Alyx Hardy, PI

Hello everyone! ‪@GraceNotesWFS‬ is making videos of underrated books that she loves, so I decided I wanted to show you my favorite underrated books too, only in posts. I also decided to make it harder by only choosing books I have myself never mentioned that I have read, as well as ones that none of you have mentioned reading! I hope to convince everyone of you to read these awesome books that are among the best books I've ever read. Each of them has seriously impacted my reading tastes, writing style, and outlook on life and I cherish all of them dearly; I hope you all enjoy! P.S There's mire coming later.

1. The Misadventures of Maude March, by Audrey Couloumbis
This is the tale of two teen sisters living in the wild west period, who are orphaned after the simultaneous deaths of their parents, and are falsely accused of committing a crime which forces them to go on the run. Galavanting all over the west with their faces plastered on wanted posters, the sisters must clear their names and catch the crooks who want them dead. This is one of the funniest books I have ever read, and with a rare dynamic of two sisters that I actually really like in this case, and I couldn't put it down until I had reached the cataclysmic conclusion! I'm not usually known for really liking girl characters, like I do Janner and Edmund, but these two are practically impossible not to become very attached too, believe me! And despite it being a kids book, I was very impressed with the deep topics, and violence portrayed in the story. Even as a kid, I was disappointed when things were toned down for the children, and that isn't true for this book, but it never went beyond what I could handle either, and I was very impressed with the balance of comedy, danger, and kids non-fiction.

2. The Black Fox of Lorne, by Margaret De Angeli
Set in the uniquely chosen setting of tenth century Scotland, “the only one of this time period I have ever read,” is about twin brothers Bruce and Ian, who are conquesting for new land with their father when their party is attacked by Saxons, and all but the older brother, “Bruce”, is taken captive. The Saxons invite their guests to sup with them, only to murder them all when they're least expecting. Ian is spared however, for a life of indentured servitude to the Saxon leader, and so the two brothers serve him as one person, until they are able to bring their fathers murderer to justice. This is actually a Christian story, but I never felt like I was being preached at, in fact I wanted to read more! I don't know much about this time period, and I was delighted to learn more, and the characters were fascinating, reading the writing is like eating candy, and the plot is so unique, the latter being a great influence on what kind of stories I write today. To be honest, this recommendation pales in comparison to the story itself, but I just don't know what else to say.

3. Robin's Country, by Monica Furlong, is one of the oldest books in my collection that is on this list, and I have many fond memories of reading this when I was young and I have read it at least twice. It tells the tale of a mute boy living in medieval times, who is the slave of a cruel master who gave him the name, “Dummy”. One day, after a particularly cruel punishment for a mistake, Dummy, “I always hated calling him that, but finding out his real name made it so much sweeter after calling him that for most of the book” ran away, and was found by the outlaws of Sherwood who adopt him as one of them, teaching him the ways of Sherwood, but most importantly, how to be a part of a family. This book deals with love, acceptance, and self worth, which were things my young self wasn't aware I struggled with and the lessons Dummy learns have stuck with me for the rest of my life. I think of Dummy often, mostly without even realizing it, because I understand what he went through. A very sweet, but powerful book that is suitable for both kids and adults to read, and a Robin Hood retelling no less!

5. Elephant Run, by Roland Smith, is again, a story about a well chronicled time in history, but is so unique it has its own niche to stand in, which is about an American boy sent to live with his father in Australia during World War Two. In a horrifying twist of fate, their house is captured by the Japanese and he and his father are taken captive and are made to be servants of the Japanese man in charge. Thus ensues the daring escape plan of the boy, his father, and an Australian girl he's made friends with, and how they get back to safety. Before this book, I didn’t know much about Australia, let alone what part it played in the war, and not only did I learn about those things, but also about another subject I have never delved into, and that is the life of people who train and raise elephants, which was so interesting! As you can see, I'm a real sucker for unique plots, and this one is no different. Of all my World War two non-fiction, this one stands apart.

6. My Friend the Enemy, by Dan Smith, is like the last book in only three things; it's about World War Two, its main character is a boy, and it is very unique. Set in the British countryside, a boy discovers a downed German airmen who isn’t much older than himself, hurt, alone, and scared, who doesn’t understand english, so he hides him, bringing him food and medical supplies not because he has any sympathy for the Germans, “fact is, he hates them”, but instead because he sees the scared boy in what he had otherwise thought was a monster. Complications arise however, when he has to keep his discovery from his best friend, who knows he has a secret, and is angry that her best friend is keeping it from her. He must figure out how to return the airmen to his home with help of his best friend, and reconcile what he’s doing with his loyalty to his country. This book was fascinatingly deep, and talks about the complications of being loyal while also doing the right thing, and how mercy is better than revenge. A very good book with a satisfying ending.

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1 day ago (edited) | [YT] | 5

Alyx Hardy, PI

‪@booksandthingsforever‬ tagged me to play this tagging game! Thank you again My bookish friend!

1. What book could you convince someone to read based on the first line?
The Last Musketeer, by Stuart Gibbs
"Clinging to the prison wall, Greg Rich realized how much he hated time travel."
This is the first book in the Last Musketeer Trilogy, in which a boy named Greg, time-travels with his parents to the time of the three Musketeers, but before they became the famed heroes. The Musketeers are still teenagers and their greatest enemy, "who is immortal" has come back to aid his past self in ending them before they can destroy him as adults. Greg "who goes by the name D'artagnan" must rally the three fledgling heroes, and in the course of the three books, the four face the dastardly duo and their cronies before sending Greg and his parents back to their own time. I haven't read the third book in this series yet, but the first two are absolutely awesome, and they have really gotten me interested in the time period and its architecture that they take place in, and I have really enjoyed learning about the real life places Greg goes too. The author also has a great sense of humor, and really knows how to keep me laughing despite the serious circumstances, like in the dungeon mentioned in the first sentence.

2. What is a book you love that is so underrated?
The Golden Goblet, by Eloise Jarves Margraw, is about a boy named Ronafer, whose older half brother uses him as free labor at his stone cutters business, instead of letting him pursue his dream of being a goldsmith. Then Ronafer discovers his brother is a tomb robber, which is one of the worst crimes imaginable in Egypt, so he sets out to bring his brother to justice and keep himself from being punished too. Ancient Egypt is a passion of mine, and this book has that, a great adventure, and an exciting mystery and there's absolutely nothing I don't love and adore about this book! You also learn a lot about goldsmithing and stone cutting, which was so cool, which is the sole reason I have a great respect for goldsmiths!

3. What's a book that you love but you don't like the cover?
Well, love might be a bit of a strong word for my opinion of this book, I do like it and It was definitely enjoyable, it's the only book I could find in my collection that has a cover I don't like.
The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Supper mystery, High Survival, which features Nancy Drew and her best friends, Bess and George participating in an outdoor Survival class when dangerous pranks begin happening to them and the other students, so she calls in the Hardy boys, who secretly follow the group in hopes of catching the perpetrators. The story is exciting with lots of suspense and secrets, but the cover makes Frank and Joe look rather stupid, “exasperated muttering”, My favorite part was when Joe was the hero for once!


4. Who is your favorite author?
This is so hard, there are so many good ones! Just to make the answer simple, I always say J.R.R. Tolkien, because I consider him one of my professors in my life's course on writing, but C.S. Lewis, Andrew Peterson, Louis L'amour, James Gurney, Franklin W. Dixen, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Anthony Horowitz, Chris Grabinstein, Paul McCusker, and Jude Watson, are definitely other favorite authors of mine that have all influenced me, both in what I read, and write. There are also dozens of authors that I have only read one or two of their books and can't really say if I like them or not just yet. And the listed authors certainly have a book or two I don't like, "looking at you, Margaret Peterson Haddix, and Anthony Horowitz," but I do still really like them regardless.

Tagging ‪@SisterStuff-Grace-and-Faith‬ and ‪@Sketchrim_Brothership_of_Arts‬ to continue! Sorry if you have already been tagged.

2 days ago | [YT] | 5

Alyx Hardy, PI

Chrysalis Watch 3#
Well, guys, I'm afraid I missed the Chrysalis opening while I was in church, but this is what it looks like now. I hope you enjoyed my little adventure! Thank you so much for following!

3 days ago | [YT] | 6

Alyx Hardy, PI

Thank you so much for getting me to 51 followers guys, you are awesome!
Now I just have to figure out how to best record this thing, and how to make a YouTube video so I hope you don't mind if this takes a little while, "like a couple of weeks possibly," since I don't know how long it will take me to figure all this out, but thank you for being patient. I hope you are not disappointed. Again; I just love you, guys like, so much. Thank you.

4 days ago | [YT] | 7

Alyx Hardy, PI

WATCH. THIS. ITS SO INTERESTING! https://youtu.be/8GbHWY0roOY?si=g803I...

4 days ago | [YT] | 4

Alyx Hardy, PI

Hello my wonderful, whimsical friends!
I have an announcement to make, so call in the orchestra band, and bring out the megaphone so everyone can hear!

On Wattpad, the main fanfiction site I post on, I have 51 subscribers, and I'd like to twin with myself here on YouTube, so if y'all can get me equal with Wattpad, then I will sing Yurgin's tune from the Wingfeather saga, but I shall do it in my best impression of Leeli!

Thank you so much for all your love and support; I cherish you all so much, and I can't thank you enough for accepting me into this wonderful group of ours! Love you guys! <3333

1 week ago | [YT] | 11

Alyx Hardy, PI

Greetings good friends! ‪@Sketchrim_Brothership_of_Arts‬ AKA, my brothers Sketchy and Ossie, tagged me to play this fantabulous tagging game, which I replied, "Indubitably good sirs, it would be my pleasure to participate!", so sit back and please enjoy the show! "Popcorn not included".

1. What is a song that is just so good, you’ve got it loop and can’t stop listening to it?
Viva La Vida, by Coldplay, what else! And I can’t forget to mention its MANY variations too; The acapella, the one sung by a woman, the instrumental variation, the epic instrumental version, the instrumental violin one, the Mind craft version called Fallen Kingdom, and of course the good ole, original! Every single one is inevitably played on a Viva La Vida song loop, for around four hours, and I’m still not tired of it, which is why the original is playing as I type these words xD

2. Favorite food stuffs?
Mac n cheese is my favorite, but Chicken and Dumplings is a very close second! Oh, but then there's Chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, pancakes, sausage links, french toast and cottage cheese too! And don’t even get me started on desserts, cause I’m basically the female version of the cookie monster, and will happily devour all your cookies, "Got any?" plus I’m also a sucker for both chocolate cake and ice cream cake, let alone ice cream itself.

3. What is something you would like to try and try?
I’m with Sketchy, I want to try Sky diving! I also want to try a roller coaster too though. “Adrenaline when induced by movement, high up and at great speeds, always makes me quite animated, so while everyone’s screaming on the tilt a whirl, I can't stop laughing, so I am always looking for new ways to induce more!” Adrenaline in general though, is basically like candy for me though, which either makes me excited, or I can hyper focus like nobody's business, to the point that pain is basically meaningless.


4. What is the color of your irises?
Well, that’s a somewhat debatable topic, for since I was young I have been told by some that I have blue eyes, by others green, and still others brown, but my eyes are in fact hazel, due to the green that is inter-spaced with orange flecks, which is surrounded by a dark blue ring. Eye color is bit of an interest of mine, if you haven't already guessed that 😀😀

Tagging ‪@SisterStuff-Grace-and-Faith‬ ‪@kalmarfanatic04‬ "Sorry if you have already been tagged"

1 week ago | [YT] | 9

Alyx Hardy, PI

WOAH THEIR...........I think this made me more uncomfortable than the sermon I heard at church tonight. What do you all think?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 7

Alyx Hardy, PI

‪@cherrypi13‬ tagged me to share one of the first three videos that popped up on my home screen, so I chose this one! I was in stitches for the whole video! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Tagging ‪@SisterStuff-Grace-and-Faith‬

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 9

Alyx Hardy, PI

And here is our other dog, Abby!
She is a Keren terrier mix, who literally has enough energy to bottle it up and sell because she's got enough bounce to power an entire bounce house. She is very sweet and loving, but she has a naughty streak that has found her on top of the kitchen table more than once, so don't buy her innocent act, cause she's very good at it.

1. TREAT! TREAT! "This is my recreation of the black hole meme!"
2. I am sad, because I have no Mommy, so here I sit in my mopey spot and wait for eons until she comes back.
3. The flashing box again, huh? Very suspicious, especially since it happens a lot.
4. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
5. Since he isn't petting me, will you?
6. Zzzzzzzz
7. PET ME. COMFORT ME IN MY LONELINESS FOR MOMMA.
8. Why did you stop petting, human?
9. PLEASE, TAKE ME WITH YOU, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10. Ahhhhhhhhhh, that's the stuff! Yesssss, right there on my tummy while the sun warms my fur!

I hope you all enjoyed meeting the furry bandits of most food, and all love!

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2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 6