book review | THE CHRONICLES OF ALICE AND IVY

'Ello, mates! Today, for the amazing Kellyn Roth, I shall be reviewing the first two books in her series, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy.

Rather than reviewing both books separately, I shall be doing a review of the Chronicles themselves (smart, huh? *wink*). And, since there are only two published books in the series so far, I can only review the books that I signed up to review, and it works out perfectly. #genius

Anywho, Kellyn is publishing the second book in her series for the first time and re-publishing the first book. Don't you love the covers??? (Which you can see below). <33

ABOUT LE AUTHORESS:

Kellyn Roth was born and raised in the country outside a small town in North-Eastern Oregon. Ever since she could talk, she’s had a fascination with words, always coming up with songs, poems, and stories. Now a homeschooled high schooler, she spends her spare time penning historical novels, several of which have been published.

Website · Blog · Newsletter · Facebook · Amazon · Goodreads

ABOUT LE BOOKS:

Book 1:

After a revealing conversation with the first children of her age she’s ever met, curious eight-year-old Alice Chattoway realizes that one ought to have a father … and she doesn’t. Having determined that his absence is making her mother unhappy, Alice resolves to find him and create a family for herself.

However, Alice’s mother, Miss Chattoway, is reluctant to answer any questions posed about a man she’d much rather forget. While Alice investigates, Miss Chattoway tries to balance her own spiritual turmoil with her need to be both mother and provider to her daughters.

Will Alice ever unravel her mother’s secrets? Can Miss Chattoway let go of the past to reach for the future?

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Book 2:

Trapped in a world where she doesn’t belong, twelve-year-old Ivy Knight struggles to keep her head above water as her simplicity is brought to light by her new position as a young lady growing up at Pearlbelle Park.

Worried about their daughter’s inability to fit in, Ivy’s parents decide to send her to McCale House, a boarding school in Scotland for boys and girls like her. However, alone and frightened without her beloved mother, sister, and nurse, Ivy can’t seem to focus.

Will Ivy ever learn what Dr. McCale is trying to teach her? Or will she remain lost in her own mind forever?

Amazon ~ Goodreads

REVIEW OF LE CHRONICLES:

**This is a review of the second edition of The Dressmaker's Secret, published June 2017**

First off, bravo!!!! Encore!!! Amazing job, Kellyn! These books have to be among my favorite historical novels I've read. I enjoyed Ivy Introspective a bit more than I did The Dressmaker's Secret, but they both reminded me somewhat of A Little Princess. Maybe it's the setting, or the time period, or the sweet little girls (or all three), but I LOVED it. A Little Princess has always been a favorite for me, and the relation of the books to it but also how they were different made it a splendid read.

The plot lines were easy to follow, and I caught many of the small lessons that made both books whole. There were many plot twists that caught me off guard, and one in the first book that made me a tad bit sad, but as usual, I got over it. Books are meant to stir up emotions. ;)

I didn't catch any errors in both books (yay!!) and loved how there was a Bible verse at the beginning of every chapter. I hope that that is something that will be continued for the whole series.

**This is a review of the second edition of The Dressmaker's Secret, published June 2017**

Rating: 4.5 stars

FOLLOW LE TOUR:

Tuesday the 20th

-Lana @ The Music of Words (book and character spotlight)

Wednesday the 21st

-Faith Blum @ Bookish Orchestrations (author interview)

Thursday the 22nd

-Leona @ Great Books for God’s Girls (review of IvIn, author interview)

Friday the 23rd

-Jordy @ Jordy Leigh (author interview)

-Tonya @ Literary Musings (reviews of TDS and IvIn)

Saturday the 24th

-May Everly @ Forever and Everly (author interview)

-Zane Jones @ Simple Impossibilities (author interview)

Sunday the 25th

-Dani Eide @ Perspective of a Writer (character interview and spotlight)

Monday the 26th

-Anika Joy @ This Journey Called Life (review of TDS and IvIn)

-Maddy @ Girls Living for God’s Glory (book spotlight)

Tuesday the 27th

-Heather @ Frozen Books Blog (guest post)

Wednesday the 28th

-Jesseca Wheaton @ Whimsical Writings for His Glory (author interview, book spotlight)

-Jaylee Morgan @ Jaylee Morgan Writes (character interview and guest post)

-J.C. Buchanan @ Beyond the Amethyst (review of TDS and IvIn)

Thursday the 29th

-Zielle @ My Homeschool Notebook (review of TDS and IvIn)

-Sarah Briel @ Penumbra Reviews (review of TDS and IvIn, author interview)

-Sel H. @ Hearth (author interview)

Friday the 30th

-Angela R. Watts @ The Peculiar Messenger (author interview)

-Lainey @ Direct My Paths (reviews of TDS, character interview and spotlight)

-Dawn Dagger @ Dawn Dagger’s Official Blog (review of TDS, author interview)

ENTER LE GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Have you read the first edition of The Dressmaker's Secret? Are you planning on reading the second and/or Ivy Introspective? Are you going to enter the giveaway? Congratulate Kellyn with me!!

the revealing of the surprise... | y'all ready for this?

So...it's finally here. The surprise. The thing you've all been waiting for. Sheesh, by now you probably think there isn't even a surprise because I've been holding it off for so long. (right now Sare's post legitimately describes me. all the time.)

I know that when some people have surprises they just do this whole thing where they make you scroll down this HUGE line of dots and it's just like STOP IT I WANT TO SEE WHAT IT IS and your start scrolling so vigorously your finger starts to hurt.

I'm not gonna make you do that because I am so sweet and kind.

A post before this one I gave you guys a hint. Let's recap that hint and see what some of your answers where. #totallynotstalling

it's old but new, where thoughts are told, and my opinions are translated in bold.

One of you got pretty close to the answer, and to tell the truth, I wasn't very surprised.

Well, I told you guys I wouldn't make you wait, so I won't.

I created a blog of essays and poems.

The answer to the riddle is a new blog, because I've been blogging for a while but this one is newly created, my thoughts are told there, and you might see me using bold a lot in my posts. ;)

Unlike This Journey Called Life, my other blog, titled the beauty of words, will be where I post any poems and essays I write for school or that I write in my notebook. The beauty of words will be a private blog, so you will need to request permission to get in. To do that you can either use the button they provide which will alert me or email me with your email so I can invite you. :)

Here's a complimentory screenshot of the blog:

And the link to the blog: GO TO THE BEAUTY OF WORDS (remember, it's private, so you need to request permision).

Ok, I'll let you freak out now. I'm kind of out of words, so I'll let you do the talking. What do you think about it? Do you like the blog?

an interview with CALEB | in honor of his golden birthday

(Yes, that is a completely adorable picture of me and my brother up there^^^aren't we so adorable???)

Today, my big brother turned 14 yeas old. Yeesh, he's getting old. Anyway, I decided to do an interview with him in honor of his 14th birthday, which also happens to be his golden one. Introducing...an interview with Caleb (aka on his blog, Darth Belac!! You can check him out over at his blog, right HERE).

____________________

Me: So, how does it feel to be 14?

Bro: Mmm...older.

Me: Ok. Is older good or bad?

Bro: Good. It means only three years 'till college.

Me: What do you want to do in college?

Bro: Mechanical engineering.

Me: What would you want to do with a degree in mechanical engineering?

Bro: I'd like to invent things for a hobby, but for work, I'd like to improve existing machines. Like creating a hovering car; making the world a better place.

Me: Umm...what is one thing you'd like to invent someday?

Bro: Oh, I dunno...maybe charger that could charge your device in 30 seconds, or a holographic TV, or an actual Iron Man suit. Oh, and a Jedi lightsaber. Like, an actual one.

Me: Ok, cool. Speaking of Iron Man, who would you be if you could be any superhero?

Bro: Iron Man. He and Black Panther are my favorite Avengers.

Me: Oh, yeah, I saw that you did a post on Black Panther a little while back. You should do one on Iron Man.

Bro: Weeeeellll...the next post I will be publishing is going to be about Star Wars: The Last Jedi. After that is a post starring Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Then, maybe, I'll do an Iron Man post.

Me: Oh, yeah! I forgot that you saw Dead Men Tell No Tales in theaters a few weeks ago. How was that?

Bro: It was good. I'd advise anyone over 11 to see it. It's a good movie.

Me: Was there a lot of violence in your opinion? Or was it just a bit gory in some places?

Bro: Was it violent? WAS IT VIOLENT?! ARE YOU SERIOUSLY ASKING ME THAT QUESTION??? It's a Pirate's of the Caribbean movie with a guy in it who literally slaughters people for a hobby! Of course it's violent! It wasn't too violent in some parts, but very funny. You know how Jack Sparr--

Me: You mean Captain Jack Sparrow?

Bro: *rolls eyes* Yes, I mean Captain Jack Sparrow. You know how he is. Captain Armando Salazar, the pirate hunter who turned into a ghost, was pretty funny, too.

Me: Yes, I know how Captain Jack is. I can't wait to see the movie myself.

Bro: Ok, now I have a question for you.

Me: What? I thought I was supposed to be interviewing-

Bro: Nah ah ah. I'm asking you a question now.

Me: *shrugs* Ok.

Bro: How does it feel to be 2 years younger than me? *smirks*

Me: *laughs* Good. I know I'm not gonna get old and go all Gandalf the Grey before you, which is reassuring. *smirks back*

Bro: Well, I'm done now, so goodbye.

Me: Ok. Thanks for letting me interview you! Happy Golden Birthday.

Bro: You're welcome, and thanks.

I hope you enjoyed the interview! Caleb will be answering all the questions for this post, so feel free to direct questions at him and not me.  I better go start on those cupcakes he wanted for his birthday...see ya!

and

nature's beauty | there is peace in the storm



Aren't natures storm's beautiful? I mean, they scare you to death in some cases, but they are still beautiful.

Sunday morning, I wake up early to darkness. It feels like night because of the dark grey clouds hovering over our town. I eat my usual Sunday breakfast (which is always cereal because it's a quick thing before church) and then start making some cards for some graduations we are going to go to later.

By then all four of my siblings are up and being picky about the kinds of cereal we have (believe me when I say I live with the pickiest people on earth). Then, mom asks dad to come talk to her in the bedroom. It's started raining hard, but the clouds that I can see out the patio door are the normal thunderstorm-grey color.

Well, mom comes out of her room and orders us all to get dressed and get out to the car - by then I can tell something's wrong because she was watching the weather on the news earlier and she's using the same voice she did when there was a tornado that touched a mile or two from our house a few years back. I'm hurrying to get my toddler sister and I dressed and out the door (she usually falls into my hands, being the older sister and all) and I start getting really scared. Mom keeps telling us to get out to the car now, and I know that can't be good at all.

My ten-year-old sister has this huge fear of tornadoes where she starts shaking and sobbing from fear. Surprisingly, she doesn't seem scared (but I know she is 'cause she's making nervous jokes to lighten the mood) and then I start shaking. Like, I'm shaking so hard I can barely keep my hand steady enough to unlock the front door.

After all of us are assembled in the car I finally see why my mom was acting so urgent. On the West side of our house, the side I couldn't see from the patio door, is this massive wall of green clouds. We're at the very front of the worst storm I've ever seen in my life.

I get more and more scared as the rain drops wash down our windows and the wind speed increases, bending the trees very far sideways. Thunder so loud it hurts my ears is cracking all around us accompanied by strikes of lightning here and there. By then, I'm desperate to reach my grandparents' house (where we were heading because their house has a basement and ours doesn't). Mom's going very much past the speed limit, though nobody would care much because of the wall of green clouds chasing us.

All of a sudden, the lightning flashes purple against the green clouds and I smile. It's so beautiful, I think. With the raging of the storm comes the beauty of nature. A thunderstorm's rainbow. Purple and green and blue flashing across the sky, like colorful sunshine.

There's peace in the storm.

I am still a bit nervous, but my fear is gone. I'm comforting my toddler sister when she cries because of the thunder instead of cowering in my seat. The next few minutes are a blur as we drive up our grandparents' driveway and I rush my sister into the house, laughing with her about our clothes getting wet.

The morning we spend at my grandparents' is spent by me watching to clouds. But, not for hail or tornadoes (though I was hoping it wouldn't happen) but at the beauty of the storm. The water rushing down the driveway like a waterfall, the trees dancing and rustling their leaves in the wind, the green light the clouds are casting over the land.

I'm not scared anymore, because there is beauty in the storm.

-

PS: Here's the hint about the surprise you guys have been asking for: it's old but new, where thoughts are told, and my opinions are translated in bold.

Do you think there is beauty in the storm? Can you guess where the surprise is by the hint? Have you ever had a tornado touch near you?

photo dump | YOU SHALL FINALLY SEE MY PHOTOGRAPHY

So. Yes. I have not posted in a little bit. BUT I HAVE A REALLY GOOD EXCUSE THIS TIME.

Our family moved (HA, I TOLD YOU I HAD AN EXCUSE). We moved from our apartment in the city (blah) to our house out in the country (yayayayayayay!!!). Goodness, guys, I forgot how amazing it is to live in the country. All the beautiful sunsets and the landscape. *happy sigh* It's all so beautiful.

Second, on top of moving, I've been working on the surprise I told you guys about. It's in progress and moving. Not very fast because we are still unpacking, but it's moving.

I will probably be able to reveal the surprise in...one to two weeks. If it turns into two weeks and one day, don't blame me. It was probably all the amazing books from my amazing NEW LIBRARY keeping me distracted (ok, it's not really new but it feels new cause different state = different town = different library = MORE BOOKS TO READ).

Ok, now, you shall all see my beautiful photography. I took some pictures a couple of months ago and then some more last night. Yes, I know; I don't take many pictures. But, I don't have a camera or phone, and the tablet's camera is terrible, and I am not able to get a hand on either of my parents' iPhones very often. So. Photo dumps are very rare. Savor the moment.

That, up there, is Legacy (my friend)'s older brother's puppy, Jackson. AAWW HE'S SO CUTE. Unfortunately, we moved away from them, so, yeah :( But, I'm sure we'll see each other again sometime! :)

I hoped you savored these photos very much. And keep on a look out for the surprise...*walks away mysteriously* :P

Have you moved recently? Hearts and hugs if you did. Can you guess what the surprise is? *waggles eyebrows* YOU SHALL NEVER GUESS. *laughs evilly* Do you like my photography? Do you live in the country or the city?