Sunday Post October 1, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday October 2, 2017

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.

I had another busy week catching up on legal work, with more to do this week. Now I am trying to fight off a cold without loosing work time. :-(

My reading/listening time seemed pinched but I enjoyed the reads. I finished two books: one ebooks and one audio. But I am far along in two others. I posted three reviews, plus my usual memes.

I visited only 25 blogs again last week. I didn't get to go to any after Tuesday night.
Shout out this week is for Rainy Day Ramblings who has a lovely book blog.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post September 24, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday September 25, 2017.

• ATBR- Review: Audible Book Review: Skinwalker: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1 by Faith Hunter; Paranormal, Urban Fantasy; my rating 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway September 29, 2017. Open Worldwide. Ending 10/25/2017.

• eNG- Book Review: The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson; Clockwork, Fantasy, Sci Fi; my rating 4.0.

• eNG- Book Review: Star Hero: A Star Series Novella by Susan Grant; Military Space Sci Fi; My rating 4.0.

• Sharing Beyond Books #322 Comment Giveaway September 30, 2017. Open Worldwide. Ending 10/7/2017.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement October 1, 2017.

Finished Reading:
1. Audible/MP3 (ABB)

The League of Governors
Written by: Wendy Terrien
Narrated by: Brian Callanan
Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
Series: The Adventures of Jason Lex, Book 2
This is fantasy adventure fun.
I received this audio title from the narrator through AudioBook Boom.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kincle (NG)

On the Chase (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit Book 2)
by Katie Ruggle
I really enjoyed this.
I received this through NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle (NG)

Twelve Slays of Christmas: A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery
by Jacqueline Frost
I am 82% into this and it is sweet and fun.
I received this through NetGalley. It releases on October 10.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible/MP3 (TBR)

Blood in the Water: Destroyermen Series
Book 11
Written by: Taylor Anderson
Narrated by: William Dufris
I am 75% along on this. 
I am enjoying this listen 
with lots of action and adventure.
Click on book title for full description.

3. eBook/Kindle (NG)

Crown of Souls
by Ronie Kendig
I like this author and was in the mood for good, Christian military suspense.
I received this through NetGalley (it released in September).
"Kendig has out done herself."--RT Book Reviews on Conspiracy of Silence
Six months after stopping a deadly plague, Cole "Tox" Russell and his team are enjoying a little rest. That peace is short-lived when a sniper shot hits Tox. The enemy is discovered to be one of their own, a rogue Special Forces team operator.
Alec King is perhaps the only person as skilled as Tox, and he's out for justice. Furious with orders that got his men killed, he intends to make those responsible pay. And he insists Tox join him, believing they are the same breed of soldier.
Afraid his old friend is right, Tox battles a growing darkness within himself as he and his team engage in another deadly encounter with antiquity. It appears Alec is cheating--he's using a mysterious artifact, a crown that history has linked to some of the worst slaughters in humanity. Racing to stop Alec before his vengeance is unleashed, Tox must fight the monster without becoming one.

4. eBook/Kindle (NG)

Wild Justice
by M.L. Buchman
I get to read two military romance stories 
from authors I like.
I received this from the author.
It releases 10/17.
 DELTA FORCE
The best counter-terrorism force on the planet.
SERGEANT DUANE JENKINS
• Elite Delta operator—explosives just make him grin •
AGENT SOFIA FORTEZA
• Top Intel Analyst for The Activity—thinks data is sexy•
The team must face their toughest mission yet: take down a massive human-trafficking ring and a corrupt Venezuelan spy agency—without leaving a trace.
Sofia and Duane.
In common: black sheep of extremely wealthy families, renegades against the status quo.
Differences: tactician vs. explosives expert, thinker vs. pure warrior.
Together: fight to keep their team alive, and their love.

October 1, 2017 - I am back reading on track in the One Year Bible, still with one week to catch up. I am working on getting back on track. I have been 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 completed two books and posted three reviews. That keeps me at three reviews to be up to date.
I am now twelve titles behind linking my reviews to Goodreads, Amazon and Audible. :-( I just haven't had time to link.
I was down to 3 NetGalley titles but now back to 10. Still 2 author titles in my queue, the others are instafreebies that I do want to get to but not the same commitment.

We're working on two fiction books soon to add to eTreasure's NetGalley page.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday. Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and (yours truly).  
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I picked up eight NetGalley titles and one audiobook for review.
I selected one Audible Daily Deal and two kindle titles for $.99 each. 
As usual, I picked up more free kindle titles as usual. (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 was down to 3 NetGalley Titles so I sort of went on a request binge. I received 8 titles through the week. Release dates are shown in parenthesis.
The Rancher's Christmas Song by RaeAnne Thayne (17 Oct 2017)
I saw this title at some other blog sites and it drew me.
Gift From the Stars by James Gunn (06 Jun 2017)
This is a sci fi from an author I want to try.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip (19 Sep 2017)
Honestly - I couldn't resist the cover. :-)
The Squirrel on the Train by Kevin Hearne (30 Nov 2017)
I thought this cover was odd then I realized this is short story for Oberon, the Irish wolfhound in the Iron Druid series. It should be fun.

Always Gray in Winter by Mark J. Engels (10 Aug 2017)
I like werecats - this looked a bit different from some of my usual reading. We'll see.
Welcome to Outcast Station by Jeanne Adams, Nancy Northcott (31 Jul 2017)
Space opera and mystery stories - sounds good.
Coiled by H.L. Burke (15 Jun 2017)
Cute cover and interesting mytholgoy adaptation.
Booke of the Hidden by Jeri Westerson (31 Oct 2017)
("Booke" caught my eye.) Another new to me author with and urban fantasy romance I thought I would try.

I received this Audiobook from the narrator as a follow up to the first book. :-)

Breakthrough: The Great Martian War, Book 2

By: Scott Washburn

Narrator: Ray Greenley

Duration: 10 hrs and 27 mins
I enjoyed book one and look forward to this.

Won

NONE

Purchased

I selected one Audible Daily Deal for $.99:
Light Falls
By: Brian Greene
Narrator: Brian Greene, Paul Rudd, Peter Ganim, Suzanne Toren, Edoardo Ballerini, Julian Elfer, Kevin Pariseau, Jonathan Davis
Duration: 2 hrs and 26 mins
This theatrical version of the dramatic story tracing Albert Einstein's discovery of the general theory of relativity Light Falls was first performed at the World Science Festival in New York City.

Two Kindle titles purchased for $.99 each:
Race Against Time: A Novel of Romantic Suspense
Sharon Sala

Among Wolves (Wolves of Llisé, Book 1)

Nancy K. Wallace

Free

Here are some of the Free Kindle titles I picked up. (All of these may still be free):
 
Her Big Sky Cowboy (Wildflower Ranch Book 3)
by Alissa Callen

Agents Under Fire: 
(3-in-1: Guardian Agent, Avenging Agent, Warrior Agent)
by Dana Marton

Rescued By A Viscount (Regency Rakes Book 2)
by Wendy Vella

Strong Women, Extraordinary Situations Box Set (1-3):
Deadly Hunt, Deadly Intent, Deadly Holiday
by Margaret Daley

Safe Haven (The Protectors Book 1)
by Leeanna Morgan

The Dark Knight's Captive Bride
by Natasha Wild

and a few more:
So I Married a Highlander (What Happens In Scotland Book 1) by Kate McKinley
The Power of Praise and Worship by Terry Law (Author), Jim Gilbert (Author)
Trapped (Tales of Friendship Bog Book 3) by Gloria Repp, Michael Swaim (Illustrator), Bill Beck (Photographer) (Chapter book)
Love in a Snow Storm (Pine Harbour Book 2) by Zoe York
Obadiah: A Ghost's Story by Robert Spearman
The Kidnapped Christmas Bride (Taming of the Sheenans Book 3) by by Jane Porter
The Nostradamus Equation (Sam Reilly Book 6) by by Christopher Cartwright

I added 53 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.

Sunday Words of Encouragement October 1, 2017

I didn’t get to church today as I am fighting the start of yucky cold.These notes are from a couple of weeks ago.

Our Sunday School teacher always delivers a good message. He gave a message called “It's a slow fade.” He noted that a declining commitment to God is often a slow process like turning a large ship or making a political change (other than during crisis). When things are good, people can slide into complacency.

Samson didn't recognize his drift away from his faith. Complacency is dangerous. Sometimes we need a wakeup call like Samson. Theologian John Wesley once stated that ‘what one generation winks at, the next will embrace’.

Have you ever had a GPS take you where you didn't mean to go? That happens. It is like placing a frog in a pan of cold water and heating it rather than placing the frog in the boiling water where it jumps out. What killed the frog in the pan of cold water was not the boiling water but failure to respond to the danger.

Cold is the absence of heat. Darkness is absence of light. Jesus doesn’t’ want a lukewarm church. Revelation 3:14-22. We must be careful what we allow into our lives. Proverbs 4:23-27.

We have to stop and access where we are. We have to examine ourselves for drifting. We need to wake up and be ready.

Man’s natural inclination is to go toward the dark. We can only change through the help of the Holy Spirit. The tide carries men away if we don’t work to stay in place.

Listen to the song lyrics of this Casting Crowns song, Slow Fade.

Verses for Today:
Romans 13:11-12 NIV
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Sharing Beyond Books #322 Comment Giveaway September 30, 2017

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
Four commenters did not have movie fav that they rewatch. Jane Austen/Pride and Prejudice was mentioned by two; Musicals were mentioned by two (I like those too) and Christmas movies were mentioned by two. Rita mentioned Grease and Dirty Dancing - my daughter rewatches the first and my husband rewatches the latter. Sue likes to rewatch Dr. Strangelove and MASH while Janhvi likes to rewatch The Proposal.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #321 comments is: #3 CAROL L who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post.

**NOTE: I did post an Updated ARC and Other books for Giveaways. I have to go back and list the titles -- someday.
Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #322

(One Question.)

My question this week: Would you read different books if you weren’t reading for review?? If you don't review books can you think of a reason you might read different books than you currently read?

I often think I am very blessed to get to pick and choose the review books that I like. I would certainly review more of my TBR shelves if I wasn't reviewing but I think the genre mix would remain about the same. I try to pick indie authors/smaller presses as well as well known authors and houses. I do try to pick an occasional review title to stretch my tastes and comfort zone once in a while... but I might do that with TBRs too. So I guess my real answer is "No, I wouldn't read different books."

Image found at WordClerks.

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.

Your turn to share. My question this week: Would you read different books if you weren’t reading for review?? If you don't review books can you think of a reason you might read different books than you currently read?

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

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 7, 2017 at 5 PM central.

Book Review: Star Hero: A Star Series Novella by Susan Grant

This is a fast, sexy read.

Star Hero: A Star Series Novella
by Susan Grant

File Size: 2459 KB
Print Length: 124 pages
Publisher: Susan Grant (September 7, 2017)
ASIN: B074TRBZSY
Genre: Romance, Sci Fi, Space Marine
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

First he had to rescue her. Then he'd try to win her back.
A Marine serving in the galactic frontier, Lieutenant Lukas Frank has a lot in common with a street dog named Bang-Bang; they both started off as scrappy orphans fighting to survive--and beat the odds. Things change when Bang-Bang leads Lukas to starpilot Captain Carlynn Riga. The tough war hero learns what it means to surrender--his heart. Lukas's struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, threaten to tear the three of them apart, but nothing threatens them more than when Carlynn goes missing in action. Now the rugged, emotionally scarred Marine and his K-9 partner must find Carlynn and bring her home, or risk losing everything he has finally found worth fighting for.
(Expanded from the novella "Stray", originally published in the Pets in Space 1 Anthology)

Review:
Lieutenant Lukas Frank is deemed a hero although he feels he let many die when a space station exploded around him. His new assignment has brought him to a rough planet where he quickly adopts an orphaned street dog he names Bang-Bang. Bang- Bang is actually an intelligent species with the capacity to learn words, loyalty and use other skills to help his human. Bang-Bang lead Lukas to starpilot Carlynn and their lives are changed forever.

The relationship between Lukas and Carlynn is warm and immediate. But Lukas still suffers from flashbacks which he refuses to discuss. Carlynn is frustrated and decides that taken an assignment of planet might push him to open up. The botanical trip she pilots is supposed to be uneventful. Unfortunately, the initial intel on the planet failed to learn about all the predators. When Carlynn’s ship goes missing, Lukas knows he has to rescue her… and rescue himself.

The characters are wonderfully likeable, including Bang-Bang. There is a nice plot for the novella which kept my attention. The romance is hotter and the language is bolder than I like but I was glad that it was an addition to the storyline and not the sole purpose. I would read more in the series if it wasn’t quite so steamy and brash.

The writing is nicely done and I enjoyed the characters, the world building, even though brief, and the danger. I recommend this to readers who enjoy space military with language and romance that is on the steamy side.

I received this through NetGalley and it adds to my NetGalley Challenge.

Book Review: The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson

This is an engaging fantasy with strong history and clockwork elements.
The Clockwork Dynasty
by Daniel H. Wilson

File Size: 3835 KB
Print Length: 322 pages
Publisher: Doubleday (August 1, 2017)
ASIN: B01LXFO711
Genre: Clockwork, Fantasy, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

An ingenious new thriller that weaves a path through history, following a race of human-like machines that have been hiding among us for untold centuries, written by the New York Times bestselling author of Robopocalypse.
Present day: When a uncovers a terrible secret concealed in the workings of a three-hundred-year-old mechanical doll, she is thrown into a hidden world that lurks just under the surface of our own. With her career and her life at stake, June Stefanov will ally with a remarkable traveler who young anthropologist specializing in ancient technology exposes her to a reality she never imagined, as they embark on an around-the-world adventure and discover breathtaking secrets of the past…
Russia, 1725: In the depths of the Kremlin, the tsar’s loyal mechanician brings to life two astonishingly humanlike mechanical beings. Peter and Elena are a brother and sister fallen out of time, possessed with uncanny power, and destined to serve great empires. Struggling to blend into pre-Victorian society, they are pulled into a legendary war that has raged for centuries.
The Clockwork Dynasty seamlessly interweaves past and present, exploring a race of beings designed to live by ironclad principles, yet constantly searching for meaning. As June plunges deeper into their world, her choices will ultimately determine their survival or extermination. Richly-imagined and heart-pounding, Daniel H. Wilson’s novel expertly draws on his robotics and science background, combining exquisitely drawn characters with visionary technology—and riveting action.

Review:
June learned to love old trinkets from her grandfather. He had a special relic that she inherited upon his death. Now June is an anthropologist specializing in ancient technology and making old clockwork pieces work. Her services have been funded by a special company but each time she reaches a new destination it appears that someone has been one step ahead, taking the relics and sometimes destroying the evidence.

The most recent stop at an ancient monastery reveals a beautiful clockwork doll. It is missing its innards but June is able to jerry rig power to get it operating long enough to write a secret message before the building begins to collapse around them. Suddenly her guide announces that her funding has been withdrawn and her job is over.

Soon the guide and June are facing attack by a dark man with super human strength. June tries to escape but it doesn’t look good. Then another super human man steps in between. June isn’t sure if he is trying to save her or also trying to take her family relic.

The current day events alternate with events from history beginning in 1709 and moving forward. These chapters introduce and follow a clockwork man, Peter, and his child-like beautiful ‘sister, Elena.’ Peter and Elena were created for a specific purpose and centered with an internal “word” that shapes their actions. Peter seeks Justice in all things while Elena pursues logic. Although they have a close relationship it is strained by their different goals.

I really enjoyed the automated characters, particularly Peter who shares the story lead with June. The history detail that is shared is fascinating. Parts of the story were a tad slow but these are offset by good action and intrigue. There is a dark tone and images that brought thoughts of the Terminator.

The plotline runs with a metaphysical twist as it moves to a tense and explosive climax. I thought the writing was crisp and the story creative. I recommend this to readers who enjoy clockwork or cyborg stories with great historic detailing.

I received this from NetGalley and it adds to my NetGalley Challenge.