It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on August 8, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)102 Comments

Happy Monday everyone! I just came home a few hours ago from a two-day 150 mile bike ride for charity and I am pretty wiped out right now. I had a blast and the weather was pretty good to us. I do a more detailed post about this on Tuesday.

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:

Nancy at A Musing Reviews

and I have to confess I have been reading Nancy’s blog at A Musing Mother and she seriously cracks me up! You may need to check this out. 🙂

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

Last week was fairly busy and I did not get the reading done that I had hoped to. Here is what I did accomplish:

The Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook review

Hearts On A String by Kris Radish review

My thoughts on The Color Purple Movie (I was really blown away!)

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows by JK Rowling (audio review)

Author Chat with Barbara Richardson (author of Guest House)

My Game On Diet Journal (my active game journal)

What Does It Mean To Be Present by Rana Diorio

I have several reviews to be written and I hope to really make a dent on them this week. I am keeping my reading plans fair, but not too heavy as I have an out of town meeting this week and not sure my weekend is going to hold. here is the game plan:

Summer at Tiffany is a book I am so looking forward to! This is the Wordshaker read a long for August 22. If you are signed up and taking part in this review, YAY! If you have not, and right now you are going GAH! I wish I would have known about that, no worries, you can still connect here.

The Handmaid’s Tale is a read-a-long taking place over at Hey, Lady! Watcha Reading? It s not too late to join in the fun!

And that’s it … not a big goal but as I said above, I am super tired tonight (still Sunday evening when I post this) and I want to honestly add a third book from the TBR but that is way across the room and I really can not move. 😉 AND – on that note where I usually hang around and start seeing what you are reading right away, I think tonight I am going to bed, getting a good nights sleep and tomorrow (Monday) U will be around to see what you are reading.

Please enter the link to your Monday What Are You Reading below where it says “Click Here”.

Have a super reading week!

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Author Chat with Barbara Richardson (author of Guest House)

Published on August 7, 2010August 7, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

A while back I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing a wonderful book called Guest House. I enjoyed the characters in this book and was able to catch up with author Barbara Richardson, to chat a bit about the book.

I hope you will welcome to Book Journey, Barbara Richardson.

Barb, I am thrilled to have a chance to talk with you! First off, do you prefer Barbara or Barb?

Barbara: Either is fine. Barb usually comes in once I know a person awhile.

Ok. Second important question. How do you take your coffee?

Barbara: I don’t! I am naturally caffeinated, so drinking coffee is a little scary. How to wind down, that is the question. Right now, gin and tonics say “summer” and “slower” and “ahhh.”

No coffee? Wow. I may need a moment her to compose myself… Guest House is your debut book. Can you share with me a little about how the idea for this book came to be?

Barbara: Five years ago, two characters entered my head, with seemingly nothing in common. At least in their outer lives. Melba Burns, a successful real estate agent, and Matt Garry, a shy ten-year-old whose blue collar parents do not want him. Divorce stalks his childhood like a hound from the start. I had no idea how these two strangers would intersect and connect. I did know that no matter how dark Matt’s journey became there would be beauty in the darkness. Melba is the caretaker of that beauty.

Melba Burns is quite the character, first driven, then hidden; does Melba represent anyone in your life?

Barbara: Two fantastic women combined to make Melba. The first is my cousin Christy, a librarian whose solo life shines. She’s a consummate professional woman with a brilliant mind and a wide open heart. The second woman, Audrey Egli, adopted me when I first moved to Portland. A real estate agent, Audrey gave me my first six months of clients for my new business; she helped me purchase a home and then launched my career in landscape design. Both women garden with a vengeance and love books. I am so grateful for their sanity and strength. I’m thrilled to be loaning them to the reading public!

I have heard you have an interesting story about the gorgeous cover that adorns Guest House. Please share that story.

Barbara: I’m glad you like the cover. It’s a love letter from the universe. Last October, I was struggling mightily to find a cover image for my novel. Floundering better describes it. I had a deadline and mounting desperation that kept me searching online professional photo sites for hours each night. Little did I know the universe had been poking my college boyfriend to find me, and close a gap of thirty years. Jeff said hello on Facebook and asked what I was doing. I said hello right back, I’m searching for a cover for my novel Guest House, waddayathink of this one? I sent him an image I’d set my heart on, a scrawny haunted out-of-focus apple tree in an empty green field. He said, I’m a graphic designer, how about this? Never having read the novel, Jeff produced the heart-red cover of a farmhouse and ancient lichen-covered apple tree branches which caused me to cry for three days, and then say, Yes. We’ve sent 2,665 emails. And we are going steady. It’s great when life dwarfs the things you think are so profound and important!

Oh wow! That is an amazing and so sweet story! You sound like things are really working out well. What is coming up next for you?

Barbara: Well, I just finished a 1,750 mile road trip touring truck stops and reading to truckers. I drove my mother’s Buick Century! Guest House involves a trucker, Matt’s father, and the novel has a half-dozen road trips in it, so I took the novel to the people who populate it. Quite wonderful, and I’m beat. Promotion has been a full-time job since Thanksgiving. We just made a great little video called Truck Stop Tour 2010, which I hope your readers will enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDZmYtpXh3E&feature=channel. Next up, Guest House will sell its first print run so I can start writing again.

An article about Barbara's Truck Stop Tour

I love the reading to truckers idea! It is tradition that I ask every author I chat with to share a little known fact about themselves.

Barbara: Horrible nickname: Screechy Spice. I won’t even tell you that story!

Oh! LOL, that is going to bug me! Barbara, I really appreciate the time you took to join me at Book Journey! I am hopeful that all your book dreams come true.

Readers, please check out more information on Barbara and on the Truck Stop Tour, on her website.

Morning Meanderings…. kick off to 150 mile bike ride

Published on August 7, 2010August 7, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

Good early morning! Are you awake yet or is my post up and running before you? 😀

I had to do this one early as I need to be at the starting line for the 150 mile bike ride for Camp Benedict by 6:30 am this morning. I am tired, but excited – and the excitement will soon surpass the tired. I am hopeful that the weather is kind to us, it looks like there is a chance of rain and possibly a thunderstorm today and a slight chance on Sunday as well.

The route is to go 75 miles today on the road designated for us, and then we will arrive at Camp Benedict. Camp Benedict is a camp that is for children with aids and their families. That is why I do this ride. We stay over night at the camp and on Sunday we bike the 75 miles back to Brainerd.

So – that’s what I am doing for the next 36 hours or so…. I have a post coming up later today that I have set and then I will be back later on Sunday to go up with the Monday What Are You Reading post. Pictures of the ride and details will be on the Tuesday post.

So I guess that is my weekend. I have had my coffee, I am packed and ready to RIDE! 😀

(Oh and my week results for the game on diet week 1 are up here.)

Have an awesome weekend!!!!

What Does Is Mean To Be Present by Rana Diorio

Published on August 6, 2010August 6, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

A wonderful look into a young childs book on being happy where you are at, being present in life – not living in the past or waiting for the next thing…. seizing those little moments!

Sheila

025 — Being present means... listening carefully when others are speaking.

026 — Today is a gift - that's why we call it the present!

Beautifully illustrated this book was a joy to flip through the pages. I keep saying I want to review more children’s books, and this is a great example of why.

What Does It Mean To Be Present is a wonderful way to remind the children in our lives that every moment has something to offer, whether it is sunny or rainy, hanging out with your best friends, or your family… there is always – ALWAYS something to take away in that moment.

A positive outlook in a book that I found to be wonderful in a time when it seems people are always looking for the next best thing, there are lessons in this book that even as adults we can apply.

I am also excited to announce that Little Pickle Press is having a giveaway where kids can win posters and books! All they need to do is answer the question, “What does it mean to be present?” Click the picture below to go to the contest site.

If you are looking to purchase books from Little Pickle Press, you can get two books and a poster for $29.95 if you use the coupon link and put in the word: JOURNEY

I received my copy of this book for review from Little Pickle Press

Morning Meanderings…

Published on August 6, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

A brief good morning as I run out the door! I have a breakfast meeting with my friend Heidi in ooh, lets say 20 minutes. Today I will spend much of the day prepping for the 150 mile bike ride that starts tomorrow. My bike is currently in getting a little tune up (who knew you had to tune up bikes?), I need to pack an overnight bag since Saturday evening we will be at the camp, stay over night there and then bike back…..

Which means…. yes – unless there is internet available at the camp on Saturday evening, you will not hear any live conversation with me until Sunday evening. I will have posts up throughout the weekend, including a book review in a couple of hours here and a meandering tomorrow before I leave as well as an author chat for Saturday.

Have a great day everyone – any fun weekend plans?

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows (AUDIO)

Published on August 5, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)38 Comments

The seventh and final entry to the Harry Potter series we start this audio with Voldemolt (gah! He who shall not be named!) coming and taking over the Ministry of Magic. These are dark days, and Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, have all dropped out of school to do what they can to put a stop to Volde… He Who Shall Not Be Named’s rule.

What was once a series of light-hearted fun reads with a little “spooky to them” but a lot of magic, has now entered the seventh season and the books have become much more serious, and quite darker as they progressed. Volde…. He Who Shall Not Be Named (HWSNBN)started out a scary guy but beatable and as we enter into the Deathly Hollows , HWSNBM is a force to be reckoned with and really – I for one had no idea how it would all end.

If you have been following my audio reviews of the Hatty Potter series you will notice that I somehow skipped many books and wound up in book 7. This is true, and was a total error on my part. I have been picking these up from the library and I requested the wrong one… I should have been on Goblet Of Fire. Yet, once I had these cd’s in my hand, I could not give them up and so just started listening. (I have read all the books so really…. there was no spoilers!)

I will rave forever about Jim Dale’s narration of this audio series and have to tell you if you have not experienced these books on audio you are truly missing out. Jim voice takes you right into the reading and he does the voices so well that I actually get goose bumps as he booms out the voice of Hagrid, Snape, and the others….

I am always so impressed with JK Rowling too. Every time I listen to one of the books, especially the early ones, I am amazed at how many seeds were planted early on that would come up later; many books later. I had forgotten until I listened to them after all the books were out and especially in this final book you see pieces of other books coming into play. (A great blog to check out for super detailing on each of the books is The Zen Leaf, Amanda’s eye for detail astounds me!)

So for me – this was an excellent experience and I hope to one day own all these cd’s for myself. Maybe, this was the audio I was meant to listen to as this movie (at least part of it) will be out this November. I truly cannot wait!

The seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter series, left many of us Potter heads (*raises hand*) with a bitter-sweet feeling. I remember I was so excited for the final book to come and see what JK Rowling would do to tie everything together – and at the same time, you didn’t want to finish it because in your heart you knew it was the end. I had hoped that JK would leave it somewhat open in case she changed her mind years down the road, but for those of you who have read this book, you know that she did her best to close the doors to that hope.

However – rumors have sprouted around the internet that maybe…. there may be another Harry Potter book. J K is quoted:

While Rowling said that she has no immediate plans to write any more Potter books, she didn’t rule the possibility out altogether. Instead, she suggested that “maybe 10 years from now” it could happen.

She also told one child she does want to write more books, adding that, “I’m quite sure in the not-too-distant future I will bring out another book.”

Marjorie Kehe, April 6, 2010

So I leave you with this….. do you think there should be another Harry Potter book? Or should J K just leave the series as is? If there was another book, what could/would it be about?

Morning Meanderings… I am in awe of The Color Purple

Published on August 5, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)33 Comments

Good morning!

Last night I had rented and watched The Color Purple. I am not sure if it was the timing, as I read the book last weekend, but the movie to me was amazing. How awesome to see Whoopie Goldberg in her first movie and in the lead role as Celie. Danny Glover (who I think is an amazing actor), Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery and Rae Dawn Chong, also have important roles in this movie.

I was captivated and while I usually multi task while watching a movie (book during low points, or my lap top catching up on emails…. instead I did nothing but fully absorb this movie. If you have not had the experience of watching the movie The Color Purple I highly recommend it – but…. read the book first. The book is much more detailed and the movie flows well with the book as an appetizer.

Ok… so funny moment… half way through the dvd, the movie…. stops. I have no idea what to do…. it just went back to the main menu. I couldn’t figure out what to do. I could choose scenes, but they ended where the dvd had. So… in desperation. I flipped the dvd over like a record. It worked! And the movie continued. I don’t remember ever having to flip a dvd before! (AND…. did I age myself by using the word record? LOL)

Today – work and probably a bike ride. Not sure what from beyond that…. tomorrow I will probably take my bike in for a tune up before the big ride on Saturday. I am pretty excited about the ride and hoping and praying that we have nice weather for it.

Have a great day everyone – I am off to update my Game On Diet Journal and then out the door! 😀

Hearts On A String by Kris Radish

Published on August 4, 2010August 4, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Holly’s life has not always been the easiest. Yet through it all she has clung to a story her grandmother had told her a long time ago when she was a little girl,

She tells of the precious string that connects all women. She tells her great grand-daughter that the string is so pure and light that most women cannot see it.

“The string is a powerful force my sweet girl. It allows women to lean into one another and find a sister when they need one. The string can never be broken. You can use it to pull yourself up, to pull yourself forward, or to steady the place where you must remain.”

Page 4, Hearts On A String

When a storm hits that strands Holly in an airport with four other women all from very different walks of life, they agree to share one of the women’s (Nan’s) luxury hotel suite. As the story unfolds the women meet some interesting characters along the way. What starts out as an inconvenience becomes a life changing experience for each of the women as they share stories, admit their fears, and start to see the strings that bind friendships.

I do enjoy books on women’s friendships and that was the draw for me to this book. Reading the synopsis and knowing how important my friendships are to me, I really wanted to sink into this book. Plus…. of course, total cover love. It looks like bubble gum or cotton candy… 🙂

And how do you bring together a motley crew of women such as Nan who is in Banking Investments(and owner of the cell phone and toilet scene that brings the women all together (oops…. did I say too much? ;)), Cathy the sexy blond, Patty the Lounge Singer, Margo the mom, and of course Holly, who is a hairdresser together? That is the story that is about to unfold…

It took awhile for this book to really get started. In the beginning you learn quite a bit of each of the women and the conversations during this part of the book didn’t flow for me and somehow felt choppy.

That being said, once you get through this bumpy section, the book picks up a pleasant pace that left me overall satisfied with this read. I appreciated the ending of the book and felt it wrapped up nicely and made me consider those bonds, or strings if you will, of friendships that I am thankful to have in my life. Hearts On A String is the perfect title for a book about opening your heart up to others and letting in the possibilities.

My Amazon Rating

Book Journey has updated the 2010 reading map to include Hearts on A String

When in Tampa Florida, be sure to stop in for a great cup of coffee at Sacred Grounds

318 pages

Cover story: As I said in my review – the cover stopped me in my tracks and made me want to know more about this book… and that – is what you really want in a cover. Fun and lively – it fit my mood.

I received this book for review as part of the TLC Tour

Morning Meanderings…

Published on August 4, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)13 Comments

G’ morning. I stayed up way too late and now, 6 hours after I went to bed… I am up with Coffee Cup prepping for my day. I have looked better…. 😯 and yes, 6 hours means I lost my Game On sleep points.

I took my bike out for a short jaunt yesterday late afternoon and just circled about 8 miles in the vicinity of my house. I haven’t had time to bike ride for a while and with the big 150 mile ride coming this weekend, I thought maybe – just maybe, I should ride a bit prior.

I am excited for this ride, I took part in it last year for the first time with my cousin Jarrod and it was an amazing ride. This particular ride is to raise money for a camp that helps kids with Aids. This is the first time the ride starts and stops in my home town so the nice thing is I do not have to travel the night before to the starting line. It’s actually about 7 miles from my house.

In Game On Diet news I have been doing pretty well and actually took my first two point hits yesterday by missing a meal (Doh!!!) and then not getting in my 7 hours of sleep (10 points lost I think…). However, I did feel confident enough to step on the scale this morning and from Sundays first weigh in I am now 4.8 (almost 5!) pounds down. No kidding. I am shocked as well.

And finally in bookish news, the cover of Loren Oliver’s new book, Delirium has been revealed:

This book will not be out until February of 2011 but I am excited all the same… I really did enjoy her debut book, Before I Fall.

That’s it for this morning, I have work and then Group Power tonight, then I need to get home and write a couple of guest posts for my friend Trisha from Eclectic Eccentric while she vacations next week. It will be fun and I will tell you more about these posts later….

The Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook

Published on August 3, 2010August 4, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)37 Comments

Noreen has just left her job of 18 years and her boyfriend mysteriously disappeared with it. With a year and half of severance pay, she is in no real hurry to take another misstep… but has no idea exactly what her next move should be. Soon Noreen finds herself in the company of two of her neighbors, Tess and Rosie and the three of them start walking every morning for fitness, for bonding, for fixing what they didn’t even really know was broken.

Author Claire Cook recommended this book to me when I interviewed her a couple weeks ago and she did not lead me astray. While at first glimpse of this fun summary cover and the synopsis above you are probably thinking chick lit…. light and summery, a fun and easy read. AND – you would not totally be mistaken. However, as I flipped through the pages of this smooth book, I found a deeper message that as I closed the final page, actually caused me pause.

While Claire has once again brought together a read of wonderful women friendships, she also sneaks in a message about self-worth – and not finding your worth through a job, or through someone else s eyes – but through creating you… to be who you know you can be.

Laugh if you will,” Brick said. “But your ability to tell the world who you are is the first step in figuring out what you want your life to be.”

page 64 The Wildwater Walking Club

And while the message at the time I read it didn’t stick and hold, it did later as I read on and watched how Noreen, as well as her friends grew through the strength of each other.

Another enjoyable read by Claire Cook. My second of hers this summer and there is another one sitting in the Library Sale box that I may just have to pull out yet.

And, apparently in my Claire Cook review fashion – I once again have decided to duplicate the cover: