Category: Book Stuff

Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)19 Comments

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In 2007 Catherine Bailey is afraid.  She is afraid to leave her home.  She is afraid to be in public.  She double checks door locks. Locked in her own world of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) her inner fears have completely taken over her life.  (If you have ever seen the movie Copy Cat – and I highly recommend you do – it is something like that).

But things were not always this way for Catherine Bailey.  Flash back 4 years to 2003 and you find Catherine was a bright confident business woman.  She has a great group of friends and enjoys the company of men.  One man in particular has her captivated and really… this is where Catherine’s life starts to unwind in a way that seems to spiral faster and faster out of control….

Written in a “then and now” sort of style, readers slowly see what happened to cause Catherine’s world to collapse as the past connects to the present and beyond… and things really are not over… until they are OVER.

 

 

My thoughts…

Holy creepfest batman.

As I prepared to write this review I am still dealing with a multiple of thoughts running through my head.  One thought thinks, “this felt a little like Gone Girl… crazy twists and turns!”  Another thought is going “I want to watch Copy Cat again… this book reminded me of the beginning of that movie!”  But as I write… I know saying either of these things (even though I did) does not give the book its own identity and I can tell you, Into The Darkness deserves its own identity. 

Is it flawless?  Of course not.  There was a section that felt a little long-winded to me while I waited to get to something… something… more.  (Fear not dear reader, MORE is exactly what I got.

Overall… the word “IMPRESSED” seems to really sum it up.  Well written, exciting, and a warning that there are a couple harsh moments (gory?  graphic?) that I feel I should mention, but I must say that they are again, well written, and dare I say necessary to give you the full reality of what is happening. 

Looking for a good evening curl up and say “NO WAY!” read?  Grab a copy of Into The Darkness. 

 

 

Thank you to the AMAZING team at TLC Book Tours

that placed a copy of this thought provoking read in my hot little hands.

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Eat and Run by Scott Jurek

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

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When you think of this worlds “super runners” Scott Jurek’s name has a good chance of being on that list.  He came on the radar in 1999 when he took first place in a 100 mile run over the old Gold Rush Trails in California and continued to take first in that run for the next seven years.  Scott had broke records,  twice won the Badwater 135 mile  Ultramarathon, and set an American record of 165.7 miles in 24 hours.

So who is Scott and what makes him run?

Scott grew up in a “meat and potatoes family” with a desire to run – but not always a passion for it.  In fact he hated running.  As he grew to adult he went to an all plant-based diet and worked his way to ultra running.  Scott’s story is an inspiration to anyone who has a dream to better themselves and for whatever reason felt it was impossible to reach their goals.

For the last year I have had this desire to learn how to run.  I don’t know why or where it came from other than the fact that runners have great stamina, I admire their dedication and dare I say it looks like fun?   Scott’s story was really impressive to listen to.  His story is engaging, he is down to earth and funny.  You do not need to be some sort of fitness guru to enjoy this book and come out the other side with a lot of knowledge on running and a bit of inspiration to boot.

At the end of the audio he shares some yummy sounding vegan recipes that I plan to try.

Lentil-Mushroom Burgers

1. In a medium-size pot, bring 2 1/4 cups of water to a boil, then add 1 cup dried green lentils, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/4 c up chopped onions. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Combine 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, 2 cups bread crumbs, and 1/2 cup ground flax seeds in a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a separate pan greased with olive oil, sauté 1 cup chopped onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 3 cups finely chopped mushrooms, and 1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale or other winter greens for 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. Remove lentils from heat, add 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and mash ingredients together.
5. In a large bowl, combine lentils, sautéed vegetables, and bread-crumb mixture. Cool in a refrigerator.
6. Using your hands, form patties and fry or grill until lightly browned and crispy on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes each side. Serve on a toasted bun or on their own.
Makes 12 four-inch burgers.

 

Holy Moly Guacomole

  • 1 (15-ounce) can early or young peas, drained
  • 1/2 cup mashed avocado (about 1 medium avocado’s worth)
  • 1/4 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
  • 4 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1/2 clove)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more, optional
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, plus more, optional
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon chile powder
  • 1/3 cup chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
  • Chopped jarred jalapeno, optional
  • Serving suggestion: cut veggies
Place peas in a medium bowl and mash thoroughly with a potato masher or fork. (Or puree peas in a small blender or food processor and transfer to a medium bowl.) Add avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 black pepper, cumin, and chile powder. Continue to mash until blended.Stir in tomatoes, onion, and some cilantro and/or jalapeno, if using. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Enjoy!

Per serving (1/3 cup): Calories 83; Total Fat 3.5 grams; Saturated Fat 0.5 grams; Protein 3 grams; Total Carbohydrate 9 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber 4 grams; Cholesterol 0 milligrams; Sodium 308 milligrams

January Recap and WHERE Are You Reading Link Up

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

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January was a great month here at Book Journey for books and audio.  It has been a long time since I have had such a good month.  I end with this last day of January with 12 reads completed and reviewed,  Here is what they were:

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The Road by Cormac McCarthyckson

Between The Lines by Jodi Piccoult

In The Belly Of Jonah by Sandra Brannan

Gods In Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

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Will To Murder by Gail Feichting

Ashes by Ilsa Bick

The Gilly Sisters by Tiffany Baker

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

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GONE by Randy Wayne White

Murder Of The Century by Paul Collins

Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

Born This Way by Paul Vitagliano

For best of the month, I would say do not pass on Gods In Alabama, The Gilly Salt Sisters and Level 2.

Here is my WHERE I have been reading so far this year.  If you are participating in the WHERE Are You Reading Challenge, please add your recap post to the linky below:

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Have you read any of these books?  What was your best reads of January?

Morning Meandering…. Challenges For Me!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)19 Comments

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Good morning!  These bonus days off have been AWESOME!  Yesterday I had a couple of meetings and a couple of errands in the morning and then the rest of the day was mine – *insert mwwwwaaaaa haaaa haaa laugh here* .    I updated my sidebar, wrote a review, cleaned up some tabs and yes – I ever read.  😀

I have missed books.

Then last night after setting up the rest of my 2013 WHERE Are You Reading Challenge, I stared looking for other challenges I wanted to be a part of…. and here is what I came up with:

2013-Audio-Book-Challenge-300x202

The audio book challenge is always a fun one and really, not a big challenge for me as I am constantly listening to audio every day.  Still… I like to play. 😀  Here is how she sets it up:

There are five levels to the challenge

  • Flirting-Listen to 6 Audio Books
  • Going Steady- Listen to 12 Audio Books
  • Lover- Listen to 25 Audio Books
  • Married-Listen to more than 25 Audio Books
  • You Define the Relationship- Create your own challenge (choose your own name and level starting as low or going as high as you’d like)
This is a fairly laid back challenge and I want it to be as enjoyable as possible.

  • Audio Books can be any genre

  • You can cross challenges

  • You don’t have to be a blogger to participate. You can tell us about what you are listening to in the comments of the monthly link up.

So using Teresa’s  guidelines, I am going to up the level and say I will go for a goal of 40 audio books this year and I will call it the ADDICT Level 😉

 

And Lori is having an A to Z Challenge that looks like fun so I thought I would try that too:

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This challenge is simply to read a book that has a title that starts with each letter of the alphabet. 

I think that is about it.  Last year I had signed up for about 7 and just couldn’t keep up with them and honestly I don’t know how I did on them.  They are fun though, so here I go again :D.   It feels good to be getting back on track.

Today on my day off one of the things I will be doing is reading Lenore Appelhan’s debut book, Level 2.  Lenore is awesome, a book reviewer and someone I have had the privilege of meeting in New York.  You can find Lenore at Presenting Lenore, stop by and congratulate her on release day!

Whats Your First Book Of 2013 Going To Be?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)47 Comments

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I am probably revealing a level of geek about myself that I shouldn’t… but…

too late. 😀

Every year – long before I was blogging, probably since I was a kid…. I have always made the first book of the year a big deal.  The first book for me had to be one I had been wanting to read for a while, one that I couldn’t wait to dig into, even with blogging – that first book excitement each year has not changed.

It is a book I really want to read – not (necessarily) a review book, a book club book or any other book that is on my TBR shelf.  This one may have been purchased by me for the occasion…

Here is what I have on the possibility list:

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Since meeting James Dashner this past summer and finding him to be smart and funny… I want to read him.  This book has been on my shelf for probably the 3 years it has been out.  Is this the time? 

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Can you believe I havent read The Twelve yet?  Did you know this is the one book I wanted to leave New York with this past June and I did… and I have passed it around my book club but still have not read it myself?  What is wrong with me????

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Or Wild?  Because this book makes me think of hiking and maybe someday I will go hiking for a long long time… maybe… who knows… I should read the book….

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Or…. back to Gillian Flynn?  She rocked my world in Gone Girl.  Is it time to try another one?

 

 

I would love to hear what you are considering for the new year!  What is your first book going to be?

Morning Meaderings… Book Reviewers, Do You Ever Forget To Review A Book?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

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Good morning fellow book lovers!  I can’t tell you how good I feel.  But – of course I will try….  😀 

After the craziness and business of life recently I have reached a week of four days in a row – YES!  Four Days in a row that I have no commitments after work.  A moment of silence please for my sanity 🙂  WOO HOO!!!  This means that I can:

Christmas shop at my leisure

Go to the grocery store without feeling rushed

catch up on reviews, memes, things I wanted to check out

READ.

😛

So…. this morning I was putting the finishing touches on a review of Round House that I wrote for the her Voice Magazine.  I also wanted to send in my review of Insurgent by Veronica Roth as it was placed in the best of 2012 by Goodreads.  So I do a search for my Insurgent review.  AND I search.  I find it in my Monday What Are You Reading post as a “to be read”, I find it in another morning post on my deck while I was reading it.  But alas – no review.  😯  Seriously, I forgot to review it. 

Please, please tell me that has happened to you.

In other not so craziness, this morning I started listening to 14 by Peter Clines and I am thrilled.  Sometimes audio takes a while for me to get in the rhythm of the read, but this one started out with a real good vibe, I liked the narration right away, and the story line and I literally had a smile on my face this morning as I listened. 

So that’s my morning meandering.  Hope all is going smoothly in this week before Christmas for you. 

 

Oh, and if you are a reviewer – and you have forgotten to review a book… please share.  I could use the “OOPS!” Company.  😀

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)56 Comments

 

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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.

 

Last weeks winner: Lori from Escape With Dollycas (Woo hoo!!!)

Congratulations!  Please choose a book or bookish item from the Reading Cafe!

Looking back over this past week I am thrilled to see I actually posted something.  Here is what happened here this past week:

Forgotten Road by Randall Arthur (WOW!)

 

One Second After by William Forstchen   (another WOW!)

 

Books To Movies… “Heck Yeah!  or Hell’s No!!!” What do you think?

 

It has been a busy BUSY week but here it is Sunday evening (here) and I have a nice quiet week ahead.  No commitments on any evenings this week until Friday when we have a Christmas party to go to.  I can not even tell you how happy that makes me.  When I get so overly busy I just DRAIN all my energy and I have felt drained. 

Books of course, are on the agenda… and I am so excited about getting into BOOKS!

 

 

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Hannah Smith, the latest in several generations of strong, no-nonsense Florida women who live life on their own terms. Hannah, who has inherited a PI agency from her uncle, feels her ancestors’ rugged individualism in her bones but has been unable to let it rise to the surface—until she agrees to help a fishing client by searching for his missing niece. The case gives her the chance she needs to find her game, tracking and ultimately confronting a sociopath who specializes in seducing rich, timid women and divesting them of their fortunes before tossing them aside, dead or barely living. Hannah, a perplexing mix of timidity and strength, must confront multiple personal demons in the course of the tale, and she does so with grace and savvy. With its Gulf Coast setting and watery landscape, this is less a new series for White than it is the introduction of a new character to Doc Ford’s world, but that’s all good for the author’s fans, who will welcome another seaworthy star, whether she works solo or in tandem with Ford.

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When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she has no choice but to follow the wind that blows her back to Lansquenet, the beautiful French village in which eight years ago she opened a chocolate shop and first learned the meaning of home.

But returning to one’s past can be a dangerous pursuit. Vianne, with her daughters, Anouk and Rosette, finds Lansquenet changed in unexpected ways: women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea – and there, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the church, a minaret. Most surprising of all, her old nemesis, Father Francis Reynaud, desperately needs her help.

Can Vianne work her magic once again?

 

 

 

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Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches.

There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s. Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends. Or the end of everything….

 

 

I am excited to get started on these stories.  SO what are you reading this week between the hustle and bustle of the Holidays?  I look forward to seeing what you are reading and what I will be adding to my reading in the upcoming weeks. 😀

Please add your What Are You Reading post below where it says “click here”.  I think I actually have some to visit this week and I an sooooo excited!

 

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For those of you who review mainly Middle Grade (MG) and/or Young Adult (YA) reads, please also add your link to this meme as well:

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Morning Meanderings… A Prequel and a Sequel….what are your thoughts about THIS

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)7 Comments

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Good morning.  How ya’ all doing?

This morning while flipping through emails and Facebook and I don’t know where I was when I seen it, but somewhere out there lost in the Internet world I discovered that Disney has decided that Alice is going back to Wonderland and is indeed going to film a sequel.

*Pause here for dramatic effect*

Tim Burton put Wonderland back on the map in 2010 with his Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska combo and if I may add, an awesome Red Queen by Helena Bonham Carter.

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BUT… while the film grossed in the 11th place of all time profitable movies, where would it go from where it left off?  At this time there is no word of who will be starring – will it be the same cast, or all new?  Or is Disney setting itself up for an epic fail?  While I personally enjoyed the movie, I didn’t LOVE LOVE it.

And then… lets not forget that The Great And Powerful OZ is coming out in 2013, this one I am excited about!  And while Oz and The Red Queen are two different characters and two different stories entirely, I have to wonder if Disney is hoping that the trip to Wonderland will be as powerful as the trip they are taking down the yellow brick road. …

Personally (my gosh I am chatty this morning!) I would like to see a prequel to Wonderland and by that I am thinking something along the lines of what author  Gregory Maquire did for Wicked.  Brilliant… really brilliant.

So what are your thoughts on the sequel/prequels?  Do you enjoy them or do you prefer things left as is in their original written form?

As a Book Lover, Are Books On Your Christmas/Wish List?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

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It’s that time of year, even though Minnesota is just starting to get t the snow part which as much as I hate snow, it does make it feel more like the season.  SO looking out the window at the lawn, it makes it a little hard to believe that in about two weeks it will be Christmas.

I think it is always funny when friends/family say “I know you love to read but you have so many books that I would never get you a book.”

What they are missing is I love getting books for any occasion. 

A book from a friend to me means it is something they think I will enjoy.  I love the meaning behind that.  They are sharing an adventure within the pages and if they have already read it and want to share that adventure with me, even better.  How many gifts out there really come in a nice square (EASY to wrap!) package that is not only lovely to hold… but to go inside, and meet …

people!

places!

things!

That is so exciting to me! 

To let me friends and family know the books I hope to experience, I keep an Amazon wish list.  I find it easy to use, quick to add new books to, and it makes an easy way for others to pick out something they know I would love.

My questions to you is that as fellow book lovers (HIGH FIVE!) Are books on your wish list?  Do you receive books from friends and family as gifts?  How do you communicate to them what you would enjoy reading?