For a more wholesome turn, we enter the world of “The House in the Cerulean Sea.”

In this universe, the world works about the same way it normally does for us with one key difference:

Magical Creatures.

With the addition of these dangerous creatures, human government has looked to create control and order through extensive bureaucratic filing.

Magical creatures are required to be registered and regular citizens are encouraged to “see something, say something.”

Linus Baker is a middle-aged man, working for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth as a caseworker.

He believes in the work his department does for both the good of humans and magical creatures.

But when he gets a very peculiar assignment from upper management to observe a very specific orphanage,

his entire understanding of the world comes into question as eight remarkable people suddenly crash into his life at Marsyas Island Orphanage:

The children, Phee a mistrusting sprite, Sal a were-Pomeranian, Theodore one of the last wyverns, Talia a young gnome, Chauncey who no one is quite sure what he is,

and the most dangerous of all, Lucy (I’m not going to spoil who he is, but Linus did pass out upon finding out).

They are all wards of Arthur Pernassus, and are also under the care of a wise sprite Zoe Chapelwhite.

As Linus becomes closer to all the island’s inhabitants, he starts to see the injustices of a system that he previously ignored.

This is a whimsical feel-good story with a few barbs under the surface.

It explores the darker themes of abuse within a foster-care like system, as well as systemic discrimination/inequality.

In the face of these themes, the children of the story are incredibly resilient.

It’s an even combination of children saying profound simple things that we should all try to remember,

and then being hilarious in a way only little kids can be.

Like picture the “mom a frew up” meme.

These kids definitely give the vibes of children who will run up to you and just be brutally honest about the most random things,

but in creative ways that you can’t help but chuckle at.

And Linus, having a stick up you-know-where, is a sputtering mess in the beginning.

The character development of Linus in particular throughout the book is satisfying in terms of the evolution in his perspective,

as well as his view of himself.

You can see as the children (and Arthur wink, wink) teach him to accept, and stand up for himself as he does for them.

It’s found family at its best.

Going back to the fantasy roots of this blog we have the four-book installation of the Seven Realms series.

This series is fantasy through and through with far-off lands full of fierce warriors, wizards, and morally gray characters.

The series follows two main characters with very different backgrounds.

There’s Han, a street lord turned errand boy trying to support a struggling family in the slums of Fellsmarch, city of the Fells (repetitive I know).

Han might appear to be just an average street rat, but he carries a constant mystery in the form of silver cuffs permanently stuck on his wrists.

He’s had them his entire life, they grow as he grows.

On the other side of the coin is Raisa ana’ Mariana, heir to the gray wolf throne of the Queendom of the Fells.

Being the princess means countless expectations and responsibilities.

Raisa wants to do right by her people but grows restless with everyone trying to make her picture perfect.

Normally, these stories would never cross paths,

but one fateful day, Han and his best friend Dancer are on the sacred mountain of Hanalea when they find a gaggle of young wizards.

Wizards (or jinxflingers as a derogatory term which is hilarious), are forbidden from being on the sacred mountain.

To stop them from causing mischief Han confiscates an amulet from the group, not knowing he just took it from the High Wizard’s son.

This one action causes a series of events to unfold in a story that has been waiting to happen for nearly a millennium, between a wizard and a Gray Wolf Queen.

A story that involves both Han, Raisa, and the breaking of the world.

In the first book the story starts off a bit slow.

Han’s point of view is definitely more interesting in the first few chapters, so it can be a struggle getting through Raisa’s.

But the world building of the seven realms keeps the story alive.

The Fells is the only Queendom of the realms and is under threat from outside wars… and suitors.

But within the Fells is an internal conflict between the Vale folk, or those that live in the city,

the Clans, the native people that live on the sacred mountains around the city,

and the Wizards who are trying to break the limitations the Clans put on them a millennium ago.

Much of the conflict and prejudice surrounding the Clans is equivalent to how Indigenous Peoples, or even just any people of color, are treated in America.

Many social issues are reflected in this book (if you couldn’t tell from my previous reads, I do that a lot),

and the magic system is so unique in how Wizards cast, how the Clans craft magic items, and the complex relationship on how the two interact.

This world is full of complex politics, cutthroat rivalries, and of course the classic YA romances.

The characters are dynamic, growing and making mistakes that have colossal impacts.

Definitely a fun read.

*P.S. Don’t read the spinoff series its actually awful.

Going back to the kind of sci-fi theme, I give you the trilogy by Alexandra Bracken: “The Darkest Minds.”

You might have heard of this series before from a somewhat popular movie made in 2018.

If you liked the movie, you will most likely like the book, but I will warn you, the books are way darker than the movie.

It begins with a strange disease that starts ripping its way through the children of America.

It kills nearly all of the children ages 1-17 in the nation, but the ones who survive are… different.

The survivors began presenting with strange psychic abilities that were often destructive.

As a result, the government mandated that all surviving children be sent to “rehabilitation” camps until further notice.

There the children are sorted into classifications based on their abilities:

Greens have enhanced intelligence,

Blues possess telekinetic abilities,

Yellows control electricity,

Reds control fire,

and Oranges control minds.

Within the camps, the children are separated based on color, and their identities are replaced by numbers.

They are treated as less than human and always seen as a threat,

especially the Yellows, Reds, and Oranges.

10-year-old Ruby didn’t understand why she was there, or why she was being treated this way.

All she knew was that she didn’t want to be what she was,

so, she hid herself among the greens in one of the biggest and cruelest camps, Thurmond.

Six years later she has the chance to escape, and she takes it.

Once out in the open again, she starts to experience just how broken the world has become since she was locked away.

With the help of other kids she meets along the way, they all try to survive and salvage what is left of their childhood.

This trilogy is truly a commentary on humanity.

Every time I read this series again, I am shocked by the cruelty of some of the characters,

and my initial reaction is always disbelief.

“This wouldn’t actually happen, there would be people to stop it.”

But this has actually happened before with concentration camps and Japanese Internment camps.

These books are meant to show us the truth,

that we fear what we don’t understand.

And we justify our actions by seeing others as lesser than we are.

But it also shows the reader the truth of human resilience.

That in the face of hate, anger, and fear, kindness and hope can survive.

As the reader follows Ruby through her journey, we start to see her become herself again as she learns to trust her friends.

This series is up there with “The Hunger Games” for me, with complex politics between the color classifications of kids,

and between kids and adults of course.

The most unlikely people can turn out to be good, and the most unlikely people can turn out to be bad.

*This is a bonus book that have short stories in different perspectives from previous books.

“The Starless Sea” is one of the most pure and beautiful books I have ever read.

The structure of the book follows a main plot line that takes part in various periods in time,

that are broken up by unique “fairytales/bedtime stories” that all circle around the mysterious Starless Sea.

It begins with Zachary Ezra Rollins, a slightly awkward grad student at a liberal arts college with an affinity for reading.

While looking in the library for good reads before the spring semester starts up again, he finds a very old fiction book that has no author.

All seems normal until he gets to a part in the book that has actually happened… to him.

Naturally, Zachary kind of starts to freak out.

He goes down a research rabbit hole, following the trail of three symbols: a bee, a key, and a sword.

These three very simple motifs (along with a handsome stranger named Dorian)

lead him to a secret underground library that’s attributes seem to defy the laws of the natural world.

Chief among them being Mirabel, a confident resident of the library with a strange power.

Within the library, lie the answers to questions of the present, the future, and of the much-lost past.

And of course, there are those who would like nothing more than for those questions to be left unanswered,

even if it means destroying the hidden sanctuary and everyone in it.

This book has everything from romance to daring rescues, riddles, self-reflections, and a few bunny pirates.

As the characters drive deeper into the depths of the library, the imagery only becomes more fantastical.

It’s the perfect book for the kids who spent their childhood looking for Narnia in every corner.

The fairytales are another level, full of all the traditional elements of the classics,

but with extra tinges of both reality and magic.

“The Starless Sea” is truly a story about storytelling.

Every side quest has a purpose along with every character.

And these characters could honestly be anyone trying to find their way.

Their underlying journey is to learn to face their past, mistakes and all, and look to the future in whatever that means for them.

I read this book right before coming to college, when I was insanely uncertain about my choices and if I was ready for what was ahead of me.

Within the book I found my fear reflected in a grad student who, even before all the magic and bizarre circumstances, was questioning himself.

This book is meant to address the lost feeling that everyone will eventually find themselves in,

to speak to the kid in all of us that once thought magic could be real.

It’s really refreshing.

 

 

In a complete 180, here is the insanity that is “Gideon the Ninth.”

This book is for the sci-fi lovers and is part of a trilogy where I have only read the first book.

The book takes place in another universe with nine houses ruling like lords under an all-powerful Emperor.

This Emperor has been worshipped as a god by the houses for thousands of years and is basically immortal.

“How is that possible?” you might ask: oh necromancy.

Each of the houses practices its own “specialization” in the necromantic arts and has heirs who are some of the most powerful necromancers,

all in constant competition for the King Undying’s favor.

The story follows Gideon Nav, a very unwilling indentured servant to a crumbling Ninth House.

Gideon is all set to leave the house she hates when the Emperor suddenly summons all the heirs of the houses to undergo mysterious trials to have a chance at becoming Lyctors.

Lyctors are the Emperor’s most trusted servants gifted with great power and immortality like himself.

The heir to the Ninth House, Harrowhark Nonegesimus jumps at the opportunity to gain power for her house however,

the heirs are also required to bring their Cavaliers (basically fancy bodyguards wielding rapiers).

Gideon being the only viable option, is forced to go with Harrow to the trials despite their mutual hate for each other.

There they are faced with a great deal more than they were expecting…

This book takes a bit of stamina in the beginning.

The author takes her time setting out the lore and mythology, and not gonna lie, I nearly stopped reading in the beginning.

What kept me going was that Gideon is the funniest character ever.

The only time I have read a “that’s what she said” joke in a book and I actually laughed out loud.

Her sarcastic (and perfectly judgmental, lude, and vulgar) inner monologue pairs well with her brutal insults.

She gets you through the expedition but once the plot starts to get going, you won’t be able to put the book down.

The magic system alone is a wonder, being perfectly justified by scientific means it feels like it could almost be real.

Every spell is rationalized with theory that pays attention to detail.

Not to mention it’s a giant murder mystery in a haunted gothic castle. What more could you want.

The mystery in question puts the characters on a journey that forces them to grow closer to each other in such a natural way.

Which makes it that much more nerve racking for them to figure it out.

I’m telling you, the plot twist,

hit. me. like. a. bus.

I am on my fourth read of this book and I am still finding easter eggs that relate to the twists that I hadn’t found before.

I haven’t read the other two books in the series, but they are at the top of my list.

This is seriously a must read in every definition of the phrase.

 

 

Starting out with light reads by Tui T. Sutherland and her “Wings of Fire” series.

Although this series has a low reading level, it tackles some pretty complex issues that are reflective of issues in the real world.

“Wings of Fire” takes place in the fantastical land of Pyrrhia where the leading species is dragons.

These dragons are divided into seven tribes: IceWings, SeaWings, MudWings, NightWings, RainWings, SkyWings, and SandWings.

Each of these tribes lives in their preferred environment, have abilities unique to their species, and don’t usually mix well with each other.

 

Each tribe is run by a Queen who passes the throne to one of her daughters;

which daughter is decided by a challenge where the daughter fights her mother to the death for the throne.

But when the Queen of the SandWings is killed by an outside force instead of one of her three daughters, chaos erupts in the realm of sand.

The sisters start a war and end up forcing all the other tribes into taking sides.

At the beginning of the bloodshed, a prophecy is introduced, telling of how five dragonets from separate tribes will end the fighting and choose the new queen of the SandWings.

The first installment follows the five young “dragonets of destiny” as they navigate a world damaged by a war they are somehow supposed to stop.

This series has been one of my favorites since I was a kid, and my respect for the author has only grown as I’ve reread these books.

Each tribe is beautifully constructed with their own customs and skills that are different from each other.

Sutherland’s brilliant descriptions of each tribe, and how dragons vary within the tribe, really help paint a picture of what each dragon looks like.

The characters go through real development as they face inner conflict brought on by the need for peace, family loyalty, and tribe loyalty.

It really is a coming-of-age story about young characters facing prejudice, generational trauma, PTSD, the need to belong, and just the general search for identity.

I guarantee that you will see yourself in at least one, if not all of the characters in this series.

The format of a fantasy about dragons makes these issues palatable and easily understandable for young minds while still conveying the severity of some of the situations.

Not to mention the plot is so well thought out through the entirety of the series.

The big plot twist was a little predictable but was still incredibly devastating (in a good way).

As for the other installments that Sutherland wrote, I am familiar with the second and third series/spin offs from her.

I am happy to say that the quality of those series are just as good as the first installment.

If I had to say one thing, it would be that the plots are a little repetitive from the first series, which is why the first will always be my favorite.

Because it’s confusing, here are the list of books in what order you should read them for the first installment:

1. The Dragonet Prophecy
2. The Lost Heir
3. The Hidden Kingdom
4. The Dark Secret
5. The Brightest Night

 

Welcome to a bookworm’s book recs! 

In this blog I will be discussing some of my favorite books and series and why you should read them. 

My taste in reading is usually within the fantasy and fiction genre, however, I have been known to enjoy an occasional realistic fiction/non-fiction read. 

When I was younger, I only would look for fantasy books that fueled my imagination and took me to more exciting places than where I was. 

As I got older, I started looking for different kinds of books. 

Books with attention to detail that looked to build an entire universe around the central story. 

A far cry from the loosely thought-out cliches that I used to read as a child (let’s be honest I still enjoy an old cliche).

I know what you’re thinking, “please don’t let this be a blog about series with fourteen books in them, all thicker than my arm.” 

I do not have the time, nor the willpower to read those kinds of series even when they come highly recommended. 

You’re looking at someone who took a year and a half to read the first “Lord of the Rings” book (I started the second one in August and I am currently on page ten). 

This blog is supposed to be palatable for everyone, no matter if you are a massive bookworm like me, or someone who reading isn’t really their thing.

No matter what type of reader you are, there will most likely be something on here for you.

I’ve got books that you probably have never heard of, 

or classic books that you have always wanted to read but didn’t quite know if it was worth it. 

If I’ve read it, I’ll talk about it. 

So if you have any specific books that you think I might have read and want to know what I thought about it, post a comment asking. 

I’ll try to vary the type of books from post to post based on reading level, topic, etc. but feel free to ask me to switch it up in the comments as well. 

My favorite genre is fantasy like I said, 

But I did go through a romance phase at one point in time, and of course there were required books I had to read for English classes in the past. 

I’m really excited to start his new semester blog, and I hope you guys enjoy! 

I still had a few cards left in the Major Arcana to go through,

but I don’t want to leave you guys hanging on the Minor Arcana.

There are four suits in the Minor Arcana: Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles.

Each suit has an Ace through 10 with four face cards.

The cards within a suit all fall into a category:

The Cup cards are all associated with relationships and connections.

Wands are action cards.

They require movement, 

Most of the wand cards often call for a directing of energy.

Swords are conflict cards.

For me, they are similar to the vibes of Justice in the Major Arcana:

Cold and cutting straight to the truth.

In my experience, swords can be brutal, but the truths they reveal are worth it.

Finally, the Pentacles.

Pentacles deal with material wealth and money. 

Finances are their forte.

They can be really helpful when you need to make a daunting decision.

I also got a comment asking about doing readings for guidance, (I responded but I don’t know if everyone can see it).

The answer is literally all the time.

I used to get panic attacks and anxiety spirals all the time.

Doing a reading really helps slow your mind down and focus on something other than your thoughts or whatever is stressing you out.

Can’t think of a question in the middle of a panic attack?

Understandable.

My go-to for when I want to do a reading just because is to ask the question “What do I need?”

There are also other ways to use tarot cards to help your mental health.

Tarot is a great meditation tool.

There are many different methods that you can research online if you are interested,

but the most basic way to meditate using tarot is to choose a card and really visualize the aspects of the card in your life.

It’s great for the mind.

Tarot is a seriously interesting research rabbit hole to go down.

For example, every card is associated with a star sign(s), numbers, and even medicinal plants.

If you do get interested in researching this topic or topic related to tarot,

you might run into “rituals” or “spells” (I put them in quotes because they are referred to differently based on context, culture, religion, etc.).

Like tarot, the modern-day perceptions of these practices are very skewed and are probably not what you think.

But it is important to do your research before you try to replicate something you find online.

There are what are known as closed practices,

which means that the practice in question is significant to a specific culture,

and the people from that culture have asked others to stop appropriating it.

An example of this is burning White Sage, which is an Indigenous practice that mainstream pop culture picked up a few years ago.

And that’s all folks,

I hope you guys enjoyed my blog posts as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Happy reading!

 

The Hanged Man is a powerful card even within the Major Arcana.

When he appears it often means that there is a major decision that you are waiting to make.

Most likely there are outside factors that you are waiting on to make your decision, possibly making you indecisive.

The Hanged Man represents the period of suspended action that the querent is in before this decision.

Depending on the other cards in the spread, this could be a calm period, or one full of anxiety.

Look to the other cards to figure out what the best path is:

should the querent make a decision quickly, should they let things sort themselves out (this is true with the Tower), is there a situation they should really get out of before making a decision, etc.

Speaking of sticky situations, when reversed, the Hanged Man could indicate that you are at a standstill within a situation.

Almost like your aspirations are on the back burner.

But when he appears reversed it means that the period of standstill is coming to an end for better or worse.

Alright, now for a card with a potentially bad rep: Death.

The human relationship with death has become dread. 

Dread of the unknown, dread of the inevitable.

But this card is far from dreadful.

When the Death card appears, it is a good sign of change.

That through change, the querent will grow into a better version of themselves.

Kind of like the relationship death has with nature:

In the winter, everything dies, only to be reborn again in spring just different.

Death is the balance of nature and the world, trust that the change this card foretells will lead to a better spring.

When reversed, it represents a reluctance to change.

That you are resisting something that needs to happen, no matter how painful it might be.

It could also mean that there is a negative change being brought by outside forces.

Onto a more sobering card, Temperance.

Get it… sober and temperance? Okay, any who, Temperance.

Temperance represents balance, and the idea of moderation.

Patience is a virtue and Temperance is all about looking before jumping into extreme situations.

When reversed, Temperance indicates an imbalance or conflict.

Beware addiction when Temperance reversed appears with the Devil.

Speaking of the Devil, lets dive into this controversial card.

It’s easy to just dismiss the Devil as the stereotypical implications the name usually carries.

But as everything in the Tarot, this card is more complex.

The Devil represents inner constraint.

That there is a bond keeping you from achieving true happiness, but that bond is ultimately held together by the querent themselves.

You might be under the illusion that there are outside forces messing everything up, but in reality, something that you are doing is causing self-torment.

This card urges you to assess the real reasons behind your issues:

is there an obsession holding you back, maybe an unhealthy relationship, or even addiction.

Take caution against things that could make your situation worse.

Overall, the Devil gives the same message reversed or upright,

but when reversed it could indicate that past addictions are affecting your path, especially if it appears in the past position.

The Strength card is one of the most graceful and beautiful cards in the deck in my opinion.

Strength represents the ability to overcome through calm patience, persistence, and confidence in oneself.

Look to your instincts and natural reactions to guide you through whatever lies ahead.

Strength represents a careful control over personal and environmental aspects.

This card is mostly positive but when reversed it could indicate self-doubt or an unhealthy reliance on external opinions.

Another possibility is that you have been listening to your instinctual reactions too much without any control/self-discipline.

Moving to the Hermit.

The Hermit card is what it sounds like: isolation.

The Hermit indicates that it is a time for introspection and self-care, which often means isolation.

The broad nature of this card particularly means that it is affected by others in the spread.

If the Five of Wands is in your spread with the Hermit, it could mean that you are isolating yourself by being overly confrontational.

Paired with the Lovers, look to spend alone time with your significant other.

When paired with the Star, you are on the right track and need to trust your path.

Can you find the balance between solitude and loneliness?

When reversed, the Hermit could be telling you that you really need to take time by yourself,

or that your time of solitude is over, and you need to move forward.

While the Hermit feels like a calm comfort, Justice is cold and to the point.

This card acts quite literally Lady Justice.

When Justice appears in your readings, it means that there are decisions that need to be made.

This card urges you to look for truth and be a fair judge of a situation.

When thinking about this card as a the querent themselves or someone in the querent’s life,

this card represents a person who can see through any B.S. to true intentions.

Beware the brutal aspect of the truth.

When reversed, Justice indicates dishonesty or that things are not what they seem in your situation.

Is someone lying to you, or are you lying to yourself?

For a change of pace, next is the Wheel of Fortune.

There is a quote from a TV show that I used to watch that perfectly encompasses this card:

“Life can’t ever be all good or all bad. Eventually, things have to come back to the middle.”

There’s a reason people say life is a rollercoaster, and this card tells you to just ride it.

Control what you can control, let go of what you can’t.

Which sometimes feels like a lot.

This card can speak to new beginnings or the cycles of life, but it also deals with luck.

When reversed, a possible interpretation is that your luck has run out, and things just aren’t going your way.

Maybe certain external forces are affecting your path.

This is certainly a card for externalities, but just remember,

everything passes, either enjoy it while it lasts or persevere until it gets better.

No one can resist time.