Monday, October 10, 2016

Prove It Assignment #1 : Ecotopia LIB 200


Image result  Problems In The Book
. In Ecotopia, there are environmental issues that are already solved in the book when William goes to investigate. For instance, the food system. " All food wastes, sewage, and garbage were to be turned into organic fertilizer and applied to the land where it would be again enter into the food production cycle"(page 18). By having this done, food is accessible to all citizens in Ecotopia and there is no reason for people to suffer from hunger. This is an issue that is mentioned briefly because to the people who live in Ecotopia, it is not seen as something major since they have always lived that way
.Another issue that is already solved is pollution by eliminating the use of cars." These zones at first covered only downtown areas where pollution and congestion were most severe. As minibus service was extended, these zones expanded and now cover all densely settled city areas"(page 26). Eliminating the use of cars helps the environment because cars run on fuel and gas which creates pollution. It allows the people to use other methods of transportation without hurting the environment such as walking, bicycling, and hiking. To the Ecotopians, these issues are not seen as issues instead it is seen as normal.
. The problem of race is mentioned in the book briefly. “Many Ecotopians sentimental about Indians and there's some sense in which they envy the Indians, their lost natural place in the American wilderness"(page 31). In this quote, Indians are mentioned by they are never shown in the novel probably because the majority of the characters in the novel are white Americans. In Ecotopia, there is no other race being shown except for when it is convenient." The black population whose economic deprivation under white control had made it increasingly nationalist and separatist even before the Independence"(page 107). It's implied that there is still some level of segregation even in a supposed utopian society. Given that the book was written in the 70s, there was still racism surrounding not only African Americans but Indian and Arab Americans as well. The problem of race is not solved in the book because it was not seen as important by the people who lived in Ecotopia.
. The people of Ecotopia want to live a pollutant environment. The problem is how plastic is sold. The solution: “One was to produce the plastics, at low cost and in a wide range of types: light, heavy, rigid, flexible, clear, opaque, and so on to produce them with a technology that was not itself a pollutant” (page 83). The problem was solved by the solution because it provided a foundation for a stable system that works for the people of the city
Future Research
. Some of the future research the author Ernest Callenbach points to are things that we have now in modern day such “picture phones” (page 15) and “recycle chutes” (page 22), both are used throughout the book. The picture phones refer to cellphones and the recycle chutes refer to the recycle bins that are used constantly today. Also, baths (page 168) were used towards the end of the book when William is taken by members of the camp to relax. The baths reference the hot springs that many people go to relax and get rid of any stress that they may be feelings that day.
.The world building is vivid because it is seen as a city that is surrounded by trees and water. It is clearly shown that most of the city has many forests, rivers, and buildings around the highways that have trains. While the city is clear to visualize, I had trouble picturing the part where the family camps were set up and the way the hospitals looked.
Character Development
William is the main narrator of the book. In the beginning of the book, he is bias to everything that he encounters in Ecotopia. He starts off hostile, judgmental, and patronizing towards everyone that he meets in the city.
(page 24)”Find myself worrying if I get sick or have an accident”. He thinks that by even trying their food, he will get sick from it or bleed to death.
( page 25) “You can’t argue with these people”. William has a patronizing attitude with a clerk worker because he wants him to read his work to make them feel bad for laughing at him.
- After a while, he meets Marissa, who he starts a relationship with and introduces him to the wars game and the way their society works. On page 89, Will and Marissa are having an argument because she told her family at the camp all of the intimate details about her relationship with him. While, Will feels that she violated a sense of privacy. This scene was interesting to see because it’s the first time that they have a disagreement besides sleeping together majority of the time. The perspectives between them show how they each see things differently.  Will thinks that a relationship should be between two people while Marissa feels that it’s okay for a person in a relationship to be open with it. 
- By the middle of the book, Will has grown accustomed to camp life and people have asked him to entertain them with a song. He sings a nursery song and everyone joins him, having fun and not caring how they sound. By page 107,
- Will has adapted to the Ecotopian lifestyle, He hangs out with the people at the Cove, has conversations with the people from there such as Bert who’s a friend he makes.
- Women are the ones who lead the Survival parties. In the meetings, Will notices that people are open to ideas and opinions from different people and insomnia indicates a social problem instead of a medical one.
- At Crick School, Will gets to see how the educational system works when it comes to the children. He is surprised that all children are able to go school and that there is no excluding children who come from low-income families. Similar to modern society, there are exams that the children have to take at the end of the year.
- A second war games causes Will’s perspective to change. Before, he didn’t understand the point of the games because he thought they were not fighting to win anything. Now, he’s excited to see the games and enjoys the idea of embracing conflict. The hospital that he is treated have interesting methods. He’s attracted to his nurse and sleeps with her before he leaves the hospital. The way he describes her was weird to read since he’s basically saying that she’s not smart but she’s a nurse who is very attractive.  Will is shallow throughout the book. This changes a little bit towards the end, but not by a lot.
- Throughout the book, Will’s main objective was to report back to New York about his findings. But, he is taken by a group of strangers towards the end of the book. At first, Will is resistant to these strangers because he thinks that they’re working for somebody who wants money from him. However, after a while he gets used to them and joins them in the baths. It is during the baths where he has an epiphany that he is going to stay in Ecotopia for good.
- The change is Will’s character happens gradually as time goes on. At first, he is closed-minded about the city and the people because he looks at them as strange and too emotional due to situations that he’s seen of them. The fight scene between the man and the women in the beginning is interesting because Will later on does the same thing with Marissa towards the end of the book. It shows how he starts off judging people to doing the same thing and not caring about his actions later. He sees himself having a life with Marissa and enjoying his life in Ecotopia. Since he’s unemployed at the end, it makes me wonder what job would he get in Ecotopia, I assume he can be a reporter for them. That part is left open-ended.
General Thoughts
-        -  I thought that the book was okay. The plot did not intrigue me at all. I hated the narrator. I did not like the tone of the book. The tone was dry and narrow. It did not feel like I was reading a book, it felt more like I was reading a newspaper.
-          -I wanted to have more things to say about Marissa, but sadly she’s just there as the love interest for the narrator which does not surprise me at this point.
-        -  I think the diary format could have been used more throughout the book. I just wanted to get more from the narrator. I couldn’t understand the choices that he would make sometimes. Sleeping with the nurse, just seemed like something that he wanted to do just because she was attractive.
-         - It’s progressive when it comes to the educational system, the way politics are handled. Men and Women both take care of their families. There is no such things as gender roles in their utopian society.
-          -The ending made sense but I’m still confused as to what William will work in now that he quit his job to stay in Ecotopia.
-         - Honestly, if it wasn’t for this class I would not have picked up this book in a bookstore. For me, the books that I read has to grab my attention. Books like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak,  All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, and The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
S
                Sources 
https://sites.google.com/a/micds.org/american-race-and-racism-1970-to-present/home/1970

 https://books.google.com/books/about/Ecotopia.html?id=KWOdE2cK7f4C&source=kp_cover&hl=en












Sunday, August 14, 2016

Movies + Book Recommendations

I got this idea from a video I saw authors Alice Oseman and Lauren James do. The idea is that one person chooses 2 or 3 of their favorite movies and the other person chooses 3 books that are related to or similar to those movies.
 I thought that this was an original idea so I thought that I would try it for myself with my friend Sarah, Ya96lover. I am going to pick three of my favorite movies and Sarah is going to choose 3 books that are similar or related to them.

1. The Princess Bride

2. 10 Things I Hate About You

3. Water For Elephants

Friday, August 12, 2016

Friday Reads # 1

Friday Reads # 1 ( August 12, 2016)

This is the first Friday reads ever so I'm excited. Ok, so I am currently reading three books at the moment. I'm currently reading The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolken, The Rose Society by Marie Lu and The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. So far I'm enjoying The Raven Boys and The Hobbit. I'm reading The Rose Society because I read the first book in The Young Elites trilogy and I really liked it. :)








Thursday, August 11, 2016

Review: Every Last Word

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Book Review




I'm always hesitant when it comes to reading contemporaries that deal with mental illness because some of them tend to romanticize the illness. However, this was not the case. The main character Sam has suffered from OCD since she was 11. These consuming thoughts are something she struggles with on a daily basis along with seeing her therapist who helps her deal with them in healthy ways. I liked that this book portrayed the mental illness in an honest and real way. While, Sam makes a new friend who introduces her to a poetry club Sam begins to use writing poems as a creative outlet when it comes to dealing with her inner struggles. Besides, Sam andthe love interest I felt that the other characters were one-dimentional. We're told information about them here and there but not enough to make us remember them.

I liked the element of music that was used in the story : Sam makes playlists and AJ plays guitar and writes songs. Sam's playlists were relatble I even found myself listening to Never Let Me Go by Florence and The Machine. There were some moments where nothing would happen so a month would pass or weeks sometimes. I loved that they included Sam's relationship with her therapist as part of her treatment because its shown as in a positive light instead of it being stigmatized as a negative thing.

The twist in the story, I suspected it for a while because the scenes between Sam and this particular character were convient only Sam could see this person and talk to them.
It didn't surprise me because it ended up with Sam reflecting on this experience in a positive way. Althougth, I think it was a coping mechanism that she used when she was anxious there were some things that still felt weird.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Sam's characters has many layers and it was great following her story and seeing her constantly deal with her inner battles. I recommend this book to who liked All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella.


An Open Letter to Rowan Blanchard

It made me feel sick when i heard the rumors and how it affected you. You are a young 14 year old girl who is an advocate for movements such as feminism, black lives matter, LGBTQ, Self- love, and many other things. Also, you spoke about your struggles with depression and spoke about being bullied. 
You wrote a piece on Rookie Magazine where you expressed that you did not want to apologize for what you feel or the things that you do. I remember reading that piece and really taking it in. You are a strong person who is intelligent, eloquent, and talented. I’m sure you will go far in life and star in other amazing projects. 
I want to say that I admire you because you’re letting people know no matter what age they are, that they have a voice and they matter. To me, the show taught me lessons about friendship, family, feminism, people change people, Labels shouldn’t matter. People should look beyond the surface. I am glad that you are who you are and you never change who you are because some people expect you to.
You are a wonderful human being and please stay the humble down to earth person we all know you are.
- Lissette

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Libester Award June 2016


 Libester Award June 2016


Thanks to @Yalover96 for nominating me for this award!


The rules are as follows:
  • 1. Acknowledge the blog that nominated you and display the award.
  • 2. Answer the 11 questions that the blog gives you.
  • 3. Give 11 random facts about yourself.
  • 4. Nominate 5-11 blogs that you think are deserving of the award that have less than 200 followers.
  • 5. Let the blogs know you have nominated them.
  • 6. Give them 11 questions to answer.
Question Answers

1.Where is your favorite spot to read?
My favorite spot to read is in my bed because it's comfortable and it's relaxing.
   
2.What do you prefer - Series or Standalones?
 I would say both because I love series since the characters develop but I love standalones also because the story is wrapped up nicely.

3.What book are you currently reading?
The book that I am currently reading is Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone and I'm enjoying it a lot.

4,What was the last book you read that you absolutely loved?
The last book I read that I loved was Simon vs The Homosapiens Agenda. It was great.

5. If you could take three things with you to a desert island, besides books, what would they be?
My dog,  my cellphone, and a compass.

6.Which author would you want to meet the most?
Jenny Han because I love her All The Boys I've Loved Before dualogy

7. What book are you highly anticipating for the end of this year?
Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas!!!

8.Have you been to any book conventions or events? If not, are you planning to?
I have never been to a book conventions. I would plan to but the thing is money is the issues. I'm broke right now.

9. What are your other hobbies besides reading?
I like to write, listen to music, watch shows, play with my dog, hang out with my friends.

10.What fictional character would you like to meet the most?
Cath, from Fangirl. :)

And simply because I'm running out of questions, tell us something about yourself?
My birthday is July 20. :)
11 Facts about Yourself

1, I'm left-handed
2.I'm the youngest in my family.
3. I have a dog who's 3 years old
4. I like to write fanfics
5. I like watching webseries.
6. Lucaya is my OTP is the show Girl Meets Worlds
7. I'm a 90s baby
8. My favorite decade is the 80s
9. Rent is one of my favorite movies of all times.
10.  I am trying to learn another language
11. I'm a sophmore in college.

Blogs I Nominate
A Perfection Called Books
Perks of Being A Reader
Journey Through Fiction

11 Questions
1. Was there a book where you didn't like the ending? If so, how would you have changed it?
2. Do you have TBR jar?
3. If you could be in the world of one of your books, which world would it be?
4. Which author (s)do you automatically buy books of?
5. Name 5 underrated books that you think people should read
6. Do you listen to music when you read? If so, what type of music?
7. Hogwarts or Narnia?
8.Which character(s) in your books do you most identify with?
9. If you could write a sequel to one of favorite books, what would the title be?
10. What are some of your favorite movies?
11. Any advice for people who have just started blogging?




Monday, July 11, 2016

Review: An Abundance of Katherines

An Abundance of Katherines An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked the book. It is my least favorite of John Green's books. But, it has a good story, its not really plot driven, mostly character driven. Colin was an interesting protagonist. Similar to his protagonists in his previous books, he wants to be remembered and he is considered to be a prodigy. I found this book similar to Paper towns, as in the side characters were a little bit better than the main character. Hassan gets great lines, he gets monologues. I liked Lindsay, she was cool. You can tell there were a lot of layers to her character. One thing I really liked was there is this scene where she finds out that her boyfriend cheated on her and the guys defend her while she attacks him also. Its refreshing that for once the girlfriend didn't just blame the other women. I didn't like her boyfriend, you could tell the book only used him as a plot device considering it happened 30 pages 3 chapters before the book end. Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed it. Its the type of book where you read it once and that's enough.


Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked the story. The plot could be broken up into 3 parts. The first part is someone blackmailing Simon about his emails with a guy and his sexuality. The second part is Simon's life along with his family and friends. The third part is the mystery of Blue, who's the person Simon has been emailing prior to the story. I thought that Simon was great. he was funny. smart. witty. He's into theater, video games, eating Oreos. His family was a joy to read about. I liked the dynamic they had with each other, their traditions were quirky. His friends were funny. There is a little love triangle thing that his friends have with each other that is unspoken. Nick likes Abby and Leah likes Nick. I liked all of his friends. Although, I felt bad for Leah throughout the book because they kept ditching her twice. Simon and Blue. Their relationship was adorable. I loved reading their emails. I had a few suspects of my own but leaned towards one of them more than the others. Turns out, I was right on who the person ended up being. I thought the ending was good, not great. It felt that it ended abruptly. Yes, they get together, but I don't know it seemed liked something was missing. Overall, I gave the book 4 stars. One thing I liked the most about the book was that Simon did not have sex. In fact, it's something that he talks about with Blue in one of their emails. I liked this aspect because it showed that not everyone does those things and that's okay. There are people who haven't kissed anyone or had sex at their age. I liked that it wasn't something that Simon was ashamed to admit or Blue either. It showed diversity in YA. There should be more representation of people who haven't had those experiences yet. Let's be honest, not everyone has been kissed or had sex in high school, Maybe, they did later on in life. The point is that it's okay if they had. It is their choice to make and that's what most important.

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Saturday, June 4, 2016

Review: Solitaire

Solitaire Solitaire by Alice Oseman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Solitaire has made the list as one of my favorite debuts of 2016. The characters are realistic and honest. Tori, Michel, Charlie, Nick, Becky, and Lucas are all characters who are flawed and brilliant. The main character Tori is relatable from the music she listens to and the movies she watched. Another thing I wanted to mention is the way mental illness is portrayed when it comes to Charlie, Tori's brother as well as Tori herself. Charlie suffers from anxiety and anorexia prior to the beginning of the book. By the time, the book starts he has it under more control. Tori, on the other hand suffers from depression throughout the entire book. The only people who notice is are Michel and Charlie. What I loved about this aspect of the book was that it wasn't something that just went away as soon as the girl met the guy that in common in books that deal with mental illness. This was not the case. For one thing, Tori's depression doesn't go away. She deals with it constantly, she has good days and she has bad days. It is an honest portrayal. I loved the friendship between Tori and Michel, and I was happy that this book has no romance in it. These were two characters who had formed a strong bond because they were two lonely people who were both angry at the world. One of my favorite scenes is when Michel and Tori are watching Beauty and The Beast at a party. It's a sweet scene because it's the first time that Michel is vulnerable around Tori. Charlie and Nick were great together. I loved their relationship, it was sweet. I loved this book and I can't wait to pick up Alice Oseman's second book, Radio Silence. I would recommend this book for fans of John Green, Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Catcher in The Rye.


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Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Review: Trouble Is a Friend of Mine

Trouble Is a Friend of Mine Trouble Is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was great. I loved the premise of it. It had a john hugh and veronica mars type of feel to it. I liked the characters. Zoe, Digby and their crew were amazing. Zoe was a sarcastic narrator, I liked her and her dynamics with the guys. There was this one scene where Digby and Henry have to get something away from a girl but they can't because they don't hit girls, so Zoe just slaps her and she falls down. It was one of the best scenes. I feel that themes of the book were friendship, not judging people based on their appearance, and family. I liked the relationship between Zoe and her mother, i felt that it was realistic with how they were both dealing with changes. Now, I know this book has been marked as a romance also, but the hint of a romance was at the end between the characters. Luckily, there is a sequel that comes out in November 2016. It's called Trouble Makes A Comeback. I'm excited for it because Digby comes back and Zoe has friends and is dating a guy in the sequel. :) I rated this book 5 stars and would highly recommend it if you're looking for something light and fun to read.

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Thursday, May 5, 2016

May TBR

May TBR
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo 
The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood
 :) I'm excited the most for A Court of Mist and Fury because I love Sarah J Maas's books and her characters are incredibly written. Anything by Morgan Matson is a must read. Her books are great and they always make you feel good after you read them. If I was your girl is a story about a trans girl and the author is a trans-woman. I loved the premise of the book because it's not about this girl who is coming out, it's about the experiences that she goes through, new school, new friends, romantic relationships. This is my first book where the protagonist is an LGBTQ character and  I love that it is representation of the people in the trans community because their stories are not often told in YA books. Most YA books feature  a lesbian, gay, queer, or bisexual character and they are sometimes the protagonist but most of the time they are a side character. It's great and I can't wait to read the book. The next book is a new author for me. It is about this girl who lost her grandfather over the summer a year ago and the summer was important for her because she had a secret boyfriend, she fell in love, and her best friend moved away. There is a hint of time travel because the character does go back to that summer where certain events happened. I thought the premise sounded interesting. I'm excited to try this book.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Review: A Study in Charlotte

A Study in Charlotte A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazing! I loved the plot, it was fast paced. I flew through this book in 2-3 days. It pays homage to the Sherlock stories and the characters. Although Charlotte and James are descendants of Sherlock and Watson, they are still individuals with flaws. Charlotte's wittiness is identical to Sherlock. The friendship between Charlotte and James was great. I liked their dynamic, you can tell they balanced each other well. I was impressed by the way they portrayed Charlotte's addiction, as we all know Sherlock had a problem as well. Along with the topic of rape. One of my favorite lines that Charlotte says in one scene is " You orchestrated my rape and you call me a whore?" I love that line because it's so powerful, it shuts down slut-shaming and victim blaming. I loved the epilogue because since James is the narrator, at the end Charlotte is going through what he wrote which is what Sherlock does to John. This is going to be a trilogy which I am excited about because I love the characters and I liked how the romance is only hinted since it is the first book obviously James is attracted to Charlotte, it's possible that she may feel something for him or at least starting to. I loved there is one kiss scene and it's very short. In that scene, Charlotte says that that's all she can do because she is still getting over being raped and James respects that and does not pressure her in any way.

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Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beautiful! Such an amazing story about friendship, family, and sexuality. Along with the ideas of how masculinity is viewed from both Aristotle and Dante. I loved the parents and how their presence were in the book. I adored the friendship between Aristotle and Dante. I liked how the story wasn't necessary a coming out story for either boy, it was more about two characters who were discovering themselves. There were beautiful quotes that I wanted to highlight but sadly I couldn't because it was a library book. I'm happy that there is going to be a sequel! I need to know happens to the boys and their families. Does Ari write to his brother? Did Dante's mom have a boy or girl? More importantly, did Ari and Dante go to prom together? These are questions that I need answers to. Highly recommend this book to anyone. I am definitely buying my own copy.

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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Chapter 7

I really think the universe is out to get me. Next class I had was Music. I'm thinking that it would be more about the history of it. Not even close. Its a class that involves singing. When I walked in, Mike patted the seat next to him. Looking around the room, my opinions were either to sit next to the kid who smelled like pot or the kid who talked to himself. I chose to sit next to Mike. He smiled and went to grab my hand, I turned to him "Listen, this hand holding is getting out of hand, and your ex already hates me so please don't make it worse". I was proud of myself. He would stop doing it. Maggie would never bother me again and I would live a care free life. Or so I thought. Thinking he's proving a point, Mike does the exact opposite of what I said. This time, he had a speech. " One, who I hold hands with is no ones business except mine. Two, Maggie is my ex of course she's going to be jealous of any girl who's within a 10 foot radius of me. Three, I like holding your hand, is that a crime? Friends hold hands too you know? Its not just limited to couples. I like spending time with you and I know you like it too. Whether you like or not, we're friends. We're drawn to each other and you know it , because guess what I am interested to you". He then leaned over and kissed my cheek. The teacher came in then with a girl next to her. She was in her mid 40s with blonde hair and blue eyes. The girl next to her looked around my age. She was petite, wore glasses and had  soft features. The teacher stood in front of the room. " Since last year, we did solos. This year we are going to be doing duets. The girl next to me is going to be our composer for the songs you guys will be performing.  Please welcome, Ms. Kelsey Neilson. She is a junior at Julliard and has composed many pieces including musicals at her high school. She is currently on break right now and will be assisting us for the time being". This girl sounds accomplished, why is she wasting her time here? I noticed she kept staring at me and Mike. I decided to ignore it and focus on the teacher. "As I said before, we are going to do duets, so would two people like to volunteer to start us off?". No one raised their hand, most of them just looked at her with a blank stare. The teacher looked determined though. " Very well then, I will pick the two students then". She looked at the roster and closed her eyes, stuck out her finger and chose the names. " Sam Montez and Mike Gold". Just kill me down. Why did this happen? I don't sing anymore and now I'm forced to? I can refuse. But, nope. Mike pulled me from my seat and went towards where the teacher was was. "  Great ,OK now I just want to hear how you guys sound together.Duets are about having an emotional connection with your partner".  Kelsey started on the piano. I recognized that it was Begin Again by Taylor Swift  The only reason I know the song is because Charlotte sent me a playlist of her current favorite songs, and that was one of them.  What the hell. Its only for today. I started. (Sam's lines are in italics, Mike's are in bold, when they harmonize, it's underlined)
Took a deep breath in the mirror
He didn't like it when I wore high heels
But I do
Turn the lock and put my headphones on
He always said he didn't get this song
But I do, I do
 Mike joined in. His voice was strong.
Walked in expecting you'd be late
But you got here early and you stand and wave
I walk to you
You pull my chair out and help me in
And you don't know how nice that is
But I do
And you throw your head back laughing like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
And we walked down the block to my car and I almost brought him up
But you start to talk about the movies that your family watches
Every single Christmas and I want to talk about that
And for the first time what's past is past
Cause you throw your head back laughing like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
When we were done, the teacher was clapping. " amazing, absolutely amazing. Are you sure you guys never sang together before? Because you guys have amazing chemistry". Mike smiled at that. "um no this is the first time", I said. The teacher smiled. " Well, I am impressed. You guys were incredible. In fact, I've decided you two will perform two songs in our end of the year ceremony.Kelsey will work on them with you". 
I'm sorry, what? No, not happening. Kelsey looked at us and gave us a smile. When class was over, Kelsey walked towards us. " I'm sorry if this sound weird but you guys look a lot like a couple I know, they had the same chemistry you guys have". Well, it is possible to have doppelgangers in some parts of the world. Mike and I looked at each other. " Can we see a picture of them?", we said together. Ok, that was weird. "Sure", she said and took out her cellphone. She scrolled through her phone, and stopped at a picture. No way. In the picture, it showed a couple who looked identical to us. The girl was wearing a flowery dress and her hair was in curls. The boy was wearing a tuxedo with his arms around the girl. They were both smiling and laughing. 
 " You guys could their twins or cousins, their names are Troy and Gabriella. They go to separate colleges.", Kelsey said. 
" That's sad", I said. I didn't want to sound insensitive. " Huh, oh they didn't break up, they're still together, actually they're engaged", said Kelsey smiling. Wow engaged at I did the math in my head, 20. That's not much older than me and Mike. I'm 18, my birthday is in the summer. We were still walking in the hallway.
Mike was walking next to me.
 " Well, that's great, good luck to them", Mike said. I nodded. " Yeah, they want to finish college first and then they'll plan it. So for now it's a long engagement", she said. She continued, " I'm telling you guys have the exact same chemistry they have, I'll show you tomorrow. They were the leads in the musicals that I composed in high school, so I have a lot of the songs they did", she said. Mike decided that it was the perfect time to put his arm around me. " We would love to see it sometime," he said smiling. " Great I will bring  them in tomorrow", she said.  Kelsey left and then it was just Mike and me. " You can get your arm off me now," I said.  " hmmm no thanks, I'm good", he said. I decided to change the subject. " So, do you really want to do the songs,?" I asked. I didn't want him to feel forced to do it. If he didn't want to, then that was fine with me. I'm used to working on my own. " Yea, I think it would be fun", Mike said smirking. " You didn't tell me you could sing". I stood quiet. " I didn't think it was important", I said. " I saw how you sang and it did not look like your first time, you were comfortable", he said serious. He's going to find out sooner or later. Might as well be now. I sighed. " Bandslam, I Can't Go on, I'll Go On", I said softly. 
Mike looked confused. " what does that mean?". he said.
" Youtube it", I said. With that, I left him standing there with a confused expression on his face.

March Update

School has started so I have not been on that much as before. I though that I would do an update of what's i'm currently reading, watching, and some favorite songs of mine at the moment.

Currently Reading
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
I am excited to be reading more diverse books and what better way than one from my own culture. I am Hispanic, My parents are from Peru. It's fun to read a book that is similar to your culture. Aristotle and Dante are two Mexican American boys growing up in the 80s. Another reason I picked up this book, it takes places in the 80s, I love the 80s era the music, clothes, and the music.
Currently Watching
The Flash- loving it, it's funny seeing Grant Gustin go from Glee to a being a superhero.
Sherlock- On season 3
Supergirl- Just recently started it
Favorite songs
Ariana Grande- Dangerous Women
Alessia Cara- Overdose
Troye Sivan- Wild, Youth
Sabrina Carpenter- Smoke and Fire
Ellie Goulding- Something in the way You Move
Hailee Steinfield- Rock Bottom
Halsey- Colors
School
I'm taking French 102 and Math 119, I am brushing up on my french and I would love some movie, songs, and book recommendations. It would really help me get immersed in the language, Also, I can finally use a calculator in math, last semester I couldn't because i don't know professors are stupid. It's math, we have to use calculators. Not all of us can do numbers in ours heads like Matilda.
Anyways, That is all for now. Oh, I have been publishing my stories that I've written on here on Wattpad. :)

Friday, March 11, 2016

Chapter 6

We entered the classroom, since we ran from the stairs we were still holding hands. I didn't noticed it until the teacher commented. "ah young love, how sweet, but not sweet enough to be 5 minutes late to class. Mr. Gold I'm sure you and your girlfriend will not  make it a habit", he said frowning.
I was about to protest that I was not his girlfriend, but Mike just said," Yes, Mr. Lewis, we're sorry it won't happen again". "Good", said Mr Lewis as he pointed to seats in the back, " since you both were late, you will have to seat in the back, also Mr gold you don't have to grab your girlfriend's hand to do that. I'm sure she's capable of managing by herself". I smiled at that, he can finally let go of my hand. I walked to the desk and and sat down while Mike sat on the other side.
" This semester we are going to be discovering how media impacts our society. Can anyone tell me other ways we connect?", he said.
Connect, there was that word again. For me, music was always the way I connected. Its not just songs, they are stories being told through the experiences of the singer. I raised my hand. Mr.Lewis looked at me, " yes, Miss Montez.". " I think a way we connect is through music. We listen to songs about different experiences and we relate to them because we may have gone through them at some point in our lives", I said.
" Interesting perspective, would anyone else like to share their thoughts on the matter?", said Mr Lewis. Nobody raised their hand. I was surprised when Mike raised his hand. " Yes, Mr Gold," he said.
Mike looked at me and then began. " Love. The way we love our family, friends,and significant others. We support and are always there to help them, even when they don't want us to.The same goes for relationships. The ones that we think are going to last forever don't. Then, there are the ones that happen unexpectedly, because you never thought that this would be a person you would be drawn to". " Very Insightful, ok guys now for homework I want you guys to pick a topic that is important to you and document it. It can be about anything at all. I want to know how you guys present yourself when it comes to media",said Mr. Lewis.
It was an interesting homework. I was going to choose books but that's too general. Music is easier. I can talk about the 80s and 90s era, my favorite genres, artists, songs. I'm not going to sing any though. I don't sing since I did Bandslam. I don't know, after my break up with Will, it felt like it was a piece of him more than me. I sang with the band as a last minute thing because Charlotte wasn't around. I still talk to her from time to time. She's studying to be a teacher. Last thing I want is to be reminded of Will.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Showing Up | Alex G (Original Song)

Cast in a Webseries!

I auditioned for a webseries adaption of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde and I got the role of Robin Guest! :)
I auditioned twice for two different characters. I'm excited because it's my first acting role ever. I acted in middle school and high school, minor things mostly monologues. It is called the Dissertation of Henrietta Jekyll.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Review: Me Before You

Me Before You Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I though that I was going to be reading a romance, what I got was an emotional rollercoaster. This book was very intense because of the emotional scenes that it had along with the topics discussed in the book. The characters of Louisa and Will were great. They were real people with personalities and flaws. You really felt the level of anxiety that Louisa felt, I felt it while I was reading the book that I had to put it down sometimes. I though the way the author handled the topic was done well. It is a controversial topic so I liked that it was addressed from both sides, without it feeling like it was being forced down on us. I like their families. The character of Louisa's boyfriend Patrick was annoying, you can tell that he was only used as a plot device to further Louisa and Will's relationship. Speaking of them, I loved how their relationship developed throughout the book. They helped each other Will taught Louisa how to broad her horizons. While its Will that encourages her, I feel that it would have been better if Louisa did it the other times, instead of relying on Will. We're told she's intelligent, so it makes Louisa seem that she wouldn't have even though of those things herself unless Will suggested it. Some things I feel could have been developed more was the dialogue and the pacing. Also, there was a scene suggesting that Louisa was sexually assaulted when she was in her early 20s. It mentioned only once with Will. I think that could been explored a little more. It seemed that it impacted her because she still doesn't go back there since it happened to her. The ending was why I expected. There was no other way it would have been different. I rated this book 4 stars. I highly recommend it.

View all my reviews

Monday, February 29, 2016

GMW fanfic, Right in Front of Her

After they entered the NYU dorm. Maya froze. She had wanted to leave. She knew it was too late, but Riley had to push her into confronting them. There he was sitting down with two girls next to him on the bed and a guy on his side. He looked surprised when he saw them. " Maya?, Riley?". Josh exclaimed shocked. He knew that his brother would kill him if he knew they were here.
"Whoa, Josh, you know these girls?, How you doing?, said his friend Zeke.  Josh was about to say that they weren't their age but in middle school. It's hard to tell anymore now a days.
May decided to let him know, since Riley was frozen. She looked at Zeke and said, "We're in middle school," she said in a sharp tone. That did it. Zeke then turned to Josh when he realized this. " Oh, um they can't be here, Josh". Now, Zeke felt awkward, it was one thing to hit on girls his age but to hit on girls in middle school is another thing.
 " Yes, we were just leaving actually," said Maya . "Wait", said one of the girls to the side of the bed. She was a little bit taller than Maya, had long black hair and brown eyes. " I'm curious about this, What's your name?", the girl said to Maya. May was surprised she thought she was talking to Riley. For some reason she looked honest.
"Maya", she said. The girl then motioned to the other girl next to her. " Ok, so Maya I'm guessing that you have a crush on Josh, am i correct in assuming this?, by the way I'm Sarah and this is Grace.", said Sarah. "It's not a crush," Maya said quickly. It wasn't. Just then the door knocked and it was the sorority girls who took Riley in, while Josh went to go get her back. She though that would be the end but soon enough Lucas came in. " Thank god, i was looking everywhere for you," said Lucas. Sarah, Grace, and Zeke focused on the scene in front of them. " Huckleberry, I told Riley to text you in case we were going to be late, that didn't mean you had to come here", said Maya a little annoyed. Lucas was surprised. Of course he was going to come, it's dangerous at night especially for girls. " I got worried, it's not safe at this time", he said. " Don't worry we can handle ourselves, well I can, Riley not so much," Maya chuckled at that. "Good", he smiled at her then. That's when they were aware that they were being watched. " Oh, we're sorry, we didn't mean to stare at you guys,"said Grace. " It's just that we noticed how comfortable you guys are with each other, Maya, you were smiling when he said he was worried about you", said Sarah. What were they saying? She was not smiling at him.
" He implied it to both of us right?", said Maya as she looked to Lucas. He was on the spot. In a way yes he did mean both but mostly Maya. She puts up walls around her so people don't see her fragile.
" Um," he was about to answer when Josh came back in with Riley.
" Maya, I though you were going to leave", said Josh " Maya told you guys about her crush", said Riley.
" It's not a crush", she said again. She was getting tired of repeating herself. She sat down on the bed next to Sarah and Grace. Lucas was beside her. " I just thought that if I did something like this, Josh would take me seriously and we could reach some sort of understanding", she said softly. Josh then stood up and went near her, " We have an understanding, you're going  home and I'm staying here", he said. Lucas wanted to punch him then. How dare he treat her like that?. It's one thing to not feel the same way but to just dismiss it as if it's nothing, he had a problem with that.
" Hey, you could at least be a little kinder to her, she's basically telling you her feelings and you're dismissing them," said Lucas with his arms crossed. Sarah, Grace and Zeke all crowded Maya. " He's right, dude" said Zeke. " "Guys, she's three years younger than me," said Josh crossing his arms.
" She's what 14 and you're 17 right?", said Grace
" Yup", said Josh." Ok, well right now for you, Maya that may seem like a lot but in 4 years you'll be 18 and Josh may look at you differently then. Lucas was not the type of person who said when someone was wrong. But, this girl gave bad advice. Wait 4 year like Maya is just going to wait around until Josh notices her.
He couldn't be silent anymore. " Well, I don't want that for Maya, I want Maya to be happy. I'm sorry but do you really think she's just going to wait just hoping that you like her in 4 years. If you do, then you don't know her. Maya is the most incredible person I have ever met. She's smart even when she tries to hide in class. She is loyal to her friends and family and is always there for them. She's a great artist, and I want her to get better because I know she has so much talent that she needs to share with people. Also, I have never known anyone that is selfless and compassionate as she is despite her home life. But, I also know that there are times where she gets insecure whether it's about her height or her dad leaving her and her mom. Her dad left her when she was 5 and every day she hoped that she would wake up and he would be there, but he never was. She stopped hoping because she learned that if you hope for things, you end up disappointed, So please, don't give her false hope. She's been through enough already".
 By the time Lucas was done, Sarah, Grace, and Zeke all looked at Maya. Maya was surprised by Lucas's speech about her, she had expected it to come from Riley, never expected it would come from the cowboy. He was right the more she thought about it, she would probably date around in four years than stick hoping for one guy, She liked Josh, He was always there for his family. He wanted to see his brother proud of him and Auggie liked him too. He was also, she realized that most of what she liked about him had to do with his family. She couldn't think of one thing about him as a person besides his eyes and smile. It's how Riley described Lucas when she started to like him. She thought it was different when it came to her but they're actually the same thing. She looked at Josh then " I'm sorry for coming here and you're right I am a little girl with a stupid crush on you, but you're also to blame too. See, at least I knew I liked you, but you're the one who also flirted with me when it was the holidays,the family game night, and Riley's first date. I'm sorry for thinking that you maybe liked me a little bit even though you knew I was younger than you. Don't worry though, I won't ever bother you again so you can go stay here with your friends, I'm going home, it's bad enough i'm humiliated in front of strangers". Maya then walked towards Lucas, " So you're walking me home, Huckleberry or what?", she said as Lucas tipped his hat. " sure thing, ma'am". Maya pretended to be annoyed. Lucas and Maya walked out of the room talking, their voices being heard as they went further down.
"Wait, what about Riley?," Lucas said, Maya looked back towards the room where Riley was.
" She'll be fine, Josh can walk her home anyway", said Maya. Reassured that Riley was going to be ok, Maya went on talking to him. " Thanks for saying those things about me, it meant a lot to me" she said softly.
" Anytime", he said smiling.
"So, are you sure you're ok, you know with the whole Josh thing", Lucas said with his eyebrows raised.
" Yea, I mean, it was a crush and my second one at most. It did hurt, but it's not like we dated or anything like that. Crushes are complicated. One minute you like one guy, the next another guy."she said.
" So how was the other guy?", asked Lucas
" What?", she said
" You said this was your second crush so you had a first one then, who was the guy?", he said
This was not where she thought it was going, he can't know about her first crush. No one knows not even Riley, especially Riley. She'll tell him someday but no today.
" That's a story for another time, Sundance," she said smirking.
" Good, then I'm looking forward to it", said Lucas.
He wanted to know who it was. Part of him was curious about it while another part was anxious because he secretly hoped it was him. Knowing Maya Hart, It could be either one but that's what he liked about her the most.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Review: Inland

Inland Inland by Kat Rosenfield
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I though that the premise of the book was interesting. Definitely had my attention about it being about a different take on the mermaid myth. But, there wasn't really a plot when I read it. Callie's mother dies, she witnessed it, forced to forget it, then is sent away to another place with her father. The mermaid myths are here and there. Also, the mental illness that her mother and she had as well wasn't developed much as it could have been. I still don't remember what she was diagnosed with in the end. Which reminds me, the ending, I was confused it, it didn't explain anything. I really think the book itself could have shorter, and subplots could have been taken out. The idea was great, the writing, beautiful but the execution not so much. I picked this book up 3 times. Also, I think the ending should have been in the beginning instead because It's Callie's memory of that day that when her mom died. That would have made more sense because then we would have gotten an idea of what it was like, instead of it being mentioned here and there.



Currently Reading : Me Before You by Jojo Meyes

I just got back from the library and I got Me Before You by Jojo Meyes, I am ready excited to start this book. Also, it is my first adult book that i will be reading this year. I want to expand the genres that I read this year. I am excited for the movie, the trailer looks amazing. It has been praised and praised by many people. But, I am going into it with low expectations because you never want to go into a book with very high expectations because you may end up disappointed.  

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Chapter 5

I think if I close my eyes, the day would on faster. But, the universe had other plans. , its lunch time in the cafeteria. You can always tell who the cliques are right away. Looking at Mike's table, he's in the middle surrounded by two guys, and I think a sophomore girl is about to approach him. They are the jocks of the school. Then, there are the geeks, cheerleaders, skaters, theater kids, and finally the popular girls. Looking at Maggie's table, she was obviously one. She was laughing with her friends as a freshmen tripped on a banana peel. 
I was walking towards a table, when I felt someone grab my wrist. You can probably guess who it was. 
" , Sam, come sit with me", Mike said gesturing towards his table. I noticed that his friends laughed when I looked at them. I don't want to hang around lunkhead jocks. 
" No thank, I'm good here," I said trying to get his grip off me. Man, this guy is strong. The guy does not give up though. He looked around the cafeteria.
" I get it, not your scene come on I know a better place," he said pulling my hand and leading me out. I don't know where he's taking me.  We're walking in the hallway when he takes a shortcut through one of the doors. Then we walked the stairs until we got to a door. 
Mike put a finger to his lips, " No one knows about this place ok", he said as he opened the door.
It was a garden although its mostly like a jungle.
" Wow, this is amazing", I said looking around the garden. Mike smiled and said, " I figured its a better place than the cafeteria, this way we can talk and no one can bother us".  
There were roses and lilies of different colors everywhere. I saw Mike grab a rose while we walked and he put it in his back pocket. There was a bench nearby so we sat down there. 
" So, what do you want to talk about?",  I said.  Mike laughed and said " well I was thinking the English assignment first, loved your answer by the way".
I was surprised. I didn't think anyone liked it. I just answered honestly. 
" So, who was the guy?". he said questionably. 
" Excuse me?", I said confused. Why is it important to him who it was. It's not like it matters. We had a relationship and then we didn't.
" You were obviously thinking of him when you answered the question, i was just curious," he said smiling.
Might as well tell him but he doesn't need to know everything. I'll keep it short and brief.
" He was my ex", I said softly. 
" How long did you guys date?", Mike asked
 Why does everyone ask this question when it comes to break ups?  It doesn't matter how long a couple dates, what matters is the time and the memories they had together.
" A year", I said firmly.
" Wow, it must have been tough, who did it then?" he said 
" It was mutual", I said. I learned a long time ago to always say mutual. That way no one gets hurts and feelings are spared.
" Enough about my relationship, how about yours?", I said crossing my arms at him. Now it's his turn.
Mike paused and cleared his throat. " We dated junior year and it was great the first few months. We were happy, always together. I remember this one time we stayed up all night talking and neither of us went to school that day. But then, as the months went on we would argue about everything, me not spending enough time with her because of basketball season. She would get mad if i didn't call her back or wait for her after school. She would get jealous of any girl who would look at me or talk to me. I swear to you, one time a freshmen had wanted an autograph of mine and she had pushed them out of the way. I think we just stuck with each other because it got comfortable. But, i knew it had to end".
" That's intense", I said. When it came to our relationship, we would have disagreements, but it would never be full blown out arguments.
" Yea, it was but now I'm better" he said
" who knows, you could meet someone new this year", I said.
He smiles, " Maybe, i already did".  i noticed that he kept going to his back pocket. He took out a white rose from it and held it out out me. 
" Thank you, it's-", I started to say but was cut off.
" I'm worthy of you", he said smiling.
" What?", I said confused.
He started laughing. " It's what white roses mean. Also, new beginnings which i think suits our situation".
Of course. 
" Right, I knew that, I said. 
" Of Course, you did, he said.
The bell rang which meant lunch was over. I was going to go on ahead first but Mike had other ideas. He held my hand and dragged me down the stairs, " Come on, we don't want to be late for Media Studies", he said as we ran down the stairs.