Book Journey

It’s Monday and I Need Some Advice From The Readers

Published on November 23, 2015November 23, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

Brief disclaimer…. It’s Monday What Are You Reading has moved from me to Kathryn at Book Date. She is rocking this so please definitely go and check out how awesome she is and keep on sharing your reading!

For me… I am not reading. Or I guess I could say I am… but not making progress. Same book as last week, same audio…. a quick visual refresher:

Becoming Steve Jobs (my fascination with all things Jobs) is so interesting. A road trip to the cabin later this week will certainly put a healthy dent in this audio book. Wildalone is also interesting and my cabin time will certainly finish this one as well and I expect allow me to start others.

Now…

the real reason I am writing this post today is that I need a little assistance from those of you who use e-readers more frequently than I do (I have one. I think I know where it is.) A friend of mine from High School asked me this question via Facebook this morning:

Dear Sheila, Being your friend on Facebook, I am aware that you are an avid book reader. I have an idea that may solve my gift giving dilemma indefinitely for one or two of my toughest recipients, and in pursuit of that notion I would like to take advantage of your knowledge and opinions as such. I would like to gift an enrollment in a book of the month club for e-books. I have leaned of a few “streaming” services that offer unlimited reading, but that offer no guidance in choosing the books -and I think that’s the best part. And there is one ‘of the month club’ that offers this that I keep running into, but there catalog seems small. If I have to, I will give the Amazon unlimited thing along with a subscription to a BOMC community newsletter or forum.

So there it is. He specifically said no need to research yet now that the question has presented itself, I feel it is one that perhaps others have thoughts on – or may like to know as well. I have never used an e book of the month subscription but I bet some of you do or have. So the question stands as…

1. What is the best service to consider?

2. Are there ones to avoid?

Any feedback on what makes them awesome or not so much would be wonderful

That’s all for today. I have a lunch date with a friend that I am looking forward to and other than that I will be working on a few projects this week for the Library. Pretty low key and I think that is about where I need to be right now, this week especially. Oh – and I am expecting an exciting delivery today that hopefully will start a whole new conversation here, one that I used to do frequently but rather fell away…. more on that soon.

Happy Monday all!

Morning Meanderings… Life Is Hard.

Published on November 22, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)22 Comments

It looks like snow weather this morning. The skies are hazy. The ground is still covered with morning frost as I type from the comfort of my warm home with a delicious cup of coffee within reach.

Life Is Hard.

I can feel the presence of the upcoming holiday. My mind flashes to “Thanksgiving Past” with the boys and lots of food and board games and movies. This is about the time I would be sending out the group text for Brad and Justin to tell me what they wanted. Inevitably there would be requests for shrimp cocktail, blue cheese and grape salad, mashed potatoes…. last year Justin and I were destroying the kitchen making 25 pumpkin rolls for friends and family…. there was powdered sugar everywhere…

instead I am planning on how to get through it with the least emotional damage as possible.

Cursing the pilgrims has become a daily ritual.

And today is a good friend of mine’s father’s birthday. Her father passed away a couple of months ago and I know today is one of those days for her as well…. a day of reflection mixed with loss. And the list of those who have lost this year, or past years where holidays are just HARD is endless. I know.

Last night I had a little mini break.

A group of us went out for what was called the “best Bloody Mary” in the area… more important than the draw of the drink – was of course the people. I spend most of my time at home now and getting out is good for me as I fear that someday I will just become socially awkward. Perhaps… I already have. 😉

I only stayed a couple of hours but it was nice just to be with friends. Around that group there was other loss… other struggles and we all just needed a moment to laugh, to share.

Today. I am making white chicken chili for the Library decorating group that is meeting at noon to give the library a holiday feel. I am also making calico beans for the football game later where we will go to a friends home and eat good food and watch the game. (Well… some will watch the game… I am going more for the chance to hang out with friends).

And isn’t that life?

It is hard. Every single day. But… as a friend told me recently… I am doing it. I get up every morning and while that may not seen like a big accomplishment. It is. I take the little victory’s along the way.

P.S. In case someone is curious about the bloody mary. I don’t know if it was “the best” but it was very good and sure came with an impressive array of goodies which is really the sell for me. Shrimp, salami, pepperoni, pickled mushroom, green olive, black olive, artichoke, peppercini, asparagas, carrot, cocktail onion, green bean, sweet pickle – even an orange slice!

Morning Meanderings…. Oh, The Weather Outside is FRIGHTFUL

Published on November 19, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)19 Comments

I woke up this morning to this:

A few of days ago it was this…

but now… THIS

It is cold and windy too.

*sigh*

I knew it was coming… I just really liked my fiction Minnesota world where perhaps there would be no snow this year. I could have a green winter – in fact, I wouldn’t even call it Winter…. I think I would call it Swinter. A summery end of the year would have been nice. Green grass… grilling… sitting at the fire pit.

SO…

since apparently this is going to happen I need to keep ahead of this. Today I plan to clean up the “beensittingtoolongand inneedoflove” book room. The books I purchased at the Fall Library sale are still not put away.

The book room today and reviews. I knew I was behind on reviews…. I didn’t realize how far behind. I went to link a review I wrote yesterday and realized I never wrote the review. In fact, I am afraid to say that there are some books that probably will not get reviewed because honestly I have forgotten that I read them. 😯 I started a list this morning of the ones I can recall and thankfully Audible keeps a record of everything I have listened too. I am hoping to take some time this afternoon and write out the reviews and prep them for posting. If that actually happens… we will have a stream of reviews happening here over the next couple of weeks.

I would like that.

SO today is catch up and clean up. Tomorrow and through the weekend my agenda picks up so this is the day to get er done.

Happy Thursday all. How is your weather holding?

Morning Meanderings…. The Best Books of 2015. Huh. You Might Need To Tell Me.

Published on November 18, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)29 Comments

More rain here in Central Minnesota. While I do have a few more yard things to attend to…. I am still thankful for the rain over snow. I am never ready for snow and even more so this year.

I don’t think I have ever felt more out of the loop on what are the best of the best when it comes to books for 2015. I have not stayed on top of reading the great blogs that I enjoy or following up on the It’s Monday meme to see what everyone is reading. I have tried looking up best of the best on line and you can find many on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, Publisher Weekly… etc, but interestingly enough… they all seem to have their own lists of what is considered the best.

Here are a few that I found to be showing up consistently….

The Girl On The Train was released in January 2015. It was said to be “The next Gone Girl” and for that reason my interest was peaked… the book has an interesting synopsis referring to a woman who witnesses something while riding on the train. I read it. To put it lightly… I was not a fan. I was a not a fan to such a degree…. I went on to rant about it a bit on a post I called Girl Fight! Where I discussed why Amy from Gone Girl could take Rachel from Girl On The Train in a fight. It was a passionate post and one I discovered reading it again now… it was fun to see that old passion in me.

Released in February of 2015, Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale has been a book I have heard much about but have not gone there myself. This aversion I seen to have about WWII reads has got to stop as I know I am mission out on several great titles that I have yet to read (Unbroken included).

The Wright Brothers became available in May of 2015. This is one that I would like to read. I love non fiction and seeing this one of best of the best lists keeps this one on my “hope to read” list.

Between The Worlds and Me released July 2015. Has anyone read this? It sounds interesting.

Dead Wake by Erik Larson released in March 2015. I really enjoyed this one and just discovered I never reviewed it. (I have a LOT of review to catch up on). I have enjoyed everything I have read by this author.

I know there are so many more.

Have you read any of these? If so do you agree that these books are the best of the best? What books of 2015 am I missing?

Today I am cleaning up around the house and working on a few projects. Tonight I have the City Library Board meeting but for the most part it is a quiet day here which I am thankful for the time to just be quiet in my spirit. Enjoy your day and I wish for you time as well to just…. BE.

Morning Meanderings…. A Two Person Book Club

Published on November 17, 2015November 17, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)29 Comments

It’s raining here in central Minnesota. I have the back door to the deck open so I can listen to it. It is almost soothing and makes me think that this is good reading weather.

My Mom’s sister, my Aunt and I have become closer over these hard months of impossible change. She lives just a few homes down from us and she has been very kind by visiting often, calling to check in, and just being there in general. In the early months she would always come to me, and now that I venture out a little more… I stop by to see her. We have coffee, occasionally I will bring her something I have made like white chicken chili, soup, or apple pie… (to this day I still cook too much food for Al and I). We will chat about life happenings, memories, and surprisingly….

books.

I did not know my Aunt was a reader. In all honestly – I am not sure she knew she was one either. This summer she had knee surgery so I put together a care basket for her knowing she would not be able to do much for 6-8 weeks. I put together magazines, coffee, chocolates, Kind bars, hand lotion, movies, and of course books to pass the time. I had no idea what she would like to read if she did read so I guessed…

my original delivery consisted of:

When she finished those and gushed over Mary Kay Andrews I sent her home with these…

Success again…. and we were talking books at our weekly get togethers either on the phone or at one another’s home. So then I went with more discussion worthy reading…

She loved the Help and is currently reading Gone Girl which I have told her to call me when it goes crazy and assured her… she would know when that was. 😉

I find many things very satisfying about our time together. One…. obviously it is nice to connect and I value the time I have with her. Two…. I love the idea that it really only takes two to make a book club (my Bookies Book Club started with 3). I also very much am aware that in a time when statistics say that reading books is on the decline due to the increase in the use of technology through our phones and having movies/video games and pretty much anything at our fingertips 24/7…. I find it both enlightening and positive to think that many of us, like my Aunt… had forgotten their enjoyment of digging into a good book. It just took another book lover to show them the way.

Anything is possible.

I know… there is another post in there somewhere…

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on November 16, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

A reminder –It’s Monday! What Are You Reading has a new home! Kathryn at The Book Date has graciously taken on the meme to keep the torch going strong. YAY Kathryn!!!

So…. what am I reading? I am actually excited to let you know that I AM READING. That may seem like no big deal but I have been listening to a lot of audio this year and very little reading books. Thanks to that Arizona trip a couple of weeks ago I needed a book for the plane and I found one…

Wildalone is a little bit YA… a little bit paranormal…. and interesting. I am enjoying this “escape” read.

As far as audio…. well, I am almost always listening. Here is what is currently “ON” either in my car, on my phone, or in that old school CD player I keep on the kitchen counter because that is just how cool I am. 😉

I have never watched Mindy Kaling on tv. I have heard of her, and heard good things about her book so here goes. Or I guess I should say “hear goes”as I am listening to this one.

My fascination with Steve Jobs continues. I know he wasn’t always the nicest man… but he sure was a brilliant one.

As for what is next up… honestly I don’t know. I have so many “I want to” reads… and my life… well I just don’t know day to day so keep things pretty low key and try to take it quite literally one day at a time. The fact that I am even participating in It’s Monday is a “yay” for me. 🙂 Lets just say I had a little encouragement yesterday in an unexpected way that told me I needed to write. This… is writing.

At least it is a beginning. And I am DOING.

Please go and check out what others are reading by looking at It’s Monday What Are You Reading. I know I need to go and see what the books are that are AWESOME this season. I am sooooo out of the book loop 🙂

Morning Meanderings…. Do or Do Not…There Is No Try

Published on November 15, 2015November 15, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

My son Justin absolutely adored WORDS.

I so loved that about him because he really was the male version of me. Words fascinated him as they do me. I love sayings and quotes. His apartment had signs everywhere…. BRILLIANT sayings that spoke volumes. So odd now that these signs are now in my home… I can hear him saying them out loud, I can hear him sharing their power.

His optimism and the way he looked at life really fuels me now when honestly there are times when I can see where being a shut in not dealing with the outside world is appealing. It is hard every day to step out of this house watching people all over going about their lives while I feel my heart is too heavy to even move. It is a battle I struggle with daily as I make myself go out and do things and stay active in our community. I want to continue to be who I once was (though my life is altered forever). I want to do it for me and I want to do it for him. Justin loved my involvement in the library, in camp, in crazy runs…. one of the last texts he sent me said

You are the coolest person I know.

There seems to be this constant dialogue in my head where I am processing this new world from the very first moment everything changed to now. I do believe I will start writing it down. Some I already have in journals and even at times on Facebook…. but this journey… is a long one. In fact I am pretty sure it is a life long commitment.

He had the below magnet on his fridge. I love the saying and now have it on my fridge to remind me that I can believe in impossible things. As the wise Yoda once said…. “Do or do not. There is no try.”

This week, I attended a funeral of a man I went to Honduras with. He was 41. His young wife stood before the church filled with friends and family and in her strength she said, “Do not wait. If you feel called to do something then do it. Don’t wait for retirement, or for the kids to be grown, or whatever excuse you have. Just do it. Because we don’t know if we have tomorrow. Do what you believe you are meant to do. Do what you feel God is calling you to do. Do it now.

Same message…

different words.

One book came in the house this week. It looks to be a good one…

For the record. I am choosing to DO.

I am still here.

Morning Meanderings… What To Do With A GORGEOUS Sunday….

Published on November 8, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

It is beautiful out today.

I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am that we have this extended Fall. The back door to our deck is open to let in the breeze… I am typing away still wearing Capri’s and flip flops.

Oh, if this weather could just hang on!

Today I have spent a little time cleaning the kitchen while listening to audio. Soon I will be leaving for town to participate in a charity benefit walk for a good friend of mine’s niece who has a rare cancer. Lainee, is 4 years old. I will be walking with my cousin and a few friends and I like that community feel. (Another Stars Hollow moment!)

Here is a link to Lainee’s page so you can see more about her story:

Lainee Brainerd Minnesota, book journey — Click photo to see sight

This afternoon I will be going to the movie The Martian with my hubby and I am SO EXCITED! I loved the book and I have heard good things about the movie.

As far as what is happening in the literary world… A few books have come my way this past week:

Along The Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams (excited about this one!)

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

The Trouble With Destiny by Lauren Morrill

Strength To Stand by Sheyna Galyan

I Love My Hair by Andrea Pippins (a coloring book of braids, coils, and Doodle Dos) FUN!

I have our Friends Of The Brainerd Public Library meeting tomorrow morning ans we have some EXCITING things to go over…including a new event on the 2016 agenda that I will share more about soon! Tuesday is our Bookies Blook Club meeting and we will be discussing Delicious by Ruth Reichl, a book I read and enjoyed a couple of years ago and our second time the book club has reviewed a Reichl book, the first was Garlic and Sapphires (where we dressed up as Ruth did for her job…. great review!)

That’s my day. That’s my start to the week. What are you reading today? What are you doing with your Sunday?

Saturday Snapshot… #OShucks #Benches

Published on November 7, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)17 Comments

Saturday. I am sitting here this morning with my coffee cup and a lot of tears. One of Justin’s good friends just posted a picture on Facebook of him sleeping. I LOVE that these great pictures keep popping up… yet as you can imagine… there is sorrow mixed in. My loss at times is so overwhelming. All consuming.

Last Friday, my friend Amy and I took a little break from it all and hopped a plane to Arizona. While it may have appeared to be impromptu, it definitely was planned around a significant event. The dates we were gone, October 30th – November 3rd, were the exact dates that Justin and I would have been on our annual trip to Florida. HUGE significance. Incredibly HARD to do… yet glad I did.

For today’s Saturday Snapshot, I want to give you a little peek into our trip. Fill your COFFEE cup. Sit back. Enjoy.

book journey, Arizona — We stayed at a beautiful home of a friend with this nice patio area and a pool.

We did a little hiking on the Camelback Mountain which was close to where we were staying. When we went we thought it would be a nice walk with a great view… uhhhh yeah. In case you can not see that sign in the middle of the above collage it says:

Of course… this did not stop us. As you can see above in the bottom right picture… I am climbing behind Amy… I told her I looked like Gollum climbing through the hills in the Hobbit movies. 😉 We went about 3/4 of the way up. It was STEEP for sure and we both would have liked to finish the climb but the sun was HOT and we had hoped to go to the Botanical Gardens and would not be able to do both… so down we went. Hopefully we will have another attempt at this one.

Then we had an opportunity to hang out with a friend, Tami, who used to live here in Minnesota and moved to Arizona. Tami picked us up in Mesa and drove us in her cute car up the Superstition Mountain to a restaurant for lunch. The walls were covered with dollar bills which is significant for me as this is a tradition Justin and I had on our trip to put a dollar up in a little Irish pub called O Shucks. I cried when I seen the walls covered with bills. We each wrote on a dollar bill and added it to the wall. This was amazing.

So what is up with the hashtags?

I am so glad you asked! Our first year that Justin and I went to Florida, we found this little Irish Pub (as mentioned) called O Shucks. We loved putting a dollar up on the wall and we each did so every year we went, 3 years, and hash tagged the dollars…. #Oshucks1, #oshucks2, #oshucks3… this year would have been #oshucks4. I will be sending a dollar to O Shucks in Orlando Florida asking them to hang the dollar for us this year and to please email me a picture of it. I would love to keep up the tradition. ♥

#Benches came out of this year. Amy and I both took a hard loss, me with Justin, and she recently lost her dad. I have a bench in Justin’s memory at the Brainerd Library, and her dad will have one at a local park that he had a garden in. We talked about the benches in honor and memory of our loss and in a way we were benches for each other… supporting one another and honoring the memories. Thus…. #benches came to be and we hope that we too will be able to add numbers to it…. #benches2, etc…

I really think Justin would love that and I know he would be cheering me on… “Go Mom! You got this!” Thank God for Justin’s voice in my head…. Justin and I talked so much about everything I know what he would be saying now as I try to navigate my way through this new world. This journey is much like Camelback mountain. It is extremely difficult. It does have loose dirt and rocks and for sure uneven surfaces. At times, it feels impossible..

but I believe I can do it.

Sheila DeChantal, book journey — Arizona 2015. #oshucks4 #benches

Stop by Saturday Snapshot and see what others around the world have been taking pictures of. Soon I will post the food of Arizona because… oh yes, we had some delicious experiences.

The Admissions by Meg Mitchell Moore

Published on November 4, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Gabe and Nora Hawthorne are living the life. They both have successful careers, Gabe works with a Tech Firm and Nora is a Realtor for the upper class of Marin California. They have three daughters and to the outer world this white-toothed perfect smile family with the right house and the right cars looks as thought they have it all…

Angela is on a straight path to Harvard (it is where her dad went!) her grades are exceptional, there is nothing in her way… but had anyone given any thought to what Angela wants, including Angela herself?

10-year-old Cecily loves to dance but one false move changes everything

Maya is in second grade and can not get the grasp on reading. Could this have anything to do to with the secret that happened to her as a baby?

Nora excels at her job… but her clients can be problematic and sometimes – sometimes,Nora longs for am easier way

Gabe loves what he does but a woman he works with could tear his whole world apart… should he confess what he has done?

Each of the Hawthorne’s have something to admit… and that is what makes Admissions a fun reading adventure. ~ Sheila

I listened to Admissions on audio and thoroughly enjoyed it. The play on the word admission just added to my enjoyment. It is not often I find a book title to be as perfect as this one is to the story line.

Listening to admissions you could imagine the anxiety this family had as they all tried to hold their corner of the picture perfect outlook up to standards. Yet, as in most cases of what appears to be perfect or… those who appear to have it all – not all is as it seems.

I really enjoyed what I thought was going to be a story based mainly on Angela and her admission to Harvard, but it is sooooo much more. With each member of the family having admissions of their own, this witty read is one not to miss.

Narrator Allyson Ryan did a wonderful job of portraying the heart of this story.