Panic by Lauren Oliver:ARC Review *spoilers

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.
Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.
Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.
For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

Panic was a good book. It is named for the game "Panic" played in the small town of Carp, and serves as the center for the plot line to revolve around. I wasn't quite sure what my feelings to this book would be but I decided that I liked it. I've read works of Lauren Oliver before including Before I Fall and her Delirium trilogy. Before I Fall is classified as one of the best young adult books I've ever read. I loved the fact that it never diverted away from its purpose even though it was highly tempting to root for the romantic possibility instead of the necessary one. It was a lesson teaching book. However, Oliver's Delirium trilogy was a miss for me. I didn't like it particularly and found it to be slightly bland. It was a good trilogy but I certainly didn't love it or have been able to retain much of the plot details after breezing through it for good, quick read.Panic was good though. I find it to be a medium between these works of Oliver that have read. I found it's character to be more similar to Before I Fall in it's style and purpose.

The plot of Panic was very fascinating. I find that I have never read anything quite like it. It had a slight connection/similarity to the idea in the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins in the aspect of a dangerous, possibly life threatening game being played by the characters of the novel. The plot line of the story was well connected but at parts I would find myself confused at what had happened or what is going on. There is a lot of names and characters introduced and since it is about various aspects of the game and the outside story I found Panic to be hard to follow at times. At some points I had to pause and reread to make sure I got what had happened.

Panic is not a romantic read, just so you know, though there are very, very light tints of in weaved in the plot line; it is never a major part of the plot line- like a light sprinkle. I figured we'd clear that up in case you were hoping for something romantic to happen like in Before I Die or Delirium. It is much lighter in romance then either of Oliver's previous books. However, the characters are still paired off in the end but I found that to be a little forced and off. There was never much romantic development between either of the two matched pairs ( Heather and Bishop, Dodge and Nat). Heather and Bishop's relationship is excused by me as they are described to be childhood friends, etc. so mild development was okay. At least it was logically assumable. Dodge and Nat, however, just felt sleazy. Dodge's thoughts of Nat does come off a bit stalkerish and Nat isn't shown to be a very good person/character. They seem to each use the other for a part of personal benefit: Nat-the money pot, Dodge- connection, love, etc.

One flaw I found in Panic was that there seems to be holes in the plot/story. The town of Carp, where the Panic takes place, is described to be a small town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere. The game of Panic is said to be a hundred year old tradition of this town. If this game was to have lasted for so long and this town to be a small town mostly populated by generations of people living in the same place, I found it questionable that the police had to question and dig so hard to find information about the game of Panic. Like the first part of the game, Panic, called "The Jump", it is said that this part/first trial has always been tradition. As it is tradition, wouldn't it be highly likely that someone in the police force would have grown up at Carp's high school and know about this destined first trial, making the police force very capable and knowledgeable in stopping this dangerous game? I don't find that all this fuss about stopping the Panic should have been so greatly mentioned in the plot line if it's set in a traditional small town and is a tradition. It makes for a very large and questionable hole.

Overall, Panic was a descent read. I had a intriguing plot line and good characters. I don't think I've ever read a book quite like it but I find it similar to books with the theme of a dangerous game and winning. I say its worth a read and is well written but I will not say it is one of my favorites. I also wouldn't call it a light read either as it kept me at the edge of my seat at some points. I'd save Panic for a night when you need a read with a little kick to it but won't stress you out.

Cotton? I think not.

March and still snowing in Virginia. 

Just look at these pictures! It's happy, flowering spring here in lovely Bay Area and a winter wonderland on the opposite coast.

These pictures were all taken outside the US Patent Office in Washington D.C. 

They have a pretty snazzy outside I must say.

Be honest, this totally looks like a field of the cotton plant.

Close up and it still looks like cotton. What is this magical winterness!

A larger perspective.

I particularly like this photo. It's just so clean and simple.
The red of the chairs offer a stark contrast to the blatant white of the snow. 

This photo was taken outside the US Patent office building at their outside lunch area I believe.
The lightly topped snow upon the umbrellas and tables give it such a clean feel.

Chairs and Snow. Simple but somehow still rather appealing.

The Falconer by Elizabeth May: ARC Review *Spoilers

Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.
Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.
But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?

The Falconer turned out to be a better read than I expected it to be. First approaching it my reaction to this book was not good. When I read the back cover the first line that struck me was "She's a stunner". I immediately felt like this female character was set for perfection. I don't like my characters perfect. It is the foibles and the flaws that give the character character. Ailena, however, doesn't exploit her beauty. Her beauty is simply a factual presence in the story and is not used to heighten the story's plot line and move the story along. This  was much appreciated by me.

To be bluntly honest, the main reason I picked up this book was due to it's cover. Shame on me for once again judging a book by its cover but lets be honest, it is a pretty cool cover. I like how clean it looks. All the lines and edges of the image is crisp. The cut of the image is also great, featuring just enough of the heroine and plot of the story to give the reader a glimpse of what type of novel he or she is getting into.

In regards to the texture and plot of the book, I thought it was pretty well drawn out. I didn't find the book to be "spectacular" in the aspect of never having seen such a plot line, but it was certainly enjoyable as a light read with some built in anticipation, drama, intrigue, fantasy, etc. I'll admit that there were some unique aspects of the book, so don't take it as there is nothing-like its completely cliche- cause its not. It just as the same feel as a lot of fairy, fantasy novels.

Aileana is further explained in the book to be a Falconer: a descendant of a long line of female fairy hunters. The name is derived from the fact Falconers are able to mentally connect with a/their personal falcon and see through its eyes, thus a Falcon-er. She is also explained to be the last remaining Falconer (as of this point), which I found to be a bit cliche in the plot aspect but I was okay with-whatever to make the plot intriguing. She had the traditional girl and guy best friend ( a fairy in this case) along with a classic childhood love interest which surprisingly turned out not the be interested in her and she him! ( Magic! I know! I pray this doesn't change and turn into a love triangle. I can't stand love triangles. (There are exceptions.) They kill me.)

This book was certainly not heavy on the romance, which I rather enjoyed. There were some subtle parts that I could sense something going on between Aileana and Kiaran, her fairy trainer (classically dark, mysterious, and handsome) that I believe is her main love interest, that I feel would be further developed in the series as The Falconer is part of a trilogy. It was light, kind of like icing on the cake to the main plot. I find it irritating when one has the two lead characters fall in love instantly. Then the novel looses all opportunity to develop and go deeper, tormenting the reader for that final sweet moment of romantic expressal. *the sigh of the climax
I am, however, a bit concerned how this possible romance between the two leads is going to work out. Kiaran, as I stated previously, is a fairy that doesn't age. Even though Aileana is a Falconer, so slightly unique, this difference doesn't grant her immortality. I'm rather intrigued by this and I hope to find out. I just pray it won't be tragically beautiful like the end of Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices series. I loved Cassandra Clare's ending to that series, I'd just rather not suffer the emotional heartache that came with it.

Also, the case of the murder of Aileana's mother was very cleverly explained- I must say. At first I thought it would be a small part of the story line to aid the plot development. Instead, it turned out to have had effect on the plot explaining how Aileana came to be who she is now. Overall I liked the development of this aspect of the plot. It wasn't bland and milked for plot because it could have been. It made sense and tied in with the story cleanly.

Overall, this The Falconer was descent and I liked it when I read through it. I would say if you had time to go pick it up and read it. It certainly won't do you no harm and maybe you'll really like it! I'm just so immune do to the novels from English that I'm immune to love stories and fantasy right now.... All I can think about is free will and Cassius. *Julius Caesar you kill my brain
Anyways, read The Falconer. I recommend it. Not heavy and not filled with cheese. And let me state again, the cover is beautiful.

Quotes and Poems 1

I believe it worse to be a hypocrite than a simpleton easily swayed.

2/12/14

*courtesy of my sister
Sweet potatoes are not yams, I don't know why, but they're not.
2/15/14

*courtesy of my sister

"Artists are pissy all the time because they have their moments of inspiration at night and then they have to stay up all day."

2/23/14

Let me see the light again;

let me breath the air.

Let me see the sun again,

but I'm afraid they're all there.

I guess it is my fault then,

that I have but cannot touch.

To see the world so clear

yet continue to sit in musk.

2/24/14

Why is it that I bother, 

to hold myself so high?

When the whole world is a bowing,

a withering,

a sigh.

Why is it I'm burdened, 

with unrelenting pride. 

A pride that keeps my flying,

but not to a higher high.

Instead I am flying,

but to a darker hell.

The hell of will and wisdom;

the hell of a solitary mind;

I will not- cannot- live a lie. 

so a lonely life for me.

Perhaps a sad and selfish one,

but at least I live as I.

2/25/14

Spring!

Happy Spring!

The Cherry Tree blossoms are from outside my house. I thought I'd share them cause they are pretty. It's hard to believe time has flew so fast that we're already out of winter and into spring.

I know the pictures aren't the best, but at least they're nice enough for one to enjoy the flowers!

I know that the following aren't Cherry Blossoms (they're wisteria buds) but I thought they looked pretty cool and worthy of picturing. I think the first one looks like a knight with his helmet armor on and his feathers on the back (the leaves). 

A knight of King Arthur!

I like how this is a dainty mixture of the past year and the new (the old dried leaf from last year with the fresh bud of this year's spring).

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly: A Review *Spoilers

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break. 
PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn't escape.
Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Beautiful. If I had more words to describe this book it would be: Beautiful. If I had more, I'd say: raw, gorgeous, touching, heart-wrenching. This book was a journey in itself to read. I felt each chapter could have been taken and turned into its own little short story and stand alone perfectly fine. This book left me breathless at the end of every chapter. I literally would stop and pause to reflect at the glory of the words in the previous chapter before moving on. The ideas, feelings, and thoughts expressed in Revolution are highly connectable. I feel everyone could identify with at least some idea in this novel

I am so ashamed that I did not read this earlier. How many times have I walked past this book and not realized what I treasure I had been missing out on. It was only because I passed by a copy of Revolution with a different cover did I pick it up to read this time round at the library. I had blankly no idea it was the same book I had walked past on the shelf for the past three years of my life. The shame of truly judging a book by its cover. *sigh I thought I was better than this.

This book harbored a simple uniqueness to it that I found highly appealing and interesting. The set/ presentation of the story simply flowed together. There was no rush for the plot to occur, it just magically laid itself out. Going through the book, I felt no forced plot line just a natural coherence and blending of all the ideas presented. The book was also set in three parts. It paralleled Dante's work the Divine Comedy as its sections were named: Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. These three sections, clearly reflect the goings in the novel as the main character Andi goes from lost to found.

The main character Andi is a smart and real character. I was very glad she along with the rest of the book's cast was not dumbed down to the usual Young Adult, romance, genre. Just because I would like to read a book of the YA romance type, does not mean I seek brainless chick lit. I appreciate the success and appeal of a well developed cast of characters in a novel. Each character of Revolution could have been pulled out and written into their own separate story. I felt Andi's interaction with each of them was merely, her touching each of their lives while they move forward in their own separate tales.

I am a history fanatic and the amount of accurate history and facts in Revolution was astounding. It made me very satisfied. Sometimes novels screw up historical fact, and other factual information  (unintentionally of course) which instantly irritates me. I like my history accurate and my facts clean. I think the accuracy in the research of an author reflects how much heart and effort she or he has put it. I feel writing a book is like raising a child. If you truly want the child to succeed you would make all best attempts to give the child the best possible foundation to set off in the right direction. This reflects to one's dedication in achieving the most accurate factual base for a historical fiction to build off of.

Also, the story of Alex's entwined fate with Louis Charles was killer. I could almost say her story was the most beautiful part of the book. The grace, passion, honor, and dignity shown in her character rings the word revolution. Alex was a character representation of what revolution is. I could cry every time I read the words Jennifer Donnelly placed into her mouth.

I also really appreciated the fact that Donnelly did not condemn the royal family: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and their two children. She represented them as earthly people, who made human mistakes. It was simply fate and life that led to their destiny. They were not villains, just innocents blinded by luxury. And the poor, poor dauphin Louis Charles! A little boy whose heart lives on in a jar. *sigh, I tell you, history is but a big book of romanced tragedy.

The best part, however, of this book was defiantly it's beautiful flow of words. It could be easily called not a novel but a collection of many glorious quotes. These quotes reflected humor, life, truth, melancholy,etc. and are all heartrendingly beautiful. Reading this book, I  wished that I owned it instead of it being a library copy because I desperately wanted to highlight and annotate this book. I ended up pulling all my favorite quotes and placing them on a separate post as there were so many. I highly encourage anyone to go check it out. The word's tragic honesty will rip your heart out. click here

Revolution conveyed a perfect story. It told so many stories apart from Andi's journey and touched upon many issues that could easily be reflected into the lives of a growing teenager. I would consider this book a painting crammed with the essence of the writer: of the world. I highly recommend this read. It's not heavy, like a classic novel, yet it harbors depth in meaning and beauty in literature.

The Coincidence of a Cookie?

I am not a particularity superstitious person. However, I am one that at times do believe that your previous actions can influence later coincidences in life. 

Lately, due to exhaustion to the point of deliriousness from English and also the glory of Roman history, it has occurred to me that I would make a great tyrant. (This of course is a joke.) My friend remarked upon my self righteous comment and stated if I ever became a tyrant then Canada would suffer over population. :) Apparently, I'd be horrid. 

Anyways, so the conversation passed, however, a few days later I received a fortune cookie. Upon opening it, I find my fortune to be this: 

I don't particularly know now to respond to this somehow magical moment of fate. Is the heavens really mocking me, with my friends? I have no response to this, but I will definitely be keeping this fortune. It is so harsh and matches the definition of the makings of a tyrant perfectly. What is fate! The tragic humor of this scenario is just not okay. The coincidence is just too perfect. :)