The Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag 2019

Hi, I'm Abby, and I can't believe that 2019 is almost halfway over.

Last year, around this time, I posted this tag with books that I read in the first half of 2018, and it helped me narrow down the books I'd read.  I could do a "best books of the year so far" but that would just be overwhelming because out of the 40 books I've read this year, not a single one has gotten under 4 stars.



so. yeah.

Anyway, let's jump on in.

1) The best book you've read so far this year.
Wait no I said I didn't want to do this.
ack I don't know it's probably one of these ones.

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

I think I'm going to give this one to Sand Castle Dreams (though The Integer is also a contender).  It was such a perfect follow-up to the first book, and left me eagerly anticipating book 3.

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

Say it with me - RO.MA.NOV.
Tbh, I'm shocked I haven't read this yet.  How have I not read this yet?

4) The most disappointing book you've read this year.

Don't get me wrong!!  I still really liked this book!  But it was a little disappointing, especially coming off of reading "East".  It felt a bit like a repeat of the first book? I guess?  I don't know it was just a bit of a let down.

5) The most surprising book of the year so far.

I had no idea that I would love this book as much as I did.  It was so cute, Odo and Eleanor were the purest friends, and anything with talking swords tends to be a win in my book. I really enjoyed it a lot.

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

I finally read a Stiefvater!  After years of hearing great things about her books!  And, kind of unsurprisingly, I really enjoyed it!  Was it my favorite book ever? No.  But I will definitely be picking up more of her works in the future.

7) Your newest fictional crush.

Have I mentioned Sheedy recently?  No?  Well, here he is again then.  Ethan Sheedy.  My true love. xD

8) Your newest favorite character.

I love Reynie Muldoon so much, guys.  He's just so //me//.  I also love the other kids of the Society, but Reynie was definitely my favorite.

9) A book that made you cry.

Yeah, I cried while listening to a fluffy contemporary.  It's about a girl grieving her mother.  That stuff just gets me, okay?  (Seriously though, the ending had me tearing up so much. Oh my goodness.)

10) A book that made you happy.

Happy? Yes. Squeal-y because of cute ship things? Yes. STRESSED?? YES!  But oh my word this book was so excellent.  I read the first three books of this series in succession and I'm so glad I did.  Also, Cress is my faaave girl of the series so far, I love her so much.

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

I watched the PBS adaptation of "Little Women" at the beginning of this year and it was excellent.  I still haven't read the book (lol), but I've seen several adaptations and I really enjoyed this one! The aesthetic is on point.

12) Your favorite review you've written this year.
I feel like my "Souls Astray" review was the most coherently written review of mine this year and I feel like I need to work on that. xD

13) The prettiest book you bought this year.
Okay be ready to be proud of me.  I HAVEN'T BOUGHT ANY BOOKS THIS YEAR.

Seriously! I haven't bought anything! I've picked up a few free e-books, but other than that, everything I've read has either been from the library or my own TBR.  I'm so happy with that. I'd kind of like to keep it up for the rest of the year... but we'll see, haha!

14) The books you want to read for the rest of the year.
Oh... so many. My main goal is to keep up my TBR jar experiment, which has been working pretty well so far! But really, just go back a post, and it's basically... every book on that list. Lol.


And there we have it!  What are some of your favorite books of the year so far?  Are you freaking out because the year is half over like I am?

~ Abby

Ten Upcoming Sequels That I Need Now

If you ever wonder, "Abby, why do you read so many backlogged books?"  This is why. (Although I read a lot more new releases now than I used to.)  Because I read books, and then I have to WAIT for the SEQUEL. UGH.

It's so much easier on my sanity to just binge a series that's already fully published (Blades of Acktar, for example).  And really, this problem has only arisen because I've been reading such dang good books lately.  And most of them are by my friends.  Which makes me so proud. And it also means that I can pester them about the books until they're out.  (I won't... but I could... if I wanted to...)

So today, we're going to talk about ten sequels that are not yet published, but I want NOW.


Quick note: I'm going to put descriptions for these books (if they have them) so that if you've read them like me, you can get as excited as I am.  As they may be spoiler-y, I just thought I should let you know.


1. The Anamnesis - Adelaide Thorne {The Whitewashed Trilogy #3}

This book has no cover, it has no description, it's not even on Goodreads, but I'm SO excited for it.  I just finished bingeing the first two books in the series and they're SO. GOOD.  I need to know what happens next.  That ending was rude.  Like... almost Rick Riordan level rude.  Yeah.


2. Martin Legacy - Abigayle Claire {Martin Generations #2}

I read the first book in May and I absolutely loved it.  I can't wait for this sequel and to see where it takes Gemma and the Martin family.  I know it's going to be great.

Synopsis:
Gemma Ebworthy is a struggling single mother—but not for much longer. Engaged to a kind-hearted farmer boy, her turbulent life is looking more stable at last, but troubles are still on the horizon. As their efforts to build a legacy for their unique family are constantly under siege, Gemma must decide where her worth truly lies.
Farris cherishes the only life he’s ever known, even though he feels more called to the mission field than his adoptive father’s fields. Growing up among extended family and in the Christian faith, he’s always had a firm foundation.
Yet when the past Gemma is so ashamed of—the one Farris can’t even remember—comes calling again, the life they’ve built is put to the test. For it to remain standing, Gemma is going to have to silence her demons once and for all. But this time, she’s not alone.


3. A Prayer Unanswered - Kellyn Roth {The Chronicles of Alice & Ivy #5}

This is one of my favorite series, and I'm so looking forward to seeing where Alice's life takes her in the rest of the series. (Side shout-out to Only a Mother, which is a novella companion that I'm also super stoked for.)  (Also, Kellyn, if you hurt my sweet boy Peter, i'm going to be very upset. that's all.)

Synopsis:
With her world is set adrift, how can she hold on?
When Alice followed her husband to America, she never expected to miss England and her family as much as she did. However, if her secret wish and prayer come true, she believes she can find comfort and happiness.
An unexpected tragedy flings Alice out of control, and her perfect life is lit aflame. Her feeble attempts to pull her world together all lead to inevitable failure. The harder she fights, the worse life becomes, so she lets go.
In a world full of spinning variables and agony beyond anything Alice has ever experienced, can she give her life to the God who loves her?


4. Midnight's Curse - Tricia Mingerink {Beyond the Tales #2}

LOOK. AT THIS COVER. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL.
I've been anticipating more books in this series since I read the first one in May of last year. I wasn't sure if Tricia was planning more, but I'm SO glad she did/is.  This is a Cinderella retelling, and I just know it's going to be amazing.  Also that cover. Can I mention it again?

Synopsis:
High King Alexander rules the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia—a divided nation on the brink of yet another war. When an invitation arrives from the king of Pohatomie, Alex knows it must be a trap, but could it also be the chance to unite the kingdoms he has been waiting for?
Daemyn Rand has lived a hundred years, served an arrogant prince, fallen in love with a princess, and lost himself somewhere along the way. He has already died for his loyalty. Will standing at the high king’s side cost him his one chance to truly live?
Elara Ashen is a lowly, miserable servant. All she wants is to spend even one night in a fancy dress dancing with the high king. When she is offered a pair of glass slippers, it seems that all her dreams have come true.
But dreams have a price, and gifts can be curses in disguise. What will it cost to stop this curse from tearing Tallahatchia apart yet again?
Fairy tales meet the Appalachian Mountains in this adventurous fantasy retelling of the classic Cinderella story.


5. Barefoot Memories - Taylor Bennett {Tradewinds #3}

Another sequel that has no cover and no description but I am highly anticipating! It's not supposed to come out until 2020. How am I supposed to make it until then? *melts into puddle of melting shave ice*


6. The Tyrant's Tomb - Rick Riordan {The Trials of Apollo #4}

The Burning Maze destroyed my heart, and I need to know what happens next.  Also we're going to Camp Jupiter. Which I'm so stoked about. Also look! Reyna! I can't wait to see her again!

Synopsis:
It's not easy being Apollo, especially when you've been turned into a human and banished from Olympus. On his path to restoring five ancient oracles and reclaiming his godly powers, Apollo (aka Lester Papadopoulos) has faced both triumphs and tragedies. Now his journey takes him to Camp Jupiter in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Roman demigods are preparing for a desperate last stand against the evil Triumvirate of Roman emperors. Hazel, Reyna, Frank, Tyson, Ella, and many other old friends will need Apollo's aid to survive the onslaught. Unfortunately, the answer to their salvation lies in the forgotten tomb of a Roman ruler . . . someone even worse than the emperors Apollo has already faced.


7. My Calamity Jane - Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows {The Lady Janies #3}

The only synopsis on this is "The legendary Calamity Jane gets a better ending to her story" and just that has me excited.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I can't wait to see the ladies take on the Wild West!  Gonna be honest, though, the only experience I have with Calamity Jane is the musical... but I'm okay with that, tbh.


8. The Fire Keeper - J.C. Cervantes {The Storm Runner #2}

The first book was one of my favorite books from last year, so I am highly anticipating this sequel.  Also the cover looks really cool.  But is that a badger?  because it looks like a badger.  i'm sure it's supposed to be a bear or something but now I will never unsee a badger.

Synopsis:
Zane Obispo's new life on a beautiful secluded tropical island, complete with his family and closest friends, should be perfect. But he can't control his newfound fire skills yet (inherited from his father, the Maya god Hurakan); there's a painful rift between him and his dog ever since she became a hell hound; and he doesn't know what to do with his feelings for Brooks. One day he discovers that by writing the book about his misadventures with the Maya gods, he unintentionally put other godborn children at risk. Unless Zane can find the godborns before the gods do, they will be killed. To make matters worse, Zane learns that Hurakan is scheduled to be executed. Zane knows he must rescue him, no matter the cost. Can he accomplish both tasks without the gods detecting him, or will he end up a permanent resident of the underworld?
In this cleverly plotted sequel to The Storm Runner, the gang is back together again with spirited new characters, sneaky gods, unlikely alliances, and secrets darker than Zane could ever have imagined. Secrets that will change him forever.


9. A Matter of Curiosity - Nicki Chapelway {Return to Amar #2}

I absolutely adored the first book, so I can't wait for this one! The snark, the sass, the characters, the magic, I am very much looking forward to returning to Amar once again.  And finding out what happened because again, that ending.


10. The Perfect Christmas - Bell Renshaw {Winter, Montana #2}

It's been awhile since I visited Winter, and I can't wait to go back.  Bell writes the cutest Hallmark-channel style fluff and I love it so much.  Plus these two are already in a relationship when the book starts. Which is one of my faaavorite things. *heart eyes*

Synopsis:
Born and raised in Winter, Montana, Beau Bradley can’t imagine life anywhere else. During the holiday season his coffee shop, Mountain Grounds, is as busy as ever and now that his girlfriend is back in town, things finally seem to be lining up—until he gets a call that could change it all.
Ansley Strauss is back in Winter after a nine-month art intensive in Canada and she’s ready to celebrate the Christmas season in the tried and true Winter-style. There’s only one problem: her boyfriend lacks Christmas spirit. Her solution? Make this Christmas perfect to remind Beau just how special this time of year is.
Set on a course for ultimate Christmas joy, Ansley and Beau find that life doesn’t always work out the way they hope it will. Beau faces the reality that plans can’t account for everything and Ansley will have to come to the realization that no matter how perfect things are, it’s the imperfections in life that make it worth living.
It’s another Christmas in Winter, Montana where the coffee is always hot and the mistletoe beckons lovers to share a kiss.  


And there you have it!  If anyone wants to time travel into the future and snag these for me, that'd be great, thanks.

What's a sequel you're anticipating?  Let me know in a comment below!

~ Abby

Middle-Grade Recommendations {Dawn Chandler blog tour}

Hello my friends!  Today I have a very exciting post - the first ever guest post on this blog!  I'm so glad to tell y'all all about the lovely Eliza Noel and her new release, "Dawn Chandler"!

If you've been around this blog for any length of time, you know that I adore middle-grade fiction.  Or if you're new here, it's probably something you'll pick up on pretty quick, haha!  So today, Eliza is making a guest appearance here on my blog to tell us about some of her favorite middle-grade books! Before we get into Eliza's recommendations, let's talk about what I'm sure would be her number one rec, Dawn Chandler!



Synopsis:
Dawn Chandler likes the way her life is— or was. She liked going to the mall with her best friend, excelling at middle school, and attending church with her family. Typical life for a twelve-year-old in the city of Fresno.
When Dawn’s parents announced they were going to homeschool her, on her birthday no less, she felt like her world was falling apart. Normal kids are supposed to go to school, not read books at home. To make matters worse, they may be leaving the only home she’s ever known.
What are her parents thinking?
Before making the final moving decision, the Chandler family visits Lone Pine, a small town between Mt. Whitney and Death Valley. While there, Dawn and her siblings become acquainted with their eccentric great uncle, explore the new area, and meet a large homeschooling family. All of this makes the 'vacation' more bearable. Still, Dawn isn't sure if she can make the move and leave everything she’s familiar with behind.
Can Dawn learn the values of faith, family, and contentment?

Add on Goodreads ~ Pre-order on Amazon

About the Author:
Eliza Noel is a home school graduate with passion for Jesus, people, and literature. Growing up, her favorite books were always Nancy Drew, Anne of Green Gables, and Pride and Prejudice. Around age twelve she wanted to read something with positive values in a modern setting, but couldn’t find what she was looking for. So she wrote it.
When not doing something book-related (reading, writing, blogging, bookstagramming), Eliza works at her day jobs, spends time with her many younger siblings, longboards, has coffee with friends, eats chocolate, and listens to music. California is home, but she would like to travel more and feels she could learn to be content anywhere.

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

Doesn't this book just sound so cute?  I'll be putting up a review for it very soon!

And now, without further ado, I present: Eliza Noel's Middle-Grade Recommendations!

((ALL the florals. can't stop won't stop))

Hi! I'm Eliza Noel. I'm here to share five of my favorite middle-grade books with you! As a middle-grade author, I still read quite a bit of middle-grade despite being nineteen. I love the Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames and Penderwicks series, but I thought I'd focus more on some other books here.

1. Twice Freed

This book is historical fiction that's about Onesimus, Philemon's slave. I loved reading about what this teenage boy's thoughts were about Jesus Christ and how those changed towards the end. There was some violence in it, but overall it was clean.

2. After the Dancing Days

This one is also historical fiction, but it takes place right after World War I. It made me cry. It was such a truly beautiful story. It centers around a 13-year-old girl named Annie who befriends a wounded soldier named Andrew. Annie's mother doesn't think she's old enough to see how horrible the war truly was and that raises conflict within her family. There were a few times where Annie lied to her mother and that bothered me a bit, but overall it was clean.

3. Nim's Island

If you've seen the movie, know that the book is quite different. I enjoyed both. Who doesn't love a good story about a kid living on the island? It's been a long time since I read it, but I can't remember any content issues.

4. Gone Away Lake

I'm not even quite sure why, but this was one of my absolute favorites! Even my brother who didn't like reading at the time enjoyed it. It tells the story of a young boy and girl who discover somewhat of a ghost town and befriend the only two people who are still living there during their summer vacation. I can't remember any content issues.

5. Mandy

This book is written by THE Julie Andrews. Yes, the one from Mary Poppins and Sound of Music. I love this eccentric story of a 10-year-old orphan who finds an abandoned cottage and fixes it up for herself. Mandy frequently tells lies, from what I remember in the end she realizes that was wrong, and there's some light language in it. Overall I loved it so so much!

Have you read any of these? Did any of them catch your interest? What are some of your favorite middle-grade books?

Hi, it's Abby again! I just have to say that I have not read any of these books but I know I'm going to!  So go snag yourself a copy of Dawn Chandler and enjoy ALL the middle-grade fun!  AND to make it even better (!!!), Eliza is hosting a GIVEAWAY!  Click that little link right there to be entered to win a signed copy of the book! 

Huge thank you and shout-out to Eliza for letting me be part of this awesome blog tour (make sure you head over to her blog for the full schedule) and for guest posting here on my blog!

~ Abby

Souls Astray {blog tour + book review}

It's probably a pretty well-known fact that at this point Kellyn Roth is one of my favorite historical fiction authors.  One of my favorites overall, tbh.  And while I've come to terms with the fact that I prefer the Alice and Ivy books, the Kees & Colliers series will always hold a special place in my heart.  And learning about Adele and Troy's relationship was an absolute joy (and also an absolute pain because ow. my heart.)

Souls Astray



Kellyn has the prettiest covers gosh

Author: Kellyn Roth
Genre: Historical romance
Content: Adele lives a fairly sleazy lifestyle, trying to fit into the 1920s crowd.
Main Characters: Adele Collier and Troy Kee
Placement in Series: Prequel to book 1

Synopsis:
Adele has been lost for a long time now ... Adele Collier has sought a carefree lifestyle ever since her tragic childhood. Determined to never allow anyone or anything to control her life or emotions again, she consistently seeks distraction in gaiety. But shaking her ghosts isn’t as easy as she’d like.
Troy Kee has been alone in the world since the Great War took his parents and left him in care of his younger sister. When she marries, he’s left to seek after his goal of a healthy, complete family. But how can he focus on his dream when trouble plagues his family vineyard?
When Adele and Troy meet, a whirlwind romance begins—but can two lost souls have a healthy relationship?

Add on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon ~ Kellyn's review of the content ~ Official webpage

What I Thought:
This book was equal parts

and


I have a love-hate relationship with prequels and this is the prime example of why.  I absolutely loved seeing Adele and Troy's life stories.  I had wondered how exactly it all went down leading up to The Lady of the Vineyard, so I was pumped to learn about it first hand.  But goodness gracious, my emotions!! were all over the place!! ahhhhh!!! Because I knew where they ended up at the beginning of TLotV and thus I knew the whole thing was going too well and then I was SAD.
As far as the characters go, I'm still kind of meh about Adele. I understand her more now, but she's just not my cup of tea, I think.  But let me just say, Kellyn has such a way of making me fall in love with her male leads.  Peter? Yes. Jordy? Oh yes. Troy?? My sweet baby child who did nothing wrong and deserves only the best in this world.  He needs a hug.  I wanna give him a hug.
Other things Kellyn did really well:
- the setting, both historically and location-wise
- writing kids (she's really good at that, man)
- writing three very different family dynamics and making them all fully fleshed out and interesting.
- "funny how someone dying meant that one spent ages working on trying to get money transferred and all other sorts of things that really didn't matter, that one really didn't care about because a dear person was gone. but one had to." TRUE
- the faith content. it's not preachy, but it's great. and she's honest about the short-comings of the church, how we're imperfect sinners, but how there's still redemption to be had.
- the scene where troy came into the flower shop was the cutest thing ever OOF.
- making me feel ALL the things.

Basically, if you haven't read a Kellyn Roth book and you like hisfic romance at all, what are you even doing with your life?  Go read her books.

Overall Rating: 4 flower bouquets out of 5

About the Author:
Kellyn Roth lives on an Eastern Oregon ranch with her parents, little brothers, border collies, cats, and a few dozen cows and chickens.  Always a lover of a good story, and especially of telling one, she's been writing since she was seven and published her first novel at fourteen.  Now a homeschool grad, she divides her time between penning her next Christian historical fiction novel, creating professionally silly articles for her blog, and her actual life.  Actual life plays second fiddle sometimes, though.

Connect with Kellyn: Her website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Google+ ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Youtube ~ Amazon ~ her personal blog ~ her review blog

GIVEAWAY for a signed paperback of the book + a $20 Amazon gift card! Click here!

Huge shout-out to Kellyn for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Yeah, I think a re-read of the rest of the Kees & Colliers series is in my very near future.

~ Abby

The TBR Jar Experiment

I love to re-read books.  It's a fact that I've known since I was a small child.  Going back to old favorites is one of my favorite things to do, so it's something that I do a lot.  Unfortunately, when one has over 100 books in a physical TBR, one needs to reconsider one's priorities. 

Thus, the TBR jar was born.

(eventually, I'll make a graphic that isn't a floral. eventually. i'm in a spring-y mood, okay?)

I'm not the first to come up with this idea, so I don't claim originality here.  And to be honest, the idea of TBR jars has always scared me.

If you don't know what a TBR jar is, essentially, readers with large TBR (or to-be-read) piles will put the titles of said books into a jar or a mug or what have you.  Every month or so they'll pull one or several titles from the holder and challenge themselves to read the book[s] that month.  And it seems really terrifying to me, so I changed it up.

So in that little purple jar are titles of books I own and haven't read.  In the box shaped like a gorgeous little book are titles of books I want to re-read.

The idea is a sort of reward system for myself.  Because my brain is mean and doesn't like letting me read new books. It's this inexplicable mind game that I can't seem to break, so I thought I'd try to tame it.  It's still in the experiment phase, but I figure if I post about it, it'll give me some accountability. 

The system works like this:
Step One) Pick a title out of the TBR jar.
Step Two) Read the book.
Step Three) Pick a title out of the re-read jar.
Step Four) Read that book.
Step Five) Repeat.

So, essentially, if I read a new book, I get to reward myself and re-read a book.  Because my brain apparently needs a reward to actually do what it's supposed to do. 


shawn = my brain trying to get me to re-read books
gus = my tbr pile

As of today, I've pulled one book out of the TBR jar, and one book out of the re-read jar, and so far, the system seems to be working.  (Well, I haven't picked my next TBR jar book because I had other books I needed to review, but I'm planning to very soon.)

The books that went into the TBR jar are as follows:
- The Book Thief  {Markus Zusak}
- An Ember in the Ashes {Sabaa Tahir}
- Keeping Safe the Stars  {Sheila O'Connor}
- Magyk  {Angie Sage}
- Martin Hospitality  {Abigayle Claire}
- Mistborn  {Brandon Sanderson}
- The Mysterious Benedict Society  {Trenton Lee Stewart}
- Princess Academy  {Shannon Hale}
- The Princess and I  {Rebekah Eddy}
- The Shadow of Your Smile  {Susan May Warren}
- A Tale Dark & Grimm  {Adam Gidwitz}
- The Wee Free Men  {Terry Pratchett}

And the books that went into the re-read jar were:
- City of Orphans  {Avi}
- The Emerald Atlas  {John Stephens}
- The Giver  {Lois Lowry}
- Heist Society  {Ally Carter}
- How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel  {Cressida Cowell}
- A Little Princess  {Francis Hodgson Burnett}
- Moon Over Manifest  {Clare Vanderpool}
- Navigating Early  {Clare Vanderpool}
- Science Fair  {Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson}
- The Throne of Fire  {Rick Riordan}
- A Time to Die  {Nadine Brandes}
- The True Meaning of Smekday  {Adam Rex}

That's twelve books in each.  Every time I read one out of either, I put another book back in. That's the plan, anyway.

And the first pick of my TBR jar was... Princess Academy!

Which, I think, was a fabulous place to start.  A relatively short middle-grade, one that has been recommended to me so many times over the years, and an absolutely magical story that I'm so happy to have read.  (You can check out my Goodreads review here!)  I felt super accomplished, I have to say.

And thus, I got to pick a book out of the re-read jar, and that was... The True Meaning of Smekday!

And good golly, I love this book so much.  Reaffirmed as one of my all-time favorites, that's for sure.  And, like a good girl, I did not immediately jump into "Smek for President!", as much as I really wanted to.  I do think I'll re-read it sometime soon, because it's super short and I'm just not ready to say goodbye to Tip and J.Lo just yet. 

With that, it's time to pick another book from the TBR jar.  Like I said, this seems to be working so far and I'm really excited about it!  My family has also been supporting me in this endeavor because they all think it's ridiculous that my TBR is so huge and I keep re-reading books.  (I know... I think it's ridiculous too... that's why I'm doing this)

While I haven't read another book out of the TBR jar so far in April, I've knocked several books off my TBR all the same.  And I'm very excited about that.


So what do you think?  Good idea?  Think I can maintain this experiment?  Spot any faves in the titles?  Let me know in a comment below!

~ Abby

Porch Swing Girl {book review}

Have you ever read a book and felt like it needed to be a movie?  Yeah, that's what happened to me with this book.

Now, most of you have probably already heard wonderful things about this book (if you haven't, where have you been?), and I'm here to tell you that they are all completely justified.  Taylor Bennett has written a wonderful story of grief, God's redemption, and summer beach days.  And because she is one of the sweetest people ever and I'm part of her street team now, she sent me a copy to review for you today! (And yes, I do already have a copy of "Sand Castle Dreams", and yes, I'm going to be reading it very very soon)

Porch Swing Girl



Author: Taylor Bennett
Genre: Christian fiction
Content: None
Main Character: Olive Galloway
Placement in Series: 1 of 3

Synopsis:
What if friendship cost you everything?
Stranded in Hawaii after the death of her mother, sixteen-year-old Olive Galloway is desperate to escape. She has to get back to Boston before her dad loses all common sense and sells the family house. But plane tickets cost money—something Olive gravely lacks.
With the help of Brander, the fussy youth group worship leader, and Jazz, a mysterious girl with a passion for all things Hawaiian, Olive lands a summer job at the Shave Ice Shack and launches a scheme to buy a plane ticket home before the end of the summer.
But when Jazz reveals a painful secret, Olive’s plans are challenged. Jazz needs money. A lot of it. Olive and Brander are determined to help their friend but, when their fundraising efforts are thwarted, Olive is caught in the middle. To help Jazz means giving up her ticket home. And time is running out.

Add on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon

What I Thought:

This was exactly what I wanted it to be, oh my goodness.  The setting, the characters, the faith content, it was just perfect. 
Things I loved:
- Brander (*heart eyes*)
- Jazz (I want to be her friend please)
- Macie (she's the cutest)
- Olive (eventually. she had to grow on me)
- The setting (even though I haven't been to Hawaii, I felt like I was there!)
- The Shave Ice Shack (can I go there please?)
 - The way Taylor handled grief.  I have to talk about this.  As someone who has lost a parent, I really appreciated it.  Olive handled it differently than her dad, who handled it differently than Macie, who handled it different than Gramma.  And that was perfection.  How Olive doubted God and her Gramma clung closer to Him.  It was amazing, and I applaud Taylor for writing it.
- The ship... I loooooved it. (and I just loved how pure and adorable it is and I can't wait to see where it goes in the next books)
- I want to visit the church, it seems so awesome.
- It was just so nostalgic feeling and wonderful.

Overall Rating: 5 shave ices out of 5

((I made an edit ooooh)

((also I made a Spotify playlist ooooooh))



If you're looking for a summer-y read that's gonna give you all the feels and has awesome faith content, I can't recommend this book highly enough.

~ Abby

What I've Been Up To (Welcome Back!)

Hehe... sorry about that hiatus.

I do want to make this blog a priority, I do!  It's just difficult with the fifty million other things it feels like I have to do, you know?  So starting now, I'm going to try my very best to post once a week.  And if I don't... poke me.  Go to one of my social media links over there in the sidebar and just say "hey, Abby, how's this week's post coming?" if you don't see it before Saturday.  Yeah?  Maybe I just need to set an alarm for like... Monday night.  GO WRITE A BLOG POST. or something.

So here we are again, and I thought, to kick off this new chapter of my blogging life, I'd catch you up on where I've been, and what I've been doing.  I basically haven't posted in 2019 so far, which is a shame, because a ton of stuff has gone down around here!

- reading -

I've already read 19 books in 2019, and to be honest, I feel like this is a grand accomplishment.  Especially since some of them have been massive tomes of books.  A few examples of the awesome books I've read so far:

A Boy Called Christmas - a story of magic, a boy named Nicholas, impossibilities, and reindeer.
Cinder (and the whole of The Lunar Chronicles) - everything I wanted them to be and more.
Rose in Three Quarter Time - a marriage of convenience plot that's just so darn CUTE.
and I've been re-reading-via-audiobook the HTTYD series and I just love this series and these characters so much *melts in a puddle of feels*

- writing -

Okay, okay, okay, this is really, I think, the main reason I haven't been blogging.  Because all my words are going into my WIP and I'm not too mad about that, tbh.  The story I'm writing is called Parker and Barrow (or that's the working title, anyway), and it's a historical fantasy retelling of the story of Bonnie and Clyde!  Which is super fun so far.  Bonnie is surprisingly bitter and Clyde is surprisingly soft and basically this whole book so far has been full of surprises and I'm only a chapter and a half in.  It's been nice, being passionate about writing again.  I've missed it a lot.

- watching -

The most recent show obsession I've had is with The Dick van Dyke Show.



I'd seen a few episodes through the years, but when I got my wisdom teeth removed at the new year, my sister and I started watching through the show and it is just... the purest, funniest, best ever show I just love it to pieces. Laura and Rob's relationship is actual life goals, I want Laura's whole wardrobe, tbh, and it's genuinely hilarious and clean.  Ah, it's so good.  And it's all available on Amazon Prime, so if you haven't watched it yet, I highly recommend it.

I also started rewatching Once Upon a Time because I was feeling all nostalgic and it's so overdramatic but also it's great.

- doing -

Really, the reason I haven't posted here has been the busyness that comes with life.  Irish dance performances (because St. Patrick's Day, hey!), upkeeping a YouTube channel (which is way more work than one would expect), being consistent with bookstagram (or at least as consistent as I can be, lol), it's a lot.  How do some people do it all?  I don't understand it. 

But hey, you know what else has been happening?  I'm so sure of God's faithfulness to me.  He's been carrying me through all of this craziness, and I'm sure He'll keep on carrying me through the next parts of His plan for me.  I may not know where I'm going, but I know who's going to be there.  You feel me?

- blogging -

If you've reached this point in this post, you know I haven't been blogging.  Thus, we've reached the questionnaire portion of this post!  So, I have a couple of questions for y'all.

What would you like to see me post about?  More book reviews?  Some stuff about writing?  Random fun with gifs and such?  Some of all of it?  My blogging well is coming up with very little water at the bottom, which is a problem because I genuinely want to make this more of a priority.  So I want to know what you want to see!  Let me know in a comment below!



Here's to many months in the future where I consistently post once a week and don't disappear for months at a time!  Let's do this thing.



~ Abby