Book Journey

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 200th addition

Published on August 18, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

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. While I am no longer offering up the giveaway incentive, I do hope you will still see the value of visiting other participants and seeing what they are reading- be warned though… this meme tends to add to your reading lists

No excuses. I was hoping to celebrate the 200 edition of IMWAYR at this post but it is not happening today. Full steam ahead is still on the agenda and this week is the final planning and the Wine and Words event. Our goal for this first year was 100 tickets. As of this typing, we are at 169 tickets. It is both thrilling and a little “anxiety causing” as we work together this week to get all the little details in place. It has been a lot of work but we have a great team.

I am giving you the link to sign up with what you are reading, my reading is pretty much at a stand still at this time. I am at camp the first few days of this week so hopefully I have a little reading and blogging time. In the mean time, this 200th celebration is going to have a pin in it.

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See you this week!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on August 11, 2013August 11, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Another super busy week has passed here. I was out of town at a work conference on Thursday and Friday, at a Vikings Game in the cities Friday night and ran a 7K mud run in Wisconsin on Saturday before returning home. I planned a nice post for today as this is the 200th IMWAYR, but I am busy with prep work for upcoming events, cleaning my house, and I have a book club book to read that I have barely cracked the spine and the review is Tuesday.

Basically… the same thing is going on here that has been the story for the past two months. Life is busy – all is well, I am just not around the laptop that much these days.

I have nothing new to report for what I am reading as I am still working on the same audio books and the same books. Tomorrow afternoon I will be listening to audio while I mow the lawn so hopefully I will get close to finishing something… The White Princess and The Twelve are both nearing completion.

Below is the link for you to add what you are reading. I really hope to get a chance to stop in and visit some of you this week.. believe me – its not from lack of trying 😀

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For those of you that read mainly middle grade and childrens books, be sure to also link to the younger version of It’s Monday by using the link below!

Next Sunday – lets plan on that celebration. The library book sale will be over and I should be ready to roll out a good post prior to going to camp on Monday. 😀

Morning Meanderings… New Books!

Published on August 11, 2013August 11, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

Good morning! I am still here! 😀 I just got home yesterday afternoon after a two day summit in the cities on Thursday and Friday for work. Friday night I went to stay at my cousins house to go to the Muckfest on Saturday morning and we wound up going to the Vikings game which was fun!

The Muckfest was in Wisconsin which was a 45 minute drive from their house and we had a blast at that too… heres a sample pic but I think I will save the rest for a post sometime soon:

Yup… thats me… hanging around. 😀

Anyhoo… books have showed up in the house and here they are:

Fun titles! Love Does and Courageous Leadership were books I purchased at the summit I was at and they both come with a free audio download which I am excited about! We heard the authors speak and it was a lot of fun.

I am currently posting on my hubbys laptop as mine bit it this past week. I think the battery dies and I have yet to look into the costs of replacing the battery or just going new. Hubby said I can have his laptop as he rarely uses it but I am not a fan… it works differently than mine, does not resize my pictures and Pic Monkey (which I use all the time) it will not let me save my pics… I have to do it a different way.

Anyhoo – I am off – full day of activity and lots to do now that I am back in the house! Hope your Sunday is incredible!

A Place At The Table by Susan Rebecca White

Published on August 6, 2013August 6, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)7 Comments

When you see the differences in one another and learn to embrace them rather than exploit them… you become whole.

Sheila

A cafe in Manhattan. Bobby, a gay man from Georgia, young and trying to find his way as his family pulls from him. Amelia, money has never been a problem for her but finds she can not buy her way out of a family secret that has the power to change everything. Alice, African-American and knows that life can be cruel but finds her way through the day-to-day by looking ahead and using her great gifts in cooking to reach others…

All three have been uprooted from their pasts and they all migrate towards cooking, hungry for companionship, understanding, and acceptance. As the book starts in 1920’s where slaves are being freed, to the AIDS epidemic of the 80’s, all three know the true meaning of sacrifice in order to find authenticity.

Why did I want to read/listen to this book? The synopsis sounded powerful. The three protagonists of the book were all so different, I wanted to know what would bring them together.

Even as I write this review I find myself settling into a state of melancholy, and maybe that is not the right word, but I feel a longing for these characters a sense of wanting more yet saddened that as I write this, they are already a part of my past. Does that make sense?

A Place At The Table was fulfilling, much like the table at which they all sat. While food fills them, it is the relationships that fill them up and that imagery that Susan Rebecca White paints is one I want to hold on to. I listened to this book on audio and loved the narration of Robin Miles (she also narrated The Last Original Wife which I LOVED!), George Newbern, and Katherine Powell. The book flowed smoothly from one scene to the next which I can imagine was no easy task, yet it mixed so well together to create a book I will recommend to others. This would be a great discussion book for book clubs and I will be recommending it to my book club for sure!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Audio

for the opportunity to listen to and review this audio

Morning Meanderings… Checking In/ Life Eruptus

Published on August 6, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

Good morning! My goodness it feels great to sit here this morning and actually type up a morning meanderings. For the record, I miss you… I miss our chats, and our book discussions and as I said in yesterday’s post I am not leaving, I am just moving at the speed of light right now. 🙂

Wine And Words, the big event for our local Friends Of The Brainerd Library has taken off beyond my goals and it is both exhilaration and a little frightening all rolled into one. Our goal was 100 tickets to be sold and we are currently at 132. Two weeks of ticket sales left to go – I am thrilled with our turn out! 😀

Between plans for that event, a mud run this weekend, the Brainerd Library sale in a week and a half… all is looking fantastic. I hope you are all as well enjoying your summer.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? (#199 epic fail!)

Published on August 5, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)19 Comments

Egads…. I have never been so late on this post. Seriously.. . this is my 199th Monday What Are You Reading Post and as you can see it almost didn’t happen. Life has taken over my life. It’s all good, but things around here are quite a juggle right now.

This weekend I was biking two days for Camp Benedict. 150 miles of awesomeness and awesome people. Last night, honestly I just wanted to sit on my deck with my husband and not think or do… and that is what I did. This morning, I was up and on the road by 5 am to do my 6 mile run, worked until 10:15, meeting at the library ar 10:30 – 12:15, lunch with a friend from 12:30 – 4m went grocery shopping hope and writing the post.

Yeah… that about sums it up. I know I have been mostly absent since June. I do not plan on leaving, I am just experiencing juggle technicalities and to be honest – the summer sun is winning right now. 😀

Thank you for sticking with me and your patience – here is the link up below- my Sunday is open next week so my post should be beautiful and timely for Monday What are You Reading #200. Perhaps… we will have to celebrate 🙂

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Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

Published on July 30, 2013July 30, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

Why I wanted to listen to this audio: Heard a little hype about this on Facebook from friends I trust… thought I would give it a try. I am always up for a good laugh. 😀

Dad Is Fat is Jim Gaffigan’s hilarious stories on what it is like to be a father of 5 (yes 5!) children. Jim shares the moments in his and his wife’s life of what it is like to try to maneuver through life in New York with 5 children and no car and taxi’s will not take more than 4 passengers in a vehicle. An awesome listen or read for any parent who feels they may be outnumbered in their home or even for people like me who have no

It’s hard to write a synopsis for this audio when all I want to do is pull up a chair and start sharing with you the funny moments that had me laughing out loud…

“There is no difference between a four-year old eating a taco and throwing a taco on the floor.”

“We are all a little weird. And we like to think that there is always someone weirder. I mean, I am sure some of you are looking at me and thinking, “Well, at least I am not as weird as you,” and I am thinking, “Well, at least I am not as weird as the people in the loony bin,” and the people in the loony bin are thinking, “Well, at least I am an orange”.”

But don’t take my word for it… here is Jim, live from his audiobook – Dad is Fat:

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio, loved listening to Jim – and highly recommend this one for your next road trip. This audio is family friendly.

Morning Meanderings… Working On My Groove

Published on July 30, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Good morning! I am working on getting back in my blogging groove as I do have things to say, and books to review – I just am juggling a lot now and need to figure out how to do this between all I have going on and that pesky need called sleep 😛

This morning I got up and ran/fast walked 4 miles on the trail. It still seems like a crazy thought to know that I am going to run a half marathon in October – but no matter how I cross the finish line (crawling, drooling… muttering something about not being able to feel my legs…) I will finish. Tomorrow I plan to get up even earlier and go for 6 miles – that will be a first ever but I am doing it. 😀

In bookish news – audio is keeping me afloat. That poor book I keep hauling to the cities, to the cabin, to the chair, to the deck…. it just is not getting opened. AND it is not the books fault. DO NOT blame the book. It is all me…. putzing around on my laptop or eyes too tired to read so I just don’t. *sigh*

I really really want to read that book.

In other crazy goodness – we sold our 100th ticket to Wine and Words yesterday afternoon at the Book Event at the library. HAZAH!!!! 100 tickets was our goal for this first year and I am thrilled to say we have reached it and we are still three weeks out. If you live in the Brainerd lakes area (or around it) please plan on coming. It is going to be so much fun!!!

Ok – I am out – work today, maybe a bike ride later if the weather holds out…. oh, and by golly…. I will also be posting a book review. I know I know… be still your heart. 😀

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on July 29, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

I know I am putting this post up really late. I usually have it up on Sunday evenings but after a trip to the North shore with my son from Thursday Morning until Saturday, then shopping for a picnic for 300 people and then on Sunday putting together the picnic for 300 people together along with an awesome team and then finally getting home at 3 pm and then falling asleep from 4 pm – 5:30, then dinner, then mowing the lawn…

let’s just say writing this post last night was not in the cards.

Yes… I have been absent a lot this summer, more than I ever have been. The addition of the half marathon training on top of my Library duties, job, weekend events, camp prep… all of this has really made my blog window tiny. I do believe this is only for a season so please hang with me… 😀

My reading (books) is almost at a standstill. I have been reading the same book for the last three weeks. The book is good, but I am just busy and sitting and reading is something I long to d0 – but can not find the time. My audio book listening is still strong. I haven’t started anything new this week but am still enjoying: The White Princess by Philippa Gregory, The Twelve by Justin Cronin, and Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan.

I am hoping this afternoon to get in some reading time. *fingers crossed*

What are you reading this week? I am excited to see what books you are accomplishing this time of year! Please add your link below.

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Morning Meandering…. Check in and out for a couple days

Published on July 25, 2013July 25, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

Hi all! Super quick here as I am heading out the door to go to the cabin with my son for a couple days. I have had a fun week – on Tuesday I had my House Party for the Big Girl Panties Book. We had a lot of fun chatting up the book. 11 people at my house and a great time! Here are a couple pics: