Book Journey

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Published on July 17, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)39 Comments

Kyle Kingsbury is one good looking guy. And… he knows it. He is that guy that looks amazing, has a way with words, and has the money to back it up thanks to daddy. Kyle can have any girl he wants and has her…. but one girl annoys him, the class freak Kendra. She calls out Kyle every chance she gets and he makes a decision to get even.

At a school dance he sets Kendra up for an epic fail and humiliates her. Feeling good about himself, as Kyle usually does, he goes home only to find that Kendra has also come to his home and curses him by telling him he will be just as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside. Instantly, Kyle turns into a scarred, tattooed beast.

The cure, Kendra tells Kyle is to find someone who loves him for who he is on the inside. And well…. good luck with that.

Even the family money can not find a way to return Kyles looks and his father embarrassed now by his son sends him away to a home with his maid to live out his days out of the public spotlight.

Will Kyle ever be able to find someone who could love him as hideous as he is when he can not even stand to look at himself?

Honestly? I had no intention of reading this book. I think I seen the movie cover before I seen the book cover and it just screamed “Teen angst!”

But then, as occasionally happens I read a review of this book over at my friend Reagan’s blog, Miss Remmers Reviews. It was enough to make me curious and so I found a copy and poked my head inside. This is one of those books that even though you know that you know that you know the outcome – how it will all come together, even who the characters will be that makes it happen… it was still…

wonderful.

Yes – I too was surprised by my enjoyment of this book, so much in fact that after the read – I rented the movie and really enjoyed that as well. Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer do an amazing job together and it just made me fall more in love with this modern day retelling of Beauty and The Beast.

You may recall that I read and reviewed Cloaked, also by this author. Alex Flinn has a way with putting a pretty interesting twist on the fairy tales of our past, and I enjoyed the modern day recap.

Amazon Rating

Good reads review

The 2011 WHERE Are You reading Map has been updated to include Beastly

I borrowed this book from my local library!

Morning Meanderings…Back on the bike seat again!

Published on July 17, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)28 Comments

Good morning. Up at 5 am this morning, picking up Amy at 6 am and off to St Joseph Minnesota for the Tour Of Saints. This is my first bike ride since the crash in early June and I am excited, but a little nervous too.

Our goal is 5o miles and we want to start early to beat the heat as much as possible… it is supposed to be 92 degrees today. We should be checked in and started by 7:30 am.

I will be back later this afternoon to get my book on 😀

Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain

Published on July 16, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments

Anthony Bourdain, the star of the series No reservations on the Travel Channel, and the author of Kitchen Confidential now releases his sharp tongue, never apologizing ways in this new collection about the chefs in the industry, the economy, the best places to find a good burger… it reads like we are sitting and talking about cooking and food…. Anthony Bourdain flies from topic to topic, while occasionally hard to follow – it almost always is interesting.

If you have seen his show, you pretty much know what you are in for. At least… I thought I did.

Here is a little sample (or two) of Bourdain’s show, No Reservations:

Anyway – you get the picture. Food is what Boudain does. And for the most part he does it well. This was also the draw for me to this audio, narrated by Anthony Bourdain himself.

I admit it. I like the tone of Anthony’s voice. He is level and matter of fact. he has a quick wit, a knack for sarcasm – and he tells it like it is. Even, when I necessarily do not need to know to that extent of “what it is”.

What do I mean by that? Well, while I do enjoy Anthony Bourdain’s show, No Reservations… I have come to realize that they clean his words up quite a bit. In this audio, there is none of this and you can plan on being encased in everything that is on Anthony’s mind and without any sensors, all of this will come right out of his mouth. You will hear the “F” word… frequently. You will hear pretty much every other word as well.

So why, a person that usually avoids such books and audio, why would I put myself through this?

Honestly… I like to hear about the food behind Anthony’s language. If you can filter (and you will need a heavy-duty one at that) through that, the audio is quite interesting.

I enjoyed hearing how the economy changed the look and feel of some of New Yorks higher class restaurants forever – and even possibly for the better. Anthony shares that while some restaurants may no longer be able to afford to serve the salmon they once did, they have found ways to serve delicious lesser priced fish just as well. In some cases – they are thrilled to do so as chefs have known that some of the fish that normally would not grace their menu, is actually very good – and the economy has given them the opportunity to show this.

I also learned – that the economy has made the classy restaurants friendlier. There was a time you would be snubbed for walking up to a high-class eatery without a reservation. If you called to get a reservation without weeks and weeks notice, you would practically be hung up on. These days are gone. People are now encouraged to come in anytime. The phone service has greatly improved and the wait staff is considerably friendlier. Well – yay for all of that. 😛

I also enjoyed hearing about other big named chefs. Bourdain is not easy on any of them. He takes no prisoners. Some he admires. More, he does not, and he is not shy to tell you why. Names are tossed on the chopping block. He even goes into detail about his time as a judge on Top Chef. Bourdain will share, occasionally at great lengths about the importance of the great chefs actually being at their restaurants – actually cooking meals instead of relying on their name alone to get people in the door.

The chapter talking of the great detail that chefs go to prepare the fish for our meals – astounded me. I had never thought about what the big name restaurant may pay for a pound of fish and that would be including – head, innards, scales etc… much of which they paid for is thrown away in the cleaning process and they pay a very talented chef with a knife to do just that long before we ever see it on our plate.

At times I applauded Anthony Bourdains’ boldness. At other times I cringed at his references, language and crudeness. I am well aware that some of what make me cringe… are part of what has made him the success he is today.

The over all thing I have to admit here is that despite his great flaws…. I like him.

This review is linked to Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking. Pop on over and see what others are cooking or reading about food this weekend!

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading Map has been updated to include Medium Raw

I purchased this audio from audible.com

Morning Meanderings… A Look Into My Saturday

Published on July 16, 2011July 16, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)44 Comments

Good morning! I am sitting here with COFFEE CUP this morning reflecting over the past week.

It was… a good one.

On Tuesday we had our annual Queen Event for Book Club, on Thursday I went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter… the final movie.

I think that is a pretty good week. 😛

This morning I reflected a bit on my yard. I love love love my back yard. So for The Saturday Snapshot over at Alyce’s At Home With Books, I went around this morning with the camera…

The view of my back deck. My favorite summer reading place is on this deck. I love the shrubbery around it... it gives it the feel of a sanctuary in the middle of a forest.

Apples coming in on the tree we planted 8 years ago to replace trees we lost in the tornado.

The two Silver Maples in the center of this pic are also replacement trees.

...and one of the hostas along side the house.

As for my weekend… today I have planned to finish the lawn, finish a book. Hubby and I may go for a motorcycle ride later, or a movie. Tomorrow I am doing the Tour Of Saints bike ride with my friend Amy, the first bike ride since my accident in early June. I am excited to get back on track.

Any fun weekend plans? I would love to hear what you are doing this weekend in your corner of the world! 😛

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling – special anniversary addition

Published on July 15, 2011July 15, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)12 Comments

In the beginning…. it was The Dursley’s at the (now famous) address of Four Pivet Drive, also the opening line to the book. The Dursley’s kept to themselves, not liking anything out of the ordinary – but that was about to change.

One day… a very odd day filled with strangely cloaked persons and owls everywhere…. a package arrives on the doorstep of the Dursleys…

a baby actually. A baby called Harry Potter.

Certainly by now you know the story. Harry is raised by his Aunt and Uncle – if you can call living under the stairs, not being acknowledged, and pretty much treated worse than a house mouse, being raised.

Until one day – a visitor comes. A large visitor and it is suddenly like Harry won the lottery. He is taken to a school for wizards – wizards!!! And this is really where Harry’s story takes flight. With his new friends Ron and Hermione… who knew that Harry Potter would become a household name – and that this amazing book, about an orphaned boy with a scar was only the beginning…

I have looked for a hard covered version of this book for years. I could not find book one in hard cover! Then, this past May in New York, I not only found it at the Harry Potter Exhibit, I found it as the ten-year anniversary edition. SSSQQUUUEEEEEEE!!!!!

SO this week – the week before the final movie release and an end, really, to an era. I had to dive into Harry’s world once again.

It wasn’t me who grew up on these books… it was my kids. But really… I think in a way, I did too. These books became as important to me, as they did my two sons. We read them together…. three copies of each as they came out. Three readers, noses buried deep into a fantasy world of magic, friendships, dark forces, and a school that makes all of this

1daaa — Snape, as J K Rowling always saw him. This was scribbled back in 1992 or 3. Although J K spent years denying that Snape is a vampire, even she admits now he looked a little like Count Dracula in the cloak.

happen.

*sigh* Is it no wonder I love these books so much?

Now I know many die-hard Harry Potter fans were reading either the entire series on preparation for the final movie, or the last book, or the 6th and 7th book again. My goal was to read the first, (this one) and the last.

Why?

Because when something is ending… I like to remember the beginning. Reading Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone was going back to Privet Drive, before Harry had any idea he was a wizard, back to when Hogwarts was exciting and new, and school friends were the best thing in the world.

I had a blast remembering Harry’s first classes, how at first he and Ron found Hermione annoying and bossy (you may remember the fight in this first book where Hermione overheard Ron talking about how annoying she was…. ). This led to the whole troll in the castle chapter where we who have been through this book (and/or the movie) will always be able to recall the term “troll boogers”.

Pretty much from that point on – the three were friends for life.

Reading this book prior to seeing the final installation of The Deathly Hallows really opened up a bigger picture for me. It was hard to look at the screen as Hogwarts was no longer the beautiful and magical school it was under Dumbledore’s reign…. instead it lays in near ruins not only under poor management, but also being destroyed under the death eaters watch.

It is also pretty amazing to look at these three characters that in this book are all new to the joys of the magical world… and see them in the final movie as hardened young adults facing their destiny head on. Times… they have changed….

I think the biggest thing to remember about Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone is that it was and always will be… the beginning of something that changed the world as we knew it. It changed the way we read books and it really in all truth, set the bar high for future such reads. I myself can think of a couple of series that made valiant efforts to touch the greatness of Potter and ultimately failed. In truth, I am not sure if anything can ever touch this level of world-changing reading and writing again.

I for one, would love to read a fantasy book that even comes close to the phenomenon that is Harry Potter.

2aaaa — Harry, Hermione, and Ron... Then and Now

The 2011 WHERE Are You reading Map has been updated to Include Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone

I purchased this lovely hard cover anniversary edition in New York at the Harry Potter Exhibition

Morning Meanderings…. Mischief Managed and Placing The Sorting Hat High On The Shelf

Published on July 15, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)32 Comments

Good morning. My Minnesota view outside my window is overcast and gloomy. Rain spatters the windows of my home and for once I find this weather quite appropriate for my mood.

I feel…. melancholy. I feel a little overcast myself really.

Last night, as the clock struck midnight and many (most) of you were well into the sleep world… I was sitting in a crowded, chatty movie theater waiting anxiously, and a little precariously as the opening to Harry Potter 7 part 2 lit upon the big screen.

I think most die-hard Potter fans would agree that this final movie is at once exciting and sad.

I have talked about it more than once here about how Harry Potter came into my kids lives in the later part of 1998 and Scholastic brought it into my home on that lovely little paper ordering sheet that the kids and I drooled over. Through the years we read them together, and last night while I was here in Brainerd Minnesota watching the movie, my college son was in Mankato Minnesota doing the same thing. 😀

While the movie was exciting and with 5 theaters showing it last night in my small town alone at 250 seats per theater and $8.50 per ticket… well I can only imagine the impact heard around the world –

BUT…

to me it did not generate that same excitement I had standing in the forefront of a line that wrapped around Barnes and Noble or insert book store of your choice here…. waiting for the next book to get in my eager hands.

I am forever grateful to be a part of this era of Harry Potter. To have lived it first hand as the books were printed, as the excitement grew, the first movie to the last. I wonder if they even fully know the impact they made not only on the lives of children, but on their parents, not only the movies – but the BOOKS – THE BOOKS. The books that made readers from non- readers all over the world.

I leave this morning this ode to Harry Potter:

AND for those of you who have shared with me that you have not read the books… have not seen the movies and are on the outside scratching your head as to the over all over the top obsession I have with these books…. here is a 6 minute recap of all that has happened in the movies to bring you up to full speed (also – full spoilers here to all previous movie – but not this last one)

1bbbb — Oh yes.... this is even a new level of dorkiness for me 🙂

Have an awesome rest of your morning! I am reading today, and enjoying my day off. 😛

South Of Superior by Ellen Airgood

Published on July 14, 2011July 14, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

When Madeline Stone walks away from Chicago and moves five hundred miles north to the coast of Lake Superior, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, she isn’t prepared for how much her life will change.

Charged with caring for an aging family friend, Madeline finds herself in the middle of beautiful nowhere with Gladys and Arbutus, two octogenarian sisters-one sharp and stubborn, the other sweeter than sunshine. As Madeline begins to experience the ways of the small, tight-knit town, she is drawn into the lives and dramas of its residents. It’s a place where times are tough and debts run deep, but friendship, community, and compassion run deeper. As the story hurdles along-featuring a lost child, a dashed love, a car accident, a wedding, a fire, and a romantic reunion-Gladys, Arbutus, and the rest of the town teach Madeline more about life, love, and goodwill than she’s learned in a lifetime.

1bba — Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area if Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are considered to be two lakes. It is the world's third-largest freshwater lake by volume. ~ Wikepedia

Living in an area of Minnesota where Lake Superior is a regular sight when we travel north to our cabin, the title of this book caught my attention.

I have always liked the story line of a person being uprooted from their “comfort zone” and placed into a new life. This is the story of Madeline and her return to where she was born that leads to life lessons that she never could have anticipated.

Madeline’s new life is not without difficulties and I enjoyed her trying to find her niche while she still struggled with the lifestyle she came from and where she now was. While it takes awhile for her to literally WARM UP to her surroundings, the town needs to warm up to her too. (I was picking up a bit of a Renee Zellweger vibe from the movie “New In Town“.

The book is pretty paced, not too slow but not a fast page turner either. I enjoyed the book as a lite summer read that was enjoyed from my lawn chair on the back deck with a never-ending pitcher of iced tea.

This book was part of a TLC Book Tour

Morning Meanderings… BOOK CLUB…. The First Rule Of Book Club…

Published on July 14, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

Good morning! 😀

If you visit here occasionally, often, frequently, mornings with your own coffee cup (kudos by the way for that!) then you probably know that I am always gushing about my book club.

If your newer here – hi, welcome, and I LOVE my book club.

Next month will be our ten-year anniversary. We started in August of 2001 and we have grown in so many ways – in what we read, how we do reviews, and how to keep it exciting and fun for our now group of 14.

We had our book club meeting on Tuesday (second Tuesdays…. 10 years of second Tuesdays!) and not only was it our Annual Queen Event, Sharon had taken the initiative to design t-shirts for us and take orders and well… here are the two designs we now have:

Ahhh…. right? I love them!!!

Yesterday I went rollerblading with Wendy. First time since the big bike crash and it was great to get our on the trail again. We bladed 12 miles. Thanks Wendy! 😀

Bike miles in 2011: 196

Rollerblade miles: 30

Morning Meanderings… A New Queen and The Next Book Club Pick

Published on July 13, 2011July 14, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Good Morning! 😀

Another lovely book event last night. We had our annual Queen Event which is always a blast. Every July we have a “free read” month. We do not have a book we all discuss, instead we potluck together and share what we read and what we recommend.

Oh…

and did I mention we dress up in fun dresses and choose a Bookies Queen?

Huh…. you think I would have mentioned that. 😛

Five years ago we read a book by Cassandra King called Same Sweet Girls and picked up a little idea from that book to do this event. We thought it would be a fun one time thing…. dress up and choose a Queen…. instead it became an annual event.

So what does one do to be Queen? We give little speeches, or sing, or read a poem, any thing to encourage others to vote for us. It’s really all in fun. And the things we come up with…. well…. hilarious.

What does the Queen do? The “Queen” breaks all book nomination ties. If we vote on a book to read and come up with a tie, the Queen chooses the book. Same with where to meet or special meetings. She also becomes the proud owner of the crown, the scepter, and uh…. the royal throne ( a gold spray painted toilet). 😛

So last night we had a wonderful get together with food, and dresses…. we discussed what we have been reading and then we voted on our August book club read which will be: The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson. We also chose our classic read for October Classic month and the book that won is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (yup – never read it).

We ended our evening with the vote and…. our past Queen Lori, called up the Queen and runner up…. Sharon and Amy…

Congratulations Amy! Sharon is the runner-up and will fulfill the Queen duties when Amy is not available to do so.

Once Upon A Time There Was You by Elizabeth Berg

Published on July 12, 2011July 12, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)6 Comments

On her wedding day, Irene Marsh sits in the bride’s room asking her best friend Valerie to go and get the car and help her escape. And if Valerie doesn’t want to help, Irene understands; she says can take a bus home.
On the night before his wedding, John Marsh sits in a bar with his best friend who asks a nervous John to recall why he’s marrying Irene, in an effort to calm him down. John says: “Because she doesn’t wear make-up?”
This marriage ends in divorce. No surprise there, not even to Irene and John. In fact they would both agree the only good thing that happened during their marriage was their daughter Sadie.

Now at age 18, Sadie is living with her mother and feels smothered by Irene’s over bearing need to control everything that involves Sadie, and John while still playing the role of the good father, lives back in Minnesota and seems distant and unavailable when Sadie needs him.

When tragedy strikes, hitting the core of what Irene and John held dearest, the once couple is brought back together to support one another while they try to support their daughter as well.

As I continue my way through the works of Elizabeth Berg I found myself with her newest release, Once Upon A Time There was You. I felt almost from the beginning that this book was going to be predictable. A few pages in, I felt as though I knew how it would all end and with a resigned sigh, I proceeded deeper into the book.

It made me, and hopefully you as well, happy to know I was wrong.

Irene was not a strong woman. She was self-conscious about her body, her age, and the fact that her daughter soon would go off to college and she would be alone. Irene dated yes, but never really connected with anyone. Even her best friend Valerie said that Irene was restless… never satisfied with just staying put.

“It’s like you’re all the time digging in the tomato bin, saying, ‘Where are the apples?'”

~ Valerie to Irene page 276

And John was actually the more likable of the once couple. He was calm, patient, and thought before he spoke, unlike Irene who’s every emotion ran right out her mouth.

Really though, this book centers around Sadie and Sadie’s “happening” is the plot of this book, and I have to say, a weak plot at that. What happened to Sadie could have been quite a powerful story line. In fact when it was happening I was thinking whoa…. this is going to really be explosive of how the book moves forward.

But…

it wasn’t.

And so the book moves on from this point and I along with it, wondering what big thing would happen…. but alas, did not.

As I turned the last page (actually I really did turn the last page because I did not realize it was the last page…) I do not know if I had a full sense of closure. Yes, most of the story was brought full circle, but in the end… it felt…. incomplete to me.

An enjoyable light read. Nothing more.