Sunday Words of Encouragement March 10, 2019

Our Sunday School teacher shared a lesson on spiritual gifts based on 1 Corinthians 12. After praise and worship our youth pastor shared this week’s message on The Bridge from Hebrews 3.

Pastor J noted that Hebrews is a letter to Jewish followers who were acing persecution and difficulties. The letter was to encourage the followers not to abandon their faith in Jesus.
Hebrews 3:1-11 establishes Christ as our hope.
Things in our day to day lives compete for our time, our energy and our faithfulness to Jesus. Things pull our attention to the temporary, away from the eternal.
Something is competing for your attention – it may be friends, social media, work, games or something else. We find ourselves struggling with circumstances.

We are God's house and Jesus is in control of the house.

Our past often completes with future. The same God who handled my past wants to do something with my future.
There is nothing in your past that compares with your life in Christ. Hebrews 3:7-19.
We need to refocus to use something in your past to push you into your future. We must keep moving forward. Hebrews 3:12-19.
Make a choice to move forward with the Bridge; with Jesus.
Identify what is competing for you. What is your Moses?

I had a couple songs in mind. I chose this - Only Jesus.

Verses for Today:
Hebrews 3:3-6 NIV
3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

Lord, I pray that you help me let go of distractions and help me focus on my future in Christ Jesus.

Sharing Beyond Books #364 Comment Giveaway March 9, 2019

Hello again and Welcome back to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
There was a pretty resounding "NO" to writing in books/margins. 11 out of 18 did acknowledge that they did make notes in textbooks, reference books or workbooks, mostly during school years. Three of us acknowledge making highlights or notes in our Bibles.

The Winner from SBB #363 comments is: #7 MYSTICA who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post. -- [12/15/18 I am pulling out some new Christmas and Love titles to add to the Win box choices. I had to move the books due to the water threat in office. I will dig them out again soon.]

**NOTE: I did post an Updated ARC and Other books for Giveaways. I have to go back and list the titles -- someday.
Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #364

(One Question.)

Faith Hope and Cherry Tea asks: Are any readers subscribed to the Audible Audiobook Romance Package? Responses or thoughts?

I have an old Audible membership with 2 credits for a reasonable price. Someday I may update the plan. I have thought about subscribing to the Romance Package but I have held off as I have lots of books on TBR and I have been listening to more Sci Fi over the past year or so.

Image found at Publishers Weekly.

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify.

Your turn to share. Faith Hope and Cherry Tea asks: Are any readers subscribed to the Audible Audiobook Romance Package? Responses or thoughts?

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday March 23, 2019 at 5 PM central.

#NetGalley Book Review: The PVC Pipe Book by Chris Peterson

This has many great projects.
The PVC Pipe Book
by Chris Peterson

Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Voyageur Press (December 18, 2018)
ISBN-13: 978-0760360897
Genre: Crafts, D-I-Y, Home
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Put that spare PVC pipe to work with more than 50 inventive, step-by-step projects that yield tough and durable storage, furniture, gardening, toys, and much more, with The PVC Pipe Book.
With a few simple fittings, common home-improvement-store PVC pipe can be treated much like building blocks. Learn to engineer it in new ways for DIY projects that prove useful indoors and outside.
Whether you're a homeowner, gardener, homesteader, prepper, or just a parent looking for some new toy ideas, the projects in The PVC Pipe Book give you plenty of options. Step-by-step instructions, parts lists, and photographs of completed projects make sure you will have fun and love the results of your work.
Projects range from simple creations like chicken feeders and waterers, to much more complex builds like a rolling workshop table.
Other projects include:
Practical creations include a step-stool, toy bin, safety gate, and gardening caddy
Fun, fanciful ideas include a rocket launcher, water table, even soccer goals
Homestead projects include a pet washer, chicken feeder, birdhouse, and hanging herb garden
For anyone who needs some insight and a few tips on working with PVC, Peterson covers all the basics, as well as finishing techniques.

Review:
This book is direct and easy to follow. Peterson opens with an interesting history of the material polyvinyl chloride. The introduction identifies fittings, types, sizes and grades. It then proceeds to a PVC toolbox indicating items that are needed or useful for projects, including zip ties and glue cement. There are explanations for working with the pipes including some homemade techniques.

There are practical projects and fun projects. Some of the projects particularly caught my interest as there were chicken feeders and waterers. The difficulty ranges from easy to medium to hard. The projects are introduced by a description of reason, purpose and summary. Then there is a detailed list of needed tools, materials and cuts that are needed. Next there are step by step instructions with many illustrations. A couple projects offer quick variations to expand the numbers of results available.

We have some unused PVC pipes and elbows in our yard and garage. I wish my Hubby was able to work on these projects; maybe my son or s-i-l could. If I had a bit more time, I might even try some of these! I certainly recommend this to those interested in D-I-Y projects. Take a look at the table of contents and you can see there are projects that can attract almost anyone.

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

Audible Book Review: Escape from Bythos by Phil Tucker

This is engaging - I've put the first full book on my Wish List.

Escape from Bythos
By: Phil Tucker
Narrated by: Noah Michael Levine

Series: Chronicles of the Black Gate, Book 0.5
Length: 1 hr and 31 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 03-13-18
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Dark Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
While listed as book 6, Escape from Bythos is actually the prequel novella to the series and can be enjoyed at any point.
How did Asho end up as Lord Kyferin's squire?
Escape from Bythos leads seamlessly into the novel The Path of Flames, detailing how Asho acquired his freedom against all odds and escaped the slave city of Bythos.
All Ennoian knights must sacrifice a single year of their lives to garrison the subterranean city of Bythos. Known as their Black Year, it is a time both loathed and dreaded. Lord Kyferin, the infamous leader of the Black Wolves, is down in the depths with six of his knights. Biding his time. Whoring. Dreaming of bloody invasions he'll launch when he is free to return to Ennoia.
Then a Bythian slave brings word of dangerous prey. A legendary monster. A cavekiller. Kyferin chooses to mount a hunt, taking a fraction of the men needed so as to increase his glory. This cavekiller, however, is different. More lethal. Ferocious. And the Bythian slave that Kyferin brings as a guide is none other than Asho's father....
©2016 Phil Tucker (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Bythos is a slave city, the bottom (subterranean) of the classes in the Ascendant Empire. Zekko is a worker who has lived under the oppressive regime wondering how his gods can allow this system. Zekko’s children, Asho and his younger sister Shaya, will soon be of age to face the Choosing process where they will be evaluated to be sent to a life of servitude in the next level or contemned to remain as a slave in Bythos.

The children seek adventure by going into a forbidden mine, where legends tell of a killing monster, the cavekiller. They are frightened back to their father to let him know that there is a living cavekiller deep in the shaft. This will require action by the Ennoian knights who are serving their year in the loathed city. Zekko seeks out Lord Kyferin who agrees to take a small force to face the cavekiller even though legends indicate that only a large group of fighters should face the monster. Kyferin directs Zekko to be the guide into the depths of the mine.

Zekko has been approached by his work friends who are recruiting to rebel against the higher realms. This has pushed Zekko into a mindset of confusion and he has to contemplate his faith and tradition. He has choices to make as he could lead the knights with protective or deadly motives. When they face the battle, Zekko makes a sacrifice that will change his life and the lives of his family.

I know (knew) nothing about this series but I like fantasies with class battles and dangerous creatures. This is a short novella that explains how Asho ends up where he is for the following books. The characters were well developed, and the world building was displayed through the lifestyles and actions of the characters. I found the story engaging and I would be willing to listen to more in the series.

Audio Notes: Noah Michael Levine does a nice job with the narration. He portrays the characters with appropriate voices and emotion. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: Audible 2019 purchase $1.95. This qualifies for 2019Audiobook Goal.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 8, 2019

Happy Friday! Achk! Third month of the year 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 March 1, 2019 Pick. There was one automatic win this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. One title was blocked but won through the block.
Becky gets the Susan Wiggs Pair.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from March 1, 2019 Pick:
SueF gets Holiday in Death (through the block).
and
Alina 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.}

I think Book Madness is Beautiful!
Image found at Hackettstown High School Library.

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:
Kisscut is Cassettes
SINGLES

Best Laid Plans
Darkness Tell Us
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 1,228+ 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!