Saturday, 4 August 2018

Disney For the Day: Disneyland Essentials



Welcome to my new feature here on this blog called: Disney For the Day.  

This basically is a feature where I will talk about anything Disney related such as tips for the parks and Disney news/movies.  If you don't already know this about me, I am a huge Disney fan and I tend to go to Disneyland every year in the summer so its safe to say that I know a lot about Disney. 

Today's topic is: Disneyland Essentials!  Anaheim, California is very hot and at Disneyland, you're going to be on your feet all day so you need certain things to help your trip be more comfortable. Let's get started. 

#1: SPF Sunscreen

At Disneyland, you are going to be standing in line all day under the bright hot sun so sunscreen is a key item that you'll want to have on you at all times. Make sure to apply it in the morning but continue to apply it throughout the day as it will likely sweat or get washed off. 

#2: Light Clothes

Light clothes are a must. If you are going to Disneyland during the summer or on a particularly sunny day, you will want to be as cool as possible. Make sure to wear light clothes as well as comfortable clothes as you will be in them all day.

If you are someone who likes to Disneybound, then make sure your bound consists of light comfortable clothes that you can wear all day. I may do a post on Disneybounding in the future.

#3: Comfortable Shoes

Since you will be standing up and walking for much of your day, comfortable shoes are a must. You will most likely want easy to walk in sandals or sneakers/tennis shoes. I always wear sneakers to the park as they are far more comfortable and I can last all day.

#4: A Backpack

Since you need to have so much stuff in the parks, you should bring something to carry it all in, right? The best bag option is a backpack as you can keep it on your back all day and it is big enough to hold everything you need.

#5: Snacks

Snacks are a must have at Disneyland. The food at Disneyland is expensive and you don't want to spend tons of money buying snacks. Bring a healthy snack or something to munch on during the day between your meals. You'll thank me, I promise.

#6: Water Bottle

A water bottle is another key item that you'll want to have with you in the parks. Keeping hydrated is very important when you are walking around and having fun. Having a reusable water bottle is a great way to have your water always available. There are tons of  water fountains scattered throughout the two parks where you can refill your water bottle as well as free water given at food establishments.

If you want ice cold water, just ask someone at a food establishment for a free cup of cold water and then you can fill your water bottle with that water.

#7: Portable Charger

Your phone battery is not likely to hold a charge for the entire day, which is why it is important to carry a portable phone charger with you. You can easily charge your phone in your backpack during lines or times of the day when you don't need your phone and then you'll be good to go.

#8: Hand Sanitizer

Theme parks are not necessarily the cleanest places on Earth so it's important to clean your hands every once in awhile. Carrying hand sanitizer is a must especially if where you're eating is not anywhere near a restroom/bathroom. You can easily clean your hands and dive right in.

#9: Hat

Yes, ears are the main thing you wear at Disneyland and they are so cute and fashionable. Trust me, I know. But, the sun is bright and sometimes to protect your skin, a hat is just what you need. My advice is to bring a hat that you can wear during the majority of the day and then you can trade it for ears if you have them.

#10: Jacket/sweatshirt 

If it gets cold at night (check the weather), then bring a jacket or a sweatshirt. Make sure to put it in your backpack so you don't have to wear it all day as it gets really hot.

#11: Disneyland App

If you have a smartphone, then be sure to download the Disneyland app as it will save you so much time and energy. On the app, you can download your tickets as well as see wait times for all the rides. It is so helpful. I promise.

EXTRA

#1: Ibuprofen 

If you are prone to having headaches or any other type of pain, then be sure to pack ibuprofen.

#2: Fan

If you have a small electric fan or a paper fan, this is such a good thing to pack in your backpack. You will be so grateful to have this along with your other essentials as it will help keep you cooler throughout the day.

That's all the essentials that I have for Disneyland. Let me know if there are any that you want to add. 

Also, I may or may not be starting a Disneygram (aka a Disney Instagram) so I'll let you know when it's up. 

Friday, 3 August 2018

ARC August '18 TBR

As you all know, I participated in ARC August a couple of years ago and I did pretty well. August is also when I'm on vacation so I have a bit more time. I have so many ARCs on my phone and it is really getting out of hand. Also, I really want to get my NetGalley score up. 

This read-a-thon is hosted by Read.Sleep.Repeat and it is where you can get a head start on reading your ARCS. Past or present as it doesn't matter. The sign-ups are open and each week in August a link goes up where you can share your progress. At the end submitted books will be confirmed so you must review them somewhere.  Here are the sign ups: http://readsleeprepeat.org/2018/07/15/6th-annual-arc-august-sign-ups/

Here is my small TBR: 



See you all soon! 

Sunday, 29 July 2018

Weekly Recap: 7/23 - 7/29

Weekly recap is where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

This week, I was at Disneyland for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so I haven't been blogging but a new feature called "Disney for the Day" is coming which I am super excited for. It doesn't have to do with books that much but it will be interesting and fun/ 

Also, I've been busy working on my novel which I am slowly coming along with though there's still a lot to be done.


Now, let's get into recapping.


New Books

Purchased:



Library: 



Received for Review: 



In Case You Missed It



This Week I Read




This Week I Watched




This Week I Listened To 

Done for Me by Charlie Puth ft. Kehlani
Blood//Water by grandson
You Drive Me Crazy by Britney Spears
My Prerogative by Britney Spears
Boys by Britney Spears


Next Week I'm Reading




Upcoming Reviews



Upcoming Posts


Monday: Disney for the Day 

Tuesday: TBD

Wednesday: TBD

Thursday: TBD

Friday: TBD

Saturday: TBD

Sunday: Weekly Recap




Around the Blog Community

Sunday, 22 July 2018

Weekly Recap: 7/16 - 7/22

Weekly recap is where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

I am still in California and I am still trying to get back into the writing and blogging game. I read two books this week and I enjoyed them a lot. I did a lot of shopping this week as well as went to the Santa Monica Pier and the LA Zoo, both of which I had never been to before.

Now, let's get into recapping.


New Books

Purchased:



Library: 



Received for Review: 



In Case You Missed It

This Week I Read




This Week I Watched



This Week I Listened To 

Done for Me by Charlie Puth ft. Kehlani
Blood//Water by grandson
You Drive Me Crazy by Britney Spears
My Prerogative by Britney Spears
Boys by Britney Spears


Next Week I'm Reading




Upcoming Reviews



Upcoming Posts


Monday: The Continent Book Review 

Tuesday: TBD

Wednesday: TBD

Thursday: TBD

Friday: TBD

Saturday: TBD

Sunday: Weekly Recap




Around the Blog Community

Tuesday, 17 July 2018

Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst Review

This is a spoiler free review.



Inkmistress
Written by Audrey Coulthurst
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Pages: 400
Source: Library
Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 13 and up!


Summary:

Asra is a demigod with a dangerous gift: the ability to dictate the future by writing with her blood. To keep her power secret, she leads a quiet life as a healer on a remote mountain, content to help the people in her care and spend time with Ina, the mortal girl she loves.

But Asra’s peaceful life is upended when bandits threaten Ina’s village and the king does nothing to help. Desperate to protect her people, Ina begs Asra for assistance in finding her manifest—the animal she’ll be able to change into as her rite of passage to adulthood. Asra uses her blood magic to help Ina, but her spell goes horribly wrong and the bandits destroy the village, killing Ina’s family.

Unaware that Asra is at fault, Ina swears revenge on the king and takes a savage dragon as her manifest. To stop her, Asra must embark on a journey across the kingdom, becoming a player in lethal games of power among assassins, gods, and even the king himself.


Most frightening of all, she discovers the dark secrets of her own mysterious history—and the terrible, powerful legacy she carries in her blood.
Review:

Inkmistress is the second book that I've read by Audrey Coulthurst and I enjoyed this one so much. This book moved me so much and I was crying by the end of it, partly from sadness but party from happiness. I also really liked how the book normalized sexuality.

COVER

The cover is beautiful. I love how the main color used is red but there are also bits of white and black that sharply contrast with the rest of the cover.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world-building was very important to the story as it would have been hard to understand everything that happened without it. In this world, people emerge into adulthood when they can manifest, or bond with an animal by being blessed by one of the six gods. It is very important to be able to manifest in this story.

Then there are the characters.

ASRA

Asra has lived her whole life secluded away in the mountains because she is a demigod. She only travels down to the village below when weather permits it in order to help them with medicinal needs but many people view her as a witch because of her abilities. I loved how powerful Asra was as she has the power to change the past, present and the future with her blood but it has a cost. Asra is bisexual as at the beginning of the book she has a relationship with a girl who has accepted her for who she is but she soon finds out that this girl has been hiding a lot from her.

INA

As the girl that Asra loves, Ina has a big part in the book but she turns out to be hiding a lot from Asra. Ina wants to manifest which Asra helps her do but Ina becomes something very powerful and because Asra helped shape the future, there are a lot of consequences. We learn that Ina has a dark side and she isn't the sweet, innocent village girl that we meet at the beginning.

HAL

Hal is a PoC who I loved so much. He is such an amazing character who can be viewed completely separate from Asra (his love interest). Hal has a lot of strength and he was so humorous. He is also a demigod and he is very good at manipulating other people's minds which was interesting and cool. I really liked how supportive he was for Asra.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

Asra finds out that who she thought was her family was completely wrong and that influences her a lot. Also, her friendship/relationship with Ina seems to feel like a lie as we move throughout the book which influences upcoming decisions. Friendship is something Asra feels like she struggles with because she was so isolated but she learns how to trust certain people and to be more wary around others.

PLOT

This book has everything in it from girls with hidden powers, tyrant kings, and travel to gods, blood magic and betrayal. I loved it so much because it seemed totally targeted for me or my audience. I liked how much she was able to throw into one book and she didn't make it seem overcrowded.
ROMANCE

This book has important discussions on love and how you are worthy of deserving of it no matter what. We see heartbreak that is unapologetic which is important and it discusses how it is very rare to have your first love be your only love. Overall, it had very important topics and conversations. The romance between Hal and Asa was so cute and it was refreshing to see.

WRITING

The writing was very beautiful. I loved how she wrote the whole journey and the romance. I also loved how she included a lot of feminist themes and important messages.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I highly recommend this book to any Fantasy lovers. It has something for everyone to enjoy, even if you don't like everything about most Fantasy novels.

Quotes from the Book:




My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns

Sunday, 15 July 2018

Weekly Recap: 7/8 - 7/15

Weekly recap is where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

I have had a busy week as I am now in California for my vacation. I also, am trying to get back on my blogging and writing game. Campnanowrimo is halfway done and I still haven't reached my midway goal which is sad but I am trying hard to catch up.

Now, let's get into recapping.


New Books

Purchased:





Library: 

 

 





Received for Review: 




In Case You Missed It

This Week I Read




This Week I Watched

 


This Week I Listened To 

Done for Me by Charlie Puth ft. Kehlani
Blood//Water by grandson
You Drive Me Crazy by Britney Spears
My Prerogative by Britney Spears
Boys by Britney Spears


Next Week I'm Reading



Upcoming Reviews



Upcoming Posts


Monday: Inkmistress Book Review

Tuesday: TBD

Wednesday: TBD

Thursday: TBD

Friday: TBD

Saturday: TBD

Sunday: Weekly Recap




Around the Blog Community

Friday, 13 July 2018

Rule by Ellen Goodlett ARC Review

I received an ARC from the publisher. Thank you! This is a spoiler free review.



Rule
Written by Ellen Goodlett
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 11, 2018
Pages: 384
Source: ARC provided by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 13 and up!


Summary:

Three girls with three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown.

The king is dying, his heir has just been murdered, and rebellion brews in the east. But the kingdom of Kolonya and the outer Reaches has one last option before it descends into leaderless chaos.

Or rather, three unexpected options.

Zofi has spent her entire life trekking through the outer Reaches with her band of Travelers. She would do anything to protect the band, her family. But no one can ever find out how far she's already gone.

Akeylah was raised in the Eastern Reach, surrounded by whispers of rebellion and abused by her father. Desperate to escape, she makes a decision that threatens the whole kingdom.

Ren grew up in Kolonya, serving as a lady's maid and scheming her way out of the servants' chambers. But one such plot could get her hung for treason if anyone ever discovers what she's done.

When the king summons the girls, they arrive expecting arrest or even execution. Instead they learn the truth: they are his illegitimate daughters, and one must become his new heir. But someone in Kolonya knows their secrets, and that someone will stop at nothing to keep the sisters from their destiny... to rule.

Review:

I was so excited when I received Rule in the mail from the publisher. I really enjoyed this book and I liked how the whole concept was about three sisters from different areas of the kingdom. The different backgrounds of the sisters made the book a lot more interesting. Also, it is shown to be Three Dark Crowns meets Pretty Little Liars which is true.

COVER

The cover is really pretty. I like how there is a crown in the middle symbolizing the fact that the three girls are children of the King and trying to get the crown after the King dies. I also think the colors are very appropriate for the story.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world-building is done gradually throughout the book which I liked. I was still a little confused about some of the places and how they related at the end but for the most part it was done really well.

Then there are the characters.

ZOFI

Zofi is a very fierce, strong and independent. Zofi is a Traveler which is an outcast and someone the kingdom doesn't really like but tolerates. I enjoyed her character because she brings a lot of the female empowerment to the novel. Zofi is a character who is determined to find things out, if not for others, then for herself. Also, she tries to be very loyal to her Traveler heritage which I admired.

AKEYLAH

Akeylah is the second sister who is an Easterner. Easterners are also seen as outcasts and different from the people in Kolonya. Akeylah is from a family where her stepfather (who she thought was her father, her whole life) physically abuses her because he blames her for the death of his wife who died during childbirth. Akeylah curses the king by accident when she is trying to curse her stepfather and she is constantly trying to fix it. She was also the LGBT representation.

FLORENCIA

Florencia is the only one that comes from Kolonya as she is a maid in the castle. Florencia really wanted to move up in the world and when she finds out that she is a daughter of the King, that seems to be the answers to her prayers. Ren has dirt on many a member of royal society and wants to avenger her low status. Florencia is also a very strong female character though she is seduced by the power of being a royal.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

Family is what brought the three girls together as they find out that the King is dying and that they are his heirs. For most of the book, the three sisters are forced to work together because they are being blackmailed by someone but later on, they truly bond as sisters.

PLOT

The plot is very dark and mysterious. It is almost written as a mystery as the three sisters are trying to figure out who is blackmailing and threatening them. They are brought together because they find out that they are the heirs to the King's throne. Soon, they receive nasty notes threatening to expose their dark secrets.
ROMANCE
There are three romances in this book but they do not take up the whole plot which I really loved. I'm not going to say much about them because it is hard to explain but I really liked Akeylah's romance as well as Zofi's. Also, there is a f/f romance.

WRITING

The writing was great. I loved how she started straight into the story and I was never bored.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I highly recommend this book as it is very fast paced and entertaining. There is so much to love about this book from the POC and LGBT diversity as well as the characters. It comes out in September and is a must read.

Quotes from the Book:




My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns