel the World in Books Readathon. It is set in China. So right now, I am thinking that Olivia and Jake are on a beach in China, like Bo'ao Yudai Beach. Bo'ao Yudai is tropical and isn't plagued with tourists. The perfect place to lay low until they decide their next steps.

While you are here, enter to win the China Tour Giveaway from smarTours and WholeMom.com   http://woobox.com/fkakfm/9s0e40.

#WhereisOlivaPope | What Would Olivia Pope Read? #WWOPR | 25 Days until #Scandal

At the end of season three of Scandal, Olivia Pope decides to quit Pope and Associates. She has determined that she is the eye of the storm engulfing the lives of those she cares about.

She is the scandal that needs to be handed.

The solution? Olivia decides to pack up her stuff and leave town.

Watch this scene from Scandal Episode 318: The Price of Free and Fair Elections via ABC.

 

After Huck informs him that Olivia quit OPA, Jake comes to her apartment. It's clear she's moving out, leaving altogether. He asks her to take him with her, run away with him, save him.

  
So as we gladiators eagerly await for season four to start, the question floating around is:

Where is Olivia Pope?

#WhereisOlivaPope ? She's with me. #scandal pic.twitter.com/jYEhxsLGHg
— scott foley (@scottkfoley) August 30, 2014

Jake and Olivia want to stand in the sun (figuratively and literally).
+
Olivia likes to swim.
+
Rowan's original fix for Olivia's personal scandal.
_________________________

= Olivia and Jake ran away to a beach.

What Would Olivia Pope Read? #WWOPR

According to my math, Olivia is at the beach. Which one? I dunno.

Olivia is always so busy on the show. She doesn't get many chances to enjoy a little quiet time. I'd recommend that she get in some reading while hanging out at the beach.

I am going to count down the days until Scandal's season premiere by suggesting books for Olivia's beach ereader. They'll be books that a gladiator might enjoy. You know, based on stuff from the show.

Do you watch Scandal? Care to join me? What books would you suggest for Olivia's beach ereader? Check out my #WWOPR posts.




Countdown Clock