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Curses and Other Buried Things by Caroline George // Thoughts and Review

Curses and Other Buried Things by Caroline George // Thoughts and Review

by Victoria Grzybowski | Oct 18, 2023 | Book Reviews, Contemporary Fiction

Curses and Other Buried Things by Caroline George Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publication Year: 2023 Purchase and Synopsis 4.5 Stars This book gave me so many feels, while also giving me that satisfying realization that our words have power.  The...Read More
He Should Have Told The Bees by Andrea Cox // Review

He Should Have Told The Bees by Andrea Cox // Review

by Victoria Grzybowski | Sep 27, 2023 | Book Reviews, Contemporary Fiction

He Should Have Told the Bees by Andrea Cox Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Revell Publishing Publication Year: 2023 Purchase and Synopsis 4.5 Stars I think this was my first Andrea Cox book and I have to say, I hope it’s not my last. This story was so GOOD. I love when...Read More

#cleanbookrevolution Recommends // Contemporary

by Victoria Grzybowski | Jul 7, 2023 | Book Reviews, Contemporary Fiction

It’s always a good day to add to your library… Here is a list (by no means comprehensive) of some of my fave Contemporary Fiction recs! If this list interests you, be sure to check out my other recent posts with #cleanbookrevolution recs by genre! Mammoth...Read More
The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese // Review

The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese // Review

by Victoria Grzybowski | Jun 13, 2023 | Book Reviews, Contemporary Fiction

The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Bethany House Publishing Publication Year: 2023 Purchase and Synopsis 5 Stars The Words We Lost is a poignant tale of loss and the way our childhoods shape us. The depths of who we are and our actions...Read More
Blind Trust by Natalie Walters // Review

Blind Trust by Natalie Walters // Review

by Victoria Grzybowski | Jun 13, 2023 | Book Reviews, Contemporary Fiction

Blind Trust by Natalie Walters Genre: Contemporary Suspense Publisher: Revell Publishing Publication Year: 2023 Purchase and Synopsis 4 Stars This book was the final in The SNAP agency series by Natalie Walters and the wild ride did not disappoint!  We all know...Read More
Under Fire by Lynn H. Blackburn // Review

Under Fire by Lynn H. Blackburn // Review

by Victoria Grzybowski | Mar 24, 2023 | Book Reviews, Contemporary Fiction

The Rose and The Thistle by Laura Frantz Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Revell Publication Year: 2023 Purchase and Synopsis 5 Stars This book might actually be my favorite of the series! With Tessa and Zane being teased throughout the entire series, it was so...Read More
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Victoria Lynn :: Literary Lifestyle

victorialynnauthor

📚Writing fiery Christian fiction w/out the spice! 6 books out!
🌼 Founder @theglorywriters
📖Get the Clean Reader's Guide! 👇
This is Me. Being an author can feel somewhat one This is Me. Being an author can feel somewhat one faceted at times. Like maybe I'm only supposed to share that one piece of me with the world. I've also felt cornered. Overwhelmed. My audience grew larger than I ever expected very quickly and I've had to process a lot of how my life of sharing on the internet now looks different. There are actual safeties to consider. Things too deep and personal to share with just anybody. In a day and age where you can be completely demolished for your beliefs, opinions, and heart-felt convictions, I've encountered a lot of negativity. It's caused me to be a little more shuttered and in seasons where I feel weak, the need to close off occurs. I know I'm not palatable to everyone. I don't intend to be, nor do I want to be. I was reading in the epistles this week and this line from Paul popped out at me. "If I were trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." I can't have it both ways. I'm an anomaly.. I'm a Beth who loves the quiet hearth fire, but I'm also Jo, who dashes hither and yon pursuing her dreams. But I'm also Amy who stands up for what she believes in and goes after what she wants while also being Meg, a woman who longs for a home and family of her own. I'm a creator at heart, a woman who fears the Lord and seeks to glorify Him in all that she does. I want to do all the things, while also wanting to stay home and raise a family. I'm passionate about sharing truth, standing up for what's right, and never bowing to the world's plan. Because I want to pursue Him and His purpose above all. Knitter, sewist, novelist, creator, naturalist, farmer, homemaker, entrepreneur, designer, missionary, sister, daughter, aunt, wife and mom in training... I'm these things, but most importantly, I'm a servant of Christ. I hope that as you get to know me, that rises to the forefront.
Here's my list of of books that haven't let me go. Here's my list of of books that haven't let me go. I can't wait to hear what yours are! ✨Where Darkness Dwells by @a.renae.author was one that spoke to my soul in a way that books haven't in a long time. The writing. The prose. The gorgeousness and heart-stopping stakes. I can't get enough of this series. ✨The Book Thief - HOLY COW. I was not prepared but the utter heart-breaking pathos of this book wrecked me. I'm still mad they cut the most gut-wrenchingly beautiful scene out of the movie, but I still remember exactly where I was sitting, what I felt like, and what was going through my mind as tears streamed down my face. The heartbreak and longing over a lost sibling was one that touched me to my core and was something I could relate to so much. ✨The Colors of Rain by @abigailhayven . This book does not get around enough for my liking. It's an utter masterpiece. Every review I've ever read says basically the same thing and I could not relate more to the feeling of nostalgia, beauty, youthfulness and raw honesty that this book carries. I still remember getting to edit this book for the first time and my jaw hanging open for nearly an hour as I read the climax. ✨Les Miserables - Yes, I read the entire, unabridged thing. Was it work? yes. Did I get my times worth? Also yes. I'll never forget the beauty of seeing God's Grace and the Law contrasted so magnificently, seeing the change salvation works in a man's soul and the countless lives one salvation can ripple out to affect. ✨Little Women - This book is still the most re-read book in my collection. I've read it at least 20 times since I was 9. I see myself in someone new each time I read, feel my heart encouraged by a new truth, and feel my heart grow more in love with characters that feel like family. What books touched your soul (and possibly changed your life?)
Comment TCOE to read one of my favorite romances e Comment TCOE to read one of my favorite romances ever! I've always been a fan of Slow Burn, but I have no illusions or desires for a long romantic relationship myself. I'm a firm believer of when you know, you know and let's get on with it. All in the Lord's hands, but let's just say, I ideally do not want to be dating for years. LOL! I know love at fist sight can occur and that it often does. But reading it in fiction has always felt a little trite. I don't know if I just haven't read the right speedy romance yet, but they've always seemed focused on the wrong things. Looks, sex appeal, and lust is passed off as "romance" and it always felt a little shallow to me. I didn't want that for my characters. For my stories. Because I believe romance is more than physical attraction. It's more than just falling for one's personality. It's an alignment in the Spirit realm where two people whom God created and intended to be more powerful together than apart meet, click together like two long-awaited puzzle pieces to create something new. Something magnificent. Something broken, but made perfect by Christ's covenant and the way it points us back to the Savior. My characters and romances have brought me so much joy because I didn't just throw them together. There was purpose in creating who they were, their strengths and their weaknesses and how those things fit exactly together to create something new and something better. I wanted my romances to feel intentional, because I believe that God does the same with our romances. He spins something beautiful, perfect, holy, and powerful out of our messy, broken, and infinitesimal lives... all to bring Himself glory and point the way to salvation and holiness. Comment TCOE to read a romance that is slow burn, but OH, so satisfying. I hope brings you joy like they did me.
Lately, I've been looking for the good in a slew o Lately, I've been looking for the good in a slew of hard. It's been something that has kept me afloat in a stormy season that I'll be happy to leave behind. This season has taught me so much about how to rest. I've had thought processes and patterns revealed to me that were messy, broken, and full of self-harm. Finding the good, the blessing, the mercy in every day, ordinary things has given me hope to hold onto when things felt tougher than I felt like they should be. Enjoying early morning trips to the gym when the Christmas lights are lighting the way. Sunrises that are blazing red and speak of the King's glory. Quiet moments in front of the fire with the Christmas tree twinkling in the corner while I spin yarn into a sweater between two needles while letting the warmth from a heated blanket soak into my weary and chilled bones. Family dinners around the table, and family movie nights with homemade hot cocoa and more knitting. The joy of something creative after too many weeks feeling too exhausted to make something. Snow storms with white out conditions while I sip tea from my living room couch and watch the snow swirl. Tending to family, holding babies, snuggling toddlers, and reading storybooks to eagerly listening little ears. Dishes with an audiobook in one ear and the family chatter in the other. Seemingly little things, but restful things that have slowly and surely refilled my soul bit by bit these last few weeks. What things have been filling your soul of late and how have you been holding onto hope?
I've always been wildly opposed to writing charact I've always been wildly opposed to writing character deaths for the mere sake of writing deaths. I have readers sometimes reach out distraught and I have to tell them "you don't understand, I'm just as distraught as you. I didn't ask for this." My goal is never to write a death for the mere sake of shock value, to get someone out of the way, or to simply create a reaction from others. It devastates me to my core. I've been known to argue with my creative manager for over a year (aka the Lord) about one death that needed to happen. I tried to work the equation every which way and fought it so hard. I was the one who wept while writing it. There will never be deaths in my stories unless they truly do serve a greater purpose and the Lord uses it for something better in my books than I could have ever hoped for. I still remember the death of Beth in Little Women. While it wrecked us, I remember wondering why it was necessary. . . but then I read the story again and again and I see all the ways that the loss made her character, the impact she had on others, and the way God used her little life so much more powerful, poignant, and beautiful. As a writer, I strive to make beauty from ashes. To show how the goodness of God can take even the darkest and hardest of circumstances and shine through with HIs grace, HIs mercy, and His goodness. Because even in sorrow, in pain, and in grief, His presence and HIs ultimate plan and purpose was never swayed. He still intends good for those that love Him. He will still bring morning to night and joy to sorrow. He is the God who turns mourning into dancing and takes the darkest of shadows and shines His glorious light. What literary death rocked your world and (here's a challenge) what beauty did you see in the story because of it?
Realizing you can't do it all on your own all the Realizing you can't do it all on your own all the time is a new thing for me. I'm used to knocking things out. Working corporate while building dream startups from the ground on the side and during off hours honestly taught me some bad habits. It taught me that it's okay to hustle all the time. To work odd, long, and crazy hours to make dreams a reality. It taught me that I had to do it all and be on top of every spinning plate that came my way. It taught me that it's not okay to say no and that disappointing people should be avoided at all costs. But switching to full time from home and wrapping up my second year of all on my own running these little businesses has taught me that all of those things were lies. These last few months of crazy life with one curveball after another has also reminded me that seasons can look drastically different and it's all okay. it's okay to take a break. it's okay to shelve a dream for a bit. it's okay to not be all things to all people all the time. it's okay to say no. it's okay if people are disappointed. They probably will be anyway. You can't make everyone happy all the time. it's NOT okay to sacrifice my health for a business. it's NOT okay to let drivenness and stress rule my life. it's NOT okay to let others' perceptions of me rule my world. So hi. I'm a small business owner. I'm the face that handles everything that comes my way. But I'm also learning how to balance things better and how to ride out seasons of chaos while learning to take care of myself too. It's okay that we don't have it all figured out. We are all just learning. And that's entrepreneurship at its finest.
Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍁✨ today I'm thankful Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍁✨ today I'm thankful that seasons don't last. that joy comes in the morning. I'm thankful for the ways we laugh, even with tears and mourning. I'm grateful for the ways that trials, draw family, and loved ones near. I'm grateful for the painful times, because they make the bliss more clear. I'm thankful that no matter how dark, the Light has never left me. And where His joy and grace abounds, I know I'm sheltered securely. ----------------------------- I pray that this season is one where you experience the joy and security that only Christ can offer. I pray that though you miss someone or something, you feel the Lord's presence near and dear, holding you through it all. I pray that no matter how crazy this weekend gets, you don't lose the peace that passes all understanding. ----------------------------- Sweater made by me with @mipithelabel new pattern! It's been my restful, peace giving project these last few months when it felt like everything was out of my control. This project was something that anchored me, helped me slow down, rest, and still feel productive even with lots of brain fog and and an inability to be as productive in other ways that I wanted to be. It's such a gorgeous pattern and so well thought out! I can't wait to wear it more this winter season and stay warm with something I actually created myself. 😍 🍁What is something that's been giving you peace and joy in this season? 🍁✨
You just have to read this book! I had the immen You just have to read this book! I had the immense pleasure of endorsing this copy and filmed myself reading the last few chapters. This rollercoaster will take you on a ride like no other! Here was my endorsement of @a.renae.author stunning book! "There Bleeds the Light is a glorious and hopeful story for our generation. With prose that rivals the greats—making you want to read lines over and over for sheer enjoyment—a plot that keeps you spellbound and on the edge of your seat, and characters that feel so true to life you’ll walk away thinking they are friends, Andrea Renae weaves a tale that not only entertains but also brings life to weary hearts burdened by darkness and called to the light." Grab a copy for your cozy wintry, just in time for the holidays read! Comment LIGHT to grab a copy! What book did you read recently that had you on the edge of your seat?
Number 5 - I don't adhere to the modern idea of a Number 5 - I don't adhere to the modern idea of a "strong female lead" my females are strong BECAUSE of their femininity. They've earned their strength and they aren't simply token strong female characters. Embracing the beautiful, gentle, tender, nurturing ways of their femininity and their reliance on Christ is what makes them strong. Do these things turn you off the books or make you want to read them more? ---------- ⚔️The Chronicles of Elira⚔️ low, medieval, non-magical fantasy for the entire family with heroes and heroines who point to Christ and struggle with real world battles. Book #1 👑 In a tyrannical government, A farmer's daughter finds a wounded soldier with a missing memory. She could lose her life if she takes him in, he could lose his if she doesn't. Book #2 🐺 With a clash of enemies on the horizon, a lame medicinal questions his worth in an era of warfare. A young girl on the run from a life that still hunts her wonders if she might have found a home that can keep her safe. But can they survive the battles they face? Book #3 🌹A knight on a quest, a lost princess, a malevolent foreign ruler, and a secret of epic proportions will alter the fate and future of Elira forever. Available on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, Barnes and Noble, and from my site. ages 12+ Comment TCOE to read!
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