Success as a Writer | Olivia J

"Writing is a dangerous profession. There's no telling what hole you may rip in society's carefully woven master narrative," -Danielle Orner

Recently, I've revived some of my wonderful beta readers. Yesterday, one of them finally finished my novel, way ahead of time.

One of her comments at the end of the last chapter was:

"Honestly, it's been a while since I got emotionally invested in a story like I did with this one. You are a brilliant writer, and I'm so excited to see where you go with this beautiful work of art. When you're a famous author someday, I will have the privilege of being one of your biggest fans. This story was so powerful and full of messages that aren't easy to read, but need to be shared. Thank you for pouring your heart and soul into this book. I am confident it and all of your writing  will go on to inspire people for generations to come."

This comment almost made me cry. Nothing - and I mean nothing. No paycheck, no award, nothing - can compare to the feeling that your reader got it. They fully understood what you were trying to convey, and it impacted them.

This is true success as a writer. Many people think when I say I want to be an author, they think I want to be the next Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. And truthfully, it would be nice, but the fame and the money isn't what it's all about. 

And sure, being a household name means more people will buy and read your books, which will make the story have a larger impact in numbers, but true success as a writer isn't determined by the number of copies you sell, or how much money you make. 

It's determined by the souls you touch and the lives you change. This cannot be quantifiably measured, by any statistic, any paycheck. It's the impact you make on others, and yourself, that matters. 

Now, writers, go get people to read your work - because the most satisfying thing is knowing your art -the very thing that helped you heal your heart and soul - reached across the great human divide and healed someone else's. 

~The WordShaker

Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events TV Show Review

"Take your broken heart, and turn it into art," -Carrie Fisher

When I heard that Netflix was creating a TV Show version of one of my childhood favorite book series:  A Series of Unfortunate Events. These books connected me and my friends in fifth and sixth grade, especially with my soul sister, Lauren. The series absolutely enraptured me with progressive and quirky characters, the absolute nail-biting terror of Count Olaf, and the weaving mystery throughout all 13 books. It reached the darker, mature parts of me, and unlocked them. And I absolutely loved it - it was a good thing for me. It was one of the books that shaped me into the writer, reader, and consumer of stories that I am. 

Last Sunday, two days after the series came out, Lauren and I binge-watched it, complete with leftover Asian food and mug cakes.

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As usual, I conduct my reviews by talking about the negative first, and end with the positive. 

The Negatives

1. Violet

When I first read the books, I adored Violet. As the eldest, as a massively creative person who loved working with her hands, as a subtle and assertive girl myself, I deeply related to Violet. And when on-screen Violet was short, girly, immature, without much agency, and not at all the tall, strong and inventive girl portrayed in the books. 

This partially has to do with Malina Weissman chewing on the scenery. Something Lauren wisely pointed out was that Weissman possibly had the idea in her head that this was a children's TV show and that children would be watching it, and so she should act (or, more correctly, overact) to reach to the simplicity of the 'children' watching the show. 

This also has to do with the age difference - or lack thereof between Violet and Klaus. Violet is supposed to be 14, and Klaus 12. In the illustrations, the height difference between the two is drastic. However, in the tv show, the two are relatively the same height. 

This adds to Violet feeling less like the leader, and less mature than she should be. Weissman looked and acted to young to be the Violet she should have been. I tried, I wanted so badly to like Violet - at first, Lauren agreed with me - but I couldn't, because she never filled the shoes of the fantastically creative, somber, and mature Violet. 

The Neutrals

1. Count Olaf

Visually, Neil Patrick Harris was perfect. However, it took me a while to be sold on his portrayal of Count Olaf. At first, he seemed too comical and inflated to be the menacing Count Olaf. There were touches of it, however, throughout the first season. But what sold it for me was when Olaf outright slapped Klaus, and his reaction, and the lasting effects this has. It was a truly perfect moment. 

And I wish I could say that the interpretation gets better from here, but it doesn't. 

While this is a double-edged sword, because Neil Patrick Harris is utterly entertaining and so charismatically enjoyable to watch as Count Olaf, he doesn't portray the book character. Every time Count Olaf would show up in the books, I - and most every reader - had an almost physical reaction of fear. He was the perfect villian (for this series) - sinister and calculating and devilishly eccentric: so flawed he was flawless. 

However, this Count Olaf had some flaws. Every once in a while, he would 'break character' so to speak, and make a mistake or show weakness or be too funny, and this would undermine the menacing and comically sadistic nature of Count Olaf. This would also undermine the tension in the series by not keeping Count Olaf consistent. In the series, Count Olaf was rarely comic relief, and he couldn't be, because he gave the series the constant, dark undertone it needed.

While I was less disappointing in NPH's Count Olaf because he demanded the attention of the viewers and stole every scene, Weissman's poor, childish portrayal of Violet was the most inaccurate and disappointing aspect. 

2. THE PLOT TWIST

This is a double-edged sword for two reasons. 

When the 'parents', played by ,  were first introduced, Lauren and I were furious. This would undermine the whole plot, the whole show itself. We felt that the involvement of the Baudelaire parents was taking the attention away from the children, and even subconsciously diverting the sense of agency the children have, because they are the only perspectives we get most of the time. We were absolutely infuriated when the writers tricked us into believing that the parents were the Baudelaires, and that they were going to reunite at the end of Episode Seven, and defeat Olaf, and that would be it.

But when they were revealed to be the Quagmire parents, Lauren and I FLIPPED. We were ecstatic that they were including them so early in the show. It was a brilliant way to give the Baudelaires and the Quagmires something to connect over, and to introduce them earlier on and make us care for them. It was genius, and improved upon the book. 

However, it still felt like a ploy to keep the watchers who didn't read the books watching - to have that constant in a sea of new characters and the rinse-and-repeat formula. What Lost does well is that it keeps you watching because you want to know what happens to the characters you care deeply about, not necessarily the secrets of the island and the mystery surrounding that. This is what this series should have employed, the same way the series did. The reason we kept reading wasn't because we wanted to find out about the Quagmires and the VFD - it was because we cared about Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, and we wanted them to end up alright. The writers should have focused on their characters instead of adding that plotline, and trying to convince us that these were the Baudelaire parents. 

The Positives

1. Show Klaus over Book Klaus


This was a stranger phenomenon, and I feel it was influenced by my dislike of Show Violet. Regardless, if Louis Hynes was a few years younger, he would have been the perfect Klaus. Louis Hynes was the far superior actor above Malina Weissman. While Wiessman spit out her lines, Hynes delivered them with natural, smart, and tactful grace like he truly was Klaus Baudelaire. Because he absolutely nailed this character on the head, my book love for Klaus carried out into the TV Show - and the visual portrayal of Klaus made me fall in love with the character even more. 

2. Aesthetic and Tone

Visually stunning, this show perfectly captures the cheerfully dark, gothic, and steampunk-esque scenery, humor, costuming, and storytelling from the books. This just adds to the immersive world that Lemony Snicket created and that we so love. It just pulls you into the story even more and adds so much authenticity. Spot on. 

3. Diversity

Now, I'm not much of a fan of diversity for diversity's sake, but I realize that it's important. The only problem I had with it was Dr. Montgomery. His description in the book was distinct, and there was a disconnect because he didn't look how I pictured him. However, I'm not all that mad at it because Aasif Mandvi does a fantastic job as Dr. Montgomery Montgomery. 

Another instance is Aunt Josephine. While she is never explicity described and there are few illustrations of her, I've found that most people did not picture her as a spry and passionately fearful black woman. However, Alfre Woodard did a fantastic job, and, like I said before I'm not complaining.

4. Accuracy and Even Improvement of the Books

The accuracy of this TV show to the books was impeccable. It had little details that had Lauren and I pausing, and back tracking, and pausing, just to see a little sign in the background, or to read one of the fleeting newspaper articles, or to indentify a symbol in the scenery. Every detail was important, and it was as perfectly utilized in the TV show as it was in the books. 

Sometimes, the script was line-for-line from the books. This just added a charming nostalgia that cannot be replaced, even if they got every single detail right. This made it truly feel like not just a TV show, but that it was a book in visual form, which is really all the fans truly want. 

Somehow, the TV show improved upon the books, which doesn't seem possible. When turning a series of books into a movie or TV show, some things have to change, because the vehicle in which the story is being delivered changes. However, these changes were for the better. 

One of these is adding Lemony Snicket in as an actual character. In the books, he is the nondescript narrator, but by adding him in as a visual character and not just a voice, this adds a sense of grandeur to the story, and makes his later tie in to the Baudelaire's story better set up and integrated into the story. 

Another is the addition of the spyglass. This provides a constant, a mystery to always be solved. It gives more visual, tactile proof that something larger is happening, which is something needed in a visual medium, such as TV. 

~

Overall, it was always a joy to watch one of my favorite childhood series on the silver screen. There's no other way to describe it - it was perfectly nostalgic and enjoyable and as charismatic as the books. Given it's flaws, I'd still watch it again and read the books again and wait eagerly for Season Two. As book-to-screen adaptations go, this is stellar. I give Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events an A-. 

Now, the real task is to wait for Season Two. Time to get my brother to watch it!

~The WordShaker

2017 TBR List | Olivia J

"A writer never finds time to write. A writer makes it," - Nora Roberts

Since I relatively failed on the books that I said I was going to read this year, many of these books are overflow from my 2016 TBR List. Read 2016's TBR Wrap Up here.

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These first three are the overflow books from last year.  

1. Looking for Alaska by John Green (YA Fiction)

Still, I'm constantly barraged with exclamations that this book is the Second Coming. Still, I haven't had much interest to read it, but I know I will eventually. Past Olivia believes in future Olivia that she'll eventually read it. 

2. If I Stay by Gayle Forman (YA Fiction)

I still have a passion to read this book because it seems like it fits within my genre, however, my passion to read it right now has died. I'm keeping it on my list for the sole reason that I told myself I would. 

3. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (YA Romance)

Truthfully, the only reason  I haven't read this book is because I haven't been able to get my hands on it. 

~

On to the new reads for this year. 

4. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (YA Fantasy)

One of my best friends Elieen gave glowing reviews of this book, and I trust her so I thought I'd give this a whirl. However, it is fantasy, and isn't something I'd normally pick up. Three cheers for expanding our tastes!

5. Kids of Appetite by David Arnold (YA Fiction) 

I discovered this book because of the booktube community, and immediately when I heard of it, I knew I'd love it. Equal parts quirky and heartfelt, it's a book I'd surely love. 

6. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman (YA Historical)

I'm not entirely sure why this book is on the list, but the cover - and even the concept - just hooked me. It's about a girl out for blood in the wild west. Sounds badass, hopefully touching. 

7. The Call by Peadar O'Guilin (YA Science Fiction)

Again, thanks booktube. In case you couldn't tell, I've been on the booktube community. But I was told that this book has dashes of The Hunger Games in it, and that alone will draw me in. 

8. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini (YA Fiction)

This is a book I have to read whilst in good mental health, because it's about a boy who admits himself into a mental hospital and the things he learns, and the people he meets. As someone who suffers from anxiety, I hope that this book reaches me and portrays mental illness properly. 

~

As usual, I'll most likely read more books than the ones on this list, and hopefully I'll remember to document them for my 2017 TBR Wrap-up!

~The WordShaker

The Worst Kind of Break-Ups | Olivia J

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened," -Dr. Seuss

Breakups are bad, no matter what. 

But the worst kind of breakups are the sad ones. The ones where you still like each other, but there's no possible way you can make it work. The ones where what seems so perfect just fades away, burns out. The ones where it's mutually understood that no amount of talking, no amount of anything could make it work. 

The worst ones are where you feel a whirlwind of emotions. Sadness, disappointment, frustration; nostalgia, thankfulness, peace. The ones where you stay friends, but it still hurts because it's something lost. 

The worst ones are where your two paths cross in the universe for just a moment. The stars explode, planets align, and then the axis of life turns again, and both are forced to move on. 

The ones where you can't possibly be mad at the other person, because it's not their fault. It's no one's fault. And that's just the way life is. 

And it'll hurt. But it'll get better, with or without them. 

With love, 

~The WordShaker

The Best Year of My Life: 2016 | Olivia J

"The book that will most change your life is the book you write," -Seth Godin

2015 Wrap-Up

Everyone likes to bitch about how 2016 was the actual worst. And, I'll admit, some bad things happened in 2016 in general. Civil and global unrest, a shocking amount of celebrity deaths, and the circus that was the 2016 POTUS race. 

But I cannot join in the bitching, because 2016 has been the best year of my life. 

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Sure, some bad things happened to me in 2016, because life is a mixed bag. But they're not worth mentioning, because the past is in the past. (If someone starts singing Frozen, I will resurrect Harambe to come and kill you.)

In 2016, I have learned not just to survive, but to live. This has been a year of new experiences, adventures, making new relationships, and constantly learning and constantly breaking down the self to make God even more the center of my world. 

~

On to the fantastic things of 2016!

I student-directed a play.

Adam Young made the best writing music ever.

My artwork was on a t-shirt. 

My writing and art was accepted into an art show.

I fell in love with Georgia.

I have rekindled my love for dancing via this year's homecoming. 

I discovered that football games are best when you have adventurous friends and someone to cheer for.

I took and passed my first college course, along with finding a glorious schedule of partial homeschooling.

I found great friends who will go on adventures with me.

Shoutout to my other great friends who I have grown infinitely closer to. 

I got to play the sensual, too-fun-for-my-own-good Mrs. Potiphar. 

I started a new novel after over a year of edits and beta readers.

I found the worst kind of breakups are the ones where you still like each other. 

And so many other things that I'm surely forgetting, because all of the good things that happened this year could never fit in one blog post.  

This year was bad and it was good and it was spectacular. And it was life. 

~

The most important thing I learned is that life is good. Life can always be good, even when relationships end, even when I can't write a single damn word, even when the stress of school, of everything leaves me crying on the floor.

But I tell it to myself because I know it in my heart of hearts to be true.

The past few years, 2013-2015 in particular, were every hard for me for reasons that I will keep private. In short, middle school and my freshman year of high school sucked. 

And the first part of my sophomore year was me pulling myself out of that, and the last section of me "finding myself". 

Throughout my entire life, I've never thought 'life' - or my life - was good. Life was okay, life was terrible, life was survivable. 

It's just this year that I've found that life is good - and life can always be good - no matter my circumstances no matter anything because God is the constant - my constant -  the axis on which everything else spins.

By that alone, I know that life can always be good. 

~

So my only prayer is that I let go of 2016, and never hold onto the past. I give 2017 over to God, so He can take me from glory to glory to glory, just like He always has. 

I'm going to stop now, because I could literally go on forever about how great 2016 has been. 

So, fellow writers and readers of my blog, write like you're running out of time, because it's another year down in the endless infinity of life. 

~The WordShaker

TBR 2016 Wrap Up

"If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write," -Martin Luther

'Tis that time of year again! Time for me to be ashamed of the books I haven't read. In order for some context, read my TBR list for 2016 here. 

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Blaring spoilers will be spoiled, so be warned, I guess. 

1. The Last Star by Rick Yancey

10/10 would recommend

Full review here.

2. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I unfortunately did not get around to reading this book So, uh, no review here.

3. The Distance from Me to You by Marina Gessner 

7/10 would recommend.

Yet again, I have mixed feelings, even though they are mostly positive.  The beginning started out interesting, and I was hooked - however, most of the middle was slow, and the pace picked back up to come to a slamming conclusion. Like A Tale of Two Cities, the last third redeemed itself from a meandering plot and dull characters, and went out with action and heart. Again, the author waited a long time for the shit to hit the fan, which is the turning point of the story right before the climax.  Almost nothing before that was all that interesting - I was waiting for them to go off of the trail and for the bad stuff to happen, like promised in the synopsis.

However, I did have a problem with the writing style - or lack thereof.  It wasn't bad, and it was functional, however, it didn't add much to the story. It was like, if you have a expensive and well-made Ferrari compared to an old, plain, and beaten down Chevy, you're still going to get there, but the ride is much smoother and more fun with the Ferrari. Readable and functional, but not much in terms of interest or style.

I had a few nitpicky things that I didn't like, but that didn't effect the final review. I disliked it that McKena only has any connection with Sam at the beginning of the story is because he's so deliciously gorgeous. Sam, however a good character, spends most of the novel stalking McKenna, and essentially following her, but we get no insight into why he does this. There is also a lot of steamy sensual stuff - and the characters have sex twice - and alcohol use that I am personally not comfortable with.

On a positive note, the story was weaved together nicely - every detail was important, making the story seem cohesive and making it a deep world to be explored. And while it had it's pitfalls, it held up to what it promised to be, which was a survival story of self-discovery and deep love.

4. 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

5/10 would recommend

I have mixed feelings about this book.  First of all, I could kind of tell that it was not written in English - some of the verb usage was weird, and the writing style was kind of bland, most likely scrubbed of all color in the translation process.

However, it takes them like half of the book to actually get to the moon.  And something that the author fails to do is make us connect with the characters. Many people die - *SPOILER* actually everyone dies - but we don't care about them.  They are just names on a page.  Arguably, they are not poor characters.  They were consistent and interesting, but I didn't care.  Mostly because there was never any redeeming qualities about them - they never seemed real. The whole narrative seemed detached, making the house of cards fall under the heavy pressure of the plot.

What I will give it is that is has interesting twists and turns once we are actually on the moon, and concerning the minor characters. The world was immersive and interesting, and some parts and the secrets revealed have you on the edge of your seat. The visual elements added a nice and fresh touch, and this was sufficient in the aspect of horror and the creepy factor.

But this ultimately is not paid off in that we never find out why the doppelgangers are there,  who the blacked out name is, or even why any of this happens.  It is a slow buildup with an exciting concept, but ultimately fails in its execution.

5. Alive by Scott Sigler

I also did not read this book either. Whoops.

6. Looking for Alaska by John Green 

I actually started this book, if that's something. My cousin  and her boyfriend gave me some of her old books, so that's how I got my phalanges on this one. I still didn't read it, though. 

7. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Didn't read this one either. I tried, and I'll probably try again, but it just didn't stick this time. 

8. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Lol nope. I still definitely want to read this book too. 

9. Nil by Lynne Matson

6/10 would recommend

Like most of the books I read, my opinion is a mixed bag. In the world of Nil, there was a slew of things that I disliked. Unfortunately, after the first few chapters, the pace dragged along. Things just kind of happened, and I couldn't tell where the story was going.  For a while there, it stumbled along, unsure of how it would get to it's end-goal, drowning the reader with information. But when the pace picked up, it surely dragged the reader along into it's labrynthian storytelling. However, the dual POV was weak at times. When Charley and Thad weren't talking to each other, it was hard to remember whose POV it was. This was probably because of first time author, Lynne Matson.

Another thing I was not a fan of was Charley and Thad's romance. The only depth their relationship had was that they both thought the other was super hot.  And yes, I realize that this is important in romantic relationships, but in order to satisfy the qualifications for actual love, there needs to be more depth on why they love the other person.  It all seemed so fast.  They said 'I love you' way too fast, and while they never had sex, they were all over each other.  It seemed as if the climax of the relationship was not their relationship, but the kiss. Any romantic/dramatic tension that made the first part of the book so interesting vanished.

I was not convinced of their love until the very end, when their actions showed that they cared about each other instead of just sucking face and shoving it down our throats that they lurrrve each other. *SPOILERS* When Thad pushed Charley through the gate was when I was like 'YES, now that proves to me that Thad loves Charley!'  And seeing Charley heartbroken and numb without Thad was more powerful than any kiss or words could describe. By the end, I was sold on the fact that they loved each other, but because their actions showed it, not their romantic gestures.

Life lesson, kids: SHOWING that a character loves another is so much more powerful, real, and meaningful than any kiss or 'I love you' will ever be.

I will give it credit for having  addictive writing and an immersive world.  The world building in Nil was phenomenal.  You could see every branch and every glossy leaf, ,and feel the heat of a gate approaching, bending the world. Nil had personality and character, which made reading this novel all the more amazing. The time crunch had you biting your nails to stubs, and the anxiety-ridden prose was unique and wonderful, and kept you reading no matter what.

10. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

6/10 would recommend. 

I think I came into this book with the wrong expectations. I was expecting hard hitting action, akin to the Titanic. But what I was left with was pleasantly surprising. 

While I still definitely craved the ship-sinking action, this was a smart and emotional book. I loved the way it tied into Ruta Sepetys's other book, Between Shades of Gray, with the main characters being cousins. 


However, this book absolutely pulled me into the times. Each character was complex and had interesting backstories. This book felt like such a slice of these characters lives and I always wanted to know more. 

Compared to Between Shades of Gray, the writing in this book was absolutely phenomenal. Not that the writing in BSOG was bad - which it wasn't - but the writing here stuck out to me more. There were phrases were I gasped at the strong and impactful imagery. Ruta Sepetys is a killer writer. 

~

I read some additional books that I found were noteworthy enough to write mini-reviews on, so here is the list of books I read that were not on my TBR List. 

1. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

4/10 would recommend. 

Read my pseudo-review here.

2. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

6/10 would recommend

I wasn't all that thrilled with this book while I was reading it. Ruta Sepetys has a unique storytelling style that I admire and yet I also don't entirely understand. However, I grew to love the characters, since it is very much so a character driven novel. 

By the end of the book, the climax hit me hard. I found myself wanting to read more of the story  - I felt like there was so much left of Lina's story to be told. 

It has a storytelling style and theme akin to The Book Thief, which I absolutely loved. The main character, Lina, with her hard determination and love, but also with her growing talents how this was used in the hardships of World War II. 

I thought that this book was much better than Salt to the Sea, but with Ruta Sepetys's books, I think it depends on the person on whether you'll like them or not. 

3. This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

7/10 would recommend.

Read the full review here.

4.  The Last Boy and Girl In the World by Siobhan Vivian

7.5/10 would recommend. 

This book was definitely not what I expected. From the title, and as well as the inside flap. I definitely expected more of a survival and action/adventure plotline. However, what I got, I enjoyed. 

Something amazing about this book is that it turns many YA stereotypes on it's head. The 'perfect' boy ends up to be not so perfect, the seeming antagonist isn't what he seems, and not every conflict is resolved by the end of the novel. 

The small town community was a nice touch to this novel. It added a feel to the story that made you care for the town. The author was so smart in crafting an interesting story with a realistic plotline and ending with characters that genuinely grew on you. 



5. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

8/10

This was one of those books that was fantastically good, but not good enough to add to my favorites shelf. While the characters were complex, I wasn't absolutely in love with them. The writing was good and functional, but nothing to lose your mind about. 

I very much so enjoyed the character arc Amy had. It was hard hitting and perfectly executed. 


However, I was craving more of the adventure aspect promised in the title. But when I got to the end, I was decently satisfied with the story and the beautiful road trip that it was. 

6. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

9/10

I was fully prepared to not like this book. I had heard that it dealt with mental illness poorly, and that was people's gripe with the book.  

However, I found myself loving the characters, loving the romance, absolutely adoring the subtle plot line. And when the end came around, the death of Finch struck me so hard that I cried.

What the author did brilliantly is to provide the contrast of how one character's life improves, while the other dims, and the two paths one can take to overcoming depression.  

And while it doesn't provide hope, it does portray the crushing devastation that suicide and depression leaves. It's a slightly faltering step in the road towards brushing away the stigma against mental illness. 

7. Essential Maps for the Lost by Deb Caletti

15/10

Probably my second favorite read of the year, behind The Distance Between Lost and Found. Perfectly emotional, and absolutely transformative to read. 

The writing style was unique, funny and beautiful. The hilarous comparisons made me laugh, while the deep thoughts made me cry. 

The characters were heartbreakingly real and complex. Their backstories enriched the main plotline. Everything about this book was absolutely perfect.  

AND THE BEST BOOK OF 2016 IS . . . . . 

8. The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes

20/10 would recommend. 

THIS BOOK IS MY NEW ACTUAL FAVORITE. I don't know how I've never talked about this. 

It's an incredible story of everything I love: survival, love, redemption. And it's fabulously written. 

It was equal parts funny and moving. The characters and their interactions were complex and lovable. It had just the right amount of survival mixed in with the right amount of development and emotional catharsis. 

It points out the flaws in the Christian church, and takes elements from the best survival novels to culminate into the best book of the year. 

My only gripe is that I wish Rachel would have had more of a character arc. The author started off strong, but never finished it out in a completed way, unlike the other arcs in the story. But every single element of the story was so flawless, this measly little flaw pales in comparison. 

Overall, this book is actually fantastic. I can't say enough good about it. It holds a special place in my survival-loving, emotional little heart. 

~

And I'm probably forgetting some books that I have read, but the above are the most memorable ones. 

Check out 2017's TBR List next week!

~The WordShaker