Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr: I started reading the book and realized a few chapters in that I’d already read this one. Which I won’t lie, that frustrated me and made it difficult to finish. I don’t forget books. Good or bad, I tend to remember most of them. So the fact that I totally blanked this one out was a bad sign. After rereading, I still can’t say I loved it. I know this was quite popular at one point but it just did not fit my personal reading style. It is short though and I think readers who prefer a more gritty and contemporary storyline will enjoy it.
All These Things I’ve Done (Birthright)

All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin: An absolute must-read. Caffeine is a drug and there’s a prohibition on chocolate and mob families rule the entire world. (Five mob families to be specific.) Honestly if I gave away any more, I’d give away the book but I just think this is an absolute must-read. A+ to the romance too.
Belles

Belles by Jen Calonita: Totally predictable but @sjopierce called it the CW in book format and it so is. A light read, perfect for roadtrips or a day at the beach.
PrettyTOUGH

Pretty Tough by Liz Tigelaar: First, totally didn’t know that Liz Tigelaar (Brothers & Sisters, Life Unexpected, Once Upon a Time, Revenge) was also a young adult author. The book definitely reads like a light-hearted CW or ABC Family show. There’s only a minimal focus on romance as the book revolves around sisters, friendships, and sports. I didn’t feel like I had a chance to really identify with either of the characters but I would recommend it as a fun summer read.
Falling in Love with English Boys

Falling in Love with English Boys by Melissa Jensen: Both of Melissa Jensen’s books were a conundrum for me. I really enjoyed both but there were just a few little things that bothered me. As far as this one goes, it starts out rough. Like you kind of want to hate both the main girls and then it sort of switches and you’re loving both of them. Cat’s story is much better when focused on her friends while Katherine’s has the better romance. There are a couple of romantic moments with Katherine’s story though that make any other issues null & void. So swoonworthy.
The Fine Art of Truth or Dare

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen: There’s so much food in this book! I’m craving Italian and Greek food like you would not believe. Let me just note too that the advice to always order a restaurant’s staple food is dead on. I liked this one much more than FiLwEB. My only caveat is that the author relies too much on a sort of imaginary friend/conscience/Willing to give insight into Ella. Which isn’t necessary. It feels like Jensen thought she needed more to help the reader understand Ella but she has a good grasp on her anyway. Most of the Sir Edward Willing stuff was overkill. However, Ella is a fabulous heroine with great friends. A book I definitely recommend on that merit alone. The foodie stuff is a total bonus.
For Keeps

For Keeps by Natasha Friend: I liked the main character. However the plot was way too ripped from every ABC Family original movie like ever. Plus the best friend was horrible. I wanted to just scream at her to support her best friend and listen and quit acting like just because she had different opinions didn’t mean she had to lose her compassion. I think the author was trying to go for a more balanced friend but it’s just not accurate. Not for any best friends really but especially not for YA. I’d call this a read when you’re bored on a family reunion book.

Slide by Jill Hathaway: NO NO NO NO NO!!! This book. So much hatred for this book. It started out really interesting and compelling. Then it became predictable and cliche and ultimately dissolved into a complete mess. I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.
Before I Fall

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver: This was a tricky book for me. I wasn’t overly into this particular story (not a very sympathetic main character) but I loved the author’s writing style. I’m really looking forward to reading Delirium as I think it will perfectly fit her writing style. However, in fairness the nature of the book makes it difficult to overly attach to any of the characters. Occasionally I find a book that I didn’t particularly enjoy but is good enough that I highly recommend it (because my personal tastes are not the final say) and this is one of those books.

Tempest by Julie Cross: I read about 50 pages of this. Not my style due to the male protagonist (I find them harder to identify with) but it was a well-written book from what I read. So definitely worth a try. A little more sci-fi than fantasy too.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young: I only got about 10 pages into this and had to give up. But I wanted to note that the writing style is very backwoods and in first person so it is a difficult one to get into. I’d recommend going with a trial chapter on Amazon or borrowing the book from your library before investing in a purchase.
Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale

Tithe by Holly Black: Tithe is the first book in The Modern Faerie Tale series and it is definitely one of the good ones in terms of faerie books. For starters, the mythology is dead on with what faeries can and can’t do without pushing it too far. Plus I really enjoy that the romantic aspect is just sort of there. In ways it does drive the story but it’s never the focus of the story. Kaye is a nice heroine too, not over confident or too insecure. If you’re a fan of faerie fantasies, I’d suggest this one.

Lastly, for those of you who know me, you may note that a lot of my favorite moments involve characters that I don’t like or flat out hate. This is exactly why I encourage fans not to watch for a single character or couple. Not only will you end up disappointed at some point, you miss out on some truly great moments with other characters. No show is ever going to make you happy all the time. Hell, even the cast and crew of a show aren’t happy all the time. We all have favorites but the best story isn’t always told by catering to one person’s favorite story or individual. Embrace the show as a whole and I can guarantee you’ll be much happier.

The Birthday

Caroline & Tyler kiss. Yes the sex was hot. No I’m not a “Forwood” shipper at all. But that kiss was every single thing a kiss should be. (Caroline gets all the best kisses, btw). It felt like it was straight out of every YA novel that I love in the best way possible. I love the way she yells at him because she’s totally jealous and wants him and he’s like I AM RIGHT HERE. I HAVE BEEN HERE THIS ENTIRE TIME. And then she just kisses him because Caroline knows that’s all the answer he needs. Gah! That moment is such perfection and I adore the show for being able to sweep me away in a moment between a couple I don’t even like. Damn good writing and damn good acting.

He’s the reason for my teardrops on his guitar.

Damon tears apart Stefan’s room. I know picking this as my third moment of the premiere may confuse people, since there are other great moments. To me, the best bits are in the details and those come in small moments. Damon might be ripping Stefan’s room apart after he kills Andie but that’s not why he’s doing it. Ian does a fantastic job of showing how much Damon needs his little brother and how scared he is that he’s never going to get him back. When Damon goes out of control, he’s very much in control if that makes any sense. It’s like Damon chooses to snap so he can choose to rein it in. Stefan lives at extremes and for the first time in centuries, they are brothers again. And now Damon feels like he’s lost all of that and he’s clearly angry at Stefan & at Klaus & at himself and he lashes out at Stefan’s room. I confess I started crying in earnest at this moment. Nothing beats the family dynamics on this show.

The Hybrid

Elena asks Alaric to help her achieve her Wilderness Exploration Badge

Elena convinces Alaric to help her find Stefan. This scene cracks me up because I just want to shake Alaric. Elena is of course hilarious in that she knows exactly what to say to Alaric and throws back his whole you can take care of yourself speech at him. But I think it’s hysterical that Alaric says he meant frozen dinners and SATs. You have been around for 2 seasons, Alaric. First off, Stefan usually cooks so I don’t get where you think Elena would resort to frozen dinners. Second, no one shows up to class so why would they take the SATs. Third, this is the doppelganger who is in love with vampires, has a vampire, witch, werewolf, and human for best friends and her brother wears a magical resurrection ring. Take care of herself my ass. There are a lot of dramatic moments on this show but it can be fun to just rewatch the ones that make you laugh.

Bottoms up, Stefan. Feel free to read a sexual subtext into those two words.

Klaus gives Stefan his blood. I think this was the first moment that we clued into Klaus’ humanity and what he longs for most (family). Klaus was upset about the hybrids but the fact that he hands Stefan his blood in a bottle shows us that there’s more to the story. We know Klaus doesn’t have some weird germ phobia, he freely gives his blood straight from his wrist. But with Stefan, Klaus offers a choice. We don’t really know why at this point (that’s the next episode) but still, Klaus gives Stefan a choice to come with him or not by drinking the blood. Err, more of a choice to come with him or die but still there’s an out. Because deep down, Klaus wants Stefan with him because he wants to be, not because he has to be.  Stefan needs/wants Klaus too. Based on his history, we know Stefan craves a family or at least a place to belong. That moment when Klaus put his blood in the bottle, did his puppy eyes, and said Stefan was his only comrade and walked away; he gave Stefan a choice. Not much of one but it was there. Stefan still chose to follow Klaus. They both need each other.

The End of the Affair

We were strangers, starting out on a journey. Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true.

“We were friends?” The Chicago episode was pretty flipping fantastic on all counts, but for me, the moment when Stefan realized that he and Klaus were friends once was particularly touching. Yes, touching (though not the way Klaus wanted to touch Stefan). While we were of course shocked to find out that Stefan & Klaus knew each other back in the day, let alone that Stefan taught Klaus some of his favorite tricks, there was more to it. If you take a look back over the seasons (including flashbacks), you’ll find that while a lot of people LIKE Stefan, he doesn’t have very many friends. There’s Lexi. And ____.  It pretty much ends there. People talk to Stefan, they’re more likely to trust Stefan, but as far as good friends that he can hang out with, they don’t really exist. Damon makes friends a lot more easily. (Which not to go too off topic, is probably a big reason why Damon misses his humanity more than Stefan does. Stefan may go vegetarian a lot but Damon tends to live like a human a lot more often, creating a closer bond with them.)

Anyway, I loved that little moment because it seemed like Stefan was realizing that he hasn’t always been the outsider, the loner. There was a time when he had good friends and Stefan knows himself well enough to see that he looks genuinely happy in that picture. It was a revealing and heartfelt moment in the midst of a greater reveal.

You just got photo-bombed!!!

Katherine was there in the 20s. I just love that Katherine is always around. She’s like a whack-a-mole. Just when you think you’ve knocked her down, she pops back up. Funniest thing ever to me. PS. I miss Katherine. Can she come back in S4?

Disturbing Behavior

Hot chicks with superpowers Damon. You watch Buffy, you should know not to piss them off.

Caroline kicks Damon’s ass. So here’s the thing. Technically, older vampires should be stronger than younger vampires. But not only do I love that Caroline is like ‘excuse me? I can talk shit about my dad all day long but he is my dad and you will not torture or drain or do anything else to him’ at Damon. Plus, I’m big on shows setting precedent. This moment implies that anger can give a vampire added strength. So down the road when Damon gets the jump on Kol, his ability to do that has already been set up. And honestly, that school showdown right after Caroline turned wasn’t enough. She so owed Damon another ass kicking.

I’m on tonight’s menu too.

“I’ll let you pick who we eat.” This was the moment Klefan went from being an awesome bromance in my mind, to having a history of a secret love affair back in the 20s. I’m telling y’all, Klaus and Stefan are each other’s true loves. Instead of elaborating further, I’ve simply included a couple videos to demonstrate.

The Reckoning

“Turn it Off!” I can’t skip this moment. Everyone talks about it and with good reason. It was absolutely phenomenal. Paul Wesley gets most of the attention (as he should) but I think there’s some great work from Joseph Morgan and Nina Dobrev as well. Joseph is perfect as Klaus who is furious that things aren’t going his way and just erupts in rage. There’s no more control, no more manipulative vampire. He wants his way NOW. Then Nina gives Elena this wonderful display of utter heartbreak as she literally watches her boyfriend be completely lost to her. The fact that Elena knows how much Stefan didn’t want this makes it even more amazing. But of course, let’s not forget Paul’s work because the bulk of the moment hangs on him. Stefan’s eyes accept the compulsion and do in fact show him turning off his humanity but it’s more than that. In just a few seconds, his eyes also show relief. Being a ripper is easy. He doesn’t have to think or feel or worry about other people. And for a guy like Stefan, who is constantly in control, his ripper status has to feel like collapsing into bed after traveling for like 3 days straight. It’s comforting, it’s a relief. (Damon knows this, hence the reason he’s often trying to get Stefan to find a balance). In this scene though, Paul shows Stefan’s relief and horror at the same time. He doesn’t want to be this guy and yet at the same time there is something so simple about just being a ripper.

Matt’s face in the gym when Klaus kills Tyler. I love Matt’s face here because it reveals so much about Matt as a person. Klaus feeds Tyler his blood and snaps his neck and every other person in the room is standing there in shock & horror and fear of Klaus. And Matt just glares at Klaus like ‘bitch, I’m gonna fuck you up’. I love that! Matt’s not stupid, he doesn’t attack Klaus, but he’s also not afraid of him like the others. I get the feeling that Klaus notices this as well because Klaus seems to have a bit of a soft spot for Matt.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

I’m not an in-law. I’ll eventually leave and I’ll have sex with you. This is not a bad deal, Salvatores.

Rebekah informs the Salvatores that she’ll be staying with them. This is just a small and silly moment but I love the banter. Everyone’s all snarky with each other and it’s just so much fun. Plus, I like that it shows a bit of old-fashioned etiquette in Rebekah. She assumes the Salvatores have a room ready for her because that’s what you do for guests. You don’t just meet them at their hotel, you make them a guest in your own home. I love when the show has tiny details to remind us that the Originals are of a different era. Also, I really like Rebekah’s hair in this scene. So there’s that.

Bitch please. Just stay down.

Elena stakes Stefan (in the stomach). Elena gets her Buffy on throughout the episode by training and learning to fight back (something that I think a lot of people haven’t realized how often she’s used that training through this season. Just because she isn’t staking people, doesn’t mean her reflexes haven’t improved) against vampires. But I have to pick a favorite as the moment when Elena stabs Stefan. It is so a “my ex-boyfriend has turned into a total asshat” moment and Elena pretty much does what any girl would want to do in that moment. Then she just looks at him like “you asshole. I liked you. The only person I NEED is me. Get over your damn self.” Hot chicks with superpowers for the win.

Ghost World

(I just want to note that this is one of my absolute favorite episodes this season so picking only two favorite moments was so hard. So I cheated).

We are the least incestuous trio in Mystic Falls.

Damon/Bonnie/Caroline chat on the street. I’m odd. I don’t really like Damon or Bonnie but I love these two together. Plus, I feel like while all 3 of these characters have issues, on some level they understand each other better than the others. Bonnie and Caroline have working through their S2 problems (thank goodness! I need my girls together) but there are moments between these three that I really enjoy. Caroline has moved on past Damon’s treatment of her and I love that she gives him attitude right back. They will probably never be friends (a good thing in my opinion) but she’s snarky with him and assertive and keeps them on an even keel. Bonnie and Damon though have an understanding. They bitch at each like all get out but they also make choices in the exact same way. And what’s truly interesting is that Damon doesn’t sugarcoat things with these two, especially Bonnie, something he does do not only with Elena but also with Stefan & Alaric. These are people who say tell me the problem and I will fix it, we’ll analyze later. That means needing the facts. There aren’t too many scenes between Damon & Bonnie or just Damon & Caroline but when there are, I always enjoy them.

Your face is so pretty Stefan. Hope you weren’t too attached.

Lexi beats down Stefan. The gif says it all. Lexi is such a fucking badass. I miss her. I still think Klaus should kick Damon’s ass for killing Lexi on Stefan’s birthday.

Family. It always comes back to family.

Pearl & Anna Reunite. Yes, I’m cheating by having three moments. I will cut one out later on. Trust me the Sage episodes are easy to cut down to one favorite moment. This reunion between Pearl and Anna y’all. I weep during this scene. Only a few seconds and yet these two characters sum up what this entire show is about. Finding your family. Biological or found family, this is the core of the show and the core of the characters’ desires. So simple, yet so profound.

Double cheat. I love the line when Bonnie tells Jeremy that the only thing he owes her is the respect to not make her listen to his explanation. I so wish more people who were cheated on would say shit like this.

*Mythology Comprehension* I feel like the ghost thing, as in who can/can’t see ghosts, has confused a few people. A human who has died a non-supernatural death and been brought back can see ghosts. That’s why Jeremy can see them after being shot by a human and why Matt can after drowning. The others were able to see the ghosts because Bonnie gave them physical shape long enough to be able to fight them. Also, as Anna noted, the human has to want to see the ghost as the ghost wants to see the human. That’s why Rose could appear to Jeremy. Because she’s a creeper who likes to watch Damon in the shower.

Ordinary People

Look, here is my sword. Whoops there go my pants.

Elijah & Klaus sword fight. That one scene is basically everything I love about all the HoYay in Mystic Falls. It’s also fun and innocent and just a nice moment between brothers. A lot like the football with Damon & Stefan in 1864. Joseph and Daniel also look like they had so much fun filming that scene. I can’t wait to see if the bloopers reveal that it took a few takes for them to stop laughing.

Rebekah breaks down. All Rebekah has ever wanted is her family to be happy and whole and what we basically consider nuclear. That’s it. Everyone else on the show is still figuring out how important family is but Rebekah’s always known it. And when her parents turned out to be jerks, she gathered her brothers to her and made her family whole again. Every time it has fragmented, she’s pulled them together, even down to her and Klaus. That’s what she wants. What she’s always wanted. And in a few minutes, it’s all been ripped away from her. She goes from knowing who she is to completely lost. We meet a lot of lost souls on their way to redemption and healing on The Vampire Diaries. It’s rare we get to see the moment a character loses her sense of self. Claire Holt portrays Rebekah’s heartbreak brilliantly.

Homecoming

Elena’s inner monologue: “this would be so much more satisfying if she was Katherine.”

Elena stabs Rebekah. First, I really hope that in S4 Rebekah will get to go to a dance. Maybe prom. She and Matt would look so cute at prom. Second, it was good that Elena kept Rebekah from homecoming because that red dress was not flattering. Third, Elena was seriously badass. It’s kind of impressive really. On the one hand, I don’t think that Elena was lying to Rebekah. She’s not that type of person. I truly believe that Elena knew how much it would matter to Rebekah to have her necklace back and that Elena, knowing what she was about to do, wanted Rebekah to have that comfort. Then Elena proves that while she may still be compassionate and care about others, she’s changed too. She’s a little bit darker, a little more cutthroat, and ready to do whatever it takes. Including temporarily killing a girl who just wants to be loved.

Katherine: “Wanna make out before you go?”
Stefan: “There’s still dog hair on the seats from Mason. No thank you.”

Stefan and Katherine were in cahoots. I like that word. Cahoots. I also like this moment though. See while of the Salvatores, I prefer Stefan with Elena, I’ve always thought that there’s a level where Damon and Elena completely understand each other. Stefan doesn’t get this side of Damon or of Elena but they get each other. It forges a bond, for better or worse. The thing is, when Stefan allows it, he has the same bond with Katherine. Every once in a while, they get each other better than anyone else. This scene did a really good job of showing it. Katherine may love Stefan best, but she knows (and so does Elena) that their bond as brothers is stronger than anything else.  “Humanity is a vampire’s greatest weakness. No matter how easy it is to turn it off, it keeps trying to fight its way back in. Sometimes I let it.” That last sentence is key to understanding Katherine. She comes off as uncaring in her self-preservation but sometimes, she chooses to care.

The New Deal:

Jeremy sweetheart, blood spatter is not your best color.

Jeremy chops off a hybrid’s head. This moment spoke legions to how much Jeremy has changed over the last year. I know there’s a lot of controversy over Elena having Damon compel Jeremy to forget at the end of the episode but I feel like this scene at least allows us to understand why she did it. Jeremy never chose to get involved with vampires or werewolves or any of it. He’s what could best be termed collateral damage and unlike Tyler & Caroline, who have ended up in the supernatural world, Jeremy’s still a boy in the wrong place at the wrong time. He doesn’t want to be here and yet Elena watches as he chops off a man’s head. I think that gets missed in this scene. The hybrid wasn’t in wolf shape or vampire eyes or in some weird transition where he didn’t look human. Jeremy shot a man in the back and chopped off his head. A man who a few weeks earlier was living his life, possibly not even aware he was a werewolf, let alone could be a hybrid, and forced through a sire bond to follow Klaus’ orders. I’m not saying save the hybrid but he’s not this super evil guy. But in that moment, he’s the bad guy, so Jeremy takes him out. It’s telling in showing us just how dark Jeremy has become. I think that’s something Elena saw too. She wasn’t there yet. She couldn’t go that far and if she couldn’t kill a hybrid so brutally, despite choosing this life, how can she possibly accept that her little brother can?

Oh Klaus. It’s cute that you still think you’re in charge.

Elena gives Rebekah to Klaus. I love the end of this scene when Elena tells Klaus that Rebekah knows he killed their mother and then says he can let himself out. It shows a start to Elena taking things back into her own hands. And I think it’s also a moment of her realizing that while Klaus might still be scary, he can be reasoned with. There are things he wants and he’ll negotiate to get them. Elena gets that and she adapts. Her attitude though is the best.

I very nearly cheated and added the Damon/Elena kiss on the porch because I absolutely loved it. So instead I’m just slipping in a clip of that scene.

Our Town

Klaus/Caroline. Oh c’mon. If you thought I would put anything else, you clearly don’t know me. That whole scene was perfection. So much so that I’ve just put it here in the post and then copy/pasted an old comment I wrote about it because I basically still feel all the same things.

“So why did this pairing affect me (and so many others in the TVD fandom) so strongly? I have a theory. (It could be bunnies). And my theory doesn’t involve Klaus nearly as much as it involves Caroline. In fact, I would argue that if the actions were the same, you could put nearly any male character with Caroline and we would be swooning the same way. Though Klaus does have that accent and delightful way of saying sweetheart.

I noted in my part of the reaction post over at The Salvatore Boarding House the following: “There’s that moment where Klaus is just saying his normal cultish spiel about how she’s free and Caroline looks at him and says “I’m dying” and Candice puts all the weight of the world in her eyes in that moment. It’s genius. She’s not commenting on the fact that she’s dying because of Tyler’s bite. She’s saying she’s dying, and has been, ever since Katherine turned her and that she’s been telling herself it will get better but she’s never believed it and tonight on her birthday it all came to a head. And it’s like she made this peace with her life ending in the next couple days because she believes it ended months ago. And Klaus just looks at her and sees all of it. It felt like he just went ‘what have you been told that you think your life is over and that you aren’t worth anything. How could anyone have possibly let you believe that your life wasn’t worth anything. Let me tell you how magical you are and how genuinely beautiful you are.’”

I’ll backtrack a bit to say that I identify so much with Caroline. And I do so in unexpected ways. If you listen to fans say what character’s death could get them to stop watching, 9 times out of 10, the answer is Caroline. (Assuming you’re aware that Damon, Stefan and Elena aren’t going anywhere). Something about Caroline speaks to me and until last Thursday, I wasn’t sure what that was. I certainly wasn’t popular in high school, in fact very much the opposite. I’m not that cheerful or fought over by boys or really any of the things that seem to make up Caroline. Then I watched “Our Town”. And I realized that I identify with Caroline because she dreams and she hurts and she keeps part of herself hidden because no one ever told her she could have the world. I do that last one. In this world of social media it can seem easy to know someone but there’s a lot I don’t share. Hell there are aspects of my life that my best friends over the last couple decades don’t know. I have one friend, just one, who knows all of my deepest secrets. And he knows them in part because he was there and in part because he always seems to know exactly what I can’t say. Caroline has, especially since she’s become a vampire, been about pulling herself up by the bootstraps and making the best of situations. And I’ve been begging for a moment where Caroline sees that the best isn’t happening, her life just sucks. In “Our Town” we did. We see a depressed Caroline who no longer has teenage distractions and is faced with the reality of her eternal existence. Her friends want to celebrate birthdays and Caroline is pointing out that she’s not the same girl and I think there was a hint of Caroline not knowing exactly what she wants. I get that. Oh I so get that.

There are so many times when I don’t know what I’m feeling or what I want but what I really need is for someone to get me without explanation. That’s what Klaus did for Caroline. He didn’t hear her “I’m dying” response as a sarcastic retort. He knew what she meant and he knew that no one had told her about all the good things this new life could offer. And so he painted a picture of a world so magical and so beautiful that Caroline finally believed. She believed that this glimmer in her heart that knew things had to change and that high school couldn’t be everything was right.

I’m certain that’s why I (and many of you) fell so hard for this ship. We all know what it’s like to have dreams or fears that we can’t quite voice. And I think on some level, we all hope that someone will understand us. Not always romantically (though that’s a perk) but just that someone out there will understand what it is we don’t know how to say. Caroline represents each of us but Klaus represented that someone. He saw the real Caroline. In the end, aren’t we all hoping someone will see who we really are?”

“How could you?!” Breaks my heart every time.

Stefan nearly drives Elena off Wickery Bridge. I could honestly wax poetic about a whole hell of a lot of this scene but I’m going to focus on one part in particular. Most of us know that the actors don’t find out what will happen too far in advance. Obviously because of filming they know what’s going on before we do, but they often have to convey emotions in a scene that will still fit later twists. Specifically, Stefan will later reference this moment as the one where he realized just how far he’d gone and that he didn’t want to be this guy anymore. But I doubt Paul knew that yet. So I find it very impressive that in the briefest of flickers, Stefan’s eyes give his humanity away, before they quickly revert back to revenge. It’s a tiny moment, but it indicates so much of his journey still to come.

To end, here are a couple of my favorite fanvids made by people much more talented than me. The first is from @tinatvd and the second from @ellecandyy.

Part 2 will be up Tuesday  of this coming week.

Anyway, so the best way to read this wonderful book is to read it as though you are Meg Murry, our delightful protagonist. Meg, you see, is quite smart. Sometimes she knows that she’s very smart but a lot of the time she doesn’t realize this. Part of the problem being that she is surrounded by other geniuses. Meg however is like most of us. We can understand difficult concepts and sometimes we get it because someone (like Calvin O’Keefe or Charles Wallace) explains it to us in a way that makes us go HOLY SHIT THAT IS SO SIMPLE, WHY DID NO ONE EVER TELL ME THIS. But sometimes we have to figure things out by going over and over it several times in our head until it finally makes sense. That’s Meg. She gets there, she just takes a little more time to get there. And the wonderful thing about the way Meg is written is that she never seems stupid or slow. She just has her own process and the people in the book who love her are happy to let her work out her process. Which is why I say to read the book like Meg.

*Sidenote*: Okay so the reason I am currently bringing up an older kids book and telling you how to read it and also saying that if you have somehow never read A Wrinkle in Time that YOU NEED TO GO READ IT RIGHT FUCKING NOW is a rabbit trail story. I have been reading up a storm these last few weeks and two days ago I read a book called Slide by Jill Hathaway (EWWW. AWFUL BOOK) . Then at work, I was looking up reviews for the book to see if people agreed with me. (Some did, others didn’t. This happens a lot in a world of people with opinions. Shocking, I know). So I went to FYA’s site to see if anyone there read/reviewed it. They haven’t yet which tells me they have excellent taste or just haven’t gotten to it. Anyway, that made me start reading other reviews (yay for people who share my love for Maureen Johnson) and I noticed there was a review for A Wrinkle in Time. Which promptly made me remember so many of my favorite lines, like “Like and equal are not the same thing at all” and “You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you.” and my favorite characters of like all time. Seriously Calvin is right up there with Mr. Darcy and Gilbert Blythe and Barney Snaith and Perry Miller. (I like LM Montgomery characters in case you couldn’t tell). Naturally, this led to me rereading the book and wanting to write up a post on it and for some reason this is the angle I came up with. *End Sidenote*

So read the first chapter. Then read it again. And read it one more time. Trust me it helps. And every time you get a little stuck on something in the book, stop and reread those pages as many times as it takes to understand what’s going on. It’s what Meg would do. Once you’ve read the entire book, go back and read it through all over again. You’ll fall in love even more.

Then come back and talk to me about how much you still love A Wrinkle in Time even years later. Or how fricking perfect Calvin O’Keefe is (and if you don’t agree, keep your mouth shut or we won’t be friends). Or the way L’Engle makes me actually interested in science through her books. Also did anyone read The Arm of the Starfish? Because it’s one of my favorites but it seems like no one ever read it.

Which is something that I think actually says a lot about the length of TV shows today. If you pay attention to upfronts & a wide variety of TV discussion (ie: more than just spoilers) than you know that the idea of shorter series has grown in its appeal. Nearly every cable show out there runs a shorter 10-13 episode season. It cuts down on costs for a production and allows networks to air the episodes uninterrupted. It’s not just the money either. There are a lot of shows that tell a better story when held to a limited number of episodes. It forces a tighter storyline, advanced character development and side plots that aren’t very good end up scrapped to tell the greater story as a whole. I think this first season of Scandal would have been best with 10 episodes personally. 13 offered the option for too many filler episodes but I think 10 allowed things to be laid out a bit more slowly. Still, it worked. I’m hoping for a 13 ep season next year to keep the energy high.

Anyway, let’s get into the show. Bear with me here but I think Scandal is a little like Inglorious Basterds. That movie took situations we are more familiar with and basically did whatever the hell it wanted to the story. Scandal is doing the same thing with the assassinations and shit. AND IT IS AWESOME. I love how quickly this president issue became so much bigger than him and how well it was interwoven through the last few years. I was actually kind of  liking Billy until he had his little crazy fit. He’s completely batshit but it was a damn good plan and if he’d had Olivia on HIS side, it might have worked. Cyrus on the other hand is fucking scary as shit. I love that Olivia was right and that Cyrus did have Amanda killed. It just gives so much more to work with next season when one of their most dangerous enemies is technically on the team.

Olivia & Fitz are this couple that I don’t necessarily ship but I do love their scenes. They work well professionally but also have this undeniable heat (which makes me crack up that everyone was surprised that Melly knew about them-wives aren’t that stupid) between them. Even better though are the “just one minute” scenes when they stop being a name and become a person. I don’t know how to fully explain it but those scenes are just so moving and easily my favorites. I like too that Olivia is often vulnerable but clicks into save the world mode when she has to. My one caveat with Fitz is that I don’t think we understand WHY he’s the better president. I’d like a little more mention of that.

Melly however, I am LOVING. I’m not a big fan of the cheating spouse but I do love the stories with the other spouse knowing what is going on and using it to get what they want. So the fact that Melly has known, and didn’t even mind because it kept Fitz happy, which kept her in the White House, is utterly fantastic. I watched several times the scene when she yells at Olivia for breaking his heart and not doing her job. So much depth to be mined in that scene. I think now that Olivia & Fitz know just how much Melly is aware of, she’ll be a much more integral and formidable part of the team next season.

As for the rest of Olivia’s team, while I’m still curious about them, I liked that the later episodes gave each one a chance to exhibit a little more passion and, with the exception of Stephen, show why they follow Olivia. (My theory on Stephen is that he’s not there so much because he needs Olivia but because she needs him. In a platonic way. They don’t strike me as lovers at any point). Huck intrigues me but at the same time I think I understand him so I’m not like OMG HOW INTENSE IS HUCK. That torture scene however was amazing, absolutely great work. That moment when Abby starts screaming at Olivia about bringing the wife back to the dictator is one of my favorites on the series so far. It was the wrong call and someone had to tell her that. Abby was perfect because she has reason to know the need to get out of a relationship and to call her out on the bullshit idea that if Carlita married the guy, she deserved to be stuck with him. (Something I don’t think is actually how Olivia feels). Stephen is still a bit of a conundrum but I like him all the same.

Final topic, WHO IS QUINN?! I mean right? I love this idea that she has the craziest back story of any of them. I’ve heard a lot of theories that Quinn is in witness protection but I don’t think that quite works. You don’t have half a dozen law agencies after you for witness protection. (Or at least its rare). And if that was the case with Quinn, I don’t think she’d be working with Olivia. It just feels like there’s more to it. But I don’t know what.

Okay so how’s everyone else liking Scandal? Are you as hooked as me? Comment away!

Technically I will be testing the waters with SYTYCD. Some years I adore the show, others I pop in for the videos. I’m hoping this year is a love it.

Men at Work: May 24th-TBS

Danny Masterson has not been on my TV enough lately and neither has Michael Cassidy. Plus I’m a sucker for TBS sitcoms since I think they have a knack for finding shows about a group of friends who can be funny. TBS comedies usually aren’t punchline after punchline but not every show needs to be. My Boys for example remains one of my all time favorite comedies.

Hatfields & McCoys: May 28th-History Channel

While I doubt I will watch this one live, I do plan on viewing it at some point over the summer. Between my love of rivalries & love of history, this is right up my alley.

Breaking Pointe: May 31st-CW

I like my dance shows. And anything that supposedly shows a more realistic side of dance is awesome. Plus if I end up obsessed with anyone from this particular “reality” show, SLC is close enough for me to stalk people.

Necessary Roughness: June 6th-USA

I’m still not in love with Callie Thorne in the lead role here but I forgive a LOT for a football show. Or a show loosely related to football. Scott Cohen & Mehcad Brooks more than make up for it. Especially Scott Cohen. Even Marc Blucas is slowly allowing me to shake away some of the bitter aftertaste from Riley.

Saving Hope: June 7th-NBC

It has Daniel Gillies. As Melissa (@phantomrat) says, if this is not how you base your viewing decisions, I can’t help you. I do like Erica Durance as well but seriously at the end of the day, I’ll be tuning into this one for Gillies. If it ends up surprising me with its quality, so much the better.

Bunheads: June 11th-ABC Family

Please. It has dance, Kelly Bishop, and Amy Sherman Palladino at the helm. The question isn’t so much will I be watching, but how obsessively I will be doing so.

Dallas: June 13th-TNT

I don’t think it is possible for me to express my excitement for this. I know it will be cheesy and soapy and therefore PERFECTION.

Suits: June 14th-USA

I love this show. Seriously. Gabriel Macht is utterly fantastic, as is the rest of the cast. The Harvey & Mike bromance is quite possibly my favorite thing about the show. But as evidenced by my love for The Good Wife, I’m a sucker for law dramas when I care about the characters behind the scenes.

Awkward: June 28th-MTV

I refuse to pick a team with this show (unless I can be Team Jenna) but I’m so happy it was renewed. Ashley Rickards is brilliant. And in a world that insists on throwing love triangles at us, this is one of the few shows that gets it right. I was heartbroken with last season’s finale so I’m quite excited/dreading the resolution.

Perception: TNT

I honestly don’t know much about this show except Eric McCormack is in it so I’ll be checking it out at least a couple times.

White Collar: July 10th-USA

MATT BOMER. TIM DEKAY. And a whole host of fantastic supporting characters. This is easily one of my favorite summer shows and I do not miss an episode.

Leverage: July 15th-TNT

This is my other favorite show. (Okay its actually a tie between Leverage, White Collar, Suits, and Awkward). I adore adore adore Parker & Hardison together and Elliott Spencer is one of my top 5 TV boyfriends. Specifically he is 3rd. Behind Oz & Wesley but ahead of Matt Donovan.

Political Animals: July 15th-USA

You had me at James Wolk and Sebastian Stan but political intrigue and a distinctly more risque show on USA also intrigues me.

Shows I might try catching up on or get suckered into:

Several USA shows, (Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Common Law, Covert Affairs) are on my list to try and watch at some point. And I could weirdly see myself getting sucked into Baby Daddy on ABC Family depending on how involved Chelsea Kane is because I really enjoy her. The Newsroom on HBO is another of my might tune in from time to time shows.

Everything Maureen Johnson wrote. EVER. I have now read 3 of her books within a 24 hour period and I can’t get enough. I’m devouring them. I started with The Name of the Star and then continued with Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Little Blue Envelope. I’m currently on Suite Scarlett since it was the only left at Barnes & Noble. The Name of the Star is set in England, with Jack the Ripper hysteria in modern times and it is awesome. Mysterious and fantastic. Also the Blue Envelope books are really dangerous because they will make you want to pack up your entire life and move to Europe. I say dangerous because unlike other books that romanticize such endeavors, Ginny (star of these books) has a lot of stressful times and is kind of miserable but that’s sort of the point of a real adventure anyway. But still read them.

If you like the Morganville vampire series by Rachel Caine, you should know that the latest book “Black Dawn” is out. While still very good, I’m having a little difficulty with the draug. I’ll hold off on final judgment until the series is wrapped up but for now I think things might be better if the series ended a couple books ago. If you haven’t read the series, please do give it a try and let me know your thoughts. Those of you who enjoy Thomas Galvin’s “Sire” will probably like the Morganville Vampires series. Speaking of, if you haven’t read “Sire”, do so now.

I read this next one a few weeks ago but it is an absolute must read for everyone. “The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer” is utterly brilliant. You sort of think the book is really great and about one thing and then it becomes even better but totally different. I would spoil it if I talked about it more but suffice to say, read it now.

Lastly, I’ve been rereading several books in the Bordertown lexicon, a world I highly recommend you disappear into.

Rebekah spoke first. “Nik? What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s burning up,” answered Nik. “Like he has a fever that knocked him out.”

“But we don’t get sick,” stated Caroline. She knew it was sort of stating the obvious but her confusion was evident.

Klaus lifted Stefan’s body and placed it on a couch in the closest sitting room as his siblings and Caroline followed. He kneeled beside his friend as Rebekah placed a hand on Stefan’s cheek.

“He does feel feverish.” She paused, puzzled. “Caroline’s right though. We don’t get sick. To get a vampire to pass out, you’d have to vervain them or kill them or…”

“Spell him,” interrupted Elijah.

“You think this is a spell, brother?” asked Klaus, turning his face towards Elijah while Caroline propped up pillows under Stefan’s head.

“I’m not certain,” answered Elijah. “It does seem the most likely possiblity.”

“How do we know for sure?” asked Caroline.

“Wait a few minutes to see if he revives,” said Elijah. “If Stefan remains unconscious, I can attempt to manipulate his self-conscious into telling me what’s going.”

Caroline’s face showed her confusion.

“When a vampire gives someone a dream,” explained Kol. “It’s a backwards way but sometimes we can make the dream tell us secrets instead of simply being a fantasy.”

“Oh. But what happens if Stefan doesn’t wake up and we can’t figure out what’s wrong?” worried Caroline.

“Cross your bridges when you get there, Caroline, not before,” said Elijah calmly. “Kol, will you get a fresh blood bag from the guest cooler? I want to be prepared if Stefan wakes up hungry.”

Kol nodded.

“Type A,” called Caroline after Kol. She knew he would still be able to hear her.

Kol was back within minutes, handing the bag to Elijah before sitting next to Caroline. A second later, Stefan jolted upwards on the couch, startling everyone and causing Klaus to jump backwards.

“Stefan?” asked Klaus cautiously.

Stefan’s eyes were wild and unfocused. He gazed unseeingly as though dazed. The Originals and Caroline watched, utterly baffled and unsure of how to respond to Stefan.

“Ripper,” whispered Stefan suddenly. “Ripper made a mess.”

“What’s he talking about?” said Caroline softly.

Elijah was just as puzzled as the rest of him. “I’m not sure.”

Klaus took a step back towards Stefan. “Stefan?” he asked hesitantly.

“Ripper made a mess!” screamed Stefan this time, though he seemed no more coherent.

“Where’s the mess, Stefan?” asked Klaus. “What happened?”

Caroline and Rebekah exchanged looks of concern, though Caroline was more horrified than the older vampire.

“Why would he be a ripper again?” asked Caroline, addressing no one in particular.

“I don’t know that he is,” answered Elijah. “Is this typical behavior of the Ripper version of Stefan?”

“No,” stated Rebekah firmly.

“This definitely isn’t the Ripper,” agreed Klaus. “Stefan was always in complete control then. To an extreme. This is something very different.”

They turned back to Stefan as he started muttering. “Clean up the mess, ripper. Can’t be messy, have to clean.”

The vampires were bewildered, trying to figure out what was going on, or what Stefan meant when he started clawing at his arms. Stefan scratched down his forearm, digging his nails in and peeling skin back as he went. Caroline nearly threw up in horror at the sight. As Klaus recovered, he yanked Stefan’s hand away.

“Stefan, stop it!” he yelled, trying to reach the vampire’s mind.

Stefan pulled his hand back with more strength than Klaus was prepared for and began muttering again. “See the mess, ripper. Time to clean.” He reached back towards the loose skin on his arm that wasn’t healing at typical vampire speed. His hand began to smooth the skin back over the wounds. “Put the pieces back together, ripper. Mustn’t leave a mess.”

“Fuck,” exclaimed Kol as Klaus again tried to pull Stefan’s hand away.

“That’s a spell if I ever saw one,” noted Elijah. “And a powerful one at that.”

“Pieces won’t go back,” said Stefan, batting harder at his arm. “Never mind, throw it away. Can’t keep the pieces.” He started ripping the skin away completely, saying again, “throw the pieces away. No mess for ripper.”

“That explains why the wounds aren’t healing faster,” said Elijah. “Stefan probably goes into these fits often and I’m guessing part of the spell is blocking his healing abilities.”

“So what do we do?” asked Caroline.

Elijah sat down again, watching Stefan run his hand over the wounds again. He’d stopped ripping at his flesh for the moment. “It look like he might be calming down, so let’s wait it out. Then maybe Stefan can talk to us and explain.”

Stefan was still muttering but it had been incoherent for a few minutes. Suddenly he was talking very loudly again. “This piece doesn’t go. Ripper, take out the bad piece. Doesn’t belong.” Both of Stefan’s hands moved upwards, and he began to jam them at his chest. “Take out the bad piece. Doesn’t go here. Ripper put the pieces back wrong,” he muttered.

Kol caught on the same time Klaus did. “Shit,”snapped Klaus. The two brothers leaped at Stefan, yanking his arms behind him.

Rebekah realized what he was doing a split second later. “He was trying to rip his heart out.”

“Dear god,” whispered Elijah quietly.

Everyone was still as Stefan fought against Klaus and Kol until after several minutes, he passed out again. Neither original let go of the vampire’s arms.

“We need to get to Mystic Falls,” said Klaus, his voice quivering with rage.

“Quickly,” agreed Elijah.

“I’m going,” said Caroline. “Those are my friends.”

Klaus didn’t even bother arguing. “One of us should stay with Stefan.”

“I will,” volunteered Rebekah. “Caroline wouldn’t be strong enough to fight him anyway.”

Stefan’s eyes opened just then and he blinked a few times at the Originals surrounding him. “Caroline,” he said weakly.

“I’m right here,” she answered, moving to stand in front of him. “Stefan what happened to you?”

“Witch,” he said, as Klaus slowly helped Stefan sit down again. “She showed up in Mystic Falls a few weeks ago and kidnapped Elena, taking some of her blood.”

“And this spell?” asked Elijah, hoping to get as many answers as possible while Stefan was coherent.

“The witch called it a test…and…a reminder.”

“How often does this happen?” questioned Klaus, still keeping a grip on Stefan, not wanting to risk anything without more details.

“Every hour.”

“Shit,” said Kol, his curse speaking for everyone. “How did you get to us?”

“I ran,” answered Stefan. “Lucy, a cousin of Bonnie’s, has been trying to help us but she isn’t strong enough to break the spell.”

“Is the spell on Damon too?” asked Rebekah.

Stefan shook his head. “Just me. But sometimes it makes me attack him too and his wounds don’t heal either. Plus he has to fight me so I don’t rip my heart out.” His voice shook. “Damon keeps getting weaker too. We thought we could beat the witch on our own but early this morning it took Matt shooting me with vervain while Damon fought me to stop it. I had my hands around my own heart when Matt got there.”

“Why didn’t Damon come here?” asked Elijah.

“Lucy was able to figure out how to pause the spell’s cycle for a few hours,” explained Stefan. “We figured if I managed to make it here, an unspelled Original could keep me from involuntary suicide.”

“And if Damon left, there was no one strong enough to stop you,” realized Klaus.

Stefan nodded. “I usually pass out before and after the spell hits. I was fighting it with everything I had those last few minutes to get to you.” He took a breath to continue and lapsed unconscious again, his head falling against Kol’s shoulder.

“I thought Stefan said he was usually coherent for an hour,” observed Rebekah, watching Stefan worriedly.

“I imagine Lucy pausing the spell left him more vulnerable,” theorized Elijah, though he too was concerned.

“Then let us figure out a plan quickly, brother,” insisted Klaus. “Before he gets worse.”

- – - – -

“Someone needs to stay and help Rebekah with Stefan,” said Caroline. They’d held Stefan back through two more fits while Elijah worked out a plan and it was clear that Stefan’s strength grew during them.

Elijah thought for only a moment, “Laurel.”

“Laurel?” questioned Klaus. “She hardly seems like the calming influence that Stefan needs right now.”

“I agree,” interjected Caroline. “Elijah, I really don’t see how Laurel is the right person to stay with Stefan.”

“She turned Lexi,” said Elijah in response.

“Never mind, that works for me,” said Klaus.

Caroline nodded her agreement. Both were curious as to how Elijah knew that but neither bothered to ask. Now wasn’t the time for useless questions.

“Excellent. I will have Kol stop by her place on his way to Mystic Falls.” Elijah walked out the door, assuming the matter was resolved and the others followed.

Kol was going to run at vampire speeds to Mystic Falls, grab Elena, and get her to a safe location before the others got there. He’d agreed not to take her far so they could return quickly, Elena’s compassion for her friends ensured that she wouldn’t let Kol go far. But Elijah & Klaus wanted her safe and away from this witch while they sorted out what was going on.

Klaus, Caroline, and Elijah were driving and even at Elijah’s high driving speeds, would take a good 5 hours to get there, allowing them to arrive a little after Kol.

Caroline looked at Rebekah, who stood on the front steps, before getting into the car. “Take care of him,” she said quietly, though her fears were still evident.

“Promise,” answered Rebekah.

- – - -

Late that night, Laurel sat with Stefan as he kept repeating the cycle. First he would pass out, then he would start tearing his own body apart before trying to put it back together. He always had about an hour of sanity before another round would hit. Rebekah had spent most of the evening holding Stefan’s arms away from him, fighting so he couldn’t rip his own heart out, something he’d tried twice. Neither vampire could imagine how Damon had managed to prevent Stefan from killing himself, not when Stefan was putting up a struggle even against Rebekah.

Once Laurel got to the mansion, she could see that the Original vampire was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Laurel urged her to get some rest, insisting that she would call her if necessary.

When the next moment of insanity started, Laurel gripped Stefan’s hands tightly and stared into his eyes. “You don’t need to put the ripper back together right now. Leave it alone.”

Stefan struggled but with less effort.

“Leave the mess, Stefan,” said Laurel again. “We’ll clean it up later.” She kept repeating the words as his struggle slowed until eventually Stefan was quiet. A few minutes later, she could see that the old Stefan was back.

“Who are you?” asked Stefan.

Laurel smiled. “I’m Laurel. Elijah asked me to help take care of you while they went to Mystic Falls. The boys are sorting out this witch problem.”

“Why isn’t Rebekah here anymore?”

“She needed help and Elijah thought you and I would get along,” replied Laurel.

Stefan raised an eyebrow.

“I turned Lexi Branson,” said Laurel in answer to Stefan’s unspoken question. “I believe Elijah assumed that connection would be helpful.”

“How do you know Elijah?” Like before, once the fit passed, Stefan was himself again, Which naturally meant he wanted answers.

“He turned me,” answered Laurel simply, handing Stefan a blood bag.

He took a long sip as he pondered that information. “I didn’t realize Elijah turned anyone into vampires.”

“It is difficult to picture,” agreed Laurel. “I was one of the last people he turned and that was over 400 years ago now.” Her voice regained some of its usual bubbly nature.

“Why did he stop?” asked Stefan.

“That is partly a question for Elijah,” replied Laurel. “But I can answer some of it. You’re aware that the Originals were created into vampires by their mother, not turned?”

“Yes,” said Stefan. “Esther was a very powerful witch. We had issues with her as well.”

Laurel continued. “A witch’s skills are carried down through the bloodline. While traditionally witches use the name for their maternal lineage, the men in the family also possess the same talents.”

“We met some warlocks actually,” interrupted Stefan. “I wasn’t a fan.”

“They called themselves warlocks?” asked Laurel, not waiting for an answer. “Stupid. The proper term is witch. True warlocks are part demon. Regardless, each of the Originals inherited their mother’s skill, though at this point most witches weren’t aware that the gift passed through the bloodlines. It was assumed to be a gift from the forces of nature, given only to a select few.”

Stefan interjected again. “I thought a witch couldn’t be a vampire though. Doesn’t it sever their ties to nature or something?”

“Most of the time yes,” answered Laurel. “But that’s if a witch is turned. The Mikaelson children were created into vampires and over time each one learned that they maintained certain elements of a witch’s powers. Elijah, for example, has a knack for persuading people to do what he wants, even if they know it isn’t the best idea. A witch can manipulate the elements of nature to accomplish their goals and Elijah’s ability is a variation of that.” She allowed Stefan time to process. “The issue for Elijah was when he discovered that for some unknown reason, he passed on variations of his particular gift to the vampires he turned.”

“But Finn did too,” stated Stefan, confused again.

“A fact that no one was really aware of for centuries. Finn only turned a few people, most of whom ended up dead at the hands of Klaus or Elijah after causing problems. Sage was the only vampire sired by Finn to survive,” clarified Laurel. “And once Klaus put Finn in that coffin, there weren’t any other sired vampires to help anyone notice.”

“You know about the coffins?” asked Stefan, momentarily sidenoting the discussion.

“Kol talks to much in certain situations,” she answered. “Anyway, Elijah started noticing that the people he turned seemed a bit more special. That turned problematic when a few tried to persuade Klaus to value their opinions over his. Elijah, not being a fan of insubordinance, ripped their hearts out and started researching.”

“So why don’t I have a gift, since Klaus is my bloodline ancestor?”

“Elijah’s best guess was that the dormant hybrid in Klaus kept him from passing that on,” said Laurel. “Once Elijah realized what his sires could do however, he stopped turning people. Out of respect, I only ever turned Lexi.”

Stefan thought he got it but still had more questions. “I know Rebekah though. She hasn’t stopped turning people and I can’t imagine that Kol did.”

“Kol tends to be fairly picky. He views most people as beneath him so it’s rare that he agrees to turn anyone. And more often than not he ends up killing them in a fit of rage. Rebekah can be equally picky.”

“So Elijah has a gift of persuasion, which decreases in strength down the bloodline. And I assume Finn could read minds if they were susceptible since he turned Sage and she could,” repeated Stefan, verifying that he understood.

“Correct.”

“What about the others?” he asked.

Laurel picked up a blood bag for herself before answering. “I have no idea what Rebekah or Klaus can do. I only guessed at Finn’s because of a rather unpleasant encounter with that former lover.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste at the memory of Sage. “Cheap trash. Anyway, obviously I share Elijah’s gift, in a very small degree.”

“And Kol?”

“Kol likes to tell secrets after sex.” Laurel grinned, her tone indicating she’d gotten more than one secret out of Kol that way. “You know how witches have a sort of psychic sense and can tell when a supernatural is around? Or perhaps not psychic but a heightened supernatural sense is the better word.”

“Yes,” replied Stefan, still a little confused.

“Hmm, his is a bit harder to explain. As vampires, we have amplified hearing and speed. But the trick for most of us is that we have to choose to use it,” explained Laurel. “Now if we focus on hearing someone miles away, there’s a greater chance we can deduce if they’re supernatural based on their actions.”

“Okay…”

Laurel thought how best to explain. “You have to choose to listen. Vampires don’t just automatically hear everything within miles. We have to stop and selectively listen. Kol doesn’t. That sense is always there. He has to tune people out because his mind naturally senses a supernatural presence and hears nearly everything going on around him.”

“So if there’s a threat…” Stefan was putting the pieces together.

“Kol will be the first to know,” finished Laurel. “I would imagine that’s why he was the one to get Elena out of Mystic Falls. He has the best chance of sensing the witch in time.”

“That’s a neat trick,” commented Stefan.

“Indeed.”

Stefan was quiet for a few minutes as he processed. “So what happens now? With everyone in Mystic Falls? I need to go back there.”

“You need to stay here,” said Laurel firmly. “You’re obviously no help to anyone and I can keep you from killing yourself or your brother. Until I get a call from Elijah, you are not to move from this couch.”

“And the insanity fits? Are those over now?” asked Stefan hopefully.

“I doubt it,” answered Laurel. “I can convince you that you don’t need to rip yourself apart but I can’t take away the underlying desire or break the spell.”

Stefan’s eyes lit up for a moment. “That’s what Lexi did!”

“You’ve been through this before?” queried Laurel. “With Lexi?”

“No,” Stefan shook his head. “When I was in a ripper stage though, Lexi would convince me I was desiccating, drying out from lack of blood.”

“Ah,” said Laurel, understanding. “And I assume you still had the ripper tendencies and the blood lust, you just didn’t need to go out of control to get it?”

“Yeah. Lexi would do that weird trick and I wouldn’t black out as a ripper as much. Little by little it would get better. She did that?” marveled Stefan.

Laurel nodded. “Lexi’s skill always was in being able to help other vampires control the bloodlust.” She picked up another blood bag and handed Stefan one, hoping the extra blood would start to heal him. Despite their conversation, Laurel had been watching carefully and while they weren’t getting worse, his wounds still weren’t healing. She needed that to change.

Stefan sipped at the bag slowly. “Will you tell me more about Lexi while we wait?” His eyes darkened just a touch. “I miss her.”

“I’d love to,” said Laurel with a smile. “There was this one year in Salem in 1690…”

So instead, I am taking advantage of Netflix. Or Netflix is taking advantage of my inability to let go of the mouse and refrain from clicking “next episode”. It’s so tempting! Anyway, as many of you know, I marathoned Dance Academy like a mad woman last week and this week I’ve been watching “H20: Just Add Water.” Apparently I’m into Australian teen shows at the moment. H20 is definitely more along the lines of what I thought Dance Academy would be. Light hearted, cheesy, and doesn’t require me to be overly invested in the characters.

I just finished S1, (so obviously I still like it, even if nothing can measure up to Dance Academy-seriously, I love this show) and I’ll probably get a good ways into S2 today. I still love Claire Holt, though she doesn’t really have a lot to do most of the time. Also, those board shorts do nothing for her figure. It is really clear how much Phoebe Tonkin learned about acting on the set because the girl in the pilot of H20 compared to the girl in The Secret Circle pilot are light years apart. I can’t bring myself to like the character of Rikki or the actress (Cariba Heine) playing her. It’s just blah.

And not that I can find any real evidence, but I’m curious if there was some bad blood on set. I know, I’m such a gossip. It’s just that Phoebe & Claire are constantly tweeting each other and like the most adorable best friends ever and they don’t even follow Cariba. I need a life.

Okay overall, I wouldn’t highly recommend H20 because it’s a little too cheesy for most people’s taste. But if you enjoy ABC Family or Disney Channel shows and not only as a mockery, you might find it a fun distraction on a lazy summer day.

My thoughts on Esther.

Ugh. Esther. Am I right? That’s a rhetorical question, we all know she’s THE WORST. Like who wants to kill Elijah? Or make Alaric evil? Or rob Rebekah of just one high school dance with the quarterback? Also, talk about transferring your guilt and issues to your children. Surely someone on the other side was a therapist. Get thee to a couch and prescription pill addiction, Esther!

But enough about how much Esther sucks. I think there are basically two camps in terms of Esther and the magic she brings with her (as far as I can tell). There are those who aren’t real fond of it but don’t care enough to completely hate the magic. Or the other side are the ones who hate this Esther shit like Buffy the Vampire Slayer S6. You know where Willow went evil/crazy and it just dragged on forever and everyone knew she would be redeemed because Joss wasn’t as involved at this point and he’s the only one with the balls and streak of cruelty to let Buffy kill her. So you’re left wondering why we’re stuck on a story we all know the answer to and dealing with the time suck that was the Trio. (Yes, I have opinions about that storyline). Anyway, I think I’m still in the first camp, but I’m starting to move towards the latter.

Whenever Esther suggests killing her children, I'm like...

Ok, got a little distracted there. Basically what I’m saying is we’ve got a bit of a mess on TVD. Rather than get too into the debate, I thought I’d just break down the magic of Esther so far, especially this recent episode. Hopefully it helps grasp WHAT is going on, if not WHY it is happening.

How the Originals Exist:

• Esther created her children as vampires. Mikael was cool with it. Ayanna was not.
• Esther used the magic from the sun and the white oak tree in her spell to create vampires.
• She also used the blood of the Original Petrova in the spell. Note that in the flashback scene from “Ordinary People”, Tatia’s blood is in the chalice. She is not the one they drank from to complete the transition. This has linked vampires to the Petrova bloodline. (Cindy McLennan, who recaps for Television Without Pity, has some great theories as to how this explains why so many people, especially supernaturals, are drawn to Katherine & Elena).
• The consequences of this spell’s ingredients meant the white oak can kill an Original while a dagger bonded to white oak ash will immobilize the Original as long as it remains in the heart. (Sidenote: If I were the Salvatores, I’d be checking the banks under Wickery bridge for ash from that fire.) The herb that grew around the tree was vervain and will burn/injure all vampires to varying degrees. The sun burns and kills vampires, necessitating the need to only be out at night or to have daylight rings created.
• Turned vampires (not created like Originals) can be killed by any wood stake.
• Vervain blocks compulsion by all vampires, even Originals, and all vampires must be invited into a home owned by a human.

When Esther starts screaming for her "SISTAAAAAAS"...

Esther Creates Mikael:

• We know little about this spell. Esther states that she made Mikael into a vampire hunter though so he wasn’t always this way.
• As a hunter, he only drank from other vampires and was on a single minded mission to kill Klaus.

Every time Esther starts lecturing about how her children are monsters and a blight on society...

Esther Curses Klaus

• The curse required the killing of a vampire, a werewolf, and the doppelganger to turn Klaus into his true self, a hybrid.
• Esther slipped a fail-safe (she clearly didn’t account for the Salvatores) into the curse. The blood of the doppelganger is essential to turn other hybrids.

Esther’s Linking Spell:

• Because the blood of the doppelganger was used to create the first vampires, it has magical linking and bonding powers.
• Esther used Elena’s blood (and Finn’s) to link all her children together. This way, what happens to one, happens to all.
• By using the blood of all 5 Originals (which I believe Esther could have used to link them, had they been willing to give up their blood), Bonnie was able to reverse Esther’s spell.

Esther Tries to Turn Her Children Human

• We know from other grimoire exposition that a witch’s spell can always be reversed. this is why many spells require a specific witch or ingredients to prevent every Mary, Jane, and Wicca from reversing them.
• Esther channeled the Bennett witch line to gain enough power to reverse her spell and turn Finn human. Because of the link, they would all revert to the humans they were before being turned into vampires.
• To break the channel, the line to the Bennett magic had to break. Because a witch’s magic can still be accessed in death, killing Abby or Bonnie wouldn’t work. So Damon turned Abby into a vampire.

Any time Esther's face is on my TV screen...

Boundary Spells

• Esther actually first used a boundary spell (or a sacred circle as it is often called) with her pentagram outside the witch house. It kept Klaus, Elijah, and Kol out while she performed the spell.
• She next created a boundary spell around the high school.
• Yes, we are all more interested in knowing where she found an invisibility cloak big enough to hide the dump truck that left the salt.
• We know that a human can cross over the salt boundary in TVD canon but not supernatural beings.
• Traditionally, salt is only a symbol of a sacred circle and added protection. But the circle exists on its own. Also, normally a human could break the barrier by kicking the salt to create a “door” in the circle. We don’t know if TVD canon does not allow this or if Bonnie and the others need to brush up on their knowledge of the most basic spells and elements.
• This spell was only lifted when good Alaric killed Esther (Bonnie did not break the spell).

Every time Esther speaks...

Esther Binds Alaric’s Ring

• Esther melted Alaric’s resurrection ring and bound it with the white oak stake to make it indestructible.
• (Ok, I do have an issue with this that I can’t overlook. Emily created the Gilbert rings, so the magic shouldn’t be readily available to Esther).

Esther Turns Alaric

Using the blood of the doppelganger (it’s like Lawry’s Seasoning Salt, everything tastes better with a dash of doppelganger), Esther turned Alaric into a vampire hunter like Mikael.

He should have the powers of an Original because he is a created vampire, not a turned vampire.

He also has the single minded focus to kill the Originals (and any vampires or sympathizers along the way).

This spell is temporary. Once he’s completed his mission, Alaric will fully die. (It’s kind of like Dollhouse but with more death and less Eliza Dushku.)

• Technically, you could consider Alaric a copycat Original. All were created not turned. But he’s not 1000 years old so he’s kind of like a 2.0 clone model. Hello Dolly.

Basically, Esther-

Doppelgangers:

• All we really know right now about doppelganger blood is that it turns hybrids, gives Esther a major hard-on, and is an extremely powerful linking agent.
• (In an interview at NYCC 2010, Julie Plec noted that TVD could someday have a more monster of the week style rather than a season long villain arc. Considering how many people might like to use Elena’s blood, I could see S4 moving into that arena. Not to tangent too much but while at the time I hated the idea, now it could be a very smart move. It allows Klaus (and the others) to stay to protect Elena (as her blood is not only useful to Klaus but can be used to harm all Originals), but still creates tension over good and evil working together against other evil. (See Spike and the Scoobies for example). This could also potentially fix some of the issues with villains becoming such beloved characters. Villains of the week wouldn’t have the time. Unless they’re like Lexi. But really, no one is like Lexi.)

To sum up, people bring up Esther, and I go...

Esther’s “The Fuck Was That?” Woo Woo

• Body switching between Klaus and Alaric required a spell and blood transfusion but Esther seems cool to just hop in and out of people.
• Killing one Original kills the bloodline. It’s kind of hard to tell if this is part of Esther’s plan or a bonus feature that she’s totally down to watch a few dozen times.
• Somehow Esther’s body was preserved for a thousand years but one week in Mystic Falls and she’s losing power. Once Again, the town motto: “Mystic Falls: You’ll Never Leave and You Can Bet Your Life on That” proves correct.
• Esther has been gearing up Alaric’s evil psycho side on the Other Side every time he died. She’s also been visiting Bonnie in dreams and can now appear to her in person and apparently sort of possess her.
• Why Esther can do all this but has to channel powers is still a mystery.

Okay, I think that got it. If I missed something, tell me NICELY in the comments and I’ll edit. Also feel free to rant, rave, and discuss away. I certainly want to talk about this mess.