Friday Fun - July 24, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with four different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, First Line Friday, and Book Blogger Hop.

This week I have three books to share with you.

I'm reading Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer. I should be reading ARCs, but I've waited too long for this newest book in the Timeless series, and when I saw that it was available through my library system, I decided I wanted to read it real quick. 

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(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.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here is my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selection:

 Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer:

"I needed help, and I didn't have much time."

What kind of help did she need? What was wrong?

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Anne from My Head is Full of Books. 

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 is my Friday 56 selection:

Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer:

"A corner of his mouth came up as he regarded me, as it seeing me for the first time. 'You're not intimidated by me, are you?'

I frowned. 'Why would I be?'

'Because I'm famous and handsome and dangerous.' He said the last word in a lower tone and lifted his eyebrow playfully, though I could see pain behind his gaze."

Book Blogger Hop

I'm joining in with a fun blog hop I discovered a couple of weeks ago.

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ranblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer. The hop occurs weekly, starting on Friday and ending the following Thursday, featuring a specific book-related prompt each week. The main goal is to connect bloggers, encouraging them to follow each other, discover new titles, and grow their audience.

This week's question is: What's the fastest or slowest you've ever finished a book?

My answer: I know I have finished books in less than a day, but I couldn't tell you how many hours. I also read books of varying lengths, so it's tricky to know for sure. 

And now it is time to share my current Reviews:

Last week I shared three book in my Friday Fun. Here are my reviews of two of the books. I still have to finish the third book:

Trapped by Jerusha Agen

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White Review

 

So, I absolutely LOVE both of Roseanna M. White's series that take place during WWI. Her Shadows Over England series made me a fan, and I was thrilled when I learned that her Codebreakers series included beloved characters while introducing new ones. I loved that the reader would go from the beginning of WWI through the end of WWI by reading both series. And then last year I read The Collector of Burned Books which takes place in Occupied France during WWII. So, yes, when I learned that she had a new book that takes place during WWII, I was excited. And I am so glad I had a chance to read it, because I loved it. 

The Spy Keeper of Marseille takes place mostly in Free France, though at the beginning of the book our FMC, Zelie Bellarose is crossing the Demarcation Line into Occupied France. It is here that she meets our MMC, Marcel Laurent who had just been freed from a POW camp. Marcel is a well known musician whose friend is introducing him to Zelie in hopes he can help with the Resistance. 

I love how the Youth Orchestra that Marcel heads is used to help the Resistance, and also how much the beauty of music played a part in this story. But there is so much more to this book and all the different things the Resistance is doing. There is quite the cast of characters coming and going. There is intrigue, and suspense, and betrayal, and sacrifices, and a blossoming love as our characters work toward freeing France and helping defeat Germany and the Axis powers. 

I loved how I learned more about WWII. And I was intrigued to learn that Zelie is based on a real life woman who led a spy ring during the war. I loved the relationship that grew between Zelie and Marcel. They had so many obstacles to overcome, but I was definitely rooting for them. Through all they were dealing with, Zelie also needed to learn to turn to the Lord who she'd long been ignoring. I loved seeing her faith growing. And I think I caught a little nod to the Codebreakers series, which is so cool.

Though the beginning of the book was a bit slower, from the middle through the end of the book I was zinging through the pages. It definitely got quite intense at times, which I love. 

This was another great book from an awesome author. I highly recommend it. 

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts. 

Friday Fun - July 17, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with four different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, First Line Friday, and Book Blogger Hop.

This week I have three books to share with you.

I read Trapped by Jerusha Agen. This is the second book in her Security League series and it releases on July 23rd.

I'm reading When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard. This is the first book in her new Mercy Ridge series which releases August 4th.

I also started The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White. I was going to wait to start this one, but I was having issues with my Kindle file for the above book.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(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.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

 Trapped by Jerusha Agen:

"Could she fight to the death?"

Why was she worried about needing to fight to the death?? I needed to know. This line really drew me into this book.

When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard:

"Secrets can't stay buried forever."

I guess that is true. The truth will be revealed. I wondered what kind of secrets this was talking about.

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White:

"Zelie Bellarose shuffled another step forward, careful not to look at the two Nazi soldiers at the head of the queue."

I would want to avoid eye contact as well, but I wondered where exactly she was going and what she was trying to hide.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Anne from My Head is Full of Books. 

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:

Trapped by Jerusha Agen:

"An uneasy feeling replaced the brief moment of comfort as Kristen walked to Best You Boutique. Despite the warm, humid air, a shiver skimmed across her arms beneath the short sleeves of her blouse. She scanned ahead, then right and left. 

Maybe it was just the sensation of the cop in the squad car watching her. He could probably see her from behind right now. And that was a good thing.

Her knotted insides disagreed."

When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard:

"Lord, what do we do next? Where do we go from here? He'd sent his brother, Holt, a message, so at least someone would know, but he hadn't told Mom the details. He hadn't wanted her caught up in this, hadn't wanted her worried, or worse, in danger. Now, though, regret gnawed at him. Now he wished he hadn't involved the sheriff or the town in this either. A cold weight settled in his chest. He could die on this mountain. They could both die."

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White:

"Her spine went even straighter. 'I beg your pardon. I never once said I was a man. If your superiors cannot fathom a woman being capable of the work I've done, then perhaps the fault is with their imagination and not with my gender..'

Henri grinned."

Book Blogger Hop

I'm joining in with a fun blog hop I discovered last week.

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ranblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer. The hop occurs weekly, starting on Friday and ending the following Thursday, featuring a specific book-related prompt each week. The main goal is to connect bloggers, encouraging them to follow each other, discover new titles, and grow their audience.

This week's question is: Do you read one book at a time, or juggle a few at once?

My answer: Funnily enough I was just commenting about this in a Facebook group. I will try starting two or maybe three books. However, one will tend to capture my attention more than the other(s) and I end up finishing that book before going back to the other(s). So, I guess I technically only read one book at a time these days.

And now it is time to share my current Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday Fun. Here's my review:

Survival in the Mountains by Carrie Stuart Parks

And here is my review for the first book I shared above:

Trapped by Jerusha Agen

Trapped by Jerusha Agen Review

 

I discovered Jerusha Agen's books a couple of years ago, starting by reading the last couple of books in her Guardians Unleashed series. Let me just say, I was hooked. I'm loving this new Security League series of hers. I think this newest book, Trapped, is my favorite so far.. More awesome suspense, a powerful faith thread, and blossoming romance. Plus she is tackling a serious subject, sex trafficking. Don't worry, there is nothing explicit or too intense. 

Kristen has escaped from a life of prostitution, bringing with her a teenage girl named Rosalia who she has taken in as her adopted daughter. Though they had been moving from place to place for a while to keep from getting captured, they are now living in Leben Falls, Iowa, a safe, small rural town where she'd hoped to stay under the radar. However, that safety is shattered during an armed robbery at her store, and she fears her secrets are going to be exposed, especially after her childhood friend shows up at the scene. 

Sean Kingston had recently arrived in Leben Falls to help his grandparents. He has a background in law enforcement, though is now a part of a private security firm. This firm is the Security League which connects the books in this series. After realizing the danger that Kristen, who he knew as Natasha, and her daughter are in, Sean takes it upon himself to help protect them. 

The danger keeps coming at them, keeping the suspense high. Will Sean be able to help keep his old friend and her daughter safe? Will Kristen's true past be revealed? This is something that is really disturbing her, because there is more than one secret she is hiding, and the truth coming out could destroy their lives. 

I loved that Sean shares his faith with Kristen/Nat, though she is not open to hearing about it for a majority of the book, because she doesn't see how someone who has sinned as bad as she has can ever be forgiven. I also love that Rosalia has friends who share Jesus with her. And though Sean is a Christian, he also has some issues he is working through when it comes to bitterness and unforgiveness. 

I also love that we get quick glimpses at the characters from the previous books in the series. Though, I admit, I would have loved it even more if they played a bigger role. I do wonder if a certain new character will be the main character in the next book of the series. If there is another book. There will be, right? Please. 

All in all, this is an awesome suspense book that grabbed my attention from the first line and just wouldn't let go. Just how I love my romantic suspense books. Highly recommended. 

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Survival in the Mountains by Carrie Stuart Parks Review

 

I discovered Carrie Stuart Parks' books several years ago, devouring her Gwen Marcey series and a couple of stand alone books in a month's time. Unfortunately I had completely missed the book she published with Love Inspired Suspense last fall, so I'm going to have to find some time to read that one. But when I realized that Survival in the Mountains was releasing a couple of months ago, I knew I had to read it. Let's just say, I am very glad I did, it's an awesome romantic suspense book. It was a quick read at just over 200 pages, and I was able to zing through it in a couple of days. 

The reader enters the story in the middle of peril. Bethany, our FMC is being pulled out of her blazing vehicle by Joshua, our MMC, after an "accident." We get to see the story from both of their points of view, so we know Joshua is a good guy, though Bethany has her doubts, for reasons I won't disclose. Bethany on the other hand? We don't really know much about her at first, because she has amnesia from her car accident. All we know is that someone ran her off the road and now she is running for her life, aided by Joshua. To make matters crazier, it's discovered that either she is being erased from existence, or the things she starts remembering about herself aren't the truth about her life. 

The danger keeps ramping up as they try to figure out who is trying to kill Bethany and why. Plus Joshua is dealing with his own dilemmas. This story definitely kept me on the edge of my seat and zinging through the pages to figure out what in the world was going on. I was quite intrigued when they started to figure things out.

Of course, it is a Love Inspired book, so there is going to be some romance. Bethany and Joshua really don't know each other, but the time they spend together trying to keep her safe, evade the bad guys, and find answers starts to draw them together. But they both have pasts that make it difficult to open up to the other and start a relationship. Part of me did wonder if it wasn't quite the right time or circumstances to be falling for each other, especially because she couldn't remember details about her life, and he was hiding things about his. But I liked the way their relationship, and that both of them were Christians and would pray to the Lord.

And of course, this is a Carrie Stuart Park book, so there is going to be a dog. And boy did I love Izzy. She was actually important to the plot, not just a pet that gets mentioned every now and then. 

I loved the way everything was wrapped up at the end with no loose ends, though I did think some things seemed a bit rushed.

All in all, this is an awesome romantic suspense book, and one I highly recommend.

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - July 10, 2026

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

This week I have one book to share with you.

I'm starting Survival in the Mountains by Carrie Stuart Parks.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(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.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here is my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selection:

 Survival in the Mountains by Carrie Stuart Parks:

"Pain radiated through her skull, sharp and relentless."

Ouch. Having read the blurb, I figured this was the accident the main character was supposed to get in. Didn't realize the book was going to start right here.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

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 is my Friday 56 selection:

Survival in the Mountains by Carrie Stuart Parks:

"'Did you get a name?' Bethany asked him when he got in the truck.

'Yup. And an address.' Well, sort of, he added silently. He started the truck and drove up the street.

'Do you think this diary contains information on what we talked about before? Something about land or money?'

He shrugged. 'Could be. Maybe a map, or something illegal that no one wants to come to light.'

'Or a confession about a love in her life?'

He flashed her a grin. 'So, the romantic side of you is coming out.' He snapped his mouth shut, instantly regretting his words."

Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday Fun. Here's my review:

Conspiracy by Colleen Coble

Two weeks ago, I also shared one book. I finally had a chance to write my review. Here it is:

A Heart's Hope by Penny Zeller

And six weeks ago I shared a book that I had to set aside in order to read several other books. But, I just finished it this morning. To be fair, it's also quite a long book, but once I got past the 50% mark, I couldn't put it down. Here is my review:

Superstar by Cali Black

Superstar by Cali Black Review

 

Superstar is the awesome first book in Cali Black's The Nashville Series. I absolutely loved it, though it did take me a while to read. For two reasons. I had some other books I had to get to first. Plus, this book is quite long. Don't get me wrong. I am NOT complaining. Just explaining why it took me a while to read it. That said, once the other books were out of the way and I hit the 50% mark, I could not put this book down. I sort of zinged through the last half of the book. 

There is romance, and it can get a bit sizzly, but don't worry, no inappropriate spice. I very much appreciated that Sierra was a Christian who stuck to her morals. And there is action and suspense. Yes, I love my suspense. This story has a stalker, one who keeps increasing the peril in the attacks. But there is also tension coming in the form of a contract that can't be broken. Causing our main characters, Jayce and Sierra to have to sneak around and avoid the paparazzi. And there is a possible conspiracy and intrigue. But there is also humor and friendship and music and family.

Jayce and Sierra are thrown together as judges on The Noise of Nashville, a country music competition show. Jayce, the bad boy of country music, is attracted to her right away, even though he is not supposed to be pursuing women. Sierra, an up-and-coming indie musician known as America's Sweetheart, on the other hand isn't fond of his attitude and does everything she can at first to discourage him. However, she has always admired him as a musician and she finds herself falling for him. 

I loved the close friendship circle Sierra had and the fun that they had, including the bets concerning Sierra and Jayce's relationship. And Jayce also had his friends. Plus there are the other two country artists who make up the other team on The Noise of Nashville, people who also become close friends. There is a lot of camaraderie and celebrating, plus coming together in times of need. 

I was rooting for Jayce and Sierra's relationship, hoping it could stand strong in the face of the many obstacles they were facing. There were definitely some tears shed, it was very emotional at times. But that just showed me that I was quite invested in these characters that Cali Black had brought to life.

While faith wasn't a huge part of this story, there are characters who are Christian and morals are stuck to. Forgiveness also plays an important role in this story. Though I do wish it was mentioned that we have forgiveness through Jesus. I was really hoping for that during a time of struggling. 

All in all, I love this book and can't wait for the next book in the series. I'm looking forward to visiting with these characters again.