Discussing Game of Thrones: The Red Woman

* Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen “The Red Woman.”

So I'm starting off the Season 6 recaps with a recap that's pretty damn late, lol. Ah, well. BUT—how about that season premiere, huh? Wow. Previous season premieres kind of eased you back into the world of ASoIaF, reacquainted you with the old characters and introduced you to the new ones, but Sunday's premiere took off like a missile and didn't slow down!

In Case You Forgot What Happened at the End of Season 5

At the Wall, Ghost is howling because, you know, Jon Snow is lying in a pool of his own blood outside in the . . . snow. Davos hears Ghost and goes outside to investigate, joined soon after by Edd and a few other non-traitorous brothers. They take their fallen Lord Commander inside and bar themselves in the room with Ghost. There's a knock at the door, and it's Melisandre. She looks kind of dazed, saying that she saw Jon in the flames, fighting at Winterfell. Next we cut to Thorne defending his actions to the Watch, arguing that Jon's decision to bring the Wildlings to Castle Black would have destroyed them all. Back in the room where Jon, Edd, and their small group are holed up, Edd is ready to get some revenge. Davos tells him that they're way outnumbered, but perhaps the Wildlings would be willing to fight since Jon saved them and all. And so Edd goes off to see what he can do on that front.

Just When You Think Ramsay Is Capable of Feeling . . . Anything

He orders Myranda's body be fed to the hounds. For a second it seemed like he actually felt some grief over her death, but nope. Then Ramsay has to hear it from his dad about Sansa and Theon escaping, and if they don't get Sansa back to rally the North when the Lannisters decide to deal with Roose's treason, they're going to be in some trouble.

Brienne Finally Saves Somebody!

Ramsay's men and their dogs are in pursuit of Sansa and Theon through the snow. The pair cross an icy river to try and lose the hounds, but they get found. Theon is ready to lure the men and the dogs away and tells Sansa to go north to Castle Black, where Jon is Lord Commander. News travels slow by raven. When Ramsay's men catch up, Theon lies that Sansa is dead, but the hounds sniff her out. Just when all looks bleak, Brienne and Pod turn up! Brienne goes berserk on the Bolton soldiers, and after some fierce fighting, during which Theon saves Pod, Sansa accepts Brienne's service this time. I got a little sentimental thinking of Brienne pledging her sword to Catelyn all those seasons ago.

A Very Sad Return

Jaime arrives back in King's Landing from Dorne. At first Cersei, still sporting short locks, is thrilled that Myrcella has returned home, but then she catches sight of the boat and the body it's carrying. A genuinely grief-stricken Cersei tells Jaime that Maggy the Frog's prophecy is coming true, and he's like no way, and we're going to get revenge for this.

Oh Yeah, Margaery Is Still a Prisoner

And so is Loras, whom we don't see this episode. Septa (Shame!) Unella has now trained her sights on Margaery, who insists she has nothing to confess and asks to see her brother. The High Sparrow interrupts Septa Unella's interrogation session, but despite his gentler tone, he's not there to show Margaery any mercy, either.

It's a Coup in Dorne!

Totally didn't see this coming! In the Water Gardens of Dorne, Prince Doran receives the news that Myrcella is dead, followed by Ellaria fatally stabbing him! Tyene kills Areo Hotah, and the other two Sand Snakes, Obara and Nymeria, take care of Trystane. And just like that, two characters are gone!

Tyrion Needs to Brush Up on His Valyrian

Tyrion and Varys stroll through the streets of Meereen, reminiscing about the time Varys smuggled Tyrion in that crate. No, no, I jest. They take in the wreckage that's become Meereen since the bloody day at the Great Games, when the Sons of the Harpy tried to assassinate Daenerys and she flew away on Drogon. Tyrion and Varys discover that the ships that Daenerys was supposed to sail to Westeros on have been destroyed as well.

Following Drogon's Leftovers

Jorah and Daario are looking for Daenerys, following the trail of animal carcasses that Drogon appears to have left behind. Daario isn't happy that Jorah is back, while Jorah's greyscale is looking pretty nasty—and spreading. Luckily for the pair, Jorah just so happens to find the ring that Daenerys dropped last season right before the Dothraki surrounded her.

Now That We're Cool, Can I Just Get an Uber Back to Meereen?

It's probably been a while since Daenerys walked this much. She has to endure the crude comments of two Dothraki who have no idea that she understands every. Word. Daenerys bides her time, finally speaking Dothraki when she's brought before Khal Moro. As a khal's widow, she's not to be touched, but asking to be taken back to Meereen is out of the question. Instead, Daenerys is to be taken to Vaes Dothrak to live out the rest of her days with the widows of other khals.

A Quick Check-In with Arya

And she's really not doing well. Still blind, she's begging on the streets of Braavos. The Waif shows up to pretty much beat Arya up with a stick and then call it a day.

Thorne's Ultimatum

Through the closed door, Thorne offers amnesty for the men of the Night's Watch who surrender before nightfall. Davos will be allowed to leave, with food, and can even take Melisandre if he wants to. Talk about an incentive to leave! If, however, Davos and the men don't surrender by the deadline, there will be bloodshed.

If You Thought the Shadow Baby Was Disturbing

Melisandre is alone in her chamber, looking very weary and sad. She removes her necklace, and when she catches her reflection in the mirror, it's that of a really, really, really, really old woman. Really, really old.

In the Next Episode

After a whole season away, Bran is back! Ramsay proposes storming Castle Black to intercept Sansa. Jaime faces off with the High Septon.

Harry Potter Moment of the Week (125)

Harry Potter Moment of the Week is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts and Lunar Rainbows Reviews. The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/films/J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! A list of upcoming topics can be found here.

This week's topic is:
You Accidentally Did Magic for the First Time. Where Were You and What Did You Do?

I'm not very skilled in the kitchen, so I'd say that's the likely place for me to have a magical mishap, lol. And I'd probably be trying to do something simple, too, like boiling water, and make the pot explode or something. XD

Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

* This review may contain spoilers for the previous book, A Darker Shade of Magic.

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2)
By V.E. Schwab
Publisher: Tor Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: With Lila off realizing her dreams of adventure and maybe a little piracy on the high seas, Kell lives practically confined to Red London. Once revered by its citizens, he’s now regarded with suspicion and even fear following the terror unleashed by the Dane twins of White London that has forever magically entwined the lives of Kell and his brother, Prince Rhy. Hoping to lift his brother’s spirits, Rhy hatches an insane scheme for the upcoming and highly anticipated Element Games, an event that also draws the attention of a certain sassy thief/pirate with a crazy plan of her own for the games.

Review: With a single book, last year’s superb A Darker Shade of Magic, Victoria Schwab instantly became one of my favorite authors thanks to her superlative storytelling talents. The best fantasy novels carry you away to other worlds so immersive and real, you don’t want to return to your own. It was with much anticipation that I returned to Schwab’s alternate Londons, and once again, the trip was an absolute blast.

When we last left off, Kell and Lila had saved Red London from the evil, evil Dane twins of White London. While Lila has sailed away on board the Night Spire to chase her piratey dreams, Kell finds himself living under the constant watchful eye of the royal guards and the mistrustful eye of most Arnesians. Even Kell’s adoptive parents, King Maxim and Queen Emira, have distanced themselves from him. The relationship between Kell and his brother, Prince Rhy, is also tested, with both brothers feeling guilty over the events that led to Rhy being brought back to life with dark magic and their lives tethered to each other. Unlike their parents, however, Rhy continues to treat Kell like his blood brother, and of course Kell would still do anything for Rhy. It’s not all gloom and doom between them, either; their snarky exchanges made me chuckle quite often.

As for Miss Delilah Bard, she’s found a place for her sassy self among the crew of the Night Spire, captained by the enigmatic Alucard “I’m a Privateer Not a Pirate” Emery. Alucard is a fascinating new addition to the series and just as cagey as Lila when it comes to revealing anything personal, though both try to coax backstories out of each other. In A Gathering of Shadows, Lila proves that she truly is suited to a pirate’s life and backs up every bit of the Bard bravado. Oh, she still swaggers like hell and gets up to some seriously crazy hijinks, even for Lila, but I have to give her credit for living every second like it’s her last. Which it very well could be when you look back at some of Lila’s previous escapades.

Schwab’s world-building in A Darker Shade of Magic was absolutely brilliant, and she works her magic again here. I love how the Arnesian language is sprinkled throughout and the meanings of words and phrases always made clear by showing instead of telling. The Essen Tasch (Element Games) brings guests from other empires to Red London, giving us a more expanded view of this world. The matches between the competitors in the games are riveting, not just because of all of the action but also because you feel like you’re actually there in the arena. Plus, it’s elemental magic that the entrants wield here. In between reading A Darker Shade of Magic and this, I binge watched Avatar: The Last Airbender, and let’s just say that I have a newfound appreciation for elemental magic, which is put on spectacular display during the Element Games.

Although the majority of A Gathering of Shadows follows Kell and Lila and all of the pomp surrounding the games, we also check in from time to time on a developing story line that becomes extremely significant by the end of the book. I simultaneously love it for its ingenuity and cringe at it because of what ensues. “Cringe” is probably an understatement; “scream” would be more accurate.

And now it’s back to the torture known as Waiting for the Next Book. In the meantime, I’ll replay my favorite moments from this one in my mind: the ones that made me swoon, the ones that gave me the chills, and the ones that awed me because they were written so brilliantly (i.e. ALL OF THEM).

All in All: This has quickly become one of my favorite series, which means that I’m pushing it hard to anyone who hasn’t read it. A Gathering of Shadows is a mighty sequel that astounds in every aspect: the flawed characters you love because they’re not perfect, the fantastic world, the witty banter, and the beautiful prose. And now I must go cope with this severe book hangover.

Fandom Mashups (51)

Fandom Mashups is a feature hosted by Lunar Rainbows Reviews. There's a different scenario each week, and you choose a "dream team" of five characters from five different fandoms whom you think are best suited for the situation.

This week's topic is:
WEREWOLVES! You've stumbled across an actual pack of werewolves. Unsure if they're friendly or deadly, you decide to investigate. Who you gonna call - to check it out with you?

I haven't read a lot of werewolf books or watched many werewolf movies, so I really had to put my brain to work this week to put a team together, lol. I was still a character short, so I picked someone who's not a werewolf expert but who I think would be able to handle the situation regardless.

1. Aang (Avatar: The Last Airbender): Like I said, Aang isn't a werewolf expert, but he has encountered all kinds of creatures in his travels. His gentle personality would also easily win over any hostile wolves. XD
2. Remus Lupin (Harry Potter): Lupin would be so great here. If the pack is friendly, he'd make fast friends with all of them. If not, he's got magic!
3. Sam Roth (The Wolves of Mercy Falls): OK, I totally thought about putting Cole on the team, but I figured there'd be a good chance he'd go looking for trouble. XD Sam is much more level-headed and would give the wolves a chance to show that they mean no harm. I love Cole, but he'd probably annoy them until they wanted to fight, lol.
4. Lord Conall Maccon (The Parasol Protectorate): Lord Maccon is a pack alpha and would know exactly what to do here.
5. Luke Garroway (The Mortal Instruments): With two pack leaders on the team, we've definitely got this. Luke is also pretty easygoing, so I don't think we'll have a problem with two alphas working together.

Game of Thrones Season 6!

* Spoilers ahead if you're not all caught up on GoT.

SO I'M A LITTLE EXCITED BECAUSE THE NEW SEASON OF GAME OF THRONES STARTS TOMORROW NIGHT! Just a little.

What I'm not so excited about is heading into Season 6 knowing nothing, à la Jon Snow, about what to expect because there are no new books to read. I had it good for the previous five seasons, being able to compare book to TV series. I liked having some idea of future events, even though the TV show has deviated from the books in some significant ways.

One story line that the show remained faithful to was the Night's Watch literally backstabbing Jon Snow at the end of Season 5! I knew it was going to happen, but OMFG, it still hurt like hell to watch! I hope to the old gods and the new that somehow, Jon Snow and his beautiful hair aren't really gone, but on the other hand, I don't like the idea of, say, Melisandre doing her creepy ass magic to bring him back!

The GoT trailers are always an exercise in paying very, very close attention and absorbing every little detail. The Season 6 trailer below includes:

• The return of Bran Stark, after not appearing at all in Season 5. (Hodor had better be back, too!)
• The return of Yara Greyjoy, Theon's sister. It also looks like Theon goes home to the Iron Islands.
• Jaqen H'ghar is back for another season! He warns a now blind Arya that she won't get another chance.
• The terrifying Night's King! You know, the icy dude who stared down Jon Snow in "Hardhome?"
• Jaime looking like he's about to rip the High Sparrow to shreds.
• Margaery and Loras still being held in the dungeons.
• Frankegregor! Is Cersei going to use him as a one man revenge squad? I'm thinking that Septa "Shame" Unella would be Cersei's first target. XD
• Jorah's arm not looking so good. Damn greyscale.
• Daenerys not exactly being welcomed by the Dothraki khalasar she ran into at the end of last season. But surely Drogon will save his mother!
• Was that f**king Walder Frey in the trailer?!
• The show's producers have teased a massive battle this season; perhaps involving Ramsay?

As much as I'd love to post the recaps at the beginning of the week, I really don't have a set day for them to go up because real life is just so hectic. But, recaps will be posted, lol! Looking forward to chatting with fellow GoT fans again this season! :D