The Magicians by Lev Grossman (audio review w/giveaway!)

Published on June 27, 2012June 27, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)49 Comments

Quintin Coldwater is less than content hanging out with his two best friends James and Julia. He wasn’t always this discontented.

Yet when James and Julia started being more than friends, it just got AWKWARD. It probably didnt help that Quintin also kind of had a thing for Julia.

When an incident has Quintin chasing a paper up a tree, he finds himself in quite literally, another world. He is told that this is Brakebills Academy, a school for magic. Soon Quintin finds himself hanging out with the select few that pass the entrance exams. Although these teenagers are unknown to him, they seem to all have in common the love for a set of magical childrens books that took place in an imaginary land called Fillary.

But – as Quintin starts to learn, where really is that line between real and imagination? When he makes friends with the ever moody Penny, and the sweet Alice, things start to happen. As their magical powers become stronger they find themselves set upon a mission that no one could have ever dreamed up.

What do you do when the things of beloved fictional books suddenly become real? And what would you give… to have everything you ever wanted?

Why did I listen to this audio?

This audio book was recommended to my by John from Brilliant audio while I was in New York for BEA. He described it as very Harry Potterish and I was sold. 😀

Opening words: Quintin did a magic trick. Nobody noticed.

Imagine if JK Rowling would have written another book about Harry Potter in his college years… they could have called it Butter Beers College for Wizards, and THAT is what The Magicians is like.

Well… scratch that. That is what I THOUGHT I wanted The Magicians to be like. Always on my continuing search for the next Harry Potter book, I was hoping that was it… and it was, and it wasn’t. Yes The Magicians is a story of magical teenagers, going to school to learn their craft, but The Magicians does not have the innocence of the Potter books. For starters this is COLLEGE. And college means parties, and beer (not butter beer) and relationships. And I admit at first that bothered me…

Then I got over it because this is not Hogwarts. It is Brakebill. And this is not Harry. It is Quintin.

The Magicians really is fantastic on audio. Narrator Mark Bramhall did a fantastic job managing the many characters and in a way that made it hard for me to shut this audio off.

The teens of The Magicians are very likeable. We don’t get to know them all very well, a few float in and out of the conversations but a few like Quintin, Alice, and even Penny, you get to know a little better. They feel real, they are flawed… they are lazy teenagers, they are cocky and competitive. And if you were ever a teenager in college I suspect you can relate.

In the beginning I felt that this was so Harry Potter, three friends, two guys one girl…. uh huh…there is even a Quidich reference in the book! Towards the middle through the end it felt way more Narnia. The series of books Quintin and his friends all read as children about this other world… talking animals, etc… but it all works.

I recommend this read if you enjoy a deeply layered well-developed fantasy read and if you like good audio, I say definitely try this one in audio!

**I noticed on Amazon’s synopsis it mentions sex and yes, there are a couple of instances but nothing over the top.

For audio book week if you have an audible.com account I will send one lucky commenter on this post a gift of this audio through audible.com gifts. If you do not have an audible account I will send you a $10 Amazon gift card to hopefully be used on an audio book that you will enjoy, maybe even this one! 😀

Amazon Rating

Goodread Review

Audible.com (hear a sample here!)

Morning Meanderings…. What Are You LISTENING To?

Published on June 27, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)38 Comments

Good morning! We are now mid-week in audio week and I feel like it is going so FAST! I need to tell our host Jen from Devourer of Books that I need more time! I have audio books yet to review I….

Oh…. it’s not about me?

Ok then. Moving on….. 😛

Current/most recent audiobook: (For me, there are three…)

1. Ravens by George Dawes Green, narrated by Robert Petkoff and Maggi-Meg Reed (In the car)

Impressions:

Fabulous! Not only is this a captivating book, the narration from both Robert and Maggi is very good.

2. The Prophesy Of The Sisters by Michelle Zink, narrated by Eliza Dushku (In kitchen cd player)

Impressions:

Excellent story line and the narration is good, I find I need to listen a little more closely to catch all the details.

3. The Magicians by Lev Grossman, narrated by Mark Bramhall (In IPOD)

Impressions:

FANTASTIC! This is such a great audio and I am loving the narration too! I can not wait to review this one!

Current/most recent favorite audiobook:

That is a tough question. I seem right now to be listening to three very impressive books, which is exciting as it rarely happens that way that all three really grab me. I would say most recent 11-22-63 was so fantastic by Stephen King and narrated by Craig Wasson. What an amazing story!

Favorite narrator you’ve discovered recently:

I am actually pretty impressed with Mark Bramhall. I am fairly new to the narrator watching part of audio and have been just excited about titles. Now I am getting more into who I enjoy narrating and watching who is winning awards, etc… (I feel like such a newby!)

One title from your TBL (to be listened) stack, or your audio wishlist:

Well since audio week has begun, I have added Bringing Up The Bodies, The Bird Sisters, and A Land More Than Home to the wish list.

Your audio dream team (what book or author would you LOVE to see paired with a certain narrator, can already exist or not):

I don’t have enough narrator knowledge to answer this one… BUT – ask me again… next year 😀

And that’s todays morning Audio Book discussion brought to you by Devourer of Books. Stop by and check out how others are answering these questions! I know I will 😀

Be sure to check out my other posts this week, yesterday I had posted two giveaway posts and when I put up my audio review for today later – that too will be a giveaway post 😀

How would you answer any of these questions? Any suggestions you would give me on narrators and or audio?

A Night To Remember by Walter Lord (audio book week and giveaway!)

Published on June 26, 2012June 26, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)46 Comments

She was built and marketed as unsinkable. A grander ship you would not have found. To be aboard her on this maiden voyage was privilege for the 2,207 passengers aboard, no matter if you were first class or steerage, you knew you were experiencing history in the making.

If only they had known how true that would be…

As she sped across the dark waters one cool April evening no one knew what was about to happen, and when it did happen….

“Iceberg right ahead!”

… no one thought it would do the damage it did. But once the damage was done, The Titanic in all her glory sunk quickly. A Night To Remember is the true minute by minute account of what happened after the Titanic struck ice, how some people reacted with an honor that is unmatched to this day, giving their lives… and yet other people brought out the ugliest side of humanity, and greed, and the instinct to survive, no matter what the cost.

Why did I want to listen to this audio? I am a history buff when it comes to all things to do with the Titanic. The whole tragedy from start to finish mesmerizes me today; the band playing on as the ship sank, the people of what was referred to as lesser class not given the rights to try to survive as the upper class was. Heart wrenching, heartbreaking, and I want to know their stories.

In 1898, 14 years before the Titanic sailed, a book was written called The Wreck Of The Titan. The ship, according to the book, was unsinkable. This fictitious ship was sailing the North Atlantic in April when it struck an iceberg 400 miles from Newfoundland, causing it to sink. There were not enough life boats for the people on board…

As told in the opening of A Night To Remember

A Night To Remember is as accurate a recap as I have ever heard as to what happened that fateful April night in 1912. It’s easy to understand that 100 years later, movies are still bring produced and books are still being written about one of the greatest tragedies of the sea.

Narrated by Martin Jarvis and 5 hours and 4 minutes long, this book is read at a wonderful pace filled with facts brought forth by those who lived to tell the story. While listening you will hear the conversations that took place after the ship was hit, the concerns over belongings, and of some – who were not concerned at all… hero’s and villains…

I was amazed at how close what I was hearing was to how the Titanic movie was made, all the way down to the large Irish man who fought to have the steerage women be released to have a chance to save themselves. Many of the lines from this book/audio, were also used in the movie,

“She is Unsinkable!”

Listening to this audio was at times painful when I thought of all the lives that were senselessly lost. In the end, it is told that the Whitestar Line never did have a policy for such an emergency, the crew made it up as they went along… in the panic that unfolded they did the best they could under that extreme amount of pressure. Many things changed after that fateful night:

Never again did a ship sail without enough life boats to accommodate ALL on board. Assignments and directions to lifeboats are now stated in each stateroom.

All passengers were created equal, no matter what their class in an emergency.

ALL iceberg warnings were taken seriously.

Every steamship carrying over 100 passengers must now carry two electric search lights

Walter Lord published this book in 1955, a classic that any Titanic follower must have in their collection.

If you are interested in knowing more about the Titanic and its final night, this is an audio book I highly recommend. This one definitely goes on my keeper shelf.

Amazon rating

Goodreads review

Audible.com

For audio book week I am doing a giveaway with every audio review I post. To win a copy of this amazing audio book, please leave a comment below. Winner will be announced on Saturday after audio book week ends.

Thank you to Audio Jukebox for sending me this incredible audio for review!

Let’s Talk About Audio Baby! (W/ Giveaway!)

Published on June 26, 2012June 26, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)64 Comments

Leslie from Under my Apple Tree, and myself both enjoy audio books. I love to look at her audio reviews and see what she is suggesting. Yes, even us audio book lovers need go-to audio book lovers… much like us book people seek out other book people. 😀

Through our chatting recently on audio books we though it would be fun to give you a little bit of our background with audio, and then open it up to you to ask questions on each of our blogs. We will have a random drawing on each blog for those who do ask questions about audio books. Feel free to ask the same question on each blog as we will probably answer it differently. I have about 2 1/2 years of audio book experience but Leslie has about 4 years!

How long have you been listening to audiobooks and how long did it take you to be comfortable with the format?

For me, I didn’t start getting into audio book until after I had begun book blogging. My opinion on audio books was something my aunt and uncle did when they drove their RV from California to Minnesota each spring. In other words… old school. Outdated. I imagined them surrounded with a case of cassette tapes, choosing what to listen to next as they bounced along the highways…

Then, in late 2009 I was offered a few audio books through Hatchette audio for review. I remember starting with James Patterson. I liked some of Patterson’s books, so why not? The series I started with was The Michael Bennett series and the first audio was Step On A Crack. What I thought about audio books that day (monotone readers blah blah blah) went out the window.

What I learned is that audio can be exciting! The narrators show emotions, the different characters have voices you come to recognize, and in this audio books case and the others in this series that followed – they had sound effects!

So began my love of audio. It was truly trial and error in the beginning. I had no idea how to pick out good audio. Many in the early listens were mediocre. But when I hit a good one – I knew they were out there.

Since audiobooks are an acquired skill, what should listeners look for when selecting a book? What should they avoid?

When selecting an audio book watch to see if the audio is abridged on unabridged. I always go unabridged, I think most of us do.

If the narrator is new to you, many websites offer sample listening of the audio so you can see if it is too your liking. I also like to watch from ratings on narrations and see what others are saying about the audio.

See how many hours the audio book you are thinking of is. I personally prefer my audio books between 6 and 10 hours. However, in the case of books that I really want to read, I will go longer. 11-22-63 was 30 hours and 40 minutes. The Passage by Justin Cronin was 36 hours and 52 minutes. Both were well worth it.

Audio books can get pricey however many libraries have audio for rent as well as to download. Sites like Amazon, half.com, Bargainbooks.com, Ebay all can have great deals on audio books. I recently picked up 10 audio books of newer titles for $2.99 each at Bookbargains.com. I am also a HUGE fan of audible.com where you can get an audio a month for $7.99 your choice! Your first audio book with Audible.com is free, and there is no contract ever…. you can stop any time. I have been using them for two years and just recently updated my account from one audio a month to two. They also have awesome sales where many titles will be $5 or less. See my audible.com link on the right sidebar for more information.

What audiobooks would you recommend to new listeners?

If you are dipping an ear into audio let me just say, YAY!!! Now that first audio experience is important so here are a few I would suggest depending on your tastes…

Any of The Harry Potter books with either narrator Stephen Fry or Jim Dale. Both are fantastic and you will sweat that is Hagrid in the room with you!

Ready Player One. If you have reading the audio book week posts, then enough said. We are all raving about this one. 🙂

The Immortal Life of Henriette Lacks – f you like historical non fiction this one is incredible!

The Magicians King – a grown up Harry Potter. Picture Potter if they could have done the college years and tossed him into Narnia… ok, now you are with me 😀

Now we open the discussion to you. Feel free to add to what was discussed here. Please ask questions! Any comment that contributes to the discussion or relevant question will count towards a chance to win an audio book of choice from Amazon up to a $20 value. Winner will be chosen randomly at the end of the Audio Book Week.

Also, be sure to stop by and see Leslie at Under My Apple Tree to ask her questions and comment on her post as well. Thank you to Jen at Devourer of Books for hosting Audio Book Week!

Morning Meanderings… So You Want To Review Audio Books…

Published on June 26, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)44 Comments

Good Morning. Note that Audio Book Week has invaded Book Journey. My morning posts this week will have to do with the topic of the day that the delightful Jen from Devourer Of Books has put up. This morning I will have another post up soon, a fun one that Leslie (Under My Apple Tree) and I came up with. And forgive me but more than likely there will be a third post today, later an audio review with a giveaway.

SO todays question is:

Discuss the essentials of audiobook reviewing. What do you make sure to include? What do you want to see when you read other people’s reviews?

Audio reviews. You know I have become better at reviewing them lately. I used to just review them like one would a book, and for the most part that is true… but really there should be a few extras.

As an audio book listener, then reading a review here is what I would like to know:

The Narration. I am still new enough to audio that I can not pull many narrators out of my head, but I like hearing about them, and I hear a few gushings about great narrating I know to watch for what they are reading. I also want to know on a narrator I am not familiar with (errrr…. most of them) how they were during the reading. Honestly, a good audio book will not sounds like someone is reading out of a book. Instead – you will get lost in the language, the rhythm and the story itself.

2. Length. Sometimes I am in the mood for a longer audio book, and I will invest the time if it is a book that I have really been wanting to get into. However, I like to know up front just as much as a 4 hour audio might make me go… huh… why so short, an eighteen hour audio will make me really want to consider if I want to dive into audio on that one or go with the book.

Those are my two big audio review tips for today. 😀 I am getting ready for work this morning, and will be back later this afternoon to check out what you are all doing.

My question I leave you with is – if you listen to audio books, what do you like about them. If you do not listen to them, what is holding you back?

2011-2012: Your Audiobook Year – Audiobook Week Discussion

Published on June 25, 2012June 25, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)68 Comments

Good afternoon! I am coming in a bit late here having to make room for the Monday What Are You Reading Meme. 😀

Today is the Official kick off to Audio Book week! I am thrilled to participate as I am a HUGE Audio Book fan, a 2 1/2 year addict and proud of it. I can read one or two books a week with my crazy schedule, but I can double my read count by adding audio.

I am frequently asked how I can possibly read as much as I do and keep up with my job, my home, family, and busy lifestyle. The answer is simple:

Audio.

Now believe me, I have heard from you naysayers…. (oh you know who you are! 😉 ) You have told me, “Sheila I could not possibly sit and focus on an audio book.. I would just fall asleep!”

Well, here’s the rub, so would I!

I don’t sit and listen to audio. Instead I use audio for my active times. Here is a sample of a normal day with audio:

1. I get up in the morning and while I get ready for my day (pick out clothes, shower, make up, hair, make bed…) I have my IPOD sat up in the bathroom off of our bedroom so I can listen while I get ready. Approx 30-40 minutes each morning.

2. I go out to the kitchen and while I make coffee, pack a lunch, let the dogs out and straighten up the kitchen area, I listen to an audio in a cd player on the counter. Approx 15 minutes a morning.

3. I get in my car and drive to work, run errands, return home to a third audio book going in my car…. approx. 30+ minutes a day.

4. In late afternoon while I prep dinner, put away groceries, do dishes, fold laundry, dust, clean up, I am back to the kitchen audio in the cd player. Approx 30- 45 min more from afternoon listening.

5. Any evening meetings, commitments, etc… car time = audio time. Approx another hour throughout the week in evening commitments.

6. On the days I ride bike alone, use the tread mill, or roller blade, I listen to audio on my IPOD – approx (depending on the week) and additional 2 hours of listening per week.

7. When I mow the lawn I listen to my IPOD audio book, add on another 3 hours a week.

That is about 18.5 hours a week I listen to audio which may sound like a lot – but it is all ACTIVE listening. I am getting other things done while I listen.

Throughout this week I will be talking about audio books and doing a giveaway with every audio review I do this week so watch for that! I want to leave you today with a list of a few of my favorites over the past year (although I am currently listening to a couple amazing ones that may be added to this list soon)!

For those who know and love audio – these are” must listens” if you have not as of yet. AND if you are new to audio, or curious, as you will learn this week… not all audio is created equal and having some good audio book recommendations before you go it alone is the key. Each of these I would say would make for wonderful first time audio listens and create fans.

My goal this week is hopefully to have at least one non audio book listener decide to give it a try this week. If that is you, please let me know… and I would also love to know the result after your experience. If you take this challenge and let me know – I will put you in a drawing for a little package from me to celebrate your audio conversion. 😀

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on June 24, 2012June 25, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)65 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.

This past weeks winner:

Laura Fabiani from Library Of Clean Reads!

Congratulations! Please email me your book choice out of the Reading Cafe at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com.

I think this week was pretty good… here is what I posted:

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (A YA book review by Camryn)

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen

Long Gone by Alafair Burke

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

My “Summer Recommendation” guest post over at Ryan’s – Wordsmithonia while he is on vacation!

Literary Blog Hop – taking place through the 27th of June – answer my question and go into a drawing for a book of your choice valued up to $20.00

You may notice, lo and behold… no audio book reviews up this week! WHAT? 😯 The reason is that starting on Monday, this is Audio Book Week and I am planning on reviewing only audio books this week! I have a great line up that I think you will enjoy if you are an audio book person or not (Laurel…. I still am working on you!). I will also have many giveaways and I am working on a few surprises as well. 😀

Here is what I plan on reading or listening to this upcoming week:

Two sisters and the cousin they grew up with after a tragedy are summoned home to their family matriarch’s inn on the coast of Maine for a shocking announcement. Suddenly, Isabel, June, and Kat are sharing the attic bedroom–and barely speaking. But when innkeeper Lolly asks them to join her and the guests in the parlor for weekly Movie Night–it’s Meryl Streep month–they find themselves sharing secrets, talking long into the night–and questioning everything they thought they knew about life, love, and one another.

Each woman sees her complicated life reflected through the magic of cinema: Isabel’s husband is having an affair, and an old pact may keep her from what she wants most . . . June has promised her seven-year-old son that she’ll somehow find his father, who he’s never known . . . and Kat is ambivalent about accepting her lifelong best friend’s marriage proposal. Through everything, Lolly has always been there for them, and now Isabel, June, Kat–and Meryl–must be there for her. Finding themselves. Finding each other. Finding a happy ending.

OOH – can not wait!!!

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with . . . Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-of-heart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high school stage. Told in alternating voices from two YA superstars, this collaborative novel features a double helping of the heart and humor that have won them both legions of fans.

I have other books I will be working on if I get through what I have here. NOW I am curious what you will be reading this week! Is it a new release? Is it an oldy but a goody? Is it a random find? Please link below where it says click here so we can all come and check out what you are reading. 😀

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

Morning Meanderings… A Bookish Weekend

Published on June 24, 2012June 24, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

Good morning! 😀

The sun is out (*fingers crossed) and hopefully we can stay dry and start soaking up this rain! My yard is good, but I went on two bike rides in the past few days with my friend Kate, and then Amy, and we seen flooded yards and streams about to spill over. It is eerie…. but not as crazy as Duluth.

My weekend has been fairly low-key, I have read a bit both Friday and Saturday. I listened to audio while weeding my garden, cleaning out a spare room, boxing up books I am shipping out tomorrow afternoon, and mowing. Today I will have a little more of the same while I complete laundry, the lawn… and perhaps this afternoon sit in my swing for a while with a book 😀

I really love weekends like this.

This past week I received a video in my email that just this morning I finally watched. It’s a recap of world book night, something many of us book lovers were involved in (I handed out Hunger Games) and I have a feeling next year it will be even bigger. Watch this short 90 second video and then know at the end, I call dibs on making those cupcakes… I have an idea for that 😀

Have a SUPER Sunday everyone! My blog hop giveaway is still going on for a book of choice valued up to $20 at Amazon or Book Depository.

Oh and I am a super goob (yes I said goob!) I totally forgot that my guest post was going up at Ryan’s(Wordsmithonia) yesterday, while he is on vacation, I am taking all of you to Maine! Stop by and read all about it! 😀

Any fun things happening for you today?

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

Published on June 23, 2012 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 June 23, 2012 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.