Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf

Friday, August 24, 2012

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway August 24, 2012

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

Is it Friday already??!! I have been juggling to get everything done as I always do before a vacation break. One big closing to fund tomorrow and then wrapping up loose files. We are looking forward to flying to Seattle to go on an Alaska cruise. :-)
Five books out this week puts the number of books given away on Friday Pick at over 400!! Sweeeet!
I'll be taking a picture of a new group of books to add next week

Thank you to all who entered the August 17 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). Several books were blocked this week - and one (Threads of Destiny) was won.
Carol M picked Game Over four times for an automatic win;

Elizabeth L picked The Contrary Corinthian four times for an automatic win;
AND
Anita picked Cover Pursuit four times for an automatic win.

CONGRATULATIONS

to Random.org picked Winners from August 17 Pick:

June M chose While My Pretty One Sleeps
and

bn100 chose Threads of Destiny

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.

Isn't this a lovely picture? Although I'm glad I don't have to dress like that at poolside.

Image found at From the House of Edward

New Book Group #30 July 27, 2012
This time I pulled some books from one of my older boxes.
*asterisks indicate lighter, smaller books possibly suitable for international mailing

~~Dead Ringer by Lisa Scottline~~

The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)

~~Threads of Destiny by Arnette Lamb~~

A Dangerous Devotion by Barbara Kyle

~~Carolina Moon by Nora Roberts (some spine wear)~~

{An Independent Woman by Candace Camp} Shipping cost TBD

Wolf Mountain Moon by Terry C. Johnston

Wild Escapade by Lisa Bingham

Dancing on Snowflakes by Jane Bonander

Virtue by Jane Feather

~~Don't Bargain with The Devil by Sabrina Jeffries~~

Mistress by Amanda Quick - Audio Cassettes

*Long Time Coming by Sandra Brown

*The Contrary Corinthian by Emily Hendrickson (spine wear)

*There Was a Little Boy by Claire Rainwater Jacobs

*On Thin Ice by Linda Hall

New Book Group #29 June 29, 2012
*asterisks indicate lighter, smaller books possibly suitable for international mailing

Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology

~~The Promise by Kasey Michaels~~

Winning Ways by Barbara Boswell

Tomorrow's Promise by Sandra Brown

~~Midnight Rainbow by Linda Howard~~

~~Death's Door by Meryl Sawyer~~

~~Life Support by Tess Gerristen Audio Cassettes~~

~~Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich~~

~~Exit to Eden by Anne Rice~~

~~While My Pretty One Sleeps by Mary Higgins Clark~~

Gifts from the Heart by Jillian Hart

*Simon Said by Sarah R. Shaber

*One is the Lonliest Number - Tom Clancey's Net Force

*Edwin of the Iron Shoes by Marcia Mueller

*Covert Pursuit by Terri Reed

*Close to Home by Carolyne Aarsen

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

Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts

~~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~~

~~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)

~~The Heart of Justice by William L. Coughlin~~

~~Cross Country by James Patterson~~

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

Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris (spine damage)

~~Dear John by Nicholas Sparks~~

~~Midnight Hour by Debra Dixon~~

~~September Morning by Diana Palmer~~

~~Beneath the Surface by Annie White (slight spine wear)~~

*The Dream Horse by Virginia Campbell Scott

*Summer's Belle by Paige Winship Dooly

New book Group #26 March 2, 2012--- (All gone)
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.

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~~

Hell's Belle by Jane Holleman

*Shadow Rider: Apache Sundown by Jory Sherman

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

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

New Group #22 Pick Books September 2, 2011

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

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!---(All gone)

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

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 404 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~~

12/3/10 Book Set:

#16

Sleight of Hand by Robin Hathaway

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

List #15---(All gone)

List #14---(All gone)

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---(All gone)

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---(All gone)

Pick #4

Talking God by Tony Kellerman

Everything to Gain by Barbara Taylor Bradford

~~The Sixth Sense~~

The Shadow by Shelley Munro (PA)

Pick #5

See Jane Lead by Lois P. Frankel

~~Misfortune by Nancy Geary~~

Cold Hit by Linda Fairstein - Audio Tapes

Pick #6---(All gone)

Pick #7

Prey by Michael Crichton - Audio Tape

Princess Charming by Jane Heller (slightly creased)

Pick #8

(sc) = slightly creased on binding otherwise all in good shape

The Jury by Steve Martini - Audio Tapes

No Safe Place by Richard North Patterson - Audio Tapes

Pick #9

On Treacherous Ground by Earl Murray

Guardian by Dee Henderson - Audio Tapes

Time to Hunt by Stephen Hunter - Audio Tapes

Pick #10

The Third Twin by Ken Follett (spine creased)

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Audible Book Review: Insurgent: Divergent, Book 2 by Veronica Roth

This is an engaging story with strong emotions, good action and surprising twists. The audio is well done if you prefer listening to reading.

Insurgent: Divergent, Book 2

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

Genre: Dystopian
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Insurgent: Divergent, Book 2 | [Veronica Roth]

Publisher's Summary

One choice can transform you - or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves - and herself - while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable - and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Review:
This story picks up after the initial battle between the Dauntless and Erudite that closed out the first book, Divergent. Tris and Tobias (Four) are on the run with others of the Dauntless who survived the attack. They must seek ‘asylum in either Amity or Candor. But the peace loving Amity faction doesn’t want to get involved or take sides. They might provide shelter but they will not provide protection. When conflict breaks out they learn some unpleasant control systems are activated.

Pushed on to Candor, Tris and Tobias are challenged as traitors based on a negative interpretation of the images of them from the battle. When forced to respond under truth serum they reveal secrets they have held from each other. Can they truly love each other if they have not been able to trust fully?

They are threatened at Candor too when the Erudite use more Dauntless ‘drones’ under simulation serum to attack in order to weed out all the people who are Divergent. The Erudite leader is set on experimenting on the Divergent until she can develop a serum that will control them. The only other alternative is to eliminate the Divergent. Tris is a primary candidate for the testing.

As Tobias chooses to work with the Factionless, Tris secretly works with a leader from her parents’ home, the Abnegation. Although Tris knows that Tobias will see this as a betrayal, she is convinced that certain truths must be revealed at whatever cost.

I really loved the underlying messages regarding human diversity that Ms. Roth portrays. Although the factions have specific strengths it is interesting to see individuals with mixed traits cross the boundaries of the groups. Tris has to deal with the guilt and grief of killing one of her good friends in the first book. She struggles with this and, although a bit harsh, I liked the strength of one of her new friends who pushes her out of her depression saying “You are Dauntless. It’s time you acted like it! People die. That’s what happens in war.” Tris has to make hard choices and these added to the intensity of the book.

There was a section in the middle that dragged a bit for me. I had to recall that Tris is only 15 or 16 trying to cope with her family loss, her guilt and the war surrounding her. Also, I recognize that for teenagers first love can be a consuming thing.

The action picked up for the ending confrontations. There are twists and secrets that leave a stunned group of combatants at the close of this book. I can think there are a wide variety of choices for the characters to face in taking their next steps.

This series is really good entertainment with some interesting observations of social behavior underlying the governmental system set up. I bet this would make good discussion material for classes in high school and college. I look forward to learning where the author takes the characters in the final book.

I enjoyed Ms.Galvin's narration which is steady and strong. She provides good character inflection and emotional intensity for this engaging story.

This is from my own Audible Library.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Winners of MBS 2012 Blogoversary Giveaway!

Sorry to be late announcing my Blogoversary Winners.
Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Winner of the

NOOK Simple Touch With GlowLight

JUNE M!!

I had a wonderful time reading all of the celebration suggestions! What a fun PARTAY!!
Now I also picked two names out of the 54 comments to win a book choice:

Tiffany and Na!

Jane has already been notified and replied for her win.
Tiffany and Na please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me at mesreads AT gmail.com to confirm the win and tell me a book choice up to $10.00 at Amazon or The Book Depository. Please reply within 72 hours!

MBS Feed Your Reader Giveaway HOP

Here is a chance to enter two giveaways!
PART ONE: Win a Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet or other Ereader of your choice (Up to $200)
AND
PART TWO: Two Winners Win eBooks - total value $15.00 each winner. See rules in blue below.

Part One Sponsored by the wonderful Inspired Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer joined by 20 other bloggers.

Announcing the "Feed Your Reader" (Ebooks Only) Hop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway is open Internationally.

These twenty blogs are participating in the eREADER giveaway.
See below for the PART TWO which is the HOP for ebooks and has about 119 participating blogs!

Ereader Group Giveaway Participants

PART TWO
Announcing the "Feed Your Reader" (Ebooks Only) Hop!

August 23rd to 29th

Co-hosted by Books: A True Story

PART TWO - Two Winners Win eBooks - Kindle, Nook, Sony - from any source as long as I can gift them; Total value $15.00 each winner.

1. Open Internationally.

2. One book must be from books I have read/reviewed 2009 - 2012...there are lots of great choices. A second, or more, books can be winner's choice. You DO NOT need to spend time looking at the titles now... only if you win. :-)

Enter the Rafflecopter here then hop along to the rest of the participants!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All the Hop Participants:

Book Review and Kindle Giveaway Link: Kindred (The Samsara Chronicles Book 12)

I am still enjoying this series but this one has an abrupt break that left me flat. At least I have book 13 to read for next week.

Kindred (The Samsara Chronicles Book 12)

by Diana Kemp and Gabriella Bradley

File Size: 147 KB
Print Length: 65 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: eXtasy Books (May 25, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B0086FQP2I

Genre: Science Fiction

My Rating: 3.75

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.

Review:
This book in the series starts with Aislinn using the communicator eye to speak with Vark. They begin negotiations to release Aislinn’s parents, Samara and Bonerus, in exchange for the skull. Vark is darkly twisted but has flashes of a prior time when he wasn’t so consumed. There is a wonderful scene of interaction between the Royal parents as they meet with Rodorus and he explains more about the rebellion cause.

The authors then introduce Kinestra of another Nivana province. Altithronus will move on to be with the Antiquitas and Kinestra will become a new support for Aislinn. The Tribunal meets to sentence Shakan and begin the ceremony of banishing him to the Overlap, the place of temporal displacement. There is a battle against the dark force at the Overlap that Aislinn has to resolve.

There is a nice thread of continuity in circumstances of the last ceremonial banishment and the current ceremony. I was enjoying the process of the story and anticipating how the banishment would unfold when this episode abruptly ended. It felt like an inappropriate break point to me and left me disappointed.

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

An interesting quote:

Power...
Is this how it feels to stand at the pinnacle and gaze down on the world? She wondered. No wonder so many had abused it before. Location 668.

Thank you to the authors for providing this book for review as part of a Pump Up Your Book Tour event with Kindle Giveaway link.

~ ~ ~ KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

Pump Up Your Book and The Samsara Chronicles are teaming up to give you a chance to win a Kindle Fire!

Here’s how it works:

Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour. If your blog isn’t set up to accept the form, we offer another way for you to participate by having people comment on your blog then directing them to where they can fill out the form to gain more entries.
This Kindle Fire promotion will run from June 1 – August 31. Winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, contacted by email and announced on September 1, 2012.
Each blogger who participates in The Samsara Chronicles virtual book tour is eligible to enter and win.
Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog for the duration of the tour.
If you would like to participate, email Dorothy at thewriterslife(at)gmail.com. Last day to sign up is July 27. What a great way to not only win this fabulous prize, but to gain followers and comments too! Good luck everyone!