Tuesday, December 24, 2013

A Book Report

Before and After. That’s how Rowan Areno sees her life now. Before: she was a normal sixteen-year-old—a little too sheltered by her police officer father and her mother. After: everything she once believed has been destroyed in the wake of a shattering tragedy, and every day is there to be survived.

It's those kinds of teasers that initially hook me. Many times the book doesn't live up to the teaser. This book was an exception. From the first few sentences I was caught and immediately reeled in.

Laura Weiss does a fantastic job in illustrating the desolation of depression and the devastation of subsequent suicide(s). Rarely have I been so attuned to characters in a book. Rowan's spectrum of emotion was so tangible to me there were nights I could not continue reading. I lamented along with Eli, even giving my dog extra petting sessions.

Weiss has created very real, very honest characters. She took her time with their healing and their overall journey. By the end, I was as filled with hope as Rowan and Eli.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

A Book Report


"A sexy novel about two seventeen-year-olds—one a victim of human trafficking; the other the son of the man who enslaved her—who fall in love and question everything they ever believed…"

The above description is what drew me to this book. Not the sexy novel part, but the part about human trafficking. Really, how could someone fall in love with the son of the man who enslaved her?

After finishing the book, the above description isn't really all that accurate. She wasn't really a victim of human trafficking - she was born into the "slave" life. And he wasn't the son of the man who enslaved her, per se. Technically the man rescued her from her abusive Master.

The author begins with human trafficking statistics. She herself is deeply passionate about the human trafficking issue. However, this book really had nothing to do with human trafficking. If the author wanted to bring about an awareness she shouldn't have written such complacent characters.

And the characters? There wasn't a single one in the book worth my interest. It was laughable that Haven, the supposed "victim of human trafficking" turns out to be a mafia princess. From slavery, to Mafia, to Russians intruding on turfs, a kidnapping and a weak love story, this book was all over the place.

And yea, there's a sequel. I, for one, won't be wasting any more of my time with Carmine and Haven.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Email Exchange

From: Cade
To: Mommy
Sent: Fri, Dec 13, 2013 4:37 pm

I just had to get this off of my shoulders. I'm sorry about rehearsal, I'm also sorry that I'm not "fun" to certain people. I'm just a car person. I didn't want to disappoint you with the show. That's why I said yes. I know that it is important and how much you like it. So I thought I would give it a shot. But it was only target practice to me and it was probably the best thing for you. I know I'm the car geek but I never said I hated the show. I just didn't think it would be right for me. But soon I realized how much it meant to you. So I would obviously say yes. I'm sorry I don't spend much time with you but I just don't know about theatre and I'm scared to ask you and I'm scared I'll get a fact wrong and you'll laugh. I just didn't like theatre when it first came to me. But one thing is I still love you even though I don't show it.

E-mail me back if you got this message.

Sunday, December 01, 2013

2013 Goals - Monthly Update

Here's how I did with my goals during November.

See a minimum of 5 Broadway and Off-Broadway shows in NYC
- Nope. Nothing. Nada. Nil.

Read 65 books for my Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
- I read 5 books toward my goal: Unspoken, The Red Velvet Cake Wars, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, 
Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!) and Forever, Interrupted.
- Total books toward my goal of 65 - 49 books. 

Read a minimum of 9 books off the BBC Reading List
- Zero. Zip. Zilch. It was too ambitious of a goal.  

Visit: 
1.The Barter Theatre in Abingdon, VA 
"I'll Never Be Hungry Again" (Completed April 7)

2.The Moulin Rouge in Paris, France 
Feerie (Completed September 10)

3.Walt Disney World or Disneyland 
- Disneyland Paris counts! (Completed September 12) 

4.Boston, MA
- Nope. 

5.Pittsburgh, PA
- Nope.