Sunday Words of Encouragement November 29, 2015

I had prepared thoughts from an older Sunday School message but then I was directed to a different song and brief message for the conclusion of Thanksgiving week.
I gave a short devotional a week ago for our Women's Club. I found the wisdom in a sweet book, Tell Me Again Lord I Forget by Ruth Harms Calkin. The message was that we are often ready to give thanks for blessings but do we ever stop to give thanks for the divine "No"?
Another woman shared that her pastor son reminds her that God answers prayer in four ways: Yes, No, Not Now and I have a better plan.

I found this song Saturday night while preparing for this post and it fits perfectly.

Verse for Today
James 1:12 NIV
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”


As I gave thanks this past week, I was mindful to give thanks for the times God told me "No" and "I have a better plan". In ALL things, Lord - I give thanks to YOU.

Sharing Beyond Books #229 November 28, 2015

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!
I hope everyone has had a lovely week and maybe a little time to relax. Our weather started the week cold but finished beautifully. We've had a grand visit with our son and family. :-)

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
Most of us (eight) had not seen bookish accessory blogs/ads. Also most of us agreed that it wouldn't change our choices. Two think it is too early to think about gifts for Christmas and two only want books, with a third only wanting adult coloring books.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #228 comments is: #10 Linda  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 - maybe the beginning of next year, lol. Please let me know your choice by completing the (new) WINNER FORM.

WEEK #229 (One Question.)

Nikki asks: 1) If you were given the choice of getting one book, would it be a book from a brand new and positively reviewed series or would it be a book from a series you are currently collecting??

This is such a hard question and one I face often. When I am choosing a review book or how to "spend" my audible credits I am often weighing the choice of picking the next title in a series I love or am collecting or picking a book from a new series. I try to get to both. However, based on my last few Audible choices I think I have chosen books in series I am currently collecting. Three examples: The Monster Hunter Series; The Destroyermen Series; The Andy Carpenter Series.

 There is truth in this quote. :-)
Image found at Lifehack.

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.
THE COMMENTS IN NOVEMBER WERE FROM: bn100, Elizabeth, Miki and Nikki. The Comment winner for November is ELIZABETH.

Your turn to share:
Nikki asks: 1) If you were given the choice of getting one book, would it be a book from a brand new and positively reviewed series or would it be a book from a series you are currently collecting??

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 December 5, 2015 at 5 PM central.

Audio Review: Special Talents: Goon Squad, Vol. 1 by Jonathan L. Howard

This is fun listening entertainment in the style of Marvel superheroes – with offbeat talents!
Special Talents: Goon Squad, Vol. 1
Written by: Jonathan L. Howard
Narrated by: Gabrielle de Cuir

Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
Series: Goon Squad, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:08-25-15
Publisher: Blackstone Audio Inc. and Skyboat Media, Inc.
Genre: Sci Fi, Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
An ongoing, episodic "prose comic" from which the pictures are summoned by the magic of words, Goon Squad is set in a version of modern-day Manchester. Its biggest divergence from the real city is that it - along with most other large urban centers - has a team of superheroes to protect it against unusual threats with which the conventional forces of law and order would have problems.
Goon Squad, Volume 1: Special Talents is composed of six tales: "The New Girl", "Nightclubbing", "By the Water, by the Grave", "Changes", "No-No Dojo", and "Exterminating Angel" as well as an introduction read by the author.
©2015 Jonathan L. Howard (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc., and Skyboat Media, Inc.

Review:
Nadiya has a very special talent. At one time she was part of a minor crime group and earned the name “puppet girl”. Over the past year Nadiya has succeeded in suppressing her skill. Then a quick stop at a local mini-market changes her life. She is present when two young thugs commit armed robbery, knocking an older woman to the floor. Nadiya watches the thugs exit the store and her anger grows. She loses her control and manages to bring down the thugs and hold them until the cops arrive. Nadiya is taken to the police station before she can leave town. She expects trouble but is surprised when a man, who has previously warned her, appears to interview her. Nadiya is surprised to be recruited to an unusual crime group – the special talents force - known to the others as “the Goon Squad”.

Nadiya meets her three new team mates, each with their own special talent. Ian is clearly a “dead man” walking, Gilbert appears to be a geek interested in history, and Tessler is a huge metallic robot. Nadiya isn’t told of their skills, and they don’t learn the full extent of her abilities, until they are suddenly called into action. Although there is some stumbling in the pursuit of the gangsters they are after, the Goon Squad, working together, finally manage to complete their assignment.

Think of The X Men or Marvel superheroes with unusual - as in paranormal - talents. This very fun story starts with an introduction from the author that begins: “Hello, and welcome to the first volume of the Goon Squad saga. I’m Jonathan L. Howard, and I wrote it, so I’m to blame. Sorry about that.” No need to be sorry. I found the characters and stories delightfully fun and the sound effects included in the audio book add to the entertainment. The first story, The New Girl, sets the stage, introducing Nadiya to the squad. "Nightclubbing" is her first experience in the field which could have gone better if she had been prepped. "By the Water, by the Grave" continues the team’s efforts to capture the mobster, Des Garbo, as they track him through a graveyard. "Changes" shares some difficulties that Ian has observed over the years, while "No-No Dojo" gets Nadiya some desperately needed training. In the final installment, "Exterminating Angel", the team faces a truly deadly power that takes some non-human help to overcome.

The characters are developed through the short story collection. The stories fit together like an old time radio serial. The author’s wonderfully creative imagination and humor quickly shine through. I will definitely look to pick up Volume two in the audio format for more unusual crime fighting stories from the Goon Squad. The stories are available individually in eBook format.

Audio Notes: Gabrielle de Cuir does a great job with each of the voices, British and others. The underlying humor comes through easily in the narration and the sound effects enhance the listening experience. This is a quick listen (under five hours) of entertainment that I recommend in audio format.

I received this title through Audiobook Jukebox. It qualifies as part of my Audio Challenge.

#1 The New Girl; #2 Nightclubbing; #3 By the Water, by The Grave; #4 Exterminating Angel

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway November 27, 2015

Happy Friday.
We had a lovely Thanksgiving day with our son, d-i-l and granddaughter. We are visiting with our RV. 
There is one more week of double winners. {As I noted last week I celebrate Friday Pick's anniversary (year 6) during the month of November. I like to award extra wins in November so this week and the next three weeks will have some extra winners. I have now posted 62 groups of 16 books so the total books up for grabs has come to 992! Happy Picking!}

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 too late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two + TWO (from 11/6 - 11/27) winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the November 20 Pick. There were THREE 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 were no blocked titles.
AUTO: Betty gets Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook
Di gets The Bride Thief 
and Alyn gets the Jane Feather Pair

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from November 20 Pick:
Becky gets The Joan Johnston Pair

Jess1 gets The DeBurgh Bride
CarolL gets A Highlander for Christmas
Marjorie gets a GC

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

I don't know if the turkey got to read but I read three Thanksgiving books to our Sweetpea!

Image found at Inspiring Moms.

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015
(I was getting ready to leave the office and realized I hadn't taken the photo of the books yet.
I took this very quickly. I may try to get another next week but this will have to do for now.)

PAIRS
Joan Johnston – Colter’s Wife and The Rivals
Nora Roberts – Born in Ice and Carnal Innocence
SINGLES
The Wedding Night by Jane Ann Krentz
The Marriage Prize by Virginia Henley
In Shelter Cove by Barbara Freethy
Into the Valley by Rosanne Bittner
Never Look Back by Linda Lael Miller
The Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver – CD Audiobook
Touch Me by Beverly Rae (personally autographed)
Driven by Desire by LuAnn McLane (personally autographed)
To Marry a British Lord by Judith Obrien
A Highlander For Christmas by Sandy Blair
A Midnight Clear by Katherine Stone (slight seam creasing)
Silver Bells by JoAnn Ross, Fern Michaels, Mary Burton, Judy Duarte


New Book Group #61 October 30, 2015
After I noticed the trend I went on a hunt for “bride” titles. I even pulled a couple from some of my long time collections(*). (But they are not getting read on my shelves.)

PAIRS:
Leigh Greenwood –  The Reluctant Bride and The Independent Bride
Jane Feather(*) – The Hostage Bride and The Accidental Bride
SINGLES:
The de Burgh Bride by Deborah Simmons
The Forever Bride by Evelyn Rogers (Seam creasing)
Short Straw Bride by Dallas Schultz
The Bride Thief by Susan Spencer Paul
Bride by Stella Cameron (Seam creasing) (*)
An Unwilling Bride by Jo Beverley (*)
Bride Enchanted by Edith Layton
The Maiden Bride by Linda Needham (hardback)
Bride of Lochbarr by Margaret Moore (*)
The Ideal Bride by Stephanie Laurens (*)
Honor’s Bride by Galye Wilson
A Necessary Bride by Debra Mullins
Border Bride by Deborah Hale


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

Shannon Drake –  Realm of Shadows (Alliance Vampires#4) 
SINGLES:
Bloody Good by Georgia Evans
Cat of Nine Tales by Deborah Macgillivray
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Renegade Hunter by Lynsay Sands
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:
Cruise to a Wedding by Betty Neels
Little Girl Lost by Shirlee McCoy
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:
Sevant, The Awakening by L.L. Foster

New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015

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 almost six years I have posted 62 groups of 16 (992) books to find new homes! (as of November 6, 2015).

I am happy to say that so far about 899+ 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!

Happy Thanksgiving from a Reader

I thought I'd make this an author's quotes for Thanksgiving.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! GIVE THANKS!
Have a beautiful day with loved ones.