I'm pretty sure this was the first picture I'd ever taken of myself! I was 15 and on my first out-of-the-US trip to London. I paired it with my favorite photo I took over there.




This set on my Flickr has the rest of my London photos if you'd like to look!

 I rearranged my room at home yesterday and I realized when I woke up this morning that I have basically created a shrine to my art and photography, none of which is terribly great, but it's what I had. I played on that theme here:
( Kayla, Grand High Poo-Bah of Her Known Universe )

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris is set two years after vampires have "come out of the coffin." The plot revolves around the mysterious deaths in the small town of Bon Temps where the main protagonist Sookie Stackhouse lives with her remaining family. As the police struggle to identify the murderer Sookie enters a relationship with Bill, the local vampire, which causes rifts among her family and friends. Meanwhile she must defend her brother's innocence in an on-going crime scene investigation where all the evidence is against him.( cut for length... )

This is the third book in Jennifer Rardin's Jaz Parks series. Spoilers.

In this installment, Jasmine and Vayl--two assassins with the CIA--are sent to Iran. In fact, they are sent to Jasmine's twin brother's Special Ops squad, which has a mole. Cassandra, a Seer, and Bergman, the technology expert, are also along for the ride. They have received information about the Wizard, one antagonist that the CIA has been meaning to take down for awhile.

I really liked this book. It has a bit of a plot twist that makes everything make sense (without the deus ex machina tactic). The thing I really liked, though, was how Jaz and Vayl interacted. *Spoilers* Vayl lost his two sons (a disgruntled farmer shot them) and he has been hunting for their reincarnated souls for almost three hundred years. He is usually quite rational, except with his sons, and when the Seer he goes to talk to tells him that his sons are in Iran, he is overjoyed and agrees to pay her price--turn her into a vampire. It was very interesting to see how Jaz reacted to this and how their characters changed. It also talks about loyalty and how that can be shattered, especially when it pertains to Jaz and David.

Rating: 4 and a half/ five. I detect an Euro-centric (or is America-centric?) view here.

This is the second title in the Jaz Parks series, by Jennifer Rardin (I want to know who makes her covers, actually). It is a 300 page (exact) length. As always, minor spoilers.

Jaz is an assassin who works with Vayl, a 250+ year old vampire. They have found out that Bergman (one of the characters), a tech whiz, has created a new armor using biotechnology that has been stolen by a Chinese vamp, and there's a good chance he's planning to use it to overthrow the government.

As with the first book, the action moves very quickly, but Rardin retains her sharp humor. Supporting characters Bergman and Cassandra are developed (especially Bergman, who in the first book was just a tech-head who had a thing against magic). Though I liked the book, it doesn't stand out (I've read books 1-5 so far). I'm afraid, though, that in the massive, over-saturated genre of vampire-novels, it won't stand out. It's a good read, though.

Rating: 4/5 stars. Recommended for anyone who isn't afraid of blood and violence. Or disgusting hell-spawn. Otherwise, quite fun and Rardin has a way with her words.

For those who care about such things, The Color of Magic (spelled wrong to conform to the title of the movie) is amazingly faithful to the tone and what I can remember of the plot of Pterry's book.

I last read the book (whose title was spelled correctly in the edition I read) on 5 July 1989, so I may have a detail or two wrong.

Post quoted from my blog.

The following post does discuss adult themes, and mentions but (doesn't discuss) sexual abuse.

( Read more... )

Hey everyone. I've noticed that many people seem to be posting their end of the year reading lists and have decided to join in the fun! I'd post it here except, umm, my list is too long to fit in one post. ^^; This year I decided to try writing a few of my thoughts on each book if I felt like it so the word count built up. Also I am a crazy person who reads far far more than some might consider sane. So without further ado:

(Book List Part I)

(Book List Part II)

If you see anything you've been planning to read and would like to know what I thought just ask! I am always willing to ramble on about books. Alternatively, if you'd like a recommendation drop a comment. I'm sure I can find something suited to your taste among the huge amount of things I read this year.

Love is nothing.
It has lost it's meaning.
Lies. deciet.
That's all it really is.
"I love you"
Is just a  word.
Fables. not true.
sin incarnated.

How could something so beautiful,
cease to exist  ?
How could something so joyful
disspaear into mist?

Love is not a blessing!
It leaves you hating.
A fib. bittersweet.
hell's heartbreaking kiss.
"I love you"
Just plain absurd.
A taboo.
Always colored.

Hey guys. Wrote another short story, it's the third one or so that I've posted here. You guys have been tremendously helpful in the past and even if this isn't good it's certainly a step up from my earlier stuff IMO.

I will award any readers/critics with free hugs and internets as well as my thoughts on anything you've written.

Details:
-5,000 words
-Some harsh language
-Fairly darkish tone

If you don't like reading in the LJ format feel free to read it in PDF form here: http://disc.420chan.org/lit/src/Julian%20and%20the%20Worm.pdf

 

( Read more... )

A quick write, non-beta or whatever, just going with an sudden idea in my head.

Might include material that might offend some people. I use a mixture of British and American english, so my grammar and spelling might not be work out for some people.

About the lives of three people in an apartment. I know this is done before but I've never read anything about this so here it goes. Sorry for spelling errors and etc.
( The Lives )

Cemetary Dance is selling bundles of Stephen King's top 10 books of 2009(seems about 30% off how much they cost in total). There's also a chance to win stuff.

http://www.cemeterydance.com/page/CDP/PROD/x_SKGB09C

my sister says i look like a mom in this outfit. ^_^
which im not, but i choose to take that as a compliment.