Hiiiiiiiii peeps! It feels like such a long time since I last did a blog tag, so I was very happy to be tagged by Katja for her new one! As somebody who gets seasonal depression really bad, I am really happy that spring was actually EARLY and began in March for once (!) 😮 even if it looks like we might get snow on Friday, boo 😭

The Rules:

• Use the graphic & tag the creator, Katja @ Little Blossoms for Jesus
• Answer the questions
• Tag as many or as few people as you want

The Questions

Bird Song || Share a book about music, writing, or another art

I suppose an obvious choice is The Artist by Amy LeFeuvre. I liked it to begin with, but in the end I was a bit disappointed tbh. I wanted more of Jean learning to use her art for God’s glory instead of pretty much giving it up in the long run. ☹️ Oh well, she turned out to be a very sweet character, and there were some lovely scenes!

Robins’ Eggs || Share a favourite mystery

Most of the mystery books I read are from the midcentury (Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Bobbsey Twins, etc). I also really enjoy the Cherry Ames series written by Helen Wells and Julie Tatham, which combines nursing with solving mysteries. (That’s where I get most of my very limited medical knowledge, lol.) Cherry Ames, Cruise Nurse was always one of my favorites; I loved all the different characters involved, including a hilarious terror of a little boy, and the plotline of the missing ambergris.

Fresh Grass || Share a debut novel you’ve read

Umm . . . I’m stumped, honestly 😅 I don’t think I’ve ever read a debut novel when it was still new. I’ll have to fudge a little and go with Enjoy the Little Things: A Bernese Mountain Dog’s Montana Adventure by Debbie McCrary. It’s a kids’ book, and Mrs. McCrary has written poetry before, but it still kinda counts, right?

(Also, it was illustrated by Savannah, and it’s lovely! 😍)

Melting Icicles || Share a book that was better than you expected

My dad read us The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, because he’d read it back in the 80s and loved it at the time. I wasn’t too sure about it at first – it started out feeling like an LOTR ripoff – but it quickly took on life and character of its own, and even though it’s got more “fantastic” elements than I like to read, it didn’t weird me out. We all ended up loving it, so much so that we made Lego people for the whole cast. 😁

(Also, I was absolutely delighted when Allanon went off on a rant about how important it is to understand history. 😇)

New Dresses || Share a book you’re excited to get

Hmm . . . you know, honestly, I can’t think of any right now! I just got The Healer’s Secret – book 3 in the MARKED series by Given Hoffman – which I’d been anticipating for a LONG time. I am really enjoying it so far, but it’s going slow because I’m battling the years-long reading slump that makes it really hard for me to sit down and read anything. 😭

Rain Puddles || Share a book that made you cry

You know what I’m gonna say here . . . . What else could it be but my beloved Outsiders? 😁 Not only did it make me cry the first time around – which is rare – but I cried again upon rereading it – even more rare!

I’m starting to sound like a broken record here . . . 😆

Running Shoes || Share a book that took you on an emotional journey

Again, I’ll repeat myself and choose Trains and Tulips by Savannah Jane McCrary! I reread it in anticipation of the upcoming Victory Celebration Blog Party that Savannah and I are co-hosting, and man, it’s just as good the second time around; even better, I think. I went from grinning to tearing up (and I wanted to cry at a few points, but mum was sitting on the couch next to me, so we couldn’t do that). 😛

Spring Flowers || Share a book that made you happy or feel good

My dad read us Father’s Big Improvements by Caroline D. Emerson while we were on a trip East last May. It’s about a family about the turn of the century, when all sorts of exciting new technologies are being developed, and it was just so delightful! I have good memories of laying on the hotel room bed, building with Legos (because we always take a travel Lego box with us) while listening to him read about Father’s newfangled machines.

Tree Buds || Share a new-to-you author

I’ve been following Rachel Kovaciny for a while now (we both love Combat!, Shane, The Outsiders, history, and other things we have in common) but I finally got around to reading A Noble Companion, her Ugly Duckling retelling (from the Cornerstone Series) back in February. I really enjoyed it; some of my favorite parts were the Spanish New World setting (so unique!), Cenizo, and El Lobo. 🤭

(I was also going through a really hard time when I read it, so it was a very nice distraction for me. 💕)

Strong Wind || Share a book that encouraged or challenged you

I just finished A Very Present Help by Lieutenant General Sir William Dobbie, the British commander of Malta during WWII – and wow! He wrote it originally to encourage fellow officers and share things that helped him during the war, but it’s entirely applicable to non-military Christians as well. General Dobbie includes personal anecdotes with practical Christianity, and it’s just so good!

The Tagged

I’m going to tag Journey and Shekinah, but feel free to snurch if you’re so inclined!

Here’s the clean copy of the questions:

• Bird Song || Share a book about music, writing, or another art
• Robins’ Eggs || Share a favourite mystery
• Fresh Grass || Share a debut novel you’ve read
• Melting Icicles || Share a book that was better than you expected
• New Dresses || Share a book you’re excited to get
• Rain Puddles || Share a book that made you cry
• Running Shoes || Share a book that took you on an emotional journey
• Spring Flowers || Share a book that made you happy or feel good
• Tree Buds || Share a new-to-you author
• Strong Wind || Share a book that encouraged or challenged you

Stay gold y’all 🫶💛