Book Beginnings on Fridays/Friday 56: The Wedding, and Book Blogger Hop

  

    Hi! Welcome to my triple-combo book blog meme post, the last in this week's Stepping Stones Book Reviews' Week of Book Memes. (To view all of the Week of Book Memes events I've done in the past, click HERE.) Earlier this week, I participated in my third #IMWAYR and a very special TTT list, taking a little break from Waiting on Wednesdays this time around. If you've already looked at any of these posts, thank you so much for reading and commenting! 

    This month, my Book Beginnings on Fridays/Friday 56 is going to feature an awesome, well-written book by Olivia "Livy" Jarmusch! If you've hung around my blog for the past few months, you know that I've been raving about this author and her books nonstop, both reviewing the first book in her Tales of Tarsurella series, and posting a special interview with her, as well as mentioning another one of her reads in this week's #IMWAYR. (I can't help it...everything she makes is so good!) If you're looking for fun, clean reads that guide you toward the Lord, Livy Jarmusch may be the new author for you. This book is the third in her Tales of Tarsurella series.

Title: The Wedding

Author: Olivia Lynn Jarmusch

Genre: Christian Fiction/Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis: Vanessa Bennett is living in a real-life fairytale. Now that she's engaged to the man of her dreams, The Palace Staff is consumed with wedding preparation. The upcoming event is no small affair, as Vanessa is bombarded with hundreds of decisions she needs to make before the wedding date arrives. Amidst the endless details concerning dresses, decorations and napkins, a greater question looms: is Vanessa truly ready to become Queen? As tensions rise within Tarsurella, the role of joining her betrothed in governing an ever-shifting nation is no small task. Will she crack under the pressure?

Meanwhile, Jane Akerly is hoping to awaken from a nightmare. Her father has been missing for months. Advised to accept the harsh reality that he may never return, Jane isn't ready to give up. She finds comfort in the one place she's always run to for escape-her daydreams. Her imagination has the power to carry her across the ocean, stroll the streets of London, and imagine that all is well. In an unexpected turn of events, Jane is given the opportunity to create the future of her dreams-but will her pen be enough to save her?

First Line: Vanessa Bennett floated on the cotton-candy clouds of a dream come true.

My Thoughts: My first thought after reading this line is pure excitement. Vanessa is one of my favorite characters in Livy's Tales of Tarsurella books and as a reader I'm so stoked to hear from her again! Even if you've never read through the series, you can immediately tell the mood of the character, who the perspective is from, and a little of what's going on in her life right now. Well, except for the dream part...that bit of info is something you have to read on to find out about! 😊

    It will never fail to amaze me how different one book's "Friday 56" can be from another. While most of this book is very joyful and squeal-worthy, other parts of it try to play into the opposite mood. Though I think I'll always be more of a "slice-of-life" fan than a "nonstop action" fan I appreciate how Livy continues to weave in more of an adventure-filled plot into the rest of her story.

From The Wedding: Jane knew all this had to be so. As ludicrous as it sounded, it would happen. It absolutely had to happen. She had no intention of things working out any other way. She wouldn't adjust to a life without him.

    And now for this week's Book Blogger Hop question...

This Week's Question: Do you own an e-reader? If so, what is your favorite thing about it?

My Answer: Yes, I do! I own a Kindle, which I've used even more since going through quarantine. (Honestly, in quarantine while our library was closed, I began to have a new appreciation for any kind of digital reading!) I think my favorite thing about having an e-reader is that I am able to highlight and comment on different parts of the book, which is something that isn't as easy to do with printed books (though I've definitely tried both ways)!

    Thanks for taking a look at this post! I'd love to hear what you think in the comments. If you also had a Friday post, make sure to link to it so I can read it, too.

    What about you? After reading these snippets, would you consider checking out the book? What do you think about the synopsis? What would be your answer to the Book Blogger Hop question?

    Next week, I'd love you to join me for my first-ever blog tour, featuring a young author with a fantastic debut. I know the author personally, and am so excited to introduce her and her amazing book to all of you!