Author: Zakiya N. Jamal

Zakiya N. Jamal was born in Queens, raised in Long Island, and currently resides in Brooklyn. In other words, she’s a New Yorker through and through. She holds a BA in English from Georgetown University and a MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Writing for Children and Young Adults from The New School. She has been published in Romper, BuzzFeed, People.com, Thought Catalog, and more. Her non-fiction essay about her "Cuban Impostor Syndrome" can be found in the Latinx anthology, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed. You can find her on Twitter at @ZakiyaNJamal.

Book Review: Only Everything

Posted on May 23, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Kieran Scott’s newest novel, Only Everything, follows Eros, the goddess of love, struggle on Earth where she’s been banished. Eros, or True as she calls herself on Earth, has to make three couples fall in love to save her own true love, Orion, from the powers of Zeus.

This novel is the first in the trilogy and the novel varies between the point of views of True, Charlie, a new boy in high school who loves his drums and just wants to fit in, and Katrina, one of Charlie’s new classmates who is still reeling from the death of her father. What’s great about this novel is although it’s so obvious that Charlie and Katrina are meant to be together this is not clear at all to True who tries to hook up Charlie with every other girl in school, except Katrina. To be fair, however, Katrina does have a boyfriend but to put it bluntly, he sucks.

As someone who loves Greek mythology I thought this book was very interesting and couldn’t help myself from comparing and contrasting each gods’ personalities to the ones I’ve studied in my classes. Scott does any excellent job of changing the mythology so it’s not boring but doesn’t stray so far that it’s ridiculous. The way Scott presents the set up of the gods is there are lower gods (Eros, Artemis, Harmonia, etc) and upper gods (Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, etc). The upper gods have more power, being able to move between Olympus and Earth whenever they please, whereas the lower gods cannot and must ask permission to go from place to place.

Besides the mythology I genuinely loved this book. True drove me crazy because she couldn’t see what was staring her right in the face but that’s what makes the book kind of funny. True struggles with being a human, having to do things on her own, and learning how humans behave. The best is that she can’t understand why humans don’t “share” and why they get so angry when she just takes things without asking.

Additionally the romance of the novel was great. Charlie and Katrina’s interactions made me crazy because I just wanted them to be together the whole book. Also, what’s great is their relationship isn’t the entire focus of the novel. Scott also provides flashbacks through True that show how she and Orion ended up together. Therefore rather than just have a novel focused solely on one couple that lets face it, it’s no surprise they end up together, we have all these other elements involve that give us a reprieve from the classic girl meets boy love story. Not that the romance wasn’t great; it was. However, it’s predictable. What’s not predictable is all the gods’ drama and how the book ends but I won’t spoil that.

Lastly, what I truly enjoyed is beside the romance, drama, and hilarity there is a lesson in this novel. Maybe even more than one. There’s a common theme of finding one’s inner strength and being comfortable in who you are no matter what. It may sound corny but I loved it. There’s definitely at least one character in this book that I think anyone could find themselves relating to.

This book definitely ended with a cliff hanger and I’m excited to see what happens next.

Favorite Line: “What is with everyone and this mine thing? ‘That’s my desk, you took my pencil, mine, mine, mine.’ Doesn’t anyone on Earth share?”

Stars: 4 out of 5. As much as I enjoyed reading this novel it took me way to long to find a favorite line which made me realize that although this book is entertaining it’s not spectacular. The mythological aspect gives it a little twist but at it’s core it’s still just another romance novel. A good one but one of many.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow. As already stated it’s good but it’s very similar to other romance books (other than the goddess part). Not really something you need to have on your bookshelf but still fun to read.

Other Reviews:

A Life Bound By Books

Reading Lark

Literally Jen

Book Review: Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality

Posted on May 21, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

I first fell in love with Elizabeth Eulberg’s writing when I read The Lonely Hearts Club a while back. I hadn’t read anything else by her since then until I picked up this book while I was at the Only Everything release party. I’m so glad I’ve gotten back into her novels because this one was a goodie that I enjoyed on my bus ride back from that awesome event.

The novel centers around Lexi, a girl that isn’t known for her looks but instead for her “great personality”. Though this could be seen as a compliment it’s often not taken that way because even though someone’s trying to be nice what they’re really saying is they don’t find you attractive but they think you’re a nice person. Ouch.

To add insult to injury Lexi’s little sister, Mackenzie, is a part of the pageant scene and seems to be all their mother cares about as she spends all their money on Mackenzie’s pageants, making sure she looks perfect. Well Lexi is sick of it. She’s tired of not being seen as one of the pretty girls. She hates that her long time crush, Logan, has never even considered her “that way” and only sees her as a good friend. Lexi is ready to break the “great personality” mold and step out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

What’s great about this novel is Lexi’s overall growth as a person. As Lexi becomes more and more into her makeover she begins to realize she likes dressing up and that maybe she shouldn’t be too quick to judge people. However, she also learns that it’s not all about looks and that having a “great personality” isn’t a bad thing. Additionally, she also gains the confidence she needs to start sticking up for herself and making the right choices for herself.

It’s rare that I read a book where I’m on the main character’s side for the whole book. Although there were definitely times when I said, “Lexi what are you doing??,” for the majority of the novel I loved Lexi. She’s this amazing girl who just wants this hot guy to notice her and her mother to care about her. Lexi wants what any teen would: to be noticed. I could relate and I think this book presents a great message about what makes someone truly beautiful without being preachy. I loved it and definitely recommend it.

Favorite Line: “So I can take off the makeup, but I’m still a good person. But there’s no such thing as bitch remover.”

Stars: 4 out of 5. As much as I loved this book it’s not one that I think I’ll reread over and over again. It was good but it wasn’t OMG, ah-mazing good.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. I still love this book and even though I’m not sure I’ll ever reread it I’m glad I have my own copy of it. Plus my copy is signed.

Other Reviews:

Chick Loves Lit

The Book Addict’s Guide

The Book Cellar

Bookish Ardour’s Dystopia Challenge 2014

Posted on May 20, 2014December 24, 2014 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

I’ve never participated in a book challenge before (which is crazy since I read so much). However, I’m really excited to join this one because I read dystopias on a regular basis and it’s probably my favorite genre of fiction.

The idea of the challenge is to read a certain number of books in this category within the year. I’m willing to include books I’ve already read this year so I’ve decided to try for the Contagion level of reading 15 dystopian books this year. Whoa.

Bookish Ardour apparently does this every year and I’m really excited to join in for the first time (even if it is almost half way through the year). I’ll be doing reviews on each book I read and I’ll indicate if it’s book I read as part of the challenge. Below is the list of books I’ve either already read this year or plan to read as part of the challenge. Feel free to join me on this reading adventure.

The List:

1. The One by Kiera Cass

2. Frozen by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth

4. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

5. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

6. The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

7. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

8. Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

9. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

10. The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

11. The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

12. Gone by Michael Grant

13. Hunger by Michael Grant

14. Lies by Michael Grant

15. Plague by Michael Grant

Well that’s the list. I feel confident I can do this before the year’s end. It’s go time.

My Summer Reading List

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

Nothing’s better than being able to lay by the beach and catch up on some much over due reading. This summer there are plenty of amazing books coming out that must be read. Additionally there’s a long list of books that have already been released that I can finally get a chance to read. Here’s my list of all the books you should check out this summer if you haven’t already.

New Releases

1. Opposition (A Lux Novel) by Jennifer L. Armentrout – August 5

Anyone that follows my blog on a regular basis knows how obsessed I am with this series. Opposition is the last book of the series and although I’ll be sad to see it all end I’m so excited to know what happens. The wait is driving me crazy. If you haven’t read the previous books in the Lux series I would definitely recommend checking them out. The series focuses on a girl named Katy who just moved to a new town with her mom, after her father’s death from cancer. Their neighbors, the Blacks, are an interesting bunch that includes Daemon, a hot jerk that Katy can’t stand but is regrettably attracted to, and his sister Dee, an eager beaver who really wants to be Katy’s friend. Eventually Katy learns the truth about the Blacks (they’re aliens) and it turns her world upside down. From there drama, mystery, fights, and a lot of romance ensues. The first one isn’t the best but they get better over time. Trust me.

2. The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet – June 24

If you have any interest in adaptations this may be one of the coolest things ever. It’s a book adaptation of a YouTube series adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The premise of the novel is a retelling of Austen’s original novel but in the point of view and context of the The Lizzie Bennet Diaries YouTube series. If you’ve never watched this YouTube series I encourage you to check it out. Even if you’ve never read Austen’s novel (finishing it is still on my to do list) you don’t have to read the book to love the show. Does having background knowledge make the show even more entertaining? Certainly. However, if you watched the 2005 movie version with Kiera Knightley you’re basically covered. Either way you should definitely watch the show and then read this book when it comes out because I believe it’s going to be fantastic.

3. Silver Shadows (A Bloodlines Novel) – July 29

It all began with Vampire Academy, which was an excellent series. Then Richelle Mead decided to stick with this awesome fictional world she created and do a spin off series focusing on a human Alchemist, Sydney. To give a little background as an Alchemist Sydney’s job is to ensure that humans don’t learn the truth about vampires and dhampirs (half vampire, half human people). Even though she’s meant to work with them she’s not supposed to like them, recognizing that they are actually abominations. Well it’s a little difficult for Sydney to stay true to her beliefs when she’s forced to live with vampires and dhampirs on a regular basis and learns they’re not as bad as they’re made out to be. In fact, not only can she like them but she can love them too. If you haven’t read any books in this series or the Vampire Academy series you have a lot of catching up to do but it’s totally worth it. Besides, if you read like I do you can finish all the books in no time; they’re that good.

4. Endless (A Shadowlands Novel) – July 22

This is the last book in Kate Brian (aka Kieran Scott’s) awesome trilogy about the afterlife. The trilogy follows Rory Miller and her family who have run away from their hometown to escape a killer who’s after Rory. They end up in Jupiter Landing where things get strange. Or at least they do for Rory. People start to disappear yet no one seems to notice except Rory. Eventually Rory learns the truth about Jupiter Landing and it rocks her to her core. Definitely a must read and of course if you haven’t read the first two you should check them out before this book is released.

Already Released

5. Smoke by Ellen Hopkins

I love Ellen Hopkins. I’ve read all her books, both adult and young adult and they’re great. The best part about her books is that they’re written in poetry style but they come together to tell a whole story. Smoke is the long awaited sequel to her book, Burned, about a Mormon girl who falls in love and risks everything to finally found her own independence away from her father. I’m definitely going to have to reread Burned before I dive into this one but I’m excited to finally have a chance to read it.

6. Divergent by Veronica Roth

When I first heard about this series I was very hesitant to read it because it just sounded like another dystopian trilogy to me and I was just so sick of reading dystopian fiction. However, now that I’ve given it some time and the movie has come out I feel ready to dive into another dystopian world. I’m currently number 159 on the waitlist for the book from my digital library. Here’s to hoping I actually get to read it before the summer is over. Fingers crossed. If you haven’t heard of this book before, it focuses on a young girl named Beatrice (aka Tris) who lives in a world where everyone is placed in a faction: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. Each person has to take a test that will determine their faction, however, for Beatrice she is not placed in a faction but instead is classified as “Divergent”. This goes against the society’s rules thereby putting her in danger. Similar to many other dystopian novels no one is really happy with the way this new world is set up and of course there’s those who are ready and willing to rebel against it. There’s also a lot of romance involved as well. Basically, it’s my kind of book.

7. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

Ever since I read Speak I’ve been obssessed with Laurie Halse Anderson. She has the ability to write about such serious topics that isn’t preachy but instead eye opening. In this novel she focuses on a young girl, Hayley, and her father, Andy, who return to Andy’s hometown so Hayley can attend school. Andy has been suffering from post traumatic stress disorder since his return from Iraq and it has greatly affected him and Hayley. This father-daughter pair tries to find peace by going back to Andy’s roots but one can’t run from their demons forever. I have a feeling this book will break my heart but in the most incredible way.

8. Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Since The Fault in Our Stars there has been this fascination with teens with cancer, mostly because it’s a pretty scary thought to face death at such a young age. In Julie Murphy’s novel Alice is diagnosed with leukemia and in an effort to right all her wrongs and get revenge before she dies she creates a bucket list that she and her best friend fulfill. Regrettably, however, Alice then learns she’s in remission and she’s going to live a bit longer. Now she has to face the consequences of her actions. I’ve never read a book by Murphy before (which makes sense since this is her debut novel) but this book sounds like a heart warming and funny novel that will be good to read by the pool.

9. The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Another author I’ve never read before but am excited to try. This novel focuses on Kestrel, a 17 year old girl, who is the daughter of a general and is at the age when she has to choose whether to join the military or get married. Kestrel has no intention of doing either and instead buys a slave, Arin, who she begins to have feelings for but also has his own secrets. Truthfully, I’m not sure what to expect from this novel. There’s obviously going to be romance but I’m not sure what else. It seems like a dystopian novel but also different. Either way I’m excited to give it a chance and you can download the first five chapters free from Amazon if you want to try it before you buy it.

10. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

I first heard about this novel when I interviewed Kieran Scott a few months ago. When I first read the synopsis it reminded me of Frozen (the book not the movie). Alexandra Bracken’s novel focuses on a girl named Ruby who has extraordinary powers that got her sent away to a government rehabilitation camp when she was a child. Now having escaped she’s on the run with other kids just like her. The groups leader, Liam, begins to fall for Ruby but scared of what getting close to him could mean Ruby is determined to keep a distance. The first in the series I think this will be a great adventure/love story that I will quickly fall in love with.

I’ll definitely be adding to this list of books throughout the summer but for now I believe this is a good start. Happy reading!

Book Review: The One

Posted on May 19, 2014May 23, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

I was so excited once I was finally able to buy and read this book with no distractions or anything getting in the way. It was worth the wait and every penny. I believe I can’t do this review without going into details so beware the spoilers.

First, I was very nervous about this book because in my experience the last book of a dystopian trilogy never ends the way I want to (i.e. The Hunger Games, Matched, Delirium, etc.). However, with this novel Kiera Cass did an excellent job of tying up lose ends, giving us a happy ending but also keeping it real about the costs of war.

Although there were many deaths there was also so much happiness and love that although I cried I still smiled because this was such a beautifully written book.

If you’ve never read The Selection series before shame on you. The series follows the story of a girl named America who lives in the Illéa, the dystopian version of the U.S., and is selected to be part of a competition to win the prince, Maxon’s, heart and the crown. It’s kind of like The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games which could sound like a train wreck but is actually really awesome.

As with many dystopian series with a female lead there is a love triangle but what’s interesting is how Cass produces it. America enters into the “selection”, the choosing of competitors for the contest for Maxon’s heart, only because her boyfriend, Aspen, tells her to, breaking up with her in the process. America thereby enters a contest, which ideally is based on finding the Prince his true love, with a broken heart. She already knows (or at least thinks she knows) what love is and now she’s lost it but has to pretend she hasn’t because her relationship with Aspen also went against the rules of her society.

Of course things get complicated when America and Maxon actually have feelings for each other and then get even more complicated when Aspen shows up at the castle where the competition takes place. Talk about an awkward situation. Throw in the fact that there are 34 other girls competing for Maxon’s heart and drama ensues.

Besides the love triangle(s) there’s actually real problems in Illéa. There’s rebels everywhere and the society is based on a caste system that does well for those in the upper castes (1-4) but is terrible for those in the lower ones (5-8). Needless to say there’s a lot of political unrest.

Fast forward to this newest book and the competition is down to only four ladies and rebels are getting even more rebellious. Besides that America has finally realized that she loves Maxon and is now ready to fight for him. However, they still have a lot of issues to work through, mainly trust. Seeing as how America still hasn’t told him her ex-boyfriend is one of his guards trust is something they really need to work on. Plus neither of them have the courage to say they love each other (even though it’s so obvious).

Again spoiler warning. If you don’t want to know how it all ends stop right here. This is your last warning.

Okay, here I go.

She chose Maxon. They’re married and she’s queen and everything is right. Except for the fact that Celeste died. And so did Queen Amberly. I don’t really care about King Clarkson but I mean it sucks that Maxon lost both his parents in one day. Also, America’s dad died and he was the best.

Still, I’m glad that Cass wrote it so that America and Aspen are still friends (family really) and they both found their true loves. The greatest thing about this is the way Cass wrote it, it’s not as if Aspen lost America and settled for Lucy. Instead he realized for himself that although he still loves America he wasn’t in love with her and it was the same for America. They both recognized that they would always mean something to each other but they weren’t meant to be. To me that’s how a first love should end.

Amongst other things Cass presented an ending in which there’s hope for a better future but also doesn’t exactly say that everything is perfect and fixed, not in Illéa or in Maxon and America’s relationship. America even says it:

But even now I know this isn’t a fairy tale. I know that we’ll have hard times, confusing times. I know that things won’t always happen the way we want them to and that we’ll have to work to remember that we chose this. It won’t be perfect, not all the time. This isn’t happily ever after. It’s so much more than that.

That’s my favorite part of this novel and this series as a whole. Cass keeps it real even within a dystopian, fiction novel. She recognizes that love isn’t easy. She acknowledges that a messed up society can’t be fixed over night. She points out all these things but still provides fans with the happy ending they look for in a fiction novel.

In summary, it’s brilliant and I loved every part of this series and the long journey that got us to this end. But then again is it really the end?

Now a days most dystopian novels come in the form of trilogies and it seems that Cass is following that tradition. However, on the cover of The One it doesn’t say, “The final book in The Selection series,” or anything to that affect. Instead it says, “Book Three of the Selection Series.” Wait, what?

Is it possible that this book isn’t the end of this marvelous series? Could there be more? So far Cass hasn’t said anything about that. However, she did announce that she will be releasing a digital novella about Queen Amberly’s selection process, explaining once and for all how the heck she ended up with a jerk like King Clarkson. Therefore we do have something to look forward to but if Cass is planning to continue the series so far she’s been quiet about it.

Personally, I’m totally satisfied with this ending and I’m not really sure where she could go from here. However, until she says it’s definitely not happening I’m open to the idea.

To put it simply, get this book and if you haven’t already, get all the books in this series. It’s awesome and I can’t wait to reread them all over again.

Favorite Line: “Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I don’t think I can emphasize any further how much I loved this book.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! Buy every book/novella in this series and then reread them until the end of your days.

Currently Binge Watching: The Originals

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Zakiya N. Jamal in TV

After waiting until season one ended I finally started watching The Originals last night and I’m already on episode six. I guess you could say I’m hooked.

From what may be the hottest cast I’ve ever seen to all the drama between witches and vamps this show is fantastic. As a spin off from my other beloved show, The Vampire Diaries, the producers and writers do a great job of using similar themes but with a much different plot line. The Originals is all about family: what makes a family and how a family should/does work.

Obviously the focus in the show is on the three remaining original vampires, Klaus, Rebakah, and Elijah. After the Originals left New Orleans a 100 years ago, running from the father, Klaus was lured back to New Orleans by witches who captured his one night stand, Hayley, who is pregnant with Klaus’ hybrid-werewolf baby. First, to clarify, a hybrid is a vampire-werewolf. Klaus is the original hybrid who was first a werewolf but was later turned into a vampire along with his siblings. Honestly at first I was a bit put off by this storyline. It reminded me too much of how Bella was somehow able to get pregnant by Edward in the Twilight series. It just seemed improbable.

But then when you really think about it you kind of realize that the whole concept of the show is improbable so there’s really no reason to try to find fault in the idea that a hybrid vampire could have a kid with a werewolf because none of these creatures exist in the real world to begin with.

Once I got over that I started watching the show and became obsessed instantly. In the Originals absence Klaus’ protege, Marcel, has taken over the city with his army of vamps. He has a secret weapon that keeps the witches in check and has removed all the werewolves from the town. The witches obviously don’t appreciate being controlled but because Marcel kills anyone that uses magic they needed a little help to get what they want. Enter the Originals.

I either love or hate every character on the show which is fantastic. Each character has so much depth to them and so much back story it’s hard to choose a side. I’m not sure if I want the witches to succeed or not. I do know that no one better mess with Haley and the baby because I’ll be upset. I absolutely love Hayley. I love her sass and she’s so strong willed.

I also love her ongoing flirtation with Elijah and I’m excited to see where that relationship goes. I want it to go very far but I have a feeling Klaus might not like that idea very much. Besides those two there’s a lot of love triangles and squares being formed on the show. So far Marcel has some kind of relationship with at least three ladies on the show. Basically, there’s a lot of hook ups and a lot of drama amongst the real drama of killing vamps and witches and even some werewolves? Maybe.

It’s become very hard for me to do anything but watch this show so I’m going to get back to that. If you liked TVD you’re definitely going to enjoy The Originals, maybe even more than TVD. Also, although it would be beneficial to have watched TVD before you jump into the spin off I think you’d be okay if you don’t. You’ll have to catch up on some stuff but The Originals is a whole different ball game than TVD. I love it.

How Long It’ll Take Me to Catch Up: Two days. Maybe a little more than that because I’m supposed to be packing but that’s what multitasking is for. *shrugs*

Do I Need to Start From the Beginning: Absolutely, yes. There’s no way you can keep track of everything that’s going on in this show if you just jump in from the middle. You gotta start right from the beginning and watch all the drama unfold in chronological order.

Stars: 5 out of 5. Like I said, I’m obsessed. Definitely a must watch. Plus, look at this cast.

You could probably watch the show on mute and still enjoy. Just saying. Literally the finest cast I’ve ever seen.

Source for photos: Just Jared

Can’t Get Away From Frozen: Elsa Arrives in Storybrooke

Posted on May 13, 2014May 13, 2014 by Zakiya N. Jamal in TV

At the end of the Once Upon a Time season three finale fans got a surprise ending. After Emma and Hook went back in time and were warned of the consequences of altering things Emma accidentally brought back a golden jar that Rumpelstiltskin had tucked away. That jar then opened up in Storybrooke pouring out a blue liquid that then took human form into none other than Frozen star, Elsa.

I can’t even begin to explain how much this upset me. Seriously? Of all the characters they could have brought into the show they choose Elsa? Don’t get me wrong I love Elsa, just as I loved Frozen but honestly it is too soon. The movie just came out last year and people have not stopped talking about. I know it’s a great movie that was well done. I even watched it three times just like everyone else but Disney has to stop.

It’s obvious that Disney only gains from this addition to the show that appears on their network, ABC. Rather than letting the hype around their Oscar winning film die why not add one of the leading characters to a live action TV show. And with Elsa we can expect to see many other Frozen characters as one of the major aspects of OUAT is the flashbacks of every character. There’s already a campaign for Kristen Bell to reprise her role as Anna on the show (something I thoroughly support since I love her).

My greatest fear/curiosity is how are the writers going to pull this off? They’re messing with a character that people just fell in love with. Frozen is one of, if not THE, most progressive Disney film to hit theaters. It’s already been discussed that Elsa represents someone with depression. How can OUAT use such awesome themes from the film in the show that will do the movie justice and not upset fans?

At the same time, so far OUAT has been pretty good at giving well known fairytale/Disney characters good back stories and new story arcs. For example, making Mulan a lesbian who had a crush on Sleeping Beauty. Talk about a plot a twist.

Plus maybe Elsa will find love this time around. Who knows? What I do know is OUAT is walking a thin line right now and hopefully they will be able to make this work because I’m very skeptical about this whole idea. They just better not ruin Frozen.

What do you think about Elsa coming to Storybrooke? Vote below.

The Vampire Diaries 5×21 Recap: Stefan’s Dead?!

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Zakiya N. Jamal in TV

Alright, there’s really only one thing that needs to discussed about last night’s TVD. Is Stefan really dead? It looks like he’s really dead and the other side is going under so there’s a 99% chance he’s really dead. However, this is TVD and people die and come back all the time so maybe this isn’t really the end. Maybe. As annoying as I found Stefan I really wanted him and Caroline to finally be together and it seemed like they were going in that direction. To just yank away such a great storyline just when it was getting good doesn’t seem plausible. However, they did kill Aunt Jenna right when she and Alaric’s relationship was in it’s prime so, I guess anything’s possible.

I just hope it’s not true in this case. For the first time in a long time TVD has truly stumped me. I have no idea what’s going to happen next. Will the other side actually be kaput? Will Bonnie die too? Will everyone die because once magic is gone that’s a wrap for everyone? Okay, obviously the last one can’t happen because then we wouldn’t have a show but still. How are they going to remedy the situation though? I just don’t understand. Where are they going with this?

Besides Stefan’s death a lot went down in this episode. Bonnie finally admitted that she didn’t have a plan for coming back from the other side. However, she then figures out a plan, something to do with using the same spell the Travelers used to get Marco out from the other side. Sadly, she needed the one Traveler that was actually on their side but she was swept away by some kind of typhoon on the other side before they could learn the spell. Oh dear.

Also, Damon and Elena finally realized they were being ridiculous and got back together (thank God).

The horrid Traveler spell, which strips everything magical except for their “pure magic”, has begun and taken over all of Mystic Falls. Therefore everyone’s day light rings have stopped working and all the vampires are being affected by whatever killed them in the first place. Not good. This leads all the vamps to pack up and leave Mystic Falls and Marco and his travelers have officially taken over, returning to their bodies.

Also, Liv and Luke, the witch twins as I like to call them, tried to kill Stefan and Elena in an attempt to stop the spell but it was too late. The spell was already in motion and Liv and Luke’s powers were fading fast.

This was probably one of my favorite episodes by far. I can’t wait to see how this season is going end. Is it crazy to ask that Katherine somehow reappears? Here’s my theory. She didn’t go to the Other Side. She went somewhere else (let’s call it Hell). I don’t know how but maybe everything that’s going crazy on the Other Side will lead to her return somehow. Or I’m just being really hopeful because I miss her. And Stefan. Why do they do this to me?

Here’s to hoping this isn’t the end for Stefan. I pray we all survive what happens next. Check out the preview for the next episode below and it’s not over until it’s over guys. Keep hope alive!

Artichokes, Cruises, and Trying Something New: Ask Ziggy #1

Posted on May 9, 2014May 27, 2014 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

As requested I got some interesting questions and cracked up when I read them. I swear I did not make any of these up but I’m sure someone else did. Either way I’m excited to have questions. Here’s the first round of Ask Ziggy. If you would like to submit a question just click here! I answer questions every Friday. Thanks!

Q: My boyfriend refuses to eat anything but artichokes like literally anything and I am worried for his nutrition and also reputation. Help, what do I do?

A: First of all, I have to be honest I had to Google what an artichoke was. Wasn’t sure if it was a fruit or a vegetable or what (it’s a vegetable in case you were wondering). Secondly, not sure if your boyfriend is just eating artichoke straight up with nothing else or if he needs it in every meal. Either way he’s not going to change if he doesn’t want to change and really being addicted to artichoke is not the worst thing to be addicted to. Plus, I hear spinach and artichoke dip is really good. Lastly, this is the most hilarious question I’ve ever heard. Thanks!

Q: I have to go on a cruise with my boyfriend and his family this weekend but I have a paralyzing fear of cocktail umbrellas. I hear they’re everywhere. Should I still go?

A: So sorry I didn’t get a chance to answer your question sooner. I hope you did go on your cruise. Although cocktail umbrellas are a lot of places on a cruise you can definitely avoid seeing them. For example, just stay in your room. I think the better solution, however, would be to try and face your fear. I know that’s easier said than done but you can get help if you just ask for it. Hope that helps.

Q: I’m about to be a Junior here and I feel weird joining a new organization so late but I want to a part of something new, any advice?

A: First, I’m going to assume by “here” you mean Georgetown. As for your question don’t feel weird about joining an organization late in the game. Most organizations are happy to have new members no matter what year you are. I had a friend this year join the Gospel Choir and she was a senior. As long you love the organization and are dedicated to it, it won’t matter what year you are. It’s always fun to join something new and it’s a great way to meet new people. Also just going to put in a shameless plug and mention the step team is always looking for new members. Just check out the SAC fair in the fall and see what sparks your interest. It’s never too late.

Please don’t forget to send in your own questions for next week’s “Ask Ziggy”. Thanks!

Four Awe-Inspiring Authors and One Great Release Party

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Books

Kieran Scott, one of my favorite authors, celebrated the release of her newest book, Only Everything, at the Hillsdale Public Library tonight. Along with Scott were three of her fellow Young Adult authors, Jen Calonita (Summer State of Mind), Elizabeth Eulberg (Better Off Friends), and Katie Sise (The Boyfriend App).

Elizabeth Eulberg, center, reads an excerpt of her newest novel, Better Off Friends.

Authors (from left to right) Eulberg, Scott, and Sise answer questions from the audience.

Each author read excerpts from their newest releases, and Calonita and Eulberg, along with narration from Scott, acted out the prologue of Only Everything in the most hilarious manner possible. Check out the video below.

Afterwards the floor was open to the audience for questions and everything was fair game including questions about the writing process, the future of our favorite books series, and how getting a book published works.

During the Q&A Scott presented the audience with a great surprise, showing us the second book in the True Love trilogy, Complete Nothing, and the cover for the third book, Something New. Sadly, the cover for the third book is a secret that must be kept therefore I couldn’t take a picture but believe me when I say it’s amazing.

After that awesome reveal we also received some insight on other upcoming novels. For example for those of you that have been anxiously and impatiently waiting for the sequel to The Lonely Hearts Club you will only have to wait a little while longer. The sequel will be released early next year and according Eulberg she’s excited to finally get it out as well. In the mean time she revealed there will be novellas of the series released towards the end of this year that will come in the form of FREE ebooks. Something to definitely look forward to.

Additionally, Scott informed us that the last book in her Shadowlands trilogy will be coming out in July (only two more months!) we will know early on in the novel if Tristan is a good guy or not, thank God. The not knowing is killing me.

Besides all the exclusive book information, it was great to sit and laugh with all these amazing authors that I never thought I’d get to meet in person. They were all so amazing to talk to and I had such a great time.

If you ever get a chance to meet any of these four wonderful ladies I say do it because it’s totally worth it. Also, be sure to check out all of their novels. I left with a long list of books I now need to read and I’m sure you will too.