Week 5: Happiness

November 30, 2013: Happiness

Word Count: 30,030

Chapter: (8)

Exert: The room stayed silent for a moment. Then Katherine spoke up.

            "Well, as you can see, we have the same problem on our hands. Someone has been taking innocent people and using them for experimentation in space traveling with-- "

            Francis cuts her off. "That's not the only thing we found while on the server." He looked up at Gabrielle once more, blinking a few times before continuing on. "The United States was air raided and many of the major cities have been destroyed. The government has fallen."

Update:

I'm so happy I hit my goal. Because now I can EDIT! YAY EDITING! I will start up with book and movie blogging again, and will also throw in a where I am now writing post too. It's been awesome guys. 

Week 4: It's the Final Countdown

November 24, 2013: It's the Final Countdown

Word Count: 23, 156

Chapter: (6)

Exert: "The teachers and principal acted like a pile of rubbish though,” he continued, “They started telling lies. And everyone knew it. Face it, when you get a bunch of smart people together, they easily figure stuff out."

 

Update:

Doing well. Trying hard to catch up though. It's been painful. But I am liking where my story is going!

11/15/13: Champion by Marie Lu

Champion

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: Dystopian, Romance, Action and Adventure

Goodreads Blurb: The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion? 

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

Published/ing: Putnam Juvenile November 5th, 2013

Rating: 5/5

Review:

Marie Lu has impressed me. 

I like to first mention how much the plot thickened.

We have the Colonies attacking the Republic. Anden taking up his position as Elector and June taking her position as Princeps-Elect. We see the challenges they face just because people believe them as too young to rule.
Then we have Day, living with his brother, as happy as he can be despite the fact that he misses June and is getting sicker by the day.
The plot is non-top as the war continues with death threats and rebellions and explosives. There is internal conflict and external conflicts.
That really kept me hooked and wanting to read.

The character development and the overall resolution was also perfectly tied to together. June and Day were such great characters, because they showed insecurity and being unsure about going into certain situations. They felt guilt and regret and pain. Marie really took the time to show that the time to make sure that, although the characters were heroes throughout the story, they were still human. And I think that's what sets her book off from others. 

The world-building made me really happy. Since this book is set so far in the future, there has to be new technology and stuff, right? Marie takes that aspect to a whole new level. 

One of my favorite parts in the book was when June visited Antarctica with Anden. The idea of living life as if it were a game was amazing. The atmosphere control and the whole idea of it blew my mind. I must've just sat there with my mouth open while I was reading it. 

And finally, the ending. And I need to seriously talk about this. Over the course of like, what, three chapters, my emotions were on a roller coaster. When June was on the building trying to stop Commander Jameson from shooting Day, my heart was pounding in my chest. When Day couldn't see his brother in the dust I was completely freaking out. 

The fight between Jameson and June was illustrated beautifully, every move exact and purposeful. And then finally, at the end of that, when June finds Day and he is dying and the POV switches over and Day sees his mother. Oh gods, I was in tears. I thought he was going to die. I thought it was going to be *SPOILER FOR ALLEGIANT BY VERONICA ROTH* just like Tris all over again. 

Thank gods though that it wasn't. 

Then the whole waiting period. Five months. FIVE MONTHS. Five months, she waited. I was so scared that he wouldn't and that it'd all be over, but no. He's alive. He's all good. 

BUT HE DIDN'T REMEMBER HER. I was in shock. I felt June's pain in that moment. And she took the situation so well. She was wise. She didn't want to hurt him all over again, so he let him have his life. She let him go. 

That was probably the one of the bravest moments in all of the books I've ever read. 

“'Day,' I say, carefully choosing what my final words to him should be. 'It has been such a privilege and honor to fight by your side. You’ve saved many more of us than you’ll ever know.' For a small moment, I fix my eyes on his, telling him silently everything that I’ll never say to him aloud. 'Thank you,' I whisper. 'For everything.'

Day looks puzzled by the emotion in my voice, but he bows his head in return. 'The honor’s mine,' he replies. My heart breaks in sorrow at the lack of warmth in his voice, the warmth I know I would have heard had he remembered everything. I feel the absence of the aching love that I’ve come to yearn for, that I wanted so much to earn. It is gone now. 

If he knew who I was, I would say something else to him now, something I should’ve said to him more often when I had the chance. Now I am sure of my feelings, and it’s too late. So I fold the three words back into my heart, for his sake, and rise from his bed. I soak in every last, wonderful detail of his face and store it in my memory, hoping I can take him with me wherever I go. We exchange quiet salutes. Then I turn away for the last time."

Then the Epilogue was pretty sweet how they did the birthdays. I liked that we saw Anden again and Tess. Because, let's be real guys, it was inevitable that at some point June and Anden would get together. 

And then we go to the present and at the train station. That was such a scary moment for me, because the book had only a couple pages left. What was going to happen?

Oh and it was so happy. So happy, that I was sobbing. That whole part was just so well written. 

I am so glad I read these books and, personally, I don't want them to be turned into movies. They'd do well just left alone. 

Marie Lu did a phenomenal job. Absolutely phenomenal. 

"Then Day reaches out and touches my hand with his. He encloses it in a handshake. And just like that, I am linked with him again, I feel the pulse of our bond and history and love through our hands, like a wave of magic, the return of a long-lost friend. Of something meant to be. The feeling brings tears to my eyes. Perhaps we can take a step forward together. 

'Hi,' he says. 'I’m Daniel.' 

'Hi,' I reply. 'I’m June.'"

Future News:

This is the last installment in the Legend trilogy. There is movie that is in the beginning stages of creation.  

Week 3: Flashbacks EVERYWHERE

November 17, 2013: Flashbacks EVERYWHERE

Word Count: 16,015

Chapter: It Will Be Okay (4)

Exert: “I need to go take a nap and drink tea!” I try one more time to push past him, but although he is not too athletic, he made a better wall than door. I almost pushed pasted him, but as soon as I started running, he wrapped his arms around me and dragged me back to him.

            “Would you stop?” I attempted to sound forceful, but there was a smile playing at my lips.

            “No,” he said hugging me tight, bending his head into the nape of my neck, the cold frames of his round glasses brushing against my cheek.

            “Well,” I said crossing my arms over my chest, “tell me what you have to say.”

            He brought his head up and smiled. His breath, warm with a hint of peppermint and chocolate. I wonder what he had to drink during exams, I thought to myself. “We are doing a movie night in the main dorm. PJs only. Bring popcorn.”

            “That’s all? What movie are we watching?” I said lifting my eyebrows.

            “I have no idea. I just hope it’s not some documentary about meercats again. I might have to get up and leave if that is what we are watching.”

            I laughed, remembering the last movie night. I didn’t know meercats could have such dramatic lives.

            “Don’t worry,” I said peeling him off me, “I’ll be there. Let me go grab some stuff.”

            He straightened up. He was only a few inches taller than me. His curly brown hair danced along the top of his glasses. If it grew any longer, it would surely cover his hazel (I tell him they are more green but he refuses, arguing that they are hazel).

            “Fine then. I shall see you there. I better not find you holed up in your room,” he said with a parting smile. He turned on his heel and stalked away. 

Update:

Got a little but behind, but caught myself up. I really like where my story is heading as a whole, but I need to fix up a lot of baby details. :)

~Monty

Week 2: Keep Calm and Write On

November 10, 2013: Keep Calm and Write On

Word Count: 9, 574

Exert: "Well, um, I didn't see them much after that. Actually at all. I haven't seen them since," she said, looking down at her hands in her lap. Gabrielle didn't want to cry. She had every right to cry, but she held back. She didn't want to cry in front of these alien people.

Update: I got a little behind as you see, but I'm trying to keep a calm demeanor. I want to definitely get ahead some if I can this week. I also want to introduce my favorite character I'll be writing about this week. He is extremely funny, and will definitely move the plot along. So smile faces hopefully! :) :) :)

How are you guys doing?

~Monty 

Week 1: Introductions and Such

November 3, 2013: Week 1

Word Count: 3, 214

Chapter: One and Two, Hello world? and Here.

Exert: She continued to twirl her hair while Juliana turned off the stove and unloaded the last few pancakes in to a glass pan. Juliana was moving the hot pan over to the sink as Alex took the steps by two on the way down.

            “Good morning everyone,” Alex said when he reached the bottom with a thump.

            “Get the syrup,” Juliana said strongly at Alex, as she set up the table.

            “Yes ma’am,” Alex said with an exaggerated bow, like a prince at a grand ball.

            Alex could pass as a prince, besides is childish characteristics. His light hair was neatly parted, so that it fell just above his ears. I don’t know why, but I found it unnerving. Most of the boys at the Academy woke up and went to class, hair left in extreme-bed-head mode (not that the girls were spent any more time on their hair in the morning; wake up, throw it in some sort of ponytail, and go). Alex seemed so proper and calm and natural. He has to only be sixteen. They have to only be sixteen. Yet they all live together. Maybe time and age was different here. 

Update:
I am really loving NaNo so far. I love all the world building and such of the process. To track my progress daily and to read more about my work here is my NaNo account.

~Monty