It's so hot in the Northeast--

 I told you I would be back. Granted, it wasn't around Tuesday like I expected...I have been super busy. I guess not busy. I have been doing stuff like reading and I am trying to work on my novel and school and other extra things and crafting (I am in the process of binding a book that I made out of printer paper) and Pinterest and etc...

 There is just too much to post and I either don't have enough time to post it or I am just too lazy.  I guess it doesn't matter...for I am here now. ~gleam~

To explain the matter further--this is a picture I took of all my library books. I did it to prove my point.

There are 7 books here. The one on the top however, I decided not to read. The rest of the pile includes titles such as Cathing Fire, Mockingjay (both the sequels to The Hunger Games) The Looking Glass Wars, (book 1 and 2) and The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing-Traitor to the Nation- Book 2, and last but not least, Clockwork Princess. I think they are all going to be fairly awesome books. I had read The Hunger Games last summer. It thought it was alright--at that point I wasn't much into the Post Apocalyptic books. Funny how things change in a year--and I decided to get the last two. I guess the adds on the internet of Catching Fire (movie) had reminded me that I hadn't finished them yet. I will have to blog that movie poster. Katniss's dress is AWEEEESOME!

As for The Looking Glass Wars...I am a complete Wonderland fan. They struck me as interesting. I guess the story is that Lewis got it all wrong and this was what really happened...I don't know for sure. I haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I don't know what I was thinking when I got seven novels...and then I only have 3 weeks for them. And apparently I will be busy and not be able to read them except for in the wee hours of the morning...Ugh.

The Life of Octavian Nothing. I had just recently finished the first one. Let me explain how I came across this.

A couple months ago--and now still, as it would seem--I was really into books written in first person. Mainly because I was trying to write one. I still am. And then I started another. Then I had two stories started and now...I have started another one. Sometimes, I wonder if this is was being a writer is like. 

Anyway, I stumbled across Octavian Nothing while searching the library shelves. The thing that struck me as cool  was the pages were kind of ripped. Not the pages in the book...rather, the sides of the pages. They looked as though they were meant to be older looking and worn. Well, that effect certainly worked. The book itself looked cool, but the inside was a little cooler.

Here's the summary, I am not very good at typing those up.

The greater part of the story is told by a boy named Octavian, who grew up with his mother Cassiopeia, an African princess, in a house full of philosophers and scientists in colonial Boston. Under the watchful eyes of Mr. Gitney, also known as 03-01, Octavian has received a classical education as well as a musical education which has made him into an extremely skilled violinist. Octavian eventually comes to understand the price of his powdered wigs and education: he is not only the "property" of Mr. Gitney, but he is also being used as an experiment to test whether the African race is inferior to the European race.

In time, Cassiopeia angers the scientists' benefactor and the Society loses its monetary support. The two are forced to go under the new watchful eye of Richard Sharpe, who cuts Octavian off from his books. It is later revealed that Richard Sharpe works for a group of colonial businessmen, who now fund the house where Octavian is held. These businessmen own slaves, and it is strongly implied that Sharpe is attempting to bias the experiment with Octavian in order to prove that Africans are inferior. He does this by stopping most of Octavian's education and making him work in the house.

When the political unrest that would later spur the American Revolution begins to seep into the Gitney household, Gitney decides to move into the countryside outside of Boston, and then hold a Pox Party. Each attendee is infected with the pox, with the hope that under this controlled circumstance they will have only benign cases. Gitney also wants to both weaken and quarantine his slaves when he begins to hear talk of a slave revolt. Cassiopeia, however, is killed by the pox, and after her death is dissected by the scientists in the house. Octavian discovers what the scientists are doing and in his anger flees the house, and ends up in the Colonial Army. 

Octavian's military adventures are narrated mostly in epistolary form by Private Evidence Goring in letters to his sister Fruition. Octavian is eventually recaptured, and back at the Gitney house he is kept chained and completely alone. When Sharpe and Gitney, as well as his former classics teacher Dr. Trefusis, eventually decide to speak with him, Octavian is furious to discover that, with many of their funds coming from plantation owners in Virginia, they are counting on Octavian to fail, and to prove the "inferiority" of the African race.

I apologize for basically spoiling the book, but I thought it was cool and I didn't know how else to put it. :/ I thought it was really interesting. Overall, I enjoyed it!

Then there is Clockwork Princess. The third--and I believe final--book in the Infernal Devices series by Cassie Clare. I am only 4 chapters in and a lot has happened.

But I swear, if my favorite character dies...I will NEVER read books again.

That reminds me of a conversation I had with my Mom...earlier this month...

Me: [Sitting on the couch, just finished Entwined by Heather Dixon] [I toss the finished book aside.] The book is over, my *life* is over. I am never reading again.

Mom: [Who was walking through the living room, looked at me.] No.

She was right. I have read maybe two books since then...I don't know.

But that is completely irrelevant. Entwined was an AMAZING book, BTW. There is a character called The Keeper...He started out amazing...and then...got...creepy. He was still cool, even as he was going down hill. That's totally a book I would recommend.

This here is a book I bought at the book sale they were holding at the Library the day I went. I love book sales--mostly because I am trying to up my book collection so I can have an amazing book shelf. It was interesting because a few weeks ago, I wrote the name "Dorian Gray" on my whiteboard. It was a reminder to find the book at the library and put it on hold. Well, I didn't get it on hold, but I got it nevertheless...I am a happy girl indeed. I have wanted to read this book for a few weeks now.

That, and my goal this summer is to read A LOT. I know...that's all I did last summer. But all I read last summer were Historical Fictions, Inspirational Fictions and the like. This year, I am going to go more for classic stuff. Stuff like Wilde, Dickens, Poe, Voltaire, Shakespeare...must I go on? Then I want to read EVERY single thing that Tolkien ever wrote. That is my biggest goal for this summer.

It's going to be fantastic. 

And this well, I decided that I am going to randomly post the pictures of what ends up on the whiteboards...This was something my sister made. It's just...so...HAPPY.

FREE HUGS FOR EVERYONE!!!! YAY!!!!

And there's a Unicorn there, so, yeah. Believe it.

I have more picture to post.

Be right back.

~Natsu