Sunday Words of Encouragement November 30, 2014

This is the First Sunday in Advent: which is the beginning of the new church year and the time when we prepare to celebrate the first coming of Christ and anticipate his second coming. The first Sunday reminds us of the promise of Light and Hope.

Our young, interim youth pastor is preparing to leave for the mission field in eleven days. He shared with us a bit of his preparations, duties and expectations. We will be praying for him as he ministers through a lifestyle showing compassion in a land that does not have freedom to openly share the word of God.

Our Pastor gave a nice sermon entitled: Jesus' Name Brings Hope. The message focused on Isaiah 8 and 9 and concluded with 1 John 1:1-5. These passages speak of people walking in darkness who have seen a great light and recognizing God as life and light.

I have begun reading Every Valley: Advent with the Scriptures of Handel's Messiah for review.  There are forty chapters that provide daily reading through the Twelfth day of Christmas. It is appropriate to run beyond Christmas since it the work covers Christ's Birth and its Foretelling, Christ's Passion and Resurrection and Christ's Eternal Reign. Many of us are familiar with certain hymns from Handel's Messiah but this is the first time I have studied its words. As the author notes, one of the things we recognize (sometimes without even realizing it) in Handel's powerful work is the "tonal painting".

The first chapter covers the beginning songs: Comfort Ye My People and Every Valley. There were several stirring tenor videos but I had thought to share a lovely video with the words but it did not permit embedding. If anyone would like to sit back and enjoy the moving music and words please visit this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlIThmTNg9w

Instead I will share a video of the song our choir sang this morning. We sang a cantata version as it is part of the program we will sing in two weeks. It is a perfect song to begin Advent:

Let There Be Light!

A Verse for Today:
Isaiah 40:5 (NIV)
5And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Lord, I pray that I will always look to You to light my path. Also, please let Your light shine through me so others may come to know You.

Sharing Beyond Books #179 Comment Giveaway 11/29/2014

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

We  had a lovely Thanksgiving lunch with my hubby cooking too much as always. A great turkey, two kinds of stuffing, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, baked brussel sprouts, cauliflower with cheese sauce, carrots and home baked honey oat bread. All that and there were only seven of us. :-)  The kids got to take home most of the left overs.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
Only two out of fifteen are not guilty of cover 'snobbery'! Several mentioned that they almost missed good stories and series which had bad covers and others said they would still buy their fav author's titles even with bad covers.

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The Winner from SBB #178 comments is: #1 MaryP 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 #179 (One Question.)

Q1. My question to start December:  Do you watch Hallmark/Christmas/ Holiday movies?? Do you have a Favorite?

A: We watch and tape MANY Hallmark movies. They are some of our favorites even though it might seem like overkill. It's a good thing these movies suit my sensitive hubby. :-)  My DH says his favorite is the original Christmas Carol. I like several - hard to pick one but I do like The Very Merry Mix-Up, The Christmas Card and I really liked When Angels Come to Town which I saw for the first time last week. It really focuses on the true meaning of Christmas.

Image found at Lasso the Moon.

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.

Comments for November were contributed by Marjorie, bn100, nrlymrtl and Jess1: Winner: #3 nrlymrtl

Your turn to share:

Q1. Do you watch Hallmark/Christmas/ Holiday movies?? Do you have a Favorite?

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 December 6, 2014 at 5 PM  central.

A Group of Winners from September through November!

I apologize I haven't been listing winners here although they are listed on the Giveaway page and in the sidebar for a week or so after announced.
Some of these are tour wins so you will check the rafflecopter announcements on the giveaway posts.

***ALL WINNERS at MBS: Please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form AND if you want you can email me at mesreads AT gmail.com to confirm the win and I will arrange the mailing or notify the publishers.
[I ask that all winner's fill in the form as it helps me keep track of when I have completed the mail outs or notice to the publishers rather than tracking individual emails. But of course -- feel free to email me too! :-)]

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS!

Giveaway Ended November 18, 2014

Tour Giveaway: Peace & Goodwill: a contemporary romance, a Christmas Novella (The Minstrel Series Book 4) by Lee Strauss
Tour Rafflecopter Winner:Betul E

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Giveaway Ended November 16, 2014

Tour Giveaway: Hilltop Sunset: A Brynn Bancroft Mystery 
See Rafflecopter for winners.

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Giveaway Ended November 14, 2014

eBook Giveaway: Pushing the Limit (Alpha Ops) 
***WINNER: ERINF

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Giveaway Ended November 12 and 14, 2014

Two Giveaways: Sealing the Deal (The Ladies Who Lunch)
See Rafflecopter for 10 winners.
MBS Blog eBook ***WINNER: BN100

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Giveaway Ended November 3, 2014

Tour Giveaway: Unleashed (Love to the Rescue) 
Winners: Check Rafflecopter

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Giveaway Ended October 28, 2014

Blog Tour Feature and Giveaway: The Castle Blues Quake by Linda Covella
Check Rafflecopter for winner.


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Print Giveaway: Seattle Cinderella: (Romancing America) by Gail Sattler
***WINNER:  SUE F


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Giveaway Ended October 11, 2014

Forever Romance Holiday Heat Week Release
 Celebration with Giveaway.  
***Winner : SANDY X


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Giveaway Ended September 20, 2014



Print Book Giveaway: Love Remains (The Matchmakers Book 1) by Kate Dacus;  
***WINNER:  BOOKLADY


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Giveaway Ended September 1, 2014

In Bed with a Rogue Spotlight Tour Giveaway
Check Rafflecopter for Winner.

Thank you to the authors and publishers who have sponsored these giveaways and thank you to blog followers who participate!

Fun - #4EvrBookBoyfriend - and a Special Giveaway Pack From @ForeverRomance - #FaLaLaForever

First - Take the Quiz and find out who your best book boyfriend might be.

Take the quiz and share your results on social media with #4EvrBookBoyfriend. Don't forget to tag @ForeverRomance!  http://www.buzzfeed.com/gcpforever/whos-your-perfect-book-boyfriend-14uds

Then enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a great Holiday bundle of books!

GIVEAWAY:
Through December 19, 2014

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Last Chance Family by Hope Ramsay

This was a treat to read! An orphaned child, a cat and some kittens add to the charm of this sweet romance.
Last Chance Family
by Hope Ramsay

• File Size: 1238 KB
• Print Length: 369 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1455556432
• Publisher: Forever (November 25, 2014)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00IRISK4K
• Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: November 25, 2014
Mike Taggart has always been willing to take a gamble. But these stakes are just way too high - there's no way he's prepared to become a legal guardian to his five-year-old niece. His only option is to head from Las Vegas to Last Chance to sort things out as quickly as possible. Problem is, he arrives to find an inconsolable little girl, her sick cat, and a gorgeous veterinarian he can't get out of his mind.

Charlene Polk has two talents: healing sick critters and falling in love with the wrong men. Mike has trouble written all over him, but she can't leave him in the lurch. And the more time she spends with the sexy high roller, the more she sees that this ready-made family is the best stroke of luck they've ever had . . .

Review:
Mike is a gambler who plays poker in Las Vegas and supplements his income with day trading. Mike doesn’t believe he is made for family life. After all, as a five year-old, his stepdad left with his three year-old half brother, Timmy. Mike suffered with his addicted mother until he escaped home and his mom’s dangerous boyfriend, leaving behind his younger half sister, Angie. Now he has taken over temporary custody of his traumatized five year-old niece, Angie’s daughter, who witnessed her mother’s drive-by murder. Mike brings Rainbow, clutching Tigger her cat, to Last Chance, where he hopes that her other uncle, Pastor Tim, will take over custody.

Charlene is the assistant veterinarian in Last Chance. She has had a history of picking the wrong men, including her latest crush who she learns isn’t interested in her...or any other woman in town. Mike and Rainbow bring Tigger to the vet’s office with the sniffles and a cough. Charlene is quick to misjudge Mike’s real relationship with the adorable, clearly mixed-race child who won’t speak.

Pastor Tim is shocked when Mike shows up with Rainbow. He doesn’t remember having an older brother so is inclined to check out the story. He directs Mike and Rainbow to an apartment of one of his parishioners who is out of town. Mike is surprised to discover his interesting neighbors. One is another of Pastor Tim’s parishioners who is part of the local gossip chain in their small town. The other neighbor is the curvy veterinarian, Charlene, who has her own secret reasons for wanting to protect and care for Rainbow and Tigger while keeping her distance from the sexy bad-boy gambler.

Charlene and Rainbow begin to bond and Mike begins to think that Charlene would make a perfect Mother for Rainbow. All he has to do is get her hooked up with Pastor Tim, while ignoring his own attraction to her. A bachelor auction fundraiser seems just the place to get them together if he can get Tim to agree to participate and convince Charlene to bid on him. Mike even consults with Miriam, the town matchmaker.

I found myself picking this up whenever I had open time, and even staying up late to read. It is an adorable story! I totally enjoyed the vulnerable characters as they first tried to resist each other and later found redemption through each other. Ms. Ramsey treats several sensitive issues with grace and gentleness. The secondary characters are fun too and helped to remind me why I always enjoy this series. The romance is clean and warm and the writing has an easy flow with cute phrases that I like.

This may not be grand literature but it is an entertaining treat to read. I recommend this story to those who enjoy sweet, warm romance with child and animal elements.

I received this for an author tour and honest review. Please visit Author Top 5 post for Giveaway chance!