LIFE: Heavenly Glories....

The Secret Keeper Review

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 08:02:00 +0000

Note: This is a SPOILER-FREE review

As a Tudor-history fanatic, I was more than eager to get my hands on Sandra Byrd's The Secret Keeper, a depiction of the life of Henry VIII's sixth wife, Kateryn Parr. Just like Byrd's previous novel, To Die For, Kateryn's story is told through the perspective of her lady-in-waiting, Juliana St. John. Juliana possesses the gift of prophecy which influences subsequent decisions she makes and the fate of her dear friend. However, as Juliana enters the wonders of court, she also encounters the dangers of such power. As Kate becomes more outspoken, she too encounters the king's fire. While Juliana struggles to save those dear to her, she also attempts to find self-fulfillment despite having endured the worst of those times. Ultimately, Juliana is faced with the choice of following her heart but losing everything the English court has to offer.

While this novel is slowly-paced in comparison with To Die For, both the passion of the characters and the general intrigue of the novel made me enjoy it more. Unlike the standard historical novel, many of the characters introduced are structured to avoid stereotypical archetypes that are generally utilized; simply put, the characters are not recycled. Clear distinctions are made between the ambitious, Thomas-Cromwell men and those who care about life beyond the court. Similarly, Kate is not the fiery woman Anne Boleyn was; rather she is reserved but headstrong through her own account. The different perspectives presented in the novel with regard to historical events and figures (particularly Elizabeth Tudor) were refreshing, especially when a describing an era prone to rumors. The contrast Byrd draws between natural and social order is more prominent in this novel, and I thought it wrapped up the story well and gave the novel the ending it needed. Additionally, the romance is subtle but nevertheless passionate as ever. But romance does not work easily in the Tudor-world; Juliana must face the challenges of the lifetime in order to fight for the love of her life, a battle she might not win.
What also surprised me was the successful combination of the supernatural and historical elements. While the book stays true to the facts, Byrd's subtle utilization of Juliana's gift of prophecy to influence events was brilliantly done.

However, what ultimately compelled me in this novel was the general appeal of the characters. Both Kate's and Juliana's journeys face their best and worst points, but their strength and perseverance in a world ruled by men make them winning characters in the end. The ultimatum Juliana faces and her subsequent choice will either bring tears or sighs of relief. But either way, Tudor-fanatics and young adults alike will devour this novel with relish.

Rating: 5/5.

Video Editing..

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:08:00 +0000

Even though Sony Vegas crashed eleven times, I managed to get the preview up on youtube. Vegas is an amazing program though; the flash effects and the sepia tone are still in the works:

Merlin Season 4 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 05:26:00 +0000

Having finished the season finale, I am just.....WOW!

Since I'm speechless right now, I'm going to try outlining the good and the ugly about this season.

Good:

The cohesive structure of the series: Unlike the previous series with filler episodes, everything in this season culminates. Even 'Lamia' and 'The Secret Sharer' have their roles in character development.
The performances: Every single member of the cast gave it their best--and the effect of that was incredible. Even the cheesiest lines sounded so realistic. Colin Morgan didn't even need to speak to show Merlin's inner agony and unhappiness (especially when he murdered Agravaine). Bradley James and Angel Coulby stole the show multiple times, especially in Lancelot Du Lac. Katie McGrath, despite the screenwriters' insistence on portraying her as a single-minded villain with less than a minute of screen time, shows her greatly improved acting, particularly in the season finale. The guest stars this season were also more memorable: Gemma Jones, Janet Montgomery, Miranda Raison, Ben Daniels, and everyone else (too many more to list!) are so talented; it's a shame guest stars don't reappear that often.
The darkness: Katie McGrath wasn't kidding when she said this season was darker. As the plot evolved, this factor was inevitable, and I thought it was pulled off rather well.
Arwen: Remember those days I hid behind a pillow during Season 2? The chemistry between Bradley and Angel was at its top this season...I think I'm an Arwen shipper now!
The Music: So dark, haunting, and tragic. I'm buying the score when it's released!
The plot: Just my favorite scenes of the season.

Morgana confronting the Cailleach
Lancelot meeting the Great Dragon!
Uther's duel...and death.
Aithusa hatching
Amis telling Morgana she's more like Uther than she thinks.
Morgana telling Merlin about loyalty.
Emrys/Morgana duel
Gwen/Arthur scenes, particularly in 4x01, 4x05, and 4x13
Gwen/Morgana confrontations in 4x11 and 4x13.
Lancelot/Arthur duel and the subsequent fight. Angel's acting was AMAZING in this scene!
Hunith and Merlin reunion...so sweet. Not to mention the Arthur/Gwen one.
Gwaine singing for his supper...and Elyan's "I've been locked up with Gwaine for a week"
Tristan telling Arthur he still has Isolde.
Isolde's death scene...so tragic this is.
Gwen's coronation.
Every Morgana scene in 4x13...Katie impressed me.
The Arthur/Morgana confrontation. This is hands down my favorite scene in the whole series.

Meh..

Agravaine: Nathaniel Parker is brilliant...but why is Arthur so gullible all the time? I felt the directors could have explored his loyalties a bit more...explain why he was so loyal to Morgana and why he hated Uther and Arthur so much.
Cliffhanger: They better explain it well.
Morgana: Katie was amazing, but the writers could have portrayed her as a multi-dimensional villan...though in this series she does have a goal in mind. The confrontation in the finale was leaning towards that though, so hopefully that wil happen.
Tristan and Isolde: Such an important part in the legend....and they last for only two episodes. Not to mention, their only purpose is to get Gwen and Arthur back together again.
No Mordred or Vivienne: Morgana's mother is so unknown...and there seems to be more to her than just "She's the wife of Goloris." Not to mention, NO MORDRED?!!!!

Nevertheless, this was hands down the best season of Merlin yet. Season 5...COME QUICKER!!!

TO DIE FOR Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:43:00 +0000

Of all the perceptions regarding historical figures, the views on Anne Boleyn are arguably the most polarized. Thoughts on her range from a feminist model of the time to a harlot. Unfortunately, most authors take the simple route and describe her as a seductress enchanting the king, taking no notice of her acts of charity and other more positive characteristics.

So after a while, weary from the inaccurate portrayals of Anne Boleyn, I stopped reading Tudor novels altogether. When I first heard of TO DIE FOR, I thought to myself, "It's just another Tudor novel." However, after learning that the author had consulted a historian during the writing process, I requested and received a copy for review.

And having read it, I can say that I was so glad I did.

The story centers around Meg Wyatt, a childhood friend of Anne Boleyn. Meg, despite going through turmoils of her own, stays loyal to her friend. When Anne rises to power so does Meg. But when Anne fails to produce a male heir, the king's passionate love turns to hate, and Meg is forced to choose between her safety and her friend.

One aspect of the novel which just blew me away was the historical accuracy. The few changes from history to fiction were for the reader's benefit, rather than the author's own portrayal of the characters. The depictions of the historical figures were spot on: Henry is as fickle as history describes him and Anne is the woman who happens to fall in love with such a man.

For once, Anne Boleyn has her justice. She is not a "witch", rather a woman determined to protect her maidenhood. Anne, unfortunately, falls in love with a narcissistic man who cares for few other than himself. Her ideas for the Reformation, along with her crucial role in it, are brought to light---FINALLY!

Meg also shines and has her moments. She embodies traits that so few main female characters display today, most notably her unwavering loyalty for her friend. Just as Anne, she is a victim of the culture at the time. However, her allegiance and headstrong character won my admiration from the start.

I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll just put it this way: the ending had me bawling, even though I knew what was coming. Anyone with the slightest interest in Tudor History should give this book a shot; it had me on the edge of my chair until the end.

Rating: 9/10

By the way, here are some TO DIE FOR buttons I made. Show your Anne Boleyn love! :)

Also, I'm actually trying to make a book trailer for this. I do this with every book which inspires me: THE HUNGER GAMES, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, etc. I'm trying to salvage some clips, but so far THE TUDORS seems to be one of the few options I have. Don't get me wrong, I love the show. Sometimes the costumes are...a bit outdated -_-. As of now I have Natalie Dormer as Anne and Rachel Hurd Wood as Meg. Trying to find some clips for Will though:

"_______" is better than Twilight....YES, WE KNOW!

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 23:28:00 +0000

After encountering this little article, I did what I do when I get frustrated...~~.rant~~ write. Basically, the article explains how THE HUNGER GAMES is so much better than TWILIGHT, Bella's a Mary Sue, etc.

Before I get into is, I'll admit to being a HUGE Hunger Games fan...but I also used to be a Twilight fan and I'm not going to deny it. Yes, I loved the books. I didn't have a crush on Edward, but I loved the writing, the story, everything about it. After a while my interests changed, but I didn't actually hate the books.

That being said, throughout the past year, the Twilight-basing has risen to the point of annoyance. @Lord_Voldemort7 and twilightsucks.com are only a few of the outlets which result in fans leading pointless arguments. The articles "X is better than Twilight" or "Hermione vs. Bella Swan" have become so common, but hate brings attention...and hits~~....and advertising revenue.~~

Interestingly, the more successful novels are the ones which receive the most criticism. Pride and Prejudice was considered "trashy" when it was published. Many schools across the country have banned Harry Potter due to the "dark elements" and "encouragement of rebellion." Does anyone still remember the days when Harry Potter was considered a copycat of Lord of the Rings? Even though The Hunger Games hasn't been bashed to an extreme level, I still see people online complain that Mockingjay was too rushed, people died pointlessly, Katniss zombies out, etc.

None of the more successful books were perfect pieces of literature; yet that's what people keep on expecting. A Tale of Two Cities, which is supposedly the world's bestselling novel, has two-dimensional and predictable characters (with the exception of Sydney Carton). Don't get me wrong, I love that book; I'm merely paraphrasing from literary critics. Even The Hunger Games isn't perfect. All three books are filled with fragments, Katniss (arguably) does not successfully complete her hero's journey, and the last page before the Epilogue is rushed (you know what I'm referring to). Does this mean I hate The Hunger Games?

..........< drum roll >.....

NO!

Just because a book is not a perfect piece of literature does not mean it completely fails. Every book has its plus and minuses and it's up to reader to determine which of the two is more dominant. From the statistics, it's obvious that a book needs to be enjoyable to sell. Not literature. Fun.

That being said, the hate needs to stop. Each books has its ups and downs; but in the end, it's the reader's job to judge the book--not the media's. And in the end there's no point comparing it to another book which--frankly--have nothing in common except the usual love triangle.

In Defense of Morgana Pendragon

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:11:00 +0000

After seeing a LOT of Morgana hate online, I've decided to finally deal with it once and for all. For those of you who don't know, Morgana is a supporting character in BBC's hit show Merlin. She starts off as a spoiled princess, realizes she has magic, and ultimately embraces her dark side.

Before anyone goes into the "Merlin tried to help Morgana" stance and the "Morgana always smirks" comments, let's put it in Morgana's words:

I have a magic Merlin,Uther hates me and everyone like me. Why should I feel any differently about him?

Wait, this reminds me of something....maybe another witch. Maybe Lily Potter.....

But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?

The words Morgana and Lily speak are almost identical in nature. Both of them were betrayed, and both of them decide to choose who they truly are as opposed to what people want them to be.

Back to Morgana. For those who are still saying "Morgana has friends!!!!! She decided this path" let's look at everyone one by one.

Uther: Love-hate relationship there. But nevertheless, Morgana is 100% justified in hating this guy. He executed anyone at the suspicion of magic. Considering that he was ready to execute Gaius solely on someone else's word, Morgana had every reason to fear him. Most of this is self-explanatory for people who watched the show, but no amount of good Uther shows overcomes his hatred for magic---and Morgana knows that. Not to mention he wasn't ready to admit Morgana was his flesh and blood solely because of the shame factor...not cool Uther, not cool.
Arthur: This guy's been mostly understanding and compassionate toward Morgana. However, in almost every single episode, he's made it clear that his loyalty is toward his father. So in the end between friend and enemy, he's pretty much enemy in Morgana's eyes.
Merlin: Merlin knew about Morgana's magic. He could have helped her. He could have chosen her over Camelot. He could have told her about Morgause's magic. He didn't. Enough said.
Gaius: This guy knew Morgana had magic...and didn't tell her. He knew Morgana was smart enough, but in the end he chose Camelot over her. To top it off, he didn't even take her seriously when she told him about her nightmares. Come on Gaius, you could have done better than that.
Gwen: Between her boyfriend and best friend who did she choose? Her boyfriend.

If you disagree with me, leave me a comment! :)

Meeting Suzanne Collins

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 05:19:00 +0000

Yes, I did copy this and put it on Sparks Will Fly. Why? Because I am a lazy person :P

I went to Hicklebee's Bookstores on Thursday November 4 to see Suzanne Collins. All I have to say is that it was the best moment of my life (so far).

Hicklebee's and Scholastic both did an amazing job coordinating and organizing the event. My brother and I went to the bookstore at approximately 5:45 PM, but by that time the line was fairly long. We ended up with ticket #148 in line. For one hour we waited in the bookstore until Suzanne Collins arrived. Due to the limited space available, only the first 150 people were able to see her read from Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Ms. Collins explained that she always heard Katniss talking with a Southern Appalachian accent and read the sections accordingly.

Afterwards, Hicklebee's called up people by ticket numbers to have their books signed. In the line, store employees had giveaways for Mockingjay pins, signed bookplates, keychains, bag pins, and many other Hunger Games prizes. While we were in line, my brother drew out a ticket and….

The bright side of being towards the end of the line was that we had some time to talk with Ms. Collins! I thanked her for saving me on my SAT essay (she saved me hours of studying by writing the trilogy). She was really sweet and happy that she was able to help. My brother then asked her if she was going to continue The Underland Chronicles. For those who don't know, The Underland Chronicles are five fantasy-war novels by Suzanne Collins published before the The Hunger Games. Ms. Collins responded by saying she might return to writing about the Underland if she has any inspiration or ideas to write another book. We got our book stamped, and she even posed for a picture (not shown, sorry)!

"Mockingjay" leaked? & Personal Commentary

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:12:00 +0000

As many people know by now, Andrew Sims, administrator of Mugglenet.com and TwilightSource.com, recently posted a twitpic that caused a huge stirrup in The Hunger Games fandom:

Thanks to a very kind friend, I'm about to start Mockingjay. Join me on my red eye flight to read along.

Since then, fans have speculated about the leak, and some fans have even lashed out at Sims for being "a fandom brat."

My take on this?

I didn't mean for this post to become that personal, but I feel this needs to be addressed somewhere. First of all leaks happen all the time. It's happened with Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, a bunch of Harry Potter books, etc.

To quote the Twilight Lexicon on this:

Generally speaking, release dates are a problem for every single book published—for fans, bookstores, and publishers. Of course, the more anticipated the book, the more pronounced the problem.
Here’s how it tends to work: A book is given a release date and an on-sale date (sometimes called a publication date or a laydown date; sometimes these are even different from the so-called on-sale date). The release date is when the book is expected to release from the publisher’s warehouse and ship to bookstores. The on-sale date is, at best, approximate, due to variants in shipping and receiving. When you hear a book’s on-sale date labeled as a “laydown,” you need to ask if this is a one-day day down—the difference is that one-day laydowns are strictly held, universal on-sale dates (like what happens with Harry Potter). Usually, bookstores even need to sign a contract saying they will uphold a one-day laydown; the boxes of books then arrive stamped “Do not sell until xx/xx/xx.” The trouble is that most booksellers (the clerks—not the owners or managers) aren’t educated about the different terms—to many of them, “release,” “on-sale,” “publication,” and “laydown” all mean the same thing, with the exception that sometimes “laydown” is misinterpreted as “one-day laydown.” To the best of my knowledge, New Moon was NOT given a one-day laydown. If it was, then, yes, many booksellers are guilty of selling the book early.
Confusing things further is the fact that publishers are constantly changing release and on-sale dates by a week or two in any direction. This usually has to do with printer issues that are beyond the publisher’s control (book printers are separate from publishers; they are hired by publishers to print their books and determine their own schedules). If dates change, it’s often the case that not all accounts (the bookstores) get—or pay attention to—the updated information in a timely manner. So, while all of B&N’s stores might get the new dates (because they’re all a part of one company), the independent stores might not get it as quickly.

Independent book stores might make mistakes sometimes. To my knowledge, Mockingjay's release date hasn't changed since February.

However, I don't think Sims had malicious intentions with reading (and tweeting) Mockingjay early. In fact, other fans have reported getting the book early as well. I do, however, think Sims made a mistake in tweeting the photo to hundreds of Hunger Games fans.

The one thing I have to say that if you're one of the lucky ducks who gets Mockingjay early, I would advise you keep your good luck to yourself and avoid leaking any spoilers. :)

The Healing Spell Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:15:00 +0000

Title: The Healing Spell

Author: Kimberley Griffiths Little

Genre: Fiction/Family (ß according to front page)

Age Group: 9-12

Rating: 8/10

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: July 2010

The Louisiana bayou sets a vivid setting for this tale. The Healing Spell commences with Livie dealing with the stress of her mother’s coma. Livie alone knows she is responsible for her mother’s condition but doesn’t know how to help her. She feels the intense pressure of being the middle child and keeping a secret pet alligator. Livie escapes from the trauma by going to the bayou everyday. In doing so, she discovers a person who tells her how to cure her mother and mend the family together.

The Healing Spell is a delightful coming of age novel suited for many readers. Unlike many children’s novels, the theme of this novel is clear and supported by the events. Many children, however, may not have the patience for the first hundred pages or so in which the plot lacks action. The dull plot in the beginning does take a turn however and proves to be satisfactory. Little succeeds in creating three-dimensional characters that have important places in the story. Many of the experiences Livie goes through are experiences the reader can easily relate to. This novel definitely has perspective and character. While the book does have many strong points, the ending might be disappointing to few. There are many loose ends in this book, and some of them aren’t resolved. However, the book does revolve around one central theme—even though that theme is discovered only at the end.

Falling Apart in One Piece Review

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:40:00 +0000

Title: Falling Apart in One Piece

Author: Stacy Morrison

Genre: Memoir

Age Group: 13+

Rating: 9/10

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: March 2010

In Falling Apart in One Piece, Stacy Morrison documents what one out of two marriages in America experience: divorce. Stacy's marriage with her husband of 10 years ended suddenly when her husband announced he wanted a divorce. With the added pressure of a child to take care of, a house on the verge of collapsing, and a new job, Stacy must deal with the stress on her own. This book is filled with optimism that will move the reader. The writing is so beautiful and filled with character. Rather than focusing on grief and hate, Stacy chooses a more optimistic writing style.Despite the book’s focus on a difficult topic, Stacy uses humor and wit to lighten some of her experiences.This book isn’t just aimed at single moms; anyone who’s experiencing stress will feel relief by reading it.

The best part about this memoir is that it does not contain self-pity. Stacy clearly states that she isn’t a perfect human and needs to accept that. At the same time, she strives to forgive her husband and cooperate with him for the sake of their child. After going through the pessimism in the media today, every reader will feel an impact through this brilliant memoir.

The Underland Chronicles: Mini Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:23:00 +0000

After reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I was blown away. I immediately read Catching Fire the minute it was released and soon started moping because the release date seemed so far away. Then Saph from the HGT forums recommended The Underland Chronicles to me, a series written by Collins before she wrote The Hunger Games. I soon read them and thought they were better than HGT.

So...back to the point.

I was thinking for the release of Mockingjay (August 24,2010), what's a better way to shed off the anticipation than to read the Underland Chronicles?

Before you yell at me:

These books SUCK!: Have you read them? O_O

No...but they're for a bunch of kids!: I'll be honest. The intended audience is kids BUT the books contain many mature themes. Genocide, war, propaganda, you name it.

I'm an HGT fan so I know I won't like this series.!: You should still give them a try. Many of the characters from HGT are similar to the ones in TUC (Luxa/Katniss,Ripred/Haymitch, Boots/Prim, Howard/Peeta).

So...what do I do?: The goal of this post is to try to get people to read the Underland Chronicles before the release of MOCKINGJAY. I like to call it "a mini-challenge." Yes, I know my blog doesn't get many hits. Still, it doesn't hurt to read the books.

If you want to demonstrate your TUC pride, add these buttons to your blog/site! Feel free to shrink them!

Female+pretty=protagonist

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:37:00 +0000

As of now, I am doing my best to make this as angry-free as possible. So...here we go.

What is with authors these days (not even these days...in the previous days as well)? For some reason, everyone thinks that a female protagonist needs to be pretty. What I'm wondering as I'm typing this is WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? As of now, I'm am looking at my bookshelf. NONE (that's right) of my books have main female characters that are plain-looking/ugly. Coming to think of it, I can't remember off the top of my head reading a book with a plain-looking or ugly protagonist. Wait a minute...I remember one! Melinda Sordino from Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. After that....darn, I can't remember. Does anyone have a reading suggestion with a female protagonist who isn't pretty? I'm getting sick of the beauty contest between literary characters. Let there be a contest on the strongest character instead. I have a feeling Bella Swan might lose that one...hehe.

Edit: LitConnection on twitter has made a significant point: Jane Eyre! I forgot about that one. Now I'm starting to remember why I loved that book so much!

If you remember another heroine who wasn't pretty, comment and let me know! :)

Stolen Children Review

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:22:00 +0000

Stolen Children
By Peg Kehret
Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books
Cost: $16.99
Number of Pages: 165
Publication Date: October 16, 2008
Age Suggestion: 9-13
Rating: 6/10

Amy wasn’t expecting to encounter two armed men while babysitting a 3-year old. When the men kidnap Kendra she tries to stop them, only to be kidnapped herself. Forced to appear in DVDs sent to their families, Amy realizes that she’s running out of time. Desperate, she attempts to send clues the only way she can—through the DVDs. Amy discretely manages to send hints of the kidnappers’ location through the videos. While Amy’s family and friends try to crack the clues, Amy hatches plan after plan to escape. After a frustrating number of failed attempts, Amy does the last thing she had in mind in order to escape.

Stolen Children is a suspenseful thriller that will keep the reader at the edge of their chair until the end. It moves quite quickly without being wordy or overly descriptive. The characters are well developed for such a short novel. The plot twists with the clues definitely made the book more interesting. Sadly, many of the events in the book are either predictable or highly unrealistic. While it’s understandable why the author might have chosen not to include much violence in a teen’s novel, the civility the kidnappers show to Amy is laughable. No kidnapper in his right mind would let their victim go outside alone. No sane kidnapper would leave his gun sitting on a shelf. Though the book manages to enthrall the reader, it fails to be a fairly realistic novel.

End of the V.C. Andrews Movement

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:33:00 +0000

Sigh. Let's count up what I read

In order:

1. Tarnished Gold

2. Flowers in the Attic

3. Pearl in the Mist

4. Hidden Jewel

5. All That Glitters

6. Petals on the Wind

7. Ruby

8. Dawn

9. Secrets of the Morning

10. Twilight's Child

11. Midnight Whispers

Petals on the Wind

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:22:00 +0000

I read this book months ago, but only now I finally got around to blogging about it. I've decided to summarize the book (my style!), but I'll keep it as PG as possible (trust me, with V.C. Andrews, that's almost impossible).

So the book begins with Carrie, Chris, and Cathy going on a bus to North Carolina. For those who read Flowers in the Attic, you'll probably know that they've just been locked up in an attic for 3 years by their mother and finally got out. Quite predictably,the book begins with Cathy cursing her mom. Gosh Cathy, get over it! (She complains about this a billion times in the book—not even kidding.) Carrie starts throwing up in the bus, as a result of the arsenic, and the bus driver threatens to kick them out. Then, Henny, a mute, African-American woman, plays Superman and takes all three children to Dr. Paul Sheffield. He puts Carrie under treatment and becomes the children's legal guardian. Chris, like the idiot he is, wants to protect his mother (who, by the way, fed his little brother arsenic) by not telling Paul the truth. Is this the OEDIPUS complex happening again? Luckily, Cathy, who's as irritated at Chris as I am, screams out the whole story.

I'm not going to directly mention this (it's too repulsive to most readers of this blog), but for those who read Flowers in the Attic, you probably know the V.C.A. types of relationships. Here's a hint of what I'm talking about: read the chapter "My Stepfather" in Flowers in the Attic; you'll know what I mean. What's irritating is that Chris STILL clings on to his obsessions, even AFTER escaping the attic. Cathy yells at him to take a hike, and he CRIES. What a whimp.

During Christmas, Paul takes all the kids (I refuse to consider Chris an adult—even though he's about 18) to see The Nutcracker. Afterwards, they meet Madame Marisha who offers Cathy an audition the next day. Cathy makes it in, while meeting Marisha's hot son Julian. Meanwhile, Paul, like the jerk he is, sends Carrie off to a private, boarding school. Considering Carrie is extremely dependent on her siblings, has low-esteem because of her appearance, and doesn't want to leave at all, I completely agree with Paul's decision! Note the sarcasm. Chris, on the other hand, gets to go to a medical school to become a doctor and fulfill a dream while Cathy stays at home and fulfill her dream of becoming a ballerina. I'm surprised Carrie didn't throw much of a tantrum at this. That night, Cathy confesses she's in love with Paul—and the feeling's mutual! Did I mention the Oedipus complex? Turns out it's the Elektra complex instead. But wait, Julian from her ballet troupe is head over heels for her too, but Cathy tells him to leave her alone. Considering that's the non-creepiest relationship in the book, I'm surprised at Cathy's response. She accepts a date with him though, but Julian ends up getting her drunk, speeding in his car, and nearly breaking her arms. I don't know who's stupider: Julian for doing all that stuff or Cathy for going out with this loony after what happened.

When Cathy gets back, she yells at Paul for not having a life. Paul calmly explains that before Cathy barged into his life, he was married to a woman named Julia. Julia, who apparently suffered from something similar to androphobia, told Paul to leave her alone after she gave birth to a son named Scotty. To convert 3 pages into a sentence, Julia drowned herself in the river along with Scotty on Scotty's 3rd birthday. What a wonderful birthday gift (I should really thank my mom for that Hello Kitty bed sheet she gave me as a present—it's much better than a homicide). But guess what Cathy says to all of that?

"I'm sorry. But you can have other children. You can marry again ... Forget Julia!" (Andrews 98).

Very understanding Cathy. During Cathy's Sweet 16 party, Julian comes in and insists Cathy goes to New York to perform with him. Cathy says a simple "No" and Julian responds with, "May all your birthdays be hell on earth!". I'm starting to love this character.

Meanwhile, Carrie, who everyone forgot about, is being bullied in school because of her short height. The other girls in the school, who are about 9 years old, actually lock her up in the roof. Kids are getting violent these days. Finally, Cathy, Paul, and Chris get Carrie out of the school and send her to a public school. Cathy decides to go to New York with Julian to pursue her career. She meets Madame Zolta, who turns out to be the meanest teacher ever. After Cathy shouts at her one day, Zolta immediately sweetens up. Split personality disorder? Don't know. Anyways...one night Paul privately proposes to Cathy and she accepts. Samus is absolutely speechless. On Christmas, Chris finds out about it and sulks...a lot. Later in April, Paul's virtually-unknown-to-the-reader sister Amanda comes and says a bunch of lies, including: Julia is still alive, Cathy miscarried twins, and that Cathy had an abortion as a result. Eek! Anyways, Julian takes Cathy out and proposes to her, and Cathy, who's drunk, accepts. They soon get married. Apparently Romeo and Juliet wasn't that exaggerated after all.

Paul, after talking with Cathy, just mopes around and doesn't say much. Turns out Amanda was LYING! I SO did not know that. Chris, on the other hand, is pissed off and throws a tantrum. A few years later, Chris graduates from medical school. Julian, who should be (by legal standards) locked up by now, doesn't let Cathy go, so she ditches him in Spain for her brother. Julian retaliates by kicking her out of their ballet performance while she's with Chris. When Cathy confronts Julian about this, he steps on her foot and breaks some of her toes (I don't like this guy anymore). While Cathy's recovering, Julian gets himself injured in a car accident.

When Cathy approaches Julian, he yells at her to get lost. Cathy yells at him for wrecking their apartment and reveals she's pregnant with his child. Julian says to get an abortion.

The next day, Cathy notices Julian cut off his life support, committing suicide. Later, on Valentine's Day (really ironic, considering Cathy and Julian's almost loveless marriage), Cathy gives birth to Jory (Julian+Cory get it? haha).

After a while, Cathy decided to move to Virginia with Carrie to get revenge on her mother. I don't think she's heard the quote "forgive and forget." Obviously Chris has because he warns her not to move. But, of course, she tells him to get out of her face.

Once they move in, Carrie goes out with a guy named Alex. Considering this is Carrie's first date EVER (she's 20), she's practically jumping up and down. Alex, however, tells her that he plans to be a minister. Turns out Carrie understood all the grandmother's lectures about her being the "Devil's spawn." Then, Carrie sees her mother who refuses to recognize her. Carrie, in a state of depression, eats donuts coated with arsenic and dies, leaving a suicide note. This was the only death that really touched me in this book. Obviously, it touched Cathy because she becomes PISSED as a result.

Cathy, almost losing it, plays her idea of revenge, which involves seducing her stepfather, Bartholomew Winslow. Right now, I'm about to lose it. But, SHE DOES sneak into Foxworth Hall and whip her grandmother. Three cheers for Cathy at this point! THAT was the perfect revenge. Soon, Cathy becomes pregnant with her stepfather's kid (EW!) and tells Bart that he either divorces her mother or loses his kid. Bart doesn't give a direct answer, only yells at her.

Cathy then plots the final stage of her revenge. She dresses up as her mom did 15 years and yells out the truth about her past in front of all the party guests. I still don't get it that she actually expected people to believe her. Cathy's mother denies everything (of course), but Bart gets her to spit out the truth. Then Cathy's mom starts to say a bunch of crap about how Malcolm Foxworth used her and blah, blah, blah. I didn't fall for it and neither did Cathy or Bart. Chris suddenly appears and tells Cathy that they need to leave immediately. Bart says that he can't let Cathy go, and he hopes to redeem himself. Seems like a happy ending, right? It would be except for the part when Bart opens the door and the house is on fire! Cathy, Chris, and their mother all get out while Bart and Cathy's grandmother die. No big loss there. Then Chris tells Cathy that Henny died from a stroke and Paul suffered a heart attack in trying to help her. Cathy marries Paul and gives birth to Bart Jr. Paul urges her to "marry" Chris so they can live as husband and wife. So much for getting OVER the whole experience. Cathy, much to my horror, AGREES! Soon, Paul dies. Cathy and Chris take Jory and Bart with them to California. Cathy mentions that her mother is now locked up in a mental institution. Apparently, the grandmother left all her money to Cathy's mother and now Cathy's mother has no use for it. So in the end CATHY's revenge was pointless. In the end, Cathy says that she's nothing like her mother. Judging what happens in the next two books, I DIS-agree.

The Underland Chronicles vs. Percy Jackson

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:25:00 +0000

After finishing The Underland Chronicles two days ago, I have one thing to say:

THEY WERE AWESOME! But...they reminded me A LOT of Percy Jackson. (Fine, two things)

So I decided to whip up some of the main Olympian/Underlander similarities I found here:

Gregor vs. Percy: Both are extremely loyal to their families and become excellent warriors throughout the series. Both end up using resourcefullness during their quests. Both also use sarcasm and humor many times during the series. Who I liked better: Gregor. Don't get me wrong, I loved Percy too. Gregor, however, had more realistic fatal flaws, not to mention hubris (an essential quality most heroes encounter). Let's just say I found Percy too perfect. Also, Gregor was pretty non-whiny, compared to Percy. Don't forget that Gregor had to endure more than Percy as well. He didn't even get a weapon on his first quest. When he was offered a sword, he refused it. I like that. :D
Luxa vs. Annabeth: Both are intelligent (compared to the other characters) and initially scorn their future love interest. Luxa's parents are dead and Annabeth's parents don't want her (or that's what she thinks). Both are extremely loyal to their friends (Luxa declares war on the rats for killing the nibblers; Annabeth accompanies Percy on almost all his quests). Both are separated from their love interest at some point for a while. Who I liked better: Luxa. Annabeth seemed like a whiny brat compared to what Luxa went through. Luxa was also was unselfish, in comparison with Annabeth. She also evolved through the series and became less pompous. At least Luxa didn't whine about all the times Henry betrayed her, considering all the times Annabeth complained about Luke's betrayal.
Henry vs. Luke: The reason I put these two characters together was that their betrayals caused major impacts on the characters and the plot. Both of their betrayals affected Annabeth/Luxa respectably, and both Annabeth and Luxa were unable to hate them. Who I liked better: Sorry Henry. I thought Luke had more reasons for his betrayal and more character depth than Henry. Then again, he was in five books, compared with Henry's single appearance.
Vikus vs. Chiron:Both were mentors towards the main protagonist throughout the series. Both of these characters had secrets about their families (Vikus was Luxa's grandfather and Chiron was Kronos's son). Both these characters had TROUBLE understanding their families (Vikus didn't understand Solovet's ruthelesness; Chiron didn't understand Kronos's power-hungry attitude). Who I liked beter: Vikus. Chiron seemed like the ideal teacher without any flaws. Vikus was definitely the more interesting one of the two; he had flaws and wasn't the omniscient "perfect person" Chiron was.
Regalia vs. Olympus: Both these settings were significant in many parts of the books. I liked Olympus more, mainly because of the gods. :)
Howard vs. Charles Beckendorf: Both these characters were brother-like figures to the main protagonist. Both were also considered (by me) heroic. Who I liked better: Howard. He played the part of a mature person very well :).
Ripred vs. Ares: The one thing that caught me about these two was their use of sarcasm. Who I liked better: Ripred. No questions asked.
Prophecies: Both books has prophecies that shape the character's destiny (or at least forshadows it). In fact, the last prophecy of both series foreshadowed the hero's death.
Ares (bat) vs. Blackjack: Both were "pets" of the main protagonist and functioned as means of transportation. Who I liked better: Ares. Ares was lonely and secluded most of his life; his bond with Gregor was also interesting. Blackjack's relationship with Percy was VERY boring.
Nerissa vs. Rachel: Both had the ability to understand prophecies. Who I liked better: Nerissa. Rachel annoyed me a lot and I felt she wasn't that interesting. Nerissa's personality intrigued me throughout the series. I was glad she didn't die.
Bane vs. Bessie: Both were initially viewed as innocent creatures. However, their power was underestimated. Bessie had it easier than the Bane though. Who I liked better: Bessie; I think it's mainly the name.
Twirltongue vs. Prometheus: Both these characters were highly manipulative and were able to twist people's minds, even the main protagonist's. Who I liked better: Twirltongue. She was evil to the core and her persuasion skills surpassed Prometheus's.
TUC or Percy Jackson? Sorry Olympians but I'm going with The Underland Chronicles.

The Brief History of the Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:16:00 +0000

After reading this book for Literacy Club, this is what I have to say.

The book is BORING!

I hate to give out spoilers in my reviews, but seriously, this book HAS no spoilers.

The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier is about a city in which the dead go to after they...um..die. If their memory lives in a living person from Earth, they stay in the city. However, if no living person on earth remembers them, then____ (insert whatever you want; I don't recall the author clarifying this). The story centers on Laura Byrd who, with two other Coca Cola employees who are apparently sent to Antarctica to get "fresh water." It's more of a publicity stunt since the whole world is having some water problem (or something like that). Eventually Laura is isolated and is starting to believe she is the last person alive on Earth. Meanwhile, people in the City of the Dead are trying to recall when they met Laura and their past experiences on Earth.

SPOILERS BEGIN:

The book drags and drags on. There are many chapters with no dialogue at all. It seems the author had an idea with great potential, but he had no idea how to wrap it up. The ending is ambiguous and it's unclear whether Laura survives or not.

SPOILERS END

My opinion: I couldn't care less if Brockmeier killed off all the characters. In my opinon, the characters were two-dimensional and uninteresting. It was interesting how their stories were connected though; however, that didn't make up for the extreme drag and bore of the novel.

Rating: 1/5 stars

About Me

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Hi! I’m someone and I love web pages! This website has a complex history. First I had a blog and a bunch of websites and twitter and youtube and etc. Then I decided to crunch it. If you look to the left, you can see all my websites/web profiles.

History of my Websites: When I was in sixth grade, I started to develop an interest in making websites. Here was the catch: I wanted to build it up from start, not use a program to drag and drop stuff. My first website was made based on my favorite books at that time (The Royal Diaries) and was hosted on Geocities. My parents wouldn’t let me purchase a domain name and still don’t Though I would love a domain name, with all these free cpanel hosting services that are coming out, it’s not necessary (I might purchase one for my Team Peeta website though. Depends on popularity). Anyway, that website got taken down (I didn’t know Geocities didn’t allow me to advertise for Google!) and I made another website on Tripod. After a while, I decided it was pretty pointless and deleted it. My cousin needed a website to show his baby photos, so I made one for him. I had a series of failed blogs on Blogger, so I decided to make one and commit to it. After a while, I became annoyed at the lack of customization options Blogger offered. I liked to make my own websites, so when I realized 100webspace.net offerred free installation of Wordpress, I seized the opportunity to move my blog. The Change Project website and the Mythology website were made for school. The Team Peeta website was made for my love of Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. =). After a bunch of failed free webhosts, I moved back to Blogger in November 2009.

Favorite Books: The Other Boleyn girl,Twilight, Harry Potter, Legacy of the Force, Lioness Rampant,His Dark Materials,The Host, Dollanganger Saga, Casteel Series, Landry Saga, Hunger Games, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Of Mice and Men,

Favorite Characters (books, video games,etc.): Shanoa, Katniss, Mara Jade, Thalia Grace, Heaven Casteel

Movies: Harry Potter, The Pink Panther, RED EYE!!, Slumdog Millionare

Music: Anything Castlevania, Harry Potter music, Within Temptation

The Stolen One Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:46:00 +0000

Title: The Stolen One

Author: Suzanne Crowley

Publication Date: June 2009

Age Group: 13+

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 8/10

Set in 16th century England, The Stolen One follows Katherine Bab’s search for the history of her past and her through identity. After Katherine’s adopted mother dies, she goes to London to find out who her parents were. In a matter of weeks, Katherine becomes close to Queen Elizabeth I but faces danger at court. While trying to uncover her past, Katherine is romantically pursued by three men and must chose between her old country life or her new life at court.

For someone who has a mediocre knowledge of Tudor history, the ending of this book is easily predictable. For a reader who doesn’t know anything about the Tudor lineage, the sudden plot twists will come as a shock. While the romance starts off as somewhat poorly developed, it starts to expand throughout the novel and adds to Katherine's character. However, Crowley writes with suspense and power, making the reader flip the pages eagerly. Vignettes narrating Katherine’s adopted mother’s tale show up between chapters, leading to the ending. Additionally, the portrayal of the real-life characters is surprisingly accurate: Elizabeth I is shown a compassionate person but a queen first. Katherine might earn some curses from the reader, but she ultimately proves herself--at a price.While some of the plot twists are expected, Crowley does provide the reader with a memorable tale.

Princesses (Disney+Odette)

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:24:00 +0000

Just like any other girl, I loved princesses when I was four. Recently, my friends and I were discussing Disney princesses and their characters. I've decided to compile our opinions, along with my opinion on Odette in The Swan Princess (She was too much of a character for me to ignore).NOTE: I AM CONSIDERING MAINLY THE ORIGINAL FILMS. Let's start:

Snow White (1937): Snow White isn't the hottest princess around (I can't believe the queen actually got jealous of HER; beauty is a matter of opinion). Furthermore, I hate the way she runs off with the prince when she hardly knows who she is. And WHY didn't she listen to the dwarves? It was almost her way of saying "I'm smarter than you"; in the original Snow White the witch actually ate part of the apple to dupe her. That made some sense, but seriously, Snow White forgot her enemy so quickly. Rating: 1/5

Cinderella (1950): Let me get this straight. Cinderella can stand up for herself when she wants to go to a ball but not when her family works her to pieces? Very smart. Worst of all, she hardly knew the prince for an HOUR and she wants to stay with him for LIFE. I agree it's an escape from slavery, but it's a rash choice. In Cinderella 3, she does stand up for herself and become a character. Nevertheless, she just sits there and moans in self-pity while the mice rescue her again and again. Yeah, I think that's her fatal flaw: self pity. Oh well, it makes her a character with a personality nevertheless (an annoying one I must add). By the way, the animators deliberately try to make Cinderella pretty; BIG MISTAKE, she looks normal and plain. Rating: 2/5.

Aurora (1959): This princess barely shows up IN HALF OF THE STORY! Absolutely ridiculous. All she does is meet Prince Philip, dream about him, sing in the forest, prick her finger, and then wake up. BIG DEAL! She's really pretty (prettiest blond Disney princess in my opinion) but she LACKS character development big time. Well, at least she KNEW her prince before she MARRIED him (they were betrothed anyway). Rating: 1.5/5.

Ariel (1989):This used to be my FAVORITE Disney princess when I was little. I still don't know why (I loved mermaids, maybe that was the reason). Now when I look at her character, she frustrates me. Her dad warned her all her life "Don't go up, they will kill you" and she ignores him. When your parents tell you not to talk to strangers, you take their advice eventually,don't you? Not in this case. Why didn't Ariel explain to her father about her feelings on the matter rather than her anger? She only have THREE DAYS to spend with Eric, and fell in love with him. Amazing. She was alright in the beauty aspect, except her fringe on her forehead annoys me. Nevertheless, I was really,really disgruntled when she chose a GUY over her FAMILY. Very nice message to kids, Disney. Rating: 3/5 (biased opinion)

Belle (1991): After watching this later, I appreciated the movie more. Belle is human, FINALLY. She doesn't swoon over the hottest guy in town (YAY, IT TOOK A WHILE DISNEY!). Even better, her loyalty is to her father who raised her up; at least SOME Disney princess appreciates their parents. The one thing I absolutely LOVE is that Belle loves the Beast for who he is, not his appearance. I don't think we've had many other Disney princesses do that. Belle even takes the time to know her guy (or maybe that's stockholm syndrome, God knows).. She also passes the beauty test with natural beauty, not the standard blond hair (no offense to all the blonds out there). Rating: 4/5.

Jasmine (1992): I remember Aladdin only vaguely so this is what I have to say: I admire Jasmine. She affirms her freedom while trying to find love. Jasmine is the ONLY Disney princess who tries to escape forced marriage--and I applaud her for that. She has natural beauty, and therefore passes the beauty test. ;). Rating:4/5.

Odette [From The Swan Princess] (1994): Though Odette is not a Disney princess, I appreciate her so much I HAD to put her in. From the start, I admired her character. She wants to marry for love rather than beauty and puts that straight. She avoids shortcuts to save her kingdom and keeps other people's desires above own (talk about unselfish). Odette is the one who actually FIGHTS her own battle (not all physically) rather than having the prince do all the work. Disney has a lot to learn. She surpasses the beauty test and best of all ,looks plain as a kid, just like all kids are. Rating: 3.5/5

Pocahontas (1995): This character annoyed me; I can't say I hated the movie but I can't say I loved it either. The main reason I didn't like her was because of her passive approach to reason with her father. Her father said "No" and she didn't even refute that. THIS IS WAR! I don't understand why she would avoid an argument when there's lives at stake. What I do like about her is that she sacrifices her love for the sake of someone else. Her appearance is well...passable. Rating: 2.5/5

Mulan (1998): Mulan was never an actual princess. Shang was never an actual prince. Yet, she is one of the few Disney princesses who actually seem human. She risks her life for her father (loyalty to parents-yay!) and uses defiance for selfless reasons. Mulan perseveres and sacrifices unlike other Disney Princesses. Best of all, Mulan loves for personality rather than looks. She also has a less stereotypical appearance. YAY! Rating: 5/5.

What do you guys think? The beauty aspect wasn't counted in my ratings, it was just my thoughts. Here's a poll to vote:

Catching Fire Review

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:23:00 +0000

I want to start off by saying that I LOVE this series. This book didn't disappoint me the slightest and I KNOW readers will love this book. A short summary: rebellion is brewing and Katniss and Peeta have to pretend they're desperately in love with eachother. They even go so far as to fake a marriage proposal.I jumped at that part. This book is plently of shocks and twists, though I wish page 174 had been more of an orginal punishment. I was slightly irriated that the plot had to be recycled in that way. One the contrary there's more of the Peeta/Gale/Katniss love triangle. I'm totally Team Peeta and this book satisfied me (though Team Gale fans will also get a wiff out of it). This book reminds me of Star Wars in so many ways. What the heck, everything is Star Wars these days: Percy Jackson, the Mortal Instruments, the Inheritance Cycle, and now this! It all related back to the hero's journey. There's a humongo jumbo cliffhanger at the end so get ready! Speaking of the previous spoiler (hlighlighted in yellow, mind you), there's lots of deception in this book. That whole "love thingy" in the last book is a potato compared to what happens here. At least every chapter, Katniss makes something up. It was relieving having some secondary characters. I was close to congratualting Johanna or slapping her in the middle of the book. Finnick was a character I also liked, but he seemed so...dull. There's a bit more of Madge in the book (A Midsummer Night's Dream, anyone?). Readers are going to be crying at the end wishing for the sequel of this book.

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:15:00 +0000

Just like the other posts, I read this book a while back. :D. Let me get this out. EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK (except Olivia) IS ANNOYING! Chris is head over heels over Cathy. Cathy is in love with Chris, while complaining about everything in her life (I don’t blame her for that!). Carrie and Cory whine all day and drove me up the wall. That being said, I don’t think this classifies as a horror novel. It’s more of a family saga novel. What I DO like about this book is that Cathy has perspective, something all the other characters lack. Put it this way. If I read a paragraph Cathy wrote in any other V.C. Andrews novel, I would be able to tell it was her without anyone telling me. I could feel the isolation Cathy felt when she was locked up in the attic. I also liked the grandmother in the story. She was really complex and it was unclear whose side she was on. All we really know is this:

She spat at his back: "I hate that particular name!
It was your father's; out of the kindness of my heart, I pleaded his cause when his mother died, and he didn't have a home. My husband didn't want him here, but I felt pity for a young boy without parents, or means, and robbed of so much. So I kept nagging my husband to let his younger half-brother live under our roof. So your father came ... brilliant, handsome, and he took advantage of our generosity. Deceived us! We sent him to the best of schools, bought him the best of everything, and he stole our daughter, his own half-niece! She was all we had left then ... the only one left ... and they eloped in the night, and came back two weeks later, smiling, happy, asking us to forgive them for falling in love. That night, my husband had his first heart attack. Has your mother told you that-that she and that man were the cause of her father's heart disease? He ordered her out-told her never to come back-and then he fell down on the floor."

Pretty nice kids to have, huh? Here’s another hint.

Then she spoke aloud: "Forgive me, Lord, for all my sins. I have always done what I thought best, and if I made mistakes, please believe I thought I was doing right. May I forever find grace in thine eyes. Amen."

I have a feeling Olivia regretted treating the kids that way. Part of her non-religious conscience was still intact and deep down, I don’t think she liked what she was doing. I wish Corrine has more dept so we could she why she made some of her foolish decisions. Though I enjoyed the book, the four children drove me up the wall.
o Chris- obsessed with Cathy and medicine
o Cathy- obsessed with Chris, ballet, and sex
o Carrie and Cory- whine for their mommy all the time.

Photoshop time!:

NOTE: I didn’t hate this book. It was a good read.

Ruby by V.C. Andrews

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:55:00 +0000

I read this book months ago, but I'm getting into the blog posting now. ;). Anyways, first things first. There are going to be spoilers coming up so watch out. This book contains one of my favorite VCA characters ever. And guess what? It’s NOT any of the protagonists! Here it is (drum roll)…Gisselle! What I like about her is that she’s not physically evil (unlike Clara Sue in the Cutler series). She just plots and plots and plots. Gisselle just likes to throw tantrums, whine, and demand….somehow I like all that. Anyway, let me get this out before I scream…Ruby is so….urgh!!!!!! (i.e. I’m frustrated with her character). Let’s start off, ok? She barges into her sister’s life and steals her boyfriend. Pretty mean, huh? Ignoring the fact that Gisselle is promiscuous, I’d be pretty mad if I were her. Instead, Ruby keeps on telling the reader what a bad person Gisselle is and how she could be better and blah, blah, blah. So annoying. Daphne, like a good mother should, objects to Ruby acting in her..err.. ”we’re in love way” should, and Ruby just objects to Daphne. She barely knew this guy for a month!!! I’m not necessarily agreeing with Daphne locking Ruby up in the mental hospital. Ruby should just admit she made mistakes and move on with life. She had it pretty easy compared to some other V.C. Andrew heroines. Still, I loved the story. Though some of the characters baffled and annoyed me, the plot was gripping from the start. I couldn’t put the book down; it didn’t drag like Flowers in the Attic did. The setting was also pretty cool (Louisiana) and interacted with the story. Pierre Dumas seemed two-dimensional though. He just keeps on praising Daphne when she’s been rotten to him for a long time (even before Ruby was born). For example:

"Of course you're really her mother. She hasn't known anyone else to be her mother and you've been a wonderful mother to her.”

"Actually, I was fortunate and am fortunate to have Daphne. Besides being a beautiful woman, she's a woman capable of great love. She loved my father and I believe, she accepted all this because of her love for him, as much as her love for me. In fact, she accepted some responsibility."

(Severe forms of sarcasm coming up). “Wonderful mother”? Spoiling Gisselle was a wonderful thing for a wonderful mother to do! Teaching her prejudice, that’s even better! “Capable of love”? Rejecting Ruby from the start was really, really lovable. "Love for me"? HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Don’t even get me started. Months after Pierre died (in Pearl in the Mist) she became a married woman again. Oh joy. I’ve have to agree with this, though:

"At times like this, she is the strongest member of our family. She's always been."

I supposed cruel means strong in this case. Here’s another scene that I enjoyed:

"Who is she?" Gisselle demanded, her eyes quickly moving from wide orbs of amazement to narrow slits of suspicion. "Anyone can see she's your twin sister," Beau replied. "Her name is Ruby." Gisselle grimaced and shook her head. "What sort of a practical joke are you playing now, Beau Andreas?" she demanded…"But I bought this new dress especially for it and I have a wonderful mask and" She embraced herself and glared at me. "How can this happen!" she cried, the tears now streaming down her cheeks. She clasped her hands into small fists and slapped her arms against her sides. "And tonight of all nights!"

Which basically reads as follows:

Gisselle has a tendency to overreact.

Tears of the Storm: Caius's story

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:53:00 +0000

For those who don't know, Caius is an antagonist in Twilight. After reading V.C. Andrews, I wondered what made antagonists so evil. I decided to write a story about Caius's life.

Tarnished Gold by V.C. Andrews

noreply@blogger.com (Deeps) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:26:00 +0000

I know I'm a little late on this (fine, eight months). BUT I can still start. ;) Anyways, for those who don't know, I'll start of by saying Tarnished Gold was my first V.C. Andrews book I read. I recall looking at it in a library shelf and being initially repulsed, then interested. The ending shocked me. I'm not trying to give away spoilers here,just a review. Anyways.....let's start off at the beginning! Considering this is a prequel, what happens at the end isn't supposed to be a surprise (though it was for me). This is one of my favorite quotes in the book:

"I would never throw out one of my babies," I vowed, refusing to relinquish my hold on that innocence Mama feared would pull me down with it. "I hope you never have to even think of such a thing, honey, but if you do, remember the blue jay and make the choice that's best for your child and not for you."

Lots of forshadowing and irony, huh? Ironic cuz in the end, two of her kids ARE given away.Anyway, another one of my favorite things about this book is Gabrielle/Gabriel's innocence. It's one of the main components of the story. It also differentiates her as a character and contributes toward character depth. Also, the details of the relationship between her and Pierre, not to mention the faked pregnancies, were also good aspects of the story, considering they were never explained in Ruby. One thing which did annoy me were the inconsistancies. I'm not going to go into details but it seems Ruby and Tarnished Gold were written by different people.

That being said, here's another favorite quote:

He kissed me and held me for a long moment. And then he turned and walked away, into the dark path under the cypress, disappearing just as I imagined my ghost lover would. It seemed centuries ago when, on our way home from school, I had told Yvette and Evelyn about the myth. But it wasn't a myth for me any longer. For me, it had come true.

It's so sad because in the end, she's gonna die. ;( Also, the dying in first person was written very, very WELL. It's one of the best passages in VCA books.I highly reccommend you read Ruby by V.C. Andrews first, otherwise this book is hard to understand in some parts. A good read though.