2015 Alphabet Soup Challenge Completed Successfully

2015 Alphabet Soup Challenge -- COMPLETION POST

Hosted by Escape with Dollycas Into A Good Book

[Check rules and sign up HERE and look for info to sign up for 2016 Challenge.]

It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book that has a title starting with every letter of the alphabet.
You can drop the A’s and The’s from the book titles as shown below. For those pesky Q, X AND Z titles the word with the challenge letter can be anywhere in the title.


 COMPLETION NOTES: I worked hard to actually find titles with the right beginning letters so I didn't have to drop the A's and The's this year. That may not work for 2016. I do plan to do this again as it was fun and helped me pull a dozen titles from my TBR shelves.

A      Accept This Dandelion by Brooke Williams
B      Betrayal in Death In Death, Book 12 by J. D. Robb (Audible TBR)
C      Cleansed by Fire by James R. Callan
D      Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (Audible TBR)
E      Exodus 2022 by Kenneth G. Bennett
F      Finding Mr. Right by Emily Carmichael (Audible TBR)
G      Gabriel: Zero Point by Steve Umstead (Audible TBR)
H      Hawk by Ronie Keding
I       Immortality by Kevin Bohacz
J       Just In Time For a Highlander by Gwen Cready
K      Kiss of Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novel (The Midnight Breed Series Book 1) by Lara Adrian (TBR)
L     Legendarium by Kevin G. Summers, Michael Bunker (Audible TBR)
M    Monday's Lie by Jamie Mason
N     Nirvana (Nirvana Series Book 1) by J.R. Stewart
O     Only Enchanting  by Mary Balogh
P      Passionately Yours by Cara Elliott
Q     Quitter by Jon Acuff (Audio TBR)
R      Resurrecting Home by A. American
S      Shopping for Time by Carolyn Mahaney, Nicole Mahaney Whitacre, Kristin Chesemore, Janelle Bradshaw (TBR)
T     Time and Again: Book 1 in the History Mystery Series by Deborah Heal
U    Unclutter Your Life! How to Tame Your Mess, Calm Your Mind, Lighten your Load by Jen Williams (TBR)
V    Virgin River by Robin Carr (Audible TBR)
W   What a Devilish Duke Desires by Vicky Dreiling
X     Xenonauts: Crimson Dagger by Lee Stephen
Y   You're Never to Old to Laugh by Ed Fischer (TBR)
Z    Zion's Road: A Love Story about Faith and Redemption by Imani Wisdom (TBR)

Book Review: Zion's Road: A Love Story about Faith and Redemption by Imani Wisdom

I liked the message in this story given through a rather different presentation.
Zion's Road: A Love Story about Faith and Redemption
by Imani Wisdom

• File Size: 192 KB
• Print Length: 48 pages
• Publisher: Pink Noire Publications, LLC (January 21, 2014)
• ASIN: B0093GSA6I

Genre: Romance, Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Temptation lurks like a waiting virus, grabbing you when you least expect it, ravishing your heart, mind, and soul—convincing you to take the easy way, instead of staying on the right path.
Zion’s Road: A Love Story is about faith and redemption. Harold Smith—a former Klansman in a small town of Tulla Springs, Mississippi—discovers second chances are possible when he learns that walking on the right path leads to an adventure of discovering his truths. During Harold’s journey, he meets a stranger who is opposite to what he believes.
The two travelers share an experience, as they delve into one of the mysteries from Harold’s past to find a shattering reality. Left to wonder that everything he knew in his life contradicts these revelations, how will this new discovery affect Harold’s pursuit to redemption? Will the heartfelt pain be too unbearable to complete his journey?

Review:
This is not quite what I expected but it is very interesting. Harold Smith was raised in the 1930s by a father whose family believed that whites were superior to blacks. Harold’s father was a fervent Klansman in Mississippi. As a teenager Harold had an experience that might have changed his view of the colored people in his community but instead he joined his friends and father treating them badly. At age 86, Harold is still spewing racial prejudice to his nephew. Then Harold meets a young, light skinned Negro boy who challenges him to take a journey. Harold has to make a choice to stay where he is (which might be a very dark, gruesome place) or risk moving along and discovering painful truths of his past.

This story addresses a very extreme attitude of racism that I found to be awful and difficult to understand, especially when certain facts of Harold’s past are revealed. The hatred that is portrayed is really distressing but it did exist in those years and among a certain group. (Sad to think that it might still exist today with some people and races or cultures.) The author presents a story that implies that a lot of the hatred and bigotry is handed down through the family. Although that may have some basis, we eventually mature to a place where we become responsible for our own choices. Harold has a chance to see this and to make new choices. Others around him also have this chance but the results may be different.

Although there is a sweet love story revealed in Harold’s past, I do not like that it was adulterous – that is also anathema to me. I liked Harold’s gentle guides who showed him so much love in spite of his awful treatment and attitude toward them in the past. The guides showed grace and forgiveness that could help Harold make better choices and perhaps find redemption through a changed attitude.
The writing makes for easy reading and I would take another look at work by Ms. Wisdom. 

I read this for "Z” to complete my Alphabet Soup Challenge. It was a free book from 2013 on my TBR Kindle shelf. It is still available for free.

Book Review: You're Never too Old to Laugh by Ed Fischer

This was a quick, light and fun read.

You're Never too Old to Laugh:
A laugh-out-loud collection of cartoons,
quotes, jokes, and trivia on growing older
by Ed Fischer

File Size: 17857 KB
Print Length: 128 pages
Publisher: Meadowbrook (February 21, 2012)
Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
ASIN: B00768D8HQ
Genre: Comedy, Aging
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

INSPIRING QUOTES, JOKES, and
CARTOONS FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART!
Being "old" isn't what it used to be. Elders today are active, fun, and ready for something new. Stay young at heart with the wit, wisdom, and inspiration you'll find in this book by Ed Fischer.
It's time to be the new you.
Live it up.
Laugh often.
Love life like never before.

Review:
This gave me several chuckles during my holiday week. This is a collection of jokes and quotes on old(er) age from authors (including Agathe Christie and P. D. Whitte), actors (like Bill Cosby and Ingrid Bergman) and other entertainers (i.e. Jim Dale and George Burns). There are also fun cartoons, although some of these were a bit harder to read on my Kindle.

I think my favorites were right at the beginning but there were fun jokes all the way through. It is a quick read that can cheer someone who is maturing gracefully or maybe someone who isn’t and who might benefit from a lighter perspective. After all, as the quote from one of my favorite T-shirts states: “Never take life too seriously. No one gets out alive.”

I recommend this to anyone who wants a pick-me-up look at growing old or wants to share with an “old(er)” friend. And remember: ‘You might be old, but you’re not obsolete’ (quote from Terminator  Genisys).

This is from my TBR shelf 2012 and is my "Y" title for 2015 Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Sunday Post December 27, 2015/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday December 28, 2015

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date.
Thank you to Sheila for the years that she handled this meme.
Thank you to Kathryn for taking up the baton.

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 had a wonderful week celebrating the birth of my Savior at Christmas with family. We also celebrated (quietly) my birthday today.
I had a good reading week finishing six books (completing two more challenges) total: five ebooks and one audio. I posted three reviews plus the usual memes.

I enjoyed visiting early in the week. The rest of the week was taken up with family time.
Thanks as always to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post December 20, 2015/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday December 21, 2015.

• Book Review: The Lord Is My Shepherd: The Psalm 23 Mysteries #1 by Debbie Viguie ; Christian; Mystery; my rating 4.5.

• Audio Book Review: Goon Squad, Vol. 2: Without Sin by Jonathan L. Howard; Sci Fi, Comic Storytelling; my rating 4.0.

• Merry Christmas 2015!

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway December 25, 2015. Open Worldwide. Ends 12/31/2016.

• Book Review: Xenonauts: Crimson Dagger by Lee Stephen; Sci Fi, Fantasy; my rating 4.5.

• Sharing Beyond Books #233 Comment Giveaway December 26, 2015; Open Worldwide. Ends 1/2/15.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement December 27, 2015.

Finished Reading:

1. Audible/MP3

Jingles All the Way: A Christmas Tail
Written by: Barbara Morgenroth
Narrated by: Jane M. Held
This is a sweet dog tale.
I received this audio from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle

Xenonauts: Crimson Dagger
by Lee Stephen (Author), Francois Cannels (Illustrator),
Interesting story with action and danger.
See the review linked above.

3. eBook/Kindle

You're Never too Old to Laugh:
A laugh-out-loud collection of cartoons,
quotes, jokes, and trivia on growing older
by Ed Fischer
This easy read and fun title is from my TBR shelf 2012
and my "Y" title for Alphabet Soup Challenge.
Click on book title for full description.

4. eBook/Kindle

Fatal Judgment (Guardians of Justice Book #1): A Novel
by Irene Hannon
This is good Christian, romantic suspense. 
It is one of my TBR Pile Challenge books to be reviewed this week.
Click on book title for full description.

5. eBook/Kindle

Frozen Past (A Jaxon Jennings' Detective Mystery Thriller Series, Book 1)
by Richard C Hale
This fast paced story has a
good bit of killing with good tension.
This is the final book for my TBR Pile Challenge.
Jaxon Jennings. Cop. Homicide detective. Partner. He always had your back and rarely made mistakes.
Until the death of his son. Until the night he couldn’t save him. Until everything he held dear was taken away from him.
Now, a shell of a man, his reckless actions mark him as a burn-out. A Loner. A dangerous man whom many in the Fairfax County Police Department cannot trust. The criminals he pursues in the suburbs of Washington D. C. are nothing more than ways to bide his time until his next drink, next fix, next loss of control. His past haunts him no matter how hard he tries to hide from it.
So, when a boy’s body shows up floating under the ice of a quiet neighborhood pool, Jaxon finds himself immersed in a world where the ghosts of his past feel too close for comfort. A psychopath is using the innocent in ways that appear familiar.
Jaxon’s past is catching up with him. And the anger that seethes below the surface threatens to destroy not only his life, but the lives of a group of kids somehow connected with him. The answers are locked, frozen in the part of his past he refuses to confront. But people are counting on him. And he must do anything to save them.
Anything. Even if it costs him his life.

6. eBook/Kindle

Zion's Road: A Love Story about Faith and Redemption
by Imani Wisdom
This is not quite what I suspected. 
I read this for "Z"  to complete my Alphabet Soup Challenge.
Temptation lurks like a waiting virus, grabbing you when you least expect it, ravishing your heart, mind, and soul—convincing you to take the easy way, instead of staying on the right path.
Zion’s Road: A Love Story is about faith and redemption. Harold Smith—a former Klansman in a small town of Tulla Springs, Mississippi—discovers second chances are possible when he learns that walking on the right path leads to an adventure of discovering his truths. During Harold’s journey, he meets a stranger who is opposite to what he believes.
The two travelers share an experience, as they delve into one of the mysteries from Harold’s past to find a shattering reality. Left to wonder that everything he knew in his life contradicts these revelations, how will this new discovery affect Harold’s pursuit to redemption? Will the heartfelt pain be too unbearable to complete his journey?

Currently reading:

1 eBook/Kindle

The Colossus
by Ranjini Iyer
I received this early in the year for review but didn't get it on my calendar. I found it in my calendar folder as I was clearing out completed review requests.
Maxine Rosen, a demure, clumsy, Chicago caterer gets more than she bargains for when she discovers her father’s coded research document linked to health pills unearthed from the ancient Indus Valley civilization. The pills, she learns, carry frightening secrets about the true nature of her father’s death; a truth that may be more than she can bear. Enlisting the help of handsome professor Julian McIntosh, Max travels across the continents to unlock the mystery of her father’s research, struggling to keep one step ahead of a powerful German pharmaceutical company who will stop at nothing to keep the disturbing document under wraps.

2. eBook/Kindle

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball: A Novella
by Donita K. Paul
This looks so cute. 
It is for our Ladies Book Club meeting first Saturday in January.
Can mysterious matchmaking booksellers bring two lonely hearts together in time for Christmas?
In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. Searching for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick. And the surprise discovery of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball.
Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they’ve decided to bring together.
This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers’ best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?

3. First Book of the Year: 2016 -- TBA
I will be participating in First Book of the Year and I have narrowed my choices to seven books.
I will decide by the end of the week so I can post for this event on Friday.

December 27, 2015- I am one day ahead on my readings and have loved the way they mesh and
confirm God's word.
I am reading The One Year Bible again along with my husband and others from our church. I am also listening to the companion commentary online.

I posted three reviews last week which keeps me up to date. However now I have to squeeze in five reviews before 12/31 to review the books completed to finish two challenges.
I have read all of my 12 TBR Pile books with the last two reviews to post this week.
I have read the last of my Alphabet Soup Challenge and just need to post reviews for Y and Z.

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 Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I received two audio titles for review in 2016 - one from the author and one through Audiobook Jukebox.
I purchased five ebooks at Amazon at $.99 each. This is likely to be the last of my purchasing for a while.
I added more free kindle titles to my library.

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I received two audio titles:

Received from the author:


Time Heist: Firstborn Saga Volume 1
Written by: Anthony Vicino
Narrated by: Adam Verner
Time Travel Sci Fi - a favorite genre for me. :-)

Received from Blackstone Audio by request at Audiobook Jukebox:

Buster: The Military Dog Who Saved a Thousand Lives

Written by: RAF Police Flight Sergeant Will Barrow, Isabel George

Narrated by: James Langton
This is about a real military dog and I am looking forward to listening.

Won

NONE

Purchased

[I still have two Audible credits to use before the end of 2015.]

I purchased five Kindle titles for $.99 each as they caught my eye and I figure I may not be making purchases for several months if I participate in the TBR DARE again:

Bitterwood: The Complete Collection (Bitterwood Trilogy Book 5)

James Maxey 

Bronze Fox

Diana Green

Bring On the Dusk (The Night Stalkers Book 15)

M. L. Buchman

 

Fatal 5: Novels of Mystery and Suspense by Today's Bestselling Christian Authors

Karin Kaufman, Christy Barritt, Heather Day Gilbert, Don Prichard, Stephanie Prichard, Dan Wals

Traces of Mercy: A Novel (Mercy Medallion Trilogy Book 1)

Michael Landon Jr., Cindy Kelley 

 

Free

Over the past week I added 56 free Kindle titles to my 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 December 27, 2015

The sermon this morning was to prepare us for the New Year. It is a time to start fresh with new beginnings. People should make changes, letting go of old hurts and sorrows. Many people strive to be, or do, better in the new year. Of the 319 million people in the United States, 45% make resolutions (although only 8% or the 45% succeed). These are purposeful, intentional plans for change.
The #1 resolution for the followers of Christ should be to improve spiritually. We need to be intentional about loving God first.
Ephesians 4:22-23 Begins the steps: put off the old self which is separation from God. Put off self-centeredness and seek to serve. Submit to God and step out to a new path. Change for the right reason...to glorify God. He doesn't want perfect Christianity, He wants an open heart.
Implement the plan by:
1. Submitting your life to God.
2. Reading the Bible to keep God’s ways in mind each day.
3. Praying for God’s will in all things.
Satan will put up temptations, obstacles so we must be aware. God made people His priority and we need to follow His example. We do this through training. Just as a habit takes 21 days to make or break, we must train and stay in training to stay in shape.
Ephesians 4:25-31 provides a specific guide to actions to stop doing and verse 32 tells what actions we should do.

This is another song from our Christmas program.

Great words/message.

A Verse for Today:
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

I appreciate the message this morning as I turn toward another New Year. If I decide to make a list of resolutions, growing closer to God will be #1 one the list.