Sunday Post July 5, 2020/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday July 6, 2020

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.

I did fairly well at work but still brought files with me. We were glad our travel up north was just fine.  We love our Prius - we went 722 miles on $34.00 worth of gas!
Our daughter-in-law is resting and recovering quickly. We are very pleased with that.

Here is hubby relaxing in the pool before the grandkids get in. Isn't his hat cute?
I have been in for a swim with the kids in the morning and taking them for a walk after dinner. I don't know about them, but it tires me out!

We had a quiet July 4th celebration for Independence Day and hubby's birthday.

Surprisingly it seems that the Illinois summer is hotter than our Florida temps. Also the days are long with light remaining to 9pm. We have to draw the curtains and have story and snuggle time to get the kids to sleep.

I finished 4 books again this week: three audiobooks and one ebook. I posted three reviews and most of my usual memes. (I didn't do Friday pick.)

I visited 19 blogs last week.
Shout Out this week to Do You Dog Ear? Lindsi describes herself as: "Vegan. Feminist. Choctaw. Aspiring Minimalist. Lover of books and fuzzy socks. Comic book enthusiast. Mom. Spouse. Occasionally, She-Hulk."

Don't forget- Audible is offering free children's titles during these days at home.
Audiobooks.com is also offering free listens for children.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post June 28, 2020/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday June 29, 2020.

• eBTBR- Book Review: Justice in an Age of Metal and Men by Anthony W. Eichenlaub; Genre: Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi, Western; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

• No Friday Pick July 3, 2020.

• ATBR- Audio Book Review: Seven by Multiple Authors; Genre: Drama, Radio Theatre; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0; Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: Plan Z: How to Survive the 2009 Financial Crisis by Robert Pagliarini; Genre: Financial, Non-Fiction, Self-Help; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement July 5, 2020.

Finished Reading:

1. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

Orion Colony
An Intergalactic Space Opera Adventure
By: J.N. Chaney, Jonathan Yanez
Narrated by: Ray Porter
Series: Orion Colony, Book 1
Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
I enjoyed this fast dystopian to space adventure.
Source: 11/2/2019 Audible Daily Deal $2.95.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

Termination Dust
Written by Alana Terry
Narrated by Becky Doughty
Release Date: May 23, 2019
Publisher: Firstfruits Publishing
Run time: 5 hours and 33 minutes 
This is a nice Christian romantic suspense. 
Source: 12/7/2019 Chirp $.99
How far would you go to protect the ones you love? After her mother’s death, Kimmie flees with her autistic brother to escape their violent stepfather. With nowhere to go, and nothing but faith in God to keep her going, Kimmie braves the icy Alaskan wilderness in this riveting listen.

3. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

Redshirts
A Novel with Three Codas
By: John Scalzi
Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
Release date: 06-05-12
This fun story that made me think of 
The Thirteenth Floor.
8/4/19 Audible Sale $5.00.
Publisher's Summary
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory. Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the facts that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces; (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations; and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.
Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.
©2012 John Scalzi (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

4. eBook/Kindle (NG2020)

The Crushing Depths (Coastal Guardians Book #2)
by Dani Pettrey
I really liked this with good mysteries and nice romance.
Source: 2020 NetGalley book for July Partners in Crime Tour: My posting date 7/8.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:

1. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

The Bomb Squad
Clash of the Patriots
By: Neil Perry Gordon
Narrated by: Frank Block
Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
Release date: 06-08-20
This looked interesting so I was glad to accept a code from the author to listen.
Source: 6/28/2020 Audible Code from the Author.
Publisher's Summary
At the stroke of midnight, a devastating explosion at Black Tom Island, an armaments depot, rocks New York City awake; and so begins this story of two patriots in World War I, each willing to put his life on the line in order to achieve a glorious victory for his cause.
Serving the Fatherland is Dr. Harold Schwartz, administrator of the prestigious Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital and a German spy. Along with his father, a dealer in lethal weapons and a lifelong friend of Kaiser Wilhelm, Schwartz is hell-bent on distracting the Americans from entering the war.
Meanwhile, the British Secret Intelligence Service recruits highly regarded New York City police detective Max Rothman to assemble a team of German-speaking specialists, known as the Bomb Squad. Their mission is to investigate the sudden surge of German espionage activity wreaking havoc along the Eastern Seaboard and among steamships attempting to cross the Atlantic.
The Bomb Squad follows these men’s exploits through an interconnecting tale of love, loss, friendship, and betrayal, stretching from American shores to the epicenter of German power during a time when the world is at war.
©2020 Neil Perry Gordon (P)2020 Neil Perry Gordon

2. eBook/Kindle (NG2020)

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water
by Zen Cho
I'm interested to see how this one goes.
Source: 2020 NetGalley
Zen Cho returns with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.
A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon, joins up with an eclectic group of thieves (whether they like it or not) in order to protect a sacred object, and finds herself in a far more complicated situation than she could have ever imagined.

I know I will pick up another audio this week but I haven't decided what yet.
The grandkids have their own kindles and tablets so we won't necessarily be reading/listening together after all.

I'm keeping track of my Alphabet here as I finish the books. The cross-outs aren't easy to see, so I made the completed letters blue.
NETGALLEY: A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W X  Y  Z
AUDIO:            A  B  C  D  E  F G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W X  Y  Z

July 5, 2020 - I need to do better to keep up daily. I keep going two days behind and then catching up. I need to be in the word every day. I am again enjoying the devotions and readings with the One Year Bible plan through You Version App. I considered changing but this is the reading group that is closest to my husband's reading so we can sometimes discuss the same passages.
I am still doing the six-day study: Ordinary Moments: Small Prayers That Can Change The World.

I completed four books and posted three reviews, putting me two behind.
My NetGalley shelf is now at 4, plus the four titles from 2012-13 which I still hope to read this year.
I'm resisting adding any more NetGalley titles until I get some of my review titles done. I still have one carry over author ebook and two new author ebooks. I expect to pull one of these soon. I have two audiobooks from authors. I need to get caught up on these books.
Still many titles 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.
One new audiobook for review.
I still have to check the email requests I have been receiving. {Sigh.}
I picked up four free Audible Originals and 2 at SYNC.
I only added 1 free Kindle titles this week. I haven't taken time to view the free offerings due to this week to travel and grandchildren!
(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

6/28/2020 Audible Code from the Author:
The Bomb Squad
Clash of the Patriots
By: Neil Perry Gordon
Narrated by: Frank Block
Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
Release date: 06-08-20

Won

NONE

Purchased

NONE

Free

I borrowed the two Audiobook SYNC files from Week 10.
July 2 – July 8
FRESH INK by edited by Lamar Giles, narrated by featuring Guy Lockard, Kim Mai Guest, and Bahni Turpin (Listening Library)
HOPE NATION by edited by Rose Brock, narrated by a Full Cast (Listening Library)

I picked these four as free Audible Originals.
Silverswift
By: Natalie Lloyd
Narrated by: Holly Palance, Imani Parks
Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
Release date: 07-02-20


The Roommate
The Cormac Reilly Series, Book 0.7
By: Dervla McTiernan
Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
Length: 2 hrs and 23 mins
Release date: 07-01-20

Agent 355
By: Marie Benedict
Narrated by: Emily Rankin
Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
Release date: 07-02-20

The Cuckoo's Cry
An Audible Original Novella
By: Caroline Overington
Narrated by: Aimee Horne
Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
Release date: 07-02-20

One free kindle this week from Author email notice:
Wolf Moon: the house on bloom street
by Ceeley Mack
I picked up only 1 free Kindle title this week. Free titles often found at Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.