Category: Independent Reading

This passage is near the beginning of the book Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin. The protagonist Lou is walking with her friend Ansel whom she sees much like a younger brother.

“She keeps looking at you.” Ansel tripped over a stray limb, nearly landing face-first in the snow. Absalon leapt sleekly from his path.
“Of course she does. I’m objectively beautiful. A masterpiece made flesh.”
Ansel snorted.
“Excuse me?” Offended, I kicked snow in his direction, and he nearly tumbled again. “I don’t think I heard you correctly. The proper response was, ‘Goddess Divine, of course thy beauty is a sacred gift from Heaven, and we mortals are blessed to even gaze upon thy face.’”
“Goddess Divine.” He laughed harder now, brushing the snow from his coat. “Right.” (p.30-31)

I loved this moment between the protagonist and Ansel because it was one of the few moments of lightness in a very loss filled book. Later in the book, Ansel’s life is ended by the mother of the protagonist. His life is lamented by all who knew him well, as he is seen as one of the only characters who was pure and good. Lou, along with almost every other character in this book, grew up in a way which forced them to kill or be killed. It was what kept them alive. I believe Ansel’s death held a greater impact than many other deaths in this book because of the moments of lightness and humour the author allowed the readers to have with him.

During spring break, I had went to a book store and this book caught my eye immediately which is called “Dream Team” by Jack McCallum It talks about the stories behind the 1992 Olympic USA basketball team which is known as the Dream Team because of the amount of famous NBA players on the team including : Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Karl Malone and many more. Of course the man himself Michael Jordan would be in the team. Knowing they dominated the Olympics with a blowout every game is insane.

But remember this, too: Jordan would stay in the backseat for only so long. In both the Dream Team pre-Olympic practice in Monte Carlo and the games in Barcelona, Jordan rose up from time to time and, in the strongest thus-spake-Zarathustra terms, made sure that everyone – especially Magic- knew who really ruled the basketball world.  (p. 191)

This part for me as a basketball fan it’s really interesting as basketball fans know that after the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era where they had dominated the game of basketball in the NBA it was Jordan’s era after that. From this small part of the book we could know that Jordan’s competitiveness is in a very high level. And when we knew that Magic was dominating before hand Jordan is really taking up the spot of him and Larry Bird as they both are starting to retire.

I love this book because it shows a lot of behind the scenes for the 1992 Dream Team which is widely considered one of the best USA basketball team for the last 40 years.

For my next IRJE, I am writing about a quotation from Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (the novel on which the film is based). The paleontologists Dr. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler have been flown out to a Costa Rican island called Isla Nublar, where huge developments in genetics have allowed a private company to create a park with herds of genetically reconstructed dinosaurs. The quotation takes place as the two of them, a guide, and other experts pass the park’s swimming pool and Ellie notices that the huge, previously extinct ferns planted decoratively next to it are actually very poisonous – enough so that they could make anyone who touched them sick. Ellie muses about how “people” view plants:

“People were so naive about plants, Ellie thought. They just chose plants for appearance, as they would choose a picture for the wall. It never occurred to them that plants were actually living things, busily performing all the living functions of respiration, ingestion, excretion, reproduction – and defense. […]

“People who imagined that life on earth consisted of animals moving against a green background seriously misunderstood what they were seeing. That green background was busily alive. Plants grew, moved, twisted, and turned, fighting for the sun; and they interacted continuously with animals – discouraging some with bark and thorns; poisoning others; and feeding still others to advance their own reproduction, to spread their pollen and seeds. It was a complex, dynamic process […] which she knew most people didn’t understand” (pp. 85-86).

I chose this quotation because I liked how it not only made me think about how we may ignore plants in our daily lives, but also foreshadows the general irresponsibility of the park creators. While knowing that plants are alive, they are still used so often as decorations that it can be easy to forget that houseplants have their own cycles and “motivations” – to find more sunlight or create flowers to grow their species. Ellie states how the planting of deadly ferns at a pool where any visitors could encounter them demonstrates how the park creators see the plants as just decorations. Despite how ancient the fern is, the developers planted it without regard to how it might fit into today’s world and the defenses it may use. This foreshadows the rest of the book, where (spoiler!) dinosaurs escape their pens and wreak havoc on the humans who they don’t know how to react to.  This violence by the ancient life against humans is a theme of the book, showing how the money-driven park operators neglect to think about the fact that their assorted displays are not museum exhibits but living creatures unaccustomed to today’s world.

In Black Boy, by Richard Wright, Richard the protagonist, moves with his uncle Clark in Greenwood, USA. After his mother has a heart attack. There on his first day in the new school, on the school grounds at noon recess, a group of boys came to him and talked to him.

“‘Where you from?’

‘Jackson’ I answered.

‘How come they make you people so ugly in Jackson?’ he demanded.

There was loud laughter.

‘You’re not any too good-looking yourself,’ I countered instantly. 

‘Oh!’

‘Aw!’

‘You hear what he told ‘im?’

‘You think you’re smart, don’t you?’ The boy asked, sneering.

‘Listen, I ain’t picking a fight,’ I said.  ‘But if you want to fight, I’ll fight.’

…”

 (p.91, l.3)

I like this scene because, of how realistic it sounds, this adds the scene more realism, because it’s really sound like a real conservation before a fight.

As I reflect further on The Stranger, by Albert Camus, I continue to appreciate the little details in the writing which display the leading character’s apathetic attitude towards society as he refuses to entertain the societal standards and expectations of the people surrounding him. Within the novel, the leading character Mersault can be characterized by his lack of emotional attachment and overall indifference towards humane experiences as seen in the following conversation between him and his love interest Marie.

“She was wearing a pair of my pajamas with the sleeves rolled up. When she laughed I wanted her again. A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn’t mean any thing but that I didn’t think so. She looked sad. ” (p.35)

Mersault’s inner dialogue at this moment demonstrates his inability to filter or alter through his words in an attempt to please an individual he cares about. He openly admits to lacking these feelings for a woman who is patiently waiting for him to say that he loves her and then proceeds to bluntly state she is sad. Many can interpret this part of the statement to mean that he appeared confused as to why she would look sad whereas I believe he states this fully knowing why Marie would be upset and simply not caring.  This acts as one of the many inner perspectives the reader has of Mersault’s character helping to create a complex relationship between Mersault and the reader considering that he is portrayed to be a somewhat likable character despite his various unlikable traits i.e. his lack of emotional attachment.

Currently i am reading a book called ” The Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle. The book is about the inherit meaning of talent, specifically, how it is born and how to harness it. This current chapter i am on is focusing on talent hotbeds, places around the world that seem to breed talent for no discernible reason, such as Brazil and its abundance of star soccer players. This quote here delves into a a theory by the author for why this may be.

“Or consider the scene at the Mermaid Tavern in London during Shakespeare’s day. There, across the river from the Globe Theatre, the major writers of the day-MarLowe, Jonson, Donne, Raleigh,-gathered to talk shop and match wits. Or consider the Academy and Lyceum of Athens, where Plato, Aristotle, and the rest taught, argued, and leanred. ” All of them were concentrated, all of them were simply part of the landscape of everyday life; and all flashed signals that added up to one energizing message: better get busy.

To me this quote is quite intriguing as it uses quite commonly known historical geniuses to prove a point that it is often environments that breed talent. Other researchers on the topic often use environment examples, but by painting people and public discourse as an environment it makes this point much clearer to me.

I have been reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy for about a month now and I am still enjoying it equally to when I started. Anna Karenina is a Russian novel from the early 1900s about Anna, a women who falls in love with Count Vronsky. Although it sounds like a wonderful love story Anna is actually already married creating a story that explores the complexities of adultery, love, and societal standards. This quotation is after Anna gave birth to her illegitimate child with Vronsky and she is describing her woes of her situation.

Everything in this baby was charming, but for some reason all this did not go deep to her heart. On her first child, though the child of an unloved father, had been concentrated all the love that had never found satisfaction. Her baby girl had been born in the most painful circumstances and had not had a hundredth part of the care and thought which had been concentrated on her first child. (Pg. 510)

The reason I chose this quotation was because it made me think of the ethics of adultery at the time, specifically considering children. One argument could say that Anna should not be shamed for her adultery because women were not allowed to get divorced causing Anna to have an affair with Vronsky. Instead of what could happen currently, where it is socially and legally acceptable to get a divorce to prevent this and many other issues. The counter argument is that Anna is affecting others, specifically her child, Seryozha therefore she should stop and does not have the right to do this. This argument considers she should be more selfless and consider Seryozha and her new daughter’s feelings. Supported by Anna stating that her daughter had been born from painful circumstances and that she would not have as much love as her previous son had. Overall, this quotation really helped me brainstorm about the ethics of adultery because it brought up the topic of children previous to the adultery and the possible children conceived from it.

The book I have just finished reading over the break is called All You’re Perfects by Colleen Hoover.

All You’re Perfects is about Quinn and Graham, a couple who have a seemingly perfect marriage until they start facing infertility issues. The book is split into two timelines: the past, where they fall in love, and the present, where they’re struggling to keep their relationship afloat. As they deal with the possibility of not being able to have a child, their marriage starts to suffer, and they start questioning if love is enough. It’s an emotional read that delves into themes of love, loss, and forgiveness, and it’s a good reminder that even the strongest relationships can be tested by life’s challenges. One of the most powerful quotes from All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover is

“Sometimes the waves bring with them things from deep in the bottom of the sea and they leave those things tossed onto the shore.”

This quote highlights the idea that people come and go in our lives, and they leave behind imprints and memories that shape who we are. It encourages us to cherish the moments we share with others, even if they may not be around forever, and to appreciate the memories they leave behind.

I recently started reading a rather interesting book
“Praise for Stargirl”. What makes this book so unique? She doesn’t just tell the story of a girl named Stargirl who decides to stand out from the crowd. It illuminates important questions about identity, self-acceptance, and individuality. Through the pages of the book, you begin to understand that true beauty lies in how we see ourselves and others. Spinelli’s moving prose fascinates the reader, transports him to the world of Stargirl and inspires him to think about his own beliefs and attitude towards others. Each page of the book is a journey on which you go with the main character, discovering new aspects of the world and yourself. “Life is the most powerful poet. Every moment is a poem, every memory is a rhyme.” This quote resonated with me that one should not forget to live and enjoy moments. And we ourselves can create our own life. We need to make it bright and unforgettable, but it depends only on us.

Lately, I have been reading the Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramhansa Yogananda. This quotation is from one of the early chapters, relating one of the author’s interactions with a saint outside a temple, where he discusses understanding the eternal soul.

Man can understand no eternal verity until he has freed himself from pretensions. The human mind, bared to a centuried slime, is teeming with repulsive life of countless world-delusions. Struggles of the battlefields pale into insignificance here, when man first contends with inward enemies! No mortal foes these, to be overcome by harrowing array of might! Omnipresent, unresting, pursuing man even in sleep, subtly equipped with a miasmic weapon, these soldiers of ignorant lusts seek to slay us all. Thoughtless is a man who buries his ideals surrendering to the common fate. Can he seem other than impotent, wooden, ignominious? (p. 77)

I enjoyed reading this quotation because of the intricate use of vocabulary to deliver the message of conquering one’s “inner foes.” For example, the saint says the human mind is covered by a “slime” “teeming with repulsive life of countless world-delusions,” meaning, the human mind gets deluded over time, and this delusion covers the eternal truth of the soul. Then, he relates stray thoughts occurring in one’s mind to “inward enemies” and “soldiers of ignorant lusts seeking to slay us all.” meaning that we must analyse and face our thoughts to truly conquer them, similar to a soldier fighting against another soldier during battle.

For the past few weeks, I have been reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I didn’t know much about the book besides the fact that it was set before the French Revolution, and that the famous quote “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” was in it. So far, I’ve enjoyed the story and the humour, and I especially love Dickens’ use of descriptions to make jokes. For example, in the beginning of the book Mr. Lorry, an English banker, comforts Miss Manette after telling her some startling information. Miss Manette ends up gripping Mr. Lorry’s arm so hard that he needs to call for help to detach himself. The woman who comes running over is described as:

A wild-looking woman, whom even in his agitation Mr. Lorry observed to be all of a red colour, and to have red hair, and to be dressed in some extraordinary tight-fitting fashion, and to have on her head a most wonderful bonnet like a grenadier wooden measure, and a good measure too, or a great Stilton cheese, came running into the room in advance of inn servants, and soon settled the question of his detachment from the poor young lady, by laying a brawny hand upon his chest, and sending him flying back against the nearest wall. (p. 37)

Dickens use of physical comedy is enhanced by the reader’s imagination. By describing the woman’s bonnet as a great Stiltion cheese, Dickens gives the reader an extreme image that their mind can play with. This also helps with characterization, as the reader can assume a number of things about the woman’s personality and demeanour based on her clothing and the way she acts.

Recently, I started reading The Dead Zone by Stephen King. I managed to read only until chapter 3 and do not understand what’s happening. Overall, I grasped that it is Halloween and a boy scares a girl with his costume, then there is a weird explanation of the characters, so unfortunately I have no quotes to share.

I’ve recently started a book called The Maid by Nita Prose. This book is a novel and it tells the story of Molly Gray, a socially awkward maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, who becomes a person of interest when she discovers a prominent guest dead in his bed. I came across this amusing passage in the book.

‘Molly, what are you doing here?’ Mr Snow asked when I showed up from work after Gran died. ‘I’m so sorry for your loss. Mr Prestion told me that your grandmother passed away yesterday. I already called in a replacement for your shift. I assumed you’d take today off.’
‘Mr Snow, why did you assume?’ I asked. ‘As Gran used to say, when you assume, you make an A-S-S out of U and ME.’
Mr Snow looked like he was going to regurgitate a mouse.
‘Please accept my condolences. And are you sure you don’t want the day off?’
‘It was Gran who died, not me,’ I replied. ‘The show must go on, you know’ (p10)

This book paragraph gave me the impression that I was in an obscure comedy performance that would make me chuckle. The line “It was Gran who died, not me” was the one I found most endearing. It seems as though Molly is emotionless; she dismisses it and carries on with her life.

A few weeks ago, I started to read a book named “The Handmaid’s Tale” written by Margaret Atwood, even though I am already 1/3 through the book, I still can tell for certain what it is about. Events take place in the former United States of America, that are now called The Republic of Gilead. Women in this country don’t have any rights, the narrator’s name Offred, like the names of all other Handmaids reflect which Commander owns them “Of Fred”, “Of Glen”, “Of Warren”, their only roles are to be a Commander’s wife, Handmaid (Commander’s child bearer), Martha (a domestic servant), or an Aunt (teacher of the future Handmaids). Even, though men are free in their actions, there are still rules for them as well, all violators are executed and hanged on the wall as an example. Purposely slow pacing builds suspense and intrigue around the story to keep engaged a reader, who’s eager to find out what happens next. “The Handmaid’s Tale” is an exploration of themes such as gender oppression, totalitarianism, and the resilience of the human spirit. I’m excited to find out what happened in this world, where woman is merely an object.

I am finishing another book from the “From Blood and Ash” series titled “A Light in the Flame”. The relationship between Sera and Nyktos, the Primal of Death, is building as they test each other’s trust. The pair discover that Sera holds embers of life inside her soul and must find a way to withdraw them as the power will kill her. In the end, she discovers that the only one who can save her is the one she spent her life planning to kill: Nyktos. This novel explores the concept of the fragile balance of how human emotion can be manipulated but requires companionship to thrive; as depicted in the following quote:

“Needing me or anyone to look out for you doesn’t mean you’re weak, that you can’t defend yourself, or that you’re afraid. We all need someone to watch over us.” (pg.327).

This quote in particular resonated with me as it clearly defines the interconnectedness between bravery and companionship. In the context of the “A Light in the Flame” novel, both protagonists have lived their lives isolated; which develops the problem of only trusting themselves. As these characters begin to understand the importance of love and family, their barriers break. The growth of each character portrayed in a story reveals the truth behind their message: humans are reliant on one another to regulate emotions and give us the support and a purpose to succeed. The quote states the importance of acknowledging when you need help and showcasing that it doesn’t diminish your image of bravery, even if it requires you to admit vulnerability. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit that you need help.

Recently I started reading a book named Fang by James Patterson. I did not read much pages of this book, but I can already tell it’s quite challenging to read because this book is not similar to real life, however I can’t really tell a genre of this book.
Fang begins with very interesting for me start where group of main characters flying over Africa on their mechanical wings, where they unexpectedly facing unknown objects trying to kill them, but they were lucky to escape from them and fly to the village they were trying to get to. When they got to the village they saw a lot of starving kids and people at all, that is why they came there. They started feeding children when Angel(one of the group members) pulled arrowhead-shaped rock from her pocket and started to drag the rock’s point across the heel of child’s open hand.
Thats pretty much what i’ve read from this book and right now it seems pretty interesting to read. I expect a lot of new emotions from this book and I hope I will like it so much

In the fantasy novel, Daughter of the Pirate King, a young woman is forced to fight for power and control in a society plagued by male dominance and sexism. The author, Tricia Levenseller, creates a world of intrigue and mystery, yet also weaves in social challenges that are prominent in today’s world. Levenseller writes of the struggles of the women in the book, highlighting their resilience and capabilities. The theme celebrates female agency and challenges the notion that women are limited by their gender. It portrays women as capable leaders, fighters, and strategists, capable of achieving their goals through their abilities and determination. My favourite quote from the book is from the perspective of the protagonist when constantly being underestimated by those around her.

“Never underestimate the power of a strong and determined woman.”

In this scene alone, the protagonist demonstrates her capabilities, strength and intelligence, proving herself to be just as skilled – if not more so – than her male counterparts. This challenges the notion that women are lesser, and eliminates traditional gender roles associated with piracy and leadership. This is one of the primary reasons why I picked up this book, and the hook which made me continue reading. To hear and learn of empowering women, both real and fiction, breaks down stereotypes and creates a hopeful future. Despite the progress made in the world surrounding sexism, I and many other women experience gender stereotyping regarding strength and leadership abilities regularly. Often, I am told to “step aside and let the men handle the heavy lifting,” and other things similar. It is books and quotes like these that helped me realize I can be equal, if not better, than the people around me, no matter their gender association.

 

I have just begun reading The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I was delighted the brief plot summary from one of my friends, but other than that, I have no idea what this book is about, the author’s style, or the genre. It would be very easy to find the answers to these mysteries, but I also like the idea of going into the book unbiased and interpreting it in my own way. I’ll do that. Below is a quote I read three times over at the beginning of chapter two, page seven.

A chair, a table, a lamp. Above, on the white ceiling, a relief ornament in the shape of a wreath, and in the centre of it a blank space, plastered over, like the place in a face where the eye has been taken out. There must have been a chandelier once. They’ve removed anything you could tie a rope to.

So far, the text has ominous themes of the colour red, females, and order. From the details I have retained, this story is set in a land where, as in most, women are categorized by status and their value is acquired according to that status. The main character seems to be middle-classed This allows her to interact with higher classed women, and recognize the satisfactory wealth of herself by being close to the poor. The part that caught my eye about this quote is the second sentence. The way in which Atwood wrote this leaves the reader to question whether “they” have removed anything you could tie a rope to because the women could escape, or, because the women could hang themselves. Either of these options, and the possible more, leaves the reader with a thirst that only reading further could quench. Either of these options are terrifying and set the stage of this book to be filled with thematic, and hopefully courageous, events.

In the book of “Better Than the Movies,”  by Lynn Painter, the quote

“You look best when you’re you. Sometimes we get so tied up in our idea of what we think we want that we miss out on the amazingness of what we could actually have.” (pp.111)

has a true significance. This short but important quote captures the essence of authenticity and self-acceptance, reminding us that when we embrace who we really are, our true beauty appears. It’s like a soft development, telling us to accept our individuality and peculiarities instead of trying to fit into roles that are imposed by society. We follow the characters Liz journeys of self-awareness and development as she learns the value of being true to herself. This quotation connects with myself as I navigate my own search for authenticity and acts as a beacon of hope, showing my way towards self-acceptance and love.

I really am enjoying a lot this book, it has this troop of enemies to lovers which I love because I enjoy reading relationships of love hate situations, they are super interesting and fun to read. With this quote is an example of how little by little the characters from hating each other they start showing their true reality and how they actually love each other and confess their love to one another.

 

 

In the book “The kite runner” by Khaled Hosseini, the very first words to me are very meaningful because they set the tone for the book and give you a perspective you can use to read the book with a certain mood.

I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out.
Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years. (p. 1)

This part talks about a crucial moment from when the narrator was twelve, showing how past events shape who we are. It says that you can’t really forget the past because it always comes back. The narrator also says that he has been thinking about that alley for twenty-six years, showing how memories can keep haunting us.

 

This Quote is from the book I’m currently reading, Regretting you by Colleen Hoover. One of the main characters of the book is thinking to herself in this quote.

It means people who make mistakes usually learn from them. That doesn’t make them hypocrites. It makes them experienced. (pg 8)

This quote provides insight to us readers by highlighting the positive aspect of making mistakes. It encourages a shift in perspective, emphasizing that mistakes are opportunities for learning and growth rather than reasons for criticism or judgment. The quote promotes a more forgiving and understanding approach towards individuals who have made mistakes, recognizing their experiences as valuable lessons that contribute to their personal development and wisdom.

I finished my last book right before spring break, so I decided to buy a new one at the airport and read it during the flight. I’m currently reading “Killing Floor” by Lee Child. The plot is interesting so far. It’s not the first time I’ve read something related to murder and crime. I like these kinds of plots because they keep me on the edge of my seat, wondering what’s going to happen. In this quotation, we meet Chief Morrison, an arrogant man who will be essential in investigating the murder case.

“My name is Morrison,” he wheezed. As if I cared. “I am chief of the police department down here in Mar-grave. And you are a murdering outsider bastard. You’ve come down here to my town and you’ve messed up right there on Mr. Kliner’s private property. So now you’re going to make a full confession to my chief of detectives.” (p. 12)

The chief is introducing himself to Racher, the main character. So, his hostility toward Reacher comes from a mixture of anger and fear. He is understandably upset that a homicide occurred in “his” town, and he also labels Reacher as an outsider, which immediately classifies him as a threat. In a city as isolated as Margrave, it is rare, if ever, that someone new arrives, and Morrison reacts as if Reacher’s presence is an infection he means to eradicate.

This spring break I read a book called My year of rest an relaxation by Ottesa Moshfegh, It follows the story of a young woman named the narrator, who decides to embark on a self-imposed hibernation, seeking to escape the pains of existence through an experimental cocktail of prescription drugs. As she endeavors to sleep her troubles away, she reflects on her past, her relationships, and her own sense of identity. Moshfegh’s novel explores themes of alienation, disconnection, and the search for meaning in a world that often feels devoid of purpose. With its dark humor and incisive commentary on contemporary society, “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” offers a compelling and unconventional exploration of one woman’s quest for inner peace.

“Sleep felt productive. Something was getting sorted out. I knew in my heart—this was, perhaps, the only thing my heart knew back then—that when I’d slept enough, I’d be okay. I’d be renewed, reborn. I would be a whole new person, every one of my cells regenerated enough times that the old cells were just distant, foggy memories. My past life would be but a dream, and I could start over without regrets, bolstered by the bliss and serenity that I would have accumulated in my year of rest and relaxation.”
― Ottessa Moshfegh, My year of rest and relaxation. 

I picked this quote because it’s true we usually use sleep as a form of escapism of reality, specially in our more vulnerable moments, sometimes we are not even that tired but something inside us says that we should sleep and we will feel better. This a practice the protagonist often uses in the book in the search of felling better.

This spring break I read the book It ends with us by Colleen Hoover, this book centers around the main character Lily, whose life hasn’t always been easy. She came a long way moving from her home town in Main where she grew up and moved to Boston, that is where she fell in love with Ryle, who has a soft spot for her, but bad things started to happen in their relationship when suddenly her first love Atlas reappears and everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

“Just because someone hurts you doesn’t mean you can simply stop loving them. It’s not a person’s actions that hurt the most. It’s the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.” pg.321

I really liked this phrase because it refers to Lily’s pain and love for Ryle because even though things didn’t worked between them she still loved him because he was a part of her life and a simple action took it all away.

In the book limitless by Jim Kwik, the author shows several techniques for improving focus, developing a growth mindset, and optimizing brain health through nutrition and lifestyle changes. Through practical tips and exercises, Kwik encourages readers to overcome limiting beliefs and tap into their innate abilities to achieve success in various areas of life.

“So often the answers we want are there, but we are not asking the right questions to shine a spotlight on them”

I chose this quote because I think it remarks the importance on how we view things, if we always look for the negative aspects, life will show us the negative reasons, in other hand, if we change the way we think about our selves and our situations, the things that approach to us are positive. The solutions to many of our problems or the answers we seek are often present, but we fail to recognize them because we are asking the wrong questions.

The book that I’m now reading is “Regretting you” by Colleen Hoover. This novel is about Morgan and Clara, mom and daughter. Morgan got pregnant and had Clara when she was only sixteen years old, she has always said that she has never regretted anything, not even having Clara at such a young age but she is determined to never let Clara to do the same mistakes as she did. She always tries to keep her daughter in the right path and she gives her as many life lessons as she cans.

“Right after something tragic happens, you feel like you’ve fallen off a cliff. But after the tragedy starts to sink in, you realize you didn’t fall off a cliff. You’re on an eternal roller coaster that just reached the bottom. Now it’s gonna be up and down and upside down for a long, long time. Maybe even forever.” (p.87)

I chose this quote because it is one of the many life lessons that this book has and I think is very real. When something bad happens to us or something that we expected that was going to be great, results terribly wrong, we completely think that we have bad luck, that everything we do is wrong and the only thing that you want to do is to jump off a cliff just as this quote says. Life is full of ups and downs and that’s what I liked about this quote in specific. One day you can be doing super bad at school, being tired of life, having problems with your friends and family but when you start to change that mindset and start doing things that you like, enjoying the little and precious moments in life and taking care of the things that really matter, everything starts to be in its place. It is the same when a person that is bad, that is rude to others for no reason and that he or she feels that its on top of the world because it has money or something like that, the next day something can happen and he or she can be completely broke. Life is a complete roller coaster, sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down. You should never take something for granted.

During spring break, I read Surrounded by Idiots  by Thomas Erikson.  Thomas demonstrate a new method from which you can learn how, not only to understand the people around you, but how, by understanding them will change the way you interact with them. The writer explains that there is four behaviors, he classifies the personality types by color.

Reds and Yellows tend to inflate their strengths and believe that they have no weaknesses.
They have powerful egos, and a great part of their success can probably be attributed to the fact that they don’t get bogged down in faults and shortcomings but instead look for opportunities and good news.
Clearly, this can’t be maintained over time.
Conversely, Greens and Blues usually exaggerate their weaknesses and in certain cases even ignore their strengths.  (p. 65)

For Erikson, we all form part of one of these personalities, it does not mean that some people are better than others.  His key to successful communication is not to compare them but to compliment each other.

In the “Art of Losing”, a book written by Roberto Martinez, he talks about how we must lose the fear of taking initiative without caring about the opinions of others. Although much of the book focuses on this topic, Roberto also mentions problems that happen in society today. One of the topics he talks about is how we develop and follow our passions to create our paths.

“We live in a time where we are told that we must choose a single career or passion. However, this decision is something that we can later come to resent, since, if we cut off our other passions to choose just one, the others will remain like phantom limbs, and we will feel that something is missing to find our voice.” (p.191)

For me, this quote is very important because nowadays a lot of people are not allowed to do the things that they like to do and instead, they are forced to do something else just because their parents did it or just because that has to do with their future, a future that they didn’t choose. So what this quote represents to me is that if you like doing something that might not like to your parents or friends or whatever, you have to show them your capacities to create your future by doing the things you like.

The Novel Magnolia Parks continues with BJ having a bad awakening of his feelings and finding out just how much their love hurts each other. Especially how much he hurt Magnolia and now when he sees Magnolia happy with another guy he notices his pain, which she must also have felt all the time when he slept with other women. 

“That thing in your brain that sounds an alarm: we’re not okay? It’s going off. I’m not okay. I feel like I’ve fallen into a hole. No edge to grab, no end in sight, arse in your stomach, stomach in your throat, heart in the hand of a girl who’s holding someone else’s—just a kind of forever falling, this fucking suspending always falling, which is sort of what it feels like to be in love with her at this point anyway.”  (p.161)

During the scene, you got the impression of feeling the pain of BJ. On the one hand, I felt bad for him but on the other hand, this is what he did to Magnolia more than once. She seems to finally get over the ongoing hurting relationship with BJ. But their love seems to be cursed the way they are still drawn to each other. This endless loop of hiding their feelings, hurting each other over and over again seems as if it may come to an end, leaving BJ heartbroken a dealing with his feelings.

Currently I am reading How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie, a book about dealing with people and opening the door of your perspective and ideas to others. One of the big concepts Carnegie talks about is the art of gratefulness and appreciation.

Let’s not expect gratitude. Then, if we get some occasionally, it will come as a delightful surprise. If we don’t get it, we won’t be disturbed. It is natural for people to forget to be grateful; so, if we go around expecting gratitude, we are headed straight for a lot of heartaches.

This side of gratefulness, the expectation side, is an important yet undiscussed aspect of gratitude. Understanding that you should be helpful or supporting not for the praise you may get from those actions but because it feels good inside of oneself. Ask yourself, does it feel better to help a friend with no praise, yet know you were helpful to a loved one, or avoid helping someone, making that persons life just that much harder, and live knowing you could have done something that they would have benefited from?

The book I am currently reading is called The Fire Eternal written by Chris D’lacey. This book is placed five years after the death of the previous main character called David Rain in the shoes of Liz (David’s tenant and close friend), Lucy (Liz’s daughter and David’s close friend) and Zanna (David’s girlfriend). After all these years Zanna gave birth to David’s daughter who is now four but still refuses to date or begin a relationship with someone else. Lucy however is more so irritated by Zanna and seemingly jealous of her relationship with David and how close they were. This only became apparent to Zanna however when she is working her shop when a handsome man came into her store. Zanna ignored him at first until he began flirting with her and asking her on dates to which she told him that she was not interested. Soon after he left her mind until Gretel (her dragon) reported to her that she saw the man’s contact on Lucy’s phone. The following word were:

“The link was still live . One message from Tam:

Ok met her. David’s partner, right? Baby by him? Good lead, thanx. Checking her out. Tam.                                                             PS. What’s with her scars? Real or self-harmer?

And for the umpteenth time, or however many times one can change a text message in forty minutes, Lucy tried again, this time deleting everything she had written in favor of one word. She read it back, heart pounding, then she posted it into the ether. She was doing this for David, she reminded herself. Someone, one of them, had to make a move. But even as ‘Sent’ flashed up on her screen, she wished she could have clawed the message back. Just one word. Maybe Tam wouldn’t get it?                                                         Or maybe he would.                                                                               One small word                                                                                       One legend.

Oomara.

(Chris D’lacey – The Fire Eternal: pp. 54-55)

In this quote the man called Tam (the man flirting with Zanna) was reporting to Lucy what he had found out about Zanna. The reason she was trying to do this was because (as Liz explained in page 60) ever since David’s death she felt left out of David’s life. Like Zanna and her daughter had the only real connection to him. It didn’t help Lucy of course that Zanna would not move on from David. So Lucy concocts a plan to get Zanna distracted from David and she found that the smart and witty man named Tam would be her shot. However, like anything, his cooperation came at a price, even if it meant giving intel on David and possibly family secrets.

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝙰𝚕𝚍𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝙷𝚞𝚡𝚕𝚎𝚢’𝚜 “𝙰 𝙱𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍” 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝙰𝚝𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚍’𝚜 “𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚍’𝚜 𝚃𝚊𝚕𝚎” 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚗. 𝙱𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚞𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚌 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚌 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚕𝚢 “𝚏𝚕𝚊𝚠𝚎𝚍” 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚢𝚎𝚝 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢.

𝙰𝚕𝚍𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝙷𝚞𝚡𝚕𝚎𝚢’𝚜 “𝙰 𝙱𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍” 𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚎𝚡𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚡𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚞𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚎𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚎𝚡𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚎𝚝 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚜 𝚎𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚢 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎 𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜 𝚢𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚘𝚖 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚎𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚣𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚍𝚞𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.

𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝙰𝚝𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚍’𝚜 “𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚍’𝚜 𝚃𝚊𝚕𝚎” 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚘𝚘𝚕𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚐𝚢𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢 “𝙶𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍” 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚖𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚞𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚕𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚍𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚞𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚏𝚜. 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚢, 𝙰𝚝𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚍’𝚜 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚎𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚣𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚍𝚞𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚡𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚐𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗; 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚢 𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖. 𝙸𝚗 𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢, 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚛 𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗.

Currently I am reading the book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Contrary to the popular belief that this book is teaching lonely people how to make friends, it’s not. It is much more to do with how to influence or alter the perspectives of friends you already have, as well as strangers you’ve never met. A quote that really that I highlighted whilst reading was:

First, arouse in the other person an eager want. He who can do this has the whole world with him. He who cannot walks a lonely way.

I have read over the chapter, in which this quote is found, many times. “Arousing a want” sounded so simple when I read it on paper, so I have started to implement Carnegie’s words into my everyday life. I have started to see differences in how people to respond to things I ask of them using this technique.

I have nearly finished reading “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen. It’s been a unique experience for me, as I’m not used to reading books with such advanced vocabulary. However, it has also helped me learn new words and expand my vocabulary, which is fantastic. In the following quote, Elizabeth is introduced to Mr. Darcy’s magnificent estate at Pemberley.

They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills;—and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place where nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in her admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something! (p. 163).

Elizabeth’s visit to Darcy’s house is a major milestone in her feelings towards him. While conversing with the housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, Elizabeth catches the glowingly admiring word of Darcy’s generosity and kindness as a master. The change, however, comes when she meets Darcy himself, unexpectedly, while she is walking through the grounds of his estate, Pemberley. His former haughtiness appears to have decreased, and Elizabeth now perceives him in a different way. The elaborate description of Pemberley’s construction and grounds are a symbolic representation of Darcy’s personality. That stream is actually his pride, being natural it also represents his honesty. Elizabeth’s joy and quick realization about the pleasure of being the mistress of Pemberley foreshadow her subsequent bliss as devoted wife of Darcy.

I have been enjoying ‘The Hunger Games’ lately and I really like it because of it’s descriptions. I like how it can give me an clear imagery of the scene even though I have not watch the movie I hope to finish the book then watch the movie just to see if what I had imagined is similar to the movie

“Look what I shot.” Gale holds up a loaf of bread with an arrow stick in it, and I laugh. It’s real bakery bread, not the flat, dense loaves we make from our grain rations. I take it in my hands, pull out the arrow, and hold the puncture in the crust to my nose, inhaling the fragrance that makes my mouth flood with with saliva. Fine bread like this is for special occasions.

p.7

I am just very impressed when books can give me an imagery on what is actually happening so in the above example I think it had given me enough descriptions to think of an imagery.

The book I’m reading is Icebreaker, and I found this quote and I really liked it

Falling in love with Nathan Hawkins was not something I could have planned. No planner, iPad, or freaking sticker chart could have prepared me for my future. My imagination isn’t capable of dreaming up this level of happiness.

this quote shows the main character’s surprising and deep love for Nathan Hawkins. It shows how unpredictable love can be and how it may exceed all preparations and expectations. It’s about the joy and surprise of discovering deep happiness in the most unexpected places. The character highlights the good parts of life and love when they come to the realization that no amount of planning could have brought them to the happiness she discovered with Nathan.

In White fangs, by Jack London, Bill and Henry are tasked in the middle of Winter, with transporting a person caucus. However, on the way, they are harassed by a group of Wolves. The Wolve pack have already eaten up 5 of their sled dogs. Name losses his nerves and goes with his revolver and the three bullets to kill the wolfs.

“He heard a shot, then two shots in rapid succession, and he knew that Bill’s ammunition was gone. Then he heard a great outcry of snarls and yelps. He recognized One Ear’s yell of pain and terror, and he heard a wolf-cry that bespoken a stricken animal. And that was all,” (p.108, l.15)

I really like this specific scene because, how jack London tells us indirectly to the reader that Bill is dead. It is also highly creative to tell someone died.

In the Novel Magnolia Parks, by Jessa Hastings, Magnolia and BJ are written in the stars, just suspended in a strange kind of love that looks like hurting each other a lot of the time. But at the end of each of their sad efforts to get over one another, it’s always each other that they crawl back to. As the “nanny” Marsaili reads the paper she sees BJ and Magnolia on the headline saying:

“On-again-off-again” couple Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine caused quite a scene last    night at Annabel’s as the pair ran into one of Park’s many ex-lovers—unnamed—“

[…]

“Jealous Ballentine appeared ready for fisticuffs, but the situation was diffused before it went any further.”

“Beej shrugs. “Not bad.”

“Fisticuffs,” I muse.”

“And then there are several photos where it looks like the two of you are together—“   (p.33)

When I read this scene I had to think about the author’s key question “How many Loves do you get in a lifetime”. The situation made clear that the two of them are drawn to each other but can’t properly show it, as they keep hurting each other but also care for each other at the same time. A complex chaos of feelings mixed up in wrong actions and bad timing. 

Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life by Jim Kwik. The author, Jim Kwik, is discussing the power of mindset in achieving success and personal growth. “The truth is that we are all limitless. The only limits we have are the ones we impose on ourselves.” (Kwik, 2020, p. 27) This quotation shows the central theme of the book, emphasizing that our potential is not limited by external circumstances but by our own beliefs and mindset. It highlights the importance of overcoming self-imposed limitations to unlock our full potential and lead an exceptional life. The message is empowering and encourages readers to adopt a growth mindset, believing in their ability to learn, grow, and achieve their goals. Kwik’s assertion that our brains can be trained and improved is supported by scientific research on neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. By emphasizing this point, Kwik challenges readers to take control of their own learning and cognitive abilities, empowering them to overcome challenges and achieve their goals. I like that this book is non fiction and provides facts to support the main idea. It challenges readers to rethink their capabilities, embrace a growth mindset, and unlock their full potential, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and exceptional life.

This quote is from the book I’m reading currently, Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and its a conversation between the narrator and her brother.

Did you tell Aunty Ifeoma about your finger?’ I asked. I should not have asked. I should have let it be. But there, it was out. It was only when I was alone with Jaja that the bubbles in my throat let my words come out. “She asked me, and I told her.” He was tapping his foot on the verandah floor in an energetic rhythm. I stared at my hands, at the short nails that Papa used to cut to a chaffing shortness, when I would sit between his legs and his cheeks would brush mine gently, until I was old enough to do it myself — and I always cut them to a chaffing shortness, too. Had Jaja forgotten that we never told, that there was so much that we never told? When people asked, he always said his finger was “something” that had happened at home. That way, it was not a lie and it let them imagine some accident, perhaps involving a heavy door. I wanted to ask Jaja why he had told Aunty Ifeoma, but I knew there was no need to, that this was one question he did not know the answer to. (p. 154)

The Auschwitz Ballerina is a book written by Edith Eger, this book isn’t a story, this book is an experience she had on WW2 times. Edith Eger is a jew and suffer through Hittler’s atrocities and managed to survive. It all started when she was 16 years old when the nazis took her family and her to Auschwitz. her parents were sent to a gas camera and she stayed with her sister waiting for death. but little did she knew that dancing “the blue danube” for Mengele saved her life.

“In the private darkness inside me, I hear my mother’s words, as if she were here, in the inhospitable room, whispering beneath the music. <<Remember that no one can take away what you put in your mind>> Dr. Mengele, my squalid companions in confinement, the rebels who will survive and those who would soon be dead, even my dear sister disappear, and the only world that exists is in my head.” (pg.69)

this phrase is said by the main character (the author) and I find it really interesting because it explains how she felt in the certain moment she knew that one false step she could get killed, who would’ve known that dancing would be the thing that made her stay alive and get out of Auschwitz.

One book that I have read whose message and quotes truly stuck with me was Divine Rivals, by Rebecca Ross. In the fantastical world of magic and intrigue, Ross creates a story that unfolds as you read, and she truly captured me from the start. The emotional depth of the characters and the plot points she diverged impacted me immensely, specifically, this one excerpt spoken by the protagonist in a moment of vulnerability. It goes as follows:

“It takes courage to let down your armour, to welcome people to see you as you are. Sometimes I feel the same as you: I can’t risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there’s also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tells me, “You will miss so much by being so guarded.”

This quote was the catalyst that began the unfolding of the protagonist’s character. It is when she first lets down her guard and is honest with the other characters in the book, and it shows the truth behind the phrase “there is strength in vulnerability.” It touched me as a reader because I feel I can relate to the meaning Ross is trying to convey. There are times where we hide our true selves to impress, relate, or be liked by others. After all, it is too dangerous to show yourself and be open to the risk of failure, of disappointment. But that is why I think it is so special; bearing yourself for conviction and vulnerability also opens up opportunities that, as the protagonist also puts it, you would have missed otherwise. This quote conveys that to let down your armour is a strength, not a weakness, and that is something truly remarkable.

Layla by Colleen Hoover is a thrilling and emotional novel that follows the story of Layla and Leeds, a couple who have been through a lot of ups and downs in their relationship. They decide to take a break from their busy lives and go on a romantic getaway to a bed and breakfast in the mountains. However, their peaceful trip takes a dark turn when they encounter a mysterious and eerie presence in the house, which seems to have a connection to Layla’s past. As the couple tries to unravel the secrets of the house and Layla’s past, they are forced to confront their fears and insecurities and make some difficult decisions that will change their lives forever. The novel is a perfect blend of romance, suspense, and psychological thriller, and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

“I want to be the best part of your worst day”

The quote is a statement made by Layla, one of the main characters in the novel “Layla” by Colleen Hoover. The quote means that Layla wants to be there for her partner, Leeds, even on his worst days. She wants to be the one who can make him smile, even when everything else seems to be going wrong. She wants to be his source of comfort and support, and she wants to be able to make a positive impact on his life. Essentially, the quote is about being there for someone you love, no matter what, and being the best part of their day, even when everything else is falling apart. I love this quote as it shows the importance of love and how you will love someone on their bad and good days. 

I recently began reading a book entitled Agatha Christie – Marple. The book is a collection of short stories written by different authors, using the Ms. Marple character to explore a variety of scenarios. At the end of one investigation, Ms. Marple’s friend, Emmy, says to her:

“Well, Jane, you’ve only been here for twenty-four hours and already you’ve discovered two murders that no one else even realised were murders. And in Fishbourne, of all places!”

“You have lived a sheltered life, Emmy. But there is wickedness everywhere.” (p. 332)

This quotation captures perfectly what I feel is wrong with the book: there is no build up. The murders are well constructed,  but there’s no time to analyze them and create theories before Ms. Marple has solved it, everyone cheers, and we move onto the next mystery. Additionally, evidence that could be used to solve the murder is either heavily emphasized or not mentioned at all. Multiple times throughout the book, Ms. Marple reminded the readers that there were, for example, two or three things that stuck out to her in a specific scene. This is unnecessary: anyone who started reading a murder mystery book would already be analyzing every sentence. It’s as if Ms. Marple turns towards the audience, sees they’re struggling to figure out the mystery, and decides she needs to slap them over the head with some evidence because they’re too stupid to figure it out.

One, two, three, four! 200 minimum words!

 

Just two weeks ago, I began reading a novel called, “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy. Even in such a short time, it has become one of my favourite novels from 19th Century Russian authors. This novel explores the themes of families,  death and love. Especially love, I don’t think I have ever read a book where such a multitude of protagonists who have so many troubles with love. The novel follows a woman named Anna Karenina, a married woman, who falls in love with the charming officer Vronsky. The quotation I chose is of Dolly, Anna’s sister-in-law telling Anna about her husband, Oblonsky’s recent affair with their governess,

“‘Everything is at an end and that’s all’ said Dolly. ‘And the worst of it is, you understand, that I can’t leave him: there are the children, and I am bound. Yet I can’t live with him; it is torture for me to see him.'” (Pg. 67).

I chose this quotation because it is an introduction to the ideas of adultery of married individuals and the societal norms of the time stopping women from getting divorced. As Anna is being sympathetic with Dolly in this scene it feels very hypocritical because as the reader we know Anna is not faithful to her husband. To me, this felt like a way for Tolstoy to try to share his idea of humans’ tendency to be contradictory in their values and desires.

For my next IRJE, I chose a quotation in the next book in the “Emily of New Moon” series, Emily Climbs, by L.M. Montgomery. In the story, the protagonist Emily is on a trip with her best friend Ilse canvassing for subscriptions (visiting neighborhoods asking people to subscribe) to a newspaper from their town in which they are boarding for school. However, while walking they get lost and will not be able to get to the house in which they are to stay in time before dark. Instead, they decide to stay the night on a haystack near the road, and Emily stays awake gazing at the stars and the beauty of the night.

“She was glad Ilse was asleep. Any human companionship, even the dearest and most perfect, would have been alien to her then. She was sufficient unto herself, needing not love nor comradeship nor any human emotion to round out her felicity. Such moments come rarely in life, but when they do come they are inexpressibly wonderful – as if the finite were for a second divinity – as if humanity were for a space uplifted into divinity – as if all ugliness had vanished, leaving only flawless beauty” (p. 177).

This quotation highlights one of my favorite parts of both this series in particular and L.M. Montgomery’s writing in general – her descriptions of the world, even the smaller things in life. She often describes nature in very fantastical and vivid descriptions and accentuate small things such as the wind rustling through the trees or a clump of flowers. Even a simple thing such as laying and gazing at the stars can have great meaning, and be what make life interesting.

In Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin, Elizabeth is the main character. She is the second daughter of the Bennet family. Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth’s mother, is concerned about marrying her five daughters with wealthy escorts. When Mr. Bingley’s moves into the neighborhood, he develops a mutual affection with Jane Bennet, the oldest sister. When Mr. Darcy appears, Mr. Bingley’s close friend, his proud personality hurts Elizabeth’s feelings. Darcy starts to feel affection towards Elizabeth’s intelligence, and he finds it hard to express his feelings. When Mr. Darcy asks her father for his permission to marry her, you could clearly see her father’s love and preoccupation.

“Go with your father, he wants you in the library.” She was gone directly.
Her father was walking in the room, looking grave and anxious. “Lizzy” said he, “what are you doing? Are you out of your senses, to be accepting this man? Have you not always hated him?”
(p. 253)

This quotation reminded me of the relationship with my father, he is always worried about me and my feelings, and always goes out of the way to make my days better. That is why for me, this was the most lovely part throughout the whole book. Lizzy ‘s father was only worried about how her daughter feels and how she would feel. Mr. Bennet did not care about marrying her with a wealthy partner, or for her to have the expected future for her, he was only worried about her girl.

Not so long ago, I started reading the book “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk. As a detective lover, this book got my full attention, even though I only finished the second chapter. I am not sure yet how the event will go, but the mysterious death of a man that everyone calls Big Foot is really interesting. There was also a short story about his dog. He locks her up in a shed, where she howls because of the cold. The woman rescues her and brings the dog home, where she gives her food and a warm place to sleep, but after a while, at night, the dog runs outside and goes back.

“And so she went back to her Prison” (p. 32).

I included this part because I liked how loyal the dog is. Despite how badly the owner treated her, the dog returned to him. When I told my sister about this book, she said that this situation reminded her of some people she knew.

I just finished the book, Someone Is Always Watching by Kelly Armstrong. As you may expect this is a horror book. I found an interesting horror scene that gave me goosebumps.

Dear Blythe,

You clicked the link, right? After making absolutely sure it seemed legit, of course. Did you check the URL? Type it in? Be certain I wasn’t scamming you?

I’m not scamming you. I wish I was, but I’m not.

So, you read the article, and tgen you went looking for more, didn’t you? And the only thing you found was that second article. WHiips, it’s all a mistake! Poor kid just accidentally died in a field, naked, with his throat slit!

Yes, none of that was in the article. But that’s what happened. I can send crime-scene photos, but I’ll spare you that. For now, you need to take my word for it.

It wasn’t an accident. Wasn’t a perv, either. The police dropped it because they couldn’t very well say that the murderer was an eight-year-old boy. Clearly, the kid didn’t know what he was doing.

How do you slit a boy’s throat, strip him to make it look like a perv, and not knowing what you’re doing?

You don’t.

He knew exactly what he was doing. Killing a kid who had the nerve to be nice to the guy’s little sister. That was the dead boy’s crime. His only crime. He was an eighth-grader who was mentoring a second-grade girl, and her brother killed him.

She saw it. The sister, that is. Got there after the kid was dead, and she saw what her brother had done.

Can you imagibe what that was like for her? How much it changed her? Damaged her?

Do you know any damaged girls, Blythe?

I think you do. (p63-65)

This whole part of horror kind of traumatized me and it can connect to the real world. This part makes me feel like the person who sent this email is some kind of stalker. Since there are more emails sent by an anonymous person. This connects to the title that the authors created.

I have just begun reading the book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a [Bleep] by Mark Manson (p. 5). I found this quotation to be quite meaningful, as it related to the book we were reading earlier by Neil Postman.

Everyone and their TV commercial wants you to believe that the key to a good life is a nicer job, or a more rugged car, or a prettier girlfriend, or a hot tub with an inflatable pool for the kids. The world is constantly telling you that the path to a better life is more, more, more–buy more, own more, make more, f*** more, be more. You are constantly bombarded with messages to give a f*** about everything, all the time. 

Manson explains how businesses use propaganda to seep your attention from you to better their business and sell more products. Later on in the book he explains how the key to living a more positive life is to narrow in on the things you actually care about and stop worrying about random things you see online.