Sunday Post December 16, 2018/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday December 17, 2018

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date (at Wordpress).

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.

Work is steady: a few real estate closings for the title office and still with catch up in the law office. We are hoping to be closed the week of Christmas but are on standby for at least two closings that might occur.
The Contractor finally got the bricks from the office roof and the tarp on. Next we move on to drying out the insides while I meet with the structural engineer and the architect to redesign the front where the cracks need securing.
Hubby is muddling along with some new medicine for pain and staying on oxygen in hopes of gaining a little more stamina. We probably won't decorate around the house too much.
I have to start wrapping gifts tonight. I only have a few more things to get and then I should be set.

My listening and reading seemed slow this week. I finished one audio books and one ebook. I posted three reviews and my usual memes.

I got to visit 24 blogs last week.
Shout Out this week to True Book Addict. Michelle and I have been blog related friends for a number of  years. She hosts True Book Talk at Goodreads (which I rarely get to participate in any more) and a separate year long blog (that is especially fitting now): The Christmas Spirit.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post December 9, 2018/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday December 10, 2018.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: We'll Always Have Christmas by Jenny Hale; Holiday Romance, Inspirational; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0, Overall, Story, and Narration.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennet; Ghosts, Inspirational; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall, 4.5 Story and 5.0 Narration.

• 2018 Audiobook Challenge Completion.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway December 14, 2018. Open Worldwide. Ending 12/20/2018.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: Villains Rule (The Shadow Master Book 1) by M. K. Gibson; Fantasy, Humor, Sci Fi; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall, 4.25 Story and 5.0 Narration.

• Sharing Beyond Books #358 Comment Giveaway December 15, 2018. Open Worldwide. Ending 12/29/2018.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement December 16, 2018.

Finished Reading:
1. Audible/Smartphone (A2018)

All Systems Red
By: Martha Wells
Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
Series: Murderbot Diaries, Book 1
This is a short audio that is engaging - good start to a series.
Source: Audible 4/20 Daily Deal Purchase $1.95.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle and Smartphone (NG2018)

A Chance at Christmas
by Beppie Harrison
This is a sweet, light romance.
Source: 2018 NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:
1. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

The Autobiography of Santa Claus
By: Jeff Guinn
Narrated by: John H. Mayer
Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
I thought this would be appropriate to listen to at Christmas. I'm enjoying it slowly (7 hours to go).
Source: Audible 12/24/17 Daily Deal Purchase $2.95.
Publisher's Summary
Jump on Santa's sleigh for a journey through 17 centuries of Christmas magic!
This enchanting holiday treasure combines historical fact with glorious legend as Saint Nicholas himself reveals the definitive story of Santa Claus. From his birth in Lycia to meeting Mrs. Claus and all of his helpers, Santa relates the tale of how he spread his message of generosity and the goodness of giving across the world.
Families will delight in every entertaining chapter of this holiday classic, one for each cold December night leading up to Christmas!
©2004 Jeff Guinn (P)2004 Listen & Live Audio, Inc.

2. eBook/Kindle and Smartphone (NG2018)

Someone to Trust (A Westcott Novel Book 5)
by Mary Balogh
This is an interesting historical where the female character is older than the male.
I am midway.
Source: 2018 NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audio CD in Car (ATBR)

'Tis the Season (Main Street #3)
by Ann M. Martin
Read by Ariadne Meyers
I thought I would listen to this and then include in a giveaway box. It is a sweet MG story.
Source: Purchased used at Library Book Sale.
An unforgettable holiday story in Ann M. Martin's timeless new series
Format: 4 CDs, Unabridged
It's looking to be a hard holiday season for the girls of Main Street. For Flora and Ruby, it's the first Christmas without their parents around. For Olivia, gift giving and tree decorating must be balanced with the fact that both of her parents need jobs. And for Nikki, there's the presence of her mean, angry father to reckon with. Luckily, the girls have each other--and the community around them. As Camden Falls prepares for its annual festivities, Flora, Ruby, Olivia, and Nikki all find that the hard things become easier when there are family, friends, and neighbors to share things with.

4. eBook/Kindle and Smartphone (NG2018)

Patience for Christmas: A Holiday Novella
by Grace Burrowes
This is another historical Christmas novella by an author I really like.
Source: NetGalley 2018.
A friendly holiday competition turns steamy in this Regency romance novella from the New York Times bestselling author of My One and Only Duke.
Previously published in Virtues of Christmas.
Advice columnist Patience Friendly's relationship with her stubborn, overbearing publisher, Dougal MacHugh, is anything but cordial. Dougal challenges Patience to take on a rival columnist in a holiday advice-a-thon, and sparks fly clear up to the mistletoe hanging from every rafter. Will Patience follow the practical guidance of her head or the passionate advice of her heart?

December 16, 2018 - I am up to date and enjoying the One Year Bible plan reading through You Version App. Although I am on track on my smartphone I haven' t been steady for each morning and find myself finishing the reading at the end of the day instead of beginning. I need to get back to starting my day with scripture.
I completed the additional reading plan started 11/12: Names of God, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I started and finished a 5 day reading plan for Advent: The Promised One.
Today I started a 10 day reading plan for Christmas: Our Daily Bread Christmas: Gift of Grace.
[You can check out audio of the One Year Bible Plan on the companion commentary online.]

I completed two books and posted three reviews. That makes headway so I have only 3 reviews to post now.
I am slowly adding these reviews to Goodreads, Amazon and Audible. I still have older ones to catch up on too.
My NetGalley shelf is now at 9 as I picked up two more. I am hoping to read six more before the end of the month. I now have two author titles in queue. Still many through InstaFreebie and many new author requests I haven't replied to.

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 (yours truly). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I added on author review and two NetGalley titles.
I picked up one Audible credit choice and purchased two Audibles.
I didn't pick up any Kindle paid titles.
I only picked up 2 free kindle titles again. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.)
Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

Author Review title to read in January:
Indian Paintbrush (Carson Chronicles Book 3)
by John A. Heldt
Carson Chronicles (3 Book Series) I have enjoyed this series and look forward to the third book.
(Thanks to Laura at Library of Clean Reads for reminding me to get this.)



I selected two more NetGalley titles; one to read this month and one for next year.
Slay Bells: A Christmas Village Mystery
by T.C. Wescott
I saw this at a couple other Mailbox Monday posts (Carol's Notebook and not sure).
I thought it looked so cute - I didn't resist.

and


An Unexpected Redemption
by Emily Hamsher
I liked the description for this medieval romance.

Won

NONE

Purchased

I had actually selected 9 titles on sale for just under $50.00 but forgot to go back to complete the purchase on Wednesday night. So I will wait to get them another day.
12/16/18 November Credit pick:
An Easy Death
By: Charlaine Harris
Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
Release date: 10-02-18
This is alternate history which I like.

Two Purchases - these both looked like fun listens for small price.
$3.95
Escape From the Overworld
Overworld Adventures, Book 1
By: Danica Davidson
Narrated by: Dan Woren
Length: 2 hrs
Release date: 03-16-15

$.82
The Monster Men
By: Edgar Rice Burroughs
Narrated by: Sean Murphy
Length: 5 hrs and 57 mins
Release date: 09-05-18

Free

I still have one more Audible Original but I wasn't ready to pick yet.

I only added 2 free titles to my Kindle library over the past week. No breaks for adding free books this week.  Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.