THE Q&A IS HERE // Part One

GUYS. GUYS. GUYS. A little over a month ago, my friend, Mikayla, flew all the way from sunny Texas to visit me in mountainous Washington - and we goofed off, and had fun, and chatted, and rambled on about books, and played games, and got to meet two lovely authors, and visited some beautiful nature spots for hikes and water-wading, and baked cookies. And then watched Prince Caspian and Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told. And then laughed and talked some more. And then stayed up waaaaay too late the night before she left going deep and sharing our hearts. SHE ACTUALLY CAME TO VISIT ME. <333 And she's this tender-hearted gal with gorgeous blue eyes and lovely brown locks who totally encourages me whenever I need it (even with my pre-flag-football-nerves).

Did I mention we filmed that question and answer for you?!

That Q&A I mentioned all the way back in July? IT'S FINALLY HERE. Mikayla and I had a fun time filming this - going over questions and laughing and chatting and then filming it and having to REfilm it because #wind. We had a lovely location down at Farragut, in Idaho, but since the air decided to be grouchy that day, what we filmed came with lots of static and sudden gusts of wind - oh, yep, and the last few minutes were (for some reason) cut off from the video anyways?! YES. CALLED FOR A RE-FILM. Thankfully, I thought of a spot right near my place, and we marched up a steep hill to get there. Then filmed it. And had to stop and start again as my camera stopped filming in the middle of our sentences. I don't even know...

BUT GUYS. We filmed it!!! And we got to answer all your questions. THANK YOU SO MUCH. This would not be possible without you fantastic followers! <3 Also, HUGE thanks to Mikayla - who took the painstaking hours to edit this and then re-edit it. SO ENJOY, ADVENTURERS. I hope you have a blast watching us ramble on about the questions and laugh and stumble over words or say something completely ridiculous... #humanafterall *laughs* *shoos you onto the video*

AH, and if you hadn't noticed yet, this is only part one. *nods slowly* IT TURNED OUT to be suuuuper long when we filmed it, so we decided to cut it up into two parts to give you guys a bit of air before continuing. XD Part two will be coming at you in a matter of days. Hopefully you can wait that long. *winkwink*

*apologizes in advance for any and all awkwardness from yours truly*

SO WHAT DID YOU THINK?! Tell me allllll your thoughts below - and maybe you didn't get to ask us some questions for the Q&A, so totally ask any other random things you want to! About the trip, about us, our likes and dislikes, anything. WE SHALL ANSWER.

By the by, I've recently discovered and been binge-watching Studio C. *grins* The Taken 3 trailer, Crazy Mall Kiosk Salesman, and Boy Band Breakup are a few of my favorites... What are some of yours?

At Farragut with this gal <3

Looking for throwing-stones. *nods* (I don't think she knew I took this... *grins sneakily*)

SWINGS (we're totally kids at heart). Isn't this a great picture?!?!

RIVER while hiking.

The bridge over said-river with my sweet friend.

HIKING.

Dandelion Dust + Review + Interview // MY FRIEND PUBLISHED HER BOOK

I'M BACK TODAY because my friend, Faith, just published her first novella. Ever. And it's called Dandelion Dust.

I'll repeat that.

MY FRIEND PUBLISHED HER LOVELY BOOK, GUYS. And it's adorable and re-read worthy and... maybe just GO GRAB A COPY.

Okay first finish this post...then you're free to leave and buy it. *wink*

And just like the banner says, I'm participating in her blog tour!! So we've got a whole enchilada of things to read AND an interview at the end. LET'S GET TO IT.

 Synopsis:

Like a speck of dandelion dust riding the tides of a prairie wind, life is fleeting. Though I never realized just how fragile it was until that day . . . 

Charity always had a dream. It was simple, really. Find a guy, fall in love, and get married. The day she met Ryder, Charity knew he was the man God had chosen for her. But she never expected their relationship to be tested and tried through the fires of a freak accident. Suddenly, her world is thrown into chaos, and the bleak, white walls and sterile smells of a city hospital fill every spare minute. And then there comes the dreaded news. It was likely Ryder would never make it out of the hospital bed. As her carefully laid plans for the future come crashing down around her and the sun seems to set on her dreams, can Charity still find hope in the dark of night?

Like a dandelion, life is beautiful. But treasure every moment. . . for one day, the flower will be gone. 

Add Dandelion Dust on Goodreads right here.


 MY REVIEW:
Rating: 4 stars

When Faith posted on her blog with a sign-up form to beta-read her soon-to-be-published, and FIRST, novella, I jumped at the chance - partially just because Faith is my friend and it was her book - ya know?

And I was delightfully surprised and impressed. Faith has a fantastic writing style - it flows nicely and doesn't feel stilted. The dialogue is real and everyday. The plot kept me going. The characters grabbed my attention. On page one I was already interested and rooting for the couple. Overall? I think Faith hit a home run with her debut. She's a really good writer, guys.

Dandelion Dust is an adorable, sweet tale that will capture your attention and keep you hoping and wondering and wishing. It paints a lovely tale of young love and faith in God with wonderful fictional humans. I'm totally going to reread it - as soon as I can get my hands on my own (signed *ahem*) copy.

The main characters were well-rounded and, honestly? could be real people. (They are, right? I mean, I could just hop on a plane and go see 'em? Waaaait...no?) Namely Charity and Ryder and Drew and Hannah - all of whom I liked. Charity was a great main character - very sweet and relatable. Which is really cool because it's not often I like the main girls in books. Often enough they're annoyingly naive or frustratingly stubborn or whiny - but Charity? *shakes head* She wasn't any of those things. Her relationship with God - but also with Ryder - was, again, real (I keep using that word but it's true). Ryder was charming and goofy and sweet. Hannah feels like a bit of a mystery - but I think that'll be revealed in the not-toooooo-distant future? ;) And Drew - definitely one of my favorites. He was the cool older bro who's really sweet and caring and thoughtful. (There's a story with this guy, Faith. *raises eyebrows pointedly* ;))

The romance in this novel was SO well-done and cute! I was literally sitting there reading, thinking: "How does Faith write this good?!" The romanc was really clean, which was fantastic. Charity and Ryder's relationship was well-written and realistic and adorable. Another thing I liked about Dandelion Dust was the uniqueness of it, but also some of the scenes that were really cool (and I didn't feel like I'd read them before *nods*). Like the hair cut or shouting match with God - both great. <33

The story itself progressed well - and there was most definitely a curveball thrown in that I kind of saw coming but didn't want to have happen. It was sorta like “Is she gonna do it? Is she? Is that where this is headed? WAHT SHE DID IT. NO.” And then even that all turned out so beautifully, it warms my heart. <333

Overall, Dandelion Dust is a book I want to reread. And have other people read. It was well-written, realistic, touching, lovely…Faith did a fabulous job, and I’m totally in for reading the edited version. SOON. Most definitely recommended.

About the author:

Faith Potts is a teenage writer, living with her family and beloved yellow labs in the southeastern US. When she's not writing stories, consuming large amounts of coffee, reading books, or creating pottery, she can be found laughing harder than is healthy, daydreaming, and – of course – blowing dandelions.

Find this girl on Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads! Be sure to give her a follow and friend her - she's really fun. ;) Also find her on her blogs - Chosen Vessels and Stories by Firefly.


INTERVIEW with Faith herself:

1) HELLO, FAITH! Thank you so much for stopping by my corner of the internet! It's a pleasure to have you here. First off, I want to wish you a huge, ginormous congratulations for publishing Dandelion Dust! It must be so exciting!! (I'm personally looking forward to having a paperback copy on my shelf. *nods*) Let's get down to business - what inspired Charity and Ryder's story and the characters themselves?

The inspiration for the book/plot actually came from a dream I had back in late December. It changed a lot from the original, but the main points are still there. Charity is basically me, so I guess that's where her character-inspiration came from. And I would be lying if I said that the idea of a 'farm family' didn't come from my close friend's family.

2) What did the writing process look like? Do you have a favorite - and least favorite - part of that process?

The writing process looked like...chaos. Legit chaos. I wrote the first draft in 25 days, which was really fast for me at the time. (And, honestly, still is. :P) Hmm...tricky. I don't know that I could pick a favorite or a least favorite! I enjoyed it all, except maybe formatting? Yeah, word doc hates me.

3) Is there a scene that you particularly enjoyed writing? One that you didn't see coming but love how it turned out?

The haircut scene. Hands down. It came into the book in the third draft/second edit (right before beta-readers) because I felt like that area needed something light-hearted after all the 'heaviness' of the first half to three-fourths of the book. It will always be among my top three favorite scenes of the book. ;)

4) What is the biggest thing you want people to take away from Dandelion Dust? 

To trust God no matter what. As hard as it may be to see (and chances are you wont see, at least for awhile and maybe not ever), God has a plan. Every difficult situation in each of our unique lives, every hardship or struggle we face, has a purpose. One day it will all be worth the hurt.

5) AND LASTLY would you mind giving us a hint into the next book in the series?? *wants Drew's story*

Hehe, you'd like that, wouldn't you? XD I don't want to say too much about what I'm thinking for the sequel...but I can give a couple hints. Here you go: Wedding preparations. Tear-jerkers. Road trips. Summertime. *smiles*   

And guess what?! Faith is giving away TWO paperback copies of Dandelion Dust!! The contest lasts only until midnight tonight SO HURRY AND GO ENTER. You won't regret it. *nods*

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2016 Bookish Recap Tag

GUYS, I'M HERE WITH AN END OF THE YEAR BOOK TAG. (because what else?!)

Faith, my friend and the writer at Stories by Firefly, created this tag (super cool, yes?), and she tagged me - huge shout out and thank you to her!

BUT can you believe it's actually the end of the year? *shakes head*

>> Rules:

1) Include the above button in your post. << check

2) Answer the 11 questions. << will get to that in a sec

3) Use as many book covers as you like. (The correct answer to this question would be ALOT. B-)) << check again

4) Tag 5-10 people and notify them that they have been tagged. << definitely will do

>> QUESTION TIME <<

// How many books did you read in 2016? (Exact if you know, or approximate if not.) 

According to my Goodreads count (which is accurate), fifty-three (but I'm hopin' to make that fifty-four and finish up a book my little bro and I are currently reading).

// Did you set a reading challenge for yourself and, if so, did you meet it?  

I did, actually! I've used the yearly Goodreads reading challenge for the last..three years now, including 2016. It is a super fun way to keep motivated - and I really like that it tracks your progress throughout the year. AND THEN THEY SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH YOUR COMPLETE LIST OF BOOKS and that is just...legit fun. So, I completed that one, and I also completed another challenge I did with my sister and some friends. (War and Peace was the last hurdle -- BUT I MADE IT.)

// What was your most read genre this year? Least read? 

(I like this question, btw) I read a total of 29 historical fiction books. *nods* That is indeed my favorite genre. XD Least read? Hmm... *checks* biographies and theology-type books. (hehe yeah...but I'm planning on reading more non-fiction this coming year, so...)

// What's five of your favorite books from 2016? 

WAIT I must narrow it down to only five?! (good thinking though, because I had a whole list...)

Blink of an Eye by Ted Dekker << GUYS he's amazing and that's all there is to it

The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof << Joanne is sooooo good at what she does. there's so much emotion and so much faith and love and hope. it's beautiful. (see my review here)

The Young Fur Traders by R.M. Ballantyne << Ballantyne's stories tend to be adventurous, and funny, with interesting characters. This one? No exception.

Take This Cup by Bodie and Brock Theone << such a good story! There were so many things in this that connected the Old Testament to Jesus' coming.

One Enchanted Eve by Melissa Tagg << a great novella by Miss Tagg - plus it's about two bakers (see my review here)

*blinks* That was super hard to choose. I AM STILL NOT EVEN SURE. (good luck to the peeps I tag ;))

// What's five of your least favorite books from 2016? 

Captives and Kings by Craig and Janet Parshall << There wasn't much character growth in this one. There could've been a lot more excitement than there was, and a few characters died for no reason. Also, it was kinda boring and dry. (see my review here)

A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Elliot << I feel bad putting this one on here...but I didn't enjoy it. 

End of the Spear by Steve Saint << this one was slightly enjoyable, even interesting for a part of it, but I was really disappointed in the end and for the most part disinterested

War and Peace << I FINISHED IT THOUGH. (see my review here - warning: IT'S A LONG ONE)

Courageous by Dina L. Sleiman << there was really great faith elements in this, but for the first 200 pages I was uncomfortable. *grimaces* (see my review here)

Even choosing my least favorites was hard. XD

// What new favorite author did you discover? (Not necessarily that the author is 'new', but that they became new to you this year.) 

Hmmm...I think Melissa Tagg. Her books are cute and funny and honestly? remind me of Hallmark movies. Funny thing is my favorites of her books are two novellas...and then in third it's a full-length novel. Maybe because there's less drama in novellas, because everything has to be condensed. Imma go with that. XD
  
// What's five of your favorite book covers from the year? 

SO PRETTY. even the fonts. and oh the circus tent behind Ella. and her dress. and guys she's holding Charlie's hat. Didja know Joanne created this cover?! She's amazin'.

 YES I REREAD BROTHERS AT ARMS FOR LIKE THE SEVENTH TIME. *cough* Is that excessive? *shrugs because i don't really care* Adventure is dripping from this cover. *nods*

She's carrying a parasol and is wearing a fancy Victorian dress, 'kay?

 



















There is snow on the trees behind them. Also she's wearing red lipstick. And that blanket was literally in the book. *laughs because that logic might not make sense*

IT'S KATE AND COLTON.

// How many books did you purchase for yourself in 2016? (Exact if you know, approximate if not.) 

Out of the 53 books I read this year, I bought 16 of them myself. I was actually surprised, since many of the books I read I either a) already owned, b) someone in my family owned, or c) were bought for me.

// What's the longest book you read in 2016? 

MWAHAHAAHAA WAR AND PEACE BY LEO TOLSTOY. except I started this a few years ago. Nonetheless, it's the longest book I read this year, my copy coming in at 1,421 pages. The second longest was Small-Town Brides, a novella collection, which totaled 448.

// What's the shortest book you read in 2016? 

Love in the Details by Becky Wade with 132 pages. (super cute)

(it's so helpful that Goodreads already has these things laid out for you... XD)

// What's your reading goal for 2017?

I'm gonna aim for 52 - one for every week. Also, I'm doing another reading challenge with a bunch of online friends - it's gonna be great! (post on that forthcoming)

THIS WAS FUN (although it was really hard picking things out. seriously was.) Thanks again to Faith for tagging me! Now...
  

Who I'm tagging:

Mikayla

Julia

Michaila

Sarah   

Jonathan

Emily

Abi

Jesseca

    How was YOUR year in books?

Do you have a hard time picking favorites?   

Would You Rather (Book Tag Edition)

I found this tag sitting on my Blogger dashboard a long time ago from Plottinger Twist. I wasn't tagged, but I thought it looked fun, and I thought I should do it, and I can tag others and spread this around... So here I am, doin' it (regardless of being tag-less).

#1 Would you rather read only trilogies or stand-alones?

Oh... Stand-alones wrap up nicely, but trilogies give you more of a story for the adored characters. So, if the characters are fantastic and the plots are good, I'm going to go with trilogies. (I like series, actually, quite a bit.) 

#2 Would you rather read only male or female authors?

Can I just say both? Male and female authors bring different things to their stories, and both are amazing. I just would't want to live without either. (Especially Joanne Bischof. Or Ted Dekker. They. Are. Fantastic.)


#3 Would you rather shop at Barnes and Noble or Amazon?

Barnes and Noble, hands down. (I mean, I've got their membership... So COUPONS + FREE SHIPPING = BOOK LOVERS DREAM.) Besides, Barnes and Noble has physical stores! And cafes! Though the coffee is usually bad... But, on the upside, they have some pretty good blueberry muffins.


#4 Would you rather have books become T.V. shows or movies?

Movies, generally. But shows would be good too... (One chapter = one episode) It probably depends on the book.


#5 Would you rather read five pages a day or five books a week?

Five books a week - because five pages a day would be reader-misery, especially if the book was gripping. But I couldn't read five books a week for an extended period of time! No, siree. #bookcoma


#6 Would you rather be a professional reviewer or an author?

Author. No question about it. I want to write my own stories!


#7 Would you rather read your top 20 favorite books over and over again, or always read new ones you've never read before?

I choose new books. I really enjoy rereads of favorite books (I actually have reread Brothers at Arms six times now. Um. Yeah. *cough*), but new books bring a fresh excitement!


#8 Would you rather be a librarian or a bookseller?

Bookseller, definitely. Totally. And own my own bookstore? Yes, please. With a cafe (that has good coffee). <3


#9 Would you rather read only your favorite genre(s) or anything but your favorite? 

It would be my favorite genre (or genres) for a reason, so I'd rather read only my favorites. ;)

 
#10 Would you rather read only physical books or e-books?

 

Physical books all the way. Now, don't get me wrong, I own a Nook, but e-books don't have the special something that physical books do. Turning pages, finding space for them on your bookshelves, having a huge library one day... All those things would never happen with my poor Nook. (Though the Nook is great, because it slips soooo easily into my purse for road trips. Oh, and the edges don't turn up...or down? That's the only downside about physical books - that they can get worn or damaged. And the room they take up...if you have no room left. Which is me currently. :O)

 
That was fun. Because I like talking about books! It's just so enjoyable, for some reason. Ya know?

I am officially tagging: Michaila from Mic's Room, Mikayla from The Bubblegum Ballerina, Sarah from Trusting in the Lord, Julia from The Barefoot Gal, and Abigayle from The Left-Handed Typist. Enjoy, guys! And if anybody else thinks this looks like fun: go for it.

(Totally just reminded myself of that Sidewalk Prophet's song...)

What is your favorite thing about reading? Have YOU ever had a super-crumbly blueberry muffin from Barnes and Noble's cafe? ;)

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

 

The Definition of Adventure (Two Year Anniversary #1)

  
Adventure

noun

an exciting or unusual experience

  

a risky undertaking

a remarkable and exciting experience

By definition adventure means an exciting experience. Something that includes risk, but is remarkable and unusual and, potentially, worth it. 

Adventure, to me, is an experience that is exhilarating, crazy, maybe a bit intimidating, and in the end, a maker of great memories. 

Adventure is new places and new people and new things. 

Adventure is climbing mountains and airplane flights and road trips and camping under the stars and sailing and making new friends. 

Adventure is CampNaNoWriMo for my first time next month and writing and reading new books. 

Adventure is chasing God and living our dreams with Him and for Him. 

Adventure is doing things that stretch you and make you a little uncomfortable - because that's when we grow. When things are uncomfortable.

I think adventure is often stereotyped to only include the outdoor activities like climbing mountains and hiking through the rain forest and jet skiing. (Random list? Maybe...) But I think maybe adventure is all that, but it also comes in smaller packages sometimes.

Adventure means different things to different people because everyone is different and unique. Everyone has different lives and different circumstances. Adventure can simply be stepping out of your comfort zone, out of the normal routine of life, and doing something that excites you.

LIFE is an adventure, guys. Let's live it to the fullest. 

And all those adventures that come along the way? Those are fantastic too.

A few of mine:

Jumping off cliffs into the ocean.
Rock climbing.
Repelling off a bridge. (My older bro, Jesse, was the instigator. I was maybe 8 or 9 and I was scared. BUT Jesse repelled down with me, so I ended up being okay. ;))
Swimming in crystal clear water over tropical fish.
Road tripping (Mt. Rushmore, guys. It's so intricate and beautifully done. Enough said.)
Jumping off a waterfall. (I DID THIS.)
Going to the Winter Jam concert.

What is the craziest, most exciting thing YOU have ever done? I wanna know...

Remember to enter the giveaway! 

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My Top Ten Albums of 2015

SURPRISE! I got this post done! (Yes, it was late, and, yes, it took me a few days to get it all pieced together once I started...but it's HERE.)

I love listening to music. And over the past two years I’ve found quite a plethora of Christian artists whose music I’m a fan of. Just in this last year we’ve accumulated quite a few more albums, some of which I really loved, some of which I enjoyed, and some of which have made it on this list of the top ten albums from 2015. 

Hopefully you’ll find some new music from this list that will brighten up your January!

Note: The below ‘ratings’ are semi-accurate. I say ‘semi’ just because I had a bit of trouble really deciding which albums deserved which place. ;) The two that I am absolutely positive on? Places #1 and #2. 

10. Casey Darnell

This album has an almost-country track titled ‘When You Smile’ that became one of my favorite songs from Mr. Darnell. It’s a completely adorable love song. And this CD is full of fun and deep songs about God’s grace.

9. Chris August: The Maker

When I think of Chris August’s The Maker, I remember four songs in particular: Superhero (a hilarious love song with lyrics that remind you of Superman/Lois Lane and Mr. Incredible), I’m in Love with You (THIS SONG is just so cute), Find You to Find Me (a lovely song describing how, in order to find out who we are, we have to find God), and He’s Still Here (depicting how Jesus is still working among us. He’s still as near to us as He was when He lived as a man). 

 

8. Rend Collective: The Art of Celebration

Can we talk about incredibly joyful? Rend Collective has taken praise music to a whole other level. They have this fun, quirky style that is kind of endearing. ;)

7. Unspoken

All the songs on this CD are good. That is all. (Okay, fine. Two favorites? Good Fight and the second rendition of Tomorrow.)

 

6.Francesca Battistelli: Hundred More Years

There are so many tracks on this album that are just fun, upbeat, and touching. Hundred More Years is a particular favorite, as is Trampoline. (And Francesca has a beautiful voice!)

 

5. Among the Thirsty: Who You Say I Am

When I first heard these guys, we were traveling many miles to visit my grandparents’ in Iowa. Sitting in the car, hearing their tracks depicting God’s grace and life’s goodness, I started tearing up some. The whole CD is good. Literally – every. single. song. From slower, very deep songs to a few simply about doing good and life’s beauty, I loved Among the Thirsty’s newest album.

4. Hawk Nelson: Diamonds

There are many lovely songs on this one. When I heard for the first time, I was slightly surprised. Hawk Nelson has never been this good, and I was taken aback. (The lead singer changed…and the difference in the type of music they play is pretty amazing.) Live Like You’re Loved fast became a favorite on the album.
 

 

3. MercyMe: Welcome to the New 

Can we just stop a moment and grin? This was not my first taste of Mercy Me, but it was the first time I really, really liked them. They’ve  grown in their music. I mean, this CD is so fun (many of the songs are impromptu-dancing-material), but the message is so profound. This album is just about grace. That’s the root of every single one of the songs. And it’s beautiful.

 

2. Stars Go Dim

This is one of my current favorite albums (and bands). I love this CD! It has songs with this fun, happy feel that is just so enjoyable to listen to over and over again. I really like so many of the tracks on this album…I’m just not going to pick a favorite! And I love the lead singer’s voice.

 

1. Sidewalk Prophets

So incredibly great. This was the first album from Sidewalk Prophets that I’ve bought. And I was not sorry in the least. Songs on this CD are simply fantastic. Everything in Awe, Prodigal, If You Only Knew, Come to the Table (which reminded me of Narnia), and Impossible are all songs I highly enjoyed, among…well, almost every song on the CD. Just buy it. ;) (So good!!!)

And...that's it! All of these CDs are good and come recommended! Enjoy your newly found music... ;)

Happy reading (and listening, o' course)!

~Micaiah K.~