Sunday Post January 5, 2020/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday January 6, 2020

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.

Hubby and I enjoyed our visit up north but we are glad to be home now.
Fortunately I was able to (mostly) get past my sore throat and head cold in three days and nights.

Our family trees generally include a train. :-)

Our son is responsible for this set now.

The temperatures in Illinois remained mild (mid 30s to mid 50s) and now we are home with high (hopefully) 30s to low 70s.

I enjoyed my reading and listening this past week although I had several books going. I finished two audiobooks.   I posted five reviews and my usual memes.

I only visited 13 blogs last week (between grandkids and cold).
Shout Out this week to BEACHWOOD SCHOOLHOUSE. Candice is a blogger, homeschooler and shares some 5 star reads to end 2019.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post December 29, 2019/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday December 30, 2019.

• First Book of the Year 2020: The Possibility of America by David Dark.

• A2019- Audible Book Review: 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, Once Upon a Dickens Christmas, Book 1, by Michelle Griep; Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Victorian; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

• eBA2019- Book Review: The Lady Lassoes an Outlaw: Western Historical by Charlene Raddon; Genre: Western Romance; My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway January 3, 2019. Open Worldwide. Ending 1/9/2020.

• ATBR-Audible Book Review: Morning Star by Pierce Brown; Genre: Colonization Sci Fi, Dystopian, Fantasy, Sci Fi; My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 5.0; Narration 5.0.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: Disney Junior Storybook Collection; Genre: Children's; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.25.

• NG2019- #NetGalley Book Review: The Ultimate Guide to the 2020 Election: 101 Nonpartisan Solutions to All the Issues that Matter by Ryan Clancy, Margaret White; Genre: Human Rights, Political Advocacy; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement January 5, 2020.

Finished Reading:

1. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

Disney Junior Storybook Collection
Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Mickey/Minnie, Henry Hugglemonster
By: Disney Book Group
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
Length: 1 hr and 54 mins
My granddaughter and I enjoyed listening to this
(while I fell asleep for nap).
Source: 8/2//2017 Audible Book Sale $1.95.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

The Green Ember
By: S. D. Smith
Narrated by: Joel Clarkson
Series: The Green Ember, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 02-04-15 
My son encouraged me to read this series.
Source: Sharing with my son's Audible.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:

2. eBook/Kindle (NG2019)

The Possibility of America
How the Gospel Can Mend Our God-Blessed,
God-Forsaken Land
by David Dark
At 30% I was disappointed. At 50% I am still waiting.
I chose this as my First Book for 2020.
SOURCE: 2019 NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audio/Smartphone in Car (A2019)

The Oracle
The Jubilean Mysteries Unveiled
By: Jonathan Cahn
Narrated by: Michael Beck
Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
Release date: 11-07-19
This is really remarkable!
I had been listening with hubby in the car but suspect that I will go on to finish this before he does.
Source: 2019 November Audible Credit.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

Mission Pack 1: Black Ocean Mission Pack, Missions 1-4
By: J.S. Morin
Narrated by: Mikael Naramore
Series: Black Ocean, Book 1-4
Length: 20 hrs and 50 mins
I am working on some longer audios, although I might listen to only book 1 right now. We'll see.
Source: April 2017 $1.99 Audible Purchase.
Publisher's Summary
Science to build a starship. Wizardry to take it past light speed. A crew to give it a soul.
The Mobius is a cobbled-together ship with a matching crew. Captain Carl Ramsey is an ex-Earth Navy pilot whose crew won't let him fly his own ship. The pilot is his ex-wife, the mechanic is a drunk, and the chief of security is from a predatory species. Instead of a star-drive to travel through the astral space between worlds, the ship's wizard does it by hand.
Mission 1: Salvage Trouble
A salvage mission turns into a rescue, and no good deed goes unpunished. With two refugees onboard, the Mobius crew is hounded by bounty hunters, border patrols, and corporate enforcers.
Mission 2: A Smuggler's Conscience
"Don't open the package." It's the smuggler's credo for good reason. When the Mobius crew takes a peek at their illicit cargo, the entire job takes an about-face.
Mission 3: Poets and Piracy
The Mobius crew gets caught in a turf war between a pirate fleet and a galactic criminal syndicate. The trick is getting everyone out alive (and maybe getting paid in the process).
Mission 4: To Err is Azrin
Sometimes, you can't go home again. When a job takes the crew to their security chief's homeworld, she gets dragged into a familial power struggle. Can the rest of the crew bail her out of an old feud gone horribly wrong?
©2015 J.S. Morin (P)2016 J.S. Morin

4. eBook/Kindle (eB2019)

An Endless Christmas: A Novella
by Cynthia Ruchti
I am reading this for Ladies Book Club meeting 1/11/2020. (Put on hold for The Possibility of America but I expect to finish by week's end.)
Source: Print books from Christianbooks.com; ebook from Amazon $3.95.
Click on book title for full description.

January 5, 2020 - I have started another year of devotions and readings with the One Year Bible plan through You Version App. I considered changing but this is the reading group that is closest to my husband's reading so we can sometimes discuss the same passages.
I am reading a 15-day plan New Year, New Mercies to start the New Year!

I completed two books and posted five reviews. I have 1 review to post for 2019 and then I am current.
My NetGalley shelf is now at 19, plus the four titles from 2012-13 which are now planned for 2020.
That is a total of 23 which will go toward NetGalley and TBR and 18 Alphabet letters.
I have two author titles carried into January 2020.
Still many titles 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 received six NetGalley review titles.
I found one free Audible but haven't chosen any others yet.
I purchased one Kindle to go with my NetGalley titles.
I added 36 free kindle titles this week. (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

NetGalley selections (I was working on filling my alphabet goal with NetGalley titles):
Received 2019
Coding Capers 
by Angela Cleveland and Tamara Zentic
Illustrated by Juan Manuel Moreno (Released 21 Nov 2019)



Honor in an Age of Metal and Men
by Anthony W. Eichenlaub (Released 05 Dec 2019)
"War blazes all around, but it's not J.D.'s war. Not this time."
This is Book 3 so I picked up book 1 for $.99.



Reimagining Mr. Right
by Wynter Daniels (Releasing 07 Jan 2020)
"But when Levi starts to fall for the beautiful Sydney, he wonders if he’s making the worst mistake of his life by being her would-be Cyrano de Bergerac."
Book six of the series but I am thinking these may have separate plots.


Requested 2019 but Received 2020
A Tangle of Brungles
by Shobha Viswanath and Culpeo Fox (Illustrator) (Released 28 Aug 2018)
"The book is a hilarious twist on collective nouns."




Who Rescued Who
by Victoria Schade (Releasing 24 Mar 2020)
"As Elizabeth's brief visit to Fargrove turns into an extended stay, she discovers that she has more in common with the new puppy than she realized."
I saw this at Bookfan and immediately wanted to get it. Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley.

Quack
by Anna Humphrey (Releasing 01 Apr 2020)
"...Shady, Pouya, and their diaper-wearing duck are working to help all of the underdogs (or is it underducks?) at their school--and there are many."

Won

NONE

Purchased

Justice in an Age of Metal and Men: Metal and Men, Book 1
by Anthony W. Eichenlaub
I thought I would start with Book 1 since I have Book 3.

Free

One Free Audible:
1/2/2020 Audible Free
West Cork: Aftershow
By: Sam Bungey, Jennifer Forde, Jesse Baker
Length: 31 mins
Release date: 05-09-18
Language: English

I added 36 free Kindle titles to my Kindle library. 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 5, 2020

I remained home this morning as I don’t want to share any remaining bug issues I have, and I am aware that many church members are sick too. I am drawing on a message shared in Sunday School in September. The message was from Judges 6 and 7 about Gideon.

Gideon was not a brave warrior. “Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites” Judges 6:11. Gideon was full of excuses. “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” Judges 6:15.

God replied: The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” Judges 6:16.

Throughout the Bible and throughout history, God calls those who will respond: examples are Oskar Schindler (a German industrialist and a member of the Nazi Party who is credited with saving the lives of 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust); Kathryn Kuhlman (an American evangelist known for hosting healing services); Kurt Warner (a football player who founded First Things First Foundation); and Billy Graham (an American evangelist known among the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century. All of these people acknowledged that they did not give up but trusted through their faith.

God equips the called. He will be with you. He always wins when He leads the battle. You can trust God to be with you.

I like this song for this message and to start a New Year.

Judges 6:14 and 16 (NIV)
14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

#NetGalley Book Review: The Ultimate Guide to the 2020 Election: 101 Nonpartisan Solutions to All the Issues that Matter by Ryan Clancy, Margaret White

I enjoyed reading the suggested practical solutions.

The Ultimate Guide to the 2020 Election: 101 Nonpartisan Solutions to All the Issues that Matter
by Ryan Clancy, Margaret White

File Size: 1407 KB
Print Length: 272 pages.
Publisher: Diversion Books (October 29, 2019)
Language: English
ASIN: B07TLYYMD3
Genre: Human Rights, Political Advocacy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.

Will Donald Trump’s Southern Border Wall actually make our country safer? How much will Bernie Sanders’s and Elizabeth Warren’s Medicare for All plan really cost American taxpayers? Can Cory Booker’s and Kamala Harris’s ideas for debt-free college revive the American dream?
You’ll find the answers in this book. With the 2020 US presidential election looming, the emerging contest doesn’t seem so much a battle of ideas as it does a war of two tribes bent on the other’s destruction. The Far Left and Far Right increasingly dominate and drive America’s political debate, leaving a majority of Americans feeling left out and left behind. The Ultimate Guide to the 2020 Election gives a voice to this majority and provides an unbiased education on the true nature of the problems America faces on several key issues, including:
• Health Care
• Energy & Climate Change
• Infrastructure
• Big Tech & Privacy
• The American Dream
• Immigration
• The National Debt
• Gun Safety
Beyond these policy issues, No Labels senior advisors Ryan Clancy and Margaret White present ideas for rescuing American democracy itself. Complete with sample questions for the 2020 presidential candidates and an inclusive Unity Agenda that addresses concerns on both sides of the aisle, this nonpartisan political handbook should be required reading for all US voters.

Review:
The book identifies clear domestic policy issues (not much on trade and foreign issues)), setting forth specific candidate proposals and stated positions from the left and the right. The authors then propose some viable solutions. Whether the reader agrees fully with the solutions, there is open discussion and responsible and workable compromises. The guide also offers questions directed specifically to President Trump, questions directed specifically to the Democratic presidential candidates and then questions for all of the candidates.

The presentation is well documented and provides open views for citizens and journalists who may have a sincere interest in seeking to focus on clear candidate positions. Although The Ultimate Guide is not a one-stop resource and doesn’t always find a place of common ground, it is at least an effort to open discussions on some of the issues.

I had never heard of the No Labels group but I appreciate this approach. I did not find any clear, gross bias, either toward the left or right. Too often the public is presented with clearly biased positions from authors or news outlets who are not willing to allow open dialogue. This book is a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend this as an excellent resource while watching debates and preparing to vote in 2020.

Source: 2019 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2019NetGalley goal.

Audible Book Review: Disney Junior Storybook Collection

My granddaughter and I enjoyed listening to this (while I fell asleep for nap).
Disney Junior Storybook Collection
Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Mickey/Minnie, Henry Hugglemonster
By: Disney Book Group
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 1 hr and 54 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 08-19-16
Language: English
Publisher: Disney
Genre: Children's
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Explore Enchancia with Sofia the First, and sail the Never Sea with Jake and his crew. Help Doc diagnose her toy patients; hang out at the Clubhouse with Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of the gang; and have a roarsome time with Henry Hugglemonster! This fun-filled book features 18 stories starring your favorite Disney Junior pals!
©2016 Disney Book Group (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
I purchased this audiobook with my grandchildren in mind. Our seven year old knows all of the characters and I met some new ones. We enjoyed sharing quiet time as we listened to several stories at a time. Many of the stories shared a good moral which we discussed briefly (for the times I remained awake).

I recommend this to parents with children or grandchildren who could enjoy reading by listening to some of the stories they can find on TV and books. The length of each story fit well into a 20-30 minute setting for a week of sharing.

Audio Notes: Emily Woo Zeller did a great job narrating each story. The delivery is clear and in a storytelling voice that worked for the variety of characters. I enjoyed the listening experience.

Source: 8/2//2017 Audible Book Sale $1.95. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Morning Star by Pierce Brown

There is lots of trauma and excitement in this originally planned trilogy conclusion!

Morning Star
By: Pierce Brown
Narrator: Tim Gerard Reynolds

Series: Red Rising, Book 3
Length: 21 hrs and 50 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 02-09-16
Language: English
Publisher: Recorded Books
Genre: Colonization Sci Fi, Dystopian, Fantasy, Sci Fi
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 5.0; Narration 5.0.

Publisher's Summary
Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society's mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within.
Finally, the time has come.
But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied - and too glorious to surrender.
©2016 Pierce Brown (P)2016 Recorded Books

Review: (Mild Spoilers)
In the opening chapters, Darrow suffers through mania during solitary captivity. He faces confusion and worse when the box is finally opened and he lies completely humiliated before his enemies, including former friends, now brutal enemy Jackal and mocking Cassius. Then to his surprise, he receives unexpected aid to escape.

Darrow is brought back to health to continue the heart-aching and dangerous rebellion. He still has a handful of friends at his side although some earlier friends have become enemies and it isn’t always clear who might still betray him. Through one near-death experience after another, he faces the continuing possibility that he will lose more friends as the war against the better-equipped Golds escalates.

There are moments of great suspense and sorrow with small triumphs that bridge into the next stage of bitter, gruesome deprivation that accompanies war. Darrow will have to inspire several other levels of society, many slaved Obsidians, Pinks, and Blues, to support the challenge for equality if he wants a chance to win for his own people, the oppressed Reds.

The characters are well developed and wonderfully complex. There is terrible, twisted evil and some surprises. I totally enjoyed the suspense, intrigue and even the dark trauma in this story. Originally this was to be the conclusion but there are two additional books that have been added to the series. My son indicated that I don’t have to start those right away but I was very glad to read/listen to this one while we were visiting as he was eager to share the excitement with me. I highly recommend the first three books for fans of dystopian fantasy.

Audio Notes: Tim Gerard Reynolds does an amazing job with the narration. He captures the complex characters and gives them voices that fit their personalities. It is a rich listening experience.

Source: March 2018 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.