BBAW: Introducing Benji The Non Reluctant Reader

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

Today I am thrilled to participate once again in the BBAW Interview Swap.  Amy from My Friend Amy has put my name in with a bunch of other book bloggers mixed us all up and drew out someone for me to interview.

Meet Benji!

Now to start out let me confess that I did not know Benji or his blog until this swap and isn’t that just the beauty of this?  I truly was missing out because if you go over and look at this beautiful blog you would never guess that Benji is twelve years old AND has been quoted in several books (see his about me page).  Shoot, at twelve, I was still watching MTV and trying to learn the dance moves to Thriller by Michael Jackson.  😯
So with no further jibber jabber….  welcome Benji!!!!

1.  When did you start book blogging and how did it all begin?

Benji:  I started book blogging back in January of 2011, though it took me a couple months to get into it. The reason I started book blogging? In a nutshell: my friends were bored of me rambling about books to them. 

Benji’s hamster Tris, and a few of those amazing books!

 

2.  What do you enjoy most about Book Blogging?

Benji:  Definitely all the awesome people. I’ve had the pleasure to meet a lot of them in person, and those times are the best.

Benji with authors Lish McBride, Marissa Meyer, Jennifer Bosworth, Leigh Bardugo, Anna Banks, and Emmy Laybourne at The Fierce Reads tour stop in Seattle

 

3.  Where do you enjoy reading?  

Benji: My favorite reading spot is this one chair that is super comfy and within a 10 second walk of the kitchen (for reading food).

 

 

4.  If you were to make a guess, how many books are in your home right now?

Benji:  I live in a family of readers, so all together I’d say at least 3,000.

 

 

5.  Whoa.  Pause for a moment of awe after that last question!   Where do you keep your books (or most of them)?  

Benji:  They’re all so cluttered! We’re remodeling where I keep the bulk of them, so they’re all in boxes right now.

 

 

 

6.  If I had a magic wand (and who’s to say I dont?) and you could be any fictional character for a week – who would you be, what would you do, and why?

Benji:  That’s a toughie. Maybe Simon from The Mortal Instruments… he’s a pretty cool dude.

7.  What one book that you have read in the past 12 months would you recommend for me to read and why?

Benji:  I’m going to go with a book that isn’t so well know: Envy by Gregg Olsen is a fantastic read. One of the best mysteries out there.

 

 

8.  What do you enjoy doing with your time when you are not reading?

Benji:  I live in a seaport town, so I love to sail. I also am a huge soccer fan, so every game day I’ll be cheering loud and proud for my boys, Seattle Sounders FC.

Benji with authors Kendare Blake, Amanda Hocking, Marta Acosta, and Lisa Desrochers!

 

 

9.  What advice would you give to a new book blogger?

Benji:  Just be unique and don’t get involved in the drama. It’s pathetic and stupid. When the drama queens come out to play stay away!

 

 

Thank you Benji for hanging out with me today and sharing your blog story!  😀

Morning Meanderings… Late Start to BBAW, but a start :)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

 

Good morning.   Mondays are always hard for me to post anything beyond the Monday What Are You Reading meme because I really want that one to hold for the day… however there are occasional exceptions. 😀 

My plan was that when I came home yesterday afternoon I was going to write-up my Appreciation post.  Instead… I was at the library from 11- 2 building the Banned Book Week display, then I had a few errands to run, picked up my dog from the groomers, started making my dessert for book club that is tonight, whipped up a quick dinner for Al and went to a Friends Of The Library meeting. 

I never did get that post done.

This morning, I thought I would touch on it as my post this afternoon will be my interview swap with a new (and impressive!) book blogger to me, Benji from The Non Reluctant Reader (who in turn, is interviewing me and already has the post up!

 

So Appreciation.   It is always so hard to narrow down the blogs and bloggers I really appreciate.  For one, there are so many bloggers I love – they crack me up…. (Jill at Fizzy Thoughts, Trish from Love, Laughter, and a touch of Insanity, Jenners from Life With Books,… and those I like to read their thoughts on books ( and inevitably buy books off their recommendations) :  Kathy from Bermuda Onion, Alison from Alison’s BookMarks, Ryan from Wordsmithonia, Laurel from many book blogs :D, Reagan from Miss Remmers Review, Alyce from AT Home With Books…

Of course, inevitably I will be driving into work today and do the hand to the forehead thing and realize someone else I surely should have added to this list and how did I forget and *sigh*  Know that you are ALL LOVE and ALL APPRECIATED.

Truly – If you stop by Book Journey and read my nonsense, comment on my reviews, share in my work out woe’s, give advice, play along in the read-a-longs, meme’s, challenges…. I adore you and I thank you – because without you stopping in and making me smile when I open up my laptop and I see your comment…. I dont know if I would do this.  Seriously, the readers, make the experience.

Thank you again – and Happy BBAW to everyone.  To celebrate – here is my giveaway for today:

 

I have not read it yet… I know I need too, but I have two copies so one lucky winner will walk away with this baby this week (winner announced on Friday morning.  To enter, leave me a comment here telling me either of a blog/blogger you really enjoy OR what you love about either being a book blogger or a book blog reader.  😀 

 

Also – don’t forget I have the all week giveaway going on as well.  Click here to see how to win an Amazon Gift Card just be popping in all week-long and chatting with me about…. mmmm…. books and bloggers!  😀

 

Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Sept 10 – 14

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)40 Comments

Welcome To Book Blogger Appreciation Week!  As part of this exciting week I will be offering a $15  gift card to Amazon to one lucky commenter this week.  To enter just comment on any post I write this week starting with the Monday What Are You Reading (and yes, including this post too) all the way through Fridays posts.  You will receive one entry per comment so if you comment on seven posts, you will have seven entries (note, the comment does need to be an actual comment that contributes to the discussion – not a one word “sweet” or “awesome”).  😀

Also continue to watch for other giveaways throughout the week – you will know when I post them but here is a sample of what I will be giving away throughout this week, just watch for the posts:

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)38 Comments

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.

Since I was out of town last weekend I never got the previous winner posted so this is the two week ago winner and this past weeks winner using random.org (because that is how I roll!)

 

Two weeks ago winner:  OOH Jenkies!

Last weeks winner;  Julie at Knitting and Sundries!

 

Ok, bear with me today.  I had a crazy busy work week planning for todays tailgate party and a meeting I have coming up this Wednesday.  After being in “tailgate” mode from 6 am this morning until 3 this afternoon… I am a bit tired and goofy.  I am relaxing as much as I can now because my next week looks like this:

 

Monday – work out, work, set Banned Book Week Window at Library, participate in Book Blogger Appreciation Week, Friends Of The Library Meeting

 

Tuesday – work out, work, pick up secret book club item, hope that books shelves are coming today, make dinner for Al, Book Club

 

Wednesday – work out, work, big meeting that may just keep me at work all day through the evening

 

Thursday – Day Off!  WOO HOO!!!  work out, Birthday dinner with friends

 

Friday – Day Off!  WOO HOO!!!  work out, Al’s (hubbies) birthday, out with friends

 

Saturday – morning meeting, leave for cities to have dinner with Sandra Brannan

 

 

Yeah….  So I dont want to think about this coming week right now so here is what is true of this past week:

Banned Book Week!  Looking for Blogs to participate in this awesome event that takes place Sept 30 – Oct 6.  I think this could be out best year yet, many are signing up to read a banned book and I am offering prizes!  Please check it out and help Banned Book Week this year be AMAZING!!!

 

Heading Out To Wonderful by Robert Goolrick – fantastic audio book and I bet it is just as good in book format!

 

DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier – a wonderful middle grade read!

 

September came and the book blogging world exploded, BBAW, Bloggiesta, Diverse Universe, Banned Book Week, and more all happening in September – check out this post to see what you may want to get involved in!

The Unfinished Garden by Barbara Claypole White – A wonderful read!!!

 

 

Not a bad week – most of the reading I completed over last weekend but I have read a couple more as well, out book club read that will go live this week and the Bel Canto Read A long which is coming up this week too!

For this week I am planning:

 

Early on the morning of February 17, 1970, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Jeffrey MacDonald, a Green Beret doctor, called the police for help.  When the officers arrived at his home they found the bloody and battered bodies of MacDonald’s pregnant wife and two young daughters. The word “pig” was written in blood on the headboard in the master bedroom. As MacDonald was being loaded into the ambulance, he accused a band of drug-crazed hippies of the crime.

So began one of the most notorious and mysterious murder cases of the twentieth century. Jeffrey MacDonald was finally convicted in 1979 and remains in prison today. Since then a number of bestselling books—including Joe McGinniss’s Fatal Vision and Janet Malcolm’s The Journalist and the Murderer—and a blockbuster television miniseries have told their versions of the MacDonald case and what it all means.

Errol Morris has been investigating the MacDonald case for over twenty years. A Wilderness of Error is the culmination of his efforts. It is a shocking book, because it shows us that almost everything we have been told about the case is deeply unreliable, and crucial elements of the case against MacDonald simply are not true. It is a masterful reinvention of the true-crime thriller, a book that pierces the haze of myth surrounding these murders with the sort of brilliant light that can only be produced by years of dogged and careful investigation and hard, lucid thinking.

By this book’s end, we know several things: that there are two very different narratives we can create about what happened at 544 Castle Drive, and that the one that led to the conviction and imprisonment for life of this man for butchering his wife and two young daughters is almost certainly wrong.  Along the way Morris poses bracing questions about the nature of proof, criminal justice, and the media, showing us how MacDonald has been condemned, not only to prison, but to the stories that have been created around him.

Starting this one tonight, it is for a book tour on Wednesday.  I have always enjoyed (ugh.. thats seems like the wrong word) true crimes and this one shocked me when I read about.

 

 

 

 

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than 20 years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: his 14-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.

Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, and as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own – between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis – a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

I have been wanting to read this one for awhile now!

 

 

 

Lee Fiora is an intelligent, observant fourteen-year-old when her father drops her off at the prestigious Ault School in Massachusetts; she leaves behind her affectionate family in South Bend, Indiana, her head filled with images from the school’s glossy brochure, in which boys in sweaters chat in front of old brick buildings, girls hold lacrosse sticks on pristine athletics fields, and everyone sings hymns in chapel. As Lee soon learns, Ault is quite unlike anything she has previously experienced, a self-enclosed world populated by jaded teenagers whose expectations, values and social rituals are utterly unfamiliar to her. At first an observer of, then a participant in the hyper-vigilant, intricately demarcated life of the school, Lee eventually finds her own place in the pecking order – until a single act of spontaneous folly shatters her carefully honed identity.

I started this one over a year ago in book format, got busy… didnt pick it back up.  Found the audio at a garage sale this summer, going to try again 🙂

 

 

There is is, thats the week.  How about you?  How was your reading this past week?  How does the week to come look?  What books are you eagerly awaiting to dive into?  Add your What Are You Reading link below where it says click here.  I get so many great read ideas from what you post about!  😀  Also, when you Twitter about what you are reading be sure to use the super awesome hashtag #IMWAYR

 

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

Morning Meanderings… Sunday Stuff.

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Ok… so that is not my normal picture I put at the top of the Morning Meandering posts but I put this one up first and thought “eh” and moved on…

 

So what you are looking at are the books that have graced my doorstep this past week.  All but the top one 47, are sent for review.  47 I ordered for the “A More Diverse Universe” Blog Tour that will take place the end of this month, hosted by BookLust.

 

I am out of the house early today, setting up our churches tailgate party, I wont be home until late afternoon, and will probably be wiped out.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday! 

Heading Out To Wonderful by Robert Goolrick

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

In 1948, in a small town in Virginia, not much happened and the people liked it that way.  Your mail, your routines, were predictable and comforting, and no one….not one person had any inkling as they sipped their coffee and enjoyed their newspaper; that all… was about to change.

Charlie Beale arrived in this very small town, yes, the one I just spoke of above, with two suitcases.  One was filled with his earthly possessions.  The other, with money.  Charlie is self-assured, fairly good-looking, well-mannered and clean.  He has no trouble securing a job at the local butchers with his amazing skills of butchering just right and every cut is mouth-watering tender.  Charlie feels welcomed and soon buys himself a home and spends his free time fishing and playing ball with his bosses son Sam.

Elsewhere in town, Harrison Glass, the richest (and possibly the meanest) man in the area, has “saved” a poor family from loosing their homestead by offering to buy their pretty daughter to become his wife.  Sylvan is only 17 years old, she is a beautiful long-legged creature with little education.  Once married to  he much older Harrison, she takes a liking to picture shows and magazines filled with glamorous dressed women.  Sylvan finds a local woman to sew her the fine garments that she sees in the movies and in the magazines, and while the whole town finds her ridiculous dressed in such finery and going nowhere…. one person, finds her irresistible.  Charlie Beale.

When Charlie first lays eyes on the beautiful Mrs. Glass he can not stop thinking about her.  Soon he is finding excuses to stop by her home, bringing along Sam and his new dog Jackie Robinson to keep the visits looking innocent.  Sylvan has no love lost between herself and her husband.  Harrison merely wanted a trophy wife but she easily annoys him and he is quick with his fists.  In Charlie she finds a much gentler man, one she never knew existed.

Of course, small towns do not miss much and it is only a matter of time until there are whispers of Charlie’s truck parked at the Glass house mid day while Harrison is away.  And a young boy and a dog may make it seem all so innocent… but truth has a way of climbing and crawling to the surface…

As shared on Algonquin books site

Why did I want to read this book?  I had seen the buzz about it on the blogs and thought the story line sounded wonderful.  When I was able to pick it up on audio thanks to Audio Jukebox, I was excited to give it a try.

 

Heading Out To Wonderful was narrated by Norman Dietz.  Norman had a great voice for this novel, soft and crackly at the edges, he tells the story smoothly and gave me visions of an elderly man sitting on a front porch sharing a tale. 

Heading Out To Wonderful was a well written book that moved smoothly through Charlie coming to town to Harrison’s purchase of a wife, back and forth the two story lines swing as though on a pendulum, keeping time and never losing me as each story heard steadily towards the other.  I don’t think author Robert Goolrick missed a beat when he wrote this.  Usually in a book with so many details and happenings a loose end lays to the wayside and as the book closes I think about the loose end… where should it have went?  Why was it not tied up?  That was not the case here.  Even as I think back fondly on this story for this review, I can not think of one thing that did not come into closure. 

And really people, what a story.  If you can imagine, Charlie Beale, the man that everyone in town has come to love (for reasons I can not mention in this review to avoid spoilers) falling for the girl who no one really knows or likes because of her odd sense of dress, her inability to socialize with the other women in town, and of course the man she is married to. 

Never dragging, never dull, there are plenty of small town happenings to keep our readers minds busy throughout and then at the end… at the end… when all comes to a head… I was shocked, and yet it made sense after I let that initial emotion run its course… as the audio came to an end, I breathed in deeply knowing I had indeed just experienced something wonderful. 

I suggest treat your self to the book or the audio, I suspect both are amazing.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

Thank you audible Jukebox for connecting me with this audio book!

Morning Meanderings…46 Degrees…. Feels Like Fall

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)44 Comments


Good morning.  I know many of you are waiting for fall and love the cooler weather but for me…. I already am missing summer.  My house is a little cool this morning as I sit here in the chair with COFFEE CUP and a blanket.

The one good thing about fall is that I suddenly do not wish to go outside in the cool weather so that means more blogging and boy.. do I need that!  Thank goodness Bloggiesta is at the end of this month because I am behind on reviews, challenge updates, and well… everything!  😀

Life is still busy here.  Tomorrow I am organizing our annual tailgate party for about 250 people at church.  I have a great team of helpers so I am pretty relaxed about it and how it will go.  On Monday I am meeting with the library after work and setting the Banned Book Week window.  Then that evening I have a library meeting.  Tuesday is book club and while I found the book HORRID (oh yeah, I said it….) I have a fun plan for the food.  Wednesday is out Church Annual Meeting, I think I have a good handle on that right now, Thursday is dinner with friends, Friday is out for Al (hubbys) birthday, and Saturday I go to the Cities with some Bookies to have dinner with Sandra Brannan and then attend her book signing.

Yup… life has not slowed down.  😯

For this mornings Saturday Snapshots (Hello Alyce!!! 😀 )  I though I would post some memories from a year ago… I opened up my picture files this morning and looked at last August September and thought it would be fun to reflect on a year ago:

 

Fall 2011: We went riding with friends (hubby in picture)

 

 

Fall 2011: Brad was home for two weeks from the Navy!

 

 

My friend Amy and I had finished our first mud run – The Warrior Dash

 

 

We took a trip to the North Shore!

 

Stop by At Home With Books to see other participants of Saturday Snapshot.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday!  Doing anything fun today?

 

 

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

Callie just adores the theater and jumps at the chance when the school production is announced as Moon Over Mississippi.  Callie knows the story well but signs up to be the set designer due to her terrible singing voice.  While Callie’s dreams for the set are BIG, the budget is small and Callie thinks of ways to do things the way she has hoped but at a lesser cost.

If the play’s trials and errors was not enough on Callie’s agenda, twin boys start at her school… and errr…. did I mention they were CUTE???  Callie balances her onstage and off stage life cautiously but the drama becomes DRAMA as the cast is selected, emotions and jealousies flare up,  props fail, and no matter what…. the play must go on!

 

Why did I want to read this book?  I was honored to have been at Scholastic this past June when Raina Telgemeier read a part of Drama to us.  I loved that this was written as a graphic novel and wanted to know the rest of the story. 

DRAMA is such a fun read.  I really enjoyed the story line and the tiles double meaning.  Raina’s graphics add so much as well!  It was cool to not only read but see what was happening.  The characters acted just as kids their age would… their emotions are a bit over the top as they should be at that age and I just kept turning the pages.

The book touches on real life situations that are not always what you see in a middle grade read.  I was impressed to see Raina go there, and go there well.  While the subject line may not be for everyone, it is true to school life today and I say kudos for authors who take the road less traveled and at the same time do it age appropriate.

I have only one small peeve about the book and the more I think about it I can’t make up my mind if it annoys me or if it is brilliant on the authors part.  It is enough to cause me to create a spoiler page so I can discuss it with others who have read this book.  If you have – feel free to follow the spoiler link below and let me know your thoughts as well. 😀

Final thoughts:  DRAMA is a really good middle grade read.  I think it is a good discussion book for parents and their kids to discuss together.  The book handles situations well and respectfully but definitely brings up some great discussion questions I think, for kids to talk about with their parents.  I was impressed with Raina’s story and the characters.  I am definitely going to read more from this author, and already have my eye on her book, SMILE.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads review

Thank you to Scholastic for allowing me the opportunity to experience this book.

Morning Menaderings…If You Are Looking For Ways to connect – the book bloggin world is BUZZING!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

 

You know I hate to admit it… but September is clearly here.  I have been fighting the rumors that summer is over even through the signs are here – my lawn has turned a little darker in color and no longer seems to be growing, the leaves are changing colors… and now – I see activities are multiplying across the blogosphere.

If you just want to chill into your fall with a good read and a cozy blanket, I recommend you join my Bel Canto read-a-long.  I am reading it now and really enjoying it. 

 

Next week is Book Blogger Appreciation Week (that snuck up on me!) Sept 10 -14 and that is so much fun – check it out here.

 

Is it time for that fall blog tune up?  Side bars neglected, links no longer working – or maybe you just do not have a clue how to do something?  Bloggiesta is for you – Sept. 28-30th

 

And I posted yesterday about Banned Book Week coming Sept 30 – Oct 6 and this will be my third year hosting a banned book week party here with daily book reviews and giveaways as well as inviting other blogs to participate and also have a chance to win! 

Judith over at Leeswammes blog has even more events posted so be sure to stop and see what she has to offer as well.

 

So now I am off to the YMCA.  I am already late but was so tired last night that I could not prep this post.  After work today I hope to come home and catch up on some bloggy stuff and some prep work I am doing for our librarys display for Banned Book Week. 

Have a super day! 😀

Banned Book Week Needs You! Looking for Host Blogs to Celebrate With Me!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)64 Comments

*Note:  This is a sticky post.  All new postings are below this one.

Banned Book Week is coming!  Banned Book week is coming!  This is my third year being involved in Banned Book Week and I enjoy being a part of helping others experience the great banned and challenged books out there! 

According to the ALA (American Library Association) website, this is the definition for challenged and banned books:

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. As such, they are a threat to freedom of speech and choice.

What draws me to celebrate banned books is that many of these books are among some of my favorite reads:  The Harry Potter Books, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Color Purple, Hunger Games, SPEAK, and so many more.  For a full list of banned books see this ALA page.

This year I am looking for bloggers to participate in Banned Book Week by Choosing to read one or more of the Banned Books on the list or to write a post about banned books week.  All participants will go into a drawing for a $20 Amazon gift card as my thank you for participating in a week that is near and dear to me.  I would like each participant this year to consider hosting a giveaway along with their post.  Some giveaway suggestions are:  A copy of the book you reviewed, a gift card, book marks, or some other bookish item. 

To participate please fill out the form below.  I will be in contact before banned book week to confirm your day and what you will be posting.  I will also promote your post from here on the day you are posting.  If you plan on doing more than one post, please fill out one form per planned post. 

Thank you in advance!  This is going to be a lot of fun!