Sunday Words of Encouragement October 15, 2023 A Firm Foundation.

Our Sunday School teacher took a break from out study in James to present a study on “Why is Israel Important.” It was a good study and reinforced our prayers for peace in Israel and the Middle East.

Our service opened with strong worship and praise songs. We then had a fine message from a healing missionary. DE has had his own journey of faith over the past year after he returned from a ministry trip in great pain that didn’t let up. When he had his blood work done, his PSA was at 380 when is should be no more than 5.When he got to see a doctor four weeks later the level was 800. After another few weeks when he got to the specialist, urologist the PSA was at 1100 and he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer throughout his body tissues and bones. DE stated there are specific things he recommends for such a health journey.

1. Establish a firm foundation, focus point, sure anchor. Philippians 3:12-14 – press on to the goal; Matthew 7: 24-27 build your house on rock for a firm foundation. When he first got sick, DE went to the Bible and was given the verse in Exodus 15:26 where God reminded that He is the “I Am” who is our healer, Jehovah-Rapha.

2. Once you have established an anchor point, be prepared to return daily to the sweet spot, refuge. Cry out and seek the higher rock, my refuge and strong tower. Psalm 61:2-3. Take refuge in the shadow of His wings. Psalm 57:1. Refuel your spirit regularly before you are empty. Find verses that speak to you and soak in God’s word. Part of being a Disciple includes discipline. By staying in the Word, you can know that you have a faithful God who never changes.

3. Face the fear. When you get past your fear, you can do anything.
DE was given no hope of cure since the cancer had spread throughout his body. The doctors questioned why he waited so long but he never had any earlier symptoms. When bad reports keep coming, refocus on your anchor. Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You Psalm 56:3. Find strength in the God you know, the God who has never changed.
God knows our worries and pain. He records our misery and tears. Psalm 56:8.
When you push beyond your fear, you will find He gives you peace. When you move past your fear, anything is possible.

Don't expect the fear to go away. Don't be deceived. Satan is ready to defeat you and pull you away from God. There are levels – we grow from Faith to faith. You may have to break through levels of fear.
The apostles were in the room “with the doors locked for fear”. Jesus came and said “Peace be with you.”. John 20:19. Jesus comes in the place of our fear.

God can turn our fear to joy. Unlock the doors and windows and go to another level.
Although there was no medical plan for his treatment, DE did go through weekly treatment in Arizona. The cost was completely covered by donations. Ten months later there is now no evidence of cancer in his tissues and 25% is gone from his bones.

I like this song video for today because it speaks of God as our covering.

Verses for Today:
Philippians 3:12-14 NIV
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Exodus 15:26 NIV
26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”


I am thankful that I have a firm foundation in GOD, in whom I trust.

Audio Book Review: Deadbreak by Jorge Sanchez

This is a well written zombie survival story.
Deadbreak
Author Jorge Sanchez
Narrator: James Fouhey

Duration: 10 h 59 min
Release date: 02-25-20
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy > Apocalyptic & Dystopian, Horror
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Summary
It's been three long years since Deadbreak. That's what everyone's calling it-the day the dead rose. Every day since then Jeremiah Reid has had one goal: to make his way back to his daughter. With his four-legged companion, Joe, Jeremiah has to travel a lawless wasteland teeming with zombies, bandits, and worse, like people who put anchovies on pizza (you know who you are). It's a new world out there and no one is safe. People are weary, cities are in ruin, supplies are scarce, and brains are on the menu. If he's going to have a chance, he'll need his wits, a little bit of luck, and lots of ammo.

Review:
Jeremiah wasn’t a military warrior when his world succumbed to a deadly virus when the dead began to rise. Jeremiah, his wife, and daughter, Penny, tried to make their way to safety. Along the way, Jeremiah lost his wife and gave his child to others to shelter her. But he promised to find his little girl. He has to find a way to Hawaii where the General took Penny. If planes aren’t available, Jeremiah will find a ship off the west coast. But he has to get to the coast first.

Initially Jeremiah’s only friend is Joe, a dog who senses the walking dead and is helpful in a fight. Jeremiah stops for a time in a community of survivors who are rebuilding their town. Jeremiah is able to help by scavenging badly needed items. Jeremiah becomes friends with the medical lead, a smart veterinarian named Jenny. Jeremiah isn’t interested in any relationship as his focus remains on his daughter. For some reason, the mayor of the town does not care for Jeremiah and wants him gone. Before leaving Jeremiah warns the mayor of vulnerabilities of the community. Instead of heading the advice, the community soon faces an attack … and not just from the zombies.

Many of the townsfolk, including the mayor, are taken prisoner. Jenny too gets captured, and Jeremiah and Joe have to find a way to rescue them. He is approached by some surprising allies…but people aren’t always what you expect in this brutal world.

Jeremiah is a character I liked although he is remarkably lucky and manages to have a never ending supply of bullets. He continually gets to the brink of death and has to be rescued by Jenny who is an excellent shot and a true warrior. Jeremiah’s humor reminded me of my husband who was always calling people by names that were close to right but not. It could be terribly annoying but eventually is humorous. I like how Jenny is a strong companion who won’t give up.

The story is well written and has plenty of action, some gruesome, and, as noted, some humorous. I would be glad to seek out more work by Mr. Sanchez. I recommend this to fans of zombie and post-apocalyptic stories.

Audio Notes: James Fouhey does a grand job with the narration. His character voices are fitting, clear, and distinct. He captures the desperation and humor, of the characters. I would enjoy his narration again. It enhanced this listening experience.

Source: 10/30/2021 Audiobooks.com Two For One Credit Horror Audiobooks. This qualifies for 2023TBR amd 2023Audiobook goals.

Book Review: Her Kind of Sheriff by Ellen Knightley

This is a pleasant historical western romance.

Her Kind of Sheriff
by Ellen Knightley

150 pages
Publisher: Ellen Knightley
Genre: Clean, Historical Romance, Sweet
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0.

Life in Black Shaw is a constant struggle for Eve Stanton, between helping her mother with her six siblings and working as a seamstress. When her father approves a marriage proposal she has no interest in without even asking her, Eve is horrified. Barely eighteen, she’s not ready to commit to a life without romance. Making matters worse, a false accusation made against her suddenly turns her into an outcast. In the midst of her despair, she finds an unlikely ally in the handsome new sheriff. She can’t allow herself to hope he could ever be interested in her, but she also can’t seem to stay away from him. With her life in turmoil and her would-be husband looming, will Eve be brave enough to go after what she truly wants?
Logan Andrews has always dreamt of being a sheriff, so when an opportunity opens up in a small town of Texas, he jumps at the chance. Being a man with a strong sense of justice, he has a burning desire to put away all the criminals that have been terrorizing the town of Black Shaw. However, when he locks up a man who has everyone convinced he’s a hero, Logan becomes the town’s number one enemy. His only support comes from a beautiful and captivating young seamstress, with dazzling blue eyes he can’t stop thinking about. While he doggedly works to prove his worth and change people’s minds, will he also allow himself to give in to a love that could change his life forever?
Logan and Eve find common ground when their place in town is threatened and their integrity is questioned. Having each other to rely on, they struggle to regain everything they’ve lost while their feelings intensify beyond measure. With everything against them and their feelings intensifying, will their tender love survive the trials coming their way? Will they manage to stand up for what they believe in without losing each other in the process?

Review:
Eve is a sweet young woman who has had the burden of helping her mother raise her six siblings. Their father is out drinking his sorrows most of the time. Now that Eve is eighteen, her father decides that she should marry, and he has approved her marry the wealthy banker in town. Eve isn’t ready to marry anyone, much less a man she doesn’t love. It isn’t fair her father thinks she should marry to get a wealthy relative. When Eve turns down the offer of marriage to the banker, she sees a touch of anger. She has no idea how the rejection will impact her reputation in town.

Logan is a new sheriff in town. He was pleased to move up from a deputy position at another town but he has an extra reason for coming to Black Shaw. Logan has studied the patterns of robberies over the past six months, and he suspects that there is an outlaw ring leader in Black Shaw or its neighboring towns.

Logan has occasion to ‘rescue’ Eve from an aggressive discussion with the town banker. The banker is well liked in town and has developed a large group of favors from other town members. When Logan spots the man meeting two other strangers late at night and in stealthy circumstance, Logan begins to suspect the man is not as upstanding as everyone thinks.

After Logan arrests the banker he faces hostility from the townsfolk. Meanwhile, Eve has lost her job over accusations of theft and she is struggling to get another job in light of the false accusations. Logan and Eve become friends in their outcast situation. Their interaction leads to a developing friendship. When the banker escapes jail, can Logan keep Eve safe from the angry man?

I liked the personalities of Eve and Logan and the slow development of their relationship. The plot of the story, although not new, is one that is plausible. My biggest struggle with this book is the writing which was choppy, totally predictable, and seemed unskilled. I still liked the story and characters but hope that the author works on her writing skills to make for a smoother read with a little more intrigue and build up. Readers who like sweet, clean, historical romance should enjoy this story.

Source: November 2022 Bookfunnel download from Newsletter This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023eBook goals.

MBS 2023 Fraterfest Readathon - #2023FraterfestRAT

 This is being hosted again by Caffeinated Reviewer.

The rules are fairly easy:
Between Midnight October 12th and ending at 11:59 pm October 16th; read or listen to thrillers, mysteries, paranormal, horror, supernatural, witchy, ghostly or serial killer novels and novellas.

This time frame seems shorter than previous years. I estimate I might get in 15 hours listening time and a little bit of ebook time.

8 books (5TBR and 3 current) completed for FRATERFEST 2018
10 TBR titles for FRATERFEST 2019
6 books (2TBR and 4 current) for FRATERFEST 2020
10 books (7TBR and 3 current year) for FRATERFEST 2021
7 books (6TBR and 1 current year) for FRATERFEST 2022

I am going to try to stick to TBR books except for one of the NetGalley titles. I am going to try to stick to TBR books except for one of the NetGalley titles.
I've listed some books I can choose from. Those highlighted are favored.

eBooks:

The Messiest Monster on Mill Street by Sarah Sparks (NG2023)
Ghosts of Chernobyl (Tales from the Spirit World Book 3) 17pgs 5/2011
The Tutor: A Ghost Story 27p 2/2019
The Experience Machine 39pgs 10/2019
The Bell by Steve Lockley 87pgs
Behold the Child by Harry Shannon 88
Freddy’s House 92pgs 10/2013
Come to the Cemetery 105pgs 1/2017
Caged View 108pgs 5/2012
Sixtus--A Suspense Thriller 108pgs 6/2012
Outage (Boxed Set) book 1 154pg 2/2016

Audios:

The Horror of the Heights by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 0h 44m (ATBR ABC)
Deep Dark Joe Ledger Book 1.3 by John Maberry 50m (ATBR)
Material Witness Joe Ledger Book 1.2 by John Maberry 1h 16m (ATBR)
The Roommate The Cormac Reilly Series, Book 0.7 by Dervla McTiernan 2h 23m (ATBR)
Second Skin, Audible Original Novella by Christian White 2h 28m (ATBR)
An Open Spook, A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery Book 4.5 by E.J. Copperman 2h 32m (A2023)
Carnival Row: Tangle in the Dark By: Stephanie K. Smith 3h 8m (ATBR)
Eli Carter and the Ghost Hackers Books 1-3 Series Boxed Set by Angela Pepper Book 2 (ATBR Chirp)
Limbus Inc., Three Guys walk Into A Bar by Jonathan Maberry 3h 20m (ATBR ABC)
The Original by Brandon Sanderson 3h 30m (ATBR ABC)
The Snow, #1 of Whiteout by Flint Maxwell 4h 13m (ATBR ABC)
The Cuckoo's Cry An Audible Original Novella 4h 43m (ATBR)
A Death at Eastwick by L.C. Warman 5h 4m (ATBR Chirp)
Last Ones Left Alive A Novel by Sarah Davis-Goff 5h 34m (ATBR Chirp)
Cut 1/2986, Book 1 by Annelie Wendeberg 6h 4m (ATBR Chirp)
The Ghost Hunter Next Door Beechwood Harbor Ghost Mysteries, Book 1 by Danielle Garrett 6h 22m (ATBR)
The Darkwater Bride: An Audible Original Drama by Marty Ross 6h 45m (ATBR)
Trick or Treat Murder #3 of Lucy Stone by Leslie Meier 7h 17m (ATBR ABC)

CODE: ATBR - Audible TBR

             ABC - Audiobooks.com
             Chirp - audio on Chirp
Strike through xxx - I read them between 10/11 to 10/16

Sunday Post October 8, 2023/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday October 9, 2023

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 are busy with title contracts coming in and legal work to do.

Saturday I was in Panama City and we found a new car for my daughter.

Here is an image of my GFWC Marianna Woman's Club group
that helped at Chipola Area Habitat For Humanity.
Some of us painted and others put cabinets together.
I helped with a coat of paint in one and a half bedrooms.
Not my usual activity.

My continuing prayers include prayers for more unity in all nations, a calmer social atmosphere, and for revival. We are also continuing prayers for family and church.
Definitely prayers for Israel this week!

Fall made itself clearly felt this morning with a brisk 56 degrees for church time. We are scheduled to have only half this coming week in the 80s during the days and nights will be cool, 60s all the way to 44.

I finished an ebook and two audios and posted three reviews with my memes. 

I visited 14 blogs last week.
Shout out this week to BOOKISH BRON. Bron is an Australian book blogger and reviewer who says she is "an obsessive reader and bibliophile".

Audiobooks.com is still sharing some free listens for children.

• Sunday Post October 1, 2023/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday October 2, 2023.

• ATBR: Audio Book Review: What If It's True? by Charles Martin; Genre: Christian Nonfiction, Religious & Inspirational, Christian Living; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

• eB2023: Book Review: Jingled (A Charlie Cooper Christmas Short Story) by Deany Ray; Genre: Christmas, Two-Hour Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Reads; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

• ATBR: Audible Book Review: Not Alone by Craig A. Falconer; Genre: Aliens, First Contact, Science Fiction; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement October 8, 2023 -Spirit Gives Life.

Finished Reading:

1. Kindle App on Smartphone (eBTBR)

Her Kind of Sheriff
by Ellen Knightley
This is a pleasant historical western romance.
Source: November 2022 Bookfunnel download from Newsletter.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audio App on Smartphone (ATBR)

Deadbreak
Author Jorge Sanchez
Narrator: James Fouhey
Duration: 10 h 59 min
This is a well written zombie survival story.
Source: 10/30/2021 Audiobooks.com Two For One Credit Horror Audiobooks.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:

1. Kindle App on Smartphone (eBTBR)

Outage Boxed Set: Books 1-3
(Outage Horror Suspense Series)
by T.W. Piperbrook
Oh boy, this is definitely horror, scary stuff.
I am in Book 2.
Source: 2/28/2013 free Kindle.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Army of Golems: An Unconventional Heroes Publisher's Pack
By: L. G. Estrella
Narrated by: Fred Berman
Series: Unconventional Heroes, Book 1-2
Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
This is fun listening although I'm not sure I wouldn't have enjoyed it more split up. I have under 2 hours to finish.
Source: March 2022 Free Audible Plus.
Publisher's summary
Contains Books 1 and 2 of the Unconventional Heroes series.
Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf, book 1:
Two necromancers, a bureaucrat, and an elf - it sounds like the start of a bad joke, only the joke is on Timmy.
Timothy Walter Bolton - better known as Timmy - has spent most of his life as a necromancer. When he isn't terrorising his enemies, he's plotting inside his castle, which is built on top of lightless chasms filled with nameless horrors and beings of a generally malevolent and megalomaniacal nature. But after one of his latest creations, a zombie hydra-dragon-bear, tries to eat him, he decides that maybe it's time to find a new, less dangerous, career.
But that's easier said than done. He's a wanted criminal with no shortage of powerful (and crazy) enemies, and he has a bone or two to pick with the Everton Council of Mages.
It's a good thing that he's got some help: an obnoxious 10-year-old apprentice who thinks that pink glasses are appropriate for a budding necromancer and a bumbling bureaucrat who may or may not make it through their first real fight without puking his guts up. Wonderful.

Two Necromancers, an Army of Golems, and a Demon Lord, book 2:
Two necromancers, an army of golems, and a demon lord - it sounds like a recipe for trouble, and for Timmy, it definitely is.
To earn his pardon and avoid horrible torture and/or gruesome execution, Timmy has to complete every mission the Council throws his way, most of which seem to involve extremely scary things trying to kill him. At least he’s got help - sort of. His help consists of an apprentice with designs on his castle (and her plans may or may not involve overthrowing him), a bureaucrat whose two greatest skills are fainting in the face of trouble and using people (usually Timmy) as human shields, and an elf with the world's worst case of pyromania and enough magic to level a mountain.
Somehow, Timmy's got to get this bunch of unconventional heroes to work together. Trouble is coming, and it's trouble of the kind that only a necromancer like Timmy could possibly find himself in the middle of.
©2014 L. G. Estrella (P)2020 Podium Audio

I will be signing up for #Fraterfest 2023 that starts 10/12. I plan to include this as one of the books.  I'm still planning the rest of the list.

3. NetGalley App on Smartphone (NG2023)

The Messiest Monster on Mill Street
by Sarah Sparks
This looks so cute and perfect for #Fraterfest!
Source: October 2023 NetGalley.
Description
Max's messes are legendary—paint on the walls, spills on the floor, crumbs in his fur, and toys scattered everywhere. Max never intended to be messy; there was simply too much to do and too much fun to be had. Until one day, his mess becomes an uncontrollable monster of its own!
With lively illustrations and playful rhymes, each book in the Monsters on Mill Street series follows an energetic and lovable monster on an adventure filled with chaos and unexpected challenges. Every child will recognize a piece of themselves in Max and the colorful cast of characters on Mill Street.
But wait, there’s more! Because the Monsters on Mill Street series is specifically designed to assist children in developing executive functioning and social-emotional learning (SEL) skills, it’s a treasure trove for parents, grandparents, and educators who are looking to inspire young readers and empower them to overcome life’s challenges.
Your child will enjoy these books so much, they won’t even realize they’re learning!

October 8, 2023 - I am doing the daily readings of BibleProject plan: The Full Story - "From the beginning to the Amen". My readings are now in Romans which is a wonderful book recognizing God and the sacrifice of His son, Jesus.
I started a 7 day study: Bolder - The Audacious Faith of Imperfect People.

I finished two books and posted three reviews.  I remain caught up.

NETGALLEY STATUS--
I added one title which I will be reading later this week.
I have an older audio on my shelf I should listen to soon.
I still have the two old NetGalley ebook titles, one is horror so I hope to read it after Fraterfest.

Other Sources: I have a dozen or so books that I received from Facebook links and newsletter sign-ups, not specific review requests. plus many titles through InstaFreebie over the past few years.

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 newest to the team, Emma at Words and Peace.
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

One new review title from NetGalley.
No Purchases.

I picked up another Audible Plus titles but am not listing them now.
One new Kindle titles this week.
Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

One from NetGalley - See Current Reading for
The Messiest Monster on Mill Street.

Purchased

NONE

Free

I did download several "horror" titles from Audible Plus Catalog but I am too tired to list them tonight. Maybe next week.

10/7/2023 Kindle title from Bookbub email:

Killing it in Paris: A heart-stopping thriller mystery set in Paris (The Claire Baskerville Mysteries Book 5)Susan Kiernan-Lewis



One new title added to Kindle library.  Free titles might be found at Bookbub, Book Adrenaline, Ereader News Today, Inspired Reads, or Kindle ebooks.