Sunday Words of Encouragement November 13, 2011

This post is very late today because our daughter and her family came over after church and we had a lovely day together. As we get closer to Thanksgiving I am ever mindful of the blessings I have.
I am just going to share an awesome song, verses for today and a quick prayer thought.

Verses for Today:

2 Thes 2: 13-15  NIV

13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings^c we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 

This morning we gave thanks for Veterans and all those who serve to protect our country. We prayed too that we would find full freedom through the Holy Spirit to reflect Christ's love and glory to the world.

Sharing Beyond Books #22 Comment Giveaway November 12, 2011

Hello There - Welcome again to Saturday Night and Sharing Beyond Books! 
Thanks for your comments this past week.

I found it interesting that most of us do not have traditions for Anniversary gifts. :-) Ricki is the only one that tries to match the gift to the traditional anniversary guide. Most of us are inclined to have a dinner together and I think Margaret is right that dinner is a safe choice instead of "guessing" at a gift.

It sounds like most countries, though not all, do use Day Light Savings. I really never thought about it being done in other countries. I don't think many of us like it being dark when we come home from work but scottsgal is right that it is safer for the kids in the morning.  Elizabeth was the farthest from me of those that compared time - she is 8 hours ahead of Central time; Spav was the next farthest at 7 hours ahead. Although Marybelle didn't compare time, she is the farthest away in QLD which I think is a whole 16 hours ahead of me.:-)

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The Winner from SBB #21 comments is: #19 mamabunny13. There are still 9 'love' books to pick from, 5 Christmas choices and 2 Summer titles below so Mamabunny13 please choose a book from the remaining Love Books List for Giveaway or remaining Christmas Giveaway Books, the one summer book below OR pick from the ARC box and let me know your choice, your address and a choice of bookmarks by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #22 Questions

Q1. Winnie provides the question this week:  What do you think about weird character names? Does it drive you crazy not knowing whether you pronounce or read it properly?

A: Weird names do make me wonder. Even when I listen to Audible or Kindle I wonder if the narrator is saying the name right if it isn't said the way I would say it. Only once in a while does it drive me crazy.

Q2. The holidays are here. Where did you get your favorite Thanksgiving recipe from (mother, grandmother, etc.)?? What is it?

A:  As I have mentioned before my DH is the cook around our house. I could ask him where he got his fav Thanksgiving recipe but instead I am going to tell you about one he sort of made up that we all love! We call them Bob's Stuffin' Muffins. It is a version of stuffing with cranberries made in muffin tins - they are yummy. I found this picture at Rachel Ray's blog and it is possible that he got the idea for the muffin tins there since he used to watch her show. His recipe is different though. 

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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 will draw from the suggestions I used the month before and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions but some of you others might want to get in a question or two as we have a few people submitting most of the questions so far.  Either way - it works for me. :-)

Your turn to share:

1. What do you think about weird character names? Does it drive you crazy not knowing whether you pronounce or read it properly?

2.  The holidays are here. Where did you get your favorite Thanksgiving recipe from (mother, grandmother, etc)?? What is it?

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the remaining  Valentine and "Love" books or the remaining Christmas Giveaway Books - there are still about 14 books available plus 2 left in the Summer titles to choose from. Also I have added the Review and ARC Box now.

The Days of Summer: A Novel

My copy is a paperback from 2006

with a different cover.

A Summer Affair (Calhoun Chronicles)
I love Susan Wigg's historicals!

SBB Rules: a) Must be a follower; 
b) Share a comment on any (or all) of the two/three 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 by Friday, November 18 at 10PM central.

Winners for The Rose Garden and Unleashed

Yeah - It's Winners Time!  CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS:

ARC Copy of The Rose Garden

by Susanna Kearsley

Justine

ARC Copy of Unleashed 

by Sara Humphreys

Kate

ALL WINNERS please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form so I can mail the books out.  Please reply within 72 hours! 

Book Review and Giveaway(s): Blackberry Summer by RaeAnne Thayne

I think this story would make a really nice Hallmark movie.

Blackberry Summer

by RaeAnne Thayne

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books; Original edition (May 24, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373775938
• ISBN-13: 978-0373775934

     Genre:  Contemporary Romance
     My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description

Series: Hqn | Publication Date: May 24, 2011

Claire Bradford needed a wake-up call.
What she didn't need was a tragic car accident. As a single mom and the owner of a successful bead shop, Claire leads a predictable life in Hope's Crossing, Colorado. So what if she has no time for romance? At least, that's what she tells herself, especially when her best friend's sexy younger brother comes back to town as the new chief of police.
But when the accident forces Claire to slow down and lean on others—especially Riley McKnight—she realizes, for the first time, that things need to change. And not just in her own life. The accident—and the string of robberies committed by teenagers that led up to it—is a wake-up call to the people of Hope's Crossing. The sense of community and togetherness had been lost during those tough years. But with a mysterious "Angel of Hope" working to inspire the town, Riley and Claire will find themselves opening up to love and other possibilities by the end of an extraordinary summer…

Review:  This is a very warm and engaging romance.

Claire is a divorced mother with two children. He ex-husband was her high school sweetheart but after 10 years of marriage he decided he had fallen out of love. Shortly after their divorce he married his young, beautiful secretary.  Claire keeps herself busy with the children and by operating a beading business.

Riley is the new Chief of Police. He has returned home after leaving LA where he served as an undercover cop and saw an unsavory side of society.  Riley is three years younger than Claire and the younger brother of Claire’s best friend. He has always had a secret crush on Claire but now he thinks that she is too good for someone with his disreputable reputation and his rough experiences. Yet he is drawn to her sweet, fresh and loving spirit.

Claire and Riley meet in her store after a break in. She is surprised to feel interest in him as a man but she figures he would not be interested in a divorced woman. His reputation says he is not one to settle down. There is some coming together and walking away between the pair and I was pulling for them to get over their fears and get together already.

Tragedy strikes the community when Chief Riley pursues teenage thieves.  There is an accident that results in the death of one teenage girl and leaves another teenage girl in a comatose state. Riley blames himself as the town council questions whether they should release him after his probationary time. Claire comes up with an event to pull the town together and give them hope. It is nice to see the neighbors pull together to help each other after the tragedy brings sadness and guilt to the community.

The characters are very likeable and could be real people. Even the unlikeable characters are developed appropriately with the circumstances explained. The writing style flows well, is natural and real to life. The dialog has some sass to it yet is very natural. The romance has just a little zing to make it interesting but not overtly sexual. 

There are one or two questions remaining at the end of the story - maybe there is a sequel? - but still this was entertaining.
This is an engaging story that I recommend for a light, easy read. I would be interested to read more by this author.

This book was sent to me by TellHarlequin to read for a survey. I am glad to have read it and hope it's okay that I pass it on to another eager reader to enjoy.
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE PRINT COPY and TO ENTER for a ***BONUS giveaway to another commenter a Kindle ebook copy of the author's Christmas book:

Christmas in Cold Creek (Harlequin Special Edition)

Alternative win would be one of the author's other Christmas 

books for Nook from B&N.

***PLEASE MAKE SURE TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE ENTERING ONLY FOR THE PRINT, ONLY FOR THE KINDLE/NOOK CHRISTMAS BOOK (Open Internationally) OR ENTERING FOR BOTH.
1.Mandatory entry: Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you find there. DON'T FORGET TO read the instructions in green at ***.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

4. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

(Four total entries possible.)
It is not necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* The print portion of this contest is open to US and Canada only; but the Kindle or Nook copy is OPEN INTERNATIONALLY.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on November 25, 2011.
The WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on November 26. 
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Audio Book Review: No Rest For the Dead - Various Authors

A murder and an execution.  Ten years later the mystery is still to be solved.

No Rest for the Dead
by Sandra Brown, R.L. Stine, Jeffery Deaver and Andrew Gulli

Introduction by: David Baldacci /  
Read by: Richard Ferrone, Jonathan Davis, James Colby, Tom Stechschulte, Carol Monda and Eliza Foss

Length: Approximately 9 hours
Genre: Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Description
Alexander McCall Smith. Sandra Brown. Faye Kellerman. J.A. Jance. Jeffery Deaver. Kathy Reichs. Lisa Scottoline. Jeff Lindsay. These are only a handful of the names that make up the all-star lineup of authors behind No Rest for the Dead, a tale of vengeance, greed, and love that flows seamlessly, in the words of David Baldacci, "as it passes from one creator's mind to the next."

When Christopher Thomas, a ruthless curator at San Francisco's McFall Art Museum, is murdered and his decaying body is found in an iron maiden in a Berlin museum, his wife, Rosemary, is the primary suspect, and she is tried, convicted, and executed. Ten years later, Jon Nunn, the detective who cracked the case, is convinced that the wrong person was put to death. In the years since the case was closed, he's discovered a web of deceit and betrayal surrounding the Thomases that could implicate any number of people in the crime. Solving this case may be Nunn's last chance for redemption…but the shadowy forces behind Christopher's death will stop at nothing to silence the past forever.

In this innovative storytelling approach, each of these twenty-six bestselling writers brings their distinctive voice to a chapter of the narrative, building the tension to a shocking, explosive finale. No Rest for the Dead is a thrilling accomplishment that only America's very best authors could achieve.

Review: Just look at the gallery of authors on this - whew!

This story is told part in first person through Jon Nunn’s diary and a couple of other characters and part in third person. Some readers may find that distracting but I enjoy the changes, even more so since there were different narrators for this audiobook. 

The primary character, Jon Nunn, took a nose dive into the bottle ten years ago when he determined that his detective work helped send an innocent woman to execution.  All the evidence pointed to her but it was almost too pat and by the time Rosemary was headed into the death chamber he was convinced that she had been framed.  Jon lost his job as a police detective and his beautiful wife, Sarah, as a result of his depression and obsession with the case.

Ten years later there are a gallery of suspects he wants to interrogate.  Jon recruits the head of the museum where Rosemary and Chris Thomas worked to host a memorial for the 10th anniversary of Rosemary’s execution inviting all of the related family, friends, enemies and suspects. Although there are various reactions to the invitation, everyone is drawn for different reasons.

The story reveals early the ugly character of Chris Thomas, the victim, as a blatant womanizer and an unscrupulous thief selling stolen art. At least two of his lovers might have had motive to kill him. The partners in crime or money lenders may have had motive.  Chris had already been attacked by an ex-con husband of an artist whose work was rejected after she rejected Chris’ advances.  And don’t forget Rosemary’s drunken brother who had no love for Chris but needed money. Nunn has a host of nefarious characters to sort through to try to find the true killer and put his own guilt to rest. 

There is someone who is very unhappy that Nunn and an old journalist friend of Rosemary’s are raising questions.  Stirring the pot has apparently stir up a whole ugly hornet nest of surprises with threats and attacks.

Although a lot of the story is slower it was still interesting as the suspects were being lined up and hints of motives were developed. The tension and excitement picked up after the memorial and with the chase at the end. I enjoyed the mystery as a whole although I thought there were some unrealistic scenes in the ending.

I found it great fun to note which authors wrote each chapter and to see if I could match their styles to previous books I may have read/listened to. I enjoyed the six different narrators and the varied points of view. The narrators fittingly portrayed character emotions - depression, arrogant disdain, greed - as well as the character personae such as clingy girlfriend, arrogant assistant and low-life security guard.  If you are a mystery fan I am sure you would enjoy this audio.

I received this Audio Book from Simon & Schuster Audio.  as a part of the Solid Gold Reviewer program at Audiobook Jukebox.