The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Let's be honest, this book is a little too long.  It's around 500 pages.  That's more than half the bible!  Oh well, the story is important.  I love the fact that everyone had two sides.  Some you can see more than others, but nevertheless, two. 
If I were Skeeter, I'd be depressed about Stuart.  Number one, there doesn't seem to be any chemistry.  The only reason there was something going on is that Skeeter had a low self-esteem and she couldn't believe that someone as "popular" as Stuart would have a thing for her.  However, Stuart needed a rebound.  So, I'm glad they didn't end up together---she deserved someone better.
If I were Aibileen, and while I got threatened by Hilly for stealing, I'd confront Elizabeth and say she's a coward, always listening to Hilly.  Doesn't she have a mind of her own?
Then, there's the strong but soft Minny.  I don't know how to be in her place.  If someone was to physically abuse me, I wouldn't stay with them. 
All my answers are obvious and simple, but life just isn't that case.
Did anyone see the movie?  I did, and I loved it.  Stuart was really handsome!  I couldn't believe it was Piz from Veronica Mars.  He looks way better with short hair =)
EssSee♥

Stories I Only Tell My Friends By Rob Lowe

Every chapter of this book drew me in.  The name dropping and the art of destiny were what sparkled in the book.  As an average person who gossip about celebrities (pathetically), I care how these people suddenly blow up in fame.  And Rob Lowe's autobiography told his story and how it was all in the stars.  It was so great to read how he met Sean Penn and the Sheens.  The intro on The Outsiders was spectacular because the snippets of Patrick Swayze made me want to cry.  I miss that guy.
Rob's struggles in life such as partying too hard was inexcusable.  He knows it too but he somehow excused himself from his mistakes.  When reading his reasons of bad choices, I was first annoyed but I understood this human condition.  We can't always remind ourselves of how much a screw up we are.  If we do, we would never move on, have a new start and make good choices.  Though I felt Rob did not really take blame for the things he done, he did accept the consequences and I think God noticed.  Rob's blessed life is a result of how he worked on redeeming himself.
I suggest everyone to read this book.  It was a quick read and makes you take a look of the whole picture.
♥EssSee

Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell

After reading this, I wished I was Carrie Bradshaw.  Though before, I liked Charlotte and Samantha's characters better, Carrie's eccentricity pulled me in.  I definitely identified  with her personality and story the most.
I would have dumped that small town friend who visited.  Who does she think she is?
Donna LaDonna reminds me of someone I know.  This is the person I would also be polite to and pity her.
And yes, I'd probably be obsessed with Bernard also.  Don't lie, every women liked an older man before.  And acted stupid before.  Or that's just me?
Wasn't it obvious there was going to be something between Capote and Carrie?  Jerks are always like that.  Or we think they are.  If a guy really likes a girl, he wouldn't be a jerk.
There is not much to say about this book since it doesn't exactly have a lesson lol.
I watched The Shawshank Redemption recently, and that is something I recommend.
♥EssSee

Bossypants by Tina Fey

This was a A- autobiography. In the beginning, I found a sense of who Tina Fey is with her opinions on beauty and how rude people can be.  It was pretty funny and smart.  However, when she started going in depth in her life, I got bored.  The story about her honeymoon gave me a yawn.  Apparently, they went into danger on a cruise or something but it didn't seem dramatic enough.  I mean, there's no reason to embellish the story but since it was not entertaining, it shouldn't have been mentioned at all.
Her dad sounds scary. I can absolutely relate.
I can agree that Disney princesses makes girls weak.  I still love them but really, no girl should wait for prince charming to save them.  It's pathetic.
I love gay people too but I don't know many.  Wish I did.  And yes, they deserve same rights as straight people do.
That's pretty much all I can say about this book.  On to the next one!
EssSee♥

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

I read this book when I was 15.  Or 14, I don't really remember.  Anyhow, in school, I took a creative writing class and we had to study an author and book for a cumulative project.  I chose Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin because it is a book that defied by beliefs and it gave me a leeway to feel anger and jealousy.  I'm gonna be honest, I've always been in the shadows.  As much as that sounds pathetic and I should really get over myself (I can hear a whisper already on how I crave attention), I still feel these things.  Growing up, there was always someone people compare me to.  In my entire life, I felt as if I was competing with someone and I always lost.  Like Rachel, she was somehow always compared to Darcy.  And it seemed like she always lost too.  While reading this book, I didn't pity Rachel, I understood where she was coming from.  Thus, in the end, I accepted her immoral act though it was unrealistic that it seemed for her to get such a great guy.  From my observation, I never see someone that perfect like Dex to end up with with someone a bit down to earth and a little chubby like Rachel.  We all know those guys seek Darcys and ends with Darcys.  Sad.
Well, I didn't expect to give all this mumble jumble on my feelings.  I just wanted to post my cumulative project here because I liked what I wrote (even though my teacher didn't) and delete if off my computer (my computer is getting slow lately).

Emily Giffin’s Profile

By EssSee

            Emily Giffin is an author who topped Best Seller’s lists.  Her books have done so well leading one made into a movie, “Something Borrowed”.  These accomplishments did not come so easily.  Emily worked her way into becoming a writer and a good one too.  First, a writer needs passion and Emily had it since childhood.  “The Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett influenced her goal to become an author.  Growing up, Emily practiced in a journal, also writing stories and poems.  (Rachelle Hruska)  (emilygiffin.com)  However, the constant writing did not lead her to a writing career immediately.  Emily unhappily practiced law for years and decided to quit.  She then followed her dreams and became a writer.  She moved to London to write her first novel and was determined to complete it in a year.  After the first book was published, deadlines were given to her from her publisher.  (Rachelle Hruska)  They were usually around a year and Emily finished her pieces on time.  (Cindy)  This hard work takes discipline since being an author isn’t “a nine to five” job.  Emily writes four to five hours every day with two days off per week.  (Katie Hahn)  She usually writes in chapters and edits them before starting the next one.  (Rachelle Hruska)

            Emily starts her books with some knowledge of how they will turn out.  She likes to write stories that women in their twenties can relate to.  (Rachelle Hruska)  Her novels touch sensitive themes such as poisonous female friendships, cheating, forgiveness, taking chances and much more.  (Elizabeth Tucker, pg 1)  All her published work so far has been written in first person, with some of Emily’s personal experiences.  This way, Emily could fully express the characters and understand them.  (Heather Chaet)  Then, her characters are fully developed and real.  (Cindy)  Emily likes to place her characters into difficult situations and drive the plot with relationships.  (Elizabeth Tucker, pg 1)  Dialogues would be particularly important and thankfully, Emily enjoys writing them because they come naturally to her.  Though Emily has a natural talent with words, she believes that her success is from persistent of wanting to be an author.  (Rachelle Hruska)  Now, she wants to write screenplays and is collaborating on one with a friend.  It has been a good experience for Emily Giffin so far.  (Heather Cheat)

Work Cited

Chaet, Heather.  “HEART TO HEART.”  New York Family.  19 Nov 2010.  25 April 2011 

Cindy.  Emily Giffin, Something Borrowed & Something Blue.  19 May 2006.  Conversations w/

Famous Writers.  25 April 2011

borrowed.html>

“faq.”  Emily Giffin.  2010.  25 April 2011 < http://www.emilygiffin.com/author_timeline.php>

Hahn, Katie.  “Q&A With Emily Giffin.”  Emily giffin.  25 April 2011  <

http://www.emilygiffin.com/press/051026TheState.html>

Hruska, Rachelle.  “Interview With NY Times Best Selling Author Emily Giffin.”  Guest of a

Guest. 16 Jun 2008.  25 April 2011

emily-giffin/>

“timeline.”  Emily Giffin.  2010.  25 April 2011 <

http://www.emilygiffin.com/author_timeline.php>

 Tucker, Elizabeth.  “Author Emily Giffin Gets to the Heart of the Matter.”  Alivemag.  10 Jun

2010: 1.  25 April 2011 

<http://www.alivemag.com/people/sub_people_article.cfm?ref=230&ref2=4&story=Author-Emily-Giffin-Gets-to-the-Heart-of-the-Matter>
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Something Borrowed Journal Response on Content

By EssSee

                     Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin is a novel that explores topics close to home.  It is about a thirty year old woman, Rachel, who sleeps with her best friend’s fiancé, Dexter, while drunk.  Other than this situation, almost every female can relate to Rachel.  Though she did commit a frowned upon act, she tried to justify it by thinking of all the times her best friend, Darcy, wasn’t being a good person.  For example, when they were kids, Darcy seduced Rachel’s crush, Ethan, knowing that Rachel liked him for a long time.  Rachel’s opinion on it is, “Perhaps she [Darcy] did it because she really did change her mind about him [that she suddenly liked him]; that’s what I told myself so I would stop hating her.  But more likely Darcy took Ethan just to show me that she could.” (Emily Giffin, pg 21)  Rachel’s self justification exposes their love and hate relationship.  Let’s be honest, everyone experienced or will experience this type of relationship at some point in their life.  It can be with a companion, sibling, parent or like this story, a friend.  These relationships form from an unexplainable bond with a negative undertone to it such as secret competitions between two people.  This aspect of the story is particularly intriguing since its taboo to admit you have a friend that you resent.  Who really likes to admit they want to be better looking, smarter, and richer than their best friend?

Another component of Something Borrowed that’s relatable is the characters.  Rachel is the cookie cutter good girl.  She, “got straight As in high school, went to college, graduated, magna cum laude, took the LSAT, went straight to law school and to a big law firm after that.”  (Emily Giffin, pg 6) Darcy is the gal everyone knows of.  She is the confident party girl and she needs all the attention.  Needless to say, every female out there can recognize a Darcy.  You either love or hate her.  She can be annoying when she is desperately screaming for attention or appreciated when she stands up to a mean girl for you.  In the end, a person is not about one thing.  Humans are made up of the good (Rachel) and the “bad” (Darcy) so both characters may bring out a side of the reader.

The most enjoyable development in the story is Rachel’s process of self-discovery as she needs to choose between self-fulfillment by pursuing potential true love or loyalty to a friend.  Both of these choices have high stakes and as she leans onto an unexpected side, Rachel discovers a more confident self.  In Rachel’s words, “I find myself talking in the girly, whiny way that Darcy has perfected,” (Emily Giffin, pg 48).  During Rachel’s journey of figuring things out, the suspense grows when there is more of an understanding of grey in a world that we like to keep black and white. 

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Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin Journal Response On Style

By EssSee

           Based on Emily Giffin’s Something Borrowed, her goals of writing seems to be to tease readers’ morals.  The story starts with juxtaposition between the two characters, Rachel and Darcy.  For example, “Darcy had double-pierced ears and a sibling—even if it was just a brother, it was better than being an only child as I was.”  (Emily Giffin, pg 1)There is a tone of resentment and jealousy.  Having the juxtaposition created from the start, sides are established immediately for the readers to choose.  Setting aside the fact that Darcy is a victim of betrayal, Giffin develops Darcy’s character into someone we should dislike.  She uses the technique of showing what others think about her.  As Darcy was dancing on a bar, it is commented that Dexter can’t “decide whether to be amused or annoyed”. (Emily Giffin, pg 7)  In addition, negative denotations are used to describe Darcy such as disdainful.  (Emily Giffin, pg 5) 

          Emily uses other strategies to develop her characters.  She gives examples to prove who they are.  Ethan is depicted as a man who didn’t change from when he was a child by having the “cherub cheeks that turn pink in the cold” that also did the same in fifth grade. (Emily Giffin, pg 92)  In addition, providing examples avoid characters from being flat.  Rachel is the best executed character since the book is written in first person as her.  Thus, the language in the book is the way she would speak if she spoke all the time and freely.  At times, repetition occurs and it gives an idea of Rachel’s level of emotion.  For instance, she declares, “I avoid him when he is alone, avoid him when he is with Darcy.  Avoid dwelling on him and the Incident.” (Emily Giffin, pg 82)  This shows the extent of her fear on confronting her feelings.  Repetition also gives the character a voice because it’s realistic to repeat something that’s bothering you. 

Emily uses allusions and analogies to give the story line dimension.  Once, allusion set the time of the story line and defined the target audience.  When Rachel was thinking back of a boy from childhood, she states that she “appreciated his blond hair that reminded us of Bo Duke.” (Emily Giffin, pg19)  Not everyone knows who Bo Duke is.  However, if someone was immersed in pop culture during the 1980s, they would.  Allusion also amplifies Rachel’s situation by comparing it to The Scarlet Letter, sharpening the drama.  (Emily Giffin, pg 42)  In Something Borrowed, one of the analogies gives the reader an opportunity to fully grasp a certain feeling.  When Rachel revisited the night she hooked up with Dexter, she compares it with “the photographs of ex-boyfriends that you desperately want to throw away, but you can’t bring yourself to get rid of them.  So instead, you store them in an old shoe box, in the back of your closet, figuring that it doesn’t have to hurt to save them.  Just in case you want to open that box and remember some of the good times”. (Emily Giffin, pg 39)  Analogy also speaks for Rachel’s attitude towards Darcy without having to state it directly.  When Rachel answered, “‘We’ll see,’ I say, as a mother tells a child so that the child will drop the topic” to Darcy’s question, it boldly reveals how Rachel perceives Darcy to be somewhat childish.  (Emily Giffin, pg 41)  Emily Giffin writes complex situations using techniques that would give her work as much life as possible since there is nothing more intricate than life itself.
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Yup, so that's my project.  Hope you don't find it so boring that you yawned.

♥ EssSee

PS.  I'm thinking to move my fashion blog onto tumblr or just take it down. Web design is so complicated.  I'm pondering the idea of making hard copies for my fashion articles.  Uggh, I can't find a legit Photoshop program to download and I don't have $$$ to buy it lol. HELP!

Crush by Ellen Conford

Well hello empty blog.  I haven't been here for awhile because of being tres busy.  Whatever about my life, here's a book I bought for 10 cents from the library.  It's targeted for preteen but I read it anyway because having a crush feels so fun.

I give this book an  8/10.  It has little short stories about crushes.  There's this hilarious one about a guy who was dating a girl who scammed people's money.  And there was another one about wishes of finding love coming true.  This book was 10/10 cheesy but it made me smile.  I think it would make you smile too.  In this day and age, we fall in love and out of it.  It's very bittersweet and we forget the simple innocence to it.  From this book, I found that and I need hold on to the bright side of things.

I recommend this book 100 %.  Have fun!

EssSee♥

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Hi guys!  I can't believe it took me this long to finish this book.  Life is very busy this year and it has prevented me from reading.  Anyhow, let's get on with it!

The book started in a funny tone.  I loved Rob's character at first and I wondered why Laura dumped him.  Like how can she?  He was pretty amazing.  Then I found out.  He cheated on her, borrowed her money and got her pregnant which she aborted.  They end up back together at the end of the book.  Sorry for the spoiler.  This book was eye opening I guess.  It really made me think how much more stupid men are LOL.  Laura could have done better.  This book had too many thoughts....like Twilight.  Of course this book is way better than Twilight but I can't read people's thoughts that are five pages long and they are all depressing.  Diary of Anne Frank was understandable but this???  And Anne wasn't even a depressing girl.
I don't have much to say about this book because the beginning and middle are such a blur to me (I stopped reading at end of January and started like a few days ago).

I decided to read One Flew Over The Cuckoo's nest by Ken Kesey next but I doubt I will.  My next entry will be expected in the summer.

I think I will post my first entry in my fashion blog.  Would you like to check that out?  essfashion.blogspot.com
I know, I need a better name....

EssSee<3

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Hi guys!  Happy New Year!  Hope everyone spent celebrating the countdown with people they care about.  I wish everyone a 2011 that is listed as a best of times soon!  =)  So, I reflected on 2010 and though I feel like I spent it without getting anything accomplished, I actually did but just had a great time doing so.  People connote achievements with hard work and I'm not saying that's false but it definitely is a variable. If you are enjoying what you do, it can feel like a breeze.  I do consider EssSee's book club an achievement because I committed to it.  Commitment isn't an easy thing for everyone.  Though I know that my audience is practically no one, I stuck to this blog because I love books and just talking/ writing about them.  Nothing beats passion.  And you know what else I realized?  It's pretty impossible for me to read 100 books in a year.  Sure, when I was 8 years old, I can do that but with school and everything else.  It's impossible! 

Okay, here's the good stuff:  This book doesn't have a story line.  It's a report on subjects that seem like they have no relation but have a strong correlation.  This book was recommended to me by two people and at first, I didn't think I was going to go near it.  I'm not a person that likes to read about facts and stuff but it turned out really interesting.  I especially like a part about names affecting lives and what real estate agents and sumo wrestlers have in common.  I suggest that if you are going to read this book, you should be awake.  I usually read for 30 minutes to 1 hour before I sleep and by then, I'm tired already.  I think this book deserves a great applause because even thought the topics didn't seem interesting at first, the writers certainly made it so.  Good job to the Stev(ph)ens. hahaha.

EssSee

PS. I'm reading High Fidelity by Nick Hornby at the moment.