Book Review: Divergent Series *Spoiler Alert*

Well, decided to go with a book review.

  Modern day reads have seriously deteriorated from what used to be acceptable. All the great writers from Shakespeare and Austen are rolling in their graves with what people choose to read today. Despite my love for the classics, I must admit that I have read several of series popular today. Mostly out of curiosity and to be informed of what others are reading.
  The most popular genre seems to be futuristic end of the world reads as seen in the Hunger Games series and the Divergent series. What is the point of such books? To inspire fear? Think about it, if the world ever got to a place where pitting young teens against each other as a form of control were acceptable, that would be a very messed up world. Books of this genre seem to be geared to take the horror out of such situations, but it's still horrible no matter how you package it.
   All that said, I have read these books, and I won't bother with a review on the Hunger Games. But Divergent, as far as young adult reads go, was a least better than the Hunger Games series.
  The premise of the Divergent series is that the world has created this utopia of sorts where, by dividing people by their primary talents, a perfect system can be created that can be used to save the world. Not that is clear until the 2nd and the 3rd book to the reader. Basically the world is falling apart so they brainwash a generation and place them a gated city far enough from civilization that they believe they are the only people left, or if they aren't they are too scared to leave the gate that they are content where they are.
   The people in the walled up city (originally Chicago) are divided into 'factions' based on their primary character traits. The factions are:

Abnegation: The Selfless, plain-dressing, helpful, (government comes from this faction as well).   
Erudite: The Intelligent, students, involved in technology and science. 
Dauntless: The Brave/soldiers, protectors of the gate, ruthless. 
Amity: The Peaceful, actually live outside the fence, farmers, nature lovers
Candor: The Honest

  Children are born into their parents factions, and when they are 16 they take a test which tells them what faction they are best fit for. They can choose to stay in the one they grew up in, or if the test recommends a different faction they can join that one. At the choosing ceremony they cut their hands and drip their blood on the bowl representing the faction they choose. 
  Enter the glitch in this system - Beatrice Prior a girl from the Abnegation. She is divergent, meaning the computer test that is supposed to dictate her life isn't smart enough to place her in a faction, because like most normal people she has multiple good traits. She is brave, selfless and smart. 
  Beatrice chooses Dauntless, changes her name to Tris, and starts the vigorous training that new members must go through in order to stay in the Dauntless faction. Enter the predictability of the book- she overcomes the obstacles and survives the training, and cue the romance of the series with Four (aka: Tobias, a kid Tris grew up with who ran away because his father (an Abnegation role model) was secretly abusive). 
  Then we get to the climax. Turns out that the Erudite have been planning to overthrow the happy system by attacking the Abnegation by mind controlling the Dauntless. But Tris and Four (who is also divergent) cannot be controlled by the serum that affects the rest of the Dauntless. Unfortunately Four gets caught and forced to take another special serum that can override even his Divergent abilities. This leaves Tris, with the help of her father and brother to destroy the computer system the Erudite are using to control the Dauntless. (Tris's mom was shot saving Tris). So the three of them break into the computer room, being controlled by a drugged up Four and stop the overtaking. Sadly, lives are lost (including Tris's father) and the entire city is in an uproar at what has happened. 
  The book ends as they all (Tris, un-drugged Four, her brother, Four's abusive father and Peter the jerk from Dauntless) ride off in a train to Amity to re-coup. 

  As the first book sets up the basic story I will quickly sum up the last two books. In the second book they continue recovering from the attack, trying to set up some sort of peace with the Erudite leader who started the whole mess. We also find out that Tobia's mother is alive (her death was staged so she could escape her abusive husband, although she left her 8 year old son to be his sole outlet; setting up some lovely mother/son issues as they are forced to work together and Tobias has to decided if he will forgive her and if he can trust her.) Needless to say that doesn't go well- the peace attempt and mother/son reconciliation. Also, the romance angle is on an ever present roller coaster, yes, they love each other, but of course we need to have all this drama and stupidity to keep it from getting boring. Eventually they try to stage an attack on the Erudite compound which isn't very successful but they do find a video that tells them that they are really a giant experiment and that the rest of the world just placed them in their city to try and solve their own problems. Not considering them people but more like lab rats. Tris finds out her mom was one that willingly chose to be brainwashed and join the project. End book 2. 
 The third book begins as a team of them go outside the fence and find the organization that placed them in the city. This organization is just concerned with finding a solution to the world's problems and isn't particularly caring about what happened. Instead, it just wants to re-brainwash the entire city so they forget the overthrowing. The head of the organization tries to recruit Tris- mainly because he was in-love with Tris's mother before she went into the city. But Tris will have none of it, she knows that brainwashing the city again is not the way to go. So *spoiler alert* they take over the organization and Tris ends up dying *gasp! We just killed off a main character?!*. The book ends as everyone else figures out how to live happily ever after. 

  Good things about this series? Well, if technology keeps advancing this could one day be possible so I guess it's not too far 'out there'. While I did like Tris's character, I think it was a good move on the author's part to kill her. Life isn't perfect, the good people don't always make it. Tris chose to do the right thing even though she knew she was going to die. The world in general is too selfish so a book where the character actually has character was refreshing. 
  If I were to rate this I would give it a 5/10 rating. Again, what does it really teach anyone? Can this be applied to real life? Not particularly. Also, Veronica Roth is a good writer, but somewhat sloppy. She makes a novice mistake between book 1 and book 2 and that is really disappointing. Yeah, it was a small detail she messed up, but if she messed that up maybe there are more mistakes that I did not catch. If you're going to write a series you really need to pay attention to details. But at least she doesn't negate her series like Suzanne Collins did with the Hunger Games (rant for another time.)
  I guess the moral (?) of the Divergent Series could be: Bad things happen to good people, put a helmet on and move on. Or: When the world is all about conforming, being yourself is bad but it could save the world. Be different. 

Anyway.. if you got anything out of that please comment and let me know. Otherwise maybe it made you laugh. 

Long Time, no Post

Hello Again,
As always, there has been quite some time since I last posted. But that - and this time I mean it- is going to be different.
Life has had some major changes recently. I 'quit' college, moved to Texas, and am now on the job prowl. Looking to save up money and then study cosmetology. (Yes. Cosmetology. Lets not forget the saying: Do what you love. Well, I love to do hair so why not get certified and be able to do it professionally?)
True, I have left all my friends and the 'life' that one can have in the college realm. But now I get to live day-by-day, trusting God and see where LIFE can go.

I plan to keep this updated with the happenings of my life.

- Annoying my cousin
- Sarcasm
- Stories (As I am sure I will do plenty of stupid and awkward things that probably shouldn't be shared but knowing me, will be.)
- What God is teaching me
- Photos
- Book reviews (With these reviews you will never have to read a book again!)

Comment on stuff you'd like to read about and I will see what I can do!

ahhhh!!!!

11 more days until I start school!!!!!!!!! Oh boi
I'm excited for the most part, but I don't really know.

Been spending the last few weeks at my brother's in Milwaukee. I finally got to meet my nephew, and he's really really cute. A little bit of a stinker (literally and figuratively) at times, but cute, and has a great laugh.
Haven't been doing too much, working on pictures, and I still have shopping to do. :)

Just trust God at the moment. So many changes, and more to come. My biggest worry is my future roommates, I hope they like me!


Not sure if I can access blogger from campus. I doubt it, so I'll try to post a couple more times before I get on campus. And if i can't post, then I will catch up on break! :)

Bucket List!

I recently posted my bucket list on fb and thought it'd make a good blog post. I am a little crazy and this proves it! hahahahaha. There are a couple things I have done, and a couple I will probably never do. This is list will probably change over the years. If so I'll update it!

Enjoy my craziness!!

 1. Fly! 

  2.  Live on a farm for a month 

  3. Gallop on a horse - Bareback 

  4. Swim with dolphins 

  5. Be rich for a day (My brother doesn't understand this. I don't want to be RICH forever… cause I just don't. Just as much money as God wants me to have.)

  6. Get married

  7. Lead people to the Lord

  8. Run on a beach at night

  9. Go to a ball. (Always wanted to. Not cinderella of anything like that. But like… someday, with my husband :)

10. Have twins. Identical. (Girls or boys, that doesn't matter)

11. Visit a small town (I used to wish I lived in one. Guam's a small island.. but not the same thing. I should've been born a couple hundred years ago… but then I wouldn't be me I guess)

12. Spend a whole day in a Super Wal-Mart :) 

13. Walk down a street with a guitar singing (Haha, I'd look dumb, but I bet it'd be fun!)

14. Have my hair down to my feet!! (Always wanted SUPER long hair!!) 

15. Ice Skate

16. Go watch the olympics AT the Olympics- and take pictures :)

17. Have a house with a window seat (that's a must. I've always wanted a window seat so i could read and stuff in it and hide behind the curtains.)

19. See if THE house has a secret room. (I used to dream about this house down the road that had a secret room with a window seat. I want to in the house and see if there really is a secret room!! It's super cool, it's got 2 bookshelves with all my favorite books! I hope it's real :)

20. Spend a summer with Kayla. 

21. Go to Eliza, Kayla and Laura's weddings. (And be their photographer :) 

22. Never have a wedding like the one I dreamed about. (Because 1. I wouldn't marry that guy -even tho he's nice. and 2. if I had a wedding like that, it's be super awkward. and make a wedding history for craziest wedding ever :) (Or aka: Have a NICE wedding)

23. Go to a real country barn dance

24. Tell someone how I REALLY feel about them. 

25. Cry because I'm happy

26. Own a motercycle

27. Student teach (They have it better the real teachers :) 

28. Break a violin. A junky one :D (For all those times I got frustrated and wanted to throw it down and bust it. But never did.) (Hmm…. I could make the news if I busted a Stradivarius  :)

29. Buy a book of Vivaldi and rip it up! (For all the times the susuzi books had several Vivaldi songs in a row. And I had to play them!!)

30. Run until I can't possibly run anymore

31. Surprise someone I haven't seen in a long time by randomly showing up. AT MIDNIGHT (Kinda of done that tho… but it wasn't a surprise, we were just really late, cause we got lost)

32. Write a book that gets published

33. Run through the snow barefoot. (One thing i've wanted to do for a long time)

34. Go to Ireland and Scotland and get tons of pics. And visit old castles. And have a guide with an accent!!

35. Speak Spanish fluently

36. Learn to spell (Without the spell checker ;)

37. Win a typing competition.   

38. Learn to snowboard 

39. Learn to surf

40. Eat escargot 

41. Purchase and raise a Mastiff!

42. Meet Laura and others in the states who I know mostly though FB. (But are still good friends) 

43. Hang glide 

44. Ride in a convertible.

45. Eat pizza everyday for a week (then go on a diet for a month)

46. Be invisible (Wait… that one I may have done already;)

47. Own a pair of pajama jeans

48. Have a really cute outfit that looks good on me (with accessories.)

49. Be Amish for at least a week.

50. Play on a basketball team

51. Have a laptop

52. Own a NICE camera 

53. Be able to keep all the stray puppies and kittens I find. And find them good homes

54. Be a REAL photographer 

56. Go stand in four corners (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. If you stand right you can be in all four at the same time!!)

57. Visit Australia 

58. Do the 'Swiss Family Robinson' thing. (Loved that book, it'd be SO much fun to do!)

59. Drive through every state in the US 

60. Go sledding!!! (Haha. I may have done, but I doubt it- we didn't get a lot of snow in SD) 

61. Draw one good picture

62. Be able to do a good dive, every time I try (without belly flopping.. :()

63. Run everyday for a year

64. Go an entire day in freezing weather wearing jeans and a t-shirt 

65. Eat at a Chick-fil-a

66. Visit all my friends in VA beach!!! 

67. Climb up the side of a building

68. Make a record for 'most read books' of some category 

69. Walk/Swim/Canoe to one of the little 'island's next to or 'in' Guam

70. Go on that road trip with Laura and 'Co' :D

71. Own a house with a pool where I could swim in it everyday!

72. Win airline tickets for something to some cool place

73. Have a job that I LOVE

74. Throw a big fun party where no one feels left out. 

75. Be a clothing designer for a month

76. FINISH THIS LIST :D

77. Try to wing suit.. (but i have a feeling that as much as i want to do it, i'd freak out!!)

78. Ride a (tame) lion or tiger

79. Drive Heather's VW Bug  

80. Have a decent role in a movie. - not the lead, but the goofy assistant role. 

81. Meet all of the youtube people who's videos I love. 

82. Have a successful blog that encourages and makes people laugh

83. Visit Spain

84. Roller blade for an entire day - without getting sunburned.

85. Adopt a kid

86. Be the hairstylist for some big event and get my stylings noticed!

87. Inspire someone

89. Write a song 

90. Knit a beanie

91. Dye my hair

92. Survive 4 years of College and Graduate!

93. Graduate from High School 

94. Patent my Ice Cream idea 

95. Drive a jetski

96. Own a beastly motorcycle 

97. Make things right with certain people whom I messed things up with. 

98. Make a difference - in a small way, even if the life of one person. 

99. Start a trend 

100. Get another piercing 

ummmmm

Right now I'm in a thinking mood.. and I'm thinking about so much I can't really sort them into an organized anything. It's like my pastor says about the female brain- it's a bunch of wires of thoughts that get tangled up and wrapped up together and so we have so many thoughts we can't process them.

School update:

I'm working on two main subjects, Spanish & Geometry- the 'joy' of being homeschooled right? haha. And I'm required to write a semi term paper, but I don't have a subject. When it comes to research/term papers, my mind is like 'HELP!'. No kidding! The hardest thing is to come up with a subject, all the ones I think I might like to write about I can never find enough good information for to write a decent paper. (Comment ideas for me!!)

blah I thought I was also in a writing mood. Not right now though I guess. I will write later!

Time to become a semi-frequent blogger?

Hey hey all!

Yeah I know, it's -again- been ages! But I got a laptop, and one of my goals is to become a blogger. Haha, i know I have such big goals in life right?

Anyway, if anyone is still reading this, please comment me with suggestions about what i should write about, else it's just going to be a lot randomness. (ooh but that is my trademark quality...).

I will do a post in the next day or so about my life an whats been happening. Lots I'm sure since I last wrote.

Comment away!! Should I write about God, music, reading, my life, Guam, photography, or just whateves? 0.o

Summer update

well, my hopes for posting more during the summer completely frizzed- just like my hair :)

My summer? It's actually been for the most part very very boring. I'm totally doing nothing. And I've learned the meaning of sleeping in, which means going back to school isn't going to be fun at all. I like sleeping :D

This will be my senior year of Highschool!! And it'll probably be a very busy one :( Besides my Homeschool, I have music and (hopefully) drama at my church's school. And then my mom enrolled me in the University here. They offer free classes to seniors who test into college level classes. So I'm going to be taking math and english there.

I got my permit -finally- that only took me forever to do :( I'm not so great of a driver. The other day for example, i got distracted and next thing i knew I was up on a hill by a fence o.o yeup... sorta scratched my sisters mini-van a tiny bit :/ But lesson learned, no one was hurt and I need to not get distracted by the car behind me. And yeah, I was fine but my sister was freaked out and kicked me out of the drivers seat. (Although seeing as how I was the one less shaken by the incident not sure why she was the one driving.... but oh well. )

Rebecca suggested that I talk about my faith. I am a born again Chri

stian, and have been raised in a Christian home since I was a baby. I was saved when I was 5, but didn't really care much about it. It was more of a safety deposit you know? I'm saved, therefore no need to worry. The last couple years tho I've learned a lot and God has become so much more real.

A couple weeks ago, my church had a 5 day camp. And I wasn't going to go - for really stupid reasons - but decided that my reasons for not going where why I SHOULD go. So the second day I went. And it was really good.

Pastor Charles Hiers from Hawaii was our speaker, and he was really really funny. And a good speaker. In the morning he talked about traits we should have and use to praise God. They were:

Character

Courage

Countenance

Confidence

Community (working the community), and

Church (being involved in the church.)

Then the evenins were about things we can ask for, like: How to pray, wisdom, etc.

What i learned was that I need to be more courageous and that I tell ppl a lot about me and my God without even speaking. And that my view of how big God is affects how I live for him.

(Side note: If you've never listened to Louie Giglio you should!)

Life otherwise has just been the usual teen stuffs. Drama over silly stuffs and all that. My best friend "Kayla" moved back to Guam after having been gone for 2 years. I'm really happy about it, it's really good to have her back. :D

Well I guess thats all for this post. I will try to post more. Maybe with going to the University and all that I will have more interestin things to post ;D

I got a new purity ring yesterday!! (I lost my other one..) and I LOVE it. It's an Irish Claddagh ring. I've always been fascinated by the story behind them. So I"m really really happy to have it, it's beautiful. I'll try and post a better pic later, but here is the one i took with my sisters computer :D (Lol Shatter Nail Polish... )