Sunday Post March 27, 2022/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday March 28, 2022

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.

I have multiple files to work on-- I am pushing to keep up.

Hubby continues to make it to church events but has had continued dizziness so he has to be cautious. 

We still have scraggly trees since Hurricane Michael in 2018.
Our former yard crew poisoned our azaleas, blueberry bushes, and most of our roses.
I was pleased to notice the white flowers on this little tree that survived the hurricane and the lawn crew.

I continue to pray for the people and situation in Ukraine and for world leaders.
.

Today was a beautiful sunny day and we expect four days in the 80s before rain on Thursday.

I was happy with my reading and listening again last week.  I finished three audiobooks and made progress in the eBook. I posted three reviews and my usual memes.

I visited 20 blogs last week.
Shout Out this week to THE NERDY NOOK. Jessica fits right in with the Mailbox Monday crowd as “a lover of books, coffee, and good food.”

Audible offerings for free children's titles ended June 30, 2021.
Audiobooks.com is still sharing some free listens for children.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post March 20, 2022/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday March 21, 2022.

• ATBR: Audible Book Review: The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill; Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Middle Grade; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

• ebTBR: Book Review: The Fair (Time Box #2) by John A. Heldt; Genre: Historical Fiction, Time Travel Romance; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 25, 2022. Open Worldwide. Ending 3/31/2022.

• ATBR: Audible Book Review: Zero Tolerance by Jonathan Maberry; Genre: Horror, Suspense, Zombie; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.5

• Sunday Words of Encouragement March 27, 2022.

Finished Reading:

1. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
The Wingfeather Saga, Book 1
By: Andrew Peterson
Narrated by: Andrew Peterson
Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 01-05-21
This is creative and a good story to share with children.
Source: 2/14/2021 January Audible Credit.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

On the Duty of Civil Disobedience
By: Henry David Thoreau
Narrated by: Jim Killavey
Length 1h 3m
This essay is timely even 173 years from when it was written.
Source: August 2021 Free Kindle and Audible for $.49.
Publisher's Summary
This essay by Thoreau first published in 1849, argues that individuals should not permit governments to overrule their consciences. It goes on to say that individuals have a duty to avoid allowing the government to make them the agents of injustice. The quote: "That government is best which governs least," sometimes attributed to Thomas Jefferson or Thomas Paine, actually was first found in this essay. Thoreaus' thoughts were motivated by his disgust with slavery and the Mexican-American War but they are still relevant and resonate today.
Public Domain (P)2011 Jimcin Recordings

3. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Crucible: A Max Ahlgren Story
By: Ryan W. Aslesen
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
Series: Crucible, Book 0
Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
This is a quick military story to introduce the primary character.
It portrays a very sad state of military politics.
Source: 7/19/2021 Free download from Audible Plus Catalog.
Publisher's Summary
The War on Terror provides the backdrop for the thriller that introduces the roots of ultimate antihero, Max Ahlgren.
Captain Max Ahlgren is proud to be one of the first team commanders in the Marine Corps’ nascent MARSOC detachment. Finally, the Corps’ elite warriors are working alongside those of other branches, battling insurgents, not on the front lines but behind them.
After his first mission, however, Max learns he will be replaced as team commander. The new commander, Major Whitbeck, comes from 8th and I: Marine Barracks, Washington DC. His late father, a revered general, died in a terrorist car bombing. The commander is in Afghanistan for vengeance - and redemption. When the team infiltrates the ancient desert fortress of Kazindrak, hunting an elusive Al-Qaeda terrorist, Whitbeck reveals his ineptitude in combat.
Max’s fury grows as the body count rises. When the actual nature of the mission is revealed, Max gets a good look at the sordid underbelly of the War on Terror and sees firsthand what monsters men can become. If he is to survive, however, he may have no choice but to become one. Sometimes the greatest enemy is within.
©2018 Ryan W. Aslesen (P)2021 Podium Audio

Currently Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle App on Smartphone (Author2021)

Chinook (Miranda Chase NTSB #6)
by M.L. Buchman
I feel like this is moving well. I am at 20%.
Source: March 2021 from Author (through BookFunnel).
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Invasion: Alien Invasion, Book 1
By: Sean Platt , Johnny B. Truant
Narrated by: Ray Porter
Series: Alien Invasion (Platt/Truant), Book 1
It was time for a sci fi although this turned out more anticipating first contact than sci fi. It moved quickly and I expect to finish by Monday.
This is an "I" title for my series alphabet goal.
Source: 3/22/21 Sci Fi title from Audible Plus.
Publisher's Summary
They are coming. The countdown has begun.
First visible only as blips on a telescope image, the discovery of objects approaching from Jupiter's orbit immediately sets humanity on edge. NASA doesn't even bother to deny the alien ships' existence. The popular Astral space app (broadcasting from the far side of the moon and accessible by anyone with Internet) has already shown the populace what is coming. So the news has turned from evasion to triage, urging calm and offering the few facts they have:
The objects are enormous, perfectly round spheres numbering in the dozens, maybe hundreds. They are on an approach vector for Earth. And they will arrive in six days.
©2015 Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant (P)2015 Podium Publishing

3. Audio Smartphone (ATBR)

Hide and Seek
By Mary Burton
Narrated By: Christina Traister
Duration: 9 h 57 min
I like this author and this is an “H” title not in a series. Source: 9/22/19 Audiobooks.com Two for One Credit.
Summary:
She’s hunting. He’s watching.
Special Agent Macy Crow is a survivor. After a vicious hit-and-run nearly kills her, she gets right back to work, and now she’s gunning for a spot on the FBI’s elite profiling team. As an audition, she offers to investigate the recently discovered bones of Tobi Turner, a high school girl who disappeared fifteen years ago.
While investigating with local sheriff Mike Nevada, a former colleague and onetime lover, Macy discovers a link between Tobi’s case and several others that occurred around the same time as her disappearance. As Macy interviews victims and examines old cases, she uncovers a sinister picture of a stalker who graduated to sexual assault—and then murder.
Macy and Nevada race to put this monster behind bars before he can come out of hiding. But the murderer’s had years to hone his skills, and soon Macy herself becomes a target. She’s no stranger to pain and terror, but will Macy’s first profiling case be her last?

March 27, 2022 - These videos are really good - they help me retain more and help explain plot narrative as well as the underlying story of Jesus. Bible Reading Plan: BibleProject | One Story that Leads to Jesus. I know it won't match my Hubby's reading but I wanted some different insights/devotions and I am enjoying the devotion video project. I am enjoying keeping up with my reading each day.
No new study although I will probably start looking at an Easter Study soon.

I completed three books for review this week.
My NetGalley shelf is back to the three old ebook titles. I will probably end up letting A Place Called Armageddon go as DNF.
I am reading the last eBook title I had in queue.
(Plus a few that I received from facebook links and newsletter sign-ups, not specific review requests.)
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: Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, me and new to the team, Velvet at vvb32reads. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

No new review books.
I added my March VIP free audiobook at Audiobooks.com and two titles through a 2 for 1 credit.
6 books added to my Kindle TBR library again.

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

NONE

Won

NONE

Purchased

3/26/2022 March Audiobooks.com 2 for 1 Deal:

Some Danger Involved
Author Will Thomas
Narrator: Antony Ferguson
Duration: 9 h 29 min
I like the sound and the sample on this historical crime fiction.

Breakthrough
Author Michael C. Grumley
Narrator: Scott Brick
Duration: 10 h 4 min
Compared to Clive Cussler, a suspense author, and The Abyss which is a movie we like.

Free

3/26/2022 March Audiobooks.com VIP pick:

Crimson Phoenix
Author John Gilstrap
Narrator: Kate Forbes
Duration: 11 h 51 min
I want to try this Post-apocalyptic.



I added 6 free Kindle titles to my library this week:
Memoirs of a Time Traveler (Time Amazon Book 1)
Doug Molitor

Murder by the Cup: a witch, paranormal cozy mystery (Le Doux Mysteries Book 1)
Abigail Lynn Thornton

Colony One (The Elderon Chronicles Book 1)
Tarah Benner

Eclipse (Dawnbringer, Book 1 prequel)
Elon Vidal

Kilenya Chronicles Books 1-3
Andrea Pearson

Her Unexpected Roommate: a small town, sweet romance (Bulbs, Blossoms and Bouquets Book 1) by Laura Ann

6 Free titles again this week. Free titles often found at Bookbub, Bookfun, Book Adrenaline, Ereader News Today, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement March 27, 2022

We continued our study in Revelation during Sunday School as our teacher reminded us to “Be rapture ready at all times.” We then enjoyed good worship, singing (among other songs) Good, Good Father. A Word of God was shared encouraging us to seek Him and assuring us He would be with us when we seek Him. Our interim Pastor noted: “Jesus is real. Invite Him in.”

Pastor then continued his sermon series on “What Have You Lost?”
He reminded us of the last two lessons from Luke 14 25-35, and he reviewed the six principles he set forth last week. Then Pastor continued in Luke 15. When Jesus engaged with new people, the Pharisees murmured/complained.

Last week Pastor covered the lost sheep in Luke15:3-7. He stated that the mission of the Church (all churches) is to go after the lost. Mark 16:15. But he is concerned that too many churches are built for the 99 who are already saved instead of reaching out to the one that is lost.

Are too many of us self-righteous or self-indulgent? Have we lost our passion for the lost? Jesus continues to seek the lost.

Pastor then shared the second parable of the woman who lost a coin in her own home. Luke 15:8-10. The coin was a drachma or equivalent of a days wage. And she lost one of ten or 10% of her money. It is not a money issue, but lost means because the big picture is lost people. Our means is tied to His mission. Our means are the foundation for funding the mission! All resources belong to God. We all probably have too many things at home gathering dust.

Lost coins can't accomplish their purpose, that is why it is important to find them.
People are hurting financially. Our country is 32 trillion in debt; four out of ten families do not have enough for a $400.00 emergency. The congregations’ tithes and offerings fund the mission. We need to be aware of waste, but some people do not give their tithe to the church. Malachi 3:8. Some argue that the Old Testament was part of the law and done away with by the coming of Christ. But first, the law is being fulfilled by Christ, and second, the principle of tithing existed long before Malachi.

Genesis 14:19-20 tells how Abraham gave a tithe of all that he recovered to the priest, Melchizedek. How did Abraham know? God may have instructed Adam and Eve, as Genesis 4:3 tells us that their sons brought offerings. Or God may have given direct instructions to Abraham.
.
New Testament also tells us to support the church: 1 Corinthians 16:1-3; 2 Corinthians 8:2-7; 2 Corinthians 9:6-12; and Mark 12:41-44.

Tithing is a Biblical principle. Tithes and offerings help to fulfill the Mission of God. The money is not mine! Have we lost the Mission? Have we lost the means? We don’t give gifts to get anything but to further His Mission.

I found this song called “Offering” that speaks to 'all I have is His.'

Verses for Today:
Malachi 3:8-10 NIV
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.


Thank you, Heavenly Father, for so many gifts and blessings. Make me mindful to always return a portion of Your gifts to help Your Mission!

Audible Book Review: Zero Tolerance by Jonathan Maberry

A quick listen and more ‘worse than a zombie’ action in this gritty series.

Zero Tolerance
By: Jonathan Maberry
Narrated by: Ray Porter

Series: Joe Ledger, Book 1.1
Length: 44 mins
Release date: 07-14-11
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Horror, Suspense, Zombie
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
This sequel to Patient Zero brings Joe Ledger back into action.
Zero Tolerance picks up a few weeks after the close of Maberry’s action-thriller Patient Zero. Dropping back into the world of former Baltimore cop Joe Ledger, the Department of Military Sciences, and flesh-eating zombies, fans of the series will finally see the tying up of a few loose ends.
©2010 Jonathan Maberry (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Joe Ledger and his team have to stay ready to fight the new monsters that have been unleashed – flesh-eating and aware zombies. Intelligence has determined that the first encounter and capture was only one of a pair of monsters created to take infect and destroy the ‘infidels’. A report comes in from a team in combat that they have found evidence of more monsters. Ledger and his team are flown onsite to investigate and, more importantly, eliminate the threat.

After finding a buried science lab one of his teams goes silent and Ledge suspects they have found what they are looking for. He leads his remaining team into the trouble and they find more than they quiet expected, especially considering the involvement of military men.

This is another quick story full of action, swearing and violence. I wouldn’t want to listen to a steady stream of this, but it is the nature of the series. I happen to like military action and don’t mind the gory parts. I have to overlook the language as best I can. So far, I have read two novellas in the series and there are more that are free through Audible Plus. I have to decide if I want the first full book which is 14 hours. Different readers will either want to read more or find something that suits them better. I will continue with the novellas for now.

Audio Notes: Ray Porter is an excellent narrator and helps to carry the grit of the story. I am more than happy to enjoy Porter’s narration so that adds to my wanting to listen.

Source: December 2021 free on Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

#FraterfestRat Audible Book Review: Countdown: A Prequel Story to Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry   My Rating 4.25

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 25, 2022

Happy Friday and HAPPY SPRING IS HERE!
TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK.
I've had another busy week.. not sure when it will slow down.

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 18, 2022 Pick. There was no automatic win last week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There were no titles blocked last week.

CONGRATULATIONS to:
Random.org picked Winners from March 18, 2022 Pick:
NATALIJA gets a GC
AND
MIKI 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.}

  Time to encourage blooming... with books!
Image found at Nancy Palugo on Pinterest

New Book Box #95 November 7, 2021

I'll add the titles through the week (16 including 2 doubles, 1 pair).
(on top) (Two) Rancher's Wild Secret and Hold Me Cowboy by Maisey Yates
(on top) Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl
(Two) The Taming & The Conquest by Jude Deveraux
(Pair) Dreaming of You and Promises of Dreams by Lisa Kleypas
My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth
Love's Surprise by Karen Ball
Manhunt by Wayne Barton and Stan Williams - Audio CDs
What We Find by Robyn Carr
Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
The Hollows by Ben Larken
Robbie Taggart: Highland Sailor by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella
Storm Sisters: Friends Through All Seasons by Afton Rovrik (Hardback)
After the Light by Kimberly Clark Sharp (Hardback)


New Book Box #94 May 28, 2021 (10 books)

Three Audio CD Books:
Web of Evil by J.A. Jance
One Good Deed by David Baldacci
Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts
SINGLE TITLES
Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
The Hidden Heart by Laura Kinsale
A Summer of Firsts by Susan Wiggs and Sarah Morgan
Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane
Christmas on 4th Street: An Anthology by Susan Mallery
The Stranger by Harlan Coben
Vortex by Robert Charles Wilson

New Book Groups #92 and #93 November 13, 2020.
#92 (15 books):

A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverley
The Tender Stranger by Carolyn Davidson
Her Wedding Wish by Jillian Hart
Heart's Desire by Ruth Ryan Hagan
The Deputy's Duty by Terri Reed
Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs

Box #93 (14 books)

Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwyn Cready
There's Only Been You by Donna Marie Rogers (personally signed)
For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
The Irish Bride by Alexa Harrington
When We Met by Susan Mallery
Anne of Green Gables by Montgomery
All of Me by Lori Wilde

New Book Group #91 October 2, 2020 - Suspense themed

SINGLES: Ten books in this box:
Fight or Flight by Natalie J. Damschroder
The Sinister Pig by Tony Hillerman Audiobook

PICK TWO  your choice (listed below the picture) Nora Roberts:

Born in Fire Audiobook Cassettes
Montana Sky
Valley of Silence
Inner Harbor and
Chesapeake Blue


New Book Group #90 June 19, 2020
Quite a few mysteries in this box.

SINGLES:
Alias by Smy J. Fetzer
Hot Sex by Janet Evanovich (Audio cassettes)

New Book Group #89 March 6, 2020

Singles:
My Surrender by Connie Brockway
How to Tame a Modern Rogue by Diana Holoquist
Phoenix by A.J. Scudiere

New Book Group #88 November 8, 2019

Singles:
A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp
Dawn of Redemption by Starla Childs

New Book Group #87 August 23, 2019

SINGLES:
Captain's Paradise by Kay Hooper
Open Season by Linda Howard AUDIO CASSETTES

New Book Group #86 June 7, 2019
Another group of variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
A Question of God's Balance (Vol 1) by Joseph Thek
King by Right of Blood and Might by Anna L. Walls

New Book Group #85 March 22, 2019
A variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
Summer Skies by Judith Christenberry
Windfall (two stories) by JoAnn Ross
Daddy's Little Cowgirl (two stories) by Judith Bowen and Kimberly Raye
The Forever Year, Cold Pursuit, Lover's Lane and Temporary Sanity (Reader's Condensed)
ToxiCity by Libby Fischer Hillmann

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

SINGLES:
A Family for Thanksgiving
On this Holy Night
Christmas Haven
King Harold's Snow Job

New Book Group #83 November 30, 2018

(Starting bottom left and continuing up then down)
SINGLE
Seductive Secrets by Lynne Connolly
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich - Audio Cassettes
A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein Audio Cassettes
Three 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

SINGLES:
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Killing Time by Linda Howard
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018
All Gone

New Book Group #80 August 17, 2018

Note: The Final Judgment and
The Book of Fate are Audio Cassettes
SINGLES:
Summer’s Moon by Lacey Baker
The Final Judgment by Richard North PattersonAudio Cassettes
Firebird by Janice Graham
No Getting Over a Cowboy by Delores Fossen
The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer 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)
Dakota Child by Linda Ford
Calling the Shots by Ellen Hartman
Promises, Promises by Amber Miller
This Time for Keeps by Jenna Mills
A Daughter’s Legacy by Virginia Smith
Another Man’s Baby by Kay Stockham

New Book Group #78 April 27, 2018

SINGLES
Blackberry Bush
Breaking Point
A Tangled Affair
Too Wicked to Love
Roses are Red Audio Cassettes

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
The Scorpion Seducer by Bonnie Vanak
Hell On Earth by David L. Porter
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
Inhuman Condition by Clive Barker
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.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 21 titles.)
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
(*Three One more very old books from my Gothics box.)
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell
*Four One 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 TWELVE years I have posted 91 groups of mostly 16 books plus an additional 21 totaling approximately 1,535 books available to find new homes! (As of November 26, 2021).

I am happy to say that so far at least 1,393 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, TWRP, 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 faraway 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: The Fair (Time Box #2) by John A. Heldt

I enjoy this author and his time travel family adventures.
The Fair (Time Box #2)
by John A. Heldt

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08C2RMG6Q
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 30, 2020
File size ‏ : ‎ 1423 KB
Print length ‏ : ‎ 329 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction, Time Travel Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0.

Months after stealing two time machines from a madman who wants them back, the Lanes, a family of six, seek safety and contentment in 1893, the latest stop on a journey through time. While parents Mark and Mary find relief at Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition, an extravaganza of science and splendor, children Jeremy, Laura, and Ashley find romance, friendship, and thrills.
Older son Jordan, meanwhile, heads west in search of answers. Grieving the loss of a lover from 1865, he travels to Virginia City, Nevada, where he integrates himself into a storied mining community and the heart of a pretty library clerk.
Billionaire Robert Devereux could not care less. Reeling from the theft of his million-dollar devices, he sends an assassin to the past to retrieve his property and rid the world of his former business partner and his troublesome clan.
Filled with humor, heartbreak, and suspense, THE FAIR follows a modern family on the adventure of a lifetime as they navigate their way through an unforgettable year in American history.

Review:
Mark Lane and his family (wife and four children) took two time machines from 2021 in order to keep them away from harmful use by Mark’s corrupt partner, Robert. The Lanes were regrouping in 1865 until their lives got complicated with the assassination of President Lincoln. Their presence in that time and place was revealed to Robert who sent an assassin, Silas, to kill the family and retrieve the time machines. At the end of book 1, The Lane Betrayal, the family made a last-minute escape to the 1700s to throw off the search and again regroup.

Now, in book 2, the Lanes have to escape Silas again, so they travel to 1893 hoping to get lost in the crowds attending the Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition. As the parents and three children explore the wonders of the Fair and make new friends, Jordan, the eldest son, takes a train west seeking to recover after losing his second lover in a year of life changes.

Jordan makes friends with a mature female librarian from Virginia City, Clara. Rather than continuing west, Jordan detours to Virginia City where he meets Clara’s ‘adopted’ daughter, Jessie. As Jordan and Jessie share time together growing a friendship, Jeremy is growing his own romance back in Chicago. The problem for Jeremy is that his first love is out of his reach and star-crossed.

Jeremy’s twin, Laura, makes friends with a spirited Irish lass, Prudence, who is an underappreciated commercial artist working in the Women’s Building of the Fair. Their friendship and interaction, as well as Jessie’s situation in Nevada, highlight the big changes for women’s rights that exist now that didn’t exist 120 years ago.

While the young adults are busy making friends, they are not forgotten in current times by Robert who is still obsessed with retaking the machines and eliminating the family. Robert has his company staff searching for clues to locate the Lane’s location in the past. No one knows that the Lane’s have one ally in the company who continues to try to protect them. He can only do so much and is unable to prevent the clues that surface that allow Robert’s scientists to send Silas back to attack the family for the third time.

I enjoy the blend of historic, relational, and suspenseful elements this author is able to weave in his stories. The personal relationships and historical details make for an engaging story while the author skillfully maintains a thread of tension for the danger that keeps the family on edge. The danger erupts in the last 15% of the story and had me reading on edge to know what would happen. I want to get the next books to continue following the adventures and suspense surrounding this family. I recommend the series to those who enjoy strong time travel adventures that include good character building and nice romance developments.

Source: June 20, 2021 received from the author. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Alphabet, and 2022ebook reading goals.

The Lane Betrayal, Book 1 my rating 4.5