Monthly Bookshelf Review - June 2024

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

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore? ~Henry Ward Beecher

Indeed. Nothing like a bookstore to inspire an unrealistic expectation of when I'll have time to read all the books I want to read! Last weekend I visited one of my favorite spots, the Book Loft (with some of my favorite people), and limited myself to just one book. Okay, two books. One for me and one I hope to enjoy with my granddaughter.

June's Books Completed and Reviewed

Hardy Haul at Hardy Hall (Teddy Quillfeather Mysteries Book 1) by PJ Fitzsimmons - In this very witty cozy mystery, Teddy hunts for a stolen necklace during a house party. There are no bodies or violence, but there is plenty of British humour. (Read my review HERE.)

Teddy regarded Tuxedo Bird, who was dancing with his reflection in the glass panes of the French doors. "Ah. That penguin . . . he's just worked out how the necklace was stolen."

Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette - Avidan is determined to find his missing cousin before returning home after a battle, but when he meets Keziah running away from a cruel marriage, he resolves to see her safely to her family. (Read my review HERE.)

. . . yet I was anything but a hero of faith. In fact, I'd all but rejected my own Levitical heritage when I ignored the law to run off and fight for Saul. Why would Yahweh bother listening to such an ignorant fool?

During June I started reading:

Sisters of Fortune by Anna Lee Huber - I finally got started on this historical novel featuring two sisters and their entourage as they set out on the Titanic. I'm still getting to know the characters at this point.

There was also the familiar flutter of nerves that began in the pit of her stomach before starting any journey and a touch of sadness that their grand tour was nearly at an end.

Find Momo Across Europe by Andrew Knapp - This is a photography book, and we got it to enjoy as sort of a project with our granddaughter who loves dogs. The reading shouldn't take long, but we're planning to work on finding the dog Momo in each of the photos with our granddaughter whenever she comes over.

Watching Momo explore the courtyard where Van Gogh once walked was a surreal moment!

During June I continued reading:

Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck - After her longtime relationship fizzles, Susanna decides it's time to make changes in her life. Do those changes include a possible relationship with Nate, who turns out to be a crown prince? Nathaniel is falling for this ordinary American girl, but his future is determined by his duty to his kingdom.

"Odd how you seem to be a man who has it all, except you can't marry the woman you love."

Where My Books Took Me in June . . . Here's where I've traveled through the pages during the month, along with One Word to sum up the ones I finished.

Voice of the Ancient takes place in ancient Israel.

One Word: Trust

Hardy Haul at Hardy Hall is set in England.

One Word: Comical

Once Upon A Prince has started in coastal Georgia, but will move to the fictional kingdom of Brighton.

Sisters of Fortune is mostly set on the Atlantic Ocean.

Find Momo Across Europe - obviously, all over Europe! The journey begins in Portugal and Spain.

Coming Up in July!

I'm limiting myself to one or two books in this section, because what's "up next" changes often, and I'm reading more slowly. I have an extra one on the list this time, because it's possible I'll get an advance reader's copy, in which case it will get bumped to the top of my TBR list.

The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa - I finally purchased this book that's been on my wishlist.

A Deceptive Composition by Anna Lee Huber - I'd pre-ordered this so it was a nice surprise to have it arrive, but now I need to get started reading it!

Shield of the Mighty by Connilyn Cossette - if I get a NetGalley copy, I'll be starting this next. If not, I'll have to wait until August when it's published.

On my blogs recently . . . 

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

What I'm Reading - June 17, 2024

And on A Fresh Cup of Coffee:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Five Minute Friday posts

Everyday Images posts

Hodgepodge and other Q&A Link-up posts

Twenty-Six Lists

WQ - Tell Us About Beauty

WQ - Ocean Waves

Currently . . . June 10, 2024 (WQ - Reading List)

Five Minute Friday/May Rhythm - Just Passing Through

Monthly Musings - WQ: Summertime

This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot; and (if I remember) at Share Your Shelf hosted by Slices of Life, and at the weekly reading list meme hosted at Book Date.

©2008-2024 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 May 24, 2024

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

I made a snap decision to accept this humorous cozy (or cosy, since it's British!) mystery for review, and I'm enjoying it so far, about a quarter of the way in. The narrative is witty and moves quickly!

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CHAPTER ONE

In which timing is everything, all hope is lost for the next generation, a burglary is announced, and Teddy Quillfeather prepares for what promises to be a challenging away derby.

The key to a successful heist, almost anyone who's ever heisted successfully will tell you, is timing.

~From the beginning of Hardy Haul at Hardy Hall (Teddy Quillfeather Mysteries Book 1) by PJ Fitzsimmons

The theft of an immensely valuable, immensely ugly necklace is only the beginning of the intrigues and idiosyncrasies of a country weekend at Hardy Hall where Teddy Quillfeather's mother has sent her with strict instructions to select an eligible bachelor from a shortlist of aristocrats, plutocrats, and copycats.

But when Teddy sets out to discourage the suitors and discover the looters with her natural knack for applied shenanigans she instead uncovers countless conspiracies, complicated by country house courtesies. It's a comedy of manners and caper of manors and the only solution, if you're Teddy Quillfeather, is obviously another heist . . . 

This series starter is a clean, clever cosy that will appeal, obviously, to readers of Anty Boisjoly but also PG Wodehouse, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L Sayers, and above all to those who like a little or, ideally, a lot of comedy in their cosies.

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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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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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"So you can see why Mama wants to marry me off as soon as possible," Teddy examined her fingernails casually, "before the family curse kicks in."

~at 56% in Hardy Haul at Hardy Hall by PJ Fitzsimmons

The Friday 56 was started and hosted at Freda's Voice. She is taking a break from hosting, but Anne at My Head Full of Books has volunteered to host for now, so I'll be linking up there.

*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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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's your favorite outdoor reading spot, and do you have any advice for creating the perfect outdoor reading experience?

My Answer: I seldom read outside, in general. I'm usually doing something when I'm outside rather than just sitting and reading, although there have been many times when I've stood at the grill "watching" something cook while reading a few paragraphs of a good book. It's the light that is my problem. I use reading glasses so if my reading spot is too sunny, it's just too bright for my comfort. (I'm planning to get new glasses soon, and I'm thinking I may get bifocal sunglasses too, which might help.)

So for me, the perfect outdoor reading experience would be somewhere on a comfortably warm day, but I'd get myself into a hammock or lounge chair in a lightly shaded spot. Very little breeze, and hopefully very few bugs to distract me!

Book Blogger Hop

©2008-2024 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 May 17, 2024

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

It's hard to find time to read lately, at least time when I'm not falling asleep! I do have a little bit of time at lunch, so this is one of the books I've had sitting on my Kindle for a long time that I'm finally working on. I noticed the blurb says it inspired a Hallmark movie, which I didn't even know!

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What did he say? The storm gusts moving over the Atlantic must have garbled his words.

"I can't marry you"?

~From the beginning of Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck

The story that inspired the Hallmark Original movie! He's a royal prince. She's an ordinary girl. But this holiday could change everything.

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess―just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up with her instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simons Island is the queen of his heart. The prince has duties, and his family's tense political situation means he won't be able to marry for love or even choose his own bride.

When Prince Nathnaiel stops to help Susanna, who is stranded with a flat tire under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is immediately enchanted by her. And even though he's a total stranger, Susanna finds herself pouring her heart out to him.

Their lives are worlds apart, and soon Nathaniel must face the ultimate choice: his kingdom or her heart?

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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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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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Others? What others? This adventure was starting to raise more questions than answers. She and Avery were staying at the royal summer house with members of the royal family? And she had yet to hear from Nate?

~at 56% in Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck

The Friday 56 was started and hosted at Freda's Voice. She is taking a break from hosting, but Anne at My Head Full of Books has volunteered to host for now, so I'll be linking up there.

*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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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: Do you consider yourself a book collector or a book hoarder?

My Answer: Well, I would say collector and I'm sure my husband would say hoarder. I guess he wouldn't be completely wrong, but in my defense I have pared down my COLLECTION a great deal over the past year or two. I have a few favorite authors and will buy their books for my collection. Other than those few, I try to be very careful how much I spend on books. However. it's soooooooo hard to just "get rid" of books!! I want them all to have a good home!

Book Blogger Hop

©2008-2024 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 April 26, 2024

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

I'm currently working on this fairytale retelling for a review. The description sounded interesting, but it was the cover that really attracted me. 

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PROLOGUE

Andrew paced back and forth, tugging at his blond hair. She couldn't be dead. Impossible!

~From the beginning of Silencing the Siren (Ever After Mysteries) by Denise L. Barela

Andrew Grayson thought he had everything . . . until he met her.

The indulged son of wealthy parents, Andrew has always gotten whatever he wanted almost before he knew he wanted it - clothes, gadgets . . . even a car! What more could a young man desire?

Enter Annabel Thompson. Freakshow mermaid extraordinaire . . . in a wheelchair!

Of course, her beauty attracts him. How could it not? Add to that a kind heart, and Andrew can't help but fall for her.

Annabel's connection with the freakshow repels his parents and their society friends. They want him to sever all ties with her and his new friends. Oh, and marry the "right" girl with the "right connections." But he won't do it. He'll defy them and marry his little mermaid.

When Annabel turns up missing, declared dead, things don't add up, andrew begins asking some difficult questions, the most important being, "What happened to the little mermaid of the Coney Island freak show?"

Find out in this next book in the Ever After Mysteries, combining beloved fairy tales and mysteries. Silencing the Siren offers a retelling of "the Little Mermaid" that will keep you gripped to the edge of your seat as you watch the story unfold.

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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.

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

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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Her sleep that night was fitful, but when she woke, she was firm in her decision.

It was time.

~at 56% in Silencing the Siren (Ever After Mysteries) by Denise L. Barela

The Friday 56 was started and hosted at Freda's Voice. She is taking a break from hosting, but Anne at My Head Full of Books has volunteered to host for now, so I'll be linking up there.

*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.

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

©2008-2024 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 March 22, 2024

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

I'm pretty sure that someone in a past Friday 56 or First Lines featured this book and the intriguing premise and cute cover caught my attention. It's been sitting on my Kindle for awhile, and I started reading it last week. 

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Walking away from Higashi Honganji temple, Hideji Kuboyama instinctively turned up the collar on his trench coat.

~From the beginning of The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

The Kamogawa Food Detectives is the first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese series, for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

What's the one dish you'd do anything to taste just one more time?

Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner serves up deliciously extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason customers stop by . . . 

The father-daughter duo are 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are able to recreate dishes from a person's treasured memories - dishes that may well hold the keys to their forgotten past and future happiness. The restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to vanished moments, creating a present full of possibility.

A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal.

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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.

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

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.

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

'Oh, there's no such thing as rude or polite when it comes to food,' said Nagare, clearing away the rest of her dishes and wiping the table. 'What matters is that you eat it the way you like it.'

~at 56% in The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

The Friday 56 was started and hosted at Freda's Voice. She is taking a break from hosting, but Anne at My Head Full of Books has volunteered to host for now, so I'll be linking up there.

*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.

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

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: Do you remember your first library visit?

My Answer: I don't know that I remember my very first library visit, but I have pretty clear memories of my elementary school's library, and of the two public libraries that were near where I grew up. I spent a lot of time in the school library and I'd venture to say that was the first one I visited. I had plenty of books at home from a very young age, but being able to borrow even more books from a library (free!!!!) was so exciting! When we moved, the local public libraries were among the first community hubs I visited too, so I still remember the ones in Ocean City and Vineland, in Frederick and Westminster and Taneytown, and now the beautiful library in New Albany, Ohio.

Book Blogger Hop

©2008-2024 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.