Sunday Words of Encouragement August 12, 2018

(Post is very late today. I had a board meeting this afternoon and we had a power outage later this afternoon/evening.)

Our Sunday School teacher started a series in Corinthians which should be good. We enjoyed moving worship and then Pastor presented the conclusion of his Sermon series We Are The Strong.

Pastor summarized the series noting that Peter wrote to the church members at a time when they faced struggles as Christians. Salvation is a treasure. Every day of living is a deposit for eternity. God has gifted us with a job to do for the church. Each Christ follower should be walking under and in authority; honoring God. Mistreatment and troubles in life are a certainty. The church is at best when we give our best. We need to share God's love.

Being The Strong is part of our identity. We are not here to gain fame for ourselves. Our surnames go with us throughout our lives, but we don't live for our own name but to promote and glorify the name of Jesus. Notice that we don't even know last names of the apostles from the Bible.

We can't just add Jesus as an ingredient or condiment to our lives to use when we want. He has to be more. I am now alive with the identity of Christ.

Point: Our identity is Christ and Him crucified.

“20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

Stay alert, stand firm against the lion. 1 Peter 5:8.

The stone that hit Goliath was with the strength of God. Whenever the Israelites won it was not of their own strength but because the army was backed by God. We are not prairie dogs. We are eagles.

Paul says the same in Ephesians. Be strong... Put on the full armor of God. Our sword is not a plastic knife. It is a mighty sword of the Spirit to go with the shield of faith.

Pray for students going into school, a hostile territory, just as each of us goes into the hostile territory of the world each day. Will you stand firm in your identity?

Are you The Strong? That is the challenge.

We are the Strong.
Love God, love people.

This is the song that had to go with today’s message.

A Verse for Today:
Galatians 2:20 NIV
“20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Lord I pray: help me remain in You and to live as The Strong for You, by Your strength!

Sharing Beyond Books #350 Comment Giveaway August 11, 2018

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
Fredamans ALWAYS finishes her books; four of us try to finish, especially review books; Becky will set aside a book after 3-4 chapters to try again later. Eight will dnf within several chapters, 100 pages or 20%. I can't fault their reasoning: There are too many books to read to get stuck in ones you aren't enjoying.
When this question was asked in 2013 there were 12 who would DNF and 8 who would rarely DNF. Those who answered then answered the same this time - I didn't note any changes. :-)

The Winner from SBB #349 comments is: #9 BN100 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 #350

(One Question.)

Ashfa asks: What time of day do you typically read/do you prefer to read??

I read all day so I cannot pick any certain time. I wake up and grab my phone to listen (after Bible reading) or a print book when I am reading one. I listen as I get ready for work. I listen to the Kindle in the car on the way to work. I take whichever medium (print, audio or Kindle) to the restroom to read during those visits. I listen on the way home and I listen as I get ready for bed. I also listen when in bed and if I wake up I listen for 10-15 minutes, setting the sleep timer.

Image found at English Reading Strategies.

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. Ashfa asks: What time of day do you typically read/do you prefer to 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 August 25, 2018 at 5 PM central.

#NetGalley Book Review: Jack Gilmour: Wish Lawyer by Ed Ryder

This is a fun pulp noir, lawyer tale.

Jack Gilmour: Wish Lawyer
by Ed Ryder

File Size: 1508 KB
Print Length: 108 pages
Publication Date: July 12, 2018
ASIN: B07D91TXQN
Genre: Noir, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Don’t be careful what you wish for, be certain!
Meet Jack Gilmour, Las Vegas’ first and only demonic contract lawyer, protecting people against themselves from offers they can’t refuse.
When a casino owner Eddie Malfitano’s nephew makes a potentially fatal pact to be with a woman he met at a club, the paper trail leads to Lucia Oredis, a powerful demon from Jack’s past. She proposes a deal: to cancel the contract, Jack must investigate a conspiracy in the corridors of demonic power, and help her destroy it.
With time running out and his assistant missing, Jack goes on a quest to solve both mysteries and gets in over his head with both the human and demonic underworld. With only his wits, the Malfitano family and a gambling wizard for help, can Jack save the day and both worlds?

Review:
Jack Gilmour is a Las Vegas attorney specializing in demon contract law. His job is to protect people from entering into contracts with the devil, or, if they have already made a deal he may be able to help get the contract voided. Jack works with some unusual characters to accomplish his goals. One is Sebastian, a wizard who is able to work magic against demonic powers. The other is a powerful, seductress Lucia, a demon of the Inner Circle.

Jack is called upon by a local casino owner to get his nephew out of a poorly chosen deal. The young man might get a night of his dreams but it would most likely be followed by his death. Jack enlists the help of Sebastian and Lucia. Lucia agrees to help but only if Jack agrees to investigate a demonic conspiracy that threatens Lucia’s control as well as human safety. Jack has to infiltrate a demon stronghold to uncover answers. He has to follow one clue to another to unravel the contract and he is racing against time.

I enjoyed the mystery and the noir elements of this story. Jack and Sebastian are likeable characters and even Lucia has a bit of a draw – well she is a temptress demon after all. This is a quick, entertaining read and it supports an adage I often tell my clients: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! I recommend this fun, easy read to those who enjoy noir mystery.

Source: NetGalley 2018. This qualifies for my 2018 NetGalley and 2018 Alphabet Challenges.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway August 10, 2018

Happy Friday! Happy August!

This has been a busy week at work preparing to be away at industry conference Thursday and Friday.
We continued to have heavy afternoon rain storms and drove through rain most of Thursday.

I continue to hope everyone is staying safe from fires, rain, storms, floods and heat.

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 August 3 Pick. There was one automatic win this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. No title was blocked.
AUTO: BECKY gets Branded by the Sheriff.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from August 3 Pick:
MIKI gets a GC and
Elizabeth gets a The Doctor's Forever Family

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.}

Hope you are lining up with good books before the summer is gone!
Image found at SurfWriter Girls.

New Book Group #79 July 13, 2018
I found this box of books buried under some other boxes.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lenox by Maggie O’Farrell
P.S. by Helen Schulman
Her Sexiest Surprise by Dawn Atkins (personally autographed)
The Maverick Preacher by Victoria Bylin (personally autographed)
The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
The Doctor’s Forever Family by Marie Ferrarella
Dakota Child by Linda Ford
Branded by the Sheriff by Delores Fossen
The Italian’s Inexperienced Mistress
Calling the Shots by Ellen Hartman
Promises, Promises by Amber Miller
This Time for Keeps by Jenna Mills
Rhapsody in Time by Judith O’Brien
A Daughter’s Legacy by Virginia Smith
Another Man’s Baby by Kay Stockham
The Cowboy’s Christmas Miracle by RaeAnne Thayne


New Book Group #78 April 27, 2018

Midnight Rainbow
Betrayed
Indigo Blue
By a Spider's Thread 
Johanna Lindsey Pair 
Judith Krentz Pair
Breaking Point 
My Dark Prince
Fatal Defect

New Book Group #77 February 16, 2018
I thought I would look for some 'Springish' titles but that didn't happen. Hope someone finds a title or two you like.

PAIRS
Betty Neals: Tabitha by Moonlight and Fate Takes a Hand
Nora Robert: Hot Ice (spine creased) and Sanctuary
SINGLES:
My Lord Conqueror by Samantha James
Surrender by Pamela Clare
Dessert Rogue by Suzanne Simmons
The Rose and the Shield by Elaine Barrieri
Hannah’s Courtship by Emma Miller
Someone to Watch Over Me by Judith McNaught
Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
Heroes Are My Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
A Husband’s Wicked Ways by Jane Feather
Hot on Her Heels by Susan Mallery
Indigo Blue by Catherine Anderson
Between the Devil and Desire (Scoundrels of St. James Book 2) by Lorraine Heath (hardback)


New Book Group #76 November 3, 2017
21 books remain of the original 37:

I finally Have them Listed!
Boots & Booties by Kristine Rolofson
Saucer the Conquest by Stephen Coonts
Echo Burning by Lee Child
The Scorpion Seducer by Bonnie Vanak
Hell On Earth by David L. Porter
Tempted All Night by Liz Carlyle
Day of the Dead by J.A. Jance
White Night by Jim Butcher
Five Gold Rings Anthology Constance O’Banyon and three others
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton
Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Wizard’s Daughter by Catherine Coulter
Pearl Beyond Price by Claire Delacroix
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice
Inhuman Condition by Clive Barker
Night Whispers by Judith McNaught
101 Commonsense Rules for the Office by John R. Brinkerhoff

 THESE BOOKS CHOSEN/WON ARE THE ONES STRICKEN HERE:
Finger Licken' Fifteen
How to Tame a Highland Warrior
The Texan
Total Control
Atlantis Found
Stephanie Laurens Pair
Desperado 
Rebellious Desires 
Forget Me Not 
The Eighth Commandment
Ghost Riders
The Manning Brides by Debbie Macomber 
Shadow Music 
Corbin's Fancy 
Hawk's Lady

This shelf of 35 books are what is left from Groups #1 (11/27/09) through Group #75 September 29, 2017

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 14 titles.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
Named of the Dragon
Daring
Aunt Erma's Cope Book
JoAnn Ross: Confessions
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
The New Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman
A Kiss Before Dawn by Kimberly Logan
The Fireman’s Fair by Josephine Humphreys (Hardcover)
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen
Rainbow Mars by Larry Niven
There Was A Little Girl by Ed McBain (Audio Cassettes)
Love's Brazen Fire by Betina Krahn 

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 21 titles.)
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
(*Three more very old books from my Gothics box.)
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell
*Four books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I found.
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
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
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

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 1,177+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!

Audiobook Review: The Painter of Time by Matthew S O'Connell

There is great history, art detail and a good twist in this story.
The Painter of Time
By: Matthew S O'Connell
Narrated by: Susan Fouche

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 06-13-18
Language: English
Publisher: Matthew O'Connell
Genre: Historical, Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Contemporary/historical suspense audiobook set amid the art world of modern day NYC and the dawn of the Renaissance in Italy.
Bronx born and bred, Mackenzie Ferrara is both nervous and excited to begin her career as a restorer of fine art at the prestigious Cloisters in New York City. The star of the restoration team is a handsome and reserved Italian, Anthony Bataglia. On loan from the Ufizzi, he is renowned for his ability to bring pre-Renaissance treasures back to life. Despite a rocky start, the two form a close working relationship, which Mackenzie hopes will blossom into something more.
But as she works with him she begins to notice peculiar patterns and unexplainable similarities in all of his restorations. Something is clearly not what it seems to be with the dashing Mr. Bataglia. Mackenzie - with help from her father, a retired detective - is determined to uncover the truth, regardless of the consequences.
©2015 Matthew O'Connell (P)2018 Matthew O'Connell

Review:
Mackenzie is excited to begin her new career as a restorer of fine art at the prestigious Cloisters Museum. She is partnered to work under a renowned restorer, a handsome Italian, Anthony Bataglia. Anthony specializes in restorations of pre-Renaissance works. He is quiet and dedicated and Mackenzie is learning as he mentors her, showing her how to inspect every corner and inch of the work, documenting any deterioration in color, paint medium, canvas, condition or other unusual anomalies.

Mackenzie notices an unusual detail regarding women in several paintings as well as a mystery about the signatures. Mackenzie’s father is a retired cop who has reason to be interested in art anomalies due to an old forgery case. They discuss the details of Mackenzie’s research and turn up some more interesting facts. Mackenzie’s investigation brings a possibility of romance while revealing some surprises and twists that are unique and fun.

The plot details are engaging and kept me eagerly listening. The historical elements of the paintings and the detailed explanation of restoration are very fascinating. The descriptions would pull in any art lover and even those of us who are familiar with some art periods and styles but are in no way art authorities. I recommend this to mystery lovers as well as art lovers.

Audio Notes: Susan Fouche does a wonderful job with the narration. She provides appropriate voices and energies to each of the characters. The presentation is clear and flows easily. I enjoyed this and highly recommend the audio version.

Source: Author Marketing Experts. This qualifies for my Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.