Tag: Book Stuff

Thanks to J Kaye’s Book Blog, I have a bit of organization each week when I report in to what I have read and what I plan to read.  This is loads of fun and fun to see what everyone else is reading as well!  Feel free to write your own post about what you are reading and be sure to link it to J Kayes Blog linky so others can peek in on your books as well!  🙂

I feel like I am on a treadmill….. going going going ….. nowhere.  🙂  I have quite a few reviews ready to go from the books I read while in Honduras but am trying to stagger them out to one or no more than two, book reviews a day on the blog so each can get wonderful coverage.

For this last week I read:

Marriage 101 by Jewell R. Powell (with a chance to win a date night package!)

Love Has A Face by Michelle Perry

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner (this one has a giveaway!)

Jantsen’s Gift by Pam Cope (also with giveaway and I read this one two weeks ago in Honduras… just didnt get review up until last week)

The Magic Warble by Victoria Simcox

LimeLight by Melody Carlson

Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh

What Matters Most by Melody Carlson

(The last three were all read in Honduras and on the plane the previous week and reviewed this week)

For this week I have three and one audio:

The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate – I am finishing it up tonight for the tour tomorrow!

Behold The Dawn by K.M. Weiland – yes!  Our very own blogger and twitter friend K.M…. I want tot start this one in the next couple of days!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – uh huh… I am that girl… so late on reading this book and purchased it this past weekend.  I plan to be into this one over the weekend

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is in my cd player and what I am listening to when I relax in the evenings and blog surf.

So… I am reading.  No doubt about that.  I am organizing my book shelves currently as in today and have many reviews to still write so never a dull moment around here.

This is hosted by An Adventure in Reading

I just witnessed a murder….  and I am still reeling from it…  the girls name was Salmon.  Yes, like the fish.  Oh but that was her last name.  her first name was Susie.  Was.

It is December 6, 1973.  I just witnessed a murder.  And I know who did it.

~ The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

(audio I started on my drive to book club last night)

Last week I was actually able to get a bit of reading done while traveling.  (Here is my travel journal of Honduras and pictures)I am thrilled to say that I will have reviews up this week for:

• Jantsen’s Gift by Pam Cope (oh wow – I really cant wait to tell you my thoughts on this one)
• Monique and The Mango Rains by Kris Holloway
  
• Love Has A Face by Michele Perry
  

I also have three other reviews I planned on posting last week and did not get to them…. Leaving Carolina, What matters Most and Limelight.

My reading plan for this week is fairly light…  I have book club tomorrow evening and we are reviewing The Glass castle by Jeannette Walls.  I then am hoping to read Take Your Best Shot by Austen Gutwein, and finish up the week with Zumba which is a dance work out that I am excited to try – AND it comes with a CD…LOL!  cant wait to do it!  🙂  Maybe there will be pictures!

So thats the plan…. and thanks to J Kayes book blog, you can add your plan over there as well to let everyone know what you are reading!  🙂

Hi everyone!  I am currently in Honduras (even as I type) and will be back November 8th.  I have lined up several wonderful bloggers to take care of my blog this week so please stop by often and see whats happening here.  They are planning giveaways, fun posts and more I will check in as I can… internet is never a guarantee here, but if I have time I’ll pop in and say hello – I hope you will too!

This is a super late post.  My dentist appointment (that little pain I have had over the last week?)  Yeah, that resulted in a root canal this morning.  I came home groggy and tired and pretty much out of it for the day.  I want to get this post up because I love this meme and I am excited about the books that will be a part of my world over the next week or so…

Last week I completed

Family Plots by M P Kavanaugh (laugh out loud moments in this one!)

Nine Things Nathan Noticed at Night By Christy Baldwin (childrens read)

Receive Me Falling by Erika Robuck (an incredible read – a bit mystery, a bit historical, a bit paranormal… all rolled into one!)

This week I am currently reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett and loving it!  This is going to be our first Word Shaker review that is suppose to go up yet today but I am not sure with as shaky as I am feeling right now.

For the rest of the week I dont think I will get a lot of reading in, I will mostly be prepping by guest posts for next week (be sure to check them out – I have a lot of fun things planned).  I am mainly looking at the books I am planning to take with me to Honduras.  Currently they are:

Tales of Pruit Almus by Robert Belenky ( about a Russian Childrens Shelter)

Jantsen’s Gift by Pam Cope (A true story of a woman who loses her son and finds new life working with vietnam orphans)

Take Your Best Shot by Austin Gutwein (about an AIDS clinic and medical center built in Zambia)

Children Of Dust by Eteraz (about growing up in Pakistan)

I will have 6 hours of plane time for reading there and back, plus evenings as well.

Thank you J Kaye for hosting this wonderful meme!  I encourage you to share what you are reading as well and be sure to link to J Kaye’s post so others can stop in and see whats on your agenda this week for books!  🙂

If you have hung around the book blogs for any amount of time you are sure to have heard us bloggers joking about our TBR (To Be Read) piles (hills, mountains, whatever…).  I often look at the books on my shelf that I are on my TBR radar and think, “ok, that’s it.  No more books until you make a dent here!”

Yeah right.

I really do mean well but unless I lose my ability to read – I will always be seeing more and more books that I want to read.  Today, I popped in to see what Natasha was reviewing over at Maw Books and found a feast of new titles in her Bookworm Carnival post that made me weak in the knees.  As I scrolled through these wonderful books I knew I had to post about this and I also needed pen and paper to start writing titles down.

Natasha has asked a few questions that I am happy to answer:

Do you read a lot of books that have an African focus?  If so, why do you enjoy them?

Loving this question as my current read is Love Has A Face by Michelle Perry.  This is an African based book about Michelle Perry opening up a home for orphans in war torn Sudan, a country in northeastern Africa.  Yes, these style of books I do really enjoy.  I enjoy them because I have worked with street kids in Honduras since 2004.  I have made a trip there at least once a year to assist in building homes, helping with schooling, and feeding those who have no where to go.  I read these books because I am well aware that orphaned children and street kids are not limited to Honduras.  I like to read book about people such as this author, Michelle Perry who feels called to make a difference.  Sadly, I have not read ass many as I would like to – but thanks to the post at Maw Books that has introduced me to many that look wonderful, I will be reading more.

Have you reviewed any books with an African theme?

I do not think at this time that I have.  I read The Poisonwood Bible but it was pre blogging….Looking through my titles on my shelf I have done a few with a Vietnam theme, Honduras, Pakistan, and other area.

What are you looking forward to reading next?  Anything on your radar?

I leave for Honduras next Friday and I am taking with me Jantzens Gift (Vietnam children), Children Of Dust (written about growing up in Pakistan).  I just found out yesterday that Julie from Faithfulgirl is sending me a book off my wishlist,Monique And The Mango Rains and that one is set in Africa.

If you haven’t read a lot of books with an African focus, what are some books that you’d like to read?   Are there any book titles showcased in this carnival that sounds interesting to you or that you’ve read?

Ooh – thank you for asking this one.  From the books I seen listed at Maw Books, I would be very interested in reading:

• The View From Garden City – Carolyn Baugh
• Burn my Heart by Beverly Naidoo
• When God Says GO by Lorry Lutz
• Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimanamda Ngozi Adichie
  
• As We Forgive by Catherine Claire Larson
• A Long Way Gone by Ishmael beah
• The Bite Of The Mango by Mariatu Kamara
• Tear Of The Desert by Halima Bashir
• The Translator by Daoud Hari
• Slave by Mende Nazar
• The Boy Next Doot by Irene Sabatini
• Another Mans War by Sam Childers
• Say You’re One Of Them by Uwen Akpan

I know… I cant help it.  I love books like this.

This is a weekly Meme from J Kayes Blog.  Today I am actually into two books.  I am reading Receive Me Falling by Erika Robuck and just getting into the rhythm of the book.  I am also casually reading What To Do When The Roof Caves In by Marilyn Meberg.  While Catch Me Falling is a historical fiction read… What To Do When The Roof Caves In is a humorous look into the issues that rain down on us in our life times and how to handle these “opportunities” with grace.  I just seen Marilyn Meberg speak over this past weekend and she continuously cracks me up with her candid way of telling her story.

If you have not had the pleasure of ever hearing Marilyn speak – here is a clip to get a little sample:

For this week I am finishing up the two books I just mentioned above and Family Plot is a book tour today and I have that one almost ready to go.  My main reading this week is going to be focussed on The Help by Kathryn Stockett as this is going to be our first book review for and discussion for the Word Shakers online book club.  I am nervously excited as we have quite a group reading this book and then we are going to have a group post here next Monday as well as links to the other reviews.  I have never done anything like this before so I am hoping I can do it well and hold the interest of the group and of course the readers.

What are you reading?

Be sure to stop by J Kaye’s Blog and link in so others may check out what you are reading as well!  🙂