Sunday Post June 26, 2022/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday June 27, 2022

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 continue to make progress on work but still have quite a bit of work to get done.

I am still learning new food skills to feed myself at home. A friend brought me some patty pan squash so I spent half the day Saturday getting recipes for the squash and a meatloaf and then making (experimental) dishes.

I stuffed the squash and it was delicious!

The meatloaf was good too - I included the squash seeds in the meatloaf.
I was happy with the results and will have leftovers for several days.

I continue with my previous prayer list. I am adding that any protests remain peaceful.

I seem to be in a minority in my book blogging community because I am glad for the Supreme Court decisions this week because they are consistent with the American Constitution. The Supreme Court should never legislate but only interpret if laws are consistent with the Constitution. Even RBG recognized that Roe v Wade was on shaky legal grounds because it was really an attempt to legislate from the bench. Rights not given to the Federal Government (which are very limited) are reserved to the states. That was part of the inherent wisdom of the founding fathers protecting individual rights against the possibility of overreaching government. Now the state legislators need to do the hard work of having serious and informed discussions to pass appropriate laws for their constituents - we the people.
It is appalling to me that people a) outright lie about the actual effect of the Dobbs ruling (which does not ban abortion but sends the issue to the states) and b) call for the abolition of the Supreme Court. The three legislative branches of the United States is what makes us a unique constitutional federal republic, a representative democracy.
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We are expecting (and hoping) to have slightly cooler weather this coming week with the highest in mid 90s.

I enjoyed my audios again this week. I finished my final hours of CLE requirements and I finished two audio books. I posted three reviews, and my usual memes.
I may take am taking a break from my Alphabet choices as I have 6 months left for 6 titles. I'm saving them for fall choices and a "winter" title. I still need to find another "X". :-)

I visited 17 blogs last week.
A Shout Out today to MYSTERIES BY MOONLIGHT. Luna appears to have a good variety of mystery selections.

Audible offerings for free children's titles ended June 30, 2021.
Audiobooks.com is still sharing some free listens for children.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post June 19, 2022/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday June 20, 2022.

• ATBR: Audio Book Reviews: Three More Jack Reacher Novellas by Lee Child; Genre: Mystery, Short Stories, Thriller; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway June 24, 2022. Open Worldwide. Ending 6/30/2022.

• NG2022: #NetGalley Audio Book Review: See You Someday Soon by Pat Zietlow Miller; Genre: Children, Family; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

• NG2022: Audible Book Review: Zombies A Record of the Year of Infection by Don Roff; Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Horror; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

• Sharing Beyond Books #447 Comment Giveaway June 25, 2022. Open Worldwide. Ending 7/23/2022.
  

• Sunday Words of Encouragement Agents of Change June 26, 2022 .

Finished Reading:

1. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Shards of Honor
Series: Vorkosigan Saga (chronological), Book 2
By: Lois McMaster Bujold
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
I felt the need for a sci fi and I am glad that I listened to this with an interesting romance too.
Source: December 2020 Audible Plus Catalog.
Publisher's Summary
It was the wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons. And Captain Cordelia Naismith of the Betan Expeditionary Force would be forced into a separate peace with her enemy, Lord Vorkosigan.
Shards of Honor is the novel in which Lois McMaster Bujold introduced the science-fiction world to Barrayar and Aral Vorkosigan, Beta Colony and Cordelia Naismith. From this beginning the author has created a multigenerational saga spanning time as well as space.
Bujold is generally recognized as the current exemplar of the character-based science-fiction adventure story.
©1986 Lois McMaster Bujold (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

2. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Quake!: Disaster in San Francisco, 1906
By: Gail Langer Karwoski
Narrated by: Terry Bregy
Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
This is an easy listen and would be good for school children.
Source: 6/10/2022 Audible Plus Catalog.
Click on book title for full description.

CLE Courses:
Ethical Considerations in eDiscovery: Rules and Responsibilities 2021 - 1hr
All Those Tech Questions You’ve Been Afraid to Ask - 1hr

Currently Reading:

1. NetGalley App Audio Smartphone (NG2022)

Holy Chow, (Andy Carpenter #25)
by David Rosenfelt
Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
I am enjoying this episode in the legal efforts of Andy Carpenter.
Source: June 2022 NetGalley.
In Holy Chow, the next mystery from bestselling author David Rosenfelt, the beloved characters—both human and canine—of this fan favorite series are back on the case with the author’s trademark wit and humor.
Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter’s calling has always been running the Tara Foundation. The dog rescue organization places hundreds of dogs in new homes every year. It’s added up to so many dogs and new owners that Andy can’t even do the math. But there’s one dog—and one owner—Andy will always remember.
About a year ago, Rachel Morehouse came to the foundation looking for a companion. In her sixties and recently widowed, Rachel wanted a senior dog that also needed someone. Andy took a liking to her, Rachel took a liking to Lion, an older Chow Chow, and the rest is history.
That is, until Rachel calls Andy begging for a favor: If Rachel dies, will Andy take care of Lion if her stepson cannot? Andy agrees, no questions asked, and promptly forgets about it... until he receives a call from Rachel’s estate to attend her will reading. Which is where he meets Rachel’s stepson, Tony, who is promptly arrested for his stepmother’s murder. And he wants Andy to prove his innocence.
Andy has continued to learn more about the woman he so greatly admired and the businesses she ran, and holy chow, was this woman impressive. The person who killed her deserves to be held accountable, and if Tony is to be believed, they’re still out there. And that possibility is too much for Andy to remain on the sidelines.

2. Audiobooks.com Smartphone (ATBR)

Man of War
The Rebels and Redcoats Saga Prequel
By: T.J. London
Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Kathryn Vinclaire, Patrick Zeller, John Hartley, Tara Langella, Jason Clarke, Dryw McArthur, Marnye Young, James Cheatham
Length: 22 hrs and 52 mins
I like American Revolution stories so was glad to get the chance to listen to this.
Source: June 2022 audio received for Blitz and Review.
Publisher's Summary
The man who wants everything gets nothing….
July 1755
War is brewing between England and France. Impressed into the Royal Navy, Lieutenant Merrick, against all odds, advanced through the ranks to become an officer—but he is not a gentleman. A man with a tainted past from a traitorous family, cast down by King George—a stain no man can remove. Merrick’s thrust into the role of captain, when the HMS Boudica is attacked by pirates off the coast of Nova Scotia. On a captured enemy vessel, he discovers a king’s ransom in treasure and a woman chained in the hold from passenger ship that mysteriously disappeared at sea.
Beautiful, defiant, and hell-bent on revenge, India makes a deal with Merrick to uncover the pirates’ scheme, promising him everything he desires: fortune, glory, and the chance to bring honor back to the McKesson name. Now, they race against time to uncover a plot that links those in the highest ranks of the British aristocracy, to a failed rebellion that is once again trying to topple the monarchy and place an old pretender on the throne. But all that glitters is not gold as passions stir and an impossible love blooms, threatening to undermine all Merrick and India have done to protect their King and a country on the brink of war.
This book contains violence and graphic depictions of war.
Trigger Warning: sexual assault, violence
©2020 Tracey Lasak-Myall (P)2020 Tracey Lasak-Myall

3. Audiobooks.com Smartphone (ATBR)

The Traveller and Other Stories
Author Stuart Neville
Narrator: Gerard Doyle
Duration: 7 h 20 min
I have listened to 2+ hours. This is very dark - "chilling". I will try some more but decided I needed to break for now.
Source: 11/28/2021 Audiobooks.com November VIP selection.
Summary:
A darkly glittering collection of Northern Irish noir by Stuart Neville, Los Angeles Times Book Prize–winning author.
Since his debut novel, the modern classic The Ghosts of Belfast, was published a decade ago, Stuart Neville has published eight other critically acclaimed novels and achieved international recognition as one of crime fiction’s great living writers.
Now for the first time Neville offers readers a collection of his short fiction—twelve chilling stories that traverse and blend the genres of noir, horror, and speculative fiction, and which bring the history and lore of Neville’s native Northern Ireland to glittering life. The collection concludes with the longawaited novella The Traveller, the companion piece to The Ghosts of Belfast and Collusion.
Complete with a foreword from Irish crime fiction legend John Connolly, this volume is the perfect indulgence for fans of ghost stories and noir, and is a must-have for devotees of Neville’s prizewinning Belfast novels.

June 26, 2022 - I got behind somewhere during the week but caught up on Saturday. I meant to watch more of the videos I missed while we had no internet at home, but didn't get that done either. The videos are so informative! The Bible Reading Plan is: BibleProject | One Story that Leads to Jesus. I am enjoying keeping up with my reading each day.
I'll look for a new study maybe next month.

I completed two books and have three reviews to write and post this week. 
NETGALLEY STATUS-- I am listening to the second audio book so my NG shelf is back to the three old ebook titles. I will probably end up letting A Place Called Armageddon go as DNF.
I don't have any author reviews in my queue right now.
(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 book for Blitz feature.
I received one review audiobook from NetGalley.
I selected my free VIP June title at Audiobooks.com
I added SIX free Kindle titles to my Kindle TBR library today.

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

One audio received for Blitz and Review:

Man of War
The Rebels and Redcoats Saga Prequel
By: T.J. London
Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Kathryn Vinclaire, Patrick Zeller, John Hartley, Tara Langella, Jason Clarke, Dryw McArthur, Marnye Young, James Cheatham
Length: 22 hrs and 52 mins
For more information see under Currently Reading.

Leila, The Perfect Witch
by Flavia Z. Drago
Narrated by Marisa Blake

Won

NONE

Purchased

NONE

Free

6/26/2022 Audiobooks.com VIP Free June title:

Escape to Willow Cottage
Author Bella Osborne
Narrator: Elisabeth Hopper
Duration: 14 h 54 min

6 Free titles added to Kindle library. Free titles often found at Bookbub, Bookfun, Book Adrenaline, Ereader News Today, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.