M.A.D.N.E.S.S.

This would be my follow up to the Evolution of Mara Dyer. I could talk about this book for days. There may be some light *spoilers* if you are very sensitive to that, but nothing huge.
I don't know exactly how I want to set up this post so I'm just winging it. First up just some snippets and pieces that I love way too much not to mention. Mainly I want to point a spotlight on the magnificent, amazing, wonderful brother that is Daniel Dyer. While Noah Shaw is Mr Panty Dropping Grin, Daniel Dyer is the one that would have me as putty in his hands. He is the sweetest person and his love for Mara just melts me. I hate "ruining" things for people but I love this quote of Daniels, so if you don't want to read it don't look at the quote below. But i swear its just the sweetest thing I've ever read.

"I wish she knew that she's really Mom's favorite". . . "I wish Mara knew that I never minded, because she's my favorite too."

I start tearing up every time I read this chapter. So three cheers and some tears for Daniel, my favorite.

Now moving on to my findings and theories. The biggest thing in this sequel is the emphasis Michelle puts on names."There is power in a name," the phrase is repeated throughout the book. So I took the hint and searched the meaning of just about all the names and I must say it paid off. Here is a list of some of the names I found:

• Mara- Demon, Hebrew for bitter
• Amitra (Mara's middle name)- Sanskrit for destroyer of the enemy
• Sarin (Indie Dyer's maiden name)- all i could find on this one is it may be Hindi for "helpful" and that is it also the name of a lethal nerve gas. 
• Noah- Rest, Comfort
• Elliot (Noah's middle name) - "My God is the Lord"
• Simon (Noah's other middle name) - Hebrew for "He has heard" 
• Jamal (Jamie's full name)- Arabic for handsome or beauty 
• Stella- Star
• Benicia (Stella's last name)- Blessed 
• Jude-Praised 
• Lowe- Hebrew for Combined or old French for "young-wolf"
• Phoebe- bright, radiant, pure 
• Daniel- Hebrew for "God is my judge" 
• Joseph- Hebrew for "he will add" or "he will enlarge" 
• Rachel- a lamb; one with purity

So that's what I found, some names I suggest reading into more than others; it's interesting to read the characters with their meanings in mind. You can see how well some things fit such as Noah or Mara Amitra. Some of these meanings I looked up as I was reading this book and I was a little shocked by them when I found them, its so exciting I wrote them all right in the book.
*Mild Spoiler* I Love good symbolism in a story. One of my favorites in Evolution was when Mara and Noah found the other charm, the one just like the one Noah always wears. "They're mirror images," Mara says which set off sparks of thought in my head. Of course they are mirror images because one is Mara's and the other Noah's and while they are one and the same they are each others opposites. Mara destroys and Noah heals, Mara points anger outward, Noah in; Mara is open and thinks magically, Noah is more rigid and comfortable with science. As Michelle puts it "Healer and destroyer, noon and midnight." perfect symbolism.
And that seems to be all I have for today, although I did say I could talk about this for hours so I might be back with more. Until then enjoy my Evolution of Mara Dyer playlist below!!

Prefectly Imperfect

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

These books are so beyond unreal. I have never read into every word of a book the way I do these. I marked this book up like it was a notebook. Michelle has little "easter eggs" hidden all over this book which I am determined to get to the bottom to. I might do a whole post on my blog later about some of my finding. This book played heavily on my emotions. I kind of break it up into segments based on the core feeling. It goes from cautious and picks up speed to heart wrenching and takes a stop at the creepy crazy psycho station then we get to the secret part and the avoidance and then a brief moment of acceptance and peace only to be followed by terror and the most gnawing feeling of frustration that makes you want to pull your hair out, you are rewarded for you patience with this uncomfortable feeling with revelation which of course then brings you crashing down to earth at warp speed, stripping you of all prior theories, hopes, or ability to feel joy. The latter side effects could last for hours, days, or months after reading, for Michelle Hodkin has once again left us all holding our breaths.

I will most definitely have more of this review and/or a post of my findings in The Evolution of Mara Dyer, including a playlist, in the very near future on my blog, so be sure to check it out soon!





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Evolutionary

So as some may know the new Mara Dyer book is coming out in just about a wekk and I am FREAKING out!! :) If you have no idea what i am talking about please go educate yourself, google it or better yet scroll down to my review of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. These books blow my mind and I want to share their mind blowing awesomeness with the world, I also really want to win this Mara Swag contest. So for both selfish and altruistic reasons here is the teaser trailer for The Evolution of Mara Dyer on shelves next Tuesday October 23. What a beautiful date.  If video doesn't work here is the link: http://youtu.be/JnJyeDV2gcg

The Perfect Mistake

My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Song for this Read: Sympathy by Goo Goo Dolls and You'll Ask for Me by Tyler Hilton
My Playlist:

There are also may musical references throughout the book some of them I complied below, I highly suggest listening along as the songs or artist are mentioned :)

Taylor Caldwell can't decide if she wants to kiss her new college roommate or punch him.

On the one hand, Hunter Zaccadelli is a handsome, blue-eyed bundle of charm. On the other, he's a tattooed, guitar-playing bundle of bad boy. Maybe that's why Taylor's afraid of falling in love with him, or anyone else. She doesn't want to get burned, and even though her other roommates adore him, she wants him gone before it's too late.

Hunter himself has been been burned before, but the fact that Taylor calls him out on his crap and has the sexiest laugh ever make him decide maybe love isn't a lost cause. They make a bet: if she can convince him she truly loves or hates him, he'll leave the apartment--and leave her alone. The problem is, the more time they spend together, the less she hates him, and the more she moves toward love.

But when the man who holds the key to Taylor's fear of giving up her heart resurfaces and threatens to wreck everything, she has to decide: trust Hunter with her greatest secret, or do everything in her power to win that bet and drive him away forever.

Surprisingly great read. None of the typical girl hates boy, girl falls for boy, misunderstanding/fight between girl and boy, girl and boy make up plot line. And thank goodness cause while the first 100 or so were alright I think we can all agree that story has be just about all worn out.
I loved Hunter and Taylor's story it was a perfect mix of cute cliche and originality. While the ending was completely fitting I would I have loved to have gotten to keep reading. I was kinda excited about the new prospects of Taylor and Hunter and their friends lives there at the end, I would love to continue their story. I also really wanted to see how Hope did Christmas. It was a very really book in the fact that not everything was tied up and revisited. It was just a chapter of these people's lives and not everything was finished. Personally I find ending with everything perfectly wrapped up in a pretty little bow ominous anyway.
I really did love reading this one. If not a sequel I would also love to read more about some of the supporting characters stories, specifically Darah and Mase's. This book will probably be one that I come back more than once.



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Losing Control

Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This is a sequel (to the amazing Hunting Lila, if you haven't read it, what on earth are you waiting for?!!), so I don't like to say too much but that these books are by far some of the best I've ever read. The characters are so genuine its hard to believe they are not real people walking around somewhere. Jack, Lila and Alex have some of the greatest relationships, I find myself turning green with envy at times about how strong their bond is. I seem to always be either laughing crying or stifling a scream when reading these. Suki and Nate just do me in, I love those guys and their less than innocent jokes. Everything about these books is masterfully crafted, Alderson's alternate reality welcomes you like a firm embrace had doesn't let you go till ages after the last page. I look forward to rereading these many times over.



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The Ratio of Laughter to Tears

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Songs for this read:


Official Blurb:

 Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

I am such a sucker for daddy-daughter bonding stories. Call me a daddy's girl but this book just ruined me. I cried about every other chapter once Hadley got to London, like a little girl. And not just about how touching Hadley and her dads story was but also for how sad Oliver's was.
This story was just as endearing as it was humorous at times. I loved the witty repartee between Hadley and Oliver and the heartwarming family anecdotes. This book was not what I was expecting but that just added to what a pleasurable and entertaining read it was. I'm sure I'll be revisiting this one again soon.

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A Good Night Rant

Wow I haven't been on here in quite a while. I hadn't even realized how long until just now. I guess I just haven't read many books lately that i felt really deserved a review. Not say I haven't read good books, just not any that I had any real opinions to write about.
      So its ranting time. The time of the blog where I log on and rant about my current personal inflictions without giving away any real details about my personal inflictions. But in the end the internet gets a link, my blog doesn't look abandoned, and I feel a little better getting my thoughts on "paper" and off my chest. So without further ado I give you A Good Night Rant:

As you may have noted in the title of this blog, I am an introvert. A person who happens to enjoy being alone more than large social settings, they find social skills to be things they have to work at a bit more and small talk doesn't come naturally. You may have also caught on the the fact that I am a teenaged girl. I have come to accepting my slightly awkward social persona and more or less bookworm status for a couple years now. This is not to say I am social retarded or don't have friends, just that while I have friends I rarely feel the need to see them outside of school, and while I get by with my social skills just fine I do still struggle with simple small talk like conversations, as I find it to be all fluff. Like I said I have more or less embraced that this is who I am but with college right around the corner it seems to be becoming a touchy subject. 

My parents are both former extroverts. They have since transformed into quite the opposite but they still don't seem to quite understand where I am coming from. As kids both my parents were the types to always be out, as f avoiding home. My mother especially was a bit of rebel against her parents. So they see me and always have to ask why I don't chose to be out. I have tried to ask myself this but the answer always seems to be 1. where would I go? its not like my friends are real partiers, and 2. I honestly have no desire to go out. I don't want to go run into people somewhere. It's not that I don't know how to be social, I just rarely have a desire to go "out" and be around a bunch of people. 

I am probably sounding like a really loser right now, like some loner who sits in a corner. Well I'm not. I have plenty of friends and people i hang out with at school, the only difference is when I get home I chose to spend that time alone. I am fully aware of what an abnormal teen I am. Trust me I have gotten it all: "old soul", "16 going on 36", "Benjamin Buttons", all of it. But try as I have to be a little more extroverted I find I just end up exhausted and dissatisfied. With college coming up I have always viewed it as a time to not so much reinvent myself but to branch out and more or less force myself into a social word. No better time to do it right? The root of my doubt seems to lead back to my parents. Don't get me wrong I love my parents, they are honestly the absolute greatest. They love me dearly and except me for who I am but they're jokes about how "you have to social in college, remember, hon" can kinda get to me. I know I can be social and even make it in a sorority but the knocks on my personality don't help. Personally I think a forced social environment like a sorority where everyone is kinda together in something could be really good for me, I just wish I got a little support in that thinking. 

The bottom line is I didn't chose my personality, I was never given an option whether I wanted to a easy people person or who I am. I just turned out this way, and I am not going to apologize or try to be the extrovert I'm not. I believe I am the introvert I am for a reason and somehow there is a greater plan for why I don't like to party like a "typical" teenager, and that even though it is harder for me to go out and talk to people and fit into a social group that I will grow and things will work out and that there are people down the road in my life that understand and that connections and bonds and relationships will come easy with, people that i am meant to meet. Somehow I Know this will all work out in the end, and even though I still have doubts and sometimes I question why I am different, I am not ashamed. I know there is a reason, I know there is a plan.

And so ends tonight's rant. As per usual I don't really know if that was where I was intending on going with this rant but obviously it was what I needed to say, for my own sake.  Hope you enjoyed my inner most thoughts, and if not then what are you doing wasting your time, go get a life. Until my next near emotional breakdown, epiphany or book review, good night and peaceful dreams.