Bookshelf Tag

Kelsey Bryant did a post recently on her blog - Kelsey's Notebook. It was a bookshelf tag (it originated on Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens), and I thought it looked like fun! She tagged anyone to do it who wanted to, so I thought I'd give it a go. And what avid reader doesn't love to talk about their books?  

There aren't really any rules to go along with this tag, and I think anyone can do it who wants to - so...if you think it's a fun idea, go ahead and do the tag on your blog! You're officially nominated. ;)

Without further adieu: 

Describe your bookshelf (or wherever it is you keep your books-it doesn't actually have to be a shelf!) and where you got it from:

The bookshelf!

The particular bookshelf I will be talking about in this post I share with my sister. My books occupy the top shelf, and she takes the bottom two (though, the stacked books you see on top of all those Garfields are mine! And I have other shelves where I keep the rest my collection!). It is a very light wood, and is actually a very nice size! It's not too large, and it fits perfectly between our bunk-bed and the wall (you will recognize the bookshelf from a post I did last year, where I toured my room!). I normally keep some of my favorites on it, but otherwise I keep books there that are too tall to fit in my other shelves! :) My mom previously used it, and I think she got it from a garage sale, but I could be mistaken!

Do you have any special or different way of organizing your books?

I organize my books partially by size, series, and author. Normally, if I have more than one book by the same author, they'll be grouped together.

What's the thickest (most amount of pages) book on your shelf?

The thickest book would be my old Bible, which reaches a page count of 1,713. The next largest book would be my seven-in-one, hardback Narnia. Since all seven books in the series are grouped together in one, it comes to 778 pages, which includes an essay from C.S. Lewis on writing children's books!

What's the thinnest (least amount of pages) book on your shelf?

Okay, okay...wait a moment while I check... ;) Titanic Crossing by Barbara Williams, at 167 pages.

Is there a book you received as a birthday gift?

I'm positive I received a few of the A Life of Faith novels for one of my birthdays!

What's the smallest (height and width wise) book on your shelf?

Eric Liddell by Catherine Swift.

What's the biggest (height and width wise) book on your shelf? 

The seven-book Chronicles of Narnia definitely taps out as the widest, but Ted Dekker's Outlaw is slightly taller.

Most expensive book?

Haha!! This question... XD You'll all be surprised to hear that my paperback copy of Violet's Bumpy Ride in the A Life of Faith series cost about $63 dollars! It was ridiculously high-priced, but I really, really wanted to read it and see what happened, so I split the cost with my mom! (Then, come to find out, a little while later there was a hardback copy of the same book for $12. *sighs*)

The last book you read on your shelf?

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. But I'm currently reading The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis.

Of all the books on your shelf, which was the first you read?

I actually know the answer to this! It was my God's Word translation Bible, but the first novel was Violet's Bold Mission in the ALOF series, and I read it when I was ten or eleven years old. (I got my Bible when I was ten.)

Do you have more than one copy of a book?

Not that I personally own, but my sister and I both got a copy of Outlaw by Ted Dekker (and her copy is also on this bookshelf). We went to see him speak live in 2013, so we both bought a copy and got it signed afterwards! (He is really nice, and literally hugs everyone...) ;)

Do you have the complete series of any book series?

The series!

I am so happy/proud to say 'Yes'! I have the whole Elsie Dinsmore, Violet Travilla, Millie Keith, and Men of Grit series on my shelf! 

What's the newest addition to your shelf?

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is one, and then there's Sense and Sensibility, A Chance to Die, and End of the Spear.

What book has been on your shelf FOREVER? 

Most of the books on the shelf (or, a substantial amount of them), have been there since I started using the shelf: all three series from A Life of Faith, my old Bible, Outlaw, Narnia, Titanic Crossing, and the Men of Grit series. All the other books I've gotten more recently. :)

What's the most recently published book on your shelf?

Rising to the Challenge by Alicia Willis.

The oldest book on your shelf (as in, the actual copy is old)?

I actually don't know... The oldest is my old Bible, I guess. It's not that old, though...I just don't have any old copies of books! I think it would be cool to, though!

A book you won?

None, currently. 

A book you'd hate to let out of your sight (aka a book you never let someone borrow)?

Haha! I don't think I would let anyone borrow any of the books of the Men of Grit series by John J. Horn... ;) But most especially Secret of the Lost Settlement (it's signed!!!). 

Most beat-up book?

Most of my books stay in pretty good condition, however, the Bible I have on my shelf is...falling apart at the binding. :P

Most pristine book?

I think I'd have to say Live Original by Sadie Robertson! 

A book from your childhood?

The A Life of Faith series in general. A few of the books I just read for the first time last year, but I think I'll always connect that series to my childhood. Those were the first chapter books I started reading. They're the reason I got so interested in the Victorian era - and actually reading itself. 

A book that's not actually your book?

Hope in Front of Me by Danny Gokey - my mom bought it, but I read it first! You'll find me taking pens that aren't mine, but not books, normally... ;) Quiet in His Presence is also not mine. It's Mom's, but she's lending it me. 

A book with a special/different cover (e.g. leather bound, soft fuzzy cover etc.)?

Not really! My copy of The Hiding Place is a nice hardback with gold lettering and part of the cover is a cloth-like material, though.

A book that is your favorite color?

No - but both the Violet and Millie series have nice colors.

Book that's been on your shelf the longest that you STILL haven't read?

I normally only keep books I have read on this shelf, but I haven't read Live Original or The Silver Chair yet (I don't plan on reading The Silver Chair, though - at least not anytime soon!).

Any signed books?

Yes, actually! *happy grin* Secret of the Lost Settlement: The Duty of Warriors, signed by John Horn; Outlaw, signed by Ted Dekker; and both In Search of Adventure and Rising to the Challenge, signed by Alicia Willis. 

Wow! That was a ton of fun. Again, anybody can do it! But, I officially tag Mikayla H. at The Bubblegum Ballerina, Jessica Joy at (Almost) Perfectly Pink, and Julia Ryan from Writing for His Glory!

(Note: I'm finally back! I've been on vacation! I might post an update of sorts later, talking about the trip my family and I went on, and maybe sharing some pictures!)

Quote of the Week

"But God does use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. It doesn't matter who we are really, just who He is." - Martha Finley, Millie's Faithful Heart (A Life of Faith: Millie Keith #4)

Yes to Carrots - A Review

This is the facial wash I use.

And I really, really like it! :) I thought I'd share a review with you all...and tell you why I like it oh so much...and when and where I came across this amazing brand.

I had run out of facial wash at one point, and my mom and I were actually planning on running into TJ Maxx to look for some shampoo and body wash (they have decent deals there, and I really like the shampoo we ended up getting!), so we thought we might as well check and see if they had any facial products.

They didn't really. BUT they had a lonely bottle of Yes to Carrots sitting on a shelf. Mom said I might as well get it and if I didn't like it we could get something else.

But I tried it and I liked it! And that feeling has just grown since I've been using it. ;)

A few nice facts to know:

It's really creamy and feels nice.
It is almost 100% natural.
It doesn't leave my face feeling dry.
It's rich in Beta-Carotene (a natural form of Vitamin A), and includes shea butter and aloe vera. (a.k.a Hydration Heaven)

I figured that the brand was actually 'Yes to' and they would have multiple choices of 'flavors' (what other word would you call that? I dunno.). And they do! I looked up their website, and they sell all kinds of products - facial cleansers (creams, a gel product, exfoliators, and others), facial treatments (nighttime cream, etc.), lotions, lip balms, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, and even baby products! I was excited!

'Flavors':

Carrot - For Normal-to-Dry skin (Carrot is their 'Original', and their brand really is Yes to Carrots)
Coconut - For Very Dry skin
Cucumber - For Sensitive skin
Pomegranate - For Uneven skin tone
Tomato - For Combination and Acne-prone skin
Blueberry - For Fine Lines and Wrinkles

And my sister even wants to buy something from them... (Pomegranate SPF lip balm - she loves lip balm.) ;)

So we're planning on getting more of their products, and hopefully even trying out some of their shampoo, conditioner, and body wash! I think we're gonna get a Mystery Box.... XD

Even better, they're not outrageously priced! Which is even cooler because they're a pretty natural brand.

I found my face wash at TJ Maxx for probably $7.99, and you can find the same 6oz bottle on their website for the same price... Which is cool, because normally you would think a company would charge more on their own website than a store would. (Of course, you have to factor in shipping, but if you spend $50 or more, it's FREE!)

Overall, recommended! My face wash is delightful!

Anyways, after all that rambling, here's a link: http://www.yestocarrots.com/

Enjoy! And let me know if you get any and whatcha think of 'em, if you do!

-Micaiah-

P.S. I am pretty sure that if you sign up to get their emails (at the bottom of the page), you'll get a 10% off coupon code in an email they send to you minutes after you've entered your email address and clicked 'Sign Up'. (Though this only works on certain items - the ones that it won't work on will say so when you add them to your cart!)

It's Been So Long...

Erin and Daniel

It's been so long since I've posted! *sigh*  I'm sorry about that... School has been keeping me pretty busy (especially this last week!). But hopefully soon I'll begin posting more regularly. :)


Do any of you have any type of posts you would like to see more of? Let me know in the comment section!

Anyways, today was the season two premiere of When Calls the Heart! And it was fun. :) I am looking forward to watching more! Albeit, things are going to get complicated...



And Signed, Sealed, Delivered is just amazing. I wanted to let you know. ;) It's another Hallmark show that is so fun to watch. My family and I watched Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas the other night, and I fell in love with the movie all over again... :) I am actually glad that Hallmark has decided to do a movie series instead of a regular series with episodes for Signed, Sealed, Delivered, because we'll get more storyline, it seems, with longer movies! And, speaking of which, a new movie is releasing in June! :) I am excited, because something very dramatic is going to happen... And I figured this out just from the title... The title gave it all away! ;)

My computer has also been in the 'hospital' as I call it. Haha... It was running slow and the battery wouldn't charge or hold a charge at all, so we took it in last week. I think everything is fixed now, but it's still a little slow...

I also recently read The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom! It was good, and made me cry... and it was only the second book to really make me cry! The first was Secret of the Lost Settlement by John J. Horn, which had a really bittersweet ending... But I'd still recommend his books, a'course. :) I also just finished Bruchko by Bruce Olsen...but I didn't like it all that well.

I'm sorry this is a short post...and I'm sorry I haven't posted more! If feel bad just posting so many updates...  I'll try to start blogging more regularly!

-Micaiah-

P.S. I've been working on a quilt project too, for Home Ec.! It's coming along pretty well, and I think I'll post on it when I've finished! :)

Quote of the Week

"Don't do that, my boy," said Dominick; "whatever you do, don't imitate. Act well the part allotted to you, whatever it may be, according to the promptings of your own particular nature; but don't imitate." - R. M. Ballantyne, The Island Queen

Because He Died

Because He died,

we are free from all sin, death, and sickness.
we are called His children.
the veil was torn.
we are freely given grace.
we share Christ's inheritance.
we have Heaven to look forward to.
we need not fear death.
His grace and mercy covers every blunder, every mess-up, every mistake.
we are never separated from Him.
the Holy Spirit lives inside of us.

We are FREE. We are SAVED. We have LIFE, and life more abundantly.

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-89 (NIV)

"He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people - an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you." - Luke 22:19-20 (NIV)

Jesus' death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice, so we could be with Him and know Him. He was the perfect lamb, spotless and without blemish. We are freely given redemption and forgiveness.

And He loves us more than we can ever imagine!.

And isn't this song by Jeremy Camp great!? He's cool. :) 

My Review of The Cat of Bubastes

Hey, all! I recently finished reading The Cat of Bubastes by G.A. Henty. I thought I'd post my review!

The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt
By: G.A. Henty
Rating: 2.5 stars

Plot summary:

Enslaved by a conquering army, the young prince Amuba finds friendship in the house of an Egyptian high priest, where he acts as a companion to the priest's son, Chebron. The entire household plunges into peril when Chebron accidently kills a cat - and not just any cat, but the cat designated as the sacred cat of the great temple at Bubastes. A riot ensues, and the boys must flee, embarking on a long and hazardous journey to Amuba's homeland of Rebu.

My review:

I was required to read The Cat of Bubastes for school, and, since my sister was interested in reading it too, we read it together.

It took us forever to finish it! Haha!

Anyways, I have to say I found this book a bit monotone and boring. Henty 'told' instead of 'showed'. Some of the conversations and descriptions got rather lengthy, especially since I was reading it out loud. But I liked the plot. The plot had potential: A young Rebu prince and his wise friend are taken prisoners by the Egyptians and forced to head to Egypt and become a slave to an Egyptian master. Thankfully, Amuba, the young prince, and his friend, Jethro, land in the house of the High Priest of Osiris, Ameres, a kind man hiding his uncommon and unwelcome thoughts on religion. The High Priest's son, Chebron, and Amuba become fast friends - and eventually fugitives of the law.

Really - the plot has potential!

But the book was written with almost no emotion whatsoever. And some parts were completely unrealistic - such as when characters were wounded. (Example: One of the main characters has a spear thrust into his shoulder during a battle - it's sticking out of him. He keeps on fighting - which is cool, but unlikely - and then after the battle talks to another character, seemingly fine, when in reality he would be in severe pain.)

I also want to point out that I don't think Henty wrote the way he did just because of the time he lived in. I think it was partially his style - I've heard he was a journalist, so that must have something to do with it. I've read books by R.M. Ballantyne, who lived in the same time as Henty, and his books are written with more excitement.

Also, it took quite a long while for things to actually start happening. It's about halfway through the novel when the cat is killed and things start really rolling. Before this is mostly Amuba and Jethro coming to be with Ameres, and a hunting trip that leads to some surprising happenings.

However, I did enjoy the book, it was just too slow-moving, unemotional, and lengthy in descriptions, conversations, etc. for my taste.

Overall, I liked the plot and the two main characters, Chebron and Amuba, I liked how the book ended, and I got to learn more about Ancient Egypt along the way. I enjoyed it somewhat, but it could've been much better written. It lacked emotion, real character depth, and was slightly unrealistic in some senses.

Have you read The Cat of Bubastes? What did you think of it?

~Micaiah~