My Favorites of 2014

The brand new year has started, so here's my favorites of this past year!

Remember, my music favorites have their own post, and this year I'm doing a video about my book favorites, so you're only seeing the top book! Make sure to subscribe to my channel to see me post it this coming Wednesday!

BOOK

Batman: Night of the Owls

I'll go into more detail in my video, but basically I became a Batman fanatic this year, and it's all thanks to this amazing book. Nothing topped it, and it's remained at number one since May.

MOVIES

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Sitting at Number 1 once again is The Hobbit, with the last trip into Middle Earth, The Battle of the Five Armies. It's beautiful, it's powerful, it's sad. I love it. I laughed, I cried, and BOY did my heart get ripped out.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This is perhaps my favorite Marvel film so far. It also rips your heart out, has enough hilarity to keep the film from being too dark, and tons of awesome action. Steve steps it up in this one.

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

You wanna talk about getting your heart ripped out? Watch this film. We enter an alternate universe and BOY is it messed up. Best part? Batman cries. Only time in canon. EVER.

TV SHOWS

Girl Meets World

This wouldn't have sat at number one if we didn't have the Christmas special. But we did. And MAN! This show is AWESOME! We battle bullying, ignoring those of a lesser station, messed up family dynamics, honesty, and then, in the last episode for Christmas, see how it connects with Boy Meets World. I'm DYING for the next episode, and season 1 isn't even over!!!

Sherlock

I lover this show. I may have mentioned this last year, and I've mentioned it TWICE in monthly favorites, but I LOVE THIS SHOW. Sherlock is a modern take of the old story, and it is PERFECTION. Each season (which is 3 episodes long, DANG IT) gets better and better, and each episode gets better and better!!! I adore it so much!

Gotham

Now I'm WAY behind on Arrow (one and half seasons, anyone?) but I'm up to date on this AMAZING take on Batman. Now, the movies tend to be lacking in the accuracy department, but Arrow is so well done, I had to check this show out. I'M SO GLAD I DID. It's phenomenal, and like Girl Meets World, it's just getting started!!!

VIDEOS

(there's 5 so stay with me)

Always - #LikeAGirl

This video is powerful. It asks a big question: why is "like a girl" an insult? I love that this makes me think about it.

Maysoon Zayid - I Got 99 Problems... Palsy is Just 1

This video is a long one, so be ready for it, but it's worth a watch. Maysoon talks about battling Palsy and how she doesn't let it hold her back. I love it.

Lindsey Stirling - Dragon Age

Lindsey's known for her music and her dance moves, but this video is a little different. This time it's more about the amazing special effects. I love this video and found it really amazing, despite the short length. She really oneups herself with each vid, am I right?

ThePerksOfBooks - Confessions of a Bookreader

In case you missed the memo, but I've joined up with two online communities all about books, Booklr (Tumblr) and BookTube (YouTube). This is one of the MANY BookTube videos I've discovered, but I felt this one had to be shared, because it's funny and SO ACCURATE!!! XD

Simon's Cat - The Box

I also discovered this gem. Simon is a illustrator who decided to combine the worst of his four felines into Simon's Cat. Each video is hilarious, and when I want a laugh, I have to watch one of his videos.

MAKEUP

Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream

It is rare that anything truly matches my pasty skin. I have yet to find a concealer during the winter, but THIS matches my skin right now PERFECTLY!!! It's great for when my skin's all dried out, and provides quite a bit of coverage. I just can't use moisturizer, and make sure to let it set for about 5 minutes. But once it's set, it's locked in place and lasts all day! Best thing for my whole face since Revlon's Colorstay Foundation!

Mary Kay Eyeshadow in Emerald

I actually purchased this a while ago, but never really got around to using it. This year I won a bunch of Mary Kay makeup, and it's theme was greens and purples. I got this along with another item on this list, and another eye shadow. I really found myself reaching for it over and over. I'm definitely going to be using this more in the future, though with the heavy lilac and gold shimmers in it (not pictured) it's more of a spring and summer shadow.

Maybelline's The Rocket

Okay, this came out LAST year, but I did find myself loving it. However, it's a really wet formula, so The Falsies is still my fav, but this is the only other mascara I haven't ended up hating.

Mary Kay Lipstick in Mystic Plum

This is the other Mary Kay item I mentioned earlier, and BOY do I LOVE IT! Purple lipsticks were on trend this fall and winter season, and I've actually wanted one for a while. Got this one for free and not only is a beautiful, flattering shade, but it also incredibly moisturizing. That makes it perfect for my dried out lips I battle every season.

Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover

If you saw my post about how I have NEVER found a good eye makeup remover that doesn't burn my eyes or coat them in a film of oil (SO annoying), then you should know that this stuff must be amazing. And it IS!!!! I lover it and use it all the time on my makeup. It can even get rid of that stupid strong Rocket!!!

Hada Labo Skin Plumping Gel Cream

Another thing I've had trouble with is moisturizer. My oily, acne prone skin is sensitive and practically nothing doesn't clog my pores. What doesn't affect all that tends to not moisturize, or prevent wrinkles at all. UNTIL THIS STUFF! I dunno what it's made of, but BOY does it get my wrinkles GONE! I've been battling crows feet for a while thanks to squinting in the harsh Arizona sun, but this, combined with constantly wearing glasses has made them decrease SO MUCH!!! I love this stuff, and a tiny amount mixed in with my regular moisturizer seems to do wonders for the rest of my face!

MOMENTS

Number One has GOT to be finishing Warrior! Okay, it's just a rough draft, but this is FIVE YEARS of HARD WORK and carpal tunnel right here! I'm so proud of myself!

Another highlight had to be seeing Lindsey Stirling live in concert again! I did it completely alone, and while it would've been a LOT better to see it with my friends, doing it alone really was pushing me outside of my comfort zone.

Also, note to self: NEVER go to a concert on an empty stomach again, you almost passed out.

My third and final moment: GETTING A CAR! THANK YOU RAY I LOVE YOU TO PIECES! Her parents got a new car, so they gave their old one to Ray, and she gave me hers! It's running fine now, and I love not feeling so trapped! Plus, with my new job if I get hunger I CAN GET FOOD!! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW AWESOME THAT IS FOR ME!!!

PERSON

Robin Williams

Losing this amazing man was devastating for me and the rest of this country, even world wide. He was so amazing, so wonderful, and yet a mental illness took his life. I will make sure to watch his final film with a smile on my face, and probably wiping away yet more tears.

RANDOM

A Very Different Little Mermaid

Finally here's the last item, from this past month, actually. Again, right click to open it in another tab so you can read the amazing talent of this person. They change up the tragic Little Mermaid fairy tale from Hans Christian Anderson, and instead make it about Ariel finding herself and her place in this world. It's really creative and powerful, have to recommend it!

That's it! 2014 is officially over and 2015 is here. Look forward my special music post coming soon, as well as my top ten books on my BookTube Channel!

I hope you had a good year, changed for the better, and that this year will be even better!

Batman: Court of Owls and The Hobbit Battle of Five Armies Teaser Reaction (vids)

Hey guys!

So I've been taking it easy, cleaning, reading, writing some, and editing for my girl Ray since BookTube-A-Thon ended. I've been so grateful for every day that I can sleep in, because trust me, I died during that read-a-thon. I haven't had enough pictures to do another Week in Pics just yet, but I may by Friday.

But the videos have continued on, and I've posted 2 since I last checked in. The first was an arc review, meaning more than one book in a comic series, and the second was my reaction to a teaser for the last of the greatest movie franchise in the history of cinema. Okay, maybe YOU don't feel that way about The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, but *I* do.

So the first one is about why I have 8, yes, EIGHT DC comics in my house thanks to the library. As I've stated before, I wasn't really into Batman, only reading one or two graphic novel bind-ups every few weeks or even a few months. Then I picked up Batman: Night of the Owls. And I was hooked into the New 52, which I wasn't happy about happening when it did (hence why I hadn't touched it yet). Now I've read about 13 Batman Comics in the past 3 months, and am waiting on even more to come on hold for me at the local branch.

Here's everything about where you should pick up this New 52.





So this next vid was filmed on my cell phone, last minute because that's how I roll. No, I gave Ray her camera back for the first time in almost a month, thanks to me constantly reading. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies released their very first trailer, which is just a teaser, but still. Lots of BookTubers film their reactions, so I decided to. It's a tad boring during the teaser, since I can't play the audio or show the footage, only me watching it. But after it ends you see me fangirling hardcore. Seriously, that's my reaction every time, but now I actually filmed it. I was hopping around my house right after. :D





And here's the teaser itself!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpTEdwgoph4&index=1&list=FLaAuZ7-QAgDGk2g_IzAxXwg



Thanks for watching, and make sure to subscribe on YouTube so you can see all my fangirling before I post it here!

:)

My Week(s) in Pics ~12/15 - 12/28~

Hey guys!

So I got my pics all ready to go, so you can all take a look! I'm also going to upload another chapter for Glenn's Story. Just a quick reminder, you can read it only on Figment here:  http://figment.com/books/722011-Glenn-s-Story

But here's my past two weeks!

We saw The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug! (Which you should know if you read my review here: http://lorienlobrien.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-hobbit-desolation-of-smaug-review.html)

It was awesome! Check my post to see why it's my favorite movie ever!!!

We briefly thought my uncle was coming over, so before church on Sunday my dad super cleaned the room and reorganized things. It's looks amazing. Me and Ray fit in quite nicely! ^^

Before Christmas, me, Ray, Megan, Karl and my brother had a gift exchange. I got Ray's Obsidian, the latest two of the Lorien Legacies, Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Mousse, and some makeup from my mom! I had a blast, and was so sad when they had to leave after only an hour or so!

Mighty and Strider's new favorite spot is on my bed together. Just this morning they were so cute!

While up in Phoenix Christmas Day, I found these in Grandma's kitchen. I got hooked on them, so my grandma gave them to me. Totally addicted! ^^

Just after Christmas, my dad got bored so he and I went to Walmart (or as my brother calls it, Wally-World!). There I picked up a new lipstick from NYC and two pairs of fuzzy socks. I count them as Christmas gifts.

Two of my pins have gotten a lot of attention these past two weeks. The bottom one is my most pinned pin ever, and the one above is second! I get hits on them both almost every day! :)

I also lucked into a little bit of cash (SCORE!!!) so I went out and picked up the new edition of Lindsey Stirling's self titled album, as well as the number one drugstore bronzer, NYC's Sunny. Love them both! ^^

So that was my past two weeks! I had a GREAT time in Phoenix with my cousins, just sitting around and talking. Also I managed to get close to the end of Warrior (hee hee hee!). SO excited!!

How was your Christmas? Get anything cool?

<3 p="">

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug Review *SPOILERS*

Okay, so ya'll should know that I'm a Hobbitfreak. I mean, my name's really Lorien, as in Lothlorien. I was raised on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as well as scripture. When my dad asked me and my brother to read The Fellowship of the Ring before the movie, we read all of them, including The Hobbit. I've read The Silmarillion, and looked at a lot of The Tolkien Companion.

So of COURSE I've seen all the movies.

And I love them all.

Know this before I talk about the most recent, The Desolation of Smaug, the second of The Hobbit Movies.

I

LOVE

it.

Absolutely love it. I'll explain why in a second.

But first, I want to rant a bit about the only thing in all five of Mr. Peter Jackson's movies that truely bugs me. Kili and Tauriel.

No, not Tauriel as a character, but Kili and Tauriel's relationship.

Now, in Tolkien's universe, in the First Age of Middle Earth, before Morgoth was imprisoned, the elves and dwarves had a falling out. Two kings were fighting like school children over a necklace. Sadly, this is totally realistic because people murder over lesser matters. *le sigh*

In particular, Thranduil's ancestor and Thorin's ancestor were the dudes who fought and ruined a long lasting relationship over jewelry. So I totally bought into Mr. Jackson's tale about Thror and Thranduil fighting again over jewels. Totally believable. And dwarves and elves just don't get along in the Fellowship, in both book and movie.

So WHY did they have Tauriel and Kili, Thorin's NEPHEW get crushes on each other???

It doesn't make sense, but whatever. Because as annoying as this is to the Tolkien nerd in me, there is something to shut her completely up.

*SPOILERS*

Gandalf vs. Sauron.

Oh yes.

GANDALF VERSUS FRICKIN SAURON!!!!

You want to know what my face looked like???

I couldn't BREATHE, I was so overjoyed and excited and just super super HAPPY!!!!

Want to know my fav LotR story EVER?

Filgolfin, High King of the Noldir (elves) vs. Morgoth.

And Mr. Jackson brought in it's equivalent in the Third Age. And for all you Tolkien purists who are like "that never happened," it actually did, before The Hobbit, and during. Although Gandalf faced him with the rest of Istari, the wizards. Which is coming in the third film. *insert fangirl squeals here*

And if that wasn't enough for you, what happened right after that?

Bilbo and Smaug. And then Bilbo and Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, Ori, Bilfor, and Bombur vs Smaug.

That whole sequence had me trying to catch my breath. I never did until I reached the escalators to take me out of the theater. I was just blown away and kept forgetting to breathe. I was so excited.

And then there's the end. I was so sad when Smaug announced he was going to burn Laketown, and I knew he did and killed lots of people. So the dwarves fighting him to keep that from happening was AMAZING and SO MUCH BETTER than what Tolkien wrote. Seriously better.

But of course, Smaug survived (dang it), and flew out, leaving the glitter from the molten gold they tried to kill him with (so much better!!!). And then, my favorite sequence of lines.

"I am fire. I am...death!"

And Bilbo looking as sad as I felt. "What have we done?"

BOOM, BLACK!!!

OMG, Mr. Jackson, the problem isn't a problem. It's an annoyance that I got over very quickly. You know why? It works! Everything works together to make my fav movie of all time, my fav Tolkien movie ever, and made the fifteen-year-old who feel in love with the Silmarillion see it on the silver screen in the best way. Bravo Mr. Jackson, you are AMAZING!!!

4.9999 out of 5 stars!!!!

My Week in Photos ~12/15 - 12/21~

Hey guys!

So, the end of the world was "supposedly" gonna happen today.

Hah! Suckers. Yeah right, this world's never gonna end.

Anywho, onto my week in photos!

Saturday was my mommy's birthday! So we celebrated by going to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Very awesome! Best movie I've seen since the end of The Lord of the Rings. Seriously.

To keep warm, me and my sis had some hot chocolate and cookies while watching Ingrid missglamorazzi. She inspired the hot chocolate we made too!

Rocking some red nails for the season!

Finally got the tree done! Took all day, and I did it entirely by myself!

Hoping you guys have a Merry Christmas, and I'll see you after!

<3

My Week(s) in Photos! ~9/15-9/26~

Hey ya'll!!!

Wow, I sound so white! :3

Anywho...Happy Wednesday! ... Yeah, it's not Friday. I'm doing my blog because I'll be away from a comp on Friday, and won't be able to do this! So it's happening today! I'll cover last week up to today.

 

Look what was right outside my door! ^^

 

 

Happy Hobbit Day! Did you have a second breakfast or elevensies???

 

 

If any of you play Pottermore, and are dealing with the glitches while making the Swelling Solution, that ^ is what you want to do.

 

 

My daddy works WAY too hard! Those are 2 cans of Mountain Dew in front of him, and even they couldn't keep him awake!

 

 

This is SO how my friends greet me! (image from Bamboo Blade by Totsuka Masahiro)

 

 

After over a week, we FINALLY go together!

 

 

Ray/LA Knight and I worked hard on each other's books...

 

 

...When we weren't watching this! Very good movie, ya'll should definitely watch it!

 

 

Mighty chilling outside! He's much nicer (and thinner) now! <3

 

 

My new nail idea! The blue pinky represents anit-bullying/torture. The white are hearts!

 

 

That's all my pics! I'll upload pics of Utah and Nevada when I get back!

 

Have a great week!

 

<3





Happy Hobbit Day!

Happy Tolkien Week and Hobbit Day!

75 years ago this week, The Hobbit was published, and today is Bilbo and Frodo Baggins' birthday! Hobbit Freaks like myself all over the world are celebrating, and for this momentous occasion, The Hobbit has a new trailer!!! I don't know about you guys, but I am SO EXCITED! Like, seriously!

Okay, I sound beyond lame. Anywho...

So, since I have like, 1 picture for this week, I'm gonna do this blog instead.

When I was a kid, one thing that my brother and I absolutely LOVED was listening to our dad read something. He would usually read something from the scriptures, but sometimes, he would read The Hobbit, or The Lord of the Rings. I remember my dad reading Bilbo and Smaug, Sam fighting Shilob (I think that's one of the reasons I'm so terrified of bugs, and especially spiders), Aragorn and the Western Alliance talking with the Voice of Sauron, The Final Council, Eowyn vs The Lord of the Nazgul, Eowyn and Faramir talking, among others. I loved The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit before I could read, and have been an advid fan ever since.

I knew about The Lord of the Rings movies over a year before The Fellowship of the Ring's trailer was released. My dad told both me and David, my brother, that we couldn't see any of the movies until we finished the books. My brother cannot focus on books and barely reads. But we both finished The Hobbit and all of The Lord of the Rings long before The Fellowship's released date. We ordered tickets a month in advance, and went with a full crew of family and friends for all 3 movies.

But more than anything, because I'm a writer, and have had a love of fantasy and stories since I was very little, The Lord of Rings literally changed my life. I've never read such a beautiful book before. Very few novels have anything like the language found in those novels. In fact, I've actually never found one that came close. LA Knight can do it when she really, REALLY tries, though that's not often. So does Juliet Marillier's Seven Waters Series, Wicked by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie (though I don't reccomend that one, it's description is the only thing I like)...and that's about it that I can think of. LA Knight hasn't published anything with that voice, but she has some great unfinished works from a while back that can do it, and her Once Upon a Time has it at times.

The Lord of the Rings was so amazing. I remember me and my brother talking about how it just sucked us in, taking us to a magical world where trees talk, elves run around, dragons can burn your house down, and a simple archer can be a king. And "the smallest person can change the course of the future". Since we were in such a terrible place at the time, it was so uplifting.

Basically, this week is a week to celebrate something that has brought so much amazing experiences into my life. Just sitting down on the floor while my dad read four pages out of a huge book when there was nothing else to do is one of my favorite memories I will always carry with me.

So thank you, Professor Tolkien. You really changed my life.

<3