Q&A with Be Affected Author Riley Choquette

One of the few nonfiction titles I selected this year is a short book called Be Affected, which challenges and encourages young Christian men as they enter early stages of dating. It’s kind of a quick tips guide to successfully navigating those first relationships and build great boundaries and habits for dating relationships in general. It was a fun read, so I’m super excited to be able to talk a little more with author Riley Choquette.

Q&A with Riley Choquette

What inspired you to write BE AFFECTED?

In my residential college, I got to share a couple of songs at a coffee shop night, and I realized that both of the songs I had chosen were about dating relationships not working out. In between the songs, I took a moment to explain that people don’t have to feel crazy when they are deeply affected by their desires to be in … Continue reading

Review: Born Scared by Kevin Brooks

Born Scared by Kevin BrooksBorn Scared
Kevin Brooks
Candlewick Press
Published on September 11, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Born Scared
Elliot is terrified of almost everything.

From the moment he was born, his life has been governed by acute fear. The only thing that keeps his terrors in check are the pills that he takes every day.

It’s Christmas Eve, there’s a snowstorm and Elliot’s medication is almost gone. His mum nips out to collect his prescription. She’ll only be 10 minutes – but when she doesn’t come back, Elliot must face his fears and try to find her. She should only be 400 meters away. It might as well be 400 … Continue reading

Review: The Echo Room by Parker Peevyhouse

The Echo Room by Parker PeevyhouseThe Echo Room
Parker Peevyhouse
Tor Teen
Published on September 11, 2018

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About The Echo Room
Rett wakes on the floor of a cold, dark room. He doesn’t know how he got there, only that he’s locked in. He’s not alone—a girl named Bryn is trapped in the room with him. When she finds a mysterious bloodstain and decides she doesn’t trust Rett, he tries to escape on his own—

Rett wakes on the floor of the same cold, dark room. He doesn’t trust Bryn, but he’ll have to work with her if he ever hopes to escape. They try to break out of the … Continue reading

Review: Be Affected by Riley Choquette

Be AffectedBe Affected
Riley Choquette
Published on June 6, 2018

Amazon | Goodreads

About Be Affected
Be Affected charges young men, especially in the Church, to embrace the value of dating as an aspect of divine image-bearing and offers practical advice on how to do it well. Written from the perspective of a young, single Christian man, this books offers a theological explanation of the importance and goodness of dating, highly-practical advice on asking for and planning effective dates, and honest encouragement for when things don’t go as planned.

From the Introduction:
Books about dating all face one of two problems: either the author is married, or the author is single. In the first case, it’s too easy to think … Continue reading

Top Ten Tuesday: Books by My Favorite Authors I Still Haven’t Read

Top Ten Tuesay Books by Favorite AuthorsHappy Top Ten Tuesday!

Obviously the first challenge of a Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) post like this is to narrow down to only ten favorite authors. That took a lot more time than I thought it would. Because there are SO MANY great authors out there, especially in the young adult and middle grade market. But I soldiered through and made my list of ten authors and from there, picking the books to share was pretty easy. Here’s my list.

Tragic Kind of WonderfulA Tragic … Continue reading

Review: The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden

Benefits of Being an OctopusThe Benefits of Being an Octopus
Ann Braden
Sky Pony Press
Published on September 4, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they’ve got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under … Continue reading