Once Upon A Time: The Doctor

And so, now we know who Whale REALLY is! What do you think? Are you okay with this turn of events?
This ain't your kids' Disney story anymore! ;)

I'm seeing a lot of folks on Twitter and message boards are unhappy with this. They say that Frankenstein isn't a fairytale. And they're right, of course.
But who said OUAT was only about fairytales?! I don't recall hearing that! And frankly, I'm glad to see them going off of fairytale characters for once. I hope we see many more like Dr. Whale!

Here we go!

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In Fairytale Land that Was--

Rumple is teaching Regina magic. Alas, Regina is unable to take the heart of a unicorn because, "It's innocent."
Rumple doesn't really care. He wants to know what's holding Regina back.

Some time later, Regina finally asks Rumple is he can teach her magic to bring back the dead.
Rumple says no such spell exists.
The Mad Hatter drops by with a crystal ball. Rumple asks about the 'the slippers' (Oz! OMG!) and learns that they've been taken to another land.
Rumple explains that he needs to get to a land without magic, but takes the ball and tells the Hatter to help himself to his payment.
Rumple tells Regina to let herself out--they're done and she was a waste of time.

The Hatter overhears and offers Regina his help. He happens to know a man who can bring back the dead.--a wizard--but for a price.
He wants safe passage through Regina's lands. She agrees.

The Hatter introduces Regina to the Doctor.
He examines Daniel's preserved body. This is when Regina learn that the Doctor has never actually done this before. It's completely experimental.
He needs a heart and none that he's used have survived the shock needed to resurrect the dead.
He's been told that the hearts in Fairytale Land are stronger. Regina refuses to use her magic to obtain a heart, but brings the Hatter and the Doctor to Cora's secret room. It just happens to be FULL of hearts.

The Doctor chooses a heart but, sadly, the experiment fails. Daniel is still dead.

Or did it?

Enter Rumple, who's been working with the Doctor. He gets his heart and Rumple gets Regina--who's now the cold, bitter Regina we've come to know and love.

The Hatter sends the Doctor home.

And Regina? Well, Regina kills her 'replacement' after ripping the heart from her body and asks Rumple to continue teaching her.
He, of course, obliges.

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In Storybrooke--

Regina visits Archie to talk about her magic addiction.
We learn that, along with bringing over all of the live people, she's also brought a dead one to Storybrooke.
Her fiancé, Daniel, who's been preserved with a spell all these years.
Dr. Whale barges in on Regina and Archie and asks her to send him back to his land. To his dead brother.
She says she can't, of course.

Driving home in the rain, Regina spies Daniel, who promptly disappears.
She goes to check the vault (the next day, for some reason?) and she finds his glass coffin empty.
She goes to find Dr. Whale. His office has been destroyed and he's been attacked. He's also missing an arm.
He tells Regina that he brought Daniel back from the dead...but he's not Daniel anymore. He's a monster.

Regina brings Whale to the hospital, Charming shows up and she tells him everything. They realize that Daniel is on his way to the place he and Regina last saw each other--the stables.
Exactly where Charming just left Henry, mucking out horse stalls.

Daniel enters the stall and attacks Henry, but Regina and Charming arrive in time.
Henry runs off and Charming is ready to kill Daniel. Regina convinces him to let her talk to her fiancé.
Daniel attacks her, but she's able to remind him of himself before he kills her.
He's in pain and he begs her to let him go. With many tears and emotion, she uses her magic and destroys her love.
Regina returns to Archie's office and asks for help.

Meanwhile, Whale enters Gold's shop carrying a cooler. Yes, it contains his arm, of course.
He asks for Rumple's help reattaching it. Rumple first asks Whale why he brought Daniel back.
Whale reveals that he thought that if he helped Regina, she would send him back to his own world so he could try to bring his brother back. Again.
Before Rumple reattaches the arm, he makes Whale say one thing, "I need magic."
With the wave of his hand, Whale's arm is once again whole and attached.
"Always a pleasure doing business with you...Victor."

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In Dr. Whale's Land that Was--

With the stronger heart from Fairytale Land, the Doctor and his assistant reanimate a body on the table.
The body of Victor Frankenstein's brother.
"It's alive."
"You did it. Victor, you did it."
"Yes. I believe I have. Welcome back, brother."
"It's magic, Dr. Frankenstein?"
"No. Not magic. Science."

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In Fairytale Land that Is--

The safe haven has been destroyed and all of the inhabitants killed. All but one. The blacksmith.
Emma, of course, finds that odd and finally gets him to talk.
He confesses that he's Captain Hook and that he's been working with Cora to get to Storybrooke.
He's now willing to work with this new crew, and he tells them about a magic compass that they'll need to return to their home.
Why does he want to go to Storybrooke?
"To exact revenge on the man who took my hand. Rumpelstiltskin."

Only problem?
The compass is at the top of a beanstalk. And, of course, that's also where the giant lives.

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GIIIIIIAAAAAAANNNNNTTTTT!!!! Played by the amazingly awesome JORGE GARCIA!!!!!
SO EXCITED!!!


Highlights:
-Rumpelstiltskin. ALWAYS. Sometimes his ways make me laugh so hard that I have to rewind the scene because I missed everything he said!
-"When they say I charge an arm and a leg...that's a figure of speech." (Gold)
- David Anders was brilliant as Frankenstein, wasn't he? Eyeliner and all!
-Regina's emotion and tears. Lana was amazing.

What questions do we have after this episode?
-Who is Frankenstein's brother?
-Where is Frankenstein's land? Does that matter?
-Why does Whale want to reanimate his brother so badly?
-How did the brother die?
-What happened after the first attempt? Exactly what the story we know says? Or something else?
-How are Emma and Snow going to get home?
-Will they get the compass?
-Will Hook be brought to Storybrooke with them?

AGAIN, the promo is spoilery, but this time the Canadian version is MUCH more so than the US version!
Here's the US version for you guys!

It's called Tallahassee!

Did you guys like Frankenstein's reveal? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

See you next week, Oncers!

Once Upon A Time: The Crocodile

Tonight we met Captain Hook...and what a HOT villain he is! Phew!

Another brilliant episode from the Once crew, and I'd seriously love to know who does the casting for this show. They never miss! Every character has been absolutely bang on, right?

After last week's Gold-lite episode, I was more than ready for a big Rumple/Belle return...and what a return it was!

Ready? Here we go!

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In Storybrooke, Belle wakes from a horrible dream where her new and improved Rumple turns into the Rumple that was.
After she wakes, she goes downstairs and spies him in the basement, working some magic.
Later that day, she confronts him. She wants to know why he brought the magic to Storybrooke.
He gives her a line about power, but she's not buying it.
Rumple goes to speak to her and finds that she's gone.
He goes to the flower shop to speak to Belle's father, Moe. (If you recall, Maurice French, Belle's dad, runs Game of Thorns, the local flower shop!)
Moe hasn't seen or heard from Belle since the curse broke.

Belle is at Granny's, drinking iced tea.--a luxury she's never had before!
She and Red talk, and Red convinces her to see if she can reopen the library. With Belle's love of books, it would be the perfect place for her.
Belle heads there and is suddenly kidnapped by a man in a red toque.

Meanwhile, Charming is putting in some time at the mines with the Dwarfs.
He heads back to his temporary Sheriff's duties, just in time for Rumple to come by. He needs help finding Belle.
As Charming asks around town, Rumple asks Charming for dating advice. Charming tells him that honesty is the secret to any relationship.

The man in the red toque brings Belle to her father, who was the one who had her kidnapped.
Belle tells her father that she'd fallen in love with Rumple and the two argue.
Her father ties her up and puts her on a mine cart to go across the townline through the tunnels. He's willing to sacrifice her memories of him as long as she forgets Rumple as well.
The man with the red hat send the mine cart towards the townline, with Belle handcuffed inside.


Charming and Rumple head to Granny's where Red first denies seeing Belle.
Charming  convinces her to talk, and she offers to help sniff Belle out.
The trail stops at Moe's flower shop.

Moe won't tell them where he's sent her. Luckily, Charming sees the mine dust on Moe's hands and puts two and two together.

Rumple uses magic to easily bring the mine cart back and open the handcuffs. Belle is still Belle, and still angry at both her father and her love.
She tells them she never wants to see either of them again.

Back at Granny's, Red gives Belle a small package...It's the key to the library.
She enters and gazes in wonder.
Of course, Rumple is there--he's the one who gave her the key.
Rumple finally uses honesty.
He tells Belle everything. He's a coward who uses magic as a crutch. He has so much guilt for losing Baelfire, and now he's trying to use magic again to break the curse so he can leave Storybrooke to find his son.
Rumple says goodbye and walks away...When Belle asks him to go for a hamburger one day.
She's never had one, and they're supposed to be good. (*cue my tears*)

Back in Gold's basement, the man with the red hat is tied up. Rumple wants to know about the man he works for. His Captain.
The man has never seen his Captain in Storybrooke. For some reason, the curse didn't take him.

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In Fairytale Land That Was, Rumple goes to find his wife, Milah, who's MIA.
He finds her at a bar, drinking with a band of pirates.
She insults him and calls him a coward in front of their son, Baelfire.

The next morning, Rumple is told that his wife has been taken by the pirates.
He goes to try to get her back, and the Captain, Killian Jones, challenges him to a dual. Rumple stands down and loses Milah.

Years later--after he's become The Dark One and lost Baelfire--Rumple meets a man in a tavern. The man tells him that he can get a 'magic bean that can transport people between worlds'.
The two agree to a deal.

After the man walks out, a familiar face walks in--Captain Killian Jones.
The pirates leave and a disguised Rumple bumps into the Captain, who calls him a crocodile.
Rumple reveals himself and he uses Killian's own words when the Captain recognizes him.
Rumple asks about Milah and Jones tells him she's dead. Rumple challenges Jones to the dual they never had  and tells him to be ready the next day.

The next day arrives quickly and the two fight. Just as Rumple is about to end it by pulling out the Captain's heart, Milah makes herself known. Yep, she's alive.
She tells Rumple that she and Killian fell in love and that's why she left. Again, Rumple is about to kill Killian when Milah pulls out a red toque and tells him that she has the magic bean.
She'll give it to him in exchange for their lives.

They go to Jones's ship and Rumple confronts Milah about leaving Baelfire. Milah confesses that she never loved Rumple. He rips her heart out and kills her.
Killian refuses to give Rumple the magic bean, so Rump cuts of Killian's hand to get it.
With a hook from the deck, Killian tries to kill Rumple, but fails. It takes more than that to kill the Dark One.
Rumple poofs away in a puff of smoke.

Once home, Rumple pries open the dead fingers of the hand he chopped off and discovers that it doesn't contain the magic bean.

On the ship, Killian has the bean.
He says goodbye to his love and then speaks to the prisoner--the same man with the red hat who offered the bean to Rumple.
Killian offers the man a chance to join his crew and tells him that they're about to set said to a place where no one ever grows old.
He asks the man his name, "William. William Smee."
And Mr. Smee once again dons his familiar red hat.

Captain Killian throws the magic bean into the water where it turns into a whirlpool.
He then snaps his hook into place where his hand once was. Mr. Smee asks where they're headed and Captain Hook replies, "Neverland!", as they sail into the whirlpool.

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In Fairytale Land That Is, Captain Hook appears to be looking at an island through a telescope when Cora appears.
Cora shows Hook the ashes she took from the wardrobe.
She tells him their destination is Storybrooke. That's where 'she' is...and so is 'he'.

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So many goosebumps, so many giggles, so many squeals of joy during this episode!
I really, really enjoyed it!

Highlights:
-Rumpelstiltskin. Back to his giggly, flamboyant self, and I LOVED every second of it!
-"That's going to save us time during the question and answer portion of our game!"

-"I will find you and gut your entire crew, like-ah de feesh!" LMAO!!!

-"TICK TOCK, DEARIE! TICK TOCK!" (Nice nod to Peter Pan's crocodile!)

-"Well I've had many a mans wife."

-"Sparkly dirt. Wonderful."

-Colin O'Donoghue was amazing as Hook! PERFECT casting!
-The sword fight!

-Belle and Rumple. I just adore these two together!

-Charming in the mine. Phew, hawtness!

-Smee! I LOVED Chris Gauthier (Eureka) as Smee!

What questions do we have after this episode?

-How does Cora know Hook?
-What is Cora going to do with the ashes?
-Why didn't Hook get sent to Storybrooke?
-What is the island Hook is watching? The safe haven, maybe?

-Is Rumple going to be able to break the curse?

-How are Cora and Hook going to get to Storybrooke?

-Is Rumple turning over a new leaf, like Regina?

-Will Snow and Emma somehow follow Cora and Hook to Storybrooke...or vice versa?

-Will Rumple find Baelfire?

Okay, you guys, this time I WON'T be posting next week's OUAT promo.

I'm sorry, but I REFUSE to spoil my readers like that. ABC decided to pretty much spoil Dr. Whale's identity in the trailer, which is a VERY stupid move.

I urge all of you to avoid it like the plague! I'm SO MAD that I saw it. :(

Go in as blind as you can, okay?

See you back here next week, Oncers, after "The Whale"!

Once Upon A Time: Lady of the Lake

So! A much more quiet and somber episode this week as compared to the last two.
More touching and heartfelt as well.

Sadly, not my favourite episode, but good development for the characters and storylines!

I LOVE watching Mary Margaret become tough Snow White again, but I REALLY disliked how stupid they made Emma in this episode.
Fairytale Land or not, Emma is NOT a stupid woman who needs help every step of the way. They wrote her in a way that just wasn't believable to me at all.

Gold's absence was really felt, wasn't it? And it's so sweet watching Henry and Charming bond and get close. :)

Here we go!

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In Fairytale Land That Was:

Lancelot kidnaps Snow and takes her to King George, who curses her so that she can't have children because his wife suffered the same fate.

Lancelot sees the error of his ways and helps Snow by telling her that the King is going after Charming's mother next.

At their home, Charming fights off the attackers, but not before his mother is struck with a poisoned arrow.
Snow and Lancelot arrive too late, but Charming has an idea. He believes that the waters of Lake Nostos can cure his mother.

On the trip, Snow confesses to her future mother-in-law about her curse after a baby-gender-guessing necklace doesn't work on her.
They arrive at the lake...and it's gone. Dried up since Charming killed the Lady of the Lake.
Luckily, Lancelot finds a tiny shell with a few drops of water left inside.
Snow convinces Ruth to drink, but it's too late. There's no magic left. Her last wish is to see her son married, so Lance--as a knight--marries Charming and Snow, using a goblet (much like the holy grail?) as part of the ceremony.
Ruth dies as it ends.

Afterwards, Snow is about to confess to Charming her curse, but before she can, Charming gives her the necklace that was his mothers...and it tells her the gender of her future child.

Snow confronts Lancelot--Ruth never drank the water and Lance used it in the goblet during the ceremony.
Lance says nothing as a reply.
Lance asks what the necklace predicted and Snow replies, "A daughter."

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In Fairytale Land That Is:

Snow wakes up to see Cora in the cave and jumps in front of Emma to protect her. She tells Emma that Cora is worse than Regina ever was.
Emma is skeptical.

Snow and Emma are taken to the leader of the camp--Lancelot. Snow and Lance hug and he apologizes for locking them up.
Snow asks to be allowed to go back to her home to see if the wardrobe portal still works. Lancelot agrees, but sends Mulan with them.
While walking through the woods, Aurora pops up and pulls a knife on Snow, who quickly turns the tables.
Emma sees the scuffle and fires her gun into the air, drawing the ogres to their location.
Snow kills the ogre with an arrow through the eyes.

They arrive at Snow's castle and enter Emma's nursery.

Seeing how Snow had once lived, Emma finally realizes how much her mother gave up for her and she breaks down in tears, "I'm not used to somebody putting me first."
Great, great moment. I got teary.

They decide to bring the wardrobe back to the safe haven to see if it can be recharged somehow, when Lancelot shows up...and quickly reveals himself to be Cora.
Apparently Cora killed Lancelot long before and has been playing at being the leader for some time.

Cora wants the wardrobe for herself, so she can get to Storybrooke.
Emma sets the wardrobe on fire to keep Cora from getting to her son and Cora escapes.
Mulan says they need a new leader and appoints Snow.
They turn to leave and Snow glances back in tears, mourning what once was and what could have been.

After they exit, Cora returns and places some ashes from the wardrobe into a glass bottle.

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In Storybrooke:

Henry desperately wants to help Charming find Emma and Snow, but Charming isn't down with Operation Scorpion.

Henry runs into Jefferson and tells him to go to his daughter.
Jefferson mentions Regina's vault, so Henry goes a-searchin'. He finds it and opens a box of vipers, when Charming comes to the rescue.
(Seriously how creepy were the heartbeats?!)
Notice here that Regina sent Charming to find Henry. Redeeming herself?
One point for Regina.

Charming realizes that Henry's not going to give up, so he buys wooden swords and teaches his grandson how to fight.

Meanwhile, Jefferson finally finds the courage to reveal himself to Grace, who runs into his arms, so happy that her Papa is back.







As Charming and Henry swordfight, we see Charming's 'father', King George, watching from his car...







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Lots of touching, teary moments for sure, bit definitely a more quiet and reserved episode.
Not that those are bad--We need them to catch out breath between action-packed shockers, right? ;)

Now, I get what they're doing, showing how the roles have reversed between Snow and Emma. Showing that Snow is the mother now..the leader, the strength.
But they could have done that without making Emma look stupid or helpless...and I wonder if things will come to a head eventually when Emma has NOTHING to do while Snow leads.

But anyway...

Highlights?
-The scene with Snow and Emma in the nursery.
-Jefferson finding Grace.
-Henry and Charming's sword fight.
-Lancelot. I've always loved the story of King Arthur and his knights.
-"It's dangerous to confuse vengeance for justice."
-"That is chimera. Part lion, part serpent, part goat."
  "Like turduckin?"

-"Ogres? Like Fee Fi Foe Fum?"

-"I just killed a dragon last week."

-The ogre was pretty cool!

-"What kind of corset is this?"

-Lancelot alluding to the Holy Grail.

What questions do we have?

-Is Lancelot really dead?

-Why does Cora want the ashes?

-Why does Cora want to go to Storybrooke, really?

-Will Cora get to Storybrooke?

-How will Emma and Snow get back to Storybrooke?

-What is Charming's name? Ruth kept calling him 'son'. We DON'T know his name. Why not? (Remember, he was David is Storybrooke and James was the king's son's name)

-Why were the people in the safe haven saved not affected by the curse?

-The safe haven is an island. Does that matter?

-Will Jefferson and Grace be okay?

-How will having Grace back change Jefferson?

-How will Regina react when she sees Cora again?

The opening was a knight, and here's the trailer for next week's Gold/Belle episode, where we also meet Captain Hook, The Crocodile!

See you back here next week, Oncers!

YA Book Review: The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen

eARC
Release date: Sept 11, 2012
Publisher: Tundra Books (RandomHouse Canada)
Author: Susin Nielsen
Thank you to RandomHouse Canada for providing this ARC for review.

Darker than her previous novels, Susin peoples this novel about the ultimate cost of bullying with a cast of fabulous characters, dark humour, and a lovable, difficult protagonist struggling to come to terms with the horrible crime his brother has committed.

I made the mistake of 'judging a book by it's cover'. I mean, with that cover, how dark can it be, right?!
I WAS SO WRONG.

This book is dark and touching and real and absolutely beautifully written. It's one of those that stays with your for weeks after you finish reading it.

You can see that the blurb tells you pretty much nothing about this book, and I'm sticking with that idea. You'll find zero spoilers here!

What I CAN tell you is that Henry is a wonderful character, the book WILL make you sad and angry, but it DOES have a hopeful ending.

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen is a short, quick book, but it doesn't lack substance like many short books can.

I highly recommend this book to all kids over age 12, and to ALL parents and educators.

Once Upon A Time: We Are Both

AHH, YOU GUYS I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!

Y'know, last week's premiere feels almost boring compared to THIS frickin' amazing episode!!

Written by the always-awesome Jane Espenson--who gave us Skin Deep, Red-Handed and The Return (among others!) last season, We Are Both was full of shocks, surprises, touching moments and, yes, teary bits!

I think Ms. Espenson loves Rumple as much as the viewers do. The voice she gives him is always perfect!

Ready, then? Here we go!


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In Storybrooke, the Dwarfs want to know if they can leave town. They draw straws and Sneezy loses.
Okay, can I just say how happy I am that the dwarfs are once again the DWARFS?! Grumpy is grumpy and Doc is Doc...and did you see Dopey's clothes?! Haha, so dopey!
I missed them so much this summer!


With a little help, Sneezy steps over the line and starts to...well, he shimmers.


Meanwhile, the town is cleaning up. We get a glimpse of Granny's diner and the smashed-up cars in the street and wooden-August lying in his bed, blinking....Wait, wut?
WHAT?! AUGUST BLINKING??

Next we get a look at the missing persons board--and of Marco/Gepetto putting up a drawing of his son, Pinocchio.
The citizens are lingering in the street and Red is shouting directions, trying to help. She mentions to the Blue Fairy that she's sure the Prince is working on something.

And yep, he is!
Charming goes to see Regina and asks her about the hat. He says he knows she's having magic issues.
She lies and tells him she has no idea where she got the hat.
They fling insults, Regina lies again about Fairytale Land being gone and then she says that Henry will be hers again once she gets her magic back.

Charming goes back to the citizens of Storybrooke, who desperately need a leader.
They have so many questions that need answers, and they need guidance.
Charming is too focused on finding his wife and daughter to see that.

Suddenly, Grumpy and the Dwarfs come running up yelling about terrible news!
When Sneezy stepped over the town line, he FORGOT WHO HE REALLY IS!!!
He thinks he's Tom Clark who owns the pharmacy!
BOOM, WHAT A TWIST!

The townfolk freak out and Charming realizes that he needs to do something.
He tells them to come back in 2 hours...which gives him 2 hours to come up with a plan to help everyone.

Meanwhile, Regina goes to Gold's shop.
She 'needs the book to get her son back'.
Regina convinces him to give her the book and as she's walking out he tells her that she does NOW look like her mother (in not so many words).

Back at Mary Margaret's, Charming is trying to come up with a plan when Henry spies the hat. He knows it's the Mad Hatter's hat, but doesn't know who the Hatter is.

It's Charming's turn to show up at Gold's shop, and before he arrives, we see Gold packing road maps into a bag. Going somewhere, Gold?
Charming asks for a spell to help find the Hatter and the two make a deal. Charming will no longer bother Gold and Gold will no longer bother Charming.
Seems a good deal to me!
As he's leaving, Charming tells Gold about the problem Sneezy had when trying to leave Storybrooke.
Gold is NOT happy with this news at all.

With the spell, the hat leads Charming to Jefferson, who's trapped in his over-turned car.

Sadly, Jefferson can't help. The hat is destroyed and he has no magic without it.
(Jefferson has a rabbit and a tea set in his car...but he hasn't yet connected with Grace)

Back at Regina's, she opens the book and regains her magic.
Once again the Evil Queen, she goes to the town meeting, threatens the townsfolk and takes Henry home.
Regina tells Henry she's going to teach him all that she knows and that he'll never lack for friends or love.
Henry tells her he doesn't want it that way. That he doesn't want to be like her.

The townsfolk are scared and decide to leave Storybrooke and forget who they once were.
Charming stops them in the nick of time with a great speech. A perfect Charming speech.

Charming goes to see Henry and we see that Regina has had a change of heart.
Henry is allowed to go home with Charming and she wants to redeem herself.
Charming asks for proof and she tells him that, yes, Fairytale Land still exists.

The town reopens and the Dwarfs buy mining picks.
Tom/Sneezy asks them what they need them for and Grumpy replies, "Don't worry, brother. You lost somethin'. It's gonna take fairy dust to get it back. So we're gonna do what we do best. C'mon, boys. It's off to work we go!"
(Did anyone else cheer through tears here?! Okay, good!)

Henry sees Marco/Gepetto in the diner and whispers to him.
Gepetto goes to August's room at Granny's and finds...Pinocchio's hat.
AUGUST IS GONE.

And Regina...Well, Regina almost burns the magic book. But then locks it away instead.

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In Fairytale Land That Was, we find out how Regina meets Rumpelstiltskin and becomes who she is.

To escape her horrible mother, young Regina calls Rumple and asks him to help her get ride of Cora.
Rumple seems to know Regina.
Regina says he probably knows her because he's the one who gave Cora her magic and she's been told she looks like Cora. Rumple says no and makes a bunch of oddly cryptic remarks.
Rumple then conjures a portal to 'a specific, annoying world'.

The day of her wedding, Regina finally finds the strength and the magic and pushes her mother through the portal, freeing herself from her mother's clutches.

She gives the book back to Rumple, saying she'll never again use magic. That she never wants to be like her mother.

Rumple, of course, convinces her otherwise and apparently teaches her everything she knows and uses against the citizens of Fairytale in the future.







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And in Fairytale Land That Is, Mulan, Aurora, Snow and Emma arrive at the 'safe haven'.
Emma and Snow try to escape, and Snow is knocked unconscious.
They're put into a cave where they meet a woman who wants to help.
A woman named Cora.
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Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
Seriously, sometimes I have NO words after I watch this show!
The twists and turns and shocks just overwhelm me! And SO many questions!!!

Highlights:
-Grumpy's speech at the beginning.
-August blinked!
-"Are the nuns still nuns, or can they, y'know, date?" (Dr. Whale)
-I love how strong Charming is. I love how he's taken over. I love the difference between he and David. It's amazing how they wrote David so weak for THIS reason!
-"If it did would I have come running in yelling, 'Terrible news'?"(Grumpy)
-"I knew you long ago, dearie. It's been some time, but I knew this day would come. I've been waiting for it. And I'm so happy we're back where we belong." (Rumple to Regina)
-The Dwarfs going to help Sneezy. LOVED SO MUCH.
-Charming's speech.

What questions do we have after this episode?

-WHERE IS AUGUST?!?!

-Did the spell break for him? (Was it just me, or when he blinked was he more human-looking than he was when he turned to wood last season?)

-Who put up the barrier around Storybrooke? Regina?

-Who can break the barrier? How?

-What's in the black box in Gold's shop?

-Will the Dwarfs find fairy dust?

-Will Sneezy be fixed? How?

-When will Jefferson talk to Grace?

-What did Rumple mean when he was speaking to Regina, "I'm so happy we're back where we belong."?

-Where was Cora before the safe haven?!

-Why is Cora in the cave?

-How did Cora get to the safe haven?

-Rumple said to Regina, "Someday, you'll do something for me." What will she (did she?) do for him?

-Is Regina for real? Does she REALLY want to redeem herself?

-Will evil-Regina come back to mess things up?

The opening was creepy vines...and did Rumple seem toned down to you guys at all?

There wasn't so much giggling or flamboyancy..or am I seeing things?

Here's the promo for next week's episode, Lady of the Lake:

Your turn! What are your thoughts after watching We Are Both?

See you back here next week, Oncers!

YA Book Review: Trevor, A Novella by James Lecesne

Hardcover
112 Pages
Release date: Sept. 25, 2012
Publisher: Triangle Square
Author: James Lecesne
Thank you to RandomHouse Canada for providing this book for review!

Trevor is an exuberant, sociable, and witty thirteen year old. So how come, when he takes that nerve-wrecking turn toward his locker at school, does he feel scared and alone? Shunned by his friends, misunderstood by his parents, and harrassed at school for being different, Trevor goes from wondering what color glitter to choose for his Lady Gaga costume at Halloween, to wondering why some feelings "are so intense it makes you just want to lay down and die rather than go on feeling it," and making an attempt on his life. Trevor mixes humor and realism in an urgent look at what it is like to feel alienated from everything around you. And more importantly, what critical ties can step in at the most unlikely moment, to save you from despair, and give you reason to go on living.  Trevor is an update of the film version of the story, directed by Peggy Rajski, which won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in 1994. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning youth. As the recent attention to youth suicides has received increased media attention, and Dan Savage's IT GETS BETTER campaign has gone viral around the world, the public is finally beginning to face hard facts. Thirty-three percent of suicides among teenagers involve LGBTQ youth, one-third of all LGBT kids report having attempted suicide, and nine out of ten report overt harassment at school. Trevor is an effort to make those kids feel loved and supported, so they will find the strength to go on living.

What is it like to be a LGBTQ teen these days? To be bullied and insulted and alienated every day of your life? To be misunderstood by even your parents?

Trevor explores these issues in a funny, touching and very real way.

It's a short book, but it's written well and it might appeal to more reluctant readers. Yes, yes, there are books out there that are longer and probably better-written, but Trevor is a good 'stepping-stone' book for LGBTQ kids.

I truly hope that ALL parents and all school libraries will keep this book on hand. It just might save a life.

Book Review: The Infects by Sean Beaudoin

Paperback
384 pages
Release date: Sept. 25, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Author: Sean Beaudoin
Thank you to Candlewick for providing this ARC for review!

Seventeen-year-old Nero is stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents on an “Inward Trek.” As if that weren’t bad enough, his counselors have turned into flesh-eating maniacs overnight and are now chowing down on his fellow miscreants. As in any classic monster flick worth its salted popcorn, plentiful carnage sends survivors rabbiting into the woods while the mindless horde of “infects” shambles, moans, and drools behind. Of course, these kids have seen zombie movies. They generate “Zombie Rules” almost as quickly as cheeky remarks, but attitude alone can’t keep the biters back.

I haven't had this much fun while reading a horror novel in a LONG time!
The Infects is twisted and disturbing and dark and hilarious and witty and unique and just a heckuva read!

This is not your usual 'walking dead zombies' book. Not by a long shot.
It's like....Lord of the Flies meets Zombieland meets Shaun of the Dead.

Poor Nick has to go out and support the family after his father (his father is called, 'The Dude'. I kid you not) loses his job. Nick works at a chicken slaughter-house. He goes a bit batty and ends up doing time with other juvvies at an outdoor retreat....And that's when the zomb-pocalypse happens.

My favourite characters?
Nero
Amanda
Yelstin
The Rock (Yep. THAT The Rock)

I wish I could tell you more, but this is one book that I just don't want to spoil!

There IS one thing that bothers me, however...
On the back of my ARC, it says that they're marketing this book to teens 14+.
There's NO WAY I would ever allow a 14 year old to read this. I don't think I'd let my 16 year old read it, and I'm the furthest thing from a strict parent!
It's WAY to full of gore and guck and mature scenes.

So, if you're 17 or older, read this book. It's great, mindless fun!