Author: travelingwitht

travelingwiththttps://travelingwitht.wordpress.comBook blogger, picture-taker, baseball lover. She Reads Online Book Club Twitter chat host.
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Musing Mondays (Should Be Reading) July 16

Should Be Reading hosts a variety of weekly bookish memes: Today is Monday so it’s Musing Mondays!

This week’s musing asks…

What are you currently reading? Is it any good? Would you recommend it?

I began Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks yesterday. It’s very good if you like a story with some romance, some sadness, and a teensy mysterious side ( the woman who found the message in the bottle has not let him know that is why she is there)

Nicholas Sparks are good for a couple of things- a good cry usually and a few pages of a romance that makes you feel warm and fuzzy and happy.

The downside of most Nicholas Sparks books is that someone usually dies and it’s very sad.

Nicholas Sparks is good for a quick read when you want to take your mind off heavier reads. He’s the book equivalent of chicken soup for the soul, in my opinion.

 

 

Friday Finds (Should be Reading) July 13

FRIDAY FINDS showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased).
So, come on — share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

My Friday Finds:

Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews

The Meryl Streep Movie Club by Mia March

The Mermaid Collector by Erika Marks

Sea Change by Karen White

Literary Friday ya’ll….

Friday is HERE! A round of all things literary happening for Friday:

1. Karen White will be signing and reading at Lemuria Books today. I will be there. I hear Sea Change is supposed to be great. I’ll be live-tweeting from the book signing using #karenwhite.

2. Deep South Magazine teased us avid readers earlier in the week with a picture of books (most notably Mary Kay Andrews newest book- Spring Fever!) Perhaps that book will be given away to a lucky person today! Deep South Summer Reading List

3. Chick Lit Central is giving away a copy of Stacey Ballis Off the Menu– for the links and how to enter, see previous blog post or Google Chick Lit Central.

4. Judy Blume is on Twitter and since I’m a #booknerd that makes me happy!

5. I’m 6 or  so chapters in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice– enjoying it.

6. Melinda Mcquire (@melindamcquire) has an interesting idea for writers, photographers, etc of Southern ways. If you are interested in hearing more about her idea- follow her or use the hashtag #STHRN to get more info.

7. Mia March, Mia March- I may have to add you to my list of writers who are using social media to their advantage- thanks for the follow!

Since it’s been raining all week- it’s been a great week to cozy up with books. Also, I’d missed the 2 previous weeks of Drop Dead Diva- watched the first episode yesterday that I missed- Owen and Jane- engaged- so cute!

Happy Reading!

Chick Lit Central: The Blog!: Stacey Ballis’ latest ballad, plus a book giveaway

I’m a huge chick-lit fan so seeing this book by Stacey Ballis, knowing that Jen Lancaster has been talking this book up FOREVER, and the cover art- well those things all add in favor for a good book.

While I’ve never read a Stacey Ballis book- I am eager to give this one a try. And, in the spirit of sharing- I’m posting about the giveaway (even though I’m hoping to win!)

 

Chick Lit Central: The Blog!: Stacey Ballis’ latest ballad, plus a book giveaway.

 

Happy Reading!

I heart book covers

I heart books. I just do. I love looking at them, seeing them all lined up and organized on my shelf (even though it does not last long because it never fails- just after they are all organized and pretty- the book I desperately want to read is at the back of the bookshelf. Happens every time!), I love seeing the covers- all shiny or 3-d like (I like pretty books!).

But, I also love my Kindle. The ease of storage, the ease of buying- the sheer amount of books that can be owned on a Kindle.

I don’t mind reading on my Kindle, I actually get no more enjoyment from the actual reading of the book- whether it’s on a Kindle or a book.

What I desperately miss, though, is the looking at the covers of the book. Sure, sure, I can look at the cover on the Kindle- but it’s all grey-scale and therefore not pretty.

It’s a trade off- buy them on the Kindle and save room, yet sacrifice the joy looking at the covers or buy them as books, get the joy of seeing them on my bookshelf; but knowing that I’m slowly running out of room to store my pretty books? Am I the only one that thinks things like this?

 

 

Putting on my smart hat

I’m putting on my smart hat- I began reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice last night. Amazing how much smarter I feel by exposing myself to a different style of reading than I normally choose.

The writing style is different, but I’m enjoying it. Will I become a complete Austen fan- only time will tell; but the first few chapters have been enjoyable.

So, back to my title- while I’m not saying reading Jane Austen (or any classics) will make you smarter- what I am saying is this: Break free of the books you normally choose to read. Expose yourself to a different author, style, era. If you are just a fan of classics- consider newer books- while they may not have the charm of classics in language; they are still good books. If the books that are normally read are the newest ones, give a classic book a try. Put on your smart hat and experience a different viewpoint. The only thing you have to lose is the time you spent with the book- and that’s really never a loss.

What books do you read that make you feel like you have a “smart hat” on?

Lisa Patton- Turnrow Books Meet and Greet

As I’ve said when I finally did a blog post about meeting Erin Morgenstern (eek!), I’m slowly, but surely, working my way through author events that I was able to attend in my pre-blog days!

Today’s catch-up is about Lisa Patton. She’s the author of Whistling Dixie in a Nor’easter and Yankee Doodle Dixie. Both are great books.

Leelee (the main character) finds herself in a bit of a pickle. Leelee’s husband, Baker, wants to move to Vermont and buy a ski lodge- he’s ready for a new adventure, ready to leave Memphis, TN. So, Leelee gives in (because she loves Baker) and uproots life from Memphis, TN to Vermont- along with the 2 children they have.

Leelee pictures a good life in Vermont, once they get settled; but it never quite gets to what she pictured. The weather is different, the attitudes and customs are different- it’s the ultimate fish out of water story.

Leelee forges on,though, and through some mishaps, sad news, and other events- actually realizes that she can do this, she can run an inn in Vermont. But when the opportunity to come back South presents itself- does she run back home or stay in Vermont?

In Yankee Doodle Dixie- we find Leelee has returned to Memphis. She’s left behind Vermont and the unpleasant memories that happened. She’s also left behind a chef that makes her heart melt (something she thought would be impossible after discovering Baker was a louse). Leelee begins to put life back together in Tennessee, finding a job, hanging with her best girlfriends, and just trying to be a good mom.

Through a series of events, Leelee decides that she should and can open a bed and breakfast in Tennessee. So she does, and with help from friends, she begins the process. Also, unbeknownst to her, the best friends let a certain chef in Vermont know there is a job opportunity in Tennessee, if one was willing and able to consider moving.

There will be a 3rd book in the Leelee series-not sure when it’s being released; but hopefully 2013 will find a happy ending for Leelee.

Lisa Patton- sweet as all get out, and so appreciative of the fans.

Both books are great- they are light and easy reading. So make like Leelee, get a peach daiquiri drink, and enjoy the sweetness of the drink with some good reading.

 

WoW (Waiting on Wednesday) July11

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

 

My Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) is The Mermaid Collector by Erika Marks.

While I could not find a synopsis of book- based on Little Gale Gumbo- I expect great things from The Mermaid Collector ( Oct 2012)

This is my first time to link to WoW- hosted be Breaking the Spine

Happy Reading!

 

 

WWW Wednesdays (July 11)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

 

My answers:

What are you currently reading?

Currently reading Hitched by Carol Higgins Clark. Light mystery- enjoyable.

What did you recently finish reading?

Recently (over the weekend) I finished Buttercream Bumpoff, Death by the Dozen, and Red Velvet Revenge (all by Jenn McKinlay). In the past week- Wrecked and Cursed by Carol Higgins Clark, The Diary of Darcy J. Rhone by Emily Giffin,  Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay, and Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Have way too many options- A Teeny Bit of Trouble by Michael Lee West, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, or The Meryl Streep Movie Club by Mia March are the top 3 I’m considering.

Best Friend books…

If you read my blog at all, it’s pretty documented that I adore Judy Blume. Simply adore her. While I have many favorite characters, Vix and Caitlin from Summer Sisters are the ones we’ll discuss today.

On the surface, they don’t really have many things in common. Different types of families, different up-bringings- but yet they became summer sisters. And for the most part- the bond remained un-broken.

On the other hand, 2 other characters I like from Emily Giffin’s Something Borrowed are interesting characters in the best friend category- Rachel and Darcy.

Rachel and Vix and Caitlin and Darcy have more in common with each other than the best friend pairings. Vix and Rachel basically do what’s expected of them, both are smart, and both let the brighter part of the duo take center stage.

Caitlin and Darcy- both of them are “takers”, center-stage characters, selfish (but still have some loveable qualities).

Best friends are great characters to write about- usually so much history to explore- the book can be taken in a million different ways. I also think these type of books are great for book-club discussions. The allure of “best friends” s that usually you can see yourself in one of the characters- which makes for a more personal experience.

If you’ve read Something Borrowed and Summer Sisters, can you see the correlation between Caitlin and Darcy? Vix and Rachel? Which set of characters would you rather be in real life? Speaking of the betrayals in both books- which would be the one that is more real? If you could pick which betrayal to experience, which one would it be? And lastly, the endings in both books- which one was more satisfying? Believable?

If you haven’t read either of these books, both are highly recommended by me. Great summer reads!