"An abundance of Katherines" by John Green

I have continued to read my book and its becoming more and more interesting. Once Colin and Hassan arrive at Gutshot they meet a girl called Lindsey who coincidentally is dating a guy named Colin. Her  great grand father started a string factory there a long time ago and it is the hotspot for all people looking for a job. The three of them become friends very quickly and Lindsey's mom gives Hassan and Colin a job which includes going around the town and asking people about Gutshot and a factory there. They interview local people who live in the area as well as factory workers. Whats quite interesting is that Lindsey seems to act very differently in front of each group of people which suggests that she changes the way she is to make other people happy; making her a people pleaser. Collin thinks that she isn't very intelligent and is quite superficial. She reads Celebrity Living and doesn't seem to have much depth. Although in fact in my opinion I think that she just plays dumb as a coping mechanism or a mask for her insecurities. She seems to wear a lot of different masks infant of certain types of people which is very interesting.

I think the characters in the book are becoming more and more complex which is thickening the plot. I really am enjoying this book and can't wait to find where the characters adventures will lead them. 

"An abundance of Katherines" by John Green

I have just started to read this book and though it is moving at a slightly slower pace; I'm finding it really interesting. The book is about a teenage boy named Collin Singleton. He is extremely intelligent (he could read at the age of two). He loves everything to do with reading and language as well as anagramming. He is very self conscious of the fact that manu people think that he is a washed up child prodigy therefore he spends most of his hours studying and reading. Collin has not been successful though in finding a long term girlfriend. He has dated 19 girls all with the names of Katherine and he has been dumped by every single one of them. He had just been recently dumped and decided to go on a road trip with his best friend, Hassan. Hassan is almost the polar opposite of Colin he spends most of his time watching tv and hasn't even applied to college yet. 

I am at the part right now when they are on the road and have just seen a town called Gutshot that claims to have the grave of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. So they stopped there and thats the part that I am at. So far I am really enjoying this book, its a nice change from the quick paced books that I usually read. I can't wait to find out more the road trip!

"Angel Dares" by Joss Stirling

I have just finished reading this amazing book! It was the second one in the series and I think that the third is coming out in October. This book was brilliant! It had the perfect amount of action, romance and supernatural in it. I loved the way that the author really brought the characters alive as well as the fact that she used their gifts to show their weaknesses and strengths within their personality.  One of the main themes in this book was accepting someone for who they are; the good and the bad. This was very interesting as I got to see the evolution of Marcus, who at first didn't accept Angels gift but then eventually began to trust her more and he found it within himself to fully accept her and himself. I think that the main reason he wanted nothing to do with her or her gift was because he couldn't accept himself or the fact that he may be different. His gift was only triggered once he fully accepted himself for who he was. Different doesn't necessarily mean bad. I think that the difference between their personalities also complemented each other very well. Angel is impulsive, outgoing and isn't very organised on the other hand Marcus doesn't like change, he enjoys routine and is very guarded around other people. Angel managed to bring some spontaneity in to Marcus's life and Marcus brought some order to Angels chaos. Overall I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one to come out!!!

I am the Only Being Whose Doom: Commentary

I am the only being whose doom

No tongue would ask, no eye would mourn;

I never caused a thought of gloom,

A smile of joy, since I was born.

In secret pleasure, secret tears,

This changeful life has slipped away,

As friendless after eighteen years,

As lone as on my natal day.

There have been times I cannot hide,

There have been times when this was drear,

When my sad soul forgot its pride

And longed for one to love me here.

But those were in the early glow

Of feelings since subdued by care;

And they have died so long ago,

I hardly now believe they were.

First melted off the hope of youth,

Then fancy’s rainbow fast withdrew;

And then experience told me truth

In mortal bosoms never grew.

’Twas grief enough to think mankind

All hollow, servile, insincere;

But worse to trust to my own mind

And find the same corruption there

The first line of the poem automatically sets the mood of the entire poem. Although this is the case in many poems, the lone, which also happens to be the title of the poems, very strongly suggests that the person is isolated and has a rather skeptical frame of mind. We know this because it is later written "I never caused a though of gloom", meaning that her feelings no longer seem to be there, a hint of consequences of isolation. 

Later, the author writes: "A smile of joy since I was born". This changes the so far depressing mood. Therefore, this can be interpreted as if the author is trying to fire her mood up. 

The author uses a number of rhymes in the poem. This seems to slow down the rhythm. There is a particular emphasis on the first person, with pronouns such as "My" and "I" being constantly repeated.  In conclusion, the author uses strong language to explain her feelings. With that said, it is undeniable that the general mood of the poem is rather distressing.