2017 Fall Releases

I'm super excited for books coming out this fall, and it seems like I've been waiting forever for some of them to come out. Here's my list of a few of the reads I can't wait for. All covers are courtesy of Goodreads.

Spy School Secret Service by Stuart Gibbs

I have been waiting for this book since February. I need it now.

The Getaway by Jeff Kinney

All of the Wimpy Kid books come out around this time, but it's still a pretty long wait.

Swing It, Sunny by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

The first graphic novel was so sweet, and I'm desperately waiting for the sequel.

The Silver Mask by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

The Magisterium series is getting closer and closer to its final books, and its getting more and more riveting along the way. The wait for this book is agonizing.

Which books are you waiting for to come out in the fall?

Animal Instinct (They're Cleverer Than We Think)

The funniest thing happened today. There was a family of turkeys that started crossing the road, then stepped back as a car approached. The car then stopped as if telling them to cross, and they actually started crossing! I don't even know how they got the message to cross while the car stopped for them, because that usually doesn't happen often (let alone seeing turkeys this time of year).It got me wondering about animal instincts.
My friend also has an adorable dog, and when I went over to their house, it started whimpering to eat what I was eating. It looked at the plate of food on the table then back at me, as if gesturing for me to give him food. I was pretty amazed how he could make connections like that.
Animals are a lot cleverer than we think they are, which is why we all need to think twice before testing products on them, and should be saving them instead!
Do you have any stories about surprising actions from animals?

Book Review: A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman

A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman

Cover Courtesy of Amazon

Amazon Synopsis: Padma Venkatraman’s inspiring story of a young girl’s struggle to regain her passion and find a new peace is told lyrically through verse that captures the beauty and mystery of India and the ancient bharatanatyam dance form. This is a stunning novel about spiritual awakening, the power of art, and above all, the courage and resilience of the human spirit.

Veda, a classical dance prodigy in India, lives and breathes dance—so when an accident leaves her a below-knee amputee, her dreams are shattered. For a girl who’s grown used to receiving applause for her dance prowess and flexibility, adjusting to a prosthetic leg is painful and humbling. But Veda refuses to let her disability rob her of her dreams, and she starts all over again, taking beginner classes with the youngest dancers. Then Veda meets Govinda, a young man who approaches dance as a spiritual pursuit. As their relationship deepens, Veda reconnects with the world around her, and begins to discover who she is and what dance truly means to her.

My Review: This book was recommended to me by someone, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations at all. The fact that it was in verse surprised me (I realized the format after buying the book), but it actually fit the story overall, and I didn't mind it (and I'm usually one to put down books that aren't novels/novellas). The problem was mainly with the romance in this story. I didn't expect much of it based on the synopsis, but this whole book was basically Veda's romantic views.

Veda was a nice character herself, but I especially liked Paati, who was a warm grandmother to her while Veda learned to recover from her accident. Veda had to deal with a lot of teasing, and even her best friend wasn't always cooperative at times. However, her character growth is definitely present, and she learns what dance is truly all about.

Overall, I give this book 3 stars. If you're looking for a bit of a romantic story, go for it, as it felt like 50% romance and 50% dance.

Let's Talk About... The Magisterium Series

Image from Pixabay.com, text added later.

Looking for books with magic and unpredictable twists? Look no further, the Magisterium is here..

Cover courtesy of Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis:

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

Now for the questions:

1. Which character do you most resemble?

   I'm not athletic like Aaron, or anything like Jasper. I'm also not super sarcastic like Call, so I'm probably more of a Celia and Tamara combination than anyone else.

2. Do you own any fan-related memorabilia?

   I own the first two books, but that's about it. I hope to get some things in the future, like a signed copy.

3. Which of the three books published so far is your favorite?

   Definitely The Bronze Key. Jasper's really hilarious, and the books just keep on getting better and better.

4. Which element would you most want to work with: fire, air, water, earth, or chaos magic?

   I think water magic would be pretty cool to work with. I could make balls of water and fling them at people during pool parties :). I'd be okay with working with the rest of the elements, too, though.

5. What would you look forward to learning at the Magisterium first?

   I'd love to work on levitation. Imagine flying everywhere! It's totally eco-friendly, too, versus driving, etc.

6. What do you like best about the books?

   I like the friendship between all the characters, and of course, the Magisterium itself. Any school of magic is automatically super cool in my mind. The books are pretty humorous because of the sarcasm and Call's bluntness. He always speaks his mind.

7. Favorite cover?

   The Bronze Key has such a pretty cover.

Cover courtesy from Goodreads

So that's our Let's Talk About for this week. Have you read the Magisterium books before? If so, participate in this Let's Talk About either in the comments or on your own blog! If you haven't, do you want to read the series?

My Unique Pieces of Stationary

I am literally a stationary fanatic. I love collecting different pens, pencils, pencil cases, and especially notebooks! Now, most of the things I have are pretty normal. I did make some pencil cases last summer (and by some, I mean around six) with funky fabric, but most of my pens just have normal blue ink or some design around them. However, I do have some interesting pieces to share with you all today.

First off, I recently acquired a "Hello Kitty" Kooky Can, which I'm using as a pencil case.

I really need to work on getting some more lighting in my photos...

I'm not really sure if I'll use it, because it makes a lot of noise and I don't want to distract anyone during class. I think I'll use it at home instead :).

Now, I also have another case, which I love. It's a gift from one of my teachers, and I really want to use it:

It looks pretty normal, right?

Wrong. Unzipped, it's so cute!

It's three peas in a pod! The main reason why I haven't used it yet is because I don't want to ruin it. I'd also have to take out the peas, which would probably defeat the purpose.

I also have a quill pen from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios.

My last item is a notebook I already mentioned in a few posts. I love it so much, and I'm so thankful my friend gifted it to me! I use it as a reading journal (books read, books to read, etc.).

Also, not pictured, I have a stapler I painted to look like a pencil and a really cool translucent eraser (thanks to another friend).

So those are my unique pieces of stationary, which I adore. I hope to collect more in the future! Do you have any creative stationary items? Do you use them, or keep them for show? Also, which one of these pieces is your favorite? Tell me below!