Inspiration from Old Places

Randomly I was having a conversation with my boyfriend and Wattpad came up. It was a site I used to read so many books on, but also it is the place where I wrote my first ever book. It is short and bite sized and it is called “Confessions of a Teenage Writer”

I wrote this while hoping to finish at least one other draft of a novel. Yet, this became the first thing I ever finished and I’ve only finished one other draft of something since.

Looking back and reading the comments on this book made me want to sob. I hadn’t really looked at this book or anything on Wattpad since 2016. Yet, when I wrote it I realized I had effected others. I had accomplished what I had wanted to do so badly and so early on.

People had connected with my work. They had thought it beautiful. They’d encouraged me to keep writing, but in their eyes I already was a writer. The titles I have not thought I could claim for myself in recent years, but I am both writer and author. Again I feel the tears come.

Lately, I have been able to start the process of writing again. Currently, my project is in the idea phase. I truly don’t know much about it and it’s come in bits and pieces. Lately, everything in my life has felt like a gentle stream nudging me back to the passion I have had for so many years, to write.

For a single day at my work there was a young girl that came and of all things she wanted to be a writer. She worked for a day only. Yet, listening to her. Hearing how she hadn’t finished anything because she had all these ideas in her head and couldn’t commit to one I felt so inspired and nostalgic for who I was when I first began writing. It felt electrifying to remember and to understand that this was me coming back home to myself.

It’s felt like the universe has been telling me it’s ok. It’s ok that I needed the time I did, but the time is right now. It’ll be ok.

For now, my toes feel like they are dipping in this water. Preparing for the way I will wish to go. Where I will begin.

So, I have begun here. Waking up at 5:30 in the morning to write blog posts. I’ve started reading again. Started to think about an idea and build it out. All these things will soon build out and eventually I will be flowing in this gentle river until I make small stops on my journey when I finish the first draft, when I’m editing, when I’m hoping to see if there’s a home in publishing for my story, and again starting a whole new idea.

I am here. I am ready. I am inspired and hopeful. The best yet I am smiling. I appreciate so much the younger version of me who went for writing so head on and with such passion. Who read books every single day and couldn’t imagine she’d breath well in a day without at least ingesting a single chapter. Turns out for the most part it became true. I haven’t been able to come back to myself for so long. Now is the time. I want to shout that. Now is the time!

This feels so wonderful.

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.

Advertisement

Watching BoJack Horseman: Season 1, Episode 2

It’s time to continue the wonderful saga and watch BoJack Horseman: Season 1, Episode 2! It’s been a wonderful morning so far and I am so happy to be writing about one of the most impactful tv shows I’ve ever watched.

Episode 2: BoJack Horseman: BoJack Hates the Troops

Opening Scene: BoJack is sitting depressed in a bar. The Pelican bartender pours him a drink and tells him to say when and he says it after much of the drink is spilled all over the table. a blonde girl makes fun of him as she recognizes him from his show and sees how sad he looks. He confronts her and tells her how horrible she is, but later ends up sleeping with her. It’s very clear that BoJack has trouble making good decisions for himself.

Favorite part of the episode: BoJack talking to Diane about having a “Normal Childhood” and starting to show signs of discomfort and panic telling immediately that his childhood was not so great. Then, Princess Caroline calls and tells him to watch the news because they are talking about him and he runs from Diane immediately as he’d rather not face his past. Of course the news about him is terrible. The seal from earlier is a veteran and apparently “Just wanted his favorite muffins” and BoJack didn’t care and didn’t respect his dibs.

BoJack calls in on the news story to “set the record straight” and ends up sounding way worse. He ate all 12 muffins because he is sad and hates himself and admits it on live tv. Somehow this show perfectly captures that line of hilarity and deep sadness. Looking from the outside you can sense just how far removed from a sense of joy BoJack is. Even so soon you feel a way to recovery may not even be possible for him. As much as it is wished for.

Best Lines: “For to me, there is nothing the least bit funny about stealing a meal from Neal McBeal the Navy Seal.” (Whale blows water out of his blow hole in anger)-Whale news anchor

“I’m sure a lot of the troops are Jerks! Most people are jerks already and it’s not like giving a jerk a fun and telling them it’s ok to kill people suddenly turns that jerk into a hero!”-BoJack on the news

“BoJack Horseman makes me sick. He voiced his opinion even though it was unpopular and that’s the most cowardly thing a person can do.” A bear on the news

“Troops are all hero’s. Every single one. And I don’t believe saying that cheapens the word and actuality disrespects those we mean to honor by turning real people into political pawns. Also, I am not deeply ambivalent about a seemingly mandated celebration of our military by a nation that claims to value peace, telling our children that violence is never the answer, while refusing to hold our own government to the same standard. Furthermore, I do not find it unbelievably appropriate that this conversation is taking place on reality television. A genre which thrives on chopping up the complexities of our era into easily digestible chunks of empty catch phrases!” -BoJack

Highlights:

The email BoJack writes to Diane. He asks her to come to the apartment early saying he’s on horse tranquilizers and he’s drunk and alone and ends up falling asleep. She still comes in spite of how much of an obvious mess he is.

Little joke insert. Two dogs talking about loving chocolate even though it could kill them.

Beef between BoJack and an Seal over apple muffins. A seal makes a big deal about how he had dibs and just left the muffin in the produce aisle because he needed to go to the bathroom. Just the childishness of the fighting here brought me a sense of laughter and joy.

BoJack once again treating Todd like he doesn’t matter. Todd talks about how well his online date from earlier on went and BoJack completely brushes him off. If BoJack was a good friend, Todd’s comment about this foreign girls interest in American bank routing numbers would have been a huge red flag to tell his friend that maybe this girl isn’t someone he should get involved with. Especially once he’s only known her twelve hours and she wants a framed picture of his mother’s maiden name.

BoJack being a good friend to Diane. When Diane talks BoJack relaxes and listens to what she has to say. They have a genuine conversation about Diane enjoying going on the roof with her dad to see the stars. Sadly, BoJack remembers a time with his father and takes off again.

BoJack somehow saves himself. On Mr.Peanutbutter’s reality show the seal comes to meet BoJack to receive his apology. An apology that BoJack somehow makes up well when Todd gives him state hamburger buns to give to the seal. But, then backpedaling with facts.

End Scene:

BoJack takes on the roof again with Diane and finally decides to open up about his real childhood. His dad was a drunk and a failed novelist and his mother an heiress to the sugar cube fortune. Finally Diane is getting information to start writing a proper memoir about BoJack.

All in All:

I am amazed with how deep the show goes to discuss the flaws of the military in such an early episode and as a major sub-plot in the story of this episode. Even the minor sub-plot of Todd being scammed was amazing. There is so much amazing detail in this story and I adore it.

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 

about:blankREPORT THIS AD

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.

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali: A Review

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali

My Rating: 5 stars

Cover Rating: 7/10 this is a super pretty cover! It’s sweet and lovely and it fits the book very well.

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publish Date: June 13th, 2017

Number of Pages: 328

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

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

An Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book of 2017
Kirkus Top 10 Contemporary Teen Novel of 2017
A 2018 William C. Morris Award Finalist 

Saints and Misfits
 is an unforgettable debut novel that feels like a modern day My So-Called Life…starring a Muslim teen. 

There are three kinds of people in my world:

1. Saints, those special people moving the world forward. Sometimes you glaze over them. Or, at least, I do. They’re in your face so much, you can’t see them, like how you can’t see your nose. 

2. Misfits, people who don’t belong. Like me–the way I don’t fit into Dad’s brand-new family or in the leftover one composed of Mom and my older brother, Mama’s-Boy-Muhammad. 

Also, there’s Jeremy and me. Misfits. Because although, alliteratively speaking, Janna and Jeremy sound good together, we don’t go together. Same planet, different worlds. 

But sometimes worlds collide and beautiful things happen, right? 

3. Monsters. Well, monsters wearing saint masks, like in Flannery O’Connor’s stories. 

Like the monster at my mosque. 

People think he’s holy, untouchable, but nobody has seen under the mask. 

Except me.

Opening Sentence: “I’m in the water.”

Musings:

I loved this book for being about a girl embracing her heritage and ultimately accepting that there is strength is facing the darkness that touched you. Saints and Misfits may have been a light read, but the ending pulls everything together and makes an impactful mark on your heart.

What I loved:

Getting to know a bit about Muslim culture. I don’t really know much about what it means to be Muslim and this was a nice little drop of knowledge for me. Reading stories like this one helps me understand more and see a fragment of the beauty of Muslim culture.

The value of religion and family. Janna falls for Jeremy and in the book she comes to decide weather or not they should pursue anything further then a crush. Her faith matters deeply to her and the question of dating someone outside of her faith being good for her or not is an important question.

Janna’s relationship with the older man she helps take care of. I love how adorable it is that she helps this man and he talks to her and recites poems that she writes down and saves for later reading. This wholesome relationship in the book was so cute to read about.

No one is perfect no matter how put together they seem to be. I love that this novel explores this in both a darker sense and in a lighter way too. You never know what’s going on beneath the surface in others lives and from a glance you can think someone is infallible, but taking the time to know someone you see they are human just like you are. In the darker sense sadly some people are more nefarious and that’s a sad thing to think about.

All in all:

I really enjoyed reading this. It felt real and full of teen drama. What it’s like to deal with internet problems and issues between friends and trying to balance family, grades, and life in general. So much lives inside Saints and Misfits. It was a wonderful read.

About the Author

S. K. Ali* is the author of Saints and Misfits (Simon & Schuster, 2017), a finalist for the American Library Association’s 2018 William C. Morris award. Her debut novel won critical acclaim for its portrayal of an unapologetic Muslim-American teen’s life. Saints and Misfits was featured on several Best Teen Novels of 2017 lists including from Entertainment Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and the New York Public Library. It was also a CBC Canada Reads 2018 longlist title and featured in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, NBC News, Huffington Post, Salon, Bustle, CBC Radio’s The Next Chapter, The Social, The Morning Show and other North American media.

Sajidah holds a degree in Creative Writing from York University and has written about Muslim life for various outlets, including the Toronto Star and NBC News. Her second novel, Love From A to Z(Simon & Schuster, 2019), a story about finding love in the time of Islamophobia, was a Today Show pick, a Goodreads Readers Choice Nominee and on several best 2019 YA lists, including Kirkus and Entertainment Weekly’s top ten. Love from A to Zwas the first YA title chosen to be part of the Today Show’s “Read With Jenna” book club.

Her picture book, The Proudest Blue (Little Brown, 2019), co-authored with Ibtihaj Muhammad, debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list and was featured in the New York Times, NPR, Amazon Editor’s Choice, The Today Show, among other media. Along with We Need Diverse Books co-founder, Aisha Saeed, Sajidah is the co-editor of a Middle Grade anthology called, Once Upon an Eid(Amulet, 2020), winner of the Middle East Book Honor Award and a Kirkus and School Library Journal Best Book of 2020.

S. K. Ali lives in Toronto with her family, which includes a very vocal cat named Yeti.

*first name: Sajidah (Saj-da)

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.

Watching BoJack Horseman: Season 1, Episode 1

Today I thought it would be fun to begin a brand new blog series detailing my thoughts on each episode of one of the most detailed, deep, and beautiful shows out there BoJack Horseman. When I first watched it I realized just how much there is to look at within it and over time I fell deeply in love with all of the characters and the nuances and struggle the show portrays.

So without further ado, let’s talk BoJack!

Episode 1: BoJack Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Story, Chapter One

Opening Scene:

BoJack opens with a snapshot of what made BoJack a famous actor: The BoJack Horseman show. A feel good family tv show about the bachelor BoJack taking care and raising three young girls. When I think back there’s no way I could’ve anticipated the deep, hard hitting show I got just from this very clear basic opening. The perfect set up to get into what will be one hell of a ride.

Favorite part of the episode:A flashback of BoJack and Princess Caroline where they are walking down the street and see a baby and Caroline says how cute the baby is and BoJack bolts out of there like the flash. The baby in the stroller is knocked over and everyone’s looking to where BoJack went going what the hell.

Best lines:

“I don’t know how you can expect anyone to love you when you so clearly hate yourself.” Princes Caroline to BoJack

“He’s so stupid, He doesn’t realize how miserable he should be. I envy that.” BoJack to Diane about Mr. Peanutbutter

Highlights:

The beginning interview: Right away you get a sense of who BoJack is as a person. He is drunk, he parked in the handicap parking, he thinks all of that is normal, and he thinks he’s pulling off an incredible interview. His inflated ego and lack of awareness of the reality of situations is already there in full force. BoJack is a washed up actor with a deep longing for the height of his career and will defend that time of his life to the very end.

First scene with Todd: First of all Todd is a sweet bean and I love him. Secondly, immediately BoJacks poor view and lack of care for Todd is shown. BoJack is blending a Vodka drink for himself first thing in the morning and talking to Todd about him being a parasite.

First discussion with Penguin about BoJack’s Memoir: BoJack has been trying to write a book about himself for the longest time and he blows off all his deadlines. This detailing his irresponsibility. BoJack doesn’t want a ghost writer and says he wants to do everything himself, but instead he is drinking and watching reruns of his old show. I can’t get over how details of a character he becomes already even though this is only 5 minutes into the show.

First scene with Princess Caroline: One of the many times Princess Caroline break up with BoJack. Immediately, it is apparent why she’d want to break up with him. He is acting Ike an asshole and in a flashback you she him cheating on her.

Mr.Peanut-butter intrudes on first scene with Princess Caroline: The first instance of the long running joke of “What’s this? A crossover episode?”, happens. BoJack of course is not happy. Mr.Peanutbutter always tries to make friends with BoJack and BoJack just really doesn’t like him.

Princess Caroline flipping to agent mode after breaking up with BoJack: This I the career tie that keeps Princess Carline attached toBoJack as she tries her best to find him work and prove herself to be one hell of an agent.

BoJack having the saddest breakdown. This is where you realize how heavy the show is. When BoJack comes to his senses and realizes that he’s a washed up actor that no one likes and he hasn’t been able to achieve any more oof his new dreams or desires.

BoJack gets a ghostwriter for his memoir: I love Diane. She’s so awkward and adorable and knowing what comes later it’s real bittersweet watching this first meeting between her and BoJack. Diane bring out the truth of BoJack: His envy of Mr. Peanutbutter, what he feels about himself and life and misery, how he knows he can’t bear the responsibility of his own happiness. Just one of the deepest and realist conversations with BoJack you can get.

The layering already with Todd throwing a Quinceañera for a mafia man’s teenage daughter. Todd has this lush life and backstory and just this underlying story within this how that quietly reveals itself is truly amazing.

End Scene: BoJack finds out Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter are dating and throws up a lot. A cheeky and fun end to the episode.

All in All:

I love this show so much. The fact that I could write all this detail from just the first episode is astounding and this doesn’t even include everything I could have said. I can’t wait to continue my rewatch this amazing series and detailing what makes it sodamn special for all of you.

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.

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.

House of El: Book One: The Shadow Threat: A Review

House of El: Book One: The Shadow Threat by Claudia Gray

Illustrated by. Eric Zawadzki

My Rating: 4 stars!

Cover Rating: 10/10 the art is stunning! Perfect art style for this story I adore all the art!

Publisher: DC Comics

Publish Date: January 5th, 2021

Number of Pages: 208

Received: DC Comics provided a physical copy in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Welcome to a brand-new vision of one of comics’ most famous tragedies from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray and illustrator Eric Zawadzki. In this first graphic novel in a trilogy, explore Krypton like never before: through the eyes of two teenagers on opposite sides of the same extinction-level event.

Zahn is one of Krypton’s elites: wealthy, privileged, a future leader. Sera is one of Krypton’s soldiers: strong, dedicated, fearless. Their rule-bound society has ordained that their paths should never cross. 

But groundquakes are shaking the planet’s surface. Rebellious uprisings are shaking the populace. Krypton’s top scientists–Jor-El and Lara–conduct a secret experiment that is meant to reform their planet from the cellular level up. Zahn and Sera must join forces to investigate the hidden dangers truly threatening Krypton. In the process, they form a bond that will endure past the end of the world…

Opening Sentence: “Wake up!”

Musings: As someone who has never read any Superman comics and has not watched Superman since I was a kid, I liked that I could still gain a sense of the world and an understanding of events in an easy way. The beautiful art helps immensely and paints the picture of an advanced world that has lost the value of emotion allowing growth and change in society. Everyone is made perfect and emotionless. A cool and calculated mind.

What I Loved:

The idea of the world. This is a society that has progressed so far that minds are made so perfect there is no desire to progress. Due to this, the rich live a life that doesn’t acknowledge that the world is unstable and falling apart. In order to fix this, experiments to give back emotions to a select few begin and through contrast these people find the desire to search for solutions to fix the world they live in that is beginning to break apart.

The art. There’s so much color and action on every page. It depicts the desperation of the world lived in and the comfort of the Rich’s lives. It’s beautiful and I love it.

All in all:

This comic is the start of a fun, action-filled adventure. I’m excited to see how Zahn and Sera band together in order to help save their world and restore their humanity along with it.

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.

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

Sorta My Goals for 2021

What I want for 2021 has very little to do with any sort of thing I want to obtain or do in the tangible accomplishment kind of way. More in a mental change kind of way.

2020 felt like a building up of a lot of things to be fearful and anxious of. I want to instead use that as a reason to turn into myself and panic to start turning outward and enjoy the things I have in my life now. Loving more. Laughing more. All of course in a safe and socially distant manner. Enjoying the games I’ve come to love. Reading more again. Being happier.

I want to be one who celebrates all the good things in my life instead of complaining about what’s bad. Cause falling into despair only causes hurt and 2020 had enough of that.

My goodreads challenge this year is 1 book. I am not putting pressure on myself to do anything in particular. Just to enjoy and love more and decrease my life’s stresses.

Any goals this year I won’t be making right now. Whatever, accomplishments I make will be bonuses. This year I just want to feel like I can breath.

I hope that for all of you, your 2021 is a better year. We all deserve it.

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.

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

Good Riddance to 2020

2020 was an awful year. I think all of us can agree on that. It’s also been a particularly strange year. There’s been some questionable things that have happened this year.

I’m happy to say good bye to 2020. I can’t say I’m not terrified of what’s to come. There’s certain things that I know have to come eventually and currently I’m not ready for it. Christmas Day my dad had to be taken to the hospital. He has been battling cancer for a long while now and we learned that the tumor has made his prostate the size of a small watermelon when it’s only supposed to be the size of a walnut. Which causes all kinds of complications in the body.

Also, the doctors never told us if his cancer has spread or not. Or if his bleeding was solely because his prostate is so large. Also, the fear of my mom taking my dad to the emergency room as Covid is out of control was some of the most terrifying anxiety I’ve ever experienced. The good news is he is home now and they are going to figure out if he is viable for surgery or not.

Fear. Fear for me is what drove 2020. Fear and hope and just doing my best to be happy and somehow having those wonderful happy moments I’ll cherish forever within this year.

This year has been exhausting and yet I’ve looked forward to each day because yes the world is terrible right now, but I can’t let myself seek in too despair constantly because what’s the point otherwise? I take comfort in the things I can do. The moments I can enjoy. Because those moments are what make life worth living.

This year I found a wonderful person I love and friends that have been amazing. People who have all made me laugh and feel a little lighter. People I’m proud to have by my side.

Covid has changed the world. Both slowed down and accelerated my life. Made me terrified and yet made me want to love those around me harder.

It’s a terrible year and yet it’s changed my life in good ways too. I have memories I’ll cherish for the rest of my life from this year. Yet, moments that will forever be remembered by the anxiety and fear I felt while living them.

2020 has brought out a lot of the worst in many people. A lot of a ‘who cares’ attitude that puts families like mine at risk. That fear will carry into 2020, because the pandemic isn’t over and I know it won’t be for a long while.

I’m happy to have the people in my life I have in my corner. Together, we’ve survived 2020. That in and of itself is enough of an accomplishment.

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.

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

Burn Our Bodies Down: A Review

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

My Rating: 5 stars!

Cover Rating: 10/10 I don’t think a more perfect cover for this book could exist. It perfectly captures the story inside it. It’s stunning!

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publish Date: July 7th, 2020

Number of Pages: 352 pages

Received: Netgalley provided an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Also, got a finished copy for Christmas from my mom!!

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

“Ever since Margot was born, it’s been just her and her mother, struggling to get along. But that’s not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And she may have just found the answer: A photograph, pointing her to a town called Phalene. Only, when Margot gets there, it’s not what she bargained for.

As soon as they see her face, everyone in town knows who Margot belongs to. It’s unmistakable–she’s a Nielsen. And when a mysterious girl who could be Margot’s twin is pulled from a fire, Margot realizes that her mother left Phalene for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what’s still there? 

The only thing Margot knows for sure is there’s poison in their family tree, and their roots are dug so deeply into Phalene that now that she’s there, she might never escape.”

Opening Sentence: “flick and catch of the lighter, fire blooming between my fingers.”

Musings:

This is a book that barrels you to the end wondering what’s going to happen? What’s going on? What happened back then? And all these questions are a good thing. Cause, you may wait for the answers and when they get there it’s an experience.

That’s what ‘Burn Our Bodies Down’ is, an experience.

What I Loved:

The Pain. It’s been a while since a book reminded me of my relationship with my grandmother. The gas lighting and the want to be accepted but knowing you never will. Much of this was painful for me. Not everyone ends up with good family and knowing you deserve to thrive in spite of it is an important thing.

The Curiosity. This book has you asking questions from start to finish and in a good way. More answers you get the more questions and you feel exactly as Margot must’ve felt.

The ending. Now this is a book with an ending. That whole time my eyes went bigger and bigger and my mouth dropped lower and lower. It’s a damn hell of a fantastic ending.

It’s creepy. This book unsettles in subtle ways. It makes you feel safe and then it takes it away a little and then a little more. It’s so well written.

The atmosphere. It’s dry and dusty and full of corn that’s not growing well. The way the world is written is so well done. You can feel how small and yet how vast everything is.

All in all:

This is a fantastic horror novel. It’s completely different from ‘Wilder Girls’ and it’s so good in its own unique way. It’s a must read for horror lovers.

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.

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

The Stranger by Albert Camus: A Review

The Stranger by Albert Camus

My Rating: 0 stars

Cover Rating: 2/10 it’s whatever nothing special about it. Doesn’t relate to the story at all. It’s just a basic design.

Publisher: Vintage international

Publish Date: March 28th, 1989

Number of Pages: 123

Received: I read it from my Libby Library

Synopsis:

(The Sypnosis and hearing that this book was a ‘classic’ is why I picked this book up.. however reading it, that’s not at all what this book is)

With the intrigue of a psychological thriller, Camus’s masterpiece gives us the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach.

Behind the intrigue, Camus explores what he termed “the nakedness of man faced with the absurd” and describes the condition of reckless alienation and spiritual exhaustion that characterized so much of twentieth-century life.”

My Angry thoughts:

I did a thread on Twitter about this book and I thought I’d just put that here. This book makes me so angry and I don’t want to put any extra energy into it then I already did. I don’t understand why it’s so well liked. It’s so bad.

All in All:

This book is trash. There are so many better books that explore nihilism and in better ways. Hell you want good Nihilism check out Bojack Horseman on Netflix where yes shit goes down and it’s bad, but there is deep consequences in it. It’s not just a whatever about everything just to be whatever about things. It’s a far more meaningful and nuanced story that I loved to watch.

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.

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