Sunday Post March 22, 2020/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday March 23, 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.

We only had two of us in the office by the end of the week, with two out sick (ear infection and cold bug) and one on preplanned vacation. I expect to continue with less than full staff as we have other vacations planned this week as it is part of the scheduled spring break. We are taking more phone consults and only opening the doors to scheduled appointments. I am not sure what will occur if they direct nonessential businesses to close. Although we are continuing to schedule closings I think they may not consider real estate closings and legal work as "essential".
It turns out that there is a case of coronavirus in our community. We do not know the person but he is a cousin of a person we engage with at work. The family is being cautious and appears to be remaining at home.

Princess (our 12 year old 'queen') has decided that hubby's pillow is her pillow when he isn't in bed.

We had warmer and sunny weather most of the week, then heavy rain over the weekend.
May everyone stay calm and healthy in these uncertain times.

I had another good week of mostly listening. I finished two audiobooks and one ebook. I posted three reviews and my usual memes.

I visited only 14 blogs last week.
Shout Out this week to Shaz's Book Blog. Sharon and Emma share reviews. Sharon is a bookworm who tends to read women's fiction, crime fiction & psychological thrillers with the odd historical saga thrown in for good measure. Emma reads mainly women's fiction, historical timeslips & sagas.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post March 15, 2020/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday March 16, 2020.

• NG2019- #NetGalley Book Review: I've Never Been This Old Before by Stan Toler; Genre: Humor, Inspirational, Self Help; My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 13, 2020. Open Worldwide. Ending 3/26/2020.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: Rise of the Locusts: A Post-Apocalyptic Techno-Thriller (Cyber Armageddon, Book 1) by Mark Goodwin; Genre: Christian, Futuristic, Post-Apocalyptic; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

• ATBR- Audio Book Review: Light of the Last by Chuck Black; Genre: Christian Action, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 3.75.

• Sharing Beyond Books #390 Comment Giveaway March 7, 2020. Open Worldwide. Ending 3/21/2020.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement March 22, 2020.

Finished Reading:
1. Audio/MP3 (ATBR)

Olivia Twist
by Lorie Langdon
Read by Pearl Hewitt
Young Adult • 9.5 hrs. •
This is a fun read.
I bought the print book for Ladies Book Club. We are reading for discussion this next month.
Source: June 23 SYNC Audio 2019.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

Nice Dragons Finish Last
Heartstrikers, Book 1
By: Rachel Aaron
Narrated by: Vikas Adam
Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 11-18-14
I did get to really enjoy this story with a nice dragon who has to prove his worth.
Source: 10/30 Audible Daily Deal $4.95.
Click on book title for full description.

3. eBook/Kindle (NG2019)

Archangel Rising
(released January 14, 2020)
by Evan Currie
I enjoyed the strategies, space battles and tension in this second book.
Source: 2019 NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:

1. eBook/Kindle (NG2019)

Coding Capers
by Angela Cleveland and Tamara Zentic
Illustrated by Juan Manuel Moreno
(Released 21 Nov 2019)
I had hoped to start this tonight but found that the adobe digital code had expired.
I thought I had already opened the book but apparently not. 
I have ordered a print copy which I can give to my granddaughter after I read it.
Source: NetGalley 2019.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

The Queen and the Cure
The Bird and the Sword Chronicles Series, Book 2: Booktrack Edition
By: Amy Harmon
Narrated by: Steve West
Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
Release date: 06-12-18
I had forgotten how lyrical this author is. I am engaged from the moment it started.
Source: Purchased at Kindle for $.99, then Audible at $7.99.
Publisher's Summary
The Queen and the Cure: The Bird and the Sword Chronicles Series, Book 2: Booktrack Edition adds an immersive musical soundtrack to your audiobook listening experience!*
There will be a battle, and you will need to protect your heart.
Kjell of Jeru had always known who he was. He'd never envied his brother or wanted to be king. He was the bastard son of the late King Zoltev and a servant girl, and the ignominy of his birth had never bothered him. But there is more to this man than his parentage. More to this man than his blade, his size, or his skills, and all that Kjell once knew has shifted and changed. He is no longer simply Kjell of Jeru, a warrior defending the crown. Now he is a healer, one of the Gifted, and a man completely at odds with his power.
Called upon to rid the country of the last vestiges of the Volgar, Kjell stumbles upon a woman who has troubling glimpses of the future and no memory of the past. Armed with his unwanted gift and haunted by regret, Kjell becomes a reluctant savior, beset by old enemies and new expectations. With the woman by his side, Kjell embarks upon a journey where the greatest test may be finding the man she believes him to be.
*Booktrack is an immersive format that pairs traditional audiobook narration to complementary music. The tempo and rhythm of the score are in perfect harmony with the action and characters throughout the audiobook. Gently playing in the background, the music never overpowers or distracts from the narration, so listeners can enjoy every minute. When you purchase this Booktrack edition, you receive the exact narration as the traditional audiobook available, with the addition of music throughout.
©2017 Amy Harmon (P)2018 Novel Audio Inc.

3. eBook/Kindle (NG2020)

Who Rescued Who
by Victoria Schade
(Releasing 24 Mar 2020)
I am looking forward to starting this.
I saw this at Bookfan and immediately wanted to get it.
Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley.
Source: NetGalley Requested 2019 but Received 2020.
Where can you turn when the world turns against you? When Elizabeth Barnes’ life fell apart she never imagined that she’d be rescued by a new friend on four paws.
The plan was simple: Elizabeth would ignore the fact that she was unjustly fired from her dream job, fly across the pond to settle an unexpected inheritance in her father’s home country and quickly return to reclaim her position among the Silicon Valley elite.
But when Elizabeth stumbles upon an abandoned puppy, she’s shocked to realize that her brief trip to England might turn into an extended stay. Her strict itinerary is upended completely by the pup’s dogged devotion, and soon the loveable puppy helps her to connect with a tight-knit community of new friends on two legs and four, from the aunt and uncle she didn't know existed, to a grumpy coffee shop owner to two very opinionated sheep. Along the way Elizabeth is confronted by long-kept family secrets, hard truths about her former life and a new romance that might lead her to question everything she knows about love. Because sometimes rescue magic happens on both ends of the leash.

I'm keeping track of my Alphabet here as I finish the books. The cross-outs aren't easy to see, so I made the completed letters blue.
NETGALLEY: A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W X  Y  Z
AUDIO:            A  B  C  D  E  F G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W X  Y  Z

March 22, 2020 - I am again enjoying the 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 three weeks into the 41 day Lent study: Lent: With One Voice.

I completed three books and posted three reviews which keeps me up to date.
My NetGalley shelf will be at 14 now, plus the four titles from 2012-13 which I still hope to read this year.
I still have one carry over author ebook, one new audio author title, and two new author ebooks. I expect to pull one of these soon.
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.
No new review titles this week.
I picked up one Chirp title fo $.99 and used a credit for an Audiobooks.com 2 for 1 deal. 
I got one daily deal and two titles for one credit at Audible sale. I also picked one of the two free Audible Originals
I added 13 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

NONE

Won

NONE

Purchased

3/21/2020 Chirp deal $.99.
A Death at Eastwick
Written by L.C. Warman
Narrated by Brooke Myers
Release Date: October 23, 2019
Publisher: Greenleaf & Plympton
Run time: 5 hours and 4 minutes

3/21/2020 Audiobooks.com deal Two for One Credit
With You Always
By Jody Hedlund
Narrated By: Susan Hanfield
Duration: 11 h 1 min



A Dangerous Legacy
By Elizabeth Camden
Narrated By: Morgan Hallett
Duration: 10 h 43 min

Free

I added 13 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 March 22, 2020

We are in new and unusual times. One online pastor this morning shared that this may be the first time in his lifetime that Easter may be celebrated not with person to person gathering, but through technology.

My husband and I have occasionally attended church through online services. We have enjoyed visiting the church we visit in Illinois with our son's family, Grace Church. This morning, for the first time, our local church, First Assembly Church of Marianna, complying with social distancing directives, shared online rather than in person. Hubby and I had to locate the right links to get to the program but we were glad to share in the service. Not too surprising, our Pastor shared a message on the Peace that comes from God in times of trouble and stress, such as in the current coronavirus environment.

After praise songs, one of the lay leaders shared the message from Isaiah 43:1-3 (NIV)
1 But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;...


Pastor shared several a message on peace, beginning with examples of peace mentioned in the Bible.
John 16:33 NLT when Jesus tells his disciples:
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT:
6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 26:2 and 3 and verse 12 NLT:
12LORD, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you.

He also shared the story of Mark 4:35 - 41 where the disciples were caught in a storm and sought reassurance from Jesus. Jesus calmed the waves with three spoken words: "Peace! Be still!" Jesus is the source and the author of Peace. Where fear runs high, the peace of Jesus runs higher!

Here is a song that shares on this phrase: Peace, Be Still!

Verse for Today:
Mark 4:39-41 (ESV)
39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Lord, I am so very grateful that I can trust You in all circumstances because I know that You are in control!

Sharing Beyond Books #391 Comment Giveaway March 21, 2020

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB.
Thanks to everyone who commented last week.

We shared some favorite book to movie adaptations as follows: 4 Harry Potter, 3 for Lord of the Rings, 2 Hunger Games, 2 To Kill a Mockingbird; then 1 each for Disney fairy tale retellings, Of Mice and Men, Pride & Prejudice, Labor Day, The Time Traveller's Wife, and Gone With the WInd

The Winner from SBB #390 comments is #8 MaryP 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. -- [11/16/19 I plan to add some review books this week and maybe some new Christmas and Love titles as soon as I locate the box I put them in.  10/5/19 I have pulled some new books and will be adding them to the list in the next week or so.

**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 #391

(One Question.)

Nikki asks: Do you like learning about other countries/cultures from fiction books? Please share at least one book and the country(ies)/culture(s) involved.

I do enjoy learning about other cultures and countries even though that is not a particular genre I seek out. As I review my list I don't see that many, at least not set in contemporary times. Most are historic England or sometimes India and historic Westerns. I really enjoy reading Native American characters but the most recent one I read with those elements was a fantasy, Trail of Lightening. Oh! One I remember I read a year or so ago was When Spring Comes to the DMZ. I obviously could do better reading more books of other cultures.

Image found at Epic Reads.

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 1/2 book choice or $2.50 towards 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 them.
Questions in March were provided by Fredamans and Nikki who get a $2.50 credit each.

Your turn to share. Nikki asks: 4) Do you like learning about other countries/cultures from fiction books? Please share at least one book and the country(ies)/culture(s) involved.

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, April 4, 2020, at 5 PM central.

Audio Book Review: Light of the Last by Chuck Black

I really enjoyed this conclusion to a Christian story with a threat of biochemical contamination.
Light of the Last
by Chuck Black
Narrated By: Katie Leigh, Michael Orenstein, Leanne Bell

Written By: Chuck Black
Narrated By: Katie Leigh, Michael Orenstein, Leanne Bell
Publisher: Christianaudio.com
Date: May 2016
Duration: 12 hours 5 minutes
Genre: Christian Action, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 3.75.

Summary:
To Fight What Others Can’t You Must See What Others Don’t
After an accident left him temporarily blind, Drew Carter didn’t just regain his sight. He now sees what others can’t imagine–an entire spiritual realm of mighty beings at war.
Forget the gift, Drew just wants his life back. Part of that involves Sydney Carlyle, a woman he is inexplicably drawn to. When he’s offered the chance to become a CIA agent, it seems the way to redeem his past. The only problem–his visions of the supernatural realm are increasing in frequency.
It’s up to the warrior angel Validus and his hand-picked team of heavenly agents to protect the unbelieving Drew. Validus now knows that the young man is at the epicenter of a global spiritual war, and the angels must use a millennia of battle experience keep Drew alive, for the Fallen want him dead.
Surrounded by spiritual warriors and targeted by demons, Drew’s faced with an impossible decision that will forever alter the destiny of America...and his own soul.

Review:
Drew Carter has a special gift that allows him to see ‘invaders’ in a spirit realm. He has figured out there are good forces fighting evil forces but he doesn’t understand them. He just knows that he would be thought crazy if he reveals the things he’s seen. Although he saved a warehouse full of students, Drew has been arrested for attacking the FBI in his determination to get into the building and rescue Sydney. Drew is looking at a lengthy prison sentence until a man in a black suit, Mr. Ross, offers him a career with the CIA rather than prison. Drew sees this as an opportunity to serve his country like his father did.

Drew trains at the farm and tries to hide his unusual strength and speed from the trainers. Ross suspects Drew is hiding something. Through a twisted series of circumstances, Ross isolates Drew making him an undercover agent responding only to Ross. As Drew carries out his secret assignments, the spiritual warriors continue to try to protect Drew. The angels are also trying to get Drew and Sydney’s paths to cross knowing it is important for Sydney to continue to share her faith with Drew.

I enjoyed the fast-paced tension and the heavenly battle portrayed in this story. I was a little frustrated that Drew didn’t figure out sooner who the ‘invaders’ were. I was rooting for Drew and Sydney and the angels of course. I recommend this trilogy to readers who enjoy Christian suspense.

Audio Notes: Katie Leigh, Michael Orenstein, and Leanne Bell did a good job with the narration. They provided good voices and emotions. There is music in the background chapter breaks that added to the suspense nature of the story. My only difficulty with the production was that there were portions that were so quiet I couldn’t hear or decipher them. Still, I enjoyed the listening experience.

Source: 5/4/2019 Audiobooks.com two credits. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook and 2020Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Rise of the Locusts: A Post-Apocalyptic Techno-Thriller (Cyber Armageddon, Book 1) by Mark Goodwin

This is a fast-paced post-apocalyptic story.

Rise of the Locusts: A Post-Apocalyptic Techno-Thriller (Cyber Armageddon, Book 1)
By: Mark Goodwin
Narrated by: Stacey Glemboski

Series: Cyber Armageddon, Book 1
Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 01-03-19
Language: English
Publisher: Goodwin America Corp.
Genre: Christian, Futuristic, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Cyber Armageddon has come. America will not survive!
Cyber-security analyst Kate McCarthy knows something ominous is about to happen in the US banking system. She has a place to go if things get hectic, but it’s far from the perfect retreat.
When a new breed of computer virus takes down America’s financial network, chaos and violence erupt. Access to cash disappears and credit cards become worthless. Desperate consumers are left with no means to purchase food, fuel, and basic necessities. Society melts down instantly and the threat of starvation brings out the absolute worst humanity has to offer.
In the midst of the mayhem, Kate will face a post-apocalyptic nightmare that she never could have imagined. Her only reward for survival is to live another day in the gruesome new reality which has eradicated the world she once knew.
As with all works by Mark Goodwin, this book contains no profanity and no embarrassing sex scenes. However, if you're offended by conservative principles and references to Scripture, this book might not be for you.
©2018 Mark Goodwin (P)2018 Mark Goodwin.

Review:
Kate McCarthy works in cyber-security for a bank in Atlanta. The bank experiences a computer ‘glitch’ which requires a temporary shutdown. The bank officers are unhappy but trust Kate and her team to deal with the situation after she provides a detailed report of the risks and a plan to mitigate damage and find the breach. As the security team races against time to find the virus before it shuts down the bank, Kate begins to suspect that this is more than a simple virus. She believes there is a serious cyber threat that will shut down connectivity on a widespread, creating social chaos.

Kate convinces her brother to gather his wife and children to escape the city and seek shelter in their mountain cabin. They manage to escape the crowds but run into danger on the road that starts a trail of tragedy. The teens experience a range of emotions from confusion to fear to determination. Arriving at the cabin doesn’t assure safety especially when they discover their unproductive and noncontributing brother has already settled in with an unannounced guest. His thoughtless actions bring more trouble to their door. Things are going to get much more difficult while Kate and her family try to survive.

I have read other stories by Mark Goodwin and I believe he does a good job creating a realistic crisis and dangers. He develops characters of diverse natures who will have different but fitting reactions and growth. The story creates a bit of roller coaster tension as Kate and her family push from one danger to face another.

This is an easy and quick listen. I like that there is no foul language or sex. The author shares Christian faith, sometimes in an unusual way. I recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic who, as noted in the blurb, don’t mind the conservative and Christian elements. I do plan to continue the series.

Audio Notes: Stacey Glemboski does a nice job with the narration. Although I am accustomed to some of the male sci-fi narrators, Glemboski delivers the emotions and intensity well from the view of the female protagonist. I enjoyed the audio and expect to listen as I continue the series.

Source: October 2019 Two for One Credit Audible Sale. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook and 2020Alphabet goals.