Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

Princess Aurelia of Tyralt has been kept in the dark for the last two months as three attempts have been made on her life. Robert Vantauge left court four years ago with his parents. The son of the former royal spymaster; Robert returns to court to get close to Aurelia (a former classmate of his) and to uncover the plot to end her life. The plot thickens as another attempt is made on Aurelia's life. Can Robert and Aurelia uncover the truth before it is too late?

Osterlund creates a world with mystery and intrigue. The danger is lurking behind every page as the characters struggle to understand what exactly is going on. Aurelia is a strong and independent character. She is witty, sarcastic, and headstrong. It is hard for her to stay out of the middle of things and at first she is not even aware that her life is in danger. She makes for an interesting character as she grows in the story. Robert is her equal when it comes to being headstrong. Both characters are in for an adventure of a lifetime. However Aurelia isn't an ordinary princess who just wants to become queen; there is much more to her than that.

One part mystery, one part fantasy, and one part romance, this book will hook the reader from the very first page. As the mystery deepens readers will be tempted to skip ahead, but I strongly recommend staying the course. This book is perfect for those looking for those looking for a different kind of fairy tale.

Day 18 - An animal character you like

That would have to be the cat Oliver from A Well-Timed Enchantment by Vivian Vande Velde. When things start to happen in the book, Oliver is turned from a cat to a human (the most cat-like human ever). After the climax of the story occurs and things are set back to normal, Oliver is turned back into a cat, but the main character wants him to be human again. So she makes a wish. Needless to say, best cat ever!

Day 17 - The most awful, mean, evil character you know

Moriarty. "I left you my number. Why didn't you call?" So creepy and evil. I can't wait to see what happens in the next episode. I really hope we get to see what happened at the end of "The Great Game". I know that Sherlock and Watson make it out and I'm assuming Moriarty does as well (to be more evil and to kill again).

Day 16 - The dumbest character

Eragon. I honestly don't know why he makes some of the decisions that he makes. He has done more stupid things than Lavender Brown (and that is saying something because this post was almost about her). Seriously, who goes after things that he isn't even sure he can kill, but can sure as hell kill him? Wanted by the Empire? Sure, I'll run through the middle of said Empire and send my dragon on ahead of me so that I won't even have her protection. What an idiot.

Day 15 - The smartest chracter

Sherlock. No doubt about it. Out of all of my favorite fandoms, Sherlock is the smartest (he would probably hate this blog too).

He is married to his work (work that is full of groovy and awesome).

He is very good looking.

And when something happens (usually bad for the people involved) or he figures something out, he acts like a child going to the movies.

He has the streets of London all memorized and doesn't keep basic knowledge in his head ("The Earth goes around the Sun, Sherlock.").

Plus his face is adorable when the light bulb clicks on.

Overall, this was pretty much a Sherlock appreciation post. I might have another one again soon.

Hell to the no

This is how I feel about my family after today's "lunch." Apparently lunch turned into lunch and dinner and spending six hours with family that I don't exactly like. Oh joy. After spending all day with the crazy people I feel like I was in an alternate universe where the Doctor should have come to save Cousin and me. I think it was a little like the episode "Midnight" only no one died and we all just were wearing pained expressions by the end.

I felt trapped by my family. It wasn't as if I really wanted to talk about the things my aunts, grandparents, uncles and parents were talking about. I also really didn't want to talk to my younger cousin about the Mariners game that he went to (angry face), but he felt the need to gloat and look smug. It was mostly Cousin and I sitting and quoting Moriarty from Sherlock. I really had to resist the urge to cry or burst out in anger. Crying would have been worse, but as my anger tends to look like Umbridge kicking Hermione in the face in AVPS, it isn't very good either.

Instead of acting on any impulse I may have had, there was a lot of staring... Pointed staring; you are going to hell starting; I'm bored out of my ever loving mind staring; I'm not getting in that picture staring...I could go on, but hopefully you get the idea. Gatherings with my family aren't exactly sunshine and daisies. Plus all of my aunts don't exactly get along (and they are blood related sisters) and my part of the family is generally left out of things. Enter Ned staring.

Auntie is a bitch as well as Aunt G and Aunt K. Aunt G is Cousin's mom and she plus all of my aunts and my grandmother all pointed that Cousin and I have spent enough time together. We haven't seen each other for a whole week. Auntie also made it quite clear that under no circumstances am I to come on the trip to Ashland, OR. It has never even crossed her mind that I might enjoy that as an English Major; and not any English Major. I'm a creative writing English major. Keeping us apart is just going to annoy them because apparently they want us texting each other at all hours like we have been since Cousin came back from the UAE. They apparently don't understand that most of our lives have been spent in different states and then in different countries. It is quite a recent development that we have even been able to talk to each other as much as we have been. My mother's side of the family drives me insane.

Day 14 - A character you wish was never introduced

Jesse St. James...yeah, Glee (don't judge). He and his cat face really don't add anything to the plot...Okay, he is from another high school glee club that they competed against, but really we didn't need to know him. He was such a creeper and he was really mean to Rachel (not that I cared because I really don't like her either). I just feel like the story line didn't need him and I as a viewer didn't care for him.

Sherlock and AVPS

So, I have been having a great time with my cousin. I have been watching the BBC's tv series Sherlock with her. It has been loads of fun. We have been creating a drinking game for both the series and the movie Sherlock Holmes. We have also had a lot of fun comparing Jim Moriarty to Umbridge from A Very Potter Sequel (just look at the tags for this post...). I am all for a Sherlock/John relationship. They would be perfect together and they already kind of act that way.

On Thursday we went and saw X-Men: First Class. Needless to say I loved it (and now I want to own it and play the drinking game). I love, love, love Charles...did I mention how much I love him? Well I do (it really didn't hurt that he was played by James McAvoy. Love, love, love). However, Kevin Bacon's nose is huge and I couldn't take him seriously as the bad guy...

Thursday after the movie (that I loved, if you couldn't tell that already) cousin and I went to a birthday party for one of my friends. We tried some interesting drink and had an all over good time.

On Friday we sang "Friday" (don't judge), went to Lake Chelan to have yummy lunch (cousin's mom, my mom and their younger sister came with us; it wasn't as much fun as it could have been; Chelan lost its appeal when we found out they were coming and that the guys were going to a Mariners game...-.-), and in the evening we went for a walk followed by watching Eclipse (again don't judge; I also got another blister...).

Saturday we went to Old Navy and Maurices to look at clothes with my sister, mom and one of my mom's friend Amy (who went with to Wicked). Old Navy was having a fun sale and I got a bunch of shirts. Cousin and I then watched Princess and the Frog. Unfortunately we had to go to Aunt K and Uncle D's house for dinner...insert awkward dinner with food that wasn't the best (that always seems to happen there).

Since it is early Sunday now, not much has happened (besides blogging), but later at a decent hour we are taking a secret trip to Leavenworth and then going to lunch at Uncle K and Aunt M's house in Leavenworth (seriously, like all of my mom's siblings and spouses are here along with her parents -.-). It should be just as much fun as last night's dinner. Oh joy.

Day 13 - A boring character

That would have to be Egwene from the Wheel of Time series. I seriously don't understand why she is there (besides to becoming the leader of the Aes Sedai in the later book...and not even the real leader...just the underground leader because of the Black Ajah...yeah). She really just whines a lot and it really bugs me. I really wish that she wasn't a big part of the book. I'd rather read about Perrin...or Mat. I'd rather read about Mat; he is my favorite after all.

Day 12 - A character with the best quotes

The Doctor. End of story, the end. It doesn't matter which actor is playing the Doctor, he has the best lines (it doesn't hurt that he is good looking either). From "Are you my mummy?" to "I'm your new undercover agent on loan from Scotland Yard. Codename: The Doctor. These are my top operatives, The Legs, The Nose, and Mrs. Robinson." So funny and so brilliant!

Day 11 - A character who taught you something about love

Dumbledore!! Or Snape...I can't choose. So I'm going to say both. Dumbledore was always saying that love is stronger than any spell - that it could be a spell in and of itself. Snape loved Lily so much that he protected Harry, even though he looked exactly like James. They both taught me how to love and the power of love.

Day 10 - A character who taught you something about real life

Gahh!! Too many fandoms to choose from... Um, Mama Odie from Princess and the Frog (the Disney movie). You gotta dig a little deeper to find what you need in life, not just what you want. It also doesn't matter what you look like. Plus she is just awesome. Blind old lady in the swamp. So funny.

Day 9 - A character who could be your best friend if they were real

Angela from Twilight. She is one of those quiet characters that I completly love and wish that she had more parts (because the rest of the books are pointless and I would rather see more of a character that I like, other than Bella being stupid that is).

Angela always seemed like a person I would get along with and that she would be able to fit into my group of friends. She seemed to be interested in some of the same things I am and I feel that we would have been good friends if she were real.

Day 8 - The funniest character

I'm going to go with Stephanie Plum from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. For the most part Stephanie seems like a normal woman. She was out of work and needed a job; she has a nagging mother; she is divorced (she claims it was the shortest marriage in the world); she has two hot guys who are more than willing to make her happy (she keeps choosing Joe over Ranger though-.-); she lives in a two room apartment; and drives a piece of shit car.

All of that seems fairly normal, right? Wrong. Enter her blackmailing her cousin to get a job as a bounty hunter; her car blowing up (multiple cars and multiple times...including some very nice ones Ranger was letting her use); crazy people kidnapping her; murderers going after her; her apartment being blown up; her friend Lula who happens to be an ex 'ho; and the fact that she has to tell her older than dirt (and crazy) grandmother not to drive or to carry a gun. This all leads to sixteen (soon to be seventeen; and I'm not even counting the inbetween novels) books of hilarity. These books are a must read (as well as any other book by Janet Evanovich because they are just as funny).

Day 7 - The hottest charcter

This is a hard one...I think I'm going to go with Rory Williams from Doctor Who. After all the TARDIS did call him "the pretty one." Pretty much the whole main cast of Doctor Who is hot. I'm just extremely partial to Rory (stop trying to kill him!!!). Between him being a nurse and (*SPOILERS*) and a cool crying Roman when he is holding his baby girl for the first time, I am completely in love with Mr. Pond. I really do wish I was Amy at times...*sigh*

Day 6 - The most annoying character

Back to Harry Potter again...Lockheart. Honestly if he hadn't wiped his own memory I would have jumped into the story to do it for him. He became funny after that; before he was just annoying and I hated him. He was so pompous and thought that Harry was an attention seeking brat. Harry was no such thing, but Lockheart sure was. Just thinking about him is making me annoyed-.-

Day 5 - A group of characters who is most like you and your friends

That would have to be Eric Hinkle and his friends Julie, and Neal. I found The Secrets of Droon sometime in fifth grade (thanks to my mom buying the first four books for my sister) and I fell in love instantly. The only difference between Eric and his friends and me and my friends is that all of my friends are girls. Other than that, everything is pretty similar (my friends and I are also older, but who really cares when they are reading?).

Day 4 - A character who acts like you

This character would have to be Adriane from Avalon: Web of Magic. She keeps to herself and is a good friend to those who are closest to her. She is slow to anger, but once she is angry you had better watch out. She loves wolves and nature. She is pretty much a more badass version of me.

Day 3 - A character who looks like you

That would have to be Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. Although her eyes are brown and mine are blue, she is a character who really looks like me (not that you would be able to tell from the photos I have up...).

Or, I look like Gwen Cooper (just with out the gap between my front teeth). I love both characters and I do feel that I could pull off both of their looks.

Day 2 - A character from a previous favorite fandom

Honestly, there wasn't a favorite fandom before Harry Potter. Harry Potter has been my whole life (or very close to my whole life), but there are other fandoms I'm a fan of. I suppose I would say Chris Halliwell from Charmed.

Obscure; yes. One of the hottest characters on the show; heck yes. From his adorable brown hair to his voice, Chris seriously stole my heart (even when the sisters and Leo thought he was evil, which he totally wasn't; he was trying to change his future).

Day 1 - A character from your current favorite fandom

So you would not believe how hard this is...so many fandoms to choose from.

I think I'm going to have to say Rose Weasley. This is mostly fan fiction Rose. I love Harry Potter and I'm so glad that J.K. Rowling left the door open. I have no doubt in my mind that Rose will be an interesting mix of her parents. Fan fiction is probably nothing like how J.K. Rowling would write about the next generation, but it is fun to read (and write...). Rose Weasley is one of my favorite characters in Harry Potter fan fiction.

Yesterday

So yesterday my stupid sister broke up with her boyfriend again and this time it might actually stick. She apparently worked all night and then when she got to her apartment You-Know-Who wouldn't let her go to bed. She was cranky and she hasn't been taking her depression meds, so she kicked him out. My parents then drove down to where my sister is to take You-Know-Who far away from there. They left our house at four-thirty in the afternoon and they didn't get back until one-thirty in the morning.

I on the other hand went out with one of my best friends in the whole world. I have known Nora since the fourth grade and we are more like sisters than friends. It really doesn't matter how much time we spend apart; we are always able start up right were we left off. Last night we went to the bar and had a few drinks (carmel apple shot, the best!). I met a couple of her friends and her boyfriend. We spent three and a half hours together and basically just caught up (with drinks of course!). We both agreed that she would be a bridesmaid in my wedding and I would be a bridesmaid in hers (honestly, she will be married before me and that is kind of depressing).

Overall, yesterday was a pretty good day.

New 30 Day Challenge...

As you might have noticed I didn't post yesterday (more on that in my next post) and you might have also noticed that I finished my 30 Day Challenge. Yay! This is the most I have ever blogged...sad, I know.

However, I feel like I want to pick a new challenge. I know that I'll keep blogging if I have a challenge to do everyday. I know that I'll be able to keep doing this during school; it will be something to look forward to.

Anywho, here is the new challenge I have picked.

30 Day Character Challenge

(Pick characters from your favorite shows, books, movies, anime, everything!)

1. A character from your current favorite fandom
2. A character from a previous favorite fandom
3. A character who looks like you
4. A character who acts like you
5. A group of characters who is most like you and your friends
6. The most annoying character
7. The hottest character
8. The funniest character
9. A character who could be your best friend if they were real
10. A character who taught you something about real life
11. A character who taught you something about love
12. A character with the best quotes
13. A boring character
14. A character you wish was never introduced
15. The smartest character
16. The dumbest character
17. The most awful, mean, evil character you know
18. An animal character you like
19. A sci-fi character you like (alien, robot, etc.)
20. A fantasy character you like (elves, dwarves, etc.)
21. A paranormal character you like (vampire, werewolf, etc.)
22.The best singer
23. The best dancer
24. The character with the best laugh
25. The character who makes you cry when they cry
26. An underrated character
27. An overrated character
28. A character you absolutely hate
29. A character that makes you flashback to your childhood
30. A character you will love and remember for the rest of your life

Day 30 - A future

Right now the future I picture is one where I'm happy and am either married with kids or just have kids because I don't have a guy in my life (preferably with a guy though). I'm working from home and I'm a not well know writer, but at least my stuff is being published. I live close to the people I love (Cousin and best friends and the part of the family that doesn't annoy me). I won't be the pathetic game winner, instead I'll be a loser (which is a good thing, because it isn't a prize to win the pathetic game). This is the future I see at the moment, but I'm sure it will change with time.

Day 29 - A place that gives you wonderlust

That would have be the United Kingdom in general. I can't pick one particular spot, but I can guarantee that if I ever end up in the UK, I will be going everywhere. And I might possibly be staying.

I really want to make this trip with my cousin (only problem is we both hate long travels, but you can't blame us with the family we have). We want to go to Wales and see where Torchwood and Doctor Who were filmed in Cardiff. I want to see Scotland and England and Northern Ireland. I want to walk around with my fake English accent (it is beginning to sound more Scottish now because I've been watching Amy Pond way too much on Doctor Who) and make people wonder if I really am American. Doesn't that sound like an awesome trip? (correct response is "TOTALLY AWESOME!!") I might have to buy Starkid sunglasses as well...

Day 28 - A quote

"I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demigods and would-be gods; out of all that, out of that whole pantheon, if I believe in one thing...just one thing...I believe in her." ~The Tenth Doctor speaking about Rose; Doctor Who, The Satan Pit (S2E9).

This is not only one of my favorite quotes from Doctor Who, it is one of my favorite quotes of all time. The passion David Tennant uses while speaking about Rose (while in character of course), is the passion of a man in love. Of course you never see David Tennant's version of the Doctor actually tell Rose that he loves her, but it is implied (why else would he burn up a sun just to say goodbye and why would he give her another version of himself?).

This quote basically proves that it doesn't matter who we believe in, as long as we believe in someone (or in a lot of peoples' cases, something). The Doctor believes in Rose and Rose believes in the Doctor. This quote makes me happy and sad at the same time, but more on that at a later date.

Day 27 - A thing that makes you mad

Flamers on comments. They are just further proof that the general population is stupid. It isn't even as if I say anything that should get a reply with a bunch of cuss words. I really hate when I leave my opinion and someone else has to comment on MY OPINION. I know that it isn't their opinion so why do they have to bash mine? To be totally honest, I hate people in general. It is amazing that I even made friends, because stupidity is annoying.

Day 26 - A thing you want to do before you die

I want to go to the Wizarding World in Orlando, Flordia. I don't really need to go on the rides, but I do want to go to the wand shop and drink butterbeer. Plus there would have to be a trip to Disney World. But seriously, Harry Potter theme park? Heck yeah!

Day 25 - A song

A song would have to be the Darren Criss version of "Somewhere Only We Know." I have listened to it 183 times on iTunes and it was one of the sweetest moments on Glee. I have a soft spot for Blurt (I could never call it Klaine...that just never seemed right and who comes up with those anyway?). Blaine and Kurt are just so cute and when Blaine sings "Somewhere Only We Know" to Kurt, it made my heart melt (and Darren was practically crying for the scene. I was like, "Please don't cry Blaine, please don't cry! You'll make me cry..."). Now you all know how I win the pathetic game. Thanks for playing and see you next time!

Somewhere only we know

This evening I went for a walk around the track with my mom and one of her friends. I was allowed to do my own thing and listen to my iPod (yay! musics!). I had done a few laps around the track when some more people arrived. Specifically a mom, a dad, and their (I'm assuming) teenage son (I'm really hoping he's at least 18...).

So, there we were, all just walking around when the guy starts jogging around the track. He passed me and I though, "He's kind of cute." After a couple more laps of this I began to grin like an idiot every time he would pass me. Pretty soon I had lapped my mom and her friend - it was at that point that we turned around and began to walk in the opposite direction around the track. Now I was able to see the face of the guy with the nice butt. Now I was thinking, "Ohmigods, he's hot."

It was just as he and his parents were leaving that my iPod decided to play the Darren Criss version of "Somewhere Only We Know." How did you know iPod? How did you know?!? Sadly, I doubt I'll see him again anytime soon.

Day 24 - A topic that makes you think

Time travel that leads to creating a paradox... Like in the third Harry Potter book with the time-turner or in the sixth Artemis Fowl book with Opal and all of the things that happen in that book (it really is a long story).

The kind of time travel I'm talking about makes your head spin and when you think you've figured it out, you read something that makes you go back to step one. However, I love this kind of thinking. The paradox is complex and I love it for that reason.

Day 23 - A meme

This is just because of my roommate. She doesn't like gingers and the thought of them having weapons really freaks her out, but it makes me giggle. Personally, those are four of my favorite gingers.

Day 22 - A thing you do everyday

Everyday I feed my fish. Exciting, I know. He actually eats his food now (I bought him a different kind and he loves it). Before he would just look at it and play with it, but now he eats it and wants more than I'm supposed to give him. It is kind of funny really. He is such a funny fish, but I love him.

Water for Elephants

So tonight I went and saw the movie Water for Elephants (and no, I didn't read the book first). It was a really good movie and I quite enjoyed the acting; which knowing the acting of Robert Pattinson, was very surprising.

I really seemed to like Rob better in movies outside of Twilight. He was amazing in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (which I have started reading; yay!) and I seem to remember that his acting was good in Remember Me (even if the movie wasn't my favorite). Seeing him go from these movies where he is playing a normal human being to those movies where "vampires" sparkle is quite impressive. He can actually be a good actor and he has the potential to become a great actor (if only he would stop the sparkling vampire nonsense; oh well, two more terrible movies to sit through).

However, I think that Reese Whitherspoon was a tad too old for the part of Marlena. It really didn't work for me to see Rob and Reese as an on screen couple. I felt that they did well though and by the end of the movie you sort of forget that Marlena is too old for Jacob.

Like I said previously, I have started Goblet of Fire. It isn't up to the same level as Prisoner of Azkaban, but I still enjoy reading it. It is when Voldemort comes back after all. I also went to my second dentist appointment of the week to have whatever done to my mouth and seven hours later my mouth still feels a tad numb and achy. Which is no fun at all. Hopefully it will feel better by tomorrow when I help my mom clean out my sister's room. All in all, it was a good day.

Day 21 - A dream you had recently

Because I have been watching a lot of tv shows lately, most of my dreams seem to be about the shows I've been watching. Most recently I had a dream where I was Amy from Doctor Who and I was running around with The Doctor and Rory (there was an awful lot of running involved...). It ended with Amy/me hugging Rory and The Doctor and calling them my boys (which Amy does quite often in the show). I woke up feeling happy, which is nice and doesn't happen a lot.

Day 20 - A picture of your "Crew"

This picture was taken almost five years ago now (wow...it really doesn't seem like that long ago). It is a picture of me and my two best friends. Starting on the left is Melissa. We have known each other since the end of seventh grade (eight years for those of you who are curious). I'm in the middle and my friend Leia (yes, like Princess Leia from Star Wars) is on the right. I have known Leia since the beginning of eighth grade (almost eight years ago now, it will be eight years in September).

This picture was taken by one of the math teachers at our high school (apparently he is a professional photographer on the side). It was taken at homecoming our junior year. My ex had broken up with me about a month before, but I think that is a story for another time (or maybe never).