IT'S MY BIRTHDAY

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, Y'ALL.

IT'S OFFICIAL.

I AM EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD.




okay, okay, I know what you're thinking.

"Where have you been, Grace?"
"Did you forget you had a blog, Grace?"
"Grace... are you dead?"

And... to answer those... um...



I don't even know.


My life has been absolute insanity as of late, and because everything is starting back, I still haven't quite gotten into the rhythm of everything yet.  Hopefully a schedule will settle into itself in the not-too-distant future.

But for now, here I sit, in a room at a Walt Disney World resort, locked out of the living room while my family does who-knows-what out there.  I think I heard balloons being inflated.  Idk.

Friday, we're having a party.  My first birthday party since I turned 13.  I'm a bit excited.  (guys, they bought a 100-piece box of York patties for me.  It's sitting on the counter, mocking me.  MOCKING me because I can't open it until the party.  HOW DO I LAST THAT LONG)


So I guess that's all for this post.  Sorry for how short it is, but I decided I needed to actually post something, and it might as well be on this most important of days.

And now, if you don't mind, I'm off to stuff my face with cake.



*passes out pieces among you*

Thanks for sticking around this long, guys.  You're the best.

Keeper of the Lost Cities (Book Review)

^ le me trying to explain where I have been this week.

In all honesty, I don't have a truly good excuse xD I tried to write this review twice this week, I mean good golly, my brain has been dead. 

*deep breath* Okay, we're gonna manage this.

In lieu of a Fairytale Friday (because my brain went blank when I tried to decide on one for this week), we're going to look at a book that deals, in a way, with legends and myths of our world.

Because this book.

This freaking fantastic book.

Keeper of the Lost Cities



Genre: Fantasy
Author: Shannon Messenger
Content: None
Main Character: Sophie Foster

Brief overview: Sophie has been able to read minds since she was five, but didn't know why until now.  Discovering that she isn't human at all, she is thrown into a world she never guessed existed, full of elves, cities of legend, and her own mysterious past.

Placement in Series: 1 of 5

What I Thought:

THIS BOOK, Y'ALL. 
I was told by multiple people that this was amazing, so whilst at the library, I spotted it on the shelf, gasped, and grabbed it.  I'm so glad. 
It's exactly my favorite type of book.  Changing history for the effect of the story, schools for "magic" (even though this one technically isn't), feathered dinosaurs (yeah, you heard me).

The Characters:
Sophie - In the first few chapters, I was worried she was going to be annoying.  But she definitely grew on me as the story progressed.  I wanted her to succeed, so there's that.

Fitz - We honestly don't get to know as much of him as I thought we would, considering how much he's involved in the first few chapters.  But I look forward to the next ones to hopefully fulfill that.

Dex - Precious innocent angel.  I love this dork.  I will protect him.  And it was actually him on the cover, not Fitz... go figure.

Favorite Quote:
"This is... magic?" 
Fitz laughed - a full-body laugh, like it was one of the funniest things he'd ever heard. "No," he said when he'd regained control. "Magic is a stupid human idea came up with to try to explain things they couldn't understand."

Will I Keep Reading?  I've already ordered book 2... it should be here any day... I will dive in instantly. 

Overall Rating: 5 not-magic gemstones out of 5



I will hopefully have more posts in this coming week, if I can drag my brain into working.

Same, Bunga. Same.

~ Mia

Fairytale Fridays ~ The Twelve Dancing Princesses

*trumpet fanfare*

It's that time again, where we gather around our massive tomes of fairytales and talk about retellings. 

Are you feeling the magic?  I'm feeling the magic.

Today, we take a look at what has been in my top three fairytales for as long as I can remember: The Twelve Dancing Princesses

 

This one has been beloved by me, as I said, for as long as I can recall.  I've figured out it's for these reasons: I have a younger sister and I've always wondered what it would be like having 10 more, I've been taking dance lessons since I was 2, and what little girl doesn't at some point dream of being a princess?  (The Barbie movie may have had something to do with it as well... *cough*)

 

But today we're looking at the book that I partially give credit for inspiring me to start writing retellings in the first place, "Princess of the Midnight Ball".

 

 

Author: Jessica Day George

 

Overview of the Story: Galen is a young soldier coming home from the war.  While working for his uncle, the head of the Royal Gardens, he decides to find the answer to the king's question - where do his twelve daughters go every night?

 

What I Thought: I love this book so much.  Every time I read it is like getting a warm hug.  It's so nostalgic and magical.  The princesses have a great relationship (even if I had to write down their names in age order so I could remember which was which xD).  Also, Rose and Galen. <3 <3 <3

 

Characters:

Rose - The eldest princess, she's kind of taken on the mother role to her sisters.  She has bravery in spades, and is ready to protect her sisters no matter what happens to her.

 

Galen - He knits.  He's a dork.  He stands up to the King Under-Stone.  Is there anything this guy can't do?

 

Favorite Quote: "My father was a career army man, sir.  I was there at the first engagement with Analousia, and took up my father's rifle when I was barely fifteen." "Saints preserve us," Doctor Kelling said, and squeezed Galen's shoulder. "What have we done to our youth?" 

 

How Does it Compare to the Original? Honestly, this is one of the closest retellings I've read. Not many others have the soldier who discovers the secret, so I love that.  It's probably the closest one that I've reviewed so far, so there's that.

 

Overall Rating: 5 knit chains out of 5

 

So have you read this book?  What did you think?  Do you have a favorite Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling? 

 

(and... *cough* have you seen the Barbie movie?)

 

~ Mia