Hello September Tag

Hello, lovelies!  I'm coming to you today because 1) I've been tagged for this September-themed tag and September is almost over, and 2) it's my birthday!  Yay!  I thought what better way to celebrate being 20 than by posting something about one of my favorite seasons - autumn!  (And since we don't really get autumn here in Florida, I'm making this post SUPER fall, so let's do this!)

Sweet Faith over at I Like That tagged me for this and I cannot wait to get into it!

~ Rules ~
>Please copy these questions (below), answer them, and then write out new questions (or just copy these) for the people you nominate below your answered questions.
> Please nominate at least 3 bloggers, but try to avoid ones that you know have already been nominated.  (Note from Abby: idk if I'll do this, considering we only have one more day of September, but if you're reading this and wanna just call it the Hello October tag or something, feel free to say I tagged you!)
> Lastly, include these guidelines in your post, and use the tag picture!

Aaand the questions!

Windy or rainy autumn? 
So far we've had a very rainy autumn, and to be honest, I don't mind it... as long as I'm inside before it really starts coming down, haha!  Windy autumns just make for messy hair and windburn - no fun.  So rainy for me!

Do you like chai tea?
Not particularly... but I'm not really a fan of tea either. *dodges angry tea drinkers*

Tea, coffee, cider, or hot chocolate?
Considering I don't really care for any of those first three, hot chocolate all the way!  It is my hot drink of choice, generally speaking.  And don't even get me started on the glories of peppermint hot chocolate... though that's technically a winter thing... ooh caramel hot chocolate, that's my favorite autumn drink, for sure!

If you could travel to one state in the U.S.A. just for the autumn scenery, where would you go?
I have been to the mountains of North Carolina several times and we've always been just barely too early for the leaves to change and goodness gracious, I wanna see those leaves! 

Do you like soup in the autumn? If so, what kind?
Not often, to be honest.  It never really gets cold enough here to justify it.  But if I'm feeling particularly autumn-y, I'll take a bowl of potato soup!

What color of leaves do you like best?
Any? All?  I don't honestly know, because all we get here is green.  So... any color other than green, haha!

If you could go to another country for the autumn scenery, where would you go?
Hmm... somewhere in Europe, for sure.  Maybe Germany?  That looks lovely in the fall. :)

Sweater or hoodie?
I love a good hoodie.  Sweaters tend to be too warm for me, but a hoodie (especially a zip-up hoodie) is fantastically cozy.

A hazelnut or apple cinnamon candle?
Apple cinnamon, definitely.

Cookies, brownies, or both?
Aaaaahhhhhh that's hard.  I think I have to say cookies, but give me pretty much anything sweet, and I will be happy.

What's your favorite fall activity?
I think I gotta say reading on this one.

Bonus Questions:

Pumpkin pie or apple pie?
Now, see, this is just cruel.  I love both of these things for different reasons, I don't think I can choose.

Have you ever had a pumpkin spice latte?  If not, do you think you would like it/want to try it?
I mean... I kinda tried one for one of our YouTube videos... I didn't love it.  But as I said, I don't care for coffee or tea, so I just don't think it's for me.

Would you rather go on a hayride or do a corn maze?
Considering I'm allergic to most hay, I think I'll opt corn maze.  I've had fun doing those in the past, anyway, so I'd totally be game for doing it again!

And I think that's all the questions, which means we've reached the end of this post!  I hope you had fun (I know I did)!  I love fall so much, don't you?  I'll leave you with this, my autumn playlist, for all the fall-music-vibes you may want:


What's your favorite thing about fall?  What song should I add to the playlist?  Tell me in the comments!

~ Abby

Sing the Wondrous Story Book Review {Orphans of the West blog tour}

Good morning, good day, good afternoon, good whatever-time-it-is-when-you're-reading-this!

Today I'm bringing to you my post for the Orphans of the West blog tour - a review of "Sing the Wondrous Story"!

Let's jump on in, shall we?



Sing the Wondrous Story

Author: Faith Blum
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Content: None

Synopsis:
Jason was kicked out three years ago. His judgmental actions and decisions caused a rift and turmoil within his family, especially concerning his sister, Jessamine. Now God is leading him to return home—a home he isn’t certain he will be welcomed back to. The last three years has led to personal growth, he still has a lot to learn. Can he overcome his past mistakes or will he always be the black sheep?
Jessamine has popularity and the attention of many in town except the two men she wants to catch for herself. She lives for those moments of attention and needs to marry a rich man to buy all the pretty things she desires. There are two men who fit that and she will stop at nothing to find a husband to make her life perfect. When Jason returns and challenges her actions, will she be able to let go of her plan? Can she find love in more than herself?

What I Thought:

Well this was nice. 
Y'all probably know by now that sibling relationships in books are my favorite everything, and this one didn't disappoint.  The way Jason and Jessa started out heartbreaking and ended up heartwarming.  So obviously, I loved it.
I liked Jason as a character really quickly after meeting him, but Jessa took me more time to enjoy.  I'm not hugely into her kind of character, but the way she arcs and changes was awesome.  God's grace was evident throughout the whole story and I loved it.
Jason and Claire's relationship was ADORABLE.  I love these two, they remind me of so many of my favorite couples from other books.  The way they relate to each other is wonderful, with the mutual respect they both deserve because they're both amazing.
I won't spoil anything, but I love how Jessa's storyline wrapped up.  I really appreciate the different take on the common tropes.
Overall, it was a little story that gave me all the happy fuzzy feels.  I will definitely be picking up more from this author in the future!  (Also, can I just mention how much I love that the titles of her books are hymns?  Because I love it a lot.)

Favorite Quote:

This quote made me laugh out loud; it's so great.

My Rating: 4 jars of preserves out of 5

About the Author:
Faith Blum is a small-town Wisconsin girl. She’s lived in, or outside of, small towns her whole life. The thought of living in a city with more than 60,000 people in it scares her, especially after some interesting adventures driving through big cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
Faith currently resides in the middle of the state of Wisconsin with her husband and their cat, Smokey. She is blessed to be able to have writing as her full-time career with household work and cooking to do on the side. She loves to paint walls as long as she doesn’t have to do hallways or ceilings.
When not writing, you can find her cooking food from scratch due to food allergies (fun), doing dishes (meh), knitting, crocheting, sewing, reading, or spending time with her husband (yay!). She is also a Student Mentor for the Young Writers Workshop and loves her work there. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her on her website.

You can purchase "Sing the Wondrous Story" from Amazon here or add it to your Goodreads shelf here!

There's also a GIVEAWAY going on at this link here!

HUGE thanks and many hugs to Faith for letting me read her book!  I had a great time. :D

~ Abby

Goldfish Secrets {a mini-review}

*sing-song voice* I have another review today!

Or rather, I have a mini-review.  Because it's a mini-book, of a sort.  An adorable, very small, mini-book.

Namely, Goldfish Secrets by Kellyn Roth.



Judy only has one friend: her goldfish, Marlie.
With Marlie gone, who can Judy rely on?

 This was so stinkin' cute.  Judy is an absolute sweetheart and I still want to give her a hug please and thank you.  She deserves the world.

I've read all three The Lady of the Vineyard stories, and I've really enjoyed them.  This was a perfect prequel to set up the characters and I think I may have to go back and re-read the original to see the character arcs again. 

Overall, this was really sweet and kind of too small to do an in-depth review of.  Thus, this mini-review.  If you've read the original book, or if you just like cute little stories about a girl and her best friend the fish, I highly recommend it. 

5 stars from me!

Connect with the author: her website - her blog - Facebook - Instagram

You can add Goldfish Secrets to your Goodreads shelves here, pick up a copy on Amazon here, or grab a copy from Barnes & Noble here!

Huge thanks to Kellyn for sending me a copy of this sweet story so that I could tell y'all all about it!

~ Abby

When Beauty Blooms {blog tour + book review!}

Hey there everybody!  I'm coming at you today with another review!  I don't know when this blog became a straight-up review blog but honestly I'm not too mad about it.  Hope y'all don't mind ;)

But seriously, I'm really excited to be giving you my review of Victoria Lynn's new, adorable novelette!

Let's jump on in, shall we?

When Beauty Blooms


(How pretty is that cover, right?)

Author: Victoria Lynn
Genre: Historical fiction (Revolutionary War era, set in England)
Content: None, unless you count an unmarried lady showing her ankles to an unmarried man... that was scandalous. (lol)

Synopsis:
Marjorie Kirk is a woman with no fortune, no prospects, no family, and no skills. Or so she thinks. She is awkward, shy, and the farthest thing from any semblance of a society lady.
The new minister keeps turning up in the most awkward of places and she can’t help but feel that her life is doomed to one of embarrassment. But will her flaws actually be the thing that others find the most attractive?
A story of a young woman with social anxiety and how she learned to bloom.

What I Thought:

What a sweet little book!  Marjorie was such a relatable character with such a great arc for how few pages there were.  I really appreciated how she retained her personality throughout the story even as she learns and grows.  I loved her relationships with her friends and yes, her relationship with the love interest (I shipped them pretty much from the first page he was on, so that's great.)
Honestly, I don't have too many thoughts because it was so cute and short!  It only took me a couple of hours to read and that's because a dance class interrupted my reading time.  It just.  It made me happy.  Yeah. 
(Also, I loved reading about someone in England at the time of the Revolution?  I used to be obsessed with reading books in this time period, but they were always from the American perspective.  So that was great.)

Favorite quote: "Beauty blooms when you are true to who God has created you to be."

My rating: 4.5 pretty gowns out of 5

About the Author:
Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she's not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.

You can get a copy on Amazon here and add it to your Goodreads shelf here!
There's also an awesome giveaway going on for a paperback copy of this sweet book PLUS an Amazon gift card! You can enter it here!

Aaaand I think that's all I have for today!  Huge thanks to Victoria for letting me read her lovely book!  Can't wait to read more from her in the future, God's got big plans for this one. :)

~ Abby

Chosen For Such a Time as This {blog tour + book review!}

Hello my friends!  How's it been?  It's been really busy around here, but a schedule should be sorting itself out here soon, and I'm going to be doing my best to make sure that blogging is on it!  But today we're here for a very exciting blog tour!

But what is this blog tour about?

It's about this book, the one with the absolutely gorgeous cover!



But what is this book about?

No matter what your background is, what type of experiences you've had, or what mistakes you've made, your life is of significance. And regardless of what you may have grown to believe, God created you with a specific purpose in mind. This book was written to encourage and inspire single women, however, it addresses the issues that many women face today, no matter what their marital status is. Chosen For Such A Time As This places great emphasis on the truth that the most valuable relationship you can have is with our Creator. Through that relationship, we are made whole.
This life is a journey that comes with blessings, frustrations, laughter and tears. Whether you are married or single, wholeness and contentment in Christ is essential. Despite the season you find yourself in, God has a plan for your life. And He can use you right where you are.

You can add it on Goodreads here and check it out on Amazon here!

And because Jheralynne (whose blog you can check out here) and Livy (whose blog you can check out here) were sweet enough to include me on this blog tour, I get to review it for you right now! 

To be honest, though, I'm not quite sure how to review it.  I mean, it's a devotional type book.  I feel like everyone is going to get something different out of it.  So I find it hard to give it a star rating. 

What I will do is tell you what I gleaned from these pages. 

First off, Jheralynne's story is so powerful.  God has given her a wonderful testimony, and I'm so glad she's using it to His glory.  She covers some very important topics in this book that need to be talked about and brought to light.

My favorite quote was one that I read and said aloud, "YES!" before going back to reading, because it's something that's proven quite true in my own life.  It goes like this, "I will never be able to fully understand how God works, but I've decided to accept it and to trust Him."  I mean, can I get an amen?  This needs to be proudly proclaimed!

There were a couple of passages that pointed to things in me I need to work on (with His help, of course), and some really powerful messages overall.  My only problem with it was a problem I've found with a lot of devotionals, and it's nothing wrong with the actual book, per say... it's more a me thing, I think.  I felt like it wasn't... for me.  Like I'm not in the target audience, I guess?  It felt like a book for a new Christian and not someone like me who's farther along in my spiritual walk.  Which, again, isn't a problem, it just lessened my experience with it. 

But if I knew someone who was newer in their faith and was struggling with some of the fears and things that Jheralynne talked about, I would 100% hand them this book.  So for that, I give it a solid 4 stars.  If, like I said, I can even give a book like this a star rating. 

I highly recommend it if you're struggling with singleness, or just want to be reassured of God's hand in your life.

ALSO, GUESS WHAT there's a giveaway going on!!!!  Enter here for a chance to win a paperback copy of Chosen!

Well, that's all for today, folks.  I promise it won't be as long before next time. :D

~ Abby

The "World's Beneath" Blog Tour {+ review of "The Blood Race"!}

Oh, hey, yeah, I have a blog!  Lookie there.

Hi people!  I know, I know, I haven't posted anything since July 6 and I'm so very sorry about that.  BUT I am back and I ready for this super exciting blog tour! 

 
What is "World's Beneath", you ask?

Well, let me tell you.

It's the newly-released sequel to the awesome book "The Blood Race",

 which I just read and now I get to review for you!

Title: The Blood Race
Author: K.A. Emmons
Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy
Content: Several curse words throughout, one character's backstory includes her being raped, and a good bit of violence.

Synopsis:
I’ve been running from my past for one hundred years. And I’m still just a teenager.  
I was selected by my teacher, Sensei, to train in The Dimension: a secret place of refuge for the ‘anomalies’ of past, present, and future earth. Here I would learn to connect to my ‘warrior within’ as Sensei calls it - to channel energy orbs, commute between realms, and even shape-shift into an alternate form. But never did I guess that my training would include taking on an anomaly student of my own: a loose cannon of a college guy named Ion.
Late one evening, I invite him over to Sensei’s house for a little chat; one that will turn his life upside-down. Shoving him into the broom closet turned portal, I drag Ion into the Dimension, opening his eyes to his true homeland: a realm of anomalies. His kin.
As we train to become Protectors of future Earth, battling each other as well as our own demons, I begin to realize that there’s more to Ion than I originally thought: a darkness he’s spent his life running from. And beyond that, a looming threat hidden in plain sight - something that could destroy me, him, and the future of Earth.

Placement in Series: 1 of 2

What I Thought:
Wow.  That ending though.
I had heard glowing reviews of this book from several friends, and when I started I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it.  There's quite a lot of language at the beginning, and I wasn't the hugest fan of Ion as a character.  But once I got past the first few chapters and into the plot, ooh boy was it hard to put down.  The character development, the fascinating originality of the Dimension, the Christian allegory woven through, it was really good.
The only downside was the language.  I don't normally have an issue with language in books, and I wouldn't have in this one if I had been warned about it.  It caught me off guard, and thus I was annoyed by it, so I'm making you aware so you don't end up like me xD
But other than that it was awesome.  When I finished, the first thing I said was "whoa". 

My rating: 4 hawk feathers out of 5

About the Author:

When she’s not hermiting away in her colorfully-painted home office writing her next science fiction, passionate story-teller and adventurer Kate Emmons is probably on the road for a surf or hiking trip, listening to vinyls, or going for a power run.
Emmons’ debut novel The Blood Race is the first book in her YA science fiction/fantasy thriller series.
You can connect with Kate on her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and her blog!

You can pick up a copy of The Blood Race here and a copy of World's Beneath here!

The blog tour was put together by Livy Lynn - for more information check out this link!

Huge thank you to both Livy and Kate for letting me participate and read such an awesome book! :D
~ Abby

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

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

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


The Thief, The Damsel, and the Dragon


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

Author: Angela Watts
Genre: Christian contemporary
Content: None

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

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

Favorite Quote:

My Rating:  4 trophies out of 5

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

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

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

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

~ Abby