Sharing Beyond Books #195 Comment Giveaway March 22, 2015 (for March 21)

Hello again on Saturday night and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

I had a very busy three and one-half days at work to get ready for this week of spring break. We have taken the motor coach to Orlando to spend the week with our kids and grandkids. They will be visiting several days at Disney parks while we enjoy quite at the campground.  AND BTW-- HAPPY SPRING officially although it feels like we slid right past spring and into summer weather.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.

Sarah noted: "I don't remember what it's like to have a manageable TBR pile." I think that most of us have that same situation and therefore we have no need to panic at the thought of running out of books. However, most of us keep a set of 3-6 books as the 'next' to read.

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The Winner from SBB #194 comments is: #1 Mystica (odd 1 and 11 have been repeated winning numbers over the past several months) who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated ARC/Review titles or (not yet updated) Love titles - all linked near the end of the post. I'm hoping to update the book choices this week. Please let me know your choice by completing the (new) WINNER FORM.

WEEK #195 (One Question.)

Q1. Rubynreba asks: What is the best** movie you have ever seen?? **Note please distinguish this from your fav movie which is a question for another day.

A: It is difficult to pick a "best" movie. Once again we have to determine if best means best production, best story or some other value. I think I will pick two: The Shawshank Redemption for its story and its beautiful execution and The Matrix for its story and innovative effects.  

The Shawshank Redemption
Image found at IMDb

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! We still have a supply of questions but from the same people so hopefully others will send more in -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify to use.

Your turn to share:

Q1. Rubynreba asks: What is the best** movie you have ever seen?? **Note please distinguish this from your fav movie which is a question for another day.
SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the  Valentine and "Love" books or the February 2015 Newly Updated ARC/Review List. (My daughter pulled several of the Christmas titles to give with gift bags we made up for the nursing homes. I still have to go back and update that list with what is left and a few new titles to add.)

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on either of the two questions above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday March 28, 2015 at 5 PM  central.

Sunday Words of Encouragement March 22, 2015

Our Wednesday night women’s study has been doing a study by Beth Moore called Children of the Day, 1& 2 Thessalonians. I was enjoying the study about Paul’s dedicated efforts to preach the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles. Even though he had been hindered by men and Satan, (Thessalonians 2: 14-16 and 18), suffered greatly for his efforts (2 Corinthians 11:23-28), he pressed on with every opportunity and did find times when he could proclaim and teach “with openness and unhindered” (Acts 28:30-31).

Paul and his friends exhorted the Thessalonians to proceed with the work of faith, labor of love and endurance of hope. 1 Thessalonians 1:3. Even when Paul had not yet met the people he cared for them and shared the love of Christ. This same message should speak to us today and encourage us to stand together, be bold, walk a steady course and speak out the message of the gospel of Christ.

(I am behind in the study now having missed several weeks due to travel and preparation. I may ask to watch the videos when I return and I will have to discipline myself to complete the study.)

I found this song that fits perfectly with this message since we are children of the day 

and we are the light of the world!

We Are by Kari Jobe

A Verse for Today:
1Thessalonians 5:5 (NIV)
You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

Prayer: I thank you Lord for providing in depth study of your word by other devoted Christians. Help me to take in the teaching and use it to spread the word of your glory and redemption. Help me to be a child of the light and of the day, sharing Your love in a darkened world.

Notice: Delay for Sharing Beyond Books

There will be a delay in posting SBB this week. We are set up in our camp site for this week but having some electric breaker issues. We took a family vacation (to Orlando, Disney World) with all the kids to join us soon! I will post this as soon as I can.

Book Review: Echoes (A Harp Security Novel) by Laura K. Curtis

This is a very good romantic suspense with the emphasis on action and suspense.

Echoes (A Harp Security Novel)

Laura K. Curtis

• File Size: 1075 KB
• Print Length: 282 pages
• Publisher: InterMix (March 17, 2015)
• Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
• ASIN: B00NGZOH6O

Genre: Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: March 17, 2015
Who is she?
A single photo of herself as an infant on a beach, taken before the date on her birth certificate, throws everything Calliope Pearson knows about herself into question. Hoping to find answers, she takes advantage of her job as a travel writer to make a reservation at the Caribbean island resort in the picture.
Resort security chief Mac Brody distrusts Callie on sight. After all, she looks exactly like his deceitful missing wife, Nikki, who owns half the resort. But when Nikki’s found dead, Mac's facing murder charges, and he’s sure that Callie must hold the key to proving his innocence.
The deeper Callie and Mac dive into the mystery of her past, the more bodies surface. And they’ll have to learn to trust each other, or become victims of a dark danger neither could've imagined….
Praise for TWISTED:
“Sexy small town suspense, with finely drawn characters that will tug at your heart and keep you up at night turning pages.”—Bestselling Author Dee Davis
Laura K. Curtis has always done everything backwards. As a child, she was extremely serious, so now that she’s chronologically an adult, she feels perfectly justified in acting the fool. She started teaching at age fifteen, then decided to go back to school herself at thirty. And she wrote her first book in first grade. It was released in (notebook) paperback to rave reviews and she's been trying to achieve the same level of acclaim ever since. She lives in Westchester County, New York, with her husband and a pack of wild Irish Terriers, which has taught her how easily love can coexist with the desire to kill.

Review:
Callie is a bright, secure professional young woman. She was raised by her father who was part journalist and part diplomat. He taught her many skills to help keep her safe during their many travels. Callie is now a freelance journalist who often reviews resorts for travel magazines. This provides the perfect cover when she travels to a lush, private resort on St. Martin. She found an old picture of her mother and herself as an infant on the island that has raised her strong curiosity. As soon as she arrives at the resort she gets strange looks and a strong reaction.

Mac is infuriated when he first sees Callie. He thinks his soon to be ex-wife, who has been missing for over a week, is playing some manipulative game. Callie could be Nikki's twin although they have different body types and different attitudes. Nikki is a model thin, spoiled party-girl while Callie is more natural and, as he soon learns, very capable of living a normal life.
“Normal” at least until it becomes clear that someone is rifling her belongings and even trying to kidnap her. Mac is very impressed at how well Callie handles herself when they start racing from the police and finding themselves hiding from authorities and dodging bullets from goons.

This is a very good romantic suspense with the emphasis on action and suspense. There is good sexual tension between Callie and Mac and a few steamy encounters, but most of the story is tied up in two intersecting plot lines. A twisted serial killer has been killing young women and others who seem to have a connection to the father of the resort owner, and a connection to Callie. There also are leads to am arms dealer that has old army buddies of Mac flying to the rescue and commandeering the search for answers. The secondary security characters have interesting background, skills and resources - and will be good material in other stories I’m sure..

I really enjoyed the fast paced action and danger even if some might consider the plot a stretch on reality. But it could happen. I would have liked a little more wrap up on details acknowledging that Mac was no longer a suspect on the run from authorities. Since one major villain is still on the loose, I hope for more adventure with these characters. I would definitely read more from this author and recommend this book to readers who enjoy action-packed romantic suspense.

I received this book through Rock Star PR for an honest review. This will qualify for new author.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 20, 2015

Happy Friday. I hope everyone had a lucky St. Patrick's Day. I have been super busy at work since we got home on Tuesday. It has been very rushed. 
I did get the new list up and mostly linked but I am ready to crash now. And I realize I am behind in updating the giveaway links but I think that will have to wait as I am too tired to do more right now.  

TO ENTER:

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up to late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks.

Thank you to all who entered the March 13 Pick. There were three automatic wins this week.  (Automatic winners are those who requested the book four times and I did not note other people asking for that book during those weeks.) There was one title blocked.
LindaK gets Daisy's Back in Town
Karina gets The Da Vinci Code
Booklady gets Touched by Fire

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from March 13 Pick:
Di gets Angel's Peak

Dr. Wright gets Stuart Woods Pair

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

Green books work fine for me. :-)

Image found at St Patrick's Day 2015

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
(I'll try to get the rest linked another day.)

PAIRS:
Dick Francis: A Jockey's Life and Proof (spine creases)
Catherine Lanigan: Tender Malice and Elusive Love (spine creases)
Parent Trap Anthology, Dallas Schulze, Lisa Jackson, Kasey Michaels
Madison Avenue Marriage (Silhouette Desire #129) by Cassandra Bishop
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Ain't Myth-Behaving by Kate MacAlister
Death at Play by Nancy Gotter Gates
Where is He Now? by Jennifer Greene
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)
Aphrodite's Secret by Julie Kenner
Virtually His by Gennita Low
Dead Even by Brad Metzger
Mommy Midwife by Cassie Miles
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks


New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015
(I'll try to get the rest linked another day.)

PAIRS:
Virginia Henley: The Pirate and the Pagan (spine creases) and The Falcon and the Flower
James Patterson: London Bridges and Roses are Red (both spine creases)
SINGLES:
Pale Kings and Princes by Robert Parker Audio Cassette Tapes
Hour Game by David Baldacci (spine creases)
If I Had You by Deborah Bedford
The Girl With the Golden Spurs by Ann Major
Can't Take My Eyes Off of You by Kasey Michaels
Dark Possession by Christine Feehan
Daisy's Back in Town by Rachel Gibson
The Man Who Ate the 747 by Ben Sherwood
Paradise Bay by James Michael Pratt
The Last Two Bachelors by Debbie Macomber
Exclusive Anthology by Fiona Hood-Stewart, Sharon Kendrick and Jackie Braun
Duets Romantic Comedy: Lady and the Scamp by Candy Halliday & The Doctor Dilemma by Dianne Drake

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014

PAIRS:
Lisa Gardner: Alone and Gone
Janet Evanovich: Eleven on Top and Twelve Sharp
Stuart Wood: L.A. Dead and Fresh Disasters
SINGLES:
Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card - Tape Cassettes
New Blood by Gail Dayton
Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings
To Collar a Killer by Lee Charles Kelley
Dead I Well May Be by Adrian McKinty
‘Til There Was You by Elizabeth Ann Michaels
The Ladies’ Lunch by Patricia O’Brien
Wild Winds by Janelle Taylor
Shrink Rap by Robert B. Parker - Tape Cassettes
Rescue Me Anthology by Cherry Adair, Lora Leigh and Cindy Gerard


BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty byVickie Kennedy
First to Fight Anthology
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin
Maybe This Time by Victoria Barrett
The Commander by Kate Bridges
The Cinderella Plan by Margaret Daley
The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook by Steve Doocy
A Garden of Friends by Penny Pierce Rose
Intrepid Encounter by Rebecca Ashley
A Stranger's Wife by Maggie Osborne
Richard Paul Evans PAIR: The Looking Glass and The Carousel
Duo Book: Yesterday's Memories by Tara Taylor Quinn and Amanda Stevens
At The Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Catherine Anderson PAIR: Seventh Heaven and Always in My Heart
Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot
Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner


BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)

Touched by Fire by Kathleen O'Reilly
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
It All Began at Monte Carlo by Elizabeth Adler
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
Mariah Stewart PAIR: Priceless and Brown-Eyed Girl
Cattle Rancher, Secret Son by Margaret Way
Whisper on the Wind by Joan Smith
Fulfillment by Barbara Delinsky
Trouble Becomes Her by Laura Van Wormer
Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark
Diana Palmer PAIR: Diamond Spur, Long Tall Texan
A Lady of Consequence by Mary Nichols
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain
Illegal Possession by Kay Hooper


BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)

Final Justice by Jasmine Cresswell
Thinner by Stephen King
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
Mary Higgins Clark PAIR: Let Me Call You Sweetheart and Moonlight Becomes You (SC)
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Dancing on Snowflakes by Jane Bonander
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
Angel's Peak by Robyn Carr
The Millionaire's Daughter by Sophie Weston
Tara Taylor Quinn: Father: Unknown and McGillus v.Wright
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
Anthology: Something Borrowed, Something Blue - this book has spine creases and minor water damage...I thought I had read it and liked it but now I realize it was another anthology I read with Elaine Barbier.
Bride by Command by Linda Winstead Jones
Awaken the Senses by Nalini Singh


BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)

Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo
The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky
One Eye Closed by Karen Whiddon
The Darkroom by Minette Walters
The Elusive Flame by Kathleen Woodwiss
Prey by Michael Crichton - Audio Tape
On Treacherous Ground by Earl Murray
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
McNally's Puzzle by Lawrence Sanders
The Undertaker's Widow by Phillip M. Margolin
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
S is for Silence (Kinsey Millhone Mystery)
Tender Triumph by Judith McNaught
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Death Angel by Linda Howard

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in five+ years I have posted 54 groups of 16 (864) books to find new homes! (as of February 6, 2015).

I am happy to say that so far about 786+ books have found new homes! YAY. I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to far away places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!