8 Books I Want To Read This Fall

By Allison Grace | September 27, 2019 | Comments 4 comments

It’s hard to believe it’s already fall! I’m more than ready for hot apple cider, sweaters, falling leaves, and all things plaid. (Others in my family are excited about all things pumpkin spice—coffee, popcorn, frosted flakes. 🤢)

As the weather gets cooler (or is supposed to, here in Ohio weather gets a little wacky), not much could be better than curling up with a couple good books and a steaming mug of cider.

I’ve picked out eight books I want to read before December.

The Titanic’s Last Hero by Moody Adams (nonfiction)

You might recognize this one from my 2019 TBR. I haven’t read it yet, but now seems like a good time. An encouraging true story is just what I need!

Jesus Freaks Volume II by dc Talk (nonfiction)

I can’t remember if I ever read the first volume, but I got this one cheap at a used bookstore. It looks really interesting.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

I started re-reading this several weeks ago, but I got distracted by library books. *cough* So, I’m going to pick up where I left off and see how far I get this time.

Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

My brother read the entire Ranger’s Apprentice series plus the Brotherband books. He really liked them, so I’m going to give it a go. It’s not that long (250ish pages) so it should be a fast read.

Odessa Fremont by Michelle L. Levigne

Yet another book from my previous TBR that I haven’t read. XD This is a steampunk novel. Most steampunk is set in a Victorian-type era, but with steam-powered machines, weapons, dirigibles, etc. The back of this one mentions Abraham Lincoln and time-travel. (Kinda reminds me of this horrible story I wrote years ago about Abe Lincoln building a time machine and accidentally winding up in the 21^st century. I think it probably ended with something blowing up. 😂)

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

I’M SO CLOSE TO THE END OF LOTR! The only thing stopping me is 280 pages.

I don’t expect to actually finish this before winter begins, but if I can get a good start, maybe I can finish it before 2020. XD I’ve been trying to read LotR for over a year now.

The Stolen Princess by Katherine Wilson

I’ve read this book before, but I never finished the series. Of all the books on my TBR, this is the shortest one. I keep talking about how short these books are, but it will take forever to read them. XD

The House on Foster Hill by Jamie Jo Wright

Back in August, I read The Curse of Misty Wayfair. Guys, it was so good! I was afraid of a Scooby-Doo ending, but it wasn’t like that at all!

This book will be a perfect spooky book to read in October. I’m really excited about this one!

If I get to at least starting all of these, it will be amazing. But hey, I love books. And I’m guessing you do too.

Your Turn!

Have you read any of these books? Which one would you read first? What is your favorite part about fall?

Oliver’s Travels!

Oliver with pumpkins — It was quite the struggle to keep Oliver from scratching the pumpkins while I took this picture.

Celebrate Small Wins!+A Poet’s Dictionary Release!

By Allison Grace | September 20, 2019 | Comments 1 comment

context: The good guys (Snyder and co.) just captured one of the villains.

“A crooked grin slanted across Snyder’s face. He was having too much fun. But he deserved to celebrate a victory. They all did. It was easy to forget they actually succeeded sometimes.” – Checkmate

While I’m no longer working on Checkmate, I still like this quote. Why? Because it reminds me to celebrate small victories.

As humans, we get so focused on the destination (getting published, graduating college, etc.), we forget the journey. The individual steps that make the path to the end.

We forget the careful outlines, never-ending drafts, A+ assignments. We forget them all when we look at the destination.

But the tiny things build up to create big things.

We need to remember to celebrate the small wins. When we get another email subscriber after a month of silence. When we finish an article we’ve been struggling with. When we write a paragraph during our first week of college. When we reach 5k in our new work-in-progress.

When we recognize and celebrate our small wins, we fight discouragement. We see that we really are making progress towards that goal.

We remember that we actually succeed sometimes.

Speaking of achievements, my friend Havilah just released her debut poetry collection yesterday!

There were a lot of small wins that led up to this moment. 😉

I read most, if not all, of the poems in an ARC (advanced reader copy). She takes a word (like “sleep”) and writes a poem defining that word.

I thought it was an intriguing concept. I really enjoyed reading them.

Some of them have a darker tone, but the light shines through!

Buy a copy here!

Oliver’s Travels!

Oliver writes his story — I complain about my phone’s keyboard being tiny, but poor Oliver is dwarfed by this one!

Oliver Twist: A Lesson on Satisfying Endings+Meet the New Blog Mascot!

By Allison Grace | August 16, 2019 | Comments 2 comments

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Oliver Twist and Star Wars: A New Hope.

Dickens’ classic, Oliver Twist, is a novel full of darkness and despair. But that evil is lessened by the hope found in little Oliver himself. No matter the tragedy, he maintains his sweet, hopeful innocence.

Because of these incredibly dark themes, the ending needs to be bright and happy. Otherwise Dickens’ readers would be depressed for days.

While I personally enjoy bittersweet endings the most, I was satisfied by the conclusion of Oliver Twist.

How did Dickens pull off this “happily ever after” ending?

The Good Guys Win

As humans, we have God’s Law written on our hearts. (Romans 2:14-15) Even an atheist knows that murder is wrong.

Because of this, we have an innate sense of justice. We want to see good win and evil be punished. Dickens understood this and used it to his advantage.

He doesn’t cheapen the ending by making the heroes win too easily. They have to overcome many huge obstacles in order to achieve victory. Oliver finds a home. Rose finds love. Mr. Brownlow finds the long lost family of an old friend.

The Bad Guys Lose

The antagonists in Oliver Twist are utterly despicable. They tried to corrupt Oliver, to lead him into a life of thievery. And after 400 pages of watching them spread their influence, we’re ready to see them punished.

Bill Sikes, the murderer, is dead. Fagin, the ringleader, is in prison, waiting to be hung. Mr. Monks leaves the country and travels to America. Mr. Bumble is in the workhouse.

After the last page, we can breathe a sigh of relief. None of these characters will be back to torment Oliver anymore. They are all dealt with. There is no loose villain running around. (*cough* Unlike the ending of my first novel. *cough*)

How can you create the same kind of ending in your own story?

First, determine what your reader wants from the ending. If it’s a romance, they’ll want the two characters to get married. If it’s a mystery, they’ll want the culprit to be found.

Each genre has a certain set of expectations.

After reading the dark themes of Oliver Twist, I wanted a happy ending full of hope for the future.

Of course, there will be stories where you don’t give the reader what they want.

Deal out justice to the villains, or at least give them closure. Sometimes killing the villain at the end of the story is not what you need to happen. Perhaps you’re writing a series and he or she needs to return in book two.

If that is the case, be sure the reader leaves with a sense of resolution. Meaning this, don’t let the villain just slip off the page never to be see again until book two. Sure, leave a teasing loose end, the kind that people love, but don’t leave a glaring plot hole.

For example, at the end of A New Hope, Darth Vader is flying around in his Tie-Fighter somewhere. But we still feel closure because the Death Star is blown up. Yes, Vader disappears for the remainder of the story, but the main threat has been destroyed.

In Oliver Twist, Monks goes off to America. He disappears. But the other antagonists, the more active ones, are all dealt with.

Don’t just settle for the easy way out by killing off your antagonists. Like I said in the previous point, sometimes it just won’t work to kill them at the end. Sometimes you need to handle them another way.

Maybe they are in prison for life. Maybe they are exiled.

In Oliver Twist, Mr. Bumble doesn’t die at the end. His status in life is simply lowered. He becomes one of the workhouse people he had taken advantage of at the beginning.

It will take a lot of effort to craft as great an ending as Dickens did, but with a lot of practice we can do it ourselves!

Meet Oliver!

Oliver the cat, that is. 😉

With his green eyes, tiny bow-tie, and one white paw, what’s not to love?

Book-Lover Blog Tag!

By Allison Grace | May 3, 2019 | Comments 6 comments

Guys! I’m doing a blog tag!

The Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.

Thank you for the tag, Bella! You’re such a sweet friend! https://bellaputt.wordpress.com/2019/04/19/book-lover-blog-tag/

Include the Book-Lover Blog Tag graphic and rules in your post.
Answer the questions.
Nominate at least 5 new bloggers to do the tag.

Questions:

What is your favorite thing about reading?

My favorite thing about reading is getting to live in someone else’s world for a while. I love experiencing new things and seeing myself in the characters.

Which male character is your favorite?

Hands down, Jace from The Ilyon Chronicles. He’s one of the best crafted characters out there (in my opinion) and those books hold a special place in my heart for inspiring Checkmate.

Which female character is your favorite?

I’ve had a lot of favorite female characters over the years, but one of my all time favorites is Felicity Merriman, one of the American Girls.

Who is your favorite villain of all time?

I don’t think I have a favorite book villain. I have a favorite TV show villain (Admiral Thrawn from Star Wars Rebels).

Who is your least favorite character of all time?

Boromir from Lord of the Rings, I suppose. There are others I like less than him, but I can’t think of any right now. Unless, we’re talking about my book…

Which book do you think has the strongest plot?

I’m not that much of a plot person. I’m definitely more character-driven, even while reading.

If I had to say, I’d pick Mark of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse. The characters are amazing, as are the plot twists. And the best thing about it was the ending. It wasn’t contrived at all.

What gets on your nerves the most in a story (a boring character, an unrealistic plot, etc.)?

You have asked me the question I can rant about for hours. 😛

I hate deus ex machina, Latin for “god in the machine.” This is when a character suddenly has a special ability (they are a master swordsman for example) and uses said ability to get out of a tight spot. Or someone’s long lost uncle shows up and saves the day. It’s basically cheating.

The origin of the phrase is from Greek plays, when the mortal characters were stuck, an actor portraying a god would be lowered from a pulley system to save the mortals.

Another thing that drives me nuts is a predictable plotline or romance. I once read a book all the way through where I knew who was getting married from the first page. The first page, guys!

Which book has the best cover (share a picture!)?

Do you let people borrow your books? If so, are you specific about how they treat them?

I don’t usually let people borrow my books. But if I do, I don’t want to get them back with broken spines or bent covers. Or food between the pages (you know those library books I’m talking about).

If a movie could be made based on any book, which book would you choose?

As long as they didn’t mess it up, I’d say Resistance by Jaye L. Knight. I’d love to see my favorite characters come to life!

Which author has inspired you most?

Jaye L. Knight. Without her books, I wouldn’t be writing fantasy.

What single book would you be unable to live without?

The Bible. You can’t truly be alive without the Word! (John 1:1)

I Tag:

Grace and Sarah: https://bookwormgj.wixsite.com/storyweaverscorner

Cheyenne: https://thedancingbardess.wordpress.com/

Caleb King: https://calebeking.wordpress.com/

Hope Ann: https://authorhopeann.com/

Bella Putt (we want to hear your answers!): https://bellaputt.wordpress.com/

Your Turn!

Have you read any of the books I talked about? Who is your favorite female character? What gets on your nerves the most when you are reading?

Where’s Glendale?

Glendale commandeers an Imperial AT-AT — Glendale and his new friends commandeered an Imperial AT-AT in honor of May the Fourth.

Romanov: Don’t Miss Out on the Pre-Order Goodies!

By Allison Grace | April 26, 2019 | Comments 10 comments

Nadine Brandes latest historical fantasy Romanov is releasing on May 7, 2019! That’s less than two weeks away!

I haven’t read it yet (no advanced reader copies for me 😭), but I’m super excited about it! Partially because my family has a running joke about the Romanov dynasty (my dad knows weird facts about them) and partially because Fawkes was so awesome!

Since I’m on Nadine’s Street Team, I get to help her promote Romanov! As part of that, I’m helping spread word about her pre-order campaign.

If you pre-order Romanov, you have a chance to win some pre-order goodies!

Pre-order here on Amazon! Of course, it doesn’t have to be Amazon.

Once you pre-order your copy of Romanov, fill out the form here to register for the goodies!
The pre-order goodies form again!

But why should you pre-order besides getting some prizes?

Well, pre-orders help the book’s rating to go up, telling bookstores and other retailers that “Hey, people want to read this book.” And that sells even more copies!

And prizes. Even if you don’t get the physical goodies, you’ll get the virtual ones. I’m excited about the annotated pages. What could be better than seeing what the author was thinking when they wrote a scene. (Isn’t that the question us bookworms ask all the time? “Why did she kill that character? What was she thinking?”)

And now, I will share some lovely quote graphics to get you excited!

(Note: All thoughts are my own and totally guesses based on knowledge gained from reading many books over the years.)

But what if it’s royal and magical? *ponders*

Hmm. My first thought is an engaged couple. Then again, maybe it’s a family.

Aww! But I have a feeling this will end tragically. 😭I love this quote.

This is my second favorite quote. (the first is the one above it) I’m a fan of sarcasm. Also a fan of characters making sacrifices or dying for each other.

Romanov looks so exciting! At least it’s releasing soon, so I don’t have to wait much longer.

Are you excited about Romanov? Have you ever heard of Nadine Brandes? Have you read Fawkes?

Healer’s Bane: Book Review and Giveaway!

By Allison Grace | April 19, 2019 | Comments 11 comments

Today I’m reviewing this beautiful little book by Hope Ann.

*pauses for you to admire the cover*

Can one girl heal the suffering of humanity?

Kynet was going to die. At least, she was supposed to. That’s what happened when one was touched by the Poisoner.

But somehow, she was still alive—with glowing fingertips and a voice in her head, no less.

Whoever had healed her gave her the power to heal. With her new gift, Kynet tries to save everyone she can, which is not an easy task with the rebellion going on. But soon she runs face to face into her own weakness.

She can’t save everyone.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.

It’s a novella, so it’s much shorter than your average novel. A fast reader probably could read it in one sitting. (I could have if I had a big chunk of time.)

I found the setting very interesting. Hope categorizes it as a “Gaslight fantasy.” I’d describe it as medieval fantasy mixed with steampunk, blasters, and hovering commuters (think Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder from Star Wars: A New Hope). It was very different from anything I had read before in that regard and it took me a little bit to get into the story world, but once I got used to the fact that people used both knives and blasters, I had a wonderful time hanging out in a new world.

The story itself was full of plot twists and one of the last ones actually made me gasp out loud. That’s pretty rare for me to react audibly to a book.

Though Healer’s Bane overall tone is serious, Hope infuses it with just the right amount of sarcasm and humor. Enough to lighten the mood, but not enough to make the rebellion and deaths seem pointless.

Unlike some of her other books, I didn’t catch any allegorical notes.

Content Warnings

The whole story is based around Kynet’s magical healing ability. I wouldn’t necessarily categorize any of the magic as “dark,” but there is a clear villain who uses his abilities to kill. It’s a bit like Narnia magic—one side obviously good, the other side obviously evil. But it’s definitely not witchcraft.

It does get rather violent. There is a lot of blood and death. Also, when Kynet heals, she takes the pain herself, so there is description of how she feels afterwards.

Healer’s Bane is free from romance. The relationships are either between siblings (biological and “adopted”) or mentor-apprentice. It was nice to read a book without a romantic subplot. (Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good romantic subplot, but they can be overused.)

It is also free from language. There are a few made up curses, but no profanity.

And Now It’s Giveaway Time!

You read that right! I’m doing a giveaway!

And you’ll never guess what book I’m giving away…

Now that you are excited to read Healer’s Bane (at least, I hope you are), you have a chance to win an autographed copy! Plus a bonus bookmark, which is really nice. It’s shiny and double-sided!

How to Enter

In order to enter this giveaway, you must be subscribed to my email newsletter. You can find the sign up here.

I will be drawing the winner on May 4^th, so you can enter until Friday, May 3rd at 11:59 PM.

Only one entry per person.

Why am I doing this giveaway?

I’m glad you asked!

I’m graduating on May 10, 2019 and I set the goal to reach at least 50 email subscribers before that date. As I’m writing this post, I have 43 subscribers.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Tune in next week for an exclusive interview with Hope Ann herself!

Where’s Glendale?

Glendale learns German — Glendale beschloss, Deutsch zu lernen. Translation: Glendale decided to learn German. I found that tiny German dictionary at a garage sale years ago. I bought it for my American Girl dolls and found it again when I was rearranging my room this week. It’s so tiny and cute!

I’m a Book Murderer: Why That’s Okay

By Allison Grace | March 15, 2019 | Comments 6 comments

I write in my books and dog ear the pages.

*holds up hands*

Now, don’t go running away quite yet. There are reasons for my crimes.

Some books I’ve written in deserve it. Such as War of the Worlds. *shudder* That book was the worst.

My expression while reading War of the Worlds.

Other books are nonfiction—devotionals, writing books, commentaries, etc. It’s a given for me to underline in them, if they’re my books. I don’t write in other people’s books. (In fact, if there are pencil marks in a library book, I’ll erase them. Look at me being a good citizen. XD)

Most of them are books for school, and a few years ago, I was required to annotate (that means write in) them.

But why do I write in them now when it’s not required? Why damage perfectly good books?

To Improve My Vocabulary

One of the best ways to learn new words is to read books, such as the classics, Shakespeare, and poetry.

When I read, I like to circle words I don’t know, then look up their definitions in my Merriam-Webster app. (Way easier than a physical dictionary. It’s free too!) Then I’ll write the definitions in the margins. (I typically only do this for literature books and nonfiction.)

If I ever decide to read it again, I won’t have to look up the words.

I’ve also learned new words (jerkin, capricious, withal) and discovered authors have certain words they favor. I distinctly remember that I learned “capricious” from Jane Austen because she used it frequently.

For My Personal Reference

When I come across a sentence that makes me laugh, description that is interesting (a rarity because I find too much description boring), or something I really liked, I’ll underline it. Either that or I’ll put a little star in the margin.

This is also where I’ll dog ear the page. The books I’ve enjoyed reading the most for school have a lot of dog eared pages.

Oliver Twist has a lot of dog eared pages. — Oliver Twist has just a few turned down pages.

If it’s a book that’s not for school, I don’t write in them as frequently, but I’ll turn down pages so I can find my favorite parts quickly. I’ll also draw smiley faces and hearts in the margins.

To Make Them My Own

If you write in a book, you won’t have to share it with anyone else.

That is my evil strategy. 😛

But honestly, it makes each book special. Even if I’d just write out definitions (and I always do more), it’s still uniquely mine. It’s really fun to flip through them and see all the smiley faces or hearts I drew, pages I turned down, and snarky comments I wrote.

A line I loved from Samara's Peril. — A beautiful line from “Samara’s Peril” by Jaye L. Knight.

A funny line from Julius Caesar. — This line from Julius Caesar made me laugh. In this context, “spleen” refers to a bad mood, not the organ. But it’s still pretty funny.

Things I Don’t Do To Books

I do not crack the spines. At least not intentionally. Cracked books never open right ever again. And the spines…it makes me so sad.

One time I snapped a book in half. It was an old copy of “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T.S. Eliot. (It’s poetry about cats.) I had to keep taping the pages back in and one day it entirely fell apart.

But I fixed it with packing tape and now it’s as good as new…if taped together is new.

I don’t write in books with pen, unless I’m crossing out curse words. I prefer pencil so I can erase mistakes I make.

I also don’t set them on fire. Though there are some I wish I could. (War of the Worlds)

I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing in, underlining, and dog earring my books. It’s just something I do–an unbreakable habit. I love my books and I guess the way I show it is by writing in them.

What about you? Have you ever written in a book? Do you crack the spines of your books? Have you read any of the books I talked about?

Where’s Glendale?

Glendale in his speedboat. — Glendale tried out a speedboat, even though he can’t swim. He told me, “it was fun, but I like Orion [his horse] better.” He also would have preferred to have a life vest.

For Felicity: New Release from Audrey Caylin!

By Allison Grace | January 15, 2019 | Comments 2 comments

Hi, friends! I have an exciting announcement!

My writing mentor, Audrey Caylin, just published a short story called For Felicity.

A tragedy that shattered.

A song that can mend.

A single heart longing to be free.

With her older brother leaving on deployment in mere hours, seventeen-year-old Felicity has one chance to bridge the gap of silence between them before time scars their relationship forever.

But that’s not all, there’s a giveaway too! Click here to visit Audrey’s blog and learn how you can enter. 😊 But don’t wait around, the giveaway ends on the 19th of January. 😉

Congratulations, Audrey! 🎊🎂🍨🍪🍕

Blades of Acktar: Dare Book Review

By Allison Grace | January 4, 2019 | Comments 6 comments

As promised in this post, here is my review of Dare, the first book in Tricia Mingerink’s “Blades of Acktar” series!

It was supposed to be a routine mission. Leith Torren was not supposed to be wounded or alone in a blizzard. Desperate for aid, he stumbles upon the home of the family he once helped to destroy.

When Renna and Brandi find a wounded Blade on their doorstep, the two sisters are faced with a dilemma—if he discovers their faith or ties to the Resistance, they’re as good as dead, but if they don’t help him, he will die. Against her better judgement, Renna tends to the Blade.

Their kindness causes Leith to question his life as a Blade of the king. He’s been taught to obey without question, kill without hesitation. When he discovers their Christian ties, he is faced with a dilemma of his own. After they helped him, he can’t very well order their deaths, can he?

By the end of Chapter 3, I was hooked. No doubt about it, I knew I would love this book.

It’s a medieval fantasy, minus magic and fantastical creatures. I could see Dare taking place sometime in the history of Europe, so it’s not really “deep” fantasy.

The coolest part of Acktar, in my opinion, are the Blades. They’re the villain, King Respen’s, personal assassins. They have capes (I think), horses, and lots of knives (hence the fact they are called “Blades”). 🗡🗡

Dare isn’t an allegory, but the Christian faith is clearly presented. Several characters are Christians and they quote Scripture verses a lot. The book of Daniel is very important to the story. 🦁

I loved all the characters, particularly Leith and Brandi. They have earned spots on my favorite characters list!

I was intrigued by the suspense and danger Tricia wove throughout the story.

But the ending was awful, as in HOW DARE YOU END IT LIKE THAT? The kind of ending that makes the reader part of me mad, but the writer part happy. Absolutely beautiful. 😍

I can’t wait to read Deny (book two in The Blades of Acktar series).

Content Warnings

In the very first scene, one of Leith’s companion’s has kidnapped a girl so, as he put it, “we’d have some fun while we wait.” But nothing happens and Leith is adamant that his companion let the girl go. I just spoiled the first two pages. 😛

No language.

There was a bit of romance. But it was clean and there wasn’t very much of it.

Several times there is mention of blood, wounds, stitching said wounds, and cauterizing other wounds. As well as a knife fight or two.

A guy does take off his shirt to show he isn’t hiding any weapons, as well as for a healer (a girl) to take care of his injuries.

Overall, I loved Dare. It will be a re-read for sure!

I would recommend this book to lovers of Jaye L. Knight, C.S. Lewis, or just Christian fantasy fans in general.

You can find Tricia Mingerink on her blog here.

Your Turn!

**Have you read Dare? Do you like medieval fantasy? After reading this review, do you want to go out and buy some throwing knives so you can pretend to be an assassin?**

Where’s Glendale?

Glendale visits the library — Glendale was getting restless, so we went to visit the library!

Glendale reads a book — He found a book just his size! (It’s A Tale of Tom Kitten, but he didn’t want me to tell you. 😛)

Glendale goofs off — Then he decided to try reading upside down. *facepalm*

2019 To Be Read List

By Allison Grace | December 28, 2018 | Comments 8 comments

I have a very, very long TBR (to be read) list for 2019. And it’s sure to grow faster than it shrinks. Such is life as a bookworm. 😁📚

Most are fantasy, but there are a few exceptions here and there.

As the aspiring librarian that I am, I alphabetized this list by author’s last names. 😎

Gillian Bronte Adams: Songkeeper and Song of Leira

After reading the first book (Orphan’s Song) in “The Songkeeper Chronicles” over the summer, I’m excited about the last two books in the trilogy. And the cover of Song of Leira is awesome. So mysterious and cool!

Moody Adams: The Titanic’s Last Hero

This is actually a true story. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it before, but I don’t remember too much about it. There are so many Titanic books, but this one is different. It’s about John Harper, a pastor who drowned when the ship sunk. Although it promises to be sad, I’m excited to read it.

Rachel Coker: Interrupted

I read this book a couple years ago. It was amazing. I nearly cried and I can’t wait to read it again. Plus, it’s written by a young author, like me!

Charles Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities

This is one of my favorite books overall, but it’s my favorite of Dickens’ books (at least, of the ones I’ve read). I’m hoping reading it a second time will be easier than the first time I read it for literature. 😅

Leah E. Good: Counted Worthy

Yet another re-read and young author. This one is a Christian dystopian. I really enjoyed it, even though it was heart-wrenching.

Sandra Merville Hart: A Musket In My Hands

I actually got to meet Ms. Hart at a book fair. I even got this copy autographed! It’s a historical fiction set in the Civil War. Unlike most CW books, this one is told from a Southern perspective.

Michael A. G. Haykin: Eight Women of Faith

Another nonfiction book! I’m very interested in reading this book. I started it awhile ago, but it was hard reading. But I’m up for the challenge!

C. R. Hedgcock: Summer of Suspense

One of my writing friends has been after me to read the “Baker Family Adventures” series. So this year, I’m going to actually read them. Years ago, I read the first four, but that was years ago—you know, when books were inscribed on cave walls—so I don’t remember too much about them.

Michelle L. Levigne: Odessa Fremont

I also met Ms. Levigne at the same book fair I met Ms. Hart. This book is the prequel to the “Guardians of the Time Stream” series. I haven’t read the series yet, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to start with the prequel. I don’t usually read time travel (I find it confusing) or steampunk (in fact, I never have), but I’m going to give it a go this year!

DiAnn Mills: High Treason

Yet another author I have met! But I met Mrs. Mills at the Taylor Professional Writers Conference in August 2018, not at a book fair This is (or was at the time) her latest release. I’ve only read a couple other books by her so far, but the last suspense I read was really good.

Jennifer A. Nielsen: The False Prince

My writing mentee suggested I read this series. It looks really cool! And the catch-line on the cover is intriguing: “Choose to lie…or choose to die.”

Mrs. E. Prentiss: Stepping Heavenward

My mom gave me this book a while ago. It’s nonfiction and looks pretty interesting. It’s about a young woman’s Christian walk.

Mollie E Reeder: The Electrical Menagerie

I won this book from one of Gillian Bronte Adams’ giveaways. It’s another steampunk, so not on my usual reading list. But I’m intrigued by it just the same.

Brandon Sanderson: The Way of Kings

I’ve only ever read one of Sanderson’s books before and it was pretty good. This one is ginormous! I mean, 1258 pages? If I manage to read this whole thing this year, I’ll be shocked. 😅

J. R. R. Tolkien: The Two Towers and The Return of the King

No, I have not read the entire trilogy yet. No, I have not seen the movies. Yes, I have played (most) of the video game. I’m tired of being the only fantasy author who hasn’t read LotR. 😂 But I have read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. And I just watched the first Hobbit movie with my brother.

K. M. Weiland: A Man Called Outlaw

I’ve only read Weiland’s nonfiction books on writing. But I thought I’d try her fiction. This one is historical. It has a western feel to me–outlaws, ranches, and gunmen.

Jill Williamson: By Darkness Hid

I got this book for Christmas last year and I still haven’t gotten around to reading it! I’ve heard really good things about this book and I can’t wait to dig in.

Katherine Wilson: Maidens of Malidone

This is a three book series. I read the first book (The Stolen Princess) a while ago, but once again, I don’t remember too much about it. They are also written by a young author!

Your Turn!

What is on your 2019 TBR? Have you read any of these books? Would you like to see a review of a particular one on my list?