The Rebellion {Book Review + Blog Tour}

Happy Thursday, readers! Welcome to one of the last stops on Livy Jarmusch's blog tour for The Rebellion, book-two in the Tales of Tarsurella!! 

I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this darling book. I can promise you, it's a series you don't want to miss! <3 

Synopsis

Something is brewing. Like the far off rumble of a train in the distance, a rebellion is stirring. A cry for change arises in the midst of a traditional monarchy, where King Addison has inherited the throne. Who are the underground troublemakers? What is stirring their defiant banner and demand for change? Find out in The Rebellion! (The Tales of Tarsurella #2)

Vanessa Bennett lands her dream job working at the Palace in Tarsurella. She struggles to balance everything on her plate: life in a new country, stressful deadlines, crabby co-workers, college classes at the local University, and blossoming feelings of romantic adoration toward her boss–King Addison. Keeping up with her To-Do list, while trying to earn respect in Addison’s male-dominated administration, presents its challenges. Nevertheless, she can’t help but fight a reoccurring thought and the excitement rising with it: is Addison interested in her?

Addison is adjusting to his new role as King. Rumors of a rebellious uprising among the youth in Tarsurella intensifies, as acts of violence and protest break out across the city. Addison is determined to uncover the hidden instigator who fearlessly blogs democracy-driven ideals with a secretive pen name. Will Addison discover and expose the fiery rebellion leader? Or will his efforts fail to stop the rebellious thoughts spreading like wildfire, causing a heartbreaking rift in his divided nation?

My review of book-1!

Review

Precious. Charming. Adorable. Unique. Happy. Suspenseful. Real. Just a few words that come to mind when I think of this beauty of a book. <3

While I enjoyed "The Coronation", the first book in the series, I adored "The Rebellion". I'm not sure what made the difference for me, other than I loved the faith journeys among the princesses. Their faith was evident in book-1 as well, but it was so much more real and hopeful in this one. (I wasn't exactly happy with the outcome of a few plots from book-1, but I was nearly squealing with delight when I finished this gorgeous hunk of paper. <3)

Speaking of plots... Just, wow. There is seriously SO many things going on in this book, I don't know how I keep it all straight in my head. (Yet, I do, and it's not confusing?) The rebellion, the riots, the romances, the family, the aftermath of the first book... But it all works together so nicely and I was pleased with the outcome of it all.

Of course, with so many different plots, we have a lot of characters. I repeat, A LOT of characters. Again, they're not difficult to keep track of (after I remembered who's who from the first book, haha) and they all have a purpose and a story.

King Addison and Vanessa—I love them so much!! Their intertwining love stories and life stories were so real and lovingly woven together I couldn't help smiling over them. The challenges of a relationship with the king of a monarchy were, in my opinion, accurately presented and well-done.

Princess Bridget and Liam—*happy fangirl moment* Did I mention that I love Liam? I didn't? Because, y'all, I love Liam. These two had their rocky moments as well, but...gahh... <3

Princess Chasity and Hanson—I know, I know, they're not really a couple (not for lack of shipping on my part *ahem*), but I so enjoyed their plot as well. I was a bit disappointed with how things ended for them in The Coronation, but this book held hope and friendship for my peoples. ;)

Then, of course, we have the other siblings. Hope (loved her story), retired king Steve, Asher (my heart is breaking <33), Jillian, and adorable little Millie and Willie. Not to mention the Akerlys, the Kanobis, Kennetic Energy, and Clark's family. All the characters were so realistic and life-filled!

My one negative would be that the book ends without the reader finding out what happens to Mr. Fletcher and what the outcome is with Mr. Akerly. (Apparently those answers can be found in Regal Hearts though...hmm...) There's also some head-hopping, something which usually bothers me, but somehow it works with Miss Jarmusch's writing style!

So yes. Go read this book and then come hang out with me while we eagerly await book-3. The title is making me squeal already... <3

**I received a e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.** 

Amazon // Goodreads

Author Bio

Livy Jarmusch is a twenty-something author, singer, and songwriter. She enjoys crafting YA fiction that is pure, lovely, inspirational, and of course, entertaining! When she's not writing, you can usually find her playing guitar, blogging, drinking peppermint tea, connecting with new friends, planning her next trip to Disney, or pinning images of Europe and Golden Retriever Puppies.

Blog // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter

Dagger's Sleep + Dissociate {A Dual Book Blog Tour}

Greetings, readers! Yes, I'm back...just unofficially. ;) Expect lots of pics and memories to be shared later this week!

Today I'm sharing a book spotlight and review of two recently-released indie books in the fantasy genre with Tricia Mingerink (a fav author!) and Sarah Addison-Fox's (an author I want to give a try!) dual-book blog tour. :D

Synopsis

A prince cursed to sleep. A princess destined to wake him. A kingdom determined to stop them.

High Prince Alexander has been cursed to a sleep like unto death, a curse that will end the line of the high kings and send the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia into chaos. With his manservant to carry his luggage and his own superior intelligence to aid him, Alex sets off to find one of the Fae and end his curse one way or another.

A hundred years later, Princess Rosanna learns she is the princess destined by the Highest King to wake the legendary sleeping prince. With the help of the mysterious Daemyn Rand, can she find the courage to finish the quest as Tallahatchia wavers on the edge of war?

One curse connects them. A hundred years separate them. From the rushing rivers of Tallahatchia’s mountains to the hall of the Highest King himself, their quests will demand sacrifices neither of them could imagine.

Amazon || Goodreads

Review 

What a ride, y'all.

The course of this book is like a river, dotted with waterfalls of adventure and rocks bearing labels like 'pain' and 'intrigue'. (That's basically the extent of my creativity analogies. Stop laughing.)

The plot was adventurous, but the insane, heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat excitement was kind of come-and-go. Some parts were upbeat and thrilling, while others were more laid-back and comfortable. The storyline was entertaining, and the retelling aspects subtle and nicely done. I totally suspected the Jadon/Daemyn plot twist, though. ;) The romance was sweet and endearing, drawing me in more than other aspects of the story. And the allegoric hints were very nicely done!

The setting was interesting and unique. The Indian-tribe feel, the seven kingdoms, the mountains and rivers and bridges. It was different and lovely—and really relatable to this mountain girl. ;) Many of the names felt familiar to me, such as Cumber Gap (Cumberland Gap), Tuckawassee (Tuckasagee), Cheyandoah (sounds like Shenandoah, unless I'm pronouncing it wrong), and Kanawhee (Kanawha Valley). Not sure if it was intentional or not, but that was cool. xD

Now, about the characters... Rosanna was pretty good, and I enjoyed her story. Daemyn was FABULOUS and I loved him so much. Alex...I'm still not sure what to think about him, as I was really annoyed with his character until nearly the 40% mark. He somewhat redeemed himself, but not enough for him to be a favorite. Berend (THE PUNS <3) was great, as were Zeke and Isi (hard-core shipping those two).

I don't read much fantasy, and the whole thing with the curses and gifts and Faes threw me off for awhile, but I eventually got a grasp on what was going on with everything. (Basically, the resurrections confused me, because my mind doesn't work well in a realm where such things just commonly happen.)

All in all, it was a well-written book with a solid storyline. In my opinion, it wasn't as good as The Blades of Acktar, but because this author is a favorite, I'm sure I'll be reading more of the retellings in this series. So, after all that, I'm going with a 4 star rating. It was good, but not amazing. I liked it, but I didn't love it.

**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.** 

Author Bio 

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 her on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, Twitter, Instagram, and her blog.

Synopsis

Freedom begins with finding the truth.

Amidst the turmoil caused by Smyth’s arrest, Celeste is stuck in limbo, stripped of her citizenship, with no choice but to flee to a peaceful Kyraenean hideaway with the tumultuous Amaya Mason.
When bounty hunters threaten the local orphanage, Celeste and Amaya must work together and fight. Even if it means risking what they cherish the most.

His plans in tatters, his career in jeopardy, Mick Haynes is forced to leave Kyraenea with the enigmatic Torrance Kyle, the agent he still can’t trust.

Torrance is good at lying, and even better at hiding his pain, but is he strong enough to deal with the consequences of betraying his own father?

Can Celeste accept the truth, accept her place in the Haynes family or will lies chain her to the past and destroy her chance at a new life?

Amazon || Goodreads 

(The first two books in the series, Disowned and Dissemble, are also available on Amazon.)

Author Bio

Sarah Addison-Fox is a New Zealand-born home-schooling mother of two who loves action-packed fantasy with strong heroines. She has an astonishing amount of nail polish, has all her creative writing credentials shoved in a drawer somewhere, and has a husband who, after 27 years, can still make her blush. When she’s not working on her Christian YA fantasy series', she can be found fangirling on Goodreads or sending GIFs on Twitter.

You can connect with her on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, Instagram, and her website.

Have you read these authors? Favorite Indie fantasy?? :D 

Camp NaNo, Packing, and Deaf Movie Night || April Recap

I could start this post by moaning and exclaiming over how I have no idea where the month went. Which would be an honest reply to how I greeted the first hours of May 2018 seeing as how I went to bed shortly before 1 AM. But since I do that every month... well, we'll just skip it altogether and move right into what y'all are actually here for.

|| Life. || 

>> I attended a Deaf movie night for an American Sign Language assignment and it was SUCH A COOL EXPERIENCE. Are we foreseeing interpreting as a future career choice for Faith? Ya never know...

>> Many days this month were spent planning, talking about, and packing for the trip next month. (Not sure what I'm talking about? See this post.) I'm sure we'll all be running around like a pack of crazies this weekend, but I feel...pretty much prepared?? xD


>> I finished my chemistry textbook and it was SUCH an amazing feeling to cast that thing aside. (Okay, more like add it to a stack of rubbish on my desk because finals are this week so #studying O.O)


>> Spring finally found us. We had some cold days and our fair share of rain, but this warm weather, y'all. <33

We heartily approve of summertime. But half of 'we' does not like pictures. 

|| Books. || 

// Reads 

Into the Sunset compiled by Susan K. Marlow -- 4 stars
The Proving by Beverly Lewis -- 4 stars -- Review HERE.
The Women of Easter by Liz Curtis Higgs -- 5 stars
Love Finds You in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts by Melody Carlson -- 4 stars
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? by Richard Maybury -- 5 stars
Happy Day by Rebekah A. Morris -- 5 stars
Where Trains Collide by Amber Stokes -- 4 stars -- Review to come.

I also read the books of 1 Samuel and 2 Timothy. :D

// Books 

Into the Sunset -- contest win
In Bloom -- review book
A Question of Courage -- purchase

|| Writing. || 

Writing was rather grand this month. With Camp NaNo, a short story, other short story ideas, and the tingling inspiration to seek out possible publishers (!!!), it was a month it which I felt like a writer. Loveliness. <3

As y'all already know, yes, I competed in Camp NaNoWriMo this month. It was an amazing experience, as always. My cabins mates were so much fun to sprint, chat, and hang out with, and the month flew by quickly!

My goal was to edit 60k words of A Soldier's Freedom. This novel is about 64k words currently, so that would be editing most of it. (I ended up counting nearly 3,000 words of a short story toward my goal, but still... I'm nearly through with the first edit of ASF!) I'm hoping to finish the edit this week. :D

Speaking of stories... As y'all already know if you've read my Camp updates, I wrote a short story during the first few days of the month and I'm SO tickled over how it turned out. It rates high of the list of favorite things I've written. Or, it would, if there were such a list.... Anywho, I'm looking forward to sharing my little darling with y'all soon! =D

|| Blogging. || 

// Favorite Posts 

Flights from the Aerie ~ Reintroduction

A Purpose and a Promise ~ Made for Another World

Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Girl ~ With Them You are Wanted

Ivie Writes ~ Your Words Matter// Spread the Light

Wonderland Creek ~ The Note on the Wall

// My Posts 

Week One ~ Week Two ~ Week Three ~ Week Four

|| Goals. || 

// April Goals 

>> Read 8 books.        Nailed it.

>> Edit A Soldier's Freedom.      I'm technically not done, but nearly so. :D

>> Win Camp NaNoWriMo.     YUS!

>> Finish my Math and Economics courses.      Yup.

>> Finish trip planning.      Pretty much. xD

// May Goals 

>> Take a break.

>> Travel across the continent.

>> Read for pleasure.

>> Write if I feel like it.



Announcement time... I'm going on another blogging hiatus for most of the month of May. I'll be popping in a few times toward the end of the month with some blog tours for some amazing books, and I'll post a May recap (TRIP PICS, Y'ALL! <3), but other than, I'm taking a break.

I know I just took one in January, and I honestly didn't think I'd be doing it this soon, but I need it. But meanwhile, I'll be reading y'all's posts and planning some awesomeness (think: new stories + giveaways + anniversaries) for June... so stay tuned. ;)


How was your month? Any special plans for May? Are you excited for summer? :D 

~Faith

Camp NaNo // Week Four {April 2018}

Guess who won Camp NaNoWriMo?!

If you guessed your favorite blogger me, you'd be right. ;) I hit my goal of editing 60,000 words a few hours ago, before supper, and just now validated my win and got a ribbon on my profile. ;D

day twenty-three // monday // 0 words

Monday was a dreary, rainy day that should have been PERFECT for getting lost in a story. But...that didn't really happen. Instead, I studied, completed homework, wrote a blog post, watched Indiana Jones with the bro, sent an author encouragement email, and did a tad bit of formatting. (Did I mention the ASF document was an absolute disaster?)

day twenty-four // Tuesday // 6,472 words

It rained some more... I seriously live in a rain forest, y'all. I attended my last chemistry class, finished my American Sign Language book, helped pack the camper for the trip, and edited enough to catch up. That turned out to be about 900 words shy of 50k, so I finished the chapter and passed 50k. :D

“Is it true you’re afraid of storms?” he asks after I’ve turned away again. 

“No,” I lie. Hopefully he can’t see how badly my hands are shaking. I quickly stick them under my legs to aid my front of bravery. 

“Well, I am,” he proclaims. He jiggles his shoulders, setting rivulets of water to flowing down his back and sleeves. 

My brow pinches together as I growl in his general direction. “You’re getting my truck all wet.” 

He twists to survey the door paneling to his right. “We’re beyond wet now, going for saturated.”

day twenty-five // Wednesday // 0 words

I went to my last class at the art center that's legit been a part of my schedule for like YEARS. (Did I mention I'm graduating next week?!) And I stayed up insanely late to finish this post. But, alas, no editing happened.

(Third day and this post is already doomed to be an overload of sarcasm and tired-Faith-thoughts...)

day twenty-six // thursday // 0 words

Thursday was pretty boring, typing it up now. Got my hair cut, ran errands in town, performed my last chemistry experiment, replied to emails, and finished my big ASL assignment of the semester. (You know, the one I'd known was approaching for months and still did mostly the day it was due? Yeah, that one.)

day twenty-seven // friday // 1,248 words

Friday was ordinary. School, blogging, editing, packing for the trip... ;)

I twist in my seat, drawing my leg up under me until I face toward James. Except, I don’t face him. I keep staring down at the faded, worn seat between us. It doesn’t serve as a very accurate metaphor. There’s a lot more than two feet of tattered cloth spanning the gap between us. 

day twenty-eight // Saturday // 4,338 words 

Let's see... On Saturday, I slept in, edited a ton and got caught up, made a joke that really wasn't funny when you think about it (see pic), and hung out with my bro and his friend in the dark for some insane reason.

Oh, and I went to bed after 11:30. Sleep is overrated. (Actually, no it's not. I just can't remember what it feels like. Slightly kidding.)

day twenty-nine // sunday // 0 words 

A typical Sunday. Church and visiting and laughter and glorious spring weather. <3 I dragged my dear mom outside to get some pictures. (Okay, okay...she came willingly....)

day thirty // Monday // 4,055 words 

I won Camp!! :D At times this month, I really wasn't sure if I would hit 60k (as y'all know, I lowered and raised it several times), but I DID IT. And I'm so pleased. =)

If I can fix up a few things this week, I'm going to be sending this book to two dear friends who've agreed to read it over the next few months and give me a bit of feedback. Can't wait to hear their thoughts! <3

Stats 

Goal: 60,000 words
Current progress: 60,210 words
Status: FINISHED <33

Did you do Camp NaNo? Hit your goal? Can you believe it's May?! *low key writing this at 12:24 AM*


No matter what you accomplished or didn't accomplish this month, you're a winner, my friend. <3 

~Faith