Recap of 2015 & Our Wishlist for 2016

2015 was a year full of fandom and feels. From the moments that made us laugh to the moments that made us cry, here's our reaction to everything 2015 brought us. In addition, join us as we assemble our wishlists for 2016!

Major spoilers are enclosed in brackets and must be highlighted to read. Like this: [Hello!]

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Amanda Horn

2015 has been an amazing year for fandom. I’ve discovered so many new and brilliant books, movies, and TV shows. So without any further unnecessary introduction, here are my favorite moments of fandom in 2015.

•  Even though I was sad to see Parks and Recreation go, the thing I loved about its final episodes was that everyone found happiness. [April and Andy eventually had a baby (two, actually!), Tom married Lucy, Ron started working outdoors at a park…it was all perfect.]
• Ant-Man. Just Ant-Man. It was hilarious and heart-breaking and just absolute fun and I adored all the characters. I don’t need to say any more. 
• Clint Barton having a family. As much as I loved him before, I love him even more now. 
• Bruce Banner being the dorkiest nerd I knew he could be. It’s marvelous.
• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt existing.

With all this being said, there is so much more on track for 2016! Here are some of the things I’m most excited for in the coming year.

• Season 2 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Season 1 ended really well and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
• Captain America: Civil War. I know everyone’s excited for this and getting prepared for this super anticipated film, but I want to go in and have little to no knowledge about what’s going to happen. I tend to enjoy movies more if I don’t know how it’s going to play out. However, there is one thing that I think I won’t be able to stand. There’s a ton of speculation about a member of the Avengers dying in Civil War. While I don’t have any specific ideas about who it might be exactly, I don’t think I could stand it if Clint Barton died. (Or any member of his little family, for that matter.) I can take it all as it comes, but this would be...heartbreaking. I just want a marvelously happy ending for them. 
•  Season 5 of Arrested Development. This is going to be fantastic. I’m pretty new to the show, but I watched all of the seasons in two weeks. (Oops?)

Anna Catherine

Best moments of 2015:

• Tomorrowland (Tomorrowland is my favorite Disney World "land," and I was so glad it got its own film.   ^_^)
• Inside Out (The best Pixar movie ever made. Hands down. {Monster's Inc. is still my favorite, though.})
• Magnus Chase, Book 1 (Magnus is mine, 'kay?)
• The Underworld entering Once Upon A Time.   (Bring us that sassy Hades!!!!)
• STAR WARRRSSS (Particularly Luke coming back. He looks like such a nice grandpa man, and I want to give him a hug so badly.)

Wishlist for 2016:

• More Sherlock (We're only getting one episode this year but miracles can happen.)
• Hercules characters in Once Upon A Time (I need some of Hades' funny sass to go next to Regina's dry sass.)
• More Percy Jackson adventures (Can Percabeth happen, plz?)
• More Magnus Chase (aka MY BAE) adventures

Anna Gensimore

Favorite moments of 2015

• It was a MARVELous year overall. Age of Ultron and Ant-Man were some of my favorite films to come out of this year. Both did their part to remind me of how much I love this franchise. And then Jessica Jones and Daredevil... just everything about the Netflix series realm is making me happy. My brain still needs some processing time to fully figure out Jessica Jones. All I know is I've found my favorite Avocados and will follow them wherever they go. Hell's Kitchen is quite literally on fire. 
• Jurassic World. It felt good to be excited about dinosaurs again! Not that I ever really stopped of course. This was an example of rich storytelling that refreshed enthusiasm for a much beloved franchise. The actors did a brilliant job, and I was most pleased to see [Rexy return as the ultimate hero of the film].
• Kingkiller Chronicle film/TV show/video game announced after Comic-Con. I'll be writing more about this series in the new year. 
• The Force Awakens! I was crying in the theater the moment I saw Han and Chewie return to the big screen during the trailer. Seeing the film itself...well, I still can't process all my feelings!
• Although I haven't seen all three yet, all of the Extended Editions of The Hobbit are now out. It is time for the marathon to end all marathons.
• The Good Dinosaur and all of the cuteness, all of the feelings. 
• Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer. I am so thrilled to see Rick Riordan back at it; this series looks to be interesting to say the least. 

Hopes for 2016

• Deadpool: Guys I am begging you not to screw this up. The film has great potential to correctly represent Deadpool's story line. and I'm quite hopeful. 
• New books! Several series I'm following have new volumes due out in 2016. Here's to them being finished on time! Is it too much to hope for Winds of Winter?
• Oh my gosh, there are TWO Jungle Book adaptations coming in 2016. I could cry, I'm so excited; The Jungle Book was one of my favorite movies as a kid. The kind of favorite that your parents literally beg you to watch something else. Bill Murrray as Baloo...need I say more?
• Rouge One: Let's just say I'm excited about anything Star Wars at this point. 
• Civil WAAARRRRRRRRRR. I just...oh my goodness. 
• Also X-Men Apocalypse: this looks bloody brilliant. 
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them... My love for Harry Potter is made anew. I'm hoping this is as splendid as it looks. 
• Suicide Squad: I am hoping this movie isn't too dark and portrays Harley Quinn well. She's one of my favorites, and I am thrilled she's getting screen time. Margot Robbie, do us proud. 
• Basically, I hope 2016 is as great a year for movies as it looks. Also, season two of Daredevil is forthcoming.

Bethany Baldwin

There are so many fangirly moments I could talk about from this year, but I'll point out a few.

Favorite moments of 2015: 

• The Sony and Marvel deal to bring Spider-man into the MCU. 
• I finally watched The Flash and fell in love with it. I specifically fell in love with Barry Allen and Cisco Ramon. 
• Jasper surviving season two of The 100.
• Seeing Newsies the musical live, one of the largest highlights of my year. 
• The "confrontation" between Jerome Valeska and Bruce Wayne on Gotham that I thought might be a nod to their future enmity.
• David Tennant on Jessica Jones. 
• Getting a friend to watch the entirety of Young Justice and love it. 
• [Reveal of the Martian Manhunter] on Supergirl. 
• Leopold Fitz. All of him. The mid-season finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in general, though. 
• The Doctor and River at the Singing Towers on Doctor Who. 
• Ant-Man leading his insect friends on a quest. 

Hopes for 2016: 

• I hope Civil War is great and not super depressing. 
• I want Snowbarry to happen at least for a little while on The Flash because Barry and Caitlin could be adorable together. 
• Jasper and Monty need to survive season three of The 100. 
• The new companion on Doctor Who needs to be interesting and generally awesome. Please. And if there is a new Doctor before the year ends, the same goes double for him/her. 
• I want more to happen with the plotvline of Supergirl, and I want Kara to give Winn a shot. 
• FitzSimmons needs to happen for real on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. No more teasing.
• There needs to be some forgiveness on iZombie. Liv and Major or Liv and Peyton or Liv and her mother/brother. Something needs to happen!
• I hope any live musicals produced on TV will do justice to the source material. Here's hoping!

Giselle Abreu

Favorite Moments of 2015

• Queen of Shadows coming out and [Aelin and Rowan becoming a thing]. 
• Seeing the Twilight fandom dragged from beyond the grave when Life and Death came out. 
• Star Wars. Need I say more?
• Mateo being born on Jane the Virgin. 

Hardest Moments of 2015

• Watching Rafael pull an Edward and break-up with Jane.

Wishlist of 2016

• A Jane and Rafael wedding. Nothing more. If this occurs, I can die in peace.

Izzy Stevenson

My favorite moments of 2015:

• Getting a second season of Gotham.
• Watching Cameron Monaghan's fantastic performance as Jerome Valeska.
• Getting a brand new Star Wars movie.
• Getting to see m̶y̶ ̶s̶o̶n̶ Luke Skywalker on the big screen for the first time (since I wasn't born yet when the original trilogy was in theaters).

My hopes for 2016: 

• More Star Wars fun and speculation.
• Jerome Valeska hopefully returning to Gotham somehow.
• Fish Mooney returning, as well.
• That Theo Galavan either won't come back to Gotham. Or, if he must come back, that he will be more interesting this time around.
• That Victor and Nora Fries will be awesome when they finally arrive on the show after the hiatus.

Jaime Heller

Favorite moments of 2015:

• Star Wars. Just Star Wars. From seeing the first trailer to watching the opening scroll across the screen to falling in love with more characters and more stories, everything about The Force Awakens.
• Finishing the Lunar Chronicles with tears and laughter and happiness. 
• Jurassic World and the Raptor squad being badass. Chris Pratt and dinosaurs, you know?
• The second Arrow and The Flash crossover joining together the start of the Legends of Tomorrow.
• Anthony Mackie appearing in both Age of Ultron and Ant-Man as Sam Wilson/Falcon
• All of Daredevil. Every moment, every word, everything. I’m not crying, there’s just an avocado in my eye. 
• The ending to Parks and Rec. I watched the entire show in about three weeks. I loved it; the ending was perfect. I should go re-watch. 
• I also finally finished The Office. Wonderful. 
• When Kara Danvers took flight to save her sister and became Supergirl.
• The totally tubular celebration of Back to the Future Day.
• Lego Dimensions being hilarious and wonderful. 
• Meeting Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.
• The Doctor saying, “Hello, Sweetie” to River Song in the Christmas special.

Hardest moments of 2015:

• When [Kylo Ren killed Han Solo (his father!!!)] in The Force Awakens. I’m still angry.
• The end of the Arrow mid-season finale where I don’t know [if Felicity died or not]!
• [Finnick, Prim, everybody’s death] in Mockingjay Part 2. 
• When Matt and Foggy fought in Daredevil.
• [Quicksilver] in Age of Ultron. 
• Saying goodbye to Leonard Nimoy and Christopher Lee.
• When Joy cried in Inside Out.
• When Barry Allen had to [let his mother die]. 
• The Captain America: Civil War trailer. Ow, my heart! 

Wishlist for 2016

• I hope Civil War isn’t too painful, but it does justice to the comic books
• I hope Batman vs Superman doesn’t ruin DC’s chances for a good Justice League movie. 
• I need Daredevil Season 2 now. 
• I think the Sherlock holiday special will be wonderful
• I hope Doctor Strange will be good. 
• I think DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will live up to its potential.
• I would like the final book in several series I’m reading to nicely wrap up the stories I’ve fallen in love with. 
• I hope Deadpool will be worth watching.
• I would like Star Trek Beyond to continue the reboot movies with epicness and give the 50th anniversary honor. 

Mirriam Neal

I can't believe it's been a year since I did this. Several of my wishlist items came true - Elena left The Vampire Diaries, Pan is coming back to Once Upon a Time. I don't know what my favorite moment was (I know I sobbed grossly over the ending of The 100 season two, but 'favorite'?) but let's see what items on my wish-list can come true this year!

• I need season two of Liar Game (the Korean version). I need it yesterday. I need it.

• Bonus points if it becomes a crossover with White Christmas (the Korean drama).

• I need to see a kdrama version of Pride and Prejudice starring Yoo In-Young as Lizzie and Shin Sung-Rok as Mr. Darcy.

• More Firefly references on Castle. I'm pretty sure I can bet on this one happening.

• Last year I asked for Bellarke to happen on The 100. Now, I'm just asking for Bellamy, Clarke, Octavia, and Lincoln to survive. Please.

• I need Death to become an antihero on Agents of SHIELD. Also, I already ship Death and Daisy. I don't know how on earth you give that a ship name, either. Deathy? Daiseth?

• I need mysteries cleared up in The Man from the High Castle season 2. I also need the Marshall to come back, and I need Frank to make it safely to the end. Also, I need to know where Kotomichi got his scars, and why he's so loyal to Tagomi.

Sarah Munson

It’s hard to believe 2015 is at an end, and 2016 is upon us. 2015 was a year filled with fandom, which makes it hard to choose the most memorable moments. Here are a few favorite experiences that spring to my mind:

• Agent Carter not only airing but being totally awesome! This Marvel series quickly climbed to my top five of television shows. I could not get enough of it, and when I heard it was scheduled for a second season, I was ecstatic… More on that in a second, though. :)
• I saw a Marvel movie on the silver screen for the first time! Avengers: Age of Ultron was the first superhero film I experienced in theaters, and I was not disappointed.
• THE CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR TRAILER. I watched that footage on loop for the first week of its release. Few trailers excite me that way, but it completely grabbed me. It almost made up for not having a Hobbit trailer this year (sob). Moving on.
• Inside Out reminded me why I love Pixar. And now I cannot stop watching it. Or singing the Triple Dent Gum song.
• Mockingjay Part 2 made me proud. I was a little hesitant, since I didn’t absolutely love Part 1, but I think the ending was done brilliantly. It was essentially everything I hoped for in the Hunger Games conclusion. Never mind the devastation it caused me. It resolved the series as it was supposed to. (Not that I can be comforted by such knowledge in some aspects.)
• I’m not a true Star Wars fan, (shhhh, calm down there angry mobs!) but even I was really excited to witness the movie event of the year with The Force Awakens.

What am I looking forward to in 2016? Glad you asked!

• The Victorian Sherlock special! I love that it’s taking place in the “original” time period for Sherlock. I love that it’s slightly longer than typical Sherlock episodes. I love that it’s FINALLY HERE. I may be more excited for this than I was for Christmas.
• Season 2 of Agent Carter! I’ve missed Peggy’s adventures and having a show to follow. I’m looking forward to whatever awaits her in the upcoming episodes. And hoping that she finally takes down her she-devil nemesis from last time. On a less dramatic note, I’d also like to find out who Jarvis is actually married to.
• I’m both anticipating and dreading Captain America: Civil War. I already feel so much emotion for this film, that I actually hope it lives up to my loaded expectations. (Even if that means I’m basically asking for heartbreak.) I would also love for Bucky to have a substantial role, and it’s looking like I’ll get that wish.
• DOCTOR STRANGE!!! A few photos were released, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character. I had tears welling up when I saw those images. I know very little about the Doctor Strange stories, but I’m so thrilled anyway.
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is happening--a.k.a. a return to the Wizarding World! Take me there now!
• In the book world, I’m keeping an eye out for the release of Glass Sword, the sequel to Red Queen. I can tell this is going to be one of those series I somewhat despise but keep coming back for.
• Cheers to another fantastic fandom year!

Sky Destrian

This year, a couple of things on my wishlist came true! Skye kicked butt on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fitzsimmons were reunited (after a horrible time, but still). Andy and April had a child and Leonard and Penny got married. Sadly, Avengers: Age of Ultron didn't live up to as many of my expectations like I'd hoped, but Ant-Man made up for it. I got more Steve and Bucky and Steve and Natasha. And I got lots of feels, feels, feels.

Favorite moments of 2015:

• Watching The Walking Dead for the first time and falling in love with it (and all the characters).
• Daredevil. Recapping it was one of the most fun things I've done for The Fangirl Initiative. I'm so in love with Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson, and the entire show.
• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. This made me super happy.
• The ending of Parks and Recreation. Everything was perfect.
• Reading Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. (It's so accurate, guys.)
• Getting into Good Mythical Morning. 
• Watching Jane the Virgin with my sister upon Giselle's recommendation, then proceeding to fall 100% in love with it.
• Seeing Ant-Man in the theater with my sister.
• Finally understanding why Friends is so funny.
• Jessica Jones. Every single bit of it was amazing, and Jessica is that badass heroine I've been waiting for.
• Watching Inside Out on Thanksgiving with my family. (And I am actually Sadness, guys.)
• STAR WARS. Excuse me, I've fallen into my next fandom pit (the Great Pit of Carkoon).

Hardest moments of 2015:

• I watched all five seasons of The Walking Dead on Netflix this year, so all the deaths on the show were consolidated into 2015. So that was difficult.
• The Civil War trailer. I'm pretty sure Marvel landed a punch hard to my chest. 
• Pretty much all of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Also, [Rosalind's death. Ugh].
• Age of Ultron. While initially my emotions were positive, as time has gone on, I've become a bit disappointed with the film, especially the portrayal of Natasha and Tony. Here's hoping that this was just a misstep. I'm definitely hopeful for Civil War.
• When [Glenn went missing] on The Walking Dead. [Thank God for that dumpster, am I right?]

Wishlist for 2016

• A Black Widow movie. I'm going to put this on my wishlist every year until it happens.
• For Bruce Banner to be okay. I love that guy.
• For Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to retain its quality and not jump the shark.
• For Finding Dory to be good and not just a repeat of Cars 2
• I can't wait for Daredevil season 2, as well as Luke Cage.
• Civil War. Here we come. I hope it's a good one.
• Last year, I wanted "feels, feels, feels." In 2016, I hope I make it to the end of the fandom year with my feels somewhat in tact.

What were your favorite moments this year? The worst moments? What do you want to see happen in 2016?

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Why I'm Cautiously Excited for the Shadowhunters TV Series

So, if you haven't heard about The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare, you should check it out. The story follows Clary as she stumbles into the Shadowhunter world, filled with magic and tattooed warrior guys . It's not too shabby.

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I've been a fan for a while now, and I endured the horror that was the movie. It wasn't awful, per se, it was just...meh. Characters fell flat, important scenes were cut, Clary's hair wasn't red enough....

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And yeah, I guess hair isn't that big of a deal. But other things are, like plot and characters. It wasn't worthy of a sequel, and so the fandom accepted the last we would get from the books was well...the books. And then, just a couple of short years later, we learn of the TV series. My friends  exploded. The fandom exploded. The internet exploded. I didn't explode.

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 Throughout the entire casting process, I was very wary. I kept thinking, " this is just like last time, Giselle." I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder when it comes to adaptations, because some really great shows/books have been ruined by a stupid movie. (I'm looking at you, The Last Airbender!)

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I used to be hopeful. I had really high hopes for the Mortal Instruments movie, which frankly failed. This time around, when perfect actors were cast, I remembered how I thought about the movie actors, and how those actors were perfect too. (Except for Jamie Campbell Bower. Jace will never be that skinny or emo.) But then pictures started coming out, then teasers, then trailers. And they looked....good.

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Clary has the right hair color, the weapons look awesome, the acting is on point. I admit, I am excited. But then again, I was excited for the movie.

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This time, I'm being safe. My expectations are lower. My feelings aren't as involved. If it sucks, okay. If it turns out great, even better.

How do you feel about the new Shadowhunters T.V. series?

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10 Books You Should've Read in 2015

With the New Year only a handful of days away, I've been looking over the (long) list of books I've read this year. From starting new series to saying goodbye to others to reading various comic books, my list is chock full of stories I've fallen in love with. However, as any book lover knows, sometimes I don't get to every book on my to-be-read list. There's an even longer list for that.

With this dilemma in mind, I've constructed a list of books published in 2015 that any book lover should read. If you didn't get to any of these in 2015, make sure to put them at the top of your 2016 to-be-read pile.

Winter

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The final installment in the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, Winter continues the futuristic, science-fiction, fairy tale retellings with the story of Snow White, or Winter. This book did not disappoint. I loved every moment of it, falling in love with more characters than I thought possible. I'm sad to see this story end, but it was definitely a wild and noteworthy ride. If you like fairy tales and science-fiction, or either of those, I think you'd enjoy this story. It's one of the best retellings I've ever read, and it's a well-written, exciting YA series that should definitely be a TV show. Come on, it's fairy tales set in a futuristic world and outer space!

Fairest

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Another tale in the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, Fairest follows the story of the evil queen, Levana. Yes, that's right, folks: we get the villain's backstory. And it is marvelous. Marissa Meyer is gifted with being able to capture the atrocities Levana went through as a child to turn her into the evil monster she becomes without evoking pity or "justification" for her actions. She allows us to see and understand how Levana became who she is, but she is still an evil queen who does not deserve to rule. It's an interesting twist from normal story arcs. Plus, the details of the Lunar world were exquisite. If you enjoy the first three books in the Lunar Chronicles, I highly advice picking up this book before you read Winter. It's the recommended reading order from the author herself.

Six of Crows

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The author of the Grisha trilogy and Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo, basically describes this story as Ocean's Eleven... with magic. A heist novel with six striking characters, Six of Crows delivers a wild punch into the world of outlaws and Slavic fantasy. Let's just say, I loved every word of this novel. Mystery, intrigue, magic--this book has everything and more for lovers of fantasy. The plot kept me on my toes, while the characters kept me grounded in the world. And the ending... whew, that's one cliffhanger I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive. Basically: this book is awesome and worth the 400+ pages. Plus, it's gorgeous.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer

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If there are two things I love, they're mythology and humor. And Rick Riordan has a knack for bringing the two together. Magnus Chase is the latest demigod of Riordan's creation, only this time his parent is a Norse god. Oh, yeah. For years, I thought Riordan should do a series about Norse mythology after his Olympian series became a favorite. Well, here we are. And this book does not disappoint. I don't know Norse mythology as well as Greek or Roman (because my high school English class decided it wasn't important enough to learn), yet I had no trouble reading this story and, yes, even learning the Norse deities. Full of humor, action, and a whole lot of crazy, The Sword of Summer is a great start to a new trilogy. Plus, it's a fun way to be educated.

Shake to Assemble

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This picture book is as cute as Marvel can get. Basically, you follow the instructions on the physical pages of the book in order to assemble the Avengers team. From "flicking" Cap's shield to "flapping" the book like wings, the goal is to bring the team together by interacting with the book and using your imagination. No fancy touch screens here! Let's just say, this is the cutest book ever and any Marvel fangirl should check it out. It also makes a great gift for the younger generation you might be trying to train to follow in your fangirl footsteps.

Go Set a Watchman

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While I did not have a chance to read this, I know it's been popular book for conversation. Over fifty years after the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee's sequel, Go Set a Watchman, was published this past year. It tells of Scout, two decades later, returning to her childhood home and what secrets still remain there. If you enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird, I think it'd be worthwhile to read Go Set a Watchman.

Siren's Fury

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The second book in the Storm Siren trilogy, Mary Weber continues the tale of Nym, a girl with the ability to summon storms, and her determination to save not only her country but the surrounding kingdoms from a dreadful monster. Everything about this series just screams wonderful. Nym is a strong, well-written female character. The world, while somewhat simplistic, provides a complementary backdrop to this tantalizing tale. This is a good fantasy series worthy of reading and enjoying. Laced with strong messages, strong characters, and a strong plot line to tug me through to the final book, the Storm Siren trilogy is something to keep your eye on.

Listen, Slowly

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Aimed for middle grade, Listen, Slowly follows the story of Mai, a Vietnamese girl born and raised in California, who is forced to spend her summer in Vietnam with her grandmother. But their trip takes a turn, when they begin to search for clues about her grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War. While the story is written for a younger audience, I still felt the importance of the book and the culture it explores. It's definitely worth the read. And the cover is gorgeous.

An Ember in the Ashes

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Another book I failed to read this year, An Ember in the Ashes by Sabba Tahir has been receiving a lot of buzz. Set in an ancient-Rome inspired world, this high fantasy novel raises the stakes for two characters determined to do whatever it takes to find freedom. I've heard good things about this book--from the world building to the romance story thread to the characters. I'm definitely putting this near the top of my 2016 TBR pile. I can hardly wait to read it!

Remnants: Season of Fire

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One of my favorite authors, Lisa T. Bergren manages to create a fantastic, futuristic world full of danger, magic, and excitement. A perfect blend of fantasy, dystopian, action, and romance, the Remnants series is one of the best YA series I've read in recent years. It's a fresh take on the over-done dystopian genre, mixing in hints of fantasy and faith to keep the story strong and moving. It doesn't disappoint. The third book releases early 2016, so hurry and read this series to catch up!

Bonus: Graphic Novels
As I mentioned, I read a lot of comic books this past year, including the entire Marvel Civil War story arc. (Yes, it's devastating.) However, for graphic novels released in the past year, here are a few you should definitely read:

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Ms. Marvel: Okay, this is probably the best comic book series I've read this year, and it's definitely the best solo-female lead I've read. Kamala Khan is a Pakistani-American teenager living in Jersey City, who accidentally gains superpowers when the Terrigen Mist is released across the city. Not only is she hilarious, but she's relatable. I think this is one of the best up-and-coming comic book heroes. I can't wait to see where her story takes her!

Thor: Goddess of Thunder: Obviously, this comic is worthy to be read. While I've only read volume one, I can tell this is going to be an exciting read. Not only is her identity secret from Odin, but Odinson (aka the original, manly man Thor) doesn't like someone else wielding his hammer. Thus, exciting stuff happens.

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Manga Classics Emma: No graphic novel list would be complete without some kind of manga recommendation. However, this one is a bit different. It's an adaption of Jane Austen's novel, Emma, in a manga style. Don't like the "old" writing style? This graphic novel will tell you the tale of Emma Woodhouse and her matchmaking adventure with stunning, manga-style illustrations. That's right, folks: Mr. Knightley as a manga character. Talk about swoon-worthy.

Darth Vader and Friends: If you haven't read the Darth Vader and... series by Jeffrey Brown, you're missing out. This series brings to life "what ifs" of the Star Wars universe. What if Darth Vader raised Luke and Leia? What if Vader had friends? Using iconic characters, moments, and planets, these books provide humorous scenarios for the Sith Lord to grapple with.

Have you read any of these titles? What 2015 books do you recommend fangirls should read?

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God Bless Us Everyone: Christmas in Musicals

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Even though Christmas is officially over, for my family it doesn't end for a while, so I thought I would share a few musicals featuring Christmas this week. The part involving Christmas may be large or small, but I will share the song that I think most fits with the theme. Some of these musicals have already been featured in my posts on musicals through the decades.

 Little Women 

  The Christmas scene in this musical is a small but important part of the plot. The musical opens with Jo away from her home and family, and it is when she thinks back on a Christmas of the past that the story truly begins. In the above clip, the Christmas portion begins near the end, about three-fourths of the way through. 

Annie

  If you know the storyline behind this family favorite of a musical, you know that the entire show basically revolves around Christmas. Orphan Annie is invited to spend Christmas with one of the richest men in the world. The story ends in a heartwarming way in a festively decorated home. Above is a video from the 1999 film version, which is the closest ending to the actual musical in film form as far as I know. 

A Little Princess

   Christmas for this newer musical is a smaller but integral part of the storyline. Christmas is when Sara is being searched for by an old friend from Africa, when the villain and her sister have an argument, and when the climax of the story goes down. While the above song might appear light and frilly, about two-thirds of the way through or so it gets pretty serious with some lovely singing. 

A Christmas Carol

  If you don't know this classic story based on the Dickens work then you must live under a rock, but this musical is one of my favorites of all the adaptations based on the original. Because it is all about Christmas, I really could have shared any song from it, but I decided on this song usually sung after the cast takes their bows because it shows the true heart of Christmas and is incredibly beautiful. I went to see this show this past November, two years after I performed in it, and I couldn't stop myself from singing along to this song. 

 Did you enjoy my little list of musicals? There are others such as White Christmas and Meet Me in Saint Louis that also feature Christmas bits. What is your favorite Christmas musical? Which of the songs I posted is your favorite? 

 Merry Christmas!

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And on the Twelve Days of Christmas, Deadpool Gave to Me...

 *This post contains NSFW content.

As you may have heard, your friendly neighborhood merc with a mouth is making his big screen debut (we don't talk about X-Men) around Valentine's Day 2016. In a strategic and wonderful marketing move, Fox decided to build hype for the new red band Deadpool trailer along with counting down the days to Christmas. The trailer itself exposes new plot information and characters that we really haven't seen much of up to this point.

Because nothing says Christmas like a man in a red suit

1. He's packing...heat

Along with the video from which the above picture was screen capped, we also received our first gift of  twelve from Entertainment Weekly. I'm talking about this lovely poster.

Well, it's safe to say Fox isn't going to scrub his mouth out with soap...or duct tape him again. 

Interestingly enough, Deadpool is subjecting himself to the tongue-in-cheek (or maybe someone else's cheek in his case) fan service typical of female superheroes. That's the idea behind Deadpool as a character and film: to poke fun at, paradorize, and flip one's expectations of a superhero and superhero movie over. Then take those flipped expectations and use them as a surfboard to plow over the angry mob of mommy bloggers that Deadpool is practically contractually obligated to offend.

2. Cozy on up to Ol' Wade

Still bitter I didn't get to read Santa-pool my Christmas list (via People)

For day two, Ryan Reynolds took a few pictures and did an interview with People Magazine. These posters have popped up around the country and even in a theater close to me. I didn't get to take the awesome picture I'd planned because theater employees were goofing off around the poster instead of doing whatever they were supposed to be doing. I gave them my best withering glance as I passed. Can I just say that Ryan Reynolds has seriously embraced being Deadpool? He's absolutely hilarious and seems to actually understand the character and his motivations. His Twitter account seems to be evidence enough of that.

3. Plans for success

#12DaysOfDeadpool just got real, ya filthy animals. @DeviantArt pic.twitter.com/CdY5qAL3TQ

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 16, 2015

Ryan Reynolds seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit. Not to mention that fans are loving the fact that the marketing teams seem to really know their demographic. Through showing us things like this hand drawn battle plan Fox seems to be saying that they're committed to bringing Deadpool to the big screen as many of us already know him. They're also trying to win over fans who may not know Deadpool from Deathstroke and are burnt out on the seriousness displayed by much of the superhero genre.

4. Everybody wants...Betty White's phone number?

          













                                                                           Well, it looks like Santa made one of Deadpool's wishes come true 


Again, we are given a slight peek into the mind behind the madness. This list has references galore and is well, simply what you'd expect from Deadpool.

5. Say cheese!

Presumably better than most photos of Wade Wilson post Weapon X (Presented by Fandango)

I think it's safe to say that sweater is sort of itchy but in line with the season's ugly sweater vibe. At least his suit might help with the chafing?

6. Take note of this "precious little doodlebug"- R. Reynolds

As expected, a little NSFW

I find it interesting that Fox is being openly critical of their own decision to make Deadpool's first ever appearance in the X-Men series a silent one. I am certainly glad that they kept Mr. Reynolds, and he is too. I can only hope the film lives up to all of our hopes.

7. Annual report brought to you by #Deadpoolcore 

Happy Holidays from the Wilsons! (Frustrated by the type size? Shoulda joined https://t.co/bxXVnAgN5X. #NoSympathy) pic.twitter.com/QZ76zsjbiB

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 20, 2015

8. There are some things words just can't say....

....And for those moments there are Deadpool emojis.

The Deadpool emoji set has things I would probably use more than a lot of the regular emojis and some that are just delightfully inappropriate. Also, yes, you are seeing correctly, Hello Kitty is among the pictured. Being that she's the only account the official Deadpool movie account follows, I assume they're good friends. Now I was really excited about this one, unfortunately it seems like a cumbersome picture sharing shortcut system instead of an emoji keyboard. Perhaps they'll release an update at some point so that I can use the chimichanga and Deadpoop symbols to my heart's content.

9. Bigger is better

I'll let Wade do the talking on this one. Now bask in the glory of this poster....BASK, I TELL YOU!

Oh hey,I see Stan Lee already!

10. Chestnuts roasting on the--ew, never mind

In a twist on the somehow now traditional video of a burning Yule Log set to Christmas music we have been presented with this. I wish to preserve the innocence of those who don't quite know what's in the bag. Regardless, this is sure to get some laughs from good humored family and friends and sure to get even the grumpiest into the holiday spirit. Yes, I know Christmas is technically over; however, I choose not to accept that until the second week of January. 

11. A tease beneath the mistletoe and a special message for you, 'Bub!

A special Christmas themed teaser was released on Christmas Eve, and most were quite thrilled.

However, everyone's favorite Adamantium spined cigar smoker had his two cents to put in...

No go @VancityReynolds - the 11th day is #Wolverine's https://t.co/Qx0HAwRj2i #Snikt #12DaysOfDeadpool pic.twitter.com/QEpfU4vyge

— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) December 24, 2015

For those of you who didn't know, the experiments on Deadpool resulted in him gaining Wolverine's healing factor. The two may as well be cousins!

12. Jackpot! (Red Band trailer ahead)

Now, the moment we've all been waiting for: the latest trailer. We get to see a lot more of the film's cast as well as getting a better grasp on the film's overall premise. So far we have Vanessa, Collossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Ajax, Angel Dust, Vanessa, Weasel, and Blind Al. Everyone looks pretty darn cool so far, and I'm excited to see the direction Deadpool takes these characters. Heck, I'm just excited period. I'm not making any predictions at this point. In fact, I'd like to leave that to you guys in the comments.

What are your predictions for the film overall and why? How do you feel about a super-sort-of-hero that is most definitely for an adult audience? Most importantly... What's your favorite place to get chimichangas?

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Ryan and Esposito: The Cinnamon Rolls of Castle

 

I'm a fan of minor characters. 'GASP,' you say,' I HAD NO IDEA.' I know. I thought I'd start the article off with a shocking confession. 'Mirriam, I AM shocked,' you say. Yes, well, you'll be even more shocked when I tell you the reason I love 'Castle' isn't for the two main characters - it's for these boys.

 

Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito are homicide detectives and the low men on the totem pole at the 12^th Precinct.  They couldn't be more different from each other, but that's what makes them such an efficient and quirky duo. When they laugh, I laugh. When they fight, I cry. (Seriously. I cry.) To be honest, I'd be fine if they got their own spin-off buddy-comedy cop show.

 

Ryan: "Cowards die many times before their death. The valiant never taste of death but once."

Esposito: Bro, you're not Castle.

 Ryan: Yeah, I know I'm not Castle.

Esposito: Then stop trying to talk like him.

Ryan: What, I'm not allowed to reference the Bard? I'm a renaissance man.

Esposito: Memorizing one quote does not make you a renaissance man.

Ryan: What if I memorize two?

 

 Detective Ryan used to work in narcotics, solving drug-related crimes. Now he's a preppy, waistcoat-wearing homicide detective, who occasionally switches out the suit for tactical gear. While Ryan and Espo are my two favorite characters, Ryan is my favorite by just a tiiiiiny bit. His open, boyish personality frequently seems out of place in the precinct, but he's far from helpless. Efficient and eager, he's constantly chasing down leads, gathering intel, scrubbing video footage, and canvassing crime scenes - always on the go, always ready to help.

Also, Castle is his precinct dad.

 

Detective Esposito has more of a tough-guy persona, although beneath all the swagger and muscle, there beats a marshmallow-soft heart. An ex-army sniper, he's more physical than Ryan, although they do many of the same things.  He starts sentences with 'yo' and can't lie to save his life, but he'll put his life on the line to save whoever he can. He's not your typical 'macho man' - he can be gentle, he has a fantastic sense of humor, and he's loyal to the end.

Also, Beckett is his precinct mom.

Ryan and Espo are my sweet cinnamon rolls, and the reason I'm so hooked on the show. I love Castle and Beckett, but the unlikely underling team puts the 'bro' in 'bromance.'

 

What about you? Do you watch 'Castle'? Do you love Ryan and Esposito like I do? Do you agree there need to be Ryan and Esposito Funko Pops? Discuss away!

 

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O Fandom Tree: Our Fandom-Themed Christmas Decorations

Merry Christmas from all of us at The Fangirl Initiative!

Since decorations are one of the most festive parts of the holiday, we decided to spotlight one of the areas where our fandoms and Christmas collide. So without further ado... let's discuss fandom-themed Christmas decorations!

Jameson C. Smith

Most years, my family’s Christmas tree is pretty varied and random in terms of theme. We have ornaments that were gifts or things that we made, as well as some vintage ones. This year and last year, however, have been especially unique.

Last year, my family moved not long before Christmastime, which meant the majority of our decorations were still in storage and packed behind our other stuff when we decorated the tree.
While we got a few new ornaments, our tree looked emptier than usual. I don’t remember whose idea it was but over the course of December, various nerdy items integrated themselves into the Christmas décor at my house.

There were books. Not only were they a good way to cover the empty spots, they were quite eye-catching. :)  Included were The Two Towers and The Return of the King.

But books weren’t the only fandom gear on our tree. My sister and youngest brother added their sonic screwdrivers. We also made ornaments featuring everything from the TARDIS and quotes from the Doctor (my sister’s idea) to presents with the tags “Stuff” and “Things” (because we couldn’t not have The Walking Dead decorations).

It was a very nerdy tree. :)

While this year we have more of our decorations, there are still plenty of fandom references to be found if you look closely. Last year’s hand-drawn ornaments have returned, along with some new additions (such as the Pirates of the Caribbean ornaments we’ve had for years and a POP! figure of the Tenth Doctor. And Mjolnir.)

What I love about the Christmas tree is how it reflects so much of my family--our personalities, memories, and even favorite fandoms!

Sky Destrian

My family has a tradition: every year, each of us gets an ornament. The ornament is meant to represent our year and the things we went through, as well as how we grew. However, since fandom is such a huge part of my life, fandoms have snuck into my ornaments more than once, which is just fine with me.

One of my first fandom ornaments (besides Winnie the Pooh and the Pokey Little Puppy) was Lucy entering the wardrobe into Narnia. Every year, I position it near a light so that it looks like the light of the lamppost is shining through.

One year, my brother and I both got ornaments to commemorate seeing The Hobbit. He got Bilbo, I got Gandalf.

To commemorate my status as wielder of the Frying Pan, I have an ornament of Rapunzel from Tangled.

My brother has Iron Man, and I have Captain America. In honor of Captain America: Civil War, my brother made sure our ornaments accurately reflected the current state of their relationship.

Just like all things, Christmas ornaments are a reflection of our lives and who we are. Fandoms are no different. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Jaime Heller

For my family, creating a fandom-themed Christmas isn't too difficult. We've all collected plenty of ornaments that come from various TV shows, movies, and yes, even books. Personally, I've got my own collection including Star Wars ornaments, Rapunzel from Tangled, Woody from Toy Story, even Frodo Baggins. However, my dad wins the prize with his collection of Star Trek ship ornaments. He's collected every single one released since... well... forever? He doesn't like to get the figurine ornaments of people or planets (though we do own some of those as well); he's solely a fan of the different ships, from the Borg cube that talks when you plug the lights in to the various Enterprises that whir with lights and beeping. But he doesn't put them on the regular Christmas tree. No, he's got his own special, little tree to hang all of his Star Trek ornaments. At our house, it's the most fandom-y thing we've got to celebrate with. It's so special, last year he didn't even take it down when the holiday season was over; instead, it stayed up so we can be fandom-y all year around.

In addition, last year I created my own fandom nativity complete with Flynn and Rapunzel as Mary and Joseph; Yoda, Chewie, and Han as the three wise men; and Batman as the angel Gabriel. Of course, I didn't take pictures, but it was truly glorious and I encourage everybody to create their own (or use Legos?) because it makes for a much more interesting Christmas story. My mom also made her own TARDIS ornament for our tree one year. It's plushy and even detailed with the windows and the pull to open sign (though not detailed enough to read). 

It's easy enough to decorate for the holidays with fandom stuff. And if you don't have ornaments or enough action figures to use, you could always resign to creating fandom-y, paper snowflakes. 

Anna Gensimore

For as long as I can remember, my mom, and before her my grandma, have given me an ornament as one of my Christmas gifts. I've taken this tradition and continued it by giving ornaments to others as well. Recently, those that I've exchanged with my family have been fandom or Christmas fandom related. A lot of families have a movie or a few that they watch together each Christmas season. For example, last year I got my parents Muppets themed ornaments.

We always watch A Muppet Christmas Carol as well as at least attempting to watch a special called A Muppet Family Christmas. The previous year, I got Dad a plug-in nightlight in the shape of the lamp from A Christmas Story to pay tribute to another family tradition. On Christmas Eve we all take a break from sneaking around and wrapping each others gifts to watch A Christmas Story and eat Chinese food. Like other fandoms, these films are a part of our lives, even if only at a certain time of year. 

We have some regular fandom ornaments on our tree as well. Last year, my boyfriend and I accidentally bought each other the same ornament.

Spidey does a good job of keeping both of our trees safe from, well...cobwebs, I suppose? 

This year I worked a shot gun shell autographed by Tony Moore, the comic book artist behind The Walking Dead, into an ornament for aforementioned significant other.

 I figured it was a subtle but still nice reference to things we both like and have accomplished (together nonetheless). It's hung on the tree by a loop of p-cord from our first long term trip together. (We worked at a camp across the country for a summer.)

As another marker of shared experience, I got my dad an ornament version of the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones. We're working our way through the book series together, and I wanted to commemorate that, regardless of who we think should sit on the throne. 

Fandom, like Christmas and all the holidays, brings people together to celebrate what we have in common. Whether that be celebrating the birth of Christ, as it is for my family, or getting together to watch the same movie every year (as it also is for my family). These things we share are important, and it's very special that we have a few days each year dedicated to the memories and love that we share with those around us. Christmas is a great time to introduce a loved one to a fandom. Take advantage of the time you're together and make some memories! 

What traditions does your family have around the holidays? Do you have any specific movies that you watch every Christmas? What's your favorite fandom inspired gift that you've ever given or received?

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