My Dream Loot Crate: Nasty Women

Have you looked longingly at subscription boxes like I have? These have boomed in popularity in recent months, and I love looking at unboxings yet haven't been able to justify shelling out the money to subscribe to one yet. One subscription service that I've heard about, namely through Kristina Horner, is Loot Crate Loot Crate, which sounds awesome for geeks and nerds like me. So when they approached me about creating my own "dream crate" I knew I had to jump aboard.

Almost right away I knew I wanted to center my box around awesome female characters, and with the crazy election, my dream box is the NASTY WOMEN box.

Nasty Women Dream Loot Crate

My first choice is this Orphan Black t-shirt because this fabulous array of female characters were the first ones that came to mind. It was hard deciding on a product that could encompass Orphan Black (and there's surprisingly little merch), but this shirt is perfect and lists most of the major kick-ass female clones (portrayed by the equally kick-ass Tatiana Maslany), as well as a few other important characters.

My second choice was another easy one. This Rey print is stunning and also shows BB-8, another favorite. I loved Rey from the moment she appeared on screen in the new Star Wars movie. She's an amazing addition to the SW universe, and Daisy Ridley is perfection. Another easy choice.

Of course no list is complete without some Harry Potter reference. I actually have two different choices because they're possibly my two favorite HP characters, and I couldn't choose which one I wanted to feature more. This is Hermione's wand. Do I even need to explain this choice? Hermione meant so much to me when I was reading Harry Potter for the first time, and she still remains close to my heart. (Also, Emma Watson is perfection.)

The other amazing female character I love in Harry Potter is none other than Luna Lovegood! Her Spectrespecs are so unique to her and everyone who knows the movies will recognize it right away. Luna stays true to herself, regardless of what others will think. She's kind and creative.

Another easy choice is Annabeth from the Percy Jackson series. She, like Hermione, is the brains of the trio. She's such a solid heroine and similarly inspiring as Hermione. I found these books in middle school and am just now realizing how great of a transition it was to find it a few years after the last Harry Potter book. It's no wonder I loved Annabeth! This is an Annabeth Chase candle. 

This one is a less obvious choice, but this Everyone Deserves Tea mug represents the ladies of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (and of Pride and Prejudice). Not only do I love tea, but this is also a reminder of sisterly bond that is so strong in the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. And I love all three sisters, the actresses who portray them, as well as the supporting female cast (Charlotte, Gigi).

I'm not sure if the image is hard to see, but this Belle shirt caught my attention right away. Belle has long been one of my favorite Disney princesses (alongside Mulan). Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved Belle. She was one of the first females I saw on screen who loved to read and comforted the bookworm in me. 

This was a bit of a late addition, but I've included it for a few reasons. For one, while I personally don't like Katniss, many people do, and this pullover partially represents her. But the other reason I included it is that it represents the thousands/millions of female ballerinas out there. Ballet has sort of been brought back to popular culture thanks to people such as Misty Copeland. As a dancer/ballet dancer myself, I had to throw something in there. Ballerinas (and all dancers) work so hard yet also work to make what they do effortless. They're often not given nearly enough credit and aren't seen as on-par with other athletes, when in many ways, we're more athletic. So I had to include this in my dream box.

I apologize that this Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan pillow isn't included in the overall graphic, but I added this after I made it. As I wrote my honorable mentions/extras below I realized I didn't have any non-white women above, which is a huge and real problem (and also why we need more diversity in popular culture). So Kamala Khan popped into my head. I wanted to pick an item that's different from the others, and this pillow fits that bill. 

Another last minute addition not included in the graphic is this Schuyler Sisters sticker. I had them in mind since the beginning, but it slipped my mind as I was finishing up this post. This is such a given. Does it even need explaining?

Extras/Honorable Mentions

There were a few items that don't fit into the popular culture category, so I've listed them here instead.

 

I absolutely love this image and think a tote would be fabulous. If we're going to talk about feminism, it should be intersectional. Unfortunately, basically all of the women above are white women, and it's important to acknowledge all types of women.

Michelle Obama is all kinds of goals, and I've fallen in love with the recent Strand merch including this quote. This is the magnet, and after the election, this is just so inspiring and lovely. I love Michelle Obama and think she's an amazing figure for all of us to look up to.

And last but not least, I had to include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's We Should All Be Feminists. To me, Adichie is one of the ultimate feminists, and while there are plenty of others whom I love, she speaks so eloquently and rawly and openly about transnational and intersectional feminism. She supports other women, even if she disagrees with them (see her comments on her feminism vs. Beyonce's feminism). She has been so integral in the recent pushes/fights for feminism, and she is such an important part of educating others on inclusional feminism. I just love her, and I think this (or her TED talk) should be required reading (viewing). 

~~~

Ladies, let us continue to be "nasty women." Let's continue to fight for inclusion and diversity, for equality, for respect. Let's continue to support one another and critically discuss issues important to all of us.

Be sure to check out Loot Crate Loot Crate

if you're interested in their subscription boxes!

And let me know below or on Twitter what you would include in your dream crate!

Real, Raw, Palpable, Heart-breaking, and Hopeful | Mini Review: Finding Center by Katherine Locke

Finding Center by Katherine Locke
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: August 17th, 2015

Zed and ballet are my two greatest loves

It took all of Aly's strength to get them back after a tragic accident ripped them from her six years ago. A long road to recovery led to her return, dancing full-time for the District Ballet Company and carrying Zed's child. But Aly is slipping. Each day becomes a fight to keep her career from crumbling under the weight of younger talent, the scrutiny of the public eye and the limitations of her ever-changing body. A fight she fears she's losing.

I'm scared Aly is broken to her core

Zed recognizes the signs, but he doesn't know how to fix her. The accident left him with his own demons, and while he wants nothing more than to take care of the woman he loves, it's getting harder the farther downward she spirals. When Aly's life is threatened and Zed's injuries prevent him from saving her, he's never felt so useless, so afraid he's not capable of being the man Aly and their child needs.

With new life comes new hope. And with their fractured lives already hanging by a thread, Aly and Zed must discover if they have what it takes—both together and apart—to rebuild and carry on.

"This book in particular is raw and haunting but also hopeful."

"It made me feel understood too, and that made me feel a little less alone."

THIS BOOK. I'm not sure why I waited so long to read this, but I was really missing ballet, so I picked this one up. And I'm so glad that I did.

I loved Second Position, but I didn't realize I could fall in love with Locke's story even more. Yet Finding Center did just that. It still contained the ballet that I love and was looking for within Locke's story, but this one hit so much more and focuses much more on the characters and their development. 

The story continues with the emotional character development in the first book. I absolutely love how Locke handles mental illness within her books. She handles it deftly and carefully but doesn't leave anything out, doesn't sugarcoat anything. This book in particular is raw and haunting but also hopeful. We see that there's a way through. It never leaves you, but it gets easier, and you learn how to handle it amongst everything else in life.

But the journey to get there is an emotional one. There are so many ups and downs, so many miscommunications, so much that is conveyed. Locke shows how people can change but also how slow and how much of a process it is. The changing point of view is especially effective in this book and in getting the message across. Both are going1 through so much and shut others out, but we can see both sides of it, and I think that is so important and so well done.

The book is never lagging, and the struggles are so real and palpable. My heart broke so many times, and I cried so much while reading this, not just because the plot was often so sad and distressing but also because it just understood what it felt like. I definitely don't have anything close to what Aly and Zed are feeling and going through, but I can understand how they felt. It made me feel understood too, and that made me feel a little less alone. (And of course the dance/ballet portions are beautifully written, as always. The conflicts are well written and envisioned, and I loved every moment of it.)

I implore you to go read it (and/or Second Position).

Finding Center: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Katherine Locke: Website | Twitter | Tumblr 

Tour: Review: The Hit List by Nikki Urang (+giveaway)

I'm super excited to be a part of this tour! If you don't already know, I love, love, love dance-related books. :) But also, as a note, I'm still on hiatus, as I'm right in the heart of college applications time. *pulls out hair* I'll be back soon; I just couldn't pass up this opportunity!

The Hit List by Nikki Urang
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary
Release Date: November 11th, 2014

The Los Angeles Conservatory for the Arts is supposed to be a new beginning for Sadie Bryant. Moving across the country is exactly what she needs to escape the gossip surrounding her injury, the devastating betrayal of her ex-partner, and to rebuild her career as a solo dancer.

When the school announces that the annual Fall Showcase, a performance that secures a spot studying in London, will now require each dancer to have a partner, Sadie’s fresh start is a nightmare. Now she has to dance with Luke Morrison, the school womanizer with a big ego. Sadie doesn’t know how to trust Luke enough to dance with him after her last partner left her broken, but Luke is determined to change that.

Then, The Hit List comes out. A game of sexual conquest where guys get points for all the girls they hook up with—and it seems like every guy at the school is playing.

The girl worth the most points? Sadie.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from the publisher in order to take part in the tour. This did not affect my review in any way.

As mentioned above, I live for dance-related books. I never tire of them, and they just fill me with joy. Thus, I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take part in this blog tour despite my busy November schedule. I don't regret it one bit!

The book was different than I had first imagined it but not necessarily in a bad thing. The character and emotional arcs in The Hit List are what make the book stand out. It was a bit overwhelming at times, seeing how stubborn both Sadie and Luke could be. But at the end, it was my absolute favorite aspect. It was probably the most unexpected part for me, but I'm so glad the book addressed the ways in which loss and betrayal affect us in the case of Sadie and how we can all change and become better people as was the case with both Sadie and Luke. The book is so heart-wrenching because you see Sadie hurting, and it's so easy to empathize with her. Even Luke, who's issues we also get a look at, goes through such a big change in the story. We get to see their struggle, each of them, and we also see them come out of that struggle, and that's so powerful.

Given this is in large part an "issues" book, there were times when I just got so annoyed at both Sadie and Luke for just being so stupid. I mean, I know I can't really judge because who knows what I'd be like in that situation, but there were times when I wanted to smack some sense into them. For instance, with Sadie, although I definitely connected with her struggle and could find pieces of my struggle within her, there were times when I just wanted to yell at her to see the bigger picture and to get over it. Yeah, that's far easier said than done. I know. But she's just so stubborn! I understand her pushing people away and not letting anyone in. Heck, I do that all the time. And yeah, I'm sure it's frustrating, but gahh! I wanted to pull out my hair sometimes! And Luke! He made me even more frustrated because Sadie is right, he leads her on and is cold to her and flirting with another girl the next minute. I get that he is dealing with his own issues, but how stupid can you honestly be?

But moving on, I greatly enjoyed the friendships brought up in the book. The relationship between Brielle and Sadie is an interesting one. They're roommates, and Brielle helps Sadie so much more than I think Sadie realizes. She's almost always there for her, and while it doesn't excuse her of the big twist/reveal at the end of the book, she has shown Sadie that she won't just go away either. But at the same time, I often got the feeling that they were really distant. There was so much more potential to expand on their friendship, but I feel like we honestly barely even got to know Brielle. It was the same with Adam. He helped her so much, and she does recognize that, but they never really seem to hang out otherwise (same with Brielle). They certainly don't have to be with each other all the time, and I know the book has other focuses, but I was under the impression that there would be a large focus on friendships, particularly given the circumstances in the book. This sort of leads me to another point, which is that there are many great characters in the book, but we barely get to know any of them. I think Sadie and Luke are complex and explored beyond my expectations (in a good way!), but what about everyone else? They felt a bit flat to me, as if they just moved the plot along at times.

Then, there's The Hit List itself, of course. I think the premise is so interesting and such a new idea. I haven't read a book like this before, and it sets up so many perfectly tense scenes. I definitely feel the same way Sadie does about the Hit List, but I can't deny it's ingenuity as part of the central plot. You don't know who to trust, and you keep questioning Luke's real motives and intentions. It bothered me that the biggest issue about the game wasn't really addressed--the fact that they're objectifying women and making them pieces in a game where they have so little control. Yeah, some girls like the attention, but I think it's horribly sexist and just gahh! I want to smack some sense into the girls that think it's flattering or fun! And the guys who play the game are even worse! It's so ridiculous, and I certainly hope nothing like this ever happens in real life. Give women some fricking respect, will you?! (And please note that this is in no way a reflection of the author. She obviously wouldn't support this.) But I really can't deny that it's a good way to focus the plot on something other than the character arcs.

And of course, I have to bring up the dancing! There were far fewer dance scenes in the book than I was expecting, given the setting and characters in the book. I don't think it necessarily detracted from the book, but I was certainly looking for a bit more. As students in a dance conservatory, I thought a lot more of the book would be spent exploring Sadie's relationship with dance. Not that there was any implication that that would be the case, but I digress. I believe it worked because of the strong plot and the emotion involved in the story, but yeah. Another minor, minor issue on this front is that I'm really confused as to whether the school is primarily classical or contemporary. I went in thinking it'd mostly be contemporary, but it was honestly hard to tell. It seemed as though the dances were contemporary, but her classes seemed to be classical. Of course I know they do have to have some classical, traditional ballet/pointe classes, but I know that my modern/contemporary class isn't like my ballet/pointe class, and it just seemed like they were always in their ballet/pointe class. Maybe I got the wrong impression, but yeah.

Lastly, as an overall look at the plot and the book, I have to say that as many flaws as I found in the book, I loved it so much. The pacing was overall really well done, and I was so sucked in. I couldn't stop reading, and there was something just so addicting about the story. I absolutely loved the progression of Sadie and Luke's relationship, especially juxtaposed against Sadie's reflections on her relationship with Patrick. I was rooting for Sadie and Luke all along, and ahhh, they just make my heart so happy. They both overcome SO much and become such different people but in a way that allows them to still be genuinely themselves. The suspense and tension are just right, and I think you definitely hate the characters you're supposed to. The character-driven plot made up for many of the flaws because it was just so well-written and explored. The character growth and development were just so superb. I could read this book over and over again, and I was so upset when I got to the last sentence. I just wanted more, more, more! ;) This is another dance-related book that I love!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository 

About the Author:

Nikki fell in love with books at a young age and looked forward to reading a book with her mom before bed every night. It was only a matter of time until her love of reading turned into a love of putting those words onto the page. Now, her days are spent helping those overcoming opiate addiction and her nights are spent writing. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two stubborn cats.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads | Pinterest

Giveaway:

Ends 11/15

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Dance Appreciation Week: Wrap Up

Well, this is a day late. So sorry! Everything's been messed up because I've been so busy with school. I'm still in a pretty big reading and blogging slump, and I don't have many scheduled posts, so the next few weeks will be a bit tough and posts will be scarce. I'm sorry for that, but I'm a Junior in high school with APs, finals, Regents, and a dance recital. Bear with me, please. :)

Anyway! I wanted to do something special to wrap-up Dance Appreciation Week, but school has clearly messed that up!

First, I would like to thank Kaitlin and Sonia for their wonderful guest posts and for being so excited to be a part of this week long celebration.
Second, I would like to thank anyone that took the time to check out even one of the posts from this week. It means a lot to me, even if you're not a dancer!
Third, I don't know how many people have actually read these posts, but I really enjoyed celebrating dance, so I hope you've all gained something from it to. If not, well, it made me happy, so! :)

Here's a list of all the posts! (Please note that as of 5/7, the Movies and TV shows post is being updated and fixed. Thanks!)

International Dance Day and What Dance Means to Me

Sonia Fuderer's Guest Post on Why Dancers Dance

My Favorite Dance-Related Poem

Kaitlin @ Reading Is My Treasure's Guest Post on Her Favorite SYTYCD Routines

Dance and Books (A List of Dance-Related/Centered Books)

Dance on the Big and Small Screen (Dance in Movies and TV Shows)

One last note: I'm currently researching some stuff for my WIP. It's dance-related, but I need all the help I can from dancers and non-dancers alike. It's a quick form that you can fill out that just asks for your opinion. You can fill out as little or as much as you want, and you can remain anonymous or give me your name. Everything helps as long as you don't troll me. This is just helping me to see how other people would react, as it's something that's hard to research in a book or something. If you fill this out or have already, THANK YOU SO MUCH! The answers I've received have already been extremely insightful and interesting.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE FORM.

Dance Appreciation Week: Dance on the Big and Small Screen

POST IS BEING UPDATED. SORRY!

Welp! I'm so sorry about this post being late and about not posting at all yesterday. The past few weeks have been crazy, and then I was studying for my AP, so I couldn't get my post up yesterday. Anyway, today's post is a combination of yesterday's and today's. I'll be sharing a few movies and TV shows that feature dance!

MOVIES

(And subsequent Step Up movies)

TV SHOWS

(Dance Academy Photo Source)                    (Breaking Pointe Photo Source)

                                                             (SYTYCD Photo Source)

(Bring It! Photo Source)

So there you have it! It's a bit of everything, and I hope there's a mix of shows/movies you've heard of and a healthy dose of those that you haven't. Enjoy!

Dance Appreciation Week: Dance and Books

Today's post is all about books with a focus on dance! (Tomorrow will be a focus on movies, and the day after will be a focus on TV shows.)