The #AwesomeBloggerAward + My Blogiversary!

I've had this blog for three years.  THREE.  Three whole years!  Where did that time go?

I started this blog all the way back in 2016, when I was just a little baby 17-year-old who didn't know what she was doing.  Tbh, I still don't know what I'm doing, but I know for a fact that I've found more of myself and my God than baby 17-year-old me ever dreamed she would.

And this is the first year I haven't completely forgotten when my blog started and missed this anniversary entirely.  I have my lovely friend Faith to thank for making my brain go "wait, when is my blogiversary?" in enough time to post about it!  And she tagged me to do a fun tag, so... double friendship points to her.



So let's get started with the #AwesomeBloggerAward!

1. What is one thing that makes you sparkle? (Something you get excited about)

Awww, I'm totally calling getting excited "sparkling" from now on.  Things I sparkle about... hmm... Jesus, books, Disney, my friends, showtunes, giraffes, and... uh... yeah, I think that's pretty much it.

2. What is your favorite color to wear?

Well, my favorite color in general is purple, so I do love wearing that (and I have a loooot of purple clothes, haha), but I also love the way royal blue looks on me. Those are the main two.

3. What is your favorite song right now?

The main songs that I'm loving right now are the three newest songs by Hannah Kerr: "in the meantime", "glimpse", and "Split the Sea". They're just beautiful and have been stuck in my head for about a week now. So. Yeah.

4. What is a favorite Bible verse of yours at the moment, and why does it resonate with you?

A favorite Bible verse that He's really been speaking to me through recently is Daniel 3:18, "And if not, He is still good."

5. What is a book (besides the Bible) that you would always recommend to someone?

This is hard, because I feel like different books hit different people different ways.  So just because I love something, that doesn't mean everyone will.  But I think pretty much anyone would enjoy the Chronicles of Narnia. It's just so cozy. <3

6. What is a movie and/or book that you've wanted to watch/read for a long time, but you haven't gotten around to it yet?

Oof.  Calling me out there.  I've been meaning to get around to The Book Thief for //years// but am I emotionally ready?  I don't know. Thus, I keep putting it off.

7. What is one thing that a lot of people don't know about you?

Hmmm... I feel like I'm a pretty open book, tbh.  I will say, a lot of people in my real life don't realize how sarcastic I am until I say something sassy under my breath and they catch me. xD I love jokes and laughing but I've also got social anxiety and am just a generally reserved person, so I guess it surprises some people? I dunno.

8. How did you come up with your blog title?

I came up with the title for this blog back when I was 13 or so.  I just thought it sounded cool, and it stuck in my brain until I was 16 and officially started blogging!

9. Which of the four seasons best describes your personality?

Ooh, interesting.  I feel like I might say winter?  Not because I'm cold and distant, but because I'm kind of a snuggly, cozy person? Is that weird to say?  But seriously, I love all things winter, I love being cold (it's muuuch better than being hot, trust me), I love peppermint and crisp air and snuggling up with a good book.  So yeah.  Winter, I think.

10. What is one thing that God has taught you recently?

God has been showing me a LOT of stuff recently, but one of my favorite things is how He delights in me.  He delights in us, and He wants us to delight in Him, and it's a beautiful thing.


Thank you again to Faith for tagging me!! That was so fun!

And now, because I can, I'm going to tag some people! Yay!

Allison Tebo @ Allison's Well
Mary Kate @ Sarcastic Scribblings
Faith @ Stories by Firefly

Here you are, ladies! I can't wait to hear your answers! (no pressure, though, obviously, if you don't want to do it. ;) )

1. What is one thing that makes you sparkle? (Something that you get excited about)
2. What is your favorite color to wear?
3. What is your favorite song right now?
4. What is a favorite Bible verse of yours at the moment, and why does it resonate with you right now? 
5. What is a book (besides the Bible) that you would always recommend to someone?
6. What is a movie and/or book that you've wanted to watch/read for a long time, but haven't gotten around to it yet?
7. What is one thing that not a lot of people know about you?
8. How did you come up with your blog name? 
9. Which of the four seasons best describes your personality?
10. What is one thing that God has taught you recently?


And that's about all I've got for this post today!  Let me know in a comment, what is your favorite song right now?

~ Abby

The Old River Road {book review}

Well... this book is beautiful.

A couple of months ago, Hailey announced that she was re-publishing her debut novel under her real name instead of the pen name it originally bore.  When she asked for bloggers to hype up the re-release, I jumped at the chance!  … and then proceeded to forget the deadline and read it several weeks later than I was supposed to.  But!  I have read it now, and will now proceed to never shut up about this beautiful story because everyone needs to read it.



So, I say thank you to Hailey for sending me a copy, and now, we get into the review.

The Old River Road



Author: Hailey Rose
Genre: Historical Fiction
Content: None
Main Character: Clara Boutwell McDonald

Synopsis:
When seventeen-year-old Clara Boutwell married her dashing coworker, William McDonald, she was convinced her life was nearly perfect. For newlyweds in the great city of Chicago, the journey ahead was exciting and promising. When a frightening disease takes William in its grip, the young couple is forced to the clean air of the western frontier in a desperate attempt to save his life. On the eastern Washington prairies, the McDonalds face hardships and trials in a new world where everything is tested, from physical endurance to emotional strength—down to their relationship and faith in the Lord.
This novel tells the incredible true story of Clara and William, the great-great grandparents of the author, in a sweet narrative full of laughter, tears, and the struggles of an early pioneering family. Prepare yourself to share in their experience as you read this account of a pioneer family in Washington state, and see their lasting legacy that has endured into the fifth generation.

Add on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon

What I Thought:



I spent most of this book reading it through the tears in my eyes.  Both sad ones and happy ones.  Because wow, this was an emotional rollercoaster.
Clara and William's story was one I wanted to stay in forever.  It was so comfortable, like just listening to someone tell their life story (which it was, in a way, I suppose).  It felt familiar, kind of reminiscent of Little House or Anne of Green Gables, just a sweet story with God's fingerprints all over it.
I loved Clara and William.  They reminded me of some of the senior adult couples I love at church, with crazy incredible stories that seem so far-fetched that they have to be true.  I hadn't really read the synopsis before I dove in, just knowing it was about Hailey's family and not really needing much else to be intrigued.  So when I found a beautiful story about love, family, and God's faithfulness... I was very pleased.  But seriously, Clara and William are couple goals and the cutest and I love them.  And so are their kids.
Overall, I just kept watching the percentage number at the bottom of the page get closer to 100 and felt sad every time I noticed.  I never wanted it to end.  So yes, I highly recommend it if you're a fan of historical fiction, cute couples that turn into adorable families, and stories that make you feel all the things.

Overall Rating: 4.5 loaves of bread out of 5

About the Author:
Hailey is a young novelist with a passion to create beautiful fiction. Armed with a desire to make scenarios readers can easily relate to, she writes in many genres about ordinary individuals faced with extraordinary choices. Two of her novels have been independently published. As a chronic illness warrior, Hailey eagerly encourages others to find joy no matter what the circumstances. In her free time, she loves dancing, playing music, or enjoying various outdoor activities in the Pacific Northwest.

Connect with Hailey: Her website ~ Goodreads ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Definitely go follow Hailey, she's such an amazing, inspiring person and I can't wait to see what God continues to do in her life.

Do you have a favorite historical fiction?  Do you love listening to people tell their stories?  Let me know in a comment below!

~ Abby

Indie August 2019 Readathon Announcement!

So... I decided to host a readathon. And I'm pretty excited about it.

Looking at my TBR, I realized how many independently-published books were hanging out there.  And since that is just unacceptable, I decided to set aside a week in August to dedicate to reading those indie books that I'm sure I'm going to love, and I'd love for you all to join me!

So, it is my great pleasure to announce the Indie August Readathon 2019!

What exactly does this readathon entail, you ask?  The goal is simple: read indie published books.  It can be as many or as few as you want.  My point in this is to have a no-stress, laid-back, only-as-challenging-as-you-want readathon.  It will begin (in your time zone) at 12:00 AM on August 11 and run through 11:59 PM on August 18.  That's 8 whole days to devour all the stories you want!



And, because I love an extra twist, there's also a photo challenge to go along with the readathon on Instagram!

 

There's no pressure to participate, but photo challenges are always fun, and I looove getting to see people's creativity with books!

 

^ me, @ all of bookstagram.

 

It's also an awesome opportunity to shout-out your favorite indie authors, if you want the added challenge of using only indie books in your photos!  Be sure to use the hashtag #IndieAugust19 so we can build a little community to support each other as we read ALL the books!

 

 

I am SO excited for this (I've already started planning my TBR and everything) and like, I don't want to rush my life along or anything, but I'm ready for it to be August already. xD

 

Oh, and also, if you want to follow me on Instagram, you can do so right here! Shoot me a message that you came from here and I'll follow you back!

 

 

So, do you accept the challenge?  Will you be joining me in this quest to read all the books?  Let me know in a comment below!

 

~ Abby

Keen {blog tour + book review}

It's time again, my friends!  I return with another blog tour and as I'm typing this having come fresh from finishing this particular book, I can tell you, I'm excited.

Now, some of you may know, I'm very Irish in heritage.  (I'm very American in terms of where I was born and raised, but there's a lot of Irish blood in this girl.)  I take Irish dance, potatoes are my favorite food, I have red bits in my hair, and I'm sooooo fascinated by Irish folklore.  And one of my favorite Irish legends is that of the banshee.  Don't ask me why, I couldn't tell you.  But anything and everything banshee has always intrigued me, so when I heard there was going to be a contemporary book about a teenage banshee?



Color me instantly intrigued.  And then Laura, the fabulous author of the aforementioned book about a teenage banshee, ask for participants in this blog tour.  To which I heartily said "ME PLEASE!"

Anyway, let's stop with the blabbering and get into the review.

Keen



Author: Laura L. Zimmerman
Genre: Contemporary fantasy
Content: Uh... there's a lot of death? But I feel like that should be assumed, lol.
Main Character: Caoine (pronounced Cane)

Synopsis:
You must walk the darkness to find the light.
Half-faerie Caoine has no control over the banshee lament she sings each night, predicting the death of others. A senior in a brand new high school, she expects the same response she's received at every other school: judgment from fellow students over her unusual eyes and unnaturally white skin and hair. However, when Caoine arrives at West Lincoln High, for the first time in her life she finds friends. Real friends.
But being a teenager is never easy, especially when the star soccer player, Oliver, sets his sights on her. Allowing him to get close means revealing her curse to the human world. She can't let that happen.
Life spins further out of control when her lament comes out during the day, those whose death she predicts die right in front of her, and a dark faerie known only as the Unseelie prince blames Caoine by leaving her the creepiest notes ever. Her curse is not supposed to work like that.
In a race against time, Caoine must uncover the Unseelie prince's identity and stop a spell before it unleashes hell on earth, all while trying to control her banshee song and finding a place among her peers.
Senior year just got real.

Add on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon

What I Thought:

AH. MY EMOTIONS.
This was so good! And so cool!
It's a fantasy, it's a friendship/coming-of-age type of story, and in a lot of ways, it's a murder mystery too.  Which all comes together to make a story that I loved a lot.
Caoine is a fascinating protagonist.  The way Laura wrote her "curse" was so cool and yet creepy and it was perfection. She truly struggles inwardly through the whole book, but not enough to where it becomes annoying.  I was rooting for her the entire time.
And the supporting cast?  Incredible.  Aubree and Seamus and Catherine and Oliver (who is the BEST) were all amazing friends to Caione and so there for her and encouraging and GAH. Positive friendships are what I LIVE FOR in books!  Also Oliver is so swoon-worthy and perfect and I adore him with my whole heart. (He and Caoine together are just the cutest *melts*)
I'm not going to spoil anything, but I saw the villain reveal coming, which is something I personally love being able to do.  But there's a twist at the end I did not see coming which made me tear up a little, I'm not gonna lie.  This book had two misty-eyed, "oh dang" moments for me, which are always great.  And painful.  But great.  And that lesson of how even when things don't end the way you think they should, there can still be hope?  Amazing and absolutely perfect.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It's definitely one that's going to stick with me for a long time.  It was original, it was awesome, and now that I know there's a sequel coming, I can't wait to see what waits for these characters next (will we go to the faerie realm? because that would be amazing)

Overall Rating: 4.5 mysterious notes out of 5

About the Author:
Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mom to three daughters, and a doting wife to one husband. She lives in a suburb of the ultra-cool Charlotte, North Carolina. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing loudly, buying LuLaRoe and pretending to do yoga.
An avid coffee drinker, she gave up eating meat ten years ago and is a sucker for anything zombie related. She’s been married to her Mr. Darcy for 18 years and feels it’s her life goal to pass along her obsession with the Star Wars saga on to her offspring.
She loves to read sci-fi and fantasy for YA and MG, which in turn, bleeds through to her writing. (Watch your back: She occasionally writes horror, too!)

Connect with Laura: Her website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter

A shout-out and congratulations to Laura on her new release and for letting me read it!!  I can't wait to see what's in store next.

Do you have an inexplicable mythological fave?  What mythical creature would you like to see retold in a modern setting?  Let me know in a comment below!

~ Abby

Villager {blog tour + book review!}

Hello, my friends! (this seems to be my standard blog tour greeting, and honestly, I'm not mad xD)  Today I have a super exciting blog tour to participate in, so I hope you're all ready to hear about an awesome fantasy book!

Villager

Author: Savanna Roberts
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Mild language, sexual implications but nothing actively shown.
Main Characters: Viviana and Nex

Synopsis:
Vivianna tries to be the perfect Quelmirian villager. She attends every festival. She is more than willing to lend a helping hand. She is an obedient, devoted daughter, and she has a wonderful family. But when her Mam abandons her family for another man, Vivianna’s perfect life is shattered to pieces. Desperate to help her Father provide for her younger brother, Vivianna accepts a job at the Quelmirian palace. But the palace comes with its own set of challenges, and soon she finds herself in over her head. In Book 1 of the Quelmirian Duology, Vivianna finds herself entangled in a dangerous game where one false step can ruin everything she’s ever loved.

Add on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon ~ Purchase a signed copy from Savanna

What I Thought:


both of these were me, simultaneously, while reading the ending of this book.
Because yes, okay, was it a little more dramatic than I usually care for?  Sure. But gosh darn it if it wasn't a boatload (or an airshipload?) of fun.
I really liked the characters a lot.  Viviana was an awesome protagonist, and I did love Nex right off the bat because, as we've discussed, bad-guys-who-aren't-so-bad are my favorite. <3 Most especially the ones who fall in love with the soft beans.  (In other news, Vivi and Nex's relationship was so shippable and I loved it)  There were a few of the side characters I didn't super care for (but I don't think I was supposed to so we're good), but there were several I fell in love with.  Namely Reeve and Tyde.  I love those guys.
Also I just have to squeal for a minute about the worldbuilding because AH.

It was so cool!  There's magic, but not in this part of the world.  There are pirates but they sail airships.  There's a pantheon of gods but they are benevolent for the most part.  It's like Savanna took some of my favorite tropes and turned them on their heads and I'm so happy.
And also I read this in basically one sitting.  Which is always a good sign.
So yeah, I'd recommend it if you want some fantasy with some self-discovery, royal assassination, and shippable ships... and actual ships.
I need book 2 now please.

Overall Rating: 4 jars of venison jerky out of 5

About the Author:
Savanna Roberts lives in Park City, Utah with her wonderful husband and their two snuggly cats, Queso and Chip. She has a fetish with socks and a psychotic obsession with coffee. She began writing seriously when she was ten years old, after she completed a short novel involving scavenger hunts and deceit. When she's not writing, her passions include collecting Nutcrackers, burying her nose in a book, or falling down Pinterest wormholes.

Connect with Savanna: Her blog ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Twitter

HUGE thank you to Savanna for letting me participate in this awesome blog tour! Check out this post right here to find links to all the other amazing posts on the tour!

How do you feel about airship pirates?  Will I ever stop using Psych gifs?  Let me know in a comment below!

~ Abby