#NetGalley Book Review: A Flicker of Hope by Julia Cook, MacKenzie Haley (Illustrator)

This is an encouraging book to share with children.

A Flicker of Hope
by Julia Cook (Author), MacKenzie Haley (Illustrator)

Age Range: 5 - 8 years
Grade Level: 3 - 4
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: National Center for Youth Issues (December 4, 2018)
ISBN-13: 978-1937870522
Genre: Children, Emotions, Self-Esteem and Self-Respect
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

HOPE is our children's window for a better tomorrow. In terms of resilience and well-being, hope is a critically important predictor of success. This creative story from the best-selling author of My Mouth is a Volcano!, and Bubble Gum Brain, reminds children that dark clouds can be temporary and asking for help is always okay. We all have times when we need to borrow a little hope from someone else.
When your clouds get too dark,
and too heavy to push away,
Reach out and ask, Can I borrow some light?
I'm having a really bad day.
It's always okay to admit to yourself,
I just can't do it today.
Everyone needs somebody sometimes,
to help them find their way.
Sometimes the dark clouds overhead seem too heavy and you feel like giving up. Little candle knows all about this. Bad grades, blasted on social media, worried about making the team, and wondering who her real friends are so many hard things to deal with! All she can see is darkness. But her story begins to change when someone notices she needs a boost of hope. As little candle is reminded she has purpose and her own unique gifts, and that she isn't the only one with dark clouds, her dim light begins to shine brighter.

This hopeful story emphasizes for children (and adults) the many different ways to ask for help, and their ability to be a hope builder for others, too.

Review:
Little candle is going through a time of stress and depression. She has many worries and thoughts of inadequacies. Another candle sees that Little candle’s light is dim. This older candle steps up to encourage Little candle, telling her of her own uniqueness and the fact that she can ask for help. The older candle shares her light to brighten Little candle. Having been encouraged, Little candle turns and shares encouragement with another candle who is struggling with low flickering.

I enjoyed the encouraging message in this children’s book. The message is repeated but I think that is okay because it reinforces that everyone goes through times when they could use a little help or boost from others.

The illustrations are bright, colorful and engaging. I like the different shapes of the candles which is consistent with all of us being different. I think this is a lovely book for parents to share with children and then I can imagine a child going back to the story to look through the images on their own. Even if they can't read, they can remember the lesson they were taught. I recommend this to all parents but especially those who may have a sensitive child who needs to know that it is okay to reach out for encouragement from others.

Source: 2019 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2019TBR, 2019NetGalley and 2019Alphabet Goals.

#NetGalley Book Review: Summoned to Thirteenth Grave by Darynda Jones

This is an interesting series ending... for now.
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave: A Novel (Charley Davidson Series Book 13)
by Darynda Jones

File Size: 2039 KB
Print Length: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 15, 2019)
ASIN: B071JMJF4G
Genre: Fantasy, Ghosts, Private Investigator
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

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.

Review:
Charley expected to be exiled alone on an isolated plane for an eternity. She is surprised, and thrilled, when she finds herself returned to the earthly plane after only a hundred years. She is sad to think that 100 years has passed on earth. She would have missed her child, Beep, growing up but she is hoping that her darling girl brought peace to earth. But time doesn’t work quite like that.

Charley’s return to earth is only 10 days after she left b that shut she discovers that she and her half demon husband, Reyes, have opened a portal that has allowed shadow demons into earth. Their home community in New Mexico is being attacked from within and Charley and Reyes have only three days to save the planet. To accomplish that Charley must uncover a mystery connected to her own mother.

Meanwhile a five-year-old boy spirit has sought out Charley and she and her stellar staff are trying to locate his mother who was kidnapped years before. Charley’s assistant Cookie, her daughter Amber and Amber’s boyfriend, Quentin, all take part in the search. They get extra help from Garret, Osh, Artemis and Charley’s biker friends. Meanwhile, there are twists and surprises – one involving Uncle Bob and another involving Rocket.

If you haven’t read this series- you will want to go start at the beginning not at this final installment. There are plenty of fun chapter openings with snarky memes and quotes. As usual Darynda Jones includes a PI (private investigation) case for Charley to solve while facing a life challenge. I enjoyed that so many of the series characters were included in this ending story and I liked the good twist for several of the characters. I admire how Jones creates a depth of romantic love between Charley and Reyes but I felt she overdid the extra sex scenes during the madness of three days to save the world. I also didn’t appreciate the foul language; some deliberately crude in my opinion.

I imagine many fans of the series will be happy with this interim conclusion. I say interim as I am fairly sure there will be a future story(ies) for Beep and her army. I do recommend this to fans of detective, paranormal fantasy who like snarky humor and don’t mind a bit of crudeness and sex.

Source: 2018 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2019TBR, 2019NetGalley and 2019Alphabet Goals.

My Reviews of Books 1 through 12 can be found at this link.

My Word for 2019

I haven’t done a post the past years for my word although I have chosen them.
After my cancer treatment in 2014 my Word was Thankful.
2015: Embrace – I determined it was important to embrace each day as we don’t know how many days we have.
2016: Faith – I recognized that it is my faith that sees me through life with joy.
2017: Focus – I chose to focus on my relationship with God and allow that to lead me in life.
2018: I didn’t feel led to pick a new word and continued with the word Focus.
2019: I did a four day Bible study titled One Word That Will Change Your Life and then a five day Bible study, God + Goals.
After prayer and consideration and a list of half a dozen words, I determined my word for the year:

Intentional

I want to be intentional in my living, loving, praying, Bible study, relationships and sharing my faith. I want to work intentionally and use my resources intentionally with a goal of service.

As I was looking up the definitions of my short list words I found this video that I think goes well with the final word choice. I like the thought that God is intentional about me.

Sunday Post January 20, 2019/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday January 21, 2019

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date (at Wordpress).

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.

Work is moving along. I covered court hearings this week in between office work. I'll be working the holiday tomorrow as I have several files to catch up and get filed.

The damaged office is mostly stripped where the interior has to be replaced. I expect they will be working on paneling this week to see what they can save.

Meanwhile at home we met with the contractor to pick the color for roofing shingle with hopes that they will start that work in the next week or so.
The yard crew has spent the week dragging out more than 85 stumps in our immediate yard area. They will be planting seed soon and we'll have to see about getting some trees planted.

We had wind gusts of 20mph+ all night rattling our awning. We were very cold this morning with 39 degrees that felt like 30 due to the wind.

My listening and reading was good. I finished 4 books: two ebooks, one audiobook and one children's book. I posted four reviews and my usual memes.

I managed to visit 25 blogs during the week.
Shout Out this week to Burgeoning Bookshelf. Veronica is another blogger who shares reviews and has some adorable mini reviewers to help with children's books.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post January 13, 2019/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday January 14, 2019.

• MBS 2019 Reading Goals: Yes – Challenges: Maybe

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: The More of Less by Joshua Becker; Cleaning, Nonfiction, Self Help; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

• NG2018- #NetGalley Book Review: Talon of Scorpio: A Novel of the Shadowstorm by G. T. Almasi; Conspiracies, Science Fiction; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway January 17, 2019. Open Worldwide. Ending 1/24/2019.

• NG2019- #NetGalley Book Review: Don't Dangle Your Participle by Vanita Oelschlager; Children, Educational, Grammar, Writing; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1) by Patrick Rothfuss; Action Adventure, Epic Fantasy; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall, Story and Narration.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement January 20, 2019.

Finished Reading:
1. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

The Name of the Wind
(Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1)
By: Patrick Rothfuss
Narrated by: Nick Podehl
Series: Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1
Length: 27 hrs and 55 mins
I can get lost in Kvothe's story and emotions.

This is engaging epic fantasy. My review is linked above.Source: 2012 Audible.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle (NG2018)

Summoned to Thirteenth Grave: A Novel (Charley Davidson Series Book 13)
by Darynda Jones
This is an interesting series ending... for now.
I will post my review this coming week.
Source: 2018 NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

3. ADE/PC (NG2019)

A Flicker of Hope
by Julia Cook (Author), MacKenzie Haley (Illustrator)
This is an encouraging book to share with children.
Source: 2019 NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

4. eBook/Kindle (NG2018)

The Winter Mystery an absolutely gripping whodunit
by Faith Martin
I like this amateur sleuth mystery.
Source: 2018 NetGalley. (Winter title.)
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:
1. Audiobooks/Smartphone (ATBR)

Promise Me Texas
Written By: Jodi Thomas
Narrated By: Linda Stephens
Duration: 10 hours 58 minutes
This is an easy listen, historical romance.
Source: Audiobooks.com 2018.
Summary:
On a midnight train, four hours away from her wedding, Beth McMurray discovers the devastating truth about the powerful senator she’s about to marry. Convinced nothing could make this stormy night worse, the train wrecks, and she tumbles straight into the arms of an outlaw.
Andrew McLaughlin doesn’t believe in loving except between the pages of his writings. He loved deeply once and thinks he’ll never survive another loss. To save a friend, he climbs aboard a train heading toward Dallas. In the moment before the train crashes, he saves a beautiful woman and is injured in the fall. He wakes up to find she’s claimed him as her fiancé—and now they’re both on the run, and destined to do everything it takes to make an unexpected promise of love come true.

2. eBook/Kindle (eBA2018)

Aether's Call
by John Farr
I am just starting this space exploration, steampunk adventure. 
Source: Author Request 2018.
Roy's just a conscripted cook on the Starr, the compound's first spaceship in decades. With Earth in ruins, the Starr speeds through the galaxies, hunting down those responsible for its destruction.
Meanwhile, Roy's stuck in the kitchen, missing all the action. It isn't until a beautiful woman involves him in her secret plan that things start to get interesting. She says it's the only way to save humanity. The only problem? It means committing outright treason.
Back on Earth, Roy's ex-wife Cynthia holds clandestine meetings with a renegade theorist. Amid the ashes of Philadelphia, they gather the equipment they'll need to remotely capture the Starr. And Cynthia knows what she's doing. She was on the Starr's development team.
Uma is the only science officer onboard the Starr. She feeds the captain the coordinates of enemy ships, and he trusts her completely. But maybe he shouldn't. After all, Uma works for the resistance. Or does she? Lately, she'd had the feeling that someone's been playing with her mind.

3. Audiobooks/Smartphone (ATBR)

Half Share
A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 2
By: Nathan Lowell
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
I decided to read a TBR book from a series.
I'll try each month to listen to a new book in series and a sequel to one I've read.
Source: 2018 Audible Credit Purchase.
Publisher's Summary
Six months in the Deep Dark. Four different women. One man discovers what it means to be a spacer.
It's a time of change on the Lois McKendrick. Sarah Krugg joins the crew, and Ishmael Wang moves to Environmental. After getting accustomed to life aboard a solar clipper, Ishmael must learn a whole new set of skills, face his own fears and doubts, and try to balance love and loss in the depths of space.
Both Ishmael and Sarah must learn to live by the mantra "trust Lois". For Sarah, there is the hope of escaping a horrifying past. For Ishmael, he must discover what type of man he wants to become and learn his choices have consequences.
Return with the crew of the SC Lois McKendrick, and set sail in the next installment of the Trader's Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper. All your favorites return: Ish, Pip, Cookie, Brill, Diane, and Big Bad Bev. You might even discover some new friends as you travel among the stars.
©2012 Nathan Lowell (P)2016 Podium Publishing

4. eBook/Kindle (A2018)

January Breeze, February Embers, March Whispers
(Elderberry Croft #1)
by Becky Doughty
This is a January title for my 'Monthly' Goal group.
Source: Kindle Free TBR 2015.
For most of the residents, The Coach House Trailer Park is the last lonely stop on the road of life. But on a crisp January breeze, a new girl sweeps into the neighborhood, charming them all with her wild nature, her elderberry gifts, and her outrageous laughter. What brings the mysterious Willow Goodhope of Elderberry Croft to this dead end place? From what--or whom--is she hiding?
January Breeze
There’s a new girl in town, and she’s breathing life into The Coach House Trailer Park, starting with the tiny cottage she christens, Elderberry Croft. Kathy Kekoa isn’t so sure about this wild child living across the way, with her generous nature, and exuberance for life. What’s a vibrant, young thing like Willow Goodhope doing in a place like The Coach House? From what—or whom—is she hiding?

January 20, 2019 - I am staying up to date with the One Year Bible plan reading through You Version App.
I enjoyed a 4 day reading plans this week: One Word That Will Change Your Life.
I am continuing to find other shorter reading plans that are uplifting.
[You can check out audio of the One Year Bible Plan on the companion commentary online.]

I completed four books and posted four reviews. That keeps me at 3 reviews to post.
I continue to slowly add reviews to NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon and Audible. I still have older ones to catch up on.
My NetGalley shelf is still at 9 unread from November to date. But I rounded up the files for 4 old titles (2012!) that I might get read this year. I now have four remaining 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 didn't pick up any review books this week.
I did pick up three Audible daily deals.
I didn't purchase any Kindle paid titles and I only picked up 15 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

NONE

Won

NONE

Purchased

I picked up three Audible Daily Deals:
1/17/19 Daily Deal $3.95
Second Hand Curses
By: Drew Hayes
Narrated by: Scott Aiello, Marc Vietor, Tavia Gilbert
Length: 9 hrs
Release date: 11-21-17
I have wanted to get this second book in the series.

1/19/19 Daily Deal $2.95
Small Town Rumors
By: Carolyn Brown
Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
Release date: 07-03-18
I liked The Lilac Bouquet by this author so I picked up another for small price.

1/20/19 Daily Deal $3.95
Reset
By: Brian Andrews
Narrated by: Ray Porter
Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
Release date: 04-24-18
A sci fi technothiriller is almost always of interest to me.

Free

I picked this up with Kindle Unlimited.
The Teacup Novellas - The Collection
by Diane Moody
I saw these titles at Faith, Hope and CherryTea and they looked like nice reads.


I only added 15 free titles to my Kindle library over the past week. I didn't spend much time adding free books again this week.  Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement January 20, 2019

We had a good Sunday School lesson this morning titled In My Defense. Our teacher noted how Paul was defending himself and his ministry in the letter to the Corinthians. Chapter 9 covers the importance of battling the flesh by submitting to the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 encourage the believers to run the race to win. Do be successful we must each be determined, dedicated, and deliberate.

Service started with good worship songs and a word of wisdom from one of our faithful members. Pastor continued his sermon in his Forward series. He reminded us of last week’s point that there is no true blessing without submission to God’s Will. Then he noted that during Jesus time of ministry God’s kingdom was advancing – going forward.

As in many countries, many American churches have plateaued or are declining.
There is a key factor we must remember in order to be a growing church.
We can’t just play at church; we must be the church.
We must have a burden to reach the lost, the unsaved.
We all get busy with our lives and when we wake up in the morning and start thinking of our to do list, how often do we include reaching the lost on that list?

Matthew 13:44-50 tells the parables of hidden treasure, the pearl and the net. Do we treat the kingdom of God as a hidden treasure of great value and do we recognize that this is what really matters in our lives and the lives of people?

Point: We must recapture a burden for the lost that matches God's burden.

The whole Bible is about salvation. We see in our world a growing number of ‘nones’ those who have no faith or religion. As a church, our burden for the lost should push us to do whatever it takes.
How do we reach them? Hope isn't enough to get it done.
In another letter Paul writes: Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. Romans 10:1-4.
In our own county there may only be 15-18 percent of the population who are true born-again believers. It is likely that there is a higher percentage who are addicted to alcohol or drugs.
When the lost are saved, the result is life-change.
What do we need to do?
1. Pray for a burden about the lost; Get in tune with God's heart for the lost.
2. Make the lost your/our priority.
3. Go out and be the church.
Are we serving or looking to be served? Do we give or take?

I like this song reminding us that no one is Unreachable.

Verses for Today:
Romans 10:1-4(NIV)
10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

God I pray that you help me keep this burden in the forefront of my mind each day.