#armchairbea 2014 - More Than Just Words

Since my interactions with authors has been very few, I will concentrate on the second portion of this day's focus.

I have really enjoyed over the past few years listening to audiobooks.  Here are some that I have enjoyed:

• The Help by Kathryn Stockett: Its narrated by Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, Cassandra Campbell

The real gem is that Octavia Spencer does the audio for the same character that she won her Oscar for in the movie adaptation of the book and quite honestly I can't see anybody else doing the role of Minny.

• The Flavia DeLuce series: Narration by Jayne Entwistle.

Was turned onto the audiobooks through a blog that I follow and I haven't been disappointed.

• The Book Thief: Narration by Allan Corduner

The guy just sounds like he could be death himself.

• The Harry Potter series: Narration by Jim Dale

Probably the first audiobook that I listened to and loved it.

• The Hunger Games series: Narration by Carolyn McCormick

Love her voice.  I remember watching her on Law & Order as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet; great pacing.

Hope you can check out these amazing audiobooks! 

#armchairbea 2014 - Introduction & Literature

I am sorry I am really late with this; I was really tired and I couldn't get myself to do much other than watch some stuff I had recorded.  Better late than never.

Here are five questions that I have chosen from a list that the hosts of Armchair BEA have selected to ask:

1) Describe your blog in just one sentence. Then, list your social details -- Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. -- so we can connect more online.
My blog is bookish, with a bit of some of other aspects of my life.  You can find my blog on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jaynes-Books/175685312448957?ref=bookmarks

My main twitter account is @melissawiebe, but be forewarned that I talk more than books there as well.  I also cross post my Instagram photos there as well.

2) What genre do you read the most? I love to read because ___________________ .
I like to read a wide variety, but I seem to read more literary books more than anything.  I love to read because it allows me to places and times that I couldn't otherwise go to.

3) What was your favorite book read last year? What’s your favorite book so far this year?
I can't recall what my favourite book last year, but it probably was Dearie by Bob Spitz.  So far my favourite read this year is The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

4) Share your favorite book or reading related quote.
My absolute favourite book would have to be A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens, with Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson a very close second.

5)  What book would you love to see as a movie?
I would love to see Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson as a movie; such a great story.

Literature

When I think of literature, I think of something that talks about multiple issues on different levels and allows for different interpretations by different people.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 26)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a fun weekly meme that is hosted by Shelia at Book Journey, in which we share what we've read and reviewed and what we plan on reading in the coming week.

Books finished this week:
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Book reviews posted:
Still working on them; probably going to post a bunch of them by the weekend.

Books I hope to finish this week:
• A Clash of Kings
• While Beauty Slept

Books I hope to work on this week:
• His Majesty's Hope 
• Speaking from among the Bones
• The Goldfinch
• The Remains of the Day
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• War & Peace
• The Woman in White 

Happy reading! 

Malibox Monday (May 26)

Mailbox Monday is a place for readers to share the books that came into their homes during the past week.  After being hosted at a number of blogs over the past few years, it has gone back to its home base, the aptly named, Mailbox Monday.

Bought a couple of books since my last Mailbox Monday a couple of weeks ago; one I bought as a paper copy and another as an ebook:

Dances with Dragons I bought as a mass market paperback and The Girl Who Came Home I bought as an ebook.

Happy reading.

Write On Review-a-thon wrap-up post

I got four reviews write out, but not posted.  I mainly wrote on Friday, as I needed some books and I was a bit busy with some family stuff (it was good stuff) and so by the time I got home, I didn't have much time before going to the Saturday evening church service I attend.  I will hopefully continue to catch up with my book reviews this coming week, but I don't know how many I will get done due to being a bit busier than usual this coming week and needing to concentrate on some reading in the coming days.  I hope to post a couple of the reviews that I wrote out this week, but with Armchair BEA, I don't know; maybe I'll go to Starbucks on Friday evening and post my reviews.

I wrote reviews for Boxers & Saints, The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly and The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

I look forward to the next Write On Review-a-thon in about a months time.

Sunday Salon - Focused reading and Summer Reading

This past week, I have basically focused on three books.  And for some reason, I have felt a lot better about my reading progress and also a lot less stressed about what I need to be reading.  I think it has a lot to do with the weather.  The reason that I say that is because for some strange reason once the weather gets better, I seem to not read as many books at one time.  Whatever the reason maybe, I tend to read fewer books at one time, even though my side bar may not reflect that.

For many of us in Canada and the US, the summer season has unofficially started, even if the calendar doesn't really acknowledge it, through the long weekends that have spanned the last couple of week (last weekend was the Victoria Day long weekend in Canada).  And one can also tell that the summer season has unofficially started through the release of the summer movies this past weekend.

So that being the case, have you started going through your books to decide what you want to read this coming summer?  Anything that you have ordered/purchased that you are intending to read from?
This summer I am hoping to read Mrs. Hemmingway by Naomi Wood, The Vacationers by Emma Straub, Runaway and Dear Life by Alice Munro, my classics selection,  and some others that I will probably download onto my Kobo or pick up during the course of the summer.

I have been working on my reviews, but haven't posted them yet.  I am hoping sometime either later this week or next week that they will be posted.

Books finished this week but not reviewed:
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Books I hope to finish this week:
• While Beauty Slept
• A Clash of Kings

Happy reading and hopefully I'll be around next week.

#boutofbooks 10 Wrap-Up Post

It was a pretty good read-a-thon for me, even though at the start it was a bit slow for my liking; I seemed to pick up steam during the final two days and especially the final day.

I was able to finish 3 books and pretty close to 4 books during the week long read-a-thon (I finished The Fault in Our Stars on Monday afternoon).  I ended up reading about 216 pages on the final day, for a 7 day total of 919 pages read.  I was a little disappointed that I didn't reach my goal of reading 1,000 pages, but I was about 80 pages off.  Not too shabby.

I am looking forward to Bout of Books 11 and am planning what I will read during that time; maybe a good thick Margaret Atwood novel, maybe Cat's Eye or maybe The Handmaid's Tale?  Anyways, I will have something ready for me to read during that read-a-thon.  Hope to see you in August.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 19)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a fun weekly meme that is hosted by Shelia at Book Journey, in which we share what we've read and reviewed and what we plan on reading in the coming week.

Books finished this week:
• Frog Music by Emma Donoghue
• The Bear by Claire Cameron
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Books reviewed this week:
None

Books I hope to finish this week:
• The Fault in Our Stars
• When Beauty Sleeps (or is While Beauty Sleeps; my brain is mush)
• His Majesty's Hope

Books I hope to work on this week:
• The Fault in Our Stars
• When Beauty Sleeps (or is While Beauty Sleeps; my brain is mush)
• His Majesty's Hope
• The Remains of the Day
• A Clash of Kings
• Outlander
• Hoot
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• War & Peace
• The Woman in White

Happy Reading

Sunday Salon - Right now (5/18/2014)

Time: 10:21 am
Place: In the living room
Listening to: Nothing at the moment.
Eating: Just had some toast
Watching: an episode of The Big Bang Theory
Reading: Planning on reading A Clash of Kings and The Fault in Our Stars today
Making: Nothing
Planning: What I am going to do tomorrow (I have tomorrow off as well)
Feeling: A bit groggy
Loving: That the weather is looking better than it has been
Wanting: That my book reviews were up-to-date
Thinking: A bunch of stuff
Looking forward to: To doing a bunch of reading tomorrow

Books finished this week but not reviewed:
• Frog Music by Emma Donoghue
• The Bear by Claire Cameron
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Books I hope to finish this week:
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 

#boutofbooks Day 6 Update & Sign up for Write On Review-a-Thon

A bit more of a successful day, even though at first it didn't seem like it.  I started A Clash of Kings and was able to complete A Tale of Two Cities.  Sunday is looking like a big reading day, as I would like to get a bit more of A Clash of Kings completed and get a bunch completed from The Fault in Our Stars.  But this probably means that either my Sunday Salon post is very short or is delayed until late Sunday/early Monday or is postponed until the next week. 

I was able to get 128 pages read on Saturday, which ups my overall total to 703 and leaves me about 297 pages left to hit my overall page goal of reading 1000 pages by about this time tomorrow (Sunday). 

I have really enjoyed the chats with my fellow readers over on twitter at #boutofbooks and will miss chatting with them once this has ended, but I look forward to chatting with them starting on August 18 for Bout of Books 11! 

And if you haven't had a chance to catch up on your book reviews, Brianna @ The Book Vixen is hosting a Write On Review-a-Thon.  Whether you have one book review or a bunch that you have to write, this is the thing for you.  I will certainly be joining, as I have a whole bunch that I need to work on.  Till tomorrow.

#boutofbooks Day 5 Update

Even though I had a bit of a lull during the middle part of my day, it was a bit more successful than yesterday.  I was able to get a bit more into The Fault in Our Stars and I enjoyed what I read today and can see myself getting engrossed with the book.  I also got a bit more further in A Tale of Two Cities and I will try to finish it in the morning, after the chat, if I am up at that time.

I read about 103 pages, which isn't too bad, but I realized that I could have read a bit more.  I have read 574 pages since Monday and have about 426 till I hit my goal.  I can see if I read a bunch over Saturday and Sunday to hit it and I hope I can, especially with some not so great weather in the forecast over the next couple of days. Till tomorrow.

#boutofbooks Day 4 Progress

Considering that I forgot to bring my bus pass to the bus exchange this morning and had to drive instead and didn't really get to read on the way to and from work and falling asleep on the couch this afternoon and doing some grocery shopping,  getting 80 pages read is pretty good.

I started reading The Fault in Our Stars this afternoon and continued with A Tale of Two Cities.  The plan for tomorrow is continue with The Fault in Our Stars and to complete A Tale of Two Cities.  If I have time, I'll start reading A Clash of Kings, but I'll see how tired I am.

To date, I have read about 471 pages, which is 529 pages off where I want to end up.  Till this time tomorrow.

#boutofbooks Day 3 Progress

Wednesday was a bit busier than I anticipated and wasn't exactly able to do as much reading as I wanted, but I did read late and was reading until about 2 am, so was able to get some reading in that way.  I was also able to get some more reading done after I had come home from doing my library rounds, but due to having to make dinner for myself and feeling tired later on in the evening, I didn't get much done after chatting with some amazing people about books, etc.

I was able to finish reading The Bear in the wee hours of the morning and read a bit more of A Tale of Two Cities for day 3 total of 113 pages, which is down from what I read the previous two days, but considering I haven't been able to read much in the last couple of days.  I have a 3 day total of 391, giving me about 609 pages left to read.  I am hoping that the next few days I can get a bit more read, which I hope won't be too much of an issue.

Thursday is looking a lot less busy and I am anticipating getting a bit more done.

#boutofbooks Day 2 Progress

Thought that it might be a good time to do an update.  Considering the things that I had up today,  I did get a bunch of reading done today.  I was able to complete Frog Music and get a good portion of The Bear completed.

I read the remaining 44 pages from Frog Music and about 81 pages from The Bear, which came to about 125 pages for Day 2, with a two day total of about 278 pages read, which gives me about 722 pages left to read to achieve my readathon page goal.

Depending on how things go, I should be able to get more reading done.  I hope to finish The Bear and pick up A Tale of Two Cities again and possibly start reading The Fault in Our Stars.  Till tomorrow.

#boutofbooks Day 1 Progress

Being that its getting close to midnight, my eyes are getting a little tired, so the books will soon be put away and I'll be headed to bed soon.  It was a bit of a slow start today, but once I had dinner put away, I was able to sit down and read for a few hours, as I needed to do some cleaning.

I managed to read about 92 pages from Frog Music and 61 from The Bear, which amounted to about 153 pages of read material.  I also managed to get caught up on my podcasts this evening, including those that I listen to on Sundays.

I don't know how much I'll get completed Tuesday, as I have some more cleaning to do and I am busy in the evening, so I'll see how much I can get done.  Till tomorrow.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 12)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a fun weekly meme that is hosted by Shelia at Book Journey, in which we share what we've read and reviewed and what we plan on reading in the coming week.

Books finished this week:
• The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle 

Books reviewed this week:
None

Books I hope to finish this week:
• Frog Music
• The Bear

 Books I hope work on this week:

•  A Tale of Two Cities
•  Frog Music
•  The Fault in our Stars
•  The Bear
•  His Majesty's Hope
•  War & Peace
•  The Count of Monte Cristo
•  The Woman in White
•  Bittersweet 

These are books I am reading for the Bout of Books readathon.  There is still some time to join (you have until sometime Monday to post your goals) and if you wish to join, you can do so here.