Russie Reviews: All the Bright Places [Jennifer Niven]

Violet Markey and Theodore Finch meet on the ledge of the school's bell tower. After witnessing both of them get off, the school proclaims Violet as the "hero" who saved the "freak" from potentially falling to his death. 

However, Violet thinks otherwise. After her sister's death and slowly detaching from the rest of her interests, she sees it as Finch being the one who saved her. 

When the two are partnered up for a school project, Finch and Violet take themselves everywhere - in hopes of discovering their own bright place and the 'perfect day' Finch so believes in. 

Good evening, Darlings! Tonight, I'll be reviewing Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places. 

As usual, the Read More link is just right there if you're interested in my thoughts for the book! Be wary for potential spoilers, as always, and I hope you guys enjoy this 'episode' of Russie Reviews. :)

Whispers: An Equilibriai Short

Synodic
Lagom
Elan
Humanoid Era
xxxx, X.X.

Harlene pushed Skylar into the gardens.

“Althea wants to see you,” she told her younger sister. “She wants to know how you’ve been doing ever since you got out of the hospital. Mom and dad are okay with it and they can get your usual place set up. Do you want that?” Skylar’s empty expression didn’t change and Harlene sighed, pushing the wheelchair with her sister further into the gardens.

“Your friend has been worried about you a lot. She comes over sometimes to ask how you’re doing and sometimes sits in while you’re sleeping. Althea even does the cleaning sometimes,” Harlene smirked, “Which is why your room is really, really neat. Our parents don’t want anyone else entering, but…Althea’s been your friend for a long time so she’s okay.”

Skylar still said nothing. Her wavy hair, which was usually sleek and vibrant with gold, faded slightly into a dull blonde. Dressed in a light-colored gown, Skylar’s usual, energetic self had crashed into the person she was at that moment.

Dr. Sulu had explained to the Viridias that a drop in emotional attachment or mood in general was to be expected. Skylar, after all, was recovering from an attack that left her a long time to recover. While they still didn’t know why she ventured out into the first place, they agreed that getting her better was the utmost priority.

And Harlene was trying to get her sister back.

“Yeah. Maybe you should have a small reunion with Althea,” Harlene murmured to herself as she pushed Skylar around, “Just see her again. Okay?”

Skylar gave the briefest of nods, the light in her eyes not quite returning yet.

Character Aesthetics: Jian Lee

"I don't regret this at all."

Appetite: An OTP Short (2/2)

Matt and A’s House
Tokyo, Japan
April 2015

“Sweetheart…can we talk?”

A felt his hand squeezing hers, yet she didn’t squeeze back. Not yet. A didn’t want to squeeze his hand. All he would do was reassure her things would be okay, then leave the room and bring her something to eat in hopes that she would consume anything. Just the mere thought of Matt’s Hayashi rice made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

“…what do you want to talk about?”

“It’s about you. You know. Your eating habits,” he admitted. “I want you to tell me, A – do you want me to try something else? I understand that eating Japanese all the time can get tiring because we live in fucking Tokyo. Or does my cooking suck now?”

She muttered something.

“What?”

“It’s…not your cooking,” A repeated. “It definitely isn’t. If it was, I’d be eating more than I have been, right?” she joked. But even that was enough to make him frown, and A gave a defeated sigh. “You already know, Matt. You already know – why ask me what’s wrong if you already know what it is?”

“Because I don’t want to assume.”

“Assuming. Okay.” She sat up straighter and pulled her hand away from his, a few fingers running through her hair. “You know how I was a few years ago…”

He did.

Appetite: An OTP Short (1/2)

Matt and A’s House
Tokyo, Japan
April 2015

After a few years of living with his girlfriend, Matt wasn’t quite sure how A had been able to fend for herself. She had told him before that in the beginning, Touta would be there to do the cooking for her. He’d cooked a storm, stocking her fridge to the brim and telling her to just microwave the other dishes. His own homemade sushi could be eaten cold.

It had been that way for a few months, she explained to him over a dinner of delivered pizza and wine. Finally, A grew tired of having to rely on Touta and purchased a few cookbooks for her to try out. It took her a long time to reassure the older man, but he soon relented. The food stopped.

Her first cooking attempt was a disaster.

In other words, the dish she had made (katsudon) wasn’t exactly the most edible. The pork wasn’t cooked well, the egg wasn’t great, and the rice turned out to be overcooked. A had felt a pang of guilt when thinking of throwing it out and attempted to remedy it through cooking it again. However, that nearly caused the kitchen to burn down.

(The katsudon was burned to a crisp.)

Not wanting to be a burden to Touta, she instead drove to the nearest grocery store and bought foods ranging from cereals to packs of instant noodles. Bottles of water, cartons of milk, and different vegetables as well as salad dressings filled the shopping cart. A bottle or two of cheap wine was thrown in. Fruits joined the mix. She avoided looking the cashier in the eye upon paying.

With that, A lived on ridiculously simple meals. She would toss vegetables together and make her own salad. She would blend fruits together and create decent-tasting smoothies. Empty packs of instant meals filled the trash.

Somehow, she managed to survive.

Name Etymology: Marguerite Russet

Character Aesthetics: Noriko Inoue

"I just want to begin again."

Russ' Updates #034: Ending May

Good evening - er, morning, Darlings!

May is coming to an end soon enough and June is right ahead! That means a new Featured Character as well as two months to go before a certain something which is coming up this August~

"It was nice to be Featured this month, Russie."

It was definitely nice having you on the blog, Marg. <3 

I don't have too much my mind this week - I'll be working on OC/Aesthetic posts and I might post a few shorts this week. I've actually completed my 'quota' for the FC/UC posts - three shorts and three graphics - but who knows? Maybe I'll post one more thing for Marg before May ends. 

Not much is happening this week aside from college errands tomorrow and the usual work for the whole week. I don't think I'll feel the need to call for a small hiatus anytime soon since, hey - I'm school free for two more months! Anyway, here's this week's agenda:

Posts to Expect:

[x] Russie Photoshops: Character Aesthetics -- Jian Lee

[x] Russie Photoshops: Character Aesthetics -- Noriko Inoue

[x] Russie Writes: An OTP Short

Have a good week, Darlings! <3

Lion Heart: A FC/UC Graphic

 "You can cut away desire,

but not extinguish the flames." (x)

Strangers: A FC/UC Short

Synodic

Lagom
The Nextus
L’accademia

Humanoid Era
xxxx, X.X.

A rapt knock on the door made Margaux rise from bed grouchily. Opening the door and squinting at the person, an irritated sentence left her lips. “What fucking time is it.” the person on the other side smirked, her curly hair up in a high bun that morning. “I’ll tell you what time it is. It’s time to go back to sleep. Good night.” She tried to close the door but the other blocked it with her foot, swinging the door back open and pulling an arm around the brunette’s shoulders. “What?”

“It’s the first weeked. Xandra told me that you needed more friends,” the girl chirped. Damn you, Xandra, Margaux cursed. Not wanting to risk probation by yelling, Margaux plastered a fake smile on her lips and nodded.

“You know what? She is right.”

“See – you’re warming up to the idea already,” the other girl chuckled. Not really. Finally used to the sunlight, Margaux allowed herself to properly look at the other person. She was tall with curly black hair, wearing a simple yellow shirt and brown shorts. High tops graced her feet.  

For some reason, Margaux thought her familiar.

And then she remembered watching the aircraft land and spotting blonde hair hanging down someone’s shoulders –

“-name is Althea Goldenrod.”

“I – I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

“Althea. Althea Goldenrod,” Althea repeated. She held out a hand and Margaux shook it, suddenly feeling cold. “You?”

For a split second, Margaux almost let her guard down.

“Margaux Princeton.”

Character Aesthetics: Touta Matsuda

"We are more than just a squad. We are a family."

Russie Reviews: Where She Went [Gayle Forman]

"Three years have passed since the accident which took Mia’s family away. Now a known cellist hailing from Juillard, Mia attempts to pick up her life once more and start anew; a life where she can actively pursue her passions without the ghosts of her past looking over her shouler.

Since the split, Adam has grown successful. Shooting Star dominates the charts and embarks on a world tour in a number of days. However, Adam’s problems run deep; he is isolated from his band, reporters and interviewers drive him up the wall, and his girlfriend doesn’t seem to trust him as much as she used to.

One fateful night brings them together after three years of separation - and that night might be the one they have secretly been longing for."

Good evening, Darlings! I'll be reviewing Gayle Forman's Where She Went. As usual, the Read More link is just down there. Be wary of spoilers, as I may be discussing potential spoilers and all those. ^_^

Russ' Updates #033: Planning in Advance

Hello, Darlings!

It's two weeks until the end of May - and I honestly can't believe how quickly the month has gone. It still feels like the first day, honestly. *looks at calendar* Either way, I'm not too bothered - school will officially start for me this August 10, 2015 and it's still a bit more than two months away. 

And speaking of August - something hella special is coming up! Yes, friends, this coming August, I'll be celebrating the blog's third anniversary. *throws confetti* Though it's only May 18, I've already come up with two or three main themes for August's celebration. What it is I won't exactly be spoiling this early, but expect some teasers coming this July. :)

June is coming soon, which means a new character for the Featured Character section. 

"Hope you haven't forgotten me, Russie."

I'll do my best to post more thingies for Marguerite this week! I hope I still have enough for two more shorts and maybe an additional graphic for her...wouldn't want to end up leaving her hanging huhu.

Not much is happening for this week aside from the fact that I'll be attending a debut on the 23rd! I'm still hoping that I'll be able to travel way more before August 10, maybe meet up with my friends before college officially comes...we'll see. ^_^

Posts to Expect:

[x] Russie Photoshops: Character Aesthetics -- Touta Matsuda

[x] Russie Reviews: Where She Went [Book Review]

[x] Russie Writes: A FC/UC Short

[x] Russie Photoshops: A FC/UC Graphic

edit: reached another goal! thank you, Darlings xx <3

Character Aesthetics: Samuel Peters

"You need to sacrifice a lot in order to make things work."

Ephiphany: A Friendship Short

Matsumoto Residence
Tokyo, Japan
May 2014

“A plays well.”

“She does,” Matt agreed. The guests had gathered around to hear a woman playing on the piano, watching in both awe and surprise as her fingers flew off the keys. “She was nervous about playing tonight, you know. It’s been a long time since she’s played the piano and actually immersed into it.” Kenichi glanced at Matt, taking note of the proud smile which came onto his face.

“When was the last time?”

“England.” Kenichi mouthed a soft oh and nodded to himself. “That’s always been her special talent. Even before she was known as one of the smartest. There were skilled painters, skilled athletes, geniuses…and there was A, who adored the piano. She told me that her mum taught her the basics when she was younger. She’s been hooked ever since.”

“You told me that she has a marvelous voice too.” At that, Matt’s smile grew a little bigger. “Very?”

“Very. She can carry a tune and she can bloody well sing. If she didn’t work for the police, then I bet she’d be making it in the music industry,” he mused quietly. Both men fell quiet as A continued playing, Kenichi recognizing the tune as Yiruma’s Love Me. “She’s been practicing.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. She’s been trying out different pianists until she came across that one. It’s her favorite to play now.” Matt explained, watching as his girlfriend became one with the music. “That and a few others. We might be able to hear them later if she wants to keep playing.”

“With that skill, she can take the stage for the whole evening,” Kenichi chuckled. This made Matt smile more and the Japanese took a sip from his glass, humming the tune of the song quietly to himself. “She has wonderful taste.”

“That she does.” Silence fell between them again, but it wasn’t as comfortable any longer. Matt gained the impression that Kenichi wanted to talk and cleared his throat, taking a new bottle of beer from a passing waiter. “Do you want to talk?”

Character Aesthetics: Macmillan Thomas

"I study inanimate objects and dead bodies for a living."

Numb Heartstrings: A FC/UC Background Short

Synodic
Lagom
Susurrus
Russet Reisdence

Humanoid Era
xxxx, X.X.

Marguerite slowly ran a few fingers through her hair and cringed right after. Her long, chocolate-colored tresses had been cut short a few days after they had arrived at her new home; the long waves reverted into a quick, sharp bob which fell just a few inches below her chin.

When it happened, she had little to no reaction. Her mother expected fits and cold glares with scathing comments left and right, but she merely accepted it and moved on. For the next couple of days, it took nearly all of the Russets to get accustomed to Marguerite’s new hair.

There she was, two weeks fresh from the haircut, and Marguerite realized how things were being for her. From the moment she had moved to the moment at the present. Marguerite’s curls were gone, Marguerite’s warm, tan-to-brown bedroom walls had been replaced with an odd orange which at first had hurt her eyes. The lights were off almost all the time.

When she looked out her window from her past home at Elan, Marguerite would poke her head back inside due to the intense heat, even during the night. It cooled during the end of the year, but she was accustomed to the all-around heat so much that her first step into Susurrus sent her back into the car.

Susurrus was ridiculously cold.

Gone were Elan’s warm lands and overjoyed people; gone was the warm aura the people oozed. All of it was packed up in a box and left behind in the attic upstairs; this was her home now. As much as Marguerite refused to admit it, Susurrus was her – their ­– new home.

And it was cold.

That was the part she hated the most: the cold.

Russ' Updates #032: Dull Days

Hello and good afternoon, Darlings! It’s Game of Thrones RussDate Monday!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to post Marg’s short last week…my writing muse wasn’t cooperating too much, in all honesty, and I didn’t want to force something out. In fact, she only came back last night while I was attempting to write Skeletons in the Closet. Smh.

"I forgive you. Somehow."

I really hope that I’ll be able to post hers by tonight – if not, by tomorrow!

I’ll be heading to the beach this Friday but I’ll still be bringing my laptop in case inspiration hits. :D For this week, I won’t be doing much…yes, Russie hasn’t had that much of an eventful summer. (Un)fortunately. Our beach trip is the first roadtrip I’ll be going on since summer started. #why

I’m still continuing the Character Aesthetic series – expect more appearances from Squad A!

Posts to Expect:

[x] Russie Photoshops: Character Aesthetics – Samuel Peters
[x] Russie Photoshops: Character Aesthetics – Macmillan Thomas

[x] Russie Writes: A Friendship/OTP Short
[x] Russie Writes: A FC/UC Background Short

That’s all for today, loves! I hope you guys have a good and eventful week. <3

Skeletons in the Closet: A Friendship Short

Matsumoto Residence
Tokyo, Japan
May 2014

“Are you enjoying yourself, A?”

“Definitely,” the woman replied. She took a sip from her glass of champagne, “You always pull out all the stops to make your parties as amazing as possible,” she complimented him, glancing at the rest of the guests as they interacted. Kenichi gave his trademark smirk.

“Of course. Anything for my guests, friends and associates.” Kenichi stopped a wandering waiter and took a bottle of beer, “Would you like some more champagne, A?” the black-haired lady nodded and the waiter poured more into her glass, soon leaving the pair alone. “I’m sorry for taking Matt away. He didn’t want to leave you, but he’s the best negotiator I’ve got.”

With that, both of them looked towards the corner of the room, where the ginger was chatting up a young businessman in a suit. By the looks of it, the meeting was going well – Matt seemed to be hitting all the right points, as the other was looking genuinely interested in what Kenichi’s right hand man offered.

“No, it’s alright. He needs to do his job too.” A smiled. Kenichi gave his own smile and both of them stayed silent for a moment, the Japanese then straightening up his figure and fixing his tie. A blinked. “What is it?”

“I’ll ask Matt something for a bit and come back to you,” he promised. She nodded and watched as he walked to Matt, greeting both Matt and the other guest. He whispered something to the ginger, who blinked, looked at A and then gave a short nod before going back to the conversation.

Returning to A, Kenichi offered his arm, his other hand holding on to the beer. “Would you come with me, A? I’d like to talk to you about certain matters.” She blinked and looked at him for a moment, the businessman then giving her a cryptic smile. “Matt knows. I’d just…like to take this somewhere a little more private.”

She took his arm. “Of course. Where would you like to go?”

Theiara: A FC/UC Graphic

"I've never felt more alive."

Character Aesthetics: Kenichi Matsumoto

"I'm not that kind of man anymore."

Russ' Updates #031: Second Month

Hello and good morning, Darlings. Russie is currently squinting her eyes at the screen - she needs to get her eyes checked again. *shakes head* How much do you guys want to bet that her eyesight is slowly deteriorating? 

"You'll need thick lenses soon."

Marg, please stop throwing shade huhu. 

Hi Darlings! It's already May~ how have you guys been doing? It's my the start of my second month of summer, and I'm very convinced that I'm just wasting away, haha. Unlike other people who have been travelling nonstop or actually making do with their summer, I'm just Philippines-bound and I'm still trying to catch up on the sleep I lost during Senior year. 

Thankfully, I was able to accomplish all the thingies on my weekly to-do list. ^_^ I think the FC/UC posts are going pretty well~ I like how Marguerite's posts are going so far, especially the latest short featuring Marguerite's Humanoid named Theiara. 

"Hopefully, we can see more of Theiara in the future."

I don't have much to do this week, except for the usual me working at the family office. With that, I'll be doing my usual thing - posting shorts and graphics for Marguerite while perhaps continuing my Character Aesthetics graphics, which I've gotten into last week. :3 

Posts to Expect:

[ ] Russie Writes: A FC/UC Background Short

[x] Russie Photoshops: A FC/UC Graphic

[x] Russie Photoshops: Character Aesthetics - Kenichi Matsumoto

[x] Russie Writes: An Friendship Short

Spiritual Awakening: A FC/UC Short

Synodic
Ether
Humanoid Era
xxxx, X.X.

  

Eyes flickered open to the sound of noise filling the air. Cloth swished. Air blew into the room. The temperature was cold. Orange eyes blinked and she slowly pushed herself up, sensing a weird lack of emotion registering into her system.

Theiara licked her lips and pursed them, trying to accommodate the weird emptiness as much as she possibly could. She didn’t like it. She definitely didn’t like the feeing of not feeling, as weird as that sounded.

She willed herself to feel something – anything.

As soon as she wished that, a barrage of emotion came and a loud gasp left her lips. Hands found themselves clutching tightly onto the sheets as she stared into the distance, mouth agape as emotion and memory pounded themselves into her head for the next couple of minutes.

Theiara found the white wall shifting into something else.

Before her eyes flashed both colored and uncolored scenes of a young girl doing various activities. Theiara saw flashes of brown hair, warm-colored clothing and an excited pair of tangerine eyes. She was able to witness everything from the girl’s birth to how she was at the very present.

With that, she realized what was happening.

Theiara was slowly crawling out of her empty state.

Russie Reviews: Be More Chill

Jeremy Heere is an an ordinary teenage male.

He is what he is: a dork aspiring to be cool with a crush on a beautiful, popular girl. He's used to recording his day-by-day embarrassments on his Humiliation Sheets and staring wistfully after Christine during classes. 

One day, he receives word of a Squip - the answer to his prayers. Consume the Squip and you would revert from a socially dead dork to one of the coolest people on campus. Jeremy consumes said Squip, and his life changes almost instantly. 

However, trading one's freedom in exchange for greatness isn't as great as it seems to be...

Good evening, Darlings! Tonight I'll be reviewing the late Ned Vizzini's 'Be More Chill' which was written way back in the year 2004. 

As usual, I'll try to avoid spoilers. The Read More link is just down there if you wish to go on!

Marguerite: A FC/UC Graphic