Sunday Post December 5, 2021/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday December 6, 2021

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.

We had a teary-eyed goodbye with the grandchildren and returned home safely on Saturday. Hubby is recouping from a couple of nights not sleeping well. The oxygen just doesn't work as well on the road plus we were trying to stave off the little colds the 5 year old twins brought home from school last week.

♪'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas'♫.
The turkey was barely off the table before the kids were decorating the tree.

The weather even in Illinois our last two days was beautiful in the 70s. We drove through mist but no heavy rain an arrived home to 75 degrees. This week is predicted to run from low of 52 to high of 80 and that is next Saturday. I'm looking forward to wearing my seasonal tops this month.

I enjoyed my listening last week and finished three (almost four) audiobooks. I posted three reviews and my usual memes.

I visited 16 blogs last week.
Shout Out this week to SHAMEEKA'S FICTIONAL WORLD. Shameeka loves "reading anything fiction but my favourite genres are fantasy, horror and psychological thrillers.” She may post "inconsitently" and may "rant" in a review - her thoughts and her words.

Audible offerings for free children's titles ended June 30.
Audiobooks.com is still sharing some free listens for children.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post November 28, 2021/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday November 29, 2021.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: Shattered Worlds, Koban Volume 4 by Stephen W Bennett: Genre: Aliens, Colonization, Military Space Sci-Fi; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5

• A2021- Audible Book Review: Tracking Magic: Rylee Adamson, Book 0.25 by Shannon Mayer; Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy; My Rating: 3.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.0; Narration 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway December 3, 2021. Open Worldwide. Ending 12/9/2021.

• ATBR- Audio Book Review: A Nancy Drew Christmas by Carolyn Keene; Genre: Christmas, Classic, Mystery; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.25.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement December 5, 2021.

Finished Reading:

1. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

A Nancy Drew Christmas
Written by Carolyn Keene
Narrated by Jorjeana Marie
Run time: 6 hours and 24 minutes
I enjoyed this light mystery.
Source: 1/20/2020 Chirp Purchase $.99.
Review linked above.

2. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

The Ranch: Jack Sterlings Legacy
The Legacy Series, Book 1
By: Sean Liscom
Narrated by: Christopher Lane
Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
Release date: 01-09-20
I liked this post-apocalyptic and will pick up more in the series.
12/17/2020 Audible $5.00 Sale.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

Mistletoe Miracles
Written By: Jodi Thomas
Narrated By: Julia Gibson
This is a delightful listen sharing three romance stories.
Duration: 9 hours 52 minutes
Source: December 2020 - Two for one credit at Audiobooks.com.
Summary:
A small-town Texas Christmas story, where hearts are lost, love is found, and family always brings you back home. Griffin Holloway is desperate: the Maverick Ranch has been in his family for generations, but lately, it's a money pit. He'd sooner marry one of his horses than sell the ranch. Marriage, though, could be a solution. If he can woo a wealthy bride, he might save the ranch-just in time for Christmas. Jaxon O'Grady likes his solitude just fine, thank you very much. But when a car accident brings the unexpected to his door, he realizes just how much one person can need another. Crossroads is the perfect place for Jamie Johnson: avoiding nosy questions about why she's single, she's happy to keep to her lakeside home. So she's baffled when she gets the strangest Christmas present of all, in the form of a Mr. Johnson, asleep on her sofa. Who is he, and why does everyone think he's her husband? In this uplifting novel, three unlikely couples discover just what Crossroads, Texas, can offer: romance, belonging, and plenty of Christmas spirit.

Currently Reading:
1. Audible/Smartphone (A2021)

Deathbeast
By: David Gerrold
Narrated by: Andy Caploe
Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
The cover pulled me in. This story is a little tough. I have 3 hours left
Source: November 2021 Audible Plus Catolog - in library only until 12/30.
Publisher's Summary
Timebeam to danger
Six hunters and two official guides are going on the trip of their lifetime.Their destination? Earth as it was 100 million years ago, long before human dominion, when the great hot-blooded dinosaurs ruled supreme.
Each of the time travelers has a different motive. Some are on the strange safari for pay. Others are taking a psychological and sexual holiday from civilization. There are women who wanted to show themselves the equal of men - and men out to test and prove their manhood.
But whatever their drives and desires, their strengths and weaknesses, the ultimate horror awaits them...deathbeast.
©1978, 1999, 2014 David Gerrold (P)2014 Audible Inc.

2. Audible/Smartphone (A2021)

The Brass Queen
By: Elizabeth Chatsworth
Narrated by: Michelle Babb
Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
This sounds like it will be a fun read/listen.
My thanks to Michelle Babb for the Audible code to allow me to listen and review.
Source: 11/28/21 Audible Code from narrator.
Publisher's Summary
She knows a liar when she sees one. He knows a fraud when he meets one. In a steam-powered world, Miss Constance Haltwhistle is the last in a line of blue-blooded rogues. Selling firearms under her alias, the “Brass Queen”, she has kept her baronial estate’s coffers full. But when US spy J.F. Trusdale saves her from assassins, she’s pulled into a search for a scientist with an invisibility serum. As royal foes create an invisible army to start a global war, Constance and Trusdale must learn to trust each other. If they don’t, the world as they know it will disappear before their eyes.
If you like the Parasol Protectorate or Invisible Library series, you’ll love this gaslamp fantasy - a rambunctious romantic romp that will have you both laughing out loud and wishing you owned all of Miss Haltwhistle's armaments.
©2021 Elizabeth Chatsworth (P)2021 CamCat Publishing

3. ebook/Kindle App on Phone (ebTBR)

A Place Called Armageddon: Constantinople 1453
by C.C. Humphreys
I still like this and just wish that my kindle reading time was more stable. I am 30% in now.
Source: 2012 NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

With only a few weeks left in the year, I will be pulling in a few Christmas books and trying to decide what else.

December 5, 2021 - I am on track, enjoying Daniel, 1 John, Psalms and Proverbs. I love seeing new things each time I read the Bible. I am glad to still be current with morning reading. I am reading/listening to the NLT Tyndale version of the Bible on You Version App so Hubby and I are reading the same passages each day.
No Study last week but I will be picking one for the You Version 2021 Christmas Challenge.

I completed three books for reviews to post this week.
My NetGalley shelf now has 2 old ebooks titles and one new audio.
I still have two author titles remaining in queue. I'm still working on reading these - looks like they will go into 2022.
(Plus a few that I received from facebook links and newsletter sign-ups, not specific review requests.)
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: Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, me and new to the team, Velvet at vvb32reads. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I received one audio review title this week.
I picked up one Audible Daily Deal.
I tried to resist but purchased three Audible titles at $5.00 sale.
I found three audio titles for small price at Chirp this week.
I picked up one Kindle title  - the November free First Read through Amazon Prime.
(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

12/2/2021 Narrator Audible Code:

The Brass Queen
By: Elizabeth Chatsworth
Narrated by: Michelle Babb
Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
Release date: 12-01-21
See more information above under Currently Reading.

Won

NONE

Purchased

11/29/2021 Audible Daily Deal $1.95

How to Be Human
An Autistic Man’s Guide to Life
By: Jory Fleming, Lyric Winik
Narrated by: Jory Fleming, Lyric Winik
Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
Release date: 04-20-21


11/30/2021 Audible Book Sale $5.00 each (I picked titles that were under $18.00 that I would not normally use a credit for):

Every Day in December
By: Kitty Wilson
Narrated by: Katy Sobey, Joe Jameson
Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins

Mountain Survival
K-9 Search and Rescue
By: Christy Barritt
Narrated by: Stacey Glemboski
Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins

The Great Filter: A Post-Apocalyptic Gamelit Novel
Great Filter Series, Book 1
By: Russell Wilbinski
Narrated by: Neil Hellegers
Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins



12/4/2021 Three more audiobooks at Chirp for $5.97

Prodigal
by Judy K. Walker
Read by Alex Knox
Run Time 9h 46min
$11.50 $1.99

Evensong
by Krista Walsh
Read by Gary Tiedemann
Run Time 10h 32min
$18.99 $2.99

Christmas In Evergreen
by Nancy Naigle
Read by Kathleen McInerney
Run Time 6h 34min
$24.99 $0.99

Free

I picked this title from Kindle Prime November 2021 First Read titles:
At First Light (Dr. Evan Wilding Book 1)
Barbara Nickless

Other Free titles often found at Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.