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