Earnestly Seeking Edward

"Come on girls...

Do you believe in LOVE?

Well I've got something to say about it...

...and it goes something like this...."

Happy Friday to you!

(or whatever day you happen to be reading this)

Yep, you read the opening right....words straight from Madonna's infamous song "Express Yourself", or as many might recall it more recently from Glee's 'Power of Madonna' episode (definitely a fun one)...and perfect for today's post in more ways than one.

First, the song's TITLE...a perfect fit for blogs.

Expressing yourself is what they are all about.  Whatever topic you choose to feature or discuss is purely up to you, the blogger.  No one else pulls the strings.  There are no hidden agendas, just whatever you put forth. 

Second, the SUBJECT of the song in relation to love.

This week marked a significant event for many TwiHard fans round the world (*cough* GUILTY *couch*)...the release of the latest movie, Eclipse.  One movie marathon (so much fun) and midnight premiere (definitely the best of the three so far) later, it got this fan to thinking....where's my Edward?  (Sorry Team Jacob fans but this post is focusing more on the team I "vote" for...no offense meant....)

Okay, before you start calling for the guys in the little white jackets with the butterfly nets, let me explain.  I know the Twilight world is based in literature, that is to say, it's not real in an oh-my-run-from-the-red-eyed-vamps sort of way.  The characteristics however, the ones that readers and watchers respond to in the characters themselves (oh admit it...that's part of the draw...the characters and the bonds, or um, relationships, they form pull you into the story)....THOSE are real.  Finding the right mix of them in an actual person may be a bit harder, but it doesn't mean it's impossible (or at least one would hope not).  Let's review...

------------------------------------------

Edward 101:  Truth Behind the Fiction

He would do anything for her.

(That's not to say that if she said jump off a bridge that he would do it, but if it was within his power he'd do his best.)

He loved her beyond compare.

(She was his treasure...his eyes never wandered for another.)

He accepted her need for independence.

(Together time is great, and sharing decisions can be as well, but the chance to do things on her own when needed, though not his first choice, made her happy....and that was what mattered to him.)

He respected her opinion.

(None of those one sided conversations with little to no participation from the other party.  He listened *gasp* and responded!)

He accepted her for who she was and who she wanted to be.

(In fact, when she wanted to change, in this case become a vampire, he tried to dissuade her not because he didn't want her to to something she wanted to do, but because he didn't want her to change for him.)

He protected her from harm.

(Though not everything could be stopped, he tried to end the bigger issues before they would affect her.)

---------------------------------------

So you see....it's not really impossible traits that this particular literary character boils down to.  It's more a matter of finding the "complete package" that begs the seeker to take their time.  If you've already found your "Edward", congratulations!  Cherish the moments.  If you are one of my single-still-seeking friends, no worries!  This boat is shared in good company and you know...there's someone out there earnestly seeking you too....

The comments are open...feel free to share your thoughts!

Also, a quick reminder...one of the two contests currently running on the site ending this weekend so get your entries in before it's too late!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For all of you heading to the theaters this weekend, enjoy the movie!

If not...have a great weekend anyhow.

Until next time....happy reading!

Food for Thought

Hi there everyone!

I haven't done one of these posts for a bit, but felt the urgent need to after witnessing a case in point the other day.  A customer walks into our local bookstore and asks the customer service person if they have such-and-such DVD.  The clerk explained that the only ones in store were a few of the newer releases and some in the clearance section, but a larger selection would be available online.   Said customer shook their head and walked off muttering how they couldn't believe they didn't carry more DVD's.  So this exchange made me wonder....

Honestly, when did a bookstore become [insert your favorite mass merchandise store here]?  It's a bookstore, hence the name and so it should be expected to carry books.  Why do some expect them to be one stop entertainment fullfilment stores?  I mean I don't go to the gas station and expect to pick up groceries for the next week, nor do I go to FYE for my book buying needs.  These places (and many more) fill a niche in society.  They provide places where specific services or items are available.  If they happen to have some additional things you weren't expecting, GREAT!  More power to them!  If they don't, there's no need to be upset, after all....you can find what they readily advertise (bookstore = books), you just assumed they would carry something more and we all know what happens when you assume....

What are your thoughts?  Do you go to the bookstore expecting to pick up the newest release as well as your music, DVD's, and more?  Do you find it more convenient or less?  Which do you prefer...one stop shops, or stores that center on a particular type of item?  The comments are open, let the conversation flow.....

Food for Thought: Books-to-Movies, Part Deux

Hi there!  *~waves~*  Welcome back and thanks for stopping by....now it's time to pick your brain...

I rather enjoyed our last 'Food for Thought' session...we had some really good give and take regarding the book cover re-do's.  To take our books-to-movies discussion a bit further, today I am posing two questions to you....(Here goes...are you ready?)

This post in particular as well as the tag team of questions came about after a recent review went live on my site.  Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane was just released as a movie, but many people did not know that it was actually based on a book.  I myself, hadn't heard of it until I saw the movie trailer several months back, but once I did, I had to have it. 

(Part 1)

That being said...the question begs to be asked...which came first, the book or the movie?  Now I'm not talking about into existance....more often than not the book is first.  I mean, how did YOU hear about it first?  Which do you find you run into more...the case where you've read the book and TADA, a movie is now being made?  Or do the movie advertisements spark your curiousity about a book that has been out for several years?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Part 2)

Since I've never been one to simply stop being curious about something after one question has been answered....here is another one for you to ponder.  Has there ever been a movie that you've seen first only to have wished that you'd have read the book first?  Or perhaps there's a book that you've read, then gone to see the movie only to have it pale in comparison?  As much as we love the written word, perhaps it is our bookish love that diminishes the film in our eyes.  (Confused?  Hang on...)  I will give you two examples from my own experiences....

Example 1:  Book First, Movie Second
Let's take a look at the Harry Potter series as a whole.  The movies only include so much and so without many of the added details that were dropped on the cutting room floor, the enchantment is never quite complete; on many occasions, one simply has to accept things without valid explanations.  That's not to say I didn't enjoy them immensely, but without the missing details, some thing simply wouldn't have made as much sense.  (Follow me?  Alrighty...time for round 2...)

Example 2:  Movie First, Book Second
We'll go with an even more recent example...Shutter Island.  Let me start by saying, I thoroughly enjoyed the book....however I may have had a higher opinion of the movie had I not read it first.  The movie was good overall and stuck mostly to the book....but there were a few things put one way or the other, or even taken completely out.  They cut corners leaving out many of the things that molded the story.  (For those that have read the book, I speak of the LAW OF FOUR, the escape attempt, and the final closing scene.)  I mean the ending, there's something added in the movie that leaves a far different conclusion to be imagined.  Was it a good addition?  It would work....had not the book ended on a clearer note.


So, I leave it to you, fellow readers.  What have you to say on the subject presented?  The comments are open and waiting for your thoughts...


Until next time....happy reading!

Food for Thought

Hello again, everyone!  Thank you for stopping by and taking a moment to grace my site with your presence.  (What's that?  No, I'm not sucking up....just saying thank you.)  One quick thing to note before I fully break into my own ramblings...Peter over at Flashlight Worthy Book Recommendations is looking for your input.  If you have a moment during your daily wanderings, stop by his site and check out the lists he currently has up.  If you have any suggestions for a new list or books that should be added to existing ones, etc, etc, etc.....send him an email.....he'll be glad you did!  (Well, especially since he's asking for your help....it would be awfully odd to not be glad for the suggestions after that...anywho..moving on...)

Today's post is that once-in-a-while fabulous feature that turns up when I've got something to say or discuss.  More often than not, it is book related, and this one falls right in that category as well.  It's time for another rousing round of 'Food for Thought'!  (insert applause here)

It has been noted that a picture can say a thousand words.  In the case of a book cover, it is often those very silent words it is trying to convey that capture your interest or place it in the walk-on-by pile.  We all know the role a good cover, title, and font play in that intial attraction to a book.  We've seen the discussion throughout the blogosphere in regards to US versus UK covers, etc.  The question I pose to you today is this...

Does a picture of a celebrity "make" a cover for you?  If given the choice (and prices were the same), do you go for the classic/original cover or the made-for-movie makeover version?  Here are a few examples for you to consider....

So I ask YOU, fellow readers....what is your preference?  In general?  How about in regards to the titles I've shown above?  Feel free to share your thoughts and let's see where the cover love lies....

Food For Thought

Hello again, everyone!  Today marks the return of a feature I post once in a blue moon (hey, is the moon blue?  **looks at sky** Nope...oh well...), but it seemed fitting for the post.  It's all about inspiration and dreams. 

The picture you see (or maybe don't...I took it with my cell camera...in a moving car....from a distance....there is only so much enhancing I can do here people...) above a few days ago.  It was just a passing mere curiousity that I happened upon while waiting in morning traffic on my daily commute.  What is it?  Well, apparantly the back side of this public transportation vehicle needed a little cleaning and in lieu of doing so, someone turned the dusty canvas into a mobile work of art!  The drawing you see on the right is my own rendition of what was created by the original artist (not as good, but since the picture is not "all that" it helps with the visual).

Now you may be asking, "why would I want to see this?"  ...and with good reason.  No, I have not lost my mind or anything else drastic as that....I simply wanted to share what an anonymous someone chose to do with a random talent that they possess.  If they can make simple artwork on this awkward canvas, how far are they truly from practicing their art form if given the means and the time?

Today's food for thought goes to all the dreamers...and so the question posed is this.  If given the right opportunity, what would your dream course be for your life (professionally or personally, it matters not)?  Feel free to share in the comment section....who knows....putting the thought out there may be one more step in the right direction for you!

Until next time....happy reading!

Food for Thought

At Lynyrd Skynyrd concert, watching the effects of alcohol on older generations. One word...scary. MORE LATER....

*UPDATE*  11/15/09
Hello!  Here is the "more later" update....yes, you read correctly.  I went to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert and I must say it was a rather "interesting" experience.  First off, let me say that I discovered apart from "Freebird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" (as well as a some called something like "that smell"...which I heard once in passing and really wish I could forget...), I know absolutely zero percent more of their catalogue of music.  Really it's not such a bad thing since I was really treating my parents to the "performance".  Second, Southern Rock, as they are classified, is really an acquired test....apparantly not my own either.  Cie la vie...I'll chalk it up to an experience none the less and can say I did see a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group live and in living color.  (Okay, not the only one I've seen.....my concert adventures include groups ranging from Aerosmith to NSYNC to Sister Hazel and so on....loads of fun!)

The experience portion of night was really in the people watching.  The crowd consisted of a split demographic...some teens, and then more long time fans.  Surprisingly, the non-teens were the more interesting "entertainment"....although I think (no, I HOPE) that the alcoholic beverages were to blame.  I mean seriously, if not for adverting my eyes, I fear my retinas would have been burned permanently with the images.  So as not to scar potential readers of this post, I will only vaguely allude to the two older gents clearly three sheets to the wind that proceeded to dance with abandonment....one with his wife (presumedly) and the other with a chair.  Yep....just let your imaginiation ruminate on that for a few minutes....then DELETE.

All in all, still have a decent time.  The opening act was a group called Blackberry Smoke (again, not my cup of tea....definitely went with the main act's style in both looks and sound).  The second group was Rev Theory....from what I could hear (anyone of you that has been to a concert knows exactly what I mean here) sounded pretty good, although they were more Rock or Hard Rock as opposed to the featured style.  Several hour drive later and I landed on my home "planet" and proceeded to sleep for many hours to come....and there is my excuse for lack of blog updates.  Sorry about that!  I did manage to get some reading in though, one book will be stopping by the blog on a virtual tour later this month (thus a review will be on hold til then) and a couple more will be hitting the site in the next day or so.  Thanks for sticking with me and ...

Until next time....happy reading!

Food for Thought: National Bookstore Day

Hi there! *~*waving*~* Welcome to a special Saturday (well, here at least) edition of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  Why is it special?  For many reasons, indeed.  First and foremost, if you are reading this the day it posts (so saying today would have been easier, but I liked the roundabout way for this sentence), then YOU are a true follower!  (I *heart* you!)  No links have been sent out (at least not until tomorrow or Monday)...no tweets about the NEW POST.  Nope.  You came here just to read the new topic or review of your own accord.  (Big smile on my face right now....BIG smile.)  Secondly, the topic that we are shining the spotlight on today hits near and dear to every book bloggers heart....for it's....

Don't you just love a day dedicated to the celebration of bookstores and their diversity?  Publisher's Weekly has a great little article posted regarding the event, but it basically boils down to this... The event was created to aid in the promotion of bookstores across the country to draw new customers in. 

Now you and I do this on an almost daily basis.  Between book blogs (like this one), Twitter book chats, visiting author sites, seeking out publisher sites, etc, etc....the online community is definitely a good assistant to help build that push some readers need.  We are not trying to sell the book, only share our thoughts, opinions and experiences.  If that helps the sales increase for that book, so be it....it's just a natural result of someone's interest being peaked by another's opinion.  That's sometimes how the best ideas are spawned!  The power of creativity is sparked when the readers interest is engaged....so while you are out and about today, why not stop by your bookstore and celebrate with a new addition to your TBR list!

(Although I have quite a few in waiting, I probably will too....bad Insatiable Reader, BAD.)

Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!

Until next time....happy reading!

Food for Thought: Freekibble HI-5 Event

Wow, it's been a while since I've done a Food for Thought post...sorry about that!  So many books to talk about, the more topic driven features sometimes fall by the wayside.  Not to worry, we have a great one for you today!  The feature of today's post is a wonderful site I stumbled across through Twitter (gotta love those tweets).  They're work is for a great cause any day of the week, but TODAY ONLY they are having an extra special event, thus the spolight is all for them.  What site do I mean?  Why... FreeKibble of course!

This site offers you the chance to answer a trivia question every day!  The result of your answer submission is that they donate 10 pieces of kibble.  It may not sound like a lot, but it does add up!  They currently have 13 shelters on their monthly donation list and has also made several large one-time donations to other shelters in need!  (Psst:  A little insider's secret...even if you don't get the answer right, they still donate the kibble for your attempt.  Some of the questions are really fun and informative, so give it your best shot!)

The special event I alluded to earlier is going on TODAY ONLY!

For every visitor that plays Bow-Wow Trivia today, your daily donation of kibble will be multiplied by 5!  (That's 50 pieces from one little trivia question!)

The event is being sponsored by Halo, Purely for Pets so why not take a moment out of your busy day to help feed some of the many homeless dogs across America...and have a little fun too!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One more thing...they also have Meow Trivia that works the same way on a daily basis, although they are not in on the special event.  Feel free to visit this portion of the site as well and help donate kibble to some hungry meow-ths!

Until next time....happy reading!

Food for Thought: Twitter Etiquette?

Hi there everyone!  I hope you enjoyed the Bear-ly There Book Tour yesterday...remember that the contest drawing is not until the end of the month, so feel free to enter through the 30th!  On to other things...today's post is 'Food for Thought' for many reasons.  First of all, I haven't done one for a bit and I am a creature of habit to a certain extend.  If I like something, I tend to do once, wait a bit and then repeat! (Now I have a desire to wash my hair for some reason...) My second reason has to do with the sudden urgency to spew (gross word, I know, but it gets the point across) a bit regarding a recent tweet I received.  (Don't worry, the Tweeter will remain nameless to all of you....I'm not THAT peeved....)

While going about my daily Twitter activities of tweeting, and retweeting, I swapped over to my "@ME" messages to discover one from a "newbie" follower.  To repeat (*COUGH*retweet*COUGH) it without an actual quote, it's message was simply that I had too many contest tweets and retweets so they were "un-following" me.  (PAUSE.....just giving you time to let that sink in..)  After my I was certain my eyes weren't deceiving me (I mean I have glasses, but this made me think I had someone else's), I stopped to consider their "complaint". 

Twitter was created for (okay, if not created for, then used for at the very least) social networking and more recently "business" networking.  If one doesn't tweet, one can not participate.  If one sees an AWESOME tweet about whatever it may be without sharing a re-tweet, than that flow of information has been cut short.  I don't care if it's about a new book (do I really DO care...that's not what I meant...keep reading), your recent trip to the movies, or your new puppy (love puppies...want to pet and hug and oh, wait, I've off track again...), it's up to me whether I read it, pass it along, or ignore it all together. 

Bottom line...you choose who you follow.  I don't mean to sound mean, or haughty or whatever other word you would like to insert here, but Twitter leaves the following up to the user for a reason.  I'm sorry (not really...well maybe a little) if you just click on people randomly to follow and then aren't interested in the conversations they have.  Personally (as I've posted before), when I receive a "SO&SO is following you" email, I LOOK at their page.  If I honestly have no interest in reading their tweets, I'm sorry...I just don't follow.  They are welcome to follow me (unless you are a spammer or nudie link sender, then I block you with my ninja power....okay, okay..I click the button).  My tweets are pretty much in two areas...books and friendly chats.  If those happen to include a few contests (who doesn't like contests?) and/or retweets to help spread the word on things I feel passionate about, so be it.  That's my choice.... (Whew!  Done ranting now...well, almost...)

COMMENT CREATOR
I would like to open this topic up to YOU, the readers of this blog.  What are your thoughts on the whole Twitter phenomenon?  Love it?  Hate it?  Follow all, none, or somewhere in-between?  Is there a limit to what you will "allow" when you follow someone?  Thoughts, comments, feedback...bring on the friendly discussion of this rather interesting (in my opinion) "debate".....


Until next time....happy reading! (Retweet!) (sorry, I couldn't resist)

Food for Thought: FTC and the "Blogger Law"

Good evening, everyone!  (or morning, depending on where and when you are reading this post)  Sorry for the latest of another update....had to take care of business and settle some of the remaining pieces with last week's accident.  No worries, it's all falling into place...but enough with my excuses, let's move on to the topic of THIS entry.

Earlier this week, we in the blogging world received slightly disturbing news.  It seems that the FTC (Federal Trade Commision) has just passed a law that mandates all bloggers must clearly post any "payment" they receive in relation to a post or review.  Long story short, most blogger sites I visit already include a line (at the very least) in their post stating where they obtained the book they are reviewing.  It's just a common courtesy to show our appreciation to whomever helped that title come our way. 

So why am I posting a "Food for Thought" about this when it seems so cut and dry?  (Good question...here's your answer...)  Although I don't have an issue with listing this information (I always have and would....), the question I pose is this.....in the past, this info was merely a line within a blog post.  You read it and moved on.  Now that SO much attention is being brought to it, will that change how YOU interpret the review?  I mean, if you see that the blogger received the book as a "courtesy" (free), are you more inclined to believe that the post is truly their opinion?  Or will you write it off if it's purely in the books favor?

Consider this opinion to your thoughts and opinions....let's see what YOU've got to say!

Food for Thought: Banned Books Week

Hello there everyone!  Sorry for the lapse in posts, had a bit of a family emergency.  Parents were in a car accident Tuesday evening and was pretty much at the hospital til the next morning (i.e. no computer + no brain power = no post!).  THANKFULLY, everyone is okay for the most part.  The car, not such much (ended up on it's roof!)  Scary situation, but moving through and moving on.

Today's Food for Thought post (which was going to be yesterday's....darn my neediness to sleep, still trying to work on that...) is in celebration of Banned Books Week.  What's that you ask?  Why only another great reason to celebrate the fact that we can choose what we read even if the educational system or libraries try to "censor" those that raise a multitude of questions! (*~*happy dance*~*)  Haven't heard of this before...you're not the only one!  Take a look at this "Understanding the Issue" segment from the Random House site:  

UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES
Talking about censorship and specific book challenges is important for adults and young readers alike, whether in a book group setting at a library or bookstore or in a classroom. When beginning any discussion on censorship issues, it is a good idea to be familiar with the terminology and issues:

What is censorship?
Censorship is the suppression of ideas and information that certain persons—individuals, groups or government officials—find objectionable or dangerous.

What is the difference between a Challenge and a Banning?
A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove materials from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.

What is Intellectual Freedom?
Intellectual Freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored.

Why are books challenged?
Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information. Censorship can be subtle, almost imperceptible, as well as blatant and overt, but nonetheless, harmful.

—The American Library Association

Pretty extreme, huh?  In hearing about this celebration (yes, this was the first time I was exposed to this "official" event as well), I of course had to see what books were at the top of these lists.  It turns out yours truly is a bit of a rebel when it comes to my reading habits.  Out of the lists I've briefly scanned, I've read a fair amount of those either "challenged" or "banned".  (Yup, that's me...the reader without a cause....)  Some of those titles include:

• Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
• Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
• The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
• Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• Cradle and All by James Patterson
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Leis Carroll
• Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

I was amazed by some of the titles listed and the reasons given for their making the list.....I read most of these in grade school and I went to a private school!  (Let's just say they are fairly strict...)  Take a look at the list and see for yourself.  (Random House list, Public Library List)

COMMENT CREATOR
In celebration of this amazing week, I pose this question to you.....of the title shown on the list, how many have you read?  Which one was your favorite and why?  (Leave your response in the comments to share!) For a bonus personal challenge, choose one to read over the weekend and show the world that little rebel in YOU!

Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!
Until next time....happy reading!

Food for Thought

Hello, cyberspace...or more properly...reader from cyberspace!  Welcome to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  We've had a few more visitors as of late thanks to our friend over at Ink and Paper. (Check out Jo's site for some great fantasy book reviews!) It's amazing what a little exposure will do!  Anywho, back to the blog....today's Food for Thought post came to me as if in a dream.  There was mist and clouds and .... okay, so I really found it while browsing the web. (gheesh!  You always have to call my bluff!)  The site to see is....

Yes!  It's another book site!  (What were you expecting?  Livestock?  Silly readers...)  The site of the day is DailyLit.  Now you may be asking what this site has that all the others don't?  Well I really can't say...honestly I haven't seen ALL the other sites!  However, of the ones I have visited, I did find there main key feature pretty nifty.  You can not only create lists of books for reminders and to share, but you can also subscribe to their book postings! 

Each day (depending on your settings) they will email you (or you can use the RSS feed...hmmm, I may try switching to that one....) a small segment of the books you choose in sequential order.  (I know it'd be fun to try to sort out the chapters, but really this is for reading value not just to satisfy your love of puzzles.) Sound pretty cool, right?  THAT's NOT ALL! You can also post a blog roll (i.e. check out my sidebar on the right) that shows your books subscribed to and where you are in regards to the segments sent. 

Most of the books are classics and are FREE to read, both of which make them pretty high on my list, but if you prefer this method and long for something a bit more current, there is a paid service as well.  Give a it a try!  What do you have to lose?  (*crickets chirping**crickets chirping**)  Uh-huh, that's what I thought. 
Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!
Until next time....happy reading!

Food For Thought

Hello! It's me again! I've gotten fond of writing to everyone so soon that I figured I'd add another post for the week...the fabulous 'Food For Thought'. This week's entry is going to focus on a new website I discovered (thanks to the folks at MySavings) while going through my email. The site we are focusing on today is WEBS.

Technically they've been around since 2001 (according to their website), but this is the first time I've heard of them (well, I am new to this...). The site allows users to create and maintain their own website for FREE! (there are paid options as well, but my focus will be on the freebies!) I was amazed at the ease of set up! I mean, yes it took me the better part of a day, and yes I will still be tweaking it from time to time to get things just right, but the actual creation is simple! (Where's Bubbles? I'm sure he could even do it!) The basic starting point gives you a home page, about me, blog, and photo gallery. You can add, subtract, hide, or show almost anything form there! The only downside I found at this point is the site can be a little slow when updating the page elements and not every widget will work (found that when trying to put my bookshelf on it), but it's still A-OK in my book! Check it out! Start creating your site today! (and don't forget to post a comment with the link!)

If you'd like to see what's going on over at my webs site, check out Satisfaction for the Insatiable Reader , site 2! Explore the MENU, MEET THE CHEF (that's me), read the MAIN COURSE, have a sweets break with DESSERT, become a DINER, and join in the AFTER DINNER PARTY! (Yes, I did go there and use my blog name to theme the page titles! ) =0)

Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!

Until next time....happy reading!

Food for Thought

Ahhh....the world of books. On the shelf, they call to you (figuratively), whispering echos of the tales they could tell. In your hands, they hold a magical adventure just waiting to be experienced by you, the reader. The turn of a page may have you face to face with your wildest dreams.....or your darkest nightmares. Their enchantment does not lessen with time, but grows as it makes a place in your heart and mind. To think, so many can read the same book, and yet walk away with entirely different experiences....the true wonder of the written word.

Today's 'Food for Thought' post will highlight a new site I stumbled across on my daily internet travels. The site is called Young Adult Book Central. As can be guessed from the site name, they mainly deal with books in the Young Adults and Children genres. This includes many of the recent stars featured on this blog such as Twilight, Harry Potter, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and much much more.

The site itself was created by author Kimberly Pauley...she penned the novel entitled 'Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, teen vampire (maybe)'. It started out back in the day as a pit stop for those looking for new books and was developed over time into the blossom we see today. There are book reviews from actual professional book reviewers, as well as those from readers like us. One of the best features I have to make mention of is the opportunity not only to share your review, but win books as well! How? Well, she does a much better job of explaining the four options available on the site, but the easiest by far (and less chancey) is to submit 15 reviews. For every 15, you get to choose a book off of the Prize Bucket list. These aren't just random novels you've never heard of though....they come from the advanced reader copies she receives, donations from authors, as well an unclaimed prizes from past contests. A few titles currently mentioned include 'The Year of the Dog', 'Fabulous Terrible: The First : The Adventures of You ', and 'Oliver Nocturne'.

I don't know about you, but I am more than happy to share my opinions with others in this arena...the option of getting a free book just makes it that much more appealing.

Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!
Until next time...happy reading!

Food for Thought

In light of the upcoming holiday (Happy Independence Day!), I decided to turn the blog posting of the day over to a good cause. Don't worry...you won't be inundated with SPAM messages or anything as I speak from experience on using the site I am about to recommend. Just click on the logo below, it's as simple as that....

I know what you're thinking...what good is that going to do? Well, I will tell you...patience is a virtue! No, seriously...this site, along with the family of sites connected to it, allows web visitors to click on the "Click to Give - It's FREE" button and add your support to their endeavor. Their goal is to provide books to those not as able to afford them. The sponsors of the site pay for the books, all you have to do is CLICK. Want to help donate an added bonus? Check out their merchandise. A portion of all purchases made in their store also go to this fantastic cause.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Help support this amazing cause today and share the joy of reading with the future of tomorrow.

Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!

Until next time...happy reading!

Food for Thought

It's that time again....the days are long, the weather's nice, and you'd love nothing more than to curl up with a good book in your favorite reading spot enjoying uninterrupted "me" time. Ahhh... Alas, this occurs more often in dreams than life, but make the time to live out your dreams. If you don't, who will?





You may have guessed from the above paragraph (or perhaps the title of this entry?) that this is your weekly installment of "Food for Thought"! My mind has been wandering recently to the great outdoors....of which I seldom see unless it is already dark out and the mosquitoes are trying to carry you away. Yes...Florida. Land of sun, sand, and nature. They forget to mention in the travel brochures that the sun is generally liquid or turned up to 1000 degrees, the sand is hard to come by as the beach is covered with hotels, and nature contains more than the fuzzy creatures of Disney films as the lovely mosquito tends to vacation here as well. Go figure. But I digress...home is where the heart is and what you make of it....and bug repellent is very handy!


On to the REAL topic of the day...another site has crossed my path recently that I would like to draw your attention to. It is simply called the Book Army. Once you are signed up for a free membership, you are able to customize your profile so that book recommendations are given to you based not only on your past reads, but future ones as well. You can vote for your favorite titles and authors. Reader reviews are welcome. You can submit your recommendations to the site for book suggestions based off specific titles or authors. There are groups to discuss books, polls and quizzes added by other users, contests to win books, and "friends" you can add that share your tastes. The amount of user input the site allows is refreshing. Although it is a newbie site (it's still in the beta testing phases), they have many of the titles from today and yesterday in their database. Take a look and see for yourself....


Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!
Until next time...happy reading!

Food for Thought

A new addition to my blog...I'll call it Food for Thought. Why? Because I choose to! Just kidding! No, this spot will appear about once a week (or so) to afford a space for random wanderings of the mind as well as suggestions for additional sites, books, or whatever else happens to pop up along the way. So, off on my first wander...

On this "trip", let's visit a newly discovered site called Book Daily. This site was recently emailed to me and is toted as having "book samples for book lovers". Now, I for one am definitely a book lover and so I did not hesitate to click over right away. It's actually a fairly decent concept. You have a virtual bookshelf that allows you to add any title they have on their site for your viewing pleasure. Each day, they will email you the first chapter from the top item on your shelf, thus allowing for semi-random reading on a whim! If you are dying to read it right now, you can also peruse the same said chapter right on their site. Pretty cool, right?

I know what you're thinking...all of the books are either really old or something that no one has ever heard of. Incorrect! They have most of the latest titles as well as old favorites. Stephenie Meyer, James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell, Charlaine Harris, John Sanford....shall I keep going? Just try looking something up or browsing by genre...you are sure to fill your shelf fast. I sure did. (I think I have about 70 on there right now....and growing.)

Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!
Until next time...happy reading!