Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

It started with a droopy eyelid.

Or did it?

Alice Buckle is 44 and for the most part, she has never felt or looked her age.  But this morning is different.  It could be because Alice is about to turn the same age that her mother was when she died.  It could be that after twenty years of marriage there just wasn’t a lot of excitement anymore.  She is constantly analyzing her two children, Peter and Zoe…

was she bored?

Then Alice receives an email offering her to be part of a n online Marriage study.  Alice fills out the basic information and within a few days discovers she has been excepted into the study, and for the purposes of anonymity, she will now be known as Wife 22 for all correspondence.  She is assigned a case worker (Researcher 101) who will coach her through and question she has.  And the questions start coming in.

It’s almost like a double life.  While Alice on the outside appears to be still Alice, she is also Wife 22. As the questions continue Alice strikes up a side conversation with Researcher 101.  Before she knows it, Alice has questions of her own.  Questions that could change her family dynamics forever. 

 

 

Why did I want to read this book?  Curiosity.  By the synopsis, I knew I wanted to know more about this woman who is my age, and suddenly questioning her purpose. It sounded smart and it sounded funny.

Wife 22 is written much like the Bridget Jones books were, except instead of Bridget writing to her diary, Alice is answering questions about her marriage and chatting with Researcher 101.  the book created some realistic scenarios.  Job trouble. worrying about your kids, using the internet, in this case Facebook for escapes… 

When the questions are presented, all we as the reader see are the answers to the questions, not the questions themselves.  Some, by the way they are answered, you can guess what the question probably was… others I had no idea… and some just cracked me up by Alice’s response.  What I didn’t know until the end, was that the actual questions are listed in the back of the book which made it fun to peek through the book again, and think how I would answer them. 

Written mainly in the conversations between Researcher 101 and answers to questions, the book moves fairly quickly.  If you are looking for a book to take to the beach or for sitting with on your deck as I did, summer is a perfect time to sit back and enjoy Wife 22. 

 

 

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

 

This book was sent to me for review by Big Honcho Media

Morning Meanderings… Hopping Saturday

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)30 Comments

 

Good Morning!  I feel like I woke up fuzzy… and that’s not a good way to start the day.  ANOTHER gloomy day here in central Minnesota, yesterday was gorgeous and I read a little outside and went on a bike ride, but today calls for rain… again. 

ON happier notes, I am participating in Judith from Leeswammes’ Literary Blog Hop from today through the 23rd.  I am giving away a book of choice valued up to $20, so please check it out!  😀

On Monday I will be participating in Jen from Devourer of Books Audio Book Week and I am super excited for that too… I have many audio reviews and giveaways so make a note… it is going to be a good week 😀

Ok and finally – because of the grog fog… (I need coffee…), I will end this morning with my typical Saturday Snapshot hosted by Alyce from At Home With Books. 

 

 

Every year when I go to Honduras, in front of this one store I see these two gentleman playing their music.  I am pretty sure the man on the left is the same every year. 

They really are something to watch.

I have a little snippet of video so you can hear them too:

That’s my morning post.  I am continuing to read Wife 22 today and will be starting Prophesy Of The Sisters on audio as well.

Literary Blog Hop June 23-27

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)151 Comments

Welcome to The Literary Blog Hop hosted by Judith of Leeswammes Blog!  Not really sure what is considered a Literary read, Wikepedia defines it as well written, critically acclaimed and usually serious in nature.  Still not sure?  Goodreads has compiled a list of over 500 titles of literary fiction.

My giveaway will be for a literary book of your choice of $20 or less from either Amazon or the Book Depository.  To enter I have one question you need to answer.  I would like to know what is the best book you have read (or listened to if it was on audio) so far in 2012.

I will draw a winner the morning of the 28th and announce it here.

For the list of the other participants to hop your way too – click here

Long Gone By Alafair Burke

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)12 Comments

Alice Humphrey really could have it all.  After all her father was the famous award winning director, Frank Humphrey.  Alice knew that life wasn’t for her and had insisted that she make it on her own.  After months of struggling financially she can not believe her luck when while visiting an art gallery, she meets Drew Campbell who offers her a job as a new gallery manager.  The owner who chooses to remain anonymous, will leave the details up to Alice, and it will be as though Alice owns the gallery herself!

There is one tiny catch….

At the opening of this new gallery this mysterious owner wants only one artist to be featured and promoted.  Once this artists run is up, Alice is open to choose any other artists to feature in the gallery.  The artist Alice must represent has some pretty far our unpleasant art pieces.  Alice just continues to remind herself that this is only for a time and then she can make the gallery more to her liking… and hey, the paychecks are coming in!

But a group of protesters against the art set Alice’s nerves on edge, and then finding the gallery emptied to the bare bones and Drew’s body in the gallery the morning after the protesters is impossible to wrap her mind around.  Who would do such a thing? 

When the police are involved, Alice soon discovers that Drew is not who he says he was.  And now the art that was displayed and the gallery itself seem to be tied to a missing girl.  When pictures turn up of a woman who looks like Alice in compromising acts, Alice knows she has been set up.  To save herself from being put behind bars she has to get to the bottom of this twisted area of her life.  Who is this girl and how is she tied to the gallery?  As she works to find answers Alice begins to discover long hidden secrets within her own family – secrets that could get her killed.

Why did I want to read this?  The synopsis is fascinating… a mysterious job offer, a murder centered around an art gallery and a protagonist who comes from a life of plenty but chooses to make her own way.  It is funny how those family ties no matter how hard we try to distance ourselves in some cases, can come back when we least expect it.

Long Gone is definitely a page turner.  There is no long drawn out front story to this book – instead we jump into the gallery job offer and things spiral into action from there, which I like it when a book gets to the point.  I liked Alice, she felt real.  I was surprised that the missing girl was not a bigger part of the story.  While that story line hovers around the edges of the book, a small part about it in the beginning and then a few sprinkles throughout the read, it is really more about Alice. 

As you get to the end it all starts coming together and meshes into a fantastic climax.  As I think about the lack of information about the missing girl I can not help but wonder if that was not the author being strategic… after all the girl is missing… it could make sense that she does hover – almost ghost like and not quite there, throughout the read.

Lovers of great suspense and good fast action should definitely check this book out.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

Thank you to TLC book tours for letting me solve the crime with Alice!

Morning Meanderings… A little Bookish Travels

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Good morning!  It is Friday and I can not tell you how happy that makes me!  FRIDAY!  It is my day off and it is a real day off!!!  By that I mean I am not buried in “to do’s”.  Laundry is caught up, the lawn (yes… my ever dreaded lawn) does not need to be mowed for a few more days… and the sun… dare I say it… is shining!

This morning I read a post over at Hurtled To 60 and Now Beyond about the real inspiration behind the book, The Secret Garden.  It really is a beautiful place And Frances Hodgson Burnet was actually a tenant there.  I encourage you to stop over and read the post – it really is fascinating and the author of the post (I could not find her name) was just there on Wednesday so this is what it truly looks like today!  Errr, well what it truly looked like two days ago!  😀

On Shelf Awareness this morning there was a lovely video called “How does a New Book Make You Feel?” 

If you get breathless watching this as you see the titles and the emotions… then… you feel like I do.  I swear, this is such a  great time in the history of our world to be a reader.

Ok – I do have one small errand this morning… Sam (our dog) is about to get his first haircut.  I am going to drop him off now and will not pick him up until this afternoon.  As for myself, I suspect if this afternoon I am not on my bike – I am for sure on the deck.  😀

It is also the last day to take my Blog Survey -which I will either pull later today or tomorrow early morning.  I will post results.

Bookish Friday – what bookish thing are you or can you add to your day?

These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

Welcome to New York.  It’s busy and fast paced and feels as though you are surrounded by a constant buzz of electricity that feels the air. 

For Cate, New York has brought her the sought after title of feature editor for the magazine Gloss.  It is everything that Cate had hoped for in a career, and everything she has dreaded as well.

Renee, is in the running for the coveted position of Beauty editor of Gloss.  She suffers from low self-esteem to her constant battle with her weight and her two components for the position seem to have it far more together than she does.  However, the diet pills she has started taking seem to be giving her energy and curbing her appetite and she is learning that if she takes more pills, she has more energy…. and maybe the weight will drop faster.

Abby, had her life together.  She was happy and in a dream job where she was able to go to school in the evenings and by day live with a young family and take care of their darling little girl.  But the man of the house, Bob, is pretty good-looking, and oh so kind, and the wife just works all the time late into the evenings…. leaving Abby alone with Bob…

As these three women connect and eventually become roommates, the secrets that can busy us… perhaps friendship can save us?

Sarah Pekkanen and I in 2011, BEA week, New York

Why did I want to read this book?  Helloooooo… it’s Sarah Pekkanen!  I loved Sarah’s book The Opposite of Me which I read in 2010, and then I loved Skipping A Beat her book of 2011.  You can bet I was super excited to read this one!

Women friendships.  Why do they have to be so complicated?  Cate has the job that she loves and is getting her feet wet into this new career with a flourish.  Yet her friend and roommate Renee struggles through life with weight issues that seem to shadow over everything she does.  If a date does not go well, it is due to her weight, if she doesn’t get the position she wants.. no doubt it is contributed to her weight… and the mean comments that show up on her beauty tips blog just seal the deal that she has to do something about her weight.  They Abby enters the picture and by the time Cate and Renee meet her she is a fragile broken girl with a story that they know nothing about.  Abby’s career as a nanny is now over – and as the pages turn we get a glimpse into what was true then….

Now every author can pull off the multiple protagonists, Sarah Pekkanen does it with a flourish.  Not once did I get confused over whose story line was taking the wheel for a part of the book.  And each of these women – Cate, Renee, and Abby felt like real women to me.  What each woman was going through was so different from the others, yet I could relate to each.  Cate had a drive which I loved, but she also had to balance that out with friendships, and family issues.  Renee’s battle to look good believing it would lead her to feeling good… is a topic I think many of us struggle with, and Abby just fell into the wrong situation which never felt pre meditated… it just… happened.

Reading a Sarah Pekkanen book is like spending time with friends.  I enjoyed spending times within its pages.

I bought this book from Amazon

Amazon Rating

Goodreads review

Morning Meanderings… Sun? Then lets have a giveaway!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)52 Comments

Good morning!  I mentioned yesterdays storms here in central Minnesota.  At that time, and now until later in the day at work did I hear about Duluth Minnesota and the animals in the zoo (a polar bear and a seal escaped when the water rose high enough they could swim out of their cages! And unfortunately, in some cases a few animals drowned).

Ok… that is a downer way to start a post.

In better news, today, if I dare say it out loud looks as though it could be….

sunny.

I hate to even say it out loud as yesterday was off and on too.  I would look out the window at work and see the sun come out and think yes!  Deck time!  Then ten minutes later it would be gray again.. than later sunny… then, well, the gray won out.

And looking at today’s forecast is calls for storms… again.

Ok.. that’s a downer post isn’t it?

Well – for now there is sun so that is what I am going with and maybe this song is premature… but I need it so here we go:

Ok – as part of my book room lets get out act together project 2012 (you will see more on this in the coming weeks…) I have a book giveaway today:

Gorgeous cover yes?  This is a duplicate for me so leave me a comment today about your EXTREME weather memories (or maybe they are current…) and I will enter you into a chance to win this book.  I will keep this open until next Tuesday.

Have a super day!

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)48 Comments

A few weeks ago I hosted a read-a-long for this classic book.  For me, this was my first time experiencing it, for a few that read a long, it was their first time as well.  Here are my thoughts, on The Secret Garden…

~Sheila

Mary Mary, quite contrary how does your garden grow? 

When Mary Lennox is orphaned she is moved away from everything she ever knew and relocated to her uncle’s home in Yorkshire.  It doesn’t take long for all those around to see that Mary is not the most agreeable child in the world.  Through her lonely days in her new home, Mary explores the large home with many rooms.. searching for the crying sounds she hears but no one can tell her what it is.  When she finally does venture outside she meets Dickon, a mysterious boy who tells her of a secret garden… one that has not been entered in many many years. 

Mary’s adventures outdoors leads her not only to the garden, but into a magical world for her to explore with talking animals and adventures beyond her imagination!  Suddenly, Mary’s demeanor changes as the garden blooms her into a whole new girl….

Would you dare enter? Would your life ever be the same if you did?

Why did I want to read this?  I feel like I missed the boat on many of the great reads that many people read in high school.  None of the greats were required reading where I went to school, and honestly in a way I feel cheated.  I have been trying to implement the classics into my reading diet… and thus… this book 😀

The Secret Garden was what I had hoped it would be.  This story was one of innocence and a time when kids did not sit in front of a tv show or a video game but actually got outside and used their imaginations.  I enjoyed Mary, even when she wasn’t the most likable and I think that was because she had potential.  When she meets her cousin and he is just as pouty and unpleasant as she is (probably even more so). To see them work together and help one another is a pretty sweet part of the book and the discover y of the garden and how the garden itself heals people….

well, honestly the message is a powerful one.

I enjoyed the read and I am so thankful so many joined me in this reading of a classic that I can happily now cross off my to be read list. 

I think this book should be on every child’s book shelf.  The Secret Garden is a book that truly is meant to be read.

I listened to this book on audio and really enjoyed Victoria Mcgee’snarration.

Be sure to see our discussion we had on this book and the other reviews from the read a long.

Morning Meanderings… yet another Storm WARNING hits Minnesota (this time with lawn furniture casualties…)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)40 Comments

Good morning. 😀 

Excuse while I go grab coffee cup…. I am going to need the caffeine today.

Some people leave a trail of crumbs… I have of late, left a trail of grumbles regarding our rain.  I have grumbled on both Twitter and Facebook… and yeah, I have grumbled here.  I know some of you mentioned you would love to have the remain where you are at as your weather is warm and dry….

well I am talking EXTREME rain.  AT least every day this past 7 days, and pretty much 3-4 days a week all spring it had rained.  And not pretty watch my flowers grow rain… no it is  EXTREME “batten down the hatches she’s gonna blow” rain!

Last night the wind picked up so strongly it blew my framed pictures off the coffee table next to the open window.  Al (hubby) and I thought we heard an animal cry and I went and opened our garage overhead door (much to hubby’s amusement) so the poor thing could seek refuge if needed.

This morning I woke up and it is still raining and we are supposed to get hit with another round of storms this morning.  I understand that when we have had extreme heat, but we have not. 

I took a quick walk around my squishy wet back yard this morning to see how things fared.  I had put the deck furniture away a couple of days ago so that is all fine but my yard swing did not fare so well…

This swing has been with me for 20+ years.  I know he was old, but he carried a lot of memories.  This is the swing I sat on when I got the news about my moms accident.  It is the one I rocked the boys on when they were young and the one I sat with one of my good friends was offered a promotion she was excited – and scared to take.  It has moved with us twice and sat in the yard since we moved here in 1996.

The rest of the yard was fine.  At least for this storm.  My hostas are extremely well watered.  Swimmingly even.

Now I need to get ready for work.  I am hoping this mornings storm blows by quickly and I can back to outdoor things I love like biking…rollerblading… sitting on my deck with a good book.  😀 

Share with me your stories of sunshine… I miss it 😀

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

I have not featured Camryn for a couple of Tuesdays here as New York threw my scheduling for a loop.  Now, Camryn’s Tuesday YA reviews are back, Camryn is a little older since she was last featured here 😉 … and she is sharing with us about the book, Fairest by Gail Carson Levine.  Seriously… cover love alone would have caused me to pick this book up!

~Sheila

Fairest

Fairest is a novel written by Gail Carson Levine. Aza is very insecure; she feels she was born ugly, and the guests at her adoptive parent’s inn don’t help the matter by staring, or not looking at her at all. But Aza has a skill that makes up for her lack of beauty; she is an amazing singer. She has even learned how to throw her voice and imitate sounds. This is a skill she calls illuse-ing. One day, one of the guests at the inn is without a traveling partner to go to the palace to see the royal wedding of the King and his bride, Ivi, Aza is chosen to accompany her. At the palace, Aza becomes Ivi’s lady-in-waiting. She meets a handsome prince, Ijori, and likes him quite a bit, and he doesn’t seem to mind her looks. But everything turns sour when Queen Ivi demands a dangerous task from Aza, threatening her parents livelihood should she refuse. Aza is forced to do the Queen’s bidding, but the real question is, at what cost?

 

I loved this book. I’ve read Ella Enchanted by this author as well. It’s really good fantasy, but probably for a younger audience. So a few interesting details I picked up out of the story is that they live in Ayortha, where everyone’s name ends with the same vowel it starts with. And it made me interested in htun, but I doubt it actually exists. I think this would be a great gift for someone less than fifteen years old. I would recommend it to any fantasy fan or anyone looking for a good suspenseful book.

Camryn is 12 13 years old, and enjoys reading YA books of the fantasy and romance genre. A few of her favorite books are “Hourglass” by Myra McEntire, “The Other Countess” by Eve Edwards, “Hush, Hush” by Becca Fitzpatrick, “The Immortals” series, the “Marked” series and the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” series.  When she’s not reading she enjoys watching Gilmore Girls or going to book sales for more books to add to her ever-growing collection.

Check out Camryn’s other YA reviews here