Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: When the Day Comes (Timeless #1) by Gabrielle Meyer

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 is hosted by Freda's Voice and 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. Freda is taking a hiatus right now, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over in the meantime.

This week I'm featuring When the Day Comes (Timeless #1) by Gabrielle Meyer. I've read a lot of really good books this year, but this one might just top the list. I loved it so much! 

About the Book

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she's the same person at her core in both times, she's leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives--and any hope of love--are put in jeopardy.

Libby's life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about--women's suffrage--is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she's not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other--but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Williamsburg, Virginia

May 5, 1774

For as long as I could remember, my mama had told me that my life was a gift. But at the age of nineteen, I had yet to see how this life I was living - or rather, the lives I was living - could be anything other than a burden.

Friday 56

Our enemy was in our very own backyard, and there was nothing we could do. It would make all of our future work more difficult and dangerous.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

About the Book

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve been wanting to read this book for awhile now, and am so happy I finally got the chance. I’ve heard amazing things about it, and it definitely lived up to the hype. I loved it! What an enchantingly whimsical tale full of wonder! It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year.

Emily was likable, endearing, and quirky. I was very intrigued by Bambleby. He was an interesting guy. You could tell that he had secrets, and I was very eager to find out what they were. I’ll just say that I was very surprised by them! Emily and Bambleby were quite the pair. Their banter was hilarious and quite possibly my favorite part of the book. They had such great chemistry, and I was rooting so hard for them.

The closer I got to the end, the slower I read it. Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because I was enjoying it so much that I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to stay in this world with these characters for a little while longer. This story is going on my “favorites” shelf. I know I’m gonna want to read it again and again. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy.

FIVE STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Legend of the Last Library by Frank L. Cole

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring The Legend of the Last Library by Frank L. Cole releasing August 6.

About the Book

In a world where paper is extremely scarce and books are priceless, Juni undertakes a dangerous quest to find a legendary lost treasure—the last library.

Juni lives in a world without books. The Blight killed off all the trees, and since then, paper is worth more than just about anything else. Juni’s parents were killed in an archeological dig when she was young, so now it’s just her and her Grandpa Edgar, trying to survive. When she’s not in school, Juni and her friends Doler and Quaze turn to plifting—scavenging in abandoned buildings for any scrap of paper they can find—to earn a little money. If Juni can find enough paper, she can pay for the expensive health care Grandpa needs.

So when Juni discovers a book—the first one she’s ever seen—hidden in a box in her grandpa’s closet, she’s both surprised and elated at the thought of the money she could get by selling it. Grandpa, however, insists that she read it first. Beyond the experience of opening her imagination, which exceeds her expectations, the book has hidden clues in the text that point to what could be the last library on Earth. If reading one book could change her own life so dramatically, what would access to thousands of books do?

While out plifting, Juni meets Kobyn, who’s connected to a secret organization eager to find the library and who seems to know something about how Juni’s parents actually died. The mystery deepens when Juni meets Ullred O’Donnell, the head of Novexus, a megacorporation that has replaced the government and now controls all the information—and misinformation—the public sees. With an army of robot sentry dogs by his side, Ullred warns Juni to abandon her quest—or else. Juni, Doler, and Kobyn—along with Zeno, an AI holographic guardian of the library—must liberate the information the library contains and share it with the world before Novexus claims it for their own.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Hisses, Hexes, and Homicide (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery #2) by DeAnna Drake

About the Book
Join Rebecca and Aneksi in this engaging and humorous cozy mystery as they unravel a tale of murder, mystery, and mayhem while discovering more secrets in Citrus Grove.

Rebecca Cuthbert, no stranger to false accusations, rushes to defend her baker best friend when she’s accused of murdering Citrus Grove’s Elvis-loving mayor with a deadly petit four.

But Rebecca recognizes the real clue: this death is the work of the Emerald Scarab, one of the cursed artifacts she vowed to track down after it was stolen from her grandfather’s quirky antique shop.

Now she must navigate a peculiar maze of clues and enchantments, aided by her grandfather’s wise counsel and the scattered recollections of an immortal talking cat, Aneksi, who once encountered the scandalous scarab in Cleopatra’s court. With each revelation, her search becomes a frantic race to find the killer and the amulet before they can hurt anyone else.

But her meddling puts her in the killer’s path, and Rebecca must rely on her fledgling investigative skills to save her friend from jail and herself from becoming the sleepy Southern California town’s latest murder victim.

Amazon / Goodreads / Author Website

MY THOUGHTS

I’m loving this series so much! This second installment was just as good as the first.

Rebecca and Aneksi have another mystery to solve, this time involving the murder of Elvis-loving mayor Bill Wooster. Rebecca’s friend Luna is the prime suspect, and since she knows what it’s like to be falsely accused, she’s even more motivated to find the guilty party. Plus, this murder might have a connection to a missing cursed artifact that was stolen from her grandpa’s store.

The mystery kept me guessing right on up to the reveal. I never suspected the guilty party, but it made perfect sense.

I can’t get enough of this fun cozy mystery series! The characters are great, the small town is charming, and the mysteries are intriguing. If you’re a fan of the genre, you’re sure to enjoy it too. I can’t wait for book three!

Even though this is book two, it can be read as a standalone perfectly fine. It has a really good recap. I still recommend starting with book one, though, just because it’s so good.

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

4.5 STARS

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Flashover (Chasing Fire: Montana #2) by Megan Besing

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 is hosted by Freda's Voice and 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. Freda is taking a hiatus right now, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over in the meantime.

This week I'm featuring Flashover (Chasing Fire: Montana #2) by Megan Besing. I'm loving this series so far!

About the Book

SECRETS. BETRAYAL. SACRIFICE.
THIS TIME, THEY'RE NOT JUST FIGHTING FIRE.

An original series created by bestselling authors Susan May Warren and Lisa Phillips.

She never expected her second chance to show up…

When her special ops brother was killed, Sophie Lamb left everything—and everyone—behind to start over. Now the owner of a ranch that rescues neglected horses, they’ve become her entire life. And sure, she’s still haunted by the death of her brother, but she doesn’t have time to miss those she’s lost—including her high school crush, Houston James, who she absolutely never thinks about. Okay, almost never.

In the middle of a wildfire….

Houston James can’t catch a break. Sure, he survived a house fire, and became a youth pastor, but a recent false accusation in ministry has sent him into a summer fighting fires. The last thing he expects is to find the girl he can’t forget…

When the blazing Montana wildfire threatens her ranch, Sophie refuses to abandon her rescued animals. But the last person she expects to show up and demand her evacuation is of course, Houston James.

Then her prized stallion goes missing, and she and Houston must work together to track him down before the fire catches up to them. And when they stumble upon a shocking discovery, they are forced to work together, and confront their heartbreaking past, if they hope to survive.

In this relentless fight against external threats and the ghosts of their pasts, Houston and Sophie stand on the brink of a second chance. But the fight isn’t over when the threat she left behind finds her…now, what will her second chance at love cost her?

Don't miss out on this gripping tale of survival and redemption in the heart-pounding second installment of the Chasing Fire: Montana series.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Sophie Lamb should've never said yes. Now she would have to stand here and watch someone get killed riding one of her horses.

Friday 56

The sheriff checked his watch. "I'll follow you back into town in case you pick up another nail in your tires. You should probably stay at the emergency displacement shelter at the school tonight. I'll head to your place first thing in the morning to check out the break-in damage and do my full report."

What have you been reading lately?

Can't Wait Wednesday: Fury (A Breed Apart: Legacy Book 4) by Ronie Kendig & Steffani Webb

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Fury (A Breed Apart: Legacy Book 4) by Ronie Kendig & Steffani Webb releasing July 16.

About the Book

Amidst the glittering heat of Abu Dhabi, Hollyn Reinhardt’s world shatters in one tragic night. Once a child prodigy, now a leading AI scientist, she’s left reeling from her parents’ sudden death—and the haunting suspicion that it was no accident. Vulnerable yet defiant, Hollyn must protect her life’s work from unseen enemies.

Enter Davis Ledger: former Green Beret, owner of a keen-nosed military working dog named Fury, and the slightly older man whose rugged charm once captured Hollyn’s young heart. Medically discharged and disillusioned, he’s ready for peace in the US, but walks back into the line of fire when he discovers his friends have been murdered and that their daughter Hollyn—now all grown up—needs his help.

Following an attempt on her life, Hollyn realizes the USB containing her code has been stolen. Code that, in the wrong hands, could kill thousands. But Davis’s sable German shepherd, who has been specially trained to sniff out electronics, is the perfect dog to ensure this doesn’t end in disaster. They have no choice but to join up with a black ops group to protect Hollyn and hunt down the tech.

As they’re pursued by killers, Hollyn struggles to douse her reigniting crush, while Davis finds it harder and harder to deny his feelings and stay mission-focused. With the clock ticking down to an unthinkable catastrophe, Hollyn and Davis face the ultimate test. Can they thwart the threat and reclaim the code, or will their second chance at love end in heartbreak—or worse…disaster?

A masterful blend of breathless suspense and heart-stopping romance, this tale of danger, devotion, and rekindled love will have you at the edge of your seat.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Mortal Queens (The Fae Dynasty #1) by Victoria McCombs

About the Book

They vanish without a trace, disappear into the night . . .

Each year on the center island, one girl is chosen to be the next Mortal Queen of the idolized fae. The mortals praise these lucky girls, but their daughters are never seen again.

The fae realm is eternal night, where disputes are settled by chess matches, power is acquired through the most devious kinds of trickery, and seven illusive kings roam. The fae hide their faces behind masks and guard their glass hearts to keep them from shattering. But beyond the veil of this luxurious paradise, a dark secret simmers, for their Queens have disappeared.

When aspiring artist Althea is selected, she is desperate to avoid the same mysterious fate. With no one to trust, she conceals messages in paintings and receives anonymous replies from a stranger who slowly reveals the tale of a girl who outwitted the fae. Only if she is clever enough will Althea survive the fate of the Mortal Queens. As long as the king who cannot love does not claim her first.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely loved this enchanting read! I got completely swept away in this book and loved every second of it. The real world faded away, and I was pulled into the twisty and complicated fae realm. I couldn’t get enough of it.

While the fae are fascinating and beautiful, they’re incredibly dangerous. Their world is one that's filled with trickery and deceit, games and making deals. It was an oddly beautiful yet cruel place.

The mystery of the mortal queens had me so intrigued. Why did the fae need them? What happened to the previous queens? Was there a way to change their fate? While we got some answers, I’m very eager to find out more in the next book. It can’t come out soon enough! If you’re a fan of fae-filled fantasy, you’re gonna love this story! I highly recommend it!

FIVE STARS