Foreign Correspondance (I had to re-check the spelling on that a total of 4 times)

"While in Rome, do as the Romans do." Ladies and Gentleman, I am sure that you are quite familiar with that saying, as I am. Rome with it's fantastic togas; so stylish, it's awe-inspiring architecture, early morning wine parties and, apparently; crazed and violent prone citizens. Yes, my listeners, you've heard me correctly. My radio company decided to send me to Rome earlier this week, on account of the great Julius Caesar's unfortunate death, to investigate a little further into the matter. But, moments after my arrival on the famous land I was a key witness to a violent attack on an innocent Roman citizen who was literally torn to pieces in front of my very eyes. In fact; this spontaneous attack was so violent and gruesome that I cannot even describe it in detail on-air. After getting over the shock from witnessing this attack I did some further probing, which, I'm sure, you will find interesting. Now, apparently, the citizens of Rome have all been acting very strange lately; getting into unneeded mischief just for the sake of it since their great leader's death. Why, this man who was murdered was simply a poet! A poet! What has Rome become? I don't know about you, my listeners, but I for one do not want to find out. Thanks you for listening and have a safe evening. Sydney Brennan, World News.

Le Lettres de Cinna

Dear Brutus,

Oh, what a wonderful man you are! So confident, so sure, so smart and wise; much unlike a certain man who we all know rules. So unlike this man are you that it is like you live in separate countries! Yes, you know, dear Brutus, whom I am talking of. It is the 'great' Julius Caesar, ruler of Rome, center of attention, creator of wicked plans to hurt our dear country. It is obvious what he has in store for Rome, the plans he has made to overthrow us all, to create a Monarchy government once again. He wants a son, it is clear that he does and in time he will make sure that his son is king. Now Brutus, dear Brutus; how can you let this happen? Caesar, with his falling sickness, may die any moment. If he manages to have a son before that time; oh, the disastrous results that will occur! And what he did to our beloved Pompey! The nerves he has to come and destroy our ruler. Brutus, you must do something and do something soon. You can prevent this from happening; the way is so easy Brutus! With your cunning and utter genius; Brutus, you can come up with a plan. I'm sure you know what you have to do already! So why waste time? Brutus, we cannot afford to let Rome fall into the hands of Caesar, we cannot! So act now, my dear Brutus, before something terrible occurs.

Blog Assignment Numero Uno...

A Bit About the Author

The book I am currently in the middle of is a trilogy titled 'The Mortal Instruments' written by the author Cassandra Clare. I am reading the third book right now titled "City of Glass", the first two books are "City of Bones" and "City of Ashes". She has written ten other books, four under a pseudonym 'Cassandra Claire'. Cassandra grew up in the United States and has lived in France, Switzerland and England; she currently lives in New York.

A Description of this Intense Book

'The Mortal Instruments Trilogy' is about an alternate world kept in line by people called 'Shadowhunters'. Shadowhunters are warriors who fight and kill things called demons. There are also beings who live in this world called 'Downworlders'; these are people such as vampires, werewolves and warlocks. The real world that you and I live in co-exists with this alternate world, but everything is invisable to us. The main character in this story, a girl named Clary, is swept up into this world at the beginning of the series by accident and soon finds herself revealing secrets from her forgotten past. Her and a few other Shadowhunters (Jace, Isabelle and Alec) throughout this story are fighting a never-ending battle against a man named Valentine. The whole series is about this battle that Valentine has created as well as about Clary finding her true self. Jace, Clary, Isabelle and Alec must find a way to stop Valentine from taking over all Shadowhunters before it's too late and he destroys everything they've ever known. Intense book, I have to admit.

Where this Story Takes Place

This story is set in the present time, though in the third book as well as the last half of the second the storyline jumps from the secret Shadowhunter's world to our world numerous times. The year in both worlds, however, is the same and time passes at the same rate as in our world. While the story takes place in our world it is set in Manhatten, New York, normally downtown at various secret buildings and 'institutes' (an institute is where Shadowhunters live and learn while in our world). When the story jumps to the Shadowhunter world it generally takes place in the main city, Alicante. Alicante is nick-named 'The City of Glass' (you got it....the author named the last book after the city. She's pretty smart, eh?). The atmosphere in this story also jumps around a bit. At various points in the book the atmosphere takes on a romantic, but also tense feel, but is quickly replaced by a more thrilling, suspenseful and adventurous one. However; tension does carry throughout almost the whole series. It is what keeps the reader reading, I would say. This book is very diverse, it almost has an atmosphere for everyone.

The Protagonist (if it's a girl, shouldn't it be 'Protagonista'? I'm just asking...)

The main protagonist in my book (because there are a few of them) is a sixteen year old teenage girl named Clary Frey. She is impulsive and also very loving, at some points in the book you'd swear she has multiple-personalities disorder or something very similar to that as her moods change on a dime. There are numerous times in the book where Clary's impulsiveness gets her into trouble with friends, family and also enemies. She often acts without thinking, like when her best friend, Simon, runs into an abandoned, vampire-infested hotel and she darts in after him without thinking what the consequences may be. All she knew was that her best friend had gone into the hotel and she wanted to get him back. Situations such as this happen a lot in this story. However, on the other hand, Clary is also a very loving and caring person. Late in the second book her mother is put into a kind of mgaical coma where only the special antidote can wake her up. All throughout the rest of the second book and most of the third book Clary is constantly worrying about her mother and what will happen to her. Whenever someone Clary cares about is in danger, such as when her brother runs off to find Valentine, Clary impulsively does something out of sheer love for the person because she cares about them SO much. I think she does this because she knows that she can't afford to lose them. Overall, though, Clary has a very complicated and complex personality that as you read further on into the book, keeps changing and adding different traits.

What do I think of this Book? A-mazing.

I'm not going to lie or play it cool because...this book has me totally hooked. I'm constantly reading it, never able to put it down. Even in between commercials while I'm watching T.V. I'll pick it up and start to read it because I just want to finish the chapter. But if you read this book you'll know that that's not so easy because every chapter you finish seems to end with a cliff-hanger. It's so frustrating! Sometimes I actually would like to chuck the book out a window because I just want the problems in it to be solved...but if I did that then I'd never finish the book, so, I restrain myself. I'd deffinitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in books like 'Harry Potter' or 'Twilight'. There's more romance in it than 'Harry Potter', but it also has a more magical twist to it then 'Twilight' does. There's also a creepy, suspense kind of flavour that adds thrill to the story as well; I'd say overall there is a little bit of something for everyone.

My First Post...

Just making sure it works...