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Sunday, November 17, 2013

Mailbox Monday 11/18/13

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) but is now hosted at Mailbox Monday and through various blog hosts.
For NOVEMBER: the Mailbox Monday Tour host is Crystal @ I totally paused! 
[Starting September, Bob of Beauty in Ruins will be the new back-up host for Mailbox Monday.]

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.


I received one print book and one eBook for review.

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

Received from Entangled Publishing 
for November 25 Book Blast with Giveaway:


Time Travel Romance





Print received through Hachette Book Groups.

Christmas in Lucky Harbor:
Simply Irresistible/The Sweetest Thing/Two Bonus Short Stories
I read and reviewed Simply Irresistible
and I plan to enjoy the other three stories!




Won

None this week.


Purchased

I wanted some more holiday reading and I saw this 11 book Christmas Bundle which looked like a good deal for $.99! (On sale for one week.)




Christmas on Main Street
E. Ayers (Author), Susan R. Hughes (Author), Tori Scott (Author), Mona Risk (Author), Jill James (Author), Kristy Tate (Author), Leigh Morgan (Author), Carol DeVaney (Author), Pepper Phillips (Author), Stephanie Queen (Author)






I also purchased a title to support a fellow blogger.

Cheryl at Tales of the Marvelous has released:
 The Wanderers
by Cheryl Mahoney
YA Fantasy
A talking cat and beyond fairy tale
sounds like an adventure to enjoy.
Free


I downloaded 34 free Kindle Titles this week, linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Free Par-tayInspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.
I have enough books to read for the rest of my life. :-)

It's Monday What are You Reading? November 18, 2013

This meme starts at Book Journey!

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 am continuing to heal with a little bit of swelling and discomfort, especially if I do too much.  Like Tuesday morning when I had to wash, blow dry and style my hair (all with my right arm) for the first time since surgery. I had a function at 10am and I was exhausted when I got there. My body is clearly more fragile than I think. :-)  I had a busy work week so came home tired each evening.

I finished four books but got behind in reviews since I was tired at night.  I did post one ARC giveaway. 
I also posted the regular weekly memes and posts: Mailbox Monday, Friday Pick Giveaway, Saturday Snapshot, Sharing Beyond Books Comment Giveaway and Sunday Words.

Again, I didn't get to visit much during the week. I have to make a new plan to get to visit. 
Thanks as always to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:
  • Book Review: Lace & Lead by M.A. Grant, Sci Fi Romance; my rating 4.5. 
Finished Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle


Waning Moon (The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy)
PJ Sharon
This is engaging and interesting. 
I will post a review soon.
Click on book title for full description.



2. Audio


Five Million Dollar Cat: A Novella
    UNABRIDGED
    by Laura Lond
    Narrated by Tavia Gilbert
This is a quick, delightful listen.
I will post a review later this week.

Click on book title for full description.



3. eBook/Kindle


Sanctuary 
by Pauline Creeden
This is an interesting apocalyptic view in an engaging story.
BookBlast Tour Review and Giveaway to post on November 19.
Click on book title for full description.



4. Print
 

To Have and to Hold
by Leigh Greewood
This is a solid romance read.
I will be posting the review with ARC giveaway 

by end of week.
Click on book title for full description.



Line Edits/Releases:
I am formatting for two print releases this week.

Enter the bi-monthly drawings at eTreasures Publishing Facebook page.
This week's giveaway link: Rolltop Relic by Barbara Miller; a mystery.

Currently reading:
1. eBook/Kindle


Accidentally Married to...A Vampire? (Accidentally Yours)
by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
This is another fun, sassy read.
Book Feature and Giveaway to post 11/20.
Book Description
Publication Date: March 5, 2013
This is book 2 in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling paranormal romance Accidentally Yours series.

"If you love her, set her free. If she comes back, she's yours. If she doesn't...Christ! Stubborn woman! Hunt her down, and bring her the hell back; she's still yours according to vampire law."

- Niccolo DiConti, General of the Vampire Queen's Army.

After a three-century "time out," legendary vampire Niccolo DiConti vows to fulfill an ancient prophecy and, along the way, defeat the demented queen of the damned. All he has to do is find his human mate, seduce her into agreeing to become a vampire, and bond her to him forever. Luckily, he's handsome, charming, and mind-blowing in bed. How hard could this be?

On vacation in sultry Mexico, biologist Helena Strauss makes the discovery of a lifetime when she meets Niccolo-and finds herself caught in a world of supernatural secrets and dangerous delights. Even more shocking is that he seems to know everything about her and claims her as his true immortal companion. Sure, she can't take her eyes-or mouth-off this gorgeous, perfect being. But can a hot-blooded gal like her really settle down with a cold-hearted vampire?


2. Audio


The Last Battle:
When US and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe
       by Stephen Harding
    Narrated by Joe Barrett
I am finding this very interesting.
I received this for review
through Audiobook Jukebox.
Publisher's Summary

May 1945. Hitler is dead, and the Third Reich is little more than smoking rubble. No GI wants to be the last man killed in action against the Nazis. But for cigar-chewing, rough-talking, hard-drinking, hard-charging Captain Jack Lee and his men, there is one more mission: rescue 14 prominent French prisoners held in an SS-guarded castle high in the Austrian Alps. It's a dangerous mission, but Lee has help from a decorated German Wehrmacht officer and his men, who voluntarily join the fight.

Based on personal memoirs, author interviews, and official American, German, and French histories, The Last Battle is the nearly unbelievable story of the most improbable battle of World War II - a tale of unlikely allies, bravery, cowardice, and desperate combat between implacable enemies.



3. Print


Don't Want to Miss a Thing
by Jill Mansell
I am looking forward to starting this tomorrow.
Book Description
Publication Date: November 5, 2013

He knows all about women, or so he thought...

Dexter Yates leads a charmed existence in London, with money, looks, and girlfriends galore. Life's fantastic until Dex's sister dies and his world changes overnight. Astonishing everyone, including himself, Dex leaves the city behind, takes charge of his eight-month-old niece Delphi, moves to a beautiful Cotswolds village, and sets about working on his parenting skills. His neighbors, including cartoonist Molly Hayes, seem friendly enough—but Dex can't shake the notion that he's missing something important.



I am really lagging but still listening to The Listener's Bible NIV read by Max McLean. [Reading and listening on MP3.] I have been remiss and not keeping up with daily reading with my DH.

Line Edits: I will still be working on poetry formatting this week.

I want to keep enjoying adding stories from my own TBR. :-)
I'm up-to-date on reading but have a back load for reviews now. About 7 so I'll have to do more the next few weeks to catch up. 

November Scheduled

11/19 BookBlast Tour Review: Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden
11/20 Review and Giveaway: I Accidentally Marred a Vampire (Reading)
11/25 Entangled Book Blast and Review: Christmas Past by Susanna Fraser

Sourcebooks:
   Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Jill Mansell (Print) (reading)

NetGalley:
   ---

Authors:
   Unfinished Business by Carolyn R. Aspenson

AudioBook Jukebox 
    The New Space Opera 2

From TBR Collection - TBD
Won Book -Waning Moon (read, review to post)

Free Kindle/Nook or Smashwords: TBD

Sunday Words of Encouragement November 17, 2013

[As always, my comments are based on Pastor’s sermon with a bit of interpretation and/or summarizing from me.] 

This morning’s sermon was entitled A Night in the Hardrock Motel and was centered on Jacob’s story in Genesis 28.  Jacob was in trouble for stealing his brother’s blessing. Jacob’s mother, Rebekah,  convinced his father, Isaac, to send Jacob away, back to her family, to seek a wife. Jacob was in distress, estranged from his brother and father, in turmoil, away from home, fearful and worrying about selecting a wife.  As Jacob approached a certain place outside of his destination the sun was setting.  “Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.” Genesis 28:11. The Lord appeared in Jacob’s dream; stood above him and made promises. Verse 12-14.

‘That place’ was a lonely, hard, rocky place... not a gentle, fertile valley.  When in a desert, dry place you can find vultures looming for death or hummingbirds looking for new life in the fresh flowers. One focused on what was the other looking to the present. Do you dwell on what was or take joy in what is?  Instead of accepting the hard place, let your rock be Jesus’ strength and peace. (1 Cor 10:4.)  Jesus brings calm, ‘Peace’, in trouble. Mark 4:37-38. 

When Jacob awoke he recognized the place as a place of God and he made a promise back that  ‘the Lord will be my God.’  We shouldn’t give up when we know God is on our side. Gen 28:13-17. Fear is a faith killer but Faith is a fear killer. Our purpose in life is not to “be comfortable” but to radiate God’s Love to glorify Him.

I set this song aside a few weeks ago but it fits today.
I trust and He is Faithful to give me peace and to never let go of me!

A Verse for Today:
Genesis 28:15 NIV)
15 “...I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Thank you Lord for being there to calm us through the hard places until we are walking smoothly with You by trusting You!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Sharing Beyond Books #126 Comment Giveaway 11/16/13

Hello again on Saturday night and Welcome to SBB, Sharing Beyond Books.

I hope everyone is enjoying November. I had a busy week and am tired tonight.

The group is pretty well split with 10 who are in home towns and 10 who have moved around from state to state or even country to country. Sarah moved at least 11 times and Rita has lived in three different countries.

I was also surprised that few of you keep lists of your wins. Many of you used to keep lists and many keep track to make sure you get the book wins. You sort of have to have some list or folder if you are going to track. :-)

Thank you to all who shared last week.
~~~~
The Winner from SBB #125 comments is: #7 Ricki who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the ARC/Review titles, Christmas titles or Love titles - all linked near the end of the post.  Please let me know your choice by completing the (new) WINNER FORM.

WEEK #126

Q1. Brooke asks: Do you read just one book at a time or more than one??
A: I am a multi-book reader. I almost always have three going at a time: Print, Audio and Kindle. I try to mix genres but that doesn't always happen. It can be especially confusing to be reading two mysteries or romantic suspense at the same time. :-).   
I don't read and listen at the same time.
Image found at The Culture Concept

Q2. My non-bookish Question this week: Would you consider yourself a good patient or not -- not being demanding, cranky or some other not so nice reaction??
A: I don't get sick very often. However, now that I am recovering from surgery I find that I can be cranky if really tired. And clearly I don't rest enough. That is really hard for me to do even if it could give more reading time. So I would say I am not such a bad patient for others in my family but maybe not such a good patient for allowing healing. 
I'm not THAT bad!
Image found at The Guardian.

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 book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! We are getting low on questions so hopefully you will send more in -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify to use.

Your turn to share:

Q1. Brooke asks: Do you read just one book at a time or more than one??

Q2. My non-bookish Question this week: Would you consider yourself a good patient or not -- not being demanding, cranky or some other not so nice reaction??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Valentine and "Love" books , the Christmas Giveaway Books, or the June 2012 Newly Updated ARC/Review List.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on either of the two questions 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 by Friday, November 22, 2013 at 10 PM central.

Saturday Snapshot November 16, 2013 - Potting Plants

I wasn't sure what my plans were this morning other than taking the day easy. Then my DH advised me that he found strawberries in the garden that he was tilling. So that became my project and the cause of a very late Saturday posting.

Here are the strawberries I pulled from the garden.

Here is my work table/area - rather messy.

Here are the completed pots.
(Note doggies were keeping us company outside.)

Meanwhile my DH was out in the field digging up another stump.


I overdid a little I guess as I was very tired when I came in so I took a nap. When I got up my incision area was a bit swollen. It is most annoying that I am learning that I have limitations I have to pay better attention to.

I don't think I got to visit last week as it was a super busy week at the office. I can't even remember the beginning of the week and I am behind in posting reviews. *Sigh.*
I hope everyone else is doing well and I will maybe try visiting a couple a day this week. Thanks again for visits and well wishes!

A big Thank You to Alyce of At Home With Books who has hosted this meme for a number of years. She is taking a summer hiatus at her blog and the new host will be Melissa at West Metro Mommy. Thank you to Melissa for picking up the responsibility.


To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky being hosted this summer by West Metro Mommy. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.

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