Five Fall Favourites // Day Three

Third day of the week already! Hasn't the party been just awesome? :) I think so! Found a lot of books so far, my TBR list is getting bigger ;) What about you?

Now let's get onto the post shall we? Get nice and comfy on your seat (I'm gonna assume you're sitting. Or do you usually stand when you're on the computer? ;)) and prepare for a barrage of books coming your way! 

Biography 

Ever since I was little, I've enjoyed reading about people's lives. Especially missionaries. So don't be surprised if you see mostly missionary biographies here ;) 

Through Gates of Splendor is an account of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, and Roger Youderian's mission: to preach the gospel to the Aucas. The book outlines the hard effort put into their work, the struggles that the missionaries went through, and the joys they experienced. It also recounts the events following the killing of the men; the long search for the bodies, the widows' never-ending faith in God, and the continuation of Operation Auca. Through Gates of Splendor is a wonderful book that seeks to show the reader the grace and love of God and how He uses men who are "expendable for Christ" to work in His ultimate plan.

I really enjoyed this book! I wasn't just reading an interesting story, I was reading about the life of men who had actually lived and worked for Christ! I've read other biographies on Operation Auca, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and their fellow missionaries, but Through Gates of Splendor really helped me to better understand their motives and realize WHY Operation Auca was so important to them. And unlike the other books I've read on them, this one really went all out with sections written by the men themselves. How cool is it to read entries that they wrote during Operation Auca? Talk about first-hand information! And not only that, but pictures too were included in the book. It really helped give an in-depth description of the meetings with the Aucas, the construction of Palm Beach, and personal emotions and feelings that the missionaries had experienced both in difficulties and times of rejoicing. 

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I do believe George Mueller is the first missionary I ever read about. As a result, he's also one of my absolute favourites. The multiple stories of his acts of faith have forever been embedded in my memory! :D 

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Amy Carmichael is one of my absolute favourite missionaries too. (Be prepared to hear that a lot ;)) I love the story of how she prayed to God to change her brown eyes to blue, but years later, looking back at the prayer, she saw that God had used her brown eyes to help her connect more easily with the Indians. That really influenced me to change my thinking and to be thankful for the colour God had given my own eyes and hair :) 

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*gasp* Not a missionary this time! ;) But seriously, this is an amazing book! (Lucy Winchester is based on the life of a real person, but there are some parts that are fictitious)

As a girl, Lucy Winchester yearned for spiritual fellowship and understanding. Her father, however, was a stern backwoodsman who stood foursquare against religion of any sort.

Lucy's lifelong spiritual quest is set against a back drop of two difficult marriages that included broken promises, sickness, numerous infant deaths, alcoholism, tragic accidents, and poverty. From the unspeakable joy of learning to know Christ as her Saviour, Lucy stumbled through years of spiritual ignorance, doubt, disappointment, and despair until she eventually found peace again in Christ. 

This true account reflects the goodness of God patiently leading those who are thirsty to the fountain of living water. Readers who have know personal tragedy will be blessed with fresh courage by reading this book.

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Corrie ten Boom's 'prequel' to the classic The Hiding Place. Concentrating upon her family and their life in Holland before the war, this inspiring and revealing book describes in moving detail living above the family watch shop in Harlem and her memories of the family together before their lives changed for ever with the advent of war and persecution. Corrie believed that this life helped prepare them for carrying out God's work later and gave her the strength to survive the war, brutal hardship and persecution and begin her worldwide ministry. This much loved book is being re-issued in B format with a contemporary cover.

Read this book a few months ago and really enjoyed it. It was very interesting getting to see the life of Corrie ten Boom before The Hiding Place. And all the memories. Those were very sweet :) 

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Fantasy

Sooo....umm....I actually read a lot more fantasy then I thought :P Choosing five books was a little too hard, so I chose 5 series instead! Hope you don't mind ;) To keep this shorter (cause really, putting summaries of over 35 books in one category is just waaaayyyy too much :P) I'm only going to include the first book from each series. 

What if with one touch you could see inside the soul? Rowen Mar finds a strange mark on her hand, and she is banished from her village as a witch. She covers the mark with a leather glove and seeks sanctuary in the White City. She lives in fear that if she touches another person, the power inside her will trigger again, a terrifying power that allows her to see the darkness inside the human heart . . .

But the mark is a summons, and those called cannot hide forever. For the salvation of her people lies within her hand. 

This series was so good! After I read the first book, I HAD to buy the other two sequels. And the other two were just as good as the first one. I think the third one was my absolute favourite though. It made me cry once too. Thank goodness it was fantasy though, because without that, it would have left me very - sad. (sorry, this sounds vague doesn't it? If you've read it, maybe you understand what I mean ;)) 

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They have always scared him in the past — the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied....

Ahhh....okay. Ranger's Apprentice is AMAZING. It was recommended to me by a friend and I LOVED it. Just finished the last one last week. The humour in here is hilarious and the plots for each one of the books are so good. The books are fairly thick, but the storyline doesn't seem like it's being dragged on and on and on and on. It's the kind of book where you're glad it's so thick because it's so good and you don't ever want it to end ;) And now I've started on the other series by the same author, The Brotherband Chronicles ;) 

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Orphan Urchin never intended to be a swashbuckling squirrel. Abandoned at birth on a Mistmantle beach, this mild-mannered acorn hunter was raised by the island's squirrels, otters, and moles. He gains entrance into the royal court, thanks to the support of his hero, the dashing Captain Crispin. But something is wrong in the peaceful kingdom of Mismantle. Under the influence of the squirrel captain Husk, the King is enforcing severe measures against his people. Crispin himself is falsely accused of a horrific murdered and banished. Can little Urchin, a mere smidgen squirrel, defend his master and his people?

Okay, so despite the fact that it's talking animals and all, it's not as immature as you might think it'd be. No, no, no, not one bit. In fact, you even forget they're animals sometimes. This is also the series that had the book that actually made Tiger Lily cry. And if you know Tiger Lily, she usually never cries. Like, never. So yeah, that was pretty amazing. The author has a very delightful way of writing and keeps you hooked throughout the entire book. And...let's see what else should I say to convince you that this is a good book? ;) The characters are amazing. Urchin, Needle, Catkin, Cedar, Fir, Fingal and CRISPIN. Love them all so much!!! :D 

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They opened a door and entered a world--Narnia--the land beyond the wardrobe, the secret country known only to Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Lucy is the first to stumble through the back of the enormous wardrobe in the professor's mysterious old country house, discovering the magic world beyond. At first, no one believes her. But soon Edmund, Peter and Susan, too, discover the magic and meet Aslan, the Great Lion, for themselves. And in the blink of an eye, they are changed forever.

Let me first start off by saying this: If you have not read this series yet - GO READ IT. PLEASE. It is amazing. Narnia has been a fantasy world of mine for years now. I've had little conversations with Lucy in my imagination. I pretended to ride on Aslan's back, along with Susan and Lucy. I cried when Susan didn't believe in Narnia anymore. I even had a small crush on Edmund for a considerable amount of time ;P 

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Josh Adams, 14, awakes from a 50-year sleep. Ancient prophecy commands him and the other Sleepers to unite in battle against the evil priests, and combat the doubt that threatens their faith

Gilbert Morris is another one of my favourite authors. The Seven Sleepers series is such a fun and unique story, I was very sad when the series ended! My sister and I would talk through the night about the books after we read them. Very interesting conversations, I will admit ;) And that plot twist at the end - goodness, I still haven't gotten over it! 

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Tried to hint what room I was at the beginning of the post, but I've got a horrible feeling that was a total flop :P In case you completely missed what I first said and didn't get it at all (which I don't blame you for doing if you did ;)) I am the Bench Room today! (seriously though, do you sit up or stand or hang upside down when you're on the computer? I wants to know xD)  

Don't forget to check out these gals' blogs for more book reviews and to find THE Book Room! :D 

And of course, the Grand Prize! Go to Rebekah's blog to find more ways to enter! 

Ze Prizes. Don't they look aaammazing?! :) 

Recognize any books? Favourites of yours? 

Do you enjoy Biographies and Fantasy? 

And do you sit when you're at the computer? Stand? Walk? Dance? ;)

Five Fall Favourites // Day Two!

Day two of the book party!! Hurray! :D Let's look at some more books, shall we? 

Romance 

Okay, so I actually don't read THAT much romance, so narrowing down my favourites in this category wasn't as hard ;) But I will say, the covers of Christian romance books are soooo beautiful. Don't you think?

A handsome forester on a mission to catch her.

Danger and love are about to unite in Thornbeck Forest.

The margrave owns the finest hunting grounds for miles around—and who teaches children to read, but by night this young beauty has become the secret lifeline to the poorest of the poor.

For Jorgen Hartman, the margrave’s forester, tracking down a poacher is a duty he is all too willing to perform. Jorgen inherited his post from the man who raised him . . . a man who was murdered at the hands of a poacher.

When Jorgen and Odette meet at the Midsummer festival and share a connection during a dance, neither has any idea that they are already adversaries.

The one man she wants is bound by duty to capture her; the one woman he loves is his cunning target . . . What becomes of a forester who protects a notorious poacher? What becomes of a poacher when she is finally discovered? 

Loved this book! Odette's personality is adorable and her skill at archery is A-mazing! And Jorgen's thoughtfulness makes him a very admirable character ;)  And the plot twists - oh don't get me started! I probably through "WHAT?!" a hundred times while reading! 

I've got to say, Melanie Dickerson books are so good! I love how her books are twists on fairy tales. It's so cool! :)  

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Lt. Mellie Blake is looking forward to beginning her training as a flight nurse. She is not looking forward to writing a letter to a man she's never met--even if it is anonymous and part of a morale-building program. Lt. Tom MacGilliver, an officer stationed in North Africa, welcomes the idea of an anonymous correspondence--he's been trying to escape his infamous name for years.

As their letters crisscross the Atlantic, Tom and Mellie develop a unique friendship despite not knowing the other's true identity. When both are transferred to Algeria, the two are poised to meet face-to-face for the first time. Will they overcome their fears and reveal who they are, or will their future be held hostage by their pasts?

Combining a flair for romance with excellent research and attention to detail, Sarah Sundin vividly brings to life the perilous challenges of WWII aviation, nursing--and true love.

I really, really enjoyed this book! There was one point at the end where they were - uh - *blushes* kissing - and a rather long time at that too, it was like "Okay, you can stop kissin' now" :P But Sarah Sundin's characters are so real and ahhhhh, Tom and Mellie are so cute together ;) The main thing I enjoyed was how she added a unique twist to 'true love'. Instead of "love of first glance", it was actually the exact opposite. Tom and Mellie get to know each other, like actually know each other's character and beliefs, before they ever meet. This kind of true love was a lot more realistic and believable ;) 

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Merrill Krause longs for a family of her own, but she's bound by a promise to her dying mother to care for her father and older brothers until they no longer need her. She enjoys being part of the family business, harvesting ice during the brutal Minnesota winters. Merrill actively takes part, possessing a keen ability to work with the horses--despite the advice of her good friend, who disapproves of her unladylike behavior. 

When Rurik Jorgenson arrives in their small town to join his uncle doing carpentry, he soon crosses paths with Merrill. But unlike other men, who are often frightened away by her older brothers, Rurik isn't intimidated by them or by Merrill's strength and lack of femininity. As he thrives under the mentorship of his uncle, Rurik dreams of inheriting the business and claiming Merrill as his wife. But while he is determined to start a new life, the past is determined to follow him when his former fiancee and her brother show up in town. Soon Rurik is put in the center of a major scandal that may damage his relationship with Merrill. Can they learn to trust God--and each other--and embrace the promise of love? 

Ohh...this book was so funny! I mean, it wasn't ALL humour, but the humour in it was hilarious! The relationships she shared with all her brothers were well, you know, the teasing and arguing and more teasing. . . I died when her brother teased her about wearing a way-too-fancy hat by accident while helping a horse give birth ;P 

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Anne's children were almost grown up, except for pretty, high-spirited Rilla. No one could resist her bright hazel eyes and dazzling smile. Rilla, almost fifteen, can't think any further ahead than going to her very first dance at the Four Winds lighthouse and getting her first kiss from handsome Kenneth Ford. But undreamed-of challenges await the irrepressible Rilla when the world of Ingleside becomes endangered by a far-off war. Her brothers go off to fight, and Rilla brings home an orphaned newborn in a soup tureen. She is swept into a drama that tests her courage and leaves her changed forever.

Okay, I could never, can never, and will never, understand Rilla's dislike for babies. How is that even possible?! Aside from that, I found this book really interesting and enjoyed it very much. It made me laugh. It even made me cry. (Walter... *sniff*) 

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First-time schoolteacher Ariana is abducted and taken to an outlaw camp far from her home. As her confinement stretches into weeks, Ariana learns little of her captors. But the one man assigned to her care doesn’t seem to share the temperament of his violent cohorts. He may be Ariana’s only chance for escape.

Haven't read this book in awhile, but I still think this as one of my favourite books ever! It's probably my favourite Janette Oke book :) And ohh.... one of the last plot twists left me so stunned I was literally saying out loud "No, no, no that can not happen!!!!" 'Course, I can't tell you what it is, cause that'd be a big, huge, gargantuan spoiler! I'd suggest you go read it for yourself ;) 

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Historical Fiction 

Soooo....unlike Romance, I had an extremely hard time trying to choose only FIVE historical fiction books. I think I can safely say Historical Fiction is my most read genre. I LOVE history and yeah, fiction and history combined just make awesomeness! Did my very best in trying to cut down the  very long list of books, but I went one book over. It hurt too much to cut it down any more ;) So please forgive the one extra book in this category! 

Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes for the first time at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean island she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is in the meadows, where she enjoys the company of the old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and on occasion, her young sailor friend Nat. But when Kit's friendship with the "witch" is discovered, Kit is faced with suspicion, fear, and anger. She herself is accused of witchcraft!

Elizabeth George Speare is probably one of my absolute favourite historical fiction authors EVER. My mom actually read this to Tiger Lily and me for school about 6 years ago. She always managed to find all the cliffhangers in the book, and of course, would leave us begging for her to continue ;) It's a great story, for young and old alike! 

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Eira has no greater desire than to see her life returned to what it once was—before her older brother Kevin's sudden disappearance four years earlier. But the simple life she hoped for seems unattainable; on the contrary, her life is about to get all the more complicated.

When she suddenly finds herself and Willem, her twin brother, taken captive by someone who claims to be Kevin’s enemy, things go from bad to worse. It soon becomes clear that she and Willem are to become bait in a trap set for Kevin, and Eira knows she must try to warn him. But how, when she herself is a captive?

As mysteries of the past are unveiled, and loyalties are revealed, Eira realizes how precious her friends truly are. And when mortal danger threatens those nearest to her, will she be able to trust God with the lives of her friends and family?

The Silent Blade was amazing, and it’s definitely on my re-read list! Most of the characters were well-developed and easy to relate to, and I caught myself having a mini movie in my head of what I was reading. (After I read the book, I went to Jesseca’s blog and looked up pretty much every post she had ever done on The Silent Blade, specifically the character spotlights, just to solidify the pictures in my mind ;)) 

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Jeanne Chatel has always dreamed of adventure. So when the eighteen-year-old orphan is summoned to sail from France to the wilds of North America to become a king's daughter and marry a French settler, she doesn't hesitate. 

Her new husband is not the dashing military man she has dreamed of, but a trapper with two small children who lives in a small cabin in the woods. With her husband away trapping much of the time, Jeanne faces danger daily, but the bravery and spirit that brought her to this wild place never fail her, and she soon learns to be truly at home in her new land.

This was definitely one of the first books I thought of when I made my list for this category. It is, and will always be, a favourite of mine! 

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Imagine that there are two sides to a war. You are caught right in the very middle of it; and you end up being on both sides all at once. If you help one side, you will die. If you help the other side, your best friend (maybe even more than just a best friend) dies. What do you do?

Copied and pasted that blurb from the review I did during the Cinderella Week. "Imagine that there are two sides to a war" Of COURSE there are two sides to a war. It'd be hard for a war to happen if there's only one side, don't you think? *slams head on desk* :P But yeah, to read my full review, you can click on the link above :) 

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Finding the wounded rebel in the barn was just the beginning of Deborah's troubles. If she is caught hiding Dan, her family will be branded as traitors and their barn burned. If she turns him over to the sheriff, he will be hanged! Deborah is torn between a father she has always trusted to be right, and the wounded boy who begs for her help. A gripping story of divided loyalty.

I first encountered Barbara Greenwood with her "A Pioneer Story". Really enjoyed her writing, so when I found A Question of Loyalty at a book fair, there was no doubt at all that I was going to get it ;) And I didn't regret it one bit! :) 

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In the year 1754, the stillness of Charlestown, New Hampshire, is shattered by the terrifying cries of an Indian raid. Young Miriam Willard, on a day that had promised new happiness, finds herself instead a captive on a forest trail, caught up in the ebb and flow of the French and Indian War.

It is a harrowing march north. Miriam can only force herself to the next stopping place, the next small portion of food, the next icy stream to be crossed. At the end of the trail waits a life of hard work and, perhaps, even a life of slavery. Mingled with her thoughts of Phineas Whitney, her sweetheart on his way to Harvard, is the crying of her sister’s baby, Captive, born on the trail.

Miriam and her companions finally reach Montreal, a city of shifting loyalties filled with the intrigue of war, and here, by a sudden twist of fortune, Miriam meets the prominent Du Quesne family, who introduce her to a life she has never imagined. Based on an actual narrative diary published in 1807, Calico Captive skillfully reenacts an absorbing facet of history.

Yep, another Elizabeth George Speare book. Seriously, her books are amazing! I love each and every one of her books (do you know how hard it was to not include her other books in here?! xD) I first read Calico Captive when I was 10. I remember it was the first night I got to stay up later then the rest of my siblings. Of course, bookworm that I was, the only thing I wanted to do with this newly given free time was read a book ;) Calico Captive happened to be that book, and I loved it right away. My sister and I have read it countless times over the years, and so far we've never gotten tired of it! If you haven't read it yet - GO READ IT. PLEASE!! :D 

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And that ends the list of books for today! Have you read any of these books? If so, let me know!! :D


                                                                          
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           As you can tell from the graphic above, I'm the Bonfire Room today! Do you all do bonfires often? Aren't they so much fun? I think one of my favourite parts of bonfires is burning the top of a stick and then, once it's all red and glowing, making shapes in the sky =D   

Don't forget to check out Kate, Sarah, Kellyn, and Amanda's blogs. They've got some great book recommendations, and one of them's the Book room too!! And you all know what's at the book room, don't you? ;) 

And of course, the Grand Prize! Is anyone as excited about this as I am?! It's books, guys, BOOKS!! ;D 

Go to Rebekah's blog to enter and get a chance to win this AWESOME prize!! 

What's one of your favourite bonfire memories? 

Do you enjoy reading books from today's two genres? 

Have you found the book room for today? ;) 

It's Time to Partyyyy!!!! // Five Fall Favourites

IT'S HERE!!! Party Time, you guys! SO EXCITED!!!!! Y'all ready? ;) Hope so, cause we're jumping right in this. Find new books, (possibly new) blogs, and enter to win some amazing prizes! :) So....let's go! 

There will be two different genres for each day. Today, the two genres are Mystery and Christian Fiction. I added little blurbs under each book, some of them reviews, some summaries, some a mix of both. Hopefully it won't be too confusing ;) I wrote some of my own summaries, but most of them are  from Goodreads, due to time flying by too fast and leaving me waaayyyy behind :P 

Oh yeah, and I might have gone a teensy little over-the-top crazy on choosing fonts for each genre ;P (Of course, now you're going to see the first genre and say "What? The font doesn't look that interesting. . . " But it's special just the same. See, the font type is called Baskerville - for that Sherlock Holmes mystery The Hound of the Baskervilles. So now ya know ;)) 

Mystery 

My absolute favourite Agatha Christie book! Anne Beddingfield lives an utterly mundane life - until one day she sees a man killed on the subway tracks. Caught up in a tangle of questions, robberies, and impostors, Anne travels from Britain to Africa, in search for The Man in the Brown Suit. During her journey, she is joined by the ebullient Suzanne James, a jolly old man named Sir Eustace, sturdy Colonel Race, and the rather mysterious Harry Rayburn. News reaches her about a dangerous murderer going by the name “The Colonel” and her suspicions lead her to believe that one of the members of her own party is the killer. Will she find out who it is before it’s too late?  

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It's Sherlock Holmes, people. That's all I have to say ;)   

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A peaceful vacation in the Welsh mountains seems sure to keep the children out of trouble, but the mystery of a rumbling mountain soon has them thirsty for more adventure.
Philip, Dinah, Lucy-Ann, and Jack are determined to explore the mountain and uncover its secret, but first they must escape from a pack of ravenous wolves and a mad genius who plans to rule the world!

Enid Blyton writes some of the best mysteries ever! If you find Sherlock Holmes boring, (I sincerely hope you don’t, but I suppose it’s a possibility) try one of Ms. Blyton’s books. The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, and the Adventure series are mysteries that are hard to resist. They are written more to draw in a younger audience, but I enjoy them immensely. They are fun, light, and humorous; it'd be hard to not like her books!

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Don’t judge a book by its cover. You’ve heard that before, right? Well, I’ve learned to also not judge a book by its title. When I first picked up this book, I was dreading it. Cue For Treason sounded - oh, I don’t know - awful for some reason. Boring and awful. But then I read it. . . and got lost in it only several pages in.

Fleeing from the evil Sir Philip Morton, Peter Brownrigg finds himself on the wrong side of the law - and on the run. As he makes his way to London, he meets Kit, another runaway, and the two decide to stick together. With luck on their side, they find jobs as apprentices to William Shakespeare, but a chance discovery endangers their lives once more. Soon Peter finds himself on an adventure that takes in murderous plots, secrets and even treason, and will test his bravery to its very limits. Set in the turbulent days of Elizabeth I, this classic story of danger and intrigue conjures up a magical world of mystery, twists and turns and thrilling action.

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Favourite mystery series of mine for almost 5 years now. When I first read Mandie and the Secret Tunnel, I was hooked. I would say they are more for an age group of 8-13, as I found them much more interesting when I was younger. But they are a good Christian mystery series and I would definitely recommend them for mystery lovers!

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Christian Fiction

When Amy, Danny, and Jenny show up at the Morgans' doorstep half-frozen, the reader goes on a fascinating adventure as the family helps the trio and tries to find out who they are and where they came from. 

I'd definitely consider this a re-read. And I'm SO glad I decided to get a paperback copy as opposed to a kindle. Holding an actual book while reading just makes it 110% better :D

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Bonnets and Bugles (series) - Gilbert Morris

Leah Carter thought that nothing could ever shake her or turn her world upside down. But then the Civil War begins - and her best friend Jeff Major is on the opposite side. The series follows Leah, Jeff, and their families as the Civil War rages through the United States, tearing apart family and friends alike. Will the bonds between the Carter and Major families be able to withstand the horrors of war? 

Loved this series so much! Read the first book a few years ago, but then last year, my sister and I decided to buy the entire series because we simply could NOT wait any longer to read the rest of the series. And we didn't regret it. It's awesome! Historical and Christian fiction mixed together, can it get any better? ;) 

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The Prussian Baron von Dortmann and his daughter face the uncertainty of life just before WWII as their faith and relationships are tested.

A really, really good series! Just finished the second book and it's amazing!! 

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Viking Quest - Lois Walfrid Johnson 

Viking raiders capture Bree and her brother Devin and take them from their home in Ireland. After the young Viking prince Mikkel sets Devin free on the Irish coast far from home, Bree and Devin embark on separate journeys to courage. 

Eeks, Lois Walfrid Johnson writes some awesome books, let me tell you! Pretty family friendly as well, so if you're looking for a book to read-aloud or something, I recommend this ;) 

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Eeks, how does one describe this book? I read this book very recently, but it instantly jumped to one of my top favourites. It. is. AMAZING.

Leith Torren, a King’s Blade, finds himself wounded and winds up in the care of Renna and Brandi Stetterly. The only problem? He had killed their parents - and what with his loyalty to the King and all, he’d have to kill the girls too. But as time passes, Leith discovers the Christian God - and wants to learn more. In this fast-paced tale of courage and faith, Leith fights to find where his loyalty lies, Renna discovers the true meaning of trust, and along with their friends, they battle against King Respen and his relentless hatred of Christians. 

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Prize Time!!!! 

Okay, so you all ready to hear about the prizes now? Yeah, I'm sure you are ;) So....let's get started shall we? 

Doesn't this graphic look soooo nice? Kellyn made 'em and I think she did an awesome job! I can just imagine myself in an orchard, picking apples. "Eye to the sky and twist"; were you ever told that? *shakes self* Getting off topic. ANYWAY...                         You need to keep an eye out for these graphics on all our blogs (links below), especially the BOOKS one. Why? The blog with the books graphic will be having a giveaway, for THAT DAY ONLY. Want to guess what the prizes will be? Yep. BOOKS!!!! *hugs self in delight* Now, you're not just looking out for the book blog for one day. It's every single day for the next five days, you guys! Five different giveaways on five different blogs on five different days? Make sense? 

Here are the links to the others' blogs, with the graphics made by Amanda! 

HOPEFULLY all you should need to do is click on the picture and swoosh you'll find yourself at another blog. If you click on it and find yourself still in the mundane world of my blog, let me know and I'll have a talk with that little temperamental thing called Blogger xD 

Oh, oh, oh, and we can't forget about this! 

*drumroll* 

THE GRAND PRIZE!!! 

Feast your eyes on this awesome amazing too-good-to-be-true prize! :D 

IMPORTANT: In order for this Grand Prize to work, we're going to need at least 50 different people entering. So spread the word!! :D To find out more on how to enter and win this AWESOME prize, head on over to Rebekah's blog HERE 

And that about wraps up this post! See you all tomorrow! :D 

Are you as excited as I am about the party? 

Did you recognize any of the books? Any of them favourites of yours? 

Share some of your Top Five books in these genres, I'd love to see them!! :) 

Fitting In // Author Interview

Hello all! Today, I have an author interview with Rebekah Morris to share with you in honour of the release of her new short story which is coming out TOMORROW!!!

To see my review and summary of Fitting In, click HERE.

Add on Goodreads

Buy on Amazon 

Okay, onto the interview!

I just love asking this question. What was the inspiration for Fitting In?

The inspiration came when I was struggling with "fitting in" at church. I wasn't as young as most of the young ladies were and wasn't interested in their talk. I wasn't newly married nor engaged so I didn't fit in that group, I wasn't a mom with young children or a mom with older ones. I just didn't fit in anywhere. I'll admit that one night I was pretty much lecturing everyone (in an empty room) about including those who were "outsiders" and suddenly I realized that I had to go write a story. :)

Oh, that's neat how you used a real-life experience and turned it into a book! Is there a favourite part (reading or writing) that you especially like in your new short story?

Writing the school house scene was probably the easiest as I already knew what I was writing there and the rant was easy, but I think I loved the Leffler's first "picnic" the best. I won't say more lest I spoil it. :)

Haha, yes, 'the rant'. When you've got the words, it all just flows from your pen, doesn't it? ;) Do you find that you relate to any of the characters or events in Fitting In?

As I mentioned before, the wanting to fit in and be a part of some group has been a struggle for me more than once. I have felt those emotions that Elizabeth felt as I tried to fit in, but felt rejected. (Even if they didn't mean to give me a cold shoulder.) I could identify with her even if the struggle was slightly different.

*Nods head* Same here! I've found myself in similar situations before, and it was really interesting reading what you thought through Elizabeth :) 

What’s the hardest part of writing a novel/short story? Finding ideas, editing, etc? 

Hmm, I think each story varies on the hardest part. Some stories just seem to struggle to get written even if I have an idea, others seem to fizzle out part way through and I have to baby them along for a little while. For other stories it's writing the synopsis, and others is getting started. I don't usually have much trouble with editing, as I do that as I go, but a few times that's been hard.

Last question! What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring writers?

Write the story that God has given YOU, not what you think will sell or be popular, and write it the way He has created YOU to write, not how someone else says you should do it. I guess that was rather two pieces of advice, but those are what I've been wanting to tell new authors.

Thanks for inviting me over, Blessing!

Great piece of advice, Rebekah, thank you so much for sharing! And thank you for coming over to my blog as well. Really enjoyed having you! :D 

Fitting In // Book Summary and Review

Summary

Elizabeth Leffler feels like an alien in the small town that she has recently become an inhabitant of. The neighbours are inhospitable and make her feel like she will never fit in. After vain attempts to make friends, she turns her efforts toward others also shunned from the town. Her helpfulness and kindness are treated with horror and disrespect. But when it goes too far, Elizabeth decides it’s time to act and confront her neighbours. 

My Review 

 Really enjoyed this sweet little story! The plot was well laid out and moved at a quick pace, not too fast to make it feel rushed, but not too slow to make you bored. It kept ya on your toes, always wondering what Elizabeth was going to do next ;) The relationship between Paul and Elizabeth was very sweet. Even though there wasn’t much emphasis on it, you could really tell they loved each other very much :) Elizabeth’s problems of not fitting in I found very similar to problems of my own :-) But it was inspiring to see how she focused on thinking about others instead of going into a dump and sulking about herself. Her actions were very Christ-like and quite beneficial to herself. I mean, think about it, by helping others she unconsciously made her own life happier too! :) Rebekah has a way of incorporating Christian values and lessons into her books and stories without you really even knowing it :) It actually has something to do with what's going on in the story, unlike some other books I've read where the author suddenly, and sometimes randomly, drops in a long spiel and shows that it's obviously a lesson of some sorts. 

A great afternoon read, would definitely recommend this book to anyone of every age! 

Add to Goodreads and pre-order here

Dear 14 year old me. . .

Hello all! Apologies for not posting a whole entire week! In my defence, I was busy catching up to all of your monthly highlights posts and commenting ;)

Image from Google 

Today, I'm going to post something a little different. You all get to read a bit of my journal. I was reading through it last week and came across this entry. It was so weird and strange and not me at all and, well, I'll let you read it and see what you think:

May 20, 2014
Yesterday, Tucker came. He was really handsome and had soft brown eyes and was very strong. He had beautiful golden hair and it was really soft and silky. I know because he let me run my hand through his hair. He was so nice! 

See what I mean? Not me at all. I was freaking out by the time I read that, frantically digging through my memory trying to remember when and why this had happened. And who!! Finally, I gave up remembering, returned to my journal, and realized that there was more to the entry:

There were only two problems. First, he was wet. Second, he had burrs in his tail. 

Tail??! 

Yes, Tucker is a dog. I hope you didn't think I was describing a boy! You should know by now that I'm not that type of girl! 

If you're wondering how Tucker came here, I'll tell you. He just came. He wandered away from his owners and came here. We called the wonders and a man came to pick him up. And Tucker really IS very strong. He kept dragging me everywhere after I put him on the leash! 

Goodnight! 

*sigh*
Dear 14 year old me. . .

Why???

xD



Has your younger self 'scared' you before like that? Or made you wonder, "Now why did you do that?!" ;P
Do you like to journal? If so, do you also enjoy reading entries from years back?