Waking Rose; a review

This is the book I just finished reading, and I'm still in that kind of obsessive mode that I get in after I read a book that I really like.
It's one of those books that you [I] stay up late reading, even though you [I] know you're [I'm] going to have get up early and do school the next day...not that you [I] know anything about THAT. I felt like I HAD to write a review on this good book. So here's my review. I'll try not to gush too much, but I have a bad feeling that I will.

Waking Rose by Regina Doman is a modern twist on Sleeping Beauty that manages to follow the fairy tale without being cheesy or unrealistic. In fact, one of the best qualities of this book is its living, breathing, intriguing, vibrant, life-like characters. The plot is detailed, suspenseful, and exciting. The romance is well-done and super sweet; once again, it's believable. (Except for the last lines of the book, which WERE too cheesy even for me.)

The heroine is Rose Brier, who is simply delightful to read about. A beautiful, intelligent red-head who enjoys life to its fullest with a tendency to fantasize too much is bound to be fun to read about. I was rooting for her the whole time; she is just wholesome and fun and not perfect. She felt, yes, real.

The hero is Fish, or Benedict Dennison. He's definitely a major part of the reason I love the book so much. He's really well-developed - he's funny, and sarcastic, and gentlemanly, and hard-to-understand, and brave in a discreet way, and struggling, and real (not some overly sentimental, sweet, chivalrous, amazingly handsome male who you KNOW could never exist). I find him just as attractive and amusing and interesting on a paper as Rose find him in the story :)

The book has lots of really cool elements, including the fact that is told from BOTH Rose's and Fish's perspective. The author inserts s lovely sprinkling of song lyrics and quotes from famous poets. The main characters love literature and poetry, so there multiple references to Chesterton, Boethus and The Consolation of Philosophy, Thomas Aquinas, John Keats, and Dante. YES.

I've read Waking Rose three times, and I've noticed new things each time. That's what I love about reading books over again. I'm constantly learning new things, in school and just by growing older, and so when I read a book again, this time with MORE knowledge and understanding, I recognize cool words and pick up new references or just notice little things I wouldn't have before. (The book is actually the third in a series by Regina Doman, which is very good. This book is my favorite of the series.)

The writing isn't amazing. It's a little wordy at times, there is some wooden dialogue, and a little bit of a "beginning writer" feel, which sometimes distracts from the story. It's a little dark in some parts. But the joyful characters and the sweet romance make up for that. There are Catholic themes, because the author is Catholic. There are also great descriptions, and Mrs. Doman really writes body language well.

Overall, it is a very fun, engaging book, and I recommend it. I would advise it for 15 year-olds or older. I was probably 13 or 14 when I read it first, and there are a few dark things that were a little bit over my head. Again, it's not detailed, just dealing with real things that really go on, and the author does a nice job of handling it delicately.

Aaaaaahhhhh. I love good books.

"I love him more than poetry. I love him more than song." ~ first line of the book

"writing it out"

I have this thing for writing things out. If I'm thinking about something, writing it down helps me organize my thoughts. If I find a really fantastic quote in a book or poem, I don't feel complete until I write it down. More practically, it really helps me to remember vocabulary words or the content of a document I have to read for school if I write down the definitions or make notes in a notebook as I go.

I got a beaaautiful new journal when we went to Barnes and Noble last week, and I'm gonna give you a peak of what I've written in it so far.

Page 1 and 2 - Quotes from Emily of New Moon Series (if you haven't read these books, GORUNTOTHELIBRARYANDCHECKTHEMOUT. Now.)

"A wonderful month followed. A month of indescribable roses, exquisite hazes, silver perfection of moonlight, unforgettable amethystine dusks, march of rains, bugle call of winds, blossoms of purple and stardust, mystery, music, magic. A month of laughter and dance and joy, of enchantment infinite." ~ L.M. Montegomery

Page 3 - Quotes from My Utmost for His Highest (I highly, highly recommend this daily devotion book.)

"Have I ever been carried away to do something for God not because it was my duty, not because it was useful, nor because there was anything beyond the fact that I love Him?"

"Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action."

Page 4 - List of Thoughts

• lists help me get things done
• I want to be a consumer of good things, but I also want to be a creator of good things.
• don't get bogged down by thinking about mistakes or shortcomings - get better at what you don't do well, work and discipline yourself so that you can improve!
• pray more.

Page 5 - Poem-diddy-poem quotes

"Though the sound overpowers
Sing again, with your clear voice revealing
A tone
Of some world far from ours
Where music and moonlight and feeling
Are one."
~ To Jane, Percy Bysshe Shelley

(by the way, Mr. Shelley, the place where music and moonlight and feeling are one? that's heaven.)

Page 6 - Names that are COOL

Rubye
Iluvia (Spanish word for "Rain"...technically not a name, but it would make a cool one!)
Sara Teasdale (poet. I am so stinkin' jealous of her last name)
Vera
Page (Like Paige, except without the i. could be an awesome middle name for an author's daughter. just saying.)
Gygory (This name reminds me of a Gargoyle.)

And don't worry, I'm not going name my kids anything weird. I just like interesting names! :)

Page 7 - English Assignment (a creative paragraph using a figure of speech)

The song sounded like a long, cool sip of lemonade. “Play it again,” the girl said. The boy bent his head and rubbed his calloused fingers across the strings. He strummed a rumbling brown chord that reminded the girl of an old glass jar filled with fireflies or a sticky bottle of root beer. The girl closed her eyes and tried to capture the tune like a photograph. As the last notes wafted through the air, the girl took in a long breath. “It sounded different this time,” she said. “Playing a song like that twice,” he said, “is like trying to iron a dream and tuck it neatly beside your socks in the dresser drawer.” The girl looked at the boy and smiled. “Play me another,” she said, and the boy did.


So do you guys ever get the urge to write anything out? Found any cool names or quotes? I'd lovelovelove it if you share 'em :)

in which i go to cupcake paradise [and come back again]

So, just in case you didn't know, I love cupcakes.

And, I mean, l.o.v.e. them. They definitely win the cutest dessert award, in my opinion. And the yummiest. Gack.

Anyways, we went to the Capitol today for a homeschool Future Statesmen program. It was...okay.
Yeah.

The best part came afterwards.

So I was riding along, la dee dah, going down a normal little street with nothing too terribly exciting on it. Yippee.

Then BAM.
We saw it.
The cutest little cupcake/coffee hangout you will ever see it.
It was so so so perfect.
The decor was vintagey and simple and colorful.
The menu was descriptive and super delicious looking.
The workers were wearing ADORABLE aprons. (Except for the guy. He was too cool for an apron.)
And the cupcakes.

well, they were divine.

Matched with an exceeeellent chai latte?
HAPPY KALEY.

They had the awesomest names. This was the Bangarang (chocolate with mocha icing).

Lemony Snicket (lemon with lemon buttercream)

Boom Boom Pow (vanilla bean with chocolate buttercream, sea salt, and caramel).

And sassafrass (red velvet with buttercream icing)

One of the many advantages to having a large family is when you go to a cupcake bakery, everybody gets a different one. And everybody shares.
Pretty good deal, right?

Cute, people, cute.

What a great buncha guys! <3

So there you have it. My brief venture into cupcake heaven. And boy, was it heavenly.

go here for the Cuppies and Joe website

even though it's now the day the after valentines day

I still wanna say that I LOVE YOU PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW MY BLOG. Cause I do!



*cough*

Should I really disgrace myself by saying I bought Justin Bieber nail polish? That I, in fact, paid eight stinkin' DOLLARS for it?

Oh well. It is cute!
(but totally not worth eight dollars. Psh.)

Do you know how many ADORABLE pictures there are out there?

Cause there are a lot. And I love lookin' at them.





That picture just gushes happiness.

This was my Valentines Day craft! It kind of was a flop, 'cause the glue kept sticking my fingers instead of to the kiss wrappers.

Heaaaaart!

You know what?
I'm so glad God loves me.

O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

Better than any love note <3

I'm Fla-Fla...

and he's flu-flu...



and we have fun.

(and very interesting conversations. Yesterday, he asked me if I had a beard.

I said no.

He then asked if Santa Claus has a beard.

I said yes.

...where does this come from?!)