Lexi and Salvador Enjoying The iPad

Who said cats couldn't enjoy technology?

'What's this?? Looks suspicious.... RED DOT OKAY QUICK EAT IT."

Don't eat the iPad please...

They managed to pause it once or twice because they were stepping on the screen...

Just like that.

I have a video of them as well, but that will have to wait until I can either upload it on YouTube or find a way to put it up here...

See you in a bit!

Ooh there's the video!

Love,

Jisoo, Salvador, and Lexi

Update on Lexi and Salvador

Ah, yes. I've decided on names for these two lovely kittens. Meet Lexi and Salvador!

They seem to have sufficiently settled into our bathroom for now-- they have used their litter box after a little cuddle session with me (so very precious...). Although they haven't touched their food yet...

And then they started to nod off....

And now they're just peacefully sleeping.

We'll be back with a few more updates in the morning, but for now I'm just letting them get some rest!

Signing off for tonight,

Jisoo, Lexi, and Salvador.

Meet The New Fosters!

Why hello again!

I'd like you too meet my new fosters, brought in from VOKRA just under an hour ago! Won't even lie-- they stole my heart already. 

Little darlings. The both of them are approximately 11 weeks old, and were strays. The tabby is female with medium length hair, and the orange one is a male, and a short-hair. We're thinking about the name Lexie, short for Lexington, for the tabby, and we're not quite sure what to call the orange. I really wanted to name him Salvador, though... If you have any name suggestions, leave them in the comments!

As for temperament, the tabby is slightly more friendly than the ginger one, who seems a bit scared. They're both semi-ferals, so I'm excited and a bit new to this. I'm just letting them settle into our bathroom for now, and taking it day by day. They seem to be rather comfortable in there anyhow, so that's where we shall keep them!

More updates to come!

Jisoo

More Foster Kitten(s) Coming Today!

So I have some super exciting news!

Getting my new foster kitten(s) today!! Super duper excited to meet the new little ones :)

I will post another update when they arrive at our place.

Signing off, but not for long!

Jisoo

Excuses and Apologies

Well then.

I have a few updates on my life that I haven't quite gotten around to blogging, but I'm just popping in to apologize. Summer has gotten really busy between horseback riding, summer school, summer online courses, and having some get together with friends...

I also haven't had quite as many opportunities to polish off books-- I have watched quite a few movies, which I may upload some quick reviews on once I get the chance. I'm watching movie pretty much every week at Cineplex, thanks to their lovely Tuesday sale prices~!

I did, however, start volunteering at Hemlock Animal Hospital, a local vet clinic, which I am super excited about all the time! I also started coaching at Crescent Stables out in Ladner, which was a big step for my horseback riding career!

As for Fostering with VOKRA, that's on pause for the moment, as my aunt and cousin are over at my place, and it wouldn't be a very calm environment for the cats. Hoping to foster some kittens when September rolls around! 

Anyhow, signing off for now,

Jisoo

So Ridiculously Behind

Yep, it's Jisoo reporting in again for this summer.

I'm so ridiculously behind on everything, even summer school-- came back to Mexico to a school board that acts like it's the end of the world that I missed to classes. Chill, people!

Plus, Vancouver is so hot that it feels like an oven, and everyone is turning into roast human as the minutes tick by. A few forest fires basically smoked up the whole place too...

So please bear with me as I get my life on track, and then I'll be able to post a few updates on Mexico, along with some book recs!

Talk Tall for Now!
Jisoo

The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans

So I like horses. Sue me. And yes, it's another horse book.

The Horse Whisperer revolves around a horse whisperer by the name of Tom Booker, a horse by the name of Pilgrim, and Grace and her mother Annie Graves. 'A forty-ton truck hurtles out of control on a snowy country road, a teenage girl on horseback in its path. In a few terrible seconds the life of a family is shattered. And a mother's quest begins- to save her maimed daughter and a horse driven mad by pain. It is an odyssey that will bring her to... The Horse Whisperer.'

It's a hauntingly good novel, full of the struggles of finding love, dealing with a terrible accident, and familial love and hate. Grace and Annie are really spectacular characters that are very very well rounded. Throughout this work, both of them grow as they try to get over the horrific results of the accident. Grace grows in ways that are unimaginable, from learning to ride again with a prosthetic leg, to learning to trust Pilgrim again. Pilgrim, on the other hand, learns how to trust himself again, and move past the incidents that left him in so much pain.

I simply loved this book as it told all the ups and down of a mother and a broken child, along with the incredible bond between horse and rider. Nicholas Evans really did a remarkable job with the story. You can't put it down after you pick it up. As soon as you turn to page one, it's over for you until page 404. It's the perfect mixture of horses, family, and romance! A real page turner!

I recommend this to everyone in the young adult and older age. it does have some material that would not be suitable for young teens and younger.

***I give this book a 12/10 I downright loved it!***

Beyonders: Chasing the Prophecy by Brandon Mull

Brandon Mull, author of the Fablehaven series, has wrote another series, called the Beyonders.

Warning: This is the third book in the series! I highly recommend reading the first books before reading this book, as things will actually make sense and you will be much better bonded with the characters! This review may also contain spoilers for the first two books, so do not read on!

This series is honestly one of my favourite series like ever. Not my favourite mind you, but one of my favourites. 

As the last book in the series, it finally comes to the end of Rachel and Jason's adventures in Lyrian. Chasing the Prophecy is a stunning finish to an epic series, following the final prophecy of Mianmon. Now, Jason and Rachel must split up to finish off Maldor and restore peace to Lyrian. Even if that means losing their lives.

I love this book/series so much because Brandon Mull really does a fantastic job in getting you to really connect with the characters. You end up really caring about the characters. Plus the action is fast paced and great-- it really keeps you on your toes and in the book.

I recommend this book to all kids/teens aged 8 and up, because it's a great book that everyone should enjoy. Mull is certainly one of the best adventure story writers!

***I give this book a 9.578889 out of 10!***

Meeting Norman

Hi everyone!

Today, I have a special news flash! :)

So, I have started leasing a beautiful off track thoroughbred by the name of Norman! He's a real cutie, and super affectionate. I'd been looking around for a lease for a while now, so I was pretty happy when one popped up so close to my home! So this big boy is now going to be a big part of my life, I am happy to report!

Norman is a 16.3 hands high thoroughbred, and is 18 years old. That being said, he doesn't act very much like an 18 year old-- he's pretty energetic. He's broke, yes, definitely broke, but hasn't been ridden to the ground. He still has a lot of life in him!

I took him out for a hack around Southlands today, as you can probably tell from the numerous photos. It wasn't raining outside, so I decided to embrace the good weather and go out for a nice hack!

I think that Norman and I could really grow together. He's very sweet and reliable, and he does have a lot of youth in him left, so I could ultimately grow and learn with him. I think it's a great learning experience, and I'm very glad to have been able to find such a great horse!

He has a bit of a rusty canter, especially going one direction, but all horses seem to prefer one canter direction to the other. Other than that, he has a great trot, and jumps over poles no problem~. I'm really looking forwards to getting to know him better and spending more time with him!

Until next time!

Jisoo

Tempest by Julie Cross

It's been quite a while since I read this book, and even longer since I went into Chapters and decided that I would buy it.

So what is this book even about?

Set in the year 2009, 19 year old Jackson Meyer seems pretty normal. He's in college, and has a girlfriend. But he can time travel. Yet it's much easier for him to time travel than in the movies-- nothing changes in the present-- no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors. Just harmless fun.

So what's the problem?

It all changes when strangers randomly burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly. During a scuffle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. Panicked, Jackson accidentally jumps back to 2007. This time, it's a bit different. He can't get back. Stranded in 2007, he settles in and learns about his abilities, his past, meets Holly all over again, and tries to get back to when he can actually save his girlfriend.

It's a love story of two young adults that time got in between. Will Jackson be able to make it back to her? Read to find out!

This book is... not the most fast-paced. Sure, there's a bit of action here and there, but a lot more of the 'feeling' thing. Personally prefer action novels, but if romance books beckon you, go for it. It's a good book-- well written and entertaining. I recommend it to older teens, just because the main character is 19, and you will be able to get what he is feeling only if you're older.

That's not to say that the author did a bad job in writing the book. It was just not a very appealing book to me, as I didn't get very bonded to the character, and therefore had a hard time sympathizing with him. Instead of being his supporter, I just ended up being a mere bystander, perceiving the action though not taking a side.

***I give this book an 8.4 out of 10***

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson

Thick book. Very thick book. 507 pages long. Worthwhile to read? Ehhhh... Depends if you liked The Mortal Instruments, and if you liked Magnus Bane.

So, as anyone who has read the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Claire can tell, this book is a spin-off tale on one specific character's life. Magnus Bane. The Bane Chronicles are a series of short stories that are meant to shed a little light on this inscrutable character. Inside jokes, background history, little scuffles Magnus had gotten into... Yet you can't document a warlock's long life in a mere 500 pages. Yet there are eleven telling of eleven different scenarios from the warlock's life-- from why he got banned from Peru, to missed calls on his phone.

This book was written by three different authors: Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson. Cassandra Clare is the author to the Mortal Instruments series and the Infernal Devices series (which I attempted to start, then didn't). Sarah Rees Brennan is the author of Unspoken, which i have never actually read before... And then there's Maureen Johnson, author of 13 Little Blue Envelopes (which is a great book!), The Name of the Star, and The Madness Underneath, and quite a few others. Johnson has written 10 YA novels in total. That's quite the amount of books!

Personally, I have a pretty neutral outlook on this book. I actually do really love Magnus Bane as a character, and it was interesting to see into is past, but I didn't think that writing was overly amazing. So I have to say that I didn't really hate this book, nor did I really love it....

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Mortal Instruments series!

***I give this book a 7.6 out of 10***

Kingsman The Secret Service

"Manners maketh man."

I love this movie. Love it. Absolutely. Downright. Love. It.

So I saw this movie yesterday in theaters, and as you can probably tell, I loved it. However, before I get into how amazing it was and how great it was and how much I loved it and how much you should go and see it, I decided that this time, I would dole out a warning.

Don't go watching this is you're younger than 14. It does have course language, and suggestive scene(s), so I would highly recommend that you don't watch it if you're too young. Also, there is a lot of blood, and violence, so if you're faint of heart, I don't recommend you watch it.

Moving on, so if you haven't seen the trailers yet, Kingsman The Secret Service is a spy movie. Set in London, it's basically about gentlemen spies who are trying to save the world. Mostly, it goes around the life one of one particular boy: Gary "Eggsy Unwin". I don't want to spoil much of the movie, and it is a rather straight forward let-me-just-save-the-world-while-being-cool movie, so that's all I really want to tell you in that point.

This movie has tons and tons of awesome characters in awesome outfits (no really, they take spy to the next level) with hilarious code names. After all, they aren't called Kingsmen for no reason! I highly recommend this movie, as it is both hilarious and intense at the same time. It's a really great movie to see if you want to watch some action and enjoy British accents. While it's not high on plot value, it does have very very awesome features.

*** I rate this movie a 9.6 out of 10!!

Pandy, Adopted!

Who, me?!

And another one leaves home.

So today, Pandy's adopter came by and picked up the black and white feline I've been fostering for a month and a bit now! It was a bittersweet moment, but I'm glad to see him go to a home where he will be loved and cherished till the end of his days. Hopefully he will never end up on the streets again!

Pandy is sleeping. Again.

Throughout my time fostering Pandy, I really got to know this big boy well. He really enjoys fish, and he likes to cuddle when he feels like it (story of every cat). He also likes to sleep in the sink (don't even ask), and is cutest when he's sleeping (like babies and cats). 

Pondering life... or should I say.... Pandering life...

His new forever home is with a lovely daughter and mother, and I can really tell that he will be well loved! They seem like lovely people who really know how to make a cat happy. ( *cough* treats *cough* love *cough* food).

Even more Pandy Zzzzzz......

I'll miss the guy, but I have another big milestone in my life that I will be getting to, so hopefully, that will make me miss his presence at my place less! And yes, I will be blogging about this new big thing sooner than later!

To all the lovely families out there that are looking to adopt, or perhaps even foster, visit the VOKRA home page, and you could make that dream come true! It's just a few clicks away!

Until next time!

Jisoo

Prophecy of the Sisters: Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

Warning. Contains spoilers.

'There are some lines

sisters should never cross.

Once they do,

nothing will ever be the same.'

So.... yeah second book to the Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy, Guardian of the Gate, in which sixteen year old Lia Milthrope continues on her journey to end an ancient prophecy that has made generations and generations of sisters hate each other. If you haven't read the first book, Prophecy of the Sisters, this would be a good time to stop reading.

Now that she has accepted her responsibilities as Gate, Lia journeys to the unchartered isle of Atlus to search for the missing pages of the book. This book could tell her how to end this prophecy once and for all. On the other hand, Alice, Lia's twin sister, is honing her spell-casting skills. Her deepest wish is to reclaim Lia's role as the Gate, and Alice will stop at nothing to obtain it.

Personally, I didn't like this second book as much as I enjoyed the first book. This one had a lot more of an aspect of romance in it, which I didn't really enjoy. Also, as the novel progressed, I got to dislike the main character more and more, and like Alice more. By the end of the book, I could safely say that I much preferred Alice over Lia, which was probably due to the perfection of the protagonist. I really really hate Mary Sues.

My enthusiasm for this series started to dwindle at Guardian of the Gate, but there is one more book after this, called Circle of Fire.

I don't recommend this series to anyone who doesn't like reading about Mary Sues. And honestly, they are the worst. That being in my opinion....

***I give this book a 6.7 out of 10***

Tales from Cook's Cove: Three for a Wedding by Mary C. Sheppard

"One for sorrow

Two for joy

Three for a wedding

Four for a boy

Five for silver

Six for gold

Seven for a secret that can't be told"

Back to this wonderful series!

As the third book in the Tales from Cook's Cove series, this one comes after One For Sorrow. However, you don't really have to necessarily read them in this particular order-- they don't really have a correlation with one another, other than being in the same town. I haven't even read Seven For a Secret yet!

In this book, the protagonist is a girl named Violet Blue. Her sister, Jenny, is getting married this summer, and most of her family is going to attend. Her family also includes her cousin, Grace-Mae. Grace-Mae is truly something else. When Violet Blue first meets her, she's sporting a fluffy white coat and five-inch heels. With her platinum hair, body-hugging outfits, and curves in all the right places, Grace-Mae is far different from any of the other local girls at Cook's Cove. Yet along with Grace-Mae comes a flurry of mystery. Midst the wedding preparations, final exams, mysterious occurrences, and this cousin, Grace-Mae, perhaps even Violet Blue may be able to find romance.

This book is a lot lighter than One for Sorrow in the fact that it revolves around family life and finding love, rather than trying to deal with family and being illiterate. It's a fluffier book, 

Once again, I have to add that Mary C. Sheppard is an amazing author that really gets the reader sucked into the story. However, as she writes in a girl's perspective, this book (and especially this book) may appeal to teenage girls more than teenage guys, or even girls more than guys in general. Either way, it's a great book that I'm sure many many people would enjoy!

***I give this book a 9.5 out of 10***

TED Talks: I got 99 problems... palsy is just one

Many of you are probably familiar with TED Talks. I love TED Talks, and so admire the people who find themselves on this stage, giving talks for the rest of our enjoyment.

This morning, I decided to watch this certain TED Talk by Maysoon Zayid. Maysoon Zayid is an Arab-American comedian, who also happens to have cerebral palsy. And for everyone who doesn't know what the heck this cerebral palsy is, here's a dictionary definition of it: a form of paralysis believe to be caused by a prenatal brain defect or by brain injury during birth, most marked in certain motor areas and characterized by difficulty in control f the voluntary muscles. Basically, due to her 'drunk doctor' that messed up, Zayid was born with a disability that causes her to shake. And to never stop shaking.

Through her TED Talk, she tells everyone on how she grew up, alongside making jokes that has the audience roaring in laughter. Believe me, I was laughing right along with them. This TED Talk is less serious, and more about enjoying the story that Zayid has to share about her life. However, at the same time, it's empowering. That's why I loved watching this TED Talk so much. It's empowering and hilarious at the same time, and Zayid really gets you into her life story.

I just wanted to share this amazing TED Talk with you, and if you're in the mood to be inspired, or just to have some laughs, I fully recommend this video!

Tales From Cook's Cove: One For Sorrow by Mary C. Sheppard

I love this series. Honestly. Such a good series.

Issy is not a happy camper. She has no friends her own age, she's failing school, and the dearest person to her, her great aunt Lady, has just passed away. It doesn't help that she has a mean, bedridden mother and an older, increasingly bitter sister. However, there's just one thing holding her back. She's illiterate-- she can't read at all, and never could. So how far can she really go?

I really loved this book because it's just so touching-- Mary C. Sheppard really outdoes herself in portraying the feelings of the characters-- the loneliness of Louise, Issy's sister, the helplessness of Issy and her inability to write. It has beautiful descriptions and really makes you feel like you're a part of the book.

One For Sorrow really captures the complexity of human emotions very well, and uses it to lure the reader to sympathize with the characters. You see both sides to each character's story, and you really get to know these characters.

Another really appealing aspect of this book was that it was so real. This could be a real story, and you can immediately connect with the protagonist just because she's so... Tangible. As you read the story, she almost becomes a part of you, and you're submerged into this world of Issy where she's struggling so hard to find her place in her life.

Mary C. Sheppard is really an exceptional writer, and I recommend this book to everyone 14 and up. I recommend 14 and up, or at least 12 and up as it does branch on some themes, plus it is rated as a young adult book!

I give this book a 9.7888 out of 10!***

BBC Sherlock

"The Game is on."

I think I have referred to this series at least once in my blog, so I thought I may as well shed some light on it.

For those who don't know Sherlock, the TV show, I am pleased to introduce you to this downright amazing TV series. Sherlock.

I don't make it a habit to watch TV. For gods' sakes, I don't even have cable in my home! Yet this TV series is the one TV series that my parents and I are eagerly anticipating the next season for. And by golly, does it take a ridiculous amount of time for them to make a new season... High expectations for 2016! But the cast all have other busy schedules (*ahem* The Hobbit... *ahem* Imitation Game) so they are pardoned.

So what is Sherlock even about? Well most of us are well acquainted to the Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle. This is a tv show adaptation, and a contemporary version, to that series-- and they did a pretty good job of it, in my opinion. They did add one character (our dear pathologist, Molly Hooper), but she's awesome, so I don't care.



This TV series is literally all about Sherlock. Well, Sherlock and Watson. Dr. John Watson is a war veteran from the Afghanistan War. When he comes back home, he meets the downright genius but terrible-at-social-skills Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock, on his hand, serves as a consultant to Scotland Yard, and advertised for a flat mate and. Watson and Holmes find each other, and as soon as Watson moves into Baker Street, they are assaulted by waves and waves of mysteries. The plot only gets more intense as Sherlock's nemesis stepped into the game.

It's a game of highly intellectual people, and to all the people who say that it's a terrible show, I have only one thing to say...

John couldn't have said it better.

The one thing about this show is that while there are much fewer episodes, each one is like movie-length. So. In terms of time, you might need to sit through an episode of Sherlock for much longer than you'd have to stay seated for a different TV series. That being said, it's so good, you won't even notice the time slipping through your fingers.

So honestly, bored for spring break? Need a new tv show? Just. Watch. Sherlock.

You won't regret it! (Until you're so addicted to it you have to rewatch... and rewatch... and rewatch........)

***I give this TV series a 100000/10!!! I LOVE ITTTTTT //dances happy dance of love for Sherlock***

The Imitation Game

'Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine.'

Fear not. I'm not here to fangirl about Benedict Cumberbatch because I am a huge fan of Sherlock... And Smaug. But yesterday, I finally watched The Imitation Game!

I had high expectations of this movie-- I had heard lots and lots of amazing things about this movie, and I'm glad to report that this movie was definitely worth all the high praise that it had been getting!

If you haven't watched this movie yet, I highly recommend it. Based on a true story, this movie is set in World War II, on how a mathematician and genius, Alan Turing, works alongside a hand full of other geniuses to crack the German coding system, Enigma. Enigma is rumored to be unbreakable, and has been the cause of millions of deaths in England. This team of workers and him seek to break Enigma, but time is running scarce, and there are many many setbacks to his mission. Yet they work hard, to try to break the unbreakable code, and to ultimately win the war.

"Alan Turing: I like solving problems, commander, And Enigma is the most difficult problem in the world.

Commander Denniston: Enigma isn't difficult, it's impossible. The Americans, the Russians, the French, the Germans, everyone thinks Enigma is unbreakable.

Alan Turing: Good. Let me try and we'll know for sure, won't we?"

Follow the math genius and extremely socially unaware Alan Turing as he and his group of 'friends' attempt to crack the 'uncrackable' code.

It's an amazing movie. I cannot stress that enough. It's brilliant, entertaining, and startling. I absolutely loved it, and so did my friend, who I watched it with. I honestly think it's a movie worth watching for everyone. Mind you, if you can understand it. I recommend it to ages 14 and up, since it does have quite a bit of the comprehension role in the movie-- not only is it about winning a war, but it is also a battle of wits and time. I can happily agree to all the great things that have been said about this movie-- it deserves the highest of praises. While it's no action movies, the movie really gets you entranced, and you get to know Alan Turing and the other characters so well. It's wonderfully made, and it will honestly make you fall deep into the story. You won't even notice two hours passing!

***I give this move a 10/10. Just positively amazing.***

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

I can't believe I haven't done a book review of this yet... So here it is, admittedly long overdue.

Two sisters, a prophecy, good, and evil. Cliched, yes, but good none the less. Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just turned into orphans.  Now, they're caught up in a twisted prophecy that has managed to turn generations of sisters against one another. Lia and Alice are now at a loss of who to trust. All they know is that they cannot trust each other. 

While the idea for this book is not overly original, I did really enjoy reading this book, just because of the relationship between Alice and Lia. Even though Lia is the one telling the story, the reader (or at least, I did) can really sympathize with Alice. Personally, I think that I preferred Alice to Lia at some points in the story... In this book, you will run into many strange things, as you follow Lia's story in dealing with this Prophecy of Sisters. 

Personally, this is a series of books I remember really really enjoying when I read them-- I devoured this book when I first got it, and then quickly went on to the second book, 'Guardian of the Gate'. While it's not a masterpiece like Artemis Fowl, I did enjoy reading it-- it's a great boredom chaser. While the writing is intricate and intriguing, the plot line does have a bit lacking...

I recommend this book to people who are in search of a good book to read to keep away the boredom demons during spring break, or someone in need of a good siblings rivalry novel, or a good prophecy novel!

***I give this book a 8.58 out of 10**

Assassination Classroom by Yusei Matsui

              

So I recently started a new manga series called Assassination Classroom, and have decided to do a little blurb on it, since I really do enjoy it.

Basically, this manga series is about a class (more specifically Class 3-E of Kunugigaoka Middle school). This classroom is otherwise known as the 'give up on them' class, where all the people who aren't good enough are put in. Except this school isn't quite the same as the other schools. This one is a school for assassination. Every morning, they students greet their teacher with a massive firing squad. Bullets everywhere.

This class of 3-E is usually made up of the people who the teachers and staff have given up on. However, things change when they get a new teacher. Except this teacher isn't an ordinary teacher. He's a weird combination of an alien and an octopus, and he moves at speeds of mach-20. To say the least, he's super fast. He also was responsible for the destruction of the moon, blasting a hole in it and making a crescent shape it's perpetual shape. The government, in order to prevent the destruction of the world, had to abide with his strange command-- he wants to teach a high school class for a year, before he destroys Earth. In exchange, he will protect all his students, as well as teach them.

So now, class 3-E has a mission. Kill this alien that's somehow a ridiculously good teacher. Class E has to assassinate this teacher, that has to teach them exactly how to assassinate him before the end of the year.

Personally, I really enjoy this series, especially because it's not quite like anything else I've read. Assassination? yes. Aliens? Yes. School? Yes. All three of those put together in this fashion? Not quite. It's a series that will keep you laughing, and on the edge of your toes, especially since they try so hard to assassinate this teacher... But not quite...

I recommend this book to every single manga fan, and there's even an anime for all those anime fans out there! The only thing about this is that sometime's it gets so.... weird, that you're kind of left in the dust as to the happenings in the book.

*** I give this series a 9.49 out of 10!***

An Update on Pandy

Hm? What do you want now, human?

Ah yes, another update on our dear feline, Pandy.

If you haven't met this goofy tuxedo cat yet, I believe it's high time to! Just click here to meet him!

And for all of you that have already acquainted yourselves with this fuzzy fella, I have an update!

So, I got my very very first email from a potential adopter for Pandy the other day! Super excited, since I've had him for like a month now, and he's really settled into our home. He really really enjoys his cat toys, especially a certain white rat that vibrates... (It's borderline black now...)

I'm quickly finding out all his quirks, like the fact that he has too much fuzziness in between his paw pads, so he has trouble not skidding everywhere. Plus, for a cat, he has delightfully bad balance... Falls off the couch every other day...

Huh? Whazzat?

And... the adopter has decided to adopt him! This little fluffball will be staying with us for another week or so before going to his forever home! I am positive he will be well loved and well cared for there!

I'm going to my forever home!

Please do check back here for updates as we will be fostering more splendid kitties that will be looking for their forever home! Alongside of that, if you are thinking about fostering with VOKRA, they are always looking for new fosters! It's a very very rewarding experience, especially when they find their forever home, and you know they will be well loved and cared for! Just check out VOKRA's site for more information!

Spring Break

Ah, it's this time of year again, I see...

Full of flowering blossoms and high running allergies...

... And kids running around because of March Break.

Have a lovely Spring Break!
~Jisoo

Last Apprentice: Seventh Son by Joseph Delaney

So... Possibly quite a few of you have seen the trailer for this book circulating around. If you can't tell by that huge red circle saying "Now a Major Motion Picture", Seventh Son is now out in theaters as a movie. As someone who wholly believes in reading the book before watching the movie, I obviously had to pick up this book before I would allow myself to watch the movie-- which looks very enticing...

This book is 688 pages long. Yes. I get that it's long, but you have to keep in mind that it is Books 1 and 2 combined together, so it's not actually that long... Plus the font is like size 10000. ( Okay that's a lie. But you get my gist. ) Besides. You can always put it down any time you want to have a break. It's a good book, but not engrossing enough for you not to be able to put it down. Promise.

This book basically covers the life of 'the seventh of a seventh son', Tom Ward. He has been chosen to become the apprentice of the one man who holds all the powers of evil back by himself. Except not for long, now that he has a apprentice. If Tom makes it past his tests alive, he'll be the best apprentice. And the last.

Featuring 'mysterious mother that's actually nothing that she seems', 'naive boy who learns to harness evil' , 'malevolent witch' and 'shady character that is actually a good character', this book kind of covers all the cliches of the supernatural. This book ranges from "Oh my gods what happens next???" to "Can I just skip the next four chapters? Nothing's happening anyways..." If I had to pinpoint one thing I really disliked about this book was the erratic stops of the action. While it did have a lot of action in the two books overall, the action stopped completely for a few chapters, before rushing through a few chapters' worth of action in a chapter, and then slowing down to a trickle again. Very touch and go.

However, it was an interesting book to read, and while I was admittedly caught in "What the heck just happened..." moments sometimes, I think people who enjoy action or adventure stories will enjoy reading this book... I'm personally hoping the movie is somehow better than the book....

***I give this book a 7.4 out of 10 ***

Then the Next One Comes Strolling In... Meet Pandy!

Just five more minutes...

And the next fuzzbutt has come along....

Meet Pandy, our newest foster kitty! He's quirky, fun, and absolutely downright adorable. He loves to cuddle, and loves to play even more! It so hard to describe his vibrant personality in words... So let me just link you to his bio page on VOKRA...

Just like Pickle, he is available for adoption at VOKRA, and if you feel like you wish to become his forever home, please please do apply to adopt! He's always looking out for his forever family!

Cuddles. All the cuddles.

When we first got Pandy to bring to our foster home, the first thing we thought was....
Wow. He's vocal.
The second thing we thought was...
Wow. He likes to meow.
The third thing we thought---

Well, you get the gist. He likes to talk. He likes to converse with his humans. And who can blame him? We can be so forgetful sometimes...

Meow (feed me). Meow (cuddle with me). Meow (attention, please). Meow (feed me). Meow (litter box). The list goes on and on and on....

Yet we love him. Because what's better than waking up to a cat peering at you and kneading on your chest? Nothing much. And what's better than a cat with white boots, white lips, and a tuxedo?
Nothing.
At. All.

Dawww look at that face....

So come on over and check this little darling out, because I promise you, he's not staying with us for long!

A bit of history on this little fella...
He was a stray, but even then, it was obvious he wanted into a house, since he stayed on the porch waiting for people to feed him. So VOKRA took it upon them to trap the kitty and offer it a second chance. And I can tell you, he's a household cat to the finish. Doesn't even think about running away... And his manners? A class.

Zzzz.... A nap in the middle of the living room.... Zzz....

He'll become the perfect addition to any family without another cat. What can I say... He likes hogging the attention.

More updates on Pandy will be coming soon, so keep in tune!

Until next time,
Jisoo

Pickle, Adopted

A short post on Pickle.

Yes, Pickle has gotten adopted. I'm very saddened yet at the same time, exuberant. I'm super happy that he has found his forever home, and I trust that he will be loved in his new-found family of four! (: But I mean... Who wouldn't miss this handsome guy?

Love,
Jisoo

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

As the third and final movie of The Hobbit series, it was a war movie to the finish. If the title "The Battle of Five Armies" had any telling of the future, it was quite the "*war cry* Bang clash cling -insert clashing swords noises- type of movie. When I went to the theater, I was being indecisive about the Imitation Game (Featuring our dear Benedict Cumberbatch) or The Hobbit. I was quite torn about having to decide on Sherlock or Watson, if you do get the reference. Unfortunately for me, tickets for The Imitation Game were already sold out, so I had to go with The Battle of Five Armies. Otherwise known as 2 hours and 24 minutes of war cries and dramatic friendship and death scenes. How touching.

Much like The Return of the King (the third movie from Lord of the Rings), this last movie was all about settling the battle between 'good' and 'bad' with war. Always with the bloodshed, dear Peter Jackson,.. The movie-long bloodshed. We all saw it coming.

Yes, it is a well done movie. No, it wasn't any different than the average *war cry! sword sounds!* movie. As a sucker for intricate plot lines, I personally didn't enjoy this one too much... But if you're a sucker for 2 hour 24 minutes worth of war scenes and dramatic deaths? Go for it. I just enjoyed listening to Benedict Cumberbatch pose as Smaug, and watching Legolas be badass. You know. Normal things.

I don't particularly recommend this movie, but it was nice to see Bilbo Baggins again.

***I give this movie a 8.0 out of 10. Meh.***

Big Hero 6

Perhaps you're looking to see if you want to watch Big Hero 6, or perhaps you have already watched it. I've got to say that I did thoroughly enjoy this animation from Disney. And no, it's not about finding your true love, or any of that famous Disney sap. It actually has to deal with robotics, and the unbreakable bond between brothers.

Sure, if you want to look at Big Hero 6 from a programmer's point of view, I'm sure you'll be more than able to find a few faults in the plot. And the whole 'how the heck would that work' part. But it's a movie. Cut some slack. Plus, have you seen how cuddly Baymax looks? I mean, not in that photo, but...

 

Tell me that's not cute.

Big Hero Six follows the life of Hiro Hamada, a 14 year old boy with the mind of a genius and the heart of a 14 year old. When tragic events strike him, Hiro finds comfort in a balloon-life robot by the name of Baymax, and founds The Big Hero Six, a band of smart techies: Hiro, Baymax, Fred, GoGo Tomago, Honey Lemon, and Wasabi. Interesting nicknames...

I thought that the plot twists in this movie were actually worth the wait. Some of the movie admittedly doesn't make sense, but I felt that it was overall a well-made movie. I fell in love with the characters immediately, especially GoGo Tomago. Each of the characters, even if their tech is... Mind blowing to say the least... are touchingly human. They're just insanely smart.

It's a movie full of feels. I've got no other way to say it, and fear that I reveal too much of the movie. Honestly, just watch it. It's worth your time if you're into big tech and action. Mind you, if you are a bit of a techie, don't dig to deep. Some ends just don't match up, and you really don't want to go picking at the details. It's a Disney movie, not the sequel to the Matrix. (And even the Matrix has a few loose ends, but that's another conversation for another day.)

***I give this movie a 8.6 out of 10!!!***