Friday, July 1, 2016

Book Beginnings & Friday 56 - #39


Book Beginnings on Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader. Every Friday we share the first sentence (or so) of the book we’re currently reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.


My Book Beginning:  

Center Stage (Magnolia Steele Mystery, Book 1) by Denise Grover Swank

I stepped onto my mother’s front porch for the first time in ten years. Typical of my mother, not much had changed.  Same red brick with white trim. Same black, steel reinforced front door. Same silver knocker, the word Steele etched into it in bold capital letters. 


My Thoughts:  I’ve had this book for a while on my kindle and have been wanting to dive into it.  This pretty much tells me that the relationship between this mother and child is at the very least strained – and at its worst broken.  Which is sad – I’m very close with my mom.   

What do you think?  Don't forget to leave your book beginning below and to link-up at Rose City Reader.  





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Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda’s Voice on every Friday.

To Play along here are the Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.
*Add your post below. 
*Don’t forget to add your post URL (not your blog url) at Freda’s Voice.  
*It's that simple.

My 56 (Also from Center Stage): 

     I fought to keep from crying.  Crying wouldn’t do me any good at this point.  I took a deep breath and tried to center myself.  I knew I wasn’t supposed to tell him, but I couldn’t keep the words in.  “Max Goodwin.  But you can’t tell anyone.”

My Thoughts:  Okay…I think we pretty much know that telling someone to not tell someone else is almost a guarantee that they will blab.  She really should have kept it in….lol


So what do you think?  Keep reading?  Like the cover?   Don’t forget to link up at Freda’s Voice.





About Center Stage (Magnolia Steele Mystery, Book 1) by Denise Grover Swank


First book in the Magnolia Steele Mystery series by the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Denise Grover Swank

Ten years ago, Magnolia Steele fled Franklin, Tennessee after an incident that left her with hazy memories and a horror of the place where she had been born and bred. Though her abrupt departure destroyed most of her treasured relationships, she vowed never to return . . . until she has no choice. When Magnolia’s breakout acting role in a Broadway musical ends in disgrace, there’s only one place she can go. She finds herself on her momma’s porch, suitcase in hand. 

Drama follows Magnolia around like a long lost friend. She reluctantly agrees to help her momma’s catering company at a party for a country music star, only to find herself face-to-face with a sleazy music agent from her past. After a very public spat, Magnolia not only finds him dead but herself center stage in the police’s investigation. Now she must scramble to prove her innocence, relying on the help of acquaintances old and new.

But the longer Magnolia stays in Franklin, the more she remembers about the big bad incident that chased her away. The past might not be finished with her yet, and what she doesn’t remember could be her biggest danger.







Don't forget to post your meme's and link up at both host locations.  

Have a great Friday! 
Maria

10 comments:

  1. It's always best to keep your mouth shut if you think it might be xD and there's definitely a strained relationship there, I'd say! I really like the cover though, I'll have to check this one out on Goodreads! Thanks for sharing :) I hope you have a great weekend!
    My Friday Post
    Juli @ Universe in Words

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  2. This sounds good. I've read and enjoyed other books by the author and will have to keep an eye out for this one. My book this week is Alliance of Equals by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Happy reading!

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  3. Lovely cover! Happy reading and weekend!

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  4. I've read another book by this author and really enjoyed it though this one sounds much darker. Someone promising not to tell anyone is basically a guarantee that they will tell everyone!

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  5. Ooh, the cover, the title, and the secrets...not to mention the broken mother/daughter relationship...all are ingredients for a good read. And Book One is a plus, too. I hate starting books halfway through a series.

    Enjoy...and thanks for visiting my blog.

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  6. Looks like a great read. I'll have to look it up. Thank you for sharing and enjoy your weekend, Here's my Friday read - The Last Photograph by Emma Chapman.

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  7. I love the cover and I have read a few books by this author! I will definitely add this to my TBR! Thanks for sharing 🙂

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  8. Sounds good to me. Happy weekend!

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  9. Hi Maria,

    Human nature to gossip will generally always out and there are seldom good enough friends out there who could actually keep a secret of any importance - If you find one, hold onto them :)

    The cover art is really dramatic and the solitary flower somehow seems to tie in with the sense of lonliness I am getting from those first lines.

    This is not an author I am familiar with and when I checked out her Goodreads page, I was a little confused by the myriad of series she seems to have started. I found it all too confusing, so probably wouldn't be interested in picking up any one of them in particular.

    I do hope that you enjoy the book though and thanks for sharing :)

    Yvonne

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  10. I can't help but think of that movie with character name like that! :)
    Check out my Friday 56 (With Book Beginnings).

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