It’s Monday! What Are You Reading!

Published on April 12, 2010April 12, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)116 Comments

It’s Monday! 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 love being a part of this and I hope you do too! As part of this weekly meme I love to encourage you all to go and visit the others participating in this meme. I offer a weekly contest for those who visit 10 or more of the Monday Meme participants and leave a comment. You receive one entry for every 10 comments, just come back here and tell me how many in the comment area.

Last weeks winner (using Random.Org) was:

Outnumbered Mama

Congratulations! Please choose a item out of the PRIZE BOX and email me your choice with your mailing address as well! 🙂 journeythroughbooks@gmail.com

With this past Saturdays Readathon I missed doing In My Mailbox so want to share that here. This is what came in my mailbox this past week:

Some super reads came my way!

That is a book bag hanging over the back of my chair. How super cools is this set?

Here is what happened here this last week:

Sand In My Bra *read for Readathon review not written yet

Avempartha by Michael Sullivan *read for Readathon review not written yet

At Witt’s End by Beth Solheim *Read for Readathon review not written yet

Eat The Cookies… Buy the Shoes by Joyce Meyer *read for Readathon review not written yet

Hasta La Vista Lola! by Misa Ramirez – GIVEAWAY!

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli – Review

Author Chat with A.S. Peterson – Author of Fiddler’s Gun

Songbird Under A German Moon by Tricia Goyer – Review

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz – GIVEAWAY!

What’s on brew this week?

This week I leave Thursday morning for Florida to see Navy son for the weekend. That means a hectic next few days – but I should be able to make up reading time on the plane. 🙂

From the author of the international bestseller “Incendiary” comes a haunting novel about the tenuous friendship that blooms between two disparate strangers—one an illegal Nigerian refugee, the other a recent widow from suburban London.

Anke’s father is abusive to her brother and sister. But not to her. Because, to him, she is like furniture— not even worthy of the worst kind of attention. Then Anke makes the school volleyball team. She loves feeling her muscles after workouts, an ache that reminds her she is real. Even more, Anke loves the confidence that she gets from the sport. And as she learns to call for the ball on the court, she finds a voice she never knew she had. For the first time, Anke is making herself seen and heard, working toward the day she will be able to speak up loud enough to rescue everyone at home— including herself.

As children, they formed a special bond, growing up in the small town of Ames, Iowa. As young women, they moved to eighth different states, yet they managed to maintain an extraordinary friendship that would carry them through college and careers, marriage and motherhood, dating and divorce, the death of a child, and the mysterious death of the eleventh member of their group. Capturing their remarkable story, The Girls from Ames is a testament to the enduring, deep bonds of women as they experience life’s challenges, and the power of friendship to overcome even the most daunting odds.

The girls, now in their forties, have a lifetime of memories in common, some evocative of their generation and some that will resonate with any woman who has ever had a friend. The Girls from Ames demonstrates how close female relationships can shape every aspect of women’s lives-their sense of themselves, their choice of men, their need for validation, their relationships with their mothers, their dreams for their daughters-and reveals how such friendships thrive, rewarding those who have committed to them. With both universal events and deeply personal moments, it’s a book that every woman will relate to and be inspired by.

That’s the plan…. lot’s of coffee… lots of reading (hopefully) and time with both my sons (Justin – College Son is going to!)

Sign up your Monday post to the McKLinky here so we can pop in and check your post out AND stop back and share with me your comment count to be included in next weeks drawing. 🙂

Powered by Linky ToolsClick here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

(McKLinky (now known as Linky Tools) is going through some changes so I am hoping this link will be working properly)

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz (GIVEAWAY!)

Published on April 11, 2010May 22, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)72 Comments

Thank you to Hachette Book Group for the offer of this book for review and for giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed

For years, 38-year-old Portia Nathan has avoided the past, hiding behind her busy (and sometimes punishing) career as a Princeton University admissions officer and her dependable domestic life. Her reluctance to confront the truth is suddenly overwhelmed by the resurfacing of a life-altering decision, and Portia is faced with an extraordinary test. Just as thousands of the nation’s brightest students await her decision regarding their academic admission, so too must Portia decide whether to make her own ultimate admission.

How To Enter this Giveaway

Before you read the description of what this book was about – by looking at the cover and tit,e let me know in a comment here what you may have thought the book could be about.

Bonus Entries? Sure!

For an additional two entries for the giveaway be a subscriber to this blog (upper right hand sidebar) and let me know in a separate comment here.

Tweet or blog about this giveaway and let me know here in another comment and I will add in another entry

This giveaway will be open until May 2. USA and Canada entries only please.

Have fun and good luck!

Morning Meanderings….

Published on April 11, 2010April 11, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)33 Comments

The readathon is over! Thank you blog subscribers who put up with the overload of posts yesterday in their email box. I have a plan on how to do that better for the Fall 2010 Readathon that will not create all those posts. My visits to participants yesterday gave me great ideas on how to do this.

So how did I do?

Well, I started yesterday at 5 am CST, two hours too early – but for some reason I had it in my head that was when it started. I was up, with a lot of coffee and managed to complete 3 books throughout the day and start on a 4th. I managed to stay up until 11:20 PM, crashed until midnight when I woke up to close out my mini challenge, crashed again until 4:40 am, and then read until 5:30 am to close out my 24 hours. I actually participated 19 of the hours between reading, mini challenges and cheering.

How do I feel?

Like a scruffy guy who hasn’t shaved in a month. And yes, I realize I am a woman…. but I seriously feel as though I have grown facial hair overnight…. LOL

Changes to my next Readathon participation?

I do wish I had spent more time reading, but I did really enjoy the cheering too. I think I need to just pick a better ratio and stick to it. I seen a few pretty cool ways that people posted their updates all in one NEAT post. Trust me, I am sooooo doing that next time. I loved doing a mini challenge as it was so fun to see all the bloggers I have never met stop by. I am hoping later tonight when life settles down to visit their blogs.

Plan for today?

Well, I am thankful that I did sleep because my day is a fun and full one. I am going biking with my friend Amy and I hope we do the 18 mile round trip to Merrifield and back. She and I are in a bike tour in a couple of weeks – her first one and our goal is 65 miles. Then, my College Son Justin and I are going to Rollerblade in the afternoon and he will probably push me to do at least 14 miles. Of well, it is good training for me 🙂

We may go to a movie later afternoon, depending on how long we blade, then I will plan supper and tonight Amazing Race!!! (Which I love!)

I missed out on the “What’s In My Mailbox” post I usually do on Saturday evenings, but think I will add it to my “It’s Monday! What are you reading?” post that goes live tonight. This Mondays participants should have interesting posts with all the reading that went on during the readathon. It would be fun to know a total of books read during the event.

Any way – I need to get moving! 10:07 am and still am in my pj’s! 😀

Reading Sanctuary

Published on April 11, 2010April 11, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)52 Comments

This Challenge Is Closed – winner was debnance from Readerbuzz

So here we are in the wee end hours of the readathon many of you have been reading for a long time out of the past 24 hours so I want to make this one easy.

Leave a comment here telling me how the readathon worked out for you:

Were you able to escape the hustle and bustle of life?

Where did you do the majority of your reading?

Did you leave the house (or wherever you were) at any time during the challenge?

That’s it. Leave a comment here answering the above questions and I will enter you into the random drawing for a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Have fun… oh and by the way…. YOU ALL ROCK!

Once Upon A Reading Mini Challenge

Published on April 10, 2010April 11, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)25 Comments

This challenge is closed. The winner is callista83!!!

please send me your email and I will send you your prize Sunday morning. 🙂

As book lovers we do enjoy a good story! Here is what this challenge will consist of:

Write a short story using Book Titles to make your story. Your story should be three or four paragraphs long and have at least 10 book titles within it. (*Bold the book titles to make them more obvious)

Feel free to post this to your blog (for two entries) and then leave me the link here in the comment area -or if you would rather, place your story in the comment area here for one entry.

An example would be like:

Rebecca, The Pastor’s Wife, quietly moved into the Guest House. She felt Caught up in the Deception and needed time to be Alone…. I think you get it 🙂

This challenge will go on for three hours. After that time a winner will be chosen using Random.org and the winner will be emailed a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Good luck and have fun!

Readathon Mid Event Mini Challenge

Published on April 10, 2010April 11, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

1. What are you reading right now? Guest House by Brabara Richardson

2. How many books have you read so far?   3 1/2

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Fablehaven and/or Hex Hall

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?   I cleared out the house – hubby worked in office and College son took off with friends for the day to let me do this.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? More than I would have liked. Phone and 19 year old popping in and out…

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? Mostly how long it takes me to get through the books. My own fault of course…. I am cheering and visiting and twittering and nosing around the mini challenges. 🙂

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? No

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? Hmmmm…. probably just planning my time better as a reader.

9. Are you getting tired yet?   Surprisingly not , and I started 2 hours early here at 5 am to get a jump on the challenge.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Not at this time









The Readathon has begun and I have been reading for an hour at this point and sipping coffee and doing a little cheerleading too.



The first challenge up today is sharing a little bit about the Readathon prep and me…. so here goes:



Where are you reading from today?

I am home in Minnesota in my Reading Room (picture me buried in a large recliner covered in a blanket that I love because it used to be my mom’s…. surrounded by books, coffee and a little bit of chocolate (Hey! How did that get there???)



3 Facts About Me

1. I am a huge gamer. I love challenges and board games and online games and computer games. One winter I played and beat all of the Zelda Nintendo games for Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and whatever the game box was after that…. (Crazy stuff. I know right?)



2. I have been to Honduras 8 times and work with street kids and kids who live in the dump when I am there. I think that is the most fulfilling thing I have done this far with my life.



3. I am a biking fool and sign up for every bike tour within a 3 hour radius of my home. The first one this year is April 25 and the goal is 65 miles.



How Many Books Do I Have In My TBR Pile For The Next 24 Hours?

That is hard to say…. I went through and picked out an assortment of about 15 – but that was for variety…. no way I will get through all of them. I would be happy if I could complete 5.



Do I have any Goals for this readathon?

Hmmm….. not really other than to just have fun with this. There are a couple of books I really am hoping to get to today- Fablehaven and Hex Hall.



If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time?

Have fun! This is a great event but it is not an assignment! Take a break when you need to. (I have my IPOD ready to go with an audio book in the event I need a break later and want to hop on the bike for a spin around the neighborhood.

Also – watch the Dewey site for fun challenges (for the gamer in you!) to participate in. AND take a break and check out some of the other participants blogs or chat a bit on Twitter. You never know what blog you may find that will be come a “must read”.

Mini Challenge: Drabble Time (post 5)

Published on April 10, 2010April 10, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)13 Comments

Here is my attempt at a Drabble for the mini challenge by Midnight Book Girl.

Katniss, armed with her bow and a single arrow, crawled cautiously through the woods. She worked at staying alert to sounds and possible traps that would cause her to fail in her mission.

A flash of color; what was that? A unicorn. She had never seen one before.

And the chanting. What was with the chanting, were the voices saying “crucio?”

As she made her way to the clearing and seen the large building that loomed over her that said Hogwarts. She knew the bow was probably not going to be enough to save her.

Hopefully I didn’t break the rule here by mixing two series of books but thought it would be fun to see what would happen when Hunger Games meets Harry Potter…. LOL

Update: I have finished Sand In My Bra and Poetry Speaks Who I am. Both very good in very different ways. I am moving on to Avempartha and Guest House…. need some water and something to munch on.

Readathon Mini Challenge (post 4)

Published on April 10, 2010April 10, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

I can’t help it…. the creative person in me can not resist this mini challenge….

seriously how fun is this?

Bart wanted us to put three or four books together to form a sentence. As my eyes scanned my book shelves (even though I tried to keep them on my book!) I made one that cracked me up. When I pulled the books together I saw I had five so here is the picture as 4 books:

While I was gone, Cleopatra’s Daughter sold nine dragons.

and here it is as 5:

Inside the kingdom while I was gone, Cleopatra’s Daughter sold nine dragons.

Readathon Mini Challenge :Kick Off (post 3)

Published on April 10, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)22 Comments

I have to do this mini challenge as it is my friend (and BEA roomy) Reagan who is hosting. If you have not checked out her super cool blog I recommend it. 🙂

The Mini Challenge is to discuss the prep work that went into our Readathon start. Mine was setting up my favorite chair in the reading room… I pulled in an extra little table so I could have near me:

My Books ( the possibilities anyway…)

Reading Glasses (in case eyes get tired)

Notebook and pen (to prep thoughts for reviews)

Cell phone (I dont want to have to get up)

Coffee Cup (how I love thee….)

Camera (possible mini challenge moments!)

Barnes and Noble gift card in case I have a weak moment

my favorite blanket (Kiki, this is the blanket I talked about in the last post!) 🙂

And I took a picture to hopefully give you the full visual. 🙂

Readathon Progress: Reading Sand In My Bra (on page 65)….. still 1st book but have spent a bit of time Cheerleading! 🙂

Morning Meandering: Readathon Day

Published on April 10, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

5:00 am at The DeChantal Household and Coffee Cup and I am ready to go with todays Readathon. I have books picked out that vary from size, to genres, to the ones I have been drooling over for months but have not had time to get to.

Throughout the day I will be posting updates of what I am currently reading…. what I am fueling my brain with (besides words) and I will be participating in mini challenges throughout the day. (*Note to subscribers of this blog : if today’s event creates extra posts in your email I apologize now and want you to know this is for the next 24 hours only. )

So what am I starting with? I actually have a couple near by for mood changes but here is the early (EARLY) morning start up:

The second book of this Sullivan series. I have book three and book for is due out in a few weeks. I am half way through this one and want to finish it today.

I picked this book up when my friends and I were in Grand Marais, MN last fall. It was at a cute little book store and thought it looked like a fun read.