P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Title: P.S. I Still Love You
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 26, 2015
Pages: 337
Source/format: Purchased/Hardcover

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com): 

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing. 

My Thoughts:

Jenny Han has done it again! I love To All the Boys I've Loved Before because it's perfect and I never thought the sequel would just as good. P.S. I Still Love You starts right where To All the Boys I've Loved Before left off right around the holiday season. I love how Lara Jean's family makes sure to incorporate Korean traditions into their daily lives despite their mother not being with them anyone. The sisterly bonding between the sisters is still there and each sister brings something special to the sisterhood. Despite their differences, they are always there for each other. I am definitely growing fonder of Kitty in this book. She is so sassy and so witty. I love how Kitty never gives up. I have never seen a kid so determined in everything she does. She is definitely one of my favorite characters in the book.

Lara Jean admitting her feelings to Peter is realistic when it comes to a first love. Their relationship is special despite the ex-girlfriend and the scandalous hot tub video. It's not cookie cutter perfect but it's real! I had some serious feels when reading P.S. I Still Love You. Everything about this book is cute and romantic. I was a little worried when John Ambrose McClaren entered the picture though. I am not a fan of love triangles so course I was a little bit upset with Lara Jean was torn between two guys. However, for some odd reason, this so called love triangle actually worked.

Of course I squeed when Lara Jean plans scrapbooking sessions with the elderly and when she makes homemade Valentine's Day cards. And Lara Jean baking up a storm! Yes, please! Snickerdoodles are my favorite type of cookie so I was ecstatic to see snickerdoodles making an appearance in the book. Also, the chai sugar cookies with the cinnamon eggnog icing sound divine! When Lara Jean talks about how baking is calming and how it stabilizes her, I totally agree. I like to bake because it's relaxing and it clears the mind. All you have to do is take ingredients, follow the instructions and you create something magical.

Han touches upon some difficult teenage situations such as cyberbullying. I know everyone should be careful about what they write and post on social media but what happens if someone posts information you don't want up online? What happens when people just laugh and don't do anything about it. In these days, cyberbullying is on the rise and Han explored the views of men and women about such exploitation. Why is every one rooting for Peter but slut shaming Lara Jean? It's not right.

Assassins is the big thing for my students during the summer and reading how Lara Jean and her friends play the game for old times sake is the icing on the cake. Imagine 46 teenagers and 13 staff members running around trying to eliminate each other with popsicle sticks. That's what I look forward to in the summer.

The novel is nostalgic and Han is making me fall in love with the book. The more I read, the more I love this endearing novel. This is the second book I've read where I teared up. Han does an incredible job when writing about first loves and she takes readers on an emotional journey. She has captivated my heart! To All the Boys I've Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You are books that I relate with the most out of all books I've read in my life. That says something. Thank you Miss Jenny Han for writing both books! You are amazing and I feel like you get me.

BEA 2015 Recap Part III

If you missed out my first and second BEA 2015 recaps, check them out!

Friday, May 29, 2015

I had only six things I HAD to attend on the last day of BEA. Selina and I woke up around 6:15 again but we were a bit late leaving the hotel since we had to make sure we had all of our bags. We

managed to grab the shuttle a few minutes after standing outside of the hotel and made it to the Javits. The line for the luggage check in was super long and we barely made it to the Children's Author Breakfast in time. The Children's Author Breakfast was fantastic. I loved hearing Nathan Lane, Oliver Jeffers and Rainbow Rowell talk about their past and about some of their influences for their books. Oliver Jeffers talk captivated me. I love how he told the audience a story and illustrated it right in front of us. Selina and I left the breakfast after Rainbow's talk and skipped out on James Patterson since the floor just opened. I was able to get a The Day the Crayons Quit tote bag, Fangirl and Naughty Mabel.

I believe I headed toward the Autographing Area and saw Elizabeth in line for Monstrous by MarcyKate Connolly. I already own the book but I wanted to chat with MarcyKate and I wanted a signed copy. I ended up meeting Angela in line and she had the most amazing dress. Her dress has miniature copies of some of her favorite YA books sewn onto the skirt part of the dress. The books open up and they contain actual text on the pages. I know her dress was a huge hit at BEA because many photos of her sporting the amazing dress is on Twitter.

I ended up walking around the booths for a bit before lining up for Kim Liggett's signing of Blood and Salt at the HorrorWrites booth. Marci joined me soon afterwards. We actually met a librarian from Bolton, MA who was super nice. I was so happy to finally meet Kim. We chatted briefly on Twitter and it's so great to meet authors you chat with online in person. Kim will be a guest at the Boston Teen Author Festival in September so I hope I will be able to see her then as well.

I actually forgot about Bobby Flay's signing but I assumed it would have been a huge line and it would cause me to miss Liza Wiemer's signing. I ended up walking around the booths before heading to line up for Liza's signing. I chatted with Lauren from Love is Not a Triangle for a bit before the signing started. Liza is one of those authors who is so lively and she super grateful for everyone lining up to meet her and to have their chance to read Hello? I tried to jump into the Katherine Applegate line for Crenshaw but they were out of books half way through her signing which made me sad. I walked back to the other side of the Exhibit Hall to wait for a drop of Marie Marquardt's Dream Things True at Macmillan. I wish I stayed behind to get Marie to sign my book. I didn't know she was signing as well until later on after the drop. I bailed on the Rainbow Rowell signing earlier in the day due to the ticket fiasco. Plus, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a light pink collector's edition of Fangirl at the Children's Author Breakfast and I already met Rainbow last year.

I didn't have anything on my schedule until 1:00 so I ended up meeting with Melissa, Elizabeth and Devin for lunch at the food court. I bought an expensive chicken sandwich but it was seriously the cheapest thing that was substantial enough to call a meal. After lunch I lined up for Jennifer Walkup's line for This Ordinary Life. I was so overjoyed to meet Jennifer. She had bookmarks and pins to promote her book as well. I actually had time to pop in the Leila Sales line. Although I already picked  up a copy of Tonight The Streets Are Ours, I wanted to meet Leila and to tell her how I loved This Song Will Save Your Life and how I am excited to see her again in Brookline, MA when she tours for Tonight The Streets Are Ours. I ended up giving away my unsigned copy of the book to someone who wasn't able to pick up a copy. NOVL tweeted about a secret password (Project Buffalo) for Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray so I was able to pick up a copy at the Hachette booth.

The book that I wanted the most at BEA is Soundless by Richelle Mead. I ended up using my front of the line pass and it was so worth it. I saw Nicole, Melissa, Britt and Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner around this time. I lucked out and caught the end tail of Jackson Pearce's and Maggie Stiefvater's line for Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures. Afterwards, I went to sit down and chatted with some people. I ended up meeting up with Xander again and we chatted for a bit and he convinced me to join him for the Lexa Hillyer line for Proof of Forever. I wandered the floor and passed by Disney when they were handing out the Ballet Cat tote bags and ARCs. Earlier in the day, I actually forgot what time the drop was going to be at but everything worked out fine since I just happened to peruse by the Disney booth at the right time. I have been really bad about being on top of galley drops at Disney but I was excited I made the Ballet Cat one.

I met up with Selina for the Middle Grade Characters & Adventures panel with Corey Ann Haydu, Lauren Oliver, Kevin Sands and Ken Oppel. It was nice to rest for a bit and to enjoy what authors had to say about their books. Selina and I stopped by the Out of Print booth to pick up a couple of things before getting our bags. We somehow fit everything in our bags and took the shuttle to Penn Station. Of course our train was delayed but I was so excited to go home. We were fortunate enough to see a lovely sky on the train ride home.

The train ride wasn't that bad. It was pretty quick and I got into Boston around 10:20ish. I was super tired and all I wanted to do is go to bed. My boyfriend informed me that I would be waking up early the next day for a day trip to Martha's Vineyard with two of our friends. I don't think I even unpacked my bags until Sunday since I was so tired on Friday and I had no time on Saturday to unpack.

Overall my BEA 2015 trip was a success. I probably won't attend BEA 2016 in Chicago but you can count me in to be at ALA Midwinter since Boston is hosting it in 2016.

BEA 2015 Recap Part II

If you missed out my first BEA 2015 recap, check it out here.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Selina and I both got up around 6:15 to get ready in the morning. We had breakfast at the hotel again before walking to the Javits. Of course we picked up the Show Daily and checked in our bags. Selina had the Adult Author's Breakfast so I ended up meeting Marci and Vania from Reading in the Tardis near Starbucks. Marci was super excited about the Eterna Files that I was able to get signed for her. I also gave Marci a few tickets for the Autographing Area. The three of us ended up looking through the Show Daily to plan out the day. It was nice meeting Marci and Vania since they live in Massachusetts. I met Marci on Goodreads through the BEA group and I find it amusing how we have a lot of mutual friends who have a huge love for Harry Potter. I swear, Harry Potter unites me with the best people ever.

We ended up heading upstairs to line up for the Exhibit Hall. My first stop was Scholastic to look for the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone illustrated version sampler which I managed to get right around 9:00. Yes, it's only a sampler but it's freaking Harry Potter! So of course I had to get it because it's gorgeous! I cannot wait for the finished copy to be out in October. How fitting for my October festivities?

The sampler is in full color and includes the Keeper of the Keys chapter complete with beautiful illustrations. This is just a sneak peak of the book but I want the book more after reading the sampler. Seriously, I cannot say no to more Harry Potter books. I do not collect all editions of Harry Potter like some others do. I pick and choose what editions I want to own because the costs add up. Also, I spend a good amount of my money investing into Harry Potter events. I love creating memories infused with the magic of Harry Potter. Selina and I actually met through MISTI-Con 2013 before we became BEA buddies. Harry Potter will never let me down! It encourages me to move forward and to experience the magic!

Right after hitting up Scholastic, I went to the Autographing Area to line up for Josephine Angelini's signing of Firewalker. I enjoyed Trial by Fire so I had to get my hands on Firewalker. Also, I wasn't able to meet Josephine last year so she was on my list of authors to meet this year. Waiting in the unofficial line paid off since I was near the front of the signing line and I was able to hop into two more lines right after I met Josephine. In a matter of 15 minutes, I met Josphine, Mary Kubica and A.S. King. I was so excited to meet Mary because it freed up my time for later in the afternoon and Pretty Baby sounds pretty amazing. I met A.S. King before but I wanted to see her again and to get I Crawl Through It.

I would say at least half the books I obtained this day were signed. I was able to pick up a couple of picture books, both signed at the Autographing Area. I was a little bummed that the line was so long for Jesse Eisenberg even with a ticket but there were so many other things I wanted to do on Thursday so it wasn't a huge deal. I was able to get my hands on a Shadowhunters tote bag as well as a sampler of Lady Midnight! I seriously cannot wait until Lady Midnight is released next March. I was so happy to get my hands on Infinite in Between and to meet Carolyn Mackler! This is one of my top things on my schedule and I was very happy the line was fairly short. Sometime afterwards, I went to line up for the drop of Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den at Bloomsbury. I was very excited about this title even though it's middle grade.

The 2 o'clock hour was the most intense hour ever. I had three things going on at the same time and somehow I managed to make it to all three. I went to Penguin Random House right after the Bloomsbury stop and asked when I can line up to meet C. Alexander London. A publicist told me to go to the information desk in the center of the booth and that person told me to see another publicist at the first table I went to. Finally, I got information where I can line up. I was the first in line and I actually kind of felt bad because by the time the signing started, only six people were in line for the signing. Half the line included me, Vania and Marci. However, it was lovely to see Alex again. I meet him last year at BEA for a Guardian signing and now I was able to chat with him about his upcoming middle grade book, The Wild Ones, which is reminiscent of The Redwall series. Penguin even snapped a picture of Alex giving me my copy of The Wild Ones which I don't recall happening but it's on Twitter so it definitely happened. Now I am scared to see what other random pictures of me are floating on the internet.

Going "wild" at @ca_london's #BEA15 signing of #TheWildOnes! pic.twitter.com/vBU66G0BeG

— PenguinTeen (@PenguinTeen) May 28, 2015

Right after the signing, I went to Disney to pick up a cupcake, a Magnus Chase foam shield and a Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, The Sword of Summer sampler. The shield definitely doubles up as a butt pad and I also used it in my pillowcase to firm up the super soft pillows at the hotel when I was sleeping at night. I made a dash to HarperCollins to meet Soman Chainani for a signed poster of The Last Ever After and I also picked up an Ever button. I was surprised his line was so short.  I guess you can say the 2 o'clock hour was the Middle Grade hour.

Can I say that the Libba Bray line was super long? It pretty much wrapped along the front entrance of the Exhibit Hall. I was able to meet Melissa G. there who is a friend of Molly's. Nicole was there as well and I believe Nicole was holding Emma's spot since Emma was in another signing line at the time. I had to bail on the Libba Bray line because not only was it ticketed but the line was never-ending. Sometime in the afternoon, I also bumped into Kim from Book Munchies.

I ended up meeting up with Melissa and Elizabeth at the Bloggers/Authors meet up and was introduced to a few authors and bloggers. I was fortunate enough to meet up with Xander from Forever Bookish who is a huge Harry Potter fan as well. We connected on Twitter not too long ago and I was excited to finally meet him in person. We wandered around the Exhibit Hall sometime after Melissa and I went to line up for the After Alice drop at HarperCollins. I picked up a copy of A Little in Love right when I was waiting since Scholastic's booth was in the next aisle over from HarperCollin's.


I met up with Selina afterwards and we ended up checking out our luggage before walking back to the hotel. We cooked up some french toast and eggs for dinner before I ended up heading toward The New Yorker to meet up with Marci. Marci and I went to the restaurant there to meet up with Liza Wiemer which was nice because both of us were super excited to meet Liza and we were both excited about her debut novel, Hello? Day 2 was a success!

Marci, Liza and I at The New Yorker

BEA 2015 Recap Part I

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

So after five days of Harry Potter fun, I headed to New York City and met up with Selina to enjoy a week of everything bookish. I took an Amtrak train from South Station late morning on Tuesday and arrived into the city around 3:20ish. The hotel was about 6 or so blocks from Penn Station and I met up with Selina at the hotel. We ended up going to a local market around the corner and made a nice pasta dinner with salad with bread and butter.

I was running a bit late for the Jenny Han's P.S. I Still Love You Release party but I did attend. I was fine navigating the subway but once I got off the subway, I was walking toward the wrong direction. It took me awhile to find where Powerhouse Arena is located but I made it! I purchased two copies of P.S. I Still Love You, one for me and one for Elizabeth from Book YAbber and Novelty Podcast. I met up with Emma from Miss Print upstairs along with my OTSPSecretSister aka Nicole from The Book Bandit. Can I say that Nicole is the best secret sister ever? I always look forward to her cute notes and well picked out surprises. I was super excited to meet Emma and Nicole since I've been talking to them on Twitter for quite some while. I met up with Melissa from Novelty Podcast who introduced me to Britt from Please Feed the Bookworm.

Jenny Han's Release Party!

The release party was quite epic. There was a makeover area, a nail area, photo shoot area where you can "sit" in Lara Jean's room and of course the signing with Jenny Han. Since I arrived late, I received an orange ticket. Groups were called up by ticket color in order to minimize the craziness. When my ticket was called, I went to stand in the signing line. I finally got to meet Jenny and it was pretty epic! Jenny said I looked familiar and then remembered my name. It totally made my day. I was able to get a picture with Jenny after she signed my copy of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, P.S. I Still Love You and My True Love Gave to Me. I had her personalize and sign a copy of P.S. I Still Love You for my friend Elizabeth as a super early birthday present. Let's say that Elizabeth was super happy about this!

Thanks Melissa for taking this photo!

Melissa and I were able to get our photos taken at the photo booth. Of course I blinked in my copy of the photo and Melissa half blinked in her copy. Emma, Nicole and I ended up walking back to get the train and I ended up planning Wednesday's schedule with Selina before heading to bed.

Melissa and I at release party's photo booth

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Let's say that Selina and I woke up around 9:00-10:00 since the Exhibit Hall at the Javits wasn't opening until 1:00. This is the only day we were able to sleep in and we took advantage of it. Selina and I had breakfast at the hotel before walking to the Javits. Let's just say that our hotel is less than a 15 minute walk and I already heard stories about the shuttle running late. Some people I knew on Twitter tweeted that they were waiting 30-60 minutes for the shuttle. Selina checked in her bag before we picked up the Publisher's Weekly Show Daily. I didn't bring a bag because it was a half day and I planned to share Selina's bag. There were so many things in the Show Daily that I had to revamp my Wednesday schedule. We didn't line up until 12:50ish. We didn't plan to line up for Truthwitch was a plus for us since we were able to hit more booths instead of waiting in the crazy line.

The Exhibit Hall in the morning

I thought Wednesday was going to be my calmest day. I only had two things on my list that I had to do. I wanted to make it to the drop for Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales and I wanted to meet Mike Curato for an in-booth signing of Little Elliot, Big Family. Meeting Mike was a must for me since I missed the chance to meet him last year at BEA. Little did I know that there were tons of drops on Wednesday. I picked up galley drop schedules at most of the publishers that I was interested in. These schedules were major lifesavers. I believe I picked up the most ARCs this day and it also freed up my schedule for Thursday and Friday. I wanted to spend more time in the Autographing Area on Thursday and Friday so I definitely took advantage of the scheduled drops, primarily HarperCollins drops and maybe one Penguin drop.

I believe I went to two ticketed signings in the Autographing Area but I caught the end tails of both lines in order to maximize my time on the floor. I was fortunate to pick up a galley of The Copper Gauntlet. Britt and I were asking Scholastic if they had more copies in the back. I am surprised there wasn't a line this year. I remember I had to wait at least 20 minutes for The Iron Trial drop last year. I picked up a copy of Illuminae for my friend Molly from Cherry Blossoms & Maple Syrup before attending more of the scheduled events. I was fortunate enough to meet Margie from Bumbles and Fairy-Tales very briefly when I was waiting in the Tonight the Streets Are Ours drop line. I love her little bee Moo business cards. They are so adorable! I also met Dana from Dana Square in the same drop line was well. It's so nice to meet people in person.

Meeting Mike Curato was pretty awesome. I got a ticket at Macmillan 30 minutes prior to the signing and of course I got number three! Elizabeth and I were able to take a picture with Elliot and his big family when we waited in the Mike Curato line. It was such a cute way to get fans excited about the new book while we waited. I was super excited when Mike recognized me. I usually chat with him on Twitter and I am constantly retweeting many of his tweets. Little Elliot is super special to me not only because Little Elliot is an elephant but he reminds me of Olivia the pig and Olivia is super important to me during my high school years.

Elizabeth and I joined Little Elliot's family. Photo credit: Elizabeth and Devin

My calmest day of the week became pretty hectic and probably the busiest. I don't recall all the times of the drops but I know I went to at least 3-4 drops which had more than one book being dropped at the same time. I am pretty sure I left the Javits after the Eterna Files signing and ended up meeting Selina back at the hotel. Four hours of craziness was pretty productive. Selina and I made grilled cheese sandwiches and pasta salad before we headed to check out Carlo's Bake Shop in Times Square. After we got back to the hotel, we ended up eating dessert and started planning for Thursday.

This is how I felt on Wednesday. Thank you Selina for picking this up!

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Title: Every Last Word
Author: Tamara Ireland Stone
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication date: June 16, 2015
Pages: 368
Source/format: e-ARC provided by Netgalley

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com): 

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling. 

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. 

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist. 

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

My Thoughts:

Samantha (Sam) was always part of the Crazy Eights, a Mean Girls like popular clique. However, she hides a secret from most people. When Samantha was younger, she was diagnosed with Purely Obsessional Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Every day it is hard for her to stay in control. It's a struggle. Her so called best friends don't treat her like a friend. One day she meets Caroline near the lockers and Caroline introduces Samantha to the Poet's Corner, a secret underground poetry club. For Sam the Poet's Corner is a place where she can be herself and she can express her feelings through words. No longer does she have to keep her feelings bottled up inside and she does not have to pretend to be someone who she is not. The Poet's Corner is a place to be yourself and there is no judging of others. Sam had been distancing herself from the Crazy Eights in order to spend her free time or lunches at the Poet's Corner. Originally the guy in charge of the key to the Poet's Corner doesn't want Sam to join the group. Sam doesn't know why but realizes that they knew each other back in grade school. By becoming friends with the members of the Poet's Corner, Sam reinvents herself.

This Every Last Word blew me away. The novel is beautifully written and is relatable. I have not read a book with a character having OCD and never knew about the struggles one goes through to try to keep it a secret. Even the Crazy Eights don't know about Sam's condition because Sam crates a facade that she is "normal." Sam is strong. She gets knocked down but she always gets right back up. She is in control even when she thinks she is not. Even when Sam swims, she keeps her cool. Swimming helps her relieve some of the tension and helps her focus. The number three is important to Sam. Not only does she always swim in lane three and counts things in threes, three is symbolic. She even has three notebooks to write down her thoughts. Tamara Ireland Stone cleverly titled each chapter with three words. I even enjoyed reading how Sam counts in threes when she is thinking. My favorite number is three so reading about how three is symbolic makes me happy!

I am glad there is no instalove in this book. When Sam meets AJ, they don't even become friends right away. AJ didn't even want to be friends with Sam. Slowly they become friends and even something more. I love the slow burning romance. Stone includes adult figures in the novel who are shown in a positive light for a teen. Sam's parents and her therapist are super supportive of her and Sam appreciates everything they do to help her. The twist at the end caught me by surprise but it works so well with the novel. I highly recommend the Every Last Word for realistic contemporary fans and also if you enjoy reading coming-of-age novels.

There is currently a pre-order giveaway where the first 50 people will receive a personalized bookplate and a signed bookmark. You can also enter for a chance to win a Every Last Word prize pack.

MISTI-Con: Day 4 and Day 5

Check out Day 1 of my MISTI-Con adventures here, Day 2 here and Day 3 here.

Day 4

Sunday was packed full of activities and fun. I decided to wear my Weasley Wizarding Wheezes apron with a red dress and a black skirt. I woke up at a decent time and went to breakfast before attending An Introduction to the Dark Arts and Crafts: Needle Felting workshop at Belknap instructed by Nichole Kemsley. I am impressed how Nick was able to bring all the crafting supplies from Qatar to New Hampshire. She's such a good instructor too. I had no problems at all when I was following the steps of how to needle felt. Kira's mother was nice enough to donate some wool for the workshop as well. Jess and I had a lot of fun learning how to needle felt. We made a sorting hat and started a mini witch/wizard. Needle felting is easy to do and it's super relaxing. I see myself needle felting a lot of gifts in the future. I was able to start the base for Hermione's body and her hat. All other embellishments were added when I got home.

After the workshop, I stopped by the Common Room for Madam Malkins Clearance Rack. I picked up a couple of felted soaps before heading toward the Stitch and Witch workshop at Paugus. The great thing about Stitch and Witch is that attendees can bring in their crafts and work on crafty things while chatting with other people interested in the same thing. Snacks were provided as well which was a plus. Some people learned how to knit and I know a few learned how to spin yarn with a drop spindle. I was working on my little needle felted witch and left the workshop a bit early to attend a last minute Chris Rankin presentation at the Main Tent. It was nice to hear Chris Rankin read from his University thesis about Harry Potter Fandom. he also did a Q&A. For those who don't know, Chris Rankin played Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter films. I also saw an amazing Marauder's Map costume when leaving the Main Tent.

Chris Rankin went barefoot at his presentation

Marauder's Map costume

I met my boyfriend near the Gazebo Beach Bar to get some food. Before more programming, my boyfriend and I found a Ford Anglia!!! Now this is quite serious! Only at an HP convention will you find something as awesome as this. I did find a couple cars with HP themed vanity plates like one with Quaffle on it.

AHHH!!! FORD ANGLIA!!!

Afterwards, we both headed to What's Your Cuppa Tea panel that my sister was presenting. I also popped into part of Dressing like a Malfoy on a Weasley Budget: The Essentials of Thrifty Costuming panel. Both panels were quite informative.

Quite a lot of people attended the tea panel

I went the a HP Fandom in Japan panel for about 20 minutes before venturing upstairs to the main lobby where I chatted with Krissy, Cecilia and a bunch of other people before heading back to the hotel room to relax. I caught the last 15 minutes of the Costumed Tea with the Malfoys which was quite fun. It was an informal get together with everyone drinking tea and catching up. Christina and I went to the Common Room to bring leftover tea bags and snacks for others to enjoy. The great thing is that my room is in the same building as the Common Room so I went back to my room to get ready for the Ball. I also snacked on some food before heading outside. My boyfriend and I wandered around the grounds before heading to the Main Tent. I had a blast at the Ball as always. The decorations were amazing, the HP themed drinks were good and everyone loved the photo booth.

How awesome is this? The recreation of tasks in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone! Well minus the flying keys.

My sister and I at the photo booth.

A lot of people were dressed up for the ball and I loved seeing everyone's costume. Of course I saw Wormtail, Lockhart, Auror Harry, a couple of Severus Snapes and even Voldemort. The night went on until maybe a little bit after 10:00. There were many after parties that started at 11:00 and went until 2:00. I ended up going back to the room to change and shower before popping into the various parties. There was a dance party, Disney/broadway singalong, a karaoke room and a bunch of people were hanging out all night long. When I popped into the karaoke room, one of the Snapes I have encountered was singing and the people at the Disney/broadway room were belting out to a RENT number. I eventually made my way to the main lobby and was able to play Cards Against Muggles with my boyfriend, Krissy, Ni and a few other people. Can I say this game is sometimes mildly disturbing but it's so freaking hilarious and addicting? I am glad I was able to test it out at MISTI before playing it in the Muggle world.

I love this picture of Snape and Voldie.

Day 5

Monday was the last day of MISTI. I woke up around 9 something and packed the rest of my things before checking out of the hotel. The Leaving Feast was in the Main Tent and everyone was so emotional. No one wanted to leave and return to the Muggle world. MISTI is magic. It creates bonds no other fandom can create. MISTI creates long lasting meaningful friendships. Even though everyone was sad to leave, we all knew that we can reunite at MISTI 2017! Yes, there will be another MISTI and I hope I will see you there! I hope you enjoyed my recaps of my MISTI-Con 2015 trip.

I see Snape at the Leaving Feast!!!

MISTI-Con: Day 3

Check out Day 1 of my MISTI-Con adventures here and Day 2 here.

Day 3: Saturday, May 23, 2015

Saturday at MISTI-Con was pretty intense since there was so much to do. I actually slept in and missed my first panel due to me staying up to late the previous day. I ended up wearing my Marauder's robes. After a quick breakfast, I ended up attending a panel called Houses vs. Factions: Comparing Harry Potter and Divergent in Belknap. It was pretty short but the panelist opened up the floor for Q&A and also for comments. I loved listening to other peoples' opinions about how the Harry Potter houses correlate with Diverent's factions.

After the panel, I met up with Krissy to help her set up her table for the Bewitching Bazaar and Author's Alley. I ended up staying for the most of the bazaar assisting my sister with her craft table. My boyfriend and I were able to wander around the Wizarding World Fair when my sister's table wasn't super crowded. There were a lot of inflatables like the Auror's Training Course and a bouncy house which was renamed The Shrieking Shack. Lunch was pretty amazing since there were a lot of awesome food trucks around. My boyfriend and I had some hot dogs and fries from Best Dog on the Planet: Boston Trolley Dogs.

Krissy and I at Krissy's craft table

Guess who I found at the Bewitching Bazaar? Professor Sprout and Neville!

Unfortunately, I had to miss a few panels in the afternoon since the Bazaar ran from 12:00-5:00 and I was setting up from 10:30-12:00 and breaking down from 5:00 - 6:00. After a bit to eat for dinner, my boyfriend and I wandered around the Margate and ended up in the Common Room. Around 7:00, my boyfriend and I walked toward Paugus for a yarn spinning workshop. Can I say that it took me forever to to learn how to spin yarn on a metal hook. I didn't get to the drop spindle but I hope to continue learning how to spin yarn. It's pretty cool how you can take wool and transform it to yarn so quickly. After practicing during my free time in my hotel room, I finally got the hang of it and spun a pretty good amount of yarn. It's quite relaxing once I got a hang of it. One of my favorite parts of the night was seeing the rainbow sky! The Margate had an amazing view!

I took it pretty easy Saturday night because I wanted to stay up late on Sunday because of the Ball and because it's the last night at MISTI. I went to bed at a good time because I didn't want to miss my first program on Sunday morning. I did pop into the Unspeakable Party for a bit in my PJs just to see what's going on and wandered around the empty corridors.

Ministry corridor