A Journey in Reading

Review: A Game of Thrones

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 00:06:00 +0000

Wow....... I have to admit that I am not the person who reads something just because "everyone else is reading it". I have only seen 2 or 3 episodes of the 1st season of the show. So, needless to say, I am behind the game.

This story has war, love, family, hatred, manipulation, cunning, plotting, heartache, dragons, knights, kings, queens lords and ladies. As you are alternating characters in each chapter, you think you have some things figured out, then by the end of the chapter, you are thrown a huge twist.

The characters you start off hating, they begin to grow on you, the ones you like, you begin to hate, the ones who seem weak become the strong, the strong become the weak. They are always changing and you see them in a new light and you never know who can be trusted. Some, I am still not sure about.

There are TONS of characters, so it takes a bit for it to get going and to keep them all straight. There are parts that drag a little just due to the endless descriptions. Then it takes off.......and wow, does it take off.

I have already started the second in the series, and I am determined to buy the first season on DVD.

Remember......

“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”

“Winter is coming.”

What's on Your Summer Reading List?

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 20:50:00 +0000

As summer is upon us, I thought I'd post some books that I am hoping to read this summer. Please chime in with what YOU want to read this summer or with recommendations for me to add or your thoughts on what I am reading! I would love to hear from you! The photo above is where I will be spending most of my free time reading...... what could be better?????

1. A Game of Thrones: I'm about 300 pages into this one and loving it! I don't know why it took me so long to start it!

2. A Clash of Kings: The 2nd book in the Song of Fire & Ice series.... yes, I have already bought it!

3. Outlander: Again.... it takes me a long time to get on the "band wagon" with what everyone is reading. I am determined to read this one.

4. Middlesex: I think this one is to start conquering the "list of books I should read".

5. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: I have seen previews to the movie and have been wanting to read this one well before it came out in theaters.

6. Villette: This is one that has been on my list to read for EVER.... not to mention it will mark one more off the 1001 books to read before you die.

7. American Gods: It's Neil Gaiman!!

Now back to the Kings & Queens & Lords and Ladies!!

So what do you do when??

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 17:48:00 +0000

So what do you do when you have a hard time coming up with post ideas for your blog?

Do you google ideas?

Do you have an editorial calendar with ideas?

Do you have sticky notes laying around with ideas?

What gives you inspiration for posts?

Lots of blogs I follow are book review blogs, as you can tell mine is as well. With the new year, I have been trying to come up with some new ideas to share with my readers and help grow my following. So I have decided to come to YOU. I have never really been a "follower", so I don't like to post things that "everyone else is doing". There are a few meme's that I do, but I like to be an original and do my own thing.

What do you like to see on blogs? Do you like more personal things, stick to just book reviews only, include more things about life in general? What? What keeps you reading and coming back for more to the blogs you follow on an ongoing basis??

I would LOVE for you all to give some feedback. Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments below or email me directly.

Ok.... SOUND OFF!! I'm listening! :)

Stacking The Shelves (1)

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 01:16:00 +0000

So this is my first time participating in Stacking The Shelves. I won't list all the books that I have gotten since the last time I shared new ones, just the ones in the past few weeks.

From Netgalley: (All links from Goodreads)

Season of the Witch

The Tyrants Daughter

Intervention

Purchased:

Lone Survivor

Ignite

From Edelweiss

The Fall of Saints: A Novel

Killer

Forty Acres: A Thriller

There you have it! I have some reading to do!!

Review: Reflections of Queen Snow White

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 03:34:00 +0000

Published October 2nd 2013 by David Meredith

Synopsis from Goodreads:

What happens when "happily ever after" has come and gone?

On the eve of her only daughter, Princess Raven's wedding, an aging Snow White finds it impossible to share in the joyous spirit of the occasion. The ceremony itself promises to be the most glamorous social event of the decade. Snow White’s castle has been meticulously scrubbed, polished and opulently decorated for the celebration. It is already nearly bursting with jubilant guests and merry well-wishers. Prince Edel, Raven's fiancé, is a fine man from a neighboring kingdom and Snow White's own domain is prosperous and at peace. Things could not be better, in fact, except for one thing:

The king is dead.

The queen has been in a moribund state of hopeless depression for over a year with no end in sight. It is only when, in a fit of bitter despair, she seeks solitude in the vastness of her own sprawling castle and climbs a long disused and forgotten tower stair that she comes face to face with herself in the very same magic mirror used by her stepmother of old.

It promises her respite in its shimmering depths, but can Snow White trust a device that was so precious to a woman who sought to cause her such irreparable harm? Can she confront the demons of her own difficult past to discover a better future for herself and her family? And finally, can she release her soul-crushing grief and suffocating loneliness to once again discover what "happily ever after" really means?

Only time will tell as she wrestles with her past and is forced to confront The Reflections of Queen Snow White.

Review:

Have you ever mourned to the point of isolating yourself from everyone around you? The mourning could be loss from divorce, a relationship, or the death of a loved one.

This is a story of loss and grief in more ways than one. We all remember the story of Snow White and Prince Charming. As a little girl, it was one of my favorites. The story lets us see what happens after the "happily ever after" and is a wonderful twist on the Disney version.

The story is one of reflection for Snow White, reminding herself of all she has been through and overcome. She has the help of the "magic mirror" who shows her what is in her heart and what she already knows, but has forgotten. She spends the afternoon reliving memories of abuse at the hands of the Evil Queen step-mother, the death of her parents, and the happiness, love and death of Prince Charming. She finally sees how strong she really is and that she has the strength to carry on and enjoy life again, even though she has lived over a year in depression and has isolated herself from everyone, including her daughter.

As I was reading the story, I was remembering losing my own parents and wondering what I would do if the love of my life passed away. How would I go on? I cried at her thoughts of the love she and Prince Charming shared, simply because I could see myself doing and thinking the same things.

The story is beautifully written; there are some vivid scenes of abuse from her childhood and sexual scenes with her husband. However, the story evokes so many emotions. At the end of the story, it reminded me that life does go on and we all have the memories of our past and loved ones to show us that we can all overcome certain things and we are truly never alone.

If you love fairy tale twists, then you must read this one.

This book was sent to me free of charge by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Classics Club Dare!

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 22:13:00 +0000

The Classics Club Dare is a new feature over at The Classics Club. The goal of the club is to read classics. This is the first dare. You are "dared" to read a book, post about it and share it. You can find out more information HERE.

The first book is:

The Sound of the Mountain by Yasunari Kawabata

The link above will take you to the Goodreads description.

I'm getting started now! Won't you come join me??

Reading the Classics (perpetual challenge)

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 07:33:00 +0000

Information on joining this perpetual challenge can be found here

The Classics Club is a club created to inspire people to read and blog about classic books. There’s no time limit to join and you’re most welcome, as long as you’re willing to sign up to read and write on your blog about 50+ classic books in at most five years. The perk is that, not only will you have read 50+ incredible (or at the very least thought-provoking) works in five years, you’ll get to do it along with all of these people.

I am also using this perpetual challenge as a prompt to work on the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list. I have to have something to help me stay on track! I will start by listing 60 books, but will add to it as I go along and pass that 60 mark. This list has a 5 year end date, so January 12, 2019 is the goal.

My List:

** indicates books I own

1. Achebe, Chinua: Things Fall Apart**

2. Allende, Isabel: The House of the Spirits

3. Angelou, Maya: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

4. Atwood, Margaret: A Handmaid’s Tale**

5. Austen, Jane: Emma**

6. Baldwin, James: Giovanni’s Room**

7. Braddon, Mary Elizabeth: Lady Audley’s Secret**

8. Bronte, Charlotte: Villette**

9. Bronte, Emily: Wuthering Heights**

10. Bulgakov, Mikhail: The Master and Margarita**

11. Burns, Olive: Cold Sassy Tree

12. Collins, Wilkie: The Moonstone

13. Collins, Wilkie: The Woman in White**

14. Conrad, Joseph: Heart of Darkness

15. Dante: The Divine Comedy**

16. Dickens, Charles: Bleak House**

17. Dickens, Charles: Nicholas Nickleby**

18. Dickens, Charles: The Mystery of Edwin Drood**

19. Dostoevesky, Fyodor: The Brothers Karamazov**

20. Dostoevsky, Fyodor: Crime and Punishment**

21. Du Maurier, Daphne: Rebecca

22. Eco, Umberto: The Name of the Rose**

23. Eliot, George: Middlemarch**

24. Eliot, George: Silas Marner**

25. Faulkner, William: As I Lay Dying**

26. Faulkner, William: The Sound and the Fury**

27 Fitzgerald, F. Scott: This Side of Paradise**

28. Foer, Jonathan Safran: Exteremely Loud and Incredibly Close

29. Forster, E.M.: Howard’s End**

30. Forster, E.M.: Passage to India**

31. Fowles, John: The French Lieutenant’s Woman**

32. Hemingway, Ernest: A Farewell to Arms**

33. Hemingway, Ernest: The Sun Also Rises

34. Hurston, Zora Neale: Their Eyes Were Watching God**

35. Ishiguro, Kazuo: Remains of the Day

36. James, Henry: What Maisie Knew**

37. Kipling, Rudyard: Kim**

38. Knowles, John: A Separate Peace**

39. Marquez, Gabriel Garcia: One Hundred Years of Solitude**

40. Maugham, W. Somerset: Of Human Bondage**

41. Milton, John: Paradise Lost**

42. Mitchell, David: Cloud Atlas

43. Morrison, Toni: Beloved**

44. O, Brien: Tim: The Things They Carried**

45. Pasternak, Boris: Doctor Zhivago**

46. Proust, Marcel: Swann’s Way**

47. Salinger, J.D.: The Catcher in the Rye

48. Seton, Anya: Katherine

49. Smith, Betty: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn**

50. Steinbeck, John: East of Eden**

51. Steinbeck, John: The Grapes of Wrath**

52. Thackeray, William Makepeace: Vanity Fair**

53. Tolstoy, Leo: War and Peace**

54. Trollope, Anthony: Barchester Towers**

55. Voltaire: Candide**

56. Vonnegut, Kurt: Slaughterhouse Five**

57. Wharton, Edith: Ethan Frome

58. Wharton, Edith: The House of Mirth**

59. Woolf, Virginia: Jacob’s Room**

60. Wright, Richard: Native Son**

2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 00:40:00 +0000

Hosted by Bookish Levels: 1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - First Kiss
31-40 - Sweet Summer Fling
41-50 - Could this be love?
50+ - Married With Children I'm shooting for First Kiss

2014 Banned Books Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 00:21:00 +0000

photo credit: Old Books by Petr Kratochvil

Hosted by Buckling Bookshelves

DATES: January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014

RULES: Any book that has been banned or challenged counts for this challenge. Books can be read in any format and overlap with other challenges is allowed (encouraged!)

LEVELS: Below are the levels you can choose from. Changing your mind is OK -- you can go up or down in level at any time.

Making Waves: 1-2 Challenged Books
Trouble-Maker: 3-5 Challenged Books
Rebel: 6-9 Challenged Books
Insurgent: 10-14 Challenged Books
Leader of a Revolution: 15+ Challenged Books

I am choosing Rebel 6-9

Life has a way.....

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 04:34:00 +0000

Hello everyone!

Wow, what a year 2013 was! I don't know about all of you, but I'm really glad it is over. I am hoping that this new year is full of new beginnings and changes for the better.

I plan on getting back on track with my reading and blogging and hoping to do it soon. I am looking forward to it actually!

Hope you all had wonderful holidays and will see you soon!

Armchair BEA: Genre: Non-Fiction

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Fri, 31 May 2013 15:47:00 +0000

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

Non-fiction is our genre discussion for today. I have read more non-fiction over the past few years and there are a few that stand out to me. I had never really liked non-fiction until I picked up these books. I always wanted to be transported to a different place when I read. The following books changed my mind......

A Long Way Gone; Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah: It is an amazing story of his life as a soldier in the army during the war in Sierra Leone. The descriptions he gave of the death of people, the killings, and his escape play at all of your heart strings.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

In reading the prologue to this book, I was hooked.

"Their bodies, burned by the sun and stained yellow from the raft dye, had winnowed down to skeletons. Sharks glided in lazy loops around them, dragging their backs along the rafts, waiting."

You can find my review HERE

Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown by Eric Blehm:

WOW! What a story! This story follows Adam Brown from childhood through SEAL training to the Middle East. I laughed and I cried through this book.

These 3 are my top picks. All 3 of them pull at your heart strings in more ways than one but they all leave with you with different perspectives on life.

Armchair BEA: Ethics and blogging.

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Fri, 31 May 2013 15:04:00 +0000

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads.

Today we are discussing Ethics and blogging. What exactly does that mean?

In the blogging world, there are no specifically written laws as to what we are supposed to do or not supposed to do. Yes, there are lists of things that are recommended that we do, but there is no way to enforce it. There is a difference between illegal and unethical. Many professions have their own set of rules to follow when it comes to ethics. Lawyers, physicians and nurses all are governed by a licensing board. I, as a nurse, have a set of specific rules that I must follow in order to keep my license safe, both personally and professionally. For example, I can have my license revoked by my state for being arrested while driving under the influence, just as quickly as it could be revoked by harming a patient.

We as bloggers don’t have a license that is in jeopardy, but we can lose credibility with our readers if we don’t follow certain guidelines.

· Always give credit where it is due. If you use a photograph that you didn’t take, give credit to where you obtained it. If you use the words of another blogger, give them credit.
· Always be truthful. If you receive compensation for your reviews, tell your readers.
· Never plagiarize. We all work hard on our blogs, don’t steal others work. If you have to steal others work, then don’t blog.
· If you make a mistake, admit it. We are all human and humans make mistakes.
· Be courteous and fair. We all have different opinions on things, just because you may not agree with someone, that’s ok. BE NICE! You can express your opinion, but BE NICE.

I have never had my content plagiarized, but I am well aware of what it is. In graduate school, EVERY paper I wrote had to be submitted to a site that checked just for that. If it came back to us at or above 10% we had to re-write it. The 10% showed that at least 10% of our paper was identical to another paper. Do you realize how hard it is to write a 50+ page paper to begin with? Much less re-write it? Yeah, I’m very cautious.

What are your thoughts??

Armchair BEA: What is Literary Fiction?

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Thu, 30 May 2013 14:13:00 +0000

It took me some time to decide about this. What books do I include? What books do I leave out? Many of the books I thought of immediately, I have previously mentioned in our Classics discussion. So I did some searching.

According to Wikipedia, the definition of literary fiction is that the work must be “critically acclaimed” and “serious”. The plot is focused more on the “inner stories of the characters that drive the plot”.

So…with that definition in mind, some of my favorites are

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: I absolutely LOVED this book. For any bibliophile, who wouldn’t love a story about “the cemetery of forgotten books”. The writing is amazingly beautiful. I won’t go into all the details, but will give you a few quotes:

"Few things leave a deeper mark on the reader, than the first book that finds its way to his heart."

"Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you."

"Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens."

“One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. By the time the mind is able to comprehend what has happened, the wounds of the heart are already too deep.”

Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill: What a story..A story of a girl that spans 60 years and who helps change history. All of the emotions that I went through with this book are, to me, a sign on a wonderful book. I cried with her, got angry with her, grieved with her and rejoiced with her. Her story was truly an adventure.

“I remember wondering, within a year or two of taking my first steps, why only men sat to drink tea and converse, and why women were always busy. I reasoned that men were weak and needed rest.”

“But I have long loved the written word, and come to see in it the power of the sleeping lion. This is my name. This is who I am. This is how I got here. In the absence of an audience, I will write down my story so that it waits like a restful beast with lungs breathing and heart beating.”

“Some say that I was once uncommonly beautiful, but I wouldn't wish beauty on any woman who has not her own freedom, and who chooses not the hands that claim her.”

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: Another story that is one of growing up in more ways than one. This story brought me through every emotion possible. Seeing things a child shouldn't see, living through things they shouldn't and being able to move forward with life is what this one is all about.

“She said, 'I'm so afraid.' And I said, 'why?,' and she said, 'Because I'm so profoundly happy, Dr. Rasul. Happiness like this is frightening.' I asked her why and she said, 'They only let you be this happy if they're preparing to take something from you.”

“...and every day I thank [God] that I am alive, not because I fear death, but because my wife has a husband and my son is not an orphan.”

“He knew I'd seen everything in that alley, that I'd stood there and done nothing. He knew that I'd betrayed him and yet he was rescuing me once again, maybe for the last time. ”

There you go.......3 of my favorites. The story lines in the last two are not for the weak at heart, but they make you think, make you feel, and that's what a great story is all about.

Armchair BEA: Genre Fiction

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Wed, 29 May 2013 16:21:00 +0000

Today's genre focus is genre fiction.... What do you read? What do you stay away from at all costs?

I have to say that I read so many different genres. I love historical fiction. I LOVE anything to do with World War II, so many of the books I read are written during this time period. WWII isn't the only time period I read though. I love historical fiction in general. I love being able to see how life was during different time periods, how people acted, how society saw things, and how over the years the world has changed in general. I can read a book and think "in today's time, it wouldn't be like that". Some of the stories make you think about what it would be like to live during those times, and others make you thankful that you didn't.

I also love mystery/thrillers/horror. I love a good "scary story". Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Joe Hill are just a few that come to mind right off. I love scary movies, but they don't tend to scare me the way a book can. In a movie, you can always tell when something is about to happen...scary music, standing in front of a picture window, running to the top floor of the house, and let's not forget running to the car and it won't start. Now a book...... ahhh....the power of imagination!!!

Apocalyptic: this genre I haven't read much of, but I am tending to appreciate it more and more. Some of the ones I have read made me sit back and think "that might actually happen" (The Road), while others are so very far out there but make a good story.

I'm not a big fan of romance novels.... the bodice ripper types.... if I'm reading a book and it has romance in it, it's fine.... but as for the all romance stories....not so much.

I have ventured out into different types of books I read. There are still some genres that I don't list as my favorite or read on a regular basis, but I am willing to give them a try. I gave myself a "100 page" rule. I will read 100 pages and then decide if I will continue with it. I figure that gives me some time to get hooked or not. There are too many wonderful books waiting to be discovered to continue reading one that I don't like.

What are some of your favorites?

Archair BEA: Blogger Development

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Wed, 29 May 2013 15:16:00 +0000

Today we are talking about blogger development: When I first started blogging, I was doing it just for me. It was a way to keep up with reviews on books I had read in years past, to find new books, and to find others who loved to read. I took some time off for various reasons and missed reading and blogging so much.

I have been trying to learn some of the basics of coding to tweak my blog from time to time, but I found Emily at Blogaholic Designs and she designed my blog for me. Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorites and I think she did an amazing job, and it just adds to my love/addiction to the Phantom.

I expanded a bit and now have a Twitter and Facebook for my blog, which has allowed me to meet some great people. I still have my Goodreads (joined in 2007), and joined some book networks. NetGalley has been great. I need to continue to be more active there. I love book challenges even though I fall behind on some of them. I like to participate in memes each week, even though I tend to miss certain ones or

I always try to be myself on my blog. I try to write reviews that are honest and give the good and bad. What may not be right for me, may be perfect for someone else. Everyone has different preferences...variety is the spice of life, right?

So what have YOU done to develop yourself as a blogger??

Archair BEA: Classic literature, what is it to you?

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

So today, we are talking about classic literature. How do you define classic literature? Is it the age of the book, the story itself, or something that you was forced upon you by the literature Nazi instructor in high school? Who decides which book becomes a classic? If a book wins a literary award is it destined to become a classic? Most people define a classic as a work that pre-dates mid to early nineteenth century, or “has withstood the test of time”. Some may view the classics as tedious, wordy, or stale. I must admit that when given the list of “required reading” in high school, I wasn’t overjoyed. I have never embraced being forced to do anything…much less having my selection of literary retreat chosen for me. However, once I started the woeful reading list, I fell in love with the richness of some of the stories, hated others, but ultimately decided that the intrigue lured me to venture further into the treasures of literary classics.

My favorite of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This is one of my “deserted on a secluded island” must haves…. Atticus Finch, the kind, gentle, and humble man with unwavering integrity, the consequences of right and wrong, knowing things are not always as they seem, the innocence portrayed through the eyes of Scout, the mysterious Boo Radley, and even the old oak tree with hidden treasures are the special memories of this story that stay with me. Atticus was my favorite character in the book, a representation of a man with unmatched morals and ethics, a rigid foundation of qualities that have diminished in today’s society.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy…..yet another of my must haves… is a literary classic that is not for the faint or weak, but then again, what Russian literature is? I believe I read somewhere, depending on which edition you possess, that you can read a chapter a day and finish this in a year. I have the Pevear & Volokhonsky translation and it comes in at a staggering 838 pages of splendid reading. This story involves love, desire, hate, social ideals, happiness and tragedy all rolled in between the covers of the book. Tolstoy wrote in such a descriptive way that you can “hear” the thoughts, “see” the facial expressions, “smell” the grass and flowers and “feel” the emotions of the 7 main characters. The reader must wonder if Tolstoy toiled with the characters paths, or was his intention to keep us spellbound with the constant twists of character development. While reading this story, you wonder if Tolstoy himself can decide which way to go with the characters and do they come out written as he originally had them pictured in his mind.

The Count of MonteCristo by Alexandre Dumas……..this is one of those stories that you read and at the end of it, you are thinking “Well played, Edmond Dantes, well played”. Edmond Dantes is a character that you empathize with, cheer on, and fall in love with. The story is full of intrigue, betrayal, and revenge. At the end of the 1200+ page story you are left with a feeling that every now and then the good guy actually does win. And on a sidebar…Never underestimate the person whom you betray!

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton…. Edith Wharton was a woman who wrote well ahead of her time. This is a story that touches the heart in more ways than one. Imagine seeing and wanting something that is always just out of grasp, knowing that it’s there, but you can’t quite touch it. A quote: “It was the spirit of it….the spirit of the exquisite romantic pain. The idea that the mere touching of a woman’s hand would suffice. The idea that seeing her across the room would keep him alive for another year” <sigh>

Sense &Sensibility by Jane Austen……I love Jane Austen and this is probably my favorite of hers. It’s a story of two sisters dealing with social ideals and money. Austen gives the characters traits that make you see them in a different light throughout the story. We quickly learn that “Prince Charming” isn’t necessarily so charming and “villains” are quite so villainous. The ideals of life and the perception of these ideals through innocent eyes graduate over time to reveal the trueness of what we seek.

If you are just starting out with the classics, out of my favorites I would have to recommend you start with To Kill a Mockingbird or Sense and Sensibility. Both are wonderful reads and ease you into the first steps of a classic literature romance. It's a love affair that will keep you coming back for more.

It's Here!!! It's Here!! BEA has begun!

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Mon, 27 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Photo by Nina at Nina Reads

So how many of you are wishing that you could be in the Big Apple this week for BEA???? I know I do.... I will get there one day, I promise! Armchair BEA is the next best thing. All week long there will be bloggers around the country and world participating in great discussions and giveaways. You may even see some videos from NY. Make sure you check out some of the great blogs participating.

We start off with Introductions. This will give you the chance to get to know some of the bloggers in our book world. Lots of bloggers are participating, I'm sure that you will find some new blogs to follow and learn something new even from the ones you have been following!

So, let's begin, shall we??

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? My name is Kat, I love baseball, SEC football, anything to do with the beach and firmly follow Cinderella's idea of a new pair of shoes can change a girls life. I joined Goodreads back in 2007 and loved writing the reviews and then began searching for other sites with reviews and found a whole new world in book review blogs.... so I thought why not....and started my own almost 3 years ago. I took some time off for graduate school and a few other things, but I am back now and plan on being here a LONG time.

2. Where in the world are you blogging from? Tell a random fact or something special about your current location. I live in Alabama...a true Southern girl......

We love our football teams

Have some of the best sugary white beaches with AMAZING sunsets

Photo by Diane Davis Photography

And if you like NASCAR, we have that too!

Talladega Superspeedway

3. Have you previously participated in Armchair BEA? What brought you back for another year? If you have not previously participated, what drew you to the event? This is my first time participating in Armchair BEA... I loved reading all the blogs last year and wanted to join in the fun this year.

4. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why? This is a hard one...... I can think of so many that I would love to have dinner with.... but if I had to choose one......it would have to be Atticus Finch......... he was my first "literary crush" and I guess he still is....even 30+ years after I was first introduced to him!

5. What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? My favorite part of book blogging community is the friendships that I have made, the way everyone sticks together, finding great new books and the love of reading we all share.

Join in and tell us about YOU!

Let's Talk: Challenge Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:33:00 +0000

Let's Talk is a weekly meme hosted by Melissa at I Swim for Oceans. Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which she will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's her hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

This week's question is:

What would you like to challenge yourself as a blogger and/or reader to do this year?

As a reader, I would like to get back to reading as much as I used to. Over the past year-year and a half, I haven't been able to read as much for various reasons. Life has settled down some and I have made some much needed changes. I am hoping that with those made I can get back to doing one of the things that I love....... Reading!

As a blogger, I would love to build up my followers, post more, and connect more with other bloggers. I love finding new blogs to follow and meeting new people.

So.... goals for the year: Read more.....Blog more.... Let life and stress get in the way LESS!!!

What are YOUR goals???

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:42:00 +0000

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

This weeks Question:

Q: The #FF is 150 weeks old! And we want to hear from you! What would you change about the hop? What do you like about it? Or just suggest a question to be used for next week!

I wouldn't change anything about the hop. I love being able to jump around to different blogs and see what everyone is doing and finding new friends. I love that a different blogger each week is featured with new questions.

2013 E-Book Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:16:00 +0000

This challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads, you can sign up HERE

The 2013 Ebook Challenge. Encouraging readers to expand past just physical books to embrace ebooks in all forms, whether on Kindle, Kobo, computer, or any other reader.

Challenge Guidelines:

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2013 – Dec 31, 2013.
Anyone can join, you don’t need to be a blogger. If you don’t have a blog, feel free to sign-up in the comments. You can post reviews to any book site (i.e. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Goodreads, etc).
Any genre or length of book counts, as long as it is in ebook format.
You can plan your books in advance or as you read them.
When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the E-Book Reading Challenge.
You can move up levels, but no moving down.
Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2013, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.

Levels:

Floppy disk – 5 ebooks
CD – 10 ebooks
DVD – 25 ebooks
Memory stick – 50 ebooks
Hard drive – 75 ebooks
Server – 100 ebooks
Human brain – 150 ebooks

At the beginning of each month there will be a roundup post for you to add your reviews for that month. The linky will remain open for the remainder of the year, so if you forget, feel free go back and add them when you remember.

I'm going to go for level 2: CD and shoot for 10. Hopefully I can bypass, but 10 is a good round number.

What a difference a year makes....

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:56:00 +0000

Well, time certainly has moved fast the past year. The past year has brought lots of changes to my life both personally and professionally. Some may be wondering where I have been, others maybe not so much.....but I am about to share :)

My boys are grown now and I have been having an "empty nest" feeling. I recently moved to a new place (3 months ago) and for the first time in my life live alone. Moving from a place where someone was ALWAYS there, to a place where it's just me has been....strange to say the least. I am adjusting to cooking for one instead of cooking for a houseful of boys...did you know that a single person can eat for weeks on the same amount of food that was gone in just a few days when boys are around?? ....Adjusting to the noise level..... with boys in and out all the time, there was a noise level that never came below the sound of a TNT bomb going off......now I can actually hear the birds chirping.....not to mention every other sound that goes "bump in the night".

Some of you may have seen my post of going back to graduate school.... I took some classes, but have decided that with the new move, I think I am going to enjoy some much needed relaxation time. Read more, go to the beach more, blog more, and not worry right now.

My friend, Emily, at Blogaholic Designs, is in the process of replacing parts of my blog that Photobucket decided to take away a few months back. She does some amazing blog designs and I am so grateful that she is able to do this for me. Emily, you're the BEST!

So.... with my new plan in motion, I'm off to read some more and bring you all some new reviews soon. I also will bring you some photos of the beach when I get there.... until then, here is a little preview of a beautiful sunset at a place that is one of my favorite places to read.......

Where did my blog design go??

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:54:00 +0000

So, life has settled down some and I have lots of reviews to post..... I come on and begin to look around at things I need to update and my design is GONE! My header, signature, rating system, contact links...you get the picture........ Where did it go?????????

I contacted the designer and will wait to hear back from her..... don't want to mess it up anymore than it already is!! I loved my Phantom of the Opera theme!!!

Miss Me???????

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 15:45:00 +0000

Hello!!!!!!

Wow, it seems that it has been forever ago that I was last able to post. For those of you who are still here, THANK YOU!! The past months have been a little crazy..... have had some things to deal with.... sickness, moved to a new house, finished a semester of grad school, started a new Mon-Fri job and I started my own business on the side.... That's not to mention the everyday things that happen to us all. I have been keeping up with some of the things that have gone on in the blogging world and I sure do hate that I missed BEA!!

Over the next week or so, I am going to attempt to update some of my side bars (seems some photos are MIA)..... Also be watching for some of the reviews that I have coming... I haven't been able to read much the past few months, but the ones that I have read have been really good!

Now I have to go and see if I can figure out the new Blogger dashboard that has changed!! Hope you all have a great Sunday!!!!

Bloodstone Saga Tour & Contest

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:15:00 +0000

I am excited to be a part of this tour this week provided by the lovely Heather & Danny at Kismet Book Touring! The Bloodstone Saga is by the one and only Courtney Cole and she has been gracious enough to play Fast 5 and offer up some amazing goodies for you!!!

About With My Last Breath - goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Just when Harmonia thought she had saved everyone she loved, the unthinkable happens and her life is shattered… in the space of just one breath.

Now, she is left alone to shoulder a challenge, because she alone can fulfill a prophecy and restore Olympus. She knows she can succeed; she is the daughter of gods, after all. But will doing so cause her to lose herself?

To find Zeus’ sword, she is forced to return to a place that she knows will cause her pain. But she willingly goes in order to save everyone she loves, because pain alone cannot kill her. Or can it?

I have always loved Mythology... so this is going to be great!!!

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Now for her Fast 5

Stand alones or series? Ack. This one is hard. They both have merit. But if I had to choose…. I would say series. I like really getting to know my characters.

Ancient Greece or Dark Ages England? Ancient Greece. I wouldn’t want to wear all of the layers of clothes from the Dark Ages.

Guinevere or Heleyne? Heleyne. (And not only because of Lucan…)

Mythology or reality? Mythology…because anything can happen.

Knight in shining armor or boy next door? Knight in shining armor. I have a thing for strong, brave men. (But who doesn’t?)

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Other tour stops this week

Monday, December 26th - Amanda, Letters Inside Out

Tuesday, December 27th - Kat, A Journey In Reading

Wednesday, December 28th - Kate, I Just Wanna Sit Here And Read

Thursday, December 29th - Tiffany, For Those About To Read

Friday, December 30th - Erika, One A Day YA

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About Courtney Cole - website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
Courtney Cole is a YA novelist who loves thunderstorms, cake batter and insane amounts of coffee. She wrote her first story at the age of 9, although thankfully it has remained hidden away in an old cedar chest beneath musty blankets. Her more recent efforts are much better.

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Now for the goodies!!!

Contest Info: Courtney is offering two give-aways for those following her tour!

The first give-away is a daily one with a unique prize for each stop! Courtney is offering a signed bookmark and an authentic Greek Drachma, necessary for paying the ferryman to the Underworld! (The daily prizes may be different at each stop..hint hint...check them all out!)

To enter the daily give-away, contestants must leave a comment on the tour post.

The second give-away is for a grand prize of a gorgeous Kindle Touch skinned with the cover art from the final book in the Bloodstone Saga: My Tattered Bonds!

I don't know about you, but I think this is absolutely gorgeous!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: 11/22/63

noreply@blogger.com (A Journey in Reading) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 01:07:00 +0000

11/22/63 by Stephen King

Hardcover, 849 pages

Published November 8th 2011 by Scribner

November 22nd, 1963 was a rapid-fire sequence of indelible moments: Shots ring out; a president slumped over; a race to the Dallas hospital; an announcement, blood still fresh on the First Lady's dress. But what if President John F. Kennedy didn't have to die; if somehow his assassin could have been thwarted? For Maine schoolteacher Jake Epping, those hypothetical what if's become real possibilities when he walks through a portal to the past. Without special skills and still unfamiliar with his new/old surroundings, he struggles to discover a way to change the history he left. Like its Under the Dome predecessor, Stephen King's 960-page novel shows that this master of suspense is back at the top of his game.

I haven't read a King book in many years. After reading this one, I will definitely have to go back and catch up.

What if you could go back and change the past? Would you do it? What if by doing so, you changed everything...the good and the bad?

The premise of the story involved Jake Epping/George Amberson traveling back in time to prevent the assassination of JFK from happening. During his travel, he prevents some other horrible things as well...but by doing so, he changed everyone's life, including his own.

Yes, this book is 800+ pages, but once the story captures you, it won't seem as long. You will be transported back to a simpler time, to lindyhopping, to a world where bad things didn't happen, people trusted each other and a person's word was all it took to make a deal.

Jake/George is an English teacher who is asked by a friend to help him prevent the assassination. He travels back to September 1958 and everything changes. There is no horror in this story that King is known for, but some horrible things happen... or do they? There is also a love story that unfolds...but the ending may surprise you. Friends and enemies are made, bets are won, lives are lost and changed forever.

I loved how the story unfolded and "reset" several times and each time a string to the original past was left. If you like time travel with lots of "what if's" thrown in, I think that you will enjoy this story.