An Abundance Of Katherine’s by John Green

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

 

From grade school on, Colin Singleton has had a thing for girl’s names Katherine.  And it would seem that Katherine’s have a thing for Colin as well – except…

he always winds up getting dumped. 

After the 19th Katherine (henceforth known as “K19”) drops Colin, he and his best friend Hassan (picture a quite overweight high school graduate who LOVES Judge Judy) decide to take a little road trip to anywhere, just a chance to get away one summer.  They find themselves in Tennessee in a town called Gunshot where they meet a girl names Lindsey and wind up getting jobs from her mother. 

While Colin works on a mathematical theory on who will be the dumpy in any relationship, he encounters another Colin (henceforth known as the “other Colin”), a wild boar, and many interesting characters that keep this book moving forward to a place where Colin finally finds his way through the enigma that is a Katherine.

Colin’s Equation…

 

Why did I read this book?  I listened to this on audio as I have been doing all summer with John Green’s books.  I have found him to be such a an interesting author and I am loving his stories…. An Abundance Of Katherine’s was next on my list :D.

 

An Abundance Of Katherine’s was a typical smartly worded read by John Green.  I find that this characters are usually a smarter than the average bear breed, and usually borderline geeky as well.  (These are the characters I love).  Colin in this book is a child prodigy, he is word smart and makes anagrams constantly out of names and places.   Author John Green I have notices has a way of taking his characters and giving them brains and fun facts that are sprinkled casually throughout the books he writes so by the last page you actually come out having learned something.  I also love that his characters are usually bookish and book references really… make my day.  😛

I have to say – I thought the idea of this book was a bit silly…. a boy who has dated only girls named Katherine?  BUT – at the same time John Greens typical witty humor made me overlook the improbability of this book and just read it and enjoy.  (Don’t judge me… you know you have overlooked realism a book or two just for the sheer fun of reading!)

In the end – while not a favorite John Green book, a worthy one that I did enjoy.  John Green has a way of taking several characters and making them all 3D, so much you feel that you could pick them out of a line up and chat with them on the street. 

My recommendation – if you have not read John Green, you are missing out.  I would recommend, Will Grayson, Will Grayson (do this one on audio!) and The Fault In Our Stars ( a definite favorite read of this year!)

 

Purchased off audible.com

The Crying Tree by Naseem Rahka (A Bookies Review)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)12 Comments

Irene and Nate Live a happy life in Illinois with their two children Bliss and Shep.  When Nate is offered a job as a Deputy Sheriff in Oregon, he surprises the family by jumping at the offer and moving them.  Irene is angry with her husband’s decision, but the family moves and as they start to get settled into their new life,

tragedy strikes.

During what appears to be a robbery of their home, 15-year-old Shep is shot and killed during this event.  The Stanleys fall apart in the wake of this tragedy.   The man who shot Shep, Daniel Robbin, is caught and put away for life.

Many years later, Irene receives the letter she has both waited for and dreaded, the announcement of the date that Daniel Robbins will be put to death by lethal injection.  Things are not as they once were for Irene and she is not sure that she still feels that Daniel should be executed, a thought she has kept to herself through the years.. .never sharing this with her husband Nate or her daughter, Bliss.

What secrets Irene carries are heavy… but Irene is not the only one to have secrets.  The result being a head on crash of emotions and explosive opinions that will leave your head spinning to the very last page.

Why did I want to read this book?  My friend and fellow Bookie Angie gave me a copy of this book after she read it and loved it.  Angie’s tastes in books usually are god ones that I enjoy too so I was excited to read this book that she said led to great inner thought.  Shortly after it was given to me, it was also chosen as our August book club read.

The Crying Tree was a book I picked up and instantly fell into the flow of the read.  Told in alternating chapters, I started to understand the flow of the “that was then” and “this is now”.   The Crying Tree was a beautiful story of deep family secrets that only build on one another as the story unfolds.

The secrets that can define us is a huge theme in this book and as The Crying Tree opens, page by page secrets are revealed to you, the reader, that are both shocking and thought-provoking at the same time.  The deeper you travel within this book, the more you are let in on the secrets of The Crying Tree.

WOW.  Oh WOW.  That’s my take and I am sticking with it.  What I thought I knew about The Crying Tree in the early part of the book was nothing compared to what was revealed as I became a part of the book.  Sometimes I don’t know why I do not see what is going to happen next but int his book I did not see it coming and I am so glad I didn’t because the tight grip I had on this book as my mouth hung open in shock…

was…

well…
SO WORTH IT.

The Crying Tree is not a book for everyone, it does deal with hard subject matter, however… I think it is a book that should be read by everyone because it does make you think and look at yourself honestly and say “what would I have done?”  A powerful read that will remain on my bookshelves as a reminder to myself as to how powerful the written word is.

 

BOOKIES THOUGHTS….

The Bookies book club gathered in my home in August 2012 to review this book.  I had twenty questions prepared for discussion and our questions brought up such good thoughtful discussion that I had to eliminate about half the questions or we probably would still be reviewing this book. 

The discussion was phenomenal… it was hard, truthful, and passionate.  We really wrapped ourselves around the idea of forgiveness and how much (if anything) is too big to forgive.  Do you need faith in God to forgive?  (This was a question due to the fact that Irene starts out as a strong Christian woman but as the book unfolds and a very poor example of a pastor is her “go to for faith” guy… she walks away from her faith. 

We also spent time discussing how well in today’s world we know our kids… at the time the book was written (in the 80’s), Irene admits that she did not always know what her children were up too when she was at work or out running errands.  She believed they came right home after school, but if she was honest… she did not know that for sure.  Those of us in the discussion feel that even with the addition of cell phones, we still can not be sure we know what our kids are doing all the time – and lives if anything, have just become more cluttered with activity.

The overall thoughts from our book club was on a scale of 1-5 ( 5 being the highest), The Crying Tree rated a 4 average.

Of course… we brought food:

Teardrop Salad

 

 

 

 

Kale chips

 

 

 

Not pictured:  Our main dish – “Last Meal” Chicken Yellow Squash hotdish and The chocolate mint pie.

Bookies discussing The Crying Tree

 

 

I received this book from my friend Angie

Morning Meanderings…. I cant believe I forgot to post the MUCKRUCKUS Pics

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Good morning.  I am at camp this week and internet seems to be very S L O W here so we will see how this goes. 😀

As I was reviewing my posts from this past week I realized I never posted the pictures from two weekends ago of the Muckruckus.  “Doh!”  So,this morning, here is my recap of the Muckruckus.

First off – the Muckruckus ROCKED.  Second of all, the Muckruckus was HARD and it kicked my butt.  Note to self…. next year I need to actually train for that event.  😀

Before we were dirty: L: Amy, Me, and Wendy

Some of the things we did

Oh yeah.. thats me in the front in the blue

 

 

 

 

The two crazy girls sliding across the finish line are sadly.. not me. They are my friends Amy and Wendy and by the time we finished my feet hurt so bad from bring filled with mud and rocks I could hardly walk…. next year though… I am rocking this.

 

So there is my brief recap.  I have lots more pics but as I mentioned I am at camp and having a good time, doing a little writing and talking with a lot of people.  I will be around all week, should have a review up yet this afternoon.

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)51 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.

 

Lori from Escape With Dollycas!!!

Congratulations!  Please email me your book choice out of the Reading Cafe at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com. **And note, once I get the new shelves in there will be a lot of additions to the giveaway shelves.

I think the big question is “am I reading?”  I am, really I am…. and listening to audio – AND enjoying both… but it seems as thought you wouldn’t really know it here.  I have been planning on posting our book club review of The Crying Tree since Wednesday but each day I am doing something else and by the time I sit down to do it… I am too tired, and in the mornings, no time to write it out.  GAH.  I hate talking about the time thing week after week and I am praying that it will pass quickly and I will be back on my review track soon.  😀

Here is what I did post this past week:

Anastasia’s Secret by Susanne Dunlap (YA review by Cameron)

 

Saving Sammy The Boy Who Caught OCD by Beth Maloney (audio review)

 

My Library Sale Finds (the books…the movies and yeah, the audio too!)

 

What I Learned By Working The Book Sale (I spent a day working our fall library sale and learned a few interesting things that I did not pick up on when I am on the shopping side of it)

 

It has been a long time since I have had 4 or more reviews in a week like I used to… can not wait to get back to that!  😀

This coming week, starting Monday afternoon I will be at Camp Benedict until Friday afternoon.  I am taking audio and a couple books and hope to get some reading time in.  Here is what I will be taking with me for the weeks reading:

 

Alaska in the 1920s is a difficult place for Jack and Mabel. Drifting apart, the childless couple discover Faina, a young girl living alone in the wilderness. Soon, Jack and Mabel come to love Faina as their own. But when they learn a surprising truth about the girl, their lives change in profound ways.

That’s a really poor synopsis right?  However I have heard good things on the blogs about this one so this will be my listen!

 

 

 

Tollie Erasmus, an unsavory bank robber on the run, is found dead hanging from the neck in a remote location. A bible is stuck in his left hand and at first it seems that this is a simple case of suicide. Lieutenant Kramer and his Bantu assistant Mickey Zondi are not convinced though. Soon another criminal ends up at the end of a noose; a message to Kramer and Zondi: Someone is upholding a code of justice that goes beyond the South Africa court system.

Somewhere there’s a killer who knows far too much about the hangman’s craft, and Lieutenant Kramer and Zondi must find him before his trail of death continues.

 

 

 

Cam has raised her daughter Aubrey alone ever since her ex left to join a cult. But now the bond between mother and daughter seems to have disappeared. While Cam is frantic to see Aubrey, a straight-A student, at the perfect college, on a path that Cam is sure will provide her daughter success and happiness, Aubrey suddenly shows no interest in her mother’s plans. Even the promise of an exciting gap year saving baby seals or bringing clean water to remote villages hasn’t tempted her. She prefers pursuing a life with her wrong-side-of-the-tracks football-hero boyfriend and her own secret hopes. Both mourn the gap that has grown between them, but Cam and Aubrey seem locked in a fight without a winner. Can they both learn how to hold onto dreams . . . and when to let go to grasp something better.

 

Thats the plan, I will be taking Laptop with me so I will be checking in and hopefully – reviewing as well. 😀  I would also like to know what you are reading!  Please add your what are you reading post to the linky below where it says click here.  Also, share your post on Twitter using the hashtag #IMWAYR

 

 

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

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

Morning Meanderings… The Occasional “Non Bookish” Perks Of Writing Reviews

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)21 Comments

Good morning.

Obviously there are a lot of perks to reviewing books.  First of all the delicious books that arrive on your doorstep and you get the pleasure to read and chat about.  And of course there is the conversation itself that generates around the book, and of course, the relationships we book bloggers build together as people who love to read and love to chat books. 

Occasionally, we can be asked to review something other than books just due to something we mentioned we enjoy and I think that is kind of fun too.  In the past I have been given the occasional movie to review, at one time reader glasses, and a couple of years back… a bookshelf.  😛

In my mail yesterday, this arrived:

Telestrations is a “telephone like game”  Sketch, Pass, and Guess!  It is no secret that I love board games, and this would not be the first board game I have been sent to review.  I think when we are at the cabin in a couple of weeks with friends I will try it then.  😀 

 

I also had a few books trickle in this week:

Yesterday we car shopped – we think we found something, Hubby is processing (its how he shops, looks… and thinks….) So we will know more on Monday but I am excited to hopefully have that over with.  😀  This morning I am going to church and then packing for my week at Camp Benedict that starts tomorrow afternoon.  I will talk more about that on Tuesday morning. 

If you are a book reviewer, have there been any cool things that you have been asked to review other than books?  Have there been any not so cool things you have been asked to review?  (I remember once they asked me to talk about Ug Boots…. I told them they had no connection to books or to my life whatsoever… I couldn’t do it.)  😛

Morning Meanderings… What I Learned by WorkingThe Book Sale

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)56 Comments

Good morning!

Yesterday I spent my whole day volunteering for our Friends Of The Library Book Sale.  I was really excited to do it having for years been a part of the other side of it… waiting outside for the doors to open, rushing in and working my way through all the people to find just the right books for 50 cents a piece, supporting my local library and supporting my reading habit.  😀

I eagerly started my shift at 8 am, my job at that time was to go through all the books on the tables, add books from the boxes underneath the tables if there was room, and make sure there are no trip hazards.  When the doors opened at 9:00 am and the people started coming in I was surprised to see it was a slow trickle.  My morning started out by offering to take people’s books from them to the front and bag them if they had a huge handful and filling in book gaps to keep all the books standing upright and pretty.  As it became late morning the traffic at the sale became more steady and I found myself having a lot of fun looking for books for people, or subjects, and answering bookish questions.  Here are some of the things that I was asked:

Do you have any books on WWII?  (we did)

 

Where are your books on the Renaissance era?  (nowhere that I knew of)

 

Do you have Jodi Picoult?  (we did)

 

Do you have Stephen King’s The Dome?  (we did not)

 

Where do all the books come from?  (people donate them to friends of the library for the sale)

 

Do you have to read the Sue Grafton Books in order?  IE. A Is For Alibi, B is For Burglar, C Is For Corpse…  (I had never read Grafton but was familiar with the series and told the lady that I did not believe you would have to read them in order as Sue Grafton was now on “W” and I think that would deter new readers if they thought they had to start at “A” and work their way to “W”.  However, I told the woman I would “phone a friend” (I don’t think she got my humor) and ask the ladies at the check out table.  They informed me that while the series has to do with the same Private Investigator Kinsey Milhone,  you did not have to read the books in order.

 

 

There were a few other fun tidbits of information I picked up by walking the books of the sale for 11 hours…

Author who had the most books there:  Danielle Steele (there were boxes and boxes of paperbacks and hardcovers)

 

The book we had the most copies of for sale:  Dan Brown’s The Davinchi Code in hard cover.  There were 10 of them.  I strategically placed them throughout the books hoping to entice someone, I think when I left last night they were still all there. 

 

Author asked for the most?  Stephen King

 

There were 12,000+ books at this sale.

 

For Alyce’s Saturday Snapshot this week,  if you seen my post yesterday morning, I did purchase books at the sale on Thursday:

and yes, you guessed right, there was no way I worked a book sale for 11 hours and walked out with nothing… here are my finds from Friday:

 

The Ella Minnow Pea book was a book mentioned to me by my roommate from BEA this year, Gail from Ticket To Anywhere.  I was fascinated about the book and THRILLED when I found not one, but two copies of it at the sale – both pictured above.  I plan to use this book in a way during my beloved Banned Book Week that will take place September 30 – Oct 6.

When my shift was over at the book sale I was sad to go, I really had a lot of fun talking books with people, answering questions and just being in an environment surrounded by books and bookish people.  😀

Be sure to stop by At Home With Books and see other participants in the Saturday Snapshot meme. 

Have a super day, my hubby and I are looking for a vehicle today, hoping we can do this quickly and painlessly…. and then my Saturday is open and I am glad.  I am a little tired out today and could use a day with a little book time.  😀

Morning Meanderings… Library Sale Finds!!! (You know there will be giveaways!)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)37 Comments

Good morning everyone!  Happy Friday!  Yesterday I mentioned I was on my way to the library sale in the wee hours of the morning because I just think it is fun to get their early and start the line… well guess what?  At 6:30 am (sale opens at 9 am), I was not first.  Nope.  😛  Epic fail on my part, I stopped for coffee on my way in and a lady beat me by 5 minutes…. LOL

It was still a great time… I love that the regulars know me by name and I enjoy talking books with the people who are around me. Our sale is 50 cents a book – paperback or hardcover, 50 cents for a movie or audio book (my heart…. be still!) and they have a few newer titles they ask a little more for – between 1 and 3 dollars.

So…. I left with this:

I spent $23.00’s.  I am thrilled with my haul!  

I meant to put up a review yesterday afternoon of our Bookies review (and food!) to go with the book The Crying Tree but time once again got away from me.  Instead, I spent my time setting up a Meal Train for a friend of ours who has been going through some tough health issues.  If you have not checked out this site, please do so.  I just learned about it myself and Meal train is super cool and easy to set up meals deliveries for a new parents, someone going through an illness, new home, or death in the family.  AND – it is free.  😀

Today I work at the Library Sale – all day.  They were short on help this year so I had told them they could have me all day.  I start at 8.  I may be there until 8 pm tonight. That’s ok… I am kind of excited (in a dorkish bookish way) to help people with their books.  😀  Laptop is going with me in the event there is an afternoon lull and I can sit and write up the review.  I hope this weekend to actually get around to seeing some blogs… I miss checking out what everyone has going on… life has just been…. FULL.

Happy Friday everyone.  Any fun weekend plans?

Saving Sammy: Curing The Boy Who Caught OCD by Beth Alison Maloney

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

 

Imagine… you are a newly single mom with three sons.  All your boys are wonderful and your son Sammy who just completed 5th grade has been told by his teacher that he scores higher in math skills then she has ever seen. 

Then that summer before 6th grade right after a move into a new home, Sammy starts some strange behavior.  He refuses to use the bathroom in the house and wants to only go outside to do his bathroom “business”, he also refuses to touch door knobs, and picks up things like silverware and phones with a kleenex over his hand.  Sammy slithers against walls, climbs over invisible obstacles, eats and walks with his eyes shut, hops to and from the car, has outbursts for no reason, refuses to bathe, and overall seems to be slipping into madness.

At first Beth Maloney, Sam’s mother, feels it is stress related due to her recent divorce from the boys father as well as the newness and/or strangeness of the new home.  But Sammy continues to get worse, unable to visit friends, go to school when it starts, or be left unattended.  Beth feels she is going crazy, missing work and visiting dr after dr as they diagnose Sammy with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) PANDA’s and even tourettes.  Later, Sammy gets to the point where he is unable to climb stairs and needs 20 – 40 minutes to get in or out of a vehicle.

This book is the true story of Beth’s undieing strength to find out what was wrong with her son, traveling to many doctor, trying many different options for cures, refusing to let go until her boy was brought back to who he once was. 

 

Why did I want to read this book?  I enjoy books about triumph over all odds and this subject matter interests me.  My own son in 4th grade was told by his teacher that he had ADD.  Being a young mom and having no resources to assist me, I agreed to put our son on the ADD medicine.  I remember that school year being a battle as the pills had to be taken at noon but they had to remain in the main office.  My son would continuously forget to go at noon to take his pill and then the office would refuse to give it to him because he did not come at the right time even though forgetfulness is a side affect of ADD.  *sigh*  Once summer came, I took our son off the medicine because it gave him headaches and told him we would see if a teacher said anything in the fall when he started middle school.  No one ever said that he had ADD again.

 

I did not mean to listen to this audio book now.  Ok, that sounds harsh, but in fact it is a cool thing.  What I mean is last week while mowing the lawn my last audio book ended.  The only book I had on my IPOD that I had not listened to yet was this one.  I felt I was not in the mood for a non fiction read but felt I could listen to it until I was done mowing for the day.  I instantly found myself engaged in the story line.  I did not know behavior could change so quickly and I gave Beth a lot of credit for handling it as well as she did.  (She admits to coming near to snapping a couple times but really – who wouldnt?)

Sammy’s story is truly incredible.  The narrator, Tavia Gilbert did a nice job of reading from Beth’s perspective.  She read with such intensity and passion that I had to check to make sure Beth was not reading this herself! 

I would think that anyone who has a child who has been diagnosed with OCD could relate well to this book – to Beth’s celebration of the small triumphs and the sheer downfall when habits returned after feeling it may be over. 

 

Goodreads Review

Morning Meanderings…. An Excellent Night With The Bookies and a book that made my mouth fall open!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)12 Comments

Good morning!  Its Wednesday!  Wednesday means many things to me… it is the middle of the work week for one…  it is also the day before our fall book sale.  Yes, you got that, there is another Brainerd book sale and I will be there bright and early hours before it opens doing what I do… socializing with fellow bookish people about books….  BLISS!

As a Friend Of The Library, they asked me this year to help work the sale, which I will do on Friday, however explained to them I could not work the day before because for set up because I am loving the waiting in line too much.  😛 

Last night was the Bookies meeting at my house and our 11 year Anniversary.  We started in August of 2001.  I am still shocked.  I never knew I would be still reviewing and chatting books with this AWESOME group, but I am…. and I love it.  Our book was The Crying Tree by Naseem Rahka, a book I finished on Monday evening and it left my mouth hanging open in parts that made me love the book even more.  Because?  It shocked me.  It surprised the heck out of me and some in my book club seen it coming, but others like me… did not. 

Our discussion was wonderful.  We had twenty questions… I had to narrow them down because we talked each question out 5 to 10 minutes.  It was a wonderful and deep discussion about family dynamics, kids in the 80’s compared to kids today, forgiveness, or more accurately – the willingness – or even the ability to forgive.

Any hoo…. I will put that review up tomorrow (Thursday).  Later I am hoping to put up the review of Saving Sammy, Curing The Boy Who Caught OCD.  It really was a fascinating true story that I can not wait to share with you.

Ok… off to work so they do not hang me by my toes….. “Sheila, why are you late today?”  Well….

I was blogging again.:  😉

Have a super day everyone!!!!  Have you read anything lately that made your mouth drop open?  I want to know about these books!