Sharing Beyond Books #236 January 16, 2016

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!
This has been a week of cold and a week getting back in the trenches at work.
The cold had us out in the RV and I didn't have internet for four nights.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.

I enjoyed the answers that were shared about what high school reading we "hated". Seven specific titles were shared. Three people didn't have the same lists or had no required reading. Two people loved all books, one couldn't remember hating any and one didn't hate any. Alyn didn't hate the titles but hated the required reading pace. Miki hated them all due to having to read books with no hope. Now that is an awful experience.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #235 comments is: #10 Alyn who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated ARC/Review titles or (not yet updated) Love titles - all linked near the end of the post. I'm hoping to update the book choices - maybe the beginning of next year, lol. Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #236

(One Question.)

Rosebud asks: 1) Do you enjoy book challenges or do you limit yourself to just a few??

I do enjoy book challenges but just a few are enough now. Even with the ones I do, I miss most of the quarterly reports and check-ins. Still, the challenges help me select books from my vast shelves.

Image found at Hot Copas.

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! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify to use.

Your turn to share:
Rosebud asks: 1) Do you enjoy book challenges or do you limit yourself to just a few??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Valentine and "Love" books or the February 2015 Newly Updated ARC/Review List. (My daughter pulled several of the Christmas titles to give with gift bags we made up for the nursing homes. One of these days I will get together a new box of Christmas titles.)

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question 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 through Saturday January 23, 2015 at 5 PM central.

Book Review: Jessica's Christmas Kiss: (Christmas Kisses Book 3) by Alison May

This is a charmingly, sweet little romance touched with Christmas magic.

Jessica's Christmas Kiss: (Christmas Kisses Book 3)

by Alison May

File Size: 2344 KB

Print Length: 148 pages

Publisher: Choc Lit (December 12, 2015)

ASIN: B0193VF2GI

Genre: Romance, Holiday

My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Real Christmas miracles only ever happen in the movies – don’t they?

When Jessica was fifteen, she shared the perfect kiss with a mystery boy at a Christmas party. It might have only lasted a moment, and the boy might have disappeared shortly afterwards but, to Jessica, it was just a little bit magic.

Fourteen years later, and Jessica is faced with a less than magical Christmas after uncovering her husband’s secret affair. And, whilst she wouldn’t admit it, she sometimes finds herself thinking about that perfect Christmas kiss, back when her life still seemed full of hope and possibility.

But she never would have guessed that the boy she kissed in the kitchen all those years ago might still think about her too …

Review:
Jessica, aged fifteen, shared her first lovely kiss with a mysterious boy at a Christmas party. The moment helped Jessica believe in Christmas magic and years later she was married at Christmas. Unfortunately, within the first year of marriage she discovers that her long time beau, now husband, Patrick, has been unfaithful. He has promised the affair is over and they are about to celebrate Christmas with family when Jessica overhears her husband sweet talking to someone else on the phone. Stunned she bundles up, grabs a bottle of Bailey’s and heads out walking the city. Eventually she ends up at the flat of Cora, the young woman with whom Patrick had the summer affair.

Jessica is met at the door by a man who looks vaguely familiar. He tries to comfort her as Cora proclaims her innocence as she has witnesses that she wasn’t on the phone at the time of the conversation. Lucas, known to his friends and flat mates as Alan, is shocked to recognize the girl he kissed years before --- before his life crashed around him. Lucas has never forgotten the bright, sweet young girl he kissed on Christmas. He never really expected to get to see her again. His life has been wrapped up with hiding his true identity as he stays busy with his volunteer work and taking care of his injured, alcoholic father. Is it possible that he can become reacquainted with Jessica and broaden his isolated life?

The story is told in alternating views from Jessica to Lucas which helps keep it interesting and moving well. Their emotions are engaging, sweet and charming and I was rooting for them all through the book, even with the set-backs. The writing flows well making this an easy, quick read. I note that there are other “Christmas Kiss” stories by Ms. May involving some of the other characters in this book. I am guessing that they would each be as charming. I recommend this to romance readers who will enjoy the addition of Christmas magic in the story.

I received this from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review. It qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge, TBR Triple Dare and “J” on Alphabet Soup.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway January 15, 2016

Happy Friday.
Thank you for prayers last week. The surgery has been postponed again so we need continuing prayers.
We have had a cold week and spent it staying in our RV.  It's been like camping in the backyard which was sort of fun. Unfortunately our house wifi service didn't reach the coach so I had no internet for three nights. :-(  I missed that even as we enjoyed a couple of quiet nights.
I have set aside another set of books which I hope to photo and post in a week or so.

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK

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 January 8 Pick. There were two automatic wins again this week.  Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was one blocked titles, which was won.
AUTO: 
CarolNW gets Richard Paul Evans pair
bn100 gets The Wedding Night

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from January 8 Pick:
Alyn gets Death Angel

Elizabeth gets To Marry A British Lord, won through a block.

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.}

Let's hope 2016 is a book/year in a million!

Image found at Crystal Graphics.

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015
(I was getting ready to leave the office and realized I hadn't taken the photo of the books yet.
I took this very quickly. I may try to get another next week but this will have to do for now.)

PAIRS
Joan Johnston – Colter’s Wife and The Rivals
Nora Roberts – Born in Ice and Carnal Innocence
SINGLES
The Wedding Night by Jane Ann Krentz
The Marriage Prize by Virginia Henley
In Shelter Cove by Barbara Freethy
Into the Valley by Rosanne Bittner
Never Look Back by Linda Lael Miller
The Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver – CD Audiobook
Touch Me by Beverly Rae (personally autographed)
Driven by Desire by LuAnn McLane (personally autographed)
To Marry a British Lord by Judith Obrien
A Highlander For Christmas by Sandy Blair
A Midnight Clear by Katherine Stone (slight seam creasing)
Silver Bells by JoAnn Ross, Fern Michaels, Mary Burton, Judy Duarte


New Book Group #61 October 30, 2015
After I noticed the trend I went on a hunt for “bride” titles. I even pulled a couple from some of my long time collections(*). (But they are not getting read on my shelves.)

PAIRS:
Leigh Greenwood –  The Reluctant Bride and The Independent Bride
Jane Feather(*) – The Hostage Bride and The Accidental Bride
SINGLES:
The de Burgh Bride by Deborah Simmons
The Forever Bride by Evelyn Rogers (Seam creasing)
Short Straw Bride by Dallas Schultz
The Bride Thief by Susan Spencer Paul
Bride by Stella Cameron (Seam creasing) (*)
An Unwilling Bride by Jo Beverley (*)
Bride Enchanted by Edith Layton
The Maiden Bride by Linda Needham (hardback)
Bride of Lochbarr by Margaret Moore (*)
The Ideal Bride by Stephanie Laurens (*)
Honor’s Bride by Galye Wilson
A Necessary Bride by Debra Mullins
Border Bride by Deborah Hale


New Book Group #60 September 18, 2015
A set of "haunting" tales and a few mysteries for October!

Shannon Drake –  Realm of Shadows (Alliance Vampires#4) 
SINGLES:
Bloody Good by Georgia Evans
Cat of Nine Tales by Deborah Macgillivray
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Renegade Hunter by Lynsay Sands
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)


New Book Group #59 July 31, 2015
A few more summer titles, historicals and mysteries!

ANTHOLOGIES:
Broken Vows, Mended Hearts by Lynn Stone, Gail Ranstrom and Anne O'Brien
3,2,1 Married! by Sharon Sala, Marie Ferrarella and Beverly Barton
SINGLES:
Cruise to a Wedding by Betty Neels
Little Girl Lost by Shirlee McCoy
You Don't Know Jack by Erin McCarthy

New Book Group #58 June 26, 2015
-- A few summer titles, a few mysteries, a few historicals...

SINGLES:
Servant, The Awakening by L.L. Foster

New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015

SINGLES:
A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
The Ruthless Greek's Virgin Princess by Trish Morey
Rally Fever by Crea Jones

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
(I'll try to get the rest linked another day.)

SINGLES:
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)

New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015 -- All Gone

SINGLES:
If I Had You by Deborah Bedford
The Man Who Ate the 747 by Ben Sherwood

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014

SINGLES:
Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card - Tape Cassettes


BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty byVickie Kennedy
First to Fight Anthology
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Commander by Kate Bridges
The Cinderella Plan by Margaret Daley
The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook by Steve Doocy
A Garden of Friends by Penny Pierce Rose
Richard Paul Evans PAIR: The Looking Glass and The Carousel
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner


BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)

Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
Cattle Rancher, Secret Son by Margaret Way
Whisper on the Wind by Joan Smith
Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark
A Lady of Consequence by Mary Nichols
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain


BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)

Thinner by Stephen King
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Dancing on Snowflakes by Jane Bonander
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
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
Tara Taylor Quinn: Father: Unknown and McGillus v.Wright
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
Anthology: Something Borrowed, Something Blue - this book has spine creases and minor water damage...I thought I had read it and liked it but now I realize it was another anthology I read with Elaine Barbier.


BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)

Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Death Angel by Linda Howard

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 six years I have posted 62 groups of 16 (992) books to find new homes! (as of November 6, 2015).

I am happy to say that so far about 918+ books have found new homes! YAY. 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, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, 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 far away 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 Feral Sentence: Part One by G. C. Julien

This is a fast paced, engaging story introducing a different dystopian series.
The Feral Sentence: Part One
by G. C. Julien

• File Size: 425 KB
• Print Length: 60 pages
• Publication Date: December 12, 2015
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• ASIN: B019BDTNV8

Genre: Dystopian, Sci Fi, Novella
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

The year is 2087, and the federal government has implemented a new sentence for criminal convictions—banishment to a remote island.

When Lydia Brone is wrongly convicted of murder, she is sentenced to three years on Kormace Island. She must forget all she’s ever heard about life in prison and develop the necessary skills to survive in the wild and defend herself against savage enemies—other felons who will fight for their rightful place within the island's hierarchy system by means of violence and sheer brutality.

Review:
Lydia is an everyday teenage girl who has been convicted of murder and sentenced to three years on a remote penal Island. When she is dropped off she quickly realizes this is no ordinary prison facility. In fact there is no facility – only other felons trying to survive the wilderness and each other.

Lydia is quickly surrounded by a band of wild looking women who escort her to a camp where they will try to discover what skill she can offer the clan. She isn’t an athlete and doesn’t have any particularly handy talents like doctoring or wilderness survival. Initially she is given a menial task to learn. She is struggling to fit in and to make friends when the camp comes under attack from an enemy clan. When several warriors are injured in the battle, Lydia is assigned a more crucial task which she will have to learn as she goes.

This is the introduction to the series leaving much to develop. I enjoyed the different plot full of action, danger and irony. Lydia is not a particularly talented heroine so it will be interesting to see how the story develops. I recommend this to readers who enjoy dystopian and survival stories.

I received this novella from the author for an honest review.

Book Review: The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson Book 9) by Darynda Jones

Another engaging installment in this fun series although the forward movement is a small step.

The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson Book 9)

by Darynda Jones

File Size: 1471 KB
Print Length: 337 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 12, 2016)
ASIN: B00V36ODVM
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

In a small village in New York lives Jane Doe, a girl with no memory of who she is or where she came from. So when she is working at a diner and slowly begins to realize she can see dead people, she's more than a little taken aback. Stranger still are the people entering her life. They seem to know things about her. Things they hide with lies and half-truths. Soon, she senses something far darker. A force that wants to cause her harm, she is sure of it. Her saving grace comes in the form of a new friend she feels she can confide in and the fry cook, a devastatingly handsome man whose smile is breathtaking and touch is scalding. He stays close, and she almost feels safe with him around.

But no one can outrun their past, and the more lies that swirl around her-even from her new and trusted friends-the more disoriented she becomes, until she is confronted by a man who claims to have been sent to kill her. Sent by the darkest force in the universe. A force that absolutely will not stop until she is dead. Thankfully, she has a Rottweiler. But that doesn't help in her quest to find her identity and recover what she's lost. That will take all her courage and a touch of the power she feels flowing like electricity through her veins. She almost feels sorry for him. The devil in blue jeans. The disarming fry cook who lies with every breath he takes. She will get to the bottom of what he knows if it kills her. Or him. Either way.

Review:
Charley has found herself in Sleepy Hollow, New York, with no memory of who, or what, she is. She has been hired as a waitress at the local diner and is glad to have found a friend in another waitress, Cookie. Cookie is there with her new husband, Robert. There are regulars at the diner including, Garrett, Osh and the devastatingly handsome and alluring, Reyes. There are others too, including a few that Charley, aka “Janey”, recognizes as ghosts although she doesn’t want to acknowledge that she can see them.

Janey is hounded a bit by Ian, the local cop who first found her. Ian seems the hardest one to convince that they are no more than friends. Janey is determined to pay her own way until she can recall who she is. Others have offered help and she will borrow the car from her elderly neighbor because she can do errands for her and bring her groceries. But she won’t take actual gifts, even from Reyes as he shows sincere concern for her and they grow closer.

As usual form, Janey/Charley has a few mysteries to solve, including an evil spirit that is killing children of another co-worker and a neighbor businessman whose family has been taken hostage as a crew of Russians digs under his building to another neighboring building. Janey doesn’t want to expose the family to danger so she tells “Bobert” (Cookie’s hubby, Robert) in hopes he can find an unobtrusive way to help. Janey may be able to solve the local problems but she doesn’t recognize the larger danger stalking her.

I really enjoyed having all the usual characters surrounding Charley even though they wouldn’t let her know her background. They are supposedly keeping an eye on her with team tag surveillance but somehow she slips through the cracks. It was a surprise, and emotional moment, how she finally regains her memory.

I think this one could have used a little more backstory earlier to refresh my memory from book eight, but the gap was filled in later so all was fine. The book is full of the usual Charley snarkiness, complete with coffee addiction, T-shirt and internet quotes, and, of course, lust for Reyes.There is even a headless horseman. For the most part I enjoyed the action, the upheaval of emotion, danger and the underlying sense of love even during the balancing of good versus evil.There is still mystery and danger to be unraveled in future books.

What I didn’t enjoy was the totally unnecessary use of the “F” word. Really? What does that add that the author and editors feel it has to be included? Yuck. I keep hoping it will stop but I guess not. I either live with it and keep reading or say “that’s enough” and find some other series to read/listen to. I am glad I received this from Net Galley for review so I wasn’t paying for that language.

This is the first time I have read a Charely Davidson novel instead of listening. Although I missed Lorelei King’s wonderful narration, I was able to hear a lot of it in my mind so I’m not sorry I snagged this for review while I could. I do recommend the book and series as good entertainment, just with the caution that it does contain language that is offensive to some of us.

I received this through NetGalley. Title Release date 1/12/16. This is part of my NetGalley Challenge and TBR Triple Dare.