Blog Tour: Decree Review

As promised, I'm back with a review of the fifth book in the Blades of Acktar series by Tricia Mingerink. Decree is a collection of short stories and novellas based on the characters in the previous books.

To read my reviews of Jaye L. Knight's books that released on the 14th, click HERE.

~ Decree ~

The Adventure Continues.

Discover more of The Blades of Acktar in this collection of novellas and short stories.

The Blades as They Should’ve Been

A test and the Gathering of Nobles will decide Leith and Martyn’s futures. Can they fight to become more than the Blades they were? Will Keevan accept the man who attempted to kill him as family?

The First Mission

When Martyn visits Surgis, his past seems determined to haunt him. Can he figure out how to forgive, especially when confronted with an enemy in need of his help?

To the Far Great Mountains

A death sends Leith and Martyn far beyond the borders of Acktar. Will they be able to arrest their quarry before they are caught themselves?

From the story of how Leith and Martyn met to Ranson’s search for a life outside of the Blades, these stories will answer plaguing questions and expand the world of Acktar.

Available now on Amazon!

 

My Review:

As I mentioned in my review of Lacy, I'm not normally a huge fan of short stories and novellas, but Decree was well written and put together. While I enjoyed some of the stories more than others, the whole book was a fun read. Watching the various interactions between the characters left me smiling. Some stories were driven by action, while others were more about the characters. As in all the Acktar books, the characters truly shined. They have genuine personalities, fears, and dreams, that make readers fall in love with them and feel their same emotions. In the stories that were plot driven, the action was compelling. The setting contributed to the general plotlines, a subtle but well done aspect of the stories. The themes greatly added to the unique aspects of each story, both deep and real. Overall, I'd grant Decree four stars for the intriguing plots, believable (and loveable) characters, and important themes. I can definitely see rereading this at some point.

As a side note, Leith, the main character of the series, is the best assassin turned hero turned romantic I've ever seen. :) He's an incredible character. If for no other reason than Leith, you should read the series.

*I received a free ebook copy of this book for the purposes of the blog tour and in exchange for an honest review.

~ About the Author ~

Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.

You can connect with Tricia on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Haven’t discovered the The Blades of Acktar yet? Find out more at on the official Blades of Acktar page.

Be sure to enter the incredible giveaway they're having and visit a few of the other blogs on the tour!

Blog Tour: Bitter Winter & Lacy Reviews

I've been waiting a year and a half to do this post! Since I read Exiles, the fourth book in Jaye L. Knight's Ilyon Chronicles series, I've been counting down the days to the release of her next Christian fantasy novel. When Knight posted the release date for Bitter Winter, I also discovered that on the same day she was publishing book 5.5, Lacy. I'm honored to be part of the blog tour releasing them into the world, and happy to announce they both exceeded my expectations (which were already high).

[As a side note before I post the books' information and reviews, I should mention that this blog tour is particularly special to me because Knight (one of my top favorite authors) is teaming up with Tricia Mingerink (one of my other top favorite authors) for a dual book release and blog tour. Knight's books, Bitter Winter and Lacy released yesterday, December 14th, and Mingerink's book, Decree, releases on the 18th. I'll review Decree here on the 20th.]

Without further ado, I present part one of the Knight and Mingerink—Ilyon and Acktar blog tour!

 

~ Bitter Winter ~

Already struggling with a harsh winter and the threat of food shortage, a catastrophic event leaves those in the Landale camps reeling. Just when things couldn’t get much worse, camp members fall ill with the same devastating sickness that’s sweeping across the country.

Determined to gain the cure, Jace sets off to Valcré. However, there are only two sources—the queen, or a powerful gang of smugglers who have made the dangerous city their home. When Jace gains audience with the gang leader, he finds the price of the cure is steeper than any of them imagined, forcing him to make an impossible choice—betray his conscience or let those he loves die.

Available now on Amazon!

My Review:

I had an eager-nervousness as I began reading Bitter Winter. Would it be as good as the previous books? Was it possible to love the characters any more than I already did? I soon learned the answers to my questions—yes and yes. Bitter Winter went far beyond my hopes for the book. It was a breathtaking read. I simply could not put it down! At times I was fighting tears nearly as much as the characters themselves. Other times my heart raced with the same adrenaline that urged the characters on. Still more times I hung on every word to find out the fate of the Resistance.

While Bitter Winter was a bit slower paced than the others in the series, that didn't lessen the intensity or sense of danger closing in on the characters. The plot remained gripping all the way through. Even though I enjoy the fast action of the previous books, I was appreciative of the break from the heaviness of the persecution the characters are facing. They still endured trials and tragedy, but I wasn't left feeling quite as heavy-hearted.

Concerning the setting, it remained detailed, realistic, and intriguing. As implied by the title, the setting took on a semi-major role in this novel, to the point of becoming one of two main villains. I thought it was excellently portrayed in this role.

Regarding the characters, Knight has always done a wonderful job of creating realistic subjects that are extremely relateable. They have depth and true personalities, complete with wonderful strengths and genuine weaknesses. I have only one minor complaint—I feel that there are too many characters starting relationships. Even though it may be realistic, considering all the characters have similar backgrounds of persecution for their faith and are dwelling in a small hideout together, it seems that in the first few books there was no or very little romance, while now half the characters have a significant other. Don't get me wrong—I adore sweet romances and wouldn't mind a few, but it does seem like there has been a huge increase in the number of characters in relationships all of a sudden.

All taken into account, I still grant Bitter Winter five stars. Though I felt some areas fell slightly short, others went far above and beyond my hopes so I believe it evens out. :) It kept me flipping pages and very connected with the characters. I'm already eager to reread it. :) Congratulations, Jaye, on another outstanding addition to the Ilyon Chronicles!

~ Lacy ~

The last thing Aaron ever envisioned was falling for a prostitute. Everything about it spells trouble. However, he can’t help noticing the way her smile lights up when she sees him and how much brokenness she hides behind it. Neither can he ignore how desperately she needs rescue and protection.

When Lacy shares a life or death secret with him, Aaron is willing to risk everything to help her and to show her Elôm’s love. Yet, such a choice could destroy his reputation and maybe even cost him his freedom.

An Ilyon Chronicles novella.

Available now on Amazon!

My Review:

Lacy was a pleasant surprise for me. I hadn't been aware of its existence, and I'm normally not as much a fan of novellas as I am lengthy novels. However, Lacy swept me up and pulled me in. I was drawn toward the characters and their plight. The struggles they faced were not petty issues, but a topic that has always moved my own heart. Plot, setting, characters, themes, they were all beautiful in this story. Genuine and deep.

When I started to read, I anticipated Lacy would be a four star book, simply by the fact that it wasn't full length. Having finished, I've increased that to five stars for how it captivated me even in fewer pages than my usual preference. It's masterfully crafted—a true work of art. 

*I received free ebook copies of these books for the purposes of the blog tour and in exchange for an honest review.

~ About the Author ~

 

Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

You can connect with Jaye on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Etsy.

Haven’t discovered the world of Ilyon yet? Find out more at the official Ilyon Chronicles website!

Be sure to enter the incredible giveaway they're having and visit a few of the other blogs on the tour!

Sunshine Blogger + Early Writings Tags

Faith Potts from one of my favorite blogs, Stories by Firefly, tagged me for these two tags. Since I hadn't done one in awhile and the questions looked fun, I decided to give them a shot. I, personally, enjoy participating in tags because through them I'm answering questions that wouldn't usually be discussed, and my readers are learning more about me, my preferences, etc. Here we go!

The Sunshine Blogger Tag

1. Do you have favorite fictional families/siblings and who are they?

I really enjoy reading about the relationship between Kyrin, Kaden, and their other siblings in the Ilyon Chronicles. I laugh at how in the midst of such great turmoil they hold to one another, and are ready to risk anything to save each other. It's refreshing to read about how they lift each others spirits.

Additionally, the contrast between Renna and Brandi's personalities (especially in the first two books of the Blades of Acktar) is extremely humorous.

2. If you could reform one villain (book or movie) who would it be?

Okay, so laugh if you will, but I'd have to say that I would have loved it if Darth Vader could have been reformed and actually live as Anakin Skywalker again, instead of just dying. It would be amazing to have him on the rebels' side.

3. If you could work with/be the apprentice of/learn from one historical figure (hero or not) who would it be?

I can think of multiple people present-day, but a historical figure? I would say Paul, but it would take a lot more courage than I have to face everything he did. Another option might be George Muller. It would be incredible to watch how God showed up every time he was in need.

4. Have you ever dreamed (when you were asleep, of course) that you were in a book or movie? If so, which ones?

I have a vague recollection of dreaming I was in Acktar, from The Blades of Acktar, but I can't recall any specifics of the dream. Such a pity . . .

5. What are you favorite kinds of book titles (e.g. one word, a reference, symbolism, with a certain word in them...)?

Short, catchy titles are my preference, but symbolism can also be appealing if it is done well. In book series, all the books should have a similar setup for the title. That's not opinion—it's fact. :)

6. If you could be the "sidekick" of one fictional character, who would it be?

Hands down Leith Torren from, once again, The Blades of Acktar. He is the coolest book character to ever exist. To tag along with him would be incredible!

7. If you were a superhero, what would be your power?

I ask this question with my friends all the time, and I think I have a different answer every time. Invisibility or flying would be amazing (or some form of stealth), but I might prefer to read minds at my discretion.

8. If you entered a fictional world, what is the worst thing that could happen to you?

Well, I suppose it would be the same as in this world—dying. Or maybe being captured and tortured and then dying. That would be worse.

9. What kinds of book covers do you like?

I tend to gravitate toward covers with a single graphic than ones with collages. Occasionally, it's fun to have something from a scene in the book on the cover, because I enjoy reaching that spot and suddenly realizing that's what's on the cover. And, like with book titles, the covers in a series should have a similar setup. Lastly, the titles should be in a fancy but still easily readable font.

10. Which fictional character would you want as your sidekick?

Considering that I would be the sidekick to most of the characters I'd want to hang out with, I can't really answer this question. Book characters are far too incredible to be the sidekick to an average girl like me. XD

11. What fictional character would you want as your arch-nemesis?

I'm going to cap off this portion of the tag with a final reference to my favorite series once again. Bet you can't guess what my answer is going to be. If you said the evil King Respen from the Blades of Acktar, that would be correct. Although I don't totally understand why I would want an enemy . . .

That was fun. :) To all you who haven't read the Blades of Acktar, I hope you were still able to enjoy my answers. To those of you who have read it, I'm sure you agree with my answers. :) (Faith, I think I have you beat with TBoA references. XD)

Now, onward with Part 2!

The Early Writings Tag

1. What horrendous book did you write as a child? 

Me?? Write something horrendous? *acts offended* Okay, okay. Truthfully, far more than I can count. While I never finished a book, I have lots of stories I could share. Three or four years back, I finally stopping writing one at about 20K. It definitely qualifies as "horrendous". *cringes* Just looking back over parts of it is sending shudders up my spine.

It is a story very typical of me back then. The main character is a young teenage girl, Amber, just going into high school. From the first page the story is filled with horses, *gasps in shock* lots of attitude, and some depression. XD No wonder I only got to 20K.

2. What did you learn from it?

Oooh, lots of things . . .

• For instance, don't write a story that is basically about you! A good author can take a situation they've never been in and make it perfectly realistic.
• Speaking of realistic, stories NEED a logical plot. If you don't, it won't hold the reader's attention. (And don't copy the plot of a book you've read—this story made me guilty of that.)
• Your main character needs to be believable.
• Don't have too many characters. Readers don't like stories when they have to work to remember who is who. Have simple names and a few key characters.
• Reading back over what you write helps you identify areas that need work and improvement.
• Outlining of some form is a must to keep track of plot, characters, etc.

Here's a snippet from chapter two. It's totally unedited and I chose to leave it that way so you could get an accurate picture of my writing style back then. (I can't believe I was proud of this at the time I wrote it!) Try to enjoy. :)

~

. . . Once Amber entered the barn she was greeted by a chorus of excited neighs. Her first stop was to scratch her horses, Willow and Dusty, on the forehead. “Hello, my dears.” She then grabbed several treats and put them in her other pocket and the halter and bridle. “Hmm. I think that I'll ride bareback today.”

She first haltered Dusty, then Willow. Willow she tied to the railing while she lunged Dusty. After several minutes of walk, then ever so little trot, Amber cued Dusty to stop and come to her. Palming a treat, Amber sighed as she thought over all the enjoyment that she had had with Dusty before she injured her leg. “Oh, Dusty. Why'd you have to go and bust up your leg? We had so much fun galloping through the field.”

After tying Dusty to the rail, Amber turned her attention to Willow and began their warmup routine on the ground. “Now, you had better be good today. I'm tired of being bucked off.” After only a little walk and trot, Amber signaled Willow into a canter. “Easy girl,” Amber called as Willow tossed her head. Little by little, Willow dropped into a trot again as if thinking, “If I slowly move down a gait, maybe she won't notice. It's too much work to canter.”

“No, Willow. I told you to canter. And I mean it!” Eventually the head tossing stopped and Amber slipped the bit into Willow's mouth. “That's one thing that you are good at, girl.” However, when Amber stood at Willow's left side to mount, Willow kept sidestepping and moving away. “C'mon Willow. Let me mount. You're acting just like the Arabian that you are. Well, Mom and Dad warned me about this even before I got you. Stand still, will you!”

Eventually Amber was astride Willow with Dusty's lead in her hand as the threesome walked toward the gate that led into the field. Nearly a half hour later they returned cantering to the barn were both horses were untacked, brushed down, fed, and watered. Then Amber turned out each of the other horses in the barn into two separate paddocks except for Hank, who she gave his medication to and cleaned his severe wound on his side from being kicked. She then headed into the house to take a quick shower before dinner.

After her shower, Amber darted into the dining room just in time to grab Jonathon's hand on her left and Brian's on her right. “So glad you could join us, Amber” Alex snickered from across the table.

“That's enough, children. Let's say grace.” Dad calmly interrupted the coming squabble.

 

~

I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me, my favorite books, and my early writing. For me, this has been an encouragement to see how much my writing has improved over the last few years. Thanks for reading, and thank you once again, Faith, for the tag!

April Highlights 2017

I'm back again with yet another monthly highlight post. April slowed down a bit, but not by much! I can't believe we are a third of the way through 2017! Where is it going?

~Summary~

Our "new" suburban.

As some of you are aware, about six months ago our car started to need significant mechanical attention. As bills continued to build up and the main apparent problem still wasn't fixed, we started hunting for a new used car. After multiple disappointments, we finally found and bought a Chevy Suburban that will be great for all my family's trips, etc. I'm looking forward to creating more memories in this car as we did in our previous van. Thank you to everyone who loaned us cars during this time and to all who prayed for us.

The rest of the month went by in a blur of days spent fixing fences, clearing up our property on burn days, and a trip to each of my grandparent's houses in Los Angeles and Pacific Grove.

One of my friends played the Mad Hatter!

I also got to go with my dad and a friend to watch an "Alice in Wonderland" play some friends starred in. (Great job, you guys!) Easter was a good day, starting out by celebrating our risen Savior at our church service, but turned out rather unusual since it rained and we were out fixing a fence in it! :) That was fun. I ended the month by serving at a local community fundraiser.

April was also a rather difficult month, in that there was quite a bit of stress trying to find our new car so we'd have a reliable vehicle, and several of our friends spent the majority of the month in the hospital.

In general, it was a good month even through the difficulties.

~Reading~

This month was a bit of a slower month as far as books goes, but once again, those I did read were very enjoyable! I'm in the middle of two other books that will get added into May's list. For April, my total pages is 1,283.

1. Ranger's Apprentice: The Icebound Land, John Flanagan (266 pages)
2. Red Rock Mysteries: Hidden Riches, Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry (249 pages)
3. Red Rock Mysteries: Dead End, Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry (235 pages)
4. The Blades of Acktar: Deliver, Tricia Mingerink (239 pages)
5. Ranger's Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia, John Flanagan (294 pages)

Without a doubt, my favorite book out of that list is Deliver. I wrote a post on its release day that you can read by clicking HERE.

Also, I finally finished reading the Red Rock Mysteries series. I was a little disappointed with the ending of the last book, but overall it was a great series and I spent many pleasant hours reading it.

~Writing~

I participated in Camp NaNo, a virtual writing camp, and had a wonderful time. Even though I didn't begin to approach my goal, I enjoyed getting to know everyone in my wonderful cabin. It was an experience worthwhile, even if I only made 8,600 words. But as a friend reminded me, every word you write is a word you didn't have before. :) In that case, I'm content with my word count for this month. The best part of writing was the friends I made through Camp, and the satisfaction of pushing through some difficult spots in my story.

Also, another thrilling side of writing through April was when I managed to make my current WIP my longest story yet! It's now sitting at around 26K. :) Click HERE to read my post about that, and at the top of my blog I have added a page about the Arkinland Chronicles with stats, the summary, and a few exerts. Check it out!

~Photography~

Rather than post multitudes of pictures here as I've done in the past, I'll only post a few since I already shared most of my good photos for April in a previous post, called Springtime Photos.

At the beach in Pacific Grove.

~Great Quotes~

This month, I've been keeping my eyes out for good quotes to share with you, and I've discovered quite a few that I love!

This has become one of my all-time favorite quotes!

~Blog Posts~

It seems that I've already linked to most of my more popular posts of the month, so if you missed any of those, you can find them above. My personal favorite was the post about Deliver, since I love sharing about my favorite books. (I couldn't call myself a book lover if I didn't!) Besides, I got to do an author interview with Tricia Mingerink, and that doubled the fun!

A great blog post that I read this month was done by Jonathan at Fishing For Ideas. Here's the LINK to his post about putting your faith into your writing.

~

That's all folks! Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear about your April highlights!

The Blades of Acktar: Deliver (Plus Author Interview)

Today—April 25, 2017—is a wonderful day for the book universe. Today, the fourth and final book in the Blades of Acktar series is released to the world! And today, I have provided my review of this marvelous creation, Deliver, and an exclusive author interview with Tricia Mingerink.

First off, I suppose I should warn you that The Blades of Acktar is my top favorite book series, so I will be doing my best to convince you to read the books and love them as I have ever since I found this series in January 2016. Because once you read them, you will love them. :) After all, who couldn't resist this amazing Christian fantasy series filled with action, assassins, a country torn with war, love, betrayal, an evil king, hostages, and heroes? Here is the link to my review of the previous book in this series, Defy. Now, let the fun begin! *trumpets sound as confetti erupts*

To start, here is Deliver's delightful cover and the book synopsis.

Can something broken ever heal?

Martyn is broken. After torturing his best friend, he doesn't belong anywhere in Acktar. No matter how far he runs, he can't lose his guilt.

Leith is broken. While healing from the torture he received at Nalgar Castle, he struggles to find his new role. But can a Blade ever outrun his past?

The country is broken. Bitterness divides town against town, neighbor against neighbor. What will it take to deliver Acktar from itself?

They face their hardest battle yet.
Peace.

~

Do you want to read it yet? Because first you have to finish reading this post, then you have to go buy the books, then you have to read the rest of the series first. So you have a lot ahead of you. :) But first let's finish this post.

Here is my review of Deliver:

~

Deliver is a grand finale to the Blades of Acktar series. Filled with action from front to back, it doesn't let you down. Putting the book aside was like trying to hold your breath for an exceedingly long time. While I felt that the plot was slightly similar to some of the previous books in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

As with all the other books in the series, the characters were impossible not to fall in love with. They are realistic and you easily find your heart attached. You are broken-hearted when they are hurting, ecstatic when they are elated, and whole-heartedly relate to all their emotions.

I also appreciated how the characters still have struggles and flaws that are realistic. After book three, everything isn't settled, and Deliver takes care of this in a well-done manner. Friendships are restored, trust is given, family is reunited, and all the characters at last find their place in the world.

I'm not even sure how to write a review that gives this book justice. I enjoyed every page, every scene, every character, every situation. I'm sad only to see the series come to a close. :) I can't wait to read more of Tricia Mingerink's writing!

~

I'm sure you want to read the series now. :) I have no doubt in my mind. Below, you will now discover the promised exclusive author interview.

Hi Tricia! Thank you for joining us here on the blog today and allowing me to ask you a few questions. I'm so excited for the release of Deliver!

1. To start off, I'm curious about the history of The Blades of Acktar. How long ago did you get the idea for it, and how? Was it your first major writing project? Did you know right away that it was going to become a series? What were your original goals in writing?

I got the idea for The Blades of Acktar in March of 2014. I started writing Dare almost immediately after getting the idea. I had the idea for the first three books in the series that first month, though some of the details changed from that first idea to the final version on paper. This wasn't near my first major writing project. I've been writing since I learned to write. But this series was the first one that I knew right away was publishable, and I wrote them with publication in mind. 

2. Along those lines of "in the beginning," how did you decide to self-publish? How is that working for you?

While I was writing Dare, I already began researching publishing options. After writing the first three books in the series and researching options for a year, I decided to self-publish. I knew a number of fellow Christian fantasy writers who were also self-published, and they helped steer me in the right direction. I enjoy it, and right now, I don't see myself changing how I publish my books.

3. Now I'd like to ask you about some of your favorites. :) Who are your top favorite characters in The Blades of Acktar? Also, do you have a favorite book that you've written, and why?

Going for the hard questions, aren't you! I adore all of them in their own special ways. While Leith is my favorite character over all (ssshh...don't tell the others), Martyn and Brandi are my favorites to write because they are so snarky. Of the books, I have to admit that Defy is my favorite. Probably because it was such an easy book to write.

Haha, yep. The hard questions are the best! Here's another.

4. What have been some of your struggles in the writing process, and how did you overcome them?

With writing Deliver, I struggled with the pressure of writing a book while knowing I had fans anxious and waiting for the book. It was a lot harder to write than the first three books where I had no one waiting for them. It took a lot of prayer to get my mind back in the right place and just concentrate on writing for God.

5. Do you have any writing tips/advice that you could pass on to aspiring authors like myself?

Don't worry about pushing yourself into publication before you're ready. Take the time to write and enjoy where you are now. Once you are published, things change. Some of those things are really good, and I wouldn't trade them for the world, but publication also brings pressure and worries that you don't have when you're unpublished. Wait until you're ready to handle them, and enjoy the journey until then.

6. Lastly, what's next? Now that The Blades of Acktar has come to a close, do you have plans for your next novel or series?

I have a few ideas, and the rest of this year will be taken up with a lot of first draft writing. I can't go into too many details since I don't know exactly what will be next, but it will probably be something more fully in the fantasy genre, it will still have Christian themes, and it still will have lots of fun and adventure that you've come to expect from me. 

Thank you so much for your time, Tricia! It means the world to me and I'm sure my readers enjoyed this—I know I did! :)

~

Now that you, my friends, are thoroughly interested in the series and can't wait for your ordered copies of the books to arrive, let me invite you to a party in honor of Deliver's release. It's a Facebook party on April 28. Be sure to stop by for live character chats and more!

Note: All the Kindle versions of the series are on a major sale right now in celebration of Deliver's release. You can easily locate them on Amazon. HERE is the link to buy signed paperback copies of the series. HERE is the link to buy paperbacks on Amazon.

I suppose I shouldn't keep you any longer since you'll want to go read the books. I hope you enjoyed my excitement and the interview. Let me know how you like the series! :)

2016 Bookish Recap Tag

Welcome to 2017! I can't believe it's already here. Kaitlyn from Twin Thoughts tagged me for this marvelous book-related tag started by Faith P. at Stories by Firefly. You know me, always ready to write about books. Thank you, Kaitlyn!

Rules

1. Include the above button in your post.
2. Answer the 11 questions.
3. Use as many book covers as you like.
4. Tag 5-10 people and notify them that they've been tagged.

 Questions

1. How many books did you read in 2016? (Exact if you know, or approximate if not.)

I do have an exact for this. I know what you're thinking: BOOK NERD! And you're right. :) The answer is 85 books.

2. Did you set a reading challenge for yourself and, if so, did you meet it?

 I had set a goal of 10 books a month, so 120 all year. But, life interfered.

3. What was your most read genre this year? Least read?

Most read: Fantasy (about 24) and historical fiction (about 20-25)

Least read:  Biographies (1) and romance (3)

4. What's five of your favorite books from 2016?

This is a terrible question. So I'll just pick my five top series. haha.

The Makilien Trilogy by Molly Evangeline

The Pirates and Faith series by Molly Evangeline

The Blades of Acktar by Tricia Mingerink

Ilyon Chronicles by Jaye L. Knight

Dragons in our Midst by Bryan Davis

Mark of the Lion Trilogy by Francine Rivers

What? I'm certain you counted wrong. There's only five series listed! :) Anyway, if you haven't heard of or read these series, you really need to. They're wonderful!

5. What's five of your least favorite books from 2016?

 Nobody kill me as I know these are some favorites.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Silas Marner, George Eliot

Shane, Jack Schaefer

Seal of the King, Ralph Smith

I personally wouldn't recommend any of these books to anyone. These were pretty much my only disappointing books throughout the year.

6. What new favorite author did you discover? (Not necessarily that the author is 'new', but that they became new to you this year.)

This was a very good reading year. I found my new favorite author—Tricia Mingerink, and for all intensive purposes I found my second-favorite author—Jaye L. Knight/Molly Evangeline. I actually found MANY new authors but these two are by far my favorites.

7. What's five of your favorite book covers from the year?

There were some really good ones! Here are a few.

Resistance, Jaye L. Knight

Courage, Molly Evangeline

The Pirate Daughter's Promise, Molly Evangeline

Deny, Tricia Mingerink

Defy, Tricia Mingerink

What? I'm not biased! Why would you say that?

8. How many books did you purchase for yourself in 2016? (Exact if you know, approximate if not.)

I bought more books for myself this year than any other year prior. That being said, I'm not sure. I got several of them free on Kindle and bought all my favorites in paper-back. Still, many of them were given to me for Christmas and my birthday. I'd have to say that I bought at least 20.

9. What's the longest book you read in 2016?

Unfortunately, it was also one of my least favorites. Ironic, I know. Seal of the King by Ralph Smith was 749 pages. Yes, you read that number correctly. The longest book I've ever read!

10. What's the shortest book you read in 2016?

Probably Jesseca Wheaton's Beyond the Horizon at 72 pages. I also read a few others that might have been slightly shorter.

11. What's your reading goal for 2017?

I'm not going to push myself since I have a super busy schedule, but I'm going to aim for last year's goal of 120. We'll see how I do!

I Tag

You! If you are reading this and have done the tag, leave me the link to your post and I'll go read it. If you haven't done this and don't have a blog, go ahead and leave me a comment with your answers! I love learning about your reading adventures!

I would say that this year, most of the books I read ranged from 300-400 pages, and I'm very happy with that number. So, while I didn't read quite the number of books I'd hoped to, I read plenty of pages. Here's the complete list of what I read if you are interested. Before you go, be sure to either answer the questions or recommend a book to me. Thanks!

My Reading Year

 

January (2,946 pages total)

1. Makilien Trilogy: Courage, Molly Evangeline (478 pages)

1. Makilien Trilogy: Trust, Molly Evangeline (331 pages)
2. Circle C Milestones: Heartbreak Trail, Susan K. Marlow (166 pages)
3. 'Nama Beach High: New Girl in Town, Nancy Rue (170 pages)
4. Pirates and Faith: The Pirate Daughter's Promise, Molly Evangeline (217 pages)
5. Pirates and Faith: Every Tear, Molly Evangeline (458 pages)
6. Circle C Milestones: The Last Ride, Susan K. Marlow (175 pages)
7. Red Rock Mysteries: Instant Menace, Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry (234 pages)
8. Red Rock Mysteries: Escaping Darkness, Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry (218 pages)
9. Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe (499 pages)

February (2,010 pages total)

1. Daughters of the Faith Series: Shadow of His Hand, Wendy Lawton (148 pages)
2. What About Cimmaron?, Lauraine Snelling (84 pages)
3. Sierra Jensen Series: In Your Dreams, Robin Jones Gunn (140 pages)
4. Forbidden Doors: The Guardian, Bill Myers (170 pages)
5. Red Rock Mysteries: Windy City Danger, Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry (234 pages)
6. Adventures of the Northwoods: The Disappearing Stranger, Lois W. Johnson (142 pages)
7. The Black Stallion: The Blood Bay Colt, Walter Farley (307 pages)
8. The Island Stallion: The Island Stallion's Fury, Walter Farley (190 pages)
9. Pirates and Faith: A Captain's Heart, Molly Evangeline (365 pages)
10. Golden Filly: The Race, Lauraine Snelling (123 pages)
11. Golden Filly: Eagles Wings, Lauraine Snelling (107 pages)

March (2,047 pages total)

1. Silas Marner, George Eliot (202 pages)
2. Golden Filly: Go for the Glory, Lauraine Snelling (126 pages)
3. Golden Filly: Kentucky Dreamer, Lauraine Snelling (130 pages)
4. Golden Filly: Call for Courage, Lauraine Snelling (122 pages)
5. Dear Enemy, Jack Cavanaugh (288 pages)
6. The Kingdom Series: Kingdom's Dawn, Chuck Black (145 pages)
7. Blessed Child, Ted Dekker and Bill Bright (349 pages)
8. Left Behind: Desecration, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (405 pages)
9. The Kingdom Series: Kingdom's Hope, Chuck Black (138 pages)
10. Adventures of the Northwoods: The Hidden Message, Lois Walfrid Johnson (142 pages)

April (2,016+ pages total)

1. The Blades of Acktar: Dare, Tricia Mingerink (334 pages)
2. Golden Filly: Shadow Over San Mateo, Lauraine Snelling (119 pages)
3. The Anne of Green Gables Novels: Anne of Green Gables, L. M. Montgomery (308 pages)
4. Song of the Desert, Katie Grace (307 pages)
5. Christian Heroes: Then and Now: Jacob Deshazer, Janet and Geoff Benge (219 pages)
6. The Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien (330 pages)
7. The Blades of Acktar: Deny, Tricia Mingerink (328 pages)
8. Kressler Kids Mysteries: The Mystery of the Midnight Tresspasser, Hosanna Emily (_ pages)
9. Golden Filly: Out of the Mist, Lauraine Snelling (116 pages)

May (1,428+ pages total)

1. The Oneness: Hive, Rachel Starr Thomson (__ pages)
2. The Oneness: Exile, Rachel Starr Thomson (230 pages)
3. Pirates and Faith: Finding Faith, Molly Evangeline (277 pages)
4. The Blades of Acktar: Defy, Tricia Mingerink (__ pages)
5. Shane, Jack Schaefer (151 pages)
6. Ilyon Chronicles: Resistance, Jaye L. Knight (478 pages)
7. Bonnets and Bugles Series: The Gallant Boys of Gettysburg, Gilbert Morris (168 pages)
8. Golden Filly: Second Wind, Lauraine Snelling (124 pages)

June (388 pages total)

1. The Revelation Chronicles: Will's Purpose, Randolph Kay (388 pages)

July (2,314 pages total)

1. Cedar River Daydreams: Unheard Voices, Judy Baer (140 pages)
2. Mark of the Lion: A Voice in the Wind, Francine Rivers (507 pages)
3. Golden Filly: Close Call, Lauraine Snelling (128 pages)
4. Mark of the Lion: An Echo in the Darkness, Francine Rivers (442 pages)
5. Golden Filly: The Winner's Circle, Lauraine Snelling (127 pages)
6. Mark of the Lion: As Sure as the Dawn, Francine Rivers (473 pages)
7. Adventures of the Northwoods: The Creeping Shadows, Lois Walfrid Johnson (160 pages)
8. Out from Egypt: Counted With the Stars, Connilyn Cossette (337 pages)

August (1,230 pages total)

1. A Seven Wonders Novel: City of the Dead, T. L. Higley (380 pages)
2. Cedar River Daydreams: Trouble with a Capital “T”, Judy Baer (139 pages)
3. Cedar River Daydreams: Journey to Nowhere, Judy Baer (126 pages)
4. Cedar River Daydreams: More Than Friends, Judy Baer (122 pages)
5. A Question of Honor, Jesseca Wheaton (150 pages)
6. Ilyon Chronicles: Half-Blood, Jaye L. Knight (130 pages)
7. And the Bride Wore White: Seven Secrets to Sexual Purity, Dannah Gresh (183 pages)

September (1,707 pages total + X)

1. The Seventh Dimension: The Door, Lorilyn Roberts (231 pages)
2. The Lost Girl of Astor Street, Stepanie Morrill (345 pages)
3. Failstate: Failstate, John W. Otte (426 pages)
4. Dragons in Our Midst: Raising Dragons, Bryan Davis (371 pages)
5. Dragon Keeper Chronicles: Dragon Spell, Donita K. Paul (334 pages)
6. X (Courtship book)

October (1,319 pages total)

1. Follower of the Word: Daughter of Light, Morgan L. Busse (376 pages)
2. Light of Loian: A Light in the Darkness, Heather Sutherlin (215 pages)
3. Dragon Keeper Chronicles: Dragon Quest, Donita K. Paul (349 pages)
4. A Seven Wonders Novel: Guardian of the Flame, T. L. Higley (379 pages)

November (2,271 pages total)

1. Montana Skies Series: McKenzie, Penny Zeller (314 pages)
2. Dragons in Our Midst: The Candlestone, Bryan Davis (388 pages)
3. Dragons in Our Midst: Circles of Seven, Bryan Davis (434 pages)
4. The Wanderer Series: Seen, Heather Sutherlin (139 pages)
5. Thrilling Action and Adventure Fiction Book: Seal of the King, Ralph Smith (749 pages)
6. Cedar River Daydreams: Never Too Late, Judy Baer (121 pages)
7. Cedar River Daydreams: A Special Kind of Love, Judy Baer (126 pages)

December (1,077 pages total)

1. Madman, Tracy Groot (316 pages)
2. Men of the Saddle: The Drifter, Lori Copeland (279 pages)
3. Beyond the Horizon, Jesseca Wheaton (72 pages)
4. Chiveis Trilogy: The Sword, Bryan M. Litfin (410 pages)
   
   
   Thanks for reading! Have a blessed week!