I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date.
Thank you to Sheila for the years that she handled this meme.
Thank you to Kathryn for taking up the baton.
What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.
This was an odd week of rest, a day of illness and a rush to finish deeds to be recorded before the end of the year (so they would qualify for homestead in 2017). The early days were nice and quiet at home and in office (even my birthday 12/27). Then I stayed in bed all of Wednesday as my throat was raw and awful. I am still coughing but not as badly and hope another long weekend will help to end this bug.
I am excited about a new year - I think it's going to be a good one!
Reading was good even though a push to finish challenges and to try to post reviews before the end of the year. I finished Seven ebooks, Two TBR audibles, and one print book (my Bible). I posted five reviews on the blog and four at Goodreads. I also posted all of my usual memes.
I enjoyed visiting early in the week; then got sick - bleh.
No shout out again this week but I do plan to pick that up again next week!
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.
These were last week's posts:
- Book Review: Mrs. White Rabbit by Gilles Bachelet; Children; my rating 4.0.
- Book Review: Reading is for Idjits! by W. W. Rowe; Children; my rating 3.5.
- Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway December 30, 2016. Open Worldwide. Ending 1/5/2016.
- Book Review: The Circuit: Executor Rising by Rhett C. Bruno; Sci Fi, Space Opera; my rating 4.0.
- Book Review at Goodreads: Unicorn Western by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant; Sci Fi, Fantasy; my rating 4.0.
- Book Review at Goodreads: Ever After by Anya Wylde; Fantasy; my rating 3.75.
- Book Review at Goodreads: A Very Holly Christmas by Sheila Roberts; Christmas; my rating 4.0.
- Book Review at Goodreads: In the Event of My Death by Michele Hauf (Goodreads Author), Debbie Irwin (Narrator); Mystery; my rating 4.0.
- Book Review: Halcyon (The Complex Book 0) by Demelza Carlton; Sci Fi, Fantasy; my rating 4.5.
- Book Review: Zombies at the Door: Planning for the Inevitable by Charlie Pulsipher; Parody, Humor; my rating 4.5.
- Sharing Beyond Books #284 Comment Giveaway December 31, 2016. Open Worldwide. Ending 1/7/2016.
Finished Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle (TBR - from Author)
Ever After - A Novella
by Anya Wylde
My Review at Goodreads.
“With a shout from the queen, a hoot from the major, a joyous giggle from the good king … the long awaited princess finally arrived.” In a wonderfully unpredictable tale of adventure, romance and a goodly bit of humour, Ever After tells the story of a princess who is trapped in a luxurious tower by her over protective father. The princess must escape the tower, learn the ways of the world, and choose between love and duty. And when one thinks this is the end, the tale takes a turn and the princess finds herself taking an unconventional path to happily ever after.
2. eBook/Kindle (NG)
Mrs. White Rabbit (NetGalley pdf)
by Gilles Bachelet
I received this title as a NetGalley pdf.
Review linked above.
A hilarious twist on a classic tale.
Alice in Wonderland is one of the great classics of children's literature, but what does anyone actually know about Wonderland? Through the diary of the White Rabbit's extremely busy wife, readers finally get to see what happens in the background during Alice's adventures.
Mrs. White Rabbit loves her husband and their many children, but with an invisible housecat from Cheshire and a young female visitor who frequently changes size, living in Wonderland comes with a number of challenges.
With an abundance of wit and charm, Mrs. White Rabbit gives Lewis Carroll's famous tale a refreshingly modern twist.
Mrs. White Rabbit (NetGalley pdf)
by Gilles Bachelet
I received this title as a NetGalley pdf.
Review linked above.
A hilarious twist on a classic tale.
Alice in Wonderland is one of the great classics of children's literature, but what does anyone actually know about Wonderland? Through the diary of the White Rabbit's extremely busy wife, readers finally get to see what happens in the background during Alice's adventures.
Mrs. White Rabbit loves her husband and their many children, but with an invisible housecat from Cheshire and a young female visitor who frequently changes size, living in Wonderland comes with a number of challenges.
With an abundance of wit and charm, Mrs. White Rabbit gives Lewis Carroll's famous tale a refreshingly modern twist.
3. eBook/Kindle (TBR)
The Yellow Line
by Kitrin Haas
I enjoyed this 'recovery' romance.
This is from my TBR and is "Y" for my Alphabet Challenge.
Click on book title for full description.
4. eBook/Kindle (TBR)
A Very Holly Christmas: An Exclusive Short Story
by Sheila Roberts
My Review at Goodreads.
Shelia Roberts is back with the hilarious short follow up to On Strike For Christmas. This short story will bring you right back to the spirited town of Holly, one year after the big strike! For even more Christmas (this time with a touch of romance) don't miss The Nine Lives of Christmas, coming November 2011.
A Very Holly Christmas: An Exclusive Short Story
by Sheila Roberts
My Review at Goodreads.
Shelia Roberts is back with the hilarious short follow up to On Strike For Christmas. This short story will bring you right back to the spirited town of Holly, one year after the big strike! For even more Christmas (this time with a touch of romance) don't miss The Nine Lives of Christmas, coming November 2011.
5. Audible (TBR)
In the Event of My Death
by Michele Hauf (Author), Debbie Irwin (Narrator)
My Review at Goodreads.
Madiera Shane has only hours to find computer genius, Jesse Marvel's killer. She's got brains, she's got a Z4, and she's got gadgets. Now, to keep the evidence away from her sexy rival, freelance bounty hunter, Eddie Powell. They've dallied before, always vying for the prize of bagging a big arrest, but Madiera isn't about to allow Eddie's charm keep her from tracking the killer. Heck, she's got her own arsenal of charm, and she's not afraid to use it.
6. ebook/Kindle (TBR)
Christmas in Time
by Peggy Webb (Author)
This is a sweet, time travel romance with a special
(the Titanic) setting.
Paranormal, time travel novella, a prequel to Only Yesterday.
Everybody in her family and in the Gulf Coast town of Fairhope views Gilly as a woman whose life is plain and simple, one who has been content to spoil her great-niece Ann while living out her days in Windchime House. Only her best friend Margaret knows the heroic story of Gilly Debeau.
When Ann’s Christmas gift of wind chimes catapults Gilly back in time, she finds herself seated at the café Parisiene, having tea with her Papa and enjoying her eighteenth birthday gift – passage on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. As the string quintet entertains the passengers, Gilly can’t take her eyes off the handsome, talented violinist from West Yorkshire. Under William’s spell, she falls for both the music and the musician. But does an over-protected, unsophisticated girl from Alabama dare defy convention in order to become a woman? And how will she ever explain to Papa that she is planning a future with a man she’s known only three days?
On April 14, 1912, Gilly is wrenched away from everything and everyone she loves. Can she survive the icy Atlantic? Can William? Can their love survive a lifetime and beyond?
Advance praise for Christmas in Time…“The perfect gift for Christmas! Arm yourself with plenty of tissues for this beautiful love story that takes the heroine back in time to the Titanic. Nobody tugs on the heartstrings like Peggy Webb!” Sandra Fortune “Ed.D. ETSU faculty”
Christmas in Time
by Peggy Webb (Author)
This is a sweet, time travel romance with a special
(the Titanic) setting.
Paranormal, time travel novella, a prequel to Only Yesterday.
Everybody in her family and in the Gulf Coast town of Fairhope views Gilly as a woman whose life is plain and simple, one who has been content to spoil her great-niece Ann while living out her days in Windchime House. Only her best friend Margaret knows the heroic story of Gilly Debeau.
When Ann’s Christmas gift of wind chimes catapults Gilly back in time, she finds herself seated at the café Parisiene, having tea with her Papa and enjoying her eighteenth birthday gift – passage on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. As the string quintet entertains the passengers, Gilly can’t take her eyes off the handsome, talented violinist from West Yorkshire. Under William’s spell, she falls for both the music and the musician. But does an over-protected, unsophisticated girl from Alabama dare defy convention in order to become a woman? And how will she ever explain to Papa that she is planning a future with a man she’s known only three days?
On April 14, 1912, Gilly is wrenched away from everything and everyone she loves. Can she survive the icy Atlantic? Can William? Can their love survive a lifetime and beyond?
Advance praise for Christmas in Time…“The perfect gift for Christmas! Arm yourself with plenty of tissues for this beautiful love story that takes the heroine back in time to the Titanic. Nobody tugs on the heartstrings like Peggy Webb!” Sandra Fortune “Ed.D. ETSU faculty”
7. eBook/Kindle (Author)
Halcyon (The Complex Book 0)
by Demelza Carlton
This is an engaging sci fi with aliens and conflict.
A Lone Planet. One Complex.
Unlimited Chaos.
Catch a siren. Stop the storm. Whatever the cost.
Allie, sick of war and grief, signed up as a lowly maintenance worker for the Complex in the hope of securing a lasting peace between the Metas and Humans. However, the girl has her own secrets, not least of which is her assignment from the Lorn government to monitor the Complex for signs of a suspected saboteur.
Galen, the only survivor of the Poseidon shipwreck, didn't join the Complex for peace. He wants vengeance on the siren Halcyon, the mysterious Mer whose terrorist tactics single-handedly killed more humans than any other Meta. His sources say that Halcyon is on Lorn, and he'll happily kill every Mer in the Complex until his parents' murderer is dead.
Can they catch the terrorist before the Complex is destroyed?
The Complex Book Series:
A Lone Planet. One Complex.
Unlimited Chaos.
After a brutal war between Humans and Metas an uneasy truce is declared in the Seldova solar system. At the conclusion of the treaty signing, the Complex is created on the lone planet, Lorn. The Complex is a blended community of Humans and Metas, all sent to test the waters of a more peaceful existence between the two races. Living under a domed community can only mean one thing for the Humans and Metas. Chaos.
8. eBook/Kindle (NG)
Reading is for Idjits!
by W. W. Rowe (Author),
Charles A Filius (Illustrator)
My Review is linked above - this has good illustrations but a mixed message.
Martin and Morton are identical twins! Which one is which? "Smarty Marty" loves to read. "Morton the Moron" hates it. "Reading is for idjits!" he declares. But Morton's faulty reading gets him into BIG trouble. His entire world falls apart! After a series of humorous disasters, Morton finally learns to read. He even saves the day with his new skill!
Reading is for Idjits!
by W. W. Rowe (Author),
Charles A Filius (Illustrator)
My Review is linked above - this has good illustrations but a mixed message.
Martin and Morton are identical twins! Which one is which? "Smarty Marty" loves to read. "Morton the Moron" hates it. "Reading is for idjits!" he declares. But Morton's faulty reading gets him into BIG trouble. His entire world falls apart! After a series of humorous disasters, Morton finally learns to read. He even saves the day with his new skill!
9. Print (Re-read)
The One Year Bible NLT (One Year Bible: NLT Book 2) by Tyndale House Publishers Inc (Author), Tyndale (Contributor)
This is my second year reading this Bible with my hubby. I love reading every day (except occasionally getting behind) and being able to discuss this with my husband.
The best-selling One Year Bible helps you read the entire Bible in as little as 15 minutes a day. The One Year Bible divides God's Word into daily readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, creating an achievable, unforgettable devotional experience. This edition features the clear and understandable New Living Translation.
10. Audible (TBR)
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time #1)
by Robert Jordan, Mark Rolston (Narrator)
This was an Abridged edition
but gave me a feel for this epic series.
Set in a world where two kinds of magic exist, one female and the other male, the Wheel of Time series features the hero Rand. Rand is on an epic quest to unite the diverse peoples of his planet against the Dark One, who threatens to destroy their world. His quest takes him through a series of complex and well-delineated alien cultures.
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time #1)
by Robert Jordan, Mark Rolston (Narrator)
This was an Abridged edition
but gave me a feel for this epic series.
Set in a world where two kinds of magic exist, one female and the other male, the Wheel of Time series features the hero Rand. Rand is on an epic quest to unite the diverse peoples of his planet against the Dark One, who threatens to destroy their world. His quest takes him through a series of complex and well-delineated alien cultures.
Currently reading:
1. Print (LBC / First Book of 2017)
All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life
by Mark Batterson
I am looking forward to reading this over the next several weeks.
Ladies Book Club will not be discussing until February.
From the blurb:
The message of All In is simple: if Jesus is not Lord of all then Jesus is not Lord at all. It’s all or nothing. It’s now or never. Kneeling at the foot of cross of Christ and surrendering to His Lordship is a radical act of dethroning yourself and enthroning Christ as King. It’s also an act of disowning yourself. Nothing belongs to you. Not even you.
Click on book title for full description.
2. Audible (ABB-Narrator)
Two by Vonnegut: The Big Trip Up Yonder and 2BR02B
Written by: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Narrated by: Kitty Hendrix
I picked this for Sci Fi Experience and Vintage Sci Fi.
Publisher's Summary
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922-2007) was a prolific and genre-bending American novelist known for works blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction, such as Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Cat's Cradle (1963), and Breakfast of Champions (1973).
These two short works, "The Big Trip Up Yonder" and "2BR02B", are science fiction tales originally published in the magazines Galaxy Science Fiction and If: Worlds of Science Fiction in 1959 and 1962.
©2016 Kurt Vonnegut (P)2016 Kitty Hendrix
Two by Vonnegut: The Big Trip Up Yonder and 2BR02B
Written by: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Narrated by: Kitty Hendrix
I picked this for Sci Fi Experience and Vintage Sci Fi.
Publisher's Summary
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922-2007) was a prolific and genre-bending American novelist known for works blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction, such as Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Cat's Cradle (1963), and Breakfast of Champions (1973).
These two short works, "The Big Trip Up Yonder" and "2BR02B", are science fiction tales originally published in the magazines Galaxy Science Fiction and If: Worlds of Science Fiction in 1959 and 1962.
©2016 Kurt Vonnegut (P)2016 Kitty Hendrix
3. Print (i-Read Book Tour)
The Skeleton Code: A Satirical Guide to Secret Keeping
by Alla Campanella (Author), Ken Massey (Author)
This looks interesting.
I will be posting a tour review for this title on January 11, 2017.
Early in life, we learn to exaggerate our positive personal qualities and hide or deny our failures and weaknesses. The Skeleton Code is a satirical and humorous look at the many ways we protect our public personas by closeting our personal secrets, an ultimately self-deluding way of life. As a parody of the self-help “success” genre, the book presents facetious strategies about how to cover up our silly and scandalous secrets before turning to The Skeleton Cure.
4. eBook/Kindle (NG)
Dead and Breakfast: A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery
by Kate Kingsbury (Author)
This releases 1/10/17 so I thought I would get to reading.
Melanie West is getting her life back on track after a messy divorce when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asks her to open a B&B with her. Together, Liza and Melanie purchase a purportedly haunted mansion on the Oregon coast and jump right into clearing out the cobwebs. But while attempting to remove wallpaper in an upstairs bedroom, the new B&B owners stumble upon a very real skeleton in their closet.
The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner of the B&B, but no one in town seems to want to say much about her. As the inn owners try to juggle renovations with their own amateur investigations, their grand opening looms closer and closer--and a friendly ghost in their walls starts playing tricks. But it all comes crashing to a halt when a new body is found stabbed to death on the beach below the inn--the victim chillingly close in resemblance to Melanie herself.
It seems someone doesn't appreciate newcomers prying into the small town's past, and now it's up to Melanie and Liza to get to the bottom of these murders to save their business...and their lives
Dead and Breakfast: A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery
by Kate Kingsbury (Author)
This releases 1/10/17 so I thought I would get to reading.
Melanie West is getting her life back on track after a messy divorce when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asks her to open a B&B with her. Together, Liza and Melanie purchase a purportedly haunted mansion on the Oregon coast and jump right into clearing out the cobwebs. But while attempting to remove wallpaper in an upstairs bedroom, the new B&B owners stumble upon a very real skeleton in their closet.
The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner of the B&B, but no one in town seems to want to say much about her. As the inn owners try to juggle renovations with their own amateur investigations, their grand opening looms closer and closer--and a friendly ghost in their walls starts playing tricks. But it all comes crashing to a halt when a new body is found stabbed to death on the beach below the inn--the victim chillingly close in resemblance to Melanie herself.
It seems someone doesn't appreciate newcomers prying into the small town's past, and now it's up to Melanie and Liza to get to the bottom of these murders to save their business...and their lives
January 1, 2017 - I am starting again with the One Year Bible, reading along with my husband and others from our church. I hope to take more time this year, staying on the day and listening to the companion commentary online.
I still plan to request audio titles as I can always squeeze listening in!
I now have 12 NetGalley Titles and 11+ author titles in my queue.
We did get an ebook release but waiting for covers for two prints releases.
There will be one upload for eTreasure's NetGalley page this week.
Welcome to Mailbox Monday.
I received six more NetGalley titles plus a review title.
I picked up 1 Audible Daily Deals.
I didn't buy any Kindle titles.
I picked up a fair number of free kindle titles. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.)
Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?
Review Titles
I selected seven more books at NetGalley, two read in 2016 and five to add to the 2016 books to become TBRs. I am showing four titles now and plan to add the other three books next week. by Gilles Bachelet
(See Finished reading and review links above.)
by W. W. Rowe (Author),
Charles A Filius (Illustrator)
(See Finished reading and review links above.)
Hunt the Dawn (Fatal Dreams Book 2) by Abbie Roads
"You can't hide your secrets from Lathan Montgomery-he can read your darkest memories. And while his special abilities are invaluable in the FBI's hunt for a serial killer, he has no way to avoid the pain that brings him."
The cover pulled me into this paranormal suspense.
by Max Gladstone (Author), Mur Lafferty (Author), Brian Francis Slattery (Author), Margaret Dunlap (Author)
"Magic is real, and hungry. It’s trapped in ancient texts and artifacts, and only a few who discover it survive to fight back. Detective Sal Brooks is a survivor."
With a title like this - How could I resist?
I saw this title for review through a message at Goodreads.
From Afar
by Roger Thomas
"The Magi, or Three Kings, of the Nativity story are among the best loved yet most mysterious figures in all history."
I am looking forward to reading this.
Won
NONE
Purchased
I am tempted by deals everyday since I subscribed to Audible Daily Deals.This week I picked up only one daily deal for $2.95:
JackabyWritten by: William Ritter
Narrated by: Nicola Barber
Written by: Patrick Ness
Narrated by: Jason Isaacs
"Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1890, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary - including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant."
I like the sound of this mystery.
Free
I added 57 free Kindle titles to my library this week. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.
