Book Review: Wanderlove

Book-iography

Title: Wanderlove

Author: Kirsten Hubbard

Published: March 13, 2012

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Format: Ebook

Pages: 335

Type: Stand-alone

Bookshelves: YA, Self-Reflection, Contemporary

Read: May 26- 27, 2012

Links: Goodreads

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Rating: 

What can I say?

The moment I finished reading Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard I immediately Googled the places Bria and Rowen have been to. It's not the best of the best places in the world, but they're worth anyone's time, money, and presence. Kirsten knitted the story well enough that I felt like I was there myself! The story's unbelievably awesome! When I found out that MOST of the locations in Wanderlove exist, I checked Google once again for the travel expenses, hotels, etc. Who knows, a thrilling adventure might just be around the corner!

Bria, an 18 year old Californian young lady who used to love drawing, went with Global Vagabonds to explore Central America. She met her tour group, who were apparently not in her age group, when she arrived at the Guatemala Airport. Their group was supposed to follow their itinerary for three weeks, but her boring tour members made her vacation nothing less than a disappointment.

Fortunately, Rowan--the long haired backpacker hunk--came across her path in the Chichicastenango Mayan market. When someone stole Bria's camera, Rowan was just around the corner so he heard Bria's scream. He came over and appeased her frustration by inviting her for dinner at a guest house across Lake Atitlan. 

The "Most Beautiful Lake in the World:" Lake Atitlan

That was the start of the adventure Bria never thought she would experience. She got rid of her tour group and went with Rowan and her half-sister, Starling. Rowan and Starling were backpackers. Unlike Bria, Rowan and Starling have already traveled across a number of places. This time, they were heading to Laughingbird Caye, the place where Rowan works as an assistant diving instructor and the place that witnessed Rowan's horrid past.

Along the way, Bria saw glimpses of who Rowan was--or at least, is. However, Rowan would not say a single word about his past. All Bria knew was that: 

a) Rowan had a past that he is trying to forget; 

b) he made a serious mess out of his life; 

c) Bria's not his type; and that 

d) Starling begged her to take care of Rowan because they were heading to a place from his past.

Rowan
Illustrated by Kirsten Hubbard

Sure Rowan had a past that he is trying to get over with, but so is Bria. Bria used all her savings to go on a trip far from home, far from her parents, far from her ex-boyfriend, far from the arts, and far from everything that caused her hurts and pains. She wanted to escape all the pain before moving on to college.

Would escaping their past heal their wounds? Would ignoring the past make the future any easier? Will Rowan and Bria accept each other despite their dreadful past? What's the best way to move on?

Wanderlove has all the answers to these questions. The book is full of insights that would make you reflect over your past and help you look forward to your future. It offers help on how one can deal with a painful past and how he can freely take a step forward towards tomorrow. The book also opens your senses to the paradise you have yet to see here on earth! It brings you to the adventure that will surely make an impact in your life! It's inspiring. It's funny. It's exciting!

Wanderlove is tops! It's the perfect book for summer! Enjoy reading! :">

Who knows, a thrilling adventure might just be around the corner! 

View this review at Goodreads! :)

lauricewithlove <3

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

Book-iography

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird

Author: Harper Lee
Published: 1960; May 23, 2006

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback

Pages: 309

Type: Stand-alone

Literary Award: Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 1961

Bookshelves: Classics, Philosophical, Self-Reflection
Read: April 24 - April 28, 2012

Links: Goodreads

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Rating: 

What can I say?

To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely a must-read!

My sister had kept a copy of this book for years. Until recently, I never put my hands on the pages of this book. I always thought it was difficult to read (Well, it is). More than that, it's one of the classics, which is my least favorite genre. The last thing I would like to read this summer was a classic. Unfortunately, I don't have much money to satisfy my hunger for new books. As much as I want to read another YA book, I had no choice but to have my nose in To Kill a Mockingbird.

I almost gave up the first night I read it. It's nowhere near the classics I've read (i.e. The Iliad, Macbeth). Unlike The Iliad and Macbeth, To Kill a Mockingbird doesn't have much drama and action, but Harper Lee was able to pull it off. She made it simple, realistic, and absolutely funny. I fell in love with the book so much so that I continued reading while I was in the train, on the streets, and at school (of course, just in between class breaks). 

The story follows the life of Scout Finch, her older brother Jem, and their father Atticus in the poor town of Maycomb. Life in Maycomb is difficult because of the Great Depression, but being a well-respected legislator and lawyer in town, Atticus was able to provide for his children. 

Scout and Jem are extraordinary children who love to read, write, and play. During summer, their friend Dill comes over their place and together, they will try to solve the one of the greatest mysteries they have ever known: Boo Radley. Boo Radley is their mystical neighbor who was never seen outside his house. Superstitions say that he killed his father and he bit his mother's fingers off and ate it up because they locked him up in the house. Scout, Jem, and Dill believe this story, but they want to know if it's true. So, they tried to convince Boo to come out of his house by sneaking into the back window of his house, sticking a message on his window, and by knocking at his door. But if they find out the truth about Boo Radley, would the kids be safe with him?

Scout, Atticus, and Jem

While the kids are busy solving Boo's mysterious lifestyle, Atticus is facing the case of his life. He is assigned to defend an innocent Negro who was accused to rape a white girl. The society doesn't like the idea of a "white" defending a "black," that's why Atticus' family is put to stake. He receives death threats and grave insults. Beyond that, his children are also affected because they are mocked by their neighbors and schoolmates.

Worst, an angry white man attacked Scout and Jem with a knife. Will Scout and Jem survive? Will Atticus win the case? Will they release the Negro? 

There's no greater way to find out than to read the book yourself. It's worth your time and money. You surely won't regret it! :)

Enjoy reading! God bless you!

This review can be found at Goodreads. :)

laurice-with-love <3

My New Found Love :">

Three things I'll add to my LOVE LIST:

1. PINK ROSES!

I don't know how it happened, but what I know is that I never loved red roses. Sorry to the lovers of red roses. :)) heehee. :)

Thank God I had Pink Roses for my Debut

I always dreamed about receiving a flower that I particularly like. However, I highly doubt that there'll be someone who'll go to the trouble of buying me some--let alone buy a flower that happens to be my favorite JUST RECENTLY. But then, I received one. No, not really. I had a bouquet of pink roses for my debut, but I wouldn't count it for two reasons: first, I didn't love pink roses until recently; second, it was my sister who gave it to me. 

Who gave me the second pink rose, then? First things first, I received it from my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Then, I count it as the first pink rose I received from someone, though others won't really even count it. Weird, but, yeah, I received a pink rose from God! :) Well, how? Err. I suggest you read my earlier post (click the link). 

Since the day Jesus Christ impressed the pink rose upon my heart, I fell for it at once! I knew right then that it is the flower that I would always love. 

2. BOOKS!

Oh nooo. Not Books!

Believe me. As far as I can remember, I never--NEVER--liked reading. Sure I read novels back in high school, but just because we were assigned to make book reports. Besides, I usually had consumed all my patience and energy even before I finish understanding a single page! I guess I was simply born with a perpetual aversion towards reading. RAWR.

Seriously, who would want to spend hours reading--inside the train (while standing!) and on the streets--a novel that isn't required in school? Err. The last person that would fit that description would, of course, be ME. Even if there was nothing to do, you wouldn't see me lay my hands on a book. At least that was what I thought until summer came.

Summer Came and then....

God really works in ways that I least expect. One day I abhor books, the next day I can't take my eyes off of them! I guess it started with my effort to practice English two weeks before my summer classes. I figured that reading could help me improve my communication skills. So right then, I searched for a good Young Adult (YA) series, and the next thing I knew, I was head over heels in love with YA Books! 

Great! I just pray that I'll be able to save enough money to buy myself a new book every time I finish one. :') I'm praying that one day I'll have a shelf full of my book collections--God willing. :)

"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read."
Scout Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird

3. JUICE AVENUE'S CALLE ESCOLTA SMOOTHIE!

Calle Escolta Smoothie

My family and I went to eat at a restaurant one April afternoon. Just as the meals were being served, my mother went to the stall across and bought one smoothie from Juice Avenue. I took a sip and all I could say was: 

I. LOVE. JUICE. AVENUE'S. CALLE. ESCOLTA. SMOOTHIE!!!.

Ever since, I would pass by the mall before going home from school to buy a 22oz Calle Escolta Smoothie. :">

Calle Escolta Smoothie is a combination of:

mango + banana + watermelon + melon

You should try it some time! Here's their website:

Juice Avenue

laurice-with-love <3

Do You L.O.V.E. Me?

This summer, I'm taking up a course called Philosophy of the Family. It has been decades, probably even centuries, since "marriage" and the "family" were first challenged. Ideology after ideology were accepted by the people until the definition of "family" was distorted. From then on, many people reckoned marriage as nonessential to a family. Since it's not supposed to be the case, this course aims to defend marriage-based families and to emphasize that marriage is essential to a family.

Today, I learned something interesting. A philosophical concept that I told myself to share the moment I get home. It's about "The Family as an Inter-personal reality." Okay. It sounds heavy. Don't worry, we won't talk about it. Besides, I didn't get the lesson 101% (please don't tell my prof). I was just captured by two particular concepts: the objective and the subjective aspects of the person. 

Ready for a philosophical view on love? I'll give you 5 seconds to breathe.

 5.4.3.2.1.

Breeeeaaaaattthheeeee. Ha!

Let's get started! :")

I learned that a person is an objective entity. Great. What does it mean? Don't worry. It simply means that a person is someone who exists in reality and not just in the mind. Still vague? Let's just say that as an objective entity, the person can be concretely described and known. For example, She is tall. He is handsome. He is a bubbly young man. She loves pink roses. Get it? That's the objective aspect of a person.

Furthermore, a person, as an objective entity, has a self that is unique to him/her alone. He/She has a body and a soul. The soul of a person holds the power of "knowing" and "loving." This means that there are thoughts and passions that are only known to the person who is exercising his power to think and to love. Sounds confusing? Let me explain it further. The soul is the inner self of man. If the objective aspect is that which can be seen, hear, feel, taste, or smell, the subjective aspect of man is that which is solely to himself. 

For example,

1. I can show you that I am happy (objective aspect), but deep inside I am sad (subjective). 

2. I can show you that I chose to buy the red rose (objective). But I didn't show you that I chose to buy the red rose because there's only one pink rose left and you liked it, too (subjective).

I hope it's clearer now. I wanted to show that a person doesn't just have an objective aspect, which most of us seem to value the most. A person also has his/her subjective aspect. So what? It's important to know that the person has a subjective aspect because it is the subjectivity of the person that intimately connects him with others. 

Do you LOVE me?

What's the point then?

If you want to love someone....

If you love someone...

Don't just use the objective aspect of yourself. Use your subjectivity for you to love another person intimately and genuinely. 

HOW DO WE USE OUR SUBJECTIVITY?

It's simple. Get to know the person. NOT JUST TO KNOW ABOUT THE PERSON, but to know the person. Knowing about someone isn't the same with knowing someone. Knowing about someone is simply the objective aspect of the person. You know what you see, what you observe, what you hear, etc. But when you know a person, you make him/her a part of you. You make him/her a part of your inner self. You make him/her safe within you. Remember my example earlier? Our actions can be seen, but our motives and thoughts are safe within us. It goes the same with love. 

If you want to intimately and genuinely love a person, make that person a part of you. Know him/her. Don't allow anyone or anything to take him/her from you. I don't mean physically, but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Make him/her safe within you.

Even if he/she's miles away, if you love him/her truthfully and intimately, he/she is safe within YOU. No one can take him/her away from you.

Here's one example from the Bible:

15"...Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep." -John 21:15-17

Why did I quote these verses?

Here, Jesus Christ was asking Peter, one of his disciples, if he loves Him. Peter said yes, yet Jesus Christ asked him thrice. If you notice, the answers of Jesus Christ reveals something about Him. It shows that He is passionate about His sheep (His people) so much so that He instructs Peter to take care of them. 

Where's the connection?

In John 21:15-17, Jesus said that if you love me, love those who I love. It means that if you truly love someone, you have to make him/her a part of you. You don't love him/her because he/she is like this, like that, etc. Instead, you love him/her completely for who he/she is. That includes loving those he/she loves. :"> 

Do you remember the time when Jesus Christ died on the cross?

We were sinners, yet He didn't see us objectively. He didn't mind if we were dirty because He knew us so well. He knew us before we were born. He knew our hearts. He knew that we were wonderfully and fearfully made. He knew that we were created in His image. And when He died on the cross to save us, He loved us even from the very beginning.....even if we didn't love Him back.

As you finish reading this, let's love Jesus Christ! First, let us know Him truthfully. Not just the facts about Him, but know what's in His heart. Read the Bible and He'll reveal Himself to those who seek Him with all their hearts. Let's love Jesus Christ personally, intimately, and genuinely.

This applies with others as well for it was written, "love you neighbors as much as you love yourself." 
Give love!

Teach me How to Love <3

laurice-with-love <3