Warlock is now available!

Book 2 in my Dad's epic series is now available! 

http://www.amazon.com/Warlock-War-Chronicles-Sean-Golden-ebook/dp/B016C3KTUO/ref=la_B00SQU3A1C_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444353859&sr=1-2

“The evil Groln Empire invasion has accelerated. Cities and nations of the Free Countries are falling into destruction and ruin. Lirak and his new-found warlock powers are their only hope. But just as Lirak begins to master sorcery, a new threat emerges, one that sends the gods themselves into fear and confusion. Lirak will need more than sorcery to save his world this time.”

Read my book review here: 

http://moderndaybookshelf.blogspot.com/2015/10/warlock-by-sean-golden.html

The War Chronicles has a new cover template, and cover art. 

My Dad also dedicated this book to my uncle and his brother Huey Golden. 

He would have loved this book. 

The story starts here with Warrior: 

http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-The-War-Chronicles-I-ebook/dp/B00SGCWXYU

An epic act in an epic series! 

Happy Birthday Harry Potter and JK Rowling!

Today is a special day in literary history. It is JK Rowling's birthday, and Harry Potter's birthday!

Harry Potter holds a special place in my heart. As I read the books, I grew up with Harry, and I shared his adventures with my father. Ron was my spirit animal, Hermione was my role model, and Hogwarts was always there when I wanted to read about magic, adventure and heroism. 

Not only did Harry Potter's story inspire me, but the story of JK Rowling herself. She began writing Harry Potter during a very difficult time in her life, when she wasn't sure how long her next paycheck would last, but she never gave up on her story, and once it was published, it became a source of inspiration around the world. 

I was part of the generation that was the same age as Harry when the first book came out, and I remember the day I first saw it at the school library, sitting on a display of many other fantasy books. I picked it up, read the back, and then I couldn't put it down. I showed the book to Dad that very day, and he had finished it the next day. After that, we bought the book, and waiting for the next one became an event. 

Dad would read them first, because he was a faster reader than I was, and then we would talk about the books when I finished reading them.

The second book was one of the scariest for me because of the giant spiders!

The third book was one of my favorites, and Sirus Black and Professor Lupin were my favorite characters. 

I remember Dad warning me not to read the fourth book at night while we were on a hike in the mountains, but of course I did anyway, because the story was so intriguing, and Harry was so brave.

The fifth book made me cry, and I remember having to put the book down for a moment in tribute to a great character.  

The sixth book was the most difficult to read when Dumbledore told Harry something that was impossible until it happened. 

There was only one book that I didn't discuss with my Dad right after I read it. I was at the Disney College Program when the last book came out, and during my day off, I found a nice park and read the book for the whole day. As I read, I thought of home, and for awhile Disney became Hogwarts in my imagination.

I was able to talk to my Dad about it on the way back from the program, and I remember feeling sad that it was over. 

But the movies kept coming out, so Hogwarts was not truly gone, and even then I knew that all stories must end, and I had to find a new series to read. Still, Harry Potter remains a very significant part of my childhood, and I enjoyed talking with my Dad about what would happen next, and how Harry would defeat Lord Voldemort. 

Once the news announced just how Harry Potter was published, I became determined to publish my own epic story, and now JK Rowling is on my list of role model authors. I later learned that she was inspired to write through the works of C.S. Lewis and JRR Tolkien: two amazing authors with epic stories to their names. 

JK Rowling is an amazing writer, and one day I would like to meet her, shake her hand and thank her for creating a magical, powerful story that can be read and enjoyed by all ages. 

Happy Birthday JK Rowling. 

Happy Birthday Harry Potter. 

Thank you for the magic. 

A Peace of Mind

I found a really cool book cafe in Chuncheon ^_^

More info here: 

http://worldbooktravel.blogspot.kr/2015/01/a-peace-of-mind.html

This place reminds me of The Tattered Cover, because it has such a cozy atmosphere, and it has some cool books from around the world. An awesome find!

My Ideal Bookshelf

So Tattered Cover sells this book called My Ideal Bookshelf by Thessaly La Force, and I came across it yesterday.

This is a coffee table book where well known authors, designers, movie producers, poets, doctors, and so on select the books that represent who they are. It's a cool assignment, and this is how it works:

"Select a small shelf of books that represent you - the books that have changed your life, that have made you who you are today, your favorite favorites." 

So this is my book shelf: 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle by CLAMP

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

City of Masks by Mary Hoffman

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeline L'engle

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

StarDust by Neil Gaiman

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien

Best-Loved Folktales of the World by Joanna Cole

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Dune by Frank Herbert

Mara Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw 

A Walk to Remember by Nicolas Sparks

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Mattimeo by Brian Jacques

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'engle

Beastly by Alex Flinn

What's on your bookshelf? 

Books that I would recommend to anyone, no matter what

There are no classics in this list. I will make a separate list for classics later.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I recommend this book at least once a day at work. It's my favorite YA novel and I agree that once you read it, you look at life differently. It's not a predictable book either, and it's the best slice of life novel that I've read in a long time.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

In my opinion, this book is a charming coming of age and adventure story.  The voice in this novel reminds me of Jane Austen. 

Dune by Frank Herbert

This novel is a must read! People aren't joking when they call this the best SciFi novel of all time. The story has layers, and it's deeper than it appears to be.

Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie

This book is another philosophical reflection in disguise. The story also revolves around the marvel of stories and how powerful they can be.

A Walk to Remember by Nicolas Sparks

This story is an amazing tale, not only about love, but about the choices you make without even noticing. Landon's voice rings true and his honesty makes this book even more refreshing.

Harry Potter by JK Rowling

This story grows with you, and appears to be a celebration of myth and folklore. Whether or not you read children's literature, Harry Potter is a timeless tale.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

This story is intense, but I think that it's an important statement about how the world works, what power can do, and how life changes you.

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

No matter how old you are, The Hobbit is an adventure story that is structured like the great myths and legends in history. Bilbo's journey from a Hobbit to a hero is another timeless story that you can enjoy no matter how old you are.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

A psychological tale of the way life is. This novel is another story that is deeper than it appears to be. The boy's journey is a reflection of your own journey.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

This story is a wonderful example of a layered tale. The book follows three different generations, and ties them together with one book of fairytales.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

This series is underrated. Percy is not only an entertaining narrator. He is also a wonderful character who faces many difficult obstacles and struggles to discover who he is. As his battles become more epic, and as he grows from a sarcastic kid into a true hero, (no pun intended) Percy learns important lessons in life.

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

I don't care if you hate anime or if you've never even heard of a manga. Fruits Basket is the best slice of life tale that I have ever read. Every single character has a story that is believable and relatable, and the series itself has its own unique charm. Of all the books I read growing up in middle school and high school, Fruits Basket was the one that changed my life for good.

Full Metal Alchemist

Again, if you judge this story by its format, then you are missing out. Full Metal Alchemist is a philosophical journey that reflects on the human race. There is so much to learn from this series, about fear, power, culture and countries.

Book Challenge Day 12: A book you used to love but don't anymore

Eragon or the Inheritence Cycle by Christopher Paolini

I used to love reading this series. With Paolini being published at age fourteen, it gave me hope that my stories might amount to something one day. I currently own all of the books in this series, but I was disappointed in the ending, and the note in the last book, and I feel like I can't read them anymore. It may not be fair of me to say that I can't believe an author would fall out of love with their own story. I understand that there is a lot of pressure to release novels, eventhough I have yet to experience that myself, but I am sad whenever I see this series. To hear Paolini's account of the journey he went on while writting these novels, it seems he became sick of his own story, and that, as a fellow writer, leaves a bad taste in my mouth. 

I think of Tolkien, who even when he was pressured and bribed to write more of The Lord of the Rings told the world he wouldn't write anymore. He knew the story was finished. J.K. Rowling said something along those lines about the Harry Potter series as well. 

So even though I enjoyed reading Eragon and followed the protagonist through the entire story, I don't believe I'll be able to read it again. The fact that the author became burdened by this story makes me feel sorry for both the author, and the story itself. 

Book Challenge Day 9: A book you thought you wouldn't like, but ended up loving

Snow-walker by Catherine Fisher

I picked this book up on a whim, and ended up loving it on the spot. It's filled with Norse mythology and reminds me of East of the Sun, west of the moon. Kari is probably my favorite character, because he is a snow-walker, and the ice prince of the north. What I loved about this book was the adventure. The main character Jessa was a strong, brave and resourceful girl who accepted Kari for who he was, and taught the people of the north to trust the Jarl, or ie people, again. Not only was the story unique, but the characters were amusing, and the events were a mix of action and comedy, with some mystery thrown in for good measure. This book inspired my own tale of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. 

Book Challenge Day 8: Most overrated book

The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks

I'll begin by saying that this is my opinion, and it relates to the novel. I will add that the movie had its moments, but it was too sappy for me at times. (Yes a Disney fan said that. But for the record, Disney isn't sappy to me.)

The novel is very different from the movie. It begins way after Highschool, when Allie has to make her choice on who she's going to marry, and she runs into Noah again. 

I just didn't understand the story of this novel. I did feel bad for Allie's loss of memory, but when I turned to the last page, my reaction was "really?" 

I just felt like the story was trying too hard to get my attention, and it miserably failed. Yes, I read the book, but in my opinion, this book was nothing compared to A Walk to Remember (probably my favorite novel by Nicolas Sparks, possibly ever) and it really felt sappy and way too emotional for me to believe the story at times. 

It might have been the way it was written, but I just didn't understand what the big deal was about it. It was more of a soap opera than an actual story. 

Book Challenge Day 7: Most underrated book

Mara Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Javis McGraw

I read this book in middle school, and it is on my reread list. I'm surprised that it isn't very popular, and it's not found in most bookstores these days. I feel like this book could inspire an amazing film. The Egyptian history, spirited heroine and mysterious love interest make this story charming, but the double spy story and the politics make this novel interesting. Mara is a great protagonist and her allies and enemies depend on which path she chooses to follow in the end. All of Egypt lies in the hands of a slave girl from Menfe, transformed into an interpreter and double spy for the two political parties of Egypt. Who claims the throne will depend on who Mara decides to work for in the end. 

If this book had more recognition, I feel like it would be an instant classic and a wonderful film. 

Book Challenge Day 6: A book that makes you sad

I have read many bittersweet stories, but the one that hits me the most is Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie.

 I have always been a kid at heart, and a fan of Peter and Wendy. 

It's not only sad that Peter doesn't go with Wendy, but also that he forgets her. That forgetfulness becomes an emptiness, and Peter becomes a wanderer.

Another scene that makes me sad is when Peter returns to take Wendy's daughter away. The realization that Peter feels betrayed by Wendy growing up strikes a chord in my heart, and I pity him. No matter how much Wendy tries to explain the world to him, Peter Pan refuses to be a part of the world. Instead he remains alone, with only fading memories to comfort him. He even forgets Tinker Bell, and that moment makes him truly helpless.

For some reason the fact that Peter is frozen in childhood makes this story magical and bittersweet. Forgetting people and always craving a place to belong, Peter goes from adventure to adventure, but he can't use the wisdom that comes with looking back on the past. He is made of the present, fleeting and fragile. He is a lonely character, and a tragic hero. 

I still love Peter Pan as a novel, play and wonderful tale, but the ending of this story always makes me sad. I feel sorry for Peter, and Wendy. 

Book Challenge Day 5: A book that makes you happy

Whenever I feel down, or upset, there are two books I usually turn to. One of them is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, and the other is Penelope by Marilyn Kaye. 

Not only do I love the story of someone breaking free of negativity and low self esteem, I love the fact that the character breaks their own curse and rises above their misery. 

Resse Witherspoon has a powerful introduction to this story. She says, "I've been all over the world and met so many people, and I've come to discover that each and every one of us has insecurities. Young or old, short or tall, we all have something we wish we could change about ourselves. Sometimes we let those insecurities define who we are and get in the way of all the great things we could accomplish. Penelope teaches us to rise above our fears, to embrace the things that make us unique, and to celebrate our individuality."

Long before I read Penelope, I already knew that I had a curse. My negative attitude haunted me, and yes it still does at times. I have this curse of being terrified when anything good happens. I always expect something horrible to follow, and I literally wait until it does. I have never been an optimist on so many levels. 

Just like going to Disney, I feel so thankful that I decided to pick up this book, just before Borders went out of business, and give it a try. Even though I had long given up on the possibility of things actually working out in real life. 

This book opened my eyes, and I read it as a reminder to hope and believe in something more. Something happy, real and true. Penelope was the story that finally convinced me to pursue my dreams, and it taught me that breaking free from the past is not a bad thing. 

Penelope does the unthinkable in her own fairytale. She breaks her own curse! She doesn't wait around for Prince Charming. She stops listening to the negative words that surround her and decides to go out into the world and discover who she wants to be. She becomes her own hero, and once she breaks away from the curse, nothing can stop her from living the life she's always wanted!

So whenever I feel down, depressed, angry or frustrated with life, I read this book to remind myself that the only one preventing me from my own happiness is me. 

If I take the leap, brave the unknown and start to actually believe I'm capable of good things, maybe even that I do deserve to be happy, I can become the hero in my own story. I can, and will break my own curse.

Book Challenge Day 4: Favorite Book of Your Favorite Series

Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark

I love the first two books of this series, but the first one is my favorite. I loved the Stonecutter's Tale, the spooky rides after dark and the creepy rhymes of Maleficent. When I first discovered this book, I had returned from the Disney College Program, and I missed the atmosphere of the Disney Parks and all that they stood for. I picked this book up, and I was back in my second home. The epic battle of good and evil, the diseny trivia, and the endearing characters made this book a favorite on my book shelf and a reread every year or half year since. When I go back to the parks, I will look for the Kingdom Keepers quests and imagine that five kids saved the park from Malificent and saved the world with The Stonecutter's Quil. 

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones movie review

It's been a while since I read the books in this series, but watching the movie refreshed my memory on the major events and story. As a whole, I enjoyed this movie, and recommend it to fans of the book series by Cassandra Clare. It will probably be confusing for people who haven't read the books, but there is plenty of humor and action to make the movie enjoyable for movie only goers. 

In terms of similarity to the book, this movie did a great job staying true to the spirit of the story, complicated characters and the epic quest Clary takes on. Some of the background history wasn't explained that might or might not have mattered to the film's story. The history of the Clave is talked about briefly, but the mechanics of the institution were not as clear. For instance, they never explained the witch light, or the pacts that the Clave made with downworlders that shouldn't be broken. A sequence of important events happen, one after the other that can feel overwhelming at times, but Simon has a comical role of adding clever commentary that amuses the viewer. 

(My favorite was "Oh great. The werewolves are here to save us. . . I can't believe I just said that.")

Coming from a person who doesn't like Jace, the actor warmed me to his character. He is charming and complicated at the same time. The Jace of the film is less cold than the Jace of the books, from what I remember. I'm also glad that they gave Simon some heroic roles because he is actually a really cool character, especially in book two. Magnus Bane was, of course, amazing and I like the way Luke was portrayed.

My only dissappointment was the absence of Brother Zachariah, my favorite character of the entire series as a whole. 

To sum it up, this movie is fun, witty, exciting and very close to the book. If you love the Shadow Hunters, you should see it!

Book Challenge Day 1: The Best book you read this year

I have two:

This book was amazing! From the detailed world to the complex characters, Dune was my best Fantasy/ SciFi read of the year! The novel taught me a lot about world building, and creating a history for a story. It was a philosophical epic with a compelling main character. Watching Paul become Muad'ib, the reader begins to wonder about the history of religion, power and politics in the world. How one idea can snowball into something far larger than the person who began it. 

The point of view is also fascinating and goes from one stream of consciousness into the next. 

Review:

http://moderndaybookshelf.blogspot.com/2013/01/dune-by-frank-herbert.html

This book was beautiful and charming. I found a new YA author to read when I discovered it. Not only does this book have very real and funny characters, it has a powerful message about life. What it means to live, love and cherish the important moments and the people you meet. The story is deep in an emotional way, and it reads like a true story told from a teenager's journal. The main character had a voice similar to a Sarah Dessen heroine and the story was a slice of life. With some of the best YA quotes, this book is one to be read again and again. 

Review: http://moderndaybookshelf.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-fault-in-our-stars-by-john-green.html

I found a book challenge!

Why? This will probably be the most difficult challenge I have ever done. 

To quote Danielle from Ever After about books:

"I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens."

Well starting tomorrow, here goes nothing!

Blackfriars Bridge - A Jem and Tessa playlist

 

I think I should let this playlist speak for itself.

It captures moments throughout the epic battle of shadow hunters:

Jem's fatal choice

Tessa's story

Lots of violin

The past

The future

 Blackfriars Bridge

Enjoy :)

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 6: Do you own any of the mangas?

I own all of them! This is the one manga series that I collected in order and saved up to have the entire set. Tsubasa Chronicle is also a set I have completed, and I currently collect all of Dengeki Daisy. I reread Fruits Basket every year, sometimes twice a year, and my collection is well read and loved. 

The Quarter Life Crisis

 http://www.ludlowandco.com/2012/08/bookaholics-anonymous/


I think I'm going to give this list a try. I've already read a few books on the list, and who knows, maybe I'll learn something about courage and living. I have heard of the quarter life crisis recently and I didn't take it seriously until now. With everything constantly changing and hardly anything familiar around me anymore, I might be going through this process after all.
In many ways, I feel like I'm left behind, especially in my generation, but I know that if I am, it's my fault. I never truly lived . . . and I still have to push myself to try something different or new. It's a constant struggle, but a personal one. No one can help me with this problem except myself. It's my own dragon, and though I have armor, I don't have a sword to defeat it with. My battle has probably only just begun by realizing what's wrong and what I have to do about it. If I continue to ignore it, or distract myself, it will only get worse. Usually things happen for a reason, and now I have to find out the reason I've been this way, and what I can do to prevent myself from staying this way.The goal is to get out there and just allow myself to be. Not to be torn by indecision, racked with worry or swamped with fear. Negativity is a huge part of this, but there's something else as well, some sort of indifference to myself or maybe even other people.
I'm really bad at this, talking without constantly dreading what I say. Every time I vent I just feel like I'm whining and complaining about something I can't do anything about. Most of the problems and worries I drag around with me are issues I can't change. It's up to other people and it's up to life itself in some cases. So I have my armor, but it's extremely heavy, and I still need to make a sword. This is the part where I feel left behind.
It's probably silly, but I feel like most people my age learned how to make their swords already and they have taken another step. One step I can't understand or define, and they are prepared or possibly they have even won their battle. This sword is probably made by taking a step I can't even think of. It might be something so different and so strange to me that I might not recognize it.
Whenever I talk like this, I guess it sounds like I'm saying my life is more difficult than others, but  I don't see it that way. I understand that everyone has problems and everyone deals with them differently.  I'm just trying to learn how to deal with mine.
Maybe the answer will come tomorrow, or maybe years from now it will suddenly be clear what I need to do, but right now, it's just a mess I stare at day after day. This is no way to live, and it's ridiculous that I am my own worst enemy.
Hopefully these stories, written by people years ago, some living and some gone, will teach me that step. Life is a journey, but in order to journey, you must walk on the path. Stopping midway won't get you anywhere.

Jenica Polyvore set

This set was inspired by Jenica from the novel Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier. I added Gogu the frog, her best friend, and her fairy crown from the story. Her signature color is green.
View the whole set here: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=74441837

Book earrings!

I made these earrings today from charms at Hobby Lobby :)
They also came with Romeo and Juliet charms which I might sell as a set on etsy.
If you can't find the charms in store, you can order them online as part of the fairytale line.