HoHoHo Readathon Challenge Holiday Sentence Results + Winner

My Mini Challenge:

The 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.

Here are the Entries that were great fun to read!

1. Trish Hannon
Sentence and books:
December Girl, last seen dashing through the snow, in too deep, falling softly, then she was gone!


2. Steph Gorelenore
Sentence and books:
The Girl Who Saved Christmas Wanted To Kill A Man Called Ove in a Shadow Bright and Burning.

3. SweetMarie83
Sentence and books:
A winter's tale of ten days with the highlander on the long road home racing the sun to Christmas at hope cottage for a mistletoe kiss.

A Winter's Tale by Carrie Elks
Ten Days With the Highlander by Hayson Manning
Long Road Home by Marie Meyer
Racing the Sun by Karina Halle
Christmas at Hope Cottage by Lily Graham
Mistletoe Kiss by Marie Landry

4. Rebecca
Sentence and books:
"After Christmas time, women carol between the wandering, wild woods."

Between You & Me
After the Woods
A Christmas Carol
The Time of My Life
Little Women
Wandering Wild

5. Beth
Sentence and books:
The cowboy-prince-maverick's holiday wishes for a snowbound Christmas with blues.

Christmas Cowboy, by Maisey Yates
Christmas with the Prince, by Michelle Celmer
Cowboy Christmas Blues, by Maisey Yates
Holiday Wishes, by Jill Shalvis
Love Me By Christmas, by Jaci Burton
The Maverick's Snowbound Christmas, by Karen Rose Smith


6. Charlie Anderson
Sentence and books:
Heat it up with the master of the scandalous flirt for Christmas at Two Love Lane.

Duke With Benefits
Heat It Up
Snowed
Christmas at Two Love Lane
Home at Last
The Master of Strathburn
Staying for Good
Christmas at Two Love Lane

7. Jennifer Silverwood
Sentence and books:
Her Billionaire Lion of Christmas Paradise Wish  for the Secret Wardrobe by the Narnia Shore Lights

8. Heidi Robbins
Sentence and Books:
One enchanted eve, the innkeeper gave the special baby the gift of a home.

1. The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen
2. One Enchanted Eve by Melissa Tagg
3. Home All Along by Beth Wiseman
4. Special Delivery Baby by Sherri Shackelford
5. My True Love Gave to Me by Regina Scott
6. So Rare a Gift by Amber Lynn Perry

9. carol
Sentence and books:
Santa, please bring me a Christmas cowboy, cozy furry slippers, and a fistful of books.

1. Santa, Please Bring Me a Gnome by An Swerts
2. A Christmas Cowboy by Maisey Yates
3. Cozy Christmas Shorts
4. Cinderella and the Furry Slippers by Davide Cali
5. A Fistful of Divas by Camille LaGuire
6. Of Books and Bagpipes by Paige Shelton

10. Jan
Sentence and Books:
Arabella goes out on the ice as the cold Christmas crow flies.

1. Murder Goes Mumming by Alisa Craig
2. Christmas on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball
3. Running Out of Space by S. J. Higbee
4. Arabella and the Battle of Venus by David D. Levine
5. As the Crow Flies by Damien Boyd
6. Cold as Ice by Julie Mulhern

11. Nadene
Sentence and books:
It was a cold Christmas Eve Night when I met a vampire who was in hot pursuit of secrets that were hidden and spreading holiday wishes while holding the glass of blood.

Chasing Christmas Eve
Holiday Wishes
Vampire for Christmas
Secrets Hidden in the Glass
Hot Pursuit
Holding the Other

12. Tressa S
Sentence:
Mine is "A season of love and Christmas grace reached the little match girl."


13. Kristin @ Addicted to HEA
Sentence and books:
One Snowy Night, Max wishes for Christmas mistletoe for kissing Holden… accidentally on purpose.

Holiday Wishes
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe
An Ex for Christmas
Accidentally on Purpose
Kissing Max Holden
One Snowy Night

Thanks to all the participants for the fun sentences.

 11. Nadene

Please email me at mesreads@gmail.com.

Sharing Beyond Books #329 Comment Giveaway November 18, 2017

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

Thanks to everyone who commented last week. It seems than none of us really have a "routine". Six commenters read "whatever" strikes fancy; four others read what strikes their "mood". Many read from their TBR piles. Others read favorite authors, favorite genres and read series.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #328 comments is: #15 Rita 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 #329

(One Question.)

Becky asks: What quote from any book will you never forget? Why is it significant??

I have always remembered several quotes from Alice in Wonderland. This is not exact, but is a paraphrase: 'If I really am a queen, I'm sure I'll handle it in time.' This was significant to me as it is a line I have remembered for confidence and grace.

Another is "Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." This sentence works just fine with my strong faith. :-)

Image found at Pinterest.

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. Becky asks: What quote from any book will you never forget? Why is it significant??

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 November 25, 2017 at 5 PM central.

Book Review: Always Gray in Winter by Mark J. Engels

This is a fun action tale.

Always Gray In Winter
by Mark J. Engels

File Size: 723 KB
Print Length: 219 pages
Publisher: Thurston Howl Publications (October 1, 2017)
ASIN: B0763ZP2R7
Genre: Military Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

A distant daughter. A peculiar device. A family lineage full of secrets. When werecat Pawlina Katczynski finally resurfaces, her location previously unknown to anyone close to her, the reunion is short of welcomed. Instead, she finds herself thrust tooth and nail—tooth and claw—into a feud between opposing werecat clans as her family and their enemies reignite a battle that has raged for years. Always Gray in Winter invites the reader to join the feud and see if blood is truly thicker than water...

Review:
Werecat Pawlina and friends had left the service after a disastrous ambush. Lenny, her romantic interest, was traumatized by the brutal, strange attack. He isn’t aware of Pawly’s secret. Pawly was sure that she would bring more trouble on family and friends so to protect them, she took off on her own and went under the radar. She resurfaces in a battle with another young woman whose speed and agility surprise even Pawly. Several friends and her brother show up and kidnap her to get her home.

Meanwhile, her opponent, Hana, returns to her handler/”Papa”, Mawro, on ship. They are out to capture a mysterious invention that has been designed to help others of their kind – humans who appear as werecats in their aliuran form.

Pawly and her family travel to Europe to rescue their inventor relative when they hear about the attack on him. Along the way they run into two government agents, one of whom is Lenny. He is shocked and dismayed to finally see Pawly again.

Pawly’s Polish clan and Mawro’s North Korean clan clash and face off on opposite sides while trying to keep their presence a secret from the humans. They do have a few friends who have become family or work allies who help to keep the secrets.

I enjoyed the characters and the fast-paced action with fights and near escapes. There are some political and strong military elements. The story moves along well although the differences are not made totally clear. The author uses flashbacks to show the history of the two families but I still had some confusion as to the motivations.

I often listen to ebooks on my 2nd generation Kindle. The difficulty I had in this read is that there is no noticeable break between scenes. I checked the sample available at Amazon and it shows a space between the scenes. This is only reflected as a paragraph symbol for the version I read.

This did remind me of an anime, which was the intent of the author. I recommend this as a fun read to readers who like anthromorphic action sci fi.

I received this from the publisher through NetGalley. It qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge. I read this during #hohohorat and also for #RRSciFiMonth.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway November 17, 2017

Happy Friday!
I've had a strong, productive week and still have plenty to work on. Our weather is cool with beautiful clear skies.

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.
(I hope the book packages we mailed out are arriving okay.)

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 10 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 10 Pick:
FREDAMANS gets a GC;
SUE F gets Finger Lickin' Fifteen;
MYSTICA gets a GC;
and
ALINA 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.}

Ah yes! Gobbling books would be better than eating too much food, Right?!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving for those celebrating next week.
Image found at Pinterest.

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.

Finger Licken' Fifteen

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 1,120+ 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 11/2/17 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: Mistletoe Kiss by Marie Landry

This is very, very nice and an easy read with Cinderella elements.
Mistletoe Kiss
by Marie Landry

File Size: 875 KB
Print Length: 74 pages
Publisher: Marie Landry (November 16, 2017)
ASIN: B07779ZVW7
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Bridget Higgins hasn't allowed herself to think too much about fairytales or the magic of Christmas since her dad died. Her life has been dedicated to work, her mom, her best friend Ivy, and little else. But when her kind and gorgeous boss, who she's secretly harbored a crush on for the last three years, offers her a night of fun on top of an unexpected Christmas bonus from work, Bridget starts to remember what it feels like to believe in magic and fairytales once more.
Mistletoe Kiss is a 20,000-word contemporary romance

Review:
Bridget has struggled coping first with the death of her father and then helping her mother recover from a heart attack. She loves her work and isn’t concerned about spending long hours since she has little inclination to be with anyone other than her mother and best friend, Ivy.

Bridget has had a crush on her boss, David, but has tried to ignore her feelings since they work together and it would be improper. She is surprised when she is not given her Christmas bonus check but instead is summoned to David’s office. She gets a bigger surprise when he invites her to an elegant night out.

Bridget agrees to go and begins to discover Christmas magic as she experiences a Cinderella, enchanted evening of dinner and dancing with David. But how can things between them change as long as he is her boss?

Bridget is strong and sensitive and doesn’t realize how lovely she is. David is British, handsome, a gentleman and a good boss. There is not great conflict in the story – other than Bridget getting beyond her grief and insecurities. The work situation is the big obstacle and I liked how the author resolved that situation.

The writing and editing was cleaner than a lot of ARCs I have read lately. The Mistletoe Kiss has an extra meaning which is fun. This is a quick, easy read with pleasant characters. It was a good introduction to the author and I would be glad to read more stories by her.

I received this ARC from the author through #hohohorat and was pleased to read it as one of my Readathon titles.