Scripture and a Snapshot - Encouragement and Good Hope

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
~II Thessalonians 2:16-17~

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

Let Us Grow is hosted by Let Us Walk Worthy

©2008-2016 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/

Book Blogger Hop - July 22, 2016

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I think we're all on the same page again for the Book Blogger Hop question. Visit Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer for all the book bloggers' answers.

Do you always put a book cover in your posts when you are mentionin books or just text? 

On this blog - ALWAYS a cover!! Because we do judge books by their covers, don't we? I do, and I just really like to see the cover art. It helps me know what I'm looking for when I'm shopping or browsing the library shelves. On my homeschool blog, I often mention what's on my reading list by title only. 

©2008-2016 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/

Recent Reads - Shades of Milk and Honey

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Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal - I'd seen a couple of reviews of this Austen-inspired novel that intrigued me, so when I happened upon it at the library, I jumped at the opportunity to read it for myself. Basically, this is a Regency setting where magic is real. It's possible to pull threads and folds of glamour from the ether in the air and create works of art with it; and developing this art form is very desirable in society.

Jane Ellsworth is a skilled glamourist, but she is getting past marriageable age, and her younger sister Melody is much more beautiful and earns more attention from eligible young men. Until a new family comes to their neighborhood and seems to favor Jane over her sister; and another neighbor brings a celebrated artist to create glamurals in her home. Mr Dunkirk, Mr Vincent, and many other characters reminded me sometimes of the people in Austen's novels, as did some of the settings and general situations, but the addition of the magical world of glamour gave a new twist to the story. Jane's family is threatened, and she rises to the occasion, and also stumbles into her own love story, much to her surprise and satisfaction.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and its unique combination of fantasy and standard Regency made for an easy read. However, the writing was a little flat, and although there are "continuing adventures of Jane and Vincent" in subsequent novels, this one ended with very little impetus for me to want to read more. An enjoyable read, but not one I'm passionate about; and I never did figure out how the title related to the story.

©2008-2016 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/

Wordless Wednesday - Red Lily

This post is linked at Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Life at Rossmont.

 ©2008-2016 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/

Teaser Tuesdays/First Chapter First Paragraph - Timebound

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn at Books and Beat. 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 reached the door and then looked back, a stern expression on her face. "And you absolutely must not hold the medallion again until you are ready. It was careless of me to leave it on the counter like that, but I had no idea that you would be able to trigger it." She shook her head briskly. "You very nearly left us, young lady, and I'm afraid that you would not have found your way back."
~Timebound (The Chronos Files)by Rysa Walker, at 8% on my Kindle

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First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading.

Prologue
Chicago - October 1893

  The heel of my white kidskin boot ripped a six-inch gash in the hem of my skirt as I whipped around the corner. Behind me, the footsteps halted for just an instant, and then continued, faster than before. I ducked into the next corridor, silently cursing the gods of 1890s fashion. Had I been in my usual shorts and T-shirt, I would have been out of this wretched hotel long ago. A solid kick to the head would have rendered the good doctor unconscious and the side of my neck wouldn't be screaming in agony.

  I darted across the hallway and took a left at the next intersection, hoping that the doctor would assume that I'd taken the quicker, easier turn to the right. Three doors down, I jiggled the knob on the off chance that it was unlocked. No luck. I pressed myself as close to the door as possible and pulled out the medallion. The center glowed, surrounding me with soft blue light. Even though I knew he couldn't see the light, I felt exposed. How many women had he lured into this confusing maze of corridors during the past year? Were any of them still alive?

Here's the blurb:

When Kate Pierce-Keller's grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate's present-day life. Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence.

Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and her genetic ability to time travel makes Kate the only one who can fix the future. Risking everything, she travels back in time to the Chicago World's Fair to try to prevent the murder and the chain of events that follows.

Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost - if Kate succeeds, the boys she loves will have no memory of her existence. And regardless of her motives, does Kate have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2016 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/

What I'm Reading - July 18, 2016

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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 also link up with Tales of a Pee Dee Mama for D.E.A.R. Monday (Drop Everything And Read).

I finished reading . . .

Out of Control (The Kincaid Brides Book 1) by Mary Connealy - Light-hearted and adventurous western romance that I figured I had to read after meeting the youngest Kincaid brother in No Way Up. (Read my full review HERE)

I'm currently reading . . .

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal - the characters and some of the scenarios are reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice, but in this Regency, being able to create magic is an ability of truly accomplished young ladies. 

The Pharaoh's Daughter: A Treasures of the Nile Novel by Mesu Andrews - I'm not far into this one yet. It's about the Egyptian princess who adopted Moses.

Next on the stack...

Charity's Cross (Charles Towne Belles) (Volume 4) by MaryLu Tyndall

The Winter Crown: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Elizabeth Chadwick 

Timebound (The Chronos Files)by Rysa Walker

The Reckoning (Legacy of the King's Pirates) (Volume 5) by MaryLu Tyndall

A Pressing Engagement (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber

     

   

On my blogs last week . . .

Here on Just A Second:

Recent Reads - Out of Control Scripture and a Snapshot - Prepared for Good Works Book Blogger Hop - July 15, 2016 Wordless Wednesday - Birthday Treat Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - Shades of Milk and Honey

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Homeschool Weekly - Summer Days Edition Virtual Refrigerator - A Little Photography Fun Spectacular Summer with SchoolhouseTeachers.com From the High School Lesson Book - Summer Homeschooling Update

What are you reading?

©2008-2016 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/

Recent Reads - Out Of Control

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Out of Control (The Kincaid Brides Book 1) by Mary Connealy - When I recently read No Way Up, I realized that the name of the male lead, Heath Kincaid, sounded familiar, and he did mention his three older half-brothers several times. Upon finishing that book, I scrolled through the other books on my Kindle and found that I did indeed have the first book in The Kincaid Brides series, but hadn't yet read it. My next move was pretty obvious - read this book!

When they were young boys, Rafe Kincaid and his two younger brothers had a terrifying experience while exploring a cave on their ranch. The experience left all three of them scarred physically and emotionally, and Rafe's way of dealing with it has been to stay in complete control of himself and his surroundings, especially distancing himself from any emotional involvement. His control and command of life is tested when he rescues a fiery young woman who has been trapped in the cave. Rafe wants nothing to do with the cave or the dangers it represents, but Julia is fascinated by the fossils she's found inside, and is relentless in her desire to keep exploring, despite the fact that someone purposely stranded her in the cave with intent to harm her.

Rafe's icy control is slipping as he falls in love with Julia and realizes that he will do just about anything to keep her safe and to allow her to follow her passionate interest in scientific discovery in the caves. He has to manage Julia, her family, and his brothers, all while trying to find the person who threatens their safety from within the caves. For her part, Julia is learning to love Rafe, but is desperate to know that he loves her in return, and she grows to realize that his attempts to boss everyone and control everything are partly a response to his childhood fear of the cave as well as his desire to protect her.

Lots of adventure - some of it improbable - and plenty of humorous exchanges between the fiery and flawed characters make for an exciting story, and a light-hearted romance developing through difficult and dangerous circumstances.

By the same author: No Way Up, Fire and Ice, Now and Forever, Tried and True

©2008-2016 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/