Hello and happy Friday, reader friends! Welcome to 2018! Is anyone else having a hard time wrapping your mind around that number?! Wowza! We’re kicking off the new year with a novella from one of my favorites! Keep reading for the first line of For Love of Liberty by Julie Lessman!
This is going to be an exciting year for Christian fiction, y’all! I put my researcher hat on and gave a shout out to my indie author friends then the next thing I know, my review calendar is packed through the end of August and I’m turning books away! As it is, this summer is going to be crazy busy because there are SEVERAL must-read books releasing!
Which makes me wonder… would y’all like to see my most highly anticipated books for the month or quarter? I’ve not shared a post like that before but if you want it, I’m happy to do it! Actually, I’ve already read 2 and I’m halfway through the third right now! Let me know in the comments!
For Love of Liberty by Julie Lessman
“Okay, just breathe … in, out, in, out. Twenty-two-year-old Liberty O’Shea swallowed hard, her throat as dry as the clouds of dust whirling behind her from wagon wheels on F Street at noon.“
Speaking of highly anticipated, sweet Liberty here is trapped in my tbr snowball right now and I’m ready for everything to thaw out! I’m doing my best to make tbt, tbr, and series reviews a priority this year! Planning, planning. planning, then being flexible when all the plans go out the window… that should just about cover it!
Silver Lining Ranch series
Go to Hoarding Books to find more FLF bloggers!
Faithfully Bookish 
It’s years since I read anything by Julie Lessman – this cover and first line promises something a little different. I’ll be watching out for your review 🙂
I’m sharing the first line from The View from Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble on my blog – another great romantic suspense novel!
I’m currently reading Missing Isaac, the brilliant debut from Valerie Fraser Luesse. Here’s the first line:
A sleepy purple twilight wrapped around the farmhouse, its tall windows glowing with warmth from somewhere inside.
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Oh I’m reading Missing Isaac soon, I’ll have to checkout your review!
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Good golly, it’s going to be a busy year! I think a most anticipated each quarter personally, but maybe even than would get too lengthy!
I’m featuring the first line from Susan May Warren’s “Troubled Waters” on my blog today, but right now I’m deep into “A Moonbow Night” by Laura Frantz (I know, I know. So behind!):
“What cannot be cured must be endured.”
Have a great weekend 🙂
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I am, too! #bookbloggerprobs Happy reading with Moonbow! I’m reading The Lacemaker ????
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My calendar is backed too (in the best way!).
I’m featuring Valerie Fraser Luesse’s “Missing Isaac” over at my blog, but the first line of the book that is currently sitting in front of me at my desk is:
“It was no surprise to me that I’d lost track of time.” (from A Song of Home by Susie Finkbeiner)
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Both are on my tbr! I’m with you, if we’re going to have problems, this is not a terrible one to be plagued with!
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I’m not sure I want to know your most anticipated 🙂 Seriously, though, that would be an interesting post.
My first line is from the Christian Young Adult book Bubbly Schnitzel by Meg Gonzales.
“Julia, this is a horrible idea.”
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Oh yay! Meg’s books sound so good!
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Happy Friday!
My First Line Friday comes from a book I’m reading now, Any Day Now by Robyn Carr.
So, this is what a new life looks like. Sierra Jones opened her eyes on a sunny Colorado morning to that thought.
Have a great weekend and stay warm!
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Sounds like a nice life to wake up to!
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Oh man, I had to figure out how to limit my anticipated reads list! Perhaps quarterly would be best? Lol. Can’t wait to see yours!
I’m sharing about Until We Find Home by Cathy Gohlke on the blog today, but since it’s the closest book to me since it’s what I’m currently reading, I’ll share it here as well.
May 1940
Lightning crackled, splitting the night sky over Paris, illuminating letters painted on the bookstore window across the street: La Maison de Amis Livres. Driving rain pounded the loose shutters of Shakespeare and Company, making them rattle so that Claire Stewart dropped the heavy blackout curtain into place.
Happy Friday!
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Ooooo, Carrie and I were drooling over that book! We’ll have to check out your review!
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I’m wanting to read this one also! My review calendar is also booked. There are so many exciting books coming out in the next 6 months. Yay! Over on my blog this week, I’m featuring The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz (another amazing book!). My next book on the TBR stack just happens to be the feature book on Hoarding Books, so I won’t share an extra line in the comments this week. Have a wonderful weekend & keep warm!
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Oh yes, I’m reading The Lacemaker right now!
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I’m giddy over Julie new series! 🙂
Adam Bryan pushed into the Magnolia Cafe and turned to wait for his younger sister Daisy. Second Chance Rose by Liz Talley (Christmas Roses by multiple authors)
Happy Friday, Beth!
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Aww, what a good big brother!
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They say revenge is a dish best served cold….a good thing to remember when you’re planning to murder a chef.
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE CRUST
By H. Y. Hanna
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????
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BETH!! Thank you for featuring For Love of Liberty in your First Line Friday! It’s a short read, so hopefully that’ll help thaw out that tbr snowball, girlfriend. And if not the brevity, then the “heat” for sure! 😉
Iola, I have to admit, I’m rather curious as to why you haven’t read me in years, so shoot me a private FB message to let me know why if you are so inclined, okay?
CARYL!! Thanks SO much for your sweet comment, darlin’ about book 1 in the Silver Lining Ranch series, Love’s Silver Lining! I have to admit that I am having a ball writing it, so I hope that means you will, too, reading it. 🙂 SO appreciate your support, my friend!!
Which brings me to the first line from the the book I’m reading AND writing:
READING:
The amount of female attention her brother garnered never failed to amaze Lucy. — A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden
WRITING:
Sweet chorus of angels—pinch me! — Love’s Silver Lining
Happy Friday, everyone, and happy reading!!
Hugs,
Julie
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Poor juggling on my part, Julie! I could definitely use some heat right now, I’m cold all the time and this weather is simply not helping! Great lines, btw!
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My first line is from Karen Witemeyer’s The Love Knot. “Claire Nevin frowned at the cheerful white clouds frolicking across the blue sky and tried to close her ears against the chipper melodies the birds insisted on singing in response to the deceptively fine morning. Ignorant creatures. Could they not sense that this day held no cause for celebration?”
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I love Karen’s work!
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Happy Friday! My first line(s) is from the Prologue in Susan May Warren’s new book Troubled Waters, which I finished last night:
“Oh, this was a bad idea. Epically, abysmally, horrendously bad.”
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Oh yay! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
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Happy New Year Beth!
I would like to see your quarterly list of your most highly anticipated books. You always share such wonderful books.
I always enjoy Julie’s books and what a lovely book cover. I have For Love of Liberty on my very looong TBR list.
My first line is from A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund (I got for Christmas but have not started reading it yet).
….Forests of Wessex In the year of our Lord 1390….
“Time to chop off your thumbs.”
Blessings, Tina
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Well, y’all have convinced me! I’ll whip up a list of my top picks!
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I’m in the same boat! I’ve lost control of my TBR pile. ????
Today, I’m hosting Oath of Honor on my site. I just started it, so I’m only at chapter 3. So, here I will share the first couple of lines from that chapter.
“‘Kevin!’ But with the doors shut and the windows up, he wouldn’t hear her whispered shout. She should have lied and said the place was covered in cameras.”
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It’s easy to do, there are so many great books available! Oh yes, Oath of Honor is on my Kindle! I’m so excited to read more from Lynette Eason!
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My first line is from A Song Unheard by Roseanna White:
“The music seeped into her soul like a fog over the Thames.”
Love Rosanna’s lyrical prose!
Too many on my anticipated list. So many good sounding ones coming up!
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Paula! You’re back!!! I’m so happy to see your comment go through today! I’m reading Roseanna’s book next week!
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Is this a history nove!? It sounds exciting.
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Yes, Betty, it certainly is! ????
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Love this cover! Happy Friday!
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Liberty has sass, I can see it!
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I just started reading Three Little Words by Melissa Tagg and the first line is “Seven years shouldn’t feel like such a gaping span of time.” I hope you have a nice weekend and stay warm!
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Melissa Tagg, another author I need to read more of 😉 Thanks for sharing!
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I’m featuring Oath of Honor over on my blog, but I’ll share Life on The Porcelain Edge by C.E. Hilbert here — Tessa Tarrington’s life was in the toilet.
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That’s unfortunate for Tessa! I’m looking forward to Oath of Honor!
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I am reading The New Year’s Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini. The first line is, “Sylvia spun the radio dial through pop songs and talk shows until she came upon a station playing big band versions of holiday favorites.”
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Nice! I’m not a fan of pop stations either!
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Happy Friday, have a great weekend!
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You too, Sarah!
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Im going to try and plan better this year too, but we’re already one week in and feel like I’m already behind. Maybe I’ll pretend the first is tomorrow!? ????
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Me too *sigh* #bookblogprobs
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