Booking Through Thursday

Tami inspired this week’s question:

What book do you think should be made into a movie? And do you have any suggestions for the producers?

Or, What book do you think should NEVER be made into a movie?

This one is easy for me...I always thought the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich would be a great movie. I don't know about producers but I always pictures Sandra Bullock or Julia Roberts in the role. I know at one time they talked about making this into a movie, but I don't think it ever happened.

One book I recently read and saw the movie for was P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. I thought the book was much better than the movie.

Can't wait to read everyone else's answers. This is a fun question.

The Italian Lover by Robert Hellenga

Genre: Fiction

Margot Harrington is an American who lives in Italy with her American lover, Woody. She has written her memoirs in a successful book, The Sixteen Pleasures, which is now being made into a major motion picture. With help from Woody, she writes the screenplay that will be used for the movie, or so she thinks.

The book is set in Florence and the movie’s title is “The Italian Lover”. Margot befriends the actress who will be player her in the film. She’s shocked when she learns that her screenplay is not the one they are using, but instead they have re-written her entire life. Readers are taken behind the scenes of the movie and feel the heartbreak Margot feels when she realizes there is nothing she can do to stop production of the movie.

This book gives a wonderful look at the life in Florence. Readers will feel as if they are really there and experiencing Italy first hand. The characters are well-crafted and come to life on each page. I did find the book to slow down a bit in the middle, but then it picks right up. The Italian Lover is actually a sequel to Hellenga’s book, The Sixteen Pleasures, which I have not read. However, I will be on the lookout for it and future releases by this talented author.

For reading challenges: A to Z Reading Challenge, Read Your Own Book Reading Challenge

Awards! I won Awards!

I am honored to receive two awards!


One is the Proximidade Award. Reading the description of the award below makes it even more special. I was given this by Desert Rose Booklogue Thank you so very much Desert Rose. The Desert Rose Booklogue is a great one and you should all visit it.



Now for the explanation of the Proximidade Award which I didn't know what it meant till I read!

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award."

Now I have to pass this along to 8 others...this is a hard choice!


Kaye at Pudgy Penguin Perusals
Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Peeking Between the Pages
Caite at A Lovely Shore Breeze
Marie at Boston Bibliophile
Medieval Bookworm
Beth at Beth Fish Reads
My Friend Amy's Blog

and my second award was "Your Blog is Fabulous" given to me by Wendy's Minding Spot. Thank you so much! I'm so flattered by this. I posted about it here

Thank you both for these great honors!

Tuesday Thingers

Last week we talked about the Library Thing Early Reviewers program, and along those lines, this week, I'd like to mention the Library Thing Member Giveaways. In this section, you can both request a book similarly to the Early Reviewers Program, and you can also add a book giveaway yourself.

According to the Library Thing site, the Member Giveaways site is a more informal way for authors and members to giveaway books on the site, whereas the Early Reviewer program is more formal with set guidelines and time lines. Here, the member/author sets the conditions of the giveaway and adds the detail themselves. The winners of the giveaways are selected randomly via the site, the same way the Early Reviewers books are selected (I'm assuming that part) and their contact information is sent to the person who posted the giveaway.

From the site:
To post a book for a Member Giveaway, at least one of the following must be true:
You are a LibraryThing Author
You have at least 50 books in your LibraryThing account
You have a paid LibraryThing account

If you meet these minimum requirements, then just click "Post a Giveaway" and follow the instructions screen.

Fun fact - currently there are 378 copies of 103 books being given away via the LT Member Giveaway.

Question: Were you aware of the Member Giveaways Program? Have you posted any books in the giveaway? If so, what are your thoughts on the program? Have you requested any books, and if so, did you win any?

My response:

Yes, I am aware of the program and I think it's a great program. I've browsed through it, but I haven't participated yet. If I have any books to giveaway, I'm more likely to give them away on my own blog. I'd like to see people I've met in cyberspace give my books good homes. I do think it's a great addition for Library Thing to include and seems to be popular.

If you want to participate in Tuesday Thingers, just click on the box above to get to Wendi's Book Corner. Wendi's our lovely host.

Monday Musings

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about new authors…

What is your policy when it comes to new authors? Do you feel comfortable purchasing a book or do you prefer to borrow new authors from the library? How often do you 'try out' a new author?

My answer:

For me, the bottom line is the story. Regardless if it's a new author or not, if I like the storyline, I'll buy the author. Also, if I get recommendations, I'll try a new author. I don't mind purchasing the book. Sometimes you "discover" some real gems among new authors. I know I have.