A Whole New World

There’s something about the beginning of the month that makes me feel like I can start over. That I can decide to focus on making my life the way I want it to be. That past two years or so that feeling has been few and far in between. I’ve been doing my best behind the scenes for a long time. Quietly rebuilding and focusing on my mental health. I feel for the first time in a long time that I have the tools in me to reestablish myself and rebuild this blog into what it’ll become from now on.

I have been irreversibly changed in the past few years. Lost and found myself multiple times. Dealt with some of the most harrowing and painful things I’ve had to deal with in my life. Through it all, I’ve quietly focused and rebuilt on my joy and my ability to rest and recover. During the past few years I did not have the bandwidth to give of myself much more then I was giving to my work, family, and friends. I understand that now. I am not upset anymore that I wasn’t able to return here during that time. A lot of it had to do with my relationship with my anxieties and my fear.

Even now, I know that eventually one of the saddest moments of my life is coming. However, I cannot keep myself from doing the things I love to do in the meantime and after that point. My time away from blogging has been valuable. I am not the same girl I was when I started the book raven. I have grown. I have established a very loving and understanding partnership with a person who has been unconditionally supportive of me and my dreams and I to them. I have picked up the pieces over and over again dealing with the reality of my dads terminal illness. I have allowed myself to give myself the space I needed to breath and to rediscover and rebuild myself from a point in my life where I felt so lost.

I am now focused on moving forward. On creating. On balancing the hardships of life with the precious joyous moments I can cherish. In this moment I can feel it in my heart that this is the best way forward. To balance living, work, and doing things that impassion me. Only a week ago I had started to dance to music again. To feel that blissful freedom of movement.

I am a woman who has been remade and renewed. It is time for me to once again shine in the new ways that I desire to. I am planning so much to share with you all. In writing, in books, in the world of video games. I am ready. I hope you all are ready to join me. It’s going to be a whole new world.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Check out my INSTAGRAM and TWITTER! 

Check out THE SISTERS OF TWILIGHT WEBSITE.

If you would like to support me directly here’s a link to BUY ME A KOFI! 

My friend started Live Streaming so check them out HERE!!

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September Goals: 2022

I feel like for the longest time now I’ve been just living my life without forcing myself to do or act or say anything I don’t want to. I do have to be honest because one of the things I hadn’t wanted to do was blog. I’d think that I wanted to, but it would urge on a sense of anxiety in my body to try and recreate that old routine of a time that is nothing like now.

However, I miss this. I also feel like it’s the place where my thoughts would be settled instead of chaos and where I connected with so many amazing people. So here I have returned.

One of the biggest changes of my life recently is becoming more of a gamer then any other hobby. I wanted to have the future of this blog reflect that. This month I was to talk about games and my journey into getting platinum trophies and explore that side of myself I’ve been having the most fun with recently.

A goal I have for this month is getting the platinum trophy in Batman Arkum Asylum. Next post I make is going to be detailing what I’ll have to do and my experience with it so far.

I’ll always love reading and writing and I know I’ll try to figure out how to add more of that to my schedule and balance my life more. However, I’m not pressuring myself to do any particular thing. Just what makes me happy. What makes me happy right now is to play video games.

The most important thing for me right now is to stay on top of my school work. So my classes will take number 1 priority. I’ve been trying to wake up early to do class work and it does help a lot with giving me more time in the day for other things.

All in all, September is going to be a test of a new era of blogging for myself. Talking about gaming and other things that I love and not forcing myself to do any one thing.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Check out my INSTAGRAM and TWITTER! 

Check out THE SISTERS OF TWILIGHT WEBSITE.

If you would like to support me directly here’s a link to BUY ME A KOFI! 

My friend started Live Streaming so check them out HERE!! 

Places to donate to Trans communities:

Trans Equality 

The Trevor Project

Transgender Law Center 

Some BLM resources:

Link to bail funds to donate to!

Link to petitions to sign! 

Link to a video to watch if you can’t donate!

Why I Haven’t Been Blogging

A long time ago now, when I first started blogging, I used to blog practically everyday. I read like my life depended on it and I never let myself miss days. Then life happened and I stopped for a while and I’d restart over and over and over again and it’d be ok for a while, but it wouldn’t last. I haven’t gotten myself to make it stick.

In the meantime I’ve gotten myself so far behind as far as books to read and review and posts to create that a lot of the time it feels impossible when I try to come back.

In March in particular, I started college again. I am study to be a pharmacy technician and eventually to become a full pharmacist. I need a better job and the ability to increase my income for my family. Along with the heavy class workload im still working as many hours as I was before and honestly, I’ve just felt myself get exhausted and all I’ll want to do is watch a movie or YouTube or play Fortnite with my friends at the end of the day.

I’ve gotten pretty overwhelmed with life. I want to read and write and blog too, but I can’t seem to get into the mind frame I need to continue and it breaks my heart.

However, last night, I had a particularly awful night and my dad has deteriorated further and it causes him to yell and be angry a lot of the time. I’d just finished watching ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ which had already put me into a weird mindset and then I helped my sister put my dog into her harness and she bit me (it was my fault not the dogs). I felt this odd sense of going through motions and feeling the solid ground of life crumbling beneath me.

At this point I’d started to cry and I’d texted my partner all that had happened. Then, they started talking to me about this story they’d come up with a long time ago. It was about a hero who felt burdened by his power. His power that was so unique and special yet so fragile. A power that temporarily relieved ailments in a marble and the bigger the ailment the more fragile the marble. As I asked them for more details about it I felt myself calm down. Then, I’d said “You know I need a bit of that right now.” And they told me that my situation is what inspired this in the first place.

I was floored. I felt seen and loved and stunned when they told me that they’d come up with it a few months into us dating and hadn’t told me about it till now. It made me appreciate them for the person they were. It also made me want to write again. It reminded me of that feeling of discovering how a story is created bit by bit. It also made me feel that my partner is and always has been perfect for me.

My life has been in a lot of turmoil the past couple of years. I’ve had Abdiel by my side for over 2 years and they’ve given me a peace and a hope during all the crap I’ve been given for all of that time.

When I talk to them I realize that I can focus so heavily on the pain that sometimes I miss the joy that is standing right there in front of me. Abdiel who thought up a character that’d give me a short bit of relief from the life I live. That would give me a moment of joy. That is one of the purest forms of love I’ve ever felt in my life.

I want to blog again. I want to write stories again. To give others that feeling my partner gave to me in such a beautiful way. Things in life have been messy and it’s not really going to get any better. However, I can chose to give myself time for my passion and to give myself and others that temporary relief in life, because sometimes that’s all we’re really needing and searching for.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Check out my INSTAGRAM and TWITTER! 

Check out THE SISTERS OF TWILIGHT WEBSITE.

If you would like to support me directly here’s a link to BUY ME A KOFI! 

My friend started Live Streaming so check them out HERE!! 

Places to donate to Trans communities:

Trans Equality 

The Trevor Project

Transgender Law Center 

Some BLM resources:

Link to bail funds to donate to!

Link to petitions to sign! 

Link to a video to watch if you can’t donate!

Experiment: Is it Possible for me to Post Everyday?

I have tried this experiment without directly saying I was doing this experiment on several occasions before and pretty recently too. Ultimately exhaustion and emotional turmoil in my personal life have been what kept me away from being able to actually post on a daily basis.

I keep trying because I’m curious about two things. 1. What would my stat growth look like posting daily for a year? And 2. What kinds of things would end up happening and becoming available for me to do in life after deciding to post on a daily basis?

Blogging in general has opened so many doors for me in my life. I have gained so many opportunities and friendships and had conversations with authors directly in a way I never would have had otherwise. Blogging is an amazing experience.

I remember how wide eyed and excited I was when I first started blogging. Getting my first few followers and deciding I wanted to do this all the time and joining Netgalley and doing so many tags and completely enjoying the experience.

What I didn’t expect was eventually life itself would have me take a step back to the point that I had forgotten what it was to enjoy this part of my life. The insatiable reader who kept going at it and loving stories and wanting so badly to give birth to a story of her own.

I have missed this. So here I am. I am back. I have a new plan. I might write the posts daily and I might write extras on my days off. Whatever the case I’ll have a consistent daily upload time. 1 pm everyday. It feels like a good idea to me to be able to schedule my posts and it be consistent. I’m so used to doing it whenever I finish writing a post.

Also I’ll be taking my stats from before this starts and at the end of the year to see the change and how much I’ve grown and who knows maybe this will be a thing for years to come?

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Places to donate to Trans communities:

Trans Equality 

The Trevor Project

Transgender Law Center 

Some BLM resources: 

Link to bail funds to donate to!

Link to petitions to sign! 

Link to a video to watch if you can’t donate!

My friend started Live Streaming so check them out HERE!! 

Check out my Instagram and Twitter! 

Check out the Sisters of Twilight website.

A Retry of An Old Routine

Hello everyone!

Right now for me it is almost 6 am. I woke up at 5:30 this morning and it’s the first time I’ve done so in well over a year. Once upon a time, this was how I was able to complete all my goals for the day and be able to nap later on and have a few hours of pure enjoyment in the nighttime!

When I wake up like this I always get my writing done. Later on in the day it’s easy for me to feel exhausted after work and say it’s time to relax and I don’t blame myself. It is the time to allow myself some peace. So the solution is to wake up earlier.

From now on, I should be able to post far more often, even daily. This blog was always meant to have very frequent posts and while for a while I needed to let myself be, it’s time to come back to my passions.

So that’s why even though it’s earlier then I’ve gotten up in ages and I should be sleepy right now, I am excited. I am smiling. I am ready to go after my dreams.

Thank you all for coming along this journey with me! It’s going to be wonderful every step of the way.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Places to donate to Trans communities:

Trans Equality 

The Trevor Project

Transgender Law Center 

Some BLM resources: 

Link to bail funds to donate to!

Link to petitions to sign! 

Link to a video to watch if you can’t donate!

My friend started Live Streaming so check them out HERE!! 

Check out my Instagram and Twitter!

Check out the Sisters of Twilight website.

The Unstoppable Wasp by Sam Maggs: A Review

The Unstoppable Wasp by Sam Maggs

My Rating: 5 stars

Cover Rating: 10/10 This a beautiful cover! Showcases Nadia looking powerful and strong in her wasp suit and encapsulates the feeling of G.I.R.L showcasing our strong and intelligent heroine.

Publisher: Disney Book Group

Publish Date: July 14th, 2020

Number of Pages: 272

Received: Netgalley provided an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Bestselling author Sam Maggs brings Nadia Van Dyne (the Unstoppable Wasp) and her genius friends to life in an all-new original YA novel based on the world of The Unstoppable Wasp Marvel comics series.

Nadia Van Dyne is new to this. New to being a Super Hero, new to being a real friend and stepdaughter (to one of the founding Avengers, no less), new to running her own lab, and new to being her own person, far, far away from the clutches of the Red Room―the infamous brainwashing/assassin-training facility. She’s adjusting well to all of this newness, channeling her energy into being a good friend, a good scientist, and a good Super Hero. It’s taking a toll, though, and Nadia’s finding that there are never quite enough hours in a day. So, when she’s gifted a virtual assistant powered by the most cutting-edge A.I. technology that the world has to offer, Nadia jumps at the opportunity to “do less, experience more”―just like the advertisements say.The device works― really works. Nadia has more time to pursue her passion projects and to focus on new discoveries. But it’s never quite that simple, and not everything is as it seems. This thrilling adventure finds Nadia confronting her past as she tries to shape her future, and learning that sometimes the best way to effect big change is to think small―maybe even supersmall, Unstoppable Wasp-style. She’ll need the help of her genius G.I.R.L. (Genius In action Research Labs) squad and found family to save herself and (not to be too dramatic) the entire world as we know it. Along the way, Nadia discovers that when she teams up with the people who love her the most, they’re totally Unstoppable.

Opening Sentence: “She was going to force Nadia to hurt her, and Nadia hated when people forced her to hurt them.”

Musings:

I adored ‘The Unstoppable Wasp”! It caused me to nerd out completely throughout. I loved every part of it. It’s definitely perfect for that young Marvel lover in your life.

What I loved:

The fun facts! I find it really adorable how every once in a while Nadia would nerd out and explain a concept about science or technology to the reader. It felt like she really and truly adored science and enjoyed sharing little tidbits with the people around her.

The diversity of the cast. Nadia is Russian and gives little tidbits about Russian words and foods and each member of G.I.R.L. are all from different backgrounds and lend a bit of their culture through who they are throughout the story.

Nadia’s struggle with Bi-polar disorder. Everyday is a time-management struggle for Nadia. Managing her mood, being a cool American teen, connecting with the mother who died before she could meet her, coming up with ideas for her like-minds project. Nadia has so much on her plate at all times and managing her mental health at the same time is overwhelming and causes her to struggle with her personal relationships.

How real Nadia feels. Nadia may be a super hero, but who she is inside and her struggles, wants, and desires make her feel like a girl doing her best to follow her dreams and also just enjoy being alive even with life feels overwhelmingly hard.

All in all:

‘The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope’ is a wonderful read that made my nerd heart very happy. It’s beautiful to me. Nadia isn’t 100% succeeding in every area of her life she’s doing her best and she wants to do great for the world. Sometimes you got to rely on the G.I.R.L.’s around you who only want you to succeed. Everyone in this book feels like a family.

As a side note: I super nerded out hard talking for the longest time to my boyfriend about the version of Hank in this novel. I got so much out of this book and it‘ll live inside my heart as one to remember.

About the Author:

Sam Maggs is a bestselling author of books, comics, and video games. She’s been a senior games writer, including work on Marvel’s Spider-Man; the author of many YA and middle-grade books like The Unstoppable Wasp, Con Quest!, Tell No Tales, and The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy; and a comics writer for beloved titles like Marvel Action: Captain Marvel, My Little Pony, and Transformers. She is also an on-air host for networks like Nerdist. A Canadian in Los Angeles, she misses Coffee Crisp and bagged milk.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Places to donate to Trans communities:

Trans Equality 

The Trevor Project

Transgender Law Center 

Some BLM resources: 

Link to bail funds to donate to!

Link to petitions to sign! 

Link to a video to watch if you can’t donate!

My friend started Live Streaming so check them out HERE!! 

Check out my Instagram and Twitter! 

Check out The Book Raven Poetry website! 

Checkout The Book Raven Poetry Instagramand Twitter! 

Check out the Sisters of Twilight website.

Coming Back to Blogging

I have written this post more times then I could count in the past. When my life changes I continually feel the need to step inward and quietly come to understand and grow on my own. Yet, I always have found great value in being open online. Sharing my experiences and thoughts on stories, films, current issues, and my life. I’ve missed being on here. So, yes I am returning and this time I imagine I’m here to stay for a good long time.

Someone important in my life told me all I need to do is start and this is me doing just that starting. I have abandoned many things I love in recent times out of a fear. A fear that I’m not good enough. That I don’t deserve to try and be the person I want to be and do the things I want to do. A fear that I’m going to get things wrong. But the truth is I am going to get things wrong at time and I am going to mess up, but my passion for writing. My passion for telling stories that will never leave me.

Life is but a tiny spec of dust in the grand scheme of the universe. I want to make the most use of my tiny spec. There’s life and beauty in even the smallest of creatures in existence. I want to live life as fully as I can. With as much joy as I can.

This is a part of that joy. Discussing books. Promoting authors. Talking about writing and the journey of it. It’s a wonderful thing. So here I am again. Just me, my phone, and many many thoughts. I’m back and it feels so good to be.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

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Places to donate to Trans communities:

Trans Equality 

The Trevor Project

Transgender Law Center 

Some BLM resources: 

Link to bail funds to donate to!

Link to petitions to sign! 

Link to a video to watch if you can’t donate!

Check out my Instagram and Twitter! 

Check out The Book Raven Poetry website! 

Checkout The Book Raven Poetry Instagramand Twitter! 

Check out the Sisters of Twilight website.

If you love my content and wish to offer me extra support by me a Kofi on my donation page!

I’m Back Officially

At the moment I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Everything is working out for me. Things I thought were issues are no longer issues. I’ve essentially been graced with a brand new beginning and I’m mentally in a very good place and I’m excited to move forward.

This means I’m going to be posting every day again. Yep, I’m back in full. This both feels long overdue, but also at the same time I’m coming back to things just at the time I need to. It’s just been time for me. Time for me to be myself, but the me that I’ve become and not just who I’ve always been.

I can’t believe that I’m standing here from where I once was. Someone that felt so lost so confused so hopeless. I built myself up again and suddenly everything fell back into place. I feel like I’ve been on a hell of a ride well for my whole life really. Now things will show up and I feel so much better because I know I can deal. I know I can make it through.

Being where I am now I know I can handle being productive again. I know I can create without worrying anymore. I know I have people in my life I can count on. I know that I’m going to be ok. That everything is going to turn out beautiful. It’s been so long since I’ve felt that way. Truly felt that way. Especially now that I have so much more knowing of what was then I ever have before.

I’m so appreciative of all of you that have been following this blog. Truly, so much of my life would be different without it. It’s changed my life. Been my strength when I needed it. My outlet when I didn’t know where to go or what else to do. It’s about time I’m truly back. I have so much that I want to create with this blog. I can’t wait to continue moving forward with it.

Thank you all so much for staying with me. I have so much more life to live and I can’t wait to share my journey with all of you. It’s gonna be a good one. I feel it in my bones.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Check out my Instagram and Twitter! 

Check out The Book Raven Poetry website! 

Checkout The Book Raven Poetry Instagramand Twitter! 

Check out the Sisters of Twilight website.

Thank you Blogging Community

I’m so appreciative of being able to be a part of this community. Sometimes it’s nice just to sit down and write a post about the love I feel for this community.

What’s brought this on at this time is my Bojack Horseman post. I haven’t been posting regularly as much recently and yesterday’s post has been really wonderfully received.

I started this blog as a book blog and as my life has shifted so has what I’ve posted about. I feel like I can be totally myself with blogging. That I don’t have to stay in one area that as my interests shift so can what I post about. It’s a really wonderful thing. I appreciate all of you reading this for that.

I don’t know what this blog will become. I don’t know how I will continue to grow and change as a person, but knowing that I will always be supported along the way is amazing.

Thanks to all of you. Blogging is such a joy for me. The response from yesterday’s post was a reminder of that. I can’t wait to keep posting and see what fresh and new things are on the horizon for me.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Check out my Instagram and Twitter! 

Check out The Book Raven Poetry website! 

Checkout The Book Raven Poetry Instagramand Twitter! 

Check out the Sisters of Twilight website.

I Am Returning

I have spent the last two weeks just having a lot of fun. I haven’t been blogging at all because I’ve been wanting to soak up all that January was for me. I’ve been happy. Happier then I have been a long time.

I’ve gone out with friends and played games into the night. I’ve laughed more then I have in what feels like forever. I’m experiencing so much more from life and it feels like everything is changing in my life for the better. So for a while I wanted to put aside responsibility that was outside my work and just have fun.

Blogging is wonderful and you all mean the world to me. It has been a saving grace from when I was suffering. I am not suffering anymore. I’m happy and I feel free. I’ve been milking that feeling for all it’s worth.

I am coming back to blogging because it is something I’m passionate about. Sharing all that I love and all that I care about. Nerding out about my favorite tv shows and movies, and getting excited about new books. Sometimes a good break filled with good things is what you need to remind you of why you love doing what you do in the first place.

I love writing. I love being myself and knowing that the right readers will come to find and enjoy what I wrote. I love blogging and sharing my thoughts and feelings about things and having conversations with fellow bloggers and book lovers about the fandoms we love.

It saved me from getting too far deep into depression at one point. Helped me to let go of pain. Helped me to see the kind of person I am and who I am becoming. I appreciate this community like I do no other.

I’m happy to be coming back. I feel fantastic about coming back in such a positive way. My January was amazing. I know this year is going to be one of the best I’ve ever had.

So I’m ready. I’m ready to see what amazing things I can create and do in the rest of 2020. I know it’s going to be a blast.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below! 

Check out my Instagram and Twitter! 

Check out The Book Raven Poetry website! 

Checkout The Book Raven Poetry Instagramand Twitter!