A lovely pile of books

One problem with being an English major is that you get burnt out from reading so many books in a short amount of time, that it's hard to find a chance to read for fun. So here's a quick compilation of what I've read between March and now, which was mainly for class.

American Woman by Susan Choi

American Woman, this gifted writer's second book, is a novel of even greater scope and dramatic complexity, about a young Japanese-American radical caught in the militant underground of the mid-1970s.
When 25-year-old Jenny Shimada steps out of the Rhinecliff train station in New York's Hudson Valley, the last person she expects to see is Rob Frazer, a shadowy figure from her previous life. On the lam for an act of violence against the American government, Jenny agrees to take on the job of caring for three younger fugitives whom Frazer has spirited out of California. One of them, the granddaughter of a wealthy newspaper magnate in San Francisco, has become a national celebrity. Kidnapped by a homegrown revolutionary group, Pauline shocked America when she embraced her captors' ideology, denouncing family and class to enlist in their radical cell.
American Woman unfolds the story of Jenny and her charges -- Pauline, Juan, and Yvonne, the remains of the busted revolutionary cadre -- as they pursue their destinies from an old farmhouse in upstate New York back to California. Provocative, suspenseful, and often wickedly comic, the novel explores the psychology of the young radicals -- outsiders all -- as isolation and paranoia inevitably undermine their ideals. American Woman is a tour de force with chilling resonance for readers today.

Thoughts: It's an interesting retelling of the Patty Hearst story, however, this time the story revolves around Wendy Yoshimura, a Japanese American, who helped Patty run from the police. It's exciting in some parts, especially near the end when it just focused on Jenny (aka Wendy) and Pauline (aka Patty). While it took forever to get through the middle because it dragged on much longer than it needed to. I also wanted to slam my head a few times against a wall for the blatant racism these two different characters expressed.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn

In Dogeaters, Jessica Hagedorn has transformed her best-selling novel about the Philippines during the Marcos reign into an equally powerful theatrical piece that is a multilayered, operatic tour de force. As Harold Bloom writes "Hagedorn expresses the conflicts experienced by Asian immigrants caught between cultures...she takes aim at racism in the U.S. and develops in her dramas the themes of displacement and the search for belonging."
"As sharp and fast as a street boy's razor" (The New York Times Book Review), Dogeaters is an intense fictional portrayal of Manila in the heyday of Marcos, the Philippines' late dictator. In the center of this maelstrom is Rio, a feisty schoolgirl who will grow up to live in America and look back with longing on the land of her youth.

Thoughts: The book is set in the Philippines after it became independent, showing how a country can't revert back to its original self without being influenced by the country that occupied it. An example would be how American products and media are heavily seen throughout the book. It's also a confusing book in the sense that there are a lot of characters, and it switches point of views often. Thankfully, there is a table of contents, so it's easy to make a legend of which chapter focuses on which character. The book is also interspersed with newspaper clippings and an anthropologist's thoughts about the Philippines, so you see both sides of the Filipino story, what people think it's like vs. what it's actually like.
Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang

Based on a true story that stunned the world, M. Butterfly opens in the cramped prison cell where diplomat Rene Gallimard is being held captive by the French government - and by his own illusions. In the darkness of his cell he recalls a time when desire seemed to give him wings. A time when Song Liling, the beautiful Chinese diva, touched him with a love as vivid, as seductive - and as elusive - as a butterfly.
How could he have known, then, that his ideal woman was, in fact, a spy for the Chinese government - and a man disguised as a woman? In a series of flashbacks, the diplomat relives the twenty-year affair from the temptation to the seduction, from its consummation to the scandal that ultimately consumed them both. But in the end, there remains only one truth: Whether or not Gallimard's passion was a flight of fancy, it sparked the most vigorous emotions of his life.
Only in real life could love become so unreal. And only in such a dramatic tour de force do we learn how a fantasy can become a man's mistress - as well as his jailer. M. Butterfly is one of the most compelling, explosive, and slyly humorous dramas ever to light the Broadway stage, a work of unrivaled brilliance, illuminating the conflict between men and women, the differences between East and West, racial stereotypes - and the shadows we cast around our most cherished illusions.

Thoughts: It's not Madame Butterfly if that's what you're thinking, don't worry I also made the same mistake when I first heard the title. It does reference Madame Butterfly a lot though, but it twists it around in a surprising way. Instead of the "Butterfly" character immediately falling for the white Frenchman, they're pretty sassy. And then they realize that their sweetness could be used to their advantage. Overall, it's a play loosely based on a true story about the relationship between Bernard Boursicot, a French diplomat, and Shi Pei Pu, a male opera singer. And it twists gender expectations and breaks many tropes along the way.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

From a 5 Under 35 winner, comes a razor-sharp, hilarious, and touching story of a son searching for his father . . . through quantum space-time.
Every day in Minor Universe 31 people get into time machines and try to change the past. That's where Charles Yu, time travel technician, steps in. He helps save people from themselves. Literally. When he's not taking client calls, Yu visits his mother and searches for his father, who invented time travel and then vanished. The key to locating his father may be found in a book. It's called How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, and somewhere inside it is information that will help him. It may even save his life.

Thoughts: It's metafiction, it's also like the movie Inception in a way, except it's in space and there's time travel. Time travel itself being really personal and more about going back into the past to fix your mistakes/regretting the mistakes you've made, except you can't fix it because it's already in the past. The main character, Charles Yu, is also just a regular, boring guy, not some hero who saves the universe from exploding. Overall, this book breaks what we think of science fiction by making it a personal story about the past and finding your family again, all without giant explosions, traveling to many planets, and villains.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


Creative Writing in the Community: A Guide by Terry Ann Thaxton

Creative Writing in the Community is the first book to focus on the practical side of creative writing. Connecting classroom experiences to community-based projects, it prepares creative writing students for teaching in schools, homeless centers, youth clubs and care homes. Each chapter is packed with easy-to-use resources including specific lesson plans; case studies of students working with community groups; lists of suitable writing examples; "how to..." sections; examples and theoretical applications of creative writing pedagogy and techniques; reflection questions; and writings by workshop participants. Enhanced by contributions from directors, students, and teachers at successful public programs, Creative Writing in the Community is more than an essential guide for students on creative writing courses and leaders of community-based learning programs; it is a practical demonstration of the value of art in society.

Thoughts: It breaks the idea of writing as an individualistic activity by bringing the community into it. It also adds more meaning to art, and it gives others who normally wouldn't have a voice a voice. As already mentioned in the summary, it's a guide about how to do a writers in the community program, and it has essays about the effects of it. I've had to read it for my class, while also doing a similar writers in the community program where I taught seventh and eighth graders about how fun creative writing is. And it's definitely a fun program to do; however, it's also challenging especially if it's just barely starting up.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada, Mae Besom

This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens. This is a story for anyone, at any age, who's ever had an idea that seemed a little too big, too odd, too difficult. It's a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it some space to grow and to see what happens next. Because your idea isn't going anywhere. In fact, it's just getting started.

Thoughts: It's a cute little picture book about growing and expanding your idea before letting the world see it.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

Thoughts: To be honest, I've read most of the book in eighth grade, but I never finished it or cared to till now. And, I can see why it's a beloved classic, it's full of characters that you could actually connect with a story that's pretty exciting and heartbreaking, and it doesn't trivialize teenagers. It's also one of the first young adult books that helped make young adult literature what it is now, and it was written by a young woman while she was still in high school. Which, I find pretty fucking cool because you don't often hear of teenagers writing about teenagers getting their work published, as well as, kickstarting a whole new literary category catered to their age group.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

And now the weather:
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay - Something Just Like This | Channa Mereya (Vidya Vox Mashup Cover)

~ Stacy N.

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Nothing but books

Time for another set of mini-reviews, February edition that should have been sent out a while ago. However, school, work, and my personal life got in the way. But now here it is.

Dragonfish by Vu Tran

A thrilling work of sophisticated suspense set amid the Vietnamese underworld in Las Vegas.
Robert, an Oakland cop, still can't let go of Suzy, the enigmatic Vietnamese wife who left him two years ago. Now she's disappeared from her new husband, Sonny, a violent Vietnamese smuggler and gambler who's blackmailing Robert into finding her for him. As he pursues her through the sleek and seamy gambling dens of Las Vegas, shadowed by Sonny's sadistic son, "Junior," and assisted by unexpected and reluctant allies, Robert learns more about his ex-wife than he ever did during their marriage. He finds himself chasing the ghosts of her past, one that reaches back to a refugee camp in Malaysia after the fall of Saigon, as his investigation soon uncovers the existence of an elusive packet of her secret letters to someone she left behind long ago. Although Robert starts illuminating the dark corners of Suzy’s life, the legacy of her sins threatens to immolate them all.
Vu Tran has written a thrilling and cinematic work of sophisticated suspense and haunting lyricism, set in motion by characters who can neither trust each other nor trust themselves. This remarkable debut is a noir page-turner resonant with the lasting reverberations of lives lost and lives remade a generation ago.

Thoughts: Like any Vietnamese story, this book does mention the Vietnam/American war. However, unlike most Vietnamese stories this one also involves the shady, underground business. It also leaves you with a lot of questions in the end that it never resolves throughout the story, and it breaks the white savior complex interestingly.
Rating: 3/5

Native Speaker by Chang-Rae Lee

In  Native Speaker, author Chang-Rae Lee introduces readers to Henry Park. Park has spent his entire life trying to become a true American—a native speaker. But even as the essence of his adopted country continues to elude him, his Korean heritage seems to drift further and further away.
Park's harsh Korean upbringing has taught him to hide his emotions, to remember everything he learns, and most of all to feel an overwhelming sense of alienation. In other words, it has shaped him as a natural spy.
But the very attributes that help him to excel in his profession put a strain on his marriage to his American wife and stand in the way of his coming to terms with his young son's death. When he is assigned to spy on a rising Korean-American politician, his very identity is tested, and he must figure out who he is amid not only the conflicts within himself but also within the ethnic and political tensions of the New York City streets.
Native Speaker is a story of cultural alienation. It is about fathers and sons, about the desire to connect with the world rather than stand apart from it, about loyalty and betrayal, about the alien in all of us and who we finally are.

Thoughts: It dragged in some parts, but it's still a good spy novel. The classic parents falling out of love after their child dies trope doesn't happen here, but there was still some complications between the parents. Overall the book is a mix of sweet and sad and what the hell.
Rating: 3/5

Gemini by Sonya Mukherjee

Seventeen-year-old conjoined twins Clara and Hailey have lived in the same small town their entire lives—no one stares at them anymore. But there are cracks in their quiet existence, and they’re slowly becoming more apparent.
Clara and Hailey are at a crossroads. Clara wants to stay close to home, avoid all attention, and study the night sky. Hailey wants to travel the world, learn from great artists, and dance with mysterious boys.
As high school graduation approaches, each twin must untangle her dreams from her sister’s, and figure out what it means to be her own person.

Thoughts: A sweet coming of age story about a pair of conjoined twins. Like most twin stories out there there's the classic trope of each twin being opposite of each other, which honestly, is tiring to read by now. A few other tiring tropes that also occurred: another beautiful blue eyed blond that the main character falls for, a person of color being the sidekick, and identical twins (twins aren't always identical people!)
Rating: 3/5


American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Jin Wang starts at a new school where he's the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn't want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he's in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with the girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee's annual visit is such a disaster that it ruins Danny's reputation at school, leaving him with no choice but to transfer somewhere he can start all over again. The Monkey King has lived for thousands of years and mastered the arts of kung fu and the heavenly disciplines. He's ready to join the ranks of the immortal gods in heaven. But there's no place in heaven for a monkey. Each of these characters cannot help himself alone, but how can they possibly help each other? They're going to have to find a way—if they want to fix the disasters their lives have become.

Thoughts: The three different stories connect with each other through magic. It's hard to explain the specifics not unless you read the book. But overall, the book is good at showing how some people in the Asian American community has a self-hatred for their Asian side and it also talks about learning how to love yourself.
Rating: 4/5

Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine

Ben Tanaka has problems. In addition to being rampantly critical, sarcastic, and insensitive, his long-term relationship is awash in turmoil. His girlfriend, Miko Hayashi, suspects that Ben has a wandering eye, and more to the point, it's wandering in the direction of white women. This accusation (and its various implications) becomes the subject of heated, spiralling debate, setting in motion a story that pits California against New York, devotion against desire, and trust against truth.

Thoughts: Ben is a jerk, the book breaks the trope of how gay people could only be white guys, and it shows the complications of love.
Rating: 4/5

And now the weather:
How Does A Moment Last Forever by Céline Dion

~ Stacy N.

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Mini Reviews: January Edition

After two years of not writing a mini book review, I've decided to get back into it now because I miss writing them. So without further ado here's the extremely short list of what I read in January.

The Book with No Pictures
by B.J. Novak

A book with no pictures?
What could be fun about that?
After all, if a book has no pictures, there's nothing to look at but the words on the page.
Words that might make you say silly sounds... In ridiculous voices...
Hey, what kind of book is this, anyway?
At once disarmingly simple and ingeniously imaginative, The Book With No Pictures inspires laughter every time it is opened, creating a warm and joyous experience to share--and introducing young children to the powerful idea that the written word can be an unending source of mischief and delight.

Thoughts: A cute book to read to your kids or for fun so they could discover the power that words can make without the help of images. Also, Braaaap is a fun word to say in your head or out loud, just saying.
Rating 4/5

Everything I Never Told You 

by Celeste Ng

Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet . . . So begins this debut novel about a mixed-race family living in 1970s Ohio and the tragedy that will either be their undoing or their salvation. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee; their middle daughter, a girl who inherited her mother’s bright blue eyes and her father’s jet-black hair. Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue—in Marilyn’s case that her daughter become a doctor rather than a homemaker, in James’s case that Lydia be popular at school, a girl with a busy social life and the center of every party.

When Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together tumbles into chaos, forcing them to confront the long-kept secrets that have been slowly pulling them apart.

Thoughts: Honestly, one of the best books that I've read this year. It's been a while since a book made me want to sit down and just read and read and read. It also helped that it was relatable to a certain extent, that no matter what you're going to be seen as a perpetual foreigner to others even though I lived in the United States my whole life. Plus, there's a very tiny cute fluffy gay boys scene (that takes a lot of extrapolating) and space is mentioned.

Rating: 4/5

The Gangster We Are All Looking For 
by Thi Diem Thúy Lê

This acclaimed novel reveals the life of a Vietnamese family in America through the knowing eyes of a child finding her place and voice in a new country.
In 1978 six refugees—a girl, her father, and four “uncles”—are pulled from the sea to begin a new life in San Diego. In the child’s imagination, the world is transmuted into an unearthly realm: she sees everything intensely, hears the distress calls of inanimate objects, and waits for her mother to join her. But life loses none of its strangeness when the family is reunited. As the girl grows, her matter-of-fact innocence eddies increasingly around opaque and ghostly traumas: the cataclysm that engulfed her homeland, the memory of a brother who drowned and, most inescapable, her father’s hopeless rage.

Thoughts: I couldn't help but continually think about my own family history while reading about this. How the Vietnam War messed everyone up even those in the future generations (like my siblings and me). Apparently, trauma could be generational and looking at the unnamed narrator and my own family it's true.
Rating: 3/5

And now the weather:
Eyes Nose Lips by David So and Z. Woods

~ Stacy N.

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Books and their disturbing truths.

Sorry about March’s mini-reviews being two days late. Life and school has been causing quite a havoc lately. And it probably won’t settle down anytime soon. But I’m not going to let that stop me from posting. So without further ado, here are the March reviews.

Invisible Man

by Ralph Ellison

First published in 1952 and immediately hailed as a masterpiece, Invisible Man is one of those rare novels that have changed the shape of American literature. For not only does Ralph Ellison's nightmare journey across the racial divide tell unparalleled truths about the nature of bigotry and its effects on the minds of both victims and perpetrators, it gives us an entirely new model of what a novel can be.
As he journeys from the Deep South to the streets and basements of Harlem, from a horrifying "battle royal" where black men are reduced to fighting animals, to a Communist rally where they are elevated to the status of trophies, Ralph Ellison's nameless protagonist ushers readers into a parallel universe that throws our own into harsh and even hilarious relief. Suspenseful and sardonic, narrated in a voice that takes in the symphonic range of the American language, black and white, Invisible Man is one of the most audacious and dazzling novels of our century.

My thoughts: I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.
A five hundred eighty-one page book read in three or so days, for an in-class English essay. Mix in other homework, and you get a very burned out girl. However, it was worth it because it gave me a few new insights about racism. I’ve learned that racism differs a bit between the South and the North of the U.S. In the South, blacks are treated like animals, as seen in the Battle Royal chapter. While in the North, the blacks are used as tools to mainly make the whites look good. And then when there’s trouble, the whites aren’t there. Instead, they just let the blacks suffer on their own.
This book also taught me a bit of the lack of community, that’s found in the African American literature. And that made me see how easy it is for blacks to turn their backs on someone within their community. Because that person did some horrible crime, or “abandoned” the community to go work with the whites, but mainly it’s because that person is inferior to the rest of the community.
Overall, it was a pretty good read, with a few disgusting bits here and there. So, if you could stand violence, sexual, and racist scenes, then I would recommend that you read this book. If you can’t, that’s fine, as well.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Boundless

by Cynthia Hand

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.
Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.
As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.
In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

My thoughts: My home is you.

To be honest, the only reason why I kept on reading the Unearthly books was because of Clara’s and Tucker’s relationship. They made me smile because their love was as bright as Clara’s glory. And it honestly hurt my heart, when one of the ending scenes happened (hint it involves a lake and the other side). I also found this book a bit funny, because conveniently Tucker always shows up at his barn when Clara pops up. Though of course, it would have been more dramatic if one of Tucker’s other family members found Clara.

In fact, this book needed a bit more drama, because despite everything, it’s still going pretty well for Clara.
Oh, lucky you the other evil angel bloods haven’t found you, the other Stanford students aren’t at all suspicious of your Glory, you’re a pretty good fighter, etc. (A small collection of my thoughts as I was reading the book).

Overall, the book was a nice read because of Tucker’s and Clara’s love, (mainly) best friend relationship between Christian and Clara, and the interesting take on Hell and Heaven. However, this book was also a bit slow for me.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Beloved

by Toni Morrison

Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby.
Sethe was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. Her new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved.
Filled with bitter poetry and suspense as taut as a rope, Beloved is a towering achievement by Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison.

My thoughts: Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.
Before I even read the very first page of this book, I got chills. And it all started when my English teacher was talking about what this book was about, racism and the dehumanization of blacks. But what really chilled me, was the fact that Sixty Million and more people died during the Middle Passage. Innocent people, who were forced from their homes so they could be treated like objects in the new world.
As I continued to read the book, the chills only seemed to get stronger. Because of the terrible things the whites did to the blacks. And the creepiness of Beloved herself. She is definitely a character to not be messed with, because of her supernatural powers.
Overall, this book helped me see how sometimes physically dying would be better than dying spiritually, how in the south the blacks are treated like animals, and that it’s not healthy to repress the past or to dwell in it.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Twice Lost

by Sarah Porter

Mermaids have been sinking ships and drowning humans for centuries, and now the government is determined to put an end to the mermaid problem—by slaughtering all of them. Luce, a mermaid with exceptionally threatening abilities, becomes their number-one target, hunted as she flees down the coast toward San Francisco. There she finds hundreds of mermaids living in exile under the docks of the bay. These are the Twice Lost: once-human girls lost first when a trauma turned them into mermaids, and lost a second time when they broke mermaid law and were rejected by their tribes. Luce is stunned when they elect her as their leader. But she won’t be their queen. She’ll be their general. And they will become the Twice Lost Army—because this is war.

My thoughts: But a man's walking-around body can be a ghost a whole lot easier than his spirit can.

I found myself thinking about how we as humans just have this natural tendency to harm those who are slightly different from us. Whether it’s because of the color of our skin, our sexuality, our race, or what kind of species we are in this case. And, I couldn’t help but wonder why?

For this novel, the reason why humans are killing mermaids is because the mermaids were sinking ships, which caused the deaths of many. However, the mermaids were sinking ships, in revenge of what has happened to them, when they were once human. That’s right, the mermaids in this book were once humans, human girls in fact. But due to some traumatic event that no one should ever go through, they turn into mermaids. And like sirens, they sing people to their deaths.

Now, the mermaids are trying to change and not kill people with their voices. However, that’s a teensy bit hard when you’re in war, but they somehow managed it.

The Twice Lost also has a Disney’s Little Mermaid subplot going on here. However, the guy isn’t a prince, and he’s actually in love with the mermaid who saved him. And the mermaid herself doesn’t lose her voice nor does she go to a sea witch (human doctors) to turn back into a human. In fact, there’s quite a twist at the end that actually surprised me.

Overall, I like how this book focuses on a variety of relationships, such as romantic, platonic, familial, straight, and lesbian (though not as much as I would like). This book also shows what grief can do to a person. And it also breaks a common ending that’s found in most YA books, in which the main character and the love interest are together and more or less happy because everything is okay now.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

And now the weather:
Is There Anybody Out There by DANakaDAN ft Clara C

~ Stacy N.

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Oh my love

Oh my love for reading hasn't been going strong this month. College scholarships and FAFSA, is making me feel old. School is taking too much of my time. Sleep has been something that I avoid and crave at the same time. And youtube has been a constant distractor ever since I stumbled upon 365DaBand. However, I've managed to squeeze in some time to read for fun, but it's oftentimes for school.
So without further avoidance, here are the mini reviews for February.

Sinner

by Maggie Stiefvater

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

My thoughts: Isabel and Cole reminds me of my characters Eliza, Peter, Lana, and Parker. They’re wild and reckless, in a way. They also remind me of myself, especially Isabel. Just trying to be empty, but can’t. And when I was reading about Isabel’s and Cole’s relationship, I wasn’t quite satisfied. What annoyed me was that they didn’t communicate enough about what was going on in their own lives, and about why they were acting that way. Instead, they simply assumed or never questioned each other about what was happening in each other’s life, especially on Isabel’s part. And that eventually lead to reckless mistakes.
I’ve also noticed that Maggie Stiefvater likes fancy cars.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

by Stephen King

"Long live the King" hailed "Entertainment Weekly" upon the publication of Stephen King's "On Writing." Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King's advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 -- and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, "On Writing" will empower and entertain everyone who reads it -- fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

My thoughts: I know this has been said before, but Stephen King is a damn genius. As well as very honest. Unlike some of the other writing books that I’ve read in the past, this book was far from boring. It starts off with some of King’s past stories that helped shape him as a writer. And it’s funny or sad or joyful, depending on the story.

After that, came the writing process from when you first get an idea to the editing. And instead of covering everything there is to it, Stephen King goes for the main points. Such as how to deal with passive voice, how much you should edit out, and dialogue. And he’s concise about it too, because he doesn’t use a technical word on every page. Plus he still adds in comments about a few of his books and his life, with a writing voice that interests people. 

So definitely read this when you get the chance.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

by J.K. Rowling

The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.
And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.
But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone--or something--starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself. 

My thoughts: After reading a few pages, putting it off, read one or two more pages, and putting it off, I finally sat down yesterday after school and read it. And despite, already knowing what happens (thanks movie version), I still enjoyed the book. I like how J.K. Rowling doesn’t describe everything, making it nice to interpret the story my way. I also like how fast paced the story was. And it was nice to see the character development in Ginny. Going from a Harry Potter fangirl, to one who was able to recognize what Tom Riddle was making her do, and trying to tell Harry about it. It’s also nice to see Hermione swoon a bit over Lockhart, and breaking the rules. Because that shows that there’s more to Hermione, than someone who’s good at school. I also couldn’t help but feel bad for Harry because of all the abuse he’s getting from the Dursleys.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Sound and Sense

by Thomas R. Arp, Greg Johnson

There's no better way for you to learn about poetry and understand its elements than with PERRINE'S SOUND AND SENSE. Both a concise introduction to poetry and an anthology, this classic best-seller succinctly covers the basics of poetry with chapters on evaluating poetry, exemplary poetry selections that you'll enjoy reading, and exercises that help you understand each selection. Every poem included in this collection is not only a perfect illustration of the poetic concept at hand, but a remarkable work in its own right.

My thoughts: This was one of the many books that I had to read for my AP English Literature class this year. And it was, unsurprisingly, one of the more boring ones. However, it wasn’t like any other textbook that I’ve read. The author wrote it in a way that a typical person can understand it, with no big, fancy words on every page, and with very few technical terms. 

I also like some of the poems that were in there, even though figuring out their tone was hard. And it was nice to know that a poem can sometimes not have some special meaning. That a poem can be about eating blackberries, and that’s it. After all, the purpose of a poem is to communicate experience.

P.S. This book also made me realize, how much I don’t like annotating poetry, or writing essays about it. *Sighs*, I’m totally going to pass the poetry free response on the AP exam.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

And now the weather:
Oh My Love by 365DaBand (I can't help but find their English lyrics hilarious)
Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

~ Stacy N.

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January reviews

I got this idea from Nevillegirl from Musings From Neville's Navel, where she would occasionally post mini book reviews. And I thought I would join along as well. Except, I'm going to do it every month and quickly review the books I read in that month. Occasionally, there might be a full book review.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of the rise and fall, birth and death of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendía family. Inventive, amusing, magnetic, sad, and alive with unforgettable men and women--brimming with truth, compassion, and a lyrical magic that strikes the soul--this novel is a masterpiece in the art of fiction.

My thoughts: I love the magic that is found in this book. And I like how no one questions it. I love Úrsula Iguarán and how she is a strong leader who is still a mother with feelings. I also like how some of the women are not so inclined to make really stupid decisions. Unlike most of the men of this novel.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Why We Broke Up

by Daniel Handler, Maira Kalman

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

My thoughts: A light read that is therapeutic to a certain extent. It was very amusing to read some of the breakup stories from other authors in the end.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

City of Heavenly Fire

by Cassandra Clare

In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.
Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.
The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?
When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...
Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

My thoughts: This book gave me a lot of feels. And it made me realize that Jem is definitely one of my favorite male characters of all time.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Cress

by Marissa Meyer

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

My thoughts: I like how this book followed the original fairy tale, a bit better than the last two novels. Complete with the hair getting cut off and the love interest going blind. However, there is a Disney’s Tangled twist to it. Instead of a prince, Cress got a thief. This book also made me realize how much I love Kai and Cinder being together.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Glitches

by Marissa Meyer

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. In Glitches, a short prequel story to Cinder, we see the results of that illness play out, and the emotional toll that takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch…

My thoughts: It made me feel bad for Cinder. I just want to hug her.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Little Android

by Marissa Meyer

The Little Android is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles by New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.
When android Mech6.0 saves the life of a handsome hardware engineer, her body is destroyed and her mechanics discover a glitch in her programming. Androids aren’t meant to develop impractical reasoning or near-emotional responses…let alone fall in love.

My thoughts: I like how it follows the original fairy tale. However, there are still a few twists and turns.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Queen's Army

by Marissa Meyer

It is time. The boy must leave his family to serve in the Queen's army. To be chosen is an honor. To decline is impossible. The boy is modified. He is trained for several years, and learns to fight to the death. He proves to the Queen—and to himself—that he is capable of evil. He is just the kind of soldier the Queen wants: the alpha of his pack.

My thoughts: Very well written. A couple of the scenes made my stomach turn quite a bit.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky

by Marissa Meyer

A story about Carswell Thorne and Kate Fallow.

My thoughts: Carswell Thorne reminds me of Nikolai Lantsov from The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo. Except Nikolai actually has power but Carswell doesn’t have that much. I also like his littler self better than his older self, for some weird reason.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Seraphina: The Audition

by Rachel Hartman

The Audition is a free prequel to Seraphina available online. It takes place a few weeks prior to Seraphina, covering Seraphina Dombegh's audition to become Viridius's assistant and thus Glisselda's music tutor.

My thoughts: I like how Glisselda is smarter than what she lets on.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Tailor

by Leigh Bardugo

New scene from Shadow and Bone told from Genya's point of view.

My thoughts: This story made me feel bad for Genya. And at the same time make me dislike her quite a bit for what she does at the end. Even though, I kind of get why she does it.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Witch of Duva

by Leigh Bardugo

There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls...or so the story goes. But it’s just possible that the danger may be a little bit closer to home. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s debut novel, Shadow and Bone.

My thoughts: I like the plot twist. I also like how it shows some women as evil, but they have a good reason to be. And Magda turned out to be my favorite character, because she’s kind.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Too-Clever Fox

by Leigh Bardugo

In Ravka, just because you avoid one trap, it doesn't mean you'll escape the next. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s upcoming novel, Siege and Storm, the second book in the Grisha Trilogy.

My thoughts: I like how it doesn’t follow the typical gender roles. And I like how Leigh Bardugo uses loneliness as a weapon. Like what she did for the Darkling’s story, “The Demon in the Wood”.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Little Knife

by Leigh Bardugo

In this third Ravkan folk tale from Leigh Bardugo, a beautiful girl finds that what her father wants for her and what she wants for herself are two different things.
It is a companion story to the third book of the Grisha Trilogy, Ruin and Rising, and the stories “The Witch of Duva” and “The Too-Clever Fox.”

My thoughts: Yeva reminds me of Remedios the Beauty from One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. However, no one dies from Yeva’s beauty, as far as I know of. I like the plot twist, and how no one falls in love. Like the other two tales, “The Witch of Duva” and “The Too-Clever Fox”.  In fact, for all three of these tales, I like how it isn’t sexist like the original fairy tales. And I like how the women are smarter than the men, and aren’t as greedy or arrogant.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Brimstone and Marmalade

by Aaron Corwin

Just in time for Halloween, we have a funny, sweet, and slightly skewed short story by Aaron Corwin, an up-and-coming writer from Seattle.
All Mathilde wanted for her birthday was a pony. Instead, she got a demon. Sometimes growing up means learning that what you think you want is not always what you need.

My thoughts: I thought the demon, Ix’thor quite funny. And it made me a bit sad in the end.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

And now the weather:

Killer Whale by Smallpools

~ Stacy N.

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The Boy Who Never Grew Up

Peter Pan, the "boy who would not grow up," originally appeared as a baby living a magical life among birds and fairies in J.M. Barrie's sequence of stories, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. His later role as flying boy hero was brought to the stage by Barrie in the beloved play Peter Pan, which opened in 1904 and became the novel Peter and Wendy in 1911. In a narrative filled with vivid characters, epic battles, pirates, fairies, and fantastic imagination, Peter Pan's adventures capture the spirit of childhood-and of rebellion against the role of adulthood in conventional society. This edition includes the novel and the stories, as well as an introduction by eminent scholar Jack Zipes. Looking at the man behind Peter Pan and sifting through the psychological interpretations that have engaged many a critic, Zipes explores the larger cultural and literary contexts in which we should appreciate Barrie's enduring creation and shows why Peter Pan is a work not for children but for adults seeking to reconnect with their own imagination.

Spoilers are up ahead

(so proceed with caution)

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The top ten books that I've read in 2013

Note: There are spoilers up ahead as to the reasons why I chose these books to be on my top ten of 2013. So read with caution so as to not ruin the experience for you, if you’ve been planning to read the book. And many of these books are part of a series, so you will most likely not know what’s going on.

The Girl in the Wall by  Daphne Benedis-Grab

Ariel's birthday weekend looks to be the event of the season, with a private concert by rock star Hudson Winters on the grounds of her family's east coast estate, and all of Ariel's elite prep school friends in attendance. The only person who's dreading the party is Sera, Ariel's former best friend, whose father is forcing her to go. Sera has been the school pariah since she betrayed Ariel, and she now avoids Ariel and their former friends. Thrown together, Ariel and Sera can agree on one thing: this could be one very long night.
They have no idea just how right they are.
Only moments after the concert begins and the lights go down, thugs open fire on parents and schoolmates alike, in a plot against Ariel's father that quickly spins out of control. As the entire party is taken hostage, the girls are forced apart. Ariel escapes into the hidden tunnels in the family mansion, where she and Sera played as children. Only Sera, who forges an unlikely alliance with Hudson Winters, knows where her friend could be. As the industrial terrorist plot unravels and the death toll climbs, Ariel and Sera must recall the sisterhood that once sustained them as they try to save themselves and each other on the longest night of their lives.

Why: I like the process of how the two best friends make up. Instead of putting them through some guy trouble or something trivial like that, the author puts them in a life threatening situation where the two best friends are forced to work together to save everyone, and along the way they realize why they’re best friends with each other in the first place. I love how Ariel doesn't end up with anyone at the end of the novel because he dies along the way, which sounds very harsh once I write it down. But, it’s annoying how main characters in most novels now days just have to be in some kind of a romantic relationship by the end of the book. Even though being single is a pretty cool thing to be. I also love how the celebrity, Hudson Winters, isn’t a shallow person but a complex, three-dimensional human being. Because it shows you how celebrities are normal people as well, only with some fame behind them.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.

Why: Five reasons: 1) I love reading historical fiction novels with dragons in them. 2) The main character, Seraphina, isn’t completely human. 3) Rachel Hartman carves out the world with each page, making you feel like you’re actually there. 4) The romance subplot starts out slowly. So by the time the kiss comes, you’re not feeling so overwhelmed because it came on too quickly and lustily. 5) Kajf ;adfljsalp

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Vanity, not love, has been my folly
When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited, while he struggles to remain indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.

Why: Jane Austen writes in such an eloquent way that you can’t help but sigh because it’s so pretty. The romance that happens between Jane and Bing is adorable. I also like how Darcy starts out as an unlikeable jerk but he learns how to overcome it and become a gentleman in the end. I also like how Elizabeth Bennet is smart, witty, caring, and prejudiced, which she slowly breaks down throughout the story. And here’s a fun fact, Jane Austen was going to title the book First Impressions, but decided against it instead.

Light by Michael Grant

It's been over a year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

In the time since everyperson over the age of fourteen disappeared from the town of Perdido Beach, California, countless battles have been fought: battles against hunger and lies and plague, and epic battles of good against evil. And now, the gaiaphage has been reborn as Diana's malicious mutant daughter, Gaia. Gaia is endlessly hungry for destruction. She yearns to conquer her Nemesis, Little Pete, and then bend the entire world to her warped will. As long-standing enemies become allies, secrets are revealed and unexpected sacrifices are made. Will their attempts to save themselves and one another matter in the end, or will the kids of Perdido Beach perish in this final power struggle?

Why: This is an emotional book, because I kept on coming back to the fact that everyone who was in the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone) are just kids. And they survived one of the worst things imaginable. They had to deal with wars, monsters, starvation, and many other horrors that should never exist. And it’s not something to laugh about either. So congrats to Michael Grant for accurately portraying them not as happy kids who continue living a normal life once they got out of that hell, but as kids who now has PTSD or just kids who aren’t really kids anymore because their childhood has been forcibly removed from them.

Another reason why I like this book is because Caine was able to redeem himself in the end. He was able to prove to himself and to others that he can change. Unlike some people who continued on being monsters till the very end. And I’m glad that since it was Little Pete who started it all, he was the one to end it all as well. However, it made me sad knowing that he’s not coming back because of his decision. 

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer 

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Why: I love how the characters are portrayed in this book. For example, I like how Emperor Kai is doing what he thinks is right for his country even if he doesn't want to do it. I also like how he still cares about Cinder, despite the fact that she messed up along the way. I love how there’s a Little Red Riding Hood (which is my favorite fairy tale by the way), who goes by the name Scarlet and who’s pretty kickass, because she doesn’t depend on anyone. And she also loves her grandmother very much. And I love how the wolf is an antihero in this story. I also love how Carswell Thorne’s relationship with Cinder isn’t romantic, but it’s more like they’re friends. Proving that heterosexual guys and girls can indeed be friends.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare 

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Why: I love how Gabriel Lightwood changes throughout the story, becoming a better person. I love how Will finally decides to visit his parents, after so many years. However, I hate how Cassandra Clare made us think that Jem was dead but in the end he turned into a Silent Brother and then eventually back to his healthy self. Which created a lot of worry and heartbreak for many of us. I also love Gideon's and Sophie's relationship, because it's like fuck the social norms, I'm going to marry her even though I'm higher in rank because I love her. I also like how the love triangle wasn't like the typical love triangle you would find in most stories, because they all love each other equally. Plus, Tessa does end up with both at one point or another in history, making it a pretty unique love triangle.

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

Why: This is one of the few second books in a series where it doesn’t make the story slump. It, just like the first book stayed pretty well written till the very end. I love how Karou and Akiva don’t end up staying together because Akiva betrayed her. However, they still like each other despite all that. It made me sad to know that, Karou’s father figure Brimstone died. And how he isn’t there to help guide her through a new stage in her life. I like how in order to do magic you need pain to do it. I also love learning about Karou’s past life, the life when she was Madrigal. I love how smart Zuzana is, and how she’s willing to drag her boyfriend to go find her best friend through an email that was never meant to be interpreted. Because she cares, plus she’s also pretty cool with the fact that her best friend isn’t entirely human and that she doesn’t really deal with humanly stuff. I like how some plans just doesn’t quite work out in a way, like killing your father. And I love how Ziri is willing to pretend to be the giant dictator jackass, Thiago, just to make things go Karou’s way. Even though it’s going to be quite hard for Ziri to be a jerk because he’s such a nice and fun loving guy

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo 

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

Why: The number one reason why I love the book is because of the world itself. It’s dark, creepy, and scary. It’s unlike any other fictional or un-fictional universe that I have ever been in. I also love the fact that Alina and Mal never make it far on the other side of the Fold before getting caught because of their recklessness on spending valuables that should only be used for emergencies. Which isn’t a surprise because they’re cartographers/soldiers, not people who know how to survive in a new place while trying to run away from the Darkling. Another reason why I like this book is because of Alina’s struggle with her powers and how she wants more. Which in turn affects her relationship with Mal (as well as with Sturmhond in a way). And speaking of Sturmhond, I like how he’s smart, charming, handsome, and wise enough to know when a bad decision is made (unlike his older brother). Plus, he’s willing to do more as a prince that doesn’t just include lying around all day and frivolously spending money on useless items. I also like how the Grisha are breaking down their social order, in order to work together as a whole. I love how chilling the monsters were. And how the Darkling is alive but weak because he's literally giving himself in a way to make these monsters. Also, I love the unexpected plot twist in the end.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (I'm going to tweak this a little and include the other two books The Arctic Incident, and The Eternity Code. 

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories—they're dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical adventure.

Why: I love how the main character, Artemis Fowl, is a criminal mastermind. That isn’t something that you see too often in any kind of book. I also like how he’s slowly starting to care for other people that isn’t Butler. I also love how kickass Holly is and how she's the only female Captain part of the LEPrecon unit. Proving to you that girls are just as tough as guys. I love the fantasy element in the books, and how everything goes wrong or takes an unexpected turn. I also like how there isn’t a romance subplot in the books, but you can still see that Holly cares for Artemis Fowl in a way.

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same.
Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life.
Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

Why: This is another second book in a trilogy where it doesn’t lag. And just like the first book, the romance subplot is there but it’s not heavily acted upon. I love how Gansey’s relationship with Blue starts to evolve into something a little bit more (much to my disappointment at first). And I love seeing a whole other side of Gansey that doesn’t involve being all that overly enthusiastic about his search for Glendower. I was also a bit scared of Adam, ever since he sacrificed himself in the first book. It also didn’t help that he had sudden urges of anger that he was barely able to control. But despite the fact that he was unbalanced, he was able to correct it and reawaken the ley line again. I also like how this book focused more on Ronan turning into a three dimensional character with actual reasons for what he did, instead of assumptions made by the reader. I also like how he's gay and the book doesn't focus on it at all, because his sexuality doesn't really apply to what's happening in the plot. Like how your sexuality doesn’t apply all that much to what’s happening in your own life, because all that matters are the memories you made and the experiences you earned. I also love how dreams were involved in this story, and how everything in Ronan’s life was or is a dream product created by his dad.
Surprisingly, I like the romantic relationship that plays out between Mr. Gray and Maura. And how Mr. Gray, despite being a hit man, is human and knows what's right and what's wrong and is willing to act upon it. And I love the magic that’s in the book, only its magic that deals with ley lines and psychics, and dreams, and not the kind that you would find on a stage filled with taking bunnies out of hats and making change appear out of your ear.

~ Stacy N.

P.S. I may have been fangirling one too many times while writing this post. 

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hello again.

School: My current classes include AP US History, chemistry HN, AP calculus, and accounting, which only occur on A-days. As for the B-days, the rest of the classes are painting, AP calculus again, math Lab (aka study hall), and English HN.

Some clubs I joined so far are FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), and Think in Ink (a creative writing club).

How I’m faring so far: I’m pretty fine, a little disorganized when it comes to school work. The school I’m going to is not that bad but it has a small library, which I don’t like at all.

My current cravings: French fries, always French fries. It seemed to have developed when I moved to the city to live with my older sister, and it won’t leave.

Anyone special: I did have a crush but like most of my crushes in the last few years, it flew away on a breeze towards the land called, You’re Not My Type.

Last book I’ve read: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen. It’s a pretty good book but I would have to give it three out of five stars because the main character’s romance with the tourist seemed too fast, but of course it was a summer romance. And the tourist took a cheese grater and started grating my nerves throughout the whole book, I was glad when he didn't get what he wanted and disappeared.  

Life in general: I miss home. Home as in the house I grew up in, in the town that I've known for much of my life. I miss my cat. I miss my dad and mom and my little brother. I miss physically talking to my friends, and just having friends in general (my shyness seems to have grown since going to my new school). And I miss the library there (both my old school library and the public one).

What I hate: my older sister’s narrow-mindedness. The fact that school starts to early. The fact that my self-motivation broke in my sixteen years and eleven months. The fact that the libraries are too far away. And the fact that I was in a reading slump* for a while.

What I like: I like how my school is pretty diverse and how there are more clubs. I like how I’m starting to get out of my reading slump. I like how it’s finally autumn and the trees are barely changing colors. I like the characters from the anime Free! (but I don’t like how I have to wait till next summer for the new season). I like that I’m getting a phone soon. And I like that I’m blogging again.

What I hope for: College, being on my own, more books, more money, and probably a boyfriend.

Music:

Somebody Loves You by Betty Who

Sunday Morning Stasis by Joseph Fink

This too Shall Pass by Danny Schmidt 

Killing Me Softly by Chad Sugg

Back Then by B Story

*reading slump: a period of time when you don't feel like reading.

P.S. Thanks for sticking with me or technically blog.

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