Hello and happy Saturday! I love reading, and this summer, I’m hoping to get in a little more reading than I have been able to get lately. So I thought I would share some books with you that, to me, seem to have a pretty summer vibe to them and see how many I can get read this season! Please note, I haven’t read these books and am not endorsing them. As I finish, I hope to review them and share my thoughts.

1|| All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner

This is a Vietnam story, set on the homefront. It’s a slow read, as I have already started it, but I look forward to getting further into the story.
 
2|| Escape to Murray River by Robert Elmer

I read this book years ago and just rediscovered it on Kindle! I’m looking forward to reading it again and possibly reading it aloud to my siblings! It’s a fun Irish/Australian story, which made me think of Jayne’s Endeavour!
 
3|| The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

This is a classic I’ve been wanting to read for years, but have never read in full. But this year, I want to change that! Let’s see if I can get it read!
 
 4|| Porch Swing Girl by Taylor Bennett 

This story is an Indie book that I’ve been curious about for some time. It’s set in modern-day Hawaii and sounds so fun! And the cover is so pretty!
 
5|| Bridgers by Angie Thompson

I’ve heard so much about this book, but at the same time, I know nothing about it, setting, the theme, anything, so I thought I might as well dig in blindly! I’ve read this author before 😉, so I’m greatly anticipating this story!

1|| The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw

This historical fiction chronicles the author’s mother’s life growing up in WWII Japan. I’ve heard it’s a lovely look at what life was like for the civilians of Japan and isn’t a book to try and redeem the Japanese army, so I’m eager to give it a read!
 
2|| By Paths Unknown by Rebekah A. Morris

I don’t talk about it much, but I love a good western! They are just so hard to find. So when I heard about this story by a dear author friend of mine, I decided to get a copy! I’ve had it for a few months now and just haven’t gotten to it. Time to change that!
 
3|| Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell

Okay. So first of all, this is an edited copy I received for my birthday from Kassie Angle, a close friend, and fellow author. I read a children’s edition years ago, and I am so eager to get the whole story of Operation Redwing straight from the Lone Survivor himself. So, Texas, Navy SEALs, and men ready to defend America from a terrorist? Yes, please! (Plus…I remember where I was when all of this was going on. So that makes this that much more personal to me.)
 
4|| Patriots, Redcoats, and Spies by Robert J. and Robert A. Skead

I love the American Revolution, and when I found this book at the Homeschool Bookfair a few years ago, I was eager to read it! It’s written by a father-son team and follows twin brothers and their involvement in the Culper Spy Ring. I can’t wait to read it, and its sequel!
 
5|| The Night Heroes: Cry from the Coal Mines by Dr. Bo Wagner

This is a fun little time travel story that lets you enjoy solving historical mysteries! I’m not sure what the historical period is, but it sounds fun, so we’ll see what happens!

And that’s it for today! Have a lovely week!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello everyone! Today, I have a new sort of book review post! I’m reviewing a season of books! What is a season? Think of it like a film series, where there are multiple episodes in a season. Well, Perry Kirkpatrick has done just that, only with books! She is currently working on the second season! In today’s post, I will give you my review of season one! Let’s dive in!

The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott (Season 1)
By Perry E. Kirkpatrick
4.5 Star Average
(2019)

He makes terrible coffee, but he sure is good in a car chase! Emily Abbott is working hard as a coffee barista in downtown Phoenix, keeping one eye on her tiny college fund and the other on the mysterious new guy with his profound lack of coffee-making skills. Just when she thinks they might be getting the hang of working together, she’s abruptly thrust into his world of espionage and danger.

Brent Peterson, aka Agent Nighthawk, needs her help protecting a defecting enemy spy and keeping the information he carries out of the wrong hands. But she’s just a barista—what can she do?

Much more than she thinks.

These books are so fun! I have been trying to find another series like it to satisfy my need for more, but alas! There are none! These books are so fun, witty, suspenseful, and just an easy, quick read! I loved them, and they are my, “I just need to relax” go-to books. Great to get out of a reading slump with, and I highly recommend reading them back to back!

Now, I do need to say, I don’t like how many times Brent and Emily are alone together. I do not endorse this in the least. Nothing happens, and there is only a hint that “someday” they might acknowledge that they might like each other. It’s more big brother, little sister, but I wouldn’t have written the series that way. I also don’t endorse girls having jobs outside their home or going to collage unless God leads you to do so. There’s to much of a push on that even in the Christian community. That said, they are super clean books! I’d recommend them for 16+ reading on their own, but little ones would probably really enjoy hearing them too!

I wish there were a stronger Christian message in these stories, but I do like how prayer is a natural impulse, and talking about God and faith are not awkward, just not very frequent.

Overall, these are just fun, clean mystery/spy reads the whole family can enjoy!

Episode 1 || Red Rover, Red Rover || 4 Stars

“Movie Stuff, Emily.” I love how many times Brent says this! 😊 I loved this book so much! Brent, Is my favorite character, and how clueless he is about coffee is just so funny! I love a good spy story, and when you mix it with Coffee and Russian agents... let’s just say, I found a series I knew I was going to love.

Not crazy over a rude customer’s actions or the fact that a guy and girl are alone together a lot, but it’s kept innocent, and I do like the story so much! Also not a fan of the Santa references, but it gets lost in the amazingness of the story 😉
 
Episode 2 || Plan to Fail || 4 Stars

I love the America v. Russia rivalry! With the rocky relationship the countries have had all through History, it makes it that much more fun! This book was even better than the last! I love the makeover session and all the talk about clothes and books. “I love business casual.” I do not agree with dating or lying for any reason, but other than that, I loved this book!
 
Episode 3 || Bad Things, Small Packages || 4 Stars

Just get’s Better and Better! This book had me on the edge of my seat! And I have no idea why I liked the cold aspect of the story so much...

Still not crazy over so much guy/girl alone time, and I don’t like Detective Lark. Just saying 😊 But Brent, Emily, and Asian Guy were excellent, as always!
 
Episode 4 || Tutor, Nanny Spit-Up, Spy || 4 Stars

This was Interesting! The kids, y’all! They were so adorable!  I wasn’t a fan of Romeo or the continued boy/girl spending so much time together. There is one scene that I would edit out a couple of things, but it was kept innocent. One of my favorite ones in the season!
 
Episode 5 || A Spying We Will Go || 4 Stars

These books are heart stoppers! They keep getting better and better! The spy aspects of this story were fantastic, and I hope we haven’t heard the last of...well, someone. Again, not a fan of the Boy/girl alone, but still, it was kept innocent. I love these so much! And the 10,000-conspiracy theory! LOVE IT!
 
Episode 6|| Once Upon a Dime || 5 Stars

This was so good! Probably one of my top favorites in this series! The political edge was tremendous, and as an election worker myself, I appreciate the spirit of kindness among those on opposite sides of a campaign. And this is getting more and more exciting! I can’t wait to read more!
 

Book one of season two is already out, but I’m going to wait and review the whole season together.  So please, if you like mystery and espionage, check out these books and support an Indie Author! They are so much fun!

That's it for now! Have a Blessed Week!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hey Y’all, and welcome to this month’s History post! It’s so exciting to be getting back to this series finally! Per usual, I will give my disclaimer. I am by no means a history/military expert. The posts are a sampling of information on a select topic, gathering information in one place that I wish I hadn’t had to hunt and peck for…or that I wish I’d known before writing on the subject! These posts are currently focusing on the ranks of soldiers from the War Between the states. You can view the previous Episode here, and the first episode here. You may access all of them by going to my Archives Page and scrolling down to History>The War Between the States. These posts are non-biased and apply to both armies.  There, with that out of the way, let’s get cracking!

According to the North Carolina Museum of History, “A major was third in command of an infantry, cavalry, or artillery regiment and assisted the colonel in administrative and combat duties. In battle, an infantry major led the regimental attack, positioning himself at the front with the color guard. If the colonel and the lieutenant colonel were killed or wounded, the major took command of the regiment.”
(Source:https://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/civil-war-army-organization-and-rank)
 
The duties required of a Major are not as numerous as those above or below him, so to some, this may seem like he gets a smooth ride. We can be sure that was not the case, however. The Major was to the Colonel, what the Second Lieutenant is to the Captain, so he not only needed to be familiar with his duties but that of the Colonel as well in the event the Colonel was incapacitated. And as with the Lieutenant, the Major is the right hand to the Colonel.

Majors were generally entrusted with a command of more than one company, but less than a regiment. It could vary, but usually, two companies made up his command. The Major rarely gave commands of his own on the field, unless the Colonel was injured or killed. His job was to convey orders from the colonel and to assist in troop alignments on the field.
 
…And aside from some lengthy descriptions on how he is to take over for the colonel and how he could be court-martialed, I couldn’t find very much information on Majors 😊 While it doesn’t look like much, being an assistant to a Colonel is a full-time job. Once I get together the information about the Colonel’s duties, I’m sure we will see even more clearly just how much the Major did.

That’s all I have for you today! Sorry this post is so short, but hopefully, we will make up for it next time! Have a blessed day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello all! Today I have a lovely writing book to share with you that I greatly enjoyed! I’ve wanted to read it for months now and finally got around to it! Before I get started, I should let you know the author generously gifted me a copy, requesting I review it, but there was no stipulation on it being a positive or negative review. All thoughts are my own and I am excited to share them with you!

Outlining Your Novel by K. M. Weiland
(2011)
5 Stars

Can Outlining Help You Write a Better Story?

Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal.

Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success will:

•Help you choose the right type of outline for you
•Guide you in brainstorming plot ideas
•Aid you in discovering your characters
•Show you how to structure your scenes
•Explain how to format your finished outline
•Instruct you in how to use your outline
•Reveal the benefits
•Dispel the misconceptions

Includes exclusive interviews with ten respected authors, answering important questions about outlining.

Outlining can organize your writing and help you take your stories to the next level. Find out how!

This was an incredibly helpful writer’s guide. As a self-proclaimed “Plotser” (someone who plots and writes without one, half and half) this book has helped me see some corrections I need to make in my process. While I may never be able to plot a book fully, she had so many helpful tips and examples for making your book the best it can be! I plan to reference it often! Below I’ll share some samples of some fun tips! Even if you never intend to plot your novel, I recommend you give it a read. It’s worth your time, trust me. Now, I didn’t agree with all the works she chose to highlight for her examples, and if I remember correctly there were two bad words, so watch for that. Otherwise, this book is a gold mine!

|| If you’re a visual learner, you may find it useful to create folders of pictures related to your story. “Cast” your characters, scout likely settings, and collect pertinent props. By associating pictures with particular scenes, you not only give yourself extra details with which to flesh out the scene, you can also help yourself spot plot holes or inconsistencies. I began keeping a folder of story-related pictures while writing Dreamlander, and this practice has rapidly become one of the most useful (not to mention most fun) tools in my repertoire. When stuck on scenes, I will often surf the Internet for related pictures. More often than not, when I find a picture, I find my missing puzzle piece. ||

|| The story we put on the page will never be a perfect representation of the story in our imagination, so it’s little wonder we aren’t always aware of where our stories fall short. But here’s a little trick to narrow the gap between your idealization of your story and its printed reality: Write yourself the “perfect” review before your story ever hits paper. If you could have a professional reviewer read your idealized concept of your finished book and totally get it—completely understand everything you’re trying to say with your characters, plot, dialogue, and themes—what would he write about your story? Close your eyes for a moment, emotionally distance yourself from your story, and pretend you’re that reviewer. ||

|| Nothing wrong with those words (they’re the tools of our trade, after all), but give…focusing on the raw sensations {a try}. Close your eyes and visualize the scene you’re writing. What colors stand out? What can you smell? What does your body feel like? This is the best way I know to find those all-important “telling” details that bring a scene to life. ||

That’s it for now! Have a Blessed Week!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22