It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog from 2006 -2009  and then was taken up by me here at Book Journey from Feb 2009 – Fall 2015 and then I passed it to Kathryn at the Book Date.  We have worked to keep the torch of It’s Monday burning!  🙂

I wanted to post last night but yeah….. life and all of that.  🙂    Here is what I posted over the past week:

the good liar by nicholas searle – Good stuff

Gretal and The Case Of The missing Frog Prints by P.J, Brackston  – let’s just say…unmet potential

MISSOULA by Jon Krauker – This was an AMAZING listen.

 

It was a fairly good week but a lot of computer work has kept me from picking up much for books.  This week, I hope that changes a bit.  My plans are:

For My Eyes

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Set in the most magical parts of Manhattan—the Upper West Side, Central Park, Greenwich Village—The Ramblers explores the lives of three lost souls, bound together by friendship and family. During the course of one fateful Thanksgiving week, a time when emotions run high and being with family can be a mixed blessing, Rowley’s sharply defined characters explore the moments when decisions are deliberately made, choices accepted, and pasts reconciled.

Clio Marsh, whose bird-watching walks through Central Park are mentioned in New York Magazine, is taking her first tentative steps towards a relationship while also looking back to the secrets of her broken childhood. Her best friend, Smith Anderson, the seemingly-perfect daughter of one of New York’s wealthiest families, organizes the lives of others as her own has fallen apart. And Tate Pennington has returned to the city, heartbroken but determined to move ahead with his artistic dreams.

Rambling through the emotional chaos of their lives, this trio learns to let go of the past, to make room for the future and the uncertainty and promise that it holds.

TLC Book Tour this week.

 

 

For My Ears

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When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

I am almost finished with this one and WHOA WHOA WHOA!

 

 

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On Marin’s island, sunrise doesn’t come every twenty-four hours—it comes every fourteen years. Now the sun is just a sliver of light on the horizon. The weather is turning cold and the shadows are growing long.

Because sunset triggers the tide to roll out hundreds of miles, the islanders are frantically preparing to sail south, where they will wait out the long Night.

Marin and her twin brother, Kana, help their anxious parents ready the house for departure. Locks must be taken off doors. Furniture must be arranged. Tables must be set. The rituals are puzzling—bizarre, even—but none of the adults in town will discuss why it has to be done this way.

Just as the ships are about to sail, a teenage boy goes missing—the twins’ friend Line. Marin and  Kana are the only ones who know the truth about where Line’s gone, and the only way to rescue him is by doing it themselves. But Night is falling. Their island is changing.

I am into this one now…. not sure yet where it is going or how I feel about it.

 

 

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Into Thin Air is the definitive, personal account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed journalist and author of Eiger Dreams and Into the Wild. On assignment for Outside magazine, Krakauer, an accomplished climber, went to the Himalayas to report on the growing commercialization of the planet’s highest mountain. Everest has always been a dangerous mountain. From the first British expeditions in the 1920s until 1996, one climber has died for ever 4 who have attained the summit. This shocking death toll has not put a damper on the burgeoning business of guided ascents, however, in which amateur alpinists with alarmingly disparate skills are ushered up the mountain for a $65,000 fee. To ascend into the thin, frigid air above 26,000 feet – the cruising altitude of a commercial jetliner – is an inherently irrational act. The environment is unimaginably harsh, the margin for error miniscule. Krakauer examines what it is about Everest that has compelled so many people – including himself – to throw caution to the wind, ignore the concern of loved ones, and willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense. Written with emotional clarity and supported by his unimpeachable reporting, Krakauer’s frank eyewitness account of what happened on the roof of the world is a singular achievement.

I just watched the movie Everest over the weekend and wow.  I honestly thought I had read this book, but if I did it was pre-book journey and I can not find any record of it.  After seeing the movie and realizing that author Jon Krakauer was on this trip … I want to listen to it even if it is “again.”

 

 

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Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past 10 years, this 30-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They reemerge like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend – he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice….

If you look above in this list you will see the book YOU by this same author.  This is the 2nd book in this series and what luck – it is released tomorrow, the 23rd.  Thanks God!  YOU is amazing and creepy…. and well, watch for that review.

 

There is my week.  It may look like a lot of audio but I actually just finished YOU about an hour ago and Nightfall is in my car.  I hope you have wonderful reading planned for this week.  Please connect at Book Date to see what others are reading.

Morning Meanderings…Book-A-Mania

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Sunday.

*sigh*

The weekends go so fast.

I have made my hubby peanut butter french toast, painted my toenails, stacked up the books of the week for this post, and am now sitting at the kitchen table with COFFEE CUP and watching the snow fall gently outside the window.  This season always makes me sad.  I long for spring.

Books.

Book journey

SOLAR SYSTEM

WEATHER

Left Behind

The Goblin’s Puzzle

The Eye Of Midnight

the girl who stayed

The Return Of The Witch

I’m Glad About You

River Road

Hundred Year Walk

The Tree In The Courtyard

MOONHORSE

The Opposite Zoo

 

BIG book week!

I have been receiving many beautiful children’s books that I need to start being better at reviewing.  Perhaps today will be one of those days…. the snow… the warm house.  Definitely a book day.

 

 

 

At The Movies: How To Be Single

how to be single, book journey,Last weekend my cousin Cheryl and I had lunch and then went to a movie.  We decided to see How To Be Single.  I adore Leslie Mann, I think she is so funny, and Rebel Wilson was first introduced to me in the movie Pitch Perfect (which I love love LOVE).

Let’s bring you up to speed… (Note trailer is a bit “R”) – skip it if you just want my review 🙂

I have to admit, the movie was really funny.  Yes there is some crude language, but I have to say it is not a crude movie.  Last month I seen Sisters with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and IF I decide to review it is will not be favorable.  That movie was raunchy.

In case you skipped the trailer here is my cleaner version of what is happening…

After four years of college and being with the same sweet guy the whole time, Alice (Dakota Johnson), decides she needs to explore the dating world a bit before she settles down forever with Josh.  Excited to give her new singleness a try, she moves out of her apartment to live with her older sister (Leslie Mann) in New York for awhile and finds a job as a paralegal.  Her co-worker Robin (Rebel Wilson) decides Alice needs to loosen up a bit and learn what New York is all about.  With Robin as her undesignated guide, Alice is taught how to get free drinks, be non committal, and feel the freedom of being single in the city that never sleeps.

But when it gets right down to it, is this really what Alice wants?

I thought this was a really sweet movie. It is hilariously funny, but at the same time there is actually a story line running through along side that keeps the movie real at the same time.  The casting was wonderful.  Dakota Johnson can pull off the right level of innocence, and really if you have watched anything with Rebel Wilson in it, you know she can be outrageous in funny ways.  Leslie Mann provides a nice level between the two actresses as she is a single, well educated, and successful woman who has found she does not need a man or a child to feel fulfilled… or maybe not.  😉

If you do mind a little sexual humor, I would recommend seeing this movie.  This movie is rated R for language, not for visual happenings.  In fact if you watched the movie without hearing it, it would be PG13.  I only bring up the language because I want to be sure you know what you are about to hear, however if you watch the trailer you will have a sample of what I am talking about, it really doesn’t get over the top bad.

Recommended.

 

Morning Meanderings…. Training To Be A Hooker

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Saturday!  Have I mentioned before it is my favorite day of the week?  Here this morning with COFFEE CUP on the front end of the weekend.  So much I like about that.

For this weeks Saturday Snapshot I thought I would share with you my experience this week of taking the steps to be a hooker.  Leather knee boots optional.

PWH

Oh wait – no no no. Not that kind of hooker.

This kind:

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I have girls in my book club that are amazing crocheters, or hookers, as I am learning they are called.  Some of the items they have worn to book club (scarves, hats…) things they have made for Wine and Words or for our Christmas exchange (gorgeous blankets, throws…)  This hat is what I received at our last Christmas party:

Sheila DeChantal

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Anyway…. I sooooo wanted to know how to crochet.  Last fall, I won a crochet starter kit at the Wine and Words auction.  I joked that I would not open that package unless I had a chance to learn, otherwise the gift basket was going back to be auctioned at this year’s event.  It was nice that on Thursday of this week I was able to open that basket.

PicMonkey CollageIn the basket was a wonderful assortment of yarn in beautiful colors.  There was also a book called My First Crochet Book, scissors, a set of crochet hooks with a holder, and some tags to put on my masterpieces (those I will save for later.  WAY later).

We gathered at Sharon’s house from our book club and she and Lori taught me the basics.  I was the only one in the group this time that was squeaky new to this.  I thought for sure I would have Mickey Mouse hands and not be able to do a think but I actually did ok when I made my first chain of 100 stitches.  (Note the concentration)

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Our trial session was two hours long.  The goal was to make a cozy for a coffee cup as my first project but we (I) did not get that far.  By the time I left I had this:

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A work in progress? Yes.  Or…. a completes yarn mustache which I believe are all the rage in Europe.  😉

The verdict:  I am willing to keep going. I hope I will learn to at least make scarves, maybe baby blankets.  On the bright side… it was a bucket list item I can scratch off – I am doing it.

Huh.

How about that?

My Great Grandmother would be proud.

Linking this up to Saturday Snapshot where we share what is happening in our lives.  Check it out – it is kind of cool to see what everyone around the world is taking pictures of this week.

 

Morning Meanderings….. Ahhhh SHOOT! I Missed It!

bbaw0216

Need coffee.  Hang on a sec.

Ok back.  MMMMM better.

I used to be soooooooo good at going out and visiting my fellow bloggers.  I prided myself on visiting twenty blogs a day minimum, reading reviews, checking in…. and now, sadly not so much.  I mean to.  I want to. And then I write a review.  Read a book.  Listen to audio while cleaning the house. Work on Library projects.  Go on coffee dates.  Meet friends for lunch.  Connect with my son.  Spend time with my hubby.  Work on business connections. Write proposals.  Create events.  Reflect on what I am going to do with my life….

I am the queen of the time suck.

SO… this morning it surprised me as much as it probably surprises you that when browsing my email (pre-coffee…. maybe that is the trick) I spotted a post title from my good blogger friend Care about Book Blogger Appreciation Week.  I LOVE that week and I clicked to read when it would be only to find out that this is actually the last day of it.

Wait….

what?

out-of-the-loop

Yes.  That really is how out of the loop I am.

I would have loved to participate but because I am now a blogger with my head in the sand I am missing stuff.

Poo.

So this last day of BBAW I am going to quickly catch up on what I have missed and give you my “pretend I have been doing this all week” post.  Ready?  Here we go.

 

Day 1: Introduce yourself by telling us about five books that represent you as a person or your interests/lifestyle.

Well ok… hi.  My name is Sheila and I have been blogging here at Book Journey since June 2009.  CRAZY right?  And let me just say…. TOUGH question.  Let’s see how far I get.

  1.  The Harry Potter series.  These books are a household staple around here.  My boys grew up on them and my son Justin and I really bounded over these books.  We started a tradition of going to Harry Potter world in Florida every November and we were able to do that three years in a row.  These books will always be a big connection to my son for me.  They are a part of my heart.
  2. The Three Sisters Trilogy by Nora Roberts.  Yes Nora Roberts.  The book, Dance Upon The Air was the first book my book club read in August of 2001.  We all loved the magical aspects of the book  and the magic must have worked on us too because that same book club is now 16 members strong and has been meeting every month now for 14+ years.
  3.  READY PLAYER ONE.  OMG I LOVE this book.  I have listened to it on audio three times now and EVERY time I talk about it I want to read/listen again and NOW it’s going to be a movie!  SO EXCITED!  This book brings out the gamer in me.  Yes, I am a girl who loved playing Nintendo, Xbox, Play Station with my kids.  AND….. without my kids.  I mastered all of the Zelda series and still years later find myself drawn to strategic game play.
  4. Hunger Games Trilogy. Ok not sure if I would say these books define me….. but they are kick a**.  I love strong characters.  I love survival stories, fiction and non fiction.
  5. The Bible.  My faith does define me.

Ok…. I wish I could honestly add an impressive title like “Ulysses changed my life”  (In truth I have never read it), or “If I could only take one fiction novel to a deserted island it would have to be Gone With The Wind”, uh…. no. Read it, liked it…but Harry goes to the island with me.  HARRY POTTER.

SO basically what I see here in my choices is that I am a faith driven person who LOVES to read about magical worlds, the “what if’s” in life and strong female protagonists.  And I also love gaming.

 

Day 2: IT’S INTERVIEW DAY!

Missed it!  Love this part.  Ahhh well 🙂

 

Day 3:  Blame a Blogger

Have I ever read a book because of a blogger recommendation?  You bet!  Do I remember those recommendations?  No way.  I can recall a couple big genre moves I have made though because of bloggers.

Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness hooked me on non fiction.  When we were roommates at BEA in 2010 she told me about the book The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks.  That was it.  I was sold.  Non fiction became a big part of what I read.

Candice at Beth Fish Reads, my BEA roommate for 2014 and hopefully 2016 loves to review foodie books and cook books.  Her enthusiasm and great reviews pulled me into finding it hard to resist a good foodie book and I love to make recipes I find in books, especially fiction books.

 

Day 4:  Staying Connected

I used to be so good at this as I mentioned above.  When I first started blogging the rule of 20 blogs a day is how I grew this blog.  I would make a goal of visiting 20 blogs a day and not just my faves. I would click on bloggers who commented on my favorite blogs.  I would always leave a comment and watch to see if they visited me.  Most did.  I made sure once they got here, I had something interesting up so they would want to come back.  It worked.  I have a twitter account for Book Journey but I rarely use it.  I do not have a Facebook page for Book Journey…. just seems like a one-more-thing.  Basically what you see here is what I do.  I talk books, life, food, and try to keep it real.  I do hope to get back to reading more blogs.  I do enjoy it.

 

Day 5:  Blogger Burnout

It is true.  Some of the rock star bloggers that were my blogging idols when I started have dropped off.  I was sad to see them go but understand that life happens, jobs change, babies are born, interests change…  This past year for me I thought there was a good chance I was done.  We took a huge hit this past year and it blew my life wide open.  It still does. What I found for myself is that once again Book Journey changed a bit.  I felt safe here to share my heart and my heart ache.  I talked about what was happening.  Honestly – I have met many of you through the book expo.  Others of you from our talks here and reading your blogs, I feel as though I know you.  Book Journey for a while went away from book reviews and instead became a place I could just talk it out.  Honestly when I look back at the things that have helped me get this far, this blog would be one of them.  I don’t want to let this connection go.

My suggestion to those feeling blogger burnout is if it starts to feel like work you either need to change up what you are doing or walk away until it feels right.  It’s your blog.  If one day you feel like writing about burned toast instead of the latest hot read – do it.  If you no longer find that you can post 4 times a week like you used to, change it to what works for you.  It is your corner of the internet.  DO what works for you 🙂

In closing, I wanted to be a part of BBAW because you all matter to me.  It is hard for me to put into words what this past year and your generous outpouring of love for me and my family has meant.  And to think… it all started with a book review and one girls desire to connect beyond her life circles.  Thank you all for being a part of my online book friends life circle.

Sheila

PS Thanks Estelle for putting this together.  Thank you Care for posting about it so I seen it.  I hope to get around to those who participated so I can read their great posts this week.

 

 

MISSOULA by Jon Krakauer Narrated by Mozhan Mamo and Scott Brick

JOn Krakauer, MISSOULA, book journey

Missoula Montana is your typical college town.  There are plenty of College antics to go around:  studying, making friends, partying, and of course the football games.  From 2008 – 2012 hundreds of students reported sexual assault.  Many of the circumstances involved alcohol, or heavy flirting gone too far.  The police in most of these cases gave little attention to the alleged victim believing it was a party and the girl was just feeling regrets after consenting to sex.  Missoula is by no means the exception, in most states alleged rape victims are treated as thought they brought on the assault themselves.  Often, due to this sad statistic, many assaults, more than we will ever know, go unreported.

In a case study, Krakauer shares what happened with 5 such cases during a four-year period in Missoula Montana.  Their stories of shame, self-doubt, ridicule, nightmares, and in some – the court case that rehashes it all again.  Some will win their case, some will not… but all five of the victims will carry with them forever what happened, one night, in Missoula.

 

 

Yes.  I am a diverse reader.  Over the years I have found myself drawn to non fiction.  Certain subjects call my attention and when I found this book on Audible.com I downloaded it immediately.  Rape, like bullying, is a huge problem in our world that leaves devastating life long marks on its victims.

I have read/listened to Jon Krakauer books before (Into Thin Air, Into The Wild, Under The Banner Of Heaven)  and find his research to be thorough.  Krakauer gets to the heart of the matter, never dragging things out unnecessarily and this book was no exception.

MISSOULA is not an easy listen.   Each assault is very detailed in how it happened, the circumstances, and what happened in the days, weeks, and years to follow.  These girls will question themselves, wondering it they deserved what they got, if they should have been more forceful in saying no, if they should have fought harder to get away… and then you have those that did not fight at all.  Instead, they gave in, afraid of what their friend or boyfriend may do if they try to stop them….

No means NO.

Narrators of this book are Mozhan Mamo and Scott Brick.  While Mozhan Mamo is new to me and a narrator I look forward to hearing more from, Scott Brick is a narrator I have encountered many times and find perfect for non fiction listens.  Together, the two were a perfect blend of narration for this book. Very well done.

Although there were parts of the book that were hard to listen to; often you hear her side of what happened, his side, and what the courts say so you are deep in the topic several times over having to hear about how it was done and what was said – it is a book  I would recommend every woman (especially college age) to either read or listen to.  While sometimes the evidence was not strong enough to call rape, I was surprised in some parts how rape goes back to the basic – no means no.  Even if the girl had thought it armchairaudies-300x300was what she wanted and at any point decided she does not – no means no.

Incredible listen.  And an important one.

 

Missoula is nominated by the APA for the 2016 Audie Awards in the non fiction category.

 

  • Audible Audio Edition
  • Listening Length: 11 hours and 58 minutes
  • Program Type: Audiobook
  • Version: Unabridged
  • Publisher: Random House Audio
  • Audible.com Release Date: April 21, 2015
  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Doubleday; First Edition edition (April 21, 2015)

 

 

The following note is a bit graphic.

Personal note:  Right out of high school a group of us who all worked together liked to get together after work sometimes at someones house and have a few beers.  On a particular night one of my friends who lived in the house we were partying at went up to bed pretty intoxicated late into the night.  The next morning she called me and told me this,

“I was passed out on my bed when I was awakened by someone on top of me.  I sort of woke up and seen it was _____________, who we worked with.  I was still so out of it and I mumbled for him to get off of me, but he didn’t listen.  He forced himself inside of me and I think I passed out again.  When I woke up in the morning I could vaguely remember him being there and I knew he had raped me.”

I drove to her house and picked her up and brought her to the hospital.  They took some samples, her clothes, even asked her to bring in the blanket off of her bed.  A cop came in and took a statement while I was with her and he basically told her if drinking was a problem perhaps she should get help.  By the time we left the hospital she felt sure she was some how to blame and honestly I thought maybe since she had drank so much that she had encouraged him.  She decided to drop any investigation, it was too embarrassing and what if it was her fault?  She never told anyone, not any other friends and for sure not her parents.  We all continued to work together as though nothing had happened.  Eventually she quit the job.

I share this now because after listening to this book I know that what happened to her was rape.  It did not matter that she has been drinking or even if she had been flirting.  I think this is the important message here.  How many women live with something like this for their entire life believing that it is somehow their fault for how they dressed, how they acted, how much they drank.

No means no and without verbal consent (IE.  if a person is intoxicated, sleeping, not in an awake state of mind) it is best to not do anything.  Men and women alike.

Gretel and The Case Of The Missing Frog Prints by PJ Brackston and read by Kate Reading

gretel and the case of the missing frog prints, p j brackston, book journey

No, not my typical read/listen… but a story based off Hansel and Gretel,

a play on words in the title and that cover… how could I pass the temptation? ~Sheila

Many years have passed since Hansel and Gretel had that fateful day the witch lured them to her house made of cake and candy.  Sadly, not a whole lot has changed.

Since that sugary encounter, neither Hans (yes he goes by Hans now) and Gretel (now 35) have had a hard time with their eating habits….both of them craving sweets constantly and always up for a bite to eat.

When Albrecht Dürer the Much Much Younger’s valuable frog prints go missing, he does not hesitate to call the best Private Investigator money can buy, Gretel.  Yes, THAT Gretel.  Gretel leaps at the chance to take on such a case, bribing her hefty brother to go with her with the fact that the city’s Annual Sausage Festival will be taking place around the area she will be investigating.

Having grown up on stories like Hansel and Gretel (which now come to think of it is a HORRIFYING story of attempted cannibalism) I was interested in exploring an adult version of the siblings.  I listened to this on audio with narration by Kate Reading which was a big plus for the story.

I initially thought I would be listening to a middle grade (MG) story but please note, depending on the child, this may not be for them.  There is a part of the story where Gretel is undercover in a Brothel for a time.  I have to add, completely unnecessary to the story line and without that the book would have been wonderful for middle grade children as there are encounters with talking mice, and solving the crime itself would be something I would think children would have fun figuring out.

For the reasons I mention above, I was disappointed.  I looked on-line and did not see on the sites I looked at any age suggestions for this book.  While nothing is really said to make this book inappropriate, an inquiring child may inquire what a brothel is.  This is entirely my opinion as all my reviews.  What initially I thought I could promote as a family listen on a car trip, in the end I cannot say that.

  • Audible Audio Edition
  • Listening Length: 8 hours and 14 minutes
  • Program Type: Audiobook
  • Version: Unabridged
  • Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Audible.com Release Date: January 15, 2015

Morning Meanderings… The Wine and Words 2016 Line Up

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Wednesday and I just keep adding to my “to do’s.”  It is for that reason, I am always excited when I check a big task off and I can d that now with the 2016 Author Line Up for Wine and Words.  It is our 4th year of doing this event and I enjoy the little details of making this work SO MUCH.

When it comes to finding the author mix I use several different methods to choose who to invite:

  1.  Watch best-selling book lists
  2. Watch sites like Goodreads and Amazon for reviews
  3. Recommendations from people in our community
  4. Our local Book Store.  I speak with the employees about what people are asking for.
  5. At least 2 of the authors we try to be Minnesota authors.
  6. YOU.  My trusted book loving friends who review some pretty sweet books.

Next I am looking for a diverse genre mix.  I want the authors to appeal to different people.  For instance, perhaps the North shore mysteries that William Kent Krueger and his protagonist Cork do not speak to you, but Kathleen McCleary’s women’s literature does.  In many of the cases, at the time of lining up the Wine and Words authors, I have not read them myself.  It is always fun to introduce even myself to new authors.

So…. here they are.  2016 Wine and Words:

brian freeman, book journey, author event, wine and words, brainerd mn

Brian Freeman is an international bestselling author of psychological suspense novels. His books have been sold in 46 countries and 20 languages and have appeared as Main Selections in the Literary Guild and the Book of the Month Club. His seventh novel SPILLED BLOOD won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the annual Thriller Awards presented by the International Thriller Writers organization, and his fifth novel THE BURYING PLACE was a finalist for the same award. His sixth novel THE BONE HOUSE was a finalist for Best Audiobook of the Year in Thriller/Suspense.

“This guy can tell a story,” says bestselling author Michael Connelly.

Helen Klein Ross, Helen, Book journey, wine and words, brainerd mn, author eventHelen Klein Ross is the author of What Was Mine, a novel published in January by Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books, a People magazine pick for “Best of 2016”. Her novel Making It: A Novel Of Madison Avenue (Gallery Books, 2013) is an e-book that experiments with digital epilogue. She is the creator and editor of The Traveler’s Vade Mecum, a crowd-sourced poetry anthology forthcoming in September from Red Hen Press. Her poetry, essays and fiction have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times and in The Iowa Review where she won the Iowa Review Award for Poetry in 2014. Helen spent decades as a writer/creative director at global ad agencies on both coasts. She graduated from Cornell University and received an MFA from The New School. She lives with her husband in Manhattan and Salisbury, CT. 

 

Joshilyn Jackson, book journey, brainerd mn, author event, wine and wordsNew York Times Bestselling novelist Joshilyn Jackson is the author of six novels: Someone Else’s Love Story , gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, Backseat Saints, and A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages, won SIBA’s novel of the year, three times been a #1 Book Sense Pick, twice won Georgia Author of the Year, and three times been shortlisted for the Townsend prize.

A former actor, Jackson reads the audio versions of her novels; her work in this field has been nominated for the Audie Award, was selected by AudioFile Magazine for their best of the year list, has made the 2012 Audible All-Star list for highest listener ranks/reviews, and garnered three Listen Up Awards from Publisher’s Weekly. In 2012 Jackson began reading the audio versions of books written by other novelists, beginning with Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer.

Allen Eskens, wine and words, brainerd, author event, book journeyAllen Eskens is the award-winning author of The Life We Bury, published in October of 2014. It was named one of the best books of the year by Suspense Magazine and MysteryPeople and was named a finalist for six different awards including the prestigious Edgar Award. His second novel, The Guise of Another is out in October of 2015.

Allen Eskens grew up in the wooded hills of Missouri and, after high school, migrated north to pursue his education. He acquired a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Minnesota, and a Juris Doctorate from Hamline University School of Law.

Gerri, Laura Childs, Book Journey, Wine and Words

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  Devonshire Scream, her 17th Tea Shop Mystery, releases March 1, 2016.  Little Girl Gone, the first book in her Afton Tangler Thriller Series written under her real name of Gerry Schmitt, releases July 5, 2016.  In her previous life she was CEO of Mission Critical Marketing (with offices in Minneapolis and Austin, TX), authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show.  She is married to Dr. Bob, a U of M professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

There they are!  Glad to have the line up in place!  Thanks to a great team and a great venue to work with, the rest of it comes fairly easy.

the good liar by nicholas searle

the good liar, nicholas searle, book journey, tlc book tour

Roy is not too hard on the eyes for a man in his 80’s.  He can carry on a friendly conversation and he knows how to put someone at ease.  When he meets Betty through an online dating service, that is exactly what Betty see’s in Roy.  A nice polite older man that she would not mind spending time with. In fact, much to Betty’s family surprise, Roy is soon living with her.

There is of course more to Roy than meets the eye.  Roy is a long time con artist.  He has spent a lifetime of finding ways to separate people from their money and if he does say so himself, he is good at it.  Betty is financially set and thankfully Roy thinks, she is not a bad looking woman for her age which is a little bonus while he works his way into her finances.

Betty is just happy to have someone to spend her golden years with.  She is willing to overlook the little things, like the mess that Roy makes just about every time he uses the bathroom, or how he disappears to take long walks when ever she is cleaning up around the house, and even how her grandson has a feeling that something about Roy isn’t quite on the up and up…

 

 

 

Words that come to mind:  Disconcerting, page turner, twisted.

Entering in to the pages of The Good Liar I felt I had an idea of what it was about and where it would go.

I was wrong.

While I encountered a story of deception and lies, I truly had no idea as to what length this would go in.  Roy is one of those people that ooze dishonesty.  He truly is a perfect unlikable character.  He has no qualms in who he hurts to achieve his goals and is one of those people who for the most part remain emotionless.  I am pretty sure there were many parts of this book I real with a scowl on my face.  Boo! Bad guy!  Boo!

But…

there is more to this story.

I found the book to be engaging.  I turned the pages quickly wondering where the story would go.  As the story unfolds many of the chapters take you back in time to Roy in previous years, in previous scams…. some of these chapters in the way they were written I found to be a bit choppy.  The time line was not always disclosed and especially in the earlier chapters as I was getting a feel for the read, I found it would take me a page or two into a chapter t get where this was taking place and when.  As I tend to like a faster paced read (mostly), there were parts of this book that felt as though it was more wordy than it needed to be.   That said, I still found The Good Liar to be worth my time.  It is the type of story that you hear about happening in real life; however I have never read any fiction based on this story line.

That, I found refreshing.

 

 

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Harper (February 2, 2016)

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to

spend time in a bit of a twisty turny world of Roy and Betty.

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Morning Meanderings…. SPOILER Alert

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The older posts that seem to create the most attention here at Book Journey are the SPOILER pages.  I created SPOILER pages back in 2010 when I wanted so badly to talk openly about a book experience  but could not put what I wanted to say in a review for fear of ruining the book for someone who had not read it.  I even made a Sample Spoiler Page so those who were choosing to read a spoiler page knew EXACTLY what to expect.

I don’t use it often, only when I absolutely have more to say about a book and want to be able to talk about it freely with those who have read it.

On 9February 6th of this year, my Spoiler Page for Me Before You by JoJo Moyes received 3,978 views.  It is not unusual for a spoiler page to pick up interest when it is going to be a movie, but this still surprised me. When Gone Girl first became a big deal with the movie following, that spoiler page was receiving close to 5,000 views a day for close to a month.

Recently the ROOM Spoiler Page had a rise in views as well which makes sense due to the upcoming release of the movie.  Hot topic 10on that post?  Breast feeding.  Always has been.

I love spoiler discussions because they are kind of like a book club.  You all have already read the book.  There is a good chance in a great read that you have an opinion.  It is fun to vent, share, show your love or hate for a book.  Strong emotions are what drives a great spoiler page.

Come to think of it, I am due for a read like that.  Have you read anything lately that is Spoiler Page Worthy?  A book that you just want to talk about?