Community Room

[Tarri]

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EvaAmlia wrote:
Hi! My name is Eva. I'm about to graduate from college (2 weeks left). I'm from Miami, FL. I love reading. I'm hoping this book club will be a great pastime before I get thrown into the real world.

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Congratulations!!

[ponie]

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DSaff wrote:

Welcome to the group, Eva! And, congratulations on your upcoming graduation.

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EvaAmlia wrote:
Hi! My name is Eva. I'm about to graduate from college (2 weeks left). I'm from Miami, FL. I love reading. I'm hoping this book club will be a great pastime before I get thrown into the real world.

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Hey!Eva -

Ditto that and kudos as well!!  Do you read any southern Florida authors?

[Jennmarie68]

There are a ton of them. This is the site I used to find most of the ones I go through http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2008/04/where-to-get-free-books-and-arcs.html

I think I signed up for just about all of them. I like Thomas Nelson, Bostick Communications, Shelf Awareness and Library Thing.

Bostick sends me emails almost daily with a new book and you just reply to the email with your address and then they'll mail you the book.

Shelf Awareness sends and email everyday and some of the ads on there will say "click here for a review copy".

Thomas Nelson lets you review one book at a time. There's no specific due date for the reviews, you just can't get a new book till you've posted the review for the one you have (This one does require you have a blog, they want a link to the review on your blog as well as the permalink for the review on a bookstore site, like B&N or amazon).

Library Thing actually has two giveaway sections, the first is Early Reviewers which is monthly then they have member giveaways which aren't always new books, sometimes people just get rid of a bunch of their books. 

There's also Goodreads. They have a giveaway program, but you seem to have to be pretty active on their site to win. 

And then the Book Divas is a nice group, though it can be a little confusing. They'll post a message when new books are avaialble and then its first come first serve, you send a PM listing 3 -5 books you'd like. You don't get any kind of confirmation, if in a few days you have a book sitting at your door step you know you were choosen... Then you just PM Melissa when you've finished your review. That one they do have a 30-day due date, but I think they're a little flexible if you let them know you're having trouble with the deadline.

There are also sites that do monthly giveaways they are: Writer's Space, Fresh Fiction, and BookLoons You have to watch out with bookloons, they repeat some of the writer's space contests, and if you enter twice you are disqualified...

Sorry this one got so long, I just love sharing free stuff!!!

[Jennmarie68]

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fordmg wrote:

I read Founding Mothers some years back.  I thought it was a good book.  A few weeks back our local play house did the Musical  1776.  The entire play took place in the Continental Congress with all the delegates and their debates.  It was very good.

MG

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That does sound good. I'll have to keep my eyes open for it around here. I haven't been to a play in years!

[CL77]

Jennmarie 68,

I too would love to hear more about the sites with book contests and the chance to do book reviews! 

I know exactly what you mean, being retired. Also,  after being able borrow new releases from the library and to get the books I want to keep through bookswapping, I don't often buy books except as a special treat.

CL77

[ponie]

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Jennmarie68 wrote:

There are a ton of them. This is the site I used to find most of the ones I go through http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2008/04/where-to-get-free-books-and-arcs.html

I think I signed up for just about all of them. I like Thomas Nelson, Bostick Communications, Shelf Awareness and Library Thing.

Bostick sends me emails almost daily with a new book and you just reply to the email with your address and then they'll mail you the book.

Shelf Awareness sends and email everyday and some of the ads on there will say "click here for a review copy".

Thomas Nelson lets you review one book at a time. There's no specific due date for the reviews, you just can't get a new book till you've posted the review for the one you have (This one does require you have a blog, they want a link to the review on your blog as well as the permalink for the review on a bookstore site, like B&N or amazon).

Library Thing actually has two giveaway sections, the first is Early Reviewers which is monthly then they have member giveaways which aren't always new books, sometimes people just get rid of a bunch of their books. 

There's also Goodreads. They have a giveaway program, but you seem to have to be pretty active on their site to win. 

And then the Book Divas is a nice group, though it can be a little confusing. They'll post a message when new books are avaialble and then its first come first serve, you send a PM listing 3 -5 books you'd like. You don't get any kind of confirmation, if in a few days you have a book sitting at your door step you know you were choosen... Then you just PM Melissa when you've finished your review. That one they do have a 30-day due date, but I think they're a little flexible if you let them know you're having trouble with the deadline.

There are also sites that do monthly giveaways they are: Writer's Space, Fresh Fiction, and BookLoons You have to watch out with bookloons, they repeat some of the writer's space contests, and if you enter twice you are disqualified...

Sorry this one got so long, I just love sharing free stuff!!!

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WOW! Jennmarie68, thanks for sharing...bet this opens up new avenues for lots of us.

[lizard2000]

Amanda,

I am currently reading "Never Let Me Go" and I feel the same way as you...just can't keep focused.  Perhaps it's the spring fever!  

lizard2000

[ponie]

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lizard2000 wrote:

Amanda,

I am currently reading "Never Let Me Go" and I feel the same way as you...just can't keep focused.  Perhaps it's the spring fever!  

lizard2000

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Hey! lizard!!  good to see you here....all confirmed and everything!!!  Now you are one of us.  Welcome.

[Amanda-Louise]

Now that's definitely an option!  I'm standing in my kitchen while my kids play outside in the warm sun.  I want to be with them, but instead I'm inside baking for my book club meeting tonight!  ~sigh~

Amanda

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lizard2000 wrote:

Amanda,

I am currently reading "Never Let Me Go" and I feel the same way as you...just can't keep focused.  Perhaps it's the spring fever!  

lizard2000

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[DSaff]

Thanks! 

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Jennmarie68 wrote:

There are a ton of them. This is the site I used to find most of the ones I go through http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2008/04/where-to-get-free-books-and-arcs.html

I think I signed up for just about all of them. I like Thomas Nelson, Bostick Communications, Shelf Awareness and Library Thing.

Bostick sends me emails almost daily with a new book and you just reply to the email with your address and then they'll mail you the book.

Shelf Awareness sends and email everyday and some of the ads on there will say "click here for a review copy".

Thomas Nelson lets you review one book at a time. There's no specific due date for the reviews, you just can't get a new book till you've posted the review for the one you have (This one does require you have a blog, they want a link to the review on your blog as well as the permalink for the review on a bookstore site, like B&N or amazon).

Library Thing actually has two giveaway sections, the first is Early Reviewers which is monthly then they have member giveaways which aren't always new books, sometimes people just get rid of a bunch of their books. 

There's also Goodreads. They have a giveaway program, but you seem to have to be pretty active on their site to win. 

And then the Book Divas is a nice group, though it can be a little confusing. They'll post a message when new books are avaialble and then its first come first serve, you send a PM listing 3 -5 books you'd like. You don't get any kind of confirmation, if in a few days you have a book sitting at your door step you know you were choosen... Then you just PM Melissa when you've finished your review. That one they do have a 30-day due date, but I think they're a little flexible if you let them know you're having trouble with the deadline.

There are also sites that do monthly giveaways they are: Writer's Space, Fresh Fiction, and BookLoons You have to watch out with bookloons, they repeat some of the writer's space contests, and if you enter twice you are disqualified...

Sorry this one got so long, I just love sharing free stuff!!!

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[chris227]

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JerseyAngel wrote:

I have a question... what do you all do with books you don't keep? I just don't have the room to keep every book I read. I keep the special ones but the others have to go. My local library doesn't take donations. I know I could give them to Goodwill, I've looked for other charities that take books without much luck. Then there's always Ebay but it doesn't seem worth the aggravation for the amount I would get for them. I've also heard of book swapping sites but haven't been able to locate a good one. Would love to know, for those of you that do part with books, what you do with them? If you know of any good book swapping sites, let me know!

Stephanie

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Hey Stephanie,

  I actually started using Swaptree.com.  I found it a couple months ago but only started listing last month and now I'm hooked!  On this site you make a list of books (or cd's, dvd's, or video games) that you have that you want to trade and a list of books, etc that you want.  Swaptree will then send you trades that you can send or reject or you could look through the list of availble trades associated with each of your "haves."  You pay the shipping for the item your sending.  You can print shipping labels right from the site or go to the post office (I use their shipping labels and it's been averaging about $2.30-2.90/item for me).  I don't know about you nut it's really hard for me to give up a lot of my books so I've actually been trading a lot of old cd's for books.  I've done about a dozen trades so far and have had no complaints.  Check it out.

Christina

[gl]

Jennmarie68,

Thank you so much for all the info on book review and book contests!!  This is great and I've started checking them out.  Very much appreciate this - I tend to just borrow books from the library and use bookswapping sites at the moment.  Only buy books that I know I really want to keep - to save money and shelf space. 

Thanks again!

Gaby

[aprilh]

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Jennmarie68 wrote:

I really like to read on the train, but since I don't take the train that often the next best place is the bathtub or the couch in the family room covered up with my quilt.

I usually just have a coke or some water when I read, and I don't usually have snacks sitting by (I'm a big girl so they distract me from the task at hand :-P).

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Ahh. Reading in the bath with a tub full of bubbles is the best reading spot. There's nothing more relaxing than soaking in the tub with a good book!

[Read-n-Rider]

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marciliogq wrote:

I'm amazed at how internet connects the world. I do love these opportunities. A Letters course here in Brazil is like a course of Arts there in USA. We study literature (Brazilian, Portuguese, Latin, and Anglo-American) as well as theories, languages, linguistics. It's a fascinating course.

Actually I'm an English Language and Teaching Methodology professor. I got a Master in Brazilian Literature and I'm a Doctorate candidate this year studying the influence of English Culture and Language in rural schools.

Is your daughter-in-law a visitor professor in Mexico?

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Your course does indeed sound fascinating, and the wide range of knowledge required to teach it is impressive.  Good luck with your doctoral studies--I expect you were able to empathize with Connie in Deliverance Dane!

My daughter-in-law was born and raised in Mexico City.  She and my son met when she attended high school here for a year.  She then returned to Mexico for college; they maintained their relationship and, when they had both finished college, they married and she came to this country and obtained a teaching position at a university near where they live.

Joan

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[marciliogq]

There is a big problem about book clubs in Brazil: they are not part of our culture! People are more concentrated in academic readings and discussions are more at university or at schools. We don't have any programs like First Look in libraries and people hardly ever meet to discuss about books. My only opportunity is here at B&N. I tried to participate of other book clubs from abroad but they only accept request or orders from U.S or Canada. 

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions.

[gl]

A video sounds great!  The video for Katherine Howe and The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane helped set the tone and give us a sense of the writer and her Marblehead neighborhood. 

Erick Setiawan sounds interesting - can't wait to learn more about him and the book.

Message Edited by gl on 05-05-2009 11:38 PM

[Jennmarie68]

I just checked and LibraryThing has giveaways in Brazil... LibraryThing

Goodreads also has two giveaways right now that are open to residents of Brazil... Goodreads

I hope you can enter. I'm not sure if what's avaialble is anything you would like, but both sites have new giveaways posted all of the time. 

-Jennifer

[krb2g]

 It looks like Angel's Game is available in English starting June 16. Last summer I bought it in Spanish (El Juego del Ángel) because I wanted to get a head start on it (I also loved Shadow of the Wind); but my Spanish is rusty and I'm a slow reader in Spanish, so I haven't actually read it yet. I think Angel's Game is supposed to be a prequel to the Shadow of the Wind.

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DiniB wrote:

CathyB - I LOVED Shadow of the Wind.  I would have to say Shdow of the Wind is my favorite book.  I had a hard time starting another book once I finished it because nothing compared.  Is the new book out already or did you get and ARC??

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CathyB wrote:

Adding one more book to my list of reads before the next FL (no confirmation for me yet but, I still have my fingers crossed - makes typing very difficult ).

I just received

The Angel's Game and can't wait to start it! It sounds great.

If anyone is a fan of Carlos Ruiz Zafon, you can check out the Angel's Game website. There is some music, an interview with the author and ultimately it looks like there will be a trailer (nothing there on my browser though).

Zafon is the author of Shadow of the Wind  -- I have not read this one. Has anyone else?

CathyB

Message Edited by CathyB on 05-04-2009 07:52 PM

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[krb2g]

I just finished

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and loved it. It took me a long time to actually sit down and start it, but once I did, I finished it in a day. There's a sequal--

The Girl Who Played with Fire --which comes out this summer I think (already out in the UK), and a third one (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest) which will be out later (scheduled for a November UK release and is already out Swedish (the original language), French, and German). The author apparently had 10 books planned, but died shortly after turning in the first three manuscripts. If the other two are as good as the first, they will definitely be worth reading too...

[CathyB]

krb2g:

  I have also toyed with the idea of buying books in their original language. For

me, they would have to be in Spanish or German. It has been along time since I read a book in either language - I guess I would be another rusty nail. ... I do think I will give it a try when my TBR pile is just a little smaller - reading 10 books should do.

CathyB

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krb2g wrote:

 It looks like Angel's Game is available in English starting June 16. Last summer I bought it in Spanish (El Juego del Ángel) because I wanted to get a head start on it (I also loved Shadow of the Wind); but my Spanish is rusty and I'm a slow reader in Spanish, so I haven't actually read it yet. I think Angel's Game is supposed to be a prequel to the Shadow of the Wind.