Book Stuff – Page 35 – Book Journey

Morning Meanderings… Life Is Like A Box Of Chocolates

Published on February 27, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

Friday! OOMP – there it is!!! I feel like I want to run to the end of the living room and do some sort of touch down dance.

It has been a GOOD week. I have been back from our trip for a little over a month now and have gone from feeling exhausted and lazy, to “what am I going to do with my life?”, to cautiously putting myself out there, to picking up a few freelance jobs, to slowly developing a name, to a possible local commitment that is flexible and can work around my other projects. I will know more after today.

EEP. (in a good way)

It has been scary cool putting together my own work commitments and wondering if it would work. I had fears that working from home would be too hard to stay focused but that has not been true. And honestly I really really like it and feel I am getting a nice rhythm.

HAZAH!

Ok, apparently I have the dork meter set on HIGH today. I am having breakfast with a friend and partner in ~~crime~~ all things bike ride related this morning for putting together a charity bike ride for camp this summer. I am really excited how that has come together this week. I built this super cool website: Camp Benedict Cyclists

I also think I have landed the final author I need for Wine and Words this year. Just waiting on final confirmation and then I can start making announcements and update that website as well.

So if life really is really like a box of chocolates… my week has been all milk chocolate caramels (MY FAV!) and not one single coconut filled one. HAZAH again.

Urban Dictionary:

hazah

A word used to emphasize ones pleasure and/or approval at something. Often accompanied by spasticated clapping.

For real authority, one should pronounce it as if saying ‘I SAY! (old chap)’.

Bloke in movie: “The Wooden Horse will destroy the city of Troy”.

Loyal fans: “Hazah! Hazah!” *clap clap clap*

Morning Meanderings… Keep Your Friends Close. Seriously.

Published on February 26, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)19 Comments

Thursday! Slowly but steadily chugging along towards the weekend. Yesterday was productive and today should be too. I am getting a little reading in and a little more audio these days. I am actually excited that this Saturday I have an hour and a half drive which means audio time! That is when I get the big chunks in and I love it!

Currently I am listening to Keep Your Friends Close by Paula Daly and really enjoying it! When Natty leaves town to be by her daughter’s side when she becomes ill on a school trip, Natty rushed to be by her side. Thankfully Eve, Natty’s best friend offers to come and stay at the house to help with Natty’s other daughter. Yet when Natty returns, she finds that Eve has taken to her family a little too well and her husband Shawn has fallen in love with her. It is sooooogood!

I am reading New Uses For Old Boyfriends and while it is more of a chick lit lite read, I am liking the easiness of it. When Lila Alders life implodes, she finds herself back in Black Dog Bay where she grew up. When she finds that her mother is much in the same boat having dwindled the families fortune into the red it is up to Lila to start putting both of their lives back together. It is fun if a familiar synopsis.

Come to think of it, if you combined the books after Natty gets done with Eve, she could take Lila’s place and continue on into the next book….lol. Both are good in different ways but isn’t that what makes for good reading?

Today will be another good catch up day, I should get pretty caught up with projects if I stay steady. Lots of balls in the air but I think… I got this. 😉

Reading anything good?

E Readers and Books… What Makes It To The Next Level

Published on February 15, 2015February 15, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)63 Comments

First up. This post is Meg’s fault. 🙂 Write Meg wrote earlier this week about her Kindle Vs. the paperbacks. It is a good post. Read it.

I know the discussion is not a new one, in fact I am pretty sure somewhere in my archives among the cobwebs deep within this blog shoved in a corner box marked Old Posts, I have talked about this as well…. however… I think my opinion has slightly changed.

In response to Meg’s post I wrote:

I am with you. I “kindled up” a couple years ago myself and I go in spurts of using it and then not… now it sits on my end table in the living so it at least has been upgraded out of a corner in the book room wondering where its charger is. 🙂 Like you, I enjoy the look and feel of a real book. Like you, I also find myself appreciating the Kindle more than I used to…. I can accept a Netgalley read right away as opposed to waiting for it to be sent to me. It obviously takes up less space…
One fun fact I learned from our library board is that e book check outs have plateaued. Interesting. I wonder what that means?

SO what has changed for me… and for possibly you… and maybe the world as opinions on e readers?

For me…

E Reader +

Honestly…. the e reader, a Kindle in my instance, is convenient. It is small, I can slip it in my purse and take it with me. For traveling it is wonderful… I can take with me a mystery, a non fiction, a literary, classic, best seller, and a Chunkster *cough cough Harry Potter*, all in the space of smaller than a paperback.

I like highlighting passages I plan to go back to for quoting purposes to friends, or at book club. I like to put my finger on a word and have a dictionary pop up and tell me what it means.

E Reader –

Sometimes my e reader does not hold my page. I may go out of that book to start another one on the e reader and when I come back, it has started over. Flip flip flip through the screen trying to find where I was…. annoying.

Charge it! Not always convenient. Granted the battery lasts for quite a while, but thinking ahead to having a full battery before I take off is not always on the agenda. Nothing worse than you are in a good part of a book and suddenly you can not read it.

Books +

Lets be honest…. I LOVE books. I love the look, the smell, the weight. I love the covers. I love it when the covers have a texture to them, I love the pages when they are beveled, or off white, or white, or have words on them.

I love the look of books in a home… they tell me something about the person.

I love being able to see what people are reading when I pass them in waiting rooms, on a plane, in a library, anywhere…

Books are conversation starters.

I love book rooms and book shelves. I love books in piles… on tables, end tables, coffee tables, counter tops, in rooms… on beds…. wherever.

A book does not need to be plugged in. In a power outage, I can still read by candle light. In a dystopian world of no electricity, my book still works… and if the new world is bad enough, it is also a weapon. 😉

Book –

It is hard to travel with books. If you are like me, you never know what you are going to want to read. That means when I traveled, I would take about 4 or 5 books of different genres. Notoriously, I would purchase book(s!) wherever I traveled to and add them to the 4 or 5. Basically – I take a carry on a plane for my books. It is a bit ridiculous. (I have since went to using my Kindle for travel and perhaps one real paper book).

They do take up A LOT of space. I have a room in my house for my books. I LOVE that room. I love the look and feel of it but quite honestly… it is a lot of books. It is like a page out of hoarders, except in my defense they are in alphabetical order by author and I think my case will stand up in court. 😀

I think what I am getting at here is there is a place in my world for both the paper book and the e reader. They can work together harmoniously.

What are your thoughts on books and e readers? Do you favor one over the other?

Book Club Thoughts and Ideas: The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

Published on February 11, 2015February 28, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain was our Bookies Book Club read for February 2014. I had listened to this one on audio and had reviewed it in November.

Basic synopsis: Riley MacPherson was just a little girl when her older sister Lisa died. That moment defined the MacPherson families lives… her brother Danny became distant, her mother turned to grief, and later it was cancer, and her father just kept on trying to be himself.

Twenty years later after her fathers passing, Riley finds evidence in her father’s home that seems to lead to the fact that Lisa did not die after all. In fact, Riley seems to have stumbled across disturbing facts that change everything she ever knew to be true. And if Lisa had not died all those years ago… what did happen? And if she is still alive… where is she?

For most of the Bookies this was their first time reading Diane Chamberlain. We found her to be an amazing author who writes in a manner that keeps you guessing. A few in our group had an idea about the big surprise in the book, but no matter what we had guessed ahead of time or not, we all enjoyed the read.

Why does this book make for good book club material?

Silent Sister has excellent discussion points in the book. There are decisions made in the book that are worth discussing. Each member of the MacPherson family plays a different role and it is fun to see what book club members think of each part.

There are opportunities to go over, “what would you do,” if given the circumstances that happen in the book as well as discussion of the law and how things could have went.

Another great discussion topic is what people turn to for comfort and each book club member can share what their answer is.

Food and Theme

There is not much to talk about for food in the book. In fact when I went to make something for book club I could not recall any food discussions or drink for that matter other than coffee. Cookies in the shape of people (sisters) would be fun to do.

Food could be centered around “Open House” food items as int he book they are trying to sell a house… or even funeral food to represent the loss of Lisa.

Random keys could be used where each book club member draws one and at some point during the discussion shares something that perhaps they had kept quiet during a point int here life (as a child, teen, etc…)

Book Club Discussion Questions Link

The Undiluted Truth About Review Requests – Accepting and Not and All the Decisions In between

Published on February 8, 2015February 6, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)80 Comments

Book reviewers, bloggers… this one is for ~~you~~ us. This is something that has amazed me for years. All the wonderful review requests we receive by email (is it not a book lovers dream?). Yet – what emails sent for a potential review request really make it past the 10 to 30 seconds you give to them? I honestly feel bad but more than not – many hit the delete pile, and it may not even be because the book is not one I would read… in most cases it is that the pitch did not catch my attention in the amount of time I have for it. (Yes that is a huge run on sentence but who has time for periods? 😉 )

Sound cruel?

I hope not. I used to email back each person or company that sent me a review request to let them know if I was unable to accept at this time. Most times I would also let them know why… if it wasn’t a book I think I would enjoy, or if time limitations just did not allow me to agree to another book. I liked doing that… but now I just do not have the time to respond to each email.

Here is the honest truth and I have to believe I am not the only one. Time is precious. I have my personal email where I receive job requests for my writing as well as personal communications. I have a second email that is for Friends of the Library, and a third email for bookish stuff (where I direct all book related emails to go to). Being a busy active person with a life, I try to give each of these emails a look each day, but I do not have time to spend hours reading and responding to emails.

Who does?

So…. the point of this post was to share what does sell me on looking further into a review request… and what does not. Let’s start with the “does not” first…

What Does Not Work In a Review Request

The introduction. Dear sir or madam may pass if the rest of the email is good – but honestly – it is not 1902. If you are trying to catch my attention use my name, or just say hi or hello reviewer.

If you are going to use my name, make sure it is my name. I am not delusional… I do not think that I am the only person that you sent this email to and you covet my review thoughts and only my review thoughts. 🙂 However it starts the email off on a bad foot if you call me Jerry or Julie. Or really… any name that is not my own.

LONG over informative emails with no pictures. Chances are if I do not already work with your publishing company or with you, I am not going to invest time in a too wordy email about a book. Keep it short and sweet. Engage me in why I want to read this book.

No book cover. This is not always a big deal, but again, if you are a new to me publishing house, or author promoting your book… I like to see the cover. Honestly – I always like to see the cover. That is just me. Even with the companies I do work with I will look up the book if a cover is not in the email… that’s just me. I dont know why but I like to connect the cover to the story line. Covers for me are a plus.

Pitching a book to me that if you read my blog or even glanced at my review policy you would know the book wasn’t for me. Please do not tell me in one sentence that you enjoy my blog and in the next sentence pitch to me a romantic erotic western (*for the record – three types of books I clearly state I do not read… romances, westerns, or erotica). LOL. Ok that example is extreme… but it has come close to happening. 🙂

Not being clear on what you are offering (ie. book copy, Netgalley, …) I have at times said yes to a review and then received a PDF to read it on my computer. I dont read books on my computer.

What Does Work In a Review Request

Call me Sheila. Or even say “Hey bloggers” or “Hey book reviewers” or even “Dear Reviewer”. I am not picky, just start your email out right with a greeting. I dont mind being grouped in an email that I know has went out to many. We are all friend here. 🙂

Tell me in a short synopsis about the book or books you are pitching. If you are excited about a particular book, or know it is is being considered for a movie, or even that you expect big things out of the book.. tell me. That’s interesting stuff.

Show me the book cover! I love seeing covers. If I read a synopsis of a book I am interested in – I still want to see the cover.

2aa — Dear Sheila, How are you? We are super excited to offer you a review copy of a book that we feel is going to make a big splash not only in book format, but also as a movie! Please consider reading and reviewing The Hobbit, ….

If you are pitching several books, I dont even need the cover if there is a link where I can look at the book and see more about it.

Clear instructions of what you are offering (ie. a book for review, Netgalley, PDF) is awesome as well as how to respond to you.

That’s about it. I ♥love♥ receiving review requests and I wish I had the time to read and consider them all but as those of us who write review know – we cant say yes to them all which makes the email pitch all the more important.

I am curious, do the things I mention here in review requests cause you to consider or not consider a book? Do you have a criteria that you like to see in a review pitch? If so, please put in the comments your thoughts on book pitches.

Girl Fight! Why Amy (Gone Girl), Kick A** over Rachel (Girl On The Train)

Published on February 6, 2015February 4, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)33 Comments

** Warning this post will contain potential spoilers to both Gone Girl and Girl On The Train

Recently I finished the book, Girl On The Train. If you have been on the blogesphere lately you may have noticed this book. It is… EVERYWHERE. An EVERYWHERE book does not necessarily constitute a need for me to read it – however, my interest was piqued. Having seen it was being compared to Gone Girl increased that interest.

Now, having read both books, I have thoughts on why Amy from Gone Girl makes for an excellent protagonist and why Rachel from Girl On The Train does not. (Yes I know I am poking the bear)

Amy

Amy Dunne is brilliant. Scary brilliant. She can be the “everything woman”. When she meets Nick she is exactly who he wants her to be. She is sweet, beautiful, vulnerable. She makes Nick feel like a man and he falls in love with her. BUT (and it is a big but.. we are talking baby got back but!) we all know that Amy is flawed… more dangerously than Rachel because Amy can cover her flaws well. It is not until later in the book that we discover how flawed Amy really is…. twisted and damaged to the core she still ends up on top even in the end. Those who know her true colors are few and too afraid of her to do anything about it.

Rachel

Rachel comes with a lot of baggage. Most prominent is her trouble with alcohol. Her inability to stop drinking puts her immediately at a disadvantage. She is a burden on those around her. She can not hold down a job. As a witness, because of her drinking she is unreliable. Those who try to like her find her to be too much work and they quickly move on. Rachel has dug herself into a deep hole. In the end, she pulls herself together and is working towards being a person who will probably trump Amy in genuine niceness and togetherness.. but for me, it was too little too late.

Unreliable narration is the hook to both of these books. Can we trust what the narrator is telling us? Narration to narration I still give Gone Girl the win as when the book turned and twisted to what was really going on I was BLOWN AWAY. When Girl On The Train twisted I was surprised, but not over the top. I think by that time I had spent so much time struggling with Rachel that I was not engaged enough to appreciate what was indeed, an excellent twist of events.

Disclaimer: This post is all in fun. Based on my thoughts, solely my opinion, on both books and their protagonists. I actually enjoyed reading both books, just had a protagonist issue with Girl On The Train (my issue.). Let’s discuss! Did you like one protagonist over the other? Is it even about the protagonist or is more about the narration that makes the books? Do you agree or disagree with what I have said here? Is it even a fair fight?

WHERE Are You Reading Challenge 2015

Published on December 6, 2014December 10, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)31 Comments

January 1 2015 – December 21st 2015

From the website that brings you the weekly meme, What Are You Reading, it seem only appropriate that I continue to host the WHERE Are You Reading Challenge. I started hosting this challenge in 2010 and have enjoyed marking off the states every year 🙂

How do you decide what state a book is categorized under?

1. In a fiction read it would be the State or Country that the book spends the most time in. (Ie. If your main character is from Wisconsin but the book is all about his/her time in college in California – the books should categorize under California….)

2. Non fiction reads categorize in whatever State or Country it is about (Ie…. a book about fly fishing in Colorado is a Colorado point, and a book about women in Afghanistan is an Afghanistan point.

3. If the book goes from one state to another… go with the state that most of the time is spent.

How to get started

Grab the challenge button (above) here for your posts and sidebar.

Set up a page to capture your states, countries, etc… however you want to do it. Here is mine for a sample.

Additionally, some like to add their books to a Google Map which can be fun to put all the book titles on a map and watch it fill up but of course this is completely optional.

Questions?

Do you have to have a blog to participate? No. You can do everything on an excel spreadsheet or in a notebook without linking the book to a review.

Do I have to have my post up by January 1st, 2015? No, but I would think you would want to get started right away at the beginning of the year. However, you will be able to sign up throughout January as well.

Do audio books count? ABSOLUTELY!

Once you are ready and have your list and/or map set up please create a blog post (those who have blogs) using the meme picture I provided above as well as link to this post so others may join in. Then come back and link that post here to Mr Linky (below) so I as well as other participants know that you are participating and we can pop in throughout the year and see how we are all doing.

This is actually a fun and easy challenge as all books you read qualify and it will be fun to see where you generally read books as well as searching out books to fill in areas that you need.

For those who have covered the 50 states by the end of 2015, they will go into a drawing for a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble or to Amazon. ** All other areas beyond the 50 states are bonus points and we will have a drawing ($10 Amazon or B and N gift card) using random.org for those who read 10 or more books throughout 2015 in that category.

That’s it! Here is a link to tips on how to do it. Any other questions – please leave them in the comments section below.

I can’t wait to see WHERE You Are Reading!

Ready to sign up?

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

Universal Studios: The Gringott’s Bank Ride Review

Published on November 1, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

Early today I posted about Universal Studios Harry Potter World all all the amazing new items to see and do. The real big harry audacious idea behind Diagon Alley would be the addition of the new ride, Gringott’s Bank Ride.

Seriously… this is the MUST RIDE of the park. Harry Potter fans – do not miss this impressive addition!

When Justin (my son) and I went on the ride it was over an hour wait to get on. Long yes? Worth it? YES.

The bank line area is impressive. If I was that old dude from Jurassic Park I would say, “No expense was spared!” Beautifully lines walls, realistic looks bank desks, offices, and more. The line up of animated goblins was really cool!

Beautiful decorations…

The ride is a car with four seats across, three rows per car. Its one small drop in the beginning but the rest is mainly simulated with excellent graphics and effects. Of course riders, we are trying to avoid that pesky dragon.

Don’t miss out on this ride!!!

Looking For Potter Heads! Winter Re-Read/Readalong

Published on October 24, 2014November 3, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)67 Comments

Are you a Potter Head? Do you….

Sometimes find yourself whispering a spell under your breath at a family member, co-worker, or friend?

Get excited every time you see one of the movies playing on TV?

Have now or ever in your past used a Harry Potter type of ring tone (this also counts if your phone case has now or ever been Harry Potter)?

Own(ed) any sort of Potter paraphernalia – IE. Article of clothing, movies, costumes, a wand, board game, posters, bookmarks, signs… ok – you know what I mean ;).

Ever went to Universal Studies in Orlando mainly because of Harry Potter World?

Recited movie lines or profound Dumbledore quotes with a sense of superiority?

Well… if you said yes to any of the above. YOU are a Potter Head. And this post is for you. AND if you are new to the whole Potter literacy PHENOMENA, well, first I take a moment of silence for you…. and then I offer you to read on as well, as an opportunity awaits you as well. (you will be known as First Years)

Starting in November I will be hosting a Harry Potter Re-Read that I am SUPER EXCITED about. Pull those books off the shelf, or pick them up at your local library, download on your e readers, or listen to on audio (also super fantastic with either narrator I am just saying!). However you decide to join in… all are welcome.

Throughout our 5 months allowed for the Re-Read there will be dates to discuss the book, add your posts, or add comments to the new tab I will have right below the Book Journey Header. You can pop in whenever you want to add your thoughts, look for new contests, etc… check back often – not everything will be posted and I want to keep this as lose as unstructured as possible as that is where I thrive best.

If you want in… and I hope you do… please grab one of the following memes from below for your own blog. If you do not blog, see below for further instructions.

Once you have chosen your House, please write a post about your involvement in this project as well as what year you are (see years below to help you). By writing a post you will be helping to pass the word about this Re-Read so more may hear about it and join in. You may also choose to leave a comment here about which House you are in and what year you are. *This will also be where those without blogs can can leave a comment of how they are participating.

So… here is how you decide on what year you are:

First Years: You have read The Sorcerer’s Stone or you have not read and Harry Potter books

Second Years: You have read Sorcerer’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets

Third Years: You have read the two mentioned above as well as The Prisoner or Azkaban

Fourth Years: You have read the three above as well as The Goblet Of Fire

Fifth Years: You have read the four above and the Order Of The Phoenix

Sixth Years: You have read the five above and The Half Blood Prince

Seventh Years: You have read all of the Harry Potter books

Now, some of you may be unsure what house you may fall in. So we will pull out the sorting hat. Click below on the sorting hat to have the hat choose a house for you… but know this… what you desire is also considered, so you may choose your own house as well.

The “loosely applied” reading of each book will look like this:

Nov 1 – Nov. 16 – The Sorcerer’s Stone

Nov 17 – Dec. 6th – Chamber Of Secrets

Dec. 7 – Dec. 29th – The Prisoner Of Azkaban

Dec 30th – Jan 20th – The Goblet Of Fire

Jan. 21st – Feb 13th – Order Of The Phoenix

Feb. 14th – March 7th – The Half Blood Prince

March 8th – March 31st – The Deathly Hallows

There you have it! All communications will be under the tab under the Book Journey Header called “Harry Potter Re-Read”. As I mentioned check it often as surprise posts and giveaways will be added by sponsors as we go.

Special note: You will win “House Points” by participating in commenting, giveaways, and more (all of this will be revealed thought the Harry Potter Re-Read tab). Your house point totals will show under tabs as well. It s going to be good fun! Really!

To commit (and so I can communicate with you if you win anything) please sign up using the form below:

I will personally be kicking off with a trip to Harry Potter World in Orlando Florida. I will send some posts from there and give you a peek at some of the items that may be coming home with me for giveaways!

The hashtag for the read-a-long on twitter is #hpreadalong

Hope you will join me!

Delancey by Molly Wizenberg

Published on October 21, 2014October 21, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments

I just LOVE foodie stories! I don’t know what it is about them but I love to read about the food, the people, the recipes, the tastes, and how it all combines into something wonderful! ~Sheila

Molly Wizenberg loved that her husband Brandon Pettit was passionate about so much. A composer, Brandon also was fascinated by espresso machines, boats, building violins and learning to make ice cream. Molly loved how Brandon wold go after a project and soon, as the pattern seemed to be, Brandon would move on to something else.

When Brandon purchased a large mixer for mixing dough for a potential pizza restaurant Molly was not too worried thinking this too would pass. But pass…

it did not.

Brandon went on to search out buildings and signed a lease. Like it or not, Molly was about to have her world enter the pizza business. And their lives as they knew it were about to change.

Before Molly knew it they were renting cleaners, building an oven, cleaning floors, painting, watching thrift stores for tables and chairs, planning menus, and passing inspections.

Like it or not, Delancey was going to happen.

I absolutely loved this book! Author Molly Wizenberg shares with us the story of how the now popular Delanceys Restaurant in California rose out of the dust of an old building to the place it is today. From their early marriage days as Molly wrote her first book and Brandon spent night and day working on the restaurant that was to be. When they first opened, money was so tight they bought the ingredients they would need daily and hoped to make enough money that day to buy the next days!

Delancey’s if filled with delicious recipes of the food that Molly and Brandon ate during the lean years of little time and little money. The recipes look delicious and fairly quick and easy which is always a plus for me.

Molly is the creator of the blog Orangette, but fair warning.. its easy to spend a lot of time there! Also check out the website for Delancey. Molly is also the author of A homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from my Kitchen Table. Another book I need to read!