I am so excited to announce the winner of the Pope Joan signed and inscribed book coming directly from the author, Doona Woolfolk Cross.
Our winner (chosen by using random.org) is:
Congratulations Darcy! Please email me your mailing info as soon as possible and I can notify Donna to mail you the book!
I am embarrassed by how behind I am on these. Wonderful bloggers out there have passed on awards to me that for two weeks I have not had the time to pass on… I am correcting that today! 🙂
Bear with me – I have quite a few awards to pass here and there are so many blogs I love to read and love the communication we have back and forth it is always hard to choose when I just want to give it to everyone of you that come visit and leave your kind words with me.
However – I have learned that there are always great new awards in the Book Blog World, and I will have opportunities to continue to pass them on to all of you great and wonderful bloggers. I so appreciate each and every one of you. 🙂
This morning I posted about this lovely award. (See the below post)
The Lemonade Award is a feel good award that shows great attitude or gratitude. Here are the rules for accepting this award:
I have recently passed on this award, however today I do have two more I would like to send this on to:
At Home With Books : I love this blog! Alyce always has something wonderful to say and I just love checking in to see what that is. Great reviews and always a positive outlook!
Bookin with Bingo: Her blog is like going to a fair! I can almost smell the cotton candy! The overall attitude of the blog is so positive with great giveaways and fun reviews.
The Super Comments Award is so much fun and I have seen it for the first time when it came my way (see post below). I love this award as I think most of us agree, the comments that people leave really are a big piece of book blogging. I look forward each morning (uhh…. and afternoon, and evening…) to popping in and seeing who has visited and what they had to say! 🙂
If you are a visitor who stops by but does not leave comments, I encourage you to do so! I try to visit everyone who visits me and as I can I comment back on your comments.
I pass this award on to a few that come to mind that are wonderful commentators here (I know I am not capturing all of you and I love all comments and will more than likely add more soon to this award!)
J Kaye’s Blog: Always one to stop and say some encouraging words. I love to read her comments that come my way!
Bermudaonion: Kathy is an incredible commenter and I amazed at how often I comment on someones post and see she has been there. Her comments are appreciated and I know there are so many others out there who would agree.
Nicola’s Book Blog: I have really enjoyed the comments left frequently and look forward to reading each and every one of them!
Creations by Laurel: I can always count on Laurel to laugh at posts I write that I think are funny… (they may not be) but Laurel will laugh, or will make me laugh by what she has to say!
Rhapsodyinbooks: A great frequent commenter who I look forward to hearing from time and again!
Ok… this award cracks me up. I mean really, how trendy and cool to get the Zombie Chicken Award. This award was sent to me a couple weeks ago (see post here)
The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken – excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to other worthy bloggers.
Miss Remer’s Reviews: Not only does Regan consistently crank out wonderful reviews, but I love that she works hard to create a blog atmosphere that encourages YA to read!
Diary of An Eccentric: An enjoyable blog to read, Anna has up to date reviews and giveaways happening all the time. You dont want to miss out on what she has to say.
True Crime Book Reviews: Yvette really has her finger on the pulse of the true crime reads and while I dont get to read them as often as I used to due to time and so many books, I enjoy reading her blog and seeing what is up and coming in the genre!
That’s a Novel Idea: Always great happenings at this blog… frequent postings and many fun memes. I enjoy stopping by and seeing what she has going on!
You 2.0: If you are a YA reader, or hoping to be a YA author, Kay’s blog is not to be missed. She has something going on every day and posts great advice on how to develop characters, create a plot, etc… A fun blog!
This award was sent my way a couple weeks ago (see post here)
Being a recipient of this award affirms that this blog invests and believes in the Proximity – nearness in space, time and relationships.
This blog receives this great award as a further way to re iterate that it is exceedingly charming, and aims to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!
I pass this award to:
My Own Little Corner of The World: Not only are her reviews well written, she also has author interviews and other book tidbits that are enjoyable to read.
Bending Book Shelf: A great review blog and blog tours… I love how the book pictures on her blog are usually what I think is her copy. So it is like the book in action, either on a table or in her hands. That’s pretty cool!
The Book Inn: Natalie is a great writer of reviews, but I like that she puts her life into her blog as well. You not only get book reviews and book topics, you get to see a part of her life too with kid pics and new additions to the family!
This is such a great award. The Lets be Friends award was also given to me a couple weeks ago (see post here). This is a wonderful award because to me, these are bloggers that I can email if I have a blogging question, or they have emailed me to let me know how to do something or send great offers my way. I like that.
“Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.”
I pass this award to:
J Kaye’s Book Blog: J Kaye has been wonderful to email me and send information my way that has been helpful in my blogging. Thanks to her generosity, I in turn have been able to help others.
Enchanted by Josephine: Quick to comment, and helpful at bookblogs.com, I can always count on a pick me up from this great blogger!
Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews: A lovely blog, a lovely blogger. I met Sharon first through Bookblogs.com but we have continued to visit back and forth through our blog posts.
Nikola’s Book Blog: As I had stated under the Super Commenter award, this blogger always has something nice to say. I enjoy posting comments on this blog as well and hope to continue to visit back and forth.
My Book Buddies: This is one of my earliest commenter that has stayed right with me as I have learned and hopefully improved on my postings, giveaways, or whatever I am doing. I am always happy to see they have visited.
The Humane award was the first award I had ever received on my blog. This award will always hold special meaning to me. I received it again two weeks ago (see post here).
The Humane Award is to honor certain bloggers that I feel are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn’t for them, my site would just be an ordinary book review blog. Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. I thank them and look forward to our growing friendships through the blog world.
This award I pass on to:
Okbo Lover: Always a great commenter and a frequent visitor. I enjoy her comments and her enthusiasm. When she writes a comment you can tell she is writing with joy.
Good Books and Good Wine: April is a wonderful blogger and stops by often with fun comments that I look forward to. I appreciate how she welcomes new bloggers.
Nan’s Corner of The Web: I always enjoy it when Nan stops by. She is always so kind with her words and almost always encourages a response to her comment out of me.
Reading At The Beach: I so enjoy her input into my blog and love to read whatever she writes. Whenever I visit her blog my husband has to ask “what is that sound”? Go to her blog and listen for yourself!
Wordsmithonia: Ryan and I met through Bookblogs.com and it has been fun to watch his blog grow. he is a wonderful commenter and active on Twitter as well. He is easy to chat with and very kindhearted.
What a super fun award and I get a real 80’s vibe from it! (Maybe that’s just me…LOL) This award speaks for itself and I was so honored to receive it a cople weeks ago (see post here).
This award I pass on to:
KyusiReader: Peter writes about all things bookish. Reviews and articles, his book shelf posts are wonderful and I along with many others have sent him the pictures of where we keep our valued treasure of books.
Heidenkind’s Hideaway: I frequent this blog spot because I so enjoy her reviews and other book related topics. I have picked up a few “must haves” by reading her wonderful posts.
The Lateiner Gang Book Review Spot: I recently had the opportunity to interview this amazing family of bloggers. I love that! This is just a blog that I feel is really going to take off.
Trisha’s Book Blog: Trisha writes wonderful reviews – she is an active blogger and has many posts that I have had to add a book (again!) to my must have list.
The Story Siren: I have enjoyed Kristi’s blog from the first time I seen it. She posts frequently and I love her “In My Mailbox” meme and I watch it weekly. Kristi is quick to share advice and information on how to get great books for active bloggers.
Alexia’s Books and Such: A great blogger and a wonderful blog. She has frequent postings and lots going on!
The Heartfelt award is such a nice award and it really does cause me to envision sitting across a table at a coffee shop chatting with these bloggers. The conversations I have had with them, really makes me feel that way! This is another award that was sent my way two weeks ago (see post here)
Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you’re relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family & friends?
You know that feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea or a hot toddy?
That is what the Heartfelt award is all about: feeling warm inside! Probably right now you may be grabbing for some ice-cream or a slice of pie. Anything cool to forget the heat of the summer. How about a rice crispie square-they always make me feel good inside.
I pass this award to:
Chocolate and Croissants: The name alone makes you want to go hang out! Always with a yummy post, when I go to her blog she has wonderful reviews and I usually joke with her that I always leave hungry (you seriously have to look at her blog and you will know what I mean!)
Rhapsodyinbooks: As I mentioned above with the Super Commenter award, this blogger does leave great comments. But I also pass this award as well as I just enjoy commenting back and forth and it does indeed feel like we are just chatting over a great book at a coffee shop.
A Few Minutes With Michael: Michael has been a great commenter and frequent visitor since we met in the blogesphere. I appreciate his feedback and his comments are always so appreciated. I truly enjoy visiting his blog as well.
Never Not Reading: I enjoy this bloggers comments and visits and I love to visit their blog as well. This is one of my early commenters and I have enjoyed visiting with them ever since.
Bookworming in the 21st Century: If I am blogging or on Twitter, this wonderful blogger always has kind things to say. I really enjoy chatting back and forth with her and love all the different pieces of her blog.
I think that is all of them and it feels soooo goooood to be current! 🙂 Thank you everyone – seriously, everyone who stops by and reads what I write. This really feeds the writer in me. I hope that if you are a visitor that you do comment, even if it is just to say hi! 🙂
I hope I never get this behind again…. LOL
This morning Coffee Cup and I are still working on waking up. I have a couple commitments today but for the most 
part I am hoping just to relax at home before I have to take off for two days of training in Grand Marais Monday morning.
As I checked my emails and comments last night I found that I had received a few awards and I am honored by the great blogs who selected me.
The Super Comments Award is for those who you can always count on for a comment. This cute award came from two sources…. the Super Comments Awardwas given to me by Alexia at Alexia’s Books and Such (she has such a wonderful blog – I love to pop in many times a week!) and I also received this from Ryan at Wordsmithonia (I love Ryans blog as well, he is fun to read and always has something going on).
Then over at My Own Little Corner of The World, I received the Lemonade Award.You can always count on this blog to have a new giveaway or review up and it is always fun to read!
The Lemonade Award is a feel good award that shows great attitude or gratitude. Here are the rules for accepting this award:
I am so thankful for these awards. I will pass them on later today. I have a couple errands to run this morning and then back home to prep for my days away. I encourage you to check out the wonderful blogs who selected me for these awards, you will be glad you did! 🙂
I leave you now with a few pics of the 50 mile bike tour I did with my cousin Jarrod yesterday and his friend and mine, Brian. Beautiful weather!
Sarah Harper is driven to achieve success no matter what the cost. She wants to do good and not hurt the people she loves–especially children and her husband, Joe–but her desire to succeed in her career too often leaves little time for family. One cold, autumn afternoon, all of that changes when Sarah’s car plunges off a bridge and into a river. She is presumed dead by those on the “outside,” but Sarah’s spirit is still very much alive. What she discovers on the other side transforms everything about Sarah’s view of life-
-past, present, and future. When Sarah is revived, she is a changed woman. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.
Joyce holds an earned PhD in theology from Life Christian University in Tampa, Florida; an honorary 
doctorate in divinity from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and an honorary doctorate in sacred theology from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Joyce and her husband, Dave, have been married for over forty years, and they are the parents of four grown children. Dave and Joyce Meyer make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.
On Thursday I spent the better part of the day in my Durango hauling my sons belongings 3 1/2 hours away to his college. While in the vehicle that long I finally had just the occasion to pop in this audio book. I really enjoyed this audio book and I am a bit saddened to say that I picked up on a little bit of me in the main character of Sarah Harper. I tend to be an over achiever, driven, and many times over booked. This audio book reminded me once again what is important – and what truly is not.
I really enjoyed the reader, Ellen Archer, and found she mastered this well. I have never read a Joyce Meyer book before but I will actively be searching out her work now.
I received this audio book from Hachette Audio Books for review
This is a G rated audio
Recently I have had the pleasure of chatting with Dave Lateiner about his book blog. What makes 
Dave’s blog so interesting – is that not only does Dave write book reviews, but so does his wife Mara and their two daughters Lauryn and Sami. How super fun is that?
So tonight, I am pleased to offer you this interview I have completed with the Lateiner Gang to see how book blogging became a part of their lives. Please help me welcome them. While Dave is the one responding to my questions, the whole family has had input in the responses.
Welcome Dave, Mara, Lauryn, and Sami! I just love the idea of your whole family blogging about books! Please tell me a little bit about how this came to be.
Dave: We have been reading books for a very long time. My wife and I 33, have been reading since we were little kids. Our daughters Lauryn and Sami, 11 and 9, have been reading or read to since they were infants. By 1 years old, they were each able to read. Lauryn’s favorite to read was “Just like Ernie” from Sesame Street. Believe it or not, at 1, she was able to read the whole book by memory! Sami’s favorite was book was “Pat the Bunny”, which she could also recite by memory. We usually read about 2 hours minimum a night each. I (dad) had started using the website a year or so ago to go to blogs and read reviews, get recommendations, and share how I felt about books I read. Soon after, the rest of the Lateiner Gang had found themselves doing the same thing.
A few months back, we received an ARC for Suzanne Colllins “Catching Fire”, the sequel to “The Hunger Games”. As part of the deal of getting it, Lauryn was required to write a review for Scholastic of what she thought of the book. She LOVED writing the review. It dawned upon us then that this would not only be a great family project, but a way to give back to the all the authors, bloggers, publishers, and most importantly, fellow readers. So that is how The Lateiner Gang Book Review Spot was born. The idea was that with a gazillion other blog sites out there, ours would stand out as there are 4 of us, typically who read different genres and kinds of books, therefore able to give 4 sets f opinion rather than the standard 1.
How long have you been blogging?
Dave: We have been going on blogs for well over a year and reading reviews, adding our comments and getting suggestions from other readers. After doing this for some time, we just decided to open our own site and see where it goes from there. We have been “live for a few months but posted our first tactual review on July 26th on James Dashner’s “The Maze Runner”. From there, we started off slowly, but are quickly picking up the pace. Our idea was to really review books and interview authors that were our favorites. Posting about every single book is ok for some people, but the one thing our readers know is that if they see a book on our site review or an author interviewed, then we love them. so in about a 6 weeks of “actual” content, we have had appx 1500 hits and just under 30 followers. Of course, having a semi- background in marketing, myself and my wife have taught the children as well as us doing it ourselves, how and where to market our site. The other thing we do is try to CONSTANTLY give away books as contacts. And not usually any book, GREAT books that are usually signed ARC’s and occasionally an already published book that we loved. We have already formed some relationships with some authors as well as Publishers.
Wow! You have really put a lot of work into your blogging! Are you all naturally avid readers?
Dave: It depends on what your definition if an “Avid” reader is…the kids and wife usually spend about 2 hours a day minimum reading and then more time on the computer doing research or posting our link anywhere an everywhere they can to spread the word. Me, I usually spend about 3 hours night reading (more if there is a book i just CAN NOT put down, then I read until it is finished. I also spend plenty of time advertising for our site and coming up with good ideas…That reminds me, I will post about this, but I recently learned how to change the background and add a 3rd column to our site, so real soon (possibly over the weekend) , look for the site to look soooo much better!
Do each of you have certain genres that you like to read?
Dave: Mara tries to read biographies or books written about people for example, “Candy Land ” buy Candy Spelling and her daughter’s book ,” Mommywood” by Tori Spelling as well as Chelsea Handler’s book. She will also read something like “The Accidental Millionaires” about the 2 guys who started up facebook. Occasionally, Mara will stray and pick something up that I have to twist her arm until she reads it and then loves it.
Dave: I would suppose the same as any other household, come home from work, have some dinner, read, watch a bit of Television (only our favorite shows) and then either back to reading or working on our site, either posting, reading emails, or doing research as to how to improve. We are always looking at ways to improve. Always. Oh, and we typically take a walk many nights in the week. We live close to the center of our town, so we try to walk in there and just hang out for a little while, maybe pick up some Starbucks or hang out with other families we know. It’s that type of town w live in. Shhhh, don’t tell my family, but I wait for them all to go to sleep, then I crack open a book for another hour or so until I just can’t read anymore. I ALWAYS carry a book with me wherever I go.
LOL… your secret is safe with me! What are you trying to accomplish through your blogging?
Dave: Our main goal is really to be a part of a community. We feel like we owe these wonderful authors and all of those who have inspired us to start a blog, as well as readers. We want to give back to them what they have given to us, happiness, referrals on books, and opinions. We have read so many books that have been suggested online. As a matter of fact, many times when we post, we ask that if you are going to write a post, please include a favorite book you recently read or a book you plan to read in the near future. We get such a rush from writing a review, or interviewing an author. It’s crazy, we get so excited at every single follow up comment that someone leaves. It’s a feeling almost when an actor on stage finishes a performance, he gets an ovation. Well, we get that same feeling when people write how much they enjoyed our review, or now because of our review they are going to pick up a book they didn’t even know about or were on the fence on. We also get so psyched about giving away books. We are currently running 2 contests for AMAZING books, James Dashner’s “The Maze Runner” and new author, Laura Bingham’s “Alvor”. Our goal is to constantly be running contests of the best books we can get our hands on. Next is “FIre”, the prequel to the best selling book “Graceling” by Kristin Cashore.
As fairly new reviewers, do you have any questions you would like to put out there to the more experienced bloggers?
Dave: WE would love to know how to form relationships with publishers, authors, etc. to be able to get books to review and give away. So far, we have just been spending time on the phone and email and it seems to be working, but there has to be an easier way. Also, since I am a numbers guy, I was curious what sort of numbers were average, or above average…For example, how many followers do you expect over a certain amount of time? How many hits on your site can you expect over a certain amount of time? Besides this interview ;O) where and how are the best ways to advertise our site. Anything else you want to share with us, please feel free as we always keep our eyes and ears open for good ideas!
Thank you Dave and the rest of the Lateiner Gang for stopping by One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and sharing with us! Readers, I encourage you to stop by their blog at The Lateiner Gang Book Review Spot and give them a warm welcome.
Dave: Thank you so much for the opportunity to do this interview.
I love the two sales our Local Library does each year. One in the spring (Aprilish) and one in the fall. 
The fall one was yesterday and even though I was moving my son to college on this same day – he knows me well enough to say that we will leave after I return home from the book sale.
At 8:30 am (later then my usual arrival time but had a commitment prior) I take my spot in line, anticipating the 9 am opening of the doors… I suspect feeling much like the kids felt that waited outside Wonka Land in the movie Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
At 9:00 am…. the doors open and I am in!!! Books, books, everywhere! I start
where I always do, in the oversize paperback section, my favorite book format. I have wisely tucked money in my pocket as I know better then to try to fight through the crowds with a purse. There is also the inevitable crawling under the tables of books where they stack the overstock.
I emerge by 9:45 am with a $26 total. That’s right…. 52 books. This spring I had spent $35 so I have done better…LOL
Here are my purchases:
Time To Read!!!This giveaway is closed: Winner is Nancye Davis. Congratulations!!!
For Freebie Friday I usually try to pick a book that has something to do with the season we are in, or current world happenings… but today… well today… I chose this book because it is a good read and I have an extra copy that needs a good home. 🙂
Todays Freebie Friday is The Memory Keepers daughter by Kim Edwards.
his stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to 
deliver his own twins.
His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes that his daughter has Down syndrome. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. Compulsively readable and deeply moving, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is a brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of love.
This weeks giveaway starts right now! To enter:
1. Leave a comment here about how the above information on this book makes you feel. If you have read this book and if you have not, the above paragraph is quite powerful and really sets the mood for this book to begin…
2. For a bonus entry, blog or tweet about this giveaway and on a separate comment, leave the link here.
Thats it! US entrants only please and be sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner. No PO boxes may be used for delivery.
This giveaway will end next Friday, August 28.
Good luck!!! ♣
… Reading this book I tried to imagine what this had to feel like for our main character Macy… for that matter, what is must have felt like to Finn and Wyatt…. and you just know that somewhere at sometime in this world, this has actually happened… ~ Sheila
Macy Lockhart’s life shattered in a moment with the news that her husband, Finn —serving in the military overseas — has been killed in the line of duty. Their ardent and devoted marriage is over, leaving Macy alone, empty, directionless. But while she tries to sustain herself with memories of Finn, the quiet, strong man who made her and their small Texas ranch the center of his life, it is wealthy Wyatt Clark who slowly brings joy back into her life. Her love for Wyatt may be less romantic than the breathless passion she’d once shared with Finn, but she vows to cherish him, and their marriage is happy and as solid as a rock. Until the day that Finn, miraculously spared from death, returns home to claim his bride….
Well, as the back of the book states? Whose wife was she?
I have never read a book on this subject line before and was surprised tor ead about the laws that go with such a situation…. still married to the first husband, would have to divorce him to make new marriage legal…. I guess that all makes sense, I had just never thought about this situation. Apparently, our author, Julia London had thought about this subject… and out of those thoughts, same this book, Summer of Two Wishes.
I have always had a heart for the under dog – but without giving too much away, I will let you know that this book holds a few surprises. I recommend this book for a late summer read with a touch 
of romance. I have never read Julia London before, but I will read her in the future.
Characters that feel as though they truly live and breathe, London has created a page turner that will leave you at times excited to see what the next page will bring.
This book is a review copy sent to me by Pocket Books
I rate this book PG13 for some sexual content
Coffee Cup and I have come together this morning for the first time in days. Tuesday night and Wednesday night I had stay overs for our quarterly week of staying with the homeless for IHN. Thursday morning I left my overnight and drove right to the Library where I stood in line for the Fall Book Sale. (I will post my finds later!) Then I drove home and followed my 19 year old to Mankato to College with two vehicles loaded with all of his stuff. I returned home last night around 9:30 pm.
I am wiped out and tomorrow I am leaving for Bemidji to ride bike 50 miles with my cousin for the Tour De Pines.
ANYWAY… that’s whats happening in my life. Here is whats happening in my book world:
I was nominated in the BBAW categories of:
Wow. I am honored to be nominated and want to say thank you to whoever nominated me. I have some work to do yet this afternoon to choose my 5 posts to email on for these categories. Anyway… wow again… 🙂
I have had the pleasure of interviewing a family of book bloggers, The Lateiner Gang Book Review Spot. I hope to get that post up yet tonight or before I leave in the morning. I have had a lot of fun emailing back and forth and learning about them. I cant wait to share their story with you!
I have an audio book to review (Any Minute by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford) that I listened to yesterday during my travels and a blog tour for Summer of Two Wishes by Julia London to do this afternoon after I return home.
I have giveaway winners to post and blog awards to pass on!
As you can see, things have not been dull here at the DeChantal home! I am excited for things to slow down again so I can get back into visiting all of you and not feeling like I am constantly behind.
Have a great day and stop back often as I have much to post! 🙂
Here we are week three and my week has been so crazy busy I only have a small offering this week of 
words. Here is how to play and I encourage you to do this – feel free to take the meme pick and do it on your blog, linking back to here. Later when I am home (out of town today) I will add those who linked to me and completed this meme to this post so you will be able to click on others.
These are actual word verifications I have had in the last week and my definitions. 😉
Ok seriously…. do not judge this meme by my input this week… these are pretty sad. Please look at last weeks Word verification Balderdash to see those who played as well.
Here are some of the other players and their words:
This Girls Ever Expanding Library
Book Journey 