Friday Fun - June 7, 2024

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 just finished reading Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard. I wanted to make sure to read this one before starting Hidden in the Night which just released and is book three in the series. 

And yes, I just started reading Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard.

        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 C arrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

  Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard:

"The old cargo plane vibrated as the pilot descended into the airdrop zone, the turbulence shuddering through Carrie James."

I had to wonder what they were doing in Africa when I knew from the description of the book that it takes place in Alaska. I wondered what was going to happen to bring her halfway around the world.

Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard:

"Get in, get out. . . a blizzard's coming."

I wondered where this person needed to get in and out from in a hurry it seemed.

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:

Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard:
 

"She opened her mouth and bit down with every intention of taking a chunk. He loosened his grip enough so that she could escape, then she turned and punched him in the nose. Blood spurted, and he covered his face. She grabbed her package and raced to her plane without looking back."

Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard:

"'See if you can get me a bush pilot with a floatplane to fly down to get us. We can't waste time sitting here while we wait for another boat or this one to be fixed. I just learned that not that long ago, a ferry was stranded for three weeks. Not saying I think that's going to happen here, but please, just get us out of here.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. Here are my reviews:

The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran Review

 

Callie and the Pumpking Seed by Sarah Beran is the first book I've read by this author. I discovered the book when I was requesting suggestions for a book with a fruit in the title. Otherwise, I probably never would have discovered this book. And boy would I have missed out. I loved this book and can't wait to read more by this author. I also want to read more of this series, though the books are all written by different authors, so I am a bit hesitant, seeing as they are all new-to-me authors. 

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed is a retelling of the fairy tale Cinderella. Cinderella is a favorite of mine, and I know there have been multiple retellings through the years, but I really enjoyed this one. And for those who have concerns about magic, this book doesn't have any. 

It takes place in the fictional kingdom of Vallens. There are a lot of similarities to the original story as well as some interesting twists, plus a bit that comes from the fairy tale of The Princess of the Pea. Plus there were some things that reminded me of another retelling I love, the movie Ever After. 

I really don't want to mention any of the different details. I think it was fun looking for the similarities and coming across the differences, the twists that made this story it's own. Of course, because it was a retelling, there were some things that were predictable, but that's what made the differences so fun. And I have to say, I loved the interactions between Callie and Ever, and there were some fun puns. And I just LOVED the little jabs at the original story, things I have seen brought up on social media in the past, such as the reality that there would be many girls that would be able to wear the shoe.

This is definitely a book I recommend. It is listed for ages 12-18, and yes it is perfectly fine for that age group, but I feel it can be perfectly enjoyed by adults as well. 

The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez Review

 

The CEO's Companion is the second book I've read by Rose Fresquez. However, this is the first book from the Caregivers series. I had first read one from The Billionaire's Reunion series. I had recognized the last name "Stone" and realized I should start with this series before reading more of the Billionaire's Reunion series. However, I really wish I had started with book 1. It is obvious that the characters are connected. So, I plan to go to the very beginning for my next read by this author.

Plain old contemporary romance is not my go-to genre. However, I have been reading more of it lately, and I am enjoying it. I am definitely enjoying Rose Fresquez's books.

So, about this book. It starts out with Eric Stone, the billionaire CEO, lying in a hospital bed in tons of pain, fighting multiple illnesses, very depressed, and questioning God. Joy Musana comes into his life as a volunteer caregiver, bringing joy and sunshine into his life. Whether he wants it or not. And no, he didn't want her there, but she was persistent.

I loved seeing their relationship evolve. And I loved seeing them both draw closer to the Lord. They had both gone through some really difficult things, but God is there for them. And they are there for each other.
Great book and I can't wait to read the rest of these books.

The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon Review

 

The Esther Paradigm is my first book by Sarah Monzon and I really enjoyed it.

In this story Hannah is returning to the Middle East where she grew up with her missionary parents. She had gone back to the United States for college, but is now returning to start a school with the Bedouin tribe she grew up in. Though her family had lived among these people, adopting their customs for all these years, things are not going too well currently. Their family is being accused of being responsible for the disease that is killing off the clan's sheep, which of course is their livelihood. 

Karim, who was one of Hannah's first friends is now the shiek and wants to protect her and her family. So, he asks Hannah to marry him. Unfortunately, what he had hoped would protect her and her family, doesn't quite go as he planned. 

 I enjoyed being able to get a glimpse into Muslim lives, and not just what we see with the extremists. Though sad that it is so hard for Muslims to be able to convert to Christianity. It made me ponder the question I've had, because of people saying Muslims don't worship the same God, which didn't make sense to me if they come from Abraham though Ishmael.

I appreciated getting to see more of the culture, and that Hannah's family were missionaries living among them, respecting their culture.

There was a bit of emotional roller coaster with some scenes where I was laughing and some intense scenes toward the end of the book. And then there was Hannah being so insecure at times but other times seeming so strong.

I also would have to say I cringed a bit, because of the fact that Hannah was entering a marriage and allowing herself to become unequally yoked. It didn't seem like she, as a Christian, should have agreed to that. To me, that wasn't quite the same as the story of Esther in the Bible where Esther had no choice in the matter. Plus Karim already knew she was a Christian, unlike the king not knowing that Esther was a Jew. Though there are some similarities. 

However, that said, I did enjoy the book, and the author drew me in and did a wonderful job bringing the story to life. I cared about the characters, though Hannah's insecurities annoyed me at times. There were some great secondary characters, including a villain I wasn't quite surprised to discover was the villain. 

Even though I read it because of a reading challenge, it has been on my TBR list for a while. I'm glad I had a chance to finally fit it into my reading schedule. 

Friday Fun - May 31, 2024

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 am reading The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez for one of my reading challenges.

And I am reading Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran for another one of my reading challenges. 

        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 C arrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

  The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez:

"Agony couldn't describe Eric Stone's condition as he lay motionless on the hospital bed, not far from death."

Wow, that does not sound good. I needed to know what was wrong with Eric. 

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran:

"There was nothing better than the smell of baked goods in the fall."

Num, num. Definitely dreaming of some yummy foods. 

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 CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez:
 

"Joy hated being rude, but Ruby had broken a promise. And Joy'd already tortured herself through two dates Ruby set up. Life was too short to sit through another dinner with a guy who assumed he was on a blind date. She'd wasted too many opportunities and didn't have time to lose."

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran:

"A ball of dread sank into Callie's stomach, She hugged her arms around her middle, no longer caring about the soot on her hands. She whispered, 'There has to be another way.'

'There isn't. The sooner you come to terms with the fact, the easier it will be for you. He expects an answer before the end of the month.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. Here are my reviews for them, plus the review for The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann.

The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch

The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon

The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann

The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann Review

The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann is the first book I have read by this author but I definitely want to read more of her books. I really enjoyed this thrilling, adventurous, romantic suspense novel. I'm really hoping that she is planning on writing more of these Speranza Team novels. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and really want to see them go on more adventures.

This story is told from multiple points of view, both from the protagonists' and the antagonists' point of view. Sophie is who I would consider the main female character. Though there are several other women whose points of view we see parts of the story through. And there are at least a couple of villains whose point of view we see. And then there is Mac McKenzie, not a villain, but someone who comes between Sophie and her goals more than once, while also getting closer to her, and maybe, just maybe, there are feelings developing. But, she doesn't know whose side he is on, so she doesn't know how much she can trust him.

Sophie is a talented artist and can also forge paintings. Which seems a bit devious for the main protagonist, but she uses her skills for good. Her best friend, Lise owns the art gallery where she works and she is aware of her clandestine activities. She is also involved with a charity that helps the homeless. One day while looking into some suspicious happenings, she disappears. However, her disappearance coincides with the stealing of a long lost famous painting she received, so things are a bit suspicious. But Sophie trusts her friend and needs to find out what happened to her. And she finds herself pulled into events that are way beyond what she thought they were. Was Lise's disappearance linked to her help with the homeless, or with this painting? Or, are they all connected somehow?

And then there is Mac who is also after the painting for his client, but also after Robin Hood, a art thief who steals paintings and replaces them with wonderful forgeries.

And then there are the villains who are after the painting for different reasons.

There is a chase across different cities in different European countries with lots of non-stop action and danger and intrigue. Plus there is a centuries old undercover society helping women in danger. So much going on in this book, and I loved it. And I also loved how the author brought everything together.
As much as I loved the book, I did take off one star because of how many times the author said this or that character was "cussing." If it was the bad guys, it wouldn't have bothered me as much. But our main protagonists were doing a lot of that and I guess I assumed they would have been Christians. Then I realized, it didn't really say whether they were or not, though one of the main saying in the book is, "I believe in God even when he is silent." So, yes, there is belief there, but I would have loved to have seen more of a faith in God lived out in their lives. And no, I'm not saying Christians have to be perfect and not cuss ever.

My feelings on that aside, I did love this book. I loved that there were strong women leads helping those in need. I loved the royal conspiracy that was a part of the story. And the fast paced chases and the treasure hunt and the undercover spy-ish feel. It had me scrolling through the pages as I needed to see what was going to happen next.

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

 

Reading Challenges 2024: April Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in April:

For the April challenge in the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction FB group I needed a book written by an author who if from a different background or nationality than me. I read A Sudden Romance by Rose Fresquez.

For the challenge over at Crystal Caudill's blog, I also used A Sudden Romance  by Rose Fresquez. 

For the challenge in the Eating Our Words FB group I read The Vanished by Cara Putman for my April book. I was on the launch team for this book, and their was a character who was Italian mafia. With this challenge, we can choose to read the book IN the month, or any time of the year, OR we can do both. So, like last year, I am choosing to try both. 

A Sudden Romance by Rose Fresquez works for May.. 

For the challenge in The Posse FB group, I also used A Sudden Romance by Rose Fresquez.

I am continuing the Read Your Bookshelf challenge from Chantel Reads All Day with the Arthur Conan Doyle side of the flow chart, though this month was a crossover month, and the prompt was the same for both sides. I'm not sure which side I will be using for May yet. I read Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen and Braving Strange Waters by Sarah Hanks for April.

Sadly I did NOT get to Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill during the challenge. However, I have read this book previously. In fact, I read it a year ago for another reading challenge.

One of the authors I follow, Malissa Chapin, is also doing a challenge on her FB page, Malissa Chapin's Merry Band of Book Lovers:

I read two books that could fit the June prompt. I love historical fiction and how it helps learn more about different time periods. Braving Strange Waters by Sarah Hanks is a dual timeline book which takes place in modern times and also in the ante-bellum south. The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple takes place in Edwardian Era England. 

I read Love, Unscripted by Denise Hunter for April's challenge in the Faith Filled Fiction group.

For the Literary Escapes Challenge here is what I read in each month. 

In January I read books set in the following states:

Alaska: 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse 
Arkansas: Trust the Stars by Tricia Goyer
Illinois: Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer 
Missouri: The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

Oregon: Huband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong
South Carolina: Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble 
Wyoming:  Fake Relationship at the Triple Z by Cali Black 

And I traveled to England with If I Were You by Lynn Austin

In February I read books set in the following states:

Kentucky: Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd 
New Mexico: One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey

Ohio: Assaulted Caramel by Ameanda Flower 

Tenessee: Fatal Witness by Patricia Bradley

Wisconsin: The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

And I traveled to Ireland with The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel

In March I read books set in the following new states (though I did also return to Wyoming):

Colorado: Single Dad Center by Latisha Sexton and Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse

Connecticut: When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir

Idaho: Levi's Vow by Penny Zeller
North Carolina: Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn

And I traveled back to England with The Mapmaker's Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan.

In April I read books set in the following new states (though I did also return to Colorado, Missouri, and North Carolina):

Iowa: A Surefire Love by Emily Conrad
Minnesota: Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen
Virginia: The Vanished by Cara Putman

And I traveled back to England again with The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano.

Here is what I've read for the Alphabet Soup Challenge:

January: 

D: Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer, The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

F: Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble, Fake Relationship at the Triple Z by Cali Black 
H: Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong 
I: If I Were You by Lynn Austin 

T: Trust the Stars by Tricia Goyer
U: An Uncertain Road by Abbey Downey 

February: 

A: Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower 
C: The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson and The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep

E: Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

O: One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey (mini challenge)

R: Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd and The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

March:

L: Levi's Vow by Penny Zeller and Love's Promise by Penny Zeller
M: The Mapmaker's Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan
N: Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn
S: Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse and Single Dad Center by Latisha Sexton
W: When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir (mini challenge)

April:

B: Braving Strange Waters by Sarah Hanks and The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp (mini challenge)

V: The Vanished by Cara Putman

Here's what I've read for the 2024 European Reading Challenge from Rose City Reader. 

In January I read a book set in the following European country:

England: If I Were You by Lynn Austin 

In February I read a book set in the following European country:

Ireland: The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel 

In March I didn't read any books that were set in any new European countries. 

In April I didn't read any books that were set in any new European countries. 

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

For January I started The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson; however, I haven't finished it yet.

In February I finished The Christmas Dog by Meloday Carlson, but I didn't read any other Christmas books.

In March I didn't read any Christmas books.

In April I didn't read any Christmas books either. I don't think I"m doing real well on this self-imposed challenge this year..

Also, someone in my Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group again came up with a yearly book challenge. This year we have 50 prompts:

In January, 8 of the books I read fit this challenge

In Febrary, 9 of the books I read fit this challenge

In March, 5 of the books I read fit this challenge

In April, 6 of the books I read fit this challenge

Read a book...

1. With a title that starts with a P

2. By an author you’ve never tried before: Trust the Stars by Tricia Goyer

3. Set on the coast: Love, Unscripted by Denise Hunter

4. With a tree on the cover: The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep

5. By an author whose name starts with a J: Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen

6. From a genre outside your comfort zone: A Sudden Romance by Rose Fresquez

7. With an adverb in the title: Always Think of Me by Lori Keesey

8. Featuring a character with grey hair: Love's Promise by Penny Zeller

9. That has won a Carol award: The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

10. Published in 2024: 8 Down by Kimberley Woodhouse

11. By a debut author: When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir

12. Written by multiple authors

13. With a green cover

14. That is a bestseller

15. Set on a boat, train, or plane: Braving Strange Waters by Sarah Hanks

16. With an illustrated cover: Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong

17. With a main character who is disabled

18. With a single mother or father: The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel

19. Written by an indie author: Fake Relationship at the Triple Z by Cali Black

20. Set somewhere you’ve been: If I Were You by Lynn Austin

21. Featuring law enforcement: Fatal Witness by Patricia Bradley

22. Published during the summer

23. Set during a holiday: The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

24. That is considered women’s fiction 

25. Featuring a Jewish character

26. Set over 100 years ago: Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd

27. That contains bible verses

28. With a teenager as a main character: A Surefire Love by Emily Conrad 

29. With a one word title 

30. A book you preordered

31. With a solid colored cover

32. By an author who writes with a pen name 

33. That takes place in a national park 

34. With a title that starts with an M: The Mapmaker's Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan

35. By a male author

36. That includes pirates

37. By an author whose name starts with the letter T

38. That has been made into a movie or television show 

39. With forgiveness as a topic or theme: The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

40. Featuring a journalist: Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

41. That includes sisters: Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble

42. With a midwife or doula

43. That takes place in a country you’ve never been to: The Ark and the Dove by Jill Eileen Smith

44. That is lighthearted or humorous: Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer

45. Set during WWII:

46. That you choose because of the cover: Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse

47. By an author who writes multiple genres: 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse

48. With a dual timeline 

49. With a second chance romance

50. Recommended by someone you know: Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower

Also, I joined in with a second yearly challenge last year in the Scripture Literature-You Are What You Read group. I just never added it to my blog post. So, this year I'm adding it here, though the post is going to be so long. LOL. 

In January, 8 of the books I read fit this challenge

In Febrary, 8 of the books I read fit this challenge

In March, 6 of the books I read fit this challenge

In April, 4 of the books I read fit this challenge

So, here it is:

1- Takes place in Israel

2- Second chance: An Uncertain Road by Abbey Downey

3- Not you usual genre: A Sudden Romance by Rose Fresquez

4- Significant church event

5- Well known author/lesser known book

6- Major motion picture

7- About an influential Christian

8- A Mysterious disappearance: Fatal Witness by Patricia Bradley

9- Speculative Fiction: The Ark and the Dove by Jill Eileen Smith

10- Protagonist has a disease/disability: Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

11- Recommended by an author: The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep

12- Includes angels: Always Think of Me by Lori Keesey

13- An inheritance: Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble 

14- Finish what you started: 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse 

15- Carol Award winner: The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

16- A Spy: The Mapmaker's Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan

17- Forgiveness: Love's Promise by Penny Zeller

18- Redemption: When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir

19-Less than 200 pages: The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

20. Two or More Authors

21. By your Favorite Author

22. Male Protagonist

23. Recommended on this Page

24. Blended Families

25. Book of Devotions

26. Christian Literary Classic

27. Dystopian

28- Mistaken Identity: Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer 

29- A Life Lesson: Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong

30. Bible Retelling

31.-The American Frontier: Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd

32. Features Music

33. Recovering from Addiction

34. Gothic Romance

35- Eye Catching Cover: Trust the Stars by Tricia Goyer

36. Takes Place on an Island

37. Spiritual Warfare

38- Protagonist Shares your Occupation: Levi's Vow by Penny Zeller

39. Written by a Famous Christian

40- Family Estrangement: The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold 

41. Tear Jerker

42- Treasure Hunt: The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano

43- New to You Author: The Vanished by Cara Putman 

44. Mother-Daughter Bond: Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn

45. 2023 Best Seller

46. Title Includes a Color

47. Fairytale

48. On your TBR: One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey

49. Alternate Reality

50. Written before 1950

51. Includes a Foreign Language: The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel

52. Includes a Historical Monarch: If I Were You by Lynn Austin

53. Choose your own Adventure  

My Goodreads goal is to read 110 books this year. Last year I had set it at 100 and I ended up reading 122. So far this year I have read 37 books. 

Phew, I know this seems like a lot, even more than last year, but like last year, I hope to be able to combine challenges where possible. And with the yearly challenges, I read books for the other challenges and then see where they fit in the yearly challenge lists. Also, when I pick books for the monthly challenges, I will try to choose books that take place in different states or countries. Also, I'll probably prioritize the challenges I've been doing longer if I start struggling with keeping up.