It's Monday! What are You Reading? November 10, 2014

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 is very late as I didn't get to do internet on Saturday and Sunday. We had a good vacation with a visit to Savannah on Friday and then on to finish with a visit with my sister and brother-in-law before we came home late Sunday night. 

I did enjoy the reading last week and seemed to get a lot done.   I posted four books, all with giveaways.   I posted the usual memes but SBB was late and I didn't get to do a Sunday post. :-(

I did only a little visiting early in the week and didn't get to do more as we were turning lights out by 8:30 every evening.
Thanks as always to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• It's Monday! What are You Reading? November 3, 2014.

• Mailbox Monday November 3, 2014.

• Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Unleashed (Love to the Rescue) by Rachel Lacey; Contemporary Romance; my rating 4.25. Ends 11/3/14.

• Book Review and eBook Giveaway: Pushing the Limit (Alpha Ops) by Emmy Curtis; Military Romance; my rating 4.25. Open Worldwide. Ends 11/14/14.

• Book Review and Giveaways: Sealing the Deal (The Ladies Who Lunch) by Sandy James; Contemporary Romance; my rating 4.25. Open Worldwide. Ends 11/12 and 14/14.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway November 7, 2014.  Open Worldwide. Ends 11/13/14.

• Book Review and Giveaway: Hilltop Sunset: A Brynn Bancroft Mystery by Joyce T. Strand; Mystery; my rating 4.0. Ends 11/16/14.

• Sharing Beyond Books #176 Comment Giveaway 11/10/14; Open Worldwide. Ends 11/15/14.

Finished Reading:

1. eBook/Kindle

Sealing the Deal
by Sandy James
A fun romance; review and giveaways linked above
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle

Hilltop Sunset: A Brynn Bancroft Mystery
by Joyce T. Strand
This is an interesting mystery; review and giveaway linked above.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audio/MP3

Ravenhill Court
Written by: David R. Beshears
Narrated by: Karen Krause
Rather odd but interesting story.
I hope to review this week.
Click on book title for full description.

eTreasures Publishing:
A print title released and working on final formats for an eBook release.

Currently reading:
1. eBook/Kiindle

Peace & Goodwill: a contemporary romance, a Christmas Novella (The Minstrel Series Book 4)
by Lee Strauss
I received this for blog tour and review posting on 11/12.
This looks very sweet.
Book Description
Publication Date: November 17, 2014
*This is a Christmas Novella
**Peace & Goodwill is set in The Minstrel Series world, but can be read alone.
     Belle gets the best Christmas present ever, a man in uniform! Ian is a soldier home on leave. Neither of them have any idea how good it will feel to fall in love or how hard it will be to say good-bye.
     Anna is spending the holidays alone again with only her faithful dog Angel to keep her company. She can’t afford to pay the rent and her landlord is threatening to kick her out. At least she’s finished with her chemo treatments. She can be thankful for that. Plus, there’s Rhys, the handsome visitor with kind eyes.
     One fateful, cold and snowy night a chance encounter changes everything. Love is lost. Love is found. Life will never be the same.
     Peace & Goodwill, a Christmas novella in The Minstrel Series, grabs the heartstrings and pulls hard.
***includes mp3 link to featured original song.

2. Audio Book/MP3

Falling Up: Hours
I have looked but been unable to find a "blurb" or description for this.
It is a paranormal novella that brings the reader to a world of orphans and focuses on 6th graders as they explore a mysterious gym.
I am midway and find it very engaging.

3. eBook/Kindle

Louisiana Fever
by D.J. Donaldson
I was offered a guest post by this author and requested the book to review as it sounded so interesting and timely. I will be posting these later this week.
Book Description
Publication Date: March 5, 2013
“D.J. Donaldson is superb at spinning medical fact into gripping suspense. With his in-depth knowledge of science and medicine, he is one of very few authors who can write with convincing authority.” --Tess Gerritsen, NY Times best-selling author of the Rizzoli & Isles novels
    Andy Broussard, the plump and proud New Orleans medical examiner, obviously loves food. Less apparent to the casual observer is his hatred of murderers. Together with his gorgeous sidekick, psychologist Kit Franklyn, the two make a powerful, although improbable, mystery solving duo.
    When the beautiful Kit goes to meet an anonymous stranger—who’s been sending her roses—the man drops dead at her feet before she even could even get his name. Game on.
    Andy Broussard soon learns that the man carried a lethal pathogen similar to the deadly Ebola virus. Soon, another body turns up with the same bug. Panic is imminent as the threat of pandemic is more real than ever before. The danger is even more acute, because the carrier is mobile, his identity is an absolute shocker, he knows he’s a walking weapon and… he’s on a quest to find Broussard. And Kit isn’t safe either. When she investigates her mystery suitor further, she runs afoul of a cold blooded killer, every bit as deadly as the man searching for Broussard.
    Louisiana Fever is written in Donaldson’s unique style: A hard-hitting, punchy, action-packed prose that’s dripping with a folksy, decidedly southern, sense of irony. Add in Donaldson’s brilliant first hand knowledge of forensics and the sultry flavor of New Orleans, and the result is first class forensic procedural within an irresistibly delectable mystery.

4. Print

The Mystery of the Shemitah: The 3,000-Year-Old Mystery That Holds the Secret of America's Future, the World's Future, and Your Future!
by Jonathan Cahn
My husband and I purchased a stack of these to read with church and family. This is our Ladies Book Club reading for discussion on Saturday 11/15. It is fascinating and I will be offering a copy for giveaway.
Book Description
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
The book you can't afford NOT to read.
It is already affecting your life…
And it WILL affect your future!
Is it possible that there exists a three-thousand-year-old mystery that…
· Has been determining the course of your life without your knowing it?
· Foretells current events before they happen?
· Revealed the dates and the hours of the greatest crashes in Wall Street history before they happened?
· Determined the timing of 9/11?
· Lies behind the rise of America to global superpower… and its fall?
· Has forecast the rising and falling of the world’s stock market throughout modern times?
· Lies behind world wars and the collapse of nations, world powers, and empires?
· Holds key to what lies ahead for the world and for your life?
· And much more….

I am caught up on my daily Bible reading.
I have disciplined myself each morning to read my Bible passage before I pick up print, Kindle or mp3. I am really enjoying the reading.

Line Edits:
We are finalizing several titles now and also formatting all titles to multiple formats for additional distributions.

November I am participating in Sci Fi Month. The first week is full of tour books then I will switch to Sci Fi.
I have a carryover NetGalley title to get reviewed and then this week's titles.

Novenber Scheduled -
11/12 Peace & Goodwill a Christmas Novella (The Minstrel Series Book 4) by Lee Strauss (reading)
11/15 Ladies Book Club - Mystery of the Shemitah w/ Print GW (reading)
11/26 Sugar’s Twice as Nice w/ ebook GW

November Sci Fi Month: Some books I will read (*) and others are choices if I get to them.
Audio: I’m Dreaming of an Undead Christmas
Audio: Hours by Falling Up (listening)
Audio: The Maze Runner: Maze Runner, Book 1, Written by: James Dashner
*(NG) Exodus 2022, Kenneth G. Bennett
*(NG) The Genome, Sergei Lukyanenko
*(Tour) We Are the Destroyers by D.K. Lindler
(Won Sept?) The Terminals: Spark by Michael F. Stewart
Cinder: Book One of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
The Tube Riders (The Tube Riders Trilogy #1) (free Kindle)
(eTP)The Wonk Decelerator by John Joseph Doody
(eTP)Valstain by R. J. Jerome


From TBR Collection - TBD
Won Book - The Terminals: Spark by Michael F. Stewart
Free Kindle/Nook or Smashwords - TBD

Sharing Beyond Books #176 Comment Giveaway November 10, 2014

Hello again on Saturday Monday night and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

We had a busy last few days of traveling in Georgia. Friday we toured Savannah and then spent an hour or two in the afternoon looking at motor-homes as we are getting ready to trade in our 38' unit for a smaller one. Saturday morning we were on the road again to Warner Robins to visit my sister and brother-in-law. For some reason the internet wouldn't connect. I didn't get internet again till midday Sunday as we were traveling home. Then I was making preparations to move items back into the house and spending the last few hours with my DH.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
We all get spam and, like Sarah said, wouldn't it be great if we really did win those lotteries we supposedly won! nrlymrtl and rubynreba noted too that sometimes subscriptions or important items go into the spam folder so some of us don't just "delete all" (even when tempted to do so). I agree with Mary P that some of the items are funny as "It's like someone just dipped into a thesaurus & got lost in there."

~~~~

The Winner from SBB #175 comments is: #10 Emily who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the ARC/Review titles, Christmas titles or Love titles - all linked near the end of the post.  Please let me know your choice by completing the (new) WINNER FORM.

WEEK #176 (One Question.)

Q1. This week bn100 asks: 1. Have you ever read a book and wished it had an epilogue??

A: I know that I have read books where I wished there was an epilogue - either to wrap up loose ends or give just a bit longer with the characters and a peek at their future. I can't think of any right now but I do know that feeling of wanting just a bit more.

Image found at Bite Me!

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 draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! We still have a supply of questions but from the same people so hopefully others will send more in -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify to use.

Your turn to share:

Q1. bn100 asks: 1. Have you ever read a book and wished it had an epilogue??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Valentine and "Love" books, the Christmas Giveaway Books (this is the new link), or the June 2013 Newly Updated ARC/Review List.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on either of the two 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 through Saturday November 15, 2014 at 5 PM  central.

Book Review and Giveaway: Hilltop Sunset: A Brynn Bancroft Mystery by Joyce T. Strand

An enjoyable mystery when you push through the day to day portions.
Hilltop Sunset: A Brynn Bancroft Mystery
by Joyce T. Strand

• Paperback: 299 pages
• Publisher: McCloughan & Schmeltz; First edition (November 12, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0983926298
• Genre: Mystery

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

A mystery set in wine country pitting financial exec Brynn Bancroft against a determined stalker, a troubled love interest, and career clashes. Brynn Bancroft learns that a former employee who beat her nearly to death has returned to stalk her and her friend, Jillian Hillcrest, also a former victim. Recently divorced, Brynn turns to a new love interest only to encounter additional unwelcome issues. Meanwhile, short-timer Brynn, who has resigned from her Silicon Valley company, becomes bored fulfilling her remaining responsibilities there. She begins to prefer supporting the launch of her ex-husband's new hilltop winery while waiting to move to her next position. Between her stalker and her new love interest, Brynn faces a series of life-threatening events.

Review:
Brynn is a mature, professional woman steeped in the details of her corporate duties. She is scheduled to leave her job in California to take another intense position in Alabama. Brynn was raised by an abusive father and she learned to bury her feelings rather than suffer punishment and pain. She has used sex as a distraction and both she and her husband, Liam, have had multiple extra-marital affairs. It has finally come to a point that they have divorced and agreed to be friends.

Liam has longed for Brynn to feel emotions beyond her sexual appetite but it hasn’t happened. He decided that wasn’t enough for him and sought the divorce in hopes of finding a more fulfilling relationship elsewhere. Liam invested in a winery in Sonoma and Brynn has become excited about the operations and gets more and more involved in the preparations for a new grand-opening.

The disturbing issue is that Brynn and her assistant, Jillian, recently were injured, and barely survived, an assault by another employee, Isabel. Isabel escaped authorities and has been seen in California so they are watching over their shoulders afraid of another attack.

Brynn becomes involved with another man, Todd, and meets his seventeen year old son, Josh. She suddenly begins to experience strange feelings of affection and care - feelings which are new to Brynn. Josh’s mother is killed and he seeks shelter and comfort with Liam and Brynn while Todd faces investigations by the police.

Liam and Brynn grow closer again after Liam is injured when they are attacked by a disguised Isabel. During all of this tension the winery opens to tasters and continues forward with the grand opening even as police tighten the net to catch Isabel.

I have to say that I didn’t like Brynn at the beginning of the book as I did not like her promiscuous nature and the infidelity of their marriage. This made getting into the story a bit difficult. I did grow to like her more as she changed far into the book. The mystery and suspense elements of this story were delayed by extensive, unnecessary detail. Much of the first half contains “day in the life” minutia which becomes tedious. (The book seemed longer than 299 pages.) Also there were several POV digressions for a few paragraphs at a time which were awkward and should have been caught and eliminated in editing.

I was glad that I plodded through the first half as I enjoyed the second half of the story as the mystery portion was very engaging. I would be willing to read more by Ms. Strand although I would prefer less of the day to day narrative. I would recommend this to readers who like mystery and especially to those who like a personal view of the character’s life.

I received this from Book Marketing Services for blog tour and an honest review.

About Joyce Strand:

Joyce T. Strand is the author of who-done-it mysteries set in the San Francisco Silicon Valley and Napa-Sonoma wine regions of California.

Her most recent novel, HILLTOP SUNSET, is the first of a new series featuring protagonist Brynn Bancroft, a financial guru in transition to winemaker from corporate executive. Brynn Bancroft is a minor character in Strand’s novels ON MESSAGE, OPEN MEETINGS, and FAIR DISCLOSURE—three mysteries solved by Jillian Hillcrest, a publicist whose boss was Chief Financial Officer Brynn Bancroft.

Much like her protagonist Jillian Hillcrest, Strand headed corporate communications at several biotech and high-tech companies in California’s Silicon Valley for more than 25 years. Unlike Jillian, however, she did not encounter murder in her career. She focused on writing by-lined articles, press releases, white papers, and brochures to publicize her companies and their products.

Strand lives with her two cats and collection of cow statuary in Southern California, and seeks out and attends as many Broadway musicals and other stage plays as possible.

She received her Ph.D. from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. and her B.A. from Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA.

Social Links:

Webpage:           http://joycestrand.com

Blog:                      Http://strandssimplytips.blogspot.com

Facebook:           http://www.facebook.com/JoyceTStrandAuthor

Goodreads:        http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5385246.Joyce_T_Strand

Twitter:                @joycetstrand

Where to Purchase:

Amazon               http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=joyce+t+strand

Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/joyce-t-strand?store=allproducts&keyword=joyce+t+strand

Jillian Hillcrest Mysteries 3-Book-Bundle-ebook Kindle

http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Hillcrest-Mysteries-3-Book-Bundle-ebook/dp/B00LMRHU3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413055975&sr=8-1&keywords=joyce+t+strand

Jillian Hillcrest Mysteries 3-Book-Bundle-ebook Nook

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jillian-hillcrest-mysteries-3-book-bundle-joyce-t-strand/1119930565?ean=2940149733217

FAIR DISCLOSURE – Kindle and paperback

http://www.amazon.com/Fair-Disclosure-Jillian-Hillcrest-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00GAPDNVM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1413055975&sr=8-2&keywords=joyce+t+strand 

FAIR DISCLOSURE – Nook

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fair-disclosure-joyce-strand/1117273012?ean=2940148839606

OPEN MEETINGS – Kindle and paperback

http://www.amazon.com/Open-Meetings-Jillian-Hillcrest-Mystery-ebook/dp/B008N04ZD2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1413055975&sr=8-4&keywords=joyce+t+strand

OPEN MEETINGS – Nook

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/open-meetings-joyce-strand/1111755223?ean=2940016331454

ON MESSAGE – Kindle and paperback

http://www.amazon.com/Message-Jillian-Hillcrest-Mystery-ebook/dp/B007ZU2CV8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1413055975&sr=8-3&keywords=joyce+t+strand

ON MESSAGE – Nook

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/on-message-joyce-t-strand/1112305205?ean=2940016219691

Giveaway:

1st prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card plus autographed copy of Hilltop Sunset
2nd prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card plus autographed copy of Hilltop Sunset
3rd prize: Autographed copy of Hilltop Sunset

Ends November 16 at 23:00 GMT
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Here is the link to the giveaway on her Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/JoyceTStrandAuthor/app_228910107186452

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway November 7, 2014

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

We had another good week of traveling although we did have two more tire blowouts. My DH did check the tires and even bought a special pressure gauge to watch them but they are weakened by sitting for the past two years with no travel.

We are now in Savanah and plan to take the Trolley to tour the sights. I hope to taste some honey as well.  I hope everyone else has had a good week and gets some sweetness this weekend. :-)

[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 31 Pick. There were two automatic wins this 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 were two titles blocked.
Linda K gets She's Got the Look
and
CarolNW gets Pandora's Clock Tapes

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from October 31 Pick:
Llehn gets a GC

Rubynreba gets True Believer 

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.}

This month I give thanks for books and for followers of my blog. :-)

Image found at Kindles and Wine.

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 Honeymoon 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---(All gone)
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 727+ 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 and Giveaways: Sealing the Deal (The Ladies Who Lunch) by Sandy James

This is a delightful sweet and sensual romance with natural characters.

Sealing the Deal (The Ladies Who Lunch)
by Sandy James

• File Size: 822 KB
• Print Length: 300 pages
• Publisher: Forever Yours (November 4, 2014)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00IRISK6I

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: November 4, 2014 
(Forever Yours E-Book; $2.99)
After losing her sister, Bethany Rogers needs a shoulder to lean on more than ever-though she never expects that shoulder to belong to her new boss . . .

Bethany has been in love with Robert Ashford since they were teachers at the same high school. After Robert leaves to start his own construction company, Beth puts her feelings aside to focus on her goals. When she finally lands a gig as a part-time designer, she is shocked to find her new boss is none other than Robert . . . and he's hotter than ever. But Bethany's happiness is short-lived when she receives word that her sister has been killed in combat.

With the success of building homes for one happy family after another, Robert is finally ready to settle down. When Beth is left to care for her nine-month-old niece, Robert can't help but step in. And before long, the trio are inseparable. Yet convincing the cautious, bereaved Beth of letting him in proves difficult-but Robert will give everything he's got for the chance at his own happily ever after.

Review:
Beth is a thirty-two year old teacher who has had a secret crush on her part-time boss, Robert, who used to be a teacher too before he started his own construction company. Beth has worked for Robert by putting the important designing touches on his homes. Beth is a buoyant personality but a lot of her bounce is to hide the insecurities that were ground into her by her critical mother. As a comfortable size 14 woman, Beth is convinced that Robert wouldn’t be interested in her since he plays the field with tall, svelte blondes.

Robert is an independent, successful business man and has come to a point where he is ready to settle down. He has often felt unloved even though he overcame a difficult childhood of stuttering. Robert and Beth have been friends for a number of years but he wishes for more.

Beth’s sister is killed in the service and Beth suddenly has to care for her infant niece, Emma. Robert decides that helping with adorable Emma is a good reason to get closer to Beth. He offers them a new home and hopes that now he will have the courage to show her, if not tell her, how he feels.

Beth and Robert are both fragile and reluctant to risk their hearts by expressing their feelings. They grow closer and even begin a sexual relationship but there is much confusion and misunderstanding regarding their motives. They both think that adopting Emma is the real reason for their own affections. When Emma’s natural father seeks full custody Beth and Robert will need to decide if they can accept each other and stand together or if they will separate without realizing the love they could share.

Ms. James does a wonderful job of developing strong, likable characters and setting out a believable, natural story. She succeeds again in this story and I liked that the lead characters are very natural and not perfect. Emma adds a cuddleable interest and Beth’s three friends, the Ladies who Lunch, are good secondary characters. The romance encounters are sensual and bold with a playful and loving bond, even though their feelings are conflicted. The story is engaging and the writing flows for an easy read.

I have enjoyed reading Ms. James before and will be glad to read more in the future. This book is part of a series and made me want to read the stories for the other friends in the ‘ladies who lunch’ group. I recommend this book and this author to readers who enjoy warm, contemporary romance.

I received this title for blog tour participation and an honest review.

Buy Links:

B&N

Kobo 

iBooks 

GooglePlay 

Amazon

About the author:
Sandy James lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband. She's a high school social studies teacher who especially loves psychology and United States history. Since she and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses, they often spend time together at the two Indiana racetracks.

Social Media Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Excerpt:

    “Why does everyone think I can’t raise Emma?”
    “Everyone?”
    She looked so damned forlorn. “Jules. My parents. You.”
    With a shake of his head, he tried to set her straight. “First off, I have never—I repeat never—said you can’t raise Emma. In fact, I think you’re doing a fantastic job with her.” He glanced at the munchkin. “Look at her.” Emma smiled on cue, all tiny teeth and drool. “She’s doing really well with you. What did your parents say?”
    Beth’s pouty lips strongly tempted him to kiss her again. “They told me it might be better to put her up for adoption.”
    “Are you serious?” What kind of grandparents would say something so cruel? How could they even consider giving up their only grandchild?
    “Dead serious. They made such a fuss over how much taking care of her while Tiffany was gone inconvenienced them. I was going to take her this summer, maybe even longer.”
    What did a person say to something like that? “That’s cold.”
    “I know, right? Besides that, my folks are really old-fashioned. They think a child should have both a mom and a dad.” A smile threatened. “I think Tiffany had Emma as a way to piss Mom off. Kind of her way of saying, ‘I’m a single mom. Take that, Carol.’ ”
    “They’re wrong. You know they are.”
    Although she glanced away, he saw the hurt in her eyes. “They’ve never really had a lot of confidence in me.”
    Since his parents always encouraged their gaggle of children to reach for the stars and told them they all had the ability to do just that, he had a hard time picturing what it must have been like to grow up with parents like Beth’s. “Then they’re not too smart, ’cause you’re somebody who deserves their confidence. You’re amazing.”
    Her gaze came back to his, but there was disbelief in her eyes.
    “I mean it, B. Look at all you’ve done at school. Everyone admires you.”
    She gave him a small snort.
    One thing he’d have to do when they lived together was help give her more self-esteem. But he had to convince her to move into this house with him first. “What did our ever-tactful Jules have to say?”
    “It was wrong to tell you she said I wasn’t good with Emma.”
    “She didn’t say that?” Robert asked. He still stood in front of Beth, and now he held both her hands in his. It felt so natural. So right. Like two people in love sharing a conversation.
    But Beth didn’t love him, and he was still pretty mixed up about how he felt about her. That was why he thought she and Emma moving in would be so great. He would have Emma in his life, and he and Beth would have time to share their lives, to see if the kisses and caresses led to—or away from—something special.
    Beth shook her head. “She got weird when I asked if her nanny could watch Emma when I go back to work next week.”
    “You’re going back so soon?”
    This time, she nodded. “I’m out of paid time off.”
    “Why not take a leave of absence?”
    Her laugh was always so sweet to his ears. “ ’Cause I like to eat, and I imagine Emma does, too.”
    “Didn’t Tiffany have life insurance? I thought all soldiers did.”
    “I won’t touch that money. Not unless I absolutely have to. It’s a nest egg for Emma. She can pay for college and maybe even buy her first home with it.”
    The response was pure Beth. Always putting others before herself. She was going to raise that baby on a teacher’s salary, a salary that seldom saw increases. She’d have her work cut out for her being a single mom who got paid diddly-squat.
    “Well, then,” Robert said. “That seals the deal. You move in here. There’s one less expense.” She had to agree. She just had to.
    “I’d pay you rent,” she insisted.
    “The hell you will!”
    She jerked her hands free. “I’m not a charity case, Robert. Emma and I aren’t living in a homeless shelter or anything. I already told you Jules is looking for a house for us.”
    Why had everything he said in this conversation come out wrong? After raking his fingers through his hair, he tried again. “B, p-please. Please move in with me. I want Emma here. I want you here.”
    “Why?”
    A man could only take so much provocation. Her belligerent frown that wouldn’t scare a fly. Her brown eyes that flashed with fire. The way she crossed her arms under her full breasts. Everything about her made him want to kiss her.
    So he did.
    Robert grabbed her hand and tugged Beth into his arms. He stopped when his lips were almost touching hers. “Because of… this.”

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
(ends 11/12/14 at 23:00 GMT)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2122/
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BONUS GIVEAWAY

In addition to the Rafflecopter giveaway I get to give One Winner at this blog an ecopy of Sealing the Deal from the publisher through NetGalley.

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!

I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.)

For 3 Extra Bonus entries comment on this review, OR

visit THE AUTHOR'S Website and tell me something you like/learned there.

* This contest is open US and Canada Only.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) November 14, 2014.
Winners are asked to respond, within 72 hours, by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.