I am so sorry I have not kept my Giveaway listing current. Below is the list of 2018 Book Giveaways and winners.
Here is a link to Friday Pick posts and a link for Sharing Beyond Books post, where winners are shown each week. Martha's Friday Pick Sharing Beyond Books
Here are the 2018 Book Giveaway Winners
Giveaway Ended April 30, 2018 A2018Author- Audible Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Hunting in Bruges by E.J. Stevens; Paranormal, Urban Fantasy. See Rafflecopter for Winner.
Giveaway Ended May 5, 2018 Review2018- Book Review and Giveaway: Dog Training the American Male by Steve Alten; Humor, Romantic Comedy. WINNER: LINDA K
Giveaway Ended June 2, 2018 eBook Tour 2018- Book Review and Tour Giveaway: The Deadliest Sport by June Trop; Historical Fiction, Mystery. WINNER: Rafflecopter Winner: SARA Z.
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.
Some of us were back in office to work but I had one staff member out sick all week. The week coming up will be our first full week of 2019 and we have several closings scheduled. I also have client appointments so we are working towards normalizing our work environment.
I spend several hours at the end of the week meeting with the insurance rep and my contractors. We hope to start the demolition this week with insulation, carpet and ceiling tile removal. That will feel like progress even though we are still a good month, maybe two, away from having architect and engineer plans for the rebuild.
My listening and reading was good, but a bit slower this week. I pushed a couple NetGalley on 12/31 to finish out my challenge, then things slowed down. I finished 5 books: four ebooks and one audio book. I posted three reviews on blog and two at Goodreads. I posted year end challenge and reading wrap ups as well as my usual memes.
I visited 25 blogs during the week.
Shout Out this week to Erica Robyn Reads. Erica is another avid book reader who has been sharing book thoughts through blog since 2016.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.
When Spring Comes to the DMZ by Uk-Bae Lee (Author, Illustrator) This is surprisingly beautiful. Source: 2018 NetGalley. My Review is linked above.
Click on book title for full description.
2. ADE/PC (NG2018)
Owl Love You by Matthew Heroux, Wednesday Kirwan (Illustrations) This is terribly sweet. Source: 2018 NetGalley.
The sun is setting, time to rise! At dusk, when an owl’s day is just beginning, a baby owl asks questions and a mama owl offers comforting answers in this gentle, reverse bedtime book, featuring lulling, lyrical text and luminous illustrations of the nighttime world.
The Prayer of Jesus by Kevin Jackson I liked this as my First Book of 2019. Source: 2014 Kindle TBR. My Review is linked above.
Click on book title for full description.
5. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)
The More of Less By: Joshua Becker Narrated by: Joshua Becker Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins This expanded on my decluttering mood. Source: January 2017 Audible Daily Deal $2.95
Click on book title for full description.
Talon of Scorpio: A Novel of the Shadowstorm by G. T. Almasi I enjoyed the prior books in this series and this is another action packed volume. Source: 2018 NetGalley.
Superagent Alix Nico returns in a new Shadowstorm thriller from the author of Blades of Winter, which was hailed as “a hell-bent-for-leather mash-up of spy novel and science fiction” by Jason Bourne novelist Eric Van Lustbader.
Alix Nico, code-named Scarlet, is a one-woman demolition derby. As a top American Level, she’s a cybernetically and biologically enhanced operative fighting a Cold War among the forces of freedom, a Soviet Union that never fell, a China hungry for power, and a Germany that emerged from World War II more powerful than ever.
There’s a mole within ExOps, the covert agency responsible for the security of the United States, who has been working to decapitate the organization’s leadership. And when treason strikes, Scarlet and her partner, Darwin, find themselves matched against a rogue Level known as Talon, a merciless killing machine whose augmentations place her in a league of her own. But behind Talon lurks the real enemy, a traitor whose thirst for control threatens to upset the fragile balance of mutually assured destruction that has kept the four Great Powers from breaking into open warfare—until now.
3. eBook/Kindle (NG2018)
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave: A Novel (Charley Davidson Series Book 13)
by Darynda Jones Release date Jan 15, 2019 I am interested to see how the series ends. Source: 2018 NetGalley.
Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the final installment of Darynda Jones’ New York Times bestselling paranormal series--Summoned to Thirteenth Grave.
Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper extraordinaire, is pissed. She’s been kicked off the earthly plane for eternity –which is exactly the amount of time it takes to make a person stark, raving mad. But someone’s looking out for her, and she’s allowed to return after a mere hundred years in exile. Is it too much to hope for that not much has changed? Apparently it is. Bummer.
She’s missed her daughter. She’s missed Reyes. She’s missed Cookie and Garrett and Uncle Bob. But now that she’s back on earth, it’s time to put to rest burning questions that need answers. What happened to her mother? How did she really die? Who killed her? And are cupcakes or coffee the best medicine for a broken heart? It all comes to a head in an epic showdown between good and evil in this final smart and hilarious novel.
January 6, 2019 - I have started again with the One Year Bible plan reading through You Version App.
I enjoyed a 5 day reading plan this week: Pray Effectively.
I am looking for other shorter reading plans too.
[You can check out audio of the One Year Bible Plan on the companion commentary online.]
I completed five books and posted five reviews. That still leaves 5 reviews to post. I am slowly adding reviews to NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon and Audible. I still have older ones to catch up on.
I added more NetGalley titles, some to try to meet my 2018 Challenge and some for 2019. My shelf is currently at 10 unread. I now have four author titles in queue. Still many through InstaFreebie and many new author requests I haven't replied to.
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 added four book titles from NetGalley; (two more to be downloaded and listed next week). I picked up one Audible daily deal and one free with Kindle Unlimited. I purchased one Kindle paid title.
I only picked up 10 free kindle titles again. (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
These are four titles I picked up at NetGalley: Never Let Go (Uncommon Justice Book #1) by Elizabeth Goddard
Release date 2/5/2019
"In this fast-paced and emotional page-turner, bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard keeps the stakes high, the romantic tension sparking, and the outcome uncertain until the very end."
by Nora Page
Release date May 7, 2019.
"Death, deadly omens, and a decades-overdue book put senior librarian Cleo Watkins on a collision course with a killer in the second Bookmobile mystery."
Won
NONE
Purchased
I purchased one Kindle Book with part of Gift Card I received for Christmas:
I have been eyeing this title since I saw it at Puss Reboots.
I purchased one Daily Deal title:
1/4/2019 Daily Deal $1.95 The House with a Clock in Its Walls By: John Bellairs
Narrated by: George Guidall
Length: 4 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 02-14-18
Free
1/3/19 Free with Kindle Unlimited copy. Mirror Gate The Harbinger Series, Book 2 By: Jeff Wheeler
Narrated by: Kate Rudd
Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
Release date: 08-28-18
This morning our Sunday School teacher continued the study in 1 Corinthians 8. The lesson was titled Should I or Shouldn’t I?
We enjoyed worship, sermon and then communion in our church service. The sermon was the last of pastor’s Celebrate series to direct us into the new year. We often start a new year with resolutions or setting goals. It is a time for moving on.
Once the celebration is over, then we move to clean up. Sooner or later we need to get back to it; back to normal. This is particularly pertinent to our community as we still work on hurricane recovery.
First Assembly, our church, still has a job to do. We are either advancing the Kingdom or not. We can't afford to b have the church take a time out. The church must move forward.
The angel appeared to Joseph in Egypt to send him back to Israel. Matthew 2:19.
Years later, John the Baptist proclaiming your Savior is near. Matthew 3:1-2.
Jesus continued to preach the message of salvation and commissioned the disciples to take the message to the world. Matthew 28:16-20.
Time is limited. Now is time to turn from the world and turn to God. The church must continue to share the message.
The church that is ineffective is not worthy to be called the church.
Jesus recruited disciples. They started by following Him.
Pastor referred to the book: Greater: Dream bigger. Start smaller. Ignite God's Vision for Your Life by Steven Furtick.
We get stuck for two reasons. (1) We don't dream big enough. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to accomplish more than we can think.
Do we believe that God is ABLE?
(2) We don't start small enough.
Point: We must begin to move again by dreaming big and taking one small step, and then another.
Three armies came together to face their enemies in 2nd Kings. But they didn’t have enough resources for their own armies; they were burdened by thirst. While seeking water so the armies could move forward, they called on Elisha because ‘he heard from the Lord’. Elisha sought musician, listened to God who directed the valley to be full of ditches. 2 Kings 3:14-18. Pastor’s interpretation was that the armies had to go dig the ditches before they even saw evidence of the water. This was taking the first step in accordance with God’s word. Having shown their faith and trust in God, then God was faithful and supplied the water and the victory.
The people had to move; had to act first; had to dig the ditches.
We have to move, to do something; to dig a ditch.
Take a step of faith, figure out what ditch you need to dig. Pray, listen, grow your faith. Draw closer to Him.
What is God's dream for you, for the church? The world needs us.
I add this thought based on my short pray study this week: PRAY: Praise, Repent, Ask (with assurance) and Yield to God’s Will. Ask and God will answer.
Nothing is Impossible for God!
Verses for Today: 2 Kings 3:14-18 (NKJV) 14 And Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you. 15 But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ 17 For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ 18 And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
I believe my GOD is able. I pray that He shows me what ditch to dig as I start a new year focused on His Word and His message.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Casey Sloane has worked at the St. Louis Marshals office for two years and is given a routine assignment to help transport a reporter to D.C. to testify before a grand jury. Valerie, the reporter, was writing a story about an up-and-coming environmentalist who suddenly disappeared and, she later discovered, whose backers purportedly have ties to a terrorist.
When the seemingly ordinary assignment suddenly takes a shocking turn, Casey is forced to put aside her own feelings about the unexpected reappearance of a man from her past as she and two other Marshals take Valerie on the run. And as it becomes dangerously clear Valerie's testimony has even bigger implications than they knew, they'll do whatever it takes to make it out alive.
Before the escort team can get on the road, the Marshal’s headquarters is bombed. It soon appears that someone will go to a lot of trouble to get to the witness. Casey and E.J. need to sort out the tensions between them but first they are going to need to keep the witness alive and get her to D.C.
Ms. Mehl does a good job building the suspense and tension. I enjoyed the double conflict and tension in the story: the natural dangers of protecting a witness while running from the enemy and the dangers and struggles while running from the human heart. There are miscommunications that contribute to both problems. There are some faith foundations that are shared as a part of the characters without being in anyway preachy.
This was the third in a series but it read fine as a standalone. This is romantic suspense just as I like it. I recommend it to readers who enjoy romantic suspense and mystery.
Source: 2018 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2018 NetGalley Challenge.
This is a unique and engaging reading. Spread the word. A Book Without Dragons by Olivia Berrier
File Size: 364 KB
Print Length: 256 pages
Publication Date: May 21, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
ASIN: B01F6HYV60
Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy, Mystery My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0
This book contains no dragons. It does, however, contain individuals who Willow Ayers believes would benefit from the addition of some magical creatures. A broken marriage, a failed career, an abusive home: the people around Willow are trapped inside problems so isolating they can only be expressed by constantly changing tenses and writing styles. It is not the sort of book Willow would read; he prefers fantasy novels with consistent styles and happy endings.
But this is not a fantasy book, and Willow’s idea to bring about his own ‘happily ever after’ is crumbling. Decades ago, he saw the way humanity relied on so many flawed systems—Internet, GPS, cell phones, electronic banking—and created Unitime, the perfect system to unite all systems. Now his Satellites are malfunctioning, and what seemed an innocent glitch in technology might prove to be something darker, something infinitely more dangerous.
Even so, Willow believes people can overcome such things, even though it seems as unlikely as a book that starts in five different writing styles, but ends in just one.
Review:
Here are the characters identified by subsections in the first chapter:
The Police Chief With No Stories
The Wife Who Answers Phones
The Waitress Who Failed to be a Nurse.
A Dog Who Is A Good Dog
The Scientist in Charge of Unitime
Willow is one of the scientists who developed Unitime, a satellite system that controls all electronics and was put into place 14 years before. The system provided free energy and set the world on the path of a peaceful easy-going life with minimal crime and discontent. But now in 2054, suddenly the clocks are wrong – which means something has gone wrong with the Unitime system.
The government, communication, banking and other systems are breaking down. People go on strike or get relieved of work, frustrations and tempers mount. Crime and violence erupt with the chaos of having no control.
The world is hunting for Willow, depending on him to find the glitch in the system and fix it. They can’t even return to the old NASA satellites without getting the Unitme system fixed to launch them. Willow is working on simulations and reading a fantasy novel called Quest for the Enchanted Dragon while waiting for results. But he has a secret that could throw the world into more chaos – if that is possible.
The book starts with a little confusion as the seemingly unrelated characters are introduced with the point of view (first person, second person, third person) and tense (past, present and even future), changing with each character. I was pulled into the mystery and the plot ride as the flawed characters grew on me and their lives become woven together. I even loved Cider, the dog. The story is engaging and unique and well worth the read – well done. I recommend it to readers who like their sci fi with mystery or their mystery with fantasy and readers who just love to be entertained! Spread the word!
Source: NetGalley 2018. This qualifies for 2018 NetGalley Challenge.
