Provided Summary by Book:
Police officer Isabelle St. John loves her crazy, loud, law-enforcement family. With three brothers and two sisters, she's never without someone to hang out with--or fight with. And she knows they'll be there for her when things get tough. Like when her partner is murdered and she barely escapes with her own life.
Determined to discover exactly what happened, Izzy's investigation sends her headfirst into a criminal organization, possibly with cops on the payroll--including someone from her own family. With her dead partner's handsome homicide detective brother Ryan shadowing her every move, Izzy's head is spinning. How can she secure justice for her partner when doing so could mean sending someone she loves to prison? And how will she guard her heart when the man she's had a secret crush on for years won't leave her side?
With her signature fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action, Lynette Eason invites readers into a captivating new series where justice is a family affair.
First Impressions:
Notes:
*will be updated soon*
Overall Review:
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Friday, December 1, 2017
Vanishing Point by Lisa Harris
Provided Summary by Book:
During Garrett Addison's first week on the job as a criminal investigator for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, his team is called out to a murder scene of a young girl. She's the third victim in a string of disappearances with one thing in common--a Polaroid photo of each victim left behind at the crime scene.
The FBI is pulled into the case to help, and Garrett finds himself working with Special Agent Jordan Lambert, the woman he once loved. When yet another girl dies--number six--Garrett blames himself and believes he doesn't have what it takes to be an agent. What he'll discover is that, while he may be done with the killer, the killer is not done with him--or Jordan..
First Impressions:
The title itself is not very original, if you google search vanishing point there are dozens of shows and novels from over the years that come up. Quite frankly, there isn't much about this book that grabs the attention of a passer-by either, the cover is very dark other than the popping white title and bright green name of the author. But, we shouldn't judge a book by the cover right?
Notes:
*will be updated soon*
Overall Review:
During Garrett Addison's first week on the job as a criminal investigator for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, his team is called out to a murder scene of a young girl. She's the third victim in a string of disappearances with one thing in common--a Polaroid photo of each victim left behind at the crime scene.
The FBI is pulled into the case to help, and Garrett finds himself working with Special Agent Jordan Lambert, the woman he once loved. When yet another girl dies--number six--Garrett blames himself and believes he doesn't have what it takes to be an agent. What he'll discover is that, while he may be done with the killer, the killer is not done with him--or Jordan..
First Impressions:
The title itself is not very original, if you google search vanishing point there are dozens of shows and novels from over the years that come up. Quite frankly, there isn't much about this book that grabs the attention of a passer-by either, the cover is very dark other than the popping white title and bright green name of the author. But, we shouldn't judge a book by the cover right?
Notes:
*will be updated soon*
Overall Review:
Friday, November 17, 2017
A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden
Provided Summary by Book:
Lucy Drake's mastery of Morse code has made her a valuable asset to the American news agencies as a telegrapher. But the sudden arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith at rival British news agency Reuters puts her hard-earned livelihood at risk. Newly arrived from London, Colin is talented, handsome, and insufferably charming.
Despite their rivalry, Lucy realizes Colin's connections could be just what her family needs to turn the tide of their long legal battle over the fortune they were swindled out of forty years ago. When she negotiates an unlikely alliance with him, neither of them realizes how far the web of treachery they're wading into will take them.
First Impressions:
Similar to a few of the other books we have reviewed lately, the lettering is raised and has very intriguing details to it, they are one of the things I start to look for in the books I see round town. In the background of the cover photo is a faded city landscape, while not 21st century it is still very modern and intrigued me to find out the time setting and the roles each character would play considering the cover also features a woman's side profile. The soft matte appearance and feel to the book is also very bold and eye catching as most soft back books use a gloss finish.
Notes:
*will be updated soon*
Overall Review:
Lucy Drake's mastery of Morse code has made her a valuable asset to the American news agencies as a telegrapher. But the sudden arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith at rival British news agency Reuters puts her hard-earned livelihood at risk. Newly arrived from London, Colin is talented, handsome, and insufferably charming.
Despite their rivalry, Lucy realizes Colin's connections could be just what her family needs to turn the tide of their long legal battle over the fortune they were swindled out of forty years ago. When she negotiates an unlikely alliance with him, neither of them realizes how far the web of treachery they're wading into will take them.
First Impressions:
Similar to a few of the other books we have reviewed lately, the lettering is raised and has very intriguing details to it, they are one of the things I start to look for in the books I see round town. In the background of the cover photo is a faded city landscape, while not 21st century it is still very modern and intrigued me to find out the time setting and the roles each character would play considering the cover also features a woman's side profile. The soft matte appearance and feel to the book is also very bold and eye catching as most soft back books use a gloss finish.
Notes:
*will be updated soon*
Overall Review:
Saturday, September 30, 2017
The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker
Provided Summary by Book:
When a summer thunderstorm drives 12-year-old Samuel Chambers into a local antique shop, he finds himself watching through a crack in the door as three old fortune tellers from a visiting fair scratch a message onto the surface of a table: “Find the Tree of Life.” Tragedy strikes his family less than 24 hours later, and as those words echo in his mind he realizes that Finding the Tree of Life is his only hope. His quest to defeat death entangles him and his best friend Abra in an ancient conflict, and a series of strange events leads them closer to the Tree, closer to reversing the tragedy that took place. Can death be defeated? But as his own personal quest unfolds, Samuel comes face to face with a deeper, more difficult question: Could it be possible that death is a gift?
First Impressions:
It was very nice to receive a hardback for a change, while all books sent to us for reviews are adored and added to our collection the hardbacks just look nicer come photo-shoot time because the spine hasn't been bent awkwardly.
The use of simplistic colors and patterns makes me think of the simplistic authors that write young adult novels that I read like five and six years ago which is nice, kinda nostalgic.
From the side of the books (not the spine, the other side) you can already tell that the book has been divided into sections which will make it nice to section off for separate days of reading. Along with this, the use of quotes at the beginning of each section is nice.
Notes:
*will be updated soon*
Overall Review:
This novel was rather difficult for me to get deeply engrossed in, which seemed rather odd given how much I have looked forward to and enjoy receiving books to read and review from companies and fans. Initially the book flashed a lot between past and present without explanation which left me with many questions. Eventually these questions were answered but it would have been nice to be eased into the situation than just left to ponder the course. The topic itself was very heartening and I am sure that in some ways it may be a good novel for preteens who have experienced some form of loss and are having trouble grasping what has happened as well as for the youth who are ill themselves and fear what is to become of them. I highly doubt this is what the author intended but it comes off as such a novel to me. It may not be the best novel for everyone but it is something I am sure plenty of people will enjoy regardless of the critics.
When a summer thunderstorm drives 12-year-old Samuel Chambers into a local antique shop, he finds himself watching through a crack in the door as three old fortune tellers from a visiting fair scratch a message onto the surface of a table: “Find the Tree of Life.” Tragedy strikes his family less than 24 hours later, and as those words echo in his mind he realizes that Finding the Tree of Life is his only hope. His quest to defeat death entangles him and his best friend Abra in an ancient conflict, and a series of strange events leads them closer to the Tree, closer to reversing the tragedy that took place. Can death be defeated? But as his own personal quest unfolds, Samuel comes face to face with a deeper, more difficult question: Could it be possible that death is a gift?
First Impressions:
It was very nice to receive a hardback for a change, while all books sent to us for reviews are adored and added to our collection the hardbacks just look nicer come photo-shoot time because the spine hasn't been bent awkwardly.
The use of simplistic colors and patterns makes me think of the simplistic authors that write young adult novels that I read like five and six years ago which is nice, kinda nostalgic.
From the side of the books (not the spine, the other side) you can already tell that the book has been divided into sections which will make it nice to section off for separate days of reading. Along with this, the use of quotes at the beginning of each section is nice.
Notes:
*will be updated soon*
Overall Review:
This novel was rather difficult for me to get deeply engrossed in, which seemed rather odd given how much I have looked forward to and enjoy receiving books to read and review from companies and fans. Initially the book flashed a lot between past and present without explanation which left me with many questions. Eventually these questions were answered but it would have been nice to be eased into the situation than just left to ponder the course. The topic itself was very heartening and I am sure that in some ways it may be a good novel for preteens who have experienced some form of loss and are having trouble grasping what has happened as well as for the youth who are ill themselves and fear what is to become of them. I highly doubt this is what the author intended but it comes off as such a novel to me. It may not be the best novel for everyone but it is something I am sure plenty of people will enjoy regardless of the critics.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Justice Buried by Patricia Bradley
*AS ALWAYS WE ADVISE OUR READERS THAT IF THEY DO NOT WISH TO SEE SPOILERS THAT THEY SKIP THE NOTES SECTION AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE OVERALL REVIEW PORTION OF THE PIECE*
Provided Summary by Book:
"In an effort to get her security consulting business off the ground, Kelsey Allen has been spending a lot of time up in the air, rappelling down buildings and climbing through windows to show business owners their vulnerabilities to thieves. When she is hired to pose as a conservator at the Pink Palace Museum in order to test their security weaknesses after some artifacts go missing, she's ecstatic. But when her investigative focus turns from theft to murder, Kelsey knows she's out of her league--and possibly in the cross hairs. When blast-from-the-past Detective Brad Hollister is called in to investigate, Kelsey may find that he's the biggest security threat yet . . . to her heart.
Crackling with romantic tension and laced with intrigue, this suspenseful story from award-winning author Patricia Bradley will keep readers guessing--and looking over their shoulders."
First Impressions:
Right off the bat, I must say it did take me a while to receive this book. Also, I feel it is important to say that I have never read a 'Memphis Cold Case' novel nor had I ever heard of them prior to being sent this book and thus I am not sure what number this is in the series or if the books are all connected and that will affect the impact the novel has on me. I do especially love the dedication in the book however, "to our heroes in blue who put their lives on the line 24/7", it's the first I have seen of something like that and it makes me happy.
Notes:
Pg 9 - I kinda figured as much but it is nice to know it is a 'Memphis Cold Case' because it takes place there and not because it is a character's name
Pg 9 - Okay this may just be me over thinking but if she is investigating a case why is she breaking in??
Pg 10 - Sabra? like the humus??!?
Pg 11 - I love that slowly it is becoming more reasonable for females to be tech savvy and spies and work alone and sooo many things they wouldn't have been 50 years ago...
Pg 12 - Question ... if she is working for a guy who's working for a guy... did it get cleared with that top person???
Pg 14 - What is this business? Why is somebody there so late? Why does he have a gun ready???
Pg 19 - Grigri: a belay device for rock climbing
Pg 20 - okay how old is Kelsey?? Sabra is 30 something but Kels is thinking of marriage and kids??
Pg 22 - SHE'S 35!!
Pg 23 - What leads her to believe that he suspects her? other than him showing the video I mean
Pg 24 - Ah, nevermind.
Pg 25 - She went to school to be a conservator? Ew. Why? That's her parents' preference I thought
Pg 26 - Why are they discussing this now if they have business matters to attend to??
Pg 27 - Okay so I guess the cold case is the missing artifacts then ... could it all be her dad? that would be upsetting...
Pg 31 - The dudes name is Brad. He os bound to be a self-centered jerk right? maybe ...
Pg 32 - And now we hop to a new point of view ... why is this so common in books today to have more than one main character?!?!?
Pg 33 - YES. I hope its a deep red and not a bright red
Pg 33 - AWW! so precious! a three legged puppy! Damn you Brad!!
Pg 33 - WHY IS THIS MY DREAM LIFE?!?!
Pg 34 - I can't believe she is 35 and being set up on a date...this is definitely my future ...
Pg 36 - HOW DO THEY REMEMBER THIS 17 YEARS LATER?!
Pg 39 - When I hear the name Brad I think 6'4" muscular, jerky quarter back ... not skinny
Pg 44 - I was waiting for him to be mentioned ... Also I imagine a great gesture like a magician lol
Pg 50 - DAMN!! I was so close!!!!
Pg 52 - Did she make sure he left first? What if he follows her and calls the cops?!
Pg 55 - Always trust your gut!
Pg 56 - WOAH. Not good. Dead things and getting caught breaking and entering....
Pg 58 - So now she is Ms.Allen? And where the heck is Rutherford?!
Pg 58 - NOW HOW WILL SHE CLEAR HER NAME?!?!?!?!
Pg 59 - On the bright side ... she couldnt have done it if she is ready to pass out from the sight of it ... also, why did Tomlinson not question her appearance at the scene?
Pg 63 - Would this information clear her of the murder???
Pg 65 - Its funny taking a criminalistics class and being able to watch shows or read books and know that they are inaccurate...
Pg 73 - Wow. Brad is already letting his 'non-existent' emotions get the better of him.
Pg 75 - Makes me think he was the one with the gun...
Pg 78 - sounds like an affair to me... how did they meet anyway? and why is it such a big age gap?! he was graduating high school when she was getting ready for pre-k!!!
Pg 81 - MARY POPPINS!! lol
Pg 83 - If she thinks it ended so poorly that he deleted her number than its over... why is she calling?
Pg 86 - She just got out of a relationship. BET.
Pg 86 - On the bright side maybe she will keep him distracted from Kelsey and the whole truth
Pg 91 - Why did he feel the need to mention his brother isnt the thief?
Pg 93 - Could it be the IT person then?
Pg 94 - 'Whet' ... typo???
Pg 95 - Phew. She's covered!
Pg 96 - Was he that anxious to switch positions?! Jeez! Also, if he is no longer with homicide can't he not work the case anymore???
Pg 97 - WOAH WOAH WOAH Brad has another sister? And she is dead?! How long ago?! It is a cold case after all ...
Pg 97 - Stereotypes to the rescue! lol nobody even suspects it is Kelsey because she is female!
Pg 98 - Okay. Wait. They definitely have to be linked. Plus they are going to pin it on the Phantom Hawk! It has to be the guy who shot at Kels...
Pg 99 - Such a girly gossip thing to do...
Pg 99 - You see but won't that bring on more teasing from the guys?
Pg 102 - You see though how is he going to ask her about the Phantom Hawk stuff w/ an ex-burglury investigator there? And he can't ask her out on a date now either...
Pg 104 - On the who what?? Circus?!?
Pg 105 - PEACH TEA IS AMAZING THOUGH
Pg 110 - Way to be blunt about it Brad
Pg 110 - SHIT.
Pg 112 - DOUBLE SHIT. Atleast there is paperwork I guess
Pg 113 - YES! Somebody is firing at her which will help play into her innocense!!!
Pg 116 - Austere: severe
Pg 118 - What if there is a camera in the conference room recording their conversation though...???
Pg 119 - Yeah. Thats a fabulous explaination...
Pg 120 - Why has Sloan suddenly accepted Brad's presence? Shouldn't she push him away?
Pg 120 - Way to take charge Kelsey!
Pg 121 - Well she may know the photo isnt from Thursday but what about the detectives? can they electronically find a time stamp??
Pg 122 - WOW! I never thought of that loop hole! Photo shop. wow.
Pg 124 - BUM BUM BUM! I have no thoughts ... Could the killer have listened in on her phone call through the cameras? Could it be her stepfather?
Pg 126 - Obviously the chat is an IT type thing but what is it for???
Pg 127 - He hasn't really thought of Elle this whole time...
Pg 128 - PENNSYLVANIA!
Pg 128 - He suspects her stepfather as well!!
Pg 129 - What ever happened to him working on cold cases? Obviously he is looking at her father's case but what about these new cases involving her? They aren't exactly cold....
Pg 130 - Why would he ever want to get back with her if she couldn't accept his job and asperations back then???
Pg 131 - If the police didn't suspect foul play then why did the trustee? Sam was the trustee at the time wasn't he? What if he killed Kels' real dad?!?!?!
Pg 133 - I wonder what kind of work they do with kids...
Pg 134 - I thought she wasnt telling anyone about the cops?... Maybe she is the killer? It would be cool for the story to be mostly female...
Pg 135 - Maybe it wasn't actually sent by them... What if its a trap??...WHAT IF ITS A BOMB?!?!?!?
Pg 136 - Oh joy!
Pg 136 - Could it happen to be another person from a business she checked the security on?? Or maybe her father??... I'm sure the cops love her right now, so does the Pink Palace...........
Pg 139 - Point one to Kelsey
Pg 141 - And another point to Kelsey. This is so me, being a know-it-all
Pg 142 - Wow. She suddenly got very friendly... Also why does she allow Kelsey to sit in if she thinks it could be her? And why did the lieutenant need to get involved....????
Pg 146 - Its odd to me that they are telling Kelsey so much about the case
Pg 147 - Why is making a connection so easy in books but not in real life??? I would love to make a more accurate love hate relationship and see how that goes over with readers.
Pg 149 - Damn. He's got an alibi then ... or maybe not...
Pg 150 - Ray-Ray makes me think of the firefly from the Princess and the Frog
Pg 153 - They could have told her though...
Pg 155 - Yes Maggie! I feel the same! We are all so concerned about Male vs Female or Black vs White, instead of the end goal!
Pg 158 - He's always putting his nose where it doesn't belong...
Pg 161 - Do they have clearance to do this demonstration?!???
Pg 162 - She's on the wrong side of the law as in she should be a detective....or as in she is a criminal?? She had permission though...
Pg 166 - Honestly, why is he even puzzled anymore? she scales buildings, she can handle herself pretty well I would think...
Pg 166 - Oh joy. Her mom will absolutely love him tagging along...
Pg 167 - She acts like two acres is a lot to own...
Pg 168 - Thats good though! Thats how all people should be raised. I hate snot nose rich people.
Pg 169 - Dude. That is not police protocal. Write it in your notes, not on your phone.
Pg 170 - I feel like these emotions are staged. Why is she crying???
Pg 172 - Does that mean Kelsey was born before their marriage??
Pg 173 - I'm surprised there isn't details of the mom prying Brad for details on him personally or his thoughts of Kelsey.
Pg 175 - Yeah. Why? The property only just came up with Brad and mention of her real father....
Pg 176 - Why wouldn't they just give the house to Kelsey? If they own it then she could have her own place instead of living with her sister...
Pg 178 - That seems hard to believe. Well there is that hacking thing I guess.
Pg 180 - Wow. Now its Daddy. Must be a special memory.
Pg 180 - That would have made me laugh and stop crying instantly.
Pg 181 - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! You suckers are gonna fall for eachother!!!!!!!
Pg 184 -
Overall Review:
This is by far one of my favorite books to have received from the Bethany Publishing house! I only recently joined their group of book review bloggers but it has been great, I do wish I had more time to sit and continue reading all of their books however being a full time student as well as a part time employee and 'life' long blogger, takes up a lot of time on top of the other groups I partake in... Regardless, these was a very well structured 'criminalistic' novel and I can not wait to read more! As always there were some portions of the story-line that fell victim to the CSI effect but there were not as many as I had originally thought there would be. The characters are very sarcastic yet lovable and they draw you in with every snide remark. I myself found that I put myself in the shoes of the main character because the plot followed my dream life all too closely, even the wanted to be hunted by somebody because I know something I shouldn't (or they think I do anyway). Five stars all the way, wish I could give it ten!!!
Provided Summary by Book:
"In an effort to get her security consulting business off the ground, Kelsey Allen has been spending a lot of time up in the air, rappelling down buildings and climbing through windows to show business owners their vulnerabilities to thieves. When she is hired to pose as a conservator at the Pink Palace Museum in order to test their security weaknesses after some artifacts go missing, she's ecstatic. But when her investigative focus turns from theft to murder, Kelsey knows she's out of her league--and possibly in the cross hairs. When blast-from-the-past Detective Brad Hollister is called in to investigate, Kelsey may find that he's the biggest security threat yet . . . to her heart.
Crackling with romantic tension and laced with intrigue, this suspenseful story from award-winning author Patricia Bradley will keep readers guessing--and looking over their shoulders."
First Impressions:
Right off the bat, I must say it did take me a while to receive this book. Also, I feel it is important to say that I have never read a 'Memphis Cold Case' novel nor had I ever heard of them prior to being sent this book and thus I am not sure what number this is in the series or if the books are all connected and that will affect the impact the novel has on me. I do especially love the dedication in the book however, "to our heroes in blue who put their lives on the line 24/7", it's the first I have seen of something like that and it makes me happy.
Notes:
Pg 9 - I kinda figured as much but it is nice to know it is a 'Memphis Cold Case' because it takes place there and not because it is a character's name
Pg 9 - Okay this may just be me over thinking but if she is investigating a case why is she breaking in??
Pg 10 - Sabra? like the humus??!?
Pg 11 - I love that slowly it is becoming more reasonable for females to be tech savvy and spies and work alone and sooo many things they wouldn't have been 50 years ago...
Pg 12 - Question ... if she is working for a guy who's working for a guy... did it get cleared with that top person???
Pg 14 - What is this business? Why is somebody there so late? Why does he have a gun ready???
Pg 19 - Grigri: a belay device for rock climbing
Pg 20 - okay how old is Kelsey?? Sabra is 30 something but Kels is thinking of marriage and kids??
Pg 22 - SHE'S 35!!
Pg 23 - What leads her to believe that he suspects her? other than him showing the video I mean
Pg 24 - Ah, nevermind.
Pg 25 - She went to school to be a conservator? Ew. Why? That's her parents' preference I thought
Pg 26 - Why are they discussing this now if they have business matters to attend to??
Pg 27 - Okay so I guess the cold case is the missing artifacts then ... could it all be her dad? that would be upsetting...
Pg 31 - The dudes name is Brad. He os bound to be a self-centered jerk right? maybe ...
Pg 32 - And now we hop to a new point of view ... why is this so common in books today to have more than one main character?!?!?
Pg 33 - YES. I hope its a deep red and not a bright red
Pg 33 - AWW! so precious! a three legged puppy! Damn you Brad!!
Pg 33 - WHY IS THIS MY DREAM LIFE?!?!
Pg 34 - I can't believe she is 35 and being set up on a date...this is definitely my future ...
Pg 36 - HOW DO THEY REMEMBER THIS 17 YEARS LATER?!
Pg 39 - When I hear the name Brad I think 6'4" muscular, jerky quarter back ... not skinny
Pg 44 - I was waiting for him to be mentioned ... Also I imagine a great gesture like a magician lol
Pg 50 - DAMN!! I was so close!!!!
Pg 52 - Did she make sure he left first? What if he follows her and calls the cops?!
Pg 55 - Always trust your gut!
Pg 56 - WOAH. Not good. Dead things and getting caught breaking and entering....
Pg 58 - So now she is Ms.Allen? And where the heck is Rutherford?!
Pg 58 - NOW HOW WILL SHE CLEAR HER NAME?!?!?!?!
Pg 59 - On the bright side ... she couldnt have done it if she is ready to pass out from the sight of it ... also, why did Tomlinson not question her appearance at the scene?
Pg 63 - Would this information clear her of the murder???
Pg 65 - Its funny taking a criminalistics class and being able to watch shows or read books and know that they are inaccurate...
Pg 73 - Wow. Brad is already letting his 'non-existent' emotions get the better of him.
Pg 75 - Makes me think he was the one with the gun...
Pg 78 - sounds like an affair to me... how did they meet anyway? and why is it such a big age gap?! he was graduating high school when she was getting ready for pre-k!!!
Pg 81 - MARY POPPINS!! lol
Pg 83 - If she thinks it ended so poorly that he deleted her number than its over... why is she calling?
Pg 86 - She just got out of a relationship. BET.
Pg 86 - On the bright side maybe she will keep him distracted from Kelsey and the whole truth
Pg 91 - Why did he feel the need to mention his brother isnt the thief?
Pg 93 - Could it be the IT person then?
Pg 94 - 'Whet' ... typo???
Pg 95 - Phew. She's covered!
Pg 96 - Was he that anxious to switch positions?! Jeez! Also, if he is no longer with homicide can't he not work the case anymore???
Pg 97 - WOAH WOAH WOAH Brad has another sister? And she is dead?! How long ago?! It is a cold case after all ...
Pg 97 - Stereotypes to the rescue! lol nobody even suspects it is Kelsey because she is female!
Pg 98 - Okay. Wait. They definitely have to be linked. Plus they are going to pin it on the Phantom Hawk! It has to be the guy who shot at Kels...
Pg 99 - Such a girly gossip thing to do...
Pg 99 - You see but won't that bring on more teasing from the guys?
Pg 102 - You see though how is he going to ask her about the Phantom Hawk stuff w/ an ex-burglury investigator there? And he can't ask her out on a date now either...
Pg 104 - On the who what?? Circus?!?
Pg 105 - PEACH TEA IS AMAZING THOUGH
Pg 110 - Way to be blunt about it Brad
Pg 110 - SHIT.
Pg 112 - DOUBLE SHIT. Atleast there is paperwork I guess
Pg 113 - YES! Somebody is firing at her which will help play into her innocense!!!
Pg 116 - Austere: severe
Pg 118 - What if there is a camera in the conference room recording their conversation though...???
Pg 119 - Yeah. Thats a fabulous explaination...
Pg 120 - Why has Sloan suddenly accepted Brad's presence? Shouldn't she push him away?
Pg 120 - Way to take charge Kelsey!
Pg 121 - Well she may know the photo isnt from Thursday but what about the detectives? can they electronically find a time stamp??
Pg 122 - WOW! I never thought of that loop hole! Photo shop. wow.
Pg 124 - BUM BUM BUM! I have no thoughts ... Could the killer have listened in on her phone call through the cameras? Could it be her stepfather?
Pg 126 - Obviously the chat is an IT type thing but what is it for???
Pg 127 - He hasn't really thought of Elle this whole time...
Pg 128 - PENNSYLVANIA!
Pg 128 - He suspects her stepfather as well!!
Pg 129 - What ever happened to him working on cold cases? Obviously he is looking at her father's case but what about these new cases involving her? They aren't exactly cold....
Pg 130 - Why would he ever want to get back with her if she couldn't accept his job and asperations back then???
Pg 131 - If the police didn't suspect foul play then why did the trustee? Sam was the trustee at the time wasn't he? What if he killed Kels' real dad?!?!?!
Pg 133 - I wonder what kind of work they do with kids...
Pg 134 - I thought she wasnt telling anyone about the cops?... Maybe she is the killer? It would be cool for the story to be mostly female...
Pg 135 - Maybe it wasn't actually sent by them... What if its a trap??...WHAT IF ITS A BOMB?!?!?!?
Pg 136 - Oh joy!
Pg 136 - Could it happen to be another person from a business she checked the security on?? Or maybe her father??... I'm sure the cops love her right now, so does the Pink Palace...........
Pg 139 - Point one to Kelsey
Pg 141 - And another point to Kelsey. This is so me, being a know-it-all
Pg 142 - Wow. She suddenly got very friendly... Also why does she allow Kelsey to sit in if she thinks it could be her? And why did the lieutenant need to get involved....????
Pg 146 - Its odd to me that they are telling Kelsey so much about the case
Pg 147 - Why is making a connection so easy in books but not in real life??? I would love to make a more accurate love hate relationship and see how that goes over with readers.
Pg 149 - Damn. He's got an alibi then ... or maybe not...
Pg 150 - Ray-Ray makes me think of the firefly from the Princess and the Frog
Pg 153 - They could have told her though...
Pg 155 - Yes Maggie! I feel the same! We are all so concerned about Male vs Female or Black vs White, instead of the end goal!
Pg 158 - He's always putting his nose where it doesn't belong...
Pg 161 - Do they have clearance to do this demonstration?!???
Pg 162 - She's on the wrong side of the law as in she should be a detective....or as in she is a criminal?? She had permission though...
Pg 166 - Honestly, why is he even puzzled anymore? she scales buildings, she can handle herself pretty well I would think...
Pg 166 - Oh joy. Her mom will absolutely love him tagging along...
Pg 167 - She acts like two acres is a lot to own...
Pg 168 - Thats good though! Thats how all people should be raised. I hate snot nose rich people.
Pg 169 - Dude. That is not police protocal. Write it in your notes, not on your phone.
Pg 170 - I feel like these emotions are staged. Why is she crying???
Pg 172 - Does that mean Kelsey was born before their marriage??
Pg 173 - I'm surprised there isn't details of the mom prying Brad for details on him personally or his thoughts of Kelsey.
Pg 175 - Yeah. Why? The property only just came up with Brad and mention of her real father....
Pg 176 - Why wouldn't they just give the house to Kelsey? If they own it then she could have her own place instead of living with her sister...
Pg 178 - That seems hard to believe. Well there is that hacking thing I guess.
Pg 180 - Wow. Now its Daddy. Must be a special memory.
Pg 180 - That would have made me laugh and stop crying instantly.
Pg 181 - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! You suckers are gonna fall for eachother!!!!!!!
Pg 184 -
Overall Review:
This is by far one of my favorite books to have received from the Bethany Publishing house! I only recently joined their group of book review bloggers but it has been great, I do wish I had more time to sit and continue reading all of their books however being a full time student as well as a part time employee and 'life' long blogger, takes up a lot of time on top of the other groups I partake in... Regardless, these was a very well structured 'criminalistic' novel and I can not wait to read more! As always there were some portions of the story-line that fell victim to the CSI effect but there were not as many as I had originally thought there would be. The characters are very sarcastic yet lovable and they draw you in with every snide remark. I myself found that I put myself in the shoes of the main character because the plot followed my dream life all too closely, even the wanted to be hunted by somebody because I know something I shouldn't (or they think I do anyway). Five stars all the way, wish I could give it ten!!!
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Theft
What must go through your head to steal something? Not petty theft like candy or a small toy from the dollar tree. I mean something more severe, something like stealing a 150$ bike or a 500$ flat screen television. What drives you to do it? Other than not having the money to buy it on your own obviously.... And to be completely honest with you, if you are going to go through that tedious process of planning some mastermind plan so you don't get caught, why don't you make it something worth while like a diamond ring or some ancient artifact; NOT A TEXTBOOK!! Seriously people, I know they are very expensive but there are other ways you could get them cheaper. Rent them from amazon, get them used from friends who took the class before you, or even consider the fact that you may not need it in class and thus you could visit the library and just do the reading there. No? oh well, you live your very exciting lives stealing crap. It is all you man... or woman.... I am definitely not assuming your gender or anything.....
Anyhow, that is off topic.
The point is there are a lot of things you could steal in the world. You can steal candy and dollar trinkets, you could steal food and clothes, you could steal bulkier and more expensive things, you can steal the freedom of another individual, you could steal someone's sanity. I am sure you have a great reason for whatever it is you stole. I won't judge. I am definitely not above you or anything, I have stolen a few things in my lifetime too. It is all part of being human.
Anyhow, that is off topic.
The point is there are a lot of things you could steal in the world. You can steal candy and dollar trinkets, you could steal food and clothes, you could steal bulkier and more expensive things, you can steal the freedom of another individual, you could steal someone's sanity. I am sure you have a great reason for whatever it is you stole. I won't judge. I am definitely not above you or anything, I have stolen a few things in my lifetime too. It is all part of being human.
Saturday, July 22, 2017
A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White
*AS ALWAYS WE ADVISE OUR READERS THAT IF THEY DO NOT WISH TO SEE SPOILERS THAT THEY SKIP THE NOTES SECTION AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE OVERALL REVIEW PORTION OF THE PIECE*
Provided Summary by Book:
"Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they concentrate on stealing high-value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. But when Rosemary must determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany, she is in for the challenge of a lifetime. How does one steal a family's history, their very name?
Peter Holstein, given his family's German blood, writes his popular series of adventure novels under a pen name. With European politics boiling and his own neighbors suspicious of him, Peter debates whether it might be best to change his name for good. When Rosemary shows up at his door pretending to be a historian and offering to help him trace his family history, his question might be answered.
But as the two work together and Rosemary sees his gracious reaction to his neighbors' scornful attacks, she wonders if her assignment is going down the wrong path. Is it too late to help him prove that he's more than his name?"
First Impressions:
The paperback copy of the book sports a very matte and rather lackluster color cover but this is what draws me to the book so intently. The embossed letters and minute details of border add class as well as intricacy to the book. Photographed into the cover is also a woman wearing early 20th century garments in front of some very old encyclopedias, which make her appear as if she is a librarian with many secrets to hide.
Notes:
Pg 7 - This introduction leads you to question many things such as what a thief is and when they strike. It draws the image of a small, meek pick-pocketer that has confidence issues. The fear of the dark makes her seem very young.
Pg 8 - The giving of the name and address makes the whole thing seem more like an assassination than a theft
Pg 10 - The average of the wage was 50 pounds per year. She was just offered a chance to make 1000 in a fort night. Would you accept the offer even if it meant possibly committing treason???
Pg 13 - Had she awoken one morning to find her parents murdered?!?!
Pg 18 - While it is such a pity of the struggles, I much prefer their celebrations over our drunken ones.
Pg 26 - I think they mentioned it already but how exactly is he related to the royal family??? Didn't someone mention they are all of German decent??
Pg 28 - WHEN IT COMES TO BOOKS THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS HAVING ENOUGH NOR TOO MANY!!!!
Pg 30 - The author does a phantasmal job describing/depicting nature.
Pg 38 - Could Gryff 'the lawyer friend' ruin R's plans and reveal her true 'identity'??? he is extremely suspicious of her...
Pg 44 - It's funny to think that they don't see women as fit to be librarians but in this age I see men in the same light......
Pg 47 - This whole thing of her being amazed by his collection makes me think of Belle and the Beast when he tries to win her affection.
Pg 57 - It is very convenient that she is to find information pertaining to the same genre for both tasks.... his heritage
Pg 68 - I'll be completely honest, I got completely confused when he started talking about his series,,,, he said he hasn't traveled right??
Pg 71 - It's funny that in his thoughts he continues to make notes of her appearance and behavior
Pg 88 - Made me think of Alice's words from the TNT original series Will
Pg 101 - It is great that R gets along with kids so well (although it is expected when one has 12 siblings), it will ultimately make her more likable.
Pg 103 - He is the only writer who has not signed his copies of books... hint hint ... He has a pseudo-name
Pg 106 - woah, wait, pause; first Gryff distrusts R and now he is telling P to go out with her???
Pg 109 - It's funny how the experiences that toughen the less fortunate are ultimately what plagues the more wealthy...
Pg 112 - It's funny to me that P keeps noticing R holding back opinions and expressions but I was raised on the notion that women and children should be seen and not heard
Pg 114 - oops... she slipped up using her right hand
Pg 119 - It's kinda ironic that she keeps mentioning 'if I was the mistress of an estate like this' if she becomes the mistress in the end lol
- *knock knock knock* Penny *knock knock knock* lol
Pg 134 - This is the letter R could use to ruin him!!!!
Pg 138 - I wonder if R will think that P is onto her because he moved the letters...
Pg 149 - I'm really curious how P will react to R's sob letter. If he will insist on her visiting or by volunteering himself to send extra money
Pg 155 - It is amazing how he sees women as equals and that he takes the time to help others
Pg 156 - I despise Mrs.T
- A telegram came that fast?? It must not be good news...
Pg 158 - His class/social standings obviously leaves him oblivious to the real world... I'm surprised he didn't take the 'rich bloke' remark more personally...
Pg 159 - What in the heck does he think he can do?!?!
Pg 161 - Does this lackey smoke? Maybe the one smoking and throwing rocks is him...
Pg 164 - THIS CAN ONLY LEAD TO MORE TROUBLE IF THEY FIND OUT THE TRUTH
Pg 166 - The symbol only recently popped up and now a calling card??
Pg 169 - WOAH WOAH WOAH IT HAS BEEN A WEEKS TIME?!?!
Pg 174 - What she says of God makes perfect sense. We love him when all is well but are full of hatred when he is nowhere to be found.
Pg 179 - I love R's quick wit and how she is already unknowingly doing what Gryff wants
Pg 180 - That last hip lean part and the correction of her own speech after made me think of high school mean girls
Pg 183 - The rain could explain the lack of butts as well as their removal preventing further accumulation
- Jasper is DEFINITELY is working against P ... Could it be because J is the real spy and needs a cover up?
Pg 191 - SELL THE CARRIAGES?!?!?! But why?? I would LOVE to have one!!!!
Pg 192 - So the investigator has the right house... they are in more then one place but now he has to start his search over...
Pg 195 - I wonder if these author friends (especially the English ones) know P is German and how they feel about that... Would they support him if need be??
Pg 197 - If having family and property would make Mr V happy ... and the letter is a bit old ... why wouldn't she use that as proof??
Pg 201 - I love tree tunnels ... more so branch tunnels ...
Pg 204 - Is she not giving everything away in this moment?!?!
Pg 211 - You know, I just thought; does nobody question his wealth?? Maybe that's why they think him a spy?
Pg 213 - Who the heck could have started a fire, unnoticed, in the stables?? They just got back!!
Pg 219 - Okay now that a majority of the excitement is over and I can break away... Wow ...
- The memories R has of her first jobs and flat are just WOW, especially the chimney sweep
- Definitely expected Gryff to get there sooner...
- The personification of fire
- It took her a moment to realize darkness fell...
Pg 224 - Wow ... those people are so concerned about P that they forgot about the hired help
Pg 225 - DAMN I couldn't recall Mr. V wearing a bowler at first but now I remember ... Is Jasper's lackey Mr. V or are they in the same organization???
Pg 228 - How are so many weeks going by with no declaration of war?!?!
Pg 231 - Rich stuck up traitorous spies don't seem the kind to take advice from servants
Pg 234 - The way P looks at R, studies her expressions and movements, the way he smirks at her quirks... they are what I want in a boyfriend/husband
Pg 236 - Most definitely made me smile, very flirtatious
Pg 242 - Major de ja vu ... Not quite low life villager nor rich man ...
Pg 244 - So I've been thinking ... what if Barclay or R read this book with the Rosita character and figure out it is her ? ...
Pg 259 - More excitement!! He helped her catch and tackle a thief while also care for the sick ...
- What if bowler hat is Mr. V and he just saw R kiss P ... that also raises the question of how close have they really gotten since she started working there???
- Also now would be the time for P to say "as friends who are clearly helping one another in more than they should, I would like to give you a bonus to help with Olivia"
Pg 260 - okay, hold up; the only logical thing I can think up is that to get to R's family Gryff went through her references which were done by V which would explain how he got hold of the money
Pg 269 - I get that people get flustered during assassinations but what is the extreme connection to P???
Pg 277 - How do you aim for a tree and hit a person?!?!?! YOU IDIOT!!! Stick it further down the path and avoid making a commotion
Pg 278 - She isn't injured because of her work, she is because she went on the walk and tried to be tough...
Pg 284 - Woah wait, this is one of the few times we get a REAL description of P ...
Pg 289 - So are they now very open about his relationships about royalty???
Pg 293 - It is in this moment that I think of how every choice we make has lead us to where we are and we wouldn't have ended up in this exact moment otherwise and thus the pain and suffering wasn't futile but rather necessary
Pg 295 - WOAH WOAH WOAH why have we never heard of these endeavors before now???!?? When the heck did she become so involved in his life??
Pg 296 - How much of the shares does he actually own??? It must be at least 40 percent because then the other party would already have majority....
Pg 298 - Oh that's a book.... I thought it was a metaphor for the letter she swiped ...
Pg 299 - HA YEAH RIGHT!!!
Pg 300 - Are these organizations in England? Do other know? Have they attacked other places because of him funding them???
Pg 305 - GOOD QUESTION GRYFF!! What if she goes back to her old life and he is not taken an not imprisoned but rather seeks her out and finds out her whole truth?
Pg 306 - ... He also needed her to reach his deadlines XD
Pg 309 - I am not sure how i feel that his story reflects his life but I am also curious how many books he has written.
Pg 312 - Okay but if he make the librarian position permanent, what will she do!? She cant very well reorganize the books...
Pg 314 - Almost like he is being interviewed by parents. XD
Pg 319 - She made fun of his stutter! Like a sister teasing her about a crush. lol
Pg 321 - What is Mr. V going to do when he get no proper evidence?
Pg 325 - Because 90% of the rich are dicks. its just how they've grown, always having everything.
Pg 326 - Why wouldn't Willa want to help her?!?!?
Pg 327 - I really hope that is not true...
Pg 331 - THIS MAKES MY HEART HURT! But it's 98% how i would act too...in both positions..
Pg 337 - SO HE ISN'T A SPY FOR GERMANY! RATHER FOR ENGLAND!!
Pg 342 - It's great she was able to help but what will they think now?
Pg 344 - Obviously about R.... does he dislike her now??
Pg 349 - Terribly over used maybe but heart fluttering none-the-less.
Pg 355 - The first real flash back/ recap.
Pg 358 - Why does Mr. V care so much if P writes books??
Pg 359 - ...I'm curios about the tree with the heart...
Pg 363 - Woah Woah Woah How can it keep saying 'these past two weeks' as if each set is its own additional two weeks and only equal two months?
Pg 365 - Now would be the time for her to grab the evidence and run. Meet Mr. V instead... But what of P and his manuscript.
Pg 367 - I get that people can pick locks but can they re-lock them to cover their tracks?
Pg 368 - It's funny how every thing seems so blatantly obvious when you know the answer...
Pg 372 - I just can't with how easy and extremely friendly ( over friendly if you ask me) they are being.
Pg 377 - I like that..."delicate when it suits you. strong always" like a rose covered in thorns
Pg 380 - She cant run and cry in front of Mrs. T!!!!!
Pg 381 - What if it is god???
Pg 382 - WHAT?!?!?! MRS.T??
Pg 385 - I don't like the nice Mrs.T
Pg 393 - WOAH WOAH WOAH! Another plot twist!! Why the heck does the king care if he is Hollow????
Pg 394 - Are they going to get him to write propaganda perhaps??
Pg 395 - NO! There are other still against them!!
Pg 415 - He's glowering at her with storm filled eyes and now they SHIMMER?!?!?
Pg 423 - YES! Biggest foreshadow ever. finally coming to a close
Overall Review:
A Name Unknown by author Roseanna M. White is a very well pieced together historical fiction novel. Or, at least the first 400 odd pages are. The book seems to take a very drastic turn after the dangers have seemingly been resolved and becomes very 'mushy' in lack of better terms. This very low quality 'action packed' novel continues to keep you on your toes nonetheless. The constant flip from one point of view to another has become a very largely used theme among writers today and allows the readers to classify both main personas as both villainous and heroic toward each other all at once. Another major critic of the writing style includes the time shifts, toward the climax of the tale the characters begin to reference periods of time mainly as ' the past two weeks' and each time they say thus it seems as though it is a whole new set of two weeks making it seem rather unusual that only a whole two months have gone by in the novel. The use of existing novels and authors is very enjoyable as the readers relate to the characters responses however one questions is ALL of them are in the correct time period to be used. Other great ploys in the book include the authors use of her styles to depict a sub plot in a secondary tale within the bigger picture and the relation of her tale to the one deeper inside is extraordinary. While I myself did enjoy the book and recommend it for other advt readers of historic fiction, this first novel is largely directed toward the female persuasion; the males may ultimately like the stories to come later in the series as the rest of the sub characters become more 'mainstream'.
Provided Summary by Book:
"Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they concentrate on stealing high-value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. But when Rosemary must determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany, she is in for the challenge of a lifetime. How does one steal a family's history, their very name?
Peter Holstein, given his family's German blood, writes his popular series of adventure novels under a pen name. With European politics boiling and his own neighbors suspicious of him, Peter debates whether it might be best to change his name for good. When Rosemary shows up at his door pretending to be a historian and offering to help him trace his family history, his question might be answered.
But as the two work together and Rosemary sees his gracious reaction to his neighbors' scornful attacks, she wonders if her assignment is going down the wrong path. Is it too late to help him prove that he's more than his name?"
First Impressions:
The paperback copy of the book sports a very matte and rather lackluster color cover but this is what draws me to the book so intently. The embossed letters and minute details of border add class as well as intricacy to the book. Photographed into the cover is also a woman wearing early 20th century garments in front of some very old encyclopedias, which make her appear as if she is a librarian with many secrets to hide.
Notes:
Pg 7 - This introduction leads you to question many things such as what a thief is and when they strike. It draws the image of a small, meek pick-pocketer that has confidence issues. The fear of the dark makes her seem very young.
Pg 8 - The giving of the name and address makes the whole thing seem more like an assassination than a theft
Pg 10 - The average of the wage was 50 pounds per year. She was just offered a chance to make 1000 in a fort night. Would you accept the offer even if it meant possibly committing treason???
Pg 13 - Had she awoken one morning to find her parents murdered?!?!
Pg 18 - While it is such a pity of the struggles, I much prefer their celebrations over our drunken ones.
Pg 26 - I think they mentioned it already but how exactly is he related to the royal family??? Didn't someone mention they are all of German decent??
Pg 28 - WHEN IT COMES TO BOOKS THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS HAVING ENOUGH NOR TOO MANY!!!!
Pg 30 - The author does a phantasmal job describing/depicting nature.
Pg 38 - Could Gryff 'the lawyer friend' ruin R's plans and reveal her true 'identity'??? he is extremely suspicious of her...
Pg 44 - It's funny to think that they don't see women as fit to be librarians but in this age I see men in the same light......
Pg 47 - This whole thing of her being amazed by his collection makes me think of Belle and the Beast when he tries to win her affection.
Pg 57 - It is very convenient that she is to find information pertaining to the same genre for both tasks.... his heritage
Pg 68 - I'll be completely honest, I got completely confused when he started talking about his series,,,, he said he hasn't traveled right??
Pg 71 - It's funny that in his thoughts he continues to make notes of her appearance and behavior
Pg 88 - Made me think of Alice's words from the TNT original series Will
Pg 101 - It is great that R gets along with kids so well (although it is expected when one has 12 siblings), it will ultimately make her more likable.
Pg 103 - He is the only writer who has not signed his copies of books... hint hint ... He has a pseudo-name
Pg 106 - woah, wait, pause; first Gryff distrusts R and now he is telling P to go out with her???
Pg 109 - It's funny how the experiences that toughen the less fortunate are ultimately what plagues the more wealthy...
Pg 112 - It's funny to me that P keeps noticing R holding back opinions and expressions but I was raised on the notion that women and children should be seen and not heard
Pg 114 - oops... she slipped up using her right hand
Pg 119 - It's kinda ironic that she keeps mentioning 'if I was the mistress of an estate like this' if she becomes the mistress in the end lol
- *knock knock knock* Penny *knock knock knock* lol
Pg 134 - This is the letter R could use to ruin him!!!!
Pg 138 - I wonder if R will think that P is onto her because he moved the letters...
Pg 149 - I'm really curious how P will react to R's sob letter. If he will insist on her visiting or by volunteering himself to send extra money
Pg 155 - It is amazing how he sees women as equals and that he takes the time to help others
Pg 156 - I despise Mrs.T
- A telegram came that fast?? It must not be good news...
Pg 158 - His class/social standings obviously leaves him oblivious to the real world... I'm surprised he didn't take the 'rich bloke' remark more personally...
Pg 159 - What in the heck does he think he can do?!?!
Pg 161 - Does this lackey smoke? Maybe the one smoking and throwing rocks is him...
Pg 164 - THIS CAN ONLY LEAD TO MORE TROUBLE IF THEY FIND OUT THE TRUTH
Pg 166 - The symbol only recently popped up and now a calling card??
Pg 169 - WOAH WOAH WOAH IT HAS BEEN A WEEKS TIME?!?!
Pg 174 - What she says of God makes perfect sense. We love him when all is well but are full of hatred when he is nowhere to be found.
Pg 179 - I love R's quick wit and how she is already unknowingly doing what Gryff wants
Pg 180 - That last hip lean part and the correction of her own speech after made me think of high school mean girls
Pg 183 - The rain could explain the lack of butts as well as their removal preventing further accumulation
- Jasper is DEFINITELY is working against P ... Could it be because J is the real spy and needs a cover up?
Pg 191 - SELL THE CARRIAGES?!?!?! But why?? I would LOVE to have one!!!!
Pg 192 - So the investigator has the right house... they are in more then one place but now he has to start his search over...
Pg 195 - I wonder if these author friends (especially the English ones) know P is German and how they feel about that... Would they support him if need be??
Pg 197 - If having family and property would make Mr V happy ... and the letter is a bit old ... why wouldn't she use that as proof??
Pg 201 - I love tree tunnels ... more so branch tunnels ...
Pg 204 - Is she not giving everything away in this moment?!?!
Pg 211 - You know, I just thought; does nobody question his wealth?? Maybe that's why they think him a spy?
Pg 213 - Who the heck could have started a fire, unnoticed, in the stables?? They just got back!!
Pg 219 - Okay now that a majority of the excitement is over and I can break away... Wow ...
- The memories R has of her first jobs and flat are just WOW, especially the chimney sweep
- Definitely expected Gryff to get there sooner...
- The personification of fire
- It took her a moment to realize darkness fell...
Pg 224 - Wow ... those people are so concerned about P that they forgot about the hired help
Pg 225 - DAMN I couldn't recall Mr. V wearing a bowler at first but now I remember ... Is Jasper's lackey Mr. V or are they in the same organization???
Pg 228 - How are so many weeks going by with no declaration of war?!?!
Pg 231 - Rich stuck up traitorous spies don't seem the kind to take advice from servants
Pg 234 - The way P looks at R, studies her expressions and movements, the way he smirks at her quirks... they are what I want in a boyfriend/husband
Pg 236 - Most definitely made me smile, very flirtatious
Pg 242 - Major de ja vu ... Not quite low life villager nor rich man ...
Pg 244 - So I've been thinking ... what if Barclay or R read this book with the Rosita character and figure out it is her ? ...
Pg 259 - More excitement!! He helped her catch and tackle a thief while also care for the sick ...
- What if bowler hat is Mr. V and he just saw R kiss P ... that also raises the question of how close have they really gotten since she started working there???
- Also now would be the time for P to say "as friends who are clearly helping one another in more than they should, I would like to give you a bonus to help with Olivia"
Pg 260 - okay, hold up; the only logical thing I can think up is that to get to R's family Gryff went through her references which were done by V which would explain how he got hold of the money
Pg 269 - I get that people get flustered during assassinations but what is the extreme connection to P???
Pg 277 - How do you aim for a tree and hit a person?!?!?! YOU IDIOT!!! Stick it further down the path and avoid making a commotion
Pg 278 - She isn't injured because of her work, she is because she went on the walk and tried to be tough...
Pg 284 - Woah wait, this is one of the few times we get a REAL description of P ...
Pg 289 - So are they now very open about his relationships about royalty???
Pg 293 - It is in this moment that I think of how every choice we make has lead us to where we are and we wouldn't have ended up in this exact moment otherwise and thus the pain and suffering wasn't futile but rather necessary
Pg 295 - WOAH WOAH WOAH why have we never heard of these endeavors before now???!?? When the heck did she become so involved in his life??
Pg 296 - How much of the shares does he actually own??? It must be at least 40 percent because then the other party would already have majority....
Pg 298 - Oh that's a book.... I thought it was a metaphor for the letter she swiped ...
Pg 299 - HA YEAH RIGHT!!!
Pg 300 - Are these organizations in England? Do other know? Have they attacked other places because of him funding them???
Pg 305 - GOOD QUESTION GRYFF!! What if she goes back to her old life and he is not taken an not imprisoned but rather seeks her out and finds out her whole truth?
Pg 306 - ... He also needed her to reach his deadlines XD
Pg 309 - I am not sure how i feel that his story reflects his life but I am also curious how many books he has written.
Pg 312 - Okay but if he make the librarian position permanent, what will she do!? She cant very well reorganize the books...
Pg 314 - Almost like he is being interviewed by parents. XD
Pg 319 - She made fun of his stutter! Like a sister teasing her about a crush. lol
Pg 321 - What is Mr. V going to do when he get no proper evidence?
Pg 325 - Because 90% of the rich are dicks. its just how they've grown, always having everything.
Pg 326 - Why wouldn't Willa want to help her?!?!?
Pg 327 - I really hope that is not true...
Pg 331 - THIS MAKES MY HEART HURT! But it's 98% how i would act too...in both positions..
Pg 337 - SO HE ISN'T A SPY FOR GERMANY! RATHER FOR ENGLAND!!
Pg 342 - It's great she was able to help but what will they think now?
Pg 344 - Obviously about R.... does he dislike her now??
Pg 349 - Terribly over used maybe but heart fluttering none-the-less.
Pg 355 - The first real flash back/ recap.
Pg 358 - Why does Mr. V care so much if P writes books??
Pg 359 - ...I'm curios about the tree with the heart...
Pg 363 - Woah Woah Woah How can it keep saying 'these past two weeks' as if each set is its own additional two weeks and only equal two months?
Pg 365 - Now would be the time for her to grab the evidence and run. Meet Mr. V instead... But what of P and his manuscript.
Pg 367 - I get that people can pick locks but can they re-lock them to cover their tracks?
Pg 368 - It's funny how every thing seems so blatantly obvious when you know the answer...
Pg 372 - I just can't with how easy and extremely friendly ( over friendly if you ask me) they are being.
Pg 377 - I like that..."delicate when it suits you. strong always" like a rose covered in thorns
Pg 380 - She cant run and cry in front of Mrs. T!!!!!
Pg 381 - What if it is god???
Pg 382 - WHAT?!?!?! MRS.T??
Pg 385 - I don't like the nice Mrs.T
Pg 393 - WOAH WOAH WOAH! Another plot twist!! Why the heck does the king care if he is Hollow????
Pg 394 - Are they going to get him to write propaganda perhaps??
Pg 395 - NO! There are other still against them!!
Pg 415 - He's glowering at her with storm filled eyes and now they SHIMMER?!?!?
Pg 423 - YES! Biggest foreshadow ever. finally coming to a close
Overall Review:
A Name Unknown by author Roseanna M. White is a very well pieced together historical fiction novel. Or, at least the first 400 odd pages are. The book seems to take a very drastic turn after the dangers have seemingly been resolved and becomes very 'mushy' in lack of better terms. This very low quality 'action packed' novel continues to keep you on your toes nonetheless. The constant flip from one point of view to another has become a very largely used theme among writers today and allows the readers to classify both main personas as both villainous and heroic toward each other all at once. Another major critic of the writing style includes the time shifts, toward the climax of the tale the characters begin to reference periods of time mainly as ' the past two weeks' and each time they say thus it seems as though it is a whole new set of two weeks making it seem rather unusual that only a whole two months have gone by in the novel. The use of existing novels and authors is very enjoyable as the readers relate to the characters responses however one questions is ALL of them are in the correct time period to be used. Other great ploys in the book include the authors use of her styles to depict a sub plot in a secondary tale within the bigger picture and the relation of her tale to the one deeper inside is extraordinary. While I myself did enjoy the book and recommend it for other advt readers of historic fiction, this first novel is largely directed toward the female persuasion; the males may ultimately like the stories to come later in the series as the rest of the sub characters become more 'mainstream'.
Friday, July 21, 2017
Descendants 2
Summary:
When the pressure to be royally perfect gets to be too much for Mal, she returns to the Isle of the Lost. She discovers that Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken over as queen, and that her gang is finalizing plans to bring down the barrier.
Reactions:
Let's start with the opening..... I definitely got confused because I thought they were on the isle again but they were making poison apples. Which raises another question..... how did they manage to get fairy godmother and the king and queen to eat the apples?!?! i get the student body but those adult figures not so much. Also, fairy godmother's daughter is a cheerleader now????
"how do you like being a blonde Mal?" lol its more of a bleach blonde and it looks HORRIBLE
I love that her mom is still a lizard and is in a little cage with a sign that says don't feed mom xD
:( Evie gave her magic mirror away
Mal would miss home but why doesn't Evie at least miss her friends
Why did Mal's eyes turn green???
I'm really curious how much money Evie has really earned by making the outfits....
OH I almost forgot .... Jane and Carlos are almost a thing????
Mulan's daughter totally kicked ass!!!! her and Jay would be a good couple and it is a crying shame that the guys wont let her on the team
Carlos got friend-zoned REAL bad
THE DOG TALKED!!!!!
The isle looks even more deteriorated than the last movie
Captain Hook's son is totally Uma's bitch lol he is practically her stripper
Soooo..... If Ursula is still an octopus then how did she have a human daughter???
SHE LEFT THE FRICKEN SPELL BOOK IN THE BASKET!!!!!
she cant go back to her classic style with that blonde hair...
I love that the flying rocks sign is the key to their secret hideaway
"I went beast on her" lol so ironic
Def took me a sec to remember who Lady Tremaine was but then they said Cinderella and I knew it was the evil stepmother
YES Mal finally changed her hair back!!! although.... why did they use soda cans to curl it if it ended up straight anyway????
they seriously took the limo??? cant anyone that finds it use it to get back to the mainland???
so does the giant water tunnel thing lead to Ursula???
lol of course Evie dressed Ben like her
so Ben clearly said that it is hard being something that he is not but that is exactly how Mal has been feeling and he didn't sympathize with her at all
of course it would be Ben who would wonder off and get caught by the lackeys -_-
definitely wasn't cool of Uma to use what she wanted if she won as a way to beat Mal
Dizzy is way too precious to be on the island and Evie should totally sneak her back to the mainland
Is Chad really so egotistic that he would risk Ben's life to become king?? he and Gaston would get along swimmingly
The tip of the fake wand doesn't look right.......
I don't like the cornrows on the top of Mulan's daughter's head......
so we finally get to see what is at the end of the tunnel thing....
so Ben finally realizes that his plan was never successfully executed because they only brought over the four children and it left the others starting a war
Harry really treasures that fake hook hand
THEY DIDN'T TAKE DIZZY
Mal dropped her book......
what is Ben going to do if Mal doesn't wanna be queen and now he is stuck with that stain glass window....... he has said that he loves her but I don't really recall her saying it to him.....
the fact that Carlos initiated 'Girl Talk' .... just wow, but it's nice to know that all the VK kids are there for each other
It's good that Evie and Mal have both come to terms that they can't change who they are and that they will always have a piece of where they began helping make their choices to come
Carlos finally asked Jane out!!!!!
Who is Evie going to give a chance????? is she going to go save Dizzy???!!!!?????
how much you wanna bet that Chad going to help Audrey over 6 hours away isn't some ploy to just get him out of the way.....
Also, can not wait to see how Evie modifies Mal's dress!!!!!
alright, first off; I was definitely thinking that Evie's alterations were going to be a bit more drastic than shortening the front of the gown..... secondly, HOW THE HECK CAN BEN BE WITH UMA! AND NOT HAVE ANYBODY NOTICE???!!!!!
it definitely took me a second to pick up on the song they were dancing to, like my ears knew that it was familiar but it wasn't until the iconic 'kiss the girl' portion of orchestration that I remembered the origin
How can Ben even think of putting the barrier down?!?!?!?! i get that he wants to help all of the VK kids but you will also unleash their parents on the world and lets admit it, some of the kids aren't worth saving......
I really thought that Mal was gonna use some green eye twinkling thing... not true loves kiss.... but i guess that works too.......
Okay so Uma can be part octopus... and Mal can be dragon.....
did Ben really need to jump into the water to get their attention.... yeah to be completely honest because they would've fought to the death otherwise
So Uma decided to side with Ben but she isn't back with them....?????
Mal's dress transformation after she turns back into her is the big alterations I was expecting from Evie
I'm glad that Evie had the sense of mind to tell Ben that there is something he can do for them, bring more of the VK kids over such as Dizzy.... I am very curious what other kids beside Dizzy will be making their way to Aurodon though
Fairy Godmother was a little too happy to get Mal's spellbook........
so... on a real boat the water would have been gone by this dance scene because there would be little holes like in the little mermaid that allow the water to drain.....
I'm glad we got to see Dizzy be invited to the mainland but who are the other kids????
Definitely saw Uma coming out of the water and saying it wasn't over
......... what happened to Mal's mom????........
When the pressure to be royally perfect gets to be too much for Mal, she returns to the Isle of the Lost. She discovers that Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken over as queen, and that her gang is finalizing plans to bring down the barrier.
Reactions:
Let's start with the opening..... I definitely got confused because I thought they were on the isle again but they were making poison apples. Which raises another question..... how did they manage to get fairy godmother and the king and queen to eat the apples?!?! i get the student body but those adult figures not so much. Also, fairy godmother's daughter is a cheerleader now????
"how do you like being a blonde Mal?" lol its more of a bleach blonde and it looks HORRIBLE
I love that her mom is still a lizard and is in a little cage with a sign that says don't feed mom xD
:( Evie gave her magic mirror away
Mal would miss home but why doesn't Evie at least miss her friends
Why did Mal's eyes turn green???
I'm really curious how much money Evie has really earned by making the outfits....
OH I almost forgot .... Jane and Carlos are almost a thing????
Mulan's daughter totally kicked ass!!!! her and Jay would be a good couple and it is a crying shame that the guys wont let her on the team
Carlos got friend-zoned REAL bad
THE DOG TALKED!!!!!
The isle looks even more deteriorated than the last movie
Captain Hook's son is totally Uma's bitch lol he is practically her stripper
Soooo..... If Ursula is still an octopus then how did she have a human daughter???
SHE LEFT THE FRICKEN SPELL BOOK IN THE BASKET!!!!!
she cant go back to her classic style with that blonde hair...
I love that the flying rocks sign is the key to their secret hideaway
"I went beast on her" lol so ironic
Def took me a sec to remember who Lady Tremaine was but then they said Cinderella and I knew it was the evil stepmother
YES Mal finally changed her hair back!!! although.... why did they use soda cans to curl it if it ended up straight anyway????
they seriously took the limo??? cant anyone that finds it use it to get back to the mainland???
so does the giant water tunnel thing lead to Ursula???
lol of course Evie dressed Ben like her
so Ben clearly said that it is hard being something that he is not but that is exactly how Mal has been feeling and he didn't sympathize with her at all
of course it would be Ben who would wonder off and get caught by the lackeys -_-
definitely wasn't cool of Uma to use what she wanted if she won as a way to beat Mal
Dizzy is way too precious to be on the island and Evie should totally sneak her back to the mainland
Is Chad really so egotistic that he would risk Ben's life to become king?? he and Gaston would get along swimmingly
The tip of the fake wand doesn't look right.......
I don't like the cornrows on the top of Mulan's daughter's head......
so we finally get to see what is at the end of the tunnel thing....
so Ben finally realizes that his plan was never successfully executed because they only brought over the four children and it left the others starting a war
Harry really treasures that fake hook hand
THEY DIDN'T TAKE DIZZY
Mal dropped her book......
what is Ben going to do if Mal doesn't wanna be queen and now he is stuck with that stain glass window....... he has said that he loves her but I don't really recall her saying it to him.....
the fact that Carlos initiated 'Girl Talk' .... just wow, but it's nice to know that all the VK kids are there for each other
It's good that Evie and Mal have both come to terms that they can't change who they are and that they will always have a piece of where they began helping make their choices to come
Carlos finally asked Jane out!!!!!
Who is Evie going to give a chance????? is she going to go save Dizzy???!!!!?????
how much you wanna bet that Chad going to help Audrey over 6 hours away isn't some ploy to just get him out of the way.....
Also, can not wait to see how Evie modifies Mal's dress!!!!!
alright, first off; I was definitely thinking that Evie's alterations were going to be a bit more drastic than shortening the front of the gown..... secondly, HOW THE HECK CAN BEN BE WITH UMA! AND NOT HAVE ANYBODY NOTICE???!!!!!
it definitely took me a second to pick up on the song they were dancing to, like my ears knew that it was familiar but it wasn't until the iconic 'kiss the girl' portion of orchestration that I remembered the origin
How can Ben even think of putting the barrier down?!?!?!?! i get that he wants to help all of the VK kids but you will also unleash their parents on the world and lets admit it, some of the kids aren't worth saving......
I really thought that Mal was gonna use some green eye twinkling thing... not true loves kiss.... but i guess that works too.......
Okay so Uma can be part octopus... and Mal can be dragon.....
did Ben really need to jump into the water to get their attention.... yeah to be completely honest because they would've fought to the death otherwise
So Uma decided to side with Ben but she isn't back with them....?????
Mal's dress transformation after she turns back into her is the big alterations I was expecting from Evie
I'm glad that Evie had the sense of mind to tell Ben that there is something he can do for them, bring more of the VK kids over such as Dizzy.... I am very curious what other kids beside Dizzy will be making their way to Aurodon though
Fairy Godmother was a little too happy to get Mal's spellbook........
so... on a real boat the water would have been gone by this dance scene because there would be little holes like in the little mermaid that allow the water to drain.....
I'm glad we got to see Dizzy be invited to the mainland but who are the other kids????
Definitely saw Uma coming out of the water and saying it wasn't over
......... what happened to Mal's mom????........
Saturday, June 3, 2017
Series of Unfortunate Events - Netflix Original
- Their attire is far too cheerful, the characters explain far too much, the symbolic eye is not the same representation nor is the ironic housing scenario of Count Olaf who was placed far back in isolation yet appears right at the edge of the street. The monocular has a code on it and was found by Sunny rather than Clause and the house within which they will be staying is far more detailed then them just being placed in the attic.
- I must admit that it makes more sense for Uncle Monty to be of Indian decent due to his love for snakes however, due to the movie I have a preset idea that he should be the warm hearted, musical enthusiast, white man. Also, I am slowly starting to like that the series builds on the secret society within which the Bouldalaire parents are members, although I do not completely agree with the topics it has made the series slightly more appealing as well as the theme song is catchy but also ever changing.
- Why, may I ask; is Aunt Josephine a black woman? I do not mean this in a racist way although now that I have read it back it is extremely racist; I mean it more so that the family does not appear to have African heritage and she is supposedly their Aunt..... the time period doesn't quite fit although nowadays family is more than blood......... oh well back to the review of it... She is meant to be a delirious older woman is she not? Instead she seems far more like an insane cat lady. Also, she is far more willing to enter her husband's study and view the lake through the large bay windows. She also is very telling of their history rather then being on the brink of losing herself to distress. (Also the irony put into the series by referencing the situation that may have happened or is bound to happen is tremendous.)
- The sixth episode is where the movie ended and it will be interesting to see what is in store. Why is it that Count Olaf looks better as a female? Or why it is fully implied that Sir and his partner are gay? Or if the parents shown seem to be the Bauldelair parents but end up visiting other children? Why is there two halves of the same story in two halves of mirror families? Why does the series end here?! I swear to God Netflix is such a disappointment. Also, why do the parents have so many friends in the secret organization yet only two people agree to take care of them? Others from the organization would understand why they face such outcomes and would want to protect them, not belittle the situation nor say they will be too much trouble. God I hate Netflix now.
- I must admit that it makes more sense for Uncle Monty to be of Indian decent due to his love for snakes however, due to the movie I have a preset idea that he should be the warm hearted, musical enthusiast, white man. Also, I am slowly starting to like that the series builds on the secret society within which the Bouldalaire parents are members, although I do not completely agree with the topics it has made the series slightly more appealing as well as the theme song is catchy but also ever changing.
- Why, may I ask; is Aunt Josephine a black woman? I do not mean this in a racist way although now that I have read it back it is extremely racist; I mean it more so that the family does not appear to have African heritage and she is supposedly their Aunt..... the time period doesn't quite fit although nowadays family is more than blood......... oh well back to the review of it... She is meant to be a delirious older woman is she not? Instead she seems far more like an insane cat lady. Also, she is far more willing to enter her husband's study and view the lake through the large bay windows. She also is very telling of their history rather then being on the brink of losing herself to distress. (Also the irony put into the series by referencing the situation that may have happened or is bound to happen is tremendous.)
- The sixth episode is where the movie ended and it will be interesting to see what is in store. Why is it that Count Olaf looks better as a female? Or why it is fully implied that Sir and his partner are gay? Or if the parents shown seem to be the Bauldelair parents but end up visiting other children? Why is there two halves of the same story in two halves of mirror families? Why does the series end here?! I swear to God Netflix is such a disappointment. Also, why do the parents have so many friends in the secret organization yet only two people agree to take care of them? Others from the organization would understand why they face such outcomes and would want to protect them, not belittle the situation nor say they will be too much trouble. God I hate Netflix now.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Long Nights
White lips, pale face. Breathing in the snow flakes. Burnt
lungs, sour taste. Light’s gone, days end. Struggling to pay rent. Long nights,
strange men.
…
Reality
is, many people must do quite a number of ‘embarrassing’ things to stay alive.
Ed Sheeran’s song, A Team; depicts the rough life of addicted teens and mothers
who had to leave their homes due to lack of support. The first two phrases
create an image of desolation and a job which has no assigned time frame, even
amid a snow storm she stays out on the corner. Her burnt lungs and sour taste
allude to something such as smoking in the cold or possibly the act of giving a
blow job and deep throating to the point of exhaustion and quite possibly
death. Continuing on with these arduous acts is the all-night job, she cannot
go watch her darlings sleep or get any rest of her own because she must work
through the night to earn enough money to live through the day.
…
The long
nights I spend awake staring out the window are nothing of that resemblance. I
can see through my window, that lady who stands under the street light. She
hides her face in the shadows just as we hide our mental issues behind a smile.
She makes her life better to the best of her ability while we dwell on the past
and sink further into the black hole.
We are
forcing ourselves to believe we are like that person out there who made a wrong
mistake or two that led to her unruly demise. But she will never be the same as
us and our delusional mental illnesses.
Only
we can fix what we broke. Only we stand a chance at redeeming what we threw
away.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
BEST NIGHT AROUND THE WORLD
There is always something going on around the world, some
things are more significant than others, obviously. For instance, wars are a
bit more significant than a butterfly flapping its wings; at least it is in the
moment. But the flap of that singular butterfly’s wings can cause a ripple
around the world that starts a tsunami which in turn starts another world war because
we all know that countries will seek any reason to fight… Regardless there are
multitudes of these small, immediately indeterminant events in the world and
entismal more in the universe. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have an impact
in the long run. Tonight, there was meant to be a tripod of some of these
events; the moon was full, there was an eclipse (slightly unnoticeable due to
the earth blocking the sun from the moon rather than the moon blocking the sun
from the earth), and meteor P45 visibly passed across the night sky at 3 am. To
not see these rare accomities is nothing detrimental but to experience them is
a world of other possibilities; quite literally. It makes you question every
scientific aspect of life and venture into the possibility of there being more
than us in this existence.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Initiation into the Fraternity Realm
Must fills the air, intoxicating you with its fumes. Candles
flicker in the breeze which swirls past your legs in small amounts as the wind
outside tries to make its way into the cellar doors. The raggy potato sack over
your head itches your nose as you try to see who or what is making the
murmuring noise around you. Deep red robes encapsulate those around you.
Quickly the bags are ripped from the heads of you and your peers, you may have
lost a hair or two in the process. The strangers before you begin to speak audibly
as they call to their brothers near and far to hear them with this plea, to
never turn against one another, to never disobey the laws, to never share these
secrets with the rest of the world. This is the pledge, and now you must
sacrifice yourself and your blood to become part of the community as well. Each
subject present proceeds to cut the palm of their hand with a shredded knife
and squeeze whatever amount of blood they can from their veins to fill the goblet.
It is passed around and you must all drink. Now, you are a member of this
sacred community for life! HAZAH!
…
It sounds like something out of a
medieval fable, doesn’t it? Well from a very young age, this is the image we
are encompassed with when pertaining to fraternities and brotherhoods formed in
college. That and the skimpy girls in bikinis and costumes barely there to
please guys. But this is not at all what they do. I kind of wish they did
though.
…
I have officially begun the induction period into a
fraternity of my own, my own experience of a pinning ceremony and that of
others which have recounted their tales to me; vary from this original persona
of sacred ceremonies. You are blind folded, you are taken to an undisclosed
location, but you are not forced to do things like cut yourself and drink everyone’s
blood, the subjects before you are not strange to your eyes nor do they dress
in amines apparel. You simply agree to some standards and receive a little
acknowledgement that you are part of the family.
…
Perhaps there will be more enticing events when the official
official induction takes place in five weeks!
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Campus Colt
There are a lot of things you hear about on the news or read
about in fictional stories that you never think will happen to you or to anyone
in your life; but sometimes they manage to happen anyway. Late last year for
instance, there began to be numerous ‘killer’ clown sightings across the
Northeast portion of the United States. Now there is periodic cult appearances
sprouting in the places where clowns were once seen. It has not been determined
if these so-called cults are satanic or if they are even credible. It has been
noted however that they are posting signs around campuses attempting to recruit
others to join them for initiation ceremonies as if they are a fraternity whom
takes pride in their commitment to community and self. These flyers discuss
plans from a video games known as Shivering Isles; I believe it is from the
same series as Skyrim if I am not mistaken… Regardless they quote the native
language of characters in the game and even discuss plans to sacrifice cats to
the patron saint of some church. The original name is forgotten at the moment
but I do recall that research on the subject brought forth many copies of the
original, old testament bible.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
What's Appropriate Coming from Your Parents
Rarely
do kids feel they can confide in their parents. They rather tell lies and go
about their days doing their own thing. Eventually this leads to suspicious
parents who are deemed ridiculously strict or it could lead to parents who just
aren’t part of their child’s life (usually those parents are where the problem
originated).
A select
population of youth, however; find it better to vent every frustration to their
elders and seek guidance with the smallest of tasks such as meal choices and
hygiene. These pupils are the ones who will in due course remain in their
parents’ basement living off their income taxes.
The
people who are in between. They live a difficult life. Their parents learn only
what they need to, they continue to seek more from these tidbits of information
and often disgust their children or push them further away. The only issue with
this behavior is that the youth can do nothing to resist talking to their
parents and thus the adults feel it is alright to continue these rather symptomatic
topics which should not be revealed out-front from child to parent.
In my
own case, I love to tell my parents what is happening in my life because they
often are not even listening and it allows me to get stuff off my chest before
I tell the wrong people or before I allow horrible ideas to manifest inside my
noggin. When they do catch what I have said, it rapidly gets turned on me
however. For instance, letting them know of struggles a friend may be facing
causes my parents more distress than if I was facing these issues myself. Or
per chance they learn that the people I hang with live a certain lifestyle,
they expect that I will miraculously morph into these people and make the same
choices as them.
What
does this have to do with age appropriate content coming from the mouths of our
elders? They are entitled to their opinions and as adults they can say whatever
they want to but when talking to their kids or family there are certain things
that should not be shared. For instance, there is no need for discussion of sex
lives or “sexy” appearances, “sexy” actions…. Anything “sexy” should really
just be dropped altogether, especially when between parent and child of
opposite genders. It’s just a tad creepy… I am certain that most anti Trump Americans
would agree.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Technological Decline
With every advancement we make as a society in the
technological field, we are also declining. More and more we are becoming
reliant on these machines. But what if they all decided to shut down and you
were left to do everything on your own? No more direct messaging, you’ll have
to mail letters. No instantaneous results from computers and calculators,
you’ll have to read books and do math by hand. Does nobody remember the switch
from 1999 to 2000?!??!? The governments were so horrified that the computer
databases would not be able to update the year and the entire process would fry
leaving everyone in the dark! Now whenever a wifi server goes down or you
experience a blackout; no matter how brief or prolonged the period may be, we go
into a frenzy because our parents won’t know where we are, our family won’t
know what we are eating, our friends won’t know who we are spending time with.
Everything would be PRIVATE! And apparently, that is a devastating thing to
happen in this day and age.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Running Around like a Chicken with its Head Cut Off
An American phrase dating back to the 19th
century, it refers to poultry whom often run in a frenzied state for several
minutes after decapitation.
Everyone has heard this expression
at some point in their life weather they noticed it or not. Often it refers to
a child who cannot decide on a single activity, they run around from one
location to another trying to do everything at once. More recently this saying
has connected to college students who run from one end of campus to another for
classes or study groups or fraternities and sororities, they even run around
trying to finish all their projects at once but never actually completing any
of them!
Although
a private college such as my own, often has smaller class sizes and fewer
required classes thus decreasing the time spent running from subject to subject;
you still end up looking like a lunatic because you procrastinate and want to
take advantage of every event possible. Its ludicrous to want to do EVERYTHING.
But if you don’t then you aren’t normal and you aren’t using every opportunity
that is presented to you. Either way, you look crazy.
Embrace the crazy!!!!
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Chemistry is Forever Expanding
CARBON
CAN BIND WITH MORE THAN FOUR ATOMS!!!!!!!!
You
honestly have no clue how enticing this information is to the scientific
community. Carbon is used in all walks of life, that is how we get many of our
fuels. It is in trees, it is in the atmosphere. Coal. Diamonds. Acid. Graphite
in pencils. There are so many other things it can create and now we can
possibly create more artificial compounds!!! Can you Just imagine??!!
Friday, February 3, 2017
How Clean is Too Clean
Sanitization is everything in the modern era. In can have a
very negative effect on our health and hygiene however good we may think it is.
Studies were conducted telling us that bad hygiene and refusing to clean our
environment can lead to the spread of dangerous viruses but recent light has
also exposed information that not being exposed to any form of dust or bacteria
can weaken our immune systems and become ill much easier. That is why public
spaces like schools and stores try hard to keep everything clean while not
being ‘germophobic-ally clean’.
Do you
realize just how their cleaning process is completed though? Do you realize
just what kind dirt is left behind after they clean? I mean, don’t get me
wrong; I know how difficult it is to deep clean some things and I know we
shouldn’t be going crazy with disinfectant but some recent events have come to
light that are a bit fascinating while also disgusting.
Of late,
I have been meeting with some friends in a chemistry organization on my college
campus and one activity we enjoy is freezing ice cream with liquid nitrogen.
After the cream encounters the below freezing liquid, it does not retain any of
the harmful chemicals. In fact, liquid nitrogen evaporates rather spontaneously
when exposed to room temperature. Anyway, we had to empty the contents of the
canister the science department had provided us with and we were a bit tired of
ice cream, thus we proceeded to conduct our own sort of experiment. After
clearing the floor of any materials which may be viable to the cold temperature
of liquid nitrogen; we slowly, and in small amounts; poured the contents of the
canister into the center of the room. All particles of dirt which had been
trapped in the creases and cracks of the floor froze and condensed into small
beads which then rolled to the edges of the room. Multiple attempts at pouring
the contents out all led to the same results and by the end of the night there
was an inch-thick layer of dirt creating a perimeter around the room.
This
experiment has not been discussed outside the group but it is just miraculous
how we can proudly say that our school takes pride in cleaning every classroom
every night yet we can displace so much dirt and bacteria from the floor.
So
honestly, how clean is too clean and how dirty is not clean enough?
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Marijuana
I am certain that we have discussed this topic numerous
times and I would hate to repeat my opinions or the facts which have been made
public through our posts as well as news channels; however, did anybody know
that the legalization of marijuana did not actually start in Colorado?!?! The
state of Colorado has helped to make a large leap forward when it comes to the
legalization and medical use of marijuana however this is just the popular view
that they have been the most important stance towards this action due to news
coverage. Before they opened clinics across the state and began producing a
large tax revenue for their state; California had been creating non-profit
marijuana distribution centers and while there were multiple laws in place
restricting the growth and distribution of large amounts of cannabis there have
not been any put in place to counteract these organizations which help people
acquire the drug for medical purposes nor does it ban people from growing a
couple plants in their own backyard for private use.
…
We need
to conduct better research I feel.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Lifetimes
Millions of people invest in the institution of marriage
every year. Of course, the standards for marriage have changed with time, at
one point in time you married for money and power, now we try to marry for
‘love’, yet there are still a few who marry strictly because they feel it is
best for their economic or social status. These people often contemplate
divorce or murder to get out of a marriage, one way is more legal than another
but the other method allows one to maintain the status they gained through the
event. When marriage spawns from a mutual caring behavior for one another, the
relationship usually lasts decades before they die and even then, once older,
they refuse to move on; sometimes even dying from a broken heart. This sort of
exclusive love can occur between others beside just husband and wife though as
seen with the still recent death of popular mother and daughter duo. Twins also
can face this outcome as they spend much of their lives with a soulmate whom
embodies their sibling.
You only
get a lifetime event once every lifetime…. obviously, don’t waste time on statuses
when you could be living happy and healthy.
An
opportunity like this may not arise for a couple more lifetimes, it is
incredibly difficult to remember everything from past lives after all; you
won’t have any clue who your soulmate is.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Uncovering Secrets
First impressions are meant to be everything! They showcase
the experience as much more than it really is, they hide the truth. Tours of
colleges for instance eagerly want you to join their student body; it seems odd
that the student orientation leaders would want you to fall into the same trap
as themselves…. They must be brainwashed!!
But in
all honesty, if you knew the truth 100% of the time than you wouldn’t want to
be part of the process. If you knew the crime rates were just as high as the
worst part of your current city you wouldn’t feel safe. If you knew there are
numerous overdose attempts, you wouldn’t want to hang around these
‘delinquents’. If you knew the equipment they provide you with rarely works,
you wouldn’t want to rely on it to accomplish your work. If you knew that the
professors don’t actually care about each student just because it is a smaller
class size, you wouldn’t prefer these classes. If you knew half of what you
should, you wouldn’t have wanted to grow up. If you knew what the world held,
you wouldn’t have wanted to be born and would have voted for abortion too, at
least then you would be in some eternal state of innocence and peace. Because
here in the outside world, we lie. We tell tall tales to make us seem more
impressive. We destroy the little bit of good we have left in our lives, and we
take for granted the pure things that bring us happiness. In this world; we
aren’t living to our whole being. Until you are, and you can see through the
apparition.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Chemistry Enthusiast
Warning: This is written by a chemistry nerd who is majoring
in the subject, has their own chem lab in their house, has posters of periodic
tables and scientific methods and equipment plastered all over their room,
takes part in the chem society and chem fraternity inner workings….. This topic
is not taken lightly to this individual!!!
Chemistry is a very broad topic. It
is a physical science that ultimately makes up all of existence. Chemistry
explains how hormones and vitamins course through your body building immunity
and the aging process. It can explain psychological phenomena. The cooking of
food. The blooming of flowers. The attraction between two individuals or
between inanimate objects. Chemistry is forever expanding and ever mind
blowing.
Much of
the human population may find that exploring topics taught in schools is
deafening and ruins one’s individualism but sometimes this desire to seek
knowledge is what makes you special. In America, it is required that high
school students take a year of biology and a year of chemistry. These courses
barely touch the surface of what you can accomplish through the subjects.
Accepting the invitation to take the course as an AP class furthers these
scrapings and becomes a bit more in depth with the possibilities but until you
are out in the world doing hands on work with the knowledge gained, you have no
clue how enticing it all can be.
Acknowledging
experiments and the scientific process can be scary, trying to apply it to your
own research can be even more so. Once you jump into it however, you become
entranced by the reaction occurring before your eyes. The solids dissolve and
fizz off into the solution in colorful swirls as electrons transfer from one
substance to another. Gases form, bubbles dancing up the chamber like baby
jellyfish; the accumulation rapidly increases and you worry the tube will not
be large enough to hold it. In awe, it is hard to believe that such a small
amount of a substance can create such a response but in reality, it should be
even larger. It begins to become apparent how precious and very touchy this
‘stuff’ can be. Realization hits on how people become overwhelmed with power
and use it to destroy the lives of many.
Knowledge
is truly power.
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Sleepless Nights
Working the midnight shift at any
job while being a full-time student during the day can get very tiring. It
isn’t just because you are working your butt of either, essentially you are
forcing your body to push through its will to sleep, you are losing even more
energy than you could be gaining in those precious hours all because you need
the money to continue thriving. There are long term effects as well though!
Just because you only work two or three midnight shifts a week does not mean
that the rest of those nights will be any more restful. Say, for instance; you
work two midnights in a row. The first night you are going to start dozing off
towards the end of your shift, it will be difficult to stay awake but you will
push yourself to do it. The second night, having already been through the same
events the night before; your body has a central idea of its demands and will
increase adrenaline and other energy levels so that you are fully awake and
ready to take on any task that may come your way! That’s great! You can stay
awake and not be encountered with an angry supervisor because you were caught
sleeping in the boiler room. But then the third night comes. You don’t have to
stay up for work but that doesn’t mean your body has not already somewhat
adjusted itself to do so. You toss and turn in your bed, contemplation of other
things you could accomplish in this time come to mind but you stay in your soft
and warm cushioned and blanketed bed instead. Counting sheep doesn’t help, heck
even singing the periodic table song doesn’t bore you into a slumber state.
Half of the night will pass before your body realizes you have not been using
the energy it stored away for you and it releases the proper proteins to induce
sleep instead. By now you won’t have enough time to get a full night’s rest
before you have your morning classes but at least you managed to fall asleep.
Four nights in, you will still be rather energized but you will begin to rest
at a more reasonable hour. By the fifth night you will be back to routine just
so you can have to do it all over again in two more nights. YAY for adulting!!!!!!
Friday, January 27, 2017
Work Ethic
When you take a position with a company you are taking a
commitment to serve your employer and follow every direction they give you even
when you may not agree. Usually included in this agreement is your character
which you present to peers, superiors, and those whom you serve. You may not
always be able to please everyone surrounding you but you must do your best,
otherwise you risk being let go from your position. As difficult as this may
seem, it is what the real world is like, or should be anyway.
Yes sir.
No ma’am.
Dress right dress.
Stainless clothes.
Sergeant, Corporal, General, Chief,
Manager.
If this is all part of your job,
you best do it like you were told in training. It is not up to you rules are
followed and which are not. And while you may begin to feel comfortable in your
position after your trial period is up, no matter how lenient your supervisor
may become with you. Never relax for a moment. Dare to loosen up and they will
snap you right back in to place. Just because others in your same position are
doing it does not mean that you can follow suit. You will ultimately be the one
caught and only you will be reprimanded for the actions taken.
Suck it up buttercup. That is the
real world. There are no crying rooms here.
Thursday, January 26, 2017
A Look Back to Last Year
Every
year the infamous Time Magazine releases its top photos of the year, these photos
are also listed on their website with the titles, photographers, and a short
synopsis of the inner workings of the photos. Some years the photos are more
cheerful than others but others are ridden with war and despair, often this
clouds the judgement of others to cloud the entire year in despair despite
periods of contempt. Occasional, you catch a glimpse of a time with both a
negative side and a brighter aspect as well. One such picture, Turkey’s Coup by
Stringer; was featured in this year’s article. Intended not just for the
rebellious people of Istanbul or the people of Turkey who felt abandoned by
their government and surrounding countries, but for the global population; this
piece touched base on the struggle of some European countries who wish to help
the adjacent Asian populations.
Under
the high sun, soldiers who once hoped to help their people and provide a more
just life for them; are beaten by civilians. With no indicative markings of country,
you cannot distinguish the soldiers’ alliance nor that of the abusers. This
also makes it rather difficult to see who is truly the victim. Through the glare,
it is quite noticeable that these soldiers are huddled and unarmed as they
shield their faces with dirtied arms and hands. The people carrying whips and
batons range from those of hard working third class samaritans to those of
people who spend days working minimal wage and waste their nights away in bars.
You immediately feel remorse for the soldiers as you question what could have
angered the others so deeply. After a while though, especially for Americans; a
connection to our own actions becomes apparent. The police brutality and
brutality TOWARDS police becomes very apparent. In a modern depth, we can
influentially decide that maybe the people have felt betrayed by these soldiers
but is it really their fault? Are the actions their own, who is to say they
were not told by a higher authority that they must complete a certain task or
else be punished with a cruelty far worse than being beaten with whips?
They say
a picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes those who wish to speak their
own words have not the voice to do so, thus photographers help spread their
stories and leave it for us to judge. We form conclusions of our own from these
colorful, or lackluster for that matter; illustrations of events around the
world. Nevertheless, actions are not always our own, stories we have not lived
are not ours to tell.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Down Time
In a world that it is constantly buzzing with advancements
and gossip, it isn’t a bad thing to take a break from everything for a good
hour or two. College students spend a lot of time jumping into many very
different portions of their lives. They are students first most but they are
also adults who have jobs, children who must care for their parents (some are
parents who must care for their kids!); countless hours can pass before a
chance arises to sit down and breathe. Don’t misuse them. Make every precious
second count before you are far too overwhelmed to do anything but die. It is
just like they say about parenthood, if you don’t take a chance to relax and
enjoy life; the future will be upon you and you will never get those moments
back. Parents spend time jostling work life, family life, and their very
miniscule social life with friends. Teens balance school, sports, chores,
family, sometimes work. Everyone has their own hectic schedule, you were in
their shoes at some point thinking the same thing. Nobody has it any harder
than another person so just take in what is your life and remember to spend
time doing things you love so that you can get through those things you repulse
you.
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