Sunday Words of Encouragement April 17, 2022 Happy Resurrection Day!

I enjoyed a Resurrection Sunday School message that the empty grave and Christ’s appearing to many proves his message of hope and restoration! The sermon message was similar message. We prayed for local and world needs and issues. We welcomed more new members which is always a lovely thing!

Our (Interim) Pastor recognized that it is a Special Day and shared his sermon titled: What Has Christ Conquered? The primary scripture is 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
Pastor also noted that Resurrection is the proof of Christ's forgiveness and promise of restoration.
The tomb is empty.
Religious leaders, trying to protect their own powers and control over people, lied and bore false witness.
Christ entered the city on a donkey as a king of peace and not as conquering king on a war horse.
Religious leaders stirred the crowd to seek crucifixion.
In truth Christ came as a conquering king for future but also a king today.
Here are three things Christ conquered.

1. He Conquered Death. Matthew 28:1-8. 1 Corinthians 15:23- 26 Christ is the first fruits and the last death. v50-57. We win!
2. He Conquered the devil. Matthew 12:40. Hebrews 2:14-45. Revelation 1:18 Jesus has the keys of death. The enemy is limited and his time is short.
3. He Conquered doubt. Who is this? Matthew 28:6-10, 17. Some did not believe. Mark 16:11-14. Luke 24:21-27. They did not know the scripture. John 20:9-10. John gave testimony that others would believe! John 20:26-31.

Don’t doubt. Believe that Christ conquered death and the devil!

Verses for Today:
1 Corinthians 15:12-19 NIV
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Christ is risen! He is alive and He is our Living Hope!

Sharing Beyond Books Post Delay

Our internet is out at home so I won't be able to post Sharing Beyond on Saturday Night.
I will try to post it early next week.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway April 15, 2022

Happy Friday!
TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK.
ARGHHH! How did it get to be Friday already? I woke up Thursday morning thinking it felt like Saturday. It must have been subliminal, wishful thinking.
I posted the books I bought at yard sale on my Sunday/Monday post. Some of those will go into the Friday Pick. I will try to get the new Friday Pick Box image up today or tomorrow.

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 April 8, 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 April 8, 2022 Pick:
NATALIJA gets a GC
AND
MARJORIE gets a GC

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

 This is a cute spring book image.
Image found at The Globe and Mail.

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 1,394 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!

Audible Book Review: Mavericks Expeditionary Force, Book 6, by Craig Alanson

I enjoyed this sci fi, military adventure.

Mavericks Expeditionary Force, Book 6
By: Craig Alanson
Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 17 hrs and 21 mins
Release date: 09-25-18
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Adventure, Military, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The remnants of the Expeditionary Force stranded on the alien-controlled planet "Paradise" get a chance to prove themselves, in a simple off-world training mission with a ship full of teenage alien cadets. When the mission goes horribly wrong and the survival of everyone on Paradise is at risk, the Merry Band of Pirates may have to come to the rescue. Unless they get killed first....
©2018 Craig Alanson (P)2018 Podium Publishing

Review:
Colonel Joe Bishop is still exchanging barbs with the elder AI ‘beer can’, Skippy. The pirate crew of the Flying Dutchman are hoping to go home to earth but first they must deal with an energy virus that threatens to eat through the patched together ship. Skippy determines he can eliminate the virus but only after all the systems are turned down… which means removing the humans from the ship. Doesn’t’ that sound like a piece of cake?

Meanwhile, the Mavericks, led by Emily Perkins, are back on Paradise trying to prove to the Ruhar that the humans can contribute to their military force. Perkins and her handful of human soldiers are hoping to impress the leaders as they participate in training exercises in space. Suddenly the training ship finds itself the sole survivor of an attack and the humans get to help save the crew.

The author does a good job of showing the lonely burden and struggles the captain as Joe deals with coping with the unknown and resisting temptations. This is balanced with the continued snarky humor between Joe and Skippy. It is apparent that the Mavericks are a branch off that allows the development of additional characters. I enjoyed both threads of action and look forward to more in the series. I recommend this to fans of military space opera.

Audio Notes: It is such fun to listen to this series narrated by R.C. Bray. He has provided the characters with distinct voices, even the aliens. I totally enjoy and recommend the audio experience.

Source: 11/18/2021 Audible October Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook and 2022Alphabet goals.

Prior book reviews:
Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force, #1) by Craig Alanson, Rating 4.5
Audible Book Review: Spec Ops, Expeditionary Force, Book 2 by Craig Alanson, Rating 4.5
Audible Book Review: Paradise, Expeditionary Force, Book 3 by Craig Alanson, Rating 4.5
Audible Book Review: Black Ops, Expeditionary Force, Book 4, by Craig Alanson, Rating 4.5
Audible Book Review: Zero Hour, Expeditionary Force, Book 5, by Craig Alanson; Rating 4.5.

Audible Book Review: Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn

I love this narrator and like the series.
Kitty Takes a Holiday
Kitty Norville, Book 3
By: Carrie Vaughn
Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
Release date: 10-05-09
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Werewolf
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
After getting caught turning wolf on national television, Kitty retreats to a mountain cabin to recover and write her memoirs. But this is Kitty, so trouble is never far behind, and instead of Walden Pond, she gets Evil Dead.
When werewolf hunter Cormac shows up with an injured Ben O'Farrell, Kitty's lawyer, slung over his shoulder, and a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes starts sniffing around the cabin, Kitty wonders if any of them will get out of these woods alive.
©2007 Carrie Vaughn, LLC (P)2009 Tantor

Review:
Kitty has retreated to a mountain cabin to ‘hide’ from her exposed nature as a werewolf and to, maybe wrote a book. Someone in the nearby community begins to harass her by leaving dead animals on her porch and in her yard. The local police chief inspects but clearly isn’t too favorable to Kitty and is willing to blame her for the ‘pranks’.

While Kitty is struggling with the harassment, her ‘friend’ Cormac arrives with her attorney, Ben, who is injured. Cormac brought Ben to Kitty to help him through the injury. Cormac is upset by the increasing ugliness of the harassment and the sudden appearance of a killing beast like the one he was hunting when Ben got hurt.

Kitty and Cormac are on the edge of changing their friendship until an incident with Ben makes that unlikely. Feeling like a third wheel, Cormac takes off. But Cormac has sent a strange Native American to investigate the harassment which appears to be some type of attempt to curse Kitty. The perpetrators are exposed but they all face mauling when the red-eyed beast shows up.

Cormac reappears but runs into trouble while trying to protect his friends. Ben and Kitty do some serious investigation trying to get more information and witnesses, but it may be impossible to solve the problem that Cormac now faces.

It has been a while since I listened to the previous book in this series, and I was glad to continue with this one. I like the characters and the magic elements. Kitty struggles listening to a competitive radio host but the interaction results in allow Kitty to grow as a character. I also liked how she begins to find the benefits of having a pack. There is plenty of action and mystery that keeps the story moving. I recommend the series to fans of good (rather than evil) werewolves. .

Audio Notes: Marguerite Gavin is a wonderful narrator and I have picked up audios because she narrates them. She does a great job with this series, providing distinct voices and clear energy for the characters. The narration enhances my enjoyment of the story.

Source: March 2022 Audible Sale Purchase at $3.67. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.