It’s been a little over two months since my trip up to Banff with my sisters Mel & Rachel – which was the first proper vacation my sisters and I have taken where it was just the three of us. I’ll admit that I’d always admired Banff as the most famous photos of the place include beautiful natural scenery, but it never was a personal top priority for a travel destination. After this trip, I’ve wholeheartedly changed my tune because it’s one of the few places in the world that gives me a wonderful, magical, inspiring feeling and I would happily go back for another visit. Even though this post is coming belatedly, I decided I still wanted to share about the trip – both for my benefit when I look back at this year and for the benefit of others who might want to visit Banff themselves. 

[As a special note, anything I particularly loved during our trip is marked with a heart – it’s something I’d personally recommend taking the time to do if you’re planning to go to Ireland. I’m happy to answer any more questions if you’ve got them, so feel free to leave a comment or reach out via email or DM on Twitter or Instagram!] 

• Tim Hortons – I was told prior to my trip that I had to get an iced capp when I visited. I’m glad I listened because I really enjoyed the drink, along with the TimBits and the sandwich we got for our drive from the airport in Calgary up to Banff. 
• Melissa’s Missteak – We picked this as our first lunch spot for two reasons: we wanted comfort food and the name. It was a pleasure to warm up indoors, as the restaurant has a cozy cabin feel (though it was a bit dim for my liking). We decided to share the New York strip and the Chorizo Benny (which were both delicious and perfectly satisfied our hunger after traveling all morning into the early afternoon), accompanied by pots of tea to warm our insides. 
• Bow Falls Viewpoint – This spot was our first taste of the natural views Banff has to offer! We enjoyed it despite the fog and the rain, as it really felt like we had arrived in the place we’d all been eager to get to. Observing the flowing river, dark trees and mountain silhouettes and walking along the pebbled riverside path for a little while was lovely. 
• ♥ Lake Louise – We arrived while the sky was still dark so we could park close to the lakeside. The sunrise view would have been incredible if it hadn’t been a gray morning, but we did get to see it in full color when we arrived post-hike. (A fair warning – plenty of photographers and videographers gather to capture the sunrise so you’ll be hard-pressed to get a spot if you arrive later.) 

• ♥ Lake Agnes Trail (including Mirror Lake) – I never ever thought I’d say this, but I really loved this hike! It’s a clear path that tackles the mountainous area near Lake Louise, marked with signs and populated with other hikers, so you never feel too isolated. There are a few highlight spots to see along the way, including Mirror Lake, as well as a couple of inclines to tackle. I’m not a seasoned hiker, but I didn’t think the path was overly difficult to walk at all. (Side note - wearing hiking boots or sneakers with proper tread is highly recommended, as the path can be slippery with mud.) 
• ♥ Lake Agnes Teahouse – I can honestly say that this was one of my favorite meals of the entire trip! It’s simple fare that satisfies the hunger patrons will feel after their hike up. While we didn’t get to see the lake too clearly because of the weather, we still enjoyed ourselves. Apart from having some of their local tea, we shared a tuna salad sandwich on their homemade oatmeal brown bread, chowder, chocolate cake and tea biscuits with jam. (Two things to remember: 1) seating space indoors and outdoors is limited and 2) this is a cash only spot.) 
• Lake Louise Station Restaurant – After hiking back down the trail, we were hungry again and wanted to find a lunch spot nearby. Intrigued by the notion of a restaurant in a train station, we decided on this place. The actual restaurant also has a cozy cabin ambience albeit with additional fancy touches. We ordered the Station Beef Stew (two thumbs up), Station Mac and Cheese (nothing special, but comfort food) and Rocky Mountain poutine with duck (I do love poutine). 
• Peyto Lake Viewpoint and Bow Summit – It was raining when we visited, but that didn’t diminish the experience of this view. It was so cool to the incredibly vivid colors of this lake, particularly against the backdrop of dark mountains and trees; it was a lot like seeing a postcard in real life! 
• Bow Lake – Once of the best things about visiting Banff is being inspired to detour to stop at different spots while you’re on the road. We pulled over to walk the path lakeside on a whim, and it was lovely! The skies went from overcast to bright during our time there, and the ground was a bit slippery with the wet and the mud, but we had a lovely time contemplating all the views and stretching our legs. 

• ♥ COWS – Would it really be a trip that involved me and Rachel if we didn’t have ice cream somewhere? There was a rather long line for this place, but it was worth the wait for sure. I had a scoop of PEI Strawberry and PEI Apple Crisp on a cone, and I’m still thinking about it now. (Also, in case it wasn’t obvious, I was inspired to pick up the fruity flavors because of PEI. Because PEI makes me think of Anne of Green Gables.) 
• Beaver Tails – I was also instructed to try a beaver tail at least once while we were in Canada, so Mel snagged us one that had Nutella and banana. It was tasty and perfect for sharing, but nothing too special, in my humble opinion as someone who likes dessert. 
• Vermilion Lakes – We all love sunsets (and sunrises), so we looked for a place where we could watch it. We went to this lake two times for the sunset (joined by a decent amount of other people), once on an overcast day and once on a sunny day. Both were beautiful experiences, but there was a more stunning array of distinctive colors in the sky on the sunnier day. 
• ♥ Horseshoe Canyon (along Bow River) – If you’ve been reading my blog for some time, you know I’m adventurous but not necessarily when it comes to active adventures like, let’s say, whitewater rafting. Mel convinced me to accompany her for this experience, and I’m so glad she did! We booked with Chinook Rafting, who were very professional, personable and excellent at keeping everyone comfortable with rafting and its particulars. Equipment (wetsuits, jackets, helmets, boots) was provided, and I can report that they keep the body warm while the water splashes you during your rafting experience and if you decide to make the cliff jump. It was seriously so much fun, and I would do it again! 

• ♥ Park Distillery – For our last sit-down meal of the trip, we ended up here and it was a winner! The interior is inviting with its light woods and open areas to eat, and you can go on a tour of the actual distillery should you so wish. We ordered the Park Burger, the Blu Dog (which I truly enjoyed) and the Tagliatelle, and I can highly recommend paying a visit to this spot if you’re ever in Banff. 
• ♥ Emerald Lake – This wasn’t originally on our agenda, but we ended up visiting on a whim – and it was one of the best parts of the trip. The lake and its surroundings are incredibly beautiful, painted in vivid colors that really stood out with the bright sunshine and blue skies of the afternoon we went. We ended up renting a canoe and rowing out into the lake for an hour or so, which turned out to be a lot of fun! 
• ♥ Moraine Lake – This was probably the place we were all greatly anticipating seeing in person during this trip, and we were not disappointed. We arrived before the sunrise and managed to clamber up onto the Rockpile (yes, there were mild shenanigans involving balancing across fallen logs that I couldn’t do particularly well, and I recommend being very careful if you make your own way up there versus taking the actual path that exists… which we didn’t discover till after we’d climbed) that is on one side of the lake just in time to see the sun peek over the peaks. We ended up renting a canoe yet again, and it was another magical experience because everywhere we looked, we were surrounded by incredible natural views. (A thing to note: You need to leave very early if you want to get a parking spot right by this lake because the actual parking lot is small. You do have the option of parking farther away and riding a shuttle to the lake, but that means you’re at the mercy of the shuttle schedule.) 
• Johnston Canyon Trail – Determined to make the most of our last day, even if it wasn’t a full one), we walked this trail until we got to the first waterfall (which is the smaller one). This was a fun trail experience, as it involves constructed walkways, rock formations and lovely views of the river along the way. 

I probably sound like a broken record since I kept waxing poetic in this post about how incredible the natural views were, how vivid the colors and how lovely the experience. But, to be frank, that’s precisely how I felt about many of the places we visited on this trip. And, honestly, visiting Banff was a wonderful experience, a surprise as I’d had no expectations going into it except having a good time with my sisters – which, in the end, was the best part of this entire vacation. I loved Banff, I loved spending so much time with two of the people who know me best in the world and I definitely want to go back for another visit one day.

Check out the video Rachel made to chronicle our trip!

I had high expectations for Not the Girl You Marry, as it was pitched as being a gender-swapped version of one of my favorite romantic comedy films How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Overall, it was a diverting enough read to distract me on a long plane ride… but it otherwise failed to leave a lasting impression. There’s no doubt about this one being a romantic comedy, complete with the touchstones of that genre - over-the-top funny scenarios, a budding romance between two unlikely individuals tossed together by fate, a slew of secondary characters that make the story more colorful, the dramatic event that tears our couple apart. Hannah and Jack were an adorable couple, and their story held my attention the whole way through. But the more time that passes since I read it, the more I realize it was a middle-of-the-road read – enjoyable at the time, but forgettable overall. I’d still say it’s worth checking out if you like rom-coms and need a quick, diverting read, but it’s more of a borrow than a buy. 

What's your favorite romantic comedy? I love rom-coms, so this was a truly difficult question to answer! The one I've probably rewatched the most is Sweet Home Alabama, a story I find truly delightful and also surprisingly relatable. But if you want more recommendations, feel free to ask!

Not the Girl You Marry was released on November 12, 2019 by Berkley. 

I received an ARC at ApollyCon. 

When I learned that Meg and Jo was a modern tale inspired by Little Women, I knew immediately that I needed to read it. I grew up reading (and rereading) Little Women, drawn to the story of the March sisters and their lives, so I was interested to see how Virginia Kantra would draw inspiration that informed her own novel. I’m happy to report that this was a delightful read! Kantra pulls character traits and plot points from the original, and successfully transposes them into a modern setting. I found the actual plot of both Meg and Jo’s narratives very compelling, but what really made this book such a win was Kantra’s portrayal of the titular characters. While they do fit properly into the idea readers will have of their characters based on Little Women, these two also felt a touch more relatable because of the more modern conflicts they face. I also particularly liked that Kantra didn’t portray just their strengths; she’s unflinchingly honest about her portrayal of their flaws too (which could get frustrating but was also relatable). Meg and Jo surprised me in a good way, and I would certainly recommend picking it up whether you’ve read Little Women or not (though you might find some fun details to enjoy if you have). And there’s going to be a companion novel (Beth and Amy), which I’m definitely picking up! 

Which March sister do you relate to the most? Jo and I have a lot in common, and I've always imagined myself to be most like her. But if we're being completely truthful, I'm actually a lot more like Meg.

Meg and Jo will be released on December 3, 2019 by Berkley. 

I downloaded an e-galley from Netgalley for review.

It doesn’t surprise me that I really enjoyed Catwoman: Soulstealer a whole lot, even though I don’t necessarily gravitate towards stories with superheroes (and supervillains). I’ve been a Maas fan for years, and the way she tells stories and writes characters has always really worked for me, and it’s no different with this one even with a new world and new characters to play with. I truly enjoyed her take on Selina Kyle, who is a character with a complicated set of morals (which reminds me of other Maas characters, admittedly), and I like the direction she took with the plot as well. Also, considering my familiarity with the world of Gotham and Batman (which is very light, and mostly centered on the various Robins), it was fun to see recognizable faces and details pop up and be woven immediately into this story! It was truly fun to experience this world through the lens that Maas provides, and I enjoyed seeing her spin on a young adult Selina Kyle and her story. 

Catwoman: Soulstealer was released on August 7, 2018 from Random House Books for Young Readers.

Much like my experience with Morgenstern’s other published work The Night Circus, The Starless Sea challenged me to wholly immerse myself in the prose and try to make sense out of the seemingly disjointed pieces of the narrative to get a clearer understanding of the full story. Morgenstern also includes detailed imagery, using repeated motifs, additional ‘secondary sources’ and vivid descriptions to bring her story to life. As someone who occasionally fancies this type of writing and responds well to it when in the right mood (which I was when I cracked this volume open), it made this tale even more magical and fantastical. I feel very strongly that this is a story that is worth returning to again and again, if only to uncover even more to the book each time. It is a fact that The Starless Sea is not going to be a book that appeals to every reader (particularly if you gravitate more towards character-driven stories, as for me, this was not purely that)… but it was a book that worked very well for me. 

The Starless Sea was released on November 5, 2019 from Doubleday Books. 

I received an ARC during BookCon from the publisher for review.

I had high hopes for Steel Crow Saga, considering the things I’d heard about it prior to picking it up, and I’m happy to be able to say that I really enjoyed it! This novel takes on the task of narrating the stories of four different individuals: a princess determined to earn her place as heir to the throne, a thief given a second chance, an exiled prince returning to claim his place on the throne, and a military sergeant tasked with the protection of said prince. Even though I tend to be partial to ensemble casts, it’s an undeniably difficult task for an author to juggle the multiple storylines and to alternate narrative voices in a way that is specific enough to be easy for readers to remember. Paul Krueger successfully accomplished this here, highlighting the individual experiences of Tala, Jimuro, Xiulan and Lee in a way that made it easy to tell them apart and giving them stakes and obstacles that kept me invested in all their stories. It helps that they happen to be a diverse bunch, both in terms of race, gender and sexuality (which also applies to the secondary characters). Apart from the strength of his character portrayals, Krueger also manages to bring an extremely interesting world to life from the magical lore to the complex political ties between the countries (including the effects of colonization and revolution, which I found particularly interesting). He also succeeds in weaving together a series of plots and tropes that will be fun for any reader but will be particularly recognizable for any anime fans (and his storytelling is very much like that of a shonen anime too). Honestly, I had so much fun devouring Steel Crow Saga and would certainly recommend adding it to your TBRs! (I also want to throw in that I particularly feel like if you enjoyed Fullmetal Alchemist, you might really like this, as there were elements and themes that reminded me of it.) 

Steel Crow Saga was released on September 24, 2019 by Del Rey Books.

I downloaded an e-galley from NetGalley for review, and buddy read it with Melanie.

The comp titles that I remember hearing associated with The Beholder prior to reading it were The Odyssey and The Selection, which intrigued me because I’m familiar with the former and had fun reading the latter in recent years. I also adore Anna, who is one of the bubbliest, brightest and kindest ladies I know, so I knew without a doubt that I was going to be reading her debut novel! The Beholder follows Selah, who is effectively sent away from her home by her stepmother in order to go on a tour of potential ‘suitors’ to marry and it covers the first two arranged stops on the tour. The plot set-up is simple, and this story really does cover Selah’s experiences with her suitors in their homelands and her growth as she is forced into some really challenging scenarios. I did find this story to bounce back and forth between predictable turns and plots that felt too simple to me, but I genuinely do think it delivered on what it promised overall (even though I expected something different, and that’s on me). Selah felt like a very typical heroine, particularly as compared to fairytales, where she doesn’t appear to have enough agency and instead has situations thrust upon her (though that does improve by the end of the story), so she also was not enough of a hook for me when it came to this story. Throw in the presence of literary and historical references that I wasn’t entirely certain were significant, a world that felt a little confusing to me and a plot that didn’t really keep me interested, and I ended up finding The Beholder to be just an okay read.

The Beholder was released on June 4, 2019 by Harper Teen.

I downloaded an e-galley from Edelweiss for review.

If you’ve seen me (along with many other folks) talking about Wicked Fox anywhere online, you’ll already have heard that it is basically an urban fantasy Korean drama distilled into YA book form. And that, my friends, is a very fun thing, at least in my book! The basic premise is that Miyoung is a gumiho who loses her fox bead in the process of saving her human male classmate and must figure out how to get it back before it’s discovered by other parties. Korean drama fans are going to recognize the tropes and structure that author Kat Cho employs to tell this story, but even if you’ve never seen one, this novel is still so much fun to read (and really reminiscent of older paranormal/urban YA fantasies that I’ve enjoyed previously, like the first Mortal Instruments trilogy, the Unearthly trilogy or the Everneath trilogy). It might share vibes and plot devices with the series previously mentioned, but there are two things that, to me, set it apart. First, it is the way Cho weaves in Korean folklore and culture into this story. I’ve never really encountered that in the fantasy stories I’ve read in the past, so it was fun to learn more about it reading this! And second, at the end of the day, this is a compelling character journey where Miyoung grapples with who she is and what she wants. While there is a life-or-death aspect to her own situation and while none of us happen to be supernatural creatures (unless some of you are and are just not revealing yourselves), the core of the choices she is forced to make are relatable in that she is making sense of the line between good or evil, the circumstances you’re born into and the relationships that will weigh heavily on your decision making. I did enjoy other parts of the story (the rest of the characters, the setting, the food, the ending), but I’ve got my reservations about other aspects of the story (the romance, the length). Still, Wicked Fox was a very enjoyable read, and I’d recommend picking it up if you haven’t already! I’m definitely looking forward to checking out the sequel next year.

Wicked Fox was released on June 25, 2019 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers.

I received an ARC from the publisher for review.

Project Runway meets Mulan – that’s the original pitch I heard for Spin the Dawn, and I had to immediately add the book to my TBR after seeing these two comp titles thrown together. Overall, I thought it was a fun story! I was immediately drawn to the setting and the lore, what with a world that felt distinctly Asian-inspired (specifically with elements of Chinese culture woven in) and magical, fantastical elements that felt right out of a fairytale. I liked the characters well enough, particularly Maia, who simply wants to pursue the talent she possesses for tailor in spite of living in a society where such a career path is not for women and eventually decides she will do what it takes to achieve her dream. But I did find the actual story jarring in terms of pacing and plot (though it did call to mind the structure of older YA fantasies such as those of Tamora Pierce, when books were published in shorter volumes). I’d gone into it expecting the entire novel to center around the tailoring competition and instead discovered it had three distinct parts: the competition (which I do like in fantasy books), a quest (which I’m very partial to) and the aftermath of the first two. Though I do have my reservations, I did end up liking Spin the Dawn and will most certainly be checking out the sequel to find out how it all ends. 

Spin the Dawn was released on July 9, 2019 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

I received an e-galley via NetGalley for review.

A Constellation of Roses is about a teen that needs to come to terms with her past if she wants to have any hope of carving out a home and new future for herself – and it’s such a compelling read. Trix McCabe has always been focused on her own survival, using her magical gift to steal what she needs in order to live and reliant on only herself. Presented with the choice of going to jail or living with her newly discovered long-lost family in Kansas, she decides on the latter… at least until she’s of legal age and can leave to be on her own. It’s in Kansas where she is first introduced to the group of women that make up her living family – her great-aunt, her aunt Mia and her cousin Ember, who also possess special magical abilities (which run in their bloodline). While the actual plot is a solid reason to invest your time in this book, the true highlights of this story are the characters and their relationships. This is a story that is predicated on the readers coming to care deeply about Trix, to understand where she’s coming from and to root for her to figure out what she really wants. It is about the relationships that shaped her, whether they are the ones from her colorful past or the newer ones that shake up her present. I got swept up completely in this small-town story about this family of women and the people who care about them, getting so emotionally invested that I teared up at the very end. A Constellation of Roses was a lovely sophomore novel from Miranda Asebedo, and I would highly recommend checking it out. 

If you had Aunt Mia's power, what would your pie be? I do love pie (though I’ve only ever tried to bake one once and must remedy that), so this was hard to decide on! But I ultimately decided on a Calm & Comfort Chocolate Marshmallow Pie, because that combination would certainly bring me comfort and calm. 

A Constellation of Roses was released November 5, 2019 from Harper Teen.

I downloaded an e-galley from Edelweiss for review.

The How and the Why was so good, friends. The novel follows Cassandra “Cass” McMurtrey in the present day as she navigates her senior year, difficult personal circumstances and questions her identity in relation to the birth parents who gave her up. In between chapters about the present, readers will get to read letters written by Cass’ birth mother that offer insight into her personality and circumstances. While it is no easy feat to juggle two narratives with two different main characters, Cynthia Hand masterfully does it in this very much character-driven novel. I felt so keenly for Cass, who is struggling with her fears and insecurities in the light of the love she feels for the people in her life and the future she wants so badly to pursue. And I felt equally invested in her birth mother, whose personality (with its positive and negative traits) really came through in all the stories she recounted in her letters. Caring so deeply for both these young women certainly affected how I felt overall (though the plot was well-crafted too, mind you). I truly enjoyed the reading experience of The How and the Why, even though it set me off on an emotional roller coaster ride that had me going from happy to angry to sad as I devoured it in one sitting. It is a novel that should 100% be added to your TBR list, in my opinion! 

Cass (and her BFF) both love theatre/drama. Have you ever been in a play and what was your role? I performed in a lot of skits and plays when I was in high school, less so when I was in college, even though I was heavily into theater during both. I never did have an actual assigned role, but I was involved in recreations of portions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I was usually found backstage more often than not, as I was always a stage manager (and that’s also how Macky and I met)!

The How and the Why was released on November 5, 2019 by Harper Teen.

I received an ARC at BookExpo 2019 for review.