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Online Book Club starts a new book today

Welcome Online Book Club,

Today we start a new book in our online book club, Find The Treasure. Our focus is on uplifting books and this book is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

To join our discussion, please click on the page tab on the right: Find the Treasure – Online Book Forum, and then click on “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”

or just click on this link https://books-treasureortrash.com/find-the-treasure/?mingleforumaction=viewforum&f=2.0

 We hope you join us on this journey of discovery.

Product Description from Amazon

From Amazon

Mark Haddon’s bitterly funny first novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, is a murder mystery of sorts–one told by an autistic version of Adrian Mole. Christopher John Francis Boone is a 15-year-old boy, mathematically gifted and socially hopeless, raised in a working-class home by parents who can barely cope with their child’s quirks. He takes everything that he sees (or is told) at face value, and is unable to sort out the strange behaviour of his elders and peers.Late one night, Christopher comes across his neighbour’s poodle, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork. Wellington’s owner finds him cradling her dead dog in his arms, and has him arrested. After spending a night in jail, Christopher resolves–against the objection of his father and neighbours–to discover just who has murdered Wellington. He is encouraged by Siobhan, a social worker at his school, to write a book about his investigations, and the result–quirkily illustrated, with each chapter given its own prime number–is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.Haddon’s novel is a startling performance. This is the sort of book that could turn condescending, or exploitative, or overly sentimental, or grossly tasteless very easily, but Haddon navigates those dangers with a sureness of touch that is extremely rare among first-time novelists. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is original, clever, and genuinely moving: this one is a must-read. –Jack Illingworth –This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Christopher Boone, the autistic 15-year-old narrator of this revelatory novel, relaxes by groaning and doing math problems in his head, eats red-but not yellow or brown-foods and screams when he is touched. Strange as he may seem, other people are far more of a conundrum to him, for he lacks the intuitive “theory of mind” by which most of us sense what’s going on in other people’s heads. When his neighbor’s poodle is killed and Christopher is falsely accused of the crime, he decides that he will take a page from Sherlock Holmes (one of his favorite characters) and track down the killer. As the mystery leads him to the secrets of his parents’ broken marriage and then into an odyssey to find his place in the world, he must fall back on deductive logic to navigate the emotional complexities of a social world that remains a closed book to him. In the hands of first-time novelist Haddon, Christopher is a fascinating case study and, above all, a sympathetic boy: not closed off, as the stereotype would have it, but too open-overwhelmed by sensations, bereft of the filters through which normal people screen their surroundings. Christopher can only make sense of the chaos of stimuli by imposing arbitrary patterns (“4 yellow cars in a row made it a Black Day, which is a day when I don’t speak to anyone and sit on my own reading books and don’t eat my lunch and Take No Risks”). His literal-minded observations make for a kind of poetic sensibility and a poignant evocation of character. Though Christopher insists, “This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them,” the novel brims with touching, ironic humor. The result is an eye-opening work in a unique and compelling literary voice.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. –This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Online Book Club Starts Today

Welcome all,

Today we start our new online book club, Find The Treasure. Our focus is on uplifting books and our first book is Where We Belong by Emily Giffin

 

To join our discussion, please click on the page tab on the right: Find the Treasure – Online Book Forum, and then click on “Where We Belong”

 

The first line reads “I know what they say about secrets.” The little I know about this book revolves around secrets, and this first line really sums it up and grabs the readers interest.  I am anxious to keep reading, to find out what happens next, and to see where this story is going to end.

We hope you join us on this journey of discovery.

Here are some editorial reviews as posted in Amazon

Editorial Reviews

 “In another surefire hit, [Giffin] serves up pathos, humor, and one doozy of a twist.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Sharply drawn characters and finely honed sensibility add up to a story that’s as bittersweet as an August evening.” —Family Circle

“Book clubs will have a field day with this one. Thorny mother-daughter relationships and secrets we keep from loved ones burn up the pages.” —USA Today

“After five charming relationship-themed hits, Emily Giffin had a lot to live up to with WHERE WE BELONG. Luckily, the author executes with a thoughtful finesse that makes this easily her best work yet. [WHERE WE BELONG] is that special type of story that takes priority over getting to bed on time. And the payoff is well worth it.” —Boston Globe

“Emily Giffin ranks as a grand master. Over the course of five best-selling novels, she has traversed the slippery slopes of true love, lost love, marriage, motherhood, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption that have led her to be called ‘a modern-day Jane Austen.’ With Giffin’s use of humor, honesty, originality and, like Austen, a biting social commentary, this modern-day ‘woman’s novel’ sits easily on nightstands and in beach bags. Even Austen would find it hard to put down.” —Chicago Sun-Times

“Emily Giffin’s new novel about the legacy of adoption, WHERE WE BELONG, imagines what happens when an 18-year-old girl tracks down her birth mother…the latest in a string of provocative, imaginative novels that began in 2004 with SOMETHING BORROWED. All the characters [here] are on a journey to find ‘where we belong,’ and Giffin knits together their journeys with a masterly hand.” —Seattle Times

“Emily Giffin’s WHERE WE BELONG is a literary Rorschach test. The book, while thoroughly entertaining, will also prod readers to examine choices they’ve made in their lives. It will compel them to muse about things they’d like to do over, to do differently, to do better…[and] gracefully examines themes of identity, family and forgiveness.” —Miami Herald

“Emily Giffin has a wonderful way with words. [WHERE WE BELONG] is an emotionally powerful story that will ring true with women who have given a child away and with those who grew up wondering where they came from. Giffin may be working with a premise and plot that is fairly simple, but there’s nothing lightweight about the emotional turbulence she creates.” —Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

“[Giffin] shows that real love is messy but meaningful in this delicious, easygoing read.” —American Way

“[Giffin’s] novels present tough moral dilemmas all related to love. And her latest, WHERE WE BELONG, is no exception and perhaps her best yet…It’s a classic Giffin tale, nuanced and messy and utterly addictive, with fully fleshed-out characters who face morally ambiguous choices that aren’t resolved in neat bows.” —Austin American-Statesman

“A breezy, yet compelling read.” —Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Emily Giffin is back with another must-read summer novel!” —Harper’s Bazaar

“The next must-read book of the summer!” —Star

“WHERE WE BELONG is too suspenseful to be called chick lit and too relationship-centered to be labeled a thriller. But most readers will have little time to think of a genre for Emily Giffin’s latest novel as they race through this gripping story about the reunion of a high school senior and the woman who put her up for adoption 18 years earlier.” —Connecticut Post

“Giffin has a way of tugging on our heartstrings while still making us laugh out loud…[a] perfect recipe.” —Woman’s World

“Graceful and inviting prose, careful plotting and vivid characterizations…The coming together of two people who share a genetic heritage and little else is dramatically and emotionally risky. But Giffin makes the most of the opportunity, and WHERE WE BELONG had me riveted.” —Winston-Salem Journal

“The issue about secrets isn’t about keeping them. It’s the reveal and its consequences. That’s the challenge faced by the characters in Emily Giffin’s new, briskly paced…WHERE WE BELONG. Taking a somewhat more somber tone than she did in her [previous] bestselling novels, Giffin’s approach and style mature in this latest effort.” —Philadelphia Inquirer

“Breezy and fun, this is definitely one for the beach bag!” —All You magazine

“Giffin’s latest will make you shed a few tears – and call your mom.” —Ladies Home Journal

“You’re sure to spy lots of pale-orange book covers at the beach this summer, as Emily Giffin releases her latest in a series of successful reads. The book has heart, meat and realistic characters.” —am New York

“[WHERE WE BELONG] delivers the readable, addicting prose we have all come to love [but] delves deeper than ever before, showing that the author is capable of making her signature style work with topics beyond typical relationships. Through Marian, her daughter and the rest of those affected by Marian’s decisions, the author beautifully tackles the complex issues of sex, abortion, adoption and the difficult decisions that go along with each.” —Woodbury magazine

“A satisfying and entertaining read. Giffin is a gifted storyteller [and] writes smart, snappy prose that elevates this novel.” —Vancouver Sun

Believable characters, [a] page-turning plot and [an] unblinking look at the choices we make as women.” —WeightWatchers magazine

To Purchase: “Where We Belong” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling

Treasure or Trash? Book Review Rating

Book Review: Yet To Be Determined
Publisher: Little Brown (September 27, 2012), Print Length: 512 pages, ASIN: B007THA4FI

J. K. Rowlings  new book: The Casual Vacancy, is going to be released on September 27. This book will be something completely different from anything she has previously written, and it is going to be available in a variety of formats. Can she successfully make the move from young adult fantasy to black comedy/adult drama?  Time will only tell, but if the cover is any example, it seems unlikely.  However, you cannot always judge a book by its cover.

J. K. Rowlings is the author of the beloved Harry Potter series.  From these books and movies she has earned millions, so it is surprising that she would want to risk publishing a new novel in a completely different genre.  She certainly doesn’t need the money, but perhaps she just loves to write. I enjoyed her writing and storytelling in the Harry Potter series; faithfully reading all 7 of the books as they were released. I can understand why she would would want to switch genres, perhaps she has written all she has concerning fantasy.

Following are the details about the new book directly from J.K. Rowlings site, http://www.jkrowling.com/en_US/#/the-new-book:

Little, Brown announces details of J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.

Seemingly an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

Publication date 27th September 2012 (UK & US)

This little snippet sounds interesting, but it also sounds a bit nasty with neighbor at war with neighbor. I guess this is where the black comedy comes into play.  I can also understand the meaning of the book cover, since the story appears to revolve around an election for a seat on the council.  It will be tempting to read and find out who these characters are and whether their lives are worth concern.

However, before I spend my time and money reading this new book I want to obtain more information. I would like to access a preview of the book, but currently none are available. I would love to get a feel for the writing and of course I would also like to read some reviews so if anyone knows of any please let me know.

Interesting enough, as of September 9, this book has been one of Amazon’s top 100 sellers for 79 days and it is currently #9. So it appears that many people are anxiously awaiting this new release.  I am curious to find out if this book has merit.

Questions to ponder:

Can she successfully make the move into a completely different genre?

Should she be attempting something new or should she continue to bask in her previous successes?

Did anyone not enjoy reading the Harry Potter novels, and if not why not?

Please feel free to add your comments and let us know what you think.

 

To Preorder: “The Casual Vacancy” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Tips for Gifting Books

Even in this technological age, reading is still alive and well and makes a great gift for the people you care about. Books can teach and entertain in a variety of ways and giving the right book can create a significant impact on another’s life. However, it’s hard to make a novel or nonfiction book look impressive in comparison to flashier gifts like clothes, jewelry or electronics. Here are various ways you can liven up the gift of reading.

Continue reading Tips for Gifting Books

Reading Mobipocket books on your Kindle

When Kindle became available, I quickly became a Kindle obsessed reader. I was very excited when I found out that Kindle purchased Mobipocket, and then shocked and dismayed when I found out I could not open any of my Mobipocket books with my Kindle.

Needless to say, it took me four months, but I figured it out. Yay!! With much help and appreciation for Apprentice Alf’s Blog.

So if you too have purchased Mobipocket books in the past and you now want to read these books on your Kindle, then I have a plan for you. Continue reading Reading Mobipocket books on your Kindle

Convert Mobipocket books to EPUB

Converting Mobipocket protected files to EPUB files*

I love to read on my Blackberry, so several years ago I purchased many, many books from Mobipocket. When Kindle became available, I moved over to purchasing my books through Kindle. I was very excited when I found out that Kindle purchased Mobipocket, and then shocked and dismayed when I discovered that I could not open any of my Mobipocket books with my Kindle. (Side note: That was an evil decision by Amazon, especially when you take into consideration it is the same technology!)

Then, my Blackberry broke and it was time to make a switch over to the new Android phone (which I love!) but Mobipocket does not work on the Android.  Now, I was hooped, either read my Mobipocket books on my Laptop (not a good option) or find a way to make it work.

Needless to say, it took me four months, but I figured it out. Yaa!! With much help from and appreciation for Apprentice Alf’s Blog.

So if you too have purchased Mobipocket books in the past and the devices you used no longer work, but you want to read your books on an Android, then I have a plan for you. Continue reading Convert Mobipocket books to EPUB