Book Club Picks!

Hey, guys!

Voting has closed on the summer book club options, and we have 7 books to read! I'll post the results below, and if you want more information on the books we've chosen, you can look back at my last two posts (here and here) or you can check out my shelf on Goodreads (here).

Just in case you haven't noticed it already, I've added a forum page specifically for the book club discussion. Feel free to go ahead and start conversations about the books in that forum, although it may be a few weeks before I have any real discussion questions or topics ready to go. If you've already read any of these books, that's awesome! You can go ahead and talk about them, just please be careful with spoilers and warn people of them or don't post them at all. We don't want the fun to be ruined for those of us that haven't read these books yet.

I will admit that I've had a bit of trouble finding some of these books because some of them are such new releases. If you can't find a book or can't afford to purchase them, don't feel obligated to read every single one. With the online forum style discussion, you can choose which conversations to participate in. That said, I encourage you to participate in as many as you can, and encourage your friends to do the same!

Also, if your favorite didn't get picked-- don't worry. I've become really interested in all of these, and they're definitely all on my to-read list now, so reviews on the rest of the list will be coming eventually! In the meantime, you can go ahead and read them with me, and we can always discuss them later.

Without further ado, the 2016 summer book club picks are: 




















Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn

It Wasn't Always Like This by Joy Preble

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Square Root of Summer 

by Harriet Reuter Hapgood

Storm and Silence by Robert Thier

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

And the number 1 pick, with 85% of the votes:

Everything, Everything

By Nicola Yoon

May Book Review: Beastly, Cloaked, and Towering

Hey, guys!

So while I was taking my mental health break, I did manage to read some books. Quite a lot of books, actually, as I read three in about two and a half days. 

Since I was still in a post-Lunar Chronicles slump, I went to the school library, desperate to find the next best thing. And as I'd just seen and maybe slightly obsessed over the school musical, Beauty and the Beast, I picked up Alex Flinn's Beastly. (It's been a month and I may or may not still be obsessing over the school musical...)

This, as it turned out, was a great decision. 

I will say, the first few chapters weren't my favorite. Kyle, the main character, was insufferably shallow and irritating. And yes, I realize that according to the story, he is supposed to be. Still Mr. Teen Prince here and his equally annoying girlfriend did not immediately catch my interest. 

But once I got into the book a bit-- which only took me a few hours-- the magic of the fairy tale really started to shine through. I wish I could tell you more, but I don't want to give you any spoilers. I mean, if you know the story (and after Disney, who doesn't?) then you pretty much know how it goes. Although I will say, there was one plot twist toward the end that actually surprised me a bit.

Unfortunately, there weren't any talking clocks or singing candlesticks, which was a little disappointing for me. Especially as I was-- and still am-- amazed by the performance of Lumiere and Cogsworth (mostly Lumiere) in my school's musical. 

So after I finished Beastly in about a day, I immediately went back to the library to turn in it and pick up the next few of Alex Flinn's books that I'd noticed on the shelf the first time. I walked out about five minutes later with Cloaked and Towering. 

Cloaked was not based on any particularly common fairy tales, except maybe The Princess and the Frog. But as it was a combination of several less well-known fairy tales, it felt a lot more like a new and unique story rather than a fairy tale retelling. 

Which is great, but slightly disappointing if you're on a Disney kick and were hoping for a really well-known fairy tale. 

Nevertheless, I really did enjoy this book and read it in about five hours. Yep. Five hours. Straight. And Alex Flinn, you didn't fool me with that plot twist this time! I mean, it was mostly a hunch based on the feeling that "if I was writing this, I would totally do that." Since, you know, I'm a writer. Sort of.

Towering, on the other hand, was-- as you might have guessed-- a retelling of Rapunzel. And a fantastic retelling at that. The plot, with all its classic fairy tale references, satisfied my craving for more Disney-style fairy tales, but it was completely not a Disney fairy tale at the same time. This book had such an interesting and unexpected plot, and I wish I knew how to describe it without giving too much away. Guess you'll just have to read it, right?

I would really recommend these books, particularly if you like fairy tales or romance. Even if you don't usually like fairy tales, I think these still have a lot to offer, particularly Towering. The other two are definitely a bit more fantasy, but all of them are modern and interesting and fantastic. 

Being a bit fairy tale obsessed just made them even better.

If you've read any of these books, want to read any of these books, or have any suggestions for what I should read next, feel free to let me know in the comments down below!

Book Review: The Lunar Chronicles

Hey guys! You may remember my review of the first book in this series, Cinder, from February. (If you haven't read that one yet, you might want to click here.) Since I finally finished all of the four main books, I'm going to review the series as a whole.

I really loved this series, and it's definitely now on my to-buy list! It was so good that it's left me in one of those book hangovers, where I don't want to read anything at the moment except more of that series.

(Thankfully, there's still two more minor books I haven't read yet, Fairest and Stars Above, so the series isn't quite over yet.
 UPDATE: I've read them now, so, unfortunately, it is over.)

Let me just say, Marissa Meyer is a writing genius. Her ability to remain remarkably accurate to the original Grimm fairy tales while also maintaining a dystopian, sci-fi plotline perfectly woven through all four books and all main characters is simply amazing. I honestly have not found anything like it.

The first book, Cinder, quite obviously focuses on the fairy tale Cinderella. I won't go into much detail since I've already reviewed this book individually, but Meyer did a wonderful job of transplanting all of the traditional Cinderella elements into a new setting. Again, if you haven't read the review on this one, you should really go read that first. I go into a lot more detail about this book there!

The second book is Scarlet, and this is a twist on Little Red Riding Hood. This one is, of all of them, probably the least accurate to the original fairy tale, but fantastic nonetheless. I was extremely glad when Cinder showed up again, because I was afraid this was going to be one of those series that doesn't connect between books. Boy, was I wrong! The books definitely connect, in more ways than you even realize to begin with.

Thirdly, there's Cress, based on the story of Rapunzel. After going back and reading the original fairy tale when I got my new copy of Grimm's complete fairy tales, I found so many little connections to the original story that it just blew me away. I can't actually list them all without giving you way too many spoilers, but seriously, I mean it when I say Meyer is a genius. I can't imagine how much time she spent studying the original stories and planning and editing her novel to get all of those little tie-ins in there.

I really should have stopped and read Fairest here, since it expands upon the main antagonist's backstory, which would have been good information to know before I read the last book. But I haven't actually found a copy at the library yet, so I'll read it whenever I get a chance. UPDATE: I just downloaded this on iBooks and read it in one night. Literally could not put it down! This was a fantastic addition to the series that really helps give a lot of backstory and understanding to the story.

Skipping ahead to the last major book in the series, Winter. I'm sure you can take one look at the cover and know what story this book is based on. That's right, Snow White. It may have been missing a few small things from the original (i.e. seven dwarves... unless I missed a reference somewhere), but it was definitely full of action. And, if you pay attention, there's plenty of other clever references to the Grimm version.

I really have no idea what Stars Above is about. Sorry about that, but I will definitely be reading it as soon as I can.

ALSO UPDATE: I downloaded this book as well, and read it in about a day and a half. It's a collection of short strories in the Lunar Chronicles universe. It was awesome to have more backstory for the main characters, as well as an epilogue to Winter and a new short story based on a different fairy tale!

Overall, I would highly highly recommend this series. It really has got everything: science fiction, fantasy, action, and romance, and I feel like most everyone could find something about the books that they like. They have definitely become some of my new favorites, and I'll be adding them to my collection as soon as I can.

Have you read these books? Do you want to? Let me know what you think in comments below!

March Updates

Hey guys!

Sorry I haven't been able to post much this week! I've just been super busy with SGA and prom and my AP classes! But I promise I do have some cool things coming up, so stay tuned!

BOOKS

I know I didn't get a book review written for March, but I'll be writing one really soon. I reviewed Cinder last month, but I enjoyed it so much I went ahead and got the rest of the series to read! I'm currently about halfway through the last book, and so a review on the full Lunar Chronicles will be going up soon! Make sure you've read my last review here!

Also on my to-be-read list is the book version of Disney's 2015 Cinderella film, which if you've been here for very long you will know I'm obsessed with! I got this book for my birthday, and it's adorable. It's written by Brittany Candau, illustrated (yes, illustrated!) by Cory Godbrey, and based on the screenplay by Chris Weitz. As soon as I finish reading it, I'll have a full review up on it as well!

I also got a copy of The Selection by Kiera Cass from by best friend, and I'm looking forward to reading and reviewing that for you guys too! If you've already read it, let me know what you thought of it in comments! (No spoilers please!)

Last but not least, I just picked up a beautiful copy of the Grimm Brother's complete fairy tales at Barnes and Noble the other day, and I can't wait to read that either! I may not review it, or at least not all in one post, but let me know if you're interested!

BEAUTY

I just went to prom this week, and it was a lot of fun! I did get my hair done professionally, but I did my makeup myself. I bought several new products recently, and I'm hoping to review some of those for you soon!

Also, if you're interested, I may go into more detail about my prom makeup look and the products I used specifically for that!

LIFESTYLE

I'm really excited about the guest post I have coming up soon for you! My best friend is hoping to be a future med student, and she's been inspiring to me with her organized journaling and studying methods. So, I've asked her to write a post about it, and honestly it's as much for me as it is for you!
I hope to have that post up soon, mostly because I'm excited to read it!

I've also been trying to convince her to start a blog of her own, but she's worried she doesn't have enough to stay. But really, if any of you have ever thought of starting a blog, don't sell yourself short! I never thought I would have this much to say either, so you really might as well just start writing and see where it goes.

This past month has had my biggest number of page views so far, at over double my previous record! So thank you to everyone who has been reading this blog and helping to grow!

What to Do When Dreams Don't Come True

So I'm pretty sure we've all had that experience of getting our hopes up for something, only to be let down when it doesn't work right or live up to what we imagined. Maybe it's thinking a new job will fix everything, or getting out of high school and into college, or getting out of college and into your career.

Honestly, it could even be as simple as finding some perfect piece of clothing, ordering it online, and then it doesn't fit when it comes in. 

In my case, it's been prom. Namely, my prom dress. I was having a dress custom made, and it was going to be perfect. It was just the style I wanted, and it would fit me perfectly, and the color was exactly what I imagined. I loved it. I felt like a princess in it, and so that's how I imagined prom. 

I really built the whole thing up in my mind as being the perfect ball at the end of a Cinderella story. I was going to wear my blue ball gown and my perfectly matching shoes and I was going to match so well with my date. We would take cute Cinderella pictures, and I really would be a princess, if only for the one night, and the whole thing would just be perfect. 

But with less than two weeks to prom, there was a complication with the dress. So, in a last minute back up plan, we ended up buying a dress, this one pink and definitely not a ballgown. Although I liked the dress we bought, it wasn't my blue Cinderella dress, and I was really still holding onto the hope that we could get it fixed in time. 

Hearing the seamstress say "no time" as she looked at my dress kinda felt a little bit like that moment when the stepmother rips the first piece off Cinderella's dress. I could just feel all my dreams of having that Cinderella moment just crumble. I had put so much into this fantasy in my head that I just couldn't cope with the fact of it not happening. 

And for some strange reason, no fairy godmother showed up to wave a wand and say "bibbidi bobbidi boo" and make all my dreams come true again. Who knows why that didn't happen.

I think I've finally adjusted to the idea of wearing pink instead of blue (what a Cinderella story in reverse, right?), and getting my blue dress fixed and saving it for next year. But since life unfortunately isn't a Disney movie and every wish you make doesn't come true, I think I've come up with a few tips that might make it easier when things like this happen.

1.  Watch cute animal videos to cheer yourself up. No, just kidding on that one, but doing something else you enjoy isn't a bad idea. 
2. Wait. I know I'll get to wear my blue dress next year, for my senior prom, and it'll probably be all the more special because I waited for it. Sometimes we just don't get what we want right away, and that's okay. Delayed gratification, and all that.
3. Change your mental ideal. This thinner pink dress may not be my blue ballgown, but at least I can say it's fitting to wear a pink dress first, if I really want to be like Cinderella. Not to mention the dress has a bit of Downton Abbey style to it, and I love Downton Abbey, so that's always an idea as well. Looking at things from a new perspective can change how you feel about it.
4. Don't put so much hope in things that won't last. Let's face it, life is going to let us down sometimes. I know when it all boils down to it, this is a dress I'll wear maybe once, and it's not like it's a wedding dress. Will I remember my dress in 50 years? Will I still be upset about it? Maybe, but I honestly doubt it. My time would be better spent worrying about things that will still matter. 

I wrote these mostly thinking about my dress, but they can apply to a lot of other things as well. Have you had a similar experience? What did you do to get through it? Let me know in comments!

Pantone Color(s) of the Year

Hey guys!

So this isn't really a very long post, and I'm probably pretty behind in posting this. But, in case you haven't seen the Pantone color of the year for 2016 yet, I'm going to talk about it for a minute!

I'd seen one of the colors listed at the color of the year this year already, but it was honestly only the other day that I realized that there were two colors that had been listed together! The first, the one that I had seen before, is called Rose Quartz, and it's a pastel pink. But the other one is really what caught my eye, and it's called Serenity. It's a cool, pastel sort of blue, almost with a slight purplish tint.

If you can't already tell by my blog design (and by some of my posts), I'm really liking this sort of color pairing at the moment! Not only is it fresh, flowery, and perfectly paired for spring, but it's just such a soft, soothing combination.

Not to mention that it reminds me a bit of some classic fairy tales, namely Cinderella's two dresses and the well-known battle the fairies had between pink and blue dresses in Sleeping Beauty.

Honestly, I'm quite proud of myself for having picked this color scheme for my blog before I knew Pantone had declared their color of the year and validated my decision! Guess I'm a trendsetter, huh?

If you want to read more about the colors and the decision to make them the color(s) of the year for 2016, you can check out the article here.

What do you think of these colors? Will you be incorporating them into your style this year? Let me know in comments!

My Favorite Drugstore Beauty Products!

I reviewed some new Ulta products last week, but today I'm planning to tell you about all of my favorite drugstore beauty products, since I know some of us are on a budget and maybe can't afford to go spend $50 or more on one eyeshadow pallet. However, when I opened up my makeup bag to work on this post, I realized I had quite a few products to tell you about, so you might want to grab the popcorn and settle in for a long one!

While I'm calling these "drugstore" products, I actually bought most of them at Target. I'm not sure whether you would consider that a drugstore, but you can probably get most (if not all) of these products at your local convenience store. And if I'm not mistaken, most (if not all) of them were $10 or less! (Also just a heads up, this post is not sponsored in any way!)

So first off, I'll start with the elf makeup brushes. Besides the Ulta brushes I reviewed in my last post, most of the brushes I use are from elf. I have two professional eyeshadow brushes, one professional blending eye brush, the flat foundation brush, and the professional total face brush (not pictured below. It's really big and fluffy and I don't use it very often). I think most of these brushes were actually $3 or under, and I've never had a problem with any of them. I use them on almost a daily basis, and I really like them. And as a bonus, elf products are all animal cruelty free, now including their brushes!

Moving on to the Almay smart shade foundation because it does a really good job of adjusting to your individual skin tone. With marching band, my summer tans really come and go, and it's nice not to have to have multiple foundations for different times of the year. This is more of a sheer coverage foundation, which I like as well because I don't like feeling like I have makeup caked onto my face.

Next I'll tell you about the elf shimmer lip glosses I have. I actually got these in a set of 10 and gave most of them away to my friends (who also said they really liked them), but I did keep a few for myself. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I've seen these exact ones again, but if you do spot them, they're really nice. My two favorites are a bright berry pink color, and another that's more of a nude peachy color.

I really like elf for affordable makeup, but probably one of my favorite things from them is the elf smudge pot. It's a cream eyeshadow that works just as well as an eyeshadow base or as a stand alone color. I have it in the color Cruisin' Chic, which is a warm, shimmery brown and it's just so pretty. It looks just as good on if you have brown eyes or blue eyes, or probably any color in between. You can apply it with a sponge-type applicator or even just your finger, but be warned: if you use your finger you'll probably need makeup remover to get it off because this stuff lasts all day.

One of my other favorite things from is the elf shimmering facial whip. It's a small tube of liquid highlighter, and it comes in a few colors. I have it in the color lilac petal, and it's a nice, natural sort of pink. Highlighter can really add a nice finishing touch, and with this product a little goes a long way. It blends out well and gives you nice, glowing skin.

The next product is still fairly new to me, but so far I've really liked it. It's NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker. So far, this has been a good liquid liner pen, and it really does have a very skinny tip, which is nice if you're afraid of messing up or getting your eyeliner too heavy, like I am.

One other product I use almost every day is my Maybelline liquid concealer. I think I got this as part of their "Fit Me!" line, but it works just fine with other foundations. Again, with this product, I've found a little goes a long way and it blends nicely, so I really like using it for my concealer.

Another new product (and I do mean new, I only got this a few days ago), is a NYX lipstick. I'm not entirely sure what line it's from, but the color I bought is called Tea Rose, and it's a really lovely pink. The product itself has sort of a balmy texture and it feels like it's nourishing to your lips. Plus, I think it smells nice, which is good when the product is sitting right under your nose all day.

My current favorite mascara is Maybelline Full 'N Soft mascara, and I usually get it in waterproof (mostly so I can wear it in marching band and not sweat it off). I think this mascara makes my eyelashes look really nice, but my favorite thing about it is that it doesn't make my eyelashes feel stiff or crunchy. It really annoys me when mascara makes my lashes feel stiff, so it's nice that this one doesn't.

Last but not least, I'll include my two current favorite Pure Ice nail polishes. These two were part of the limited edition Fairy Tale Forest collection, and I bought them around New Years, so hopefully they're still around. If you've taken a look around my blog, you know I love fairy tales, and you know I love the colors blue and pink, so these are just perfect for me. The pink is called "True Love's Kiss," and the blue (my absolute favorite, I'm wearing it right now!) is called "Prince Charming." The collection had a lot of really pretty colors, but these are the two I bought and I'm really liking them!

So there you guys go! Those are some of my favorite affordable beauty products, most of which I think I payed less than $10 for! Have you tried any of these products? Did you like them as much as I did? Let me know what you think in comments!

Products Mentioned
Elf makeup brushes	Almay Smart Shade foundation	Elf shimmer lip glosses
Elf smudge pot (Cruisin' Chic)	Elf Shimmering Facial Whip	NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker
Maybelline concealer	NYX lipstick (Tea Rose)	Maybelline Full 'N Soft mascara
Pure Ice nail polish

Book Review of the Month: Cinder

Hello readers, it's leap day and I'm finally posting February's book review of the month! I apologize for it taking so long, but I'll admit, I only finished the book yesterday. Oops. 

This month's book is Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I know, I know, I said I would try to review something other than fairy tales all the time. But hear me out, this one is sci-fi. Sci-fi Cinderella? Sounds weird, doesn't it? It kind of is, but in a good way. 

Cinder is not your typical Cinderella story. Yes, there's a prince and a ball and a wicked stepmother, that's all still there. But Cinder is spunky, caring, and rebellious at times, not to mention the fact that she's cyborg. 

Yes, cyborg.

This story really isn't one about a girl who is stuck in some form of slavery until a fairy godmother and a prince save her. It's about disease and loss, politics and alliances, marriage and war. 

The book is set in the distant future, sometime after World War IV, somewhere in Asia. Countries have reformed into different alliances and commonwealths, and technology has definitely changed. Androids, hover cars, ID chips, and cyborgs are normal. However, there is one thing technology hasn't fixed. 

The world is suffering from a new plague, letumosis, and there is no antidote. You catch it, you die. Tests have been done to try to find a cure, but all have failed. More and more people die every day. 

And if a plague isn't enough, there's also a race of magical beings called Lunars living on the moon threatening to wage war on the entire earth if the peace negotiations don't go their way. 

That sounds like a fairy tale, doesn't it? 

As you all know, I love fairy tales and fantasy novels. I do like sci-fi, but it's usually not my favorite. This book, however, was fantastic. I could hardly put it down, even when I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. I honestly wasn't planning to get into the whole series just yet, but I can't wait to read the next book. 

I would definitely recommend this book if you like fairy tales, fantasy, science fiction, dystopian, or almost anything, really. 

If you have book suggestions, or if you've read (or are reading) any of the books I've reviewed, feel free to leave me a comment let me know what you think! And don't forget to submit some Q&A questions for my upcoming posts- see my last post for more details!

Why I Still Love Fairy Tales (Part 2: Cinderella!)

So, as I mentioned in my last post, I may or may not have a slight obsession with Cinderella. I also may or may not have named my new cat after her... which is beside the point.

Maybe it's because it's my mom's favorite, so I grew up watching the 1950 Disney movie. Maybe it's because I also grew up watching Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray in A Cinderella Story, and Anne Hathaway in Ella Enchanted. (Both of which are still good movies, in my opinion!)

 Maybe it's because I spent part of last year living in an upstairs/attic room, quite possibly with some mouse friends. However, they weren't as sociable or talkative as Jaq and Gus Gus, and I didn't see them, so I can't be sure.

Maybe it's because of the 2015 Disney live-action version of the film, which I absolutely adore. For one thing, it was just so pretty, with the house and the butterflies and the costumes and the palace, and for goodness' sake, the dress. Lily James was wonderful as Cinderella, and can still hardly believe she originally tried out for the part of one of the stepsisters.

Maybe it's just because it's so wonderfully classic.

I know some people don't like the new movie because it can't replace the original, or because Lily James wore a corset, or because her dress should be more white than blue, gosh Disney get it together. And I know some people don't like the original because she's too passive and doesn't know the prince and doesn't take any action herself (which I would argue to the contrary, if you pay attention to the movie.)

And while the most accurate film depiction of Cinderella I've found was in Into the Woods, where there were multiple balls and golden slippers and the stepsisters cut off part of their feet to try to fit into the slippers, I am one of those people who loves both (in fact, I would almost say all) versions of the classic fairy tale.

I would agree that she doesn't know much of the prince before she marries him (something I'm glad to say was remedied in the new film), and I would agree that I probably would not have put up with as much mistreatment as she did. Side note: I don't understand why people complain about her putting up with the abuse, and not her family for abusing her.

Anyway, I would argue that she was not as passive as some people say, and she was not broken. In each version, she protests to her stepmother that she should be allowed to go to the ball, because "every eligible maiden is to attend." In the new film, she even gives political advice to the prince. She never asks for a prince. She even makes her own dress, and if that's not resourceful and determined, what is?

However, the most remarkable thing about the story is not Cinderella's sewing skills. It is not the prince. It is not even her family's abuse.

What's remarkable about her is her unfailing kindness, compassion, humility, and joy. The theme found continually throughout the 2015 film, as first expressed by Hayley Atwell as Cinderella's mother, is "have courage, and be kind." And Cinderella definitely does. Far better than I think I would have done.

As explained in the newer version, she puts up with the abuse because she cares about the house and the people her parents loved, and feels that she is doing the right thing. Not to mention, after being told you're worthless and deserve to be mistreated day after day for who even knows how long, who wouldn't start to believe it, just a little bit? Let's face it, many of us internalize negativity quickly, and I would even argue that it's remarkable Cinderella held out as well as she did.

Even in her worst moments, Cinderella is able to treat people with kindness. She is able to offer a poor stranger food when her night has, quite literally, just been torn to shreds. She is able to forgive her stepmother and stepsisters for years of abuse. And even when she goes to the ball or finds her prince, she remains humble. She is continually braver and kinder than I think I could ever be.

That is why I love Cinderella. That is why fairy tales are important. They tell us how to have courage and to be kind. 

Why I Still Love Fairy Tales (Part 1)

(Brief intro: It may be a bit harder to post once a week than I thought, what with AP classes and band rehearsals, and trips out of town. Still, it's a goal and I'm working on it, so stick around, and don't forget to subscribe!)

I think I have always been a big fan of fairy tales. Like many little girls, my room was once decorated with Disney princesses and pink flowers and anything sparkly. I liked dressing up and wearing my tiara and waving a magic wand. For a while, I even refused to wear anything that wasn't a pink dress. And while I've since stopped waving glittery plastic wands and my favorite color is now blue rather than pink, I'll admit that Disney princesses- and fairy tales in general- still hold a special place in my heart.

I'll admit that I still like dressing up. Prom is this year, and yes, I am excited to wear a pretty dress and feel like a princess. (I know some of you out there feel the same way, just admit it.) I'll even admit that I still have princess themed birthday parties. (I saw the Cinderella movie and a local high school's Cinderella play for my birthday last year. More on my slight obsession with Cinderella to come in another post!) Fantasy books still take up the most room on my bookshelves. I even named this blog after a fairy tale.

I think many people wouldn't want to admit they like fairy tales. I see the comments all the time. "Life isn't a fairy tale." "Fairy tales are for kids." "None of that is real." Even "Disney princesses are bad role models." And while the logical, rational side of me agrees, that princes don't really come along with a glass slipper, and that most Disney movies are directed at kids, and that fairy godmothers aren't exactly real, and that I'm not the biggest fan of the damsel-in-distress-waiting-for-a-man cliche, I also see the other side of the argument.

Great people with great minds like Albert Einstein, C.S. Lewis, Audrey Hepburn, G.K. Chesterton, and yes, Walt Disney, see the other side too. Einstein is credited with saying, "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales." Unfortunately, I haven't seen much of his explanation, but hey, it's Einstein. Chesterton is the source of another wonderful quote:

"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."

I think he is exactly right. Fairy tales show us people who have overcome adversity of all kinds. Nearly all of us can find a fairy tale or myth or legend we relate to; goodness knows there's plenty to choose from. We have all gone through things, but that's not the end of the story. Rags-to-riches stories are still possible, although difficult. Falling in love is still possible, although it's more than one dance.

We have all gone through things, but at the end of the day, at the end of the story, it's still possible to be happy.


How do you feel about fairy tales? Do you have a favorite? Let me know in comments!

Book Review of the Month: October

I don't know about you, but there's something about drizzly fall days that makes me want to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book. My book of choice? Currently, fairy tales. There's something about cold rainy days that makes me reach for a good fantasy novel. I'm in the process of rereading one of my all time favorites, The Hobbit, (more on that soon, I promise!), but this month's book review is on something new I picked up recently.

The book I'm writing about today is Mette Ivie Harrison's The Princess and the Hound, which is described as a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, with a fascinating twist- the "beast" is a woman. With an intriguing catch phrase like that, I couldn't help but pick it up and take it home.

As with any classic fairy tale, there's a princess. Her name is Beatrice, raised by her father, who was rather barbaric at times, and she is beautiful not as most typical fair-haired, blue eyed, delicate fairy tale princesses are. She was described as beautiful in her strength and uniqueness, with her fiery red hair and freckles. Lonely except for her loyal sort-of pet hound, Beatrice is not the kind of princess you expect. She remains quite mysterious for much of the novel.

And then, of course, you have the prince. He's described as young and handsome, of course, but once again he is not necessarily the confident, daring fairy tale hero you expect. The book is written from his perspective, and follows his childhood, so we get more of an inside look. It's obvious that Prince George is unsure and often afraid, although we get to watch him grow and mature as a character.

At times, it seems they're total opposites, marrying only for duty, and you might wonder if they will ever get along properly.

This one's been sitting on my shelf for quite some time, but I finally got around to opening it up last week, and then sped through it in about a day and a half. I couldn't put it down!

I will admit, I spent the first half of the book rather confused. I wondered when and how Beauty and the Beast would come into the story, when it almost felt that the plot was heading in an entirely different direction that what I'd expected.

And then, when I finally did understand the proclaimed tie in to the classic fairy tale, I almost didn't think it fit. Animals definitely feature very prominently throughout the novel, and different perspectives on them are offered from different characters. As an animal lover myself, I found it easy to relate. Still, to me, it wasn't Beauty and the Beast. Yes, there were some obvious similarities, as you will understand if you do decide to take my suggestion and read this book, but what I found was that The Princess and the Hound didn't feel like yet another retelling of a classic story.

It felt like a new story, a new classic, all it's own. It wasn't piggybacking off of the appeal of the original, it had a different appeal, all it's own. Even though I picked this book up expecting a retelling of a story I already knew, I was not at all disappointed to find I knew nothing of where the plot was taking me.

Fans of fantasy, fairy tales, and of course, romance, will definitely enjoy this book. It had great characters, a wonderfully complex plot, and a wonderful perspective on animals. And. there's a sequel (make that a whole series, as I've just discovered), so there's even more to love.