Richelle Goodrich Quotes

#56. I write so others might contemplate things that are out of the ordinary. I write to make people feel - to cause laughter and tears and anger at injustice. I write so the world will imagine and wonder at crazy, incredible truths. I write to have a tiny bit of influence on a universal conscience. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#57. Why so eager to jump in and direct someone else's life when you can't stick to your own goals and resolutions? #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#58. Extraordinary power exists in a trial of patience. Few endure their trials well enough to discover this. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#59. More often than not, your best move is to keep quiet. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#60. If you plan to build walls around me, know this - I will walk through them. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#61. You matter.
How you feel matters.
What you say, do, and think matters.
It all matters. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#62. Just knowing you're not alone is often enough to kindle hope amid tragic circumstances. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#63. To be a rainbow in someone's cloud is commendable, but I prefer to be the rain because it dampens cheeks and washes away tears. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#64. Friends are the real superheroes. They battle our worst enemies - loneliness, grief, anxiety, depression, fear, and doubt - every time they come around. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#65. I love you because you loved me first. Yet you love me, saying I loved you first. Funny, our love thrives believing the other person started it. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#66. You can add up your blessings or add up your troubles. Either way, you'll find you have an abundance. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#67. Sometimes when I prepare to write, I feel the same sensation wash over me as if my toes were curling over the brink of a high cliff, my gaze peering downward into a dark pond, and I anxiously wonder, will the water prove deep enough? Will my words be satisfactory? #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#68. Mothers give us life, love, and the heartfelt inclination to cry 'I want my mommy' no matter how old we get. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#69. It's mind-boggling how many different worlds people live in on this one planet. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#70. Life is a voyage across troubled waters where our days are often spent clinging to the top of the highest mast, scouting for a comforting glimpse of shore. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#71. Never give up.
This applies to more than goals and dreams, it is a maxim for basic daily struggles. It shapes one's life, including the will to continue to live. It supports love and committed relationships; it bolsters hope, faith, and charity; it is power in every area of existence. Never give up on anything or anyone of any worth, especially yourself. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#72. A sincere and warmly-expressed apology can produce the same effects as morphine on a suffering soul. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#73. This day is the most recent set of events to define you.
Every day changes your life. Every last one. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#74. They say it's impossible.
I refuse to believe it.
The journey may be difficult and the desired end unlikely. My patience and commitment may be tested by something that won't happen overnight. It may be that I veer off the path or quit before reaching my goal, but that doesn't mean it is impossible. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#75. Choose altruism, because selfishism is a lonely, cold, dark hole. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#76. Tell me you didn't," she groaned, knowing it would not be the truth. "Please tell me you didn't take advantage of these poor people."

"I didn't," he chirped.

"Liar."

With an irritated sigh he tried to convince her. "Amora, you're not seeing things from an immortal perspective. The people who built this temple…"

"Temple?" she cried, cutting him off. "You forced these people to build you a temple? Why? Because all of a sudden you're God now?"

Perturbed by her interruption, he raised a warning finger. "No, no, Amora, not God. But from their viewpoint I may seem a bit…..god-like."

She rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner.

"If you would let me finish," he went on, "these particular individuals had no part in the construction of that monument; it was their ancestors who erected it. And I must say, they did a fine job. My likeness has weathered the centuries quite well."

"You're despicable."

He frowned at the insult. "Nobody was forced to build us a temple, Amora. They chose to do so."

"You were that impressive to them, huh?"

"Apparently." His eyes twinkled at the memory. He took a few steps toward the distant city, pulling Eena along. "Come on, let's go have some fun."

"No way." She planted her feet, refusing. Surprisingly it put a stop to him.

"And why not?"

"Because your sudden appearance will upset them! No doubt you'll wa #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#77. The whispers you hear in your ear that you fear
in the air everywhere,
they are ghosts.

The moans and the groans in the lowest of tones
no one owns or condones,
they are ghosts.

You might deem them gremlins or water or wind,
while others say shadows or rodents or sin.

But oh! I say no!
'Tis not so, child, for lo!
The chills that you feel in a thrill that proves goose
bumps are frightfully real,
they are ghosts! #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#78. Truly being lucky is defying the very idea of luck because you never need it. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#79. Moms are life's number one cheerleaders without uniforms. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#80. Words have less substance than air. Don't tell me about your zealous dreams, your firm convictions, your profound love―show me. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#81. Only a fool believes that his actions don't shape the world. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#82. Lies don't fit snugly into disguises. Eventually the cloak falls off and you're left staring at the naked truth which is always an uncomfortable situation. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#83. Every exceptional writer holds a Master of Arts in Daydreaming. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#84. I learn by doing ... the same thing over and over and over again countless times. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#85. If you mess with dragons, you will get burned. Don't say no one warned you. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#86. It's silly to think the left eye would envy the right or that one foot would be jealous of the other, and yet so often it is the case. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#87. Face it; life's gonna chew you up and spit you out. If you're lucky you'll get stuck to the bottom of someone's shoe and be carried far, far away from it all. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#88. My love for you reaches beyond the borders of continents,
so vast in scope that I would cross oceans to be with you.
Yes, but does that same love penetrate so deep
as to dare thee to sink to the oceans' depths to find me?"
-from "My Aquarius #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#89. Death was a quiet evil, unavoidable like the dark night and defenseless sleep and tearful sorrows. It had hunted her down and slithered close, wanting only to smother every last flicker of life."
- from "My Aquarius #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#90. Trying again is okay. Trying again and again and again is okay. It's sort of an infinite thing because the alternative is failure, and that's not okay. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#91. The worst day is always the first day. Changing a habit or instigating something new is toughest at the start. By means of repetition, however, these new habits develop. They are strengthened in the course of familiarity. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#92. Kiss a frog with your eyes wide open. If he turns into a prince you won't miss the transformation, but if he doesn't, you won't be fooled by some wishful illusion in your head. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#93. You are here to make a difference, to either improve the world or worsen it. And whether or not you consciously choose to, you will accomplish one or the other. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#94. It is to our own detriment that we underestimate the might of small and simple things. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#95. I wished upon the moon one night, bewitched by how it shone so white. While staring up with some excite my eyes beheld a wondrous sight! The moon so lustrous and white transformed into an armored knight who caused me just a moments fright when he jumped down from such a height. No more a soft, celestial light, he was my lover, day and night.

This caused the world a serious plight. How harsh a sting and deep the bite inflicted on the world, alright, to lose their blackest-hour light.

And so I've come to set things right, to offer up without a fight my lover wished for one clear night. I hold him close. He hugs me tight, then climbs again to heaven's height to glow a bluer shade of bright. I stare at my beloved knight, not wanting to be impolite, and in my heart with all my might I wish a wish that isn't right.

Now and then the world still spites a shadowless and moonless night when we steal softly out of sight to hold each other 'til daylight and share in lovers true delight. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#96. An accumulation of pennies is a fortune. Day-to-day practice is perfection. A dream realized is nothing more than many steps taken toward the borders of once-impossible. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#97. Beauty that pleases the eye is a frail, fleeting illusion. But that beauty capable of pleasing the heart can endure endlessly. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#98. Everything in the world that happens to you may be someone else's doing; I'll grant you that. But what you do with it, how you react to it, what you make of yourself in the midst of it all - that's totally you. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#99. Prayer, faith, and vision, plus real effort too.
Blend them together for one potent brew.
The magical spell to your dreams coming true. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#100. Ravelly pointed to the illustration as he told his friend that he used to read the same story nightly to his son, Wahlister. "Imorih's Journey - quite the moralistic quest."

Unan nodded in agreement. "I read it to Ian and Eena when they were children." Then he held up the opened page with the picture of Imorih and the tiny, shouldered bug. He asked curiously, "Why do you say this is your favorite part, Master Ravelly?" The question caught Eena's interest. Her ears tuned in to their conversation, but her eyes continued to scan the lively crowd below.

The old Grott went on to explain. "That is the part where Imorih realizes the whispered voice she has been listening to, the advice she has been heeding, doesn't belong to her conscience as she first supposed. It shocks her to learn that for the more part of her journey she has been following the promptings of a negligible, albeit well-intentioned, creature. That's when two things happen in her life. First, she comprehends how cunning and manipulative the power of suggestion can be. Secondly, she learns to recognize the difference between her own voice - her own desires - and someone else's."

Unan hummed a sound of accordance. "That's right. Things change quite drastically after that discovery, don't they?"

"Yes, yes, they most certainly do. For the best, I recall."

"Because she becomes master of her own destiny after that."

"As we all should be."

Unan no #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#101. Trying to change old habits is like fighting a war in your head - a draining and exhausting skirmish that makes you wonder at your chance of survival. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#102. Happiness isn't complicated. It is a humble state of gratitude for simple pleasures, tender mercies, recognized blessings, and inherent beauty. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#103. I love the magic of a hot bath, how time pauses and every grievance melts away. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#104. Your opponent's wrong doesn't automatically make you right. Most fights aren't about who's right; they are contention over degrees of wrongness. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#105. It is an incapacitating emotion one feels upon hearing the whispered words "I still love you" after deeply hurting that soul.
Forgiveness isn't weakness.
It is power. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#106. Some people do not like you; that's a given. So what? #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#107. You tell me that yes, I can do it. I know.
And I may do it, if I so choose.
You tell me that no, I cannot. I say, Oh?
I shall do it, since you refuse! #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#108. It's strange how in childhood it feels like tomorrow won't come until the end of forever, but in adulthood it feels like the end of forever could come tomorrow. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#109. You made me laugh at your jokes.
You made me cry at your criticism.
You made me shout at your lies.
Then I noticed how in every case someone else was present,
hearing you without laughter or tears or anger.
I alone reacted.
I see now; you never made me laugh or cry or rage.
I chose to find humor.
I chose to take offense.
I chose to feel scorned.
The truth is, you never had power over me. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#110. Have you ever pondered the miracle of popcorn? It starts out as a tiny, little, compact kernel with magic trapped inside that when agitated, bursts to create something marvelously desirable. It's sort of like those tiny, little thoughts trapped inside an author's head that―in an excited explosion of words―suddenly become a captivating fairy tale! #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#111. When nothing goes my way, when all attempts fail, when the darkest clouds in the sky seem bent on hovering over me while everyone with whom I come into contact flashes a nasty scowl, I find some comfort in the thought of a fresh tomorrow. I am thankful for the opportunity to try again. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#112. You would think those who have endured unkindness would be kinder as a result, intent on sparing others the awful suffering they abhorred firsthand. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#113. I always envisioned myself as traveling the ocean of life in a rowboat where my mother was one oar and my father, the other. Having two good, solid oars made rowing much easier. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#114. Gingerbread houses
with gumdrops and peppermint
and marshmallow snow. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#115. Happiness doesn't always come in pink. Learn to appreciate the rainbow. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#116. I claim the right to be who I want to be. Regardless of my choice, I will find those who agree and those who don't. I will gain support, and I will confront opposition, but I will stand firmly as me.
It is my choice.
It is the only real choice I have to make. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#117. He reached out for her hand and she grabbed onto his.
"Eena, when you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here. That's what best friends are for."
She let the tears fall. He'd never know they were for him. He'd think they were because of Derian. They held hands silently throughout the night, Ian unaware that this was by far her most tortured nightmare ever. Paradise so close, and yet completely unattainable. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#118. Life is a book that someone else is reading - and you, a key character - hence the need for continual conflict and resolution. We can't have any boring books. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#119. Real? Real depends upon your perspective, Annabelle. People never see life exactly the same way. The world is what you think it is. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#120. Shhh, Eena, it's going to be okay. I promise, you'll get through this.
She didn't fight him, but grabbed onto his shirt, weeping softly into it as before. He began to hum faintly, a familiar Earth tune. Soon he was singing the words in that deep, consoling voice of his. The song itself was meant to be comforting, and his tender manner made it that much more effectual.
Eena recognized the song. She fell asleep to the soothing lyrics.
Abide with me fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens. Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
He went on to sing the other verses, hoping to ease her broken heart. Until her grief finally healed, no matter how long it took, he'd be there for her. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#121. You cannot know what I do not tell you, yet you will be judged harshly for not knowing. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#122. They tell me you're the best and the worst thing to have happened to me, but I do not see how it can be both. For if my death resulted from your presence, an everlasting sleep would have me dreaming happily of us together. I see no bad in that. Therefore, you must be the best thing to have ever happened to me because you make the worst seem wonderful. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#123. Sometimes the craziest laugh in the world is the only one that will save your sanity. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#124. Death lurks in the shadows, just out of view.

Now and then I see his reaching hand, uncertain of the blurry image that passes before my eyes, but conscious of the crippling influence of his touch.

Some say Death rears an ugly head, so hideous a view the beholder can scarcely gasp their last breath. Others call him beautiful, a sweet relief to look upon. But these are rumors babbled by the unknowing. For Death is like the gorgon, Medusa, who when perceived, turns the body to stone.

Those who know Death take the knowledge of his shadowed face with them to wherever it is he leads our dearly departed by the hand. All who are left behind must wait their turn to glance into the eyes of the one who will close our mouths forever. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#125. I went to bed without reading, instead staring out my window with the curtains drawn, wondering about boys. Why did they behave so oddly? One minute their teasing was relentless, and then bam!
they'd stun you with a thoughtful gesture. Either way, their actions made you want to cry. Maybe that was the intent. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#126. You can believe what you've been told. You can imagine in vivid detail the things explained to you. You may even feel emotions assumed to accompany the related experience. But you absolutely cannot know something with any real degree of understanding until you've personally walked the road yourself. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#127. You can capture this body of mine, take away my freedom and enslave me.
You may even have the power to capture my soul and sentence me to the realm of eternal darkness.
But my dreams you cannot touch. They are my will―the very essence of who I am.
In them I laugh.
In them I cry.
In them I love.
And in them.....I live.
My dreams are untouchable and unceasing. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#128. Believing in yourself is enough, but it sure is nice when another's kind words of encouragement kiss your ear. There is genuine strength in verbal expressions of support. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#129. As I quietly stare off into space, eyes glazed over and brow thoughtfully taut, know that I am going about my business. I am a storyteller. Daydreaming is the best part of my job. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#130. Let her know you adore her.
Do not make her heart guess.
Boldly say how you love her.
Thy devotion confess.

Let her know you admire her,
All her talents and dreams.
Boldly reach for her fingers.
Gently slip on a ring.

Let her know that you need her,
As a lover and friend.
Boldly kneel and implore her,
To be yours 'til the end. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#131. The interruption did nothing but earn her a similar slap, as I'm sure she knew it would. Sometimes I wondered if my mother spoke up at the wrong time on purpose. As often as we endured my father's abuse, she had to be aware that it wouldn't save me from a beating but simply earn her one as well. Or was it that sharing my fate made her feel less guilt-ridden about those things that happened to me? #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#132. It's not a dream, it's my destiny. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#133. Your tongue tends to say more about you when it blabs about other people. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#134. A thought can prompt. Words can stir. But it takes action to attain a dream. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#135. In an unfathomable expanse of universe supporting galaxies of star systems with orbiting planets innumerable, I am nothing. And yet to the few bodies encircling my tiny little spot in the world, I am essential. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#136. If one is content to freely speak trash about another, it is probably more correct to judge them as the one of ill repute and refuse the load of garbage they offer you. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#137. I can't force your lips to smile, but I can show them how easily mine do. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#138. Never let critics pour misery into your cup.
Never let doubters place hesitation in your steps.
Never let cheaters plant suspicion in your heart.
Never let bullies provoke fear in your chest.
Never let evil pierce hatred in your soul.
Never let rivals play games in your head.
Never let slackers pull taut on your reins.
Never let hardships put worry in your rest. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#139. Artistry exists in everyone. What makes it blossom is a soul's personal desire to find an outlet for expression. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#140. Your problem is in thinking the sky's the limit. Why set limits? #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#141. Punishing a person for the wrongs of another makes about as much sense as throwing up to enjoy the meal a second time. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#142. What a mother wants is to hold her babies when they're small and to be held by them once they've grown tall. It's empty arms a mother dreads. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#143. I'm going on a diet. (Crud, I know)
I am going to be cranky.
I am going to be irritable.
I am going to be moody and sad and mean.
And, yes, I am going to be hungry.
Please don't feed me, even if I try to bite you.
Please don't tease me, I may hurt you.
Please don't try to encourage me, I may growl and snap at you.
Please don't help me, I may blame you for everything aggravating in the known universe.
Please don't be offended by my scowl, I cannot smile.
But most importantly, please keep your distance until this trial is over to prevent any unnecessary casualties.
Thank you for your understanding. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#144. A single act of kindness is like a drop of oil on a patch of dry skin - seeping, spreading, and affecting more than the original need. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#145. If you ever expect to write fairytales, you've got to get your head in the clouds. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#146. When I ask you to be my valentine, I'm not asking you to love me. I'm simply asking you to accept tokens of my love for you. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#147. I love when the sun plays hide-n-seek for a few days because its invisibility often goes unnoticed. The world seems content that its presence behind the clouds is enough. But as soon as that brilliant sun jumps into the open sky once again―shining in full splendor―our closed eyes automatically turn toward it, and we bask beneath a warm and tender touch, grateful all the more that our glorious sun exists. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#148. Things always appear clear and simple from behind glass. It is in the thick of tribulations that blurring details arise, complicating my life. You can't rightly judge me, nor can you assist, from a shielded viewpoint. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#149. It's been a harsh fight.
You've been pummeled and knocked down. Your body aches, flesh torn and bruised. Your eyes can hardly see through a stream of blood. But you are cognizant and alive; therefore, you rise from the fight.
This is life. It will test your will, your strength, and endurance. It will challenge your faith and convictions. It will scar your hopes and try your beliefs. In the end, life validates those who refuse to stay down. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#150. The greater self-confidence an individual possesses, the less inclined he is to put down others. This says a lot about those who constantly belittle. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#151. When thunderstorms roll in, you make a choice to either succumb with tears to the gloomy downpour, or smile and look for rainbows. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#152. There are trials in life that feel as tremendous as a quest to slay dragons. These trials are daunting. They require hard work, determination, and courage. But when the dragon is finally slain, the relief is immense. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#153. We always feel the brunt of the blow dealt to us, but hardly ever do we feel the impact we have on others. Why is that? #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#154. Some live for their own joy and pleasure.
Some live to ease the burdens of others.
Then there are those who seem to exist for pain's sake only, that in the end the wrathful fire sent to consume their oppressors will be justified."

~ In loving memory of Miss Annabelle Fancher #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#155. Life is just repeated attempts at trying to do better. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#156. A timid act may be more bold
than one would first assume,
for whispering truth is braver
than to silently resume. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#157. True love takes time. It's an earned comfort that tells you she'll be right there beside you no matter what you do, not necessarily happy with your every action, but faithful to you just the same. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#158. Eena had thought the whole idea of his picture was absolutely wonderful and had asked Willum what kind of animal she might be. He'd responded after only a moment of thought.
"I think you'd be a crioness."
"Why is that?"
"Because they can fly."
"Why would that remind you of me?" She'd been unable to guess his reasoning.
"Because few animals can fly. You can do things others can't do. Like flying. It's magic."
"Oh. How very clever."
The comparison had left her both impressed and flattered. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#159. Life's gonna kick you in the butt.
That's what it does.
But if you gotta put up with this crap, the least you can expect is that your friends will stand by you. I mean, for crying in the night, what else are friends for but to help you make right what isn't in life? (Kira, The Mishmorat) #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#160. The pleasures of being a novelist are many. But the greatest by far is the manner in which I live through my characters; experiencing every detail of their story as it unfolds gradually and personally within my own creative psyche. I'm like a cat with untold lives, because each new book is my rebirth. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#161. To a man, sex is the ultimate expression of love. It is pure pleasure. But to a woman there exists something greater than pleasure―gestures of adoration. A gentle caress on the cheek, an attentive smile, a soft kiss while swept away in a slow dance, the whispered words 'You're beautiful'―these are the tokens of love that women cherish. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#162. Time is a power of its own, and it may be the only power by which some miracles come to pass. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#163. Sometimes happiness quietly curls up in your heart just to snuggle. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#164. Most people don't accept that they are an influence either improving or damaging others. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#165. Having this, we want that.
Owning some, we want more.
Standing here, we wish to be there.
If it's impossible, we struggle to make it happen.
Why are we like this? Why not be content with some, here, and now? Why is enough not enough?
Because humans are ambitious creatures not meant to be idle or fruitless. We strive to learn, to grow, to achieve, to amass; therefore, we will never be content. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#166. Seemingly insignificant choices are like seemingly trivial seeds. Once planted, they root and grow and spread into something tremendous. Imagine the prickly weeds some choices amount to over time and be careful not to plant them. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#167. How frustrating to think you can be lost to yourself. And yet how often it is that a stranger stares back at you from the mirror. Maybe in truth we never see ourselves as clearly as the thousands of eyes that daily take us in. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#168. If you'd just learn to do as I say from the beginning, I wouldn't have to follow up your errors with reproving smirks and repeated I-told-you-sos. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#169. Every book is its own black hole. Don't fight the pull; find out where it takes you. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#170. Even among familiar faces, people often feel invisible and desolate, like an island in cold waters or a shadow apart from the crowd. Be the reason another never feels alone. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#171. The power behind living a dream lies in either believing it's a dream or knowing it's not. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#172. I wish everyone had someone who never popped their balloons. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#173. Yes, love is a super power. It is the ultimate super power. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#174. Fear itself had turned out to be more dreadful than the actual doing. How crazy is that? #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#175. Thank you." After rounding the couch, the young queen sat her hip on the cushy armrest. Her thoughts went back to the impromptu party in the commissary the night before. "I assume no Mishmorats or Viiduns are missing. Do you know if any real mischief took place last night after we left?"

"None you need to worry about," Ian told her. She could see he was hiding something by the twinkle in his eye.

"What happened?" she asked, certain he had a story to tell.

"Let's just say there may be an influx of soldiers visiting your garden."

Her eyes scrunched, unable to guess what he was talking about. "Okay, and why?"

Ian's shoulders jostled with a snicker. "Efren showed off your garden to Kira last night. She discovered the warm pond. You know how your sisters have a fondness for swimming in their underclothes."

"Oh great," Eena groaned.

"But don't worry about it too much, Queenie, there is a deterrent." Ian let go a laugh he couldn't quite stifle.

"What deterrent?" she asked, grinning at his amusement.

"Shanks likes to swim too."

"Oh?"

"Actually, he prefers skinny dipping."

"Ew! Ew, Ian, like I need that image in my head!"

(Now you know how I feel on a regular basis,) he said, cracking up.

After a moment of grossing out, Eena all but begged Ian, "Please, can we change the subject. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#176. My favorite quote in the world is this one. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#177. On this day, take time to remember those who have fallen. But on every day after, do more; put the freedoms they died for to greater and nobler uses. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#178. What are you most thankful for?" she asked.
My reply came easily. "Being too blessed to have any hope of answering that question. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#179. Learn to brush off criticism as easily as you brush aside hollow compliments. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#180. One of the most effective things you will ever do in life, whether you care to or not, is set an example. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#181. I scared a little porcupine
and caught a quill in my behind.
It hurt so badly in my tail,
but tugging on it made me yell.
The porcupine was still around,
so I complained. He simply frowned
and said, Stop whining! Look and see
how many quills are stuck on me! #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#182. I made a sorry face in response to such strong insistence, but I couldn't believe him. Fantasies were exactly that.. ... ..fantasies. Whimsy. Wishes. Mere castles in the sky without foundation or substance. Dreams didn't come true. To believe so would be to believe falsely, to surrender to madness, to give in to an unreliable hope that would crush me once again as it always, always did! #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#183. Thanksgiving is not only being aware of the abundance of good in the world but embracing it. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#184. The Christmas spirit will elude you
'til a selfless love consumes you
and the joy of giving moves you. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#185. I've a habit of placing a happy-face or a frowny-face on my calendar, depending on what kind of day I've had. Often I slap a droopy circle in the box, discouraged by the things I failed to accomplish and the unpleasant encounters endured. But then, invariably, a wise muse stops to ask me these three questions:
Did your children let you hug them today? Yes.
Did you do a kind deed for someone? Anyone? Yes.
Did God forsake you today? No.
Then, my dear, despite your challenges, it was a good day after all.
Standing corrected, I twist that frowny-face upside down and smile. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#186. Patience is seeing each step as a journey rather than seeing a journey as a thousand steps. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#187. I believe the main purpose of life is to accept with gratitude what you've been blessed with so that you may use those gifts to mold yourself into the best person you can possibly be. Learning to discern things of true value from those of little or no worth is part of the process. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#188. Aging is a mortal term that my immortal spirit doesn't quite grasp. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#189. Derian pulled the blanket snug around himself. "This is my added assurance."

Eena wrinkled her nose as if she thought his answer was odder than his actions. "It's your what?"

"If you recall the last time we were here standing in this very spot, you pelted me with neumberries." He held up a single berry before popping it into his mouth. "I doubt you would risk soiling your blanket, so I figure wrapping it around me this way I'm pretty much assured safety from any potential attack."

He winked playfully, and she laughed out loud.

"I'm afraid you don't know me half as well as you think," she announced. Aiming low, she flung a sizable berry at his calf. It hit its mark.

"Whoa, whoa!" He lowered the blanket to cover his legs.

"You can't hide yourself entirely, Derian," she said, aiming for his face. He ducked, raising the blanket like a shield in the process.

Another round of ammunition pelted his ankles before he decided it was time to fight back. Eena found herself bound up in her own blanket, arms wrapped securely at her sides. She laughed nonstop, unable to move within his strong hold. Derian leaned forward until their noses touched, and then he kissed her giggles silent. He kept her in the blanket, snug and close to him, but Eena managed to wriggle an arm free and drape it around his neck, holding his lips in reach. She uttered a quick count in between kisses.

"Seven," she breathed.
#Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#190. It's simply this:
the Irish kiss,
a snog o' bliss,
be blessed luck
from any miss. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#191. I believe in love―a kind, selfless, unending devotion. I believe it is rare. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#192. You will realize one day that all the money in the world cannot buy you happiness. Nor can it make you a person of good character. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#193. You were formed inside a borrowed womb - a nourishing safe haven for months - then delivered through painful effort and sacrifice by a woman willing to give you the precious gift of life. That truth alone deserves your gratitude and respect. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#194. We grow up opposing our parents only to become like them enough to oppose our children who behave as we once did - a reminder of how dreadful we were toward those now vindicated grandparents. And you thought God had no sense of humor. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#195. Sometimes a problem isn't really a problem but the solution in disguise. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#196. I drifted off after a while, staring at the only star visible through the thick covering of leaves. Hope seemed a futile wish, but I troubled the lonely star to grant it anyway. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#197. You matter.
You are important.
There is a reason for your existence.
You may not see or understand how this is true, but truth doesn't cease to be truth because of doubt, blindness, or ignorance.
And the truth is―you matter. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#198. What is the spirit of Christmas, you ask? Let me give you the answer in a true story...
On a cold day in December, feeling especially warm in my heart for no other reason than it was the holiday season, I walked through the store sporting a big grin on my face. Though most people were far too busy going about their business to notice me, one elderly gentleman in a wheelchair brought his eyes up to meet mine as we neared each other traveling opposite directions. He slowed in passing just long enough to speak to me.
"Now that's a Christmas smile if I ever saw one," he said.
My lips stretched to their limit in response, and I thanked him for the compliment. Then we went our separate ways. But, as I thought about the man and how sweetly he'd touched me, I realized something simply wonderful! In that brief, passing interaction we'd exchanged heartfelt gifts!
And that, my friend, is the spirit of Christ~mas. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#199. No one is born a sprinter. We all learn to push ourselves up from the floor and then balance before taking that first, wobbly step. It is an individual choice where to go from there. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#200. I won't lie - I don't care.
And you should quit trying to deceive yourself because I can tell by the way you show no desire to do anything but complain about the issue that you don't honestly care either. #Quote by Richelle E. Goodrich

#201. The old Dimitri would want you to live. If you really loved him, then you have to go on. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#202. Because he likes you, Melbourne. That's what guys do. They buy dinner and gifts, hoping that in return you'll - um, like them back. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#203. I clung to that spark of hope,
nurturing it into a small flame that
chased some of the shadows in my heart
away. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#204. Fine, I guess it's ok then. Go ahead." "Huh? What's ok?" "It's okay if you marry my brother. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#205. Weirdly, an image of Adrian's Love painting came back to me. I thought of the jagged red streak, slashing through the blackness, ripping it
apart. Staring at Jill and her inconsolable pain, I suddenly understood his art a little bit better. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#206. You kill me, Rose. Everyday is agony without you.Empty. Alone. I pine for you, wondering if you're even still alive. -Adrian to Rose #Quote by Richelle Mead

#207. Dimka, not you too. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#208. I left the clinic in a daze that had nothing to do with my head injury. Clear up in a week or so? How could Dr. Olendzki speak so lightly about this? I was going to look like a mutant for Christmas and most of the ski trip. I had a black eye. A freaking black eye.
And my mother had given it to me. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#209. That's the last time you're going to kiss me," I warned when it ended.
He smiled knowingly, and in his eyes, I could see his own memories of that night. "So you say. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#210. Dimitri: "I also have a feeling your mother's going to have one ugly conversation with me."
Rose: "You're about to go face down Strigoi, and my mother's the one you're scared of?"
Dimitri: "She's a force to be reckoned with. Where do you think you got it from?"
Rose: "It's a wonder you bother with me then."
Dimitri: "You're worth it, believe me. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#211. So, Zoe told me today that - " "Wait. Are you going to talk like that?"
I glanced down and realized he was referring to the fact that my shirt was sitting on the floor beside me. "My bra's still on. What's the problem?"
"The problem is that I'm distracted. Very distracted. If you want my undivided attention and wisdom, you'd better put the shirt back on."
I smiled and scooted over to him. "Why, Adrian Ivashkov, are you admitting weakness?" I reached out to touch his cheek, and he caught my wrist with a fierceness that was surprisingly provocative.
"Of course. I never claimed strength in the face of your charms, Sage. I'm just an ordinary man. Now put the shirt back on. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#212. I'm telling you, you'd like him. He goes to a public school and just started at Spencer's. The other day, he was going off on unaerobic vs. aerobic respiration, and I was thinking, 'You know who this sounds like? Melbourne.'" -- Trey #Quote by Richelle Mead

#213. What matters is that someone - that you - know me that well. When a person can see into your soul, it's hard. It forces you to be open. Vulnerable. It's much easier being with someone who's just more of a casual friend. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#214. I can be a good friend, or a bad enemy. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#215. And yet, once again, you're the one who finds romantic subtext in everything I say."
"I do not. You know that's not what I meant."
He shook his head in mock sympathy. "I tell you, Sage. Sometimes I think I'm the one who needs to take out the restraining order on you."
"Adrian!"
But he was already out the door, knowing laughter echoing behind him. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#216. The smile that lit Sydney's features warmed me all over. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#217. Yeah. Rose." Jill sighed and stared vacantly ahead. "She's all he sees when he closes his eyes. Flashing dark eyes and a body full of fire and energy. No matter how much he tries to forget her, no matter how much he drinks ... she's always there. He can't escape her. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#218. But the humans weren't what made my steps falter as I walked through grass that had turned bright green with summer's touch. It was Dimitri. Always Dimitri. Dimitri, the man I loved. Dimitri, the Strigoi I wanted to save. Dimitri, the monster I'd most likely have to kill. The love we'd shared always burned within me, no matter how often I told myself to move on, no matter how much the world did think I'd move on. He was always with me, always on my mind, always making me question myself. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#219. What happened when you were twelve?" "Oh, Mom offered to take us all out for dinner - us girls, Dad was out of town - to celebrate, but I didn't want to. This book I'd been waiting for had just come out, and the only thing I wanted to do was read it all night." "My God," I said, touching the top of her nose. "You're adorable. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#220. Good can still exist when bad things happen, just as evil persists when good things happen. - Carter to Georgina #Quote by Richelle Mead

#221. Isaiah rolled his eyes. Good God. What a noble lot. You're all Spartacus, aren't you? #Quote by Richelle Mead

#222. Adrian!You Used compulsion on that guy. That ... I mean, it's ... "
"Awesome?Yeah,I Know #Quote by Richelle Mead

#223. Through the metal grating on my carrier door, Adrian's face suddenly appeared, peering in at me. What new, pussycat? #Quote by Richelle Mead

#224. I need it! I need it! It's a royal heirloom!"
"Adrian?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you. Come on, we need to go. I'll drive you home."
"No, I can't. Not until we get it. He stole it! #Quote by Richelle Mead

#225. Show her those boring shirts you bought. She'll go into a coma. I'm about ready to. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#226. Then, I heard the pounding again - and worse, my whole bed shook violently. Someone was kicking it. Opening my eyes again, I turned and found myself staring into Yeva's shrewd dark eyes. If Sydney had met many dhampirs like Yeva, I could understand why she thought our race were minions of hell. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#227. You have no idea how cute you look with all those snowflakes in your hair," he murmured.
"And you look cute with hypothermia. I hope to God you can get a real coat while you're here. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#228. He shook his head in mock sympathy. I tell you, Sage. Sometimes I think I am the one who needs to take out the restraining order on you. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#229. Well," he said, clearly enjoying my confusion. "It was actually for two souls, since you and Seth were both saved. But even if it wasn't, it still would've been worth it. Do you know the price of one soul, Georgina? It's beyond rubies and diamonds, beyond any mortal reckoning. If it had taken me centuries, if it had taken a dozen more angels to help me, it all would have been worth it. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#230. I looked at you ... saw your goodness, your hope, and your faith. Those are what make you beautiful. So, so beautiful. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#231. You're too strong, too opinionated, to just let yourself go with the first offer. You deserve more. You deserve to have them lined up in front of you. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#232. “"Where is it?" I asked.
"Lexington, Kentucky."
"Oh for Godʹs sake," I moaned. "Why not the Bahamas? Or the Corn Palace?"
Dimitri tried to hide a smile. It might have been at my expense, but if Iʹd lightened his mood, I was grateful. "If we leave right now, we can reach him before morning."
I glanced around. "Tough choice. Leave all this for electricity and plumbing?"
Now Sydney grinned.
"And no more marriage proposals."
"And weʹll probably have to fight Strigoi," added Dimitri.
I jumped to my feet. "How soon can we go?"” #Quote by Richelle Mead

#233. Rose, you're wise in so many ways ... and so young in others. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#234. The truth was, Justin wasn't sure he could handle the face of her gratitude. He'd meant it: Her anger was easier to deal with. He could stay strong against that. But a kinder, gentler Mae . . . one who was looking at him like that . . . well, that was too much. It was too great a reminder of what hung over him, that she was the woman Odin had picked out for him, one who held the key to his undoing. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#235. I want to see you in the throes of orgasm ... I want to see your whole body writhing, your lips open as you drink in your own pleasure. Only yours, no one else's. Just you, completely given up to ecstasy. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#236. Adrian smiled and clasped my hands, taking a few steps toward me. "And as for who you are, you're the same beautiful, brave, and ridiculously smart caffeinated fighter you've been since the day I met you." Finally, he put "beautiful" at the top of his list of adjectives. Not that I should have cared.
"Sweet talker," I scoffed. "You didn't know anything about me the first time we met."
"I knew you were beautiful," he said. "I just hoped for the rest. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#237. I know what love is, Mom. I've had love that burns in every fiber of my being, that drives me to be a better person and empowers me through each moment of the day. If you'd ever had something like that, you'd hold on to it with every bit of strength you had. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#238. So much grief, so much anger. So unlike the usual Adrian. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#239. I don't want to. Believe me. But I can't help it. Rose said in time, I'll learn the control to keep his feelings out, but I can't do it now. And he has so much, Sydney. So much feeling. He feels everything so strongly - love, grief, anger. His emotions are up and down, all over the place. What happened between him and Rose ... it tears him apart. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#240. I changed my mind," he said. "I'll take you up on helping me get a job."
I almost swerved into oncoming traffic. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#241. I don't suppose there's a Georgina Kincaid Instruction Manual around somewhere to help me avoid these embarrassing blunders in the future."
"We sell them downstairs."
"Oh yeah? Is there a page on how to woo the fair Georgina?"
"Page? Hell, there's a whole chapter."
"Required reading, I'd imagine."
"Definitely. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#242. I really don't care what you do, but maybe it'll keep you busy enough that you'll stop coming over here unannunced and throwing yourself at creatures of darkness. #Quote by Richelle Mead

#243. Don't beat yourself up over what you could have or should have done. The past is gone. Move on to the future. #Quote by Richelle Mead