It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)

 

Welcome to It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

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 telling me how many you visited.  **You do not have to have a blog to participate! You receive one entry for every 10 comments, just come back here and tell me how many in the comment area.

This past weeks winner:

Lauren from Housekeeping Can Wait

Congratulations!  Please email me your book choice out of the recently cleaned up and LOVELY

Reading Cafe at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com. 

Another week has gone by already!  A little fun fact, this is the 136th week that I have hosted It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading?  That kind of blows me away.  That’s over two years.. and as I think about it, I have not missed a week.  It’s Monday has come to you from Florida when we were on vacation that very first week I did this in February of 2010, and a couple of times it has come to you from Honduras, when I was on mission trips.  That kind of makes me smile…

Ok enough with the memories…. 😀  This past week, once again audio dominated my book time.  Seems like my sitting and reading time has become a bit rare lately but my on the move and listening to audio has prevailed and saved me.  Here is what happened on the blog this past week:

My world book night recap!  Oh that was FUN!

 

Birthmarked by Caragh MD Brien (the 2nd post by Camryn, YA reader and reviewer extraordinaire!)

 

The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

 

Whole Latte Life by Joanne Demaio (yes and actual BOOK review!)

 

Dance Upon The Air by Nora Roberts (I found the perfect way to enjoy a re-read!)

 

I signed up for Meg Cabot read-along!  You should join too!

 

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo…. for me, I think this author is a “Nes-NO”

 

Cami Checketts is celebrating her upcoming book release in a BIG way with an amazing fitness giveaway – sign up to win here!

 

Do You Judge A Book By It’s Author? 

 

Not a bad week (it always surprises me when I get to the end of the week and realize, oh yeah, I did read something!  😀  I feel I have a good week coming up as audio is coming to an end all over the place leaving me open to new audio which is always exciting, plus for the first time in two weeks, I am adding books to the reading mix:

 

Still Aliceis a compelling debut novel about a 50-year-old woman’s sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer’s disease, written by first-time author Lisa Genova, who holds a Ph. D in neuroscience from Harvard University.

Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the Cape, is a celebrated Harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a forgetfulness creeping into her life. As confusion starts to cloud her thinking and her memory begins to fail her, she receives a devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Fiercely independent, Alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle and live in the moment, even as her sense of self is being stripped away. In turns heartbreaking, inspiring and terrifying, Still Alice captures in remarkable detail what’s it’s like to literally lose your mind…

This is out book club read for May.  I am a bit nervous as I find this to be such a heartbreaking topic…

 

 

In this irresistible memoir, the New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Pulitzer Prize Anna Quindlen writes about looking back and ahead—and celebrating it all—as she considers marriage, girlfriends, our mothers, faith, loss, all the stuff in our closets, and more.
 
As she did in her beloved New York Times columns, and in A Short Guide to a Happy Life, Quindlen says for us here what we may wish we could have said ourselves. Using her past, present, and future to explore what matters most to women at different ages.

I have read very little of Anna Quindlen through the years, but from what I have heard from this audio so far… I need to read more.  She is really incredible and she reads this audio herself.

 

 

Mary Lennox, grew up in India, and had everything she ever wanted as long as she stayed out of the way of her parents. Upon her parents death, Mary was sent to live with her widowed uncle who also had no time for her.  Mary took to exploring the gardens and found way more than she had bargained for in a very pleasant way.

True.  I have never read this, and thanks tot he heads up from April from Good Books and Good Wine who gave me a twitter heads up on the $4.95 sale on audible.com, I grabbed this one up for listening hopefully this week!

 

 

Years ago, they were all the best of friends. But as time passed and circumstances changed, they grew apart, became adults with families of their own, and began to forget about the past—and the terrible lie they all shared. But now Gordon (“Go-Go”), the youngest and wildest of the five, has died unexpectedly and the other four have come together for the first time in years. Suddenly each of these old friends has to wonder if the dark secret they’ve shared for so long is the reason for their troubles today . . . and if someone within the circle is trying to destroy them all.

Whoa right?  I mean really… I cant wait!

 

 

Some bonds can never be broken…

Addie Downs and Valerie Adler will be best friends forever. That’s what Addie believes after Valerie moves across the street when they’re both nine years old. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school’s scapegoat.

Flash-forward fifteen years. Valerie Adler has found a measure of fame and fortune working as the weathergirl at the local TV station. Addie Downs lives alone in her parents’ house in their small hometown of La Prairie, Illinois, caring for a troubled brother and trying to meet Prince Charming on the Internet. She’s just returned from Bad Date #6, when she opens her door to find her long-gone best friend standing there, with a terrified look on her face and blood on the sleeve of her coat. “Something horrible has happened,” Val tells Addie, “and you’re the only one who can help.”

Best Friends Forever is a grand, hilarious, edge-of-your-seat adventure; a story about betrayal and loyalty, family history and small-town secrets. It’s about living through tragedy, finding love where you least expect it, and the ties that keep best friends together.

OOH this could be an awesome week in books!

 

So thats the BIG plan but a lot is audio so I think I will at least get started on them.  Now I am hoping to see what you are all reading this week!  There are a lot of good books out there and I love seeing what treasures you have found!  Please link up below where it says click here:

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

 

and those of you who read mainly children’s through YA reads – please also link your post here:

100 thoughts on “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?”

  4. I loved The Secret Garden movie! I should look into getting the audio as well! Thanks for the thought! 🙂

    Reply

  5. Hi! This is my first time participating in your meme (I just found it last week). My post is a reviews of all of the books I read in April.

    The only one of the books you mentioned that I have read is The Secret Garden, but it is one of my all time favorites, along with The Little Princess (same author).

    Reply

  6. Ugh, I just lost my entire comment! 😦 I really want to read Still Alice, I fell in love with Lisa Genova when I read Left Neglected last year. I immediately bought Still Alice, but then found out the my own aunt Alice (go figure) was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and I just can’t bring myself to read it. I’m sure it will be fantastic and I will read it – I just haven’t been able to bring myself to do it yet.

    On a happier note, I am also really looking forward to Best Friends Forever. I have seen it around for a while and am really interested to see how it it.

    Reply

    1. Oh I will check spam for it Bonnie – that is so annoying! I understand how it would be hard to read when it is close to you… I still cant read any dog books….

      Yes – happier notes – I am excited about that one too 🙂

      Reply

  8. I hope I get to participate in World Book Night sometime. It is such a wonderful idea and I’m glad you were able to take part! Looks like there was a very positive response.

    I want to read Still Alice so I’ll be looking for your review. I’m hopeful that it will be a pick for one of my book discussion groups. I want to read the Jennifer Weiner book too.

    Reply

  9. My book club just decided on Still Alice as our read for next month as well. I’m nervous about it too. It’s not something I would normally read at any time, but definitely not as summer is gearing up. It seems better suited to my winter reading mood. Good luck to you! Enjoy your week!

    Reply

  10. I’m anxious to hear what you and your bookies have to say about Still Alice…yes, a sad topic, but truly one of my all-time favorites!! Also loved the Laura Lippman and I want to read Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake (how can it be bad with a title like that???)

    Reply

  14. I can’t believe it’s over 2 years, doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun lol. You’ve done a wonderful job with the Monday Meme, lots of memories and fun, Congrats and a big thank you Sheila 🙂

    Looks like you have a fabulous week of books coming up. Best Friend’s Forever has been waiting patiently for me for a while 😉 Have a wonderful week and happy reading!!

    Reply

        1. Awesome Ryan! just put a pust up for a read a long… as soon as I catch up on what happened in emails and comments today I will be sending you as well as the others who expressed interest an email 😀

          Reply

  16. Still Alice was an unusual read and The Secret Garden I read years ago. Time to renew that read as it was also a “different” kind of read. Lippman is always good like Weiner but these two books are new to me.

    Reply

  17. Love your entire book list this week. I hope you enjoy them
    Have fun reading!
    Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out

    Reply
  18. Pingback: It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? (4/30) | The Housework Can Wait

  19. Great Memories! You have adding some really good books to your reading cafe with this reboot. I clicked there by mistake and just had to check it out. lol

    Will be back tomorrow to visit1

    Reply

    1. LOL… glad you checked them out! That was a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago that was a lot of work to clean up – but so worth it. Much easier to keep track of now and to add and subtract books 😀

      Reply

  20. I’ve debated putting Still Alice on my list for a long time, but I just don’t know if I have the stomach for it. It’s such a heartbreaking topic!

    I read The Secret Garden forever ago, in grade school, but don’t remember much about it. I may have to read it again some day.

    Good luck this week 🙂

    Reply

  22. Love that you added a teen reviewer! That’s so fun! And she’s doing a fantastic job! 🙂

    I’d love to read Still Alice sometime in the near future too! Also, I’m interested to see what you think of the Jennifer Weiner book. I read her most recent release and couldn’t get into it very well, but I’d still like to read more especially since she’ll be at BBC. You know?

    Happy reading! Have a fabulous week!

    Reply

    1. Camryn is doing wonderfully…. but she is dangerous! She makes me want to read the books too…LOL 😀
      I have not read Jennifer Weiner in a while now so I am curious, I have two audio currently in house of hers.

      Reply

  23. I’ve never read The Secret Garden either, but I had two movie adaptations growing up and loved both of them. After reading A Little Princess last year I decided I finally needed to read this one, so I bought it and it is currently sitting on my shelf…. where it will likely stay for some time 😉

    Reply

  24. I love the audio books and they help me read more. I don’t think I would enjoy The Snowman based on your review. Thanks always for sharing your thoughts. Enjoy your reading this week!

    Reply

  26. I’m waiting for my library to get the audio of Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake. I’ve always enjoyed Quindlen’s writing. I listened to The Most Dangerous Thing last year and liked it. For some reason I still haven’t read The Secret Garden. I thought I was the only one but I see I’m not!

    Reply

  27. Congratulations on two years of this wonderful meme! You should be proud of posting every single week!

    I’m hoping to see Lots of Candles in my mailbox soon.

    Reply

  30. I haven’t read Still Alice, yet. I saw that book, when it first came out — and I wanted to read it as my Mom’s best friend was suffering from Alzheimers (early onset, only in her 50s) but I couldn’t do it. I may now, though — as it has been a year since her passing.

    On a more positive note, heh, I really need to reread The Secret Garden. I LOVED that book growing up. 🙂

    Reply

  31. 136 weeks is impressive. Kudos to you! I loved the Secret Garden. I don’t know how many times I read that growing up. Hope you enjoy it.

    Reply

  32. Sheila, I put off reading Still Alice for the longest time and then it was the choice of an online book club I belong to. So I bought it and read it – could hardly put it down. I appreciated it so much and hope you like it as much as I did. Lisa Genova is a wonderful author.

    Reply

  35. I thought about the read along as well. Still under consideration. I’ve also been meaning to try Laura Lippman, can’t wait for the review. Happy Monday!

    Reply

  36. I’ve been hearing about the Quindlen. I turn 50 this month, so it seems like something I “ought” to read and, therefore, I’m resisting. 🙂

    I read and re-read The Secret Garden as a child. Spring is a great time of year to read it.

    I enjoyed Quatrain by Sharon Shinn last week, but she’s one of those leisurely-paced authors that may not appeal as much to you (It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?). OTOH, this particular book is four novellas, so they move pretty quick, set in four of her fantasy worlds so it’s a good taste to see if one of the worlds attracts you.

    Reply

    1. LOL, love your resistance. I just thought it sounded good.. and I really am enjoying it. I dont think you need to be 50 to appreciate it 😀
      I will have to check out that book you are reading!

      Reply

  37. I have watched the movie “The Secret Garden” countless times since I was like 10 years old, but I didn’t read the book before it was on my readinglist for school 4 years ago. A little disappointed by the book, but that was just because I expected all these things from the movie to happen in the book, and that rarely happens. The book and the movie are both great, and I was in love with Dickon for years, and the sad Lord Craven. Happy reading week, Sheila!

    Reply

  39. I really enjoyed Still Alice and loved her other book Left Neglected.

    I remember reading The Secret Garden years ago and it’s on my list of books to reread at some point!

    Have a great week!

    Reply

  40. HI Sheila, I hope your reading time returns but I know exactly what you mean. If it weren’t for audio’s my updates and reviews would be a whole lot of empty space! I have 3 on my plate this week and hope to at least finish one physical book. My shelves are about to explode.

    Reply

    1. Shelves? Those are history… I had to move to the floor! LOL Just kidding (sort of) 😯 I think I may be on track this week.. hubby is working nights so I may have some bonus reading time 😀

      Reply

  42. What a fun idea for a meme! I love that you listen to audio books, too. They’re perfect for when you have to get stuff done but want to listen to a story at the same time.

    Reply

  47. Wow, you have quite a few hot new releases lined up for this week! Several of these I just saw in the latest BookPage. I am impressed – I never get to anything when it is that new!

    Yes, Still Alice is heart-breaking but also wonderful – warm, well-written, with tremendous emotional depth. And, of course, The Secret Garden is a classic! I;m sure you’ll enjoy it – it;s been many decades since I’ve read it.

    Enjoy your books this week –

    Sue

    Reply
  48. Pingback: Google

Leave a reply to Sheila (Book Journey) Cancel reply