Sunday Words of Encouragement December 9, 2018

We shared prayer in Sunday School then our teacher shared on 1 Corinthians 6:17-20 with a lesson titled “Being Legal Doesn’t Make it Right”.

Pastor started his Christmas series, Celebrate Christmas. He noted that Christmas is a time for “Wonder”. Wonder is defined as ‘a feeling of surprise or admiration’. The gift of the savior as a baby is a wondrous event but sometimes we get wrapped up in the holiday preparations and forget the reason for the season: Jesus. We need to be careful that we don't minimize Christ in Christmas; that we don't take the Christ story for granted. Each year we should take the time to rediscover the importance of the holiday.

Jesus cannot be moderately important in our life. How can we celebrate the day without engaging the ONE who made the day?

Matthew 1:23 tells us that the son is to be called “Immanuel”, God WITH us!

Point: Christmas is the annual announcement that God desires to be with you. Will you be with Him?

There were wonderful events leading up to the birth: Elizabeth became pregnant; Zechariah was struck silent; Mary became pregnant; the Inn was full; angels appeared to the shepherds.
Luke 2:8-13 tell how the angels appeared to the shepherds. Not just a few angels, but ‘the armies of heaven’. It is not hard to imagine why they were terrified. But really, it was an occasion of wonder.

God Himself wrapped in flesh became human to bridge the gap for mankind. John 1:1-5, 10-14 became human. Emmanuel - God with us.

Week 2 of Advent we celebrate the Hope of the promised savior.

There are so many good songs. This is the one I chose for today.

Verses for Today
Luke 2:13-14(NLT)
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Thank you, My Lord, for being the Light of the World and coming to be God WITH us.

MBS November 2018 Reading List Wrap Up

MBS 2018 Reading List - NOVEMBER

Code for the list is:
A = Audible; ABJ = Audiobook Jukebox; ABB = Audiobook Boom
e = eBook; eA = eBook from Author; eT = eBook from Tour
NG = NetGalley
P = Print; PT = Print from Tour
LBC = Ladies Book Club
TBR = From the TBR shelves prior to 2017

Favorite for November:
No five stars but I had four 4.5 star titles:
For Us Humans, Hunter, Kill Shot, and Christmas at Draycott Abbey

1. NG2018- #NetGalley Book Review: For Us Humans by Steve Rzasa; Aliens, Christian, Futuristic, Sci Fi; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.
2. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Hunter by Mercedes Lackey; Fantasy; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall, Story and Narration.
3. NG2018- #NetGalley Book Review: Light’s Dawn: A Novella (Light in the Darkness) by Yvette Bostic; Alternate History, Fantasy; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.
4. A2018- Audible Book Review: Eleventh Grave in Moonlight by Darynda Jones; Fantasy, Ghosts, Private Investigatore; My Rating: Overall: 4.25; Story 4.0; Narration 4.75.
5. A2018- Audio Book Review: Elite by Mercedes Lackey; Fantasy; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall, Story and Narration.
6. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Cartwright Cavaliers, The Revelations Cycle Series, Book 1, by Mark Wandrey; Adventure, Aliens, Military Sci Fi; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall, Story and Narration.
7. NG2018- #NetGalley Book Review: Kill Shot by Susan Sleeman;- Christian, Mystery, Romantic Suspense; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.
8. A2018- Audible Book Review: 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life by Cami Walker, Tavia Gilbert (Narrator); Inspirational, Memoir, Multiple Sclerosis; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0. 
9. eTBR- Book Review: Christmas at Draycott Abbey (Draycott Abbey Romance) by Christina Skye; Ghost, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.
10. A2018- Goodreads Audible Book Review: An Uncommon Protector (Lone Star Hero, #2) by Shelley Shepard Gray, Nan Gurley (Narrator); Historical Romance, Sweet; My Rating: Overall 4.25; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25. 
11. NG2018- #NetGalley Book Review: Somewhere The Bells Ring (Somewhere in Time Book 3) by Beth Trissel; Ghosts, Holidays, Paranormal, Romance; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0.
12. ATBR- Goodreads Audible Book Review: Zoe's Tale (Old Man's War, #4) by John Scalzi; Tavia Gilbert (Narrator); Colonization, Sci Fi; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

I only read/listened to 12 this month. I was hoping to read more eBook TBRs but that didn't happen.
At the end of November I completed my 2018 Goodreads Challenge with 161 books read!

November Total read = 12; TBR = 4; New Authors = 5

Audio/Audible = 7 (3 TBRs)
eBook = 1 (1 TBRs)
NetGalley = 4 (0 TBRs)
Print = 0 (0 TBR)

Audible Book Review: Cartwright Cavaliers, The Revelations Cycle Series, Book 1, by Mark Wandrey

This is fun entertainment; I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Cartwright's Cavaliers
The Revelations Cycle, Book 1
By: Mark Wandrey
Narrated by: Craig Good

Series: The Revelations Cycle Series, Book 1
Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 02-16-17
Language: English
Publisher: Seventh Seal Press
Genre: Adventure, Aliens, Military Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0, Overall, Story and Audio

Publisher's Summary
Heir to one of the leading "Four Horsemen" mercenary companies, Jim Cartwright is having a bad year. Having failed his high school VOWS tests, he's just learned his mother bankrupted the family company before disappearing, robbing him of his Cavalier birthright.
But the Horsemen of eras past were smart - they left a legacy of equipment Jim can use to complete the next contract and resurrect the company. It's up to Jim to find the people he needs to operate the machinery of war, train them, and lead them to victory. If he's good enough, the company can still be salvaged.
But then again, he's never been good enough.
©2016 Mark Wandrey (P)2017 Mark Wandrey.

Review:
Jim Cartwright is the heir to one of the leading mercenary companies. Sadly, he isn’t athletic and failed his high school VOWS (Voluntary Off-World Assessment) test. Then he learns that his mother has bankrupted the company that he was to take over when he turns 18. Jim is downhearted until he visits home on his birthday and a caretaker explains that he does have an inheritance beyond the debts that his mother has piled up.

Jim apparently has inherited some older equipment along with his father’s keen strategy planning. His father’s old right-hand man takes Jim under his wing and they begin to rebuild the company. They gather a team of mercs willing to take a chance. No one really expects Jim to contribute much based on the mess ups in his young life. Sure enough, he soon begins to stumble through the battles but the results maybe a surprise to everyone.

I found the plot to be fun even though Jim is not your usual expert ‘hero’ character. The author makes Jeff's adventures, or should I say misadventures, to be great fun. There is plenty of action and fun contract negotiations. I hesitated getting this after reading some of the review. The story does have some juvenile, teen boy humor, especially about girls/women, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I plan to continue with the series. I recommend this to readers who enjoy fun, military sci fi, alien action and adventure.

Audio Notes: Craig Good does a good job with the narration. The beginning is a little flat but soon enough he captures the frustrations and energies of the characters. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

Source: May 2017 Audible Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2018TBR and Audiobook Challenge.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway December 7, 2018

Happy Friday. The wins this week conclude the 4 random winners celebration for November. Back to two winners starting with this week's post.

It's been another hectic week. This afternoon near 4pm we looked up in the office and said: "What? It's Thursday already?"

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 30 Pick. There was one automatic wins this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. No titles were blocked.
Di wins French Quarter (which leaves the other Stella Cameron as a single).

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from November 30 Pick:
ALINA and MIKI each get a GC and
CHRISTY gets the Kat Martin Pair and SUE gets Asking for Murder.

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 cozy looking book setting for a cold night!
Image found at Business Collective.

New Book Group #83 November 30, 2018

(Starting bottom left and continuing up then down)
PAIRS:
Kat Martin: Bold Angel and Devil's Prize
Elizabeth Lowell: Death Is Forever and Running Scared
SINGLE
It Takes a Hero by Elizabeth Boyle
Two Alone by Sandra Brown
'Tween a Devil and his hard Place by Sam Cheever
Seductive Secrets by Lynne Connolly
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich - Audio Cassettes
A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein Audio Cassettes
Highland Guardian by Melissa Mayhue
Hot Pursuit by Christinea Skye
Sisters & Secrets Anthology
Reader's Digest Condensed Books - each hardback
Cold Harbour and The Courtship of Peggy McCoy
The Things We Do for Love, Three Weeks With My Brother, The Murder Artist and Night Train to Lisbon
Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, The Quiet Game and Second Wind

New Book Group #82 November 9, 2018

Pairs:
Stella Cameron: French Quarter and Key West
Jude Deveraux: Mulberry Tree and Wild Orchids
SINGLES:
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Unmasked Anthology - Jennifer Blake, Janet Dailey and Elizabeth Gage
Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich
Killing Time by Linda Howard
The Finer Things by Brenda Joyce
Wicked Promise by Kat Martin
Countess of Scandal by Laurel McKee
The Leopard's Woman by Linda Lael Miller and White Wolf by Lindsay McKenna
Eagle and the Dove by Victoria Morrow
To Love Again by Bertrice Small
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith
Primal Obsession by Susan Vaughn

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018

There are three audios at the top:

No One Left to Tell is MP3
Kisscut is Cassettes
Dark Summer is CDs
Pairs:
Kay Hooper and
Carla Neggers Red Clover Inn
SINGLES
Cold Pursuit by Carla Neggers
Best Laid Plans
Bound For Murder
Asking for Murder
Pretty Poison
Darkness Tell Us
Last Writes (A Jaine Austen Mystery Series Book 2) by Laura Levine
Don’t Tell a Soul by S. K. McClafferty - MSE has on Kindle 2013
Zombies of the Gene Pool
Cooking More Deadly


New Book Group #80 August 17, 2018

Note: The Final Judgment and
The Book of Fate are Audio Cassettes
PAIRS
Fern Michaels and James Patterson
SINGLES:
Summer’s Moon
The Green Trap
End Game
Night School
The Red Tent
The Final Judgment Audio Cassettes
Secrets of Paris
Linda Goodnight
Irish Charmers, the Mighty Quinns
Firebird
No Getting Over a Cowboy
The Book of Fate Audio Cassettes


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

PAIRS
Johanna Lindsey Pair
Judith Krentz Pair
SINGLES
Midnight Rainbow
Blackberry Bush
Breaking Point
A Tangled Affair
To Wicked to Love
Betrayed
My Dark Prince
Roses are Red Audio Cassettes
Brothers of Gwynedd
Fatal Defect
Bones of the Sea and Other Stories
By a Spider's Thread



New Book Group #77 February 16, 2018- All gone

New Book Group #76 November 3, 2017
13 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

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 82 groups of 16 plus an additional 21 totaling 1,333 books to find new homes! (as of November 9, 2018).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,204+ books have found new homes through this feature! YAY. [A year 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!

Audio Book Review: Elite by Mercedes Lackey

I am still enjoying this fantasy series and will get book three soon to complete the adventure.

Elite
Written By: Mercedes Lackey
Narrated By: Amy Landon

Series: Hunter, Book 2
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
Date: September 2016
Duration: 10 hours 12 minutes
Genre: Fantasy, Monsters
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall, Story and Narration.

Summary:
Hunting monsters was supposed to be the hard part. When Joy came to Apex City, all she cared about was protecting the Cits from the dangers lurking outside protective barriers. She understood the need for the secrecy surrounding her Hunts-no need to cause a panic by announcing just how real of a threat the Othersiders pose.
But as she quickly discovered, the conspiracies of the city run much deeper. And a dangerous new covert mission leaves Joy with a target on her back once more. Under the orders of her uncle, the city's prefect, Joy begins patrolling the abandoned tunnels and storm sewers under Apex Center. With her large pack of magical hounds, she can fight the monsters breaking through the barriers with the strength of three hunters.
Then she starts finding bodies. Psimons are turning up dead in the bowels of the city with no apparent injury. Reporting the incidents makes Joy the uncomfortable object of PsiCorps' scrutiny, and the organization appears more interested in keeping her quiet than investigating. Joy's situation grows more precarious, and her relationship with her Psimon boyfriend, Josh, begins to fray. Long-held tensions between PsiCorps and the Hunters seem to be reaching a breaking point.
While infighting threatens the stability of Apex City, Othersider forces are gaining strength and momentum outside the borders. Joy desperately seeks answers to figure out who her real enemies are before she and everyone she cares about are locked into an all-out war. "Avoiding second-volume sag with plenty of charisma, this outing proves to be a satisfying read that takes the baton neatly from the first and leaves readers ready for more."-Kirkus Reviews...

Review:
At the end of book 1 Joy tested for the Elite group of Hunters hoping it would put her away from some of the rating attentions and jealousies. Still, even as an Elite, while Joy continues to target monsters to keep the Cits in Apex safe, someone is targeting her. Her Uncle assigns her to a special mission during which she and her wonderful pack of hounds start finding dead bodies. The bodies are apparently Psimon and there is no apparent cause of death. When Joy reports the deaths, she is hushed up by the PsiCorps. The secrecy puts strain on her relationship with Josh, her Psimon boyfriend and trusted assistant to her Uncle.

The internal stresses among the power groups are causing problems for Joy’s Uncle and the safety of the city. Storms bring in more monsters to the city and the Hunters need to call on the PsiCorps for back up in the battles, but the PsiCorps seem to be slow in responding. Fortunately, other members in the Elite who have become friends of Joy have learned to work together and are pretty creative in their battle strategies.

I continued to enjoy the series. There are old friendships and new ones developed in this book and old enemies appear too. It isn’t always clear who Joy can trust which adds to the suspense. The growing hound pack is a nice element in the story. Some of the issues, especially with Mark and his fiancé are a little petty but Jess finally finds a place for herself so she doesn’t have to sit back and be jealous of Joy. Lackey has developed Joy as a character with humility and wisdom, but she still exhibits teenage foibles at times. This keeps her real.

There is good action and battle scenes that balance the slower, character developing scenes. It is a good balance with pacing that moves the story forward. I will be getting book three in the near future to complete the trilogy. I recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy/monster hunter stories – even if there are teens.

Audio Notes: Amy Landon continues to do a good job with the narration. I think she added a little more emotion this volume and she stays true to Hunter Joy’s voice. I enjoyed the listening experience.

Source: Audiobook.com Credit Purchase November 2018. Qualifies for Audiobook Challenge.

Review of Book 1: Hunter.