Book Journey

Hi!  Good morning!  This is Kathryn from The Book Date.  Well by now you all know that Sheila is away at the moment, actually she is visiting us Down Under. I was delighted to hear she was coming to Australia and even more delighted when she revealed that she is visiting my own country New Zealand.  Hope you are loving both countries Sheila.  Australian beaches are the best!  And a little shopping in Sydney – not to be dismissed. Remember folks its summer here, so Sheila is escaping your winter for a little while.

I first heard of Sheila before I “met” her. I used to have a teacher blog and joined Jen at Teach Mentor Texts where she ran the children’s and YA version of the meme It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?  She always acknowledged Sheila at Book Journey and I wondered who this person was!  I never really ventured in to find out.  It wasn’t until I began my own reading blog for myself that I eventually discovered Sheila at Book Journey.

 

I love Book Journey because it oozes energy, fun and variety and a great love of books.  Now I link up to her meme It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?  It has been where I have discovered all kinds of reading blogs and readers.  I love it.  I also love her 1st book of the year meme and the challenges she hosts.

Anyway while Sheila is away I’ve been taking a little book journey through her archives.  I was excited to find a post that had my name on it! It jogged a memory button. Its from July 2009 and the book she was talking about is Beach Girls by Luanne Rice.  I enjoyed The Lemon Orchard by this same author in 2013 but haven’t read any more since. It’s true about that adage – “give old posts a little love”, and I’m loving this post from back in 2009.

 

I have this ‘real’ book on my TBR  shelf. I keep passing over it, not even choosing it for challenges I’m doing to clear my TBR in 2015.  Now I’ve read Sheila’s review of Beach Girls I am thinking, “ why have I been avoiding it?” It sounds like a great read.  Friendship, a strong female and what sounds to me like some emotional angst. Hey this is my type of book!  And.. what’s more Sheila mentions there is a follow up, Last Kiss.  And I did mention its summer down here, perfect read.  It is going on my “must read” list for this summer.

Thanks, Sheila from a very happy Kiwi.

 

Good Morning!  Laurel here from, well… many blogs. 🙂  While Sheila is away with her hubby enjoying some well-deserved playtime, I am going to chat with you about how I first connected with her…and also talk about a favorite topic of mine: books that have found a home on the Big Screen.
It was 2009, and my first blog, Creations by Laurel-Rain Snow (now Story Corner) had been around for a year, but I hadn’t done much with it. We connected on a site called Book Blogs, and when I first visited her blog, I discovered that I had to grab a cup of coffee so I could be in the groove for the Morning Meanderings.

I enjoyed the idea of bloggers connecting regularly around coffee and chatting, which was what Morning Meanderings was all about. I discovered Sheila’s love of Gilmore Girls, and have since become a binge-viewer of the entire series (on Netflix).
So grab some coffee, and let’s talk about books that have been made into movies.
Do you love seeing film adaptations of some of your favorite books? Some of my favorites in 2014 were If I Stay, The Fault in Our Stars, and Gone Girl. I had read all of these books before seeing the movies…and I am glad I did.
In the New Year, there are going to be several book-into-movie productions, and one of them will be John Green’s Paper Towns, coming in June 2015. I haven’t yet read it, but I have the e-book on Sparky. Here is Sheila’s review of Paper Towns.

 

Paper Towns by John Green

On the heels of The Fault in Our Stars’ success comes the next John Green adaptation of Paper Towns. The movie stars Cara Delevingne as Margo Roth Speigelman and Nat Wolf as Quentin Jacobsen in the story that brings two sort of friends together via a mystery. Filming has begun for the movie, which is slated to be released June 19, 2015.

 

Do you find that you enjoy the books more than the movies, or vice versa? I have had mixed reactions…but in the case of If I Stay, I loved the movie more because of the music. Yes, you can read about music, but actually hearing it comes through best in a film, IMO.
Gone Girl was another book that really translated well into film. The intensity between the characters was brought out successfully through the wonderful performances of Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck. I was gripping the edge of my seat throughout, and then said “wow” several times as I left the theater.
What are you looking forward to in the New Year? What exciting books and movies are on your list?

 

Good morning!  This is Candace from Beth Fish Reads hanging out here at Book Journey. Although I don’t always comment, I rarely forget to pop over to check out what Sheila is up to—and Morning Meandering is the best way to see what she has going on. As you already know, Sheila is currently halfway around the world visiting one of the places I’ve always wanted to see: Australia.

I can’t tell you why I have a soft spot for Australia or why I’m drawn to books set there. Maybe it’s the exotic wildlife, the sense of wilderness, or the beauty of the land. In any case, as I’m thinking of Sheila’s adventures Down Under, I’m reminded of some of my favorite books set in Australia.

In no particular order here are two books and two series that I loved, loved, loved:
Who hasn’t read the Thorn Birds saga by Colleen McCullough? If you haven’t, then get yourself to the bookstore immediately. Forbidden love, family drama, and almost sixty years on a sheep station in the heart of Australia: this novel has it all.

 

So you think you want to visit Australia? After reading Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country, you might end up with mixed feelings. The beauty of the outback is definitely tempered by a multitude of dangers. Bryson’s humor and the stories of his adventures as he travels throughout the country are not to be missed.

 

John Marsden wrote my all-time favorite alternate history books set Down Under. The Tomorrow series (Tomorrow When the War Began, etc.) and the Ellie Chronicles (While I Live, etc.) together consist of ten action-packed, gut-wrenching, beautifully written novels of a group of teens who are forced to survive on their own after Australia is invaded by an outside enemy. Seriously good books (and great audios!).

 

A Book you might not have known was set in Australia: Jo Nesbo’s The Bat, the first in the Harry Hole series.

Two terrific Australian authors: Liane Moriarty (The Husband’s Secret, etc.) and Shaun Tan (Lost & Found, etc.).

 

Okay, Sheila, your trip may have an end, but your adventures in Australia have only just begun. Hope you find something here to take you back to your fabulous vacation.

 

Hi all!  Elizabeth here from Silver’s Reviews.  Sheila and I met at the BEA in 2013 entirely by a wonderful accident.  Yes…accidents can be wonderful at times.  🙂

We were discussing via e-mail before the BEA that we hopefully would run into each other but highly unlikely so we weren’t counting on it, but lo and behold we did meet.

Sheila and I were in line for the Book Bloggers Conference along with hundreds of other bloggers, and we just happened to be next to each other as we made our way into the line.  We started chatting and introducing ourselves and laughed when we found out who each of us was.  I loved it and so did Sheila.

Sheila has a wonderful blog that makes you want to read EVERY book she has read, but there is no way I can do that nor can I keep up with her activities.  Sheila has so many activities and does so much she makes me tired.  🙂  Sheila has a fantastic personality and smile that is very inviting.

I want to live in Minnesota so I can be in her book club.  🙂  That is one lucky book club to have Sheila in it.  The Brainerd Library also is one lucky library to have Sheila involved.

Sheila has a review archive that I can’t even come close to.  I did read a few of the books Sheila has read and that we both enjoyed.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
The Husband’s Secret
I’d Know You Anywhere

I could look around Sheila’s blog ALL day and still not be tired of looking around.  Sheila has posts that pull you in and make you want to come back.  The sign of a great blogger.

I know Sheila loves HUGE mugs of coffee so I thought I would join in with a photo of my favorite mug and mug shot.  🙂

Happy New Year to all and Happy Reading in 2015.

 

Hi!  This is Florinda from The 3 R’s Blog enjoying a cup of coffee at Book Journey.  I’m glad Sheila invited me to be one of her blog-sitters  while she’s on a real-life journey of her own, although I’m more than a little envious she gets to go to Australia.

I’ve known Sheila and Book Journey for so long I can’t actually remember when we first “met” virtually, but I absolutely remember meeting her in person for the first time in New York City during the week of Book Expo 2011. That was my first time at BEA, but not my last, and hanging out with Sheila has been one of the highlights of every visit there–because if you know how much fun she is on her blog, you can just imagine what she’s like in person!

Knowing Sheila has influenced me in two major ways: as an audiobook reader, and as a reader/re-reader of Banned Books. The annual celebration of Banned Books Week is one of my favorite features at Book Journey, and I’ve joined in several times. In 2012, we both posted reviews of the often-challenged YA novel The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. It was a re-read for me, and I said:

“My recollection was that The Chocolate War was a pretty dark novel, and it certainly is, but its dystopian world is that of the contemporary high school–and at almost forty years old, it barely feels dated at all. In fact, its bullying theme may be, sadly, even more timely now. Cormier’s characterizations aren’t terribly complex, but his adolescent boys behave believably. The novel’s plotting is tight and the tension rarely lets up. There’s a good deal of violence here, both psychological and physical…The Chocolate War is chilling, unsettling, and very true to life, and I can see many reasons why it’s frequently challenged, It’s also a defining work of young-adult fiction that needs to be read and discussed for many years to come.”

Sheila listened to the audiobook, and she said:

“Can you say we have a winner? The Chocolate War is the portrayal of a dystopian type world where you just need to fall in line with what you are told to do… (think Pink Floyd, The Wall video). When Jerry comes on the scene and at first is bullied into not selling the chocolates like everyone else and then decided to not sell at all.. things get pretty crazy in this book.

“Bullying is a strong theme throughout the book, and not just the physical kind – and not just from the students…. really the book is powerful and sad but really made an impact on me. I am so glad I read it.”

(This is just one of the hundreds of reviews you’ll find in Book Journey’s review archives–go take a look, and see what books you and Sheila have in common!)

Banned Books Week 2015 will take place the week of September 27-October 3. I’m sure Sheila will be observing it here at Book Journey, and I’m marking my calendar now so I have some reading planned for it–you might want to do the same! Till then, thanks for Meandering with me today!

 

Hello!  Judith from Leswammes’ Blog here, sitting in at Book Journey. Well, let’s have a look…snoop…snoop… Sheila’s got SO many posts on her blog; how many books has she read? And it’s not just about books; she seems to live the life of two people, always so busy!

Although I’ve never met her, through her posts I’ve got the feeling I know Sheila a bit. And I’m happy to look after her books blog, while she is away (did you know she has a room full of books, a personal library? Wow indeed!).

Ah here, look: The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux. This is one of Sheila’s favorite books and her post about it made me want to read it, too.  It’s a great book about what-ifs: what if you could change your past? What would your current life be like? I loved the stories of the three friends who all go back to their pasts. A great idea for a story. Here is my review.

 

Oh, and look at this: The Passage by Justin Cronin. I loved that book (my review), and so did Sheila. Yes, I’m not really one for vampires, but this was such a great, epic read! We both didn’t love the sequel, The Twelve, quite so much (in fact, I didn’t even finish it while Sheila still enjoyed it).
Yeah, Sheila’s got good taste! We ‘met’ through her “It’s Monday” meme, more than four years ago (closer to five!!). Through this meme, I got to know a large part of the blogging universe. It’s a great meme for a starting blogger to meet up with new bloggers, but also for established bloggers to see what their blogging friends are up to.

But I really l♥ve Book Journey because of the Morning Meanderings. I’m amazed how Sheila can find time to post about her life almost every morning (and have a life interesting enough to write about every day!).

Could you fill a blog post every day about your life? I could, but only if I copied the same post on most days.  What about you: Are your days groundhog days or Sheila days?

 

Good morning!  The last official Morning Meandering before I head out to catch my flight this afternoon for Australia.  Crazy wild sentence there.  Even I am like… WHAT?

About a week ago I sent an email to several of the bloggers who frequent this space and/or I know from years of blogging and asked them if they would possibly be able to take a little time out of their already packed schedules and write a Morning Meandering for me.  The criteria was: I would love for it to be something from my archives, and maybe something on how we “met”.  Or they could choose their own topic.  My timing was horrible.  Fresh off the busy holiday season I did not think many would say yes, and in my email I let them know that I totally understood if they were too busy and on such short notice…

and then almost all said yes.

*humbled blogger here*

So… starting tomorrow some of my blogger friends are going to take over the Morning Meanderings.  You will probably know them and if you don’t, you should.  They are AWESOME.  They wrote some pretty interesting and informative posts and a few are quite funny.   I hope you will check in on them and I hope you will visit their blogs as well.

 

As for what will be “read worthy” in my carry on for this trip…

I will be gone 17 days.  Yup.  My flight from LA to Sydney Australia is 15 hours.  Yup.  I will be getting on a cruise ship on the 10th – 22nd.  My reading is:

Walking The Bible – Book Club Read for Harper Collins

Belong To Me – Book Club read for Harper Collins

13 Things Mentally Strong People Do

Harry Potter – Goblets Of Fire (Re-Read along… continues, no matter where I am 🙂 )

and on Kindle I have loaded:

Ticker (ooh I love that cover!)

Night School:  Genesis

Lane Changes

Doctor Death

Murder At The Book Club (finishing)

The Aviators Wife (finishing)

There is more, but you get it… I am ready for reading.  🙂

 

In real life real-time… I am up early.  I still have a list of things to do.  I left too much to yesterday.  Everywhere I went I ran into people I knew and that added an additional 30+ minutes to each stop.  By the time I got home after lunch with my son, pedicure/manicure, picking up medication, shopping for house, shopping for trip, pants for Al, picking up dinner, picking up make up… it was 5:30 pm.  Now I am doing laundry, writing out checks that need to go out, emails, notes for the house sitter, prepping posts, run up town, bank stop,call vet, and verify my cell phone for international…

yeah.

I do plan on posting reviews if I have internet and I will pop in as I can.  Thanks everyone for reading Book Journey!