Reach Me.

So far in the book When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, adolescent Miranda helps her mother win a game show named The $20,000 Pyramid. Her best friend, Sal, unexpectedly gets wounded from a kid on the street, damaging their relationship.

Okay. First - dude, HELP your friend. Don't just stand there thinking, "our friendship is over. Hey, let me go over that lonely corner". Obviously, you guys can't be best friends if you just stand there looking at him. Second, how the heck can that ruin your relationship? You don't even KNOW that kid. Just give yer friend Sal over there some first aid. Done. Third, you should've said something. Honestly.

I'm pretty much glad that kid across the street punched him inside out. Well, I meant if that happened to Miranda. Maybe if this happened to me in reality, I'd be in shock. But it wouldn't necessarily damage my friend's relationship. Yeah, I won't actually go in front of this kid and be like, "little kid, don't do such violent things," or "dude, you're hurting my friend. Punch wars?" but there's no connection between the kid and me in the first place. Besides, a friend that judges you in any way - particularly, in your neighborhood, then that can't be a true friend. I feel as aggravated as ever thinking about this.

Who would you characterize your best friend as? Well, if you have any.

Flowers and Demons.

One of the many books I am currently reading is called Flowers and Demons. In this book, a superior demon named Vivi left the demon world and escaped to earth due to mere boredom. Along the way, he saw a baby named Hana (in Japanese, is also referred to as flower) on the street, and brought it to his household. She eventually grew 14 years later.

The book makes me think about inequality in the world. In the book, demons and humans were separated in their own worlds. It's pretty obvious that if I see a monster sucking blood out the street, I'd be damned if we were equal. But Vivi and Hana are different - okay, maybe Vivi reluctantly sucks blood out of humans. He doesn't do it because he wants to. It's because he has to(; although, it's not necessary). However, it's just like thinking about many things, like why are eat McDonalds? 'Cause it tastes good. Duh.

From one viewpoint, you probably think, "oh heeeelllll no. No demon ain't comin' in my world". I agree with that as well. One, being a completely different thing with different opinions and actions changes the way we can connect with demons. They were also known to bring mad luck and misfortune. Two, because most of their diet consists of human meat. Three, because humans are afraid of things we don't know. And four, because of world destruction, new demon planets, demon terrorists?

However, from another viewpoint, you probably think, "everyone is different. I'm sure that demons are nice. And pretty". I also agree with this. One, being that although demons bring misfortune and bad luck, they have reasons. Two, Vivi and Hana. Vivi isn't a crazy demon that craves for human blood or misfortune. He's literally a lazy rich guy who can wake up in the morning. Three, Vivi cares about Hana, and Hana is a human. Hana is the only one who can make Vivi smile. Vivi wants to protect her smiles, too.

If it's love, maybe demon or human doesn't matter...

Struts & Frets.

In the book "Struts and Frets" by Jon Skovron, 17 year-old Sammy is a guitarist who wants his band to be one of the best - but while doing that, he encounters puberty.

So far, I find this book enjoyable. No, maybe the best one I've ever read so far this year. I say this because I LOVE music. If music never exists, I would probably die of boredom and realize that the rest of society is completely insane for not thinking that. Second, because I have an acoustic guitar at home (which I -never- use because I do not know how to use the thing at all), and it's quite enjoyable just flicking the strings with a guitar pick (and literally pretend that I was cool). But it would take lots of practice to simply start hitting some songs. Lastly, I love this book because it talks about the weird things that I usually think that I'm the only one who has it (ex. this really annoying buzzing sound I hear every time I go to bed). This helps me connect with the book. So. Much. Easier.

Personally, I find myself in a predicament with two characters - one named Jennifer (actually pronounced Jen5 in the book) and one with Sammy, the main character. I can relate with Jennifer because my parents are really picky about who I want to be as an adult, but always end with the I-don't-care-just-make-money face. I find it really selfish of them to think that way, especially how now my childhood have completely shattered, but at the same time, I don't want to be a mugger out in the streets either. There are also times when popular girls - or maybe any girl - has been really rude to me. I remember an elementary school girl named Tiffany (not Tiffany in M.S 51) who is really stuck-up and has her own little "girl group". Those types of people should just...die in a hole.

My connection with Sammy would be our love with music. Despite his talent of writing songs (and staying up all night to listen to an album continuously), I find our love of music similar because I love music so much that if none existed I would commit a straight-up suicide. He also cares for his family, which I obviously do. Well, unless they get me angry enough for me to have the intent to kill them.

The Shadow of the Wind -SPOILERS.-

In The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, the main character, Daniel Aguilar, finds a book named The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. However, Carax's books are being continuously burned. Within Daniel's hands is the only book left from Carax. Daniel tries to find the mystery behind this man and Julian himself.

So far, I find the book intriguing but a need of action in certain parts. For instance, when Daniel met Lain Coubert, (the man who was in Julian Carax's book and was the man who claimed himself to be the one burning his books) action was plentiful, but afterwards, it returns to Daniel trying to find a place to hide the Shadow of the Wind and days with Fermin (a kind friend originally a homeless man out in the streets) to the movie theaters.

Despite this, the book is mysterious itself. Julian's last name is originally Fortuny, and he liked a girl named Penelope, but Julian's friend, Miquel, loved her as well. This was shocking for me because they never spoke about the smaller characters until later. Daniel's life is also following the storyline of The Shadow of the Wind. Daniel's first love (who was a woman 10 years older than him) liked another man, and at the time, had intercourse with her. I find this really sad for Daniel, since he figured all this out after watching them himself. This was the "doomed love" found in The Shadow of the Wind. Afterwards, he meets Lain Coubert, the man who burned Julian Carax's books and was known as a devil. Then, he tries to find his mother. It seems almost inevitable.

If such things exist.