Sunday Words of Encouragement December 13, 2015

This is the Third week of Advent and we celebrate with Joy!

This is the verse for Joy from:
A hymn for the lighting of the Advent candles
The Candle of Hope
LYONS 10.10.11.11 ("O Worship the King, All Glorious Above!")
Copyright © 2015 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette

The candle of joy reminds us to sing,
For God is at work to do a new thing.
The proud will be humbled; the lowly will rise.
God's kingdom is one of delight and surprise.

Pastor reminded us briefly today that we work to share God's good news as we continue to "watch" for His coming.
We sang our Christmas program this morning. I want to share some of the songs over the holiday weeks.

We celebrate as we look for the promise of the coming of our Savior and King!

A Verse for Today:
Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

When I focus on the true meaning of this season, and watch in anticipation to celebrate the birth of our Savior, then I worry less about decorations, presents and the busyness around me.

Sharing Beyond Books #231 December 12, 2015

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!
I had a busy work week but my evenings have been okay. Our weather warmed a little bit. I still have lots of preparations left for the holidays. We are looking forward to our Choir Christmas Program tomorrow morning.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
Only three of 16 do not read some category romance. A couple didn't realize that they read the genre until they saw the lists and authors. :-)  There was a good variety of authors mentioned.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #230 comments is: #7 Rubynreba 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 #231 (One Question.)

Sue asks: 1) Do you have a favorite family heirloom Christmas ornament??

I wish I had prepared this early and maybe I could have taken some pictures. We have several favorite heirloom ornaments.
1) My mother had glass ornaments which we divided in 1972 so we each have a half dozen or so.
2) My husband has homemade ornaments (Styrofoam, pin cushion, Battenberg lace, beaded) ornaments from his mother and stepmother.
3) My husband and I have an angel topper given to us when by a friend for our first Christmas - might be considered "vintage" I guess.
4) We collected special Christmas ornaments over the years and I have picked up ornaments on our cruises/travels to serve as memories.

1) Vintage Glass Ornaments - Image found at Etsy.

2)Styrafoam homemade ornaments - Image from Pinterest.

3)Pincushion homemade ornaments - Image from Countryliving.

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:
Sue asks: 1) Do you have a favorite family heirloom Christmas ornament??

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 19, 2015 at 5 PM central.

Book Review and Giveaway: Raven Saint by MaryLu Tyndall

In this story a young Christian woman and the bitter pirate who kidnaps her fall in love.
The Raven Saint: (Charles Towne Belles)
by MaryLu Tyndall

• Series: Charles Towne Belles (Book 3)
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Publishing Inc.; Reprint edition (January 1, 2014)
• ISBN-10: 1624167241

Genre: Christian Romance, Inspirational
My Rating: 3.5* of 5.0  *but note all the 5*s at Amazon

Join bestselling author MaryLu Tyndall for a seafaring historical full of romance, intrigue, action, and adventure. Grace Westcott has piously served God her whole life. Captain Rafe Dubois cannot pass up the opportunity to earn more gold toward the hospital he’s building for the poor by kidnapping Admiral Westcott’s youngest daughter. But when the missionary and the mercenary meet, it’s full-sail-ahead into tumultuous waters! Find out what happens when a bitter mercenary who’s sworn off God falls in love with a pious woman determined to change him.
Charles Towne Belles Series:
Book 1 - The Red Siren
Book 2 - The Blue Enchantress

Review:
Grace is the youngest daughter of an Admiral. She is not yet twenty but has decided to dedicate her life to serving God. She is taking baskets to the less fortunate when she is kidnapped by pirates.

Captain Rafe Dubois has agreed to deliver the Admiral’s daughter in exchange for gold to build the hospital he wants to help those less fortunate. Rafe is the son of a nobleman but chose his rebellious life-style after his father’s wealth wooed away Claire, the woman he fell in love with. He has no trust in women, much less God.

Grace is frightened but also finds strength through her faith. She determines that she will face off with the Godless Capitaine and show him God’s love. Grace’s kind manner help her to make a few friends among the crew, most particularly the Captain’s cat, Spyglass, and a disillusioned former Jesuit priest, Father Alers. Others have little kindness for her and some have their own plans to use her in plans of betrayal.

I liked Grace for the most part and particularly liked her strong faith and that she showed kindness in response to evil. She learns lessons about character and pride through her trials.  Rafe is a mixed character as he has a soft-heart but his heart is full of bitterness and must show brashness and ruthlessness to control his men. The plot includes Rafe’s father, Claire and more betrayal. The characters are well developed and the plot has action, intrigue and bantering dialogue. The writing is easy to read but I just never warmed to the story.

I started this book the summer of 2014 and finally finished it late summer of 2015. I enjoyed the last 60 or so pages so maybe I just wasn’t in the mood when I started it. However – I have decided I really don’t care for kidnapping pirate themed plots. This is at least the second pirate story I couldn’t get into. There are very positive reviews at Amazon so I think it was just me and my reading tastes.

This was from my TBR shelf as I received this title as a win in October 2010 from Desertrose.

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) December 20, 2015.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after December 20, 2015.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email.

Audible Book Review: The Genuine Particle by Stephen Punt

This is a half-hour of fun radio broadcast mystery.

The Genuine Particle
Written by: Steve Punt

Narrated by: Reece Shearsmith, Geoffrey Whitehead

Length: 27 mins
Radio/TV Program

Release Date:01-26-09

Publisher: BBC Worldwide Limited
Genre: Comedy, Radio Broadcast
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary

Time travel, wormholes, a lost security pass and a nice cup of tea. These are the elements that constitute Steve Punt's Theory of Grand Unified Comedy as he presents "Big Bang Day, The Genuine Particle" whirling into existence on BBC Radio 4.

Starring Reece Shearsmith and Geoffrey Whitehead, it's a comedy thriller set underground in the Large Hadron Collider and bears the unique property that every bit of physics in it is true. Theoretically at least.

©2008 Pozzitive; (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd

Review:
This is a very quick and fun listen. The story is a play of six characters. A British scientist raises concerns while discussing the work of two Russians who conjecture that when the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is turned on it may cause a wormhole that would allow time travel. This could allow a time traveler from the future to visit.

Now a group of the world's major powers, including Britain, America, Russia, and China (with a side visitor from Belgium) have gathered 100 meters underground in the Large Hadron Collider. They are there to try to intercept travelers from the future and gain control of futuristic weapons. The mystery includes an ID card, an electric buggy and the wormhole. I actually listened through this twice over the summer to catch the physics theory (not my best subject) and the twists!

This play was part of the Big Bang Day radio program which consists of five different plays. This episode was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 10 September 2008.

Audio Notes: This was a fun broadcast type narration with a cast of narrators. The audio makes it more fun!

I ordered/downloaded this for free from Audiogo in August of 2011 so it is a TBR. This qualifies for my Audio Challenge.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway December 11, 2015

Happy Friday.
If I am not careful my stress level is increasing as I try to accomplish so much before year end.
Deep Breath - Breath in - Breath out, slowly.
Is anyone else not ready for the holiday? I am ready in spirit and wearing all my seasonal sweaters. But I have not really shopped yet... and the decorations aren't started. 
Sigh * Sigh * Sigh.

We are back to regular two random winners now. 
I did get all picks mailed this week but haven't done the GCs so that will be this coming Saturday. 

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 winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the December 4 Pick. There was one automatic wins this week. (I guess because so many have been winning this month.) Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was one blocked title with a triple block - which was won.
AUTO: Rubynreba wins the Nora Roberts Pair

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from December 4 Pick:
Di gets Shelter Cove

Fredamans 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 bet we all want good books to gift (and receive)!

Image found at Overstuffed.

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 903+ 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!