#best romance rick riordan has ever written

[burning-thistles-bt]

Ripened Cherries is going to destroy me. DarkxCherry is my OTP unhealthy obsession

Me with Copollo fr

[exciting]

As requested, books / series I read in 2020 in the order I read them, with a few brief thoughts. (This took me a hot second because there are a few and also I moved cities) Should I keep a consistent goodreads? Yes I should but I didn’t think of that at the time, so bone apple teeth & sorry if I offend you abt your faves x

P.S. I can’t figure out how to do a read more on mobile so long post ahead!

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas - This is one of the most vivid published fantasy books I have ever read... I read it twice in rapid succession. The fandom POPS off. I must say I have issues with certain aspects e.g. fae lore completely ignored à la Twilight, all love interests 500+ years old and technically a different species, etc (I’m not going to deconstruct the entire series here but just know that I could... Nesta deserves better)

Cruel Prince by Holly Black - This fucking slaps, HB clearly has done her research, the lore is near immaculate, and it explores the Fae in such a unique way, tying it to the modern world subtly and seamlessly. My only qualm was that the books felt quite short; truly wish there had been more content.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas (6/7) - So basically I read this in one single, hyperfixated fit which meant I literally locked myself in my room for three days straight and read all six books back to back in a row from morning to the wee hours. Which is not to say it was spectacular; although it was a VERY rich world, sometimes it was too much... this felt like 6 stories in one. Ik she was young when she wrote this but it is my humble opinion that SJM needs a better editor & I personally think Rowan is a grade A asshole / straight up abusive (& personally think the ACOTAR Tamlin plot was born from that?). It’s good but not as good as ACOTAR. Skip-read the last book. 

Grishaverse (Shadow and Bone) by Leigh Bardugo (3) - This is essential to read before SOC but was very much simply a YA fantasy book, although the world was cool and the way the love plot played out was, imo, a subtle middle finger to the fantasy trope. Felt very much aimed at younger readers though? Really liked the sandwhich structure of the Proluge and Epilogue, especially in #2

Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo (2) - INCREDIBLE continuation of Grishaverse, better than the original series by a mile. It has the range, the diversity, the representation (the male lead is a disabled asexual and still the most cunning of the entire cast of characters), the plot is phenomenal, and it manages such a well rounded plot in only two books which means nothing is stretched out or squeezed in more than need be. Deserves all the praise it gets.

King of Scars series by Leigh Bardugo (0.5/1) - Personally I don’t consider this book canon, and while it’s nice to see the rest of Nina’s journey & the world again & everyone else, I don't like it. I will, however, be reading book 2 when it comes out, so shame on me, I suppose.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (1/1) - this was incredibly cool although it went off in a completely different direction than I thought it would based off the first few chapters? One of my favourite YA-author-debuts-New-Adult novels in 2020 though!

Crescent City by Sarah J Maas (1/1) - This was supposed to be SJM/s New Adult debut, although personally I would put her other series in New Adult, and I can’t say a remarkable amount was different with this except they said “fuck” and “ass” a lot. WHY is the romantic interest 500 years old AGAIN. I just... don’t... I just don’t think it was necessary... the world was cool though, and the last half of the book was riveting, but the beginning was quite slow and I thought the sword thing was predictable. I am interested to see where this goes though.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (3) - This world is so fucking cool... four Londons aka parallel universes & the one in ‘our’ world is set in industrial era London. Magic, girls dressing up as boys, thieves, pirates, royalty... it all just slaps. Schwab is an incredible writer & I was completely immersed.

Midnight Sun by SMeyer - I didn’t think anything could possibly detract even further from the Twilight story but I was sorely mistaken... seeing the stalking from Edward’s POV - and it was worse than depicted in Twilight, for the record - completely obliterated any sort of romance the first half of the original book may have portrayed. I still hold the opinion that the entire series would have been better if some kind of vampire lore had been abided by, if only to see all of the villains thwarted by someone dropping a bag of rice on the ground, forcing them to have to count them all.

An ember in the Ash by Sabaa Tahir  (3/4) - This was just a very stereotypical ya fantasy series, emphasis on the YOUNG... it wasn’t anything to write home about but I remember quite enjoying it at the time. 

The Power by Naomi Alderman - This book is FUCKING incredible and EXCEPTIONALLY thought provoking... essentially women alone develop a power of electric shock etc. and then take over the world from men, and it explores feminism and the balance between equality & tipping the scales in the other direction. Written by a friend of M.Atwood in a similar tone to handmaids tale, I would say? Content warning; there are some exceptionally graphic scenes in the latter half of the novel. 

Hamlet by Wllm Shksp - I can’t believe it took me this long to finally read it but Ophelia is my favourite name in the entire world & we love to see a woman go batshit (although she didn’t deserve that). 

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas - this was unsettling in the best sense of the word... it was a little slow & honestly more of a concept than a big reveal, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it after I finished it? A Secret History vibes but make it blurry like the memory of all those dystopian novels you read when you were young?

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue by V.E. Schwab - This is without a doubt my book of the year, and probably the best book I read in 2020? I stayed up all night on a friend’s couch reading it, got a book hangover and reread the ending, and then thrust it upon my mother who doesn’t usually read but read this, and loved it just as much. HIGHLY recommend and you HAVE to read it, it’s beautiful and endearing and just plain wonderful.

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat (3/3) - I went into this knowing it was going to be terrible, because I had received a blow by blow telling me as much; although I must say that it did learn a remarkable amount of new words, the books did get better as the series went on, and it did have a rather charming ending? BIG content warning for almost everything.

Sapiens by Yuval Harari - mind-expanding & must recommend for everyone, there is everything in this and I daresay everyone should posses this kind of knowledge? I listened to it as an audiobook (which I recommend because it’s rather hearty) but will be buying this in hardcopy & rereading it with annotations. 

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful novels I have ever read, and certainly the most beautiful portrayal of the story of Achilles and the battle of Troy I have ever seen. Patroclus deserved the justice that was given to him in this book; indeed, all of the characters were written with justice and grace. Highly recommend.

Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan (3/5) - Apollo is my favourite Greek God, and the sexiest greek god, and Rick Riordan’s writing slaps, as always. It did pain me to see Apollo, the sexy immortal, have to be forced back into a 16 year old’s body but everything else? Whimsical & wonderful, as expected. 

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong - a retelling of Romeo and Juliette, except it’s set in Shanghai in the 1920′s, and the protagonists already have a history. Very well done, characters are incredibly diverse in race, sexual orientation, gender, and ability / disability (and honestly, representation has never appeared so effortless and elegant). Also it includes a monster and possible magic. Incredibly underrated and highly recommend.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix. E Harrow - this was such a unique concept, and truly captivating, the story was charming, and felt like the kind of beautiful fairytale you would read as children but with more grit? ABSOLUTELY recommend this one

The Pisces by Melissa Broder - I hated this so much, not my vibe at all. Mermaid smut x therapy but make it cynical and judgemental (I know there was a moral in there but that’s not my point) also the dog dies.

Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith (1/2) - really interesting & unique concept (all unwritten novels / ideas reside in a special library that is part of Hell and then sometimes the books can come to life) however, my first thought upon reading this was “this reads as if it’s stemmed from one of those writing prompt tumblr posts” bc of the tone and whatever and as it turns out I was somewhat correct, it did stem from a short story (not bad just obvious). It did kind of settle down as it went on but I found reading it kind of a drag, and I don’t think I will read the second one.

Abandon by Meg Cabot - 1. Meg Cabot’s writing always fucking slaps 2. Hades and Persephone but make it modern & very 2000′s & somehow kind of unique 3. I literally loved this, sue me

Medusa Girls (Sweet Venom) by Tera Childs - Like Percy Jackson except they are descendants of Medusa so they are Gorgons and have fangs & venom (hence the title). Gave me very 2000′s vibes? Quite cool but tbh I found the books quite short (like two hours each, if that)? Do NOT read the GoodReads description of the book before you read it, you will spoil it for yourself.

Bring me their Hearts by Sara Wolf - In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated YA series I read in 2020. The heroine is endearing, self aware, witty, and loves to look pretty even while kicking ass which in my opinion is an incredibly underrated trait. Also, immortality without being hundreds of years old? VERY sexy. HIGHLY recommend. 

A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova - High commendation to be given for the fact that it is a standalone and yet manages to fit in the plot of what would usually be a full fantasy trilogy without cutting corners or being a million miles long? Also sweet storyline & beautiful ending? If you liked ACOTAR you should read this as a “what would have / could have been had SJM had a different editor” (No shade I promise).

The Iron Fae by Julie Kagawa (4/4 + novellas) - Incredibly detailed faerie set around the modern world & our current use of technology & iron in it. Very neat adventure-style series, by the time I read the last novella I was well and truly done with the world (aka provided enough content to be fulfilling). Was definitely aimed at a younger audience though, NO smut / smut was brushed over.

The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black (3/3 SS) - This is technically the prequel to Cruel prince, set in the modern world, but with the fae world inside it as it traditional? All I have to say is that it is excellent & I highly recommend it.

Bridgerton series (The Duke and I) by Julia Quinn (9/9) - I read this after watching the Netflix show twice through and I am obsessed, although the books were not quite as elegant as the show, and some parts that made me cringe either by their portrayal (it is very firmly set in the 19th century and thus some things are not handled with tact or grace), the characters were exceptionally loveable and I am so excited to see where the show takes them! Lovely language & an abundance of words I had never seen before (always a plus). 

[thelivebookproject]

Talking Books With @whydoyoucareaboutmyusername!

[What is this and how can I participate?]

Important note: I haven’t changed or edited any of the answers. I’ve only formatted the book titles so they were clearer, but nothing else. Because I’m incapable of shutting up, my comments are between brackets and in italics, so you can distinguish them clearly.

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[Image description: a square titled “Know the blogger”. Name & pronouns: Mahi, she/her; country: India; three adjectives to describe her: quiet, calm & lazy /end]

1. What is a book that makes you happy?

Hmm I think the Percy Jackson and The Olympians🔱 series makes me happiest out of all the books I've read. I have very dear feelings attached to it, and it also opened me up to a whole new world of books. They never fail to make me feel nostalgic in a happy way!!🥰 

These books also introduced me to fandom culture, so yay🥳

[The PJo books and every other series Rick Riordan has ever written are such a delight!]

2. Last romance book you've read?

The last romance I read was Beach Read by Emily Henry. It totally lived up to the hype, and imo was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. I loved loved loved how the romance came about, and how much they came to respect each other. I really enjoyed the peek we got into the publishing world. I also like how the whole issue with her father wasn't brushed off for the sake of romance.

[I agree!!!! Beach Read was SUCH a wonderful book. You can actually read my review here!]

3. Do you follow authors on social media (twitter, tumblr, etc.)?

Yes absolutely! I love following authors on twitter and tumblr, though I'm not that involved with their instagrams. On Tumblr, I tend to follow only those who are actually occasionally active on their accounts, like Susan Dennard and Cassie Clare. Twitter is also fun, since you kinda sometimes get a glimpse of an author's thoughts on things other than books.

4. Top three favourite tropes?

1. Enemies to Lovers romance

2. Strong female friendships (this is so rare i can cry)

3. Redemption of a villainous character (but this should be done well, and not rushed. And shouldn't happen due to romance. My fav example of this would probably be zuko from ATLA)

[GOOD TROPES, ALL OF THESE]

5. Who is an author you want/wish to meet in person?

Since I can't choose one I'll say, 

1. Susan Dennard, cause she's super friendly and i love Truthwitch,

2. Illona Andrews, this author duo have some of the best urban fantasies.

3. Hiromu Arakawa, a manga author, who wrote one of the best shonen series (imo) Fullmetal Alchemist.

4. Rick Riordan, his books helped me get into reading once again when I was 14, I would just like to thank him.

You can follow her at @whydoyoucareaboutmyusername, on Goodreads, and on Twitter. 

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Thank you, Mahi! I loved chatting with you.

Next interview: Wednesday, 7th of April

[the-writer-muse]

Meet the Writer

Intro

My first post on this account was a Meet the Writer post, but I archived it and then forgot about making another, basically a year later. I say “forgot,” but mostly I just have no idea what to put in a post like this. Even now, as I’m editing this, I’m still overthinking and trying way too hard. Maybe I just don’t like talking about myself, I don’t know. Anyway, I’m going to stop rambling now and get on with the post!

Basics

What I look like:

Name/Nickname: Calliope/Calli. Because of Internet safety, I don’t reveal my real name on this account, although I may in the future. I chose Calliope because 1.) I like it, 2.) it has a connection to Greek mythology, which I really like, and 3.) Calliope is the Muse of epic poetry, which seemed appropriate for a writing account!

Pronouns: She/her

Age: I’ve revealed my real age to some people, but I’m no longer disclosing that information, again due to Internet safety. I’ll only say that I’m a minor and a high schooler :)

Based in: USA

Misc: I’m a Virgo, an ESTJ, and a Cabin 7 camper

Reading/writing tastes: I write MG/YA fantasy almost exclusively, and my reading taste reflects that, although I like books in many different genres! I’m a plantser, I like writing in first and third person, and I typically write in past tense.

Likes: Reading, writing, singing, daydreaming, swimming, tea, mythology, aesthetics, the season of spring

Dislikes: Self-centered people, cold weather, walking in the rain, waking up early

Favorites

Color: Sage green

Books: I could give you an entire list, but I’m just going to limit it to some of my all time best reads. I recommend all of them!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Tropes: Rivals to lovers, slowburn romance, found family, enemies to friends

Artists: Avril Lavigne, Sara Bareilles, Maggie Rogers, and Taylor Swift

Writing journey and WIPs

I’ve always loved reading, and it seemed natural to me that I should want to create my own stories as well!

I started writing in the third grade, but I didn’t actually get serious about it until I was in eighth grade. In 2020 I tried my first major project, which sadly crashed and burned within the first 10,000 words due to a lack of planning and inspiration. After that, I realized I was better suited to being a plantser than a pantser.

In November 2020, I had the idea for my first novel, Of Souls and Swords. Months later, I picked up that old idea, dusted it off, and began to plan. It took me a little more than two months to write, from July to September, and it was--and still is--the longest thing I’ve ever written, at nearly 50,000 words. 

At the moment, I’m planning a new WIP! Those of you who are on my close friends list know what I’m talking about, and those who aren’t will soon ;)

Random facts

I'm hard of hearing

I sing in choir (I’m an alto)

I believe in Oxford comma and em dash superiority

I dislike geometry with a passion

I’m extremely directionally challenged (meaning I’m terrible at finding my way around places, even in my own hometown)

I only write poetry when I’m feeling angry, sad, or both

[poseidonsarmoury]

💍 dress

please recommend some books I really need to start on rn !!

I have to start with my favourite series: Percy Jackson and The Olympians by Rick Riordan. They’re my whole childhood and I love them so much

I really recommend the Sic of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo. It’s one of the best I’ve read, the characters are all *cheffs kiss*, the character development is amazing, the plot is brilliant and it’s really well written

If you’re into romance I recommend Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. I read it recently and loved it

If you’re into darker fantasy/suspense The Power of Five series by Anthony Horowitz is very good. Might put you into a book slump after you read them, but I’d say it’s worth it

If you haven’t read Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston you absolutely should

I hope that’s enough for now because my brain has conveniently forgotten all the books I’ve ever read

[booksbookssomemoviesandbooks]

Book Recs

Hello! so for my first post, I'll recommend some books, so y'all can have a closer look at some fandoms I'll post about! enjoy!!

1.  

Harry Potter By J.K. Rowling is definitely an interesting, well-written series! there are 7 books however, and the books get bigger as the series progresses. It's sometimes difficult to know the exact order, so I'll list it below:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Although the movies are great, they don't include all the amazing details, as with all movies. A short summary:

Harry Potter, a young boy who’s being constantly abused by his uncle Vernon and aunt Petunia, gets a peculiar letter from the magical school of Hogwarts, where he spends most of his time, becoming his home.

Quotes:

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." ― Albus Dumbledore

“You’re just as sane as I am" - Luna Lovegood

“Mischief managed" - Fred and George Weasley

It is Important to know that j*r is a huge transphobe, along with other things, and is currently being erased by the fandom itself.

2.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, along with the other series by Rick Riordan, is a definite must-read. With each book, you can really notice the character developments and a lot more! There is loads of representation in this one, with lgbtqia+ characters, black characters, Muslim characters and more. It's very action-packed and addicting, sucking you into the magnificent world of Half-Bloods and Demigods within the first page. The first series consists of 5 books, in the following order:

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters

Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse

Percy Jackson and the Battle of The Labyrinth

Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian

THE MOVIES ARE TRASH SO I DEFINITELY DO NOT RECOMMEND WATCHING THEM BEFORE READING THE BOOKS!!! There were many changes and the movies aren't nearly as good as the books. A short summary:

Percy Jackson, a 12 year-old who lives with his mother, Sally, and step-father, Gabe, attends the private boarding school Yancy Academy. While on a school trip, his teacher, Mrs. Dodds, turns into a fury and attacks him. This, in turn, triggers a series of other problems and adventures.

Quotes:

“If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.” - Percy Jackson

“With great power, comes great need to nap. Wake me up later." - Nico Di Angelo

“Even strength has to bow down to wisdom sometimes." - Annabeth Chase

3.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is one of my most recommended series! With everything it deals with, from the Capitol to the districts to the champions, the books are amazing! 

Order:

The Hunger Games

Catching Fire

Mockingjay

Starring the movies is the amazing Jennifer Lawrence, but with all books, the movies have slight differences, although I definitely recommend watching them when you're done with the books.

A Short Summary:

In what was once North America, the Capitol of Panem maintains its hold on its 12 districts by forcing them each to select a boy and a girl, called Tributes, to compete in a nationally televised event called the Hunger Games. Every citizen must watch as the youths fight to the death until only one remains. District 12 Tribute Katniss Everdeen has little to rely on, other than her hunting skills and sharp instincts, in an arena where she must weigh survival against love.

(FILM SYNOPSIS)

Quotes:

"May the odds be ever in your favor." - Effie Trinket

"Fire is catching, and if we burn, you burn with us!" - Katniss Everdeen

“Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.” - President Snow

4.

Divergent is another book with a huge fandom, and rightfully so. This book is amazing, and you honestly can't live without having read it!

Order:

Divergent

Insurgent

Allegiant 

Surprisingly, I haven't watched the movies yet, but I hear that they aren’t that bad, so you should give them a go!

Summary:

In a world run by fictional classes known as factions, children who reach the age of 16 begin to choose which factions they wish to call home for the rest of their lives. Each faction comes with its own ups and downs, so it's definitely a hard choice, especially for someone as unique as Beatrice.

Quotes:

“Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it“ - Four

“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.” - Dauntless Motto

"We are not the same. But we are, somehow, one." - Tris

5. 

You might have heard of this series, and it's really addictive, trust me! The Mortal Instruments is one of the most astonishing books I've ever read, and it's most definitely my go-to when recommending a book series!

Order:

City of Bones

City of Ashes

City of Glass

City of Fallen Angels

City of Lost Souls

City of Heavenly Fire

Again, (I know this is rather disappointing) I haven't watched the movies, but do check them out!

Summary:

Clary Fray's search for her missing mother leads her into an alternate New York called Downworld, filled with mysterious faeries, hard-partying warlocks, not-what-they-seem vampires, an army of werewolves, and the demons who want to destroy it all.

via: https://shadowhunters.com/shadowhunters-novels/the-mortal-instruments/#:~:text=Clary%20Fray's%20search%20for%20her,want%20to%20destroy%20it%20all.

Quotes:

“Heroes aren't always the ones who win. They're the ones who lose, sometimes. But they keep fighting, they keep coming back. They don't give up. That's what makes them heroes.” - Clary Fairchild

“If I cannot move Heaven, I will raise Hell.” - Sebastion Morgenstern

“The descent into Hell is easy.” - Motto of the Nephilim

6.

Gay. What more needs to be said?

SADLY, there isn't a movie yet, but I think they're working on one, or sure though

Summary:

Set in a world in which a female Democrat from Texas wins the presidency in 2016, Red, White & Royal Blue chronicles the illicit romance between the president's son, Georgetown senior Alex Claremont-Diaz (Dad is a Mexican-American senator), and Prince Henry of Wales, his childhood nemesis.

Via: https://www.wsj.com/articles/red-white-royal-blue-book-summer-beach-read-11565285001#:~:text=Set%20in%20a%20world%20in,of%20Wales%2C%20his%20childhood%20nemesis.

Also, classic enemies-friends-lovers arc and honestly it's amazing

Quotes:

“As your mother, I can appreciate that maybe this isn’t your fault, but as the president, all I want is to have the CIA fake your death and ride the dead-kid sympathy into a second term.” - Ellen Claremont 

" 'that’s because you can’t hear all the menacing gobbling.' 'Yes, famously the most sinister of all animal sounds, the gobble.' " - Harry and Alex

"History, huh? Bet we could make some." - Alex

7.

I’m sure you've heard at least a little bit about this book. While not nearly as famous as ones mentioned above, it's still just as good, of not better. I'd say this book is one of my favorites, to be honest. It speaks about a lot of topics people usually find disturbing, and it makes me so happy that it's there, it's written, it's amazing. PTSD, coming out issues, abusive relationships and more, this book is truly awesome.

TRIGGER WARNING 

Summary:

A young boy named Charlie usually dissociates, and pushes other people away. He’s afraid of beginning high school, until he meets two other students who show him how bizarre and amazing the world is.

Quotes:

“And in that moment, I swear we were infinite” - Charlie

“We accept the love we think we deserve” - Mr. Anderson

“You can't just sit there and put everybody's lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love" - Sam

8. 

This book is honestly pro-feminist and I think that's much more than enough

Summary:

Kaur explores the true impact of sexual abuse and harassment, as well as the difficulties of immigrating, being a female, and depression.

It's also a poem

TRIGGER WARNING

Quotes:

“what is stronger

than the human heart

which shatters over and over

and still lives”

“you do not just wake up and become the butterfly 

- growth is a process”

“on the last day of love

my heart cracked inside my body"

9.

This book isn't very well-known, which really sucks because I really love how it speaks about the consequences of WWII from the German point of view. And about the Germans who did not believe in Hitler's ways. It's also based on a real story, and it's so cool

Summary: 

A nurse working in a nursing home meets a peculiar old lady who decides to tell her her story when she meets the nurse's younger son, Karl, who reminded her of her brother. Lizzie (the old lady) speaks about life in Dresden before the war, and even after it. She also tells them the story about the strange, magnificent elephant in her garden.

Quotes:

“That was the only way of keeping our hopes alive, by looking beyond all we were seeing around us, and the shadow of disaster that hung over us.” - 

“I think I have always had a strong sense of justice, of fair play, of what is right and what is wrong.” - 

“Our home should be an oasis of peace and harmony for us in a troubled world.” - Lizzie (Quoting Papi)

10.

This book is pro-blm and it's ahead of its time (by like 2 years but still). 

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. via: https://socialjusticebooks.org/the-hate-u-give/#:~:text=Sixteen%2Dyear%2Dold%20Starr%20Carter,hands%20of%20a%20police%20officer.

Quotes:

“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.” - Lisa

“Daddy once told me there’s a rage passed down to every black man from his ancestors, born the moment they couldn’t stop the slave masters from hurting their families. Daddy also said there’s nothing more dangerous than when that rage is activated.” - Starr

“Everybody wants to talk about how Khalil died,” I say. “But this isn’t about how Khalil died. It’s about the fact that he lived. His life mattered. Khalil lived!” I look at the cops again. “You hear me? Khalil lived!” - Starr

[choicesficwriterscreations]

150 followers: Meet the Writer

We’re happy to announce we reached another milestone: we have over 150 followers! Thank you so much for joining us! And as usual, a writer was randomly selected for Meet the Writers Q&A. Get ready to meet our third writer:

Blog: @undermounts​

Name: Lea

Birthday: April 27th

Nationality: Chinese, German, and Filipino

Current residency: California, USA

Languages you speak: English

Masterlist: Tumblr masterlist / AO3

1. Is there a meaning behind your url name?

No, not really. It just references Undermount from Blades. My friend Liza @shadowcourt​ actually gave it to me from one of her saved accounts when I started writing my Blads fic (bless you Liza).

2. When did you start playing Choices? What's the first book you played?

I started playing in late 2016! I’m pretty sure the first thing I played was either The Freshman or Most Wanted.

3. When did you decide to join Choices fandom?

The first time I posted about Choices was in July of 2017 on an old side blog of mine.

4. Go back to your archive and tell us what was your first post on your Choices blog was about.

This blog is very old so my first ever post was an rb about Nico and Bianca di Angelo from Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but my first Choices post on this blog was about getting to marry Jake from ES and Drake from TRR.

5. How long have you been writing fanfiction?

Since June of 2014!

6. Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it or would you change anything about it?

I wrote my first fanfic when I was 13 but it has since been erased from the face of the earth and will never be seen again, which is honestly for the best. However, the oldest fanfic of mine that can still be found today is called Somewhere Else. It’s a TRR AU Drake x Riley fanfic in which the two meet in NYC and have a whirlwind romance as Drake searches for Savannah. I still like the fic even though its plot is solely focused on romance—which isn’t really my style anymore—and it’s pretty short.

7. What are your favorite Choices books to write about?

Blades of Light and Shadow and Bloodbound.

8. What is your specialty as a fanfic writer?

According to my readers, it’s exploring worlds and complex characters in-depth while spewing loads of angst.

9. Which part of writing do you struggle with most?

Lately, the hardest part for me has been staying focused! I think a large part of that is because I’m working on a really ambitious project right now and I have a lot of ideas I’m worried about executing properly and I have these self-imposed expectations I’m afraid I won’t meet. It’s daunting but in a good way. Writing usually comes easily to me but I think it’s good to struggle sometimes because it helps me grow and improve.

10. Do you participate in any writing events or challenges throughout the year? If so, what do you like about them?

I haven’t participated in a writing event or challenge in a while! I used to do them when I was still in The Arcana fandom. I think the best thing about these challenges or events is that they can either break up my normal writing routine and give me something new/different to work on so when I come back to any current WIPS, I do so with a fresh mind. They also sort of force me to tackle subjects or themes I’m not used to writing about which ultimately helps improve my writing overall.

11. Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing?

Rick Riordan definitely showed me how important it is to have a clear voice/style in your writing. That has definitely made writing infinitely more enjoyable for me because it doesn’t just feel like I’m telling a story but like I am also expressing myself through my work. Another author that has influenced me is Sarah J. Maas. Her Throne of Glass series is what encouraged me to be really ambitious with my current project, Ashes and Embers (A&E), in terms of creating an elaborate plot, exploring not only the main characters in depth but also the supporting characters, and worldbuilding.

12. Do you have any writing buddies or critique partners?

My dear friend Alia ( @thealia​ ) betas chapters of A&E for me! Without her, I would probably be crushed beneath the workload. Liza ( @shadowcourt ) graciously listens to my ideas and hypes me up with her A&E headcanons. I also have to give some recognition to Kelsea (@shegrumbles) and Sav (@courtesanofedenbrook ) who not only provide me with endless love and support but are also fantastic writers!

13. Do you reread your own fanfics? If you do, which one have you reread the most?

I actually have not reread any of my multi-chapter fics simply because I haven’t had time to! The moment I finished Bound, I immediately jumped into writing A&E. But I have reread a short fic for The Arcana called “The Power of a Name” a few times because I love the angst.

14. A Hollywood producer tells you that they want to film just one of your fics. Which fic would you want it to be?

Oh, absolutely Ashes and Embers. Maybe I am biased because it is the fic I am currently working on, but I truly think that it is the most action-packed and elaborate story I have ever written. I have so much planned for that fic—including a second part that has yet to be named—and it already feels like a movie saga in my head.

15. Do you write original stories? 

I do! My original WIPs are currently shelved just because of timing/workload but I hope to finish them one day!

Do you want to contribute with questions/ideas for the next Meet The Writer Q&A? Send me a message.

Thanks for reading! Reblog to share your appreciation for @undermounts​​​ ❤️

[yv-sketches]

I've the how to your dragon series and the wizards of once books. Any recommendations for books to read that are similar?

Thank you so much for this question!! 😊

I’ll do my best to answer, however, English is not my native language, so I am not super familiar with the Great Middle Grade series that undoubtably exist. I also read too many non fiction books when I was younger

Here are a few books/book series I found enjoyable in a similar way. (The list is not super long and none of them feature dragons, sorry.)

Most of these are more like twoo, because they’re really good but can’t touch Cressida’s masterpiece. I cannot think of ANY book series that can compare to httyd’s philosophical three way war and grand finale.

(Click read more for a list of half baked book recommendations by me XD)

1 ~ The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole - Michelle Cuevas

This is a stand alone that could easily be “How to take care for a pet black hole” written by Hiccup. It’s a short book, but it has the exact same dry and clever humour and becomes truly meaningful further into the story. The ending is bittersweet too.

This is probably the book I think has the most similar atmosphere to httyd. If you could collapse the emotions from httyd into 200 pages, this would be the closest matching result.

2 ~ Percy Jackson - Or literally anything by Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan is iconic and the only one who could win a ‘chapter title battle’ from Cressida. Examples: “My sword has a better social life than I do” or “A God buys us cheeseburgers” I am very ashamed to admit I have only read the first Percy Jackson book (I really should read the rest, you may sue me for not reading this iconic series) but I really liked it and from what I heard about the rest of the series it only gets better.

At least one crazy adventure each book, plenty of swordfights and a snappy protagonist to comment on everything. I’m not sure how to describe it accurately, but these books are written with the same hilarious tone as Cressida’s. You can read them out loud and they’d be funny I guess?

Also: Main characters with ADHD and dyslexia (looking at you Wish and Xar), characters from different countries, cultures and LGBT characters who have storylines outside of that characteristic. If you liked vikings, Magnus Chase is his triology about demigod children of Norse gods (though long series probably won’t bother you as httyd book fan).

3 ~ Cogheart - Peter Bunzl

These books are fun steampunk adventures. The setting is vaguely historical, but with victorians instead of vikings, pesky adults who don’t listen to children very well and an unusual pet companion. There’s also a secondary storyline about how beings with human intelligence are treated as lesser, and it’s treated important enough without overshadowing the main plot.

I’ve read the first two and so far it’s a series where you can read each book separate (though the first few httyd books could also be read as separates). There are two more and perhaps the secondary citizen issue will end up being the overarching plot?

4 ~ How to Become King - Jan Terlouw

The clue is in the title. The main character wants to become king, but has to complete 7 impossible tasks first. It does not get more straightforward than that.

The book does not have Cressida’s ridiculous humour, but the main character is Pure Good like Hiccup and each impossible quest actually has a lot of depth to it. A big part of the story emphasizes how humility and kindness are the things that make a good king. It’s a pretty old book and probably the most unknown one on this list.

5 ~ The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars - Jaclyn Moriarty

(I own a signed copy of this and the author was so nice) It is the second book set in this world, but with new characters. She said it can be read on its own, but perhaps it could be a bit confusing if you haven’t read the first. I hadn’t read the first and I was confused.

The absolute highlight of this book was the narration. There are two narrators who take turn narrating, and while doing so they comment on each other. They argue with each other and quip about how they do a better job narrating. It makes you feel like you’re part of the story too, similarly how Hiccup addresses the reader and comments on his younger self.

6 ~ Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer

Did anybody say fiendishly clever plan? When it comes to cheating death and trickery, Artemis Fowl is Hiccup and Xar’s long lost sibling. Except.... he is not as nice. To quote Camicazi: “You see, [I] have no morals at all. It's very useful...”

Where Hiccup was a Pure Cinnamon Roll and Xar an emotional hotheaded disaster, Artemis is a straight up bastard who cares for only four (4) people in total.

It’s very reminiscent of the earlier httyd books. Silly schemes, potty humour and characters that walk a fine line between likeable and annoying. I have not read the entire series yet, but the characters slowly mature with each book.

7 ~ Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine

This is more of a twisted fairytale like twoo and not a fantasy epic like httyd. It’s the story of a girl on an impossible quest in a fantasy world. There are a lot of fairytale tropes, but I really liked how the extremely complex kingdom fit into one book.

It’s the only book on this list where different languages are a major plot point, and there is an inequality problem with some creatures, similar to the wild dragons in httyd. The ending can’t compare to the satisfying yet bittersweet solution of book 12. It’s a fairytale happily ever after and certainly easier on the heart than httyd.

? ~ Anything by Roald Dahl

Everyone knows Roald Dahl, which is why this is probably an useless recommendation. His books are funny, crazy and sometimes a bit grim, but always great. What else can I say?

? ~ The gentleman’s guide to vice and virtue - Mackenzi Lee

Ok, this one is by no means a middle grade book. More like 15+. (There is violence and romance is a major plotline. Both the violence and romance are 15+, and while I did not find it too bad, it might not be for everyone)

However, it has almost all of the ingredients of a Cressida book. I really felt like I should include it because it belongs somewhere high on this list! On the surface it’s a whacky adventure with a sassy protagonist in a somewhat historical fantasy setting. Below that surface, it deals with major issues in an absolutely beautiful way.

The quotes are artistic, and this is the ONLY ya book I’ve ever read with messages that hit as hard and are written as subtly as the ones in the httyd books. (I have read books more beautiful, and books with greater messages than this one, but the serious parts were woven into the story in such a refined way.... I’ve only read that in Cressida’s books.)

Mind you, the protagonist is more of a Disaster Boy ™ than Xar and I wanted to slap him sometimes. Like Xar, he learns and gets better.

~

A few other books I should mention

Coraline by Neil Gaiman. The story is not similar to httyd and twoo at. all. which is why it’s not on the list. However, this is the ultimate book about not-so-great parents. Hiccup and the entire twoo gang can relate. Just a heads up: this is a somewhat scary story. Cressida doesn’t shy away from suspense and terrifying details, but in Coraline, the suspense is one of the main aspects.

A series of unfortunate events from Lemony Snicket. I haven’t read this, but I still want to. From what I’ve heard it’s a sarcastic adventure series that’s a lot more serious than it looks.

I have never read this series either, I do not even know what it’s about, but I’ve heard people from the httyd books fandom talk about it: Keeper of the lost cities by Shannon Messenger.

~

I hope this list was the kind of answer you were hoping for!

If you are looking for better recommendations, there are a lot of httyd book fans who can give you some, like @books-are-like-dragons @thefellowshipofthedragonmark @httydbooks-doodler .

[itsthegameilike]

Best of 2019 Reads

I didn’t get to read quite as much this year as I usually do, but I wanted to collect my favorites, anyway, because books always deserve more love. The most love. Without further ado...

Call Down the Hawk--Maggie Steifvater (lgbt) While this book works best if you’ve read The Raven Cycle, I do feel as though it stands alone and separate from the series. It’s magical and intense and profound and it was one of the few books this year that I absolutely devoured. The new characters are fabulous, especially Jordan, and Declan absolutely shines. If you read The Raven Cycle and weren’t sure about this one, it’s worth reading just for Declan. The stakes are high, the dreams are marvelous, and the ending leaves you ready for more.

On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous--Ocean Vuong (lgbt)  I first discovered Ocean in one of my poetry writing classes in college and I never looked back. The way Ocean sees the world is spectacular. The lowest lows are part of his life experience and he transforms them into sublime beauty. His first novel is no different. While largely plotless, more vignettes than anything else, it transformed how I thought of the world for weeks. And there are more than a few passages I’ll never forget. 

The Starless Sea--Erin Morgenstern (lgbt) Like everyone, I could go on and on about The Night Circus, her first novel, and like, I expect, everyone else, I can say with confidence that this book didn’t disappoint. There’s underground libraries, time travel, whimsical romance, an ocean of honey, and secret societies. If I could dream up the perfect novel, more than half of the tropes included in this novel would be in it. It does what the best fantasy does; actually transports you from your living room to a different world, just for a little while.

Small Gods--Terry Pratchett  The first of my recs that wasn’t released this year. I read lots of Terry Pratchett this year but this was by far my favorite. There’s nothing quite like a god who’s been transformed into a turtle and only remembers he’s a god because of the belief of one simple-minded but kind person. Organized religion is examined with care and as with all Pratchett novels, hilariously. The novel finished and I felt like I’d learned more about life than I’d learned in six months of actually living.

A Winter’s Promise--Christelle Dabos This novel is complex and the worldbuilding is extensive and complicated, but the rewards of paying attention and being committed are high. The characters are spectacular, though it takes some time to reveal their many motivations, and the world is even more so. The side characters also shine as every single written character has a decided motive. I devoured this one as well and the second in the series is even better. I would argue if you don’t like the first one, you should still try the second, that’s how good it is. All of the work of the first novel pays off in the second.

On A Sunbeam--Tillie Walden (lgbt) A lengthy graphic novel set in space with some excellent queer representation. It’s been awhile since I enjoyed this one, but I read it in one sitting. The drawings were beautiful and the colors were perfect for the tone of the story and writing. The love story between the two main girls is sweet and soft and heartwrenching and it was perfect to be wrapped up in their world for a little while. This book is like briefly being trapped in a snowglobe.

Spinning Silver--Naomi Novik I enjoyed Uprooted more than I enjoyed this particular fairytale retelling, but it was still worth a read. The main character is resourceful and interesting, the way she goes about navigating world and finding love not quite the path you would’ve expected in the beginning. The world is lush and well developed and the court of the fey is one of my favorite locations in a fantasy novel in awhile. What really sells this book is the ending. The middle can be slow, but it was worth it for the way all the threads come together.

Nevernight--Jay Kristoff I could talk about this novel for-fucking-ever. There are footnotes that can be extremely informative and are often laugh out loud funny. The violence and the language and the jokes can often be crude, but there is so much joy written into them that it hardly matters. The twists and turns of the plot are amazing and there was even one or two I didn’t predict. Mia is such a badass and her quest for revenge is the kind of quest I love to see female characters involved. She gets a storyline few women get, especially in fantasy. Godsgrave, the second novel, is also incredible and puts Mia in an awesome queer relationship. The last novel, Darkdawn, came out this year and was actually a bit of a disappointment, but the series overall is still one of my favorite.

Devotions--Mary Oliver Everyone knows Mary Oliver and I’m not going to pretend this recommendation is revelatory in any way, but this collection got me through some of my hardest days. It’s best read a poem at a day with a good five minute think afterward. You’ll start seeing the world in a different and more hopeful way. Nature has lots to teach you, kids, and so does Mary Oliver.

The Trials of Apollo--Rick Riordan (lgbt) This is a whole series and the fourth one came out this year and if you haven’t read any Rick Riordan this probably isn’t the place to start. But if you’ve read some of him and haven’t yet checked out this series it’s a must. It’s more adult than any of his other ones and the stakes feel so high, that when I started reading the fourth one this year, I could barely do it, I was so nervous. They’re hilarious, as can be expected by Riordan, but they’re also profound. There are a couple of emotional moments that I still get lost in while lying in bed at night and Apollo’s character arc is one of the most rewarding in recent memory.

Red, White, and Royal Blue--Casey McQuiston (lgbt) A favorite of the year on tumblr, I think, and definitely worth all of the hype. I read this in one sitting. It was quick and easy and joyful, definitely an alternate universe that I would prefer we were currently living in. Alex and Henry are both delightful and their romance is poignant, something that gave me comfort as a queer woman. If you need a little light in your life, start here.

Little Fish--Casey Plett (lgbt) One of the hardest books I read this year. It’s an intense look into the life of a trans woman and her friends, most of whom are also trans. And when I say intense, I mean intense. It often hurts. But I loved it for the way the author portrayed her main character. There was so much love and sympathy there. Nothing was held back. It was very clear that this book was the heart of this author. It meant everything to them.

Snow & Rose--Emily Winfield Martin A children’s fairytale that world builds so good that none of the rest of the book even matters. The rest is also good, but I could’ve gotten lost into the world forever. As with all fables, it ends with lessons learned and they’re important and earned lessons. It’s been awhile since I’ve read it, but I remember it being spectacular and well worth my time.

Peter Darling--Austin Chant (lgbt) Not the most well-written on this list, but it is a hopeful read. And the most adorable. This book is entirely for the queer representation, but it is very good representation. It also is a retelling of Peter Pan, which is good fun. It’s short and quick and I finished with a huge smile on my face.

[tshepiso-reads-books]

Re-Review | The Last Olympians by Rick Riordan

Started: June 14th, 2020

Finished: June 19th, 2020

The Last Olympian is one of the most masterfully crafted finales I’ve ever read. This story was so satisfying and the reasons for that are so multi-layered. This probably one of the most labour intensive reviews I’ve ever written because my thoughts on this book were so expansive and all over the place. In short, I loved this book and we have no choice but to stan Rick Riordan.

Note: This Review Will Contain Major Spoilers

Riordan escalated the stakes of the series to pulse-pounding heights. While I could still recognize the light-hearted fun that was the foundation of this series Riordan effectively added weight and gravity to this final book that made it all the more impactful. This is so clearly illustrated in the death of Charles Beckendorf early on in the novel. while we’ve seen characters die in the series before the fact that his death was the opening of the book perfectly set the tone for the rest of the book. It was the kind of gut punch that truly conveyed the high stakes of this book and that tension was carried throughout the novel.

Half of this book takes place during The Battle of New York and it stands out as one of the best final battles I’ve ever read. In this battle, Percy and the rest of Camp Half-Blood, as well as the nature spirits and satyrs of New York, came together to fight against Kronos’ army. This sprawling fight was great because it conveyed both fun action and tense conflict. The battle itself was dynamic and the action quick-paced and inventive. We were never in one mode for long throughout the battle and I definitely had fun seeing the various tactics both sides utilized to gain the upper hand. The fun magic we got to see on display throughout from Grover’s enhanced nature magic, to Thalia’s intense lightning powers was a delight.

The Battle took place over days as the campers stood their ground against seemingly endless hoards of monsters. Riordan detailed the overwhelming influx of monsters and unending battle so well. The Battle of New York was such a satisfying conclusion because the final victory was so hard-fought. There was significant loss throughout and the bone-deep fatigue felt by every camper as the battle waged on was oppressive. But what made The Battle of New York special was how Riordan’s love of the city came to life. The battle was a love letter to New York City and you could see that from the care and detail Riordan poured into putting the city on display. Its boroughs, parks and rivers were on wrought in detail and the setting itself came to life. Percy’s love for his city and the passion he had in defending it shone throughout the novel.

The way Riordan handled Luke’s redemption absolutely blew me away. We spent a huge chunk of this novel unpacking the complex character is that is Luke Castellan and through learning about his background Riordan crafted such a complex villain. Luke has always been an engaging antagonist, but this book gave him a wonderful send-off and satisfying redemption. I know a lot of people hate redemption through death but it worked so well with Luke’s character because of the empathy the narrative had for Luke and the time and detail put into exploring how Luke became the person he became. The Last Olympian illustrated that Luke and the half-bloods on the side of the Titans were a product of systematic negligence. Riordan emphasized that Luke was a child who was failed by the people who should have protected him. The parallels between Luke and Percy demonstrated that he wasn’t an inherently bad person and the path he went down was created by the Gods.

Something truly unique about Percy Jackson and the Olympians was the massive emphasis placed on parental relationships throughout the series and in this book in particular. Middle Grade and YA often have conspicuously absent parents and these books acknowledge the importance of supportive parental figures in a child’s life. The moments love between parent and child shown throughout this book were some of the most emotionally impactful moments in the series. Seeing the complexity and tragedy of the role Godly parents are often forced to play in their children’s lives was particularly impactful. You can really tell that Rick Riordan himself is a parent because the power of parental love was a central theme in the book.

Seeing the growth and development of Percy, and really all of the characters throughout the series, was wonderful. I felt the five books worth of character development distinctly in this finale. Percy stepping into his role as a leader within Camp Half-Blood was so satisfying because of the journey he’d been through to get there. Side characters like Grover, Tyson, Clarrise and Nico were also given their moment in the sun and seeing the resolution their personal arcs was wonderful and highlighted the time that Riordan put into making his side characters individuals rather than just props to Percy’s story.

While this was a fantastic finale the one thing I disliked about this book and the series was the romance between Percy and Annabeth. The romance between these two never sat well with me because I find it difficult to be invested in romances between pre-teens. Even as Percy and Annabeth grew older that step further into romance never did anything for me. What made their romance even more frustrating was Riordan’s choice to position Rachel as a romantic rival to Annabeth. I hated this love triangle because it forced Annabeth into an antagonistic dynamic with Rachel and pointless girl hate is something I absolutely despise in books.

Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Last Olympian was a stunning finale that had me sobbing in the end. I think Riordan did something truly amazing with the Percy Jackson series and wrote wonderful stories for kids, adults, and everyone in between. This finale will definitely go down as one of my absolute favourites and I adored my time reading the Percy Jackson series with all my heart.

[rapunzelles-archive]

writeblr intro!!

Hi! My name is Anna, and you may know me by my main blog, @darnelcress. I’m a seventeen year old aspiring fashion designer/biologist who likes to write for fun :)

I’m pretty much a hopeless romantic so of course my favorite genres include romance, though I also love science-fiction, young adult, fantasy, dystopian fiction, and modern adaptations of fairytales. My favorite authors include Marissa Meyer, Rick Riordan, Jane Austen, Neal Shusterman, and probably a few others. I’m not a huge fan of too many classics or their authors or classic poetry (I’m quite picky, unfortunately). I prefer reading fluff over angst, though I like to write angst just as much as I do fluff.

Speaking of my writing, I tend to write mostly poetry (if you can call it that? it doesn’t usually rhyme) and romance-centric oneshots/short stories revolving around my original characters crafted for roleplays on another platform. I’ll likely be posting poetry, random quotes I came up with, character bios/concepts (oh, I have so many of those), and snippets of stories about the romances/tragedies in my characters’ lives.

I’ve never written or even planned a novel, but I’ve had this idea for a story in my head loosely based off the concept of The Selection by Kiera Cass. The basic idea is that it’s set in a palace, where a young maid serves. She grew up around the royals, and has loved the crown prince ever since she was a child. However, she’s never talked to him face-to-face as she’s always been too shy; she’s a blushing, stuttering mess whenever she’s around him. The prince hardly notices her, of course, and is best friends with the very beautiful, very intelligent daughter of one of the king’s advisors (and she also happens to be in love with him, of course). I want to find a way to introduce other girls who are competing for the prince’s heart, but it’s difficult haha.

Anyways, sorry for the ramble! If you’re a writeblr and would like me to take a look at your blog, please reblog this post, especially if you have any science-fiction/dystopian or romance wips! Also, I’d love to listen to y’all talk about your works or characters, so please don’t be afraid to talk to me :)

♡ Anna

[bex-pendragon]

Bex’s Book Corner #6

This post was delayed because I wanted to post my roundup of favourite books by Black authors first. You can read it here. I’ve also got a post of favourite LGBTQ+ books I’m working on for Pride Month, so keep an eye out for that.

May was a very productive reading month. Overall I read 7 books this month: 3 adult titles, 3 YA, and the first middle grade book of the year. (Yes, it was Rick Riordan.) This was also the month I decided to read a couple of male authors for a change. Consider yourselves lucky, gentlemen. I’m very picky when it comes to male opinions these days. Women authors still account for 75% of my books. I’ve also made strides to include some non-binary authors this year.

 1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

I’ve been curious about this book for a long time. But I’ve also been avoiding it for a long time. Why, you may ask? Welp, it has something to do with the movie of the same name…

Here’s the thing you have to understand: I love this movie SO MUCH. It’s got everything. Adventure, romance, great costumes, great music. THE STORY. It’s like the early 2000’s equivalent of The Princess Bride (which I have also not read. My copy’s been on my TBR shelf for 15 years. Yes, I feel bad about it. No, I’m probably not going to get to it this year. Leave me alone.)

I made the mistake of watching the movie first. Whenever I do that, I usually don’t ever get around to reading the book. Just look at Sense and Sensibility. It took me almost a decade to read it after watching the film. I am very bad at this. I’m at the point where I make an effort now to read the book first. I remember panic-reading The Great Gatsby a month before the movie came out. (Somehow I never encountered it through all my schooling, and I was an English major. HOW.)

I’ve been kind of scared to read Stardust because I heard it was very different from the movie. I don’t always have the best luck when I read the book after seeing the movie. Sense and Sensibility is my least favourite Austen. (Which isn’t fair to say because it’s JANE AUSTEN. It’s still good, damn it, it’s just not Pride and Prejudice good! And that’s okay!) I read Gaston LeRoux’s Phantom of the Opera after seeing the movie and the stage show and I was really let down by it. Like… it was cheesy. And trope-y. But there were some nice little callbacks from the book that appear in the movie that aren’t in the play, so that was kind of neat. In retrospect, this should have been the first sign that I’d outgrown POTO a bit. (I called it Phantom Phatigue now. It’s the feeling you get after you’ve seen too many figure skating programs to POTO.)

I was relieved that Stardust didn’t fall into the same pattern. Yes, it’s different from the movie. It’s a different medium, so it’s going to be different. Streamlined. Some characters are cut; others get expanded roles. Even the final confrontation plays out differently. But the main narrative arc is the same. Just with some extra flourishes. Like POTO, there are some references to the book that are scattered throughout the film. It gave me a greater appreciation for the scope of the movie and the book, and the worldbuilding of both.

For one, Tristan is Tristran in the book. Or… I think he was. My brain kept autocorrecting it back to Tristan, lol. The overall vibe of the book is more of a fairy tale than a fantasy adventure, but the film honours the intent of the book. It’s inevitable that changes will be made when a story moves from page to screen. But as long as the people in charge respect the source material, all will be well. (Think: Andy Weir’s The Martian.) It’s when they don’t respect the intent of the original that you run into problems (looking at you, Percy Jackson movies.)

I’ve had an uneven relationship with Neil Gaiman’s books so far. The first of his that I read, The Graveyard Book, was just okay for me. Well-written, strong concept, but it didn’t resonate with me. Then last year I read Good Omens, his collaboration with Terry Pratchett. (Once again, I wanted to read the book before watching the TV show.) And WOW. I loved the book and the show SO MUCH. Another very faithful adaptation, imo.

TBH, that’s what led me to finally read Stardust. Sometimes you read something and think, ‘hmm, this didn’t totally work for me, but I’d like to give this author another try, because I liked the writing, even though I didn’t vibe with the story or the characters’. Good Omens really resonated with me, so I thought Stardust would be a good pick for my next Gaiman book, since it was a story I was already familiar with. In the end, this was a great choice. I loved the book. I think this is one of the rare cases where the book and movie are equally good, even with the changes. I’m a fan.

But will I be reading more Gaiman in the future? I was thinking Norse Mythology or The Ocean at the End of the Lane could be my next picks… until later in the month, when I got very annoyed with Gaiman for behaving badly during the quarantine. WHY ARE MEN.

This book counted for the “book publish in the 20th century” category for the PopSugar Reading Challenge. The first edition came out in 1999, so I’m getting in under the wire here.

 2. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

A clarification: this book has been published under two different titles. The US edition has 7 ½ in the title. The UK edition has Seven. But it’s the same book. I checked. They added the ½ to avoid confusion with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (which I would also like to read at some point.) Somehow I, a Canadian, ended up with the UK edition.

But WOW. This book broke my brain in the best possible way. Even when I had part of the mystery figured out, there was another twist I didn’t see coming.

This is one of those books that it’s best not to know too much about when you’re first getting into it. The main character goes to a party at a wealthy estate. The daughter, Evelyn, is murdered. Then he wakes up and it happens all over again. He’s trapped in the body of a different party guest each day and tasked with solving the murder. But not everything is as it seems…

That’s all I can tell you. This murder mystery is like Agatha Christie on steroids. It’s got the Downton Abbey aesthetic with the classic Star Trek/Groundhog Day timeloop trope thrown in. (It also reminded me of another fictional property that I love, but if I told you which one, it would give it away.) The plotting is so intricate. Even if you think you’ve figured it out, you still won’t be able to see the big picture until the climax. This is truly one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. If you’re in the mood for a mind-bending reading experience, this is the book for you.

Originally this was going to count for the “book recommended by your favourite blog, vlog, podcast, or online book club” category, but I’ve decided to count it toward the “book by or about a journalist” category instead. My original pick for the journalist category is tragically trapped in my library’s hold system. I didn’t realise the author of TSDoEH was a journalist until I read his bio, so I’m switching categories. I’m improvising! Making it work! There are tons of other books that I’ve seen recommendations for, so I can easily find another title to check that box.

 3. Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

What are you doing, Bex? You still haven’t read the final book in the Throne of Glass series. Shouldn’t you do that before you pick up another of SJM’s books?

NOPE! I’m terrible. I love Throne of Glass (while acknowledging it’s also a problematic fave.) But I just can’t bring myself to read that final book. I’m terrified it’s going to let me down. And… it’s too long, damn it. It’s 800+ pages or something. LET ME LIVE, SARAH. I’m not in the right headspace for this right now!

Luckily for me, Catwoman: Soulstealer is a much more manageable length, and it’s easier to make it fit into the Reading Challenge. I also wanted to read a completely different genre after TSDoEH broke my brain. I thought about picking up a fluffy contemporary, but I was worried about the tonal whiplash I’d get from such a big genre-jump. This seemed like a nice compromise.

The DC Icons series are YA re-imaginings of some of the most popular DC characters, all written by different authors. I had previously read Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo, which was the first book in the series. Catwoman: Soulstealer was enjoyable, but doesn’t hold a candle to WW:W. The bar was set too high.

I think pacing was one of the problems. Catwoman doesn’t get interesting until about halfway through. We also don’t find out the scope of Selina’s big plan until the last quarter. It’s hinted at, but not well sign-posted, imo. But it’s fun to see Selina interact with some of Gotham’s other notorious ladies: Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. There’s a scene where the trio go on a crime spree at a fancy gala with Queen’s “Don’t Stop me Now” as background music.

Overall the story comes to a satisfactory conclusion. Selina steals a lot of things in this book, but she doesn’t actually steal any souls. She does, however, steal the heart of Luke Fox. The romance was fine, but I didn’t totally vibe with it. It felt shoehorned in. But it did get me wondering if we’d see the Luke Fox of the Batwoman TV show in costume someday.

Y’know, once they, uh, replace Batwoman herself. I still can’t believe that’s happening, btw. I enjoyed Ruby Rose in the role, but if she wasn’t happy, I don’t blame her for wanting out. I’m sure her injury was a mitigating factor. (Is it tacky that I’ve already thought of a bunch of fancasts for the part? I just really want the show to go on. The first season was really good. I hope they can salvage it.)

This book checks the box for the “book published the month of your birthday” category. I was going to wait until August, my birth month, to read it, but I’m a mood reader. I can’t be held responsible.

 4. This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender

I recently got to see Kacen Callender speak on one of the Yallwest/Yallstayhome panels. Their name was familiar, but I didn’t quite place it… until I realised I’d picked up one of their books at the last library swap. (On a side note: it feels like that library swap happened 84 years ago. But it was January! What a different world we were living in!)

Truthfully I’ve still got a book hangover from TSDoEH. So this ended up being more of an average love story than an epic one for me. But please take my opinion with a grain of salt.  It’s so important to see own voices work in popular fiction, and I will always support that.

This book fulfills the “book by a trans or non-binary author” category. This is another category that I originally planned to read a different book for, but had to change my plans when the book was unavailable. And I’ll just add: I don’t just want to read books by trans or non-binary authors to tick a box. I’ve read 3 this year and I intend to seek out more in the future.

5. Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

I’ was so on the fence about this one! On paper, it has one of the best premises of any book on my reading list for the year: queer roaming librarians delivering seditious literature in a dystopian America? Hell yeah. I can get on board with that.

But I didn’t totally vibe with this while I was reading it, even though I really wanted to. I think I’m just not a Western kind of girl? I didn’t vibe with things like True Grit or The Magnificent Seven either. Is Wynonna Earp a Western? I kind of felt about this book the same way I feel about Wyonna Earp, tbh. I like it a lot! I get why other people love it! But I don’t love it on quite the same level.

UWW is well written, so that wasn’t the problem either. The characters were compelling and well-rounded.  As a coming-out journey of self-discovery, it’s a very effective story. I just wish there was more of it? It’s a novella, so I was left feeling like the story could continue. Maybe I just don’t get the novella as a mode of storytelling in general. Long story short: I liked it. I liked the intent. I liked the writing. But it wasn’t totally up my alley. But that’s a problem with me, not a problem with the book. This could also be my Evelyn Hardcastle book hanger still effecting me weeks later. But after having some time to reflect, UWW has stuck with me in the weeks since I’ve read it. That’s the mark of a good story.

UWW fills the “Western” category for the reading challenge. I will probably never read another Western, but I will consider reading more of Sarah Gailey’s books in the future. They’re doing good work.

 6. The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan

It finally happened! Rick Riordan’s beloved Percy Jackson series is getting a brand-new adaptation! And this time it will be a TV show, not a movie. Which it probably should have been to begin with, but hey! It’s happening! Uncle Rick himself will be involved this time, so hopefully things will go better. *side eyes the movie forever*

I figured it was as good a time as any to catch up. I’ve read all the original PJO books, the spinoff Heroes of Olympus series, and the Norse mythology-based Magnus Chase trilogy. I’ve also read the first two books in the current Trials of Apollo series. So it was high time I picked up book 3: The Burning Maze.

What I appreciate so much about Rick Riordan’s work is the humour. A lot of it is gallows humour. But the original series was also known for its hilarious chapter titles. TToA follows that tradition by opening each chapter with one of Apollo’s hilarious haikus. These kids go through all kinds of adventure and hardship, and somehow they manage to do it with levity. Percy is one of the sassiest characters I’ve ever read and Apollo is no different. Punished by Zeus for his screw-ups during the last series, Apollo is cast down to Earth in the body of a mortal teenager named Lester. You might think the demigods have already battled all the ancient evil gods, who do they have left to fight? Oh, just some evil reincarnated Roman emperors! Why the hell not?!

Apollo is also very bi/pan, and I love to see that rep. But even with the usual humour, there is a sombre cast over the book. Apollo tells us so at the beginning. I was spoiled about a character death, so I went into this knowing it was coming. It was a character I personally wasn’t attached to, but it still hurt my feelings.

Obviously I am no longer in the target demographic for these stories, but I’m a Greek mythology nerd, so I love them anyway. These kids are like my baby brothers and sisters. They’re all so smol and I just want good things for them. Even when Apollo is being an entitled little shit. He’s been thoroughly humbled in the first three books. Let’s see what happens in books 4-5. (I’ve got book 4 on deck to read soon!)

This book checks the box for “A book from a series with more than 20 books”. I’m cheating a little, since PJO, HOO, MC, and TToA (plus all the related graphic novels, anthologies, and the Kane Chronicles) are considered separate series. But since they exist in a shared universe, I’m counting it as one series. Don’t @ me. This is the Riordan-verse. We just live in it.

7. Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian.

I could tell this was going to be a sweet summertime story. But it also unexpectedly hit me in the feels right out of the gate! (In a good way, though!)

The main character, Amelia, is all set to spend her summer working at the local ice cream stand. This stand was founded in the 1940’s by a local girl, Molly Meade, who made ice cream to cheer up her friends who were missing their sweethearts during WWII. But in the present day, Molly, now an elderly woman, passes away. Her business falls into the hands of her grand-nephew, a young man with new ideas – ideas that fly in the face of the established traditions. Molly’s death hit me really hard. My own grammie passed away a year ago, and she would have been almost the same age as Molly.

Amelia reminds me of me at that age. She’s capable and smart, but she doesn’t have a lot of self-confidence and she has a hard time standing up for herself. She questions why Molly would choose her to be Head Girl at the stand instead of her more outgoing friend Cate. But I know why: it’s because Molly saw herself in Amelia. She learns and grows so much. Molly would have been so proud of her.

As for the boy, Grady Meade? I knew he was trouble when he walked in…

That’s the thing about guys, even ones with the best of intentions. You take a business that’s always been by women, for women (with its all-female staff, who Molly paid a living wage!) and then a guy comes in, rides the glass elevator to the top, and starts putting his male opinions all over everything.

But! Amelia learns that her opinions are worth something too. This was such a sweet story. Now I’m going to get myself a bowl of ice cream and bask in it for a bit.

This book checks the box for “A book recommended by your favourite blog, vlog, podcast, or online book club”. I read a lot of book blogs and I watch a few vloggers, so I can’t say for sure where I saw this recommended, only that I definitely did at some point. Rightfully so, because it was excellent.

I also made aesthetic edits for a few of my May books: Stay Sweet, The Burning Maze, Upright Women Wanted, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and Stardust.

[incandescent-creativity]

20 Questions Tag

tagged by @homesteadchronicles !

OKAY SO

I accidentally answered all of the ones Jake answered, before I saw he left questions for me at the end, and I didn’t want to waste all that time, so

This was originally a 10 Question tag, and I’m putting his questions first, but there’s 10 more below the cut because I say so.

1. When you find a book at the store, what about it makes you decide to buy it or put it back on the shelf?

Well, if it’s a book in a series or by an author I know and like, I’m going to get that. I barely look at the premise of new Stephen King books anymore.

But other than that, if the inside flap sounds like a good story, and if the first page sounds like something I can read and enjoy.

2. What would your book’s ideal cover look like, should you have access to any artist you’d want and any resources you would need to make it a reality?

I’ve already made mock covers, you can find them on the title slides of my comic sans presentations, so I guess they’d just look like those, but nicer?

Although, tbh, I’m a bigger fan of these SOLE fan covers by @writeouswriter. I think they capture the themes of the story better, and I might play around with remaking the SOLE cover soon, inspired by their work!

3. If you could rewrite one story - be it a book, game, movie, show, etc. - which would it be and why?

Two options:

One, the ending of Game of Thrones. I know that might be a cliche or expected answer, and I’m usually not one to critique works that I watch, but Jaime abandoning Brienne made literally no sense.

The other option is a book we’re reading for class: Phantoms, by Christian Kiefer. Inconsistent grammar, bad writing style, hardly any plot actually happening, fake deep sentences and weird descriptions... Ugh.

4. Have you ever given a story a second chance and liked it better the next time through? What caused your opinion to change?

Really, truly, changing the urban fantasy TREE Series to the high fantasy LORE Series was the best decision I’ve ever made. I went from feeling lukewarm about the story to feeling on fire, and it might be solely because of the opportunity to worldbuild so much.

5. What do you believe endears an audience to a character?

Relatability! A character has got to be relatable, at least in some capacity. That’s how you make good villains: you show that they are so far gone down whatever hole they’ve fallen into that they can’t be relatable anymore.

(Also what makes a good villain is making them just relatable and logical enough that you see where they came from. It’s a weird line that never appears in the first draft)

6. What kind of romances do you prefer to read about and/or watch unfold? (Soft and shy, hot and sexy, slow burn, enemies to lovers, etc.)

Soft and shy slowburn of best friends to lovers will get me EVERY TIME

Like do y’all remember Percy and Annabeth from Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series? That was the ULTIMATE romance of my childhood. I bet if I went back and read it, it would still hold up, too. Those two went to Tartarus and back with only each other. Peak Romance.

7. What type of AU’s are your guilty pleasures, be they for your stories or for others? (Modern, High School/University, Coffee Shop, Vampires, etc.)

I’ve never written a vampire story, but I think I’d like to try.

This was not the question, but I don’t really have any guilty pleasures! I write what I write and I write what I want and I hardly ever do AUs.

8. If only one age demographic would ever read your books, which would you choose and why?

“New Adult,” which I’m not even sure is a genre. Like, early 20 year olds.

9. If you could pay homage to one person in your life through your stories and/or characters, who would it be and why?

Probably myself?

These are my stories, and as much support as I’ve gotten from friends (and even the occasional family), at the end of the day, they’re most important to me, I’m the one who’s put the most work into them, and if I can represent and immortalize myself...

I think I’ll be happy.

10. If every reader walked away from your story having been changed in one significant way, what would you want it to be and why?

For the SOLE Project, I want readers to learn that isolating themselves will never solve anything, and will probably make things worse. Also, take action against climate change (but do it with other people).

For LiaHT, I want people to know it’s okay not to have all the answers, and be at peace with all parts of themselves.

For LORE, I want people to start treasuring the power of friendship and the power of hope.

---

SECOND BATCH

1. What are your character’s favorite foods or snacks?

Christian will snack on anything he can get his hands on. Nora likes cookies. Zach likes fruits and pastries, especially fruity pastries. Dr. Agau and Beth are (shockingly) very practical people: nuts, berries, cheese, handfuls of those... think of trail mix.

2. What playlists do you listen to when writing?

I use video game playlists! They’re usually wordless and motivating, which is nice. I like to use this playlist on Spotify, or this website (you can’t skip songs, but there’s also some weird metal and screaming songs on the playlist so like. Pick your poison).

3. Which OC is/was your favorite to create?

Dr. Agau is still my favorite, I think. She’s just so... I don’t know, in control? Obviously, she uses her control and power to abuse children, so she’s an awful person, but come on. Who doesn’t long for a sense of absolute control over circumstances in their life.

A close second are Ash and Zach. It’s fun to think of all the ways they balance each other and differ from each other, and the few areas they are similar in.

4. What is the first book you read that made you cry?

The only book that’s ever made me cry is the ending of Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman.

5. Do you hide any secrets in your books as a way of foreshadowing?

Not intentionally? The things I hide are mostly references to old drafts, like when Beth finds a body in Agau’s laboratories that’s named Kati (an old character who I cut out of the story).

6. What is the most difficult part of your writing process?

Starting.

Seriously, whether it’s starting a chapter, figuring out where to start the story as a whole, starting to resolve something, I just find beginnings... very difficult. I haven’t found a good formula for them yet.

7. Which of your characters would you like to meet or get to know irl?

I think Zach and I would get along fabulously! 

I also have trouble with Matt’s character, and Hans’s, so maybe I could get to know those boys a bit better.

8. Was there a situation in your writing that you took from your own life?

I don’t take exact situations as much as I take feelings. All the pieces of my writing that are Beth having panic attacks, of Zach not knowing where he’s going with his life, of Nora stressing over school... Our circumstances may be very different, but the feelings are usually pretty direct.

9. Do your characters have reoccurring symbolism in their dreams?

Weirdly enough, I don’t think I’ve ever written a dream sequence for a character. I’ve written a nightmare, but only one, in all of my writing.

Huh.

10. Which Hogwarts houses would you sort your characters into?

Slytherin: Dr. Agau, Beth, Ash, and Maluka

Ravenclaw: Michael

Hufflepuff: Hallie, Hans, Zach, Olufemi, Finnigan, Nora

Gryffindor: Christian, Matt

Apparently I have a type.

[captaincoffeegirl515]

You are so good at thinking up and describing actions! Tell me your secret! (or rather, what books do you read)

🥺 Awww you're so kind! Honestly, I've always thought my writing skills are average at best.

I don't think I even have a secret when it comes to writing descriptions. For the most part, I've just been using my imagination. I constantly read and re-read whatever I wrote to see if I can imagine in my mind the actions that I've written out. It has to flow. So if a line feels weird or confusing, I rewrite it.

I do this when reading books and fics too! While reading scenes, I would daydream what was happening based on the wordings. And when things aren't clear, the daydream comes to a jarring halt.

Lastly, Google is my best friend when it comes to finding the right word. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to look up synonyms just so I could have the exact word that showcases the context I need. 😂

As for the books I read, I have books of all sorts of genres EXCEPT romance. I just cannot stand the clichéd, cloying lines they use. So if a book emphasises that a romance will take place, I won't read it.

If had to recommend books I've enjoyed, there's The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (first book I ever remember reading and it's what made me an avid bookworm), the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan (and all the other series after that too), The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (made me cry), With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge (see what I did there? 😉), The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin, Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Young Elites by Marie Lu (her descent into evil was just so refreshing), and Death by Black Hole by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

[pheita]

Ok, I just had the weirdest and most exciting epiphany, and my new therapist is the reason for it. Since October I see a therapist again. At first it was just because it was mandatory to get the jobcenter pay for a job qualification but soon I realized I needed it for real. My therapist is awesome. She is a bookworm and when I stated I am a writer she asked to read some of my stuff. Besides the fact that she sometimes behaves like she is my personal cheerleader, which is really weird, she has the perfect balance of being professional and being a real person. If this makes any sense. Anyway, today she gave me a feedback to my short stories and flash fics I gave her to read and she was amazed and began musing aloud if there isn’t some way I could make at least little money from my writing because she believes there will be more people who get thrilled like her. ( That was so cute in some way.) But she pointed out that all of the stories she got to read were YA. I didn’t realize it until she stated it and we started to discuss genres and what we read as teenagers (she is ten years older than me) and we both had the experience of going from children’s book straight to adult books because back then YA wasn’t a thing yet. There were so-called “youth novels” in Germany but they often were put among the adult books. It all ended with her asking me: “Did you ever thought about writing children’s books?” and I was immediately like “Nope, I can’t tell simple.” And then the moment of epiphany came when she pointed out that there is still the children’s book level of 10/12 years +. An age group directly before YA. An age group where you can already go complicate (but not too much) and have serious topics. I mean Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson is this. It’s The Neverending Story. It’s Harry Potter. There are so many books that fit into this age group I read as a young teenager and loved. There are so many authors who wrote for this age group I love. Why the heck did it became a blind spot? I have no idea but I am thankful she pointed it out to me. I mean I can write epic fantasy but don’t need to add romance to appeal to an adult/YA age group. I can leave out the dreaded romance in my fantasy WIPs! Eureka! Don’t get me wrong. I got a hang of it and kinda love it as a genre of its own, otherwise, I would have never written “No Rest for the Wicked” but I always felt romance has a tendency to overshadow everything in fantasy these days.  And don’t get me started about sex scenes... The best about this epiphany: I have two WIPs I easily can re-plot to fit for this age group. One of them is “Mystical World”. I mean with all the mystical beings it will be an awesome thing for the age group 12 years+. The main drive of Aleena and Thane don’t even change, it just shows differently then. I just need to throw some things out and most of all: It solves my issue with their relationship feeling weird to me! The other one is a WIP I haven’t talked about yet because I started it about 4 years ago and forgot about it and never decided which age group and stuff because it was just a fun idea but I technically don’t need to change anything about it to fit the age group of 10/12 years old readers. You guys have no idea how fucking excited I am right now. I need to stop myself from starting to write immediately because it will need proper plotting since it shall stay a series. Gosh, I could make “Mystical World” even more than three books because I can slim each book down and argh so many options so little time. *deep breaths to calm down*

[parttimewriter-fulltimefangirl]

Writers are Readers!

Thanks for tagging me @necros-writings!

1. Favorite genre to read

YA contemporary fiction! I used to be really into fantasy, but even though I still love it, YA contemporary is probably my new favorite

2. Genre(s) you REALLY don’t like reading

Probably nonfiction. I’ve just never been that into it.

3. Favorite part of the writing process

I absolutely love creating characters. I like giving them interesting backstories and unique personalities. 

4. Least favorite part of the writing process

Finishing a draft. I still haven’t done it, and I always have the urge to go back and change something, which just makes me take longer to finish.

5. Author(s) you’d recommend to everyone

Becky Albertalli, Angie Thomas, and Rick Riordan. I absolutely love all of them and their books, and I think everyone else will too.

6. Book that has changed your outlook on literature

Oof. That’s tough. I always loved literature and the way it can allow you to escape reality. I can’t really think of one book that made me think this way.

7. Favorite line you’ve read

“White shouldn’t be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn’t even be a default.” ~ Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

8. Favorite line you’ve written

I’m not sure. After searching through one of my WIPs to find something that I like, I have: “Love makes me people crazy, but in some ways, it also makes them hopelessly patient. You can move on from like, but it’s hard to move on from love.”

9. What do you wish other writers knew

I wish that everyone knew that no one can make a perfect draft and that your story won’t please everyone. Some people will absolutely love it, and some won’t. What’s important is to keep writing and to keep improving and write the story that you want to read.

10. What made you decide to write your current WIP?

I have three, and they’re all untitled, so I’m just going to refer to them as the MC’s story.

Bellona’s Story - With everything going on in the US, I wanted to write something that shows the consequences of when you’re family member is deported. Everything changes, nothing is ever the same again, and it’s hard to see how anyone can view someone who’s never broken any law other than by being in this country as a criminal.

Eva’s Story - This story is more personal for me since the main character reminds me a lot about me. While I love shipping characters and romance, I wanted to write a story that shows how it’s so easy to feel pressured by society into thinking that you need a boyfriend, but you really don’t. Whether you’re single or not, you’ll be okay. Getting a boyfriend is not your main priority. You are your main priority. So, this is a YA contemporary where the girl doesn’t end up with a guy, but she does follow her dreams and that’s really her happy ending.

Antonio and Claire’s Story - So, this story is a prequel to Eva’s Story. It’s based off of one of Eva’s best friends, Antonio. I gave him and Claire really interesting backstories, and I wanted to write how they got together, so I guess this is where the shipper in me gets to write for this universe. 

I’m tagging: @thatwritergirlsblog @yourwritingisgay @myhoniahakah @jess---writes @mastery-in-procrastination @alixeinwonderlxnd and anyone else who wants to do it!!