Novel Action ... changing the way book lovers share books

Literally I just came across this site and thought I'd post for all you booklovers who swap, mooch and trade to check out.

Novel Action

Reading Journal ... the latest from the library

The First Patient
Michael Palmer
St. Martin's Press, 2008
384 pages
Mystery, thriller
My impression: This is the first book by Mr. Palmer that I've read in years. After enjoying this one so much I'm wondering why I haven't kept up with his work. I definitely will read more of his back list. There was more than enough medical mystery, emerging technology and thriller to keep me turning the pages long after I should have been asleep. The sign of a good book for me is the length of time it takes me to read it ~ 2 days with limited reading time. Must have been a page turner.

The Map Thief
Heather Terrell
Ballantine Books, 2008
272 pages
Mystery, historical fiction
Book provided by Authors on the Web
My impression: This is a mystery within a mystery built around astonishing historical detail. Mystery one is the theft of the map itself and returning it to it's rightful owner. The second mystery revolves around which country lays claim to having completed the first world map ~ China or Portugal. This book is rich in historical detail and interesting facts woven around a real life mystery. I found the story of Zhi and his life fascinating and the most intriguing. The Portugal story line was less developed but played an integral part in history. The mystery of finding and returning the map didn't keep me on the edge of my seat as I felt it was pretty low key and didn't carry any real suspense. This is Ms. Terrell's 2nd book staring Mara Coyne. I intend to go back and read The Chrysalis as I did enjoy this one and would like to know more about the lead character's background. This was another one that only took me 2 days to get through with limited reading time

Reading Journal ... catching my breath ... July Blowout Challenge update #7

It's been rather busy here between The Printed Page and Up For Grabs. A good kind of busy but busy so I thought I'd take this time to catch up and see how much I've accomplished over the last 6 weeks or so.

1 ~ Up For Grabs (UFG) is starting to take off. A small, loyal following of supporters are helping to spread to word and I truly appreciate them. UFG is holding it's first book giveaway in some shameless site promotion. The book is The Heretic's Daughter. There's also a bonus of an Amazon gift card if you enter, win and blog about either the book giveaway or UFG itself.



2 ~ I also started a new book event called Mailbox Monday (this link takes you to post from Monday 7/14). I know there are plenty of book events we participate in throughout the week but Monday was looking lonely and because Mondays seem to be the most dreaded day of the week I wanted to bring some fun to the start of our week.

There's nothing better than venturing out to your mailbox and finding books! We all love books especially those we've won through a giveaway or requested as an ARC. I won't have books to list every Monday but that doesn't mean that one of you hasn't gotten some little gem in the last week.

So if you've gotten some book love from the postal service, UPS, Fed Ex, Amazon or wherever in the last week let everyone know. You can post a comment with either a link to your blog and just leave the book titles.

Just today, Saturday, I got some book love in the mail but you won't find out what it is unless you check Mailbox Monday next week.



3 ~ July Book Blowout Challenge status. First off it's hosted by Mrs S over at Blue Archipelago. My personal goal was to read 13 books for the month of July. We're halfway through the month and I've read 8-1/2 books for a total of 2,861 pages and I'll be starting book #9 tonight. I'm doing much better than I anticipated given everything I have going on.



4 ~ I just realized I never posted June's stats after looking at my July update. For the month of June I read 10 books, no DNFs and 4,387 pages. See why I had to challenge myself to 13 books for July. My average is 10-12 a month so I had to set July's goal high.

I don't think there's much else books going on in my world so I'll sign off for today get back to reading.

Take care,
Marcia

Reading Journal ... the latest from the library

The Innocent
Posie Graeme-Evans
Atria
432 pages
Historical fiction
1st in a trilogy
My impression: started slowly almost to the point of boring but picked up speed towards the end. I'll most likely read the second book.




The Warriors, Book 1: Into The Wild
Erin Hunter
HarperTrophy
288 pages
Young adult, fantasy
1st in The Warriors series
My impression: I don't read much, if any, young adult or fantasy outside of Harry Potter. I've wanted to read this series for a while now as my manor has 7 kittypets and 1 clan member. Loved it and plan to read everything in all three Warrior series, four if you include the Manga books.

Reading Journal ... blogging and books

Over the past several months something had been bothering me regarding my reading and I wasn't sure exactly what it might. Just a niggling feeling that something was off. Maybe it was my reading selections ~ were they all running along the same genre, was there not enough variety? Maybe it was the pressure to read X number of books in a year ~ I had signed up for a lot of challenges and book-a-week group and this from a person who is not a goalsetter. I never have been nor do I ever intend to be one. Maybe it was feeling like just more thing I have to do along with everything else in my life. The top 3 biggies, of course, being working, eating, sleeping but in addition there are chores, blogging, getting the shows cleared off the DRV and this daily thing called living. Now was I going to let reading become just another thing on my mental to do list? Then it came to me ~ after reading all these wonderful book blogs from very talented people I was feeling pressure, self-imposed, I can assure you that I needed to come up with something insightful to post on my blog about all these books I was devouring. I mean why else blog, especially if it's out there for public consumption, unless you have something to say, really say?

I realized I was letting my blog get the upper hand. Letting my posts interfere with my reading pleasure. This blog started out as one thing and morphed into something else, taking on a life of it's own. Now I'm not a writer, that's my big brother's job and his blog is a sad thing to behold, (forgive your little sister please! I'll offer bribes next time I come visit) and I'm pretty certain that if an English teacher or two got a hold of my blog posts that they'd grammatical shred them. They'd also break down my thoughts and impressions about the books I read just to make sure I'd covered all the relevant points so that my readers could make informed decisions. I never set out the write book reviews. There are plenty of bloggers who do an outstanding job of it already. This was just a place I would use a reading journal to give my brain a little tap and remind myself what a book I'd read was about. Maybe it's just a matter of the semantics, or is that syntax, that I use for labeling some of my blog posts (book reviews). So for now I'm changing how I post to suit where I am in this blogging world. I'm also finding that I don't always have something to say about every book I read. Just maybe I want my reading to be for reading's sake and not because there's an underlying motive.

Yes, it's still a book blog ~ my book blog. It won't be going under drastic changes, no major overhaul. Just minor adjustments, baby steps. I'm giving myself permission to change course and see where the path takes me. The only thing I hoping to accomplish is getting back to reading purely for pleasure.

That's it for the pity partying this week. Two pity party posts are quite enough. I don't usually hold pity parties but I just needed to get a couple of things cleared out my brain so I could move past 'em. Done!

Marcia

July Book Blowout Reading Challenge ... update #6 ... includes The Where's Your Book Set meme answers

First an update on my challenge status and then on to the meme answers (6-1/2 books read).

book #6
The Innocent
Finished - not raving about it


book #7
The Warriors, Book 1: Into The Wild
Started it last night. I've been wanting to read this series for a while now and decided to take a break from my steady diet of historical and popular adult fiction. As I'm a humble servant to 8 lords and ladies of the Larsen manor I thought this would be an appropriate choice.



The Where’s your book set? meme

1. Title and author of the book: The Warriors, Book 1: Into The Wild by Erin Hunter

2. What year is the book set in? Could be current day as there isn't a year specified

3. What happened on this day in that year? Go to google and type in the date ie 13 July 1952 and see if you can find a news item for that day: N/A

4. Where is your book set? The wilds beyond the twoleg houses.

5. Have you visited that place before? If yes tell us something about your trip. If no, look the location up on google and tell us an interesting fact about the city/country. N/A

Book Giveaway...Free ARCs...Read It Forward...Random House

The Printed Page has moved to Wordpress. The new blog address is: The Printed Page

Now that probably caught your attention. I know just the scent of free books makes me light headed and I have to head directly for the laptop and say "yes please, sign me up!" My email this morning held a pleasant surprise ~ a newsletter for the Read It Forward program from Crown Publishing via Random House. Well you don't have ask me twice if I'd like free books. I mean did Hell freeze over last night?

This month's books are:
Murder at the Bad Girl's Bar and Grill by N. M. Kelby


The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson


The Spiritualist by Megan Chance

July Book Blowout Reading Challenge ... update #5

Through 5-1/2 books. I DNF'd a book. Usually I give a book 50+ pages before I do that but I just knew it wasn't going to get any better so I ditched it after the first chapter. Here's where I'm at since the last update.

Narrow Dog to Carcassonne (Kindle edition)
DNF'd it


Plane Insanity: A Flight Attendant's Tales of Sex, Rage, and Queasiness at 30,000 Feet (Kindle edition)
Finished


The Innocent (Kindle edition)
Just starting

July Book Blowout Reading Challenge ... update #4

Well here we are 7 days into July and I'm through 4 books (possibly 4-1/2) and counting. I'm waiting to see if today's mail brings another ARC or two before deciding what to read next.

Here are the last two books I've finished.

book #3 is:
Before I Wake: A Novel by Robert J. Wiersema


book #4 is:
Scene of the Grime (A Grime Solvers Mystery) by Susanne Price

July Book Blowout Reading Challenge ... update #3

Well I just finished my first book for the July Blowout reading challenge. While it isn't one of my top picks for this year it was a decent read. Slow starting out but picks up speed a little under 1/2 way through.

book #1 is:
The Aviary Gate by Katie Hickman.


I'll be starting my second book here shortly though I'll be taking time out to have dinner with friends and watch a movie.

book #2 is:
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent.

Little blue boxes ... have you noticed them?

So if you wandered around here at The Printed Page or over at Up For Grabs in the last week or two you probably noticed little blue boxes appearing next to the books that I've mentioned in both blogs. I think they're pretty cool and add a little somethin' for my visitors. I found book widgets while reading at Traci's Book Bag. She actually has the NY Times Bestseller List on her blog. I explored a bit more and across not only book widgets but smart links.

The little blue boxes, known as Smart Links, are better than "blue light" specials at that big chain retailer and are provided courtesy of AdaptiveBlue. AdaptiveBlue is a small, fast-growing company that allows bloggers to browse smarter. Most likely you're going to want more than just my thoughts or impressions of a book I've read or maybe you're so impressed by what I've written that you want to buy the book right now. Smart Links allow you to get all the little details just by clicking on the little blue box. Details such as purchasing this particular book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Borders. Maybe you'd like to Goggle the book. Find links related to the book itself or the author. Lots of goodies are available through a smart link. Click on one or two and check 'em out.

I also have installed on The Printed Page's right-hand sidebar Amazon's current bestsellers with AdaptiveBlue's book widgets. As my blogs are book oriented I've only installed book related book widgets but AdaptiveBlue also has widgets for music lovers, movie watchers and wine aficionados to name just a few.

July Book Blowout Reading Challenge ... update #2

July Book Blowout mini challenge #1

1. Describe yourself in one sentence:
The crazy cat lady. I am the humble servant to the lords and ladies of the Larsen manor

2. What book will you start the challenge with?
The Aviary Gate by Katie Hickman

3. Where is your favourite place to read?
Wherever I can steal 5 minutes of time

4. What is your favourite book of all time?
Too many to choose from, right now Somewhere In Heaven: The Remarkable Love Story of Dana and Christopher Reeve

5. Remind us all of your challenge target:
Lucky or unlucky number 13

I actually have an update from yesterday. I was at point where I had to start one of my chosen books before July 1st. I chose Somewhere In Heaven and blew right through it finishing at 1am this morning. Technically I was reading it on July 1st and it could count as 1/2 book but I holding back from counting it for now.

July Book Blowout Reading Challenge ... update #1

Well I've done everything in my power not to start reading books included on my list for the July Book Blowout hosted by Blue Archipelago (complete details can be found here) but sadly I've come to a point where I have no choice. Hoping that I could hold out I've read one trashy novel and 4 J.D. Robb novellas, totaling 800 pages, in the last 2 days. I've exhausted my supply of short books to get me through to July 1st and it's still June! Knowing that it will be very quiet at work tonight I'm giving in and starting on book 1 ~ Somewhere In Heaven: The Remarkable Love Story of Dana and Christopher Reeve by Christopher Andersen. I got this book through Authors On The Web. Anna and Nicole are delightful people and truly wonderful to work with. As I have the next 5 days off for the holiday here in the States I should be able to make a dent in my list.

Happy reading all!

July Book Blowout Reading Challenge ... includes a giveaway

Blue Archipelago is hosting a July Book Blowout reading challenge that includes a gift voucher to Amazon for one lucky participant. Deadline to enter is July 14th. Deadline to post July reads is August 7th. Complete details can be found here.

Yes, I'm participating in this one! Now I just have to get together my list of books, quit blogging and start reading. I'm sure this will be easier said than done.

July's Blowout Books
1 ~ The Aviary Gate (ARC/historical fiction)
1/2 ~ Somewhere In Heaven: The Remarkable love story of Dana and Christopher Reeve (ARC) 2 ~ Tribute (Nora Robert's newest release/Kindle edition)
3 ~ The Scene of the Grime (A Grime Solvers Mystery/Kindle)
0 ~ Narrow Dog to Carcassonne (travelogue/Kindle) ~ DNF
4 ~ The Innocent (historical fiction/Kindle)
5 ~ Trace Evidence (forensic science/Kindle)
0 ~ The Genizah at the House of Shepher (Gave the book away)
6 ~ The Heretic's Daughter (ARC)
7 ~ Before I Wake: A Novel (ARC)
8 ~ Plane Insanity: A Flight Attendant's Tales of Sex, Rage, and Queasiness at 30,000 Feet (Kindle edition)
9 ~ The Warriors, Book 1: Into The Wild by Erin Hunter (Kindle edition)
10 ~ What Angels Fear
(Kindle edition)
11 ~ The Map Thief (ARC)
0 ~ Soul (Kindle edition) ~ DNF
12 ~ The First Patient (Kindle edition)


I'm including some alternates just in case some of my ARCs/AREs arrive.
1 ~ Angel's Tip
2 ~ 5 Broadway travelogues
3 ~ Stealing Athena
4 ~ Sword

Reading Journal ... the week past

Time to catch up and review the past week. I finished two books and started a third. Not bad when it feels like I spend more time blogging than I do reading these days. Now that it's nice in Boise, actually hot ~ 95 right now, I take the furbabies outside and spend time doing a little of both.

I finished two books I would consider womens' fiction: The Richest Season by Maryann McFadden. I received this book through the Early Reviewers program at Librarything. This a debut author and I really enjoyed her work. My thoughts and impressions can be found here. The other book I finished this week is Barbara Delinsky's newest, The Secret Between Us. While I usually associate her with romance not so for this book. My thoughts and impressions can be found here. The Richest Season was a printed book and The Secret Between Us I read on my Kindle. Because I now own (1 month old) and love my Amazon Kindle I find myself having a hard time putting it down and picking up and reading a printed book. Being a dead hard bookaholic I thought I'd have a hard time adjusting but not so. Actually I find I'd much rather read on my Kindle than a printed book. Strange as that might seem it's true.

The third book I started this week is a non-fiction account of the life of Marie Antoinette's daughter. I received Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter by Susan Nagel from Authors On The Web. I thought this book might be a slow, dry read as it's non-fiction. I'm happy to say not so. It very much reads like a narrative story of her life and I find myself fascinated by this woman. The first part covers her childhood up her family's imprisonment, the death of her parents and brother, and her continued imprisonment for the next 3 years. The second half, which I'm currently reading, covers her life after her release. She is a remarkable woman.

I'm not sure where my reading adventures will take me this week. Once Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter is finished I don't have anything lined up. Not to say the downloaded book samples and saved for later list on the Kindle don't hold anything of interest, they do, just not sure whether it will be more historical fiction, maybe a cozy mystery, a travelogue, or something totally different. I'm also waiting for the mailman to deliver, hopefully, some of the many ARCs/AREs I've signed up for through Shelf Awareness. Got to love free books and I always promise to read and review in a timely fashion. I move any ARCs/AREs received to the top of my reading list. I believe that if a publisher is offering me a free book the least I can do is read and offer my thoughts & impressions in return.

Speaking of free books I've noticed that my book buying habit has improved greatly since buying my Kindle. It's actually saving me money! Costco had many, many books that I would have bought today, on the spot, but having a Kindle and being able to download book samples at no cost is saving me from buy books that sound interesting but actually turn out not to be or the writing style doesn't appeal. So no more monstrous TRB piles staring me down, calling my name and haunting me.

I also spend time every day working on my labor of love, the book giveaway and contest site, Up For Grabs. It's a bit slow going but seems to be gaining some momentum.

That's it for today. Back to reading...

Reading Journal ... the week past

Reading picked up speed this week but then summer has finally made an appearance in Boise and I decided to turn off the DVR, take the furbabies outside and read while pretending to keep the children from going over the fence and corralled in the backyard.

I finished Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund in anticipation of receiving Marie-Therese by Susan Nagel from Authors On The Web and posted my thoughts and impressions here.

I also started and finished 2 other books this week: Intuition by Allegra Goodman for my f2f book club and Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu by J. Maarten. Thoughts and impressions for Intuition can be found here and Getting Stoned with Savages here.

So I've spent time in France from 1767 to 1793, spent time in a medical research lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a couple semi pleasant years on island time. Of the three island time was my favorite.

My intention was to start Barbara Delinsky's newest, The Secret Between Us, and I'd even downloaded it to the Kindle last night in anticipation of kicking back today and reading, reading, reading. Those good intentions went right out door when my Early Reviewers book, The Richest Season by Maryann McFadden, from Librarything arrived today. I always give ARCs/AREs priority in my reading so the timing couldn't have been better. Speaking of ARCs/AREs I'm totally hooked on Shelf Awareness. This is a wonderful site with book related news and plenty of opportunities to request free books.

A bit of sad news: Up For Grabs melted down last night and imploded. I've resurrected it and put up a couple of polls so we'll go from there. It's a site for independent, non income generating, non commercial book bloggers to link book giveaways and contests. I really need to gage interest in this type of venture.

Reading Journal ... Book Binging in May

Here's my Book Binge list for May. I did better than I thought I would. Yeah for me!

1. Takeover by Lisa Black
2. Southern Fried by Cathy Pickens
3. The Hindi-Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan/f2f BC
4. Some Like It Hot Buttered by Jeffrey Cohen
5. The Sex Lives of Cannibals (Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific) by J. Maarten Troost
6. Patriot Hearts by Barbara Hambly
7. The Whole Truth by David Baldacci
8. The Dark Lantern: A Novel by Gerri Brightwell
9. Legerdemain by James J. Heaphey
10. Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett

10 books & 3,487 pages

I didn't finish:
Apples & Oranges: My Brother & Me, Lost and Found by Marie Brenner

My Kindle ... arrived today!

It definitely felt like Christmas at my house today. Not only did I receive Apples and Oranges: My Brother and Me, Lost and Found by Maria Brenner in the mail today from Nicole at Authors on the Web but my Amazon Kindle arrived courtesy of the UPS man.

I haven't fallen in love this fast with a piece of technology before. I unpacked it, quickly read the users manual provided on the Kindle (paper copy also included), purchased a brand new best seller for $9.99 and had it delivered in under a minute. All of this start to finish took maybe 10 minutes, 15 minutes tops. I don't buy hardbacks. Normally I'm on the hold list at the library, waiting sometimes weeks or months for my turn to come around. Or I wait until the paperback version comes out a year later and then start haunting the used bookstores for a copy. Now instant gratification. For a person who lacks in the patience department this is the perfect toy. Another plus is no more overweight bags when going on vacation because I've loaded up on books which, of course, are necessities compared to, say, clothing and suntan lotion.

Having 200+ books at my fingertips is a reader's delight. All those wonderful titles to choose from and no waiting.

Reading journal ... Patriot Hearts & a quote

Patriot Hearts, page 224

This is a very ambitious book attempting to cover the lives of Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison and Sally Hemings over a 28 year period (1787-1815). While the history of our country during this time is undeniably fascinating the cast of characters is overwhelming and, at times, difficult to follow.

Reading Patriot Hearts brings to mind the following quote:

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~Author Unknown

I've lived several different lives and visited places I never could have gone if it hadn't been for my love affair with books. My books, soon to be an Amazon Kindle, can take me from the pressures and reality of every day life and allow me to create my own alternate universe right in the comfort of my own home. Reading has transported me to the royal courts of England during the reigns of Richard VIII, Elizabeth I and Queen Mary. I've been to future with Lt. Eve Dallas, Roarke and the always entertaining cast of characters from the "In Death" series by J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts. I was there for the building of the Taj Mahal, witnessing the inspiring and tragic love affair of a man and his wife in Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors. Recently I spent 2 years living on an atoll in the South Pacific by reading The Sex Lives of Cannibals (Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific) by J. Maarten Troost. I discovered an atoll is probably not going to make my list of the top 10 places to relocate but it was a fun and wild ride. If I want to right injustices, take on the bad guys, kick some serious butt, be very opinionated, even with POTUS, and be the unassuming hero I only have to pick up the "Mitch Rapp" series by Vince Flynn.

Ah, to live another life and still enjoy the one I have is the best of both worlds. Nope, I wouldn't trade my books, or Kindle, for most anything you have to offer for denying myself the pleasure they bring is to live in a black and white world.

Reading Journal ... Saturday, 5/17/08

Patriot Hearts, page 35

This is a fictionalized story about Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison and Sally Hemings. Usually my interest in US history runs to the Civil War but I figured this would be an interesting perspective on the early years of our country from the spouses of the Founding Fathers. It is a bit confusing with so many characters.

I finished The Sex Lives of Cannibals Friday night. The book, for the most part, is an absolute riot. A laugh out loud, side splitting romp through two years of living on an atoll in the South Pacific. For such a small place lots of mis-adventures take place.

I spent most of yesterday re-formatting my blog. The ER group at Librarything started a book blog web ring thread which lead to several of us adding blog links to our own sites. As I only had a 2-column blog I felt I needed a 3-column blog to accommodate all these links. It was a bit of an adventure as I'm not the slightest bit HTML savvy. It was easy to update to 3-columns thanks to Blogcrowds. The hard part was updating the color scheme to the look I was currently using. That's where being HTML savvy would have come in very handy. If anybody had stopped by during that process they would have thought I was on some serious mind altering drugs. I had to turn all text and tags outrageous colors and then work my way back to a pleasing color scheme.

This same group has also started a new group meme on Tuesdays which I didn't participate in this week. I'm a bit behind but look forward to joining next week.