Viera

       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.  

I came across this book at my part time job this summer. I read it during my lunch breaks, and I enjoyed it well enough. I had never read a book quite like this one before. The main character falls into her favorite book series, and meets a stranger that she doesn't remember from the books. The story follows her journey in getting over her ex-fiancé, and finding herself again. I loved the setting the story took place in, for majority of the book she stays in the town of her favorite book series. It's a perfect little town, everyone knows each other, and she quickly makes friends with everyone. I felt that the main character did not get as much development as she should have because she spends most of the time in the book fawning over the characters she meets. She gets involved in their relationship troubles quite a bit. The only other thing that keeps me from putting this book on my list of favorite reads is the complicated relationship the main character and the handsome stranger have. They are both hung up on their exes, and I can't help but feel that those issues should have been solved long before forming a connection with a new partner. I love romance books and love stories, but I prefer the issues the couple face to not be indecision about each other. I want the lovers to be completely and utterly in love with each other. But overall, the book was an interesting read and it kept me hooked for a couple of my work shifts.