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Books of 2017

Tracey Dyck 35 Comments

It is a truth universally acknowledged that bookdragons are nosy little creatures, always snuffling around each other’s shelves to see what friends are reading, buying, and reviewing.

 

I say that fondly, being a nosy bookdragon myself. And I’m counting on the fact that most of you are of the same species, because here’s a look at all the books I read in 2017, with miniature reviews to boot! Aren’t I a helpful dragon?

 

January

Knife // R.J. Anderson
reread // better than I remembered // fairies // loss of magic // musings on the nature of art // human interaction // big tree
 
The Purpose Driven Church // Rick Warren
how to foster healthy church growth // rather textbook-ish // better for pastors, maybe?
 
The Lightning Thief // Rick Riordan
hilarious // best chapter titles ever // camp half blood // grumpy adults // powerful kids // the humor, though
 
Blue Lily, Lily Blue // Maggie Stiefvater
pretty prose // Blue is relatable // poor Noah // wandering plot, in a good way and a bad way

 
 

February

The Five Love Languages (Singles Edition) // Gary Chapman
practical // excellent advice for how to love people better

 
 

March

Winter // Marissa Meyer
best series finale in the history of ever // crazy Winter // space // everyone gets separated // all the sass // putting rice in Cinder’s head // heartbreaking stuff // did I mention best ending ever?

 

The Spirit Contemporary Life // Leon Fontaine
down to earth // inspiring // reaching people with God’s love can be so natural

 

The Shack // William P. Young
meh // heavy on the sermon, light on the story

 
 

April

Storm Siren // Mary Weber
incredibly relatable protagonist // deep themes // cool world // the guy smells like “pine and honey and sunbeams” but shush, that’s normal // crazy horses // tattoos // lightning storms

 

Outriders // Kathryn Mackel
reread // nifty world // tech fused with medieval-like lifestyle // sporadically inspiring

 

Trackers // Kathryn Mackel
same as above // decent, but should’ve had a sequel to wrap things up

 

The DNA of Relationships // Gary Smalley
changed my life // relational hurt springs from a vicious cycle of fear // be the bigger person // communication

 
 

May

Finally // Wendy Mass
twelve-year-old drama // cute // killer rabbit // everything goes wrong

 

Crazy Dangerous (audiobook) // Andrew Klavan
reread in audio format // creepy and endearing at the same time // magic Sam Hopkins // trains // bad choices // eerie girl // intense ending // awesome narrator

 

The Purpose Driven Life // Rick Warren
reread // sorry, not my cup of tea // a few good lessons, though // learned the most from studying the parts with which I disagree

 

Green Rider // Kristen Britain
classic high fantasy // horses // fantastical creatures // Karigan needs to get a backbone // twisty ending // will probably continue series

 
 

June

The Shadow Throne // Jennifer A. Nielsen
kingdoms at war // the sass // friends // “catastrophic levels of bad behavior” // saw the ending coming // loved it anyway // smashing finish to the Ascendance Trilogy

 

The Reluctant Godfather // Allison Tebo
delightful // quirky characters // fluffy chocolate cake // Burndee is Howl with a mixing spoon, basically // quotable humor

 

The Raven King // Maggie Stiefvater
more pretty prose and a pretty cover to match // Gansey // social agenda, no thank you // too much swearing // ultimately a disappointing conclusion

 
 

July

Scorpia // Anthony Horowitz
secret agents // double agents // exotic locations // fun Mission Impossible vibes // gadgets // narrow escapes

 

Solitary (audiobook) // Travis Thrasher
reread (except in audio format) // creepy little town // creepy little high school // creepy pastor // old vinyl records // no cell service // dark beginning to an ultimately hopeful series

 

Reapers // Bryan Davis
dystopian Chicago // escorting souls to the afterlife // ethical dilemmas // prison // standing up for the defenseless

 
 

August

Ink and Bone // Rachel Caine
Library of Alexandria didn’t burn // withheld knowledge // magic // Oxford // black market // classmates // the muddiness of war

 

The Penderwicks // Jeanne Birdsall
childhood whimsy // summer // romping escapades // curious neighbors // butterfly wings // Hound // friendship

 

The Fatal Tree // Stephen R. Lawhead
the universe is shrinking // nobody panic // British loveliness // ley lines // sprawling adventures // redemption

 

Some Kind of Happiness // Claire Legrand
blue days // depression // finding wholeness through the Everwood // cousins // summertime // “giving up is not an option. and if you have to keep going, you might as well smile while doing it.”

 

The Five Times I Met Myself // James L. Rubart
regret // what if you could give advice to your younger self? // consequences // second chances

 

The Beast of Talesend // Kyle Robert Schultz
fairytales in 1920’s-esque world // detective  work // brothers // beastliness // spunk and humor // throwing rolls at people’s heads

 
 

September

Spindle Fire // Lexa Hillyer
sisterhood // sight and touch and speech tithed away to fairies // snow // intrigue // travel // at times enchanting, at others stilted

 

Five Magic Spindles // Rachel Kovaciny, Kathryn McConaughy, Grace Mullins, Michelle Pennington, Ashley Stangl
heartwarming Old West // exotic eastern-like mythology // glowing ghosts and crazy castles and also a chicken // classic romance and dragons // sci-fi tombs and virtue names

 
 

October

Beyond the Gateway // Bryan Davis
ramping up the suspense // I am so hooked // the Gateway // corrupt authority figures // radiation // motorcycle // more ethical dilemmas // cliff-hanger

 

Reaper Reborn // Bryan Davis
exhilarating action // even worse ethical dilemmas // fires and disasters // manipulation // battle of wits and morals // who to trust? // aftermath

 
 

November

Prodigy Prince // Natasha Sapienza
colorful world // epic superpowers // evil shapeshifters // a prince and his sentinels // fast paced

 

The Tomb of the Sea Witch // Kyle Robert Schultz
mermaids // Nick goes undercover as a teacher // chaos and hilarity // the Mythfits // grouchy dragon // so many twists // “I don’t suppose you have any chalk?”

 

A Time to Die // Nadine Brandes
a countdown, obviously // wolves and crazy people and trains and cities and wilderness // confusion // finding purpose // made me think a lot

 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream // William Shakespeare
capricious fairies // double-crossed lovers // forest // Puck // comedy of errors // love looks not with the eyes // amusingly uneducated folks putting on a play

 
 

December

Hollow City // Ransom Riggs
peculiar children // long quest // rescue the bird // war-torn London // killer bees // gypsies // creepy wights // another cliff-hanger

 

The Phantom Tollbooth // Norton Juster
philosophical and charming // words versus numbers // common sense // a watchdog, a humbug, and a boy in a car

 

Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King // William Joyce
Santa is a Russian bandit king with a soft spot for children // magical village // moonbeams // nightmare creatures // a merry spectral boy // North’s compass always points to himself, of course

 

The Maze Runner // James Dashner
no one tells Thomas anything // lots of running // Newt is his awesome, grouchy self // unremarkable writing but exciting plot // the moral of the story is that boys like food and insults

 

Stats

This year I read 40 books, amounting to 13,119 pages! (That’s not counting the six college textbooks I finished or the one nonfiction book on leadership I’m still reading.)
 
Here’s the breakdown on genres:
 
 

It’s no surprise that once again, fantasy dominates! I am, however, surprised that I read no romance or historical fiction like in previous years. And there’s more nonfiction here than I have ever read in a single year, thanks to leadership college. Oh, and hidden among those listed categories are four rereads, two audiobooks (also new for me), and four indie books! I’m rather pleased to have upped my indie game, which was woefully nonexistent before 2017.

(By my estimate, I also bought or was given about 38 new books! Yikes! Some I read this year, but most are on my TBR. At this rate, I may never catch up!)

According to Goodreads, my average rating this year was 4.4 stars–coincidentally, the same as it was the year before. Either I’m too kind with my ratings, or I just tend to read really good books???

 
 

Most-read authors: 3 by Bryan Davis, 2 by Kyle Robert Schultz, 2 by Maggie Stiefvater, and 2 by Kathryn Mackel.

 

Favorite new-to-me authors: Rick Riordan, Mary Weber, Jeanne Birdsall, Kyle Robert Schultz, and Nadine Brandes! All of whom have lots of other books I need to dig into this year, come to think of it . . .

 

Least favorite book: Um, probably a toss-up between The Shack and The Raven King. Neither one was completely horrendous, but the former was poorly written and the latter was a soup of disappointment flavored with nice writing.

 

Favorite books: Dear me, how do I choose? There were quite a few really good ones this year! All right, if I forced myself to narrow it down, I would say . . .

  • Winter
  • Crazy Dangerous
  • Ink and Bone
  • The Fatal Tree
  • The Penderwicks
  • Five Magic Spindles
  • The Tomb of the Sea Witch
  • A Time to Die
  • The Phantom Tollbooth
  • the entire Reapers trilogy
 

Ahem. I did not just list a quarter of the books I read this year, noooo . . .

All in all, it was a good reading year! I would have liked to have read more, but much of what I did read was satisfying, and I did top last year’s total by five books. I also digested some nonfiction, discovered some new series and wrapped up some old ones, and spent half my time in the wonderful world of fantasy.

Okay, bookdragons, now tell me: what were YOUR best books of 2017?

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Subplots and Storylines – December 2017 // Year-End Recap

Tracey Dyck 29 Comments

Hello, my friends! December is winding to a close and 2018 is nearly upon us. It has certainly been quite the year, and there’s much to talk about today. I’ll try to keep the December subplots relatively short in order to save room for a look back on the year as a whole! (Does anybody else feel ridiculously self-centered when dedicating an entire post to themselves and their own life? No? Just me? Okay. Moving on.)

Storylines of Life

It was a simple equation this month. Exams + Christmas = December. But I’ll give you a bit more detail than that! My brother, Josiah (who also blogs!), had a birthday. And then I had a week of final exams, during which I buried myself in textbooks and sighed wistfully for Christmas and at last passed first term with very satisfying grades. That means I’m a quarter of the way to graduating, woohoo! I’ve been on break since then, but between work and family gatherings and a baby shower, it’s been a full month. Only in the last few days have I finally slowed down.

Christmas itself was wonderful. I had four days off in a row to spend with family. We went to our church service on Christmas Eve and then opened stockings and swapped ticket gifts. My middle sister Chloe (who is also a fellow blogger!) gave each of us a piece of original artwork. What she drew for me was Hadrian and Luci, the two main characters of my novel The Brightest Thread. I’ve never received fanart before, so this made my day!

Aren’t they the cutest?! (Sorry about the bothersome watermark–I just wanted
to keep her artwork protected.)

On Christmas Day, I slept in and then we gathered around for homemade apple scones and a reading of the Christmas story, followed by our leisurely way of unwrapping gifts–one at a time, captured on video. It was slow and relaxing and so much fun.

Aaaand like the good little bookdragon I am, I’m sharing my bookhaul! My brother gave me The Tournament at Gorlan (hooray for Ranger’s Apprentice prequels!). My parents gave me the first three Lunar Chronicles books (been eyeing them at the bookstore for months), Wanted: A Superhero to Save the World (not pictured because it’s still in the mail–phooey on Amazon), and Steal Like an Artist (which looks utterly inspiring and is sure to kickstart my new year of writing). I also threw my new Leuchtturm into the picture because it’s going to be my 2018 bullet journal! And my first two Funko Pops ever: Frodo Baggins and Captain America. Oh, and one other nerdy gift I received that is also not pictured was a S.T.A.R. Labs sweatshirt–I now feel like I’m part of Team Flash, and that’s awesome.

Subplots on the Screen

As far as TV shows go, I picked up Avatar: The Last Airbender with my sisters again and watched two more episodes. I also saw more of season 3 of The Flash (it’s getting extremely feelsy, you guys, and I might not survive). I rewatched more of Once Upon a Time season 3 and started season 6 at last!

Wonder Woman


A rewatch with a friend from school, because we needed to give our exam-addled brains a break. Just as amazing as the first time!



Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides


Lo and behold, this PotC movie miiiight be my new favorite! I found the plots of the first three excessively complicated in some regards–maybe I just need to rewatch them–but this one was more straightforward. No less chaotic, however; it’s Jack Sparrow, after all! I really liked the new character Philip (which has nothing to do with Finnick from the Hunger Games, nope, not at all . . .) even if he was a bit sappy in regards to Syrena. It seems rare for a missionary character like Philip to be painted in a positive light, so I appreciated that!



Cars 3

The Cars franchise has had some ups and downs lately, but I found this one to be a truly solid sequel! It had just the right balance of nostalgic nods to the first movie and new direction to breathe some fresh air into the story. Cruze was a cute addition, and I quite liked the mentor relationship between her and Lightning. One scene in the middle, which I won’t spoil for you, had me laughing out loud like a kid.

Storylines on the Page

Hollow City // Ransom Riggs

I read the first book almost exactly a year ago, so I was a bit fuzzy on things going into this sequel. Thankfully there was a character guide at the front, or else it would’ve taken me even longer to get the eight main peculiar children straight in my head! Once I did, however, the book was pretty interesting.

I liked the new flavor of this one, with a much broader setting, and a very clear and definite goal for the characters. What can I say? Quests are one of my favorite things! Each of the children got to have an important moment in which they helped the group in some way with their abilities, which helped keep this large cast necessary and active. (Ahem, my writer side is showing.) Time loops, gypsies, bombed London, wights, trains, chase scenes . . . it was certainly a unique read, and I look forward to the finale! 4 stars.

The Phantom Tollbooth // Norton Juster (5)

I already gushed over this book in a recent post, but it’s officially a 5 star book! Philosophical without being overpowering, equal parts delightful and wise, and simply a joy read. This is a new favorite!

Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King // William Joyce

I loved the movie Rise of the Guardians, and have been wanting to try the Middle-Grade book series for quite some time, so Christmas seemed like the ideal season to start. This book is wildly imaginative, and I do mean wild! There’s a lot going on. Ancient spaceships, wizards, the magical haven of Santoff Klaussen, Pitch’s nightmare creatures, a robotic djinni, Russian bandits, Santa’s origin story, Yetis . . . But that’s precisely what would’ve captured my attention as a kid!

What I loved now as an adult were the fun characters, especially North himself and dear little Katherine. The two make an unlikely and adorable pair. 4 stars.

The Maze Runner // James Dashner


My youngest sister (yes, she ALSO is a blogger–I’m just linking to all my sibs today!) was very eager for me to read this book. I’m actually in the middle of it right now, but I aim to finish it before New Year’s! At first, I didn’t fully connect with the writing style, but now things are getting exciting, so I’m able to look past it. And I want more Newt, please! Also Minho! (I’m estimating that this will be a 4 star read for me–we’ll see!)

Subplots on My Writing Desk

I edited Mirrors Never Lie through two or three drafts this month, and submitted it to Rooglewood Press at last! Hooray! That moment before hitting send is always a little nerve-wracking. I know the story is not 100% perfect . . . but I also know that I did the best I could given the time constraints.

Now that it’s officially off my plate, I am free of writing deadlines for a little while! More on that in a future post, probably. I have some thoughts percolating in regards to 2018 and goals and writing and whatnot.

That was December! It was a good month, especially the second half. So much for keeping this post short, though, because here comes the recap . . .

Later on I’ll be dedicating a whole post to the books I read in 2017, so for now we’ll chat just about the highlights of life and writing and such.

life in 2017

I could look back on 2017 and consider it to have been a busy year, and that would be true. But I kind of hate that word–so instead I choose to see it as a full year. 365 days of adventure, in every risky, messy, exciting, monotonous, challenging, stretching sense of the word. Here’s the highlight reel.

I ran a spring break day camp with my classmates at leadership college. That experience was the most stressful and the most rewarding part of college, and it taught me countless lessons about being a leader. Stuff comes out of you under pressure–some of it good, some of it surprising. After three months of preparation, we threw ourselves into that week, and made lasting memories with the kids.

I went to Calgary and Banff, also with my classmates. Beautiful places, fond memories, good food, and a breath of fresh air for my soul.

I graduated leadership college and said goodbye to nine incredible months.

I went to the Realm Makers conference in Reno, Nevada. So many firsts! First time flying, first time traveling internationally by myself, first writing conference, first time meeting some lovely internet friends, first time pitching to agents . . .

I took a vacation with my fam jam at a cozy cabin in the northern U.S. After a whirlwind of activity, that was a much-needed time of relaxation and fun.

I saw the band Skillet in concert. And my ears were ringing for the next twenty-four hours, but it was worth it.

I turned 22.

I completed my first term of business classes at college. I learned some really practical things–and some things I’ll never use again–but it will be a steppingstone toward what I want for the future.

writing in 2017

I wrote 17,000 words in a rewrite of The Prophet’s Key, book 2 in my multi-world fantasy series. That was all in January, before I put it aside to focus on another project.

I expanded the novella of The Brightest Thread, my reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, into a novel of almost 70,000 words. I edited it a couple of times, pitched it at Realm Makers, and when I came home I sent it out to a group of AMAZING beta readers.

I wrote and edited Mirrors Never Lie for Rooglewood Press’s Five Poisoned Apples contest. (Final wordcount was 19,962 for anyone who cares about such stats.) This novella is a loose retelling of Snow White, involving a Nordic fantasy setting, seven huntsmen, and a mirror laced with unkindly magic.

I also wrote two poems–maybe three if you count the post hey dreamer. Definitely didn’t do as many writing prompts or poems as last year, due to an intense focus on TBT.

And here on Adventure Awaits, I published 56 posts. One blogging highlight was co-hosting the second annual Silmarillion Awards, which was just as epic as the previous year’s. As a whole, I feel like I haven’t been able to give you, my followers, the dedication I wanted to this year, but I thank you for understanding the fullness of my season of life. Stick around–there are fun things in store!

(If you made it to the end of this monstrously long post, good on ya, mate.)

2017, you were a year that pushed me past my limits. You were groundbreaking–not in the sensational sense of the word, but in the sense of calloused hands tilling the earth. Breaking new ground. Every time I reached the end of myself and thought I surely couldn’t go further, God proved me wrong and provided the strength for just one more step.

A chance to attend Realm Makers was an answer to prayer; so was getting into college this fall, after being told they had no room for me. Sometimes in the daily grind, it’s easy to feel like dreams aren’t anywhere close to being fulfilled . . . but when I look back, I can see there was never anything to fear.

2018, let’s see what you have in store! Dear readers, how was your year?

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Wonder in the Ordinary

Tracey Dyck 22 Comments
[image via Pinterest; graphic mine]

I’ve been moving too fast to think much about Christmas–I mean really think about it, settle into the Scriptures, stare out the snowy window, and journal whatever comes to mind. I plan to make time for that soon. In the meantime, though, a single thought has nestled into my heart. A tiny thought. Not a new thought or flashy thought, just a true one. In fact, this little thought starts with a single word:

ordinary

After being repeated for millennia, the Christmas story is sometimes glossed over like a too-beautiful-to-touch trinket we bring out once a year to place on a shelf where we can admire it from afar. At times I forget how very humble, tangible, and imperfect it all was. How very ordinary.

Mary, an ordinary young woman. She was probably going about her wedding preparations like any other fiancée at the time would have done. Maybe she was planning the feast or washing dishes or sweeping the floor when an angel interrupted her ordinary day and dropped life-shattering news into her lap.

Joseph, an ordinary young man. Also preparing for his upcoming wedding. Startled by Mary’s news that she was pregnant, of all outrageous things. And then an ordinary night gave way to a decidedly extraordinary vision confirming Mary’s words.

A census. A dusty travel, uncomfortable and inconvenient. (Surely we’ve all been there? Road-weary and impatient and wanting nothing more than a meal and a familiar bed?)

A stable with ordinary animals, ordinary stink, ordinary cold. Nothing special about it at all, except for the baby born inside.

Shepherds–oh, the shepherds. I’ve always been fascinated by them most of all. These men weren’t all that high on the social ladder. I don’t imagine they made much money at their jobs. Just think–long hours out in the elements. Smelly, bleating sheep all around. Sore feet in worn sandals. Only the stars above their heads as they stared blearily into the darkness, trying to stay awake and watch for predators. I’m sure this particular nightly watch looked and felt and smelled much like any other, with the same old frustrations, little pleasures, and predictable routine. It was an ordinary night. Perhaps boring. Quite likely unremarkable.

That is, until the heavens exploded with light and song and the kind of news that drives you to your knees.

Emmanuel–God with us.

After half a millennia of utter silence between God and man, even the staunchest believer might have wondered if the faith of their history was little more than a fairy tale, or if God was ever planning to speak again. Maybe He’d moved on. Lost interest. Shut mankind out. Forgotten the rescue He promised.

But no, not even close. On this ordinary night, above an ordinary field, an indescribable army of angels sang of the long-awaited Answer.

I have to smile at what the first angel announcer said: “You will know you have found Him when you see a baby, wrapped in a blanket, lying in a feeding trough.” (Luke 2:12, the Voice)

He didn’t announce a king or conquering warrior. He didn’t point the way toward a coronation ceremony or a battlefield or a palace or even a busy corner of the city.

The angel sent the shepherds to look for an inconspicuous newborn, wrapped in a definitely not new blanket, sleeping in a rough-hewn, straw-filled feeding trough. A kid in a barn. That was Jesus: fresh from heaven, expelled into an ordinary, messed up world fighting to hold onto hope.

And that’s when the ordinary was never the same again.

This Christmas might not be anything special for you this year. It might look the same as it’s always been. Maybe it looks a little gloomy this time around. Maybe it’s good and happy. Whatever the case, chances are it’s a fairly ordinary Christmas. But keep your eyes open for a glimmer of the extraordinary–a glimpse of majesty, a flicker of awe-inspiring wonder–nestled in amongst the trimming of just another day.

Because the ordinary is exactly where you’re living right now, and it’s exactly where Jesus loves to meet you.


Merry Christmas, dear souls! He is God with us indeed.


P.S. Currently listening to Brandon Heath’s The Night Before Christmas, which fits pretty nicely. I won’t be active online for the next couple of days, but afterwards I’ll be back to reply to comments!

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Turtle Cookies, a Book About Thinking, and a Friendly Chat

Tracey Dyck 24 Comments
[via Pinterest]

Happy Saturday, friends! Right now, I’m curled up in the corner of the couch, with the Christmas lights on and carols playing in the background and family members quietly chatting and doing their own things throughout the house. It’s relaxing–which is wonderful after a week of final exams. I plan to soak in every minute of this break from school!

I’ve got time-specific posts planned for the next few weeks*, but nothing for today. So I thought, “Rather than hearing me yabbering on for a thousand words or so, why don’t I find out how all my Adventure Awaits pals are doing?” I don’t get the chance to make it to all of your lovely blogs as often as I’d like–and some of you are faithful commenters without blogs–so how about we sit down for a virtual coffee/chai/eggnog/whatever, and simply chat?

*In case you were wondering: something about Christmas on Dec. 23rd, Subplots and Storylines/yearly summary on Dec. 30th, and books of 2017 sometime in early January.

a view of the backyard

snow

Tell me–does it look like you’ll get a white Christmas? I’ve noticed a number of my southern friends from America are rejoicing over uncharacteristic snowfalls. It’s pretty average here in Manitoba . . . We had a lovely snow just recently that dressed the yard in fluffy white goodness. It’s putting me in a Narnia mood, to be honest.

Christmas

Everybody’s counting down the days and rushing  to finish last-minute shopping. But I hope you get to relax at least a little this holiday season. Do you have gatherings? Recitals? Other fun Christmas-y activities? What’s one of your Christmas traditions, if you have any?
One of mine is getting a new tree ornament from my parents every year. This year’s is a little white teapot with a blue paisley pattern, and the tag of a tiny “teabag” hanging out the top. It’s properly adorable! I love tea–certain kinds, with chai being my main favorite–and this ornament goes with a different year’s book ornament that’s lying open with a cup propped on the pages.

break

Many of you are high school or college/uni students, so I imagine you’re on break now, or will be shortly! Hallelujah! How did exams go? And for those of you in post-NaNoWriMo hibernation, are you recovering?


Christmas food

[source]
(Because I can’t stop talking about Christmas today, apparently.)

I went over to my classmate’s house one day during exam week, and we spent half the day studying, baking cookies, listening to Christmas music and Owl City, and watching Wonder Woman. Our shortbread cookies were rather epic. I brought over my family’s cookie cutters, which are all normal, traditional Christmas shapes. A tree, a star, a candy cane, a gingerbread man, and so on. For some inexplicable reason, however, there is also a turtle. No idea why, but my friend and I probably made more Christmas turtles than Christmas anything-else! I also succeeded in making a snowman with a nose that stayed sticking straight up.

Do you do any Christmas baking? What’s your favorite treat at this time of year? I’m currently salivating over my grandma’s vinarterta she made for an upcoming gathering! It’s originally an Icelandic dessert, and everybody’s recipe is different, but basically it’s dried plums between thin layers of cake. My grandma always tops it off with icing too. It might sound like an odd dish, but trust me–it’s delicious.

books

What are you reading right now? Are you loving it? Hating it? “Meh”-ing it? (Shush, that is a word.) Goodreads pals, are you caught up on your 2017 reading challenge? I’ve got three books to go, which should be doable.
After a week of textbooks and practically zero fiction, I’m hungrily diving into The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, a quirky little book that Mary Horton sent me as a present a couple months ago. I’ve been saving it for the holidays, because it’s one of those books you just KNOW you’re going to love. You know what I mean, right?
And so far, this is a deliciously fun story with the whimsy of Alice in Wonderland, yet in a more modern-feeling world. I’m absolutely loving the wordplay and metaphors here.
“I guess I just wasn’t thinking,” said Milo.

“PRECISELY,” shouted the dog as his alarm went off again. “Now you know what you must do.”
“I’m afraid I don’t,” admitted Milo, feeling quite stupid.
“Well,” continued the watchdog impatiently, “since you got here by not thinking, it seems reasonable to expect that, in order to get out, you must start thinking.” And with that, he hopped in the car. “Do you mind if I get in? I love automobile rides.”

and how are you doing?

Are you frazzled? Content? Excited? Tired? Christmastime brings with it a wide range of emotions for a wide range of people, so whatever it looks like in your little corner of the world today, just know that you are loved. Know that life (with all its bumps in the road) is pretty amazing. And know that God thinks you’re worth sending His Son for.

Well, considering I promised not to yabber, I did a lot of talking! Let’s hear from you now! Sit down, grab a turtle cookie, and chat away.

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