i'm going to be a bit late in the day for posting this, but technically it will still count. must get better at posting!

i am horrible. i just went through my e-mails since i was away last week and realized i missed not one, but two, events for the Blogger Positivity Campaign hosted by Jillian from Jillian's Books. i need to set myself a schedule and become more consistent. endless apologies. but here is a cheeky 2 in 1 post, making up the past 2 blog posts i missed for the campaign (as well, as the other post i published today).

two weeks ago I finished reading Illuminae by Amie Kaufamn and Jay Kristoff. at the time i didn't have a chance to go back and write a review about it. kind of a bummer. i thought that's ok. then this morning i went on Twitter only to discover some pretty surprising news: Illuminae is getting picked up by Warner Bros. and Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment group. 

so yes, casually putting it out there, Illuminae, published back in October of this year, will be adapted by none other than Brad Pitt. to be honest, i thought this was a little random. personally, i had no idea that Brad Pitt even had an "entertainment group" or that he was interested in young adult storylines. not that Illuminae, isn't a spectacular book or anything, but that was pretty quick...and once again, Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt. (how many times have I written Brad Pitt so far you ask? 5, not including the one in this question).

if you haven't heard the buzz surrounding Illuminae...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! just kidding. don't fret, i'm not one to inherently keep up with trends. yes, i do know which books are being hyped up and getting on the New York Times Best Selling list, but that doesn't mean i jump on board with them. i'm one of those people who waits until the buzz fades away so i can then make up my own opinions, without being swayed too much by the masses.

this has worked out great for me. why?

1. i usually don't buy books- i like to rent books out from my local libraries. 
2. i can stick to reading what i'm in the mood for without feeling pressured to pick up everything else is reading

reading that last sentence over i feel like such a snob, but it's nice to go against the flow every once in a while. staying as objective and truthful as you can is big in my book. do what you feel is right, always. stay weird and different, always.

to give a quick synopsis of Illuminae: it follows 2 main protagonists, Kady and Ezra, who are casually attending class at their high school in the beginning of the book, when the planet they live on is attacked. the novel takes place in 2575 where 2 corporations are trying to gain dominance in the galactic world. Kady and Ezra are not only classmates but romantically involved (at the tender age of 17- because this is a Young Adult novel), something that is on rocky waters when all hell decides to break loose on their planet. the become separated, stationed in two different ships, but manage to keep in contact through e-mails and text messages.

these various messages and memos are what make Illuminae so distinct. the writing format isn't compromised of your typical block paragraph, chapter by chapter synopsis. it is literally e-mails and computer hacking that Kady and Ezra engage in, trying not only to get in contact with one another, but figure out what is truly going on and why their home planet was attacked.

Illuminae is one of those science-fiction stories that will grip you right into the world and pull you in headfirst. the way it's designed and formatted is unique but the writing is all there, adding even more to the characters and world building. it's beautiful, especially a certain section in the middle where it's poetic and choppy on purpose. it's action-packed. you will be following along reading the messages that are exchanged anxiously waiting to see what happens. there is an AI you need to be aware of and romance that manages to surpass an interplanetary war.

basically, go pick it up. please. if you couldn't already guess, I gave Illuminae 5 stars on Goodreads.

when i got home from work today the only thing i wanted to do was lie down and mindlessly scroll through my phone. my mom was going on about watching the news and seeing what was happening in Paris but i didn't pay her any attention.

the entire afternoon passed. we went out, ran some errands, went to the mall, and finally as i was in the backseat of the car i decided to ask, "what's going on in Paris?" it's moments like these where i reflect back on what i was thinking at the time, what i was doing, who i was with, what my train of thought was...

my mindset the entire day was "i can't wait to run home and lie down." once i had fulfilled that i then began thinking about the materialistic things i wanted to look at and buy- superficial enjoyment. when i pulled up the ny times and began reading, my heart dropped. this is what i kept putting off, what i nonchalantly shrugged off.

more than 100 people have been reported dead at this hour. more than 4 locations were used as prime vantage points of attack. paris, i am praying for you. social media has advanced so rapidly over the years that we now have the advantage of connecting with people all over the world to send an S.O.S. in these crises, to provide comfort and show that we too care. you are not alone.

i feel useless and redundant asking the question people always seem to come back to during these horrific acts: "why did this happen?" there is no one answer. i'm not sure even those behind the crime would be able to sufficiently explain their reasoning. just as we can not answer, when will this end? when will the hate be gone? we can only try to put love, understanding and compassion first.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr. 

technology is not only at our disposal for entertainment but for awareness. tonight you are in my prayers Paris. i pray for the victims, the affected families, the bystanders, the unaware tourists, the children, humanity.

- alex 

- alex