Lately I've been on some sort of reading marathon in an effort to forget my problems for a little while- escape into the world of murder mysteries or the euphoric lands of unicorns and faeries or even dive down to the underworld to explore unknown regions with dark haired, blue eyed vamps who don't know when I attatch myself to their shadow as they fight a werewolf.
I seem to be on a muder mystery trend right now, reading the Cat Who books. I just emerged from the world of Orson Scott Card- and I thouroughly enjoyed Seventh Son and Red Prophet. I find he writes with a certain humor that makes me giggle out loud in class- and not many books can do that. They might get a smile out of me, but it is a talented writer that can make me laugh.
My latest book, one in the aforementioned The Cat Who series -The Cat Who Turned On and Off- is particularly interesting. I enjoy trying to solve the case before Qwill does, and I might have the answer. I've learned, in watching crime shows and reading books, that the most likely suspect is usually not the guy that did it, even when all evidence points to him/her. Innocent until proven guilty!
Qwill's cats are my favorite animals in any story so far- KoKo and Yum Yum are two siamese cats who are smarter than your average housecat. And, of course, as normal cats, you cannot own them. As Qwill so perfectly puts it: "No one can ever own a cat. You share a common habitation on a basis of equal rights and mutual respect...although somehow the cat always comes out ahead of the deal." (Page 128, paragraph 5)
Its so true!! The way cat's arch their backs, and look down on you no matter what you do. And you always seem to be on their schedule.
A few months ago, I was priveledged to be able to borrow the most remarkable Holocaust book, The Book Theif. This has definetly got to be the most astounding and intellectual book written about the Holocaust that I have ever read. It is written from the perspective of a Hitler Youth member, a Jew, and two conflicted parents. The interesting twist on this, however, is that it is narrated by Death himself. The glorious, terrifying, wonderful moster that all life fears but has no reason to, tells this story of love, loss, and lessons in forgiveness. However, contrary to what it sounds like, this book is not morbid at all.
It's one of those books where you look up after finishing and you wonder how the rest of the world can go on normally. It has the habit of sneaking into your dreams at night and you feel what every character feels. The desperate hope of freedom, of safety, and the horror of dangers.
Once you are finished with that book, come back here and let me know if you can live your life like a normal person.

"When I was a kid
I had a friend.
He scared me, often,
And I never knew how much
I loved him.
How much
I'd miss him.
His name was
The Boogey Man.
He was the monster under
My bed.
He smiled at me, but
I thought it was
A sneer.
He frightened me and often
I dove for
Safety
Under my covers.
And then I
Grew up.
Sadly.
The Boogey Man
Cried,
The day that I looked
Him straight in the eye
Without
A
Flinch.
You see, even
Though it hurt him
When I was afraid,
At least it was
Some form of
Acknowledgement
For the lonely soul.
But now I was
Gone.
The little girl
That hugged stuffed
Animals,
Couldn't sleep without them,
Was
Gone.
And The Boogey Man,
The wise
Boogey Man,
Knew
It was
A
Very
Bad
Thing.
The Boogey Man knew
That if she grew up
This
Fast
That she would not
Be ready
For his cousins,
Life
And
Hell.
They were cruel
And showed no mercy
To anyone
Young
Old
Innocent.
But The Boogey Man,
The kind
Boogey Man
Knew
That even though
She had been afraid
Of him
She probably wasn't now.
So
He visited.
Sometimes every night
Sometimes once
A month.
But always
When she
Needed
Him.
When she was sad
He would stand
By her bed
When she was
Worried
Or
Stressed
He would sit
Quietly on the floor
Or play
Peek-a-boo
From under the bed (his old haunt during her innocence)
She couldn't always
See him
But she knew
That he was
There.
And the knowing...
It was enough.
It was enough
That someone,
Even an
Invisible
Childhood Terror
Cared enough
To
Try
To take her
Back
To childhood
Even if for a day."