Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Reads & My TBR

It’s another Top Ten Tuesday, now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Today’s official topic: Books to Read By the Pool/At the Beach or Summer TBR.

My take will be “summer reads” because, like me, you might prefer to do your reading in a mountain escape or just curled up somewhere in the A/C! I’m also listing a snippet of the books on my summer TBR. These are ones I am either DYING to read or am definitely reading for review in the coming weeks. (AKA I’m setting realistic goals because my TBR continent grows weekly).

Without further ado, here are books you should read this summer and ones I will be reading!

Summer Reads

The “Isle of Hope” series by Julie Lessman | Start with book 1, Isle of Hope. This series just screams humid summertime in Georgia with fishing and romance!
Just a Kiss by Denise Hunter | This is a wonderful summer-y starts-as-friends romance.

The “Montana Fire” series by Susan May Warren | You won’t be able to stop reading this series! I recommend going straight through it.
A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay | Sunflowers + Italy = the perfect travel “escape” that delves beyond surface level into humanity and relationships.

The “Prince Edward Island Dreams” series by Liz Johnson | Three subtly connected stories told with an idyllic setting — plus there’s an INN!

My Summer TBR

The Last Summer by Brandy Bruce
Love’s Silver Lining by Julie Lessman
Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan
Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter
Dead Drift by Dani Pettrey

The “Timeless Love” romance novella collection by various authors | I’ve already read a couple of these and I LOVE THEM!

Your turn! What’s on your summer TBR? Do you have any summer reads to recommend?

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First Line Fridays # 16: “Sons of Blackbird Mountain”

It’s time for a new edition of First Line Fridays hosted by the Hoarding Books blog!

I just can’t resist talking about this book. Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof releases in a few weeks, but I have been anticipating and subsequently reveling in its story-amazingness for a while now! Beneath this gorgeous cover is a poignant story of brothers, the bond of family, and the bittersweet and joyous facets of love.

Look for my review soon!

First Line:

Blackbird Mountain, Virginia

August 27, 1890

Aven peered down at the letter again, noted the address written in Aunt Dorothe’s hand, then looked back to the wooden sign that was staked into the ground.

Your turn! Find the book closest to you and share your first line in the comments! Then, head over to Hoarding Books for the linky and visit other FLF posts!

Cover Reveal: “Jane by the Book” by Pepper Basham

About the Book

Four years ago, Jane Warwick escaped the shame and heartbreak of being jilted at the altar by becoming a housekeeper at the secluded Inn at Simeon Ridge. Predictable and quiet, the inn helps Jane find a place to heal and celebrates her strengths, where she is promoted to head housekeeper. But an unexpected visit to Bath, England, upsets Jane’s plans and sends her out of her comfort zone, directly into the harrowing path of historical detective author, Titus Stewart. The only plans Titus sticks to are family holidays and the ones that send him careening into his story worlds, but when an uptight and nervous innkeeper stumbles into his life – and his latest novel – nonfiction begins to take on a much more interesting gleam.

As the unlikely pair delve into the mystery behind a one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old letter, will they both uncover a romance that stands the test of time?

The Cover!

…without further delay, here is the cover! I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors! The couple is pretty cute, too 😉

 

 

 

GOODREADS

You can find Jane by the Book this JULY in the Once Upon a Laugh Novella Collection.

About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes historical and contemporary romance novels with grace, humor, and culture clashes. She’s a Blue Ridge Mountain native and an anglophile who enjoys combining her two loves to create memorable stories of hope. You can connect with Pepper over at her group blog, The Writer’s Alley, her website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.

 

Also by Pepper Basham

Amazon | Goodreads

Amazon |Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Courtney’s Review

Giveaway

As part of this Cover Reveal Blitz, Pepper is giving away 1 (ONE) ebook copy of Second Impressions. Please enter via the Rafflecopter Form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First Line Fridays # 15: “Where Trains Collide”

It’s time for a new edition of First Line Fridays hosted by the Hoarding Books blog!

Today’s first line is from an upcoming contemporary romance novella from indie author Amber Stokes. Amber’s stories always have a genuineness about them – with a sweet romance, of course – so I’m anticipating this one will be no different! Plus, its setting is a TRAIN! How cool is that!?
Where Trains Collide releases June 3. Look for my review in a few weeks!

First Lines:

Blog post: “Do you ever have days when you’re sick of the very thing you used to love?…”

Chapter 1: Without letting herself think too much about how ridiculous and fruitless her latest blog post sounded, Trisha pressed the “publish” button and then set her iPhone aside.

Your turn! Find the book closest to you and share your first line in the comments! Then, head over to Hoarding Books for the linky and visit other FLF posts!

Top Ten Tuesday: 12 Green Books

It’s another Top Ten Tuesday, now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Today’s official topic: Books With My Favorite Color On the Cover (or In the Title). Because 1. Green is my favorite color and 2. This is The Green Mockingbird blog, I picked GREEN! I couldn’t stop at just 10. And, I decided to limit myself to books I’ve read, otherwise you would see way more than 12 on my list!

12 Green Books

Finding Evergreen by Jennifer Rodewald

The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan

Price of Privilege by Jessica Dotta

The Thirteenth Chance by Amy Matayo

Together at the Table by Hillary Manton Lodge

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

The Bound Heart by Dawn Crandall

Keep Holding On by Melissa Tagg

With You Always by Jody Hedlund

The Sound of Emeralds by Rachelle Rea Cobb

On Love’s Gentle Shore by Liz Johnson

The Thorn Healer by Pepper D. Basham

Your turn! What is your favorite color? Do you have a favorite “green” book? Did you participate in Top Ten Tuesday this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: 11 Characters Who Would Make Great Leaders of a Camping Trip

It’s another Top Ten Tuesday, now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Way back in November, a TTT topic was all about “characters who would make great leaders of _______”. From brainstorming about that list, I came up with a group of characters who would be more helpful in outdoorsy, adventurous situations. SO, it morphed into this week’s freebie choice: 11 characters who would make great leaders of a camping trip!

From real-life experience, I know you want camping family/friends who are dependable, capable, and able to handle unexpected things. This group would be excellent because of their skills and general knowledge of their respective environments. Some would be helpful in an emergency, others reliable for their survival skills and general adventurous natures.

11 Characters Who Would Make Great Leaders of a Camping Trip

1. Tyler Hawk from Count Me In by Mikal Dawn

I mean, he leads his own ADVENTURE expedition company in the pacific northwest. Paragliding or rafting, anyone?

2. Benny Citrone of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police from A Lesson in Love and Murder by Rachel McMillan

Hello, a Mountie who explores the northern territories? AND has a poetic side!?

3. Jesse Bird from The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton & 4. Sion Morgan from A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz

Wilderness and frontier survivors. They can track, hunt, and provide with the best of them.

5. Sadie Boden from No Way Up by Mary Connealy

Her rock climbing skills alone would be handy!

6. Griffin McCray from Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey & 7. Ford Brayden from The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett

Griff, a park-ranger-turned-detective, is more than capable of handling anything that comes his way. And Ford— well, his park ranger knowledge of the wilderness, foliage, and axe-wielding skills make him capable, too!

8. & 9. Brothers Pete AND Sam Brooks from Rescue Me by Susan May Warren

Many leading characters from this series would work on this list. But these two….. between their search-and-rescue skills and their general hilarious banter (when they’re not at odds with each other), they would both be assets to a team!

10. Paul Rustin from Reclaimed by Jennifer Rodewald & 11. Reese Mitchell from A Twist of Faith by Pepper Basham

I couldn’t make this list without at least a couple good ‘ole country boys! Paul fits that persona, and more. Reese, well, his skill set begins with fire-starting and doesn’t end there! 😉

Your turn! Who would you add to this list? What did you pick for your freebie topic? Share in the comments!

Musings on the review routine…

A conversation with a friend sparked this rambling thought process on the “book review routine”.

After mentioning that I review books, this friend asked me if I still enjoy stories as much (because I’m thinking about critiquing, etc.). I heartily responded YES! As conversation continued, it was one of those moments I realized I had not thought of this concept this way before, and talking about it helped my realization.

 

Yes. I do still enjoy story as much, but most likely MORE SO because reviewing makes me say more than “I like it” (ok, most of the time, unless it’s a flailing gush-of-a-review and I just say I loooooove it.). I consider plot, themes, characterization, setting, symbolism, etc., way more than when I read all books at my leisure. I think about all of these things while reading. And, these considerations make those little moments when I recognize a story is going to be ingrained in my heart for its amazingness all the more special.

Oh, and those friends that kindly ask about your hobbies and passions? Hold them dear.

 

I would love to know your thoughts!!! Fellow book bloggers, how has this “process” changed the way you perceive story?