Morning Meanderings… A Night With Sandra Brannan

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

 

Oh what a night, is what is in my head right now!  My friend and fellow Bookie Susan went with me yesterday afternoon to drive the 2 1/2 hours to Minneapolis to go to a book event at Magers and Quinn Booksellers (also where Michelle from Red Headed Book Child) works.  We arrived around 4:35 pm where we checked out the book store and then Sandra found us. 

The three of us went down the block to a Thai restaurant that was fun and delicious and then we proceeded to talk for the next two and a half hours about books and research and life and well… we had a BLAST!  We then went back to the store for Sandra’s book event where we shared more about her books, the direction they are going – and what might be coming next!  SSSQQQUUUEEEEE!

We were there until about 9:45 pm when we made out way to the parking ramp and started out trek home – but no complaints coming from this chick – we had so much fun – Sandra is so down to earth and so filled with awesomeness – really – if you get a chance to meet her do not hesitate to do so. 

 

 

That was a great night! 

As far as books that entered my home this week – it was a mellow week and the top two I purchased last night:

I have to run, I am meeting a friend this morning and then I want to get home to read and chill today – my life explodes back to BUSY tomorrow. 😀

The Bel Canto Party Is Here!!! Come One, Come All!!!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Welcome!  Welcome!  Come on in, the door is open wide and you are invited to come in.  May I take your coat?  The champagne is to the left and waiters are about with tasty hor duerves.  Be sure to head into the main lounge before too long as the party is about to begin.

I am very excited about chatting up Bel Canto with all of you.  If you read it for the read a long (YAY!) or you read it some time ago, you are welcome to join in the fun and conversation that is happening here today.

Bel Canto comes from a term meaning “beautiful singing” and is an opera term.  Bel Canto has won many awards including The Orange Prize for fiction, Faulkner Award and Amazons Best Books Of The Year Award in 2001.

Here are some questions to ponder for the discussion…

1.  What makes Bel Canto Work?  What is it about this book that draws you in and makes you imagine what if… and what would you do.

 

2.  If Ann Patchett’s book feasible – could this really ever happen.  Why or why not?

 

3.  What do you think is the authors motive for writing this story?

 

4.  What does Roxanne Cross bring to the book?  Why is her character so central?

 

5.  Was anyone to blame for what happened when the party was taken over and everyone became hostages?  What precautions were missing?

 

6.  Did you like the way the story was told, a narration of someone looking back and telling of past events.  Would it have been better told from a present perspective – why or why not?

 

7.  Would you recommend Bel Canto to others?  Why or why not.

 

 

Feel free to respond to any or all of the above questions and add your own thoughts and questions as well.   A linky has been set up for those who have also reviewed the book so please add your review to the link provided.  Those who link their reviews of this book will receive an entry for a couple of Bel Canto party giveaways – relevant comments on this post that add to the discussion will receive one entry per relevant comment.  I will announce winner on Tuesday morning.

The giveaways for this post are as follows:

 

Prima Bel Canto Fabric Flowers (set of 6)

 

 

A new copy of Ann Patchett’s book RUN

 

Link your reviews here:

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Morning Meanderings: We Are Off To See The Author!!!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)51 Comments

 

Good morning.  What a week and it has not ended yet.  I have a full morning and then a friend from Book Club and I are going to the cities to have dinner with Sandra Brannon and then go to her book event at Magers and Quinn Booksellers.  While I am tired now, I suspect as the time draws nearer I will get more and more excited.  😀

For Saturday Snapshot today I was hoping to have pictures for you of my new and finished book shelves – but no, while the racks are up… the shelves are not.  So… I will show you before and current state… and next week, hopefully the finished look.

One end of the book room before… (do not judge…) 🙂

 

 

Another section of the room

 

 

 

After I emptied the room….

 

 

And now, the beginning phases:

I am excited to get the shelves up and start organizing books!  😀 

Ok, final thing this morning…. winners from the BBAW week:

The Gods Of Gotham :  Lindsey from Literary Lindsey!!!

Seconds Away by Harlan Coben audio Elizabeth from Silver’s Reviews!!!

Night Road by Kristin Hannah:  Joys from Joys Book Blog!

and the $15 gift card goes to Karen White!!!

Thanks everyone – winners email me your mailing info (no po boxes please) to journeythroughbooks@gmail.com and I will get those shipped to you this week.  😀

BBAW: ANd so… the time has come…

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

 

Wow did that week go by fast or what?  I am sitting here with COFFEE CUP looking at the books I was giving away this week – I still have one more – and well… wow.  This is it.

Todays questions was what did we get out of the week.  This was the first week, yesterday actually – where I was able to actually just sit down and enjoy blogs and blogging.  Usually I am squeezing in a few minutes here, half a post there, drafting when I can..but yesterday I had my first lay low day in a long time and I took full advantage of hanging out with Laptop and pounding out a couple posts and a lot of visits, and you know what?

It felt good.

Today will be a bit the same.  The crew is finally coming today to start my book shelves and I am going to take laptop and the dogs downstairs and do a little reading and writing and stay out of the construction.  (Unless I sneak up to get a picture or two….)

Have a great rest of BBAW everyone.  Be sure to check out the BBAW site and see the giveaways and the posts – and maybe meet a new blogger or two along the way. 😀

My last giveaway is Night Road by Kristin Hannah.  I have two copies of this book.  I have not read it yet but have heard good things.  Leave me a comment today sharing with me what you enjoy most about book blogs. 😀  I will choose a winner and announce tomorrow winner along with my other giveaways going on this blog this week.

 

Happy Friday! 😀

Seconds Away by Harlan Coben ( and BBAW Giveaway!)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)19 Comments

 

Mickey Bolitar is not sure how trouble finds him… but it most certainly does.  Now, a school friend of his has been shot and the police are not too appreciative of Mickey’s interest in the case.  After all, Mickey is just a teenager with not much else to do but go to school and hang out with his friends, Ema (pronounced E (long E) ma) and Spoon. 

As Mickey gets closer and closer to the truth, the truth is making its way closer and closer to him…

and it wants to shut him up.

Harlan Coben and I New York 2011

Why did I want to listen to this audio?  I always tell people when I was in High School and a few years beyond my “go to” author was Stephen King.  In my twenties I started to find King to be a bit too high on the creep factor so I made my way to Dean Koontz who I found to be a little lighter than King and a bit more sense of humor (plus I love the end of Koontz books where he explains more about the book and the idea behind it).  Then Koontz came out with a few that were more like King and I discovered Harlan Coben.  Coben is lighter than Koontz, has a quick wit that I love and I have not found a book of his yet that I have not enjoyed.  I am also finding it brilliant how he slid into YA reads by creating a nephew for his star series character, Myron Bolitar.

 

First of, I did not realize this was a second in a series and knowing that now, it explains a bit of what I found missing : 1.  how did Mickey come to be living with his uncle?  2.  What happened to Mickey’s dad?

That said, other than those two things I picked up on in the beginning the story flowed wonderfully.  Mickey is a great character that I think will be a great lead in to young adults who enjoy mysteries, as well as connecting to his older character Myron who can keep these same readers moving right from Mickey to Myron (nicely played Harlan Coben, Nicely played!)  And I enjoyed this book too so I will definitely continue on as well as get my hands on that first book, Shelter to catch up completely.

The narrator of this audio was Nick Podehl and I am nowhere near a narrator snob (YET) but as I was listening to this one I swore I knew that voice.  Once home I checked it out and sure enough, Nick has narrated some of John Green’s books and I see he also narrates the Chaos Walking series of Patrick Ness which makes me want to pick up that first book again but this time in audio because I hear they are WONDERFUL.
This book will be released September 18th, normally I do not review before a book is released but I did not notice I was ahead of the game until I was writing this post – so note that it will be available soon!  😀

I have a new copy of this audio in my home that I would like to put up for giveaway in honor of BBAW this week.  Please leave a comment here letting me know if you have read Harlan Coben before and if so which book(s).  This winner will be announced Saturday morning. 

BBAW: Pimp That Book

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Good morning.  Yesterday totally got away from me… I started writing a poem for yesterdays BBAW post and then I had to go to work… it was a big day – annual meeting day and I am in charge of special events so between working, texting my son in Florida who has gull bladder surgery yesterday, and then finally coming home last night at 9 pm from work… I was exhausted and was hardly on-line at all.. let alone write a post.

However – here we are on Thursday the sun is shining and due to my busy work hours this past week, I have a bonus day off – today!  SO… you are getting me chatting for BBAW and let me warn you… I know how to pimp a book.  😛

I have two books that came to mind right away… both are YA, and there was a time (and there still might be) where I was going to write a post called “I am Patrick Ness’ Baby Mama.”  Ok, ok… totally not true and probably border line inappropriate, but you have to admit… that post title would catch your attention.  😛  My point is – have you read his Chaos Walking Series?  If not… you must!  They are The Knife Of Never Letting Go, The Ask and The Answer, and Monsters Of Men and yes all three are available and yes, you do want them all at once because when one ends you will be all like “HOLY COW!!!!!  WHA???????” and you will want to jump into the next book right away. 😀

(Oh and look how nice of me to link those titles to my reviews….. ahhhh. Sheila.  So thoughtful.  LOL 😆 )

When I first was drawn to the books Monsters Of Men had just hit the shelves.  People told me I needed to have all three at once so I ordered all three at once. 

Then… I worried about that.

I thought that was a bit extreme, what if I am into book one and I am thinking “ugh” and not I have a beautiful “ugh” set?  Well, no worries there, awesome awesome awesome series that I have pimped out to all my friends – told them not to get scared about the talking dog in the early pages…. its different, but you will find out it works. 😀

Ok…I, am not finished.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green led to perhaps my only 2012 (so far) book melt down where I loved that book so much I have been pushing John Green like crack – and I guess, devouring his books in much the same manner.  (No, no-no, I am not a crack user, I just play one on this blog.  :razz:)

So there is my input on today’s topic. 

 

 

In other news, I wrote a post on Community on the BBAW site.  It sums up my past three years on book blogging and how it is the community of awesome book bloggers that keeps me going. 😀

Be sure to check out my BBAW giveaways if you have not already.  I have this one going, and a giveaway for Gods Of Gotham as well as another one coming up in my review later today. 😀

I have a nice fairly lazy day planned of reading blogs, writing a review and reading. I have a birthday dinner tonight and will be making cupcakes later but for the next few hours… I think I will be right here in this chair. 😀

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: