What I'm Reading - February 18, 2019

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This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. I also link up at Drop Everything And Read, hosted by Tales of a Pee Dee Mama. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next! Although the link-up happens weekly, I've had trouble keeping up with a weekly schedule, so I've decided to try for every other week! Here's the latest from my reading list.

I finished reading . . . 

Dark Road to Darjeeling (A Lady Julia Grey Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - Julia and Brisbane end their honeymoon with a trip to India to investigate the death of a friend's husband, and find more than they bargained for. Especially when they have disagreements over how to proceed and how much involvement Julia can have in Brisbane's business.  (Read my full review HERE.)

I'm currently reading . . .

Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep - This is a collection of three novellas. I've finished the first one about a governess and a gentleman who has been involved in smuggling. I've started the second, which is about young woman assisting an army doctor on the western frontier.




Kind Is the New Classy: The Power of Living Graciously by Candace Cameron Bure - A surprisingly practical and down-to-earth book about expressing godly kindness and grace in all areas of life; and I especially like her take on how boldness and courage are expressions of kindness and grace.




The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte - I didn't finish this before it was discussed in the online book club (it's LONG!!!!), but I am carrying on with it. I'm sure it will take me a very long time though, since I have so many other things I want and need to read in the meantime!




Next on the stack... 

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
The White City: True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime by Grace Hitchcock

Fervent: A Woman's Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer by Priscilla Shirer
American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt by Stephanie Marie Thornton (ARC)
Secrets in the Mist (A Gothic Myths Novel) by Anna Lee Huber

   


   

On my blogs recently . . . 

Here on Just A Second:

Scripture and a Snapshot - Love Deeply, Offer Hospitality
Recent Reads - The Alamo Bride
Wordless Wednesday - Senior Portrait Preview
Recent Reads - Dark Road to Darjeeling
Scripture and a Snapshot - From The Heart

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Homeschool Highlights - The Week With Hearts and Stuff
Adventure in Jerusalem (A Homeschool Coffee Break Review)
Virtual Refrigerator - A Virtual Coloring Book
How Much Time Do You Spend on Schoolwork?
Homeschool Highlights - The Week I Tried to Keep it Short
Homeschool Resources Spotlight - SchoolhouseTeachers.com
Virtual Refrigerator - February 2019
Do Your Students Take Outside Classes?
Chinese New Year

What are you reading?

©2008-2019 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 - Love Deeply, Offer Hospitality

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

~I Peter 4:8-10~

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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.

An InLinkz Link-up

I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea Scribble Pad. and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

©2008-2019 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 - The Alamo Bride

This post contains affiliate links.

The Alamo Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower) by Kathleen Y'Barbo - Together with her mother and two young brothers, Ellis Dumont is keeping the farm as best they can while her father and older brother are away fighting for Texas. While visiting her grandfather, she sees a company of New Orleans Greys arrive, come to help the Texians in the brewing conflict with the Mexican army. Later she finds a man dressed in the uniform of the Greys injured and unconscious in a pirogue. She and her mother tend to his wounds and keep him sheltered in hopes that he will recover. In his fevered state, the man talks about treasures and maps and meetings. Ellis takes to writing down some of what he says, unsure of where his loyalties truly lie.

When Claiborne Gentry regains consciousness, he finds he is a sort of captive of the beautiful Ellis and her family, but he has very little memory of his past or what his mission in Texas is. As Clay tries to piece together the few details he remembers and make sense of who he is to meet and why, he must also earn Ellis's trust and figure out for himself which side he is on.

Ellis is fiery and headstrong, much like one of her ancestors in this series, and has to keep her impulsive streak under control and be wise when it comes to whether she will trust Clay. For his part, Clay doesn't have much in the way of his own memories to go on, so he wrestles with his purpose and loyalty, and what his responsibilities may be. He has only a vague sense of a mission that he must complete, and his loyalty and affection for Ellis must be weighed against the importance of the mission.

This was an entertaining read for me, although I felt a little unclear about what was happening in the beginning. I had the sense that the first chapter about Clay was a bit disconnected from the rest of the story. It did explain his mission to a certain extent, and since he loses his memory before he meets Ellis, it's important for the reader, but I felt that a shorter prologue establishing that would have been just as effective. The characters were likable and the plot moved quickly but in places was vague. Although this is part of a series, it's not necessary to read the books in order as each stands well alone and are only loosely connected, as the lead characters are all part of a large family tree.

From the publisher:

Will Ellis lose all at the Alamo?

Ellis Dumont finds a man in New Orleans Grey unconscious on Dumont property in 1836. As his fevers rage, the man mutters strange things about treasures and war. Either Claiborne Gentry has lost his mind or he's a spy for the American president-- or worse, for the Mexican enemy that threatens their very lives. With the men of her family away, Ellis must stand courageous and decide who she can trust. Will she put her selfish wants ahead of the future of the republic or travel with Clay to Mission San Jose to help end the war?

Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo.

Other books in this series: The Mayflower Bride, The Pirate Bride, The Captured Bride, The Patriot Bride, The Cumberland Bride, The Liberty Bride
Book Seven in the Daughters of the Mayflower series.

By the same author: The Pirate Bride

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.

©2008-2019 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.

Wordless Wednesday - Senior Portrait Preview

This post contains affiliate links.

A preview of senior portraits - these are a couple of the pictures I took while our talented photographer was taking the "real" portraits.

This post is linked at Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Life on Chickadee Lane; and at Pictorial Tuesday, hosted by Peabea's Scribble Pad.

©2008-2019 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 - Dark Road to Darjeeling

This post contains affiliate links.

Dark Road to Darjeeling (A Lady Julia Grey Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - Lady Julia and Brisbane are newlyweds, nearing the end of their honeymoon trip, when Julia's sister Portia joins them and insists on their accompanying her to India. Portia's beloved Jane is expecting a baby, and has also been recently widowed. Portia wants Julia and Brisbane to investigate because she suspects foul play. Julia is eager to prove that she can be a full partner in investigation, but Brisbane is angry that Portia has tried to manipulate him and refuses to go along. Julia carries on with Portia and their brother Plum and is determined to solve the mystery and present all the evidence to Brisbane upon his arrival.

Jane's in-laws and the neighbors in the remote Himalayan tea plantation community provide Julia with plenty of possibilities as she considers who may have had motive or opportunity to murder Freddie Cavendish. In her stubborn zeal, Julia makes several blunders, and Brisbane has his hands full keeping her out of trouble and conducting his own investigation. Julia is shocked to find Brisbane's connection to one of the local characters, and there are several surprises in store as she continues to narrow down the possible choices for the villain. Secrets are revealed and tragedies strike but in the end Julia and Brisbane do uncover the truth, and come to an agreement about Julia's involvement in Brisbane's investigation business as well.

The cast of characters in a Lady Julia mystery are always an odd assortment of mildly quirky and completely bizarre personalities, and are as entertaining as the mystery itself. Lady Julia is a plucky and headstrong heroine, and despite her foolhardiness at times, one can't help but cheer her on and love her. Brisbane is the perfect dark and complicated hero, and their passionate and tempestuous relationship is a romantic backdrop to the dangerous business of finding a murderer.

By the same author: A Treacherous Curse, A Perilous Undertaking, A Curious Beginning, 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, Silent on the Moor, Dark Road to Darjeeling, The Dark Enquiry, Silent Night, The Dead Travel Fast

This is one of three books by the same author, for the 2019 Modern Mrs Darcy Reading Challenge.

©2008-2019 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 - From the Heart

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

~ I Peter 1:22 ~

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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.

An InLinkz Link-up

I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea Scribble Pad. and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

©2008-2019 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.