Fantasy to Reality: To Jon or not to Jon

You know when you ask women what type of men they like they tend to go on a tangent and list certain characteristics that they really like. It is true we like to list things that couldn't possibly be in one man but we all have that one fantasy guy that is just ours.

Well since we are on the topic I will list the certain characteristics in my "ideal fantasy guy."

1. He is taller than me (I am 5' 6'' so yeah...)
2. He has tan skin (not too tan but then again not too pale)
3. He has a deep voice
4. He has short black hair
5. He has the right amount of stubble
6. He has colored eyes
7. He isn't overly muscular nor does he have a pot belly.

So here is my dilemma:
I am working on a Friday night just like I have done for the past two and a half years. No big deal. Just working. I go into the back to get something (and for the life of me I can't remember what that thing was but I had to get it) I come back around the corner and BAM! Standing at the register is a tall guy (check) in a teal button up shirt with a tie (that showcased his tan very nicely CHECK) and khakis (I love a man who can dress well), he has short black hair (check), beautiful blue eyes (check), has a five o'clock shadow (check), not too bulky (check). Then he speaks and.... lets just say deep voice (check).

I probably asked him the same question five times, I refused to look at him because he made things worse, he did laugh though (probably at my awkwardness).

His name is Jon.

For the longest time I have had my eye out on this one guy Adam and although he is very good looking I just don't feel that he likes to talk to people in general so its super awkward but then this lovely GREEK GOD walks in and I am dying..... Adam who?

Making Progress: Colton Haynes

Before

After

 Its been a good while since I started this portrait of Colton Haynes. Some of you might know him as Jackson on Teen Wolf or you might know him better as Arsenal on Arrow. I initially put this portrait aside due to the fact that I didn't like how his nose came out. I attempted to work on it some more only to realize that I cannot draw hair to save my life... But after some time I thought I would give this drawing another chance. I went in and added more contrast to the shading on his face, I put in a lot of highlights and took a different route to shading his hair. Also if you squint you could see his freckles. Although I don't consider this one of my best pieces it is coming out better than I expected it to. Its been a long while since I actually had the time to draw so I am glad to know that I haven't quite lost my touch just yet.

OH this cruel cruel world

Sometimes all it takes is one person to influence you for the better. For me this person is my mom. She just has a way of putting into words how reality works and her words just capture everything perfectly. It is so hard hearing your dad say to you that he is sad watching you clean tables and make sandwiches after earning a degree. It was even harder for me to admit that I am completely and utterly lost. Even if someone put the road to success in front of me I wouldn't know what to do with it. After some time I just gave up and I didn't care about anything. Recently I have had some hope. I have decided that I need to do things for myself. I have been working out early in the mornings, I have been searching for jobs, I have been doing things that make me happy. I know I am capable of doing so much more than just working at a sub shop. I just need someone to give me a chance. The first step is complete: I have reapplied to University and I am starting in January of next year. The second step is the hardest: Find a better job. I am going to make this happen. Here is to a better future.

I Want to Know What Love is

You know what is sad about reality? EVERYTHING.
We grow up in this world and think that one day we will meet that special someone and it will be perfect and blah fracking blah. To be honest, the word love is tossed around today like it's nothing. The chances of finding the "right" person is pretty much slim to none. Girls are saying it, guys are saying it and none of them know what love actually stands for. I don't know what it means and I for one am not afraid to admit that.

One thing I do know a lot about is being alone. I am not going to lie there are times that I enjoy it. The freedom, no worries, no drama. Then there are times that I wish someone would be there for me, to hold me, to listen to me, to talk to me. I can't imagine being alone forever even though I do joke about it. Friends and family help fill that void but nothing can compare to that person that breathes, lives and talks solely about you.

I can't help but want that.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: Starring my Life

Being a broke college student is hard but I have perfected that art for the past four years. Now that I actually have a piece of paper that says I have a BS (pretty much bullshit) degree in Psychology I can't seem to do anything with it. You know you have hit rock bottom when the animal clinic won't even hire you. I mean damn, I know how to do things but I just don't have the "experience" that most companies are looking for. EXPERIENCE is a 10 letter word that will be the bane of your existence. In simple words if you don't have it, tough luck my friend. Being the first person in my family to get this far I literally didn't have anyone to turn to for advice. I learned about GREs and internships, externships, research opportunities and recommendation letters in my senior year. While everyone else had already jumped the bandwagon into experience land I am just sitting over here on google trying to figure out what the hell an internship is. So I have decided that I am going back to school. Why? I want another shot at doing things the right way. More internships, more externships, more research=no life for me (not that I had one anyways but that is besides the point I am trying to make here). This is my second chance at proving people wrong and making my family proud and instead of four years I get to do it in one. Watch out world cause here I come....just don't expect me to run...that is not a pretty sight. 

And the phantom strikes again!

Eddie came in again today but I was so busy with what I was doing I didn't even get to see him. 

baby come back

Ed/Eddie/Edward: Why is this so hard?

How can someone be constantly on your mind when you don't even have the balls to talk to him in the first place? Well that would imply that I have balls...which I don't. Oh and on another note, he has no idea I exist outside of where I work. Eddie comes into my place of work about twice a month. He always leaves a donation and probably orders the same thing and at this point I couldn't care less because once his name comes up I forget how to Noosh. A simple smile is all I get once he comes in and to be honest that is all I need. Who am I kidding. I need a lot more. He is tall and a total beefcake and...and nothing. I'll leave Eddie to my fantasy and just keep doing my thing, whatever that may be. If being forever alone is a "thing" then I pretty much have that covered.

Underneath the skin there's a human

It seems like I am in one of those moods. The type of mood that nothing matters. Even if something remotely fascinating happened I couldn't bring myself to care for it at all. I can't seem to find the inspiration to do anything lately and quite frankly even my "mood" is starting to annoy me. It could be that I am annoying myself. Damn. Life already had a solid grip on me but now I just feel like I am just walking on disappointment. 

Review: The Fault In Our Stars Movie (This review contains spoilers!)

Review:
First of all I just want to start out by thanking my best friend Alysha for allowing me to go to the screening of this movie with her. I am so glad that we are friends and we haven't lost track of who we are and what we like. Thank you for just being you and accepting me for who I am

This movie was a lot funnier than I originally thought it would be. The casting for this movie was perfect. The story is heart warming. The film was amazing. I will even dare to say that not only did the movie give the book justice but it was even better than the book.

One part in particular that I was drawn to was when they visit the Anne Frank House. In the book that moment was a  small part, but in the movie as Anne's recording is playing you notice the parallelism between their lives.

My friend and I made a bet that she wouldn't cry during the movie because I already knew I would. Not only did we cry (and I became 5$ richer) but we both sobbed. We were one hiccup away from full on meltdown. The struggle was real. The one part in the book that made me start crying was when Augustus takes Hazel to the bench and tells her that his cancer is back. That part also got to me in the movie as well. The one part that I just couldn't stop myself from crying was when Hazel states her fear. She was fearful that her parents will be alone and they will go crazy when she dies. I think the one fear that we as kids have is hurting our parents. In Hazel's case she feared that her death would end all happiness that her parents would ever have and that her mother would no longer be a mother <insert my sobbing face here>

The movie and book are both great. It teaches you that life is short. Not because people say it is but because tomorrow is uncertain. After talking with my friend and a few other people in the past week it is really hard for me to grasp the fact that I haven't done anything that is worth talking about in my life.I don't just want to sit here and lay waste to this one precious life that I was given. I don't want to wait until something bad happens to want to do what I didn't. I want to start living my life the way I imagined it being. Nothing is forever, but there are infinite amount of possibilities.                                                                                                                    

Reivew: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Summary:

tick

tick

tick

tick
tick

it's almost

time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Review:
I was so deprived from books for a while that when I got this one it was like FREEDOM. I literally wanted to just the book to read itself to me. I needed to know what happens to Juliette and Adam. After reading Shatter Me, it was hard trying to pick up a sequel and think that it would ever be as good as the first one but I knew deep down that Tahereh had something up her sleeve.

 Once again I was floored by Mafi's description of the setting. Through her words we get a sense of what it is really like to actually be right there in the moment. Her imagery is out of this world. Her words are so captivating and raw. It's MAGIC.

In the first book you saw Juliette as very timid and drawn back from the world but in this book you see her branch out a little. It is partly due to the fact that she is starting to embrace her talent. She learns that she is more than just a powerful touch. I am glad that Juliette finally had a voice. I feel that one of the reasons that she came to a standstill with Adam is because he was okay with everything as long as he called the shots and he was in control. You see that Juliette is finally coming into her own and with her new powers she doesn't have to be afraid anymore. But for Adam it is about control and if he doesn't have that he breaks down. He is more fragile than her. We were introduced to Adams character as someone who just wanted to protect Juliette but we never really got a chance to actually know him. Although I don't think that Warner is a better choice but he loves Juliette for who she is. He solely believes in her. 

I didn't want to like Warner at first. I knew he was a conflicted person. But I knew there was more to his story than just being some ruthless person with no emotions. He practically became goo around Juliette. But I believe that is all apart of Mafi's charm when she writes. Deep down she knows that we as readers always root for the bad guy. I want to be wrong about Warner but I am drawn to his character the more I resist.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Kenji's character. He is the comic relief and I enjoyed every scene he was a part of. Although he is a secondary character he made the biggest impact. He was determined to do anything for the cause of fighting back. He was a good buffer to all the chaos.

Overall, I think that this book allows us to see in how the characters have grown. It was a good book but I believe that Shatter Me still stands on its own. 

Review: Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Summary:
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Review:
In honor of going to the screening of this movie tomorrow I decided to finally do my review of this book. I really hope that the movie stays true to the book. 

My picture edit.

The first thing that got me excited for this book was the quotes that people were putting up on tumblr and such. I bought the book with my mom and I remember reading her the little summary in the back and we both  almost started crying from just that little snip bit. 

Let me start off by saying that this book has the best quotes. One of my favorite quotes is:

This story is about falling in love. Its about being happy no matter the circumstances. Its about taking a risk when all you want to do is just give up. This book is filled with emotions, the good, the bad and the ugly. This story is not just one big sob story, it has an off balance. There are parts that you can't help but smile while you read. Then there are parts that you can't help but feel how deep the words can be.There is no fluff. No BS.With John's writing you get the story without the dramatics. This story is as honest and raw as it gets.

The love between Hazel and Augustus is pure. Their love has nothing to do with looks. It comes from the heart. It is probably the definition of true love. They fall in love with each other. They fall in love with life.

Overall, this book is beautiful and tragic at the same time. I never knew that one person can poetically make something depressing and funny within the same sentence. Yes, I did cry while reading this book. I have lost a loved one to cancer and to read about the pain and struggle made me think of that moment in time. To some it might not be the best read or the best book but I recommend that you at least give it a read before you judge it by what everyone else thinks. You might even be suprised

"Summer Reads 3's".

In honor of my best friend Alysha, I decided to partake in her giveaway

http://myheartheartsbooks.blogspot.com/

RULES

In that post just tell me:

1. Three of your favorite books you've read so far this summer.

2. Three books you want to read.

3. Three summer reading goals that you want to achieve.

1. I want to read more genres of books

2. I want to start a reading challenge

3. I want to start a summer series book art project

Review: Losing It by Cora Carmack

 Summary:
Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, Bliss Edwards decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible - a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

Review:
I went to a bookfair on campus and got the opportunity to sit in on Cora Carmack's book interview. I must say that it is nice to see such a young author who understands what it is like to be awkward. When I went to her book signing she was full of smiles and appreciation. Even though there were people waiting, I talked to her about how funny I thought she was and how it translates to her books.I even told her about how I am that awkward twenty two year old who had to grow up quickly. I told her how I am about to start grad school and how I want to combine my knowledge of psychology and criminal justice and go into forensic psychology. She laughed and told me that she would write a book about me and I could act in the movie about the book. She is literally a great person. A little birdie told me to embrace my awkward and I couldn't think of anything more perfect that was ever said to me. She also gave great advice to new adult writers which made me appreciate her even more. She isn't afraid to state her mind and I like that about her.


Losing it was my very first New Adult book that I read. Although it was a little too short and face paced I enjoyed it. All the awkward in this book was written to perfection. I for one could relate to the awkward interaction in this book because I am so socially awkward it hurts. Parts of the book had me laughing because I could imagine myself in that same situation. I mean when in doubt just say that you have to pick up your cat at the vet. what could possibly go wrong? Oh...yeah...you don't actually have a cat. Whoops.


This book stays true to the college scene and how someone in their twenties acts and I believe that is due to Cora being in her twenties as well.  She told us in her book interview that most new adult books focus on the romance factor and even though most romance stories are over the top, this one was funny and relatable therefore it wasn't overdone.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and meeting Cora Carmack. If you ever get a chance to go meet her please do you won't regret it.

Review: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Summary:
When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, who she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that's as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her archnemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger). But just when Alice's scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she's said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she caused irreparable damage to the people around her—and to the one person who matters most?


Review:
I wanted to start off by saying that I am glad I entered that giveaway and got this book. After reading this book I just felt happy. Now I would understand how it could be compared to TFIOS but it isn't the same. The main difference for me was how honest and raw it was. What if you'd been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? It is a story about second chances. A chance to live. A chance to love. A chance to finally stand up for what you believe is right. 

As some of you know I love romantic stories of love and how it came about but this book put a twist on that for me. Love does things to you that you might not understand. Murphy describes the struggle perfectly. 

All in all, I liked how true this book is to real life. Most people wait until they are faced with a 
hard decision to do the things they love to do. That is the honest truth. It also touches upon family 
struggles and how things can go from good to bad in seconds. Most importantly Murphy touches upon the reality of being in high school and how sometimes we are forced to grow up.

This book will slap you in the feels and toy with your emotions but you will be happy that you read it. Trust me. 

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Summary:
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Review:
WARNING. This book is addictive. I was hooked right from the beginning. Its not every day you pick up a book and it just sucks you in with every word. I mean come on, you just read the summary and immediately you want to know the story. Anyone who says differently, obviously doesn't get out much.This book was another recommendation from my best friend Lysh. I remember getting this book along with Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next door, and I literally finished all three books within a week and Alysha asked me how I am finding the time to do it (being that it was my last semester at college)....But when a good book is involved...you MAKE the time. Trust me.

The beginning of the book goes quickly, but I think that is a genius idea because it makes the reader pay attention and it keeps people wanting to know what happens next. I enjoyed how Mafi takes the time to paint a picture of her characters. Her description of the setting and her characters allowed me to grasp a better idea behind the madness of this dystopian society. Juliette's character is written to shear perfection. There are not enough words to describe the intensity of what goes on in her mind, but the way that Mafi captures her story and portrays it with the right amount of emotion is pure magic.

One thing that I wasn't prepared for was the writing style of Tahereh Mafi. Parts of the story were written as one very long train of thought, but her words are so down right captivating that you don't even realize that you were holding your breath through the whole thing. 

Adam. Oh Adam. Mafi's description of him literally had me sold from the beginning. Team Adam. Put a fork in it because I was done. I loved how protective he was of her and how he just wanted her to be safe. He could touch her! DUN DUN DUN. On the other hand, I had mixed emotions about Warner. I knew there was more to his story because no one is that ruthless no matter how much they want to think that they are. Every story needs a good villian. MUHAHAHA 

This book is one of my favorites and my only regret is that I didn't read it sooner than I did.

Review: Where the Stars Still Shine

Summary:
Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Review:
I don't think there is a more perfect gif to explain my thoughts about this book. You never get a better feeling than picking up a book and have it meet every single one of your expectations. Nothing is more fulfilling that that feeling. When I finished it I immediately thought, "pero...why is it over?" 

Let me just start off by saying that Trish Doller is a genius when she writes about teens. This is a story about betrayal with the right amount of a love mixed in. Ugh this book is shear perfection. I had the privilege of going on a trip with my friend to Tarpon Springs and every time I would read about those stores and scenery I could imagine myself being right there. On a more important notion, I love love love the concept behind this book. Callie was taken from her family and forced to live in constant fear but then she is thrown back into the life she once was a part of. 

I liked how the story starts and gives us an idea of what Callie's life was with her mom. It made me understand why Callie couldn't really get close to guys. I remember texting my friend saying that she doesn't know any better. That is what she grew up seeing and believed it was the only best way of handling the situation.

The best part of the book is her relationship with Alex. At first I thought "oh great another bad choice" but Alex started warming up on me. He was the one that pulled her back to reality. It was nice how Trish Doller portrayed both of their struggles. Don't get me wrong I love reading perfect love stories but what made me appreciate this one a little more is that no relationship is perfect. The obstacles that they both went through allowed them grow as characters. 

Alysha I thank  you for recommending this book to me. This books is honest, and it will slap you with all the feels but I love it. I would even dare to say that it is my favorite book. Only a few can compare to it. 

Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Summary:
     Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review:
     Okay I might be the only idiot who read Lola and the Boy Next Door before I read this book. I was just so excited to start reading again (and actually having the time to do so) I really didn't look into it before I just picked it up and started reading. I blame my friend Alysha for that one ;) Jk I love her and she knows that. No wonder we have been friends for like a billion years now.               

We all like to think that we know a thing or two about falling in love. But it was refreshing to see a different outlook on young love. The humor, the setting, the tone in this book was ideal. But besides the point that it is a story about falling in love I feel that this book was more about Anna finding herself and testing the waters in regards to what she likes.  College was a scary place at first but after a couple of semesters and a few good friends you find yourself trying new things.

Perkins does a good job writing the dialogue between her characters. Its not forced or fake. It stays true to the younger generation and it was easy to read (for us old farts) and relate to. All in all, this book was funny, sweet and you dive head first into Perkin's sense of charm . Come on, what girl doesn't want to go to Paris and live out her dreams?

This book along with Lola and the Boy Next Door were my very first YA contemporary books that I read. And it made me question why I never read from this genre before. I must admit, I tried staying away from the corny love stories but I was glad I picked up this book and read it. It was cute in all the right ways. I am definitely not against reading YA contemporary books now that's for sure. 

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Summary:
          Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.


Review:
             Before this book I hardly read cute romance stories. Now I am a huge sucker for them. Don't get me wrong, most books these days focus on the romance part of the story that the ideal story is lost behind it all. I am glad that this one was different. I am not here to bash on a book or tell you how awful it is or give you a whole review on how it was perfect. I write honest reviews of what I liked about the book and how I could relate it to my own experiences.

             This book was a very easy read for me.  It isn't just a love story, it is a story about growing up and having to make hard decisions. We all have that moment in life where we are forced to do something that could ultimately change our lives for the good or the bad.  What made me love this book is that yes, it is cute and romantic but it puts into perspective that growing up isn't just some fairy tale. 
             Stephanie Perkins takes the time to develop her characters. She gives you their back story and guides you through their journey. She knows how to write about boys. We often read about Prince Charming and how he just comes and sweeps you off your feet. But we don't  really get a chance to read about boys who have to live in their twin sisters shadow and struggle with expressing themselves. I too lived in my sisters shadow and I hated it. It was nice to relate to a book and see yourself in the little things that make the book what it is.
              I adored this book and although it is cute and gushy and it has a lot of feels, its enjoyable. If you don't' believe me then read it for yourself.

A signed paperback copy of The Ruining by Anna Collomore

Yeah I am not afraid to admit that I went FULL nerd when I opened the package. Not to mention I almost tackled my brother when he tried to open it.

The struggle has always been real

Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

Release Date: Ocotber 1st 2013
Publisher: Balzer+Bray
Pages: 389 pages
Rating: ALL THE STARS

Summary:
Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he's never seemed to notice that Reena even exists until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated-and pregnant-Reena behind. 

After: Almost three years have passed, and there's a new love in Reena's life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena's gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she's finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn't want anything to do with him, though she'd be lying if she said Sawyer's being back wasn't stirring something in her. After everything that's happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

Review:
I don't even know where to begin with this review. This book is literally one of a kind. I want to thank my friend Lysh for giving me this suggestion. I have never read another story quite like this one. I remember reading the first chapter and thinking I don't want this book to ever end. I knew right from the beginning that this was a journey that I wanted to be a part of. The setting, the tone, the context, this book is just perfection. 

You don't fully realize how messed up you are until you find someone just as messed up as you are. These two characters were perfect for one another. They try to stay away from each other but they are so messed up they cannot see anyone or anything else but that person that is just like them. At first I didn't know how to feel about Sawyer, primarily I thought of him as a total douche but then I realized that he is as royally messed up as Reena is without him so in the end it all made sense.

You can't help but to wonder why they function before or after, but then you get to see this different side and then you are hit with the realization that after being so wrong every now and then they would get it right and it is those moments that make reading this story worth it.

I appreciate how Cotugno portrays the life of a teenage mother. It is so much different than those shows you see on tv. It isn't easy but at the same time its not the end of the world. Reena is a good mother to her child and she puts her daughters needs before her own and it makes you respect her. My mom does that til this day and after reading a story like this one it just makes you appreciate it even more. I think the best message you can get out of reading this book is that having a kid didn't stop Reena from living out her dream, because her child is not an excuse, her kid simply gave her enough reason to finally get out there and live out her dreams.

I loved every word of this book and I definitely recommend this book to everyone.

And with that,

Art: Klaus Mikaelson/Joseph Morgan

I love watching The Originals and The Vampire Diaries and I have gone to two conventions and have meet a lot of the actors. This portrait took me about 6 months to finish. I am my hardest critique. I had to capture his smirk just the right way and I kind of gave up on his nose at one point. I must have erased his nose a good 6 times. I remember irritating the crap out of my mom, asking her "mom is it straight. mom tell me its straight. ugh its not straight." Although my usual art pieces in high school are much darker and took me years to finish, I was proud of myself for starting this project light and adding the dark parts later. My art teacher would be so proud of me. He took away my darker art pencils at one point, to him I was "fearless" because I always started my projects with my darkest pencils. I left no room for error because at that point I had no choice. Art is my escape from reality and I just lose myself in the small intricate details that goes into each piece. This isn't my best work and lately I have lost my touch but I am proud of how it came out.