Friday Fun - June 23, 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 one book to share with you. 

I am reading The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green. This was one of 12 books recommended to me at the end of last year for the 12 Recommendations from friends challenge. I'm so glad it was recommended. Such a great book. And I love that there are flashbacks that take place during the time of WWI, as I can picture what was taking place in England in A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White (this is a book I shared last 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 The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green:

"Avis gripped the ladder as her huband climbed, a thick swath of black bunting draped over his shoulder."

 

Well, knowing this is during WWII, I knew what was going on here. 

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 Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green:
 

"She left the library with the date and time of the first discussion, a novel for herself called In the Name of Love, and the satisfaction of doing a good deed. 

Did she have any idea what a book club actually was? Not a clue.

But there would be muffins."

Friday Fun - June 16, 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 am reading A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White. This is the third book in the Codebreakers series and I am loving it as much as the other two books in the series. 

       

I also read Love From Afar by Penny Zeller. This is the first book in Love Letters From Ellis Creek series. The third book from this series just released this past Tuesday.  

              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 A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White:

"He could see it all so clearly. As the renewed rocking of the train lulled his fellow passengers to sleep, Zivon Marin watched the pattern of their movements."

 

Ah, seems we are going to learn more about Zivon and how he ended up in England where we first met him in On Wings of Devotion. This seemed like such a peaceful scene, but I figured something was going to happen soon.

And here is my Book Beginnings for Love from Afar by Penny Zeller:

"Another wedding dress completed.

Another happy ending.

Just never her own."

So, we go from accomplishment, to happiness, to despair? Frustration? Sadness?

I also wanted to share my First Line Friday images for the four books I am on the launch teams for that are releasing within the next two weeks. 

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.

A Portait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White:
 

"He recognized the grumble too-Phillip Camden, one of the few of his new colleagues who always greeted him with an easy smile instead of polite distrust. 'How in blazes am I supposed to decode something in a whole different alphabet? And how the devil can I know which one?'"

Love from Afar by Penny Zeller:

"Gabe shook his head. 'Lula, please tell me you did not write letters to Meredith from me.' If Meredith didn't already think him a buffoon, she certainly would after some crazy letters supposedly from him."

This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles Review

 

I was excited to have the opportunity to be on the launch team for This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles. Though the author is a new-to-me author and the book isn’t my usual genre, the book sounded intriguing.

An elderly lady, Minerva Jane Jenkins, nearing the end of her life is living alone on a mountain in Kentucky in the early 1900’s. She had promised her husband that she would keep his secret when he passed away thirty years earlier. She’d kept the promise all these years, and then suddenly her life is invaded by a newspaper reporter, Del Rankin, who heard tales of stolen gold. She is determined to keep her promise to her dead husband, though she then wonders whether or not there really is gold. As she nears the end of her lonely life, she begins to get to know this young man who she isn’t sure she can really trust. Is he there for the story or the gold? Will she remain determined to keep this secret or will she decide it’s better to share what she knows, though she isn’t even sure exactly what she does know?

I loved getting to know Minerva and Del, along with Satchel who is Minerva’s dog and has been her companion on the lonely mountain for years. We learn more about Minerva’s past through her memories and things she tells Del (and what she doesn’t tell him). It was sweet to see their relationship evolve.

I admit I did start wondering what would be worse, breaking a promise to share what one knows or constantly lying and deceiving to keep a promise one is not sure one should have made in the first place.

I was drawn into the story right away, though I did wonder how much I would enjoy reading about this old woman living alone on a mountain. But the book kept my attention, especially when Del joined Minerva on the mountain. The interactions between the two were realistic and heartfelt, though they could be frustrating at times, but there was quite a bit of humor too. Plus God’s truths were shared and Minerva’s faith was real, along with the struggles and questions. She imparted wisdom in a quirky old-lady type of way. I also loved that intrigue and danger were brought into the story when it appeared that there might just be someone else trying to find the supposed gold.

What an amazing story. Be prepared though, you might just need to have those tissues handy. Definitely a book I highly recommend.

Friday Fun - June 9, 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 an ARC of This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles as a member of the launch team. This book releases on June 27th. You can read my review here.

       

I am reading On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White, the second book in the Codebreakers series.  

              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 This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles:

"My eyes focused as best they could. 'Stately!' I shouted. 'Stately!' In our fifty-some years together, I hardly ever caught the man sittin still. Something was wrong."

 

Oh dear, that didn't sound good. 

And here is my Book Beginnings for On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White:

"A stranger stalking down the street shouldn't make her hands tremble in anticipation."

This sentence started out sounding as if there was some danger, but then quickly turned around.

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.

This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles:
 

"Why, good Father? Why now? I've pleaded for You to just take me rather than let me read these sorts of things. You know I'll keep goin till I get my answers, cause I ain't got the wherewithal to stop. This woman has waited too many years to know. I've cried out for Your mercy. Just take me! What in the name of all that is good does lettin me live through this pain bring?"

On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White:

"His smile didn't eclipse the pain. Just joined it as he glanced over at her. 'Now you're getting the picture. According to the papers, I'm a danger to every girl with whom I have a conversation. What do you think he'll believe I've done to you? Knowing what he's done to my sister?'"

The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck Review

 

I was so excited to be on the launch team for Rachel Hauck’s new book, The Best Summer of Our Lives. I’ve loved every book of hers I have read, both split-timeline and contemporary romance. Though this book had a different “feel” than the previous books I’ve read, I enjoyed it quite a bit.

This story followed four friends, The Four Seasons, so named because they are each named after a season. You’ll meet Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Snow. The story takes place in two different timelines: 1977 when the girls are high school graduates and serving as counselors at a camp in Tumbleweed, Oklahoma, and 1997, after they have grown up and drifted apart. The point of view switches between each of the girls/women and the two different timelines, though the majority of the story takes place in 1977.

As you read the story you learn that each girl has a secret that they haven’t shared with their best friends. The story slowly unfolds between both timelines, uncovering the secrets and seeing how their relationship has changed, as they spend their time at camp. While at camp there is also the addition of Baby Season, a girl named Greta from camp who they make an honorary Season, and who plays an important role in their lives.

We see how decisions in the past have affected their futures, and wonder if they will be able to reconcile. We see the importance of love and forgiveness and being truthful. We see the importance of surrendering our lives to Jesus. Here is a quote that really spoke to me, “Boy, you don’t think much of someone who has the name Almighty, do you? I think He’s a bit more creative than Sunday morning for twenty or thirty minutes, Summer. He gifted you. He called you. He’ll make a way for you. Yet you think you’re the only one who can hold the reins.”

As the author has done in previous books, there is a spiritual character who comes first to Summer, but then to the other young ladies. They hear this character who I believe is meant to be the Holy Spirit or Jesus speak to them, and they even see him. I admit, sometimes having these type of characters confuses me. But I see how the author is bringing God into the characters’ lives in a tangible way.

I only gave The Best Summer of Our Lives four stars because I did find it more difficult to read this novel than I did the author’s previous books. Having four different points of view in two separate timelines had them a bit jumbled in my head, and I had trouble figuring out which girl was which. And it took me longer to get into the book than her other books.

I was only four years old in 1977, so I don’t have many memories on the 70’s, but I really enjoyed all the references to the 70’s, including music artists and songs. I especially loved when I recognized some of the chapter titles as song titles. Then I learned that all of the chapter titles are song names, the majority of which released in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of Rachel Hauck’s books, dual timeline stories, coming of age stories, and/or women’s fiction.

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 - June 2, 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 read an ARC of The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck as a member of the launch team. This book releases on June 27th. You can read my review here.

       

I read The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis for one of my reading challenges. I needed a book that was published before I was born.

I'm currently reading Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert. This was one of twelve books recommended to me to read this year.

              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 Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck:

"The second Summer tumbled into Tumbleweed, Oklahoma, she'd arrived in the middle of the end."

That was a little confusing. 

And here is my Book Beginnings for The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis:

"This is a story about something that happened long ago when your grandfather was a child."

So, a long time ago, in a galaxy far away? (Just kidding) But thinking about the fact that C.S. Lewis wrote this in the 50's, this book took place quite a while ago.

Finally, here is my Book Beginnings for Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert:

"I chose the day I would die."

Okay, I had to know what was going on. 

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 Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck:
 

"Laughing together was good, healing, almost like a pledge that the summer would be better than they imagined. Then they fell silent for a few minutes, listening to the wind in the trees, the hum of a chainsaw in the distance."

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis:

"'Oh but don't you see it's no good' said Digory. 'We can't get out of it now. We shall always be wondering what else would have happened if we had struck the bell. I'm not going home to be driven mad by always thinking of that. No fear!'"

Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert:

"'I went up there to poke around. And blamed if this book didn't fall right out in front of me! The very one I was thinking about.' She hands the thin green book to me. The True Meaning of Flowers runs up the spine. 'Is that what you wanted, Tess?'"

Reading Challenges 2023: May Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in May:

I read The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright. The book was to be set before the 1900's and this newest book by Jaime Jo Wright is a dual timeline book that takes place partially in the 1860's and partially in present day. 

I read In the Shadow of Denali by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse. 

I read The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis. You can read my thoughts here.

I read In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer, the second book in her Timeless series. You can read my thoughts here. 

I read The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright for this challenge as well. I had just gotten this for my birthday, so it was "on my bookshelf." 

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 April I read books that are set in the following states:

Florida: The Prayer Garden by Kelsey Bryant (one of the novellas in the A Very Bookish Easter collection)

Iowa: The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham

Montana: Blue Skies, Blue Eyes by Cali Black 

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

Alaska: In the Shadow of Denali by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

Oklahoma: The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck (You can read my thoughts here.)

Washington DC: In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer (Not an actual state, but a game we play counts it as a state, so I thought I would include it.)

West Virginia: Neverending Mercy by Latisha Sexton 

Wisconsin: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright

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

In May I read a book set in:

Denmark: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

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

In April I read The Mistletoe Secret by Richard Paul Evans 

In May I read A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson (my thoughts)

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

In April I read 8 books for this challenge

In May I read 5 books for this challenge

Read a book...

1-With a pink spine

2- By an author whose name starts with an  A: Midnight on the River Grey by Abigail Wilson (my thoughts)

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: The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham (my thoughts)

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: In Her Sights by Karen Witemeyer (my thoughts)

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: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin (my thoughts)

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: The Game by Cali Black (my thoughts)

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: Neverending Mercy by Latisha Sexton (my thoughts)

42- From a genre outside your comfort zone: The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck (my thoughts)

43- Written by multiple authors: Written by multiple authors: A Very Bookish Easter by Kelsey Bryant, Abigayle Clarie, Sarah Holman, and Kate Willis (my thoughts)

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: In the Midst of a Starry Night by Latisha Sexton (my thoughts)

47- Published in 2012

48- With a sunset on the cover

49- That has cowboys: Blue Skies, Blue Eyes by Cali Black (my thoughts)

50- Without any people on the cover: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright (my thoughts)

51- By an author who uses a three part name (C.C. Warrens, Ann H. Gabhart): The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White (my thoughts)

52- That features a hobby or skill you’d like to learn: In the Shadow of Denali by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse (my thoughts)

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.