Book Journey

Working It Out by Abby Rike

Published on August 14, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)15 Comments

In 2006, in the blink of an eye… Abby’s world went from having a loving husband, a beautiful three-year old daughter, and a sweet 18 day old son… to losing it all to a devastating accident that would drop the strongest person to their knees. For nearly three years Abby went through the motions of “life” in almost a robotic manner. Although family and friends, as well as a strong faith surrounded her, Abby still had a deeper need inside her that had her turn to food for comfort.

In 2009 as she began to see the shell of her life and knowing she wanted more… Abby went on the show The Biggest Loser. She turned her life around, lost 100 pounds, but gained a new freedom from food… and the return of a life that she had long forgotten.

I enjoy watching The Biggest Loser on TV. I watched the season that Abbie was in and when she told her story of the tragic loss my heart went out to her. (I am all too familiar with tragedy having lost my dad and sister to a house fire in 1980, and my mom and step dad to a head on collision that took both their lives as well as two others in 1996). I know what its like to hit rock bottom and even having to remind yourself to breathe.

If you watched this season on The Biggest Loser, you would have watched not only the miracle of the shows ways to give hope where people have none…. but you see Abby’s faith blossom in God and in herself.

In this book you read about Abby’s story starting with the accident… then back tracking to how she and Rick Rike met, the whirlwind romance, and the beginning of building a family together. Abby’s story is well written, and bitter-sweet. Included in this book are letters exchanged between Abby and Rick.

Abby’s story really spoke to me. It is easy for any one of us to get caught under the weight of depression, and it is hard to make the moves to get back in the game. Abby does this with a faith that is impressive… and this book tells how she came to live again. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes true stories of faith and hope, to anyone struggling under the weight of grief, to see that it is possible to move beyond the grief and reclaim their life.

Martha from Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf and I posted our reviews today and I had asked her a few questions about her thoughts here:

1. Prior to this read, did you watch Biggest Loser? Actually No – I have never watched any of the “reality TV” shows and only realized what they were referring to as the book progressed.

2. Did you find this book inspiring? If so, how? Absolutely… I am inspired by Abby’s steadfast faith which is awesome. It emphasizes that it takes such grounded faith and hope in a future to get through the really tough times. It reminds me of the Footprint poem – God carries us when we can’t make it on our own.

3. What did you like most about this book? I loved how she used the letters, notes and cards from Rick and from her students. It made me sad that I don’t have such a record of my mother who died when I was 21 and there would not be such a record for my children now. It makes me want to write to them.

One thing I forgot to ask Martha was how was this book on audio? 😀

My Amazon Rating

Goodreads review

The WHERE Are You reading Map has been updated to include Working It Out

I received this book for review from Faithwords

Hachette Book Group

Morning Meanderings… Books, Books, GLORIOUS BOOKS!

Published on August 14, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

I am probably the last person that should be SQQUUEEEING about books right now. I feel like I have hardly read 20 pages this week…. but..

it’s in my blood….

BOOKS.

SSSSQQUUEEEEE!!!! 😛

Good reads posted August releases and uh…. HELLO books! 😀

But check for yourself…

NEW RELEASES BY GENRE


fiction


nonfiction


young adult


children’s


history & biography


memoir & autobiography


mystery & thriller


romance


science fiction


fantasy


historical fiction


graphic novels & comics

How will I ever keep up? 😀

Quickly glancing through… I am looking at Unsaid, Miracle Beach, Chain Reaction, Peter Nimble, Jack, Darkness My Old Friend… of course an hour from now… given the same list… I could add or subtract to it.

How about you? Any of these go on your wish list?

(I have a busy day and I never wanted it to be…. I am picking up my Kinship Partner and then off to church, then helping out in the children’s wing, then grabbing lunch (not for me!) and coming home to hang with College son, Kinship son, and hubby for a while. At some point I need to ride bike, prep my review today, mow the lawn, and prep tonight’s 100th posting of Monday What Are You Reading. Cant wait – hope you can join us! 😀 )

Morning Meanderings… Last day to Register for BBAW (Book Blogger Appreciation Week)

Published on August 13, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)29 Comments

Good morning! 😀

It’s a beautiful Saturday here in Central Minnesota… the kind that calls me outside to my bike. I have the bike locked and loaded on the jeep for later today – but first I have a baby shower today and a house-warming. Both early enough in the day so that I will still have later afternoon to ride a bit.

I also wanted to remind everyone that today is the last day to register for BBAW. I too have to do this today… it’s been crazy busy around here and as soon as I am done writing this post I am going to get busy on that as I think you need to set a little time aside to do it. Be sure to read the Awards Process page and then on to the registration page , you will need a Google account or your twitter ID to log in.

Once logged in (I used my Twitter Id – it seamed easier) I backed out, then went into that same page and now had a nominations link. That is what I am working on now.

If you have not participated in BBAW before, I recommend you do. It gives you an opportunity to recognize the blogs you love to read. It really is fun and I love the community of book bloggers! 😀 Remember – today is the last day to register your blog and nominate.

In other news… as I love to participate in Alyce’s Saturday Snapshot meme, thought I would use a few pictures from Honduras since it looks like I may be leading a team there in November of this year. Honduras is always an amazing experience, and a country that in many parts, is extremely poorish.

155 — How cute are these kids? They would come and watch us work every day.

159 — Me and the kids that live above the dump in Tegucigalpa. We were building a home for a young woman who needed to escape her father

049 — The statue of Jesus up inthe mountains of Tegucigala, Honduras. You can see this statue from all over the city

050 — A shot of the landing strip. Tegucigalpa has one of the shortest landing strips in the world due to the mountains. A captain must fly the planes in to Tegucigalpa.

061 — The flowers and plants of Honduras are GORGEOUS

So that’s it for this morning… Have a great day! 😀

Morning Meanderings…. Time To Get On The Fitness Track

Published on August 12, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Good Morning! Happy Friday!

I am looking forward to this weekend because really…. I have no big plans. 😀 Saturday I have a baby shower but no bike rides, camping, cabin, travel… nada.

I like that a lot. 😛

Last weekend I biked the Camp Benedict ride with my cousin’s wife. She looks amazing and my cousin and her have been doing a program they found on-line called My Fitness Pal. Between seeing how well it has worked for them (and uh…. seeing some pics of me these past few events) I jumped on the program earlier this week.

There are many things I like about it –

It is easy to use, I put in my height, weight, age and that was about it.

you enter your food into the daily journal and it calculates for you – LOVE THAT!

At the end of the day if you want it will run a report for you that is pretty cool – breaking down calories, fat, protein, fiber, carbs, and sodium. I find it all a little fascinating 😀

After the injury earlier this year I slowed down (yes, I know… some of you will say I didn’t… but I did… 😛 ) and now it is time to kick back in gear. I have been using My Fitness Pal since Monday and I will let you know each Friday how I am doing with the ticker that is below.

Created by MyFitnessPal – Free Weight Loss Tools

The Devil In The White City by Eric Larson

Published on August 11, 2011August 11, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)37 Comments

When Daniel Hudson Burns was asked to oversee the architecture and development of the World’s Fair, Burns seen this as a way to really make a name for himself. Painstakingly he hired and fired… working hard to get it right to create what would put Chicago on the map… an amazing attraction to celebrate the anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of America that would draw people to it from all over the world.

Not too far from the fairs planned location was H.H. Holmes. Holmes had a dark side that was easily masked by his piercing blue eyes, pleasant demeanor, fine style of dress, and Holmes just had an uncanny way with people. Holmes was a swindler, and a murderer, and actually created a home (later known as the Murder Castle) that was designed to trap people, and hide the bodies – or in some cases, Holmes would plant the bodies of those he had killed so they would be found and be seen as having had an “accident.” As many of these people had trusted Holmes, he had taken out insurance policies on them as “family members” and would collect once the bodies were recovered.

While Burns worked at creating the famous Fair, Holmes made plan of how he would lure people from the fair into his many traps….

Told in alternating chapters between the making and creating of the World’s Fair, and the coinciding happenings that surrounded the man named Holmes, this non fiction read will capture you and not let you go. This well written books reads like a smoothly flowing fiction book, but the fact is – it is not fiction.

I poured over the pages of this book as you could almost feel the tension churning…. first the start of the fair, then over to Holmes as he makes his way into peoples hearts (I am reminded of Jeffrey Daumer), then back to what is happening with the fair, the architecture, the details – all make for fascinating reading. Did you know the first Ferris wheel was built at this fair?

1aaaa — Chicago newspaper with layout of Holmes "murder castle" as it became to be known. Designed with secret rooms, an air tight vault with gas injection and a shoot that led to a basement filled with lye.

Truth really is stranger than fiction. When I was first introduced to this book last month during book club I was amazed I had never heard of this true story of murder and mayhem surrounding the Chicago World Fair. In fact, honestly… I knew little of the fair. Upon reading this book and taking a survey of our book club – no one in our group had heard of the missing people surrounding the fair or the man called Holmes.

Each car held 60 people...a total capacity of 2,160 riders at a timer the man called Holmes.

But before you set your creep factor on high, know that there is more to this book than the spooky Mr. Holmes with the killer looks… and apparently, killer instincts.

The historical facts in this book are … well, amazing. If you have never read up on the Chicago World fair there is so much more than meets the eye. This fair was responsible for new architectural creations never heard of prior. The first Cracker Jacks were at the fair, also new was Aunt Jemima pancakes, Juicy Fruit Gum, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, Shredded Wheat… also The Pledge Of Allegiance is known to have its first recital here at the fair, having been written earlier this same year.

I really could go on and on about what this book offers. Erik Larson has written this so well that it never feels heavy with the Holmes dealings weaving in and out of the progress of the fair. The chapters flow smoothly between the two story lines and it never felt choppy. Once into the book, I had a hard time putting it down. I look forward to giving Eric Larson’s book In The Garden Of Beasts.

The book will capture those who enjoy a good murder mystery, it will also hold those who like history. In the end, I really found this book to be one I enjoyed immensely, highly recommend and will remain on the keeper shelf.

*Note that this book is due to come out as a movie in 2012/2013 starring Leo DiCaprio as Holmes. While the book really is about the fair and Holmes is a secondary story… I believe the movie will reverse this and make Holmes the prime story line.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads review

Movie thoughts:

The 2011 WHERE Are you Reading map has been updated to include The Devil In The White City

I purchased this book at Amazon

Bookies rated this read a solid 4 (on a scale of 1 -5)

Morning Meanderings: The Help movie scores an A+ with me

Published on August 11, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)36 Comments

Good morning. I am coffee free this morning….. but on purpose. 😀 I am going to my first weigh in this morning with a friend and I am anal about eating or drinking anything before weigh in. No worries – my weigh in is at 8:30 am and I will stop for coffee on my way to work after.

Last night myself and a mix of book club gals and friends, went to the 7 pm showing of The Help. I was warned previously by Kathy at Bermuda Onion to bring Kleenex, which I forgot and did need. 😛

I felt the movie was a wonderful stem off the book. While not all scenes ran as the book did, it was a close comparison and changes were small and probably so the movie (which was 2 1/5 hours long) did not become a 3 to 4 hour movie! 😀

The characters were wonderful – Skeeter played by Emma Stone did a wonderful job and Aibileen by Viola Davis, was breathtakingly true to the character. Of course… if you know me…. my heart and my laugh was given time and again to Minny. Minny was outspoken, rough around the edges, and in her home life… abused.

The seven of us in the theater as well as the rest of the theater rolled with laughter when it came to the confrontation between Minny and Hilly. Hilly, by the way, cast by Bryce Dallas Howard also did wonderful! In fact there is no part taken that I would say did not feel true to the book.

I laughed and I cried, and I laughed and I cried again. I highly recommend if this movie comes close to you that you see it. AND – bring the Kleenex. 😉

Morning Meanderings… Celebrating 10 years with the Bookies!

Published on August 10, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)48 Comments

Good morning all!

After yesterday mornings “I am in limbo” post… this one excited me to write!

Last night was my August book club meeting, but this time it was more than that. It was also a surprise birthday party for Sharon in our group who turns 50 today, and it was also our 10 year anniversary.

I am pretty sentimental when it comes to my book club. Bookies was started in August of 2001 as a way to bring people together. At the time I had worked for Wal-Mart about 10 years and thought it was sad that many of us who had worked together for so long really didn’t know anything about each other.

The idea of a book club came out of the air. I figured I like to read… maybe others do too. So I posted a book title by the time clock (Dance Upon The Air by Nora Roberts) and put a date, place and time to meet in a few weeks. And….

crickets.

Yup. No one said a word to me about it.

The night we were to meet I thought I would show up at the meeting place, have a diet Pepsi and then go home if I was all alone. So I showed up. And a few minutes after me, Angie showed up (Angie now runs the book blog By Book or By Crook!) and Karen showed up. And we reviewed the book and I had brought another book to suggest for the next month (Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard). We agreed to meet again the second Tuesday of September. This was 2001.

On that second Tuesday of September… it was the 11th and we had the terrorist attacks on the world trade center. It was a day that filled with a lot of emotion and turmoil, and that evening I told my husband I was going to show up at book club. I did not know if we would have any new people, I had not heard from anyone… but I did not want them to show up and be alone so I went. The amazing thing was, the other two showed up as well as one more. We all agreed that there was nothing we could do at home about what was happening in the world, so we shared our thoughts on the days events, brokenhearted for the world, and yes, we reviewed the book.

Now it is August 2011 and we are currently 17 members. Walking into the Boardwalk Bread and Bagel last night was amazing to look at all the book lovers there… all a part of this group we call Bookies. We no longer can fit into a booth like we did that first meeting (although I did suggest we try :razz:)

Last night we reviewed Devil In The White City by Eric Larson. I can not wait to share with you my thoughts as well as the Bookies. We celebrated a milestone birthday with Sharon, and ate together. Coming home, I just could not get over how blessed I feel to be a part of such amazing women. It started out to be a few girls that worked together… then we added a few friends… and then it grew from there. We never said we were an all girls group… it just turned out that way.

Next month we are reading The Postmistress bu Sarah Blake. I read and reviewed this one a while back but think I will refresh myself by trying it on audio….

Morning Meanderings… So This Is What Limbo Feel Like….

Published on August 9, 2011August 9, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)22 Comments

Good morning! 😀

I have this feeling of well… limbo.

Limbo: A region or condition of oblivion or neglect: Management kept her promotion in limbo for months.

A state or place of confinement.

An intermediate place or state

What has brought this on?

Well normally after a big bike ride like I just had this past weekend I would be flooding you with information and pictures. Day one of the ride (Saturday) was stormy and we rode about 5 hours of the 75 miles in the rain – hard rain. By pit stop one (10 miles into the ride) my camera had taken in moisture and was not working. No camera… no pictures.

SO I am telling you just a wee bit about the ride now as I believe pictures will start getting posted on Facebook and I will be able to find some so you can see how truly soaked we were. It is the first time I rode through hard rain. Wet, cold…. but only 4 riders dropped out and I was not going to be one of them.

Camp as always was beautiful and by that time the sun was out and when we rode in although we were muddy…. we were pretty dry.

The rest of the afternoon I hung out with friends catching up on lives, and then we had a wonderful dinner, camp fire – and bed by 9:30 pm so we could get up and ride 75 miles back on Sunday, which was a really nice day to ride. Not too hot.

I had no incidents. No falls. No nothing. 😛 I believe as a team there were 10 flat tires, and one pulled tendon which involved a trip to the hospital, but all is well now between the bikes and the riders. 😀

That’s limbo #1.

Limbo #2 is that I feel really behind in my reading. The weekend was a bust for book moments as I picked up my book Saturday evening and fell asleep before I read one page. Sunday evening came home after dinner was downstairs trying to read while Al (hubby) watched tv and I fell asleep again.

At this time I have book club tonight (our 10th Anniversary party!!!!) and I have not finished the book because I keep falling asleep. 😛

So there you have it. No pics to show, no books to review… AND

Limbo #3, I hardly got around to any of the Monday What Are You Reading participants yesterday as I worked all day, followed immediately by a 3 hour meeting for the upcoming camp dates, and then came home, made dinner, picked up my book….

and yup – you guessed it…. promptly fell asleep.

(Really – it is not the book…. it is me). 😀

2011 Bike Miles: 372

2011 Blade miles: 42

Book Blogger Appreciation Week Sept 12-16

Published on August 8, 2011August 13, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)6 Comments

BBAW. Book Blogger Appreciation Week is September 12 through 16. But there’s an important deadline coming up much sooner. Nominations for awards are due by August 13. The details of how to nominate your favorite blogs are on this page: The 2011 Awards Process.

BBAW is a fantastic way to appreciate the book blogs and the bloggers “behind the blogs” 😀

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on August 7, 2011August 8, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)65 Comments

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! D 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.

Last weeks winner:

Angelica at My Sassy Angel

WOO HOO!!!! Please choose an item out of the Reading Cafe Grab Shelves and email me your choice with your mailing address as well! journeythroughbooks@gmail.com

In case you wonder why I offer a book giveaway for those who visit others who do this meme, it is because I LOVE community. Book Blogging is all about sharing our love for books with one another. By visiting some of the other participants – you never know where you may find that next awesome read – or a blog that becomes one that you want to read more often.

I had a lovely and busy week and weekend. This past week between work and a couple of evening meetings my reading time was small, I managed to finish two of the audio books I was listening to, but not nearly the amount of reading time I had hoped. here is what I did accomplish:

Something Blue by Emily Giffin (audio book review that involves thoughts about choking the main character)

Between by Jessica Warman – book review

BBAW (Book Blogger Appreciation Week) is coming!!!! I posted the categories and how to get registered)

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury (audio review with a WOW factor)

The Library Book sale and my haul of books 😛

Curse Of The Blue Tattoo by L A Meyer (audio review – the Bloody Jack series)

I was on a 150 mile bike ride this weekend that is possibly my favorite ride every year and for a great cause

I got into POTTERMORE!!!! (yes this a layer of geakiness that you may not even have realized I have 😛

I came home late afternoon on Sunday from a 150 mile bike ride. After being slightly idol the past 6 weeks from the arm cast the bike ride was harder than I had imagined. It rained hard most of the ride on Saturday and then as we were pulling into camp, it cleared and was nice out for the afternoon, overnight, and the 75 miles back on Sunday. As far as what my plan is for this week…. I have two longer audios going now that I do not think I will finish this week, so only slight planning on that end:

Hilly is the town’s white Queen Bee with an antebellum attitude towards race. She hopes to lead her minions into the latter part of the century with the “enlightened” view of making sure every home in Jackson, Mississippi, has a separate toilet for the help. Her crusade is, she says, based on clear hygienic criteria, which will save both blacks and whites from heinous diseases.

Despite the fact that the maids prepare the food, care for the children, and clean every part of every home, privy to every secret, many of the white women look at their black maids as an alien race. There are more enlightened views, especially those of Skeeter, a white, single woman with a college degree, who aspires to more than earning her MRS. Skeeter begins collecting the maids’ stories. And the maids themselves find the issue of race humiliating, infuriating, life-controlling. Race sows bitter seeds in the dignity of women who feel they have no choices except to follow their mamas into the white women’s kitchens and laundries. Aibilene says, “I just want things to be better for the kids.” Their hopes lie in education and improvement, change someday for their children.

There is real danger for the maids sharing their stories as well as danger for Skeeter herself. The death of Medgar Evers touches the women deeply, making them question their work and a decision to forge ahead, hoping their book can be published anonymously and yet not recognized by the very white women they know to the last deviled egg and crack in a dining room table.

I read this book a couple years back and LOVED it! Now as the movie is about to release this week (August 10th) I thought I would try the audio that I have heard raving about and rightfully so – it is incredible. (I will not even get started on the fact that it looks like my local theater as well as any theaters within an hour of me will have The Help movie showing.)

The incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with such drama that readers may find themselves checking the book’s categorization to be sure that The Devil in the White City is not, in fact, a highly imaginative novel. Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair’s construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor. Burnham’s challenge was immense. In a short period of time, he was forced to overcome the death of his partner and numerous other obstacles to construct the famous “White City” around which the fair was built. His efforts to complete the project, and the fair’s incredible success, are skillfully related along with entertaining appearances by such notables as Buffalo Bill Cody, Susan B. Anthony, and Thomas Edison. The activities of the sinister Dr. Holmes, who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair, are equally remarkable. He devised and erected the World’s Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims.

This is my book club read for August. The fact that it is centered around Chicago fascinated me, and the World’s Fair was a plus as well. We review this yet this week so I need to get a movie on it. 😀

When ten-year-old Enaiatollah Akbari’s small village in Afghanistan falls prey to Taliban rule in early 2000, his mother shepherds the boy across the border into Pakistan but has to leave him there all alone to fend for himself. Thus begins Enaiat’s remarkable and often punishing five-year ordeal, which takes him through Iran, Turkey, and Greece before he seeks political asylum in Italy at the age of fifteen.

Along the way, Enaiat endures the crippling physical and emotional agony of dangerous border crossings, trekking across bitterly cold mountain pathways for days on end or being stuffed into the false bottom of a truck. But not everyone is as resourceful, resilient, or lucky as Enaiat, and there are many heart-wrenching casualties along the way.

Based on Enaiat’s close collaboration with Italian novelist Fabio Geda and expertly rendered in English by an award- winning translator, this novel reconstructs the young boy’s memories, perfectly preserving the childlike perspective and rhythms of an intimate oral history.

This reminds me of another book I recently read and I can not put my finger on the title now… Soldier Boy maybe…

Mark your calendars as next Monday August 15th will be the 100th Its Monday What Are You Reading that I have hosted. There will be a couple bonus giveaways next week for participants so encourage your readers to join in the fun 😀

I am leaving it there for this week. I am hopeful to get in more reading this week then I did last week. I am now excited to see what you are reading – please add your What Are You reading to the linky below where it says click here. 😀

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