It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday December 15, 2014

This meme starts at Book Journey!

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I enjoyed the second week of December. We are still keeping things easy going and not stressed even as we enjoy some holiday events. We will be trying to pull all work together so we can close the office for almost two weeks.

Reading was good although I didn't read as much as I thought I had. I finished three books and posted five reviews, two with giveaways. I also posted all the usual memes. 

I did get to visit a good group of sites again early and mid week. I really like seeing what others are reading too.
Thanks as always to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday December 8, 2014.

• Book Review: Every Valley: Advent with the Scriptures of Handel's Messiah; Inspirational, Spiritual; my rating 5.0.

• COYER Winter 2014-2015 Challenge.

• Book Review: We Are The Destroyers (We Are***Are We Book 1)by D. K. Lindler; Sci Fi; my rating 3.75.

• Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Seducing the Ruthless Rogue (The Rogue Agents Trilogy Book 2) by Tammy Jo Burns; Historical Romance; my rating 4.25. Tour Giveaway GCs; ends 12/21/14.

• Audio Book Review: Snowbeard the Pirate and the Naughty List by Chip Huddleston; Humor; my rating 4.5.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway December 12, 2014. Open Worldwide. Ends 12/18/14.

• Book Review and Giveaway: Jesus Daily: 365 Interactive Devotions by Aaron Tabor #JesusDailyBook; Christian, Spiritual; my rating 4.5. Tour Giveaway book + Tshirt, US Only; ends 12/20/14.

• Sharing Beyond Books #181 Comment Giveaway 12/13/14. Open Worldwide. Ends 12/20/14.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement December 14, 2014.
  

Finished Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle

Seducing the Ruthless Rogue
(The Rogue Agents Trilogy Book 2)
by Tammy Jo Burns
A historical romance with good suspense.
The review with tour giveaway is linked above.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible

FREE Yesterday's Gone: Season 1 - Episode 1
Written by: Sean Platt, David Wright
Narrated by: Ray Chase, R. C. Bray, Brian Holsopple, Chris Patton, Maxwell Glick, Tamara Marston
I failed to heed the warning and the language is explicitly rough. I found some of the characters interesting and there is at least one very evil survivor. The source of disappearance is not explained in this Episode. 
I don't think I'll be pulling up other episodes right away.
Click on book title for full description.

3. eBook/Kindle

The Heir
by Lynne Stringer
I liked this engaging YA/Sci fi. It starts out heavy in the YA zone but got more interesting with sci fi as it went on. I will post a review this week.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently reading:

1. eBook/Kindle

Hope Rising (Of Love and War)
by Stacy Henrie
I have started this and like Evelyn so far.
I received this from Forever, through NetGalley,
for review to post on 12/18.
Book Description
Publication Date: December 16, 2014
FROM A GREAT WAR, SPRINGS A GREAT LOVE
In France at the height of World War I, American nurse Evelyn Gray is no stranger to suffering. She's helped save the life of many a soldier, but when she learns her betrothed has been killed, her own heart may be broken beyond repair. Summoning all her strength, Evelyn is determined to carry on-not just for herself and her country, but for her unborn child.

Corporal Joel Campbell dreams of the day the war is over and he can return home and start a family. When a brutal battle injury puts that hope in jeopardy, Joel is lost to despair . . . until he meets Evelyn. Beautiful, compassionate, and in need of help, she makes an unconventional proposal that could save their lives-or ruin them irrevocably. Now, amidst the terror and turmoil of the Western Front, these two lost souls will have to put their faith in love to find the miracle they've been looking for.

2. Audio

Seventh Grave and No Body
Written by: Darynda Jones
Narrated by: Lorelei King
While waiting for some other audiobooks I picked this from a my Audible library. It is a series I have been enjoying.
Publisher's Summary
Twelve. Twelve of the deadliest beasts ever forged in the fires of hell have escaped onto our plane, and they want nothing more than to rip out the jugular of Charley Davidson and serve her lifeless, mangled body to Satan for dinner. So there's that. But Charley has more on her plate than a mob of testy hellhounds. For one thing, her father has disappeared, and the more she retraces his last steps, the more she learns he was conducting an investigation of his own, one that has Charley questioning everything she's ever known about him. Add to that an ex-BFF who is haunting her night and day, a rash of suicides that has authorities baffled, and a drop-dead sexy fiancé who has attracted the attentions of a local celebrity, and Charley is not having the best week of her life.
But all of that combined barely scratches the surface of her problems. Recent developments - and a few distressing prophesies - have forced her to become a responsible adult. Exactly the kind of adult she's never aspired to be. To conquer such a monumental task, she's decided to start small. Really small. She gets a pet. But how can she save the world against the forces of evil when she can’t even keep a goldfish alive? A tad north of hell, a hop, skip, and a jump past the realm of eternity, is a little place called Earth, and Charley Davidson, grim reaper extraordinaire, is determined to do everything in her power to protect it. We're doomed.
©2014 Darynda Jones (P)2014 Macmillan Audio

3. eBook/Kindle

A Christmas Hope (Of Love and War)
by Stacy Henrie
This is a novella from the Love and War series 
(above Hope Rising).
I really like the cover and wanted to read this too.
Received from Forever through NetGalley.
Book Description
Publication Date: December 2, 2014
In this special holiday novella, Stacy Henrie returns to the World War I setting of her Of Love and War series for a heartwarming read that's perfect for the Christmas season.
TIS THE SEASON FOR SECOND CHANCES
Having experienced the heartache of unrequited love, Maria Schmitt desperately seeks a new life. Landing a position as a clerk in a Sioux City bank is just what she needs to get started on her journey toward healing. But a dashing stranger soon puts her job-and her heart-in jeopardy.
Saving lives was all Dale Emerson ever wanted to do . . . until a fateful day in France shattered his career as a surgeon. He lost everything that mattered, and the last thing he wants to do is resign himself to a life without medicine working at his uncle's bank. Then he meets Maria, a compassionate woman who can see past his scars to the man he once was-and the man he could be again. With Christmas right around the corner, these two wounded hearts may find that hope and a little holiday cheer are just the ticket to letting go of regrets-and embracing a future full of love and possibility.

4. eBook/Kindle

The Genome: A Novel
by Sergei Lukyanenko
I received this through NetGalley and had intended to get to it in November but then I accepted several tour books that bumped this back.
Book Description
Publication Date: December 2, 2014
A science fiction thriller by the author of Night Watch, the hit novel that inspired two major motion pictures
Five months after the horrific accident that left him near death and worried that he’d never fly again, master-pilot Alex Romanov lands a new job: captaining the sleek passenger vessel Mirror. Alex is a spesh—a human who has been genetically modified to perform particular tasks. As a captain and pilot, Alex has a genetic imperative to care for passengers and crew—no matter what the cost.
His first mission aboard Mirror is to ferry two representatives of the alien race Zzygou on a tour of human worlds. His task will not be an easy one, for aboard the craft are several speshes who have reason to hate the Others. Dark pasts, deadly secrets, and a stolen gel-crystal worth more than Alex’s entire ship combine to challenge him at every turn. And as the tension escalates, it becomes apparent that greater forces are at work to bring the captain’s world crashing down.

I am up to date on my daily Bible reading.
I have disciplined myself each morning to read my Bible passage before I pick up print, Kindle or mp3. I am really enjoying the reading.

I still have Sci Fi  and Christmas titles that may run into January at the rate I am reading. :-) 
I have three reviews to complete, one more for tour this week and probably another so this will be another week of five reviews.

Decenber Scheduled:
Completed.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs.  This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday.
Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I have no true "review" books this week although I listed my Ladies' Book Club book as "review".
I purchased four $.99 kindle titles again this week.
I also added more free kindle titles to my library.

(Although I have gotten to a couple, I still have many author requests to consider and reply to.)

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I purchased this title on Kindle for myself after I passed out print copies to our Ladies' Book Club. This is our read for January 10.

Amish White Christmas Pie
by Wanda E. Brunstetter
"Step into Amish country for this bittersweet holiday romance."

Won

None

Purchased

I purchased four kindle titles for $.99 each.

The Disease

George Hamilton, Olivia Wood
A Medical Thriller with 5 star ratings.

Out on a Limb: A Smoky Mountain Mystery: 
A Scientific Cozy (Nurse Phoebe Book 1)
Carolyn Jourdan
Good ratings and the reviews pulled me in on this one.

Special Agent Francesca (Undercover FBI Book 1)
Mimi Barbour
Romantic Suspense with good ratings -caught my eye.

Texas Rose (Too Hard To Handle, Book 2)

Patricia Rice
I have collected print copies from this author as I like her "Magic" series.
I have book one in my Kindle library and the print book (Paper Rose).

Free

Over the past week I downloaded** (**Note this means I have added them to my library to read "someday") another 57 free Kindle titles. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.