Rambled Opinions and General Snarkiness: The End of Year 2013 Release, Books, and 2014 Rumors

You have got to be shitting me.

So Tuesday was the launch for new AG shit--the last burst before the new year. They've let the holiday clothes out of the gates, folks. There will likely be no updates until 2014 when the new girl shows--which, I will blarg about below the cut. It took me this long to make my own post about it because I have been updating the AG wiki, fighting a cold, injuring myself because of my low DEX score, and also working on important, hopefully small money funding thinglets. And I didn't want to put up my own post until the images/data were on the AG Wiki for super linking.¹ Which I finished at middle of the night o clock. Nocturnal!

The major things is the super overhaul of the Bitty Baby line. Which I can't give three fucks about other than I spent hours updating the new dolls on the Wiki. And that if a stuffed animal costs 30 bucks and isn't handmade/artisan, it had better be large enough for my grown ass to cuddle.

So let's talk full size dolls and their new gear, books, and rumors. Including that monstrosity up on top. Jump below the cut.

Book Blather: 

Let's start with books because I like books. I'm a Libra, what the hell do you want.²

On the Historical Front, three more historical mysteries are coming out: one each for Kit, Rebecca, and Caroline. That's nice, I'm still behind reading a whole lot of them. Own them, but haven't sat down to read them. And can a sister get an Addy mystery? Shit, I'll even settle for Kirsten, she only got one too. Kit you have FIVE. SHARE.

On the GotY Front, the blurbs are now on Amazon:

Book One: GOTY 2014 is excited about starting her first year at the Anna Hart School of the Arts! But she can't help comparing herself to her older sister, Jade, who attends the same school and is an amazing ballerina. GOTY 2014's other classmates are equally talented, and she starts wondering whether she really belongs at her new school. She earns a role in the fall festival, but she struggles during rehearsals. Can GOTY 2014 learn how to focus less on those around her and more on her own dancing? With help from her sister and her friends, GOTY 2014 may discover a unique talent that she can truly call her own.

Book Two: As GOTY 2014 rehearses her ballet routine for The Nutcracker, she wonders if she'll ever master her pirouettes, especially with her classmate Renata pointing out her every mistake. She tries focusing on the other parts of the production she enjoys: exploring the costume and props room and helping out with costumes for some of the younger dancers. But when Jade, her big sister who also attends Anna Hart School of the Arts, becomes moody and withdrawn, GOTY 2014 taps into her design skills to try to find a solution for Jade. In the meantime, can GOTY 2014 find the confidence to tune out Renata and perfect her own performance, too?

Book Three:  GOTY 14 is doing great at the Anna Hart School of the Arts--her dancing idol Jackie Sanchez even invites her to go on tour! GOTY 2014 jumps on board, but she quickly finds that the traveling show has its challenges, not the least of which is bossy Renata who was invited to come, too. When the dance show suddenly starts falling apart, GOTY 2014 tries to help Jackie pull it back together--and begins to learn more about a mentor who encouraged Jackie to dance as a young girl. As GOTY taps into her talents to try to save the show, she not only discovers who inspired Jackie, but also how she, herself, can inspire those around her.

Three books? Are we just going to up the book count every few girls until we have a six book set for a year? I feel like I did years ago in Pokemon when Double Battles were introduced in Gen 3 and then Triple and Rotates in Gen 5. Why not just toss out all six at once, damn it?

But ooo a dancer. I like dancing. I especially like ballet dancing. Gimme all the ballet dancing things to dress dolls in. But there are no pictures yet, and I have but one candle wish: Please don't be blond. Please don't be blond. And no blue eyes. At all. Not even a little bit. I'd settle for black hair. And If she is a Doll of Color I will get her as soon as I can get my happy ass to the AG store. Otherwise she will most likely be stripped for parts and those parts put on/with Marisol.³ 

Stuff Whinging

And now for the part that 75% of the fandom seems to ruin their clothes over: Stuff. Books what are those we can't dress our dolls in books gimme clothes and overpriced spa chairs.

Not so bad.

Frosty Fair Isle Set: I am down for this. The boots and headband not so much, but the leggings and sweater aren't so bad. In the future.

Puffy Jacket: ah ha ha ha ha ha NO. Not at that cost. Even if it is blue.

Tumbling to average near you.

Gymnastics Outfit III: I have the first one, and I am not buying another set when I only have one gymnast in the gang. I may invest in other gymnastics clothing for the interest, but not this set. It is the actual factual follow up to McSeattle's outfit. Speaking of which....

Gymnastics Set: are you kidding me they literally redid McSeattle's set in new colors and rereleased it. AG WHAT NO.

Bringing back the red holiday dress.

Sparkle Party Dress and Holiday Accessories: This has piqued my interest, though it does remind me heavily of the Radiant Rhinestone set that came out years ago. And the Merry and Bright outfit that I have. And the Garnet Holiday Dress I already own. And the Rosy Red, and the Ruby and Ribbon and Scarlet Snow and...damn, AG has a thing for red dresses with pale tights and white coats/coverups for the holidays. I think I'd rather plonk down the money for the Radiant Rhinestone set if I can find it at a good complete cost (tiara be damned), and wait for this one to go on the near-retirement sale. And I really have a ton of holiday sets as it is, and only so many moddies to model them all. Wait til mid-November. My reviews/focuses are going to be almost nothing but AG holiday sets. It's going to be ridiculous.

Brocade Holiday Dress: But I have the Shimmery Gold Dress. Pass unless I can get it on a sale before retirement.

Sparkle Sequin Outfit: Personally, I'm not feeling it.

Saige's Sweater, Necklace, and Bracelet for Girls:  The sweater won't fit me, and that is about the only part I'd wear. So eh.

Coconut Fun Outfit II: So labeled because lately AG has been on a name recycling kick. This set is horrible together, though I could do things with it separately. Despite my major hate on for Coconut clothes. It's way too busy all together. Is this really what the youth are wearing? I'm old.

Give it to me. Give it to me now!

Polar Bear Pajamas: GIVE IT TO ME. It's blue, its bears, it's adorable~ And even though I'd be a damn fool to buy AG clothes in people sizes, I fit AG slippers so I am not above getting the slippers for my feets.⁴


Snow Much Fun Set: *eyebrow raise, side eye, scoot away Krabby sideways.*

Now even your doll can be pampered--for the same cost she is!

Spa Chair: *black church lady fall out and fanning from no*⁵ Oh no. Oh no no no no. Not in my house, buddy. Let's see: It's large. It's cumbersome. It costs as much as a whole doll does! All that and it doesn't even drain water because we can't encourage children to, you know, get doll hair wet. (Which I get but eeergh.) Like, I get the purpose of it for those girls who really love their pretend spa time and might even go to spas themselves. It lets you pretend to wash hair and soak toes and get polish. But I still think it's some shit. 

Salon Stylist Set: I have a real blow dryer, a real curling iron, foam rollers I pick up at Sally's for cheap, hair clips for when I need em, and a misting bottle of braid spray. Pass.

Salon Center: I am not paying $49 dollars for hair clippy stuff I have, manicure stickers, and a storage bin for it. Pass.

*~*~*

Counting down the days to more 2014 GotY data so I know if it's gonna be a case of counting down the days til 2015 or not. Now, it's Michael Jackson's 55th birthday and I celebrate my absolute favorite music artist's birthday by hours and hours of nothing but MJ music.

Sha'mone!

No one will ever fill that man's shoes.

--Neth

¹ It's worse figuring out who is wearing what. I cannot tell the blue-eyed blonds apart. Damn it AG.
² With Aries Rising, hence the super brashness.
³ Who will get her spotlight review next week. I have another Casual Friday coming. 
⁴ You laugh, but I own a pair of Julie's slippers.
⁵And I'm not even Christian and haven't been for over a decade.