Book Stuff – Page 46 – Book Journey

Bookish Gifts for Your Bookish Friends

Published on November 26, 2011November 26, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)48 Comments

It is that time of year again when I start thinking of Christmas and the gift giving. I love finding the perfect gift for people. I know I appreciate a well thought out gift and find it funny when people say to me that they would not get me a book because of course I have so many already…

those who know me well.. know a bookish item is perfect for me as that is what I love. After all, the gift of a book to me is like the gift of adventure.

That said it got me thinking of what I would consider good bookish gifts this year and I thought I would post a list of the items that I think would be very appreciated by fellow book lovers: (*Note that all gifts listed below are clickable pictures that will take you to where you can purchase and/or see more about the item.

1. The Chaos Walking Series

Seriously the best series I read this year and totally gift worthy. Believe me – you will want to give all three books as each book leaves you ready to jump head first into the next. A little adventure, a little sci fi, a little YA, and a lot of dystopia… this series has a little something for everyone… and I personally found it to be even more amazing than the Hunger Games. See my reviews of these books here, here, and here.

2. The Banned Books Bracelet

I have coveted this bracelet since the first time I saw it. What a cool and unique gift for your favorite book lover! In both adult and teen titles.

3. Readers Journal

Not everyone you know who loves to read is also a book blogger. Even some of your book blogger types (me included) still enjoy writing in a journal. This little beauty is the pick of the crop because:

Title, Author, Date Published, Category (Fiction, Non-Fiction, etc.), Date Started, Date Finished, 0-5 Star Rating, “Inspired me to learn about these subjects”, followed by a full page for “Notes”.

Throughout the journal are places to fill in fun information:

~A 2-page spread about your “Biblio Style”, including favorite authors, favorite books, favorite places to read, favorite genres, etc.
~A page to show, basically, what kind of books are currently on your book shelves.
~A page to fill in authors that have most influenced you.
~”Reading Trees”, to track how reading one book influenced you to read another book.
~A page to make your own little award ceremony for books.
~Literary face-offs, where you check who you like the best from lists of authors and literary characters.
~A favorite quotes page.
~Two page spread concerning books being turned into movies.

Seriously? I just ordered two of these this morning.

4. The Steve Jobs book by Walter Isaacson

This hot little item is on my wish list and I think on many other book lovers as well.

5. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (ON AUDIO!)

I would never forget the audio book lovers in my life and my recommendation for this Christmas season is Ready Player One. Narrated by Will Wheaton it is a treat for the ears!

6. Awesome movies made from books

Celebrate life-long friendship this holiday season with the film adaptation of Lisa See’s best-selling novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Set in both 19^th century and present day China, Snow Flower is the tale of two women and their descendants who share a life-long bond as sworn sisters. This touching film is from critically acclaimed director Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club).

This tale set in a travelling circus during the Great Depression stars the dreamy Robert Pattinson, and the loveable Reese Witherspoon, as two star-crossed lovers who must overcome many obstacles in order to be together. Not only is the film a great love story, but Witherspoon also dons some fantastic outfits and makeup, which would be great inspiration for any stylish woman!

Both of these movies were made from exceptional books. I have seen both movies and can honestly say they are both gift worthy.

7. Fun book shelves

Most big time book lovers are always scrambling for space to store their precious treasures. A great gift is to give them is a unique way to do just that. Do you not just love this shelf?

8. Bookish Board Games

300 trivia cards, including 8 bonus Jane Austen trivia questions. Super bookish party fare!

In Liebrary, players are given a book title and the plot summary and then asked it create the most believable first line of the book. The object of the game is to bluff other players into believing that their first line is the correct one. The more outrageous the better. Come on! Doesn’t that sound so fantastic?

9. Trilogy that have gone GLOBAL!

We have been talking Hunger Games for the last two years. Now – next year the movies will start and if you have bookish friends who have yet to read the series (shudder the thought!) then what an incredible gift to give! This will be the gift that keeps on giving.

10. Harry Potter Boxed Complete Hardcover set

With the release of the last and final installment of the Harry Potter movies, we are truly at the end of an incredible era. (Pause for a moment of silence)…………………………………………………………………….

To have all the books in hard cover in mint condition to the Harry Potter fan in your life? Priceless.

That’s it for now… I have a DVD copy of Snow Flower and The Secret Fan as well as a DVD copy of Water For Elephants which I will choose two winners for next week from those who leave a comment letting me know what bookish gift they would like to receive this Christmas.

Monsters Of Men by Patrick Ness

Published on November 16, 2011November 16, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

In this third and final books of the Chaos Walking Series Todd and Viola are coming into the biggest war of their lives. This is not one of those series where you can pick up any book and start it… and get it. No, you must know where Todd came from in The Knife Of Never Letting Go and how Viola came into the picture. You must understand the level of sacrifice already given before you enter this world again in The Ask And The Answer…

The Spackle are more… more than one could have imagined and The Mayor…. well, will one ever fully figure him out?

Viola is working with The Answer, and Todd is working with … well, with The Mayor. And The Spackle (wondering what a Spackle is… well, its not something you do to the walls…) are coming in as the third part to a war that we thought was two-part… but no, Ness would not make things as simple as that.

What do you do to save the place you have come to know as home? What do you do to save the one you love?

And how do you look at all that is happening and not take it personally?

Lets just put it out there. I ♥ Patrick Ness. It’s ok…. I told my husband too. 😀 I mean you know its bad when I get excited about the font in a book. I do. I did. I still think it is brilliant and if you have read none of these books then you have no idea what I am ranting about but that…. needs to be corrected.

I am always shocked, appalled, and even thrilled by the courage of an author to do away with key characters. In this way, Patrick Ness did not let me down in any of the three books. My advice to new readers – don’t get attached to anybody.

Knowing that… imagine my fear page after page…. never knowing who was going to be wiped off the planet at a moments notice…. this sort of dystopia novel really can bring out the tingly feelings of anticipation, of fear, of the big…. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? (And of course what I fondly refer to as “back turning”… when something happens that you are all like (NO WAY!) and you have to turn back a few pages to read that again and go there again…. only… to be shocked again. (Mmmmm hmmmm…. it’s that good.)

I wish I could avoid this rambling and choppy review but I finished this book over a week ago as we landed in Honduras and without taking down a few notes on my thoughts (my bad…. my bad indeed) I left here a week and a half later hanging on to remnants of excitement but not sure where I felt them or how to share them with you.

I can however say that this is the best trilogy I have read this year and I do not take series lightly. If you are looking to end the year on a high reading note – I highly recommend you start on this series and then…. feel free to rant and rave here with me…. 😀

Alison is screaming “Don’t Miss This Book”!!!

Published on November 10, 2011November 4, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

DON’T MISS THIS BOOK!!

Good morning, Book Journey friends!

I am honored to be your substitute host today while Sheila is spreading her joy across the globe. I had the pleasure of meeting Sheila in May 2010 at the Book Expo America in New York. She is just as lovely in person as I hoped she would be, and we hit it off right away!! I’m not only a friend and fellow book blogger, I’m also a loyal reader of Book Journey, so I figured I could stop by and we could keep one another company in Sheila’s absence.

Photographic proof! This is from BEA 2010. With all the time we spent together this past May, I don’t have a photo of the two of us…Sheila? Do you have one??

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the Alison from Alison’s Book Marks. I have a little book blog on the other side of the Internets where I chat about an eclectic mix of books. Any book that is being read in my house is discussed on my blog – right now, The Man is working on KILLING LINCOLN; the 6 year old is tackling his first “real book”, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID; the 9 year old, is reading HOLES by Louis Sachar; and I am currently reading HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET. I am blessed with a reading family!!

There is one book I read this year that I can’t stop talking about with my book friends – THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern (Doubleday; Hardcover; 400 pgs.; September 13, 2011: 978-0385534635).

I would send you over to read my review of the book, but I think Sheila’s review was much better. Not only do I feel this is the best book I have read all year, but it has also earned a place on my Book Shelf of Fame, where I place my all-time favorites like THE BOOK THIEF, EAST OF EDEN, THE HELP, SARAH’S KEY, and HARRY POTTER.

I went into this book knowing very little. In fact, I didn’t even read the blurb on the back cover. All I was told was that there was magic and mystery, all wrapped up in a cast of characters one will not soon forget. It did not take me long to get sucked into the mystery of the Circus, which is a character in and of itself.

I read quite a bit, as you might imagine, and always looking forward to the next great book, but this is one of the few books that I can’t wait to read again and again. The next time I experience this book will probably be listening to the audio, by Jim Dale (of Harry Potter audio fame!) There are all these wonderful little details that I can’t wait to experience all over again. There was a reason for everything – the color of a dress, the shape of a tree, the taste of a dessert. This book was an all-sensory experience!

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern is a special book. I hope you read it this winter, and be sure to come back and chat with us when you do!

*Note from Sheila: Alison ROCKS! She is a lot of fun and I enjoy her blog and her friendship. Her review of Night Circus is awesome and it is linked here so check it out… and Alison, you asked if I had a picture of us from BEA 2011…. I do:

Morning Meanderings… Honduras – Day Five

Published on November 10, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

Good morning. 😛

I did it again… I set my alarm according to my cell phone… got up, showered, and dressed… and then realized that it was actually an hour earlier than I thought it was.

😯

I had turned off my data and wifi in Honduras so as not to get the bill of a lifetime and due to this, my cell phone never updated to the correct time.

We are now in Tegucigalpa and it is good to be here. For one… the internet is much better and it is not taking me two hours to upload pictures and write a post.

I did not get many pics yesterday other than our traveling.

Of course… who would I be if I did not mention the coffee?

Cafe Americana - 18.9 limperos = 1 American dollar

Honduras limps can make you feel like you have a lot of money in your pocket but it takes 18.9 of the Limperos to equal one dollar. It feel weird to be paying 39 limps for a mocha coffee and a cookie until you think… until you realize this is only a little over $2.00.

Today we are going to AFE (the school fro the kids in the dump) and out to Manuelito, where my Honduras missions began, working with the street kids. Today, will be like a reunion. 🙂

Currently… two books completed for the week and one audio.

Morning Meanderings.. Day Two and Three in Honduras

Published on November 8, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)21 Comments

Good morning! This is my actual coffee cup from yesterday morning. And yes, the coffee is good. 😀

On Sunday we had an opportunity in the morning to go up even further into the mountains and see a Linca Village. It was beautiful and here are a few of the pics:

At 3 pm we went to the church and we were there until 5:30 pm. A wonderful service in three languages – Spanish, English, and we had Dima with us who shared the stage and spoke in Ukrainian.

After service, we went to dinner with the Pastor and his family. The food was amazing. We ordered two platter meals that were to feed 5 people each. We had 13 in our group and could not finish it. There was a tortilla and bean and cheese appetizer, then french fries with a yummy sauce, then beans, and the main dish:

On Monday we worked all day painting the outside of the church and the outside of the classroom walls. The weather was pretty nice. It seems to rain with a fine mist in the mornings and then slowly burns off it was pretty warm by early afternoon.

161 — Dima and Boris (from Ukraine) and me outside painting in La Esperanza Honduras

Yesterday I took Asus (laptop) in the van with us as leaving electronics in a hotel in this are could be risky. I had it under one of the seats in the van so it was not seen by passer bys… when I went to take it out last night it was covered in water… someones water had spilled o the seat and went through it on to the floor… soaking lap top. Boris on our team is a computer genius and he quickly pulled out the battery and wiped everything down. He told me to not use it for two days to give it a chance to dry… but ahh…. yeah. About that. I had to communicate pics… so I am taking my chances.

I am posting my pictures on Facebook and if you would like to see more, go there. I am Sheila DeChantal. If I do not know you make sure you send a little message if you are friending me so I know you are a Book Journey reader.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on November 6, 2011November 6, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)22 Comments

Hello and welcome to another fun addition of 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.

I am currently in Honduras so will pull this weeks winner from last weeks entries next week as well as this current one.😀

So, as I mentioned above… I am in Honduras, I left on Saturday morning from the cities and will be here until this next coming Friday. I had planned to write this post prior to leaving but time and life stuff took over and instead, I am currently in my room in La Esperanza Honduras on a little afternoon break, typing this one out. Needless to say…. it will be short and to the point. 😛

This past week this was on the presses at Book Journey:

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan audio review

Snow Flower and The Secret Fan Movie giveaway!I meant to choose a winner before I left – I did not so consider this one still on 🙂

One Fine Day by Lauraine Snelling (book review)

My post with itinerary while I am away (this will tell you what I am doing in Honduras)

Laurel from Rainy Days and Mondays shares her favorite 200 reads and recommendations

Esme from Chocolates and Croissants shares her favorite reads of 2011

My Honduras Day One Check In

Staci from Life In The Thumb shared her thoughts on The Homecoming of Samuel Lake

As for this week… I finished Monsters Of Men on the plane and among other books I brought that I hope to at least make a dent in I brought:

On the morning of July 24, 1915, the liner Eastland rolled over and capsized into the Chicago River; 844 people died. In his first nonfiction book, mystery writer Bonansinga (The Black Mariah, etc.) captures the raw emotion in a story full of greed, courage and overwhelming grief. The victims were looking forward to a day of eating, drinking and dancing. Dressed in their finest, the passengers swarmed onto the boat. Gazing at the huge, sturdy looking, freshly painted vessel, most took it on faith that they were in good hands. Unbeknownst to them, the Eastland had been beset by serious problems from its launch. The ship was hard to control and prone to listing even under normal conditions, though its various owners had covered up this fact. As the disaster unfolded, the best and worst of human nature was immediately on display. Men shoved women and children out of the way inIh desperate attempts to escape. From shore, passersby risked their lives to save the fortunate few. In pure Chicago style, the disaster’s aftermath was marked by political infighting and petty corruption. For all the loss of life and the implications to public safely, this incident is little known today; Bonansinga’s powerful book returns it to the record. Photos.

I took an interest in this when I was in Chicago in June and heard about the tragedy and about the bodies lining the streets to be identified by loved ones. A friend of mine brought me the book the day before I left for Honduras.

I hope you join in with Monday What Are You Reading. Once I am back int he states I look forward to catching up with all of you. Please add your link to where it says “click here” below.

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Esme Shares her Favorite Books Of The Year

Published on November 5, 2011November 4, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)6 Comments

Hi, I am Esme from Chocolate and Croissants. My blog is a little about books, a little about my kitties and a little about food. I am a huge collector of cookbooks. What are my favorite genres; I love memoirs, especially food memoirs, followed by historical novels and biographies. I am always up for a good novel. Sitting in bed reading cookbooks is always fun.

Sheila and I have known each other for two years now. I still remember when she reached out to me and asked if she could use one of my posts on her blog. I was quite honored that she would want to borrow one of my posts. From there we left comments on each other’s blog and then shared a room in NYC at BEA in 2010. My friends thought I was a little crazy to share a hotel room with someone I had never met. I knew it would be great fun.

So Sheila has asked me to blog about my favourite book this year. That is such a hard one. What makes a book your favourite? That is like asking me what my favorite pastry is. I like them all for different reasons.

I am going to give you three favorites from this year. They are all favorites for different reasons. The one book I did not want to end was The Soldier’s Wife . Set in Guernsey during WW11 I loved the story. My favorite food memoir was Mama’s Homesick Pie. The author followed her dreams studying cooking at the Cordon Bleu in France. The book was so much more than her story as a chef. It was about her family and the love for each other. Author Adriana Trigiani wrote a beautiful tribute in Don’t Sing at the Table to her grandmothers. Don’t Sing at the Table tells the story of Viola and Lucia, two Italian immigrants. This book is about these wonderful women and the lessons they passed on to their granddaughter.

Please stop by for a cup of tea and tell me what your favourite book this year is.

* note from Sheila: Esme is always tempting me with delectable recipes on her blog…. of the three books she mentions here I have read two… but sounds like I need to dig into Mama’s Homesick Pie as well!

Morning Meanderings… Weekend Healing

Published on November 1, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)17 Comments

Good morning.

It’s Tuesday… again. Last Tuesday, I would rather erase from my memory… but here we are. A week out and while the pain is still there… it is now manageable and I can see more clearly that we did the right thing.

I spent the weekend with a few friends from the bike rides I do, my cousin’s wife Rhonda, and my friends Belinda and Sheila. We went up North and checked out a few shops in the area, ate great food, hiked a bit in the Tettegouche State park and watched a couple of movies.

I think the weekend was just what I needed… a little time to get away and relax. I came home feeling renewed and stronger again. Friends… are counselors and healers. I am lucky to have them.

My one regret was I did not get a picture of the four of us together.

Last night Al and I watched tv and ate pizza…. that’s how we roll on a Halloween night. 😛 How about you? What did you do on Halloween?

My Heart Is Broken Over The Loss Of A Dear Friend

Published on October 25, 2011October 25, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)69 Comments

In Memory of Elmo Jo DeChantal

September 18 1997 – October 25 2011

Elmo came into our life in late 1997. My son Justin and I went and picked him out at a kennel. He was nothing but a 6 week old fur ball with eyes. He was born with a hernia, had a scratch through one eye and a heart murmur…. he was perfect!

Bailey and Elmo on lake Superior in the wind

I tucked him inside my coat and we brought him home to surprise the family. We all loved Elmo from day one… he was just what our family needed.

In 1999, while talking to the boys at the dinner table one January evening, we discovered

that Elmo had got off the leash while outside and he was gone. I followed his tracks in the snow down our driveway where I could see he had been in the ditch and then I seen where a car had pulled over and picked him up. I was devastated and unable to go to work the next two days. The boys and I made signs and hung them up from the bar down the road all the way to every business all the way to the Casino which is about 40 miles away. Four days later my husband took a phone call while I was at work from a bartender down the road. He said a woman had stopped in earlier in the week and said she had just picked up a dog on the highway and she was going to take him to her daughter who worked at the casino. Later that same night a second phone call came in from a

girl who worked at the casino but claimed she found him wandering the streets around the casino. She had taken him in, fed him from the buffet at the casino and took him home to Peirz Minnesota (about 40 miles away in a different direction). Al loaded up the boys and went and paid the reward we had offered to get Elmo back. What a miracle!

In 2000 while I was at work the boys were home from school one June and left the door to the deck open. Sure enough, I get home from work and Elmo is gone! I jump in my car driving up and down the roads near us, not knowing how long he had been gone or what direction he had went. I spoke to my aunt who lives down the road and an hour later she called me – he had been found down the road on the other side of the

busy highway about 4 houses down.. they were bringing him back to me now. Again, we got lucky.

In 2009, I was cleaning the house one weekend and Elmo must have followed me outside when I took the garbage out. Soon after my neighbor is knocking at my back deck door trying to be heard over my vacuuming, she had Elmo in her arms and said he had just been hit by a car. I rushed him to the vet as he was bleeding from the mouth and after being checked over he was discovered to have…. road rash. That’s it. This 10 pound dog survived being hit by a car!

I share these stories with you because Elmo truly was a miracle in our lives. We all loved him and he was truly the best dog I have ever – or will ever have. Letting him go this afternoon was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and I am a wreck.

Our boys are now 21 and 23… that shows you how long Elmo has been with us.

He completed our family. He was my constant reading companion. I will miss him forever.

Elmo the afternoon of October 25th, 2011

Dewey’s Read-A-Thon!!!

Published on October 22, 2011October 22, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)50 Comments

(mini challenge participations are at the bottom of this post)

Good morning! Welcome to the kick off for the Dewey Read-A-Thon. I am totally unprepared! I thought I was going to road trip to St Cloud today and look at cricut machines. I signed up for the read-a-thon a while ago and then wasnt sure if I was going to be able to do it, but as of last night knew I could just use a break from the hustle and bustle… and what a better way to enjoy a foggy fall day than surrounded by books.

I am reading for charity again, like I did in the spring… I am reading for Camp Benedict, the camp for people who have AIDS. (You can read more about my heart for this camp here. I will give 10 cents per page I read and 10 cents per minute I listen to audio to the camp.

If anyone wishes to donate to this wonderful camp you may do so here by leaving me a comment about sponsoring me (a set amount or so many cents per page/ audio minute) or by donating directly through this link.

To kick off this morning with hour one…. we were asked to give out a little info:

1)Where are you reading from today?
2)Three random facts about me…
3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?

1. I am reading from Brainerd Minnesota

2. hmmmm…… I have been to Honduras 9 times (10th in a few weeks here), I love adventures and have biked over 600 miles this year – 50 miles of that was in an arm cast from a previous bike ride,I have two shih-tsu dogs that are ages 15 and 13 and both driving me nuts right now. (Lets just say I don’t have kids at home… but with these two I feel like I have kids at home) 😛

3. I have a stack of 13 books and a couple of audio but mainly for variety… I know I wont make it through them all

4. To clean up some of the books I have started and have not finished due to other commitments.

5. Have fun! Be sure and check out the mini challenges, take breaks…. walk around with audio (I count that!)

Mini Challenge Participation:

Character Photo Mini Challenge (hilarious and fun!)

Book Puzzle Mini Challenge (guess what I am reading!)

6 Hour mini challenge and five books I am looking forward to!

Mid Event survey challenge

I will check in throughout the day by updating this post.

9:00 a.m.: 20 minutes of audio (We The Animals) so far while I made breakfast and cleaned up kitchen

noon: One book complete, 130 pages read this morning between – mini challenges, letting dogs out and in and out and in, e one hour getting dressed, cleaned up, making lunch… but listening to Night Strangers on audio (30 minutes)

9:00 pm (not so good at checking in am I? 😛 ) finished one audio (add another hour to my totals) while putting away our lawn furniture for the winter…. not a whole lot of reading done since last check in but hoping now to crack down….