Alongside stories that convey intimately the destruction and heartbreak of armed conflict, Miller captures the courage and resilience he calls “a remarkable kind of light,” an essential counterpoint to the grief and trauma that war creates. The stories in War Torn are powerful, heart-wrenching, and unforgettable.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
War Torn by Kenneth E. Miller - #review
Alongside stories that convey intimately the destruction and heartbreak of armed conflict, Miller captures the courage and resilience he calls “a remarkable kind of light,” an essential counterpoint to the grief and trauma that war creates. The stories in War Torn are powerful, heart-wrenching, and unforgettable.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Book Challenge by Erin - January-April 2017
Click the button to go to the group and sign-up!
• 5 points: Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages.
• 10 points: Read a book that starts with the letter “W”. The Wave at Hanging Rock - 12/17 - 316 pp
• 10 points: Read a book with six words in the title. - The New Rold: A Step Back - 12/6/ - 244 pp
• 10 points: Read a book with six words in the title. - The New Rold: A Step Back - 12/6/ - 244 pp
• 15 points: Read a book that has a (mostly) green cover. - The Teacher's Mail-Order Bride - 12/4 - 299 pp
• 20 points: Read a book with a homonym in the title (inspired by the book Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin that I read last challenge with a character who is obsessed with homonyms.) Only ONE word in the title needs to be a homonym. Helpful link: https://www.cooper.com/alan/homonym_list.html
• 20 points: Read a book by your favorite author. Broken Hearted Ghoul: Taxi for the Dead Paranormal Mysteries #1) Joyce & Jim Lavene
• 25 points: Read a book set in the city/town/state/territory/county/province where you live. To help with books set in certain U.S. states, this link should help: https://www.goodreads.com/…/1152882-where-we-ve-been-master… Fixin' to Die by Tonya Kappes - 6/14/16 - 224 pp
• 30 points: Read a “Rory Gilmore” book. The character of Rory from the Gilmore Girls was shown reading over 300 different books throughout the series. Choose one of them from this helpful link: https://www.buzzfeed.com/…/all-339-books-referenced-in-gilm… The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - 12/6 - 190 pp
• 30 points: Read a “Rory Gilmore” book. The character of Rory from the Gilmore Girls was shown reading over 300 different books throughout the series. Choose one of them from this helpful link: https://www.buzzfeed.com/…/all-339-books-referenced-in-gilm… The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - 12/6 - 190 pp
• 30 points: Read a book from a genre that you’ve never read (or rarely read.)
• 35 points: Read a book with time travel. Helpful link:https://www.goodreads.com/…/4018.The_Best_Time_Travel_Books…
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Tuesday, January 3, 2017
My 2017 BetterWorldBooks Reading Challenge Sign-Up Etc
This is cool! The graphic for the challenge also has the book list on it, so...not a lot of typing for me! I'll keep track of my books for this challenge on this post. You can click on the button to get more information about the challenge.
My Booklist (section added 1/4/2017)
1. A collection of short stories - The Best American Humorous Short Stories
2. A young adult novel - The Parting by Beverly Lewis
3. A book with a color in the title - Night of the Purple Moon
4. A book that's more than 100 years old - Unknown to History by Charlotte Mary Yonge - pub 1882
5. A book you picked based on its cover
6. A book set in a place you want to visit - A King Ensnared by JR Tomlin (Scotland)
7. A book based on a fairy tale - Swept Away by Vanessa Riley
8. A National Book Award Winner -
9. A book that takes place in a forest - ALTDORF: The Forest Nights #1 by JK Swift
10. A romance that takes place during travel
11. A book under 200 pages
12. A book over 400 pages -
13. A banned book -
14. A nonfiction book about nature
15. A fantasy novel - Gateway to Nifleheim by Glenn G. Thater
16. A book by a person of color -
17. A book by a female writer - My Father's House by Rose Chandler Johnson
18. A book of poetry - Autumn Poetry by Jan Darrow
19. A book set in Asia
20. A book about immigrants -
21. A book about a historical event - The Voyage by Roberta Kagan
22. A book with a child narrator -
23. A book translated from another language -
24. A book that's been adapted into a movie -
And since that took a LOT less time to set up than I thought it would, I'm going to add...
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MY TUESDAY BOOKISH LINK-UPS!!!
(edited 3 January 2017 @ 1122 hrs to reflect change of link-up host!)
Thanks to The Purple Princess for hosting Teaser Tuesday at her blog, The Purple Booker.
Thanks to Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea for hosting FCFP.
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In this thrilling and candid memoir, world record-holding and controversial Big Wave surfer Garrett McNamara chronicles his emotional quest to ride the most formidable waves on earth.
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TEASER TUESDAY
(from page 143)
"I was standing in line at Foodland on a January day in 1990 and heard the checker tell the person in line in front of me that the Eddie was on. Foodland is the only grocery store on the North Shore, not far from Shark's Cover where Pupu-kea Road meets Kam Highway. Every surfer who winds up on the North Shore, which is to say pretty much every big-name surfer in the world, finds himself or herself buying some orange juice or tortilla chips at Foodland now and then. The checkout clerks hear it all and they know everything."
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FIRST CHAPTER, FIRST PARAGRAPH
(from the books prologue on page 1)
"Everyone wonders where you go when you die. I had a preview. I was standing in the living room of my mom's house in Pupu-kea, on the North Shore of O'ahu, talking on the phone to my doctor when suddenly the lights went out. I apprently dropped to the floor. There was no going toward the light, no reaching for a bright spot at the end of life's long tunnel. This new place was velvet black, calm and pain-free. The lack of pain was everything. I lay there, at peace.
Then I woke up to my brother Liam crying my name."
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So, I'm wondering....
Which reading challenges are you participating in this year?
Have you or someone you know ever surfed?
Monday, January 2, 2017
My #24in48 Readathon Sign-Up Post
There is nothing like a good read-a-thon to get your reading year off to a super start. I was clicking through an email from the Book Dragon and found out about this readathon.
I like the fact that this goal of 24 hours is spread out over 48 hours (2 days). I've tried the Dewey Readathon (which is fabulous - many events and helpful cheerleaders to keep things fresh!) which is 24 hours straight of reading; my numbers were actually rather good for that, but I was sick as a dog for about a week after, and I came to the conclusion that I'm too old to cram for tests or stay up for 24 hours straight anymore. But I think I can do 24 in 48, so here I am.
I don't have a plan per se as of yet, but one of my first books is a 600+ page, and I'm not making many plans until I'm on page 500 or so! *lol*. Anyway, during the readathon, I will be posting updates here.
So from 12:01 am on Saturday, January 21 to 11:59 pm on Sunday, January 22, 2017 (that's two thousand seventeen) the idea is to log 24 hours of reading...broken up however suits you best. There is an 'official' hashtag #24in48 to use on social media when you post updates, etc. Hopefully I'll remember.
'See' you then!
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Blow-by-Blow
Sat 21 Jan 0001 hrs -
Book List
1.
etc
My 2017 European Reading Challenge Sign-Up Post
The 2017 European Reading Challenge is hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader. Click the button to sign up and see other participants!
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LEVELS
FIVE STAR (DELUXE ENTOURAGE): Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.
FOUR STAR (HONEYMOONER): Read four qualifying books.THREE STAR (BUSINESS TRAVELER): Read three qualifying books.
TWO STAR (ADVENTURER): Read two qualifying books.
ONE STAR (PENSIONE WEEKENDER): Read just one qualifying book.
I'm going to go for the 3-star (Business Traveler) with three books.
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1. Unknown to History: a story of the captivity of Mary of Scotland by Charlotte Mary Yonge. (UK)
2. Altdorf: The Forest Knights by JK Swift (Switzerland)
3. Autumn in Verona by Holly Greene (Italy)
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Also sharing today with:
Thanks to Stephanie of Tynga's Reviews, Kathryn at Book Date, Ramona at Create With Joy and Janice at Mostly Blogging for hosting these respective link-ups! (Click on the buttons to go to the respective blogs.)
This puppy has been on my account since...(*serious face of shame*) August 13, 2013; but its 614 pages probably scared me. It was first published in 1882.
That reminds me, I need to buy some more coffee....
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Meet and Greet My First Book of 2017!
Janice at Mostly Blogging hosts a regular feature called the "Meet and Greet" which is a link-up to share what you blog about and to make new blogging friends. This week is the special "New Year's" edition, so be sure to click on the little button I made up there to go to the event!
Sheila at Book Journey hosts a "First Book of the Year" and "One Word" link-up every year, and guess what? That's right! You can join in either or both by clicking on the First Book banner above!
I wanted to have a new post to share for the Meet and Greet, and my email came up with the First Book link-up. I think it's kind of an 'unofficial' participation, because Sheila came up with this really cool photo collection of the participating bloggers and their first books! But, truth be told, that's really ok with me, because I'm terribly camera shy.
So, without further ado...
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SYNOPSIS
The People themselves dare to challenge the Old Ways of their heritage and each patriarch must choose a side. Nearly one hundred days have passed since the untimely death of Nellie Mae Fisher's beloved younger sister, Suzy, and Nellie dares again to dream of a future with handsome Caleb Yoder. But with rumors about Suzy still flying among the People, there are those who would keep the young courting couple apart including Caleb's own father.
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MEET THE AUTHOR
Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, has been an award-winning author for over a dozen years. Her acclaimed novel, The Preacher's Daughter, was a 2006 Quill Book Award finalist in the romance category. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Colorado.
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I've read one of the books in Beverly's "Abram's Daughters" series, and am delighted to return to her Amish fiction for my first book of 2017.
I suppose I'll also participate unofficially in the "One Word" meme as well. If I had to choose one word, it would be "Stretch". This would be good both physically and otherwise for me. Physical stretching is just a good idea all around anyway. On the flip side, I'm not one to often push my (psychological?) boundaries often and I want to change that.
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Monday, 2 January, 2017 - Stacking the Shelves (hosted at Tynga's Reviews); It's Monday, What Are You Reading (hosted at Book Date); Inspire Me Monday (hosted at Create With Joy); and another Inspire Me Monday (hosted at Mostly Blogging)
Tuesday, 3 January, 2017 - Teaser Tuesday (hosted at Books and a Beat); and First Chapter First Paragraph (hosted at Bibliophile by the Sea).
Thursday, 5 January, 2017 - Booknificent Thursday (hosted at Mommynificent); Thursday Favorite Things (hosted at Katherine's Corner).
Friday, 6 January, 2017 - Book Blogger Hop (hosted at Coffee-Addicted Writer); Friendship Friday (hosted at Create With Joy); Bloggers' Pit Stop (hosted at Mostly Blogging).
This 'forecasting' is something new I'm trying out, so the situation is highly fluid and likely to change at any time. :O)
OH! And lest I forget....HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017!
~~~oOo~~~
QUESTION
What will your first book read this New Years be and why did you choose it?
I chose "The Parting: The Courtship of Nellie Fischer" as my first book because I'm trying to stock my reading list with items from my TBR, and that little sucker has been on my e-reader since 7-20-2015! (And that is far from my 'oldest' book.) It will help me fulfill the Keywords Reading Challenge for 2017, the January keyword being "Part".
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