Favorite Adventure Books + Giveaway Winners! (Two Year Anniversay #3)

Hello, blog readers! Guess what today is? Yup. It's my official blogiversary. *cheers* Two years of craziness talking and rambling about life, books, and other such things. Here's to more years of adventuring.

And, I know, I didn't post yesterday, but to make up for it, today I've got my top five adventure books, and the WINNERS OF THE GIVEAWAY! 

Ready for the winners!?

Julia Ryan wins Hundred More Years and Allie D. wins When Calls the Heart!!! Congratulations, guys!!! I'll email you shortly! 

And, as promised, I've got my top five adventure books. (I'm sure my fellow readers can sympathize with how tough it was to make this list.) Now, adventure books are some of my favorites - Historical Adventure Fiction if one of my favorite genres, but I was surprised to see that, on reflection, quite a few of the books I've read haven't been adventure, necessarily. And, actually, four of the five books I've chosen for this list I read this year. I mean, Brothers at Arms was a reread, but rereads count. ;) Adventure may be my favorite type of book to read, but I also enjoy a wide range of other types of books, which is fun. Diversity is good, don't you think?

Without further ado, here they are (and in no particular order, 'cause, ya know, I have a hard time picking favorites anymore...):

#1 Facing Up by Bear Grylls

You guys, it's BEAR GRYLLS. He is basically adventure in a person. ;) I was a bit of a fan of Bear before I read this book, so I enjoyed getting to watch (or read...) his journey before, on, and briefly after Everest. It was fun, it was informative, and it kept my interest. I was also happy to read the glimpses he gives of his faith and his family.

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

Guns, treasure, British twins, evil, undercover villains, Peru, the Victorian era, crazy natives. Yep. This book combines all that, and in a fun, edge-of-your-seat kind of way. Chester and Lawrence are such opposites, so they work through situations incredibly well together - Law comes up with the plans, but he couldn't very well execute them without Chester's brawn and knowledge of weaponry. Plus, their bantering and slight arguments are funny.

#3 Blink of an Eye by Ted Dekker

Blink of an Eye captured me almost immediately. With an unconventional heroine and an unlikely hero, this thriller shines with on-the-edge-of-your-seat chases, near captures, and the hero's sudden bout of clairvoyance. Seth, the hero, was the best character, just because of his backstory and who he was on the inside - really sweet and caring and protective because of what had happened to him. I didn't want to put this down. Yup. Not recommended for the faint of heart. ;)

 #4 The Young Fur Traders by R.M. Ballantyne

Any of Ballantyne's books are adventurous - it's just how and what he wrote. There are always bad guys versus good guys, a little bit of a message, dangerous situations, some type of wilderness (be it forest or city or jungle), some action scenes... But this one, on top of being filled with the adventures and maybe impetuousness of two boys setting out on their first trip as voyagers in the dense forests of Canada, also included cute, humorous moments and fun characters. (I mean, Fighting the Flames, too! That and The Young Fur Traders are my two favorite Ballantyne books.) And that ending? So funny. I laughed, I smiled, and I enjoyed myself.

#5 God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew

Yes, another adventurous autobiography. Because this book gripped me and touched me and made me tear up. I loved it. And it's on my to-read-again-sometime list. ;) Andrew goes through crazy situations, always pulling through and showing up on the other side. God intervenes in his life in amazing ways, and it was really cool to see.

I did really have a hard time picking the last one! Because there were other candidates up for the job. I mean, Secret of the Lost Settlement by John J. Horn was full of action and intense adventure; the Arcrean Conquest series was riddled with fun characters, interesting plot arcs, faith, mystery, and it's fantasy - which is fun; Take This Cup was an interesting, unique story of a young boy destined by God to be the bearer of Jesus' cup at His last Passover, and it brought to my attention connections and things in the Bible that I'd never noticed before...and that is always fun. But I decided, and I *whisper* hope I made the right decision. ;)

What is your favorite genre (or genres!) to read? Do you like adventure novels? Have you read any of the above books (even the ones I mentioned but didn't include)? Let me know in the comments! 

And to the winners of my giveaway: another huge congrats! I hope you enjoy. <3

 

Secret of the Lost Settlement: The Duty of Warriors (Book Review)

Secret of the Lost Settlement: The Duty of Warriors
By: John J. Horn
Rating: 4 stars
Ages: 13/14 and up (for violence, mention of disturbing Roman practices, and overall mature themes)

As most of you probably know by now, John J. Horn is my favorite author. He's an incredible writer, and I'm a huge fan. Brothers at Arms? Easily my favorite fictional book. Each of his novels weave together adventure, heart-pounding action, humor, and a whole lot of great story-telling, along with Christian morals and faith messages.

But Secret of the Lost Settlement was so completely different than his last two books. The message was bold and John didn't shy away from delving into it. The message is what this book is all about. The duty of warriors? This is it.

I think that's sort of what I loved about it.

I cried, I laughed, and I hurt. Both times I've read it I've been entwined into the character's lives and the story. Horn has an amazing writing style - he knows how to craft a well-told tale. All of his books are adrenaline-pumping adventures set in exotic locations.

You know what, I'll take a detour and talk about locations for a sec. (Random? Maybe a little.)

All three books in this series have really amazing settings - the jungles of Peru, the frozen steppes of Siberia, and the icy mountain ranges of Greenland. (Now, whenever I hear someone talking about Peru or Siberia, I perk up...haha!) I love the settings!

Back to Secret. 

The characters? Almost all of them are back - with a few new additions, of course. Colonel Nobody, ever his super-serious self, is even more so in this book - but for a reason. All of the trials that Noble goes through in this novel he deals with incredibly well. He stands strong, and in the midst of it all he still is gallant and brave. 

Now, Law: he is so different in this book! He's matured. There's a part near the end where he steps up to save Pacarina, and he fights Roman soldiers by himself. He fights soldiers. If you guys have read Brothers at Arms, then you'll know why this is so cool.

Chester is ever his impetuous, fun-loving self. And he gets an upgrade on The Eyesore, much to Lawrence's chagrin. (Love it!) Chester is such a great character.

Jacques and O'Malley? Well, I can safely say they haven't changed much, even in the midst of being outlawed. Jacques doesn't take to Chester very well (but then he finds out who the Stonings are in relation to his beloved Colonel Nobody, and things quickly turn in the opposite direction). 

John handles his themes well, never going into so much detail you would want to put the book down. There are much more mature elements in this book because of the Romans and their horrid practices, but again, they're handled pretty well. 

I must admit I was a little disappointed that the series suddenly became much more serious overall in this novel. I suppose I was expecting something different. There's the always-present humor that I love about John's novels, but it feels heavier, was a bit darker.  It's not my favorite of the series, but it was still good, still John's improbable type of plot and story.

(The improbability is one of my favorite things about his novels.)

Why I Recommend This:

The message; the characters; the story. The message...of doing the right thing, making the right choice, even when the outcome isn't what you'd hoped it would be. The characters...who stand strong when the odds seem impossible. They don't give up. They fight for the right and for the innocent and for the just cause. The story...which will most likely touch you deeply and leave you in tears. 

It's a historical, adventurous, God-honoring, sometimes nerve-racking ride that you won't soon forget.  

Buy the book here, on Amazon Kindle.

Happy reading,

~Micaiah~

Brothers at Arms: Treasure and Treachery in the Amazon (Book Review)

Brothers at Arms: Treasure and Treachery in the Amazon
By: John J. Horn
Rating: 5 stars (because I love this book even after reading it four times)
Ages: 12/13 and up (for mild violence and some description of deaths)

This book is amazing, for more reasons than one. This is John Horn at his best. 

Brothers at Arms: Treasure and Treachery in the Amazon is my favorite fictional novel. It combines action, adventure, multi-dimensional (and undercover) villains, suspense, God-honoring principles, and even the smallest bit of clean romance.

The twins, Law and Chester Stoning, are so fun. They've become two of my favorite characters. Law's studious and charming (in his own sort of way); Chester is gallant and brave and has a bit of impetuosity in him. Working together, they beat seemingly impossible odds - with Lawrence's knack for planning escapes and Chester's mastery of gun and dagger. I love it - that Law plans, and Chester does the actual fighting part. (But Law gets better.) And I love how their relationship changes over the course of the story - from being brothers who don't get along to friends and true comrades. I love the unique way Chester talks and the brothers' dialogue with each other throughout the book. And the Eyesore? That's just fantastic!

The plot and writing are simply amazing. I really enjoyed the setting changes - from England to the steaming jungles of Peru. John has chosen unique settings for each of his books, and they're big parts of the story itself. It makes the series a lot of fun.

It's funny to think that after having read this three times already, the last time I read it (being time #4), I still noticed something I hadn't before. I think sometimes I read too fast, so I miss fun details. Like the scene in the cave when the villain (I won't mention a name, just so I don't spoil anything) tosses the heroine, Pacarina, to the side, and Law catches her and hugs her. I mean, I hadn't even known that was there! It was a really sweet moment that I fortunately caught the fourth time around. 

(Let this be a lesson to me to read slower and enjoy the detailing in all stories!) ;)

And the epilogue? It's such a great part of the book! I am really very happy that John included that! :)

The thing about the Men of Grit series, but particularly Brothers at Arms, that I love so much is the adventure - it's fast-paced, heart-pounding, and just plain fun to read. And Horn always adds a bit of humor. (Which is also incredibly fun.)

Law and Chester learn lessons in this book. They change and grow. They face trials, but they overcome them, all the while being chivalrous and brave. This book is what the world needs more of, honestly. It's exciting and funny and has a bunch of action scenes...

In the end, all of my rambling can't to do this incredible book justice. It will most likely forever hold a favorites spot on my ever-growing shelf of books read. My advice? By this book. Read it. Marvel at the amazing-ness. Then go get the next two books. I bet you won't regret it. 

(I sure haven't! Buying The Boy Colonel was one of the best book-choices I have ever made. Ever.) ;)
  
For a limited time (it's up tomorrow!) you can get Brothers at Arms FREE! Get the book right here, on Amazon. 

And, you can learn more about the author, what he writes, and check out special concept art at John Horn's website, johnjhornbooks.com. 

Happy reading,

~Micaiah~

Wednesday Word Share

So, I decided to participate in Rachel Heffington's #wednesdaywordshare! (You can too...just use that hashtag!) I found this through Miss Emily Ann Putzke's blog, which you can check out at that link! 

This is a snippet from my Civil War novel that I'm working on. Slowly. It'll come along sometime. :) For short I call it Trapped. That's a whole other story, though.

Anyways! I wrote part of this just the other day. Hope you enjoy!


I stood on deck, the salty wind playing with my hair. The soft sound of boots clumping behind me alerted me to the presence of – I turned. Wynn.

            He stopped next to me and looked off in the distance. “It’s beautiful out here, isn’t it?” he said softly.

            I nodded, turning my head to look at him. “It is.”

            He seemed content to remain silent after that, so I looked back at the water.  For some reason that I would never be able to explain, all I could think about when I saw the blue of the water was the Confederate uniform Teddy must be wearing right now. A sigh escaped me and I shifted my gaze to look down at wood of the bulwark.

            “Are you all right?” Wynn asked.

            “I...”

            Wynn glanced down at me and I met his eyes. He looked doubtful...and concerned.

            I looked back down. “If I were going to be completely honest,” I paused, awkwardly folding my arms in front of me, “then I would tell you...no.”

            Wynn nodded and looked off to the horizon again, and didn’t say anything for a few moments. I almost thought he wouldn’t say anything at all when his voice startled me.

“Madeline, I can’t know at all what you’re feeling…about your brother being off in war, but I do know that things,” he shifted towards me, “things don’t always go the way we planned.” A sad smile tilted one corner of his mouth upwards. “Often they don’t. But that’s not so much the problem as it is how we react to the change in plans. We can turn into a complaining, disgruntled person, or we can trust.” Wynn pointed one finger towards the sky. “Trust Him. He’s got it all worked out, and that’s a lot less scary than having everything in our palms.” He spread his hands wide, as if for emphasis. “God is good, Madeline. He doesn’t give us our wounds or our hurts or our trials. He's not like that. Sometimes things do come along that challenge us, but that isn't the point. The point is that He's there, He's in control, and He cares. And in the end we become a much better person for all of the heartache that might come with the challenge.” He turned to go, but paused, adding, “The war will end, Madeline. It will. Teddy is in God's hands."

And that's all, folk! (Yes, I said folk.) You will - hopefully - be hearing from me again soon! In a longer post, too. :) 

~Micaiah~ 

Fighting the Flames (Book Review)

Fighting the Flames: A Tale of the London Fire Brigade
Rating: 4 stars
By: R.M. Ballantyne
Ages: 13 and up (an attempted murder, the subject of fires, a death, etc.)

I've waited quite a while to review this book (I read it in May of this year). But during the months after having read it, I would periodically think of it and I'd just get happy inside (or tell my sister that she had to read it, of course). Fighting the Flames was really the most enjoyable book by Ballantyne that I've read to date.

Willie Wilders. Enough said. ;) He was my favorite character, by far. At first he seems like just a mischievous boy, but as the story progresses you see more of who he really is. Yes, he had fun confusing his uncle (granted, it would've been funny, considering the situation!), and then his uncle never got to find out the truth until a good bit of time later, but, aside from that...Willie's not too terribly mischievous. ;) I just loved how sweet he was! He was incredibly giving, even when he didn't have much to spare. I really liked that you see him as a young man (I'm not actually sure how old he was. I think he was a young teenager in the beginning - maybe fourteen or so?) and then the story skips ahead to when he's maybe twenty-one. It was cool, because the whole book had progressed during the seven years that you didn't read about, and everything was coming to a climax by that time.

I enjoyed the glimpses into the fire-fighters' lives and reading about their adventures. Plus, Willie's older brother Frank is part of the fire-fighting team you hear about, so everything weaves together in a really cool way.

Plus, Ballantyne managed to engrain his faith into the story as well. It's somewhat subtle, never thrown at the reader. I enjoy finding little moments of wisdom in his books!

And I just have to mention: It's inspiring to find that Ballantyne did his research the old-fashioned way: he went into the 'field', spending time with the fire-fighters and even going on runs with them. How cool, right!?

Anyways, back to the book.

As I mentioned a little earlier, everything weaves together - or, I should say, everyone. Ballantyne did something really neat with this novel: he connected every character through another character. All of the storylines overlap. Each character's story intertwines with someone else's. I've never read a book like that. Suffice to say, I liked it. A lot. He definitely made it work!

The book, as with all of Ballantyne's, can be somewhat long in descriptions, so it did take me a little while to get into it. And there is a somewhat intense scene that pops up nearer to the end that two characters' stories have been building up to. Someone also dies in one of the fires and there is a character who is often drunk (though, Ballantyne always discourages drinking in his books), but nothing is overly described (except for the scene mentioned above).

Overall, the story ends satisfactorily, and maybe even a little surprisingly! I liked most of the characters, I liked the story, and it was informative. I enjoyed Fighting the Flames, and it has officially become my favorite of the Ballantyne novels that I've read. Do I see a reread in the future? Probably.

View all my reviews

A Life of Fatih: Millie Keith (Millie's Courageous Days, Book Review #2)

Millie's Courageous Days
(A Life of Faith: Millie Keith, Book Two)
Rating: 5 stars
Ages: 11 and up (for a somewhat intense scene where someone was badly injured, etc.)

'"If God is in control, why did He make Fan fall?" Millie asked desperately. "I thought I was doing so well with the promise God gave me when we left Lansdale. And now it's all come to pieces! If He lets terrible things like this happen, how can anyone trust Him?"
         "Oh, Millie," said Aunt Wealthy. "God didn't make Fan fall, although He did allow it. But we must trust Him," she said passionately. "We cannot give up hope - no matter what the doctor says."' (Excerpt from Chapter Two)

Millie Keith put her faith in the promises of God when her parents moved the entire family out to the wild frontier, where life is full of surprises, adventure, and danger. But now Millie, just turned thirteen, finds her faith tested again when tragedy strikes her family, when she loses her best friend because of her faith, and when deadly fevers stalk the town. Can she trust God with life...and death?
         Millie's Courageous Days, the second book in the A Life of Faith: Millie Keith series, continues the captivating story of Millie Keith. Although she is best known as cousin to the famous fictional heroine Elsie Dinsmore, in this faith-filled, modern-language adaption of the 19th century work by Martha Finley, Millie stands as a strong heroine herself - and one to which 21st century girls can easily relate. 

Millie's Courageous Days is one of the best books of the whole Millie Keith series! It was captivating, intriguing, and adventurous. Full of touching, heart-felt moments and gripping, page-turning chapters, this book is on my favorites shelf.

It was incredibly exciting. It was definitely more intense than the first book - there are a few major injuries and an epidemic, which are some of the main points of the story - but I loved it all the same.

The characters from Millie's Unsettled Season - both new and old - are back, and are loads of fun. Honestly, a lot of my favorite characters would be from the A Life of Faith series, if I named them! I love Cyril, Gordon Lightcap, Millie, and Aunt Wealthy, just to name a few.

Millie's faith is definitely tested, numerous times, throughout this novel. But it is called the 'A Life of Faith series,' right? ;) I would highly recommend Millie's Courageous Days! An awesome addition to the series. Be sure to pick this one up! I absolutely loved it!

A Life of Faith: Millie Keith (Millie's Unsettled Season, Book Review #1)

You can read my introduction to the series here!

 

The A Life of Faith: Millie Keith series is wonderful. I have only read the adapted versions of the Millie novels, not the originals, but I have to say that I love the updated versions. They are humorous, well-written, full of fun, adventurous, dramatic, and Godly. I would recommend the whole series to Christian girls looking for a good, clean read. The Millie Keith books are filled to the brim with hilarious, amazing characters that you won't soon forget. I can't even begin to explain my love for these books.

 

In all seriousness, I owe my love of the Victorian era and my love of historical fiction to the A Life of Faith series (not just Millie Keith, but also the Violet Travilla and Elsie Dinsmore series).

 

*Note: The Millie series ranges from 1833-1844, starting just a few years before the Victorian era. The Elsie series starts in the early 1840s and ends in 1874. The Violet books start just three years after the Elsie series - 1877. The last tale of the whole A Life of Faith series - Violet's Foreign Intrigue - is set in 1886.*

 

I would have to say, though, that out of all of the A Life of Faith book series, Millie's tales would be my favorite. Why? Well, Millie and I are more alike than any of the other heroines, and her story is adventurous, funny, and so enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, both the Violet and Elsie series are great too, and all of them hold a special place in my heart (and always will!), but the Millie Keith novels hold a very special place in my heart.

Here is a review of the first book (be looking out for reviews on all seven other books in the series as well!):
 

Millie's Unsettled Season
(A Life of Faith: Millie Keith, Book One)
By: Martha Finley
Rating: 5 stars
Ages: 10-14

'"Oh, Aunt Wealthy," Millie cried, as Wealthy's boot touched solid ground. "It's decided!"
    "My child, what is it?" asked the older lady, dropping the letter to take the girl's hand and draw her to the sofa. "What is decided?"
         Millie spoke with a determined effort to be calm. "This morning at breakfast, Pappa told us - us children, I mean - he and Mamma had talked it over last night, and you know they have been praying about it, and..."

        "And?" Wealthy clasped Millie's hand to her heart.

        "We're moving...to...to...Pleasant Plains, Indiana."

        "The frontier!" Wealthy gasped, sinking back on the couch.' (excerpt from Chapter One)

 

Meet Millie Keith, a bright and energetic twelve-year-old living in the charming town of  Lansdale, Ohio, in 1833. Her world is about to be turned upside down when her Pappa announces that he is moving the family west to an undeveloped town on the frontier. The eldest daughter of eight lively children, Millie must shoulder responsibility for her mischievous brothers and sisters on the perilous journey and learn to trust God for her uncertain future. Will her Christian faith sustain her as she leaves behind friendships and everything she has ever known?

 

Millie's Unsettled Season is the opening chapter, the first glimpse of Millie's world that we get. Millie's father and mother, Stuart and Marcia, decide to move their family from charming Lansdale, Ohio to Indiana (it's for the best, really). ;) Devastated, Millie is forced to leave behind her beloved house and neighborhood, her friends, and a life of ease and comfort to take the long, grueling trip to an undeveloped town on the frontier - Pleasant Plains.

 

I loved the story of their journey, and I love the way her family interacts, especially the twins, Cyril and Don. They are so mischievous and funny! Honestly, all the times they made me smile or laugh... Cyril is actually one of my favorite characters of the whole series! If you read the books, you'd know why! His story was so awesome and fun! I could almost tear up just thinking about it... ;)

 

It was fun being introduced to a new town right along side Millie. She bravely faced the hardships of finding new friends, meeting and helping Indians, and just adapting to living life in a harsh, unforgiving environment - an environment where there are epidemics about every year, and life can get hard and frustrating. As always, though, there are the charms that make Pleasant Plains a wonderful place to live - such as the wonderful, absolutely superb cast mem-, er...townspeople who also call Pleasant Plains their home, and the vast, beautiful landscape!  

 

The whole story was an interesting and good opening. It was a fantastic novel! It was a delightful, informative look into the strength it took to endure life on the frontier. You really learn a lot about the Victorian era and the Western frontier without even realizing it! Wonderful. Highly recommended! 

Time Periods - Which is Your Favorite?

If you're like me, you've read many books - many in different settings and time periods. So, which was your favorite?

Here is a list and description of some of the historical settings that I've read:

• Ancient Rome

Now this is a tough one. Ancient Rome isn't particularly my favorite time period, but two of the books I've read set in Ancient Rome - Secret of the Lost Settlement: The Duty of Warriors by John J. Horn and From the Dark to the Dawn: A Tale of Ancient Rome by Alicia Willis - were good. John J. Horn did an amazing job with this terrible time in history, and Alicia did well, also. Personally, I don't normally read many books set in this time period,  but I do occasionally make exceptions. :) Of course, John Horn's novel was only partially set in a lost Roman expedition of Nero's reign (but most of the book we were engaged in reading of the Roman settlement), while Alicia's tale was completely occupied by Ancient Rome. They're both gripping stories I'd recommend.

• Victorian

The Victorian era happens to be my all-time favorite era - to write and to read about. This time period is honestly so much fun. Some of the books set in this time by some of my favorite authors are: the A Life of Faith series by Martha Finley, Brothers at Arms: Treasure and Treachery in the Amazon (which I've recently reread!), The Boy Colonel: A Soldier Without a Name, and Secret of the Lost Settlement: The Duty of Warriors by John J. Horn, and The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne. All amazing tales I would certainly recommend! I believe if I had to choose between Victorian era England and Victorian era America, I would choose America. You've got up and coming cities, the western frontier... But, of course, Victorian era England is also very engaging and exciting.

• Medieval

Okay, so only recently have I been really enjoying the Medieval era...thanks to Alicia Willis' To Birmingham Castle! That book was great, and it was tons of fun reading about chivalrous knights with their squires and pages! This era has become one of my favorites.

• Edwardian

The Edwardian era is really a lot like the Victorian era - the beginning of it, anyways. After all, the Edwardian era is right after the Victorian (which ended with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901). The Edwardian time period is 1901-1910, but it is also sometimes extended to include the years leading up to World War I. The only books I've read set in this time would be from Mrs. Janette Oke - the Canadian West series, which I am enjoying.

• Modern 

So, this happens to be the one time period for books I tend to stray away from. Only because the books I have read set in modern day were not very good. Also, it probably is because I live in the world of texts and twitter and Facebook, so it doesn't appeal to me as much as horse drawn carriages and handwritten letters from the Victorian era do. But, give me a good modern book, and I may just change my mind on the matter! :)

• Viking Age

I actually don't know what to call this era! I know that Vikings did exist then, though. I have only read one book set in this time period - The Norsemen in the West by R.M. Ballantyne - so I can't make a complete judgment on the era, but I decided to include it in this list anyways. :)


What is your favorite era? What time period do you usually like to write/read about?