In My Mailbox

Published on January 3, 2010January 3, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)39 Comments

Thanks to Kristi at Story Siren for hosting this wonderful meme! A few things happened my way this past week! In this cold weather in Minnesota (currently 15 below zero as I type) the appeal of a good quality blanket and a good read is very much in favor. Here is what arrived:

In The Crown Conspiracy, Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles until they become the unwitting scapegoats in the murder of the king. Sentenced to death, they have only one way out and so begins this epic tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend. Whether you are looking for a single novel, or a multi-book saga, The Crown Conspiracy is the place to begin. It is a heroic fantasy adventure written for a general audience and conceived as a single epic tale.

When these books were offered to me for review I was intrigued by the fact that they are a series yet all individual. Each one came with a personal message to me from the author inside the front cover – I think that is so awesome and I am excited to see what adventures await me within the pages!

A GOOD TALK is an analysis of and guide to that most exclusively human of all activities– conversation.

Drawing on over forty years of experience in American letters, Menaker pinpoints the factors that drive and enliven every good conversation: the vagaries (and joys) of subtext; the deeper structure and meaning of conversational flow; the subliminal signals that guide our disclosures and confessions; and the countless other hurdles we must clear along the way. Moving beyond self-help musings and “how to” advice, he has created a stylish, funny, and surprising book: a celebration of “the most excusively human of all activities.”

In a time when conversation remains deeply important– for building relationships, for relaxing, even for figuring out who we are– and also increasingly imperiled (with Blackberries and texting increasingly in vogue), A GOOD TALK is a refreshing celebration of the subtle adventures of a good conversation.

I think this book sounds so interesting! As a huge lover of words – conversation is just as important.

For most kids, a trip to space camp is the trip of a lifetime for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. He realizes what is happening too late for a change of fate. The full experiment is set in motion when he and his co-pilot, Eirena, crash in a distant galaxy called Shrenas, where they change and realize the full extent of their power. This turn of events forces him to grow up quickly, accept his change, and to decide to save a world, or to do what he was trained to do dominate it. His power is coveted by the warring leaders of Shrenas, and he is forced to choose sides a decision that may prove just how much humanity he has left.

This book is a new Middle Grade read coming out in February 2010. This sounds to me a bit like the movie Avatar (which I loved!).

Putting more than 30 years of groundbreaking research to work, renowned scientist Judith Wurtman, PhD, and her colleague, Nina T. Frusztajer, MD, present a clinically proven 12-week program that uses the power of carbohydrates to help you to:

Activate the appetite-suppressant function of serotonin to stop weight gain

Regain control over emotional overeating and cravings

Lose up to 2 pounds of real weight—not water—per week

Maintain a healthy lifestyle

I have said it many times that I do like to know about healthy eating habits. I am looking forward to seeing what this book has to offer.

On a country road, six-year-old Joanna Mason is the only survivor of a knife attack that leaves her mother and two siblings dead. Thirty years later, after boarding the wrong train in Yorkshire, Brodie is almost killed when the train crashes. He’s saved by 16-year-old Regina Reggie Chase, the nanny of Dr. Joanna Hunter, née Mason. In the chaos following the crash, Brodie ends up with the wallet of Andrew Decker, the recently released man convicted of murdering the Mason family. Enter DCI Louise Monroe, Brodie’s former love interest, who’s tracking Decker because of a recent case involving a similar family and crime. When Dr. Hunter disappears, Reggie is convinced she’s been kidnapped and enlists the reluctant Brodie to track her down.

With a story line like this how could I pass it up?

And I have to share this wonderful sample that Julie J sent me from My Own Little Corner Of The World Blog. These look good and I am going to try the Mandarin Orange during my workout tomorrow. 🙂 Thanks Julie!

That’s my mailbox this week. Be sure to share your at Kristi at Story Siren’s Blog!

The Mayo Clinic Diet and Journal

Published on January 2, 2010January 4, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)21 Comments

Its time for good healthy resolutions again…. this book is timely and appreciated! ~ Sheila

I am always trying to find ways to stay healthy… stay fit… and I admit… I constantly find the pitfalls… (what? Am I the only one that hides good chocolate behind the Harlan Coben section of their book shelf?) When this book came my way I was excited to take a look at it. We have a Mayo Clinic in Minnesota so this also peaked my interest in knowing more. I was not disappointed!

The Mayo Clinic Diet Book starts out with a 2 week period of ADDING 5 Habits – BREAKING 5 Habits and ADOPTING 5 Habits. What I love about this method is that it is doable. That’s right… it is simple steps that the journal (I love the journal!) helps you calculate and keep up on day to day.

The Journal has a Habit Tracker within it so you can put in your starting weight… and check off the habits you are applying each day. This is great for someone wired like me as I have to have the visual in front of me…. plus, I like goals… and challenges…

With great habits to remember like eating a healthy breakfast, fruits and vegies daily, eating whole grains, healthy fats – and my favorite habit: MOVE! That’s right – get out there and well, MOVE! 🙂

In the two week period you will also be encouraged to break 5 habits and this is good to doccument as well – like no eating while watching TV (guilty!), No sugar, no snacks, only moderate meat and dairy, and no eating at restaurants.

Now this is just part of the journal habits to break. In the two week period if we focus on breaking these habits we are on our way to new and healthier ways to enjoy life… The back of the book has a break down of good carbs and healthy choices as well as recipes. This book will be one I can refer to again and again!

The book talks about what motivates us… find what will give you an ongoing, burning desire to succeed. For me – I love being fit. I feel better about myself, I have more energy and I am just better. I dont know any other way to describe it. In September of this past year I fell a little off my routine and have yet to get back into where I was. I started not eating as healthy and skipping some of my workouts. My time management became cluttered and now in January I find myself 7 pounds heaver than my usual 125 pounds.

So – in light of this review – a new year, a great read… I am starting this two week program today. I will probably do a recap at the end of the two weeks on how I did. This book has motivated me to do what I need to do to get back on track. Using the journal as a guide and the book to help me with those pitfalls I am looking forward to and expecting success.

I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book and cant say enough about the journal. Having a workbook that I need to keep track of what I am doing daily is a great motivator for me.

Healthy Cooking
By the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H.
Authors of The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight.

Healthy cooking doesn’t mean you have to become a gourmet chef or invest in special cookware. Simply use standard cooking methods to prepare foods in healthy ways. You can also adapt familiar recipes by substituting other ingredients for fat, sugar and salt.

Use these methods

These methods best capture the flavor and retain the nutrients in your food without adding too much fat or salt.

• Baking. Besides breads and desserts, you can bake seafood, poultry, lean meat, and vegetable and fruit pieces of the same size. Place food in a pan or dish (covered or uncovered) and bake. You may need to baste the food with broth, low-fat marinade or juice to keep the food from drying out.

• Braising. Braising involves browning the meat or poultry first in a pan on top of the stove, and then slowly cooking it covered with a small amount of liquid, such as water or broth. In some recipes, the cooking liquid is used afterward to form a flavorful, nutrient-rich sauce.

• Grilling and broiling. Both grilling and broiling expose fairly thin pieces of food to direct heat and allow fat to drip away from the food. If you’re grilling outdoors, place smaller items, such as chopped vegetables, in a long-handled grill basket or on foil to prevent pieces from slipping through the rack. To broil indoors place food on a broiler rack below a heat element.

• Poaching. To poach foods, in a covered pan gently simmer ingredients in water or a flavorful liquid, such as broth, vinegar or juice, until cooked through and tender. For stove-top poaching, choose an appropriate-sized covered pan and use a minimum amount of liquid.

• Roasting. Roasting uses an oven’s dry heat at high temperatures to cook the food on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. For poultry, seafood and meat, place a rack inside the roasting pan so that the fat can drip away during cooking.

• Sautéing. Sautéing quickly cooks small or thin pieces of food. If you choose a good-quality nonstick pan, you can cook food without using fat. Depending on the recipe, use low-sodium broth, cooking spray, water or wine in place of oil or butter.

• Steaming. One of the simplest cooking techniques to master is steaming food in a perforated basket suspended above simmering liquid. If you use a flavorful liquid or add herbs to the water, you’ll flavor the food as it cooks.

• Stir-frying. Stir-frying quickly cooks small, uniform-sized pieces of food while they’re rapidly stirred in a wok or large nonstick frying pan. You need only a small amount of oil or cooking spray for this cooking method.

Find new ways to add flavor

Instead of salt or butter, you can enhance foods with a variety of herbs, spices and low-fat condiments. Be creative.

Poach fish in low-fat broth or wine and fresh herbs. Top a broiled chicken breast with fresh salsa. Make meats more flavorful with low-fat marinades or spices — bay leaf, chili powder, dry mustard, garlic, ginger, green pepper, sage, marjoram, onion, oregano, pepper or thyme.

To bring out the sweetness in baked goods, use a bit more vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg.

The above is an excerpt from the book The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight., by the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print.

About Donald Hensrud, M.D.

Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H., is chair of the Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine and a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. He is also an associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic. A specialist in nutrition and weight management, Dr. Hensrud advises individuals on how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. He conducts research in weight management, and he writes and lectures widely on nutrition-related topics. He helped publish two award-winning Mayo Clinic cookbooks.

About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy that the needs of the patient come first. Over 3,600 physicians and scientists and 50,000 allied staff work at Mayo, which has sites in Rochester, Minn.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. Collectively, Mayo Clinic treats more than 500,000 patients a year.

For more than 100 years, millions of people from all walks of life have found answers at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic works with many insurance companies, does not require a physician referral in most cases and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

What did I learn by reading this book? I learned again the importance of balance and how really eating healthy has to do with going back to the basics. Drop the artificial processed foods – exercise and use moderation and in no time you will drop the bad habits and get on the right track.

For more information, please visit www.goodbooks.com/mayoclinicdiet and www.mayoclinic.com/diet.

See my reviews on Amazon here:

Mayo Clinic Diet Book Mayo Clinic Diet Journal

This book fits into the following challenges:

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

I received my review copy of these books from FSB Media

December Recap and Monthly Winners!

Published on January 2, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments

December was the first month that I used a Google Spreadsheet to track comments and offer a f ull month giveaway. I really enjoyed using the spreadsheet and I am excited to announce not only the winners of the December Comment Contest – but also some fun statistics of this blog.

When I started blogging I didn’t know about other book bloggers. I blogged what I considered to be a personal record of what I had read and if someone found my blog and commented – that was just a bonus. All book reviews I completed at that time were from my own bookshelves. I had no idea you could connect with publishers and authors that actually wanted peopel to read and review their books. Before discovering Book Blogs and learning how to promote my blog, I averaged about 400 hits a month.

In June of 2009, a person commented on my blog and I went to see where they came from and I seen they were a member of something called Book Blogs. That’s the story… from that point on I signed up… found the world – this world, of bloggers, people like me who loved books! In a nut shell… I haven’t looked back!

In December, I had 12,385 visits to my blog. I had over 1,300 comments (this of course does not count my own). I am still so amazed that people are reading what I write… and so thankful again to have met so many wonderful book friends!

Two of my top posts for December were:

Morning Meanderings (The one where I showed pictures of the new shelves)

and

Pondering Moments (the discussion on how I read so many books)

Ok… enough on the statistics… here are the winners of the December Giveaway (using Random.Org):

First… I have two random winners who will receive choice out of the Prize Box… they are:

#442: Laurel!

#1046: Shari D!

And now for my top three commentors for December:

3rd Place: Ryan Wordsmithonia

2nd: Place: Julie J My Own Little Corner Of The World

**Each of you will have choice to receive a copy of Reader’s Choice, 200 Book Club Favorites sent to you or you may choose something out of the prize box.

1st place – top commentor for December 2009 goes to:

Esme – Chocolates and Croissants!!!!

She wins the $25 Amazon Gift Card which has already been emailed her way!

Congratulations!

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone by J K Rowling

Published on January 1, 2010January 4, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)51 Comments

There are a few books that are like old and dear friends… we cant wait to spend time with them again. This book – as well as the 6 that followed… are such a friend to me. ~ Sheila

You dont need me to tell you the story… I would think if you have not read it (oh! Banish the thought!) or have not seen the movie (horrors at the level of a bad Ear Wax flavored Bertie Bott’s Jelly Bean!) then you have at least heard about Harry Potter.

Yes, my name is Sheila. I am 42 years old and I am a Harry Potter fan.

This book… is book one. The begining. And even reading it now, like I did all those years ago it truly was like hanging out with an old friend. I had forgotten how richly detailed, and dare I say brilliant J K Rowling was from the very first! It was interesting to read those first pages and know now where these seeds that were innocently planted in the first book… would come to fruit books later – into a story that became way more amazing then even she could have realized.

I chuckled knowingly through moments like the first mail trying to get through to Harry while he was living ay the Dursley’s. Remember the address?

“To Harry Potter, In the cupboard under the stairs” and soon after…. “To Harry Potter, in the smallest bedroom”

The Hogwart’s characters all come to life and spring off the pages…. you can feel Dumbledore’s power through the pages… and sense that Snape is someone not to be forgotten…. even now…. so early on…

I marvel at how lucky we as readers are – those of us who were there as the books came out, as we waited in lines at

midnight to get our copies, or anxiously at doors to have them delivered…. some of us (no names mentioned) planning our day around the books release…. think about it. How lucky we were to be there to experience first hand as the story came to life. The next generations will read as the classics they will become… and as that generation reads these books – those of us – in the know – will have a distant twinkle in our eye…. a memory, of our first steps into the world created by J K Rowling.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, along with the rest of the Harry Potter series, has been attacked by several religious groups and banned in some countries because of accusations that the novels promote witchcraft. However, some Christian commentators have written that the book exemplifies important Christian viewpoints, including the power of self-sacrifice and the ways in which people’s decisions shape their personalities. Educators regard Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and its sequels as an important aid in improving literacy because of the books’ popularity.

What did I learn by reading this book? That Quidich would be a wonderful sport to watch! Of course, this book deals with great friendships too and I think it teaches kids to really embrace differences in others.

(I started reading this book a couple weeks ago in a mood that nothing I read was filling me…. this book did the trick and I intentionally stopped reading it so I could finish it today and make it my first completed read of 2010)

My Amazon review

This book fits into the following challenges:

The Gilmore Girls reading Challenge

2010 YA Reading Challenge

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

Harry Potter Reading Challenge

This book is from my own personal collection – my original copy that I read in 1998.

January 2010 – Comment Giveaway!

Published on January 1, 2010February 1, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)78 Comments

I had so much fun with Decembers Giveaway challenge that I decided to do it again for January! All comments on regular posts in January will be entered into a giveaway for a free book out of my prize box USA and Canada only. I will have three random comment winners so three book giveaways. In addition, the person who comments the most in January will receive a $20 Amazon gift card emailed to them (open to all commentors).

This Giveaway will run from January 1 – Jan 31…. winners announced on February 1

This post will stay on top for the month of January. All new posts will be directly below.

Morning Meanderings…

Published on January 1, 2010January 1, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)38 Comments

Happy New Year!

This morning I am enjoying a cup of Raspberry Creme Coffee (Cameron’s). It really is good and a perfect way to start this day! But actually – this is not the start of my day. My day started about an hour ago when I stayed a little longer in bed this morning and finished the book that I wanted to be the first read of 2010…. really, time with an old friend… (more on that in the next post)

I am excited as this will be my first year of full blogging! I have plans yet today to do some minor changes to my layout here… oh and please bear with me – in the excitement I will have two if not three book reviews posted today. I also have the December comment winners to post as well as Blog Awards that I hope to also give out yet today. I had several books I have been finishing up on and today is mostly going to be dedicated to doing just that. It is currently -7 below zero here in central Minnesota and while I need to make one run in little while here to Wal-Mart…. that will be it for my outdoor adventures today.

So share with me… whats your plans on this first day of the new year? Are you seeing a movie? Reading a book? Doing something fun?

Challenge….. Accepted.

Published on December 31, 2009January 2, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

I love a good challenge…. the competitive edge in me is sharpened and in most cases I am only competing with myself. So lets look at what Challenges I have accepted this year as well as the ones that are still in play.

The Gilmore Girl reading Challenge

(Jan 1 – Dec 31 2010)

Ok – I seriously love all things Gilmore. This is my favorite show of all time… and well, dont even get me started…. just read my post if you want to know more.

This one is a challenge to read books that are mentioned in this popular show and there is A LOT.

Levels:

Emily: Read 5 books from at least two different categories.
Lorelai: Read 10 books from at least three different categories.
Rory: Read 20 books from at least four different categories

(I am trying for the Rory)

The Historical Fiction Challenge

(Jan 1 – Dec 31 2010)

Ooh I love historical fiction! This one has several levels as well:

– Curious – Read 3 Historical Fiction novels.

— Fascinated – Read 6 Historical Fiction novels.

— Addicted – Read 12 Historical Fiction novels.

— Obsessed – Read 20 Historical Fiction novels.

It’s not to late to join! 🙂

YA Reading Challenge

Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2010

Oh yes! YA was a huge hit for me in 2009 and this challenge really has my excited to be involved!

Levels are:

–The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

–Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.

–Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.

–Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels.

I am going for the Just My Size. 🙂

These challenges can still be signed up for. Click on their title under the post and it will take you there! You can also mix and match in the categories so say that you read a YA book that also happens to fall into the GilMore Girl Category – you can count that book in both spots. 🙂

The Christy Awards Challenge

This one is for all the great Christian Fiction Reads that won the Christy award in 2009. As in the other challenges you choose the level you want to commit to. This is a good challenge for me as I enjoy good Christian Fiction reads and am probably missing out on some authors I have never experienced before.

The Social Justice Challenge

I am super excited to take part in this one! This challenge will focus each month on a different social injustice in the world. Reading will be suggested and encouragement to get involved when you fill called to is also a part of the challenge. This one is near and dear to my heart!

Support Your Local Library Challenge

This challenge will be my cryptonite…. my mount everest…. my…. well you get the point. Would you belive that I am not a library frequenter? Dont even have a library card? It is true… I will go to their book sales but a book borrower I am not…. or wasn’t…

J Kayes challenge here reminds me that I need to support my local library and so – I am…. I will. 🙂

100+ reading Challenge

Uhhhh… lets just say I dont think this one will be a problem…..

Harry Potter Reading Challenge

Aug 1 2009 – July 31 2010

This one as you can see, is already in progress and I have really “muggled” it up so far by producing… nada. BUT- I have not given up and as two of these books also cross into the Gilmore Challenge… count on seeing an amazing some back int the 2nd half of this challenge. 🙂

So that is what I have currently committed to. In the next few days I plan to have these all on my sidebar so you can click on them anytime and see where I am at on each challenge. **These challenges are all still available to sign on to. Simply click on the link I provided under each challenge picture and learn more about the challenge itself.

Challenges are fun – a great way to push yourself into new areas of reading and meeting other book bloggers with like minded goals. 🙂

The Murder Of King Tut by James Patterson (audio)

Published on December 31, 2009January 1, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)15 Comments

Thrust onto Egypt’s most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut’s reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace’s veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King’s most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy.

The keys to an unsolved mystery

Enchanted by the ruler’s tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-old mystery, Howard

King Tut

Carter made it his life’s mission to uncover the pharaoh’s hidden tomb. He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.

The clues point to murder

Now, in The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard dig through stacks of evidence–X-rays, Carter’s files, forensic clues, and stories told through the ages–to arrive at their own account of King Tut’s life and death. The result is an exhilarating true crime tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal that casts fresh light on the oldest mystery of all.

I listened to this audio over the past week. At first I found it a bit hard to follow the back and forth of Tut’s time (1300 BC) to Howard Carter’s time (1920) … to the occasional James Patterson time (current) where he fills us in on his progress and thoughts on the book.

Once I was able to pick up this flow…. I really started to enjoy the audio. The historical value of the story of Tutankhamen was fascinating to me. I had flashbacks to my experience when I first seen the movie Titanic and suddenly I couldnt get enough of Titanic related facts. Now here I am again in that place except now it is King Tut.

I have always been fascinated with movies the likes of Tomb Raider, National Treasure, and Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Being an archeologist would be an incredible job and the adventures of searching and finding the treasures of the past makes my heart beat a little faster.

I really enjoyed learning more about King Tut in this non fiction dig back into the days of Egyptian tombs, pyramids, and Pharoahs ruling the land. While I knew King Tut had been a young Pharoah – I had not realized how young or that he had married his sister! (oops – have I said too much?)

The sections on Howard Carter (the man who in November 26, 1922, discovered King Tut’s tomb) were equally as interesting. I even enjoyed the take directly from James Patterson himself on how this book came to be and his onw exensive research into the history and the mystery that surrounds Tut. James also shares some of his personal rules in writing that to me, were note worthy.

If you enjoy historical fiction/non fiction I think you will find a lot of value in this audio. For me the adventure had just begun as I am now following up on more information on Howard Carter and his amazing discovery of the boy King. James Patterson takes this piece of history and breathes life into it. I recommend taking it in.

Thanks to Hachette Audio, I have three copies of this audio to use for a giveaway! Enter here!

I received my review audio from Hachette Audio Group

Morning Meanderings…

Published on December 31, 2009December 31, 2009 by Sheila (Book Journey)32 Comments

SO here we are … another year down. For me this is a great time to look over the last 6 months of my blogging journey. I started blogging (seriously book blogging) the first week of June 2009. From that date on it has been a wonderful whirlwind of:

I have connected with people from all over the world.

been introduced to books I may not have ever encountered

Spoke with publishers and authors

fed my passion for writing

I have given a lot of thought how I would wrap up my year. Do I post my favorite reads over the past year? Make resolutions for 2010? How about a bit of both…. walk with me down memory lane:

Dragon House will always hold special memories for me. Not only was this a fantastic read, this was my first book sent directly from the author.

Pope Joan was another read that really was incredible. Author Donna Woolfolk Cross is fantastic and she and I communicated back and forth for a few months while they were filming the movie for this book. This was all new to me…. chatting with authors?

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy was such a fun read. It was great to participate on Kay’s 2.0 Blog and chat with ehr on Twitter as well. This book is not available to the public yet but I have pom poms ready to go to cheer like crazy when it does. YA look out in 2010!

The Help by Katherine Stockett is a great example of the power of book bloggers. As I watched this book gather steam through the blogs I purchased it and never looked back from page one to the very end. This book holds a high place in my 2009 reading favorites.

Jantsen’s Gift touched me deeply and author Pam Cope and I talked for over an hour on the phone as I interviewed her and shared our common interest in helping children all over the world.

Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins were books I would have never dreamed I would have enjoyed…. I mean seriously…. fighting to the death? Yet… I read them because of the wonderful bloggers I had come to trust and I LOVED these books. I cant wait for book three!

The Book Thief caused me to really put a new author on my radar that was reason for applause. A book told from the perspective of death…. if you havent read this – read it.

And this list is not by any means inclusive to everything I have read and loved this past year – just some that stick out in my mind as what I would say to someone who asked what book I would recommend.

As for resolutions for this blog…

I am excited to really take a close look at the challenges I will be doing this year and keep way better track then I did this past year.

There will be more author interviews

Word Shakers will get the kinks worked out and we will move ahead

I want to better at keeping track of the challenges I am in…. (I still have clean up to do on the ones I am completing – so behind! (My challenge post should be up later today)

Pondering Moments will be a mid week meme that will stem from book related questions and/or topics…. I am hoping to get more involved in a weekly discussion as I really enjoy talking all things bookish.

Finally I want to thank all of you that stop in and read my thoughts on books, crazy life moments that I share over a cup of coffee, and the day to day support. I so appreciate all of you. This past 6 months for many of you I have went from knowing you by a blog name – to a first name…. and that is pretty awesome.

May you all have a wonderful and safe New Years Eve!

Defining Twilight by Brian Leaf M.A.

Published on December 30, 2009January 4, 2010 by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Brian Leaf’s book is smartly done! ~ Sheila

Can you resist the allure of Edward’s myriad charms—his ochre eyes and tousled hair, the cadence of his speech, his chiseled alabaster skin, and his gratuitous charm? Will you hunt surreptitiously and tolerate the ceaseless deluge in Forks to evade the sun and uphold the facade? Join Edward and Bella as you learn more than 600 vocabulary words to improve your score on the *SAT, ACT®, GED®, and SSAT® exams!

Use this workbook side-by-side with your own copy of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight!
• Each chapter of the workbook gives you eight words taken from Twilight, with page references for you to read the words in the context of your favorite novel
• Define the words on your own before turning back to the workbook for their actual definitions
• At the end of each section you’ll take SAT, ACT, GED, and SSAT drills and quizzes to review and integrate what you’ve learned
• Plus, you’ll learn synonyms, Latin word parts, and memorization tools throughout the workbook

Honestly? I think this is brilliant! What a clever way Brain Leaf has put together here to learn great vocabulary words and actually make learning fun. Right from page 1 you have the words from the book Twilight with the page number provided to look it up. AT this stage of the book you are to write down what the word might mean. Flip to the next page and the definitions are there so you can see how you did. From there you move on to synonyms for each word, choosing analogies, and sentence completion. I had a wonderful time going through this workbook page by page and seeing what I did and did not know.

“Did I learn from this book?“ I would think would be a question you may be asking. The answer is yes. Even words that I thought I had a good grasp on, I discovered in a few cases I did not quite hold their correct meaning. When I read Twilight I did not notice the words that were put into use but now as I see how they are used in Defining Twilight, I am even more impressed with Stephanie Meyer’s work.

For a person who is a lover of words… this was a great exercise for me and I would think if you have a YA in your life who is a fan of Twilight, this is a great companion read that could be very beneficial.

About Brian Leaf

Brian Leaf, M.A., is the author of six books, including Defining Twilight and the four-book SAT and ACT test-prep series McGraw-Hill’s Top 50 Skills. He is Director of the New Leaf Learning Center in Massachusetts, and has provided SAT, ACT, GED, SSAT, and GRE preparation to thousands of students from throughout the United States.

My Amazon Review

I received my copy of this book for review from Author Brian Leaf