ROOM by Emma Donoghue (Revisited by the Bookies Book Club)

Published on May 11, 2011May 11, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

Five-year-old Jack and his Ma live and eat and play and sleep in one room–an 11×11-foot space that is Jack’s world… and Ma’s prison. Ma was abducted at the age of 19 by Old Nick 7 years ago. 5 years ago, Jack was born. All Jack knows of the world is in ROOM. He has never seen sky, grass, a dog, a store…. he knows TABLE, BED, SPOON, RUG, WARDROBE, TV… and everything that has been in the room since he was born. Jack is very satisfied with what he believes to be a normal life…. but each day brings Ma to another level of how is she going to get free and save her son who does not know he needs saving?

Last September I read and reviewed ROOM. At the time of that reading I was really impressed with this book. As time went on, I found the book really stuck with me and that …. made it all the more impressive.

Last month, my book club the AWESOME Bookies, chose ROOM to be our book club read for May, and last night we had our potluck around the book and discussion.

Much of what we discussed in the book could be considered spoilerish to someone who has not read the book so I am going to make a spoiler page (my second one for ROOM) to allow those who have read the book to go to and see what was discussed.

Now – for those of you who have not read the book, this is my advice for you. Read it. I recommend it. I have heard many of you say that you don’t think you could handle the book, but seriously – the book is pretty tame. Yes Ma was abducted. Yes Jack is a result of that abduction. BUT note this – all that is pre-ROOM. When ROOM opens, Jack is five and ROOM is told entirely from Jack’s perspective. Things are not going to get too crazy when a five-year old is telling the story. And that too is brilliant of Emma Donoghue…. what could have been a harsh hard book is told by hmmm…. let’s say, Ma, is mellowed and innocent as told by Jack.

The Bookies overall ratings were mixed. We are on a scale of 1 – 5 (5 the best) and most came in around 4 and 4.5… a few around 3. Angie and I, who had both read this book before encouraged them to sit on their thoughts of the book for a while. We both agreed that after reading, we found we even liked it more.

Oh…. and anytime we have a home meeting for Bookies, there is food. I LOVE planning food around our book reviews… our group is so creative, and here is what we had last night in celebration of ROOM:

005 — People who have read the book will understand this.... I actually didn't get too many groans at book club when i came up with this one. 🙂

009 — Wouldnt you ask for this for "Sunday Treat?"

016 — Ahhhh.... this one speaks for itself. 🙂

My original review of ROOM is here

Morning Meanderings…Babblings Of A Bookie

Published on May 11, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

Good morning! 😀

COFFEE CUP and I are here again at the kitchen table. (Oh and also Potato Marley) as now that I have named him… I need to do something besides toss him in the garbage.

Today looks like it is going to be gorgeous – the only day this week that does not call for rain, and of course I am booked solid with work and self-inflicted workouts that I really do not wish to miss…

I have much to share – but came home last night after a wonderful book club night and talked to my friend on the phone for about an hour and by then it was 10:30 at night and I was SHOT. I had worked yesterday, mowed half the lawn – made one of the main dishes for Bookies, went to Bookies, home…. crash.

Yup…. that looks right.

Our Book Club discussion around ROOM was fantastic… while not everyone loved the book, it made for good discussion… maybe one of the better ones we have had in a while. I will be writing up a post centered around this discussion and of course the food we ate – as Bookies – the food aspect just adds to the flavor of the read. 😀

In another completely random thought…. I abandoned two audio this week and started with new ones. Tami Hoag’s The Trouble with J J didn’t last long at all. First of all, when I chose it I did not realize this was an older writing of hers, I thought it was a something new she was trying and different from her usual suspense genre. In short time I discovered it was going to be a giddy romance and not a genre I enjoy at all.

The second one I bid farewell to in short time was Before I Die by Jenny Downham. I did not make it through disc one. The story is about a 16-year-old girl who is dying of cancer and her list of things she wishes to do before she dies. It did not take long to find out the first on her list was sex – and her friend takes her our clubbing (her dad says no – she goes anyway) and picking up guys…. and well…. good-bye to Before I Die.

Instead I am now listening in my car to A Change In Altitude by Anita Shreve and while this first part is a bit confusing – I think I am going to really like it. I also picked up Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky and I am listening to that in my kitchen. That one has already generated some opinions that will more than likely show up in my review. Awesome 😀

Ok – I am out…. but enjoy your day… I would love to hear if you have had any book abandonment as of late.

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Published on May 10, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

“When I seen this bookish adventure for Fairy Tale Fortnight coming up hosted by Misty at The Book Rat and Ashley from Basically Amazing Books, lets just say my “spidey senses”…. were activated…

I had not read any of the “New” fairy tales but have many fond memories of fairy tales as a child…”

Sheila

So you start with a teenage boy named Johnny who works at his mothers shoe repair shop in a pretty sweet hotel in South Beach, Florida. In years past his relatives were called cobblers, but now… well that just sounds like a dessert.

Johnny spends his free time hanging out with his BFF Meg and dreaming of designing his own shoe line that will bring in so much moolah that his mom will no longer have to fret over keeping the electricity bill paid up and deciding between food for dinner or the rent on their home.

Then one day a famous Princess shows up at the hotel and she is too gorgeous for words. Johnny can not help be drawn to her and in a chance meeting the Princess shares with Johnny a story that is so unreal it has to be true, of her brother the prince being kidnapped and turned into a frog (maybe that is frognapped). Johnny takes on the role of “rescuer” when the Princess offers him a large sum of cash as well as her hand in marriage if he succeeds in bringing her brother back to his former self. For Johnny, this could be an answer to all their money issues as well as marrying the Princess? How is this not a win win?

Yet all is not as easy as the newly appointed frog catcher would think for many evil forces are at hand to stop Johnny on his quest…. such as witches and giants, and six enchanted swans, a talking rat and a talking fox…. and each new character Johnny meets seems to have an agenda of their own and his one task turns into many….

and in the end as Johnny works through all the hoops to get to his dreams… he really has to rethink his dreams and what he really wants is not what he thought at all…

My adventure forward into this fairy tale was interesting. It was not a “pick up and love it from page one” style read for me. It took a while for me to warm up to our young Johnny and the wild craziness of talking animals, a magic cape – of course – ALL MAGIC CAPES appeal to me….( seriously, who wouldn’t want one of these!), a crazed killer teen and a witch for a mother, giants, and of course… smoking hot looking shoes…..

yet as I committed myself to experiencing this book, the more I read – the less it felt like a commitment and it became actually fun. Silly fun yes, but fun all the same. I enjoyed the beginning of each chapter as it gave a little quote that was from an old fairy tale and then the chapter actually tied in with the quote…. brilliant. Really brilliant.

As long as the shoemaker lived all went well with him, and all of his undertakings prospered.

~The Elves and The Shoemaker

Author Alex Finn incorporates several lesser known fairy tales in to this book. they are The Elves and The Shoemaker, The Frog Prince, The Six Swans, The Valiant Tailor, The Salad, The Fisherman and his Wife and The Golden Bird. I love this idea of fairy tales within a fairy tale and for that I really found this book to be a fun adventure.

Amazon Rating

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

I purchased this book from Amazon

Morning Meanderings… You know those people who find potato chips that look like famous people?

Published on May 10, 2011May 10, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)32 Comments

Good morning! How ya’all doin’ today?

I have COFFEE CUP in hand, sitting at my kitchen table listening to the quiet of outside. It is hazy, but not raining…

yet.

I am hoping it will clear so I can at least get a good jump-start on the lawn as tonight my late afternoon and evening are clear.

Backing up here, if you have been following my morning meanderings as of late, Sunday I went into a deep spring cleaning mode. I had my audio playing and I opened up the windows and started at one end of the house and worked my way through to the other – and in my kitchen… in the back of the potato bin I found this:

Yup. Disgusting isn’t it? At first I was appalled…. I mean GROSS! (I am an 80’s girl and yes I do occasionally say GROSS). Then as I examined it more… I felt like one of those people who see figures in potato chips, or I think once someone found an image in their salad…

So… with a little help from Picnik:

I think it looks like Bob Marley and all day yesterday I called it “Potato Marley”. (Yes, I name just about everything). Then last night on Facebook my friend Joelle said it looked more like the Chiquita Banana Lady in need of tweezers for that chin hair. And yeah, I can see that too. 😛

Ok…. enough of the spud humor. It has lost its appeal to me…. (get it? A Peal? :razz:) Ok…seriously – I am done now.

Tonight The Bookies (my book club) are reviewing ROOM by Emma Donoghue. I read this book last fall and I am so excited to hear what they thought of it. We are planning food around the book and I have the ~~lamest~~ BEST idea for a main dish that came to me one evening and I thought that just might work. I can’t wait! Tomorrow I will post the Bookies thoughts on ROOM as well as our food ideas to go with this review.

Have a super fab day! I am off to get ready for work!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on May 8, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)85 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:

Jesse from Elle Lit.

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

**Updates have been made to the Reading Cafe Grab shelves!

I know I am coming in late on posting this Sunday night. I have been cleaning all day which may sound weird for Mother’s Day…. but really I have been so excited to dig into some spring cleaning. I cleaned up a spare bedroom,painted a bathroom, dusted all furniture, hung new shower curtain, two loads of laundry, cleaned kitchen, vacuumed all carpets, cleaned entryway, shampooed all carpets.

Basically…. I smell like a combo of cleaning supplies. I am pretty sure I am sanitized. 😛

BUT – lets talk books as that is what we are really here for right? My week was not impressive…. I really don’t know what happened but here is my meager offerings:

The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs (a perfect Mothers Day read!)

The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham (wowza…. I was pretty impressed with this one!)

Promise Not To Tell by Jennifer McMahon (spooky good!)

I also finished The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg – (about time I know!!!)

And that is it! True story…. I tanked out this week. 😀

So… here is my cautious plan for this week:

A deeply moving story by a survivor of the commercial sex industry who has devoted her career to activism and helping other young girls escape “the life”

At thirteen, Rachel Lloyd found herself caught up in a world of pain and abuse, struggling to survive as a child with no responsible adults to support her. Vulnerable yet tough, she eventually ended up a victim of commercial sexual exploitation. It took time and incredible resilience, but with the help of a local church community, she broke free of her pimp and her past.

Three years later, Lloyd arrived in the United States to work with adult women in the sex industry and soon founded her own nonprofit—GEMS, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services—to meet the needs of other girls with her history. She also earned her GED and won full scholarships to college and a graduate program. Today Lloyd is executive director of GEMS in New York City and has turned it into one of the nation’s most groundbreaking nonprofit organizations.

I am really excited to read this one! This book sounds like it is a great fit for me!

Recent college grad Rhonda Farr witnesses a child abduction in front of a convenience store in Pike’s Crossing, Vt. Ernestine Ernie Florucci willingly leaves her mother’s car because her six-foot-tall abductor is wearing a rabbit suit. Rhonda remembers her best friend Lizzy’s father entertaining her and Lizzy in a rabbit costume in 1993, and vanishing soon after. Three years later, Lizzy disappeared en route to high school. Guilt over her inability to stop Ernie’s abduction spurs Rhonda to join the search for the girl. She recalls the summer that Lizzy’s older brother, Peter, had them all perform Peter Pan, which was a great success, but there were dark secrets beneath the makeshift stage.

Ok… the cover did not bother me until… now. Now its a little creepy… I think it is the frog.

I have my eye on a couple more but am going to keep it at that just to see where I land. 😀 I should be finishing up some audio this week too but I have no idea what is next…. maybe after peeking at your Monday What Are You reading posts I will know…. 😀

Please add your Monday link below to where it says click here. I can’t wait to see what you are reading! 😀

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The Good Bye Quilt by Susan Wiggs

Published on May 8, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

Linda is a quilter and as her only daughter Molly readies for college, Linda is working on the quilting project of her life… a memory quilt for Molly. This quilt has squares hand stitched in from her first blanket, to her kindergarten skirt, to her prom dress. If was a memory – Linda has saved it to put pieces of it into the quilt. Even to the point of having the quilt edged with a ruffle of material from Molly’s grandmothers square dancing dress.

Together Linda and Molly embark on the adventure of driving cross-country together from their home in Wyoming to move Molly states away into her dorm room. Along for this road trip is the unfinished quilt, that Linda is working on while Molly drives in hopes of having it done in time to be placed on Molly’s dorm bed. As each new scrap of fabric is removed from the large quilt bag, mother and daughter share the memories of the piece, stitching together their bond as mother and daughter with every bit of love and care that is put into the making of this quilt.

While Linda has fears for her daughter living so far away she wonders if Molly has these same fears. As the quilt helps them relive the past, mother and daughter and heading mile by mile into the unknown future.

1baaa — I have always wanted to make throw size memory quilts. I imagined that I would give them as gifts to friends and family. Three years ago AL bought me a sewing machine just for quilting for Christmas. I have yet to take it out of the box. *sigh*

I really wanted to post this review on Mother’s day as this sweet novel is a perfect read for just such an occasion. Filled with a mothers love for her child, and a child, now a young woman longing to have the chance to move forward on her own.

Susan Wigg’s had a brilliant idea when she centered the entire story around a quilt that was made of memories, sticking together not only a masterpiece but a story that pulls at the heart-strings. As I read on I loved the idea of keeping a scrap of life memories and envisioned what my own would have looked like had I the foresight to save such things.

The characters were well-developed, the story read as you would expect a mother and teenage daughter relationship to go…. Linda asking the questions that plague her – still wanting to be that protector of her daughter even now… Molly letting out exasperating sighs as she tries not to hurt her mothers feelings but longs for the right to make her mistakes on her own

Throughout the read, both mother and daughter grow in ways that embrace the story line. My only complaint is that a piece of the ending becomes easy to guess as it is hinted at way too many times throughout the read to the point that about half way through this audio when it was mentioned I was shouting at the speakers how it was all going to come together. 😛

This would make a lovely gift of book or audio to a daughter or to a mother.

Amazon Rating

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading Map has been updated to include The Goodbye Quilt

I found this at my local library

Morning Meanderings: The Rain Is Gone!!!!

Published on May 8, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

Good Morning!

I am actually in my kitchen looking out my window on to a day that looks to me like is going to be a nice one. I am almost afraid to blink in case it is all an illusion.

Yesterday morning I was in the jeep by 4:30 am on my way to Maplewood Minnesota for the MS ride that started at 7:30 am. When I left it was pitch black so I was unable to see the condition of the sky…. the weather called for thunderstorms and rain but I was hoping it would hold off until later afternoon, after the ride.

As morning began to break across the sky I was excited to see clear skies and when the sun came up it was an amazing sight to see. (Absence really does make the heart grow fonder!)

005 — My road bike.... how I love thee.... #555 for this ride

At the start of the ride (800 riders at this event) I left all the rain gear in the jeep and rode my bike with my bike shirt and a light jacket, which a few miles in – the jacket was around my waist as it was already too warm for it. It was an amazing ride. Gorgeous day and my only regret was my commitment back at home for 6 pm. If I had not had that I would have rode the 60 mile loop instead of the 30. I was nervous if I did the 60 if I would have enough time to drive home (2 1/2 hours), get cleaned up and to the event by 6 pm.

On my way home I text Al to tell him that I had finished the ride and was coming home to start mowing the lawn. He text back and said, “No mowing here today, it is raining.”

*sigh* Of course it is.

Well, as least I got out of it for a day, put another 30 miles on my bike bringing my biking total miles for 2011 up to 66. My bike also just turned over 1300 miles total as we finished the ride so I am super pumped about that – I will have had this bike for 2 years in June. 😀

Today looks great too and I have a lot of plans today. After brunch with my hubby, I am hoping to get a jump on the lawn. do a little spring cleaning, and tonight Floor Hockey.

Everyone have a wonderful wonderful Mother’s Day! For those who will not have their children around them today *hugs* to you. Mine will not be home either. Justin is working in Mankato and Brad is in the Navy in Florida.

Morning Meanderings…

Published on May 7, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

By the time most of you are reading this I will be on the road (4:30 am) heading to Maplewood Minnesota about two and a half hours away to ride in the MS bike ride with several of my friends.

As I left here was the forcast:

Today

63° | 41°

Sunday

63° | 47°

Monday

63° | 49°

Tuesday

65° | 49°

Wednesday

63° | 47°

So why why why am I going? Great question… the weather has been so annoying this year and I already missed out on last weekends ride due to rain and cold. The bummer is that the rest of the team riding all live in the cities area… I am the only one coming from Brainerd and the drive is half the battle.

I have to be back by 5:00 pm tonight so I need to make great time, driving, biking, driving again.

It has been several weeks since I have been able to participate in Alyce’s Snapshop Saturday but yay for current and upcoming events that provide me with pictures! 😀

1bba — This is our Thursday Womens Kickboxing Group

So that’s me… I am out! Have an awesome Saturday and if it is raining and you are not bike riding 😉 you should definitely enjoy a little reading. 😛

The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

Published on May 6, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)21 Comments

Kitty is quite used to men falling all over her. After all that is the way it has been all her life. Proposal after proposal is turned down as really, Kitty will know when the right one comes along and she knows her astonishing beauty will give her choice of whatever man she wants. Yet as the years go by, suddenly Kitty finds the proposals coming less and less, her mother has pretty much given up on Kitty ever getting married – so when the quiet and king Walter Fane finally works up the courage to ask Kitty for her hand, she immediately says yes.

As the newly weds settle into their lives together Kitty finds Walter nothing but dull. At a party she is introduced to the handsome Charles Townsend, and he is as captured with her and she is of him. They start an affair, but when Walter discovers the relationship he challenges his wife to either have Charles propose to her and then he will grant her a divorce, or accompany him to an area of China where the cholera epidemic is strong and he has been called in to help.

What Kitty decides, is the beginning of a woman’s long journey of finding what she is made of and what it is like to truly love.

I am honestly going to say that when I chose this audio from audible.com, I really didn’t know what I would think of. I am not a romance reader. I don’t like flighty women characters. And I struggle with many of the early 20th century books. I chose this audio because the price was right and the sample narration sounded good. (plus I am actively making an effort to read some of the older known books for a well-rounded reading life).

Ok…. now that the “details” are out-of-the-way. Let’s review… shall we?

Kitty was not a likable character. She was shallow and self-centered. She liked men fawning over her and really knew no other life. Walter on the other hand was an incredible character – and had incredible character. Though quite and socially awkward, he did truly love Kitty and provided her a comfortable home with want of nothing.

As this book proceeds on to the point where Kitty is left with the decision to either marry Charles or go with Walter, this particular part of the book was quite enjoyable for me. I loved to see Kitty attempt to do what she thinks is best for herself. The result of this point of the book is really where the story takes off.

With great detail I started to see a change in Kitty’s character… almost a “By George, I think she’s got it!” sort of change as Kitty starts to really understand life, and men, and see things in a different. softer light.

In the end I was impressed with this audio and with the story line. I am so glad I went against my prejudices I listed above and went ahead with it. I would suggest this to anyone. It’s not so much as a romance as it is historical fiction. Kitty is not so much flighty, as she is uneducated. As far as the early 20th century read, it did not feel outdated to me, I was able to comprehend the time and the places. I will be watching the movie which I have just requested from Netflix.

Narrator Kate Reading does an amazing job of capturing the sometimes whiny voice of Kitty, the patient and paced voice of Walter, and the boisterous self-assured voice of Charles.

Amazon Rating

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading map has been updated to include The Painted Veil

I purchased this audio off audible.com

Morning Meanderings…. Considering Weekends Eve….

Published on May 6, 2011May 6, 2011 by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

Good morning. I am a little later than usual this morning. I stayed up too late watching episodes of Amazing race 2. I just received it in the mail a couple of days ago and I wanted it as one of the couple that were in season 2 live here in Brainerd Minnesota. I think season 2 was about 8 or 9 years ago and hubby and I caught a couple of episodes at that time just to see these people we knew. I don’t know why I decided I wanted to own, thought it would be fun to watch it from the beginning and it is, it is also really funny to see how far Amazing Race has come (currently on season 18 I think…..). The camera work is poor, the rules are less strict, and the challenges they have to perform are nowhere near as wild as they are on current seasons.

Anyway… that’s why I am running about an hour later than usual and looking at the sunny start to the day – I am thrilled, as it was supposed to be another day of rain. (If we can only keep this weather through tomorrow afternoon!)

My College Son turned 21 this past Monday. Our kids always had a running joke that the day before any big event, earned an “Eve” (like Christmas Eve)… so on Sunday we were all on Facebook saying happy Justin’ Eve! 😛

Sitting here this morning…. not quite fully awake (first cup of coffee), I have a notebook next to me checking off what I need to do today, and what the weekend is looking like. It is a whirlwind of activity.

Today I need to prep for tomorrows bike ride. I need to be in Maplewood by 7:30 am. Last year I went up the night before but this year… I just don’t want to. Hubby thinks that’s crazy but last year was paying for a hotel room just to sleep and then out early in the a.m. to go to the starting area a few blocks away. A waste of time and money. And today is a full day –

Bike prep, mow the lawn (yes -first time… I think it is time), a bike ride, errands around town, clean house, tonight I want to kick box at 5:30 and then evening with my hubby. Looks like I need to leave her at 4:00 a.m.

😯

So Saturday ride – get back to Brainerd and help out with Child dedications at 6:00 pm for work (of and I need to look nice for that so if I have been in the rain all day + helmet head…. yeah…. )

and Sunday is Mother’s Day – I plan to be working on my house a lot on Sunday which probably does not sound like a great way to spend Mothers Day but I am actually excited about it. I have not done a good spring cleaning yet as well… no spring 😉 And we have people coming over Monday night so that always motivates me to give the house a little extra attention. 😀

Ok final note since I have not done this yet…… May comment winners (Thank you everyone – I really do enjoy chatting books with all of you!!!)