Viera

When I was small I wanted to be a dragon when I grew up. Movies like How to Train Your Dragon (easily the best movies and animated series there is and ever will be) only made my love for them grow. I'm an avid reader of mythology and mythology inspired books (aka Percy Jackson among others) and have been a mainly romance and fantasy reader. It was only a matter of time before I read the Fourth Wing. I was blown away by it. The book has a little bit of everything, magic, powers, combat, slow burn romance, a Hunger Games/Divergent/Shatter Me dystopian aspect to it, and of course, dragons. It fits right into the type of books I love to get lost in. I read it in two days and I'm writing this right after I've finished it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I loved the dragons we got to meet, the golden feathertail is my favorite. Violet is around my height according to the posts I've seen, I'm 5'2" and it makes me feel seen. I'm not tall or strong either, and like me she saw herself working as a scribe (in my case as a librarian or in a bookshop). Xaden surprised me, when he first showed up I though he would be the typical bad boy whose a walking red flag, but he's a cinnamon roll. I think this is a book that has done the whole "mated bond" trope in a way that makes sense given the world and context it's in. My heart broke with Violet's reflections after her lightning wielding signet manifested, I think her reaction towards what she did to Jack is realistic and shows an incredible maturity form the author. Violet is a very complex character, and so are Rhiannon, Liam, and Xaden. I name those because they're my favorites. This book did not disappoint and it left me wanting more. 

       Nicholas Sparks is an author whose made it. He's written a lot of books, many of them bestsellers, and multiple of them have been turned into successful and iconic movies. Take A Walk to Remember as an example. Everyone has watched that movie, it's a classic. His stories have been translated into other languages, reaching people around the world. I'm an avid reader, and this summer I realized that I had never read a Sparks book. There's no specific reason for why I hadn't read any of his writing, I simply had never picked one up. So, on an early Saturday morning I took a trip to my library and checked out a handful of his books. A Bend in the Road, The Last Song, Two by Two, and The Longest Ride. I read and enjoyed all of them.  As I read, I picked up on a few things. Sparks' books have bittersweet endings, cancer is a common topic for him to write about, there are Christian undertones, and he seems to like the South (I think North Carolina) for his setting. There's always romance, and some sort of family trouble that is resolved by the end. I enjoyed reading each book, so much so that I went back this week to the libray and checked out two more, Dear John and Dreamland.  

I stumbled upon this book in the grown-up section of the library. Now that I've read it I wonder why it's not in the teen/YA section of the library, it might be a better fit for that section. I loved the book regardless. I loved the fantasy setting it took place in, a realm separate from the mortal realm. In that realm there are immortals, in this particular book they don't age, but they can be destroyed. There was magic, powers, and enchanted objects. It felt like a fairytale but with a warrior princess. The food and teas that were described sounded to me like they were of inspired by Asian cuisine (I'm a Latina, I might be wrong here but it's what it sounded like to me) and so did the wardrobes. At times it felt like the plot and timing were off, it's a bit hard to describe. There were parts where Xingyin spends years in a place, and we get to see routines and friendships develop, while at other times she's going on different missions, traveling, and being a warrior. It kept me on my toes, I never knew the path the story was going to take. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the variety of female characters we got to meet. There was the Moon Goddess, the gentle mother grieving a lost love, lighting the moon each night for the realms. There was Xingyin, who started off as a protected daughter, and grew to be devoted, strong, and determined while still maintaining her sweetness and kindness. And of course, the love interests. The soft crown prince Liwei and the mysterious captain of guard Wenzhi. I'll be honest, both of them were dreamy and there wasn't really a love triangle. Both relationships developed at separate times, and Xingyin worked through her feelings at a pace that felt real and responsible. I personally am not much for action and fight scenes, and there were quite a few in this book. Even so, the book felt whimsical. It was a very nice read, and I will be rereading it. I also noticed after I read it that one of my favorite authors, Stephanie Garber, thought it was a breathtaking book. Let me know what you thought of it!

This is a tahnk you from my heart to every person in my life that has helped me get to where I'm at today. Sometimes it feels like we can only depend on ourselves as we go through academia, especially university. I know my own journey through education has felt isolated at times, both in and out of the classroom. The world of universities is competitive, fast paced, there's always somewhere to go or something to do. However, there's been multiple people that stand out when I think about who to turn to for support, letters of recommendation, advice, or a friendly face to start the day. Nobody makes it alone. I am lucky enough to know exactly which professors and mentors to turn to when I need any help. I have a long path to go still, but I'm no longer scared or feel like I'm not ready. There will be people to help me and advice me. So thank you for helping me get here. Teachers, professors, and mentors especially. 

Sometimes it can feel like the season of life we are in will last forever, especially when we finally feel like we got the hang of things. We know what to expect, how to plan for it, and have a general idea of what the year will look like.

I picked up "What the River Knows" by Isabel Ibanez at my local library during the middle of Hispanic Heritage month. I didn't realize it was Hispanic Heritage month or that the librarians had set out books relating to that, but I made the connection when I realized there was some Spanish in the first chapter. The Spanish was minimum, just a little tiny bit here or there, so don't let that stop you from reading if you are not a Spanish speaker.  

I am back in classes for the fall semester! There's something about the feeling of walking my university campus in the fall. It can be hard to get back in routine after a lengthy summer break, but after the first week back everything fell into place. This year I am being exposed to experiences I wouldn't have had if I hadn't made the decision last year to pick up a certain new skill. I can confidently say that I am looking forward to what this year holds and where it will take me. I'm deeply grateful for being able to attend college, and for the professors that have made an impact on my life. Sometimes I feel unsure of the major I chose, and scared of change after graduation, but I can't now what the future holds. All I know is that so far, every year I've kept on learning and growing, and I've adjusted. I can guarantee that I feel like I've found more of myself and who I am as I grow, and I'm excited to see who I become.