It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Nov 27

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.     

Welcome back! Here we are at the last Monday in November. It is Sunday as I am writing this, and I passed 46,000 words for my NaNoWriMo project. This is actually going to be a crazy work week, so I am doing my best to stay focused and hopefully finish on time. 

Hope those who celebrate had a nice Thanksgiving. We had more people than expected, and the weather was good. We are blessed. Here are a few photos.

We had a few desserts

Table set

Theo resting after a long day of company

Flowers from our sister-in-law

Despite coming close to surgery, Dwight has not learned he shouldn't ingest plastic

Posted on the blog last week:

Review & Gift Card Giveaway for Resparking Creativity by Fatemah Mizra & Sumayyah Rafiq

Review of The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

Since we had a trip to take the Lil' Princess back to the airport over the weekend, I read this one in the car, which bumped my NetGalley feedback ratio to 93%. My review appears here. 

I will get back to these in December. 

Upcoming virtual book tours:

• The King Who Lost His Colors by Glen Liset - November 27 (review at TC&TBC)
• One Upon a Christmas Castle by Virginia Barlow - November 30 (spotlight)
• Scrapper's Christmas Story by Maria J. Andrade - December 4 (review at TC&TBC)
• Christmas Cove by Sarah Dresser - December 4 (First chapter review)
• The Location Shoot by Patricia Leavy - January 31 (interview)  

At Christmas Year Round last week:

• Relieving Stress During the Holidays
• Christmas Errors, Flubs & Fails: Awkward Photos
• Children's Holiday Little House Stories: A Little House Christmas Treasury by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Christmas on TV: Little House on the Prairie, Season 8: A Christmas They Never Forgot
• Holiday Book Giveaway with Glenys Nellist & Cheryl C. Malandrinos (Enter to win four holiday children's books)

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I ordered this book with a gift card that I had. This novella collection was released last October.

In this glittering and heartwarming collection, three of today’s bestselling sweet romance novelists offer up the gift of cheer for the winter holiday season.

A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts

Darby doesn’t want to go home for the holidays, but a career fail sends her slinking back to the small town she always wanted to escape. No one there is especially glad to see the former mean girl—especially not her sister, Erica, or childhood best friend, Gregory. Darby is working hard to be a better person, but has she eaten enough humble pie to make amends?

Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson

When Willow’s boyfriend of seven years dumps her on the eve of a romantic getaway, she decides to take the two-week train trip on The Christmas Express alone. Hurt as she feels, she can’t anticipate how the hilarious rebound ride with conductor Oliver, elf Ian, and aging world adventurer Clarence will heal her heart—and renew her sense of worth.

A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston

Kacey adores the metropolitan life, but when she gets away to help her sister during a family crisis and run her bakery, she falls in love with former classmate Drew. The problem: he’s a small-town man, and she’s a big-city woman. Is their love big enough to overcome such a major difference?

Curl up with your favorite holiday drink and sink into three worlds where dreams once thought long-gone are still within reach.

“Filled with Christmas spirit, and a little chaos, too, all three stories left my heart filled with joy . . . Five stars overall! ” —Nancy Naigle, bestselling author

That's it from me. Might take me some time to visit your blogs today, but I will definitely check them out. 

Audible Novella Review: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Narrated by Hugh Grant

 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens tells the story of miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge, a wealthy partner at Scrooge & Marley. Set during the Christmas season, years after the death of Marley, Scrooge believes all the joy and gift giving of the season to be a humbug. This year, like in years past, he declines his nephew's invitation to Christmas dinner. Once he returns home for the evening, he is visited by Marley's ghost, who encourages him to change his stingy ways. Marley warns him he will be visited by three spirits. As Scrooge joins the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, he comes face to face with what he life was, is, and could be. He also learns more about his clerk Bob Cratchit and his young son, Tiny Tim. 

This seasonal historical tale has been a holiday classic for generations. The Audible version, narrated by Hugh Grant, is a superb performance of the story of the stingy Scrooge, who is transformed by three spirits who visit him. Grant captured all the characters so well. I would recommend listening to this any time of year.

• Unabridged Audiobook
• Release date: 12-21-20
• Language: English
• Publisher: Audible Studios

This was a free Audible selection. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

On Audible: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

 

Audible Studios presents a brand new recording (Dec 2020) of Charles Dickens’ timeless seasonal story A Christmas Carol, performed by Hugh Grant.

First published in 1843, it tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean and unpleasant man who dislikes people generally and Christmas especially. One Christmas Eve he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come and given a glimpse of the many homes and lives which Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.

I’ve always loved this story. Having been introduced to it in movie format first, when my daughters were in school, they each had to read this novella leading up to Dickens Day. That rekindled my interest in the story of the old miser who was transformed by the spirits. Of all the movie versions, A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge remains my favorite.

Have you seen or read A Christmas Carol?

On My Kindle: Miss Kane's Christmas by Caroline Mickelson

 

Join Santa’s daughter Carol as she undertakes a secret mission to save Christmas for two small children whose single father is the author of the book “Beyond Bah Humbug: Why Lying to Your Child About Santa Claus is a Bad Idea.” Miss Kane’s Christmas is a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit. 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B009SU0NVO
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bon Accord Press (October 17, 2012)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 17, 2012
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 1030 KB
• Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 138 pages
• 
  

Purchase here!

Free for Kindle: Mistletoe at Moonglow by Deborah Garner

The small, old western town of Timberton, Montana, has not been the same since resident chef and artist Mist brought her unique, new age flavor to the area. When guests arrive at the Timberton Hotel for the holidays, they bring worries, fears and broken hearts, unaware that Mist has a way of working magic in people's lives. Will old-fashioned time spent together, exquisite food, conversation and a snowball or two offer guests a chance to trade sadness for hope? One thing is certain: no matter how cold winter's grip is on each guest, no one leaves town without a warmer heart.

File Size: 1066 KB
Print Length: 152 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Cranberry Cove Press (November 6, 2015)
Publication Date: November 6, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B016DRV64M

Purchase here!

Book Spotlight: A Williamsburg Christmas by Anne Greene

Trent jilted Holly. Should she give him a second chance? Has too much time elapsed and is too much fire quenched for this 1955 romance to rekindle?

Holly falls in love with the sights, sounds, and scents of Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg during her first year living there. She’s a widowed mother raising 8-year-old twin boys by working as a waitress in a famous Colonial Williamsburg Inn.

Trent disappeared from Holly’s life ten years ago. Now he’s back and wants to marry her. Santa’s matchmakers complicate Holly’s decision by bringing new men into her life.

Paperback: 114 pages
Publisher: Independently published (September 5, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1720099839
ISBN-13: 978-1720099833


Purchase here!

New Release: Sugarplums and Second Chances by Jill Kemerer

Are some mistakes beyond redemption?

When former NFL star, Chase McGill, invites Courtney Trudesta, the widow of his former teammate, to spend Christmas with him and his son in Lake Endwell, he simply wants to repay her for the weekly letters she sent while he was in prison. He didn’t expect to fall for her.
Chase regrets his past and knows it will take more than sugarplums and wishful thinking to heal Courtney’s lonely heart. But with a dose of small-town charm and plenty of Christmas cheer, they might have a second chance at happiness…with each other.

Sugarplums and Second Chances was originally released in the I’ll Be Home for Christmas novella collection.

Chase and Wyatt McGill were featured in Hometown Hero’s Redemption (Lake Endwell book 5).

Purchase right now for only 99 cents! This is an introductory offer and may not be available if you wait too long.

Seasonal Kindle Bargain: Medieval Mistletoe by Eliza Knight Et al.

Four Christmas novellas from best selling Medieval authors Eliza Knight, Laurel O'Donnell, Catherine Kean and Denise Domning.

Mistletoe Magic
A confident knight arrives home to find his childhood friend grown into much more then he remembered. The lady of the castle keeps a dangerous secret that threatens all she holds dear. Will Mistletoe Magic save them?

Perfect Poison
Injured in body and soul, the lord of Freyne is reluctantly swept into the Yuletide festivities only to find redemption in the arms of the woman he spurned.

Wild Highland Mistletoe
A daring rescue attempt just before the holiday season threatens not only Magnus’ and Arbella's love, but their very lives.

One Knight under the Mistletoe
Seven years earlier a young lord played a trick upon a reluctant lady and she has never forgotten the humiliation of that moment. As dangerous secrets come to light, will she put the past behind her and accept his love?

File Size: 2527 KB
Print Length: 416 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publication Date: November 20, 2014
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00PYI4QKI


Purchase here for only 99 cents!

New from Cathy Bryant: Pieces on Earth (Giveaway)

As the wife of a naval aviator in sunny Pensacola, Florida, Liv Tulley eagerly anticipates the first Christmas in several years with her husband, daughter, and extended family. Then her husband is unexpectedly deployed for an undetermined amount of time, smashing her white Christmas dreams. Can she find God's peace in the midst of life's pieces?

Read an excerpt!

Liv finished filling out the necessary paperwork in the medical clinic waiting room, doing her best to keep her fears at bay.

She rose to her feet and carried the clipboard with the completed paperwork to the receptionist. The harried woman took the clipboard without so much as a glance her way. "Have a seat. A nurse will call you back momentarily."

Liv trudged back to the worn gray chairs and slumped into one of them, once more cognizant of her reason for being here. October marked her second month without her period. For most women her age, that would be a sign of promising things to come, but no such luck in her case. She'd known since her daughter's birth that having more children just wasn't in the cards for her. A fact that made Chesney's life even more miraculous.

She gnawed the inside of her lip and watched a little boy--probably about two years old--playing in the floor with a toy car. Without warning, the fear returned, bringing with it only one thought. Was it possible that she'd somehow inherited the gene that lead to the ovarian cancer that claimed her grandmother's life? Was that the reason for her current symptoms?

Liv pressed her lips together and forced her thoughts to happier ones. How wonderful it would be to add a fourth member to their clan. Chesney would make such a great big sister, and Jeff would be ecstatic to have another child. Since being promoted to lieutenant a few months ago, he had qualified for a stateside assignment as an instructor pilot at Pensacola NAS. How wonderful would it be to be able to raise a child with his or her parent actually around to help out? Even the few short months of having her daddy at home had made a huge difference in Chesney.

A pent-up sigh whooshed from her lungs. This current line of thought was landing her nowhere except in the dumps. There wouldn't be another baby. She grabbed her large sack of a purse and rummaged inside until she found an old envelope. Forcing the baby blues away, she started a to-do list of things to accomplish for her family's first Christmas together since before Chesney was born.

Get the Christmas shopping done. Well, that was a no-brainer. But this year it was especially important, since they'd also be buying gifts for nieces, nephews, siblings, aunts, and uncles. How fun it would be to have both sides of the family all together again in the mountain cabin vacation rental her mother had located online.

Now happy thoughts wound their way through her insides. Liv leaned her head back against the Plexiglas partition and allowed the happiness to wander unchecked. Warm sweaters, cups of cocoa, a gigantic tree stuffed with presents, laughter of loved ones, and fluffy white snow.

Though she loved the sunny weather of Pensacola where Jeff was stationed, during the holidays she always yearned for the cold weather and snow of her Colorado upbringing. This year it would finally become a reality.

She straightened in her seat, checked the clock above the receptionist window, and returned to her list. Buy Chesney some cold weather clothing. Hmm, maybe she could order a ski bib online, since there was very little to no chance that she'd find one in Pensacola.

One thought led to another, and Liv scribbled as quickly as possible, unwilling to let even the smallest detail escape. A few minutes later, she brushed some escaped frizzy hair from her face and once more scanned her list. Yeah, that should do it. Now if she could just get these health concerns out of the way so she could concentrate on more pleasant tasks.

Liv glanced at the clock once more. Unbelievable. She'd been here for a half hour already. At this rate, she'd never make it to Chesney's preschool in time to pick her up. She grabbed her cell phone and hit speed dial for Darcy, one of many military wives in her group who all looked out for each other.

Her friend picked up immediately. "Hi Liv. What's up?"

"My blood pressure."

Darcy's contagious giggle sounded through the phone. "Let me guess. You're still waiting to see the doctor."

"How'd you guess?"

"Umm, 'cause I've been there and done that. Need me to pick up Ches?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind. And if a miracle occurs and I get out of here in time, I'll shoot you a text."

"Sounds good."

Liv had just dropped the phone back into her purse, when a short blond nurse in pink scrubs called her name from the doorway that lead to the exam rooms. She followed the nurse through the door where the dreaded scales awaited. After getting off the scales, fresh resolve took root in Liv's mind to cut back on carbs and lose those ten extra pounds that had plagued her since Chesney was born. Four years was way too long to lug around the unwanted weight. She followed the woman down the hallway and dutifully entered the room to which she motioned.

The nurse smiled and pulled the door toward the closed position. "Dr. Amy will be with you soon."

Liv perched on the edge of the exam table, once more on pins and needles about the potential problem. Lord, please let me be okay, and please, please, please, don't let this affect our Christmas plans.

Purchase at:

Print: http://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Earth-Christian-Fiction-Christmas/dp/1941699103/
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/PIECES-EARTH-Christian-Fiction-Christmas-ebook/dp/B017FV5AAG/

Amazon best-selling author Cathy Bryant loves to write heart-stirring stories of God's life-changing grace, and has done so through six Miller's Creek novels, two Bible studies, one Christmas novella, and two devotional books written in collaboration with other Christian authors. She's also written for The Upper Room devotional magazine. When she's not writing, you'll find her rummaging through thrift stores, romping in the great outdoors, or up to her elbows in yet another home improvement project in the mountain cabin she shares with her minister husband of over thirty years. You can connect with Cathy in the following online spots, including her website: http://www.CatBryant.com, where you can download a free eBook copy of one of her novels.

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PIECES ON EARTH $200 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway:

In celebration of the release of PIECES ON EARTH, Cathy is giving away a $200 Amazon Gift Card. The contest closes on December 21, 2015. Winner will be announced via social media channels on Cathy's Reader's Group Newsletter. Click here to enter: http://www.catbryant.com/win-a-200-amazon-gift-card/