Friday Fun - May 15, 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 reading Silent Menace by Angela Carlisle. This is the third book in The Secrets of Kincaid series.

        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:

 Silent Menace by Angela Carlisle:

"It's so hot in here."

Why is it so hot. Where is this person? I wasn't sure who exactly it was because this was from the prologue.

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:

Silent Menace by Angela Carlisle:

"'You need to back off, Oscar.' Hailey placed a protective hand on the grocery cart and raised her voice to be heard over his tirade. She tried to look around him to see if anyone was near enough to intervene, but he stood so close he blocked her view as well as any escape.

He leaned in and pointed a thick finger at her. 'You should have left town when your no-good husband died.' He threw in a couple more vulgar words for good measure."

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday fun post. I am still reading the one book, but I did finish the other. Here is the review.

Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis

Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis Review

 

Rebuilder is another awesome book in the Susa Chronicles series by Megan Schaulis. I was so excited when I learned this book was going to be released, because I thought the Susa Chronicles had ended and I had wanted to continue in this world so bad. This sequel focuses on Hatch, the heartbroken (plus body and spirit broken) friend of Novalise from the original duology. If you haven't read Protector and Proclaimer you'll want to make sure to do that, but know that there will be some spoilers to those books in my review.

You've been warned.

Hatch was in love with Novalise, the woman who was also an Alphanite spy in the palace in Susa. However, he never had a chance to tell her, and she fell in love with King Zadien and became queen. In this sequel, Hatch is barely holding himself together. He is honored with the position of governor of the island of Evania which he gladly accepts so he can distance himself from Novalise and Zadien. 

However, when he arrives, he discovers that the island is in danger of sinking and there is an enemy that is threatening them. 

Myah is the former governor's daughter and is not at all pleased that a mainlander, one who comes from the king of Susa, has come to take on the role of governor. 

There is a lot that needs to be figured out to save this island paradise, and Hatch and Myah need to learn to work together, but more importantly they need to learn to trust in God, or Alpha as He is called in this series. 

I loved this island setting and being able to get a small update of the lives of Novalise and Zadien. However, this book focuses on Hatch and Myah and the people on the island. I loved seeing even more of the future-y tech that is present in this future, dystopian version of our world. 

Faith is such an important part of this series. From the original duology where the characters had to hide their true allegiance while still relying on God, to this book where they are free to live out their lives as Alphanites. Here we see characters needing God's help to work through their pain and learn to trust him with their whole heart, abiding in him, relying on Him, even beyond their own understanding. I loved seeing their faith grow as they humbled themselves. Learning to go forward in faith a step at a time. Especially because what I was reading went along so well with the two Bible studies I am reading. Sure seemed like God's timing for me to be reading this book.

I highly recommend this book. Just make sure to read Protector and Proclaimer first.

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

Friday Fun - May 8, 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 two books to share with you.

I'm reading Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis. This book is a sequel to the Susa Chronicles.

I'm also starting an ARC of the newest book by Emily Conrad, On the Fence About You. This book releases next week.

        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:

 Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis:

"I am a tree."

Well, that was, um, confusing.

Here are the first several lines:

"I am a tree.

I am a tree with deep roots.

I am a tree with deep, sturdy roots. I can bend and not break.

Mental picture in focus, I allow the music and chatter of the party to melt into the mountainside."

So, there is a reason he is forming this mental picture. Having read the first two books, I had a feeling I knew why he needed this strength.

On the Fence About You by Emily Conrad:

"The barking reached a fever pitch that echoed through the lush peace of early summer in Chimney Creek, Wisconsin."

I was concerned why there was so much barking. Was there a dog, or dogs, being neglected. I needed to find out what was going on.

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 are my Friday 56 selections:

Rebuilder by Megan Schaulis:

"My room is gone.

I gulp in breath after breath and ignore pricks of pain on my hands, arms, back, face . . .  Gone. 

Where the governor's bedchamber should be, the sliver of moon illuminates a massive sand-filled trench with chunks of broken furniture peeking through the rubble. My few possessions are somewhere in that pile - a couple sets of clothes, my new Solblok. My crutches."

On the Fence About You by Emily Conrad:

"Dax's nails clicked on the concrete and his tags rattled, but she couldn't hear his owner. Maybe Edie and Eileen had a point about Hale's ability to move quietly. 

She plunged her hands into the box and unburied a stack of matching plates. She fished around, feeling for smaller objects that may have been stacked in the surrounding space. 

Hale's voice came quiet and low. 'I can't believe she's gone.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday fun post. I am still reading the one book, but I did finish the other. Here is the review.

The Escape Game by Gina Holder

The Escape Game by Gina Holder Review

 

The Escape Game by Gina Holder was an awesome, twisty, suspense story. This is the second book in The Game Masters series, but it can 100% be read as a stand alone. And you know I am very picky about making sure to not read series out of order, or even different series by the same author out of order that may connect somehow. So, yes, this is a series. The first book was The Puzzle Within, which was an awesome suspense book too. However, the only connections (that I was able to find) were that the books both focus on puzzle solving and mind games, plus faith and Christianity are important to the storyline. So, you are completely safe to read them out of order, but I do highly recommend the first book too.

Now, on to my review of The Escape Game. 

Demi is the FMC of this book. She is struggling with changes that are being forced into her life. She's on the cusp of losing her home and her best friend, plus she still has not come to terms with what others insist must have been her father's death twenty years earlier. She will not accept that he abandoned his family or that he is dead. She knows he has to be out there somewhere. 

Liam is the MMC, and he is only in their small town because he is searching for his twin sister who has come up missing after she insisted on time alone, even though they have spent the majority of their life together in missions. First with their parents, and then, after their parents' deaths, by themselves, sharing the gospel in dangerous countries.

Though the majority of the book is seen from these main characters' points of view, we also get to see some from Demi's best friend Maddie's POV and one other that I am not going to disclose.

In the pursuit of trying to figure out what happened to her father, Demi ends up in the Ives Mystery House with Liam. After some harrowing encounters, they realize that this isn't a simple escape room and they are in a race against the clock to solve the puzzles and escape, while also searching for their loved ones, who might just be in this house somewhere. And to make it worse, no one knows where Demi and Liam are.

Can they best the owner of this mystery house full of traps? What twists will they find along the way? Will they find their loved ones, and if so, will it be in time? So much is at stake. At the same time, all our characters have some truths about themselves that they need to admit. The gospel is shared and we see the importance of not just calling oneself a Christian, but truly having given oneself to the Lord and be living a life for Him. We also see the importance of accepting Jesus's forgiveness, and not clinging to the guilt and trying to work things out in our own merit. Plus, the importance of forgiving others. 

This is an awesome book and it gripped me from the first page and I was immersed in this story, needing to know what was going to happen. So many twists and turns. I loved all the different puzzles they needed to solve and the references to such things as ancient mythologies and Edgar Allan Poe. I love that the author does not shy away from making sure the characters know what it means to be a Christian. And yes, I enjoyed seeing the relationship that developed between Demi and Liam. 

I highly recommend this book.

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.

Friday Fun - May 1, 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 two books to share with you.

I'm reading an ARC of The Escape Game by Gina Holder. This book is the second in The Game Masters series and it releases next week.

I'm also starting an ARC of the newest book in Penny Zeller's Small Town Shenanigans series, Blueprint for Love. This book also releases next week.

        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:

 The Escape Game by Gina Holder:

"They were not going to win."

I couldn't quite tell where this was going, but I wanted to find out. Who was "they"? Was someone playing a game? Was someone upset that they weren't going to win? Was someone not wanting someone else to win? It was made clear quite quickly.

Blueprint for Love by Penny Zeller:

"It could have been worse."

Another sort of vague first sentence. What could have been worse? How bad was the situation?

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 are my Friday 56 selections:

The Escape Game  by Gina Holder:

"A narrow pathway wound through a maze of loaded bookcases, antique furniture, and stacks of jigsaw puzzle boxes. Books spilled from the shelves, creating lopsided piles from one end of the room to the other. He'd been warned, but the chaos was worse than he'd imagined."

Blueprint for Love by Penny Zeller:

"The older woman inclined her head, and she arched her eyebrows as a broad smile covered her face. 'All right, dearie. If you say so.'

If Cameron hadn't been making bets in the first place, he wouldn't have found himself at a senior citizen kickboxing class. And if he didn't find himself at a completely unorthodox group fitness event, he wouldn't have to be worried about Beulah cornering him in the parking lot and mentioning he and Jeanette would made a cute couple.

Because they wouldn't."

Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday fun post. I actually didn't end up reading that one as I was still trying to finish Chancing the Frontiersman's Heart, and then I needed to start ARCs that are releasing next week.

I did finish the one book, so here is the review:

Chancing the Frontiersman's Heart by Andrea Byrd

Chancing the Frontiersman's Heart by Andrea Byrd Review

 

Chancing the Frontiersman's Heart is a wonderful historical romance by Andrea Byrd. Set in the late 1700's, when our country was still brand new, this story shares a look at what life might have been like in the wilderness of Kentucky at the end of the War for Independence. The war is just about over, but there are still dangers from British forces and Indians. 

This story focuses on Dawn and Jacob and alternates between their points of view. They had been friends when they were younger, but they had lost track of each other. Dawn was living a life of hardship, treated no better than a slave by her stepfamily due to her disfigurement. She has also been trying to care for her younger stepsister and is traveling out west with the family so she can bring young Mary to her uncle. Someone she hopes will give the precious child the love and care she deserves. 

Jacob is on his way west with his family, his mother and brothers and sister. As much as he loves his family, he wants to be out from under their shadow and forge a life of his own. Meeting up with Dawn after all these years gives him the opportunity to do just that. 

As the story progresses they encounter their fair share of danger, but also we see growth in their relationship and they really start to bond as a family. Which of course can cause complications because they are supposed to be bringing Mary to her uncle. We also get to learn about a real battle and meet a real historical figure. I appreciated how this time was brought to life. And I love how much Dawn loves and knows about nature and is so excited to share what she knows. And faith plays an important part in their lives as Christians. 

I was so glad to learn that their will be more books in this series. I can't wait to read them.  

Friday Fun - April 24, 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 The Lumber Baron's Wife by Lynn Austin.

        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:

 The Lumber Baron's Wife by Lynn Austin:

"It's long past midnight but I cannot sleep, consumed with worry for my friend."

Uh oh, I wonder what's wrong with her friend. Definitely a first line that draws you in.

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:

The Lumber Baron's Wife  by Lynn Austin:

"John remarked on the date as we sat in our dining room one evening, eating the pork chops and potatoes I had prepared for dinner. 'Are you happy here, my dear?' he asked.

I took a moment to reply. 'I have a lovely home.' I gestured to the rooms around us, which still didn't feel quite like home. 'And a kind, hardworking husband. I am very grateful for that.'

He looked down at his plate for a moment, tugging his ear, before looking up at me again. 'Yes. But I asked if you were happy.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday fun post. Here is the link to one of the reviews:

Shadowed Witness by Angela Carlisle

I didn't quite finish Chancing the Frontiersman's Heart by Andrea Byrd yet. So, I'll share that review next week.

Two weeks ago I had shared three books, but I had only posted two of the reviews. So, here is the other review:

The Rancher's Stolen Past by Tabitha Bouldin