goodbye dear friends

 well, it has been a hot minute. 

so much has happened in the past year that I can't even imagine covering everything that has happened. i'm almost done my first year at college and its been crazy.

my mom encouraged me to start blogging again and after thinking about it i realized that i really did want to blog again. but it didn't seem right to come back to this blog. the person who wrote on this blog is different than the person who is writing this right now. but i still want to blog. 

so i've started a new blog. and while it is time to say goodbye to Ceci Creates, I hope you'll join me in my new place: https://ramblingswhimsical.blogspot.com/

Star of Persia & The Runaway Bride {Double Book Review}

I'm trying out a new style of book reviews, so let's see how it goes and I hope y'all enjoy it!

Star of Persia: Esther's Story

I've always loved the book of Esther. It's such an incredible story of how God places you in certain places, at certain times, and for certain reasons. The story of Esther shows that perfectly. And I really liked how this book told her story.

I enjoyed how we were introduced to Esther before she was Esther, when she was Hadassah. I also liked the insights to Xerxes courts, the intrigue, and struggle. Esther's gentle ways are a breath of fresh air and it is really lovely to see how if you are a gentle and kind person, it really stands out.

Jill Eileen Smith's writing was really nice and it really drew me in. There was a really good intention to detail and she depicted things very well.

I did have a few problems. The first is while the writing was wonderful, sometimes I felt as if it dragged a little. Some of the characters were a little two-dimensional at times and it kinda threw me out. Since it does deal with Xerxes and his many wives, there is quite a bit of kissing and mentions of the marital embrace. It wasn't that bad and done in a tasteful manner, it just got kinda uncomfortable sometimes.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book. I liked the characters and the storytelling. The setting also really pulled me in and kept me interested. This gets a solid 3 stars from me.

I received a free copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Runaway Bride

While this is the second book in this series, this reads like a standalone.

I also liked this book. I always enjoy those books about the heroes who are scared and eventually overcome those fears because it's so hopeful and if there is something our world needs it is definitely more hope. Arabelle was easy to admire and even though her past darkness haunts her, she stills finds it in herself to care for other people. Pete was another great character. Charismatic and kind, you can see how people were drawn to him, I loved the storyline of forgiveness.

I liked this setting. I honestly didn't know much about the bride ships. I knew that there were poorer women that would come in those ships but I didn't know about the middle/upper-class women who would also go. The part about the measles was also very intriguing.

One of the things that mainly bothered me was the content. It wasn't crude or anything but it did make me uncomfortable at certain parts. We learn about Pete's past struggles with sex and desire and he struggles to overcome those things when it comes to Arabella. And sometimes he does get carried away. There were a few points where I had to set the book down because it made me uncomfortable.

Something else that bothered me is how Arabella didn't seem to change much. Ultimately yes, she was a different person at the end than she was at the beginning and it was a very admirable change but she stays in that middle point for so long that it drags. She takes a step forward then a step back and it gets a bit tiresome after a while. There also seemed to be a minor plothole with that person Arabella thought she saw a couple times and was never mentioned again? Or maybe it was and I just missed it.

I did end up liking this book and besides some of the content, it did keep me drawn into the story and the setting. Another three stars!

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Have and of y'all read these books? What did you think? Do you want to read them?

past, present, future | more specific updates

Okay yeah, it's been a hot minute since November. Honestly, the last few months have been a series of gaksjbasdvukshajmdhdlvhqfca and then sadkjbaslvaskhlcxjqcads with more aISHLJFDCNbwaovuclh,.achbsx,ckjkBjkCSADL,JC

bUT

That's in the past and I'm going to update y'all in this post about all the goings-on that have been....going....on....o.o......in the past few months xP

I have divided things into sections because my brAIn can't funCTION at this moMENT because of freaking scHOOLWORK

yeah life has been interesting

school

I guess we'll start off with the thing that leaves me dead on the inside. School.

School is interesting (my new favorite word woohoo). At the beginning of the school year, I didn't think that the workload was that bad.



























Yeah that was a lie. Um, how to summarize school now in a few sentences. Let's do it subject by subject.

Math: Why the hecc do i need to know this m'kay imma go die now
Physics: "not that much math anymore" *more math and death and shvckjmasbndc*
Gov & Econ: Feds *do something* antifeds *get angry* *insert a million timed essays
Literary analysis: honestly not that bad and lots of fun but humans are terrible people
Catholic Doctrine: really freaking cool because wow, I didnt know that

Honestly, I have so many more thoughts on school right now that are all very interesting to say the least so lmk if y'all would maybe like to see a post with more thoughts xD

violin

I REALLY DONT KNOW WHAT VIOLIN IS RIGHT NOW

JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE MY BEETHOVEN SONATA AND MAKE IT TO MY SENIOR RECITAL WITHOUT DYING

ALSO WHY DID I ASK TO PLAY A PIECE WITH LIKE SIX SHARPS

But this competition that we were gonna do was canceled because of the coronavirus so all I have left if my senior recital.

dance

Dance was going really well. Our recital was supposed to be April 4th but, because of coronavirus, it was canceled. This was really, really tough news not only because this was my last year, but because this is the last year my teacher is going to teach.

I just remember our last class. It was the day that we ran most of our worship pieces and things were finally falling into place and it was just so good.

Then the case of coronavirus here started to skyrocket and it was canceled.

Honestly very heartbreaking.

life

Eessh.

Life has been crazy XD Senioritis is very very real. In January I went to the March For Life again and it was amazing. I miss my friends a lot and I hope to see them this summer.

As in regards to college stuff (yay), everything has been settled since early October which is a RELIEF. I'm going to a college about an hour and 15 minutes away as a music therapy major. I got several scholarships that will pay for everything.

But um, besides that nothing much is going on in life.

Oh, they canceled our prom which is a huge BUMMER because I got my prom dress and it is SO PRETTYYY. But like, they might reschedule it so fingers crossed.

reading

IM KINDA ASHAMED OF HOW LITTLE IVE READ THIS YEAR BUT LIKE SCHOOL HAS KILLED ME

I've only read 11 books this year ;-;

Rerum Novarum: On the Condition of the Working Classes, by Pope Leo XIII; Cress, by Marissa Meyer; The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka; Winter, by Marissa Meyer; Stars Above, by Marissa Meyer; More Than We Remember, by Christina Suzann Nelson; Far Side of the Sea, by Kate Breslin; Till We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis; The Runaway Bride, by Jody Hedlund; An Old-Fashioned Girl, by Louisa May Alcott;  Star of Persia; Esther's Story, by Jill Eileen Smith

writing

I maybe haven't written since the end of November??

I've just been really busy and have had no inspiration. But I'm gonna try the April Nano because I got this story idea that wont let me alone for a novella. Pretty excited XD

future blogging plans

I'm hoping to post once a week. I have a few post ideas and I'm really excited. I have a book review I have to post tonight because I lost track of days and yeeee

ANyways, how are y'all?? Tell me anything i missed!

More Than We Remember {Book Review} | updates

Well, it's been a hot minute y'all. I am very sorry for essentially vanishing, but more on that at the end of this post. In the meantime, enjoy this book review!

One night changes everything for three women. . . .

When Addison Killbourn's husband is involved in a car accident that leaves a woman dead, her perfectly constructed life crumbles apart. With her husband's memory of that night gone and the revelation of a potentially life-altering secret, Addison has to reevaluate all she thought she knew.

Emilia Cruz is a deputy bearing a heavy burden far beyond the weight of her job. Her husband is no longer the man she married, and Emilia's determined to prevent others from facing the same hardship. When she's called to the scene of an accident pointing to everything she's fighting against, she's determined to see justice for those wronged.

Brianne Demanno is hiding from reality. She was thriving as a counselor, but when tragedy struck a beloved client, she lost faith in herself and her purpose. When her neighbors, the Killbourns, are thrown into crisis, Brianne's solitary life is disrupted and she finds herself needed in a way she hasn't been in a while.

As the lives of these women intersect, they can no longer dwell in the memory of who they've been. Can they rise from the wreck of the worst moments of their lives to become who they were meant to be?

Liked: I really enjoy those stories that have multiple storylines that all intertwine together. And while these three storylines are not so different, they still had that element of strings winding together. And it was pretty easy to follow. The strings never got tied in a way that left you confused, and everything panned out very well.

Liked: Christina Suzann Nelson did a really good job of rounding out her characters. They all had their strengths and flaws and it was amazing to read. I liked how the characters acted in very realistic ways and the characters helped make this story very good. It's a good tale of grace and our worthiness of it and the character being very three dimensional accentuated it.

Disliked: One of the things that I disliked, which I guess is the flipside of what I just said I liked above, is that some of the characters really sat wrong with me and I really did not like their behavior. Especially Emilia, who I felt sympathy for sometimes, but who generally really grated on me. And I think that attests to the way that the characters are well rounded that you can dislike a character and yet feel sympathy for them. Some of the other characters' behavior sometimes also kinda bothered me, so that wasn't that great.

-supposed drug use
-mention of suicide
-mentions of alcohol abuse
-one character is thought to have been having an affair
-death
-mention of child molestation
-some hospital scenes

A big theme in this book is grace and mercy, and who deserves it. Throughout the course of this book, you have Emilia almost solely focused on bringing Caleb Kilbourn to what she believes is justice. She pursues this like a hound and it's almost offputting because she decides right away that he is guilty and you wonder, "But what if he's not?" She seems to believe that he doesn't deserve mercy and two lines that come from her daughter kinda sums up what I wonder in regards to her behavior. "I bet Hannah doesn't feel like it's very fair that she's about to lose her dad because he was in an accident. . .so we should have our family, but Hannah doesn't deserve to have hers?" And that's something I wondered throughout the course of this book, especially how Emilia was very admirable in her determination to hold her family together: What about the Kilbourns?

A while ago in my literary analysis class, we read The Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy (which I 10/10 recommend) and we later had to write a paper on it comparing the natural and almost animalistic justice that prevailed in the first half of the story (a sort of 'eye for an eye' thinking) and the more divine justice that came to light in the second half, full of God's grace. While I was reading this book, I kept thinking about that natural justice vs. God's justice. It was very thought-provoking and I liked keeping that in mind as I read this book.

I'm giving this a rating of 4 stars and I would recommend this for maybe ages 13/14+

I was given a free copy of this book by Bethany House in exchange for my honest opinion.

Now for some personal updates. Oof, let's just say that senior year has been rough. There's a lot of stuff going on and time is like, "adiosss" and leaves. But I do still want to keep blogging and I have several books I have to review so I'm hoping on posting maybeee once a week.

I'm really sorry that I just left in November but things got really, really crazy then and it's been go, go, go ever since then (I actually haven't even been able to write since the end of November ;-;). But please let me know what y'all would like to see next, a general update maybe? I really do love y'all and I will try my hardest to keep on posting!

The Shared WIP Tag || {Week 4: Side Characters}

Well would you look at that, Ceci is on time with this post! Miracles really do happen.

Now let's get to know these side-characters!

If you had to go on a mission with any of your SCs, which one(s) would you pick?

Hm...I would pick Gervase (Adelina's brother), Markus (Adelina's human guard), Samsun (Adelina's human guard), and Captain Gradeth (a faerie captain). These are all really hard-working and strong people so you know they will help you get the job done. If anything, I would be the weak link in this team.

Which of your side characters attempts to steal attention from the MC the most? 

If you mean in the actual story, then it would definitely be Joanna and her brood. If you mean that I'm really tempted to write more of them than my MCs, there actually isn't any this time.

Which SC would annoy you the most and which one would you bond with the most?

I feel like Joanna or Muriel would annoy me the most, and I would probably bond most with Gervase or Umfrey.

Which SC would you be most attracted to, romantically or platonically?

Not gonna lie, it would probably be Gervase or Asa that I would be interested romantically lol

Would you fit in with your SCs collectively, or would they not be your type of friend group?

I think I would fit in with some of my SCs more than others. Like I would totally be at ease with Adelina and her family, but really uncomfortable with Joanna and her brood.

If your SCs are not all friends, what would result if you were to thrust them together as a group and assign them an activity?

They are definitely not all friends xD And I think that there would be a lot of arguing at first before someone organized them and got them to get the job done.

Which SC would fit into our world the most?

I think Sabelina (Adelina's sister) would fit into our world pretty well. Especially after seeing pianos and listening to piano recordings.

Which SC makes you laugh the most?

None of my SCs are really hilarious, but Amara definitely gave me the most chuckles when I was writing her.

Which SC could probably get removed without affecting much of the story?

THERE ARE HONESTLY TOO MANY OF THESE PEOPLE. But I'm going to go with Aeretha. I mean for her to be like a second mother to Adelina and her siblings, but then I only wrote her in one scene and never mentioned her again. 

Which SC could never get removed because of how important their role is?

I'm going to have to go with either Umfrey (Leo's human brother) or Lady Nesta (Adelina's mother). Umfrey becomes like a father to Adelina and her helps her out. He's also super close to Leo. And Lady Nest is Adelina's mother, so she is kinda important.

I hope you enjoyed this week's post! Make sure to come back next week (our final week) (*dies*) for a post full of snippets. In the meantime, check out these other amazing people.

Sarah

Snapper

Lily Cat

Lila

Julian

Nicki

Almost done Nano! What has been the best/worst part of it so far? 

The Shared WIP Tag || {Week 3: Main Characters and Antagonists}

Ahhh, this was supposed to go out last Friday, but life y'all.

Life.

Anyways, really sorry about that. *shammmeeee*

But let's get to these questions about my MC and antagonists! I don't really have an antagonist that is like, one person. So I'll try to be as clear and vague as I can :P

Would you be friends with your MC? Why or why not?

I have two main characters, but my main main character is Adelina. And I would definitely be friends with her. She is a very hard-working person and she doesn't do anything by halves. She's also short like me. In fact, she is two inches shorter than I am (I'm about 5'2"). So I would be the tall friend *dabs*. But yeah, I would really like to be friends with her.

What would an ordinary day look like in the shoes of your MC?

Hm, well, Adelina's "ordinary" days changed drastically after a certain point, but I'll just tell y'all what a normal day would look like in the beginning. I'll split it into three sections: Morning, Afternoon, and Evening

Morning: Adelina would probably be up at the crack of dawn (can't relate) and grab a small bite to eat. Then she and her brother Gervase would probably go down to one of the barns and split up the work for the day and take stock of the grain and other things they have. Then Adelina would most likely go to one of the fields and work there till noon.

Afternoon: Adelina would go back inside, wash up, and have lunch with her mother and sisters. Her mother is very adamant that Adelina not work all the time, and do at least an hour a day of things that she would be doing (embroidery, painting, etc.) if House Monfort was as rich as other Houses. After that, she would do other things around the place.

Evening: Gervase, Adelina, and their mother would be balancing their accounts late into the night. They would have a light supper and continue working. Then she would go to bed.

And so that is a normal day in her life. 

You’re walking down the sidewalk when the villain approaches you and tells you he needs your help. What do you do?

Walk away.

What would be your first impression of your MC upon meeting them?

My first impression of Adelina would be that she was very gracious. Not very talkative, but not silent in a cold way. Like she was really trying to get to know you.

What would be your first impression of your villain upon meeting them?

Pompous jerks.

What would happen if you were stuck in an elevator with your villain for five (or worse, ten) minutes?

Goodness gracious me. I think that my villain may leave said elevator with a new scar or two. Or I would leave very angry.

What makes your MC most like you and least like you?

Well, we're both short and have dark-ish skin. Um, we're both quiet upon first meeting someone, but the longer we know them the more we open up. I would say that we differ in work ethic. I would consider myself a driven person, but Adelina is WAYY more driven than me.

What song or selection of words best describes your villain?

Hm....I found two quotes that I think describe my villains okay.

"The power-hungry individual follows a path to his own destruction - Adler"

"Those who have true power share it, while those who hunger power abuse it - Royalton Ambrose"

If your MC was teleported to your front porch, what would be their reaction (and what would be yours)?

I think our first reaction would be to blink at each other. Then Adelina would ask me a ton of question and I would answer them, wondering how in the hecc one of my characters got here.

If the antagonist had a dream come true, what would it be? (no spoilers!)

Well, the answer IS a spoiler. But, um, yeah. It would be power-based :P

Ahh, so sorry for getting this out almost a week late. But be sure to come back later for tomorrow's post on side characters. Here are the other participants' names and links!

Sarah

Snapper

Lily Cat

Lila

Julian

Nicki

How is Nano going for you all so far? TEN MORE DAYSSS WE GOT THIS!!!

The Shared WIP Tag || {Week Two: Worldbuilding}

Welcome to this next week of the Shared WIP Tag! As you can see from the title, this week is all about worldbuilding. My world in Faerie Queen is called Landis (I had another name for the world, but forgot it and then came up with this one and then remembered the other one after i started writing rip) and I am pretty excited about this!

Les go

What aspect of this world would make you want to leave immediately?

Hm...I think that some of the more ruthless and power hungry Houses would want to make me leave. Tbh, there isn't anything very DANGEROUS in Landis, it's pretty well civilized and there are no wars. But some of the Great Houses really like that power and might be willing to do away with people who get in the way of that.

If you lived in this world, what would be your job/working environment?

I think I would actually really like to live in the lands of House Ophediac. Their main occupation is the making of all types of cloths as well as some other things. Silks, wools, cottons, and so many more. They also have some very impressive needlepoint and I would like to work there because I really enjoy doing embroider.

What would you most likely be wearing if you were dropped into this world?

What I would be wearing would be leggings, an over-sized t-shirt, and my hoodie (because that's my uniform lol). But what I would CHANGE into would be maybe one of the dresses Adelina wears.

SNIPPETT TIMMEEE

*music*

"She smiled and checked her reflection one last time. She wore a blue linen dress that had golden suns embroidered all over it. The neckline and sleeves were trimmed in gold lace and the sleeves opened just above her elbow, lined with fur. She wore a long-sleeved, red under-dress. A gold belt clasped around her small waist. Amara had finally mastered the hair-style that was a braid crown that sat on the back of her head, the rest of her hair falling past her waist in dark curls.  Adelina carefully picked up a diadem that had a golden sun in the middle and placed in on her head." 

And here is the picture of the dress I imagined her wearing:



Idk how well a job I did describing it but that was my inspiration xD

What aspects stands out to you as different from our world? What is very similar to ours?

Well, let me point out the easy things first. Um, there are faeries. Obviously we don't have those here. And some Houses are more powerful than others depending on if one of their daughters was a First Wife. I think that some of the similarities is that the House lands are kinda like states. They each are ruled under the House leaders, and then they respond to the king.

Which part of your world would you most enjoy visiting?

I really want to visit House Monfort, House Amarius, and House Exclamae. They are more of the seaside Houses and man, I think it's beautiful there. Especially House Monfort, which is also known as the House of Sunshine. Very sunny and very pretty there. 

Which part of your world would you avoid at all costs?

I can't think of any places that I would want to avoid. Like, yes, some Houses are power hungry but they aren't downright evil.

Maybe I wouldn't really want to visit House Tamaris, because they seem kinda cold, but I wouldn't go out of my way NOT to go there.

Would you enjoy the types of food or common dishes eaten in your world?

I'm going to focus on House Monfort for this question, just because the common dishes vary from House to House. But the answer is yes. A lot of House Monfort's food is seafood and grain based (since that is what they do) and I love seafood and bread xD

What does the culture of this world revolve around and would you enjoy participating in it?

The culture for each House revolves around what their main thing is. So, House Monfort is very sunshine, grain, and sea based. House Winidale is very focused on the wind and bricks. House Peladarat is very based on jewels. House Netarae is very flower based.

So it really depends on the House, and yes, I think I would enjoy participating in it.

What’s your favorite thing about the story world?

My favorite thing is how different each House is. And how they all operate. I especially love House Monfort, since I've spent more time there, but I can't wait to dive into King's Court.

Provide a few pictures that help depict your story world.

I hope y'all enjoyed this week of the Shared WIP Tag! Make sure to come back next week for questions on my mc's and antagonist! In the meantime, make sure to check out the other participants posts!

Sarah

Snapper

Lily Cat

Lila

Julian

Nicki

How is your Nano going? I am still (somehow) on track! I'm so excited about this y'all xD

The Shared WIP Tag || {Week One: Introduction}

Hey y'all! I am so excited to do the Shared WIP Tag again! As y'all probably know, the posts usually go out on Friday. I was out of town last Friday so that is why y'all are getting this on Sunday.

I hope you guys enjoy learning more about Faerie Queen!

If you have a book cover, torture your readers by making them scroll forever to see it. If you do not have a book cover, describe your dream cover.

*laughs evilly*

I hope you enjoy scrolling lol

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..\.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.

.
..

.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.

....

.
..
.

.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..




.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

..

..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

..

.
..

.
.
..

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..

..
.

..
.
.
.
.
.
.

...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
..

..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.

.
..
.

..

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
..
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...

..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.

..

..
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
..
.
.
.
..
.

..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
















































































.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.

.
.
.
.
..

..

.
..

..
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..

.
.
.
.
.
.
..

..

.
.
.
..

.
.
.
..

.
.
..
.

.
..

..

.
.
.
.
..

..

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..

..
.

..

..

.
..
.
.
..
.

.
..
.
.


..

.
.
..

..

..

..

..
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
..

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

..
.
.
.
.
..

.

..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

..

..

.
.
.
.
.
.
./.
.
..
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..

okay dats enough

Provide a blurb

Adelina would do anything to save her House lands, even marry the Faerie prince. But she is not the only one who would marry the immortal prince to keep their House in power and many are more ruthless than she is. Adelina realizes that the costs of saving her House may come at a bigger price than she originally thought.

Leofwin knows that he cannot fall in love with his First Wife, he will long outlive her. But Adelina’s quiet resolve and strong will draw him in and he wonders if an eternity without her is worth it.

Share some aesthetics

Adelina

I will save my house

Leofwin

I don't believe that loving someone is a weakness

Leo & Adelina

How long did it take you to flesh out the story enough to feel prepared to use it for NaNo?

Well I got the idea when I read an Enchantment of Ravens, which was maybe in the beginning of October? So it took maybe a month to feel prepared enough to start Nano. But is anything truly prepared enough for Nano *sobs* but I'll still continue to jot down details as I go along.

Is it a standalone or part of a series?

This is a stand-alone. I'm pretty excited because I haven't really worked on a stand-alone novel in a while and it's gonna feel SO nice to have everything wrapped up in one novel.

How did you get the idea for this story?

I first got it reading an Enchantment of Ravens. I liked the idea of the fairy court and wanted to explore it more but in a slightly different manner in my own writing.

What song or selection of lyrics best describes the general aesthetic of your story?

Ooof, these questions are always really hard for me because I NEVER KNOWWWW. But I think Fall On Me by Andrea Bocelli kinda sums it up.

What made you decide to write this book for NaNo?

Hm, that's a good question. I already had a novel picked out before I got the idea for Faerie Queen. I think I just loved the story idea so much I didn't want to wait till after Nano to start it and I knew that Nano would force me to work on it :P

What are your publishing plans for this book?

I would like to self-publish this book. I hope to do some editing in December if I finish it, and then maybe send out a call for beta reads? We shall see.

I hope you enjoyed this round of the Shared WIP Tag! Make sure to come back on Friday for questions on Worldbuilding! In the meantime, make sure to check out the rest of the amazing posts~

Sarah

Snapper

Lily Cat

Lila

Julian

Nicki

How have the first few days of Nano gone? I'm surprisingly on track and yeah. The beginning of a new story is always rough but I think I'm getting the flow of things now.

Hope's Highest Mountain {Book Review}

On her way to deliver vaccines to a mining town in the Montana Territory, Ingrid Chastain never anticipated a terrible accident would leave her alone and badly injured in the wilderness. When rescue comes in the form of a mysterious mountain man, she's hesitant to trust him, but the journey ahead will change their lives more than they could have known.

Liked: I really enjoyed these characters! All of them were very well fleshed out, even those who were only there for a little bit. Their backstories and flaws, as well as their attributes, were all very believable and they were a very enjoyable cast of people. Something funny that I enjoyed was that Micah called his daughter "Ducky" which is what I call my baby sister. And Handsome was a nice addition and I love that name for a dog. I liked how Beller didn't make Samuel too annoying. I find that some authors tend to make their younger characters a bit too childish, too annoying, or too grown-up. Samuel was a nice balance of what a young child actually is like.

Liked: Something that really bothers me in some stories is when one character goes through extreme heartbreak and pain and the other doesn't, making that other character rather unsympathetic to the first character's pain and thus making it very dislikeable to read. The fact that both main characters had suffered and could sympathize with each other made this story ten times better.

Liked: For some reason, I really enjoy those types of stories where the characters have to survive against all odds in the wilderness. Maybe it's just because I probably spend too much time inside (bugs and me no thanks), but when they are well done it is just a real page-turner and this was very well done.

Liked: I actually like insta-love (when done well) but this romance was a mix of slow and yet fast love? If that makes sense? Anyways, it was very well done and very believable.

Liked: I really liked how Ingrid wasn't very pushy of her faith on Micah, she let him re-discover God on his own time. She was still an amazing witness to the faith, and her faith was visible through her actions and words. Micah's coming to accept Christ again was also very well done.

Disliked: They ONLY thing that bothered me was the overuse of the phrases, "Oh Micah" and "Oh Ingrid". It's kinda annoying how much it was used. 

- people are severely injured
-past mentions of death

I'm giving this one a solid 4 stars and I would recommend it for people 13+

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest opinion.

How are y'all? Ready for Nano?? Have you read this? Do you want to? What have you been reading lately?