MORTAL INSTRUMENTS WEEK!!!!!!!!!

When we last left the MI crew, Jace had betrayed us, Clary had, well Clary didn't do anything of great interest in the last few pages, Camille had whispered in Alec's ear a chance at immortality, aka, a forever with Mangus, something m
Mangus understandably doesn't want, Simon was going home to face his mother, Maya and Jordan were (more or less) back together, and Lilith had died. *phew* did i get everything? That was the story we learned roughly one year ago....

One week from today, our wait for more comes to an end.

Dramatic, isn't it?

If you want a preview, click here. My comments on it will be added tommorow.

Atticus the Zoorble

In a faraway place

Admist sparkling stars

in that vacuum of space

Is a planet called Zars

Zars is a land

Wherethe Zoorbles do roam

Bemeath bright colored planets

to them it is home

The zoorbles are special,

From their horns to their toes

they're covered with specles

From their feet to theor nose

And these Zoorbles ar proud

Oh yez, proud indeed

With their six legs and horns

And their dominance of speed

Now Atticus Zoorble,

He stood out a lot

He really was different,

he had not one spot.

His mane was quite wild,

It could not be tamed

His legs counted seven

Sohe walked as thoigh lamed

Every year on the eve

Of Zoorble-Hoorble Day,

The zoorbles traveled

Down the Woorble way

All except Atticus

Who was seen with disdain

Because he was different,

He was told to remain

So as they all left

He sat there and cried

He was more than appearance,

He was like them inside

Whe grazing alone

In his deep reverie

He heard a great shriek

It was not one of glee

He lifted his head

and pondered the noise

then went at a trot

Towards the forest of Zoise

Now the forest of Zoise

Had the mud hole of Gif

On the slippery path

To Ziffer van Dif

And the forest of Zoise

Sat on Woorble Way

And the mud he of Zif

Caught Zoorbles that day

Zoorbles who struggled

And wiggled and called

For the help of another

as their journey was stalled

Now Atticus saw them

And hurried with speed

Hoping he could give them

The help they did need

Those Zoorble saw him

And cried out in glee

For Atticus had come

To set them all free

Mattered not did his stripes

His mane, leg, nor horn

He got them all out

No more did they scorn

They thought him a hero

And said just as much

They gave him the trophy

Of Zimmer van Dutch

So that is the story

Of Atticus the Zoorble

Who saved his new friends

From something so horrible

Dreams

Troughout our lives, we dream lots of things. When we're kids, we want to be astronauts, princesses, as we grow up, we laugh at ever believing that such things were possible, and allow ourselves to believe in knew things. Sometimes these t,dreams are places we want to go, people we want to see. In others, they're what we want to achieve, who we want to be. For all of my life, I have been a dreamer. I have always believed that wherever I lack something, I make up for in imagination, for, as I have grown older, even though I may have grown out of drea,s of being a princess or of being a wizard that attends Hogwarts, I still dream impossibly big. You know what's nice? When those big dreams, the ones people you won't happen, come true. Recently I had the chance to see and go inside of the Saint Louis Arch. I suppose there aremany reasons that I wanted that, Percy Jackson, my love of architecture, but beyond getting to achieve this, I fohnd another love, a love for the City of Saint Louis that is somehow perfect and beautiful in it's own right. I suppose what I see could easily be written of for a traveler's love for a place beyond their own home, and tobe fair,that wouldn't be unlike me. I am proud,.for a reason that often evades even myself, for the fact that I canview this world not only with the eyes of someone who has grown and come to understand, but also through the curious lens of a child, a brilliant place of satrtling technicolor.

SPRING!!!!!

Ahhh, spring. All that is left to do is for Vivaldi's version to magically start playing, but alas, such things cannot be. Spring has always been my favorite season, warm afternoons spent in my yard on a blanket with a book, bird song filling the air. Really, it's not something you can easily beat. Throw in my preparations for May, and bingo, yoi have heaven on Earth, even when there isn't any Jelly Beans to enjoy. Anyways, in literature, spring can have a lot of different meanings. Renewal is probably one of the most obvious, but perhaps it can also hold a certain degree if irony as well. Ehere i live, spring usually has the temdancy to seem like a nasty trick from mother nature. I'm fairly certain that last year sleet followed 90 degree weather. This year things couldn't be more different. Man, if I coild move to a place where thjs was the weather 24/7, i would swear up and down that I had moved to the best place on Earth. Spring puts me in a good mood. It'sa giant color explosion, a writer's paradise. Pale greens, light greens, a rhousand differt shades of saphire blue. Pink, purple, magenta and a yellow brighter and happier than a child's grinning face. I'm in love, and every day struggle to place what i see on paper. Besides all this, spring has also always managed to be a sea of calm in the ever twisting turmoil that makes up my year. I don'tknow if it's the weather or the general shift in attitude as people realize tha we are safely out of the freeze zone of winter. Life is mild and mellow in the spring. Not a worry to worm it's way into life. Not a single worry at all.

I suppose i could now say that it doesn't get much better, then contradict myself, but it does get better, because as spring nreak begins, so also does my time until i finally get to visit one of the top three places I've always wanted to see. I must say, it has me more excited than city of lost souls, and that's saying something. I honesty cannot wait, as for you, enjoy your spring. Celebrate it, it has a rare and beautiful beauty that, knowing weather, may crumple at any given minute

The love of reading

Books and I have a very longstanding relationship. It started when I taught myself to read before I was four years old and since then there have been many a moment we have shared. (If you want to skip the ride on the crazy wagon, wait until next time, but I won't promise it will be any better.) There have been great books (Mortal instruments, Edward Tulane, Lightning Thief) and books that have made me surrender all belief something halfway decent is out there(I won't name any names here). All in all, there have been good times as well as bad, but you know the good is winning when you start cheering about book releases. Especially if those book releases aren't for Harry Potter (Let's face it....anyone who read those books cheered when the next one came out.). As of today, there are, wait for it, 7 weeks and 5 days until the release of City of Fallen Angels, and Endure. Bitterblue comes out in 6 weeks 5 days, and to top it all off, Spell Bound and came out yesterday. Not to be a book nerd or anything, but I literally squealed and started dancing when I realized all of this. Scratch that, I am a book nerd, no matter how much I try to deny it. 
Spring and fall seem to be the big book release times. I don't know why but it's true. As with Tuesdays. Hmmmm. Interesting. 
Now if you please excuse me, I'm dancing in my kitchen over all this. Will finish what needs finishing sometime this week, I promise.


A promise is a promise. Now i shall finish. Event though it's Thursday and technically I'm supposed to do a review. Have you ever noticed in your group of friends that there is a very definite leader that ties you all together? Have you ever noticed what happens when said person is missing? That's right. Dead silence. Ahh. The lives of society's outcasts. 


I need a book to read. Patterson is killing me, something that doesn't usually happen, and I'm all psyched about the new Cassie Clare book (Squeal). Nothing seems to be fitting the expectations right now. Any ideas? Bueller, Bueller? Really, I may die. 

Souls, Stars, Books, and 'Beans

First things first. This is about a 5 days late, so before i forget entirely, I'll get it to you.

Every Soul a Star

By Wendy Mass

Pages: 322

Characters: Jack, Ally, Bree

Stars:                 

Every Soul a Star is the story of how three kids are trying to learn t figure out who they are in the idst of a changing time in their lives. Jack has never had a father he can really count on, and takes the trip to Moon Shadow Campground with his science teacher to save his grade. Bree couldn't be more different. Surrounded every day as she is by her geeky family,Bree wants nothing more than to be a star model who everyone knows. What she doesn't want is to spend the next three years of her life at a campground in the middle of nowhere. A campground that is all Ally has ever known, and isn't something she's quite ready to give up.  However, as the momentous occasion of a solar eclipse approaches, these three coming of age teens realize what they really want and what they think they want can be totally opposites.

To be honest, I wasn't a complete fan of this book. Sure, i thought it was nice, and certainly better than some of the the options I had for this competition, but it was something you could definitely tell was for younger readers. It was a a nice story, and only that. 

So i didn't finish this yesterday because of several complications so you may have been wondering about the books and 'beans part of the title and possibly, (though highly unlikely) the Dark Dawn stuff.  Anyways, here it is.

Every now and then wen I get one of those great long weekends off from school, I go on what my family likes to call a "book banger" and i call "reading runs". "Book banger" just sounds like something illegal, and it may just be, but who knows?! Anyways, such weekends are not complete without a decent sized stack of books, preferably 10-12 inches tall, a big glass of root beer and Jelly beans. Girl scout cookies and 'nilla wafers are an added bonus, but that's not important right now. We all have that so called happy place where we like to curl up with a book and pretend that no one else exists, or that we don't have work to do, or that life in general isn't the big issue that it is. My placement is my old basement. It's perfect, never too cool, never too hot, no one can ever find me although I'm sitting right on the couch in the middle of the room. It's wonderful. Add a book and the foods I mentioned earlier and it becomes a heaven on earth. There is probably nothing I love more than these occasional reading runs, with my favorite foods and all that nonsense. 

That being said, the only thing that can put a wrench in all of that is...a complication. Say for example, your dog having a seizure. That's right, my adorable, four year old black lab had some problems the other night. I'm happy to say she'll probably be fine, but still, it had me worried.

The Nithagrian

I know this may be spastic and strange, but this is a bit from The Nithagrian, which comes waaaaaay before a dark dawn. I just really really needed to get it down and I had no other ideas for today, so here it is: the first time Mauria ever came to Montoria. 

Martally didn't have to open her yes to know that she was lying in a bed. The comfort was soft, much ofter than the one she had at home. The pillow was the same, and as was the mattress on which she lay. The blankets were warm. Not silky smooth, but woven and soft. Everything seemed to be soft, comfortable. Was there an accident? she wondered. Am I at the hospital? but no- if that was true, the nose-wrinkling stench of such a place would have long alerted to her of her position. And hospitals are filled with noise she reminded herself. This place was strangely quiet. there wasn't the stale air of that such dreaded place either. It was as if a soft breeze was coming in through an open window somewhere. Not a cold breeze, but a warm one. Strange, Martally thought to herself. Its winter right now, why would such a breeze feel more of a caress and of summer than the harsh ways of a snow draped world? well, Martally thought to herself firmly. Only one way to figure ll this nonsense out. slowly and carefully, she opened her eyes. the first thing she saw was a pale gray ceiling that rose above her head, the first ting she heard were the words of a woman coming from the left of her. The voice was old, weathered, as if it had faced many a century of learning the harsh reality of the world and was in despair of what it had see, but at the same time, it was kind as that of a loving other, as wise as a knowing teacher, and as gentle as that of a true friend. Martally immediately liked it and the speaker.

Pulling herself up into a sitting position of the bed, which Martally could now see was made entirely in white, she turned to look at the speaker. The woman looked much the same way that her voice sounded. Her hair was graying, and her face was wrinkled, but her eyes were a daring green that matched the beauty the aging waves of her face desperately tried to hide. Her hair was pule back into a severe bun, which as wrapped carefully in a thing cold chain. An odd hairstyle, but something that only seemed to add to the woman's grace. the chain ended at the base of the bun, and green gems hung from it. all in all, it was a queenly look that was well matched with the emerald and gold dress the woman wore. The dress itself, as Martally came to notice it, was as much of a curiosity as the woman's hairstyle. Old fashioned in style, it was a deep gray malachite and edged in a gold that matched the strange chain around the woman's hair.  As Martally finished scrutinizing the woman, she once more smoke, smiling as she did so.

"Finished with your observation child?"

Quietly, Martally nodded her head. Something about this strange, mysterious person demanded it of her, despite the kindness that Martally had been so easily been able to find in her.

"My name is Saura, and you'll find yourself to be in Escarade of Montoria. You shouldn't be alarmed, the people here wish you no harm unless you provoke it from them. You haven't been sick long, if that's what your wondering. You have come just as spring is beginning it's turn into summer, a delightful time if I do say so myself. As for the date, its the 28 of Jecari, the second month of our year. Sophie, the cook, will bring you up some lunch shortly, but until then, I advise that you stay in bed. Doing what you did is a very violent, wearing process on a body as young as yours and you will need your rest, not to mention a clear head for what we will be discussing tomorrow."

"I always have clear head. What is it you wish to discuss? it seems we both have time." Martally was stunned by the words that came so easily from her mouth, but she found them to be true. She raised her chin and leveled her eyes at Saura, who stared back with raised eyebrows.

Surprisingly, Saura smiled. "Something tells me I'll like you my dear. Now if you will excuse me, I have may a matter to attend to." She stood up gracefully, like a wave rising from the ocean. "We'll speak tomorrow, child, but before I leave, I believe that there is a small matter that we need to clear up. What is your name? I cannot simply refer to you as 'child' or 'my dear' all the time."

Martally turned this over in her head for a few moments before responding. "Martally," She finally said, "But somehow I don't think that that name will fit here." She looked up at Saura. "Any suggestions?"

 Saura stared thoughtfully at Martally for a moment before she replied. "What about Mauria? I think that name will suit you just fine. Do you like it?"

Martally nodded. "I do."

"Good"

"Mauria" She whispered to herself, and smiled. She liked the way it felt in her mouth. The way her lips shaped the world. Mauria was a name that sounded powerful and strong. A bit mysterious as well. Mauria seemed to be the name of a force to be reckoned with.

Saura smiled at her one last time, then left and Mauria leaned back in the pillows. Glancing about the room, she saw that it was a roomy place, a place that would need exploring. She grinned a wicked grin and slid out of the bed. 

As her feet touched the smooth floor, she noticed that she was wearing different clothes than those she had been wearing when she passed out. She was now dressed in a plain white shirt that was soft and comfortable as the sheets had been and a light-weight skirt of the same color. the bed was pushed against one wall, facing another with a fireplace situated between two tall bookshelves, which were already filled with stories.  Two armchairs and a table were placed in front of the white stone fireplace and a rug n it's hearth. The fireplace itself was quite large, but at the moment, without a blazing fire to warm the room. The space above the mantel was empty, yet it was large enough that Mauria could tell that something was supposed to be placed there and was now absent. A door to her left opened onto a large balcony that had several plants on it, many that appeared to be growing right out of the tiles.

The bed was simple, but large, and a nightstand sat patiently beside it, as if waiting to bear the weight of books the owner found intriguing. Beside the bed was the plain wooden chair that Saura had patiently sat in, holding vigil over the young girl. Behind the chair and a little to the left was a wooden door, that, upon inspection, opened to a small room that contained a bathtub and a mirror, another door inside this room opened to a large closet with many dresses already hanging in it.

After leaving the room, Mauria found another door, and hoping to find the hallways of the escarade, but instead found another room. This one had yet another fireplace and seemed to serve the purpose of a sitting room; an ornate rug was on the floor and couches and chairs were placed n something of a circle around a lo table. On the other side of the room was yet another door and as Mauria started to cross the room toward it, a plump lady that looked to be in her fifties emerged from it, smiling warmly as she saw Mauria.

"Ahhh, you must be the young Lady Queen Saura was telling me about. Glad to see your finally well." As she spoke the woman placed food and drink from the tray she carried on the low table. Mauria, however, Barely noticed this. Saura was a queen? Turning the thought over in her head, Mauria supposed the idea wasn't terribly far fetched, Saura had been well dressed after all, and certainly had that commanding air of authority about her, but the mere thought that she had taken Mauria in and placed her into such great care was an intriguing idea. Who did she think Mauria was?

Sophie continued on with her prattle as Mauria thought this new development over. The escarade, whatever that was supposed to be, must be something akin to a castle or palace then, and very grand. And so, following these trains of thought, Mauria barely noticed when Sophie spoke to her.

"Young Lady?" Sophie asked again.

"Hmm?'

"If you sit down now, Lady, so you can enjoy your lunch." Sophie said again, gesturing to a chair.

"Oh, why thank you." Feeling rather sheepish, Mauria sat carefully on one of the beaitifully embroidered chairs. 

Sophie smiled. "Take it you aren't used to the way of things quite yet. Don't you worry. My mother told me good Lady Virgo wasn't so good with things either when she first came here, and when I knew the girl, you would think she had been living with them royalty from the moment she was born. lovely person, Lad Virgo. Always so kind, and quick with a good story too. But she was sad, if I do say so. She liked to move and wasn't here often, always seemed to be in a dreamlike state when she was. Couldn't sit still easy either. Liked to act, to think, to be. Never a dull moment when she was in the room. Shame she left though. Left Lady Annebeth in quite a fix, a fix he Master Charlie followed soon after. He never has liked seeing that love of his unhappy. Well, if I do say so myself Lady- what's your name again?"

"Mauria." Mauria replied. "And what happened to Virgo? Why did she leave?"

Sophie face turned sad. "Figure it was her time I guess. You can never tell when a Journeyer will up and go, but when that fire's gone, so's there purpose. Without purpose, well, I guess a journeyers time is through. Don't you dwell on that though, Lady Mauria. Such things shouldn't plague a head as pretty as yours. We've been waiting for the likes of you for quite some time. Many a person will be glad to see you."

"Excuse me for asking," Mauria began, "But why do you keep calling me a lady, why have people been waiting for me, and, this may sound ridiculous, but, what's a journeyer?"

Sophie smiled. "I've gotten ahead of myself again, haven't I? I'll leave it all for Saura to answer tomorrow. In the meantime Lady Mauria, you best eat before the food goes cold.  A maid will come and collect the dishes later. Saura says you can wander about the escarade as you please, just not to go to far from your room else you may get lost. I'll bring you your dinner tonight so don't you fret over that. Is there anything else you'll be in need of?"

"Mauria shook her head. "No, I think not."

Sophie nodded. "Alright then lady Mauria, I'll be seeing you later then. Enjoy your meal." And with that, she left the room.

Mauria looked at the small feast that was laid out on the table and realized with a start that she was quite hungry. She smiled a wry smile. "Well then, may as well heed Sophie's advise" And swiftly set upon it, when she finished, not a plate still had a scrap of food on it.