Book Journey

One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis

Published on February 13, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)12 Comments

Emily and Caroline are surprise twins. By surprise, I mean that their mother did not know that she was going to have twins until… they were here. Emily slips from her mother perfect and easy, shortly after along comes Caroline, blue and not breathing… a struggle from the moment she is born.

As the girls grow to adults, Caroline who knows she is not loved by her mother as Emily is, lashes out in her own ways with respect for no one’s time and a liking to the shocking as well as to alcohol.

Yet as the story opens, Emily is fleeing her life and her husband. She is changing her name, picked up a new job, and remaining hidden… although we do not know why. What has happened to this girl who by all outward looks seemed to be the one that had it together?

Told in alternating voices and in flash backs, slowly the puzzle begins to clear… and that one step too far… means so much more than you think.

Side story. I love the Renaissance Festival. My very first time I went as I walked down a narrow wooded dirt path to the entrance with my friends a costumed man sitting up in a tree above me hollered down with an accent, “DO NOT STEP IN IT!”

I of course stopped and looked at him. Then I glanced around. There was nothing there but trail. “What?” I responded.

“DO NOT STEP IN IT!” he cried again more urgently.

I giggled, this being my first introduction to the Renaissance and it was a fun exchange. “I do not see anything to step in,“ I responded.

“IT! IT”, he said loudly with anxiety in his voice and pointing at the ground. “DO NOT STEP IN IT!”

I then looked down and seen right where I stood in the trail, the word “IT” was scratched into the dirt.

I was not even in the front gate yet and already loved the Renaissance Festival.

That may seem like a random story for a review, but it actually fits. I thought of that story as I listened to this book on audio, mainly because as I listened I could not help but feel as though I had stepped in IT. And… like that day at the Renaissance, I loved it.

One Step Too Far starts out with a lot to take in. You have the girls and their mother… you see that Caroline is a bit of a struggle. So when Emily is the one who seems to go a bit nutty… it is shocking and you spend much of the book learning what has happened.

And when you know…

whoa.

I really enjoyed listening to One Step Too Far. I admit I was a bit nervous when the audio started and it seemed as though I had found my way to yet another read that is told from multiple perspectives, flashes back and forth… and quite honestly, I have had enough of that style for a bit. Yet, One Step Too Far pulled away from that format by engaging me fully into the story. In the end, I was impressed.

Elizabeth Knowelden and Paul Fox are excellent narrators for this book. Flawlessly, they complimented each other.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 9 hours and 8 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Harper Audio
Audible.com Release Date: January 27, 2015

Morning Meanderings… A Day In The Life of a “Want To Be” Writer

Published on February 13, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)19 Comments

Good morning. I think I need a new Meandering pic… the one I have been using prior to today I do not believe is accurate. My hair is not as wild as that pic, it is more like the one above. Anyhoo… that was random. 🙂

Since returning from our vacation in January I have been playing catch up on projects, but also trying to set some sort of routine that works for working from home.

Currently it looks something like this:

Up around 7 am.

Coffee.

Emails.

Coffee.

Facebook.

Think about working out.

Shower instead.

Coffee.

Check calendar for any writing projects I should be working on – magazine articles, freelance work…

Coffee.

Start writing, either for me… or for a project.

Around 9:30 am make any phone calls I need to make.

Back to writing.

Break around 11 am, if I did not do the workout earlier, do it now.

Lunch.

Water.

Run any town errands (optional)

Check emails.

Back to writing.

Water.

Writing.

Around 3:00 pm, take a look at any non profit projects I am working on (lately that has been authors for Wine and Words and lining up the July bike ride for Camp Benedict.)

Make phone calls surrounding the non profit stuff.

Think about what is for dinner.

Around 5 pm either go back to writing, work on no profit, or put it all away and read for a bit.

5:30 – 6:00 pm start dinner.

Al in the house around 7 pm, catch up with him and have dinner.

7:30 pm we either watch tv together, he watches tv and I read upstairs, or I continue to play around with a project.

8:30 pm – Al is in bed, I read or watch something mind numbing on tv (currently I am addicted to a series I found on Amazon Prime called AWKWARD.)

It is not down to a science and as anyone’s day goes, it does not always work that way. Occasionally I have a meet up with a friend, or I run to the library, or I work on laundry or dishes or tackling a closet.

It is a different feel for someone who is used to be going going going out in the public. I hope eventually to find my groove, but for now this is it 🙂

American Sniper – The Movie

Published on February 12, 2015February 10, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

Just this weekend I had the opportunity to go and see American Sniper with my husband. You may think that he picked the movie, but it was actually my pick. I am not a fan of war movies, however this is a true story and an incredible one at that. I want those of you who think like me that a war movie is a guy thing… let me just say not always. Do not write this movie off.

The basic synopsis is that Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) has always been an overachiever. When he sets his mind to do something he fully plans to do it right and go all the way. When he joins the Navy Seals he does it because he wants to protect his country.

Before he leaves to be part of the war efforts on Iraq after 911, he meets his future wife Taya,(played by Sienna Miller). They fall in love, get married and start a family. While Taya is pregnant, Chris is fighting for his life and his country.

Chris in all does, 4 tours. While this is the source of many arguments with his wife who feels he has given enough to his country and it was time for him to give to his family, Chris finds he can not let go. As in his obsessive nature, he knows that he can save lives. And he knows he can not do that form the comfort of his couch and home.

You may know the rest of the story. In fact it is in the news right now. It is a powerful story about love and loss and truly giving it all. It honestly broke my heart. The movie is about the war yes, but it is also about one man’s desire to save every life he can. Chris Kyle becomes known as the deadliest sniper in America with 255 kills.

Yes you do see some graphic details of the war, yet coming from someone who is sensitive to things like that, the movie as a whole far out weighs that.

I highly recommend seeing this movie. I recently purchased the audiobook and plan to listen to that soon.

Morning Meanderings… I LOVE Author Events

Published on February 12, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments

Good morning! Happy Thursday! THURSDAY! Does anyone else feel like the week flew by? I know I have two days left but, the weekend is almost upon us! (I have an open weekend so imagining the possibilities!)

Yesterday while corresponding with a publishing house they were letting me know of an author who will be in Minneapolis next Tuesday the 17th. Arwen Alys Dayton will be at the Red Balloon Bookstore promoting her book SEEKER, which has already been snatched up to be a movie. OOH! I just received SEEKER on audio, it is a beautiful looking book and being compared to the likes of Hunger Games and Divergent.

That is one I would like to go to and have already put the bat signal in the sky for the Bookies to see if anyone wants to go along.

Also, later next week on the 20th at the same book store, Amanda Hockings will be there! That is kind of cool too, she wrote WAKE, and is the first author to sell more than a million copies of her book that was self published! Crazy cool!!! I also did not know that Amanda Hockings was a Minnesota author. (Now the wheels are turning….)

I usually have my eye on Magers & Quinn, another book store in the cities that holds a lot of good author events. Now I know I need to keep an eye on two!

The drive to the cities is about 2 hours and 10 minutes for me. The going is not hard, it is the fact that most of the events start at 6:30 pm, and I am driving back around 8 or 8:30 pm in the dark. Still… it doesn’t stop me 🙂

Do you have any author events in your area? Do you like to attend them? How far would you drive?

Book Club Thoughts and Ideas: The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

Published on February 11, 2015February 28, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain was our Bookies Book Club read for February 2014. I had listened to this one on audio and had reviewed it in November.

Basic synopsis: Riley MacPherson was just a little girl when her older sister Lisa died. That moment defined the MacPherson families lives… her brother Danny became distant, her mother turned to grief, and later it was cancer, and her father just kept on trying to be himself.

Twenty years later after her fathers passing, Riley finds evidence in her father’s home that seems to lead to the fact that Lisa did not die after all. In fact, Riley seems to have stumbled across disturbing facts that change everything she ever knew to be true. And if Lisa had not died all those years ago… what did happen? And if she is still alive… where is she?

For most of the Bookies this was their first time reading Diane Chamberlain. We found her to be an amazing author who writes in a manner that keeps you guessing. A few in our group had an idea about the big surprise in the book, but no matter what we had guessed ahead of time or not, we all enjoyed the read.

Why does this book make for good book club material?

Silent Sister has excellent discussion points in the book. There are decisions made in the book that are worth discussing. Each member of the MacPherson family plays a different role and it is fun to see what book club members think of each part.

There are opportunities to go over, “what would you do,” if given the circumstances that happen in the book as well as discussion of the law and how things could have went.

Another great discussion topic is what people turn to for comfort and each book club member can share what their answer is.

Food and Theme

There is not much to talk about for food in the book. In fact when I went to make something for book club I could not recall any food discussions or drink for that matter other than coffee. Cookies in the shape of people (sisters) would be fun to do.

Food could be centered around “Open House” food items as int he book they are trying to sell a house… or even funeral food to represent the loss of Lisa.

Random keys could be used where each book club member draws one and at some point during the discussion shares something that perhaps they had kept quiet during a point int here life (as a child, teen, etc…)

Book Club Discussion Questions Link

Morning Meanderings… Book Club… The Morning After

Published on February 11, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Good morning.

Coffee. Coffee. Coffee.

Yes… it is a Gilmore morning…

Ok that was random but I laughed. I love the ending of this one.

Book club was uber great last night but it really usually is. 14 of the Bookies made it last night in what was like our first real snow that I have seen this season. Roads were slick, but the girls made it to my house.

We discussed Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain over tasty Kielbasa, mini meatloaves, fruit salad, cheese, crackers, and wine. I handed out our books from Harper Collins and we chose our next read for March:

The Rocky Mountains have cast their spell over the Courtlands, a young family from the plains taking a last summer vacation before their daughter begins college. For eighteen-year-old Caitlin, the mountains loom as the ultimate test of her runner’s heart, while her parents hope that so much beauty, so much grandeur, will somehow repair a damaged marriage. But when Caitlin and her younger brother, Sean, go out for an early morning run and only Sean returns, the mountains become as terrifying as they are majestic, as suddenly this family find themselves living the kind of nightmare they’ve only read about in headlines
or seen on TV.

As their world comes undone, the Courtlands are drawn into a vortex of dread and recrimination. Why weren’t they more careful? What has happened to their daughter? Is she alive? Will they ever know? Caitlin’s disappearance, all the more devastating for its mystery, is the beginning of the family’s harrowing journey down increasingly divergent and solitary paths until all that continues to bind them together are the questions they can never bring themselves to ask: At what point does a family stop searching? At what point will a girl stop fighting for her life?

Written with a precision that captures every emotion, every moment of fear, as each member of the family searches for answers, Descent is a perfectly crafted thriller that races like an avalanche toward its heart-pounding conclusion, and heralds the arrival of a master storyteller.

Sound good? I think so!

Today I have work to catch up on. I have been hanging out with friends and family since Saturday and now I need to get something done 🙂

And just in case you have not had enough coffee…

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce – Audio Review

Published on February 10, 2015March 30, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)53 Comments

Harold Fry now in his 60’s, retired and living with his wife in their English village home has come to expect…

nothing.

Life is quiet and unsurprising. Each day his mere existence and his wife’s avoidance makes the silence between them earth shattering loud. Retirement is not awesome.

Then one morning a letter comes in the mail. It is from a co-worker that Harold once had named Queenie Hennessy. She has terminal cancer and has written to say good-bye.

Harold is struck by this message with a deep sadness. He quickly writes a response to her, tells Maureen his wife that he is heading out to the mailbox and walks out of the house. As Harold passes his own mailbox, and heads into town where he passes two more, he has an encounter with a young girl at a restaurant who inspires him (unaware) to deliver Queenie’s letter in person. Harold believes that as long as he is walking to Queenie, she can not die. With only his boat shoes and a light jacket, Harold starts the 600 mile walk from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick… meeting along the way kind people who take him in. As Harold’s pilgrimage continues he has a lot of time to think about his past, his wife, his son… losses and regrets… and of course, what he has never told Queenie.

You know those books you always mean to read but never seem to get around to doing it? That is what The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was to me. When recently it was on a sale at Audible.com, I snatched it up on audio.

Harold Fry was a likable protagonist who had carried a lot of memories both good and bad, throughout his 60+ years. As life tends to do, Harold stayed busy moving forward and never dealing with his past. His Pilgrimage gave him the time he needed, alone to sort through what his life has been… and what it could still be.

This book is brilliant. While on one hand you could say an elderly man trucking 600 miles with no plan is a bit ridiculous – it works. When you understand that Harold needs to have a mission in his life and this is the moment he chooses… it works. It really does.

Jim Broadbent was an amazing narrator, he handled the different characters in the book smoothly. His tone made for an excellent listen, very well paced and fit for what I would imagine Harold Fry sounding like.

Overall this book is surprisingly deep and one that really makes you think about your own life. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Update: I recently acquired an audio version of the follow up to this book, The Love Song Of Miss Queeny Henessy. I am so excited to get to this listen and am curious about the narration of Celia Imrie who I believe is a new narrator to me.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 9 hours and 57 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Random House Audio
Audible.com Release Date: July 24, 2012

Morning Meanderings… Birthday Weekend and Book Club Tonight!

Published on February 10, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Good morning! I think I have a Birthday weekend hangover and not from drinking. 🙂 I just had a really busy weekend that was a lot of fun!

On Saturday my friend Amy and I went to the Gatsby Party in the cities. It was a late night as we drove home the 2+ hours after the event but worth it. I was inspired by what they accomplished.

On Sunday, hubby and I went to a movie, American Sniper. SO good. I will review it at some point this week.

Monday…. my actual birthday. I had coffee in the morning with my friend Gail. Then I went and treated myself to a manicure and pedicure. My son Justin who lives in St. Paul came to the house around 3 pm and we went out and bought snacks for the night, went to a movie ( Project Almanac), picked up pizza afterwards, and came back home and watched Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire and Gone Girl. (yes, again on both of them 😀 ).

Justin brought me this really cool wine glass:

The glass says,

Secretly we’re all a little more absurd than we make ourselves out to be. ~JK Rowling

Love it!

Tonight is book club and I am so excited! I missed last months as I was on vacation so it will be good to see everyone AND it is at my house. We have a couple of books to hand out tonight for our Harper Collins Book Club Girls event:

I have them all set up on the table:

It’s like out own mini BEA. 😀

As for today, Justin is still here. We will hang out this morning and early afternoon than he has plans with friends and I will put the finishing touches on book club. We are reviewing The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain, an author who I discovered this past fall and LOVED this book as well as a few others I have now read by her. I am excited to see what the Bookies think.

Now… what will I make for an appetizer? 😉

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on February 8, 2015February 8, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)38 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!

It has been a good week. A nice mix of work and fun. Here is what I posted about this week:

Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins (not the review you are expecting)

My Father’s Wife by Mike Greenberg

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Girl Fight -why Amy (Gone Girl) kicks a** over Rachel (Girl On The Train)

This Is What You Just Put In Your Mouth by Patrick Di Justo

Great Gatsby Party in Roseville MN (soooo much fun!)

Forever odd by Dean Koontz

The Undiluted Truth About Review Requests, Accepting Or Not and all the decisions in between 🙂

It has been a good reading and audio week. Here is what is on tap for this week:

For My Ears

The number-one international best seller reminiscent of After I’m Gone, Sister, Before I Go to Sleep and The Silent Wife–an intricately plotted, thoroughly addictive thriller that introduces a major new voice in suspense fiction; a mesmerizing and powerful novel that will keep you guessing to the very end.

No one has ever guessed Emily’s secret.

Will you?

A happy marriage. A beautiful family. A lovely home. So what makes Emily Coleman get up one morning and walk right out of her life, to start again as someone new?

Now Emily has become Cat, working at a hip advertising agency in London and living on the edge with her inseparable new friend, Angel. Cat’s buried any trace of her old self so well, no one knows how to find her. But she can’t bury the past or her own memories.

And soon she’ll have to face the truth of what she’s done–a shocking revelation that may push her one step too far…

The jury is out on books for this week… I need to look and see what that will be yet 🙂

Pleas add your Its Monday What Are You Reading to the link below.

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

For those who read mainly children and middle grade books please add your link here as well:

The Undiluted Truth About Review Requests – Accepting and Not and All the Decisions In between

Published on February 8, 2015February 6, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)80 Comments

Book reviewers, bloggers… this one is for ~~you~~ us. This is something that has amazed me for years. All the wonderful review requests we receive by email (is it not a book lovers dream?). Yet – what emails sent for a potential review request really make it past the 10 to 30 seconds you give to them? I honestly feel bad but more than not – many hit the delete pile, and it may not even be because the book is not one I would read… in most cases it is that the pitch did not catch my attention in the amount of time I have for it. (Yes that is a huge run on sentence but who has time for periods? 😉 )

Sound cruel?

I hope not. I used to email back each person or company that sent me a review request to let them know if I was unable to accept at this time. Most times I would also let them know why… if it wasn’t a book I think I would enjoy, or if time limitations just did not allow me to agree to another book. I liked doing that… but now I just do not have the time to respond to each email.

Here is the honest truth and I have to believe I am not the only one. Time is precious. I have my personal email where I receive job requests for my writing as well as personal communications. I have a second email that is for Friends of the Library, and a third email for bookish stuff (where I direct all book related emails to go to). Being a busy active person with a life, I try to give each of these emails a look each day, but I do not have time to spend hours reading and responding to emails.

Who does?

So…. the point of this post was to share what does sell me on looking further into a review request… and what does not. Let’s start with the “does not” first…

What Does Not Work In a Review Request

The introduction. Dear sir or madam may pass if the rest of the email is good – but honestly – it is not 1902. If you are trying to catch my attention use my name, or just say hi or hello reviewer.

If you are going to use my name, make sure it is my name. I am not delusional… I do not think that I am the only person that you sent this email to and you covet my review thoughts and only my review thoughts. 🙂 However it starts the email off on a bad foot if you call me Jerry or Julie. Or really… any name that is not my own.

LONG over informative emails with no pictures. Chances are if I do not already work with your publishing company or with you, I am not going to invest time in a too wordy email about a book. Keep it short and sweet. Engage me in why I want to read this book.

No book cover. This is not always a big deal, but again, if you are a new to me publishing house, or author promoting your book… I like to see the cover. Honestly – I always like to see the cover. That is just me. Even with the companies I do work with I will look up the book if a cover is not in the email… that’s just me. I dont know why but I like to connect the cover to the story line. Covers for me are a plus.

Pitching a book to me that if you read my blog or even glanced at my review policy you would know the book wasn’t for me. Please do not tell me in one sentence that you enjoy my blog and in the next sentence pitch to me a romantic erotic western (*for the record – three types of books I clearly state I do not read… romances, westerns, or erotica). LOL. Ok that example is extreme… but it has come close to happening. 🙂

Not being clear on what you are offering (ie. book copy, Netgalley, …) I have at times said yes to a review and then received a PDF to read it on my computer. I dont read books on my computer.

What Does Work In a Review Request

Call me Sheila. Or even say “Hey bloggers” or “Hey book reviewers” or even “Dear Reviewer”. I am not picky, just start your email out right with a greeting. I dont mind being grouped in an email that I know has went out to many. We are all friend here. 🙂

Tell me in a short synopsis about the book or books you are pitching. If you are excited about a particular book, or know it is is being considered for a movie, or even that you expect big things out of the book.. tell me. That’s interesting stuff.

Show me the book cover! I love seeing covers. If I read a synopsis of a book I am interested in – I still want to see the cover.

2aa — Dear Sheila, How are you? We are super excited to offer you a review copy of a book that we feel is going to make a big splash not only in book format, but also as a movie! Please consider reading and reviewing The Hobbit, ….

If you are pitching several books, I dont even need the cover if there is a link where I can look at the book and see more about it.

Clear instructions of what you are offering (ie. a book for review, Netgalley, PDF) is awesome as well as how to respond to you.

That’s about it. I ♥love♥ receiving review requests and I wish I had the time to read and consider them all but as those of us who write review know – we cant say yes to them all which makes the email pitch all the more important.

I am curious, do the things I mention here in review requests cause you to consider or not consider a book? Do you have a criteria that you like to see in a review pitch? If so, please put in the comments your thoughts on book pitches.