I Live Such a Boring Life

Really, it's completely boring. I work, I sleep, I read books, I watch videos, and I write a little. That's about it. That sums up my life right now. There's no exciting adventures to share, no ground-breaking opinions, no life-changing events.

And I kind of like it this way. There's a certain steadiness, a consistency in my life that makes it easy to live with no complaints. I know a lot of people who complain about their life. They have no money, they have no time, they don't like their job, they don't like the people they are with, they don't know what to do with their lives, they want to go back home, they don't like the military, etc. Its' really quite draining to hear people talk like that, and I honestly can't understand why people complain so much.

I'm not saying I don't complain. Because that would be a lie, I'm human, so I do complain occasionally. But whenever anyone asks me how I'm doing or how life is, the word that comes to mind is 'comfortable.' I'm comfortable with my  life right now. It may be boring, but it's my life, and I read enough about awesome adventures in my books, so I'm perfectly happy with boring.

Thanks for reading!

Teenagers

I dislike teenagers.

Let me be more specific.

I dislike modern teenagers. I don't know what it is, but there's just something about modern teenagers that annoy me.

But at the same time, I love reading Young Adult fiction, because I am almost always guaranteed a clean read. So sometimes I have to read about snotty, selfish, whiny, melodramatic teenagers.

Thankfully, I prefer a type of YA that eschews those kinds of teens. Generally, fantasy, science fiction, and dystopian books have teen protagonists that are more mature, and wise beyond their years. Those kinds of teenagers I am okay with.

Sorry this was such a short post, I got distracted.

Is there an age group that you don't like reading about? How about a certain kind of character? Tell me about them in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Something New

I was going to have a fun post about the crazy weekend I had the last weekend, but time got away with me and it's not ready yet. So instead, I'm going to talk about something new I want to try. This will be a short one.

So, I have a new story idea that I'm working on. I've started working on a couple of scenes, and I've done quite a bit of worldbuilding for it. I'm pretty excited for it. But while writing the long novel, I want to try my hand at writing short stories set in the world. It would help me flesh things out, and it would give me a break from the big picture when I needed it. And not only that, but I also want to have these short stories available online, so that maybe I can garner a bit of a fan base before I actually try to publish.

So, these short stories are going to going on a site I've used before, called Protagonize. And I'm going to share links to the site and stories here, so that you readers can see them too. It's going to be a fun, interesting experience, and it's going to be awesome.

Thanks for reading!

Control, by Lydia Kang

Control, in Hardcover

Read February 4-February 18

First let me pause to take a breath. Except for the first chapter or two, I read this book in one sitting, and I'm still a little breathless because it was such a wild, fast-paced ride.

I read Control as part of an online read-along with my favorite booktubers. Normally I probably wouldn't have picked this book up. The blurb sounds interesting, but I'm usually more drawn to fantasy than science, and this is definitely a science fiction. However I would have been at a loss, and I'm really glad I read it.

The world building was fairly simple, but it didn't really need a whole lot.  There was plenty of futuristic technobabble to create the atmosphere, and just enough explanation of the world was given to make sense of how the world had changed. And most, if not all, of the tech and geography changes felt like a logical destination tow here our current world is headed.

Most of the characters felt barely fleshed out, however, and a lot of things suffered because of the super fast pace. But for it's faults, and it's weirdness, it was a good, easy book to read, and the world needs easy books to read just as much as it needs hard books to read.

Rating: Keeper

Have you read Control? If you have, tell me what you though! If you haven't, tell me about the last science fiction you read, I would love to hear about new books!

Thanks for reading!

The Little Lady Agency, by Hester Browne

The Little Lady Agency, in Hardcover

Read February 12-February 17

I read chicklit very infrequently. I have enjoyed Sophie Kinselle books in the past, but for the most part chicklit doesn't interest me enough to entice me to pick one up. However, I promised my mom I would read her one of her favorite books, because she's read a lot of books on my recommendation and I felt I should reciprocate.

The Little Lady Agency is a fun romp through British social life, and the life of naive and funny Melissa, and I did enjoy it, despite myself. It's funny, and cute, and I can't help but feel a bit similar to Melissa, in more ways than one.

Some of the middle of the book was hard to get through because when Mom was reading it a while back she spoiled the whole series for me. So a certain large part of the book that was dedicated to one relationship that I know won't last felt like it dragged a bit. It was a little disappointing that I couldn't just enjoy it, but what can I do? This is why I don't like spoilers of any kind.

The end of the book was fantastic and had me giggling and making me look crazy to my co-workers, although at this point they are kind of use to behavior like this. Revelations were made, just deserts were passed out, and it ended on a happy, uplifting note. Just the kind of ending I love.

Rating: Keeper, though I would have to be in the right kind of mood to read something like it again. And unfortunately I have to mail it back to my mom. Sad face.

Have you read The Little Lady Agency? Tell me what you thought in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Epic Fantasy and Setting

Ever since Tolkien published The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the epic fantasy genre has pretty consistently followed the standards he set up. The same general type of races, the same general type of quest plot, the same good struggling against almost incomprehensible evil, and the same sweeping European Medieval-style setting. There are plenty of exceptions out there, but for the most part, those exceptions are not the ones people think of when they think of 'epic fantasy'.

Even in the past, the traditional Medieval Europe setting hasn't really interested me. I was always more interested in Greek and Roman, and Egyptian mythology rather than Norse and, and I've never been very good at getting through the epic fantasy novels, although I love reading epic fantasy. Admittedly this is partially because they are usually door-stoppers and I don't have that kind of patience when it comes to reading, but it's also because of the completely overused and unoriginal European Medieval settings.

And then I started learning more about Korea and China and Japan and the rich history and culture they collectively have. It was love at first sight, for the Eastern part of the world. True, I'm a little bit biased towards Korea, but I still love the history and relationships the three major Asian countries have with it other and how they have influenced each other, the effects of which are still see today. And I started wondering why there weren't more epic fantasies set in this part of the world, when it is so obviously just as epic and sweeping and grand as Medieval Europe.

I still haven't found an exact answer to that, nor have I found an epic fantasy series that is set in this part of the world, not as the 'exotic' part of the setting but as the 'normal' part. Because Asia does pop up, but only as that 'exotic' element meant to give the world a more diverse feeling to it, and meant to show the differences between the main culture and kingdom and the 'other' parts of the world. Tamora Pierce's setting of Tortall is a good example of this.

I want to change this propensity towards Medieval Europe. I want to write an epic fantasy that breaks the mold, one that changes people's idea of what an epic fantasy setting can be. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to do this, but I'm working on it. And maybe someday my  name will be among the great ones, the ones who defined the genre for what it is. Is that a little too greedy? Well if it is, I don't care, because I want to shoot for the stars.

In the books you read is there a certain setting you're tired of seeing used over and over again? Tell me about it in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

People

Today I want to talk about people. I'm going to do my best to stay professional, but this is a topic that really rankles me and I have a lot to get off my chest.

There are some people in this world who enjoy saying hurtful, sarcastic things to people. And not even in terms of being a bully, these people just never learned the phrase 'if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.' It makes for a very exhausting work relationship because I have to interact with them, and I can't do anything to fix their mindset.

It makes me want to start a campaign or something, because I cannot be the only one out there who feels this way. And I know there are people quieter than I am, who sit in silence and listen to the harmful comments from people who don't realize, or maybe do realize, how hurtful their words are.

It is a violent, unhappy world out there, and I may not be able to change the whole world, but I can change myself and influence those around me to be better and kinder to their fellow human beings. in my Patriarchal Blessing, something given to members of my religion, it says I have the gift of Charity. The Merriam-Webster says Charity is a disposition to goodwill, kindness, and sympathy. The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that Charity is the pure love of Christ.

I think it's time I start spreading this Charity to those around me.

Have you ever encountered people like those I described? How did you handle the hurtful things they said? Tell me in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Playing Catch Up

I'll be honest, the review for The Darkest Minds, which I read last month, has been sitting as a draft since I finished the book. I read an article on how to write book reviews and it was all analytic stuff so my brain froze and I couldn't get anything written down.

Because I can't do anything analytical. That's not how I read, so unless there was something big, by the time I'm don reading and ready to write a review I struggle to find things to say. Other than gushing and fan-girling, of course. I'm sure if I tried paying more attention while I read and tried to be more analytical I would be able to write those kinds of reviews, but honestly, that's not why I read. I read to enjoy a good story, to lose myself in a new world completely different than our own. And that's not why I write reviews. I review the books I read so that hopefully I can convince someone to read it as well, or convince someone to never touch it.

So I'm not going to pretend to be something I'm not. I'm going to continue posting book reviews that are gushy and fan-girly and enthusiastic. Because that's who I am, and that's how I read.

Here are some quick and dirty reviews of the other books I Read last month, to catch up a little before jumping into the reviews for February.

The Darkest Minds, by Alexandra Bracken - It was an exhausting read, but so worth it in the end. And I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Liam Stewart.

In Time, by Alexandra Bracken - (short story) As a short story in between books one and two of The Darkest Minds trilogy, it was perfect and amazing and totally and completely heartbreaking. Ouch.

Never Fade, by Alexandra Bracken - So much action, almost everyone's back together again, and the plot thickens! So amazing! And just as good as the first one!

Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh - Hilarious, totally true, and kind of like me.

A Local Habitation, by Seanan McGuire - It took me forever to get into this one, but it was a good enough urban fantasy. Glad I finally made it through it, though.

An Artificial Night, by Seanan McGuire - Better than A Local Habitation, but also really abnormal, compared to other urban fantasy. Interesting, and raises some interesting questions to be answered in later books.

Opal, by Jennifer L. Armentrout - This series just keeps getting better and better. These books are so addicting and hard to put down. Can't wait to read the next one!

Graceling, by Kristin Cashore - A really good fantasy with a strong female character, although there were not so subtle feminist threads to the story that kind of detracted from everything. But it was still a good romp and a fun read.

So now that I'm all caught up, I will return to my regular posting of book reviews when I finish reading books.

I hope you enjoy my bookish enthusiasm.

Thanks for reading!

Sometimes, I Just Don't Have Much to Say

I was hoping to have something amazing and interesting to say for this blog post. Alas, I don't. Life is good, if a bit boring right now, and I'm doing just about everything I can to claw my way out of this writing slump I'm in. I think I over-did it a little bit in November, and now I've used up all the juices. But life goes on.

I was also going to have a blog post about how my dejunking last week went, but since I only managed to dejunk for one day, and since I procrastinated writing this until the last minute I don't have time to write something up.

To make up for this blah and empty post, I have a couple of extra fun posts planned for the next couple of weeks.

Until then, thanks for reading.

Happy New Year! Part Two

The 31st of January was the Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year. People shouldn't call it that, though, because the Chinese aren't the only ones who celebrate it.

Here in S. Korea, it's called Seollal (설날) and it's a pretty big thing. There are traditions galore, and everyone travels to their hometown for the weekend. And for a lot of people who celebrate both the Solar New Year and the Lunar New Year, it's a second chance to evaluate goals and assess how things have been going so far.

So I haven't been very good at keeping with my New Years Resolutions. Maybe I was too ambitious, maybe I didn't care, maybe things got in the way, I don't know. Whatever the reason, stuff just didn't happen. But a few things have happened the last few days that have rekindled my desire for change, and so for the Lunar New Year I'm making a new set of resolutions, and this time, I'm going to do everything in my power to make them stick.

The first one, is to become more healthy. A lot of things are going into this one, from daily, longer runs to eating at the dining facility, from only eating meals and not snacking to drinking more water. I've taken a look at what I look like, and I didn't realize I had gained so much unhealthy pudge around my middle, hips, and thighs. This has to change, not only for my PT test in June and my healthy for the future, but also for my own self-image. I'm already self-deprecating enough that I don't need the added stress of looking and feeling gross.

The second one is to get back on track with writing. I've fixed my reading habits; I read more now than I have in a really long time. But I still need to be writing more. My goal is still to become a published writer some day, whether it's way later in life and only as a side job, or sooner and as a full time job. But in order to be considered a writer, I have to actually be writing, and at the moment, I'm not. I get bogged down in the plotting and trying to fix too many plot holes, that I never move forward with actually writing. I just need to be writing, and it doesn't matter what I'm writing. Blog posts, short stories, novels, whatever. As long as I'm writing and improving my craft every single day.

That's it. Just those two things. If I try to fit anything more in, I know I'm going to struggle, so for this year, 2014, I'm just going to focus on these two things. I can worry about being nicer and cutting internet and spending another time. For now, Health and my Writing are my priorities.

Of course, with these two things, the other things will follow anyway.

Did you know that this Lunar year is the year of the Horse? I was born in the year of the Snake, so last year was my year. How about you? What year are you?

Thanks for reading!

January Wrap Up, February TBR

Books read in January (physical copies)

January was a great month. I read a lot of good books, keeping up a pretty good reading pace, and even got to use my rarely used Kindle. I swear, if I was allowed to bring it to work it would get more use out of it, especially since it's so hard to get books over here. While I didn't read nearly as fast as the first part of December, I kept up a decent and consistent pace, even though I didn't get many books read during the first part of the month. I read a total of six books, plus a short story and a novella on the Kindle.

Unfortunately for my budget, I also bought a lot of books this month. It was mostly paperbacks for Urban Fantasy series that I wanted to catch up on, but some hardcovers snuck in there as well. And since I've been spending so much money on books, I've decided that I need to go on a diet. I'm not going to quit altogether, because there are a lot of books coming out this year that I want to get, but I'm going to cut down as much as I can. Because I have four and a half shelves of books that I still need to read, so I honestly don't need any more.

February TBR, Minus One

For the month of January, I have seven books that I want to read. It's kind of a lot, but I have two books I'm borrowing and I ended up not reading most of my TBR for January, so it's kind of carrying over to February. So this month I'm going to try to read the following:

• The Little Lady Agency, by Hester Brown - This one is on loan from my Mom. We have an agreement, for every one of my books she reads I have to read one of hers.
• The Summoning, by Kelley Armstrong - Still on loan from my co-worker. I'm kind of struggling to get into this one.
• Hollow City, by Ransom Riggs - The sequel to Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children.
• The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak - Carryover from January. I ended up going the reading club because they meet in the middle of the day, when I'm sleeping, but I still want to read it before I see the movie.
• Late Eclipses, by Seanan McGuire - Urban Fantasy, book four, about faeries, need I saw more?
• Opal, by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Sequel to Obsidian and Onyx.
• Control, by Lydia Kang - Not pictured because it hasn't arrived yet. I will be reading this with a readalong on GoodReads with the BookTube community.

Have you read any of these? If you have, tell me what you think in the comments.

Thanks for reading!