Blog Tour and Giveaway: When You Are Near

About the Book

Book: When You Are Near

Author: Tracie Peterson

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: March 5, 2018

After her father’s death, Lizzy Brookstone, a trick rider in the all-female Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza, wants nothing more than to quit her role as the star of the show and live a quiet life on her family’s ranch. But returning home would bring Wesley DeShazer, the ranch’s foreman and the man who broke her heart, back into her life. In addition, the Brookstones’ new manager fears that Lizzy’s departure could doom the already cash-strapped show.

Hope grows in Lizzy during a stopover at Fleming Farm. Ella Fleming not only has a natural talent for trick riding and could easily replace Lizzy, but she’s eager to join the show to flee a forced betrothal. However, while there, one of the show’s wranglers is killed in a manner Lizzy finds suspicious. And during her escape from the farm, Ella stumbles across a secret that could affect all of their lives, as well as the future of the Brookstone Extravaganza.

Click here to purchase your copy.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed When You Are Near. It was interesting read especially since it was about female trick riders in the 1900s.

I loved getting to know the cast of characters, and although I have yet to finish it, I’m loving every moment of it. Lizzy is a great character and I lvolo watching her development over the course of the novel and her decision to leave behind the world of trick riding. It was also interesting to watch her mother go through the process of grieving for her late husband and how seeing her mother’s grief also makes Lizzy question whether love is worth it.

Ella Fleming was another great character and she served as a good character foil to Lizzy. And I also loved watching her character development over the course of the novel. Wesley DeShazer was a good love interest and I loved watching his relationship with Lizzy grow over the course of the novel.

Tracie Peterson did a great job with the plot and it definitely kept me on my toes…I had forgotten how much I really like her writing and I am looking forward to reading more of her works in the future!

About the Author

Tracie Peterson (www.traciepeterson.com) is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

Guest Post from Tracie

Introducing…When You Are Near!

I’m excited about the new Brookstone Brides series and had so much fun researching for the various characters and locations. This is a story about a fictional Wild West show with all female performers. Prior to the rodeos we see today, the Wild West shows traveled throughout America and Europe to entertain people and give city dwellers a taste of what the American frontier was like. At least their version.

Buffalo Bill Cody was famous for his shows, which brought Native Americans and their culture into the world of people who might otherwise never have even seen an “Indian.” Pawnee Bill was another entertainer who sought to keep these shows alive.

For the fictional show in my novels, I wanted to focus on three female characters who became a part of the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza for varying reasons. Lizzy Brookstone is the heroine in book one, When You Are Near, and as the daughter of one of the show’s owners, she has enjoyed a starring role as a trick rider.

For research I went to Pueblo, Colorado to the ranch of Karen Vold, a famous trick rider and rodeo star. Linda Scholtz, a famed trick rider, was teaching a clinic there along with Karen at the Red Top Ranch Trickriding School.

These are two remarkable Christian trick riders who have long worked to keep the sport alive. I spent three days getting to know them and what they do and learned so much. And just to prove that we weren’t all work and no play, I thought I’d share my attempt at trick riding. What I won’t do for research!

The series will have three books, as usual, and each book will focus on a different lady and her skills. Mary is a trick shooter like Annie Oakley, and Ella is a Roman rider who stands on the backs of two horses for her part in the act. It was so interesting learning about each of these types of performers, and I hope you’ll get a chance to read all three and enjoy the stories of the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, March 26

The Power of Words, March 26

Christian Author, J.E. Grace, March 26

Inklings and notions, March 26

The Meanderings of a bookworm, March 27

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, March 27

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 27

Vicky Sluiter, March 27

Carpe Diem, March 28

The Avid Reader, March 28

Genesis 5020, March 28

The Lit Addict, March 29

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 29

Back Porch Reads, March 29

Just the Write Escape, March 30

Splashes of Joy, March 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 30

Emily Yager, March 31

Daysong Reflections, March 31

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 31

Life of Literature, April 1

EmpowerMoms, April 1

For the Love of Literature, April 1

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 2

Through the Fire Blogs, April 2

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, April 2

For Him and My Family, April 3

Remembrancy, April 3

Inspiration Clothesline, April 3

Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, April 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 4

Pause for Tales, April 4

Older & Smarter?, April 5

Stories By Gina, April 5

Book by Book, April 5

Bigreadersite, April 6

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, April 6

Connect in Fiction, April 6

Godly Book Reviews, April 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 7

Texas Book-aholic, April 7

Blossoms and Blessings, April 8

janicesbookreviews, April 8

A Reader’s Brain, April 8

The Becca Files, April 8

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tracie is giving away a grand prize of When You Are Near, Tracie’s A $25 Barnes and Noble Gift card, and the three books in The Heart of Alaska series and three other winners will receive a copy of When You Are Near!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/dcdd/when-you-are-near-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

Advertisements

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Flights of Fancy by Jen Turano

About the Book

Title: Flights of Fancy

Author: Jen Turano

Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Gilded Age

Release date: January 1, 2019

Publisher: Bethany House

Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she’s always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania.

Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he’s unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner.

Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora’s secret threaten those they love, they’ll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.

Click here to order your copy!

My Thoughts

FLIGHTS OF fancy was a good, humorous read, with some awkward and even some suspenseful moments thrown in.

Before I go on to the rest of my review, I can I just say that I loved how odious the Duke of Montrose was from the very beginning? It made it all the more believable why Isadora had to run away and disguise herself as a housekeeper! Just even some of the stuff he says to her upon their first interaction made me gag (this is a good thing, since he is the villain) and I even had to explain it to some of my co-workers when I was reading the first few chapters during my lunch break one day.

Anyway, on to the main character that are not the villains of the novel. I loved getting to know Isadora, especially as she tries to adjust to the duties of a housekeeper, which with being an heiress she has absolutely no clue what to do, this only made her more endearing as a character.

Then there is Ian and the chemistry that he has with Isadora from the start. He definitely makes a good hero for our leading lady! I loved watching the romance bloom between these two characters.

Overall, this was a good read and I am looking forward to seeing what Jen Turano puts out next!

 

About the Author

One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO.

Guest post from Jen

Q & A With Jen Turano

“Flights of Fancy” is the first book in the American Heiress Series. What inspired you to write this series?

The inspiration for this entire series started off with a What If? All of my proposals for new series start off that way, and this time it was – What if Consuelo Vanderbilt had balked when her mother insisted she marry the Duke of Marlborough – and then that led to – What if she’d run away until her mother came to her senses? Just like that, an entire series was born – a bit of a different take on American heiresses because in all three books, my heiresses might decide to go a tad…rogue. We start off with Miss Isadora Delafield – who does run off to avoid marriage to a duke, then we get to meet Miss Poppy Garrison, who is an unexpected heiress but who can’t quite seem to get a handle on the expected social decorum of the day, and then the final book revolves around Miss Beatrix Waterbury – who gets banished to Chicago after she annoys her mother one too many times, and once there, well, gets up to a bit of mischief.

How do you come up with the names of your characters?

I find most of my names as I research the New York Four-Hundred, although I normally take a first name here, a last name there so I’m not stepping on any toes by writing about an actual historical figure – except for some of the main figures in New York society back then, such as Mr. Ward McAllister – who was the social arbiter of the day, or Mrs. William Astor, who was the queen of that society. What I don’t do is simply make up names, no matter how outrageous they may appear. And, no matter how I may love a certain name, if the character decides it doesn’t suit them, that’s it, it’s out and I’m back to the drawing board.

How do you picture your character? Do you use Pinterest, magazines, movies?

Odd as this may seem, I don’t use pictures for my characters. They start off in my mind as a blurry figure, and then, they develop from there – I like to keep my descriptions of them somewhat vague on the pages so that the reader can imagine them exactly the way they’d like them to be.

What are some of your favorite resources for historical research?

I’ve been building up a research library over the past few years and now have over 200 books dedicated to the Gilded Age. My favorites are – “A Season of Splendor” by Greg King, “Society as I Have Found It” by Ward McAllister, “The Gilded Age in New York – 1870-1910” by Esther Crain, and “ ‘King Lehr’ and the Gilded Age” by Elizabeth Drexel Lehr.

The setting for “Flights of Fancy” is a bit of a departure for you since it’s set in and outside of Pittsburgh. Any reason for that?

My mom was born in Pittsburgh, and unfortunately, her father, a prominent attorney back in the day, died when she was only four. I thought it would be cool to set a story in Pittsburgh, which would then allow me to really dive into some research. And get this – while I was doing that research, I found this obscure journal called “Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In that journal was a bit about my great-grandfather, Fred, his wife, Susie, my grandfather, and his brother and sister, but I’d never heard about this brother, who apparently died quite young. One of the most fabulous research tidbits I’ve uncovered to date.

What are you working on now?

I’ve just recently turned in the content edits for the second book in this series, “Diamond in the Rough,” and I’ve also turned in a novella about the Harvey Girls that will be coming out in a novella collection in Fall, 2019. With those out of the way, I’m now starting the third and final book in the American Heiress series, Miss Beatrix Waterbury’s story, but I’m having a bit of a struggle with the hero at the moment – he was supposed to be Edward, but he doesn’t want to be an Edward – I think he wants to be Norman – but, time will tell on that one – don’t hold me to the name – it’ll depend on if he changes his mind or not – pesky characters.

You seem to enjoy adding animals in many of your stories. Will we find any animals in “Flights of Fancy?”

Since Miss Isadora Delafield ends up on a farm, I do believe you will find a few animals, such as an adorable cow by the name of Buttercup, a few goats that seem to have a great liking for laundry, and…there might be some chickens.

Thanks for stopping by today, everyone! Always enjoy visiting with all of you – in fact, that’s the best part of my job!

All the best,

~ Jen ~

Blog Stops

[Insert Blog Stops Here]

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away a grand prize of a trunk filled with all of Jen’s full-length novels released to date!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d8d1/flights-of-fancy-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

Around the Year in 52 Books 2019 Challenges

Photo by Lum3n.com on Pexels.com

Hello Everyone,

If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know that since 2017 I have taken in the Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge on Goodreads, and I plan on doing it again this year – hopefully I will succeed this year! Here are the reading challenges for 2019:

1. A book that was nominated for or won an award in a genre you enjoy
2. A book with one of the 5 W’s in the title (Who, What, Where, When, Why)
3. A book where the author’s name contains A, T, and Y
4. A book with a criminal character (i.e. assassin, pirate, thief, robber, scoundrel etc)

5. A book by Shakespeare or inspired by Shakespeare
6. A book with a dual timeline
7. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1
8. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #2

9. A book from one of the top 5 money making genres (romance/erotica, crime/mystery, religious/inspirational, science fiction/fantasy or horror)
10. A book featuring an historical figure
11. A book related to one of the 12 Zodiac Chinese Animals (title, cover, subject)
12. A book about reading, books or an author/writer

13. A book that is included on a New York Public Library Staff Picks list
14. A book with a title, subtitle or cover relating to an astronomical term
15. A book by an author from a Mediterranean country or set in a Mediterranean country
16. A book told from multiple perspectives
17. A speculative fiction (i.e. fantasy, scifi, horror, dystopia)

18. A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements
19. A book by an author who has more than one book on your TBR
20. A book featuring indigenous people of a country
21. A book from one of the polarizing or close call votes

22. A book with a number in the title or on the cover
23. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #1 Something Old
24. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #2 Something New
25. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #3 Something Borrowed

26. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #4 Something Blue
27. A book off of the 1001 books to read before you die list
28. A book related to something cold (i.e. theme, title, author, cover, etc.)
29. A book published before 1950
30. A book featuring an elderly character

31. A children’s classic you’ve never read
32. A book with more than 500 pages
33. A book you have owned for at least a year, but have not read yet
34. A book with a person’s name in the title

35. A psychological thriller
36. A book featured on an NPR Best Books of the Year list
37. A book set in a school or university
38. A book not written in traditional novel format (poetry, essay, epistolary, graphic novel, etc)

39. A book with a strong sense of place or where the author brings the location/setting to life
40. A book you stumbled upon
41. A book from the 2018 GR Choice Awards
42. A book with a monster or “monstrous” character
43. A book related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) [fiction or nonfiction]

44. A book related in some way to a tv show/series or movie you enjoyed (same topic, same era, book appeared in the show/movie, etc.)
45. A multi-generational saga
46. A book with a (mostly) black cover
47. A book related to food (i.e. title, cover, plot, etc.)

48. A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year
49. A book written by a Far East Asian author or set in a Far East Asian country
50. A book that includes a journey (physical, health, or spiritual)
51. A book published in 2019
52. A book with a weird or intriguing title

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Library Haul

Hello Everyone!

Today’s post is the first of probably many library hauls this year. I recently checked out 22 books from the library, I have no idea if I will read all of them, but it is nice to dream that I can eventually get through them. I’m certainly going to try, especially since I have a few weeks break from Grad. School, so I have a little bit more time to read. Here are the books that I checked out:

Wrong in All the Right Ways by Tiffany Brownlee

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Mirage by Somaiya Daud 

The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwell

Everless by Sara Holland

Mammoth by Jill Baguchinsky

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi 

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

LifeL1k3 by Jay Kristoff

29 Dates by Melissa De La Cruz

Once a King by Erin Summerill

Letter from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

Furyborn by Claire LeGrande

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

Rule by Ellen Goodlett

Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao 

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor

Meet Me At the Museum by Anne Youngson 

The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan 

 

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Shelter of the Most High by Connilyn Cossette

   About the Book

 

Book: Shelter of the Most High

Author: Connilyn Cossette

Genre: Christian Biblical Fiction

Release Date: October, 2018

The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.

Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a city of refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood, yet chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.

As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Can they uncover the betrayal in time to save their lives and the lives of those they love?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Connilyn Cossette is the CBA bestselling author of the Out From Egypt series. Her debut novel, Counted with the Stars, was a finalist for the Christy Award, the INSPY Award, and the Christian Retailing’s Best Award. She lives in North Carolina with her husband of twenty years and a son and a daughter who fill her days with joy, inspiration, and laughter. Connect with her at www.ConnilynCossette.com.

My Thoughts

First, let me start by saying that this is the first book of Connilyn’s I have read, and I really enjoyed it. It was interesting to read a book set in one of the Levitical cities of refuge, especially since it is something I have wondered about how it worked, whether they actually implemented that part of the law, etc. The author does a good job of making this world come alive and made me feel as if I were there.

I also loved the characters, I loved reading about Sofea and Prezi’s life before they ended up in the Kedesh and how they adjust to life in a different place where almost no one speaks the language. I also liked getting to know Eitan, Moriyah, Darek and Nadir throughout the course of the novel and how they ended up in the city of refuge. The plot is great and I love how it kept me on my toes when I was reading. I am looking forward to reading more from Connilyn Cossette in the future.

I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not asked to give a favorable review or given money in exchange for it. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.

Guest Post from Connilyn

Shelter of the Most High, the second book in my Cities of Refuge Series, will be the first I’ve written to have been influenced by my trip to Israel last year. When I started writing Biblical fiction almost nine years ago, I was limited to exploring the Land of Promise via Google Earth, books, and through a plethora of photos on the good ol’ world wide web, but of course nothing can compare to actually experiencing the atmosphere and scenery for yourself.

So although I’d already written Shelter of the Most High by the time I hopped on a plane to join fellow author Cliff Graham’s GoodBattle Tour, once I returned my editing was filtered through the sights and sounds I’d witnessed for myself. It had been a life-long dream to go to Israel and it did not disappoint, in fact it just went way too fast!

One of my greatest fears was that I would see the places I’d written about in my books and realize I totally messed up my descriptions, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that for the most part I’d been fairly accurate (although I did tweak a few things here and there).

Standing on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee I was able to envision Eitan, our hero in Shelter of the Most High, sitting on one of the black boulders there, defeated and weary as he searched for his love. I was able to look toward the snowy peaks of Mount Hermon in the north and over the fertile Hula Valley just below the ancient ruins of Kedesh, the city of refuge, and consider how Sofea must have felt as she experienced the landscape of her new home for the first time, both the fear and the awe.

One of my favorite sites was Tel Dan and although it does not feature in Shelter of the Most High it’s lush greenness and dense forest gave me a better sense of what Israel must have been in the past before deforestation, war, and shifts in climate have done to the fertile land God himself called a land of milk and honey. Since I was so affected by Tel Dan (or Laish in ancient times) that city will be one of the settings in my upcoming third installment of the Cities of Refuge Series, Until the Mountains Fall.

Being a super visual person who is highly sensitive to sensory input, I took great pleasure in absorbing with all my senses as we walked paths, climbed mountains (yes, mountains), slogged through a long, cold, and wet tunnel deep beneath Jerusalem, hiked up to the secret oasis of Ein Gedi where David hid from Saul, and rocked along on a boat over the glassy surface of the Galilee. I felt like a sponge just soaking up every little detail and every grand vista.

Smelling the salty breeze off the Mediterranean and hearing the waves crash against the sandy beach in Tel Aviv and Caesarea Phillipi made me imagine our heroine Sofea looking over that enormous, blue expanse and wondering what sort of god had control of such a powerful thing.

Feeling the timeworn cobblestones beneath my feet gave me a sense of what it must have been like for Eitan and Sofea to walk through the streets of Kedesh, their own sandals scuffing against the rough-hewn stone as they went about their daily activities.

Running my fingers along the pitted surfaces of ancient buildings and tracing the chisel marks from craftsmen of the Bronze Age wrapped me in a whirl of imagination about who the people were that hefted those same rocks into place and the ingenuity it took to create structures that have lasted so long.

Tasting the unique spices and flavors of the Middle East gave me a sense of the passion Moryiah (our hero’s mother) has for creating delicious new dishes to feed her growing family and the guests at her inn.

Although I write fiction, my stories are woven into Biblical accounts so going to Israel was a perfect reminder for me that the people that lived between the pages of Genesis to Revelations were real. They breathed, they cried, they loved, they mourned, they suffered, and they celebrated with their families. I am so grateful to have gleaned some great new insight into the Land and its resilient, vibrant people and hope that through Shelter of the Most High readers get a small sense of the beauty and wonder I experienced there. I cannot wait to go back!

Blog Stops

A Baker’s Perspective, November 20

The Power of Words, November 20

Among the Reads, November 21

Gensis 5020, November 21

God’s Little Bookworm, November 22

Book by Book, November 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 22

Remembrancy, November 23

Real World Bible Study, November 23

Inklings and notions, November 23

The Becca Files, November 24

Christian Centered book Reviews, November 24

Baker Kella, November 24

Bibliophile Reviews, November 25

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 25

By The Book, November 26

Reading Is My SuperPower, November 26

Aryn The Libraryan, November 27

All-of-a-kind Mom, November 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 27

Abbas Prayer Warrior Princess, November 28

Christian Author, J.E. Grace, November 28

Simple Harvest Reads, November 29 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

For the Love of Literature, November 29

Janices book reviews, November 29

The Lit Addict, November 30

Texas Book-aholic, November 30

Just the Write Escape, December 1

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, December 1

Connect in Fiction, December 2

The Christian Fiction Girl, December 2

Bigreadersite, December 2

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 3

Purposeful Learning, December 3

Carpe Diem, December 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Connilyn is giving away

Grand Prize: All five of Conni’s novels, including Shelter of the Most High, plus AHAVA Dead Sea Bath Salts

Three other winners will receive a copy of Shelter of the Most High!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d66d/shelter-of-the-most-high-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

 

Book Review: Since You’ve Been Gone

Hello Everyone!

Today’s review is on Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson.

Summary:

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um…

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane’s list. Who knows what she’ll find? 

Go skinny-dipping? Wait…What? 

My Thoughts: 

I’ll admit that when I first picked up this book, I was skeptical about whether or not I would like it because some of Morgan Matson’s books have been pretty hit-or-miss with me. However, Since You’ve Been Gone has changed my mind – I LOVED IT!

At first I struggled to get into it because I was going through a minor reading slump when I started it, but once I got past the 100-page mark I flew through it! I loved the concept of the list of “challenges” that Emily has to complete – although I hated how Sloane just ditched her.

I enjoyed getting to know Emily and her family – I loved watching her grow as a person while the list. I also liked how in some ways she starts to find autonomy a part from Sloane. Then there is Frank Porter…he is such a cute character and I love him, he is an adorable cinnamon roll and I wish there were some actual guys like this in reality!

I also enjoyed getting to know Dawn and Collins and seeing how they, along with Frank, try  to help Emily on her quest. I liked Sloane, however I also disliked her because of how she basically drops out of Emily’s life without saying goodbye, but  the explanation that is given for this makes sense.

I really liked the playlists that appear throughout the book are awesome – I wish there were more. And I also liked how each chapter jumps back to the past to explain certain items on the list, or even just certain things that happen in the present day.

I really loved it, and it made me want to pick up her latest release, Save the Date, right away. 5/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Once and For All

Hello Everyone!

Today’s review is on Once and For All by Sarah Dessen.

Summary: 

As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, Sarah Dessen’s thirteenth novel, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine.

Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he really wants.

Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humor, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself

My Thoughts: 

Sarah Dessen has a way of making readers feel all the feels in almost all of her books and Once and For All was no exception.

I like how we, along with Ambrose, were kept in the dark about Louna is so cynical when it comes to true love – the reason made sense and was very fitting with today’s current events and when it is revealed it is hard not to cry!

I liked all of the characters, although I found Louna to be a bit too mopey at times, although it did make sense. Ambrose was also interesting, although his way of trying to win Louna is ridiculous. I also enjoyed the side characters: Natalie (Louna’s mom) and William and their whole wedding planning business.

As I mentioned before, Sarah Dessen has a way of writing books that have readers tear up at some point, and there was scene towards the end of the book that had me in tears because of the build up to it, and Dessen makes the reader think that something similar happens to Ambrose that happened to Louna’s first love.

This was a good contemporary read that has  a lot of perfect fluffy moments, but yet still has scenes that are tear-jerkers, which is a perfect reminder that life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns, and that bad things do happen. 3.5/ 5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: From Twinkle, With Love

Hello Everyone!

Today’s review is on From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon.

Synopsis: 

 Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

My Thoughts: 

Even though I liked When Dimple Met Rishi, I enjoyed this one a lot better, especially the ending. I loved getting to know Twinkle and how the format of this book is setup like her diary (I am a sucker for books like this). I also liked how her entries are written to different female movie directors that she looks up to. I  also loved how this read as  a good classic romantic comedy and it is the perfect summer read.

Sahil is the typical (but still awesome) hero of this rom-com. I loved how he was always trying to push Twinkle to be the best she could be, while also letting her figure out stuff on her own.

It was also interesting to see that in order to truly grow as a character, Twinkle had to become her worst self and realize that she had to change. It was also interesting to see all the different family dynamics that take place in the novel: Sahil and his inferiority to his twin brother Neil; Twinkle and her grandma, Twinkle and her parents who seem disinterested in her life. I also liked how it dealt with friendships and relationships in general: Maddie and Twinkle; Maddie and Hannah; Twinkle, Victoria and Francesca. I also liked how it dealt with some of the issues that people that immigrants face when they leave their home countries behind.

I am looking forward to seeing what Sandhya Menon writes text. 4.5/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Fat Girl on the Plane

Hello Everyone!

Today’s review is on Fat Girl on a Plane  by Kelly deVos.

Synopsis:

Fat.

High school senior Cookie Vonn’s post-graduation dreams include getting out of Phoenix, attending Parsons and becoming the next great fashion designer. But in the world of fashion, being fat is a cardinal sin. It doesn’t help that she’s constantly compared to her supermodel mother—and named after a dessert.

Thanks to her job at a fashion blog, Cookie scores a trip to New York to pitch her portfolio and appeal for a scholarship, but her plans are put on standby when she’s declared too fat to fly. Forced to turn to her BFF for cash, Cookie buys a second seat on the plane. She arrives in the city to find that she’s been replaced by the boss’s daughter, a girl who’s everything she’s not—ultrathin and superrich. Bowing to society’s pressure, she vows to lose weight, get out of the friend zone with her crush, and put her life on track.

Skinny.

Cookie expected sunshine and rainbows, but nothing about her new life is turning out like she planned. When the fashion designer of the moment offers her what she’s always wanted—an opportunity to live and study in New York—she finds herself in a world full of people more interested in putting women down than dressing them up. Her designs make waves, but her real dream of creating great clothes for people of all sizes seems to grow more distant by the day.

Will she realize that she’s always had the power to make her own dreams come true?

My Thoughts: 

Before I get started with my thoughts I am grateful to have received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This year there seems to be quite a few novels dealing with weight and body-positivity for teens, which I think is great! However, I honestly didn’t read through the synopsis thoroughly so I found the events that unfolded to be a surprise, which I guess is a good thing.

I found it weird that there were two story lines – the past when Cookie was fat and when she is skinny in the present. I liked how it explored some of the misguided reasons for losing weight. I liked how Cookie discovered that life doesn’t become all sunshine and roses when she is skinny.

In some ways I found “fat” Cookie to be relatable especially with the emotions she goes through when she starts her journey. I loved watching her pursue her dreams in fashion and comes to realize that no matter what size she is, it is still a cut-throat industry.

I hated her relationship with Gareth Miller, especially since she was 19 and he was 35…it was just weird – I found this to be one of the pitfalls of the novel. I also wanted to love Tommy, her ex-best friend and crush, but he kept messing up and was just an idiot.

I loved her grandma, her parents were just awful. I loved her best friend Piper and how she deals with Cookie and her antics.

I liked the ending although I wish there was more resolution with her parents. And I also wish there were not quite as many F-bombs. 3/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Katie in Waiting

Hello Everyone!

Today’s review is on Katie in Waiting by Erynn Mangum.

Synopsis: 

Katie McCoy has spent her whole life waiting for the right guy and he isn’t coming. After relocating to Carrington Springs, Missouri, Katie finds herself getting more and more frustrated. Can’t God see that she’s trying her best to meet someone? Doesn’t He care that she’s lonely? What is she doing that is making Him not bless her with this? With two new friends, Eliza and Ashten, by her side, Katie starts to realize that maybe God has bigger plans for her life than she could have ever imagined.

My Thoughts: 

There were so many jokes that were said in this novel that I feel like explain me to a “T”! Some of the things that Katie goes through, such has having become stagnant in her walk with the Lord is something that I myself have struggled with myself.

I liked how even though there was a possibility of romance it still ended up with Katie coming to terms with her singleness and finding contentment with the Lord. I also enjoyed getting to know Eliza and Ashten and I can’t wait to read each of their stories very soon. 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Love Amid the Ashes

Hello Everyone!

Today’s review is on Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews.

Synopsis: 

Readers often think of Job sitting on the ash heap, his life in shambles. But how did he get there? What was Job’s life like before tragedy struck? What did he think as his world came crashing down around him? And what was life like after God restored his wealth, health, and family? Through painstaking research and a writer’s creative mind, Mesu Andrews weaves an emotional and stirring account of this well-known story told through the eyes of the women who loved him. Drawing together the account of Job with those of Esau’s tribe and Jacob’s daughter Dinah, Love Amid the Ashes breathes life, romance, and passion into the classic biblical story of suffering and steadfast faith.

My Thoughts: 

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see how Andrews combined two pieces of biblical history together into a work of fiction. She puts together Job and Dinah, Jacob’s daughter who’s brothers killed an entire city for her honor. It definitely provided some insights into that text that I never thought of before. Plus, recalling a couple of lectures I listened to from Dr. Chou,  professor at my alma mater, mentioned that Job was a descendant of Abraham.

I liked how this book was a constant reminder of God’s love and mercy and how when we are truly repentant He forgives us, as in the case of Dinah, and even Job. I also enjoyed the reminder of how once we have confessed our sin and asked for forgiveness, we need to let go of the past and move on, which is something I struggle with.

I loved getting to know Dinah and Job besides just what is written in Scripture, even if it is just fiction. I also liked how Job’s affliction was given a human dimension, which is also possible. I enjoyed watching Sitis’ (Job’s wife) redemption through the novel, I also enjyoed getting to know Aban, Elihi, and Neghlahu. The one character that I’m not sure I liked the direction the author took was Jacob, I felt like he came across as bitter and harsh towards Dinah.

I loved the author’s note explaining why she did what she did with the characters and attempting to tell Job’s story in fiction. I had also just finished reading Genesis when I read this and I loved seeing a possibility of what happened beyond the text, even though it was fictional.

Overall I loved that this book was that it dealt with not just romantic love, but also God’s love amidst the trials of life. 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

June Wrap-up

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my June Wrap-up! I know my blog posts lately haven’t been the greatest but I am trying to change that, once again I am sorry for the half finished posts that have appeared here in the last couple of months, but from now on I am going to make sure all my posts are complete before I schedule them. On that note, here are the books that I read in June:

1. Remember by Karen Kingsbury with Gary Smalley 

I enjoyed re-reading this one. It is definitely a tear-jerker! Longer review to come. 4/5 Stars.

2. Assassination Classroom Volume 6: Swim Time by Yusei Matsui 

A good continuation of plot. I am only 6 volumes in and I excited to see where the rest of the series goes from here. 3.5/5 Stars.

3. The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

This was an okay read. I felt like a lot of the action happened too quickly and I kept having to flip back to find out what I missed. 3/5 Stars.

4. In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham 

This was a good, quick read based on the speech that Lauren Graham gave to the 2017 graduating class at her old high school. She gives good advice and it is perfect for anyone who has just graduated from high school or college, as well as anyone who is starting a new job or starting a new stage of life. 5/5 Stars.

5. Assassination Classroom Volume 7 by Yusei Matsui 

Another great installment in the series. 3.5/5 Stars.

6. The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay 

This was an okay read. I highly recommend it for Jane Austen fans who are looking for a light contemporary read. Longer review to come. 3/5 Stars.

7. Assassination Classroom Volume 8:  Time for an Opportunity by Yusei Matsui 

A good continuation of the story, however I found  a couple of the villains introduced in this story to be very weird. 3/5 Stars.

8. Return by Karen Kingsbury with Gary Smalley 

This was a good book, but it didn’t seem to hold my attention as much as the other two, however I am enjoying my reread of the series. 3/5 Stars.

9. Assassination Classroom Volume 9: A Shocking Time by Yusei Matsui 

Enjoyed this volume a lot better than the last one. I also like that we got some of the back story on several of the minor characters. 3.5/5 Stars.

10. Assassination Classroom Volume 10: Time for Robbery by Yusei Matsui 

The story keeps getting better and better. 4/5 Stars.

11. Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy #1 by Chynna Clugston Flores 

A somewhat decent introduction to this crossover series. 3/5 Stars.

12. Assassination Classroom Volume 11: Time for Sports Day by Yusei Matsui 

A good continuation of the story, seemed to take a more slice of life approach in this volume. 3.5/5 Stars.

13. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #2 by Chynna Clugston Flores 

The plot starts to thicken. 3.5/5 Stars.

14. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #3 by Chynna Clugston Flores 

The story just keeps getting better! 4/5 Stars.

15. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #4 by Chynna Clugston Flores

Good. 4/5 Stars.

16. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #5 by Chynna Clugston Flores

Some good action in this one. I was sad to see it end in the next installment. 4/5 Stars.

17. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #6 by Chynna Clugston Flores 

A good conclusion to the series. 4/5 Stars.

18. Lumberjanes Issue #1  by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson

Great introduction to the series! 4/5 Stars.

19. Lumberjanes Issue #2 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

20. Lumberjanes Issue #3 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

21. Lumberjanes Issue #4 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

The plot thickens in this installment! 4/5 Stars.

22. Rejoice by Karen Kingsbury with Gary Smalley 

Another great installment in this series! I am glad I have decided to revisit it after 6 year. 4/5 Stars.

23. Lumberjanes Issue #5 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

24. Lumberjanes Issue #6 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

The story keeps getting better! 4/5 Stars.

25. Lumberjanes Issue #7 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

26. Lumberjanes Issue #8 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

27. Goldie Vance Issue #1 by Hope Larsen

This was a good introduction to this comic series. I am looking forward to following Goldie Vance on more of her adventures! 3/5 Stars.

28. Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

This was a good contemporary read, however there was a long build up to the actual plot and it only seemed to take up 100 pages of the book. But Sarah Dessen is good at writing tear-jerker scenes, especially one scene towards the end that really got me! I highly recommend this for anyone who is looking for a light, but heavy, YA contemporary to read this summer. 3.5/5 Stars.

29. Lumberjanes Issue #9 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson

I enjoyed the different “scary” stories that the Lumberjanes tells in this issue! 4/5 Stars.

30. Lumberjanes Issue #10 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Loved this introduction to the new story arc in this series. 4/5 Stars.

31. Reunion by Karen Kingsbury with Gary Smalley

The conclusion to the first series in the overarching Baxter Family Drama series (there are currently 6 series in the saga!). This one was a tear-jerker! It was good, but it was hard to get through at the same time. 4/5 Stars.

32. Lumberjanes Issue #11 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

33. Fame by Karen Kingsbury

Always a good time catching up with the Baxter family and I love the new characters that readers will get to know throughout the Firstborn series.

34. Lumberjanes Issue #12 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

35. Lumberjanes Issue #13 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

36. Lumberjanes Issue #14 by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson 

Good! 3/5 Stars.

37. Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West 

This was a cute, contemporary read and it is perfect for summer! 4/5 Stars.

DNF’d 

Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi 

Even though I have been looking forward to this book for months, I just couldn’t get into it. I might try reading it again in a few months.

And those are all the books I read in June!

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

 

 

2018 Bookish Goals

Hello Everyone!

Today’s post is all about my bookish goals for 2018. I don’t have many goals, but the ones I did set are ones that I think I can achieve over the course of the year. Here are my goals:

1. Read 52 Books 

I set it my Goodreads goal for 52 books because even though I want to read everything in sight, I also want to slow down and enjoy what I read! Last year I read a lot, but I honestly can’t remember what half of them were about.

2. Complete the Around in 52 Books 2018 Challenge.

I attempted to do this challenge last year, and even though I was only a couple books short of completing it, this year I want to make more of an effort to complete all 52 challenges. If you would like to see what the challenges are for this year, check out my blog post all about it!

3. Complete the Beat the Backlist Challenge. 

If you would like to find out more about the Beat the Backlist challenge, check out my blog post from a couple of days ago where I talk more about it. I am going to attempt to read 20 books that were published before 2018 throughout the year, I might be able to read more, but right now I feel like this is the most attainable goal.

4. Read my Bible every day. 

One of my goals last year was to read through the Bible in a year, however I completely slacked off on this for most of 2017. However, this year I am determined to stick to a plan and do it for the whole year!

5. Write a review for every book I read (long or short). 

The only exception to this rule is going to be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows because I haven’t done a review for the rest of the series. But every other book is going to get a review this year, it just might take a while for it to go live on the blog.

6. Post consistently on my blog. 

The second half of 2017 was somewhat disastrous posting wise because I didn’t really have much of a schedule and I would take several weeks off at time. However, this year I am planning on posting three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), with a few extra posts on a Saturday. There will also be certain times (like the first two weeks of January) where I will be posting five days a week just to keep up with all the content I want to post this year!

7. Post consistently on Instagram. 

Over the past several months my Instagram account has primarily been a Bookstagram account (apart from several personal posts) and I am looking forward to uploading more Bookstagram photos. My plan is to try and upload a photo every day (at least for this month), and to just be consistent with it.

8. Try to gain 100 followers for my blog. 

9. Try a genre I wouldn’t normally read. 

For this goal I am thinking of trying out either Thriller or Horror, but nothing to scary. I am thinking of picking up either The Shining or Carrie by Stephen King in order to complete this goal.

10. Try different kinds of content on my blog. 

I am still working on what exactly this is going to be, but I am looking forward to sharing some of the ideas I have with all of you soon.

And those are my goals for 2018! What are some of your bookish goals for the year?

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

P.S. If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to click the blue “Follow” button. You can also follow me on my other social media profiles: Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), GoodReads, and The Meanderings of a Bookworm Facebook page! 🙂

The Name Change

Hello everyone!

It has been about a week since I moved from Blogger to WordPress, and The Scribbler became Meanderings of a Bookworm.

The reason for the change is that I felt like it was time to give my blog a makeover and I was finding it difficult to use Blogger in more innovative ways to improve my blog. I had heard in the past that WordPress was better than Blogger, however I wanted to do my own thing and refused to accept it. But since I felt that a change was needed on my blog I decided to check it out and see whether or not I wanted to use it as the new home of my blog.

After spending a few hours of playing around with WordPress, I discovered that it was easier to use and make changes than on Blogger. I also decided that if I changed to WordPress then maybe it was time to change the name as well; for a while I have been wanting to change for a while.

I also felt like a change was necessary since I started The Scribbler back when I had just finished my senior of high school and two years later I decided to turn it into a book blog. However, now that I have graduated from college and I am a little bit older I also wanted my blog to reflect the changes I have been going through.

For those of you who read The Scribbler, welcome to Meanderings of a Bookworm and I hope you enjoy the content of this blog as much as you enjoyed the old blog! To my new readers, welcome! I hope you enjoy my ramblings about books and anything book related! 🙂

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

P.S. Don’t forget to follow the blog and like the Facebook page. You can also follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle) and Instagram (@jazzyjan101).

What I Plan on Reading in February

Hello everyone!

Today I would like to discuss some of the books that I am planning on reading this month. I decided to change up how I do my TBR posts because I found that I wasn’t really sticking to my other ones, and this will be more of a monologue about why I want to read the books I am reading. I also hope to discuss what books I am in the mood for and how my reading tastes and trends are changing.

The first book I am planning on reading this month – and the book I am currently reading – is The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers. I have been meaning to read this one for a while and finally I am getting around to it.

Lately I’ve been into mainly “adult” fiction, especially novels set during World War I or II. Another book I’m planning on reading is Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb. I am really excited about this book because it is set during World War I and it is told in letters!

I also want to try and read The Teagirl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See. I don’t know a whole lot about this book except that it is the book that my library system is reading for One Story One City next month. I want to try and read it before then so that I can help promote it to patrons, as well as take part in discussions on the book.

There are also a few “adult” fantasy books that I have heard a lot about and I can’t wait to read them. The first one is The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton. This is supposed to be a retelling of Shakespeare’s King Lear and I am here for it. I don’t know a whole lot about it except that it is a political fantasy about the three sisters fighting to rule the kingdom of Innis Lear, and I am looking forward to seeing it all play out. The other fantasy novel I want to read is The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang, this is a fantasy novel that is inspired by Asian history, I can’t remember the specific event, but I also don’t want to really know so that I can go into it blind and read it. I have heard that this book is somewhat gory and violent, but it will be interesting to see how that all comes into play.

Another category of books that I want to try to read are several children’s classics and award-winners. First, I want to read Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers, I have read this once before, but I can’t remember anything from the book and I love the Disney movies (and yes, I know that the first movie is different from the book) and it will be interesting read the source material for the movie. The next book I plan on reading is Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, I was inspired to read this because it is a Newberry Award winner and a classic and I remembered that I loved the movie as a kid. Another Newberry Award winner that I am planning on reading is The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. 

Some other books that I want to read, and probably will, are Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson; The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal; The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett; The Avalon Ladies’ Scrapbooking Society by Darien Gee; Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson; The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams; Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan Henry; Wishtree by Katherine Applegate; The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis and many others!

I don’t know how much I will be able to read because my classes have started up again, but I am going to try and at least read a couple of these.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

Book Review: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Hello Everyone,

Today’s review is on The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin.

I chose this book because I had heard a lot of good things about it from other readers, and the whole apocalypse in a fantasy land intrigued me.

Essun goes looking for her husband after she finds that he has murdered their son and gone on the run with their daughter. However, her journey to find her daughter is impeded by the fact that a major apocalyptic has taken place in the capital city of Sanze. The story also follows two “other” main characters Damaya, a young girl with magical powers, and Syenite, a young woman who has completed her studies as an orogene, who is trying to work her way up in the fulcrum. While these seem like three parallel stories, in the end readers will discover that all three eventually converge to reveal that Essun is an older and wiser version of Damaya and Syenite.

This was an interesting book to listen on audiobook, Robin Miles does a fantastic job in narrating the novel, especially pronouncing the words that I know I would have pronounced wrong.

It was interesting to follow Essun’s journey as she tries to find her husband and daughter, while also encountering characters who are dealing with the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. She seems to be resilient against it all, powered by her determination to find her family. I also enjoyed getting to know Syenite and Damaya and their lives as they try to work the way up in the Fulcrum (a ruling society of Oregenes, people who possess magical powers), and try to control their powers.

The plot did have some lags partly do to the various ways that the author decided to do the world-building. There were also moments when it was hard to follow what was going on at times, but this might have been due to listening to the audiobook instead of reading the physical book.

Overall, many fans of science fiction and fantasy will enjoy this book because it has all the elements of fantasy with elements of apocalyptic fiction thrown in. 3.5/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

December Wrap-up

1. Starry Night by Robin Jones Gunn
2. Book Love by Debbie Tung
3. The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury
4. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
5. Best Family Ever by Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell
6. The ABCs of What I Can Be by Caitlin McDonagh
7. Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
8. Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa De La Cruz
9. Lumberjanes #13
10. Lumberjanes #14
11. Lumberjanes #15
12. Lumberjanes #16
13. Lumberjanes #17
14. Alaskan Holidays by Debbie Macomber
15. Lumberjanes #18
16. Lumberjanes #19
17. Lumberjanes #20
18. Lumberjanes #21
19. Lumberjanes #22
20. The Christmas Cat by Meoldy Carlson
21. 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke
22. Lumberjanes #23
23. Lumberjanes #24
24. Come, Let Us Adore Him by Paul David Tripp
25. Seventeen Wishes by Robin Jones Gunn

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Modern Mrs. Darcy 2019 Reading Challenges

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Hello Everyone!

As you saw yesterday I am taking part in the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge this year. Along with those challenges I am also taking part in the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2019 Reading Challenge because it is fun and I can also double up on challenges from each challenge! I’m also debating whether to do the PopSugar reading challenge, but we shall see. Here are the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2019 Reading Challenges:

• A book you’ve been meaning to read.
• A book about a topic that fascinates you.
• A book in the backlist of a favorite author.
• A book recommended by someone with great taste. 
• Three books by the same author. 
• A book you chose for the cover
•  A book by an author who is new to you. 
• A book in translation
• A book outside your comfort zone
• A book published before you were born. 

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

My Reading Year in Review

Hello Everyone!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Last year ended up being a great reading year, I managed to read 221 books, comics, and picture books. A year ago I thought I would be lucky if I managed to read 52 books. There are also several rereads that appear on this list for various reasons. Here are all the books that I read this year:

1. Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen
2. The Beautiful Lost by Luanne Rice
3. Fable Haven by Brandon Mull
4. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
5. The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kuar
   

   

   

   

   
6. Lumberjanes Issue #1
7. Lumberjanes Issue #2
8. Lumberjanes Issue #3
9. The Last Message Received
10. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon and Dean Hale
    

    

    

    

    
11. Lumberjanes Issue #4
12. Lumberjanes Issues#5
13. Lumberjanes Issue #6
14. Lumberjanes Issue #7
15. Lumberjanes Issue #8
    

    

    

    

    
16. Wonder Woman: Warbringer  by Leigh Bardguo – Did not Finish
17. Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews
18. Katie in Waiting by Erynn Mangum
19. When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper
20. True Feelings by Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre
    

    

    

    

    
21. The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen
22. Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung
23. Sierra Jensen Volume 1 by Robin Jones Gunn
24.  In the Shadow of Jezebel by Mesu Andrews
25. Lumberjanes Volume 3
    

    

    

    

    
26. Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin
27. Lumberjanes Volume 4
28. Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris
29. The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
30. Lumberjanes Volume 5
    

    

    

    

    
31. Lumberjanes Volume 6
32. The World Beyond Your Head
33. American Panda
34. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Volume 1
35. The Practice of Godliness by Jeff Brdiges
    

    

    

    

    
36. In Real Life
37. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
38. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
39. I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Go
40. Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
    

    

    

    

    
41. Wires and Nerve Volume 2 by Marissa Meyer
42. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
43. Alice in Wonderland: Cinestory Comic
44. Cats of 1986
45. Among the Janeites
    

    

    

    

    
46. The Mayflower Bride
47. The Ultimate Priority by John MacArthur
48. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
49. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
50. A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle
    

    

    

    

    
51. The Weight of Water
52. Big, Mushy Lump by Sarah Anderson
53. Herding Cats by Sarah Anderson
54. A Swiftly, Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle – Did Not Finish
55. If They Come For Us
    

    

    

    

    
56. Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Anderson
57. Camp Austen
58. Renegades by Marissa Meyer
59. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
60. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
    

    

    

    

    
61. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
62. The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlezzi and Holly Black
63. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
64. Sleepovers by Jacqueline Wilson
65. The Royal Rabbits of London
    

    

    

    

    
66. Junonia by Kevin Henkes
67. Catching a Story Fish
68. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
69. Somewhere Among
70. The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket
    

    

    

    

    
71. The End by Lemony Snicket
72. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
73. 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
74. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshni Chokshi
75. The Tea Dragon Society
    

    

    

    

    
76. Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
77. Timeless
78. A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
79. The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton
80. Fat Girl on the Plane
    

    

    

    

    
81. From Twinkle, with Love by Sandya Menon
82. Redemption by Karen Kingsbury
83. Murder Past Due by Miranda James
84. Future Perfect
85. Remember by Karen Kingsbury
86. Assassination Classroom Volume 6
    

    

    

    

    
87. The Queen’s Rising
88. In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham
89. Assassination Classroom Volume 7
90. The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay
    

    

    

    

    
91. Assassination Classroom Volume 8
92. Return by Karen Kingsbury
93. Assassination Classroom Volume 9
94. Assassination Classroom Volume 10
95. Emergency Contact – Did Not Finish
    

    

    

    

    
96. Assassination Classroom Volume 11
97. Rejoice by Karen Kingsbury
98. Once and For All by Sarah Dessen
99. Reunion by Karen Kingsbury
100. Fame by Karen Kingsbury
     

     

     

     

     
101. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
102. Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy #1
103. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #2
104. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #3
105. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #4
     

     

     

     

     
106. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #5
107. Lumberjanes/ Gotham Academy #6
108. Lumberjanes #1
109. Lumberjanes #2
110. Lumberjanes #3
     

     

     

     

     
111. Lumberjanes #4
112. Lumberjanes #5
113. Lumberjanes #6
114. Lumberjanes #7
115. Lumberjanes #8
     

     

     

     

     
116. Goldie Vance #1
117. Lumberjanes #9
118. Lumberjanes #10
119. Lumberjanes #11
120. Lumberjanes #12
     

     

     

     

     
121. Lumberjanes #13
122. Lumberjanes #14
123. Love, Life and the List by Kasie West
124. Herding Cats by Sarah Anderson
125. Forgiven by Karen Kingsbury
     

     

     

     

     
126. The Way the Light Bends by Cordelia James
127. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
128. So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones
129. Found by Karen Kingsbury
130. My So-Called Bollywood Life
     

     

     

     

     
131. Family by Karen Kingsbury
132. Honey So Sweet Volume 1
133. Forever by Karen Kingsbury
134. Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian
135. Eliza and Her Mosnters by Francesca Zappia
     

     

     

     

     
136. Listen to Your Hear by Kasie West
137. The Dating Disasters of Emma Nash
138. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kuar
139. The Queen of Hearts
140. The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley
     

     

     

     

     
141. Save the Date by Morgan Matson
142. The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo
143. Always Never Yours
144. Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury
145. Summer by Karen Kingsbury
     

     

     

     

     
146. A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
147. Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly
148. Finding Felicity
149. Katy by Jacqueline Wilson
150. Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennet
     

     

     

     

     
151. Summer Promise by Robin Jones Gunn
152. A Whisper and a Wish by Robin Jones Gunn
153. Yours Forever by Robin Jones Gunn
154. Someday by Karen Kingsbury
155. Sunset by Karen Kingsbury
     

     

     

     

     
156. Surprise Endings by Robin Jones Gunn
157. The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Highly Effective People by Steve Martin
158. The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
159. Island Dreamer by Robin Jones Gunn
160. Take One by Karen Kingsbury
     

     

     

     

     
161. All the Ever Afters by Danielle Teller
162. Take Two by Karen Kingsbury
163. Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber
164. A Heart Full of Hope by Robin Jones Gunn
165. My Oxford Year by Julie Whalen
     

     

     

     

     
166. The Complete Persepolis
167. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
168. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
169. Take Three by Karen Kingsbury
170. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
     

     

     

     

     
171. The Reader’s Advisory Handbook
172. A Simple Favor
173. True Friends by Robin Jones Gunn
174. Dead Before Dying by Deon Meyer
175. Worried About the Wrong Things
     

     

     

     

     
176. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
177. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
178. Take Four by Karen Kingsbury
179. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Margaret Ann Schaeffer and Annie Barrows
180. Merchandising Made Simple
     

     

     

     

     
181. Ah-Ha
182. The Shape of Water
183. Sourdough by Robin Sloan
184. The End We Start From by Megan Hunter
185. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
     

     

     

     

     
186. Binti
187. Law of the Desert Born
188. What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons
189. Before We Visit the Goddess
190. Quinn’s Promise Rock
     

     

     

     

     
191. ABC What Can She Be?
192. Owl Love You
193. A hundred Kisses Before Bedtime
194. Shelter of the Most High by Connilyn Cosette
195. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
     

     

     

     

     
196. Ozy and Millie
197. Starry Night by Robin Jones Gunn
198. Book Love
199. The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury
200. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
     

     

     

     

     
201. Best Family Ever by Karen Kingsbury by Tyler Russell
202. The ABCs of What I Can Be
203. Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend
204. Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa De La Cruz
205. Lumberjanes #13
     

     

     

     

     
206. Lumberjanes #14
207. Lumberjanes #15
208. Lumberjanes #16
209. Lumberjanes #17
210. Lumberjanes #18
     

     

     

     

     
211. Lumberjanes #19
212. Lumberjanes #20
213. Lumberjanes #21
214. Lumberjanes #22
215. Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber
     

     

     

     

     

     
216. The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson
217. Seventeen Wishes by Robin Jones Gunn
218. Lumberjanes #23
219. Lumberjanes #24
220. 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke
221. Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul David Tripp

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.