Brava Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

Published on April 14, 2010April 18, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

As Brava, Valentine begins, snow falls like glitter over Tuscany at the wedding of her grandmother, Teodora, and longtime love, Dominic. Valentine’s dreams are dashed when Gram announces that Alfred, “the prince,” Valentine’s only brother and nemesis, has been named her partner at Angelini Shoes. Devastated, Valentine falls into the arms of Gianluca, a sexy Tuscan tanner who made his romantic intentions known on the Isle of Capri. Despite their passion for one another and Gianluca’s heartfelt letters, a long-distance relationship seems impossible.

As Valentine turns away from romance and devotes herself to her work, mentor and pattern cutter June Lawton guides her through her power struggle with Alfred, while best friend and confidante Gabriel Biondi moves into 166 Perry Street, transforming her home and point of view. Savvy financier Bret Fitzpatrick, Valentine’s first love and former fiancée who still carries a torch for her, encourages Valentine to exploit her full potential as a designer and a business woman with a plan that will bring her singular creations to the world.

A once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity takes Valentine from the winding streets of Greenwich Village to the sun-kissed cobblestones of Buenos Aires, where she finds a long-buried secret hidden deep within a family scandal. Once unearthed, the truth rocks the Roncallis and Valentine is determined to hold her family together. More so, she longs to create one of her own, but is torn between a past love that nurtured her, and a new one that promises to sustain her.

I was first introduced to Adriana Trigiani when I read for a book discussion Viola In Reel Life – which I loved! When offered the chance to read and review Brava Valentine, all I had to do was see the name Trigiani and I knew I was in. Isn’t that what every author hopes for in a reader?

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Nothing like good characters to set the mood of a book and Adriana Trigiani brings the characters I came to love from Very Valentine (my review is here), back in this trilogy.

You open up this lovely book and here is the first line that is treat for your eyes:

”The most magical thing happened on the morning of my grandmother’s wedding in Tuscany. It snowed.”

Do you not just love that? I am a nut for great first lines to books and this one was like going to a great restaurant and having your dessert first. I stopped and savored this line.

I adore the writing style of this book and the many (many) laugh out loud moments as Valentine Roncalli becomes part owner of the family shoe business, and looks through her old boyfriend file for dates to family functions.

On the more serious side of the book, there is also a family scandal, and real relationship struggles that make this a well-rounded book.

I enjoy characters that make me wish I could just hang out with them in their world for a while, and that is what Adriana brings to the table. Bigger than life characters and a story line that will leave you hoping for a third helping. I enjoyed this second book in the Valentine series even more than the first.

My Amazon Rating

I received my review copy from TLC Book Tours

Morning Meanderings…

Published on April 14, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

I’ve got the grog.

I am groggy. That first cup of coffee was just a trial run…. I am going to have to have a do over this morning.

*Going to kitchen for second cup… shuffling feet back to laptop*

Ok. Good Morning! That’s better. 🙂

Last nights book was super fabulo-sious *A new spell for Harry Potter that makes everything wonderful 😉. I love those girls! Our discussion of Little Bee by Chris Cleave was so good. With mixed reviews and thoughts, it was still a rocking good time that I can not wait to share with you tomorrow!

Our book pick for May is The Girl She Used To Be by David Cristofano. I am super excited about this recommendation. I had nominated this one last month and one of the girls in our group read it and thought it was fantastic! This one will go in the suitcase.

And speaking of the suitcase which is still unpacked… I leave at 7 am tomorrow morning for Florida (insert SQUUUUEEEEE here). I am excited, but have been so busy I feel completely disorganized. I work a full day today, need to drop some books at the post office, run on treadmill with Heidi at 4 pm, get home around 5 and pull it all together.

Yikes! There were books from the readathon pile that I did not get to. A few of them are going in the suitcase. Any thoughts as to which books they may be, or any suggestions of what books should be going along? My nineteen year old son who is joining me on this trip is also a reader so I am hoping to take books he will enjoy too.

Now that my mind is in high gear from the second cup of coffee I am thinking I really need to get the Word Shakers on line book club going again after the winter hiatus!

Now I am feeling a little like Corky Romano (following clip) and if you have not seen this movie – HIGHLY recommend it. I laughed and laughed….. (wish I had his car here too)

Have an awesome day peeps! I am off to work – review up later 🙂

Wildflowers of Terezin by Robert Elmer

Published on April 13, 2010April 18, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

When nurse Hanne Abrahamsen impulsively shields Steffen Petersen from a nosy Gestapo agent, she’s convinced the Lutheran pastor is involved in the Danish Underground. Nothing could be further from the truth.

But truth is hard to come by in the fall of 1943, when Copenhagen is placed under Martial Law and Denmark’s Jews—including Hanne—suddenly face deportation to the Nazi prison camp at Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Days darken and danger mounts. Steffen’s faith deepens as he takes greater risks to protect Hanne. But are either of them willing to pay the ultimate price for their love?

This book is based around the days of 1943, WWII, a Lutheran Pastor named Steffen, and a Jewish Nurse named Hanne. Set in a time I have never known, other than through books, I found that this particular story at times took my breath away as I put myself in the characters world. Steffen steps outside his comfort zone of “behind the pulpit” and the pages begin to turn…

Is it possible to love and hate a book?

Never a fan of war related stories, this one, held on to me. I had no problem at all staying entirely engrossed in this fictional, historical, Christian read, that brought this horrible war and this incredible love to my home.

There are so many things in this world that I have not lived or experienced, and author Robert Elmer, through a fictitious read about a true war, brought a piece of history to me that I had not really known. I now feel in my heart – that I have a little of that fear, that “hold on to your faith” through everything knowledge, because of this book.

Robert Elmer is a former pastor, reporter and as copywriter who now writes from he home he shares with his wife Ronda in northern Idaho. He is the author of over fifty books, including eight contemporary novels for the adult Christian audience and several series for younger readers. Combined, his books have sold more than half a million copies worldwide. Like his popular “Young Underground” youth series, Wildflowers of Terezin was inspired by stories Robert heard from his Denmark-born parents and family. When he’s not sailing or enjoying the outdoors, Robert often travels the country speaking to school and writers groups.

To read the first chapter of Wildflowers of Terezin, go HERE.

My Amazon Rating

I received my review copy from Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

Morning Meanderings…

Published on April 13, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

Hmmmm…. I slept a little later today than I normally do. I am having one quick cup of coffee and then I need to stop at the grocery store on my way into work to get my supper ingredients and my items for tonight. My head is full of things I need to get done yet before Thursday when I fly out of Brainerd at 7 am. I will meet up with Justin (College Son) in Minneapolis, and then together we will fly to Florida to hang out with Brad (Navy Son) for the weekend. Yes, Laptop is going with me…. I am hoping for a bit of reading time and a lot of sun….. (one can hope right?)

Tonight my book club reviews Little Bee by Chris Cleave. It will be fun to see what everyone brings to the potluck. We are supposed to theme the food around the book. I will post the review later this week as well as the Book Club comments and plans.

I had such a great weekend with the readathon and Sunday I biked with Amy 18 miles and Rollerblade with Justin 8 miles. I wish I could get that kind of workout every day!

Yesterdays question about the book(s) that pull you completely in was a lot of fun! Seeing the books that come up time and again is interesting and new books are hitting my radar. If you have not answered it yet, that post is here.

Have a fantastic day – I am off to conquer a desk of paperwork!

What Was That Book That Totally Pulled You In?

Published on April 12, 2010April 12, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)39 Comments

I have had a book craving lately. Yes, I know I am surrounded by books and yes. I have read some fantastic high rating books in my opinion as of late….

but…

Here is what I am craving. I am craving that book that pulls you deep within its pages. The one that you one those first few pages and get a good sense of the scene being set and then….

Suddenly you are pulled fully into the book and you don’t stop to eat and barely stop for a bathroom break, as you read deeper and deeper into the pages – becoming almost one with the book, and the characters. You are there in an almost 3D like way as they knock on doors, get in fights, share their secrets, fight for the cause, when they fall in love,… and when they fall apart. And then…. sometimes…. in the really good ones…. we cry when they cry.

My question I am pondering this evening is what book am I describing here for you? What book pulled you in like this and held you to that final page and you wished (WISHED!) that you could keep turning imaginary pages beyond “the end” so you could know more, be with the book more….

For me…. I found that in all the later books of the Harry Potter series… probably book 3 and on. I found this is Hunger Games.

I would like to know where you found it…. and what that felt like for you.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading!

Published on April 12, 2010April 12, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)116 Comments

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

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. You receive one entry for every 10 comments, just come back here and tell me how many in the comment area.

Last weeks winner (using Random.Org) was:

Outnumbered Mama

Congratulations! Please choose a item out of the PRIZE BOX and email me your choice with your mailing address as well! 🙂 journeythroughbooks@gmail.com

With this past Saturdays Readathon I missed doing In My Mailbox so want to share that here. This is what came in my mailbox this past week:

Some super reads came my way!

That is a book bag hanging over the back of my chair. How super cools is this set?

Here is what happened here this last week:

Sand In My Bra *read for Readathon review not written yet

Avempartha by Michael Sullivan *read for Readathon review not written yet

At Witt’s End by Beth Solheim *Read for Readathon review not written yet

Eat The Cookies… Buy the Shoes by Joyce Meyer *read for Readathon review not written yet

Hasta La Vista Lola! by Misa Ramirez – GIVEAWAY!

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli – Review

Author Chat with A.S. Peterson – Author of Fiddler’s Gun

Songbird Under A German Moon by Tricia Goyer – Review

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz – GIVEAWAY!

What’s on brew this week?

This week I leave Thursday morning for Florida to see Navy son for the weekend. That means a hectic next few days – but I should be able to make up reading time on the plane. 🙂

From the author of the international bestseller “Incendiary” comes a haunting novel about the tenuous friendship that blooms between two disparate strangers—one an illegal Nigerian refugee, the other a recent widow from suburban London.

Anke’s father is abusive to her brother and sister. But not to her. Because, to him, she is like furniture— not even worthy of the worst kind of attention. Then Anke makes the school volleyball team. She loves feeling her muscles after workouts, an ache that reminds her she is real. Even more, Anke loves the confidence that she gets from the sport. And as she learns to call for the ball on the court, she finds a voice she never knew she had. For the first time, Anke is making herself seen and heard, working toward the day she will be able to speak up loud enough to rescue everyone at home— including herself.

As children, they formed a special bond, growing up in the small town of Ames, Iowa. As young women, they moved to eighth different states, yet they managed to maintain an extraordinary friendship that would carry them through college and careers, marriage and motherhood, dating and divorce, the death of a child, and the mysterious death of the eleventh member of their group. Capturing their remarkable story, The Girls from Ames is a testament to the enduring, deep bonds of women as they experience life’s challenges, and the power of friendship to overcome even the most daunting odds.

The girls, now in their forties, have a lifetime of memories in common, some evocative of their generation and some that will resonate with any woman who has ever had a friend. The Girls from Ames demonstrates how close female relationships can shape every aspect of women’s lives-their sense of themselves, their choice of men, their need for validation, their relationships with their mothers, their dreams for their daughters-and reveals how such friendships thrive, rewarding those who have committed to them. With both universal events and deeply personal moments, it’s a book that every woman will relate to and be inspired by.

That’s the plan…. lot’s of coffee… lots of reading (hopefully) and time with both my sons (Justin – College Son is going to!)

Sign up your Monday post to the McKLinky here so we can pop in and check your post out AND stop back and share with me your comment count to be included in next weeks drawing. 🙂

Powered by Linky ToolsClick here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

(McKLinky (now known as Linky Tools) is going through some changes so I am hoping this link will be working properly)

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz (GIVEAWAY!)

Published on April 11, 2010May 22, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)72 Comments

Thank you to Hachette Book Group for the offer of this book for review and for giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed

For years, 38-year-old Portia Nathan has avoided the past, hiding behind her busy (and sometimes punishing) career as a Princeton University admissions officer and her dependable domestic life. Her reluctance to confront the truth is suddenly overwhelmed by the resurfacing of a life-altering decision, and Portia is faced with an extraordinary test. Just as thousands of the nation’s brightest students await her decision regarding their academic admission, so too must Portia decide whether to make her own ultimate admission.

How To Enter this Giveaway

Before you read the description of what this book was about – by looking at the cover and tit,e let me know in a comment here what you may have thought the book could be about.

Bonus Entries? Sure!

For an additional two entries for the giveaway be a subscriber to this blog (upper right hand sidebar) and let me know in a separate comment here.

Tweet or blog about this giveaway and let me know here in another comment and I will add in another entry

This giveaway will be open until May 2. USA and Canada entries only please.

Have fun and good luck!

Morning Meanderings….

Published on April 11, 2010April 11, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)33 Comments

The readathon is over! Thank you blog subscribers who put up with the overload of posts yesterday in their email box. I have a plan on how to do that better for the Fall 2010 Readathon that will not create all those posts. My visits to participants yesterday gave me great ideas on how to do this.

So how did I do?

Well, I started yesterday at 5 am CST, two hours too early – but for some reason I had it in my head that was when it started. I was up, with a lot of coffee and managed to complete 3 books throughout the day and start on a 4th. I managed to stay up until 11:20 PM, crashed until midnight when I woke up to close out my mini challenge, crashed again until 4:40 am, and then read until 5:30 am to close out my 24 hours. I actually participated 19 of the hours between reading, mini challenges and cheering.

How do I feel?

Like a scruffy guy who hasn’t shaved in a month. And yes, I realize I am a woman…. but I seriously feel as though I have grown facial hair overnight…. LOL

Changes to my next Readathon participation?

I do wish I had spent more time reading, but I did really enjoy the cheering too. I think I need to just pick a better ratio and stick to it. I seen a few pretty cool ways that people posted their updates all in one NEAT post. Trust me, I am sooooo doing that next time. I loved doing a mini challenge as it was so fun to see all the bloggers I have never met stop by. I am hoping later tonight when life settles down to visit their blogs.

Plan for today?

Well, I am thankful that I did sleep because my day is a fun and full one. I am going biking with my friend Amy and I hope we do the 18 mile round trip to Merrifield and back. She and I are in a bike tour in a couple of weeks – her first one and our goal is 65 miles. Then, my College Son Justin and I are going to Rollerblade in the afternoon and he will probably push me to do at least 14 miles. Of well, it is good training for me 🙂

We may go to a movie later afternoon, depending on how long we blade, then I will plan supper and tonight Amazing Race!!! (Which I love!)

I missed out on the “What’s In My Mailbox” post I usually do on Saturday evenings, but think I will add it to my “It’s Monday! What are you reading?” post that goes live tonight. This Mondays participants should have interesting posts with all the reading that went on during the readathon. It would be fun to know a total of books read during the event.

Any way – I need to get moving! 10:07 am and still am in my pj’s! 😀

Reading Sanctuary

Published on April 11, 2010April 11, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)52 Comments

This Challenge Is Closed – winner was debnance from Readerbuzz

So here we are in the wee end hours of the readathon many of you have been reading for a long time out of the past 24 hours so I want to make this one easy.

Leave a comment here telling me how the readathon worked out for you:

Were you able to escape the hustle and bustle of life?

Where did you do the majority of your reading?

Did you leave the house (or wherever you were) at any time during the challenge?

That’s it. Leave a comment here answering the above questions and I will enter you into the random drawing for a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Have fun… oh and by the way…. YOU ALL ROCK!

Once Upon A Reading Mini Challenge

Published on April 10, 2010April 11, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)25 Comments

This challenge is closed. The winner is callista83!!!

please send me your email and I will send you your prize Sunday morning. 🙂

As book lovers we do enjoy a good story! Here is what this challenge will consist of:

Write a short story using Book Titles to make your story. Your story should be three or four paragraphs long and have at least 10 book titles within it. (*Bold the book titles to make them more obvious)

Feel free to post this to your blog (for two entries) and then leave me the link here in the comment area -or if you would rather, place your story in the comment area here for one entry.

An example would be like:

Rebecca, The Pastor’s Wife, quietly moved into the Guest House. She felt Caught up in the Deception and needed time to be Alone…. I think you get it 🙂