Back to Brunette

I couldn't take it anymore, dear reader. I've been feeling listless, down, and little under the summer weather these last few weeks and I think I've pinpointed my disenchantment -- it was in my strange and not so blond, blond hair color. And even though I've love being the cool shade of sunshine in the past, I needed a change back to the classic looking me with some updated brown locks. Granted, brown hair color washes out surprisingly easily, but I'm prepared, and I thought that the darker color, even for only a few weeks, was worth the risk.

Now I dye my hair at home. For a while I spent $85 on getting it professionally colored, but I can't tell you how many times I've walked out of the hair salon looking like I have 2 months of root grow. Actually I can, two times too many. And so I've given up, given in, trusted in my dear old mom: and am doing it on my own again. Much less stress and much less hassle -- let me tell you.

I picked two pictures where I'm smiling, because what's the point of a good before and after picture unless there's only ONE variable. I seriously can't stand the depressed/angry/mopey/no make up faced before photos than change to happy/professionally-styled after photos.

Have you made a summer change this season? A few? I'd love to hear them! I could sure use some ideas!

Queue it Up! tumblr and its queue

That's right! More explanation tumblr is on the way! I can't believe the first two posts have been doing so well, and I keep thinking that there is still so much more to explain. Well, highlight; and so here's a part 3. Now I like to be SUPER clear. I hate nothing more than explanation posts where I'm still confused at the end. That's why I'll be going into some serious detail. If your still struggling with how tumblr functions as a site, this will hopefully still be clear for you. Today I'll going to be discussing the Queue -- what it's for and how to use it.

What is the Queue

The Queue, I think, is one of THE BEST features of tumblr (besides the ability to upload high resolution photos AND seriously easy usability). First: a queue, for all my American readers who didn't watch Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or catch much British tv, is basically a line. For example, if you waited in line to see Harry Potter at midnight, you queued up to see Harry Potter.

This (above) is the how the queue looks. As you can see, the queue does not look different whether your using it for a personal blog or an fyeah (and it looks a lot like the regular dash). On the left is my personal queue; on the right is the anything period queue. To get to your queue page, click on the title of your tumblr (at the top by Dashboard) and then look on the sidebar to your right. Queue is the button with the little clock before it. When you click on that button it will turn green and bring you the queue page (seen above in duel view). If you have any posts already queued, the amount will show up on the right. Confused? See the image below: 

I've already clicked on "a lovely girl" so I can get to my sidebar with the queue button. As you can see I have 143 posts/reblogs queued up. If I clicked on the button, it would bring me to my queue page (which you've already seen in the top example image).

The tumblr queue allows to you spread out posts over a given period of time (tumblr time is set in days). So, say you only have 1 day a week to search tumblr and upload/post/reblog interesting things. With the queue you can take everything you find on a Sunday and set it to post throughout the week. This is what I do for anything period and it seriously frees up my everyday. Also, with the queue you're able to pick which day you want a specific post to be published and if you want 1 or more posts published on the same day.

(Sidenote: There is also a wonderful feature like the queue that allows you to specifically time when you want a post to be published. This feature can be found when actually on the upload post page to the right. I can see this feature being amazing if you use tumblr as a blog. Say you write a blog post recapping what happened in season 1 of Game of Thrones. You could set that blog post to be published a week before season 2 begins to air. Talk about blog planning. This thing is like set it and forget it.)  

Why use the Queue

For a photo blog like anything period use of the queue is indispensable. I'm able to set up photo posts for weeks and the blog blogs itself. Its all about consistency for me. With the help of the queue I'm able to provide a new photo(s) every day without having to upload, tag, and post them everyday. This is an even better option for anything period because very rarely do I reblog other people's photos and my timeline is not set around the airing of episodes. So, if I find a jackpot of costume pictures, I can upload them all in one shot and not have to worry about looking for new ones on a daily basis.

For a personal blog, the queue might seem silly. But actually this is the real reason I'm writing this installment of explanation tumblr. A few days ago I went looking for a photo that came through on my dash. I knew I'd had either reblogged it or faved it, but couldn't remember which. When I didn't find it on my archive page, I knew it had to be in my mess of a favs page. At that time, I had over 600 posts faved. Now the fav page is much like your regular dash stream or queue page. You have to scroll through ALL of them. You don't have the luxury of the mass photo wall that the archive has (on blogged/reblogged posts) or the ability to search by tag in the fav stream. To find the picture I wanted, it took 3 hours to go through my favorites. I knew I had to do something.

So, I started going through the images/posts I had faved and started putting ones I really liked in the queue and unfaving ones I didn't like anymore. In another 3 hours, I had cut my favs list in 2/3rds. Now I use the fav function for ideas/images I will want to use as inspiration later. Everything else, will either be reblogged or queued and eventually end up in on my archive wall for an easy find.

How to Queue a Post

Uploading some original content/queuing from a faved post/or a reblog -- its all the same: you start by selecting what you're going to upload (main dash, queue dash -- its all the same, and looks like below) or reblog from your dash.

 Now, it doesn't matter how you get there, the point is once you're on the upload/reblog an item page, you'll get to something that looks like this:

And we'll mess around with the information on the right side (look at the red above). Note the button at the bottom that says (check!) Reblog Post. This is a reblog page. We went over posting in explanation tumblr part 1, so if you're confused about how to reblog/post something, head over there to read about it.  As you can see, "publish now" is circled in red. It is a drop down menu. And in the drop down menu, you'll see the queue option:

Select it to queue the post. Then, remember we noted the (check!)Reblog Post button...well its turned into (check!)Queue Post!

Now the post you've just added to your queue will show up on your queue page. All the way. At the very bottom. So this Spotless Mind photo is now #144 in my queue line up. BANG! You've just utilized your queue.

Moving Queue Posts Around

Is VERY user friendly...unless you have 144 like I do in my personal queue. Its still doable, but I would not do it. The load time would be INSANE. So, to show you moving queue posts, I'm returning the anything period queue page.  

As you can see, I have it set that a photo from Chicago will be posted on Sunday @ 7:30 and a photo from The Sound of Music will post on Monday @ 7:30. But I want to change this. I want The Sound of Music photo to be published first. (Whatever is higher up(or first) on your queue is what will be posting first.) All you have to do it click on the sound of music post (the white part) and drag the photo up. Try it. Go ahead. I know it sounds like it won't work, but it does:

See, I'm dragging. This works either way. You can also drag down.

And hello! There are the VonTrapps at the top!

Problems, Issues, Shortfalls

There have been times where the tumblr server has posted EVERYTHING is a user's queue. This happened a few month back actually, and people who had over 300 items in their queue had a huge meltdown. While this can happen, and is inconvenient all around, the glitch seems to have been taken care of.

Load time to move pictures around can take forever. Dragging pictures in the queue takes a lot of gusto for tumblr. Load times are always something that try my patience.

Setting the number of posts you want to auto publish can sometimes have a glitch. I can't tell you the number of times I've changed that little drop down from 1 to 4 and it NEVER SAVES. This is an issue in the tumblr code that has yet to be addressed. Eventually, if you're persistent (or get really lucky), it will save. (This happens once for every four to six times I change posting amounts.) 

Your queue images are not searchable or easily found until they've been published. The queue is basically like the fav page, only with the promise of the post being published at a later date. So, while it will eventually solve my problem, it is not an immediate fix.

Sometimes the queue goes crazy and the block to the left of your queued post (that tells you when it will be published) will have the wrong date and time. Eventually, tumblr knows what you mean and will fix it, but it has spazed on me for about 5-6 hours at a time. Likewise, if your loading your queue with 7 or more images back to back, expect to get an error loading page 3-4 times. The queue was not really built for fast-past or high volume tumbling.

Wrap it Up!

There you have it. An EXTREMELY long post about queuing on tumblr! Its actually one of the more complicated things you can do on this easy to use site (unless you're making layouts, and if you are, God help you because that crap is confusing). All in all, I hope this has been a one-stop-shop for you and that the info about the queue is helpful. Enjoy!

If you have any further tumblr questions, or would like a feature or piece of tumblr explained, please feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment below. I'll try to help the best I can!

The Borgias Season Sum Up (Part 8)

Read the full season summary here

We're at the season finale dear reader!

Episode 9: Nessuno

Lucrezia leads King Charles, della Rovere, Giulia, and the entire French army into Rome. Della Rovere takes advantage of his last ditch effort to call for the Pope’s deposition; Giulia promptly shuts him down. Charles is surprised to see the streets empty; della Rovere had promised Rome would welcome him with cheers and open arms to depose the Borgia Pope. Fed up with della Rovere’s foolish and seemingly misplaced idealism, Charles asks Lucrezia to take him to her father. Lucrezia agrees, walking the French king into the Sistine Chapel.

Charles is shocked to find Rodrigo dressed in simple friar’s clothing and praying in an empty cathedral. We quickly realize Charles has had a change of heart; indeed, it would seem like Charles had no intensions of deposing the Borgia Pope. He begs Rodrigo for guidance in his position as king and absolution for his war-loving soul. Rodrigo grants him this, and promises to reaffirm the French King’s right to the thrown by crowning him in the Sistine Chapel. For his support of the Borgia Papacy, Rodrigo promises Charles Naples (basically).

Meanwhile, Lucrezia is walking the empty halls of the Vatican. Cesare comes up behind her and we remember why there are shippers for these two. The brother and sister go for a walk and Lucrezia confides in Cesare she is pregnant, but not with her husband’s baby. Cesare, first and foremost, is furious that Giovanni Sforza proved exceedingly ungallant, and second is worried about Lucrezia’s health. Cesare then takes Lucrezia to his nunnery (the one he’s the benefactor of…not his nunnery…you remember) to finish out her pregnancy. Ursula will be watching over her. And might I say the scene with all three of them together is just—so amazingly awkward.

Rodrigo, his conviction now strengthened by his success over della Rovere’s deposition, plans to humiliate the cardinals who fled during the Papacy’s hour of need and make them pay—literally. After the college’s painful punishment, Rodrigo and Cesare have dinner with the French to highlight their good will. Charles demands a papal legate to join him in his quest for Naples and chooses Cesare for the position. While both Cesare and Rodrigo know this is a protection clause for the French King and Cesare will amount to nothing more than a hostage, Rodrigo agrees.

At Charles’ “papal coronation”, Cesare tries to extend an olive branch to della Rovere, but to no avail. Della Rovere says he will always hate all Borgias and refuses to act in any way beneficial to the current papacy.

Micheletto joins Ceasre on the road to Naples and its clearl both are hostages of France. As Rodrigo suggested, Cesare finds his way home—quickly and without much difficulty—and on his way, picks up Giovanni Sforza. For failing to support the Borgias, Rodrigo demands Giovanni’s marriage to Lucrezia be annulled. Giovanni, of course, refuses.

And when he does, Rodrigo smiles. With or without Giovanni’s consent, the Borgias will get what they want. Lucrezia, now super pregnant with Paolo’s child, testifies that her husband was unable to consummate their marriage because he is impotent. Its a good thing they put her behind a screen, but she is so pregant even the blind cardinals would have been able to tell. Giovanni denies this claim. The church then demands proof Giovanni is not impotent; they demand “proof of potency”. Really, it’s just a fancy way of saying Giovanni has to sleep with a whore, in front of all the cardinals, to prove he could consummate his marriage. Once in the room with the whore, and all the cardinals: Giovanni refuses to have sex in public and concedes. Lucrezia’s marriage is annulled and Giovanni leaves humiliated to all of Rome.

Finally reaching Naples, France gets a nasty surprise: plague has ravaged the city state. Alfonso is done, there are piles and piles of dead bodies everywhere, and France definitely feels betrayed.

The season ends with the entire family waiting in Cesare’s nunnery chapel, the screams of Lucrezia echoing throughout the halls. She has a blissfully cherubim little Paolo and all is right with the world. For now.

Immortals (the rundown MONTHS early)

Dear reader, if you haven't heard me talk about Immortals yet, its...well its because my serious Henry Cavill phase seems to have ended with the series finale of The Tudors, but never fear! Now that we have the first 2 trailers from Immortals, I feel completely capable of doing some mini-coverage. Well, some mini-debunking might be the better description if you will (that BA in history has to be good for something, right?).

The movie is directed by Tarsem Singh who filmed the beautiful "The Fall" which took FOREVER to film and even longer to be released. This is why I thought Immortals would never make it to screen. Since Tarsem is directing, we can expect some serious cinematography and some epic scene setting; this man is not know for small productions. Additionally, the producers of 300 are involved and that explains the heavy chromatic saturation in all the trailers and images (and the half naked men through out the 2 minutes of footage).

Immortals is the story of Theseus and his rise to Greek-hero status (Que Disney's "I can go the Distance" now). While this story of Theseus is not going to match the mythology, it is hoping to captalize on the popularity of Greek-hero storytelling and the success (relatively) of Clash of the Titans a few years ago (It also doesn't hurt that Cavill's been cast as the next Superman. I think quiet a few comic book fans are going to come out to see this leading-man test run). Its about as accurate as Wikipedia, but I'm just going to copy the IMDB summary for your reading pleasure:

Eons after the Gods won their mythic struggle against the Titans, a new evil threatens the land. Mad with power, King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) has declared war against humanity. Amassing a bloodthirsty army of soldiers disfigured by his own hand, Hyperion has scorched Greece in search of the legendary Epirus Bow, a weapon of unimaginable power forged in the heavens by Ares. Only he who possesses this bow can unleash the Titans, who have been imprisoned deep within the walls of Mount Tartaros since the dawn of time and thirst for revenge. In the king's hands, the bow would rain destruction upon mankind and annihilate the Gods. But ancient law dictates the Gods must not intervene in man's conflict. They remain powerless to stop Hyperion...until a peasant named Theseus (Henry Cavill) comes forth as their only hope. Secretly chosen by Zeus, Theseus must save his people from Hyperion and his hordes. Rallying a band of fellow outsiders-including visionary priestess Phaedra (Freida Pinto) and cunning slave Stavros (Stephen Dorff)-one hero will lead the uprising, or watch his homeland fall into ruin and his Gods vanish into legend. 

I'm just going to say it reader, don't judge. At first glance,  HOW IS THIS MOVIE CONNECTED WITH THESEUS? The summary gives no indication we're going to see any of the Theseus mythology. And while the cast list gives me more hope, I'm not sold on our storyline just yet.  I'm not saying this is a bad thing...but I'm confused. And a confused Heather just leads to ranty and sarcastic Heather. And the trailers don't help. I get not knowing a lot about the plot; I get you don't want to give too much away, but I just wish we knew a little bit more about the actual storyline and why Theseus' original mythology wasn't enough for a movie of its own. King Hyperion is a made-up villian and Theseus' quest to defeat him is even more fiction than his originial mythology. That being said, we will see a few names we recongize: someone named Lysander, and Icarus and Hercules are billed to make an apperance. Because really, we lack better knowledge about the movie,  I'm going to do a quick summary of the historical/literary Theseus just for fun...and with Henry pictures, don't worry.

Depending on the version you read, Theseus is either the son of Poseidon or the son of King Aegeus. The mythology of him as Aegeus' son is better documented and more universally accepted, so we're going to run with that parentage. His mother is the Princess Aethra of Troezen (hence the whole "common peasant" thing going on in the film is um...not true). When Theseus becomes of age, his mother (who has not seen Aegeus since after they conceived Theseus) takes him to a large rock and tells him he can discover who he really is if he can move it. He does, and finds a sword and sandals hidden there (which are his father's). Aethra tells him to go to the court of Athens where is father is king. Along the way Theseus fights many monsters and becomes a "hero".

Once in his father's court (I'm sure after a few years) he hears of the Minotaur eating captured Athenians on Crete and goes to kill the monster. He does, which we know, and he also begins making his womanizer reputation, which we know better. Eventually he becomes the king of Athens (a la A Midsummer Night's Dream) and rules wisely and justly through his kingdom, even though he still has serious women troubles.

Names that will confuse you during the movie

As with most big-budget movies based on Greek mythology, names and plot points are thrown around at whim. This can make any casual Greek mythology enthusiast confused. Below we'll discuss.

King Hyperion - is not real. Hyperion is the name of the first sun god who was also a Titan. I'm assuming the connection won't be touched upon. Although I would think the whole plot might make lots more sense if it was about one titan trying to free the others...just sayin'...

Phaedra - is actually the name of Theseus' second wife who was desperately in love, and sleeps, with Theseus' son (Hippolyus) by his first wife (Amazon queen!). She kills herself when a servant threatens to tell Theseus of her betrayal.

Zeus and the gods - are like they always are. Though a little less awesomely attired. Interesting fact: Zeus in The Immortals played Apollo in Clash of the Titans.

The magic bow - NOT Theseus' weapon of choice, but its pretty and glows and makes that really pretty ping sound when he uses it with magic arrows. 

Lysander - I'M JUDGING. Shakespeare girl here is judging you screenwriters.

Hercules - Throughout the Theseus mythology Hercules is a strong figure. Theseus hopes to become a second Hercules and the demi-god himself saves Theseus from the Underworld and also takes him on his labor to the Amazons. I can't wait to see how he's worked in to the film.

Watch the trailers here

#REeny rewatch!

July 22, 2011 @ 8pm EST

On Twitter: #REeny

Look for: @HeatherFrances @darbydashwood @joybtx @So_Meow

There is nothing like a musical rewatch to brighten up the soul,

even something as creeptastic as Sweeny Todd.

The Borgias Season Sum Up (Part 7)

Read the whole season summary here.

Episode 8: The Art of War

Early in the morning and with the help of Paolo, Giulia and Lucrezia escape Pesaro. While Lucrezia is optimistic to see her Narcissus again, she knows that everything will change once she leaves. For his help, Paolo is whipped and while he doesn’t reveal where the ladies have gone, he does let Giovanni know Lucrezia finds him repellent and implies that she much prefers stable boys. On the road to Rome, the ladies are captured by French forces and taken hostage by the king. (It was all very polite, actually--considering how the French have acted thus far.) Lucrezia, the captured, easily dazzles the French King and captures him in her allure. At dinner, with della Rovere present, Lucrezia charms Charles by telling him his fortune and begins her careful plan to protect her family and the papacy. Clearly, everyone's patience for della Rovere is wearing thin.

In Rome, Rodrigo feels power slipping from him. All the cardinals and many citizens are fleeing: fearing that the French will sack Rome and the Vatican before moving on toward Naples. Rodrigo demands a review of the guard. Cesare, unsure and frustrated, has to go find his thoughtless brother in a whore house and drags him to his father’s presence. Italy has never faced cannons before, and unable to fathom that France would use them in battlefield combat, Juan plots to meet the French King just there to outwit the cannons. (Cesare knows better -- okay, that's what I've been led to believe...and yet everyone is dazzled by Juan's military know-how.)

Juan’s forces and the French army meet just outside Rome and Charles does exactly what Juan never thought would happen – he fires the cannons. Lucrezia, terrified for her brother and sick from the carnage, gallops into the middle of the field to beg Juan retreat, saying they would offer safe passage through Rome to Naples. Confused but trusting, Juan listens to his sister and turns about.

As French forces begin to enter the city, Cesare goes to beg Ursula to leave Rome. When she tells him she will not leave and says his name, Cesare begs her to at least let him protect the abbey. She agrees, saying it is his abbey after all. (Their love? Totally hopeless; yet very very sweet.)

Rodrigo searches his soul desperately for guidance. When his soul is quiet, he turns to his Spanish monk for advice. Standing in the Vatican, looking at the monk’s simple robes, Rodrigo finds his inspiration. He will face the French invasion, and he will do it humbly in Spanish sandals and brown robe.

Mood Board - sunshine and morning light

Jensen had brought good donuts, which was a surprise, and really strong coffee. I grabbed at the breakfast, only making minor nods and grunts to get passed the still laughing adults and make my way to the back sitting room filled with windows. Even with all the g;ass, the room was cooler than the rest of the house. And I found myself sliding up against it to get closer to the cold.

The boy and girl were playing outside again, running in and out of the low brush just before the little grove of trees in the back yard. I could see them better in the morning light. The little girl was in a beautiful white dress with a soft colored ribbon tied around her waist, her soft brown hair flying long behind her as she ran.

Downloadables Update

Check the page! I've just completed the new Downloadables page, fresh with new wallpapers and a simplified brushes section. Oh, and of course there's a brand new wallpaper for your downloading pleasure below. Featuring Gwen and Gwaine from Merlin. Its a pretty picture people!


Or Click here to download.

The Borgias Season Sum Up (Part 6)

Read the Full Season Summary Here

Episode 7: Death on a Pale Horse

Lucrezia is visiting home, and decides to rain on everyone's already mopey parade. Still very young, remember she's only 13, she questions Cesare on the reasons for her marriage (knowing very well the rationale has seemed to crumble before the family's eyes), stating she remembers it was for something important. After talking with Lucrezia who will soon be leaving again, Cesare searches for Ursula frantically, eventually finding her in his own nunnery (a nunnery he’s the benefactor of, not his personal nunnery…ew) and begs her to change her mind. She insists this new vocation is her path in life and refuses to even say his name.

All of Rome begins to fear as word of a French invasion travels throughout the city states and many of the cardinals and nobility begin to show their lack of loyalty for the Borgia Pope. This includes the Sforzas; all the Sforzas.##

Speaking of a Sforza, Giovanni is more than ready to get back in the saddle with his very young Borgia wife. And Lucrezia is absolutely not ready to give her freedom, and peaceful nights, up. She places a huge puddle of water between herself and her bedroom’s entrance and like clockwork Giovanni slips right on it. Not long after, Giulia comes to visit. Giovanni is clear he will not be supporting Rodrigo in the war against France (as he's already informed his wife), and Lucrezia is clearly pregnant—and of course it isn’t Giovanni’s baby. Giulia plans to take Lucrezia home to Rome before they both are unable to flee.

France is much closer. They are at the gates of Lucca. Still thinking they can withstand the French forces, Lucca refuses Charles VIII passage. And France is more than happy to take their passage if not welcomed. They use their cannons and destroy the walls of Lucca and then rape, pillage, and plunder the city. Della Rovere, horrified and repulsed, demands Charles stop the carnage. Charles, blatantly, refuses and continues on. (Meanwhile, the Duke of Naples, Alphonso’s already half-dead father, dies.)

After Rodrigo hears about Lucca, della Rovere’s connection, and the fact most of Rome will roll over quietly for France (Florence does only days later), he tries to have della Rovere excommunicated. It goes over like a lead balloon.* Out of options and fearing God has abandoned him as Pope, Rodrigo brings in his spiritual Spanish guide to sooth his soul.

##Yeah, they’re big jerks.
*Cesare tried to warn him the Cardinals will not approve, but Rodrigo's blind optimism out plays Cesare's caution.

5 Summer Reads: The Literary List

Happy summer holidays dear reader! I hope you're beginning to enjoy your lazy summer days just as much as I'm enjoying my busy ones (and if you have busy ones too, I hope you're having just as much fun as I am!). And as the summer days continue to light up the sky late into the night, I find myself reading more and more. This summer, I've been mixing classics with new releases, but as always, the classics seem to be trumping my top 5 list. Should we begin?

1. Yonec by Marie deFrance

Yonec is hard to find, which is deeply annoying. (I might just have to make a typed copy from my version for you!) But once you find it, you'll completely enjoy this fairytale poem that will feel all too familiar. I have my copy in the Norton Anthology of Literature By Women part 1, and my copy is lovingly all marked up. Yonec is about a young woman locked away in a high tower by her old husband, confined to her gilded room. A lover, disguised as a hawk, flies into her room and romances her. Of course her creepy husband finds out and tragedy ensues, but this imaginative poem will remind you of your favorite fantasy movies.  

2. Ivanhoe by Sir. Walter Scott

It's referenced in almost every Bronte novel ever written, how could I not sit down and read a copy of Ivanhoe this summer? Its got crusaders, Robin Hood, and almost every Harry Potter name. I'm surprised I haven't read it before! Now my copy is not in epic poem form, which makes me a little sad, but I'm going to be giving Ivanhoe a good strong try this summer. I'm sure it will be an easier read than Wurthering Heights for me... 

3. The Story of Avis by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps

The Story of Avis will be a reread for me, but I can't wait to open to the first page and start it all over again. Avis is an artist living in New England around the turn of the civil war. Her father allows her to go to France to study painting and when she returns, she marries Philip Ostrander. Throughout the novel, Avis struggles to find a balance between her tumultuous marriage and her great art. Reader, Phelps is one of those authors who, if more canonically famous, would be right up there with Austen and the Brontes; her characters are just as vivid and her stories just as interesting.

4. Le Morte d'Arthur by Malory

Oh yeah, I went there. And this one isn't a rearead for me. You would think something is completely wrong with me, right? To have not actually read Le Morte d'Arthur yet. I blame it on very handsome men in 6 hour long adaptations. While there are three versions of Arthur's story by different authors, all considered basically canonical in Arthurian Legend lore, Malory's is the most quoted and the most referenced. I can't wait to see how much I don't know about the knights of the round table.

5. Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Ladies and Gents, this book is half Jane Eyre and half North and South in epic poem form. If there is one classic novel to buy and read this summer, pick up Aurora Leigh! To have me say anymore will make me sound like I'm raving on the floor, but Aurora Leigh is one of the 5 books I've ever read. Aurora wants to be a famous poetess and she will demand her whole life to the endeavour, even forsaking love with her bumbling and haughty cousin Romney Leigh. Aurora Leigh is one of those great roller coaster classics with a large social commentary and tinge of Romanticism (and characters that remind you of your favorites, isn't half bad either).

What are you planning to read this summer? I love adding more must reads to my list!