Night To Remember 2025: Out Of This World!

 This year was my second year attending Night to Rememeber on the Monona Terrace! It didn't take me long to find lots of friends to spend the night with!

While waiting in line, I saw my friend Jazz from Camp Createability (Red dress) and Caroline from Penguin Project! (Blue dress)

The theme was Outer Space/Star Wars (May the 4th be with you) and there were plenty of photo opportunities while in line.

I was paired with one of the art teachers from Camp Createability for the night! Maya is awesome!

Once we were in the dance, it didn't take long to find my other friends from Camp Createabilty! Noah, Dylan, and Jennifer are so fun!

Out in the lobby near the game tents, there were two aerial acrobats! It was so cool to see, especially the one girl in the wheelchair!

After a long but fun night of food, friends and fun, I was so tired, but it was worth it! I can't wait for next year!

Crochet Projects Galore!

Hi everyone! As some of you may know, I've recently gotten back into crocheting. I had to start with some very beginner patterns once I got the basic stitches down. 

One of my first projects was a beanie with cat ears! It only used 2 basic stitches, so once I got the hang of them, it was fairly easy. I made these two for myself as practice ones and the pink and white one in the next picture I made for a good friend at Camp Createability. 

After I mastered the kitty hat, I decided I was ready for a bigger project! I needed multiple skeins of multicolored yarn and the result was this bright and colorful shawl! Believe it or not, this took me less than a week to complete!

With some of the leftover yarn from the shawl I made a hat with ruffles!

I made this cute dinosaur with a kit I bought at Michaels! The yarn was a different texture than what I was used to, so it took me a few tries to make the different limbs. I attached everything by sewing it with the leftover yarn.

Since the dinosaur turned out better than I was expecting, I decided to make a couple more plushies using some scrap yarn! I'm still learning how to sew on the eyes, but I'm getting the hang of it.

Of course, I had to make a Tangled themed project at some point! This will eventually be a square! I plan to make a bunch of squares with this pattern and sewing them together to make a bag!

Book Review: War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

 

Synopsis

War Storm is the fourth and final book in the Red Queen series. It follows Mare Barrow as she fights to overthrow the oppressive Silver elite and their blood-based hierarchy. After being betrayed by Cal, who chooses his crown over their relationship, Mare focuses fully on leading the Scarlet Guard in the growing civil war. Alliances shift rapidly as Mare, Cal, Evangeline, and even Maven, her former captor and ex-fiance, clash across a kingdom splintered by rebellion. As battles rage and power struggles intensify, Mare must confront painful choices about loyalty, love, and sacrifice. Ultimately, she must decide whether to fight for a better world or protect the people she loves at any cost.

Thoughts

Though I did enjoy the story and thought it was a great ending to the series, this book wasn't my favorite in the series. The POV changed more frequently in each chapter and left me very confused during certain parts. 

As a whole, I loved this series and I do highly recommend it.

Rating (Book)

Due to the POV changes throughout the story, I give this book a 6.5/10.

Rating (Series)

My overall rating of the series averages to an 8/10!

Book Review: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis

Sunrise on the Reaping is a prequel to The Hunger Games, set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s story. It follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy from District 12 as he is unexpectedly thrust into the 50th Hunger Games — a brutal "Quarter Quell" that doubles the number of tributes. With little support and even less hope, Haymitch must navigate not only the deadly arena, but also the political games and dark secrets of the Capitol. Along the way, he discovers hidden strength, dangerous truths, and the early sparks of rebellion that will shape the future of Panem.

Thoughts

If you thought the original trilogy and The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes were heartbreaking, this book might be even worse. It only added more and more depth to Haymitch's character and cast him in a completely new light. 

If you're considering reading this book, be prepared for lots of heartache and plot twist that will keep you guessing left and right.

Rating

I give this book a 8/10!

Red Queen Series Book 3: Kings Cage

 

Today's book review will continue my review of the Red Queen series! I haven't read War Storm yet, so the next review might be awhile, but rest assured I will have thoughts!

Synopsis

King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard is the third book in the Red Queen series. The story picks up after the dramatic events of Glass Sword. Mare Barrow, the protagonist, is imprisoned by Maven Calore, the ruthless King of Norta. He uses her as a pawn in his schemes to control both the Scarlet Guard and the kingdom, keeping her in a cage of both physical and psychological torment. While she’s locked away, Mare struggles with feelings of betrayal and hopelessness, as Maven continues to manipulate her and attempt to break her spirit.

As Mare faces these challenges, she also tries to maintain her resolve and find ways to fight back. The Scarlet Guard, with help from old and new allies, continues its efforts to overthrow Maven’s tyrannical rule, though they face internal struggles and setbacks. Mare’s relationships with other characters, including her brother, her friends, and her complicated feelings toward Cal (the former prince), continue to evolve.

Meanwhile, Maven's cruelty escalates, and Mare must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to stop him, all while grappling with the complex dynamics of power, loyalty, and rebellion. As the story unfolds, Mare’s strength and resilience are tested, and new alliances are formed as the final battle between the Red and Silver forces looms closer.

The novel delves deeper into themes of power, revenge, and sacrifice, and it sets the stage for the final confrontations in the series.

Thoughts

This series keeps getting better and better! We get glimpses into Maven's character and what makes him such a compelling one. We learn that he's more complex than the previous books portrayed him as, making me wonder if there's a chance of redemption. 

Along with Maven's development, we meet some new characters, both good and bad.

Rating

This book gets a 9/10, even though it definitely played with my emotions.

Red Queen Series Book 2: Glass Sword

 

Hi everyone! In this post, I will be reviewing book 2 in the Red Queen series!

Synopsis

 Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard is the second installment in the Red Queen series. It continues the story of Mare Barrow, a young woman with the power to control electricity, who is caught between two worlds: the oppressed "Red" commoners and the powerful "Silver" elites who possess extraordinary abilities.

At the start of Glass Sword, Mare is on the run after the events of the first book (see my previous post for the review), and she is struggling with the betrayal of her former allies Prince Maven and his mother Queen Elara. She embarks on a mission to find other individuals with similar powers, known as Newbloods, in an effort to build an army to fight against the Silvers. Along the way, Mare faces internal struggles with her own growing power, as well as dealing with the complicated relationships around her, especially with Cal, the exiled prince as well as adjusting to finding more Newbloods, including her older brother Shade, who faked his own death for years before Mare joined the Scarlet Guard.

The novel explores themes of loyalty, power, and identity, as Mare navigates a dangerous world where nothing is as it seems, and every choice she makes has far-reaching consequences.

Thoughts

I thought the first book was jam packed, but this one was even better! It left me with more questions than answers and left guessing every other chapter!

Rating

I give this book an 8/10.

Book Review: The Red Queen Series Book 1

 
 

Hello everyone! It's been awhile since my last book review post, so I thought I'd share my thoughts and opinions on the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard. I have only gotten through the first 3 books and each book has made me feel all the feels.

My best friend Parker had been begging me to read the series so I finally did and let me tell you, this series does not disappoint. Since so much happens, I will be splitting up my thoughts and a brief synopsis of each book into three separate posts.

Book One: Red Queen

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is a young adult fantasy novel set in a world divided by blood. The society is split into two classes: the "Silvers," who have silver blood and possess powerful, supernatural abilities, and the "Reds," who have red blood and are considered inferior.

The story follows Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl who lives in poverty. However, her life changes dramatically when she accidentally reveals that she has a powerful ability—despite being a Red. This causes a stir in the Silver world, as Reds are not supposed to have any powers. In an effort to conceal this dangerous secret, the ruling Silver family forces Mare to live as a high-ranking Silver, pretending she is one of them.

As Mare is thrust into the lavish and treacherous world of the Silvers, she forms alliances with some key figures, including Cal, the prince who is next in line for the throne, and his brother Maven, both of whom have complicated relationships with Mare. As the tensions between the Reds and the Silvers grow, Mare becomes involved in a resistance movement called the Scarlet Guard, which is determined to overthrow the Silver monarchy and fight for justice for the Reds.

The novel explores themes of power, class division, betrayal, loyalty, and the cost of revolution. It's a fast-paced, gripping story filled with political intrigue and unexpected twists.

Thoughts:

It's almost scary how fast I finished this book. I literally could not stop listening to the audiobook and there were moments when I audibly gasped. If you love a good dystopian story with complex characters, endless plot twists, and lots of action and drama, this book is a great choice. 

My rating: 8.5/10

Stay tuned for my next post which will be about book two in the Red Queen series, Glass Throne.