Graceling

Graceling. A book by Kristin Cashore.

What is a graceling? I is someone who has been graced. Say you are graced with cooking, you would be an exceptional cook. Say you are graced with speed, you may be able to run faster than a cheetah. Or suppose you have been graced with the skill of killing.

Meet my new friend Katsa. Ever since the age of eight-years-old when she killed a man, that has become her reputation. Being a niece of the King, she went to live with him and became his "Lady Killer".

Katsa would be sent out on errands by her uncle to deal with people who did not comply with him, pay him or give him what he had demanded. All in all, Katsa did his dirty work, and got her killer reputation from it. Almost no one would dare look into her eyes. Strange thing about those who are graced, their eyes never match in colour.

Things start to change in Katsa's life when she rescues someone from another kingdom. The grandfather of the royal family who live on a far away island. Soon after taking him back to the kingdom where Katsa resides with her uncle, the King, a Prince from the island kingdom visits. Though Prince Po was looking for his grandfather and didn't know he was safe with Katsa, he remained in the castle. Prince Po had a fighting grace and decidedly to stay to train with Katsa.

Soon, their relationship grows, and they set off to find who had kidnapped the grandfather in the first place.

The story progresses into an adventuresome tale as Katsa and Prince Po set off, finding trouble, Kings and Princess Bitterblue. With anther rescue at their hands, Katsa and Prince Po's relationship takes twist and turns, but eventually settles. The question is, does it settle happy, or not?

All in all, I enjoyed the book. It was a big 500 pages, but they flew by quickly while I was caught up in the story. I read it mostly in the car with my ipod glued to my ears. Any break I could take after that, I would read it.

I found it an exciting read, filled with adventure and surprises that you just KNOW are coming. I was gasping and leaping off the sofa to point at the book and say, "I knnnewww it! I KNEW IT!"

But the odd thought kept scratching at the back of my mind. I had kept thinking, through the whole book, that Katsa's name was actually 'Kasta'. Silly me.

So really, I enjoyed it and would suggest it to everyone! It's also a book from my book challenge, which is a bonus on this awesome book. Not too much romance, but I think that's a plus.

And, I just cannot wait to read the book that comes after it!

Laters.

Sick Day--RENT

Alright. I admit it. I'm sick.

No, that is not a good reason to not blog, so I feel I should. Even though I'm still sick, and feeling horrible, and my hair is currently green. I guess it is a reflection of the feeling in my stomach. Fun.

The week was uneventful, but the very, very, very unfortunate thing is... I got the sickness on the day of my last show of RENTRENT is a fantastic musical with upbeat, modern music. It will not have you falling asleep during it. And let me tell you, the music is not easy, and neither are the harmonies. Some points in the music, there will be five scenes going on--at the same time.

In this story, there is no specific bad guy like in most Disney classics. I suppose RENT is not for everyone. There are gay couples, and language that may offend young ears. When Jonathan Larson wrote RENT, he did not intend for the stage to be used realistically. Characters changing to become another character, one object being used to represent another.

I find that the story was confusing when I first watched it, so I had to go over it another time, and things really made sense when my director explained parts to us. When I really understood it, I found I could enjoy the musical far more.

Although I could go and explain the entire show to you, I think I'll just... not. But at one moment it will be having on the verge of tears, then suddenly it will seem like a party. You can't call RENT a tragedy, or romance, or comedy, but it's some of all of them. And personally, I love it.

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Anyway.

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So I was in my RENT workshop/rehearsal thingy for two weeks straight. Getting up at 6am, and getting home around 6pm. Over 9 hours a day. Longer than school! But we put that baby together.

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We had 4 shows, and my sickness came the night after the third one. On the morning of the fourth show, I was up around 4am and pacing around the house. My head hurt, and my stomach was worse. Uhg.

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But, I went on stage anyway. The whole cast was saying I was being "A Little Trooper", which was kind of true. I moved around less on the stage than normal, and fixed where I went so I could sit and lean on things. Otherwise... I would have fallen over for sure.

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But! I had a great costume. Picture it. Black, fluffy, knee-length coat. Bright red pants. Red shoes. A black hat with a red feather. Hell, I looked like a pimp. Ironically (and awesomely) I did do some pimping in-character.

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All in all, I'm pooped after these two weeks, and I need to step up my reading and reviewing.

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Laters.

Piercing, Falling and Laughing

Here we see an ear. Imagine that is now my ear. Not my left ear, but my right ear. Now, you see that funny red thing? It should be grey, but I made it red so it would show better.

That is my new cartilage piercing--that my brother did for me... for a fee. Jerk? I know.

Anyway, my parents were probably against it, but I got it. The jewellery is a 'horseshoe ring' which looks like a horse shoe with little balls on the ends. I'm not only going to tell you this pointless information about my ear, but I will add on the story of what happened. (Even though my mom's gunna be reading this for sure.)

So I get an IM reading:

lemme pierce yur ear cuz im bored

So... I went upstairs because it was my bro who sent me the message. He was laughing, of course, and I grabbed the jewellery he had picked me up earlier in the week.

Now, I trust my bro to hell about this because he has more piercings than I can care to count, and I've seen him give a couple, too. Actually, I saw him give my friends the same piercing I was going to get. They had wanted me to get it when they were there... but thank jeepers they weren't here for it!

After that, my bro set up his normal station while I was just there, sitting on the folded down toilet seat. He asked me the usual: "Mom's not gonna flip when she sees you got this right?" I give the obvious reply: "Psshhhhh, noooooo." And that worked and was true as far as I know. As long as I keep cleaning it, I think she won't mind too much.

So I learned right then that Sea Salt + Water + Ear Spoon = Happy, clean piercing

Right, so I was just sitting there and trying not to stare at the needle that would be going right through my ear. It was like 3 inchs long. Scary stuff. Now, this isn't like a sewing needle, this needle is hollow because it punches right through the cartilage. So I was all like, "Wheeee, this'll be fuuuuun!"

I had no idea how right I was at that thought! Onward with my story, I closed my eyes and my bro put this clamp on my ear to hold it steady. So he was all like, "Whenever you're ready." So of course I was like, "Count it!" so he was like, "1... 47... 94!" and then I was like "GASP"!

I'm kidding, it didn't hurt at all really. Mine didn't really bleed either. So I stood up to check my new piercing in the mirror when the headrush hit me. My brother said it was from my blood pressure dropping which shocked my body.

Spots flooded my vision and I felt odd, I dunno why, but I walked toward the door. So, my brother was talking to me, but my hearing was all weird and ringing and shit, and he was asking me if I was going to puke. I didn't up chuck, but I did turn bone white.

I kinda also... fell over. Like, all my sense of direction and steadyness was gone. I didn't move, the world tilted and I just went with it!

I could just tell my bro was laughing, but he told me I landed directly in the bath tub, so there's a win for me! You know, that headrush just kept getting worse.

It was like when the pressure in your ears changes, and it actually gets painful and it's harder to hear, and when your vision gets all spotty after rubbing your eyes too hard. Now imagine that five or six times worse.

I didn't fall over after that, but just gave up and went back to my seat on the toilet seat cover. I was laughing most of this time because... it was exactly like something I would do, and I felt pretty weird.

It was pretty awesome, but I'm sure I hit my head on the tub beause my head hurt afterward. >_> Luckily, when I fell, I didn't feel a thing.

Note: this was my fist piercing, but I think I handled it better than how my bro handled his first piercing. Jeeze, he started turning blue.

Anyway, until my next stupid thing.

laters.

Crank

Crank, a book by Ellen Hopkins that is one of the thickest books I have ever read. My copy standing at 3.8 cm thick.
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The sum up:
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Kristina is the most perfect daughter anyone could ask for. This high school junior is quiet, works hard in school and never gets into trouble. Until she meets the monster, that is. Crank is the single thing to turn this girls world upside down as her ride along with it turn into a struggle to regain control over her mind, soul--and her life.
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What I say:

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What can I say? I loved the book. From cover to insides and further. This book is written in poetic form and that makes it a quick and easy read.
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I admit I was confused by the style at first but I quickly settled into it. Needless to say, I bought two more of Ellen Hopkins' books just from reading this one. Twisting and turning just how I like my books and almost finishing up, but setting for more.
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I just thought the ending of the book was a little rushed, but it does lead onto the next one, so I will let it slide.

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I seriously can't wait to read the next one, and the one after that, and after that. Did I mention Crank is part of my recent reading challenge?

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Happy reading, Y'all!

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Laters.

Someone Like You

Someone Like You is a book. This book was written by Sarah Dessen.

A sum up:

This book is about Two girls and their lives as friends in another high school year. There is Halley (The book is from her point of view) and her best friend, Scarlett. Ever since the two had met, they had been the best of friends. Halley always more to the quiet side while Scarlett was more outgoing.

During the summer Scarlett acquired a new boyfriend. The mysterious Michael Sherwood. Soon after Sherwood is killed in a motorcycle accident, Scarlett finds herself pregnant with his kid.

Through this book you follow the new hardship in Scarlett's life and in Halley's. What with Halley drifting further from her mother. The Mother who had been closer than any best friend just before the summer. But it all changed. It all changed along with her relationship status. She fell in with Macon Faulkner, a boy with a reputation for trouble.

What I really thought:

Just from reading this book, I can safely say that I will never ever read another Sarah Dessen book.

Sure, my friends told me the book was "a bit confusing at the start" and that it "got better as you went on." As I soon found out, they were very, very wrong on one thing.

I found this book had the perfectly bad ending to a confusing start and a truly awful middle chunk. I don't know what most girls see in Sarah Dessen books, but I'm not looking again. I will not read any other book by her unless forced to.

Why? This book was not a good read. I don't know how it managed to get an award. I don't even know why you would pay $10.00 for this.

The beginning was vague, worded badly, and plain old confusing. The story started to build up and I was hoping for the book to get better. It was starting to until the real "climax" started. Get this:

A girl having her dead boyfriend's baby at prom.

Please explain to me how this is a good ending to a book. Along with all the loose ends that needed to be tied up. What about the mother? What about Scarlett's mom? What happens with Halley and Macon? Every question I had was not answered. As I said before, I will never read another book by this author.

Why, oh why did I read this book? For my book challenge of course! I can mark this off and then toss the book for the nothingness it's worth. Or just return it to my friend.

Laters.

Blood Feud

The book which comes right after Hearts at Stake in Alxyandra Harvey's new vampire series about Solange, her best friend, and her seven older brothers.

After reading the first book, I fell in love with the series. Luckily, I got an advanced copy of Blood Feud which is going to be released into stores in August 2010.

There is a new character introduced in this text. Isabeau St. Croix, a girl who survived through the Terror in France to live with an uncle after her family had died. After that, she went through 200 years buried in a coffin as a vampire, until she was rescued, that is.

This book comes from the view of one of the many Drake brothers, Logan, and Isabeau. Through their views, you can see problems in the Drake family unfold along with a twist of romance between two different vampire kinds. Now with bits told here-and-there from Isabeaus' past and the present, more information is told and seen. Mysteries grow deeper, but the story winds up neatly at the end with a battle that even had me biting my lip.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think the action picked up at the perfect time. I, however, as not very fond of the cover art on the book. But, this book was a great read. I skipped out on watching a movie in class to polish it off.

I say anyone and everyone who thinks vampire novels are good for them should try this one out. The teen dialogue impressed me with how real it is. Pretty great book. Can't wait for the next!

Laters.

A Little Life Update

Far too much time has passed since I blogged last, so I'll just add this up in a jiffy!

I have been cutting up my Journal slowly, and colouring it more-so. The innards are screaming in fear now, I think. Maybe all books should watch out as I walk by...

In other book news, I am currently indulging in a few good ones.

• Soul of the Fire by Terry Goodkind
• Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
• Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
• Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen
• Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey
• Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith
• Demon Princess: Reign Check by Michelle Rowen

All good books so far, and I can't wait to get through them so I can review and skip along to the next bundle!

So, that's it for right now.

Laters.