What I'm Reading - July 18, 2022

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This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next! Although the Book Date link-up happens weekly, I don't manage to post that often. I aim to post and link about once a month, although I sometimes link up my monthly summary as well. 

About a month ago, when I last did an update, I was looking forward to a knee replacement surgery in the next couple of days, and I thought the recuperation time might mean extra reading time. Well, as it turned out, my surgery was postponed for about two weeks, those weeks were very busy, and during my recovery, I was a bit surprised to find that I had trouble focusing on a book for very long. I recently talked to a friend who said she and her husband had both found the same things after their respective surgeries. We think we'll be able to read while we're restricted from so many other activities, but perhaps the pain medications make concentration more difficult than we'd expected. Anyway, here are the books I've been working on lately.

I finished reading . . . 

Season Of My Enemy by Naomi Musch - Fannie is exhausted trying to manage the family's Wisconsin farm during WWII, but is help from German prisoners the answer? Fannie must decide if any of the men can be trusted, or if there are some that wish her harm. (Read my full review HERE)

Off The Chain by Janice Thompson - a small town rom-com for dog lovers, with some elements of a cozy mystery thrown in. A cute, light read. (Read my full review HERE)

I'm currently reading . . .

The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham - Englishwoman Cora Taylor runs to the Appalachians to escape an arranged marriage, and in hopes that her nursing skills will be helpful to her brother. Will she be able to adjust her expectations and find her purpose among these people?

The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart - Ava agrees to help her father complete his final 'treasure hunt' - locating a mysterious Faberge egg taken out of Russia by one of Faberge's assistants. 

Obedient Unto Death by Liisa Eyerly  - Earlier I had to pause my review of this novel because I just couldn't finish on time. The review will still be coming at some point! Sabina, a young Christian woman in first century Ephesus must solve a murder before one of her friends is executed for the crime.

Next on the stack . . . nothing much has changed on this list for quite some time. I'll get caught up again someday!

A Perilous Perspective by Anna Lee Huber

Murder Most Fair by Anna Lee Huber

An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn

All That's Fair by Amanda G. Stevens

   

        

     

What I'm Highlighting . . . Taking a little break from this feature because I haven't been blogging all that much lately anyway.

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Friday Fun - The Friday 56 and First Lines posts

Monthly Bookshelf Review - June 2022

And on my "first cup blog", HS Coffee Break:

I Spy posts (#76-#80)

Five Minute Friday - Propose

Five Minute Friday - Twenty

Currently . . . July 6, 2022

Five Minute Friday - Trust

June Photo Album

Five Minute Friday - Aware

Share Four Somethings - June 2022

Five Minute Friday - Guess

Flag Day

What are you reading?

 ©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - Ask, Seek, Knock

"So I say to you:

Ask and it will be given to you;

seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives;

the one who seeks finds;

and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

~Luke 11:9-10~

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Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

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Click here to enter

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Friday Fun - The Friday 56 and First Lines For July 14, 2022

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

Well, at least God had enough confidence in her to send her off with a drumroll - the wind moaned anew - or . . . maybe it was the beginning beat of a death march.

~from page 56 of The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham

Can their hearts overcome the darkness of the mountains?

To escape a forced marriage, Cora Taylor travels from England to the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of her brother, who is working as a teacher in a mission school. She hopes to find a place where her nursing skills and independent ideas will be accepted and appreciated, but nothing prepares her for the wild mixture of isolation, community, brokenness, and hope within these mountains . . . or in the person of Jeb McAdams.

Returning from the devastation of World War 1 emotionally damaged, Jeb McAdams struggles against the rampant mountain alcoholism to soothe his nightmares. It's easy to hide within the mountains, or it was, before Cora Taylor arrived. Now, she seems to show up at every turn, bringing her modern ideas, curiosity, and beautiful eyes with her.

Bound by their shared war history, the pair develop an unlikely friendship, which unexpectedly hints to something more. But when Cora's desire to help the women of the mountains crosses an unspoken line, will Jeb be able to protect this feisty flatlander from the wrath of the mountain men or will he end up losing much more than his heart?

The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice

*Grab a book, any book.

*Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your e-reader.

*Find a snippet, short and sweet.

*Post it, and share in the Linky.

***************

October 1919

Running away from an arranged marriage to the wilds of the Blue Ridge hadn't gone as Cora Taylor expected. Of course she'd anticipated a remote world, perhaps even a step back in time, but utter destitution was another thing altogether. 

~From the beginning of The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham

Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted by Rose City Reader.

*It's Book Beginnings on Fridays! Time to gather with our fellow book lovers and share the opening sentence (or so) of the books we are reading this week. Or share from a book that is on your mind right now -- whatever catches your fancy.

***************

First Line Fridays is hosted at Reading is My SuperPower

*Share the first line or two of the book closest to you, then visit other FLF participants.

*Please keep posts family friendly or clean reads.

*Link back to Reading is My SuperPower within your post or grab a button.

 ©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

Recent Reads - Off The Chain

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Off The Chain by Janice Thompson - Marigold Evans is determined to make her dream of operating a dog rescue a reality so she can make a real difference in finding forever homes for pups in trouble. Her first rescue is nearly a disaster though - she has to climb into a drainage pipe to get close enough to the puppy, and while she gets the dog out her car is stolen and the police come to pick up her and her friend, thinking they are vagrants. The officer takes the two young women back to the vet clinic where they work, only to find out that the place has been vandalized. Marigold and her new rescue dog are safe for the night, but what happened at the clinic?

From those action-packed opening chapters, the story unfolds. Marigold counts her co-workers as her best friends, and they all help each other out of scrapes. The list of suspects for the vandalism gets pretty long, but Marigold and her friends don't do as much sleuthing as they do speculating. Marigold gathers plenty of information with the help of fellow vet tech Parker, who always comes to her rescue when she's in a tight spot. They deal with an angry client who blames the vet for her pet's death, a former classmate of Dr Tyler's who seems to have an ulterior motive in hanging around the clinic, and the abusive ex-boyfriend of another employee's. Most worrisome is the cantankerous accountant whose office is next to the clinic. He hates dogs and makes threats about suing the clinic and shooting any dog that gets onto his property. Could any of these people be responsible for the burglary?

Marigold is a sweet and generous character who comes off as a bit ditzy at the beginning, but I found her more likable as the story went on. Many of the characters fell into stereotypical roles and behaviors, and there were no real surprises as far as characters. The story has a wholesome, small-town vibe and with the emphasis on Marigold's desire to rescue dogs and most of the action taking place in the vet clinic, I think it's a cute romantic comedy type story. The mystery aspect seemed more like a backdrop to the rest of the story but made for a fun and light read.

From the publisher:

The Town of Brenham, Texas, Has Gone to the Dogs!

Curl up with your pup and sink into a delightful small-town mystery as riddles and rescues stack up in book one of a new cozy mystery series.

Marigold Evans' first attempt at rescuing an abandoned pooch lands her in a drainage pipe in Brenham Texas . . . and almost in jail, until Parker Jenson comes to her rescue. Then a bad day only gets worse as the Lone Star Vet Clinic, where they both work, is vandalized and the list of suspects starts to climb. With the help of her fellow employees, Marigold sets out to simultaneously solve the crime, rehab the rescued dog, and help more dogs in crisis. But why would anyone continue to work against all their good efforts?

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

This is a book that involves a second chance (#41) for The 52 Book Club's 2022 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub2022

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - He Cares For You

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you,

~I Peter 5:6-7~

I rarely add personal notes to my Scripture and a Snapshot posts, but I would like to explain why I have been (and probably will be) a little slower than usual in visiting everyone who links up. I had knee replacement surgery last week so while I thought computer things would be easier for me to keep up, it turns out that EVERYTHING takes me longer. Thanks for visiting!

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Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - Teach Us To Pray

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

He said to them, "When you pray, say:

"'Father,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.'"

~Luke 11:1-4~

<div style='width:100%;text-align:center;'> <span style='margin:5px;padding:5px;border-radius: 5px;border:1px solid lightgrey;display:inline-block;'><a rel=_nofollow href='https://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Scripture%20and%20a%20Snapshot'> <img style='border: 1px solid gray;width:330px;height:330px;' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkEsmWJLn1f3VqhfaylcSn7IABJxDE4XrGPLFjO1V9xTM3ozVgjnerdCaVUqCwcRPIiwfqTfFqk4du0DK8acoLtyo-qFBOeBIKDwilTJVyIcRXpdYZC2QcFtMnVXKNk4Q1SLHMCX7SPU/s320/scripture+snapshot.jpg'><p style='align: center;'> </p> </a></span>

Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Friday Fun - The Friday 56 and First Lines for July 1, 2022

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

"You're brave to go out there." She shivered. "I had a terrible run-in with Beckett a couple weeks ago."

~from page 56 of Off The Chain by Janice Thompson

The Town of Brenham, Texas, Has Gone to the Dogs!

Curl up with your pup and sink into a delightful small-town mystery as riddles and rescues stack up in book one of a new cozy mystery series.

Marigold Evans' first attempt at rescuing an abandoned pooch lands her in a drainage pipe in Brenham Texas . . . and almost in jail, until Parker Jenson comes to her rescue. Then a bad day only gets worse as the Lone Star Vet Clinic, where they both work, is vandalized and the list of suspects starts to climb. With the help of her fellow employees, Marigold sets out to simultaneously solve the crime, rehab the rescued dog, and help more dogs in crisis. But why would anyone continue to work against all their good efforts?

The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice

*Grab a book, any book.

*Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your e-reader.

*Find a snippet, short and sweet.

*Post it, and share in the Linky.

***************

A shiver wriggled its way down my spine as I eased my way into the opening of the large metal drainage pipe. Off in the distance I heard the faint drip, drip, drip of water, and within seconds a trickle of foul-smelling liquid seeped into my tennis shoes. Gross.

~From the beginning of Off The Chain by Janice Thompson

Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted by Rose City Reader.

*It's Book Beginnings on Fridays! Time to gather with our fellow book lovers and share the opening sentence (or so) of the books we are reading this week. Or share from a book that is on your mind right now -- whatever catches your fancy.

***************

First Line Fridays is hosted at Reading is My SuperPower

*Share the first line or two of the book closest to you, then visit other FLF participants.

*Please keep posts family friendly or clean reads.

*Link back to Reading is My SuperPower within your post or grab a button.

 ©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.