Tag: Morning Meanderings

Morning Meanderings: We Are Off To See The Author!!!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)51 Comments

 

Good morning.  What a week and it has not ended yet.  I have a full morning and then a friend from Book Club and I are going to the cities to have dinner with Sandra Brannon and then go to her book event at Magers and Quinn Booksellers.  While I am tired now, I suspect as the time draws nearer I will get more and more excited.  😀

For Saturday Snapshot today I was hoping to have pictures for you of my new and finished book shelves – but no, while the racks are up… the shelves are not.  So… I will show you before and current state… and next week, hopefully the finished look.

One end of the book room before… (do not judge…) 🙂

 

 

Another section of the room

 

 

 

After I emptied the room….

 

 

And now, the beginning phases:

I am excited to get the shelves up and start organizing books!  😀 

Ok, final thing this morning…. winners from the BBAW week:

The Gods Of Gotham :  Lindsey from Literary Lindsey!!!

Seconds Away by Harlan Coben audio Elizabeth from Silver’s Reviews!!!

Night Road by Kristin Hannah:  Joys from Joys Book Blog!

and the $15 gift card goes to Karen White!!!

Thanks everyone – winners email me your mailing info (no po boxes please) to journeythroughbooks@gmail.com and I will get those shipped to you this week.  😀

BBAW: ANd so… the time has come…

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

 

Wow did that week go by fast or what?  I am sitting here with COFFEE CUP looking at the books I was giving away this week – I still have one more – and well… wow.  This is it.

Todays questions was what did we get out of the week.  This was the first week, yesterday actually – where I was able to actually just sit down and enjoy blogs and blogging.  Usually I am squeezing in a few minutes here, half a post there, drafting when I can..but yesterday I had my first lay low day in a long time and I took full advantage of hanging out with Laptop and pounding out a couple posts and a lot of visits, and you know what?

It felt good.

Today will be a bit the same.  The crew is finally coming today to start my book shelves and I am going to take laptop and the dogs downstairs and do a little reading and writing and stay out of the construction.  (Unless I sneak up to get a picture or two….)

Have a great rest of BBAW everyone.  Be sure to check out the BBAW site and see the giveaways and the posts – and maybe meet a new blogger or two along the way. 😀

My last giveaway is Night Road by Kristin Hannah.  I have two copies of this book.  I have not read it yet but have heard good things.  Leave me a comment today sharing with me what you enjoy most about book blogs. 😀  I will choose a winner and announce tomorrow winner along with my other giveaways going on this blog this week.

 

Happy Friday! 😀

BBAW: Pimp That Book

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Good morning.  Yesterday totally got away from me… I started writing a poem for yesterdays BBAW post and then I had to go to work… it was a big day – annual meeting day and I am in charge of special events so between working, texting my son in Florida who has gull bladder surgery yesterday, and then finally coming home last night at 9 pm from work… I was exhausted and was hardly on-line at all.. let alone write a post.

However – here we are on Thursday the sun is shining and due to my busy work hours this past week, I have a bonus day off – today!  SO… you are getting me chatting for BBAW and let me warn you… I know how to pimp a book.  😛

I have two books that came to mind right away… both are YA, and there was a time (and there still might be) where I was going to write a post called “I am Patrick Ness’ Baby Mama.”  Ok, ok… totally not true and probably border line inappropriate, but you have to admit… that post title would catch your attention.  😛  My point is – have you read his Chaos Walking Series?  If not… you must!  They are The Knife Of Never Letting Go, The Ask and The Answer, and Monsters Of Men and yes all three are available and yes, you do want them all at once because when one ends you will be all like “HOLY COW!!!!!  WHA???????” and you will want to jump into the next book right away. 😀

(Oh and look how nice of me to link those titles to my reviews….. ahhhh. Sheila.  So thoughtful.  LOL 😆 )

When I first was drawn to the books Monsters Of Men had just hit the shelves.  People told me I needed to have all three at once so I ordered all three at once. 

Then… I worried about that.

I thought that was a bit extreme, what if I am into book one and I am thinking “ugh” and not I have a beautiful “ugh” set?  Well, no worries there, awesome awesome awesome series that I have pimped out to all my friends – told them not to get scared about the talking dog in the early pages…. its different, but you will find out it works. 😀

Ok…I, am not finished.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green led to perhaps my only 2012 (so far) book melt down where I loved that book so much I have been pushing John Green like crack – and I guess, devouring his books in much the same manner.  (No, no-no, I am not a crack user, I just play one on this blog.  :razz:)

So there is my input on today’s topic. 

 

 

In other news, I wrote a post on Community on the BBAW site.  It sums up my past three years on book blogging and how it is the community of awesome book bloggers that keeps me going. 😀

Be sure to check out my BBAW giveaways if you have not already.  I have this one going, and a giveaway for Gods Of Gotham as well as another one coming up in my review later today. 😀

I have a nice fairly lazy day planned of reading blogs, writing a review and reading. I have a birthday dinner tonight and will be making cupcakes later but for the next few hours… I think I will be right here in this chair. 😀

Morning Meanderings… Late Start to BBAW, but a start :)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

 

Good morning.   Mondays are always hard for me to post anything beyond the Monday What Are You Reading meme because I really want that one to hold for the day… however there are occasional exceptions. 😀 

My plan was that when I came home yesterday afternoon I was going to write-up my Appreciation post.  Instead… I was at the library from 11- 2 building the Banned Book Week display, then I had a few errands to run, picked up my dog from the groomers, started making my dessert for book club that is tonight, whipped up a quick dinner for Al and went to a Friends Of The Library meeting. 

I never did get that post done.

This morning, I thought I would touch on it as my post this afternoon will be my interview swap with a new (and impressive!) book blogger to me, Benji from The Non Reluctant Reader (who in turn, is interviewing me and already has the post up!

 

So Appreciation.   It is always so hard to narrow down the blogs and bloggers I really appreciate.  For one, there are so many bloggers I love – they crack me up…. (Jill at Fizzy Thoughts, Trish from Love, Laughter, and a touch of Insanity, Jenners from Life With Books,… and those I like to read their thoughts on books ( and inevitably buy books off their recommendations) :  Kathy from Bermuda Onion, Alison from Alison’s BookMarks, Ryan from Wordsmithonia, Laurel from many book blogs :D, Reagan from Miss Remmers Review, Alyce from AT Home With Books…

Of course, inevitably I will be driving into work today and do the hand to the forehead thing and realize someone else I surely should have added to this list and how did I forget and *sigh*  Know that you are ALL LOVE and ALL APPRECIATED.

Truly – If you stop by Book Journey and read my nonsense, comment on my reviews, share in my work out woe’s, give advice, play along in the read-a-longs, meme’s, challenges…. I adore you and I thank you – because without you stopping in and making me smile when I open up my laptop and I see your comment…. I dont know if I would do this.  Seriously, the readers, make the experience.

Thank you again – and Happy BBAW to everyone.  To celebrate – here is my giveaway for today:

 

I have not read it yet… I know I need too, but I have two copies so one lucky winner will walk away with this baby this week (winner announced on Friday morning.  To enter, leave me a comment here telling me either of a blog/blogger you really enjoy OR what you love about either being a book blogger or a book blog reader.  😀 

 

Also – don’t forget I have the all week giveaway going on as well.  Click here to see how to win an Amazon Gift Card just be popping in all week-long and chatting with me about…. mmmm…. books and bloggers!  😀

 

Morning Meanderings… Sunday Stuff.

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Ok… so that is not my normal picture I put at the top of the Morning Meandering posts but I put this one up first and thought “eh” and moved on…

 

So what you are looking at are the books that have graced my doorstep this past week.  All but the top one 47, are sent for review.  47 I ordered for the “A More Diverse Universe” Blog Tour that will take place the end of this month, hosted by BookLust.

 

I am out of the house early today, setting up our churches tailgate party, I wont be home until late afternoon, and will probably be wiped out.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday! 

Morning Menaderings…If You Are Looking For Ways to connect – the book bloggin world is BUZZING!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

 

You know I hate to admit it… but September is clearly here.  I have been fighting the rumors that summer is over even through the signs are here – my lawn has turned a little darker in color and no longer seems to be growing, the leaves are changing colors… and now – I see activities are multiplying across the blogosphere.

If you just want to chill into your fall with a good read and a cozy blanket, I recommend you join my Bel Canto read-a-long.  I am reading it now and really enjoying it. 

 

Next week is Book Blogger Appreciation Week (that snuck up on me!) Sept 10 -14 and that is so much fun – check it out here.

 

Is it time for that fall blog tune up?  Side bars neglected, links no longer working – or maybe you just do not have a clue how to do something?  Bloggiesta is for you – Sept. 28-30th

 

And I posted yesterday about Banned Book Week coming Sept 30 – Oct 6 and this will be my third year hosting a banned book week party here with daily book reviews and giveaways as well as inviting other blogs to participate and also have a chance to win! 

Judith over at Leeswammes blog has even more events posted so be sure to stop and see what she has to offer as well.

 

So now I am off to the YMCA.  I am already late but was so tired last night that I could not prep this post.  After work today I hope to come home and catch up on some bloggy stuff and some prep work I am doing for our librarys display for Banned Book Week. 

Have a super day! 😀

Morning Meanderings – Jill (Softdrink) Made Me Do It

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

Good morning!  It doesn’t take me long to get back into town and then get involved in something.  It started with some innocent blog visiting (or so I thought) and then WHAM!  I go visit Jill at Fizzy Thoughts and read this:

I know your TBR list is huge. I know your commitments are many. I know that there are so many things on which you must take a stand, and it can be exhausting to make reading a political activity. But this is so important to me, and I really think it should be important to you, too. None of us lives in a monochromatic world, and yet the fact that terrifying hate crimes still occur makes it clear that we do not fully understand or trust each other. And maybe part of the reason is because the media we consume does not accurately reflect the diversity of our society. And books are such a massive part of the media we consume that we should demand and fight for those that do represent minorities and those that do present the world from a different perspective than the one we are used to. So please – participate. You may just discover a character or an author or a setting or a story that will completely change your life.

So of course… all of this “too much on my plate already” applies to me but now my curiosity is piqued so I follow the Bloggy trail to BookLust and learn more about this Diverse Universe Blog Tour that is important and informative and basically had me signing on the dotted line.   The basic plan?  Read one book written by a person of color between September 23 and 29.  If you are stumped at what to pick.. lists are provided.

So after reading all that I checked out the lists and set up to be a part of the tour and my book I will be reading is:

If you want to participate sign up here.   Thanks Jill for letting me know about this 😀

This morning I have hauled my sleepy self to the YMCA where I have committed to meeting my friend Trish for morning workouts.  I have not been to the YMCA in months, but fall is here and its time to commit to an exercise regimen so here I am trying to get started….  out plan was to meet at 6:30 am.  I am already tired just thinking about it…

Morning Meanderings… Back to the daily grind and kick off to September

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

 

Good morning!  After 5 glorious days up North at our cabin, I am now home again, rested, and ready to jump into September.  This month is another busy one, work wise and life wise, every weekend has something.  You think after this summer I would be used to that kind of activity. 

Recapping the past week, I went to the cabin on Wednesday afternoon.  It is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from here.  I went with two of our three dogs, Bailey and Sam the small ones went with me, Mater had to go to a kennel, too big and too puppy yet to go and hang out with people.  Our friends Chad and Amy and their girls came on Thursday evening, my hubby Al, and out friends Dan and Key came on Friday afternoon. 

When I was alone, I read and watched a couple movies, even did some writing. 

 

There are quite a few awesome things coming up in September including my read a long of Bel Canto which we will be discussing and doing give aways for next Tuesday, and I will be putting together sign ups this week for participants for this years Banned Books Week which will start at the end of September going through the first part of October, and the Bloggiesta will also be at the end of September. 

So while fall is not my favorite season (mainly because I know what follows…..) there are some great events happening in the book world, and in activities that will keep me going. 😀 

How was everyones weekend?  Did you do anything fun?  Any fun plans for the week?

Morning Meanderings… Scraping in a North Shore Post

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

 

 

Greetings from the North Shore.  More pointedly for those of you who know I do not have internet at the cabin *shudder*, greeting from the Finland Library. 

I arrived yesterday afternoon at the cabin after traveling the 3 1/2 hours in the jeep filled with my luggage, groceries, a new board game, two lawn chairs, a blanket, towels, books for the book shelf, movies, and two dogs… Bailey and Sam.  Yes…. this was a very FULL vehicle.  😛

 

So what does a person do at a cabin before everyone else gets there?  Well… first unpack, store food, and put the books on the shelf.  Then I walked the yard for firewood for our campfires this weekend.  I watched a movie, read a book and started another one.  I talked to the neighbor, walked the dogs and think I was in bed by 10.  Late tonight the first of our friends who are staying with us this weekend will arrive.  More will come tomorrow afternoon.  I am so excited!  😀

I drove the 6 miles into town today to pick up eggs, milk, and a few things for our dinners over the next few days.  I stopped at the library to check emails, write a review and hang out in civilization for a bit before I head back for the day.  😀  Today I will do a little cleaning, a little reading, and maybe watch another movie.  I cant remember the last time I was able to just sit down and read an entire book or watch an entire movie.  😀

 

 

Morning Meanderings… A Camping I Will Go!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)12 Comments

Good morning!  Anyone else have or having a whirlwind summer?  I think this is the busiest summer I have had…. maybe ever!  😀  I have been bike riding for miles and miles and running and mud ruckusing (my word), I have been hanging our with friends, at the cabin, in New York, I have been to a week long camp, the state fair… and now this weekend back to our cabin up North with friends. 

I am so looking forward to this.

I am actually leaving this afternoon, two days before anyone else.  Mater is going to a kennel, the other two small dogs are going with me.  I am almost packed, have a meeting at work this morning and then I am off…. 3+ hours to the cabin means audio all the way 😀  I am going to read, write, and watch movies.

When our friends and Al trickle in we will enjoy board games, camp fires, exploring the north shore, biking and probably more reading.  I really am excited as most of my activities throughout the summer have been highly active in the DOING mode.  This week I get to just BE.  😀  I will be on line off and on throughout the weekend.  I have to drive to internet service but I have reviews lined up and will pop in with the meandering when I can. 😀

September doesn’t really slow down much… the first weekend I am in charge of a tailgate party for about 250-300 people, 2nd weeekend is Al’s birthday and I am meeting author Sandra Brannan for dinner in the cities on the 15th (SSQQQUUUEEE), 3rd weekend I am doing a scavenger hunt in the cities with my friend Amy, and the 4th weekend I am having a family reunion here at our house.

Hmmmmm…. I should enjoy this quiet weeekend…LOL

Have a super rest of your week!