What do you know about life? " Bitterness ached in her throat. " You were born with everything. You never had to struggle for a single thing you wanted, never had to worry if you'd be accepted or loved or wanted back." He stared at her, grateful for the moment that she couldn't see that he'd spent nearly half of his life worrying that she, the single thing he wanted, would accept him, love him, and want him back.

It takes a lot of spine and stomach to make yourself into something when no one gives you a foundation.

He wanted to heave the glasses against the wall. Break them, break everything he could reach. Beat it, rend it. He stared out the window, imagined the city in flames, consumed to ashes. And still it wasn't enough.

What did she say?" Eve asked when they got into the car. "Here's love, she said, to hold until next we meet and I give you more.

And each book has to receive your best effort every single time. No slacking.

Somethings in life are out of your control. you can make it a party or a tragedy. Or, you could refuse to take the next step. You could refuse to take what you wanted most because you're afraid some day you might lose it.

There's no reward without work, no victory without effort, no battle won without risk.