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***