Isle of the Books

I set off on a solo road trip to southern Nevada and California to explore the great outdoors. As I was taking the trip over the holidays and would be in some remote locations, I had a few factors to consider when planning the order of my trip. Not only would there be holiday traffic in these places, but the sheer fact that it wouldn't be boiling outside meant the increased chance for more visitors. The order I decided on was in large part impacted by campground availability, as camping was going to be the cheapest--and most convenient--option. The places on my list were Valley of Fire State Park, Red Rock Canyon, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, the Hoover Dam, and the Mojave National Preserve. I had listed the Alabama Hills as a maybe. With all the campgrounds I was going to be staying at, I did a lot of flipping back and forth between tabs to see when campgrounds were open for all the nights I needed. I started planning about two months in advance, which I ...

Jeju Olle Trail 6 I spent the summer of 2025 in South Korea and Japan (4 weeks in Korea and 2 in Japan) and wanted to share my experiences, what I learned about traveling over there, and any advice. Since there will be a lot of information, it will be broken apart by country and then further into categories.  I won't provide a cost analysis, as I greatly benefited by spending time at my friend's house. Staying at hostels was one way I saved money. I ate out some, but convenience stores and groceries helped save money (I ate so much microwaveable rice). As cheap as public transportation can be, it becomes expensive if you don't plan your day well, as I experienced my first day in Tokyo. I chose to upgrade my flight, as it was a looong flight and my friends gave me the advice that the price difference would be worth it, and it totally was. Like any trip, you have to choose what you want to spend money on and where you can save money. Both countries have free and paid attracti...

Often, the focus of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet  is on the two lovers whom the book is named after. While reading, my focus was often drawn by the other characters and the lessons that are imparted by them. These are the ones that caught my attention, with no particular order given as they can be seen throughout the entire book. 1. Listening to poor advice . In the beginning of the play, Romeo is lamenting his lost love. Mercutio, his friend, tells him the best way to move past it is to change his affections. Go to the party the Capulet's are hosting! Maybe you'll see someone there who you'll be attracted to instead. Mercutio essentially tells Romeo to find a rebound. While Romeo did need to move on after being rejected (he's in a really bad state and has been for a while), he really should have sought wiser council. Ultimately the poor choices that follow are his own, but it shows how life-changing accepting poor help can be depending on what it is. 2. G...

Reading DeWitt’s books has made me realize that I don’t dislike reading romance–I dislike romance only stories. I like action + romance. I need a plot besides the romance in order to enjoy the story. And her books provide just that. In Gods of the Sea , we get a captivating storyteller who happens to have plans of his own, a wayward navy soldier who’s fascinated with the supernatural, a pirate captain who struggles with his own morality, and a duty-bound enigma who has seen deep darkness.  I’m in it for the romance, but I get a cool fantasy story full of mythical adventures and roguish pirates, too. One of the aspects I loved about this story is how each of the four men each portray a different facet of what love is through their respective journeys, as well as what’s healthy and what’s not with the concepts of true feelings vs obsession. I also highly appreciated Esmeralda. She’s strong, in both her character and her personality, but yet she shows her emotions and is willing to be...

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July! An Unpresentable Glory is by Eleanor Gustafson and is Christian contemporary. “I trusted you, and some day, you may know just how much you hold in your hands.” Linda Jensen leads a relatively quiet life in Westchester County, New York, as the owner of a highly-acclaimed garden. Inherited from her parents, the garden is her pride and joy. What is not so joyful is finding a strange man sprawled near her delphiniums! The mysterious man is sick, unable to do anything more than drink water—and beg for secrecy. Ignoring all alarm bells, Linda sees to his needs, but her caring act takes on unexpected significance, an unpresentable glory. Seeds of trust, and perhaps love, are planted in Linda’s garden haven. But as secrets are revealed and scandal hits the headlines, the act of caring for this man threatens to tarnish both of their reputations. Like weeds in Linda’s garden, circumstances threaten to choke out their fledgling relationship,...

Instead of writing a book review, I decided to do something different. I'll be looking at the books I've read so far this year and picking some of my favorites from them (which is hard since lots of them are really good). Each selection will give a brief description of what it's about and why I picked it. This way allows me to showcase several books without having to write that many reviews, and then there's possibly something for everyone. As I was scrolling through my read shelf, I wanted to put several on the list. I've read a lot of single issues of comics this year, so I won't be putting multiple in the same series up, and I've also tried to pick a books from different genres. They are in no particular order. 1. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys The story follows Lina, a fifteen year old girl who is deported from Lithuania during World War II to labor camps in Russia. Throughout her journey, she fights the conditions of Siberia and hopes...