Addison’s answer to “Hi Amariah! I just discovered your work recently and it looks very interesting! I'm a book reviewer…” > Likes and Comments
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Thank you very much!
Sounds great. :) By the way--no, no, no, you're fine! I went ahead and decided to change my name from Amariah, as Addison Dixon is my author name (Addison is my middle name.) Sorry--probably should've explained that in the first place.
That's so neat! What's your favorite book(s)?
Oh!! Okay, that makes sense, then! I was super embarrassed at first! But it's okay, I'm just glad I didn't just accidentally call you by some random name.
Well, in terms of fantasy, I absolutely love J.R.R. Tolkien's works! He is my favorite author overall but there's some nice YA fantasy out there as well!
Haha! Yeah, it crossed my mind yesterday it might be a good idea to go ahead and change it. XD
Ahh, yes! Tolkien is awesome.
What YA fantasy books do you enjoy? I've been trying to find some good ones.
Cool! Lily is my first name, but I actually go by my middle name with people normally :)
Tolkien is pretty awesome! I read Jennifer A. Nielsen's The False Prince last year and it was pretty good (it's middle grade, though)! I think you've might've already read that, so I'm trying to think of some you might not have read... I remember enjoying Graceling as well as Bitterblue, but it's been a few years since I read them.
Nice! I go by my first name. I was almost going to be called Addison, but my parents ultimately decided on Amariah. They'd read it in the Old Testament (one of the good priests) and read about women having that name.
Yeah, I thought The False Prince was pretty cool. I know it's Middle Grade . . . but I feel like it's more Young Adult, haha
Really? Interesting. Have you read Narnia?
Oh! I actually didn't know that. Once in a while I'll search up some common name that a lot o people have and Google will tell me that it was originally from the Bible, which is a nice surprise!
I actually thought while reading TFP that it most certainly read like a middle grade novel. Especially in later books, it becomes pretty clear that things are plot-driven rather than character-driven. I've read parts of TCoN. I recently reread TLtWatW and it was great and I'm planning on picking some of the other volumes up again soon.
Not many people do. Some are actually stunned. Yes! I agree. I love learning the origins of names and yeah, I love seeing when a name is actually from the Bible. Whether that was intentional or not, I think it's cool.
Perhaps it was the content. I don't know. I'd be curious to see what you think of my book.
Oh, I definitely recommend them! My mom read them to my younger brother and me as children. I remember when we read Prince Caspian before the movie came out. That was so much fun.
Yes, I only know one other person with Amariah as a name, so you're the second person I've talked to who's named that! :)
Yeah, I think I just felt like it was less... serious? than other YA fantasy books I've read. And I kind of like it like that since there's nothing graphic to worry about :)
You said you're publishing another book soon, right? Ooh, my sister just suggested that I read Prince Caspian this afternoon, actually! One of my reading goals this year is to read all of the Narnia series :)
Oh neat! My baby niece's name is Lilly. How fun!
Haha, it's funny that you mention that because I felt it a little too serious. XD I was glad for nothing graphic, though.
Yes! The sequel will be coming out in the summer.
Really? How ironic! I think that's a great goal. I'm reading more Classics. I'm currently reading A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter.
Oh, that's so nice!! I suppose I could say that the name Lily's in the Bible too from the Lily of the Valley xD
Oh, you did? That's really interesting!! I think maybe I've just read some stuff that was a bit too over-the-top, so I appreciated TFP not describing the violence and stuff too much.
Oh, exciting!! It sounds like you've been working on it for quite some time! I'm trying to read more Classics this year as well. At least 12 of them is my goal. :) I'm currently rereading some Tolkien and rereading 1984 as well, which is all exciting!
Hey, that works! Haha
That's true. A lot of Middle Grade stuff tends to be crazy with that kind of stuff nowadays.
I've definitely been working on this series for a good long while. Started when I was 12.
Oh neat! I've never read 1984 (a friend of mine did. She said it was a bit unnerving.) I want to read more Jane Austen.
Yes, I suppose so!! Someone pointed it out to me one day, and I never noticed it before then!
Woww, you've got some grit! That's pretty impressive <3 1984 is definitely unnerving. I didn't think it was necessary to reread it at this time to see what I thought once more. I once rated it a 5, but I think I might bring that rating down a bit. Jane Austen's works are high on my tbr!
Someone pointed out the name thing or the Middle Grade thing? (Just making sure I understand :))
Thank you! I actually didn't think I'd continue, but it ended up being 3 notebooks and a page (yes, I wrote in notebooks first) and then 600 pages on my old laptop. Then it was suggested I split it. *Laughing emoji with sweat bead*
Yeah, I've done that before--rated something lower the second time around. For some YA contemporaries I've done that lately.
I've only read Pride & Prejudice, admittingly. I took a Jane Austen class . . . yeahhh, let's just say, I'd prefer to read those books on my own schedule and without the need to analyze too deeply.
Oh, the name thing :)
WOW 😱😱😱 That's honestly impressive!! I thought my sister must be the only one who ever wrote stories on paper anymore, but apparently you're another one!! I like that, actually! I don't think it would work for me, but there's something really calm about writing with an actual pen and paper.
Yes, I've had it either way... Sometimes rereads end up being higher ratings and sometimes lower (and sometimes the same). YA Contemporary isn't my first go-to genre, but I have read some that are good!
I haven't read any Jane Austen yet 😅 Everyone talks about Pride and Prejudice and I'm just kind of scared I won't like it.
Now that you mention it . . . I do recall seeing Lily of the Valley in the Bible.
Thank you! I vividly remember--I was at a friend's house and she was writing for NaNoWriMo. She handed me a notebook in case I wanted to write something as well. I didn't think I'd continue the book, but I got so invested in the story, I just kept writing. Once I was finished with the story, my mom gave me an old laptop (it was actually meant for school papers) and I just ended up using it for story-writing as well.
Exactly. I don't normally reread, but only if I really don't remember the storyline. I've read some good YA Contemporaries, too. Otherwise, it's not my go-to.
Hahaha! Well, you won't know if you don't try. At least, if you don't get into it, you can say you tried. :) A friend of mine lent me an annotated version of P&P years ago to get me started. The original version is definitely better!
🙂 Are you a Christian or were you just raised that way? It's fine either way, but I was just curious.
Aww, that's so beautiful! I tried doing NaNo this past November, but it didn't work. I always end up being so busy! Maybe someday, though!
But also, I don't know if you're still making changes to your manuscript or not, but I'd love to give you a free sample of your first chapter or something like that if you'd like! I'm doing some editing on the side, and since you've clearly put a lot of love into your writing, I'd be happy to help if you haven't gotten your manuscript edited professionally yet. :) <3
Usually, I reread only my favorite books / books by my favorite author. Sometimes I'll wonder whether my past opinion of a book would still hold true, though, so I end up rereading stuff I read a year or two ago or even stuff I read nearly a decade ago.
Oh! Is it difficult to read? I know I tried Wuthering Heights when I was in the 8th grade or something and quit halfway through because it was so dreary. For some reason I had the impression that one and P&P were essentially the same (I have not clue where that logic came from 😂)
I'm a Christian.
Yeah, only a couple of times I've tried doing NaNoWriMo. Never worked. XD I was always focused on my book or just forgot, hehe
I appreciate it, but I've already gotten it professionally edited. I'm currently checking the formatting and stuff to send back to my formatter. The kindle version should be ready soon, though!
I get that. I started to reread Eragon, but didn't want to ruin my opinion of it since reading it as a 12 year old, lol
I've reread Laura Ingalls, however.
P&P isn't difficult to read. I enjoyed it and have read it about 3 times. XD I've also reread Pilgrim's Progress about 3 times. Oh my word, I remember reading Wuthering Heights . . . I muscled my way through ('cause most of my friends had read it) but . . . I got confused most of the time and was unnerved by the guy character who'd lost his mind. Yikes!
LOL, well, they're around the same time period. I can actually see why you'd get that impression, but I tell ya they are VERY different!
Oh, yeah, I don't think NaNo's for everyone, so that's alright!
Okay, no worries!! :)
I read quite a few books last year, but most of them were indie-published. I do enjoy indie books very much, but this year, I'm also trying to read some of the popular novels out there as well as some more classics. I thought Wuthering Heights was supposed to be a nice romance!!! All the creepy dreams and the setting and whatnot really threw me off, if I remember correctly. An I think I remember thinking, "Isn't Heathcliff supposed to be the love interest? Why does he seem so scary? Am I getting something wrong here?" XD
I've recently gotten more into Indie books. I rarely read any before, but now I'm reading more. I didn't read as much as I wanted to last year. A lot going on.
I personally don't read many popular books unless highly recommended to me.
Oh I can see that. I mean, the summary kinda depicts that, doesn't it??
Lol! I know! I was so confused. XD It's funny--at the beginning it's told from the perspective of a man . . . then suddenly in the perspective of a woman. It happened so suddenly I was caught off guard.
Have you heard of Geronimo Stilton?
Oh, I'm the same! I really only discovered indie books last year and spent the entire year reading lots of indies. Now that I'm talking more with other readers, I've realized how many "popular" books I haven't read yet. I had no interested in them before, but now I really want to read them just so I can know what I think of them. There's everything from The Cruel Prince to ACOTAR to Cinder to Divergent to The Maze Runner and a whole bunch of others as well!
No, I haven't actually! It's a books series, though, right? (I just Googled it.)
That's neat! Do you have any good ones you can recommend? Yeah, I personally tried reading Divergent. Couldn't get into it (plus I'm SUPER picky with futuristic stuff.) But I did like Maze Runner--though I skimmed over a few parts. I read Cinder. It was pretty good. My older brother and sister-in-law got me Gilded for Christmas (by that same author.) My second favorite genre is Christian Historical Fiction. It's only been within the past 7 years that I've gotten into it.
Yes! One of the best (it's a fact XD) It's one of my inspirations for my own writing.
Yes! Yes, yes, I do! The Flight and Flame trilogy by RJ Anderson was one series I loved!! It's middle grade, but it tackles some super important topics in the real world through fantasy lenses. It's also got some romance and intrigue :)
Do you know what your brother and sister-in-law thought of Gilded? I've heard varied opinions on it! Ohh, and what are some of your favorite Christian Historical Fiction novels? I've read some of Francine Rivers's, and I know that she's controversial, but her stories really were compelling.
Oh! I'll take a look, then! :)
Flight and Flame trilogy, huh? I've never heard of it. What's it about? It sounds fascinating. Thank you!
Hm. How's the romance??
They didn't read Gilded. They just gave it to me. I'm curious about it, though! I'm sure my sister-in-law would be interested in it I'm finished. I really enjoyed Mists of Midnight by Sandra Byrd, The Aynsley Daughters trilogy by Carolyn Miller, The Ivy Cottage trilogy by Julie Klassen, Flight of the Earls by Michael K. Reynolds (my first Christian Historical Fiction book), The Pathfinder trilogy by Lori Benton, The Codebreakers trilogy by Roseanna White, and . . . okay, this isn't Christian Historical fiction, but Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee--the author of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Yes. Francine Rivers is my mom's favorite author. Mark of the Lion made a huge impact on her--from what she told me. She and me dad saw the movie Redeeming Love and while (she said) it had moments that were tough to watch, it had a super important message.
:)
Yep! The first book is called Swift. It's from Enclave Publishing, and honestly, basically all of Enclave's fantasy books are amazing!! And the hardcovers are gorgeous (they also sometimes go on huge sales on Amazon!) Swift is about a piskey named Ivy. She lives with all the other piskeys in the Delve, but she has a disability where she can't fly. Her mother mysteriously disappears at a yearly celebration one day, and year later, a man named "Richard" shows up and tells her that he can take her to her mother. That's basically the beginning of book 1, but it gets really exciting later on!
Those sound like great recommendations!! The last two authors' books are definitely on my to-read list, but the rest are new to me! OH, what did they think of Redeeming Love? I haven't watched it yet... I know some Christian fiction fans are really excited, but I also know that critics were really, really harsh about it.
Fascinating. Thanks for the recommendation! Have you read Dust by Kara Swanson? I haven't but I hear it's really good and published by Enclave. Oh! Have you heard of Etania's Worth by M.H. Elrich? Or perhaps Starganauts by C.E. Stone?
Awesome! And my parents really appreciated the message and thought it very good. I wouldn't be surprised that critics were harsh about it. I tend to go against what critics deem "enjoyable" anyway.
Oh, yes, I've heard Dust is great as well!!! I bought that as well as preordered Shadow, so I'm quite excited to get into the series! I think I'm Goodreads friends with M.H. Elrich, if I remember correctly! Have you read her work?
Okay, that's encouraging! I definitely want to watch it for myself and see what I think. :)
That's really cool! It seems interesting. I'm also super picky with retellings. XD The only retelling I've really enjoyed has been the Jane Austen Diaries by Jenni James, and her Faerie Tale Collection.
Oh okay, neat! I'm currently reading an ARC of Etania's Calling.
Why not? Might as well try. It's worth it, no doubt. More Christian Historical fiction books should be made into movies.
I love retellings the same way I love fantasy! Tolkien will always be my favorite, but I just feel really comfortable reading books that are retellings and/or fantasy.
Yes, I agree!! Do you ever watch Hallmark movies? What's really funny is that I've actually never seen one before!
The reason for me is because I already know what's going to happen, so that's why I read them hardly at all. However, there have been exceptions, as I mentioned. I tend to stick with fantasy books from several years ago. It depends heavily on content.
I . . . don't recall ever watching one. Maybe once, but not in recent memory. I haven't seen many movies lately. The most recent ones have been Spies in Disguise, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. I don't watch movies or shows much anyway.
I see! That makes sense to me, I suppose! Are you planning on reading Dust anytime soon? I'd love to buddy read it with you if you'd like!
Oh wow! Was Spider-Man: No Way Home the one that only just came out? There was... Homecoming, Far From Home, and then No Way Home, right? I think I got that right :D
I don't know when I'll read it. I'm so focused on tutoring and my book stuff--plus, I'm currently reading What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon and the other one--Girl of the Limberlost. But I'll certainly let you know when I plan on it. :)
Yes. No Way Home came out back in December, I believe. You got it! Haha--I enjoyed No Way Home a lot.
Oh, that's alright... Don't worry about it, then, but if you do ever pick it up to read, I'd love to read it with you :)
Oh, I know my sisters watched it together, but I was quite sick when it came out. I'll have to watch it sometime in the near future!
Sounds good. Have you read anything else by that author?
I see. It was thoroughly entertaining and had great messages.
By Kara Swanson? I believe she only just has Dust and Shadow and then a novella called The Girl Who Could See or something like that.
Thanks for letting me know! I'll definitely watch it :)
Yes. Have you read those? I've been told The Girl Who Could See is really good.
You're welcome! ^^
Haha no, I'm planning on reading both Dust and Shadow this year (I'm almost scared to, though, because I'm worried I won't like it!), and if I love that series, then I might buy the novella. :)
Oh nice! Well--per words I've heard family say--if you let your fear about something keep you from doing it, why concern yourself with it then?
I mean, I definitely understand, but unless you try it, you won't know.
That is very true!!! My plans are definitely to read the duology sometime this year! Probably at a time when I feel like I'm deserving of a reward (aka a good book!).
Hahaha! I get that. It's nice to wind down with a good book. Grab a coke slushy and read a book. XD
Yassssss I love that!! I'm reading 1984 right now and it's torturing me. I definitely need a nicer book after I'm done XD
Oh heavens. 1984?! Yeah, no thanks! XD Too gloomy and accurate to nowadays. You got another book in stalk?
Ahhh yes, I don't know what I was thinking, rereading it!! I just finished a few minutes ago. It is so, so depressing. I think I'm probably going to rate it 3 stars... It gets three for the dystopian warning message, but I honestly hate some parts of it!
Hahahaha! Ehh, I've done that before, thinking a book would be better/different the second time around. Well, it's a dystopian. They're normally depressing. Maze Runner and For Darkness Shows the Stars were the least depressing ones I'd read.
Well, Big Brother is real! No wonder you would hate it certain parts.
I began the Maze Runner audiobook a few years ago, but something malfunctioned so I had to stop in the first chapter. :( Have you read 1984 as well?
Ah, dang. That's annoying.
I have not . . . never had an interest, but I know the premise. A friend of mine read it years ago and said she was traumatized. @_@ Lol
Haha, yes, it is quite traumatizing!! There's some super, super insightful stuff in there, but there's also some not-so-great stuff.
I'm guessing the insightful stuff is information on what we DON'T want in society. XD How violent is it?
Yep! You got that right! :) Hmm... I actually didn't mind the violence very much. There's some bombings, beatings, talk of war/genocide/death, etc. Some of that is graphic but not disturbingly so. It's more the psychology aspect. The book messes with your mind... It just makes you feel so weighed down!
I see. Oh yeah, I get that! The Hunger Games did that to me. I felt depressed after reading the first book so I stopped after it. I don't like feeling weighed down after reading a book. Graphic violence does make me feel icky as well, though.
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Thank you very much! Sounds great. :) By the way--no, no, no, you're fine! I went ahead and decided to change my name from Amariah, as Addison Dixon is my author name (Addison is my middle name.) Sorry--probably should've explained that in the first place.
That's so neat! What's your favorite book(s)?
Oh!! Okay, that makes sense, then! I was super embarrassed at first! But it's okay, I'm just glad I didn't just accidentally call you by some random name.Well, in terms of fantasy, I absolutely love J.R.R. Tolkien's works! He is my favorite author overall but there's some nice YA fantasy out there as well!
Haha! Yeah, it crossed my mind yesterday it might be a good idea to go ahead and change it. XDAhh, yes! Tolkien is awesome.
What YA fantasy books do you enjoy? I've been trying to find some good ones.
Cool! Lily is my first name, but I actually go by my middle name with people normally :)Tolkien is pretty awesome! I read Jennifer A. Nielsen's The False Prince last year and it was pretty good (it's middle grade, though)! I think you've might've already read that, so I'm trying to think of some you might not have read... I remember enjoying Graceling as well as Bitterblue, but it's been a few years since I read them.
Nice! I go by my first name. I was almost going to be called Addison, but my parents ultimately decided on Amariah. They'd read it in the Old Testament (one of the good priests) and read about women having that name.Yeah, I thought The False Prince was pretty cool. I know it's Middle Grade . . . but I feel like it's more Young Adult, haha
Really? Interesting. Have you read Narnia?
Oh! I actually didn't know that. Once in a while I'll search up some common name that a lot o people have and Google will tell me that it was originally from the Bible, which is a nice surprise!I actually thought while reading TFP that it most certainly read like a middle grade novel. Especially in later books, it becomes pretty clear that things are plot-driven rather than character-driven. I've read parts of TCoN. I recently reread TLtWatW and it was great and I'm planning on picking some of the other volumes up again soon.
Not many people do. Some are actually stunned. Yes! I agree. I love learning the origins of names and yeah, I love seeing when a name is actually from the Bible. Whether that was intentional or not, I think it's cool.Perhaps it was the content. I don't know. I'd be curious to see what you think of my book.
Oh, I definitely recommend them! My mom read them to my younger brother and me as children. I remember when we read Prince Caspian before the movie came out. That was so much fun.
Yes, I only know one other person with Amariah as a name, so you're the second person I've talked to who's named that! :)Yeah, I think I just felt like it was less... serious? than other YA fantasy books I've read. And I kind of like it like that since there's nothing graphic to worry about :)
You said you're publishing another book soon, right? Ooh, my sister just suggested that I read Prince Caspian this afternoon, actually! One of my reading goals this year is to read all of the Narnia series :)
Oh neat! My baby niece's name is Lilly. How fun!Haha, it's funny that you mention that because I felt it a little too serious. XD I was glad for nothing graphic, though.
Yes! The sequel will be coming out in the summer.
Really? How ironic! I think that's a great goal. I'm reading more Classics. I'm currently reading A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter.
Oh, that's so nice!! I suppose I could say that the name Lily's in the Bible too from the Lily of the Valley xDOh, you did? That's really interesting!! I think maybe I've just read some stuff that was a bit too over-the-top, so I appreciated TFP not describing the violence and stuff too much.
Oh, exciting!! It sounds like you've been working on it for quite some time! I'm trying to read more Classics this year as well. At least 12 of them is my goal. :) I'm currently rereading some Tolkien and rereading 1984 as well, which is all exciting!
Hey, that works! HahaThat's true. A lot of Middle Grade stuff tends to be crazy with that kind of stuff nowadays.
I've definitely been working on this series for a good long while. Started when I was 12.
Oh neat! I've never read 1984 (a friend of mine did. She said it was a bit unnerving.) I want to read more Jane Austen.
Yes, I suppose so!! Someone pointed it out to me one day, and I never noticed it before then!Woww, you've got some grit! That's pretty impressive <3 1984 is definitely unnerving. I didn't think it was necessary to reread it at this time to see what I thought once more. I once rated it a 5, but I think I might bring that rating down a bit. Jane Austen's works are high on my tbr!
Someone pointed out the name thing or the Middle Grade thing? (Just making sure I understand :))Thank you! I actually didn't think I'd continue, but it ended up being 3 notebooks and a page (yes, I wrote in notebooks first) and then 600 pages on my old laptop. Then it was suggested I split it. *Laughing emoji with sweat bead*
Yeah, I've done that before--rated something lower the second time around. For some YA contemporaries I've done that lately.
I've only read Pride & Prejudice, admittingly. I took a Jane Austen class . . . yeahhh, let's just say, I'd prefer to read those books on my own schedule and without the need to analyze too deeply.
Oh, the name thing :)WOW 😱😱😱 That's honestly impressive!! I thought my sister must be the only one who ever wrote stories on paper anymore, but apparently you're another one!! I like that, actually! I don't think it would work for me, but there's something really calm about writing with an actual pen and paper.
Yes, I've had it either way... Sometimes rereads end up being higher ratings and sometimes lower (and sometimes the same). YA Contemporary isn't my first go-to genre, but I have read some that are good!
I haven't read any Jane Austen yet 😅 Everyone talks about Pride and Prejudice and I'm just kind of scared I won't like it.
Now that you mention it . . . I do recall seeing Lily of the Valley in the Bible.Thank you! I vividly remember--I was at a friend's house and she was writing for NaNoWriMo. She handed me a notebook in case I wanted to write something as well. I didn't think I'd continue the book, but I got so invested in the story, I just kept writing. Once I was finished with the story, my mom gave me an old laptop (it was actually meant for school papers) and I just ended up using it for story-writing as well.
Exactly. I don't normally reread, but only if I really don't remember the storyline. I've read some good YA Contemporaries, too. Otherwise, it's not my go-to.
Hahaha! Well, you won't know if you don't try. At least, if you don't get into it, you can say you tried. :) A friend of mine lent me an annotated version of P&P years ago to get me started. The original version is definitely better!
🙂 Are you a Christian or were you just raised that way? It's fine either way, but I was just curious.Aww, that's so beautiful! I tried doing NaNo this past November, but it didn't work. I always end up being so busy! Maybe someday, though!
But also, I don't know if you're still making changes to your manuscript or not, but I'd love to give you a free sample of your first chapter or something like that if you'd like! I'm doing some editing on the side, and since you've clearly put a lot of love into your writing, I'd be happy to help if you haven't gotten your manuscript edited professionally yet. :) <3
Usually, I reread only my favorite books / books by my favorite author. Sometimes I'll wonder whether my past opinion of a book would still hold true, though, so I end up rereading stuff I read a year or two ago or even stuff I read nearly a decade ago.
Oh! Is it difficult to read? I know I tried Wuthering Heights when I was in the 8th grade or something and quit halfway through because it was so dreary. For some reason I had the impression that one and P&P were essentially the same (I have not clue where that logic came from 😂)
I'm a Christian.Yeah, only a couple of times I've tried doing NaNoWriMo. Never worked. XD I was always focused on my book or just forgot, hehe
I appreciate it, but I've already gotten it professionally edited. I'm currently checking the formatting and stuff to send back to my formatter. The kindle version should be ready soon, though!
I get that. I started to reread Eragon, but didn't want to ruin my opinion of it since reading it as a 12 year old, lol
I've reread Laura Ingalls, however.
P&P isn't difficult to read. I enjoyed it and have read it about 3 times. XD I've also reread Pilgrim's Progress about 3 times. Oh my word, I remember reading Wuthering Heights . . . I muscled my way through ('cause most of my friends had read it) but . . . I got confused most of the time and was unnerved by the guy character who'd lost his mind. Yikes!
LOL, well, they're around the same time period. I can actually see why you'd get that impression, but I tell ya they are VERY different!
Oh, yeah, I don't think NaNo's for everyone, so that's alright!Okay, no worries!! :)
I read quite a few books last year, but most of them were indie-published. I do enjoy indie books very much, but this year, I'm also trying to read some of the popular novels out there as well as some more classics. I thought Wuthering Heights was supposed to be a nice romance!!! All the creepy dreams and the setting and whatnot really threw me off, if I remember correctly. An I think I remember thinking, "Isn't Heathcliff supposed to be the love interest? Why does he seem so scary? Am I getting something wrong here?" XD
I've recently gotten more into Indie books. I rarely read any before, but now I'm reading more. I didn't read as much as I wanted to last year. A lot going on.I personally don't read many popular books unless highly recommended to me.
Oh I can see that. I mean, the summary kinda depicts that, doesn't it??
Lol! I know! I was so confused. XD It's funny--at the beginning it's told from the perspective of a man . . . then suddenly in the perspective of a woman. It happened so suddenly I was caught off guard.
Have you heard of Geronimo Stilton?
Oh, I'm the same! I really only discovered indie books last year and spent the entire year reading lots of indies. Now that I'm talking more with other readers, I've realized how many "popular" books I haven't read yet. I had no interested in them before, but now I really want to read them just so I can know what I think of them. There's everything from The Cruel Prince to ACOTAR to Cinder to Divergent to The Maze Runner and a whole bunch of others as well!No, I haven't actually! It's a books series, though, right? (I just Googled it.)
That's neat! Do you have any good ones you can recommend? Yeah, I personally tried reading Divergent. Couldn't get into it (plus I'm SUPER picky with futuristic stuff.) But I did like Maze Runner--though I skimmed over a few parts. I read Cinder. It was pretty good. My older brother and sister-in-law got me Gilded for Christmas (by that same author.) My second favorite genre is Christian Historical Fiction. It's only been within the past 7 years that I've gotten into it. Yes! One of the best (it's a fact XD) It's one of my inspirations for my own writing.
Yes! Yes, yes, I do! The Flight and Flame trilogy by RJ Anderson was one series I loved!! It's middle grade, but it tackles some super important topics in the real world through fantasy lenses. It's also got some romance and intrigue :)Do you know what your brother and sister-in-law thought of Gilded? I've heard varied opinions on it! Ohh, and what are some of your favorite Christian Historical Fiction novels? I've read some of Francine Rivers's, and I know that she's controversial, but her stories really were compelling.
Oh! I'll take a look, then! :)
Flight and Flame trilogy, huh? I've never heard of it. What's it about? It sounds fascinating. Thank you! Hm. How's the romance??
They didn't read Gilded. They just gave it to me. I'm curious about it, though! I'm sure my sister-in-law would be interested in it I'm finished. I really enjoyed Mists of Midnight by Sandra Byrd, The Aynsley Daughters trilogy by Carolyn Miller, The Ivy Cottage trilogy by Julie Klassen, Flight of the Earls by Michael K. Reynolds (my first Christian Historical Fiction book), The Pathfinder trilogy by Lori Benton, The Codebreakers trilogy by Roseanna White, and . . . okay, this isn't Christian Historical fiction, but Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee--the author of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Yes. Francine Rivers is my mom's favorite author. Mark of the Lion made a huge impact on her--from what she told me. She and me dad saw the movie Redeeming Love and while (she said) it had moments that were tough to watch, it had a super important message.
:)
Yep! The first book is called Swift. It's from Enclave Publishing, and honestly, basically all of Enclave's fantasy books are amazing!! And the hardcovers are gorgeous (they also sometimes go on huge sales on Amazon!) Swift is about a piskey named Ivy. She lives with all the other piskeys in the Delve, but she has a disability where she can't fly. Her mother mysteriously disappears at a yearly celebration one day, and year later, a man named "Richard" shows up and tells her that he can take her to her mother. That's basically the beginning of book 1, but it gets really exciting later on!Those sound like great recommendations!! The last two authors' books are definitely on my to-read list, but the rest are new to me! OH, what did they think of Redeeming Love? I haven't watched it yet... I know some Christian fiction fans are really excited, but I also know that critics were really, really harsh about it.
Fascinating. Thanks for the recommendation! Have you read Dust by Kara Swanson? I haven't but I hear it's really good and published by Enclave. Oh! Have you heard of Etania's Worth by M.H. Elrich? Or perhaps Starganauts by C.E. Stone?Awesome! And my parents really appreciated the message and thought it very good. I wouldn't be surprised that critics were harsh about it. I tend to go against what critics deem "enjoyable" anyway.
Oh, yes, I've heard Dust is great as well!!! I bought that as well as preordered Shadow, so I'm quite excited to get into the series! I think I'm Goodreads friends with M.H. Elrich, if I remember correctly! Have you read her work?Okay, that's encouraging! I definitely want to watch it for myself and see what I think. :)
That's really cool! It seems interesting. I'm also super picky with retellings. XD The only retelling I've really enjoyed has been the Jane Austen Diaries by Jenni James, and her Faerie Tale Collection.Oh okay, neat! I'm currently reading an ARC of Etania's Calling.
Why not? Might as well try. It's worth it, no doubt. More Christian Historical fiction books should be made into movies.
I love retellings the same way I love fantasy! Tolkien will always be my favorite, but I just feel really comfortable reading books that are retellings and/or fantasy.Yes, I agree!! Do you ever watch Hallmark movies? What's really funny is that I've actually never seen one before!
The reason for me is because I already know what's going to happen, so that's why I read them hardly at all. However, there have been exceptions, as I mentioned. I tend to stick with fantasy books from several years ago. It depends heavily on content.I . . . don't recall ever watching one. Maybe once, but not in recent memory. I haven't seen many movies lately. The most recent ones have been Spies in Disguise, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. I don't watch movies or shows much anyway.
I see! That makes sense to me, I suppose! Are you planning on reading Dust anytime soon? I'd love to buddy read it with you if you'd like!Oh wow! Was Spider-Man: No Way Home the one that only just came out? There was... Homecoming, Far From Home, and then No Way Home, right? I think I got that right :D
I don't know when I'll read it. I'm so focused on tutoring and my book stuff--plus, I'm currently reading What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon and the other one--Girl of the Limberlost. But I'll certainly let you know when I plan on it. :)Yes. No Way Home came out back in December, I believe. You got it! Haha--I enjoyed No Way Home a lot.
Oh, that's alright... Don't worry about it, then, but if you do ever pick it up to read, I'd love to read it with you :)Oh, I know my sisters watched it together, but I was quite sick when it came out. I'll have to watch it sometime in the near future!
Sounds good. Have you read anything else by that author?I see. It was thoroughly entertaining and had great messages.
By Kara Swanson? I believe she only just has Dust and Shadow and then a novella called The Girl Who Could See or something like that.Thanks for letting me know! I'll definitely watch it :)
Yes. Have you read those? I've been told The Girl Who Could See is really good.You're welcome! ^^
Haha no, I'm planning on reading both Dust and Shadow this year (I'm almost scared to, though, because I'm worried I won't like it!), and if I love that series, then I might buy the novella. :)
Oh nice! Well--per words I've heard family say--if you let your fear about something keep you from doing it, why concern yourself with it then? I mean, I definitely understand, but unless you try it, you won't know.
That is very true!!! My plans are definitely to read the duology sometime this year! Probably at a time when I feel like I'm deserving of a reward (aka a good book!).
Hahaha! I get that. It's nice to wind down with a good book. Grab a coke slushy and read a book. XD
Yassssss I love that!! I'm reading 1984 right now and it's torturing me. I definitely need a nicer book after I'm done XD
Oh heavens. 1984?! Yeah, no thanks! XD Too gloomy and accurate to nowadays. You got another book in stalk?
Ahhh yes, I don't know what I was thinking, rereading it!! I just finished a few minutes ago. It is so, so depressing. I think I'm probably going to rate it 3 stars... It gets three for the dystopian warning message, but I honestly hate some parts of it!
Hahahaha! Ehh, I've done that before, thinking a book would be better/different the second time around. Well, it's a dystopian. They're normally depressing. Maze Runner and For Darkness Shows the Stars were the least depressing ones I'd read. Well, Big Brother is real! No wonder you would hate it certain parts.
I began the Maze Runner audiobook a few years ago, but something malfunctioned so I had to stop in the first chapter. :( Have you read 1984 as well?
Ah, dang. That's annoying. I have not . . . never had an interest, but I know the premise. A friend of mine read it years ago and said she was traumatized. @_@ Lol
Haha, yes, it is quite traumatizing!! There's some super, super insightful stuff in there, but there's also some not-so-great stuff.
I'm guessing the insightful stuff is information on what we DON'T want in society. XD How violent is it?
Yep! You got that right! :) Hmm... I actually didn't mind the violence very much. There's some bombings, beatings, talk of war/genocide/death, etc. Some of that is graphic but not disturbingly so. It's more the psychology aspect. The book messes with your mind... It just makes you feel so weighed down!
I see. Oh yeah, I get that! The Hunger Games did that to me. I felt depressed after reading the first book so I stopped after it. I don't like feeling weighed down after reading a book. Graphic violence does make me feel icky as well, though.
So cool that fantasy's your favorite genre... It's mine as well!