Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 18, 2016

Happy Friday!
Spring is nearly upon us - Yay! My week was okay except I had only one employee for three days as first one was out then the other was home with sick child and 24 hour bug. We keep pushing through with the work and have two closings tomorrow. 

I am hoping to get a picture of the current book list on Saturday.

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 March 11 Pick. There were THREE automatic wins this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There were no blocked titles this week.
Alyn gets the Shannon Drake Pair
rubynreba gets The Forever Bride
Emily gets Cat of Nine Tales

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from March 11 Pick:
HoldenJ gets Little Girl Lost

Mary P 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.}

I like this display of Green Books for St. Patrick's Day (or Shades of Spring).

Image found Book Displays on Pinterest.

New Book Group #64 March 4, 2016

PAIRS:
Elizabeth Boyle: His Mistress by Morning and This Rake of Mine (The Bachelor Chronicles Book 2)
Kay Hooper: If There Be Dragons and The Matchmaker
Lisa Jackson: Left to Die and Twice Kissed
SINGLES:
Guilty Pleasures by Stella Cameron
The Theft by Andra Kane
Bed of Roses by Katherine Stone
Hope by Len Deighton (1995 paperback)
Short Straw (Ed Eagle Novel) by Stuart Woods Hardcover
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette
N is for noose by Sue Grafton -Cassettes
The Fallen by Thomas Sniegoski
Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
Regretsy: Where DIY Meets WTF by April Winchell


New Book Group #63 January 22, 2016
(I have the picture and will try to get the list up before I crash. Sorry no links right now.)

PAIRS:
Victoria Alexander: The Pursuit of Marriage (slight creasing) and When We Meet Again
Shannon Drake: Reckless and When we Touch
James Patterson: Black Friday and Hide and Seek (both have spine creasing)
SINGLES:
Presidential Antidotes by Paul F. Boller, Jr.
Undercurrents by Stella Cameron
Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl
Warrior Ascended by Addison Fox
Parallel Attraction by Deidre Knight
Moving Target by Cheyenne McCray
Wayward Winds by Michael Phillips - Audio Tapes
Walking After Moonlight by Karen Robards
Forgotten Promises by Denise Skelton
A Walk to Remember by Nicolas Sparks - hardback

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015
All Gone


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
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

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 940+ 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 and Tour Giveaway: Breaking the Story (Scottie's Adventures Book 2) by Ashley Farley

I like Ms. Farley’s straight forward, easy writing style.

Breaking the Story (Scottie's Adventures Book 2)
by Ashley Farley

File Size: 1091 KB
Print Length: 215 pages
Publisher: Leisure Time Books; 1 edition (March 17, 2016)
ASIN: B01B1U6E0M
Genre: Suspense, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Passion, peril, and a scandal that will rock American politics.
Scottie Darden's life is a disaster. Her marriage has become toxic, and her career as a photojournalist has stalled out. To attract the attention of the main players in the news industry, she needs a standout story with a unique perspective. What she finds is a scandal that could turn the 2016 presidential election upside down. But before she can release her damaging images to the media, Scottie must uncover the truth behind the photographs. She turns to handsome mystery man Guy Jordan for help. When they join the campaign trail in search of answers, their investigation quickly becomes deadly.
Hop on board for a wild ride of adventure where desire ignites, lives are threatened, and secrets are revealed.

Review:
Scottie is strong minded, bright and a talented photographer. She has a creative but impulsive streak that gets her into trouble. She is currently hunting for the perfect photojournalist opportunity to catapult her career.

Scottie returns home from covering the Republican Convention to find her husband in bed with another woman. The marriage was on the skids anyway and she is better off kicking the cheating, dead weight out of her life. Still, it isn’t easy to walk away from an eight-year marriage and it puts her in a vulnerable position.

Scottie runs into a handsome stranger, Guy, she met at the airport and he lends her an ear. But Scottie isn’t ready for a fling and Guy doesn’t want to be the rebound guy.

Scottie tries to focus on her job by finding a way to get a unique, exclusive shot of the Democratic presidential candidate. Scottie manages to snap some potentially explosive images before she is chased away. She returns home to discover her apartment ransacked and realizes she has stepped into trouble again. She is unable to identify the man in the photos and calls Guy to see if he can help since he seems to be connected to the campaign scene.

Scottie and Guy set off to follow the campaign trail in hopes of spotting the mystery man again. Nothing develops along the professional path but things heat up between Scottie and Guy on a personal level. Then things heat up on a danger level when the FBI gets involved to help identify the man and confirm that he is dangerous. Suddenly the man they are hunting is after Scottie. He knows who she is and how to find her.

When Scottie learns that Guy hasn’t been totally truthful she pushes him away. She is glad that she always has her brother, Will, to call on for support. Scottie hopes the powerful man will leave her alone but she becomes even more of a target when the picture she took is leaked to the press.

This story moves quickly with an easy reading style and fast paced story. I like Scottie’s integrity and her strong relationship with her brother and parents although she struggles not to lean on them too much. I liked Guy and how he cares about Scottie. Her distrust is understandable but I was still hopeful for their relationship. The suspense is engaging but much of the detail I found to be on the unbelievable side.

Although I try not to be bothered by editing errors in ARC versions, I was distracted by a few that I thought were glaring. I hope they were cleaned up before the final version.

This is a fast read with engaging characters and suspense. I recommend it to readers who enjoy light romantic suspense with engaging characters.

I received this title through Caffeinated Book Reviewer and NetGalley for an honest review. This qualifies for NetGalley Challenge,  and "B" (tour book) on Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28793180-breaking-the-story

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/hy7whbx

Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/h6xn6xy

iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/j826qcc

Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/zfh4dzw

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:

If only Scottie could find a way to get up close and personal to the senator. And they've photographed them every which way but naked. Sneaking into Caine's hotel room was out of the question, not that Scottie would ever consider taking images of her in the nude, but there was nothing wrong with sticking close to her in the hopes of capturing a candid moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I first met Scottie in Merry Mary which is another book that readers of contemporary fiction might enjoy.

About the Author:
Ashley Farley is a wife and mother of two college-aged children. She grew up in the salty marshes of South Carolina, but now lives in Richmond, Virginia, a city she loves for its history and traditions.

After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save. SAVING BEN is not a memoir, but a story about the special bond between siblings.

HER SISTER'S SHOES—June 24, 2015—is a women's novel that proves the healing power of family.

MERRY MARY a heartwarming story of the powerful connection between a caring soul and an innocent child in need released October 15, 2015.

Social Media:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Tour Giveaway:

One winner will receive a 50.00 gift card to Amazon or Paypal. Open Internationally
Ends 3/31/16.

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