A Fractured Light

By: Jocelyn Davies

ATTENTION: DO NOT PROCEED TO READ THIS POST IF YOU HAVE YET TO READ THE FIRST BOOK OF THE SERIES (A BEAUTIFUL DARK).

Glad we got that out of the way, now onto the book.
This was certainly not what I was expecting! In comparison to the first book, it lost a lot of sparkle and fun because Skye almost got dead and was basically forced to choose Asher at the end of the first book. Don't get me wrong, this book still has it high points, with Skye learning to control her powers, and that ridiculous thing that Devin ends up doing at the end there in order to win back her trust. Overall I enjoyed the book, but I can't say it was as good as the first.
The secrets need to quit, you lose the element of surprise if that's all you do, over and over again. Let Skye figure out some shit, it's not fun if she is literally in the dark the entireeeee time.
As for the introduction of all of the Guardians into the school, it just annoyed me if anything. This entire book is fantasy based, but the idea of tons of random students suddenly being students at Skye's school, its just something that was too far fetched for even me to imagine.
I enjoy the characters of Gideon and Ardith, they add a little color to Asher and Devin's background. Andddd I actually ended up liking Raven after the surprising thing that she does in order to keep Devin around-- Don't yell at me, just read the book and you'll see!

Grade: Mehhhhh (So descriptive, I know.)

**Note: Book 3 of this series: A Radiant Sky, isn't set to release until 9/24/13, so hang on until then, and enjoy more juicy reads.
For more on the author:
http://jocelyndavies.com/

Later Worms-
B

A Beautiful Dark

By: Jocelyn Davies

AHHHHHH I cannot wait to read the second book! (It's in my hand as we speak...type err whatever)
I was skeptical about this book at first, blah blah teenage girl caught between two guys, one good, one bad. Too common. Davies throws a monkey wrench in the mix though, these aren't just two normal dudes, they're specccciiiaaall (can't tell you how, read for yourself!) I could not put this book down. Once you're past the whole introductory information, things start to get interesting  Davies writes in such a way that every time one of the guys did something, it tugs at your own heart, as if you're the one who has to choose. And that I guess is the main idea of the book: the choice. Lets just say that the main character Skye has to choose between a lot more than just who she plans on sucking face with for the next 6 months to a year.
Things start to unravel slowly, and unlike other books, even the reader is unaware, there is no foreshadowing, you are just as in the dark as fictional character Skye. So when the truth does begin to seep out, your jaw is going to hit the floor.
I guess you could classify this book as a mystery, fantasy, and definitely romance. But wait till the last 4 pages, you thought you had it all figured out. WRONG! Shocked again the last paragraph of this book throws you for such a loop that you'll have difficulty recovering from unless you have the sequel like directly in front of you (or in your hand as I do...)

This book is perfect for: I'd say anyone because I loved it that much but I'd be lying to you and that's baaad... fantasy lovers. People who love the imaginary world and have no difficulty picturing things like men who can fly... I mean what??? (Hot men too!)
Grade: Freaking awesome! I would read this again and again and again and... you get the point.

Until next time worms-
B

Monstrous Beauty

Monstrous Beauty
By: Elizabeth Fama

I was drawn to this book immediately by its shiny covering, and one key factor: it's about a mermaid. Well sort of. It starts with a mermaid and works down her family line which reveals a common factor in all the of women of her family. With alternation perspectives, from the present with Hester to 1872 with Ezra and Syrenka, this book definitely keeps you interested.
It's a love story, mixed with a murder mystery, and topped off with all of the drama that comes with teenage life. The best part of the entire book is how Hester slowly solves the mystery of her past by clicking together little pieces of her history. I wouldn't call this novel fun, but intriguing instead. It keeps you hanging, just when you think you've got Hester down to a predictable science, she turns around and surprises you.
The romance is just a small sliver of the story, but you have to keep an open mind. There are things presented in this tale that unimaginative individuals would have a hard time picturing or enjoying for that matter. Don't believe in magic? Don't read it.
The mystery itself is kind of cool, as it deals with a specific aspect of Hester's life that directly interferes with another, very big and important part. Its something any woman would be afraid of, and something this young girl isn't quite ready to face. Want to know what it is? Get reading!

This book would be perfect for: Teenage girls going through a "change" in their social scene, emotions, etc.
Grade: I would read this again, pretty good book.

Later worms-
B

Bookworm

Hello! And welcome to my very first "book review," if you will. In my previous posts I critiqued my #1 passion: music. Then I realized there is only one other thing that I do as often as I listen to music: read I've been a bookworm for as long as I can remember; cracking open a paperback in the middle of a tedious history lesson in high school, ignoring my boyfriend while he was on the other end of the line because I was engrossed in the faded and dogeared pages of my latest find. I would check out books, sometimes in double digits because if I fell in love with the book, I finished it in one sitting, sleep, eating and homework be damned.
In my most recent trip to the library, I discovered that most of the books I picked up to find more about, I had already read. So not only will this blog supply you with musical suggestions and reading lists, but it will also help me keep track of all the books I've read (will be reading).

Until then,
B

No matter what they say...

Hello darling readers,
I hope all of your different and diverse holidays treated you well. Next time we meet, it will be 2012! What a year it has been. I wish all of you the very best in the new and upcoming year.

Song time!

Beautiful, by: Christina Aguilera

I know this is horribly cliche song, but it has a pretty powerful message, especially in the image obsessed generation we live in today.
Christina began her career at 17, when her first album, My Reflection hit big after its release in 2000. Christina has since released 7 full albums, including the soundtrack to a movie she helped produce and starred in. For living in Britney's shadow for most of her career, she is a very successful woman.

This song seemed out of place on her album Stripped, which was released in 2002. Stripped was album that contained the hit song "Dirty," which caused large amounts of controversy for it's explicit content and sexual innuendos. Parents wondered: how was all of that coming from someone who on their last album sang about saving the big "I-T" for someone special? They also wondered: how we can let our kids listen to this? But typically as our America works, the dirtier Christina got, the more popular she became, even outshining Britney at times. So when this song aired for the first time, music video included on MTV, people were literally taken aback. The video showed all shapes and sizes, all religions and cultures, every clique and genre of person debuted in this video. Her message was clear: you're beautiful the way you are.

"'Cause you are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down, oh no
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down, oh no
So don't you bring me down today."

With the rising accounts of bullies and teasing, this song is one for the ages. How many people, not just kids, wake up feeling like they aren't good enough? How many people are ashamed of who they are, even they are being who THEY want to be? Since when do people have the right to judge how another person decides to live their lives? That's not the America I remember. Ugh, end rant. My apologies. Bullying affects almost every single school aged child in America. We have seen the negative effects of bullying (Columbine), when simple teasing get's taken too far. So then why I ask, does it continue?

TOPIC FLIP

With New Year's fast approaching, the idea of resolutions comes about. People vowing to change things this year, that they regret or disliked about themselves in the previous year. Weight loss is the most popular goal that is set, this stat is supported by the amount of gym memberships that are opened in the month of January.
Any other day, I would look you straight in the eye and say, "hey, don't conform." There would probably be a few curses thrown in there as well. But today, I say: "Do whatever is going to make you feel better."
This song isn't talking about looks. This song is about feeling beautiful, inside and out. So maybe at your current weight, you don't feel so hot. My only advice to you darling, is complaining gets you nowhere. If you want change, you have to get up and embrace it before your motivation settles. Soon enough, you'll see and feel a change, enough for you to keep moving forward.
I know there are thousands of people out there who are unhappy with their bodies. To all of you, don't be afraid to do something about it. You are only as strong as you believe yourself to be.

With that my darling readers, I leave you. My apologies for the strange format of this blog, though I hope it was to your liking.
With love and wishes for a good new year,
And as always,
Keep jammin'.


http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/christina-aguilera-lyrics/beautiful-lyrics.html
http://www.christinaaguilera.com/us
https://www.facebook.com/christinaaguilera?ref=ts&sk=app_178091127385

Sometimes love, knocks you down...

Long time no talk!
No excuses, I'm just a busy kid.
Happy holidays all! I hope your much needed breaks from school turns out to be everything you wanted it to be. Let's get started.

Song:
Love Knocks You Down By: Keri Hilson, Featuring Neyo and Kanye West
(I won't lie to you. This song was not randomly chosen, instead it was inspired by the many crashing love lives around me. Forgive me!)

"Heh, not again
Ohh, this ain't supposed to happen to me"

Understatement of the season, honey. No one ever sees love coming, hence what makes it so awesome.

(Kanye) "Keep rockin', and keep knockin'
Whether you Louis Vuitton it up or Reebokin'
You see the hate, that they're servin' on a platter
So what we gon' have, dessert or disaster?"

Despite my less than positive opinion of Kanye and his big mouth, (funny, we have something in common?), I love this last line. Relationships can go either way, heaven or hell, good or bad, or in his case, a delectable after dinner course, or chaos. One more thing that can make love awesome, or not so much.

(Keri)"I never thought I'd be in love like this
When I look at you my mind goes on a trip
Then you came in, and knocked me on my face"

Well hello, now we're talking love. Yet again Keri states that love is unexpected, unpredictable, mysterious, covert, etc. And one minute its awesome, then it goes downhill. Now I'm not going to follow the stereotypical stance on love, "love sucks!" No, my darling friends, it does not. People do. Did you know that if someone tells you they love within the first 90 days of dating/relationship-ing that it's most likely lust talking? Aw yeah, high school darlings listen up. So, when that person you're dating says those three magic words; it's only been a month, but it feels so right. There's butterflies, late night phone calls, constant texting, etc. Then all of a sudden you're hitting 5 months, and stuff is going downhill, and fast. (This doesn't always happen, just giving a general example.) Then he/she leaves you. All you can think is that your heart has been ripped from your chest, and that if this is love, it really really sucks, right?
WRONG.
Darling, love didn't make him/her leave. In fact, if there was love present at all, your courtship would have taken a totally different course. Be warned, I'm not talking situational differences (ex: we live 7 hours away, his parents hate me, she has a drug problem, etc. Love can exist in the demise of these situations. Sometimes, it takes more than love.) You get my point. In cases of heartbreak, 9 times out of 10, love is not the culprit. Don't get me wrong, loving someone even though they're leaving hurts like hell BUT love didn't make him/her leave. Always remember that.

"I never thought I'd fall for you as hard as I did
(As hard as I did, yeah)
You got me thinkin' bout our life our house and kids, yeah
Every mornin' I look at you and smile
'Cause boy you came around and you knocked me down
Knocked me down"

Oh infamous love. Running up to young girls and kicking their feet out from under them, whatta jerk! In all seriousness, if you've never felt it before, be prepared. You'll feel a little different, happier, stronger, taller, etc. Like you could take on the world, just you and your guy/girl. You wake up with a purpose, blah, blah, blah. All of that awesome stuff up there is only for the people who accept their feelings and don't go running from them like some people (aka GUYS, just kidding... or not). For the people who would rather ignore these feelings for whatever reason, commitment fears, trust issues, may feel slightly overwhelmed by all of the crap they're going to experience. For people who are used to an independent lifestyle, everything changes! They want a shared life, they want to know someone else completely, someone other than themselves. Now its not like a walking into a door face first kind of feeling. Love builds up, like a flower. It starts with a seed of friendship and flirting. It becomes a bud of affection. Slowly it grows a stem and some leaves of compassion and support. Soon enough a full flower emerges, complete with petals of memories, a full stem of strength and support, and roots deep enough to weather the challenges of everyday life, love, and relationships. Even for this gradual and slow as molasses process, some people take a while to realize it, especially those who are prone to ignoring their feelings. But when they do finally realize it, it really and truly feels like someone just took a swift kick to the back of your knees, and knocked you off your feet.

"Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)
Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)"

All of that lovey-dovey awesomeness being said, I must turn the topic to the not-so-awesomeness. Sometimes people leave, sometimes they lie, and sometimes they cheat. Sometimes they go with no explanation at all, leaving you with a broken heart and no one to blame. But the important thing to remember is that you always have to get back up again. You sit and you wonder how you're ever going to recover from a hurt so bad, and then you just do. There is no healing process, except that today turns into tomorrow, and tomorrow turns into the next day. Someday it won't hurt as bad, but you need to know that it will take time. Losing someone you love can be agonizing, but with a good support system, and a lot of time, you WILL heal.

All that being said, my lovely audience,
keep jammin' <3

http://www.elyrics.net/read/k/keri-hilson-lyrics/knock-you-down-lyrics.html
https://www.facebook.com/kerihilson?ref=ts&sk=app_157391050947062

My heart, it beats, beats for only you...

Hey readers!
What a nice long weekend it was. BC had Monday off of classes for fall break, which meant a 7 hour drive to NJ was definitely in the plans. Needless to say I had a great weekend which included two family parties, and my first trip to Atlantic City! Boy was I overwhelmed. So many lights and machines, but I had such a good time.

Time for a song!
My Heart, Paramore

At last! A song I am more than in love with and beyond excited to discuss. Needless to say, I have had a girl crush on lead singer Hayley Williams since their first album All We Know came out in 2005. Paramore has released two more full albums after that, Riot which came out in 2007 followed by brand new eyes in 2009.
The one and only complaint I have about this band, which is my favorite band, is that Hayley's voice is so big, and so explosive, that it's hard to notice anything but she and her fire-y red hair. That isn't to knock the obvious talent of drummer Zac Farro, bassist Jeremy Davis, or guitarist Taylor York. The band as a whole has a quick and witty sound to it, almost an upbeat melody to even their slowest songs. Paramore has an overall variety that is a crowd pleaser for sure.

This song begins with, in my opinion, heart melting lyrics:
        
          "I am finding out that maybe I was wrong
           That I've fallen down and I can't do this alone
           Stay with me, this is what I need, please?"

Not typical lyrics for a band with such a rough sound. Although the lyrics are soft, the mix of guitar and drums along with the overall tempo, keeps this a fast moving, but lyrically gentle tune. I think it's pretty deep when someone adds the word "please" to a song. It makes the preceding words seem so much more vital and dire.

         "Sing us a song and we'll sing it back to you
          We could sing our own
          But what would it be without you?"

The chorus is short, simple, and not repetitive. My favorite part is that the other two band members join in for the chorus giving it a truly wholesome sound. The words themselves make it sound as though without this person, it's like a day without sun, rain without an umbrella, peanut butter and no jelly, mice without cheese, etc. It's like there is something missing, and I feel that the length of the chorus is metaphorical for that missing piece, person, cheese, etc. The second verse, is just as sweet and emotional as the first.

         "I am nothing now and it's been so long
          Since I've heard the sound, the sound of my only hope
          This time I will be listening"

I enjoy how short the verses and the choruses are, in comparison to other alternative bands. Combining the message of both verses and the chorus, it sounds to me like somebody lost someone important. It's been so long since she has heard her only hope? That sounds like it sucks to me. I guess the positive thing, is that she is still waiting for whatever it is she lost, she still believes that it's going to come back... I guess that could be a negative and pathetic thing too. Anyways...
The song ends, repetitively unfortunately:

         "This heart, it beats, beats for only you
          This heart, it beats, beats for only you

          This heart, it beats, beats for only you
          My heart is your's
          This heart, it beats, beats for only you
          My heart is your's

          This heart, it beats, beats for only you
          My heart is your's
          This heart, it beats, beats for only you
          My heart, my heart is your's

          My heart is your's
          My heart is your's"

I LOVE THIS PART OF THE SONG! First off, the double bass that kicks in around the seventh line, is awesome! It makes these last lines so much more powerful, and well, awesome. These lines are pretty straight foward for the most part. Whoever that lucky guy/thing is, Hayley's heart belongs to him/it, and only him/it. Man do I hate the repetitive stuff, though.
Overall, Paramore kills it in this song. It puts a whole new feel and look to a song for the broken-hearted. I wish I could explain to you why I love this song so much, but for once, I don't know what to say.

Until next week my beloved audience, keep jammin'. 

http://www.elyrics.net/read/p/paramore-lyrics/my-heart-lyrics.html
https://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=Paramore&init=quick&tas=0.5767968879353987#!/paramore?sk=info
http://www.paramore.net/member/i/19155/