"Karma" - True Blood Season 7 Episode 6 review

SPOILER WARNING!!! Do not read ahead if you have not seen the sixth episode of True Blood's Season 7 "Karma".

This episode picks up with Eric continuing to slaughter members of the Yakuza at the Republican gala, however, he is forced to surrender in order to save Pam, who has been captured and silvered. Our two favourite vampires (let's face it, they are pretty much the driving force of the show at this stage) are hauled off to the headquarters of the Yakonomo Corporation - the company behind the manufacture of True Blood. Eric and Pam are chained to chairs in front of a window and a timer is placed in front of them counting down until sunrise. With mere minutes to go until the sun rises the President of the corporation, Mr. Gus, appears and interrogates the pair as to the whereabouts of Sarah Newlin. Pam and Eric slowly begin to burn as the sun comes up, however, the pair manage to strike a bargain with Mr. Gus - they will take him to Sarah's sister's house when night falls if they are allowed to live. I am continuing to enjoy this storyline the most, the performances of both Alexander Skarsgard and Kristin Bauer van Straten are fantastic, with both managing to convey the intensity of their character's relationship with the subtlest of gestures or expressions.

Elsewhere, Bill is left reeling from the sudden onset of his infection with Hepatitis V. Bill's first thoughts go to ensuring the welfare of his progeny, Jessica, as he organises a meeting with an attorney to arrange his last will and testament. Whilst waiting in the attorneys waiting room (which is packed with a brood of diseased vampires looking to get their estates in order) Bill notices the tell-tale black veins of Hep V spreading across his body at an extremely drastic and unusual rate. When he finally manages to meet with the attorney, she informs him that the law does not recognise the familial relationship between a maker and progeny, and that the only way to transfer his estate to Jessica is to adopt her. However, this process takes up to a year, by which time Bill will have met the true death. When the attorney attempts to extort Bill, he loses control, killing her and staking her vampire guard with a pencil.

Unbeknownst to Bill, Jessica overhears his conversation to the attorney's office and is devastated by the revelation that her maker is infected. Jessica calls Jason and asks him to bring Sookie to her house, as it is daylight and she can't leave. Jason sneaks out of bed, leaving Violet. Jessica tells Sookie and Jason about Bill's condition, and Sookie realizes in horror that she must have been infected during the fight with the Hep V vampires several episodes back, and that when Bill fed off her he contracted the virus. Sookie goes to the local clinic and is tested for the virus; she later receives a phone call confirming that she is Hep V positive. Sookie and Jessica break down in each others arms and sit on Bill's staircases waiting for him to come home. This turn of events has actually managed to surprise me, and although I've never been a huge fan of Bill, the emotional reaction of Jessica managed to move me to the point that I hope he doesn't meet the true death- even after all the horrible things he has done in recent seasons.

Across town, Adilyn and Wade consummate their relationship, however, are busted by Andy who chases Wade off and gets in a screaming match with Holly over his treatment of her son. In another hilarious performance by Carrie Preston, Arlene comes to the rescue and manages to help the pair reconcile. When Holly and Andy return to the Bellefleur house to discuss the situation with their kids, they are told by Holly's other son Rocky that they have run away together. Surprisingly, this storyline merged with Violets's, who found the pair at Fort Bellefleur after smelling Adilyn's fairy blood. Subsequent to destroying her bedroom after discovering Jason gone and leaving him a note declaring their relationship over, Violet menacingly offers Wade and Adilyn a safe place to hideout- and convinced them to throw away their phones. After this turn of events, I have a sneaking suspicion that Violet will meet the true death next week- and I highly doubt there will be many viewers mourning her! 

In other news, Nicole finally leaves Sam, declaring that Bon Temps is crazy and that he is "the mayor of crazy". I'm actually really happy that the writers have taken this route with their relationship as I was afraid that they would try to make Sam, Nicole and their soon-to-be-born baby into a "happy family" despite the spontaneous beginning of their relationship mere days after the death of Sam's girlfriend Luna last season. I always felt that this relationship lacked substance, and I finally found Nicole's character interesting in this episode for having the strength to leave an unhealthy relationship whilst heavily pregnant.

Also in Bon Temps, James allows Lettie Mae to drink his blood so that she can communicate with Tara. In an attempt to prove her wrong about her visions of Tara, Lafayette joins her on her V-trip, only to find that she was in fact telling the truth the whole time. The pair follow a vision of Tara to the shack where the Thorntons lived when Tara was younger, before Reverend Daniels shocks them out of their V-stupor. The Reverend tells his wife to choose between the V and him, but she refuses to stop communicating with her deceased daughter, causing him to leave her. I continue to find this storyline insulting to Rutina Wesley, the character of Tara, and the viewers that have followed her journey since the first episode of the series. Wesley has performed outstandingly as Tara throughout the seasons, and certainly deserves better material than being strapped to a crucifix mumbling unintelligible jibberish!

And finally, Sarah Newlin does exactly as Eric and Pam suspected by running to her vampire sister Amber for help. Amber is furious at Sarah for her part in creating Hep v, which she suffers from, biting into her mere moments into their conversation. However, something about Sarah's blood causes Amber to choke and pass out. When she awakens, Sarah informs her of her conversion to Buddhism and her belief that she exists because she is meant to help people. She then reveals the reason Amber reacted to her blood: before fleeing vamp camp last season, Sarah ingested the only cure for Hep V, making her blood an antidote for the virus.

Overall rating: ★★★ ½

This episode was a fairly strong follow up to the two absolutely fantastic episodes that have preceded it. As always, I really enjoyed Pam and Eric's storyline and was ecstatic to see more of Sarah Newlin; Anna Camp's portrayal of her slow descent into madness is somehow both disturbing and hilarious at the same time! I was also pleasantly surprised with how well Bill's infection with Hepatitis V was handled, particularly Jessica's emotional reaction to the news. On the other hand, I felt let down by Tara's final storyline continuing in the same direction it has since her demise in the season premiere and only hope that this plot line ends in a manner that makes up for the insult it has been to the character of Tara so far.

"Lost Cause" - True Blood Season 7 Episode 5 Review

SPOILER WARNING!!! Do not read ahead if you have not seen the fifth episode of True Blood's Season 7 "Lost Cause".

This episode opens where the last left off: the survivors of the battle at Fangtasia are left to clean up the mess caused by the bloody deaths of the Hep-V vampires and the vigilantes from Bon Temps. Inside, Willa argues with Eric and Pam, telling Eric that he was a terrible maker and Pam that it's her fault that Tara met the true death. Eric agrees with her, and reveals their plan to kill Sarah Newlin: since she was "practically her step mother" they have turned to Willa for any clues to her whereabouts. Willa agrees to help them on one condition: Eric has to release her. Eric does so, and Willa reveals that Sarah had a secret vampire sister, Amber, who lives in Dallas. It was nice to see Willa providing some useful information that helped to drive the plot, as so far this season she has been very much a background character.

Eric and Pam head to Dallas, where they meet Sarah's sister, who has been infected by Hep-V herself. Amber reveals that Sarah did call her looking for help, but that she refused her as the Hep-V virus Sarah released into the vampire population claimed her vampire boyfriend's life. However, Amber rightly believes that Sarah will turn to their Republican parents for aid. Pam and Eric attend a Republican fundraiser in cognito, however, before they can learn anything from Sarah's parents, the Yakuza attacks the function, killing people, including Sarah's parents, indiscriminately. Sarah is in attendance, and flees once she hears the sound of guns, however happens to be intercepted by Eric. Eric nearly manages to kill her before being interrupted by the Yakuza. Although he manages to kill the Yakuza, Sarah manages to escape. I always love any storyline involving Pam, Eric and Sarah, however, I found it a tad unbelievable that a group of men would attack a political gala so indiscriminately, however, I suppose anything is possible in a show that features vampires, werewolves and witches. Again, the small moments that showcase the relationship between Eric and Pam were the most emotionally charged of the episode, and serve as a credit to the acting skills of Alexander Skarsgard and Kristin Bauer van Straten.

Back in Bon Temps, Sookie arrives home to her empty house, ready to grieve for Tara and Alcide. Lafayette and James show up and send her off to bed while they clean the house in preparation for Alcide's fathers arrival the next day. However, when Sookie wakes up she finds the house full of food and ready for a party - Alcide's father, Lafayette and James convince her that the town needs a chance to let loose and have fun after everything that has happened, and that its what Tara and Alcide would have wanted. At the party, Alcide's father raises a toast for his son, who died a hero. Lettie Mae crashes the toast, having drugged her husband into falling asleep in order to attend the party, however, Sookie allows her to stay and say a few words for Tara, who she asserts was a hero as well. During the party, Andy surprises everyone by proposing to Holly, who happily accepts! I saw this coming, however, it was nice to see a light at the end of the tunnel for poor Holly.

Things take a turn, however, when Lettie Mae sneaks up on Willa and stabs her in an attempt to drink her blood in order to see a vision of Tara again. Sam manages to disarm her, however, Nicole begins to rant and rage about how people are dead and the town has a party anyway! Sam tries to calm her down, but she insists that he take her home. Finally, Nicole says something worthwhile! The people of Bon Temps ARE crazy, and a party is definitely not appropriate when so many people lost their lives in the Hep-V vampire attack. Also, I can see Lettie Mae spiralling back into her Season 1-era habits, and she is clearly losing her grip on reality since the death of Tara. I will be very surprised if she survives the season.

During the party, James tries to get some affection from Jessica, but she brushes him off as she has for the last few months of their relationship. He goes outside and talks with Lafayette, where he confirms that he was in a gay relationship with a man who died during the Vietnam War, shortly before he was turned. Lafayette kisses him, and James does nothing to stop him. A few minutes later, Jessica walks out looking for James, however, she finds him in their car having sex with Lafayette! Jessica has Jason rescind James' invitation to the Stackhouse home, who then tells Lafayette he needs to be alone. Jason tries to comfort Jessica, however, Lafayette barges in and accuses her of not knowing anything about James and not caring about other people's happiness. After Lafayette leaves, Jason confesses that he is having serious doubts about his relationship with Violet. The pair proceed to have sex, and are unknowingly heard by Violet, who looks quite menacing as she leaves the party. Although I fully expected James and Lafayette to end up together, and for Jason and Jessica to reunite, I was surprised that this developed so quickly. I hope we are able to continue to watch these two relationships develop in the final half of the season.

And finally, Bill appears distracted the entire episode, and we are constantly treated to unnecessary flashbacks of his human life, where he opposed the American Civil War and attempted to desert. He leaves the party early, after sharing a quiet moment of reflection with Sookie and returns to his home for a bath. When he gets out of the tub and stares in the mirror, he has a shocked expression on his face. The camera then pans onto his chest, where the tell-tale black veins of the Hepatitis V virus have inexplicably appeared. I was actually really shocked by this twist! I have gone on record as saying that I don't find the Hep-V virus threatening since Eric became infected as it seems obvious that a cure will be found. However, with BOTH Eric and Bill being infected, it seems very possible that the writers are setting up for at least one of them to meet the true death before an antidote can be discovered.

Overall rating: ★★★★

We are officially at the halfway point of the final season! I felt that "Lost Cause" was a strong follow up to last weeks action packed episode, and that the loss of two of our favourite characters was finally reflected upon by those that remain. It was nice to see all the regular characters brought together as a group, however, I do feel that this could have been achieved by giving them one final "big bad" to face, which would in turn give the season a clearer direction. On the other hand, although the season so far lacks a clear antagonist, this episode markedly moved up several character-driven storylines (much quicker than I would have anticipated) all of which promise to be interesting!

Online Shopping Haul

This weekend I really struggled with my impulsive need to throw money at my problems, and the result was a number of new clothes that I absolutely love! I shopped exclusively online at men's fashion stores, YD and Connor, which I have previously reviewed. I rate both of these stores really highly and never fail to come out empty handed when I shop there.

I really tried to focus on finding items that I felt needed to be added to my rotation but I also made a huge effort to purchase items that were on sale in order to protect my bank balance. I was very successful on both counts, the pieces I purchased are all fantastic and a much needed addition to my wardrobe, and every item was on sale, except for one.

    Ludlow shirt.

My personal belief is that every guy should have a couple of button-up checked shirts in there wardrobe- no I am not referring to farmer-plad - like the "Ludlow shirt". This style of shirt looks fantastic for a night out on the town, especially when the colour stands out as much as the purple in the "Ludlow shirt" does.

The "Ludlow shirt" looks fantastic when worn with sleeves rolled up and when teamed up with slim-fit dark coloured jeans or chinos and a pair of black boots or high top shoes. 

I managed to pick up this shirt for $29.99, while it usually retails for $49.99. This was a fantastic price for a such a nice, vibrant, going out shirt!

    Venice Beach Scoop Tee.

The "Venice Beach Scoop Tee" is a pretty standard tee, however, I think it has a simple style that goes well with almost any outfit. It can be worn dark or standard coloured jeans, under a long-sleeved collared shirt or can be paired with shorts for a casual look.

I purchased the "Venice Beach Scoop Tee" for an unbelievable $9.99, a saving of $20 from its standard price of $29.99! I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price for this shirt and was completely blown away that it was possible to buy such a great piece for so little money!

   Dice Casual Jacket.

The contrasted sleeves on this jacket really drew me in, and once I saw the price there was no way I wasn't going to buy it.

The "Dice Casual Jacket" looks great for casual wear, as it's name suggests. I would pair this item with blue denim jeans and casual shoes.

This item was another fantastic buy- it usually retails for $129.99, however, I bought it for a staggering $49.99!

    Charlie Skinny Chino.

Dark coloured chinos are a must for any wardrobe! This pair is really simple, however, they can be worn in many different outfits.

For a casual look, the "Charlie Skinny Chinos" could be worn with a simple tee and casual shoes, or could be paired with a bright checked shirt, buttoned up, with leather boots or high top shoes.

This pair of chinos was the only item I purchased that was not on sale, however, I felt that the standard price of $69.99 was a reasonable price for such an essential and versatile addition to my clothing rotation.

    Annex Knit.

The "Annex Knit" is a great jumper for the colder months, and looks great with just about any outfit. 

I would mostly wear the "Annex Knit" with chinos or denim jeans and casual shoes.

I bought the "Annex Knit" for $29.99, 50% off the standard price of $59.99! I could not believe how cheap I managed to pick up such a nice, warm, winter jacket!

Overall rating: ★★★★

I managed to keep to my original plan of shopping for items on sale as both stores that I shopped with happened to have a lot of great items with discounted prices. In particular, I was very happy with the pricing at Connor, and the fact that I was rewarded with free shipping for spending a lot of money with them!

I was also very happy with the range available at both stores, as I found a lot of versatile pieces that could be worn in several different ways- including items that I was not able to purchase due to my self-enforced budget. This was very important to me as versatility factors into the first post I am writing

for a new section of my blog!

"Death Is Not The End" - True Blood Season 7 Episode 4

SPOILER WARNING!!! Do not read ahead if you have not seen the fourth episode of True Blood's Season 7 "Death Is Not The End".

This episode was the most action packed, emotionally exhausting and enjoyable piece of television that True Blood has pulled off in years. The cast, crew and everyone involved in producing the show managed to bring together an episode that could easily stand side by side with the very best episodes of the shows high quality earlier seasons.

The episode began with Sookie and Jason calling Alcide's father and Hoyt respectfively, to inform them of their loved ones death's in the previous episode. It was a nice surprise to see Hoyt again, and this episode was particularly good at slipping in some old characters subtly and naturally, which helped to make a great episode even better. Alcide's death seemed somewhat brushed over, with Sookie barely acknowledging his passing, similar to Tara's death in the season premiere. I'm holding out hope that the pair will receive some sort of memorial in one of the episodes still to come.

With Holly having been rescued, albeit glamoured into forgetting everything about her ordeal, it falls to Sookie to use her fairy powers to retrieve the battered Wiccan's suppressed memories. In a superb performance by Lauren Bowles, Holly breaks down as she recalls the entirety of her traumatic experience at Fangtasia, and Andy refuses to leave her side and help the rest of the gang storm the abandoned vampire bar. I have a feeling these two will be married by seasons end; Holly certainly deserves a happy ending after what she's been through in the last few episodes! On a side note, I feel if the writers had of brought out this aspect of Sookie's powers more often, viewers may have been more receptive and interested in her fairy storyline, which in my opinion was for the most part a waste of time.

After learning about Nicole's whereabouts from Holly, Sam stupidly decides to attack Fangtasia on his own and is only talked out of it by a gun-wielding Jason, who is apparently now the voice of reason in town. Sam has felt like nothing more than a superfluous secondary character this season, possibly because the writers understand that the audience is completely uninvested in his relationship with Nicole, considering the spontaneous beginning of their "serious relationship" mere days after the death of his true love, Luna, last season. Once upon a time Sam was one of the most important characters in this show, however, now, he is by far the most expendable of the "core" players that remain.

Elsewhere, Jessica is still suffering from the bullet wound she received from Maxine Fortenberry, and we finally learn the reason her vampire healing isn't working: she hasn't fed in months. James recruits Bill to help convince her to drink, however, it is an unsympathetic Sookie who manages to sway Jessica by declaring that her guilt over killing Andy's daughters doesn't matter, only saving Arlene and the others does. Jessica feeds from Lafayette, who receives several smouldering and emotionally intense looks from James, particularly when he mentions killing Jesus whilst possessed by Marnie back in Season 4. Even with little interaction beyond a few stray lines and James' intense stare, I find the budding relationship between Lafayette and James really interesting: it feels natural as we are able to watch the pair slowly grow closer, something that has been missing in other relationships due to True Blood's tendency to make use of sudden time leaps in its storytelling.

En route to Louisiana, Pam and Eric reminisce about what originally brought them to Shreveport. In another surprise character return, the deceased Magister reappears via flashback to 1986, where he sentences Eric and Pam to running a small video store as punishment for openly flaunting their vampiric nature whilst living in France. This was a lovely touch to explain why these two powerful vampires live in such a small town. The Magister's cameo was also a nice touch, and brought a reminder of when the vampire hierarchy was still mysterious and threatening in seasons past. The relationship between Eric and Pam continues to be by far the most interesting relationship in the series to the point that I could go on watching this show for years if it was simply the "Pam and Eric Show". It was interesting to see flashback's of the pair from 1986 up to vampires coming out of the coffin in 2006, including the revelation that it was Ginger who came up with the entire idea of Fangtasia. In a particularly touching scene, the intensity of the pairs relationship was showcased with a few stray lines of dialogue, where Pam cheekily says that Eric loves her to which he implies with absolute certainty: Always.

Eric and Pam drop by Bon Temps  en route to finding Sarah Newlin so that Eric can say a final farewell to his abandoned second progeny, Willa. However, he happens to swing by the Compton Mansion and shocks Sookie with the revelation that he has contracted Hep V. The pairs intense reunion is cut short by an enraged Willa who berates her maker for leaving her when she was no more than two weeks into her vampire life. Eric commands her to wait until after the attack on Fangtasia to discuss his abandonment of her and volunteers himself and Pam to join Sookie and Bill's planned assault. It was nice to see Willa recieve some worthwhile screen time and I am eager to see the fallout of her and Eric's future discussion.

In order to rescue Arlene and co. a group of vampires, led by Bill, attack Fangtasia. This was a great sequence, full of action and suspense. Although I fully expected for Jane to be killed after the trio gets word from Sam that the vampires are on their way to rescue them, when the camera pans back it is revealed that it is Arlene who has been selected by the infected vamps and dragged upstairs to be fed on. Whilst a battle rages around them, Sookie tearfully pleads with Arlene to stay with her, and uses her telepathy to hear Arlene and the spirit of Terry converse as she slowly slips away. This was one of the most emotionally charged scenes I've ever seen on True Blood, causing a couple of tears to appear in my eyes. Thankfully, one of Bill's vampires manages to feed Arlene his blood in time to save her. Thank God! Arlene is one of the best characters left on this show, and Carrie Preston's portrayal of this red-neck waitress is absolutely flawless. Additionally, Anna Paquin's performance in this episode was her strongest in a long time, particularly during Arlene's near-death scene. Sookie felt like a useful player during his episode, and even managed to do so without being idiotic, frustrating or causing the death of one of the people she cares about most.

And finally, the vigilante townspeople storyline is brought to a bloody end, when a group including, Vince, Rosie and Kenya, appear during the battle, causing nothing but trouble for Bill and his group. Thankfully, the vigilantes are all killed, neatly tying up this storyline, along with that of the Hep v vampires, who are all destroyed by Bill and co. These plot lines have been mildly interesting, however, I  think this episode was the appropriate end point for both plots, in order for the show to move forward and focus on the other storylines that have developed.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

This episode was by far the absolute best of the season. In fact, I would go so far as to say it was the best episode the show has produced in several seasons! I think the main reason the episode was enjoyable was that it focused on the elements that were the strongest points of the show in its earlier years: intensely emotional character relationships, fast paced story-telling that resulted in a progression of the key plot points and suspenseful action sequences! It was a relief to see this after a season that has been plagued by useless character deaths for nothing more than shock value and story lines that have had little progression. Rather than killing characters, this episode reintroduced some old favourites, and some old antagonists, which gave the whole episode a great nostalgic vibe! Perfect score!

Online Clothing Haul Part 3: YD

My online shopping haul continues today with a review of the items I purchased from men's clothing store, YD. 

YD is one of my absolute favourite stores! Although certainly not the cheapest option out there, YD has a really great range and all of the products are also of top notch quality. YD mostly sells clothes that are appropriate for going out on the town or for formal occasions.

    Ozone Shirt.

I am a big fan of button up collared shirts, and also really love checked print, so the "Ozone Shirt" in red colour really perked my interest. This shirt is most suitable for going out on the town or for dinner at a restaurant, however, I also like to roll up the sleeves to create a more laid back look.

The "Ozone Shirt" usually retails for $89.95, but I managed to pick it up on sale for $49.95! This was an excellent price for an item at YD, especially such a nice, formal shirt.

    Newport Casual Shoes.

The "Newport Casual Shoes" in navy colour are a great pair of shoes that, as the name suggests, can be worn with a casual outfit, but can also work as part of a more dressed up look if paired with the right pieces.

I like to team these shoes up with a "Chambray" style slim fit button up shirt, worn closed, and a pair of trim black jeans, to create a semi-casual, semi-formal outfit that is fit for a variety of different occasions.

These shoes retail at $49.95, which is very cheap for YD's footwear, and definitely reasonable for a pair of shoes that can be reworn with so many different types of outfits.

    Milla Tee.

The "Milla Tee" is quite simple, however, a simple black and white contrasted tee is a really versatile piece that can be worn on it's own or underneath a more colourful collared shirt, worn unbuttoned.

I picked up this tee for $49.99- as I said, YD is definitely not the cheapest store in the world, but the quality of the clothes is assured and this particular tee can be worn as a part of a variety of different outfits.

Overall rating: ★★★★½

YD's website is really nicely set out and easily navigated. In addition, I managed to pick up free shipping for spending over a certain amount of money, which definitely encourages me to shop on there again!

I absolutely loved the range available at YD and would definitely have purchased more items if I had not already spent quite abit of money at previous online stores. YD is quite expensive, however, I managed to find items that were on some great sales, and which I also really needed to add to my outfit rotation. I will probably shop there first next time I go on an online shopping spree!

Online Clothing Haul Part 2: French Connection

Today I'm going to review another online store I recently purchased a few items from, French Connection. French Connection is a store with a really broad, quirky range that caters to both men and women.

     Chambray slim fit shirt.

This item was my favourite find out of all the purchases I've made over my collective online haul. Chambray refers to a fabric that is primarily woven with plain threads (like white) with coloured threads woven over the top. In this particular shirt, the Chambray affect results in a cool, almost-denim look. 

I like to wear the "Chambray slim fit shirt" closed, over the top of a white tee and matched with black skinny leg jeans.

I purchased the "Chambray slim fit shirt" on sale for $74.95, although it usually retails at $99.95.

     Harry Chino Shorts.

Another item I purchased from French Connection was the "Harry Chino Shorts" in washed cranberry colour. These shorts are  casual and comfortable, however, in the washed cranberry colour they are also really stylish, and help to make you stand out!

I bought the "Harry Chino Shorts" for $44.95, while their standard price is usually $59.95. Even on sale, these shorts were still a little bit expensive, although they are certainly well made and of a good quality.

     Vintage Union Jack Pocket Tee.

This tee is really casual, however, the  Union Jack pocket is really quirky and cool, which turns this simple shirt into a stylish choice.

This shirt goes great for any casual outing, coupled with a bright coloured pair of shorts and casual shoes.

I picked up this quirky shirt for $37.45, on sale from $49.96, again a little expensive for a single item!

Overall rating: ★★★½

The French Connection website had a simple layout, and was easily navigated. The clothing options were many and varied, and all the items I purchased were of a very high quality.

The only downside was that overall the pricing was pretty steep, even when the items were on sale. However, sometimes you can't help but pay for good quality!

Online Clothing Haul Part 1: Connor

My first fashion reviews are going to revolve around some online purchases I have made recently. I don't pretend to be an expert on fashion, however, I do enjoy to dress up and make an effort to be presented nicely. 

I would like to make a point of mentioning how much I enjoy the online shopping experience. Firstly, when shopping online there often appears to be a wider variety of items to choose from, as some stores simply do not have the physical space to be ranged for every product that the company may actually sell, which obviously doesn't hamper an online store.

Additionally, I found that several of the stores offered special sale prices for shopping online and even offered discounts for becoming a member of their website. Becoming a member also means that you receive regular emails regarding new items, and the weeks sale prices! 

The first store that I made purchases from was Connor, a men's clothing store that I have purchased a few items from before, however, this was the first time I have used the online format. I found the website easily navigated and the prices to be very reasonable, which helped make the experience so enjoyable!

   Hawkson knit.

The first item that really caught my eye was the "Hawkson knit" in charcoal as it looked like a really warm, thick jacket to wear for winter, but also still looked stylish (I often find that winter jackets look dowdy and boring). My favourite feature of this jacket is the cool checkered lining!

I like to wear this item over a simple tee, coupled with denim skinny jeans for a casual look.

I managed to pick up the "Hawkson knit" on sale for just $49.99, but it usually retails for $99.99. I'm really happy with this item, it looks and feels of a really good quality, it fits well and keeps me really warm, making it perfect for the winter months!

   Barnett shoes.

Another item that I immediately loved was the "Barnett shoes". I really liked how these shoes appeared both casual and stylish at the same time, unlike most of the other shoes advertised by Connor which appeared a bit too formal for casual wear. My favourite feature of these shoes is the contrast between the charcoal colour that makes up a bulk of the shoe, and the subtle pink-red trimming around the rim of the sole and the lace holes.

I bought the "Barnett shoes" for $49.99, which I thought was a very reasonable price for such a good quality pair of shoes! 

   Jethro V-Neck Tee.

The last item that I bought from Connor was the "Jethro V-Neck Tee". I was immediately drawn to the bright colours on this shirt, which contrasts really nicely against the black and white throughout the rest of the tee.

This shirt looks great worn by itself, or underneath a bright collared shirt worn open.

I bought the "Jethro V-Neck Tee" for $29.99, however, it was possible to have the price reduced to $25 if 2 or more were purchased. Unfortunately, I did not find Connor's T-shirt lines particularly appealing and so did not make use of this option.

Overall rating: ★★★★½

I really enjoyed my online shopping experience through Connor's website. The website was not difficult to navigate, as all items were logically broken down into menus and sub-menus, which made searching for different types of clothes easy and efficient. In addition, the items I purchased matched their descriptions perfectly and seem to be of a really good quality as well. Most importantly, the items available from Connor were priced very reasonably, and the sales available made for great value. 

The one negative I had during my shopping experience was the lack of variety among Connor's T-shirt line- I found a lot of the tee's to be very plain, with very little variety. This meant I was unable to make use of a special sale price specific to purchasing multiple tees. 

"Fire in the Hole" - True Blood Season 7 Episode 3 review

SPOILER WARNING!!! Do not read ahead if you have not seen the third episode of True Blood's Season 7 "Fire in the Hole".

Once again a regular character dies while protecting Sookie. Personally, I'm not sure what the appeal of Sookie is, but hey, this show has struggled with having too many secondary characters that are consistently involved in unnecessary side storylines- so maybe a thinning of the herd for the final season isn't a terrible idea.

The episode opens in a yoga class, where the audience is reintroduced to the psychotic Sarah Newlin; portrayed brilliantly by Anna Camp. Apparently dying her hair brown is all it takes for a national celebrity such as Sarah to blend into a crowd and avoid punishment for her creation of the Hepatitis V virus currently plaguing the vampire population. However, I am willing to overlook the ridiculousness of the situation based on Camp's fantastic performance and the fact that Sarah is a compelling, if over the top, character.

Elsewhere, Pam confirms that her progeny Tara really has met the True Death during a conversation with a Hep V infected Eric, who seems quite unconcerned that his own True Death is fast approaching. The emotional intensity that Kristin Bauer van Straten brings to her portrayal of the usually implacable Pam truly resonates with the viewer during this episode, as the feisty vampire implores her maker to keep fighting long enough for a cure to be found. Another plus to this storyline was the return of Nan Flanagan during a flashback to 1986, which saw the deceased Chancellor of the Authority warn Eric and Pam to dial back their open displays of vampirism. However, I did not find Eric's supposed great love affair, with the before now never mentioned Sylvie, believable or even slightly compelling. This storyline was clearly manufactured to introduce the Yakanomo Corporation as an antagonist for the season, and to intertwine the storylines of Eric and Sarah Newlin, who's survival Pam used to motivate her ailing maker into action and is being hunted by the corporation just as Eric and Pam were in 1986.

Meanwhile in Bon Temps, Jessica and Andy manage to free Adilyn and Holly's son Wade, before enlisting the help of Jason and Violet in hunting down the armed townspeople led by Vince, who managed to oust Sam as mayor. In a confrontation with the group, Maxine Fortenberry shoots Jessica, who's healing powers aren't working properly for an as yet unknown reason. In retaliation, Violet kills Maxine in a frightening display that causes the townspeople to flee in fear. I didn't realise how much I had been hoping for Maxine to die until it actually happened, which in turn finally scored Violet a point in my book. 

Lafayette and James' storyline continued this week, and remains among the most compelling and emotionally intense relationships explored so far this season. James openly acknowledged the problems in his relationship with Jessica and admitted that he was "groovin" on Lafayette, to quote the flamboyant former drug dealer himself. Coupled with the rocky state of Jason and Violet's relationship, it is clear that the writers intend to bring Jason and Jessica back together by seasons end, as well as give Lafayette the "happily ever after" the audience has always craved for him.

Despite my prayers to the contrary, Lettie Mae continued to wail about her V-induced visions of the deceased Tara, causing her husband Reverend Daniels to ask Willa to leave for the good of his wife. Although I am not a fan of this storyline, considering it unnecessary and insulting to the character of Tara, I did enjoy the tender moment shared between the Reverend and Willa (who seems to have been entirely forgotten by her maker Eric and doesn't really seem to have a purpose in the show despite having been promoted to a series regular).

And finally, Sookie hatched a ridiculous plan with Bill to use herself as "vampire bait" in order to draw out the Hep V infected vampires holding Holly, Arlene and Nicole captive. Sookie's plan surprisingly did work in so far as it resulted in the rescue of Holly, who was herself being used as bait by the infected vamps. Although the timely arrival of Alcide and the rest of the gang resulted in the death of the Hep V vampires, Sookie's plan characteristically backfired when a sudden attack by several of the townspeople led to Alcide being shot and killed. Despite Jessica's offer to turn him, Sookie refused. Although Sookie clearly referenced the drama caused by Tara being turned, part of me felt that her decision may have been based on her inadequate feelings for Alcide, who clearly always loved her much more than she did him. Additionally, Alcide's death was clearly the writers not so subtle means of clearing the path for Sookie and Bill to reunite, despite all the unforgivable "Billith" related things he did last season.

Overall rating: ★★★★

This episode was undoubtedly the strongest of the season so far. The intensity of Kristin Bauer van Straten's portrayal of Pam was an absolute highlight of the episode, as was the brief appearances made by Nan Flanagan and Sarah Newlin. Additionally, the unthreatening Hep V vampires seem to have been taken care of for good, and Holly's rescue means that Sheriff Andy and co. will soon find out that the captives are being held at Fangtasia (obviously!). Overall, most storylines seem to have advanced significantly this episode, which was something sorely lacking from the seasons previous installments, resulting in the story feeling faster paced and more suspenseful. Sadly however, Alcide's death was particularly lacking in emotion, similar to Tara's in the premiere, and was clearly nothing more than a plot point required to push Sookie and Bill together.

"I Found You" - True Blood Season 7 Episode 2 review

SPOILER WARNING!!! Do not read ahead if you have not seen the second episode of True Blood's Season 7 "I Found You".

This episode kicked off with a bang (literally!) with Jason finally suffering the after effects of drinking Eric's blood last season. This scene was clearly aimed at pleasing True Blood's vocal gay fan base, and certainly didn't disappoint. Although gay myself, I found this scene more humorous than erotic, which I suspect may have been the intention of both the writers and Alexander Skarsgard and Ryan Kwanten. 

Aside from Jason's Eric orientated sex dream, very little happened in this episode. Although Sookie appeared much more prominently than in the premiere, helping Sheriff Andy, Sam, Jason and her boyfriend Alcide to track the infected vampires by joining them on a road trip to nearby town Saint Alice, her storyline did not seem to move forward in any significant manner. The only information worthy of note to come out of this adventure was that Saint Alice had been entirely wiped out by the Hep-V ravaged vampires. After reading the diary of a girl who fell in love with a vampire just like her, Sookie predictably snuck off on Alcide to go and see her first love Bill, and cryptically asked whether he can still feel her fear.

Whilst the entire Bon Temps Sheriff's department, aside from Kenya, is off searching an abandoned town, Sam's new nemesis Vince manages to persuade the townspeople to take matters into their own hands by marching on the Sheriff's office in order to arm themselves. Andy's daughter Adilyn manages to get to Kenya before the mob, however, surprisingly Kenya turns on her and arms the mob, fed up with playing second fiddle to Andy! Although Adilyn is captured, Jessica swears to help Andy rescue her when the sun goes down. The townspeople storyline seemed uninteresting to me initially, however, Kenya's betrayal did serve to surprise me, and with her training and a cache of weapons, the townspeople led by Vince could serve as a more threatening antagonist for this season than the Hep-V infected vampires. Additionally, I enjoyed watching the relationship between Jessica and Andy grow, almost as much as I enjoyed the Jessica-Adilyn combo last week.

Elsewhere, Arlene, Holly and Nicole are still held captive by the Hep-V vamps. However, Arlene and Holly see a light at the end of the tunnel when they recognise one of the vampires as Mrs. Betty Harris, a teacher that had a big impact on their children in earlier years. They manage to convince Betty to help them escape, however, when the time finally comes to leave Betty has become so weak from her infection that she suffered the True Death (all over Arlene), snuffing out the captives one ray of hope. Carrie Preston is absolutely fantastic as Arlene. When given the right material, Preston manages to make this simple waitress shine, and the viewer really feels every emotion that the character goes through. Similarly, Lauren Bowles has created both a likeable and interesting character with her portrayal of Holly Clearly, who serves as the calm voice of reason throughout the trio's ordeal, but still manages to invoke emotion where necessary.

Unfortunately, Tara's storyline is going in the direction I suspected it would; after convincing the always-naive Willa to let her drink more of her blood, Lettie Mae immediately experiences a strange vision of Tara, strapped to a crucifix and wrapped in a snake. It is a giant slap in the face of Rutina Wesley that she is being so under-used after portraying a character for 6 seasons to a very high standard. I really hope the writers surprise me by taking this storyline in another direction, however, I highly doubt that this will happen. On the plus side, I really enjoyed Lettie Mae's interaction with Lafayette; it felt like we we're watching a Thornton family feud from back in the earlier seasons.

And finally, the always sassy Pam appeared right at the end of the episode and as the episode title suggests, she found Eric, however, there is a catch; he has somehow become infected with Hep V. I am always excited for any storyline involving Pam and Eric, I feel that the actors have a chemistry when working together that is often missing from other relationships on the show. However, I did not find the revelation that Eric had contracted Hep V to be particularly shocking, and do not expect him to meet the same sticky end as his sister Nora or the unfortunate Betty.

Overall rating:  ★★★

I felt that this episode helped move in the right direction with several storylines; Holly and Arlene managing to invoke both emotion and humour during their ordeal at Fangtasia, Kenya betraying Adilyn by arming the angry townspeople and Eric being found so early in the season are all elements that worked really well. However, the V-induced visions of Tara are predictable and not worthy of the character or the actress who portrays her, and Sookie and co's search for their friends should have led them to Fangtasia approximately one minute after they had been abducted. Additionally, I find the idea of Hepatitis V particularly unthreatening, especially now that a character as indispensable as Eric has contracted it, as there is now no doubt that a cure will be found. Here's to hoping that the storylines move further along next week!

Thanks for reading,

Mark ♕♕

"Jesus Gonna Be Here" - True Blood Season 7 Premiere review

SPOILER WARNING!!! Do not read ahead if you have not seen the first episode of True Blood's Season 7 "Jesus Gonna Be Here".

While I enjoyed this episode and felt that the centralisation of the action in Bon Temps, reminiscent of True Blood's higher quality earlier seasons, was an excellent idea going into the shows finale season, I found this episode underwhelming and jarring for one major reason; the offscreen death of a central character that occurred before the opening credits rolled.

The story picks up right where Season 6 left off; a mob of Hep-V infected vampires are descending upon Bellefleur's (formerly Merlotte's) where the residents of Bon Temps happen to be gathered for a vampire-human meet and greet. Violence ensues, resulting in one major death: newly turned vampire and Sookie's long-time best friend Tara Thornton. Tara is last shown fighting an infected vampire and protecting her mother, however, when the mob flees the bloodbath, Lettie Mae is shown covered in vampire goo, sobbing that Tara is dead. Queue credits.

I struggled to remain focused on the episode after this. Tara was a central character that had been in the show since the very first episode and certainly deserved an ON SCREEN death scene at the very least. Although the character had been "whiny" and "annoying" at times, her transformation into a vampire in the premiere of season 5 helped to revitalise her and her storyline. In particular, Tara's relationship with her maker, Pam, had brought life back to the character. Interestingly, Pam showed no sign of having felt her progeny's death which could be seen as a hint that Tara somehow alluded the True Death (a thought that served to distract me for the entire episode). 

Following on from this storyline, Lettie Mae drank Willa's blood to heal an injury she sustained during the attack, and begins to blather on about seeing visions of Tara. We can only pray that this is not the way the writers plan to keep Tara popping up every episode.

Another fallout from the attack on Bellefleur's was the abduction of three regular characters by the Hep-V infected vampires. Arlene, Holly and Sam's pregnant girlfriend Nicole were all spirited off to Pam and Eric's abandoned bar Fangtasia to be used as a source of blood for the ravenous vampires. However, somehow no one seemed to think of this as a possible nesting place for the infected vamps. Although I hope Arlene and Holly make it out alive, I would gladly trade Nicole for Tara, which would in turn cut a superfluous and uninteresting storyline carried over from last season.

Sheriff Andy spearheads the search for the missing trio, reluctantly leaving his half-fairy daughter, Adilyn, under the protection of Jessica, who vows to protect her in reparation for feeding on and killing her sisters last season. A stray vampire does indeed appear at the Bellefleur house, drawn by the scent of Adilyn's fairy blood. Jessica holds him off long enough for the sun to come up, causing him to meet the true death. In order to save Jessica, Adilyn defies her fathers wishes by inviting her in and hiding her in the light-tight attic. I found the chemistry and the unlikely budding friendship between Jessica and Adilyn to be one of the most interesting aspects of this episode and look forward to more of this as the season progresses.

Prompted by Sam and Bill's "for every human, a vampire" policy, Jessica's boyfriend James (now played by Nathan Parsons) takes on the task of protecting Lafayette, who appears only mildly shaken by the death of his closest family member, Tara. Again, the chemistry between Lafayette and James was a particularly interesting part of this episode, and hints that Jessica may be on the market for a new boyfriend by seasons end.

The central character of the series, Sookie Stackhouse, has very little to do during this episode. She briefly mourns the death of her best friend, Tara, and implores the townspeople to let her help find Arlene and co. after reading the judgemental thoughts of her fellow Bon Temps residents, who rightly blame her for the series of events that have befallen the town ever since she fell into the arms of Bill Compton back in season one.

In other news, Jason finally manages to have sex with his domineering vampire girlfriend Violet, who appears as unlikeable as she was last season. This relationship will definitely turn south before the end of the series, paving the way for Jason to reunite with Jessica.

And outside of Bon Temps, Pam continues to search for her missing maker Eric, once again delivering some excellent one-liners; this time whilst playing the vampire version of Russian Roulette. Although Eric doesn't appear in this episode, Pam receives information pointing her in the right direction and takes off in search once again.

Overall rating: ★★★½

Overall, I felt this episode was well executed; the action was primarily based in Bon Temps and the only time the action ventured elsewhere was during Pam's search for Eric (which promises to be an exciting storyline). However, on the other hand the series still suffers from some superfluous storylines (I'm looking at you Sam and Nicole/Jason and Violet). On the upside, Nicole's capture by the infected vampires could indicate that the end is near for this particular storyline and Violet and Jason's relationship is clearly headed down the drain. Unfortunately, the death of Tara was extremely badly executed and serves to jar the audience for the remainder of the episode; whilst Lettie Mae's V-induced visions do not promise to be an interesting or satisfying end to Tara's storyline.

First post!

Hi everyone, welcome to my blog!
I thought I would start off with an introductory post, just to talk a little bit about myself, the things I'm interested in and the sort of stuff I will be posting.

I'm 23 years old and from Melbourne, Australia. I work full time and recently completed a Legal Services course online. I have been in a relationship for 4 years and could not be happier! I have a cat named Kris Jenner, who is more human-like than her namesake.

I'm interested in all things pop culture, and absolutely love the icons of the Golden Age of Hollywood. They will definitely be featured on this blog!

I intend to post reviews on the television series I watch, any movies I see, books I read, new music and men's fashion. My first review will be on the first 2 episodes of the TV series True Blood's seventh season. Keep your eyes open!

Thanks for reading,

Mark ♚♚