Menu Close

Category: Book Reviews

Subplots and Storylines – March & April 2019

Tracey Dyck 24 Comments

Happy May! Last time Subplots and Storylines came around, I recapped January and February. It’s strange to think it’s only been two months since then . . . it feels like four, considering how much was packed into them!

[Note: be sure to catch the P.S. at the end of the post!]

Last day of college!

For one thing, after a torrential downpour of school projects–and a great big entrepreneurship tradeshow thingie–I am officially done college! I don’t get my diploma until June. But the work is done. Classes are over. Exams have been written. I am no longer a student. (!!!) It’s been an adventure and a half, I tell ya. Someday I might tell you all about it.

What else . . .

I registered for Realm Makers! I don’t think I’ve announced that here yet, but yes–I’ll be there for my third time in a row, and I can’t wait. This time, my bro Josiah is coming with me!

In other news, we celebrated Easter, I squeezed in some friend time between college assignments (yay for Scrabble and London Fogs and pizza nights and trying African food for the first time!). I was also a bridesmaid in a dear friend’s wedding.

My seven-year-old laptop rebelled and started crashing every time I used it. So I finally bought myself a shiny new one.*


*Feel like it needs a name, though . . . Maybe Sebastian. Because a) I like the name and b) it reminds me of Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan . . . and the laptop is sleek and metallic like Bucky’s arm? IDK, man.

Aaaand on top of all of that, I started my new job this week! I’m now in the marketing department of a nonprofit organization. My head is spinning with all the new things I’m learning, but I positively love what I get to do and who I get to work with. God is so cool!

Here’s yet another “and”—I joined the Havok team! Very excited to learn the ropes and start helping writers get their flash fiction into the world.

Screen Subplots

T V  S H O W S

I rewatched two episodes of The Flash season 3 and started The Flash season 4 (so good!). Also rewatched an episode of Once Upon a Time season 4.

M A R C H  M O V I E S

Christopher Robin
Heartwarming, nostalgic, and so, so perfect. I cried. Several times. The Hundred Acre Wood was my childhood love, and somehow Pooh still has the ability to say just the right thing in his simple way. I loved watching him and his friends help a grown-up Christopher Robin recapture his wonder.

“Sometimes when I’m going somewhere and I wait, somewhere comes to me.”

Ralph Breaks the Internet
This was actually pretty cute (minus a few sort-of crass jokes). It ended up having a much deeper theme than I expected, dealing with what happens when best friends go different directions in life. And interpreting the Internet as an actual setting was really cool. Worth seeing if you liked the first one! (Also Gal Gadot was in it!)

“My autofill is a touch aggressive today.”

Captain Marvel
IT WAS NOT AS BAD AS THE CRITICS SAID. I was leery after reviews (and Brie Larson herself) made it an ultra-feminism issue, but the movie didn’t come off as preachy to me, thankfully.

And while it may not be my favorite Marvel movie to date, it was a fun addition with plenty of banter between Carol Danvers and Nick Fury, the surprise that is Goose, and 90’s throwbacks. (Blockbuster, anyone?) Plus there was a super interesting take on the prejudices that drive war. I’m hoping for good things if we get any sequels!

“Do you know how to fly this thing?”
“Maybe.”
“That’s a yes or no question.”

A P R I L  M O V I E (S)

Avengers: Endgame
AHHHHHHHH!!!! Pardon the fangirl in me, but that movie is INCREDIBLE. I’m in awe at the scope of the thing, the emotional depth, the satisfying conclusion. Three hours of awesomeness and feels.

It’s bittersweet to see this massive story come to an end. After all, I spent most of my teen years looking forward to the next MCU release date. But it’s been a good ride. *immediately wants to go on a Marvel movie binge* Maybe I’ll manage to collect my thoughts in a full review once more of the world has seen it!

(There are so many quotes I’d like to list here, but this one’s from the trailer, so it’s not spoilery.)

“Whatever it takes.”

Page Storylines

M A R C H  B O O K S

Reclaiming Shilo Snow // Mary Weber
Remember me screeching about the amazingness of The Evaporation of Sofi Snow in the last S&S post? Well, the sequel continued with the same guts and heart as the first book. As Sofi and Miguel hurry to save Sofi’s brother, more heartpounding twists hurtled me right to the satisfying finale.

Together, this duology is inspiring in the truest sense of the word. It holds up a mirror and asks us to find our humanity, to choose goodness over rightness, and to make every choice one of love.

(Goodreads review here.) 5 stars!

Songkeeper // Gillian Bronte Adams
Taking a decidedly darker turn than its prequel, Orphan’s Song, this book follows Birdie through her struggle to hold onto hope when the Song feels distant, and Ky’s misadventures as he tries to protect his Underground friends.

I took almost a month to read this (thanks, college). Maybe that’s why the story seemed to lack that “just one more chapter” pull.

But hey, Gundhrold the griffin is still there, Amos is still his belligerent self, we get to explore the further reaches of Leira, and the ending plunges into the heart of darkness in order to reveal the cogs that have been turning the series’ main conflict! So yay for that! I’m interested to see how everything shapes up in the third and final book.

(Full review on Goodreads.) 3.5-4 stars.

A P R I L  B O O K S

The Scent of Her Soul // Bryan Davis
In this human trafficking story with a speculative twist, Mike has the ability to track the scent of young girls’ souls. He’s been searching for his daughter (who was abducted three years ago) and trying in the meantime to rescue as many trafficked girls from prostitution as possible.

Needless to say, this was a sad, intense, and horrifying read—yet the heroes of the tale gave me hope. It’s absolutely sickening what goes on in our very own streets, right under our noses. But as Mike repeatedly reminds himself, “Every girl is special. Every girl is unique. Every girls needs a hero.”

Based on the subject matter, along with some swearing (which I felt was justified and not gratuitous), I would recommend this only for mature readers. Be advised that there is frequent talk of rape as well as on-screen violence. However, it was all very well-written from the perspective of motivating action in the reader. Mr. Davis has tackled an extremely difficult topic head on and has done an excellent job.

Sky in the Deep // Adrienne Young

When I finally cracked open Sky a year after its hyped release, I hoped I’d love it as much as I wanted to. Vikings! Battle! Family! Gorgeous cover! And now I can say I DID love it.
Eelyn’s a kick-butt, axe-wielding heroine, but she has a heart, which kept her from becoming just another warrior girl. That heart might be iced over with anger and bitterness, but her slow thaw was perfect.

I kind of hated Fiske at the beginning. I was worried he’d be the typical alpha male love interest who “makes up” for his foul moods by being hot. Thankfully that wasn’t the case! He too had a heart, fiercely protective of his family, and I loved him for that.

And Halvard!!! My previous boy! He was exactly the innocent touch that both Eelyn and the book itself needed. Inge and Iri are great too, even if Iri got overshadowed by Fiske toward the end.

I also loved the Viking-inspired culture, the crisp setting, and the beautiful-yet-punchy prose. Some truly heart pounding scenes took place! (And this is the perfect comp title for one of my own books, so yay!)
Some small dislikes include a few places where it was unclear who was speaking, a couple of make-out sessions, etc. And readers should be aware that the violence is rather bloody, and there is one very gory torture scene I wasn’t expecting.
Other than that, though, I loved it! The power of family—of blood and of choice—runs through from the first page to the last.

Sentinel // Jamie Foley
Sentinel feels like it waltzed through the Story Elements Grocery Store and picked up a few bags of fantasy, a box of dystopian, a bit of supernatural, and a smidgen of alternate universe. Throw in some generous helpings of humor and voila! I don’t know what it is, but hey. Breaking genres is cool, even if it confused me a bit in the beginning.

I loved the magic academy, the whole aether magic thing going on (there were some superhero vibes), and the fact that we get a sibling relationship from the younger one’s point-of-view.

There’s a big cast of characters and lots of banter going on. A few of my favorite people…

  • Darien, the main character, is such a puppy–probably one of the more realistic 16-year-old boys I’ve read about (in terms of maturity).
  • Jet is just awesome.
  • Levi sounded exactly like Haymitch (*cough* I mean Woody Harrelson) in my head.
  • Sorvashti has a language barrier.

Some events felt like they needed more foreshadowing or explanation . . . just more development, in general. But I hear that a prequel novella should clear some of that up. Overall, though, it was a pretty fun story! (JET IS MY FAV. MUST READ MORE BECAUSE OF JET.)

(Full Goodreads review.) 4 stars.

Sword in the Stars (first edition) // Wayne Thomas Batson
Sword in the Stars plunges you into Batson’s richest, broadest fantasy realm yet–the land of Myriad. Here we roam forested kingdoms and ancient ruins and dark keeps, following a large cast of characters in a cinematic style. Rereading this book was a huge nostalgia kick. This was one of the tales that shaped my love of fantasy. Now, seven years later, a bit of the shine has worn off, but I still love the heart and vision of this book.

Former assassin Alastair Coldhollow drives much of the plot forward. Wrestling with a bloody past and an addiction to Witchdrale, he nevertheless searches for the Halfainin, a hero prophesied to defeat the Dark King and save Myriad. But a baby he never wanted and a woman he meant to stay away from pull Alastair in another direction.

Before you know it, he becomes caught in a web of dark designs as his former master, King Morlan, secretly stirs the kingdoms to war.

I loved Alastair, Queen Maren (who’s a total boss), the Shepherds, the slow decline of the people’s faith, Cythraul (the creepy dude), and all the allegorical elements!
What I didn’t love so much were some spelling/punctuation mistakes that could’ve been caught with another proofread. Also there’s a continuity problem with a character death–but the new-and-improved second edition fixes that! (I checked.) The beginning third of the book meanders. A few anachronisms like “okay” threw me off a little bit.

But I was pleasantly surprised at how well the majority of this book held up so many years later! Myriad is a world I can sink my teeth into, meaty enough to carry the rest of this series (which I think is supposed to be seven books long). I applaud Mr. Batson for setting the stage as he did, choosing poignant characters to head up a story playing out on a global scale.

(Full review on Goodreads, complete with a fully explained list of what I loved and didn’t love.) 4 stars!

[I am also quite pleased that all six of these books either start with S or almost do, and all of the covers except Reclaiming Shilo Snow match really well. #aesthetics]
 

Written Subplots

Not much to report here yet, but in April I did write a short story very spontaneously. It was one of those “just for me” sorts of things and was so good for my head and heart. So take note, writers! If you need to spend some time writing something that you don’t plan to do anything with, ever, give yourself that gift.

Hello, May!

What have you been up to? Have you seen Endgame yet?! Read any of those books–or do any of them look like they should go on your to-be-read pile?

 
P.S. I’m going on a blogging hiatus, probably for the month of May! Why? I’m going to start the Great Move (aka I’m moving from Blogger to my own website). I’ll be back when everything is ready to go! In the meantime, pop in and visit me on Instagram. See you later!
Keep Reading

Subplots & Storylines – January & February 2019

Tracey Dyck 22 Comments

Well hi there. Things have gone radio silent around here over the past seven weeks, huh? This final semester of college is a real doozy so far, and it’s been such a frigid winter I think my brain froze. But . . . I got my first library card in January, so #priorities, yay!

In other good news, I’m done midterm exams, which means I’m that much closer to graduating, which means we’ll be returning to a regular posting schedule soon. Thank heavens, you’re all thinking! . . . Right? Right. You’ve all been wasting away here in my absence, I’m sure. *cough*

Speaking of which, the main life update to share with you is that I’ll be starting a brand new job after college! It’s exactly the sort of position I was hoping for. Having everything in place ahead of time is a huge relief and answer to prayer.

But now–on to the mini reviews of everything I watched and read during the first two months of 2019! Buckle up!

Screen Subplots

Related image
(Looking at you, Miss Poofy Dress*)

Once Upon a Time // Season 7 (episodes 1-3)
Final opinions are, of course, suspended until I finish the season, but so far I’m having more fun making fun of Season 7 than I am actually watching it. Oops. Everything is different and they got rid of some favorite characters, replacing them with super bratty ones.* I’m also in the dark on most people’s motives right now–hopefully they actually come to light and make sense!

January Films

Image result for venom

Venom
I WAS SURPRISED. Pleasantly surprised! Venom was never my favorite dude, and I’d heard this movie was gross and dark. But while it was darker than, say, Captain America . . I really liked it! So many laughs, so much suspense, and such a well-drawn villain.

For those wondering about content, most decapitations occurred off-screen, but I wouldn’t recommend it for young or sensitive viewers.

February Films

Image result for the grinch 2018 


The Grinch (2018)
Eh. So Benedict Cumberbatch voiced the green guy himself. That’s great. The rest of it was pretty ho-hum, like they took the original movie and doubled the length without adding anything significant. (But I’m guessing young kids would enjoy it anyway.)

Related image

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
I looooved The Lego Movie, and I’m happy to report that I liked the second instalment just as much! The only thing it’s missing is some of the novelty of the first one, but that’s hard to replicate in a sequel, so I forgive it. Aside from that, there were plenty of dazzling visuals, romping adventures, one-liners, and clever twists of old tropes (and twists of the twists, imagine that!).

Also . . .

“This song’s gonna get stuck inside your he-e-ead!”

It did. It very much did.

Page Storylines

January Reads

Image result for a time to die nadine brandes

A Time to Die (reread) // Nadine Brandes
I reviewed this book back when I first read it in November 2017 (check it out on Goodreads here!) but it still deeply touched me the second time around. 5 stars!

Image result for mark of the thief jennifer nielsen

Mark of the Thief (audiobook) // Jennifer A. Nielsen
This wasn’t as good as The False Prince, but still entertaining. I liked how Ancient Rome was fused with fantasy, incorporating mythology and even some history.

Where this book fell short for me was in character motivations. Our protagonist, Nicolas, seemed to care about his friends and family only when it was convenient to the plot. And when other interesting things were happening? Well, he completely forgot about them. (For the minor spoilers on this, check out my Goodreads review.)
Other characters: Auralia had an attitude that came across a bit more caustic than snarkily endearing, and Crispus, although nice enough, was kind of arrogant.
Anyway. I did like the “One Ring” vibes the magical bulla was giving, and Caela the griffin was cool (because GRIFFINS). The pacing of the plot was quick and enjoyable too, so 3.5 stars.

February Reads

Image result for a time to speak nadine brandes

A Time to Speak // Nadine Brandes
Well, there goes my heart in a hundred pieces. Nadine Brandes did it again.

I can’t tell you how much Parvin’s journey is resonating with me. I wish I’d known her five years ago, but I’m glad to have met her now. She’s grown so much since the beginning of the first book—in purpose, in courage, and in tenderness.
And that shattered heart I mentioned? Every piece of it was stolen by Solomon Hawke, and I don’t think he plans to give it back. He and Parvin share one of the most solid and mature relationships I’ve ever read in YA!
I won’t even begin to flail over the plot, because there’s no way I want to spoil it for anyone! But I will say that . . .
a) Nothing is easy
b) Not everyone survives
c) Everything is vivid—the pain, the cold, the hunger, the hope

That’s what I love about this trilogy. It’s a gritty dystopian—like we’ve all seen before—except there’s hope burning brightly in the midst of darkness. And with that ending? Yeah, it’s way more meaningful than any other dystopian I’ve read. 5 stars!

Image result for a time to rise nadine brandes

A Time to Rise // Nadine Brandes

I was terrified for everyone during the majority of this book, but I’m pleased to say that after shattering my heart in all three books of this trilogy, Nadine Brandes did in fact manage to put it back together again!

The hope and contentment at the end is something most dystopian stories don’t have. It took pages of pain and stumbling to reach it. But we made it. Parvin made it, and I’m so proud of her.
My only complaint is that there were a couple spots I felt antsy and removed from the action, but on the plus side, it was nice to have a young heroine who isn’t the sole person responsible for saving the world. So . . . I can’t complain much. 5 stars! Overall, this trilogy is a favorite!
P.S. I totally need a dogsled ride now!

P.P.S. Solomon is still one of the best love interests EVER.

Image result for harry potter and the goblet of fire book
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire // J.K. Rowling
I’m still reeling! Smack dab in the middle of the series, this book has the charm of the first three, but definitely takes a turn for the darker. Something I love about Rowling’s writing is that she spends the first half of the book fooling you into thinking this is all fun and games and unrelated side quests–and then pulls everything together at the end. Everything is significant.
A few thoughts . . .
  • Harry is getting a backbone!
  • Ron is utterly clueless about girls.
  • Hermione is still a mini-me.
  • Snuffles!
  • It was fun getting a wider view of the wizarding world, what with the Quidditch World Cup, portkeys, and the Triwizard Tournament.
I didn’t expect most of the plot twists!
That. Ending. Oh my goodness. *screeches* That was terrifyingly good and would’ve given me nightmares as a child!
I could ramble on if I let myself, but I shan’t, because I want to keep this spoiler-free. (Side note: I went through this as a read-along with a few friends and 10/10 recommend the experience!) 5 stars!

The Evaporation of Sofi Snow // Mary Weber


That ending wrecked me. (And here I thought the Storm Siren trilogy cliffhangers were bad.)

But let me back up a bit. The Evaporation of Sofi Snow was exactly the cool, techy, futuristic sci-fi novel I wanted, but that’s not what made me love it.

What I loved were the characters. Broken, bruised characters with scarred pasts. Characters running from guilt. Characters clinging to the very few good things left in their lives.

What I loved was the gut-wrenching heart of the story. I knew that this book speaks on human trafficking, but I wasn’t prepared to flip the pages faster and faster, heart in my throat, as I witnessed the brokenness of humanity shouting from within the pages of a fictional world.

Rabbit trail: It’s books like these that are driving Christian fiction in the right direction. Some of you reading this review may not be comfortable with the light smattering of language, or mentions of sex, or references to characters sleeping around, or the depiction of the horrors of trafficking. It’s not pretty. But given the context, I think it was necessary. I think the grittiness was important, and wasn’t there for its own sake; it was there as a rolling up of the sleeves, a digging into the dirt to get to the root of deep pain. There are souls living the same pain that are crying out to be seen, accepted, and healed. They—we—need books like these.

(Rabbit trail over.)

After devouring book 1, I am so eager to dive into the sequel ASAP! Thank heavens it’s sitting ready on my shelf. (I’m currently reading the climax, actually!)

Written Subplots

Nothing to see here that you don’t already know! But in case you missed it, Dead Magic appeared in Havok–and has since been selected for consideration in the printed anthology!!! I also guest posted on Realm Makers’ blog in January.

No actual writing occurred these past two months, sadly. I took a peek at The Brightest Thread. Once. I sighed wistfully and then went back to homework.

Your turn, friend! What’s 2019 looking like so far? What’s the last series you binge-read? Have you seen any of those movies? Let’s chat–I’ve missed you all!

Keep Reading

Books of 2018

Tracey Dyck 30 Comments

In true bookdragon fashion, I enjoy tracking what I read and keeping tabs on what my friends read too, because bookdragons love company! If you’re here at Adventure Awaits, I’m assuming you’re my scaly, story-addicted kin. Welcome.

In the interests of satisfying curiosity–yours and mine–here are all the books I read in 2018, complete with the mini reviews and stats that were popular last year!

JANUARY

Raising Dragons // Bryan Davis

Boy breathes fire // Arthurian legend // dragonslayers // felt like returning to old friends // 5 stars

Siren’s Fury // Mary Weber

Steampunk meets fantasy // dramatic redemption // airships // darkness // cliffhanger // 5 stars

FEBRUARY

The Scorch Trials // James Dashner

Improved over The Maze Runner // Newt and Minho are my favs // Teresa is annoying as all get-out // sorry, the movie was better // 4 stars

The Candlestone // Bryan Davis

All my babies are growing up // vivid analogies // “truth is my sword” // singing in the midst of darkness // 5 stars

Hostage Run // Andrew Klavan

Super fast read // video game affects reality // angry son actually works to forgive his father // Molly is great // 4 stars

Orphan’s Song // Gillian Bronte Adams

Cozy fantasy // griffins and orphans and swords // music is magic // Amos, the cranky peddler, sounds exactly like Hector Barbossa in my head // 4 stars

 

MARCH

Last Star Burning // Caitlin Sangster

Dystopian China = very cool // sleeping sickness // confusing action sequences // common sense could’ve prevented 90% of the problems // backstabby characters // 3 stars

Circles of Seven // Bryan Davis

So much symbolism // one of my favorites // Walter and Ashley snark // detestable villainess // Prof is the actual best // 5 stars

APRIL

The Returning // Rachelle Dekker
Powerful themes about identity // new generation of characters // I missed the old ones // some loose threads left unresolved // 4 stars
 
Tears of a Dragon // Bryan Davis
Great character growth // rescuing dragon souls // fighting the Watchers // solid ending // 5 stars
 
The Story Peddler // Lindsay A. Franklin
Cozy and full of wonder // exceeded my expectations // storytelling powers // headstrong heroine // ragtag band of misfits // I fell in love with the pirate! // 5 stars

 

MAY

Eye of the Oracle // Bryan Davis
History of millennia woven into overarching plot // underground slaves // portal jumping // Makaidos is my favorite dragon ever // 5 stars
 
The Sea of Monsters // Rick Riordan
Hilarious // a taxi of death // man-eating sheep // Tyson is sweet // epic bad guys plans // would’ve liked a bit more introspection // 5 stars
 
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone // J.K. Rowling
Utterly enchanting // lovable characters // my first foray into the Wizarding World // some unnecessary sneakery // I’m gonna go live at Hogwarts okay thanks // 5 stars
 
Gravestone // Travis Thrasher
Audiobook // dark and winding road // gloomy // creepy // a ray of light is coming // very lifelike emotions // 5 stars
 

 

JUNE

Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff // Chip Gaines
Interesting anecdotes // family first // live fearlessly // felt a bit scattered // 4 stars
 
Steal Like an Artist // Austin Kleon
Inspiration for the creative process // celebrate imperfection // pithy and quotable // catapults your own thoughts // 5 stars
 
Enoch’s Ghost // Bryan Davis
Sacrifice // Ashley is super relatable // creepy infinite staircase // so many awesome characters hurting so much, ow // 5 stars
 
Siren’s Song // Mary Weber
Epic final battle // heart-wrenching ending // Nym has come so far // Myles gave me Loki vibes // thematically magnificent // 5 stars
 
Unblemished // Sara Ella
So fun and cute // fairy-tale-esque world connected to New York // twisty plot // love triangle // Team Ky all the way // 4.5 stars
 
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap // Akira Himekawa
Graphic novel // cute drawing style // the Pikori are adorable // good conclusion // 4 stars
 
Paper and Fire // Rachel Caine
Left me breathless // good ol’ rescue plot // creepy automatons // squad goals // stacks of dusty, old books // gearing up for an epic rebellion // 5 stars
 
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets // J.K. Rowling
The Weasely family is adorable // rollicking adventures // Mandrakes! // ugh, Lockhart // unexpected and satisfying ending // 5 stars
 
All the Crooked Saints // Maggie Stiefvater
Charming, lyrical writing // eclectic pilgrims // the desert is a character unto itself // Pete, my love // healing is found through opening up to others // 5 stars[

 

JULY

Last of the Nephilim // Bryan Davis
War is coming // everyone’s gathering in Second Eden (which is a really cool place) // lots of action // Elam! // 5 stars

 

AUGUST

Embers // Ronie Kendig
Love the premise // fire powers // a bit too many characters // set up for the beginnings of an epic “fellowship,” though // 4 stars
 
The Bones of Makaidos // Bryan Davis
One of my favorite books // epic cast // climactic battles // best-ever satisfying ending // 5 stars
 
Fairest Son // H.S.J. Williams
Gender-bent Snow White // wild fey // unexpected twists // I fell in love with Prince Idris // beautiful story // 5 stars
 
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking // Susan Cain
Fascinating // made me more aware of my temperament’s strengths // 4 stars
 
Hacker // Ted Dekker
Took a surprising look at the unseen world // hacking the human consciousness // felt like an allegory // 4 stars

 

SEPTEMBER

The Magician’s Nephew // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // brought back memories // dawn of Narnia brings me to tears // 5 stars
 
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // classic // great voice cast // except Aslan’s voice doesn’t beat Liam Neeson in the movies // 5 stars
 
The Story of With // Allen Arnold
Life-changing // awakens the heart // fiction and nonfiction fused together // 5 stars
 
The Horse and His Boy // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // I loved this one more than the first few times I read it // Bree is my fav // 5 stars
 
Prince Caspian // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // really fun // Trumpkin’s voice is amusing // the Pevensies are back // 5 stars
 
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // so many adventures // one of my favorite Narnia books // 5 stars
 
The Silver Chair // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // darker than I remembered // Puddleglum’s the best // 5 stars
 
The Last Battle // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // I want to throttle that ape // Susan, why? // happy reunions // further up and further in // 5 stars
 
Song of the Ovulum // Bryan Davis
Tale of mercy // new generation of characters // also a throwback to the Biblical Flood // 5 stars

 

OCTOBER

Crazy Love // Francis Chan
Audiobook // some good parts about the bigness of God // bit of a guilt trip in other parts // 4 stars
 
From the Mouth of Elijah // Bryan Davis
Fiery volcanoes // madcap portal dashes // sacrificial love // Lauren’s journey is particularly poignant // 5 stars
 
If We Survive // Andrew Klavan
Audiobook // so intense // Will is such a good kid // I love all the characters, though // everything goes wrong, ack // 5 stars
 
Fawkes // Nadine Brandes
Lived up to the hype // historical fantasy with color magic // Thomas! Emma! // twisty plot // 5 stars
 
Haven // Mary Lindsey
Paranormal romance // clichéd plot, decently cool backstory // alpha male protagonist, overly aggressive // the romance was blegh, blegh, blegh // I got rid of the book // 1 star
 

NOVEMBER

The Seventh Door // Bryan Davis
Awesome parallels to Circles of Seven // Tamiel is one crafty villain // deeply sad scenes // Matt grows a lot // 5 stars

 

 

DECEMBER

The Scorpio Races // Maggie Stiefvater
So good that it hurts // atmospheric // the capall uisce horses are SCARY // slow burn romance // Puck and I understand each other // love Sean Kendrick // 5 stars
 
Omega Dragon // Bryan Davis
Apocalyptic conclusion // so many brave heroes // tied up the twelve books in a smashing finale // 5 stars
 
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban // J.K. Rowling
My favorite HP book yet // Lupin is the best // Harry is growing up // all the plot twists // I want to visit Hogwarts // 5 stars
 
Horseman // Kyle Robert Schultz
The Wild West of Neverica // magic and mayhem // spot-on humor // Julio the dragon is hilarious // 4 stars
 
The Sacred Enneagram // Christopher L. Heuertz
Enlightening // resonated with my inner journey // lots to chew on // Christian perspective on how to use the Enneagram for personal and spiritual growth // 5 stars
 

Reading Stats

 
Total Books Read: 50 (10 more than 2017!)
Pages Read: 17,656 (which is over 4,000 more pages than 2017!)
 
Also, let us take a moment to cast an appreciative glance at a two-foot stack made of eleven college textbooks read during the year. I’m not sure how many hundreds of pages that pile would add . . . and I’m not sure I want to think about it.
 

Genres of 2018

This was the year of fantasy! But . . . I mean . . . that’s not new. I did average a nonfiction book every other month, which is up from last year.
 
 
Some other stats of interest . . .
 
 
I “read” a lot more audiobooks than normal (since normal used to be zero). And, as you’ll see below, this was also the Year of Rereads!
 
 

Star Ratings

Pretty typical! I read a lot of books I enjoyed and very, very few that I didn’t.
 
 

Most Read Authors

 
  • Bryan Davis (12)
  • C.S. Lewis (7)
  • J.K. Rowling (3)
  • Mary Weber (2)
  • Andrew Klavan (2)
  • Maggie Steifvater (2)
 
 

Favorite Authors Discovered in 2018

Without a doubt, my favorite new-to-me authors this year were:
 
  • Lindsay A. Franklin (because The Story Peddler was awesome, Lindsay is awesome, and I can’t wait for her next book releasing April 2019!)
  • J.K. Rowling (because I finally joined the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and I’m rather delighted to be here)
  • H.S.J. Williams (because her Snow White novella was just so beautiful)
 

Least Favorite Book

Haven by Mary Lindsey. I’ve already complained about it, so if you’re curious about the details behind why I so disliked this novel, I’ll just drop a link to my Goodreads review HERE.
 

Favorite Books

IT’S SO HARD TO PICK. Because almost half of this year’s books were rereads, I’m going to cheat and give you two lists–one of my favorite new books and one of my favorite rereads.
Favorite New Books
  • The Story Peddler
  • Paper and Fire
  • All the Crooked Saints
  • Fairest Son
  • Fawkes
  • The Scorpio Races
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 
Favorite Rereads
  • Circles of Seven
  • Eye of the Oracle
  • The Bones of Makaidos
  • The Horse and His Boy
  • If We Survive

Happy Reading, Bookdragons!

I’m pleasantly surprised to see what a great reading year this was! It was pretty different than my usual, what with rereads (which used to be rare), more nonfiction, and more audiobooks (which saved my Goodreads reading challenge while in college).
 
Looking forward to another great set of books in 2019! My TBR pile is as staggering as ever, threatening to hold me hostage; and new releases like To Best the Boys by Mary Weber, The Story Raider by Lindsay Franklin, Romanov by Nadine Brandes, and probably a lot more are just going to add height to the TBR . . . but that’s a fun problem to have.
 

Whew, you made it to the end! Now tell me: what were some of your top reads of 2018? And what’s an upcoming release you can’t wait to add to your dragon hoard?

Keep Reading

Subplots & Storylines – December 2018

Tracey Dyck 28 Comments
WHERE DID THE YEAR GO?
[br]
Ahem. Hello and Merry Christmas and Happy Almost-New Year! How was your December? The first half of mine was jam-packed, what with finishing the college semester and studying for final exams. Now that it’s over, I’ve been relaxing with my family and soaking in the holidays.
[br]
Fluffy snow arrived just in time for Christmas, so I even went sledding for the first time in two years!
[br]
Also my first-ever Unicorn Crate (the November box) arrived and it was beautimous.
Unicorn Crate, ft. The Light Between Worlds, Hogwarts bookmark,
Unicorn Berries wax melt, Rivendell tea, Peter Pan socks, Wizard of Oz
pin, Narnia tote, etc.

Screen Subplots

Image result for once upon a time season 6

Once Upon a Time Season 6
I finally finished watching this season! It only took me all year, wow. Overall, it was a bit disappointing, but there were enough good parts that it wasn’t a total write-off. I was hoping for a more epic conclusion, especially with all the build-up. And I really don’t know what to expect of season 7 . . . I haven’t heard much good about it. I feel like they maybe should’ve quit at season 6.

Image result for rich man kdrama

Rich Man
I started my first K-drama with my sisters, and so far we’ve seen just one episode.

Image result for the fellowship of the ring movie

The Fellowship of the Ring
I actually watched the first half of this a couple months ago with a friend, and we recently watched the second half. (After baking butter tarts. Because Christmas.)

Image result for the incredibles 2

The Incredibles 2
THIS WAS SO GOOD. It definitely didn’t suffer from the sequel blues! In fact, I’d say it was just as good as the first one. I’m glad they stayed true to the heart of it. (Best part: JACK JACK.)

Image result for harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban movie

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
More thoughts on the actual story in a moment, since I read the book this month too, but as far as the movie goes–it was good, but didn’t meet all my book-inspired expectations. It could’ve been more cohesive, I think, and it missed some of my favorite parts of the book. Lupin was cool, however. (I didn’t expect him to be played by David Thewlis, whom I’ve seen only in villainous roles up til this point!)

Page Storylines

Image result for the scorpio races maggie stiefvater

The Scorpio Races // Maggie Stiefvater
This one is now tied with All the Crooked Saints as my favorite Stiefvater book, and it’s definitely one of my favorite books of the year!

The island of Thisby crackled with life. The characters were full of a spark of their own, too, painfully lifelike in their hopes and hurts and mannerisms. Puck Connolly reminded me at times very much of myself. Sean Kendrick stole my heart from page one. Together, their slow burn romance was A+. The story itself carries the emotions of best horse stories, while steering clear of most of the inherent clichés. The cappall uisce are downright terrifying, I want ten November cakes right now, and I plan to reread this lovely, haunting book next year! 5 stars!

Image result for omega dragon bryan davis

Omega Dragon // Bryan Davis
Well, this concludes my epic year of rereading all twelve Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire/Children of the Bard books! What a joy to revisit these characters and relive their adventures, right to the apocalyptic (yet satisfying) end.

In this final instalment, explosions and gunfire rock the land, paths between worlds have become fraught with danger, and many dear characters shed sacrificial blood . . . some even to the point of death. Matt and Lauren have come far in such a short span of time. They’re now right at home in their lineage of brave heroes. And that final chapter–it was the sigh of relief and contentment after a wild ride. 5 stars!

Image result for harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban book

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban // J.K. Rowling
My favorite HP book yet! This plot takes a more ominous turn, thanks to the Dementors. I can’t help but love Harry more as he struggles with a far darker and more difficult reaction to these creatures than his friends do. Also Lupin is hands-down the wisest and kindest adult in Hogwarts, aside from Dumbledore himself.

The ending had more twists than I expected, and all my favorite parts are too spoilery to talk about–so I won’t. But a certain person is AWESOME, and a certain spell is ALSO AWESOME. 5 stars!


[Currently planning to finish two more books by the end of the month: The Sacred Enneagram by Christopher L. Heuertz and Horseman by Kyle Robert Schultz. Will update post with reviews if successful.]

Written Subplots

I HAVE EXCITING NEWS!
Those of you who follow me on social media have probably heard it already, but here it is in case you missed it:
One of my flash fiction stories was accepted by Havok Publishing!
 
It’s a fantasy thriller called Dead Magic (which I’ve mentioned briefly here before), and it’s scheduled to appear on Havok’s website sometime in January 2019, during their Rebirth theme! I’ll be sure to share the details with you guys in advance so that you get a chance to read it while it’s available.
I’m super happy! It’s encouraging every time you hear a yes, because the world of writing comes with a whole lot of no’s. Even if this yes is currently just for online publication (although print is a possibility, depending on things), it’s still YES. And for any of you searching for a yes–in the world of writing or anything else–let this be an encouragement to celebrate every one you receive and keep going even when there are none in sight!
[br]

It’s been a great month! Between Christmas and family and good books and the news about Dead Magic, I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope your December was kind to you, too.

[br]

P.S. I’m keeping this post short on purpose, because a yearly wrap-up/looking-ahead-to-2019 post is coming up soon! There will also be a “Books of 2018” post, featuring mini reviews of allll the books I read this year! And I don’t want you getting sick of me. 😉

Keep Reading