"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where you feature a yet-to-be-released title you're anticipating!

(c.) 2015 by Enclave Publishing

Title: A Time to Speak (Out of Time #2)*
Author: Nadine Brandes
Release Date: October 16, 2015 by Enclave Publishing

About the Book:
"What happens when you live longer than you wanted to?

Parvin Blackwater wanted to die, but now she's being called to be a leader. The only problem is, no one wants to follow.

The Council uses Jude's Clock-matching invention to force "new-and-improved" Clocks on the public. Those who can't afford one are packed into boxcars like cattle and used for the Council's purposes.

Parvin and Hawke find themselves on a cargo ship of Radicals headed out to sea. What will the Council do to them? And why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out?"

Why I'm "WoW" about A Time to Speak:
I reviewed Nadine's debut dystopian, A Time to Die earlier this month and wow!  One GoodReads reviewer basically called it "The Hunger Games meets Pilgrim's Progress" and I have to say, it's a good description.  If you're looking for an intense YA dystopian with a strong spiritual thread, definitely look into the Out of Time trilogy. I'm glad that since I came late to the series, I don't have to wait too long for A Time to Speak (only a couple of weeks), because, warning: book 1 ends on such a cliffhanger!  For those of us who need a little something to tide us over until then, Nadine released the first chapter on her website, but don't read it if you haven't finished A Time to Die because there are huge spoilers!

Nadine is also hosting a Facebook release party on Oct. 20 - hopefully I'll be finished with my class in time!


Tomorrow is the 1st of October.  Are there any titles releasing in the next month you're "WoW" about?  Let me know (and tell me why) in the comments!

*Affiliate link, for more information, click here.

Title: Embers (Abiassa's Fire #1)*
Author: Ronie Kendig
Release Date: Oct. 16, 2015 by Enclave Publishing

About the Book:

"He's Coming for Them. And the Kingdom.

Haegan and Kaelyria Celahar are royal heirs of the Nine Kingdoms, but Haegan is physically crippled. What chance does he have against Poired Dyrth, the greatest enemy the kingdom has ever faced, who wields fire with a power none can match?

Their only hope is forbidden: Kaelyria must transfer her fire-harnessing abilities to Haegan. When she does it comes with a terrible price: Haegan's disability is healed, but only by being transferred to Kaelyria. This act unleashes their father-king's wrath.

Haegan must flee the kingdom alone with two impossible tasks: Find a cure for Kaelyria and stop the coming war with the omnipotent Poired Dyrth."

Why I'm "WoW" about Embers:
Ronie Kendig is well known for her romantic military-themed suspense novels in the Christian fiction market.  Since her debut in 2010, she's garnered many accolades, including the 2012 Christy Award.  While I've only read a short novella of hers, my mom has read and enjoyed many of Kendig's books and I really want to get to her trilogies.  This series has me excited because Kendig's romantic suspense has been so praised and you know I love Christian fantasy ... I can't wait to see what she does in this novel.  I also think there are a lot of people who normally wouldn't read a fantasy novel that would pick up this book just because Ronie Kendig wrote it.  I know some people are usually skeptical of authors "crossing genres" but I think this might be really cool ... I hope she ups the romance compared to other titles in this genre and I'm loving that there are so much more Adult Christian fantasy out now (or at least, it doesn't seem to be marketed as a YA).

Who are authors that you think have successfully "crossed genres" and why?

*Affiliate link, for more information, click here.

MBTI - Heroines of Dina Sleiman's novels

[The Artist Librarian: I love the MBTI, or Meyers Briggs Type Indicator.  I don't religiously hold to it, but in my experience, it does seem to be a pretty accurate personality measure. I enjoy seeing MBTI charts from my favorite fandoms --like this amazing Lord of the Rings chart-- so I'm super excited that the subject of my guest blogger, author Dina Sleiman, is Meyers Briggs types! Take it away, Dina.]

Often readers confuse an author with the characters they create. I imagine the truth is that each character we write has a hint of us inside of them. But it is also true that professional novelists go to great lengths to create unique and separate characters with distinctive personalities. So today I’m going to share with you how I am both similar to and different from some of my female heroines.

Let’s start with the general idea of these tough Valiant Hearts heroines. I’ve always been strong, healthy, and athletic, but not quite a tough sporty girl. During my school years I did play some sports, mostly because I went to small Christian schools and everyone needed to be involved. I was pretty good at basketball, but always preferred dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading. As an adult, I like quiet physical activities like walking, biking, hiking, and canoeing. I still dance from time to time as part of my church’s worship dance team. But…I believe in female empowerment and that women should follow whatever path God lays on their hearts. I don’t like to see arbitrary limits put on what girls can and can’t do, and that was very important to me as I wrote this Valiant Hearts series. My Meyer’s Briggs personality type is INFJ, which in addition to being creative, is also very individualistic and idealistic.

[The Artist Librarian: I'll be commenting in the brackets. Yay, introverts!  =P  I've always tested ISTJ, though my siblings would swear I'm ISTP because they think I'm always doing my own thing and not responsible enough to be ISTJ, LOL.]

My Robin Hood-esque Merry Ellison from Dauntless and I actually have very little in common. On the Meyers Briggs scale, Merry was my opposite on three out of four indicators. She is more extroverted, sensory, and thinking. This made Merry the most challenging character I’ve ever written, yet I loved and admired her. Her ENTJ personality was the same as my middle child, my outdoor enthusiast and adrenaline junky. It’s a great leadership personality. I often thought of tough sporty girls I’ve been friends with over the years while writing Merry. Merry and I have a few things in common like a love of children and a love of acrobatics, but even her motivations and inner thoughts were often different than mine. I do have a tomboy side, but it does not go as far as weaponry and hunting. In addition to all of that, tiny, dark haired, exotic Merry is pretty much my physical opposite in every way too.

[For more on Dauntless, feel free to check out my review!  I loved that Merry was a strong, athletic character but she also vulnerable and wasn't averse to being pretty and feminine either.]

Chivalrous with my female knight  was just released, and I certainly have more in common with Gwendolyn Barnes than with Merry. I was picturing Gwendolyn as a INFP/ISFP hybrid. Gwendolyn hates mingling at a big party, much like me, and she loves music, dance, and sunshine, again like me. Her biggest flaw is that she tends to fade into a fantasy world rather than deal with reality, which is something I have been guilty of from time to time, but not to the same degree as Gwendolyn. She has more of a temper than I do, although I share her abhorrence of injustice and can get pretty riled up when faced with it. And again, she is tougher than me, although I think if I had been raised with her hang ups, I might have turned out even more like her. Finally, Gwendolyn’s tall, blonde, and curvy physical description is pretty darn close to mine at that age. At 5’10” I’m used to looking men in the eye and feeling like I can do anything they can.

[The Artist Librarian: I never thought of combining MBTIs!  INFP = The Artist & ISFP = The Dreamer makes a pretty title also *wink*]

Next on the horizon is Courageous with my crusader heroine. It won’t release until July 2016, but you will be introduced to its main character heroine in Chivalrous. Rosalind of Ipsworth is Gwendolyn’s lady’s maid, best friend, and partner in crime. Of the three Valiant Hearts heroines so far, I definitely have the most in common with Rosalind. With her ENFJ personality, she is more of a typical emotional, romantic girl, although she is tough enough to rise to whatever occasion is thrown at her. She’s more outgoing than me, and she makes some unfortunate choices that my upbringing protected me from. But her thoughts, speech, and motivations are pretty similar to what I imagine mine being in those circumstances. And Rosalind is a passionate woman, which is also a trait I share.

[Oh, what a long time to wait!  I'm enjoying Rosalind so far in Chivalrous ... In past interviews, Dina mentioned she pictured Katie McGrath from BBC's Merlin series as Rosalind.  Though Katie was often dressed in finery portraying the King's well-to-do ward in the series, I found an image of her in more serviceable, yet still pretty gown that I imagine would also work for Rosalind.]

Passion is a characteristic that is often avoided in Christian heroines, and yet a characteristic I think God highly values when channeled in the right direction. In fact, I’ve used the ENFJ personality for two other heroines in the past. Both Dandelion in Dance of the Dandelion and Constance in Love in Three-Quarter Time are feisty, passionate heroines as well. Each makes mistakes, like Rosalind, but each learns to channel that passion toward an intimate relationship with God. My daughter has an ENFJ personality, and I have loved watching her grow in her passion toward God.

Maybe you’re wondering if I’ve ever written myself into a book. I would say the closest I’ve come is with Allie, my Christian ballerina in Dance from Deep Within. She shares my INFJ personality, my love of dance and reading, my blonde coloring, and many of my experiences. Her thoughts, tastes, opinions, fashion sensibilities, and beliefs certainly mirror mine, especially when I was her age. But of course her life is different than mine in some ways too, and her experiences are more extreme, including a trauma I didn’t share. Still, I would say if you want to know what I’m all about, Allie would provide the best clues.

So that’s me and my heroines. I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick foray into our personalities.

[Thanks so much, Dina!  A 19th century historical in the vein of Deeanne Gist, another medieval historical, and a contemporary featuring diverse college students? I just put all your other novels on my TBR list!]

Which of Dina's heroines do you think you would relate with the most? What is your personality like?  You can find out your MBTI personality here. If you have a favorite fandom MBTI chart, feel free to share it in the comments below as well!

About the Author:
Dina Sleiman writes stories of passion and grace. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Check out her novels Dance from Deep Within, Dance of the Dandelion, and Love in Three-Quarter Time. Also look for her Valiant Hearts adventure/romance books, Dauntless and Chivalrous, with Bethany House Publishers. For more info visit her at http://dinasleiman.com/


*Original photos/book cover art belong to their respective publishers and owners. Image of Katie McGrath from BBC's Merlin used for Rosalind.  Images edited as fanart by The Artist Librarian --feel free to share and use with credit & link back to my blog!

Throwback Thursday! This review was first written for my Special Topics in Librarianship: The Graphic Novel class in November 2014.


Title: Night Fisher
Author/Illustrator: R. Kikuo Johnson
Published: 2005 by Fantagraphics

Night Fisher was an ... interesting look into the life of a "hapa" (half Caucasian) teenage boy living on Maui at the cusp of adulthood. It captures the stress and uncertainty many high school seniors face and depicts how one choice (or a series of choices) can affect your life.

The art is very naturalistic and there are little elements interspersed like “artifacts” of the characters’ lives: a land deed, a map, knot diagrams, botany style plant sketches, etc. I also liked how Johnson dealt with “whispered” dialogue or dialogue that Loren can’t hear clearly from his POV (the text bubbles themselves have delicate, spindly, hard-to-read script).

However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the story itself … I could relate with Loren up to a point: academic pressures (though my parents weren’t that anal about my grades), uncertainty of the future, etc. but I guess I’m too “goody two shoes” --Though I could see how Loren could fall into drugs and such with Shane, I thought he was kind of … well, stupid. I can’t speak to the drug scene in Hawaii, though I remember the news and media saying it was there, I never hung around people involved myself (or at least, not to my knowledge). But having grown up there, I can definitely testify to the feeling of wanting to get off the island (and on the neighbor islands, there can be a feeling of it being more “boring” or “nothing to do” than on Oahu).

The ending is a bit ambiguous or feels incomplete, but Loren’s life is also unfinished (maybe the open field represents his life or freedom from lying or hiding since he was caught). Definitely a bit more conceptual than most comics I gravitate toward ...

Content: If it were a film, it'd probably be PG-13 alluding to drugs, language, sexual situations, etc.

Are there any books or comic books set in your home state that left you disappointed (or extremely satistified)?  Feel free to share titles in the comments and why!

My attempt at an "artsy" book photo =) (c.) The Artist Librarian

My favorite chainmaille piece ever! (c.) Disney/Walden Media

My copy of Chivalrous arrived in the mail last week, so of course, I decided to put in on some chainmail (and my trusty sword). =)  Pulling out my pop tab chainmail reminded me that I need to get to this WIP (work in progress).

I started this chainmail hauberk for Susan Pevensie's red battle gown she wears at the climax of the Prince Caspian film.  I stopped because I got stuck trying to decide how to do the sleeves and armholes.  That was several years ago, but I think it's time to start researching again ...

Have you ever had to take a break from a project?  Did it help coming back with fresh eyes?

This week's Top Tuesday topic is from The Broke and The Bookish's blog. I'm running *very* late, so I'll add photos and links to the books after I get off of work tonight, [edit: done!] but my, oh, my. I'm so "convicted" by this topic --Since these book series are all finished (published), I really need to finish them! (Or do I?)  I'm also fudging it a bit perhaps by including trilogies, but in no particular order ... =P

These books represent where I'm currently at in their respective series!

1.  The Matched Trilogy - Allie Ally Condie (2010-2012)
--I actually haven't finished Matched yet ... I had to return the book to the library.  I thought the dystopian world-building was intriguing, but I haven't really attached myself to the characters yet.  I may or may not continue depending on how book one ends (or if there's a film adaptation someday, I'll probably finish it).

2.  Divergent Series - Veronica Roth (2011-2014)
--I need to read Allegiant, once my library's copy comes back, LOL.  When I heard people talking about how they liked the films better than the Hunger Games ones, I was immediately intrigued.  I read the first book and like most dystopians, really liked the concepts and world-building.  However, I'm not as attached to Tris or Four ... I don't know why.  Hopefully the seeing the films will change that for me?  I'm definitely going to finish the series: Even though I haven't been spoiled by details (and I 'd like to keep it that way), I heard the ending was kind of controversial and many people were disappointed, so I'm bracing myself for some Mockingjay-type of ending or something!

3.  Fate of the Jedi series - Various authors: Aaron Allston, Christie Golden, Troy Denning (2009-2012)
--Apocalypse, the final volume in the 9-book story arc, has been on my "to read" list for several years now.  I initially borrowed the book in 2012 when it first released, but I had to return it before I could even start it.  These books are now branded "Star Wars: Legends" and no longer a part of the official Star Wars timeline since the Disney acquisition and the upcoming Episode VII: The Force Awakens.  I still mean to finish the series despite all the ... drama that's gone on in this series: the discovery of a lost "Sith" tribe (boo!), the public and government turning against the Jedi (boo! really?), the deaths (*teardrops*), etc.  Even if it's just to read X-Wing: Mercy Kill (which was set after this series in the old timeline).  Frankly, I need to catch up with the last three years of Star Wars fiction publishing in general. =P

4. The Grand Tour Trilogy (2012-1013) & The River of Time Series (2011-2014) - Lisa T. Bergren
--I'm sticking two series here:  I enjoyed Bergren's YA historical trilogy --I need to get my hands on the final volume, Glittering Promises.  A lack of funds prevented me from finishing the trilogy when it was first published and then it kind of slipped my mind. 

"The River Tribe" as I believe they're called, the River of Time fandom, was one of the most vocal/active fan groups I'd seen for a recent Christian YA series.  My library system didn't have the rest of the books when I initially read Waterfall (#1) --time travel romance isn't what I normally see in Christian fiction, let alone Christian YA, and it had some general market appeal as well, so I'd like to finish the series eventually.

5. Auralia's Thread Quartet - Jeffrey Overstreet (2007-2011)
--I'm pretty sure I finished #3, Raven's Ladder, but I don't remember reading #4, The Ale Boy's Feast.  I'm thinking of re-reading the entire series anyway to see if I still view it the same as I did as a teen (wonderfully poetic/lyrical prose, but almost too much for me at the time).

6.  Chiril Chronicles trilogy - Donita K. Paul (2009-2011)
--Yes, believe it or not, there's a "DKP" fantasy that I haven't gotten to, Dragons of the Watch (#3).  It's on my bookshelf still waiting for me. =)

7.  The Christy Miller Series - Robin Jones Gunn (1988-1999)
--I was given the entire series (along with the Sierra Jensen books) years ago, but I'm only going through it now.  It's ... interesting to see, much like how Christian fiction has grown and changed over the years, the same goes for Christian YA fic.  Not that the series doesn't have it's moments, but ... yeah. I don't quite know how to describe it and I almost feel bad ragging on such a beloved series.  However, I will say that it was one of the first popular YA series in Christian fiction, so for historical value (plus, it's so 90s!) ... I'm planning on finishing it. =P

8.  Tales of Redwall - Brian Jacques (1986-2011)
--I have The Rogue Crew still sitting on my shelf after I bought it several years after "Sir" Brian's death in 2011.  I still haven't been able to bring myself to read the last Redwall novel ever published...

9.  How to Train Your Dragon series - Cressida Cowell (2003-2015)
--Technically, How to Fight a Dragon's Fury, the final novel in the series, doesn't release until November of this year, but I'm sticking it on this list anyway (what's two months)? =P  If you've seen some of my other posts, you know that I'm a huge "Berkian" (How to Train Your Dragon fan), regarding DreamWork's animated films.  Seeing other Berkians write about how they enjoyed both the films and the book series, I thought I'd fill my lack of HtTYD (since I don't have Netflix to follow season 3 of the tv show, Dragons: Race to the Edge,) by reading the novels that inspired the movies.  I was warned that the books are way different than the films, but still ... I was taken aback as to how much was changed: other than a couple of character traits and their names, it's completely different.  As someone who normally hates when adaptations don't follow the books, I think HtTYD is an exception: I actually like the films better.  After reading book #1, I don't know if I'll continue the series ... it's definitely juvenile, not terribly horrible or anything but ... I don't know.  I heard it gets better as the series goes on (such as more the more recent releases), so we'll see.  

10.  Ranger's Apprentice series - John Flanagan (2004-2013)
--I finished the first four books and then (again) had to return the fifth to the library.  I really enjoyed this series thus far: it kind of reminded me of both Lord of the Rings and Redwall with their quests and adventures (though no talking animals here)!  But Flanagan's writing was much more quicker paced (perfect for YA).  I definitely will be continuing this series --out of this list, they're the books I'm most excited about.

If you've participated in this week's TTT, feel free to comment and leave a link to you list!  What are some finished (published) series that you haven't completed?  Why?  Are you planning to finish them?  Most of my "haven't finished" series seem to be out of either laziness (need to reserve those library books), lack of interest, or sentimentality. =P

My take on Mulan, along with other Disney friends (photo credit: Tom Quach)

(c.) 2014 by Enclave Publishing

Title: A Time to Die (Out of Time #1) 
Author: Nadine Brandes
Published: 2014 by Enclave Publishing

About the Book:

"How would you live if you knew the day you'd die?

Parvin Blackwater believes she has wasted her life. At only seventeen, she has one year left according to the Clock by her bedside. In a last-ditch effort to make a difference, she tries to rescue Radicals from the government's crooked justice system. But when the authorities find out about her illegal activity, they cast her through the Wall -- her people's death sentence. What she finds on the other side about the world, about eternity, and about herself changes Parvin forever and might just save her people. But her clock is running out."

The Artist Librarian Review:
The concept of a society in which you knew when you would die (often represented by a ticking clock or counter) has been tackled by several speculative fiction authors and in Hollywood.  In Time, a 2011 dystopian film starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried comes to my mind first.  However, in A Time to Die, Nadine Brandes gives her own unique take on the concept in a dystopian that kept my e-reader on up until the wee hours of the morning! 

One of the most important parts of a dystopian novel is the world-building.  Brandes' vision of a post-apocalyptic North American society (in Missouri, to be specific) and their technology and government is fascinating.  While I was still left with questions on how exactly the Clocks are matched at conception and why with all the technology seemingly required for these Clocks, they wouldn't be able to ultrasound or determine how many children a pregnant mother was carrying (perhaps it will be expanded upon in future books), I was able to accept the idea of the Clocks existence for the story's sake (plus, it's just a really neat concept).

However, A Time to Die goes beyond your typical dystopian. Perhaps a bit reminiscent of YA survival stories that began with Gary Paulsen's Hatchet, our teenage protagonist fights to survive the wilds: fending for herself outside the Wall.  Some of this portion of the story seems to stretch credibility: Parvin's described multiple times in the story as thin and not very strong, yet the amount of physical injuries she is able to sustain with a bare minimum of sustenance (not to mention a later handicap) ... I don't know how accurate that would be, but I also understand you can't underestimate human tenacity and the will to survive, so I employed literary suspension of disbelief. ;-) Regardless, it's definitely intense and Brandes has no qualms about pushing her protagonist into huge, life-changing situations that have permanent effects ... dare I say, shocking?  There's lot of things for readers unpack, think about, and discuss, for sure!  Fortunately, Parvin is a character that I think teens and other YA fiction readers will be able to relate to.  She makes mistakes, learns from them, and struggles with those big "Who am I?" questions:

"I consider my own question. Am I supposed to make decisions? Or should I wait until I know God has told me something? Have I ever known? No. So then how do I find out God's plan for me?"

And wow.  The ending.  I'm just glad the sequel will be releasing later next month in October ...

Part dystopian, part survival story, along with a dash of romance and some crazy plot twists --Brandes' Out of Time series is off to a unforgettable start!

Reflection on Content: Christian YA dystopian. Survivalist story: characters are injured, maimed.  Romance: lots of UST, almost kisses. =P  I'd recommend to older teens, but of course, dependent on maturity, a younger teen may enjoy it as well.

[Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for review purposes.]

BONUS GIVEAWAY INFO: Enclave Publishing is currently hosting a huge giveaway to win their entire Christian Fantasy & Sci-Fi catalog of e-books (including A Time to Die)!  Enter here by September 7, 2015! 

About the Author:

 "Nadine learned to write her alphabet with a fountain pen. In Kindergarten. Cool, huh? Maybe that's what started her love for writing. She started journaling at age nine and thus began her habit of communicating via pen and paper more than spoken words. She never decided to become a writer. Her brain simply classified it as a necessity to life. Nadine is a stay-at-home author and writes stories about authentic faith, bold living, and worlds soaked in imagination. She lives in Idaho with her husband and works as a freelance editor. When she's not writing, editing, or taste-testing a new chai, she is out pursuing adventures. A Time to Die is her first novel. Visit Nadine at www.nadinebrandes.com."

Talk to me about dystopians! What are you favorite?  Why do you think they're so popular right now?

1. Gwendolyn rocking the "lady knight" look

My Wordless Wednesday feature today is "WoW" or Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly blog link-up hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Title: Chivalrous (Valiant Hearts #2)
Author: Dina L. Sleiman
Release Date: September 8, 2015 by Bethany House Publishers

About the Book:

"Strong and adventurous Gwendolyn Barnes longs to be a knight like her chivalrous brothers. However, that is not an option for her, not even in the Arthurian-inspired Eden where she dwells. Her parents view her only as a marriage pawn, and her domineering father is determined to see her wed to a brutish man who will break her spirit.

 When handsome, good-hearted Allen of Ellsworth arrives in Edendale searching for his place in the world, Gwendolyn spies in him the sort of fellow she could imagine marrying. Yet fate seems determined to keep them apart. Tournaments, intrigue, and battles--along with twists and turns aplenty--await these two as they struggle to find love, identity, and their true destinies."

Why I'm "WoW" about Chivalrous:
I really enjoyed Dauntless (see my review here), the first novel of Sleiman's Valiant Hearts series.  Allen was one of my favorite characters in that book, so I'm looking forward to seeing him featured here.  As Dauntless was inspired by Robin Hood, I've heard that Chivalrous is inspired by Arthurian legend --Indeed, Gwendolyn sounds quite similar to Guinevere, but if so, will Allen play the role of Arthur or Lancelot? Just one more week until I can find out!  =)
 
What are you "waiting on" this Wednesday?  Have you read any books adapted or inspired by Camelot?1. Image credit: (c.) 2015 by Bethany House Publishers