Looking for Alaska by John Green | REVIEW

Title: Looking for Alaska

Author: John Green

Number of Pages: 221

Date Published: March 3, 2005

Rating: 4.5/5

SUMMARY

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green's arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction. (goodreads)

QUOTE

"Alaska, this is Pudge. Pudge memorizes people's last words. Pudge, this is Alaska. She got her boob honked over the summer." - Chip/The Colonel

REVIEW

Where to start? It's been a while since I read this, I've just recently skimmed over it some, so bear with me... When I bought this book on my shopping spree, it was the very last one on the shelf and the cover itself had me in looove. I didn't quite expect the harsh content this novel addresses, though. Not to say I didn't like it, I mean; but... *Shrugs* I'm not used to things being thrown so blandly in, things like sex and cursing and drugs. But that's what being a teenager is all about.

But this book isn't only about that. It goes with the emotions and feelings and wonders of life all teens experience, and it really hits close to home for the YA readers who pick it up and try it out. It deals with loss of a loved one, acquirement of new friends, family, and enemies. Pudge's journey for the Great Perhaps rocekts you into a world of broken rules, drinking games, deep-hearted religious discussions, and deep-thought words.

The writing is fantastic. It's easy to look over the raw use of cursing when it comes to Pudge's thoughts—it's just who he is. It's hard to connect to some of the characters first, but I think that's how this book is meant to be perceived. Pudge has a hard time connecting to them all too, but eventually becomes one of them. Each character has a different trait, a diversity that's healthy for this novel.

Now, one thing I notice is that so many people compare this to Lord of the Flies and The Catcher in the Rye. Here's my question:

How. The. Heck?

I loved Looking for Alaska...despised Lord of the Flies and Catcher in the Rye. How does that work? I honestly see nothing of Holden Caulfield in Pudge... Pudge has determination. He has a goal he's working for. He's in love. The last thing is just about the only damn thing I see in common between them. Holden is pathetic, unmotivated, and just plain boring. Sorry for Catcher in the Rye lovers, ignore my bashing! Carrying on, the only similarity of Lord of the Flies is the lack of authority—but it's not that there's a lack in Alaska. Just a disregard of it.

Who knows? Maybe it's just me. Probably. It's hard for me to get so attached to classics. I get my hopes up for them when people rave on and on about them, and I end up disappointed. Just about the only ones I like are Where the Red Fern Grows and The Call of the Wild. Enough about the classics, back to Alaska!

...Which definitely deserves a place on the shelves with those classics.

You'll find yourself falling for each character. For the Colonel's no-nonsense, video-gaming, pranking attitude and Alaska's addicting no-laws-to-life rule. Takumi's Japanese charm and humor leads you on, and even Lara's timidity draw you in like an addict for the words Pudge uses to describe them all.

Once you reach 'After', you feel the grief and rage at Alaska's loss. You understand Pudge's feelings, his hopelessness, his loss for the girl he loved, his Great Perhaps. You follow him, delving into the mystery of suicide versus accident with him. The curiosity isn't annoying or boring, only sad. You may find tears in his conclusions, you may find relief or any swirling mass of emotions.

Looking for Alaska is an amazing book that I recommend. If you don't mind drinking, cigarettes, and sex, at least. [If you couldn't guess, that's what contributed the -0.5 stars. (: ] Cheers for Alaska Young and John Green! My friend met him a few weeks ago. Incredibly jealous...

SWEEP (Volume 2) by Cate Tiernan | REVIEW

Title: Sweep, Volume 2 [Dark Magick; Awakening; Spellbound]

Author: Cate Tiernan

Number of Pages: 564

Published: November 11, 2010

Rating: 4/5



SUMMARY

Morgan Rowlands is a blood witch, the last of a long line of ancient and powerful witches and the holder of an unfathomable power. With the help of her love, her soul mate, Cal, she has realized her true self - but at at price. For Morgan and Cal share a terrible, dark secret, one that binds them together even as they are rent apart. Yet there is something about Cal's hunger for magick that frightens Morgan.... And now there is another one who can bring Morgan clarity, truth... love. Morgan must decide who is her true love, and who is out to destroy her forever.... (goodreads)

QUOTE

"I struck out blindly with my hand and brought it down on the candle flame. There was a hiss and a faint, charring smell. And I was alone in the darkness." - Morgan Rowlands [Awakening]

"But it's pointless to consider. One cannot escape one's destiny - if you hide from it, it will find you. If you deny it, it will kill you." - Hunter Niall/Giomanach [Dark Magick]

REVIEW [Spoilers this time.]

Where in the first volume everything has unravelled, this new volume follows up with the reunion of feelings and characters and hopes and dreams. Dark Magick, the fourth book, immediately throws you into back into the mix of Morgan's life, turned upside-down after the murder of Hunter Niall—the murder she and Cal committed. Grief and guilt haunt her, ravage her, eat her from the inside out.

Yet in the end, it was the right thing to do. He was going to kill Cal. Right? Right? No. Instantly things turn awry when Cal introduces Morgan to his little Wiccan sanctuary, his sheomar; and from there on she feels something. Her magick knows something is off, and it keeps trying to warn her of the hunger Cal possesses for all things dark, all things capable of being controlled.

The roller coaster ride won't let you go. Up, up, up on your high as Morgan reassures herself that Cal is safe, good, her muirn beatha dan—and bam! Hunter's alive! Morgan is forced to start questioning everything, and soon enough she finds herself knowing that Hunter is right, Cal is evil, and he reveals it. This roller coaster is spiraling downward, making your stomach drop as Morgan comes to the realization that Cal was wrapping her around his little finger this whole time; casting spells on her and entrancing her.

After attempting to kill Morgan the way her mother Bradhadair was killed [burned to death], Cal and Selene flee. Bree, Morgan's former best friend; and Robbie, her other best friend, come to her rescue. End book 4, instantly back in the action with Awakening.

Now, I think this volume went slower after this. It seemed that events were forced along, as though Morgan just sits up one day and says, "I think something needs to happen today. Oh, hey, I sense magick!" Tiernan masks it well, but that's the vibe I got. You aren't moving at all like the breakneck pace you're thrown into with the previous books. But I suppose with Cal and Selene out of the picture, it's inevitable—they took all the action with them. But in response you gain Morgan's struggle to trust Hunter and Sky, and her denial as one of her friends could have opened himself to dark magick.

Another thing I believe was lacking in this volume was the cooperation with Morgan and her friends. Morgan and Bree are trying to mend their relationship, but this is really all you get, it seems. You see other characters interacting, but never Morgan with them. The circles she performs with her coven don't seem as strong and entrancing as they were before, but you can give the excuse of Cal leaving again.

Awakening was the boring book of this volume, I'll say it now. It ends with one of Morgan's friends being prosecuted. Spellbound makes up for it, but at this point is when I really think everything starts chugging along because it's being forced to. It seems as though some characters are just there because they need to be. It never felt natural. The story remained entrancing, I promise—it was just hard to swallow when you were speeding through it like I was.

The provocations of Cal and Selene, the tense relationship between Morgan and Hunter, the blossoming attraction between characters such as Sky and Raven; Ethan and Shannon; Bree and Robbie are addicting. Even the arc in which Morgan struggles on whether to take revenge on three boys harassing her gay aunt draws you in. The humor remains in this edition, and so does the high school drama [Mary K. and Bakker].

I still recommend this. The only downsides with these additions to the Sweep series were how everything seemed nudged along and the lack of interaction between Morgan and other people. Otherwise, just as good as the last three. Onto Volume 3!

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Reading: Fire and Ice - Erin Hunter

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Sweep [3] - Cate Tiernan

Listening to: Mirage Coordinator - Best of Umineko

Watching: NCIS

Quote: "I don't know... I can't explain it. ...But the lonely little girl I met when I was younger, and the girl we knew as Nyu... I love them both." - Kohta [Anime: Elfen Lied; Episode 13]

SWEEP (Volume 1) by Cate Tiernan | REVIEW

Title: Sweep, Volume 1 [Book of Shadows; The Coven; Blood Witch]

Author: Cate Tiernan

Number of Pages: 592

Published: July 1, 2007

Rating: 5/5

SUMMARY

The first three Sweep books bound into one gorgeous edition! Morgan Rowlands never thought she was anything other than a typical sixteen-year-old girl. But when she meets Cal, a captivatingly handsome coven leader, she makes a discovery that turns her whole world upside down: she is a witch, descended from an ancient and powerful line. And so is Cal. Their connection is immediate and unbreakable; Cal teases out Morgan's power, her love, her magick. But Morgan discovers too soon that her powers are strong - almost too powerful to control. And she begins to suspect that Cal may be keeping secrets from her . . . secrets that could destroy them both.

QUOTE

“I looked deeply into the fire, and the timeless, eternal dance of colors I saw there was so beautiful, I wanted to cry.” —Morgan Rowlands

REVIEW

I got this book for much less than it was worth. I bought it at a yard sale, and ended up getting the first volume and second volume for one dollar together. I was anxious when I started this book, what with Wicca being involved and all, but it’s really not too bad on that angle. Nothing is bad on any angle, really!

So, in general, this book was awesome. It shows a complete other lifestyle and an adjustment in it, cycling through different intervals at breakneck speeds. I especially love the description of how ‘with sweeping motions’, Morgan’s life is changing constantly. Morgan is independent, brave, and unpopular. Bree is Morgan’s best friend, and everything Morgan wants to be—attractive, popular, and unyielding. Cal is everything she wants, and Wicca is the start of a new life. The other characters, no matter how minor they may be, have distinguishing characteristics that make them memorable.

I really meant to make a review for Sweep at least four months ago, when I first read it—if not longer than that. But here it is, at last. I read it once, and I read it again in order to force myself to review it, and liked it even more the second time! In a seemingly innocent landscape, Morgan finds herself thrown into a world of magick and dark powers that threaten to engulf her. Her only saving grace is Cal, who may turn out to be the one behind it all. The tension there, unfortunately, doesn’t really start until the fourth book.

At the beginning of each chapter, there is an excerpt from a character’s Book of Shadows, which is like a diary, more or less. It’s intriguing—for the most part, you can tell who is writing what; and it’s invigorating to see how they’ve ended up where they are today. Such as [spoiler] Morgan’s birth mother, Maeve/Bradhadair. [/spoiler] The only thing I didn’t care for at this part was how these journal entries seem to jump in all directions. At one entry we’re at present day, at another we’re at their initiation at a witch... It got confusing.

And, honestly, for me, who could not love a book that involves the main character having a strong link with fire? Always have and always will!

Another aspect I enjoyed of Sweep was how easily the plot and secondary plots flowed together. Cal and Morgan’s magick unraveling into pure power, and Morgan’s discoveries, are the main plot. But you never forget the tensions between Morgan and Bree, Raven and Matt, Sharron and Ethan, etcetera etcetera. And just when you think it can’t get any better, you have two more breathtaking characters thrown at you—Sky and Hunter.

The books are fun to read, the plot is perfectly paced, and it would be easy to grow obsessed over these books. For Christmas I received the rest of the books—My Sweep series is complete! I won’t put too much else. I want to get more reviews done, and the more time I put on one the less I’ll put on others... I hope this gives you a general idea on how much I enjoyed this volume, however. Soon enough I’ll have the second volume up. More reviews to come!

Also, Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Reading: Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer

Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins

Sweep [Volume 2] – Cate Tiernan

Fire and Ice – Erin Hunter

Listening to: U.N. Owen Was Her – Touhou 6: The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil

Watching: Band of Brothers

Quote: “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!” (:

Friday/Saturday Five [OMG!] (15)

1. Searching Once Again - When I finished my first draft of Flame Dancer, I made the mistake of wearing down a list of agents by sending it out. The first draft. To professional agents. I regretted it later. Finally Kelly Mortimer rescued me by telling me that my draft needed major work. And at last, that work is completed and I'm on the hunt for agents again. I've always wanted to just get it done, grab the agents and send the letters out, but I'm older and understand now that I need to do more than just assume they'll jump at a new book like mine. I'm a conceited person, so it's hard for me to admit something like that, but to admit it is a step closer to a dream come true. (;

2. Christmas is Coming! - Are you excited? I know I am. I haven't asked for much, I don't think...mainly, wait for it... BOOKS! I also asked for a game, a Nightwish CD, a drawing pad, and some other random things... Everyone is in the Christmas spirit here already, and I love it. Already people are performing good deeds for one another without even thinking about it. The gift-giving feeling is just browsing around in the air. It's my favorite time of year. [/End strange song-like sounding paragraph]

3. On the Down-Side - Finals are coming up. Enough said.

4. L A Z I N E S S - I have so much on my review list. I have about eight books on there, if not more; I have Wayfinders to make, literary agents to mail, book plans to write down, people to speak to about school stuff, etc. I'm taking forever! Do you know why? ...Lol. It's because I am reading too much. See what my blog did to me!? I blame this on all of you! If you still read my blog, that is. (;

5. Song of the...Uh, Past Two Months? - I'm giving you three songs. Bite me. c:

Storytime - Nightwish [Album: Imaginaerum]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF. Lol, ironically as I posted this the "I am the -insert here-" verse was playing in This Is Halloween on The Nightmare Before Christmas.

U.N. Owen Was Her - Sound Sepher Remix

Dude, I don't even get it. I heard this song on piano and had to find it. Eventually one of my good friends gave me this remix and instantly I downloaded it. It's so intense!!

Dearly Beloved - Kingdom Hearts Destiny From Bak.R [Original - Yoko Shimomura]

I just found this song last night, and it's such an emotional and powerful song. I love it. <3

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Reading: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Listening to: Dearly Beloved - Yoko Shimomura/Bak.R
Watching: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Quote: "If you want war, prepare for peace."

Things I'd Like to be Able to do Every Day

Note: Irony is when you look up a picture to put that says "I AM ALIVE!" and get logos for a game your friend used scenes from in a fanmade trailer.

Yes... I. Am. Aliiiiive; believe it or not!

So, yes. This is the first thing I thought of to give a little kickstart to my blog after like, two months of no posts. See, I have plausible excuses this time! And I'll give pictures to make them more believable/fun!

1. School work. My teachers hate the thought of us not having any. |:

2. Christmas shopping early!

3. I got sick... Note that the above picture is by Axel-desu off DeviantArt.

4. This is the mightiest of them all... Either that, or "Do something right now ----> Okay...oh hey YouTube."

ANYWAYS! On with this random list, shall we?

1. Get up on time.
2. Get ready for school early so I have time to write and get a good parking spot.
3. Pay attention in class without thinking about how I can learn everything and write at the same time.
4. Be less annoyed with people.
5. Be happy!
6. Understand math.
7. Understand biology.
8. Do homework in study hall, don't procrastinate; work in library when homework is not in possession.
9. Go home and write for an hour or so instead of taking a nap.
10. Get along with people.
11. Text people without thinking "I feel like I'm ignoring them..."
12. Make Wayfinders WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED...and not two weeks later.
13. BE MORE PUNCTUAL!!!
14. Make myself write at least two posts on my blog during the week.
15. Be more responsible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
16. Make time for friends.
17. Visit family more.
18. Do homework the minute I get home, instead of playing video games or something.
19. Double check EVERYTHING.
20. Get a shower BEFORE 9:30 PM...
21. Be ready for bed BEFORE 11 PM...
22. Be in bed BY 11:30 PM...and not at 12:30...
23. Try to be enthusiastic about doing the same thing the next day.
24. Get eight hours of sleep.
25. Start writing my dreams down.
26. Essentially, just be epic for every day of the rest of my hopefullylonglife. :3

So that's about it. Yay! And, also, for those who might not know:

I saw the official trailer for it in theaters today, and almost screamed in excitement. Rue's melody at the end sent shivers up my spine... Aaaaand~

I saw this today, and everybody had been telling me it wasn't worth the money. I thought it was great! Kristen Stewart did her acting very well, Taylor Lautner was great as usual, and I didn't even mind Robert Pattinson all that much in this one! Very, very epic, actually. I put the score on my Christmas list, lol.
I'll leave ya alone now! If you looked at this, kudos! DFTBA!

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Listening to: U.N. Owen Was Her - Touhou 6
Watching: Twilight
[Re]Reading: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly/Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
No quotes today...

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han | Review

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Author: Jenny Han

Published: May 5, 2009

Number of Pages: 276

Rating: 5/5

SYNOPSIS

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. (goodreads)

QUOTE

“Moments, when lost, can't be found again. They're just gone.”

REVIEW

My friends at school recommended this book to me. It was kind of like the hype for The Hunger Games, except it was only the girls. The guys weren't bothering me about it (thank God, I would have been scared if they had). I was pretty skeptical—I like the magical, bloody stuff. A love story? Really? But I tried it out—after all, I needed something to hold me off for Tuesday. (At least I have the other two since I finished this one within six hours) But anyway, my friend dropped it off and I started it.

The story is more heartfelt than I was expecting. I think the thing that I love most about it is that the protagonist does happen to pout quite a bit, but she's aware of it. I don't see that very often. In fact, throughout a lot of the book it's emphasized that everyone knows it.

All of the characters are structured well, and you care about all of them. There were no really bad people in the book, and I loved it. It's really a kind of nice change of pace. And the love story involved really is nice. It's nothing totally out-of-whack, purely realistic. And then another element is added to the triangle, making it a square, and it's pretty awesome.

But that's not the big deal with this story. You don't realize the big deal until much later in. It's not about the love story, it's not about the main character maturing into a young woman. It's about the bonds between families and friends, how they can build and crumble over the years. How even the smallest glance can pin you into somebody's memory forever. How one small word, one small phrase, can change everything for better or worse. It shows how people can build up walls of cruelty or indifference to what they truly feel.

The more I think about this book, the more I like it. The language in it was spectacular, and refreshingly easy to read. You never had to reread something to understand it. You learn to tell one person's speech from another just from the way they word their sentences. The story turned deep at the climax, and I found myself getting choked up along with our protagonist. (This is my one gripe. Belly? Augh. I'm all for unique names, but anything other than something like that. It's just me, though; and my preferences.)

Another thing that sort of took away from the story for me was that it seems like no much happens. I started reading, and when I was one hundred pages in, it seemed like only about three major events had occurred. It sped up later, I know, but it took away from the surprise of the story somewhat. But I will grant that even when it seemed like not much was going on, you were intrigued with what you were reading.

Hm...what else? This story touches the issues of teen drugs, alcohol, and smoking. I do like that. It's not enough that the book completely discourages it, but it gives a positive image of not doing it. Belly encourages Conrad not to smoke, and she chooses not to drink even when the opportunity is before her. When her mother and 'adopted' mother smoke pot at one point, she, Conrad, Jeremiah, and Steven all get upset. I liked that.

It also touches on divorce. It doesn't pin it as good or bad. I mean, it's always a sad thing, but it's nice that it doesn't make it sound like a sin. It happens, and it can either wreck lives or bring some people closer together. We see that even the happiest of couples can unravel. They're all just very unique views that the author expresses, and they're memorable.

I can't think of much else to say. I give this book five stars for being one of the best love stories that kept me majorly interested, and it didn't even have supernatural elements in it! Yippee! So, my friend lent me all three of the books, so I'm onto the second one... (; waiting for Tuesday~

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Reading: It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han, I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak [reread], Looking for Alaska by John Green [reread]

Listening to: Xion's Theme [Slowed Version] - Yoko Shimomura

Watching: ...Family Guy. Sorry, I don't have epic morals ):

Quote: "Alaska, this is Pudge. He memorizes people's last words. Pudge, this is Alaska. She got her boob honked over the summer." — The Colonel; Looking for Alaska - John Green

[I think that quote is correct. I just put it off the top of my head.]

City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende | Review

Title: City of the Beasts

Author: Isabel Allende

Published: January 1, 2004

Number of Pages: 408

Rating: 4/5

SYNOPSIS

Fifteen-year-old Alexander Cold is about to join his fearless grandmother on the trip of a lifetime. An International Geographic expedition is headed to the dangerous, remote wilds of South America, on a mission to document the legendary Yeti of the Amazon known as the Beast.

But there are many secrets hidden in the unexplored wilderness, as Alex and his new friend Nadia soon discover. Drawing on the strength of their spirit guides, both young people are led on a thrilling and unforgettable journey to the ultimate discovery. . . .

QUOTE

As quickly as she could, she tried to explain to the Indians that she was wrong, that the vaccine would not save them, just the opposite, it would kill them, because the Rahakanariwa was in the syringe.

REVIEW

I read this book for my Spanish Culture Credit, an assignment our Spanish class has each quarter of the school year to influence ourselves in the ways, speech, and history of Spaniards. Honestly, I think this might be my favorite assignment so far. I looked at reviews for this book once I checked it out of my library, and had my doubts, since a lot of them were negative; but it turned out to be better than I expected.

I've never really considered reading many books that revolve around Native Americans, in fact, this might be my first one. Allende's writing style is definitely different from any other style I've read before. This is her first Young Adult novel, and I do have to say, it turned out well. It seems a bit innocent for the Young Adult norm nowadays (but that's kind of a relief for my book! (; ) but nevertheless fits the genre.

One thing I did observe was that at some points in the writing, the words were "blocky". This was just an observation that kind of gave evidence that this was translated directly from Spanish. Some of the characters seemed all similar in structure—they were either young and wishing to help the Indians or they were older and wanting to exterminate them. The only truly unique characters were Kate, Alex's eccentric grandmother; and Ludovic Leblanc, an arrogant explorer who turns out to be an enormous asset to the story at the end.

But those are the cons. I'm not sure of many others, other than the seemingly endless description. Granted, it was good description, but...does it need to go on for twenty-one pages? But I made it through, amazingly without skimming the paragraphs...oh, did I admit I do that? No, disregard that! :P

I know I say that not many of the characters seemed diverse, but that didn't diminish my interest in the main characters, Alex and Nadia. Though they were similar in traits and characteristics, their journeys were very different, and Allende has a wonderful talent in portraying those. At one point Nadia has to face one of her greatest fears, heights, and uses the strength of her spirit animal (the eagle) to face it. This section was riveting for me, and showed a great courage.

Alex has to go through more trials than Nadia, admittedly. He is already facing trials at home with his mother, who is dying of cancer; and his already-present anger issues. This is why he is sent out to his grandmother while his parents leave to a hospital for special treatment. Alex has to learn to face nature with his own wits and instinct, and he also goes through trials such as becoming a man in the eyes of the Indians. Like Nadia, he faces a challenge to find the legendary Fountain of Youth in order to heal his mother.

On that note, they also venture to El Dorado, the City of Gold. It turns out that, in Allende's world, the City of Gold is Fool's Gold. Alex remarks that the conquistadors who might have found this place and left alive would have left poorer than when they'd come. This made me chuckle. The Yeti of Amazon lore also turns out to be a god of the Natives, an interesting concept that takes the reader by surprise. The Fountain of Youth also turns out to be a trickle of water in a cave. I simply loved these ideas of these wonderful objects of lore turning out to be so much less grand than imagined.

The climax of the book does prove itself. One of the main characters—oh, what the heck, I'll just spoil it—the doctor who wants to vaccinate the Indians is one of the antagonists! Instead of the vaccine in the syringe, it turns out that it's a measles injection. The Natives fear a bloodsucking bird, called the Rahakanariwa.

 Nadia discovers the vaccine's true intentions and explains to them that the Rahakanariwa (Jeez, it's difficult to type that over and over) is inside the syringe. That ends in a bloodbath, and Leblanc's transfer from self-centered scientist to a determined hero. This part did shock me, because all through the novel Allende made you believe an Indian guide who accompanied them was the one who tampered with the vaccine.

So, I did enjoy the book. I don't know that I want to read the next one, Kingdom of the Golden Dragon. It seems a bit of a jump from Amazon rain forest to what sounds like...maybe China? Maybe, but I haven't decided yet. I would recommend this. It's a lighthearted, clever thriller that makes you think about things you've been told your entire life—things from the City of Gold to your beliefs in the power of Nature. Whether you believe in religion or not, Nature does hold power.

I'll end it there. I never mentioned it, but it might be worth just a little mention because it was another favorite arc of mine through the reading—Alex's spirit animal is a jaguar. I love the concept of spirit animals!

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Reading: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa [ELEVEN DAYS FOR THE IRON KNIGHT!!!]

Listening to: Hollow Bastion - Yoko Shimomura

Watching: Shiloh Season

Quote: "Where they create wastelands, they call it peace." - Tacitus

Note: My life has been hectic lately. That's why I'm so behind on posts, especially Friday Fives because you don't want to hear me rant and rant about the bad things going on in my life, do you? Of course noooot. Anyway, I do apologize for this. I think before reviews on the three pending books I may have to reread/look them over again... Sorry again!