Friday Fun - July 29, 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 needed to read a book that makes me cry for a couple of my challenges. So, I decided to read Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson. I read the O'Malley series last year, but hadn't gotten a chance to read Jennifer before it was due back at the library. I was very glad to finally get a chance to read her story, but yes, it made me cry. Very emotional.

I started reading Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette for another one of my challenges. I needed a book that is set in the Middle East. I read the first book in the Out From Egypt series last month as I needed a book set in the Mediterranean. 

I also started To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano. This book was recommended when I asked for a book that would make me laugh. 

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 Jennifer by Dee Henderson.

"Her arms full of screaming, squirming boy, Dr. Jennifer O'Malley turned the corner of the Dallas hospital hallway and slammed open the ER doors with her shoulder. 'Watch his burned hands!' In order to be heard over the angry cries of the child, her order had to cut like a sharp blade, and she pitched her voice accordingly."

Well, this book opened with some action.

And here is my book beginnings for Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette.

"Wild drumbeats rumbled through the ground like distant thunder, pulsing in defiant rhythms and vibrating the hollows of my chest. My fingertips echoed the beat against my knee until a glare from my mother across the tent stilled the dance."

Being a sequel to Counted With the Stars, I was curious how much time had passed since the end of that book and what exactly was taking place right now.

Finally, here is my book beginnings for To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano

"It was quickly becoming evident that she, Miss Gabriella Goodhue, might very well be arrested in the not-too-distant future, and all because she'd convinced herself that sneaking into a high-society costume ball would be a relatively easy feat, given her past life as a street thief."

I had to see how this was going to turn out.

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.

Jennifer by Dee Henderson
 

"She felt trapped in a way she hadn't felt for a very long time. Church. He probably didn't even consider the whole thing a big deal. It was for him just church with lower-case emphasis, while for her it pretty much was an all-capitals word. 'Since I'll be dressed up for the occasion, we could have lunch somewhere afterward?'" 

Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette

"I let her imagine the births I'd seen were those of nice Hebrew women, slaving away at their looms or weaving baskets, grateful for every life that defied Pharaoh's bloody edicts; not hardened prostitutes who more often than not left the squalling infants out in the elements until their cries were swallowed up by the harsh cold."

To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano

"With how his evening had unfolded thus far, Nicholas couldn't claim to be overly surprised that he was now being ushered into a boardinghouse by a pistol-toting lady dressed in black. He, concerningly enough, had little doubt the lady was proficient with her pistol, given the expert way she handled it."

Friday Fun - July 22, 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 how I read The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck. This week I'm reading The Love Letter, also by Rachel Hauck. I needed a book set during the Revolutionary War for another of my challenges. This book is a dual timeline story about a love letter that was written but never sent, and that love letter being used in current times for the inspiration of a movie script written by a descendant of the writer of the love letter. 

I also read  Living Lies by Natalie Walters. This is my first book by this author. Her newest book was recommended in a newsletter by Jaime Jo Wright, one of my favorite authors. And I am going to be reading that for another one of my challenges. This book happily met one of my summer reading challenges, reading a book with a green cover. 

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 The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck.

"He must finish. He must. Stumbling, he fell to the damp earth of the maple swamp with the click-slap of musket fire ringing through the cold dew, his breath billowing."

What was it he had to finish? Possibly the love letter. Had to keep reading to find out and then find out what happened to this couple.

And here is my book beginnings for Living Lies by Natalie Walters.

"Just let go.

The breeze lifted Lane Kent's auburn hair from the back of her neck. Her heels edged closer to the side of the bridge, sending loose rocks and dust spiraling into the Ogeechee River below."

Oh no, what's going on here. Was Lane really contemplating suicide? I almost hesitated as we have been dealing with some mental health issues in our family. But, I wanted to know what was going on.  I will add, that I really appreciated the way Lane's depression and mental health were shared in the book, and I'm very glad I kept going.

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.

The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck
 

"'Come on, it's better from the inside,' Jesse gently tapped her arm, the fragrance of warm dough, bubbling cheese, and hot tomato sauce luring her forward." 

Living Lies by Natalie Walters

"The timer on the oven went off and her mother grabbed a pair of oven mitts and pulled out a fresh cobbler. After setting it down on the giant granite island, she tapped her finger gently against the golden crust. It looked perfect, but Lane knew it could never compare to Ms. Byrdie's"

Friday Fun - July 15, 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 The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck for one of my challenges for July. I needed a book I borrowed from the library that had to do with a library. Earlier this year I had read The Writing Desk for another challenge and knew I wanted to read this book as well, as even though it is a stand alone book, it does follow The Writing Desk. I decided to wait until July so it would fulfill this challenge. 

I also read  Night Fall by Nancy Mehl. This book wasn't for any of my challenges. I have wanted to read it since it's release last year, but I knew it was going to be part of a series, so I decided to wait. The third book just released recently, so I thought this was as good a time as ever to get started. I loved her Kaely Quinn Profiler series so was sure I would enjoy this series. 

As soon as I finished Night Fall, I picked up Dead Fall by Nancy Mehl and could not put it down. I finished it in a day and a half. 

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 The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck.

"Well this was a fine mess. Spending the night in Central Booking for instigating a fight at a wedding reception. What was he thinking?"

Well, that's quite the introduction to one of the main characters of this story. I had to know what he'd done to get himself in trouble. 

And here is my book beginnings for Night Fall by Nancy Mehl.

"His mother sat in the chair next to his bed, reading from The Book. He was almost twelve now, and she'd been reading it to him ever since he was a little kid.

Adam hated it. It scared him."

At first it appeared as if this was a loving mother reading a favorite book to a child. Though not quite. But the second paragraph showed that it was definitely not the case, and I wondered what in the world she was reading to her son.

And my book beginnings for Dead Fall also by Nancy Mehl

"John Davis turned up the collar on his jacket as he swiftly walked away from the shrill voices bleeding through from the hotel banquet hall behind him. March certainly wasn't going out like a lamb. This last blast of cold weather was intense."

Well the first paragraph didn't really say much about what was going to happen, we got some great descriptions of where John Davis had been and what the weather was like and what time of year it was. Plus, I was curious why he appeared to be in a rush. I did wonder if he was the "BAU cofounder" that the synopsis on the back cover said would be "discovered dead." Or was he the murderer? Hmm. Luckily I didn't have long to find out.

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.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck
 

"You're killing me here. Apply already. And text Dad. See what he says. You know he thinks you have a great business mind." 

Night Fall by Nancy Mehl

"'You know my aunt. She might be crazy, but she's not dangerous.' As soon as she'd finished speaking, the memory she'd recovered popped into her mind again. It made her feel cold inside. How could she have forgotten that for so many years?"

Dead Fall by Nancy Mehl

"'You have a problem with germs, don't you?' Kaely asked gently. 'As I'm sure you know, that's usually a side effect of trauma. An effort to control your surrounding.'

'Yes, I know, thanks.' Alex realized she sounded a little snippy, but Kaely wasn't the only behavioral analyst in the room."

Friday Fun - July 8, 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 absolutely loved the Holly series by C.C. Warrens and had been waiting patiently to be able to afford to buy her new book Firefly Diaries. Then I noticed it was available on Kindle Unlimited. Of course I grabbed it up and finished it in just over 24 hours. Around 3am in the morning actually. Another great book by a great author.

I also finished When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin and started reading Until Leaves Fall in Paris. They are technically stand alone novels, but I love how the story sort of continues as one of the main characters was introduced in the first book, and the main characters from the first book are briefly brought up in the second. Oh, and I'm already over halfway through.

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 Firefly Diaries by C.C. Warrens.

"The dashboard rattled as the car idled at the intersection, and Maddie smacked it a few times. Like beating up the old piece of junk would make it work better. This car had more sound effects than her cell phone."

Well, the book is a suspense book, so a car with lots of issues might just be a problem for Maddie. 

And here is my book beginnings for Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin.

"As long as she kept dancing, Lucille Girard could pretend the world wasn't falling apart."

I'm sure lots of people felt the world was falling about during WWII.

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.

Firefly Diaries by C.C. Warrens
 

"Puffs of steam escaped Derek's parted lips as he lay facedown in the overgrown grass, heart thundering in his chest.

He'd switched off his flashlight and dropped to the ground, letting the darkness conceal him from the shooter." 

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

"In his office he checked his attaché case. Deep in a pocket in the lid, a sealed envelope held his typed report. At the embassy he'd address it to Jim Duffy and have them send it in a diplomatic pouch."

Reading Challenges 2022 June Update

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

                             

For June, I read Cast the First Stone by David James Warren. 

I started reading When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin; however, I still have a way to go. 

I read Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette. This is a biblical fiction book that takes place in Egypt during the time of the plagues of Egypt and the Exodus. 

I also used Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette for this challenge. I have never read any biblical fiction before. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading the second book soon.

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)

I read 7 books in June for this challenge (I can't count When Twilight Breaks as I haven't quite finished it yet.)

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 (my thoughts)

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: Cast the First Stone by David James Warren (my thoughts)

18. By an author who writes with a pen name: Sticks and Stone by David James Warren (my thoughts)

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: Meet me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson (my thoughts)

24. A genre outside your comfort zone: Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette (my thoughts)

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: Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren

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 (my thoughts)

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: No Unturned Stone by David James Warren (my thoughts)

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

Friday Fun - July 1, 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.

Thanks to not being able to put down the books in the True Lies of Rembrandt Stone series last month, I am a bit behind on finishing up my challenges for June. I just started When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin for the June Back Porch Challenge, set during a world event. It's my first book by this author and I am enjoying it very much. 

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 When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin.

"Evelyn Brand had done a crack bit of journalism, and she hadn't even had to dress like a man to do so.
She perched her hip on the desk in the American News Service office in Berlin, while Hamilton Chase III, the European bureau chief visiting from London, reviewed her article."

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.

When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin
 

"With the boisterous music and conversation in the room, Evelyn had no need to worry about anyone listening, but Peter leaned in, more than willing to play her game of low voices and code words. Anything to study her face at close range. 'All right, but when your hostess serves a tasty dessert of a movie, how can any guest find fault?'"