Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Book Review: Orphan's Song by Gillian Bronte Adams





Who will keep the song alive?
Every generation has a Songkeeper - one chosen to keep the memory of the Song alive. And in every generation, there are those who seek to destroy the chosen one.
When Birdie's song draws the attention of a dangerous Khelari soldier, she is kidnapped and thrust into a world of ancient secrets and betrayals. Rescued by her old friend, traveling peddler Amos McElhenny, Birdie flees the clutches of her enemies in pursuit of the truth behind the Song’s power.
Ky is a street-wise thief and a member of the Underground—a group of orphans banded together to survive . . . and to fight the Khelari. Haunted by a tragic raid, Ky joins Birdie and Amos in hopes of a new life beyond the reach of the soldiers. But the enemy is closing in, and when Amos’ shadowed past threatens to undo them all, Birdie is forced to face the destiny that awaits her as the Songkeeper of Leira.

     The beginning was done very well. The author had an exciting prelude that brought you into the book. The part immediately after the beginning was rather boring but she moved on into the story quickly.

     The song. It was beautifully done. I felt as though I was there. I heard the beautiful melodious, sometimes melancholy notes. It was written explicitly.

      As to the skill of the writing it was pretty good but to wordy. It needed to be calmed down some, it would have been better with 1/2 of the description.

     The plot was good and the Khelari were doing their bit in the story. One thing though, I would have liked to be able to know some more about the land the story was set in. I wanted to know more about the surrounding lands and the land they were currently in.

     The ending left you in suspense although not so badly you were aching for the next book every moment of your awake life. :) Just suspenseful enough to make the reader ready to read the next book as soon as possible.


     Overall, it was a beautiful. I would give it 4 stars out of 5. Well done Miss Adams!

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Book Review: Adventures and Adversities by Sarah Holman



     One day Alditha is content living with her family, the next she is taking her friend's place to serve at the king’s castle. Her father's final instructions, to keep smiling and to do what is right, will be harder to live out than she ever imagined. She will face a royal nephew who delights in making people miserable, an angry servant girl who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and noblemen who plot murder. Will she be able to keep the promise she made to her father? Will she find the faith she longs for during all her Adventures and Adversities?

     Personally I would give this book a solid 3 stars. It had enough plot to keep me interested but not a book I would read again.

     The skill of the writing wasn't the best. In honesty it was rather childish and there were tons of cliches. The leading guy was boring. I mean he was a great guy, he had all the values that a good gal would be looking for but he had no personality. I understand what point Ms. Holman was trying to get across theology wise but I feel like it was done badly. It was oversimplified and end result came across as if the character's were saying that God gave us sadness. I understand that sadness is an important part off life but God did not give us sadness. That was a result of Adam and Eve's sin. What the author was attempting to get across was that it's not bad to be sad when bad things happen but it wasn't done well at all. Also it was really not as dramatic and exciting as the description made it look.


     So no, I did not think the writing skill was very good but I did like the book. It just wasn't one I would spend my time on again. Still a hearty good job to the writer for all the work she put into this book I really did enjoy it.

Strength in Jesus: Corrie Ten Boom Quotes

     I was browsing the web and came across these 30-40 powerful Corrie Ten Boom quotes. She worked to be like Jesus for her entire life, she is truly a incredible example. Not only that but her life, her story, is one of incredible redemption. Give your heart to Jesus and he will not abandon you. Constantly work to be the best version of you possible. Not the version you consider worthy, because in truth we will never be worthy. But with His help we can be what is righteous.


“Do you know what hurts so very much? It's love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked that means pain. There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill that love so that it stops hurting. But then of course part of us dies, too. Or we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.”


“Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work he will give us to do. ”


“And our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things too. Don't run out ahead of him.”


"Love is larger than the walls which shut it in."


“Even as the angry vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him....Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness....And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on his. When he tells us to love our enemies, he gives along with the command, the love itself.”


“If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy.”


“You will find it is necessary to let things go, simply for the reason that they are too heavy.”


“Some knowledge is too heavy...you cannot bear it...your Father will carry it until you are able.”


“Don’t bother to give God instructions, just report for duty.”


“You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.”


“God takes our sins – the past, present, and future, and dumps them in the sea and puts up a sign that says NO FISHING ALLOWED.”


“Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.”


“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”


“Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings…it’s something we make inside ourselves.”


“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”


“In darkness God’s truth shines most clear.”


“What wings are to a bird and sails to a ship, so is prayer to the soul.”


“With Jesus, even in our darkest moments the best remains and the very best is yet to be…”


“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.”


“It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability that counts.”


"This is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person he puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only he can see."


"Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees"


“The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation.”


“There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.”


"If God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes."


"Worry is like a rocking chair: it keeps you moving but doesn't get you anywhere."


"Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible."


“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”


“Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.”


“There is no panic in Heaven! God has no problems, only plans.”


“When I try, I fail. When I trust, he succeeds.”


“God never measures the mind… He always put His tape measure in the HEART.”


“Let God's promises shine on your problems.”


“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”


“Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear.”


“Now, I know in my experience that Jesus’ light is stronger than the biggest darkness.”


“Discernment is God's call to intercession, never to faultfinding.”


“The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy.”


“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.”

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Artistry: Thor

     I decided to show ya'll my sketch of my favorite (movie) guy. It took 2 nights while watching Scarecrow and Mrs. King to finish it but finally it was done. One disclaimer this was not off memory, I used a picture online. But enough said, it's time for the unveiling!

This just goes to show you what a little charcoal and some hard work can do!
Granted, the face isn't perfect but it is pretty epic. Here's a second one with some editing done just for the fun of it.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Book Review: A Knight on the Old North Shore by Mary Pursselly



Stormy shores, mysterious travelers, moonlit dragon rides, flickering portals, unexpected destinies...

Join author Mary Ruth Pursselley on a journey of imagination that not only features stories told in modern style, but also resurrects the neglected tradition of poem-form storytelling. And whether your taste runs to elves and dragons, the fragile border between dream and reality, or the simple thrill of an uncharted journey, A Knight on the Old North Shore offers something to satisfy your fantasy craving and ignite your imagination.


The first poem in this book was entitled, A Knight on the Old North Shore. I must say I was astounded. I had never read this style before and was expecting far less than I got. (No offense Mary, just didn't realize the power in poems of this sort.) Though mere 15-16 stanza's I was transported to a different world. In a note at the beginning the book Ms. Pursselley requested that the reader take the time to allow the entirety of the richness of the story to sink in. Something by no means easy for me as I am accustomed to reading fast. (I get so involved in books I can't wait to see what's going to happen and attempt to get there as soon as possible.) But I did my best to read slowly. It was well worth the time. Though a simple poem I could see many things unfolding before my eyes. I knew who the man-though never described-was. I knew what type of person he was. The richness of his life was there for all to see though it was never openly discussed. The woman was of a kind, gentle soul. You could tell simply by her actions. There was a sort of richness in this poem I have never experienced before. I didn't know that 406 words could show the story of someones life. In these amazing 406 words you feel as though you were old friends with two people who don't even exist! I truly saw the beautiful night told in the poem as though it was happening before my eyes. I can say one thing about the poem. It was truly exquisite.

The second story entitled Shift was fascinating. It was one of those stories that is brief but profound yet at the same time you don't know why it was profound. I may figure it out after thinking on it a while longer but for now I have left it nameless and unexplained. The style of writing was vague yet familiar. It drew you into it's clutches. It is one of those types of stories where reality is held loosely. And the end? Well the end is leaves you with no explanation. It is but a 1 1/4 of a page but it speaks of much more. The questions you were left off with were answered in unspoken words. You just know and understand all that as happened in the past. I can say no more.

Honestly I did not like the third installment  Man of the Road very much at all. It lacked the richness and intrigue of the others and was rather boring. It was sort of like one of those poems you had to read for school but didn't like and so you attempted to get it over with as soon as possible.

The fourth story was very nice, though I liked the thrill and richness of the first to better. This one definitely deserves 4 stars!  I wish in fact that the fourth story Butterfly Song had been a full length book. Although it made a good short story as well. I was curious to know more about the Callers and the Gifted. It was written with skill and the concept of the Gifted and Callers was a good one.


Overall there were some wonderful things to read in this book and I enjoyed it immensely. I would have liked it if there were a few more stories/poems in this book as there are only 4 and rather short ones at that.I would have to rate it at a solid 4 stars. I wish it could be more but the 3rd installment did not measure up to the others. Still, beautifully done.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Common Misconceptions: The Epiphany

     I turned a year older yesterday. It got me thinking on my goals and aspirations. Here is an simplified version of  how my thought line progressed:


     "As I am older now I should know more about my ambitions, goals, and who I am." It then progressed to: "Why don't I know more about my ambitions, goals, and who I am? What's the matter with me?!?!?" Then I realized I am only a teenager!  *facepalm* How in the world should I have all that figured out? Why should I have to have that figured out! It makes no sense.





      I started to think more and more deeply about it. Why do some many young people seem to think that in the near future-while probing the depths of their soul-they will find their life's calling. And while that may  be the case occasionally most of the time it just doesn't happen that way. And as we see with the eyes of humans there is no way of knowing what is going to happen in the future. Only God knows that. But until the future becomes the present we are like paint, waiting to be slapped (I know "slapped" is quite a brash word for it, but sometimes there is no other way to describe it. When life catches you by surprise, often in a bad way, you do feel quite "slapped"!) onto life's canvas. As God is the artist he is the only one that knows where we going to be placed on that canvas. So we may not understand what's going on in our life. We may be like, "what the heck is going on!?!?! What are my dreams and my ambitions? Who am I?" Here's the answer. You are an unfinished painting. Though a beautiful work of art you aren't fully formed yet. Beautiful, but unfinished.

      We feel like our search for our "goal" is clouded by all the other junk or beauty that is currently a part of our  life.What may seem like random pieces of your life whether that be trials, victories, or small experiences. They  are all there for a reason. And at the right moment will be strung together like a beautiful necklace with a unique pattern. The pattern will ultimately lead to an important part of you part of you. Big or small, good or bad it will be some part of who you are. What's happening in the here and now can be your goal. Because you are becoming the person you need to be. And once you are that person you can do whatever it is that God put you on this earth to do. And for all you know you are doing some of it now. So don't feel bad if you don't have your destiny pre-planned, organized, and having brought a lunch bag with you. Cause it probably wouldn't have happened like you had planned anyway. Just focus on now, and with Jesus' help you'll make it to be the person you need to be so that you can do the things you need to do.


      Challenge common misconceptions like this. When you do have epiphanies about misconceptions like this you realize the world would gladly have you believe one thing when the truth may be something totally different.

Friday, June 5, 2015

A Little Bit About Me


A quick introduction to me.    
     My name is Gabriellyn. Don't feel bad if you can't pronounce it. It's rare when I find someone who can pronounce it properly. I am a Christian teen making her way down life's lane with more than an occasional pothole. :) I live in Missouri with five other insanely creative, bold, and smart siblings and my mom and dad. My favorite color is green and I like Chinese food.

Some of my current interests include:
     Writing! I am currently writing the first novel for a series of books. (at least that's what I aspire too) I have many plans for books in the future but for right now I am staying in the Fantasy genre. I figured it would be a good place to start-I can make my own rules for that-but would like to branch out to other genres. I really enjoy cooking and am getting better all the time. I enjoy drawing, painting, and an occasional sewing project.

Things I don't like:
     Buffalo flavored meat. Spiders, snakes, and well bugs in general. When you can't remember the name of an actor, movie, or book. That gets on my nerves.

Random facts:
1. I notice shingles on houses. They-in my opinion-can make a house perfect or they can be a blight.
2. Italian is probably my favorite flavor profile. And I think ice cream can make just about anything better.
3.Thor is my favorite superhero; in fact if I were a superhero I would be Thor. Seriously, I took the quiz. :)

Favorite quotes:
"Jane is better"-Thor

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.Watch your words, for they become your actions. Watch your actions, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny."-Unknown

"What seem our worst prayers may really be, in God's eyes, our best. Those, I mean, which are least supported by devotional feeling. For these may come from a deeper level than feeling. God sometimes seems to speak to us most intimately when he catches us, as it were, off our guard."-C.S. Lewis

*****


Okay well, now y'all know a little bit more about me. Thanks for reading!

Book Review: The Widow of Larkspur Inn

When Life Seemed Its Worst, Gresham Awaited Julia Hollis' opulent life in Victorian London crashes to pieces when her husband pass...