First Line Fridays - The Number of Love

Happy (almost the last week of school) Friday!

I admit it, folks, I am STRESSING OUT! The end of the school year has me all like 😱😵😫😬😣😓...Between trying to finish up our curriculum on time, all the performances and special events, and working...The last couple of weeks have been crazy! Only a few more to go and we'll be DONE!!! This weekend is my son's ballet recital and he is the cutest little sailor ever! Taking a little break from the chaos, here is the first line of one of my NEW favorite books!

Happy Reading!

Today’s first line is from...

The Number of Love

Roseanna M. White

Old Admiralty Building

London, England

25 September 1917

The numbers marched across the page in a glory all their own.

PREORDER NOW! Releases June 4!

GOODREADS | AMAZON

What is your favorite WWI book?

Head over to Hoarding Books to link up with your own FLF post! (Please keep it family 

friendly...Or note otherwise in the link up)

Top Ten Tuesday - Books That I Refuse to Let My Kids Touch

This week's topic on That Artsy Reader Girl is Books That I Refuse to Let Anyone Touch (submitted by Savannah Grace @ Scattered Scribblings). I'm taking a little spin on it by talking about specific books that I do NOT let my children touch. While they know they aren't supposed to mess with my books, here are a few that I purposefully keep out of their reach.

Please understand...This is NOT A CHILDREN'S BOOK! The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle may look innocent...But it is NOT! It is "clean"...there is just a bit of violence. The brother of one of my dearest friends did the illustrations in this. And sometimes, I don't know if that makes me proud....or disturbed....

My parents know me so well. They got me Doctor Who: The Complete Visual Collection a couple Christmases ago. When I went to put it away...It found its way to my Nonfiction shelf...Don't you tell me The Doctor doesn't exist!

My love of history has been life-long. My sister got this World War II Day by Day book for me in 2007. It is interesting to see how events and all that line up across the course of the war. 

Ok...I'm also slightly obsessed with The Beatles. The Beatles - The BBC Archives is a fun collection of copies of letters, lyrics, notes, and so.much.history. This stays well away from the children, for sure!

I recently ordered this book from Usborne. Where's Jane? is a search/hidden object/eye spy type of book. All placed in the settings that you could find in Regency England. 

I have several OLD books, ok, more than several. It's another obsession, I admit it. But I have some really cool titles. One of my favorites is a copy of Treasure Island. Published in 1906. Needless to say, the kids are not allowed anywhere near these old ones. 

There are quite a few copies of Peter Pan on my bookshelf. And the kids are not allowed to touch ANY of them. They do have a copy of their own. And I do read them the story...

This particular edition of Pride & Prejudice is SO beautiful. Filled with recipes and artwork and color! I'm terrified to make any of the recipes, for fear of getting it dirty. Maybe what I'll do is make a photocopy of the recipe first. LOL!

Several years ago I discovered Martha Finley's Millie Keith, A Life of Faith series, at our local library. I was a young girl and didn't realize that the original books had been published years before. In a box of old books my Granny sent, there was a copy of Mildred's Boys and Girls...And it took me walking by it on my shelf for months before I made the connection! I laughed so hard when I realized that it was an ORIGINAL copy of this series that I loved so much!

There is such a thrill that runs through me when I hold William Shakespeare's works in my hands. So many brilliant words all in one place. I admit I haven't read all of them. I have read a few though! And did you know we owe so many of our common phrases to Shakespeare? Like, "In a pickle". Oh yes...Thank you Will!

Romanov - Nadine Brandes

My Rating

★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul. (More Info)

About the Book

The history books say I died.
They don’t know the half of it.

Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them, and he’s hunted Romanov before.

Nastya’s only chances of saving herself and her family are either to release the spell and deal with the consequences, or to enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya has only dabbled in magic, but it doesn’t frighten her half as much as her growing attraction to Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her.

That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other. (From Thomas Nelson)

My Thoughts

History and fantasy collide in this entrancing tale of the Romanovs. This is a part of history that has long brought sorrow and heartache to many, myself included. Brandes uses her gift of story-weaving to bring Anastasia “Nastya's" story to life in a new way.

Historically, Romanov is very accurate, which readers may find difficult to read. The events surrounding the Romanovs final months are devastating and heartbreaking. Even though I was preparing myself for the tragedy, it was still very hard to read. Through it all, Brandes honors the Romanovs in her storytelling.

The fantasy side of the story is unique and beautiful. Brandes gives a fresh exploration of the land of magic and myth. Words and writing, family and friendship, loyalties and betrayals, are waiting for you just behind the cover of Romanov. This is a story readers will love and cherish for many years and through many rereadings.

I received a complimentary copy of Romanov from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the Author

Nadine Brandes once spent four days as a sea cook in the name of book research. She is the author of the award-winning Out of Time Series and her inner fangirl perks up at the mention of soul-talk, Quidditch, bookstagram, and Oreos. When she's not busy writing novels about bold living, she's adventuring through Middle Earth or taste-testing a new chai. She and her Auror husband live in a Tiny House on wheels. Current mission: paint the world in shalom.

Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter // Website

More Books by Nadine on Bookworm Mama

First Line Fridays - Romanov

Happy Friday!

Oh, my friends...I can't spoil too much because I will be sharing my review soon. But you really should get your hands on this one.

Today’s first line is from...

Romanov

Nadine Brandes

April 25, 1918

Tobolsk, Russia

I watched my diaries burn.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

Head over to Hoarding Books to link up with your own FLF post! (Please keep it family 

friendly...Or note otherwise in the link up)

Book Brush - A Website Review - FlyBy Promotions

My Rating

★★ - She is tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me. (More Info)

About the Website

Book Brush makes it simple for authors to make advertising and social media images. No more struggling with converting a book from a 2d image to a 3d image. Book Brush can also be used by Bloggers to easily create images for their blog posts and giveaways! Here are some of the features you will love….

✔️ Book Brush can create ads with 3D cover images (30+ templates) in minutes

✔️ Book Brush will let you choose pre-made templates for Amazon ads, BookBub ads, Facebook ads, and more...

✔️ … which you can create with over 1 million royalty-free images and book stamps

✔️ It has a Video Creator to easily create Video Effects behind a Promotional Image

My Thoughts

I was so excited to get the chance to check out a new graphics designing website. I LOVE making graphics. It is one of my favorite things to do as part of my job. So I dove in eager and full of ideas. Honestly, I wasn't impressed. I was so sad! This is a graphic that I designed and created on Book Brush. Overall, I like how it turned out, but even once I figured out the basics of how to navigate the site and settings, it was quite the hassle to arrange everything. The options are very limited as well. And the video option was extremely confusing. Something about needing credits, but can't purchase credits, and only receiving credits on the first of each month.

At a monthly cost that is slightly lower than other sites, for me, it still isn't worth the expense. Book Brush will need to add more font options, shapes/stickers, and become a little more user-friendly before I will be able to recommend this site. I look forward to the advancements the developers will make! 

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing the product/product information. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did/will receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.