BookJingle Blog

For those of you who read this blog, you know I am an avid reader. You also know that I have a book club that meets once a month to discuss all sorts of different books we read. Recently, we had a book club meeting where nobody was really sure what to talk about. So, I Googled some great book club discussion questions for any book and it really helped get the ball rolling.

If you have had a similar problem, here are some good questions to ask that will hopefully start some conversation:

1. Did you feel that the book fulfilled your expectations? Were you disappointed?
2. What about the plot? Did it pull you in; or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book?
3. What are some of the book’s them

es? How important were they?
4. Did the book end the way you expected?
5. Would you recommend this book to other readers? To your close friend?
6. Did the actions of the characters seem plausible? Why? Why not?
7. What did you think the book was about?
8. How would the book have been different if it had taken place in a different time or place?

A few of these questions really seemed to spark a lot of thought and conversation between the members. Sometimes a book just doesn’t lend itself to a lot of discussion, and it’s hard to know where to start. So, if you are going to a book club meeting and you aren’t exactly sure what to say, just print out these questions and bring them along with you!

Selling your used books to BookJingle is a great way to make extra holiday cash! Of course, it’s March, so the winter holidays are probably the furthest thing from your mind right now. But Christmas isn’t the only holiday that little extra money might come in handy. The money you make by selling your books could be turned into Easter baskets for the kids. And don’t forget, summer is right around the corner (or, in the case of where I live, pretty much already here!), and you know what that means: barbecues (Memorial and Independence Day, anyone?), vacations, and road trips. Having a little extra money could help put gas in the

car, or buy grillables for the cookout.

Plus there are always birthdays and anniversaries. Those are considered holidays in my mind as much as Christmas. Or, just put the money you make on BookJingle selling used books (or being a Book Scout) in a piggy bank for a rainy day!

The point is, making money on BookJingle is a good way to make what I call “fun money” that might help out with who knows what. Easter, summer barbecues, eating out, seeing a movie, Christmas gifts. All of these little extra expenses that aren’t necessities, but they’re fun! So, log on to BookJingle.com now, and make some fun money!

When I go to the grocery, I am bombarded with labels. Organic, all-natural, whole foods, sustainable. It’s hard to understand what they all mean. It’s especially hard to differentiate between foods labeled organic, and those labeled all-natural. I recently learned the differences between the two, and will share those today.

First, items labeled USDA Organic have to meet the following standards to be labeled as such:

• No toxic synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fumigants
• No chemical fertilizers or sewer sludge used as fertilizer
• No planting of genetically engineered crops or use of cloned animals
• No synthetic hormones or antibiotics
• No artificial preservatives
• No artificial colors or synthetic flavors and sweeteners
• No trans fats
• No irradiation

Only organic requires farmers to develop and follow a detailed farm system plan, and inspects farmers every year to make sure they are following all organic requirements set forth by the USDA.  Those that don’t, lose their certification and may no longer display the organic seal on their product labels.

While there are clear demarcations of what it means to be USDA Organic, when it comes to the claim all-natural, there isn’t a clear definition or standards in the food industry that must be followed. Although, when something is said to be all-natural, many times they are meaning the following:

• No pesticides or artificial chemicals
• No arti
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  ficial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives, or other additives

• “Only natural ingredients”
• “Whole ingredients” or “natural” foods
• “GMO free”

Since there are no all-natural certifications given by the USDA or any other food agency, it’s hard to know whether the claims being made on the products labeled all-natural are 100% truth. And it may even be the case that only some of the ingredients used in that product are all-natural, while others aren’t so much. “Natural” foods are often grown on farms applying synthetic pesticides, including several posing risks to people and the environment.  “Natural” foods are manufactured from crops grown with conventional, energy-intensive fertilizers, and frequently contain one or more products derived from genetically engineered corn or soybeans.

So, given the differences, there is a clear reason why those interested in their health and the environment go for organic foods. The label tells them exactly what they should expect, while the all-natural claim can’t really be backed up by anything. There is a lot of evidence that suggests that organically produced foods may be more nutritious. Furthermore, organic foods and fiber are spared the application of toxic and persistent insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers.

Next time you are faced with the decision of whether to buy a product labeled all-natural, or a product labeled organic, you’ll know the difference!

This Friday, the highly anticipated movie The Hunger Games hits theaters. The movie, based on the first book of the trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, is sure to be a very popular pick among teens and adults. Some articles are even saying this trilogy could reach Harry Potter status (and surpass Twilight mania). I am one of the thousands of people across the country counting down to its release. And I am excited!

Although I highly recommend reading all three of the books, I understand that not everyone has an interest in that sort of thing. So, for those of you new to the world of Panem, District 12, and the Capitol, there are some things you need to know before you see the movie. I have found the following article that highlights everything you need to know before settling into that theater seat with your popcorn and soda (but don’t drink too much soda — the movie is 2 hrs. and 37 minutes long, and you won’t want to m

iss a minute!):

Everything You Need to Know About “The Hunger Games” on Business Insider

Don’t worry. The guide doesn’t contain spoilers, but it will give you a nice background on what everyone has been talking about the past few weeks.

Although I won’t be attending a midnight screening (a 3:00 am bedtime does not work for me), you better believe I will be at the theater this weekend. And maybe next week if it lives up to the hype.

If you want to read more about the novel, you can read this review written by The Book Lady (the previous author of this blog).

BookJingle is great for students. Why? Because, unlike university bookstores who never seem to give a fair price for textbooks, BookJingle gives you the most for your books. When I was in college, I can’t count the number of times I heard complaints about someone buying a book for $150, using it for one semester, and then only getting pennies back at the university bookstore. A lot of this is because new editions of textbooks come out constantly, yearly in some cases. Professors often want to use the newest, so books

tores no longer want to buy the previous editions. Not the case with BookJingle!

Plus, you don’t even have to leave your house to use BookJingle. You can sell your used textbooks for cash from the comfort of your couch. Ship the books for free using BookJingle’s Media Mail shipping label, and you’re good to go!

So, when this semester is over, skip that trip to the bookstore and head to BookJingle.com to get the most money for your used textbooks!

I have a friend who lives in Austin, Texas, and she recently informed me that the city is putting a ban on plastic (and paper) bags in stores. I haven’t looked into the extent of the ban: whether it is city-wide ban, or when it will take effect.

But this isn’t the first city to ban the use of plastic bags. I’ve talked before about the pros of reusable bags, and the cons of plastic bags (pollution, fuel waste, and carbon emissions in the production to name a few). I think it’s an interesting turn of events taking shape across the country.

I try to remember to bring my reusable bags with me when I go shopping, but even I sometimes forget. I assume there will be reusable bags for purchase available at any retailer for those who forget bags. I know that paying $1.00 premium or so for a new bag every time I shop would be a good incentive to remember those bags in my closet. It’s much like s

moking bans that are happening in many towns; many are for the ban, and many are against it.

I can see both viewpoints, but I also realize that the cons of producing these bags (and the resulting pollution they often cause when people don’t dispose of them properly) are huge. Especially when there is a reusable alternative available to everyone. Phasing out plastic bags with enough warning to allow everyone to make sure they have reusable bags, plus a program that gives a few to every household would make sense to me. Expecting everyone to use reusable bags overnight is probably wishful thinking. People don’t like change, and people are forgetful.

But I think it could work, and bring good changes with it. In addition to the energy savings and other positives that lowered production of these bags would bring, it might even inspire people to change other aspects of their life: use reusable water bottles, for example.

What do you think about banning plastic bags? Would you support such a ban in your city?

I am ashamed to admit that it is March 13, and I have only completed two books so far. I’m not that worried, because last year I got off to a slow start. But today, I made my goal official! I am a member of Goodreads.com. A website I believe I have talked about before. It allows you to add books you have read, you want to read, or are currently reading to a virtual bookshelf. You can rate them, review them, and even find recommendations for your next book.

Today, I entered the 2012 Reading Challenge! It tells me I am currently 4% into my goal of 50 books, and

am 16% (or 7 books) behind where I should be at this point. While that seems like a daunting task, it’s kind of cool to see that kind of information. It makes me want to get myself in gear and start reading! I already have a rather long list of books I want to read, so it shouldn’t be difficult to do.

Why not join me and the whole Goodreads community in the 2012 Reading Challenge? According to the challenge home page, there are currently 175,135 participants, 10,575,927 books pledged with an average of 60 books per challenge, and 160 participants have already completed the challenge. Those are some fast readers! So make it 175,136 participants and take the challenge with me!

F is for (you guessed it!) free shipping! When you sell your used books to BookJingle, not only are you getting the best services and the best prices when selling your books online — you also get free shipping (as long as you meet our minimum order requirements). So, it’s a win-win-win!

When shipping your books to BookJingle, all you have to do is carefully pack your books into a sturdy box or bubble mailer (a box is the preferred method when shipping more than 3 books). If using a box, please remember to use corrugated cardboard boxes (such as a copier

paper box) and pack

your books so that they will not shift during shipment.

After carefully packing your books so they will not shift, you can print a free Media Mail shipping label for your shipment. It’s that easy. The next time you decide to sell some used books, give BookJingle a try. The folks at BookJingle are committed to giving their customers the best online booking buying experience. If you have any questions, contact them via their Contact Page or Facebook.