The Princess and I--Author Interview and Review

Hello all! Today I'm here as a part of the blog tour for Rebekah Eddy's new books The Princess and I that releases on the 3rd! Yep, you read that right, we both have books releasing on the 3rd. ;) We've been pen-pals, friends, and now we've decided we should totally be book-release buddies!
Well, I'm sure you're not here to listen to me ramble. xD With further ado . . .

About the Book:

Megan is content with her life, despite her parents' death and her brother Malcolm's job that keeps him busy at the King's castle. But when she is offered the position as Princess Christine's lady-in-waiting, Megan is glad of the change in scenery and accepts it with the hope that she can spend more time with her brother. The promise from Malcolm of lessons in swordsmanship only adds to her enthusiasm.

However, helping keep an eye on the emotional and excitable young lady proves to be much harder than becoming her friend. As rumors of war circulate the castle, Megan strives to encourage her new friend even as she tries to settle the doubts and fears in her own heart when her responsibility in protecting the Princess is put to the test. Follow the unwanted adventure which serves to teach her that loyal friendship, true love, and God's amazing grace will always triumph over revenge, greed, and hate.

About the Author:

Rebekah grew up surrounded by family members who appreciated and read good literature. First, she fell in love with the stories her parents read aloud to her from the Bible and books like The Chronicles of Narnia, Great Expectations, The Hobbit, and Anne of Green Gables. After learning to read on her own, she discovered other fantastic books which helped to build her ever growing imagination.

She completed her first written work at the tender age of eight and now uses it to humble herself whenever the need arises. The story did serve to show her that God had given her a desire to write, however, and from that moment on Rebekah has never looked back or regretted picking up her pencil and becoming an author.
This eighteen-year-old homeschool graduate lives in rainy Western Washington and is currently working on receiving her BA in English in order to further her passion for creating worlds on paper.
My blog link: http://4rmeddy.blogspot.com/
My Google+ link: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101959924522864159924
My Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14228138.Rebekah_Eddy
My Pinterest link: https://www.pinterest.com/4rmeddy/

My Review:

4.5 stars

I should start out by saying that I'm not one to really enjoy fantasy of medieval stories. I also tend to like books written in 3rd person, rather than 1st. 

Well, this book was medieval fantasy and it was written in 1st person. However, I really enjoyed it! The faith message of the book was strong, which I appreciated. Also, the supporting characters were the BEST! Seriously, Steven and William were my favorite characters of the whole book! All the characters were really well done. 

Also, the setting and descriptions were as close to flawless as they can humanly be. ;) Rebekah did an amazing job showing the places the characters were, and I always felt like I was right there with them. 

The struggle between good and evil was also very well done. I so appreciated how there was no magic in the story! The motive behind the villain was very realistic, and it added a lot to the story. It also made him really, really dangerous. I don't EVER want to meet that guy on a dark night anywhere!

The only thing I didn't really enjoy . . . I have a hard time relating to main characters in 1st person, and so there were some times I felt like I didn't quite understand Meg. 

However, that's literally all I can think of, and I know most people won't be bothered by that at all! 

All in all it was a very sweet, poignant, beautiful story that I would highly recommend to any fantasy reader! Also, that cover is . . . amazing!!!

Author Interview: 

1.) Oftentimes, inspiration for a story strikes in the strangest ways, or the idea comes to us in the most unexpected of places. What first sparked the idea for The Princess and I? Where were you when you got that idea? 

Inspiration for "The Princess & I" came to me bit by bit over a long period of time. I've always loved Medieval England and the rich history and culture during that time (not to mention all the wonderful books written during that time period). I guess what FIRST sparked the idea for Megan was a mixture between Lucy Pevensie (from the Chronicles of Narnia) and Shasta (also from the Chronicles of Narnia). As for the plot idea...well, long story short, the first one ended up COMPLETELY different then the end result. It morphed so much during the writing process that you probably wouldn't recognize the story, excepting the names of the characters. 

Where was I when I first got the idea? I can't remember exactly, but it was probably sitting down in front of my computer, or at my desk with an open notebook in front of me. ;)  

2.) What is one thing (besides Christ and the Gospel) that you are passionate about and that makes its way into your writing?

Relationships between characters. I'm really not very good at plot structure...believe me when I say that I'm working hard at getting better at that...but characters are my strong point. I especially (as you can tell if you've read any of my writing) like the sibling relationships. I try to show people that it is totally possible to have good, solid relationships with siblings. Yes, you absolutely will get frustrated with the from time to time...but unlike friends, you're stuck with siblings for life. Make it worth it. 

3.) In a large family, it can be hard to find time to write, edit, and everything else that comes along with the writing process! How do you find, or make, time for this?

When I have free time, I use it. The most common time is between putting my younger siblings to bed and going to bed myself. But yes, it's hard some days. With my Dad as a pastor, Sunday's and Wednesday's are usually shot, and with starting college, there's even more stuff I have to work into the higher slots on my list of priorities. However, there's always time to do something writing related in a day. Maybe it's only ten minutes to half an hour...sometimes there's a break and I can get up to three hours in at a time. But...THERE IS ALWAYS TIME. No matter how busy life gets. :) 

Let them see your flaws.

The past few days, I've been listing to pastor Chuck Swindoll's messages that play on the radio in the evening. Normally I turn them down and let it play in the background while I cook supper. But when I turned on the radio on Tuesday, the subject he was talking about really caught my attention.

His message was on Being Vulnerable.  As I listened, it hit me hard. I only heard half of the message, but it's been on my mind all week.
As Christians, we often times feel like we have to have our act together. We have the answer to our problems, so this means we should have the answers to everything. Right?
But . . .Should we really?

Perhaps one of the best ways we can be a witness to others is by showing them our cracks. We have the light of Christ inside of us, but unless we become vulnerable, unless we allow others to see our brokenness, the light inside cannot shine through.

So many times it is in our humanity, in showing unbelievers that even as Christians we're not prefect that we are the best witness for Christ. We don't have all the answers. The difference is . . . we know and trust someone who does. And when people see that we trust in something greater than ourselves to answer the questions we have, they want that. Because the human heart cries out for meaning, to know the One who knows all things.

It's okay to say "I don't know" when someone asks you a question about Christianity.

Why do we go through such trials in this life?
Why does someone we know suddenly get diagnosed with cancer?
How can a loving God let the wickedness in the world go on?

Friends, we don't know the answers to these questions. And we never will until our pilgrimage on this earth has ended and we walk through the pearly gates.

But we serve a God who does know. We serve a God who is in control of everything. And one day we'll see how all the events of this life were woven into a tapestry by our God.

Moving onto a something that is perhaps more relatable . . . are you knowledgeable on a certain subject, such as technology, literature, cooking, baking, etc?
For me, it's medicine. No, I'm not in the medical field yet, but I LOVE studying medicine. This means that a lot of the time, because of that,  I get asked questions about it. And you know, so often it feels like I have to have the answer. But I've realized that we're human. We're not going to have the answer all the time. And that is perfectly okay.

Because we're not perfect. We're flawed.

It's our brokenness that brings us to Christ, and so often it's in our flaws that others are drawn to what we have. Why? Because admitting we don't know that answer shows something that is rare.

It shows humility.

It's good to have answers, but even better is knowing the One who knows the answers we don't have.

So let people see your flaws. Don't try and be perfect, or put on a perfect front. Because no one is perfect, and when people see you working so hard to try and be flawless, they are often pushed away.

Let's be real. And though it can be so hard, let's be vulnerable.  Let's show others our weaknesses, and in doing so, draw them to the Healer.

Everyone is weak, and only in Christ can we truly be strong. Let's show others that He is our strength.

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Isaiah 40: 28-31 

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

2/23/1945 - 2/23/2017

One of the most iconic photos of WWII was taken during a battle that happened today. It was something that would be remembered . . . forever. A part of the war that became immortalized in the flash of a camera.

Today, seventy-two years ago, a bloody battle raged in the pacific. The day had grown long, and the troops were tired, though over half of the battle was still ahead of them.
But they had grained ground. Fighting every step of the way for traction against the slippery slopes, the men fought for every bit of soil their foot touched. You never knew if you would live to walk the next step, or if you would fall and be forgotten. But it didn't matter. Your life was small in the larger picture of what was taking place today.
And then, it happened. With a cry uttered in pain, yet mingled with triumph, American troops crossed the crest. They were now off the dangerous beaches below.
Out of the gray ash and sounds of canon fire that had fallen over everything in the near vicinity, something red fluttered in the slight breeze. Suddenly, a cheer went up from the men as they saw what was happening.
Five Marines and a Navy man had fought their way to the front of the crest, and bullets, cannon fire, mud, nor even hell itself was going to stop them.
And in that moment, the flag was raised at Iwo Jima.
A sign to the world that we were not going to surrender. We were not going to back down. We were not going to accept defeat.
No, we were going to fight to win the war. And God help us, we were going to keep peace, even if it had to come through one of the deadliest wars in human history.

Editing

Hello all! I hope your week has been smashing! (Not literally. xD) Mine has been good! A bit busy, but that's nothing new. I was able to get the ARCs for "A Question of Honor" sent out yesterday, so that was awesome. 
This is a post I wrote a little while ago, and decided to go ahead and post today. Because . . . I'm about ready to tackle editing, so I needed a reminder. ;) 

Editing.

It’s something that I know most of us writers do not enjoy. It’s so much easier to write a scene and to be in the story with our character than it is to edit all those words we’ve somehow strung together on a page.
I’m one of these writers who likes to edit as I write. I just can’t stand to look back at what I’ve written and have it filled with mistakes that would only take a second to fix.
That being said, I’ve also written a novel during NaNo, where it was near impossible to edit as you write. I mean, you can fix a spelling real quick, but your novel is going to need tons of editing when you’re done. It’s kinda an inevitable hidden downfall of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. ;)

So I thought I’d share some tips that I’ve found useful for editing the first draft of your novel. Hopefully they can encourage you no matter where you may be in your editing!

(1.) Break it up into sections.

Looking at a whole novel that is riddled with mistakes and plot holes can be so intimidating. Trust me; I’ve been there, and I know! Breaking it up into manageable sections, 1-2 chapters a day, can really be helpful. And if you don’t divide into chapters when you write, then make a goal to work on two or three pages each day. It may seem like a small amount when you could be doing more, but it gives you manageable portions to work on.
Make a second document (word doc, Google doc, whatever you use) and copy and paste those three pages into it. You’ll have a clean sheet in front of you, and only a limited amount of words to work with. Instead of scrolling down and seeing all those mistakes, each day you’ll be filling more pages with edited words. And I know for me that’s a huge thing. And it makes me feel so much better about my story, and it’s so much easier to make the time to edit!

(2.) Get motivated

This can be hard. I am probably one of the least motivated people ever when it comes to editing. (You know that machine that you can stick your papers into and have them come out a perfect edited manuscript? Yeah, I’m going to invent it someday.) But, until then, it can be hard to keep with your project instead of starting a new story. Because, yeah, new stories are just so much easier and so much more fun to do!
Accountability plays a huge role in motivation! Having a writing friend who will commit to check up on you if a huge way to keep motivated.
Another way that works for me, but I’ll admit is kinda weird, is giving in and getting a book I’ve been wanting to read for a long time. I’ll set it in front of me on the desk I normally use for writing, and I don’t
let myself read it till I’ve finished editing my manuscript, or edited half or it, or some such thing. It may seem silly, but it works for me!
Timers also work great. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes to start, and then work on nothing but editing for that time. Not only will you get your work done, putting on that timer helps rule out procrastination devices, such as pinterest. ;)

(3.) Pray

Yes, this probably should have been the first on the list. I know many times I tend to look at my writing as something that is separate from the rest of my life, and it can be something that I don’t pray about near as much as I should.
But as Christian writers, our faith needs to shine through in our writing. Writing is such a huge part of our life, and we need God’s guidance in this area as well as any other area in our lives.
Before you sit to edit, pray. Pray that God would show you what He wants to shine forth through your writing. And trust me, when you pray and ask God’s guidance, editing becomes a whole lot easier. Because now you’re excited to see what God will do and where He’ll take your story.

Sweet Remembrance Release

In the despair of the Warsaw Ghetto, a young Jewish woman fights the Nazis with the only thing she has left—her memories.  

A little while ago I had the privilege to read a collection of fairy-tale retelling. And within that collection, there were two stories that I wished would be published on their own. 


Well, guess what?! One of them is being released as a stand-alone e-book today! I was so excited when I saw the announcement on Emily Putzke's blog, and was thrilled to be able to take part!  You can read my review of it here. 


Also, there is a beautiful cover for it . . . it's amazing. It fits the story so well. So why are you still here? Scroll down to see it! xD

Add on Goodreads

Purchase the eBook

About the Author:

Emily Ann Putzke is a young novelist, historical reenactor, and history lover. She's the author of It Took a War,Resist, Sweet Remembrance, and co-author of Ain't We Got Fun. You can learn more about Emily and her books atwww.authoremilyannputzke.com

Historical Valentines day cards . . . err, puns.

So, today is the day after valentines day. Personally, I think February 15th should be known as National "authors-stock-up-on-chocolate" day. But that's just my opinion. ;) I hope you all had a good valentines day! I did. My siblings got me chocolate, and I went out for coffee with a friend. And then had a late-night conversation with another dear friend. It was awesome! :) 

Okay, well, since I was a part of Rebekah's cover reveal yesterday, I decided I'd do my Valentine's post today. (Shh, it still totally counts!)

Since Valentines day is about love, and I don't "have" anyone who I'm with . .  I decided for a more humorous take on  this lovely holiday. Most of you are aware of my infatuation with history. And I also dearly love to laugh. So what can be better than Valentines from history that are actually puns? Nothing, in my opinion. Get ready to laugh, 'cause here are seven, historical, valentines day puns. 

And then, we have my personal favorite. Because it just fits so well with history. Though in all truth, not sure anyone took over his heart . . . 

There you have it. My favorite Valentines day cards. xD I'd actually be really happy if anyone gave me any of these on a Valentines day. Well, any except the sixth one. I'd . . . be a bit worried with that. ;P 

*grins* I sent this to some friends yesterday and told them I had found the right person. ;) 

Well, I think that about wraps up this post. If you'd like to read a more serious Valentines day post, you can read the one I did last year here. 

I hope y'all are having a wonderful week, and I'll see you back here on Friday! Also, blog tour sign-ups are only open till Sunday, so if you haven't yet signed up . . . you can do so here. :) 

The Princess and I Cover Reveal

Hey all! Today I'm participating in the cover reveal for my dear friend, Rebekah Eddy's, new book!

 And yep, I'm inserting this random pic just so you have to click on the post to see the cover. xD

Synopsis:
Coming March 3rd, 2017

Megan is content with her life, despite her parents' death and her brother Malcolm's job that keeps him busy at the King's castle. But when she is offered the position as Princess Christine's lady-in-waiting, Megan is glad of the change in scenery and accepts it with the hope that she can spend more time with her brother. The promise from Malcolm of lessons in swordsmanship only adds to her enthusiasm.

However, helping keep an eye on the emotional and excitable young lady proves to be much harder than becoming her friend. As rumors of war circulate the castle, Megan strives to encourage her new friend even as she tries to settle the doubts and fears in her own heart when her responsibility in protecting the Princess is put to the test. Follow the unwanted adventure which serves to teach her that loyal friendship, true love, and God's amazing grace will always triumph over revenge, greed, and hate.

And now . . .the cover!! :D  

Eeeeppppp!! Isn't it beautiful?!? :D :D 

About the Author: 

 Rebekah grew up surrounded by family members who appreciated and read good literature. First, she fell in love with the stories her parents read aloud to her from the Bible and books like The Chronicles of Narnia, Great Expectations, The Hobbit, and Anne of Green Gables. After learning to read on her own, she discovered other fantastic books which helped to build her ever growing imagination.

She completed her first written work at the tender age of eight and now uses it to humble herself whenever the need arises. The story did serve to show her that God had given her a desire to write, however, and from that moment on Rebekah has never looked back or regretted picking up her pencil and becoming an author.

This eighteen-year-old homeschool graduate lives in rainy Western Washington and is currently working on receiving her BA in English in order to further her passion for creating worlds on paper.

A Question of Honor Blog Tour sign-ups!

Yeessssss, you read that correctly!! :D A Question of Honor releases in just under three weeks! So now I need your help, my readers! Would you like a chance to read the book before it's published? Or maybe you beta-read it, and you'd be willing to tell the world about it? *wink*

Anyway, the time has come for blog-tour signups! *squeals* I'm so excited for this! The blog tour runs the 1st of March through the 4th, and for those of you who sign up to review, I will do my best to get an ARC copy to you by next Friday(17th).

Are you excited?! I know I am! ^_^

Martin Hospitality blog tour

*waves* Hi all!! I hope your Friday is going well! Yep, I'm here for another blog tour. I'm trying to stagger the blog tour posts with a more "normal" post . . . that way y'all can get the best of both worlds. ;)

Anyway,  I'm here today as a part of the blog tour for Abigayle Claire's new release Martin Hospitality! I had the privilege of beta-reading, and I really enjoyed it!

About the Book:

Gemma Ebworthy is eighteen, pregnant, and alone. Now that she’s been evicted, she spends the night in a barn, never dreaming that tomorrow could bring kindness of a life-changing magnitude.

The Martins aren’t a typical family—even for rural Kansas. With more kids than can be counted on one hand and a full-time farm, Gemma must make a lot of adjustments to fit in. But despite their many differences, Gemma finds herself drawn to this family and their radical Christian faith.

When Gemma’s past collides with her yet again, she must begin revealing her colorful history. With every detail Gemma concedes, she fears she will lose the Martins’ trust and the stable environment she desires for herself and her unborn child. Just how far can the Martins’ love and God’s forgiveness go?

About the Author:

Abigayle has been inspired to write since she could spell her own name. Her passion wasn’t completing the stories (she did that twice and decided it wasn’t for her), it was jotting down the ideas.

But in 2015, a story grabbed her—one she had to finish. Inspired by a crazy dream in a genre she no longer reads, Abigayle set off on a journey to write her first novel and she hasn’t looked back since.

Writing is her ministry, freelance editing her job, and reading her pastime—all of which prove that God really does know what He’s doing when He inspires a 6-year-old with a pencil in her left hand.

My Review:

4.5 stars

I don't normally read contemporary fiction. Just because I prefer to spend my reading time travelling to other eras. However, when I heard Abi needed beta-readers for her contemporary christian novel, I decided to go ahead and give it a try. Of course, that fact that the story takes place in my state, and my city helped a lot. That . . . NEVER happens. ;) 

I'm so glad I did! I really enjoyed the story! Especially Josiah. *nods* He was like, my favorite part of the entire thing. I also really enjoyed the simplicity of the Martin family. It made a very stark contrast against the life Gemma came from. 

I really loved seeing Gemma grow throughout the course of the book. She was totally different at the end than she was at the beginning. Her journey was beautiful! And Farris! *squeals* He was adorable, 'kay? Like, he was the perfect little baby and I just wanted to hold and cuddle him! 

As for anything I didn't like . . . I wasn't too fond of how Mr. Martin interacted with the family. I get how he was a bit protective, perhaps, but then at the same time, it seemed as though he wasn't quite as protective in other areas where he should have been. And his leadership as the head of the home just seemed a bit . . . off, for lack of a better word. It wasn't a huge thing, but it did bother me a bit. Other than that, I pretty much loved everyone and everything. Except Travis. Though . . . I still want to know some more about his life. Maybe a story from his POV? *hints at the author* ;) 

As for content warnings . . . there is an out-of-wedlock pregnancy (obviously. xD) But it was handled very discreetly. There is also the mention of drugs, but it's never gone into. The author handed them very well, in my opinion.

So yes, if you enjoy contemporary christian fiction, I'd definitely recommend this book!!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Martin Hospitality

by Abigayle Claire

Giveaway ends February 28, 2017.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Beautiful People—February 2017—The Wilsons

Hello all! Yes, I'm back again. ;P After being gone most of January, I have a couple extra posts lined up for this month, and for March . . . hopefully y'all will enjoy the more spontaneous schedule! ;)

Today I decided to do a "Beautiful People" post, which I haven't done in a whillleeeee! This is a monthly link-up hosted by Cait, and Sky. And let's just all agree that they do an amazing job with the questions! ;) 

Okay, so, today I'm going to ask Gil and Lily Wilson to step into the spotlight. At the time the book starts, they are a young married couple. And they are, of course, from my novel A Question of Honor. xD Gil is the best friend of the main character in the book, and he plays a rather significant part. So, without further ado, on to the questions! 

1.) How and why did they meet?

Okay, well, David is Gil's closest friend, and David has a sister named Ann. Lily is Ann's best friend.  They were acquaintances growing up, and it most likely would never have gone beyond that. However, a rather unfortunate stunt that Gil decided to have fun with that caught her eye.And when he crashed, she, of course, was there along with the others making sure he hadn't been killed.  Though Gil did get reprimanded for it later, he always said it was well worth it since it's what got them together. 

2.) What were their first impressions of each other?

Lily's impression was that Gil was a reckless, brash pilot who needed to learn how to use his brain. And she wasn't far from the truth. ;) Gil, on the other hand, thought Lily was a bit annoying, though her outspoken, honest nature intrigued him. 

3.) How would they prove their love for each other?

Umm, I'm not too sure what this is asking . . . xD One reason they try and show they love each other is by always, always being there for the other person when they need them. Like Gil said, "We promised to take care of each other till death does us part. That means we start now and never stop." 

4.) What would be an ideal date?

For Gil? Taking Lily up in a plane. For Lily? A nice quiet picnic. ;) . 

.

5.) Is there something they emphatically disagree on?

With everything that is important, they pretty much agree. Their biggest disagreement would probably be on whether David is a horrid tease or a gentleman. Gil thinks the former, while Lily drives him crazy by insisting David is more gentlemanly than him. 

Also, they disagree on that ideal date. Not sure they ever found a compromise they both loved. 

6.) List 5 “food quirks” they know about each other. (Ex: how they take their coffee, if they’re allergic to something, etc….and feel free to mention other non-food quirks!)

Ehhh, food quirks? Like, they actually eat? xD I think I have only a number of scenes in the book where they are eating. Lets see what I can come up with . . . Most of them might just be "Non-food". ;P

1. Gil loves his hair going every which way, and doesn't care how it looks. Lily likes it brushed neatly to the side.

2. Gil used to be terrified of heights, and while he has gotten over most of it, he still has a hard time hiking anywhere. Thankfully, Kansas doesn't afford much opportunity for that! It's something most people don't know because of his love of flying. 

3. Lily is a nurse, and loves to help others, and wants to keep those she loves safe. Because of this, she has a hard time reconciling Gil to a life of aviation, but she knew she was getting into it the day she married him. It keeps her on her knees. 

4. Gil loves coffee, but can't stand tea. And though he drinks it, he thinks the British are insane and he's glad to be an American, since they dumped the tea in the harbor. 

5. Ummm . . . they both take their coffee dark. Maybe a bit of cream, but no sugar. 

7.) What’s one thing they know about each other that no one else does?

Uhhh . . . *rubs forehead* Let me think . . . I don't think there is one. Or there is, but I can't think of it. I just finished editing, so I'm gonna blame this on the fact that my brain is friend and we'll move on . . . 

8.) What’s one thing that they keep a secret from each other?

Hmm, well, there's the time int he book when Lily doesn't tell Gil -------. Umm, yeah, can't say because . . . SPOILERS! But I will say that she was planning to surprise him, so she held of from telling him about a certain something. 

9.) How would their lives be different without each other?

As different as they are, Lily and Gil lean tremendously on the other person, and can't imagine living without them. They bring out the best in one another. For Gil, life without Lily would be like taking flowers out of water. Her influence on him has helped him to think things through and pray earnestly about them before simply making a decision. She also helps him to realize that sometimes it's okay to simply sit back and enjoy life. She slows him down when he desperately needs it.

For Lily, life without Gil would be like taking the sunshine away. He looks at everything through the lens of adventure, and encourages her to do more than she thinks she can. She can be very reserved, and he pushes her to be the best she can be, and to rely on God for her strength. Because, as Gil likes to say, "When God is on my Lil's side, who could ever be against her?" 

10.) Where do they each see this relationship going?

*grins* Well, they're married, sooo . . . they see it lasting till they're old and grey haired. Lily's favorite "future picture" is of them sitting together on the porch in rocking chairs, hands clasped together, watching their grandchildren play. *sighs and smiles* It's a lovely dream. 

Well, did you enjoy that? I know I did! And here's a picture of the lovely couple, so you can have an image of them in your head. ;) 

Picture take from pinterest

Well, that's all for today! I hope you enjoyed! Happy Wednesday! :) 

Blog Tour: Racing for Time

Hello all! I'm here as a part of the blog tour for Olivia Nickerson's new book, Racing for Time! 

About the Book: 

After a frightening car crash that lands Janefer and her best friend Melanie in the hospital, Janefer is set on bringing the culprit to justice. When Melanie is found to be missing, Janefer is even more determined to discover the person behind it all.

Through a maze of lies and deceit, spiritual questions arise, leaving her confused and troubled. As Janefer races to gather clues leading to Melanie, she gradually learns to trust God with her life, no matter what the outcome.

Can Janefer find out the truth before Melanie is hurt--or worse?

Time is ticking.

 Find on Goodreads or Buy it HERE

My Review:

3.5 stars 

I had the opportunity to read Racing for Time and I enjoyed it! While I had a bit of a hard time connecting with the main character, I did so enjoy Mel, and Janefer's backstory and her family . . . that was hands down my FAVORITE part of the book. 

The mystery was good! I did peg the culprits a bit early on, but I was kept wondering throughout the book whether or not my suspicions were right, and they were! I loved Mel's side story. I really liked getting to know her better, and every time the story switched to her, I enjoyed it. 

Okay, so, my favorite part of the book is the side plot with Janefer's dad. I could so relate to what their family was going through, and I think the author did a really good job with the emotions in those scenes. I could re-read them over and over again. And the ending . . . *sniffs* It was sad, but good. Really good. 

As mentioned above, I did have a hard time connecting with Janefer, and I think part of that was because I could never really understand the reasons behind why she was feeling the way she did. A lot of it was narrated rather than shown, and so that was a bit difficult for me. 

The part that bothered me the most was at the hospital. That fact that one of the main characters was checked out by a family member that the hospital did NOT have on record as a guardian frustrated me a bit, because they can't allow that. Also, you need a doctor's signature to get discharged . . . you can't just walk in and say you're here to get the patient. 

So yeah, that's what bothered me the most. The story in and of itself was good, though! I enjoyed the mystery, and the little bits that the author put in to keep you guessing. And Janefer's family and dad and all that . . . <3 I loved it. Adored it. So sweet and so real and sad and.... yeah. ;) 

If you enjoy shorter mysteries, I'd recommend it! It was very clean, and the salvation message, as well as the verses woven throughout the book were amazing. 

About the Author:

Olivia Nickerson is a young and aspiring author who lives with her family in Ontario, Canada. As a child, she enjoyed writing little stories to print out on the computer and giving out to her family. When she is not writing, she enjoys playing sports at her youth group, hanging out with her family and friends, and reading.

She can be reached through several social media sites:

Facebook

Pinterest,

Blog

Google+

Instagram

Author’s Note:

In 2015, I posted the first chapter of Racing for Time on my blog. I know that my previous “stories” were cheesy and not very well written. I wanted to write a good story, with non-cheesy people in it. I got great feedback from my posts of Racing for Time, and eventually the idea came that I should publish. It was a long process with writing, editing, and finally--publishing. I hope you will enjoy this book, and to quote Ms. Earhart: “Adventure is worthwhile in itself.”

Follow the Tour - February 7 to February 11

~ Tuesday ~

Go to Jesseca’s blog for a Book Review

Go to Blessing Counter’s blog for a Book Spotlight

~ Wednesday ~

Go to Faith’s blog for a Book Spotlight

Go to Blessing Counter’s blog for an Author Interview

~ Thursday ~

Go to Emily’s blog for a Book Review

~ Friday ~

Go to Marrok’s blog for an Author Interview

Go to Faith’s blog for a Book Review

~ Saturday ~

Go to Blessing Counter’s blog for a Book Review

Go to Marrok’s blog for a Book Spotlight