Author: Iniya

November’s Top Books

Here are my top books for November!

  1. The House on Hoarder Hill by Kelly Ngai and Mikki Lish
    This is a great story about 2 kids who are determined to find out the mystery behind the disappearance of their grandma, Rose. Hedy and Spencer are at their grandpa’s house while their parents are on vacation. They get a mysterious message (Find Me) setting them off on their crazy adventure with piano-playing ghosts, mischievous paintings, and a very friendly bear rug and a glorious deer head. I loved the story and the way it progressed. This is such a great book!
  2. Much Ado About Baseball by Rajani LaRocca
    This book is about friendship, but it has so many other great themes coursing through it. Trish has just moved to a new town and is finding it hard to make new friends and fit in. So she joins the baseball team, hoping to meet someone new. There, she sees Ben, who she met and beat at the Math Puzzler Championships last year. Ben doesn’t want to be on the team, but when he sees Trish, he knows that he can’t quit and be embarrassed by her again. I love what happens next and the way that Shakespeare’s works are tied in. This is a great book!
  3. Amber and Clay by Laura Amy Schlitz
    This is definitely one of my favorite books this month. It tells the story of Melisto and Rhakos, two very different children, yet very similar. The story is told in many different points of view, with different types of storytelling for each. There are also “exhibits” which show items from a long time ago. I loved how the author incorporated these items into the story. This story flows so well and I loved watching the plot move along. I definitely recommend it to you!
  4. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
    This is the prequel to the Hunger Games. It follows Coriolanus Snow, the antagonist in the original series, when he is young, 18 years old. He has been assigned to mentor a tribute for this year’s Hunger Games, a tribute from District 12, the worst district. He meets Lucy Gray this way and is enthralled by her, especially her voice. I loved following the events of the story and the way the plot continued. The characters are written very well and it was great to see how the characters grew into who they are in the actual books. I love this book!
  5. The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
    This book’s storytelling style is unique, with the author keeping many things closely guarded. The two main characters, Cass and Max-Ernest go on a quest to rescue their friend when he is kidnapped by Ms. Mauvis and Dr. L. They go to the Midnight Sun, where strange things are happening. I loved their adventure and the way the story was told. It was very unique and I enjoyed it a lot. I totally recommend this book to you!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here
Top Books of September: click here
Top Books of October: click here

Recipe: Apple Pear Jam

This year I decided to make a jam inspired by fall. I loved this recipe and found it quick and simple. The tanginess and sweetness of the jam works perfectly together. Everything balances the others out, making this the perfect homemade jam.

Ingredients:

  • 3 green apples, any kind
  • 1 pear
  • 2 cups apple juice
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick

Directions:

  1. Core and peel the apples and pear
  2. Cut each apple/pear into 8 pieces, each around the same size.
  3. Fill a heavy pot with the juice and place the fruits into the heavy pot.
  4. Bring to a boil on high, then reduce heat to medium
  5. Simmer for 35 minutes, covered. The fruits should soften.
  6. Press the mixture through a sieve, Make sure to get as much of the juice as you can out.
  7. Return the pulp to the pot and add the sugar, lemon, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon.
  8. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low.
  9. Cook on the low heat for 1 hour and 45 minutes, uncovered, while stirring often. The mixture should gain some thickness.
  10. Enjoy!

I really enjoy this recipe, especially spread on bread as breakfast or a snack. What’s your favorite fall recipe?

NaNoWriMo 2021

If you remember, last year, I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). This year, I’ll be doing it again! I’m very excited with the plot/characters that I have created and I’m so excited to have this opportunity. Before starting, I have already created a plot, a sense of how much to write in a day/week, and some of my major character that will be involved.

Because of this, I am not planning on publishing many blog posts, only one more at the end of the month (The Top Reads of November). I am so excited to go on this journey again!

Have you ever considered doing anything like NaNoWriMo before?

Top Reads of October

Here are my top books for October!

  1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
    This is such a great book. The Iliad/The Trojan War is my weakest subject in Greek Mythology and I’ve always wanted to learn about it. I found this book so sweet and perfect in the way that it doesn’t focus too much on the war, instead focusing on the love between Patroclus and Achilles. I love the way this book (and Patroclus and Achilles’ friendship) developed and I found the plot perfect. The ending was one of the saddest things I’ve ever read. I love this book so much!
  2. Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake
    Hazel is a young girl who has just moved to Rose Harbor in Maine. When her mom (known as Mama) runs into an old friend, Claire, past feelings emerge again. She meets Claire’s daughter who’s obsessed with the legend of the Rose Maid, a 150 year old mermaid. Hazel finds herself getting swept up in the story and starts to open her heart to the magic in life. This is such a great book. I loved the way it talked about trauma and LGBT+ perspectives. None of it felt forced and all of it just molded into one story.
  3. Da Vinci’s Cat by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
    This is a beautiful book about time travel and friendships. Federico is a hostage to the Pope living in the 1500s and Bee is a young girl who has just moved to a new house. The book starts off with Federico following a kitten who leads him to a closet. The kitten goes inside, then emerges as a full grown cat with someone named Herbert Bother. The two become close friends and rely on each other, until Herbert doesn’t come back. Then, a girl named Bee steps out of the closet. She has her own motives and secrets and is trying to understand what to do to get on with her life. This book is such a great read and I love it so much!
  4. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
    This is the first book in the duology that focuses on Nikolai, a side character in both Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows. I love this book and the perspectives it is told from. Zoya is a Grisha (someone who can do magic). She’s been working with the king to help him battle his mysterious new ailment and the way it’s been affecting him while grappling with her own past. Nikolai is doing his best as a young king, trying to keep down the beast inside of him and be a good leader. When a cult for the Darkling rises, all of this gets challenged. Nina is trying her best after Matthias’ death. She is on a quest with two other Grisha. As she meets a new friend, she understands how to embrace her new power and how to work smart. I totally recommend this series to you!
  5. Tristan Strong Destroys the World by Kwame Mbalia
    This is the second book in the Tristan Strong series. Tristan is back at his grandparents’ farm, but he’s been hearing whispers asking him to save the speaker. No one else seems to hear them, so he dismisses them until his Nana is kidnapped and the main man behind it, The Shackle Man, comes to the farm. He finds a way back to Alke, the mystical and magical world where African myths are real. He gets the help of his old friends Ayanna and Gum Baby and makes a new ally, Junior. This is such a great book and I can’t wait to read the last book in the trilogy!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here
Top Books of September: click here

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins

It’s officially fall! Normally during this time of year, I make my delicious pumpkin cinnamon bread. This year, I decided to spice things up by making Applesauce Cinnamon muffins. We had so many cups of applesauce at home that we needed a new recipe to use them. This recipe was perfect for that! The muffins taste spectacular and they’re a perfect snack for school.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • a pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the cupcake wrappers in their spots to get the muffin tray ready.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and both the sugars. Add both eggs, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the applesauce, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until just combined.
  3. Stir in the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make sure not to overstir the batter.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray and tap to get rid of air bubbles.
  5. Bake for 16 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool.
  7. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite fall recipe?

Fictional Characters I Admire: Riley Oh

I smile through tears as Riley finds her sister. It’s been a heartbreaking journey, but so much has been gained from it. Riley Oh is from The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim. She’s kind, strong, and determined.  I love her story and here’s some reasons why.

Riley is very determined. When her sister began to die, Riley went on a huge quest to save her, even if it meant connecting with dangerous people. She knows how much her sister means to her and believes in her all the time. They have such a sweet relationship and I love the way that they’ll both do anything for each other.

Riley makes sure to get friends that she can depend on and trust. She has two sets of families who love her very much- one is from the Gom clan, the family that raised her, and one is from the Horangi clan, her true family. SHe’s also made friends from many different clans and they are there to support her when she needs help. She loves and works with them all, even when it seems challenging.

Riley Oh will always be one of my favorite characters, because of how determined she is and how she friendly she is. She’s such a great character and I love reading about her and the person that she is.

Back Home

In English class recently, I wrote a personal narrative about a life changing moment. Some parts of the story are fiction, but I enjoyed writing it a lot. I hope you enjoy!

Beep! Beep! Beep! Each of the passports were scanned with a beep and a blinding flash of neon green light. After living in Australia for the past two years, I was moving back to where I was born- Houston, Texas.

With my head and heart heavy, I dragged my dejected feet over to where my parents were standing. They seemed ecstatic, obviously glad that we were moving somewhere new.
“Aren’t you excited?” my dad asked, looking around with eager eyes.
I shook my head, feeling like a gloomy cloud had settled over my head and wouldn’t let go.
“Oh, don’t worry,” my mom declared, “It’ll be a blast!”
I twisted my mouth and shrugged, still not convinced. We walked past millions of restaurants filled with bored looking tourists and sharply dressed waiters. None of it reminded me of home.

I started to blink back tears before I realized it would be worthless. Soon, the floodgates would be opened. The only thing circling through my mind was how I wanted, no, needed to go back home.
I started sniffling and then I could tell that there was no going back. I started bawling in the middle of the airport. Tears and mucus dripped down my face as I thought of all my best memories in Australia.
“What’s wrong?” my mom asked, kneeling down next to me. I sniffed twice before getting in control again.
“I-sniff- miss-hiccup-home,”  my words brought on another round of tears as my mom waited patiently for me to calm down.


“Why do we have to go?” I almost shrieked. Somehow, I managed to keep quiet.
“For you, home is here,” my mom explained gently, “but for me, it’s in a lot of places and Houston is one of them. It’s also a great opportunity for me and Dada. The world is a big place and we are trying to learn more about it by traveling,” 
I nodded, my tears finally dawdling away. I was calmer now, and I understood more about the world, exactly what my mom wanted me to get from traveling.

This experience helped me think about how everyone sees the world differently and how it affects them. I am still an avid traveler today, because as my mom said 7 years ago, “It creates many opportunities in your world.”

Top Reads of September

Here are my top reads of September.

  1. The Force of Fire by Sayantani DasGupta
    The Force of Fire is a great book about Pinki, the rakkhoshi previously mentioned in the Kingdom Beyond series. We got the see the adventures of Pinki when she was growing up. I loved the different elements and all of the references to the original series.
  2. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
    This was part of the Rick Riordan Imprints series. Tristan has recently been sent to his grandparents’ farm after losing his closest friend, Eddie. At the farm, he discovers a strange tree which takes him to Alke, a place where fantasy characters are real! I loved learning about South African mythology in this amazing book.
  3. Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
    This was the second part of the Giver quartet. This book focused on Kira, who’s mother has recently died. She’s an orphan, unsure of her way in this world, until the government takes her in, asking her to sew for them. I loved this book and the way that all of the details worked together. It was such a great read!
  4. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
    This is the first book in the Grimm series. Hansel and Gretel and two siblings, lost and confused in the world. Their parents showed no love to them, so they ran away, experiencing many awful and great things. I loved the way that so many story tales were put in this book and the way that they were all twisted.
  5. Breathing Underwater by Sarah Allen
    This book is about Olivia, who’s sister, Ruth, has been diagnosed with depression. Olivia has a plan to help Ruth, while she struggles with her own feelings. I loved the way that this book flowed and the seriousness of it. It’s such a great read!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here

My Favorite Places in New York

I went to New York last weekend and I enjoyed it a lot. We experienced a lot and had a lot of fun exploring the city. All of the places we went to were amazing, but I had a few favorites. Here are some of the best places I visited in New York.

✨The Metropolitan Museum of Art✨:


I loved all of the art in the Met. We mostly focused on the Greek art, because of my interest in it. I found the pieces there stunning and the plaques were well detailed, so I could get the story clearly. I got some great pictures of the artwork and it was amazing to just wander around and see the work.

The sparkles indicate a Percy Jackson site! This is where it all started. At the Met, we got to see Percy using his powers for the first time. This is also where he killed his first monster (Ms. Dodds).

Broadway (Wicked):

When we went, Broadway had just opened, so we were lucky to get tickets. We went to Wicked, a twisted fairy tale. I loved the story and the way that all the characters were played. Everyone seemed very in character and their singing was perfect. It was all very great and enthralling.

✨Empire State Building✨:

We went up to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. The views were spectacular and so were the exhibits. One of my favorites was the King Kong exhibit, which was funny and had great photo props. It was nice to see all around the city from one of the tallest buildings there.

The Empire State Building plays a major part in the first series. Olympus is located on the fictional 600th floor and the final battle takes place there.

✨Central Park✨:

Central Park is a very relaxing place and I found so many amazing and beautiful places there. Some of my favorites were the John Lennon memorial and Cleopatra’s Needle. They were all so pretty and the whole atmosphere was peaceful and relaxed.

Percy and Nico visit Orpheus’ Rocks in Central Park to get to the Underworld in the last book. With Grover’s music, they find a way in. In the Kane Chronicles, Zia, Carter, and Sadie create a portal through Cleopatra’s Needle to get to Cairo.

Times Square:

Times Square is such a marvellous and thrilling place. The billboards are always bright and the crowd is always thick. There are some great places to get food and have fun. I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps.

Easy Pasta Recipe

I recently made a delicious turkey spaghetti with my Ninja Foodi. It came out really well, so I thought that I’d share it with you!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb ground turkey
  • 1/2 of a chopped onion
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 3 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • 4 oz spaghetti noodles (broken into halves or thirds)
  • 7 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 12 oz jar of marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup water
  • parmesan cheese (to garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Turn the Foodi on to the Sauté setting. When it is hot, add the ground turkey, 1 tbsp olive oil, and the onions. Break apart the meat by stirring.
  2. Add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and basil. Cook for a few minutes, while occasionally stirring until the meat is mostly done.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for around a minute.
  4. Scatter in the spaghetti noodles randomly.
  5. Pour the diced tomatoes over the noodles as evenly as possible and don’t stir.
  6. Pour on the spaghetti sauce completely covering all of the noodles (exposed noodles may not cook fully).
  7. Pour in the broth and the water down the side of the Foodi, so the sauce doesn’t wash off of the noodles. Do not stir.
  8. Close the lid and lock it in place. Set the steam release knob to the Seal position and cancel the Saute setting.
  9. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button and set the time to 7 minutes.
  10. Wait for the pressure to release naturally. Once all the pressure has released, you can open the lid.
  11. Stir the spaghetti well, so that the sauce and the noodles can blend. Garnish with the parmesan cheese.
  12. Enjoy!