Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - The Accidental Guardian

This post contains affiliate links. 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

She didn't want to make this one bit harder on him than it already was. The man was saving their lives plain and simple, and she'd do her best to make that as easy as possible.

~The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy, page 59

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First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by I'd Rather Be At The Beach. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading.

SOUTHWEST OF LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA

OCTOBER 1867

Deborah Harkness came awake with a snap, her hand already steady on the six-gun under her pillow.

Just as fast, she eased off the tension and the trigger. She knew that sound.

"Deb, I've got to go." Three-year-old Maddie Sue needed to make a predawn run into the tall grass.

It was almost encouraging that, after months of being awakened many mornings in just this way, Deb could still get nervous. A woman needed to be alert on a wagon train heading through the wilderness.

Here's the blurb:

She's the only witness to a wagon train attack.
Keeping her safe, though, means his world is about to be turned upside down.

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering remains of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he's finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as self-appointed guardian of the trail. He'd hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.

Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter--but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2018 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 - Great Is the Lord

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation commends your works to another;

they tell of your mighty acts.

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty--

and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They tell of the power of your awesome works--

and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They celebrate your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in love.

The LORD is good to all;

he has compassion on all he has made.

All your works praise you, LORD;

your faithful people extol you.

They tell of the glory of your kingdom

and speak of your might,

so that all people may know of your mighty acts

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises

and faithful in all he does.

~Psalm 145:3-13~

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

Sunday Scripture Blessings is hosted by Peabea Scribble Pad.

©2008-2018 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 - No Less Days

This post contains affiliate links.

No Less Days by Amanda G. Stevens - David Galloway is a somewhat reclusive bookseller in a small town, but the careful distance he keeps from others is because he is already well over one hundred years old - and doesn't look a day over thirty-five. He can't die. And the loneliness and grief of watching those he cares for die has led him to live a quiet and solitary life. His bookstore assistant, Tiana, has become a good friend, and he wants more with her, but pursuing a relationship is too big a risk.

A new story about a daredevil named Zachary Wilson catches David's attention. David watched the news footage as Zac fell from a tightrope into a canyon - obviously a deadly fall - and yet somehow Zac was still alive, and completely unharmed. David knows no one mortal could survive such a fall, so he takes off to Arizona to find Zac and hopefully find some answers. When he tracks him down, he is shocked to discover that not only is Zac another man who can't die, but there are others like them as well. David finally starts to feel a sense of belonging and kinship as he's pulled into the close group of the four other people who are like him.

But there's a cost. David and his new friends know they cannot risk anyone finding out that they are essentially immortal. When a deranged fan threatens Zac, Tiana is in danger, and their secrets are at risk of being exposed too. David has risked telling Tiana the truth, but when he finds out that at least one of his immortal friends is also a killer, the choices before him are terrifying. How can justice be done and what is David's role and purpose in carrying it out? Is he strong enough to do what is needed, and courageous enough to carry on living when he doesn't know if his days will ever come to an end?

Although I don't often read contemporary setting fiction, the premise of this story intrigued me, and I was drawn into the fast-moving story within the first couple of pages. Stevens gets to the action quickly, and gives background information in bits and pieces as the characters meet and interact with each other. It's easy to sympathize with David right from the start, and his character portrays well the dilemmas that an immortal living among mortals might face. He is full of conflicting emotions and his melancholy makes him a likeable and fairly trustworthy narrator. As the other longevites (as they call themselves) are introduced, they also reveal the pain and loneliness of living without aging. The almost impossible choice they face when confronted with the fact that one of their own has deceived them and killed more than once is surprising and yet logical. The decisions made and the way the various characters cope with their reality is thought-provoking and somewhat haunting. I wondered how the author would be able to handle the immortality of characters within a Christian worldview, but overall I thought it was deftly managed. I definitely recommend this novel for readers of contemporary fantasy.

From the publisher:

David Galloway can't die.

How many lifetimes can God expect one man to live? Over a century old, David Galloway isolates himself from the mortal humans who die or desert him by making a quiet life as a used bookstore owner in Northern Michigan. But then he spots a news article about a man who, like him, should be dead.

Daredevil celebrity Zachary Wilson walked away unscathed from what should have been a deadly fall. David tracks the man down, needing answers. Soon David discovers a close-knit group of individuals as old as he is who offers the sort of kinship and community he hasn't experienced for decades--but at what cost?

David finds himself keeping secrets other than his own . . . protecting more than himself alone. He'll have to decide what's worth the most to him--security or community. When crimes come to light that are older than any mortal, he fears the pressure is more than he can stand. What does God require of him, and is David strong enough to see it through?

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 book is Setting in a Library or Bookshop for the Full House Reading Challenge 2018 hosted by The Book Date.

©2008-2018 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.

What I'm Reading - May 21, 2018

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 finished reading . . .  

As Death Draws Near (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Gage cut their honeymoon short when they are asked to investigate the apparent murder of a young nun in Ireland. (Read my full review HERE.)

I'm currently reading . . .

No Less Days by Amanda G. Stevens - This contemporary fantasy is a real page-turner! David Galloway lives a very lonely life as a man who cannot die, but when he finds out there are a few others like him, he finds a sense of belonging but new dangers and secrets to keep.




Next on the stack... these three, plus at least one more review book on its way to me.

The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy
 The Captured Bride: Daughters of the Mayflower - book 3 by Michelle Griep
 Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi (Experiencing God) by David Crowder


   

On my blogs recently . . .

Here on Just A Second:

Scripture and a Snapshot - Distant Shores Rejoice
Recent Reads - As Death Draws Near
Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - No Less Days

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Homeschool Highlights - Rainy Days Edition
Virtual Refrigerator - Scarlet Witch
Expand Your Homeschool World with SchoolhouseTeachers.com

What are you reading?

©2008-2018 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 - Distant Shores Rejoice

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;

let the distant shores rejoice!

Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;

righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness,

and all peoples see his glory.

Light shines on the righteous,

and joy on the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,

and praise his holy name!

~Psalm 97:1-2, 6, 11-12~

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

Sunday Scripture Blessings is hosted by Peabea Scribble Pad.

©2008-2018 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 - As Death Draws Near

This post contains affiliate links. 

As Death Draws Near (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber - Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage are on their honeymoon when Gage's father interrupts with a missive instructing them to go to Ireland to investigate the murder of a young nun. A postulant, actually, and she had been a relative of the Duke of Wellington. Naturally the newlyweds are not pleased that their honeymoon is being cut short, and so abruptly, but there is some satisfaction in knowing that Lord Gage did acknowledge Kiera as taking a strong role in the investigation.

Gage and Kiera travel to Ireland and start gathering information from the nuns and anyone in the little village that will speak with them, but find it slow going. Because of the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, many of the people are mistrustful of Gage and Kiera. One of the nuns, Mother Mary Fidelis, seems to have some insights but before she can decide whether to share those with Kiera, she is also murdered. Hostilities flare between Ribbonmen and Orangemen, and the investigation keeps running into dead ends.

Can Kiera and Gage follow the various threads and discern the truth before the murderer claims another victim?

What I found especially fascinating in this installment of the Lady Darby series is the treatment of the hard questions about her purpose and calling that Kiera faces, and the wise and godly advice she gets from the Mother Superior and Mother Mary Fidelis. The historical conflict between Irish Catholics and English Protestants is also handled deftly. A good mystery which also provides a backdrop for Kiera and Gage to explore questions about the expectations of married gentlewomen in their time, and for a little perspective on the political and religious conflict of the time as well. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the latest in the series soon!

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts, A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder

This book is a Book From a Favorite Series for the Full House Reading Challenge 2018 hosted by The Book Date.

©2008-2018 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.

Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - No Less Days

This post contains affiliate links.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Inside him were the two ages, not grating but fitting together, teeth in two gears that propelled each other. He was one hundred sixty-seven years old. And he would always be thirty-five.
~No Less Days by Amanda G. Stevens, page 51

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First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by I'd Rather Be At The Beach. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading.

His books were burning.

He let the glass door slam behind him and charged into the shop. The smell of smoke wafted around him. Where was the fire? He turned a circle at the bookcases in the front. The new books, not burning. In the back then--old books there. Irreplaceable books. He barreled up the two steps to the main landing and darted down the nearest aisle, sci-fi on one side and Westerns on the other. Save them all, hundreds of them, open a window and pitch them outside if necessary, and it would be necessary. Fire didn't hesitate, didn't sate itself, didn't tire. His scalp prickled.

The smell was fainter back here. He headed along the back wall, boots tracking rain over the old green carpet. No flames. No visible smoke.

Here's the blurb:

David Galloway can't die.

How many lifetimes can God expect one man to live? Over a century old, David Galloway isolates himself from the mortal humans who die or desert him by making a quiet life as a used bookstore owner in Northern Michigan. But then he spots a news article about a man who, like him, should be dead.

Daredevil celebrity Zachary Wilson walked away unscathed from what should have been a deadly fall. David tracks the man down, needing answers. Soon David discovers a close-knit group of individuals as old as he is who offers the sort of kinship and community he hasn't experienced for decades--but at what cost?

David finds himself keeping secrets other than his own . . . protecting more than himself alone. He'll have to decide what's worth the most to him--security or community. When crimes come to light that are older than any mortal, he fears the pressure is more than he can stand. What does God require of him, and is David strong enough to see it through?

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2018 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.