Posted in Books, inf103

Pestilence (The Four Horsemen #1) By: Laura Thalassa

Posted on by leandrarosario

WARNING: May contain spoilers!

Just by reading the title, Pestilence, I was very intrigued, but read (The Four Horsemen #1) part, and I was a little skeptical. You see I am not a fan of scary stories and the only thing I knew of the horsemen is that they came with the apocalypse because there are a lot of TV shows, books and movies that mention them.  But here is what I’ve learned from my small research.

  • The four horsemen come from the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ by John of Patmos. Basically from the Bible, the last book of the New Testament.
  • They come to earth when Jesus opens four seals of the seven God’s holding on his right hand and from them appear the four horsemen.
  • They ride on white, red, black, and pale horses.
  • They symbolized Conquest, War, Famine, and Death.
  • The apocalypse will take time, it wont happen in like a month, more like years.

So I read the book in two weeks and oh how I hated the times I couldn’t keep reading it thanks to my responsibilities. You know how there are people who read and get sleepy, I’m the opposite. Getting swept away in the story and realizing you have to wake up in two hours is something I have to get used to. Never in a million years did my 8 year old self would think that I would love reading the way I do now. I used to hate to read like…uff they would have to pay me to finish any book, but that’s another story for another post.

Okay so back to Pestilence, the book this post is supposed to be about.

[Source: From: Giphy By, WiffleGif Titled: Shakira yes]

  • My opinion:

I liked this book so much, because its the type of genres I gravitated towards, science fiction, fantasy, romance and a little bit of action. The main character, Pestilence, at first you start hating him, but through out the story you see that he is more troubled and doesn’t understand what Sara Burns, protagonist, is fighting him for. Thought the story he learns and sees that humans aren’t bad because she shows him compassion, kindness, love. I think it’s a beautiful story, it shows that there is still something worth fighting for. What I love is that Sara Burns, is not weak and she fights for what she thinks is right even if no one is on her side.

I recommend this book, if you love apocalyptic/dystopian stories packed with action, love and fiction, this is the book you need to read. Like right now. It’s amazing different and worth reading. It contains sexual scenes, but there aren’t a lot of them. It is for young adults and not for children.

Here are some details and descriptions of the book:

“They came to earth—Pestilence, War, Famine, Death—four horsemen riding their screaming steeds, racing to the corners of the world. Four horsemen with the power to destroy all of humanity. They came to earth, and they came to end us all.

When Pestilence comes for Sara Burn’s town, one thing is certain: everyone she knows and loves is marked for death. Unless, of course, the angelic-looking horseman is stopped, which is exactly what Sara has in mind when she shoots the unholy beast off his steed.

Too bad no one told her Pestilence can’t be killed.

Now the horseman, very much alive and very pissed off, has taken her prisoner, and he’s eager to make her suffer. Only, the longer she’s with him, the more uncertain she is about his true feelings towards her … and hers towards him.

And now, well, Sara might still be able to save the world, but in order to do so, she’ll have to sacrifice her heart in the process.”

You can find this book in Amazon, and other book stores.

  • Quotes I loved from the book:

“Were you born with all your organs intact?” he responds.
I can’t see his face, so I have no way of knowing where he’s going with this question.
“Yes …” I say cautiously.
“Good,” he responds, “then I expect you to use the one beneath your skull.”
Damn. That insult burned a little.”
― Laura Thalassa, Pestilence

“I came to conquer this land and its people, but instead, one of its people conquered me.”
― Laura Thalassa, Pestilence

“I am Pestilence the Conqueror, the first of the Four Horsemen come to claim your world. I am eternal, and my task, unwavering. I do not require anything to sustain me.”
― Laura Thalassa, Pestilence

“you can force me stay with you, but you can’t make me want to be with you.”                        ― Laura Thalassa, Pestilence

 

Bibliography
Dr. David Jeremiah. (2018, February 22). What are the four horsemen of the apocalypse? Retrieved September 29, 2018, from https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/end-times/what-are-the-four-horsemen-of-the-apocalypse.html
The four horsemen of the apocalypse. (2012, December 21). Retrieved September 29, 2018, from https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/the-four-horsemen-of-the-apocalypse/
Pestilence(The four horsemen, #1). Retrieved September 29, 2018, from https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/59407276-pestilence

 

Featured Image [Source: By: Waiting for the world, Titled: 4 HORSEMEN Licensed CC] 

 

 

Posted in inf103

Almost like praying

Posted on by leandrarosario

I can’t talk about something I did not live and that is hurricane Maria and how it hit my island of Puerto Rico. During the time it happened I was studying abroad in Madrid, Spain at ESIC for one semester. Never did it cross my mind that leaving would keep me from living one of the worst things that could happen to my island.

Madrid, Spain is 6 hours ahead of Puerto Rico, so while Maria was passing I was studying. The day before it happened I talked to my mom but the day after I couldn’t reach her. One of my professors during class asked me if I had heard from my family, that day I remember feeling scared that something might’ve happened to them.

I remember the first news I got about my mom and brother, came from my sister who lives in Daytona, she called a few days later and said that nothing bad happened to them, that they where okay. They couldn’t contact me because the signal was very bad but they where safe. When I heard those beautiful words I was so happy, I wanted to go back to Puerto Rico. The thing is that I was aware of what was going on and I felt powerless, so far away and reading about how the people where suffering. The first news I saw where from Buzzfeed and they where all pictures, some where very graphic. I wanted to buy a ticket and leave, I wanted to be with my family.

Music is a very powerful thing, there is a song that helped me during the time it’s called Almost Like Praying by Lin-Manuel Miranda. I would listen to this song on repeat, because it made me feel close to home.  Now every time someone mentions hurricane Maria almost like praying comes to my mind.

When I finally heard from my mom she started telling me how they had to sleep in the closet because it didn’t have any windows, that they felt the house move do to the strong winds, that they couldn’t leave the house the next day, but she thanked God that they where safe. Hearing her voice made me cry of happiness. As the days passed I started hearing from some friends and family and how they lost their houses. My neighbors came to visit, and told their story.

Some family members that live in Morovis didn’t have electricity until a month ago and their are people who still need help.

Here are some pictures of my friends house, before and after.

IMG-20180923-WA0028IMG-20180923-WA0029

Source:[By Adniles Rios Babilonia, Titled: Maria arrasó en mi hogar, pero no se llevó nuestra unión familiar. All rights reserved]

Every day I wanted to see my family but when they came to visit me in Madrid they where so relived. They where happy because it was a break from the reality they where living back home.

Sad thing is that even now people are still without electricity.

 

A lot of people died.

But I learned that we are strong and when the people unite and work together, Puerto Rico se levanta.

Featured Image [Source: By NOAA Satellites Titled: Hurricanes Maria and Lee in the Atlantic Ocean. Licensed Public Domain]

Posted in inf103

The importance of reading

Posted on by leandrarosario

Hello, bookworms, in this post there are some links to books and articles on how reading benefit us. FYI some are in Spanish. This post is for an assignment but there will be a post soon on how reading has helped me and how it can help you.

[Source: http://fosya.tumblr.com/post/137808088756/current-mood%5D

La lectura: puerta de entrada a los bosques narrativos

Puntuación:14

  • Valenzuela, Diógenes Fajardo. Dec 2016. “La lectura: puerta de entrada a los bosques narrativos.” Enunciación 21(2), 314-329. doi:10.14483/udistrital.jour.enunc.2016.2.a10 Humanities International Complete, EBSCOhost (recuperado September 18, 2018).

La importancia e impacto de la lectura, redacción y pensamiento crítico en la educación superior

Puntuación: 15

  • Guerrero, David Flores. (2016). La importancia e impacto de la lectura, redacción y pensamiento crítico en la educación superior. Zona Próxima, (24), 128-135. doi:10.14482/zp.22.5832. Education Research Complete, EBSCOhost (recuperado September 18, 2018).

La historieta como herramienta educativa en la iniciación artística de niños y niñas de comunidades rurales.

Puntuación: 13

  • Ayala García, Patricia. (2017). La historieta como herramienta educativa en la iniciación artística de niños y niñas de comunidades rurales. Estudios Sobre Las Culturas Contemporáneas, 23(45), 143-165. Referencia Latina, EBSCOhost (recuperado September 18, 2018).

12 scientific ways reading can actually improve your life.

Puntuación: 5

6 ways reading will enrich and enhance your life.
Puntuación: 10

From all the references found, the only one I wouldn’t use is 12 scientific ways reading can actually improve your life because of the low points it got based on the question we had to answer.

 

Have a great day and take care!

Featured Image: [Source By Marketa, Titled, Reading]

 

Posted in inf103

My life without the Web

Posted on by leandrarosario

To this day, the Web has played a very important part in my life. I am constantly using it as a work, study, entertainment and communications tool. It has made life so much easier and I have learned to depend on it.

[Source: https://cuzimmathug.tumblr.com/post/28851882235/let-me-just-check-tumblr-really-quick%5D

Like every thing, the Web has its pros and cons, and I have experienced both. Like for example not having it for a long period of time and suffering, not in a “I’m gonna die without it” way, but more on the “I’m bored” kind of way. Sometimes I get distracted by it when I should be doing something and that’s a bad habit. Most of the time I am doing quizzes using the app from BuzzFeed on my phone, when I should be paying attention in class and that dose not help at all when the exams come or the professors ask questions. But on the other hand all the information you are looking for or need is in the palm of your hand.

Like if you need a recipe on how to make edible cookie dough or you want to see a video of your favorite singers performance on the MTV VMA’s 2018.

I also use it to follow my favorite artist, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Demi Lovato, etc, on YouTube, twitter and Instagram. Because I need to know whats going on with their music.

The only time I get away from using it is when I’m reading an interesting book or when I’m going out with my friends. Both of this things I can do for hours. With books, the fact that you can go to another universe by reading amazes me. With friends, to pay attention to what they are saying I alway leave my phone in my purse or pocket.

Reading

[Title: Reading, By: Sam Greenhalgh, License CC]

In conclusion the Web is very important in my life and in the years to come it will play a bigger part in society. So we better get ready.

Posted in inf103

Experimentando con la Web

Posted on by leandrarosario

En el curso de informática inf103 de la Universidad del Sagrado Corazón estamos produciendo contenido en la Web por primera vez.

[Autor: Antonio Vantaggiato]

[Fuente: amerikasfavoriteluis.tumblr.com/post/72861786169/how-i-people-that-make-my-life-bearable ]