Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sunday Words of Encouragement June 10, 2012

We are home from our short but relaxing cruise. It was so wonderful as we met three other Christian couples with whom we got to visit and share encouragement. One couple was involved with the film, Facing the Giants, and in fact the wife is the wife in the movie! My DH was thrilled to meet a 'movie star.' :-) He came home and watched the movie on YouTube. I encourage you to watch it with a box of tissues.

Although we didn't witness directly to non believers I am aware that our smiles, prayers and demeanor were noted by others. I pray that hearts were moved to seek the joy of Christ.

This is one of the choruses we sang this morning and I wanted to share the sheer joy of it.

A Verse for Today:

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NIV)

¹²May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

Today our Pastor preached on Walking with God. I pray that I might walk daily with God in a way that is pleasing to Him.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Winners of Under Fire and Henny on the Couch

CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNERS
Giveaways Ended June 8

Under Fire ARC

Henny on the Couch

Tore and Tiffany please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form to confirm the win and I'll send out the books and/or notify the publisher/author. Please reply within 72 hours!
Thank you to all who entered.

Sharing Beyond Books #52 Comment Giveaway June 9, 2012

Welcome to SBB! Look - we are at week #52 - we've been sharing for a year!!
Did everyone have a good week? We had a wonderfully relaxing week on our four day cruise to Nassau.I didn't get to do any internet visiting but the reading was good.
Thank you to all who commented last week.

I love learning what books everyone loves and were touched by. I know many of the wonderful books but others were new to me and perhaps I will read them some day. :-) It is nice to see Mad Moose Mama back in the comments!

I was rather surprised that most of the graduation celebrations seemed to be low key. I guess we are not a big party crowd...all of us bookish people. :-).

~~~~

The Winner from SBB #51 comments is: #8 Elizabeth L. There are still 7 'love' books to pick from and 2 Christmas choices. Elizabeth please choose a book (or GC if international) from the remaining Love Books List for Giveaway, remaining Christmas Giveaway Books, 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 #52 Questions

Q1. Faith Hope and Cherrytea asks a perfect question for me this week: Do you read when you travel? if so, do you take books to read?
or do you take an ereader??

A: I LOVE to read when we travel!! Yes I take some pictures too but I read while DH drives and I read on my Kindle or listen to audiobooks on my MP3 when I can on trips. There is lots of reading time during a cruise. :-) I did take a print book this trip as it was due for review this coming week.

Image found at Read in a Single Sitting.

Q2. My question: What is your form of Alarm clock??

A: My DH is retired and really doesn't like any alarm. I use my cell phone under my pillow on vibrate but it still rings as an alarm. And I love snooze which my DH hates! During the cruise we did fine and didn't miss an alarm at all. :-)

Image found at Gizmodo

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. :-) The question list is being replenished! Thanks for sending in questions! Questions in May were contributed by mamabunny13, Sarah, Margaret and Abby. The random.org picked winner is Sarah - Sarah please pick a book or GC if you are international and let me know through the winner form link above.

Your turn to share:

1. Faith Hope and Cherrytea asks a perfect question for me this week: Do you read when you travel? if so, do you take books to read?
or do you take an ereader??

2. My question: What is your form of Alarm clock??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the remaining Valentine and "Love" books or the remaining Christmas Giveaway Books - there are still about 9 books available to choose from. Also I have added the Review and ARC Box now.

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, June 15, 2012 at 10 PM central.

Audio Book Review: WIred Kingdom by Rick Chesler

This is an exciting thriller with danger on land and in the water chasing a blue whale.

Wired Kingdom

UNABRIDGED
by Rick Chesler
Narrated by Jeffrey Kafer

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 9 hours and 37 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Variance LLC
Audible.com Release Date: November 21, 2011

Available also in print and ebook
Genre: Thriller
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary

When a blue whale tagged with a web-cam designed with stolen defense technology broadcasts a brutal murder at sea as part of a television nature program, Special Agent Tara Shores finds herself navigating an ocean of manipulation and deceit. It's a deadly race to reach the 100-ton creature roaming the Pacific before an unknown killer can destroy the digital evidence it carries. As Shores dives deeper into the case, what she initially dismisses as a publicity stunt for the glitzy reality series soon sweeps her out to sea in a riptide of greed, intrigue, and high-tech crime.

Review:
A blue whale has been tagged with a video camera that is running live feed to a television program called Wired Kingdom. Suddenly there is a huge stir when the video shows what appears to be a murder of a young woman. It could be a hoax from the producers to up ratings. But when some divers stealthily try to get the tag off the whale the FBI becomes engaged as well as the public.

Mexican pilot Hector is lured by money to take on the job of flying divers to retrieve the tag. His obsession to gain funds for his ill daughter’s operation propels him to risk the lives of the divers as he pursues the recovery of the camera. On one of the retrieval attempts they drop a net entangling the whale and hindering her defense against an attack by a pod of Orca whales. The divers almost succeed in getting the camera but one is caught in the net and another is caught by the Orcas.

FBI Special Agent Tara Shores becomes the central agent in the attempt to retrieve the video camera as evidence for the murder investigation. Tara ends up interviewing Dr. Anastasia Reed who is the daughter of the shows Producer and the person who tracks the Wired Kingdom feed. Tensions build as Anastasia, a known lesbian, voices her interest in Tara at the same time she expresses her concerns that the video camera may be evidence against her father who has been arrested for the murder.

An OLF (Ocean Liberation Front) boat captained by Eric, Anastasia’s ex-boyfriend from college, tries to block the efforts of the officials to strip the tag from the whale. Eric has gone from being a proponent of saving whales to a violent protestor labeled as an eco-terrorist. After an afternoon of partying the OLF crew hook up with Hector and his divers to pursue the whale. Now they have mounted a harpoon gun with the intent to kill the whale to stop the tagging if they can’t retrieve the tag.

This is Mr. Chesler's debut novel and the thriller is very well plotted with plenty of excitement and danger from several sources. There are a few slow places but most of the book moves at a good pace. The concept of the tagged whale is fascinating and I found the details regarding the endangered species, the Orca attacks and the efforts of protection, or lack thereof, very interesting. The story kept me on the edge waiting to see who would win the race to the whale and what its fate would be, as well as wondering what the camera would reveal about the murderer. There are several ironies and twists in the mystery.

I actually thought there were two narrators. Initially the narration is adequate but seems a bit dry with little emotional expression and excitement. The second half of the story the narrator gives a much more enthusiastic and lively reading. Overall I recommend this is as a fine thriller and an entertaining audio listen.

I received the MP3 audio download from Variance Publishing through AudioJukebox.

This is set in Los Angeles and Catalina Island, CA for my Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add it to my ARC, New Author and Audio challenge lists.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway June 8, 2012

[** If you are new to Friday Pick Giveaway - Welcome! Scroll down a bit (below book group #19) for instructions on how to enter.]

I think this is still open so I am still asking for your vote on my Audio love post at Audiobook Community. Here is the link if you get a chance and would be so kind :-):
Thanks Faith Hope Cherrytea for telling me the link was general.
Here is the specific link: (Scroll down below mid page)
http://www.facebook.com/audiobookcommunity?v=app_308816365872891&app_data=entry_id%3D6058046

Ahoy Maties! I have prepared parts of this ahead since my internet time on Board is limited. We will be retuning from our cruise Friday morning. It has been a very relaxing week!

Thank you to all who entered June 1 Pick. There were THREE Automatic winners this week :-) (those who requested the book four times and I did not note other people asking for that book during those weeks).
There is one pick being blocked by multiple requests the past several weeks.

Louisa chose Skylight Confessions
sienny chose Prime Time
Krystal chose Elusive Love

CONGRATULATIONS

to Random.org picked Winners from June 1 Pick:

Lieder chose Nightshade
and

Llehn gets a GC

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 or sexy and I have a new supply of sweet bookmarks.

My DH and I looked a bit like this.
Comfy reading!!
Image found at Peter Sommer Travels

New Book Group #28 May 18, 2012
*asterisks indicate lighter, smaller books suitable for international

Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts

~~Sleeping Arrangements by Madeline Wickham~~

Game Over by Fern Michaels

Forever Victoria by Dorothy Garlock

Sleeping Alone by Barbara Bretton

Gentle From the Night Meagan McKinney (spine creased)

In Too Deep by Tina Wainscott

Gabriel's Lady by Ana Seymor

Wildflower by Jill Marie Landis

*Love and Other Four Letter Words by Caroline Mackler

*The Carousel by Rosamund Pilcher

*Shades of Grace by Barbara Delinsky (audio tapes)

~~Nightshade by John Saul~~

The Heart of Justice by William L. Coughlin

Cross Country by James Patterson

Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods

New book Group #27 April 13, 2012
Some of the books on the right end are smaller and suitable for overseas mailing. :-)

~~Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman~~

Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris (spine damage)

~~An Earl to Enchant by Amelia Grey (spine damage)~~

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

~~When Dreams Come True by Cathy Maxwell (slight spine wear)~~

~~A Week in Winter by Marcia Willett~~

~~Slow Heat by Erica Spindler~~

~~The Trouble with Joe by Emilie Richards~~

Midnight Hour by Debra Dixon

September Morning by Diana Palmer

Beneath the Surface by Annie White (slight spine wear)

~~The Amazing Mrs. Polifax by Dorothy Gilman~~

*The Dream Horse by Virginia Campbell Scott

*Summer's Belle by Paige Winship Dooly
*Not Looking for a Texas Man by Lass Small
*Ladies Start Your Engines

New book Group #26 March 2, 2012
These are Paired sets - two per author.
Four are parts of series the others are just singles by the same author.
Winners get both books if you pick these.

~~Nora Roberts~~
Inner Harbor (#3 Cheasapeake Bay Series) and Blue Dahlia (SC) (#1 In the Garden Trilogy -(nice trilogy!)
~~Dick Francis~~
~~Smokescreen (SC) and Field of Thirteen~~

New Group #25 January 12, 2012

*Smaller books on the right would be okay for most international mailing.

Leopards Kill by Jim DeFelice

Category 7 by Bill Evans and Marianna Jameson

~~Long Way Home (Friends Romance Series) by Wendy Corsi Staub~~

Hell's Belle by Jane Holleman

~~The Firebird Deception (Silhouette Bombshell) by Cate Dermody~~

*Shadow Rider: Apache Sundown by Jory Sherman

*Prime Time by Sandra Brown

*Out of the Blue (Allegheny Hopes) by Janice A. Thompson

New Group #24 Pick Books November 25, 2011
(The only Thanksgiving title I found is a Harlequin I'd like to read someday so no Thanksgiving titles for November.)

~~Green Calder Grass by Janet Dailey~~

New Group #23 Pick Books October 14, 2011
I tried to pick some books that would be good for October -
Halloween or dark minded.

Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser

Emily's Good Nightmare by Cosmic Debris Cosmic

~~Death Angel by Linda Howard~~

New Group #22 Pick Books September 2, 2011

Singles:

Tender Triumph by Judith McNaught

New Group #21 of Pick Books July 29, 2011

There are eight mysteries and I have asterisked nine books that are smaller and would be good for oversea choices if so desired.

Mallory's Oracle (Kathleen Mallory Novels) by Carol O'Connell

* I. O. U by Pickard, Nancy (spine creased)

Stand by Me Anthology with Dallas Schulze, Roberta Leigh and Linda Randall Wisdom (spine creased)

May, 2011 New Group of Pick books

Group #20

Singles

Luciano's Luck by Jack Higgins - Audio Cassettes

3/25/11 I did get to set up a new group of books:

Group #19

Singles

Primary Colors - audio tapes

Note of Peril (black strip on cover)

2/19/11 Book Group #18- Pairs!

Not all of these are two from a series but several are. Each pick gets two books.

~~Patricia Cornwell Pair:~~

~~Cruel and Unusual~~

~~At Risk (Win Garano)~~

I have finally updated the intro and Entry paragraphs here:

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 in November 27, 2009 and in two years I posted 26 groups of 16 books to find new homes! (March 2012)

I have 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! I am happy to say that so far about 365 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.

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 $5.00 and $6.00 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)

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 10:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up past midnight 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 and I did not note other people asking for that book during those weeks.

WINNERS PLEASE CHECK THE WIN POST ON FRIDAYS AND fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me at mesreads@gmail.com. [I will confirm receipt of the addresses- well I realize I haven't always done this. But if you filled out the form and don't get the book within two weeks nudge me with an email please!] If I have the winners e-mail I will send a reminder in a week or so....

Thanks for helping these books find new homes!!

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!

1/14/11 New List
#17
Moonfire by Judith Redman Robbins
~~Saving Faith by David Baldacci (Audio Book)~~

12/3/10 Book Set:

#16

~~Best Of Enemies by Taylor Smith~~

Sleight of Hand by Robin Hathaway

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

List #15---

List #14

~~Blood And Glory (Soldiers Of War) (Soldiers of War, Book 1) by Larson Reed~~

~~Gospel Truths by J.G. Sandom~~

Here is set #13 of Used books!

Pearl Beyond Price by Claire Delacroix

This is a group of books I have had for several years but not gotten to read. Since it doesn't look like I will get to read them for another year (or more!) I am passing them on. Although as I type them part of me still says "But you may want to read that some day!" Yes, yes; along with the other 700 books I am housing! Must Let goooooo.....

Group #12

~~The Ripple Effect by Lynn Erickson~~

Group #11

Cat's Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown

Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

Snow in April by Rosamunde Pilcher

Looking Back by Belva Plain

The Ring on Her Finger by Elizabeth Bevarly

List #1
Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo

Pick #2

The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross

Pick #3