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

Published on 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 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 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.

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 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!)

Maplewood MS bike ride

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 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:

tstorms

63° | 41°

chancerain

63° | 47°

tstorms

63° | 49°

tstorms

65° | 49°

tstorms

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!  😀

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 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.

The original US cover

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 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!!!) 

Top commenter and $20 Amazon Card Winner:  Hannah from Wordlily

Random comment winner of choice of books out of the Reading Cafe: Julie from Reading Without Restraints!

Morning Meanderings… Current events in the world and in life

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)21 Comments

And we are back to rain.  😦 

I mean, Good Morning.  😀

But yeah.. I am at the kitchen table this morning with COFFEE CUP looking out the window hoping I do not develop frown lines.

Seriously.

I have been watching the weather all week feeling pretty good about my bike ride I have in the cities this Saturday…. it looked to be about 62 and partly cloudy…. I can deal with that.  Yet now, I look at that same forecast and now it shows that Saturday will be 62 and showers.  GAH.  Double GAH.  That’s right.  GAH  GAH.

In light of the recent news of Bin Ladin’s death, I pulled a book off my shelf that I found at a book sale a couple of years back.  I read part of it back then, found it interesting,but for whatever reason I shelved it.  The book is Inside The Kingdom (My Life In Saudi Arabia) by Carmen Bin Ladin.  She is Bin Ladin’s sister-in-law.  I think I will look through it at some point here.


Are you reading any books that has have triggered by this recent event?  Why do we (or I in this case) do that?  Is it to feel a connection?

In other closer to home news…. while the bike and the roller blades are safe and dry… I have happily had two Group Power sessions at the YMCA this week and two kick boxing sessions.  If feels so great to be back after missing two weeks.  Last night in kick boxing we did what they call stations where ever two minutes you go to a different person and practice a different move.  When I wore the mits (not the gloves) I was the 1 x 4 station.  Every girl who came to me had to punch the mits once with each hand, then twice, three times then four, then they had their choice to do three knees (where I push down on their knee as they punch it up like they are going to knee me in the stomach, or they could do kicks – where I lift the mits high, one behind the other to my side and they kick three times.  My point of sharing all of this in great detail is that they joked that being at this station I would be pretty sore today as well everyone was punching and kicking at me…

the whole point of sharing this is…

I feel great…. not sore at all.

Oh so good to be back 😛

In reading… I feel like I have been reading the same book and listening to the same audio forever.  I am finishing up the long long overdue Wordshaker read :  The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg and really enjoyed the read.  I have The Hobbit going in the car which is close to done and The Painted Veil in the IPOD which I am so surprised how wonderful this is and can not wait to share this with you.  I have a feeling several reviews are going to burst onto the scene shortly as all of these come to a happy and fulfilling end.  😀

Morning Meanderings…. Friends Of The Library and a Magazine Article

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)39 Comments


Good morning.  I am up a little earlier than usual as my two dogs (who apparently OWN me) decided it was time to get up and go outside at 5:45 a.m. as opposed to their usual 6:30 a.m.  I shuffled to the back deck to let them out…. and immediately through slitted eyes searched for the coffee pot. 

On Monday evening I went to my first Friends Of The Library meeting.  This has been a “long time coming” process.  Every year at the annual book sales I see their flyers looking for people to join them.  They are the group that organizes events at the library, Book In A Bag (that is a 10 copies of a popular book to be checked out for book clubs), author events, speakers, etc….

I always thought if I say I love my library as much as I do…. why am I not a part of this.  Well…really there is only one reason…

I love being a part of the excitement of waiting in line for the Library Sale.  Seriously.  Remember my post last fall about the sale?  I have a blast trying to be first in line…. talking with the people outside, waiting excitedly to go in and load my bags with books…..

but here I am…. now a Friend of The Library.

The first meeting for me was interesting.  It was going over the summer plans for the library, which of us would take turns hosting the author events, how much money was in the friend’s account”, the dates for the fall library sale (THE DATES FOR THE FALL LIBRARY SALE!!!), laws being passed, funding for the library…. 

My hubby text me when I was gone  saying *are you almost done with the meeting?  Waiting to eat dinner with you.” and I text back….. “It’s not over yet and it is so interesting.*

Right now I don’t know my role in the group and that was a bit hard for me.  I like to know my purpose.  I figure maybe I am just over eager to get involved and so I stayed quiet except for a couple of discussions and figure I will see how it goes this summer.  I signed up to help with an author event in July and there are a few I would like to attend as well so I figure if I make myself present….. maybe they will see I am committed.  😀

On another completely random note…. (I do like randomness….) I had a review published in our Her Voice magazine which is kind of exciting.  This one was a specific review they asked me to write for the author, however they have asked if I would do a holiday themed review for their winter edition that would appeal to women (my choice SQQQUUEEE!!!) , copyright due in September.  I am so excited about this and you can believe I will have my eyes open at BEA for just the book…..  (I am also open to suggestions here :D)

My Her Voice article on the book Pain To Peace by Pat Bluth (I am page 46… I could not link to the exact page)

Have an awesome day everyone.  I am working then going to group power, then kickboxing tonight.  I have a pretty full day which bums me out a little as I see the sun is out and it is calling me to get on my bike….. but maybe tomorrow….

Promise Not To Tell by Jennifer McMahon

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)41 Comments

In the fall of 2002, 41-year-old Kate Cypher, a divorced Seattle school nurse, returns to New Hope, the decaying Vermont hippie commune where she grew up, to visit her elderly mother, Jean, who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s. Kate has avoided New Hope since the grizzly, unsolved murder of her fifth-grade friend, Del Griswold, 31 years earlier. Kate fears she betrayed Del, a free-spirited farm girl. Did her betrayal cause Del’s death? Who killed Del? Another local girl is murdered in a similar manner at the time of Kate’s return. Could the killer be loose again? Meanwhile, Jean appears to be possessed with Del’s spirit and may have the answers to these questions. As Kate investigates, she learns stunning truths about many events and people from her youth.

What’s the worst thing you have ever done?

I was drawn to this book for a few reasons.  One….  The obvious one.  The cover.  Look at that.  Who is she?  What has she done?  Is she survivor or victim?  Two… the synopsis about a girl who was called “Potato Girl”, uggghhh…. name calling that rile me up…. this falls into my category of “words are powerful, they can hurt and knock you down just as well as they can lift you up.  Three… The author Jennifer McMahon, I had heard the buzz about her style and her writing and I wanted to give her a try.

While this a good ghost story and mystery wrapped into one, I found it to be more than that.  This book is about a friendship.  A heartbreaking and tragic friendship that caused me pause to read and be reminded once again how our words do affect others.


The beauty of this book was that I thought I knew who did it and I was wrong.  And then I had a back up idea of who did it and well… that wasnt exactly right either…. however….

OOPS!  😉  That’s all you get. 

I enjoyed my first read with Jennifer McMahon and next week I will have the opportunity to explore her again when I read The Island Of Lost Girls for another tour. 

I received this book for review from TLC Book Tours