Book Journey

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on February 22, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)44 Comments

Hello! Welcome to It’s Monday What Are You Reading? The meme that we use to share what we read this past week and what our plans are for the upcoming week. It’s a great way to see what others are reading and add to your own To Be Read list. 😀 You never know where that next great read may come from!

Honestly, I did not put in a lot of reading time this week although I really thought this weekend I was going to rock it. Instead I spent the weekend running errands, going to a movie, and today I spent the entire day building a non profit website for a bike ride event coming up in July.

Here is what I did post this past week:

The Sorcery Code by Dima Zales

Discussion Thoughts on the opening weekend success of 50 Shades of WHAT

An Appetite for Violets by Martine Bailey *best of 2015!)

American Sniper by Chris Kyle

Doctor Death by Lene Kaaberbol

For Saturday Snapshot I posted pics of the Glow Worm caves in New Zealand

The DUFF – The Book, The Movie and how my opinion has changed

This week is another fairly quiet one. I have a few meetings and projects but if I can complete this website and get the registration links up I should be good to go. Here is what I have planned for this week:

For My Ears

When Jane Forrester takes a position as Grace County’s newest social worker, she doesn’t realize just how much her help is needed. She quickly becomes emotionally invested in her clients’ lives, causing tension with her boss and her new husband. But as Jane is drawn in by the Hart women, she begins to discover the secrets of the small farm – secrets much darker than she would have guessed.

Soon, she must decide whether to take drastic action to help them, or risk losing the battle against everything she believes is wrong. Set in rural Grace County, North Carolina in a time of state mandated sterilizations and racial tension, Necessary Lies tells the story of these two young women, seemingly worlds apart, but both haunted by tragedy. Jane and Ivy are thrown together and must ask themselves: How can you know what you believe is right, when everyone is telling you it’s wrong?

Violet Markey is on the ledge of her school’s bell tower, six stories up, and frozen in terror. Theodore Finch, the Freak, stands on the ledge nearby. Before she can panic, he calms her down and gets her back on solid ground. He even lets everyone think she’s the one who talked him out of jumping. Violet, until recently, was a popular cheerleader and Finch has a well-earned reputation for being manic, violent, and unpredictable. But Finch won’t let their encounter rest. He’s suddenly everywhere Violet goes and even signs her up as his partner on a “Wander the State” school project. As the two drive around Indiana, Violet begins to see the lame tourist attractions through Finch’s eyes, and each spot becomes something unique and special. He pushes and challenges the protagonist, and seems to understand the effect her sister’s death made on her. But though Violet begins to recover from the devastating grief that has cocooned her for almost a year, Finch’s demons refuse to let go.

I am not going to add any books to the mix, I have not finished what I said I would last week.

SO what are you reading this week? What did you finish last week? Share your Its Monday What Are You Reading where it says click here:

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The Duff… The Movie, The Book, And How My Opinion Has Changed

Published on February 22, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

Yesterday my cousin and I went to this movie. I wanted to go because:

1. I met the author my first year at the book Expo in 2010 (she was 17 at the time)

2. I read the book and was not a fan.

Book Synopsis:

Bianca has two popular and gorgeous best friends. The three have hung out together for years and while Bianca does not care about fashion or getting up two hours early to do her hair and make up for school it has always been a non issue.

Until now.

At a party, the hot popular guy that Bianca has her eye on, Wesley Rush takes advantage of Bianca’s feelings for him and then tells Bianca she is the DUFF of the group. Designated Ugly Fat Friend. Naturally Bianca is offended, but Wesley says not to take it so literally, it just means that she hangs out with friends that are much hotter than herself, making her the approachable one to get information. Wes explains that every group has one.

Over the next few days Bianca starts to notice that what Wes said might be true. Guys did approach her to get information on her friends dating status. With Bianca’s home life a mess with her fathers alcoholism and no one really to turn too Bianca throws all caution to the wind and sets her eyes on a goal that seems impossible…

Wes.

Ok that was based off the book synopsis…. the book had quite a few teenage sexual encounters and Bianca although being put down by Wesley could not seem to stop herself from coming back for more. I did read this book almost 5 years ago now so a lot of the details are fuzzy, but I do remember not liking all the extreme sexual content. I also did not like the idea of what a word like DUFF could do to a young girls image… if a young girl already had self esteem issues, reading this book I feared could make her even more so.

the movie synopsis was ~~somewhat~~ QUITE a bit different.

Movie synopsis:

Bianca has two popular and gorgeous best friends. The three have hung out together for years and while Bianca does not care about fashion or getting up two hours early to do her hair and make up for school it has always been a non issue.

Until now.

Bianca goes to a party at the most popular girl in schools home it hopes to see her crush Toby. When her hot neighbor the popular Wesley Rush that Bianca can not stand tells her that she is the DUFF of her group of friends, Bianca is offended. She leaves the party early. At home she has no one to talk to as her divorced mother is a published Life After Divorce guru with her mind set on publicity events and what to wear. Bianca decides if she is not part of a group she will not be the duff, so she proceeds to dump both of her bewildered best friends.

Bianca makes a deal with Wesley to help him with his failing grade in science if he helps her to sharper up her image to get Toby’s attention. By working together the two discover they have more in common then they thought.

The movie is a lot different from the book. There is no sex (YAY!). Bianca’s dad is already out of the picture in the movie (probably due to the alcoholism and divorce). Wesley is not an ass, in fact quite likable and you route for him. Madison, the popular mean girl ex girlfriend/girlfriend of Wesley is an awesome addition to the movie but does not appear in the book. There is also a funny teacher who really takes Bianca under his arm who also does not appear in the book.

While book (my original review) and movie are different, the ending good message is the same. It was curiosity that made me see the movie made from this debut book, and I am glad I did. The movie is really funny. My cousin and I laughed out loud many times. To me it flowed better than the book did, but at the same time it gave me a new appreciation for the book and it’s overall message.

See the movie – at a PG13 rating it is a fun one and yay to author Kody Keplinger! What an exciting moment this has to be!

**Fun Fact: At the end of the movie there is a quick cameo from author Kody Keplinger. If you do not know what she looks like you may miss it.

Morning Meanderings… New Books

Published on February 22, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Happy Happy Sunday!

It has been another fast paced week and a good one. I was able to have lunch with a friend, take a yoga class (my first ever!), and went to the movie The Duff yesterday afternoon. (More on the movie later)

Books came in this week:

Dove Arising by Karen Bao (audio book)

The Lake Season by Hannan McKinnon

The Status Of All Things by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

As Good As Dead by Elizabeth Evans

The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell

A Fireproof Home For The Bride by Amy Scheibe

SEEKER by Arwen Elys Dayton

The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson

Today I will be working on a website for camp and a bike ride event for July. Hopefully this afternoon I will get a little much needed book time. Seems like I have been real good lately filling up every little moment with projects.

Enjoy your Sunday! Any fun plans?

Morning Meanderings…. Glow Worm Caves Of New Zealand

Published on February 21, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)37 Comments

Good morning! For today’s Saturday Snapshot I thought I would share with you a little information on the Glow Worm Caves in New Zealand. When traveling there last month I had never heard of the glow worm caves. Our travel-mates were signed up to do a tour at the caves and we decided to join them.

What a trip in education!

The caves are located in Waitomo, New Zealand. From our cruise ship that had docked in Auckland it was about an hour to the caves.

The glow worm is actually while pretty to look at, also gross. It is apparently the larvae life cycle of an insect and looks like a maggot. (The caves were dark so thankfully we only seen the pretty part).

Glow Worm caves, New zealand, book journey — Pictures are not allowed in the caves so this picture is from the Glow Worm website as linked here

The caves themselves are beautiful lime caves. I wish we could have taken pictures inside, the rock formation was beautiful.

The female glow worms drop a line which is what you see in the picture. The line attracts insects and they get stuck to the line. It is crazy but the females live two days and the males live three days. The cycle continues due to the thousands of eggs each female lays in her short lifetime.

Glow worm caves, book journey, new zealand — This picture is also from the glow worm website as linked here

It is deep within the caves that we then get in the small boats. We are asked to remain very quiet as our voices cause vibrations and disturb the glow worms. It is a pretty cool experience.

Just outside the caves I was able to get a picture of two of our travel team, Wendy and Ray. I think it is funny that everyone else around them are smiling too. New Zealand… so friendly! 🙂

You can read more about the glow worms on the Glow Worm Tour website. It is a unique tour. I had never heard of a glow worm until the tour.

Check out more Saturday Snapshots here.

Today I may just read. Or I am talking big. I keep saying I am going to read all week but I have been busy with projects and the books kind of go to the wayside. I do need to have some book time this weekend. Order of the Phoenix and a few others wait on me.

What are you reading this weekend?

Doctor Death by Lene Kaaberbol

Published on February 20, 2015February 20, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

Madeleine Karno would like nothing more than to become a pathologist like her father. To Madeleine, autopsies are incredibly scientific and the human body holds many secrets… even after death. However, the year is 1894 and the world that Madeleine knows finds the process of autopsy to be unholy even for a man such as her father… for Madeleine it is unheard of. Instead she must quietly remain as her father’s assistant.

Then a young girl is found murdered and her family will not hear of an autopsy. Madeleine and her father notice some odd things but are not allowed to move forward with an investigation. When the Priest who spoke at the girls funeral is found dead as well, Madeleine finds she must pursue the connects between the two murders… no matter what the cost.

I chose to read this book because I am a sucker for a strong female protagonist and I liked the idea of a father daughter team. I was not disappointed.

Let’s just say it is hard to be a girl with a mind of your own in the 19th century. Madeleine has her work cut our for her not only because she is a woman, but because the body count is growing. I enjoyed Madeleine’s character very much, I liked her strength and her intelligence throughout the book. She never felt over the top.

There are some unusual settings in the book and that is all I am going to say about that. The story itself set as a historical mystery is a good one and a genre I am finding out that I enjoy dabbling in once in a while. While the book started out a little slow to my liking, and there were some questions I do not feel were answered, it was still a fairly good read.

Lene is also the author of The Boy In The Suitcase.

Series: Madeleine Karno Mysteries
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Atria Books (February 17, 2015)

Morning Meanderings… YOGA. Ouch. Who Knew?

Published on February 20, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Friday! Wow! I never lack of surprise how fast the days can go!

Yesterday afternoon my friend who shall not be named (*cough* GAIL! *cough*) thought it would be a good idea if I joined her for a Beginners Gentle Yoga Class. It’s yoga I thought, how tough could it be?

Make a note: I have never taken a yoga class.

Well for those of you in the know…. you know. 🙂 It wasn’t that it was hard, I like to stretch… but some of it for those of us… uh… who haven’t been doing a lot of strength training recently… it can really point out your weaknesses.

1a2 — Planking, as shown builds strength in your core. You are to hold this position.

The sad thing is, I used to be able to do this a lot better than what my performance yesterday.

I did enjoy the class, and know that this is something I would like to do again. Strength training and core building is always good.

I am a bit sore today through my back and arms. I like that feeling as it shows that I actually worked something. 🙂

Today I hope to get in a work out this morning, lunch with a friend, complete a Freelance project, and later it is a great day to curl up with a good book. My weekend is fairly quiet. There is soooo much I love about that.

Are there any work outs you enjoy or would like to try? I am always open to new ways to get in a work out and mixing it up works well for me.

American Sniper by Chris Kyle

Published on February 19, 2015February 19, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)17 Comments

Navy Seal Chris Kyle has recorded the most kills in US history during his time-serving 4 tours between 1999 and 2009. His job was to protect his fellow comrades as they traveled on the ground throughout war-torn areas, and Chris had a bird’s eye view from roof tops. While Americans nicknamed him “Legend”, the enemy called him al-Shaitan (“the devil”) and had a bounty out for his death.

In 2013, after Chris had served his country for tn years and had returned home to be a husband to his wife and a father to his two children, Chris was killed while working with war vets.

This book, written by Chris himself and includes chapters by his wife Taya is their story of a deep love and a war that never ended.

Note – this is not my genre at all. I avoid war books and anything political like the plague. (And the plague is something definitely to avoid!)

However –

If you know Chris’s story… you know there is more to this book than war. It is a passionate story of a man who wanted to protect his country. It is also about his meeting his wife, having children, and her fears every time Chris left to go back into the war. It is a first hand account from Chris himself of what it was like from the rooftops, working to save his team… it is about love and it is about loss.

My husband and I went to see the movie when it came out. Again, not something I would normally do, but I had heard amazing things from people whose opinions I trust – and many of these opinions were female friends of mine who also would not get into a war movie. We went… and it was powerful.

This is what led me to the audio version of this book. I wanted to know more of the story, and the book definitely does that. American Sniper is told mainly first hand by Chris with occasional thoughts and dialogue by his wife Taya. The book I found to be harsher than the movie. While interesting, Chris is very proud of his killings, even to the point of discussing using different ways to kill (rifles, etc…) to see what works best.

It is hard for me, for someone who has never experienced war and is a life long member of the “why can’t we all just get along” club, to understand taking pride and talking in detail of killings. I am not judging, just explaining a feeling.

The audio book is still an impressive take of what it would be like to be in the center of the war. Nearly killed many times during battle, it is a sad ending to know that Chris was killed while back in the states not far from his home, trying to help others. *Note – this is not covered in the book.

Narrated by Jim Defalice who was an excellent voice for Chris. I struggled when he narrated the chapters written by Taya as his voice did not change at all and sometimes it was hard to tell in the audio format when the narration had changed to her. The book would be talking about falling in love with him, and I would have to think, “Chris fell in love with a man? Oh no – this is Taya talking.”

Overall, I recommend this book or audio for anyone who would like to know more as I did. It is a piece of our American history that I like knowing a little more about. I recommend the movie as well.

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishing

Length: 10 hours and 21 minutes

Morning Meanderings… Feeling Newsworthy

Published on February 19, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)29 Comments

Happy Thursday! Egads, another week flying by. I am feeling productive but by no means caught up… although I see the light at the end of the tunnel 🙂

I don’t know about you, but I do not watch the news. I know, I know, but honestly I can’t handle all the negativity and sadness. BLAH. Theft, shootings, murders, state budget worries… all of it bogs me down. Yet, like anyone else I want to be in the know when it comes to things I should know or find interesting.

I recently came across this website, Compressive News and I like it. Hot topics such as technology, our world, and business are all there in little headlines that you can look at and read on if you wish. I found the topics to be ones that I am actually interested in. The whole guard bot story? Creepy but cool. Apple offering up a new way to store your documents that works like Google Drive but with more storage space called IWorks? I want to know more about that!

Compressive News is a fairly new site. I like that is is more about condensing news than overpowering me with information I do not always have time to sift through. I already have too much on my plate. 😉

While nosing around I seen they had a tab that was called Request A Story. Hmmmm…. click on that…. and yes, you can submit a story you would like covered and they will look into possibly writing about it. I like that too.

So that is my news worthy (pun intended) take for this morning while I sip my coffee and dread the commitment I made to go to a YOGA class with a friend this afternoon. Seriously… YOGA? What was I thinking? 🙂

I leave you with this…

Where do you get your news from? Online sites? TV? Your local newspaper? What do you like to be kept current on?

An Appetite For Violets by Martine Bailey (*Best Of 2015)

Published on February 18, 2015February 21, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)43 Comments

It is the late 1700’s and Biddy Leigh, the under cook for Mawton Hall is ready to start her future. Soon her beau, Jem, will be announcing their plans to marry and their dream of opening up their own tavern will begin. Yet other plans are at stake that are out of Biddy’s control. When her master marries the much younger Lady Carinna, Biddy is unwillingly selected to go on a year-long journey to Italy as her new mistresses cook. A book called, The Cooks Jewel, handed down from generation of cooks, is given to Biddy to take on her adventures to document the recipes she learns along the way.

In London Biddy encounters the handsome Kit, her Mistresses brother. He is curious about his sisters travels and asks Biddy to find out more about Carinna’s reason to suddenly pack up for Italy leaving her new husband sickly at home. Charmed by Kit’s attention Biddy starts to pay more attention to what her mistress is up to.

As the secrets unravel, and the real reason that Biddy has been requested to come on this journey unfold, Biddy finds herself in a place that is both frightening and invigorating. As her desire to return back tot he home she once knew starts to fade, a new future appears to be on the horizon. If only Biddy has the courage to take the steps to make it happen.

An Unrivaled Chocolate Ice Cream

Take a pint of good cream, a heaped spoonful of best chocolate scraped, put it in when the cream boils and stir them well together, add the yolks of two eggs and sweeten it to your taste, let the eggs have a boil to thicken it. When cold put it in your freezing pot of pewter and plunge into a wooden pail. Pack about entirely with pounded ice and salt. When the mixture begins to firm about the sides stir it with the spaddle so that all may be equally thick and smooth and frozen.

As made for Biddy Leigh, by Signor Renzo Cellini, Easter 1773

I honestly am gushing over this surprise book. Gushing because it is brilliant and captured my attention from the start. Surprising because I chose to read this book for my interest in the recipes woven within it and was not expecting to find an excellent read as well.

The recipes were not as I expected. They are recipes for the times… the 1700’s and a cook who made do with what she had available to her, while interestingly enough, (a cure for illness is burning a piece of toast in the fire, then running hot water through the blackened toast into a cup for the person to drink. If that does not work, do it again.) I don’t see myself attempting to make any of these recipes soon.

An Appetite For Violets by debut author Martine Bailey is a book I am suggesting you do not miss out on. It is a fun historical read with snooty servants, and upper class people – but mostly… it is about Biddy and how she transforms throughout the book is delightful. As I finished I was still putting pieces together like, “Oh, that is why she ….”

Well written. Highly recommended. Biddy Leigh is a remarkably smart and witty protagonist that I found to be spot on. The author truly has her finger (or her wooden spoon) on the pulse of the 1700’s. I absolutely loved it.

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; First Edition edition (January 13, 2015)

Note: I looked on Amazon thinking somehow I was not privy to this amazing book and clearly many others had to be. I was surprised to see it had only 38 reviews. I think this book is a diamond in the rough and honestly, need to read this book.

Adding this post to Weekend Cooking

Morning Meanderings… Huh. I Didn’t See That Coming.

Published on February 18, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)45 Comments

Good morning! Mighty chilly here in central Minnesota today. Currently we sit at 16 below zero. I for one am thrilled that I do not have to go out in the cold today… although I am considering a trip to the library.

In this mornings paper I learned that 50 Shades of Grey busted up box office records for the weekend with a whopping $94.4 million opening weekend. The 4th biggest rated R move opening in history!

I so did not see that coming…

While I have not read the book nor do I plan to, I admit I was curious about how it would do at the box office. From what my friends have told me about the book, they thought (as did I), it would be pretty hard to put that into a theater.

Yet.. they did.

So color that 50 Shades of “cha-ching”.

I am curious now,

Have you read the book, seen the movie, or both?

How did the movie compare to the book?

If you have not seen the movie do you plan to?

Does the huge success of the movie surprise you at all?

Last night I finished an excellent read, An Appetite for Violets, which I can not wait to rave about. Today I think I will be able to finish American Sniper on audio and tonight will be perfect for a blanket, hot tea, and a good read.