Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway November 10, 2017

Happy Friday!
I am tired again tonight (Thursday) just from working away at the office. We put the heated blanket on the bed tonight just in case that chill air seeps in.

Don't forget that I celebrate this event for the four weeks in November by selecting FOUR random winners! So be ready to make your picks to give books a new home or get a GC to spend toward book purchases!

I have a picture of the new box of books but not sure when I will get to list the titles. Maybe this Saturday.
(We FINALLY got the won books set to go in the mail tomorrow (Friday), so watch for the packages next week.

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 November 3 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 were no titles blocked.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from November 3 Pick:
bn100 gets Something Special;
CAROL L gets the Rachel Lee Pair;
RUBYNREBA gets The Inquisitor;
and
NIKKI 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.}

This is a lovely image don't you think?!
Image found at Bonnie Brown's Book Reviews..

New Book Group #76 November 3, 2017 (37 titles)
24 in the top picture and 13 in the lower picture. Not sure that you can read the titles so I will try to list these soon.

New Book Group #75 September 29, 2017

To be listed on Saturday soon. (The Painted House is cassette tapes)
PAIRS:
Rachel Lee: Snow in September and Ever Princess
JoAnn Ross: Legacy of Lies and Confessions
Aunt Erma's Cope Book
Morning Song
 The Trophy Wife 
The Painted House is cassette tapes
Daring
Something Special
Named of the Dragon
Whispers at Midnight
The Inquisitor
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing

New Book Group #74 August 25, 2017

PAIRS:
Suzanne Brockman: Flashpoint and Over the Edge
Lisa Gardner: Hide and The Survivor’s Club (spine wear)
SINGLES:
Treasure Me by Robyn DeHart
Cold Blooded by Lisa Jackson
House of Dreams by Brenda Joyce (slight spine wear)
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Surrender My Love by Johanna Lindsey (slight spine wear)
204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber
The Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson – Audio Cassettes
The Duchess Diaries by Barbara Dawson Smith
To Conquer a Highlander by Mary Wine
Cain by James Byron Huggins (Hardback)
The New Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman
Reader’s Digest Large Type: At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks and Consigned to Death by Jane K. Cleland

New Book Group #73 June 16, 2017
I was looking for Summer titles but that didn’t really work.
SINGLES:
The Cowboy by Joan Johnston
A Dragon Prince by Mary Gillgannon
A Kiss Before Dawn by Kimberly Logan

New Book Group #72 May 12, 2017
PAIRS:
Brenda Joyce: The Third Heiress and The Rival
Jayne Ann Krentz: Dangerous Affair and True Colors
SINGLES:
Rainbow Mars by Larry Niven
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen
The Fireman’s Fair by Josephine Humphreys (Hardcover)

New Book Group #71 March 10, 2017
Mysteries and Thrillers
SINGLES:
There Was A Little Girl by Ed McBain (Audio Cassettes)

New Book Group #70 January 27, 2017
Thought I’d share some romances for February:
SINGLES:
Kissed by Shadows (Get Connected Romances) by Jane Feather
Love's Brazen Fire by Betina Krahn

New Book Group #69 November 18, 2016 -- All Gone

New Book Group #68 October 28, 2016
SINGLES:
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown

New Book Group #67 September 9, 2016

(*Three more very old books from my Gothics box.)
SINGLES:
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)

New Book Group #66 June 25, 2016

(I will post a picture later. *Four of these books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I have had for many years. They may not be wanted by anyone and if so, I will donate elsewhere in time.)
SINGLES:
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell


New Book Group #65 April 29, 2016-- All Gone
The Champion by Heather Grothaus

New Book Group #64 March 4, 2016
SINGLES:
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette

New Book Group #63 January 22, 2016 -- All Gone

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #61 October 30, 2015 -- All Gone

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

SINGLES:
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)

New Book Group #59 July 31, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #58 June 26, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
SINGLES:
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)

New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014 -- All Gone

BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle


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)
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)
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
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)

Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser

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 EIGHT years I have posted 75 groups of 16 (1,200) books to find new homes! (as of November 2, 2017).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,119+ books have found new homes through this feature! YAY. [A month or so ago I posted I had reached 2000 books given away. As I calculated the numbers tonight I realized that had to be an error. I realized I went from 1098 to 2001 instead of 1101. Guess I was tired; sorry for the error.] 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!

Book Review: The Christmas Room by Catherine Anderson

This is a nice small town, family and romance story.

The Christmas Room
by Catherine Anderson

File Size: 1377 KB
Print Length: 428 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0399586318
Publisher: Berkley (September 26, 2017)
ASIN: B01NAU2NLU
Genre: Holiday, Romance, Second Chance Romance
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

The beloved author of the Mystic Creek series gifts readers with a novel of homespun holiday cheer, as two families discover the joy of hope and redemption....
Widow Maddie McLendon has uprooted her life to move to Rustlers Gulch with her son and grandson. But as a brutal Montana winter looms on the horizon, contractors have yet to break ground on their new house, leaving them to live in a makeshift camp of trailers, tents, and sheds....
Since his wife died six years ago, millionaire rancher Sam Conacher has been content to wallow in his grief alone while keeping a tight rein on his twenty-six-year-old daughter. But now the girl has gone and fallen in love with his foolish new neighbor’s no-good son....
Maddie and Sam will never see eye to eye on anything, until a near-tragedy gives them a true glimpse into each other’s souls. And as the first snowflakes begin to fall, they’ll discover that an open heart is the biggest gift of all....

Review:
Maddie, a famous mystery author, her thirty-five year old son, Cam, and sixteen year old grandson, Caleb, are living in a motor trailer and a ‘camp’ of sheds and tents while they wait for their homes to be built on their property. Their grouchy neighbor, Sam Conacher, has nothing but abusive comments to make about the ‘trashy’ neighbors. Then again, Sam hasn’t had much good to say about anything or anyone since his wife died several years past. He has ostracized friends and employees so that he no longer has enough help to properly manage his ranch. Sam’s twenty-six year old daughter, Kristin, helps to manage the farm, and she is stuck close to home as Sam frightens away any possible suitor by shredding the reputation of the man.

Kristin sees Cam at a local pub and invites him to sit with her. They start a nice rapport before Cam realizes who she is. Cam is trying to build a new real estate business in the area and his career and family are at risk. Cam tries to step away but the draw between Kristin and Cam keeps pulling them together.

When Sam learns that Kristin has been sneaky out to see the 'hillbilly', no good neighbor, Sam arrives at the trailer to confront Cam. Instead he ends up facing a fierce mother, Maddie, who isn't about to let a narrow minder, curmudgeon speak badly of her family. Their next encounters don’t go much better. It takes a rescue and accident to change the dynamics but that doesn’t mean things will run smooth.

There is plenty of conflict balance with nice, warm family connection. I was saddened by the long train of deception that was practiced in a misguided sense of care. On the other hand, I appreciated the turn around that moves those who suffered loss to a point where they could trust and love again. The Christmas Room itself was a lovely surprise and brought the story to a warm conclusion. There is a gentle measure of faith and a big dose of love that pulls the characters together. This was a nice flowing romance and the second romance is a bonus. I recommend this to readers who enjoy second chance at love romances.

I received this through NetGalley and it qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge.

MBS - My 2017 HoHoHo Readathon Goals

Hello Reading Friends! It's time to share fun with holiday and winter-themed books.
For the next eight days, (1) I plan to read at least six holiday or winter-themed books;
most of my books are sci fi genre to keep with SciFi Month too!
(2) I hope to participate in at least four of the other five challenges.
(3) I plan to attend the Twitter Party.
(4) I plan to meet new friends who love reading as much as I do!
Please visit my HoHoHo Readathon Challenge Post 
where you will find the other Five Challenges listed too! 

The Participant Giveaway is available at Caffeinated Reader, our lovely host blog!

Use hashtag #HoHoHoRAT on your Tweets, Instagram, and Social media shares so we can all share the fun together!

See official rules for sign up. It’s not too late! (closes November 10th) at HoHoHoRAT

I am hoping to read these titles during 2017 HoHoHo Readathon:
1. The Snow Owl by Jon Hartling
2. Hey, Santa: SciFi Alien Holiday Romance (An Alien for the Holidays) by Jessica E. Subject
3. Chasing Christmas Past: An Airship Racing Chronicles Short Story Prequel (The Airship Racing Chronicles) by Melanie Karsak
4. A Ninja Dinosaur Christmas!!!: Super Awesome Edition by Sonya Saturday
5. Christmas, Corpses, and Clockwork Kittens by L. A. Nisula
6. Always Gray In Winter by Mark J. Engels

I started with the longest, Always Gray in Winter, as it is also a NetGalley review title and I need to get my NetGalley titles in.

Twitter Party!

Twitter Party! Wednesday, November 15, at 8:30 pm (EST) #HoHoHoRAT
Come chat for an hour. Make new friends and win some eBooks. Follow @kimbacaffeinate

HoHoHo Readathon Mini Challenge Giveaway: Holiday Sentence

(Click on button image to see Official sign up post)

Make a Holiday Sentence from Titles Mini Challenge

Mission: During the HOHOHO Readathon, pick six titles you have read in 2017 or are reading and make a holiday or winter themed sentence from them. The sentence can be a real sentiment or rather crazy (like mine). Use at least one book you are reading during the Readathon among the titles. If you take a picture or image with your six books and email it to me I will make up a collage for others to enjoy the fun.

Rules: Only HoHoHo Readathon participants are eligible to enter.
Use at least one book title that you are reading during the Readathon among the titles.

For example: I am hoping to read these titles during HoHoHo Readathon:
1. The Snow Owl by Jon Hartling
2. Hey, Santa: SciFi Alien Holiday Romance (An Alien for the Holidays) by Jessica E. Subject
3. Chasing Christmas Past: An Airship Racing Chronicles Short Story Prequel (The Airship Racing Chronicles) by Melanie Karsak
4. A Ninja Dinosaur Christmas!!!: Super Awesome Edition by Sonya Saturday
5. Christmas, Corpses, and Clockwork Kittens by L. A. Nisula
6. Always Gray In Winter by Mark J. Engels

Here is my sentence:

Alien Ninja Kittens Chasing a Snow Owl in Winter and Racing Christmas Santa.

GIVEAWAY:

$20.00 Amazon Gift Card

or PayPal

OPEN Worldwide.

Ends November 15, 2017 at 11:59 pm (EST)

Enter by posting a comment with your titles and sentence. And email images to me at mesreads@gmail.com

Here are the other Challenges to enjoy too - they look like fun to me!

• The Book Nympho, “HoHoHoRat Instagram Challenge“
• Addicted to Happily Ever After, “HoHoHoRat Word Scramble Challenge“
• I Heart Romance & YA, “HoHoHoRAT Winter Bingo Challenge“
• Maureen’s Book Blog, “HoHoHo Readathon 2017 Jigsaw Challenge“
• Lampshade Reader, “Holiday Story Prompt Challenge“

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: King Harald's Snow Job by Richard Audry

This is a fun, easy mystery read.
King Harald's Snow Job 
(King Harald Mysteries Book 3)
by Richard Audry

Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Conger Road Press (August 1, 2017)
Paperback: 302 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0985019686
E-Book ASIN: B0747QWYLZ

Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

It’s early December and Andy Skyberg is itching to blow town for a weekend of holiday cheer with old friends—including a date with an attractive divorcée who thinks he's hot.
But first, Aunt Bev needs a teensy bit of help. She’s managing the Girls’ Weekend Out event at the Beaver Tail Resort and could use some extra muscle. Andy figures he can spare a few hours before hitting the road.
Mother Nature, though, has other plans. A giant blizzard makes an unexpected turn. Andy and his pooch King Harald find themselves snowbound—in a hotel full of hard-partying women, stranded travelers, a hockey team, a man-eating novelist, a belligerent blogger, and one violent, devious jewel thief.
Before you know it, man and mutt are up to their noses in another case. It’s a winter wonderland of fast-paced fun and merry madness, as the sleuthing duo dig out from King Harald’s Snow Job.

Review:
King Harald is a big, ginger mutt. Sorry I am not quite sure what type of dog, but he is very sweet and fun. He really cares for his master, Andy, but isn’t beyond slipping away on occasion. Andy is a 40-year-old artist and temporary mayor of his small town. He is divorced and looking to spend the weekend with his guy friends and then a dinner and concert date with a nice woman who is also divorced.

Andy’s Aunt Bev calls him in to help her at an event she is overseeing at a nearby resort. Harald is uncomfortable leaving home but can’t communicate his reluctance to Andy. Andy is willing to pitch in to help not realizing that they will get snowed in and have to deal with a jewel theft.

There is plenty of animosity towards the theft victim, a popular author, as she is not a very sympathetic character. Andy adds several suspects to his list, but he seems to be barking up the wrong tree. Harald doesn’t exactly do any great sleuthing -- except to track down another dog when directed to -- but he manages to get involved in the heist by accident.

I liked the many different suspects who had been treated poorly by the author as she pushed herself to fame. I expected more sleuthing by Harald but still enjoyed his parts in the story. It sounded like he might have been more involved in the first two books. As a third in the series, this book still read fine as a standalone.

This is light, fun and clean; easy reading that I found very enjoyable. The story is told in third person mostly from Andy’s viewpoint but sometimes from Harald’s which is fun. They have a nice, affectionate relationship. I appreciated that Andy is a gentleman who cares about the ladies beyond just male interest. This is a very nice light cozy mystery that would be good to curl up with on a cold, snowy day.

I received this book from the author for review through Great Escape Tours.

About The Author –

 

Richard Audry is the pen name of D. R. Martin. In addition to his career as a journalist and copywriter, D. R. has written a dozen books, both fiction and non-fiction. His current projects include a fantasy adventure trilogy, a canine cozy mystery series, and historical mysteries set at the turn of the last century.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/richardaudryauthor/

Webpage – http://drmartinbooks.com/

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
November 1 - Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – COZY WEDNESDAY
November 2 - Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 3 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
November 4 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST
November 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
November 6 – Back Porchervations - REVIEW
November 6 – Queen of All She Reads - SPOTLIGHT
November 6 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
November 7 – Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf – REVIEW
November 7 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 8 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW
November 8 – Laura's Interests – SPOTLIGHT
November 9 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
November 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
November 11 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews - REVIEW, INTERVIEW
November 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

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