The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe
by Lauren James

Read: March 28, 2019
Publication Date: July 3, 2018
Genre: Science Fiction

Can you fall in love with someone you’ve never met, never even spoken to  — someone who is light years away?

Romy Silvers is the only surviving crew-member of a spaceship traveling to a new planet, on a mission to establish a second home for humanity amongst the stars. Alone in space, she is the loneliest girl in the universe until she hears about a new ship which has launched from Earth  — with a single passenger on board. A boy called J.

Their only communication with each other is via email  — and due to the distance between them, their messages take months to transmit across space. And yet Romy finds herself falling in love.

But what does Romy really know about J? And what do the mysterious messages which have started arriving from Earth really mean?

Sometimes, there’s something worse than being alone… 

________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?

It was the title that initially drew me into this book. I found it while used book shopping and the description really intrigued me. As a sucker for a good science fiction story, I naturally bought it. And it was only $1, so I had to.

What did you like about this book?

There were a lot of things that I liked about this book. The setting and mood of the book were done very well. We spend the majority of the book with Romy and she really is the loneliest girl in the universe. She’s likeable enough as a protagonist. The two parts about this book that really kept me investing was the relationship between Romy and J and the mystery of what happened to Romy’s parents. The slow build and anticipation to for the conclusion of both of these story lines were done so well. There were also a few plot twists that really caught me off guard  — not sure if that’s because I was too involved in the story and not trying to figure out exactly what was going to happen or if they were actually really well written plot twists. I’d like to think it’s at least a little bit of a mixture of the two.

What didn’t you like about this book?

I know it’s science fiction, and therefore, not real, but I could not get over how unrealistic some aspects of this story were. I’ll give Romy a little slack, considering she was born and raised in space and hadn’t known anyone other than her parents, but her struggles with being alone in space seemed very superficial. She seemed like a cookie cutter version of any lonely, female, YA protagonist. Besides the circumstances of her situation, Romy was a very flat character. The biggest issue I had was with J. His initial story, that he was a 22-year-old astronaut that just happened to be chosen to man a very important ship for a very important mission without any formal education past unfinished medical school and that he was sent by himself, was absolutely ridiculous. Then when we discover his actual story, it’s just as ridiculous and so painfully young adult (although I was very caught up in the story as Romy discovered that J was not who he said he was). There were several parts of the story that felt like it was much more fiction than science.

Bottom-Line: 

It was an entertaining, quick read which, despite its faults, was actually enjoyable to read. It was a solidly average book that could have done so much more, but I’m content with the result. It managed to surprise me even through its mediocrity.

 

The Curious Inident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

*Possible Spoilers*

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by Mark Haddon

Read: February 8-12, 2016
Published: May 18, 2004
Genre: Mystery

Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.

This improbably story of Christopher's quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years. (Amazon)





______________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
This book was on one of my To-Read lists (40 Books You Won't Be Able To Put Down?) and I saw it at the library, so I grabbed. I didn't really know what it was about and I didn't do any research on it, so I went in without any expectations.

What did you like about this book?
I liked the concept of the book and I thought it was very well done in the first half. It kept me interested through most of it. The main character, Christopher, likes to count in prime numbers, so the chapters are numbered by prime numbers, which I thought was pretty clever. At first, I liked that it was told from Christopher's point of view, as I've never read a book from the point of view of someone who has Asperger's. 

What didn't you like about this book?
There was far too much math in this book. I didn't mind it at first, but it got really old pretty quickly. It was a short book, but I think it would've been to its benefit if it had been even shorter. Also, the plot was pretty weak and I didn't really care that much about any of the characters.

Bottom-Line:
This book was okay. I wouldn't reread it. I think it is a book very much for the 'literary snob'. I did read that it was for people that are fans of The Catcher in the Rye, which I am very much the opposite. So, no, I wouldn't recommend this because I have other books to recommend that I believe are better.



"Sometimes we get sad about things and we don't like to tell other people that we are sad about them. We like to keep it a secret. Or sometimes, we are sad but we really don't know why we are sad, so we say we aren't sad but we really are." -The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon



  

Me Before You by Jojo Mayes

*Definitely Spoilers*

Me Before You
by Jojo Mayes

Read: February 11-12, 2016
Published: July 30, 2013
Genre: Adult Fiction, Romance

They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose...

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he's pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living. (Amazon)





_______________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
I saw the trailer for the upcoming movie and being close to Valentine's Day, I thought I could use a good uplifting romance. Oh boy.

What did you like about this book?
I thought the characters were developed really well. None of them were perfect and none of them were completely horrible (except maybe Patrick...I didn't like him). This was also one of the most convincing slow-build relationships that I've read. It took a long time for Louisa and Will to start to like each other, and even longer for them to grow that friendship into something a little more. It was realistic. I also really liked Louisa's character. I could really relate to her. I don't have big dreams and I don't much care for living anywhere other than my beautiful small town. It's safe there. I liked reading about how she learned to broaden her horizons a bit with Will's help. I really did like this book, except...

What didn't you like about this book?
Small things first...there were times when it got a bit slow. There were some descriptions and scenes that were just unnecessary. And Patrick. He was the worst and I didn't like him. However, my biggest beef with this book was the end. *Huge Spoilers After This Point!* Now, I can handle it when a main character dies at the end. I handled it in The Fault in Our Stars and in Allegiant. There were reasons for the deaths. In one, death was inevitable and in the other it was a sacrifice to save a life. Will Traynor however was unwilling to continue his life even though his family and Louisa were pleading with him not to. He had Louisa's love, and he loved her, and that wasn't enough for him. I couldn't handle that. I would have appreciated this book much more if it ended with the same uplifting and hopeful tone that was consistent throughout. The end just made me so angry. It all felt pointless and hopeless in the end.

Bottom-Line:
I don't know. It was a good book, but I strongly disagree with the ending. There is a movie coming out in June, so I'm glad a read the book before so I'm not completely shocked and distraught in a theatre, so maybe I'd suggest it to someone who wants to see the movie, but likes to read the book first. Or to anyone that wants their heart ripped out.



"You know, you can only actually help someone who wants to be helped." -Me Before You by Jojo Mayes

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

*Possible Spoilers*

A Court of Thorns and Roses
by Sarah J. Maas

Read: February 1-2, 2016
Published: May 5, 2015
Genre: Fantasy

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin--one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.


As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it...or doom Tamlin---and his world---forever. (Amazon)




____________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
This is one of the many books that my cousin recommended to me and I'm finally getting to it. Also, I was in the fairy tale mood when I got it at the library a few weeks ago. And it's due Saturday, so I really had to get a move on and read it.

What did you like about this book?
This is one of my favorite Beauty and the Beast adaptations that I've read so far (I'll compare to them later). I liked the faerie aspect of the book. I've been kind of turned off towards the whole fae genre since I went through a fae genre frenzy by freshman/sophomore years of high school. This is the first I've read in a long time that I really enjoyed. As far as characters go, Lucien was probably my favorite. He was funny, but also really tough with a rough backstory. Feyre and Tamlin weren't as compelling to me, as characters, but I loved their love story. The best part about this book was probably the descriptions and the action scenes. Maas really has a way with words and her fighting scenes are excellent. It was really just a beautiful book to imagine, with the settings described so well I could see it.

What didn't you like about this book?
There seemed to be two climaxes to this book. The first was paced appropriately, but the second one was hard to get to. The whole build up to the main event at the end just took too long. I found myself skipping whole passages just because I was bored with it. I also had a problem with Feyre's character development. At the start of the book she was tough, and stubborn, and a provider...she was just awesome. However, as she fell in love with Tamlin, she lost the traits that I loved about her and by the first climax, she was a completely different person than she had been in the beginning. She was still portrayed as a strong, independent character, but I just didn't feel it like I did in the first chapters.

Comparisons:
As compared to Cruel Beauty, I enjoyed this one much more. The characters were better developed and it had a more driving plot and I cared about what happened in the end. When I compared this book to the original Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont, I was pleased to find small, basic similarities. There were the two sisters (although, the brothers were left out of Maas' book) and the sudden matter of Beauty/Feyre's father losing their fortune. The beast/Tamlin also sent Beauty/Feyre back home (although for different reasons). I just enjoyed the little similarities that reminded me that it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling. However, there were very, very few similarities to the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. No dancing cutlery, singing teapots, or animalistic footrests. The only thing that really reminded me of the Disney movie is when Tamlin took Feyre to the gallery, which was very similar to the beast showing Belle the library.

Bottom-Line:
I really did like this book. I'm not sure if I'll add it to my shelf, but I do know that I'll have to read the second one when it comes out in May. I will add that I'm a little leery of the second book (I've heard rumors of a love triangle. The horror!). However, I think this book can be read on its own. The ending is satisfying enough where you really don't need a second book. So I will recommend it to anyone that enjoys fairy tales. You may divulge in book two (A Court of Mist and Fury) at your own risk.




"We need hope, or else we cannot endure." -A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

*Possible Spoilers*

Saint Anything
by Sarah Dessen

Read: January 24, 2016
Published: May 5, 2015
Genre: YA Fiction

Sydney has always felt invisible. She's grown accustomed to her brother, Peyton, being the focus of the family's attention and, lately, concern. Peyton is handsome and charismatic, but seems bent on self-destruction. Now, after a drunk-driving accident that crippled a boy, Peyton's serving some serious jail time, and Sydney is on her own, questioning her place in the family and the world.

Then she meets the Chatham family. Drawn into their warm, chaotic circle, Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance for the first time. There's effervescent Layla, who constantly falls for the wrong guy, Rosie, who's had her own fall from grace, and Mrs. Chatham, who even though ailing is the heart of the family. But it's with older brother Mac—quiet, watchful, and protective—that Sydney finally feels seen, really seen, at last. (Amazon)




_______________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
We've been over this, guys. I spent my junior high/early high school years absorbed in her books. I am now morally obligated to read every book that she publishes.

What did you like about this book?
I really enjoyed this one, enough to read it in one sitting. It was better than her previous books (which I reviewed). With this book, I felt like Sarah Dessen went back to the quality of writing I expect from her. It was good to read her work and finish it feeling satisfied again. While the romance part of this book is pretty good, my favorite part was the relationship between Sydney and Layla. I loved their friendship, which seemed more natural to me than the Sydney's other friends from before she switched schools. I also really related to the protagonist more than I have related to one of Dessen's characters. I always (well, usually) love them and understand them, but with Sydney I could easily see myself thinking her thoughts. Heck, I have thought her thoughts. Not so much about having a problem older brother, but I've always felt invisible and so did she. It was nice to relate to someone in that aspect, even if it was only with a character in a book. The setting of the book was familiar, same schools that are used in previous books. I've got to say, I'm a little sad it wasn't in Colby, but it wasn't a summer book and that's where the summer books take place.

What didn't you like about this book?
I did not like Sydney's family. To be honest, they all sucked. There was hardly even a redeeming quality, even in the end when they finally saw her. I'm sure Dessen intended it to be that way, but I hated reading parts with her family in it. They were awful! I wasn't a huge fan of the end of the book either. I liked where they were going with it, but I think there could have been a few more pages, or a chapter even, after where it ended. It had that summary quality Dessen's final chapters usually have, which is all fine and dandy, but then she ended on something that couldn't be summarized. It needed dialogue and description. So, I guess the ending was a bit wanting.

If you liked this book...
...but don't want to read Sarah Dessen or you've already read all of her books, I'd suggest Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira or perhaps The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti. Both have a little bit of love, lots of friendship, and a good dash of self-discovery along with tricky familial relations.

My Swoon (Warning! Contains Spoilers)
My favorite part in the whole book was when Mac told Sydney that she wasn't invisible. That part, more than any of the other potential swoon-worthy moments, got me. I think I loved it so much because that's all I want...to be seen. Here's the quote, because I love it:

“As I shut the door and started to walk away, I heard him say, "Hey. Sydney." 
"Yeah?"
"You had on a shirt with mushrooms on it, and your hair was pulled back. Silver earrings. Pepperoni slice. No lollipop."
I just looked at him, confused. Layla was walking toward us now. 
"The first time you came into Seaside," he said. "You weren't invisible, not to me. Just so you know.” 

Bottom-Line:
I liked it. If you're a fan of Dessen's books, you'll probably like it too. I would definitely recommend it to anyone in need of a light romance with a bit of depth, but not so much that it moves you to tears or changes your life. I'd say this is a small step above a fluff read, but still very good.



"I would have loved to know how it felt, just once, to have something fall apart and see options instead of endings." -Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Book Challenge Day 9

Day 9: A Book You Wish More People Would Read

I discovered this book while watching The Today Show a few years ago. It was receiving pretty high praise and Samantha Shannon was being hailed 'the next J.K. Rowling'. Obviously, there is no comparison. J.K. Rowling published seven novels for children and young adults that became a worldwide phenomenon. That's not to say Shannon isn't an extraordinary writer, because she is. It's just that the books, the authors, the circumstances...they're all different. Not really a good comparison. Also, Shannon's books are not getting the attention they deserve. In my opinion, they should be a worldwide phenomenon. Unfortunately, they're not. So go! All of you! Read The Bone Season and then The Mime Order and then wait impatiently for the next book to come out with the rest of us.





"Perhaps I feel safest when I think of nothing." -The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

A Character Comparison

          Oh, hi there. I feel bad that I haven't posted anything all that great lately. Sure, lists are fun, but there's no depth. I also feel bad that I haven't continued my book photo challenge or my Ireland posts. I've got a good reason for the latter and a decent excuse for the first. You see, I left my Ireland notebook at home and I don't get to go home for another 9 days and 15 hours or so. To say I'm desperately homesick would be a touch of an understatement, but I've already written a post on that, so I won't do it again. As for the book photo challenge, I do have most of my books here, but the one I have in mind for the next day is currently not in my possession (I do have a habit of thrusting books I love into my friends' hands). So, unable to do either of those and with a desire to give you something more than a list, I'll give you a realization.
          Before I begin, I'd like to say that there are going to be book spoilers in this post for Graceling by Kristin Cashore, and probably for Fire as well (same author). And The Hunger Games (If, by some reason, you haven't already heard how it ends, I will spoil it.) Also, if you haven't read these books and you don't care about spoilers, you might not really care about what I have to write anyway. However, I came to a realization about a character, or even the comparison between to characters, and I want to write about it, savvy? (Also, I've been thinking about pirates).
          Ready? Last chance to turn back....Ok. Here we go:

          Both of the main characters in Graceling and Fire are female characters, Katsa, from Graceling, and Fire, from Fire. Katsa is a graceling with the grace of killing (or so she thinks). Naturally, with a grace like that, it's got to be difficult to lead a peaceful life (which she doesn't). Fire is a Monster (which means she is the most attractive thing in the world, pretty much, and she can enter and influence the minds of others). Generally, readers adore Katsa and like Fire pretty well. However, I have always liked Fire more and almost disliked Katsa. It finally hit me while I was rereading the books the past couple of weeks why I dislike her.
          See, there's this idea of the 'strong, female character' that they all seem to fit into. These characters are fiercely independent and reject the feminine aspects of being female (Being pretty? No. Getting married? I don't need no man. Children? Bah, who needs 'em?). These strong, female characters are sometimes more masculine than they are feminine. Just because she is strong, doesn't mean she has to emulate masculinity. Now, most 'strong, female characters' will take on a few of these traits. Katniss from The Hunger Games, for example, is very independent and rejects the idea of beauty, becoming a very masculine soldier against the capitol. However, in the end, she is with Peeta and they have children. She becomes a mother, even though it scares her, so she can have a family with him. Tris from the Divergent trilogy is also rather masculine. She chops off her hair and throughout the trilogy is mostly concerned with fighting. And yet, there is a softness to her. She loves Tobias and Christina, and even Caleb. That strong love is pretty feminine.
          And then there is Katsa. She is the most masculine, uber-feminist character that I've encountered so far in my readings. As mentioned before, she has a killing grace, which is understandably difficult to live with, but it turns her into such a cold, unfeeling person it's hard to like her. Even when Po softens her, she still is pretty manly. She doesn't care about beauty, which, let's be honest, neither do I. But Katsa takes it to a whole other level. Not once in the course of the book does she ever want to look pretty. Her feminine form is a burden to her. She chops of her hair and wears men's clothing. She also abhors the idea of having children. The biggest issue I have with her, though, is her selfishness in regards to Po. He is willing to do anything for her, because he loves her. Love is supposed to be like that, a give and take. But all Katsa does is take everything Po gives. She refuses to marry him because she doesn't want to be owned by him. She is too selfish to give herself to him in an equal relationship based on mutual trust.
          Fire, on the other hand, I adore. She is what I envision a strong, female character to be. Her being a Monster, and the last of her kind, has always set her apart. She's had very few friends in her lifetime and she's always been afraid of her ability to take another person's mind. Despite all this, the people she has in her life, she cares very deeply about. We get to see her heart stretch and fill with more people. She isn't afraid to love. And Fire is very brave. She does what she has to do to protect people she loves and even those that she doesn't even know. She desperately wants children, but she knows that the Monster bloodline must end with her. The scenes involving her decision to sterilize herself are gut wrenching and you can feel her pain at having made the decision. One thing I love about Fire, and Brigan agrees with me, is her pain. It humanizes her and makes her stronger for overcoming it. Katsa is always impervious to pain, even her emotional pain isn't all that bad. But Fire feels whatever she feels very deeply. She also overcomes her fear of herself. She learns how to become who she is supposed to be and she does it selflessly. Which brings me to her relationship with Brigan. While they had a rocky start, as did Katsa and Po, once they began their relationship was built on trust. The scene discussing the need of a guard, for both of them, is a great example of the trust that they have built with each other. They are equals.

          And that, folks, is why I like Fire better than Katsa. I apologize for the rambling nature of the paragraphs regarding my character comparison. Someday, maybe, I'll turn this into an actual character analysis essay. But today is not that day. Instead, I shall leave with a quote. Good day!



"It made Fire so angry, the thought of such a medicine, a violence done to herself to stop her from creating anything like herself. And what was the purpose of these eyes, this impossible face, the softness and the curves of this body, the strength of this mind; what was the point, if none of the men who desired her were to give her any babies, and all it ever brought her was grief? What was the purpose of a woman monster?" -Fire by Kristin Cashore

The Book List

          I meant to post this last weekend, because it was my birthday. Of course, time got away from me and I've had midterms this week (I've actually got one in a couple of hours...but I just can't study anymore). Anyway, I turned 20 last Saturday and I thought I should at least post something for my birthday. I couldn't really think of anything to write about because currently my life is all about school, which isn't that interesting. So, in lieu of something touching or thoughtful, here is a list of 20 books that I have read that were published in the last 20 years (all of which I would recommend). Enjoy!

1. Maskerade by Terry Pratchett (1995)
2. Calvin and Hobbes: It's a Magical World by Bill Watterson (1996)
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997)
4. Holes by Louis Sachar (1998)
5. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (1999)
6. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen (2000)
7. Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde (2001)
8. Tithe by Holly Black (2002)
9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003)
10. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (2004)
11. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)
12. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini (2006)
13. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher (2007)
14. The Host by Stephanie Meyer (2008)
15. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (2009)
16. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (2010)
17. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011)
18. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012)
19. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (2013)
20. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (2014)
21. The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon (2015)

"I guess it's hard for people who are so used to things the way they are - even if they're bad - to change. 'Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses." -Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

*Possible Spoilers*

The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak

Read: September, 2015
Published: 2005
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: NA

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. (Amazon)





____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
This one has always kind of been in the back of my mind. I really liked the cover and I knew that death was the narrator, but that's all I knew about it. It seemed interesting, but I never really had a strong desire to read it, and so it wasn't very high on my To Read list. Then, about a year ago, I saw the movie and I loved it. Of course, the book is always better, right? The book was officially on my list. This summer I had the good fortune of finding it at a used book sale for a measly fifty cents. Score! I finally just finished it the other day, so here we go.

What didn't you like about this book?
I already knew what was going to happen anyway, because I saw the movie, but I hated how Death would tell the reader what was going to happen right away. You knew the characters were going to die and you couldn't help but fall in love with them. I mean, it was excellent writing and it was very well done. But as a reader, it sucked because it hurt. (That really should be in the good things, but I don't have very many bad things). There are parts in the book that are just a bit slow and I had a hard time really getting into, particularly in the first half. 

What did you like about this book?
One of my favorite parts about this book was Death...not all the death that happened, but the character. The way Death is portrayed is very different here than in most books. This Death is exhausted with his work and he is gentle with the people he takes. I also loved the other characters (Liesel, Hans, Max, and Rudy especially). I was really appreciated that the story was of a young German girl living in Nazi Germany. Most novels from this point in our history comes from the point of the victims. Yes, their story needs and deserves to be heard, but so did Liesel's and Rudy's, two kids growing up in a world that didn't fully make sense. Markus Zusak writes so beautifully that you feel you are in the story. He makes it funny, and he causes anger and heartbreak. I knew what was going to happen, both because I saw the movie and because Death spoils the ending (thanks a lot, Death!), but it made me cry anyway.

Book vs. Movie
I really loved the movie when I saw it. It made me cry, so of course I loved it. I thought it was well cast and tastefully made. It also doesn't hurt that it had a beautiful, and at times haunting, soundtrack with excellent piano scores (thank you, John Williams!). However, as always, there is so much more to the book. The relationships between the characters are much deeper and there were characters and scenes that didn't make it into the movie. Overall, I think the movie did a good job following the most important parts of the book, but I do have one bone to pick. Rudy was Liesel's best friend. This is shown in the movie, but you feel it in the book. There was so much more to him than what the film allowed for. 

Bottom-Line:
I love this book. I love the movie. I love them both so much that I don't even care that I own the movie cover edition (and I usually care very much about that). One thing I might suggest is watching the movie first. The book is better and you will be looking for the differences and the absences if you read it before you see the movie. But they are both worth the time, so watch and read.


"A small but noteworthy note. I've seen so many young men over the years who think they're running at other young men. They are not. They're running at me." -Death, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

A Large Dose of Ireland

Day Three:                                                                                                                         May 19, 2015

Poulanass Waterfall

          Oh boy, do I have a lot of things to write about. First, I need to check back on my notes...

Upper Lake

          Okay, so first we got on a bus at 8:30 this morning. It was so cool getting out of the city. The hills were huge and there were sheep everywhere! When we got to Glendalough, we went to the Round Tower. It was fascinating to see the tower...it was huge! Next to it was St. Kevin's Kitchen (it was actually the ruins of a church, not sure why they called it a kitchen...) There were also gravestones everywhere, some dating back before the 1800s. There were some gravestones that were actually just nubs, because they've been weathered that much. Past the cemetery and St. Kevin's kitchen was a path and a bridge, so we got to go exploring! At one point, there were grass hills on either side of the path and it reminded me so much of when Bilbo says 'I'm going on an adventure!' in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Further along in the path we climbed up one of the hills and found a little cave. Then me and [my friend] ran down the hill, which was really fun but also probably dangerous. Eventually, we hit a fork in the road, one side paved and the other gravel. They both led to the same place, so of course we chose the gravel one. We ended up having to scale the side of the hill, using hands and feet to get to the top. It was exhilarating! The trail eventually met with the other one upriver from the waterfall. I can't even describe how beautiful it was up there. It reminded me a bit of Rivendell, without the structures. We spent some time there and I got to explore the river a bit. However, we were running out of time, and we had to move one. It made me kind of sad, but then we found the waterfall! It wasn't huge by any means, but it was very powerful, cutting through the land pretty effectively. We were going to go back to the information center, but [instructor] and [the other instructor] pointed us towards the lake. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen (so far). I was so happy there at the edge of the lake. Again, we had to leave and it was sad. But I got to climb a tree, so that was good. On our way back, it started to rain pretty hard, but by the time we got out of the woods, it was sunny. Man, the weather here is crazy. Before we left, I bough a couple of postcards for [sister]. Next we went to the Avoca Weaving Mill (the oldest in Ireland). It was pretty interesting, but by then I was very worn out and hungry. We ate lunch there. I had a stuffed baked potato, carrot salad, chocolate cake, and sparkling lemonade (it tasted like Sierra Mist). While we were there, we got to shop. I got a hand woven scarf for Mom.

          When we got back to the apartment, we had about an hour before we went to the parliament building. We got to witness part of the referendum on same-sex marriage, then we got a tour of the building. By that time, I was really tired and I kept zoning out, so I didn't take any notes while we were there. That's okay though, because I wasn't terribly interested in it to begin with. Afterwards, we got to go to the apartments and relax. I had a piece of peanut butter toast and a couple slices of cheese for dinner. And then I started writing in here! (I'm actually finishing it this morning, May 21st...I'm almost caught up!)

Day Four:                                                                                                                          May 20, 2015

Lia Fáil at Hill of Tara

          Alright, so today we got to go to the Hill of Tara and it was so cool! I didn't realize how hilly the place actually was. There were really deep ditches and really tall hills. At the top of the biggest hill was the Lia Fáil, which was basically this tall rock that, according to Celtic myth, would let out a scream when the one worthy of ruling touched it. I'm pretty sure I heard some sort of shout when I touched it! There was a lady (a local) up on the hills with two of her dogs, Cooper and Bella. Cooper and I were pretty much best friends. Thankfully, [friend] got some pictures of the two of us. Our stop at the Hill of Tara was pretty short, so I didn't get to stay as long as I would have liked, but there wasn't anything I could do about that. We had about an hour bus ride to get to the other mounds. We went to lunch first. I had chicken and broccoli bake, cole slaw, and some kind of caramel cake. Then I went to the gift shop and bought [brother's] pocket watch. I hope he likes it. I know I do! The Knowth and Newgrange mounds were really cool, but by that point, I just kind of wanted to go back to the apartment. I was tired and I wasn't feeling very well. Even when it was time to go back, I decided to go to the Christ Church for Evensong with [friend, friend, and friend]. That kind of gave me the energy I need. We decided to walk back and we got kind of lost, but it was fun! [Friend] made us dinner when we got back and then we ended up talking about different aspects of religion until midnight. I didn't get around to going to bed until about one. So, naturally, I'm very tired today. Hopefully I'll get to bed sooner tonight.

Day Five:                                                                                                                           May 21, 2015

The Long Room at Trinity College

          I made cheesy scrambled eggs again for breakfast and tried to catch up on journaling before we had to leave. We went to the Trinity College first. There was an exhibit about the Book of Kells. There was so much information on how it was made, from the paper, to the binding, to the ink. After I went through the exhibit, I got to actually see the book. It was so detailed! It's under a glass case and they turn the page every two weeks. It was all very exciting of course, but what I was really excited for was the Long Room. Coolest. Library. Ever. The books were all so old and beautiful! I wanted to touch them so bad! Unfortunately, the shelves were all roped off, however they did have glass cases of books on display. I found a copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Hobbit, and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It was beyond exciting. After that we went to an archaeological museum. That was pretty cool, but also kind of boring. I wanted to go outside! Luckily, we only had an hour to spend there. We ate dinner at a cafe in the Yeats Exhibit (which was in Ireland's National Library). I had a roast turkey sandwich, which might have been good, but there were pomegranates on it. I had a fruit tart for dessert. Yum! Unfortunately for me, the Yeats exhibit was even more boring than the archaeology museum. We were in there for almost three hours. Not going to lie, it was kind of awful. The exhibit was dark and there were no windows and it was very crowded. I started to feel really claustrophobic and I felt like I was going to have a panic attack right there. I didn't, thank goodness, but it was close. When we got back to the apartments, we had about a half hour before we went to see a couple of authors talk about their books (both about the Easter Rising time period). Then we got to go to a book store! I wasn't going to get anything. I really wasn't. But then I found the beautiful Irish hardcover version of The Hobbit. Yes, now I have two copies...

Murphy's in Dublin

          After the book store, a group of us decided that we wanted ice cream, so we wandered until we found Murphy's. On our way there, there was a guy singing 'Galway Girl' and playing guitar and
harmonica. It was awesome! Once we got to Murphy's I had sea salt vanilla and chocolate. So good!






"Forget art. Put your trust in ice cream." -The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter

(P.S. This is my 100th post! Hooray!!)

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

          Quick Apologies: Sorry for not having Ireland journals or the book photo challenge posted in the past few days! It's been busy. However, I should hopefully be able to get back to it on a regular basis soon. In the meantime, here's a book review!


*Possible Spoilers*

The Mime Order
by Samantha Shannon

Read: June 4-6, 2015
Published: January 27, 2015
Genre: Supernatural Dystopia
Series: The Bone Season

Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal penal colony of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the fugitives are still missing and she is the most wanted person in London.

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city's gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take center stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner.

Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided. Will Paige know who to trust? The hunt for the dreamwalker is on. (Amazon)

________________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?

I had already read the first book of the series and I was dying to know what would happen next. I waited rather impatiently for this book to come out after finishing the first one. However, even when it did come out (and I had been counting down), I didn't buy it. I wanted to wait until it was cheaper (The Bone Season is available on amazon for $4!) I waited four extra months before I just couldn't do it anymore. I bought it used and saved a couple bucks, but not many. Then I got it...and devoured it.

What didn't you like about the book?
IT ENDED ON A CLIFFHANGER!

What did you like about the book?
Oh, so many things. I was a blob of feels when I finished, so I've had to wait this long to even attempt a review for it. At this point, I almost think I need to wait longer. Or perhaps read it again so I can organize all the thoughts in my head. Anyway. Things I liked. The pacing was much better in this one than the first one and it was easier to read now that I'm more familiar with the terms used by and about the characters. It was also kind of unpredictable. I mean, I'm sure I could have predicted some aspects of the story, and I'm sure I did think ahead without being entirely aware of it, but I got so absorbed in the book that something always took me by surprise. And the characters! I love them. I didn't quite care for Nick in this one as much as I did in The Bone Season, but everyone else it either grew in fondness or dislike. Of course, the ones that I disliked are the ones you're supposed to dislike, the ones that you just really enjoy hating them (*cough*Jax*cough*). I loved Paige and Warden and I can't wait to read more about them in the next books.

Bottom-Line:
This is a book for readers, for people who like to get lost in fictional worlds and fall in love with fictional characters. If you don't read on a regular basis, you probably won't like it. There is a lot of world building, which I love, but not everyone does. It's a great book (and you should definitely read The Bone Season first, that's important), but if you're looking for a fluff read, this is not it.



“With the right reasons, at the right moment, even the most beaten and broken of people could rise up and reclaim themselves.” -The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Book Challenge Day 5

Day 5: Favorite Cover

Don't you just love this cover? I know I do...it's absolutely beautiful! The book is Candide by Voltaire. I read it for a history project and it was one of the most boring books I have ever read. But it's pretty and it has colored illustrations. So I'm keeping it. I don't really have much to write about other than that it is pretty. Perhaps I'll find the time to read it again. Maybe I'll like it better the second time.





“I have wanted to kill myself a hundred times, but somehow I am still in love with life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our more stupid melancholy propensities, for is there anything more stupid than to be eager to go on carrying a burden which one would gladly throw away, to loathe one’s very being and yet to hold it fast, to fondle the snake that devours us until it has eaten our hearts away?” -Candide by Voltaire

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

The Moon and More
by Sarah Dessen
Read: March 3, 2015
Published: June 4, 2013
Genre: YA Fiction
Series: NA

        Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun.
He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.
          Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.
          Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?
          Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going? (Amazon)

_______________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
I had honestly been putting this one off for quite a while now, almost two years now actually. I've been falling off of the Dessen band wagon, truth be told. However, I couldn't just read all of her books and then not read this one. It'd be blasphemy! (Sort of) Anyway, I've read every single one of Sarah Dessen's books and I couldn't help but eventually read this one.

What did you like about this book?
My favorite part about this book was the little pieces from her other novels scattered throughout. Other people might find this annoying, but for me it was like seeing old friends. It was a moment of 'Oh, I remember you! How are you? It's been too long.' Maybe it's because I met those characters when I was a much younger, much more different, person and it was like seeing myself again. I also love the setting of Colby. Only three of her books (Keeping the Moon and Along for the Ride), including this one, have actually taken place in Colby, NC, but it is also mentioned in a few of her others (well, What Happened to Goodbye for sure...not so sure about the rest). I just love how intertwined all of her books are! Anyway...this book in particular...I loved learning more about Clyde (who was introduced to us in Along for the Ride) and I loved Emaline's younger brother, Benji. But yeah, I mostly loved the setting and a few of the characters. The plot was alright with a hopeful, positive ending, pretty much what we expect in a Sarah Dessen book.

What didn't you like about this book?
Now, I really don't want to sway anyone's feelings about this book. So if you want to give the characters their own chances and not hear what I have to say about them, I suggest you stop reading now. However, if you are perfectly fine with possibly inheriting some of my opinions and don't mind entering a book with preset expectations, by all means, keep reading. Okay...here's your last chance to stop...I warned you! My least favorite part about this book? Theo. I disliked him even more than Emaline's father. With him, I expected him to be a jerk. But I don't understand what Emaline saw in Theo. I didn't like him from the beginning. And maybe that's the way Dessen intended it to be, but I just didn't enjoy any of the parts with Theo in them. In all honesty, I much preferred Luke, even if he didn't say no, no, no to Tallyho.  

Bottom Line:
If you are a Sarah Dessen fan, you will enjoy this book. I enjoyed it, although I more than likely won't add it to my shelf. (If you're curious, the Dessen books I do own are The Truth About Forever, Along for the Ride, and What Happened to Goodbye. I also have Just Listen on my Kindle). Although I did enjoy it, it was just a fluff read. It was the usual 'girl about to go to college, relationship drama, and decisions!' plot line. Not exactly riveting stuff. But sometimes a girl just needs a Sarah Dessen book to get by, and that's what this did.



"How weird that must be, to stay the same as everyone else changes." -The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen    

Tithe by Holly Black

I meant to get this to you on Valentine's Day, but that didn't really happen. But hey, now you can read it while you eat clearance chocolate!

Tithe
by Holly Black
Read: February 12, 2015
Published: April 1, 2004
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Modern Faerie Tale

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death. (Amazon)






____________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
I read this book as an assignment for my Children's Literature class, but I had also read it years earlier. I think I may have read it three years ago? Regardless, I went through a phase were I loved fairies and I read several books about fairies (including Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr). Needless to say, most of them have blurred together in my mind since then.

The Relationships:
None of the relationships in this book felt believable to me. The relationship between Kaye and her mother is closer to that between sisters that don't really get along or communicate with each other. Kaye's mom was also very childish and reckless and basically not a mom. Kaye's grandmother did act concerned about Kaye's welfare, but not in the way a grandmother would. Her grandmother reminded me of an angsty teenager. While this is a common occurrence in YA books, it is usually in an effort to emphasize how mature the protagonist is. In Tithe, the main character is less mature than her mother, which is saying something. I also didn't understand the relationship between Kaye and Roiben. There wasn't a transition to it, it just sort of happened. Sure, this might work in some books, but in this one it didn't make sense. The one relationship I did like was that between Kaye and Janet. It was the only one that felt real to me.

The Plot:
While I loved the idea of this book, I wasn't sold on the execution of it. The whole thing felt kind of rushed to me, with no real direction. The buildup could have been handled much better. However, once the climax hit, it was very exciting and hard to put down. Overall, the plot didn't have any really surprise twists, but it was still engaging.

The End:
There is nothing I hate more than a book with a bad ending (except perhaps wet socks). This book left with a pleasant ending, with the feeling that the characters would continue living after it ended. Some books just end and you don't know what's going to happen to the characters. I loved the end of this one though. When I first read it, I didn't know that there was a second book and I was satisfied with there only being one book (so, no cliffhangers).

Overall Thoughts:
This is a nice light read. I enjoyed the book and chances are I'll probably read it again sometime. However, I don't believe I'll be adding it to my shelf. I don't think I quite enjoyed it that much. However, I would recommend it to anyone interested in fairies and perhaps older than twelve.


"Crippled things are always more beautiful. It's the flaw that brings out beauty." -Tithe by Holly Black

Picture Day

          I realize I'm doing a pretty poor job of posting book reviews and other things. Don't worry! I'm reading two/three new books! So you should expect at least one new book review (hopefully before the month is over!) I do have one poem for you, from my creative writing class. I believe I told you about it in one of my earlier posts. Sort of...I think I mentioned having a poem that I couldn't share because I turned it in. Well, I got it back and now I can share it. Before I do, I'm just going to warn you that I wrote it ten minutes before class and I didn't really have the time to actually attempt to make it good. (So I suppose that means, if one were to truly try to 'Make it Good' as the title of my blog suggests, time would be a determining factor. Hmm...that'd be something to write about.)
          Anyway, here it is:

Picture Day
By: Me

A plain backdrop
blue as the ocean at dawn
Behind, a wall
as empty as my mother's lawn.
The line of students,
faceless and plain
await the few moments
when they get a turn
to stand in front of the ocean
at dawn.

          Like I said, I wrote this in ten minutes or less. Please don't judge my horrid poetry writing. I am not a fan of writing it and I'm sure that translates into my poems. I wrote a horrible villanelle yesterday, which I don't think I'll be sharing with you. It was really bad. I don't even think I'll get full credit for it, it was so bad. On the plus side, we only have a few more weeks of poetry and then we get to move on to prose. Finally!! And now I'll leave you with a quote.


"Stars are beautiful, but they may not take part in anything, they must just look on forever." -Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Confessions

          Hey there everyone! I'm sorry it's been awhile (a week?), but I just haven't really had any inspiration to write. However, last night as I was trying to fall asleep, I made the decision to tell you all something. I have two confessions that I need to make. Both are things that I have tried very hard to repress. I've tried not thinking about it and I've tried to turn my thoughts towards other things. And it is tough for me to admit this, but I can't live with this secret anymore. I will no longer be ashamed! Although, I'm not quite sure how to even go about telling all of you. I suppose the best way would be to just do, right? Alright. Well, here goes...
          I secretly like Taylor Swift and think man buns are attractive. There! I said it! It's out in the world now and there's no going back. Shall I expand these thoughts? Yes. Yes I shall.

          We'll start with Taylor Swift. I went through a phase when I loved her (I own two of her albums: Fearless and Speak Now). Then I didn't like her. At all. I hated that she sang pop music, but was nominated for country awards. I hated that all her songs were about love interests. I hated when she 'officially left the country scene', because, honestly, she was only really there for her first album, maybe even her second one. But from then on, she was pop. Not country. To me, she was a traitor. Then, I slowly was exposed to how awkward and weird she was. And I saw her 'Shake it Off' video and I can't help but like the song. She started to seem like a person, rather than a 'celebrity pop star'. Then I started listening to her music again and I remembered that I actually liked it once upon a time. Needless to say, I am a (does T Swift have a pet name for her fans?) fan of Taylor Swift once again.

         Man buns. I love them. I've always kind of had a thing for men with flowing locks (thanks a lot, J.R.R. Tolkien) and the man bun just looks really good on some people. My favorite man buns are those of Orlando Bloom (he was just made for long hair and he's gorgeous), Chris Hemsworth, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Jared Leto. I didn't even know who Jared Leto was until I saw his man bun on Pinterest. And I don't know if Johnny Depp has a man bun or not, but he could definitely pull it off. (I just looked it up and I did find a picture of him with a man bun. I don't know if it's current, but it looked darn good!) However, as oddly appealing as this hair style is, it doesn't work for everyone. Would you like a list of people that (in my opinion) just don't pull it off? Of course you would! Shia LeBeouf, Colin Farrell, Leonardo DiCaprio (sorry Leo, I love you, but I just don't love your bun), and Harry Styles (I apologize to the Directioners out there who would sell their soul to touch his hair, but I think he should cut it. Or at least grow some facial hair if he's going to keep the hair long).

          Okay. Well, I'm glad I got that out there! In other news, I have no other news. Honestly, I have nothing for you. I would take recommendations for a book to read, because I would love to write another book review, but I'm a bit at loss for what to read. I definitely want to read something new. For once in my life, I'm slightly sick of re-reading my books. I was actually asked to read a coworker's book today, but I can't put a review up because it isn't published yet. He's going for it though! It sounds like he's actually really close to getting it published, which will be very exciting for him. Well, and me...I'll get to read it before it's published! And I'll be on a first name basis with an author. Sounds pretty cool to me.

          So. List of things for you to do:
                 1. Recommend a book for me in the comment section
                 2. Look up pictures of Jared Leto's hair (it's gorgeous and I am jealous)
                 3. Rock out to Shake it Off
                 4. Talk to someone you haven't talked to in awhile; call them! (It's a New Year's                                    Resolution thing)

*Update* Taylor Swift fans are called 'Swifties'.


"Confession is not betrayal. What you say or do doesn't matter; only feelings matter. If they could make me stop loving you-that would be the real betrayal." -1984 by George Orwell 
                 

It's a News Kind of Day

          Well, I'm back! And boy, do I have a lot to tell you! It's been a very busy few weeks (when was the last time I posted?) I have some good news and a bit of slightly bad news. I'll start with the bad and work up to the really good.
          Slightly bad: I almost lost my forever alone status. I came very, very close to going on a date (a first!). At first, I was really excited and happy and downright giddy about it. But then reality slapped me pretty hard and I realized that I didn't actually have the feelings for the person, but rather the idea of having a person to be with. I was terribly stressed and anxious about all of it, because I didn't know how to tell him that. However, him being the great guy that he is, saw that it wasn't what either of us needed and ended it all for me. So that's the bad news. See, it's only slightly bad. And it's only bad because it forced me to look at myself and figure our what I want and need. (But isn't that good news? Yes and no. I'll tell you why not when I finish that writing challenge. Which I feel like I can do now. Well, no...not right now, not today. But in the near future.)

          Good news part one: I was just in Punta Cana for six days. I didn't bring my phone on the trip and there was no WiFi (Well, you could buy some for $60 a day. No, thank you!). So I had six days of freedom from the outside world and let me tell you, it was great. Just me, the beach, and a book (and my family). It was a very cleansing week for me, considering how rough the few weeks before had been. (You know, with the whole slightly bad news thing, what I'll write about in my last writing challenge, and exams.) Let me tell you a bit about my trip. I discovered that I was not meant to be in a plane. Especially very early in the morning or very late at night (when it's dark out). Claustrophobia and acrophobia are a poor combination when you're above the clouds in a very crowded and cramped plane. Let's just say it was a very long 12 hour journey to get to Punta Cana. Getting there, however, was worth it. The water is so blue and the sky is so blue and the sun was so warm. I could have stayed there much longer than a week. I think I spent three days in a row just lounging on the beach, reading and napping, with occasional breaks to jump in the pool or the ocean. More often than not, I jumped in the pool because I also discovered that I'm a bit of a baby when it comes to the ocean. Or rather, I'm a spoiled Michigander that has the Great Lakes and they don't taste like salt. I could not stand the taste of the ocean. If there had been shells or less seaweed, I may have been tempted to go in it more. But as it was, the pool worked just swell for me. While I was there I had my first drink (it was alright, but I didn't like the aftertaste), took a picture with a monkey and a half naked man (not out of my own free will), and met a guy who has the unfortunate, yet uncanny, appearance of Justin Bieber (I asked...he's not Justin Bieber, but he is from Canada! There are a surprisingly large amount of Canadians in Punta Cana). I also met a woman who was British/Canadian (she moved to Canada) and she had been to Ireland several times. She told me a lot about the politics between the North and the South and about how beautiful it is there. She also told me that half of Giant's Causeway is in Scotland. Who knew? I didn't! She got to tell me all these cool things about her time in Ireland and you know what? I got to tell her that...

I'M GOING TO IRELAND!!!!

          Just look at this beautiful country! And I get to go there! Guys, I'm going to IRELAND!!!!! I can't tell you how ridiculously excited I am that I was accepted. I found out on December 6th and I've been trying to sell scarves to raise money to go and I'm working two jobs and teaching piano along with that. So I've been very busy between making scarves, piano lessons, my job, and school (however we're on break now, which is nice). I'm just so excited that I actually have the opportunity to go to the one place that I am just dying to go to. And it's for Literature! I just can't believe I'm going. I am so blessed to have this opportunity. 

          Guys. I'm going to Ireland!

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." -Oscar Wilde (In case you didn't know, Oscar Wilde is one of the authors I'll be studying in Ireland :o)