Happy Valentines Day and Other Things

Happy Valentines Day!I've decided that it's time share my favorite love quotes of all time. It's below, spoken by the handsome and charming Mr. Darcy.



And I also found a lovely video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDMh6xrlTM8 

It's also Single Awareness Day, did ya know?

SAD is a satirical holidal celebrated also on the 14th, the same day as Valentines Day. It's an alternative day (on the same day) for people who are single. It was created by the people who disdained Valentines Day as a "Hallmark holiday." The best way to celebrate SAD is to hang out with other single people and celebrate life and friendship, not romance. It's still a day of love. Also somethin' interesting is that singles are supposed to wear green (opposite of red). I wore a green shirt today, which makes sense because I'm single, and I'm PROUD of it. Anyways, what I'm sayin' here is that the 14th is a day for EVERYONE to celebrate love.

So Happy Single Awareness Day yall! For questions go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katie-campbell/singles-awareness-day_b_1266717.html

Now moving on. I want to talk about the massacre. I don't know why; I just do. okay? Okay, good. I mean, don't you want to know some of the HISTORY?! I found out about the massacre from the tv show Bones, which happens to my fav tv show.

In 1929, Al Capone and his gang got in a fight with a rival Irish gang in Chicago. Seven people were killed. The massacre turned the government's attention to the violence in Chicago, and ultimately was the building block to Capone's downfall.

That's all I have to write. It's 9:37. I'm going to bed. Going to get a drink of water and blow dry my hair. And finish my homework. If you want to know more about the massacre google search "valentines day massacre."

Love ya all, love Rachel

Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright

Now, I'm not really a fan of murder mysteries. But combine murder with werewolves, demons, and shapeshifters, and some fairie blood--and you get Fire Baptized. It's the story of Lanore, who sees a murder on her way home from university. Then bodies start showing up in her apartment. There's also her two lovers--Zulu: ambitious, daring, dangerious, future-oriented, leader of Mixies for Equality, and Meshack: present-oriented, hot and sexy, sings in a rock band, and lives with Lanore. Lanore is half demon-half fairie. Zulu is half fairie half were. Meshack is half were and half cheetah, so yes a were-cheetah. So very interesting, right? Well, yeah it is. Lanore's life and her heart are both on the line in this thriller. It's fast-paced and exhilarating. Especially all the relationship issues and tension between the three of them. I can't wait to read the next book!

Note: I recieved this book for free from the author. This in no way influenced my review.         

Follow Friday--February 10th, 2012

Q: What would your prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

A: DEFINITELY my favorite book over and over again! I don't like mediocre books. Readin10 would surely bore me to death. And I always love hanging out with Melina Marchetta's characters in Jellicoe Road:)

Please comment below! There is a new button for this new (see above) as compared to the other ones. I would click it, because as part of the hop, we're supposed to follow the hosts and the feature blogs. That's all! Have a good Friday!

Roam, To Come and Go like Magic, Keys to the Castle

Roam is the story of Nelson, from birth to life, and about the humans and other animals' lives he enters. He's a half beagle and half poodle with odd white markings on his face. When Katey picks him at the pet store, he becomes hers. Katey becomes his Great Love and his life would be perfect spent entirely by her side. But Nelson's nose guides him out the gate one day, and there's not much Nelson loves more than to follow a scent. Over the course of eight years, Nelson travels from New Hampshire to California. He travels back and forth with Thatcher, a truck driver. He stays in a small town to be with Lucy, a female dog looking for her Great Love. He fights off a coyote for her. He loses his leg in a terrible accident, but is cared for by the vets, and also killed in the pound. He runs to the wolves and because a member of the pack. In California, he is adopted by a father and his young son. And finally, he is reunited with Katey.

I thought Roam was an excellent personification of a dog's life as a stray. It's a realistic portrayal and does not exaggerate a bit. Roam shows how every living thing is connected. But ulimately, it's a story of how dogs love humans. My dog Maddie passed away in October. It's been lonely without her.

Other notes: I loved how Katey spelled her name. And there's a dog named Lola. I just think Lola is such a fun name. Lola, Lola. Like the song. There's also music that I didn't listen to, but would recommend anyways. I wanted to listen to it, but you need something else for it, so I didn't. But I would have if I could have! (yall knows the saying!)



Twelve year old Chileda (aka Chili) Sue Mahony has always lived in Mercy Hill, Kentucky. She loves living there, but also wants to leave, doesn't want roots. Or at least she thinks she doesn't. When Miss Matlock returns to Mercy Hill and teaches English, she really teaches geography. See, she left for a couple of years to travel the world. Welfare child, Willie Bright, and Chili often go visit Miss Matlock, esp during the summer. They learn together, but Chili has to come to her own judgments about the past, the future, leaving and letting go, or staying. Chili loses her best friends, Ginny and Prissy, but makes new ones. She even gets her first kiss and clears out a plot and plants a garden. She dances with her cousin Lenny, and goes fishing with her Uncle Lu. Everyone she knows, even the annoying boy with a crush on her and her very pregnant Aunt Mimi will teach her something over the course of the summer. And Chili will make decisions and choices that will impact whether or not she can come and go.

At it's core, To Come and Go Like Magic is a buildingsroman. The people in this book are carefully crafted and have a lot of wisdom to share. I love the way it's written in vignettes, which make is so much more beautiful. That's really what it is. A beautiful novel. I enjoyed it, because I am so much like Chili. I don't know what I want, but I think I do. I,too, want to come and go like magic. I want to travel the world. I will. I know I will. But I also have roots, and I'm not afraid to settle down in one place. Because in all of us there is a place called home.




Sara Graves was a forty-something year old workaholic when she met Daniel, a French poet. They married at settled on St. John Island, North Carolina. I want to go there; I'm in love with islands. Back to the book. Sara is deeply in love with Daniel, but three weeks after their marriage he dies in a tragic accident. He leaves her a 400 year old castle in the Loire Valley. I also want to go there. It's in France the estate is called Chateau Rondelais. Sara falls in love with it, and with the Daniel's best friend, Ash, who is a lawyer and questions her every move. Sara enjoys her time, but reality soon hits. Alyssa. Daniel's five year old daughter that Sara never knew about. When Alyssa is left alone, it is Sara who cares for her. Together Sara, Ash, and Alyssa have the chance to form their own family together. If Ash can put aside his pride and stop being so overbearing. If Sara can stop letting Daniel hurt her. If she can forgive and move on? If they can work together for Alyssa's future and the future of Rondelais.

I would say Keys to the Castle is an average book. It's what I expected it to be. I do have a few comments, though. First, I desperately want to visit the Loire Valley now. Second, the characters are realistic in this book, but are not necessarily honest. Third, I wish there was more of Daniel. I as the reader did not get a good sense of his character. Sara is such a determined woman, very much the hero of this book. Overall, this was an average book. Not special or unique but not terrible either. Hopefully, I'll be reading something a little bit better sooner.

The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers

Dynah Carey has been a Christian her whole life, even going to a Christian college. She has her life planned out: graduate from college, marry her boyfriend Ethan, and lead a church with him. Her plans are violently disrupted when she is raped one night. Then she's pregnant. Kicked out of school, Dynah heads for home in California. Her boyfriend, Ethan, is angry, and Dynah feels defiled, no longer pure. Unable to bear the weight of their relationship, Dynah breaks off their engagement. At home, ...more Dynah Carey has been a Christian her whole life, even going to a Christian college. She has her life planned out: graduate from college, marry her boyfriend Ethan, and lead a church with him. Her plans are violently disrupted when she is raped one night. Then she's pregnant. Kicked out of school, Dynah heads for home in California. Her boyfriend, Ethan, is angry, and Dynah feels defiled, no longer pure. Unable to bear the weight of their relationship, Dynah breaks off their engagement. At home, her parents' relationship is torn apart. Dynah's father wants her to have an abortion, like Ethan wanted. Her mother had an abortion with the man she was with before Dynah's father. It was hard for her to have a child. Hannah and Douglas have never fully forgiven themselves and each other for it. Evie, Dynah's grandma, wants her to have and keep the baby. It's hard for Dynah to make her decision, and struggles to listen to God's voice among so many others that influence and pressure her. Ultimately, the choice is life or death for Dynah's child. The Atonement Child adresses the issue of abortion and what God says about it. God has a plan for everthing that happens to us. He wants what's best for us, but we have to trust him, listen and obey. Dynah is my favorite character in this novel. She tries to discern God's will for her life and must surrender her plans to his. Despite the traumatic and terrible events that shook Dynah's life, she stands on the Rock that will never move. I really liked this novel, but it is really sad. I would like to work for a pro-life company one day. There are many lies about abortion and women should know that it's going to hurt them. God gave us the atonement child, Jesus. We just have to accept his love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Crossed by Ally Condie

Summary (from Good Reads):


In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.


Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Crossed is the sequel to Matched, and picks up where Matched left off. Ky is at a work camp in the outer provinces. Cassia is also at a work camp, with girls who are Abberations. She still has Xander's gifts and still feels for both him and Ky. When Xander visits her, When the girls are taken there, Cassia finds that Ky has escaped into the the Carving, taking his friend Vick, and a younger boy Eli with him. Cassia takes along her friend Indy and together they decide to find Ky and the Rising, the rebellion against the Society. They run into an abandoned town with paintings, a town where Ky's father used to visit. There, a man Hunter helps them out. In return, he takes them to a place called the Cavern--where tissue samples of people, dead and living are. The Society is even in the Carving. They are reaching outside to the wilderness, which makes it all the more dangerous for Ky and Cassia. Even as Cassia finds Ky, they are separated by his desire to go with Hunter to the mountains and live with the other townspeople. To live with his father's kin. But Cassia is determined to go to the Rising along with Indie. To follow the river or cross to the mountains, that is the choice. And Ky has a secret that could destroy everything he and Cassia have worked so hard for. SPOILERS I just have to say this. The choices that others make, and the surreal wilderness makes gives the impression that nothing is as it seems. When they reach the Rising, there is no going back.

Like Matched, Crossed is very, very interesting. All of the allusions incorporated give it life and meaning. I liked the poems, the paintings, all the history in the abandoned town, and learning about Ky's past. I even liked getting to hear Ky's voice, but was disappointed that is sounded like Cassia's so much that I could hardly tell the difference. Indie, Vick, and Eli are strong secondary characters, esp Indie. All of them, even Hunter, have their own stories and experiences to help them (and the others) in their crossings. I LOVE Xander, and I truly hope he and Cassia end up together. This is just my opinion, but I think Ally Condie favors Ky. After all they are the true starcrossed lovers. I learned something about Xander in this book that made me think Cassia and Xander might have a chance. I've also had an issue that it's like Cassia forgets about Xander when she sees Ky's face on her match card. The main problem with Crossed is that there are NO answers. Here are some of my own questions below.

Perhaps someone knows the answer? Why can't Ky say the words for Vic? (pg 191) How did Eli's parent's die? (pg 171) Why was Eli sent to the Outer Provinces? (pg 171) What's the deal with the Cavern? (chapter 32) How can Indie be in love with Xander? (pg 305) Is there a real reason Xander goes to Camas? (pg 34) What is Ky's compact worth? (pg 31) Who is the Enemy? Why would the Society lie about the blue tablets? (pg 42) Why is the Society sending them to the Outer Provinces? (pg 84) What is the deal with the boy who helped Cassia and Indie and then died in the Cavern? (pg 98/99) What about the people who were killed on top of the Carving? (pg 143/144) What happened to Laney and her family? (pg 173/174)

For those of you who have read Crossed, maybe you know something I don't. Comments and answers are appreciated.

Next time: Quotes and more on Crossed. Got to go, Bye! Rachel

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

 
Summary (from Good Reads):

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recolection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is empty.
But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don's know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as anyone can remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, for just as long, they've closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the Maze after dark.
The Gladers were expecting Thomas' arrival. But the next day, a girl is sent up- the first girl ever to arrive at the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might find their way home... wherever that may be. But it's looking more and more as if the Maze is unsolvable.
And something about the girl's arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers- if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

When Thomas arrives in the Glade, he remembers nothing except his own name. Turns out none of the other boys remember anything of their past lives either, not even the leaders Alby and Newt, nor Thomas's sidekick, Chuck. The Glade is the center of the Maze, enclosed by stone walls. Every morning they open. Every night they close. The rule is never to leave the Glade. And if you leave at night, you've committed suicide. The Grievers will get you. Only the runners are allowed to leave, and they are the ones who try to solve the Maze. Because the Glades believe that if they solve it they can go back to the lives they were taken from violently. Only the Changing gives them a hint of it back, at that has deadly consequences. A boy only goes through the Changing if he is stung by a Griever. The day after Thomas arrives a girl is sent up, Theresa. She comes with a message and triggers the ending. Thomas and Theresa are connected and it's up them to help solve the Maze. They have the answers if they can unlock the secrets in their minds. When Thomas goes outside the Grave to help the head runner Minho and Alby, a discovery with the Cliff and the Grievers is made. Solving the Maze may not be the answer, just a clue...And one night, the Glade Walls don't close. Time is running out to get out of the Maze. Time to run it one more time.

This book is SCARY. Yet terrific at the same time. Much more origninal than the Hunger Games, I must say. Feel free to disagree with me. The characters are very well developed and the plot is suspenseful. In the Glade, you never know what will happen. I really liked Theresa obviously, since she's the only girl, and boy is she strong and tough. Chuck is also a great character and I loved how loyal he was to Thomas. The leaders are so bloody mature and smart and logical. There are questions in this book, and I am going to read the Schorch Trials to find out what the answers are.

Have a happy Weekend yall!