Book Review: It Happened at Christmas by Debbie Mason

This is a lovely small town romance with delightful characters.
It Happened at Christmas
by Debbie Mason

• File Size: 1177 KB
• Print Length: 400 pages
• Publisher: Forever (September 30, 2014)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00HQ2N246

Genre: Contemporary

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Love is the best Christmas gift of all.
Free-spirited activist Skylar Davis is out of money and out of options. After using up her trust fund trying to save the world, she hides out in Christmas, hoping the kindness of friends will help her forget the reckless actions of her past. All goes well . . . until she comes face-to-face with one of her mistakes: the town's gorgeous young mayor.
Ethan O'Connor likes his life drama-free and predictable now that he's about to make the move from small-town politics to the Colorado State Senate. Then Skye blows back into town, as impulsive and passionate as he remembers. If word ever got out about their night together-the night he's never been able to forget-the scandal could cripple his career. Yet as he starts his campaign, Ethan finds that, like the town of Christmas itself, he can't get Skye out of his head . . . or his heart.

Review:
Skylar Davis is an activist with a trust fund that has allowed her to travel extensively and support her liberal views with action, not just words. She has been chained to a few trees trying to save the rain forest and spent a few nights in jail for harassing fur-clad stars. She is a vegan and doesn’t agree with policies of most of the cattle, dairy and poultry industries. She knows that she is an embarrassment to her Republican politician father. She believes her dad was responsible for running her free-spirited mother away when she was just a child.

Skylar has lost her trust fund, not by her own actions but by failing to watch over the account manager. She refuses to tell her father or seek his help so she seeks refuge with her best friend Maggie, who lives in Christmas, Colorado. She has accepted the help of friends and is working to get back on her feet. Then she spots Ethan O’Connor in town.

Ethan is a successful Assistant State’s Attorney, and a staunch Republican who is making a bid for State Senate. This was his father’s dream and a death bed promise. His high society mother and Sklyar’s childhood society nemesis, who is Ethan’s campaign manager, are his biggest supporters. They are horrified to learn that Ethan can’t take his eyes off of the flighty Skylar. Even Ethan knows that a loose cannon like Skylar would not be helpful to his campaign efforts.

Skylar and Ethan met a few months earlier and had a rousing night together. She would be more than glad to stay out of Ethan’s way especially when she discovers she is pregnant. But ‘bad’ news travels fast and when one of Skylar’s friends finds out she slips and reveals the secret in front of her friends, Ethan and his family. There is no way Ethan will step away from her now but can he keep her contained until he is elected? Skylar tries to present herself as the proper, quiet socialite, Kendal (her real name). But there is no way to keep her past and her activist activities a secret for long.

These are two adorable characters - well she is adorable and he is hunky, confident and yet so snuggable. There was much miscommunication that made for lots of conflict. I enjoyed the light-hearted style and easy flow of the writing. Although there was sizzle between the characters the sex was mostly kept in the bedroom or at least without detailed description.

The small town setting creates a warm atmosphere. The strong primary and secondary characters add plenty of energy and created interest in me for the prior stories and the stories to come. This story follows the drama of Skylar and Ethan’s romance from summer through Christmas to a very happy result. This is the first time I have read Ms. Mason’s work but I look forward to more warm entertainment from her.

I received this title from Hachette, Forever Romance, through NetGalley.

Audible Book Review: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

The overall society issues and concepts are utterly thought provoking in this classic.

Brave New World
Written by: Aldous Huxley
Narrated by: Michael York

• Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins 
• Unabridged Audiobook


Release Date:01-16-08
Publisher: AudioGO

Genre: Dystopian Classic
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity.
On the 75th anniversary of its publication, this outstanding work of literature is more crucial and relevant today than ever before. Cloning, feel-good drugs, anti-aging programs, and total social control through politics, programming, and media: has Aldous Huxley accurately predicted our future? With a storyteller's genius, he weaves these ethical controversies in a compelling narrative that dawns in the year 632 A.F. (After Ford, the deity). When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity.
©1932 Aldous Huxley; ©1998 BBC Audiobooks America; (P)2003 BBC Audiobooks America

Review:
Lenina and Bernard are friends in a society that is totally controlled by conditioning from birth to adulthood. There are no “children” but rather units are grown in the cloning factory, assigned a life role and then molded with inoculations dream manipulation and brain training or conditioning to fit thier station in the happy, united society. Independence and free thinking, even reading, are prohibited and punished. Early sexual play is encouraged as it is part of conditioning to not feel the need for singular love because one can have multiple partners and sexual fulfillment is enhanced by drugged sensory sessions. Anyone who feels at all unhappy or unsettled is encouraged to take soma, the ubiquitous “happy” drug, which is also the reward for a good day’s labor.

Bernard is on the edge of this controlled world. Others consider him to be a bit “off” and blame it on an accident of alcohol in one of his childhood batches. He wonders what it would be like to feel passion and to know freedom. Yet he is too conditioned and too cowardly to take any bold step out of line. He has one good friend who is also on the fringes but more in an artistic sense than in a rebellious sense.

Bernard convinces the outgoing Lenina to take a trip with him to a savage reservation. They are a alarmed by the primitive life-style and even more shocked to discover a mother and her natural, now grown, son (“gasp”). Then Bernard realizes that the woman, Linda, came from his world and was accidentally lost and left behind twenty plus years before. Her son, John, is eager to learn of the world his mother told him so much about. John has grown up with Indians and taught himself to read from the works of Shakespeare. Exploring a modern society of controlled members seems like the chance to explore “a brave new world”.

Bernard get permission to bring Linda and John back to the city where they will view John’s reactions as an experiment. What John discovers may not be to his liking although Bernard is thrilled with the fame he gets as the sponsor of this strange savage being. John is fascinated by Lenina but his moral background is offended by her loose ways.

There is a great deal of weird strangeness in this book and some of the scenes were silly and annoying. However the overall society issues and concepts are utterly thought provoking. I was intrigued when the government leader explained the process of creating a society of ‘sameness’ to John. I have a feeling this was quite bold in its day (1932) and the sexual freedoms no doubt contributed to its being on the “banned books” list. Although this is not an exciting or action packed dystopian, it is certainly a must read classic in that genre.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration by Michael York. This might not be a favorite book but the audio rendition made it easier to 'read' than if I had to read from print/eBook.

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

An excerpt:

Bernard: “I want to look at the sea in peace...
It makes me feel as though...as though I was more of me, if you know what I mean. More of my own, not so completely a part of something else. Not just a cell in the social body....”
Lenina: “...after all, everyone works for everyone else. We can’t do without anyone, even Epsilons.”
Bernard: “What would it be like if I could? If I was free, not enslaved by my conditioning?”

I selected this from my own Audible Library for Banned Books Week.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway October 17, 2014

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

This has been another busy week with late nights at the office as I try to clear my desk for vacation. I only have about three more files to work on tomorrow before I go and then I will take two or three items with me that I can prepare and send out in email. We'll have to take a picture of my clean desk - it is soooo rare!

[UPDATED NOTE - US entrants I prefer, please, that you pick a book as that is the first purpose of this giveaway - to find new homes for books. The GCs are for the international entrants because postage has jumped up.]

Thank you to all who entered the October 10 Pick. There were two automatic wins this week which actually should have been awarded last week.  (Automatic winners are those who requested the book four times and I did not note other people asking for that book during those weeks.) There was one title blocked.
I think I missed these last week as I was working with the winners file at work rather than the one at home and it was missing a week. To make up for the missed entry the next book Linda K and Sue F list will count as Week 2 for them.
Linda K gets Let Darkness Come
and
Sue F gets Missing Susan

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from October 10 Pick:
rubynreba gets the Mary Higgins Clark Pair

Linda 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, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

I don't plan on leaving any books behind when I travel. How about you? :-)

Image found at The Guardian.com

New Book Group #52 October 10, 2014
(Links to be added.)

PAIRS:
Richard Paul Evans, The Looking Glass and The Carousel
Mary Higgins Clark, A Cry In the Night and You Belong to Me
SINGLES
Duo Book: Yesterday's Memories by Tara Taylor Quinn and Amanda Stevens
Range of Motion by Elizabeth Berg
Destiny's Daughter by Rebecca Brandewyne
At The Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava
She's Got the Look by Leslie Kelly
Reliquary by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Behind a Mask by May Alcott
Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman

New Book Group #51 September 12, 2014
10/10 - I just realized I never posted the image for this group.

PAIRS:
Elysa Hendricks, Star Crash (personally autographed copy) and The Sword and the Pen
Anne Stuart, Hidden Honor and The Devil’s Waltz
SINGLES:

Intrepid Encounter by Rebecca Ashley

The Reckoning by Jeanette Baker

Out of This Furnace: A Novel of Immigrant Labor in America by Thomas Bell Reprint Edition

Taylor's Temptation by Suzanne Brockmann

A Painted House A Novel by John Grisham 

Scandalous Virtue Mass by Brenda Hiatt 

Viking Heat by Sandra Hill 

Darkness, Take My Hand (Kenzie and Gennaro Book 2) by Dennis Lehane

Missing Susan by Sharyn Mccrumb

Pandora's Clock by John J. Nance - AUDIO CASSETTES

A Stranger's Wife by Maggie Osborne

The Short Forever (Stone Barrington Novels Book 8) by Stuart Woods - AUDIO CASSETTES

New Book Group #50! August 8, 2014

PAIRS:
William J. Coughlin: The Court and The Judgment
Phyllis J. Whitney: The Ebony Swan and Woman Without a Past
SINGLES:
Maybe This Time by Victoria Barrett
The Commander by Kate Bridges
So Hard to Forget by Evelyn Crowe
The Cinderella Plan by Margaret Daley
Whirlwind Affair by Jacquie D'Allessandro
Let Darkness Come by Angela Hunt
Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione 
ChiefTain by Nan Ryan
A Place Called Home by Lori Wick
The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook by Steve Doocy
True Believer by Nicholas Sparks
A Garden of Friends by Penny Pierce Rose

New Book Group #49 June 27, 2014

PAIRS:
Sandra Brown:  The Thrill of Victory and Temperatures Rising
Beverly Barton: The Last to Die and Raintree: Sanctuary
SINGLES:
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
Down by the Water by Caroline Upcher
Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton
Savage Thunder by Cassie Edwards
Miracle by Deborah Smith
Desperate Alliances by Cory Daniells
Never Walk Alone by Paula Detmer Riggs
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin
Running Blind by Lee Child


New Book Group #48 May 30, 2014

SINGLES:
Dangerous by Debra Dier
First to Fight Anthology

New Book Group #47 April 25, 2014

SINGLES:
Trey's Secret by Lois Faye Dayer
Once Upon a Moon by Julie Kistler
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy

New Book Group #46 March 15, 2014

SINGLES:
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain
The Last Heiress by Bertrice Small (spine creases)

New Book Group #45 January 31, 2014

SINGLES:
Out of Darkness by Lynn Erickson

New Book Group #44 December 14, 2013---(All gone)

New Book Group #43 November 1, 2013 ---(All gone)

New Book Group #42 September 27, 2013 ---(All gone)

New Book Group #41 August 2, 2013

Singles:
Cattle Rancher, Secret Son by Margaret Way

New Book Group #40 June 28, 2013

Singles:
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)

New Book Group #39 May 31, 2013 - Plenty of "summer" titles!
Singles:
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford

New Book Group #38 April 20, 2013
Awaken the Senses by Nalini Singh

New Book Group #37 March 22, 2013
Singles:
Anthology: Something Borrowed, Something Blue - this book has spine creases and minor water damage...I thought I had read it and liked it but now I realize it was another anthology I read with Elaine Barbier.

New Book Group #36 February 15, 2013

The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe

New Book Group #35 January 11, 2013 (All gone)
New Book Group #34 December 7, 2012--- (All gone)
New Book Group #33 October 27, 2012---(All gone)

New Book Group #32 October 5, 2012
NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one - A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley

New Book Group #31 August 31, 2012
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)

New Book Group #30 July 27, 2012
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Dancing on Snowflakes by Jane Bonander

New Book Group #29 June 29, 2012
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology

New Book Group #28 May 18, 2012--- (All gone)
New book Group #27 April 13, 2012--- (All gone)
New book Group #26 March 2, 2012--- (All gone)
New Group #25 January 12, 2012---(All gone)
New Group #24 Pick Books November 25, 2011---(All gone)

New Group #23 Pick Books October 14, 2011
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser

New Group #22 Pick Books September 2, 2011---(All gone)
New Group #21 of Pick Books July 29, 2011---(All gone)
May, 2011 New Group of Pick books Group #20---(All gone)
3/25/11 Group #19---(All gone)
2/19/11 Book Group #18- Pairs!---(All gone).

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 on November 27, 2009 and in four years I have posted 43 groups of 16 (688) books to find new homes! (as of November 2013).

I 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 720+ 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 $7.00 and $6.00 $10.00 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--- (All gone)

12/3/10 Book Set: #16
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown 

List #15---(All gone)
List #14---(All gone)
List #13 of Used books! ---(All gone)
Group #12---(All gone)

Group #11
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

List #1
Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo

Pick #2---(All gone)
Pick #3---(All gone)
Pick #4---(All gone)
Pick #5---(All gone)
Pick #6---(All gone)

Pick #7
Prey by Michael Crichton - Audio Tape

Pick #8
The Jury by Steve Martini - Audio Tapes

Pick #9
On Treacherous Ground by Earl Murray

Pick #10---(All Gone)

Book Review: Ruptured: The Cantati Chronicles by Maggie Mae Gallagher

There is great action in this prequel that fills in background on Alana and her threatened world.
Ruptured: The Cantati Chronicles
by Maggie Mae Gallagher

• File Size: 3467 KB
• Print Length: 90 pages
• Publisher: Maggie Mae Gallagher; 1st edition (September 16, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00NN5ZOU0

Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
A Cantati Chronicles Prequel Novella

It has been eighty-three years since the walls between Earth and Infernus fell, and now our world stands upon the razor’s edge of extinction. Demon platoons are marching upon us. My home, one of humanity’s last bastions of existence, is under siege.

My name is Alana Devereaux. I am the resident demon detector of Cantati Forces and Platoon Commander. My job is to hunt down the vermin unleashed upon my world, and I love it. I live for the day I can kick every last demon’s ass out of this world. Except as enemy forces reign down terror upon us, the Densare Council sentences me to a fate worse than death

Review:
Alana is one of few females left in the Cantati forces. Her father is the Commander of the forces and she has become a fierce warrior, a Platoon leader. Unfortunately she still can’t seem to win his love or approval. Now the council has issued a decree that Alana is to leave the forces and become a breeder. They have even assigned her mate, Cade, a hulking brute whom she knows can be cruel. Alana is dismayed that she no longer controls her own destiny.

Alana’s first attempt to escape fails and she is confined to her rooms under the guard of one of her own team members, Quinten. He volunteers to intervene as a prior mate selection. Together they break the rules again by sneaking out to help in an unexpected demon attack. Alana returns to her father to face a furious council. They would sentence her but it has become apparent that her skills are needed to face the enemy that is threatening the compound.

This is a good prequel that fills in the background for Alana’s circumstances before the Anointed: The Cantati Chronicles, the first full book in the series. The author uses the mating issues to present some serious eye-candy descriptions. I enjoyed the action and getting to know and understand a little more of Alana’s personality and the world she comes from. I do recommend reading this prequel to start the series.

I recieved this ebook from the author for an honest review.

Mailbox Monday October 13, 2014

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.
Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs.  This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday.
Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I received one review title to read for November.
I only purchased seven $.99 Kindle books this week and I picked up even fewer, but still many, free kindle titles. :-)

(Although I have gotten to a couple, I still have many author requests to consider and reply to.)

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I received this title from a publicist for blog tour

date November 12, 2014.

Peace & Goodwill: a contemporary romance, a Christmas Novella (The Minstrel Series Book 4)
by Lee Strauss
Publication Date: November 17, 2014
**Peace & Goodwill is set in The Minstrel Series world, but can be read alone.

Won

None

Purchased

I made up this week buying 7 titles for $.99 each after only purchasing one last week. But then again, six of these are box sets so I really got 33 books for less than $7.00. :-)


Enchanted by an Emerald: A Jewel Box Anthology
Catherine Kean, Caro Carson, T. Elliott Brown, Wynter Daniels, Nancy Robards Thompson, Mimi Wells, Katherine Garbera

Last Chance: A Triple Treat Romance Box Set

(Triple Treat Romances Book 4)

By: Rachel Branton, Christine Kersey, Jordan McCollum

Finally You: A Triple Treat Romance Box Set 
(Triple Treat Romances Book 3)
By: Rachael Anderson, Heather Tullis, Julie Wright

Six Pack of Sleuths: Comedy Mysteries

By: Barbara Silkstone, Sibel Hodge, Helen Smith, Dani Amore,
Zane Sachs, Anne R. Allen

Love the One You're With: Sex, Love & Stiletto Series (Sex, Love, and Stiletto)
By: Lauren Layne

Red Hot Squeaky Clean ROMANCE collection (Boxed Set): 

Ten Shades of Inspirational Romance

By: Christy Barritt, Lynnette Bonner, Hallee Bridgeman, Cynthia Hickey,

Kimberly Rae Jordan, Tamara Leigh, Lesley Ann McDaniel,

Amanda Tru, MaryLu Tyndall, Susette Williams

Small Towns, Fairy Tales, And Nora Roberts Land: Dare Valley Boxed Set 1-3
By: Ava Miles

Free

I downloaded only 44 free Kindle titles this week. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.