Sunday Words of Encouragement September 6, 2015

We had a good discussion in Sunday School regarding signs of “end times”. Everyone agreed that the signs are many and we discussed our role as Christians. The consensus was: be obedient to God’s word, callings and nudging; be in the word; keep praying; be expectant and watch for the return of Christ; share the Good News and love on others. Let all our behaviors be a light and witness to draw others to the message of Jesus’ gift of salvation.

Pastor only had a short time to preach because we have a family of six (parents with two natural born children and four older adopted children) who leave this week for mission work in Honduras. They explained their journey over the past six years and how God has been leading, equipping and preparing them for this work. We consecrated them with prayer blessings.

Pastor’s message was entitled “Peace”. He noted that in all the years of recorded human history there have only been 8% that were without war somewhere in the world. God gives peace. 2 Corinthians 1:2, Romans 1:7. The Jewish word “Shalom” means holistic peace: harmony, completeness, prosperity, and welfare. Jesus is called Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6. We receive the peace of reconciliation. Romans 5:1-5.
Peace brings to us three things:
1. A Quiet Conscience. John 16:33.
2. A Restful Mind. Philippians 4:7 (also considered a ‘tranquil state’ or contentment from/through Christ.
3. An Assurance of Hope. Romans 15:13. God holds you in His hand. Isaiah 41:10.

Safety is not found in the absence of danger but in the presence of God. See Psalm 4:8.
Children of God should not be in a state of fear but should be a beacon of peace to others.

This is not the song I initially expected but it is lovely!

Peace in the Midst of the Storm by Kim Hopper.

A Verse for Today:
Isaiah 54:10 NIV
Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

It seems to us that the spirit of rebellion and lawlessness is increasing in our world. I am thankful that God has given me His spirit of peace.

Sharing Beyond Books #218 Comment Giveaway for September 5, 2015

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!
Deep breath! I do feel better. Of course the Claritin D (R) might be helping.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
It was fun seeing when and what were everyone's first computers. It looked like they were procured for work, school or home/games. I may have had one the longest, since 1982 and Linda is the newcomer getting hers in 2001. And Nikki is right - we did not have email back in those days, much less social media. Can you imagine? :-)

~~~~~

The regular Winner from SBB #217 comments is: #12 BN100 who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated ARC/Review titles or (not yet updated) Love titles - all linked near the end of the post. I'm hoping to update the book choices this week. Please let me know your choice by completing the (new) WINNER FORM.

WEEK #218 (One Question.)

BN100 asks this week: Do you like fairy tale retellings??

I do enjoy fairy tale retellings. Of course, some are more creative than others, but somehow they all seem fun to compare to the original. On this note - our son has DH and I watching Once Upon a Time. We are into Season 2 Episode 4. I haven't quite decided who is the most evil - Regina (the Evil Queen) or Mr. Gold (Rumpelstiltskin). Then again, maybe it's Regina's really nasty Mother!

Images found at IMDb Photo Gallery


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! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify to use.
August Questions contributed by: Booklady, Poetryinleaves, Becky and Rosebud. Random Pick winner: #4 Rosebud

Your turn to share:
BN100 asks this week: Do you like fairy tale retellings??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the  Valentine and "Love" books or the February 2015 Newly Updated ARC/Review List. (My daughter pulled several of the Christmas titles to give with gift bags we made up for the nursing homes. One of these days I will get together a new box of Christmas titles.)

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question 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 September 12, 2015 at 5 PM central.

Book Review and Print Giveaway: Dying to Read (The Cate Kinkaid Files Book #1): A Novel by Lorena McCourtney

This story is a light, fun cozy mystery with a Christian foundation.
Dying to Read (The Cate Kinkaid Files Book #1): A Novel 
by Lorena McCourtney

• File Size: 1449 KB
• Print Length: 321 pages
• Publisher: Revell (August 1, 2012)
• Publication Date: August 1, 2012
• ASIN: B0073UPRD0
• Genre: Cozy Mystery, Christian Fiction

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

"Lorena McCourtney's lively cozy mysteries hit all the right notes for me, and her newest doesn't miss a chord. A quirky, likable heroine, a handsome guy, and oh, a murder. Don't miss Cate Kinkaid's first case as a PI. It's a killer."--Lyn Cote, author of La Belle Christian

All she wanted was a paycheck. What she got was a murder.
Cate Kinkaid's life is . . . well, frankly it's floundering. Her social life, her career, her haircut--they're all a mess. Unemployed, she jumps at the chance to work for her PI uncle, even though she has no experience and no instincts. After all, she is just dabbling in the world of private investigating until she can find a "real" job.
All she has to do for her first assignment is determine that a particular woman lives at a particular address. Simple, right? But when she reaches the dark Victorian house, she runs into an hungry horde of gray-haired mystery readers and a dead body. This routine PI job is turning out to be anything but simple. Is Cate in over her head?

Review:
Cate has struggled from one job to another. Her family makes her feel like she cannot do anything right. Her PI uncle kindly, if reluctantly, agrees to hire her on a trial basis. Her first task is supposed to be an easy assignment: find a young woman named Willow. Cate arrives at the address where Willow is supposed to be and she is greeted by a handful of elderly ladies meeting for mystery reader book club known as the Whodunit Club. When they enter the house they discover no lunch, no maid (Willow) and a deceased hostess.

Cate doesn’t want to tell her Uncle that she hasn’t found Willow, especially when she learns he has been hospitalized. Cate returns to the house looking for clues to Willow’s whereabouts. There she meets the deceased woman’s niece who is worried Willow may have taken jewelry. The niece isn’t worried about the abandoned cat and Cate ends up taking the cat home to take care of her temporarily. Although the death appears to be a tragic fall down a back, rickety stairs, Cate begins to investigate on her own. She has plenty of suspects with Willow, the Whodunit ladies, the niece and her husband and a recent boyfriend of the deceased who has also disappeared.

As Cate is hunting down Willow she meets Mitch, a young man helping an elderly woman whom Willow used to work for. Mitch offers to help but Cate doesn’t want to accept help from anyone and she suspects that he may have nefarious motives too.

Cate bumbles along in her search, with Mitch appearing unexpectedly to rescue her from dangerous situations. Mitch is a great, nice character and I was rooting for Cate to give him a chance. Meanwhile, Willow, a tree-hugging activist, the Whodunit quirky ladies and other suspicious characters make for a fun investigation. Even the fluffy cat adds to the story.

The writing is very easy and I appreciated that Ms. McCourtney shared the faith of several characters in a gentle, sure manner. I enjoyed the growing friendship between Cate and Mitch, which ends at a stage that would allow further development in the series. The story is a light, fun cozy with a Christian foundation. I recommend this to readers who enjoy light cozy mysteries, and/or light Christian fiction.

(We waited almost six weeks to discuss this at book club so we had to remind each other of the details. Everyone agreed it was an enjoyable, easy read.)

The was my ladies’ book club read in July. It has been in my Kindle Library since 2013 so I count it as a TBR read.

ONE (gently read) PRINT COPY GIVEAWAY

US Only

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 (a) comment on the review, OR

(b) Visit the AUTHOR'S WEBSITE and tell me something you learned or like there.

* This contest is open to US only for Print Copy.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) September 12, 2015.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after September 12, 2015.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway September 4, 2015

Happy Friday - 
IMPORTANT NOTE: I was behind in pulling books from the boxes to be mailed. I got them pulled earlier this week so they have been mailed now. I had hoped to take care of the GCs a couple of weeks ago but then the computer locked up and I couldn't get into PayPal. 
This Saturday I plan to be in the office and will take care of getting all GCs up to date - PayPal, Amazon gifts and emails to those collecting balances.  Thanks for being patient with me.

I plan to put together another set of books for next Friday.

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK:

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up to late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the August 28 Pick. There were TWO automatic wins this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was one title blocked this week.
AUTO: Rubynreba gets Jillian Hunter Pair,
         and   Becky gets How to Lasso a Cowboy

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from August 28 Pick:
Faith Hope & CherryTea gets Sam's Letters Audio

Nikki 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.}

This seems a right saying to me!

Image found at The Qwiet Muse.

New Book Group #59 July 31, 2015
A few more summer titles, historicals and mysteries!

PAIR:
Jillian Hunter: Daring and The Husband Hunt
Sandra Brown: The Devil's Own and Long Time Coming
ANTHOLOGIES:
That Summer Place (1998 version)by Debbie Macomber, Jill Barnett and Susan Wiggs  (sp creasing)
How to Lasso a Cowboy by Jodi Thomas, Patricia Potter and 2 more
Broken Vows, Mended Hearts by Lynn Stone, Gail Ranstrom and Anne O'Brien
3,2,1 Married! by Sharon Sala, Marie Ferrarella and Beverly Barton
SINGLES:
Only by Your Touch by Catherine Anderson
The Notorious Gentleman by Galen Foley (Spine creasing)
Cruise to a Wedding by Betty Neels
Little Girl Lost by Shirlee McCoy
Beloved Enemy by Terri Reed
Caught Redhanded by Gayle Roper
You Don't Know Jack by Erin McCarthy
Rogue by Cheryl Brooks

New Book Group #58 June 26, 2015
-- A few summer titles, a few mysteries, a few historicals...

PAIRS:
JoAnn Ross:Impulse and Far Harbor
Barbara Bretton: One and Only and Shore Lights
SINGLES:
Honeymoon by James Patterson
Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson Audio Cassette Tapes - Checking re mailing
Marriage by the Book by Joan Johnston (slight binding damage)
Summer Lovin', American Romance - Marin Thomas, Laura Marie Altom and Ann Roth
Hot Pursuit - Karen Rose, Annie Solomon and Carla Cassidy
Murders in the Mist by Willard Scott
Murder on the Atlantic by Steve Allen
Love Me Tomorrow by Rosanne Bittner (spine creasing)
The Reiver's Woman by Catherine Creel
Never Romance a Rake by Liz Carlyle
Patriot Dreams by Barbara Michaels
Sevant, The Awakening by L.L. Foster


New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015
(I'll finish the list with authors on Saturday 5/2/15)

PAIRS:
Nora Roberts: The Heart of Devin MacKade and the Pride of Jared MacKade
SINGLES:
A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
Veil of Night by Lydia Joyce
The Ruthless Greek's Virgin Princess by Trish Morey
Special Agent by Candice DeLong
Dead in The Water by Stuart Woods - Cassette Tapes
Rally Fever by Crea Jones

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
(I'll try to get the rest linked another day.)

PAIRS:
Catherine Lanigan: Tender Malice and Elusive Love (spine creases)
SINGLES:
Madison Avenue Marriage (Silhouette Desire #129) by Cassandra Bishop
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Where is He Now? by Jennifer Greene
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks


New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015
(I'll try to get the rest linked another day.)

SINGLES:
If I Had You by Deborah Bedford
The Man Who Ate the 747 by Ben Sherwood

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014

SINGLES:
Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card - Tape Cassettes


BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty byVickie Kennedy
First to Fight Anthology
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin
Maybe This Time by Victoria Barrett
The Commander by Kate Bridges
The Cinderella Plan by Margaret Daley
The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook by Steve Doocy
A Garden of Friends by Penny Pierce Rose
Richard Paul Evans PAIR: The Looking Glass and The Carousel
Duo Book: Yesterday's Memories by Tara Taylor Quinn and Amanda Stevens
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner


BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)

Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
Cattle Rancher, Secret Son by Margaret Way
Whisper on the Wind by Joan Smith
Trouble Becomes Her by Laura Van Wormer
Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark
A Lady of Consequence by Mary Nichols
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain
Illegal Possession by Kay Hooper


BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)

Thinner by Stephen King
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Dancing on Snowflakes by Jane Bonander
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- 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
Tara Taylor Quinn: Father: Unknown and McGillus v.Wright
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
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.


BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)

Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Death Angel by Linda Howard

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 five+ years I have posted 54 groups of 16 (864) books to find new homes! (as of February 6, 2015).

I am happy to say that so far about 861+ 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. 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!

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 $7.00 and $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)

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!

Book Review: Secrets at Maple Syrup Farm (Once in a Lifetime) by Rebecca Raisin

This small town romance has a nice easy, light style.

Secrets at Maple Syrup Farm (Once in a Lifetime)

by Rebecca Raisin

• File Size: 2608 KB
• Print Length: 384 pages
• Publisher: Carina; 1 edition (July 17, 2015)
• Publication Date: July 17, 2015
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• ASIN: B00OQD8HNY
• Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
• My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Maple sugar kisses

Lucy would do anything for her mom…but she never expected to end up promising to leave her. After her mom got sick, Lucy dropped everything to take care of her, working all hours in a greasy diner just to make ends meet and spending every spare moments she had by her mom’s hospital bedside.

Now, Lucy is faced with a whole year of living by her own rules, starting by taking the first bus out of town to anywhere...

Except she didn’t expect to find her next big adventure just around the corner! Especially when on her first day in town she bumps into grumpy, but oh-so-delicious Clay amidst the maple trees. Surrounded by the magic of Ashford, Lucy has the chance to change her life forever and finally discover a life she wants to live!

Fall in love with Ashford, Connecticut in this dazzling and beautiful romance from bestselling author Rebecca Raisin.

Review:
Lucy and her hippy mother spent many years traveling and scraping to make a living. For the past few years Lucy has worked at two jobs while being her ailing mother’s caretaker. Lucy has wonderful artistic talent and her mother wants her to go to Paris to study. Her mother makes Lucy promise to go away for a year even if she won’t go off to Paris.

Lucy takes the first bus and ends up in Ashford, a storybook beautiful small town. On the bus she meets a sweet grandmotherly woman who suggests she apply for work at the Maple Syrup Farm. The farm is being restored by a reclusive man who won’t mingle in town and won’t accept help. Lucy trudges her way to the farm thinking she will have to charm a grumpy old man. Instead she opens the door to find a buff, all too handsome, grumpy young man.

Clay resents Lucy appearing at his door but he decides he will work her until she gives up. He just doesn’t realize that Lucy doesn’t give up. Lucy is a really hard worker even if she shows up dressed in something not quite suited for farm work and doesn't think to bring gloves.

Lucy discovers that she is warmly welcomed by the town’s people. She begins to makes friends and invest feelings in the town and the farm. Being a romance, the reader knows that Lucy and Clay will eventually get together. However it is beyond half of the book before Clay really begins to soften. Meanwhile I was totally frustrated that Lucy wouldn’t share her problems and cares with any of her new friends or Clay. She expects him to tell her what hurt he suffered that closed his heart but she doesn’t share her own situation.

The story is reasonably well written but, for some reason, I never warmed up to Lucy and the story until almost 80% in. Lucy’s character is deeply (repeatedly) developed but I found her a bit too ditsy - even if it is a sweet ditsy. On the other hand Clay’s character is pretty shallow and almost mean for most of the book. Once the romance clicks it is strong and sweetly presented. There is late conflict that has to be overcome that gives the story some zing. I kept trying to like it but found myself longing for the end. I did enjoy the last 20% although I was surprised that certain important issues were left unresolved. I guess (hope) these will be handled in other books in the series.

There are plenty of positive reviews at Amazon so it may have just been that I wasn’t in the right mood. I have been leaning toward a more active genre lately. Or I was too frustrated by the lack of communication to relax and enjoy the town life which filled the first three quarters of the story. The story has a nice easy, light style. Readers who enjoy small town settings, friendships and romance might want to give this a try.

{There were some glaring editing errors that may have impacted my feelings even though I tried to ignore them. Since this is a NetGalley version I hope those were fixed for the final release.]

I selected this at NetGalley and it is part of my NetGalley Challenge.