Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Mildly Forgetful, Madly in Love by Beatrix Quinn

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Mildly Forgetful, Madly in Love by Beatrix Quinn. This is a really sweet story about an older couple who are trying to find each other again.

About the Book

One missing woman, two hopeful hearts, and a trail of sticky notes no one can decipher.

When seventy-five-year-old retired botany professor Betty Wilding vanishes—again—her family assumes she’s wandered into another greenhouse or accidentally joined a silent retreat. But Betty isn’t lost. She’s chasing down a long-lost love, a decades-old betrayal, and the truth behind the letters that never reached her.

Meanwhile, Daniel Wren, gentle hardware-store philosopher and wearer of tweed in inappropriate seasons, is trying to find Betty, armed with nothing but old memories, unsent letters, and a romantic’s refusal to give up—even when everyone else thinks it’s too late.

But nothing is simple in the small town of Willowend, especially with:

• One fiercely loyal sister with a planner and a temper,
• A meddling society woman with suspiciously fresh lipstick and a plan of her own,
• And a pair of middle-aged kids who may just be falling in love while tracking down their runaway parents.

Mildly Forgetful, Madly in Love is a charming, heartfelt romantic dramedy for fans of The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It’s about second chances, the beautiful mess of memory, and what happens when love refuses to be forgotten—even if you sometimes forget where you put your keys.

If you like your love stories witty, wistful, and just a little wild, this is the one to add to your cart right now.

Because love might grow old—but it never grows up.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Betty didn't cry at the funeral. 

Friday 56

Linda Walters was pacing her living room like a general about to mount a rescue mission with only caffeine and fury as her lieutenants.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Mistletoe and Mayhem (Red Truck Mysteries Book 3) by Janice Thompson

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Mistletoe and Mayhem (Red Truck Mysteries Book 3) by Janice Thompson.

About the Book

A Wildfire Races toward the Hadley Ranch

Breathe in the nostalgia of everything old red truck in book three of a new cozy mystery series.

It’s less than a week until Christmas in Mabank, Texas, and just a few days away from RaeLyn and Mason’s wedding on Hadley ranch. Unfortunately, a wildfire with mysterious origin is rapidly traveling across several counties and headed right for the Hadley acreage. Fire fighters rush to put it out before the family homestead goes up in flames, taking the business and the old red truck with it. Their perfect wedding may be ruined, and RaeLyn and Mason are determined to find the source of the fire.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

"Mom, please don't cry." I settled into the spot next to my mother on the sofa and rested my palm on her shoulder.

Friday 56

"I've been hearing all sorts of rumors around town about the how the fire started." Grace lowered her voice and leaned in close. "Have you?"

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Danger in the Wilderness (National Park Protectors Book 1) by Darlene L. Turner

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Danger in the Wilderness (National Park Protectors Book 1) by Darlene L. Turner. It releases August 26 and I should have my review up then. I loved it! 

About the Book

A search for a kidnapped camper

could cost them their lives.

Park warden Dekker Hoyt’s father-son camping trip turns into a nightmare when a serial killer abducts his father. With just seventy-two hours to find him, Dekker turns to criminal investigative analyst Blaire Tremblay to identify the Park Campfire Killer. As they follow his taunting clues and face increasingly violent threats, Dekker and Blaire know that one wrong step could be fatal. With the ruthless criminal following their every move, can they stop a killer in hiding…waiting to complete his deadly plan?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
National Park Protectors

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Park Warden Dekker Hoyt tensed and scanned the area in Clovercross National Park after closing the news alert. He pocketed his cell phone, the headline tormenting his mind. Park Campfire Killer Strikes Again. The serial killer had struck parks and wilderness regions across the Yukon, kidnapping campers before killing them three days later.

Friday 56

The door creaked open, jolting Blaire awake. She fought to clear both her foggy brain and her blurred vision. Dreams of bears and drowning had sucked her under, holding her hostage in the dream world.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Half Empty (Squeaky Clean In Between Mysteries Book 3) by Christy Barritt

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Half Empty (Squeaky Clean In Between Mysteries Book 3) by Christy Barritt. It's a really fun and quick read. 

About the Book

Sometimes the glass really is half empty—especially when people are willing to kill for it.

Crime-scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire needs extra cash, so when she’s offered a courier job transporting a box of antique dishes from North Carolina to Virginia, she figures it’s easy money. What could go wrong with delivering a dozen old teacups?

Everything, as it turns out. When half the precious cargo disappears during transport, Gabby finds herself facing an angry recipient who wants his family heirlooms delivered as promised—or else.

As the clock ticks toward a fatal deadline, Gabby must use her sleuthing skills to track down the missing cups. But when dangerous people suddenly take an interest in her whereabouts and she starts receiving threatening messages, she soon realizes these teacups are more than just sentimental keepsakes.

Can she uncover the truth behind the “simple” delivery job? Or will her latest attempt at easy money become her last?

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

“I know these teacups don’t look like much, but they have a lot of sentimental value to me and my family.” Glen Larson stared me dead in the eye. “They may not be important to anyone else, but they’re important to me. That’s why I hired you to transport these instead of shipping them.”

Friday 56

“So instead of doing the job yourself, you thought of me because…?”

“Because Tim says you’re good at this kind of stuff. You know, getting things done, solving problems, and being weirdly comfortable around sketchy situations.”

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Hybrid (The Hybrid Series Book 2) by Candace Kade

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Hybrid (The Hybrid Series Book 2) by Candace Kade. I'm really enjoying it so far! 

About the Book

Lee Urban's search for truth could destroy everything.

After narrowly surviving several attempts on her life, Lee Urban retreats into hiding, seeking refuge with her family for the Lunar New Year. But the relaxing holiday turns into a heist when someone crashes the party with intel on the hybrid’s identity.

Driven by desperation, Urban accepts a position within the elite Dragons AI team, a high-stakes gamble that will propel her into the heart of the turbulent West. As she follows the elusive clues to the hybrid, the journey takes her closer to uncovering the truths about her own origins and the odd circumstances surrounding her adoption.

Tensions between the Enhanced and Naturals grow increasingly violent, and the Western Federation teeters on the brink of civil war. Urban's choices threaten to tear her family apart, and the secrets she unearths just might shatter the delicate balance of society.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Urban aimed straight for the dragon. The creature's bulbous eyes and enormous fangs grew larger as she pulled hard on the throttle of her motorcycle.

Friday 56

"We can't always choose our family." Uncle Chang nodded at Lucas, who had collapsed in a fit of hysterical laughter on stage. "But we can choose to make the most of the family we have."

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold by Ally Carter

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold by Ally Carter. I'm loving it! There have been so many laugh-out-loud moments. Release day is August 5th. I should have my review up sometime next week. 

About the Book

An action-packed, second-chance rom-com about two rival spies who must join forces in order to stay alive, from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.

Ten years ago, they joined the CIA.

Six years ago, he left the game.

Five years ago, they fell in love.

One year ago, she ran out into the cold with absolutely no intention of ever coming back.

And two minutes ago, they woke up, bloody and bruised and handcuffed together in the dark.

They don’t know where they are. They don’t know how they got there. And they have absolutely no idea who is after them or what this nameless, faceless villain wants.

The only thing that’s clear is that, after ten years of covers and chemistry, secrets and lies, these two rival spies have been sucked into their greatest mission yet, and now they’re going to have to team up to stay alive. (If they don’t kill each other first.)

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Ten Years Ago

Washington, DC

As luck would have it, the first time Alexandra Sterling really wanted to kill a man happened to be the night before she started spy school. 

Friday 56

"Tell me again why you had a crossbow in your luggage?"

What have you been reading lately? 

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Quarter Labyrinth (Into the Labyrinth Book 1) by Victoria McCombs

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Quarter Labyrinth by Victoria McCombs. I'm a little over halfway into it and am loving it!

About the Book

EVERY FOUR YEARS, THE LABYRINTH AWAKENS. It shifts location, resets its deadly puzzles, and demands a new game. The rich pay for clues to find it and keys to get in, while the poor fight for entrance. This year, the first to reach the center wins control over the renowned trade vessels. Strange, because Ren specifically remembers her father—the captain—promised her those ships. But her father had the misfortune of going missing before revealing Ren as his hidden heir. And she’s never actually met him. Only through scraps of letters she keeps in a trunk, promising he’d return to the island for her someday.

There isn’t time for her father to explain. Ren has until sundown to find the labyrinth and get inside before its entrance is sealed.

Even if she makes it through the gate, she must race against others who are just as determined as she is—and far deadlier. Then there’s the Labyrinth Wolves. And the Stone Gods. And the son of her father’s enemy who takes a personal interest in Ren. She will fight for her birthright through wits, strength, and perhaps a bit of luck to be the one at the helm with her future begins.

May you find yourself in the labyrinth.
At least, may you not lose yourself.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

The sky turned violet as the countdown in my head reached its end.

Friday 56

I clutched Leif's dagger as if it could single-handedly save me.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: The Faux Must Go On (The Worst Detective Ever Book 13) by Christy Barritt

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring The Faux Must Go On (The Worst Detective Ever Book 13) by Christy Barritt. This is my favorite series by Barritt, so I was excited to see a new addition! It's exceeding all expectations! 

About the Book

Sometimes the hardest role to play is yourself.

When actress Joey Darling agrees to help an old friend infiltrate a self-help retreat with high-profile participants, she expects the usual Hollywood nonsense: overpriced seminars, questionable life coaches, heavy doses of mumbo jumbo, and maybe some dodgy juice cleanses. What she doesn't expect is to find herself trapped at a beachfront mansion surviving on meals so small they take a magnifying glass to find, watching identities go up in flames, and enduring brutal trust exercises better designed for Navy SEALs.

As those who dare to resist start disappearing, Joey wonders if the only thing being transformed at this retreat is participants’ life expectancy—and possibly their bank accounts. To survive, Joey must channel her inner TV detective. But with no scriptwriter to save the day, no phone, no car keys, and no decent coffee in sight, can she improvise and solve the case before the final curtain falls?

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

"Did you say you need my help?" I gripped my phone as my lips curled into a smile.

Those were music to my ears. I could never resist a legit excuse to be nosy - I mean, to help someone in need.

Friday 56

Back in our room, Audrey and I sat on our respective beds. I was still dripping wet and traumatized. The seafoam-green walls and ocean view seemed to mock the horror we'd just witnessed.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Darkfell by Amanda Wright

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Darkfell by Amanda Wright. This is a fun epic fantasy! 

About the Book

His is a life of books and peace...
Until a dying warrior’s touch ignites an ancient magic within his blood.

For years, Thom Darkfell has used his cartography skills to advise Lomair’s king of the country's shifting borders. A valued academic, Thom is excluded from the military drafts until whispers of dark abominations and mass casualties reach the king’s ears. The resulting conscription thrusts Thom into Lomair’s losing army. A realist, Thom ignores the wild myths circling through the ranks—until a monster’s jaws snap through the folds of reality and crush a man before Thom’s eyes. With his dying breath, the Realm Walker passes an impossible task to Thom.

Hours later, the visions begin. The Creator, a deity Thom knows only from rituals spoken over meals and graves, appears to him while a girl with starlight in her blood calls from beyond the veil.

Armed with a cryptic map, a biscuit-loving tutor, and the brawn of his best friend, Thom sets out to find the star daughter and lock the barrier to bind the dark realm of Zakar.

If he fails, it will be the end of all.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Titus, immortal master of the realm of Zakar, stood in the center of his courtyard. 

Friday 56

They stepped out of the forest onto a small beach, and Thom shook his head in wonder. The lake was narrow, but it glimmered like a diamond between the forest walls. The snow-capped mountain at its end cast a perfect reflection across the icy blue water.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Burning Secrets (Chasing Fire: Alaska Book 4) by Susan May Warren

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Burning Secrets (Chasing Fire: Alaska Book 4) by Susan May Warren. This series just keeps getting better and better! 

About the Book

RESCUE. DANGER. DEVOTION.
THIS TIME, THEIR HEARTS ARE ON THE LINE.

Wrong place, wrong time…

Wildlife biologist JoJo Butcher isn’t just a smokejumper for the Midnight Sun crew—she’s also in Alaska to finish up her wolf research…until, oops, she finds herself face-to-face with a wolf with nowhere to go…
And then she’s rescued by a hero from the woods. Who exactly is he, and what secrets is he hiding?

He's living a double life...

Undercover FBI informant Michael Crew Sterling hates his life. Buried deep inside a domestic terrorist group, he’s in over his head, trying to discover their lethal plans. And then he saves the life of JoJo Butcher, and suddenly she is sunshine to his dark soul…

Until she accidentally walks into nightmare.

Now Crew must keep her alive by proving that she’s his girlfriend. And she has to play along, or they’ll both be killed. And when they discover what the group is really doing, Crew will have to make a choice that could cost him everything he’s sacrificed to save the woman he’s falling for.

Book four in the epic Chasing Fire: Alaska series is an edge-of-your seat tale of danger, loyalty, and the power of hope in the darkest night.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Normal people, on their day off, might go into town, grab a pizza, a chocolate shake, maybe hang out with the other smokejumpers.

But apparently, she wasn't normal.

Friday 56

Rio's words played in JoJo's brain, thumping as the campfire sparked into the hazy dim-lit night. She sat on a half-hewn log facing the campfire, wrung out but wanting to linger.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Fire Mountain (Elements of Danger Book 1) by Dana Mentink

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Fire Mountain (Elements of Danger Book 1) by Dana Mentink. I loved it! It such a high stakes adventure! This book releases Tuesday, July 1, and I should have my review up then. 

About the Book

Fire rains from above as they fight to discover the truth and stay alive.

In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she's suddenly in possession of someone's baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.

As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he's the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn't want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he's in this thing, like it or not.

When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby's missing mother--all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Cold and ice-pick pain bored into Kit Garrido's temples. Her limbs were leaden, her body a deadweight in the driver's seat of her big rig. Grit coated her tongue and teeth. She tasted blood. Try as she might, she couldn't reach out to unbuckle her seatbelt. Panic bubbled up inside her.

Friday 56

All around them rocks and branches thumped against the vehicle. She didn't know how Cullen was keeping them upright. She thanked God she'd fastened her seatbelt. 

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Echoes of Darkness by Darlene L. Turner

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Echoes of Darkness by Darlene L. Turner. This is one of the best thrillers that I've read! I loved it! Release day is June 24. I should have my review up then.

About the Book

A serial killer stalks a small town, and a police officer must face her family’s dark past to catch him.

The sleepy community of Kenorapeake Falls in northern Ontario seems like somewhere Constable Oaklynn Brock can finally outrun her violent past. That is, until she’s assigned to investigate a series of suspicious deaths. She can’t reveal that she knows how serial killers think because she grew up with one. Yet the eerie similarities between these murders and those committed by her father, known as the Suicide Slayer, hint at a copycat in their midst. But why here and why now?

Caleb Greene of the Canadian Watchers Squad, a special task force, has his own reasons to be wary of working alongside Oaklynn. But with rumors of a local cult known as the Light Paragons gaining power, the stakes are too high to refuse.

As they explore connections between the killings and cult, Oaklynn and Caleb are forced to confront old secrets…and a terrifying new threat. Someone is watching Oaklynn’s every move. They know exactly who she is and what she might be capable of. And soon her biggest fear isn’t just having her past exposed, but that a killer will turn whatever days she has left into a living nightmare…

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Suicide Slayer Dead. Constable Oaklynn Brock's coffee mug slipped from her fingers and smashed to the floor as she read the newspaper article on her cell phone.

Friday 56

Oaklynn's temples throbbed as she entered Faith Chapel and approached the body with Caleb at her heels. He arrived moments after her. Anxiety tightened her muscles at who they'd find.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Black Dragon (The Nightmare Saga Book 2) by Katie Hanna

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Black Dragon (The Nightmare Saga Book 2) by Katie Hanna. The first book in the series, Water Horse, was one of my favorite books last year, so I've been really looking forward to this sequel. 

About the Book
A desperate gambler. A masked assassin. A dragon who could burn them both alive.

Jack Landry just wanted to be the responsible one for once. When he offered to take George Calhoun’s money to the bank in Denver so George could stay with his pregnant wife, Jack never dreamed his gambling habit would get the better of his good intentions. Now Jack haunts the Denver underworld like a ghost, determined not to go home again without winning back what he lost.

A night of gambling in Chinatown takes an unexpected turn when Jack finds himself the target of a shadowy criminal syndicate. A mysterious assassin in a dragon mask rescues him from their clutches… moments before the real, live dragon in the basement burns the whole place to ashes.

Behind the mask is a woman named Shufen. She carries twin swords and a double-bladed attitude to match. She’s bent on getting revenge on the gang that exploited and killed her sister. When Shufen breaks into their headquarters to save a little girl named Jinjing from her sister’s fate, she isn’t particularly pleased to find a hapless, clueless cowboy tagging along—a man with a price on his head. She’s even less pleased to see a giant scaly monster who should only exist in ancient legends.

With homicidal crime lords and fire-breathing dragons on their tail, the odds of Jack, Shufen, and Jinjing making it safely home to the Calhoun ranch are looking mighty slim…

If you love mythic Chinese beasts and rip-roaring Western adventures, you won’t want to miss Black Dragon.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

"I am your enemy." I whisper as I swipe a speck of dust from my sword's glassy blade.

Friday 56

I can hear the dragon's hiss down there by my boots. Steam leaks between his teeth. Spikes rattle whenever he moves his giant head.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Awakened by Roseanna M. White

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Awakened by Roseanna M. White. I'm almost finished and am loving it! 

About the Book

Where sea and land meet, two worlds clash in a fury of wind and waves.

Arden Bleu has always known that her stepsister, Jade, was destined for great things. In a world where beauty follows magic, she has no doubt that their upcoming Awakening ceremony will reveal that gorgeous, kind, compelling Jade is far more than a mere mortal. But when Jade is kidnapped by a mysterious sect of mer on the eve of the newly-returned king’s ball, Arden will do anything to save her sister. Even face down the man she’s always dreaded meeting because of the power he holds over her family, the man to whom her father swore loyalty long before she was born. The Sea King.

Seidon, the Sea King of Daryatla, has grown only more powerful as the centuries have gone by, but lifetime after lifetime have failed to give him what he most yearns for: a family. He knows that it will take a woman of extraordinary power to match him enough to create a child, and no such woman seems to exist…until he feels her magic calling to his one day in the water. And when Arden Bleu, daughter of his most trusted official, arrives to tell him about her missing stepsister, he knows this Jade, with a new magic so coveted that the mer would risk war with his kingdom to steal her away, may be the one he’s waited centuries for. But how can he and the determined Arden ever hope to find one young woman trapped beneath the waves? Perhaps the Great Golden Sea Hawk who has guarded the sisters all their lives holds the key.

In a world on the brink of war between the mer and the land-dwellers, friendship, faith, and love demand the ultimate sacrifice as both kingdoms seek to unlock the prophesied magic waiting to spring forth: the magic of wind and sky. To the mer, it would mean the freedom to return to the land. To Seidon’s court, it would mean safety from every storm. But how can any human hand wield the wind?

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Arden Bleu stepped onto the weathered wood of the house's rooftop deck and scanned the horizon.

Friday 56

Not until an ache pulsed through her head did Arden realize she was frowning intensely enough that it was a wonder that furniture didn't splinter under the weight of it. She made an effort to smooth out her features, relax her muscles, but it did nothing to relax her tangled emotions.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Of Silver and Secrets (Time's Lost Treasures Book #2) by Michelle Griep

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Of Silver and Secrets (Time's Lost Treasures Book #2) by Michelle Griep. I loved this book! It comes out June 3 and I should have my review up then.

About the Book

Buried underneath are truths bent on keeping them apart. . . .

In 1889 Victorian England, Eva Inman is haunted by guilt over her parents' deaths while struggling to care for her blind sister and manage her family's crumbling estate. With the tax deadline looming, Eva's situation looks dire until an ancient silver ring is unearthed on the property. Despite superstitions warning against disturbing the supposedly cursed acres, Eva's need for funds ignites her curiosity about the potential of finding more buried relics.

Cambridge professor Bram Webb must prove a legendary Christian Roman settlement exists, or he'll risk exposing his uncle's deteriorating memory and they'll both lose their positions. Then Eva steps into his office with the prospect of an archaeological dig that might lead to the very evidence Bram requires--provided he and Eva can set aside painful memories of a time they would rather forget. As the dig forces the two to confront their pasts, the work becomes fraught with challenges that threaten Eva's and Bram's hopes, as well as the growing attraction between them.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Royston, England

1889

The end of Eva's world started with a window she never should have left open. A small neglect, yet twelve years later, one that had culminated in a leaky roof, a ledger that refused to balance, and a blind sister. Not to mention her dead mother - for Eva wouldn't. She kept that memory locked tightly in a closet.

Friday 56

Wind rattled the shutters against the house, howling through cracks in the walls, a violent echo of Eva's demand to know his secrets.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Chain Reaction (Lantern Beach Blackout: Detonation Book 1) by Christy Barritt

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Chain Reaction (Lantern Beach Blackout: Detonation Book 1) by Christy Barritt. Yep, another Christy Barritt book, lol. She writes so fast that I'm having a hard time keeping up! I guess that's a good problem to have with a favorite author though! 

About the Book

When an explosion rocks Lantern Beach, authorities scramble into action. Was the WWII relic that washed ashore merely bad luck—or something far more sinister?

Dr. Raven Newton, a forensic archaeologist, is called to investigate the bomb that killed one person. With her specialized knowledge of military artifacts, she’s the perfect person for the job—until she discovers who else is on the case.

Former Navy SEAL Jake Laudner never forgot his whirlwind romance with Raven. Once assigned as her protector during a high-risk overseas mission, Jake broke his cardinal rule: Never get emotionally involved. Now working for elite security firm Blackout, Jake is stunned to find himself face-to-face with the woman who still haunts his dreams.

As the investigation intensifies, so does the tension between Raven and Jake. Raven insists their previous relationship was nothing but adrenaline and proximity. Jake knows differently—and he’s determined to prove it.

With a killer targeting Raven and time running out, she needs protection whether she wants it or not. And Jake won’t fail her twice, even if it costs him everything.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Eleanor Clarke walked down the seashore, the early morning sun casting pale hues through the air as the ocean crescendoed then receded beside her.

Friday 56

Footsteps sounded behind her, but she didn’t dare move. She was afraid to even breathe.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Blackmail and Kitty Tails (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery #5) by DeAnna Drake

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Blackmail and Kitty Tails (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery #5) by DeAnna Drake. This is such a fun cozy mystery series. 

About the Book

A glamorous gala, a cursed dagger, and a killer on the loose—Rebecca Cuthbert and her talking cat, Aneksi, face their most dangerous mystery yet.

When Rebecca Cuthbert volunteered to help with the Citrus Grove Women’s Club gala, she envisioned a night filled with elegant silk drapes, Egyptian-themed decorations, and tasty hors d’oeuvres—certainly not murder. But then the lights flicker out during the party setup, and club president Deborah Ralston is found dead, stabbed with an ancient dagger.

With Aneksi purring by her side and a murder weapon steeped in legend, Rebecca must unravel a twisted web of secrets, blackmail, and bitter rivalries behind this sinister murder. Everyone from suspicious club members to scorned lovers is a suspect, and time is running out as Rebecca’s own antique shop becomes linked to the deadly artifact.

Can Rebecca and her cat corner the killer before tragedy slashes her world again?

A cozy mystery perfect for fans of charming small towns, clever cats, and amateur sleuths!

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Aneksi sat perched in the window of our second-floor apartment, lazily licking her paw as she watched the streetlights and shop signs flicker to life in Citrus Grove's historic downtown. Most nights, the sweet gray tabby kitten was a chatterbox, but tonight, her silence spoke volumes.

Friday 56

"It is very late." Aneksi sat on the table beside my laptop computer, glaring at me.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Rogue Secreto by Victoria McCombs

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Rogue Secreto by Victoria McCombs. This is a little darker than McCombs' other books, but I'm loving it so much! 

About the Book

From the author of Mortal Queens and Oathbound comes a fast-paced standalone in a roman empire world, filled with danger, catacombs, secret identities, and a forbidden romance.

Marsella has the unique ability to steal secrets with one glance. She keeps her identity hidden, while going under the name Rogue Secreto. The emperor hires her to read secrets of his enemies, all without realizing this masked figure who can bring empires to heel is his beloved daughter.

He lures enemies to his doorstep by promising Marsella’s hand in marriage, while the Rogue Secreto uncovers their secrets.

But Marsella has another secret. A boy she’s found, trapped behind a wall of water deep within forgotten ruins. As she seeks respite from the demands of her father, she’s drawn to the ruins and to the boy. He becomes her escape, her most treasured secret, and she shares everything she hears with him. When Marsella gleans a secret about someone trapped behind water, she thinks she’s found how to set him free. But he’s been waiting a hundred years to be released, and thanks to the secrets Marsella has been feeding him, he has the chance.
Too late, Marsella learns why he was trapped in the first place.

“I can hold them,” he said softly. “Tell me your darkest secrets, and I’ll carry them for you.”

ROGUE SECRETO is perfect for fans of Heartless Hunter or One Dark Window. It sits at the upper end of the YA genre

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Footsteps shouldn't echo in a crowded room. Yet mine did.

Friday 56

Forest floor gave way beneath my feet, my every step hardly touching down before taking off again, propelling me through the woods. Claw-like branches sliced against bare skin as I pushed past. Piles of leaves scattered in response.

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Warsafe by Lauren Smyth

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Warsafe by Lauren Smyth. I'm almost halfway done with my ARC and am loving it! 

About the Book

Play. Win. Survive.

There’s one building on her island that Halley has never visited: the Mercenary House. Perched atop a mountain, surrounded by unnaturally evergreen foliage, the House is rumored to be a breeding ground for criminals. Mercenaries are liars, cheats, spies . . . and maybe, depending on who you ask, killers.

At the Warsafe headquarters in Seattle, Roscoe is beta testing the company’s new video game. It’s her job to track down glitches—but something is different about this one. Lurking behind the lines of malfunctioning code is a secret that threatens to drag her deeper into the game, forcing her to put her life on the line if she ever wants to come home.

Worlds collide as Roscoe teams up with Halley to uncover the island’s secret and expose Warsafe’s designs. But some mysteries are better left unsolved. As traitor after so-called traitor is revealed to be on their side, they begin to wonder: Could Warsafe’s mission be critical enough to justify its cruelty?

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

I'd seen her name at the bottom of the list that morning. I remembered thinking it was a miracle she hadn't been killed yet. But I was more interested in the names at the top of the list - those who still had a fighting chance to win the game - and I soon forgot about her. It's hard to worry about mortality when you're scrubbing burnt egg off a saucepan.

Friday 56

"You were amazing," Roscoe blurted. "You've got the system figured out. I thought this was one of those games where you just charge in and shoot on sight, but you made it look so much easier than that."

What have you been reading lately?

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Knight Brew (Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery #9) by Heather Day Gilbert

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Knight Brew (Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery #9) by Heather Day Gilbert. 

About the Book

Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java...and where murder sometimes pays a visit.

The Barks & Beans booth at the Renaissance Faire is hopping, since Macy managed to talk her muscled redhead brother into donning a kilt for the occasion. Even better, Macy's boyfriend Titan has come for a visit, so she can't wait to peruse the shops and watch the shows with him.

But when a well-rehearsed joust takes a fatal turn, Macy becomes a key witness. Can she believe her eyes, or did someone cloak their ruthless intent with smoke and mirrors? A late night stakeout seems the only way to determine what really happened...but someone scarier than the plague doctor is lying in wait for Macy, and this time, the damsel might not find a way out of her distress.

Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown...with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

As I took a huge bite of my Italian sub, my Great Dane Coal licked his lips, but managed to keep himself firmly planted at the top of my brother's back deck steps. He was aware that if he intruded on our meal, I'd put him inside, where Bo's incorrigible calico Stormy was anxiously awaiting her chance to pounce on his tail. 

Friday 56

Since Titan was having lunch with Julius, I decided to use my break to do a little fairground sleuthing on behalf of August.

What have you been reading lately?