The Blogging Olympics Tag

IT'S FINALLY HERE

IT'S HAPPENINGGG

I may or may not be writing this while watching the first rounds of curling, so I'm in the mood, you know.  This tag, which I stole from Mary (ahem... thank you, Mary), takes all of my Olympic spirit and channels it into a blog post which I figure is a perfect way to channel it.

1. What team?  WILDCATS. *cough* no, it's Team USA.  All the way.  Occasionally Team Canada. But it's Team USA.

2. If you could compete in any event, what would it be? Um... I don't do the whole sports thing, so... I mean if they ever make dance an official sport, maybe I could stand a chance.  Or bowling.  I might stand a chance at bowling.

3. Favorite event to watch? For winter, it's curling, figure skating, and some forms of skiing.  For summer, it's gymnastics (including rhythmic gymnastics *heart eyes*), swimming, rowing, and honestly I like watching every event in both summer and winter because I just LOVE THE OLYMPICS SO MUCH.

4. Olympian you most admire? I admire a lot of athletes, tbh.  Mary Lou Retton, Laurie Hernandez, Michael Phelps, there are a lot of them.  Their determination, their strength, their triumphs and how they handled their losses, it's pretty great to watch them.

5. What sports do you currently play? Since I count dance as a sport, I dance.  And I mean, I've competed in Irish dance so yeah, it's a sport.  I have medals.  It totally counts.

6. Summer or Winter Olympics?  Both!  I tend to lean more towards summer, simply because I'm more familiar with more of the sports, but I just love the Olympics in general and they're fantastic.

7. Ever been to see the Olympics in person?  Only in my dreams *sigh*

8. A sport that should be in the Olympics? Dance.  Or bowling.  Because bowling might be cool.

9. What do you think would be going through your head right before you were about to compete in the Olympics?  If how I've felt before Irish dance competitions is any indication, I would probably be thinking about how I feel I could be sick and I how I really need to not be sick, lol.

10. If you could choose the location for the Olympics, what would it be?  Uh... genuinely, I have no idea.  There are a lot of cities that I'm sure could do a great job. So I will leave this question up to the IOC and sit back to watch.  :D


So... IS ANYONE ELSE AS EXCITED ABOUT THE OLYMPICS AS I AM??

If you are and you want to hear more of my Olympic excitement, check out this post I wrote way back at Rio!

So which sport is your favorite to watch?  Play any sports currently?

~ Abby

Disney World, Peppermint Cocoa, and Fluffy Blankets {a look back at January}

We're already a month into 2018, what is this madness?

January was a month of enjoying the actually cold weather (a rare occurrence in Florida), writing a new story, being sick, and drinking lots of hot cocoa.

Let's see... what all happened this month?  We went to Disney World... a lot.  But really, can you blame us?  EPCOT's Festival of the Arts began and it's wonderful.  I also spent a whole week really sick, which wasn't nearly as fun as going to Disney, but meant that I could stay snuggled up in fluffy blankets for a week and that was okay. 
OH, and I also got asked to be a bridesmaid?  Which is crazy??  But one of my best IRL friends is getting married in May and she's asked me to be part of her bridal party and I'm kind of freaking out but I'm also super excited. 

~ What I Read ~

~ One Christmas in Winter ~  This was such a cute story!  I actually was supposed to write a review of this like... a long time ago on here so... keep an eye out for that, lol. {4 stars}
~ Disowned ~  I loved this so much!  And this review I've already posted so, yay!  {4.5 stars}
~ Toothiana: Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies ~ I adore this series.  So, so much.  And book 3 was no exception.  Toothiana is awesome, okay, she's so cool.  {5 stars}
~ The Lightning Thief ~ I'm rereading Rick Riordan books in 2018, and so obviously I had to begin with the one that started it all.  And I loved every minute of it.  {5 stars}
~ The Sandman and the War on Dreams ~  I'm going to miss this series until book 5 comes out (when and if it ever does).  But book 4 was fantastic.  {5 stars}
~ The Sea of Monsters ~  Just as nostalgic as the first book, I love Tyson with all of my heart, and Grover and Percy's friendship is my favorite.  {5 stars}
~ London in the Dark ~  Expect a review of this one soon too, but for now just know that I really enjoyed this mystery, I love the sibling relationship stuff, and the ending made me so ridiculously happy.  {4 stars}
~ Flowers ~  This is the sequel to "The Lady of the Vineyard", which I read in September, and I think I enjoyed this one more than the first one, actually.  It was a super short, very sweet story that was a nice continuation with these characters.  {4 stars}
AND ALSO I finished ~ The Titan's Curse ~ but I had already made the graphic and I didn't want to remake it so just pretend that this cover is there and know that I really loved it and it also gave me all the emotions.  {5 stars}

~ What I Watched ~

Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street:

No one gifs this show and it makes me so sad.  Because it's wonderful.  A post shall be coming soon.  But please, watch it.  It's got a feel that's similar to Phineas and Ferb with some old-school Disney Channel thrown in.  But at the same time it's completely original and magical and sweet and I just love this show so much oh my word.

MacGyver:

The MacGyver reboot is wonderful, everyone.  The found-family trope (one of my favorites, by the way) is in full swing and I adore it.  There's a nice balance of humor and intense scenes (but it's absolutely hilarious).  The friendships are just my favorite and this show means so much to me now, y'all.

Full House:

Hallmark has been replaying the original series, so my sister and I have been binging it and it has been great.  Comedy gold, this show.

Psych:

Gus is my fave, have I mentioned that?  Apparently it's been a month of rewatching old favorites.  Psych is now streaming on Amazon Prime, and I've come out of my room several times to find my brother watching it, alone, in the family room.  Which is hilarious to me.  I'm glad he's enjoying it, though.

The Librarians:
 
So many of my faves came back this month.  Look at my kids!  Look how much they love each other!  They're basically siblings and I love them!!  (no but seriously I think this might be my favorite season yet?  I hesitate to say that because it's not over yet but I've really loved it a lot)

~ What I Listened To ~

I really enjoy this playlist.  We've got some great worship songs, some hymns, some musicals, some medleys (because Peter Hollens finally did Dear Evan Hansen and I am so happyyy), and some of the songs I've been writing to recently. 

~ What I Posted ~

New Year, New Look {about it being a new year and getting a new look}
Allegiance Blog Tour {about a fantastic book that I really enjoyed}
Sleeping Handsome Cover Reveal {about the cover of a book I'm really excited for}
Winter Favorites {about various favorites of mine}


And that's about it for this first month of the year!  How was your January?  Any plans for February?  And most importantly, do you like peppermint hot cocoa?

~ Abby

Winter Favorites

Happy winter, everyone!

It's officially my favorite season!  And no, my view from the window does not look like this.  But it is kind of chilly today, so we'll count it.

I did one of these for autumn and I really enjoyed doing it so here I am again!

Winter is the perfect season for snuggling under a fluffy blanket, hugging a stuffed animal of some sort, and digging into some heartwarming stories.  Let's get into it, shall we?


Books:

A good winter book should be cozy, maybe a bit nostalgic, and maybe something tried and true. 

1. One Christmas in Winter ~ Bell Renshaw

You can't have winter-y reads without a little bit of Christmas, can you?  And one of my favorite things to do in the wintertime is join my mom and sister for a Hallmark movie marathon.  This novella was reminiscent of just that.  The story is sweet, the characters are likeable, and it's clean!

2. Disowned ~ Sarah Addison-Fox

There's a lot of snow in this book.  Which is probably a weird criteria, but oh well.  I read this book in one day, and I was glued to my phone (where I read it) the whole time.  The world was rich, there was character development, I loved all of it and I cannot wait for book 2.

3. Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King ~ William Joyce

This is the book series that inspired the film "Rise of the Guardians" (I'm going to talk about that later), and I've been reading through them since December.  It's pure magic, guys.  So, so good.  One of my new favorite middle-grades?  That would be a definite yes.  But this first one follows North, who is a Russian bandit, as he finds his way to a little town in Siberia and saves the children there from the Nightmare King, Pitch.  And yes, those are yetis on the cover.

4. How to Train Your Dragon series ~ Cressida Cowell

While this first book wasn't my favorite, the rest of the series is so good.  Hiccup is such a great main character, and Camicazi and Fishlegs are the best sidekicks ever.  It's different from the movie, but not in a bad way, and it's perfect for binging while curled up with some cocoa.

5. Winter's Child ~ Cameron Dokey

Now, it's been awhile since I've read this book, but I loved it when I read it.  The Snow Queen is one of my very favorite fairytales, and this is a retelling of that fairytale.  I mean, look at all the snow on that cover.  Winter is in the title.  It's perfect for this list.



Movies:

To me, if you could see yourself watching a movie whilst snuggled comfortably under some blankets with a cup of peppermint cocoa, it counts as the perfect winter-y movie.  And now I want to marathon all of these in just that position so guess where I'm going to be right after finishing this list...

1. Brother Bear

Y'all can fully expect a Disney film to be on every single one of these lists let's be real.  And while at first I was going to go with the more obvious choice (Frozen, of course), I decided to go with this one instead.  This, to me, is one of the most beautifully animated Disney films ever.  I mean just the transformation scenes alone, y'all. *swoon*

2. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

I mean??  "Always winter, never Christmas." anyone?  This film is just so snowy and magical and nostalgic and I love it so, so much.  Ahh, it just... fills my heart with happiness and makes me feel so good.  I just adore it.  I'm going to shut up now okay.

3. The Finest Hours

Okay so this was one of my favorite films of 2017, even though I saw it later in the year.  And while it probably isn't everyone's cup of tea, it's definitely worth a watch.  It's a disaster film, which deterred me at first, but I wanted to watch it before it left Netflix (and it's still there, so??? Netflix???) (not that I'm really complaining because that means I can rewatch it yay).  I found what was to me an absolute gem and I still think of this film with a smile.  Plus Chris Pine is in it, so.  And the guy who played Neal on OUAT.  Yep.

4. Rise of the Guardians

Speaking of Chris Pine...  This movie centers on Jack Frost, I mean, come on.  After recently rewatching this beauty as a Christmas movie ('cause it's totally a Christmas movie), my love for it has been renewed.  The whole movie takes place in the wintertime, too, so it works for this list and I'm happy.

5. Anastasia

This animated classic is one that I only just saw for the first time last year.  It's wonderful.  It follows Anya, who may or may not be the missing duchess Anastasia, as she travels from Russia to Paris in search of her long-lost family.  And it's a musical, which is always great.


Television Shows:

While you're snowed in (or not), you may want to binge a TV show or two.  I have some suggestions here that you may want to consider!

1. Psych:

Because Amazon loves us and now all 8 seasons are streaming on Prime.  And yes, my sister and I have already begun our rewatch and yes, it's just as good the second time around.  (Also, who watched the movie?  Did you love it as much as I did?)

2. Signed, Sealed, Delivered

This show is one of my favorites.  It's so fluffy and feel-good.  It followed a team of postal detectives and they're such a family.  It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry, and it's not too long, so there isn't too much to binge. 

3. MacGyver

I'm putting MacGyver on here because I can and I'm currently obsessed with it.  If you need something a little more action-packed for your snuggled-up viewing session, may I suggest the MacGyver reboot?  We just finished binging season 2 here, and it has officially taken over my heart.  The friendships, the family aspect, the snark and the sass, I love it so much.  Highly recommended.


Music:

I have just a few album recommendations here, just for you.

1. Beauty and the Beast ~ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

The 2017 version has more of a wintery feel to it than the 1991 version, is that just me?  Maybe it's the overture, maybe it's the fact that Beast's castle is surrounded by eternal winter, but it just feels like a winter album.  Yeah.

2. Covers ~ Jillian Edwards

If you like almost-acapella covers, this is a great album.  The songs are soft and gentle, and I like putting them on when I'm stressed or when I need to concentrate.

All In ~ Matthew West

I've been a fan of Matthew West for a long time, and this album is definitely one of my favorites.  Each song is so deep, the lyrics are fantastic, and they're all so dance-along-able.

4. Frozen ~ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Okay, come on, you knew this was going to be on this list somewhere.  This whole film is based around a blizzard, it's perfect for snowy feelings!  (the instrumental tracks also make an excellent soundtrack for writing a Snow Queen retelling, just putting that out there)

5. The Live Room Sessions ~ For King & Country

Because who doesn't love 4K&C?

SO, what do you think?  What are some of your winter favorites?  Let me know in the comments below!

~ Abby

"Sleeping Handsome" Cover Reveal!

If you're like me, you have been eagerly anticipating the reveal of the cover for Rebekah Eddy's new book.  Well, good news.  Today is that awaited day.

Are you ready to see this beauty? 



I don't think you are.



Prepare yourself.



HERE IT IS!

Isn't it amazing?  I'm so excited for this story!

Here's the synopsis:

Minnie's goal was to have a fun, worry free vacation with her best friend Amy. A few weeks spent in their favorite far away place before they both went back to their respective colleges. A visit to the many famous sights across the British Isles has been on both their bucket lists for a very long time, after all.
However, when a mysterious taxi driver mentions a legend that somehow concerns her ancestral heritage, she decides to dig deeper. After being accused of stealing the famous statue and tourist attraction known as Sleeping Handsome, Minnie and Amy are plunged into a world they would never have imagined existed.
Prince Gregory, after being awakened from being frozen in stone for hundreds of years, finds himself searching for his true love in order to reverse the stone spell on his kingdom and awaken the rest of his people. With his faithful horse Brutis by his side, he sets out to destroy his greatest enemy, release his kingdom from the stone spell, and win the heart of his princess.

If this book sounds as great to you as it does to me, it will be available for purchase on February 14, 2018!



Congrats, Rebekah!

~ Abby

The Allegiance Blog Tour {+ book review}

THIS IS A VERY EXCITING DAY!



Because today is the day that I get to participate in the Allegiance Blog Tour!!

And because I was sent a copy in exchange for a review, that's also what you'll be getting today.

So let's talk about

Disowned



Author: Sarah Addison-Fox
Genre: Dystopian fantasy
Content: Mentions of some rather unsavory things, but nothing is actively shown.
Main Characters: Mick Haynes and Celeste

Synopsis:
Two countries, two choices, one life
When Kyraenean slave Celeste risks her life to reach the free nation of Etraea, a country filled with technology and wealth, she unknowingly sets off a chain of events that will change her life forever.
After escaping her new owner, Celeste awakens in the home of an Etraean soldier, sworn to protect the fragile peace.
For Corporal Mick Haynes, life is simple. Follow the rules, do your job and work your way up the ranks. Getting shot and finding a wanted slave at his family's farm wasn't part of the plan.
When a Kyraenean bounty hunter locates Celeste, Mick's loyalty will be stretched to the limit.
With war on the horizon, Celeste faces two impossible choices. Both securing her freedom, but both at a cost she could never have imagined.
Will Etraea provide the freedom she's longed for or shackle her to an entirely new master?

Placement in Series: 1 of 2 (I think...)

What I Thought:

I absolutely adored the world of this book.  100%, my favorite part.  I'm a sucker for fantasy stories with guns, idk man. Is it a fantasy?  I don't know.  But it takes place in another world so I think that counts?
Anyway, from the first few pages of this book, I knew it was going to be something special.  The way the world was put together instantly hooked me (I'm a sucker for a good story world, you know) but so did the characters and trying to figure out what the heck was going on.  It was fascinating and I read the entirety of it in one day.  Yes, a 332 page book.  In one day.  Yeah.  So if that doesn't tell you something about it, I don't know what will.


The Characters:
Celeste - I really like Celeste, but at times she kind of drove me crazy?  Like girlfriend, stop running away.  You're safe here, so please just chill?  But really, she's super cool and super strong and yeah I think she's a pretty neat lead character.  I look forward to seeing her develop more in the sequel.

Mick - Good grief, this guy drove me crazy for the first couple chapters he was in.  He grew on me, but he just annoyed me at first?  Like Celeste, I eagerly anticipate his character growth (which, he did go through a lot of in this book, but I want more. *rubs hands together in anticipation*)

The Haynes Family - Okay can I be part of this clan please?  Because I adore them with every fiber of my being.  The parents aren't idiots!  They are actually really cool!  And their kids respect and love them!  YES FINALLY!


Will I Keep Reading?
Yes.  Book 2.  Now, please.



Overall Rating:
4.5 not-actually-mermaids out of 5

I loved this book and I highly recommend it. You can pick up a copy on Amazon here! 

About the Author:

Sarah Addison-Fox is a New Zealand-born home-schooling mother of two who loves action-packed, clean, fantasy with strong heroines. She has an astonishing amount of nail polish, has all her creative writing credentials shoved in a drawer somewhere, and has a husband who, after 27 years, can still make her blush. When she’s not working on both her YA fantasy series' she can be found fangirling on Goodreads or sending GIFs on Twitter.

You can connect with Sarah at:
Her website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter




Thanks so much to Sarah and to Livy for giving me the opportunity to read and review this awesome book!  Y'all should definitely go check it out!

~ Abby

New Year, New Look

Hello friends!  Happy 2018!!

I thought that it was about time to update the look of my blog.  It had been the same way since I started it in July of 2016, and a new year seemed like the perfect opportunity to change it up.  I hope you love it as much as I do. 

Y'all are the best.  I could probably write some sappy note about how I love you all and you mean so much to me, but I think I'll save that for my two year blogiversary in July.  For now, know that I genuinely love you guys.  Thanks for everything.

Here's to a richly blessed 2018.

~ Abby

My Favorite Books of 2017

We have come to the end of another year, and personally, I'm kind of offended at 2017 because excuse me??  Did I give you permission to go so fast???

I read a ton of books this year.  70 books, to be exact.  Which is insane and a great deal more than last year's 43.  So I thought that instead of doing a typical "Best Books of the Year" (which would just be way too difficult), I've decided to choose my top book from each month.  Which is probably still going to be hard, but here we go

January:

The top spot for the first month has to go to the first book I read in 2017.  Moon Over Manifest was absolutely gorgeous, and a fantastic way to start off my reading year.


February:

I have (hopefully, by the time you're reading this) finished the HTTYD books this year and I am SO proud of myself.  How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel was really great.


March:

Another new favorite series this year was started with The True Meaning of Smekday.  It was hilarious, heart-warming, and so original and creative.  I absolutely loved it. 
{Honorable Mention: The Silent Songbird}


April:

Lost in a Book was beautiful, inside and out.  I mean, look at that cover!  The domestic scenes of life in Beast's castle, the whole idea of being swept into a story, everything about it was pure magic and I adored every minute of it.
{Honorable Mention: The Reluctant Godfather}


May:

This month's top spot has to go to A Time to Die.  This book absolutely stunned me, so much so that I still haven't continued because honestly, this book messed up my emotions and I've needed this much recovery time just to handle it.


June:

For sure, this month's best book was Heist Society.  It was so fun and awesome and reminded me of Leverage and I am obsessed with this series now and Kat and Hale are so shippable I just.  I loved it.
{Honorable Mention: Payback}


July:

The Screwtape Letters blew me away.  It was my first time reading it, and I'm so glad I did.  It was so deep and powerful, and I will definitely be rereading it in the future.
{Honorable Mentions: Andora's Folly and Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover}


August:

You know what, I'm going to give The Noble Servant the top spot for August because I really loved this book.  It was funny, it was sassy, and I genuinely think that it may be my favorite Melanie Dickerson book. (So far, at least)


September:

September wasn't even a question, I just immediately knew it had to be The Goldfish Boy.  This is one of my favorite books now, and it was beautiful, and I need everyone to read it please.  It was so good.  I'm going to cry just thinking about it.


October:

This. was. awesome.  The top spot has to go to The Ship of the Dead because oh my word.  Rick knows how to do it. 


November:

The Coronation was amazing.  I loved it, I got to do an awesome review of it, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. 
{Honorable Mention: United We Spy}


December:

As I was looking through the list of books I read this month and trying to decide which one was my favorite, the first one that sent a jolt of pure happiness through my heart was Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King.  I thoroughly adored this book.  It was so magical and friendship-filled and just wonderful all around.  Highly recommended from me.
{Honorable Mentions: Stay Where You Are and Then Leave and Unafraid}


And there you have it!  My favorite books of 2017.  I greet 2018 and it's reading opportunities with open arms (and a good deal of nervousness).  Hopefully you found some more books to put on your TBR pile from these suggestions.

{What were some of (because obviously, picking just one is too hard) your favorite books of the year?}

~ Abby