Camping Photos

As promised: camping pictures!

Camping

Spent the last two days camping with two friends of mine, it was lovely. Pictures to follow... tomorrow?

This is a short entry but it is my blog and I can do that if I feel like it.

World Cup Silliness

I laughed way, way to hard while watching that.

World Cup Soccer and Me

I will start this post by saying that I love the World Cup, but in a weird way. You see, I do not like watching sports and soccer is no different. I have no idea if Canada even has a team that is eligible to compete in the World Cup or whether we do, and it just sucks and hasn't been able to make it in a while. However, what I do love is seeing how into it people get.

I couldn't help but laugh at a friend's facebook status the day the World Cup started which said something to the effect to of "...now remember France this is soccer not volleyball," referring to France's win over Ireland that got them to the Cup. (The story behind this is that France and Ireland went into extra time and France scored. However "based on replays, the goal was triply illegal: two of the French attackers were offside, while one of them – captain Thierry Henry – clearly touched the ball with his outstretched hand.") My mum is originally from Ireland and every time we pass someone with a French flag some variant of "cheaters" is muttered. My mother does not watch soccer, nor has ever really shown an interest in the sport, but it makes me laugh seeing her get all indignant over the fact that her country didn't make it to the World Cup.

I also love seeing all the flags people have flying on their cars. Not so much in the town I live in, though they're definitely present but I went to Toronto yesterday and pretty much every single car has a flag on it. A good chunk of the people walking down the street were wearing they're jerseys (particularly the Brazilians, who were playing as we were driving). You could tell when the Brazilians scored because horns would sound all over the city and people would be hanging out of their cars hooting at pedestrians. It was particularly fun driving down St. Claire after the game and seeing literally every other pedestrian in a jersey.

Overall, I just see the World Cup as a fun way to celebrate your country or your heritage. While neither Canada or Ireland are in the cup, my dad and his family are all from Italy so I'm going to be cheering them on. GO ITALIA!

Music

I've been playing both of these songs on repeat for the past few days. Thought I'd share.

On Laziness and Montreal

You know, I honestly thought that once school was over and it was summer I would blog far mroe frequently. Y'know, 'cause I have all this free time and stuff. Readers, I do have all sorts of free time, but I am also lazy beyond belief. I was going to write a glorious blog post about my adventures in Toronto with the lovely Caitlin, complete with pictures of elephants and scary birds from our trip to the zoo. However, my memory card broke and I lost all my awesome pictures and I decided that I did not want to write a blog post about our adventures without them. This is inexcusable because while on this trip I got to see my favourite band, Coheed and Cambria live in concert. They were amazing and I made a fool of myself by dancing and singing along to all the songs. Somehow, Caitlin still allows herself to be seen with me in public.

My next adventure that I was going to blog about was going to the beautiful city of Montreal with my father and step mother. It was a gorgeous city and I took a ton of pictures, none of which were lost. I got the pictures all resized so they would fit nicely on the blog... and then got lazy. So, I will post these pictures now and try in the future to not be so lazy.

Book Review: Dies the Fire

Title: Dies the Fire
Author: S. M. Stirling
# of Pages: 573
Published: 2004
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: 4/5

Summary:
Michael Havel was flying over Idaho en route to the holiday home of his passengers when the plane's engines inexplicably died, forcing a less than perfect landing in the wilderness. As Mike leads his charges to safety, he begins to realize that the engine failure was not an isolated occurrence.

Juniper Mackenzie was singing and playing guitar in a pub when her small Oregon town was thrust into darkness. Cars refused to start. Phones went silent. And when an airliner crashed, no sirens sounded and no fire trucks arrived. Now, taking refuge in her family's cabin with her daughter and a growing circle of friends, Juniper is determined to create a farming community to benefit the survivors of the crisis.

But even as people band together to help one another, others are building armies for conquest.


I really enjoyed this book when I first read it a few years ago, and I still really liked it now. The premise is really cool (what would happen if all the technology in the world simultaneously died) and I feel that the author does an excellent job of exploring the scenario. I will admit that early on in the book there are few less than likely coincidences that allow the characters to survive but hey, if they didn't happen there wouldn't be a book.

Anyways, interesting premise, you have some really solid and interesting characters and the story moves along at a really good pace. Totally worth reading.

Alive

I'm alive, I promise! Man, it's been a busy couple weeks. I finished my exams (yay!) and am now home for the summer. Since I have been home I have spent a lot of time working, seeing friends and just generally doing nothing. Hence the blog neglect. Have a picture of my sister's adorable kitten Pierre to make up for it. ♥

Waterfront

I went out with Becky for a second time last week to see if we could catch the sunset. Unfortunately it was cloudy this time as well, but I nevertheless got some nice shots.

Becky!

My lovely friend Becky and I went downtown the other day to take pictures by this really cool train. These are my favourites from the day!

Listen

I haven't written anything in ages, but I got the urge to do so tonight, and this is what came out.

Listen. Do you hear it? No. Not that. You’re trying too hard. Close your eyes, plug your ears and just listen. Listen to your heartbeat. Place your hand on my chest and listen to mine. Feel it beat. See the blood rush between the veins and then. Stop. Listen. Turn your head to face to the setting sun and watch. Watch the colours bleed together, watch the sun disappear into the black water. Listen to the stars. Hear them singing softly back and forth to each other. Watch the wind. See the patterns it makes as the leaves are tossed across the wet pavement under your feet. Smell the air. Does it smell like rain? Does it smell like the smog from a thousand building and weeks of hot summer days? Does it smell like being happy? Or can you only taste the salt. Think. Think for a few seconds about why you are here. You are on a bridge. There is water to either side of you. Black water, deep water. You won’t jump. You don’t want too. You wouldn’t even consider doing such a thing. But still. You like this bridge. You like knowing that on either side of you there is nothing. Speak. Say something. Break the silence. There are two of us here, after all. And people, when in the presence of another converse. Speak. Say anything. Whisper sweet nothings, scream curses or sing something beautiful.

Sing something beautiful, think about nothing. Smell the air and taste the sunset. Listen to the stars, and feel the blood pound through the body. You have power. Use it.

Walking!

All day today it has been around +24 and sunny, which pretty much never happens in North Bay unless it's July or something. So, my roommate Ash and I decided to talk full advantage to this fact and go for a walk.

We hadn't even left the building before I took this picture -there's this funny plant in the lobby that usually just sits there being all green and stuff, but when we passed it today, it had this lovely flower on it.

As always, the first step on the walk was the lookout, from which you can see the still slightly frozen Lake Nipissing.

Roommate picture! You can see my lovely new blonde hair. Which I did not bother styling, because I am a lazy person.

I love this time of year; everything is just starting to bloom again and is very pretty.

After spending literally like a half hour chasing butterflies, one was kind enough to land on my hand so I could get some photographs of it.

On our way home, a brave squirrel came right up to us, which was pretty awesome until it got about two inches from my foot and I had the brief fear that I would be eaten. I moved, and the squirrel ran away.

That was my day! If you celebrate it, have an awesome Easter! If not, enjoy the extra couple days off school.

Reaons Why I Get No Work Done (Ever)

This is the kind of conversations Caitlin and I have on a regular basis...

Caitlin; says:
lol watch heroes!
oh shit
you will love it

Kiera says:
haha, oh yeah?
Maybe I shall...

Caitlin; says:
you should
lol

Kiera says:
But... I am reading!
Which I haven't done in forever.

Caitlin; says:
WATCH
SYLAR AND ELLE

Kiera says:
SHUT UP, CAITLIN
I DO NOT NEED YOUR PEER PRESSURE
SRSLY.

Caitlin; says:
ok fine
coughsylarandellecough

Kiera says:
I was going to give you the heart emoticon, but no more.
Because you are mean, and manipulative.

Caitlin; says
haha yes

Kiera says:
And clearly do not care about my feelings.

Caitlin; says:
like sylar?
or am i more like elle?

Kiera says:
lmao
I have to say, you do not really have Sylars incredibly hot body.
Just putting that out there.

Caitlin; says:
i do not like that
comment
hahaha

[and so on]

House

I guess the super cool thing about having your own blog is that you can post whatever you want on it, right? So, I will inform you, people of the internet, that I am very excited right now. Earlier this week I found out that I didn't get into residence for next year, which meant I had no place to live and was very stressed out. However, my two awesome roommates and I have managed to locate and secure for ourselves a fantasticly gorgeous house that is super close to the school. I am ridiculously excited, especially because it turns out that myself and the amazing Caitlin will be living next door to each other. This means all day Star Trek and Heroes watching marathons and I could not be any more thrilled.

So, yay!

More Music

Hello my poor neglected blog. Since I have last posted on you I have handed in four papers, am handing another one in tomorrow and have a final essay due next Wednesday and then I am free until exams! Of course, my first is the day after on the 1st, but hey. I can pretend that things are going to get better right? Right. I have also discovered tumblr, and you are more than welcome watch my crazy over there if you like. My page is here. There is very little other news to share with you all, other than I went home last weekend and made some fancy food and took some lovely pictures. In fact, when I am feel less lazy I will post pictures and tell you guys all about it! Until then, enjoy some random Coheed and Cambria, because I have been listening to this song all day.

Random French Musicals

So, I was wandering around on the internet this morning (as I am wont to do) and came across something amazing: Mozart l'Opera Rock. I make no secret of my love for musicals, and this is ridiculous (and catchy enough) to be considered absolutely fantastic. So... Enjoy!

Kiera Blogs (About Star Trek)

Seriously, if I'm not posting book reviews, I'm posting about Star Trek. I think I need to get a life -or a least a new obsession. Or I should work on one of about five essays that are currently demanding my attention. Seriously kids, when your parents tell you university is a good idea, they lie. It's a terrible place in which you pay a ton of money to be forced to spend all of your "free time" writing papers. I have nine papers due this month. Nine. Totalling upwards of 60 papers (I swear, I'm not even joking. One assignment isn't even half done and I'm already pushing 3000 words). Not the point though. This is another epic Star Trek post (also can be known as Reasons Why Kiera and Caitlin Should Not Be Allowed To Be Anywhere Near Each Other).

So. Caitlin and I got together tonight to watch the Brother Grimm. After which we would theoretically each go back to doing homework like good students. Since this is us, clearly that didn't happen. Oh no, we had to discover the complete and utter hilarity that are interviews featuring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. Oh my God. Those boys should never ever be allowed to not be together, because they're friggin' hilarious. Since I love all of my readers to a depth that is slightly ridiculous I thought I would spread the joy.

Night

Title: Night
Author: Elie Wiesel
# of Pages: 115
Published: 1958
Genre: Biography
Rating: --

Summary:

Night is Elie Wiesel's autobiographical account of his survival as a teenager in the Nazi death camps.


As most of you can probably tell, this far from what I would usually read. In fact, the only reason I picked up this book initially is because it's required reading for a religions class that I am taking in school. I don't want to say that the book was a pleasant surprise, or that I enjoyed reading it because it wasn't and I didn't. However, this book is beautifully written and extremely powerful. We are all taught in school about the Holocaust, but it is one thing to be told another to read about it in such a way as to make it real for you. As I remarked to a friend last night, crematoria had to be one of the most frightening words in the English language, when put into the context of the Holocaust.

So, no. I didn't enjoy reading this book, as parts of it made me feel decidedly uneasy and others downright disturbed. I am, however glad I did read it, because it speaks of a time that needs to be remembered, if only to ensure that nothing like it can ever happen again. I'm not rating this book - I give rating to books to provide a concise picture of how much I liked a book, and as I said, I didn't like this book. I do however believe that it is not only well worth reading, but is something that should be read.

Shalador's Lady

Title: The Shadow Queen
Author: Anne Bishop
# of Pages: 496
Published: 2010
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3.5/5

Summary:

For years the Shalador people suffered the cruelties of the corrupt Queens who ruled them, forbidding their traditions, punishing those who dared show defiance, and forcing many more into hiding. Now that their land has been cleansed of tainted Blood, the Rose-Jeweled Queen, Lady Cassidy, makes it her duty to restore it and prove her ability to rule.
But even if Lady Cassidy succeeds, other dangers await. For the Black Widows see visions within their tangled webs that something is coming that will change the land-and Lady Cassidy-forever...


This book is the continuation Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy, and Tangled Webs as well as being the direct sequel to the Shadow Queen.This book delivered exactly what I thought it would when I rushed out to buy it: an entertaining, quick read, with lots of lovely romance. The plot was fairly simplistic and I guessed the ending about a quarter of the way in, but I liked the characters and enjoyed watching them grow and change throughout the book. It was worth reading, but I'm not sure that I'll pick it up again.

Geek Humour

Since this is my blog, I can post all the hilarious Star Trek vids I want, right? Excellent.

Hallelujah

I've never been a huge fan of this song, but I stumbled upon this version of it and thought it was absolutely gorgeous.

Toronto Trip

For us university kids we get this week off for reading week, which is really nice. I spent my first three days in Toronto with my cousin Jess, and our friend Emily who took the train up from Ottawa. It was lots of fun. After arriving at out hotel and dropping off our stuff we went in search of of food, and I got a delicious chicken and strawberry sandwich. It sounds a like a weird combination (and it actually is) but it's also a very delicious one. We then went for a (cold) walk and I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to take pictures of pigeons:

This one was a funny colour and I thought it was very pretty. After all of us were thoroughly frozen, we returned to the hotel room to doll ourselves up for a night out. (I, of course, made everyone model for pictures)

We had a fun night out at a pub, in which we played pool and talked to a whole bunch interesting people. Jessie was hit on by a very drunk Irish boy, and I enjoyed showing off my (not very) formidable pool skills. The next day was rather uneventful, and we spend most of it walking around and shopping. I got to go the World's Biggest Bookstore, and emerged with two new books and Scrabble (because that's exactly how cool I am). That night we had a delicious dinner of pizza and sushi.
And we watched Law Abiding Citizen, and played Scrabble. This is what all 19 year olds do on vacation in downtown Toronto, right? Monday was equally uneventful, but also lots of fun. We went shopping and then everyone had to catch their buses/trains/subways home. I enjoyed listening to Zachary Quinto narrate the Star Trek audiobook on the way home. I never thought I'd actually like audiobooks, but I'm actually finding that it's a nice way to pass the time on buses and such.

So, that was my weekend. What did you guys do?

Aragorn and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

This was totally not written by me, but I thought it was hilarious and thought that I'd share. Originally found HERE. (on a side note, I really think this blog is turning out to be all about geeky sense of humour. I cannot bring myself to be sorry about this.)

Again, this is not by me.


Aragorn and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Poppins

Last night when I went to bed I had aethelas in my mouth and now there’s aethelas in my hair and when I got up I tripped over my sheath and by mistake I dropped my razor into the sink while the water was running and I had to go to the Council of Elrond with stubble and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

At the Council, Gandalf didn’t introduce me and Boromir made faces at me and when I stuck my tongue out at him Elrond yelled at me for being rude and now I have to copy “My courtesy is somewhat lessened of late” 100 times and they still won’t let me reforge the shards of Narsil.

I think I’ll move to Australia.

When we left, Legolas got to lead a hobbit, and Gimli got to lead a hobbit, and Gandalf got to lead a hobbit, and even Boromir got to lead a hobbit, but I had to lead Bill the Pony. I said I was getting lonely. I said Bill was smelly and there were flies. I said, I am going to be sick. No one even answered.

I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

In the Mines of Moria Gandalf got to be the leader and Frodo got to talk to him and Gimli got to tell anecdotes and Legolas looked good in the dim lighting but I had to walk behind the hobbits and I don’t know what they ate for second breakfast but it made the rotting corpses smell good. I told everyone I was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day and no one even answered.

Then Frodo said that I wasn’t his best friend anymore and that Sam was his best friend and Gandalf was his second best friend and I was only his third best friend. I hope you sit on Sting, I said to Frodo. I hope the next time you get a strawberry lembas the strawberries all fall off and land in Australia. And Frodo said he was going to run away and never play with me again and then he did. And a gang of orcs attacked us and killed Boromir and now I have to run across a million-billion miles to get Merry and Pippin back.

At Edoras Wormtongue was mean to me and Eowyn fell in love with me and wanted to kiss me. Yuck. I hate kissing. Gandalf only played with Theoden and said that we all had to go to Helm’s Deep. On the way wargs attacked us and one dragged me off the cliff and it felt like I landed in Australia.

It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I could tell because at Helm’s Deep Legolas got to invent skateboarding and Gimli got to invent dwarf-tossing and Eomer and Gandalf got to invent horse-jumping but I broke a tooth. The dentist says I have to come back to get it fixed next week.

Next week, I said, I’m going to Australia.

But instead I had to go through the Paths of the Dead and now I have to lead a bunch of icky undead guys into a hopeless battle and then take them sailing and I always get seasick. If we do win, which we won’t, I’ll have to brush my hair and I hate brushing my hair because it gets knots in it. And I’ll have to marry Arwen and sing a song in front of all the Gondorians and Elrond will scowl at me because he always scowls at me.

It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

Gandalf says some days are like that.

Even in Australia.

Misc. Stuff

As this is a blog created for a university blogging contest, is it fair for me to blame my lack of posts on said university? Probably not, but I think I will do so anyways. In the last two weeks I have handed in seven papers. I have also spent far more time than I should procrastinating, but personally I think that's part of being a student. So, to make up for being terribly remiss in posting, I shall spam all (four) of my readers with a few of the videos and songs that I have been listening to/obsessing over this week.


Hey look guys! A Star Trek video! Is anyone surprised? I didn't think so. omg, it's hilarious though, so... just watch it. (don't judge me)


The video for this song is also pretty awesome, but I'm too lazy to look for it properly. Thank you Caitlin for sending me all of the albums. :)


I've been listening to this song a whole bunch lately as well. It's pretty.

(I would also like to inform everyone the ontd_startrek is pretty much taking over my life)

Tune Into: Heroes

The first season as a seemingly ordinary group of people gradually become aware that they have special abilities. Events illustrate their reactions to these powers, and how the discovery affects their personal and professional lives. At the same time, several ordinary individuals are investigating the origins and extent of these abilities. Mohinder Suresh, a geneticist, continues his late father's research into the biological source of the change, while Noah Bennett represents a secret organization known only as "The Company". While coping with these new abilities, each of the characters is drawn, willingly or unwillingly, into the Company's conspiracy to control super-powered people and into a race to stop an explosion from
destroying New York City.

I'll admit, I originally started watching this show because I'm a little bit obsessed with the new Star Trek movie, and I knew that Zachary Quinto played a character in Heroes. I usually like watching tv at all, and tend to get bored very quickly, but needless to say Heroes was a pleasant surprise. I know a friend on mine was turned off by how many characters there are, but I loved that about the show - I found that I never got bored because there was always something interesting happening to someone. The show itself if extremely character driven, with the plot (which, I will admit, is nothing special) taking a back seat to seeing these characters grow and change as they become accustomed to their new powers. Mohinder and Peter are probably my two favourites, though a part of me really wants to love Sylar as well, despite the fact that he's ridiculously creepy. Anyways, it's an awesome show and I would highly recommend watching it!

The Very Secret Diaries

As I am a good, hard working university student I was diligently working on an essay when something was brought to my attention. Apparently some people (Caitlin, I'm looking at you) have been living under very large rocks, and have never experienced the awesomeness that is the Very Secret Diaries of the Fellowship of the Ring.

Excerpts:

Legolas

Day Ten: Gandalf fell into shadow. In other news, I think I am developing a spot on my nose. V. serious situation, as Elven spots likely to last for 500 years or more.

Still prettiest, despite blasted spot.


Legolas pt. II

Day One: Whee!

Day Two: I like to run!

Day Three: I look good when I run!

Day Four: I also look good standing still. Running across Riddermark v. good excercise. I swear my butt has just gotten firmer. Is that even possible?

Day Six: Is Gimli staring at my butt?

Day Seven: No wonder he's always lagging behind.

Aragorn

Day One: Ringwraiths killed: 4. V. good.
Met up with Hobbits. Walked forty miles. Skinned a squirrel and ate it.
Still not King.

Top Five Books of 2009

I like reading, which will come as no surprise at all to anyone who knows me even a little. If I don't have an actual book on me, I have about fifty or so on my iPod touch to keep me occupied in case in I ever feel like reading. Over the course of 2009 I made a point of writing down which books I read, as I was curious as to how many books I would read in a year. Despite being in university for a good chunk of this time I managed to finish 64 books, 62 of which were for fun. These books averaged anywhere from 300-1300 pages in length and the vast majority of them were in the fantasy genre. I thought I'd post a list of my five favourite books that I read over the year.

Top Five

1. The Virtu by: Sarah Monette
It probably isn't fair that I'm including this book, as it's been my favourite for well over a year. But, I did read it in 2009 and I still think it's amazing. It's the second book in Monette's Doctrine of Labyrinth series and follows the story of two brothers: Felix and Mildmay. My favourite thing about this book would be these characters; they're stunningly written, and are anything but cookie cutter. I'm pretty sure Felix would be cast as the villain in any other story, and rightly so. He's awful and I hate him. Mildmay however is my favourite literary character ever. The world is fantastically detailed and I love how ever single character has their own unique voice.

2. The Gargoyle by: Andrew Davidson
This book is a bit of a departure from what I'd usually read, but it's definitely one I really, really liked. I had seen the book around work (Chapters) and loved the cover, and the description on the back while it was still in hardcover, but couldn't rationalize spending the thirty bucks on something that I might not end up enjoying. So, when I saw it finally in paperback, I figured I'd pick it up.

The prose in this book is great. The book is told from the first person point of view of our (unnamed) protagonist. He spends the first portion of the book confined to his hospital bed in the burn ward, contemplating suicide and briefing us on his life up to this point. We get a lot of interesting information from here, including a whole bunch of random, but interesting facts on everything from burns to the physical structure of hell. I have a huge weakness for interesting information, so I found these meanderings fascinating. However, it was when Marianne entered the story that things got strange.

Marianne, a schizophrenic patient in the hospital, claims that she has known our protagonist since the 13th century Germany. From Marianne we get to hear the intriguing history of their life in Germany, as well as other historical stories set in Iceland, Italy and Japan. At the end of the novel it is left up to the reader to decide whether these stories are a hallucination of Marianne's or whether that maybe, just maybe, this actually happened.While I will admit that I didn't quite like the ending, this was a fabulous book that I highly recommend. Plus, the author is Canadian, which is always nice.

3. Fool's Fate by: Robin Hobb
Loved this book, and loved the entire 6 book series leading up to it.

4. Warbreaker by: Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is generally good for three main things: an awesomely creative magic system, cool characters and some nifty plot twists so it's no surprise that this book had them all. The book is centred around three main characters: Vivenna, the Idrian princess who has spent her entire life being groomed to marry the Hallandren God King, her impulsive and loud sister Siri, who actually ends up marrying said God King, and Lightsong. Lightsong is the reluctant God of bravery who enjoys being useless and witty. The gist of the plot is that these three work to prevent a war between Idris and Hallandren, with varying degrees of success.

Have to say that I didn't really care much for Vivenna, but Siri and Lightsong more than made up for it. The book was interesting, and kept me entertained throughout. Although I bought the hardback, Brandon Sanderson has put an entire copy of novel online here.

5. The Lies of Locke Lamora by: Scott Lynch
I really, really enjoyed this book. Not only was it witty and entertaining, but more than anything else this book was clever. The twists and turns of this book were fantastic, and there were times where I was honestly in fear that we would be left without a main character. (well, as in fear as I could have been knowing that there were two hundred odd pages left, and a sequel, but still). The characters were also really great, and quite believable

Book Review: Men of the Otherworld

Title: Men of the Otherworld
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Number of Pages: 384
Year of publication: 2009
Genre: Supernatural
Rating: 4.5/5


Summary

"As a curious child, Clayton didn’t resist the bite—he asked for it. But surviving as a lone child werewolf was more than he could manage—until Jeremy came along and taught him how to straddle the human-werewolf worlds, gave him a home…and introduced him to the Pack. So begins this volume, featuring three of the most intriguing members of the American Pack—a hierarchical founding family where bloodlines mean everything, and each day presents a new, thrilling, and often deadly challenge. For as Clayton grows from a wild child to a clever teen who tests his beloved mentor at every turn, he must learn not only to control his animal instincts, but to navigate Pack politics—including showing his brutal arch nemesis, Malcolm, who the real Alpha is..."

Ahaha, so the end of that summary sounds a little lame, but the book itself is fantastic. While this is not the type of book I would usually read, I have a soft spot for supernatural books. Prequel to Kelley Armstrong's 'Women of the Otherworld' series, this novel gives some insight into Clayton's life before Elena came along. I've read it three times now since purchasing it in January and have throughly enjoyed it every time. Clayton is an interesting character, and his narration is humourous and very self deprecating. I'm not usually a huge fan of the werewolf/vampire genre, but this book and the entire series, is well worth the read.


Excerpts

"At the time, it seemed to me that Jeremy was spending a lot of time with a piece of plastic pressed against his ear, talking to himself. Which was fine by me. We all have our eccentricities. Jeremy liked talking to plastic; I liked hunting and eating the rats that ventured into the motel room. Or, at least, I did like hunting and eating the rats, until Jeremy caught me and promptly kiboshed that hobby. Some of us are less tolerant of eccentricities than others."

"Nick had managed to make it down from the tree easily enough. The trouble was finding his way out of the forest. You'd think that anyone who had been visiting Stonehaven since he was old enough to toddle would know his way around the woods there, particularily when that someone had werewolf blood, but Nick often had trouble finding his way out of the forest at his own house.
He obviously needed more practise, but no matter how often I abandoned him out there, his sense of direction never seemed to improve. That, of course, only increased my resolve to keep leaving him there. What are friends for, if not to help you overcome your weaknesses?"

Photos With Alley and Vie

Last Wednesday I got together with two of friends and did a mini photoshoot. Lot's of fun was had by all and I got some practice in with shooting human subjects, which was nice. Here's a few of my favourites from the day.

Book Review: The Way of Shadows

Title: The Way of Shadows
Author: Brent Weeks
Number of Pages: 668
Published: 2008
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3.5/5

Summary:

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art-and he is the city's most accomplished artist.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly - and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.

But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins' world of dangerous politics and strange magics - and cultivate a flair for death.


I really, really enjoyed the first half of this book. It was well paced, and the story was different enough to keep me interested. I found the second half lost me a little though (probably because there was a substantial gap between reading that first half, and then finishing the book due to Christmas/working). I'll be the first to admit that the big epic fight scenes in books usually bore me, and that's pretty much the gist of what the last couple hundred pages of this book were. There were a few good plot twists, but there were also a couple others that I felt were almost unnecessary?

Overall though the book was worth the read, and I'm hoping to start the second one tonight.

(On a side note, I loved the acknowledgements in this book - it made me laugh. I can usually judge how much I'll like a book by how awesome the acknowledgements are, and yes I realize that makes me weird, but I love reading them)

First Post

Hello people of the internet. My name is Kiera, and I have a beautiful blog that I share with a couple of my friends from school, where we post about various arty things we like, or are doing. This blog will still include that stuff, but having my own blog allows me to post stuff of a personal nature as well. (I also intend to use this blog as a I-just-read-this-book-and-this-is-what-I-think space.)