Hey, readers! How's life? I hope Monday is going well for you. I was up kind of late last night ... it being a Bible study evening and all ... but I got up a seven-thirty this morning, went to a doctor appointment, and feeling great.
Saturday I went thrift shopping with some of my younger siblings. I love thrift shopping! ('Cause cheap books, my friends ...) I found a shirt, skirt, and a pile of books for $.50 each! Yay! That was a pretty fun adventure. *winks*
Anyway, it's time for another Booktube video! Presenting my April Wrap-Up 2018, folks! Let me know what's the favorite book you read last month!
Hey, readers! How's Monday going for you? Can you believe this is the last day of April? Time for May and hopefully a swift entrance into summer. ^_^
Some quick updates?
One, I've been writing a lot. And, oh, is it an amazing feeling! I'm working on a fantasy/fairy tale with a contemporary side and it's been super fun. I usually have a couple days of blissful writing. Then I take a break ... have some days of random plotting ... and start writing again!
Some of my sisters keep asking me to read it to them, so I gotta keep writing so that I have more to read to them! *winks and smiles* So thankful to have my siblings as my fans! <333
Two, I'm finally reading Land of Silence by Tessa Afshar. I've been wanting to read this Biblical historical novel for awhile, and it's been amazing so far! I love Tessa's books!
Three, I've been doing things as part of the launch team for Love Defined, and it releases tomorrow! You all really don't want to miss this book! <3
Today is the last day to pre-order it and get special bonuses such as the audiobook narrated by Kristen & Bethany, and an adult coloring book! https://www.girldefined.com/lovedefined
My Booktube video for today is talking a little bit about why this book is so needed and amazing.
For some reason I was really nervous doing this video, so please bear with me! Hopefully future videos discussing topics like this will be more put-together! :p
Let me know what you all think! And come back next Monday for my April Wrap-Up booktube video!
Hey, readers! I'm quite excited to be bringing you my Q&A Booktube video today!
I decided to do a Q&A on my Youtube channel in celebration of reaching 100 subscribers! I now have 111 subscribers, and it's pretty fun to see the number growing. *smiles*
So what did you all do over the weekend? I made soap, went disc-golfing with my younger siblings + friends, and I had a cleaning job.
I also finished reading the amazing Love Defined by Kristen Clark & Bethany Baird and wrote up my review. Can't wait to share it with you all on May 1st here on the blog! You don't want to miss this book. Pre-order today! www.girldefined.com/lovedefined
Well, without further ado, here is my Q&A video - divided into two parts. I hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think. ^_^
Hello, readers! So my Monday post is up a little late this morning. #oops
I do have an excuse, being that I was up until the wee hours of morning. Some family from out-of-state came to visit last night, which was absolutely wonderful. I really, really enjoyed myself and am very thankful for that sweet time of fellowship. (I'd missed them so much!) After they left, quite late, my sisters and I stayed up for another couple hours talking. Sometimes you just gotta talk, peoples. I couldn't sleep even after that - probably because of a mix of things ... being exhausted, didn't have enough protein that day, fretting about life and stuff. And I felt really cold for some reason, even though I was bundled in blankets. *rolls eyes* It was somewhere around four in the morning by the time I went to sleep.
Wow. Sometimes. I just don't know what I'm trying to do to myself.
Anyway, today I've been cleaning, doing some things for the launch team I'm a part of, and uploading my Youtube video + sharing around social media.
Guys. *rabbit trail on the horizon* I'm "currently-reading" five books. Eek! (Or six, if I'm counting Silver Rose, but I haven't picked that up in awhile.) This Kindle Unlimited it bad - there are so many delightful-looking books that I've been wanting to read at my fingertips and I'm tempted to read them all at once! *laughs*
The Tower Princess by Shonna Slayton ~ This is from Kindle Unlimited. I'm 75% through and quite enjoying it, but haven't picked it up in a couple days because ... other books & distraction.
Discovering Hope by Chautona Havig ~ This book is also from Kindle Unlimited and has been fun! I'm 27% through, and then got distracted by ...
A Viscount's Proposal by Melanie Dickerson ~ I've been wanting to read this book for awhile and heard such great things about it! It has been really good - probably Melanie's most well-done work so far. I'm 35% through and have been switching up reading it and listening to it on audible (this from Kindle Unlimited as well.) While audible is convenient when you're busy and definitely brings the story to life, I don't really like how the narrator does some of the character's voices, such as Lord Withinghall's.
And lastly, Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst ~ This book I'm reading as part of a Bible study which is every other week. So it's slow progress. I believe I'm on page 74 or thereabouts.
So many books and so little time! Haha.
Anyway, onto my Monday Booktube Video! I filmed this video, the "My Name Book Tag", on Thursday and I was still struggling with my cold. I'm feeling much better than I did then! But still, unfortunately, sneezing and sniffling and all that. Nevertheless, hope you all enjoy!
Hello, readers! For this Thursday's post, I want to share some Youtube channels that I follow.
First off, I am a big fan of "booktube" and love seeing month wrap-ups, book hauls, bookshelf tours, book tags, etc.!
Sadly, most of the Booktube channels out there tend to focus on mainstream, secular YA fiction which I don't read a lot of, so I don't find myself enjoying these videos much.
However, I have found quite a few Christian booktubers who read a lot - or at least some - of the same books as me. *happiness* So without further ado, let's take a look at their channels.
As the channel name suggests, Melanie features a lot of YA books! She is also an author. Melanie probably reads a lot more contemporary fiction than I do, but we still read by quite a few of the same authors and I enjoy hearing her thoughts on those. Here is one of her videos:
I always enjoy watching Angela's new videos. I usually recognize most of the books she reads, and I really appreciate how she talks about content and such. Here's one of her latest videos:
Her videos can get a little long for me, personally. But I've enjoyed some of them and she has so many books that I've read or that I recognize, which is always so cool. Here's one of her videos where she did a booktube tag that I made up *grins*:
Ivy Rose is a writer, reader, and booktuber! I just recently discovered her channel and was thrilled to see that she has and loves a whole bunch of the same books as I do! Here's one of her videos that I adore:
Lindsey's videos are always done so neat and tidily. She's a big reader of Christian fiction and I enjoy seeing what she's reading and whatnot, though we may not actually read a whole lot of the same thing. I think one of her favorite genres is contemporary fiction and least favorites is fantasy (and it's totally the opposite for me). Anyway, here's a video from her:
I just recently realized Laura has a Youtube channel, so I haven't seen a lot of her content yet. But I got to know her through her blog and blog tours a few years ago, and love that she's passionate about supporting indie authors! The few videos I watched were fun - she's such a fangirl! *grins* Here's one of her latest videos:
I really enjoy Oceana's videos - there's something very pleasant about them. She does read quite a bit of mainstream YA fiction, and some books that I personally probably wouldn't read. But she also reads Christian fiction and Christian Living, and seems very comfortable talking about her beliefs and faith. So I really like that! Here's a fun book tag from her:
Rissi and I don't read a ton of the same books, but she does feature Christian fiction and I enjoy hearing what books she's been liking! I usually see at least a few recognizable books on her channel. Here's one of her latest videos:
And that is all I have for Booktube channels! Please let me know in the comments below if you know of anymore Youtube channels featuring lots of Christian fiction (particularly fantasy and fairy tale *winks*).
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Also, I wanted to share some Youtube Channels about Christian living, conservative viewpoints, etc. that I really appreciate.
Sisters Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird talk about all things love, romance, womanhood, faith, and life! I've come across many a video that was meaningful to me, and I love their book, Girl Defined. (Their second book, Love Defined, is releasing soon!) Here's one of their latest videos:
Joe's videos have been very inspirational, challenging, and encouraging to me over the years. It seems like he's deviated a little from his previous theme of videos, but I've still enjoyed his content. Here's one of his videos that I love (his very first video, actually, I believe):
I've found quite a few of Sadie's videos to be inspiring, so I kinda recently started following her. She seems passionate and a dreamer and serious about her relationship with God. And I'm really wanting to read her latest book, Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion, and Purpose, because I think I could relate to her journey and benefit from it! *smiles* Here's one of her latest videos:
I absolutely love finding young, conservative women who use their public platforms with such boldness and passion. Liz is Catholic, and I believe she's also a born-again Christian, as in she trusts Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. I'm inspired by her wisdom, facts, and level-headedness when dealing with the hot topics of the day. Here are a few videos from her that I love:
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So there you have it! Let me know what you think below. What are some Youtube channels you like? Do you watch any of the same ones as me?
If you love Christian fiction (fantasy, fairy tale, historical, dystopian, contemporary, etc.) and Christian Living, do check out my Booktube channel too! ^_^
Hello, readers! It's time to share my Monday Booktube video! In today's video I'm talking a little bit about each of the books I read in the month of March, what I'm currently reading, and I have a mini, end-of-March book haul!
Note: I did finish Rise of the Fallen by Chuck Black before March was out, and I also read Cinder Ellie by J.M. Stengl and Titus from the Bible. (I shall just have to feature those in my April wrap-up, I guess.)
Additionally, I forgot to say that I'm currently reading Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst. Which was been really good so far!
So, I hope you enjoy this video! Let me know what you think and what you read in March in the comments!
P.S. *whispers* I passed 100 subscribers on my Youtube channel! Eek! I might do a Q&A for one of my next videos, so if you have any questions for me, leave them in the comments below!
Hello, dear readers! As I've been mentioning here and there on my blogs, I have taken on some new projects. So. I decided it's time for me to make myself a schedule. I'm excited, actually. I think this is going to help me out.
Because, let's be honest, I'm a very organized person at heart, and without a schedule, I find myself getting overwhelmed by the simplest of tasks ...
Brain: "It's been two days and you still haven't replied to that comment on your blog. That comment encouraged you tremendously. Why have't you replied yet? It's irresponsible and rude. Seriously, go reply. It's just one comment."
Heart: "What if your friends are hurt by your lack of response? What if they think you're ignoring them? What if you're making them think their comments really don't mean much when they actually do??!!"
Me: *gasps* *sighs* *frets* *feels overwhelmed* *feels burned out on writing* *freaks out* "That's it!" *slams laptop shut* *bolts from the room* "I can't do this! It's too much! It's just ... TOO MUCH!"
*ahem* Yep. That's hardly an exaggeration. I have, like, a million things on my mind all crying for my attention. They all don't need to be done in one day, but I feel I must give them all attention because ... what if I'm unable to tomorrow? So I worry about the millions of things and end up getting like none of them done that day.
Me: *accomplished none of my goals* "I'm just overwhelmed. Totally beat. I need to just breathe. Relax my brain or something. I can't deal with writing right now."
Maybe you're getting the picture? I overthink. I stress easily. I don't do well without order and schedules, apparently.
Thursday: New post on Between the Pages of This Bookish Life
Saturday: New post on Lady Grace
Shantelle's Writing/Blogging/Youtube Schedule (more in depth):
Monday: Post scheduled video on Youtube + share about it on Between the Pages of This Bookish Life // Write post for Lady Grace
Tuesday: Scheduled post goes live on Lady Grace (reply to comments in the evening)
Wednesday: Write post for Between the Pages of This Bookish Life
Thursday: Scheduled post goes live on Between the Pages of This Bookish Life (reply to comments in the evening) // Write post for Lady Grace
Friday: Film video for Youtube/Booktube
Saturday: Scheduled post goes live on Lady Grace (reply to comments in evening) // Novel writing
Sunday: Novel writing
Now, the novel writing will really just happen when inspiration strikes. But my goal is to write once a week, and I figured quiet Sundays (the weeks where there's no family Bible study) might be the best. The weeks that there is Bible study, I'll perhaps write on Saturday.
Also, filming videos. That'll just happen whenever the house is quiet!! But I'm planning to post every Monday. (P.S. NEW VIDEO TODAY!) I hesitate to schedule much on Friday, because that is when I have young people over for Bible study.
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Facebook Page: I generally just share my posts on here, and sometimes posts from other bloggers, giveaways, etc. Occasionally I post random little life stuff.
Twitter: I'm not really present on Twitter. Mostly I just quickly tweet the link to my blog posts/Youtube videos.
Goodreads: I adore this place! *all the heart eyes* I usually keep my friends on there up-to-date on what I'm reading and all that. Pinterest: I go on here occasionally and save a quality-looking Christian movie to my Interested in Watching board, look up a recipe, or add a medieval-esque picture to my storyboards. Or share a link. I used to go on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook much more often, but I'm doing my best to cut out any and all mindless scrolling on social media (because I'm bored, lonely, or anxious ...). I have better things to do! I believe God is calling me to a life of purpose! *smiles*
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Anyway, so that's that! Hopefully I can stick to it and it'll work well and relatively stress-free even amid work, Bible studies, Bible study reading & homework throughout the week, book launches, "review books", family/friend time, and reading (of course!). I'm thinking I need to cut back on the amount of books I agree to read in exchange for a review because I might just not have time/mental energy for that.
Do you all have schedules? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Hey, you all! So some of you may know that I started a Youtube channel back in January of 2016. I somewhat joined the Booktube community ... except I wasn't popular enough to really get "in" ... haha. ;p
Anyway, I recently started doing videos again after five or so months of no posting. Thus, I wanted to share my newest videos and ask you a few questions.
Such as:
- Do you enjoy Youtube videos? Booktube or Youtubers who talk about life and faith?
- Have you watched any of my videos? What kind of videos would you like to see from me? More books tags? Book hauls? Book reviews? Talks about my faith, convictions, things on my heart, and what I'm passionate about?
- Who are some of your favorite Christian Youtubers? ^_^
I'm contemplating getting more serious about my Youtube channel, converting some of my blog posts into videos and all that. Because Youtube is pretty popular and that might be the best way to get an audience. People would rather watch a 5-minute video than read some long blog post.
But we'll see. I'm thinking and praying about it. And, for now, I'll do my best to get videos out there about books ... which I love. *smiles*
On that note, would you like to watch my 2018 Bookshelf Tour? =)) If you watch it, comment down below and let me know what you think! Do you have some of the same books as me?
Like, Comment, and Subscribe, my friends! Haha! *winks and grins*
(And please excuse my awkward faces shown below. I'm not sure how to put a professional-looking thumbnail on there, ha.)
