The Coronation {book review}

So a few months ago, I got a message from Livy.

She asked if I wanted to read and review her newest book.

I, of course, said OH YEAH.

... and then proceeded to not read the book for several months because I have issues.

BUT I have read it now, and here we are and I am very excited to share all of my thoughts with you!

The Coronation


(random thoughts, how gorgeous is this cover??)

Author: Livy Jarmusch
Genre: Contemporary/Christian
Content: None
Main Character(s): The royal family of Tarsurella

Brief Overview: Prince Addison of Tarsurella is about to be crowned king.  And with that comes the pressures of doing his country and his family proud.  When things go terribly wrong, the whole family must rely on God's promises and each other to make it through.

Placement in Series: I'm not sure how many there will be, but a sequel is coming out next year (and I am so ready)!

What I Thought:

This book was so perfect for me.  The beginning gave off vibes of "The Princess Diaries" or a Hallmark movie, and then it took a complete turn about halfway through and became edge-of-your-seat awesome!
I adored the relationships between the siblings.  Honestly, that was probably my favorite part.  I mean, Addison and Millie?  Anyone?
I also loved that the romances weren't really central plot points, but they were still so shippable!  I can't pick a favorite ship, and that is a great thing. 
(More cohesive thoughts can be found here on my Goodreads review)

The Characters:
Addison - Would it be weird to say that I would marry Addison any day?  Because, dude.  I would marry Addison.  He's so good and sweet and he loves his family and I love his family and yes.  (but really seeing his development over the course of the story was wonderful and I love him)

Bridget - While I didn't relate a whole lot to Bridget, I appreciated her character arc.  And I did understand why she felt what she felt.  And she's a pretty great big sister.  So yeah.

Chasity - I almost want to say that Chasity is my favorite of the princesses?  But I'm not sure if I'm ready to make that commitment (lol).  I loved her not-quite-a-relationship with Hanson, and I can't wait to see where the next books take it.  But she's such a sweet spirit, and I'm excited to see more of her in the future.

Hope - See, Hope is why I'm hesitant to claim Chasity as my favorite.  Because she makes it a close tie.  I love her character and her scenes and her strength and I JUST LOVE ALL THESE CHARACTERS A LOT OKAY.

Also I have to quickly mention the boys in this book because each and every one of them stole my heart.  And I can't wait to see more of them. 

Favorite Quote:

relatable

Also, for the first time ever in a review, I'm including a Book Playlist for your listening enjoyment.  These were songs that reminded me of the story, and I listened to it as I read and it was wonderful.


Will I Keep Reading? Um. Yes. Please, I need more.

Overall Rating: 4.5 King-made burgers out of 5

I need the next book now, please and thank you.

(You can add The Coronation on Goodreads here and purchase it from Amazon here)

~ Abby

The Mercy in the Madness

My life has been absolutely insane recently.  I'm partially writing this as an excuse for where I've gone.  Sorry.

Last week, we had to put our dog down.  It was very dramatic, and could not have come at a worse time.  This past weekend, we went to Fort Myers and performed for our first paid dancing job.  And now, we've been in Georgia for 3 days, helping my Grandma move.

All this to reiterate - I've been living in complete madness.

Last night, I was asking God, "Why would you let all of this happen to us, right now?"  I've been going through health issues, my grandparents are deteriorating, I don't have a job and I don't know what I want to go to college for.  All of which people are asking me about constantly and I don't have answers.

I was focusing on everything that was wrong.

But then I heard Him whisper, "Abby, if you focus on what's wrong, you're going to drown in all the reasons you aren't okay.  So stop looking at that.  Look at me."

And then He gave me this title:

Here's the thing: It's so easy to ask why.  Why is this happening?  Why to me?  Why now? 

Why so much?

Maybe it's simply because, as Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." {Mark 2:17}

Unless you admit you need help, it's impossible to get it.

The same goes for God.

So maybe that's why it all seems to happen at once.  Because I will tell you this: I have been closer to God in this storm than I was in the calm.  I can tell.  It just feels different.

My situation has come to the point where I have to say "I trust that He's got it" and keep going.  I can't sit and dwell, or I won't move.  There's no way I can handle everything by myself.

And it's only when I let go that I can be held.

No one can hold your hand if your hand is full.  You can't put new books on your bookshelf until you've removed some of the old ones.  It's scary to change, but you have to change to move forward.

You have to release your hold on the cliff's edge before God can catch you.

So this is the mercy in the madness: that even though I'm floundering and trying to do it myself, I can't.  And that realization forces my eyes away from the problem and onto the One who can fix it.


{Have you ever seen the mercy in the madness?  Where have you seen God in your life this week?}

~ Abby



Nightmare City {Spooky Reviews}

As we come to the end of this spookiest of months, here is one final review for you.

Read it... if you dare...

Nightmare City



Genre: YA thriller... mystery... thing?  I guess?
Author: Andrew Klavan
Content: Mentions of self-harm, a soldier dying, and gunshot wounds.
Main Character: Tom Harding

Brief Overview:
Tom is a reporter for his school's newspaper.  Recently he published a story that was somewhat controversial and was met with backlash from the community.  One morning, he wakes up to find his house empty and a strange fog roiling outside.  What happens next will change his life forever.

What I Thought:

I stayed up until 1 in the morning to finish this book.  Because I thought, at 11 or so, "oh, I'll just pick this up for a bit and then read more tomorrow".  Like a complete reading newbie.  I should know better.  I couldn't put it down.
The plot of this book was very well done.  The writing left a little to be desired, but HOLY COW THAT PLOT. 
It granted me the pleasure of my favorite reading experience: figuring out what's going to happen seconds before it does.  But I didn't see the ending coming.  Not at all.
And that's all I'm going to say because I don't want to spoil this book and I feel like it would be easy to spoil.


The Characters:

I'm really only going to talk about Tom because he's pretty much the only one we really get to know in this book.  I came to like Tom throughout the story.  I actually disliked him at the beginning, but I think that's just because he's so different from me.  But he really handled the whole situation really well, I have to say.  So I have to admire that.


Favorite Quote:
He thought he saw the whole painting recovered in its frame: Christ crucified, the rivulets of blood streaming down from under his crown of thorns. 
"But you died," Tom said to him. "You died and went to heaven."
"No," the eyes answered. "I lived. That's the whole point. I lived. And now you have to live, Tom."


Overall Rating: 4.5 metal baseball bats out of 5


Happy Halloween, everyone! Also known as the day before the best holiday of the year, Half-price Candy Day!
~ Abby

Favorite Quotes ~ October

Hello friends!  This is something that I've been wanting to try for a little while now, and I figured now was as good a time as any, as I found some really beautiful quotes this month!

Basically, I've been wanting to share some of my favorite quotes from the books I've been reading, movies I've been watching, songs I've been listening to, or just quotes that I found this month.  For October, it'll just be books, but I'll probably have more in the coming months.  Enjoy!

 

~ Abby

The Nightmare Before Christmas {Spooky Reviews}

Welcome again, mortals, to another spooky review.

Today's review is of a film that is considered a Halloween staple, but Abby has only seen this current October.  And without further introduction, let's begin.

The Nightmare Before Christmas



Hey, y'all, your local Disney nerd has finally seen this film!  And... I'm not sure that I liked it all that much.  But I'm here to get my thoughts down, so here we go.

Brief Overview:
Jack is King of the Pumpkin Patch, but after yet another successful Halloween, he is feeling unsatisfied in his life.  When he accidentally stumbles into Christmas Town, he becomes determined to take over that holiday to give himself more fulfillment.

What I Thought:

I enjoyed watching this film.  I watched it with my little brother, which meant I had a good time.  I did know some of the songs already, so that led to some fun sing-along moments.  And I will say, it was sufficiently spooky.  Oogie Boogie, y'all.  *shivers*
But my main problem with this film was that it left me with more questions than answers.  How did the rivalry between Jack and Oogie Boogie start?  How did Lock, Shock, and Barrel start working for him?  How did the doctor create Sally?  Where is this forest with the trees that lead to different holidays?  Do the citizens of the towns never age?  If so, are the children in them always children?  Was Jack a child once?  JUST. SO MANY QUESTIONS.

The Characters

Jack Skellington -

Jack is, to be quite honest, an idiot.  I mean... he's trying his best... but he's really an idiot.  Just BE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, PLEASE.  PLEASE. But really, he's a pretty good protagonist. And I mean, you have to admire his stick-to-it-ivness.

Sally -

Sally is my fave.  She's just.  So good? And so pure?  And she just wants to help and be included and she's so sweet I love her so much.  Also her song is really pretty.


Favorite Quote:
"Jack, please, I'm only an elected official here, I can't make decisions by myself!


Overall Rating: 3.5 citizens of Halloweentown out of 5

I did enjoy this, and I'm glad that I can say I've seen it.  But it wasn't my favorite movie ever.  And I doubt it ever will be.  But hey, at least now I'll understand all the references.  Yay.

Have you seen this movie?  What did you think?  Let me know down below!

~ Abby

The Seer of Shadows {Spooky Reviews}

Hello and welcome, foolish mortals, to the first of these most spooky reviews. 

(In other words, Abby's been in a spooky mood as of late, thus has been reading/watching spooky things, and wanted to review them... and is apparently talking about herself in the third person.)

Basically, this will be a few reviews of some of the spooky media I'm consuming this Halloween season.  And I don't even really celebrate Halloween, but I've been in the mood to get in the spirit (haha, makes the same pun that I've already made) of the "holiday".  Plus, I do really enjoy mysteries and this is the perfect time of year for those.  So yeah. Without further introduction, let's get into the review.


The Seer of Shadows



Genre: Historical fiction/supernatural/mystery
Author: Avi
Content: Ghosts, mention of child abuse, a few deaths
Main Character: Horace Carpentine

Brief Overview:
(I'm stealing this from Goodreads because it describes it way better than I could.)

     The time is 1872. The place is New York City. Horace Carpetine has been raised to believe in science and rationality. So as apprentice to Enoch Middleditch, a society photographer, he thinks of his trade as a scientific art. But when wealthy society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht orders a photographic portrait, strange things begin to happen.
      Horace's first real photographs reveal a frightful likeness: it's the image of the Von Machts' dead daughter, Eleanora.
     Pegg, the Von Machts' black servant girl, then leads him to the truth about who Eleanora really was and how she actually died. Joined in friendship, Pegg and Horace soon realize that his photographs are evoking both Eleanora's image and her ghost. Eleanora returns, a vengeful wraith intent on punishing those who abused her.
     Rich in detail, full of the magic of early photography, here is a story about the shadows, visible and invisible, that are always lurking near.

What I Thought:
 
(^ both are accurate representations of me to myself through most of this book, tbh)

I've loved this book for a long time.  And I could never figure out why.  I'm not typically a fan of ghost stories, as I don't believe in ghosts.  But especially recently, I've found myself more and more able to separate myself from stories I'm experiencing and just enjoy.  And this, I think, is one of those instances.
This book is so cool.  The whole ghost thing aside, the history lesson this book offers is so fascinating.  Because it teaches so much about early photography in such an understandable way.  And it shows an interesting take on society at the time through the eyes of someone we don't see represented a lot in fiction about this time period.  The whole apprenticeship thing was so neat to see (even though Middleditch is kind of a jerk... but we'll let that slide because Horace is so cool).
Not only that, the story is pretty cool too.  Horace starts taking pictures and starts to see Eleanora Von Macht, clearer and clearer, until it seems that she's manifested herself in the physical world again.  But it's got a very Jane Eyre vibe to me.  That kind of gothic, slightly eerie story, with mysteries you really just want to understand.  Which I apparently really like.

The Characters:

Horace - Horace is really cool for a middle-grade protagonist.  He keeps his head through this whole thing, which I honestly don't think I could do.  He thinks rationally the whole time, including coming up with a very rational way to get rid of the ghost.  And even though he doesn't like the Von Machts once he comes to know what they did, he still has compassion for them.  Which is a really cool thing to see represented.

Pegg - I love Pegg so much, y'all.  She's been mistreated and still has compassion for her employers.  It's not explicitly stated that she's a Christian, but I think she's got to be one.  Or at least should have been.  Yeah.

Favorite Quote:
The next moment my mind went to the words on the cemetery gate: The Dead Shall Be Reborn.  In that moment, my understanding completely altered.  My body turned cold.  Tears ran down my face as I had to accept the extraordinary fact: I, Horace Carpentine, had somehow brought Eleanora Von Macht back into the living world.

Overall Rating: Five strangely clear photos of a dead girl out of five

This book is just.  So good.  It's such a page-turner.  I've read it before and I couldn't put it down. 

Hopefully you'll enjoy the spooky reviews I have coming up!  I'm excited about this mini-series-ish-thing!

(And just to let you know, I will be quite busy for the rest of the month, because our church's pumpkin patch is officially up and running and I will probably be working it in most of my free time [like I have any free time anyway haaaaa] thus blog posts miiight be a bit delayed.  I'm going to try my best, but this Gus gif is probably going to be an accurate representation of me for most of this month as i'm busy but also stuffing my face with pumpkin whoopee pies:
 )

~ Abby

When You're 18 Going On 19...

(You're welcome, by the way.  That song will be stuck in your head for the next several hours.  My work here is done.)

As of last week, I am nineteen years old.  This is quite honestly ridiculous, and I don't know where the time has gone.  I'm still in denial that adulthood, which was once simply approaching, has smashed into my lovely little existence full force and used the sharp-edged pieces to scrape away whatever sense of normalcy I had left.

Okay, so that was a bit dramatic.

My life has changed a lot in the past year.  Being 18, I was suddenly, in the eyes of the world at large, an adult.  Even though I really wasn't.

As of this past year, I've come to realize one of the main problems with our society.  We expect 17-year-olds, in a matter of days, to do a complete 180 and face the world on their own.  I understand that probably, a hundred years ago, by this age I would have 3 kids.  But why is that a thing that happens?  Why am I expected to be an adult?

Sometimes I think Peter Pan had it right.  Let's never grow up and stay kids forever.  Let's be innocent and be friends and scrape our knees without worrying about permanent damage.

Doesn't that sound wonderful?

Maybe that's because it's comfortable.

Because growing up is scary.

Growing up means leaving behind everything we've known for as long as we've been alive.  It means exploring new territory, forging our own path, choosing our own fate.  Our parents can no longer make decisions for us (neither can they technically sign any official papers for us... which is completely throwing me off... because I actually have to remember to sign them for myself.)

But growing up is necessary.

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young,
but instead, set an example for the believers,
in speech, in life, in love
in faith and in purity."

~ 2 Timothy 4:12

Remember when you were little and said "It's going to be so cool to be a grown-up!".  Yeah, I remember that clearly.  I was in a rush to grow up, to be older, to be one of the big kids.

It hit me the other day while at dance that I was one of the "big girls" that little girls are looking up to and wishing to be.  To which I want to say, "Don't, kid, enjoy it while you have it."  But being at this age is kind of amazing when I think about it. 

I'm an example now.  I mean, I kind of always was, having two younger siblings, but now it's kids other than my siblings.  That's a lot of responsibility, but it's also really cool.  I officially graduated AWANA in April, but I haven't left it.  I came back, and now I'm working in a classroom rather than being a student.  It feels strange to be one of the grown-ups that I used to look up to and learn from.

I'm an adult now, even if I don't feel like it.  That's how the world views me.  I have trouble believing it sometimes, but it's true.  I have a witness that I've never had before.  I may be younger than most, but I'm also older than some, and that gives me a wonderful opportunity.

So I'm going to seize this year, and make it the best that it can be, setting an example for my fellow believers, just as Paul urged Timothy to do.  That's my mission... will you join me?

~ Abby