[Crafts] Origami Bow Tie

Hello! So, as you may know, I love origami. I don't do it as often as I'd like (I blame work lazyness), but every now and then I'll get the itch to do something.

I was always intrigued by these figures made of paper. I had some books but I just could not get them. The instructions for me, even if it was with images and arrows as to which way to fold something, were always beyond me.

And then... YouTube. I realized that the only way I'll ever create an origami figure is by watching a tutorial. This way there is rarely room for error. You see when you have to turn the paper over, which way to fold, how to fold etc.

My last great project was an origami flower bouquet that I did for the daughter of a friend of my mom's who was getting married and is battling cancer.

This weekend I was tagged to an origami bow tie tutorial by my cousin. I couldn't resist the challenge so today I took a piece of wrapping paper, so I had a lovely pattern, and started folding. Let me tell you that folding wrapping paper is not easy. At least the one I had because it was pretty thick. But it turned out alright.

Here is a link to a tutorial. It's not the one I used since that one was on Facebook but the steps are the same. Enjoy!

Any favorite origami figures you'd like to share? 

[Book Review] Red Queen

Title: Red Queen (Goodreads)

Author: Victoria Aveyard (Go to her Blog)

Date Published: February 2015

Genre: YA, Dystopian, Fantasy 

Personal Review:

The Plot

Okay. The plot is pretty straightforward. There are two classes in this world: those with silver blood (Silvers) and those with red blood (Reds). Now the special thing about the Silvers is that they have all kinds of superpowers. You have Strongarms, who as the name suggests have super strength, Nymphs who control water, Whispers who can read your thoughts and control you, Magnetrons who control metal, and so on. 

Our main protagonist, Mare Borrow is a Red. Coming up on her 18th birthday and with no job she's going to get conscripted into the army, where she'll be sent to the front lines of a war between other kingdoms. She's a thief and she absolutely hates the Silvers who lord over them with an iron fist. One night, she tries to pickpocket the wrong person. She knows immediately this guys doesn't belong but for some reason he lets her go. The next day she gets summoned to the Silver's palace (which is their summer house), and is given a job as a servant, to her complete confusion. 

On her first day she'll witness what is known as the Queenstrial. The oldest daughters of the High Houses (basically royalty), will show their powers so the Prince can choose his future Queen. Mare is caught in the middle when the impossible happens.

Now, the King and Queen will have to hide her amongst them, pretending she is a lost Silver Princess and engaged to one of their sons. Hiding the fact she is a Red and trying not to get killed by the angry Princesses, she'll try to help the rising rebellion group known as the Scarlet Army. 

The only problem is, in a world with superpowers and uncertainty, anyone could betray her. 

No pressure girl. 

There is romance (of course there is romance), betrayal, mind games, violence and plain old heartbreak. 

Thing I Liked

It's funny how many different comparisons are being made to explain this book. On several websites, like Amazon, they say it's Graceling meets The Selection. I've read in some other places that it's more of a Hunger Games meets the X-men, although I don't really see any Hunger Games characteristics. Unless you count a people being oppressed by an elite (which most dystopians are so lets not automatically compare it with just one popular trilogy).

I still haven't gotten my hands on Graceling and The Selection is on my TBR list for next month, so I can't really comment on the first comparison. But I do know that in an interview with Aveyard she comments that the X-Men had a big influence on her. 

"I’ve always been a huge fan of the movies. I unfortunately never got into the comic books. I was such a Harry Potter freak so those I was just mainlining those at all times, but I was definitely inspired by the X-Men and it was a kick-starter. I thought, okay, 100 years into a war with people and superheroes, there’s no way they’re going to be running from the government. They’re going to be the government. If you have a mind controller, they’re not going to sit at home and twiddle their thumbs."  

(Complete Interview as Publisher Weekly) 

I think that's one of the things that really drew me in. I love superpowers and it's not usually a theme you see in books. 

Something that surprised me were the characters. I'm always very picky with them. I may love the plot, the complexities behind a world an author created and the writing styles, but if the characters disappoint me, all that goes out the window.

Especially when it comes to the main characters. There's been many YA series that I thought were incredible but were slightly ruined because I couldn't stand the main character. In this case though, I was very happy with Mare Barrow. She's a strong character, smart, resilient, quick witted and best of all, not prone to breaking down when things are tough. I liked most of her choices, her logic and her reactions toward certain events and people. 

The writing style was simple but elegant and very detailed, all traits I love. 

Things I Didn't Like

It's a small thing I suppose, but I thought there was very little detail as to what the deal is with this war young Reds get sent to. They mention battling against other Silvers, but for what? Why? Or maybe they do mention it but in my haste to see what happened next my mind just said 'screw it keep reading'.

The High Houses weren't explained in full. We know the names, their colors and their powers to a degree. But what else? Basically I just want a background check on everyone and a history lesson. 

Do I Recommend this Book?

Hell yes. I thought it was an ambitious book. There's a lot of fantasy in it and many people might not like it. Since I love fantasy, having powers, rebellions and mind games this books was my cup of tea. I finished it in two days!

Have you read the book? What's your take on Mare? 

[Book Wrap Up] September

September is over, we're on October 13th and I just took the time to grab the books read last month. They're just a few books this time, though the fault lies in health issues and binge watching Person of Interest. As you can see, this time the genres were all over the place. Mystery, romance, short stories and a slice of live short of book. I have written reviews for Death on the Nile and The Best of Me, the other two are still in the wind. Not sure if I'll write a review for them though, so no promises. 

A short summary on these books: 

Loved Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. I'm just discovering her work. I knew about her of course, but never felt the desire to read any of her books. Now I can't stop, though I'm getting my hands on them slowly. This is the fifth book I've read by her. The other four are: At Bertram's Hotel, Murder on the Orient Express, And Then There Were None and The ABC Murders. Can't wait to buy some more!

I was a bit disappointed with Nicholas Spark's The Best of Me. The plot had a lot of potential but I feel like it focused too much on what the two main characters are thinking the whole time. The ending was like a punch to the face though, and made me change my mind, if only because I'm a sucker for books that make you cry at the end. There was one thing I didn't like, but I won't spoil it for you.

Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro is a collection of short stories focusing on the theme of people and how music plays a role in their lives. It can be a mayor role or a small one. I found the stories simple but enjoyable, with a hint of melancholy. 

Last but not least, Matthew Thomas' first novel We Are Not Ourselves is a rollercoaster of emotions. You don't know whether to hate the characters, sympathize with them or just throw the book across the room. The story is centered around a woman and her life, from when she is a littler girl to when she was her own family. You'll find heartbreak, deaths, health issues and everyday problems. Even now I don't know how to feel about it. The style is simple, to the point and leaving you wanting to know more. 

Well, those were my reads for Septembers.

What about you? Have you read these? What did you think about them? 

[Book Haul] September!

I'm so excited! Getting English books is becoming increasingly easier here in Lima, Peru. Before, I had to content myself with ordering on amazon every now and then. Then I found a bookshop called SBS Librería Internacional - Special Book Services and was happy for a while. But during the July book fair, I found another awesome bookshop called CarolyLibros. Nearing the end of September I took a quick trip down to the shop, which is actually a house whose first floor was converted into a shop. Books, everywhere! All of them in English. I was in heaven. I didn't plan on buying so many, but I couldn't resist.

From top to bottom, I bought The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey because I've been hearing it's name everywhere and with the movie coming out I just have to read it before watching it. The plot is really alluring, with each wave of something (and I really wanna see that it is), chances of survival lower. 

Marie Lu's Legend trilogy (Legend, Prodigy and Champion) sounds awesome. In a dystopian world where the Republic is fighting against everyone else, two people from two extreme social classes will meet when the elite June's brother is killed, and Day, a known criminal is the prime suspect. Questions arise that will make June suspect her own government. 

Kiera Cass' The Selection series (this boxset comes with The Selection, The Elite, The One and The Heir). Basically 35 girls are going to compete for the Prince's hand. America hates that she got selected. She already has her eye on someone and doesn't want anything to do with a stupid crown. You go girl. Of course, things will start to change when she meets the prince. I'm not going to lie, the first thing that went through my head when I heard about this series was that it was going to be a strange mix of Cinderella, the Hunger Games and America's Next Top Model, which prompted the image of girls in dresses cat fighting. I found it hilarious. We shall see how it turns out. 

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver. Two sisters, Dara and Nick, become estranged after an accident leaves Dara's face scarred. But she goes missing alongside another girl, Nick is convinced there is a connection and strives to find her sister. How? No idea, I'll have to read it to find out.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I was really interested in this book since it started appearing on everyone's TBR list. I was a bit skeptical at first, but the summary sounds promising. Two classes of people, the Reds (commoners) and the Silvers (the Elite). Mare Borrow hates them, but there appears to be more than meets the eye with her and she's taken in by the Silvers, declared a lost princess, and engaged to the prince, Mare has to survive and find out the truth. Oh, and help the Red rebellion group that wants to bring down the Silver regime. Who doesn't love a good Revolution?

And last but not least, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. Rachel takes the same train every day and always sees the same couple, giving them names and a life of their own in her head. It sounds like the perfect unchanging monotonous life. Until she sees something. Something apparently shocking, which makes her go running to the police. However, now her life is linked in the case and she no longer knows if she did the right thing. What is this shocking thing she saw? I must know! 

Anyway, I don't know when I'll start with these beauties, I'm still finishing a book I started in September: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. 

Will post my September Wrap Up later today or tomorrow. Been busy binge watching Person of Interest. I swear, this series... will write a post on it soon.

Any recommendations on which book to start first? Any new books you guys bought you'd like to recommend for future buys?