First Line Friday

Happy Friday! It's time for First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books.

It's time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. Today on First Line Friday, I'm featuring the latest release (nonfiction) from Carolanne Miljavac, She Laughs.

And the first line is (from Chapter 1)...

I woke up late as usual to the sound of my mama threatening my life if I stayed in bed one minute longer: "Git up and git ready before I drag you out of bed by your ankle bone!"

About the book...

In the face of...

Poverty. Grief. Brokenness. Disaster. 

Hopeless Situations. Life's Struggles.

She Laughs!

Join CA Miljavac on a journey of joy.

She believes with all her heart that laughter is a gift, providing a sliver of distraction from whatever struggle you might be facing ... relief when you need rescuing ... hope in the midst of hardship.

Though her life has been dotted with disaster, it's through laughter that she found the strength and courage to persevere ... joy for the journey. And she'll help you discover all the ways laughter can carry you through your own painful situations. 

In ten laugh-till-you-cry chapters, Miljavac shares how laughter has been an essential and valuable part of her own healing, plus hilarious true stories will help you get started on the path to a life of peace and joy. 

She Laughs. And you can too!

Let me know the first line of the book closest to you and then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating.

If you're a blogger or just a social media-er, we'd love for you to join us, too!

"She Laughs: Choosing Faith Over Fear" by Carolanne Miljavac

My review...

I have never read anything by this author, but that will certainly change in the future! This book is so relatable (and funny!) that I had a hard time setting it aside.

The author is very open in sharing her personal stories and experiences, from serious to cringe-inducing. It almost felt like sitting at lunch with a close friend. Miljavac is upfront about her struggles. She’s honest and raw, which is why I’ll recommend this book to many of my friends, particularly those who are looking for some encouragement and struggling with fear. This is one book I’m likely to read again.

There were so many quotes that struck a chord with me. Here are just a few:

• “Once a stronghold of insecurity gets into your head, it is really tough to overcome.”
• “The hardest times in your life set you up for the deepest impact.”
• “Nothing changes if nothing changes.”
• “Fear isn’t going anywhere. But whether it controls you is up to you.”
• “Your ability to laugh is precious. Fight for it.”
• “Living according to other people’s expectations will weaken the purpose for which you’ve been created.”

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, but I wasn’t required to leave a review.

Amazon purchase link