Sharing Beyond Books #222 Comment Giveaway for October 3, 2015

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!
I am glad to be home and I am praying for those folks who went on the Bahama cruise the day we returned. Their trip may have been a bit rocky.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
Twelve commenters do not read fanfiction and at least three of us had to look it up to see what it meant.  Miki, Fredamans and Nikki have read fanfiction. Alyn noted that some stories we have read might have been fanfiction but we didn't realize it - like 50 Shades of Grey and The Mortal Instruments series.

~~~~~

The regular Winner from SBB #221 comments is: #2 Natalija 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 #221 (One Question.)

Marjorie asks: Do you feel as though you are online too often??

[I consider this different from a previous question of how much time we spend on the computer.] I am online each day if I am posting a review or meme on my blog or posting reviews at Amazon and NetGalley. And I try to visit 10 to 20 other blogs each week although that doesn't always happen. Other than that I do not spend much time "online". I rarely visit Facebook and Goodreads because they take too much time.  Oh - I am online too to pick up free kindle books, which goes pretty quickly, and to pick out new audible books which takes longer.  I don't see much way to reduce the time unless I choose to do less on the blog.

Image found at SparkPeople.com.

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.

Your turn to share:
Marjorie asks: Do you feel as though you are online too often??

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 October 10, 2015 at 5 PM central.

Book Review: Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders: A Novel by Julianna Baggott

This is not my usual reading taste but in the end I found it remarkable.

Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders: A Novel

by Julianna Baggott

File Size: 1098 KB
• Print Length: 337 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0316375101
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (August 18, 2015)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00S5A6HQS
Genre: Women's Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

"A mesmerizing tale of star-crossed love and of the dark secrets in a fracturing family . . . This novel is so full of wonders that it leaves you haunted, amazed, and, like every great read, irrevocably changed."--Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You

The reclusive Harriet Wolf, revered author and family matriarch, has a final confession-a love story. Years after her death, as her family comes together one last time, the mystery of Harriet's life hangs in the balance. Does the truth lie in the rumored final book of the series that made Harriet a world-famous writer, or will her final confession be lost forever?

Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders tells the moving story of the unforgettable Wolf women in four distinct voices: the mysterious Harriet, who, until now, has never revealed the secrets of her past; her fiery, overprotective daughter, Eleanor; and her two grown granddaughters--Tilton, the fragile yet exuberant younger sister, who's become a housebound hermit, and Ruth, the older sister, who ran away at sixteen and never looked back. When Eleanor is hospitalized, Ruth decides it's time to do right by a pact she made with Tilton long ago: to return home and save her sister. Meanwhile, Harriet whispers her true life story to the reader. It's a story that spans the entire twentieth century and is filled with mobsters, outcasts, a lonesome lion, and a home for wayward women. It's also a tribute to her lifelong love of the boy she met at the Maryland School for Feeble-minded Children.

Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders, Julianna Baggott's most sweeping and mesmerizing novel yet, offers a profound meditation on motherhood and sisterhood, as well as on the central importance of stories. It is a novel that affords its characters that rare chance we all long for--the chance to reimagine the stories of our lives while there's still time.

Review:
This is a most unusual book. It starts out with a punch as Harriet announces she was born dead… She then proceeds to explain. Although Harriet is the primary figure, the book weaves in and out of her life and through the lives of her stubborn and controlling daughter, Eleanor, and Eleanor’s two daughters, rebellious, bitter, Ruth and fragile but inquisitive Tilton. Harriet slowly shares her background as a seemingly moronic child placed at the Maryland School for Feeble-minded Children, a specialized school, in the early 1900s. After a number of years it is discovered that Harriet is actually a genius but her father views a genius female child as a waste and leaves her in the school. Harriet meets a young boy at the school and they fall in love.

Harriet’s mother discovers by accident that Harriet is alive and she immediately brings her home from school. Mother and daughter have several wonderful years together, while dad remains late at work and out of the way. Harriet’s live is set in a tail spin when her mother dies and her father returns the senior teen to another facility. Eventually Harriet moves out on her own and establishes a life that ultimately leads to writing a series of six books that reach great popularity and academic acclaim. Everyone was sure there was a seventh book but Eleanor insists she does not have it and keeps her house closed to any fans or inquiries.

The story shifts chapters between the four female characters and the reader gets to see the strengths, weaknesses and the dysfunction of each. Eleanor’s circumstance was impacted by events that led to her husband leaving. Eleanor adopted the attitude: “Human beings are shaped by tragedy and this one’s ours.” Ruth blamed her mother for her father walking out and resented her mother’s focus on her fragile sister. Once she left home Ruth had not expected to return, even to save Tilton as she had once promised. Tilton is a lovely character full of gentleness and joy. It is so sad that she has been completely overprotected by her mother. As the current lives of Eleanor and her girls unfold and head toward collision, Harriet’s tale continues to reveal the great joys and loves of her life. The story and the characters finally “bloomed”.

The writing is smooth with a lyrical tone and some incredible descriptions. The historical elements regarding treatment of the ‘feeble-minded’ are rather fascinating. The difficult and tangled feelings between mothers and daughters is a primary focus of the book.

I am not big into drama and I almost stopped reading this at about a third in. I found it somewhat depressing as well as outright bizarre. I am glad I persevered as the ending made the entire book worthwhile for me! I am sure that readers who enjoy family drama would like the journey better than I did but I am glad that there was light and love revealed at the end. The author states a precept that I have long believed that “joy needs sorrow to understand itself. And sorrow, without joy, has no bearings” (location 707). She also makes a clear point that each individual has a unique life experience that results from their unique way of perceiving (location 2140). My final impression of the total work: remarkable.

This is a book I was invited to read at NetGalley. It qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge.

Book Review: The Remaining: Faith: A Novella by D. J. Molles

This is another novella bringing a civilian perspective to this interesting series.
The Remaining: Faith: A Novella
by D.J. Molles

• File Size: 1130 KB
• Print Length: 74 pages
• Publisher: Orbit (May 27, 2014)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00HK6UA34
Genre: Sci Fi, Post Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

The world is slipping into chaos. A mysterious plague has come stateside, and Clyde Bealey suddenly finds himself with nothing but a suitcase full of worthless things and a desperate sense that he must prove himself to his pregnant wife. As he tries to lead his family to safety through a world filled with madmen, he will learn that the cost of his pride might be more than he can bear.

Review:
This novella fills in early details of the plague effects as it focuses on a civilian couple in an evacuation situation. The behavior of the public is not too surprising and brings home the huge gap between the lifestyle most of us take for granted and the hardships of surviving without basics like electricity, water and society protections. Clyde’s character is a great contrast to the military characters who are primary in the installments so far. But even a man like Clyde might find a place in the new disordered world.

This is an interesting, if disturbing, character study. Again, the novella serves to fill in background and develop a character who will appear in the next installment(s). I would not recommend this book without the full series but this serves to pull in a different, and interesting perspective before moving on to the next full book.

Again, this is pricey for a digital and for an audio book. Still, I am glad I read it as part of the whole series. The novellas strengthen the stage to jump into book 5, The Remaining: Allegiances.

Links to my reviews of the earlier books:
The Remaining, Book 1
The Remaining: Aftermath, Book 2
The Remainig: The Refugees, Book 3
The Remaining: The Fractured, Book 4
The Remaining: Trust: a Novella

I purchased this second novella as it fits in the series before Book 5.

Book Review: The Remaining: Trust: A Novella by D.J. Molles

This Novella presents background material and an important character for this series.

The Remaining: Trust: A Novella
by D.J. Molles

• File Size: 502 KB
• Print Length: 83 pages
• Publisher: Orbit (March 25, 2014)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00HCKSYAE
Genre: Sci Fi, Post Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

D..J. Molles' stunning Remaining saga continues in this first novella in the series set in a world ravaged by a bacterium that has turned 90% of the population into ravenous animals.
While Captain Lee Harden struggles to fulfill his part in Project Hometown his trusted friend and ally Major Abe Darabie works to hold up his end of the mission. But caught between his responsibility to the mission and the ambitions of a new president Abe must decide where his duty lies and whom he can trust in a country turned upside down.

Review:
This novella focuses on a character who, although mentioned in the previous books, has not been an active character. Major Abe Darabie was Captain Lee Harden’s superior in Project Hometown. They were friends before the plague hit but now it appears that Abe is operating under new orders from the new – or in Lee’s opinion “acting” - president.

Abe is called out to help a team that is retrieving supplies. The team has been attacked and Abe is alarmed when he learns the identity of the attackers. The new information has Abe questioning the changes being implemented by President Briggs. Can Abe trust the ambitious intentions of the new president or should he trust his old orders and duties?

This gives the reader an up close view of Abe and the dilemma that officers face when duty to a superior conflicts with duty to the people. What happens when superior orders are inconsistent with doing ‘what’s right, legally and morally’? Who defines the ‘right’ and where is the line drawn between safety and survival for some but not for all? The novella isn't as action intense as other installments but it serves an informational purpose rather than just more action.

I enjoyed this quick novella and thought it was a good way to fill in the background of the opposition that has declared Lee to be a “non-viable asset”. Abe, and his second hand man, Lucas, are developed so they can appear in the next full installment(s) of the series. The price was a bit high for the product but it was more acceptable in digital format than the price of audio for such a short work.

Links to my reviews of the earlier books:
The Remaining, Book 1
The Remaining: Aftermath, Book 2
The Remainig: The Refugees, Book 3
The Remaining: The Fractured, Book 4

I purchased this Novella which is one of two that fit before the fifth book in the series.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway October 2, 2015

Happy Friday.
We had a very relaxing time on the cruise but we are glad to be home with our puppies. :-)  
The ship moved swiftly to avoid most of the winds from hurricane Joaquin. 
Weather here at home is lovely - 70 degrees F at 6pm. However it is alarming to think it is October already!

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 September 25 Pick. There were no 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 again this week.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from September 25 Pick:
miki gets a GC

Elizabeth gets Cattle Rancher, Secret Son

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.}

Guess I missed this last week. 
I am thankful we do not have book censorship. 

Image found at Montclair Public Library.

New Book Group #60 September 18, 2015
A set of "haunting" tales and a few mysteries for October!

PAIRS:
Shannon Drake – When Darkness Falls (Alliance Vampires #2)  and Realm of Shadows (Alliance Vampires#4) 
Charlaine Harris – Club Dead and Grave Signt
SINGLES:
A Darker Dream (Love Spell romance) by Amanda Ashley
Bloody Good by Georgia Evans
Cat of Nine Tales by Deborah Macgillivray
Fated (Dark Protectors Book 1) by Rebecca Zanetti
Grave Sins by Jenna Maclaine
Primitive by Mark Nykanen (ARC copy)
The Accidental Human (Accidentally Paranormal Novel Book 3) by Dakota Cassidy
The Demon in Me by Michelle Rowen
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Renegade Hunter by Lynsay Sands
Silent Night, Haunted Night (A Nicki Styx Mystery) by Terri Garey
Tombs of Endearment (Pepper Martin Mysteries, No. 3) by Casey Daniels
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)


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

ANTHOLOGIES:
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
Cruise to a Wedding by Betty Neels
Little Girl Lost by Shirlee McCoy
Beloved Enemy by Terri Reed
You Don't Know Jack by Erin McCarthy

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

SINGLES:
Hot Pursuit - Karen Rose, Annie Solomon and Carla Cassidy
Love Me Tomorrow by Rosanne Bittner (spine creasing)
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)

SINGLES:
A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
The Ruthless Greek's Virgin Princess by Trish Morey
Rally Fever by Crea Jones

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

SINGLES:
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)

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 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
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
Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark
A Lady of Consequence by Mary Nichols
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain


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 871+ 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!