Under every truth lies a secret

She was her best friend, practically her sister, Cody would have known if Meg was suicidal. But she drank a bottle of poison, she left a note. Something doesn’t add up. In the novel I am currently reading, I Was Here by Gayle Forman Cody has a bad feeling about her best friend Meg’s suicide. With the help of Scottie, Meg’s little brother, and Ben, Meg’s one night stand, Cody is on a quest to figure out this mystery.

“It’s almost like she’s protecting someone.”

This was the connection Scottie made when he read the note. This is arguably one of the most important passages in the entire novel. This is when Meg’s suicide becomes more. This is when the search for answers starts. What will Cody find in her quest to uncover the truth about Meg’s death?

What’s Lying on the Surface?

Currently I am 42 pages into I Was Here by Gayle Forman. Unable to cope with not noticing the signs that her best friend was suicidal, Cody travels to her apartment to pack up her belongings. While she’s there, she finds evidence that it may not have been Meg’s decision, there could be someone else involved in Meg’s death.

A quote that stuck out to me is, “it’s the particular contortion when fury meets guilt. And I know that look. I see it every day in the mirror.” It stuck out because we all see the expression in the mirror, maybe not everyday but certainly with frequency. It really stuck out to me because everyone carries around guilt, everyone carries grudges and anger. This passage is about more than just the emotions of the characters in this novel, it’s about everyone that reads this book, everyone that has any emotions at all. 

Spread a little love

Men... Women... Valorian...  Herrani... Whatever

School, practice, homework, makeup work, shower, finally sleep. Not much time for reading; I read about 6 pages this week. I am currently in the process of reading The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski. When I first started reading, I thought the book was somewhat sexist; however, now that I have read 6 more pages, my opinion is starting to change. I believe the book is about overcoming gender roles. I believe that purpose if the book is to point out that gender role should not exist and that women are every bit the same as men. This book is about breaking the stereotypes that define you. You can see this with the main character, Kestrel, as she breaks society’s rules for women. You can see this with the Herrani slave, Smith, who refuses to settle for being a slave. This novel is about breaking society’s rules, whether that be gender or race, and creating your own.

Double Standards?

I just started reading a new book, I am only 25 pages in yet there is already a constant theme of double standards. In this book women must be escorted though town and they are believed to be a weaker species. In oder to prove you are strong, you must enlist and become a soldier. Yet, men do not have to prove anything, they are believe to be strong and independent. This got me thinking, why is there a double standard for men and women? 

In today’s society men and women are supposedly equal, yet we have expectations for how men should treat women as opposed to how women should treat men. We have engrained the idea into young men’s brains that women are weaker therefore they must be treated with a higher level of respect. While it is not a secret that women are typically weaker in physical aspects, they are every bit as strong as men in mental aspects. Everyone should demand to be treated with a high level of respect not just men. We should teach men the view women as their equals, not as inferior creatures or easy to objectify. We should teach women that they are not inferior to men and therefore, they should not expect special treatment because of their gender. We should teach both genders that body parts define whether you are a man or a women, not character, personality, emotions, or ability.

So if women and men are legally equal, why can’t they be socially equal? Even though I have not read a significant portion of the book, I believe this is the question the author is asking us to think about.

Close your eyes and drift off into peaceful darkness...

Every week for school I am supposed to read a book, any book for at least 2 hours a week. This week, I spent the majority of my time at home in my bed; away from class and human interaction. I had a nasty case of strep throat. Some of you may think you know where I’m going with this, I spent most of that time reading like a studious person. But you’re wrong. I spent this time in my room sleeping. I closed my eyes and slept because when I am asleep, I am invincible. Invincible to the constant pain in my throat, the sluggish confusion that came when I tried to think and the heaviness that was my limbs.

I did not do any reading this week. When I wasn’t sleeping, I was watching Netflix because words hurt my head. When I was finally done being tired and sickly, I was so excited to see sunlight and humans that did not live in my house, I couldn’t sit still for even five minutes.

Because of this, I did not read for even a single minute this week.

The things I Won’t Fulfill: Goals

I am currently reading Anna Karenina, a long and seemingly confusing book. My current goal is to read for two hours a week. At the rate I read and attempt to figure out the excessive amount of characters two hours of reading will only get me about 40 pages into the book. 

Quite frankly, this is not a book I would choose for myself. Reading is my time to relax and unwind. However, I just find myself more stressed after open this brick of a book. There are too many characters, all with nearly the same names. I just find myself confused, trying to figure out what distinguishing characteristics define the unknown character I am reading about. I cannot distinguish between the characters. I do not think this book is right for me. However, I do want to branch out from the books I have grown comfortable with. My goal is to read more books with meaning as opposed to the carefree novels I have grown accustomed to. 

There are so goal I have set but most likely will not fulfill.

this is what HAPPY looks like

This is What Happy Looks Like is an unconventional love story by Jennifer E. Smith. 

In many way this book can been seen as stereotypical, generic book. But, this book isn't. It is a fantastic read. Just reading this book boosted your mood. Even though there was plenty of reason for the main characters to be sad but they just weren't. I couldn't put this book down not only was it an uplifting book but it was also a well written and captivating book. 

Ellie is a sixteen year old from the middle-of-nowhere-Main who just wants to go to a Harvard poetry course over the summer. Ellie accidentally got involved in a chain of emails with an unknown by her age from the other side of the country, middle-of-everything-LA. When this unknown pin pal shows up in Ellie's hometown a secret she's been carrying around since she was four keeps her from being the intriguing seventeen year old heart throb actor Graham Larkin. This book ends with unexpectedly. It's a refreshing change from the stereotypical happy ending. 

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys quirky romantic novels.

What is it about the people we love?

Why do we have a hard time saying the most important thing to the most important people?

Thanks to the snow I finished reading the entire Bell Harbor series (Crazy Little Thing, The Best Medicine, Love Me Sweet) by Tracy Brogan. These were all fantastic books if you enjoy romance novels. Each novel in the series focuses on a different couple. When I first started reading The Best Medicine I was a tad bit disappointed to find the main characters had switched. However, I found that as I continued to read I liked it, It was a fresh, new story. Knowing that her readers would want to know what happened to the couple from the book before, subtly but perfectly added these characters into the book letting us know how things had ended up. That was my favorite thing about the series; you could start with any book and them in any order but read in the proper order it helped connect all three novels. 

Something all three books have in common is a fight. Near the end of the book there is always a fight between the two main characters. This made me wonder; what is it about the people we love that makes it harder to tell them some things? Why is it harder to say something that changes everything to the person we love as opposed to a stranger? Personally I think it is because we care more about their reaction. We fear that our news will only hurt ourselves, or worse the ones we love. As human beings we feel the need to protect the people in our lives that matter. So, I ask you this, Why is it so hard to say the most important things to the people that matter the most?

Keeping yourself together when everything falls apart

When everything you've known for the last eight years vanishes before your eyes, how do you move on? In Crazy Little Thing by Tracy Brogan, Sadie, a mother with two young children used all of her strength to divorce her cheating husband, Richard. To escape from the mess she and her two children spent the summer in the beach town of Bell Harbor where Sadie found herself falling in love with another newcomer, Des. As Sadie and Des's relationship gets more serious Sadie has to decide what is best for both her and her children. Sadie can't imagine leaving her new found lover until one night her life unravels yet again. Plagued with a law suit from her ex-husband, devastating news from her aunt, and a Des shaped hole in her heart Sadie must once again rebuild her life. 

This book is captivating because just when things seem to be going well for once they take a turn for the worst. The characters are so easy to love and relate to it makes this book almost impossible to put down. You want to find out what Sadie, Aunt Dody, cousins Fontaine and Jasper, and Des will do to put the pieces back together after each life altering piece of news. This book leaves you with a cliffhanger wishing there was another book to finish the story. 

So how do you put your life back together without falling apart? Personally, I think a little breakdown is good every once in a while, however; I believe support from the ones that mean the most to you is the best help. Sadie could not have rebuilt her life had it not been for her family and Des. The people you care about are the most important thing in life and they keep you together when all you want to do it collapse into a heap of hurt and self-pity. 

"You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward."

(Image via Free People)

Crazy Little Thing

Crazy Little Thing is a fantastic novel by Tracy Brogan. It is set in the quiet town of Bell Harbor where a recently divorced, mother, Sadie decides to spend her summer with her two young children and two cousins with her eccentric Aunt Dody. The vacation is supposed to be some time away from the city for Sadie to figure out her next step. Sadie will have to change her housewife lifestyle if she wants to support her children. However, she finds herself constantly watching the new neighbor, a handsome, young doctor. Sadie finds herself captivated and reluctantly starts to fall for him. 

Something I find myself thinking about while reading this book is how does someone put their life back together after everything falls apart? Sadie has to find a job, a way to her children and a way to manage her own affairs. Once your world comes crumbling down how do you rebuild it so that it is better than before?

I'm only 72 pages into the novel so I am not sure where the story will go from here. So far the book is wonderful due to the perfect combination of all the incredibly different characters. Will so many different personalities it is hard to get bored. Something that standout in this book, unlike others is that most books have a couple of main characters and two or three vital supporting characters. This novel has seven essential supporting characters that keep the story full and entertaining. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys reading young adult novels with suspenseful drama and conflict. For example, will Sadie do what is best for her or will she cave and support her former husband once again.

27 January, 2015

From my recent reading on Sherlock Holmes, The Complete Stories and Novels, I have found some very interesting ideas, including not only specific case-solving techniques but also keen observations and reflections on the issues of the old English society, especially about its...

if countries were students

Australia: The class clown who makes everyone laugh

America: The jock who loves themselves and everyone secretly hates

Canada: The nice person who offers to show you around on your first day

England: The hot boy everybody wants to bang because he's a gentlemen

New Zealand: Australia's little brother who is the only one who thinks Australia sucks

The Netherlands: That high kid in the back that everyone just ignores

France: The romantic playboy who hangs around England too much

China: The overly smart kid who puts his hand up for every question

Russia: The scary large kid that nobody talks to because they'll probably get stabbed

(via twloha)

You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.

Margaret Thatcher 

Are the ones you love your greatest enemies?

The ones you love have a way of somehow being your enemy, whether it's consciously or not. In the novel by Gerri Russel, Flirting with Felicity, the perfect man finally comes into Felicity's life. For once she does not have to work so hard, she can pay her bills and she can have time to herself; there's just one problem. This perfect guy is here to take everything Felicity has worked for since she was sixteen and lost everything the first time. This book is about Felicity balancing her relationship with Mr. Right while fighting him for her life's work wrapped up in a love story with a twist.

However, this concept goes beyond the book. You hear the phrase, "Love you enemies," but you loved your enemies but they didn't become your enemies until you loved them. A mother stays in a loveless, unhappy marriage because it's best for her child; a girl leaves her family, despite the pain, for the love of her life; or a son destroys a family in order respect his father. We sacrifice ourselves for the ones we love. We put them before our own wants and needs. We let our lives shatter into a million tiny pieces in order to keep someone we care about safe, happy, or free. 

This also brings up the question of, of your enemies love you back, how could they take everything from you?