Don't forget the book!

As December begins, new movies come out just in time for the holidays. One of this season's expected box office hits: The Hobbit. After three successful Lord of the Rings movies why not make The Hobbit into a movie too, but let's not forget that behind the movie is also a book!

The Hobbit is the prequel to the LOTR series and follows the grand adventure of our little hobbit friend Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo is enticed to leave his safe life and go on a treasure stealing mission with
dwarves. They encounter many a foe along the way all leading to the final foe, a run-in with Smaug the Magnificent who guards the treasure they seek.  For those who have not read the book, Tolkien also introduces us to Gandalf, Gollum and the magic ring that is the focus of the LOTR novels.

The Hobbit is a must read before the movie is released in less than two weeks!

New week, how about a new book review too!

Happy Monday readers!  

It's the start of another new week and fall has finally started to roll in, I thought it was an excellent time to post a new review!

Want something that's not fiction, romance, or mystery? How about a true story! Try Elephant Girl by Jane Devin, not to be confused with the book The Elephant Man. I must warn you though, this book has some gripping pretty horrible parts - a reader with a queasy stomach may not want to delve right into this one. The Amazon description of the book says: Devin takes readers on an intimate, and often harrowing life journey. She was born unwanted and raised without love. Leaving home at 16, the teen-author struggled to find happiness and a sense of place in a world that felt confusing and unfamiliar. Then, years after stumbling into an adulthood mired in tragedy and broken dreams, the woman-author found herself at a crossroads. The choice she ultimately mad is as stunning as it is brave. Told in unflinching and often lyrical prose, Elephant Girl goes beyond a singular life story to speak of powerful, universal truths and the ability of the human spirit to redeem itself.

Devin says she wrote this book for those who struggled against the odds to forge their own roads to recovery -- who may not have always known how, and who may have stumbled so horribly along the way that they didn't know if recovery would be possible -- but who loved life enough to keep hoping and trying. There really is a green field on the other side. It took me four decades to find it -- to accept the support and faith of others and to take the risk I needed to take to save my own life -- but now that I'm here it feels more important to me than ever to let other "elephant girls" know that they are not alone. Beyond damage, beyond brokenness, beyond even the worst mistakes and hurtful judgments, there is a place of redemption and repair.

Blog subscriber Crystal says the book was intense and both "difficult to read, and difficult not to read." Crystal further says, "throughout reading I would be sick to my stomach, angry and happy. I can't remember the last time one book had me feeling so many emotions.  The authors (she uses numerous names throughout the book, so it’s hard to call her 'Jane') account of the abuse she’s faced leaves me speechless and shocked; she on the other hand never loses hope that there is something better for her.  Every time she starts to build a life for herself everything falls apart; many would give up hope long before they made it through half of her struggles.  I wasn't able to fly through this book; I needed time to recover and process her accounts of abuse or lowest points.  At times I even considered not picking it up again and selecting a new book altogether so I wouldn't have to know what happened next, but at the same time I couldn't quit, I had to know.  Now that I've finished her story, felt her fight and determination to have a happy ending, boy am I glad I didn't quit on her!"  

Jane Devin has a blog you might want to check out, you can find it here. 

The book is currently only $4.99 for the Kindle version, not a bad deal for a book that is undoubtedly going to pull on every human emotion as you work your way through it!

Happy Reading!

This Tuesday: BREAKING NEWS and a New Review!

I have good news, great news, really great news and a book review for you today.

Let's start with the good news first! The blog has been up and running for about three weeks now and we've broken into the 400's for views.

If you think that is exciting, how about the great news? These views come not only from the U.S. but the blog has also been viewed in Russia and Germany. We've gone international my friends!

If you weren't excited yet, I have another gem of excitement for this Tuesday evening - the really great news.  The first book was loaned out of the Library today and a happy reader is currently reading the loaned book for FREE! Booksharing was one of my main goals and it is happening as we speak!

Thank you for all the support while getting this blog up and running. Your continued cooperation is what is going to keep this blog going! Don't forget to send in your share-able books so they can be added to the Library. Also, don't be shy - send in a book review, or two, or ten!

One more exciting tidbit for the evening and then you can go back to your reading (or other things)! I've just finished reading Trailing: A Memoir by Kristin Louise Duncombe. Kristin walks you through what it's like to be married to a doctor who works in third world countries. She recounts tales of war, extreme fear, loneliness, depression, and poverty from Kenya and Uganda. Her memoir is full of really high highs and low lows, making it a gripping emotional roller coaster. The book shows the harsh reality of disease, poverty and the importance of hard working and dedicated medical personnel all over the world.  While only delving slightly into the politics of international aid programs and funding, the book paints a dual sided picture of war torn Africa and the toll that living a life working for aid organizations can have on the family and personal relationships. The memoir is beautifully written and a quick heart wrenching read. Currently, it is only $2.99 on Amazon, or FREE in the Library for the first lucky reader to email asking for it!    

Happy Reading!

Hey guess what, they're free!

My lovely readers ~

Need a new book to read? The books in the blog library can be loaned for free one time each, just shoot me an email and the book will be yours!

Nothing in the library that suits your fancy? Don't worry, I've got it covered! Visit Pixel of Ink. Here you can find free books everyday. You can also get discounted books out of the bargain bin and look for hot deals on your favorite books!

The hot deal of today: THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins! Get it for only $1.99 (discounted from it's original $12.99).

One of the best books I've read in a long time, The Hunger Games is a compelling, hard-to-put-down book, that questions humanity and has some disturbing thematic nuances about the power struggles, poverty, oppression, and war. Not to mention the classic love story between Katniss, the boy next door, and the best friend. Collins paints pictures with her words that draw you in and trap you, and when the novel ends it will leave you wanting more. Also, even though books are always better, the movie is pretty good too. If you haven't read the trilogy by now I would highly recommend it!

Happy reading and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Warning: if you pick this book up you might not be able to put it down!

Good Afternoon Book Lovers ---

Looking for some fiction to let your mind disappear into this weekend? Try The Music of Spheres by Elizabeth Redfern, recommended by blog subscriber John.

Music of Spheres is a haunting multi-faceted story set in the 18th century with themes of romance, mystery, and a serial killer. (gasp!) It also touches on moral conflict, political intrigue, astronomy, mathematics, and the movement of the planets in almost a religious cult setting. (the plot thickens!).

John says: "The ever elusive and enticing Selene moves in and out of the story which focuses on a small group of well-to-do French outcasts at the end of the French Revolution. Set in the London area, the outcasts are searching the sky for a new planet as red-haired prostitutes are being killed in London with hidden implications on the French.[It was] complicated, beautifully written and mystical, the book grabbed me and didn't let go until it was done."

If that doesn't peak your interest, perhaps this excerpt will: "ONE BY ONE THE candles in the big house were extinguished. Outside the trees whispered anew, their branches stirred by a soft breeze that bore with it a promise of more rain. Once more Guy de Montpellier had gone to London to look for Selene, his lady of songs, and flowers, and stars. And each night he went, a woman died.

Unfortunately, this book is not yet in e-book form, but don't fret! You can purchase it for less than $5 on Amazon. Look here if you're interested. Great book, great price - you can't get much better than that!

Happy reading!

Want a love story... not of the 50 Shades type?

Try Love Will Find A Way by Barbara Freethy, a NY Times Bestselling Author.

Amazon calls it an emotional and romantic story of love and family.

Blog subscriber Crystal gives it 4.5/5 stars and says: "It's a second chance love story with small town charm and quirky characters, I found myself not being able to put the book down, although I figured out how the story would end."

The kindle version is currently FREE on Amazon, you can find it here! Also, available in the library soon!

Happy Reading :)

Things to Come...

1. I just realized that I had the email for the blog wrong... yesterday I had written it as 'booksharers@gmail.com' about 2.3 seconds ago I realized it's actually 'ebooksharers@gmail.com.' My apologies, please resend any previously sent emails to the correct address! Clearly, I'm off to a good start ;)

2. At some point in the extremely near future I plan to link the books listed in the library to a page where you will be able to see a description of the book (most likely to the amazon website, but we'll see what pans out.)

3. If you have a book to share that is already listed in the LIBRARY, you should still let me know! That way I'll know that we have two versions available to share instead of just one. Stupid Amazon/Kindle and limiting loans to one time only.

As always,

Happy Reading!

WELCOME!!!!!

I had this brilliant idea while I was in a bar exam insomniac state, or perhaps it was just a dream, I'll probably never know. I imagined reading a book that had nothing to do with the bar exam, law school, or any other type of school.  A book that I could tell people I was just reading FOR FUN. Wait? That happens? Well it used to, before I moved to Washington D.C. and embarked on the three most difficult years of my life where I read nothing but over-sized law books and supplements to those law books.  Alas, that chapter has ended and a new chapter has begun, one in which I hope to finally be able to put my Kindle to good use and return to reading for fun. I've digressed, back to my insomniac ideas!

My plan for this blog is to provide a space where friends, family, friends of friends, friends of family, and so on and so forth can come together and share good books, make recommendations to others on what books are must reads, and hopefully even provide a list of books that are available from people to Kindle share (You can do this you know! Share books you've purchased on Kindle with other e-reader users). 

This idea is just a seed and is going to take a lot of work and cooperation while it is nurtured into what I hope to make it. So here are some preliminaries:

KINDLE SHARE BOOKS!! - I know it will take a tiny bit of effort, but if you purchase a book and it is available to loan, please email the blog email (ebooksharers@gmail.com) and let me know what books you have available so I can add them to the list (see right side of blog page!).  Why pay for a book when you can read it for free!? I know that you can only loan kindle books once, but even once is better than not at all.  Once you email me your available book(s), your job is over until someone is interested in your book! Then I will email you from the blog email asking you to loan your book, and once you've loaned it, your job is over! No need to worry about removing it from the list, I've got it covered!  I hope to have an ever growing list (a library if you will) so that there will always be something of interest for each person who comes to this blog.

INTERESTED IN A BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY?! Email the blog email, I'll contact the person who "owns" the book and have them loan it to you ASAP!

REVIEW BOOKS!! - read a really good book lately you think everyone else should read too!? Write a quick review and email the blog email (ebooksharers@gmail.com). I'll post your review, you can even remain anonymous if you choose! 

YOU READ AN ACTUAL BOOK!? - first, this is the 21st century, actual books are starting to become a thing of the past. No worries though, I won't hold the fact that you're stuck in the 1990's against.  I would still LOVE for you to share a review of the book, and hey! If you're willing to send the book to another interested reader, let me know and I'll add the book to the library.  (unfortunately, shipping costs will be on you... at least for now.)

DON'T JUST SHARE BOOKS --- SHARE THIS BLOG SITE!!! The way I see it, the more people who visit this blog, the more books that will be available to share (saving you more $$$) AND the more reviews that you can read before deciding to read a book (also saving you $$$, no need to read a book that everyone thinks is awful, or at least not to spend money on it).  

LAST but not least - Please be patient while the kinks of this idea are smoothed out, I'm sure there will be many along the way!!

Happy reading!