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Sunday, December 25, 2011

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? December 26, 2011

This meme starts at Book Journey!
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.

This was another good reading week and with the extra day off I finished one additional Audible book for a total of five books read.  I posted three reviews - just didn't get that fourth one up.  I posted  two ARC giveaways and one giveaway Hop.  As always I posted my regular Friday Pick Giveaway and Saturday Sharing Beyond Books but instead of the Sunday post I had several Christmas posts. 

I did get to visit about ten blogs last Sunday but I never got to go back later in the week for more visiting.
These were last week's posts plus Winner posts not listed.

Finished Reading:
1. Audible
 

Divergent
by Veronica Roth
Wonderful dystopia story.
Read for TBR.




2. Print
 
by Margaret Maron
Nice mystery.
Review to be posted this week.
Read for Grand Central Publishing.





3. Print (Kindle)
 

Carrie Goes Off the Map
by Phillipa Ashley

This is a fun read.
Read for Sourcebooks.
Review to be posted this week.
 




4. Audible
Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella | [Brent Weeks] 

I decided to listen to this novella as the Trilogy has good ratings and I thought I might like to get it on sale. From My own TBR. In case I don't review - I'll rate it 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Discover the origins of Durzo Blint in this original novella set in the world of Brent Weeks' New York Times best-selling Night Angel trilogy.
"I got a bit of prophecy," the old assassin said. "Not enough to be useful, you know. Just glimpses. My wife dead, things like that to keep me up late at night. I had this vision that I was going to be killed by forty men, all at once. But now that you're here, I see they're all you. Durzo Blint."
Durzo Blint? Gaelan had never even heard the name.
Gaelan Starfire is a farmer, happy to be a husband and a father; a careful, quiet, simple man. He's also an immortal, peerless in the arts of war. Over the centuries, he's worn many faces to hide his gift, but he is a man ill-fitted for obscurity, and all too often, he's become a hero, his very names passing into legend: Acaelus Thorne, Yric the Black, Hrothan Steelbender, Tal Drakkan, Rebus Nimble.
But when Gaelan must take a job hunting down the world's finest assassins for the beautiful courtesan - and crimelord - Gwinvere Kirena, what he finds may destroy everything he's ever believed in. 



5. Audible
 

Holiday in Death: In Death, Book 7
 I had time to fit in another Audible and 
this turned out to be a serial Santa set at Christmas.
From my own TBR.
Publisher's Summary
No one likes to be alone during the holidays. For New York's most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lt. Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer, has made a disturbing discovery: all of the victims have been traced to Personally Yours. Eve soon enters an elite world of people searching for their one true love - and one killer searching for his next victim.



Line Edits/Releases: 

I uploaded the Christmas Novella release: Christmas Wish by Joy Brooks.

Katie Holston, raised in foster homes, wants nothing more than a family to call her own. She meets the man of her dreams in Ian Stokely. Being his five year old son’s teacher, she is in a position to make her dreams come true. Kyle Stokely confides in Katie his greatest wish for Christmas. He wants his widowed father to be happy again. Ian Stokely has a different view than Katie Holston and his son, Kyle. He wishes to be left alone. Can Katie and Kyle convince Ian to live life fully again?
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 67, Novella


Currently reading:
1. Audio
  
by Glenn Beck
I am enjoying this in the car.
On Disc 4 of 6.
Reading for Simon & Shuster 
and Audiobook Jukebox
Book Description
Publication Date: October 25, 2011
A heartwarming novel from Glenn Beck, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Sweater and phenomenally popular radio and television host.

Rachel Price’s one happy memory from her childhood is of playing outside with her father, Mitch, on a cold and snowy day. In that moment he took her hands in his and called her his angel. She felt safe, loved, and protected. Rachel’s mother dies in a car crash a few years later—a sudden and unresolved ending to a complicated relationship. Mitch’s reaction to certain realities surrounding the death pushes Rachel away and confirms her fear that Mitch never truly loved her at all.

Years later, Rachel’s daughter, Lily, is the only light in her dark life. Rachel is consumed by an abusive marriage but too afraid to escape. On Christmas Eve, Rachel’s husband raises a hand to Lily in a moment of aggression that finally snaps Rachel out of her docile state. She realizes immediately that she must protect her daughter in ways her own parents didn’t protect her and remove Lily from the situation. Through the help of an old and dear friend, Rachel has a safe place to go, but first, she must say goodbye to her father.

As the snow falls on this Christmas Eve, Rachel learns that it’s never too late to start over. The Snow Angel is a tale about family, forgiveness, and learning to treasure our memories while allowing ourselves to move forward.



2. Print
 
by Roy Peter Clark
I am finding this very interesting.
Reading for Little Brown & Company, Div of Hachette.
Book Description
Publication Date: September 21, 2011
The craft of writing offers countless potential problems: The story is too long; the story's too short; revising presents a huge hurdle; writer's block is rearing its ugly head.

In HELP! FOR WRITERS, Roy Peter Clark presents an "owner's manual" for writers, outlining the seven steps of the writing process, and addressing the 21 most urgent problems that writers face. In his trademark engaging and entertaining style, Clark offers ten short solutions to each problem. Out of ideas? Read posters, billboards, and graffiti. Can't bear to edit yourself? Watch the deleted scenes feature of a DVD, and ask yourself why those scenes were left on the cutting-room floor. HELP! FOR WRITERS offers 210 strategies to guide writers to success.


3. eBook/Kindle
 

by Karen Wiesner
I really enjoy this author. I am 75% through this.
Reading for the author.
Product Description
Erin Shanley, a hospice nurse, turns amateur sleuth when she realizes that some of her patients are being swindled out of their life savings by the new “psychic” fortunetellers in Briar’s Point. She confides in her neighbor, Detective Tyler Shaw, whom she grew up alongside and considers her best friend.

Tough guy Ty has been in love with Erin since their disastrous first attempt at a romantic relationship when they were teenagers. Erin has been skittish about love since she discovered her father was cheating on her mother—and Ty is so much like her father. How can she risk loving a reckless, restless adventurer when her mother’s loyalty to a man like that brought her so much pain? But when Erin’s bumbling sleuthing attempts arouse someone’s wrath, she realizes her heart isn’t the only thing in danger.



I am also listening to The Listener's Bible NIV read by Max McLean. 

I am at Malachi 1 and Revelations 19.


Line Edits: I am still finalizing one more Novella for release and continuing to work on Smashword and print releases.



December - I started out with 11 or so books to read for review. The reading has gone well but I have at least eight reviews from the past weeks left so it is pretty certain that a couple,  the TBR reviews most likely, might flow to the new year. 

Remaining Author Selections - I may not get this one complete until January.
Nathan Patrick Hardt - The Second Sonata

[To be posted - I am setting these up for January interview/feature days since I didn't get them in this year:
These were read and ready for reviews for Authors.
Quest for Magic by Jean Hart Stewart - Read; review to be posted with interview.
Seeing for the First Time (What You See is What You Get) and To See (What You See is What You Get) by Nicole Zoltack - Both Read; setting up author interview with reviews.
Steamrolled by Pauline Baird Jone. Read; review to be posted with author interview.]

Remembering WHO We Celebrate

Remembering the reason we celebrate CHRISTmas.
I hope you will watch to the end and give thanks for Immanuel, God with us.


May you have a BLESSED CHRISTMAS DAY and may the light of Christmas burn in your heart all year long!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Prayer

Tonight we lit the Candle of Light, signifying the Light that has come into the world.


John 1: 1-5
The Word Became Flesh   
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 
2 He was with God in the beginning.  
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.


Christmas Prayer

by Robert Louis Stevenson

"Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake, Amen!"

Thinking of One Special Holy Night

There are so many beautiful songs to share at Christmas.
My week got busy and I didn't post a song/video each day as I had originally planned so I will share videos today, tomorrow and Monday.
As I head off to our Christmas Eve service I share a beautiful traditional Hymn to prepare for this special night.

Oh Holy Night

Sharing Beyond Books #28 Comment Giveaway December 24, 2011

Welcome once again to Sharing Beyond Books! Less than 1 day left until Christmas. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE BEEN WISHING ME MERRY CHRISTMAS IN COMMENTS AND WINNER REPLIES!!

Thank you for commenting last week.  (Sorry I had the wrong link up last week - I did include Abby who commented on the previous week's post.)  If you haven't finished shopping now... guess you'll be getting in on the post Christmas shopping! LOL

Only about 1/3rd of us read classics. Many of us have such large TBR piles that we do not include classics. That is a bit of a shame. I love that Ricki started reading classics thanks to Marvel Comics and Krystal gives credit to a teacher.  Interesting that Dickens was mentioned a couple of times and Birgit included The Christmas Carol as a Christmas fav even if it is in movie form. :-)

Most of you do not read a traditional holiday book - again too many TBRs! Those who do read holiday books read Twas the Night Before, the Nativity or some Holiday Romances.  It sounded like a couple purposely avoid holiday reads. What? Maybe you should be reading The Grinch? Just kidding. :-)
~~~~

The Winner from SBB #27 comments is: #13 Llehn who will most likely get a PayPal credit or pick a book at the Book Depository. There are still 9 'love' books to pick from, 3 Christmas choices and 2 Summer titles below. Llehn please let me know if you want a PayPal credit, or 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 #28 Questions

Q1. This week Abby asks: If you could be a character in a book, which universe (realm/period) would you choose to be in?? 
A:  That isn't an easy question as there are too many good choices!  The first one that popped into my mind was The Lord of the Rings; then Harry Potter. But I like some of the future/Sci Fi worlds too. And to be a character in a book I would want to lose at least 30-35 years in age!  If I am picking the actual character I pick Doc (Delilah Oliver Clementyne) in the future space world of Girl Gone Nova by Pauline Baird Jones.  This is part of a series I will be featuring (finally) in January.  


Q2. Since it is Christmas Eve I want to know: Do you open presents on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning or Christmas later in the day?

A:  We had a family tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve. When we were kids it was always pajamas. :-) Now that the kids are grown we aren't planning to open any of our few gifts tonight but we do have a special one our daughter has to open tonight. I can't say what it is in case she peeks at the blog today. :-)  Then tomorrow we will be at their house to help the little ones open ALL of their (too many) gifts.

Whenever you open your gifts I hope each of you, my blog friends, have a
WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS DAY
And for me it's nice to know I can open the Gift of God's Love every day of the year.

~~~~
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 FormAt 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.  If you could be a character in a book, which universe (realm/period) would you choose to be in??


2.  Do you open presents on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning or Christmas later in the day??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the remaining  Valentine and "Love" books or the remaining Christmas Giveaway Books - there are still about 12 books available plus 2 left in the Summer titles to choose from. Also I have added the Review and ARC Box now.

My copy is a paperback from 2006
with a different cover.



A Summer Affair (Calhoun Chronicles) 
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, December 30 at 10PM central.

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