The Thief, The Damsel, and The Dragon Blog Tour {+ book review!}

Today's the day!  Angela Watts has written a book and it's PUBLISHED!!!!!

And because she was sweet enough to let me participate in her blog tour, I get to give y'all a review!


The Thief, The Damsel, and the Dragon


(also, sidenote, isn't this cover just gorgeous?)

Author: Angela Watts
Genre: Christian contemporary
Content: None

Synopsis:
“... the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.” ~ Psalms 91:13
Edward Prosner is going to steal from the small town mayor of Fall Springs, North Carolina. He’s got a flawless plan of action and is determined to return honor and justice to his father’s good name. The problem he faces? He needs a date for the mayor’s dinner party.
Lucy Levitt is a huge romantic at heart, but with her family’s ranch and her part-time job, she has no time for dating. She believes God will place her soulmate in her life when the time is right. When the new man in town asks her out, how can she say no?
The first date seems ordinary enough, but then they begin to realize that they can’t fight their dragons alone.

What I Thought:
I love Ed and Lucy's love, okay?  Those two were the cutest.  Even though, obviously, they go through rough patches, I sincerely hope that they have a long and happy relationship together. 
I also just enjoyed all of the characters.  They were so well fleshed out; I love how supportive the supporting cast was.  Lucy's family was realistic, Sean was fun and funny, and not gonna lie, I kinda want to meet Ed's parents, they seem awesome.
I did like how much Christian content was in here.  Ed's arc with his relationship with God was great.  And Lucy's faith is probably the most relatable portrayal of faith I've seen in a long time.
I'd definitely recommend it to people who want a sweet Christian-centered romance.

Favorite Quote:

My Rating:  4 trophies out of 5

About the Author:
Angela R. Watts is a sinner saved by Yahweh's Grace and she strives to glorify the King in all she does. She’s a homeschooled highschooler who lives with her loving family and ranch animals at Step By Step Sanctuary, Tennessee. She’s been writing stories since she was tiny and hasn’t stopped since, though she also enjoys ranch and housework, painting, babysitting, and watching sunsets.

There's also a fabulous giveaway going on over at Angela's blog!  Go check it out, and make sure to pop over to the other blog tour stops (some pretty awesome folks are participating :D)!

(Also, my personal apologies to the author for this going up later than I intended.  Life is just... the worst.  So, sorry, Angela ;))

You can add the book on Goodreads here and grab a copy on Amazon here!

~ Abby

Discerned Cover Reveal!

If you've been around these parts lately, you probably know of my love for Sarah Addison-Fox's Allegiance Series.  And that is part of why today I am SO excited to get to show you the cover of the fourth installment of the series, Discerned!

Are

you

ready?

It's

pretty

great!

Here

it is!



ARE YOU SCREAMING?  BECAUSE I'M SCREAMING!!

Look at how pretty they all are together!



Here's a bit about the book so you can get HYPED with me!

Discerned, Book Four of the Allegiance Series by Sarah Addison-Fox

Releasing August 2018.

The war may be over, but the battle for peace has just begun.

When newlyweds Mick and Celeste Haynes accept the offer to search for rogue agents inside Kyraenea, what should have been one final adventure becomes Torrance Kyle’s worst nightmare.

Amaya Mason may no longer be an agent, but there is no way she’ll allow a mistake from Torrance’s past to wreck their happy ending. No matter the cost. No matter what she might lose.

For Mick Haynes, marriage isn’t the simple solution he thought it would be. Torn between wanting to shelter the woman he loves and accepting she is no longer a frightened slave, he’s struggling with his own expectations and with every secret she reveals.

Celeste’s confidence and her faith are growing, but when she confronts the father who abandoned her as a child, he threatens to destroy the happiness and acceptance she’s only just found.

Can Torrance let go of the past and embrace his future?

Is peace even possible for those who’ve spent their lives in constant battle?

I'm excited, are you excited?  If you haven't caught up on the series yet, this book's August release gives you plenty of time!

~ Abby

Kiera Blog Tour {+ book review!}

Hello!  I am happy to report that my family is safely home and I'm writing this on my laptop and all is well with the world.

Today, I come bearing a review because Kate Willis has released her new novel and I'm very excited about it!

So let's jump on into the review!

Kiera



Author: Kate Willis
Genre: Futuristic Christian... I guess? xD
Content: A few intense subject matters are discussed.

Synopsis:
Kiera is looking forward to her eighteenth birthday. The official end of school, a party with her best friend, and chocolate cake. A sudden military draft, no possible exemptions, had never crossed her mind.
Kiera is terrified! Getting drafted would mean leaving her family, her little friend Jade—life as she knows it.
A surprising offer from Brennan Stewart just might be the answer to her prayers, but an even worse trial leaves her with one question…
If God truly loves her, why did this tragedy happen?

What I Thought:
I think my feelings can be summed up in the fact that when I finished, I squealed a bit, flapped my hands, and said, "I'm fine, I'm fine," over and over.  Oh my word, I loved this.  It's such an original story that took so many turns I didn't expect.  I just.  You guys.
But seriously, I think if you liked "Andora's Folly" by Abigayle Claire, you'll enjoy this.  That's what it reminded me of most.
Also Kiera and Brennan.  New OTP, y'all.

Favorite quote:

My rating: 4 strawbewwies out of 5

About the Author:
Kate Willis has been homeschooled her whole life in a loving family that values the Gospel of Jesus Christ, creativity, and thoughtful conversations. She is inspired by red shoes, a good story, little children, and chai tea. It is her desire to serve God in the home having a family of her own in the future. She is the author of The Treasure Hunt, The Twin Arrows, Kiera, and two short stories Enjoy the Poodle Skirt and Red Boots.

You can add Kiera on Goodreads here and purchase a Kindle edition here!  (The Kindle price goes up on Monday, so be sure to snag your copy now!)

Congrats on the release, Kate!  Thanks for letting me be part of your tour!

~ Abby

I Don't Dance Blog Tour {+ book review!}

Hello again, my friends! I'm writing this on my phone (because my computer won't connect to the wi-fi >->), sitting in a hotel room on our way home.  But it's my day to participate in the blog tour for this adorable novella, which you can purchase right now via this link!

And because Jesseca was super kind to let me participate, I have a review for you!

I Don't Dance



Author: Jesseca Wheaton
Genre: Conteporary Christian
Content: One kiss between a married couple

Synopsis:
Ty and Jen have been friends for nearly as long as anyone can remember. But when Ty goes off to college and leaves her behind, he has to face the reality that he cares for her as more than just a friend.
As graduations approaches and with only one summer left before he begins basic training, Ty must make a decision. Military life is never easy; is it fair to force it on the one he loves?
In the midst of wrestling with the question and coming to the realization that summer is quickly drawing to a close, Ty struggles to face questions he cannot answer, and is forced to examine his own heart.
Is it possible that God has a future for him with Jen? Or will the summer close with only memories of days gone by?

What I Thought:
This was so. stinkin'. cute.  I needed a bit of fluff and this delivered.  Ty and Jen's relationship was so adorable; the friends-to-lovers trope, particularly childhood friends, is one of my absolute favorites, ahh.  It was in full swing here and I loved it.  Ty and Mike's relationship was so good- this is good friendship here, y'all.  I just loved it all.
There was just the right amount of "angst" with the fluff to bring a sweet Christian message into the story.  Jesseca's love for Jesus shines through.  I look forward to reading more of her writing in the future!
(Also, I was reading this while driving through the mountains of North Carolina, and it was a fabulous experience, highly recommend.)

Favorite quote: It was a night that was too beautiful to be ruined by saying goodbye.

My rating: 4 ice cream cones out of 5

About the Author:
Jesseca is a daughter, sister, and a child of God. Her days are spent reading, cooking, spending time with siblings, or playing piano. And writing, of course! At an early age words fascinated her, and her love for the printed page has only grown. She lives with her parents and seven siblings in the sunny state of Kansas, and she’s convinced there’s no place like home.

There's also a fabulous giveaway going on over at Jesseca's blog!  A chance to in a paperback of "I Don't Dance", which I think is the perfect summer read!

Add it on Goodreads here!

Congrats to your new release, Jesseca!  Thanks for letting me be part of your awesome blog tour!
Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour, and get yourself a copy of "I Don't Dance"!

~ Abby

I'm On My Way

*sings under my breath* new friends and new places to seeeeeee…

Brother Bear, anybody?  (it's the ultimate road trip song, okay, bear with me)  (haha, bear pun)  (okay I'm done now)

Guess what? 



Or rather, I'm going on vacation.

And as the place I am going has little to no wi-fi... I will be absent for the duration of my trip.

But never fear, my fellow adventurers!  I shall return!  And when I do, I will bring with me not one, not two, but three exciting reviews for three lovely authors and three awesome blog tours!



((I mean, mainly it's because I have no restraint when it comes to signing up for blog tours... but whatever it's fine it's all fine

I'm seriously very excited about all three of the books and road trips mean reading time so yay))


So all of this to say, if I don't respond to your comments, or I seem to disappear for this length of time, just know that I still love you, and I will respond whenever we decide to visit the local library (which I'm very excited to see, by the way, I love libraries so much).

Okay that's all, bye, I'll see ya on the 22nd with a review in hand <3



~ Abby

The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag

Hello, my name is Abby, and I'm freaking out because 2018 is almost halfway over.

So to somewhat sate my freaking out, I'm going to do this tag and take a look at the books I've read so far this year!  Let me know in the comments below what your answers for some of these questions would be, I'd love to hear about what you've been reading!

1) The best book you've read so far this year.
Oh no this is way too hard.  I've read a lot of great books this year.  So, here, compromise, I'll list a few of my faves so far. 

2) The best sequel you've read so far this year.

I've read a ton of sequels this year, but I think this one continued the story perfectly!

3) A new release you haven't read yet but want to.

I've loved a lot of Korman's books that I've read so far, and I've heard really good things about this one!

4) The most disappointing book you've read this year.
Actually, looking at the list, I haven't been disappointed by any books I've read this year. 


5) The most surprising book so far this year.

I think that has to go to this one.  It was creepy, but perfectly so, and the plot twists were so well done.  I really enjoyed it after not knowing what to expect.

6) A new author you've discovered this year.

Not only is this gal new to me, but this was her debut novel!  It was such a powerful story, and I highly recommend it and the audiobook. 

7) Your newest fictional crush.

Can I say Mick?  Because Mick.

8) Your newest favorite character.

I loved all twelve princesses in this book.  Azalea and Lord Bradford in particular are going to stick with me for a long time, I think.

9) A book that made you cry.
I'm going to say The Science of Breakable Things again for this one, because the ending had me laying in bed, listening to the audiobook, bawling my eyes out.

10) A book that made you happy.

This book just made me ridiculously happy.  I adore Percy and Frank and Hazel with all of my heart and I loved reading this again.

11) Your favorite book-to-movie adaptation you've seen this year.

I watched the mini-series of Emma this year and I enjoyed it far more than I anticipated I would.  I also watched the mini-series of Pride and Prejudice, but I liked Emma just a smidge more *shrug*

12) Your favorite review you've written so far this year.
Idk why, but I'm still rather fond of this one.

13) The most beautiful book you've bought this year.
Technically I bought this last year but it's still my fave and one of the prettiest books I own so yeah.

14) The books you want to read in the rest of the year.
Well, I want to finish my Riordan re-read, which means finishing Trials of Apollo, reading Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes, and re-reading Magnus Chase.  I also really want to read some of the Star Wars books I've had on my unread shelf for way too long.

And there you have it!  What are some of your favorite books you've read this year?

~ Abby

Weddings, Blog Tours, and Hard Shoes {a look back at May}

May is over!  *breathes a sigh of relief*

Now, I'm not one to wish my life away, but I'm kind of really happy that May is over?  It was really busy, really stressful, and I think that may be why I got so much reading done (I needed the respite, lol).  So without further introduction, let's get started!


Things which happened in May include:
~ Our regular dance recital, which went swimmingly.  I honestly think that recital day was the best time I've done the tap dance.  Which is always good.
~ My sister finished with her physical therapy and is almost totally recovered!  She still has to take it easy a bit but she's doing really well.
~ One of my very dearest friends got married!  I was in the wedding party, we had a lovely time (even if the clouds decided to let loose their rain right as I walked down the aisle blergh) (but they stopped just in time for her to walk down the aisle so that was great), and overall I can't complain about the clouds because it meant I didn't get sunburned or anything so. Yay.
~ Anyway she's currently in Canada with her new husband and I'm very jealous because the weather there looks gorgeous and it's still rainy and dreary here.  All I want to do is curl up with a book.  Actually, maybe that's why I got so much reading done.
~ We competed in our... third... fourth? ...what number is this now? ...Irish dance feis (pronounced fesh, which is basically a competition) and my sister and I ended up tying for first in one of our dances? Which is weird?  But also cool. 

~ What I Read ~

I read eleven books this month.  ELEVEN.  What is this madness??
(as usual, click on the first collage for links to my more in-depth reviews on Goodreads)
~ Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea ~  This was easily one of the most adorable things I've ever seen.  It's all about a Narwhal, his best friend Jelly, and their love of waffles.  {5 stars}
~ Entwined ~  I absolutely adored this.  It was so perfectly magical.  New favorite, for sure.  {5 stars}
~ The Rebellion ~  Check out my review for more thoughts, but I loved this sequel! So sweet, so fun.  {4 stars}
~ Dagger's Sleep ~  Again, my review has more thoughts, but this was such a pleasant surprise!  I had no idea I would like it as much as I did, lol.  {4.5 stars}
~ How to Be a Viking ~  This was easily one of the most adorable things I've ever listened to.  Cressida Cowell narrates the audiobook herself and it's just. so. precious.  {5 stars}
~ How to Speak Dragonese ~  Obviously after listening to the adorable-ness that is the prequel story, I wanted to listen to the audiobooks for the main series as well.  This was the first one available from my library, so this is the first one I listened to, despite it being book 3.  {4.5 stars}
~ Dissociate ~  AHHHHHHH.  Here's my review for more coherent thoughts.  {4.5 stars}
~ How to Train Your Dragon ~  The hold on my audiobook came through, and I listened to this next.  It was so much better in audiobook form.  {4 stars}
~ The House of Hades ~  Not my favorite in the series, never has been.  But I love my kids and the Seven's powers really shone so I really enjoyed that.  {4 stars}
~ Mary Poppins ~  The next in my personal challenge to read a children's classic every month this year.  This was interesting.  I'm still not 100% sure how I feel about it?  {4 stars}
~ How to Be a Pirate ~  I love Hiccup and Fishlegs so much, y'all.  {4 stars}

~ What I Watched ~

Nothing out of the ordinary, I don't think.  Greatest Showman a few more times.  Monk, Psych, and Murder, She Wrote.  Which are all great and I highly recommend them.  And a lot of YouTube, I watched a lot of YouTube.  I was clearly too busy reading to watch anything, lol. 

OH but Nadine Brandes (aka one of the sweetest and most adorable human beings on the planet) started a YouTube channel!  Here's the link, go check it out, she's wonderful.

~ What I Listened To ~

This ended up being a really short playlist?  But mainly that's because the things I mostly listened to aren't on Spotify.  (Spotify, please add the Lightning Thief cast album.  Because everyone needs to hear it.)  But both For King & Country and Steven Curtis Chapman released new music and guys, I am obsessed with them.  And Jillian Edwards and Michael W. Smith released new stuff not too long ago and I'm obsessed with that too so yeah.  That's what's here. 

~ What I Posted ~

Favorite Quotes: Classics Edition {about my favorite quotes from classics}
Dagger's Sleep and Dissociate Blog Tour {+ book reviews!}  {about two awesome stories}
Kiera Cover Reveal {about a gorgeous cover}


So that's about it for May!  What was your favorite song you listened to this month?  How's the weather where you are?  Favorite audiobook?  Let me know in the comments below!

~ Abby