What I'm Reading - January 23, 2017

This post contains affiliate links. 

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! I also link up with Tales of a Pee Dee Mama for D.E.A.R. Monday (Drop Everything And Read).

I finished reading . . . 

The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green - Beautifully done historical fiction about a French midwife among the convicts sent to colonize Louisiana. (Read my full review HERE)




A Curious Beginning (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - loved my re-read of this exciting mystery with eccentric characters before I carry on with them in their next adventure. (Read my full review HERE)




I'm currently reading . . .

A Note Yet Unsung (A Belmont Mansion Novel) - just got started on this for a Bethany House review. I've read the previous Belmont Mansion novels and greatly enjoyed them.




Here, There Be Dragons (Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica) - saw this YA fantasy recommended on a friend's blog and thought it looked interesting. I'm wondering if my daughter would like it too.



A Perilous Undertaking (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - I'm finally allowing myself to enjoy the latest Veronica Speedwell mystery!

  

Next on the stack... 

Rules of Murder (A Drew Farthering Mystery) by Julianna Deering

Sanditon by Jane Austen
Lady Susan by Jane Austen

 

     

 On my blogs last week . . .

Here on Just A Second:

Recent Reads - A Curious Beginning
Scripture and a Snapshot - Show Me Your Ways
Recent Reads - The Mark of the King
Book Blogger Hop - January 20, 2017
Wordless Wednesday - Franklin Park Conservatory


And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Homeschool Highlights - Quick Update
A Franklin Park Conservatory Photojournal
Virtual Refrigerator - The Acropolis (Blogging Through the Alphabet)
2017 Goals - 50 in 50
Math: Not Only About the Numbers - Virtual Curriculum Fair Week 3

What are you reading?

©2008-2017 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/

Recent Reads - A Curious Beginning

This post contains affiliate links. 

A Curious Beginning (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - I decided to re-read this delightful mystery adventure before jumping into the second in the series, which was released recently. (A Perilous Undertaking (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery), which is next on my TBR!) Raybourn has been one of my favorite authors for quite some time, and no matter how many times I've read her books, I never get tired of them. Anyway, to recap a little and introduce this story:

It opens with Veronica at the graveside of her guardian, now alone in the world and eager to set out on her own adventures. She has believed herself an orphan and foundling, and has had a good life with her guardians, but she is pragmatic and not at all sentimental, with an adventurous spirit. But before she can gather her bags and set out on a butterfly hunting expedition in some exotic locale, an intruder attempts to abduct her and she is rescued by a mysterious German baron who is convinced that she is in grave danger. The Baron succeeds in bringing Veronica to London, and reveals that he knows the identity of her parents. He delivers her for safekeeping to his friend Stoker, a reclusive scientist and explorer with his own dark secrets. However, before Veronica can speak with the baron again, he is murdered in his home. Veronica's only known link to her own mysterious past is gone, but even worse, she and Stoker realize they are considered the prime suspects for the murder.

Veronica and Stoker flee London and join a traveling show for a time, all the while trying to solve the mysteries they've been confronted with - not just who murdered the baron, but why; and how Veronica is connected to any of it.

Eventually, they do track down the clues that lead to the truth about Veronica's parentage, and it's a shock that leads to even more dangers and dilemmas. Stoker and Veronica have forged a partnership though, and brazen out the confrontations in their own unique way. The ending of the book sets up future adventures with the two of them, and I hope more will follow after A Perilous Undertaking! 

By the same author: Night of a Thousand Stars, Bonfire Night, Twelfth Night, City of Jasmine, Whisper of Jasmine, Midsummer Night; A Spear of Summer Grass, Silent in the Grave, Silent in the Sanctuary, Dark Road to Darjeeling, The Dark Enquiry, Silent Night, The Dead Travel Fast

See my first review of A Curious Beginning here: Recent Reads - A Curious Beginning

©2008-2017 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/

Scripture and a Snapshot - Show Me Your Ways

Show me your ways, LORD,

teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from old.

Do not remember the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you, LORD, are good.

~Psalm 25:4-7~

Scripture & a Snapshot is hosted by A Glimpse of Our Life.

Glimpses is hosted by Embracing Every Day, a lifestyle blog by Barbie Swihart.

©2008-2017 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/

Recent Reads - The Mark of the King

This post contains affiliate links. 

The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green - The beautiful artwork on the cover of this book drew my attention, and the story itself was compelling and at times heart-wrenching. In the opening pages, French midwife Julianne Chevalier is attending a difficult birth, and when the mother dies, Julianne is accused of murder. The story then picks up after Julianne has been in a French prison for some time, and hears that convicts are being sent to the fledgling colony of Louisiana to settle. Since her only remaining family is a younger brother who had gone to Louisiana as a soldier some years earlier, Julianne manages to be selected to go as a colonist. To her shock, all of the potential colonists are forced to marry before they get on the ship, and she must choose a husband from among the male prisoners. 

The voyage is unpleasant, to say the least, and the conditions when they arrive in Louisiana are little better. Julianne and her new husband, Simon, do their best, but Julianne seems destined for suffering and loss. Just when she and Simon find some hope for happiness, he is murdered while away from their home - while searching for Julianne's brother. The kind Captain Marc-Paul Girard tries to protect the newly widowed and newly pregnant Julianne, but even so one of the other soldiers exposes her murderer's brand and she is whipped in public. Marc-Paul makes sure Julianne is cared for while she is recovered, and convinces her to marry him so he can protect and care for her. Love grows between them, but there are also secrets and guilt that mar their relationship, especially when Julianne discovers that her brother is still alive, after Marc-Paul had told her that he'd died before the colonists had arrived in New Orleans. Is there anyone Julianne can trust, or will her mark and the secrets of the past continue to come between her and Marc-Paul? 

This well-told story is a glimpse of the difficulties and injustices faced by those who first settled the area of New Orleans, and is also a story of grace and hope. 

Visit the Baker Publishing Group for more info on where to buy.

©2008-2017 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/

Book Blogger Hop - January 20, 2017

This post contains affiliate links.

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to another Book Blogger Hop question. Visit Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer to see the responses from other book bloggers.

What was the one time you thought the movie was better than the book? 

The first and most obvious answer that comes to mind is Forrest Gump. I had never heard of the book prior to seeing the movie, but it was a movie that my husband and I loved. Some years later, I purchased the book as part of a birthday gift for my husband, and then I read it as well. It was dreadful. I hated it, and wished I'd never read it. Other than the title character's name, I saw so little resemblance between the book and the movie that I couldn't figure out how they could claim the movie was "based on the book".

©2008-2017 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/

Wordless Wednesday - Franklin Park Conservatory

This post contains affiliate links. 

Right after Christmas, when we were in Columbus, we celebrated my birthday by visiting Franklin Park Conservatory. Here are just a few pictures from our time there.

(I'll be sharing more pictures and a few more words in my Homeschool Coffee Break post tomorrow.)

This post is linked at Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Life at Rossmont.

©2008-2017 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/

What I'm Reading - January 16, 2017

This post contains affiliate links. 

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! I also link up with Tales of a Pee Dee Mama for D.E.A.R. Monday (Drop Everything And Read).

I finished reading . . . 

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen - Finished this the previous week, but didn't post the review until after my weekly reading update. (Read my full review HERE)




I'm currently reading . . .

The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green - This is about a young French woman sent to Louisiana with convicts to settle and populate the new colony. Quite a number of surprising twists already, and I'm only about halfway through!




A Curious Beginning (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - loving my re-read of this introductory novel to Raybourn's new series. The second was just released (and my copy arrived last week) so I'm reacquainting myself with these delightful and quirky personalities before following their next adventure.

Next on the stack... 

A Perilous Undertaking (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn

Sanditon by Jane Austen
Lady Susan by Jane Austen

     

     

 On my blogs last week . . .

Here on Just A Second:

Scripture and a Snapshot - The Way
Book Blogger Hop - January 13, 2017
Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - A Curious Beginning
Recent Reads - The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Homeschool Highlights - Winter Weekend (January 13, 2017)
Persevere
Virtual Refrigerator - Quilt Wall-hanging
Finding the Right Words - Virtual Curriculum Fair Week 2

What are you reading?

©2008-2017 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/