I was in fourth grade when my childhood best friend whipped out her Xbox and handed me a shiny black controller. She powered on the console, flipped through several games, and opened one with a blocky logo. Serene music filled the dimly lit bedroom, and a loading screen appeared. Within minutes, a world of self-expression and creativity flooded my senses. My friend had built castles, houses, and parks. She had renovated villages, opened portals, and even designed a fish-bowl aquarium. I had never seen this game before, but suddenly I wanted to learn everything about it. My friend showed me how to set off TNT, how to generate different biomes, and how to tame animals. I personally discovered survival mode, which I had come to play-through a dozen times. There were so many unique features that I adored! The mobs were all intriguing and exploring the natural world of Minecraft was captivating. However, nothing beat the excitement of playing the game with my friend. Collaboration is my favorite aspect of the game, Minecraft. In elementary school, it was a staple activity for me and my childhood best friend. We’d create buildings and stories with these blocks for hours, and we never ran out of ideas! The game reinforced my appreciation of teamwork and encouraged me to use my imagination. In middle school, I played with several friend groups and achieved some incredible builds with their help. One of my personal favorites was a Dungeons and Dragons themed world with a marketplace, flying dragons, an Inn, and a tavern. Building something based on one of my passions with the people I loved was a touching experience. Although I lost this world due to an account change, the memories I have of working on it are euphoric. When I began high school, I felt like I was entering a new era; a serious one. One where I would never have time to kick back, relax, and play a video game. This was partially true since I became oversaturated with schoolwork, my jobs, JROTC, and my musical hobbies. Even though I was busy, I couldn’t help keeping a list of ideas for Minecraft builds. Builds that I’d hopefully get around to. Some of which included lodges, theaters, and cat cafés. By my junior year, I’d barely been on my Minecraft worlds, and I figured it would be a moot point. That was when one of my high school friends began talking to me about her adoration for Minecraft. I was struck with excitement! By mentioning her love for the game, my whole friend group decided to come forward and announce their own fond memories of Minecraft. That day we established a Minecraft server for our class, anyone was welcome to join. Students logged on and created their own homes, contraptions, and even amusement parks! It was beautiful to see so many people getting involved with one world and making a community both out of blocks and in real life. Today, I still try to find time to build with my friends because bonding over mutual creation is meaningful to me. I am so grateful for the memories I’ve forged with others through this game, and for the nostalgia it gives me. It all started in fourth grade, sitting on my childhood friend’s bed, on a lazy afternoon, with an Xbox controller in hand.

Nothing beats finding a cozy corner, pouring some spiced tea, and dusting off a book that’s been awaiting your perusal. This very scenario mimics how I began my first #BookTok book, “They Both Die at The End”. This book explores the dark theme of destiny, or fate. The notion that there is a preconceived timeline that you’re bound to follow, that your death day is set, is daunting! However, this book shows two characters who are determined to make the most of their ‘final day’. They demonstrate that it is never too late in your life to seek adventure, to find passion and love, and to experience the world around them. Yes, the ending is tragic, but its message is beautiful. I interpret it as “make the most of the time you have”. This is why it would be the first story on my #BookTok shelf. “Call Me by Your Name” by André Aciman would be the second on my shelf. This story depicts a romance between a local in Italy, Elio, and a professor named Oliver who is staying in Elio’s home for a 6-week visit. Elio becomes completely enamored with Oliver, who conceals his mutual affections. The book is eccentric, contains strange metaphors for acceptance, and its ending is almost as heartbreaking as my first pick's. Despite their colorful romance, Oliver cannot accept who he is, and he moves on with his life in America, leaving Elio shattered. Where’s the appeal to this book? Well, this book explores the borderline obsession and naivety of young love, which is relatable to me. While Elio doesn’t end up with this man he loves, he learns that there is beauty in life and that youth can invigorate feeling and inspire great passion. There is a poem in the book, “San Clemente”, that describes love as the Basilica of Rome. This place has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, and each time it is rebuilt on the remains of the last version. It is resilient and a gorgeous piece of history. Our relationships, though they may be “destroyed” can be rebuilt on the remains, on our foundation. This book is worthy of hours of annotation and might be my favorite on this shelf. I couldn’t make a #BookTok shelf without “The Cruel Prince” by Holly Black. This book explores intense power dynamics, and the world building is phenomenal. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres and this book brings the Fae to life with in-depth descriptions and unique monarchies. The book appears to be a cliché story of “mortal girl falls in love with Fae royalty bully”, but it evolves into a story of power misuse, political strategy, and the rise of an underdog. Jude Duarte has questionable morals, but just about everybody in the series does too. This makes it an interesting read since the characters’ alignments create jaw-dropping plot twists! Admittedly, I’m a sucker for a happy ending, so this series gets extra points for its wholesome conclusion. I feel like these books have struck a chord in many hearts. “They Both Die at the End” was the first book my best friend and I raved over together. Since then, we’ve been finding books to read together. This includes “Call Me by Your Name” which has a special place on my personal bookshelf because its poetic writing style has inspired so many to pick up the skill of annotation. “The Cruel Prince” is a fan favorite on TikTok because of its complex characters and whimsical world! All these books are fantastic reads and create my quaint, but inspiring, bookshelf.