April 2017 Owlcrate “Head over Heels” Unboxing

Hey everyone!

It’s been a bit since I’ve posted. It’s harder to keep up with blog posts, but I’m usually on Instagram so you should keep up with me there as well.

This week I’ll be showing you my Owlcrate box! The April box has been super hyped so I decided to check it out. Here’s what was in the box:

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli:

This book has been talked about so much pre-release. It sounds like it’s pretty diverse, so I’m excited to read it. I didn’t read Simon and the Homosapiens Agenda, so I’m excited to read Albertalli’s writing.

Next up we have a candle by Novelly Yours. There were three candles made exclusively for the April Owlcrate box, all inspired by Rainbow Rowell’s YA novels. You could either get a Raspberry scented Baz & Simon Candle, a Vanilla Park & Eleanor candle, or a Pumpkin-Chocolate-Coffee Cath & Levi Candle. I got the Cath and Levi one, which I’m super excited about because I relate to Cath on an unreal level and Fangirl is my favorite of Rowell’s books.

Another item in the box was this art print by Evie Bookish. This is from A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

There is also a key-chain with a quote from Simon and the Homosapiens Agenda on it.

The best thing, in my opinion, in this box is the Pride and Prejudice headband by Storiarts. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classics and I’m SO geeked about this. I can’t wait to wear it and feel the nerd-pride surge through me.

Finally, there was also an Anna and the French Kiss inspired tea in the box, cherry-chocolate flavored. I’m so excited to try this because cherry chocolate is MY FAVORITE. All of the granola bars that I buy are cherry chocolate flavored, if that says anything about how much I’m going to love this tea.

The box also included a sample chapter from Umberland by Wendy Spinale. I’ve never heard of this one, so I’ll have to do some background searches on it and check it out!

This Owlcrate box was honestly one of the best, I think. I love candles and headbands, and it makes it even better when they’re related to some of my favorite books. I’m for sure interested in getting more Owlcrate boxes sent to me in the coming months.

*This review

What I Read in March

March was a good reading month for me. I’m a busy college student and I managed to get  five books read! There have been times when I couldn’t even finish one. I feel better when I’m reading, though. I th
ink my focus on self-care in March has lead me to read more books.

Here’s what I read:

he Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, 5/5 Stars. I loved reading this. I had surprisingly never read it in middle or high school, so I made it a point to read it this year. The book is action packed and teaches kids a lot about developing their own identities. T

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, 5/5 Stars. This is an intriguing YA book that hooks you from the moment it starts. It offers a great message on making your actions purposeful and kind.

Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven, 2/5 Stars. I didn’t particularly like this one! Read my review to find out why!

Magnolia by Kristi Cook, 4/5 Stars. This was a sweet romance that doesn’t take too much thought. It’s a fluff read, but an entertaining one at that. I enjoyed it.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio, 5/5 Stars. This had to be my favorite book of the month. I don’t know why I’ve put off reading it for so long, but here is my review if you want to know more.

That’s it! Right now I’m reading The Giver by Lois Lowry, another classic YA book that I never got to read in grade school. How many books did you read this month? Did you read any of the same ones as I did?

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Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wow. All I can say is, “Wow.”

I literally just finished Wonder by R.J. Palacio, tears streaming down my face because of how beautiful it is.

First of all, let’s start out with a brief synopsis:

Auggie Pullman is different from most 10 year olds. He doesn’t look like most kids his age, but on the inside he is just the same. This year marks Auggie’s first year of real school. He’s headed to middle school, where he hopefully won’t be eaten alive. Auggie knows that this will be a tough year for him, but he’s also excited about what’s to come. This book journeys through Auggie’s first year and everything that comes with it.

Here’s what I thought: 

Excellent, excellent, excellent.

This book is 5 stars. I think that every fifth and sixth grader should read this book, and I hope that my future students do. Through massive character development all around, this book shows what kindness is. It shows bravery and courage, standing up for yourself and your friends. The values taught in this story are irreplaceable.

The book takes a disorder and, unlike other modern children’s/YA lit, writes about what the character goes through. Palacio doesn’t use Auggie’s face as a means to something else.

Wonder also offers a great look at WHY kids do the things that they do…it is rarely for no reason, and is always related to some external problem that they are experiencing on their own. Miranda is not simply a bad friend to Via because she just wants to be, there is something deeper. Summer isn’t just a beautiful, bi-racial girl. She has a story. While Auggie is the central character in this book, each one is well-developed and grows throughout the story.

This book, to me, is a reminder of why I want to teach middle school. Middle schoolers are going through a hectic, confusing time. But they are good kids. Each one of them is going through something so different, it is so hard to blame them for their actions in school. I have seen the power of kindness growing up in public school and now in my own classrooms, and things like this do happen. Kids come together. It is truly amazing and it’s one of the reasons I want to be a teacher one day. I have so much faith in those kids.

I have it 5/5 stars on Goodreads for meaningful plot, excellent character development, and great use of theme.

Thanks for reading! Have you read Wonder? What did you think?

~ The Biblio Princess

P.S. I finally saw Beauty and the Beast last night and it was AMAZING. SO MAGICAL. HONESTLY. Let me know what you thought in the comments!