Throwback

Hey, guys!

I haven't read this book in a while, but for right now it's all I have up my sleeve. I don't think I've read it since high school . . . maybe not even since middle school.

Anyway, I'm talking about The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. Like I said, it's been a while, so if I apologize if I'm a little vague on the details. I'm almost done with another book for my World Literature class, so that review will probably be available next week.

I hate that the reviews I've been posting lately aren't really up to par with what I usually write, but school comes first, so I can't really read for fun. I try my best though, and I appreciate the fact that you guys bear with me on this.

So anyway, a review of The City of Ember. This is a post-apocalyptic novel. After some kind of disaster (I'm not telling), a city was designed for humans to survive for about two hundred years.

The mayors of the city have been passing a box down the line, contents unknown. One mayor tries to break it open, believing it contains a cure to an illness that infects the citizens. After failing to open the box, the mayor dies without telling anyone else about the box or its importance.

Two hundred years after the city was built, the box opens. And nobody's around to know about it.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster, huh? Well it is. Because in the year 241, supplies are running low and the generator that powers the whole city (including all the light bulbs that keep the city out of darkness) is about ready to shut off for good.

Now, when kids graduate from school, they are assigned jobs. Lina, a fast girl who loves to run, is assigned to work in the bowels of the city fixing pipes. Doon, a total tinkerer, is assigned to be messenger for the city.

The two of them switch jobs so that they're both happy.

Lina lives at home with her grandmother and baby sister, whom she finds chewing on bits of paper she found in a box. Can you guess which box?

So now Lina and Doon try their best to decipher the letter that came from the box, discovering clues that may help save the city.

Will the city's power finally die out before Lina and Doon figure out what the letter is all about? Will anybody fight them in their quest for the unknown? What is written in the letter? How can it save them?

I only remember a little bit, so I won't tell you and confuse you by getting it completely wrong. Read it for yourself. Maybe I'll read it again one day to remember what happens . . .

Anyway, I reserve judgement on this book, since I don't remember a whole lot of it. I do remember liking it though. The movie was good too, but I don't remember it being better than the book.

Like I said, if I got any details wrong or if I left any major plot points out, I apologize. Give the book a chance. I hope you enjoyed this review. Check back in tomorrow for another writing exercise.

Happy reading!!

Writing Prompt: Key

Hey, guys!

So, in order to have a blog post ready for you guys on time at 6:00 AM (my time) every Monday, I decided that from now on, the writing exercises for the week will be on Mondays and Wednesdays, while the book reviews will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This way every Sunday night, I will only have to write a writing exercise for the next morning, which is a lot less daunting than a whole book review.

Anyway, here's today's writing exercise.

You're ten years old and you're digging through the attic, looking for buried treasure in a way. During your search, you find a rusty old key slipped between the pages of an old photograph with a note that reads, "Darkness must be caged."

What do you do with the key? What kinds of pictures were in the photograph? What do you make of the note? What is your overall reaction to your discovery? And (arguably most importantly) what is your next move?

Have fun with this one guys. Be creative.

Happy writing!!

Sleeping Beauty

Hey, guys!

You guys have all read that book with a bratty girl who thinks she's a princess, right? Have you read the one where she actually is a princess? Well, that book would be A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn.

This book is by the author of Beastly, and those of you who are regular visitors of my blog will remember my recent review of that book. In case you haven't already guessed from the title of this post, this book is a take on the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty.

Princess Talia was cursed as an infant to touch a spindle and die, but a good fairy changed the spell so that she would only fall asleep.

So, a normal teenage girl with a shopping addiction? Try a medieval princess who has her dresses made specifically for her and finds a way to complain about it. I would be a little frustrated if I were her seamstress, wouldn't you? Spending a ton of money on a dress would be frustrating enough, but having made a ton of dresses by hand to find out that she doesn't like any of them?

You know how the story goes from there: Princess Talia touches a spindle, falls asleep for hundreds of years along with her entire kingdom, which is wiped off the map until her true love kisses her awake.

Hundreds of years later, Jack is on a school trip in Europe. He's actually been forced on this trip by his parents in the hopes that he'll have some ambition as a student upon his return. But it's not that simple.

Bored and annoyed, he has wandered away from his tour group with his friend. The two of them stumble upon the sleeping kingdom and make their way towards the palace and find the princess (no dragons).

Face to face with the pretty sleeping princess, Jack has the incredible urge to kiss her. So he does and . . . ta da! Talia is  awake.

Understandably, she freaks out when she finds out that she's been asleep for three hundred years. But now she wants to marry Jack, her one and true love. Unfortunately, modern American teenage boys aren't too fond of the idea of marrying a girl they just met before graduating high school.

Also, he is sent to the dungeon for kissing the princess, which three hundred years ago was not okay.

So, Talia breaks him out and with a bunch of jewels stowed away in their pockets, Talia and Jack escape the kingdom and return to the modern world. Jack just wants to go home, deciding to take Talia with him because, even though she's a pain, he feels bad for her (her father blames her for putting them to sleep for hundreds of years and ruining the kingdom).

Talia goes with him to try to get Jack to fall in love with her.

Talia learns the wonders of the modern world and learns how to play nice with others (I guess true love really does change you). Jack learns that there's more to Princess Talia than meets the eye.

It's been a while since I've read this book, but I remember enjoying it. It's a cute story about first impressions not always being true. Plus, you guys know how much I love new takes on classic fairy tales.

I wold recommend this book for middle school and high school students, and anybody older who is a hopeless romantic at heart who is in touch with their inner child.

Again, sorry that there was no review on Wednesday, but hopefully this makes up for it. Hope you enjoyed this review and that you'll keep visiting this blog. Tell your friends!

Happy reading!!

Writing Prompt: Mirror

Hey, guys!

Time to write yet again. It's another writing prompt, so get ready.

Are you ready yet?

Well, ready or not, here it is.

Imagine that you went to put your hand flat against a mirror and found that your hand went right through the glass. Although you are frightened at first, curiosity wins over and you step through the mirror into a different world.

Where do you find yourself? Is it pleasant? Terrifying? Beautiful? A combination of the three? What are your reactions? Describe the world: sights, scents, tastes, sounds. What are the inhabitants, if any? Are they friendly? Worshiping? Evil?

Do you want to stay here forever or is some gut feeling telling you that you're better off on the right side of the mirror? How does this experience change you?

Be original, be amused.

Happy writing!!

Oops

Hey, guys!

Sorry that there was no review today. It was my brother's birthday today and I didn't plan ahead like I should have . . . oops.

Do not fret, I will write a review for Friday to make up for it, and there will be a writing exercise posted first thing tomorrow morning.

Happy reading!!

Writing Prompt: Held Captive

Hey, guys!

I was thinking that I would keep it up with the horror theme that I started with my review of Dean Koontz from yesterday. So, how about a creepy writing prompt?

As always with a writing prompt, try to think outside the box. Try not to go for the obvious, but if you do, try to put your own spin on it . . . know what I mean?

Okay, here we go.

You wake up and find yourself tied by the hands with a bright light shining in your face. Although you can't see anyone, you hear voices all around you. A hand reaches out and rips the duct tape from your lips.

Finally, someone talks directly to you. But it's not what you want to hear.

"You know what we want. Don't make us hurt you."

Where are you? Who is talking to you? What do they want? In what way could they hurt you? How did you get in this mess? How will you find your way out?

Have fun!

Happy writing!!

A Horror Story

Hey, guys!

It's been a while since I've written a review for a horror story, and although it's been a while since I've read this book, I think it's about time I wrote a review for What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz.

Many of you may have already heard of Koontz for his series Odd Thomas. I myself have never read that series, so if you like it and want me to read and review it, let me know in the comments!

Now, this novel is about a serial killer known as Alton Turner Blackwood . . . years after being killed.

John Calvino is a police detective with the kind of family life that people can only dream about: a beautiful wife, and two imaginative daughters, and a son who thinks you're a hero. They are financially stable and basically want for nothing.

But John has a dark past. As a kid, he had loving parents and two younger sisters he adored. But after sneaking out one night, he returns to find that his whole family has been murdered as the last targets of a serial killer.

John was able to kill the murderer, but not before Alton Turner Blackwood delivers a disturbing prophecy: that years from now, his wife and kids will become his targets. The guilt and the prophecy from that night has haunted John for the rest of his adolescent and adult life. That is, until he met his wife.

Nicolette is an artist - and a good one too. She and John have a happy marriage with three children: Zach (the oldest), Naomi, and Minnie (the youngest).

Zach is an aspiring military man, a skilled artist, and extremely protective of his sisters. Naomi is a fashionista who constantly dreams of being whisked away to a new world where she is a lost princess. Despite these fantasies, she loves her family more than anything.

Minnie is eight years old. She had been ill as a young child but recovered, and as a result seems more spiritual and sensitive to her environment. She's unique and unusually rational for her age, so she's naturally my favorite character.

But this happy life is in danger of coming to a violent end when John is called upon to investigate murders committed by a juvenile offender.

Now, this happy little fourteen-year-old brutally murdered his entire family completely out of the blue. No history of mental illness, no previous infractions, nothing at all from this kid aside from good grades.

But when John visits him in the mental hospital to ask questions, the fourteen-year-old resembles nothing of the happy-go-lucky kid he used to be. Talking to himself, referring to himself in the third person, and basically talking to John with all the good manners and condescension of Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs.

So what happened? There's some missing link here that John is determined to find, especially once other murders start occurring.

The creepy part? These series of murders closely resemble the those of the victims of Alton Turner Blackwood from years ago.

But he's dead. So what's going on here? Find out by reading the book for yourself.

As I said, it's been a while since I've read the book (I don't think I've touched it since high school). Therefore, I don't know how my attitudes about the book could have changed in that time. But I will say that I did enjoy the book at the time, if nothing else.

It's a little slow-going at first, but the tension quickly escalates the more often these murders occur and the more background you get on the characters, particularly Alton Turner Blackwood. If you love murder mystery thrillers or ghost stories (or both), you'll love this book too. I would recommend this for high school readers and up, though, due to the gory/gruesome content.

That's all I've got for this review. Hope you enjoyed and that you'll give a book a try. Come back tomorrow for a writing exercise!

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise

Hey, guys!

Time for another writing exercise.

So, this one is going to be just like the one from before where I give you a series of words and you have to write a narrative or a dialogue including all of those words. Remember, at least one of those words must be crucial to the scene.

Pick one of the following:


1) Sword, Ship, Tome, Explore, Tower

2) Compass, Rats, River, Lock, Drown

3) Dungeon, Attack, Garbage, Shame, Time

4) Escape, Sunset, Gate, Hide, Resolute

5) Parapet, Tooth, Dawn, Tomb, Crawl


Ready, set, write! Oh yeah, and have fun.

Happy writing!!

Transcendence

Hey, guys!

Sorry that this post is really late for today, but I didn't have as much time as I would've liked to work on this week's posts on Monday. But better late than never, right?

Don't worry, I'll have a writing exercise up first thing in the morning. But for now, how about a belated book review?

So, for my World Literature class, we have to write a paper on one of the three books/plays that we've read so far. I was originally going to write about Waiting for the Barbarians by J. M. Coetzee, which I've already reviewed.

To be honest, when the professor said that we may write our papers on the latest book if it really "speaks" to us, I scoffed. I couldn't really get into it at first, but when I got halfway through, I recognized a common thread about which it would be easy to write a paper.

I won't hold you in suspense any longer. The novel is An Imaginary Life by David Malouf and is about the exile of the Roman poet, Ovid.

Basically, Ovid has been exiled from Rome for his poems and sent to live in a "barbaric" village that does not speak Latin. So there is Ovid, alone and unable to communicate with anyone and completely depressed about not hearing his beloved Latin tongue from another's lips.

It also doesn't help that Ovid's language doesn't really have the right words to describe the landscape in which he now resides. So at first, he blames the landscape for being so desolate and colorless. But once he decides to learn the local language, Ovid comes to the conclusion that it is Latin that is inadequate.

Once Ovid learns the new language, he is accepted as one of the villagers. But one day, he catches sight of a wild boy known as the Child. The Child was presumably raised by wolves, speaks to animals rather than of any human language, and is not bothered by the harsh environment.

At Ovid's suggestion, the villagers capture the Child and bring him back to the village. There, Ovid tries to civilize the Child and to teach him the local language.

However, as everybody knows, a good teacher always learns from his student. What Ovid learns is of the existence of a silent language that transcends communication and allows one to be one with nature and everything, much like the Child already is, due to his lack of communication and interaction with other humans.

Now, Ovid is on a journey to discover the one true language with the universality to disconnect one from oneself and to thereby connect one with all the earth.

Sounds like a lot of mumbo-jumbo, huh? Well, trust me, the book does a better job of conveying this one true language, so long as you keep an open mind.

I would definitely recommend this novel for upper-high school readers and beyond, because it prompts the reader to think about how humans think and communicate. It's a very thought-provoking novel. Like I said, though, I did have trouble getting into the book at first. You have been forewarned.

That's all for this review. Again, sorry for the tardiness. Hope you enjoyed and that you'll come back tomorrow for the exciting new writing exercise. It's gonna be epic.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: Names

Hey, guys!

Time for a new writing exercise. Remember the one with the names derived from plant names? Let's do that one again, except with the names of geographical/landscape features. You know, like mountain and hill? But don't worry, I won't list those as options.

Same rules as last time: you have to create a character profile based off of the name of the character and what that name implies. Like strong Oak and healing Willow from last time. Got it? Go!


1) Brook

2) Cloud

3) Forest

4) Sky

5) River

6) Sea

7) Cove

8) Oasis

9) Estuary

10) Marsh


Remember, take the physical appearance of the landscape feature and try to imagine what kind of person would be like that. Deserts, for example, are vast expanses of seemingly lifeless land, when in reality, there's life hidden in the nooks and crannies. Maybe a character named desert seems coarse and cruel at first but he chooses to hide how much he actually cares.

That is all. Fly, my pretties, fly!

Happy writing!!

Another "Tale as Old as Time"

Hey, guys!

This post is a little late by my standards, but at least I have a post for today. My excuse: homework is a pain in the caboose. And time-consuming.

But this is a blog where I talk about books and writing, not complain about school. So are you guys ready for another variation on Beauty and the Beast? You should have known that it was only a matter of time.

The YA novel I speak of is Beastly by Alex Flinn. Many of you may have already seen the movie with Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, and Neil Patrick Harris. It's a pretty good movie, and I love how rather than going for the typical "beast" with fur and claws and fangs, they stepped outside of the box by making the beast someone who doesn't conform to today's beauty standards. I applaud that.

That being said, I liked the book a lot better. Maybe it's the romantic image of a beast who is searching for love, maybe it's the sacrifice that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but there's something about the book that makes me feel like a little girl dreaming of my Prince Charming (furry slobbery though he may be) all over again.

So, in this book, you have the popular-nerd dichotomy trope. We've all read at least one book where of the two love interests, one is gorgeous popular jerk whom everybody wants to be and one is a nerdy bookworm who is not as privileged and has to claw their way to whatever social standing they now occupy.

Kyle is the hot jerk attending a preparatory academy who barely notices the scholarship student, Lindy. Did I mention that Kyle is a jerk? Because that gets him into trouble.

In the beginning of the book, Kyle ticks off a fellow student who isn't exactly attractive. Guess who she turns out to be? Yeah, she's a witch. You know how it goes.

Bippitty-boppitty-boo, Kyle is a beast (the fangs, fur, and claws kind). He is dumped by his girlfriend and is basically shunned by his father, a renown news anchor who is as shallow as a puddle. Kyle now lives in his own apartment with a house-keeper and (blind) private tutor for company and a magic mirror to the outside world.

Kyle (now known as Adrian) has two years to fall in love with a girl, who must declare her love for him and kiss him in order to break the spell. I bet you can guess who this girl is.

Well, after months of isolation in his apartment, Adrian builds a greenhouse (at his tutor's encouragement) to tend to roses. It becomes his obsession, these roses. So much so that when an intruder breaks in, Adrian threatens death.

The cowardly intruder, however, will do anything to save his own life, even offer his own daughter, Lindy, as compensation for his crime. And that's where Adrian sees his first and only chance to break the spell.

Ecstatic, Adrian prepares Lindy's room (and own personal library) to ensure that she will want for nothing. Not that she wants anything to do with him at first. But despite the fact that her old life is to study hard in school so she can get into college while taking care of her drug addict father, who could really blame her? Some freedom is better than none.

But when Lindy and Adrian end up alone together (by accident) to watch a movie together, it's the first contact they've had since she was brought to his apartment. And the more time they spend together, the fonder they grow of each other.

Will they fall in love? Will Kyle/Adrian run out of time? Will he remain a beast forever? Read the book and see what happens.

You guys know that I'm going to recommend this book for all those hopeless romantics of any age who adore Beauty and the Beast stories. I read this book for the first time in high school. I stayed home from school because I was sick. I picked it up (because who wants to do homework when they're sick?) and read the whole book in that one day. You decide for yourselves how much you love it.

Hope you enjoyed this review and that you'll give this book a shot. Leave comments if you're willing to provide me with some feedback. Come back tomorrow for a brand new writing exercise.

Happy reading!!

Update

Hey, guys!

I know that I said that I would get caught up on Mondays, but I got completely slammed with homework this weekend: a 3-page paper to write, sources to find for a 5-page paper that I have to outline, plus a ton of readings.

So, because of my recent pile-ups on weekends, unfortunately I may have to stop posting on Fridays for the rest of the semester.

If you guys are disappointed, then just know that I am extremely disappointed too. I really enjoy blogging, but school must come first. For now on, I will only be able to blog four days a week instead of five.

Really sorry about this, guys, I really appreciate all my diligent readers and I think it's awesome that my blog is being read. I had almost 200 page views last month, which is insane! Thank you for the readership, guys. You rock.

Okay, back to my paper. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

More Random Words

Hey, guys!

I really liked that writing exercise I made up on Tuesday, so I thought I would make another one like that for today. I also haven't thought of any new styles of writing exercises, so coming up with random words appeals to me right now.

Also, good news! I figured out how to add images, so that'll be fun. I understand if you make fun of me for taking this long to attempt to figure it out.

You guys know the rules, so here we go.


1) Lush

2) Painting

3) Thunder

4) Wind

5) Brush

Go for it, guys.

A Return to James Dashner

Hey, guys!

I haven't talked much about James Dashner since I started this blog and since the movie is coming out soon (so excited!) I thought I would devote a blog to The Maze Runner.

This was actually the first book I read by Dashner and I absolutely fell in love with his style. He is now one of my favorite authors and I am currently anxiously awaiting the upcoming film for The Maze Runner and the sequel to Eye of Minds, which, if you guys remember, is the first book I ever reviewed on this blog. Where did the time go?

So, imagine this. You wake up in this very loud and very small elevator that is rapidly ascending you towards your destination. It's dark but for the bright light above you.

As if that wasn't weird enough, there's even more of a twist: you can't remember anything about yourself. You remember details about how the world works, social gatherings, and family life, but you don't remember anything personal.

You completely forget who your parents and friends are, where you went to school, and what your life has been like up to this point. In fact, the only thing you do remember is your first name.

That's what it's like for Thomas, who wakes up in The Box. Then the elevator stops and he finds a rag-tag bunch of teen boys, also known as Gladers, staring down at him. They don't seem at all perplexed and they welcome him more or less with open arms.

When Thomas crawls out of the Box, he finds himself in the Glade, a large square space with walls on all sides and a massive opening on each side. The Glade is dedicated to the boys' living space: gardens, pens, slaughterhouses, homestead, kitchen, and (eerily enough) graveyard.

Every week, the Gladers receive supplies from whomever controls their world in the Box. Every month, a new Glader arrives in the Box, like Thomas.

Thomas gets the grand tour from Newt (the oldest boy and the leader) and Chuck (the newest boy before Thomas arrived and the youngest Glader). But Thomas has more questions. Why are they there? What lies beyond the Glade?

Well, there's really no answer to the former. However, each boy is assigned a job in the Glade, and one of these jobs is dedicated to answering the latter question.

Beyond the Glade is the maze, which changes every night after the gates close. The maze runners perform their duty by running through the maze and seeing if there is any way to solve it. That's what Thomas wants to do: solve the maze and get out. The maze runners run as far as they can in one day and come back before the gates close.

And you don't want to be out in the maze after dark with no way out. That's when the Grievers, horrifying creatures, come out to play.

Thomas is starting to adjust to life in the Glade when something even stranger happens. The day after Thomas arrives, the Box makes an unscheduled visit. A new Glader has arrived. But this time, it's a girl.

She arrives, recognizes Thomas, and immediately slips into a coma. In her hand is a note from the creators of the maze. No more Gladers and no more supplies will be arriving. They must solve the maze.

As you can imagine, there's a lot of suspicion geared towards Thomas because of this. But now Thomas is as frantic as ever to try to solve the maze. But is time against him? Will the Gladers survive? Read the book before you see the movie and find out for yourself.

I highly recommend this book for high school students and beyond. Anybody will get a kick out of this series. True to Dashner style, this book is fast-paced, action-packed, and absolutely brimming with cliff-hangers and tension. If you love action, puzzles, and post-apocalyptic worlds, this book is for you. Fans of The Hunger Games will also enjoy this.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I love this series and how badly I want to see the movie. I'll let you guys know what I think when I do see it.

Hope you enjoyed this review and that you'll come running back for more. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise

Hey, guys!

As promised, I have a new writing exercise for you! I've been seeing examples of this type of an exercise all over the place online, so I thought I should create a few of my own. I hope you guys enjoy it. Be sure to give me some feedback in the comments if you love/hate these writing exercises.

Okay, so for this exercise, you have to write a scene or a dialogue for a short story. To make it a little easier for you, I'm going to give you five words that you have to include in your piece.

You could incorporate the words into a dialogue, you could write a description, or you could use one of the words as a metaphor or simile. As always, the possibilities are absolutely boundless.

But the catch is that at least one of the words (the object, idea, or action) should be the focal point of the scene you are writing. However, if one of the words is "apple" for example, you don't have to make the main character an apple. Maybe you're writing a narrative about the fateful day that Sir Isaac Newton came up with gravity. The apple that fell on his head could count as the focal point of the scene.

You also don't have to use each word in your scene in the order that I give them to you. If I have "pear" as the first word and "orange" as the second word, you can feel free to be a rebel and have an orange appear in your story first. Just make sure you don't forget the pear.

Get it? Got it. Good.

One more thing: some words could count as a verb and a noun. This sounds kind of obvious, but I wanted to make sure that just because I tell you guys to use the word "thunder" you know that it's up to you whether you want it to be the thing that goes with lightning or a synonym for "yell" or "roar."

Now, for the words.


1) Fire

2) Dance

3) Raindrop

4) Phone

5) Watch


Are your creative juices flowing yet? Well, start writing! Fly, my pretties! Fly!

Happy writing!!

Colonialism

Hey, guys!

I just finished reading a book for my World Literature class called Waiting for the Barbarians by J. M. Coetzee, for which I now have to write a paper. Wish me luck!

In the meantime, as I rally my brain cells and jot down all the possible topics I could write for my paper, I think I owe you guys a review. I apologize for the lack of a post on Friday, but I have a lot of work to catch up with and I promise I will catch up with blogging every Monday. Cross my heart.

Now, the novel takes place in South Africa, in a frontier town that is a part of a vast Empire and also rather close to some indigenous nomadic groups and fishermen, which the townspeople refer to as the barbarians.

The magistrate of the town is a middle-aged man who just wants everyone to be peaceful towards one another . . . so that he can retire in comfort without any trouble.

Well, why should he get what he wants all the time?

Colonel Joll shows up from the Empire to try and see if he can sniff out some threats against his beloved Empire. Understandable. But arresting a boy and an old man who are just trying to find some medical assistance?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, tiger. But he doesn't stop there. He also takes a ton of "barbarians" prisoner and resorts to torture in order to justify his position.

So what does the magistrate think of all this? Well, he wants to just pretend that it isn't happening. I mean, he's got that retirement to think about. But he finds that he can't really turn away.

He also takes in a "barbarian" girl who was left behind when her people eventually left the frontier, crippled by the torture she endured, and then became a beggar.

But this is so not what it sounds like, guys. He's no hero by any means. He has too much of that Empire mentality. He can't get past seeing this girl as anything other than a barbarian, he's unbelievably selfish, and he's a total man-whore.

But I will say this: he does make an effort to change. I'm not entirely sure that he succeeds and it isn't always for the right reasons, but it's more than can be said about anybody else who came from the Empire.

Now, if you guys are college level readers, or even high school level readers, I would recommend this book to you. It is an allegory, so although it takes place in South Africa, it doesn't necessarily say so. This book could technically take place anywhere, so it's good for learning about the effect of colonialism on indigenous populations.

Not to mention, Coetzee is a pretty good writer. My professor constantly raves during class about what a poet he is. After reading the book, I have to agree. Coetzee's craft and attention to detail is really admirable, especially his symbolism. If you're a budding writer, I would definitely look into this book for some guidance in developing your craft.

I've been playing around with some paper topics today, and I already have three possible starters for my thesis, so it looks like I'll be in pretty good shape once I pick one. Wish me luck!

Also, like I said, I'll definitely try to keep a repeat of last Friday from ever happening. So definitely check back in tomorrow for a brand new writing exercise.

I hope you enjoyed today's review and that you'll keep coming back for more. Until next time.

Happy reading!

Setting Exercise

Hey, guys!

Sorry that this post is late. I tried to write something last night but I didn't have internet. I'm still getting used to my schedule and trying to keep up with my work load for this semester.

However, I will do my best to write blog posts for the week every Monday. The reason I had so much trouble this week was because I had Monday off from school for Labor Day. Thus, rather than having nothing better to do for six hours than blog, I went to the zoo. I regret nothing.

Again, I apologize, but I will try my best. For now, though, how about a quick little writing exercise?


Pick a public place where a lot of people go: the zoo (like me), the aquarium, the carnival, the fair, the beach, whatever floats your boat. Next, write down all the ways that these places stimulate your senses. By this, I mean sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.

For example, say I picked the beach. For this exercise I would describe the sound of the waves crashing, the smell of the salt air, the feel of the sand in between your toes and in your shorts, and the way you have to squint when you look at the sun reflecting off of the water.

Try to use as many of the senses as you can and as many sensations for each. As in, not just the sound of the waves, but the cries of the gulls and the sound the wind makes when it gusts around you. Throw in some metaphors and similes in there if you can, too.

Also, try to convey what the sensations cause you to feel. Maybe you love feeling the sun warm your body or maybe you hide under an umbrella because you burn no matter how much sun block you use. Maybe you love going for a swim and being lulled by the gentle rocking motion of the waves or maybe you hate getting seaweed in your bathing suit (this totally happened to me, FYI, it was everywhere).

It's all up to you. One more tip (which is the same every time): try to step outside of the box / outside of your comfort zone. Oh yeah, and have fun.

Happy writing!!

Let's try something different . . .

Hey, guys!

Second week of the semester and I already have to start thinking about writing two papers . . . at the same time. Yikes. So, as you can understand, I will most likely only have time to blog on Mondays, when I have the most free time.

Also, I won't have time to read books that aren't in any of my courses' syllabuses. I will, however, write reviews for the books I will be reading for my courses. Trust me, there are plenty. And that is the topic of today's blog.

So far, the only literature I've read so far was a play for my World Literature class. This play is A Lesson from Aloes by Athol Fugard.

I know that thus far I haven't written any reviews for my blog. But, since I'm all out of ideas right now as I type with fifteen minutes before my next class, I figured I would do something different.

So, A Lesson from Aloes is set in South Africa, about a political activist and his wife and friend and how politics affect their lives.

After being inspired by protests that attempt to effect change, Piet is struck with the idea of making a statement. That's what he and his friend, Steve, have done in the past all the time. They pass out pamphlets and cause all sorts of trouble for the current government. But does anything really get done? Do they ever really inspire change?

Well, as I said, they cause plenty of trouble. The secret police went into Piet's and Gladys's home to search for names, locations, anything that gives any information at all about potential threats.

So why would they ready Gladys's diary in front of her and then take it as evidence and never return it? She is content with her life and groans at the mention of politics between her husband and Steve. Why would they think that she has something to hide?

Well, I'll tell you what: Gladys did not appreciate it. She writes her innermost thoughts, the goings-on of her day-to-day life in that diary. So when they come and take it as though it's theirs to have, Gladys is traumatized. She feels so violated that she must go to a mental asylum for a time. While she is better now, she is still rather anxious all the time.

The play picks up in the present with Piet tending to his aloe plants while he and Gladys await Steve and his family as guests to dinner. And what does the aloe have to teach Piet, Steve, and/or Gladys? Find out by reading the play for yourself.

Okay, it sounds kind of boring, but let me tell you something: the beauty of this play is that it is short, simple, and exquisitely crafted.

Point number one: it's short. I'm not even kidding. It only takes up less than eighty pages in my copy and it's only two acts long. I finished it in about three hours. The language is not very difficult either.

Point number two: it's simple. For one thing, there are only three characters: a man, his wife, and his friend, as I've mentioned before. Not only that, but there are also roughly three props throughout the whole play. The simplicity of this play allows it to be performed anywhere at any time and to be performed in a short amount of time.

Point number three: it's well-written. The characters are extremely complex, yet the playwright manages to convey all of their hopes, aspirations, flaws, and dirty little secrets with such brevity. If you really take the time to close read the play, you would be astounded by how much the play says.

It's a quick and simple read with a complex cast of characters. As an English major, I really enjoyed it. Which helps, since I may have to write a paper on it, but we'll see how that goes.

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this brief little review and that you'll forgive me for its brevity. I hope that you'll check out the play for yourself and that you'll check back here for more fun stuff. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

Favorite Books

Hey, guys!

Time for another writing exercise! I know that the title kind of made this post look like a list, but it's another writing exercise for creating characters.

Oftentimes, you can tell a lot about a person based on their favorite book. Below, I have compiled a list of books. Pick one (or two, or five) and write a profile for a character who adores the book of your choice.

You could also use a book you love but that isn't listed. Go ahead, I won't get mad.

You could have your character empathize with one of the main characters in the book of your choice. Or maybe your character wishes that the world were more like the one in the book. Or maybe your character is just waiting for an adventure to happen. Your choice. Here's my list.


1) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

2) The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

3) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

4) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

5) The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

6) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

7) Dracula by Bram Stoker

8) War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells

9) Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

10) Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell


Now, don't feel bad if you haven't read some of the books on the list. I myself have only read six on the list, and mostly because I had to for school. But trust me, you can still create an awesome character even if you haven't read the book. The possibilities are endless. Have fun.

Happy writing!!

Mermaids

Hey, guys!

Because I don't really have much else to review as of right now, I thought I would post a review for a book, even though I did not particularly enjoy it. I will be neutral in my summary, but in the end, I will give my opinion on the book.

So, I know that they say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but the cover of Lost Voices by Sarah Porter is what grabbed by attention to begin with. The art was pretty remarkable and very gothic. Plus, as a girl whose favorite movie growing up was The Little Mermaid the mermaid on the cover did intrigue me.

But don't worry, I did read the summary on the back, and I have to say that I was still intrigued. Even after reading the book and disliking it, I absolutely love the concept.

The main character is Luce, and after being orphaned, she is sent to live with her uncle. Her mother died when she was a toddler and her father was lost at sea while she was still in high school.

Luce's uncle was in love with Luce's mother and had her stolen from him by his own brother. I don't know whose idea it was to leave the kid with her bitter uncle who drank and took his anger out on his niece, but that's what happened.

So as you can imagine, Luce has had a tough life, the happy times seemingly gone with her parents. And after being abused and left on the cliffs over the sea, she just lets go.

From there, she falls into the sea and becomes a mermaid.

Shortly after her transformation, Luce finds a group of mermaids just like her: girls who have been neglected and abused beyond repair, to the point where they need to escape.

Becoming sirens who lure ships to the rocks and sing passengers to their deaths is their escape.

Luce actually is a remarkable singer. She sinks a ship without even realizing what she's doing. And that means that she's a threat to the oldest mermaid, who is their leader.

After finally finding her place in the world, could Luce lose it all just like that?

Well, you'll have to find out for yourself. (Because I honestly don't remember how it ends.)

Now, you guys know that the overall plot is not at all the problem I have with the book. In fact, I love the concept. My problem is with the character development and the writing style.

First of all, Luce is a whiny heroine. You guys know how much I hate whiny heroines. I know that Luce has had a hard life, but I prefer the heroines who persevere past the obstacles in their lives and face their problems head on.

Luce does nothing but avoid it, swimming in circles in an underwater cave all by herself. You have no idea how insane that makes me.

Okay, I got that out of the way. My other problem with the book is the extremely sloppy writing style. My biggest issue is that the author would describe Luce's agitated state beautifully. And then Luce would tell us how agitated she is.

For all of you writers out there, this is a no-no. NO. Never do this! Think of writing as show-OR-tell. Writers should do a majority of showing with some telling but never tell your readers what you are already showing them.

Imagine a preschooler bringing their pet to show-and-tell. They point at the chihuahua and say, "This is my dog."

Well, thanks. I completely forgot what a dog looks like. You see what I mean? Don't tell the reader what they already know. Your readers are smart enough to know a dog when they see one.

Okay, my rant is over. If this book is something you think you'd like to read, I would recommend it for high school audiences, because of some mature content. I also recommend it for blossoming writers who want to learn more about developing craft (this novel definitely showed me what not to do).

Hope you enjoyed and that you'll check back for more reviews and writing exercises.

Happy reading!!