Friday Fun - The Friday 56 and First Lines for February 3, 2023

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This is one of the review books I'm working on right now. It's hard to know which one to focus on!

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"No." My breath came out in angry vapors. "You're not coming with me. And don't even think about following me. I'm in a mood, Sterling."

"I see that."

~at 56% of In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel

A Gem of a Mystery Takes Center Stage

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Elise Malvern has a habit of letting people down. Her former boyfriend who hoped she'd be his bride. Her grandfather who hoped she'd take over the family's auction company. But mostly she's disappointed herself. What's the point of pursuing her passion as a violinist, if she is too scared to audition for a seat in the Pittsburgh Symphony? Her internship at the elegant Heinz Hall places her in the wings of the stage, but never on it. By accident, she discovers an old stage prop. Her instincts tell her there's more to the paste necklace than meets the eye. Whether a good idea or not, she accepts help from a childhood friend, who happens to be a country music megastar - Pierson Brooks. Pierson and Elise share a history; one she doesn't care to repeat. The more involved they become in the mystery, the more things get tangled, including her heart.

A century earlier . . .

Sophie Walters longs for center stage, her name on the marquee, and all that jazz, but climbing her way into an acting career is more difficult than she imagined. Having spoiled all her chances in Hollywood, she returns to Pittsburgh, accepting an insignificant role in a popular production. She watches her dreams pass by from behind the curtain at the illustrious Loew's Penn Theatre. She finally gets the coveted spotlight, but not for her talent. No, her surge to fame is all one terrible mistake. Somehow, she's suspected to be a notorious jewel thief known around Pittsburgh as The Mirage. The man she pleads for help is non other than the man she jilted at the altar five years before, Sterling Monroe.

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.

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January, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

History didn't haphazardly repeat itself in the chapters of Elise Malvern's life. It copy-and-pasted in the most irritating fashion. But if one were to flip through this proverbial book, most of the pages would be blank.

~From the beginning of In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel

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.

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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.

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And here is the weekly bookish question in the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.  

This Week's Question: What was your favorite genre to read as a child? Do you still read that genre, or do you read something else now?

My Answer: I'm trying to even remember what I read most as a child, and I'm having trouble. I remember loving horse stories (Misty of Chincoteague, anyone?) and stories about animals in general. Also classics like Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, The Chronicles of Narnia. My very favorite book was one called The Cuckoo Clock by Mrs. Molesworth. It was sort of a fantasy, reminiscent of one of the basic ideas of Narnia. 

I don't read animal stories any more, but I still love those classics. However, the genre I turn to most often as an adult is historical fiction. 

Edited to add: After reading some of the other answers, I realized that what I read the most when I was a kid was Nancy Drew mysteries! How could I have forgotten that!? Also Trixie Belden and there were a couple other girl detectives very much like the intrepid Miss Drew. I loved all of them and was on a mission to own the entire Nancy Drew series. I had a LOT. And as an adult, the historical fiction series that I love most are those that are mysteries. Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber and Anne Perry. Wow, still shaking my head at myself that I didn't think of that when I was originally writing this. 

Book Blogger Hop

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