The Wrath and The Dawn: Review

“So you would have me throw Shazi to the wolves?”
“Shazi?” Jalal’s grin widened. “Honestly, I pity the wolves.” 

In The Wrath and the Dawn, a strong young woman named Shahrzad al-Khayzuran volunteers to exact vengeance. In a kingdom trapped in gruesome tradition, the king, Khalid, takes a wife every night only to kill them in the morning. After Shahrzad's best friend is taken, she sacrifices herself, and weaves stories to distract Khalid until morning. Her life becomes a game of irony and survival--how will she exact vengeance when she is falling for the man who killed her best friend and holds her life in his hands?

I had bought The Wrath and The Dawn a couple months ago while on vacation, but hadn't gotten to reading it until the first week of school, when I needed something to distract myself with. I'd picked up the book first because it had a woman of color on the cover, and second because the story, based on 1,001 Arabian Nights, was interesting and unique to the other things I saw on the shelves. 

Once I started reading, the novel did not disappoint. It hooked me from the start--women protecting women? What's not to love about that? Shahrzad's internal monologue is interesting and complex. You instantly empathize with her, and continue to do so throughout the novel. She is a fun and dynamic protagonist, and not just a strong badass that shuns femininity like a lot of characters I see. She's real, raw, and alluring. 

It makes sense, then, that she and Khalid's romance is an interesting one. I'm always a sucker for those "forbidden", difficult romances with lots of angst and spark. I spent practically the whole book praying they'd show their true feelings! They have so many problems and them struggling together is heartening and difficult at the same time. 

I loved almost everything about this book. I only had two real issues, but they weren't that big at all. 1) I had wished there were a couple more female characters involved. I loved all the characters there were, and the female characters were great--that's exactly why I wanted more! If Jalal or Shahrzad's grandfather's genders had been flipped, I would have loved it even more! 2) This was probably just me, but I loved all the scenes with Shahrzad, and found the scenes without her or Khalid slow or less interesting--I often skimmed them. Tariq was cool enough, but he was so genuinely good that I couldn't find his scenes as fun as the romance and action of Shahrzad and Khalid's scenes.

All in all though, this was a great book! The main character was dynamic, the love interest was interesting and mysterious, and their romance was intense to say the least! Not to mention the culturally diverse setting! 

I rate this book a must-read if you love romance, intrigue, and magic!

I am now currently reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Review will come upon completion!

How to Survive School Emotionally

Hey everyone! Hope summer has been good to all of you. Some of you may already be in school, and some of you, like me, may only be going back now. School can often be a huge stress--I know that it is for me. With both anxiety and depression, I have had to learn how to survive what can often be a grueling and tiresome process. For my benefit as well as yours, I have decided to make a post on some tips on how to survive school emotionally--some of these are academic, and some of them are not. No matter what, I hope they help!
Let me know in the comments if you have any tips!

1. Keep a calendar.

This can be on your phone, or in a planner. As someone who gets very anxious scheduling my time, I have a couple different calendars--I use google calendars to share my events with others, and a planner to schedule my schoolwork. Your planner can be anywhere from neat and color-coded, to so messy only you can understand it. As long as it keeps you organized, you'll feel a lot of stress taken off your shoulders.

2. Set aside alone time.

This is one of the hardest for me. Between school, extracurriculars, and wanting to hang out with friends, it can often be difficult to find time for yourself. Nonetheless, it doesn't have to be much. Make a list of relaxing things you enjoy, and do one of those a day. You can draw, write in your journal, take a bath, listen to music, and so much more! It can be as much as an hour or as little as ten minutes. I find this time is often best placed right when I get home.
3. Make an emergency list of things you can do at school to feel better.

I have one of these in the notes on my phone. Sometimes, anxiety or depression hits at the most inconvenient times, and with no game plan, it can be even more overwhelming than it already is. My list includes things like, "wash hands with cold water", "leave the room", "get a hug", and "doodle in notebook". Whatever you can do, no matter how little, can really help you release that negative energy.

4. Keep snacks in your locker/backpack.

This goes along with number three! Things sometimes suck. Those things will suck even more if you're hungry, and many of us can agree that school lunches aren't great. Packing a bunch of granola bars, and maybe some applesauce or fruit, can be a lifesaver on those days when you're close to meltdown. Along with this, I often keep a survival kit in my locker, with deodorant, tampons and pads, ibuprofen, and extras of my medication. Maybe even an umbrella or a change of clothes!

5. Stay on top of your work.

Ah, the dreaded one...don't procrastinate! This is an ongoing struggle for me in all pursuits, but if you can get your work done by when you're supposed to, DO IT. Having late work is NOT fun, and often makes you more stressed than you would have been doing it when it was due. Not only this, but if you have a mentally difficult day and you can't finish your work, your teacher will be more lenient if you have a good track record of doing good work on time.

6. Find study buddies or tutors.

These don't have to be people you pay. If you struggle in a subject, find a friend whose good at it, and stay after school or FaceTime. Don't let your work get the the best of you! Things will be easier later on if you understand. You can even make it fun--do it with people you like!

7. Get good sleep. 

This one is always difficult. Don't stay up until 3am playing Legend of Zelda, even though it makes you feel good! Pick a reasonable time (even midnight!) to go to bed, and try your best to stick you it. Create a sleep routine you can stick to, like drinking tea and reading your favorite book. If you have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor--they can prescribe medication. When I struggled with insomnia, I ended up taking melatonin, a natural medication that really made a difference.

8. Make a School-Fighting Superteam!

What's going to work? TEAAAM WORK! Chances are, your friends are stressed about school as well. Make study groups! Hold each other to your deadlines! Encourage each other to sleep well and practice self-love! Recently, me and my friend were frustrated with college application essays, so we made a google document called "Essay Editing Squad" and looked over each other's essays, giving encouragement and constructive criticism. Having people you can vent to and get help from can be a lifesaver when you feel down or overwhelmed.

9. Stock up on hot chocolate, tea, or beverage of choice.

I don't know what it is, but drinking something while working always makes me feel like an aesthetically-lovely, productive studyblr blogger. And in turn, this helps me get my work done! On top of that, many teas are made to help calm you down. You can even bring a drink to school if it helps relax you!

10. Bring headphones.

Sometimes, the hustle and bustle of the school hallways can be too much. Don't plug into headphones in class, but once you reach the hallway, music is fair game. Listen to your favorite pump-up tracks if you need a pick-me-up, or calming things if you're feeling stressed. Music can be so helpful!

SORCERA: THE ALTERNATE UNIVERSE

Hello, everyone! I hope you've all had a lovely summer! Today I'd like to share with you something I thought would be fun. When I get writer's block, I often take the characters from my current novel, Sorcera, and rewrite them into a different story. It's very exciting--like I'm writing fanfiction for my own book.
Here is a little Road Trip AU that I wrote for my characters. They are a few short, sweet moments I wanted to capture. Let me know what you think!

[POV: Nicole]

The van is hot, and we are a sweltering mess of sweat and snark. I’m in the driver’s seat, as usual, and Adele is next to me; she has the window rolled down, and one hand hanging out.

“You’re going to get your arm snapped off.” I say. She uses her free hand to tip her sunglasses down her nose and grin, then replies, “Gotta live on the edge, Nicole.”

There are two rows of seats in the back, but Malone and Bambi are both shoved into the one nearest to us; the row furthest back is crowded with sustenance and supplies.

“Are you sure the air conditioner is on?” Bambi is sprawled out, her legs over Malone’s lap; he seems disgruntled but doesn’t move--he has previously stated that movement just makes the heat worse.

“I’m sure, Bambi. You’ve asked me to check about seven times.” I glance at the dial on the dashboard anyway though; wishful thinking. The van’s air conditioning is weak and doing nothing to help with the humidity. “Drink some more water.”

“How far are we from the campground?” Malone groans. I sigh, looking exasperatedly at Adele; Malone and Bambi are the king and queen of ‘Are we there yet?’.

“It can’t be long now.” Adele sighs, looking at the map. “We’ve been driving for hours. I’m guessing another two.”

“Nicole…” Bambi pulls her hair into a knot on top of her head and pauses to chug from a plastic water bottle. “Can’t you drive any faster?”

“Any faster and I’ll be breaking the law.”

“Maybe Adele should drive.”

“Maybe I should,” Adele chuckles. “I’d break the law for you, Bambi dearest. I swear on my driver’s license.”

“Don’t go ganging up on Nicole now, she’s doing her best.” Malone muttered. “I don’t trust Adele behind the wheel.”

“Hey, fuck you!” Adele turns and points accusingly at Malone. “Not like you’re doing anything useful!”

“I organized the supplies and stuff, remember?” Malone gestures to the incredibly messy pile of shit in the seat behind him. There’s a pause before we all start to laugh.

“Okay but seriously Nicole, pull over. You drive like a grandma.” Adele grins at me, and I groan but comply.

“Don’t blame me when you get us all killed.”

“I’ll be sure to apologize when I see you at the pearly gates.”

The cloudless blue sky has changed to a dark night, stars twinkling above the open desert road; it is cooler now, and they’re the only ones on the road. There are mountains in the distance, and there should be a town coming up, but now they’re just happy to be driving.

Adele is in the driver’s seat; she likes to drive at night, because she can go at whatever speed she wants. Bambi is next to her, curled up in a ball and listening to music; it’s something uplifting and hopeful, Bastille or Edward Sharpe or The Wombats. It’s a miracle she has yet to fall asleep, but Adele is sure it will happen within the hour.

In the backseat, Malone and Nicole are curled up together. It’s obvious that Nicole had pretended not to want to cuddle with her boyfriend, but gave in to the impulse when she was too tired to continue to be stubborn. She is now leaning against his chest, and his arms are around her. Malone’s oversized jacket is being used as a blanket, not that they really need it; the temperature is perfect for sleep.

Adele keeps driving, but knows she’ll probably pull over soon and get her own rest. They have another day of adventure ahead, and it could bring anything.

There it is! Just a couple small, unfiltered things that I wanted to share. See you all next week!

-Tasman

20 Writing Prompts

Well folks, welcome to the wonderful world of masterlists! I thought that today I would help us all get the creative juices flowing and share a ton of writing prompts with you. I've come up with these myself, though I'm sure you could find some of them other places as well. Below are a mixture of sentence prompts, word prompts, and question prompts, for all different types of writing! Pick one you love, and write it! I DARE YOU!

1. Your character comes across a magic wand on their walk home from school/work/etc. They feel inexplicably drawn to it and pick it up. What does it do? What does it look like? How does your character use it?
2. Describe in detail the item sitting to your left, without saying its name.
3. Pick your favorite flower and incorporate it into a horror story.
4. Use pillows + pamphlets in a story.
5. Write about a dragon, but don't place it in a fantasy setting. It could be a western, a sci-fi, a romance, you name it. Have fun!
6. Take your favorite pop culture characters and have them meet. There's a bomb in the room and they have to diffuse it.
7. Use shadows + photographs in a story.
8. Gays...in SPACE!
9. Your main character in your current project runs into themselves from the future.
10. What's your comfort food? Tell us why and describe the way it makes you feel.
11. "Her midsection had managed to miss the blade, but her t-shirt had not. She'd never quite liked crop tops."
12. A ghost wants to come back and help their slacker best friend graduate college.
13. While picking up their kid from school, a parent spots a younger version of themselves leaving the school building. How do they respond?
14. Use cash + college in a story.
15. Search your name on google images. Write a story about whatever comes up first.
16. Ask your friend for two random words. Write a story incorporating them.
17. Describe your favorite place. Set a story there.
18. What happened to the second half of the pair of shoes?
19. What if your pet could talk?
20. Come up with the wildest clickbait title you can. Then, write something 2x as wild as the original clickbait title.

My Writing Role Models

Hello everyone! Sorry for the crazy sporadic posting schedule--school is absolutely insane, I hope I can post more regularly more often. Summer is coming up, so that will probably be easier soon. Either way, I decided to share with you four of my author role models: authors who inspire me to keep doing what I love.

Neil Gaiman

I read Coraline for the first time when I was in elementary school, and I haven't been the same ever since. Now, I follow Mr. Gaiman on Twitter and Tumblr. His social media outreach is very admirable and something I'd like to work on as an author myself, and when he talks about writing I always feel validated, included, and motivated. His awesome book American Gods is also being made into a TV show with two of my favorite actors, Ricky Whittle and Emily Browning! He also has a freaking awesome wife, Amanda Palmer, who is an innovator in her own right.

J.K. Rowling

Now, what up and coming author hasn't been inspired by good ol' JK? Some of my earliest fanfictions, where I learned the ins and outs of writing creatively, were about Harry Potter, and I am still a Potterhead. Whenever I get worried about that whole "starving artist" thing and think I'm going to be poor forever, I think about how Rowling herself didn't have much when she was writing Harry Potter--you never know where your creative journey will take you, so you have to keep following the path.

Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld has been one of my favorite authors for a very long time, and I've read many, many of his books. Something about the way he writes and his concepts never ceases to enrapture me in the world of the story, and I often wish I'd come up with his ideas myself! He executes them all to a T--I've never been disappointed, and I want people to feel the same way about my books someday.

Sara B. Elfgren

I read Ms. Elfgren's collaboration with Mats Strandberg, The Circle, a couple summers ago, and I've loved Ms. Elfgren ever since. Not only is she a great writer with lots of vision, she has an active Tumblr and follows me on it!!! I asked her her advice on a class project I was working on a year ago, and she was sweet enough to respond with fabulous insight on how to improve my writing skills. It's moments like that, thanks to social media, that I feel at home in the writing community, and know it's the place that I belong.

Well, I could go on and on, but there are a few people that inspire me. I want to give thanks for all the teachers in my life that inspire me to keep aspiring to my dreams. Comment down below who your writing role models (or motivators) are! See you next week!

Kekai

Why I Love Fanfic

If you know me or have been keeping up with this blog, then you probably know that I've written my fair share of fanfiction in my short lifetime. In fact, it was one of the ways I started learning how to write a real narrative--even in second and third grade, I was writing in my notebook about the Warriors book series...yes, I was literally writing fanfic about cats. I quickly moved on to Harry Potter, writing multi-chapter fics and reading colossal, 60k stories on fanfiction.net. For years in elementary and middle school, I wrote fic about nearly everything--Disney shows, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, even some anime. And I still write fanfiction even now, albeit less often. It's stuck with me for what I would guess is maybe a little less than a decade, and I consider fanfic and fandom to be one of the most important parts of pop culture and my own journey as a writer.

Anyone who has tried to write a story knows that it's incredibly hard to build a narrative, especially if you're trying to create a sci-fi and fantasy story. As a young writer, it was so much easier for me to start with a world that had already been developed so well, like that in Harry Potter. I already knew that world like the back of my hand, so being able to create a story became that much easier--I didn't have to slave over every little logistic detail, and could instead have fun with characters and plot. It's a good way to start out--it's like a playground for people who don't quite know how to create powerful characters and logical scenery. By now, I've graduated to forming my own worlds and characters (even the dreaded Mary-Sue helped me learn about that), but playing with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as a child helped me get a hang of things that much faster.

Not only did writing fanfiction help me, reading it did as well. A lot of people seem to think fanfiction is just filled with people writing fantasies and pornos, but that's no the case at all. I've read incredibly well-written fanfiction in many different fandoms. All of us know how it feels to love a book, movie or TV show so much that we want it to go on forever--with fanfiction, it does, and for us young writers, it's a good place for us to learn how to write and how not to write. Authors would take the stories in such unique and fun directions that I was surprised the original author hadn't thought to do so!

For me, fanfiction has also always been a very communal experience. Back on fanfiction.net, and now on Archive of Our Own, people are usually incredibly lovely and give positive feedback and constructive criticism. I remember there was once someone who would always comment on my Neville/Luna multi-chapter fic and give me incredible feedback on how the story made them feel and what I could do to improve it. Not only was I encouraged by the feedback online, but I also learned from it. Being able to share my creativity with people other than those I thought would just lie to please me, like people I knew in real live, helped jumpstart my confidence and excitement to write.

Now, fandom is a large part of pop culture, but when I was starting out in it, it still wasn't this mainstream or accepted. I'm happy that fanfiction is more popular nowadays, because it means it's instilling a love of writing and creativity in fans everywhere, no matter their age, gender, or occupation. Anyone can write fanfic, and that's extremely empowering. I can say without a doubt I wouldn't be where I am with my craft without the wonderful world of fanfiction. If you've ever felt the desire to write about something you've read, I highly encourage you to do it. Pick up a pen or open your computer. Start writing. You'll be surprised by how empowered you feel.

Kekai

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray: Book Review

I recently finished a lovely book recommended to me on Tumblr: Beauty Queens, by Libba Bray! When I heard that it was a female version of Lord of the Flies (a book I want to read but have never been able to slog through), I just had to jump for it!
I was certainly not disappointed.

Here's the premise: a group of beauty queens land on a "deserted" island. They learn to work together and move from bickering competitors to determined friends. Plot twist: there's a secret government organization on the island. People want to kill them. How will these lovely and empowered women escape the island with their lives?

First, I want you to know how funny this entire book is. I was constantly sending quotes to my friends, and at one point my mom had to tell me to quiet down about it. It makes fun of stereotypes and is just hilarious in general, I was legitimately laughing out loud. Despite this, the book does manage to deal with some serious issues. Some of the characters have rough histories, and many of them are having trouble coming to terms with who they are or what the world is like. While it is funny, I sympathize with and care for the characters, and hope they succeed.

The amount of diversity in this book is also incredibly refreshing. As someone who wishes books were as diverse as the world, Beauty Queens does not disappoint. There are many characters from different backgrounds and their backgrounds are blatantly addressed and dealt with. Some characters even learn about different identities, which is a great way for the reader to be educated as well!

The plot for this book was a wild ride. I honestly had no idea what to expect from it, and had no idea how it was going to end. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized how tight and exciting it was to read--everything came together and tied up nicely.

Well, what are you waiting for? Read it! If you already have, let me know what you think. 

Happy reading,

Kekai