Cover Lover 20

Graphics camp is actually pretty fun! Maybe it's because I didn't have any expectations, lol. And since I went to school with three of the 10 people there, too. :P

But we're making and designing a lot of things and bonding over card games, and... it's great. :) It was kind of awkward in the beginning, but it seems like everyday, I'm learning something new and funny about everyone here. Like, in the beginning, since we had an even amount of boys and girls, it was kind of segregated into a boys group and a girls group since we all seemed to want to hang out with the same gender, except for Jeffy--he went between both groups. But now, we're slowly merging together, especially during Egyptian Rat Screw.

I can't believe we've only been here for four days--well, I guess five days since it's already Friday morning--and I don't even know if I should count Sunday since we didn't really do anything that first day. But yeah, only two more days left. I don't know what to feel. I really like designing all of these things and playing around with everyone, but I don't like waking up so early in the morning and trying to pay attention to what the teachers are saying.

And now I need to go. I've been sleeping around two every morning and waking up around seven, and I think it's starting to take its toll.

Graphics Summer Camp!

My first time ever going to a camp and I'm not even in school anymore. -__-" 

But yeah, I'm going to Georgia Southern's Graphics Summer Camp tomorrow, and I won't be back until Friday. Still not sure if I should bring my laptop since I forgot to call and ask if we were going to have interweb access there during the whole time, so who knows when I'll be able to update again. 

I'm both excited and nervous since this is going to be my first time away from home and family for more than two days, lol. I know a few of the people who are going, but I'm not really close to any of them except for Jeffy, so I'm not sure how I'll deal with the awkward getting to know each other thing that always happens at things like this in the beginning. Plus, this is my first time staying in a dorm with a roommate, so I really hope that I can get along with my roommate. 

I watched Brave yesterday with my friends, and I liked it. It wasn't what I was expecting--which involved lots more action and fighting--but it was still good. 

I didn't know that Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter had already came out, but I really want to watch it now! Still haven't read the book, but I don't think I'll be getting around to that for a long while, so I'm fine with watching the movie first, lol.

And now I really need to start packing. All I've done is write a list of everything that I needed to bring. -__-" Jeffy isn't picking me up until 12:30 tomorrow afternoon, but I know that I'll prolly won't get around to finishing packing until 11-12, and I have a habit of forgetting things easily, so I'd rather get everything packed up with enough spare time to realize that I forgot something. :P

Until next time~

pointy.star

Dusty Reads: The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd

Dusty Reads is a weekly post featuring a book that has been sitting unread on my home shelf for some time.

Title: The Vast Fields of Ordinary
Author: Nick Burd
Pages: 309
Publication: May 14, 2009
Publisher: Dial
Summary taken from goodreads:

It's Dade's last summer at home. He has a crappy job at Food World, a "boyfriend" who won't publicly acknowledge his existence (maybe because Pablo also has a girlfriend), and parents on the verge of a divorce. College is Dade's shining beacon of possibility, a horizon to keep him from floating away. 

Then he meets the mysterious Alex Kincaid. Falling in real love finally lets Dade come out of the closet - and, ironically, ignites a ruthless passion in Pablo. But just when true happiness has set in, tragedy shatters the dreamy curtain of summer, and Dade will use every ounce of strength he's gained to break from his past and start fresh with the future.

I heard about this book long before I bought it last year, and I had to buy it because it was the first gay young adult book that I had found at the time. I've read many yaoi fanfics and manga before, but to finally see an actual book was a fantastic surprise. I'm pretty sure there are many other books like this that have been out for a while now, but THE VAST FIELDS OF ORDINARY was my first book, so it's special to me. I really do want to read this soon. But I'm still kind of in a reading funk...

Book Review: Blood Ninja (Blood Ninja, #1) by Nick Lake

Title: Blood Ninja (Blood Ninja, #1)
Author: Nick Lake
Pages: 369
Publication: November 17, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Summary taken from goodreads: 

Is Taro, a fisherman's son, destined for greatness? 

In the course of a day, Taro's entire life changes: His father is murdered before his eyes, and Taro is taken by a mysterious ninja on a perilous journey toward safety. Someone wants Taro dead, but who -- and why? With his best friend, Hiro, and their ninja guide Shusaku, Taro gets caught in the crossfire of a bitter conflict between rival lords for control of imperial Japan. As Taro trains to become a ninja himself, he's less and less sure that he wants to be one. But when his real identity is revealed, it becomes impossible for Taro to turn his back on his fate.

3.5 STARS - I LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

I really enjoyed this book once I got over the rather slow beginning when Taro stubbornly believed his ideals of samurai and honor were exact, only black and white. Luckily, as time wore on and with the help of friends and first-hand experience, Taro's world expanded and he was a much more likable protagonist.

And Shusaku, the ninja who saved Taro and later trained him, he was awesome. While Taro couldn't trust him at first, I knew that he was a great guy. He was a complex, secretive character; his actions had reason. He didn't kill anyone for the sake of eliminating a possible future hindrance. He did not deserve what happened to him. Arghhhhh. I can't even.

The other characters were also fleshed out and convincing. They all had their own motives and reasons for what they did, and that is why it was so hard for me to hate any of them (well, besides Lord Oda and Kawabata; they were just bloodthirsty and power-hungry). When the author uses dramatic irony to depict hidden scenes that the protagonist is not privy to, the audience gets to understand the motives and actions of other characters in the story, and it's hard to not feel pity for a boy who's father routinely beats and insults, even if the boy is insufferable in the beginning.

In addition, because of the dramatic irony, the audience also gets a better understanding of just how twisted the plot becomes near the end, when paths intertwined and everything was starting to finally connect. Of course, this is a series, so the ending ended with a sort of cliffhanger. But it wasn't like The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, which had the cliffhanger of doom; Blood Ninja's ending wrapped up quite well, but with Lord Oda's plans in the last scenes, you would have to pick up the next volume to see what happens next.

Onto another tangent, I really liked the writing in this book. It flowed so well with the setting. With the cherry blossoms, weapons, and Japanese words sprinkled throughout the book, the setting was beautifully rendered, and it felt authentic. And the fact that becoming a ninja meant turning into a vampire was also an interesting twist on two popular archetypes.

I would definitely recommend this book to any Japanese fan or anyone looking for action and adventure.

:O

Click this link. I promise, it is not spam.

Lol, thanks, Jeffy, for always finding the oddest/coolest things online. 

Weekly Haul (58)

All I got for the past few weeks besides lots of graduation money. :D Every time I would get ready to post this, I'd become too busy or be away to do it, so everything kind of accumulated, lol. Look at all those graphic novels I got at the library! :D

Review:

A Healing Heart by Melissa A. Hanson
The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney

Bought:

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamara Pierce

Dawn of the Arcana vol. 1 by Rei Toma

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Library: 
Level Up by Gene Luen Yang
Harvey by Herve Bouchard & Janice Nadeau
Foiled by Jane Yolen & Mike Cavallaro
Freshmen Tales of 9th Grade Obsessions, Revelations, and Other Nonsense by Corinne Mucha
Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
Momento Nora by Angie Smibert

Umm...I'm back? And I just had a mini-revelation??

Soooo, I'm back? But I've been kind of busy and when I wasn't, I was too lazy to upload all of the pics that I took and write about the cruise--I watched a bunch of Exo videos instead. -__-"

To be honest, I really haven't been in a blogging mood lately. Yeah, I still check out a lot of the blogs that I subscribe to, but I haven't really felt the urge to type a post, and I haven't even been writing many reviews lately. 

Truthfully, I don't even feel like reading that much anymore. It's like I have to go through this huge mental roadblock before I can force myself to pick up a book and start reading it. Then it will take me a couple of pages to get back into the book--to immerse myself into the story and not want to ever escape--but then, after 50 or so pages, I'll start losing interest or something comes up and I have to put the book down and I don't really want to pick it up again because the interweb is so amusing and the whole cycle repeats, and it just can't seem to end.

I don't know if it's just the book or my mood or the fact that I don't really have to procrastinate anymore, which was usually me reading a book instead of doing my homework or studying or sleeping because who needs that? :P But that was my main reason for reading during school, and now I don't have it anymore and I have loads of free time to do whatever I want which means getting obsessed with Exo because those boys are freaking hilarious and adorable and sexy and a;sdjf. I can't even. 

And I can't stop reading fanfiction. Maybe that's why I don't feel like reading real books. Some people write fanfiction like it legitly belongs in the book/series/movies and some people have a completely different writing style that's beautiful and breathtaking and mindfucking. Like, this person. And it's so different from normal book styles that maybe that's why I can't seem to be interested in it right now. I don't know.

Maybe I need a break from reading books? I mean, I have a lot of tv shows and movies that I wanted to catch up on (Avatar the Last Airbender season 3, I need to watch you!), and I still have a bunch of Exo stuff to watch, too, so maybe a break from reading will give me more time to focus on them and get them out of the way?

But...I don't want to stop reading. I mean, I read every single day. It's not even a hobby or a habit; it's a part of my life. I read my mail, blogs that I subscribe to, tumblr, fanfics. I can't just stop. I hope I never stop. 

I guess what I'm saying is, I want to stop reviewing and maybe even blogging, for now at least. I feel like both of them are becoming a chore, and I don't want to feel obligated to do something that I don't want to do. I DO WHAT I WANT. Lol. 

I still have some reviews that I haven't posted yet and a few posts that I also haven't published yet, so I'll prolly update every once in a while, but I'm not sure how many actual updates I'll have now, and I know that they were already rare since I posted about my life once every blue moon recently. But stuff happens and I just don't feel like typing it all out anymore like I used to. Maybe because my blog gets a lot more hits than it did in the beginning or because I just don't feel like writing down my memories anymore (which sucks now that I think about it; I seem to be forgetting everything lately! D:).

I don't know. I really, truly don't. 

I don't even know how this post turned out this way. I was definitely not expecting to post about not blogging for a while anymore. I didn't even know that I felt this way until the words started flowing from my fingers. WHAT IS THIS SORCERY??? XD

But seriously, I wasn't expecting this at all. Now that I think about it, I feel a little ashamed of myself because I've been blogging regularly all year, and it hasn't been that much of a struggle. Sure, most of my posts were about books and not about myself, but it wasn't like I posted about myself that much anyway. I mean, I used to post once or twice a week about what had been happening in my life or about what I was currently fangirling about. I fangirl a lot less now, but it's starting to come back, and I still talk about my life once or twice a week, so it's not like I've changed so much.

But, I guess I am changing? And I currently don't want to read so many books? It might be because my mountain of TBR books is so daunting and my subconscious knows that I will never make a dent in it no matter how much I read this summer so it's already given up, or it could be like those reasons I stated earlier. I still don't know.

All I know is that I change my mind easily. So even though I think I might stop blogging and reviewing for a while right now, I might completely do the opposite, because right now, typing out everything as soon as it comes to mind--word vomiting--feels fucking fantastic. I guess I've been meaning to vent/write everything out for a while after all. :o

So in all actuality, this post might actually make me want to post more--to freakin write more. Which is great, because lately, I've been thinking about how I used to write stories all the time in middle school and in the beginning of high school, but then my hobbies changed and I forgot all about it and how I've been wanting to actually try writing again even though I'm horrible at it and am kind of afraid to attempt to write anymore because yeesh, I'm an even worse critique of myself now than when I was younger. Geez, how did I used to do free writes all of the time? 

And I forgot how fun it is to ramble. Really, fanfiction and Exo fandom has clearly influenced this post's writing style. 

Anyway, we shall see how I feel about blogging. It'll be obvious if I don't feel up to it if I don't post much for the rest of the month--but then again, I'm kind of busy this month. I've got plans to hang with friends and orientation and a Graphics Summer Camp to look forward to! :D So... I don't know. You'll just know. If I can't find time or motivation to write something relevant or meaningful or just...about life, then take it as you like it.

I'll be back. I always come back. I can't stop recording about my life. My memory sucks just as bad as my hearing (I really shouldn't have listen to loud music while wearing headphones when I was younger), and I would like to preserve as much of it as I can. And writing about my life has become habitual even though I don't do it often enough anymore. I mean, I started writing in a journal when I was in middle school. 

But yeah, I have to go take a shower because it's 11:40 PM, and I'm hanging out with Emily tomorrow, and I would rather not feel like a stinky bum thank you very much. :P

Peace!

pointy.star

Going on a Cruise

We're leaving for Florida tonight, so I won't be posting until I come back on Tuesday. Dunno if we're coming home in the afternoon or night, but I'm pretty sure that I'll be too busy unpacking and catching up on the interwebs to update on Tuesday, so I'll prolly update on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on how lazy I am. :P

I'm going to Cozumel, Mexico with my family minus my older sis since she still has college classes. This is my second time going on a cruise (and to the same place too!), and I don't know if I'll enjoy it as much since my sis isn't going to be there to keep me company and since I've already had the experience once. :/

We'll see.

Anyway, I should probably get off now. My parents told me that we were leaving for Florida at five today, and it's already past 6:30... We never do anything on time, I swear. But we always manage to make it to places early or on time anyway. :D

But what ticked me off was the fact that my parents didn't bother telling me that we were leaving today. I was under the impression that we were leaving sometime early in the morning tomorrow. They only told me that we were leaving today when they found out I was going out with my sis today, so I had to cancel my plans of going to the movies with Shelle and Tyler later tonight. Argh....

Okay, I really should go now. See ya later~


pointy.star

Mini Review: Cryer's Cross, Skyfall (Troll Hunters, Book 1), Wuthering Heights

Title: Cryer's Cross
Author: Lisa McMann
Pages: 233
Publication: February 8, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Summary taken from goodreads: 

Kendall loves her life in small town Cryer¹s Cross, Montana, but she also longs for something more. She knows the chances of going to school in New York are small, but she's not the type to give up easily. Even though it will mean leaving Nico, the world's sweetest boyfriend, behind.  

But when Cryer's Cross is rocked by unspeakable tragedy, Kendall shoves her dreams aside and focuses on just one goal: help find her missing friends. Even if it means spending time with the one boy she shouldn't get close to... the one boy who makes her question everything she feels for Nico.  

Determined to help and to stay true to the boy she's always loved, Kendall keeps up the search--and stumbles upon some frightening local history. She knows she can't stop digging, but Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried....

4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

I really liked this book. The characters were awesome, the suspense was nail-biting, the writing was riveting, and the romance was cute. In addition, the setting, which was a small town in Montana, was also very well portrayed.

With its ending, I wouldn't complain for a sequel, although I'm pretty sure it would involve a different set of characters, which would make me sad. I really like Jacian.

I listened to the audiobook of this, and I think that the narrator did an awesome job. She captured all of the emotions Kendall went through perfectly and had a great Spanish accent for the Obregan family.

Title: Skyfall (Troll Hunters, Book 1)
Author: Michael Dahl
Pages: 112
Publication: January 1, 2012
Publisher: Stone Arch Books
Summary taken from goodreads: 

Far above the small town of Zion Falls, the stars fall from the sky. Deep below the sleepy city, an ancient evil awakens. Caught in the middle are four teens with hidden powers beyond their wildest dreams . . .

2.5 STARS - IT WAS OKAY

MY REVIEW: 

A quick middle grade fantasy that hardly answered anything for the sole purpose of extending the series. It was so short, there wasn't any character growth at all!

But I really liked the drawings. They were awesome.

Title: Wuthering Heights
Author: Emily Bronte
Pages: 384
Publication: December 1847
Publisher: Collins Classics
Summary taken from goodreads: 

"Wuthering Heights", Emily Bronte's only novel, is one of the pinnacles of 19th-century English literature. It's the story of Heathcliff, an orphan who falls in love with a girl above his class, loses her, and devotes the rest of his life to wreaking revenge on her family.

2 STARS - IT WAS OKAY

MY REVIEW: 

Almost all of the characters were selfish, self-centered, and spoiled. And they were crazy and stupid and ugh! How can you even call any of that love?!

I was surprised at how easy it was to read the book. I thought that I would have to struggle to understand the sentences, but they weren't that hard to figure out, except for when Joseph talked; his accent was just too hick that I had to reread everything that he said twice to get the gist of it.

Books I Want to Read This Month

If I only read four books on this month's list, I would have a pattern for only reading four books on the list. I still have random urges to read other books depending on my mood, so that's the main reason for why I can't seem to read all of the books that I list.

Anyway, here's this month's list.

• A Healing Heart by Melissa A. Hanson
• Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
• Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins
• Paper Towns by John Green
• The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver
• Death Cloud by Andrew Lane
• Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
• Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Being Friends With Boys by Terra Elan McVoy
• Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
• Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
• Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
• Juno & Juliet by Julian Gough
• Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carmen

Sorry for not posting for the past few days. I was at my grandma's house since Friday, and I didn't feel the need to go online for the majority of the time there--well, besides checking my mail on my iPod every day. :P And you know how I don't like pre-scheduling posts... I like to write out posts a few days ahead of time because of inspiration or something, but I like to candidly publish them so that I can always add last minute touches to them. 

Anyway, I've already read one book on the list this month. Here's hoping that I'll keep it up! :)

May in Retrospect

Last month, I read:

• Dead to You by Lisa McMann
• Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
• Fracture by Megan Miranda
• Eleven Minutes by Megan Miranda
• The Secret of the Scarlet Stone by T.L. Clarke
• Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
• Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
• Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors
• Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz
• The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
• Tanpopo Collection vol. 1 by Camilla d'Errico
• Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
• Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

I reviewed/mini-reviewed:

• 13 to Life by Shannon Delany
• Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delany
• The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
• The Returners by Gemma Malley
• Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund
• Dengeki Daisy vol. 1 by Kyousuke Motomi
• Dengeki Daisy vol. 2 by Kyousuke Motomi
• Dengeki Daisy vol. 6 by Kyousuke Motomi

I watched:

• Puss in Boots (2011)
• To Sir, With Love (1967)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
• Thor (2011)
• The Avengers (2012)
• Mirror Mirror (2012)
• Baka and Test (2010)

I finally got some time to watch movies this month. And I even managed to squeeze in an anime, too! :D

All in all, I think that this was the most well-rounded month so far, which is surprising since I didn't even have much time to read or review for the last two weeks.