It's Monday! What Are You Reaing? August 20, 2012

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.

DH and I will be going on a cruise 8/27 so in addition to what I have pictured in today's post I hope to read the remaining three titles for the month before I go so I can have reviews scheduled to post ahead of time.

Once again I finished five books and have two that are midway.  I posted five book reviews, one with giveaway links. As usual I posted the regular Friday Pick Giveaway, Saturday Sharing Beyond Books Comment Giveaway and Sunday Words. 

I got to visit a little last Sunday but not during the week. Special thanks to the nice people who visited me.

These were last week's posts:

• It's Monday What are You Reading? August 13, 2012.

• Monday Mailbox August 13, 2012.

• Book Review: One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf; Suspense, Thriller; my rating 4.25.

• Book Review with Kindle Giveaway Link: Entity (The Samsara Chronicles Book 11) by Diana Kemp and Gabriella Bradley; Science Fiction; my rating 4.25.

• Book Review: Scent of Rain by Kristin Billerbeck, Inspirational Fiction, Romance  my rating 4.5.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway August 17, 2012.  Open Worldwide.  Ends 8/23.

• AudioBook Review: The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch; Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic; my rating 4.25.

• Sharing Beyond Books #62 Comment Giveaway.  Open Worldwide. Ends 8/24.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement August 19, 2012.

• Book Review: Wild Irish Rose by Deborah Weikel; Historical Romance, Inspirational; my rating 4.25.

Finished Reading:

1. eBook/Kindle
 

Entity (The Samsara Chronicles Book 11) 

by Diana Kemp and Gabriella Bradley 

Some great descriptions in this episode of the series.
The Review with Kindle Giveaway link are linked above.

2. Audible/MP3

Insurgent: Divergent, Book 2

• UNABRIDGED
• by Veronica Roth
• Narrated by Emma Galvin
•   Series: Divergent, Book 2

Some slowness in the middle but still good. 
I'll post a review this week. 4.25. This is from my own Audible Library.

 3. eBook/Kindle
 

A Little Mischief

by Amelia Grey

This is a light historical; nice read.
Review and Author Guest Post with Giveaway 
to post on Monday 8/20.

4. Print 

He Of The Fiery Sword

by Skhye Moncrief

I like the dragons and hero in this strange tale. 
I'll post a review this week. Rating 3.75.
From my own books won TBR stack.

5. eBook/Kindle
 

Darksiders The Abomination Vault

by Ari Marmell

There is  lots of battle action in this fantasy!

I picked this up through Random House on NetGalley 

and will post a review later this week. Rating: 4.25.

Book Description

Publication Date: July 24, 2012

Ride with the Horsemen of the Apocalypse as they seek to unearth a plot that could plunge all of Creation into chaos!

Ages before the events of Darksiders and Darksiders II, two of the feared Horsemen—Death and War—are tasked with stopping a group of renegades from locating the Abomination Vault: a hoard containing weapons of ultimate power and malice, capable of bringing an end to the uneasy truce between Heaven and Hell . . . but only by unleashing total destruction.

Created in close collaboration with the Darksiders II teams at Vigil and THQ, Darksiders: The Abomination Vault gives an exciting look at the history and world of the Horsemen, shining a new light on the unbreakable bond between War and Death.

Line Edits/Releases: eTreasures released.The Well by Andrew Richardson.

When beautiful heiress Connie Straker wakes from a drugged sleep, she has no idea why she is at the bottom of a dry well.
Connie anticipates freedom when her prison floods, but is dismayed to find she remains a captive. If she is going to escape, she must outthink two violent brothers with a grudge against her family, overcome wild animals and find a way through the cage barring her way.
Connie’s best chance of freedom might lie with the college nerd who has had a crush on her for years.  But Julian is a creep who Connie despises and she has to decide whether to trust him.  Can he overcome his fear of the brothers and help her escape?  Or will her captors put a violent end to Julian’s efforts?  Will Julian take advantage of her desperation and make Connie’s life-or-death situation even worse?

Currently reading:
1. eBook/Kindle
 

Kindred (The Samsara Chronicles Book 12) 

by Diana Kemp and Gabriella Bradley 

I am at least midway on this and will post the Review with Kindle Giveaway link on Wednesday 8/22. (Pump Up Your Book Tour)

Book Description
Publication Date: May 25, 2012
After Aislinn and Dylan witness Shakan’s confession regarding the abduction of the royals, he is sentenced to banishment in the Overlap.

Shakan’s sentencing to the Overlap for his betrayal of the royals and his collaboration with the Klatrians leads Aislinn and Dylan to finalize their plans to rescue her parents before the Fortieth Tribunal. In the meantime, the Klatrian resistance make their own plans in response to Aislinn and Dylan’s arrival.

2. Print

The Trouble With Magic

by Patricia Rice

I will be hosting a Giveaway on 8/25

for the new Sourcebooks release.

I happen to have the older book 

from my collections to read and review. :-)

Book Description
Publication Date: August 5, 2003
The magical Malcolm women and logical Ives men return-in Patricia Rice's most magical novel to date...

Felicity Malcolm Childe's gift for experiencing visions through touch has always felt more like a curse than a blessing. Only the maddeningly handsome Ewen Ives provokes tingles of pleasure rather than pain, but he is already betrothed. Her last hope is to let him escort her to Scotland and help her find the ancient book of spells that could allow her to extinguish her gift-and free her from its burden.

3. Print

I Own the Dawn: The Night Stalkers

by M.L. Buchman

This is starting with good action and character interplay. 

I will be posting a review with Author Interview 

on August 30 but I want to finish the print book 

before our trip. (Sourcebooks)

Book Description
Publication Date: August 1, 2012

Name: Archibald Jeffrey Stevenson III
Rank: First Lieutenant, Dap Hawk Copilot
Mission: Strategy and execution of special ops maneuvers

Name: Kee Smith
Rank: Sergeant, Night Stalker Gunner and Sharpshooter
Mission: Whatever it takes to get the job done

You Wouldn't Think It Could Get Worse, Until It Does...

When a special mission slowly unravels, it is up to Kee and Archie to get their team out of an impossible situation with international implications. With her weaponry knowledge and his strategic thinking, plus the explosive attraction that puts them into exact synchrony, together they might just have a fighting chance.

Plus, as mentioned above I will be reading the remaining August titles and maybe adding an audio this week.

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

[Reading and listening on my new MP3.]

Instead of studying with the Tyndall One Year Bible this year I am studying with Through the Bible in One Year by Alan B. Stringfellow. It is a Study that I used for teaching back in around 1989 so I will enjoy it again.  This week the reading is 1 Corinthians.

Line Edits: Still hoping to train one of my assistants to upload conversions to Kindle and Smashwords.

I started August with 14 books to read and review. I have completed 16 books - obviously added a couple - and still have 3 on the schedule to complete for this month.  I am posting 5 reviews a week to keep up with the reading. :-)

Scheduled for August:

8/20  A Little Mischief by Amelia Grey w/ Guest Post (Sourcebooks)
8/22  Kindred (The Samsara Chronicles Book 12) by Diana Kemp and Gabriella Bradley - Review for Pump Up Your Book - with Kindle Giveaway link
8/23  Feed your eBook Giveaway.
8/25  The Trouble With Magic by Patricia Rice - Sourcebooks Giveaway plus Review.
8/27  Nexus (The Samsara Chronicles Book 13) by Diana Kemp and Gabriella Bradley - Review for Pump Up Your Book - with Kindle Giveaway link

8/29   Equilibrium (The Samsara Chronicles Book 14) by Diana Kemp and Gabriella Bradley - Review for Pump Up Your Book - with Kindle Giveaway link
8/30  I Own the Dawn: The Night Stalkers by M.L. Buchman w/ Author Interview (Sourcebooks)

Unscheduled for August:

Sourcebooks (read)

Thomas Nelson
Faithful to Laura (A Middlefield Family Novel) by Kathleen Fuller - to post with giveaway.

Walnut Press: (read)

I did get one "Won"/TBR books in so far.:-)  

[To be posted - I am setting these up for interview/feature days. 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.]

Book Review: Wild Irish Rose by Deborah L. Weikel

This is a lovely story full of strong imagery, interesting Irish history and sweet romance.

Wild Irish Rose 
 by Deborah L. Weikel

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Brigham Distributing (June 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935217666
• ISBN-13: 978-1935217664

Genre: Historical Romance, Inspirational
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 2010
It is May 1865. When Rosaleen O'Shay and her mother lose their factory jobs, and then her father and brother are injured ina coal-mine cave-in, the family is in serious trouble. Rosaleen worries they will never save enough money to fulfill their dream - to leave Pittsburgh and buy a farm in California. Hoping to give her a better life, Rosaleen's father secretly arranges to marry her off to Blaise Cameron, a young man on his way to his parent's ranch near Stockton, California. In a twist of fate, Blaise turns out to be the soldier from the street - the one Rosaleen considers a blackard. To make matters worse, Blaise has a plan - and dubious motive for taking a wife - so Rosaleen will have to drive a hard bargain of her own. Will Blaise tame the fiery redhead and make her truly his? Or will he annul the marriage as promised when he has achieved his objectives? And will Rosaleen realize that unusual beginnings can lead to happily ever after?

Review:

Rosaleen is a beautiful Irish lass who wants to help her family rise out of the Irish oppression in Pittsburg, PA in 1865.  The family is struggling to make ends meet even with her father and brother working in the mine and her mother and her working in the sewing factory. Then Rosaleen and her mother lose their jobs because she won’t give in to the factory foreman.

Rosaleen rescues another young girl from the foreman and they try a night job at a saloon. Rosaleen is at an age to marry but she wants to find her own husband and marry for love. Her father has a different idea since he feels his impulsive daughter needs to be controlled.  Rosaleen’s father decides to answer an ad for a ‘mail order bride’ in the hopes of getting her settled.

Blaise has returned from the Civil War hoping to return to his family ranch in California. He learns from his distraught sister that his parents have been kidnapped and are being hidden by a former suitor who has commandeered the ranch.  To gain legal control of the ranch Blaise must marry in the next month.  His plan is to marry, for convenience if need be, find his parents, regain the ranch and then divorce. He is drawn to the fiery redhead but knows that she thinks he is a rogue. But she will go along with the plan if he agrees to take her family to California too. 

Ms. Weikel’s descriptions are clear and vibrant from the war images to the mining town, the ship and the range.  I really enjoyed the portrayal of the social history of the time, including the difficulties that the Irish faced and the struggles of convincing old ranchers to try new ideas. The story is driven by the romance between the strong heroine and hero. There is the intrigue that Blaise faces to overcome a conspiring scoundrel but I was a bit disappointed that there really is very little confrontation with the villain and the danger is wrapped up with minimal fuss. I appreciated the underlying faith in this story too. The author delivers the message through the steadfast assurance of Rosalinn’s family that leads Blaise to learn to trust that he needs more than his own efforts.

This read fairly quickly and I would like to read more by this author. If you enjoy warm romance with a marriage of convenience where the characters start at odds but grow on each other, you should check this title.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quotes I liked:

He would never again travel by sea–this unpredictable, vast, and lonely wasteland where he had no control over his circumstances. ... The sea was confining, but Blaise felt at ease on the range. Location 2045.

She was indeed starting to care for Blaise, but she knew it would only bring her heartache to wish for more than what he offered her now.  Location 2151.

I received this title from Walnut Press for an impartial review.

This is set in Pittsburgh, PA and California for my Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add it to my ARC and New Authors lists.

Sunday Words of Encouragement August 19, 2012

We  had another good Sunday school and church service today. We blessed the teachers and children as they head back to school tomorrow.

Our Pastor's sermon was on The Power of God in Our Lives but more particularly on the Power of HIS Name.  As mentioned by the missionary a couple of weeks ago, God's name is to be Hallowed. It is Holy and Powerful.We should be careful how we use the name of God and Jesus. We must be careful not to allow the worldly, casual use to make us forget the holiness and power of the Name.

We cannot treat His Name casually and then expect any power. There is authority, healing, deliverance and so much more in the Name of God. Eternal life is sealed with His Name.

I had several choices of video for this message.
I found this song some time ago and decided to share this one today.

The Names of God

A Verse for Today

Exodus 20:7 (ESV)

⁷  “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

I give thanks that I never took to swearing when I was young. It is unnatural to me. I pray that I may ever give praise to and in His Name and never use it lightly.

Sharing Beyond Books #62 Comment Giveaway August 18, 2012

Welcome to another SBB!

Hello again on Saturday Night! It's been another busy week and I have heard lots of bloggers bemoaning the heat. I guess I don't notice so much since I tend to be indoors most of the time.  

Thank you to all who shared last week.

Only a few commenters have re-purposed books for more than giveaways, though many like the crafty ideas. Carol linked to an etsy site where they make purses out of books!  Ricki has made bookmarks out of a book torn in the mail.  Marianne has made plaques from old books - sounds interesting. And nrlymrtl has turned some damaged books into compost... not pretty but environmentally friendly. :-)

All but a few people do like to watch some of the Olympics. The favorite sports seemed to be gymnastics and swimming. I was sorry to read that several people thought the coverage this year has been lacking.

~~~~

The Winner from SBB #61 comments is: #9 nrlymrtl  There are still 6 'love' books to pick from and 1 Christmas choice (I guess I'll have to add some titles to that list soon). nrlymrtl please choose a book (or GC if international) from the remaining Love Books List for Giveaway, remaining Christmas Giveaway Book, OR pick from the Updated ARC/Review List and let me know your choice, your address and a choice of bookmarks by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #62Questions

Q1. Marjorie asks: Do you ever listen to the radio??

A: I rarely listen to radio anymore. Most of the time I will have a book going in print, ebook or audio. I will occasionally listen to my choir CDs in the car to learn the songs. And my DH will put on 80s music, rock and roll or country gospel, depending on his mood, when we are sitting by the pool.

Our outside player looks like this.

Image found at The Design Town

Q2. My question: Is there a book that has gotten a lot of buzz and hype that you wouldn't or don't want to read??

A:  First I will say I haven't read the Twilight series and don't plan to although my son said I should try it. But this past year there was a lot of buzz about Fifty Shades of Grey.  I guess I could start by not being interested in something touted as 'virgin and erotic.'  However, several people have told me that it is the equivalent of 'housewife porn'. Looking at the mixed reviews and few excerpts (I do investigate before I just say "no") the writing does not sound particularly well done and the plot idea does not draw me in.  Sooo - this is one title I am passing on and have no plans to read (and I have no interest in the movie either).

Image found at Goodreads

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!  
 
Your turn to share:

1. Marjorie asks: Do you ever listen to the radio??

2. My question: Is there a book that has gotten a lot of buzz and hype that you wouldn't/ don't want to read??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the remaining  Valentine and "Love" books or the remaining Christmas Giveaway Books - there are still about 7 books available to choose from. Also I have added the Updated ARC/Review List 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, August 24, 2012 at 10 PM central.

Winners of Georgette Heyer Titles and Hell on Wheels!

CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNERS!

Thank you to all who entered.

Giveaway Three Georgette Heyer Titles. 

Anne-- oops - I need new contacts! This is for Anme!

Giveaway Review Copy Hell on Wheels. 

Carol L

Anne and Carol please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me at mesreads AT gmail.com to confirm the win and I'll send the download the information to the publisher and mail the book copy.  Please reply within 72 hours!