The Hashtag Trend Tag

Hey everyone! Welcome to my new invention: the Hashtag Trend Tag! I came up with it by accident ages ago… as will be obvious when you keep reading… and am finally launching it now. XD The Rules: Et voilà! Have fun 😉 The Questions: #MondayMotivation: Share a quote/hymn/verse/book, etc, that motivates you in some way.

I Love Spring Book Tag

Today I’m doing the I Love Spring Book Tag, which was apparently created by Amanda & Helene (no idea who they are, just crediting them according to their due). 1) How is Spring where you live? For most of my life, Spring was late. Snow started melting in April, and we just had rain and

Accessibility vs. Authenticity // A Guest Post

Hi everyone! Katja here. Today the lovely Grace A. Johnson and I are swapping blog posts! You can head over to Of Blades & Thorns to read my post about “The World I Wish to Create,” and keep reading for Grace’s post about Accessibility vs. Authenticity in Christian Fiction. Enjoy! 😊 One thing I can’t

My Favourite Characters of the Year for 2023

I did this tag last year, and as I mentioned then, I have no idea where I got it from. Please let me know if you know the source! All right, let’s dive in. This will be hard, because 2023 is two months and a bazillion books ago, but whatev. My Favorite Male Characters If

My 2023 Bookish Recap

Year 5 of this tradition!! I’m delighted with myself 🙂 If you’re interested in the past recaps, here’s 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, which include links to the posts/videos that inspired my recaps.  Let’s go! My Top 10 Favourite Books of 2023 (These are new reads; normally they’d be standalones but I didn’t read enough this year!

The End of the Year + New Year’s Book Tags // 2023 Edition

Yo, cupcakes! I am back with the annual yearly book wrap-up + new year tags… not to be confused with the bookish recap tag. I know, that’s confusing. But they’re too long to put together, so I separated them. If you’re interested in seeing last year’s end of year/new year book tag and find my

Of Promos & Parties

Anyone interested in author zoom parties? I attended my first this year and it was SO much fun. I missed out on the second because I was late, but now I get a chance to try again… WITH MY OWN AUTHOR PROMO PARTY!!! Isn’t that the absolute end??!! I am an author with my own

Spell the Month in Books // June-December

Remember when I did this challenge in 2022? I wanted to finish it, so I went ahead and did the months I didn’t do, all in one shot. 😆 Again, the challenge is from Jana @ Reviews From the Stacks. I tried VERY hard not to repeat any authors, both from this list itself and

Springtime in Surrey PROMO!

Earlier this year Wild Blue Wonder Press released Springtime in Surrey, an anthology with 8 novellas written by Faith Blum, Andrea Renee Cox, Bailey Gaines, Katja H. Labonté, Grace A. Johnson, Rachel Leitch, Erika Mathews, & Kellyn Roth. It’s a lovely anthology (and one of the most beautiful print books we’ve ever seen) and would

The Thanksgiving Book Tag

I have no idea where I first saw this tag, but after a quick Google search I discovered it was created by Erin & Becca @ Fangirlscity (haven’t watched the video, nor do I know them, so this isn’t a rec, but credit where credit is due!). I wanted to get this post out in

Finally Fall Book Tag

I wasn’t tagged for this that I know of, but Virginia and Rhys-Marie just did it, and I wanted to too. ;P It’s been a while since I did a tag! 1. In Autumn, the air is crisp and clear. Name a book with a vivid setting. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. I’m not sure

Top 5 Books for 2023 // Five Fall Favourites Day Six

Well, well, it’s day 6… the end of the party… Now the next big literary thing to look forwards to is Perry Kirkpatrick’s Black Friday Book Sale. 😄 (if it happens. I hope it does. hint, hint) Well, I won’t keep you too long. First up, we have a pdf download of ALL THE BOOKS

Top 5 Gifted Books // Five Fall Favourites Day Five

Yo, we are almost done with FFF! 😭 😭 😭 I’m not ready to say goodbye… this week is always so wonderful every year. A true bookish festivity. Isn’t it lovely that although we aren’t close to each other we can still make this happen?! 😊 😊 😊 I truly hope y’all are enjoying this

Top 5 Indie Discoveries // Five Fall Favourites Day Four

WELCOME TO THURSDAY, BIBLIOPHILES!! *goes around shaking hands enthusiastically* I do love the genres that Kate picked for this year, don’t you? It’s all about people and connections and memories and stories. 🥰 Today’s theme is… I’m very familiar with indie books now… but there was a time when, to (sorta) quote Sherlock Holmes, “I

Top 5 Buddy-Reads // Five Fall Favourites Day Three

Welcome, welcome, one and all! We are on day 3, and I hope you’re all caught up with everyone’s posts and recommendations… Didn’t we tell you there was a lot, and more than the other years?! It’s worth it though. 😄 Well, today’s theme is rather special to me. I’ve been buddy-reading books for years…

Top 5 Thrifted Books // Five Fall Favourites Day Two

*rides in on a hobbyhorse to the tune of Schumann’s Ritter vom Steckenpferd. Stops & waves a parchment around like a medieval crier* WELCOME TO DAY TWO OF FIVE FALL FAVOURITES 2023, EVERYONE!!! I hope you all had a swamped FFF day yesterday 😉😉 but gird your loins because we’re going for a second round

Top 5 Library Finds // Five Fall Favourites Day One

Goooooood morning, y’all!!! Welcome to FIVE FALL FAVOURITES 2023!! *shoots off flower canons because glitter + confetti is overrated* If you’re a recurring guest, then WELCOME BACK, BOOK BUDDY!! And if you are new here, then WELCOME TO THE BLOG PARTY OF THE SEASON!!! 😍🤩🥳 *stops for breath and to gather more exclamation points* Five

Interview with Miss Maggie Alinac

KATJA: Welcome to the final interview with my characters from “The Tusie-Mussie”! Today I am with Miss Maggie Alinac. How do you do, Maggie? MAGGIE: It’s raining, and I want to go play with the ducks, and Ewart and Cat won’t let me. KATJA: Oh, well, cheer up, I’m sure they will as soon as

SPRINGTIME IN SURREY IS HERE!!!! // Book Release + Review

A few things before we dive in. A. I’ve been very sick for over a week. (We thought it was strep, which it wasn’t, but it had all the symptoms.) Hence my being behind on everything, including the launch of my book. The course of true authorhood never did run smooth… B. I’ve been featured

Interview with Mr. Ewart Alinac

GUYS!! THE BOOK LAUNCHES TOMORROW!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!! In the meantime, may I present… KATJA: And welcome back to another interview! Today we’ll be in the studio with our hero and second main character. Please put your hands together for Mr. Ewart Alinac! EWART: Thank you very much! KATJA: So, Ewart, mind introducing yourself