Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s musing
Do you belong to any book clubs — face-to-face, or online? If so, how long have you been with the group(s)? If not, why?

My answer:
I have never participated in a book club for a couple of reasons.  To be honest I have never even checked with my local library to see if there were some in my area.  And I’m not surrounded with readers in my personal family/friends circles to even try to start one.  I always had this preconceived notion that the books chosen would be classics and/or books that I would not enjoy.  I do remember that an old friend of the family, many years ago, did belong to one and saw what types of books her group chose and knew that I wouldn’t have been interested in the type of books she used to read.  There are just too many books, that I want to read that are from my genres, that I would feel it would be wasting time on a book that I wouldn’t enjoy.

April is being hosted by Cindy’s Love of Books 

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”

                            Author                      The Hachette Book Group

Hosted by An Island Life

From An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

MY QUESTION:
What’s one material item that you wish you could have and/or that someone would give you as a present?

MY ANSWER:
An IPad.

April 21st, 2012

I am so excited.!!!  I just signed up for the Dewey 24 hour Read-A-Thon.  This will be my first year participating and it looks like fun.   I wasn’t blogging at the time when “Dewey” started it and now it continues in her memory.  Click on date above if you want to join in, become a cheerleader, or host a challenge, help with prizes, etc.  Have you signed up?

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

                                            Review here

What do you think you will read next?

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading 

Today’s question:
Have you ever found a book out of the blue, read it, and then had it be surprisingly good — one that stuck with you for years? If so, what book was it?

My response:
Many years ago, I would say approximately 20 years when my sons were small, I remember picking up a book at our local library during one of their liquidation sales.  I remember the author but not so much the story since it was so long ago.  I had never heard of or read any of the author’s books but  remember thinking that the synopsis on the back cover sounded interesting.   The book was by Emilie Richards and I remember that after I read it, it was an author that went on my list of authors to read.  One of the reasons that it comes to mind is that after reading the book, I went back to the library to borrow some of her other books but there were none on the shelves.  So one day, I put the boys in the car and we hit a few of the used book stores in our area on the hunt for her books and I found one.  It stands out in my mind because I vividly remember that day that the boys and I went on our mission.

What about you?  Has a book that you picked, by chance, stayed with you for years?

March is being hosted by Diary of an Eccentric 

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”

Doubleday

Facebook link

Reading:
This past week wasn’t a week that I spent much time reading, which disappointed me.  I did finish one book, Calico Joe by John Grisham, an ARC from Doubleday which I did enjoy and started Darkroom by Joshua Graham, also an ARC, for Partners In Crime Tours.  I just didn’t seem to have the time to pick up a book.  I was on a roll reading 2-3 books a week and was hoping for the same this past week but RL , Partners In Crime Tours and blogging kept me busy.   By the time I did pick up up my current read, it was right before going to bed but sleep took over after reading for approximately an hour.  It just wasn’t a productive week but I hope to rectify that this week because I don’t want to get into that type of routine.

Blogging:
Something very exciting, which I also felt it an honor, did happen to me this past week, It falls under both categories of reading/blogging, but will tell you about it here.  I received an email a couple of weeks ago from the V.P. of Marketing at Doubleday asking if I would read and review Calico Joe by John Grisham (see above).  I was a bit skeptical since I thought it was going to be about baseball, which I am not one that follows sports.  To my surprise it was much more than just baseball.  You can see my review here.  I finished the book in 2 days, wrote and posted my review and then sent the link to the contact person.  Right after posting my review, I went out and was gone most of the day.  When I arrived home and checked my email,  much to my surprise, I had received a response from the person who requested that I read the book.  He thanked me and then went on to say that he had posted my review on John Grisham’s FB page.  My review!!!  Me!!  Just your average blogger/avid reader from the smallest state, my review on the page of one of the great authors of our time.  I was definitely doing the happy dance, I was so thrilled, excited, overwhelmed and humbled.  Then I couldn’t believe how many hits it received.  Again me!!!  Me who didn’t even know this world existed until 2 years ago.  I never ever thought that could happen to me!!  Needless to say, I started texting my sons, family and friends to share my news.  My phenomenal sons were so happy for me, they even went to the site to see my name and texted me back with “Awesome, Mom” and “Wow..that’s great”.  That definitely was the highlight of my week!!

Real Life:
Boring…the usual daily household chores…laundry, grocery shopping, appointments, etc.  And on Wednesday, another day of working with an estate liquidation woman at my Mother’s house.  More progress made, but not done yet.  And on Thursday attended a Family and Friends afternoon at the assisted living my sister resides at.  She is severely handicapped but it is such a comfort to see how well she is doing after losing our Mom in September and her being “on her own”.  She didn’t stop talking telling me everything she is involved with, what she did and what committees she’s on.  I really am so proud of her.  I now call her the “social butterfly” and she laughs because every time I try to call her, she is never in her, as I call it, “her apartment”.  My Mom had told her that I would be in charge, even though my sister is older than me, and she knows that she is to call me at least every other day, which she does, except her “social life”  usually lasts after my bedtime lol.  Good for you Sis!!!

And that was my week.  How was your’s?

Hosted by An Island Life 

From An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

MY QUESTION:
Favorite spring flower?

MY ANSWER:
Lilacs

http://btt2.wordpress.com

Today’s question:
A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
 Patricia asks a particularly insightful question:
Ever read a book you thought you could have written better yourself?

My response:
This is a toughie.   Since I don’t feel I have the smallest amount of talent of writing, maybe  a children’s book, but definitely not a novel, my answer is no.  However with that being said, I have read some books, that I have had those exact sediments but in a  jokingly comparison.  I have also read books and thought that my life/biography compared to the story line, would have made a more interesting  topic and/or plot.

What about you?  Have you read books that you could have written better?

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?
         

What do you think you will read next?