12.19.2017

ThreadedPages Booknerd Gift Guide

We are getting down to the final days before Christmas (if you celebrate)! If you're still looking for ideas for your gifts for your favorite booknerd, may I make a few suggestions?

If you follow my bookstagram account on Instagram (threadedpages), you know it's themed around books and fashion. I love coming up with themed outfits for books or clothes book lovers might enjoy. Likewise, this gift guide will follow that trend.


1) Literary or language-themed sweatshirts.


I found this sweatshirt at Target and I had to have it - literally.


2) Out-of-Print Clothing shirts


Out of Print has been providing shirts and small home goods for the book-inclined for a while now. They've expanded their catalog of book designs, and I fell in love with this THE ODYSSEY shirt from their The Gilded Collection of shirts. Look at that gold!


3) Bookish looks for your Baby Bookworms


It's never too early to get those kiddos into enjoying written worlds or to at least dress them like they are. The designs from Equip Clothing* are fun, literary, and empowering - and they're a new small business with a great mission statement! You think I could fit into a kids' size XL?


4) Statement Enamel pins


Pins are all the rage right now, and they're fun an easy ways to nerd up any of your outfits or bags. There are so many great book-related ones, but I loved these clean, vintage-y ones from Rather Keen.


5) Bookworm tees


And of course, I have to mention Jordandene's Bookworm shirt because I love her shop and this shirt. It makes a simple statement that you love books and are proud of it.

Equally fun are the designs from The Colorful Geek, whose tees range from book-loving to pop culture. The orange Camp Halfblood shirts look like they're straight from the Percy Jackson book covers, and I got one of my very first Harry Potter shirts here (oh, so long ago!), featuring the Marauders' names in the now ubiquitous Helvetica List design style.



Hope this helps you with those last minute gifts and stocking stuffers. Even if the gifts arrive a little late, I'm sure your resident reader will love them!

Q4U: What are you hoping to get for the holidays this year?



*Disclaimer: I know the folks behind Equip Clothing and think this new venture is awesome and wanted to share. I'm not otherwise affiliated or sponsored by them.

11.14.2017

Geekchic OOTD: Ready to Ragnarok

November is upon us, and with it, Ragnarok! Of course, I don't mean the Norse mythological End of Days/ Twilight of the Gods. I'm talking about the 3rd THOR movie, and by far, the most colorful and funniest of them all.

By now, you should know I'm a Loki stan, and he's been a constant fashion inspiration for the past few years (but will someone please cut his hair?). I was punk rock Loki for Comic Con this year, and I think it's true that tricksters have the most fun.

A post shared by alice (@akangaru) on


So with a new Thor movie out and the return of my favorite mischief maker to the silver screen, I had to do an outfit post. I ended up doing 3 outfits - 2 casual ones here and a fancier one over at Girl on the Roam. Plus, the Geeky Fashion Blogger Alliance fittingly made this month's style challenge all about Thor. Without further ado...

OOTD No. 1: Trouble Maker


I wanted to do something a little more toned down than what I did for punk rock Loki, so I went with something more 90s grunge for every day wear.



Outfit details: TANKS (Cotton On) // SHIRT-DRESS (Target) // SHORTS (Target) // SHOES (Nike- similar) // BRACELET (World Market - similar) // NECKLACE-collar (Sparkling Rampage) // NECKLACE-scepter (Hot Topic - similar) // SUNGLASSES (Ray-Ban) // LIP COLOR (Colourpop in 'Beeper')



OOTD No. 2: Thunderer


My Thor outfit isn't really decade-inspired, but I wanted to do something similarly casual. This outfit uses, I think, the first Thor shirt I ever bought. It's from years ago, but I still wear it!


Outfit details: TANK (Wetseal) // VEST (Target) // JEANS (Uniqlo) // SHOES (E8 by Miista) // BRACELETS (Forever 21 - similar) // LIP COLOR (Bite Beauty in 'Violet' - similar)

I'd (very last minute) fabric-painted the Ragnarok patch and safety pinned it to the moto vest for Comic Con for the punk Loki costume. So I just re-used it here.



And bonus:

What I wore to see Thor Ragnarok: check out the outfit details at Girl on the Roam.

A post shared by alice (@akangaru) on



Q4U: What did you think of the new Thor movie?

11.07.2017

Currently... (22)

I've been contemplating what to do with my little piece of cyberspace here as it has shifted away from its original intention to be literary focused, and we've gone from 2 bloggers down to 1 (me)! Things will continue to be on and off as I figure things out, but for those of you still here, you can expect to see more geek fashion (which I hope you like), some book reviews, and maybe more of those bookstagram Annotations posts I promised a while ago. I appreciate anyone who still even reads this!

Since it's been a while since last I was here, here's a quick CURRENTLY - for old time's sake!


I found the Currently post at Kate Hart's blog, who got the idea from Amy Lukavics, who found it here. Please join in and link me in the comments if you do!


LOVING: Reading spooky stories on the internet, even though it terrifies me. I know it just passed but Halloween - I think I love it more as I get older? What a hit our last minute Stranger Things costumes were!

A post shared by alice (@akangaru) on


Lorde's latest album. Thor Ragnarok!! The Thor franchise will always have a special place in my heart (and not just because of Loki), and I am 100% here for Taika Waititi's humor.

READING: Gray Wolf Island by my lovely friend Tracey Neithercott! It's just the kind of magic I love to read. Empress of  Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza for Books & Boba Book Club.

WATCHING: On Netflix - Mindhunter, Stranger Things 2, American Vandal. This is a good mix of psychological darkness, scary-fun 80s nostalgia adventure, and on-point crime documentary mockumentary humor, respectively. (Technically, I have just finished Mindhunter and Stranger Things 2.)

THINKING ABOUT: What I'm going to do with this blog and with Girl on the Roam. I blog mostly for fun, but I also don't like to think I'm neglecting either of them. The fact that I'm going to see Hamilton next week for the 5th time, this time in my home city of Los Angeles. Wow.

ANTICIPATING: Looking forward to seeing my friend Melissa (@melfallorama) do a stand-up comedy set tomorrow night. She's one of the wittiest, funniest people (and writers) I know, and I'm so thrilled she's back on the same coast as me and living in the same region! If you're in Los Angeles on November 9th, tickets are available here: Funny Girls

In geeky anticipations: Star Wars Battlefront 2, Punisher, kinda even tentatively optimistic about the Justice League movie? Oh and seeing Hamilton again, of course!

WISHING: Time would slow down a little. Can you believe we're already approaching the end of 2017? I'm not even sure what to think, I'm so busy catching my breath! I'm also hoping for the weather to to stay cool, or at least stay consistently one thing or another. I'm not traveling this fall for the first time in 3 years, which is making me nostalgic for trips past.

A post shared by Alice (@girlontheroam) on


MAKING ME HAPPY: Meeting online friends in Real Life. I had the pleasure of meeting up with Danielle Ward, the brilliant founder and designer of Little Petal at LA Comic Con. She makes convertible geeky dresses, and they are just amazing.


My current hair color. Chats with Sarah Enni. Snuggling with Loki, even if he would rather not. Getting SDCC badges!! See you in 2018, San Diego!

My poetry getting published! This is never not wonderful and exciting. "Estate Sale," which I wrote last fall while getting frustrated with house-hunting was published this Monday in the online magazine Polu Texni. I'd love if you let me know what you think of it! Here's a little background: The Memory of Objects.

A post shared by Alice (@girlontheroam) on


My house. Furniture browsing. Sweater weather, finally. Informal ConSquad get-togethers. Loki- I told myself I wasn't going to be Loki-trash again, but well, here we are. Founding Daddies brunches. Porgs.


Q4U: What have you been up to? Tell me in the comments!

10.26.2017

Geekbounding for Bookworms

Hello friends!! Sorry, it's been a bit quiet here for a while. The summer got away from me, and there have been some exciting things happening in Real Life. I haven't had much time for either reading or writing, which I've tried to keep this blog about (though I know, there's a lot of life updates here, too! Oops.).

ANYWAY, with Halloween around the corner, I thought it might be fun to share book character-inspired outfits with you. Who knows, it might prompt you to throw together a last minute costume, picked right out of your closet.


XIFENG from FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS (Rise of the Empress series) by Julie C. Dao

A post shared by alice (@threadedpages) on

This look is more of nod to the character than an actual costume. The green reminded me of the forest, the book cover, and the snake, and I loved the long skirt for a bit of drama. Gold accessories (and a snake necklace) because this outfit doubles as a Loki-inspired look. You can make this a little closer to Xifeng with a dress or long robe in a finer fabric and accessorize with flower hair combs and silk slippers. Don't forget to add a bit of blood (or blood-red color) to your lips for the final touch.


Put on you best defiant and queenly face, and be ready to embrace your destiny, no matter how dark.


FEYRE  from A COURT OF THORNS & ROSES (ACOTAR series) by Sarah J. Maas



With its decadent faerie courts, cruel curses, and masked characters, ACOTAR was easy inspiration for an outfit.


Although Feyre herself is not cursed to wear a mask, I had to incorporate one here given what a presence they are in that first ACOTAR book. I thought this dress had a romantic look to it, and while the color is more Night Court, the flower detailing on the sheer fabric is a nice callback to the Spring Court. Go barefoot in the grass and claim the one you love.


RHY MARESH from A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC (Shades of Magic series) by V.E. Schwab



Rhy is one of my favorite characters from Schwab's magical London books, and I had this gorgeous red dress and nowhere to wear it. So, I decided to do a genderbent take on Rhy.



Since Rhy is the beloved prince of lively Red London, I layered on the most luxurious red fabrics I could find - a velvet military-style coat over a gauzy, embroidered red dress over wine-dark burned velvet leggings. Accessorize with royal gold, a sprinkling of angst, and an enchanted tattoo.


ALINA STARKOV from SHADOW & BONE (the Grisha trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo


This one sort of fell into my lap because I'd just received this stunning Blackmilk maxi skirt. Then the solar eclipse happened, and I had an idea. The outfit is more inspired-by, but the black and gold combination and the "sacred fractals" of the skirt felt very Sun Summoner to me, especially in the first book when Alina wore the Darkling's colors.


To make this more Grisha-like, go with something long-sleeved and heavier materials. Maybe a cape or something trimmed in fur. Remember to shine; you're the Sun Summoner, after all.


ANNE LANSING from GRAY WOLF ISLAND by Tracey Neithercott



Anne is the girl who never sleeps. I'm still reading this book, but Anne intrigued me from the moment she's introduced. The magic that touches her is she doesn't sleep, so she sells her extra hours. I love that concept, especially since I've often thought about how much time I'd have to get stuff done if I didn't have to sleep (though I love it). I love the character card of Anne, too, and thought it'd be an easier, less intense outfit to put together because she's a regular girl -minus the insomniac thing.


Ideally, I would have been wearing a plainer shirt, but I did want a casual, summer-vibes feel since the book takes place during the summer (this picture does not, hah). The flower crown was taken straight from the illustration, and pants suitable for adventuring.

Pull some late-nights to get the somewhat sleepy look, or better yet, just grab some friends and go searching for treasure.



Q4U: Do you have good book character costume or outfit ideas? Let me know in the comments!


BONUS: Non-book, but suitably geeky and timely since Season 2 of Stranger Things drops at midnight tonight... my take on Eleven. See more of the outfit at Girl on the Roam: Stranger Things style challenge.


7.06.2017

Fangirl Moment: The Last Unicorn

With San Diego Comic Con month upon us, I thought it'd be nice to revisit some of the magic of past cons in preparation for this year. This was one of the first unexpectedly wonderful moments for me at SDCC 2014, only our second year going.

While trying to figure out how to get into the Funko booth line (which is always badly managed and perpetually capped), I wandered through the neighboring Artists' Alley area of the Exhibit Hall floor. A The Last Unicorn poster caught my eye, and since that was my favorite movie from childhood and one of my favorite books ever, I went over to see what it was.

And then I freaked out because Peter S. Beagle, the author of The Last Unicorn was sitting right there at the table.

I flailed at the Sister, who was still keeping an eye on the Funko booth, and she encouraged me to go over there and talk to him. So I made my way over. He was speaking to someone browsing the book selection at the time, so I talked to the man at the table about the books and whether I could get stuff signed. I obviously did *not* have my copy of The Last Unicorn on me, so I did what any self-respecting fangirl would do; I bought a new one. There was no way I was not going to get my favorite book signed by the author. I also picked up one of his other unicorn books.

I'm going to pause here because I need to talk about The Last Unicorn. As a kid, this was my favorite animated movie - even above all the Disney princess films. I watched it so much, the VHS cover is wrinkled and crumbling at the edges and the tape itself has warped sound during the opening credits. I found the unicorn again in college when I finally read the book, and that deepened my love for the story so much more. My childhood love for the story was based on the gorgeous animation, my fascination with unicorns, the princes and romance and magic. It was just another fairy tale to love, albeit one that gave me nightmares in the form of fiery red bulls and witches who kept vengeful harpies. But the book...


The book moved me in deeper ways - partly because I was now old enough to understand the themes that were present in the movie, but also because as is often the case, the book had more. It was wistful and nostalgic, romantic and world-weary, tragic and hopeful all at once. I love this story so much, I wrote about the unicorn for my "hero story" for the geeky menswear brand Hero Within.

And can we talk about the prose? It's the lyrical but not purple style I adore, effortlessly evocative. Beagle can do so much with so little; he makes words sing. It's the kind of poetic prose that has you believing in unicorns. I still look at the world hoping to catch a glimpse of one.


Anyway, despite my word-vomit tendencies, I think I tend to keep it cool enough when I've had the opportunity to meet people I admire. I am definitely not a burst-into-tears-from-the-feels type of person (though I'm moving towards that in my older age). But I will confess to you now that I found myself inexplicably tearing up when I met Peter S. Beagle and told him how much his book meant and continues to mean to me.

He was so gracious and kind, and he took the time to have a little chat with me. Since there was no one else in line, he told me an entire story, which essentially turned out to be a fantastical explanation for the Lizzie Borden murders, over the table after he was done signing my books.


The whole experience was so delightful and unexpected. Meeting Peter S. Beagle is not something that had even crossed my mind, and to sort of just stumble upon him in the chaos of Comic Con was magical in and of itself. This year will be my 5th year at the convention, and this experience is still one of my favorite things that has happened to me.

Q4U: What or who have you freaked out about? What's a favorite convention memory?

6.01.2017

Geekchic OOTD: Wonder Woman

The Wonder Woman movie opens this Friday, and I am so scared and excited for it. Scared because frankly, I've been burned by the DC movies too many times to trust them, but excited because it's Wonder Woman! She's arguably the most famous female superhero, and she's finally getting her own movie and one directed by a woman, too. These milestones in pop culture are something to cheer about (though it's taken shamefully long to get here)!

To celebrate the release, here's a throwback Thursday OOTD post of the casual/closet cosplay Wonder Woman I wore to Comic Con two years ago.

I zip-lined across the Gotham skyline in this outfit. Luckily, I brought a pair of shorts to change into before zipping.
The skirt is what makes it. It was a lucky find at Forever 21; I literally saw it from outside the store as I was walking by. It was the inspiration for the geekbound in the first place. Once I had the skirt, I just bought a red shirt and accessorized appropriately.

The bangles, belt, headband, and ring were all from Forever 21, too, but other than the bangles, everything else I'd already had. The necklace was another lucky find at Papaya (an F21-like store). The Sister did her own geekbound take on Aquaman and DIYed a sea-themed headband for it.


I updated the look a little for Halloween - different headband and belt, red sandals, and I found one of my mom's old belts that conveniently looked like rope for my lasso! For Nerdvember, I put together a simpler (and warmer) geekbounding look. I'll probably wear something similar to see the movie!


I have never hoped so hard for any movie to be good, and the positive reviews coming out now are letting me rest a little easier. I'm seeing it tonight! Keep your fingers crossed that I come back with a glowing review!!

In any case, if you're thinking about seeing it, I encourage you to do it sooner rather than later. As they say, money is the language Hollywood understands best, and it's time the myth that female-led movies (superhero or otherwise) don't sell is dispelled.




Q4U: Are you excited for Wonder Woman?


**EDIT: Saw the movie, and oh my goodness, Diana is everything!! Mini-spoiler-free review taken from my Instagram post today: While the movie had its flaws (the 3rd act was not my fave & probably the weakest part of the film, & the movie could've been tighter in parts), everything else was what I hoped it would be. Gal Gadot's Diana is idealistic & compassionate, vulnerable & strong, & truly just someone out to do good. And her chemistry with Chris Pine's Steve Trevor is 💯. He lets her do her thing without trying to diminish her & he in turn is not diminished by her superheroics.

5.31.2017

April, the cruelest month

April - as the title suggests - was rough, but rough in the sense that it was a mix of a lot of things. The title of this post is especially appropriate because it's the first line of T.S. Eliot's poem The Waste Land, and April was National Poetry Month.

So yes, this post is about poetry and the writing I did last month (even as May is ending now, how?!), despite how hectic my schedule turned out to be and how tired I was. I wrote a record number of poems. They were not all great or meant for further revision, but they're out there now on the page or in my Twitter timeline. I did not work on novel or short-story writing, though I meant to; I was supposed to do Camp NaNoWriMo for the novel but ended up with a bunch of poems instead?

The novel aesthetics put together for me by Kaye for the thing I didn't work on.
For me, April had a lot of fun social activities, but it was also very busy at the day job. The current state of government continues to be a constant trashfire, but on top of that, I felt particularly abused by the fun pop culture things I love - the things that should generally be there to bring me joy or even escape! In April,  there was still on-going fallout from the March releases of both Iron Fist and Ghost in the Shell - a double-header of Asian American representation issues (IF for its Orientalism, White Savior-flavor, and general crappiness; GitS for its whitewashing & doubling down on it in movie), made only worse by the excuses, deflections, and general cluelessness given by both productions' teams. Not to mention, how these discussions dredged up the age-old arguments of who true fans are and the role of canon (and when it matters).

I've never really been the type of person to write in reaction to something, but thanks to what I just mentioned causing my low-key constant state of rage, I wrote a couple of poems about that. This was also a useful way for me to try a new poetry form: the Sevenling. It's a 7-line poem that is meant to feel a little mysterious and incomplete with the last line acting as something of a kicker. I've had a lot of fun with them, and I encourage you to try it yourself.

The rage also helped me finish a poem I'd been struggling with since last year. So yay, for channeling negative energy into something I hope is worthwhile! I'm pretty happy with it and hope to be able to share it with you in the future.

A post shared by alice (@akangaru) on


But I won't lie to you, anger is exhausting - at least it is for me in the long-run. Usually, it leaves me feeling depleted and helpless, but I guess the constant barrage in March going into April tipped me over to rage, which felt empowering for my writing. That said, it sucked to feel betrayed by the things you usually turn to for fun. Like I can't tell you how good it felt to finally not be mad at Marvel when I went to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2 this month.

That said, like in my college glory days, when I was the most sleepless and procrastinating, I tended to be at my most creative - like my brain was searching for anything else to do. Strange how sometimes it's when you have no time that you somehow manage to be the most productive! Like I said, I wrote a record number of poems - about 9 - though most of them were Twitter poems. I'll be posting most of them at Girl on the Roam, but here's one for the road.



The path we're on is often unclear, and therefore scary. What can we do but push forward? I wish you peace and compassion, friends, and the patience to keep on keepin' on.

Q4U: How was your April and May? Are you more productive when you're busy?


P.S. The winner of my "Nevertheless, She Persisted" giveaway was Cate at Cateaclysmic! She received her tank earlier in May.

P.P.S. I'm trying to blog more often. In fact, I'll have a new post in a few days. See you then!

3.15.2017

Geekchic OOTD: Here We Are- Feminist AF

In honor of Women's History Month & International Women's Day earlier this month (March 8), I'm joining Kelly Jensen's week-long feminist celebration on social media! You can join too by posting whatever you want in celebration of feminism (blog posts, tweets, Instagrams) and using the #HereWeAre. (Details are in the link above.)

The big social media blast day is today 3/15!

For my contribution today, I thought it'd be fun to do an outfit post featuring a great shirt from fave geek-girl brand Jordandené and paying gentle homage to 2 feminist icons- Rosie the Riveter and Wonder Woman.



Nevertheless, She Persisted

In February 2017, when Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced by Senate Republicans while she read Coretta Scott King's letter opposing Jeff Sessions, women everywhere were given a new rallying cry by Senate Majority Leader McConnell when he defended the action with the words: "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted."

Too bad no one ever told these people that women are all too familiar with being dismissed and silenced and as such are also experts at persisting against the odds.

So when Jordan put this phrase on a shirt (comes as a tank, a mug, and phone case, too), I absolutely had to get it.


And to make this look a shout-out to strong women, I wanted it to call back to historical icon Rosie the Riveter - a propaganda tool used by the U.S. government when they wanted women working during World War II. Rosie has since become a symbol of women in the workforce and a reminder of the contributions of women during the war era. To do that, I went with casual-fit blue denim and a red star-spangled ribbon for my hair.


I last minute added the bangles I bought 2 years ago for my Wonder Woman costume to add a little geek girl power to the whole thing. And bright red lips, of course, to top off the Wonder Woman vibes and as a nod to Kumander Liwayway - real life teenage resistance leader, who wore lipstick to war and kicked so much ass while looking straight up fabulous.

Learn more about Liwayway here: https://storify.com/themackenzilee/bygonebadassbroads-commander-liwayway


Outfit details:
SHIRT (Jordandené) // JEANS (Uniqlo) // SHOES (E8 by Miista) // BRACELETS (Forever 21 - similar) // HAIR RIBBON (Forever 21 - similar) // BACKPACK (Longchamp) // LIP COLOR (Colourpop in 'Creeper')


Hope you like the look, and remember, you can dress and look however you want and still smash the patriarchy. Work!


And to help you level up your feminist wardrobe, I'm giving away 1 Jordandené "Nevertheless, She Persisted" tank or shirt (your choice) to one of you lovely people!

The giveaway will run until the end of the month (3/31) and is open internationally (or rather anywhere Jordandené ships). Enter below.

(Disclaimer: I'm running this giveaway of my own accord, and I'm featuring Jordandené gear because I truly love it and I think Jordan is lovely. Plus, I support women-run small businesses.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


2.10.2017

5 Fandom Friday (28): Galentine's Day Gifts


New year, new logo from Megan for her Five Fandom Friday!

5 Fandom Friday is a geek-blogger community building project started and hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and SuperSpaceChick. Every Friday, post a top 5 list based on a predetermined topic that can be found on this master post - you can also find more info on the project there. Participate as frequently or infrequently as you like, and if a topic doesn't especially appeal to you, feel free to put your own twist on it.

Also, tweet at @thenerdygirlie on Friday with your post (and they'll RT) and use the #Fandom5 hashtag so we can all connect!



I'd be lost without all the incredible women in my life, especially my girl gang. So, of course, I'm all about celebrating women's friendships. Here are some fun things you can share with your squad for Galentine's Day.


1) Soul-Sister patches for your soul sisters. (These soul sisters are from Kodiak Milly)

A photo posted by Kodiak Milly (@kodiakmilly) on



2) Books about badass women and ride-or-die girl friends.

Heroine Complex stars Asian American super-heroines who are childhood friends. Plus, there are costume changes, gossip blogs, and demonic cupcakes.


TRUTHWITCH is about threadsisters trying to live their lives without upsetting the politically volatile landscape of a rich fantasy world. And the cutest side note about this novel is that it's kind of a tribute to author Susan Dennard's friendship with author Sarah J Maas.

A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS is a YA anthology featuring amazing girls across America and through history.


Not pictured here, but one of my all time favorite badass girls who are besties books is CODE NAME VERITY! It features a spy and a pilot who become friends during World War II.


3) Tees/Tanks/Sweaters for the entire squad.


A photo posted by alice (@threadedpages) on



4) Donations to a charity supporting women/girls in your gal pals' names. (A few suggestions...)




5) Feminist art




Q4U: What are you getting your best gal pals?