Friday, October 20

Friday Fun - The Friday 56 and First Lines for October 20, 2023

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


I'm going to try to do my Friday Fun posts most weeks again, after missing most Fridays over the past couple months. I found out last week that there's no Friday 56 link-up, at least for the time being, but I think I'll still include that teaser in my posts. Because it's an interesting peek into a book, and because I don't feel like redoing my graphic. Haha. 

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Three weeks before Christmas
Moreau, Louisiana

Mattie Hayes froze, her fingers warm around a latte, and stared at the flurries of white outside the window of Le Petit French Press coffee shop, the sight briefly restoring faith to her disheartened state of mind.

~From the beginning of A Louisiana Christmas To Remember (novella collection)


A Rare Snowfall Leads to a Christmas to Remember

Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town's founding family?

In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places . . . 

In Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant, meet Jolene: An artist and prodigal daughter who discovers love exists in the very place she once called home . . . 

In A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth, meet Adale: A beautiful widow who finally dares to love again . . .

And don't forget Granny, whose feisty spirit, blunt dialogue, and quirky ways play an important and endearing role.



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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RimSP button

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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She'd be gone by then. Back to Nashville, to a cold studio apartment and a handful of rejection letters. To frozen microwave meals for one. To the reminder of dead dreams.

~at 56% of A Louisiana Christmas To Remember (novella collection)




The Friday 56 was started and hosted at Freda's Voice. She is taking a break from hosting, so there is not a link-up but I'll still include a teaser from Page 56 occasionally.

*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: Have you ever become disoriented in a book store?


My Answer: Oh I sure have! Especially in my current favorite book store, The Book Loft in the German Village of Columbus. The store is housed in a long, narrow building, and is thirty-some rooms on three floors, so it's easy to lose track of where you've been and which route you've followed. Every time I've been there it's been packed, and I got separated from my family members and we had to text each other to reconnect. Fortunately there's really only one way in and out, and there are signs to help you find your way back there. 










Book Blogger Hop

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The Book Review Bulletin, a monthly link-up for review posts, is open and I'd like to invite you to stop by and share a review or two. 


©2008-2023 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.



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Monday, October 16

What I'm Reading - October 16, 2023

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

 It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

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! Although the Book Date link-up happens weekly, I don't update that often. Usually I do this around the middle of the month, and try to share my monthly bookshelf summary on the last Monday of the month. Here's what I've been working on lately.


I finished reading . . . 

The Starlet Spy by Rachel Scott McDaniel - A Hollywood actress takes on the role of spy during WWII, returning to Sweden to recover top secret documents before the Nazis get them.  (Read my review HERE.)



Composition As Conversation by Heather M. Hoover - When I last updated, I had finished this guidebook for writing engaging and interesting material, but hadn't yet written the review. The review was published a few days later, so you can read that HERE.



I'm currently reading . . .

A Louisiana Christmas To Remember (novella collection) - Three novellas that see members of a small town community find love and healing as they prepare for a very special Christmas celebration.



The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright - a dual timeline story centering around a castle and its mysterious residents who have an ominous reputation. 



Up Next . . . 

Garden of the Midnights by Hannah Linder - I just received this for review, so it's the next book I'll open, and since I've been slower in my reading lately, I'll have to open it in the next couple days and get going! Why do I keep volunteering to review even though it's hard to keep up with it all? Well, in this case, it's an author that has greatly impressed me so far, and come on, look at this cover - gorgeous!



On the TBR stack . . . 

These are the books that I wished I'd read already, and are waiting for me on my bedside table, as soon as I get a moment to start my next good read. The stack grows faster than my ability to read it, especially lately!

Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette
A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber
Queen of Exiles by Vanessa Riley
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Murder Most Fair by Anna Lee Huber


      

   

   


What I'm Highlighting . . . The monthly book review link-up is back for another month. Stop by the Book Review Bulletin - October 2023 and link up any of your reviews that you'd like to highlight.



On my blogs recently . . . 

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



On my main coffee break project, A Fresh Cup of Coffee:



And on my "first cup blog", Homeschool Coffee Break:



What are you reading?


This post will also be linked at What's On Your Bookshelf? #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge hosted by Deb's World. 

 ©2008-2023 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.



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Friday, October 13

Friday Fun - The Friday 56 for October 13, 2023

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



I shared the first lines of this book quite some time ago, intending to share a Friday 56 later on. I hadn't expected I'd take so long to finish, or that I'd take such a long break from my Friday Fun posts, but between experiencing a slow-down in my reading, being busy, and then going on vacation, it's been awhile! I actually finished and reviewed this book, and you can see my review HERE. So I get it ready to go today and realize that while I was on my unintentional Friday Fun hiatus, Freda (who hosts the Friday 56) decided to take a break also, so there's no link-up. I wish her the best in whatever the circumstances that led to her stepping away. 

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But while my emotions slipped from my control, my mind sharpened. How had Finn known I was out here? I was almost two streets from the nightclub. Yet he'd found me.

~at 56% in The Starlet Spy by Rachel Scott McDaniel


Hollywood Star Turns Spy

In 1943, movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie's homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the "Casablanca of the North." When top-secret atomic research goes missing in Sweden, the Allied forces scramble to recover the files before they fall into Nazi hands.

The United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) needs someone who's subtle enough to spy on the Swedish elite without triggering suspicion. Who better than the "all beauty, no brains" Scandinavian starlet? Fluent in three languages and possessing a brilliant memory, Amelie loathes being labeled witless but uses the miconception as her disguise. She's tasked with searching for the crucial files, but Finn Ristaffason keeps getting in her way. Is the charming shipping magnate after the missing research? Or does he have other reasons for showing up at her every turn?

With the Gestapo on her heels, Amelie must rely on her smarts in addition to her acting skills to survive and world of deadly spies and counterspies.



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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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 read anything specific in the fall?

My Answer: Well, not really, but I do find myself wanting to read Dracula or something similar during the latter part of October. Something with a classic Halloween vibe. Dracula is actually a favorite, and a new book I read recently, Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep, will probably become one of those annual reads. (Read my review HERE)





Book Blogger Hop

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The Book Review Bulletin, a monthly link-up for review posts, is open and I'd like to invite you to stop by and share a review or two. 


©2008-2023 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.



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Tuesday, October 10

Recent Reads - The Starlet Spy

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


The Starlet Spy by Rachel Scott McDaniel - Amelie Blake has built a successful career as a Hollywood actress, but she is weary of being stereotyped as a dumb blonde. Those are the roles she plays and how most people view her, but she has a brilliant mind and an incredible photographic memory. So when a movie producer approaches her for a role in a spy effort in her homeland of Sweden, she's intrigued. She will need to continue allowing the world to believe she is empty-headed, but her keen mind, knowledge of languages, and remarkable gift for memorizing what she sees are needed in order to recover missing atomic research before the Nazis find it.

Once in Sweden, Amelie meets her contact, code named Wolf, and her assignment begins at a glamorous fundraising event where she must charm the shipping magnate Finn Ristaffason and find a way to search his property for the top secret files. She has a connection to his family and finds it easy to like his grandmother, but must remain on her guard around Finn - can he be trusted, or is he a double agent? What about Wolf and the way he shows up unexpectedly and warns her of potential danger? Is he truly protecting her, or does he have ulterior motives?

Amelie uncovers clues to where the files might be, and as the danger around her increases, she must make some split-second decisions about who to trust and which way to turn, and when her mask slips, will it cost her the mission or even her life?

During WWII, some actors and actresses had roles to play that were not credited on the silver screen. This fictional story about Amelie was inspired by some of these stories and rumors. Amelie is a likeable character, and in many ways reminded me of Hedy Lamarr - a brilliant mind but needing to hide her intelligence in order to survive and serve her country. Amelie and her mother have a family secret that puts her at risk, and old wounds that keep Amelie cautious. There are sparks between her and Wolf, and between her and Finn, and not surprisingly, a romance develops, but given the circumstances it's a real test of trust and patience before the happy ending. Overall, this is a compelling and entertaining story full of action and intrigue that reads a little like an Indiana Jones adventure, stretching credulity at times.

Hollywood Star Turns Spy

In 1943, movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie's homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the "Casablanca of the North." When top-secret atomic research goes missing in Sweden, the Allied forces scramble to recover the files before they fall into Nazi hands.

The United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) needs someone who's subtle enough to spy on the Swedish elite without triggering suspicion. Who better than the "all beauty, no brains" Scandinavian starlet? Fluent in three languages and possessing a brilliant memory, Amelie loathes being labeled witless but uses the miconception as her disguise. She's tasked with searching for the crucial files, but Finn Ristaffason keeps getting in her way. Is the charming shipping magnate after the missing research? Or does he have other reasons for showing up at her every turn?

With the Gestapo on her heels, Amelie must rely on her smarts in addition to her acting skills to survive and world of deadly spies and counterspies.

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.
#TheStarletSpy #NetGalley


This is a book featuring a fashionable character (#25) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge
#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023


©2008-2023 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.


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Sunday, October 1

Book Review Bulletin - October 2023

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


Welcome to the Book Review Bulletin link-up! The purpose is to share our individual book reviews and to visit and comment on those review posts. Sometimes it seems that we book bloggers do a lot of sharing and commenting on our reading lists and teasers and book-related posts, but not nearly as much attention is given to the actual reviews. 

The Bulletin is a monthly link-up for review posts. Share the individual posts of book reviews on your blog that you'd like to highlight, and make sure to visit, leave comments, and perhaps share some of the other reviews linked up. 

The Bulletin opens on the first day of each month and closes on the last day of the month. You can grab the button below for your blog if you'd like. After leaving your link, please visit one or two (or more!) of the other links and leave a comment.

Any questions? Suggestions? Please let me know!

Just A Second


Reminder: Please include a MATURE tag on any links to reviews with books or covers above a PG rating. This will give readers that prefer clean read a heads-up before they click your link. Thank you for respecting this request!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

©2008-2023 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.

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