#NetGalley Book Review: Consent of the Governed by Bernard LoPinto

This is a dystopian with political subcomments.

Consent of the Governed
by Bernard LoPinto

File Size: 2429 KB
Print Length: 107 pages
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc (September 1, 2017)
ASIN: B073XZ8QRF
Genre: Dystopian, Political
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

It’s 2029, and the United States has fallen under the sway of an oppressive government where all citizens’ rights have
been stripped, Red Shirt platoons patrol the streets, and people die for voicing opinions. Into this chaos step Sid and Annie Winthrop. The elderly couple sets out on a deadly journey of revenge against the Red Shirts who murdered their son.
Red Shirt members Victor and Brooklyn have devoted their young lives to the cause of the president in protecting the nation. When attacks on their home town leave dozens of Red Shirts dead, Victor must help his superiors find the vigilante.
At their darkest moment, each couple finds a common bond in their suffering and must decide where their loyalties lie.

Review:
Sid and Annie Winthrop are children of the late 60s and 70s. Annie left her strict and strife-ridden home when they objected to her teen-aged rebellion. She moved in with Sid and they became a couple who stayed together for over 50 years. They remember the days when people got to speak in public freely and could vote for their representatives.

Times have changed. A dictatorial president has declared martial law and suspended the constitution, taking away many freedoms that Americans have taken for granted. The president set up an enforcement group of young thugs called the Red Shirts. They are not allowed to carry guns but they carry batons and swing them with vigor if anyone tries to speak out negatively against the current government.

The Red Shirts bludgeoned Sid and Annie’s son to death and the couple are ready to fight back. Although the youth do not know the history of freedom, there is a good group of older folks who remember and know the truth.

The author tells the tale between two love stories: Sid and Annie and a young couple who are members of the local Red Shirt troop. I enjoyed this engaging political dystopian and cautionary commentary. There are clear implications toward specific leaders, but I didn’t let that bother me. The writing is direct and the message reminds us not to take freedoms lightly. I recommend this to readers who enjoy political dystopians.

Source: NetGalley 2017. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Take Control, NetGalley and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Book Review: Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell

I really liked this surprisingly engaging tale which is business trading rather than space action.
Quarter Share
A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 1
By: Nathan Lowell
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

Series: A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 05-10-16
Language: English
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Mercantile, Sci Fi, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
What if we sent freighters instead of frigates?
In a universe run by corporations, where profit matters more than life, how can an orphan with no skills, no money, and no prospects survive?
When Ishmael Wang's mother dies in a senseless accident, he's given a choice: leave the planet on his own, or the company will remove him. To avoid deportation Ishmael finds work as a mess deck attendant on an interstellar freighter.
Find out what Ishmael must do to earn his Quarter Share.
©2013 Nathan Lowell (P)2016 Podium Publishing

Review:
Ishmael’s mother dies when he is 17, leaving him on his own with no place to go. Ishmael takes the initiative to get a job as a mess deck attendant on an interstellar freighter, the SC Lois McKendrick. One of his first acts in his new position makes an impression and secures his job. Ishmael knows nothing about space freighters or protocol, but he gets a little help, learns quickly and works hard.

Ishmael’s mess companion and ‘trainer’ is a young man named Pip, a small fellow who left another freighter where he was mocked and bullied. Pip is from a trading family and uses his family skills to enhance his meager wages by trading goods. This task is a balancing act as each spacer only has so much weight allotment on ship and must fit trade goods within that limit as well as within their monetary budget.

Pip and Ishmael begin to combine their efforts to make a few trades. This process expands until it has a surprising impact on the other crewmates and even the ship officers of the SC Lois McKendrick.

There is fascinating detail of day to day life and interaction on a mercantile space ship. Ishmael is a wonderful character with clever ideas and a good work ethic and an attitude that encourages cooperation. I am not a huge fan of coming of age tales, but I found this fully entertaining. It doesn’t have the usual action of military battle that I am accustomed to so I was even more surprised at how engrossed I became. I enjoyed the tensions, surprises and successes of the crew. I plan to pick up the next book fairly soon to follow the bartering talents of Ishmael, Pip and his crew mates.

Audio Notes: Jeffrey Kafer does a fine job with the narration. His voice fit the young, direct personality of Ishmael. He also presents appropriate accents for Pip, Cookie, the Captain and the other crew members. The narration added to my enjoyment of this story.

Source: Audible 2016 Credit Purchase. This qualifies for my 2018TBR, Take Challenge, Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway March 23, 2018

Happy Friday!

Work has been a juggle all week as I was ill Sunday and staff was out two days. Now it looks like hubby got the bug. :-(

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 16 Pick. There was one automatic win 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 title which was won.

Carol L gets The Wicked Wyckerly.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from March 16 Pick:
Natalija gets a CG and
BECKY gets the Betty Neals Pair.

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.}

Image found at Delicious Reads

New Book Group #77 February 16, 2018
I thought I would look for some 'Springish' titles but that didn't happen. Hope someone finds a title or two you like.

PAIRS
Betty Neals: Tabitha by Moonlight and Fate Takes a Hand
Nora Robert: Hot Ice (spine creased) and Sanctuary
SINGLES:
My Lord Conqueror by Samantha James
Surrender by Pamela Clare
Dessert Rogue by Suzanne Simmons
The Rose and the Shield by Elaine Barrieri
Hannah’s Courtship by Emma Miller
Someone to Watch Over Me by Judith McNaught
Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
Heroes Are My Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
A Husband’s Wicked Ways by Jane Feather
Hot on Her Heels by Susan Mallery
Indigo Blue by Catherine Anderson
Between the Devil and Desire (Scoundrels of St. James Book 2) by Lorraine Heath (hardback)


New Book Group #76 November 3, 2017
21 books remain of the original 37:

I finally Have them Listed!
Boots & Booties by Kristine Rolofson
Saucer the Conquest by Stephen Coonts
Echo Burning by Lee Child
The Scorpion Seducer by Bonnie Vanak
Hell On Earth by David L. Porter
Tempted All Night by Liz Carlyle
Day of the Dead by J.A. Jance
White Night by Jim Butcher
Five Gold Rings Anthology Constance O’Banyon and three others
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton
Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Wizard’s Daughter by Catherine Coulter
Pearl Beyond Price by Claire Delacroix
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice
Inhuman Condition by Clive Barker
Night Whispers by Judith McNaught
101 Commonsense Rules for the Office by John R. Brinkerhoff

 THESE BOOKS CHOSEN/WON ARE THE ONES STRICKEN HERE:
Finger Licken' Fifteen
How to Tame a Highland Warrior
The Texan
Total Control
Atlantis Found
Stephanie Laurens Pair
Desperado 
Rebellious Desires 
Forget Me Not 
The Eighth Commandment
Ghost Riders
The Manning Brides by Debbie Macomber 
Shadow Music 
Corbin's Fancy 
Hawk's Lady

This shelf of 35 books are what is left from Groups #1 (11/27/09) through Group #75 September 29, 2017

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 14 titles.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
Named of the Dragon
Daring
Aunt Erma's Cope Book
JoAnn Ross: Confessions
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
The New Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman
A Kiss Before Dawn by Kimberly Logan
The Fireman’s Fair by Josephine Humphreys (Hardcover)
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen
Rainbow Mars by Larry Niven
There Was A Little Girl by Ed McBain (Audio Cassettes)
Love's Brazen Fire by Betina Krahn 

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 21 titles.)
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
(*Three more very old books from my Gothics box.)
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell
*Four books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I found.
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
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
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

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 EIGHT years I have posted 75 groups of 16 (1,200) books to find new homes! (as of November 2, 2017).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,151+books have found new homes through this feature! YAY. [A month or so ago I posted I had reached 2000 books given away. As I calculated the numbers 11/2/17 I realized that had to be an error. I realized I went from 1098 to 2001 instead of 1101. Guess I was tired; sorry for the error.] 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!

#NetGalley Book Review: Fade to Black by David Rosenfelt

This is a good crime suspense with a detective whose wry humor is similar to the Andy Carpenter series.

Fade to Black: A Doug Brock Thriller
by David Rosenfelt

File Size: 4415 KB
Print Length: 280 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (March 13, 2018)
ASIN: B074ZNMSJP
Genre: Crime Thriller, Police Procedures
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

In Fade to Black, the thrilling sequel to Blackout from David Rosenfelt, policeman Doug Brock helps a fellow victim of amnesia untangle a murder case and discovers he may not be as distant as he thinks.
After getting shot in the line of duty, New Jersey state police officer Doug Brock has been busy rebuilding his life. He’s reunited with his fiancé and started to get some of his memories back. He hopes he can continue to recover with the help of an amnesia support group and that the damage from his past isn’t permanent.
It isn’t until fellow group member Sean Conner approaches him after a meeting that Doug realizes the trouble is just beginning. Sean has discovered in his attic what can only be called a scrapbook of a murder victim, but he has no recollection of the girl’s identity or why he might have gathered this information. Doug agrees to help and convinces his captain to open what had been a cold case. When he discovers that he had a personal connection to this case, suddenly he’s questioning everything he thought he knew about the case, about Sean, and about his own past.
In the next page-turning thriller by David Rosenfelt, Doug Brock is back to delight readers and keep them guessing until the end.

Review:
NJ police officer Doug Brock suffered an injury that stole years of his memory. He is just getting back on duty with his partner, Nate. His fiancé. Jessie, works in the investigative unit so they get to spend time at work and at home.

Doug is attending a group with other victims of memory loss. One of them asks to meet privately and then asks Doug to check the circumstances of an old murder. Doug begins to look at the old case but it takes on even more new interest when the group member turns up murdered.

One step of the investigation leads to another until Doug suspects there is a larger problem. Soon they are on a race to uncover a killer and or the mystery before a threatened event occurs.

I liked the mystery and suspense that built. There was a surprise twist that made it even more interesting, along with the race at the end to prevent the terrorist act.

I enjoyed the dry banter and wit which are a Rosenfelt staple. I am accustomed to reading or listening to the Andy Carpenter series and could hear (in my head) the same type of character traits in this story. The romantic relationship is very similar to Andy and his love too. That isn’t a bad thing since I enjoy those books too.

I enjoy Rosenfelt’s style of intense mystery with characters who have real personalities and snark. I hadn’t read the first book in the series but this one read acceptably as a stand alone. I recommend this book and this author to those who enjoy police thriller mystery stories.

Source: NetGalley; Title released March 13, 2018. This qualifies for my NetGalley, 2018TBR and Alphabet Challenges.

#NetGalley Book Review: If I Live by Terri Blackstock

This is an engaging, satisfactory conclusion of this intense series.
If I Live (If I Run Series) by Terri Blackstock

File Size: 1246 KB
Print Length: 352 pages

Publisher: Zondervan (March 6, 2018)
ASIN: B072TNH72K
Genre: Christian, Mystery, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

THE HUNT IS ALMOST OVER.

Casey Cox is still on the run after being indicted for murder. The hunt that began with her bloody footprints escalates, and she’s running out of places to hide. Her face is all over the news, and her disguises are no longer enough. It’s only a matter of time before someone recognizes her.
Dylan Roberts, the investigator who once hunted her, is now her only hope. Terrifying attempts on Dylan’s life could force Casey out of hiding. The clock is ticking on both their lives, but exposing the real killers is more complicated than they knew. Amassing the evidence to convict their enemies draws Dylan and Casey together, but their relationship has consequences. Will one life have to be sacrificed to protect the other?
With If I Live, Terri Blackstock takes us on one more heart-stopping chase in the sensational conclusion to the If I Run series.

Review:
Casey has been wearing disguises to stay hidden but she keeps helping people in need around her. Her latest efforts are trying to help a man wrongfully accused of child abuse and trying to find a way to help the child. She keeps landing in the news and getting recognized. Corrupt detective Keegan is hot on her heels.

Dylan has managed to help Casey avoid capture. Through their brief contacts their feelings for each other are growing. He is continuing to look for proof to support the allegations that Keegan is dirty and a killer. Dylan’s own actions, as covert as he is trying to be, are putting pressure on Keegan who is taking down loose ends around him. This includes a direct attack on Dylan.

The suspense continues to escalate as Casey and Dylan try to arrange for her to safely turn herself in without putting her near Keegan. A few last-minute twists had hubby and me holding our breath waiting for resolution.

There were some questions in our minds like ‘why Casey and Dylan didn’t take the evidence to the FBI?’ It was clear it was hard to trust anyone near their own town and precinct but its seems they might have sought help from another jurisdiction. Casey does end up with an interesting choice of attorney who is a good character addition. The romance and faith support elements were nicely handled as they picked up in this concluding book. I really liked how Blackstock showed how God worked to help Casey and Dylan.

All in all, hubby and I enjoyed the trilogy and I was extra glad he listened with me. This third book was a NetGalley ebook version so we had my Kindle reading. I am used to the mechanical, robotic voice but hubby kept grumbling: “that guy has no emotion”. I am sure he would have preferred the audio but I was fine with the ebook.

I like Blackstock’s writing which is engaging and not overly complex. I recommend this series to readers who enjoy romantic suspense and faith-based elements.

Source: NetGalley 2018. This qualifies for NetGalley and Alphabet (2018 title) challenges.

Book 1: Audio Book Review: If I Run by Terri Blackstock, 4.25
Book 2: Audible Book Review: If I'm Found by Terri Blackstock, 4.25