Category: writing

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

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.

Fictional Characters I Admire: Inej Ghafa

I marvel at Inej’s wisdom and strength as she defeats her only real match. She truly is such a crucial part of the team. Inej Ghafa is one of the Crows from the Six of Crows duology written by Leigh Bardugo. She’s strong, brave, and courageous.  I love her story and here’s some reasons why.

Inej has so many layers. She’s soft and kind, but can also be tough. While she is vulnerable, she knows how to kill. I love how we learn about all these layers and not just one side of her. Unlike a lot of characters in fantasy, Inej is kind and vulnerable. While she has had her share of traumas, she still has a glimmer of hope which guides her.  She’s also strong. While she refuses to kill, she knows how to and is able to wound someone. I love all the different sides of her!

Inej has her own beliefs and won’t sacrifice them for anyone else. She knows her worth and carries it around proudly and I love her for that. While she knows that she wants to get close to Kaz (a fellow colleague), she also lets him know that she won’t until he opens himself up to him.She also makes it clear that she can live without him if he never opens up to her. One of her quotes is “She would fight for him, but she could not heal him. She would not waste her life trying”. She is fine continuing her life without him. 

Inej Ghafa will always be one of my favorite characters, because of her layers and the fact that she knows her own worth. I love reading about her and the person that she is.

First Week as a Seventh Grader

I just started school! This is my first week in person and I was so excited to meet everyone and see everything that I missed out in my virtual year. Here are some of the things that I experienced during my first week as a seventh grader.

  1. Passing Periods
    I have 5 classes each day, most of them being on the second floor (our school has 3 floors), though some are on other floors. We have 5 minutes to get to each class and after that you’re tardy. It can sometimes be a big race to get to your next class before the tardy bell rings, though I have been on time for everything so far.
  2. One Way Hallways/Stairs
    Because of COVID, our school has added one way hallways to the first and second floors. This can be a bit challenging, especially if your class is two doors down, but you have to walk all around the school in the crowd to get to it in only 5 minutes. Luckily, the crowd thins out as you walk around. We also have one way stairs, so you can only go up certain staircases and down certain staircases.
  3. Homework
    There’s a lot more homework than what I was expecting for the first week of school! A lot of it were only forms to sign, but I did have homework in my Science, English, and Social Studies class. Luckily, the homework is pretty easy, though it will most likely get harder as time passes.
  4. Computers
    We are given school computers to use for the tests and projects we do in certain classes. I got mine on Friday and have already used it in the second week quite a lot (for the beginning of year tests). It’s handy to have a second computer specifically for school work, where you can keep all of your assignments.
  5. My Favorite Classes
    My Favorite Classes so far are Theater and Science. I love theater because of all the fun activities we do and all the chances we get to learn what we like and how we do everything. Our teacher’s also very nice. I absolutely love our science teacher and the energy that she gives off. She makes learning much more fun and I’m really glad I’m in her class!

    What’s your favorite part of school?
    Also, due to school starting up, I will now only be publishing blogs on Wednesdays.

Top Reads of August

Here are my top books for August!

  1. The Best Worst Summer by Elizabeth Eulberg
    This is a story about Peyton, who has recently moved. In her backyard, she finds a time capsule from 1989. There seems to be a mystery behind the contents of the box and Peyton decides to find out what it is with the help of her new friend Lucas. The story alternates between modern day (with Peyton and Lucas) and 1989 (with Melissa and Jessica). I really enjoyed this story and all of the little clues along the way.
  2. The Adventure is Now by Jess Redman
    This book tells the story of Milton, a socially awkward boy, with not many friends. The only time when he feels free is when he plays Isle of Wild. That summer, his parents send him to Lone Island to live with his Uncle Evan. At first Milton isn’t happy to be there, but then he discovers the secrets of the island. I loved this book and the themes behind it. All the characters were written really well and I enjoyed every part of the book.
  3. Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden
    This is a story told by 4 narrators- Libby, Jack, Vincent, and T. It starts with Libby drawing inspiring messages on postcards. These postcards begin to travel, helping the other kids through their hard times. I loved the way that all the kids were linked up and the way that the story flowed. This is such a sweet book.
  4. A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman
    This was an anthology with a lot of authors that I enjoyed. The stories were retellings of Asian myths and legends. I have always loved retellings and I really enjoyed these stories. They were all so imaginative and I loved them all. Some of my favorites were Still Star-Crossed, Daughter of the Sun, and Girls who Twirl and Other Dangers.
  5. Time Traveling with a Hamster by Ross Welford
    This book is about Al, who gets a mysterious letter from his (dead) dad on his 12th birthday. The letter tells him to travel back in time to save his dad and change the future. I loved the way that the book was written and i think it handled the concepts of alternate universes really well. Al is such a great character and I also enjoyed the way that the other characters were fleshed out as well. This is such a great book!
  6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
    This is a dystopian trilogy, set in a world where every year, a boy and a girl are chosen from each district to fight in the Hunger Games. It’s a fight to the death and there’s only one victor until the 74th Hunger Games, where Katniss and Peeta (the two main characters) both win. I loved the characters and the plot. I found the theme very interesting and loved the type of dystopia!

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

What I’m looking forward to in the 2021-2022 School Year

School is starting up soon! My middle school starts on the 23rd and I am very excited. I can’t wait to go in-person this year and experience 7th grade. There are many things that I’m looking forward to, so I thought that I’d share some with you.

  1. In-Person School
    Last year, I was virtual for all school year. For 7th grade, I get to go back in person (fingers crossed). I’m excited to see how middle school classes are in person. Meeting my friends is an added bonus!

  2. Student Council
    This year, I got into the Student Council or STUCO. I’m very excited for this opportunity and the ways that I can use it in my daily life. I can’t wait to meet others with this club!

  3. Meeting My Friends
    I’ve made some friends last year and while I have met them, I’ve only seen them about 3 or 4 times. I don’t have them in a lot of my classes, but I am glad that I will see them a few more times this year.

  4. Meeting my Teachers
    Last year, I rarely saw my teachers in-person. I am elated that this year, I’ll be able to talk to them face-to-face. This also helps with my learning, because I’ll be able to understand my lessons more.

What are (or were) your favorite parts of school?