Audible Book Review: The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty

I found the Irish history (1981) interesting in this gritty crime novel.
The Cold, Cold Ground
Detective Sean Duffy, Book 1
By: Adrian McKinty
Narrated by: Gerard Doyle

Series: Detective Sean Duffy Series, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 01-11-12
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Irish, Mystery, Police Procedure
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Adrian McKinty was born in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. He studied politics and philosophy at Oxford before moving to America in the early 1990s. Living first in Harlem, he found employment as a construction worker, barman, and bookstore clerk. In 2000 he moved to Denver to become a high school English teacher and it was there that he began writing fiction.
In 2009 he moved to Melbourne, Australia, with his wife and two children. His first full-length novel, Dead I Well May Be, was short-listed for the 2004 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award and its sequel, The Dead Yard, was selected as one of the twelve best novels of the year by Publishers Weekly.
In 2008 his debut young adult novel, The Lighthouse Land, was short-listed for the 2008 Young Hoosier Award and the 2008 Beehive Award. The final novel in the Dead trilogy, The Bloomsday Dead, was long-listed for the 2009 World Book Day Award.
In 2011 Falling Glass was an Audible.com Best Thriller.
©2012 Adrian McKinty (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
This story is set in an era of political violence in 1980s Northern Ireland. Detective Sean Duffy, a Catholic, is a new detective working for the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He checks for bombs under his car before driving as he doesn’t really know if he is safe in his Protestant neighborhood. Nor does he feel safe near the police station or out and about as he goes about his job.

A man is found dead in his car with his hand cut off and lying on the floor. Duffy feels as though he missed something at the scene. He doesn’t realize what it was until the coroner calls to tell him the hand belongs to someone else. Hours later they find the other man. The sawed-off hands would indicate they may have been informers but both men are gay and the murderer leaves messages noting that as his motive. Duffy’s superiors don’t want to admit there may be a serial killer of gay men on the loose and they are pressuring him to wrap this up quickly.

While hunting clues, Duffy finds an Irish girl hanging in the woods. The young woman turns out to have disappeared months earlier and she was the ex-wife of one of the current prisoners who are part of a hunger strike. Authorities are ready to declare the hanging as a suicide, but Duffy doesn’t think so. His gut tells him there is a connection somewhere.

Duffy is not making friends as he stalks a local henchman to unsavory places. Then he discovers one of the victims was the head of a secret IRA division. Things are getting more complicated and soon he is a target even as his boss pulls him off the case.

I really liked Duffy from the beginning although I didn’t like all his behaviors. I appreciated his determination and willingness to listen to his gut instinct. He puts himself at risk, ignoring orders to stay away from the case. Violence is prevalent among the characters and it is hard to determine which is the ‘right’ side of the Irish conflicts. The history elements were really fascinating. I liked the detailed police procedure and tension. The gritty style clearly fit the time and characters. I recommend this to readers who like gritty, police procedural detective mystery and those who may be interested in Irish conflict.

Audio Notes: Gerard Doyle’s narration enhances the story as the accents make the setting come alive. The narration made this a better ‘read’ for me.

Source: 2015 Audible Credit Purchase. This qualifies for my 2018TBR, Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Book Review: Start with Why by Simon Sinek

There is wisdom here I hope to use.

Start with Why
How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
By: Simon Sinek
Narrated by: Simon Sinek

Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-05-17
Language: English
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Genre: Business, Inspirational
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
The inspiring, life-changing best seller by the author of Leaders Eat Last and Together Is Better.
In 2009 Simon Sinek started a movement to help people become more inspired at work and, in turn, inspire their colleagues and customers. Since then, millions have been touched by the power of his ideas, including more than 28 million who've watched his TED Talk based on Start with Why - the third most popular TED video of all time.
Sinek starts with a fundamental question: Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over?
People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with why. They realized that people won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the why behind it.
Start with Why shows that the leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way - and it's the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with why.
©2017 Simon Sinek (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Review:
This is a business guide, cheer-leading sort of book. The advice is similar to setting goals but really more fundamental. If we all found our “Why” we would choose work we love to do and not just find a job to make money. On a corporate level, the author explains the importance of knowing the “Why” for the business and then making certain all employees, from top CEO to lowest mailroom clerk, understand and support the “Why”. This should be in mind when interviewing and hiring so that the right person is selected for the job.

Sinek gives good examples of companies who succeeded by knowing and keeping their “Why” in focus. He also shared examples of companies that had money and leaders but failed for lack of a defined “Why”. There are also examples of companies that lost their “Why” along the way, either by trying products or marketing that didn’t fit or by losing a leader who embodied the “Why” but the successor leader did not.

There is redundancy in the material and this could have been condensed to a better presentation. As interesting as this book is, I struggled a little in applying it to a smaller company such as my own. Sinek finally acknowledged about 4/5ths in that the concept of The Golden Circle may work better for larger companies. Still, the idea of working out of passion (the “Why”) instead of just for money, makes good sense and would seem to foster better success. It is possible that this would be better in print as the reader could go back as a resource more easily than with an audiobook. I recommend this to anyone interested in being inspired to find and start with “Why”.

Audio Notes: It is often interesting when an author narrates their own book. Sinek does a good job, clearly knowing and having enthusiasm for the material. I was glad to listen as it was effective use of driving time.

Source: Audible Purchase 2018. This qualifies for Audible Challenge and 2018 selection for Alphabet Challenge.

MBS April 2018 Reading List Wrap Up

MBS 2018 Reading List - APRIL

Code for the list is:
A = Audible; ABJ = Audiobook Jukebox; ABB = Audiobook Boom
e = eBook; eA = eBook from Author; eT = eBook from Tour
NG = NetGalley
P = Print; PT = Print from Tour
LBC = Ladies Book Club
TBR = From the TBR shelves prior to 2017
Favorite for April: Know Your Bible

(I still have a couple of reviews to write.)

1. ATBR- Goodreads Audio Book Review: Dagon by H.P. Lovecraft, Booktrack Edition; Horror, Short Story; my rating 4.0.
2. ATBR- The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wild; my rating 4.5.
3. ATBR- Audiobook Review: The Mysterious Howling, Book 1 by Maryrose Wood; Children, Fantasy, Growing Up, Middle Grade; my rating 4.25.
4. eReview2018- Book Review and Giveaway: Dog Training the American Male by Steve Alten; Humor, Romantic Comedy; my rating 3.75.
5. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb; Female Detective, Mystery; my rating 4.75.
6. NGTBR- #NetGalley Book Review: Mind Game: A Novel (Eve Duncan) by Iris Johansen; Crime, Thriller, Woman Sleuth; my rating 4.0.
7. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Devil's Due: Destroyermen, Book 12, by Taylor Anderson; Alternate History, Sci Fi; my rating 4.5.
8. A2018Author- Audible Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Hunting in Bruges by E.J. Stevens; Paranormal, Urban Fantasy; my rating 4.0.
9. 2018NG- #NetGalley Book Review: Out of the Box by Jemma Westing; Children, Crafts; my rating 4.5.
10. ATBR- Audible Book Review: The Never Hero by T. Ellery Hodges; Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Time Travel; my rating 4.5.
11. NGTBR- #NetGalley Book Review: Let There Be Light by Dan Gordon and Sam Sorbo; Christian, Inspirational; my rating 4.0.
12. PLBC- Book Review: Know Your Bible by Paul Kent; Christian, Inspirational, Religious; my rating 5.0.
13. A2018- Audible Book Review: Start with Why by Simon Sinek; Business, Inspirational; my rating 4.0.
14. ATBR- Audible Book Review: The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty; Irish, Mystery, Police Procedure; my rating 4.0.

A little slower reading this month but I am still 5 books ahead on my Goodreads Challenge.
Total read = 14; TBR = 10; New Authors = 9
Audio/Audible = 9 (6 TBRs)
eBook = 1
NetGalley = 3 (3 TBRs)
Print = 1 (TBR)

Sunday Post May 6, 2018/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday May 7, 2018

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date.

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 another busy, busy week. Heather (daughter and manager) was out Thursday through Monday for family time cruise. That left me covering for several closings and fundings on Friday and more on Monday with a trip to Bay County. More working late each evening.

We had beautiful weather this past week. We will be seeing higher 80s this week.

I had a fair week reading; listening was good. I finished three books total: 2 Audible titles and one digital. I posted three reviews and my usual memes.

I only visited 24 blogs again last week.
Shout Out this week for Books, Thoughts and Adventures who shares yummy recipes and books (and pretty kitties too).
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post April 29, 2018/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday April 30, 2018.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: The Never Hero by T. Ellery Hodges; Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Time Travel; my rating 4.5.

• NGTBR- #NetGalley Book Review: Let There Be Light by Dan Gordon and Sam Sorbo; Christian, Inspirational; my rating 4.0.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway May 4, 2018. Open Worldwide. Ending 5/10/2018.

• PLBC- Book Review: Know Your Bible by Paul Kent; Christian, Inspirational, Religious; my rating 5.0.

• Sharing Beyond Books #343 Comment Giveaway May 5, 2018. Open Worldwide. Ending 5/19/2018.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement May 6, 2018.

Finished Reading:

1. Audio/MP3 (TBR)

NPCs
By: Drew Hayes
Narrated by: Roger Wayne
Series: Spells, Swords, & Stealth, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
This is fun 'gaming' adventure - rooting for the underdogs!
Source: 2017 Audible Daily Deal Purchase.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle (NetGalley 2017)

The Hills of Mare Imbrium
by Carleton Chinner
This is engaging sci fi rebellion.
Source: NetGalley 2017.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audio/MP3 (TBR)

Zombie Fallout
Zombie Fallout, Book 1
By: Mark Tufo
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
Series: Zombie Fallout, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins
This seemed fairly common zombie conflict.
Source: 2016 Audible Sale Purchase. ("Z" title.)
Publisher's Summary
It was a flu season like no other. With the H1N1 virus running rampant throughout the country, people lined up in droves to try and attain one of the coveted vaccines. What was not known was the effect this largely untested, rushed to market, inoculation was to have on the unsuspecting throngs. Within days, feverish folk throughout the country convulsed, collapsed, and died, only to be reborn. With a taste for brains, blood, and bodies, these modern-day zombies scoured the lands for their next meal. Overnight the country became a killing ground for the hordes of zombies that ravaged the land.
This is the story of Michael Talbot, his family, and his friends: a band of ordinary people trying to get by in extraordinary times. When disaster strikes, Mike, a self-proclaimed survivalist, does his best to ensure the safety and security of those he cares for. Book one of the Zombie Fallout Trilogy follows our lead character at his self-deprecating, sarcastic best. What he encounters along the way leads him down a long dark road, always skirting the edge of insanity.
Can he keep his family safe? Can he discover the secret behind Tommy's powers? Can he save anyone from the zombie queen? Encircled in a seemingly safe haven called Little Turtle, Mike and his family, together with the remnants of a tattered community, must fight against a relentless, ruthless, unstoppable force. This last bastion of civilization has made its final stand. God help them all.
©2010 Mark Tufo (P)2012 Tantor

Currently Reading:
1. Audible/Smartphone (2018)

Aspire
By: Kevin Hall
Narrator: Patrick Lawlor
Duration: 5 hrs and 32 mins
I am enjoying this about positive words!
Source: Audible 2018 sale purchase.
Click on book title for full description.

2. LBCPrint (TBR)
 

A Simple Change, Home to Amana Series #2

By: Judith Miller

This is our April book for Ladies Book Club to be discussed May 12.

Source: Christianbook.com on sale.

Click on book title for full description.

3. Audio/MP3 (TBR)

Joshua
By: John S. Wilson
Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
I like how this dystopian has started.
Source: 2013 Audible Credit Purchase("J" title).
Publisher's Summary
He had to keep moving, that the man instinctively knew. He had to get away, from the rioting, the lawlessness, the killing. Away from the brutal gangs that ruled the highways. Then there was the boy that he found along the way, an orphan with no place to go. He couldn't leave the child behind; that would be murder. Together they had to make their way across the razed landscape of post-collapse America, west to where there was safety, a chance to begin again. If only they survived the journey.
©2012 John S. Wilson (P)2013 Podium Publishing

4. eBook/Kindle (NetGalley 2017)

Hearts Under Fire
by Antonio Scotto di Carlo
This romantic suspense has been in my queue too long
and needs to be read. :-)
Source: 2017 Author through Goodreads.
Jenny is a beautiful young businesswoman. She lives in an Italian tourist town where she owns a shop. Her need for independence is her strength, but her innate distrust sometimes creates problems with others.
One day she encounters love. More than an encounter, it’s a collision, a head-on collision. Her heart isn’t Eros’s only target, and everything changes …
Police begin investigating suspicious events around her, slowing down the construction of a new great hotel in town and rocking her life even more.

May 6, 2018 - I added a prayer app on my smartphone this week. It is helping to remind me of my prayer list each morning.
I continue on track with my morning reading the One Year Bible plan on my smartphone. It is a great way to start my day and I share the joy of the word with other friends on the YouVersion Bible App. Hubby and I still share in discussion although we are reading slightly different places. You can check out audio of the One Year Bible Plan on the companion commentary online.

I completed 3 books and posted 3 reviews. That still leaves me 5 reviews.
I need to find time to add more titles to Goodreads, Amazon and Audible.
My NetGalley shelf is now at 14. I still have one committed author title in queue and some new sent by authors. Also many through InstaFreebie. I have more new author requests but I still haven't replied.

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 (yours truly). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I selected one review title through iRead Book Tours (which I forgot to list last week).
I received three NetGalley titles.
I also accepted an author title.
I picked up one Audible daily deal titles and two free Audibles; no Kindle deals this week.
I also picked up some free kindle titles as usual. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.)
Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

Iread: I received this title through iRead Book Tours; review on 5/23/18.

The Deadliest Sport: A Miriam bat Isaac Mystery in Ancient Alexandria
by June Trop
"Miriam bat Isaac, a budding alchemist in first-century CE Alexandria..."
This Mystery, Historical Fiction sounds interesting.



Three more titles from NetGalley:

Little Pierrot Vol. 2: Amongst the Stars
by Alberto Varanda
"Little Pierrot and Mr. Snail's imaginative adventures take them to the stars and beyond!"
I couldn't resist the title and cover combination.

Decluttering at the Speed of Life

by Dana K. White

"You don't have to live overwhelmed by stuff--you can get rid of clutter for good!"
I want to do this; if only I had the time!

Lock N' Load
by Tee O'Fallon

"Crack CIA analyst Trista Gold is a whiz with the computer,
but not so much with people."
It was the cover on this one that got my attention.

Author review title:

Lance: A Spirit Unbroken
by Walter Stoffel
"Marley meets…Cujo?
A dog down the block is being forced to live outside, at the mercy of abusers, wild animals and brutal weather."
I love stories with dogs.

Won

NONE

Purchased

I resisted the Audible Daily Deals until today:
5/6/18 Daily Deal $2.95
The Secret, Book & Scone Society
By: Ellery Adams
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 11-03-17
A title like that, I couldn't resist.

Free

I received one title as an Audible Gift and found the other free on Audible:
5/5 Free Audible Gift
American Pharoah
By: Joe Drape
Narrator: Aaron Abano
Duration: 8 hrs and 36 mins


Free:
A Rare Book of Cunning Device
By: Ben Aaronovitch
Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Length: 29 mins
Release date: 04-27-17

I added only 34 free titles to my Kindle library this week. (I was just too tired again to download titles this week.) 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 May 6, 2018

This morning we enjoyed the continued lesson on Grace and Mercy in Sunday School. We had nice worship time and then Pastor continued his sermon series on Relationslips.

Pastor summarized the last three weeks:
“I owe you” – guilt. The remedy is confession.
Then “You owe me” – anger. The remedy is forgiveness.
Today is “I owe me” – greed. The remedy is generosity.

Today he discussed the ever present need of people to ‘want more’. They covet what others have and some feel “I deserve more as I'm trying to serve God more than that other person”.
They think: “God owes me” which stems from Jealousy.
There are two aspects of jealousy. Our God is a jealous God represents the positive aspect.
The other aspect is the negative, self-destructive emotion of wanting what we don’t have.

Jealousy almost always creates struggle, tension and damage in relationships. We become discontented with our lives and possessions, even our relationships. External conflicts are result of internal desire bubbling up.

This problem is addressed in James Chapter 4. We want what we don't have, and we don’t receive it because we ask with a wrong motive. James 4:2.

Point: A growing life for God makes it impossible for jealousy to grow.

Jealousy keeps us from being able to follow the most basic relationship command: LOVE one another. The tendency is to think ‘it is not the other persons fault and not my fault, so it must be God's fault.

Why do our relationships suffer? We can’t take it out on God, so we take our frustrations out on those around us. All relationship conflict has one common demonstrator: me. James 4:4-10.

Sin is the pursuit to find fulfillment outside of God. We need to focus on God, not the world or worldly things. James says, “Take it all to God”.

Are you happy within yourself?
People can't satisfy us, but a right relationship with Jesus can.
The remedy to the jealousy issue has two elements: (1) Love God with all of you. (2) Celebrate others.

No one else owes me. If we honestly face the shadow of the cross God we will recognize that God doesn't owe me anything. I owe Him everything.

I went through several songs and decided on this one for today.

Verses for Today
James 4:7-10 NIV
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

I pray Lord that You help me stay focused on You and help me love others like You do.