The Game by Cali Black Review

 I was so excited to be on the launch team for The Game by Cali Black. This is the second book in the Blue Shy series. I was excited to get to know another of the guys from the West family better. We met Beau in Blue Skies, Blue Eyes, the first book of the series. He is the brother of Clay, the main male character in that book. Now he is coming alongside his brother to help get the new lodge ready for the grand opening. It’s here that he meets Maisie, the new activities director, whom he is immediately attracted to. However, she plays hard-to-get, in fact, so hard-to-get that she originally threatens to go after him for harassment for making a move at work. He backs off and decides to stick to personal relationships after work hours. However, Maisie isn’t interested in having a boyfriend. This leads to the creation of “the game.” They end up having to work together for fourteen days and during that time Beau is going to try to get her to fall for him and initiate a kiss. 

During this time we see their relationship grow, but of course, neither of them wants to lose the game. A game that is then extended multiple times. They both have pasts they need to work through. There are things that come up that threaten their budding relationship. Like the first book we see Beau and Maisie turning to God, we see the importance of forgiveness and communication. 

Definitely a book I can recommend. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. 

I received this book for free from the author as a part of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own, honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - April 28, 2023

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.

This week I have two books to share with you. 

I'm reading my first book by Rachel Fordham, The Hope of Azure Springs. I'm reading this for one of my monthly challenges. I needed a book with a Law Man Hero. It's definitely a hard-to-put-down book.

       

I also started reading The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright. I've been wanting to read this since before it released. My husband got it for me for my birthday!!

              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 Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham:

"'She dead?'

Em heard a man's voice from somewhere above her."

Well, obviously she wasn't dead, unless they were talking about someone else. Now, to find out why she was almost dead. 

And here is my Book Beginnings for The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright:

"When I was a little girl, my father would often come to my bedside after my screams wakened him in the night."

Oh dear, why is this girl being awakened so often at night.

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 Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham:
 

"Pulling the two girls to her sides, Abigail said, 'Oh dear, we don't need more trouble around here. You two stay in the house for now. I don't want you in the store or the yard until I know it's safe.'"

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright:

"Castle Moreau might be the residence of Madame Tremblay and her grandson Lincoln, but it was not a home. It was a void. Like a person without a heartbeat. A corpse that lay lifeless with no spirit to inhabit it."

Friday Fun - April 21, 2023

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.

This week I have two books to share with you. 

I'm on the launch team for the second book of the Blue Sky series by Cali Black. I had the opportunity to read the first book, Blue Skies, Blue Eyes first, which I really appreciated because I prefer to read books in order so I can get to know the characters. Happily, it even worked for one of my monthly challenges. 

       

I am currently reading an ARC of The Game by Cali Black. This is the second book in the Blue Sky series, and the one I am on the launch team for. This book will be releasing next week!

              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 Blue Skies, Blue Eyes by Cali Black:

"Carrie's pulse quickened, her hands tightening on the steering wheel as the car swerved. The loose snow at the edge of the dark road kept pulling her off course."

Well that beginning pulled me right in. I was curious at first whether this was from the past or current day. That was cleared up quite fast. 

And here is my Book Beginnings for The Game by Cali Black:

"Beau West stepped through the front doors of the Blue Sky Lodge, his hot coffee sloshing around in the oversized foam cup he'd found near the barn coffee pot."

Sort of an unremarkable beginning, except having read the first book it was exciting to know where he was. 

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.

Blue Skies, Blue Eyes by Cali Black:
 

"Beau surveyed the shocking and disgusting sight. Dirty shirts and socks littered the floor. Entire plates of uneaten food, newspapers, and random junk covered the kitchen table and countertops. Clay had more than his usual shadow of a beard, bags under his eyes, and was visibly thinner. Concerning."

The Game by Cali Black:

"He looked away for a moment and then turned his whole body back to her, so he could look her in the eye. 'Maisie, I'm afraid I'm going to screw this up with you by moving too fast. I told you I've never moved slow with a woman.'"

Friday Fun - April 14, 2023

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.

This week I have two books to share with you. 

I read In the Midst of a Starry Night by Latisha Sexton. It is a prequel novella for the In the Midst dualogy where we get to read Shaniece's backstory. Shaniece became a friend to Olivia in the first book, In the Midst of the Storm. Happily, it worked for one of my monthly challenges. 

       

I also read In Her Sights by Karen Witemeyer, the first book in the Pink Pistol Sisterhood series that is slowly being released throughout April and May by seven different Christian fiction authors. The series follows a pink pistol that is handed down from Annie Oakley. This book also worked for one of my monthly challenges. 

              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 In the Midst of a Starry Night by Latisha Sexton:

"Los Angeles traffic any time of the year was horrendous, but three weeks before Christmas? It was an absolute nightmare."

I can imagine. 

And here is my Book Beginnings for In Her Sights by Karen Witemeyer:

"Every legacy started from a single act of courage."

I never thought of it that way. Interesting insight. 

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.

In the Midst of a Starry Night by Latisha Sexton:
 

"Okay. Not 'holding' her hand. Shaking her hand. And good grief. . . the woman had a fierce grip on her. He'd never considered himself the romantic type. Polite? Yes. Respectful? Yes. 

Romantic? Meh."

In Her Sights by Karen Witemeyer:

"He'd acted as if her rudeness hadn't bothered him at all as he turned to show himself out, but Tessa had caught the hint of embarrassment in his cheeks and the slight sag in his shoulders. It broke her heart and fired her indignation."

Friday Fun - April 7, 2023

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.

This week I have three books to share with you. 

I'm reading The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White. I've been wanting to read this book for a while, ever since learning that the series comes after the Shadows Over England series and includes characters I have come to love. 

I'm also reading Midnight on the River Grey by Abigail Wilson. I'm reading it for one of my monthly challenges. 

       

I'm also reading A Very Bookish Easter, a collection of four novellas.

              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 Number of Love by Roseanna M. White:

"The numbers marched across the page in a glory all their own."

I wasn't quite sure what to make of that first line when I read it, but then I remembered Margot worked in the office where she was helping to break codes during WWI. 

And here is my Book Beginnings for Midnight on the River Grey by Abigail Wilson:

"'Who's there?' My mother's haunted whisper drew me to her bedside."

Why was her mother's whisper haunted? 

And finally, here is my Book Beginnings for A Very Bookish Easter:

As this is a collection of four novellas, I am sharing from the first story by Kelsey Bryant titled, The Prayer Garden.

"The road trip was over at last."

Had to wonder where Nyree had come from and where she was now and why she was there.

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 Number of Love by Roseanna M. White:
 

"Dot's gaze remained fixed on the little sliver of green that would eventually unfold into the park. 'In Spain, my grandfather and his servants actually call my brother Dragon. They refuse to use Drake-they still bear a grudge against Sir Frances Drake there, you know.'"

Midnight on the River Grey by Abigail Wilson:

"I lit the candle at my bedside, my fingers still jittery from my latest visitor. It was my mother this time, gaping at me from the foot of the bed. At least, I thought it was her, a much younger version, her hair done up as she used to wear it when I was a child."

A Very Bookish Easter 

The Prayer Garden by Kelsey Bryant:

"It was Connor's turn to wait, but he waited in vain. Nyree flushed hotter and hotter and still didn't look at him. Finally he said, 'Okay. Like I said, I won't push you. Sorry for being so personal.'"

Reading Challenges 2023: March Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in March:

I read Stay With Me by Jody Hedlund. I also realized four more books I read had green on the covers: Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch, Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse, Dark of Night by Colleen Coble, and The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans.

I read Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse.

I read The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella.

I read Stay With Me by Jody Hedlund. I also realized four more books I read had green on the covers. Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch. Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse. Dark of Night by Colleen Coble. And The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans.

I read Enamored by Jody Hedlund. 

In January I read books that are set in the following states:

California: Taken in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard

Ohio: Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill

Oregon: Innocent Lives and Innocent Voices by Julie Bonn Blank

Pennsylvania: The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis 

South Carolina: Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams/Lynette Eason

Washington: The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson

In February I read books that are set in the following states:

Colorado: In the Midst of the Storm and In the Midst of the Darkest Hour by Latisha Sexton.

Indiana: Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana by Melanie Dobson

Texas: The Inheritance Games, The Hawthorne Legacy, and The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

In March I read books that are set in the following states:

Illinois: The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

Michigan: Dark of Night by Colleen Coble

Tennessee: Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch

Utah: The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

Vermont: The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans 

In January I read books that are set in the following European Countries:

England: An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White

Switzerland: Heidi by Johanna Spyri

I also decided I was going to read one Christmas book each month. 

In January I read The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson. 

In March I read The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans and The Mistletoe Inn also by Richard Paul Evans

Finally, someone in my Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group came up with a 55 book challenge:

In January I read 10 books for this challenge

In February I read 7 books for this challenge

In March I read 9 books for this challenge

Read a book...

1-With a pink spine

2- By an author whose name starts with an  A

3- 450 pages or longer

4- Published in 2023: Remember Me by Tracie Peterson (my thoughts)

5- That has won a Christy award

6- With multiple people on the cover: Lethal Intentions by Jennifer Chastain (my thoughts)

7- With a car or truck on the cover

8- That is the third book in a series: An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White (my thoughts)

9- That has a map inside: A Divine Romance by Ifueko Ogbomo (my thoughts)

10- A debut novel: In the Midst of the Storm by Latisha Sexton (my thoughts)

11- By an author you’ve never read before:  

12- That has food on the cover

13- Featuring a woman from the Bible: The Prophetess: Deborah's Story by Jill Eileen Smith (my thoughts)

14- With flowers on the cover

15- Featuring a child or teen as the main character: Innocent Voices by Julie Bonn Blank (my thoughts)

16- That you got for free: 

17- Featuring an athlete

18- That you pick because of the cover: Dream of Kings by Sharon Hinck (my thoughts)

19- Recommended by someone you know: Her Deepest Secret by Jessica R. Patch (my thoughts)

20- Set in a cool climate

21- Set during the Great Depression: Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse (my thoughts)

22- Featuring friends to lovers: Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams/Lynnette Eason (my thoughts)

23- Published the month you were born

24- With a blue cover: Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella (my thoughts)

25- With a main character with blonde hair: Innocent Lives by Julie Bonn Blank (my thoughts)

26- Set on an island

27- Set in a different country than you: Heidi by Johanna Spyri (my thoughts)

28- That takes place more than 200 years ago: Stay With Me by Jody Hedlund (my thoughts)

29- That features a member of the military: A Battle Worth Fighting by Sarah Hanks (my thoughts)

30- Set in South or Central America

31- By a male author: The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans (my thoughts)

32- Written in first person POV: The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans (my thoughts)

33- Featuring a single parent: Dark of Night by Colleen Coble (my thoughts)

34- With a title that starts with B

35- That is a love inspired book: Taken in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard (my thoughts)

36- That involves a wedding

37- With an L in the title: Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana by Melanie Dobson (my thoughts)

38- By an author from a different country than you

39- With a black cover

40- With a title that has 5 or more words: The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner (my thoughts)

41- With an illustrated cover

42- From a genre outside your comfort zone

43- Written by multiple authors

44- Set on a farm: The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis (my thoughts)

45- By an author that has also written nonfiction

46- By an indie author

47- Published in 2012

48- With a sunset on the cover

49- That has cowboys

50- Without any people on the cover

51- By an author who uses a three part name (C.C. Warrens, Ann H. Gabhart)

52- That features a hobby or skill you’d like to learn

53- With a nanny, babysitter, or governess

54- An author with the same two initials: Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill (my thoughts)

55- With a pet that isn’t a dog: The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson (my thoughts)

My Goodreads goal is to read 100 books this year. Last year I had set it at 75 and I ended up reading 115. I think I will be able to meet my 100 book goal. 

I know this seems like a lot, but like last year, I hope to be able to combine challenges where possible. And when I pick books for the monthly challenges, I will try to choose books that take place in different states or countries.