Congratulations to our new book club president, Kristi A and her sidekick Fay! We have a bit of a new system in place for nominating the new president and vice president - and poor Kristi didn't know what it her. But that's what she gets for marrying a man whose last name begins with A. And while she did have the opportunity to turn it down, she graciously accepted.
Basically, here's how it works - we're a club, right? We all take turns hosting and we should take turns being in charge. In the past we've asked for a volunteer but apparently everyone was too intimidated by my awesome presidential skills (ha ha ha). That or maybe the fact that they think it's a very big job when there's already too much on their plate. But let me assure you, it's not a difficult or a time consuming job. You just need to make sure everyone else is doing their job. You delegate!
Okay, back to how it works - we're starting at the top of the roster and giving each lady an opportunity to be the president along with a vice president who will assist her when needed and will be ready to take over as the president the following year.
The blog has been my baby (something I enjoy) but after 2 years, it's time to close it down. Actually, I'll leave it up, but it won't be updated. Everything you need to know will be available through our Facebook group. The By-laws, Hostess Responsibilities, calendar and history will be filed on Facebook and you can also ask the president for that info as she keeps the binder with all that stuff in it.
We've got two more months before I sign off so, until then, enjoy reading Terron's book, Insight, and be thinking of your favorite Christmas book you'd like to share with us when we meet at Linda's in December!
10.28.2013
November - Insight (Beholders #1) by Terron James
We had a great turnout at Kendra's for our book review of Matched. I think most everyone is anxious to continue reading, especially to find out who wins Cassia's hand. Will it be Ky or Zander? Thanks, Kendra, for opening up your home and for the yummy food stuff (including the red, blue and green "pills"). For those of you who ate the red "pills", we did have book club last Wednesday and you were there. You just don't remember.
I'm so excited about our book review for November! Our very own Terron James will be joining us at Debbie's on November 21 at 7 p.m. for our review of his book, Insight (Beholders #1). Many of us have read the 1st edition and loved it - but this one is supposed to be even better. Now that John has finished reading our copy, it's my turn. And I plan on bringing it with me to have it signed by the author. :)
Here's Goodread's summary:
I'm so excited about our book review for November! Our very own Terron James will be joining us at Debbie's on November 21 at 7 p.m. for our review of his book, Insight (Beholders #1). Many of us have read the 1st edition and loved it - but this one is supposed to be even better. Now that John has finished reading our copy, it's my turn. And I plan on bringing it with me to have it signed by the author. :)
Here's Goodread's summary:
Insight (Beholders #1)
by Terron James (Goodreads Author)
Rumors are surging through Appernysia that a Beholder has been born, the first wielder of True Sight in over a millennium.
Seventeen-year-old Lon Marcs discovers he has been blessed—or cursed—with this gift. He cannot control the power of True Sight and feels it killing him with each passing day. He realizes that the only people who might possess the knowledge to save his life are the sworn enemies of his king. To obtain their help, Lon would have to journey into exile, leaving behind his village, family, and beloved Kaylen.
Although this is the hardest decision Lon has ever made, it is only the first of many that will test his strength and challenge his interpretation of right and wrong.
Seventeen-year-old Lon Marcs discovers he has been blessed—or cursed—with this gift. He cannot control the power of True Sight and feels it killing him with each passing day. He realizes that the only people who might possess the knowledge to save his life are the sworn enemies of his king. To obtain their help, Lon would have to journey into exile, leaving behind his village, family, and beloved Kaylen.
Although this is the hardest decision Lon has ever made, it is only the first of many that will test his strength and challenge his interpretation of right and wrong.
9.19.2013
October - Matched by Ally Condie
Thanks to Jennifer for hosting our September book club. We had a lot in attendance and enjoyed a great discussion about The Guardian, by Gerald Lund, who first came up with the story of 13 year old Curruther's (Danni) when he was a young father making up stories to tell his children. Since he was a grandfather when he finally wrote her story down on paper, he had to enlist the help of his children and grandchildren to get the lingo of a teenager down. :)
Kendra will be hosting October's book club on Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. She has chosen a young adult fiction titled Matched by Ally Condie. This is the first book in a series of 3. I am just finished the final book and I've really enjoyed them all.
The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.
Kendra will be hosting October's book club on Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. She has chosen a young adult fiction titled Matched by Ally Condie. This is the first book in a series of 3. I am just finished the final book and I've really enjoyed them all.
Matched (Matched #1)
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.
The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.
Cheese Anyone?
Finally! I am able to post again. I've been having issues with my computer and was unable to post information on August's book club and the summary for September's book. So, here's a quick recap:
We had a nice visit with one of the authors of The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale, Randall Wright.We enjoyed learning how this book came to be and about his co-author, Carmen Agra Deedy. Here's what our wonderful hostess, Fay, had to say about the evening.
We had a nice visit with one of the authors of The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale, Randall Wright.We enjoyed learning how this book came to be and about his co-author, Carmen Agra Deedy. Here's what our wonderful hostess, Fay, had to say about the evening.
Thanks
to everyone who came to book club last night. It was a fun evening and
Randall, the author was impressed with our group and said he had a lot
of fun and it was a constructive evening for him as an author.
Fay was a wonderful hostess and appropriately served us, what else? Cheese!
7.21.2013
Well, our book club's summer break is coming to an end. I don't know about you but I haven't taken a break from reading. I've been downloading lots of free books on my Kindle and it's too easy to dim the brightness of my screen and read all night.
We sure appreciate what a fabulous host Patti was last month! Hidden Places was a great book and we had a great discussion with wonderful treats that went along with the book's theme (like cotton candy).
Our next review will be hosted by Fay on August 21. Our favorite book club author, Randall Wright, will be joining us for the discussion and I think this will be a very enjoyable read:
We sure appreciate what a fabulous host Patti was last month! Hidden Places was a great book and we had a great discussion with wonderful treats that went along with the book's theme (like cotton candy).
Our next review will be hosted by Fay on August 21. Our favorite book club author, Randall Wright, will be joining us for the discussion and I think this will be a very enjoyable read:
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale
Skilley, an alley cat with an embarrassing secret, longs to escape his hard life dodging fishwives brooms and carriage wheels and trade his damp alley for the warmth of the Cheshire Cheese Inn. When he learns that the innkeeper is looking for a new mouser, Skilley comes up with an audacious scheme to install himself in the famous tavern. Once established in the inn, Skilley strikes a bargain with Pip, the intelligent mouse-resident, and his fellow mice. Skilley protects the mice and the mice in turn give to Skilley the delectable Cheshire cheese of the inn. Thus begins a most unlikely alliance and friendship. The cat and mouse design a plan to restore Maldwynwounded raven and faithful guard in the service of Queen Victoriato his rightful place in The Tower, but first they must contend with a tyrannical cook, a mouse-despising barmaid, and an evil tomcat named Pinch. Will the famous author suffering from serious writers block who visits the Cheshire Cheese pub each day be able to help?(less)
5.27.2013
June - Hidden Places by Lynn Austin
What a turnout we had for Edenbrooke! And there were several ladies who wanted to come but were unable to. Thanks to Carolyn for being our hostess. She's amazing and so very talented. And thanks to several of you for suggesting the book. We sure enjoyed the "Proper Romance"!
We are so grateful to Patti for being willing to switch her hosting month to June. She is in the process of placing holds at the library and will get the books delivered as soon as they come in. We will need to share because of the limited number of copies and the short amount of time. Patti says it's a good book and from the review, I think we're going to enjoy it! So mark your calendars for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19th at Patti's home.
Hidden Places
We are so grateful to Patti for being willing to switch her hosting month to June. She is in the process of placing holds at the library and will get the books delivered as soon as they come in. We will need to share because of the limited number of copies and the short amount of time. Patti says it's a good book and from the review, I think we're going to enjoy it! So mark your calendars for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19th at Patti's home.
by Lynn Austin (Goodreads Author)
A deep yearning for home had led Eliza to Wyatt Orchards ten years ago. Now widowed with three young
children, she faces mounting debts and the realization it is all up to her. But she has no idea how to run an orchard alone. When a stranger appears at her doorstep, Eliza guesses he is no different than the other out-of-luck characters searching for work during the Depression. But the familiarity with which Gabe tends to the farm raises unanswered questions. With a vulnerable heart, she is unwittingly drawn to his gentle ways. But Eliza also fears that Gabe hides a past and motives that could jeopardize all she has fought to attain for herself and her children....
children, she faces mounting debts and the realization it is all up to her. But she has no idea how to run an orchard alone. When a stranger appears at her doorstep, Eliza guesses he is no different than the other out-of-luck characters searching for work during the Depression. But the familiarity with which Gabe tends to the farm raises unanswered questions. With a vulnerable heart, she is unwittingly drawn to his gentle ways. But Eliza also fears that Gabe hides a past and motives that could jeopardize all she has fought to attain for herself and her children....
4.18.2013
May - Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
We had a great turnout at the library last night. We were able to go over the Hostess Responsibilities and Bylaws - these can be found on this blog under December 2012 or on Facebook under the Files tab. We also had fun going over the books we've read since the club was formed in 2006. The winner of the most books read was Kathy, with over 50 books, and Linda in second place with 40 books (keep in mind Linda wasn't here the first two years). Most of us speculated that Kendra would have been the winner had she been in attendance.
On May 15 we will be reviewing Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson and Carolyn has offered to be our hostess for the evening. While many of you have already had a chance to read this book, we still have several copies checked out until May 8. Please let me know if you would like one.
On May 15 we will be reviewing Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson and Carolyn has offered to be our hostess for the evening. While many of you have already had a chance to read this book, we still have several copies checked out until May 8. Please let me know if you would like one.
3.27.2013
April - Field Trip!
Thank you so much, Debbie, for hosting March's book club! I was attending a wedding in New Mexico the night of the review but those who attended said they had a nice evening and, if I know Debbie, I'm sure there were plenty of laughs. :)
So, who wants to go on a field trip? What better place to go than the library? I plan on reserving the conference room at our local library on Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. for our next book club. We will take care of a little club business (bylaws and calendar), browse the library books and take a trip down memory lane discussing our favorite books in our club's history. To get a head start, scroll to the bottom of this blog where all the books we've reviewed are listed by year (2006-2012). Even if you've never attended we'd love for you to join us.
There is a new book out called Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson that many of our members have on their "to read" list. Kendra was able to reserve 7 books and will be handing those out soon. We will need to share these copies so we will take 2 months in order for us all to have an opportunity to read the book. We will be discussing Edenbrooke on May 15. If you have not signed up on our calendar and are able to host this review in May, please let me know.
From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will she be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.
So, who wants to go on a field trip? What better place to go than the library? I plan on reserving the conference room at our local library on Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. for our next book club. We will take care of a little club business (bylaws and calendar), browse the library books and take a trip down memory lane discussing our favorite books in our club's history. To get a head start, scroll to the bottom of this blog where all the books we've reviewed are listed by year (2006-2012). Even if you've never attended we'd love for you to join us.
There is a new book out called Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson that many of our members have on their "to read" list. Kendra was able to reserve 7 books and will be handing those out soon. We will need to share these copies so we will take 2 months in order for us all to have an opportunity to read the book. We will be discussing Edenbrooke on May 15. If you have not signed up on our calendar and are able to host this review in May, please let me know.
Edenbrooke
by Julianne Donaldson (Goodreads Author)
Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.
From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will she be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.
2.21.2013
March - Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
Cold Sassy Tree
The one thing you can depend on in Cold Sassy, Georgia, is that word gets around - fast. When Grandpa E. Rucker Blakeslee announces one July morning in 1906 that he's aiming to marry the young and freckledy milliner, Miss Love Simpson - a bare three weeks after Granny Blakeslee has gone to her reward - the news is served up all over town with that afternoon's dinner. And young Will Tweedy suddenly finds himself eyewitness to a major scandal. Boggled by the sheer audacity of it all, and not a little jealous of his grandpa's new wife, Will nevertheless approves of this May-December match and follows its progress with just a smidgen of youthful prurience. As the newlyweds' chaperone, conspirator, and confidant, Will is privy to his one-armed, renegade grandfather's second adolescence; meanwhile, he does some growing up of his own. He gets run over by a train and lives to tell about it; he kisses his first girl, and survives that too. Olive Ann Burns has given us a timeless, funny, resplendent novel - about a romance that rocks an entire town, about a boy's passage through the momentous but elusive year when childhood melts into adolescence, and about just how people lived and died in a small Southern town at the turn of the century. Inhabited by characters who are wise and loony, unimpeachably pious and deliciously irreverent, Cold Sassy, Georgia, is the perfect setting for the debut of a storyteller of rare brio, exuberance, and style.
Debbie J will be hosting the review for this book on Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
Let's Hear It For The Girls!
KSL published an article titled 12 Fictional Characters Every Girl Should Know... It looks like I've got a few more books to read!
Characters for little girls (0-8)
1. Princess Elizabeth, “The Paper Bag Princess” by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Princess Elizabeth is a champion of girl power. When tragedy strikes, she does what needs to be done and does it with style, even though she’s wearing only a paper bag. She is clever, a little feisty and smart — smart enough to know when the guy she thought she liked is actually “a bum.” A good lesson for all girls.
2. Freckleface Strawberry, “Freckleface Strawberry” by Julianne Moore and illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Freckleface Strawberry has freckles — a lot of freckles. She tries to scrub them off, cover them up, but they just won’t go away. But that’s OK. She learns that those brown speckles make her special, and even make her cool. Freckleface learns to be comfortable in her own skin, a lesson every girl needs.
3. Fancy Nancy, “Fancy Nancy” series by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
No one is as fancy as Nancy. Everything from her bed to her socks to her sandwiches are elegant and sparkly. Nancy teaches every little girl to love being a girl and that being fancy is just too much fun to pass up.
Characters for young girls (8-13)
1. Matilda Wormwood, “Matilda” by Roald Dahl
I love everything about Matilda. She is quiet, observant and small, but she reaches far beyond her petite size with her intelligence, love of books and clear understanding of what’s right. She projects confidence, power and makes us all believe in the magic of our minds.
2. Sara Crewe, “A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Odd little Sara Crewe. Her story is a shining example of finding the good in any situation and having the will and faith to endure. In Sara’s world, “every girl is a princess,” but not a simpering, spoiled brat; instead, a solid, smart and kind person.
3. Anne Shirley, “Anne of Green Gables Series” by L.M. Montgomery
Anne with an "e" is one of the most endearing characters in literature. Anne may be spunky, awkward and talkative, but everyone falls in love with her passion and fire. Anne isn’t afraid to stand up for herself or say what she thinks, and no one’s heart is as giving and pure as hers.
Characters for girls in their early teens (13-16)
1. Leslie Burke, “Bridge to Terabithia” by Katherine Paterson
I read this book multiple times as a young girl. Leslie is a free spirit. She can outrun the boys, wears whatever she wants and is the queen of imagination. Leslie exudes vigor, life and all things exciting. Leslie is amazing.
2. Stargirl, “Stargirl” by Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl is another incredible free spirit. In the early teen years it’s hard to feel comfortable with who you are. Characters like Stargirl and Leslie Burke show girls that it’s a glorious thing to be who you really are and to ignore the status quo.
3. Meg Murry, “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle
Meg doesn’t fit in at school, gets into fights and wears glasses. She feels like an outcast, like she can’t do anything right, but deep down Meg is a hero. In Madeleine L’Engle’s classic series, girls see the triumph of the underdog, the beauty of using our potential and how each person has important strengths.
Characters for older teens (16-21)
1. Kit Tyler, “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” by Elizabeth George Speare
Kit travels from her beautiful home in Barbados to the cold shores of America in Puritan times. Kit’s strength and strong opinions shock her new community, but she never strays from what is right. With innovation and a pure heart, Kit finds a way to befriend someone no one else will and adapt to the bleak situation presented to her.
2. Liesel Meminger, “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak
Liesel endures the most awful of circumstances, but comes through tough and strong. Many girl characters have a mother figure to help guide them through troubles, but Liesel has a foster father. Their relationship is a stunning example of the importance of a father to a girl.
3. Jane Eyre, “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte
Every girl should get to know Jane Eyre. Jane possesses a quiet strength and knows her own heart. She never deviates from what she believes in and is willing to work hard. Jane may not be traditionally pretty, but her spirit is gorgeous. Jane is a champion of the downtrodden and a queen of enduring the bad to get the good.
1.17.2013
February - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Thanks to Ursula for hosting such an enjoyable evening reviewing Life and Death at Hoover Dam and thanks also to the author, the talented Jerry Borrowman, for joining us. We were enlightened, inspired and entertained.
Our next book club will be held on February 20 at Dione's. We'll be reviewing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.
Tamra rated it 
An utterly charming and delightful book! I loved every page of this book and hated to see it end. The characters are just wonderful and make you wish they were your neighbors and friends. The book is told entirely through letters which made it all the more fun. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a book as much as I did this one. It's a testament to the love of reading and the power of the written word. I highly recommend this one.
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