The Essence, by Kimberly Derting

The Essence, by Kimberly Derting.

Released January 1, 2013.

"At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within."

If you've followed me through this blog for a while, you know how big of a fan I am of Kimberly Derting and her stories! I love them and I just can't get enough! The Essence is the second installment in The Pledge trilogy, and after enjoying the first book as much as I did, I had not other option but to pick it up. 

(If you want to read my review of The Pledge, click HERE.)

The Essence takes place just a while after The Pledge ends. Charlie is now Queen, and in charge of an entire Queendom. She has a lot of things she want to change, and new laws she wants to instill, but that isn't as easy as it sounds, even though she is the Queen. There are rebels going against her, who want things to go back to the way they were, and who are willing and ready to fight.

Besides dealing with these rebellions, all of the laws Charlie wants to create, the child slave camps she wants to get rid of, and actually learning how to be a Queen, she is also dealing with something....or rather someone else.

This someone else is the previous Queen and tyrant Sabara, who's soul is residing within Charlie. Charlie can hear all of her thoughts, can understand her talking, and can even feel some of her powers. The same powers Sabara used to hurt and kill her very own people.

Charlie has a lot of lost time to make up when it comes to her Queendom; people are divided, children are enslaved, people are falsely imprisoned, the society as a whole is very far behind in technology and production. 

Charlie has a lot on her plate, a lot of people depending on her, and she knows she can't do it alone. So when she's invited to a conference with a handful of Queens from local Queendoms Charlie decides to attend, in the hopes of finding allies, who are willing to trade.

One of her biggest goals was to open schools, and allow any children to attend any school, to learn any trait. Charlie wants them to have the freedom of choosing their own career, instead of being stuck doing the same thing their parents did. When she finally has the opportunity to make this dream become reality, Charlie is there to see it all happen, to make a speech, to watch the children walk into the school building for the first time...and later the rebellion that wants to shatter her dream.

The school is bombed, before the first day of school is completed. The building is ruined, and children are seriously injured and killed. After this attack, family and friends are advising Charlie to stay within the castle, but she is more determined than ever, to go to this conference, find allies, and make big and better changes for her Queendom.

Overall, I would consider The Essence a stepping stone into the third book. 

"Yes! Obviously Lisa, its the second book!" 

I know, I know. But The Essence wasn't as exciting, or as shocking, and didn't completely keep me on the edge of my seat the whole time.  It was a stepping stone I enjoyed and felt was needed. We, as the readers, needed to see Charlie take her place on the throne, and we also needed to see that doing so, wasn't easy. 

And that cliffhanger at the end?! Like what?! That perfectly led us up to the third and final book!

Just like The Pledge, I loved The Essence. The entire idea of a nation being run strictly by a first born girl in the royal line, who has superhuman powers, is intriguing. Then we also aren't overwhelmed by romance, and the entire story isn't outshined by a relationship, which I can honestly say was the best part! Yes, there was a little here and there, but for more than 85% of the book it was on the back burner and I loved it!

If you haven't started this trilogy yet, you need to! It's amazing!

DNF Pile vs. A Book Review

In my vlog from yesterday, I stumbled on the topic of writing a review, or in my case, not writing a review, for a book I didn't finish reading.

And because I uploaded a vlog today, I decided today's discussion post, is going to be based of off this idea.

I recently attempted reading Forbidden, by Tabitha Suzuma, and that attempt utterly failed. The subject of the story was what pulled me in, but the execution is what pushed me away. The story and it's characters, as well as the way certain situations played out, didn't hold my attention nor did it meet the high expectations I had for this book.

I decided to stop reading, because not only did I not enjoy it, but it was also causing me to go into a reading slump. To avoid that from happening, I decided to officially put it down, and start on something else.

Originally, I wasn't going to do anything more with this book. I don't write reviews on books that I didn't completely finish. I was just going to lay it aside and continue with something else. But doing so, I felt like I wasn't being fair to my blog, and to my followers. I want this blog to be a place for all of us to share our opinions, and our passions. Including the good and the not so good.

It wouldn't be fair if all I did was write good book reviews, nor would it be fair to write a review on a book I didn't bother finishing, especially half way through. It was my decision to stop reading it, with 200 pages still to go, and I will never find out what happens in those 200 pages. I'm okay with that, because I've decided that I can move on, and live without knowing what happens. But just because I decided that those couple pages weren't worth my time, it doesn't mean I should rate this book based purely on the first hundred or so pages.

I don't know what happens in those last 200 pages, so I don't have the right to judge this book and write a review.

On the other hand, I do have the right to explain myself, and my reasoning as to why I stopped reading it. I may not have the proper backing to write a review, but I do have enough to convey my thought process, when I made the decision to lay down this book.

I've made the decision from here on out, that when I don't complete a book, and lay it in my DNF pile, that I would still write a blog post about, but simply not a review. I also won't be rating it on Goodreads, simply because of the same reasons. I still want my followers to know what I thought about the book, but I also want to make the point that I didn't finish the story, and those thoughts are based on what I did read.

What do you think about this topic? Do you write "reviews" on books you didn't finished?

Clothing Haul Part 1!

So if you checked out my last post, Clothing Haul Part 2, then you already know that I accidentally edited and upload part 2 before I realized what I was doing. I'm here today, to give you part 1, and I'm excited to show you all of the amazing things I found for amazing prices!

With the seasons changing, the crazy storm that cause a huge power outage, and school starting back up again, I decided it was time to do some shopping. Everyone knows the best times of year to do clearance shopping is when seasons change, and when school starts up!

So I went, I fought and I conquered!

I went to various stores including Khols, Sears, Nike Outlet and Target! Each of these stores had sales going on, so I couldn't resist!

Head's Up: Not all of the items shown in the video above, are displayed in the images below! I get way too excited and want to wear everything right away, so some things are already in the laundry!

This Dana Duchman bag stuck out to me right away, I love it's smooth and elegant look, but also it's practicality. Also one of the things that caught my attention was it's size. I love tote bags, but always find myself struggling with their large size. This Dana Buchman bag is perfect for anyone looking for a tote, that isn't massive!

I found a link on Khols.com if you're interested!

I purchased this second bag with the idea that I would carry my laptop to school in this bag! I couldn't find any bright and fun laptop cases, so decided to go with a stylish bag! This one is from Sears, but I sadly couldn't find it online!

The maroon 3/4 length sleeve sweater was a find from Sears, for only $10.00. I've already worn and washed it, and couldn't be any happier about it! The salmon colored shirt in the middle, is also from Sears, and was also $10.00. The orange hoodie on the right is one of the two purchases I made from the Nike Outlet. I love it's bright and vibrant color!

Sadly I already wore two of the five amazing Target clearance items I purchased, but here are the other three. This extremely cute and sheer kimono, and these thinly knitted, half sleeve, cardigans! I won't be able to get much use from the kimono this year, but these cardigans will come handy!

Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out my blog! I hope you enjoyed and I hope I inspired you to dig through all of your clearance sections! Leave a link down below if you've recently found some gems for awesome prices!

Clothing Haul Part 2?!

Okay, I have some explaining to do...I know this is part two, and you're probably curious as to where part one is...well..I haven't edited or uploaded it yet. I spent an hour uploading this video, another editing, and another hour uploading it to Youtube...before I even realized it wasn't part one.

So today were going with part two first, and part one will be up tomorrow!

Also, I know I went crazy on the clearance rack and with the sales, but it's the beginning of school, and everything was just so cheap, I couldn't resist.

Head's Up: Not all of the clothing items mentioned in the video above are shown in the pictures below...simply because I was too excited and already started wearing them!

This is the Dana Buchman purse I searched for, after buying it in a military green color! I love this bag, and all it's simple, but still professional look.

LINK To This Bag On Kohls.com

I picked up the blue/grey long cardigan on the left from Khols (they are having amazing sales right now for back to school). I bought the green long sleeve sweater, when I randomly stumbled into a clothing store known as Loft. And the maroon kimono hanging on the right side of this picture was a $6.00 find at my local Rue21!

The brown and cream colored vest, are $17.00 finds at my local Costco, be sure to check there for amazing deals on fall and winter coats! And the jeans vest was another amazing find at my local Rue21 for only $10.00.

This picture is full of random things I picked up, including boot cuffs from Target, that were each $5.00, here's a link to find these! There are also some amazing finds from Macys; the salmon colored shirt and the shorts. The plain t-shirts are from Papaya for only $3.99, here's a link! And finally I also picked up a pair of leggings, with a zipper detail from Khols!

And finally I picked up some new shoes for school, including a pair of red converse, a white pair of keds, and these CUTE ankle booties! I found the ankle booties online at Sears.com, here's the link if you're interested!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Are you picking up some awesome deals for back to school and the upcoming fall season?!

DNF: Forbidden, by Tabitha Suzuma

Over the last few months I've learned that some things just aren't worth the time, stress and struggle. Those things include books that just don't catch your attention, or hold it for very long. The feeling of not finishing a book, that you not only paid for, but also expected so much from, truly sucks. But wasting your time on it, sucks so much harder.

Also, I've learned that if I try to force myself through the entire book, I end up not reading it, or anything else for that matter, and get into a mini reading slump.

So instead of writing a review of Forbidden, by Tabitha Suzuma, I've decided to explain why I stopped reading it.

Forbidden was a book that I had heard a lot about, and that some people in the reading world seemed to enjoy. For a few months I considered purchasing it, but was always distracted by a different book, and chose that one instead. But just a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to find a used copy, and picked it up.

If you don't know what this story is about, in general terms, it revolves around a older brother and younger sister who fall in love. They live a hard life, with a mother who doesn't seem to care about her five children, and would much rather go out, drink, and spend time with her boyfriend. Not only do they both attend high school, but they are also the parents to their three younger siblings, and sometimes their drunk mother as well.

I love stories that are different. I love stories about things I don't understand, and have never experienced. I love seeing life, love and experiences through different perspectives. Which are all reasons as to why I picked up this book.

With such an amazing story line, and so many people seeming to enjoy it, I was excited to finally get started.

After only a few pages, I quickly realized that this book wasn't as fast paced as I expected it to be. I understand the need for reason to explain background information and cluing in the reader, when it comes to this type of story, but still, it was very slow.

The book is a total of 440 pages, and we don't see too much romance or feelings until about page 180. I understand that the author wants to set up their entire life, and make the reader see what these two have to deal and live with...but getting through 180 pages of it, is tough.

The second thing, I also noticed right away, was the way Lochan and Maya spoke. Lochan is a senior in high school, who is more on the shy side, while Maya is a junior (I believe) and a little bit more outgoing. They are teenagers, they shouldn't be speaking formally. AND they are brother and sister, as well as close friends, you wouldn't expect them to speak to each other like adults at a business meeting.

These two teenagers seemed more like puppets, orchestrated by Tabitha Suzuma, going through these motions of "oh I love him/her", but "oh we shouldn't be together", "oh what are people going to think of us", and "oh we'll never be able to have a normal life, we'll have to live in hiding".

This wasn't something consistent throughout the story, but would happen sporadically.

When it comes to Forbidden, the content and the subject matter isn't the reasoning behind this blog post; actually its what pulled me into reading this book in the first place. The way the story was executed, and the characters were relayed to the readers, is what threw me off.

Overall, I read 239 pages of the 440 total, and nothing major has caught my attention.

Their mom basically abandoned them, wasn't picking up kids from school, didn't answer any phone calls, and almost no one suspected a thing. Lochan and Maya realized their feelings at around page 180, and weren't sure what to do about them. But then in the blink of an eye, they take things QUITE FAR.

I felt it was unnecessary to spend 180 pages explaining their home life, and only 30 or so, when it comes to realizing their feelings, arguing about them, and then doing "things".

I am sad to say that I didn't enjoy Forbidden as much as I would have liked to, especially knowing how much my peers loved it. But sometimes it just doesn't work out.

I don't think I will pick up this book in the future to try again, but I'll probably hand it off to a good friend, who might enjoy it.

I do, however, plan on picking up more books on this subject matter, because it interests me, and I would love to see this type of literature conveyed in a better way, instead of what seemed to be puppets.

Have you read Forbidden? What are your thoughts?!

What's In My Back Pack

While school is another three weeks away for me, others of you may already be in the full swing of attending classes, taking notes and doing homework...I'm sorry for those of you who..but look at it this way, you get out earlier!

I decided it would be fun to show you what I take to school on a daily basis, according to this quarter's classes and schedule.

There are a handful of things that I don't take every single day, but occasionally will! Those things include my laptop, a USB, and my lunch box.

Depending on how long my days are, and what part of my day they take place, I'll pack my own lunch. The university I attend doesn't have a cafeteria, meaning my choices lie between fast food, restaurants, or snacks from a student convenience store. Of course buying lunch and snacks every day quickly adds up and it's usually unhealthy, so I would much rather bring my own lunch.

I don't usually bring my laptop to class, simply because I prefer physically writing my notes, instead of typing them. A few reasons why I would bring my laptop include a large gap of time between classes, where I can do homework. Also if I have a class where I sit too far away from the screen and can't see, or if a professor goes through the slides too quickly and I can't keep up.

Back Pack:

To do a "What's In My Back Pack"...I'll probably need an actual back pack. I'm using a Victoria's Secret PINK bag that I purchased last winter. I love the color, I love the style, I love how comfortable it is. Also I love the fact that it isn't too "PINK-ish", but instead more subtle.

Binder:

For this quarter, I'm using this two inch binder for all three (or four) of my classes. To separate each class, I'm using a set of eight dividers. Inside of my binder I'm also storing a ruler that doubles as a hole punch.

Pencil Case:

I decided to go with a bigger, sturdier and basic colored pencil pouch this year. Inside you're going to find the basic things, from pencils, high lighters, to pens. I'm also storing a stapler and some extra staples inside.

Personal Pouch:

In my "personal pouch" I keep hand sanitize, chap stick, lotion, feminine products, and anything else that will help me get through the day.

Planner/Calculator:

Two other essentials that I usually carry around, include my planner and a calculator. I love planning, obviously, and a calculator is essential when you're a Accounting Major, but especially essential when you're a Math Minor.

So that's what's in my back pack, what's in yours?!

What Am I Doing This Fall Season?!

With fall officially here, at least in the Pacific Northwest fall has been in swing for a week or so. We started one and ended one day with eighty degree weather, and then started another day, with a wind storm, rain, no power, and less than sixty degrees. Trees and power line were knocked down, so literally, fall was upon us.

Autumn and Winter are my favorite times of year, and there are so many festivities and activities I love doing, and make sure I get the opportunity to do. I decided the best way to keep track of this fall was through a bucket list.

Originally I wasn't going to post this, or make a point of it, but then I decided it might be fun. I also thought that maybe I could you all ideas of fun things to do this Autumn, or the other way around, with you adding things to my list.

Without further chitter chatter, let's get into it!

Those are just some of the things I want to do this season, what are you planning to do? I would love to know!