It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday June 29, 2015

This meme starts at Book Journey! Sheila is reading and reviewing a bit. I continue to pray for her family.


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 had to get a new fuel pump on my car at the beginning of the week. The rest of the week was steady busy.

I had a good reading/listening week. I finished two audios and two ebooks.  I posted three reviews  and the usual memes.

I got to visit early in the week but the internet was wonky the rest of the week. (It is giving me fits today as I try to prepare this post. We get a new internet tomorrow and I hope that helps.)
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 June 22, 2015.

• Audio Book Review: Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things: The Wedding Planner Mysteries, Book 1, by Rachelle J. Christensen ; Cozy Mystery; my rating 4.25.

• Book Review: Murder At Rudhall Manor (A Humorous Murder Mystery) by Anya Wylde; Humorous, Mystery; my rating 4.25.

• Audible Book Review: Eighth Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones ; Fantasy, Paranormal; my rating 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway June 26, 2015. Open Worldwide. Ends 7/2/2015.

• Book Blitz with Giveaway! Alive at 5 by Linda Bond.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement June 28, 2015.

• Sharing Beyond Books #209 Comment Giveaway for 6/27/15; Open Worldwide. Ends 7/4/2015.

Finished Reading:
1. Audible/MP3

Extremes: A Retrieval Artist Novel
Written by: Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Narrated by: Jay Snyder
I really enjoyed this mystery.
I will get a review posted soon.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle

Judas the Apostle
by Van Mayhall Jr.
The later part of the book did pick up. 
I will post a review this week.
Click on book title for full description.

3. eBook/Kindle

A New Hope (Thunder Point series)
by Robyn Carr
This is a lovely romance.
I will post a review and giveaway on June 30
as part of Little Bird Publicity Tour.
Click on book title for full description.

4. Audible/MP3

Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca
Written by: Maria Goodavage
Narrated by: Neil Shah
This is a wonderful story!
I picked this up as a Daily Deal recently at Audible.
Publisher's Summary
The New York Times best-selling author of Soldier DogsTop Dog, Maria Goodavage takes listeners into the life of Lucca K458, a decorated and highly skilled military working dog. An extraordinary bond developed between Lucca and Marine Corps handler Chris Willingham, launching what became a legendary 400-mission career. A Specialized Search Dog, Lucca belongs to an elite group trained to work off-leash at long distances from her handler. She served alongside both Special Forces and regular infantry. She and Willingham became so sought-after that units scheduled missions around their availability.
The audiobook describes in gritty detail the team’s adventures on and off the battlefields, including tense, lifesaving explosives finds and firefights as well as the bravery of fellow handlers and dogs they served with. Ultimately, we see how the bond between Lucca and Willingham overcame the endless brutalities of war and the traumas this violence ignites. Here is a portrait of modern warfare with a heart-warming and inspiring conclusion that will touch dog lovers and the toughest military listeners.
©2014 Maria Goodavage and Christopher Elden Willingham (P)2014 Recorded Books

Currently reading:
1. eBook/Kindle

A Promise of Forever (A Tallgrass Novel Book 1)
by Marilyn Pappano
10% in - I am enjoying the beginning of this.
Review and Giveaway, through Hachette, to post July 2. 2015.
Sergeant First Class Avi Grant's return to Tallgrass, Oklahoma is a long-deferred wish come true. With her final tour in Afghanistan over, Avi can focus on her future-a job here at home and a family of her own. There's just one thing she has to do first: visit her beloved commanding officer's widow and share her grief. The last thing she expected was to feel an instant attraction to the woman's son. Too bad the sexy surgeon is impossible to ignore . . . and even harder to resist.
The sting of his parents' divorce still niggles at Ben Noble. So when a warm, funny, and beautiful young sergeant arrives, mourning his stepfather's loss as strongly as his mother does, Ben can't help but feel conflicted. If his parents taught him anything, it's that love doesn't last-especially with a career soldier. But try as he might to keep his distance, Ben begins to see that Avi-and the spark she brings to his life-is the stuff forever is made of. As Avi's leave ticks away, can Ben convince her to take a chance on forever with him?

2. Audible

The Lost Starship
Written by: Vaughn Heppner
Narrated by: David Stifel
I am becoming engaged by this with an hour in.
I received this audible from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox.
Publisher's Summary
Ten thousand years ago, a single alien super-ship survived a desperate battle. The vessel's dying crew set the AI on automatic to defend the smashed rubble of their planet. Legend has it the faithful ship continues to patrol the empty battlefield, obeying its last order throughout the lonely centuries.
In the here and now, Earth needs a miracle. Out of the Beyond invade the New Men, stronger, faster and smarter than the old. Their superior warships and advanced technology destroy every fleet sent to stop them. Their spies have infiltrated the government and traitors plague Earth's military.
Captain Maddox of Star Watch Intelligence wonders if the ancient legend could be true. Would such an old starship be able to face the technology of the New Men? On the run from killers, Maddox searches for a group of talented misfits. He seeks Keith Maker, a drunken ex-strikefighter ace, Doctor Dana Rich the clone thief stuck on a prison planet and Lieutenant Valerie Noonan, the only person to have faced the New Men in battle and survived to tell about it.
Maddox has to find a place hidden in the Beyond and bring back a ship no one can enter. If he fails, the New Men will replace the old. If he succeeds, humanity might just have a fighting chance...
©2014 Vaughn Heppner (P)2014 Vaughn Heppner

3. eBook/Kindle

Two Hearts: When I Said I Do, I Meant Forever
by James Richey
I received this title from iReads for review on July 9.
Jaxon Tagget is a cattle-rancher's son, born and raised on the Double T, just outside of Dillon, Montana. In love with his high-school sweetheart, Annie, Jaxon proposes on graduation night, presenting her with a wedding ring made from gold he mined himself. Annie accepts immediately, to the horror of her bitter, man-hating mother.
Jaxon's a wonderful husband, but the warnings of Annie's mother linger in the young bride's ears. And it doesn't help that women continue to fall all over the markedly handsome Jaxon.
Unaware of his wife's persistent doubts, Jaxon is struggling with his own troubles when he finds out his dad is sorely in need of money to save the ranch. But hope glimmers gold when he rediscovers the old mine on the Double T.
While Jaxon travels to verify the mine's productivity, Annie grows increasingly suspicious. Is Jaxon's absence what it seems, or does he have another, less faithful reason for his travels? When Annie sees a picture of the beautiful laboratory owner whom Jaxon is visiting, she's sure the only gold he's interested in is long, blond hair. Is Annie right, or will it be her doubts that forever sever their Two Hearts?

4. Print

If My People . . .: A 40-Day Prayer Guide for Our Nation
By: Jack Countryman
I enjoyed my third week in this daily reading. The quotes from our founding fathers are particularly interesting at this time.
If My People guides believers on a 40-day prayer journey in the spirit of 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Click on book title for full description.

June/1/15- I am still up to date on Bible reading and greatly enjoying the readings-- It seems my eyes are open to more details and meaning.. I am reading The One Year Bible again along with my husband and others from our church. I am also listening to the companion commentary online.

June:
6/30 A New Hope (Thunder Point series) by Robyn Carr

I posted three reviews last week but I may have five books for this week.
I am back to six books at NetGalley with a couple more requested.
I guess I will have to post a TBR eBook to next month.

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 received one review title this week from NetGalley and requested some others that are not received yet.
I did purchase two eBooks that I want to read and I downloaded the free Audio pair from SYNC.
And -- as usual, I downloaded more free kindle titles to my library.

(Although I have gotten to a couple, I still have many author requests, old and new ones, to consider and reply to.)
Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I received this title from Hachette for Review and Giveaway on July 2, 2015. 

A Promise of Forever (A Tallgrass Novel Book 1)
by Marilyn Pappano
(See info under Currently Reading above)

Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca
Written by: Maria Goodavage
(See info under Currently Reading above)

I picked these two titles at NetGalley:

Dark Horse
by Michelle Diener
"Some secrets carry the weight of the world."

A City Called Smoke: The Territory 2
by Justin Woolley
"The battle was only the beginning; the real danger is beyond the fence ..."

Won

None.

Purchased

These are two audio titles that I selected with my monthly Audible credits:


1. Seduction in Death: In Death, Book 13 
by J. D. Robb 
Time for another Eve Dallas mystery.

2. 14
by Peter Clines
This Sci Fi sounds good and has good reviews.

Free

Free Downloads from AudioFile SYNC 2015 for week Seven.

 
Monster 
by Walter Dean Myers 
Read by A Full Cast

Lord of the Flies
by William Golding
Read by William Golding

Over the past week I added 46 free Kindle titles to my library. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.