Book Journey

I am on the tale end of a full week ( with bookend weekends) off. Normally if I take time off its because I am going somewhere or have a big commitment, like Camp.
Not this time.
For the first time in as long as I can remember, I just spent 9 days at home working on house projects, doing things I have wanted to do – but just have not had the time. I absolutely loved it. Waking up around 6:30 every morning, coffee, creating, clearing of the head… I left the house only for groceries and supplies for my projects.
And… there was audio.

As I look at the titles of what I chose to listen to this past week I am a bit concerned… lol. They all have an air of mystery to them, great suspense – but nothing over the top heavy or creepy. They were great listens while I painted my kitchen cabinets, cleaned out cupboards and closets, repurposed furniture, and tackled the job of painting the entire lower level of my home.

A few teasers before I write reviews…

A Woman Alone by Nina Laurin: Read with my book club, nominated by Paula. Cecelia, along with her husband and daughter have recently moved into a neighborhood of smart homes. Homes that are the wave of the future – they do nearly everything for you, know your favorite tv shows, when you work and come home, when you need to wake, sleep, cook your dinner and know how you like your coffee. The concept is to feel completely safe, but Cecelia does not. There are things she notices that others do not… and she begins to fear for her life.

The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman: Chosen by me, while browsing through Audible. June and Sadie have been for the most part life-long rivals all along hanging together in the same group of friends. Competing back in their school days from everything from best grades, accomplishments, and yes, even the guy. Now, many years later a Girls Weekend has been planned at Sadie’s home to celebrate their friends upcoming baby. Reluctantly, June decided to join at the last minute, after all it would be nice to see the other girls. What starts out as a weekend get together quickly turns into something else… a missing host… a smashed phone… and a lot of blood. Leaving all the girls as suspects and every one of them with a reason to kill.

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb: A long time fan of Wendy and her books, this was an easy choice. Brynn Wilder is due for a break. After a tough year, Brynn takes a break by staying in a boarding house in a town called Wharton, near Lake Superior. Brynn meets some wonderful long term guests including a man who more than catches her eye. But all is not as it seems in this quiet town as Brynn is soon to find out. One of the rooms is closed to the public and as the tragedy unfolds… Brynn begins to feel that somehow she is connected – drawn in through her dreams, and quite possibly her nightmares.

All three have been quite enjoyable and the time off during this strange year – priceless. Highly recommend if you can find a way to take a mini break and shut the world out (at least a little bit) its well worth the reset. Full reviews coming. 😉

Ready to go!

Just as good as I thought it would be! ~Sheila

Admittedly, I am a Twilight Junky. I absolutely ADORED all the books… and yes, the movies too. I don’t know what if it was the combination of a Young Adult read (which I love!), with the combo of a magical force (oooh! Double love!) in this case Vampires and Werewolves… but there you have it. I loved it all. I couldn’t get enough.

That said, I was cautiously optimistic when I heard about this book. On one hand SUPER EXCITED that after all this time another book was here and this time from Edward’s perspective – yet we have all experienced the case where someone tries to make lightning strike twice in books and/or movies and in the long run, you wish they would have left well enough alone. #StayOnTop

I am happy to say, I really enjoyed this revisit to Forks, Washington. I mean yeah its a little cooler than I like and the sun doesn’t shine too bright, but I do have friends there. I am still unsure if my love for this book was the feel good feeling of having the chance to be back in that world, or if I really enjoyed it for the story. The world – may never know. Bottom line for me is, who cares. I listened to this on audio and enjoyed the comfy familiarity of the setting. I did enjoy hearing Edwards side of the same story I knew from Twilight, yet from his perspective – his thoughts as he went from loathing Bella, to trying to fight his love for her – the need to be with her always.

Good stuff. IMO.

Twilight Fans, I would love to know your take on this read? Did you have the experience I did, where I kind of hope the whole series is continued this way… or was it just too much like the first book and basically a re-read of a book you may already have on your shelf?

Summer and Elin Hildebrand go together like beaches and great reads. I get excited every summer to see what Elin will come up with next. In 28 Summers, I was not disappointed – a unique intro to each chapter, a fun story surrounding Nantucket and I am all in! ~Sheila

When Mallory Blessing inherits a Beach Cottage on Nantucket, she is more than happy to host her brother Cooper’s bachelorette party. What follows the evening of the party is anything but planned, and leaves Mallory in an awkward situation, alone at the cottage with Cooper’s College buddy, Jake. Or is it awkward? In reality, Mallory finds Jake to be kind and charming, and someone she is a more than a little attracted to. The feeling is mutual.

While life pulls them in very different directions, Mallory and Jake make a decision to meet up each year just like in the classic film, Same Time Next Year which they both enjoy. What follows is 28 years of life happenings, wishes and dreams, and the reality of living separate lives 51 weeks out of the year.

I am a BIG fan of Hilderbrand’s books. While never heavy, they are engaging and I loved the 28 Summers theme and how each chapter starts with the highlights of that year. I listened to this one on audio and was so captivated I often hung out in my car a little longer than I should have in grocery store parking lots and in my garage – just to hear what was going to happen next.

While Hilderbrand’s books are usually (if not always) centered around a Nantucket setting, they are never a “cookie cutter” format and each one I have read I found to be refreshing and captivating. If you have not experienced this author I highly recommend you do, and if you have experienced this author yet not this book – I think you will enjoy the story around 28 Summers.

I do love a spooky book, a little old school mystery – “A Who Done It” that keeps me guessing and turning the pages. In, And Then There Were None, I found all of this and more. ~Sheila

There is much to love about an Agatha Christie book. Once I had a chance to sit down and read this one, I have to question what took me so long. This book has so many elements I love in a good mystery and I am in awe that this book was originally published in 1939, yet was able to grip me yet today.

I suspect many of you are familiar with the story – The synopsis is that 10 strangers receive an invite to a mansion. Each guest has a reason to go based off what the invitation says. Intrigued (who wouldn’t be?), this motley crew of people from all walks of life wind up at the remote location near Britain’s Devon Coast. Separated from the world, and welcomed by the newly hired servants who also have not met the host, the group is assigned their rooms. In little time, a murder happens,, strange things follow and one by one… the guests are removed… one way or another.

I read this quickly like a great ghost story. I enjoyed the dialogue between the guests, the visual of the old mansion, cool and creepy with dark corners and unknown corridors…. I absolutely loved it. This is a perfect read for fall – when it feels just a little too cool to be outside and a hot cup of tea and a comfy blanket are in order.

I highly recommend you read this book. Not only because of the author, or because it is a banned book, but also because it is a really good read.

Thank you to my friend Ryan who gave me this book a few weeks ago. I love it when a friend hands me a story. It is like the gift of adventure.

Hey all. Happy weekend to you and to me. My weekend happens to be a little quieter than the norm as of late – the agenda includes: dog walking, apple picking, a few non profit things to work on and a book event as well. It is kind of funny to think how much books and book related things are continuously entwined in my life – even when I feel I am not very bookish or have time to read, etc… (says the girl who is currently writing this post from her in house library)

In recent news – our Friends group won the Evy Award for Best New Event this year for our Children’s Reading Initiative we hosted during early COVID – 6 weeks of 6 days a week twice a day live videos from our community and authors reading children’s books on our Facebook page. We won a plaque for the library, and a $1000 check for the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library.

As of a few days ago my copy of Frank Weber’s latest book Lying Close was delivered to my office with my blurb on the back – which I find to be just cool. I posted my review here yesterday.

AND… it’s Banned Book week. I used to be SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD at Banned Book Week and now I see someone post about it on Facebook and I’m like, oh yeah, that’s right. However, mostly by sheer coincidence although I would like to pretend it wasn’t, I did just read a banned book. My friend Ryan, who I met through this site when he once-upon-a-time blogged as well, gave me the book, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie when he recently traveled to Minnesota.

Then There Were None, has been on my to be read list for a long time. I was so excited to read this book – recalling that it did have a shady history, originally published in the United Kingdom 1939 under a different title, and later in the US under yet another title. Thus, this book made the banned book list.

Stay tune, I am hoping to write that review yet today. I am sooooooo far behind on reviews – but after all I said above, the book bug has bit me yet again and I am ready to go… yet again.

Happy reading all!

Sheila

Good morning. I t has been a whirlwind week of activity between work, meetings, yard care, canning, Wine and Words prep…  today is the finish line.
So a quick check in to let you know if you have some time this morning you are welcome to tune into Wine and Words today at 10:30 am Central time for a bit of Author fun.  We will have:
Lorna Landvik
J Ryan Stradal
Julie Schumacker
Kelly Harms
Kaira Rouda
Jenna Blum

Below is a link to our page to register.  It’s free and fun.  They are sharing recipes and stories and talking about their books.  You can also send questions into the authors. Its a webinar you can tune into – we will look like zoom but you will not be seen so, by all means, join in pajamas or whatever 🙂  I’m grabbing my coffee and getting ready.

Happy Friday all.

Link to Wine and Words info and registration 

Hey all, one more invite. before I finish getting ready for work this morning.  Just needed a few minutes with COFFEE CUP and writing.  Once I dip a toe outside my front door I fear the flag will be waved.  It is, after all, Wine and Words week and while it is virtual this year, it is still work to put it all together.  My list of “to-dos” this week for work and life and Wine and Words is LONG.

Today I work and then I am doing the Summer Reads with Laurel from the Library.  As we do not read a book from July to August in anticipation of our big vote next month for the next year’s book selections, we thought it would be fun to do a bonus meet up and discuss great Summer read selections.

We will host this at 6 pm Central Time tonight, July 27th on the Books, Burgers, and Brews Facebook page.  Feel free to tune in as Laurel and I will spent 20 to 30 minutes chatting books from a local location.

As some people have asked how to find videos when someone is live on a page here is an easy way to find us:

Feel free to tune in and share your favorite Summer Reads as well.

Have a super day.

~Sheila

Hey everyone!  If you have followed me for any amount of time here you have probably heard me GUSH about Wine and Words.  This is a literary event that the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library in Minnesota host every year. This year in fact will be its 8th year.

A little history as really all my literacy connections started around this website…  let me give you the 6 Errr… 9 degrees of separation…

1.  In 2009 I start writing here at Book Journey

2.  In 2010 I hear rumblings of something called The Book Expo in New York….  WHAT IS THAT????  (And I go and continue to go for many years)
3.  I get into the expo because of what I do here at Book Journey.

4.  I meet authors, I make stronger connections with publishing houses, I meet a LOT of fellow book lovers in person that I started out by… you guessed it, chatting here.
5.  My love of books and literacy explodes and in 2011 I become the president of the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library and a part of the City Library Board.
6.  I take part in a Library Initiative program that talks about fundraising and I learn about Opus and Olives.  Once I hear that I know we can do this in Brainerd.

7.  I pitch the idea of an author event in our community tot the board, they are skeptical but agree to give me a chance to come up with authors, a venue etc..
8.  BECAUSE of Book Journey and BECAUSE of the Book Expo I have author connections and come back to the 2 weeks later with the following author Yes’s:  Lorna Landvik, Sara Pekkenen, Sandra Brannon, William Kent Krueger and Wendy Webb.  I also had a venue.
9.  Wine and Words is born.  Year one:  180 guests.  Last year (year seven) 670.

This year it takes place on July 30th and 31st as a virtual event.  Our board hired a company to produce it, all my original authors said yes to the change from venue to online and we are offering this for free to anyone who wishes to register.

Author line up;  J Ryan Stradal, Julie Schumacher, Kaira Rouda, Jenna Blum, and Kelly Harms.  Author Lorna Landvik and I will kick off each day from our original venue, Grand View Lodge.  YOU are invited.   Some of you have told me through the years you wished you could attend.  Now you can.
Links and details below.  I am so excited!

Wine and Words 2020 – a Virtual Experience