Audio Book Review: Promise Me Texas by Jodi Thomas

I enjoyed this easy listen, historical romance.
Promise Me Texas
Written By: Jodi Thomas
Narrated By: Linda Stephens

Series: Whispering Mountains, Book 7
Publisher: Recorded Books
Date: November 2013
Duration: 10 hours 58 minutes
Genre: Historical Romance, Western
My Rating: 4.0 Overall.

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.

Review:
Beth McMurray is an heiress who has been protected and coddled by her family. She never met the man who could hold her regard, so she is now older than most young ladies setting off to get married. She has been wooed by a handsome, debonair senator who hopes to move up in politics. He has convinced Beth to take a train trip to Dallas, supposedly to visit friends, but really to meet and marry him.

Beth decides to surprise him and sneaks onto an earlier train on which the Senator should be traveling. She finds him but he doesn’t know she is there as she is disguised. From the back of the room she overhears, with horror, her betrothed’s true attitude and intentions toward her.
Beth goes to the stock car to be with her beautiful horse. She plans to get off the train and ride away but before she is able to escape, she sees bandits approaching. One man in particular catches her eye as he tries to pull a younger comrade back from the rest. The train crashes and the man saves her from falling to the tracks.

Andrew awakens to discover the beautiful young woman has claimed him as her fiancé. He knows that she saw him as one of the bandits and can’t image why she is defending him. He obviously has to get away from any inquiry into the gang and it appears she is running away from someone too.

Andrew suffered the loss of his young wife years before and plans never to hurt like that again. He is roaming the world as a journalist observing others and keeping his distance. Now he is stuck with a beautiful, albeit spoiled, young woman who apparently needs his protection.

As the two help each other away from their predicaments they begin to find friendship. Could they find more if they open their hearts?

This is a fun, easy going romance. The characters are nicely developed with rather quirky traits. Even the unpleasant former fiancé is a good villain and Beth’s stepfather is a caring, big as life, character. I enjoyed the western setting in Texas 1879 with the mix of frontier dangers and encroaching industrialism.

I have determined that Jodi Thomas always presents a reliable reading experience for me. I have read more of her historical romances, but she crosses well into contemporary. This is a part of a series but read fine as a standalone. I recommend this title and this author to readers who enjoy easy romance, historical or contemporary.

Audio Notes: I found the narration by Linda Stephens to be adequate, but not stellar. I had to get used to her unusual accent (not sure if it was intended to be Texan but it didn’t strike me as such) and it is more of a reading than a portrayal. Still, it was an easy listen and I am glad to have had this in audio format.

Source: Audiobooks.com 2018, This qualifies for 2019TBR, 2019Audiobook and 2019Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Half Share A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 2 by Nathan Lowell

I enjoyed this story that focuses on character growth rather than space action.
Half Share
A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 2
By: Nathan Lowell
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

File Size: 763 KB
Print Length: 235 pages
Publisher: Durandus (December 12, 2012)
ASIN: B00AO8QMIW
Genre: Mercantile, Sci Fi, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall, Story 4.5, Narration 5.0

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

Review:
Ishmael is looking forward to being transferred to Environmental even though he will miss working with his friends in the kitchen. But he’ll still get to see then in the mess hall. And he already gets along with the crew in Environmental so the transfer should work well. It is Ishmael’s job to greet his replacement and show her the ropes. He is surprised that the woman shows nervousness. Although he senses something wrong, he doesn’t recognize it until Cookie notes that the woman appears to be recovery from abuse.

Ishmael is continuing to work closely with Pip, making successful trading decisions by picking up interesting products to sell at the next space station. The traders and their consortium team are doing well, even finding crafts that they can work on for future sale.

Several of Ishmael’s friends decide he needs to get out to get some relief from restrictions naturally occurring to ‘spacers’ – those out in space for months on end. First three of his female friends help Ishmael on a fun shopping trip to get him dressed in a manner fitting to his personality… assuming he has figured out who he is.

Once Ish is dressed suitably, the ladies take him out to a local bar for a bit of fun. Although one of his friends has set him up for a date, Ish decides to take control of his own situation by approaching a woman of his own choice. The encounter is interesting.

As with the first book, there is not a lot of high action in this book. Once again, I found this surprisingly engaging for a low-key space story. It focuses on the growth of Ismael and other characters. Ishmael is well balanced for a young 18-year-old and it is fun to observe his interactions with the female characters as he controls youthful hormones.

Lowell writes the characters with wonderful personalities that are relatable. As a young man Ismael would be expected to have to deal with his maleness. Lowell deals sensitively and graciously with the situations of abuse and the dating protocols within the spacing communities.

I will be picking up book three, Full Share, further along this year. I recommend this to sci fi fans who are interested in character driven stories.

Audio Notes: Jeffrey Kafer does a remarkable job with the narration. He manages to capture the character nuances presenting the clear personalities that the author has drawn. I like this series in audio and will continue with this format.

Source: 2018 Audible Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2019TBR, 2019Audiobook and 2019Alphabet goals.

Please see this link to my review of book one, Quarter Share.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway February 1, 2019

Happy Friday! We had cold, warm, rain, wind, then cold again. Each day is something new. :-)

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 January 25, 2019 Pick. There was one automatic win again 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.
SUEF gets Thanksgiving.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from January 25, 2019 Pick:
MIKI gets a GC
and
MARIJANA 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.}

This image makes me cold --- and sad.
Image found at The Iconic Books Blog.

New Book Group #84 December 15, 2018
Here are some Christmas titles to pick from.

One PAIR:
Susan Wiggs: Snowfall and Fireside
SINGLES:
A Family for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich
On this Holy Night
A Rancher for Christmas
Christmas Haven
Christmas Brides Anthology
Holiday in Death
Christmas Homecoming
Together by Christmas Anthology
The Christmas Date
The Christmas Promise (hardback)
A Blue and Grey Christmas (hardback)
The Snow Angel (CD Audiobook)
King Harold's Snow Job


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 1,217+ 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!

Book Review: Aether's Call by John Farr

This is strange sci fi.

Aether's Call
by John Farr

File Size: 2578 KB
Print Length: 158 pages
Publication Date: November 10, 2018
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
ASIN: B07KDXR5PC
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Exploration
My Rating: 2.0 of 5.0

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.

Review:
Society on earth is in ruin and dying. One space ship, the Starr, has been sent out to find enemies in the galaxy. Roy isn’t a smart or skilled man. His powerful ex-wife helped to get him conscripted to the Starr as a cook. Conditions on the Starr are dysfunctional at best, and the kitchen is a mess – literally. The kitchen staff have to retrieve food from a freezer whose tight, unrelenting cold tunnels can drive men insane. The only glimmer of hope that Roy has is his dreams of befriending Uma, the beautiful science officer, even though he knows she has no reason to be interested in him.

Meanwhile, back in ruined Philadelphia, Roy’s ex-wife, Cynthia, is part of the government privileged few who are entitled to use body guard chauffeurs to help dodge the dangers of the outside streets. Cynthia has secretly been working with a scientist and renegade theorist. The scientist is has helped developed a sick world and he has convinced Cynthia to sacrifice her own daughter as part of a strange plot to reach out to the Starr’s mysterious Aether engine and the galaxy beyond.

Roy’s kitchen mate is the ship's EMT who he is losing his mind over the freezer. When threats of suicide arise, the Captain drafts Roy to serve as alternate EMT. On more than one occasion the Captain becomes enraged at Roy and tries to eliminate him, but. to the Captain’s disgust, something always saves Roy.

Uma is acting in secret to prepare the ship for the power event from earth. On one of her trips into the bowels of the ship she discovers a strange creature on board. Another trip she comes across Roy with a surprise that she decides to share.

The Captain prepares to attack an enemy ship, dragging Roy along to serve as the EMT to triage the warriors as they fall. It is all very confusing and distressing to Roy (and the reader). At a point of crisis, Uma makes Roy promise to complete her mission.

I found this story to be disjointed and difficult to figure out. Sometimes sci fi is about the ride so I kept reading to understand where it was going. When it arrives at the ending, I was left with the reaction: "what in the world was the purpose?" The author uses some demeaning descriptions and none of the characters are particularly likeable, although Roy evokes some sympathy. There were several scenes that made sense and were engaging by themselves but there was a lack of cohesion, clarity and purpose in the whole.

I think the disjointed pieces could be made interesting if reworked, but for now both the journey and the ending are obscure and left me unsatisfied. I appreciate the ebook from the author for review, but I can’t say that I liked it. I can only recommend this to readers who would be interested in a bizarre tale of dystopia and space exploration.

Source: Author Request 2018. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Alphabet.

Sunday Post January 27, 2019/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday January 28, 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 continues to progress; some days slower than others. I ended up working at home on Monday.

They've stripped more insulation and paneling from my office now and have started the dryout process.

Nothing new on the home front as we continue to wait to hear from the contractor and insurance update.

We have to cover our fruit trees (they were low enough to survive the hurricane) for the expected overnight freeze this week.

My listening and reading was good again. I finished 4 books: two ebooks and two audiobooks. I posted three reviews and my usual memes.

I visited 24 blogs during the week.
Shout Out this week to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. Gina is an avid reader and she apparently has had to recover from Hurricane Michael too.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

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

• My Word for 2019.

• NG2018- #NetGalley Book Review: Summoned to Thirteenth Grave by Darynda Jones; Fantasy, Ghosts, Private Investigator; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

• NG2018- #NetGalley Book Review: A Flicker of Hope by Julia Cook, MacKenzie Haley (Illustrator); Children, Emotions, Self-Esteem and Self-Respect; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway January 25, 2019. Open Worldwide. Ending 1/24/2019.

• NG2018- #NetGalley Book Review: The Winter Mystery by Faith Martin; Amateur Sleuth, Mystery, Cozy Mystery; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0.

• Sharing Beyond Books #361 Comment Giveaway January 26, 2019.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement January 27, 2019.

Finished Reading:
1. Audiobooks/Smartphone (ATBR)

Promise Me Texas
Written By: Jodi Thomas
Narrated By: Linda Stephens
Duration: 10 hours 58 minutes
I enjoyed this easy listen, historical romance.
Source: Audiobooks.com 2018.
Click on book title for full description.

2. 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
Again, surprisingly engaging.
Source: 2018 Audible Credit Purchase.
Click on book title for full description.

3. eBook/Kindle (eBA2018)

Aether's Call
by John Farr
This is strange sci fi.
Source: Author Request 2018.
Click on book title for full description.

4. eBook/Kindle (A2018)

January Breeze, February Embers, March Whispers
(Elderberry Croft #1)
by Becky Doughty
I just read the January story which is sweet.
This is a January title for my 'Monthly' Goal group.
Source: Kindle Free TBR 2015.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:
1. Audiobooks/Smartphone (ATBR)

The Land: Founding: A LitRPG Saga
By: Aleron Kong
Narrated by: Nick Podehl
Series: Chaos Seeds, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
I wasn't sure on this but midway I am liking it - reminds me of game playing which I haven't done in years.
Source: November 2017 Audible Daily Deal Purchase.
Publisher's Summary
Welcome to The Land, Audible's 2018 Customer Favorite!
Book 1 of a 7-Book international best-selling series that will amaze and delight you for weeks!
Enter a mesmerizing tale reminiscent of the wonder of Ready Player One and the adventure of Game of Thrones.
Number One Audiobook 2017
75 Thousand Five Star Reviews
Welcome my friends! Welcome... to "The Land!"
Tricked into a world of banished gods, demons, goblins, sprites and magic, Richter must learn to meet the perils of The Land and begin to forge his own kingdom. Actions have consequences across The Land, with powerful creatures and factions now hell-bent on Richter's destruction.
Can Richter forge allegiances to survive this harsh and unforgiving world or will he fall to the dark denizens of this ancient and unforgiving realm?
A tale to shake "The Land" itself, measuring 10/10 on the Richter scale, how will Richter's choices shape the future of The Land and all who reside in it? Can he grow his power to meet the deadliest of beings of the land? When choices are often a shade of grey, how will Richter ensure he does not become what he seeks to destroy?
PS - Gnomes Rule
Please LIKE Aleron Kong on Facebook. He also does almost weekly giveaways of shirts, signed books, and other loot! facebook.com/LitRPGbooks
FB The Land Forum: facebook.com/groups/AleronKong. If you want to discuss The Land with other members of the Mist Village Mafia, join us!
Website: LitRPG.com. Come check out custom artwork from The Land, find awesome loot and find more LitRPG. Includes a link to the author's Patreon page: "I am an indie author, meaning no publisher. If you would like access to early chapters of unreleased books or even to have yourself written into the books, check out my Patreon. Help me make more books!"
Instagram: @LitRPGBooks
Twitter: @LitRPGBooks
©2016 Tamori Publications (P)2017 Tamori Publications

2. eBook/Kindle (NG2018)

The Last Woman in the Forest
by Diane Les Becquets
I am looking forward to this psychological thriller.
Source: 2018 NetGalley.
From the national bestselling author of Breaking Wild, here is a riveting and powerful thriller about a woman whose greatest threat could be the man she loves.…
Marian Engström has found her true calling: working with rescue dogs to help protect endangered wildlife. Her first assignment takes her to northern Alberta, where she falls in love with her mentor, the daring and brilliant Tate. When they’re separated on another assignment, she’s shattered to learn of his tragic death. Before long, Marian discovers disturbing inconsistencies about Tate’s life, and begins to wonder if the man she loved could have been responsible for the unsolved murders of at least four women.
Hoping to clear Tate’s name, Marian reaches out to a retired forensic profiler who’s haunted by the open cases. But as Marian relives her relationship with Tate and circles ever closer to the truth, evil stalks her every move.…

3. ADE/PC (NG2019)

Quinn's Promise Rock: No Matter Where, God Is Always There
by Christie Thomas and Sydney Hanson
This looks like a book I will really like.
Source: 2018 NetGalley.
Help Your Child Grab Hold of God's Promises
Quinn, the thoughtful little owl, has a lot of worries and questions for her father.
"What if I get lost?"
"What if you dive and I don't notice?"
"What if you get too far ahead of me and I can't find you?"
Written for children experiencing moments of separation anxiety or other common fears, Quinn's Promise Rock reminds kids that God will always be there for them, whatever happens or wherever they go. Share this comforting truth with your child today.

I'm sure I'll start another audio but I haven't decided which title yet.


January 26, 2019 - I am staying up to date with the One Year Bible plan reading through You Version App.
I enjoyed a 5 day reading plan this week: GOD + GOALS: How To Set Goals As A Christian.
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 three reviews. That moves me to 4 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 at 6 unread from November to date plus 4 old titles (2012!) that I might get read this year. I still 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 new review books again but I received a nice gift.
I picked up two Audible daily deals and then bought six titles on Rewind Daily Deal.  
I also selected one free Audible title and my 2nd free Audible Original.
I didn't purchase any Kindle paid titles and I only picked up 4 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

I recently reviewed When Spring Comes to the DMZ
by Uk-Bae Lee
Plough Publishing very generously gifted me a print copy which arrived Saturday.
I am excited to share it with my grandchildren.

Won

NONE

Purchased

I picked up two Audible Daily Deals:
1/23/19 Daily Deal $2.95
Bluff
By: Michael Kardos
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 04-03-18


1/24/2019 Daily Deal $2.95
The Event
By: Nathan Hystad
Narrated by: Luke Daniels
Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 07-24-18


Then there was a sale:
1/27/19 Audible Daily Deal Rewind Sale  - Six Titles for $16.78
Three titles for $3.95 each
A Man Called Ove
By: Fredrik Backman
Narrated by: George Newbern
Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
Release date: 12-29-13

Will Save the Galaxy for Food
By: Yahtzee Croshaw
Narrated by: Yahtzee Croshaw
Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins
Release date: 02-14-17

Burying Water
By: K. A. Tucker
Narrated by: Josh Goodman, Elizabeth Louise
Length: 11 hrs
Release date: 10-07-14


$1.99 Not Alone
By: Craig A. Falconer
Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
Length: 22 hrs and 59 mins
Release date: 08-09-16

$1.95 My Sister's Grave
By: Robert Dugoni
Narrated by: Emily Sutton-Smith
Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins
Release date: 11-01-14

$.99 The Highwayman
A Longmire Story
By: Craig Johnson
Narrated by: George Guidall
Length: 3 hrs and 43 mins
Release date: 05-17-16

Free

1/21/19 Audible Free
The Other America - A Speech from The Radical King (Free)
By: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Cornel West - editor
Narrated by: Wanda Sykes
Length: 25 mins
Release date: 02-01-18


1/27/19 - 2nd Audible Original Free title:
The Man on the Mountaintop
An Audible Original Drama
By: Susan Trott, Libby Spurrier - adaptor
Narrated by: Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Clare Corbett, Rachel Atkins, Jeff Harding, David Thorpe
Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
Release date: 11-09-17

I only added 4 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.