Friday Fun - June 24th, 2022

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

Back in April I had read the first novella in this collection from the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren. This week I read the second novella Tributary so I could go on to read the final book, Deluge for one of my challenges. I ended up choosing a different book for my challenge (see below), but I will read Deluge soon.

I realized the book I chose for the Eating Our Words challenge would also work for the Around the World: Unlocking the Past challenge. Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette is biblical fiction, which is a genre I don't usually read, plus it takes place in the Mediterranean.

Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my book beginnings for Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren.

"She was gaining on him. She leaned hard, pulling on the reins, leaning around a giant oak to pick up his trail again. There! She glimpsed his brown, furry rump, the speck of hooves as the boar dived into the bramble, hoping to lose her."

First I was wondering who "she" was referring to, because all the previous stories have been told in first person by Gabi or Lia. And then I was wondering who this person was gaining on and why. To learn this was a hunt, was intriguing and I wanted to know how it was going to play into the story.. 

And here is my book beginnings for Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette.

"My sandals have not crossed this threshold since I was ten. 

Inhaling, I focused on the Eye of Horus woven into the papyrus mat beneath my feet. After summoning an infusion of courage from its steady gave, I lifted my chin and entered my father's chambers."

The biggest question I had was, why did she seem so concerned to be entering her father's chambers. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren
 

". . . they all stared solely at their opponent, awaiting their captain's command. Thirty knights. Clearly, Castello Forelli was still on guard, despite the truce. Or had Lord Forelli brought in more, in light of her arrival?" 

Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette

"'Let me assure you.' He shouted above the melee, his expression losing its careful composition. 'Our gods are pleased. It is a natural occurrence. Unusual, but natural. Our histories bear witness to red waters and tides from time to time.'"

Friday Fun - June 17th, 2022

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

Last week I mentioned that I read Cast the First Stone by David James Warren for one of my June challenges, plus had moved on to the second book in the True Lies of Rembrandt Stone series, No Stone Unturned. This week, I zinged through the final four books. They were awesome! 

Book three is titled, Sticks and Stone.

Book four is  Set in Stone. 

Book five is Blood from a Stone.

And the final book, Heart of Stone.

Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my book beginnings for Sticks and Stone by David James Warren.

"The pieces of two lives sit in my brain like they should fit together, but no matter how hard I press, I can't get them to line up. My life is broken into fragments that refuse to align.""

I just loved how each book started off right where the previous book left off. 

And here is my book beginnings for Set in Stone by David James Warren.

"What is happiness? Is it a place? A time? A choice? I am afraid of the answer. Because if it is either of the former two, it's lost to me.""

And here is my book beginnings for Blood From a Stone also by David James Warren.

"This is not my world.

Not my life.

Not my time. 

Sure, it resembles a life I knew-from the snow piled up along the blackened, salted streets, the icy wind buffeting the frosty diner window, the sound of Celine Dion singing how her heart will go on, and even the smell of oil in the fryers of the late-night diner."

And finally, my book beginnings for the final book in the series, Heart of Stone by David James Warren.

"They say that without hope, people perish.

I say hope crushes the soul. 

That's why I look away when Frankie Dale's beautiful gray eyes fall on me as I walk into Alexander Malakov's third story office."

I have to say, the beginning of the final book confused me the most. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

Sticks and Stone by David James Warren
 

"This part, I do remember, so I take a breath. 'My name is Inspector Stone. I'm with the Minneapolis Police Department, and we're looking into the murder of your sister-in-law.' I gesture to the scene outside, the coroner's van that has now pulled up." 

Set in Stone by David James Warren

"'At the moment I don't care what kind of detective he is. Because what I wanted to hear was the standard 'we just worked together,' defense. I didn't hear that, did you?"

Blood From a Stone by David James Warren

"'Listen. I know you're crazy about Eve. But you have a career here. You're Booker's favorite. Man, I could see you as chief one day. Don't give that up. Eve will come back-you know she will. Her family is here.'"

Heart of Stone by David James Warren

"But. . . why would she attend an AA meeting? 
She headed back to the den, shooting a look at Rem. He hadn't moved. Maybe she should check his breathing. 

And then end up waking him? She had no doubt she'd end up tangled in his arms."

Friday Fun - June 10th, 2022

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

I started Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter for one of my challenges from the 75 book challenge. It was published in my birth month. I had wanted to read it in April, but never got to it. As it is due back at the library, I figured it was time to read it. I'm enjoying it so far.

I read Cast the First Stone by David James Warren for one of my June challenges. I needed a book about some kind of travel. This book is about time travel, so it counted.

I zinged right through the first book in The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone series and grabbed the second book for my KU. It's titled, No Unturned Stone. I finished it in less than two days, and am getting ready to read book 3. 

Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my book beginnings for Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter.

"Eleven months had not been long enough to prepare Sophie Lawson for the sight of him. Presently, Aiden Maddox sauntered into the Dock House like he owned the place, the din in the restaurant rising at his arrival."

Well, she definitely wasn't a fan of Aiden showing up, though she knew it was inevitable. Love the use of the words "sauntered" and "din." Definitely made me think she was not happy. 

And here is my book beginnings for Cast the First Stone by David James Warren.

"It's the regrets that keep me awake.

The broken hearts, the lives ripped apart. The bitter finales.
The sense that, frankly, it's not finished."

I'm seeing despair and wondering if things will be able to look up for Rembrandt Stone. 

And here is my book beginnings for No Unturned Stone also by David James Warren.

"Just try and outrun your demons, I dare you. 
I sit in my daughter's upstairs bedroom, in my half-remodeled craftsman, the morning bright against the window, holding a black teddy bear in my shaking hands."

Knowing how the first book ended, it was so devastating to see Rembrandt having to deal with what had happened, and I wanted to know how things would be fixed, if they were going to be able to. I was glad to see that the second book started off right after the first book ended.

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter 

"She'd been hit or miss while caring for her mother. And even afterward. Come to think of it, her prayer life hadn't been anything to write home about lately either. Maybe once her shop was up and running, it would be time to get back to some good habits." 

Cast the First Stone by David James Warren

"'Are you kidding me? The guy keeps a diary of his first year of training, tells a few precinct secrets and you're a fan?' He met her eyes. 'There's more to Rembrandt than we know. You can't trust him-he plays by his own rules."

No Unturned Stone by David James Warren

"Honey, I'm coming home.

I turn on the radio, and my gaze falls on the file folder from last night. The Mulligan file. I shove it into my satchel to look at later, and pull out, heading downtown."

Friday Fun - June 3rd, 2022

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with two different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56.

I read Who Murdered Mr. Malone? by Hope Callaghan for one of my challenges last month. I needed a book written by an indie author that had to do with flowers or gardens.

I am currently reading Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson. I originally put this on hold for one of my April challenges. I ended up reading another book, but this one sounded so interesting, I decided to hold onto it. It's due back at the library, so it is my first read for June. 

Book Beginnings on Fridays

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

Here is my book beginnings for Who Murdered Mr. Malone? by Hope Callaghan.

"Gloria Rutherford eased Annabelle, her 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis, into the post office parking lot. After several slick maneuvers, she squeezed into an empty spot. She shut the car off, grabbed her purse and pushed the driver's side door open."

I just found it interesting that she had named her car. 

And here is my book beginnings for Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson.

"From: Clair Donovan

Received: 9:17 AM

To: Savannah Cade

Subject: Manuscript?

Savannah,

Have you made any more progress on that book idea you brought up to me at conference last year? I was just sitting in an editorial meeting, and your story came to mind."

I was looking forward to learn more about the book Savannah was writing. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted over at Freda's Voice.

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections.

Who Murdered Mr. Malone? by Hope Callaghan 

"The stakeout wasn't at all exciting. On top of that, she would need to find a bathroom after drinking copious amounts of coffee." 

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson

"The handwriting looks pretty pretentious, doesn't it? Cursive and short in width yet still making a show of all the t's and d's and b's. All in a bold black ink. The dot of each i is missing, as if the writer was too busy and important to worry about such insignificant details. Pretty annoying, actually. I have a sudden itch to dot each one."

Reading Challenges 2022 May Update

Here is what I read for my reading challenges in May: 

                             

For May, I read Who Murdered Mr. Malone by Hope Callaghan. 

I read  The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright, but I didn't finish it until this morning.

I read the second book in the Shadows Over England series by Roseanna M. White, titled A Song Unheard. The series takes place during WWI. I read the first book, A Name Unknown for my February challenge for Avid Readers group.

I read Unknown Threat by Lynn H. Blackburn. It had been on my "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads for a year.

Plus someone in my Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group came up with this challenge:

Pick which level you want to do and choose from these prompts! Happy reading!

Level 1: 12 books- success!

Level 2: 25 books- success!

Level 3: 50 books

Level 4: All 75!

I read 7 books in January for this challenge.

I read 7 books in February for this challenge. 

I read 9 books in March for this challenge (I can't count Keturah or Veiled in Smoke yet as I haven't finished them.)

I read 10 book in April for this challenge.

I read 8 book in May for this challenge (I can't count The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus yet as I finished it in June)

Red: No clue

Blue: Have a book in mind 

Green: Read

Orange: Can be for more than one, need to choose

Read a book...

1. With a verb in the title: Lost in the Land of the Midnight Sun by Christina Cattane (my thoughts)

2. With an infant or child on the cover: Then Sings My Soul by Amy K Sorrells (my thoughts)

3. With a tree on the cover: Forsaken Island by Sharon Hinck (my thoughts)

4. With a pink cover: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck (my thoughts)

5. Set in the mountains: Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks (my thoughts)

6. Set during your favorite season

7. That includes your favorite holiday: Holly Jolly Christmas by C.C. Warrens (my thoughts)

8. With a building on the cover: Captives by Jill Williamson (my thoughts)

9. Published the month you were born: Bookshop by the Sea

10. That has a dual timeline: The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jamie Jo Wright (my thoughts)

11. Recommended by an author you enjoy

12. With little to no romance: Crossed Off by C.C. Warrens (my thoughts)

13. Published in 2022: Malicious Intent by Lynn H. Blackburn (my thoughts)

14. That is a debut novel: The Stones Cry Out by Sibella Giorello (my thoughts)

15. Written in first person POV: Luminary by Krista McGee (my thoughts)

16. By a male author

17. Written by multiple authors

18. By an author who writes with a pen name

19. By an author who has multiple award winning books Relative Silence by Carrie Stuart Parks (my thoughts)

20. That is also a movie or tv series: Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck (my thoughts)

21. That you choose because of the cover: Dust by Kara Swanson (my thoughts)

22. Reread a favorite

23. That makes you laugh

24. A genre outside your comfort zone

25. That has been on your tbr list for a long time: Unknown Threat by Lynn H. Blackburn (my thoughts)

26. A book with multiple POV: The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis (my thoughts)

27. Less than 250 pages long

28. Written before the year 2000.

29. That has a number in the title

30. Set in Asia or Africa: Ghost Heart by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry (my thoughts)

31. Based on a true story or event: Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green (my thoughts)

32. That is part of a series: Revolutionary by Krista McGee (my thoughts)

33. With a title that doesn't include the word "the": Injustice for All by C.C. Warrens (my thoughts)

34. Set during WWII

35. That is considered fantasy: Magnify by Stefanie Lozinski (my thoughts)

36. A novella of a series you enjoyed: Bourne by Lisa T. Bergren

37. With a main character that is a POC: Imperfect Justice by C.C. Warrens (my thoughts)

38. Set somewhere you've been: A Mosaic of Wings (first part set in Ithaca NY) (my thoughts)

39. Over 400 pages long

40. Featuring a teacher or principle

41. With a main character over the age of 50: Who Murdered Mr. Malone by Hope Callaghan (my thoughts)

42. A book that could be considered scary or intimidating: The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright

43. That features a game (chess, tag, board game, etc) or sport

44. By an indie author

45. With a title or story element that relates to the ocean

46. Featuring a coffee shop or cafe

47. With a musician, singer, or songwriter: A Song Unheard by Roseanna White (my thoughts)

48. With a dystopian or utopian theme or element: Anomaly by Krista McGee (my thoughts)

49. That is historical fiction: A Name Unknown by Roseanna M White (my thoughts)

50. With a main character that has red hair: Criss Cross by C.C. Warrens (my thoughts)

51. With a character that has a mental or physical disability: Cross Fire by C.C. Warrens (my thoughts)

52. A feel good book

53. A beach read

54. By an author who shares your last initial: Outcasts (my thoughts)

55. Featuring an artist, writer, or photographer: Fragments of Fear by Carrie Stuart Parks (my thoughts)

56. That includes dance: Hidden Current by Sharon Hinck (my thoughts)

57. That has your favorite color on the cover

58. With a rainbow or multicolored cover

59. Set at a tavern, inn, or hotel: A Stranger’s Game by Colleen Coble (my thoughts)

60. By an author you’ve never read before: Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren (my thoughts)

61.That is a graphic novel or has illustrations

62. A book that involves a fortune or treasure

63. With a fruit or vegetable on the cover

64. That involves a family feud

65. With the enemies to lovers trope

66. A book that is a best seller

67. With royal or noble characters: Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck

68. By an author who is no longer writing

69. That is considered women’s fiction

70. That is a tearjerker

71. Featuring a character that is in politics: Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren (my thoughts)

72. With a women in a STEM career field: Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren (my thoughts)

73. With a sun or moon on the cover: Keturah by Lisa T. Bergren (my thoughts)

74. A book with a one word title: Rebels by Jill Williamson (my thoughts)

75. Written by a European author