Silver Nights (Part 4)

It's finally here! The final part of "Silver Nights"! 

Make sure you check out parts one, two, and three! Today, we wrap up the story with a neat little Christmas bow (and maybe a Christmas kiss ;) ), and I hope you'll enjoy it. 

PART FOUR

   It had been a week since “toddlergeddon”, as Micah called it, which meant that Christmas was only days away.  Fresh snow covered everything outside, but inside George Nichols’ house, a fire was going in the fireplace.  Zach, the youngest of the Nichols brothers, had brought his wife Jen home to Frost River from the big city to celebrate, and to Sam, it was officially Christmas.

   “No peeking!" Jen scolded as Uncle George tried to stealthily peel back the wrapping on one of the gifts she was arranging under the tree.  

   “And here I thought Zach was the Scrooge,” George playfully pouted. 

   “She learned from the best.” Zach joked, putting his arm around his wife’s shoulders.  Sam, who had unsurprisingly been put in charge of hot chocolate for the evening, chuckled as he studied his family.  It had been too long since they’d all been together. 

   With a gust of snowy wind, Micah and Stephanie blew in the front door, red-faced and smiling.  There were general exclamations of welcome, but Sam’s mind only focused on the face that was missing. 

   “Didn’t you invite Lucy?” He asked, sidling up beside his older brother and slipping his hand into his pocket to hold the little present he’d hidden there. 

   “We just dropped her off.  She had to get to the train station.”

   “The train station?” His heart skipped a beat, though he tried to ignore it.

   “Yeah.  Her train leaves in like,” Micah glanced at his watch. “Twenty minutes?” 

   “Twenty minutes?” Now his heart was really starting to panic.

   “Is there an echo in here?” Micah looked at him quizzically. “Wait, did you not know?” 

   Sam forced out a laugh.  “What gave it away?” 

   A sly expression slid onto Micah’s face as he smiled.  “Well, I mean, you do still have twenty minutes before her train leaves, and you could take my truck if you wanted…” He hadn’t even finished the sentence before Sam had snatched the keys out of his hand and was out the door.  Micah laughed fully as he called after him, “Go get her, tiger!”

-

   Lucy shivered a little against the cold on the train platform and hugged her green coat closer around her. 

   “Are you sure you don’t want to sit inside, Lucy?”  Sarah, the platform manager, popped halfway out the station door, her wrinkled face wearing a smile.  “It’s nice and warm in here.” 

   “No thank you, Miss Sarah, I’m good.  It’s nice to be out here in the quiet.  Just me and God and my thoughts, you know?” 

   She chuckled as she went back inside. “I do know.  Let me know if you need anything, dear.  We've got cocoa and marshmallows."

   “Will do.” 

   Evidently it wasn't just Sam who was obsessed with the winter beverage.  Or maybe he'd swayed the town's opinions with this joyful insistence on it being the best drink ever.  

   And now she was thinking about him again.  That wasn't a good sign.

   Alone on a bench in the brisk wind, which the station mostly blocked, she pondered the almost four weeks she’d spent in Frost River.  They had somehow been the among best weeks of her life, which felt cheesy, which made her feel ridiculous.  

   “This only happens in Christmas movies.” She whispered to herself, pulling her knit cap down further over her ears.  There was something in the air here that made her able to breathe deeper than she had in years.  Part of her mind added, and Sam is here.  That was the cheesiest part, but also the part that made her smile. 

   She’d been giving her parents updates since she came here, on how the job was going and various other parts of her life.  But her mom would be able to see it in her face this week if she wasn’t careful.  And since she didn’t really want to discuss how Sam was just her friend, at least for now, she needed to be careful.  

   The loud clatter of the station door opening broke her out of her thoughts.  Lucy, startled, stood up and looked straight into the eyes of Sam.  He was disheveled, his coat buttoned wrong and only wearing one glove.  He stared at her for a second before recognition lit up his face and he took a step closer to her.

   “Don’t go.” 

   She was so thrown off that it took her a moment to respond.

   “What?” 

   He was completely serious, that she could tell. 

   “Look, I know we just met, and I shouldn’t ask you to rewrite your life just for me.” He reached forward and took one of her hands in his.  “But I want this, Lucy.  You and me.  Whether it’s for two weeks, or the rest of our lives, I want to try.”

   A slow smile started to spread on her face. 

   “Sam?” 

   “Yeah?”

   “Where do you think I’m going?”

   He blinked.

   “Away forever and I’ll never see you again unless I convince you to stay?” 

   Now she had to laugh.

   “I’m going home to see my parents for Christmas.  Your uncle gave me the week off, I’ll be back by New Year’s.”

   "Oh." She could practically see his brain stall and restart. "Well… this is awkward. Sorry to interrupt. Have a nice Christmas." He started to back away, his face flushing.

   "No, no, Sam!" She followed him.  Her boot caught on an icy patch and she skidded into him.  He caught her against his chest, his face flushing further.  This adorably awkward boy had fallen in love with her.  It was almost too perfect.

   Lucy rubbed her gloved hands together and put them against his cold face.  He hadn’t even put a hat on, and it was freezing out here. 

   “I want this too.” 

   She did.  She didn’t know why, or how any of this was real.  All she knew was that he was in front of her, with his face turned down to hers, and if she didn’t kiss him now, Stephanie would never let her hear the end of it.  

   Sam beat her to it, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead, his cold fingers brushing against her chin.  Warmth rushed through her.  This was right.  He was right.  She’d never been so sure of anything.  

   A loud train whistle made them step apart a little.  Sam gave her a lopsided smile.

   “I guess I’ll see you in a week?” 

   Lucy couldn't hold back her snort of a laugh. "Yeah, I guess you will." 

   "Okay then." He pushed his hands awkwardly into the pockets of his coat and backed toward the station door.  "You should invite your folks here for Easter." 

   "I'm guessing you go all out for that too?" 

   "Obviously."

   “I would expect nothing less.”

   They stared at each other for a moment before Sam gave a little “oh!” and pulled something from his pocket.

   “This is for you.”  As he passed her the small box, she flushed.

   “I don’t have anything for you.”

   “Doesn’t matter.” His smile widened and he rocked up on his toes. “Open it."

   She returned his grin and pulled off the lid. Resting on a tiny pillow inside was a necklace with a gold reindeer pendant. It was absolutely perfect.

   “It’s beautiful, Sam, thank you.” She felt like crying, then felt ridiculous again, but the gesture was so sweet, so completely Sam, that it touched her.

   The train rolled into the station with a hiss and the platform began to bustle with people coming home for the holidays. Lucy tucked the little box into her pocket for safekeeping and picked up her suitcase.

   “Well… Merry Christmas.” Sam offered. “Safe travels, all that stuff.”

   She hesitated for a breath, then cleared the couple of steps between them and pressed her lips to his. He stiffened like she’d startled him, then relaxed, and when she pulled away, he smiled.

   “Merry Christmas, Sam.”

And a very merry Christmas to you! I hope y'all had a wonderful holiday season, and that 2022 is a blessed year for you! Let me know your thoughts on the story in the comments, now that it's done! (And hey, thanks for reading ;) )

~ Abby

Silver Nights (Part 3)

 Oh hey, remember how I wrote a Christmas short story and then never posted the end of it? 

Yeah, I do.

While blogging has been falling to the wayside a bit this year (oops), I thought it was high time I finally updated this story. (Also if I miss posting it for Christmas again I will never forgive myself, lol)

Basically, it's a fluffy, feel-good, Hallmark movie of a story about Sam and Lucy, who, in part three, are exploring the Christmas festival, eating caramel popcorn, and totally not going on a date. ;)  In case you need to catch up (which you probably do, and I totally recommend), here are part one and part two! 

Enjoy! 

PART THREE

   There were fourteen boxes of cookies to carry to the festival booth, and Sam felt the same satisfaction he always did as he loaded them into the old red wagon they used to haul them.  Nichols Delivery had sponsored the cookie decorating booth for the past ten years; it had been his idea in the beginning, and Aunt Sharon had run with it.  When she passed away, Micah became his helper.  But as much as he loved his brother, he had to admit that having Lucy help was a lot more fun.

   Snow started to fall gently as they walked the five minutes it took to get into town, and Sam stuck his hand out to try and catch some flakes. 

   “This is going to be a magical night, Micah, I can feel it.”

   Micah gave a non-committal grunt and yanked the wagon over a bump in the sidewalk.  The whole of Main Street had been blocked off, booths set up in storefronts, lights zigzagging between buildings.  Laughter and Christmas music carried on the air as they approached.  Even though the festival hadn’t started yet and the sun had barely set, the various vendors and volunteers were friends, and no one could help but feel a little thrill once the snow started falling. 

   When Sam and Micah found their assigned spot - in front of the hardware store - Stephanie, Lucy, and Uncle George were already waiting under the pop-up awning. 

   “Took you long enough!” Stephanie teased as she helped them start unpacking. “It’s freezing out here!” 

   “Hey, it’s not my fault Sam’s a perfectionist.” Micah plopped the cash box down on the table.

   “I am not a perfectionist!  I just like things to look right.”  Sam passed a box of cookies to Lucy, who grinned. 

   “So you take the extra time to doodle on these boxes that no one will actually see?”  She looked over the cardboard. “Ooh, I like this star.” 

   “Thank you very much, Lucy, it’s nice to feel appreciated.” Sam sent a pointed look to Micah, who just rolled his eyes and laughed. 

   “Well, I for one like Sam’s doodles.” Uncle George stuck his hands into the pockets of his Santa Claus costume.  “They’re tradition.  Wouldn’t be Christmas without ‘em.”  George, who looked remarkably like the jolly gift-giver, had been tapped to portray him every year at the festival ever since Sam could remember.  

   “Speaking of tradition,” Sam pulled his phone from his pocket.  “Staff picture time!”  There was a small scramble as George put on his hat, Micah shoved the rest of the boxes under the table, and Stephanie insisted on taking the photo.

   “You’re never in them, Sam, and I don’t even work with you guys.  Go, get in there.”  She practically shoved him in next to Lucy, and they all shuffled together. 

   “Say sugar cookie!” Steph called, and they all laughed through the words.  Even Sam had to admit, as he looked at the picture, that with Lucy’s bright green coat, Uncle George’s Santa red, and Micah’s blue jacket, it was one of the loveliest staff pictures they’d taken in a long time.  

   Soon the stall was set up and George left them to get settled in the photo booth.  A crowd of locals had gathered at the end of Main Street, waiting for the festival to open.  While the mayor led the countdown on the temporary stage to light the giant town square tree, Micah nudged Sam and Lucy out of the booth. 

   “We’ve got this, you guys go have fun.” 

   “But-”

   “No excuses, James!” Micah pointed at Lucy. “Steph and I are the dream team!”

   “Yeah, we are!” Stephanie exchanged an air fist-bump with him.  Lucy stifled a laugh and held up her hands.

   “Fine, then, but don’t call me if you have any problems.” 

   “Wasn’t planning to.” Micah hollered after her as she strolled away, then elbowed Sam.  “Go with her, man.” 

   “Yeah, I’m gonna- I’m gonna go.  But not because you told me to!” Sam stammered out his words and followed Lucy, hearing Micah’s laughter behind him.

   Her hair reflected the colored lights; he had to catch his breath when she blinked up at the snow. 

   “So where do we start?” She fixed those green eyes on him and he smiled.

   “I believe you agreed to decorate another wreath.” 

   “Ah, yes.  I was thinking tree topper, though.”  

   He lengthened his steps until he was beside her, and she tucked her gloved hand into his elbow. 

   “Tree topper?”

   “Yeah, my parents’ old one broke last year, and I thought it might be a fun present to make them one.” 

   “That’s awesome, Lucy.”

   “Thanks!” She tossed her blonde ponytail and stopped. “Wait, you didn’t mention there was a caramel popcorn booth.” 

   “Oh, yeah, the dentist's office puts it on.  It's ironic.  Do you want some?” 

   “Heck yeah, I want some!”  She dragged him over, right as the crowd finished the countdown and the festival truly began.

-

   It only took her about twenty minutes and two large scoops of glitter to make the perfect Christmas star.  Her mom was going to love this.  After arranging with Millie to pick up the decoration later once it was dry, Lucy found Sam, finishing up the last of the caramel popcorn and studying the nativity scene set up in front of town hall. 

   “That’s really pretty.”  Lucy stepped up beside him, feeling a sense of peace settle over her as she looked at the scene. 

   “My mom painted it, actually.  Mr. Samuels at the hardware store carved the pieces and, as Uncle George says, she brought them to life.” 

   Mary and Joseph looked like real people kneeling in the snow, bent over the manger where the infant Christ slept peacefully.  A lamb sat beside them and a dove perched on the edge of the manger.  Both parents had a look of exhausted joy, unlike any portrayal she’d seen before, but deeply moving. 

   “I can see why the city puts it out, it’s stunning.”  She leaned down to look closer. 

   “I think so too.  It’s grounding, you know?  Like, I can put as much joy as I want into trees or cookies, but without this, it doesn’t really matter.” 

   “This is joy.” Lucy glanced up at him and he nodded, taking a deep breath.

   “Okay, so what’s next?  Hot chocolate taste test at the bakery?  Ornament scavenger hunt on the big tree?  Photo with Santa?” He wadded up the empty popcorn container and offered her his arm again.  She grasped it, a little shiver running down her spine, but whether or not it was from the cold, she couldn’t tell. 

   “Let’s go see Santa.” 

   “Let’s do it!” 

   They laughed together as they headed for the little Santa’s Village that the elementary school had set up, complete with volunteer “elves”.  According to Sam, even though most of the children in town knew George, they liked to humor him and overplay the idea that they were meeting the real, live Santa Claus.  In a way, for many of them, pretending that Mr. George was Santa was a Christmas tradition in and of itself. 

   They spent a few minutes in Santa’s Village, watching kids get their pictures taken with a grinning George.  Spotting the Reindeer Games, a booth devoted to various games involving tossing one object onto another, Lucy challenged Sam to a duel.

   “If you don’t win the Reindeer Games, I’m going to be very disappointed.” She poked him with the plastic ring the attendant had just given her. 

   “So will I,” he laughed.  

   In the end, Lucy beat him soundly, but gave him the giant stuffed cartoon reindeer prize. 

   “He belongs with you,” she said solemnly.  He accepted the prize, his expression just as somber and he put the plush over his shoulders. 

   “I am honored and humbled to receive such a gift, Lucy, truly.” 

   “Well, you know, I take care of my friends.” She shrugged, and they both nodded until they erupted in laughter.  

   They hit the bakery’s hot chocolate taste test next, deciding that the gingerbread flavor was the winner.  After a quick check-in with Micah and Stephanie, Sam led her to the town square Christmas tree. 

   A dance floor had been set up under a large tent, and a dozen or so people danced to the holiday tunes played by the high school jazz band.  Sam propped the reindeer plush up in a chair and held out his hand.

   "May I have this dance?" 

   Lucy shook her head and smiled.  “You’re a dork, you know that?” 

   “I’ve heard that more than a few times in my life, yes.”  He rubbed his forehead and chuckled.  Lucy grabbed his free hand and tugged him onto the dance floor as the band went into Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. 

   “So,” she said once he’d pulled her into his arms and they started swaying, “have you ever thought about leaving Frost River?”   

   “Why would I leave the perfect town?”  He raised his eyebrows teasingly.  He smelled like cinnamon, not that she planned to mention that. 

   “Fair enough.  But there’s a lot of world out there, haven’t you ever wanted to see it?” 

   “Well, sure, I guess.  But don’t underestimate the power of books and the internet to take you anywhere you want to go.”

   “Mmm, not the same thing.  I get it, though.  You’ve got family here, and community… it really is pretty much perfect.  Ever dated anyone here?” 

   She regretted the words the second they left her mouth, but there was no pulling them back now.  Sam, for his part, didn’t even flinch. 

   “Nope.  Miss Emma at the bakery tried to get her granddaughter Jenny and I together when we were in high school, but we’ve never exactly… clicked.” 

   “I take it she’s not a Christmas person?”

   “No.” He gave a wry smile. “Among other things.  But it’s fine, we’ve learned to peacefully coexist, as long as she never, ever knows that I sneak her grandma double chocolate chip cookies.” 

   “My lips are sealed,” Lucy said with an exaggerated wink.  He laughed, and they pulled apart as the song ended so they could applaud.  The teenage band excused themselves for a break, starting pre-recorded music playing in their absence.  Slowly the dance floor started emptying, and Sam’s gaze caught hers. 

   “Lucy, I wanted to say…” He was interrupted by his cellphone chirruping a Christmas carol ringtone; he sighed and answered it.  “What's up, bro?”  He listened for a moment, then burst into laughter.  “Yeah, we’ll be right there.”  He put the phone back in his pocket and went to retrieve the reindeer plush.  “Evidently Micah and Steph have been overrun with the preschool crowd and require reinforcements.” 

   “The dream team taken down by toddlers.”  Lucy shook her head ruefully.  “You hate to see it.” 

   “Well, let’s at least make sure they go down fighting, shall we?” Sam took her hand, which sent a lovely tingle into her heart, and they hurried back to the Nichols Delivery booth.

Keep an eye out for part 4 coming this week! (for reals this time)

~ Abby

Gilded In Ice Review {Frosted Roses Blog Tour}

Hello, my friends! Welcome to the Frosted Roses blog tour, where you can find six amazing retellings of one of my favorite fairytales, Snow White and Rose Red! 

I, for one, am super excited. The tour has already begun, and you can check out all the posts right here to join in on the fun! There's also a giveaway where you can win four of the books in paperback! Yay!

I'm so excited to be one of the bloggers this year, and I'll have two reviews coming your way this week! (Who's hyped? I'm hyped!)

First up, one of my most anticipated releases of the year, the sequel to The Midnight Dance (which I reviewed in last year's tour!) Who doesn't need a mystery that's Snow White and Rose Red meets East of the Sun, West of the Moon? (everyone needs it, that's who.)

Gilded In Ice

Author: Sarah Pennington

Genre: Fantasy mystery

Content: Alcohol use, one character gets drunk

Main Characters: Bastian, Kona, and Roselle Dennel

Synopsis:

Bastian has two new missing persons cases. One is cold. The other is his own sister.

Since his success solving the Midnight Show disappearances, Bastian Dennel is sitting pretty. And with the new high-profile cold case that just got dropped in his lap, he's pretty sure things will stay that way for a while. But when he finds out his sister has gone missing without a trace, he's determined to find her and bring whoever's responsible to justice - even if his only lead is a stray cat with a knack for vanishing unexpectedly.

Kona Dennel's plans have already been upended, so when the talking cat she'd befriended asked her for help breaking an enchantment, she didn't see any reason not to say yes. She didn't expect to be trapped in a frozen mansion or to be drawn into conflict with a mysterious lady of the fair folk. Even the cat is hiding more secrets than she realized. It'll take a skilled detective to untangle this web... but since Bastian isn't here, Kona will just have to do it herself.

Secrets abound, and the one creature who knows the truth isn't talking. Can Bastian and Kona outwit a fae who's been at this for centuries? Or will thawing out the long-frozen truth drop them in over their heads?

Add Gilded in Ice on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon

What I Thought:

Mystery has quickly become one of my favorite genres in the past couple of years, and being that this series is mysteries but also fairytale retellings? It's the best thing ever! 

I fell in love with The Midnight Show last year, but I loved this one even more! Sibling relationships, mysterious mansions, and talking cats can only make stories better, tbh. The vibes are everything here, man. It's a noir detective story meets magical adventure, so it's full of jazz and speakeasies, but also ice queens and angry dwarfs. 

The relationships between the Dennel siblings made me so soft, I just love them! I honestly don't know that I could pick a favorite of the three. They're all so clever and daring and it's fantastic. Of course Bastian's sisters would be just as cool as he is. I also enjoyed the character of the cat a lot!

I loved seeing the references to and familiar faces from Midnight Show, but was fully invested in this new adventure instantly! The ending was the best! I started tearing up (happy tears), it was just so wholesome and made my heart so full! I already want to read it again, lol!

In the end, I am hoping so desperately that there will be more books in this series. I need more adventures with these characters, Sarah, please!

Overall Rating: 5 magic mirrors out of 5

About the Author:

Sarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. Sarah’s first published work, Blood in the Snow, received a perfect score and Special Unicorn status in Rooglewood Press’s Five Poisoned Apples contest. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys knitting, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list.

Connect with Sarah: Her website ~ Her blog ~ Her second blog ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Like I mentioned at the start of this post, the Frosted Roses blog tour will be going on all week, so make sure you follow along by clicking this link right here! 

Have you read a Snow White and Rose Red retelling before? What's your favorite? Let me know in the comments! 

~ Abby

A Completely Subjective Ranking of Every Agatha Christie Book I've Read (so far)

If you didn't know this about me, I love a mystery. I always have. It started as a child with The Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew, and as I grew up, so did the mysteries I loved. But it was only this year that I really dove into the most well-known mystery writer ever - Agatha Christie. So far in 2021, I've managed to read at least one of her books every month, and tbh, I'm thriving. Therefore, I wanted today to share with you my completely subjective ranking of what I've read so far!

And yes, I am putting off some of the more well-known mysteries like And Then There Were None and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, mainly because I anticipate that I'll either love them or hate them and I'm scared, haha! But I've really enjoyed the ones I've read so far, there's something so cozy and comforting about the way she writes a story.

So today, let's take a look at the 10 Agatha Christie novels I've read so far, and which ones are my favorite.

10. The Murder on the Links

This is Poirot's second adventure, and it... wasn't the best. The ending was quite convoluted, and Hastings drove me a bit crazy in this one. Poirot himself was my favorite part of this story, with his sassy comebacks and mystery-solving prowess.

9. Poirot Investigates

This is a collection of Poirot short stories, and honestly, it's not my favorite. Christie's writing is stronger with a longer story, where she has more chance to set up red herrings and twists. But it was still enjoyable, and Poirot constantly looking at Hastings like, "ah my friend is an idiot but I love him" always makes me smile.

8. The Body in the Library

A winding and roundabout mystery that takes its sweet time to get to the final reveal, this was... odd. Not bad, necessarily. The set-up was interesting, and I liked getting to spend more time with Miss Marple in and around St. Mary Mead, but there were just too many characters, if I'm honest. I know Christie has a tendency towards big casts, but a lot of these characters were just unnecessary. Yeah.

7. A Pocket Full of Rye

The setup is classic - a tycoon has died and suspicion is cast on his shady family members. Miss Marple comes in to investigate, and is her iconic, sassy self. The reveal at the end I genuinely didn't see coming, but the inspiration of the classic "Sing a Song of Sixpence" was a fun twist!

6. The Mysterious Affair at Styles

The very first Poirot novel sees the Belgian detective brought out of retirement to solve a classic locked room murder, and it was great. This was the second Christie novel I'd ever read, and I enjoyed it so much! Poirot is the best at what he does, and he knows it. Doesn't have to brag about it, just states it as fact, and I think he's delightful.

5. Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Was this one of the most ridiculous and convoluted mysteries I'd ever read/watched? Yes.

Did I have a bucket of fun while reading it? Also yes.

I initially picked this up because it was recently announced that Will Poulter (aka Eustace Scrubb) has been cast as Bobby in an upcoming adaptation, and I cannot wait. He's going to be perfect.

4. Sparkling Cyanide

This was the first Christie novel I ever read, and even though now I can acknowledge that it isn't her best, it has a special place in my heart. One victim, one year, six suspects. Who killed Rosemary? Out of the ten in this post, this is the only one where I've actually managed to guess whodunnit, lol.

3. A Murder Is Announced

The second Miss Marple mystery I read, this one was a whole roller coaster of trying to figure out what had happened. It's full of twists and reveals and morbidly curious neighbors, and just furthered Agatha Christie's queen status in my heart.

2. The Moving Finger

I picked this one up purely because the premise reminded me of an episode of Murder, She Wrote. I have no regrets. Jerry and Joanna, I think, are a big part of why I loved this one so much. There aren't many non-romance adult novels (at least, not that I've read) that focus on a pair of siblings, so I loved seeing these two work together to solve the crime! The only thing that could have improved it would have been more Miss Marple, because she's my fave.

1. Death on the Nile

THIS BOOK. This is why she's the queen, okay? I knew this was one of her most highly regarded books, and I wanted to read it before the new adaptation releases this October, and I'm SO glad I did! It absolutely blew my mind, keeping me on the edge of my seat the whole time to figure out what the heck was going on on this murder boat. I can't wait to see Kenneth Branagh take this one on, especially since he did such a fantastic job narrating the audiobook.

And that's all the books I've read so far! I'm nowhere near done. There are so many of her stories that sound incredible, and I'm sure they will be. Have you read any of these? Do you agree with my ranking? What's your favorite Christie mystery?? Let me know all the things in the comments!

((all collages edited with and using images from Canva))

~ Abby

Ignite {blog tour + book review!}

Hello my friends! It's time for another blog tour! Today's review is for a book that's perfect for Marvel or DC fans, because we've got a SUPERHERO BOOK WOOT

If you're a Christian who's a fan of Marvel like I am, you're going to want to check this one out! 

Since this is the release blog tour, make sure you go check out all of the awesome posts that have come before me! Click this link right here to see more!

Let's just jump right in, shall we?

Ignite

Author: Jenna Terese

Genre: Sci-fi, Superhero

Content: Some violence

Main Character: Scarlett Marley

Synopsis:

When Scarlett Marley is attacked by an illegal super with fire powers, she doesn't get burned, but now she has a fire-like glow flickering in her eyes.

With superpowers criminalized, she has no choice but to turn herself over to the Superhero Containment Facility, or risk hurting everyone she loves.

Her normal life seems lost forever, until she is selected to be one of the first to receive the experimental cure to destroy her powers. In exchange, she must first complete one mission: Infiltrate and capture one of the largest gangs of supers in the remains of the once-great Rapid City. 

With the cure and all her future at stake, Scarlett is prepared to do whatever it takes to bring these criminals to justice so she can return to her family. But this gang and their leader, Rez, aren't what everyone says, and Scarlett begins to question everything she was ever told about the SCF and the fire flowing in her veins.

The cure is her only hope for returning her life to what it was before, but is that life worth returning to after all?

Add Ignite on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon

What I Thought:

Who doesn't love a superhero story?? I've been excited for this book to release since I first heard Jenna talking about it, and I'm so glad that it's finally here!

There's so much to love about this story - the characters, the world, and the aesthetic were all fantastic. The plot was engaging, I laughed out loud and almost cried, and just fell in love with the whole thing. 

Scarlett was a fantastic protagonist. Her choices really drove the plot (for better or worse), and I loved that! There were moments where she made the wrong choice, and she had to deal with the consequences. Which really shouldn't have made me as happy as it did, lol! But there are so many times in YA fiction especially where decisions don't seem to carry weight, and these did. I thought it was great.

The surrounding characters were wonderful as well! There's a definite found family dynamic going on, which y'all know I love. Just... so much friendship, it made my heart so full. Ares, Nadia, Seth, Rez, there are so many fantastic characters around Scarlett, and I loved it! 

Like I said, the plot was super engaging, which led to me reading the whole book in like... two days. It was just fantastic. If you're in the market for an adventure that's full of superheroes, corrupt organizations, and found family feels, with the perfect amount of faith content. I can't wait for book 2!

Overall Rating: 5 stolen cans of beans out of 5

About the Author: 

Jenna Terese believes stories are powerful. That's why she's dedicated to creating fiction that will impact the world. You can find this INFP dreaming about the future, fangirling over her favorite books, geeking out about Marvel, playing piano, or sipping a chai tea latte as she writes sci-fi novels.

Connect with Jenna: Her website - Instagram - Goodreads

Thanks again to Jenna for including me on this epic blog tour! Y'all need to go check this book out, seriously. And again, check out all of the awesome posts right here! 

~ Abby

Let's Try This Again... (what I've been up to pt. 3)

Well. Let me just, uh... wipe the dust off this ol' blog, shall I? It has been a while, hasn't it? 

My last post was in February?

((oh hey look, I can post gifs again!))

I can assure you, the absence was not intended.

Like most of my fellow humans, 2020 was a weird year. This, so far, has continued into 2021. The mental struggle is real. But here's the good news!

I've done a ton of reading.

I've done a ton of writing.

And while I had pretty hardcore creative burn-out at the turn of the year, I think, potentially, it's been conquered.  (No one talk too loud, you might spook it, lol)

Shall we chat about what I've been up to?  Let's do it...

- reading -

((see, Jess! we love a theme!))

I'm currently in the middle of WAY too many books, but here are some standout favorites of the past few months:

- death on the nile, agatha christie -

murder ~ PLOT TWISTS ~ poirot at his finest

- dearest josephine, caroline george -

mysterious letters ~ star-crossed romance ~ a lot of tears, happy and sad

- we the wild things, brian mcbride -

adventure ~ friendship ~ overcoming fear ~ the power of stories

- writing -

Writing is one thing that has happened in full force the past few months! I drafted an entire 10,000 word short story in April (I actually succeeded at Camp NaNo, who am I??) and it's one that I'm really stinkin' proud of. Currently it's called Project Tumbleweed, and it's a historical fantasy set in Arizona, 1874. And I love it. I don't even remember the last time I had as much fun just poking around at a story creatively, just dumping words on a page and then straightening everything up so it made some sort of sense. Yeah. It was nice. I'm still working on making into what it's supposed to be, and I can't wait to share it someday.

((Zeke and Annie are the lights of my life, I'll have you know))

Bonnie and Clyde are still doing their thing, plot pieces are coming together. This book is going to take me a long time, but I don't think that's a bad thing. I want to do it justice, you know? 

- watching -

LEVERAGE: REDEMPTION IS HERE

I absolutely LOVED it! I will admit, I was nervous, but these first 8 episodes felt so Leverage and I'm just really happy to be back with the crew, you know? I love Harry and Breanna joining the crew, and just... it was perfect. I'm so relieved.

At the moment, we're 4 episodes in to the Mysterious Benedict Society adaptation on Disney+ and let me just say, it is delightful.

I fully anticipate it becoming one of my comfort shows, tbh. The camera style, the costume design, the set design?? It's just fantastic. I can't wait to see the rest.

And that's... most of the update, tbh. I really haven't been doing much, just stressing over ARC deadlines and puttering around here at home.

I'll have a couple of very exciting reviews coming in the next few weeks, and I figured I should pop back in with a random update first instead of just dropping reviews in your lap, haha! 

I hope you're all doing well! Let me know what you've been up to!! I've missed you terribly <3

~ Abby

Blood of the Seer {blog tour + book review}

Binge reads - how do we feel about them?  Personally, it depends on the series.  For this one, though, I can't recommend it highly enough.

That's right, my friends, it's time for another blog tour, and this is one I've been very much looking forward to!  I've had my eye on the first book for awhile, even purchasing it last time I had Kindle credit, and with the release of the second book (which is available everywhere now, yay!!), it was finally time to actually read it.  And boy, am I glad I did.  

This might turn into a review of both books... sorry not sorry. xD 

Blood of the Seer (and also, kind of, Oath of the Outcast) 

Author: C.M. Banschbach 

Genre: Fantasy adventure

Content: Lots of violence, some "he cursed" and a few other mild profanities, and one creepy-as-heck cult of evil dudes.

Main Characters: Rhys MacDuffy, Sean MacDuffy

Synopsis (Spoilers for book 1!) : 

A blood curse.
A shadow world.
An indomitable evil.
A forgotten bond.
Banished for a crime he didn’t commit, Rhys MacDuffy risked his life to rescue the little brother he no longer could claim as his own. Sean, the Seer of Clan MacDuffy, returns from his ordeal to war between the Clans and Lord Adam Barkley. Moreover, the Clan Lords refuse to lift the exile on Rhys. No outcast has ever been forgiven.
But the druids who held Sean captive have taken the key to controlling his powers—his blood. Rhys determines to keep his brother safe no matter the cost. Heedless of the war, he leads his rowdy band of Mountain Brigands on a hunt to destroy the druids before they destroy Sean with their dark magic.
The druids force Sean into a shadow world full of demons and danger, where their menacing god Deronis can consume him. Yet Rhys is able to follow Sean into the other world. There they discover an older magic that might be the key to stopping the druids.
The bond of brotherhood between Rhys and Sean runs deep. But is it strong enough to stand against the druid’s blood god?

Add Oath of the Outcast on Goodreads ~ Purchase Oath of the Outcast on Amazon

Add Blood of the Seer on Goodreads ~ Purchase Blood of the Seer on Amazon

What I Thought: 

How do I fangirl enough to get you to read these books but make it a somewhat coherent review? 

Like I said, I've had my eye on these for awhile now, but I really didn't know what I was walking into.  I have this habit of just... not reading the synopsis for books, especially ones I'm excited for.  Like, I'll glance at them to determine whether or not it intrigues me, but by the time I actually read them, I've probably forgotten at least 90% of what the blurb says.  Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because it does make for a wild ride once I'm in.  In the case of these books, I had one expectation: I thought there would be dragons.  Alas, there are no dragons to be found within its pages.  But what I did find was a story so powerful it almost made up for it.  (Do I still think it could have been improved by dragons?  ... probably, but what story can't be, honestly?) 

This is a story of redemption.  A story of brotherhood.  A story of forgiving yourself.  And also a story about stopping a war before it starts, and epic fight scenes, and a lot of other really great stuff that I'm not going to spoil. 

I was invested in Rhys's story from the beginning of book 1, and seeing his arc come to a conclusion here was so perfect that it made me cry.  Which was unexpected, but not unwelcome.  It's part of why I can't recommend a binge-read of these enough.  Since book 2 picks up right where book 1 leaves off (thank goodness), it was nice to read it as a continuous story, and made the ending even sweeter.  The faith content?  Is so good?

The relationships between the leads was everything and I don't know how to stress that enough.  I'm very much a character-driven writer - make me fall in love with your characters and you've probably sold me on the whole book.  And these ones were great.  Relationships I loved: Rhys and his Cairns (the band of outlaws who are loyal to him and each other and no one else), Rhys and Alan (his ex-best friend), Rhys and Sean (I love them so much ;-; ), basically between Rhys and anyone he let into his circle.  I love a big angry man who has a secret soft spot for certain people.  What can I say? 

This is just a good old fashioned adventure story that was everything I didn't know I wanted.  If you're a fan of Tricia Mingerink's Blades of Acktar series, you're going to love these.  They gave me a very similar vibe. 

Honestly at this point I'm sad it's over.  I never want to leave.  Oh well.  I guess I'll just have to re-read them in the not-too-distant future.

Overall Rating: 5 swords out of 5

About the Author: 

C.M. Banschbach is a native Texan and would make an excellent Hobbit if she weren’t so tall. She’s a pizza addict, a multi-faceted fangirl, and a firm believer in being authentic—even if it means acting like a dork sometimes! When not writing fantasy stories packed full of adventure and snark, she works as a pediatric physical therapist where she happily embraces the fact that she never actually has to grow up.
She also writesYA/MG fantasy-adventure as Claire M. Banschbach.

Connect with Claire: Her website ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook

Thanks again to Uncommon Universes Press and the author for letting me participate in this awesome blog tour!  Mine isn't the only post you should check out - you can find the whole list at this link right here! 

Have you read these books?  Are you planning to now?  Let me know in a comment! 

~ Abigail