My Top Ten Books of 2015

Christmas is right around the corner. So is New Years. Because of that, I thought maybe I should drop by and give you the best books I read in the year of 2015...

10. Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke

One of the best I've read from Mrs. Oke. This book had little pieces of wisdom I enjoyed stumbling upon. And that Christmas scene with Edward and the scarf? Yeah, that was fun.



9. Secret of the Lost Settlement by John J. Horn

I reread this in August, I think. I was again brought to tears and impressed by the amazing message. It was gritty, adventurous, heart-pounding, and even humorous in rare moments.

 




















8. The Island Queen by R.M. Ballantyne

When three ship-wrecked siblings end up on an island that's deserted, more castaways show up, and a 'government' forms, you're in for a fun ride! I liked this book a lot - it's one of the best of Ballantyne's! It was very humorous and lots of fun! I smiled through almost a whole chapter. Yup. That happened. ;)



7. Becoming Nikki by Ashley Elliot

This book was really cool! The main characters were, interestingly enough, brother and sister. They're broken relationship needs mending - little do they think that a horrible accident will become the starting point. I really enjoyed the story and some of the characters. It was funny, touching, and sweet.



6. The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Man, this book. I cried multiple times. I saw World War II in a whole new light - it changed my perspective on the time. The Hiding Place was highly interesting, engaging, touching, and had such a great message.



5. The Heart of Arcrea by Nicole Sager

Surprisingly, this one made it on the list. I say surprisingly because as I read each book in the Arcrean Conquest series, the one I had just finished became my favorite Arcrean book. However, after months of not really thinking about the books, I thought about them again and ended up realizing that the first novel in the series, The Heart of Arcrea, was, honestly, the best. We're introduced to fun characters and taken along a sometimes agonizing but interesting and life-changing journey. I loved the way that Druet, the hero of the tale, followed God's leading. Not many books have that in it, and I thought it was really cool. Plus, it's fantasy - a really fun, non-magical fantasy in a land that is seriously unique. You won't forget it.



4. Fighting the Flames: A Tale of the London Fire Brigade by R.M. Ballantyne

A book about the London Fire Brigade in the mid-1800s? How cool is that!? I really enjoyed reading this. I loved the story and Willie Willders, one of the main characters. It was interesting and fun and one of the best by Ballantyne I've read.

 


 
















3. Millie's Steadfast Love by Martha Finley

Granted, I did re-read this one, (okay, okay! And the one below...), but I loved it all over again. The characters and the story are so fun. I adore this book. The Millie Keith series holds a special place on my ever burgeoning bookshelves.



2. Brothers at Arms: Treasure and Treachery in the Amazon by John J. Horn

This book has been one of my favorite novels for a few years now. It still holds a very special place in my heart and is one of the best books I have read to date. Fun, heart-pounding adventure, charming characters, exotic locations... It's incredibly fun, and I'm so looking forward to rereading it AGAIN with my younger brother.



















1. To Get to You by Joanne Bischoff

This book is all about redemption, grace, and second chances. Though the message isn't forced, it seeps into the crevasses of the story (and your heart). I enjoyed it a lot! The characters were fun, and the whole road-trip/broken-son-and-father-relationship story was fantastic and really well done. Intertwined was an adorable romance between the unlikely hero and the homeschooled heroine. (Yes, she's homeschooled.) Super cute.



And theeeeeeeere you have it! The top ten books that I read this year. Totally check 'em all out, and totally let me know if you do. (Or if you've already read any of the above books, and if you liked them as much as I did!) ;)

They all come recommended (and I've reviewed most of them too. Either here, on my blog, or on Goodreads.)

That's all for now, but be on the lookout for another 'Top Ten' post!

Merry Christmas!

~Micaiah K.~

To Get to You (Book Review)

To Get to You
By: Joanna Bischof
Rating: 5 stars
Ages: maybe 13 and up (read aloud), and 15 and up (reading by yourself)

To get to the girl he loves, Riley Kane must head off on a road trip with the father he never knew. Then pray for a miracle.

Most teens would love to have a pro surfer for a dad. Just not Riley. Abandoned as a kid, he hates the sound of the ocean and the man who gave himself to it.

When the eighteen-year-old learns that his best friend is stranded at a New Mexico hospital as her father fights for his life, Riley hits the highway to head east. But when his Jeep breaks down before he even leaves California, he must rely on the one man he despises to get to the girl who needs him the most. And when it comes to the surfer with the Volkswagen van and dog-eared map, a thousand miles may–or may not–be enough to heal the past.

A story of new beginnings and second chances.

To Get to You is all about grace and redemption and second-chances. It's filled with fun moments that will make you grin. It was well done, highly enjoyable, and realistic. The message seeped into the crevasses of the story and was beautiful. Oh, I loved this book! It was so sweet.

The road-trip, father-son relationship, Hawaii/surfing elements all drew me to this book. Those things seemed like they'd contribute to a really engaging, lovable story. And they did. My guess was correct-a-mundo. ;)

Riley Kane's point of view in itself is engaging too. Joanne never switched to another POV - but she didn't need to. She showed you all of the characters' emotions (other than Riley's), and didn't need their POV to do so. 

And Riley was fun. I mean, he was SO completely different than any other hero that I've encountered! Yup, he wears skull shirts sometimes and is trying desperately to make his mohawk grow out faster - but what made him great is that, despite all of his seemingly flawed points, inside he's hurting and he's broken, but he's letting God change that. He's becoming a new person on the inside. He's a work-in-progress (you gotta love him). But aren't we all?

OKAY. Becca. She's really cute. She's homeschooled, and she wears long skirts, and she lives with her family - and loves it. Honestly, I really like the way that she and Riley could be considered opposites, but they fall for each other and  are so good for each other. Becca believes in Riley the entire time - no matter what he tells her about himself, she's always open and she accepts him as he truly is. Super sweet.

The romance was kinda adorable. I really love the opening scenes. COME ON! Snowy night, tree lot, Christmas music...Riley grudgingly being a gentleman and helping Becca with the tree? SO CUTE and so well-written. Descriptions were fantastic. And I loved the part where Riley accidentally says something on a message to Becca (I can't reveal what that something is because it's completely fun and I don't want to spoil it for anybody) and then realizes what he just said. <3 

Saul? Perfect addition to the road trip - thank you, Joanne, for creating a goofy Mexican character that loves his audio book. He was great.

Descriptions, writing style, characters... Joanne hit a home run. This book is amazing. I loved it. And to top it all off, my mom read it to me and my siblings in one day. All in a day. And, just to warn you, food is mentioned quite frequently. (So don't read this book while fasting. Which is...yeah...what my family and I did. THOSE DESCRIPTIONS! It's hilarious though, because I've never noticed the mention of food so much in a book. However...we survived.)

The whole message was great. What can I say? I love books that have bold messages. And this one was very well written and touching. Relationships are healed, people are changed.... And it's all set in a completely fun location, with fun happenings, great characters, and a great plot. 

Overall, this story will touch you. It's really, really good. And it comes recommended (I hope that was obvious!) ;) 

Looking forward to book #2... 

Buy To Get to You on Amazon, or on Barnes and Noble.Visit Joanne Bischof at her website, her GoodReads, her blog, or her Twitter. 

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

GUYS! It's Jane Austen tag! And all of you reading this right now...consider yourself nominated. Yup. You are tagged to do this on your own blog.


So, to start off, I'll say that I haven't read many of Miss Austen's books. Or watched a bunch of the movies. I think I've seen two versions of Pride and Prejudice, the 2009 edition of Emma, and the newest version of Persuasion. And I've read Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion (which was my favorite of her novels so far). I guess that's not too bad...but I also don't think I can call myself an avid fan. I'll be answering all the below questions with those books and movies in mind.

Nontheless, I've decided to do this post. (Mostly 'cause I like Pride and Prejudice.)

I've added a few questions of my own making that were not originally in the tag, and there weren't any rules on the blog I got this from about this tag, so here goes...

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a Jane Austen fan do you consider yourself?

Oh, gosh...maybe a three or four? As I mentioned above, I've only read three of her books and seen four of the movies. Plus, I mostly just really like Pride and Prejudice. ;)

Talk about awkward. ;)

If "they" would make a new Jane Austen Movie, and you would be able to be cast in it, which Jane Austen character would you most like to play?

Elizabeth or her sister, Jane. I like both of those characters! I think I'm a little like Jane, but probably not strikingly so.

Is there any felicity in the world superior to a walk?

Absolutely! Like listening to music, or rock climbing, or hiking in the snow... Many things are superior to walking. ;)

Who's your favourite Jane Austen 'villain'? (As in 'villain' meaning 'the bad guy.')

Thinking about it, I realize that most of Jane Austen's villains are similar. But I must say Willoughby - not that I really liked him or anything, but I felt a twinge of compassion for him in the end of Sense and Sensibility. And Mr. Wickham wasn't extremely dimensional. Neither was Mr. Elliot. And I'm really not sure who was supposed to be the bad guy in Emma. Maybe there just wasn't one...?

Is he the bad guy?

Or is it him?

What/Who introduced you to Jane Austen?

My sister, Ashley. I think we watched a lesser-known version of Pride and Prejudice first, and then we watched the 2005 version together. I found the first version we watched really drawn out and rather boring. I know the 2005 movie isn't as close to the book as some other editions, but I still really enjoy it. It's not so very different. ;)

Did you love/enjoy Jane Austen immediately, or has there been a time when you hated (um, prejudged) it?

I didn't at first, because I watched a really boring version of Pride and Prejudice, but then I fell in love with the 2005 movie. And now I've read several of her books, Persuasion being the best.

(What can I say? The whole time I was reading Pride and Prejudice I was thinking of moments in the movie.... That's also probably the reason why I don't remember a whole lot about the book. It's kind of a blur.)

Who, in your opinion, is the funniest Jane Austen character?

Mr. Collins, the Bennetts' cousin. He's annoying, but funnily so.

Do you quote Jane Austen randomly in public?

Emma and Mr. Knightley

Never. Just to my siblings. ;) Actually, I don't think I quote Jane Austen... But we randomly quote movies of all different sorts whenever we feel like it. Mostly just my younger brother and I, though. It's quite fun, because we've done it (and do it) so much that we can now finish the quote the other started. ;)

(He has also memorized a quote from my favorite book, which he hasn't read yet.)

Are children allowed to eat cake on weddings?

OF COURSE!

What is your reaction when you hear that an aquaintance (e.g. A lady at Church) of yours loves Jane Austen?

I've never had this happen, so I can't say. I would probably wonder what movie and character is her favorite. ('Cause I'm like that. Into details and such.) ;)

Who writes better letters, Mr. Darcy or Captain Wentworth? (If you forgot what the letters were, shame on you. Instead, tell me if you prefer strawberries to chocolate or not.)

I remember, indeed. Okay, so I love Mr. Darcy, but Captain Wentworth totally wins this one. His letter is pretty sweet. (It's also not a slightly bitter explanation of unfortunate events.)

Captain Wentworth and Anne

Which Jane Austen heroine do you relate the least to?

Of the ones I know, probably Anne Elliott from Persuasion. She's so very composed. I don't think I would act the way she did around Captain Wentworth if I were her! Her situation was slightly horrible and very, very uncomfortable. But maybe I could. Her troubles would honestly be devastating though. Especially when she's watching Captain Wentworth spend so much time with her relatives (the girls!) and thinking he's falling for one. That would just be...SO sad.

What's your favourite Jane Austen house (from one of the movies)?

PEMBERLY!

From the movies I've seen, I guess Emma's in the 2009 version, or Mr. Darcy's in the 2005 version. (I really like the outside of his... So much space! Side note: I really like the scene when Elizabeth pulls up to Mr. Darcy's house in the carriage with her aunt and uncle. Her face is funny. I can imagine her thinking This could have been MY home. I could have lived here! And this is after she so rudely rejected him.)

What's your favourite Jane Austen dress (from one of the movies)?

Honestly...I don't really know! I haven't seen many dresses in the movies that I've really liked, but perhaps one of Emma's. (2009)

Can you turn off lit candles with your fingers? (Not sure what's goin' on with this question...)

Sure, I can. I've done it (but I don't really care to).

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice

Who's your favorite heroine of Jane Austen's?

Elizabeth Bennett!

Hero?

Mr. Darcy. I like Captian Wentworth and Mr. Knightley too though.

Favorite book and movie?

For the book, I think Persuasion. And then the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, o' course.

What character do you least like?

I think Lydia tops all in horrible-ness.

Well, that's it! To wrap...

Merry Christmas!

We can finally say that again! ;)

What Jane Austen book or movie is your favorite? Are you a fan? Do you like the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice?

~Micaiah~

Grace Triumphant and an Interview with the Author

Hey, all! Today is special because...

Grace Triumphant: A Tale of the Slave Trade has released!!! This is the seventh book written by Alicia Willis, who I have been privileged to be internet-friends with over the last year and a half or so. I have read all (yep...all) six of her already-published novels. My favorite? Rising to the Challenge: A Tale of Perseverance and Unconditional Love (which I got to beta-read for last winter - that was sure a cool experience!).

It also happens to be Alicia's 24th birthday today, so happy birthday!

And I'm going to soon be reading Grace Triumphant... (I'm looking forward to that! It sounds like an interesting, faith-based tale.)

Without further ado, here's the books synopsis, an interview with Alicia, and links to where you can find her new book (and the author herself).

Synopsis:

Profligate London, 1788. Slave ships haunt the seas, bearing human cargos to further the wealth of the rich and destroy the souls of the slave traffickers.

Russell Lawrence is an avid skeptic. Captain of the slave ship Barbados, wealthy, and a respected leader, he views religion as a crutch for the weak. But when the debauchery of the slave trade begins to destroy his good morals, his battle becomes more than fighting pirates and mutineers. What if there really is a God?

Impressed as a cabin boy, Jack Dunbar sees his forced service on the Barbados as a God-given opportunity to witness Christ to the crew. But his efforts to influence the hardened slavers seems to be doing little good. How is it possible to live as a Christian on the sin-ravaged seas? Can his light shine bright in Africa's dark interior?

Back in Grosvenor Square, Elizabeth Grey battles opposition from society and her self-seeking fiancé. Her work with John Newton to end the slave trade is being harshly attacked. She faces life branded as a jilter and radical if she stands up for what she believes in. Will she ever glean the strength to call sin by its rightful name?

A tale of adventure on the high seas, redemption, and faith. Sin abounds. Is grace enough to conquer doubt and triumph over evil?
  
(Doesn't this sound good?)

BUY GRACE TRIUMPHANT HERE.

Book trailer:

Interview time!

MK: Hi, Alicia! Welcome to Adventures Beyond the Horizon. Congratulations on your book's release! Could you start by telling a little bit about yourself?  

Alicia: Thank you for having me! I am a 24 year-old Independent Baptist, engaged to the most wonderful man in the world. When I am not writing or doing research, I enjoy being the church pianist, a Sunday School teacher, music teacher, and coffee connoisseur. My fiance and I are to be married, Lord willing, on February 13 of 2016. We are called to full-time ministry as missionaries with an emphasis on the deaf.

MK: What inspired Grace Triumphant?  

Alicia: The story of Amazing Grace, John Newton, and William Wilberforce were my sources of inspiration. 

MK: Were there any ways in which you were encouraged or challenged in your faith-walk while writing this?  

Alicia: One cannot write a story about the slave trade and God's amazing grace without being entirely blown away by our awesome God!

MK: What is one thing you're hoping readers will take away from this book? 

Alicia: I hope readers will understand God's amazing grace, forgiveness, and love. I also hope to clear up the misconceptions about the slave trade and understand the racism on both sides. 

MK: What does your writing process look like - do you outline and write everything down, or are you more of a mental planner? (I tend to fall into the latter category...but then again, I outline in my head.) ;)

Alicia: I am a panster. Towards the end of the book, I outlined a little bit, just to bring the loose ends together. However, I am a strong believer in allowing the characters to tell their own story. 

MK: Do you have a favorite book/author?

Alicia: Modern or classic? Oh, Florence Kingsley is my favorite classical author. And I love Erynn Mangum, Sarah Varland, Anne Mateer, and John J. Horn.

MK: Yes, John J. Horn is really an amazing author - I agree with you there! Okay, Alicia, we must know... Do you have a favorite character from Grace Triumphant? Whose story did you enjoy writing the most? (Or can you just not pick?)

Alicia: That is hard! I had a difficult time "feeling" Jack at first, but, as he matured, he really grew on me. I loved Russell from the start and could totally understand him, which is funny, seeing as he is a skeptic! And my heart went out to Elizabeth the entire time. So, I cannot really pick a favorite!

MK: What is your favorite time period - to write or to read about? (I kinda fell in love with the Victorian era when I read Martha Finley's updated A Life of Faith series...and I still love it!) 

Alicia: The Middle Ages would be number one. But ancient Rome is a favorite too! I mostly enjoy writing about those eras, but have found a few books centered around those times that I have enjoyed reading too! 

MK: And, lastly, what inspires you to write - and keep writing? 

Alicia: I love history. And I want to bring glory to God! Weaving God-centered tales around fascinating historical eras always inspires me! 

MK: Thank you so much for stopping by, Alicia! 


Find Alicia on...

Amazon
Facebook
Her blog 
Goodreads
Her website
And her Google+ account

Buy the book (get it signed! That's always a plus!), read it, and enjoy it! I will hopefully (maybe) be posting a review of it once I get my signed copy - and the specially included tea! 

Until next time...

MK 

Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

WINTER JAM. In two words: incredibly fun. I mean, seriously...if you EVER get a chance to go, then go. And be sure to get in on Jam Nation.

Winter Jam 2015 was amazing. So cool. A lot cooler than Winter Jam 2014. Partially because....we got Jam Nation passes. So we got in an hour and a half early and got really great aisle seats on the floor. (And, as you'll see later on in this post, it was a great idea to take the aisle seats.)

Our city, Spokane, was the last stop on the Winter Jam tour of this year, and it's getting close to Christmas, so two of the artists played special Christmas songs for us.

Anyways. Story is:

Sunday, November 15th at 3:15pm we headed to the Arena from my big bro's house (it's about five minutes away). Jam Nation entrance begins at 3:30 and ends at 4:30, so we were just getting there a little early. ;) We arrived, payed for parking, and, confused, sought the special entrance we knew was there for Jam Nation members. We joined a mom and her son (who was 6"3 he said, so he was officially and exactly one foot taller than me) who were also part of Jam Nation and didn't know where to go. But we got directions, and were soon in line. Then through the doors.

We grabbed aisle seats on the floor level, and then Mom and I headed back to the main entrance/outer area to buy a few CDs. (At the end o' the night we ended up with four new CDs - two from Newsong, and then the self-titled albums from Stars Go Dim, who are really good and whose lead singer's voice actually reminds me of the lead singer's voice of Royal Tailor, and We Are Messengers, who are also good.) Once back in our seats, we waited patiently and got to enjoy a short Question and Answer session with none other than Jamie Grace (she's cool, by the way), Lincoln Brewster, and Darrin Mulligan, the Irish lead singer of We Are Messengers. And during the Q&A, guess who sat in nearly the back of the section that we were in? Zach Oswald from OBB! I was just really...shocked...I guess you could say, to see him. Just because I've seen in YouTube videos and stuff, but then he was there. In person. Sitting somewhere behind us. And I kinda like OBB. SO, yeah, that happened.

(OBB is a band with three brothers: Zach (lead singer), Jacob (guitar), and Nich (drums).)

Then the pre-show bands started playing. They included: Stars Go Dim, We Are Messengers, and OBB. And, during OBB's fun performance, the drummer, Nich, ran through the aisles to get to a little circular stage they had in the middle of the floor area. He was high-fiving people as he ran by, and I got high-fived! :) He kinda high-fived hard, but whatever. It was cool. ;)

Here's a picture of OBB:



From left to right it's Jacob, Zach, and then Nich. Now ya know who high-fived me. ;)

(You can check out their YouTube channel here.)

The rest of the show included lots of yelling/singing, hand-clapping, arm-raising, and music. ;) Love and the Outcome started off the official show for us. I can't remember the correct order of everybody, but I know that the last three artists to perform went in this order: for KING & COUNTRY (they were great. I almost got high-fived by Joel.), Jamie Grace, and then Skillet. Skillet did some cool stuff with fire and raised platforms. (The dummer was raised on a platform, and the platform was also spinning, and she was drumming at the same time.) And John Cooper, the lead singer, did a bit of talking, and he even attempted Flynn Rider's smolder...though, he didn't really succeed. ;) He seemed like a really, very cool person.

Sadie Robertson was there too! It was neat to see her in person! :) She talked a little bit about having confidence in God and putting your happiness in Him, instead of your boyfriend or maybe your popularity at school, etc. Something funny she had said started with talking about the angels who circle God's throne and say 'Holy, holy, holy!' She said, "When you put your boyfriend in the middle (on the throne), you start to realize he's not 'holy, holy, holy' and you ain't happy, happy, happy!" I laughed at that. ;) Quoting Phil! :)

And I saw Moriah Peters up on stage once when they had people come up (other artists) to do a little 'dance party' for less than a minute. She's Joel Smallbone's (for KING & COUNTRY's lead singer) wife. She's also an artist herself.

Overall, being in Jam Nation at Winter Jam was great. And Winter Jam was amazing. Totally going back...next year. With passes. There's no going back from passes. ;)

All the bands that were there:

Stars Go Dim
We Are Messengers
OBB
Love and the Outcome
Family Force 5
Newsong
Jamie Grace
for KING & COUNTRY
Skillet
Lincoln Brewster

Here's a link to Winter Jam's website. They've already announced cities and dates for the east coast, so if you're over there, just go. It's an amazing and unforgettable experience! Oh, and Sidewalk Prophets is joining them - and their new CD is really good. Seriously good!

(There are loud noises, though. Skillet stopped once in the middle of a song. No lights, no music. Then a huge bang resounded throughout the arena and they started the song up again! Craziness. But good craziness.)

That is all.

Until next time... (which will most likely be *sneak-peek alert* a special release-day post for Grace Triumphant: A Tale of the Slave Trade and hopefully an interview with the authoress, Alicia A. Willis, on November 23rd.)

~Micaiah~

P.S. Barnes and Noble is sending me just too many coupons. I can't keep up! ;) But they're great. The membership is SO worth the $25 a year they make you pay. I could spend that much on shipping alone! And then they send you coupons... And, besides, B&N is lots of fun to go to just to sit in the cafe and read. While drinking coffee. And perhaps eating a very, very, very crumbly blueberry muffin that is super airy and doesn't really hold it's shape after you've taken the first chunk out of it with your fork.

Adventurers, this is me. ;)

Becoming Nikki (Book Review)

Becoming Nikki
By: Ashley Elliot
Rating: 4.5 stars 
Ages: 12 and up

From the back cover: 

"What would you do if you were given the opportunity to rebuild a broken relationship?

Alec and Nikki Scott are the perfect ice dancing duo, executing flawless technique and brilliant performance abillities each time they compete. No one doubts their camaraderie, not even their closest friends.

But looks can be deceiving. Off the ice, their relationship is in shambles. Ice dancing is the only thing they have in common anymore...and Alec wants to quit. 

Just as Nikki feels like their relationship can't get any worse, an unexpected tragedy crashes into her life. She's left struggling with a difficult choice as her opinion of her brother slowly starts to change.

Whatever she decides, she knows her life will never be the same."

Becoming Nikki is a fantastic book. It's one of the best I've read this year. I highly enjoyed the plot, and the message, and really just the unfolding of the whole story. 

Starting out, I wasn't super interested... I had bought three books, so I decided to hop into another one. Little did I know that this book was going to be so good! (And was it, indeed!)

Once I started reading again, I was pretty much hooked. It didn't take long for everything to start rolling. And I finished it the next day. (Yes, I did finish two books in two days...) ;)

I really, really liked the plot. I know I mentioned this above, but it's worth mentioning twice. Ice dancing? it's a really unique take to a book, especially since anything with ice dancing is normally in movie form. But it was really well done. I could tell that the author took the time to do some research. Though, most of the time I generally had no clue what move the two main characters were performing, the way Elliot describes it makes it seem much more authentic. I also thought it was rather cool that Becoming Nikki was inspired by Charlie White and Meryl Davis. 

I loved the unfolding of Alec and Nikki's relationship. Elliot did a really great job with this. Things progressed realistically. It was paced well, too. You get to see some of what their relationship is like before the accident, and then flashbacks tell more later on in the story. (The accident was nicely done, too!)

Their relationship was really so adorable. It was really nice to find a book that was not a romance - it was just a story about a  brother and sister. I really enjoyed all of the special moments between Alec and Nikki, like when they play the football game at the family get-together and he chooses her first. Or when he takes her to lunch and then on a surprise visit to the fair. (And Natalie and Bennett and Dylan show up. And Bennett is seriously goofy. And Dylan was great. Natalie? I have a feeling I'd probably be her in this book...) ;)

Overall, I can't describe Becoming Nikki well enough. This book is really good. It was well done, incredibly realistic, and just a whole lot of fun, along with having a much-needed message included about treasuring our relationships with our siblings. 

(AND I normally don't go for Contemporary fiction, but this was way better than most!) 

Job well-done, Ashley Elliot! This book comes recommended. :)