It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Welcome to It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I love being a part of this and I hope you do too!  As part of this weekly meme I love to encourage you all to go and visit the others participating in this meme.  I offer a weekly contest for those who visit 10 or more of the Monday Meme participants and leave a comment telling me how many you visited.  **You do not have to have a blog to participate! You receive one entry for every 10 comments, just come back here and tell me how many in the comment area.

This past weeks winner:

Lauren from Gimme More Books!

Congratulations!  Please email me your book choice out of the recently cleaned up and LOVELY Reading Cafe at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com. 

A BUSY holiday as it turns out for me – what stared out to be a rainy dreary day turned into a sunny day with a plan!  I went from sweater and jeans to a tank and capris in the afternoon, cleaned up out back deck – hauled out the patio set, went grocery shopping and had two other couples over for dinner.  FUN.  YES.

Here is what happened here this past week:

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (Review by Camryn)

Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie (ooh so good!!!!)

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

City Of Bones by Cassandra Claire

Eat This!  NOT That! By David Zinczenko (a book that will make you think before you eat…)

 

I will post what I am reading this upcoming week tomorrow morning.  It has been a gorgeous day in the sun and now I just want to hang out a bit with my hubby and the TV   I have tomorrow off from work (woo hoo!!!!) so I should make it around to visit many of you, be sure to link your Monday posts below!

 

Here is the link:

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and those of you who read mainly children’s through YA reads – please also link your post here:

EAT This! NOT That! by David Zinczenko

Eating healthy (or healthier) in this day and age in really like walking through a field of land mines!  What is marketed as “healthy” is not always the case.  Shoot, I have this argument with my husband all the time around the dollar meal fast food chicken sandwich.  “But Sheila,” he says, “It is  a chicken sandwich.  Chicken.  Chicken is healthy.  AND it is only a $1.00!” 

I try to explain to him that it is not healthy and that $1.00 chicken sandwich and “dollar menu” fries may some day become a $20,000 coronary.

*sigh*

Eat This!  Not That! Is not only a wonderful book to skim through and find lists of the vegies and fruits that are the best for you but also how to maneuver your way through a grocery store AND your favorite places you enjoy eating out at.  This wonderful little book can fit easily into your purse or carry in your car and is filled with page after page of glossy colorful pictures and information to help you make better food choices for you and your family.

Warning:

The following pictures may be a bit graphic ( )…. they may make you cry out in shock and pain and cause you to look away when you realize that what you have been eating that you thought was healthy has more calories than 80 double stuff Oreo cookies and 2 glasses of whole milk.

You have been warned. 

 

Holy moly… equivalent to 12 slices of Sara Lee Cherry Pie…..

You probably guessed this bad…. you may not have guessed HOW BAD…

I really love the comparison pages… the one on the left 618 calories, the one on the right 1,412.

I love me some Chines food!  I was excited to see that I actually prefer the meal to the left as I am not a big fan of white rice.

There are many pages like this as well that show you the best vegies, the best fruits…

And if you are like me this holiday weekend and plan on grilling up some dogs or brats…. this page will guide you through the traps.

This is my third book like this, I have the 2010 and another one and there is a 2012 as well that I do not yet own.  They make great reference books, but also great conversation pieces when your friends come over, flip through it… and groan.    I highly recommend these books to anyone who wishes to be a little more health conscious in their food decisions. 

I wrote this post for Weekend Cooking brought to you by the delightful Candice at Beth Fish Reads…. pop in and see what people are cooking this weekend! 

Morning Meanderings… Sunday Salon

Good morning.  I am sitting at my kitchen table looking out on another gloomy rainy windy day.  GAH.  SO much for our weekend plans.  We were going to head to our cabin later this morning with some friends on motorcycles and stay over night and come back later tomorrow since we all have tomorrow off….

however in light of today… and apparently tomorrows forecast… that doesn’t look like it is going to happen.  The only two nice days we had this past week I was too busy to enjoy them… now that I am sitting on oodles of time… the weather is not cooperating. 

Our local movie theater is currently under construction while it is being made from Movies 10, to Lakes 12… word on  the street is better seating and concession stand.  I think it opens next weekend but I will not have time then as I am lifting off for BEA.  (SQQUUEEE!!!!)

So enough about the gloom…

here’s something that makes me happy – BOOKS!

Quite the assortment of goodies that came in the mailbox this week… I don’t think I requested The Meryl Streep Movie Club but now that it is in-house it looks interesting…. but I SSQQQUUUEEEDDDD when I seen A Night To Remember in audio.  Thank you Audio Jukebox.  You are my Jukebox Hero (and yes, later there will be a song!)

BUT… that is not all!  You may recall I went to some garage sales on Friday….

YAY right?  I think these will all go to my book shelf to the cabin, which this last weekend when I was there felt it could use some more books.    The top one “Haunted Lakes” is just the type of fun books I like to keep there anyway – I like a good mix of books that anyone can pick up – quite a few about Minnesota, I picked up a couple about birds this week too and forgot to add them here….

Last weekend Justin looked at the three books I brought with me to read.  “Do you have anything less chickie?” he said.  I pointed to the shelf and he found himself a good mystery that he sunk into.  I love that. 

So that’s the books in-house this week… I need to go get ready for church and then come home and write-up a couple of reviews while we decide what we will do with our day.  I hope your weekend plans and the weather is cooperating for you…  I can always dig into a book this afternoon.  A few, as usual, are calling my name… and I really need to finish Jane Eyre. 

City Of Bones by Cassandra Claire

Nothing like a little clubbing in New York to change your forever.

Fifteen year old Clary was thrilled to get an evening at the happening club Pandemonium, hanging out with her best friend Simon.  Dancing and a good time was definitely on the agenda… witnessing a murder was not.  Yet Clary is unnerved when she witnesses three teenage boys commit a murder that no one seems to notice but her, and then the body disappears into the air without leaving behind even a trace of a struggle.

Into the air!

Shortly there after Clary takes a call from her mom telling her not to come home but to go anywhere else and then she hears her mom being attached.  By the time she does arrive at the house it is ransacked and her mom is nowhere to be found.

Welcome to the world of the Shadowhunters, a group of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons.  When a Shadowhunter  close to her own age named Jace comes to her rescue, things become interesting.  Clary is introduced to a while new world she never knew existed…. one of fighting for justice, and filled with weapons… and apparently, good looking guys.

As Jace, as well as his close friends Alex and Isabelle, come to help Clary find out what happened to her mom, they all discover that Clary’s meet up with the Shadowhunters was less of a coincidence than one may think.  Clary is connected to these people more than anyone had realized…

and that puts her in a dangerous position.

I believe there are 5 books out now of the 6 book series

Uber embarrassing confession.  My good friend Amy gushed about this book years ago.  She gushed so much I did what I usually do, I went out and bought the book.  Then I did something else I usually do too…. I shelved it for a later day.  Well… although it caught my eye through the years, I never pulled it off the shelf, then as more and more books came out in this series (5 now I believe…) I didn’t know if I wanted the commitment of a long running series. 

A couple weeks ago when I needed a new book download for my IPOD I was excited to stumble through a list that had City Of Bones on it.  Knowing I had a much greater chance of getting to this read on audio, I downloaded it. 

City of Bones was pretty much what I expected, an interesting paranormal YA genre of these Shadowhunters who fight demons among us every day human types who really don’t have a clue of what is going on around us.  The Shadowhunters use something they call “glitter” that makes us everyday humans not be able to see them as they truly are, but instead they blend right into wherever they are:  an elderly gentleman making his way down a hospital corridor, a businessman walking hurriedly through the streets of New York…  if you were wondering how Clary seen them… well, that I can’t give away. 

While I found City of Bones to be interesting and well written, I don’t see myself diving into the rest of the series.  It was good, but didnt hook me to the point I need to go and get the second book right now!  (I don’t quite want to dig out the Spoiler page for this one but did anyone else get a Harry Potter vibe on this one?  They are looking for the Mortal Cup…. there is a bad guy trying to get to the cup first named…. Voldermort, I mean named Valentine.)

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

Audible.com

Morning Meanderings… Only In Minnesota

Good morning!   Saturday morning here and I am enjoying my coffee this morning and contemplating my day.  We are due for rain today… but currently the skies look they could go either way. 

Last weekend my college son and I took a trip up North to our cabin, I thought for Saturday Snapshots (Hi Alyce!) I would give you a few pics from that trip…

Ship on Lake Superior

 

Duluth, Minnesota

 

The bridge that rises to allow ships through on Lake Superior

The bridge in action!

 

The small town of Finland has a pizza place that was having a sock hop. This we had to see. The population of Finland is 603. Justin (College son) participated in the limbo contest.

Shopping in Ely Minnesota, this is a locally made cereal.

 

From the window of the Blue Fin Bay restaurant in Tofte, Minnesota

 

and just for another little twist of “only in Minnesota”, my friend Heidi and I were hitting a few garage sales yesterday and on our way back from one on a side road, we seen this in the road in front of us:

…as I passed them.

 

Thankfully, before they got to the main highway, they turned off on a dirt road….

 

So a full week of fun events AND my best purchase of the day yesterday was this awesome patio set for $55.00:

SSSQQQQUUUEEEE!!!!

 

Ok…. now you know too much about me….LOL.  For more pics from around the world… stop over to Alyce’s at At Home With Books and check out Saturday Snapshots.

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

When 9-year-old Valerie Adler moved in across the street from 9-year-old Addie Downs, the two become inseparable friends.  Addie, who has always been on the heavier side, does not make friends easy, unlike Valerie who’s fun personality, natural good looks, win her over many friends through the years. Val moves easily into the popular crowd where Addie, always insecure in her looks, waits by the wayside.

As the girls near graduation, a major incident shatters the girls friendship and they go their separate ways.

Some bonds can never be broken…

15 years later, a much thinner and self-assured Valerie still lives in the town she grew up in.  She paints pictures for cards, works from her home and is very satisfied how her life has turned out.  She knows Valerie has done well for herself as she sees her on TV as the weather girl.  On the weekend of her class reunion, Addie of course skips out on the event and instead goes on yet another unfortunate date.  Her 6th in recent months.  Upon arriving back home, she soon after receives a knock on her door and opens it to find Valerie looks worse for the wear and blood on her coat…

“Something terrible has happened, and I need you help!”

 

 

Just a couple of weeks ago I reviewed another Jennifer Weiner audio book, Fly Away Home and I gushed about it.  I was excited to jump into another read by her and I had this one in-house as well from a recent Barnes and Noble shopping spree.  I listened to this with my son on the way to our cabin this past weekend and home.  A 7 hour trip.

At first the book was sounding very good.  The two best friends meeting again after all these years, Addie having turned her life around so she was no longer this shy overweight girl she once was, and of course there is the little fact that Valerie is covered in blood…

sounds like a good start to me!

But soon… things in the book start to fall apart for me.  I cringe when I see how easily Valerie walks back into Addie’s life and takes over, making Addie an accomplice to her personal troubles, and it angered me how easily Addie herself fell into step in what was probably a comfortable spot for her…. following Valerie.

From there… the story gets a bit ridiculous.  For those who may wish to read this I will skip the details but seriously I shook my head often throughout this listen going “WHAT?  WHAT?  Noooooo….”  I never felt like I fully could imagine what these two main protagonists looked like – their characteristics are revealed slowly and late throughout the book.  When they say Addie is heavy you picture overweight… when the book is almost at the end, it is revealed that after high school Addie had been around 350 pounds.  “WHAT?”  There were just a few parts that were so unrealistic.

Is the story all bad?  No…. there were some good moments.  Justin (my son) and I had a good time with the part where they make fun of a Minnesota man who drags out his words in a Minnesotan way. 

“Awwwwwwesome.   Vommmmit”

Justin and I said “awwwwwwesome” that was all last weekend and I am still doing it. 

I do have to say overall though, this audio was an unfortunate pastime.  The ending was odd… Justin and I just looked at each other and were like “really?” 

Now I know Jennifer Weiner can write and I know my thoughts on this book  is just my opinion.  I will definitely read her again as I know she has good ones out there.  Best Friends Forever for me was a hit and a miss.

 

Amazon rating

Goodreads review

audible.com

Morning Meanderings… A Real Friday!

 

Good morning! 

I am excited this morning for many reasons…..

1.  It is not raining!  The forecast called for rain all weekend long which is such a downer as it wipes out visions of bike rides, and reading on the deck.

2.  I think I will go to garage sales this morning as that is what I used to do on Fridays and would like to do a bit more of that.  I forgot until I was at the cabin last week that my moose dinner plates, my moose salt and pepper shakers,the books on the shelf, the pictures on the wall, the board games, the fun decorations in the bedrooms from cardinals to greenery were all from garage sales.  I practically put that house together other than furniture, towels and bedding, from garage sales.

3.  I do not work again now until Tuesday!  That could mean so much – a movie, books, writing, biking (if the weather holds), getting prepared for BEA(ooh I could actually start packing!!!)…

4.  The SUN!  It has been gloomy and overcast since last Monday and I like the sun so much better than the gray clouds. 

And hopefully – I can catch up on blogs this weekend too.  It seems like there is just not enough time these days (of course falling asleep last night at 7:45 pm was probably not the most productive use of my time – but it was a crazy week and I think I was exhausted).

How about you – any fascinating plans this weekend?  Share! 

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

S many things are right in Anne Blythe’s life… she loves her job working for a respected magazine, she enjoys great friends, and has a book deal coming together….

so why for the love of all that is good and holy – can she not find a decent boyfriend?

After yet another disastrous breakup and the announcement of her best friend engagement, Anne feels it is time to take drastic measures…. obviously her criteria of “dark hair, steely blue eyes, and perfect build” in a man in getting her nowhere.  When she finds a business card to what she believes is a dating service she feels this is divine intervention telling her to take a chance on a different method to happiness.  Upon making a meeting with this service she discovers to her shock that this is an exclusive, by appointment only – arranged marriage service.  AND $10,000 at that.

At first Anne balks the idea – the cost is out of her price range, and marrying a guy you have never met (the services rules – they believe that when you choose a partner by looks first you are setting yourself up for failure) is crazy.  Yet, her best friends overwhelming happiness and her book advancement of $10,000 makes her decide to give it a try… after all, what does she really have to lose and she can always pull out of the program before the final and largest payment in made.

But there is that nagging… what if?  What if all these testings and therapy sessions, graphs and life styles actually could lead up to the man of her dreams?  What if she too could be gushingly happy like all those married couples she is surrounded by?  Would it work? 

Finland Minnesota, the deck to our cabin.

I first read Catherine McKenzie’s book SPIN and really enjoyed it.  What I thought would be a light fun chick lit book actually had bite.  Again, in Arranged, Catherine McKenzie sets the bar a little higher with a book that has more to discover within its pages than one may first think.

Anne (named after Anne Of Green Gables, and has a brother named Gil…) is a protagonist I could relate too.  Driven to succeed but tired of hitting that wall of “let’s try that again!”.  I enjoyed her immensely and can even imagine in a similar situation how I may be tempted to take that leap or “fast pass” to happiness (as in do not have a dating period, do not pass memories and proceed directly to the altar!).

There is actually so much more than what I share in the synopsis but honestly as I thought of what else to write it all felt a little “spoiler worthy” to me and none of us want that.  This is one of those reads that so many interesting things are happening that I fear saying too much.

I just dove into this book.  I was at the cabin this past weekend and read off and on as I had time through the weekend, finishing this last Monday morning sitting on a sunny deck, telling my son we would start the 3 1/2 ride back home once I finished this book. 

Final thoughts:  I really enjoyed this book, it was a different concept than I had ever really considered so it was fun to live in that world for a few days.

Thank you TLC Book Tours for allowing me to hang out

with Anne Blythe on a whirlwind adventure!

Morning Meanderings… BEA (Book Expo of America) Countdown

Good morning!

BEA is less that two weeks away and while it seemed to take FOREVER to get here… now I am all like really, two weeks???   Actually, two weeks from today I will be on the last day of the Expo.  I am flying to New York on Sunday June 3, and returning to Minnesota on June 8th and going right into the MS 150 bike ride on the 8th – 10th and then back home here to Brainerd.

Crazy and exciting!

Two years ago when I first went to BEA it felt like there was more of a buzz around the internet about it.  I remember a group of bloggers all wrote posts about BEA – what to expect, what to make sure you do, what to wear…  I ate those posts up.  I remember sitting with my laptop and a pen and paper handy.  Every tip (bring your own bottled water and snacks to the Javitz) I captured on paper (wear comfortable shoes). Those tips were invaluable to me.

Last year I wrote such a post, and this year – hopefully at some point over the next few days, I plan to write one again.  That first year I was a nervous wreck.  I had never been to New York before, I had never met my roommate Reagan Remmers (Miss Remmers Reviews)… we had just connected through our blogs and emails because we were both from Minnesota.  My friends thought I was nuts to go and stay with people in a hotel room that I had never met.  They said things like “What if Bobbi from Bookish Adventures is actually a big hairy dude?”  Ok ok… they didn’t exactly go that far…. but I did have my fears…

Anyhoo…. are you going to BEA this year?  I would love to meet you if you are – and I would love to meet up with you again if we have already met.  The hanging out with fellow book lovers is a huge part of my love for this event. 

Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall

Color me a litle wackadoodle… but ever since One Flew Over The Coocoo’s Nest, I have had a little thing for books and movies centered around insane asylums.  And if you also are drawn to such topics… you know they are few and far between.  Nobody…. quite literally…

wants to go there.

Well, until now.  When Iris Dunleavy during Civil War time is convicted of madness for being willfull (and yes, I should watch my back!), she is sent to Sanibel Asylum – not a nice little r and r at a local country club, nope… a full fledge asylum with a plethora of interesting, and colorful, characters. 

The plan is that Iris is to work the program and be restored to the obedient woman her hubby thinks she should be and then she will also be restored to her wifely duties.  Iris of course knows she is not mad, simply strong willed and standing up for her rights.  However… mad may be preferable to her life she had…

And then there is Ambrose Weller, a war-haunted Confederate soldier who is calmed only by the color blue.  Iris finds herself drawn to him and as she plans a way out of this dreadful place she ponders if she could possibly make a break for two, bringing Ambrose along with her to a life she knows nothing of…

I have been reading a few lighter more “summery” reads as of late and Blue Asylum is quite a bit different from that genre.  Quite truly Historical Fiction Blue Asylum is a book with a back bone, and that backbone is named Iris Dunleavy.

I was happy to meet the strong and witty Iris within the pages of this book.  She is just the type of female character that keeps me turning pages.  Having heard how well Kathy Hepinstall writes, this brilliant protagonist did not surprise me… however, what did, was the surrounding characters who also felt three-dimensional, and actually made me feel for them.  I like that.

Feeling.

A cast of fun characters burst forth from Hepinstalls mind – a woman who like to swallow things… really anything… rings, whatever.  Another who believes her husband is beside her as she talks to him and walks with him day in and day out…  another, a man whose feet are too heavy to move… and of course Ambrose, who is haunted by a war that only the color blue seems to sooth…

What I really enjoyed is how Iris interacted and even helped each person in a way.

a little bit historical… a little bit romance… for me a pleasant mix that left me thinking after that final page was closed.

Little bonus for Asylum enthusiasts…. I found this site for famous Asylums

Thank you TLC for sending me this review copy

that kept me reading and cheering Iris on!