AN HOUR UNSPENT // Book Review

An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White

Rating: 3.5/4ish stars

Every book in this trilogy is delightful - unique and engaging and suspenseful. This family of thieves-turned-government agents (of a sort) is pure gold. I just can't get over what a fantastic idea it was to create a series around a family of orphans, bound together by choice, who suddenly find their lives changed! And then you add World War I. England. Refugees. Government spies. Did I already say it was delightful? (I ended up getting all three signed from Roseanna’s website, and now they’re sitting on my shelf and it makes me smile.)

Things I liked:

BARCLAY. Of course. Everyone wanted his story, right?! I was intrigued when I found out that An Hour Unspent would unravel his lovely character for us. And I loved him! He's like the perfect older brother. He was so well-rounded. And his heart for others...adorable. Seriously. The way he takes care of his entire family and then wants to reach out to others as well is what made him such a cool fictional hero. But he was realistic, too, not without flaws and doubt, but with a bravery that is so admirable! The whole family just GETS ME in the heart. ;)

THE SETTING. I mean, everything. It’s fantastic. I haven’t read many books set in the first World War, but Roseanna ties history into her novels without it becoming dry and stodgy (now that I used that word I’m thinking about The Great British Baking Show. Not joking.) The setting and time period came alive - they’re so vivid! The stories have pieces of actual history interwoven and that just makes me enjoy them all the more. They feel real and intricately done.

SUSPENSE. Um, yes, please! I ADORE the fact that Roseanna writes these stories with heart and romance and faith but then adds a big dash of suspense - and not just romantic tension. The spies and the street thugs and the government agencies… It adds such great depth to the novel.

Things I didn’t like as much:

THE ROMANCE. So before I start, I want to say that I definitely liked the romance throughout this series. Barclay and Evelina's relationship progressed in a pretty realistic way. The depth was present. And the start to their unlikely duo? *laughs* So unexpected! I was just sitting there grinning and had to reread it. Just… *laughs again* Delightful. However, what I didn’t enjoy was the drama. I KNOW, I KNOW. Every romance has to have drama. But for some reason I was getting a bit frustrated with the drama in here? Mostly concerning Evelina. I loved the way Barclay thought about their relationship though. “I play for keeps.” HOW ADORABLE. That scene. <33 But yeah, back to my point… I totally, totally understood where Evelina was coming from, and yet I was slightly like “Get over yourself, girl!” (This is partially because she was so brutal to Barclay in that one scene… O.O) It might have even been my frame of mind whilst reading, but sometimes the drama made me like: -_- It also slightly irks me when characters kiss before they have any real attachment… Of course, I adored some of the quirky loveliness in this, but part of me felt frustrated that they - well, Evelina, really - was partially just spending time with Barclay for fun. Which she consciously decided to do. I hate to complain! I don’t want to sound like I didn’t enjoy it, but it just...it bothered me. A bit. And it was basically just Evelina. Barclay’s take on things was fabulous. *ahem* And basically all three of the novels in this series had the guys taking the relationships very seriously and the girls not so much. It just felt more pronounced in this.

UM, I can’t really think of anything else?! Except that the writing style tends to feel a bit “tell-y” at times. I think it’s just the way the authoress writes, and it doesn’t bother me too much, but I thought it worth mentioning. It’s just not quite the style I usually really enjoy!

Overall, I liked this! I didn’t love it - A Song Unheard holds the favorite spot in my heart - so I was slightly disappointed after loving the second one so much. But there were many pluses to this series! I’m SO looking forward to reading The Number of Love when it comes out next year! I was stoked when I found out it tied into Shadows Over England.

I received a free review copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. The views expressed above are my own.

Out of the Ordinary // BOOK REVIEW

Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Unfortunately, this book didn't pan out for me. I've read a few of Jen Turano's novels in the past and liked them - but Out of the Ordinary really didn't have the same type of story structure, romance, or excitement. Which is a bit of a bummer...

First off, let's talk romance. Don't get me wrong - I love a good romance novel. They're adorable and sweet and often funny and have good messages. But the interaction between the two main characters in this was...I don't know, interspersed? I didn't feel like I got very much of them together, and a lot of what I did get was building upon a friendship begun in book one of this series (which I...yeah, I haven't read. So that's on me!). Which is okay...except that their relationship didn't seem very deep. At all. There were moments when they'd share their hearts, but it was rare. Neither one knew where the other person stood - again, that's okay, but it just...dragged on? Honestly, I barely cared about the characters being together....which isn't usually the case. Normally I'm rooting for the couple! Plus, it got a bit old with almost all of the secondary characters commenting on the "progress" of their relationship. IT WOULDA BEEN OKAY, but then it kept happening. Over and over again. And both MCs didn't even know how they felt, which, again, is fine, normally, but since I got so little of them together, it...just...didn't work. But then they suddenly, very suddenly, realize they love the other person...except the word "love" wasn't really used, at least in Harrison's case - it was "affection." On top of that, Harrison and Gertrude are supposed to already have a good friendship - and they sorta did? But at the same time it felt fresh and unsteady, without the firm foundation two people need to be a couple. In the novel, the relationship worked, and we're left to imagine them happily getting married and staying happy until the end of their days. K, so...nope. If their relationship was real, it would be at a new stage. Not an engagement stage. It almost felt flighty. LIKE GUYS, YOU GOTTA BE MORE GROUNDED THAN THIS. AND LASTLY, the side romances. One of them was fine, and seemed to be somewhat built upon a good friendship/relationship, but then there was a brand new romance between a side character and another side character and it's love-at-first-sight-I-will-marry-you kinda love. Sometimes that's all right, but since it was compounded with the MCs romance, which was a tad superficial, it made pretty much all the romance feel...shallow. Love isn't about looks - there was too much focus on the physical attributes of the characters, and it annoyed me. *ahem*

Secondly, the structure of the story. I didn't get the climax. The first half of the book happened in the span of a few hours, so...it kinda seemed like nothing happened. The whole book plays out in a matter of like five/six days (or thereabouts), AND JUST I felt like I was reading a snippet of what should've been an entire story? The MCs end up together (which in romance novels isn't a spoiler, haha...) but it was somewhat thrown in at the end and it almost felt like... HUH? WHAT HAPPENED TO BRING THEM TO THIS POINT? There wasn't much conflict to overcome...I mean, yeah, there was the personal struggle of Gertrude, her frustrations with her employer, and her employer's personal struggles, but they all got wrapped up. Honestly, what Gertrude was going through...would be really hard. It'd be painful, and it'd probably take a lot to heal the hurt she was harboring. But we didn't get that healing process?? Gertrude very suddenly realizes, from a bit of a speech from a pastor, that what she's been believing is wrong, and then it's like POOF next thing the reader knows, she's totally over it. IDEK.

Thirdly, the writing. (I really feel like I'm saying a lot of negatives, but...) This is probably just my personal taste, but the writing style isn't my favorite? I don't know why, but every single character seems high strung and stressed like one hundred percent of the time, and I don't get that?! *sigh*

Overall, Out of the Ordinary wasn't my cup of tea. There wasn't enough plot, I wasn't rooting for the characters, it was wrapped up too quickly, there was a lot of repetitious happenings pertaining to the romance/Gertrude's employers habits + the repercussions, and most of the story felt pretty shallow. I'm left wondering where the story arc was...and a bit hesitant to try more of Turano's books. :P

Huge thanks to Bethany House Publishers for giving me a free review copy! The feelings expressed above are completely my own.

View all my reviews

IT'S KIND OF A SEQUEL // Q&A Part Two

GUYS - part two of the question and answer video is FINALLY HERE. We most definitely rambled. *wink*

Have you been waiting in suspense?! *nods* Good. XD 

Enjoy, everybody! <3 AND AGAIN, thank you so very much for all the questions! We were more than happy to answer them for ya!

(So yep, basically I answered the music inquiry with SUCH assurance, only to realize I wrong. #mybrain)

Got any other questions for me?! COMMENT THEM BELOW. And HUGE thanks for watching!! <33 I HOPE YOU HAD FUN (cuz we did).

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.

Life Lately // A Q+A IS COMING

the lake - camping in June

 GUYS. *waves* I have some big news. And an update. Shall we start with the news? *nods* Good idea.

I have a friend coming to visit next month. YES, SERIOUSLY. Mikayla, from Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Father, is coming to visit me, all the way from sunny Texas to evergreen-loaded Washington. AND, since we both have blogs (and also because we've been wanting to do this for a while), we're going to do a Q&A together when she comes! SO, DROP US SOME QUESTIONS. However many you want, about whatever you want! We'll answer them all! (Really, we will.)

And life! Wow - life's been busy lately. And I did something c.r.a.z.y. last week (which I shall tell you about in a moment). I'm actually still finishing up some school *laughs* AND have barely been reading? There are so many books on currently-reading shelf right now! (Okay, so technically it's only four, because two of them I'm not "currently" reading, I just haven't finished them yet. O.O) 

Other things I've been doing? We went rock climbing the other day. Birthday shopping (my birthday, my older bro's, and my older sister's are all in the SAME week *phew*). Possibly going to see the Emoji Movie (I know it looks stupid, but it also looks funny XD). Going to see Cars 3 on July 4th. (GO WATCH IT. I like Cars so much, haha)

AND I GOT A URL FOR MY NEW BLOG. But I've done nothing with it yet so *wide eyes* it's not being shared yet.... XD

What I'm reading:

So, as some of you may know, I created a reading challenge for this year - and I'm slowly working through it. HERE ARE SOME BOOKS I'M USING:

Resistance by Jaye L. Knight - This is GOOD. So far, I like it. I see soooo much improvement in Miss Knight's writing from some of her earlier works, and this whole novel - the characters, the set-up, the writing style - is well-done. *thumbs up* (I actually haven't finished it yet but I asked for the sequel for my up-coming birthday, haha) - a book over 400 pages

War on the Waters by James M. McPherson - CHALLENGE MATERIAL - a history book. This book is really interesting (I'm a Civil War enthusiast), and there's so much good info! It's really cool to be reading and come across events that I know about - briefly - and then it goes into so much depth.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson - UM, this one is...interesting. I'm not sure about it, to be honest. Right now, it feels like a three star (maybe). I'm reading it aloud to my siblings, WHICH IS COOL. Also, I'm using it for the challenge - a book in my favorite genre.

The Bates Method for Better Eyesight Without Glasses by Dr. William Bates - YES, I am reading a scientific-y book. It's actually sort of interesting, because I like learning. Honestly, some of the info is slightly mind-blowing. 

it was gorgeous

The crazy thing I did last week:

My little brother likes playing football. Naturally, I play with him. We were at the orthodontist last month, and the lovely lady working on my braces got talking with my mom. And she told my mom that her son does flag-football with a church. And my little bro has been wanting to do football for a while now. So we checked it out. And decided to do it. 

AND SO EVALUATION DAY came around, and Jeremiah did fantastically (he can throw better than me now XD). On the drive home, I said something about playing football (because it's co-ed and also because I wouldn't want to do cheerleading ha), and my mom looked in the rear view mirror with the face of "do you want to do it?" I very vehemently said NOPE. (I was scared, guys, k.) But then we dropped the siblings off so we could pick up a birthday present, and we got to talking. And I admitted that if I wasn't so scared, I would want to do the evaluations. Because this could be my only chance to play the only sport I ever really wanted to play. And so my mom drove back to the church, went inside to talk to someone, and came out with an amazing gal who totally convinced me to try it. So I evaluated.

And ya know what, guys? I've decided to do it. I'm actually going to do flag-football. It took a lot of worry. And thought. And debating and talking and asking opinions. And thinking about my own opinion. On evaluation day, I was totally like "YES I'm playing" - but then a day passed, and then two, and it started to seem intimidating and scary all over again. But when I pushed past that I realized I wanted to do it, because hey, why not? This could be a lot of fun. 

Practice starts next month. *laughs nervously* BUT I'M DOING IT and I'm actually kind of excited now?! #weshallsee 

SO YEAH. CRAZY AND SUDDEN, I KNOW. Because I'd had no inkling weeks before, or days before, or even ON evaluation day that I'd be trying out. But then I felt like if I didn't do it, I'd regret it. 

ALSO, going camping again for my sister's birthday. Which is fantastic. Funny, cuz we got the same lot we had in June. XD #itwasnice

I'LL BE SEVENTEEN ON THURSDAY. *ahem* Yep. 

What I've been writing:

When NaNo rolled around, I was all in to write my WIP Chosen - a Christian, futuristic, dystopian mash-up (the idea for it came very randomly and I started it very suddenly). Plans changed, however - when I started Camp and did not like the words I was writing. It was frustrating - THANKFULLY, I had a backup. It's a "short story" I've titled Raindrops. I've been writing that the past few weeks- and it's going really well, methinks. I'm excited to finish it! (by the end of July) It was going to be a short story, but now it's a *cough* novelette. 

{ a basic summary }  

"A girl, a guy, a broken down Jeep, a rescue (attempt), a coffee shop, and...rain."

Raindrops was inspired by a Pinterest photo - which has never happened to me before. XD I saw the picture, and the beginnings of an idea took root. HERE I AM NOW. It's been fun to write, with the characters coming to life, humor seeping in effortlessly, and the idea of an epilogue of sorts - not too long ago, I was considering turning this into a full-blown novel, but it was only ever meant to be a short story - ya know what I mean? THEN the idea of an epilogue popped up, giving me the opportunity to take the story the way I wanted and tie up the potential loose ends. 

{ snippet }

 “Oh!” The guy’s voice was laughing. “Um...sorry.” The smirk on his face told her he was anything but.

“Sure,” she mumbled, half-laughing as she glanced around the interior of the Jeep. It was old. Really old. Maybe 90s? But she could tell he took good care of it. That didn’t stop her from asking… “Does it run?”

His eyes widened, and she thought she heard him suck in a breath. An awkward second scraped by. Then he grinned. “That’s the beauty of this old gal. It’s always a mystery to see if she’ll start or not.”

Sarah laughed, but when Joshua still started at her, she realized maybe he wasn’t joking. Now her eyes widened. “Wait...what? Is that…? Are you…?”

“Serious?” He finished for her. “Uh...well…” Joshua coughed, facing forward. “Sorta a bad joke, but…”

AND THAT IS ALL. 

What does your currently-reading shelf look like? Last crazy thing you did that took guts? What is your Camp NaNo project? AND DON'T BE SHY - ask all the questions you want for the Q&A!

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*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Reluctant Godfather // Interview with THE Allison Tebo

Drum roll, please! *dun dun duuuuuh* GUYS, my friend, Allison Tebo, just released her latest - The Reluctant Godfather! Woot woot!! XD Want the scoop? It's a Cinderella retelling, BUT the twist is that there's a fairy godfather and it's from his point of view. It's also the first book in the Tales of Ambia series! Crazy cool, right?! *wink* So I'm here today celebrating the release of this hilarious, charming novella - replete with all the info + links, an interview with Allison herself, and my four-star review.

LET US BEGIN.

Synopsis:

A humorous and magical re-telling of Cinderella from a unique perspective.

Burndee is a young and cantankerous fairy godfather, who would rather bake cakes than help humans. A disgrace to the fairy order, Burndee has only two wards entrusted to his care…a cinder girl and a charming prince.

A royal ball presents Burndee with the brilliant solution of how to make his wards happy with the least amount of effort. He’ll arrange a meeting and hope the two fall in love.

Isn't she pretty?!

About Allison:

Allison Tebo is a Christian homeschool graduate in her mid-twenties, who works part time as a sales associate for a major transportation company.  A graduate of London Art College, Allison pursues avenues in cartooning and illustrating as well as singing and voice acting.  

In her spare time she writes and blogs at www.allisonswell.com. 

It is her goal to write fiction that appeals to many different kind of people, by writing clean, classic fun.

Her faith in Christ directly influences all she writes about - or does not write about.  Whether the story possesses a strong message or is simply fun and imaginative fiction - her desire is to bring honor to God - and to provide quality stories for everyone to enjoy.

My review:

My goodness! This Cinderella retelling was hilarious and charming and delightful - and anything but cliche. THERE WERE NO CLICHES, I'm serious. There were sooo many humorous scenes and turns that I never would've expected! Allison came up with a wonderful twist on the much-loved classic - one I've already reread (yes, I did read it twice within a four four day period, the second time aloud to my family *grins*).

Burndee was hilariously lovable. I mean, despite being cantankerous and rather sarcastic and grumpy - almost all the time - you simply can't help but like him. He made things lively and funny and honestly had me laughing on numerous occasions. It was really fun having things from his perspective! AND THERE IS GONNA BE A SEQUEL WITH HIM AGAIN OMW. You can't create a character as unique and funny as Burndee and not continue on with him... *winkwink* He's charming in an unusually charming way. I mean, a guy fairy? A godfather? That bakes? Oh, yes. That wins, Allison. It's fantastic.

The comedy in this book was very enjoyable - I laughed so, so much! And hilarious books don't come along very often, do they?! On page two I was already smiling and getting my little brother to let me read the first few pages to him. The Reluctant Godfather was so unique and delightful in ways I wasn't expecting! I mean, Allison put so many twists in here that were perfect for the retelling! Even down to the ever-present-in-Cinderella-stories mice that Ella, ya know, normally adores? (I didn't even notice what Allison did with the mice-Ella relationship until my little bro pointed it out to me, and then I was like "ooooh, I see!") Of course, the basic story is recognizably classic Cinderella, but with added details and sarcastic comments and laugh-out-loud-funny dancing scenes. (I shall say no more on that account...after I tell you that the ballroom scene was, indeed, when I laughed the hardest.) On top of the hilarity and sweetness, the writing was well-done! Allison's style fit this story.

And the ending! I admit it...I saw two different spoilers about the ending so I knew what was gonna happen (one was on accident! The other...*cough* yes, I did look at one... ahem, moving on.) It was cute, and sweet, and SO DIFFERENT, my word! It made it fun - because I wasn't reading the same old story that everyone knows by heart. It was special, AND (if I hadn't have seen those spoilers) I'm not sure I would've expected it. There are definitely hints all along (cute ones, I might add!), but not enough to made you really doubt that Allison is going to follow the normal route. I mean, I even knew what was going to happen and still sat there, reading about Colin, and went "wait, but how is this going to work out?"

One of my favorite quotes:

"Don't you realize what a disgrace that is?"

"Oh, yes, I'm disgraced," said Burndee, squinting at his creation and wondering whether he should add mint leaves.

I WOULD add another here, but it's actually spoiler material, so I can't do it to you all... (Why don't you just read it yourself to find out, hmm?)

I MUST ADD that there were a few very brief moments that were not-overly-violent. (Though those two parts with Burndee were surprising in a funny way. My mouth literally dropped open at one point, and I snapped a rubberband on my braces, hahaha. #truestory). And I was a little frustrated with a smidgen of Burndee's sarcasm towards Ella (BUT OF COURSE that all gets turned around, cuz, ya know). Also, I just gotta say that there was magic in this - but that's kinda to be expected in Cinderella?

OVERALL, this was a delightful, funny, engaging read! A round of applause to Miss Allison for creating such a fun, charming retelling!

It's interview time! Go grab a cup of java and let's get started...

1) Hi, Allison! Welcome to my corner of the internet! Happy to have ya! Why don't you start by telling us what inspired you to write a fairy tale retelling - with a fairy godfather, delightfully, as the main character?

Hi, Micaiah!!  Thank you so much for having me!  I'm thrilled to be here! 

To be honest - the whole idea just popped into my head - one night, last summer, the whole story was suddenly there.  I can't remember the precise spark that lit the fuse - but somehow, my mind snagged upon the idea of a male fairy godfather - I wish now that I could remember all the details of that mysterious process! 

2) What was your inspiration for Burndee and all of his humorous sarcasm? For Ella and Collin?

I hate to cop out on this question - but honestly they just popped into my head. Characters come very easily to me and they are my strong point.

 As far as the 'zingers' that Burndee is so fond of using - I'm a little embarrassed to say that I often think of stuff like that - thank goodness I have characters that can say all of that stuff for me.  Hehehe! 

3) What are a few hobbies you enjoy (besides writing, of course!)?

I love to paint and draw.  I enjoy quilting.  And I love to bake - obviously.  :D 

4) Why don't you tell us the story of how you got started as a writer! Did anyone in particular inspire you or did you start all on your own? 

My big sister! I wanted to be just like her, and – I’m embarrassed now to admit it – I wanted all the accolades and attention that her stories were getting. Since then, I’ve learned that I don’t have to compare my stories to other people’s writing, and I don’t have to do something just because someone I admire is doing it. I don’t write for accolades anymore (though it’s always fun to have people get excited about my writing, of course), I write because I must. I write because it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. Writing has become as much a part of me as breathing. The words are there, and they must come out.  

5) What is your favorite part of the writing process? Annnnd your least favorite part?

That is an interesting question because, depending on how I feel at the time, my most favorite and least favorite parts about writing can change - some days I love drafting and hate editing - other days I hate drafting and love editing.  But, thinking it over, I would have to say drafting (especially when drafting off of outlines) is my favorite part of writing and publishing is definitely my least favorite part - that process really squashed my creativity.  

6) Now, for a hard one *wink wink*: If you absolutely HAD to choose, would you rather read only non-fiction books for a whole year, or not be able to read the ending of every fictional novel you read during that year?

'dies'  MICAIAH HOW COULD YOU ASK ME SUCH A QUESTION!?  'wounded look'  AUGH!  I - I can't even . . . 'speechless' . . . choose!  Um . . . okay, I would have to chose a year of not reading the ends of fiction novels - I could always write the endings myself, either in my head or on paper.  Actually, for some books, that might not be such a bad idea.  Thank goodness that question is over with . . . :) 

Me: *laughs* I TOLD YOU IT'D BE HARD. It's funny because whenever I ask this question I've always gotten the same answer - to not read the endings.

7) What are FIVE of your favorite books?

Another hard one!  Okay, I'm going to pick the first five that come to mind.  Urchin and the Heartstone by M.I McAllister. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. Trion Rising by Robert Elmer. Those High Green Hills by Jan Karon. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.  

8) Do you have a favorite fictional character - from a movie, a TV show, or a book? Why do you like that specific character so much?

MORE TORTURE!  I don't have just one favorite character from a movie, TV Show, or book - I have DOZENS.  'thinks hard'  - again, I'll just have to pick the first one that comes to mind.  Clavius from the movie Risen.  Steady, solid, soldierly characters are some of my hands-down favorite types of characters (male characters) - and Clavius is especially unique.  His search for God - and God's search for him - is palpable.  Clavius' commanding personality, his vigorous discipline, his yearning for something more (for peace and belonging), his controlled fear in trying to maintain his delicate position - his fervent search for the truth, his raw devastation at finding it, his steely resolve to follow it - AH!  What a character.  And what a run-on sentence!  Did I mention solid, soldierly characters are my favorites and that I get really excited talking about them? :) 

9) And, lastly: coffee, tea, or chocolate? (Because this is important... *nods*)

AT LAST - AN EASY ONE!  :D  - coffee, definitely,  hands-down, no-question - coffee forever.  

Me: *laughs again* YES, COFFEE FOREVER. We're agreed. Thank you so much for answering all my questions, Allison! It's been a pleasure having you!

SO, if all this hasn't convinced you to read The Reluctant Godfather, maybe this will...

Allison is hosting A GIVEAWAY. Go click on that link, enter the contest, and win ALL THE THINGS - a signed paperback copy of The Reluctant Godfather, a Tales of Ambia notebook, a t-shirt enlivened with a quote from the ever-quotable Burndee, and a BURNDEE IS THE BEST mug.

Or buy the book, here, on Amazon - whatever floats your boat. (Haha, I wanted to say that... *crying/laughing emoji*)

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS from me to Allison for publishing this novella! YOU GO, GIRL. *applause* *confetti* *balloons* *cake (and coffee)*

GO GET READING, GUYS. (my cursor just disappeared, hahahaha...)

(I shall be back in about two weeks with another blog tour post for my friend, Faith Potts, and her novella Dandelion Dust. Be sure to pop back in to see it!)