Misfits: Season 3, Episode 2

The community centre is hosting an Athletics training camp for women – something Curtis notices. He’s desperate to get back involved with running after losing his opportunity and decides to join in using his power to turn into a woman.

Curtis does extremely well and is noticed by the trainer of the camp who thinks he could do much better with a coach and achieve much more, but Curtis says he just wants to run. In female form, Curtis introduces himself as Melissa, meets Emma a fellow runner (who strips naked in front of Melissa/Curtis in the changing rooms leading to a less than graceful exit) and is creepily hit on by the probation officer who is all kinds of skeevy. Emma also gets to meet Curtis in male form working at the bar and recognises him as a once-famous runner. Flirting ensues.

The next day at community service, Curtis is all smiley after having sex with Emma, Rudy is trying to get Simon to use his powers to predict the lottery and Kelley runs across Seth having car trouble.  Using her rocket scientist brain she easily fixes it and Seth insists on giving her lift. Of about 20 yards since she’s nearly home anyway. More sexual chemistry brewing.

Melissa/Curtis keeps on running and the probation officer is extra creepy. Continually asking her out even when Melissa/Curtis makes it clear he’s not interested and even groping him (when Melissa/Curtis threatens him for this, the probation officer calls Melissa/Curtis a lesbian). Melissa/Curtis also catches up with Emma and gets to gossip all about Emma hooking up with Curtis the night before. But the news isn’t good – Emma found him negative, whiney, self-absorbed and called their sex a “sympathy shag” and that he’s also the worst sex that she’d ever had. Ouch.

Back in male form, Curtis runs into Emma again and she quickly tells him to forget about the night before, they were both drunk. Rudy says stuff (nothing good comes of listening to Rudy). Pride wounded, Curtis goes to see Alisha and ask if he was a bad lover. Alisha says no, but not in a very convincing way. Curtis gets angry and asks if Simon is a better lover than him – clearly doubting that Simon could possibly be better. Alisha takes offence at him speaking about her boyfriend that way and tells him the truth – Simon is focused on her, Curtis was focused on himself. She also criticises him for his negativity and complaining.

Curtis goes to one of the storerooms and shifts into his female form and begins to explore his female body, seeing what hurts and what feels good. Emma invites female formed Curtis/Melissa out  - and offers to lend Curtis/Melissa a dress. And Curtis/Melissa has to figure out how to pee into a cup with different equipment for a drug test.

Kelley and Alisha spot Seth being shady and follow him – he puts flowers on the grave of a Shannon Speers, who died aged 23. Alisha realises Kelley fancies Seth. And Simon walks in on Melissa/Curtis in Curtis’s locker and finally sees what Curtis looks like when he’s transformed into a female body. Melissa/Curtis swears Simon to secrecy – but Kelley sees them.

At the club, Melissa/Curtis is made uncomfortable by all the guys looking at female-form him but he dances with Emma and there’s lots of touching going on. Back to Emma’s place, Emma asks Melissa/Curtis if he’s gay then they kiss and have sex.

The next day Curtis discusses the night with Simon, comparing male and female orgasms. Simon asks if Curtis is a lesbian but Curtis says even when he’s in a female body, it’s still him and he likes girls (i.e. he’s still a straight man in a female form). He asks if Emma is a lesbian and neither of them can muster up the word “bisexual.” Curtis wants to be with Emma in male form and approaches her and apologises for the other night.

The next day Rudy says something (it’s Rudy), Melissa/Curtis greets Emma – and the coach gets creepy and gropes Melissa/Curtis in the pretence of massaging out an ache in his thigh.

At the party (there’s one for the running camp) creepy coach dissolves a pill in a drink and gives it to Melissa/Curtis while talking about one on one training. Melissa/Curtis brushes him off, then has to dodge Rudy before dancing with Emma. Rudy drinks, they dance – and Melissa/Curtis gets more and more woozy until Emma leads him to the changing rooms to lie down.

Emma goes to call a taxi while Melissa/Curtis tries to kiss her. Emma lays Melissa/Curtis on a bench and Rudy comes in, the drugged Melissa/Curtis grabs him and kisses him and pushes him downwards. Melissa/Curtis comes round a bit, looks down and sees Rudy giving him oral sex and instantly demands what he’s doing – which is when Emma comes in. Melissa/Curtis protests that he thought it was Emma, but Emma leaves. Melissa/Curtis staggers after Emma and near collapses in creepy coach’s arms.

Fangs for the Fantasy Books of the Week

Every week on the Fangs for the Fantasy podcast (archives here) we read a book and discuss it on the show. The review for the book of the week always goes up on 3:00pm (EST) on a Monday (Monday’s book review).

To give people a chance to read along with us, every Monday we’re also going to include a list of our planned books of the week for the next few shows, so people can get the books, read them and join in the conversation.

 

26/11-3/12: Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennet

3/12-10/12: Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines

10/12-17/12: The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout

17/12-7/1/2013: The Awakening by LJ Smith

7/1/-14/1/2013: Grave Memory by Kalayna Price

We will have a hiatus over the Holiday season, so there will be no podcast on the 24th or 31st of December.

 

We will discuss each book on the latter date – so on the 17th December, we will discuss The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout

We will post a new list every Monday with any changes or new books.

The Walking Dead Season Three Episode Eight: Made to Suffer

Tyrese is moving through the woods killing walkers as he goes.  The group the group he is traveling with gets surrounded by walkers and they are forced to run.  One of their members is bitten by a walker and Sasha insists that the bitten woman be left behind when they get to the back entrance to the prison, but Tyrese says not to leave her behind because she will be eaten alive.

Andrea is in Philip's room looking at the picture of his family, when he approches her from behind. Andrea tells him that the people he brought together are helping each other through this mess. Philip say that Woodbury is starting to grow on her. She eases out of his embrace.  Alone, Philip turns on some music and then calls to Penny, his zombie daughter.  She comes running out with a bag on her head snarling at him. It's clear that Philip had Milton run the test to see if there was a way to bring back any part of his little girl. Philip screams at Penny to look at him but she continues to growl.

Glenn asks Maggie if Philip raped her and she tells him no. "All this time runing from walkers, you forget what people do. Look at what they did to you," Maggie says.  Glenn again asks if she was violated and Maggie tells him no.  Glenn is badly beaten with his chest covered in blood.  He walks over to the dead walker, rips off the arm, then a bone and hands it to Maggie.

Rick et al are stationed outside of the gates of Woodburry.  Inside, Woodbury Philip plans to have Merle turn Darryl into their inside man.  Philip wants to let the prison be over run once again and plans to wave a flag of peace to get Rick's group to trust him.  Merle does take the time to insist that nothing happen to his brother.  Michonne is sneaking the group in the back way but when she does not immediately find Glenn and Maggie they get suspicious.  Rick tells Darryl and Oscar that if this goes south, they are to cut Michonne loose.  A man walks into the room because he heard something and when Rick asks where his people are, the man says he does not know and so Oscar knocks him unconcsious.

Beth is sitting with Axel and he asks how hold she is and comments how good she is with the baby. Carol interrupts the conversation and tells Axel to stay away from Beth. Axel says that he has been locked up a long time and that Maggie is with Glen and Carol is a lesbian, so that leaves Beth. Axel has determined that Carl must be a lesbian because she has short hair. Carol tells him that she is not a lesbian and when Axel suggests that this is a good thing and gets flirty, Carol makes it clear that she has absolutely no interest in him.

When people enter to check on Maggie and Glenn, they attack using the bones of the dead walker.  Merle overpowers Glenn but Maggie has picked up a gun and screams to let Glenn go. What she does not know is that Philip's men are armed and sneaking up behind her. Glenn and Maggie are on their knees and hoods are placed over their heads.  They are being lead out of the room, when Rick and the group throw smoke bombs in their path. 

Andrea says that she heard the shot and volunteers to check but the governor tries to blow it off a walkers, until one man says that he was attacked by a group of strange men.  The governor gives orders to shoot to kill. Rick et al slip into a room and Glenn tells Darryl that this was Merle's doing and admits that they told Philip where the prison was.  Darryl says that if Merle's around that he has to see him and wants to work something out.  Rick says that he needs Darryl and that Glenn can barely walk, though he says that he is fine.  Darryl agrees to go with Rick.

Philip sends Andrea to go door to door to check on the residents and Andrea says that she has a lot of experience can handle this.  Philip tells her to do as he asks and she acquiesces. Michonne has used the confusion to slip into Philip's apartment. She sits on a chair with her katana on her lap.

The group throws smoke bombs into the streets to help cover their exit and begin shooting.  At the sound of the firing, Andrea grabs her gun.  She begins to shoot and Philip asks her if she is alright. Andrea says that she saw at least one of them wearing a prison jump suit. Philip instructs her to get off the streets and moves forward.  Darryl tells them to go and that he will lay down cover fire. In the mist, Rick believes he sees Shane coming towards him.  Rick shoots the man he thought was Shane but not before Oscar catches a bullet.

Back at the prison, Hershel tells Carl that it's time for a rest.  Carl asks about how much formula they have and when he learns that they only have enough for a month, Carl says that he will go for some next week. Hershel says that his father will be back by then but having seen what happened to his mother Carl is not holding out much hope and points out that his sister is all he has left. When they hear sounds deeper into the prison, Carl says that he is going to check it out. Hershel tells him that he can't let him go down there, but Carl answers, "my father would go down there." Carl is down by the boiler room and he sees Tyrese fighting off zombies and uses his gun to shoot some of them.  Carl instructs Tyerses group to hurry and they start running through the prison.

In Philip's room Michonne hears a noise and kicks a door open only to find his collection of heads inside of aquariums. To her right she sees Penny's cage and opens it up.   Because Penny is clean, Michonne believes that she has found a little girl, rather than a walker and unhooks her chain  It's only when she takes off the hood, she realises that Penny is a walker.  Michonne lifts her katana but Philip screams no and then puts down his gun  and says, "it's me you want. There's no need for her to suffer." Mchonne says, "she doesn't have needs." Philip starts to beg Michonne not hurt Penny, but Michonne puts her katana through the back of Penny's head.  Philip tackles Michonne and they begin to fight. Michonne knocks over the aquarium and the heads are sill alive.  She manages to grab a piece of glass and puts it in Philip's eye.  Just as she raises her katana to kill Philip, Maggie walks in holding her gun asking, "what have you done?" Michonne puts down her katana and walks away but when Andrea goes over to help Philip, she sees his macabre display and him crying holding Penny's corpse.

Haven, Season 3, Episode 10: Burned

 

Audrey and Nathan have to investigate another burned body which looks like another of the Bolt Gun Killer’s victims. The pathologist thinks there’s no rush since Tommy is dead but Audrey isn’t willing to write him off as dead since they never found the body. She’s worried that Tommy is still alive but accepts Nathan’s assurance that Tommy had nothing to do with the guard.

Meanwhile and elsewhere, a van skids off the road, one man leaps out of it and runs, chased by another. Audrey and Nathan arrive finding a girl in the van, Ginger Danvers, who doesn’t understand why her father ran off. Nathan reveals that the van is used by the Guard to get Troubled people into Haven. They speculate that his Trouble was triggered in the van and caused him to run, abandoning his daughter. She doesn’t want to talk to anyone but Duke makes her open up at the police station (why is Duke at the police station? Because he’s always at the police station, of course)

And Nathan goes to flirt with Jordan – really, I thought we’d resolved this love triangle nonsense?  He tells her about Morton Davners, the Troubled guy, running away and his daughter. Jordan pretends ignorance but after he leaves there’s a man called Lance in the back room snarling at her for her police chief boyfriend and she snarls back at having to lie to him.

There’s another revelation at the police station. Checking the burned body they find he was a bolt gun killer victim, he had been dead for 5 weeks – and he was Detective Thomas Bowen. Claire says that’s impossible and the pathologist responds with the line of the week “are you from Haven?” The word impossible should never be used. Whoever they were working with wasn’t Tommy Bowen.

Duke does the very clever thing of taking Ginger out of the police station and promptly loses her – she’s taken by lance, the guy in Jordan’s safehouse. But the minute she can speak she demands to be let go and tells him she hates his guts. He drops her and when she runs, he pulls out of a knife says “I hate my guts” and stabs himself in the stomach, much to Jordan’s shock.

Audrey and Nathan arrive on scene and Audrey puts 1 and 1 together and gets 56 (as is Audrey’s wont) and realises that Ginger is the Troubled one with the power of hypnosis, able to control minds. She calls Duke, but Ginger has found him and tells Duke not to tell Audrey anything and come play with her – which he does. Pirates – which, at her urging, results in Duke getting into more and more dangerous positions (and he needs more Eyeliner to be a pirate, it is known, but he’s making a good start). Audrey and Nathan arrive just in time to see Duke fall from the upstairs balcony.

Audrey gives ginger a little heart to heart talk about her powers and her father – but they need to get her father back to help her not feel abandoned. Audrey asks Ginger about the people who brought her father to Haven to see if they can find him – and reveals that Jordan was among them.

Nathan goes to confront her and is most displeased with her lying to him. Jordan hates to break the usual secrecy of how the Guard operates, but reveals that Ginger has an uncle in town. While Nathan checks out that dead end – the uncle knows nothing. Jordan sneaks to see Ginger while Audrey is on the phone (getting a call from the pathologist telling her that Tommy’s burned body had rope fibre in its airways) and takes her away, telling Ginger that Audrey is lying and will lock her away somewhere all alone.

Jordan tries to escape but is surrounded by Audrey and Nathan with guns.  Jordan is arrested and Ginger recovered.  Jordan doesn’t want to talk, but Ginger points out she can make her. Audrey protests that it’s too dangerous (uh… why? Unethical, yes I can see that. Completely wrong, yes I can see that. But dangerous? How is it dangerous?) but Duke counters that Ginger continuing to believe her father abandoned her is even more dangerous (does anyone in Haven even know what “dangerous” means?).

Review: Soul Sisters by Janiera Eldridge - and sneak peak of the second book in the series!

 

Dana is human who has built a normal human life. As much as you can when she was born in 1912. After making a deal with an ancient vampire shortly after her marriage, she gave part of her soul to create a vampire – her soul sister, Ani. After a long journey over the years, the two now live together, best friends and greatest confidants, the siblings are enjoying their eternal lives in their own ways.

Except Ani’s reckless behaviour draws more attention from the powers that be. Until her passionate defence of Dana against an attacker leads to more public deaths the vampire leader refuses to ignore. He demands their deaths and can find them anywhere

This launches a battle to find allies, to find a place to hide which, inevitably, leads to its own revolution as the siblings are forced to take the battle to the enemy.

This book has an extremely unique twist on the traditional vampire tale. In this world vampires are created by taking part of the soul of a human and creating a vampire “twin”. They look very alike and they depend on each other to survive. If one dies the other dies – resulting in a vampire and an immortal human. While it’s clear that not every vampire/human twin has a close bond, Ani and Dana definitely do.

The book also focuses on Dana, the human of the pair, and her journey into this life. Her life as a human in 1912, her life with her family and then her husband – followed by how she first made the decision to give up her soul and create Ani, and how her life developed with her new sister. Her past is rich and really well built with a full sense of what set her on the path. So much so that I think I would have liked to see more of Dana’s past in between the present and the loss of her husband, just to see the character develop more.

It’s also pretty rare to see a book that focuses so much on a sibling relationship. That mutual affection, care and worry for each other still spaced with that very common frustration at the others actions. It’s a very natural relationship for the most part and underpins the book.

For a long time though, the book does seem to be spinning it’s wheels. We’re introduced to these characters but they don’t seem to be overly involved in anything except developing them. Even when the path is set, they then spend a lot of detailed time training all interspaced with odd little conflicts as one of the characters gets angry over something – which then disappears or fades away. The end of the book does pick up very well though, racing with plot and intensity towards the conclusion.

Unfortunately, while the book had wonderful things going for it, it was then badly let down by the writing. Firstly, it needed an editor. I understand this is a later edition and considerably improved on previous versions but there are still grammar and word issues that need correcting.

Beyond that, the book just didn’t flow for me, I found the language and, especially, the dialogue extremely stilted and unnatural, often bogged down with unnecessary explanation and exposition, too much telling rather than showing and an almost repetitive need to drive every point home. I think the best way to show this is with a quote:

Beauty and the Beast, Season 1, Episode 7: Out of Control

  Crime of the week – a couple of college students leaving a party run into a sliced and diced body.

Catherine’s all packed for a weekend way and rather giddy when she joins Tess at the murder scene. There they discuss a party for the firefighters’ calendar Tess wants to drag Catherine to and another little poke at Catherine’s increasingly secretive life. Time for Evan to arrive with the crime details: victim is a Derek Moore who manages to crawl before dying – but the sprinkler has washed away evidence and the blood trail from the real crime scene.

Meanwhile with Vincent, he’s had another blackout and his clothes are stained with blood, which rather worries him and JT. To be sure, JT has started carrying a tranquiliser gun just in case (with Victor’s knowledge). But they’re also worried about Catherine and the camping trip they have planned. JT says he has to cancel but also has to keep the blackouts from Catherine to make sure they don’t put her in a position where she has to turn Vincent in because she’s a danger to others.

They still can’t find a medical cause for the blackouts but he has one right there during the test, passing out, his stats go weird then he wakes up animalistic and attacks JT. After being thrown against a wall, JT shoots Vincent with his tranquiliser gun. Which is when Catherine shows up and JT has to reveal what an awful liar he is and say Vincent isn’t home. He is perturbed to hear about the murder – especially since the time fits Vincent’s blackout

Back to work. We’re introduced to probably-will-be-relevant-later Peter who is an intern working with Evan. The body of Gary shows he died from multiple lacerations (as I said, sliced and diced) and he has a check mark cut into his ankle.

Going to the fraternity Derek belonged to gets them a grade A arsehole with lots of money (who won’t answer questions about initiation because of “the oath” really? In a murder case?). They find a more intimidated and willing to talk student who gives them hints about how tough the initiation is and how those who fail are ostracised.

Vincent wakes up to find JT pointing the gun at him. JT opts to be cautious since he was thrown against a wall (but he does say “no guilt because you didn’t know what you’re doing” which is a nice touch. Not blaming Vincent but still taking reasonable precautions). During a blackout his reasoning mind shuts down (didn’t really need the scan to see that) and he tells Vincent about the dead fratguy.

Catherine goes to the firefighter calendar party and gets a guy’s phone number. This is apparently relevant.

Back to the police station for some work and they talk to the fratguy who bailed out on the initiation. He didn’t kill Derek – but Derek deserved it since he is an outright sadist during “initiation”. And they find that the hazing took place in the Bell Tower

The Vampire Diaries Season Four, Episode Seven: My Brother's Keeper

Stefan is working out in the woods while he talks to Caroline about breaking up with Elena. He tells Caroline that Elena admitted to having feelings for Damon, which of course sends Caroline into complete denial.  Caroline promises to talk to Elena but Stefan still believes that being a vampire has really changed her.  Caroline ends the conversation when she sees Elena.

Klaus sneaks up behind Stefan and puts him into a choke hold. At this point, I couldn't help but think, just rip his musty head off but  unfortunately, that was not to be.  Klaus is upset that Stefan told so many people about the cure but Stefan assures him that the secret is safe and that no one who knows about the cure will tell anyone.  Klaus instructs Stefan to find more vampires for Jeremy to kill.

After his little run in in the woods, Stefan returns home in a shitty mood.  Damon assumes that he is still working with Klaus but Stefan interjects to let him know that he and Elena have broken up. Damon does not bat and eye and goes back to the real issue - finding out what is up with professor Shane. Damon believes that they need to find another hunter to stop Jeremy from going Connor 2 pt 0.  Damon tells Stefan that Matt connected Shane to Pastor Young and plans on confronting him but Stefan bows out.  Damon then suggests that they should go and get drunk instead.  Stefan replies, "lets not pretend like this isn't the best day of your life." Oh the angst.

Caroline asks Elena if she is sure that breaking up with Stefan is what she wants because Stefan is her soul mate. Elena says she still loves Stefan but her feelings for Damon have become more intense  since the change. Elena asks if Stefan is okay and Caroline says that he is not doing great and that she shouldn't have let Damon wiggle his way into her newbie vampire heart. Elena admits that she is confused and needs to figure out what her feelings actually mean.  Professor Shane shows up saying that he is there to interview contestants.  When he walks away, Elena tells Caroline that Shane is the one who told Damon how to break the hunters curse. In exchange Caroline says, "he's also the one who has Bonnie so obsessed with practicing magic that she bailed on pageant prep." Oh heaven's how could Bonnie skip out on Miss Mystic Falls? Elena of course finds it suspicious that Shane is now a judge.  You know the ability to judge Miss Mystic Falls might just bring the world to the brink of destruction.  Okay, I'm being sarcastic but so far this episode has not only doubled down on the angst, it has been way to Elena centric. It further does not help that once again, Bonnie is in the plot box.

 Jeremy and Matt are unpacking crates for the big pageant.  Matt struggles to pick up one and Jeremy picks up two on his own. Jeremy says that as a byproduct of becoming a hunter, he has had tons of energy.  This concerns Matt because of what happened to Connor and he suggests that Jeremy talk to someone. Matt points that Jeremy is going to be driven to kill vampires, and he happens to live with one. Jeremy assures Matt that he would never hurt his sister.

Stefan sneaks into the hospital and starts looking at charts. When he sees a guard in front of one door he compels the guard to go for a break. Stefan walks into the room using his compulsion and asks why the man has an armed guard.  In reply, the man says that he is a convicted murderer and so Stefan asks if he any regrets. The man answers, "only that I got caught." Stefan then force feeds him his blood and snaps his neck.  What the hell is this all about?

Back at the pageant, Caroline is holding court when she is approached by Klaus.  Klaus asks what time he should pick her up tomorrow and Caroline answers, "How about a quarter to never." Klaus then reminds Caroline that he was promised a date in return for one his hybrids. Caroline says that she meant a date like to a movie, where they didn't have to talk and have three empty seats between them.  Klaus points out that as the reigning Miss Mystic Falls that she shouldn't go alone and that because of Tyler's indiscretions, he is certainly no longer a candidate.  Caroline gives in and instructs Klaus to meet her there at 2PM.

Hayley is helping a hybrid break her sire bond with Klaus. While the hybrid is going through this, Hayley reminds her that she is grateful to Klaus for sparing her the pain of having to turn every full moon. Hayley instructs her to keep turning until it doesn't hurt, so she won't have anything to be grateful for.  Tyler walks in and tells Hayley that Caroline bought them another day because Caroline agreed to go with Klaus to the pageant.  Hayley asks if they're going but Tyler is not interested in watching "Klaus fall all over Caroline at some lame ass pageant." Hayley suggests that they need to hide what's going on with the hybrid by continuing to pretend that she is responsible for their break up. Tyler rolls his eyes but agrees to go and instructs Hayley to wear a dress.

Elena is getting undressed when Jeremy asks if she needs a hand. He grabs her necklace and says, "I really wish you would stop acting like you were still my sister," before choking her.  Unfortunately, this is all a dream and Jeremy wakes up in a cold sweat. Under his pillow, Jeremy finds a specially carved stake. The next day, Jeremy is getting dressed in the same room as Matt who asks, "how do you wake up with a knife in your hand and not remember how it got there?" Matt tells Jeremy that it's the hunters mark.  Jeremy instead wonders if he is turning into Alaric because he has died so many times with the ring on his finger. Matt reads, "newly awakened hunters may not be fully aware of their actions; their subconscious pushes through until the urge becomes a basic instinct."  Matt assures Jeremy that he is not having a psychotic break and demands that Jeremy tell Elana. Jeremy promises to tell Elena but refuses a ride from Matt when he gets a text from Stefan to meet him at the Lockwood mansion.

April is holding up dresses for the pageant and both Elena and Caroline instruct her to go with the more conservative blue one.  Dressed in a suit, Damon stands in the doorway and says, "you've got my vote." Caroline throws something at Damon and tells him to get out. Damon asks where Shane is and Caroline attempts to close the door in his face and says that he should check the judges table.  Damon then suggests that April wear the red dress but Caroline points out that she is the one who won Miss Mystic Falls last year.  Damon counters by reminding her that Elena didn't win and she wore blue. Caroline replies, "no one cares what you think," but April quickly contradicts her saying, "I care." Damon then suggests red to Elena who concedes that the red is pretty. Caroline asks, "what happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the red one? What happened to safe is good?" Elena simply says, "whichever one you want to wear April," before walking out of the room.

Elena follows Damon down the stairs to tell him that they need to talk.  Damon tells her that Stefan told her about the break up and that he would says he is sorry but he's not. Elena asks what Stefan said and Damon replies that he just went on and on.  What Elena really wants to know is if Stefan told Damon why they broke up and when Damon says no and that he is sure that it has something to do with Elena acting weird, Elena admits that he is the cause.  Their conversation is broken by the professor.

Damon and Shane are walking on the Lockwood property and Damon says that he needs another hunter because the potential hunter he had, may well be a potential problem. Shane says that there's nothing he can do to help.  Damon asks why Shane is there and what is in his lesson plan.  Shane responds that Damon thinks to highly of him and attempts to join the other judges. Before Shane can leave, Damon suggests that April not receive any pity votes because he father blew up a house and then points out that Shane knew Pastor Young because the two of them wracked up a huge phone bill. Shane tells Damon if there is something he needs to know that he should ask.  Damon takes the opportunity to ask how Shane got Pastor Young to blow up all of those people.  Incredulous, Shane responds, "did you just accuse me of mass murder in the middle of a high school pageant?"

Jeremy meets Stefan and asks what he is doing there.  Stefan tells him that he is being given the chance to make his sister human again.  Stefan shows Jeremy the man he turned in the hospital and puts a weapon in his hand.  Stefan says that he hates doing this but Elena is not supposed to be a vampire and they need to help her. Stefan adds that the man is a murderer and would gladly do it again.  Jeremy hesitates until Stefan threatens to take the man's chains off.

Caroline is busy bossing everyone around when Klaus shows up.  Caroline tells Klaus that he is perfect but is beyond annoying.  Klaus notes Tyler and Hayley entering holding hands.  Caroline opens the pageant and begins introducing the contestants.  There is a Black contestant, but we all know that she doesn't stand a chance.  In the crowd, Matt approaches Elena to find out if Jeremy told her about his nightmares. Elena promises to find Jeremy, as April comes down the stairs wearing the red dress.  Because Jeremy is not there, Matt takes his place.

As the contestants dance, Elena and Damon make eye contact.  Elena attempts to call Jeremy as Caroline rushes over to find out why the last minute substitution.  Damon joins them and suggests that an emo teen and open bar means that Jeremy is fine. Elena says that Jeremy has been having bad dreams but Damon assures her that everything is fine and that if he isn't worried, then she shouldn't be worried. Damon walks away and Caroline suggests that Elena goes home while she starts looking around there.  Elena says that maybe Damon is right but Caroline replies that Damon is never right and is sneaky, manipulative and rude. Caroline adds that Elena's feelings for Damon are really starting to cloud her judgment and that she doesn't like it and that the thought of the two of them together makes her want to barf. Klaus walks over and whispers to Caroline that she is making a scene.  Elena thanks Caroline for making this very difficult time easier before walking away. Caroline asks how she became the bad guy and Klaus suggest that they get a drink so that he can share with her all about being the bad guy.

Damon gets on the phone with Stefan and asks if Stefan roped Jeremy into a "world of crazy." Stefan says that Elena still needs a cure to which Damon asks, "so you couldn't turn your back on the girl who's isn't in love with you." Stefan points out that though Damon may not believe it, Elena isn't herself anymore.  Damon suggests that Stefan leave it alone and Stefan hangs up.  Stefan approaches Jeremy to ask how big the mark is now but Jeremy refuses to show him and says that he no longer trusts him.  Stefan tries to compel Jeremy, but it does not work and for his trouble, Jeremy stabs him in the stomach.  When Stefan falls to the ground, Jeremy says, "I guess I can't be compelled anymore," before walking out.

Review: Pilgrim of the Sky by Natania Barron

Maddie is trying to move on in her life after the disappearance and presumed death of her long term lover, Alvin. But Alvin’s brother, Randy is less willing to let her go and through Alvin’s contacts shows her the truth of where he has gone.

He has gone to a different world, one of 8 parallel worlds all with different societies and people. But some people straddle different worlds – copies, different versions, TWAINS of themselves exist in these different worlds. Maddie finds herself thrust into the body of her Mathilda, her Twain in a Steampunk world. While there she meets the twains of so many of the people she knows – all similar yet so different from the people she knows.

But there is far more than that to consider. Alvin has a plot far darker than she can imagine and she battles for control over Mathilda’s body as it becomes clear that Mathilda’s own motivations and actions are highly questionable to say the least.

As the plots focus on their ancient twains in the first world, it’s clear both that Alvin’s plans need to be stopped (and certainly surpass any romance she may be clinging too) but there is a plot above and beyond anything they expected.

I think this book needs a prize for sheer originality, I don’t think I’ve come across a world setting even remotely like it. The multiple worlds, each with their own twains, their own experiences, their own power levels but all representation the same archetype – albeit different facets of it is an amazingly excellent concept.  I loved how the Archetypes were done, drawing on the different aspects of similar deities or concepts that you see in different societies, drawing out their commonalities but also the different facets. So two twains could have similar powers, similar origins, the same Archetype but still be dramatically different and still fit within that archetype.

And the worlds – whether it’s our own modern world, the primordial first world, the steampunk second world – the fact there are eight worlds gives so much diversity not just to this story, but so much potential for any other stories within this world (or worlds).

The plot was also extremely well done – drawing on the richness of these worlds and pacing it well. There was such a lot of information here, but the author resisted the urge to dump it all on one massive lump. It’s doled out slowly and carefully, enough to keep us interested (and, I have to say, frustrated at times because I felt there were points when hints were given but Maddie completely failed to follow up on them – and I can’t understand why she didn’t, why she didn’t push more questions or demand more answers) without having to deal with an endless series of lectures. There were lectures, characters informing Maddie of what just happened and why, but it was done in bits, when appropriate (or less) and in manageable bite sized chunks. This vast world with its complexity was nicely conveyed. It was perfectly paced to keep you teased along, questioning but never overwhelmed.

And the plot itself? It’s so hard to describe this without spoiling (and that would be tragic) but I will try. This plot is twist after twist after twist after twist. Every reference and world building that comes up I expect to mean something else. Mathilda surprised me, the First World twains surprised me, Alvin surprised me, the love interest surprised me, the sudden power level change surprised me – over and over. I do love a good twist- and a story with constant world building revelations, constant character twists and constant plot twists with machinations that have cunning plans within cunning plans within cunning plans are always going to rate highly with me.

The only real flaw I can see in the writing is I suspect the author has a degree in the History of Art or a related subject because we have constant artistic references cluttering the text. I suppose they help characterise Maddie a bit more, giving her some background, but at times especially in the beginning it felt a trifle… not exactly contrived but more like the author is trying to showcase their knowledge. I’ve seen something similar when can tell when an author has a Classical Literature background and they can’t resist including quotes and obscure literary references. There’s giving your character background and trying to wow the reader with your qualifications.