Red Rising

Woot! Woot!

I devoured the beginning of this book. The different landscape and futuristic world on Mars was intriguing to me. Darrow is an awesome protagonist because he has flaws of a godlike superhero. Rage, vengeance, pride drive him to carve away his low Red upbringing and become a Gold to take down the unjust caste system of which he and his family have suffered from for years. He loses his wife which is the driving force behind what he does. It is all very creative and grandiose. Pierce Brown has created a world unlike any other I have ever read. 

It has hints of Hunger Games influence as Darrow is forced to compete against other Golds to be the greatest and be picked to lead fleets and armies of Mars. It is much more gruesome and graphic than Hunger Games but the story is geared more toward a mature audience. 

There is a lull in the story about three quarters of the way in where Brown almost lost me but I pushed through and the pay off was great. The ending has a few twists and it ends with a thrilling call for him to Rise, marking his first move in his rebellion. The battle has only just begun and Darrow has shown himself to be a threat to be reckoned with. 

I look forward to the next installment, Golden Son, in this exciting series. Highly recommended for sci-fi and adventure readers. 

The Fault in Our Stars

WOOT WOOT!

Every once in awhile a book comes along that changes you. When you find that book you find yourself thinking about it well after you've finished it. You set it down regretfully while you're reading it because you don't want to put it down. Once it is finished you are sad that it is over. The Fault in Our Stars was one of these books for me. 

For a brief synopsis: The narrator is Hazel, a sixteen-year-old girl who has dealt with cancer all her life. Her form of cancer, once it was eradicated from her body, left her with fluid in her lungs and the fear that she could get it all again. She meets a boy, Augustus Waters, who is another cancer patient. His cancer left him with an amputated leg. An unlikely and, seemingly, doomed romance ensues between the two. 

I loved the symbolism in this book. It's something you don't see very much in popular literature these days. People are up for instant gratification and no longer like to delve into the deeper meaning of what they read. 

John Green said he wanted to create  a story that showed a less glamorous look at the life of cancer. Throughout the story Hazel demeans this when someone from her support group dies and their Facebook wall lights up with posts about how wonderful, brave, and perfect that person was when, in reality, these people never knew the real person. Being a victim of cancer or a cancer survivor or a cancer patient, in and of itself, is enough to raise you to sainthood. This is one of the ideals Hazel remains constant about and I think it's because Green is trying to tell us that it is ok to humanize the dead, the cancer patient, and the victim. Celebrate that they were human and they lived a life that wasn't altogether perfect but they made the most of it. 

Hazel is very grim at first. She goes around thinking she's a walking time bomb. I loved her voice through Green's writing. She is a smart, intelligible and reliable narrator. There are moments of great insight and others of entertaining humor that all make Green's novel entertaining and valuable to any library. 

Augustus is a strong hero. I was uncomfortable when his illness started making him into a whiny, gloomy child, but Green explained that he did that on purpose. He wanted to show that death is not a pretty thing. Cancer is not pretty. 

I cannot gush on enough about this book. It has humor, romance, history, symbolism, allusion, great dialogue, awesome writing, and a fine attention to detail. You can tell the author has worked hard to create a story that is both entertaining and affective. I highly recommend it to anyone, but I also recommend that you have a tissue or two handy for the ending. 

Tabitha and Sexy Rexy

As a break from the book reviews, I thought I'd give you, my Thirsty readers, an update on things down here in sunny San Diego.

Pictured above is me with my really good friend Tara. She has been a real blessing to me as a friend and a crazy companion. We've gotten into many shenanigans together. An odd thing I have noticed is that gay men rarely hang out with lesbians. Tara is a lesbian and I am gay, so it's kinda weird that we get along so well. I not only hang with her, but I have made friends with a few other lesbians: Ann and Lincoln. They have been incredible to me.

Tara invited me one night to hang out with her. I met her at Wang's where she was dancing with some new friends she had made. Little did I know that this party she was at was a She-She party. Meaning it was for lesbians. Needless to say I stood out a little. Me and the bartender were the only males in the whole party. I made the most of it and had fun. Oddly enough I did get checked out by women too. They thought I was an incredibly butch lesbian. I wasn't sure how to take that, but whatever.

At the She-She party we decided I needed a lesbian name so I wouldn't feel so left out. For some reason I came up with Tabitha. But you have to say it like you're a macho butch woman, complete with flexing your muscles. Then we gave Tara a gay name so she could be like a gay boy when we go to gay bars for me. Her name was Chad but then we realized one of the bartenders at Babycakes is named Chad. So it has since been revised to be Sexy Rexy.

We also went out together for New Year's Eve. It was quite the night. We went to Bourbon St., a bar off the beaten path. There we saw drunk women try to pole dance and we got our beads and hats you see in the picture above.

All of us go out for Sunday Funday just about every week. It's a good time. We go to Mo's for a brunch and endless mimosas then to Babycakes for drinks and cupcakes.

I met all these great people through a support group for navy homosexuals which was founded by Ann Foster. She and I had been talking all through my deployment about starting up a chapter on my ship. That is still in the works. Regardless of what happens with that, I am glad I am part of GLASS (Gay Lesbian and Supportive Sailors) even if there is no chapter on my ship. I'm still doing what I can to get it done. If I hadn't spoken up to my CO about having more support for gays and lesbians at the command, then I would never have met Ann, Lincoln, Tara, or any of the other great lesbian and gay sailors I have had the pleasure to meet.

The Never List

WOOT!

The cute little seller at Warwick's in La Jolla referred me to this book as I was browsing at the store. She said it had kept her up at night and that she was haunted by it. Strong words for any book. So I bought it. She was right to a point. 

Zan's debut is pretty stunning. It is hard to think this is her first book because her voice is so powerful and smooth. The beginning of the book is fantastically written to a point where I was sucked in immediately. Sarah is a disturbingly mental woman. There's no going around that. Zan builds up her character pretty well even to the point where it almost becomes unbelievable. All the dark and painful experiences Sarah went through is alluded to just enough that you get a taste but not so in-depth that you feel like you're reading trash. As a reader you become very sympathetic toward Sarah. Part of the tension and the thrill of it is the fact that she's not very strong and you worry that she's just not going to be able to pull through. 

At some point, however, the book becomes less intriguing. I'm not sure when that happens. I just know by the end I was less involved. Sarah suddenly becomes more apt to be strong. I love good character development, and I was glad Sarah finds herself at the end, but it just seemed too sudden and easy. This girl was a complete mental case (for good reason) and she breaks out of it too quickly in my opinion. I think it would have been better had she just shown signs of getting healed, rather than suddenly being better. 

People keep comparing this book to Gone Girl. I don't think it's a fair comparison. They're completely different. This is Zan's first book, though, so I suppose it is good on her that her debut is being compared to Flynn's (correct me if I'm wrong) third or fourth novel. Only good things are in Zan's future as she continues to write and prove herself as an author. She is a great new female voice in this genre. I will certainly read more of her work. 

Allegiant

WOOT WOOT!

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! If you have not read or finished reading this book, come back when you have finished it. Unless you like spoilers, then be my guest. 

There has been a lot of hullabaloo about how Veronica Roth decided to finish this trilogy, and I have to admit it took some guts. I was shocked, at first, and I thought "No way. There's absolutely no way she has me all rooting for Tris and seeing how badass a character she was only just to kill her. This has to be a joke." No joke. 

However, the more I thought about it, the more I realize how fitting it was. And just how beautiful and poetic Tris' death was. It had to happen. I won't go into detail about all that. I can't spoil everything. But just pay attention or think about how Roth spins it at the end. It would actually be out of character for Tris to survive their final attack. She'd been looking for a way to prove herself and to make an impact in the world since Page 1.  As Tobias says "I suppose a fire that burns that bright is not meant to last." 

Throughout this whole trilogy I was skeptical and iffy about Roth. Her writing just feels so stifling at times. Maybe that's not the right word. Perhaps more along the lines of stilted, held back, limited. But now I see the beauty in it. And maybe she was doing that on purpose to make the reader feel just as stilted, limited, and held back as her characters felt in their factions. You can witness her beautiful prose when Tobias and Tris are together. I looked forward to those moments as much as Tris did because, not only is Tobias a sweet hunk of man, that was where the writing flowed and felt comfortable. Now I know it was all done on purpose. At least I would like to think so. Roth managed to use her writing style to evoke emotion which shows true talent and a sharp mind behind the words. At face value, her writing may not stand up to her peers, but she has won me over. Despite her dirty rotten trick at the end. 

Since I'm on the subject of Tris and Tobias, that's actually what I would prefer to focus on for the rest of this review. I actually had no intention of mentioning Tris dying because I hate spoilers, but I felt like I should pay homage to Roth's badass decision that I'm sure was even more devastating to her. As a writer also, I can't imagine killing off the main character in my book. 

Tris and Tobias have a tumultuous relationship. I'd get annoyed with them fighting all the time and Tris always getting mad that Tobias didn't trust or believe her. Then she'd run off and do something stupid so I'd side with Tobias because, girl, ya nearly got everyone killed. I've said it before, though, I love that Roth did not inject a stupid love triangle. I loved that it was Tobias and Tris out to save the world together. 

Allegiant has some beautiful quotes about love and life. I found the simple and realistic view that Tris had was quite powerful. Mind you, I hated Tris in book one. She was immature and seemed to make decisions because it fit the plot. I just didn't understand her. But by the end of the book and the scene where she sacrifices herself for her friends and the future, you see just how much she has grown and changed. I had to sit and stew with this for awhile because when I first closed the book when I was finally done, I wanted to throw the book. 

Enough of that. I said I wouldn't talk about that anymore. Back to the love thing.

One of my favorite quotes is one that I will probably always remember because it is just so perfect. Here this is Tris talking after she and Tobias have made up after yet another fight:

I used to think that when people fell in love, they just landed where they landed, and they had no choice in the matter afterward. And maybe that's true of beginnings, but it's not true of this, now.

I fell in love with him. But I don't stay with him by default as if there's no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me (372). 

The whole trilogy is about choices. Choices define you. Choices transform you. Choices destroy you. I think Tris' love with Tobias was her saving grace. That she found that love was the choice that defined her, not a faction or anything anybody said she was. 

I'm falling more in love with this trilogy the more I write about it and think about it. 

Insurgent

I haven't been able to look it up, but I'm pretty sure my review of Divergent was pretty scathing. The first book in the trilogy was, in my mind, stunted by a leading character who was not reliable and made decisions that just seemed to move the story forward rather than what she would do to fit her. I'll admit, I did not have any desire to finish the series, but I saw a preview for the movie and was surprised how enticing it looked. The movie looked better than I had remembered the book ever being. So I decided to give it another try and read the second book.

Insurgent was a step up. Roth's writing is getting better and better. I really loved the moments between Tris and Tobias. They seemed to be when Roth's writing really sung and flowed smoothly.

This book was entertaining. The storyline is pretty believable. I don't think Jeanine is a really threatening antagonist despite Roth's attempts to paint her as a monster. She's just not seen enough for me to really get a grasp of why she does what she does.

One of the more thrilling scenes that I remember is when one of the characters, under the influence of a simulation serum, jumps to her death off a building. This is a showing point to me and, even though it was an awful scene because of what happened, it showed Tris as a heroine. I was finally able to trust her as the protagonist. Too bad Tobias and others still can't trust her after that.

That being said, the cycle gets tired. Tobias and Tris seem to constantly battle each other. She seems to be constantly trying to prove herself to this guy that supposedly loves her. There are times I just want to smack both of them upside the heads for being so stubborn. I understand stubbornness is a quality that is desired in protagonists these days, especially in YA literature, but so is humility. There needs to be a point when one of them gives in and realizes that they were wrong. I'm still waiting for that moment to come for one of these characters.

So many times in YA literature there is a love triangle. That story gets old. And for some reason it's usually two gorgeous guys with some sort of magical ability who are inexplicably drawn to a very normal, average teenage girl. I have called this the Twilight Syndrome in posts before. If nothing else, the Divergent series steers clear of the Twilight Syndrome. It is a breath of fresh air that the main character only has one love interest. Honestly that's more true to life. I don't know about you, but I've never been in a love triangle. Maybe I just lead a sheltered life.

I highly recommend this series to young adults. However, be warned, it is pretty dark. Characters die off quickly. If that's not your cup of tea and you get attached to side characters quickly, you may want to stay away from this dystopian thriller, but I think you'll be missing out on an entertaining and imaginative read.

I'm Not Dead

Hello, friends and family! 

A lot has happened since April which was the last time I posted on this minuscule corner of the blogosphere. I went on deployment with my ship, read a lot of books, saw many parts of this world, learned a lot of new things, and met a lot of really interesting people. The navy has proven to be quite the adventure.

Deployment

I drove to San Diego and stayed at TPU until they were able to fly me out to my ship, the USS Higgins, which was steaming around in the Persian Gulf. It was quite the trip out there. I had never flown so far away from home. I slept on the plane and it was all really a blur. Once we arrived in Bahrain they put us up in a hotel then the next morning we were shuttled to the base and then a helicopter took us to the ship. First time riding in a helicopter and it was amazing. Also, it was my first time setting foot on a real US Navy ship. 

It took me awhile to get accustomed to ship life. Everyone was really nice, however, I got frustrated real quick because everyone had this attitude problem. It was hard for me to understand it because I was so in awe with everything. That feeling is fading away now which is sad because I don't necessarily like to be jaded. 

After Indoc I was sent to the Supply Department as a Food Service Attendant which is a nice way of saying "cranking." It's a rite of passage in the navy that is supposed to help sailors appreciate just how much the cooks go through to make our food. I was posted in the ward room, serving the captain and the other officers on board. It was an eye opening experience as well as one of the most challenging things I've had to do. 

Once we left Bahrain and the Gulf, we headed to Thailand. I liked Thailand. It was absolutely gorgeous there. But it felt very dirty and everyone just wanted my money. Everything was cheap and that was great, but it wasn't my favorite place. 

Next we went to Japan for two weeks. I loved Japan. Absolutely loved it. I liked to get away from the Navy traps where all the bars are and where people take advantage of military because they know we can pay for whatever they offer. My favorite place was Kamakura where there were temples, shrines, and a Buddha from roughly the 15th century. 

Guam was our next stop. I would have rather just passed by it and gone to Hawaii. It was pretty but everything was so spread out that it was necessary to have a car to really enjoy it even though it was an incredibly small island. I also went to a strip club with my friends and they said they owed me. I've still got to call in that IOU. 

Our last stop was Hawaii. I had a lot of fun in Hawaii. We rented a car and got to ride around to see the Tropicana Pineapple farm, beaches, and we went into Honolulu. 

After that we went on home to San Diego. It was really cool to be standing on the forecastle of a destroyer in my dress whites, pulling into port, and seeing the joyous welcome from friends and family waving signs and a band playing for us. 

Once we got home, I went on leave. I surprised my family and friends and drove home without telling them that was what I was doing. I showed up at my mom's school with flowers. It was probably the coolest thing I've done in a long time. 

Books

I really can't remember all the books I read on deployment. There were so many. I'll give you some highlights. 

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare: Final installment in this trilogy. It was quite riveting and did not disappoint. The ending was really great and satisfying. However, that being said, I'm beginning to think Clare is only writing these because she's comfortable with the world and the characters. There's not as much excitement pulsing through the pages as there was in her first installments. Maybe it's just me. But maybe she really is getting tired. I'll see how it goes with the sixth book of the Mortal Instruments.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion: I watched the movie in Pensacola and was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. The book was even better (duh!) because it didn't shy away from being cerebral. I loved the play with Romeo and Juliet that was definitely tooled up more in the movie than in the book. It is, all in all, a commentary on human nature and what it means to be alive. 

Requiem by Lauren Oliver: Third installments in trilogies are hard because you have to tie everything together. I think there's as much, if not more, pressure to make this one just right than there is with the first book. I'm betting the second book is the most fun to write because you have so much room for activities and you can play as much as you want. However, you have to pay for that in the third book. It's hard to satisfy everyone. Oliver's third installment was good. She didn't necessarily drop the ball. What she did is she twisted all of the plot into a commentary on human society which I applauded. The ending is open (small spoiler) but it ends with such a call to arms that I felt goosebumps while reading it. Plot-wise, she sticks to her guns. There's no denying she is a master of character and plot development. It did not feel thrown together. 

That being said it didn't sit right with me still. Maybe that's what she wanted. She may have wanted her reader to leave kind of uncomfortable. You can't make a difference in the world if you sit by all comfortable. 

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult: I was revisiting a reliable author who I knew could provide a thoughtful and interesting story. Lone Wolf was no exception. It has trademark Picoult-isms. She writes magically and weaves her story nicely, putting in twists and turns in just the right places. I'd recommend this one if you just want a quick read that doesn't make you feel like you're reading trash. 

The Game of Thrones series by George R. R. Martin: I finally plunged in. Talk about a soap opera. Everyone is out to get each other. I still haven't gotten to Dance of Dragons because I needed a little break, but I will return to find out what happens. Don't root for anyone because everyone in the story is in danger of dying. 

The Adventure Continues

Well now I am back in San Diego and life is good. I got an apartment, the ship is in the yards, and I've met some really great people. I am sort of seeing someone but it is up in the air. Once it is more solid, I will tell you all more about it. While on deployment, I came out as gay to everyone over Facebook. In April I had told my parents and they were pretty supportive, as much as they could be. I lucked out. Some family and friends have been less than supportive or nice about it but I can't control what they do or say, and I don't expect them to be okay with it. It's not their life. It's mine. I'm in the best place I've ever been in my life so far. 

Once I got home I also bought a new car. Phoebe was an amazing car but I traded her in for a Mini Cooper which I have named Killian Bradley Cooper. So far, I'm in love, however I will never forget Phoebe and how well she treated me. 

That is all for now! Expect more book reviews and updates. I'm going to keep writing Tales of the Unluckiest Lucky Girl because Olivia's story is not finished and she has been begging me to tell it all. I only aim to please. 

See you anon!