tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14504955293367313462024-02-22T05:38:39.746+11:00Virtual PaperA storyteller's step toward living and breathing stories Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-8329702268415444842023-01-08T09:46:00.007+11:002023-02-13T12:10:47.227+11:00My Return + Updates About the Blog & Life<p>I return! Well, kind of. Things are going to look different around here. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpDQgKgiuDMpiKd05s7Z1OoApSteSvkbe1UvMWevCmIwmosHuHJzByOkkRHMU5HGblj7B8A0BKM863AFAsJlNlgzaFyl-7upVk2DYTdpCFHaLNpc5gux5WAQY3hAUCyKyVbJVvN6vBRq8p0kvOGdHm3vYt0qGqtS3IPY3usSVoq2NTk1YZFTYJQJQeg/s6000/clemens-van-lay-un1s8VOLRC0-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpDQgKgiuDMpiKd05s7Z1OoApSteSvkbe1UvMWevCmIwmosHuHJzByOkkRHMU5HGblj7B8A0BKM863AFAsJlNlgzaFyl-7upVk2DYTdpCFHaLNpc5gux5WAQY3hAUCyKyVbJVvN6vBRq8p0kvOGdHm3vYt0qGqtS3IPY3usSVoq2NTk1YZFTYJQJQeg/w640-h426/clemens-van-lay-un1s8VOLRC0-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Clemens van Lay on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I'm still going to blog cause I love it, but posting will probably be infrequent or inconsistent, every few months or something like that. Whenever I'm in the mood and I have time. I'm secretly hoping that I will post at least once a month, but I'm also letting myself have room to just not worry about it for a while. Blogging isn't really much of a thing anymore, or so I've noticed and heard. The point is, I don't think anyone cares if I post a lot or nothing at all. They have busy lives and other places on the internet to be. I do too. I just want to keep going because it's fun.</p><p>It isn't about growing an audience anymore. It's about having a space to share thoughts with others without word limits. </p><p>Another thing is that I'm starting a NEWSLETTER!!! Monthly updates, a closer look at the behind-the-scenes of my writing, what I'm currently reading and have read, life lessons God is teaching me, exclusive cool things, etc. A bunch of things I don't share often. Everyone loves that, right? So I hope you're excited! </p><p>I am at least. ๐</p><p>With me now focusing on a newsletter, I thought the best way to keep up with blogging is to share the blog posts first in the newsletter. Make it an important part of what I share there every month (or every two months if I'm too busy with life...). Of course if I don't pull together a post in time, no matter. Like I said before, I don't want to stress myself out.</p><p>Also, if you have read my previous wrap-ups, then you will remember me mentioning that I was studying. I am happy to say that I am unofficially DONE!!! I am just waiting for the results for a maths assignment and I should be finish with studies for good! I am not planning to continue for long time (maybe forever).</p><p>I'm preparing to get my first ever job!!! Pray for me because I have never looked for a job before, and I'm starting later than everyone else does in my country. I know God has got this, but I'm still a bit nervous and I have no idea what I'm doing. Plus I'm not that great at talking with strangers. Extra prayer, if you have a few minutes, will help me trust in God with this situation.</p><p>I know all of my pages are in a desperate need of an update. I am planning to change them when I have more time to do them. I've been also slowly updating and polishing every single old blog post I've ever done. Just a note: I may completely change a line or a word or add paragraphs, even delete some sections I previously wrote and replace them with better ones, but I will never delete a whole blog post. The core of what I was talking about will always stay the same. What I shared with you guys will always be there to read again (if anyone does that besides me haha). </p><p>And the last thing that I feel like I need to mention, since I've said in the past I was a fan and part of the fandom and all that, is I'm not no longer a fangirl of Marvel. If I'm being honest, I tried to love the new direction but ultimately I was super disappointed and frustrated with phase 4. At first, I was really enjoying it. I hated Loki but it was the only one of many. But then I kept doing hindsight and over time the things I loved got... worse. On the writing side of things, Marvel now actually sucks with that. At least to me phase 4 made the previous phases "bad films" better. And that's not good. It wasn't just one either. It was all of them. Every single phase 4 TV show and movie were making me cringe as a writer. I could appreciate the attempts with the old bad Marvel films, but phase 4 wasted its potential over and over again.</p><p>And with the release of Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I was so done. I had to say goodbye and it hurt (I literally started crying when I told my sister ๐), but it was worse waiting for them to write better stories that I could adore and think about and analyse for years to come when they care more about the flashy CGI and the epic superhero plot than characters and good storytelling. (And I won't talk about the other thing they are trying to do, because I don't want to, but that is also another huge problem that I got so sick of being shoved in my face. I can never agree with it so go away. Plus storytelling is suffering because of it since they are putting it in so smoothly and subtly.)</p><p>Also I am just so exhausted with the constant release of a new Marvel TV show or movie every couple of months. Can I please have a longer break than that? I felt like I was overconsuming and it wasn't great for my mental health. I stopped being excited for the next Marvel release. I just felt tired instead. And I still feel like I'm recovering from consuming so much Marvel when I had quit Marvel after Dr Strange 2 months ago. (Actually, Ms Marvel was the last Marvel thing I watched but it took forever to finish because I was watching it with my family. The end of that was much more recent so maybe that's why I'm still feeling mentally bleh with consuming phase 4 Marvel.) </p><p>I do want to say after all this, that if you still enjoy Marvel and love phase 4, that's great and I'm glad. This is completely a personal decision, and I'm not saying at all that you need to stop watching Marvel. Just want to be clear on that. </p><p>Anyway, that's it. If you ever wonder why I don't talk about Marvel in 2023, that's why.</p><p>It's good to be back. I'll see you around. (Hopefully, in the January newsletter... ๐)</p><p><br /></p><p>How have you been? Any new year goals? Are you going to sign up to my newsletter?</p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-8407357639632279382022-06-27T17:24:00.006+10:002022-07-18T14:01:57.271+10:00Feathers and Roses: All Things Fairy Tale Dual Cover Reveals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EKFjabDdskCXMvMQX1f9ukUM6BSL31IrtTJtXeaQPfoEGPpARiEtQ4WTkYaZeFznNsvPhaRqqEIM3srNr8cjvROUFY5SX_jJmCxcY0hzhV6nasaCCc0gd877QhNFxQ9ZWMfWV3pqSMLhnFOssnfyw4J6moEDqzuagpgKviOZgSd3zj9mnmMz49nKUg/s6280/sean-pierce-gCs1ZFbGv0U-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6280" data-original-width="4298" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EKFjabDdskCXMvMQX1f9ukUM6BSL31IrtTJtXeaQPfoEGPpARiEtQ4WTkYaZeFznNsvPhaRqqEIM3srNr8cjvROUFY5SX_jJmCxcY0hzhV6nasaCCc0gd877QhNFxQ9ZWMfWV3pqSMLhnFOssnfyw4J6moEDqzuagpgKviOZgSd3zj9mnmMz49nKUg/w438-h640/sean-pierce-gCs1ZFbGv0U-unsplash.jpg" width="438" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Photo by Sean Pierce on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Hey, everyone. I'm back again for a brief moment. I completely forgot about how I signed up for a dual cover reveal. I mean, I knew it was coming at some point, but not two days ago... Yes, I got an email with all the information I need to promote it a few days before the cover reveal day. Do I look at my emails anymore? No. Did I thought Feathers and Roses were about something else? Yes. Did I get suspicious on Saturday when I noticed several posts with the same title I have above mine but didn't properly check? Also yes. Hence, noticing a day late, and was too busy with life stuff to do it until today. Making it about two days late. *hides*</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgrCrNAjyZEGlRBSEVTMvLFwm-dicwHxlNHaqj7fTNPXJgGFwWmTv9V3nsr6S5Ai8SMkbuKqy650s9c0NEUqYVJYSfncV2GKhJxivK1nvPzzi88UrbZxf50b7g2P9WKDIOrmwqnl7bqIFYVcP_t5CVA3BDyTbSsh7A3iuxb0gQljVH1D0OlpqgjzkoQ/s1080/FaR_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgrCrNAjyZEGlRBSEVTMvLFwm-dicwHxlNHaqj7fTNPXJgGFwWmTv9V3nsr6S5Ai8SMkbuKqy650s9c0NEUqYVJYSfncV2GKhJxivK1nvPzzi88UrbZxf50b7g2P9WKDIOrmwqnl7bqIFYVcP_t5CVA3BDyTbSsh7A3iuxb0gQljVH1D0OlpqgjzkoQ/w640-h640/FaR_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am so thrilled to be part of Feathers and Roses: All Things Fairy Tale Dual Cover Reveal team. I joined to help reveal the covers for <i>Roses, Thorns, & Curses</i> by Jenavieve Rose and <i>Iron</i> by Madisyn Carlin!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was hosted by Jen's Author Assistance. You can find her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jensauthorassistance/" target="_blank">@jensauthorassistance</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As always, some details about the books before the cover reveals! *Jumps up and down with excitement* </div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Iron</h2><h3 style="text-align: center;">The Redwyn Chronicles, book 1</h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI9nX9-bOpg5kPHTotVyfUn7jVU0ZaYq7CA5_3yx-b0qP9k0InU5pVJ0F_iEuZI9BLdGTLv82WvrWcrmVTdyGNkpjD42jq1ArkJJbTXo-DS5HM4m9bOnHJ3VZHmTEjI_49z_kjkfyiGKSXdIXD1LlBnhM85gfbxOa2hgFMp8PbTQdj0RJE3ItAW-HSA/s1080/IRON%20-%20collage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI9nX9-bOpg5kPHTotVyfUn7jVU0ZaYq7CA5_3yx-b0qP9k0InU5pVJ0F_iEuZI9BLdGTLv82WvrWcrmVTdyGNkpjD42jq1ArkJJbTXo-DS5HM4m9bOnHJ3VZHmTEjI_49z_kjkfyiGKSXdIXD1LlBnhM85gfbxOa2hgFMp8PbTQdj0RJE3ItAW-HSA/w320-h320/IRON%20-%20collage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Enforcing justice comes with a price.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Detective Redwyn "Red" Deathan will stop at nothing to uncover those behind the ruthless kidnappings of multiple children. But things are not as they seem, and Red's efforts are thwarted at every turn. With each discovery the danger grows, putting Red and the lives of those she cares about at risk. Can she reveal the mastermind's identity before she herself becomes a target?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/IRON-Redwyn-Chronicles-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0B29LH7CZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=42ZA32L6HZKW&keywords=madisyn+carlin+iron&qid=1654287685&sprefix=%2Caps%2C2295&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Preorder link</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61165765-iron" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf2Ct9SnVAWvvyFo88QsQVcekXtMWyyQfjC-hMszKqSWD7ZtCW36RaBoiJq4V373beP7jbVtPLZZ2WKr5O3f5o4nQoL2h_4YviSR_BVZGb2MwEB4uR_set5Df8j90I49H6I0sHnZIC7SJ99VD896ZSH_bvKqlSp1_ew3i5VYsXHtlzf3GwlTB7liDpw/s360/insta%20profile.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf2Ct9SnVAWvvyFo88QsQVcekXtMWyyQfjC-hMszKqSWD7ZtCW36RaBoiJq4V373beP7jbVtPLZZ2WKr5O3f5o4nQoL2h_4YviSR_BVZGb2MwEB4uR_set5Df8j90I49H6I0sHnZIC7SJ99VD896ZSH_bvKqlSp1_ew3i5VYsXHtlzf3GwlTB7liDpw/w200-h200/insta%20profile.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Madisyn Carlin is a Christian, homeschool graduate, blogger, voracious bookdragon, and author. When not spending time with her family or trekking through the mountains, she weaves tales of redemption, faith, and action.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://madismusingsblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Want to connect? <a href="https://linktr.ee/madisyncarlin" target="_blank">Click here</a></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Roses, Thorns, & Curses</h2><h3 style="text-align: center;">The Dreamwalker's Saga, book 1</h3><div style="text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXIQjwDguW9qZZPzcS_E0ktfrsJ4aJPwOUa15OfXx9HUMUMlSLOf7e0kSO6AbgPVirYyshkOiTgz4YTv4Mu7FEUbgJKanaB0DaLJ0EWl2k41sQ6RncHHODU4SlLa_v8bGW96cnHDupim-LOspoGkFxrivv3_qtnzoDIERUdqNtZ6FWlB_O8aT4CjRKA/s1080/Jen's%20Collage%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXIQjwDguW9qZZPzcS_E0ktfrsJ4aJPwOUa15OfXx9HUMUMlSLOf7e0kSO6AbgPVirYyshkOiTgz4YTv4Mu7FEUbgJKanaB0DaLJ0EWl2k41sQ6RncHHODU4SlLa_v8bGW96cnHDupim-LOspoGkFxrivv3_qtnzoDIERUdqNtZ6FWlB_O8aT4CjRKA/w320-h320/Jen's%20Collage%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> A fae bides her time, waiting to unleash her wrath on those who betrayed her. A prince seeks the answer to the dream that has plagued him for months. A princess who has lain in slumber awakens to find her world not quite right.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When Sorren finds the answer and awakens the princess, he also finds himself involved with a curse. Before Maelle can enact her revenge she is enslaved by Sorren's brother, a beast of a man who pits Fae against Fae in his uncle's arena. Aurana must navigate memory loss and her newfound Dreamwalking abilities that send her between her world and realm of the Fae. After Sorren and Aurana work with an old friend of Maelle's to rescue her from the arena, they must seek help from someone who betrayed Maelle if Aurana wishes to control her Dreamwalking before she descends into madness.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When an ancient evil from the Fae realm threatens them all, they must set aside their own agendas to stop the looming darkness and learn that righteous vengeance shall overcome what revenge has left broken asunder.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Roses-Thorns-Curses-Dreamwalkers-Saga-ebook/dp/B0B31TVD8F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3OJLWSLBH7RCW&keywords=roses%2C+thorns%2C+%26+curses+jenavieve+rose&qid=1654287747&sprefix=roses%2C+thorns%2C+%26+curses+jenavieve+r%2Caps%2C573&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Preorder link</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61345900-roses-thorns-curses" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovZERnj9hYaZSHrETraANhOlASqv9TgnU_PSeEnPtRtlkZ_t0TW87XjzpPzlRxLpqdM07u3-cQjb55BQE9cpnqY-MrANPy6A4NEjuje-AHLhtAig_pSCp1uxtThVtQORm3tdRyVrD7_LBAFNETJODbe3763oGlSh7afuGnJxe-YMPvi1fAbSLKYbcPQ/s3929/Jenavieve%20Rose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3929" data-original-width="3455" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovZERnj9hYaZSHrETraANhOlASqv9TgnU_PSeEnPtRtlkZ_t0TW87XjzpPzlRxLpqdM07u3-cQjb55BQE9cpnqY-MrANPy6A4NEjuje-AHLhtAig_pSCp1uxtThVtQORm3tdRyVrD7_LBAFNETJODbe3763oGlSh7afuGnJxe-YMPvi1fAbSLKYbcPQ/w176-h200/Jenavieve%20Rose.jpg" width="176" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jenavieve Rose has had a love for stories and a highly-active imagination her whole life. Creating her own stories and worlds through Fantasy, or any other branch of Spec-Fic, makes her feel closest to her Creator. In doing so she mimics The One Who created all things. She's inspired by a myriad of different books, movies, and even video games, but especially by fairy tales. She writes stories where good overcomes evil and hope shines all the brighter through the darkness, for those are the stories that mean something, the ones that really matter.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music also inspires her and her writing, sparking a story idea or fueling passion on a topic she wants to share. It's rare to see her without her headphones on and either worship music or movie soundtracks flitting between her ears.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In all she does she strives to do the will of her Father and spread His hope.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">More from the author? <a href="https://jenavieves-reveries-newsletter.ck.page/d50bd06259" target="_blank">Click here</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And now for the covers!!!!! ๐ฑ</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div 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style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_U5x1z9L_oy8AJD2z36rxzPeDuqyMNXfo_n06mv16XHjLsn12peCm91UxZqQgBxlMlBZsJXnOw65jxq3yHCk_MClihSvRLS6L2-0sS3fLczfRNf3FVtyhKjgDItXJOSsht-WR03zR4IFRL0t9g2dGTqfBCV29psij57yAhqmpZTFXqiyb_sQ6TWCVQ/s2560/Jen's%20Kindle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_U5x1z9L_oy8AJD2z36rxzPeDuqyMNXfo_n06mv16XHjLsn12peCm91UxZqQgBxlMlBZsJXnOw65jxq3yHCk_MClihSvRLS6L2-0sS3fLczfRNf3FVtyhKjgDItXJOSsht-WR03zR4IFRL0t9g2dGTqfBCV29psij57yAhqmpZTFXqiyb_sQ6TWCVQ/w250-h400/Jen's%20Kindle.jpg" width="250" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgjZonHD-S1aNY8wKJsr4YfaX02hc58YoEZAj9bahzH8cZgcRsHNIjW5ZXzaTCy_kHjO4KBL5F5hOP--nzm2VZtsVnaxMA6DEdEuXlfKhKR09kkFQDIh8o_8HFDW0rPtr_jdaCPkyk_kWqyA4-13dMy3YKsbRtIS21XGGs9AdUyE5dcdZXjCT9lgr-g/s2560/Iron%20ebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgjZonHD-S1aNY8wKJsr4YfaX02hc58YoEZAj9bahzH8cZgcRsHNIjW5ZXzaTCy_kHjO4KBL5F5hOP--nzm2VZtsVnaxMA6DEdEuXlfKhKR09kkFQDIh8o_8HFDW0rPtr_jdaCPkyk_kWqyA4-13dMy3YKsbRtIS21XGGs9AdUyE5dcdZXjCT9lgr-g/w250-h400/Iron%20ebook.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ta-da! Both are so unique and beautiful from each other. ๐๐๐ Not personally a fan of the simple covers, but it doesn't mean it's less than beautiful just because of my preferences for covers. Plus, while I might not know heaps about marketing when it comes to covers, I felt like it's telling me clearly about what I should expect from it. And all good covers should do that. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Both releasing in September 2022</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwvlwet2_dp5VwV4JqFxQmqNFP6eiOqyonzvQ6ouKWungfTq3WGVY_0X3Qc7fY5Ke-xn5VDwbDJtaPH80Kt0J5BxNm-s01WE6RhfAfqi5C8AMcARWxMAfEM5j3boIdWYIFhEwpPMH1DpDbIw7WWtfngSvsd9WMtIGU2e_t6i01IXJz8QL1QXt-WcYdg/s1080/Jen's%20dual.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwvlwet2_dp5VwV4JqFxQmqNFP6eiOqyonzvQ6ouKWungfTq3WGVY_0X3Qc7fY5Ke-xn5VDwbDJtaPH80Kt0J5BxNm-s01WE6RhfAfqi5C8AMcARWxMAfEM5j3boIdWYIFhEwpPMH1DpDbIw7WWtfngSvsd9WMtIGU2e_t6i01IXJz8QL1QXt-WcYdg/w400-h400/Jen's%20dual.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here, we also get to see the back of this book, and oh my goodness it's gorgeous. I want to see this in real life please and thank you. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, that's it. I'm pretty sure I don't have anything else in the works, so this time I am gone. Not forever. Just a few more months. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hopefully.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What do you think of these covers? Which one is your favourite? Are you excited for these releases? </b></div>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-58066492442420594612022-06-13T06:00:00.599+10:002022-09-01T11:17:28.853+10:00Blog Tour: Calligraphy Guild Character Interview<p>Welcome. I'm not officially back (yet), just dropping in to do my part in the <i>Calligraphy Guild </i>Blog Tour! I'm super excited to be in this tour. I loved reading and giving feedback on this soon-to-be released book by <a href="https://rmarcher.com/" target="_blank">R.M. Archer</a>. I also loved the character I am going to interview in a moment. She's easily one of my top favourite characters in this story, though so many of the characters were incredible. But she was one of those few who really stood out in my memory after I reached the end. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfRNdIksdO7d1UfQMVTTidpNT2hbWGPD329Ry6iARnNG2Fp5PjxxWQ0wpU-2aDm7i0AzKY48Yb0S2IQ_qEzYtomjTKWwHBx99ZlUfDBV_1rJMFf12XqEGG_jiOBN6DBUEt84Semjc7_DNvpL3xXILQP_-duG25q0xjzxxBRY82T9-Z1FyqyYm2MbJjg/s5670/jonathan-kemper-zQMN9fLJehM-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="5670" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfRNdIksdO7d1UfQMVTTidpNT2hbWGPD329Ry6iARnNG2Fp5PjxxWQ0wpU-2aDm7i0AzKY48Yb0S2IQ_qEzYtomjTKWwHBx99ZlUfDBV_1rJMFf12XqEGG_jiOBN6DBUEt84Semjc7_DNvpL3xXILQP_-duG25q0xjzxxBRY82T9-Z1FyqyYm2MbJjg/w640-h426/jonathan-kemper-zQMN9fLJehM-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by Jonathan Kemper on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></i></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdhMxr53Nbpzm5oqEhJRYaceBh4Mg71eF7xvkWa8hm3TAFDu9qlRIShZbIL8UKZ5AatP4SLYPGIQLW6375246l1LigUUwZQ74MDYXPZGAeznB4yzWa6xG2-38Z3drWbRLlJ3LUJkxLOWc0eiwdkJ6WzrNghl-gJ8Zc0mcOk066HMZ5_KRHO0x9kCs4g/s3060/calligraphy%20guild%20ebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="1980" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdhMxr53Nbpzm5oqEhJRYaceBh4Mg71eF7xvkWa8hm3TAFDu9qlRIShZbIL8UKZ5AatP4SLYPGIQLW6375246l1LigUUwZQ74MDYXPZGAeznB4yzWa6xG2-38Z3drWbRLlJ3LUJkxLOWc0eiwdkJ6WzrNghl-gJ8Zc0mcOk066HMZ5_KRHO0x9kCs4g/w259-h400/calligraphy%20guild%20ebook.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Anyway, without further ado, introducing Lรดi Tora, a POV character who dealing with chronic illness.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>1. What inspired you to become a calligrapher?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Making a positive impact is important to me, especially fighting for justice, and there aren't many ways I can do that with my health being what it is. Calligraphy was the one thing I could do to actively preserve truth even with my weaknesses. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>2. What is your writing routine like?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Depends a lot on the day. If it's a good health day, I set up in my office or the library and write by hand. If my hands aren't working well but my voice is, I either ask Zen or Sairsha to transcribe for me or I tell stories at the orphanage. Not sure I have a routine, really; hard to have one when your health is so different from day to day.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>3. What is your favourite part of the Calligraphy job?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Preserving truth and justice. When I write history, it's protected from alteration. No one can tip the scales that have already been weighed. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>4. Who is your role model?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> My brother, Makio. He has the strength and patience I wish I had. Don't tell him I said that or I'll never hear the end of it. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>5. What do you love doing with your family?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Playing hoops with my brothers, when I have the energy. My parents and I don't get along as well.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>6. What is a tradition your village or family does that you don't care for? Why?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Meuma always has esteria flowers around the house to gain Gossalu's favor. Wasted effort; if Gossalu even exists, she has no care for my family.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>7. If it isn't too personal, how do you combat your chronic illness?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Poorly, most days. Often by lashing out - at the punching bag, at least - instead of resting to keep what strength I have. If my illness were something I could hit, I'd be in much better shape.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>8. What is your favourite type of tea?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Peach. But I usually prefer coffee.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>9. Do you love rain or sunshine better?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Depends on the day. Sunshine is usually less work.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>10. Which virtue do you value the most?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Tora:</u> Justice. Can't emphasise it enough.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">I hope you guys enjoyed this interview as much as I did!</p><p style="text-align: left;">If you want to see more of the blog tour or learn more about <i>Calligraphy Guild </i>through a book review, check out the list below:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 1st:</b> Lavender Bleu - <a href="https://lavenderbleubooks.weebly.com/blog/author-interview-r-m-archer" target="_blank">Author interview</a>; Tasha Van Kesteren - <a href="https://tashavankesterenauthor.wordpress.com/2022/06/01/calligraphy-guild-blog-tour-lai-duyen-interview/" target="_blank"><span style="text-align: left;">Lai Duyรชn </span>character interview</a>; Kristina Hall - <a href="https://kristinahallauthor.wordpress.com/2022/06/01/calligraphy-guild-blog-tour/" target="_blank">Book review</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 2nd:</b> Laura Morgan - <a href="https://lemorganauthor.wordpress.com/2022/06/02/book-review-calligraphy-guild-by-r-m-archer/" target="_blank">Book review</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 3rd:</b> Issabelle Perry - <a href="https://www.teenwritersnook.com/2022/06/04/calligraphy-guild-blog-tour-interview-with-ryuu/" target="_blank">Tanh Ryuu character interview</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 4th:</b> Kayla Green - <a href="https://theunicornwriter.com/2022/06/04/book-review-calligraphy-guild-by-r-m-archer/" target="_blank">Book review</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 5th:</b> Dawn Dagger - Book review</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 6th:</b> Erin Phillips - <a href="https://erin-phillips.com/2022/06/06/interview-r-m-archer/" target="_blank">Author interview</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 7th:</b> R.M. Archer - <a href="https://rmarcher.com/2022/06/underrated-character-relationships/" target="_blank">Relationships I'd love to see more in fiction</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 8th: </b>Kristianne Hassman - <a href="https://kristiannehassman.wordpress.com/2022/06/08/calligraphy-guild-blog-tour-character-interview-with-sairsha-kincaid/" target="_blank">Sairsha Kincaid character interview</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 9th: </b>Naomi Sowell - Book review</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 10th: </b>RaeMarie - Book review</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 11th:</b> Eden - <a href="https://thehappyhedgehog.home.blog/2022/06/11/calligraphy-guild-by-r-m-archer-book-spotlight/" target="_blank">Book spotlight</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 12th:</b> Miranda - <span style="text-align: left;">Lรดi Tora character interview (๐ you are here!)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 13th:</b> Libby Powell - <a href="https://thoughtsfromastumblingsaint.blog/2022/06/13/author-interview-r-m-archer/" target="_blank">Author interview</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 14th:</b> R.M. Archer - <a href="https://rmarcher.com/2022/06/calligraphy-guild-credits/" target="_blank">Calligraphy Guild shout-outs</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 15th:</b> Bethani Theresa - <a href="https://authorbethanitheresa.blogspot.com/2022/06/calligraphy-guild-book-review.html" target="_blank">Book review</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 16th:</b> Grace Johnson - <a href="https://www.graceajohnson.com/post/review-calligraphy-guild-by-r-m-archer" target="_blank">Book review</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>June 17th:</b> Edna Pellen - <a href="https://ednapellen.blogspot.com/2022/06/interview-with-rm-archer-calligraphy.html" target="_blank">Author interview</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Calligraphy Guild</i> is releasing on June 17th!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Live like you are in a story,</p><p style="text-align: left;">and for now, farewell.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I will be back.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Probably.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Have you read Calligraphy Guild yet? If not, will you? Does Tora sound like a character you want to read about? What was your favourite part of this interview? </b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-60535432658086471772022-01-31T13:46:00.434+11:002022-05-03T09:17:09.167+10:002021 Wrap-Up<p>It is that time of year again, Virtual Paper Adventurers. And honestly still processing that it is now 2022! *faints*</p><p>Heads-up, this post will be <i>long</i>. Feel free to skim and jump around to the sections that most interest you. Or read this in parts. If you don't, you better settle down and grab a snack and a drink. I have a lot to say and have experience many things. It doesn't help that I made notes throughout the year while last year I started doing notes at the end of year.</p><p>You're welcome. ๐</p><p style="text-align: left;">And yes, this is quite late from the usual time people do the end of the year wrap-up posts, but at least it's still January (well, hardly. And I didn't actually finished this in January but shhh don't tell anyone). I've been busying doing life, reading, studying and procrastinating. ๐</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMnBR2TwGYGOZzhrmJnHmq91R38ZqTjj99qwCJ-46d7zy3kZBS-Tqszpgc9NfetfW4LVwEAhI5v9dJw8OU_-NgzNFycJ3515_mtoc7tewMCWPOH8UYU-CnDGEcZT48wa_GlRwus6PQI4kPSPACGG3zvASqTO4JcuwbJ4nvs3-OEro9y__tpD1QV9HRLg=s4937" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4937" data-original-width="3950" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMnBR2TwGYGOZzhrmJnHmq91R38ZqTjj99qwCJ-46d7zy3kZBS-Tqszpgc9NfetfW4LVwEAhI5v9dJw8OU_-NgzNFycJ3515_mtoc7tewMCWPOH8UYU-CnDGEcZT48wa_GlRwus6PQI4kPSPACGG3zvASqTO4JcuwbJ4nvs3-OEro9y__tpD1QV9HRLg=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Photo by Tom Barrett on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Films </h2><p>Starting with movies first this time because I noted them down first and I don't mind switching things up a bit.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;">The good, the bad and the meh</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhrLNWCUwjCJlpo36eCAM-XPmCpRUw8izkEIQzvJRoN6e_3YYsN-Ee4NtTCcClu8eE5VQHVBfc_zJ0HLsdyNtZwDzin4bwKiPclzOdiW1AEhafQLDQl3jb6tyBc3oT0H6nsd_4SaCxfAeNHpYZClvM9v76e9Ld1AeYjCzuGpZJNVS5ASlYLW0Gny2jEw=s255" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="170" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhrLNWCUwjCJlpo36eCAM-XPmCpRUw8izkEIQzvJRoN6e_3YYsN-Ee4NtTCcClu8eE5VQHVBfc_zJ0HLsdyNtZwDzin4bwKiPclzOdiW1AEhafQLDQl3jb6tyBc3oT0H6nsd_4SaCxfAeNHpYZClvM9v76e9Ld1AeYjCzuGpZJNVS5ASlYLW0Gny2jEw=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Inception</i> - This movie was so incredible! I was mind-blown with the worldbuilding and how complex the plot was, while also maintaining characters I cared about all the way through. With big plots like these, I feel like characters get lost but not so with this movie! It shows how much of a masterpiece this is. <b>10/10</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpX0LwXvf9RPPaYcfhVRQA9RiwgpeW_4xExQCgvO6ja6_3a7DfhanwrBwy3Zzroje2o6V8sQRWrVici3zVcV3qJ-DoFup9yVcCOLf5WXROt0B-6wzwMLWdF2xh5BrpLxb8_d5ggqoShin52f-OnkdZsSzA0kyRiIE2plbhtn_dJX-Sj_gh2IwSKE8kGQ=s270" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="187" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpX0LwXvf9RPPaYcfhVRQA9RiwgpeW_4xExQCgvO6ja6_3a7DfhanwrBwy3Zzroje2o6V8sQRWrVici3zVcV3qJ-DoFup9yVcCOLf5WXROt0B-6wzwMLWdF2xh5BrpLxb8_d5ggqoShin52f-OnkdZsSzA0kyRiIE2plbhtn_dJX-Sj_gh2IwSKE8kGQ=w139-h200" width="139" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Clue the Movie </i>- This one was super fun. Considering it was based off the board game, Cluedo, it was very well done. Cluedo is one of my favourites to play so I loved seeing it come to life. The only thing I didn't like was how they ended it. I didn't dislike the ending, just the way they decided to end it was the problem. I don't know if that makes sense. ๐ If you watch it, you will know what I mean. <b>9/10</b> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwrhrQ6hBCFDZSzrD7XjdDQqhgmbvjovmtz1x1uMGKgiaynNVt2P0LhzoICQLckDKyQN58iq298c9GASFepmGQWIt4XGb_qOh4alt7SgL__ASI0vT06YgVG5skl0bKFF4bOgiMJVSREAYthhL5sDjkjxkKZSIbieSLZRUaLbFsEc8spovkz25Y2cT_4Q=s4096" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2765" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwrhrQ6hBCFDZSzrD7XjdDQqhgmbvjovmtz1x1uMGKgiaynNVt2P0LhzoICQLckDKyQN58iq298c9GASFepmGQWIt4XGb_qOh4alt7SgL__ASI0vT06YgVG5skl0bKFF4bOgiMJVSREAYthhL5sDjkjxkKZSIbieSLZRUaLbFsEc8spovkz25Y2cT_4Q=w135-h200" width="135" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Raya and the Last Dragon</i> - <span>To be honest, I thought this to be one of Disney's weakest stories. I really enjoyed it the first time, but the second and third time I found it lacking in a lot of areas. Cringey dialogue, breaking the "show don't tell" rule many times, no subtlety with the theme, surface level worldbuilding (plus overexplaining it throughout the film) and poorly done character arcs. </span><span>I don't think it's a complete terrible film, just doesn't have a lot of substance and wasted its potential.</span> <b>4/10</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDJfPJYsyrHL-8vioWTlpMWpL-UMzBlT5CQQmMJtZpADB5A4TE2X1RWbloR1OFiuIsSshjltA9UzAb5nRzP39Z9qPbezLXX51RCMM17f4pxymS1g28bmrYSphMEf-zHR7AqgXw9q6kQPrz2XS5PLIcGBIgFEEGknd4GmuPGmZfyR_RYpQ0A92ztcVqlQ=s1763" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="1175" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDJfPJYsyrHL-8vioWTlpMWpL-UMzBlT5CQQmMJtZpADB5A4TE2X1RWbloR1OFiuIsSshjltA9UzAb5nRzP39Z9qPbezLXX51RCMM17f4pxymS1g28bmrYSphMEf-zHR7AqgXw9q6kQPrz2XS5PLIcGBIgFEEGknd4GmuPGmZfyR_RYpQ0A92ztcVqlQ=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Soul -</i> Took me a while to fully appreciate this story and fall in love with it. Not sure why I didn't love it straight away. The plot was engaging, the theme was just amazing and all of the characters were likeable in some way. And the more I watch it (I've watched it three times now), the more the message means something to me deeply. <b>9/10</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiazVGcNEQ9m-6Lgku8IO33EpAdJvBNLLk9ybBjPKk-pY0Nz4wR7FDOvcktZ25QGdeWa-mAunIv8mAQKtYHUu9BO1VgwthHqghAVYEaD1hJc3PiPJenN3HHipstIRVkhVuqy6PXC7hRx9jd4unQWrFPq1LY2ZlS7nMlW8v0PYhBrm72_Pj9DhbWalahPA=s2500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiazVGcNEQ9m-6Lgku8IO33EpAdJvBNLLk9ybBjPKk-pY0Nz4wR7FDOvcktZ25QGdeWa-mAunIv8mAQKtYHUu9BO1VgwthHqghAVYEaD1hJc3PiPJenN3HHipstIRVkhVuqy6PXC7hRx9jd4unQWrFPq1LY2ZlS7nMlW8v0PYhBrm72_Pj9DhbWalahPA=w135-h200" width="135" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>Cruella </i>- The costumes! I think no one can argue that the costumes were so wicked. I enjoyed this, had a blast, but I do have a few problems with it both as a fan of the villain Cruella and as someone who wants to love villain origin stories but always find something is wrong with them. I know the latter part is probably a me thing, but I like to think I have good reasons for not being satisfied. <b>7/10</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzggzp8LiKC9jBYRLg8kF28qx-M-APacqJL-PGSoWV4uS5GuH_xAE7lSpeA7lPl4DVD3ubp_W9R1eouml0R8IezB3mKUfvZwEt1UohYIFewOmlSLefLTQGVwTAZcqr3B9UwCqTc-htGeVtaFXeN3FdUZqj7MEHdrlI6Gvuw01Ra8Hp4nJBMus_tPow1Q=s1440" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzggzp8LiKC9jBYRLg8kF28qx-M-APacqJL-PGSoWV4uS5GuH_xAE7lSpeA7lPl4DVD3ubp_W9R1eouml0R8IezB3mKUfvZwEt1UohYIFewOmlSLefLTQGVwTAZcqr3B9UwCqTc-htGeVtaFXeN3FdUZqj7MEHdrlI6Gvuw01Ra8Hp4nJBMus_tPow1Q=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p><i>The Galaxy Quest </i>- This was so good... and it shouldn't be honestly. It wears its inspiration on its sleeve, and yet it's own unique thing at the same time. The humour was the best. It has my heart, not gonna lie. <b>9/10</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDZq9Cg7mEr6r8A-eGV0W-fDdfOLBFrLPoRdde12W45hQ0zlyj_n0-gAqJualkJSlqrHqMLcIlwluNgg8-tryfMHt-Zy-eUMP3D-XZPQop25cKP-3dfYJSvzGgD4VMojNIdg9iXZgA3kas4qNHbAjqJ4rxpT3fP7UwVKBCRvgnj10oZOJbe1Y-BnpnOA=s540" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDZq9Cg7mEr6r8A-eGV0W-fDdfOLBFrLPoRdde12W45hQ0zlyj_n0-gAqJualkJSlqrHqMLcIlwluNgg8-tryfMHt-Zy-eUMP3D-XZPQop25cKP-3dfYJSvzGgD4VMojNIdg9iXZgA3kas4qNHbAjqJ4rxpT3fP7UwVKBCRvgnj10oZOJbe1Y-BnpnOA=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGEyjo24FdtKReXbWZmFQoq6MxuWHBdctj_ia2B-DQ4wt8G_ShQbzFBZsDgJcuhFzSIV92izCxxfvL_frbSIlNwy4kPOu09Rl1K08eoIL76gY1CmlUKJ0JgCOQpE6h19vyLoc_silNZj9mrJyactfNkC6_LgoxqPqkqGrlEaHdTdibWFRllkf79K6ZIw=s1106" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="736" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGEyjo24FdtKReXbWZmFQoq6MxuWHBdctj_ia2B-DQ4wt8G_ShQbzFBZsDgJcuhFzSIV92izCxxfvL_frbSIlNwy4kPOu09Rl1K08eoIL76gY1CmlUKJ0JgCOQpE6h19vyLoc_silNZj9mrJyactfNkC6_LgoxqPqkqGrlEaHdTdibWFRllkf79K6ZIw=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpi6oFsOzbZR_a35m60Te0qQm5FAlIdSKcnaQFtC-kwTE-lHLkw6NWwDR1lnuI4Wp5HMhdi7DFEUSHEmEMCjsvNaZG2emgD5ar_oVj2PB9HZoIcFJ-gCQeYLqqSvsccFqNRJKWlokmH1dmW5bE24nMnvJSRZLEBqHUkKMngNvH1lJXSMYpA_dgo5PBWg=s389" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="255" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpi6oFsOzbZR_a35m60Te0qQm5FAlIdSKcnaQFtC-kwTE-lHLkw6NWwDR1lnuI4Wp5HMhdi7DFEUSHEmEMCjsvNaZG2emgD5ar_oVj2PB9HZoIcFJ-gCQeYLqqSvsccFqNRJKWlokmH1dmW5bE24nMnvJSRZLEBqHUkKMngNvH1lJXSMYpA_dgo5PBWg=w131-h200" width="131" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>The Cheetah Girls</i>,<i> The Cheetah Girls 2 </i>and <i>The</i> <i>Cheetah Girls: One World</i> - I kept on hearing about The Cheetah Girls, particularly their song <i>"Cinderella"</i> (which I have issues with but that's for another time), so I decided to watch their movies to understand what people were talking about. My thoughts? They were quite fun, and the songs were great. I enjoyed listening to all of them, even <i>Cinderella</i>, and The Cheetah Girls' dance performances were entertaining to watch. But the plots were messy, lacking strong structure. I felt the second Cheetah Girl film was the most solid out of the three, and is my favourite of them. I was disappointed that each film started with them trying to get somewhere with their music, especially even after the events of the second movie. I felt like they should have gained <i>a lot</i> more progress than they did, considering what happened, how talented they are and how people <i>enjoyed</i> their performances. And the third one felt empty and weird without the main star of the first two films and overall was unnecessary (again they got nowhere with their music career). <b>5/10</b> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbyjhUxoFADvKCx9taMVTOlbr_wuKHQLQkmFxGBK0bBWFh10Yz9H7VOkcjfp4NDgr_OZd67GEBenDoeURZMtWKEIyhPP75k5mEezdlYCW-TLihwdjsvP8Id3b-PUG4uLHlvmVxGyPxqYo8ic5-8Y3GtGmZrpAg3TlklUrUWvoFxaYPLx55q8GwfTS6Mw=s1125" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="788" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbyjhUxoFADvKCx9taMVTOlbr_wuKHQLQkmFxGBK0bBWFh10Yz9H7VOkcjfp4NDgr_OZd67GEBenDoeURZMtWKEIyhPP75k5mEezdlYCW-TLihwdjsvP8Id3b-PUG4uLHlvmVxGyPxqYo8ic5-8Y3GtGmZrpAg3TlklUrUWvoFxaYPLx55q8GwfTS6Mw=w140-h200" width="140" /></a> </div><p></p><p><i>Black Widow </i>- I think I had the most fun in this film. It was so ridiculous in some scenes, but I loved watching those so much. Actually, I just really enjoyed all of the unrealistic things in this story, which was pleasantly surprising to me. Also Yelena is the best character ever. Her humour, her personality, her attitude, <i>everything</i> is *chef's kiss*. <b>9/10</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNKWELzGwQ3Q0oor8DjSUFJOxxFhzJ3XZ1qYt99vPHM_E3OgnI7hJ6KLVeqnILmDP7y3d_maKyVD8HiGMDdGpOjfqGRh5Dxy79PdJcid5SKuXl6wdmENFOm9u-Ko5viri2qC3ZR_IIOUWmKsDtrlG8O-38txbBZLBCOnEGcQ6mXANw4iV7uCmp51GWsw=s2100" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNKWELzGwQ3Q0oor8DjSUFJOxxFhzJ3XZ1qYt99vPHM_E3OgnI7hJ6KLVeqnILmDP7y3d_maKyVD8HiGMDdGpOjfqGRh5Dxy79PdJcid5SKuXl6wdmENFOm9u-Ko5viri2qC3ZR_IIOUWmKsDtrlG8O-38txbBZLBCOnEGcQ6mXANw4iV7uCmp51GWsw=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p><i>Maleficent: Mistress of Evil</i> - This had potential. But I just thought it was so boring in all of the moments when it should have been epic. Also, the worldbuilding surrounding Maleficent's origin made no sense with what they had established in the first film, and they didn't even give any sort of an explanation why it didn't exist in the beginning. It literally existed because they wanted it to and they thought it would be cool. I was not impressed. It was honestly the worst part of this film. Ended up not caring about anything, even though the stakes were higher than in the first one. <b>3/10</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTwHUDfkylKusCUOx1ycmYC3142ZRxCa9OPntkSPZGAnP5B3O-fKm7SmR60J2ZpiZ5brc5NP1UVyZ8lQGTef-iF4Dk1M1JO5amBXlG5Syg-46Liclj08PeMMjNjMzxe7GO-Hzw61UFchfW1izLWI3wdrcsIu4xBOiZKjHxIpOHwy7xoYN75oX8RwdF8A=s810" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="540" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTwHUDfkylKusCUOx1ycmYC3142ZRxCa9OPntkSPZGAnP5B3O-fKm7SmR60J2ZpiZ5brc5NP1UVyZ8lQGTef-iF4Dk1M1JO5amBXlG5Syg-46Liclj08PeMMjNjMzxe7GO-Hzw61UFchfW1izLWI3wdrcsIu4xBOiZKjHxIpOHwy7xoYN75oX8RwdF8A=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p><i>Coco</i> - There is something so special and beautiful about remembering your heritage and your ancestors. While I don't have the same beliefs as this film and culture, I was still moved by the theme. Family is so important to me and I loved how this explored the concept of family in a completely different way. <b>10/10 </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDxZkRNe_mHPLPrjHMOqWVMkYACkwEbSRBNgXsEVD9SVy8bd4NAhjHQlFWgp6LBPQGKbiSchNtJrC98eupZvxO3HgZ3DJbzN94F9j8mI8nVAlVH3NdcUkXua0He-Bf-088wfBJBohs4iuPlI_R1IBSmDZ4S3nasmkBbH5oJjWm8jQfc1Ap2Yr2ZiqwzA=s300" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDxZkRNe_mHPLPrjHMOqWVMkYACkwEbSRBNgXsEVD9SVy8bd4NAhjHQlFWgp6LBPQGKbiSchNtJrC98eupZvxO3HgZ3DJbzN94F9j8mI8nVAlVH3NdcUkXua0He-Bf-088wfBJBohs4iuPlI_R1IBSmDZ4S3nasmkBbH5oJjWm8jQfc1Ap2Yr2ZiqwzA=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p><i>Luca</i> - It was such a lovely experience watching this. It was a cute, simple story. And yet has deep themes too. It wasn't impactful to me personally, but I deeply appreciate a story like this. <b>8/10</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwqZLC5b_lOGkLdLf-5jEfDTQpcB_0w7H5U3a4AHmRgvXEqMY8ws7OUX3Pk4SXwxF45Zivh-K2ZVFBXwdFaZ-nsU8aowmhj7DsgcgUdKYnS2R3CKR9K2CK_LTSBsnbwtm37aQnIYQuk1fxQJYlxqJLUjtwa3Bko9CylFo2OX3_HULLEpRH_SSONGx5UQ=s1763" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="1175" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwqZLC5b_lOGkLdLf-5jEfDTQpcB_0w7H5U3a4AHmRgvXEqMY8ws7OUX3Pk4SXwxF45Zivh-K2ZVFBXwdFaZ-nsU8aowmhj7DsgcgUdKYnS2R3CKR9K2CK_LTSBsnbwtm37aQnIYQuk1fxQJYlxqJLUjtwa3Bko9CylFo2OX3_HULLEpRH_SSONGx5UQ=w133-h200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgshDZbkXgOxidxMwe4uRaEGsh71r63b--0ewFwWf8XTIYL4a4A7XFh8f5hDNK_RiFQnz055ceFPpT1cEGVP_NpPw0JqbKawyXvtOFxehbDPcFz9XasvX_jydn-soHXr7Q8IJgRzcURXaxISydoDwN9tTTeqnOJxmKFICwSRGFAdUJDcP_Iss5fs2oLqg=s382" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="260" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgshDZbkXgOxidxMwe4uRaEGsh71r63b--0ewFwWf8XTIYL4a4A7XFh8f5hDNK_RiFQnz055ceFPpT1cEGVP_NpPw0JqbKawyXvtOFxehbDPcFz9XasvX_jydn-soHXr7Q8IJgRzcURXaxISydoDwN9tTTeqnOJxmKFICwSRGFAdUJDcP_Iss5fs2oLqg=w136-h200" width="136" /></a></div><p>Tobey Maguire's <i>Spider-Man </i>1 & 3 - I have mixed feelings about these ones. I enjoyed some parts but others not so much. I haven't decided my overall feelings yet. I only know that this Spider-Man version is not my favourite (sorry to all of the Tobey Maguire fans). And, yes, I know I watched the third one before the second. I will be fixing that. <b>6/10</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdD00KQNWDR2nUpl3QTap9rTxeEMbdd36359pQ5x4h_j3e-Ll1uSvGN27ZM9J5dp7-BBLHHmq7kVas57yIQfuC4wGKoMjnKP7zvsLQX4xEd3vbmHO5i6MALHagvU0VkA53PNmuOB_d_dBX7ZTXH2PusSTccEmccg8LsBkDX5_8B-lFMG93g2nibrLefg=s2500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdD00KQNWDR2nUpl3QTap9rTxeEMbdd36359pQ5x4h_j3e-Ll1uSvGN27ZM9J5dp7-BBLHHmq7kVas57yIQfuC4wGKoMjnKP7zvsLQX4xEd3vbmHO5i6MALHagvU0VkA53PNmuOB_d_dBX7ZTXH2PusSTccEmccg8LsBkDX5_8B-lFMG93g2nibrLefg=w135-h200" width="135" /></a></div><p><i>Jungle Cruise </i>- This was fine. It wasn't bad, wasn't good. I really liked some elements and aspects of it, but with others I was like bleh. It didn't help that it was using a bunch of tropes and not trying to explore a different angle to them. (Other than the masculine and feminine roles, which are not exactly tropes themselves, but they do have tropes within them.) It felt like I've seen this sort of film before and that I'm tired of them, but really it's just because this film wasn't unique enough despite the obvious attempts to be so. <b>5/10</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoZPE1BG_9I1QZCw7ZYv-CIkXmMi8SaSC3_latcUPt9PLL6Ifq_YsBIoYYbIL4J1ExrI_xbX6AAM_O-beC2BQcPZXRiyL1GxbYAtF6ePxiICTn5lWLdWjKdPSBEUR8N5mF7F7ubXb9Z7jsMjuOOq9Qr-_GB_FeJ_-9eDDx09-9rYToE1tecnvPyHXy0g=s326" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoZPE1BG_9I1QZCw7ZYv-CIkXmMi8SaSC3_latcUPt9PLL6Ifq_YsBIoYYbIL4J1ExrI_xbX6AAM_O-beC2BQcPZXRiyL1GxbYAtF6ePxiICTn5lWLdWjKdPSBEUR8N5mF7F7ubXb9Z7jsMjuOOq9Qr-_GB_FeJ_-9eDDx09-9rYToE1tecnvPyHXy0g=w135-h200" width="135" /></a></div><p><i>Gemini Man</i> - This was such a cool concept, and I thought they explored it well. Also really impressed that they managed to make Will Smith look so young and real. The action was clever, creative even. And I loved that there was no romance, even though the second main character was a girl and she was hanging out with the male protagonist a lot. Not even at the very end that I got the impression that they were at least interested in each other. They were purely friends, and I love that so much. <b>9/10</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxabFUhFz5UgvgJ0pJczH5L0C_7Z-M7ij4hAV_QblqHJ8LD4jMzM8BYZtRxF9L-_s7Vqs1UuJUa_V7VHG7-_reDq5PWXcP_IUUrWezBKzu9WlhXJ6_bQoeaEQEQZJv6Z4myG1lpO6Pqy5M9eu8nLdSmmNzHulXT_xIrc5bU9BlJF56QoDp1Gd318V6HQ=s810" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="540" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxabFUhFz5UgvgJ0pJczH5L0C_7Z-M7ij4hAV_QblqHJ8LD4jMzM8BYZtRxF9L-_s7Vqs1UuJUa_V7VHG7-_reDq5PWXcP_IUUrWezBKzu9WlhXJ6_bQoeaEQEQZJv6Z4myG1lpO6Pqy5M9eu8nLdSmmNzHulXT_xIrc5bU9BlJF56QoDp1Gd318V6HQ=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Free Guy</i> - It was fun, but not spectacular. It made me uncomfortable sometimes, either with its poor attempts to address certain real life issues or the many cringey jokes or funny moments. I still enjoyed a bunch of it, though in hindsight it could have been way better. <b>6/10</b> </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXShhOGHheTAdhpDJMv_S6THEJ_PVFG1brSS6m1EJ9xxt1JiIL4NZkYQdFU8v_Gu8g-vUzdKpX-m_11JNvJDqg7VKdfSJvPBSeZKZWHUb628MnfyXu6UGObgfYfsMscXqgTuVLvVXTm-dfCvx7rEtRnpgjUPdjHu2utjIfAr-4y2TBicNEuUocIztlbw=s2100" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXShhOGHheTAdhpDJMv_S6THEJ_PVFG1brSS6m1EJ9xxt1JiIL4NZkYQdFU8v_Gu8g-vUzdKpX-m_11JNvJDqg7VKdfSJvPBSeZKZWHUb628MnfyXu6UGObgfYfsMscXqgTuVLvVXTm-dfCvx7rEtRnpgjUPdjHu2utjIfAr-4y2TBicNEuUocIztlbw=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Unstoppable </i>- I was on the edge of my seat. It was so intense! I was reminded of my childhood love for trains while watching this. I think trains are super underappreciated. They are so cool! This film showed me that trains can be just exciting as the any other exciting thing, and I'm so happy about it. <b>9/10</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje29IdKkBz4Nbjyf9-dPpRfGLnwokz-JiVYsWs6zHcf701pcTAwvwCKT2NeZQLqBqnPSS8g5TN-RWNCKB-dwkykxC8BXMdBaL32SGtTlQVbgg_38g0VLlKd5vxsOj84OsfIfqV-vRKmtRpUI0n_M4vcY97yxqFYWcf32nbQh-mff82YWW86UMc4H7ipg=s402" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="279" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje29IdKkBz4Nbjyf9-dPpRfGLnwokz-JiVYsWs6zHcf701pcTAwvwCKT2NeZQLqBqnPSS8g5TN-RWNCKB-dwkykxC8BXMdBaL32SGtTlQVbgg_38g0VLlKd5vxsOj84OsfIfqV-vRKmtRpUI0n_M4vcY97yxqFYWcf32nbQh-mff82YWW86UMc4H7ipg=w139-h200" width="139" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Hocus Pocus </i>- This is not my type of film at all, and yet I loved it. I only watched it because PattyCake are such a fan of it and they made fan videos about the witches. I have to say that they have good taste in loving this one. It was fun, spooky and creative. All of the characters were fabulous. I'm quite fond of the protagonist, even though he's kind of dumb, but his love for his sister and his courage is just so admirable. <b>8/10</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia8ccuQjunBR-m7Qe4IS6ADgAEm4TjyJjwYh7DURTbXrhYeITqVcx1x-wPJtMJ5ET2x_Fc3p8uC0iu5ew1A271vZynxC6mGhgJkPxnQfCXQj-tBqBdAPRyqiLxcvM1KLk_qdVyU37ON-MHZf5TH4nBCGYPJlXgeZSvkX_nzdfCmroqtDHm3LXarvTVHg=s1476" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1476" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia8ccuQjunBR-m7Qe4IS6ADgAEm4TjyJjwYh7DURTbXrhYeITqVcx1x-wPJtMJ5ET2x_Fc3p8uC0iu5ew1A271vZynxC6mGhgJkPxnQfCXQj-tBqBdAPRyqiLxcvM1KLk_qdVyU37ON-MHZf5TH4nBCGYPJlXgeZSvkX_nzdfCmroqtDHm3LXarvTVHg=w136-h200" width="136" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs </i>- A little cringey but also just so delightful. I really appreciate the theme, even if it wasn't done perfectly, and genuinely wish more stories explore it. It's always needed in our culture. <b>8/10</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQi3qbqur1CSgoizajWblokNS10tDUuE7yooVBsLVLktNQaOpZFXYkPANQRHseqr04NjzcCkptIsZiIwRs19LKc7Debvw98I-d212aNVcZBHG1ulaov1M0NREa5vve_aWNv5-Is6uONrmhuJuQDpTQDw3GrZzyjM5MPUlwuo0e-Yz6luu6G2G-EP1M9A=s840" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="560" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQi3qbqur1CSgoizajWblokNS10tDUuE7yooVBsLVLktNQaOpZFXYkPANQRHseqr04NjzcCkptIsZiIwRs19LKc7Debvw98I-d212aNVcZBHG1ulaov1M0NREa5vve_aWNv5-Is6uONrmhuJuQDpTQDw3GrZzyjM5MPUlwuo0e-Yz6luu6G2G-EP1M9A=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>White House Down </i>- I've watched a lot of actions films in recent years, and most of them are mediocre. I was surprised by how much it gripped me. I remember I had planned to do something else while I was watching it, but then I couldn't bring myself to do it because I wanted to fully experience every single thing that happened in this film. It's a bit bizarre, but that is one of the reasons why I love it. <b>9/10 </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSJOaOiIOy-sRwstCgX7NNjC1EPfy4O3WRcq7LuXF-Qams8_vUvPtd_J2GAwhBxBBQEUVWioNtx3bZBKWfV3NltT5Q64U27GkqSPZcEcjFpncSS7ZNMOzyW2qcdAAXJhXWRnjQ25INZV40HQuJu_48lO6Cce4UXoGSEay5PpdEFiNmRC6Jc2qc1lIVBw=s810" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="540" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSJOaOiIOy-sRwstCgX7NNjC1EPfy4O3WRcq7LuXF-Qams8_vUvPtd_J2GAwhBxBBQEUVWioNtx3bZBKWfV3NltT5Q64U27GkqSPZcEcjFpncSS7ZNMOzyW2qcdAAXJhXWRnjQ25INZV40HQuJu_48lO6Cce4UXoGSEay5PpdEFiNmRC6Jc2qc1lIVBw=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings </i>- I have to say that I was quite disappointed with this one. Visually fantastic, but empty of a strong character arc (he goes from strong to stronger. Great character development there) and a concise plot (let's dump a bunch of flashbacks randomly throughout the film). I wasn't impressed how the film treated the villain or the antagonistic force. And the whole thing with the ten rings was most disappointing... like only half or less of the film was actually about the ten rings themselves. <b>4/10</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6yUojotLOzUKsdV0F0o-tVaGLPX1QoUb5g_INGp0UNDAppj4urowKWWc3efg6lcPBEMpySLUVCur2kuaK28vmbQ0tSzqjSDitaxk1BHkgapNXHEbAoCEqBXWvLiBFQKZ2U1ZYqg4QyuG37OkHYZ4j2J4Qhi3BU0-RZyxu093SrjVmsR83EntPybasWw=s1483" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6yUojotLOzUKsdV0F0o-tVaGLPX1QoUb5g_INGp0UNDAppj4urowKWWc3efg6lcPBEMpySLUVCur2kuaK28vmbQ0tSzqjSDitaxk1BHkgapNXHEbAoCEqBXWvLiBFQKZ2U1ZYqg4QyuG37OkHYZ4j2J4Qhi3BU0-RZyxu093SrjVmsR83EntPybasWw=w135-h200" width="135" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Dune </i>- I honestly thought I would feel meh about this film, but I was so wrong. I was blown away by how immersive, deep and incredible the world was. This story managed to make a desert setting so interesting, which to me is the most boring setting people could use. I should have known that Dune, of all novels (and films), could achieve that. <b>10/10 </b> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiypZQlS_VniTWy3e17h3dzUTUCDr3erNb-WVFibOiHJdL_RZdtY7Tq5YM0qDvdPMBMCJk3KLzSEmWjHee5UqOlG_YcIcn9M8KGPuqC49hkEqPaxQ4VWjHsncVisa01xYTwemApXEVZHs1VYY-PTqJewRx7rViIklaDz2pgdN6RKwE8en9Qu5_LraTrMQ=s386" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="257" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiypZQlS_VniTWy3e17h3dzUTUCDr3erNb-WVFibOiHJdL_RZdtY7Tq5YM0qDvdPMBMCJk3KLzSEmWjHee5UqOlG_YcIcn9M8KGPuqC49hkEqPaxQ4VWjHsncVisa01xYTwemApXEVZHs1VYY-PTqJewRx7rViIklaDz2pgdN6RKwE8en9Qu5_LraTrMQ=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Cinderella (1997)</i> - The musical parts of this Cinderella version kind of felt awkward to me, but I still really enjoyed it. I loved the songs (even if a little long for my short attention span) and how they had different messages that you could ponder on afterwards. And the actress picked for Cinderella was so perfect for the role. <b>8/10</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd3EsiWcSWMXJ2II1dGhdg9a0oe5Y9ZkPsNEbitRg5HJkLZRzNqO-09FmSR_6zeu-LqaJZAh9X_NsD_ixM0pQrRf7Xkkf119GIRlOfdTsOvUm6aDP1YGlf_IwiKAk9sAcWBGNU94_i6ZtvTfR9IueqXv7deQ3EONZUocnHg4gDdyzxVtc-0u4NGDV-uA=s2835" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2835" data-original-width="1985" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd3EsiWcSWMXJ2II1dGhdg9a0oe5Y9ZkPsNEbitRg5HJkLZRzNqO-09FmSR_6zeu-LqaJZAh9X_NsD_ixM0pQrRf7Xkkf119GIRlOfdTsOvUm6aDP1YGlf_IwiKAk9sAcWBGNU94_i6ZtvTfR9IueqXv7deQ3EONZUocnHg4gDdyzxVtc-0u4NGDV-uA=w140-h200" width="140" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast </i>- I really enjoy the Tinkerbell franchise, especially when I got older, but I never watched this one because of <i>The Pirate Fairy</i>, which to this day is the weakest Tinkerbell film. I'm happy to say that this film here was actually really good for what it is! I had a fun time watching it. I really liked how it focused on a different character than Tinkerbell. Fawn is one of my favourite characters too. Also, I loved seeing a different part of the world that we haven't seen before, and that dug into more of their mythology. That was so cool! <b>9/10</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjr9PDq1D9y4VNk3p3EeNmxSlOw2dGSSpwQxVVDVnGwJRXgV52TPcP_p3R0a50kSQ8moIwHDOOwAGJnGrMLkG3LN2RFJ70ewuJcH-sFG_hByJlq4O1n4tvmO1AzZiunFR1nmlR10P28EXKSPbONEZGAV5_HaBo_oCngrogLUYsK3gqmuDXl28yZ4OHLWQ=s810" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="540" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjr9PDq1D9y4VNk3p3EeNmxSlOw2dGSSpwQxVVDVnGwJRXgV52TPcP_p3R0a50kSQ8moIwHDOOwAGJnGrMLkG3LN2RFJ70ewuJcH-sFG_hByJlq4O1n4tvmO1AzZiunFR1nmlR10P28EXKSPbONEZGAV5_HaBo_oCngrogLUYsK3gqmuDXl28yZ4OHLWQ=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Encanto </i>- This film was so stunning within and without. I was so pulled in, and honestly I could live in this world forever. The songs were BRILLIANT, the characters fabulous, and the theme was so powerful. I am in love with this story so much and I will visit it hundreds of times. <b>10/10</b> </p><h2 style="text-align: center;">TV Shows</h2><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDGEsn3HCjYlpaExg1lQip8sLRxebC3WSSs7ljLQkcDLMh8HZiSPQd2NUCe496TOstJmz69kd9D3jpJmCNpqxYDT6g8qk62csZ2p6NuIl0_2uawFSC1UciruaL3onrENwzNcvmt6UPxFDEK_sTE5j05uEVHn1sNucWHHDGZMXIGDakPIEsAf7ahzQEuA=s2000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDGEsn3HCjYlpaExg1lQip8sLRxebC3WSSs7ljLQkcDLMh8HZiSPQd2NUCe496TOstJmz69kd9D3jpJmCNpqxYDT6g8qk62csZ2p6NuIl0_2uawFSC1UciruaL3onrENwzNcvmt6UPxFDEK_sTE5j05uEVHn1sNucWHHDGZMXIGDakPIEsAf7ahzQEuA=w216-h320" width="216" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>WandaVision </i>- I loved seeing Wanda's character fleshed out more and as the focus of the story. Before, she was either overshadowed by other characters or there wasn't enough screen time for her to truly shine. She had many amazing moments in the films she appeared in, don't get me wrong, but I just never really connected or cared for her personally. This show clearly solidified who she is in a way I haven't yet seen done with her character, and I love it so much. It felt perfect for how her nature needed to be shown. While I know some people will take issue with it, I don't believe it stops it being the best thing for Wanda and it being the growth she needed. I'm considering writing a whole post about it, just so people might appreciate it more. <b>8/10</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxbF47TaDTERUDRouKdzU5FGXQz-ypMFNzuh7LpcYRS6iozwwvVHvfprCCip3sV9C2kn65Y-QS5DTgXpc1gDg14_EgGS2FfvKE5gpXGXgwjLNWO_RCSoHRoVlxOC7rppgwwqE6pAm-PV0VzNrfglRgF4tQppq60BcSky3_0me1dVGDsTNV4A5jFraz4Q=s1763" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="1175" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxbF47TaDTERUDRouKdzU5FGXQz-ypMFNzuh7LpcYRS6iozwwvVHvfprCCip3sV9C2kn65Y-QS5DTgXpc1gDg14_EgGS2FfvKE5gpXGXgwjLNWO_RCSoHRoVlxOC7rppgwwqE6pAm-PV0VzNrfglRgF4tQppq60BcSky3_0me1dVGDsTNV4A5jFraz4Q=s320" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>The Falcon and the Winter Solider </i>- I really enjoyed this one! I loved the themes, the villain(s), and the plot. For such a short show with many different subplots, characters and messages, it still managed to tie up, address and explore all of them without one suffering. Though I would have preferred it was longer, it was still satisfying as it is. And of course loved seeing The Falcon as the protagonist! He's now on my top 10 list of favourite Marvel characters. I can't wait to see his story continue, it's so compelling! Also, I was SO happy to see Bucky again. I adore him so much. He was a little more weak in fights than in previous films, but that's okay. Marvel has been inconsistent with other things before. *shrugs* <b>8/10</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlMPpc7qqmhCjB3eZ0zYtPauOrFP63nrcxPyJazgGGpjaLunpEJMRdZ1gdXgIUDyCWB-Vv5OwF8nCfvXo8SwqusHD7R9NW4Wp7iKaCh3U80hpP7krIRPU_vCDh6IfU8ueNpzlYgMxwVSNwTQi5Bm1x0M2keQNTFqQIpcwI9tVgFm-agQ7XT0q-Rx9r4w=s1763" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="1175" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlMPpc7qqmhCjB3eZ0zYtPauOrFP63nrcxPyJazgGGpjaLunpEJMRdZ1gdXgIUDyCWB-Vv5OwF8nCfvXo8SwqusHD7R9NW4Wp7iKaCh3U80hpP7krIRPU_vCDh6IfU8ueNpzlYgMxwVSNwTQi5Bm1x0M2keQNTFqQIpcwI9tVgFm-agQ7XT0q-Rx9r4w=s320" width="213" /></a></div><p><i>Loki </i>- I could rant about how much I hate this show. To me, this show ruined Loki's character completely, the romance was awful, and almost everything was so bleh (I loved the soundtrack, Mobius was great and episode 5 was pretty cool). I have nothing against anyone who loves it, I just personally hate it with my whole soul. Will probably watch the second season with family since they enjoyed it... and maybe it might improve? Though I highly doubt it for myself. <b>2/10 </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4TF8V4uxkeXcHFvvJCIWWzYkhqLCu4gt4PNLIy0gBv45t9XOikrrwllHjmSyKH202KGbF6Jvk3dpaQ1g7haYbWOLUj6TqFTYfA1FTwRplm0bCEJjDjLINmMtGzHSehxr-o-ETTDTZCnB58JiOBq6owXsoU3jS6mNwoYa0wONIIfgiOVvH-2rkqkZYRg=s2500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1687" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4TF8V4uxkeXcHFvvJCIWWzYkhqLCu4gt4PNLIy0gBv45t9XOikrrwllHjmSyKH202KGbF6Jvk3dpaQ1g7haYbWOLUj6TqFTYfA1FTwRplm0bCEJjDjLINmMtGzHSehxr-o-ETTDTZCnB58JiOBq6owXsoU3jS6mNwoYa0wONIIfgiOVvH-2rkqkZYRg=s320" width="216" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>What If...? - </i>DNF. The first two episodes were good, but the next two made me feel so gross inside. Since the fifth episode was about the avengers being zombies, I was like, "I'm out." Don't think I'm missing much not finishing this.</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeOfrcSA2stY5wII-he890gxv2HphqudOD7h8KqLscbI1LUbrPS8HYa6WrH_FZCVi_3KyjCYrX7Lnv47NuigfkkTJuZ55TmS9n4YCKAfmRohHp-kbrH8YwJ8-0UJx_Ry4cnoWXtu1xSamsxkmmvwMuKb9EFdsOr6HdtJB7r3rx4e1eGXP11got4HPsnw=s1704" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1704" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeOfrcSA2stY5wII-he890gxv2HphqudOD7h8KqLscbI1LUbrPS8HYa6WrH_FZCVi_3KyjCYrX7Lnv47NuigfkkTJuZ55TmS9n4YCKAfmRohHp-kbrH8YwJ8-0UJx_Ry4cnoWXtu1xSamsxkmmvwMuKb9EFdsOr6HdtJB7r3rx4e1eGXP11got4HPsnw=s320" width="216" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>Only Murders in the Building - </i>Man, creations like these show me why I love mysteries in the first place. It's hard to find a mystery that is super satisfying for me, so you can imagine my joy when I got one that hooked me from the beginning to end, and leaving me desperately wanting more (I cannot wait for season 2... literally). Plus the stars are a trio that I didn't know I needed together. Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short?! YES PLEASE. It was actually them who got me first interested in the show. I watched it for them and then stayed for the brilliant mystery and how the three have such good chemistry together. Their performances were just *chef's kiss*. <b>10/10 Content warning: strong language</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh20y5Hx4frKJoaOw2dLnRYCHjQPsl_lZoYkmKmkrhXLj6K1nPT_i_yo_STEPmDAfW5sKBDD71Zfwhq_gMPY43pXtHBru7EqDSOsaZt1ld05pdW3u_tNEWpRrRwz1RRa-ew9MX5UlWNeR40dyFsmOUspld4-_mMcaKzrAjnCzETA2--9q0L5Rc47Nfv3w=s1481" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh20y5Hx4frKJoaOw2dLnRYCHjQPsl_lZoYkmKmkrhXLj6K1nPT_i_yo_STEPmDAfW5sKBDD71Zfwhq_gMPY43pXtHBru7EqDSOsaZt1ld05pdW3u_tNEWpRrRwz1RRa-ew9MX5UlWNeR40dyFsmOUspld4-_mMcaKzrAjnCzETA2--9q0L5Rc47Nfv3w=s320" width="216" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>High School Musical: The Musical: The Series </i>(Season 1) - I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I enjoyed it, I love most of the characters and loved listening to the songs (especially the original ones). On the other hand, it also felt inconsistent and slightly confusing, especially with certain character's choices. But I would have continued with it if I actually like the main characters being together. *coughs* Yeah, I shipped him with someone else and I don't like her at all and prefer if she stayed single. The show set up briefly of her being happy and finding herself while single, and the guy starting liking someone else and that someone else liked him back too. The show ruined both of those within two episodes. So considering that I won't enjoy seeing the main as a couple, I'm going to move on. <b>5/10</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvq0MGpUR-vmjaR3rMN-A3kXP8NEVEzp6NWp2zb_EWd3peeDPzQOyiKrCojwdKXBkY9-_ltpAU8bgyJKhU1BaHMqfC21mRJr7hfvo9QZ1vToFyrwT-Sal6uc05VJV0yx-Tdd7TlEEYhCJfilxzDsxQL6vrMW3FuZgAsfhv9kWdaFXDyMfJ-hk_rNnGWA=s1763" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="1175" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvq0MGpUR-vmjaR3rMN-A3kXP8NEVEzp6NWp2zb_EWd3peeDPzQOyiKrCojwdKXBkY9-_ltpAU8bgyJKhU1BaHMqfC21mRJr7hfvo9QZ1vToFyrwT-Sal6uc05VJV0yx-Tdd7TlEEYhCJfilxzDsxQL6vrMW3FuZgAsfhv9kWdaFXDyMfJ-hk_rNnGWA=s320" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>Hawkeye </i>- I hated this... but only for the first two episodes. I'm so glad that I decided to re-watch those episodes and continued with the rest despite my feelings still saying no. I ended up really enjoying it, even loving it. I even ended up liking Kate Bishop, a character who I couldn't stand for quite a while. I would have preferred if the show focused more on Hawkeye than her, but Hawkeye didn't get completely overshadowed by her. He was still able to be shine as a character, there were a lot of moments with just him, and his subplot was intertwined with the main plot. It isn't the perfect show for Hawkeye, but I'll take it. <b>7/10</b> </p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Books</h2><p style="text-align: left;">We're finally at the part we have all been waiting for! At least I'm assuming so, because talking about books is my second favourite thing (writing is my first of course) on this blog and I'm guessing you are reading/following this blog because of that, right? (Otherwise I don't know why you're here, other than my non-existence writing progress and a million plot bunnies. XD) </p><p style="text-align: left;">Books read: 25</p><p style="text-align: left;">I read 5 less books than last year. I got into a reading slump longer than last year*, since August I believe. It happened after I read an ARC of <i>United We Fall</i>, which I binged-read. After that I wasn't in the mood for reading or didn't have the energy to pick up a book on most days. I still read, just quite inconsistently than my usual habit with reading. I then challenged myself to read 12 books in December (to both get out of my reading slump and win my Goodreads goal) and I failed. But I read more books than I had in months, which, at the end of the day, was the more important goal.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I decided to set my Goodreads goal to 20 books instead of 30 or 25, just to tell my brain to relax about reading this year. I like achieving goals, but I'm having a hard time doing that so I'm setting goals (at least trying to) I know I can achieve and not push myself into a challenge I just don't have the capacity of doing right now. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*I forgot I got into a reading slump at the end of 2020. While skimming my 2020 wrap-up post for format reasons, I noticed I said I got into a reading slump. </span></p><h3 style="text-align: center;">The book list:</h3><div>Each book will display a finish date before their titles. These are taken from Goodreads "reading progress" section, which are more or less accurate considering Goodreads is set on an American time zone than an Australian one. Some of them I remembered to change the date for my time, but for a lot of them I did not. Just keep in mind that a lot of them are said to be finished on the day <i>before</i> the day they actually were. Also that the books read at the end of the year are more likely to be accurate than those at the beginning of the year.</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>14/1/21</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3748590147?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">Gay Girl, Good God</a></i> by Jackie Hill Perry</li></ul><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdCKdvVOcpada-i_XKkwOKGWgS63gK6d0OPOsZaAAIenTlL9N5WM_73r8tyUwiHy8X01bLud0rRXrh3ac5r9x_xiZjj0DfLtWdyy0_ZLY84pWQiWtwQuEK9xBENgQRXYRZCaNorwUK6H61h2tFVYKVRH1YRqOphL_hiETEoMROISlAH44nr98g2Q9V_Q=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdCKdvVOcpada-i_XKkwOKGWgS63gK6d0OPOsZaAAIenTlL9N5WM_73r8tyUwiHy8X01bLud0rRXrh3ac5r9x_xiZjj0DfLtWdyy0_ZLY84pWQiWtwQuEK9xBENgQRXYRZCaNorwUK6H61h2tFVYKVRH1YRqOphL_hiETEoMROISlAH44nr98g2Q9V_Q=w129-h200" width="129" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">This book was life-changing in that it helped me find some answers when I needed it most. Not <i>all </i>answers, but enough for me to move forward to the next step and have some sort of conclusion in my mind. This isn't my end on this topic, but a great start. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>19/1/21</b> <i>Instant Karma</i> by Marissa Meyer</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9whjJur5IOL0NBPHbk5lfJY0rRxF8vuwz2U9ZcHEAuckJ_MXRGwp6AbP-2lun-daCRygNg9stlmFwmaXRBqK9j2-pi4GHh0I5pNrYvbiDdDfMxOSKNOMyWoPf_5OHMGRgySokUJ3tDincC5HCPa_HcF3S8rwgna8LMS60-rG6zzqfIQiZpOtGDImELQ=s464" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9whjJur5IOL0NBPHbk5lfJY0rRxF8vuwz2U9ZcHEAuckJ_MXRGwp6AbP-2lun-daCRygNg9stlmFwmaXRBqK9j2-pi4GHh0I5pNrYvbiDdDfMxOSKNOMyWoPf_5OHMGRgySokUJ3tDincC5HCPa_HcF3S8rwgna8LMS60-rG6zzqfIQiZpOtGDImELQ=w137-h200" width="137" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">This was such a sweet, cozy, summer read! I didn't expect to love this one (just simply enjoy it), considering it isn't my favourite genre and the author's previous works, but Marissa Meyer was good at making this such a page turner!</span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="text-align: left;"><b>26/1/21</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3616347994?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">Fairest</a></i> by Marissa Meyer</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXA-R5p6VSDbcwCZK1BKaAZt0lKEspt9IaIAV3xZV4ACiZDd-wmI77rlFopdxGIU7x_c05UotPrJ9QLXApNBpAqypn9E-4EfN-oSxXAVaklVmz3oZuiNyfNuDpkD-FW7NwBt8hzOLg_mzVM8gY4vgu-DVWjwUUcQCgI-pAYA5SRXWztP-2UOmt7Cp4Vg=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXA-R5p6VSDbcwCZK1BKaAZt0lKEspt9IaIAV3xZV4ACiZDd-wmI77rlFopdxGIU7x_c05UotPrJ9QLXApNBpAqypn9E-4EfN-oSxXAVaklVmz3oZuiNyfNuDpkD-FW7NwBt8hzOLg_mzVM8gY4vgu-DVWjwUUcQCgI-pAYA5SRXWztP-2UOmt7Cp4Vg=w131-h200" width="131" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">I remember 2020 me said she would never read this story... </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">I don't regret reading it, but also I don't really care for this book either. It was good to read once, I'm definitely not going back.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">(Though if you can trust that statement... I have no idea.) </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>13/2/21</b> <i>Unravel the Dusk</i> by Elizabeth Lim</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIp57EWjxIfWs3VAGD_MGgmOfWJaJJWYSmFCn3QiH4On4buCItgIhFq5Fy8UBeNiXs5ykiAF499yamxZ9_uskU-Du42AE8dO-JdZKt2qUIcwuglaFMBL7hPY9c90JOGy0gtLfizmov6dVUIjuwiPsbWnijJ0w-h7zvJE2gsiQ6dzBur0F62VwEuz8nqw=s400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIp57EWjxIfWs3VAGD_MGgmOfWJaJJWYSmFCn3QiH4On4buCItgIhFq5Fy8UBeNiXs5ykiAF499yamxZ9_uskU-Du42AE8dO-JdZKt2qUIcwuglaFMBL7hPY9c90JOGy0gtLfizmov6dVUIjuwiPsbWnijJ0w-h7zvJE2gsiQ6dzBur0F62VwEuz8nqw=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">I don't want to dwell on a book part of a series that just wasn't for me. All I will say though is that it felt like an unnecessary sequel in general, not just because I didn't like it, but because I did somewhat enjoyed the first book and honestly it would have been better off without this one. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>2/3/21</b> <i>Summer Bird Blue</i> by Akemi Dawn Bowman</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx4TNCDjVeVDML9fX2EElmWlxQYeDZWSXwb5InM-D54pDhomGb0otmijTDQedIBlHFhpnJTorbDzPphN6zA0gDIvo7FJPlnlDxWkuZPdWjl45Il5QP3gXCF4S63legGOJ2-r3BZfHtvTYY5b43kr3Vz3kc1iRHpi_1Z71AfmNHYx2j1ruNgPSsXATccA=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx4TNCDjVeVDML9fX2EElmWlxQYeDZWSXwb5InM-D54pDhomGb0otmijTDQedIBlHFhpnJTorbDzPphN6zA0gDIvo7FJPlnlDxWkuZPdWjl45Il5QP3gXCF4S63legGOJ2-r3BZfHtvTYY5b43kr3Vz3kc1iRHpi_1Z71AfmNHYx2j1ruNgPSsXATccA=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Content warning: moderate language</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">It swept me away with its raw and honest emotions leaked into every page. I went on a journey of drowning in the prose to rising above the waves for a big gulp of fresh air, as the protagonist deals with her grief. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>10/3/21 </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3883908685?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank"><i>Mercy of Fate</i></a> by Hope Ann </li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh98cPDI63Q15Zqg27zbDmHSQ5s21HLmo48-jcBq6sdVN6r5ouWMs2-q09X_D1GZYxFJ8MrrrYJPZsbshsMpmYO3lnLAggi78ksmbXK13yf-d4V7g8FLpAAcZubpPckQ0a5Pmc1W54ljPZusw1YBWB62CTekLbjiZg9LudOiaut9KuyoEYImMpXqohY8Q=s460" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh98cPDI63Q15Zqg27zbDmHSQ5s21HLmo48-jcBq6sdVN6r5ouWMs2-q09X_D1GZYxFJ8MrrrYJPZsbshsMpmYO3lnLAggi78ksmbXK13yf-d4V7g8FLpAAcZubpPckQ0a5Pmc1W54ljPZusw1YBWB62CTekLbjiZg9LudOiaut9KuyoEYImMpXqohY8Q=w134-h200" width="134" /></a></div> <b>4/5</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">This little short made me so attached to the protagonist, and I'm excited to see him again! I can't wait to experience how this certain event has impacted his adult life. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>16/3/21</b> <i>Archenemies</i> by Marissa Meyer</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO9hJN_0OfvuiGKDmdyKv1zQh9jB_DTEbtDJ7ooxr4z1YvP_bgKb7lEIe5tf2xeG1NyW0lC7YdNppJpL18HpLifp6VXJXxkPiejqj97z_vkrFAD-albUyNZkk6D5z8Ve_mdjfsJ3IPYKnfM0-F-Bux6zWbxyOq1EGyNTnDkQJA93_VWE-CVhQoEMxNQg=s473" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO9hJN_0OfvuiGKDmdyKv1zQh9jB_DTEbtDJ7ooxr4z1YvP_bgKb7lEIe5tf2xeG1NyW0lC7YdNppJpL18HpLifp6VXJXxkPiejqj97z_vkrFAD-albUyNZkk6D5z8Ve_mdjfsJ3IPYKnfM0-F-Bux6zWbxyOq1EGyNTnDkQJA93_VWE-CVhQoEMxNQg=w134-h200" width="134" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">I love how much this book can make me feel rage throughout the whole story. I've never been so angry at the protagonists, the injustice, the antagonists, <i>everything</i>. Nothing is not broken and I hate that.</span> </div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>26/3/21</b> <i>Keeper of the Lost Cities</i> by Shannon Messenger</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjibhzMlj7nwiseLddHztaoqgDAtnGcJXtpo23XYArIKXe9gIw7mQ8HxEn_g4F73Pn38SjQVx9kCr43Z_D7SsuXyhy_jkA1PEDO-i36sxe7HyU66LLCrC9fLRiB4-Js0xPGQZhuTvQeeajh5dz_LiRJwOe2t4iH1knL6IFbEvabE1eJxUlfREkKB-BdXw=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjibhzMlj7nwiseLddHztaoqgDAtnGcJXtpo23XYArIKXe9gIw7mQ8HxEn_g4F73Pn38SjQVx9kCr43Z_D7SsuXyhy_jkA1PEDO-i36sxe7HyU66LLCrC9fLRiB4-Js0xPGQZhuTvQeeajh5dz_LiRJwOe2t4iH1knL6IFbEvabE1eJxUlfREkKB-BdXw=w134-h200" width="134" /></a></div><b>4/5</b><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #f1c232;">I had so much fun reading this. I do have a bunch of pet peeves with it, but that's fine. While I didn't completely fall in love with this, but it was still such a good read. </span> </div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>27/3/21</b> <i>The Bear of Rosethorn Ring</i> by Kirsten Fichter </li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL32TL0NeJ5CICxPr2iomG3-rnqXRtfcvx52qemymNf_Q0Ls-cti3ZMqeLXmnmlEcwD-Ob0JcEXWxPGnN4Pij015qWtgnzbjc1ZNWe-O4ZhkjdnLFZIAwyiuXOGRDdd3VnyVE19GorRXOQJGk8nTOZ92hqGfM56NjMfMlbZBretPeZr5mxp80xJ6Sblg=s4928" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4928" data-original-width="3264" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL32TL0NeJ5CICxPr2iomG3-rnqXRtfcvx52qemymNf_Q0Ls-cti3ZMqeLXmnmlEcwD-Ob0JcEXWxPGnN4Pij015qWtgnzbjc1ZNWe-O4ZhkjdnLFZIAwyiuXOGRDdd3VnyVE19GorRXOQJGk8nTOZ92hqGfM56NjMfMlbZBretPeZr5mxp80xJ6Sblg=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">I've never read a story that felt like a modern fairytale before, and I <i>loved</i> that feeling so much. It was so unique, even though there are thousands of classic fairytales that fit right in with it. I guess the fact that it had a modern twist to it that stood out from its inspirations. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>10/4/21</b> <i>Sisters of Sword and Song</i> by Rebecca Ross</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgr4itO15iGuF1XZtiOv9-9TEr9ezj7nAZyAX40xDLiBmJFLMmHcQXcW9EF1t_0c-Y3ty7gUFUJWbBVypAXtFU0CVnimsqF3bxG4bHm-YTdmNFNYOgPQT79cINumXF_p842i4TDpWiduWgZ7lvCoCUp9g_jTSVGUfEtx2sn8NkeFTYVlMvZBEtPRIcW2g=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgr4itO15iGuF1XZtiOv9-9TEr9ezj7nAZyAX40xDLiBmJFLMmHcQXcW9EF1t_0c-Y3ty7gUFUJWbBVypAXtFU0CVnimsqF3bxG4bHm-YTdmNFNYOgPQT79cINumXF_p842i4TDpWiduWgZ7lvCoCUp9g_jTSVGUfEtx2sn8NkeFTYVlMvZBEtPRIcW2g=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">This is everything I want, need and desire in a book. Strong family bonds, cute romance, unique world and a plot that keeps me on toes. This is just *chef's kiss*. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>18/4/21</b> <i>The Hunger Games</i> by Suzanne Collins</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgynjL0VvBwFX-6IEdn_tC6Xlw9HrkvVe2CW5rYXx2Ya5KDuI2vvfmmdk1z2OkwKYHqaT1kiReI9XRN6Jgim05Jovz03XhA56iPy_k6hmBnVk-SVVs6BNpheJ3Z5OnO4r4rOv3Xom9NNN_MAfk0_0ti8SpHkXcoVQ0DqjR6ml_48xc9wFEqounSMdg6EQ=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgynjL0VvBwFX-6IEdn_tC6Xlw9HrkvVe2CW5rYXx2Ya5KDuI2vvfmmdk1z2OkwKYHqaT1kiReI9XRN6Jgim05Jovz03XhA56iPy_k6hmBnVk-SVVs6BNpheJ3Z5OnO4r4rOv3Xom9NNN_MAfk0_0ti8SpHkXcoVQ0DqjR6ml_48xc9wFEqounSMdg6EQ=w131-h200" width="131" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">I was surprised by how much I enjoyed and <i>loved</i> this book. I was genuinely expecting to DNF this book because it was glorifying the wrong things, but it didn't, and now I think I found a new favourite thing... but I need to read the rest of the series to know for sure. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>14/5/21 </b><i>Ignite</i> by Jenna Terese</li></ul><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCjz3R0HlUHVy9KAS4F_YzVDoqiEbxsXk418F6ZkhyjiRjz_-lcFHdy_0QGzI2K6BvWdV4-tzvqg9aLm89dFE_385p7cyY9PuroIBMnlu5mmGbH9EII3_VD0feeDsD_FWwi2o0w6XU-UGZLGOpnPh8wo71nyrAv86fg8ZjZvyZMxu3GT0eCXQhxtu8MQ=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCjz3R0HlUHVy9KAS4F_YzVDoqiEbxsXk418F6ZkhyjiRjz_-lcFHdy_0QGzI2K6BvWdV4-tzvqg9aLm89dFE_385p7cyY9PuroIBMnlu5mmGbH9EII3_VD0feeDsD_FWwi2o0w6XU-UGZLGOpnPh8wo71nyrAv86fg8ZjZvyZMxu3GT0eCXQhxtu8MQ=w125-h200" width="125" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><b>4/5 </b></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">I really love how this novel decided to approach the whole superhero concept in a different light. It was so beautifully explored! </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>27/5/21</b> <i>A Time to Die</i> by Nadine Brandes</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcyzjxJkPx2nmKi-u8ZlGB82wi04uT9JEbkzv0zRdG74SDMTnh9AkUHMGE8LzJmNuIzEytmr7Ck-qqQcMzMpG-fUQljx2iY5f7WDF2_tY0YAFMPsuo1s3vzbW1JLMpVzaw_Aqv-L-XpyXHHTXHvbVwDEQw3KvX82I7D7E6Rn0qELie6ranj-3T4gmleA=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcyzjxJkPx2nmKi-u8ZlGB82wi04uT9JEbkzv0zRdG74SDMTnh9AkUHMGE8LzJmNuIzEytmr7Ck-qqQcMzMpG-fUQljx2iY5f7WDF2_tY0YAFMPsuo1s3vzbW1JLMpVzaw_Aqv-L-XpyXHHTXHvbVwDEQw3KvX82I7D7E6Rn0qELie6ranj-3T4gmleA=w129-h200" width="129" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;">There's so much depth to everything in this. I already want to reread it and analyse it. Also, it moved me beyond comprehension</span><span style="color: #76a5af;">. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>5/6/21 </b><i>100 Days of Sunlight</i> by Abbie Emmons</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5iUjUTGuLmE_154yddMtESxK5uLxE86ElofYAbLRMzDPbX22BzBBkBng2mJgDMtvmxrDDyI8HnpyPrTdkjdVJZrvDxwDu_zOF5I9d8BJsiNyAtPmvRw9Xx2-zxy4VKhXCoFrxS4i_vyI6UTwvT8eVo03iWPE2YN8trY9qmsMftV-zatEscFzoc_Nwlw=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5iUjUTGuLmE_154yddMtESxK5uLxE86ElofYAbLRMzDPbX22BzBBkBng2mJgDMtvmxrDDyI8HnpyPrTdkjdVJZrvDxwDu_zOF5I9d8BJsiNyAtPmvRw9Xx2-zxy4VKhXCoFrxS4i_vyI6UTwvT8eVo03iWPE2YN8trY9qmsMftV-zatEscFzoc_Nwlw=w134-h200" width="134" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><b>Content warning: mild language </b><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"> This is sunshine and storm, balancing each other's darkness and light perfectly, without overshadowing or overwhelming (this makes no sense, haha). You will find in this story beauty in the simple things, not taking life for granted, and finding light and joy in the struggle. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><b>21/7/21</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3355401137?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">How We Rise</a> </i>by Brooke Riley</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7i4_4PVis_y7yPD60RQhSDw_IVGoz_ga8NVZYImpSpgCNHhX2Jd_2wQKEUFEDUeRW0_4q6-zQvqa9To1-jalsA1M0DOh1bj5PK191OXkaH7CbdV0YknUFwTnBMoxr0T4gywIZTfRacAPSPoyx9vnhXTjovhdhvNQO8bxeNvVuJVsS4v0SulA4oY32xQ=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7i4_4PVis_y7yPD60RQhSDw_IVGoz_ga8NVZYImpSpgCNHhX2Jd_2wQKEUFEDUeRW0_4q6-zQvqa9To1-jalsA1M0DOh1bj5PK191OXkaH7CbdV0YknUFwTnBMoxr0T4gywIZTfRacAPSPoyx9vnhXTjovhdhvNQO8bxeNvVuJVsS4v0SulA4oY32xQ=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">This is home. I just want to sit in this world forever. The mix of the genres c<span style="text-align: left;">ontemporary and dystopian made it a story that felt real, honest, raw and relatable. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><b>15/8/21</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4159999058?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">United We Fall</a></i> by Brooke Riley</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjY-vMtE1ikwf23ghop0Yyd8VQUclOwzC_ZhgnXTHDFbZUH0mWSqA-eFJac_Z-XMclKl3PqtV4P6eRKBegN6KtNBRDp_d4yy3W7mqpeWQdX_hXn83NTsBzBX2vZB9bSLFvuuthSUMq73YXdgJBEFACxelo5yrLakVa2cgqlOAkZQysxVZFaRzHhAuu14A=s2550" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjY-vMtE1ikwf23ghop0Yyd8VQUclOwzC_ZhgnXTHDFbZUH0mWSqA-eFJac_Z-XMclKl3PqtV4P6eRKBegN6KtNBRDp_d4yy3W7mqpeWQdX_hXn83NTsBzBX2vZB9bSLFvuuthSUMq73YXdgJBEFACxelo5yrLakVa2cgqlOAkZQysxVZFaRzHhAuu14A=w129-h200" width="129" /></a></div><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138;">The sequel is just as good as the first! While it was a lot more intense and less like home, it still reflected reality and was relatable. It was basically the feelings you get when you leave home and go out into the world. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><b>12/9/21</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3917921258?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">Six O'clock</a></i> by Grace A. Johnson</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisMdv_67Urm-LiU7XUFdytWI2g8kS6-RVOC38s2gZKUqTExrjUhHvQbyb_LnB9iZXH950SaUdvUdkY3v_p_1mIJ4OXY-wnbaLViN0d-op1SzIJjKrlyVzOqYaO6M-rIXx0qlfuaD6QM3tPqN24b_nlappvQCsF_JlFjuny6aNOAzlxQEiEnlrQ3BtF7Q=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="304" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisMdv_67Urm-LiU7XUFdytWI2g8kS6-RVOC38s2gZKUqTExrjUhHvQbyb_LnB9iZXH950SaUdvUdkY3v_p_1mIJ4OXY-wnbaLViN0d-op1SzIJjKrlyVzOqYaO6M-rIXx0qlfuaD6QM3tPqN24b_nlappvQCsF_JlFjuny6aNOAzlxQEiEnlrQ3BtF7Q=w128-h200" width="128" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4/5</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">The writing style was jarring, but the story was so gripping and devastating. Because of the deep POV, I connected instantly to the protagonist and I really want to see more of her. I would buy that book as fast as I could.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><b>20/10/21</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4343199092?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">Eye of the Storm</a></i> by Ryan Stevenson</li></ul><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBjIuE0tmZyNk-kfq2VktsdqIu4X6ff2tH5KXIw_tnWYc5klDeCT_njCufViZjlOcDsHSUHmIZU9-7wOq0C92L33qTpCtZg6qFIScH_v3rsQ1uMqMWvqRyD2C_jCMtSDfUTbNrEOY5mn21wMD6SGmDeqtxt5qUTMTysSSEvh9a0KXhe0jY8yhjQhZbTQ=s1546" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1546" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBjIuE0tmZyNk-kfq2VktsdqIu4X6ff2tH5KXIw_tnWYc5klDeCT_njCufViZjlOcDsHSUHmIZU9-7wOq0C92L33qTpCtZg6qFIScH_v3rsQ1uMqMWvqRyD2C_jCMtSDfUTbNrEOY5mn21wMD6SGmDeqtxt5qUTMTysSSEvh9a0KXhe0jY8yhjQhZbTQ=w129-h200" width="129" /></a></div><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">I didn't think I could be so hooked on someone's life story, but I was. I couldn't stop listening. I used every moment I could to hear what happened next.</span></div></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>9/12/21</b> <i>Orphan's Song</i> by Gillian Bronte Adams</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQNYusAycv2JSce75iFx5DNsZ52s4wpeQ9aqyMekOHh_fRjE8QG3giERvR3TGtP_-cXLReQiBnxrMNKv7ZMmKEHifS-zpA9fUehnmGf7nwK4QCn0aq88xf-_d56AwW5Fft_4VSlBQlI5Gnb1wmo4cYTySQn-W_K4ia8MJSszJSpFDiVhlvPL8kIjzrbQ=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQNYusAycv2JSce75iFx5DNsZ52s4wpeQ9aqyMekOHh_fRjE8QG3giERvR3TGtP_-cXLReQiBnxrMNKv7ZMmKEHifS-zpA9fUehnmGf7nwK4QCn0aq88xf-_d56AwW5Fft_4VSlBQlI5Gnb1wmo4cYTySQn-W_K4ia8MJSszJSpFDiVhlvPL8kIjzrbQ=w129-h200" width="129" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I've had my eye on this book for years and finally I read (listened to) it! While I didn't love everything, it still didn't disappoint and I'm eager to read (or listen to) the next book!</span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>14/12/21</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3576175995?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">The Rose and the Balloon</a> </i>by Kirsten Fichter</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuqeIDeQRCGW5ivcOte9U2-fE1Pnu_vhNF8rkzgNz62Kd1rTzFN-RZepXWKIEqg9VY0olLaWL9Cy5HTR1FNLyOu2HT7u6RqaqopzFdn_1F8VAL7P1Z1hNMkEWe5LPFkSD-HxABMLQhk1x/s475/30823899._SY475_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuqeIDeQRCGW5ivcOte9U2-fE1Pnu_vhNF8rkzgNz62Kd1rTzFN-RZepXWKIEqg9VY0olLaWL9Cy5HTR1FNLyOu2HT7u6RqaqopzFdn_1F8VAL7P1Z1hNMkEWe5LPFkSD-HxABMLQhk1x/w133-h200/30823899._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">I'm super surprised that I didn't enjoy this one as much as <i>The Bear of Rosethorn Ring</i>. It was just... meh at the end of the day. </span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>20/12/21</b> <i>Skyward</i> by Brandon Sanderson</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimp_ZwU46Ke11qtYyNOmibudH7PWygrNJWPqgOdJBTPRoa4zV2BPnc6uZGoGU27k_qE6yG72kxSSBO86N7VerBAZnzOljyV6y3a_D_YtykLa9xZLnF4_BexY0vOH_n3EaHAv2NnWyX5z5qmQCN7r5TgLc5rTRe1mI7u9PSe-E5Piqyg0Zm20CpEJAMMA=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimp_ZwU46Ke11qtYyNOmibudH7PWygrNJWPqgOdJBTPRoa4zV2BPnc6uZGoGU27k_qE6yG72kxSSBO86N7VerBAZnzOljyV6y3a_D_YtykLa9xZLnF4_BexY0vOH_n3EaHAv2NnWyX5z5qmQCN7r5TgLc5rTRe1mI7u9PSe-E5Piqyg0Zm20CpEJAMMA=w131-h200" width="131" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">What a ride this story was! I LOVE Spensa SO much. Even if the story itself was so boring, I would still love Spensa. She's that great, I'm telling you. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><b>23/12/21</b> <i>Wings of Betrayal</i> by Brittany Wang</li></ul><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglHw1HvigTmO1T_2V2YiTViOsNSbBgaZgCrPYXdh_DKHfJB0bjNIK8Gelj66PB1C5-PJP5ZpaE6d5EVxw6pVpQdWN788TuDWH0CNFjjoRXPrUWyDQ6O9vGTOmgHrOUlOJro3Vhm_Sk8f_lWQ6zoXQSEY26JWCo2-I83EdxBcuXUoaMoCLflAtbZwHN9Q=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglHw1HvigTmO1T_2V2YiTViOsNSbBgaZgCrPYXdh_DKHfJB0bjNIK8Gelj66PB1C5-PJP5ZpaE6d5EVxw6pVpQdWN788TuDWH0CNFjjoRXPrUWyDQ6O9vGTOmgHrOUlOJro3Vhm_Sk8f_lWQ6zoXQSEY26JWCo2-I83EdxBcuXUoaMoCLflAtbZwHN9Q=w125-h200" width="125" /></a></div></div><b>5/5</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138;">Ahh, another story where I instantly fell in love with the protagonist! Quinn's voice, motives and struggles are so engaging, and I could. not. stop. reading.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>27/12/21 </b><i>Palace of Potions</i> by Brittany Wang</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgruvY1C4OXxEWTMitjW3EKM5TMWiWTsnpo8_tjSW7ySEsQDyn4zdeWAY763MO0qDR7_jTWW3OVNzWMEk8j7R11Kq830kMlMf2ILIbTpI7UBhnQgh0QKdh5mtOMO3hcIXUXOxYsRcR2chyFJ2FfoJyMzD-c4-DB9qzBvxLS3Qb0JC655f1RaGUFAbsReg=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgruvY1C4OXxEWTMitjW3EKM5TMWiWTsnpo8_tjSW7ySEsQDyn4zdeWAY763MO0qDR7_jTWW3OVNzWMEk8j7R11Kq830kMlMf2ILIbTpI7UBhnQgh0QKdh5mtOMO3hcIXUXOxYsRcR2chyFJ2FfoJyMzD-c4-DB9qzBvxLS3Qb0JC655f1RaGUFAbsReg=w125-h200" width="125" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Just as intriguing, engaging and awesome as <i>Wings of Betrayal</i>! I love how the world is being slowly unraveled bit by bit.<b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><b>30/12/21</b> <i>Sea of Secrets</i> by Brittany Wang</li></ul><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfsn2cCER3OvMq4yfM-MHhegfYseBuspeIQZSPkP-JxcCc1-ZgFzhS80HSU-PubirNkPweZF7sMu6N4FtPju3t5qOkhTh_8W6gPEDqLiLwENHfIHOW-LrolOc8kpZZ41TldYSaAeno_5Hy2rFKnoFHvIcUu5tjE8U3QW1vlwZ7Fhy-d_9h1s5vjcRijA=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfsn2cCER3OvMq4yfM-MHhegfYseBuspeIQZSPkP-JxcCc1-ZgFzhS80HSU-PubirNkPweZF7sMu6N4FtPju3t5qOkhTh_8W6gPEDqLiLwENHfIHOW-LrolOc8kpZZ41TldYSaAeno_5Hy2rFKnoFHvIcUu5tjE8U3QW1vlwZ7Fhy-d_9h1s5vjcRijA=w125-h200" width="125" /></a></div><b>5/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;">Feels. So many feels. Everything is getting so intense, the stakes are only rising higher.</span><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>31/12/21</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3353330842?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">Rose of the Night</a></i> by Hope Ann</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG2W2z4As0fr9eZQTzVtT2b-8WbqWDY0wBvBRxfgcqil7vOYPUBalUWlpSdIzq9iofFLfRznQQKZnHpe6jxfAq7eHOZCjt9kRnuR4J_K-ZLAaLHzvWbGbUOI1QtiDGN5ei48KgG7Xrv8UBI3Rd0plyU0r36UAd1f4BSbrCRpDD3ULO-s1BrMXTBIZ09g=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG2W2z4As0fr9eZQTzVtT2b-8WbqWDY0wBvBRxfgcqil7vOYPUBalUWlpSdIzq9iofFLfRznQQKZnHpe6jxfAq7eHOZCjt9kRnuR4J_K-ZLAaLHzvWbGbUOI1QtiDGN5ei48KgG7Xrv8UBI3Rd0plyU0r36UAd1f4BSbrCRpDD3ULO-s1BrMXTBIZ09g=w125-h200" width="125" /></a></div><b>3/5</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">This is the second time I've read this story, and while I appreciate it, I just don't like a whole lot. Always feels too long even though it's a short story. </span></div></div></div></span></div></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Blogs</h2><div>I'll be brief as possible in this section. I didn't read posts or visit blogs as much this time around.</div><h3 style="text-align: center;">New* blogs:</h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="http://amandatero.com/" target="_blank">Amanda Tero</a></li><li><a href="https://anadventurewithben.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Benjamin</a> (My best friend's new blog ๐)</li><li><a href="https://shadowedeverglow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Everglow</a> (I recommend reading <i>all</i> of the posts here)</li><li><a href="https://authorhopeann.com" target="_blank">Hope Ann</a></li><li><a href="https://intomywritingjourney.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Into My Writing Journey</a></li><li><a href="https://smudgedthoughts.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Smudged Thoughts</a></li><li><a href="https://theraindrenchedwriter.home.blog/" target="_blank">the rain-drenched writer.</a><br /></li><li><a href="https://victoriagracehowell.com/" target="_blank">Wanderer's Pen</a></li><li><a href="https://whenthroughthewoods.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">when through the woods</a></li><li><a href="https://samwiseappreciationclub.wordpress.com/blog/" target="_blank">The Samwise Gamgee Appreciation Club</a> (Another best friend's blog ๐)<br /></li></ul><h3 style="text-align: center;">Random collection of posts to check out:</h3></div><div style="text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://amandatero.com/when-thanksgiving-involves-grief/" target="_blank">When thanksgiving involves grief</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://polkadotpens.wordpress.com/2021/05/17/my-new-and-improved-character-profile/" target="_blank">My new and improved character profile</a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://storyembers.org/tired-writers-dont-need-more-sleep-they-need-more-spiritual-rest" target="_blank">Tired writers don't need more sleep, they need more spiritual rest </a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://storyembers.org/how-to-avoid-cheap-grace-when-redeeming-a-villain/" target="_blank">How to avoid cheap grace when redeeming a villain</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://thefloridsword.blogspot.com/2021/07/i-am-woman-that-does-not-mean-my-heart.html" target="_blank">I am a woman. that does not mean my heart belongs to you.</a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-make-your-characters-choices-more-difficult/" target="_blank">How to make your character's choices more difficult</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://shadowedeverglow.blogspot.com/2021/10/a-kind-of-therapy.html" target="_blank">A kind of therapy</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://shadowedeverglow.blogspot.com/2021/11/w-r-i-t-i-n-g-post-wip-depression.html" target="_blank">{Writing} post wip depression</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://storyembers.org/5-guidelines-to-consider-when-portraying-mental-illness/" target="_blank">5 guidelines to consider when portraying mental illness</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://thefloridsword.blogspot.com/2021/01/how-to-write-as-escape.html" target="_blank">How to write as an escape</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://wordsinhersoul.blogspot.com/2021/03/write-for-yourself.html" target="_blank">Write for yourself</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://scribbledfiction.blogspot.com/2021/09/light-angst-trope-analysis.html" target="_blank">Light angst: a trope analysis</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://alabamasblog.home.blog/2021/04/21/life-has-an-answer-key/" target="_blank">Life has an answer key</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://ihave12ofaplan.wordpress.com/2021/06/08/trope-talks-love-triangles/" target="_blank">Trope talks ~ love triangles</a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://ihave12ofaplan.wordpress.com/2021/08/03/trope-talks-the-chosen-one/" target="_blank">Trope talks ~ the chosen one</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://thelongvoyage.org/2021/03/15/5-things-i-wish-id-known-as-a-beginning-writer/" target="_blank">5 things I wish I'd known as a beginning writer</a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://amandatero.com/two-things-i-didnt-want-to-plan-for-2021/" target="_blank">Two things I didn't want to plan for 2021</a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://mayajt.wordpress.com/2021/03/11/how-to-get-back-into-writing-tips-for-inspiration-consistency/" target="_blank">How to get back into writing // tips for inspiration + consistency</a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://authorhopeann.com/the-magic-of-subtext/" target="_blank">The magic of subtext</a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://kingdompen.org/how-to-kill-a-hero/" target="_blank">How to write a meaningful death for your hero</a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://egbella.com/2021/05/19/5-tips-for-giving-and-receiving-critiques/" target="_blank">5 tips for giving (and receiving) critiques</a><br /></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://emilygrantauthor.blogspot.com/2021/02/some-random-thoughts-on-growth-and-rest.html" target="_blank">Some random thoughts on growth and rest + a writing update </a></li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://whenthroughthewoods.wordpress.com/2021/07/25/goodbyes/" target="_blank">Goodbyes</a></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Doesn't necessarily mean that I found all of them in 2021, but rather I'm more active on them this time around.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: not all the blogs I was following in 2020 are ones I'm still following today. I had to let go of some of them for mental health reasons, plus one or two became inactive as of right now. </span></div></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Music</h2><p style="text-align: left;">This time I'm sharing new favourite albums, songs and artists. Maybe share a YouTube music video or two. </p><h3 style="text-align: center;">New favourite songs: </h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>What's My Name</i> from <i>Descendants 2</i></li><li><i>Stressed Out</i> by <b>Twenty One Pilots</b></li><li><i>Mean Girls</i> by <b>Leanna Crawford</b></li><li><i>Revolutionary</i> by <b>Josh Wilson</b></li><li><i>Let Go Let God</i> by <b>Jack Cassidy</b></li><li><i>Heart Of Stone</i> by <b>Britt Nicole</b></li><li><i>Chillin' Like a Villain</i> from <i>Descendants 2</i></li><li><i>human</i> by <b>Christina Perri</b></li><li><i>Cutthroat </i>by <b>Imagine Dragons</b></li><li><i>Pale Moonlight</i> by <b>The Gray Havens</b></li><li><i>Born Bad</i> by <b>PattyCake</b></li><li><i>Whatever It Takes</i> by <b>Imagine Dragons</b></li><li><i>Play with Fire</i> by <b>Sam Tinnesz</b>, <b>Yacht Money</b></li><li><i>Headspace</i> by <b>Riley Clemmons</b></li></ul></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg3GyL4SLLM" target="_blank">Born Bad Music Video</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEZK9-rL37Y" target="_blank">Headspace Music Video</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0oLWu-xUdc" target="_blank">Mean Girls Music Video</a></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">New favourite albums:</span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Romeo and Juliet</i> (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2013) by <b>Abel Korzeniowski</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Human (Deluxe)</i> by<b> OneRepublic</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>A Darker Side</i> by <b>Twisted Jukebox</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Resistance</i> by <b>Twisted Jukebox</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Captain America: The Winter Soldier </i>(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)<i> </i>by <b>Henry Jackman</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> <i>Melancholia</i> by <b>Secession Studios</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Citizen of Heaven</i> by <b>Tauren Wells</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Normal</i> by <b>Jamie Grace</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Nyaaringu </i>by <b>Miiesha</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Godsend</i> by <b>Riley Clemmons</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>I Call It Being Human</i> by <b>Emily Weisband</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>SOUR</i> by <b>Olivia Rodrigo</b> (I know... I am one of <i>those</i> people, hehe)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Young Pop Renegades 2021: Origin</i> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>bye, sad girl.</i> by <b>Hollyn</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Holy Rebellion</i> by <b>Hollyn</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Queentessence</i> by <b>Frostudio Chambersonic</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Encanto </i>(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)</span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">New favourite artists:</span></h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6WbcsezFNZdFE6miOocY82" target="_blank"><b>Twisted Jukebox</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6zuKZ8dwAsS828nS4xyZ9y" target="_blank"><b>Lydia Laird</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6fOMl44jA4Sp5b9PpYCkzz" target="_blank"><b>NF</b></a></li><li><span style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7LIy7KinYq7a83dUH6kvxT" target="_blank">Zayde Wรธlf </a></b></span></li><li><span style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/27gv2YK8R06j3h6NMAJFvD" target="_blank">SoulBox</a></b></span></li><li><span style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/58TMKXhoVguPbAO8pnJ8wh" target="_blank">Forstudio Chambersonic</a></b></span></li><li><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7yZC6AEhvCD5NFR8yDUxCG" target="_blank"><b>Riley Clemmons</b></a></span></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1vMDnKZvPdfoF3quGrgTi5" target="_blank"><b>Natalie Cleveland</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/2JrDkW63FG9GotlYtmuwTs" target="_blank"><b>Carmen Justice</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/2vGA5qCDLZGW6exRQgKfLL" target="_blank"><b>Sarah Reeves</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/32PaECIhlV46TtNdKP34GX" target="_blank"><b>Ben Barnes</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/3HWMxHfbtrP3H39BnsquW8" target="_blank"><b>Manwell</b></a> <b>(viewer discretion advised)</b></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ehGGQnc7E28DNwhvnFuyL" target="_blank"><b>Miiesha</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1rxhmvc4pue9A2fEXnLT97" target="_blank"><b>Ryan Stevenson</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/5kGijxGN1NilTlN59MMKU2" target="_blank"><b>Lauryn Evans</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/0GdzQJqgRL5SHp7kXOKba0" target="_blank"><b>Wande</b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4npEfmQ6YuiwW1GpUmaq3F" target="_blank"><b>Ava Max</b></a> <b>(viewer discretion advised)</b></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1McMsnEElThX1knmY4oliG" target="_blank"><b>Olivia Rodrigo </b></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1am9EW2QubqpkCbg29vu5n" target="_blank"><b>Emily Weisband</b></a> <b>(viewer discretion advised)</b> </li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/70Mtv8bWyfIXjxORsNnqq6" target="_blank"><b>Beth Crowley</b></a></li></ul></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Achievements </h2><p style="text-align: center;"><b>1.</b> I did <i>19</i> cover reveals on my blog (Instagram too). </p><p style="text-align: center;">1. <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/01/hunger-cover-reveal.html" target="_blank">Hunger</a> 2. <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-bear-of-rosethorn-ring-cover-reveal.html" target="_blank">The Bear of Rosethorn Ring</a> 3. <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/04/sins-sons-and-siren-songs-cover-reveal.html" target="_blank">Sins, Sons, and Siren Songs</a> 4. <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/05/ignite-cover-reveal.html" target="_blank">Ignite</a> 5. <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/06/of-fire-and-ash-cover-reveal.html" target="_blank">Of Fire and Ash</a> 6-17 <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-villains-ever-after-series-cover.html" target="_blank">A Villain's Ever After</a> 18. <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/08/united-we-fall-cover-reveal.html" target="_blank">United We Fall</a> 19. <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/08/rumors-reunions-and-revenge-cover-reveal.html" target="_blank">Rumors, Reunions, and Revenge</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>2.</b> Joined in three blog tours, <i>The Bear of Rosethorn Ring</i> Blog Tour <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/04/guest-post-looking-ahead-at-twist-tales.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a> & <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-bear-of-rosethorn-ring-blog-tour.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/07/blog-tour-ignite-book-review.html" target="_blank"><i>Ignite</i> Blog Tour</a> and <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/09/blog-tour-rumors-reunions-and-revenge.html" target="_blank"><i>Rumors, Reunions, and Revenge</i> Blog Tour</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>3.</b> I participated in a <a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/2021/05/summer-blog-scavenger-hunt-stop-6.html" target="_blank">blog scavenger hunt</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>4.</b> Read three ARCs: <span style="text-align: left;"><i>The Bear of Rosethorn Ring</i>, </span><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Ignite</i> and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4159999058?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">United We Fall</a></i>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>5. </b>I </span><span style="text-align: left;">beta read three books (well, I'm still reading the last one but I'm almost finished with it). Whispers of Smoke and Sea by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maddiemorrowwrites/" target="_blank">Maddie Morrow</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZIbswzvfPs/" target="_blank">Calligraphy Guild</a> by <a href="https://rmarcher.com/" target="_blank">R.M. Archer</a>, and Heir to His Crown by <a href="https://www.teenwritersnook.com/" target="_blank">Issabelle Perry</a>.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Writing</h2><p>I got more plot bunnies than words. I had to take a lot of breaks, either for mental health or for study. And when I wasn't taking breaks, I mostly procrastinated and didn't write until three days or more later from the time I first planned to write.</p><p>That was my general writing life for 2021.</p><p>Current WIP wordcount: 22, 574</p><p>Short stories: 1 (called <i>Three Days like Butterflies in Summer</i>) </p><h3 style="text-align: center;">The plot bunnies</h3><div>This section is for the story ideas that I shared last year. I will only mention ones that I added significant change to.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Monsters:</b> I've started an outline (using the 3 Act Structure based on Abbie Emmons' videos) and worldbuilding. It's been a blast so far!</li><li><b>Masters and Slaves:</b> It now has an official title! <i>Chainbreaker, Peacemaker</i>. The two words represents the two main characters and their roles in the story.</li><li><b>Genderbent Snow White Retelling:</b> I'm a writer who loves knowing the end of the story I want to tell, sometimes even before I know anything that happens in the middle. This particular story I was uncertain how I wanted it to end. I had two ideas on how I thought it could end, and was even considering doing a sequel because I felt one ending was too long for one book. But I didn't feel right with doing the sequel or doing the ending that people would call "neatly tied up with a bow". Eventually, I asked a friend for feedback on the ending and they confirmed that I needed to do the ending that had more consequences, which was the one I leaned toward doing. It was also then that I decided not to do a sequel at all, rather make it a standalone with two parts. It might get a little long, but this sort of ending will need that length. And as a standalone, there's no danger of prolonging the story for too long, which I believe in my gut will happen if I create a sequel for it. The last thing I want to do is do the kind of sequel that I hated authors and filmmakers for doing. No thank you. </li></ul></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"> The new ideas</h3><div><i><b>Fantasy </b></i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Adult </b>A father estranged from his son comes to visit him to find that there is another man competing for his place as father. Determined to have his son's love back, he digs into his rival's past to expose the one secret he knows he is trying to hide.</li><li><b>NA </b>A girl cursed to have every male fall in love with her (except for blood relatives and magical beings) is throwed out of her home when her father remarries and gains two stepsons. Homeless and unable to get a job, her only option is to move in with her cousin and his housemate, who is immune to all magic. After the first term of university, the three visit the cousin's family for the holidays, where the girl meets a mysterious magical being who's all alone in a mansion.</li><li><b>Adult </b>Immortal pirate captain and his crew are place in the modern times where they find a book about the whole captain's life in detail (just before he was taken into the future). Not only it exists, it's also published, has a huge fanbase and is being made into a movie. But there's one detail that the story is missing: the existence of the captain's wife.</li><li><b>NA </b>An adventurous and arrogant prince wants to picks a wife from a group of people who fights monsters and travels all over the country. Things don't to plan when she runs back to her friends after accepting his proposal. Determined to have her, he goes after her and lives among the group until she is willing to be his queen.</li><li><b>YA </b>A boy is forced to be the next Chosen One when the late Chosen One dies in his arms. He tries to escape the destiny, but when he meets two people determined to make him a hero, he decides to show everyone that he is no hero and can never be one.</li><li><b>YA</b> A prince throws a ball, and on the night of it a girl and her stepsister finds mysterious glass slippers. Despite that the girls were forbidden to go, they secretly sneaked out when the glass slippers walked off on their own toward the palace. Then at the foot of the palace's steps, the stepsister gets her feet stuck in the glass slippers, causing herself to be transformed into someone who looks like a princess. Unable to get herself free, she goes to find the prince, thinking he might be the key in this mystery. </li></ul><i><b>Science fiction fantasy</b></i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>NA</b> A secret superhuman made it her career to fight for proper justice for super-criminals who are either getting locking up a cell with barely any food or water (with rumours of them dying of starvation, malnourishment or dehydration) or getting brutally killed by the superheroes. But then she is forced to not only make cases in court or do protests, but also physically fight a foe known as The Phoenix. With the help from her boyfriend and her estranged siblings, she must stop this villain without forsaking her morals and her purpose in life. </li><li><b>Adult</b> Married to the only superhero in the world, a man struggles with bitterness and frustration as he raises their 15-year-old daughter alone. Everything changes when he is kidnapped by two mysterious invisible men who turns him into a superhuman with the exact same powers as his wife.</li></ul><b><i>Dystopian</i></b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>NA</b> To protect his sister, a former dancer, with the power to cause death, has to face the friends who turned their backs on him when he needed them most. To gain their help, he has to become the very person he swore he would never be again and return to the place that haunts him in his nightmares. </li><li><b>YA</b> A girl gets involves in a beauty competition after gaining attention when she helped her best friend survive from The Pill. With all eyes of the public on her and someone following her every move, she uses everything she has to kept her confidence and not break before she can make her escape.</li><li><b>NA</b> A girl betrays her tyrant father for freedom and joins the rebel group, evading the clutches of her father's bloodthirsty adopted son and second-in-command at every turn. Meanwhile, her twin sister, left behind, meets her fiancรฉ, the timid man her father picked out for her. Confused that her father would give her a man with a soft nature, she secretly tries to learn everything about him before their marriage ceremony. </li><li><b>YA</b> Earth is invaded by aliens, that kills every human in sight. On the night when the monsters first came, a girl gets separated from people to attempt to survive. She falls into a nest the day after, expecting to die when the mother returns before she can escape. Instead, seeing that she hasn't hurt her eggs at all, adopts her as her own. Within a few months, most of the monsters follow the girl's command, and the ones that don't get killed by the others. Years later, two brothers in the military are given the mission to find the girl - to stop her from causing more deaths of their people through her monsters.</li></ul><i><b>Contemporary</b></i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>YA</b> A bully makes a deal with a popular girl to do a challenge where they pretend to be people that they are not - for him the popular guy, and for her the bully. The one who wins it is the one who not only doesn't break from their personality under any circumstances, but also successfully becomes the person they are pretending to be. </li></ul></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Life stuff </h2><p>I had no idea how much 2021 would break me. How much everything would fall apart. I am a different person now, one I hope is better than the old me. Though I'm not sure if I am right now. In the future, I could see myself more clearly, but now I'm still too close to the new me, uncertain if I made the right choices for myself. Only time will tell. All I know is, no matter what, God is with me and I trust Him to lead me free from all of the pain I got myself into.</p><p>He has so far. And He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.</p><p> </p><p>I think it's no surprise to you, especially after the opening of this section, if I said 2021 sucked. When looking back on 2020, I didn't find a lot to comment on or complain or anything else like that because it was overall a neutral season. 2021 though is filled with those moments, and a lot of it negative. Mental health issues; fatigue; self-worth struggles; trying to study with no energy or motivation; writing life on and off; feelings of jealousy and loneliness (though loneliness has around in my life <i>forever</i>); Instagram, Discord and the blogosphere overwhelming me; and the stress and FOMO of not being able to keep up with things - to name a few (there's more but those are too personal to share on the internet). </p><p>Never before have I experienced the feeling of not wanting to get out of bed. I'm a morning person so I love getting up in the morning. The mornings are my best times. Or they were. There were so many mornings that were just so difficult to do anything on.</p><p>I felt so distant and close to God. A lot of times I just couldn't focus my thoughts enough to pray, even if I so deeply wanted to. This hardship grew my need to reach out to God more than ever before. I was drowning in my mental health taking nose dive in the deep end and not coming up to breathe.</p><p>And Christmas got cancelled (by you know what).</p><p>However, My 18th birthday in January was the most amazing experience ever. Back when life was good and refreshing. Back when I thought this year would be a good season. That I would finally achieve all of those writing goals and catch up with the blogs finally and getting Instagram to dig my hands into a whole new community and discover a whole new bookish and writing world with excitement. Back when Britt Nicole's song <i>Heart of Stone</i> became Smoke's arc of the series. </p><p>Okay, that may sound like a weird thing to mention but it was a mark of when I was so confident I could write more and consistently. In hindsight, judging a year from the first month is a bad idea. No wonder so many people get lost and depressed and so discouraged when they plan their year in this month. It kinda of lies, doesn't it? Or does it? If we are all honest, it never makes promises and really it is just us trying to control something that was out of control in the first place. Of course it is easy to think the year is good because our minds reset themselves and it is when we step back and take breaks and refresh and rethink things. It is a peaceful month. My favourite month just because there are little to no expectations. I am just living and enjoying life.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;">Other things (small) that were good this year:</h3><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Joining <b>Jenna Terese's Street Team</b>, <b>The Avengers </b>(most of us are Marvel fans ๐)! I've never been in a street team before, so not only was it a first experience but also it was so awesome! I love being part of a community that has the common goal of promoting Jenna's books. (Speaking of her books, did you know that she is releasing Ares' prequel short story on February 25th?)</li><li>It was so fun to get <b>Instagram</b>! And my account shares the same birthday as my blog! (I didn't do that on purpose.) As I mentioned before, Instagram did overwhelmed me because I tired too hard to read and like all of the things my friends and people I follow created, but once I stopped, and always kept on stopping when I had enough, it's been great! I didn't think I could make photos I love but I did! I have a few that are terrible, but those just made me do better next time.</li><li>I got the free version of the <b>Forest App</b>, which is so good to use when I remember... to use it. </li><li>I have a story about <b>Unsplash</b>. When I first got it, I thought the photos weren't good enough so I stopped using it. But then when I started making my own photos for my blog and hated most of them, I decided to try using it again. And I loved how the photos looked on my blog! I started adding one to each of my blog posts, but I got busy and haven't finished doing that yet.</li><li>Brooke Riley's books, <i>How We Rise</i> and <i>United We Fall</i>. I can't properly express how much these books mean to me. They were a comfort and a joy when life was not. They gave me a story and characters that I could fangirl over forever. They helped me process life and grief better. They are everything to me, and more of you guys should read them (you will never hear of the end of this until you do.)</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p>So 2021 wasn't all bad. It was just <i>rough</i>. I survived though, and one day I <i>know</i> I will RISE. It just isn't now. And that's okay. Jesus has conquered all (literally <i>death</i>) and that's the only thing that matters. </p><h2 style="text-align: center;">2022 Plans</h2><div>I have so many plans for my blog, writing, Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram and my future newsletter. But I decided to put all of them on hold, save for writing. That means I am more likely to be quite inactive on all of these accounts, and the newsletter is being pushed back until a couple of years. The reason is that I no longer have the energy (fatigue is still an issue I experience today) nor time, considering I <i>still</i> have study I need to finish in six months. And this brings me to my sad news:</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">I will be taking a hiatus for 6 months<span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></h3><div style="text-align: left;">My brain is having a hard time processing this decision. I have been consistently blogging for two years. It will be weird to not writing a blog post. My little blog is having its second birthday in two weeks, and I will be not be here for it. It makes me super sad, but I'm also relieved. I didn't have anything planned. And I feel like I'm not disappointing anyone if I take a hiatus now. If I'm being honest, it's been feeling real empty around here. It's hard to not feel discouraged when there was a tiny community before.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm aiming to hang around on other people's blogs, but I'm not sure how much or even if I will. And I will be inconsistently on Instagram. Right now, I'm plotting to learn how to do a reel. I want reels of my hundreds of characters.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If I don't return in 6 months, then that means I needed to extend my hiatus. If I don't return in a year or over, then send help. I think I might have died.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Wouldn't it be so bad if this was my last blog post ever.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Also remind me to never write this style of post again. It took me over a month to do and I was too stubborn to change what I planned.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What were your top films of 2021? What were your favourite books of the year? Your least favourite books? If you're a writer, do you struggle with too many plot bunnies? What was one small good thing that happened to you in 2021?</b></div>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-35441846158637799312021-12-22T14:51:00.000+11:002022-08-30T22:49:40.886+10:00Blog Collab: Christmas Around the World - Australia<p>I am not much of a Christmas person, but I love living in Australia so much and the chance to share our Christmas traditions through my experience was too good to pass up (even for a mini Grinch ๐).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp7ZGhRRMgj_PH32rqC4G7r1QQrzHmjldByK8L69PLHMwrrMSP6oKmzrgqb_VjhGwe8Q4yZk79eKNqIMLts9U99VYMy69lHqpYPA2O87c6HK9aJwWSc5lahEZAO9_-WE2FvzdlMjZxnzgyXvOdFhEbm9E2sMCGad9uRh3HQwKwNXZ1NH0Idzv-E0AiWg=s3996" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2664" data-original-width="3996" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp7ZGhRRMgj_PH32rqC4G7r1QQrzHmjldByK8L69PLHMwrrMSP6oKmzrgqb_VjhGwe8Q4yZk79eKNqIMLts9U99VYMy69lHqpYPA2O87c6HK9aJwWSc5lahEZAO9_-WE2FvzdlMjZxnzgyXvOdFhEbm9E2sMCGad9uRh3HQwKwNXZ1NH0Idzv-E0AiWg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Photo by Nick Fewings on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>I have teamed up with two other bloggers to share culture and tradition through Christmas! You can find their posts below: ๐</p><p>Diamond @ Build a Bears Furever: <a href="https://buildabearsfurever.wordpress.com/2021/12/15/french-christmas-traditions-with-gisselle/" target="_blank">French Traditions with Gisselle</a></p><p>Maggie @ Maggie's Doodles: <a href="https://maggiesdoodles.com/2021/12/11/an-irish-christmas-what-christmas-is-like-in-ireland/" target="_blank">An Irish Christmas: What Christmas is like in Ireland!</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Honestly, Australia follows a lot of traditions that I've seen Americans do. But the big difference is that we have a summer Christmas, so we needed to change a few things.</p><p>Though it doesn't stop us having a roast lunch/dinner (It's quite crazy to do cause the house can get so hot). But it's traditional so we have to do it, you know?</p><p>One of my personal favourites traditions we do is to eat a whole bag or even a box of cherries. We also eat other summer fruits, like mangoes, peaches, apricots, etc. For my family, cherries are our go to for Christmas day. It's because my grandfather on my mother's side loved cherries and grew his own trees, plus it's an Australian tradition that my older members of the family grew up on as well. It was so natural for it to be present nearly every single Christmas day, especially when I was a kid.</p><p>We also like to set up all our decorations on December 1st. It doesn't always happen, but generally it will. We only decorated inside the house because we live in the country and most people won't see it (though I think it would be cool to decorate outside, if we had enough lights, as we live on a hill near a dirt road which we call the lane).</p><p>Christmas day for us as a family basically means opening presents, hanging out and eating food. Sometimes it's a whole fancy extended family gathering or a really casual, just chilling day with close family (parents and siblings). We also have dinner with another family (who my older sister has now married into [since January 2020] so they are officially part of our family ๐) and hang out until really late into the night (basically midnight ๐).</p><p>When I looked up Australian Christmas traditions (to see what was just a family tradition or a country tradition), apparently it's an Aussie thing to bring extra snacks or drinks to a Christmas party (though it's common for most parties, not just Christmas.) It isn't required to bring extra food, but if you have thought of making or buying something that will suit the event, then you would. It's really normal, especially Christmas. I can't not think of a time when us or someone else brought food to a Christmas gathering. The internet says it's not, at least for Christmas anyway. </p><p>Generally, we as a family only listen to Christmas music when we are setting up our decorations or on Christmas day. Christmas music is my least favourite part about Christmas by the way (unpopular, I know). </p><p>Other traditions we don't do but super common in Australia is going and hanging out at the bench or having BBQs (though we Aussies have BBQs for any sort of celebration or gathering, haha). It's also likely to find seafood in our Christmas food (just not for us cause not many of us like it in our family). We also occasionally watch Christmas movies in December, though that doesn't happen enough. We are the sort of family who only gets into Christmas on Christmas day. We don't even do Christmas Eve. That isn't common for most Australians though.</p><p><b>What was the weirdest thing you think Australians do? What was the most familiar thing to you? Also feel free to share some of your traditions in the comments down below!</b></p><p><b>Merry Christmas! </b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-42566497295590090082021-12-18T23:15:00.002+11:002022-05-19T13:12:06.282+10:00What Protagonist and Antagonist Really Means (and How That Changes How You View Stories) <p>I've noticed recently that maybe people don't fully understand what "protagonist" and "antagonist" actually mean, when you look up their original meanings. To be honest, I was shocked when I heard people using the terms wrong. And it isn't just non-writers doing this - writers do it too!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOLGoCFUr20bLCbJUZ9ZVpkOpRDv8N_CQEzOpcGNKBhWsKL52cA64vIHqqzNqsfgNlVtlSi2fPFB_uzHyGTpahjOeHS3t0UHtIek_YqPNm9UwsaYuuh4JwVJIPaxuaw0iYxeMfbrTJECauHZYHJU64yb516uO4M7WUNSF_sBKrcgvRaN4RHeNw0nnVQ/s5184/timon-studler-ABGaVhJxwDQ-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOLGoCFUr20bLCbJUZ9ZVpkOpRDv8N_CQEzOpcGNKBhWsKL52cA64vIHqqzNqsfgNlVtlSi2fPFB_uzHyGTpahjOeHS3t0UHtIek_YqPNm9UwsaYuuh4JwVJIPaxuaw0iYxeMfbrTJECauHZYHJU64yb516uO4M7WUNSF_sBKrcgvRaN4RHeNw0nnVQ/w640-h426/timon-studler-ABGaVhJxwDQ-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo by Timon Studler on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>If it was just people who don't write using one or both of these words wrong, I would not be writing this post at all. I don't expect these people to know how to use them correctly, especially when they aren't commonly used in most of their discussions. But most writers don't seem to know this either, and it's bothering me. Why? Because I feel like they are limiting themselves with their misconceptions about protagonist and antagonist. </p><p>While this is a minor issue compared to other writer misconceptions, it still drastically changed how I think and study stories. I think it's important as a writer to completely understand the role of protagonist and antagonist. Not just for yourself, but for your audience too.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So what are the misconceptions?</span></h3><p>The popular definition of protagonist is that they are a leading good character. Their main goal as a character in the story is to have a positive arc, be a role model to the audience, and always aim to promote the morals that everyone can agree is right and just. At the same time, they need to be proactive, making their own choices rather than letting the plot do it for them.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span>Short version: p</span><span style="text-align: left;">rotagonist = good guy</span></p><p>And the common definition for antagonist is that they are either a villain or just a bad character, since not all antagonists are strictly villains to most, if not all, people's understanding of the word. The key point is that they are evil and immoral in some way, from bully to murderer to destroying/ruling over the whole world.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Short version: a<span style="text-align: left;">ntagonist = bad guy</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">These definitions sound very familiar to you, doesn't it? And I bet you probably used them both consciously and unconsciously (I know I have for years). If I told you that they are wrong, would you be confused or shocked? If you are, well, I was in the same situation months ago. Even though I have been following <a href="https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/" target="_blank">a great website for writers</a> for a year now that clearly use protagonist and antagonist differently from what I learnt (somehow) as a beginner writer, it still didn't click in my brain until I had a discussion with my sister about Othello.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I haven't read the play myself, but my sister was making the point that Othello wasn't the protagonist of the story (I know right, I was confused about that too) and that the protagonist was actually Othello's servant dude who was plotting against him. Why? Because it is through his eyes that the story is being told. He is the main POV. Not Othello. I don't even think Othello has a POV in the story at all (may be wrong, cause again I haven't read it for myself). We even looked up the meaning for the protagonist to check if her theory was correct, and that lead to us looking up the meaning for antagonist too.</p><p style="text-align: left;">We came to the conclusion, since the meaning said nothing against Othello's servant being one, that he was the protagonist. That also meant Othello was the antagonist, because to the servant Othello was the enemy. </p><p style="text-align: left;">This is when things finally shifted for me.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So what are the true meanings?</span></h3><p style="text-align: left;">Let's break down the words to their Greek meaning, their origin. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Protagonist > <span style="text-align: left;"><i>prลtagลnistฤs</i> > </span><span style="text-align: left;"><i>prลtos</i> > </span><span style="text-align: left;"><i>agลnistฤs</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>prลtos</i></span> means "first"</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>agลnistฤs</i> means "actor"</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">So protagonist means "first actor"</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">Back in those days, stories were told through acting them out, what we do now in theatres with plays. Most stories start with the protagonist (we are ignoring the existence of prologues), the character who will appear the most in the story. So the main character being the "first actor" makes complete sense.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Antagonist > <span style="text-align: left;"><i>antagลnistฤs</i> > </span><i style="text-align: left;">antagลnizesthai</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">antagลnizesthai </i><span style="text-align: left;">m</span><span style="text-align: left;">eans "struggle against"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Basically, it's saying that the antagonist is a character who is opposing or fighting against someone.</p><p style="text-align: left;">When you look at the bones of the words, you can see that they have nothing to do with good or evil. Which means that the protagonist doesn't have to be a good character. The antagonist doesn't have to be evil. They can have any moral they want. They can be in the grey area, rather than black or white (as the rise of anti-heroes has showed). The main point of a protagonist is <i>to lead the story</i>, and the main point of an antagonist is to be <i>a living obstacle to them</i>. No one has to have certain morals to fulfill these roles.</p><p style="text-align: left;">But I think nowadays, with millions and millions of stories out there, the basic story formula being repeated over and over again, people have place the protagonist and the antagonist into boxes. Keep in mind, this isn't a bad thing at all. Good protagonist vs. evil antagonist is a classic for a reason. But it makes me think that sometimes people aren't willing to write stories differently, because how well a good protagonist and evil antagonist works. Plus it's easier to write the protagonist as good than as evil because more people are likely to care for the protagonist and thus the story if they are good. Most people want good people winning and bad people losing, probably because reality isn't that simple and tons of other reasons.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I wonder though if more antagonists could be good. If more protagonists didn't seem like they were evil but were. If more antagonists had more good morals than anti-heroes. If anti-heroes turned more evil in the end instead of more good. If more protagonists could be a role model without being ultimately good. If both more antagonists and protagonists could be more morally grey with their goodness or evilness.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As a writer, I just find these ifs fascinating. You might think as someone who claims to be a Christian that having clear good and evil characters is important for reflecting my faith. But as I am discovering, the more I read the bible, the more I interact with real people, that no human is perfectly good or evil. Everyone makes mistakes, some small, some big. There's a lot of hurt, pain and grief found in the "good" and "bad" people. I am finding that depicting humans as grey rather than straight white or black is so much more honest, real and beautiful.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I personally want to meet more humans, not more characters.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this. It isn't something I would normally write. I just needed to share these thoughts, as I said, it was bothering me how some people were defining protagonists as someone who needs to be a somewhat good character, and antagonists as someone who needs to be evil.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>What do you think? Was this unnecessary writing randomness? Was it helpful in some way? Let me know down in the comments!</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>P.S. Yes, I changed my blog's appearance again. I felt it needed a change since I've changed so much as a person this year, and the things the blog represented about me are not longer true to me. This feels more like me, who God is leading me to be. It's exciting, it's terrifying. There might be more changes, or none at all. The main thing is that I am not going to stop blogging any time soon (in care you're wondering). It may be more inconsistent (and random), but otherwise I'm here to stay. </b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-17983910448147086982021-11-09T13:46:00.002+11:002022-08-31T13:54:17.143+10:00Snow White and Rose Red Tag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJUb20Peb-I_s1vQG43b3de8G9aKwzWAoPdzyxELGnPxvwI542RRM9xUVKXtLWZH00PA-sg_AKgT2GewMBfugyw254o657h8iXeRWyaqjO0lTh2L0wiZRpjOPsupMG6qv3J7XQQkn7mv4NLm0CoOuYMYWC2hZ1F-ow3crLlTPdX-w3J_SEbA6sWO9A=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJUb20Peb-I_s1vQG43b3de8G9aKwzWAoPdzyxELGnPxvwI542RRM9xUVKXtLWZH00PA-sg_AKgT2GewMBfugyw254o657h8iXeRWyaqjO0lTh2L0wiZRpjOPsupMG6qv3J7XQQkn7mv4NLm0CoOuYMYWC2hZ1F-ow3crLlTPdX-w3J_SEbA6sWO9A=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Photo by Andriyko Podilnyk on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>Man, I am so excited to do this tag!!! It's so awesome, and I can't wait to do it!!! </p><p>It is a happy day indeed.</p><p>Oh, wondering what this tag is? It was created by <a href="https://asynesthetewriter.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Kirsten Fichter</a> to celebrate her latest book release, The Bear of Rosethorn Ring! You may recognize the name from the two posts I did on this blog <i>ages ago.</i> (Yes, I know I'm doing this tag very late... but I don't care. ๐) </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-5299" data-attachment-id="5299" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="swrr-fairytale-tag" data-large-file="https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png?w=656" data-medium-file="https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png?w=300" data-orig-file="https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png" data-orig-size="1080,500" data-permalink="https://asynesthetewriter.wordpress.com/swrr-fairytale-tag/" height="296" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png?w=1024" srcset="https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png?w=1024 1024w, https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png?w=150 150w, https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png?w=300 300w, https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png?w=768 768w, https://asynesthetewriter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/swrr-fairytale-tag.png 1080w" width="640" /></p><p style="text-align: left;">First, as always, the rules:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Copy the tag questions and answer them for yourself in your own blog post. </li><li>Link back to this <a href="https://asynesthetewriter.wordpress.com/2021/04/06/snow-white-and-rose-red-tag-release-day/" target="_blank">post</a>, pleaseandthankyou.</li><li>Include the tag graphic somewhere in my post.</li><li>Share the link to your answers in a comment on this post so I can read your answers!</li></ol><div style="text-align: left;">Now onward to the questions! ๐</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. What's your favourite fairytale? If you can't whittle it down to one, give us a list!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>King Grisly Beard</i>, mainly because it never left me after I read it and I was so fascinated by it that I desperately wanted a retelling of it. <i>King Thrushbeard</i> is a very similar tale to it, but I don't consider them the same because a lot of the details are different (for example, the name for the king is different). So none of the retellings about <i>King Thrushbeard</i> count as retellings of <i>King Grisly Beard</i> (even though they are basically the same tale ๐). My brain just treats them as different tales, okay? </div><div style="text-align: center;">Also <i>Jorinda and Joringel</i>. Also another one that stuck with me. If you haven't read it, you should check it out! It's so good!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2. What's your favourite fairytale retelling? Or retellings, since most of us have more than one?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I haven't read a lot of them, which makes me so sad. I realise I really enjoy them!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Lunar Chronicles</i> by Marissa Meyer are my top favourite retellings, they are so creative. I also really love most of Melanie Dickerson's retellings (<i>Hagenheim</i> 1-6, <i>A Medieval Fairy Tale </i>1-3), <i>The Wide-Awake Princess</i> and <i>The Frog Princess</i> by E.D. Baker, and <i>The Bear of Rosethorn Ring</i> by Kirsten Fichter.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3. When were you first introduced to the fairytale <i>Snow White and Rose Red?</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't remember exactly how I came across this tale. I know that I was going down a rabbit hole looking at and reading some fairy tales, then I saw the title <i>Show White and Rose Red</i>, which at the time confused me greatly, because why the heck is Show White (from <i>Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs </i>tale) in this tale? Turns out, this Snow White is not that Snow White. They just have the same name. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4. If you awoke one day, cursed and lumbering around as a bear, what would be the first thing you'd do? Do you know why you're cursed?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Try to get help and not get killed. Also, no, I don't think I will know why I was cursed, which is very unfortunate and also really rude, like why did the person who cursed me didn't do it to my face (so I can figure out how to break it)?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5. Snow White and Rose Red kept a pet lamb. What would your ideal fairytale pet be?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A phoenix. Wouldn't it be great to have a pet on fire and one that doesn't die?</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>6. If you were to have a colour-based name like Snow White or Rose Red, what would your name be - and why?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dawn Yellow, because dawn is both a lovely name and a pretty moment, and yellow is one of my favourite colours.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>7. Snow White and Rose Red's mother planted two rosebushes in front of their cottage, one with white roses and one with red roses. Would you plant roses in front of your house, or perhaps another plant? Why?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I will not plant any sort of plant in front of my house, cause I know I will not care to look after them and they will die (unless they are great at surviving on their own, I might consider it since plants are pretty to look at).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>8. A stranger knocks on your door during a blizzard, begging for shelter. Do you let him in?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Of course (I will just sleep with a knife under my pillow for the night).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>9. Would you rather have your hair (or beard) caught in a tree, in a fishing line, or in an eagle's talons?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I would rather a fishing line, because I'm likely to be able to get myself out with minimal damage.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>10. The dwarf offers his treasures to keep himself from being eaten by a bear. What would you offer the bear to discourage him from eating you?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Whatever bears like to eat that happens to be on hand (most likely honey).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had so much fun doing this! Feel free to steal!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What are your favourite fairytale retellings? Have you heard of any of the fairy tales I mentioned before? What is your ideal fairytale pet? </b></div><p></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-16697740203980852742021-10-30T20:24:00.003+11:002021-12-18T09:58:17.953+11:00For the Inspired and Bold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJGoVdkgkTfkrPAf4JpU4H8NmUZonmpxm81W46fF_yq0d-51tF11q1jtTY7OTn3a83PuMoao6R82zqpsVoB5XTZQHGg2r5FSSkb45pspozb0JilIGruDL03ZqPRC4O8526uxPCBWH8y00KklRXyrQbVPAs4mapI5auIyha7VKNaiHSktNh-WqYsoaX=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJGoVdkgkTfkrPAf4JpU4H8NmUZonmpxm81W46fF_yq0d-51tF11q1jtTY7OTn3a83PuMoao6R82zqpsVoB5XTZQHGg2r5FSSkb45pspozb0JilIGruDL03ZqPRC4O8526uxPCBWH8y00KklRXyrQbVPAs4mapI5auIyha7VKNaiHSktNh-WqYsoaX=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo by Sarah Arista on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Well, I was gone longer than I expected. I don't know what happened there.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Anyway, here's something new for you today. It's meant to explain the phrase "the inspired and bold" since it's what came to me when I sat down to write about these words. But I have no idea if it achieved what I set out to do since I "don't" write poetry. Being transparent with you all, this is my second poem I have ever wrote for creative's sake. I've written more poems than just two, but they were for school and I hated every minute working on them. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I'm just not a poetry type of girl, both with writing and reading them. I never hated poetry, it was just hard for me to enjoy them, as either I zoned out while reading them or didn't understand what was being said. Though my favourite poet is <a href="https://shadowedeverglow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Brooke Riley</a>. Her poetry has never missed for me. Thinking on it, this girl has probably inspired me with this. Her style, raw emotions, and honesty was something I aimed for when I wrote my poems because I connected so much when I was reading hers and I wanted my audience, or myself, to feel the same with mine.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Enough introduction, I'll let you be the judge.</p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><b>part I</b></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">It isn't
easy to create.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"> It
isn't easy to put your voice out there. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">It's easy
to listen to fear,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Or harsh
criticism from others.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">It's easy
to not write what you need to write.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">To be
caught up with what is safe.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">To fall
into a trap of perfectionism.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">It's easy
to feel like your words don't matter,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"> or
have no meaning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">It's easy
to be caught up with the noise in your head,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">that little
voice that likes to believe every lie.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><b>part II</b></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">I've been
there,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">so stuck in
my own head's critical thoughts<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">that it
didn't matter how <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">supportive<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"> kind <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">and
accepting <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">people were
of my words.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">That
doesn't mean there hasn't been good days.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Where I was
proud of what I had written, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Where I was
confident in my words,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Where I
didn't listen to the world's judgement<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">or the fear
whispering in the back of my mind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">But that
wasn't most days.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Most days I
was just surviving.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't
create,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">even though my
soul longed for it.<o:p></o:p></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><b>part III</b></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Things have changed now.</p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">I remembered why I had fallen in love with words.</p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Why writing is so significant to me,</p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">why reading is more than just a book for enjoyment,</p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">why blogging is such a passion,</p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">why creating is a balm for my soul. </p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Because they inspired me</p><p style="text-align: center;">influenced me</p><p style="text-align: center;">encouraged me</p><p style="text-align: center;">guided me forward,</p><p style="text-align: center;">to be bold and face the world with all its hardships.</p><p style="text-align: center;">To be called into action against anything that doesn't belong</p><p style="text-align: center;">in a good world.</p><p style="text-align: center;">To fight every injustice and bring awareness,</p><p style="text-align: center;">To stand for my beliefs</p><p style="text-align: center;">even if no one agrees with it.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Someone out there needs to hear them.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Maybe that someone is me, </p><p style="text-align: center;">but if that means one more person is better</p><p style="text-align: center;">stronger</p><p style="text-align: center;">healthier</p><p style="text-align: center;">than they were before,</p><p style="text-align: center;">then I've done something right.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>part IV</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Stories burn inside</p><p style="text-align: center;">because so many voices are left unheard.</p><p style="text-align: center;">So many are lost underneath the waves,</p><p style="text-align: center;">hoping against hope that someone will reach </p><p style="text-align: center;">down</p><p style="text-align: center;">and help them.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> They are drowning,</p><p style="text-align: center;">Never being able to lift their heads above the water.</p><p style="text-align: center;">They are floating in an ocean,</p><p style="text-align: center;">not knowing where they are going</p><p style="text-align: center;">as they get pushed by the currents</p><p style="text-align: center;">and pressured by the loud voices.</p><p style="text-align: center;">But we all have a gift given to us</p><p style="text-align: center;">and we can use it,</p><p style="text-align: center;">to bring a little more peace</p><p style="text-align: center;">a little more love</p><p style="text-align: center;">a little more justice.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>part V</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">You can be bold despite it all.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Staying inspired no matter what</p><p style="text-align: center;">will impact someone</p><p style="text-align: center;">will impact you.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Words are meaningful and will always be.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Words are weapons, </p><p style="text-align: center;">are tools.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Anyone can use words, </p><p style="text-align: center;">for good, for evil.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> If that's true, you can too</p><p style="text-align: center;">You can choose to make the world a different place</p><p style="text-align: center;">one word at a time.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The only voices that matter</p><p style="text-align: center;">are the ones that will lead you create.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Nothing else deserves a place in your mind</p><p style="text-align: center;">if it takes away your boldness</p><p style="text-align: center;">your inspiration.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Your creation is a gift from heaven.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Fun fact about this poem was that I was inspired halfway through to separate it into several different parts. It felt suddenly very fitting for the style of poem I was creating. Especially when I saw that I was switching between you/your, I/me and (when I already made the decision to do the parts) they/us. I saw this style from a poem called <a href="https://whenthroughthewoods.wordpress.com/2021/07/25/goodbyes/" target="_blank">Goodbyes</a> by <a href="https://mayajt.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Maya Joelle</a>, which is how my mind thought of doing this in the first place and is the main inspiration for that aspect of this poem.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I hope you enjoyed it.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Did you like the poem? Was there any part that stood out to you? What was your favourite line? Do you have any constructive criticism to help me improve my poetry in the future? </b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-31261234545846527432021-09-14T11:43:00.004+10:002022-08-29T09:20:33.483+10:00Favourite Books - The Queen's Rising Duology<p>It's been about a year since I wrote one of these book reviews. Lately I have been really craving to talk about the books I loved. As a bookworm, I could talk about books forever. But I don't do it as often as I would liked, mainly because I have a hard time gathering my thoughts or bad memory. Or both. So this book review might not be as thorough as it could be, but hopefully it will tell what it needs to say.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNotoPNk7HkOZLsjqaxl32NSCeq5aGJm9_Ti5-WYuqymTJ4Atn9o-Rlfxdq82LiQ1X0GD8yAI-2k94JZPIjF_UXRJIrT0Mt0WNE5tSlVqTAuQtwuqedWOq_gQXVw2N6NK8JpIwwdwfrw/s2048/oswaldo-ibanez-vfB0lW3sFwo-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNotoPNk7HkOZLsjqaxl32NSCeq5aGJm9_Ti5-WYuqymTJ4Atn9o-Rlfxdq82LiQ1X0GD8yAI-2k94JZPIjF_UXRJIrT0Mt0WNE5tSlVqTAuQtwuqedWOq_gQXVw2N6NK8JpIwwdwfrw/w426-h640/oswaldo-ibanez-vfB0lW3sFwo-unsplash.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Photo by Oswaldo Ibรกรฑez on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEUnTkoFlOJv-09QByDCCP31TY-bMoNn2xXzfWHz2VH5L7rU-FWrq7lFsKRmC1f5C_XqyCRRpNAYrwxLYzUD9jWBHbZHWe1LOvQ_Axqcv3hpvNxjOvFIXR37Onz3cKSZ5XXF8JDdlXqV65n29tEyVAHt64eoSj2XQZA6_GC-10HZoK9f5CeGEBoybr0g=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEUnTkoFlOJv-09QByDCCP31TY-bMoNn2xXzfWHz2VH5L7rU-FWrq7lFsKRmC1f5C_XqyCRRpNAYrwxLYzUD9jWBHbZHWe1LOvQ_Axqcv3hpvNxjOvFIXR37Onz3cKSZ5XXF8JDdlXqV65n29tEyVAHt64eoSj2XQZA6_GC-10HZoK9f5CeGEBoybr0g=s320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBVirE2qtvN2ooiKzTz5qHZpvWgqOchm-LGzsXPk0fIEWAbaeT4Yb7H7CIo753hBEiJS0R45YuToU8XYcWbiw19r63teFjdVedC_1X1-YA2i9hQ1bMrzixy0JkUTZBBhV75sFxWvhSE7Arovpi76d5haWWeJ8WiJeIqGq1RZkSU3omMwFPhfrTmDdEww=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBVirE2qtvN2ooiKzTz5qHZpvWgqOchm-LGzsXPk0fIEWAbaeT4Yb7H7CIo753hBEiJS0R45YuToU8XYcWbiw19r63teFjdVedC_1X1-YA2i9hQ1bMrzixy0JkUTZBBhV75sFxWvhSE7Arovpi76d5haWWeJ8WiJeIqGq1RZkSU3omMwFPhfrTmDdEww=s320" width="212" /></a></div><p>Today, I will be reviewing <i>The Queen's Rising</i> and <i>The Queen's Resistance</i> by Rebecca Ross. If I remember correctly, <i>The Queen's Rising</i> was originally planned as a standalone. And I'm so glad it became a duology.</p><p>But first, before we get into my detailed thoughts, here's book one's blurb:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Born out of wedlock, Brienna is cast off by her noble family and sent to Magnolia House - a boarding house for those looking to study the passions: art, music, dramatics, wit and knowledge. Brienna must discover her passion and train hard to perfect her skill, in the hope that she will one day graduate and be chosen by a wealthy patron, looking to support one of the 'impassioned'. As Brienna gets closer to the eve of her graduation, she also grows closer to her smart (and handsome) tutor, Cartier. He can sense that she is hiding a secret, Brienna chooses not to reveal that she is experiencing memories of her ancestors - memories uncovering the mysteries of the past that may have dangerous consequences in the present. A daring plot is brewing - to overthrow the usurper king and restore the rightful monarchy - and Bienna's memories hold the key to its success. Cartier desperately wants to help Brienna, but she must chose her friends wisely, keep her enemies close and trust no one if she is to save herself and her people.</i></p><p><b>Book 1 rating:</b> ๐๐๐๐ </p><p><b>Book 2 rating: </b>๐๐๐๐๐</p><p><b>Content: </b>mild violence (book 2 has a mild torture scene)</p><p><b>Genre: </b>fantasy</p><p><b>Why I love this series:</b></p><p>It's hard to pin point what made me fall in love with this series. I enjoyed but didn't love book 1. I liked it enough to pick up book 2 after all. I enjoyed the world. The education system - studying the passions as they are called - showed in the the beginning part of the book was fascinating to explore. And it was only deepened when Brienna found a connection to the other country next to the one she was living in (sorry I don't remember the names ๐ ). I love the worldbuilding in that country the best. It felt distinct if not unique. And I loved how it focused on character relationships and interactions rather than action. Because of this, the pacing of the story was slower and more casual, not afraid to let you immerse yourself in the world and learn something about each and every character on page. It focuses more on the intrigue, the mystery surrounding Brienna and how that is intertwined with everything important in the plot. But despite all those things, I came away from the story dissatisfied. While I know the romance was definitely a big factor why I didn't love it (more on it later), the main reason why I didn't was that I felt disconnected with the characters. It wasn't because they weren't written well, they were fully developed and not lacking in humanness at all, I just didn't care that much for them? The romance might have affected it a bit but it would only ruin the main characters for me and not the side characters. Yet I didn't care for them either. I'm not sure why, but nonetheless it stopped me from just completely loving this story. I need to care for the characters or the story is meaningless to me (I have real solid evidence that this is true for me 99% of the time). So overall not a waste of my time, but nothing special.</p><p><b>*enter <i>The Queen's Resistance</i>* </b>I was in love on page 1. I have such a clear memory of just loving <i>every single second</i> of this book. I was instantly attached to <i>everyone</i>. Honestly, I was quite surprised how much I love this sequel. Yes, the writing was improved. The world was expanded perfectly by showing more traditions and culture. There was more emotional scenes and tension. Everything was done better, but really only by a little bit. It didn't feel much different from the previous book, rather using it as the foundation to build off into new areas. I know without everything book 1 had, it would not be the book it is today. It's the same with the characters. They weren't different from the last book. Again, like I can't explain why I didn't love the characters in <i>The Queen's Rising</i>, I can't explain why I loved these characters in this one. I know why at the end but that is spoilers and it doesn't explain why I was so hooked from the very beginning. None of them had taken the journey yet that had so decidedly confirmed to me more and more that these characters and their stories were something that I will treasure forever. I cried while reading this book, and I knew from the moment tears fell, that this story had hit me hard. I don't cry easily with fiction, as I have mentioned before, so if a piece of fiction can make my cry I know it's <i>good</i>.</p><p>So this world has both slowly and quickly stolen my heart. I think it was amount of the time I spend with these characters convinced me that they were worth loving and cheering on for. And I was not disappointed. My favourite scene in book 2 was the most horrible and emotional one, which sounds weird but it showed me so clearly how much the protagonist was real to me. It hurt me as much as it hurt her, but seeing her overcoming that scar was so meaningful to me.</p><p>While on the topic of Brienna, she's my favourite character and so need some attention. She goes through so much and yet is stronger because of it. I admire her strength a lot, how she doesn't let certain thing define who she is. Her strength too is more quiet than bold, like generally she doesn't focuses on her physical ability to fight through her situations, rather on her knowledge, inner courage and her sense of justice to do her goals and pursue her dreams. And I relate so hard to her because I'm the same. It's encouraging to see that a more feminine woman can fight for better things in a less traditional way. I also love how she isn't the most important character in the story. She isn't the heir to the crown. In a different story, she could have easily been that side character who would have created an interesting subplot alongside the main plot. The story could have still worked this way, but it wouldn't as good as it is with her being the protagonist. It subverts expectations this way, and I'm all for a different perspective. </p><p>I don't think I can properly express how important this series became to me. There's no words really. Part of it is because it's been a while since I read them, but another part is that the most hard-hitting and meaningful scenes in <i>The Queen's Resistance </i>are the ones that must not be spoiled. The lessons and growth the characters gained from them are forever in mind.</p><p>Also Cartier having a POV in book 2 was the best addition to this story. It added so much more depth. Depth to the conflict, depth to his character and backstory, depth to the culture and world, depth as the love interest to Brienna. His POV is one of the many reasons why I loved <i>The Queen's Resistance</i> more than <i>The Queen's Rising.</i> He just didn't feel quite real as a person in the first book. He was just a character playing his role designed to him in the plot it felt like. I can safely say not one moment was he lacking of his human representation.</p><p>I don't think <i>The Queen's Rising </i>ever lacked what book 2 had now with hindsight. I just didn't see it. I definitely believe rereading it will give me a whole new experience and a deeper appreciation for it. I don't think it will be better than <i>The Queen's Resistance</i>, but most books I know of can't either so.</p><p><b>Pet peeves:</b></p><p><i>Disclaimer: this is a section which won't always be here. Most of the time I don't have big enough or any issues to talk about. It's called pet peeves because I thought it would be the best way to show that these are personal preferences and not something bad to do with the story or major flaws with characters, plots, worldbuilding or style. Generally if a story I find has those things I don't like them and won't ever review them here (if they are 3 stars I might review them on Goodreads). Also note that personal preferences do affect the rating and the overall enjoyment. And be aware that spoilers will likely be present here. Don't worry, I will warn you before I talk about them if they do show up.</i></p><p>As you've noticed above, <i>The Queen's Rising</i> and <i>The Queen's Resistance </i>have a different rating. So far when I have rated book series, they have the same rating. But <i>The Queen's Rising</i> has one major problem for me. (I will be going into <b>*SPOILERS*</b> here so you have been warned.) And that is how the romance is <i>between a teacher and a student.</i></p><p>Technically, the romance was unofficial and not fully realised when they were a teacher and a student, the romance properly happened when they weren't, but it is undeniable that it started, <i>blossomed</i>, during that time. Even though the characters did not acted on it, they still had <i>strong</i> feelings for each other. It's very clear that their foundation of their romance started when they were a teacher and student to each other and not afterwards. Which is why I personally found it a little inappropriate even despite that they technically didn't have a relationship while they were a teacher and a student.</p><p>Also it bothers me how young this dude was as a teacher. Why is someone so young teaching young girls?! Isn't that like asking for an inappropriate relationship to happen? Honestly, at first I thought he was older than he actually is because he's a flipping teacher and his first appearance did not at all capture the feeling that he was really young. Of course he was young in a child's view. #lowkeyhatethis.</p><p>But book 2 mostly redeemed this relationship for me... by making me forget, except for a moment or two, that he was a teacher to her at all. Which honestly didn't technically redeemed it at all. But I adore them as a couple and I find them so cute together (I have been <i>so</i> brainwashed by the sweet romance in this book not going to lie). I just erased from my mind that they were a teacher and a student once and then I'm a very happy romantic. ๐ #headcanon</p><p>Overall, this is a light fantasy that will take you on an emotional and immersive journey through both a familiar and unfamiliar world. This is a story that uses tried-and-true elements of fantastical storytelling while simultaneously adding something new to the table. </p><p><b>Have you read a sequel that was better than the first book? Has a sequel changed your opinion about the first in a good or bad way? Have you read or heard of this duology? </b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-10424161786174759932021-09-11T06:00:00.231+10:002022-08-31T21:03:48.534+10:00Blog Tour: Rumors, Reunions and Revenge Book Highlight<p>Just in case you forgot about this new release, I'm here talking about it again, putting it in the spotlight for just a brief moment.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAu9Ys6dta18I60X79TRyH-DM3IOA7bR5wZPu3KOm1gPU_RVrQ12R9TlAbTLMyS_M3UdBRW5H7eEGXXL4BXTsFHM5yNS-VywvH8MILxAf07z6Emh564Y75y8qaJdgCpXWXMB1eQQc7h4Q/s2048/zoltan-tasi-HTpAIzZRHvw-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="2048" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAu9Ys6dta18I60X79TRyH-DM3IOA7bR5wZPu3KOm1gPU_RVrQ12R9TlAbTLMyS_M3UdBRW5H7eEGXXL4BXTsFHM5yNS-VywvH8MILxAf07z6Emh564Y75y8qaJdgCpXWXMB1eQQc7h4Q/w640-h448/zoltan-tasi-HTpAIzZRHvw-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Photo by Zoltan Tasi on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>I've been intrigued by <i>The Pirate Hunter Chronicles</i> since around the time the first book released. And it keeps on getting better each time a new book is added to the series. Which is why I'm happy to help bring attention to it when I can, especially as I can't buy and read the books yet (it's high on my TBR so hopefully soon).</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPryhyphenhyphen3xLQYt7xgw8Pv5wM0zFbvYF9smWoS7K_kYzDcpIBN0N-_0lx53YskRkl0b5x2toRoPeWAGGV_10ZxCixaLc8gmu98buPvrC768mNH0DaZZInK_0rhf-IN1QgBUHX1zYQjJWzP0I/s2048/Rumors%252C+Reunions%252C+and+Revenge+ebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1346" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPryhyphenhyphen3xLQYt7xgw8Pv5wM0zFbvYF9smWoS7K_kYzDcpIBN0N-_0lx53YskRkl0b5x2toRoPeWAGGV_10ZxCixaLc8gmu98buPvrC768mNH0DaZZInK_0rhf-IN1QgBUHX1zYQjJWzP0I/w263-h400/Rumors%252C+Reunions%252C+and+Revenge+ebook.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>A Wealthy duke from a mysterious island.</i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Rumors of the dead walking.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>And siren songs of immortality.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>A year has passed, and another Scaera Dumeda is about to begin. Captain Adi and and the rest of the pirate hunter crew are escorting the Belfarren nobles when they come across a fleet claiming to belong to the Pirate Nation, led by the last person she ever expected to see again. Perhaps it's not as easy to leave her past behind as she thought.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>As Ravin settles into his new life he begins to consider the del Mankayl clan and others in his family who might want to run away as he did. But when an opportunity comes to rescue a relative, is he truly making a difference or is he only putting his loved ones in danger by bringing a violent assassin on board?</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Giveaway</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">There's a giveaway going on! Here's the details:</p><p style="text-align: center;">There will be a giveaway that ends on Saturday, September 11. It includes,</p><p style="text-align: center;">- Signed copies of <i>The Pirates Hunter Chronicles </i>books 1-3 and all coordinating swag packs</p><p style="text-align: center;">- A bag of looseleaf tea</p><p style="text-align: center;">- A kraken mug</p><p style="text-align: center;">- A kraken teaball</p><p style="text-align: center;">People can enter by signing up to receive the Order of the Pen Press newsletter (anyone who is already signed up is automatically entered). Additionally, anyone who enters the reel competition on Instagram will get an extra entry. Everyone who helps out during the blog tour gets an additional entry.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Links</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Sign up for the <a href="https://www.orderofthepenpress.com/newsletter" target="_blank">Order of the Pen Press newsletter</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Buy a signed paperback off their website: <a href="https://www.orderofthepenpress.com/product/rumors-reunions-and-revenge-signed-paperback-/9?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false" target="_blank">https://www.orderofthepenpress.com/product/rumors-reunions-and-revenge-signed-paperback-/9?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Buy the ebook from Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rumors-Reunions-Revenge-Pirate-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B09BBHLJ73/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=rumors+reunions+and+revenge&qid=1628008645&sr=8-1" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Rumors-Reunions-Revenge-Pirate-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B09BBHLJ73/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=rumors+reunions+and+revenge&qid=1628008645&sr=8-1</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58693985-rumors-reunions-and-revenge" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Add to <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1ef88aee-9b6d-4f67-b436-605ac1f4fdb7" target="_blank">Storygraph</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Also don't forgot to check out the rest of the blog tour! ๐</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgQjnbuWLvkVgsuH244Fz9S1ltJDEeJVQfiT1oQ-2om6iUgpMaQydc8w_-DxWGL73vIZqtyrMba_DMdwUxjjEqP2ROaO3dc2Fo7oiuw6RJ_a-wwWk_AplFQElXO0AxbQoH85epYmlQ1k/s1080/Ships%252C+Secrets%252C+and+Surivors+Bookstagram+Challenge+%25285%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgQjnbuWLvkVgsuH244Fz9S1ltJDEeJVQfiT1oQ-2om6iUgpMaQydc8w_-DxWGL73vIZqtyrMba_DMdwUxjjEqP2ROaO3dc2Fo7oiuw6RJ_a-wwWk_AplFQElXO0AxbQoH85epYmlQ1k/w400-h400/Ships%252C+Secrets%252C+and+Surivors+Bookstagram+Challenge+%25285%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">September 7 - Movie Critic (<a href="https://moviesmeetmatch.blogspot.com/2021/09/author-interview-with-sarah-rodecker.html" target="_blank">Author/Character Interview</a>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm missing one. The name is familiar, but I'm not sure if I have just seen it or have it in my endless bookmarks. *shrugs* </div><div style="text-align: center;">September 9 - Skye (<a href="https://inkcalamities.blogspot.com/2021/09/rumors-reunions-and-revenge-review.html" target="_blank">Book Review</a>)</div><p style="text-align: left;">For now,</p><p style="text-align: left;">Farewell, Virtual Paper Adventurers!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Are you interested to read this series? Are you joining in the giveaway? Also if you have read the previous blog posts in this tour and you see I haven't added the links, please drop the links below!</b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-71362749169381846132021-08-25T21:06:00.007+10:002023-02-27T15:56:05.431+11:00Bookish Pet Peeve: 100 Years Old Love Interest<p><i>{Updated version} </i>6/10/22</p><p><i>{Second updated version}</i> 27/02/23</p><p>So while I like to not have tags over my head, it can get mundane or even overwhelming. I imagine you guys can get sick of tags too. I'm really trying to be intentional about what I post is something I love and enjoy doing because it's self-care to do what you love and not what you feel obligated to do for your audience and stuff. It's especially important when your mental state crashes on you. </p><p>Which is me right now. Or was. I feel a lot better now than I was months ago. So that's something. Honestly, because I'm feeling better I am writing this post. I don't know if it is just me, but I can tell looking over my recent posts that, even though I have been consistently posting, it looks like a struggle. I just had no energy or time to do those posts my soul is burning to do. But that's okay. Even though I have been mostly writing posts for blog tours and cover reveals, those posts helped me to keep going. They have been honestly a blessing to me, keeping me active when I could have just easily disappeared off the face of the earth for a while. It also gave me something to create which is deeply helpful for my mental health.</p><p>I'm just so thankful for this community I am surrounded by for giving these opportunities to me. You mean more to me than you know. And for those who have keep up with my blog through this time despite it being a little fish in this ocean of blogs, thank you so much. ๐</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; text-align: start; white-space: nowrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1V2AtVlG3e_ijrjbb7s3ve6w3zsyHw97mbGUm5y1VL9qCT7ts9S7AdLfwp4pTT5KGdU7F7WsqIXXe0SjkqKFSAx2uLdUasO6oe_Geosgjuq_oe1PLORGTqX9d8kjUc28lal9zGKlup4dX585Xaq8KT5Y4fbUqWNA9E9NU3GJ5zfDoZocIkb51rRgxiA=s5472" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1V2AtVlG3e_ijrjbb7s3ve6w3zsyHw97mbGUm5y1VL9qCT7ts9S7AdLfwp4pTT5KGdU7F7WsqIXXe0SjkqKFSAx2uLdUasO6oe_Geosgjuq_oe1PLORGTqX9d8kjUc28lal9zGKlup4dX585Xaq8KT5Y4fbUqWNA9E9NU3GJ5zfDoZocIkb51rRgxiA=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Jonathan Borba on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>Anyway, today, I want to talk about the topic that has been bugging me since I have started reading YA fiction. This is going to be designed like a discussion post, with several different sections.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>In depth why I don't like it</li><li>Why it could be harmful</li><li>How the target audience makes it more harmful</li><li>When it can be okay to use </li></ul><p></p><p>Also disclaimer: I am not judging people for enjoying this thing. Since it seems common, I know people love it. But I personally think it's a problematic element that I can't tolerant much and ruins my desire for the characters to be together (which is a problem as a reader). But it doesn't mean I will hate the book for it or it will stop me from reading the book, it just removes most, if not all, of the enjoyment for the romance. Again, this is a discussion post, and purely based on personal preferences and beliefs. If you don't feel the same, that's great! All I ask of you is that you will at least consider my points. Also I would love it if you could explain in the comments why you don't think it is problematic because I love to hear different opinions on these topics. ๐</p><p><b>In depth why I don't like it</b></p><p>First off, let's set the scene. So we have a teenager girl (most examples I know of are girls), about 16 or 17, and she meets a teenager boy. But the boy isn't a normal boy. He's an immortal and has lived at least 100 years. He only looks like her age because, well, he's an immortal. And the two fall in love and live happily ever after after major events tearing them apart.</p><p>Sounds okay, right? Just a beautiful fantastical romance, right? But it feels icky to me when in the real world my country takes minors and adults romantic relationships seriously. Mostly when it goes wrong, but also when it just isn't appropriate. Yes, fiction doesn't need or have to reflect real world, especially genres like fantasy. But I personally believe there should be a line drawn where reality should shown at all times. And when it comes to this, I don't see reality shown at all. And that's a huge problem.</p><p>You're telling me it's normal to see teenager girls fell in love with a guy who actually is the age of her great-grandfather and has the knowledge and experience of one too, and no one has an issue with that??? It isn't automatically creepy that this very adult man is looking like a teenager and hanging out with teenagers??? His love internet is literally a child compared to him in every way!!! I just can't. This disturbs me. Seriously.</p><p>*deep breaths* And it is so romanticized with no serious conversations about it or consequences. It always seems to be treated as super romantic and awesome thing. It bothers me how normal how everyone (I mean the characters) treats this. When it's abnormal and should be treated as weird or even, just a little bit, concerning? Why is it so easily accepted? Why it is only a passing thought or two? WHY ARE THEY FLIPPING JOKING ABOUT IT AND NEVER SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING IT??? </p><p>Okay *coughs* I just summed it all up for you. I'm pretty sure you can see why this bothers me so much. But I will have a more calm bullet point list below so it's easier to see all of the reasons why I hate it. (Cause let's be honest, my rant above isn't that clear with the reasons ๐ ).</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It isn't realistic enough</li><li>Minor falling in love with a 100 hundred year old dude</li><li>Immortal guy's appearance is like a minor's, and he hangs out with minors</li><li>No one cares about the age gap, especially the couple</li><li>No cares about the knowledge and experience gap</li><li>The whole thing is technically creepy and gross, plus illegal if the setting is modern</li><li>It is overly romanticized</li><li>Has zero consequences</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Why it could be harmful</b></p><p>It may sound silly to mention that fiction has such influence on people that it can be harmful. It's just a book, right? People know it's not real or to take it seriously. But the thing is, books are powerful. Words are powerful. And I hear all the time how people are hurt or frustrated or mad about certain elements or portrayals found in books. You all know them. When people legitimately complain about something and ask for authors to do better, it is actually something harmful and it needs to be changed as much as possible.</p><p>Now I know mine is more a preference than anything. I have never heard anyone complaining about it. Joking about it, yes, and even mocking it sometimes. But never in a way "this is terrible, why this is common in YA fiction". As far as I know, I'm the only one. I know people who agree with me, because I complained about it with them once or twice (maybe more), but they don't count. I wouldn't have known they disliked it as well if I didn't rant about it. So yeah I feel alone in this, but I bet I'm not.</p><p>But the point I am making here is that, "is it harmful enough when it's a preference, a pet peeve?" It's not an universal fact that it's terrible or I'm sure there will be less of them. Like much less. So is there any point to saying it's harmful when it isn't a big deal to everyone else?</p><p>My answer is yes, there is a point. Just because most people are fine with it doesn't mean it doesn't have a negative impact on the audience. Even small. It counts. And from what I mentioned in the last section, I think I have good reasons for saying it's harmful.</p><p>It is harmful because of the very reasons why I hate it, so I'll try to not repeat myself here. But it's also a huge missed opportunity. Why? Because it can be an example of healthy and unhealthy relationships. I mean if it has to be a thing, I think it could be a starting point for discussion about relationships. It has so much possibility to go really deep into this topic if the authors wanted it to. (As I said, it bugs me how little people really think about it. It shouldn't be some normal romance. But I said this already so I'll stop ๐). </p><p>I realise saying it is harmful because the reasons I hate it is vague (I'm very rambling at the moment so bear with me), like how does these reasons make an impact on real people's lives? </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;">Well, for one, I think it is unintentionally promoting inappropriate relationships. There's just some relationships that some people just shouldn't do or that have many consequences. At least stories should have warnings for this sort thing, but because it is unintentional, it leaves these facts out of the picture.</li><li style="text-align: left;">And as I said, it shows unrealistic relationships issues or situations. It should be more forbidden or more secretive. It says it's perfectly okay and that are no consequences. There should be more conflict surrounding the age, knowledge and experience gap, even with just the younger love interest (considering in the fact that possibly in some cases only the love interest knows they are an immortal). Maybe some actually shows it is forbidden or it has some consequences or there is internal conflict surrounding it, but they still end up together perfectly and everything is fine. To me, it paints false expectations that this sort of relationship will have. I think it would be a lot more messy and that's a problem for me personally. Though I do get that many stories have everything wrap up nicely in a bow, which is fine. I get that. But still, it doesn't really excuse it. </li><li style="text-align: left;">The last thing would be that it never teaches the audience that this relationship has a problem. It says to the readers that it's a perfectly normal romance and you should just ship them. It's so easy to brush over the genuine weirdness about it. Which I think is the worst part about it for me. How easy that this issue is toss aside and ignored. If it was one or two books, I wouldn't care. But it's not. It has crossed the line to being a common trope. </li></ol><p><b>How the target audience makes it more harmful</b></p><p>Another thing is this fiction is for TEENAGERS. Knowing myself as a teenager and from observing others, I know how greatly teenagers can be influenced by the media. To be honest, I have no idea how much influence I have from the media I consumed but I know it's much more than I think. It's so easy to be caught up by other people's ideas and opinions, both the good and bad, and one of the best ways to gather this sort of stuff is through books and films. Not everyone is a bookworm but the ones who are likely introverts who don't have much of a social life (because they are introverts). Also teenagers are super insecure (I am still insecure) and are easily affected by what the world tells them, whether through social media, films, books, etc. Books and films indirectly, or even directly with certain things, teach them how to feel, think and act relating to relationships. Not to mention how many of them experience the heartbreak and struggles and all the rest that makes up relationships at such a young age. And generally not in the best safe and healthy way.</p><p>Considering all that, as well as the fact, from my own personal experience, that I do genuinely use books and movies to better understand the world as it is one of the most accessible ways for me, it's even more harmful. Plus when I read I hope to learn something new about me or others. While I have a solid belief foundation, not a lot of young people do and can pick up the wrong things, whether it is intentional from the author or not. And honestly, something that can be unintentionally harmful is more harmful than something that is meant to be harmful.</p><p>Also I believe that YA fiction should be promoting safe and healthy relationships as much as possible because of their target audience. No other audience, in my opinion, needs guidance on relationships than teenagers do. They need the stories that they look up to show a good picture of what a solid relationship is like, whether they are conscious of this or not. I genuinely believe that YA should have the highest standards for relationships and should be careful how they represent them. Considering how confusing and messy a teenager life is just on the individual level alone. Just imagine (I have to imagine because I have been single for my whole life as of right now) how bewildering is it with a relationship on top of it all. </p><p><b>When it can be okay to use</b></p><p>So when is ever okay? Well, I have been thinking about this for a while now. I get that the concept of someone falling in love with an immortal is appealing. My solution that is less creepy, weird and gross, is that just simply making the teenager lover into an adult. Even an 18 year old is better than an 17 year old. And, no, it doesn't count if the teenager turns 18 during their relationship. (Disclaimer: I am not saying that age is truly any better because as someone pointed out 18 year olds are still in high school, and it's really creepy with that in mind. Also I have never been personally comfortable with the love interest being that age. My point in using that age was just to show the minimal adult age. The law won't protect 18 year olds as much as they do 17 years old and under. BUT, is it morally right for an immortal to date an 18 year old who is still in school and lives with older adults under their authority? I'll let you answer that question for yourself.) Plus knowing YA like I do in the mainstream, no one waits for romance. They just jump right in. So the argument that they were both adults when they officially have their happily ever after is pointless. I bet they <i>at least </i>were swooning over each other in their thoughts if not physically by the time the younger gets older. You can't convince me it counts. </p><p>But anyway, I don't see why one of them has to be a teenager other than because of the target audience and I've already covered that teenagers shouldn't reading about someone their age falling in love with ancient dude who-just-happens-to-look-like-their-age-too. It literally makes no different if you just tweak the age a bit and get rid of the high school and them living with their parents, etc. You can still get the same romance as before.</p><p>I think the older the love interest is with the immortal the better. Now I'm not saying that they have to be a super old person. In real life there are couples who are decades apart. You just need to keep in mind that an immortal has a wider age gap than normal people. And because of that you need to think about the sort of experience and knowledge that their younger love interest might not have yet or ever. Also why the immortals easily adapt and hold the same beliefs as those born and living in the modern times (by modern I mean the present time that the story is set in). Thinking about it, it's quite odd that immortals are so good at pretending that they are younger than they are, even when they aren't lying about their age and have let down their guard. I have never heard of even the wisest old person understanding young people so well that they think and behave like them perfectly, and aligning with every single belief. It's normal for older generations to have different opinions about certain things than the younger ones, because humans change all the time. Not everything can or will remain the same. </p><p>Here is a list of things that I think can help make this trope even better, particularly for the YA audience, since it's quite popular there. Of course, it's preferable if this trope is only used in NA and adult stories, and I would recommend that everyone wouldn't write this trope into YA books, but there are exceptions, if done right, I have to admit. So with that in mind, while I'm not endorsing that is okay for YA to have this trope, I am saying that if this trope was done in certain ways it would be more suitable for it to be there. I hope all of this makes sense. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> The love is unrequited, either by the young love interest or the immortal</li><li> They decide to keep their relationship as a friendship, because it's too complicated for a romance</li><li> It is a toxic relationship, where the young love interest has to learn how to free themselves and walk away from the immortal, especially when they still love them</li><li>The young "love interest" loses attraction for the immortal when they find out their age, or the immortal is weirded out when they notice the young "love interest" has a crush on them</li><li>Both move on without each other, don't pursue a relationship with each other at all, and/or find new love interests who are closer to their ages</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p>While on this topic, I actually have two stories, one book and one film, which I actually enjoyed and I thought used this trope the way I can accept. I still don't like this trope but I can see when it is done well. They also don't reach their full potential with using this trope but I must admit I have a little bit of high standards in this area (for good reasons).</p><p>The first one is <i>Shadow and Bone </i>by Leigh Bardugo. <b>*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE BOOK.* YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.* </b>As those who have read this book or series know, The Darkling is that immortal who looks like a young man (I am not sure if he's meant to be a teenager or twenty-something year old). Alina, the protagonist, falls for him (of course) but <b>*plot twist*</b> he's the villain and so she ends up not with him. To be honest, I was shocked this happened this way but it was good shock, and to this day it is one of my favourite things about this book. It actually showed that maybe being with an immortal is toxic!? YES. THANK YOU.</p><p><b>*END SPOILER*</b></p><p>The next one is one of Disney's most recent live actions. Since it is a new film, I know it is most likely for people to not know this so I would highly suggested if you haven't watch it to not read this and skip to the end. I don't even want to reveal which film is because even knowing it has this trope will likely help you figure it out. And it's a good plot twist. I wasn't shocked or anything but it was still good so I really don't want to spoil this for you guys. </p><p><b>*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*</b></p><p><i>Jungle Cruise</i> is the best I know of that uses this trope exactly like how YA fiction does. Except it has adult characters (which automatically makes this better in my opinion) and it's hardly weird. Well, it's still odd, because Frank is like hundreds years old (I forgot the exact number) but Lily is like in her thirties at least if I'm guessing her age. So really it's a perfect portrayal for this trope. I still not 100% comfortable but as I said, I have high standards.</p><p><b>*END SPOILER*</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>So yeah, this is the end of this discussion! Let me if I wasn't clear on something or I missed a point. I would love to chat it out in the comments!</p><p>For now,</p><p>Farewell, Virtual Paper Adventurers!</p><p><b>Does this trope bother you? Do you love this trope or are neutral about it? Do you agree or disagree with my points?</b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-57629773813087145322021-08-12T10:31:00.003+10:002021-12-18T09:32:41.652+11:00Rumors, Reunions, and Revenge Cover Reveal<p>Since I revealed the cover for the second book a few months ago I figured why not the third one? I know I haven't read any of them yet but they are high on my TBR. Good enough for me to jump on this train and get excited about the covers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYftLdxd8snfp1iJBVZ77EvtTIl3YmHOfVGdEOgt6IC_g-_GlktpBMf8mWpV6U_szI9kECDSRZQvaNi5-QwAUxDjQraAxPH1HFwc4gmPPXS6bT4usNf2siVW0nVeAbNVAwsQkygOR-js4-STavrl53r1jxZkJhxwjVCK6xBDktPDn5Iw4P-6whIW9g3g=s5425" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5425" data-original-width="3617" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYftLdxd8snfp1iJBVZ77EvtTIl3YmHOfVGdEOgt6IC_g-_GlktpBMf8mWpV6U_szI9kECDSRZQvaNi5-QwAUxDjQraAxPH1HFwc4gmPPXS6bT4usNf2siVW0nVeAbNVAwsQkygOR-js4-STavrl53r1jxZkJhxwjVCK6xBDktPDn5Iw4P-6whIW9g3g=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Photo by Jakob Rosen on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">So, for those who have no idea of any details of this here book and also just for official reasons, this cover reveal is for the upcoming book <i>Rumors, Reunions, and Revenge</i>. It is book 3 in the YA Fantasy series <i>Pirate Hunter Chronicles</i>, and it is by two talented women <a href="https://www.sarahrodecker.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Rodecker</a> and <a href="http://juliandaventrymemories.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Helena George</a>. It will be releasing from their very own publishing house, The Order of the Pen Press.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Here's the blurb, as always be cautious of spoilers since this is the second sequel to the first book: </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>A wealthy duke from a mysterious island.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Rumors of the dead walking.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>And siren songs of immortality.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>A year has passed, and another Scaera Dumeda is about to begin. Captain Adi and and the rest of the pirate hunter crew are escorting the Belfarren nobles when they come across a fleet claiming to belong to the Pirate Nation, led by the last person she ever expected to see again. Perhaps it's not as easy to leave her past behind as she thought.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>As Ravin settles into his new life he begins to consider the del Mankayl clan and others in his family who might want to run away as he did. But when an opportunity comes to rescue a relative, is he truly making a difference or is he only putting his loved ones in danger by bringing a violent assassin on board?</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">So intriguing!!!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Like last time, there are preorder goodies! Check it out below:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Bookmark</li><li>Wedding Invitation Card</li><li>Kraken sticker</li><li>Tea</li><li>PDF of "<i>Monster</i> - a Pirate Hunter Short Story"</li><li>A "Let's Get Kraken" phone wallpaper</li><li>Link for an exclusive Pirate Hunter Spotify playlist</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDr92zRsPd0GKg7YwbzdFwQe1RhTB3p_X15vBfaK9avyRCfHuxEsfnqGG8PsqGyf5xQCnHPM6AW8xtocsuB6bKdA5qXGk_SnJO8uIpPnonbzKkAFDyvYe191kQc6h32Ioidr3fIqKZPA/s1080/Ships%252C+Secrets%252C+and+Surivors+Bookstagram+Challenge+%25284%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDr92zRsPd0GKg7YwbzdFwQe1RhTB3p_X15vBfaK9avyRCfHuxEsfnqGG8PsqGyf5xQCnHPM6AW8xtocsuB6bKdA5qXGk_SnJO8uIpPnonbzKkAFDyvYe191kQc6h32Ioidr3fIqKZPA/s320/Ships%252C+Secrets%252C+and+Surivors+Bookstagram+Challenge+%25284%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Some links for you:</p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">For preordering a signed paperback off their website: <a href="https://www.orderofthepenpress.com/product/rumors-reunions-and-revenge-signed-paperback-/9?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false" target="_blank">https://www.orderofthepenpress.com/product/rumors-reunions-and-revenge-signed-paperback-/9?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Preorder the ebook from Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rumors-Reunions-Revenge-Pirate-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B09BBHLJ73/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=rumors+reunions+and+revenge&qid=1628008645&sr=8-1" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Rumors-Reunions-Revenge-Pirate-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B09BBHLJ73/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=rumors+reunions+and+revenge&qid=1628008645&sr=8-1</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58693985-rumors-reunions-and-revenge" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnsJE8VjMPByG1d9o0ieLQCxf819Oh5K17TtDGAkAo3u78LA/viewform" target="_blank">Preorder Goodie Form</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">And for the cover reveal!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p 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style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UcDqWTVNijMXa3KiqdDwgtSyC2DqDWeqUUef6vVQd33wDTMEO6mJjNf6OJ7hyHqNxxmMc_ioOUt42tIvSn0eJnJqRA26A5OqlvpwDYPbcmYtZUZyOrnSezHgipIntLWivhZ-84NzlHE/s2048/Rumors%252C+Reunions%252C+and+Revenge+ebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1346" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UcDqWTVNijMXa3KiqdDwgtSyC2DqDWeqUUef6vVQd33wDTMEO6mJjNf6OJ7hyHqNxxmMc_ioOUt42tIvSn0eJnJqRA26A5OqlvpwDYPbcmYtZUZyOrnSezHgipIntLWivhZ-84NzlHE/w263-h400/Rumors%252C+Reunions%252C+and+Revenge+ebook.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Ohhhh, this is a pretty cool cover! ๐</p><p style="text-align: center;">It releases on September 7th!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>What do you guys think of the cover? Which one of the two from this series I revealed do you love the best (if you haven't seen the second book's cover, it's called <i>Sins, Sons and Siren Songs</i>)?</b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-47037913987144001762021-08-07T07:30:00.006+10:002022-08-29T11:51:20.258+10:00United We Fall Cover Reveal<p>I'm so happy and excited for this cover reveal!!!!!!!!! Because it's the sequel to my new favourite book baby, How We Rise!!! ๐๐๐ Just read it last month which is why you guys haven't heard me raving about it yet. Also I intent to wait for a complete series to write a book review on my blog so if you're just following me on my blog, well... it will be a long wait. If you have been following me on Instagram you might have seen my stories, my highlight and a post about it. Guys, I'm just obsessed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju5u3OcnqrQpKF1DhSp5ohqAhyshPYydK8ljTcMEA4Dpr2AfVFjch-EB4H1B_LrMIsXggm6vp6e1sNJjpKW3_vLWGr64XdtvAgzW_yrTdNbc1hWCRT2JwoHTzVREvoX8bZzkGxuUqoAUKczoI5ez14BxsaUEIlmq35-ok5mlsO50PdHR3yTRaZLoMJlQ=s5000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju5u3OcnqrQpKF1DhSp5ohqAhyshPYydK8ljTcMEA4Dpr2AfVFjch-EB4H1B_LrMIsXggm6vp6e1sNJjpKW3_vLWGr64XdtvAgzW_yrTdNbc1hWCRT2JwoHTzVREvoX8bZzkGxuUqoAUKczoI5ez14BxsaUEIlmq35-ok5mlsO50PdHR3yTRaZLoMJlQ=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo by Carter Baran on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Here's a quick bullet point reasons why:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>dystopian aesthetic</li><li>it genre bends</li><li>feels (so much feels, both fluffy and emotional)</li><li>multiply POVs, each one perfectly showing the characters' inner selves that it feels like you know them personally by the end </li><li>guy best friends</li><li>dark boi who you will feel empathy for (even though he's technically "evil")</li><li>side characters to die for</li><li>nothing going right or the way you want to (basically it keeps you on your toes)</li><li>feel good, cozy read while also being dark and thrilling</li><li>relatable themes </li><li>an ending that will rip out your soul</li></ul>I feel like I could go on and on, there's just so much I adore about this book, but I will refrain myself and actually get into the cover reveal now. But first, as always, here's the blurb:<div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>*MAJOR SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE AHEAD*</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>What is truth? What are lies?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>It's been two weeks since Reagan's death. Two weeks since a big blow was dealt to the resistance. Two weeks since Peter lost his best friend and perhaps his soul mate. Now, he's out for revenge on everyone responsible, starting with the biggest coward: Agent Specter.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Peter doesn't care what rules he has break to bring down those who took away the one he loved the most. When someone he never expected comes forward with information that seems too good to be true, he has to make a decision on what to do before it's too late.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ahhh, this blurb is <i>destroying me</i>. ๐ฑ I'm so torn right now. Ahhhh. *makes sad puppy noises* ๐ญ</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div 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style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvhdDr8qfxBzwIpy8UX9MrO1wgvAJJA1DlhsfI64aYY7W6NauHNRYgJlkOW9Tos4fmF7_ubLFQASGQVw1L9carJF9RoQpQyfhRkwDrpnjN2naGFsAFjmIwTQMT-4OsRlm0pXVM1aCEVU/s2048/United+We+Fall+Front+Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvhdDr8qfxBzwIpy8UX9MrO1wgvAJJA1DlhsfI64aYY7W6NauHNRYgJlkOW9Tos4fmF7_ubLFQASGQVw1L9carJF9RoQpQyfhRkwDrpnjN2naGFsAFjmIwTQMT-4OsRlm0pXVM1aCEVU/w259-h400/United+We+Fall+Front+Cover.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh my goodness, this cover you guys. Ahhh. ๐๐ฑ I want to see it in person. Like right now. I need this book.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, isn't the cover just SO gorgeous???? You all need to check this out (if you haven't read the first book, check out that one instead). 10/10 recommend. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Have you read How We Rise? Love the cover for United We Fall? </b></div><div><p></p></div></div>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-85744589182869459982021-07-30T06:00:00.330+10:002022-11-25T00:30:20.844+11:00Blog Tour: Ignite Book Review <p>I'm so excited to be reviewing this book!!! I've been waiting to spill my thoughts all about this ever since I finish this book. It just one of those books that makes you think, you know?</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9Xe_L_S6MmySMpJsh5OCRwIdY69vAkyBeG9dunLs4N8xm_O0RZRiQQOGuLQ6fh1JS3rOlfxi57Z7WOuHlg3gymyjLXjPEgHiawRDKH7dliNQ4ceJs7D-hAuirHnKfUNM4TIpBTT6kN_MK72uhsLD3O2sNO9CT9D6JTawNaCRTGgU_dmdxdYNVyTN6w/s5405/maksim-istomin-z_UtLlWuPRY-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3041" data-original-width="5405" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9Xe_L_S6MmySMpJsh5OCRwIdY69vAkyBeG9dunLs4N8xm_O0RZRiQQOGuLQ6fh1JS3rOlfxi57Z7WOuHlg3gymyjLXjPEgHiawRDKH7dliNQ4ceJs7D-hAuirHnKfUNM4TIpBTT6kN_MK72uhsLD3O2sNO9CT9D6JTawNaCRTGgU_dmdxdYNVyTN6w/w640-h360/maksim-istomin-z_UtLlWuPRY-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Maksim Istomin on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA4f_rfymZbSKNua6OVV-LRI3eRmH43t8zdNx-_xQPNossttFcCkBFCNalGBbd9MmVpSMjbXWThE1M5EDsL13klFJQeB2XmdFywGGAKE2yWbWB9QLp06aHj1Ergsk-g32CTPAL3C6wfpByhkDCkS8zXoNZlWK8MVdQDaNprf6JwT_XAvR4E-PHq3lsUw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA4f_rfymZbSKNua6OVV-LRI3eRmH43t8zdNx-_xQPNossttFcCkBFCNalGBbd9MmVpSMjbXWThE1M5EDsL13klFJQeB2XmdFywGGAKE2yWbWB9QLp06aHj1Ergsk-g32CTPAL3C6wfpByhkDCkS8zXoNZlWK8MVdQDaNprf6JwT_XAvR4E-PHq3lsUw=w250-h400" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">The blurb:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>What if superhumans weren't considered heroes?</b></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>When Scarlett Marley is attacked by an illegal super with fire powers, she doesn't get burned, but now she has a fire-like glow flickering in her eyes.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>With superpowers criminalized, she has no choice but to turn herself over to the Superhuman Containment Facility, or risk hurting everyone she loves.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Her normal life seems lost forever, until she is selected to be one of the first to receive the experimental cure to destroy her powers. In exchange, she must first complete one mission: </i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Infiltrate and capture one of the largest gangs of supers in the remains of once-great Rapid City.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>With the cure and all her future at stake, Scarlett is prepared to do whatever it takes to bring these criminals to justice so she can return to her family. But his gang and their leader, Rez, aren't what everyone says, and Scarlett begins to question everything she was ever told about the SCF and the fire flowing in her veins.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The cure is her only hope for returning her life to what it was before, but is that life worth returning to after all?</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Rating:</b> ๐๐๐๐</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Content: </b>mild violence </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Genre:</b> Superhero, science fiction, dystopian </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Why I love this book:</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">The first thing that comes to mind is that it is unique and creative with the tropes it's using. Superheroes in this story are seen in a different view from the normal I know of. The focus on elemental powers in the main characters, which considering how there are so many different powers out there and that I've only seen a mix of type of powers rather than one type of powers, it's unique for the main cast of characters and most of the side characters to have this is all I'm saying. Also, side note, the author just happened to pick the type of powers I love the most, so I LOVE that so much. ๐ And I think the plot structure was quite different to anything I've read so far. Basically, most books have the "embracing the lie" moment off page, in the character's past, usually in their childhood. Sometimes we see it in flashbacks or prologues (or first chapters that function similar to a prologue) or even prequels (more common for villains). But in this one we get to see the lie form after the inciting incident. I love that we were there on day one when everything changed without being years in the past for a moment. Because of that, I enjoyed seeing her reach the truth even more than usual. It felt more personal to me as a reader and I was constantly screaming at Scarlett to stop the believing the lies, question them more deeply, and find the truth. I just don't feel the same impact with the classic structure. I know other stories out there have done the same things with certain elements and moments in her character arc, it's just not common. Especially with a POV character like Scarlett who is clearly a hero type of character and isn't very morally grey. More on her later. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The dystopian vibe gave me life. Yes, I am now obsessed with anything reminds me of the dystopian genre. I just really love how dystopian just feels more realistic and relating to real issues in the world than any other genres to me. It just gives me a different feel, one that I can connect with reality the easiest. Also I thought it was so clever to mix the superhero genre (which is a subgenre of the science fiction genre I think) with the dystopian one. I've read one other superhero series (which I haven't finished yet) which also gives the same vibe and it just really works for me. It just makes sense that with the existence of superheroes/superhumans would make the world quite messed up.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The characters also made this story for me. None of them were lacking in development, though I wish I could spend more time with some of them, as in Ares, Nadia, Seth, Rez and Crynn. I would have just love to know them a little bit better in book 1 than what I got. More on this later.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Also I guessed the biggest plot twist (at least I think it is?) way before it was revealed because I picked up the foreshadowing almost instantly so I'm happy about that. I like getting things right, okay? ๐ I don't usually get these things so it's a win for me personally to have guessed it. It doesn't stop it from being a good plot twist. I loved it a lot. It was true to my suspicions.</p><p style="text-align: left;">And I would be failing if I don't mention the theme/the message. It definitely made this story all the more powerful, and I must admit knowing the same belief as mine is behind it made it more personal and deep for me. Self-worth in the non-toxic way is a beautiful and powerful gift from God. God never wanted us to think of ourselves unworthy. Jesus died and rose again so we can find true worth again. This story beautifully, expertly, shows a proper balance of finding yourself worthy while also being selfless. You are never a mistake and nothing you do or become changes your worth. You are always worthy in God's sight, no matter what the world says.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I love that God didn't feel forced in just to show the author's beliefs on the topic of her story. No, it felt natural and definitely not preachy. And I wouldn't jump to say that this is a Christian fiction, even though it is, because it just felt like a story that just happened to display Christian beliefs. I would recommend it to a non-Christian if they are open to it. Because it rather explores Christian beliefs and God than tell what they are. Which is just plain good storytelling. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Pet peeves:</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>This is a new section which won't always be here. Most of the time I don't have big enough or any issues to talk about. It's called pet peeves because I thought it would be the best way to show that these are personal preferences and not something bad to do with the story or major flaws with characters, plots, worldbuilding or style. Generally if a story I find has those things I don't like them and won't ever review them here (if they are 3 stars I might review them on Goodreads). Also note that personal preferences do affect the rating and the overall enjoyment. And be aware that spoilers will likely be present here. Don't worry, I will warn you before I talk about them if they do show up. </i></p><p style="text-align: left;">First off, I was sad that I didn't get as many interactions between the friends as I was expecting. This story was described to be about found family, which still totally is, but it just wasn't enough for me to feel like it was a found family story in my mind. They are like, "we are all really close friends" but I was like "but you guys have barely spent any time together". A lot of the narrative was just Scarlett and her thoughts, which perfectly fine since I enjoying being in her POV, but it also didn't convince me that the main characters were best friends and how they actually deeply cared for each other. Especially with Seth, who seemed like he was always avoiding them and not talking to them once they went on their mission. I just didn't feel it. It felt like I was told that was the case than being shown it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I felt the same disconnect with Rez and his found family. Not because they didn't act like a family or that I was told that they were and not shown, but because Scarlett didn't ever felt like a family member with them. I just didn't personally felt like she had found a second family in them. Rez did felt like a father figure to her, but also like a distant one because she pushed him away or didn't listen to him a lot of the time. I definitely would have liked if Scarlett softened towards them more and acted like she was among family than she did. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The other thing, which is *<b>MAJOR SPOILERS SO PLEASE DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK*</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Are you still reading this even though you haven't read the book?? No? Okay, good. <b>*SPOILER*</b> The death of the mentor character, Rez, felt too clichรฉ. Don't get me wrong, I was sad about him passing away but like I knew he was going die when I first met him? I just really had a good sense that was what was going to happen to him, especially as he was such an amazing guy, was a really special figure to Scarlet <i>and</i> he fitted the mentor type so well. It just wasn't a shock when he got severely injured and I must admit it lessened the grief as a reader. It just didn't feel so sad when I called it? I feel like a terrible person. ๐ Not saying I don't miss him, I really do, and I wish he was still around. ๐ข</p><p style="text-align: left;">*<b>END OF SPOILER*</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Thoughts on characters:</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Scarlett was such an engaging character to be in the head with. We can get to see how conflicted she is when her world turns upside down. She makes all the wrong decisions and views her situation in the wrong way. While it can be frustrating to experience this as a reader, I found it fascinating and unique to have a character believe the wrong thing unintentionally for such a long time. I just really love her POV and her internal conflict. She felt real and human. Her every action makes sense to her insecurities, desires and lies. I feel like I know her personally, like she had taken my hand and took me on her journey. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Ares lives up to the hype. He's awesome. He's distant but friendly, which honestly sounds like what ice is. And his backstory is ๐๐. His one is my favourite, though all of the main characters have great backstories. I wish he had more screen time and more interaction with Scarlet. Maybe some conflict with how their powers are not compatible? Ohhh, now I want that. ๐ But anyway, while I love Ares, I feel like I have only know him on a surface level and I hope I will get to know him better, deeper, in book 2.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Nadia is such a sweetheart. The author was a genius in making the sweetest soul have earthquake powers. The conflict with caring for people and having violent powers is brilliant. And the fact she believes in the worth of others but struggles with seeing it in herself is just YES. I love that about her. Again, I wish more screen time and interaction with the POV character because I feel like I know her on a surface level and I would love to know her on a more deeper one. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Seth is most mysterious one in the group. I really don't understand him much. I know why he believes the way he does, but how his actions reflects his past and beliefs is more blurry for me. He has two sides to his personality, which honestly confuses me more about him. Hopefully book 2 clears some of it up. I just really want to know him better.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Rez is like the perfect character but also still has flaws, which I liked seeing. His goals have all the good intentions yet the morals he displays while acting on his goals are a little grey, but that's mainly because he is superhuman and he has no choice but to break the law to keep his worth as a human and try to show the world somehow his power is a gift and not a curse. And he's a Christian, so you get to see how might a Christian respond in a situation where they are unable to follow the law because of their beliefs. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Crynn is an interesting character. Her story was so fascinating, but like, again, not enough screen time for me to really know her and understand her. Her actions makes sense and I know why she did what she did, but also I don't at the same time? There are some unanswered questions about her I think. Also I wish I could've known her on more personal level and that she and Scarlett got close before the big event happened. I hope she shows up in book 2. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Ivon fits the gentle giant type perfectly. His loyalty and care for Rez is so admirable, which brings out his intimidating side. His interactions with the superhuman children was just adorable and heart-warming, and I think he could be a mentor figure to the main characters, especially Scarlett, in book 2. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Dr. Bailey made me mad. He's so manipulative and cold and I hate him, but then you see his vulnerable side and I feel sympathetic towards him, like I understand his motivations, but... I still hate him. Though honestly, I think he is like the foil character to Scarlett because their beliefs and views aligned so well at one point. Which is why he pretended? to be a mentor character for her. I don't like him, but that's just because he was written so well. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Ian may be my favourite character, I just love guy best friends. They are so supportive, encouraging and kind. The perfect person for listening, understanding and helping the protagonist. Also the one thing that actually shocked me in this story was a thing involving him and just ahhhhhhh, I need answers please!!!! ๐ฑ I need to know why so bad. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Hannah and Dylan are amazing little younger siblings, and their different reactions to what was happening in their world was a great balance to the POV character's own perspective. Dylan is more open to the superhumans being human and Hannah has an innocent view. Also they love their sister, and Scarlett loves them back and cares so much for them, which makes my heart happy. Not enough stories with healthy and close siblings relationships. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Scarlett's parents are awesome. Loving and supportive no matter what. How they reacted when they saw their oldest daughter as a superhuman in the SCF was heart-breaking. <b>*MILD SPOILER*</b> <i>You should have told them before you ran off, Scarlett. (The one thing I was genuinely mad at Scarlett for doing.) </i><b>*END MILD SPOILER*</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Overall, this book is a unique superhero story, explores deep themes and has characters who feel deep despite the lack of time they were on paper (or maybe I just want more of them because they are just so good as characters?). I would recommend picking this up if you interested in this type of thing. I'll be here, waiting for book 2. I'm already impatient to read it. ๐</p><p style="text-align: left;">And, oh, this is part of a blog tour, as you can see above, so go check out the other amazing posts about this amazing debut and author (who is just so lovely)! </p><p style="text-align: left;">Farewell for now, Virtual Paper Adventurers!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kykpfMd4JpbzF_5d-eRlDU_v1HbsIeIw1jPed1aclM9mHqE4OhwxCTGXjj94unLDGlKWWQi9OepTyfvzxX3iP8NBMY6GxX_kQTAldZRNiRYNUdfdQUZGmoi6f_g6puqgnjvAmLa-MR8/s1080/IGNITE+BLOG+TOUR+IG+GRAPHICS-2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kykpfMd4JpbzF_5d-eRlDU_v1HbsIeIw1jPed1aclM9mHqE4OhwxCTGXjj94unLDGlKWWQi9OepTyfvzxX3iP8NBMY6GxX_kQTAldZRNiRYNUdfdQUZGmoi6f_g6puqgnjvAmLa-MR8/w400-h400/IGNITE+BLOG+TOUR+IG+GRAPHICS-2.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hdXx6i3knKiwTfDOX95k7mvZnw6STZmwPqnBKU9BldRK67BR_po7n40K3MzPFRNq2QzfTNvQqW7x9rhyphenhyphen8kzlcEQpJouHkZLfYHJgW8xK_JJXiRY3rvj9U3i2H6gB8c_Yf_wZ7V3LuYc/s1080/IGNITE+BLOG+TOUR+IG+GRAPHIC.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hdXx6i3knKiwTfDOX95k7mvZnw6STZmwPqnBKU9BldRK67BR_po7n40K3MzPFRNq2QzfTNvQqW7x9rhyphenhyphen8kzlcEQpJouHkZLfYHJgW8xK_JJXiRY3rvj9U3i2H6gB8c_Yf_wZ7V3LuYc/w400-h400/IGNITE+BLOG+TOUR+IG+GRAPHIC.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Are you interested in reading this book? Do you love elemental powers? Do you love guy friends characters to bits??</b></div><p></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-54398297836859161682021-07-13T05:00:00.010+10:002022-08-30T22:46:51.076+10:00A Villain's Ever After Series Cover Reveals<p>You guys, this cover reveal post will be epic. Because it is a WHOLE SERIES cover reveals!!!!!!!! ๐ฑ๐ Unless you're following me on Instagram, you will be getting the whole deal at once. It was suggested and I was like, "oh, yes please" because I didn't really want to do several mini posts. It isn't the style of this blog, you know?</p><p><strike>Yeah, I like long posts for you all to read.</strike></p><p>Anyway, settle down with a cup of your beverage of your choice, and get ready see 12 amazing covers and stories.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9jAtxhdHY8QoHOHaDB5E_ZfA-qiEVGRfNIRU993FtJwgBKCgSjcoKzGJnm1onBDefrOr9M-xKg64nPdxqOl2Lt0eLEzaVDbaHkTqw2ZitJ0XBHUIZf7EETskVBpH0lgZtGwloY-HfppVMSQK2Ocss0AtOM8byjmKtTTURTr07aKjNPOdZQqKz6YU5Iw=s6000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9jAtxhdHY8QoHOHaDB5E_ZfA-qiEVGRfNIRU993FtJwgBKCgSjcoKzGJnm1onBDefrOr9M-xKg64nPdxqOl2Lt0eLEzaVDbaHkTqw2ZitJ0XBHUIZf7EETskVBpH0lgZtGwloY-HfppVMSQK2Ocss0AtOM8byjmKtTTURTr07aKjNPOdZQqKz6YU5Iw=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo by Dmitry Vechorko on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">A Villain's Ever After is a a fairy tale retelling collaboration by 12 different authors who, obviously, giving villains a happy ever after.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The blurb for the series:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>What if the Enchantress fell in love with the Beast?</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Or the sea witch wasn't so evil?</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Suppose the sorcerer won the swan princess's heart?</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>"A Villain's Ever After" will take you to places where wishes really do come true... from a certain point of view. Expect the unexpected as we fall in love with the villains who might not be the "bad guy" after all.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Featuring twelve short novels full of magic, romance, and adventure, you'll see villains in a whole new light.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Who said villains can't have happily-ever-afters?</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Who here likes to read/watch villain stories? โ *raises hand* *coughs* I mean I haven't yet read/watch a villain story that I was completely satisfied with, but that isn't the point right now. Despite my experience so far with villain stories, I'm still 100% willing to try them still. Because some day someone will get it right for me, you know? Plus all of the stories just sound so awesome.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Also who here loves getting another side to the classic villains? I don't know why, but this idea of seeing villains, especially the really evil ones, in a viewpoint where you will be able to see their human side, where you are able to maybe see the good part of them, is just so fascinating to me. (Wait, I do know why. ๐) As long as it isn't a tool for justification of their evil actions, I'm cool with it. Because I know if these villains were real, they wouldn't be so black and white like a lot of times they are shown to be (which in most cases makes perfect sense for the story being told).</p><p style="text-align: left;">I could go on, I have a lot of thoughts about villains, but I figure you guys want to jump in the details for the individual books now, am I right?</p><p style="text-align: left;">If I'm not right, oh well. It's for another day.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 1: The Beast and Enchantress</span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>If there's one thing Astrid, an aspiring enchantress with budding magical powers, has learned throughout her studies, it's that magic must only be used for good. But when an egocentric prince breaks her sister's heart, Astrid's only focus is revenge, and what better way to enact it than with a well-chosen curse?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A simple incantation is all it takes to transform the arrogant prince's appearance to match the state of his heart. But something goes wrong, causing the spell to affect not only the prince, but its caster as well. As the curse begins to change her appearance to reflect the state of her own vengeful heart, Astrid becomes desperate to break it at all costs, even if it means entering the castle in disguise and interacting with the prince she loathes.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>To her surprise, Astrid encounters not a conceited prince, but one very different from the one she cursed. She soon finds her heart softening, but not in the way she expects - she's losing it to the cursed prince she has vowed to hate. The closer they become, the more desperate Astrid is to free the prince, and herself, from the curse. But in so doing, she may lose the man she loves forever.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For how could a prince ever love the woman who turned him into a beast?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RGGFl0JWyZSKRa1-o1xi2jGqmQ8oz7pTAg26czpZXlTg6GdZBOFFFgFsUWA4h2nwogTeC6k05Lq5OWwDV6-1SA4C1_KuklCZA9Y-sw7hDY_r1nuWXfvNl8XJGpygeIfx0iPkwCiyVqA/s2048/THE+BEAST+AND+THE+ENCHANTRESS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RGGFl0JWyZSKRa1-o1xi2jGqmQ8oz7pTAg26czpZXlTg6GdZBOFFFgFsUWA4h2nwogTeC6k05Lq5OWwDV6-1SA4C1_KuklCZA9Y-sw7hDY_r1nuWXfvNl8XJGpygeIfx0iPkwCiyVqA/w266-h400/THE+BEAST+AND+THE+ENCHANTRESS.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It releases on August 13th</div><div style="text-align: center;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094Q818WC?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094Q818WC?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 2: The Sultan and the Storyteller</span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>For thirty-nine nights, the sultan of Zunbar has chosen a new wife.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>For thirty-nine dawns, they are pronounced dead.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>When the Sultan Zayne summons my best friend to be taken as his newest victim, I can no longer pretend to be blind and volunteer in her stead. My only plan - weave a story each night and hopefully learn why he would kill in the first place.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>As I unravel the tapestry of lies, I learn there's more going inside the gilded walls of the palace than anyone in the land could ever realise. I've woven myself into the story, and if I don't pull on the right thread, it's not only my life at stake but my heart.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKZqX9I6LE0oXgdNQd0pnGGFEg3hhoa5ib2f_rhL78X1-i1TU7MR9h2jIcHiimQMgPgP9tJZRWfx3FFT9P52M3NiCzYOLlUrB-DqzMQHs9VIRQpNoGCTapEPbmF4oDWR8buMiYrRFIPU/s960/THE+SULTAN+AND+THE+STORYTELLER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKZqX9I6LE0oXgdNQd0pnGGFEg3hhoa5ib2f_rhL78X1-i1TU7MR9h2jIcHiimQMgPgP9tJZRWfx3FFT9P52M3NiCzYOLlUrB-DqzMQHs9VIRQpNoGCTapEPbmF4oDWR8buMiYrRFIPU/w266-h400/THE+SULTAN+AND+THE+STORYTELLER.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It releases on August 20th</div><div style="text-align: center;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093Z8DGGM?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_1&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093Z8DGGM?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_1&storeType=ebooks</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 3: Bluebeard and the Outlaw</span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Marriage: the ultimate heist.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Robin of the Wood spends her days robbing from the rich to feed the poor. But she and her merry band of her bothers never seem to get anywhere. The more she she steals, the more evil Lord Guy "bluebeard" taxes the villagers.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>When Robin discovers that Lord Guy plans to marry yet again, she conceives a plan for a final, big score. As Guy's wife, she will have access to his wealth. The lord is notorious for killing his wives shortly after he marries them, but Robin has no plans to be dead wife number four. The only problem is that Lord Guy is devastating handsome, brooding, and nothing at all what she expected. If she isn't careful, she might just find that he steals her heart before she can rob his riches.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvQ6xkgq6Gr-rqhtjDUiAoPsnJU15XVf2Ti5OsZRv6hTNkZoy_bJ4qsVEU9uFpIwyxZ8ybuCh2RN7PGpfV4s-PpUH_MAGPf31a9mNmf3Rg4h-e70x2uGz_DJQlHeRFcDFxw4RzviWvUU/s2048/BLUEBEARD+AND+THE+OUTLAW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvQ6xkgq6Gr-rqhtjDUiAoPsnJU15XVf2Ti5OsZRv6hTNkZoy_bJ4qsVEU9uFpIwyxZ8ybuCh2RN7PGpfV4s-PpUH_MAGPf31a9mNmf3Rg4h-e70x2uGz_DJQlHeRFcDFxw4RzviWvUU/w266-h400/BLUEBEARD+AND+THE+OUTLAW.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>It releases on August 27th</div><div style="text-align: center;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093ZHVLQN?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_2&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093ZHVLQN?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_2&storeType=ebooks</a><br /><i><br /></i></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 4: The </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stepsister</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> and the Slipper </span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><i>What if the prince fell in love with the stepsister?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Lady Charlotte needs a rich husband, and fast. Good thing she has plenty of beauty and charm, with no foolish ideas of love to get in the way of her plans. When the chance to catch the wealthiest, the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom appears, she will do everything in her power to win such a prize; even if she must break a few hearts along the way. But in the end, it is her own heart that's troubled. Perhaps true love really does exist, but if so, it's not with the man she has caught...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVl3me89gmt4nxVbJCj79oB6uepAnOjdr99mDE79kK3IUO1GU9OY7vCVHiY3eXfUQDe67g_uRce-ZQqDfrderkSBZ8ZeRMXB6Xkxk5cPw-YWPYNPO31yjSJ0uQLE2WIuzP8v-gZ0VcmfE/s2048/THE+STEPSISTER+AND+THE+SLIPPER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVl3me89gmt4nxVbJCj79oB6uepAnOjdr99mDE79kK3IUO1GU9OY7vCVHiY3eXfUQDe67g_uRce-ZQqDfrderkSBZ8ZeRMXB6Xkxk5cPw-YWPYNPO31yjSJ0uQLE2WIuzP8v-gZ0VcmfE/w266-h400/THE+STEPSISTER+AND+THE+SLIPPER.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>It releases on September 3rd</div><div style="text-align: center;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094R9T9F3?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094R9T9F3?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks</a><br /><i><br /></i></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 5: The Goblin and the Dancer</span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Grik the goblin spends his days as a janitor cleaning the Metropolitan Dance Hall, drawn to the Elvish world and tired of the darkness of his underground home. He secretly pines for the ballet company's lead dancer, Rosanna, but his own ugliness and shyness stand in the way of confessing his love.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>When a handsome solider named Paul appears on the scene to make a bid for Rosanna's affections, Grik's jealousy bubbles over and he commits the unthinkable, plunging the threesome into a river and down into the depths of the earth.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Determined to redeem himself, Grik leads Rosanna and Paul through the place he calls home: but even a goblin can't be prepared for everything that is found underground. Trapped in the dark, nightmares </i></span><i>both within and without rise to the surface, threatening to destroy them all.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A magical and heartfelt retelling of The Steadfast Tin Soldier about finding your worth.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohJbcbN1pjY4mmZyo74Wbz4QfF1p_NfNO9UK9LkP5SoZr0Ew5Tgztz8P0lz1tzUSiTPY1Zc1rLgTjwjLv_qicFXRx5Gi5vf0jDHMx1QVDjTX141M_KsKv03BrZn9eUOYRWO_f-1Zx3BU/s2048/The+Goblin+And+The+Dancer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohJbcbN1pjY4mmZyo74Wbz4QfF1p_NfNO9UK9LkP5SoZr0Ew5Tgztz8P0lz1tzUSiTPY1Zc1rLgTjwjLv_qicFXRx5Gi5vf0jDHMx1QVDjTX141M_KsKv03BrZn9eUOYRWO_f-1Zx3BU/w266-h400/The+Goblin+And+The+Dancer.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It releases on September 10th</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093ZFFXDQ?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_4&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093ZFFXDQ?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_4&storeType=ebooks</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 6: Hansel and the Gingerbread Queen</span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>No matter how the sugar sparkles, never sample the sweets.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span><i>Evony is the daughter of a witch, with all of her reputation but none of her powers. She's spent her whole life in the heart of the forest, safe from outsiders in a wondrous candy cottage as dangerous as it is beautiful. Kept company by a trio of tiny companions - a loyal gingerbread dragon and two mischievous brownies - Evony's one desire is to find a place in the human world. But first, she must find a way to undo her mother's spells and free the poor souls who fell to temptation. Only two obstacles stand in her way. A traveler with distracting molasses-brown eyes, and the creation the witch left behind with the power to stop her: the gingerbread man.</i></span></div><div><span><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span><i> </i></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSi_IAuJ18kurELOOdhoMF6CYQFrfYjKpQKQjSnSleFCdznpPYLHtwKCF5EG_i81afDi2OCOAGLiWhvX2VwdC82g92r7uqy85frS5Ekh8DY3BLOpg92rxp3Hlx2N52Cc7LUc2f0N9JYYE/s2048/HANSEL+AND+THE+GINGERBREAD+QUEEN.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSi_IAuJ18kurELOOdhoMF6CYQFrfYjKpQKQjSnSleFCdznpPYLHtwKCF5EG_i81afDi2OCOAGLiWhvX2VwdC82g92r7uqy85frS5Ekh8DY3BLOpg92rxp3Hlx2N52Cc7LUc2f0N9JYYE/w266-h400/HANSEL+AND+THE+GINGERBREAD+QUEEN.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">It releases on September 17th</span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094DP4Q5J?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_5&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094DP4Q5J?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_5&storeType=ebooks</a></span></div><i><br /></i></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 7: The Dark King and Eternal Dance</span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>An unwanted proposal. An unexpected curse. Will Rayna, and her eleven sisters ever be free of the Dark King and this eternal dance?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Rayna is not usually the boldest of her sisters. However, when her eldest sister, Faelynn, seems ready to abandon her own happily ever after and accept the Dark King's proposal, Rayna knows she must act and take drastic measures before someone gets hurt. Measures that just might cost her her heart.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Drake's reputation as the Dark King precedes him - a reputation he doesn't quite deserve. When the opportunity arises, Drake seizes the chance to barter for Princess Faelynn's hand. Weaving his magic, establishes a weekly ball to court his intended. After six months of rejection, something must change. He never anticipated finding Princess Rayna in his castle disrupting his quiet life.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Will he change directions and acknowledge his heart before it is too late? Or will he live up to her reputation as the Dark King, shattering more than one happily ever after?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwtkD-JqYb_JQqvFv_gIc8qsM1lyq7V1xYFkUiU2CvQlqKXUJjv7KpYAh7wIwQ9L6iu4tCse1rH7B0eFhkDU2TLD5Pl13SfBITGEKZ752iCliSDOi6zoySbKkUBEdGSW2au5bkpNN7I0/s2048/THE+DARK+KING+AND+THE+ETERNAL+DANCE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwtkD-JqYb_JQqvFv_gIc8qsM1lyq7V1xYFkUiU2CvQlqKXUJjv7KpYAh7wIwQ9L6iu4tCse1rH7B0eFhkDU2TLD5Pl13SfBITGEKZ752iCliSDOi6zoySbKkUBEdGSW2au5bkpNN7I0/w266-h400/THE+DARK+KING+AND+THE+ETERNAL+DANCE.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>It releases on September 24th</div><div style="text-align: center;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094YZPTHM?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_6&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094YZPTHM?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_6&storeType=ebooks</a><br /><i><br /></i></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 8: Gothel and the Maiden Prince</span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Deep in the forest, far from the light, a sorceress with magic of the blackest kind keeps prisoner the princess she stole away years ago. From time to time, a prince will come to challenge her, but by and large, life is peaceful for Gothel.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>And that's just the way she likes it.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>She's not prepared for the earnest young prince who seems more determined to talk her to death than challenge her to a duel of magic; nor, having tricked him into a battle of questions, is she expecting him to show more interest in her than the tower-bound princess.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And Gothel is certainly not prepared to give up any of her power to keep him around, though she might be prepared to answer just a few more questions...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcXJGB2uUjSlSIOcO6GjYUInAHKnIWy7SUD84EvRduZ6sg-WJaKmNhUnpCIp5P1lc-pUJpcK0GEycVzj0mTNEK-_jq-txLQcyRgDOATnphxyqL9988r_uJG5DZJOdzx39wh8_wFxwI8E/s2048/GOTHEL+AND+THE+MAIDEN+PRINCE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcXJGB2uUjSlSIOcO6GjYUInAHKnIWy7SUD84EvRduZ6sg-WJaKmNhUnpCIp5P1lc-pUJpcK0GEycVzj0mTNEK-_jq-txLQcyRgDOATnphxyqL9988r_uJG5DZJOdzx39wh8_wFxwI8E/w266-h400/GOTHEL+AND+THE+MAIDEN+PRINCE.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>It releases on October 1st</div><div style="text-align: center;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093YQYJG1?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_7&storeType=ebooks">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093YQYJG1?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_7&storeType=ebooks</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 9: Sorcerer and the Swan Princess</span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>A usurped princess. A mercenary sorcerer. A fate neither expected.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>As a crown princess, Ava has always anticipated betrayals - but never from her own twin. The unspeakable treachery comes the night Ava meets her true love, when Lina hires the infamous sorcerer, Dietrich Von Rothbart, to turn Ava into a swan, and takes her place.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Kept across the mountains in Dietrich's castle lake, Ava's repeated attempts to escape, to return to her prince and life, keep failing. But in the last time Dietrich recaptures her, she gets close enough to glimpse the terrible truth of what she left behind - starting with that of her prince.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Yet, it's Dietrich's true motivations and the unique bond that forms between them that shock her the most.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><i>Will she reject their burgeoning feelings and trust to undo his efforts and reclaim her kingdom? Will he risk the consequences of freeing her from his curse? Will their love survive the demands of duty, and the toll of resentment and threats? Or will it fade away with the moonlight at sunrise?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEe9-csz8PVXCxoC6FMWUBvjya4oZKVCMBXEL130HbY63TrVTgZfOskHTRA_f4uIQEk9yh5WWXGMaV3UrXRENOsn3o_DSXkFJV8aWl2SCXjMJHvUYgU85ymiI68EprDCs7Rtf_gEs6kzU/s2048/The+Sorcerer+and+The+Swan+Princess.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEe9-csz8PVXCxoC6FMWUBvjya4oZKVCMBXEL130HbY63TrVTgZfOskHTRA_f4uIQEk9yh5WWXGMaV3UrXRENOsn3o_DSXkFJV8aWl2SCXjMJHvUYgU85ymiI68EprDCs7Rtf_gEs6kzU/w266-h400/The+Sorcerer+and+The+Swan+Princess.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /></div><div>It releases on October 8th</div><div>Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094TF2KKH?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_8&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094TF2KKH?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_8&storeType=ebooks</a></div><div><br /></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 10: The Baker and the Wolf</span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>A mysterious stranger, an enchantress grandmother, and an overprotective mother. Can Cerise trust any of them?</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Cerise DuBois might as well be invisible. Not even her scarlet cloak attracts male interest, and her mother begins to despair of snaring a husband for a boring middle daughter with no magic ability. If not for her baking talents, Cerise would be a hopeless burden on the family.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Or so she believes until a dark man with eyes like gold appears in the family bakery to deliver an invitation from a grandmother she has never met . . . and real trouble begins. What if everything Cerise believes about herself and her family is false?</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i> Unlike other men, the stranger gives Cerise his undivided attention, yet he has a habit of vanishing when she meets him most - for example, when a huge black dog (surely it can't be a wolf) follows her through the city park.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><i>Worst of all, he claims that if she follows the magical path to her enchantress grandmother's cottage, her entire world will change. Should Cerise trust this fascinating foreign mage, or will he eat her alive?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4qjLVIEaCbGrckrE-8IH_bfyyPasOhhXHQDnQu0nUZEiMqtr0ySQ6FLaQ-UR4zvpIaijVYOmqMHHjoOMWda7N2xigbMaJsiJO4PrNGPvF4c2l35xpTjOxU-SDRSAOpJXWDlKJI793NA/s2048/THE+BAKER+AND+THE+WOLF.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4qjLVIEaCbGrckrE-8IH_bfyyPasOhhXHQDnQu0nUZEiMqtr0ySQ6FLaQ-UR4zvpIaijVYOmqMHHjoOMWda7N2xigbMaJsiJO4PrNGPvF4c2l35xpTjOxU-SDRSAOpJXWDlKJI793NA/w266-h400/THE+BAKER+AND+THE+WOLF.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It releases on October 15th</div><div>Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09464QCG5?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_9&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09464QCG5?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_9&storeType=ebooks</a></div><div><br /></div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 11: The Prince and the Sea Witch</span></h3><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>All mermaids long for the magic of a human soul. Only Briony isn't willing to drown sailors to get it.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><i>She makes potions instead, earning a reputation as a witch and becoming a social outcast. When a little mermaid asks for a potion that can reunite her with the human she loves, Briony reluctantly agrees.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>But there is more to the mermaid's plan than a quest for love. The more Briony interacts with the human prince the mermaid wants to claims, the more she suspects that he never loved the little mermaid at all.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Discover a retelling that turns the classic fairytale inside out and upside down. Where mermaids lure men to their deaths with siren songs and the sea witch will be the hero if she survives the final battle.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYDagdO_VbVfuDB5skOjkfc88Zq6GlT2qCr9JV61Coyg58cpYUS1xFb65ktX3kj9Hjzx8UGIuWp5xTibrMDJ-FccC55jhJEM7Gcb3Y9GTo4oDgpcChSIodWtOXVlWB0z-AqpUN9RFSRU/s760/The+Prince+And+The+Sea+Witch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="507" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYDagdO_VbVfuDB5skOjkfc88Zq6GlT2qCr9JV61Coyg58cpYUS1xFb65ktX3kj9Hjzx8UGIuWp5xTibrMDJ-FccC55jhJEM7Gcb3Y9GTo4oDgpcChSIodWtOXVlWB0z-AqpUN9RFSRU/w266-h400/The+Prince+And+The+Sea+Witch.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It releases on October 22nd</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0942G68R8?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_10&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0942G68R8?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_10&storeType=ebooks</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Book 12: Carabosse and the Spindle Spell</span></h3><div><i>Shy but magically talented, Princess Carabosse only wants to help her people as they face the looming threat of the Warlock King and his daughter, Aurora. Aurora was gifted from infancy with fairy blessings that make her the most lethal magic-user the world has seen in centuries . . . and she wants Cara's kingdom.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The only hope for fighting off this deadly threat is the loyalty of the twelve Dragon Lords. They have sworn allegiance to the Briar Crown. But when the crown falls into Aurora's clutches, who will the dragons serve?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Armed only with a humble spindle and a gift for spinning magic, Cara alone stands against the Warlock and his daughter. Will she find unexpected help from the twelfth Dragon Lord, handsome shape-shifter Torald? Or will the vows he swore to the Briar Crown force him to turn against Cara and serve the beautiful Aurora?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUW7-RYn0wbsqbx0lD8s7H0VBdT5gfSsrMn5WrC87yP-tt6mUXO6fq8n_RqtmDmOZrVzJMzRQC9BzlOUX0ohNoa7DHOKiWznBG_ZfQe7ZfmWhLjYgC_wUeX80tpIaPar2XlgVjGAW5Lw/s2048/CARABOSSE+AND+THE+SPINDLE+SPELL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUW7-RYn0wbsqbx0lD8s7H0VBdT5gfSsrMn5WrC87yP-tt6mUXO6fq8n_RqtmDmOZrVzJMzRQC9BzlOUX0ohNoa7DHOKiWznBG_ZfQe7ZfmWhLjYgC_wUeX80tpIaPar2XlgVjGAW5Lw/w266-h400/CARABOSSE+AND+THE+SPINDLE+SPELL.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br /></div><div>It releases on October 29th</div><div>Preorder link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093Z8TWY6?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_11&storeType=ebooks" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093Z8TWY6?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_11&storeType=ebooks</a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Don't they sound and look amazing??!! ๐ฑ๐ I just can't wait to read them some day!!!</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Bonus content:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While all of the covers are gorgeous I do have my top 5 favourite covers. They are:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The Beast and the Enchantress</li><li>Carabosse and the Spindle Spell</li><li>The Stepsister and the Slipper</li><li>The Dark King and the Eternal Dance</li><li>Hansel and the Gingerbread Queen </li></ul></div></div><p style="text-align: left;">So even if a villain story isn't your thing, you might want to at least try these stories out. ๐</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Which is your favourite cover? Which story are you most excited to read? What are your opinion on villain stories (I do plan to talk about them more in the future so a discussion before the post could be useful)? </b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-43127423925268203642021-06-16T16:00:00.171+10:002022-08-29T13:06:10.599+10:00Of Fire and Ash Cover Reveal<p>I love doing these posts. Short and fun, plus screaming about a book cover and blurb is such a bookworm vibe I enjoy so much. ๐๐๐</p><p>So today, I am helping to reveal Of Fire and Ash by Gillian Bronte Adams, which is book one of a brand new YA epic fantasy series, The Fireborn Epic!!!! Oh, look, I am doing a first book in a series for once. ๐</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4sVlgaWXjqBkA3fbw_Ej2aAkm2WkbhTv0-PJGRlguMTzhoA6RZhQs3IMguldegk0FDkIRBNBXEkClZwVicwRisZYnwlKcnk5DmtQUWur9QDb-qpxgQ8LE0zlUNcwpW7KUz9XWcdHaKYDCgx1eIpDNrrSPgZEDn2y6zIbUUWhfPm7a3xNTpPPBUXQ7Q/s5184/jan-canty-0nnEuPjn1YU-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4sVlgaWXjqBkA3fbw_Ej2aAkm2WkbhTv0-PJGRlguMTzhoA6RZhQs3IMguldegk0FDkIRBNBXEkClZwVicwRisZYnwlKcnk5DmtQUWur9QDb-qpxgQ8LE0zlUNcwpW7KUz9XWcdHaKYDCgx1eIpDNrrSPgZEDn2y6zIbUUWhfPm7a3xNTpPPBUXQ7Q/w640-h426/jan-canty-0nnEuPjn1YU-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Jan Canty on Unsplash</span></div><p>Anyway, let's into the blurb, shall we?</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>She rides a fireborn, a steed of fire and ash, trained for destruction.</b></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Ceridwen tal Desmond dreams of ruling like her father over the nation of Soldonia, where warriors ride to battle on magical steeds - soaring on storm winds, vanishing in shadow, quaking the earth, and summoning the sea. After a tragic accident claims her twin brother, she is exiled and sworn to atonement by spending her life - or death - for her people.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>But when invaders spill onto Soldonia's shores and traitors seize upon the chaos to murder her father, Ceridwen claims the crown to keep the nation from splintering. Combatting overwhelming odds and looming civil war, she begins to wonder if the greatest threat to the kingdom may, in fact, be her.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>With fire before her and ash in her wake, how can she hope to unite instead of destroy?</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">๐ Wow, this is so intense. There's a lot of stakes and trauma, oh my goodness. Ahhh, I love this so much already. 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOSipslpAFb7H9P5SWjbz7HfSUTZCwUAlKPvHLNzOMY8cc3BGru1gMRGWcps-99TDPKIM8hQUjfPrjEwEenfLFp8AQCtsahc1bkahIQO3G3FXfs4rWmd2ZdZZB1JJQ3UaWdl2WfmjRDo/s1000/OFAA-EBook-revision-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="625" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOSipslpAFb7H9P5SWjbz7HfSUTZCwUAlKPvHLNzOMY8cc3BGru1gMRGWcps-99TDPKIM8hQUjfPrjEwEenfLFp8AQCtsahc1bkahIQO3G3FXfs4rWmd2ZdZZB1JJQ3UaWdl2WfmjRDo/w250-h400/OFAA-EBook-revision-1.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">๐๐๐ Ahhhhhh, I love this. It's so so epic!!!!!!! ๐ฑ It fits the book description so well!!!</p><p style="text-align: left;">It releases in December 2021!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>So, love this cover? Doesn't this story sound so epic??</b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-77197463768949188332021-06-11T16:51:00.005+10:002022-08-30T23:13:02.018+10:00Disney Character Blog Tag<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bY33FHX3Q7Tt0Wsp5z2cf3Wgjj6b7Wzbz-ccsjLt3Ov2XLew7rFYmN8oQ7fnamKpMGJ4QJLP_Pd13c3zD58oRz2VwZBZ4tcIECUSWUNflDCec7VsPn6CpXoLiRKX89BLs7PfxiQFDyGkPpM-ba8tJ6Po56h8iuoozM9SCIV32fYaM7ZZa2_MJAazvA/s3000/jayme-mccolgan-IP1rSwr8R6o-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="3000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bY33FHX3Q7Tt0Wsp5z2cf3Wgjj6b7Wzbz-ccsjLt3Ov2XLew7rFYmN8oQ7fnamKpMGJ4QJLP_Pd13c3zD58oRz2VwZBZ4tcIECUSWUNflDCec7VsPn6CpXoLiRKX89BLs7PfxiQFDyGkPpM-ba8tJ6Po56h8iuoozM9SCIV32fYaM7ZZa2_MJAazvA/w640-h480/jayme-mccolgan-IP1rSwr8R6o-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Photo by Jayme McColgan on <a href="https://unsplash.com" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>{Updated version} </i>25/6/22</p><p style="text-align: left;">Another Disney themed tag! This one looks super fun. (Any excuse to talk about my characters is super fun, don't you agree?) I was tagged by fellow Australian blogger <a href="https://anordinarypen.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Chelsea</a>! If you want to see glimpses of Australian culture and life, bookish rants and read about her awesome WIPs (trust me, they deserve attention) definitely check her out, guys. </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="" class="wp-image-4078" data-attachment-id="4078" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="gif-blog-schedual-2-5" data-large-file="https://anordinarypen.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/gif-blog-schedual-2-5.png?w=560" data-medium-file="https://anordinarypen.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/gif-blog-schedual-2-5.png?w=300" data-orig-file="https://anordinarypen.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/gif-blog-schedual-2-5.png" data-orig-size="560,315" data-permalink="https://anordinarypen.wordpress.com/gif-blog-schedual-2-5/" height="315" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px" src="https://anordinarypen.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/gif-blog-schedual-2-5.png?w=560" srcset="https://anordinarypen.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/gif-blog-schedual-2-5.png 560w, https://anordinarypen.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/gif-blog-schedual-2-5.png?w=150 150w, https://anordinarypen.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/gif-blog-schedual-2-5.png?w=300 300w" width="560" /></p><p style="text-align: left;">The rules:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Link back to the tag's creator. (it was created by the amazing <a href="https://ekseaver.wordpress.com/2021/01/22/disney-character-blog-tag/" target="_blank">E. K. Seaver</a>!)</li><li>Link back to the person who tagged you. (Thanks for tagging me, Chelsea! Here's her <a href="https://anordinarypen.wordpress.com/2021/03/11/disney-princess-blog-tag/" target="_blank">post</a> on this.)</li><li>Pick 10-12 of your favourite Disney characters.</li><li>Chose which of your cast of characters (Whether from your current or a former WIP) reminds you of those princesses [as in the Disney characters] and tell us why.</li><li>Tag 4-7 other people.</li><li>(Optional) Use the graphic I created for the tag.</li></ol>I don't think there's a question in your minds when I say I'll be using characters from my current WIP, <i>Our Scattered Ashes</i>, FHE. I literally can't not bring up Smoke or his story when I have the chance. Though I don't think any of you guys are complaining about it... not yet at least. ๐<div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">All images were found on Pinterest. </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: center;">All rights belong to the owners and the sources these came from.</span><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Li Shang from </b><b><i>Mulan </i>(1998)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfkvSkSkbpaTBmQITY_mzxGkxSn_5jB_ZngpyOb666uUM9IYtd7AQ8HPtiNKxdAakENfBIGVyVJMUIteeiLidAPMiovcqO56MVfVOZsDe8D6XmQGU2P3ijF4qNFmsLrbIhZ8sNy_qrbb6Xn1uDYvJWVaQ0PJFF0kn1d9uzkPEf0SiOUWWawOvseXIkKQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="736" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfkvSkSkbpaTBmQITY_mzxGkxSn_5jB_ZngpyOb666uUM9IYtd7AQ8HPtiNKxdAakENfBIGVyVJMUIteeiLidAPMiovcqO56MVfVOZsDe8D6XmQGU2P3ijF4qNFmsLrbIhZ8sNy_qrbb6Xn1uDYvJWVaQ0PJFF0kn1d9uzkPEf0SiOUWWawOvseXIkKQ=w320-h400" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Tau* fits this character pretty perfectly. Though he is young, he knows what he is doing and has an authority that people will listen to and respect. He's firm and tough, sometimes a little too stern on others, but he has such a caring heart and he feels things as well. He also has a pride that he makes him deaf to other people's views at times, but he always seeks to do right even if it is against the rules and beliefs he was taught.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*Tau is a new character who I haven't mentioned yet because he <i>was</i> meant to show up in book 2. Now he has taken up a fair amount of screen time in book 1 so looks like his important role as an influential side character has started earlier than I planned. (Seriously, this book is a living beast and it likes throwing me surprises. What can I do?)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIQ89p-cE7BaukXwv9JbTMoow0z7OXZ1juUMdXnxAtRVnwPC-ds2Zad7RbzBtC5gC8NMJ7zaPup7shEYtFZxbTk6UWw0idUvJdIUYiNfnL5_5441A_CtRzkutt5MN2B1Sf9QBLjYsk6Kg_cevTQtdvFwukMbxfsdckLz7pn_NoB-RvNoZF22hG3Qynow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="364" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIQ89p-cE7BaukXwv9JbTMoow0z7OXZ1juUMdXnxAtRVnwPC-ds2Zad7RbzBtC5gC8NMJ7zaPup7shEYtFZxbTk6UWw0idUvJdIUYiNfnL5_5441A_CtRzkutt5MN2B1Sf9QBLjYsk6Kg_cevTQtdvFwukMbxfsdckLz7pn_NoB-RvNoZF22hG3Qynow=w217-h400" width="217" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>How I imagined Tau</i></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mulan from <i>Mulan </i>(1998)/Rapunzel from <i>Tangled</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeFCxUjogXHgjDs6jOAS0bHNLOF6LkGnuDh3iP8CslbVgLOfgIwk-99NA6ET0uJtE5Xf1uBPigNRfrJbLjkDk_pTeuHu-FF9AdmrV5gIj_JUFJrbfWwsCpFR47ogR04MFXhlwfiuo0pZJhFKu_dzxTDBCmO199Cu2L9JbQrLefBTynnJPV-QWLsmP-w/s900/%E3%81%B1%E3%81%AE%20on%20Twitter.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="833" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeFCxUjogXHgjDs6jOAS0bHNLOF6LkGnuDh3iP8CslbVgLOfgIwk-99NA6ET0uJtE5Xf1uBPigNRfrJbLjkDk_pTeuHu-FF9AdmrV5gIj_JUFJrbfWwsCpFR47ogR04MFXhlwfiuo0pZJhFKu_dzxTDBCmO199Cu2L9JbQrLefBTynnJPV-QWLsmP-w/w296-h320/%E3%81%B1%E3%81%AE%20on%20Twitter.png" width="296" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoq9S_LY003RuKN5-Abf9h1iOd6ktrJq-tSmQc2cochp8M94UnWFg1F5QK8rYEQrwL5le3hd-E2xIelD0Waz5P8XJjaSibKOEiXIOYHKvSkUKz4VTcF55OcXW6x0XKzqaEI9Jp09a2iuukXwfJkrN7Q8bWgTDOkwmyyeC19cCYV0_AFu0B_-S3V5vjQ/s1108/Kathuon%20on%20Twitter.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoq9S_LY003RuKN5-Abf9h1iOd6ktrJq-tSmQc2cochp8M94UnWFg1F5QK8rYEQrwL5le3hd-E2xIelD0Waz5P8XJjaSibKOEiXIOYHKvSkUKz4VTcF55OcXW6x0XKzqaEI9Jp09a2iuukXwfJkrN7Q8bWgTDOkwmyyeC19cCYV0_AFu0B_-S3V5vjQ/w290-h320/Kathuon%20on%20Twitter.png" width="290" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I know I am cheating by using two characters to explain one character of mine, but honestly, Blossom can't be easily explained without using two so you just have to ignore me breaking the rules.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Like Mulan, her love for her family is more important than tradition or expectations. She will risk everything for them, even shame for herself if came to that. She is quite determined, not letting her weaknesses stop her from completing her goals, and is creative in overcoming her obstacles. She does also have a clumsy side to her, when she is in an uncomfortable or awkward situation. She always tries to do the right thing in the end, no matter the cost to herself. Like Rapunzel, she has a bubbly, optimistic, <i>almost </i>innocent (unlike Rapunzel, she isn't innocent at all) nature and view of life. Life to her is an adventure, everything new fascinates her and she always gives people the benefit of the doubt and second chances. She is kind and sweet, and despite the darkness of her circumstances, she is a ray of sunlight always. </div><div style="text-align: center;">While I can't properly write her as such yet (the first draft is really focused on developing Smoke's voice and getting the story out), this personality is what I aim to achieve with her in the end.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8BxQs-fOxBj6uu0npKz6Wo7928j8aYAcK1Z9r-f8Ws8KcgtHaIJ_O5R87jMPnTkeCJCOn0QczFHocJIgFBOqyZkTOpzA1TcLq5c3OP6-TUz3bRYsuxEj--Klek_AW0Ihb5vB_alm6SJWjxLaCj2IFqqwLIhxQEcIrMGZlOVRESovp-KKl1j4YmUFrw/s711/Beautiful%20Anime%20girl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8BxQs-fOxBj6uu0npKz6Wo7928j8aYAcK1Z9r-f8Ws8KcgtHaIJ_O5R87jMPnTkeCJCOn0QczFHocJIgFBOqyZkTOpzA1TcLq5c3OP6-TUz3bRYsuxEj--Klek_AW0Ihb5vB_alm6SJWjxLaCj2IFqqwLIhxQEcIrMGZlOVRESovp-KKl1j4YmUFrw/w226-h400/Beautiful%20Anime%20girl.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>How I imagined Blossom</i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dr. Facilier from <i>The Princess and the Frog</i></b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1QUb-mXT6h-a7wr2hhgQO0T93EoP2Zq4sfoE24rfvDTaKY7hkGTAYBvxwb1tcLK4WKlIWlJKC65xuhjQi6uXQXHG1qor3v2FgfNSEbFijYM51JDfY2oO1INo1PmO8yrH-MfN-Az1ka-irKK5eKBUt0uO_4l20wPZNSIx23wBqED3f64xGAL7yoH8hYg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="752" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1QUb-mXT6h-a7wr2hhgQO0T93EoP2Zq4sfoE24rfvDTaKY7hkGTAYBvxwb1tcLK4WKlIWlJKC65xuhjQi6uXQXHG1qor3v2FgfNSEbFijYM51JDfY2oO1INo1PmO8yrH-MfN-Az1ka-irKK5eKBUt0uO_4l20wPZNSIx23wBqED3f64xGAL7yoH8hYg=w284-h400" width="284" /></a></div><br /></i></b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Raijin is a schemer much like one of my favourite villains here. He is smart, knowing what to take advantage of and how. His ability to see every opportunity, twist his connections to do what he desires for his end goal and play dirty without cost to self becomes second nature. While he doesn't deal with witchcraft, he does deal with illegal and/or dangerous technology at risk of everyone, including himself and loved ones. He plays all of the cards he can just for the sake of bettering his situation and making people pay for having privilege. It doesn't matter if they actually didn't do anything wrong. Both have no idea that desperation, fear of failure of all they had planned for, drives them forward every moment. They are only vaguely aware that if it all falls apart, they will met their demise.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwmD0vYH7FliF8jR1EqZPLC3gLlFtcvGR7XaFN_ZVSPeHx00oEjLoHfbTr64V7ltQ3xAaTdqGPF6hlrDNnSbOY6b-WX4mOps1AgThfgkxzxxZuWYThdCXSkzP1U68SgfarY6l0eALqR48HSiejYaYAx7ivpH6DP1nyN3q6QkERYonaDaFO-j0ofPAIg/s1040/Electronics,%20Cars,%20Fashion,%20Collectibles%20&%20More%20_%20eBay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="624" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwmD0vYH7FliF8jR1EqZPLC3gLlFtcvGR7XaFN_ZVSPeHx00oEjLoHfbTr64V7ltQ3xAaTdqGPF6hlrDNnSbOY6b-WX4mOps1AgThfgkxzxxZuWYThdCXSkzP1U68SgfarY6l0eALqR48HSiejYaYAx7ivpH6DP1nyN3q6QkERYonaDaFO-j0ofPAIg/w240-h400/Electronics,%20Cars,%20Fashion,%20Collectibles%20&%20More%20_%20eBay.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>How I imagined Raijin</i> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tadashi Hamada from <i>Big Hero 6</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8bXhsdtqtNvr0MlAzXR7qhZOgDZhUYbPxDFTL4xP_0Xp_RBsdVr05jHQOarGb_88ii360c0JXaat-cW4rz-VaNR5tXVQ6iSKGXWbYef38jV20Nl2cP9CwJFZHClXYJ_x2t_7I5x0xWzxPbVz3ljf67ZFtcuV3KuEpx-rcb6pAsjopfNWbQCMWtH-yHg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="668" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8bXhsdtqtNvr0MlAzXR7qhZOgDZhUYbPxDFTL4xP_0Xp_RBsdVr05jHQOarGb_88ii360c0JXaat-cW4rz-VaNR5tXVQ6iSKGXWbYef38jV20Nl2cP9CwJFZHClXYJ_x2t_7I5x0xWzxPbVz3ljf67ZFtcuV3KuEpx-rcb6pAsjopfNWbQCMWtH-yHg=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fun fact about Asahi. He was going to be the typical antagonist older brother. But after a few months of brainstorming this story, this version of him wasn't going to work. It never actually worked in the beginning if I thought about it. He was so underdeveloped and flat when he had this personality. Once I figured that out, it opened the door to who he is now: a more complex, loving and caring older brother, a lot like how Tadashi is (the similarities are almost shocking). Tadashi is a lot more basic, but that's only because <b>*cough spoilers*</b> he died <b>*cough* </b>but then again all of the characters had clear personalities but not a lot of motivation and not a single misbelief or lie... The point is that everything he does involving his brother or other people is his way of caring and looking out for them. Like how Tadashi made Baymax to better help people heal from their injuries and help them with self-care, Asahi aims to help heal cyborgs from their brokenness caused from the war and fight for their rights. He just has such a thoughtful and kind nature, and tries his best to do good rather than harm. His good intentions though are not always the wisest nor the best for everyone, but at least his heart is in the right place.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX890tqxMSSKbUlOK04etCjYs7w5M9hBIOtFbuFgYXlHt6SZEPyf4IvP4Lbwe_ECvUXPKKUfphQZTKiMgTR3sKWRGiEBEYbaw1tHK43QT0dSb78vAlXiB1flr_5ugG5wr8CIEIbnDKaRY7owLcWxXTkTmN_N5bsQA2ycuv--jtNNJ9xn_VRlpZ7wjdYA/s640/Black%20haired%20anime%20guy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="640" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX890tqxMSSKbUlOK04etCjYs7w5M9hBIOtFbuFgYXlHt6SZEPyf4IvP4Lbwe_ECvUXPKKUfphQZTKiMgTR3sKWRGiEBEYbaw1tHK43QT0dSb78vAlXiB1flr_5ugG5wr8CIEIbnDKaRY7owLcWxXTkTmN_N5bsQA2ycuv--jtNNJ9xn_VRlpZ7wjdYA/w320-h317/Black%20haired%20anime%20guy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>How I imagined Asahi</i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>22 from <i>Soul</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQpyCR0TRlWkxvHl1wtatWsDLPtOVZMpeDuxNZdP-JBYa5EI1nxOtVfcTiisbe0CLjaEhlArw7wKb7mokEoLQvv-RUxyh13DgmemzNfIm9_ocZzfzQ1N9l2Yndo3A5xyLxLmhnxBXQGxjaDsmv7DxwPouboJd3WDUSHj3eFs5M7EeB-DKV0mEhU51EGg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="736" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQpyCR0TRlWkxvHl1wtatWsDLPtOVZMpeDuxNZdP-JBYa5EI1nxOtVfcTiisbe0CLjaEhlArw7wKb7mokEoLQvv-RUxyh13DgmemzNfIm9_ocZzfzQ1N9l2Yndo3A5xyLxLmhnxBXQGxjaDsmv7DxwPouboJd3WDUSHj3eFs5M7EeB-DKV0mEhU51EGg=w288-h400" width="288" /></a></div></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Smoke is not a character easy to be found in a Disney character let me tell you. But 22 actually fits him really well. The sarcastic, dry humour, the unwillingness to live life properly, the jaded view of the world around them, just <i>the whole attitude</i>. Also their journeys are kind of similar too. Learning to be human, truly human, is oddly a lot like what she went through (which I won't spoil here). But the biggest thing that me think that Smoke is like 22 is their internal conflict, which they disguised well under that attitude I mentioned before. If you have watched the film, 22's darkest moment is the most powerful reveal of her character, that layer that you will never expect from someone who seems so careless, rude and thoughtless. Smoke is the same. He deals with depression, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia and an eating disorder*, but you will never know that about him if you see him 99% of the time. That's his way of coping, living another day even when he doesn't, deep down. It's so sad, but this is what this series, FHE, is for. To teach him to overcome, to be vulnerable and open more with people, to find healing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*I didn't on purpose gave him these issues just for the sake of him suffering or anything like that. They actually came naturally the more I thought about him and wrote about him.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJkJpSJrIAu_SSOHdK8mLdc_tiIMFPZERTKBSjNhYBnVx8jprljTxPpW_XFy25TxsV1YN9Y-H7F8Hpm_7tJQDLHKjLbHxke9r6F-EEIFGOrruLN8kbhPCGAfaqIJNAbuA6R0IFSj16wecr-wbRG6YVVwcZh1ZzmFtFZ9nlQhNV5T6am2Pl-Z-Vo10fA/s654/%23Kyorin%20%23Anime%20Boy%20%F0%9F%8D%81.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="613" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJkJpSJrIAu_SSOHdK8mLdc_tiIMFPZERTKBSjNhYBnVx8jprljTxPpW_XFy25TxsV1YN9Y-H7F8Hpm_7tJQDLHKjLbHxke9r6F-EEIFGOrruLN8kbhPCGAfaqIJNAbuA6R0IFSj16wecr-wbRG6YVVwcZh1ZzmFtFZ9nlQhNV5T6am2Pl-Z-Vo10fA/w301-h320/%23Kyorin%20%23Anime%20Boy%20%F0%9F%8D%81.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>How I imagined Smoke</i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Nani from <i>Lilo & Stitch</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eNjlSAbD9IHkMazTZSpGS6vR2E14UdhPCFvD90b0j_Kw82bAko2NQquU_Sv2U8NmzyWBwxu-cU0SqLxK3irjTYFId9qRYF_7Es-2IsicA9BsT7_p-wk1tAl-FHA0NVilgzUFpJSLxRDM3yuDct0RrUZNwBDRfVzR_GZ4kgd3M2BViSbT16zYg_eXiQ/s1280/The%20Art%20Behind%20The%20Magic_%20Photo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1280" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eNjlSAbD9IHkMazTZSpGS6vR2E14UdhPCFvD90b0j_Kw82bAko2NQquU_Sv2U8NmzyWBwxu-cU0SqLxK3irjTYFId9qRYF_7Es-2IsicA9BsT7_p-wk1tAl-FHA0NVilgzUFpJSLxRDM3yuDct0RrUZNwBDRfVzR_GZ4kgd3M2BViSbT16zYg_eXiQ/w400-h254/The%20Art%20Behind%20The%20Magic_%20Photo.png" width="400" /></a></div><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is makes me laugh because I can totally see Hitomi acting like how Nani acted with her little sister. Except that she would be more aggressive because Hitomi only has 5 brothers and 0 sisters. Like Nani, she has a temper, does and says a lot of things she regrets, especially with her siblings, but at the heart of it all, she cares for her family deeply and doesn't want them hurt. She values family staying together even through the hardships. Both, in my opinion, are fighters and survivors, trying to do what's best for their family while also battling against their life falling apart in a way that they never wished to see. They give up sometimes, but then always find hope in the end to keep going, to keep fighting.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDlkhhiKOhmdmg2LeT_LTQc22dTPsxX3lQ2HbljkDZLIVJ86sLzE-IkhoKSA5bpa7ud8rKYinKBRMF45cWx26KIbg8fzkkpBOkvLLoP12qFSlmkqH5l8hlY2I282iuWsSdE6fvjDorfuh60xmNO7CrskGvZZG1tlOkKtfLs0R0DABiOORexYlkuPyUg/s873/Where%20stories%20live%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDlkhhiKOhmdmg2LeT_LTQc22dTPsxX3lQ2HbljkDZLIVJ86sLzE-IkhoKSA5bpa7ud8rKYinKBRMF45cWx26KIbg8fzkkpBOkvLLoP12qFSlmkqH5l8hlY2I282iuWsSdE6fvjDorfuh60xmNO7CrskGvZZG1tlOkKtfLs0R0DABiOORexYlkuPyUg/w276-h400/Where%20stories%20live%20(2).jpg" width="276" /></a></div><i>How I imagined Hitomi</i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Snow White from <i>Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEYR34dFPL9b4zo0EQv6S6iaqv5LYCY9QvM7IHX-1ZLOGGSaSrwm2Og7ZS7byH4r_yct9GmVNl7pN718S_cziIBOKXD4A8OqOOoFw9Yo7u4PBF2Pc9FDdplhUOlzSYI2ct-5VYihtXDK3IYFwAFomc9jFG9phdeCXTog2LsQD6J0R0kUewB4TCiw_kZw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1144" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEYR34dFPL9b4zo0EQv6S6iaqv5LYCY9QvM7IHX-1ZLOGGSaSrwm2Og7ZS7byH4r_yct9GmVNl7pN718S_cziIBOKXD4A8OqOOoFw9Yo7u4PBF2Pc9FDdplhUOlzSYI2ct-5VYihtXDK3IYFwAFomc9jFG9phdeCXTog2LsQD6J0R0kUewB4TCiw_kZw=w318-h400" width="318" /></a></div><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh, hello, other-character-who-has-also-changed-their-status-of-appearing-once-in-book-1-and-be-more-important-later-in-book-2. It seems like the characters are fond of overwhelming me at the moment. *coughs* But anyway...</div><div style="text-align: center;">Moe is the sweetest and most innocent of the characters I have in this cast, so thought Snow White was the best choice for her. Also the fact she can be bold even when circumstances are completely unknown and uncertain, and keep positive even when after experiencing extreme darkness for the first time in her life, is quite a similar response as Snow White. Her actions to fight against her hardships may be seem tiny compared to others and she won't have a strong voice among the battle for rights, but her presence in her loved ones' lives would be impactful and would earn their devotion and unconditional love. She's just one of those type of women who live simply, their courageousness invisible to the general eye. Just how I feel Snow White is.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBB_q2PWbqtO_8ic5ttidEVG8aCAMxstKw8hhS0RZ88qnaV4sBX5iPWHZnuKx1Vrbpbij1UwxAOwKfyyqus2OHfxfhyzJAS7UGPbRBHdEzehFkOkZFpyLrzoB-OL_J3ED0HZgkbIIkRRoIcbMUCJSW4XZejybRdIMNOJlDnY7UxLzQ3ygsEEp6biuQ9A/s340/Hiori%20Kazano.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="340" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBB_q2PWbqtO_8ic5ttidEVG8aCAMxstKw8hhS0RZ88qnaV4sBX5iPWHZnuKx1Vrbpbij1UwxAOwKfyyqus2OHfxfhyzJAS7UGPbRBHdEzehFkOkZFpyLrzoB-OL_J3ED0HZgkbIIkRRoIcbMUCJSW4XZejybRdIMNOJlDnY7UxLzQ3ygsEEp6biuQ9A/w400-h388/Hiori%20Kazano.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>How I imagined Moe</i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Helga from<i> Atlantis: The Lost Empire</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFqmMvLXjoAX-_GNexwCMw8xMJmDYdK-vml-ki-MSiubXx4J1Is48pJ1Yp4XQHw0QRg20R8o0oSp--yD2ezcwFZEw5uiIm5TCLFDcPICmp10WQomQWw-dg2TdFsjEeW3mGEgOWpTqC7ocyPqYUYIUtIQN3tU02SRYCY8dcJhq9438Fg0LNC3_AD1yXA/s1141/Helga%20(Atlantis)_,%20Miss%20Ti.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFqmMvLXjoAX-_GNexwCMw8xMJmDYdK-vml-ki-MSiubXx4J1Is48pJ1Yp4XQHw0QRg20R8o0oSp--yD2ezcwFZEw5uiIm5TCLFDcPICmp10WQomQWw-dg2TdFsjEeW3mGEgOWpTqC7ocyPqYUYIUtIQN3tU02SRYCY8dcJhq9438Fg0LNC3_AD1yXA/w315-h400/Helga%20(Atlantis)_,%20Miss%20Ti.png" width="315" /></a></div><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The best way to describe Helga and Kumi is that they are strong women with style. As in they look so feminine but cool because of the clothes they wear and yet they are also the type who will break your arm if you approach them wrong. They are not women to be taken lightly because they are literally dangerous. And it's probably a fact they are generally an antagonistic force because they are just the type to seemly hate everyone and rebel. They are not known for treating anyone nice. I honestly love this type of woman (cause they are so fun) but I don't see them very often. I need more. ๐</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFT7wjs3kaj0al4ZrGNaXKxbPL0LZF8gA84rEgBZvsOK4qdiOkHuiWiqV14CsGMnNYXwrl3F6w7rugTMVFO6Dn68Nc_HfVc--yEVvSgSo5_NVWoZwnk8L2hIHI8xLgCFO8C6ndMdn6dZ6KBdZ5ygZRxixgeVy7-zo847M9yhbXEk3avZzrkri7SY9kWA/s779/f6d62782-581d-41bc-8487-a22ecaf779e0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFT7wjs3kaj0al4ZrGNaXKxbPL0LZF8gA84rEgBZvsOK4qdiOkHuiWiqV14CsGMnNYXwrl3F6w7rugTMVFO6Dn68Nc_HfVc--yEVvSgSo5_NVWoZwnk8L2hIHI8xLgCFO8C6ndMdn6dZ6KBdZ5ygZRxixgeVy7-zo847M9yhbXEk3avZzrkri7SY9kWA/w246-h400/f6d62782-581d-41bc-8487-a22ecaf779e0.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><i>How I imagined Kumi</i> </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Colette from <i>Ratatouille</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia2tURLzBKSvW3wJl3J0VfqKPy_nurBUk13_9oGDhQRs7vSIJBRxz41wdBqqpjNEN-OHxi9bpOUn3YN2B9Z4HihIxkfMOQf--knKLxhoYqUpG3q8R5GvmkiLiBNyj62fZt35otxbJmMb-d6RfVNvRBkTS_eYSnwGfALnhBnQmwQcViVSoOxiN09XsRSQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="309" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia2tURLzBKSvW3wJl3J0VfqKPy_nurBUk13_9oGDhQRs7vSIJBRxz41wdBqqpjNEN-OHxi9bpOUn3YN2B9Z4HihIxkfMOQf--knKLxhoYqUpG3q8R5GvmkiLiBNyj62fZt35otxbJmMb-d6RfVNvRBkTS_eYSnwGfALnhBnQmwQcViVSoOxiN09XsRSQ=w385-h400" width="385" /></a></div><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wants to help but does it in the most aggressive way possible. Yep, that sounds like Maciej. This character is definitely <i>still</i> only important and significant in book 2. I mean this makes sense since he's going to be a main character than a side character so he doesn't have as much room to move around. Or so I think at present. Judging how my plans for my protagonist change <i>as I'm writing it</i>, it's likely he will change a lot of my plans. But maybe he will be a good character (I'm probably starting to sound insane to non-writers, haha.)</div><div style="text-align: center;">And, wow, I really went off topic. I keep on doing that. I guess it's cause I haven't written about this project in a while and <i>so much</i> has changed and I just want to share it (without spoilers of course).</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Anyway, both Maciej and Colette get forced into a teaching/mentor role for the protagonist. And while they criticize them a lot, rebuke and sometimes threatens *coughs*, they know their stuff and are great teachers underneath their tough exterior. They genuinely want the best for their "student" at the end of the day, but personal conflict I think comes in the way sometimes and also the fact that they worked hard for what they are now teaching. Probably personal sacrifices were made.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwXFfhbWpbu1gfs5pjSin_JFKlEeicyJC4xr7k1MoBpwnAlsCDOMdhXFns_5jpxmbvqNfzTl7j_izfqBlTe9fxHl09hmtIteTpY9nTdSUSOkOOSWhu7Jn6ry2XJO3zR_taxwlpqxckntuwH9l5t0fPLn4HpDn0f-RlfAT7DocSg04BF_0hU2R5I4wRg/s1134/The%20Lone%20Swordsman%20(RWBY%20X%20Faunas%20Male%20Reader)%20-%20Bio_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwXFfhbWpbu1gfs5pjSin_JFKlEeicyJC4xr7k1MoBpwnAlsCDOMdhXFns_5jpxmbvqNfzTl7j_izfqBlTe9fxHl09hmtIteTpY9nTdSUSOkOOSWhu7Jn6ry2XJO3zR_taxwlpqxckntuwH9l5t0fPLn4HpDn0f-RlfAT7DocSg04BF_0hU2R5I4wRg/w248-h400/The%20Lone%20Swordsman%20(RWBY%20X%20Faunas%20Male%20Reader)%20-%20Bio_.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><i>How I imagined Maciej</i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Pocahontas from <i>Pocahontas</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwPEhg9UUMgKZp9x4sVoaNcivW5_HqD4Ihk2Kg7MznXr2GNzmhbNvst75nidaNTMv1Dk_cTkFBLubQKqDbpoX2wKNmtNP9rS_YbB0p-LhFSEHJhLvobXZZoBqCBpUU29sl7D4APigrHApqMkux51jhEYFob_wj_-rxmKd5-mU5n7r9ckZuPeKjGaIsmA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwPEhg9UUMgKZp9x4sVoaNcivW5_HqD4Ihk2Kg7MznXr2GNzmhbNvst75nidaNTMv1Dk_cTkFBLubQKqDbpoX2wKNmtNP9rS_YbB0p-LhFSEHJhLvobXZZoBqCBpUU29sl7D4APigrHApqMkux51jhEYFob_wj_-rxmKd5-mU5n7r9ckZuPeKjGaIsmA=w253-h400" width="253" /></a></div><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know why yet, but Tree's personality strikes me as a nature-loving person. Someone who really cares for the health of nature and deeply appreciates the beauty of it. Probably someone who will defend it too. But the big reason why he matched Pocahontas is that both are wild, curious and mildly rebellious. They fit in, but also don't fit in at the same time because what they truly value isn't what the society around them cares about. And when they find the thing that they really need to stand up for, they will do anything, risk anything to fight for it, even if it's an unpopular opinion.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK09ZH2PYROrcLDfPTHPgZ3NLBjCxIDfj2S_Jf7Y1EhutuIVyMGwDOlWjCIw3MCQT-QJrJZjOl3NG4t0-ecNewgsGnSGA6vigfkrR184xByuzzUqLbV_NCKOgL7iXP0ElXtnztvQ9ToPBciqgs4fvbPpll50fWEqyPB5-Gneuj4aQ6J0SFfWnDtbRxgA/s1000/download.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1000" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK09ZH2PYROrcLDfPTHPgZ3NLBjCxIDfj2S_Jf7Y1EhutuIVyMGwDOlWjCIw3MCQT-QJrJZjOl3NG4t0-ecNewgsGnSGA6vigfkrR184xByuzzUqLbV_NCKOgL7iXP0ElXtnztvQ9ToPBciqgs4fvbPpll50fWEqyPB5-Gneuj4aQ6J0SFfWnDtbRxgA/w400-h318/download.png" width="400" /></a></div> <i>How I imagined Tree</i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Namaari from <i>Raya and the Last Dragon</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1qDM_6FHZ1SAxdEze3RIK_3iJuGPPj1iWMOP330XQkDglaHQ6emcvXxn7FzKUjwpX3G_OOESpImZGDPk4TLy7GgvuENCP9eEKVN0v_giqDAtGn4iNnJLYhtMI0xoPMCTgSqHK5jJVOS8YX-KSsTm-eyagg8kkFwOZ0VmSlHZqMLxsMqL3b_90nL0SMw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="911" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1qDM_6FHZ1SAxdEze3RIK_3iJuGPPj1iWMOP330XQkDglaHQ6emcvXxn7FzKUjwpX3G_OOESpImZGDPk4TLy7GgvuENCP9eEKVN0v_giqDAtGn4iNnJLYhtMI0xoPMCTgSqHK5jJVOS8YX-KSsTm-eyagg8kkFwOZ0VmSlHZqMLxsMqL3b_90nL0SMw=w303-h400" width="303" /></a></div></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The biggest thing Dragon and Namaari have in common is that they are kinda of forced to be antagonists but at the same time feel justified to be one so they don't care how they hurt the person they targeted. It's also so cool to note that both are working for a loved one rather than themselves, but because the thing they are fighting for is something their loved ones believe in so strongly, they follow their cause almost blindly. They have doubts, but they believe their loved ones know best. Both they are very loyal, to their people's values and the cause their loved ones started. At the end of the day, they are pawns in someone's game and, though very powerful people, are trapped in something that they don't believe in deep down. They are unable to fight for what they really care about, out of love and devotion for that loved one who raised them to think the way they do from a young age.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2suhEqXg-Ejn9JsW9FijE1QQcJ2CT3zD-sG8-r6rDhb5ejO4toQ7xd_XvJ0p3JLSyYHI4vm4bmKfhAc2jyvBo904DQ1AdEdL7O0PX5BI0P9kK8BQe6zkxNbpFnQGXrUaL5n4VPJQehSDYdKpNZWF8zmzoK0QShIrq0q1esh62S8T7snXpz2GnReJSwQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2suhEqXg-Ejn9JsW9FijE1QQcJ2CT3zD-sG8-r6rDhb5ejO4toQ7xd_XvJ0p3JLSyYHI4vm4bmKfhAc2jyvBo904DQ1AdEdL7O0PX5BI0P9kK8BQe6zkxNbpFnQGXrUaL5n4VPJQehSDYdKpNZWF8zmzoK0QShIrq0q1esh62S8T7snXpz2GnReJSwQ=w320-h400" width="320" /></a></div><i>How I imagined Dragon</i><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ah, nice and long for you guys to enjoy. ๐ I had so much fun rambling all about my characters. It was actually quite amazing to see so many similarities between the Disney characters and my own. It was not on purpose and a lot of it really is just my interpterion of the characters, their motivations and actions and are not 100% accurate for both Disney and my own. Especially since my characters are very likely to change and grow over time.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With that, I will now say farewell, Virtual Paper Adventurers!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Have you watch any of these movies I mentioned? Do you see what I am talking about in these Disney characters (or you think I am way off on them)? Do you know what type of woman I am talking about for Katie (I need to know if anyone else love them!)? </b></div></div>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-17728441710686369232021-05-29T06:00:00.045+10:002022-09-01T10:22:19.676+10:00Ignite Cover Reveal<p>Back with another cover reveal. But it isn't any book I'm excited about. This is a story that I have been waiting for since I first heard about it way over a year ago. Around when it was still being written/its first draft was finished area. I haven't I ever have followed a book's journey from "start" to almost finish before and it's thrilling. So this book already has a special place on my heart since I love it before it came to be publishable.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61u_byP4sllqUctuFzGfemVZjnOQJaJJ_IiSB46fD4_NGG2TwbIoH1vmkK4oVS-_2PDtYNVeeHy7s02-9wwpFRdbzejqcN_xME9OfjSqDU8AwPjW5l_hAJOsalgpEl8ISkxCifR0URt_I8QR2mUZKLR3C7S6-pLH6dUV02wmfEue1FRiMdkT6XP7wBQ/s6000/elisabeth-arnold-qnVk55dxebg-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61u_byP4sllqUctuFzGfemVZjnOQJaJJ_IiSB46fD4_NGG2TwbIoH1vmkK4oVS-_2PDtYNVeeHy7s02-9wwpFRdbzejqcN_xME9OfjSqDU8AwPjW5l_hAJOsalgpEl8ISkxCifR0URt_I8QR2mUZKLR3C7S6-pLH6dUV02wmfEue1FRiMdkT6XP7wBQ/w426-h640/elisabeth-arnold-qnVk55dxebg-unsplash.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Elisabeth Arnold on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">As always, let's get into the blurb first and then for the cover reveal. ๐ฑ</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>What if superhumans weren't considered heroes?</b></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>When Scarlet Marley is attacked by an illegal super with powers, she doesn't get burned, but now she has a fire-like glow flickering in her eyes.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>With superpowers criminalized, she has no choice but to turn herself over to the Superhuman Containment Facility, or risk hurting everyone she loves.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Her normal life seems lost forever, until she is selected to be one of the first to receive the experimental cure to destroy her powers. In exchange, she must first complete one mission:<br /></i><i>Infiltrate and capture one of the largest gangs of supers in the remains of once-great Rapid City.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>With the cure and all her future at stake, Scarlett is prepared to do whatever it takes to bring these criminals to justice so she can return to her family. But this gang and their leader, Rez, aren't what everyone says, and Scarlet begins to question everything she was ever told about the SCF and the fire flowing in her veins.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The cure is her only hope for returning her life to what it was before, but is that life worth returning to after all?</i></b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><p style="text-align: left;">Anyone else obsessed with this premise??? It sounds so cool and good. I love superheroes (thanks Marvel) so that alone excites me. But also I love elemental powers too, which any of you being here long enough know that full well, and the fact that the main characters have these powers is awesome.<br />Just everything about it sounds so good.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Anyway, I should stop gushing about the blurb and show you guys the cover right?</p><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: 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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvrzE5xwKdhFrR6MNsSti-_4UvxgevxDdD4uURhfGxTiX1uJSwBBAy6ZLbBN_XoHGWy-1Q0kaPySxp0sA4YAh6rHvnXzcCd0GS1pQnQIUVJp5BExgj1eJ5EQbOgSpoD055-kgt14aC5g/s2048/IGNITE+EBOOK+COVER.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvrzE5xwKdhFrR6MNsSti-_4UvxgevxDdD4uURhfGxTiX1uJSwBBAy6ZLbBN_XoHGWy-1Q0kaPySxp0sA4YAh6rHvnXzcCd0GS1pQnQIUVJp5BExgj1eJ5EQbOgSpoD055-kgt14aC5g/w250-h400/IGNITE+EBOOK+COVER.jpeg" width="250" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm screaming ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ How are these covers so AMAZING!!!??? I get mind-blown each time. Just wow. This is just outstanding. This is the first time I'm seeing the cover properly and I missed so much detail with the first look so I'm just really soaking in the beauty right now. This is why people buy by the cover. I get it. Almost.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I definitely think you all need to consider buying this book. It releases on July 2nd! </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's the preorder <a href="https://jennaterese.com/books-2/" target="_blank">link</a>!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>What do you think of this cover? What about the premise? *Raises eyebrows*</b></div>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-19129807826223575742021-05-19T16:14:00.004+10:002022-08-30T23:11:49.975+10:00The Ultimate Disney Tag <p style="text-align: left;">As I'm guessing you guys know, I am a Disney fan. So passing up this tag is no-no. Even though it is 50 questions long. But it isn't called the ultimate for nothing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7CrEm02jgEfOwXbAfmC-gN5c1qjYdDZ945VYCSNO4HMyqogSqttiP0im-hPWBqhsGevhkb_Rji-GGkSiHK5CPZVkBTW7PGI5QMHIeUfNVjpWKamNRtFDFhN6vVFcuipijz4sVHg25LgZb5k3xoXI-MppH5PGOF7KR_aMbryLbgDRwVoSNljOV3VFHA/s4416/perry-merrity-ii-2J6WtbB00VY-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2488" data-original-width="4416" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7CrEm02jgEfOwXbAfmC-gN5c1qjYdDZ945VYCSNO4HMyqogSqttiP0im-hPWBqhsGevhkb_Rji-GGkSiHK5CPZVkBTW7PGI5QMHIeUfNVjpWKamNRtFDFhN6vVFcuipijz4sVHg25LgZb5k3xoXI-MppH5PGOF7KR_aMbryLbgDRwVoSNljOV3VFHA/w640-h360/perry-merrity-ii-2J6WtbB00VY-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Perry Merrity II on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">I also had this tag hanging around forever so this is why I am doing this one today and instead of the ones I was tagged for.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The rules:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Mention whose blog you found out about this tag through & share their link! (Through Diamond's <a href="https://ihave12ofaplan.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">I have 12% of a plan</a>.)</li><li>Include the rules and badge in your post. (I'm guessing the picture is the badge. ๐)</li><li>Answer all 50 questions.</li><li>Tag the post under "theultimatedisneytag" in the Reader. (As far I know, I don't have a reader.)</li><li>Leave an open invitation for all Disney lovers to participate! (๐ If you're crazy enough to do this, go ahead. Be my guest. <i>"be our guest..."</i>)</li><p style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="" class="wp-image-1178" data-attachment-id="1178" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"Processed with Rookie Cam","created_timestamp":"-62169984000","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"Processed with Rookie Cam","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="" data-large-file="https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg?w=1024" data-medium-file="https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg" data-orig-size="1200,1194" data-permalink="https://maggiesdoodles.com/processed-with-rookie-cam-35/" height="318" sizes="(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px" src="https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg?w=825" srcset="https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg?w=825 825w, https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg?w=150 150w, https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg?w=300 300w, https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg?w=768 768w, https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://chickadeelovermaggie.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/img_2192-e1599678127742.jpg 1200w" width="320" /></p></ol>And now for the many questions!<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. What is the first Disney movie you remember watching?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is either <i>Snow White and the Seven Dwarves</i>, <i>Sleeping Beauty </i>or <i>Cars</i>. I can't remember which one came first.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2. Three characters you related to the most?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I use to think I didn't relate to any Disney characters, but after a lot of thinking, I realise I do have a few and here they are:</div><div style="text-align: center;">1. The live action Cinderella (2015 version) - I feel that she is the most like my character and her "have courage and be kind" is something I would stand by as a belief, moral and life goal.</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. Rapunzel - I'm not sure why exactly I relate to her, but a big part of is that she is kind, creative and that she dreams. </div><div style="text-align: center;">3. I'm going to cheat here and say Snow White, Aurora and Cinderella (original version) - because their very natures just speak to me. With Snow White and Cinderella, the ability to stay positive in hard situations, how they are hardworking and diligent women, dreamers, both kind and thoughtful, reminds me so much of who I am and who I aim to be. While I can't say Aurora can stand positive in hard situations (the poor girl didn't have a lot of time to work through the negative emotions), she does have a similar personality, thoughts and dreams as the two above. She is also a hopeless romantic like me (though I'm more wise and cautious ๐) and my soul is just so happy to see how she wanders around the forest in bare feet (so me if I dared to). I could go on, but that's for another post. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3. If you could trade places with one character for a day, who would you choose and what would you do?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll take Jane's place and hang out with Tarzan. That way I can spend the day learning how to be wild.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4. Which princess do you relate the most to?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I already answer that. The live action Cinderella for sure.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5. Are you jealous of any character's fashion sense/wardrobe?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">No, I am not. Yes, I acknowledge that some of them have amazing wardrobes and fashion sense, but I am not jealous of them. I am happy with my style.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>6. Which song/s get stuck in your in your head the most often?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Songs rarely get stuck in my head on repeat, including Disney's songs. But one that did get stuck in my head for a while was Show Yourself from <i>Frozen 2</i> (it is now stuck in my head again).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> 7. If you could change one thing about any Disney movie, what would you change and why?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I would change how Scar died in <i>T</i><i>he Lion King</i>. Even though I was a teenager, I still found that scene too much when I watched again after a long time. Thank goodness I didn't remember that as a child.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>8. Which sidekick would you love to have?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do animals count? I think the pig from <b>Moana</b> would be a great sidekick for me. It is cute and not annoying.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>9. If you could spend the day with three characters, who would you choose and what would the four of you do together?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strike>Oh, poop, I forgot my original answer to this. I'll just have to make one up on the spot.</strike></div><div style="text-align: center;">I would pick Tiana, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. We will all hang out at Tiana's restaurant, praise how amazing her food is, I will ask them a bunch of questions about their lives, getting all of the details, and just act like old best friends for the whole day. <strike>I will also secretly think how cute Rapunzel and Flynn are, as well Tiana and Naveen too if I catch sight of them together. </strike></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>10. Is there a crossover relationship you think would totally work? (<i>for example, Tiana and Prince Charming)</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">No. Not from the Disney universe anyway (Jack Frost and Elsa, anyone?)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>11. Any there any minor characters you think should have been included more in in their movies' plots? If so, which ones?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I can only think of the pig from <i>Moana</i>. ๐ I really wanted more screen time of that pig.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>12. Which movie has your favourite animation?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Most old Disney movies, like most before <i>Tangled</i> (this is not including any Pixar movies). I just love the old drawings style so much. I do love the new style, but it is sad that they are not doing that style anymore. There is something special about it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>13. If you could request to have a sequel made for any one movie, what sequel would it be and what would you love to see happen in it?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Actually, I won't ever request a sequel cause I personally dislike most sequels for most movies. I strongly believe that most Disney movies, if not all, are better off without a sequel.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>14. Are there any movies you think <i>shouldn't</i> have had a sequel? Why or why not?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I think most of the movies that had sequels shouldn't have had sequels. Noteworthy exceptions to this statement are <i>Frozen 2</i>, <i>Incredibles 2</i>, <i>Brother Bear 2</i>, <i>Toy Story 2</i> and <i>Wreak it Ralph 2</i> (<i>Ralph Breaks the Internet</i>) [even though I didn't liked all of the stuff that was in it]. I also haven't watched all of the sequels yet, but I don't have any high hopes for them being good.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>15. Do you use any Disney quotes in your everyday life? If so, what are they?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nope. I don't at all.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>16. Have you noticed any plot holes or funny errors in any movie?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I know that they do exist, but I can't think of any.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>17. Which quote/s inspire the most?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know because I can't remember any.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>18. Who were favourite characters as a kid?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I didn't really have favourite characters as a kid. I just love the characters in the movies I loved.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>19. Who are your favourite characters now?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A long list I can't be bothered to do. But I still love the same characters as a kid just with more characters I love (I can't pick favourites, okay?)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>20. What's the last movie you watched?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strike><i>Brother Bear 2</i> (and <i>Into the Woods </i>but I haven't finished it yet)</strike></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Raya and the Last Dragon</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>21. Which movie do you want to watch next?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strike><i>Maleficent</i></strike></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Hunchback of Norte Dame</i> (I still haven't watch this film and I'm dying to)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Also <i>Cruella</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>22. Which character would you go to for advice?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Moana's Grandmother. She's both wise and cool. I would love to get advice from her because it would be a great experience.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>23. Were there any movies that scared you growing up? Are you okay watching them now?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Toy Story 3 and Cars 2 did scared me (on a re-watch). I haven't touched Toy Story 3 since that day (and honestly don't want to in the future ever), but I have watched Cars 2 after getting freaked out and I am fine now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>24. What's your favourite Disney short?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Hands down, <i>Paperman</i>. I have never watched anything else so beautiful, funny and clever than this short. If you haven't watched it for some reason, go watch it. It is amazing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>25. Which movie has your favourite soundtrack?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Frozen 2</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>26. Who is your favourite classic character? (<i>i.e. Mickey, Goofy, Donald, etc.</i>)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't have one because I don't like the classic characters. *coughs*</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>27. Which destination/town/world would you love to visit the most? What would you do there?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Frozen 2</i>'s main setting. And I would befriend all of the different elements of course. I would love to ride the water horse, play with the fire lizard and Gale (the leaves), and hang out with the earth giants (maybe also ride on them?).</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>28. Do prefer watching live action or animated?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Animated all. the. way.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>29. What are your top three most-watched movies?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. <i>Brave</i><br />2. <i>Tangled</i><br />3. <i>The Incredibles</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>30. Which scene made you the saddest?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tadashi from <i>Big Hero 6</i> death scene.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> 31.</b> <b>Which scene was the most heartwarming?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">When Sadness was valued in <i>Inside Out</i>. I don't know why exactly it was heartwarming but was the first thing that came to mind when I thought about this question.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>32. Which scene completely shocked you?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Honestly, I haven't been shocked by Disney. Impressed, yes, maybe mind-blown a few times, but surprised, didn't-see-that-coming sort of thing, no. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>33. What are your favourite best friend relationships?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Moana and Maui (<i>Moana</i>), Lilo and Stitch (<i>Lilo & Stitch</i>), Tiana and Charlotte (<i>The Princess and the Frog</i>), Judy Hopps and Nick Wild (<i>Zootopia</i>), Emperor Kuzco and Pacha (<i>The Emperor's New Groove</i>).</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>34. Which couple is your favourite?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Flynn Rider (Eugene) and Rapunzel (<i>Tangled</i>). They can't be rivaled for so many reasons, no one can convince me otherwise.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>35. Movie with the happiest ending?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">So many Disney movies can fit here, but I'll go with the ending of <i>The Princess and the Frog</i>. I love that ending.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>36. Movie with the saddest ending?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The ending of <i>Pocahontas </i>was pretty bittersweet. When I was a kid, I hated it, but when I was older, I realised it was actually a good ending.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>37. Is there a type of food/treat a character eats/bakes that you'd love to try?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tiana's beignets from <i>The Princess and the Frog</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>38. Have been to any of the Disney parks?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nope.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>39. What are your favourite Disney Channel shows/movies?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have watched very little of Disney Channel stuff. But I do have a few up my sleeve. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Descendants</i>,<i> Teen Beach Movie </i>(I haven't watched the second one yet), and <i>High School Musical </i>(cheesy but fun. Not the second one though. That one was terrible.) </div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm still shocked that <i>High School Musical</i> are Disney Channel movies. Yes, I never knew that until recently. Shows you that I really haven't watched Disney Channel.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>40. If you could visit the set of any show or live action movie, which one would you want to see?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The 2015 <i>Cinderella</i> one.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>41. Which movie makes you laugh the most?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Onward</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>42. Was there a movie you thought you wouldn't like, but you ended up loving it?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The remake of Dumbo. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed that one.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>43. Which villains you are scared of?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am not genuinely scared of any of them. But ones that I say are scary are: Cruella De Vil (<i>101 Dalmatians</i>), Dr Facilier (<i>The Princess and the Frog</i>), Scar (<i>The Lion King)</i>, Maleficent (<i>Sleeping Beauty </i>version), Madame Medusa (<i>The Rescuers</i>), Mother Gothel (<i>Tangled</i>), Jafar (<i>Aladdin </i>[original version]), Ursula (<i>The Little Mermaid</i>), and Bill Sykes (<i>Oliver and Company</i>).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>44. Which villain/s don't scare you?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The rest of them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>45. Do you like any Disney memes? (feel free to share them!)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not sure. Probably, but also very few of them since most of them I found dumb. I don't have anything on hand.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>46. Do you/have you any Disney-themed clothes?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">No.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>47. Do you have any stuffed animals/toys? If so, which ones?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">No again.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>48. If you could recommend one Disney movie for others to watch, which one would you choose and why?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Atlantis: The Lost Empire</i>. This is sadly quite underrated and more people need to watch it and love it as I do. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>49. Which characters always make you smile?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">From the top of my head, Flynn Rider and Rapunzel. I don't need to explain this one, I'm sure. ๐</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>50. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you love Disney?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I think 9 of 10, because I'm obsessed with most of their animation films and some of their live actions, but I don't care to have merch (with exceptions of books and Disney themed gifts from friends and family. I will happy buy Disney books and proudly show off the merch given to me) or visit Disney themed places. I'm obsessed, but as not obsessed as I know I could be.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hopefully I haven't missed a question or something. There was <b><i>so</i></b> many of them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's the link to the tag creator's <a href="https://maggiesdoodles.com/2020/09/12/50-doodles-the-ultimate-disney-tag-100-followers-celebration/" target="_blank">post</a>, and I'll see around, Virtual Paper Adventurers! <strike>(How do people keep this up without getting sick of it.)</strike></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Any Disney Fans out there? What would be some of your answers to the questions? </b></div>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-62020157766972105832021-05-17T12:25:00.006+10:002022-08-31T13:05:46.410+10:00The Fandom Tag<p style="text-align: left;"><i>{Updated version} </i>31/8/2022</p><p style="text-align: left;">In which I confess that I don't have a lot of fandoms. *hides*</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0wb0_Pf5LhJHhpHqRA5qSK80Oxk67BWXqqKe-rLKRHXkmTQ8w7nTZNjRNl5MtZLi2OUDJ9yGosKq-63Svj44d3VzQaq0QwBQ6uzWjRN62yIpUPuoHgYwB8jy7VHCHE7nMSrRNwCux_Ieg7ts80VSE1Im4iPQQ88pwlmyKuBZJJdmkG2B5THiF6qZlw/s6000/aron-visuals-BXOXnQ26B7o-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0wb0_Pf5LhJHhpHqRA5qSK80Oxk67BWXqqKe-rLKRHXkmTQ8w7nTZNjRNl5MtZLi2OUDJ9yGosKq-63Svj44d3VzQaq0QwBQ6uzWjRN62yIpUPuoHgYwB8jy7VHCHE7nMSrRNwCux_Ieg7ts80VSE1Im4iPQQ88pwlmyKuBZJJdmkG2B5THiF6qZlw/w640-h426/aron-visuals-BXOXnQ26B7o-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">You know what's funny? I have been secretly avoiding doing this tag because I just knew that when it comes to fandoms, I have a small, sad supply. For a while I happily just saw the fandom tag pass around to other people, and then... I got tagged. Twice.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">*sighs* Looks like I <i>must</i> do the tag. *internal screaming*</p><p style="text-align: left;">*coughs* It is probably not going to be as bad as I think would be.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Anyway....</p><p style="text-align: left;">I was tagged by two of my favourite bloggers <a href="https://inkcalamities.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Skye</a> and <a href="https://livingoutsidethelinesfindingthewritelife.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jen</a>. Thanks gals for making me do this. ๐</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wg3-EPgjLcIz11WEASBUdZt4Wpq40Y_N1md8Yq3HDiCgYh3lIfHHq3inod5_9MyYOzwTzIFZEXNt-QxYu6mm7ZALu1yecwFiVPlosz2hyphenhyphenkjiyrfLQRIa0dktoxSSff_BiEt8LC6zEN4/w400-h225/the-fandom-tag.png" width="400" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">The Rules:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Include the graphic somewhere in your post!</li><li>Answer the questions!</li><li>Tag two fangirls (or boys, I suppose!)</li></ol><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">When I think fandom, my mind thinks of a short list and even then might forget one or two. I'm just not crazy about most of the things I loved. A fandom to me is something really really special to me. Something I can both rant and fangirl for hours. Something that makes me think and is my mind a lot even after the final chapter or episode or ending has closed. It needs to steal my heart. It needs to be a series or universe or a bunch of things somehow related to each other. For some reason standalones stories don't give me the fandom vibe? I think I might have a weird definition of fandom...</p><p style="text-align: left;">The questions: </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What's the first fandom you remember becoming part of?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Disney! I was raised on a bunch of the classics. But I didn't realise I was a fan of them and obsessed with them until I was much older. I don't remember exactly when I was a official fan, but unofficially I have been a fan for ages. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What's the newest fandom you've come to enjoy?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Grishaverse. I only realise just how much I love this world. I adore <i>Six of Crows</i>, but my fangirl side really came out when the Shadow and Bone TV show came out. My friends can testify I went a little nuts. ๐ I have not watched it yet since I don't have Netflix, but I am already in love with the cast and think they are perfect for the characters and I watch a bunch of non-spoiler videos about it and the cast. It is a lot more than I indulged in a small space of time. I also follow the TV show's Instagram. I'm also slightly dying that I haven't read <i>Crooked Kingdom</i>, <i>King of Scars </i>and <i>Rule of Wolves</i> yet. I also really want to reread <i>Shadow and Bone</i> Trilogy, and that's a weird thing to me cause I never have such a strong urge to reread a series before. I love reading new stories so much. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What's a fandom guaranteed to give you feels?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Marvel, <i>The Lunar Chronicles</i> and Grishaverse. (Sorry I couldn't name one.) I have so much emotional attached to these that I'm going to feel at least something when I read or watch them. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What's a guilty pleasure fandom of yours?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Grishaverse. Just because I'm hesitant to recommend them to people because of certain content that makes me uncomfortable but can ignore because the characters, plot and world are TOO AMAZING. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What's the weirdest fandom you've heard of/part of?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">I am not part of any weird fandoms and I can't think of any of weird fandoms at the top of my head.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Favourite fandom/widely-known fandom?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Literally all of my fandoms are widely known and I have at least two (but very likely to be more) blogger friends in these fandoms. And, yes, all of them are my favourites. Don't make me choose one. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Favourite bookish fandom?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>The Lunar Chronicles</i>, which is also my first and most beloved bookish fandom. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What do you consider your "homebase", a fandom you can always come back to?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Disney. Because they keep on making new stuff all of the time that I just love so it is easy to come back to. ๐ (I totally cheated.)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What's a fandom you know all about... but aren't actually into it?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Star Wars. Sorry, Star Wars fans, but I just don't love it. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Which fandom has the best characters?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">This question requires more than one fandom. <i>The Lunar Chronicles</i>, Marvel, Grishaverse (particularly <i>Six of Crows</i>) and Once Upon a Time TV show. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Name your all-time favourite ship.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Scarlet and Wolf from <i>The Lunar Chronicles</i>. ๐</p><p style="text-align: center;">Kaz and Inej from <i>Six of Crows</i>. ๐</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strike>Bucky and Sarah from <i>The Falcon and The Winter Solider</i>.</strike> Just kidding. I don't do non-canon ships. ๐</p><p style="text-align: center;">Regina and Robin Hood from Once Upon a Time. ๐ญ</p><p style="text-align: center;">Tiana and Prince Naveen from <i>The Princess and the Frog</i>. ๐</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What's a fandom you're curious joining?</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Keeper of the Lost Cities </i>series. This fandom seems interesting to be part of, especially with the love triangle stuff. I would love to have my own opinion on that. ๐</p><p style="text-align: left;">I think I am meant to tag people, but like I'm not sure who hasn't or has done this tag. Like I said before, I saw this tag floating around several times.</p><p style="text-align: left;">*thinks*</p><p style="text-align: left;">None of the girls @ <a href="https://www.teenwritersnook.com/" target="_blank">Teen Writers' Nook</a> have done it, so they are tagged.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://jennaterese.com/" target="_blank">Jenna Terese</a> hasn't done it either and I would love to hear her answers, so I'll tag her too.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Some fun facts about my fandoms:</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="text-align: center;">I borrowed Once Upon a Time from a friend (1-5) and the library (season 6-7), so I only own a copy of season 7 because the library one was broken on THE LAST EPISODE. </span></li><li><span style="text-align: center;">Since my dad owns all of the Marvel movies, I just watched his and the ones he didn't have at the time I just borrowed from the library. The only reason that we own any was because they were gifted to us by friends. Though Captain America has been around forever. I don't where he came from. Now though I have access to all, both old and new, through Disney+.</span></li><li><i style="font-style: italic;">The Lunar Chronicles</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> series</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> is still incomplete in my personal collection. I only have two. </span><i>Cinder</i> is a Christmas gift and <i>Scarlet</i> is a birthday gift. :) </li><li>I bought <i>Crooked Kingdom</i> from a book store myself because the library didn't have it. This is why I don't own <i>Six of Crows</i> yet.</li><li><span style="text-align: center;">We have 48 Disney films. (both animated and live action. Though most are animated because I got my family to buy them as gifts for me. I don't own all of them... just most of them. ๐)</span></li></ul><br />Farewell, Virtual Paper Adventurers! I hope you're not too horrified at my lack of fandoms (yes, I mentioned all of them).<p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. If you're reading this in the future for some reason, just know I plan to do an updated version of this tag some time. Because I forgot two fandoms that need to be mention, plus at least two more fandoms have joined my headspace. So keep an eye out for that.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>What's a fandom you think I should be considering to join? Which of these fandoms of mine you are part of or interested in? </b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-52400821081469969832021-05-13T13:27:00.004+10:002022-09-02T12:37:12.966+10:00The Liebster Award 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvHednKCDXoOJcGEWjaiBaQLTom_UChTIKDUyCyUz3Eu1T12tTNFqyRsh-_6Wia-2BGjdGiOKKwl1tWMdEvQ86-4U43Il5rutiDfAEZR4dUcX6RYqwH1naLf2DTHod4DtM9n9J8_OAwIa7qA4rhrpZHMmbE5EEMk9DVbjDs1T9r9V_slcGY_ATWzpfw/s3766/igor-skabelin-C03qRVhfC4g-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3766" data-original-width="2510" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvHednKCDXoOJcGEWjaiBaQLTom_UChTIKDUyCyUz3Eu1T12tTNFqyRsh-_6Wia-2BGjdGiOKKwl1tWMdEvQ86-4U43Il5rutiDfAEZR4dUcX6RYqwH1naLf2DTHod4DtM9n9J8_OAwIa7qA4rhrpZHMmbE5EEMk9DVbjDs1T9r9V_slcGY_ATWzpfw/w426-h640/igor-skabelin-C03qRVhfC4g-unsplash.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Igor Skabelin on Unsplash</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>This is my third time doing the Liebster Award and I think it is the first time I've actually been tagged for it properly, so yay! I love being tagged. It's so much better than stealing even though I enjoyed stealing as well. ๐ Anyway, I was tagged by the lovely <a href="https://juliawitmerblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Julia</a> who I'm sure anyone who has been here a while knows who she is. She published that amazing book I reviewed here a while ago and her blog is just fabulous. Her thoughts on Christian and bookish topics is so good to read. I love the way she describes things. Definitely need to check her out if you haven't already! </p><p>The Rules:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Thank the blogger who nominated you. (Thank you so much for tagging me <a href="https://juliawitmerblog.wordpress.com/2021/02/19/the-liebster-award/" target="_blank">Julia</a>!)</li><li>Answer the eleven questions he/she asked. (I will, cause they are amazing.)</li><li>Nominate eleven more bloggers for the award. (No way, thanks.)</li><li>Make sure they know you nominated them. (Don't have to worry about that, hehehe.)</li><li>And ask your eleven nominated bloggers eleven questions. (Do I have to? I wonder if I can skip this...)</li></ol>I have way too much fun making comments on the rules. It's like a unspoken rule for me to comment on the rules. ๐ Though it may be because of a mood cause I didn't make comments on the recent ones I did. *Interesting note to self*<p></p><div>The questions:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. What is one of your favourite books?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">What is a favourite book I haven't mentioned I loved yet? Oh, I know. <i>Sisters of Sword and Song</i> by Rebecca Ross. A new favourite that I <i>highly </i>recommend.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2. What is your favourite thing about <i>your</i> blog, specifically?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I had to think about this one. The thing I really love about my blog is that I have the freedom to write a blog post any time, any day, I want to. I never felt compelled to schedule or set certain days or times, which I know it is super useful for other bloggers and was the advice I read about a lot about blogging, but I'm glad I didn't listen to it for my own personal blog because I want to be free to create blog posts when I feel like it or am inspired. Of course sometimes I have a deadline for a blog post, but that is only sometimes and, honestly, having a deadline once and a while is useful for my blog growth. I know that producing a blog post on a day that is expected by your audience is really helpful for growing your readership and all, but at the end of the day I want to do what's good for me. My goal here isn't to have as many people as I can get, but rather to inspire and help people be bold through my own experiences and opinions. </div><div style="text-align: center;">You know maybe I need to talk more about the "inspired and bold" bit. These words are on my heart for my blog right now and these two words really mean something to me personally.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3. How did you first get into blogging?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sister said it was a good idea for my writing career dreams and I hesitantly agreed and then it only took a few posts (and a false start) to fall in love with writing a blog.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4. What would be your ideal working environment for blogging/writing?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Surrounded by my own personal library with a window seat overlooking a brilliant garden.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5. What's one of your favourite foods?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Croissants. If you haven't tried them, you are missing out.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>6. What's your proudest achievement?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">With what? Blogging, reading, writing, life? With life, I talked about my testimony on stage in front of a bunch of teenagers for the first time. I almost froze and got so shaky at the end, but I survived. ๐ With blogging, I think joining blog tours and doing the scavenger hunt, you know posts that benefit other people in the blogosphere than just me. I love doing those things so much. With reading, I think it would be the season when I could read a book each week. Honestly I was so impressed with myself for that doing for a few months. With writing, it would have to be when I finish my first and second draft of my first novel.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>7. How do you motivate yourself to keep your blog up and running?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I think that having the freedom to post whenever I want strangely keeps me coming back with at least three posts each month. This definitely doesn't work for a lot of people, but it works for me. I literally miss writing a post if I don't write a post for one or two weeks roughly. I'm not even sure what part of this motivates me, but it does somehow as you can see.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>8. What's your favourite thing to write about?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Character interactions and internal conflict. I just love seeing how people react or behave with certain people, especially if they have history with each other or bad blood or purely because their personalities don't coexist well. Also I just love getting into a character's head and discovering their fears, misbeliefs, strengths, weaknesses, trauma, just all the things of why they act the way they do. I find that being in their heads is really the only way that I get backstory and know their identity. There are a lot of characters who you don't need to be in their heads on written paper, but in my mind, I find it important to be their heads, even if just for a while. I really enjoy exploring internal conflict, though I must admit sometimes characters are quite stubborn and refuse to let me understand them. *sighs* But one day, I'll get it because I don't want to write characters who I don't understand, you know?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>9. What's your <i>least</i> favourite thing to write about?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Settings. Describing the scene, setting the stage, giving the readers the proper sense of surroundings, sucks for me to write about. Just because I find it hard to imagine something so visually I can write about it. Usually settings are blurry in my mind's eye. I don't know why.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>10. What's something you were obsessed with as a kid? (i.e. horses, reading, a certain movie, etc.)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Funny thing here is that I was only obsessed with things when I was a teenager. Before then, I just loved things and wasn't particularly obsessed about it. Including reading. I just love reading for some reason and then once I hit teen years, I became an avid bookworm and very much obsessed about books now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>11. Do you still like the thing you obsessed with as a kid?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure how to answer this. I think yes to the things I loved back then and now obsessed about, and also no, since some of the things I loved I've grown out of too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">One down, several to go...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm planning to speed through my tags so you might get an overload of tags this month, but who knows if I can manage to do this? We'll see, we won't? I think all of the next ones are special themed ones, so I can't wait to do get into them! Just one of them, I don't know the answers to it... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">And since I doubt people are going to steal this tag, but just in case they do, just answer the same questions above.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have a nice day, Virtual Paper Adventurers!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What's your proudest achievement? Are you still obsessed with the thing you were obsessed with as a kid? What's your favourite thing to write or read about?</b></div>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-84238593462856902592021-05-07T15:12:00.007+10:002022-08-31T13:37:56.516+10:00Summer Blog Scavenger Hunt Stop #6<p>*interrupting this program*</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO_VQr-KnPCX_tV9t2Ir0hNMNmtsoMiQE2lULwQXhpSjP-JVJfU3GU8LAOP-3PWIOUjeXbDtez0rwb79_t7H1ny7HQusBtr_hrpFZWK0KD5qqITOZB0oqRxXV9ABhMcc574GPf1eIDtfDJhUcowjaSxMNBlhFMGalHgu70Y4rCZO1cCvQcTZr_OGwEQ/s7952/malu-laker-evoQ-V22_FE-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7952" data-original-width="5304" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO_VQr-KnPCX_tV9t2Ir0hNMNmtsoMiQE2lULwQXhpSjP-JVJfU3GU8LAOP-3PWIOUjeXbDtez0rwb79_t7H1ny7HQusBtr_hrpFZWK0KD5qqITOZB0oqRxXV9ABhMcc574GPf1eIDtfDJhUcowjaSxMNBlhFMGalHgu70Y4rCZO1cCvQcTZr_OGwEQ/w427-h640/malu-laker-evoQ-V22_FE-unsplash.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Malu Laker on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Hello and welcome! I imagine there are a lot of new faces stopping by here, so I hope you enjoy stopping here! Basically I'll be rambling all things related to summer, books and writing for this scavenger hunt. Let's jump into today's post!</p><p>But wait, if you have no idea what is going on, head on over <a href="https://www.graceajohnson.com/post/summer-blog-scavenger-hunt-stop-1" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>Now into the post! ๐</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMSj1laNP82vm3CaZ7z_f9cRgag1LensVjRWseN87swIioFK1aWamjexuTRZH3OPwS9bZWX0ZxPvxyY0dvJAEwfQEk6BFcklU-_4ARK-zc1BjIwAiYRLM9_4QJF5SBVFj1zYlqFY2A-c/s1920/Scavenger+Hunt+Graphic.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMSj1laNP82vm3CaZ7z_f9cRgag1LensVjRWseN87swIioFK1aWamjexuTRZH3OPwS9bZWX0ZxPvxyY0dvJAEwfQEk6BFcklU-_4ARK-zc1BjIwAiYRLM9_4QJF5SBVFj1zYlqFY2A-c/w400-h225/Scavenger+Hunt+Graphic.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The rules for the scavenger hunt:</div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The hunt begins on 5/7 at midnight EST.</li><li>Don't rush! You've got all weekend (until Sunday, 5/9 at midnight) to hunt. So take your time, checking out all the unique posts along the way. Share your thoughts in the comments or the blogs with your friends!</li><li>Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the clue (code stream) on each blogger's scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop on Grace's <a href="https://www.graceajohnson.com/blog" target="_blank">site</a>!</li></ol><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">I love summer. Summer is my favourite season and one I have a lot of grace for (winter won't receive any kindness from me unless it has particularly warm sunny day). Summer makes me happy and I feel a a lot more creative than in winter. My birth month is also in summer, so very fond memories are attached to it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If there's one thing I love about summer is that it is hot. I despise the cold so much that the hot and the sweat never bothers me. I also love summer rains and storms. Just something so beautiful about them. </p><p style="text-align: left;">But I'm not the person who plans big things to do in summer or has certain things I specifically do in summer. And I'm definitely not the person who pays attention to new book releases in any time of the year. Mainly because I'm generally a few years behind with book series, new books from new authors, and favourite authors and their releases, both old and new. I'm still playing catch up with quite a lot of bookish things. Maybe one day I will be able to pay more attention to these things, but right now, I'm still trying to read the books that were released years ago, books that released when I was a child still (that is so weird to me sometimes. Do you get that feeling? Or is it just me?) as well as the already out new releases too. Just <i>a lot</i> of catching up.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Also it doesn't help that a lot of books that released in my summer are released in the authors' winter. That fact alone makes summer releases for me quite tricky, to say the least. ๐ I don't know how to explain it other than it feels weird to think these books are releasing in my summer when they technically not, even though they are. I don't think that makes sense.</p><p style="text-align: left;">That isn't saying that I am not planning to read summery books in the foreseeable future. I don't know it will be summer or not when I do read them, though it would honestly be nice to read a summer book when it isn't in reality.</p><p style="text-align: left;">๐ So these are the books I'm planning to read next once I've finish reading all of the books I am reading now (I'm reading several books at once and I hate it as well as love it). They are <i>How We Rise </i>by Brooke Riley and <i>100 Days of Sunlight </i>by Abbie Emmons. I've heard <i>How We Rise</i> is set in summer so I thought it was a perfect book to mention. And if you know anything about <i>100 Days of Sunlight </i>is just screams "summer" all over of it. The cover alone has summer feels. And what's so cool about these books are that they are both indie published books!!! Plus my first physical copies of books from indie authors. So I'm very excited to dig into them once I'm able to. ๐</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfalvFKrK35rhVQ1AdXPHmAikVo2eOOfTMEu4G_QFseHaMoVQztjjaq1vXeUdHd3GThqrQD8vVnsc4zT-sdQNwO48m-olscrZr91GpW5KxHF5SwarNxLANX9uLzaOyZW6rmAmaCrRoCdk/s1080/Summer+Reads%252C+new+releases.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfalvFKrK35rhVQ1AdXPHmAikVo2eOOfTMEu4G_QFseHaMoVQztjjaq1vXeUdHd3GThqrQD8vVnsc4zT-sdQNwO48m-olscrZr91GpW5KxHF5SwarNxLANX9uLzaOyZW6rmAmaCrRoCdk/w320-h320/Summer+Reads%252C+new+releases.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">And just like I don't plan life things for summer, I don't (so far) plan my writing or have writing goals to tackle for the summer season. But it's worth to mention considering that study is a focus right now and I haven't been writing a lot lately. Summer has the longest holiday and while I didn't write much during last summer, it doesn't mean I won't this summer. So I definitely, vaguely, plan to make a significant dent in my writing progress this summer.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I'm still slowly working through <i>Our Scattered Ashes</i>, aka Smoke's story. Every time I sit down to write this story, the words just flow. It's amazing. But procrastination, tiredness and study is keeping me away from my story more than I like. But it's just a season and it won't last forever, plus I still really love this story despite it taking forever to be made into a first draft. So assuming that during summer writing would be easier to do, I'm hoping to get quite a few thousand words added to my word count (and that I will be a lot more closer to the end than before). </p><p style="text-align: left;">I also happen to be writing a short story on the side set in summer and that is inspired by a summer themed quote. I'm not going to say much else about it here, that's for another day. But anyway, if I haven't written the first draft by summer, I'll continue writing it then and hopefully finish it as well. If I have written it by then, I think I will edit it or revise it, depending on how much I want to change it through a read through and/or feedback.</p><p style="text-align: left;">So that's it! Don't forgot to pick up the clue and follow the next link!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Need a hint for the clue? Comment below. Had something I said stand out to you? Comment below. Or you have any thoughts about anything, comment below! Or you don't comment below because I said comment below so much and that annoyed you. That's fair. I'm cool with that. It's also fine to not comment if you have nothing you want to say to this complete stranger or whatever I am to you. Wow, I am rambling in this section too. I'll stop now. ๐ </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://whimsicalwanderings.home.blog/" target="_blank">Whimsical Wanderings</a> ๐</p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-60037624230518242362021-04-16T19:04:00.005+10:002022-08-30T23:15:26.630+10:00Why Superheroes Might be Anti-heroes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvlusI_yaRGJ1oPM05pcifhnk81RPIxq5YKQenq8izsyJ1Rw7eLWLfbUg6DJywVrQhR8lkXuioig6BXIWrg18S-N2xFP9Dw5oDfvxNiYecgjeOM-UUlD0iAw6Ui5mARinrtwLi7h3bE6CN6jyJGOLqu-At0eawgLd0t3Cfnd8GYI3EH5mYyRFmHFQC=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvlusI_yaRGJ1oPM05pcifhnk81RPIxq5YKQenq8izsyJ1Rw7eLWLfbUg6DJywVrQhR8lkXuioig6BXIWrg18S-N2xFP9Dw5oDfvxNiYecgjeOM-UUlD0iAw6Ui5mARinrtwLi7h3bE6CN6jyJGOLqu-At0eawgLd0t3Cfnd8GYI3EH5mYyRFmHFQC=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Scott Evans on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></div><p>I have been consuming a lot of superheroes stories lately. <strike>Mostly Marvel if I am being honest but I <i>have </i>read/watch other superhero stories too.</strike> One of the things I've noticed is that superheroes kill bad people a lot. Or at least very likely to kill a bad someone on their superhero journey. And they are completely justified by everyone that it was the right thing to do. It seems like killing bad people is a thing that is part of the job of a superhero. They never bear consequences <i>unless</i> they kill an innocent.</p><p>I don't know about you, but sometimes watching the Marvel superheroes, as an example, kill bad human people (who are not even the villains, just henchmen or just plain criminals) makes me uncomfortable. Even more uncomfortable when they are completely praised for it. I wouldn't mind it so much if it was a last resort rather than the thing that must happen for the greater good. It raises the question: does the end justify the means? In all cases, in the eyes of society and the superheroes and those who the superheroes are working for, it does. But I have to question again: does it really justify them? To me, I see it as them doing an evil to achieve good and that's kinda of messed up. When did killing the bad guys became such a good thing?</p><p>Back in the old days when someone killed another person, they got hanged for it or they were put in the gas chamber (plus many other death methods). I never liked that. It made me feel sick. I don't care how evil they are, it just didn't seem right to me. I am glad that we don't do that anymore (as far as I am aware).</p><p>I don't know if it is just me with feeling that humans have no right to decide a human has to die for their crimes. I always feel it is God's right alone. If you have ever read the old testament, you will see that God killed people a lot. By his own hand (in most cases) or through other humans (the Israelites). But that doesn't bother me because I believe him to be a just God. When it comes to sin, he never shows favouritism to anyone. The bible is clear on that. When considering that God is the only one who can judge rightly on each individual on this planet, I quickly see that humans are too flawed to do true justice without God's guidance.</p><p>Which is exactly where every single hero I have in mind are. They don't have God's Word at all in their hearts or souls. Which means they are too fallen, like the rest of us, to see true justice, even if they have good morals that everyone can support. That part doesn't matter. What matters is that they are just as human as the person on the street they walk pass or the person they are trying to protect. <b>They are just as naturally flawed that I don't believe that they have the right to say someone deserves death for their crimes.</b></p><p>Especially the bad men they are fighting against. Especially the henchmen they kill to get to the villain. Especially the random bad guy they killed on their mission. Especially the villain they come face to face with. Especially all of the bad people we don't care if they lived or died.</p><p>It doesn't matter if they do indeed deserve death, we all deserves death. It doesn't matter that they are "more evil" than other people. Sin is sin. <b>No matter how small or big, anything sinful means death. </b></p><p>According to God, a lie is worthy of death. Anyone outside of God is worthy of death. No human can possibly say that they deserve to die when they don't fully understand what justice truly is. What consequences lead to death. And even if the person did understand what true justice is, they couldn't kill for their mission anymore when they realise <b>justice calls them to love.</b></p><p>Justice isn't about condemning people to die, it is about equality being restored. Justice is about setting things right. It is about removing sin and replacing it with holiness. </p><p>Now, to be clear, I am not talking about superheroes fighting in battles, only the moments when they are fighting outside of that (which is most cases). And, no, a fight against a villain or two is not a battle. When I say battle I mean a battle similar to a war battle. As examples, I'd say the battles in Captain America, Avengers, Age of Ultron, Infinity War and Endgame are good ones to mention here. In other Marvel films and superheroes books though, most of them, if not all, are not at the same level as those ones mentioned above were. Am I am excusing battles since God himself once called the Israelites to fight in battles so I believe that justice with war is different. I don't like wars at all but I can never say someone is evil for fighting in a war or they are murderers. War is complicated and I don't fully understand how justice looks like in one, so I don't want to go deep in this here. But I do want to mention that I don't believe that God loves war. In a perfect world, there wouldn't be wars at all. So in my understanding, God made the Israelites go to war because he understood how the world was broken and using that brokenness was the best way to fulfill his plan with his people, if that makes sense. I'm not sure I said that right, so feel free to chat with me about that.</p><p>Strangely enough, Captain America: The Winter Solider is one of the most uncomfortable superhero movie to watch. Why? Because I have to watch Captain America beat up those henchmen on that boat in the first fight scene of the film. And if you really think about it, a lot of those men he fought against would have been killed. He was kind of brutal. And he is the most noble and moral character of the MCU. In watching this moment over and over and still never getting comfortable with it, I realise Captain America isn't perfect or pure good, nor is he not flawed, fallen or broken. He is still human. He may be one of the closest images of Jesus Christ in the mainstream market, but he isn't Jesus Christ. His justice is the same as every other human in the world. He makes mistakes and sometimes he doesn't value life as much as he should. </p><p>His justice without God isn't true justice, therefore his morals are flawed and these flaws make him do things that wouldn't be praised by God. And that doesn't make him a bad person. It just makes him like the rest of us. A person in need of a saviour.</p><p>Yes, even superheroes need a saviour, even if they can save themselves 99% of the time. And, yeah, they just fiction characters and all, but they reflect humanity and we all know that humanity needs a saviour. If the people they are reflecting need one, they need one too.</p><p>Let's face it: our view of good and evil isn't right. Personally, even after reading the bible, I still like I am still figuring out what good really is, what evil really is. And while it is fun to explore good vs. evil and/or morally grey areas with superheroes, I have to argue are superheroes really heroes when killing bad guys is okay? I'll actually question anyone's status of hero if they kill a bad guy and feel justified for killing that person. I might have high standards <b>but so does God. </b>His standards are way higher than mine. And it is through his view that I can no longer feel comfortable watching "the hero" kill a bunch of bad guys. <b>It doesn't feel like justice, it feels like justification.</b></p><p>Which is why I feel, if we are looking at this with true good in mind, superheroes might be more rightly labelled as anti-heroes. To be honest, a lot of other type of heroes might be anti-heroes too.</p><p>And I'm not saying that because the heroes are flawed, they are not heroes. Not at all. I'm saying they are anti-heroes when they let a certain evil help them achieve their good intentions and never feeling regret. When they don't acknowledge they are flawed and broken and fallen. When they lean more toward justification than justice. There are heaps of signs that a hero isn't really a hero, even if everyone says they are.</p><p><br /></p><p>Wow, I didn't mean for this to go so deep or controversial sounding. ๐ Oh well, I meant every single word.</p><p>Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my tags. I just needed to finally finish this post. I had this idea for about a year. You'll get a nice, sweet tag the next time I post.</p><p>So for now, farewell, Virtual Paper Adventurers!</p><p>P.S. I switched to Mailchimp, so if you follow this blog by email, tell me if it works or not.</p><p><b>Agree or disagree? I love to hear your thoughts! Please be nice if you disagree.</b></p>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-37992739828283770162021-04-15T04:00:00.274+10:002022-08-31T12:57:10.276+10:00Sins, Sons, and Siren Songs Cover Reveal<p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm so thrilled to do another cover reveal for the book <i>Sins, Sons, and Siren Songs</i>! It is book 2 in the YA fantasy series, <i>The Pirate Hunter Chronicles</i>, by two amazing women <a href="http://sarahrodeckerwriter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Rodecker</a> and <a href="http://juliandaventrymemories.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Helena George</a> who are releasing this from their very own publishing house, The Order of the Pen Press.<br /><strike>Why do I keep on doing cover reveals for sequels in a series that I haven't started yet?</strike></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHiL2hrf0wBlPh7BJ-3Lx_iplUd8iMiYzcwzGxOdafdbUJ75NzAgfbtdaDVyzDtr0O1sQUXMtcs2gyNFilRT5s5aNR1Y4GIpFh53aO2C43mAcrpBCgYMZABnR0gHF5E8BvKRXRxWGkRHL9uV0tPg6zrhR536lzoQp_Ic8-1K-EmPYz_hZlSlygyk2gg/s4032/naja-bertolt-jensen-GtTNR-nxbK4-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHiL2hrf0wBlPh7BJ-3Lx_iplUd8iMiYzcwzGxOdafdbUJ75NzAgfbtdaDVyzDtr0O1sQUXMtcs2gyNFilRT5s5aNR1Y4GIpFh53aO2C43mAcrpBCgYMZABnR0gHF5E8BvKRXRxWGkRHL9uV0tPg6zrhR536lzoQp_Ic8-1K-EmPYz_hZlSlygyk2gg/w640-h480/naja-bertolt-jensen-GtTNR-nxbK4-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><p style="text-align: left;">Anyway, here's the blurb, which I imagine has spoilers for book 1, so be careful if you haven't read it yet.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>A song on the wind.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>A broken crew to mend.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>A family's honour to be upheld.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Leading a crew is harder than Adi thought. Six months after she took up the mantle of captain, she finds herself facing more problems than she bargained for: a grieving crew and rumours of sirens attacking local ports. But the crew of the High Dragon might have finally found their match in the mythical people of the sea.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Ravin's life was almost normal, until he finds an assassin lurking outside Master Jermaine's shop and is forced to flee once more. But Treynair del Mankayl cannot be avoided forever and Ravin has to decide his fate: to run for the rest of his life or stand up and face his greatest nightmare by fighting his father. Only this time, he isn't just trying to save his own life, but that of another as well.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>When Adi and Ravin's paths cross once more, they are thrown into a storm of myths, assassins, and consequences. But will they be able to weather it with the crew tearing at the seams?</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">I am in love with this story already.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Before I go reveal the cover, I have some preorder goodies to announce here first.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Physical goodies (U.S only):</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A bookmark</li><li>A Siren sticker</li><li>Justin's shortbread recipe card</li><li>Tea</li><p></p><ul></ul><ul></ul></ul><p style="text-align: left;">Virtual goodies (open internationally):</p><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Kindred,</i> a Pirate Hunter short story</li><li>Justin's shortbread recipe download</li></ul><p style="text-align: left;">Now I will shower you with links.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Ebook preorder: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Siren-Songs-Pirate-Hunter-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0917V6JS3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sins+sons+and+siren+songs&qid=1617022106&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Siren-Songs-Pirate-Hunter-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0917V6JS3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sins+sons+and+siren+songs&qid=1617022106&sr=8-1</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Signed paperback preorder: <a href="https://www.orderofthepenpress.com/product/sins-sons-and-siren-songs-signed-paperback-/4?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false" target="_blank">https://www.orderofthepenpress.com/product/sins-sons-and-siren-songs-signed-paperback-/4?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Preorder goodie form: <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBZAhTcXtieTj3cViXmB3g4-4CKxZiqQ-lC5AR0_JRK257qg/viewform" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBZAhTcXtieTj3cViXmB3g4-4CKxZiqQ-lC5AR0_JRK257qg/viewform</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57490975-sins-sons-and-siren-songs">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57490975-sins-sons-and-siren-songs</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Storygraph: <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3ab5a52f-84e2-4ec7-996b-e65592d709ae">https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3ab5a52f-84e2-4ec7-996b-e65592d709ae</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">The Order of the Pen Press: <a href="https://linktr.ee/theorderofthepenpress">https://linktr.ee/theorderofthepenpress</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">And now is time for the cover reveal! 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People are so good with their covers these days. Like look at it. It is AMAZING.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This beauty releases on May 4th, 2021!</p><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>What do you all think about the cover? </b></div>Miranda Sylvesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929476868621401270noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450495529336731346.post-56937114175997852592021-04-10T04:00:00.005+10:002022-09-01T11:16:15.374+10:00The Bear of Rosethorn Ring Blog Tour: Author Interview and Book Review<p>Eep, I'm back with my second contribution of this blog tour and I'm so excited! I've been waiting ever since I finished it to express my thoughts on The Bear of Rosethorn Ring. So the book review will be first and the author interview at the end (which is so amazing too!)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DriKRzbfck7rq5_l1pb5-Qa-CS6ZMMP3gOyn7ODlyn2wyphwf0nEYeyaO3ByaQHZd6YLPzAfvTuN_oqTdQgtELu7lrjYE6b3BccjULwvhm4aVBlcd0acg9yIaav6jUth1jiExry4FkIu7Fc5QB68lVI5TTM16Sq6-MYR2tQmJKNXTBU2Nm9BxC8Zvg/s2809/yasmine-arfaoui-M4hcTHPj3oU-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1868" data-original-width="2809" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DriKRzbfck7rq5_l1pb5-Qa-CS6ZMMP3gOyn7ODlyn2wyphwf0nEYeyaO3ByaQHZd6YLPzAfvTuN_oqTdQgtELu7lrjYE6b3BccjULwvhm4aVBlcd0acg9yIaav6jUth1jiExry4FkIu7Fc5QB68lVI5TTM16Sq6-MYR2tQmJKNXTBU2Nm9BxC8Zvg/w640-h426/yasmine-arfaoui-M4hcTHPj3oU-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Yasmine Arfaoui on <a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkliv-7afuyJguXMqkTb9Vwgg7bOmlyE-_x6BSY9M7HKUvI2hVWWog_6CC2PT2GoktyDyMdqAyUNgkRQhHk5JGNT4E3axS2vRsyXMiAk_ZC3OTTMnbwa_Z3RNSHlBoayKTLV3_x8_ueqn5fEW9QEOASip8sYk-C5KLZN4BzWeZzlsNpnsQhC1M0fuLA/s4928/BoRRfinalcover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4928" data-original-width="3264" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkliv-7afuyJguXMqkTb9Vwgg7bOmlyE-_x6BSY9M7HKUvI2hVWWog_6CC2PT2GoktyDyMdqAyUNgkRQhHk5JGNT4E3axS2vRsyXMiAk_ZC3OTTMnbwa_Z3RNSHlBoayKTLV3_x8_ueqn5fEW9QEOASip8sYk-C5KLZN4BzWeZzlsNpnsQhC1M0fuLA/w265-h400/BoRRfinalcover.png" width="265" /></a></div></div><p>If you were wondering about the links for the book, the book series and the places where you can reach the author, don't worry, you will find all of them here. I thought it was the best to stick them all in one place rather than two.</p><p><i>The Bear of Rosethorn Ring</i> is now available to buy (its release date was April 6th!) Here's the link to add it to your TBR on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54141496-the-bear-of-rosethorn-ring" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> and here's the link to <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Rosethorn-Ring-White-Story-ebook/dp/B08ZJWV72H/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=kirsten+fichter&qid=1617153053&s=digital-text&sr=1-2" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span> to buy it.</p><p>Here's the blurb again in case you missed last time I used it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>How far would Snow White and Rose Red go to save the man behind the bear?</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>When their father runs away, Marita and Diamond Kadlec realise how different twins can be. Martia's ready to forget Lucas entirely, but Diamond wants to give him the second chance she's never been able to give before. That's before they discover that Lucas is indebted to the ill tempered D'vard and his traveling circus, the Rosethorn Ring. The Ring's entertainment lacks a bear, and Lucas must play the part of the savage creature to regain his freedom.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Lorcan D'vard cares only for three things: tending to his beloved beard, promoting his Rosethorn Ring, and eradicating the assassin out to kill him. With time running out, D'vard agrees to cancel Lucas's debt and let him go free - if Martia and Diamond can apprehend the assassin before the assassin ends the show.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This is a Snow White and Rose Red with a twist like you've never seen it before.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also here's the link to the series, <i>Once Upon a Twist Tales</i>, on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/221863-once-upon-a-twist-tales" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> and <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08838M2YD?ref_=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_tkin&binding=kindle_edition" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, onto the review!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ranking: </b>๐๐๐๐๐</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Content: </b>Honestly nothing to note of. I think a child could read it without a problem, though I think the targeted audience is for YA or Middle Grade. But still, I think it could be a book that the whole family can enjoy together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Genre: </b>Fairy tale retelling, historical/steampunk fantasy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Why I love this book: </b>I didn't come in expecting anything from this novella, but I definitely did not expect it to feel like a fairy tale. I think if people were still writing fairy tales in the modern times, this is how they will feel like. And I LOVE THIS VIBE SO MUCH. I honestly fell in love with this story by the end of the first chapter because of this vibe, you guys. Then I soon fell in love with the characters (the ones that deserve love that is), especially the twin sisters, Martia and Diamond.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since I jump in this tale before reading the first three books in this series, I can safely say that it was good as a standalone story, even with characters, with them starring as main characters in this no less, who were in the previous books (I believe book #2 and #3). It was never confusing or frustrating. Plus this story has grown my need to read the other books in the series. A certain character was only mentioned in this story and I was dying to read about this character by the end (I don't know why, but I think I will really love this character?) Hence why I am SO excited to hear that next the book will be about this character. And why I am now dying to read the book he was in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Circuses are not my favourite thing (which sounds really weird since everyone I know loves them) but that didn't take away the wonderfulness and the fun from the circus setting nor the story. It honestly really fits in with the story and I would never take it away, even if I prefer no circuses in the stories I read.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I guessed the mystery before they figured it out. *flips hair* I'm so proud of myself because I'm generally bad at guessing plot twists or somehow spoil it for myself (*coughs* long story).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">ALSO, you guys, this story did the retelling part SO WELL. I was amazed at all of the nods to the original while being so different at the same time. It had no magic at all, nor it was a romantic story, and nor did it had the mother figure, but was still perfect at following the fairy tale. I'm pretty sure I spotted all of the moments when it was referencing it, but I read the original fairy tale ages ago so it is very possible I missed a bunch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, you guys, I LOVED the ending to bits. I so live for those moments. My heart. *clutches hand to my chest*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>*MILD SPOILERS HERE. BEWARE!*</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And can I just add that having a blind person's POV was just the best thing ever to read? It was so cool! This is the second time I've read one and I still think it is amazing. I imagine it would have been a little challenging to write so good job, Kristen!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>*END OF MILD SPOILERS* </b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Thoughts on characters</b>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Diamond is by far my favourite character. I related to her. I'm a quiet person who is learning to be bold. And her willingness to forgive is so admirable. I loved her line that she said to her sister about how she never given her father a second chance before so this moment was her chance to do so. How sweet is that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Martia is also a great character. She is so relatable. Don't we all feel like her when people failed us? Don't we want to hold a grudge forever or turn away when the person turns away from us? Yeah, I think so, and I not once blamed her for it. It's so hard. I also loved she was a strong female characters who speaks her opinions openly, but isn't obnoxious or annoying and takes the time to listen to other people's views. She's a gem. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">D'vard surprised me. For some reason, I pictured him as one of those really scary, creepy, crafty villains. The ones who are so dangerous and hard to cross. But seriously, I should have seen it coming (the blurbs says he really cares for his beard which isn't a normal scary villain behaviour). I can't decide if I want to be annoyed by him all of the time or laugh at him, cause he really is a silly character and his responses to things are hilarious. I guess both.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Martia and Diamond's father, whose name escapes me, didn't have a lot of screen time for me to really get a feel for his character. I liked him, at least, and how his story ended was beautiful. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dove and Armund are lovely characters. Dove was so kind and gentle, especially to the sisters, a real ally. And Armund was also such a nice soul. How he was so respectable and tolerant toward D'vard was beyond me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Felix and Samson are interesting duo. I am looking forward to seeing them more because, again, not enough time for me to truly care for them. I mean Felix had a lot of screen time since he is in a relationship with Martia (they are so cute together!) so I definitely love him and think he is such amazing, supportive character. But his history and relationship with his horse, Samson, I don't really know.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall, this fairytale retelling is a must read and anyone who loves both the classic and obscure fairytales should not hesitate to check this book out!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, onto the interview with the author herself!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Has this story taught you anything new about living life?</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wouldn't say this is exactly something new, but this story really made me think twice about family and responding to what they do to you. Don't ever take one day for granted with them; change is always around the corner, and it may not be the kind of change you're looking forward to. So, when someone makes a mistake and asks for forgiveness, don't wait to forgive them. People will make mistakes and anger you, but you don't have in that anger and hurt both them and yourself. You'll only live to regret that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>How much of the original retelling has been kept in your story?</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I tried to keep as many elements as possible from the original fairytale. <i>Snow White and Rose Red </i>isn't a widely-known fairytale to begin with, so I didn't twist as many things as I normally would. Obviously, since I write without magic, I had to change the bear being cursed. My bear character becomes indebted to the dwarf character through a gambling game and has to work off his debt by playing a bear in the dwarf's circus. The two sisters are there, but I don't have their mother. The girls DO rescue the dwarf character three times, and it was a lot of fun to write those scenes! I do also have references to the lamb and the dove that the girls have with them in the cottage.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>What is your favourite part of this story? Characters, settings, plot, certain scenes, etc.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I loved getting to revisit some of my favourite characters from previously in the series. Yes, I love all my characters, but Felix and Samson from <i>Spindle Dreams </i>are probably right at the top of the list. Although the story doesn't focus on them a lot, I enjoyed getting a few more scenes with these rascals.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Additionally I loved getting to write the dwarf character, the ill-tempered circus master, D'vard. He was just one of those villains who was too fun to write.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anyone who knows me knows I love my coffee (although sometimes there's more creamer than coffee), so one of my favourite scenes involved FINALLY slipping coffee into this fantasy world. I mean, I made it three books without it, and it was about time. It's a huge scene, but putting it in there and getting to see various characters' reactions was so rewarding!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYol-0ArzbsTk7duCUrNl_sm2bXu1rPbGlXgHIu1-3ayOpgHgALc5hAGJyduzYhDce_XQgwn8kSx-eGQxQFZ1mfiK2s6mc8nKLGG9P80TcSdBH64wxAC5hhMJlDQomryTIxJjLu5WvFSM/s1536/AuthorPic1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1374" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYol-0ArzbsTk7duCUrNl_sm2bXu1rPbGlXgHIu1-3ayOpgHgALc5hAGJyduzYhDce_XQgwn8kSx-eGQxQFZ1mfiK2s6mc8nKLGG9P80TcSdBH64wxAC5hhMJlDQomryTIxJjLu5WvFSM/w179-h200/AuthorPic1.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kirstenfichter" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/synesthetewriter/" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Instagram</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> | </span><a href="https://twitter.com/kiriliz" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> | </span><a href="https://asynesthetewriter.wordpress.com/" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Blog</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> | </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8333555.Kirsten_Fichter">Goodreads</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">About the author: Kirsten is a twenty-something Christian writer who loves being the wife to her favourite person ever, mommy to precious blessings, a piano enthusiast, a dragon buff, a serious bookworm, and an INFP synesthete. Fairytales have always fascinated her, and she has made it her goal to rewrite as many as possible and become known as the "Grimm Dickens" (i.e. mixing Grimm fairytales with a Dickens style). She is present in many online circles under the name "Kiri Liz" if you care about things like that. As you read this, She'll be somewhere under a maple tree - trying very hard to finish the seventeen and half other stories she unwisely started all at once.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, this concludes my duty to this amazing blog tour (you guys, all of these posts listed below are awesome. I should know since I have been following along). Farewell, Virtual Paper Adventurers! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">April 5<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://asynesthetewriter.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Welcome & Giveaway @ A Synesthete
Writer</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://livingoutsidethelinesfindingthewritelife.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Author Interview @
Living Outside the Lines</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.landsuncharted.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Favorite
Fairytales About Siblings (Guest Post) @ Lands Uncharted</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://christinesmithauthor.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book Review @
Christine Smith</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://towerintheplains.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book Review @
Tower in the Plains</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">April 6<sup>th</sup> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://asynesthetewriter.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Snow White and Rose Red Tag @ A Synesthete
Writer</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://madismusingsblog.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Author Interview
& Book Review @ Madiโs Musings</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://ribbonash.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Looking Ahead at
the Twist Tales (Guest Post) @ Virtual Paper</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://ekaiserwritesablog.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book Review @ E.
Kaiser Writes</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">April 7<sup>th</sup> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://asynesthetewriter.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Snow White and Rose Red Mad Libs @ A
Synesthete Writer</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://inkcalamities.blogspot.com/">Inspiration for The Bear of
Rosethorn Ring (Guest Post) @ Ink Castles<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://livingoutsidethelinesfindingthewritelife.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Favorite
Characters from the Twist Tales (Guest Post) @ Living Outside the Lines</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.shieldmaidensofshiloh.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book Review @
Shieldmaidens of Shiloh</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://lovewhatyourreading.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Book Review @ Live. Love. Read.</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">April 8<sup>th</sup> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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