Current Reading List:

*Re-reading - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
*Build It Big: 101 Insider Secrets from Top Direct Selling Experts by Direct Selling Womens Alliance (DSWA)
*The Book of Illumination: A Novel from the Ghost Files by Mary Ann Winkowski & Maureen Foley
*Tunneling to the Center of the Earth by Kevin Wilson

Current Reading List -

Current Readings:

1.Pressed Pennies by Steven Manchestor

Upcoming Readings:

1.The Other Queen by Phillippa Gregory
2. Dreams from my Fathers: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama
3. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Plus, Fantasy Month Book Coming Up!

How to Vote for our May, June, & July Book Selection

In order to vote for our May, June, and July Book Selection you must be a member of BFTI's Yahoo Group. You may become a member by going to our website at; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BooksForThyImagination/ and clicking on Join This Group. Once a member of BFTI you may vote for our book selections and other polls by visiting our Poll Section.

Harry Potter is to be Released on July 21.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is to be released on July 21. You may Pre-order Harry Potter through Barnes & Noble's Website for $20.99. Of course you may always wait till the release date : )

February Book Selection

POLL QUESTION: February Book Selections : )

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- The First Princess of Wales by Karen Harper, 4 votes, 36.36%
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, 6 votes, 54.55%
- The Thrall's Tale by Judith Lindbergh, 1 votes, 9.09%
- Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler, 0 votes, 0.00%

And the Winner is: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Book Group Expo Coming Soon ~

Don't Forget Book Group Expo will be on June 9th & 10th in San Jose, California. Here are a couple of things you will enjoy : ) Tickets are on sale now. Visit www.Bookgroupexpo.com for more information.

At book group expo you can:

* Participate in intimate Literary Salons featuring authors and moderators discussing their ideas and their work
* Enjoy free tastings of wine, tea, chocolate and other savory and sweet delights
* Have access to books . . . lots of books!
* Meet authors —book signings follow each Literary Salon
* Have fun. Serious fun.

And the January Book is:

January Book Selections :)

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, 1 votes, 8.33%
- The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, 7 votes, 58.33%
- Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, 2 votes, 16.67%
- The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, 2 votes, 16.67%

Winner: The Time traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

If you like The Ruins by Scott Smith... then try...

If you like The Ruins by Scott Smith. . . then try...

Infernal by F. Paul Wilson
"The ninth entry in the Repairman Jack series. In this one, a shipwreck hunt gets very weird quickly."

Brimstone by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
"An FBI Agent investigates an art critic's murder, which points to the Devil as the culprit. Don't read this one at night without all the lights on."

Death of a Ghost by Charles Butler
"This sinister and chilling ghost story will appeal to adults as well. A creepy, supernatural thriller with a chilling twist."

World War Z by Max Brooks
"The book description says that this is based on extensive interviews with survivors and key players in the war. Since the author is the son of Mel Brooks, the reader never knows what to expect."

Ammie, Come Home by Barbara Michaels
"While not as overtly gruesome as the other entries on this list, this classic by Michaels, published first in 1979, is a satisfyingly scary ghost story."

Source: Pages

If you Like Can't Wait to get to Heaven... Then Try...

If you like Can't Wait to Get to Heaven... then try . . .

The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
"Greenie Duquette, small bakery owner in Manhattan's West Village, takes a break from her marriage to Alan, a psychiatrist who could use a little couch time himself, and moves to New Mexico to be the governor's pastry chef."

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
"Is it adventure, simple pleasure, or spiritual transcendence Gilbert seeks? Traveling for a year in three disparate countries, she finds all three."

In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
"Venetian life is vividly portrayed in the adventures of a dwarf, a courtesan, and a healer."

Digging to America by Anne Tyler
"In her 17th novel, Tyler once again brings family life into focus, starting with a chance meeting at the Baltimore airport on the day that two families meet their adopted Korean infants for the first time."

Source: Pages

If you like Eragon... Then Try...

If you like Eragon by Christopher Paolini... then try . . .

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
"A marvelous quest by a boy and two beasts to find a place for the dragons to live peacefully forever."

The Great Tree of Avalon by T.A. Barron
"Building on his Lost Years of Merlinepic (also a wonderful, historically based fantasy series), Barronproposes that, years ago, Merlin planted a magical seed that has growninto The Great Tree of Avalon-a world where all has been harmoniousuntil the recent bout of famine and disease.

The Warriors series by Erin Hunter
"In Eragon, the dragons are at risk. In Warriors, it is the clan of cats who must leave their familiar forest and find a new home."

The Redwall series by Brian Jacques
"Good versus evil in the form of a medieval adventure filled with heroic warrior mice."

Blood Red Horse by K.M. Grant (and its sequel, Green Jasper)
"A riveting historical adventure, good for adults, young adults, and perfect for families reading together."

Source: Pages

New Releases: January 2nd

Hardback:

*The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
*The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun
*The Hunters by W.E.B Griffin

Paperback:

*A Rather Lovely Inheritance by C.A. Belmond

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

I want to wish everyone a great 2007. That you may have a great time with family and friends.

As always, Happy Reading.

Sincerely, Books for thy Imagination
Rosario

Should it be Read?? But I don't like it!

Many of us have encountered books that we dislike while still reading Chapter 1! But yet we read the entire book although we do not like it. We dread having to open it and continue where we left of. But Why, in the first place do we continue reading it? Do we feel a certain obligation to read the entire book? Do we feel we have to give the story or the author a chance? Of course, there are times when we have to read a certain text, be it for a college class or something of the sort. But when we read just for they joy of reading why do we make ourselves read something not to our liking? As the word implies we are to read for joy or pleasure. Have you ever asked yourself this? Maybe it's time you do.

I have asked several people to help me answer this question. Here are some of their comments. In the meanwhile Please consider this question next time you start reading a book you do not like. Should it be Read? Remember that there are a lot of books to be read and life is short.

"If you really don't like it, give it up - there's so many great books to read!" - Nicole

"And I say a resounding no! There are too many good books to read for me to waste time on a one that I can't get into. I usually give it about 50 pages or so. Then I move on." - Susan

"No, you should not finish it. There are too many good books to read and the next one you choose may be great. I used to think I had to finish a book no matter what. However, since I have so many and there are so many coming out all the time, I give myself about 50 pages. After that I am tossing it." - Teresa R.

"I like more of what I read than I don't - and either I'm very good at selecting what I read -- or I am just not as discerning as some. I keep plugging along when a book has captured my attention at some level. I've come across several books that ended up being among my favorites that just got of to slow starts. I won't bother finishing books that have completely failed to suck me in and cannot hold my attention." - Wendy

"If I don't like a book, I won't finish it. Reading is supposed to be fun and what fun is reading a book you don't like? I say move on to a better book." - Devonna

"I am not inclined to keep reading a book that does not catch my interest. However, that being said... if I am participating in a book club read, I will slog through a book I don't like. The reason for this is that often during the course of a book club discussion, I have found myself appreciating a book that initially didn't interest me. Sometimes discussions open up interpretations which I may have missed. That happened to me several times over the course of the year." - Wendy

"There have been times that I have finished a book simply to say that I have read it. I find that if I do not like a book and it takes me a lot longer to read the book than if I really enjoyed it. Nonetheless by finishing the book I can say that I have read it, thus giving me something to talk about, and it also gives me something to think about. I find that when I read a book I always try to figure out the significance of the title and when there is a book that I don't particularly care for I find this job more of a challenge, so, in the end I find that reading a book I don't care for proves to be a benefit." - Jenn

I want to thank everyone who contributed their thoughts to this blog.

January Book Selections

• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Christmas : )

CHRISTMAS

"Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect."
-- Oren Arnold