You Against Me, Jenny Downham

Meet Mikey, whose sister has just been raped. She claims by Ellie's older brother. If Mikey's any kind of brother he'll avenge the wrong done to his sister and use any means necessary to punish those involved, right?

Except he's met Ellie and somehow, through all the problems and the anger, they begin to see each other as something more. Something more than a boy from the poor end of town or the girl who has everything going for her. There is more to both of them and that makes all the difference.

As Mikey comes to know Ellie he begins to question his sister's statement. He re-thinks events and people as he realizes she may have lied. For Ellie, Mikey becomes a sounding board who she can talk to on a level that she hasn't been able to with anyone else. She also begins to re-examine what happened that night, what she saw and what she knows.

As a reader, don't expect anything to be black and white - that's not to say that one side isn't telling the truth. But which side is something that only comes to the fore after several tension filled pages. As the characters re-think their opinions and what they know - so to will you as a reader.

You Against Me is a very powerful novel. The novel spans only a handful of months, but the impact of events that occur within this period is strong and substantial. For characters in the novel, Ellie and Mikey's story has consequences attached for how they view one another and the difference between wrong, right and in-between.

A brilliant read - highly recommended for everyone who likes their literary characters to be as 3D as possible.

5*s

You think it's 'cause we're so awesome? I think it's 'cause it's we're so awesome.

Right so - where are we? Everywhere in several bits and pieces with blood splattered in between. Gross, but largely true where this crazy week is concerned.

I've got about three point four things due this week. I've completed about the .4 and the three? Well, you know - when in doubt update the blog! I remember laughing when I read these kinds of avoidance posts from dear old Binks here. But now, I totally see why you would as opposed to doing all the things you should be doing. Sigh and all that all you want, but it's akin to when I choose to plug in my i-pod, Sunshine and dance to my heart's content as opposed to doing assignments, writing or any of the fifty other things I should be doing.

Last night there were two parties to attend, the first was a lovely 14 year olds birthday party. Which we didn't stay for but we did help cook and get the lovely lass all dolled up - not to mention my now favourite cousin R get all prettied up.

The second do was a little more weird. It was supposed to be a kitchen tea party in preparation for the bride's upcoming wedding on 16/4 later on - but it was more a hen's night. The theme was bling so I brought out that olde golden coloured dress that Miss Mon bought me for a birthday some years ago and that was later worn for Miss Em's birthday in the sky somewhere.

The weirdness of this kitchen-party-that-wasn't was that all the older women there automatically begin analysing you for a potential bride-to-be. Its kooky but oh so Indian of them - I could just feel myself being evaluated by six different pairs of eyes as I got up to help the bride's mum with food and chairs. The mental clocks clicked over as they took in the outfit (not bad, not too much skin, relatively well shaped), the posture (could stand straighter, but that can be fixed), the makeup (not enough, really should wear more on that nose) and the helping out it self (good girl! Has potentially as a house wife).

I kid you not, if we were to do a quick survey of these women they would reveal similar if not exact comments to those above. How do I know this? I could hear some of them and in earlier years before I was of Age, I was party to sitting with them and eavesdropping as these comments were made about girls who now have 2 or 3 years old running around. Or buns in the oven as the case may be.

Lol. Ahh family friends how you amuse me.

Now friends.. Miss Em and I had a 12 minute coffee catch up this past Thursday which was nice. Lovely coffee that the barista finally got right! I could swear there was a marching band playing in my mind the minute she called my order our correctly! Binks has embraced the beauty of Supernatural. As much as I love having one more convert over to my side (this makes 3 in the last 3 months, K, Lore and Binks!) it's that weird feeling that I know many of us get - you want your love to be shared but it also invokes fears of trepidation that your love is becoming popular. Wouldn't it be nice if we could somehow program people to love our loves only when it suited us? *selfish streak rears its head*

Haha, that aside, it's going to be fun having Supernatural nights where everyone has glee spread over their faces!

I've fallen in love my tailor (totally non-sexually) as after several years of searching I've found someone who can make clothes to my taste! I have all these dress ideas that I'd love to make and wear, but can't because I can't accomplish the 'making' part. It shall all change now! Mwahaha!

Work is going well - it's busy and I'm more or less flat out - which I guess is how the Magazine world operates. There are so many things that go wrong and some days it's like a never ending cycle of woe, but other days things go well and it seems almost worth it. Read a few good books, freaked myself out a little with the dark subject matter of them all... but all in well good reads!

Now, I really must go and accomplish at least the 2.4 of those assignments. (After I review a few books)

I'll be snuggling on this very soon!

If you're as cold as I am - snuggle up, drink a chai latte and think warm thoughts!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that...

Hello all!

Last week was the first week of uni - UTS - yesterday we had guests for a small kitchen party, it was fun but boy was the preparation hard work! I cleaned all day, with dance breaks in between because that's how I roll..move it to the left.. and we shake it to the right.. *wink*

Posts have been scarce and few in between, I'll try and find a rhythm between work, uni and blogging *hmm* on the blog front I've started Neptune Masala as a means of sharing all my Indian related thoughts - including posts about Abhay & Piya, the film industry and all that stuff I generally throw in here. There is nothing there at the moment, but by Saturday midnight I'm going to aim to have four things on there.

High hopes, I assure you!

All the best to everyone who has started uni this month, gone back to work, borne children, suffered earthquakes and survived another ripper of a week!