October book club: The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis

Thank you LuAnn for hosting our book club this month. We had such a good evening together. Her book pick of The Girl Who Chased the Moon sparked many tangent discussions about healing, hurting, acceptance, growing up in small towns, moving, change of hearts, oddities in families and communities etc. We discovered things about our book club friends that we would never have guessed! It was a ridiculously enjoyable evening, and the milky way cake was heavenly. I love getting together and sharing  thoughts and ideas about what ever these books inspire us to think about.

Next month Beth will be hosting our book club on Thursday October 4th at 7pm. Her book pick is:

                                  

Goodreads review says:   When free-spirited Batsheva moves into the close-knit Orthodox community of Memphis, Tennessee, the already precarious relationship between the Ladies Auxiliary and their teenage daughters is shaken to the core. In this extraordinary novel, Tova Mirvis takes us into the fascinating and insular world of the Memphis Orthodox Jews, one ripe with tradition and contradiction. Warm and wise, enchanting and funny, The Ladies Auxiliary brilliantly illuminates the timeless struggle between mothers and daughters, family and self, religious freedom and personal revelation, honoring the past and facing the future. An unforgettable story of uncommon atmosphere, profound insight, and winning humor, The Ladies Auxiliary is a triumphant work of fiction.

A goodreads reader says:  I loved this book. I think it was because I could relate to so much of the story. Small communities are like that, hiding problems and protecting the status quo at all cost. What I love best about Oakland is that we celebrate diversity and seem to thrive on uncovering dirt to discuss.
And I loved the references to Jewish tradition. Although I was raised in a Reform congregation, my grandparents were very much a part of that Orthodoxy. And we all stuck together, supporting each other, even when it made no sense, like eating at the Chinese restaurant owned by a member of the temple and only going to Jewish doctors and dentists.
I own this book and plan to lend it out because it is such a fun read.

Beth had several books to recommend that she has read.

• The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
• Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nelson

We have titles for our books thru the end of the year.

• November 1st is hosted by Bethany. Her pick is The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman
• November 29th is hosted by Diane. Her pick is Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett

Happy Reading and see you next month. Good luck Heather. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you. We love you.

September book club: The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

We had a wonderful discussion in Debbie’s beautiful back yard setting about her book pick Everlost by Neal Shusterman. We missed all who could not be there but you missed a great discussion. This book is written by a man known as the story teller. He has been telling stories for a long time and is very good at it. He has inspired young readers everywhere to pick up a book and read. He visits schools and towns and even gets the kids involved in naming his books. We discovered many layers in Everlost, spiritual and otherwise, that made it a great read. Thanks Debbie!

LuAnn will be hosting our next meeting which will actually be Thursday August 30th at 7pm at her home. Her book is:

                                

Goodreads review says:   In her latest enchanting novel, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen invites you to a quirky little Southern town with more magic than a full Carolina moon. Here two very different women discover how to find their place in the world—no matter how out of place they feel.
Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. Such as, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? And why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes.
Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes—which is a good thing, because Julia can’t seem to stop baking them. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also in the hope of rekindling the love she fears might be lost forever. Flour, eggs, milk, and sugar . . . Baking is the only language the proud but vulnerable Julia has to communicate what is truly in her heart. But is it enough to call back to her those she’s hurt in the past?  
Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily’s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in.

A Goodreads reader says:  What is home to you? A comfortable, warm place filled with loving faces? Is it the scent of freshly baked cookies or pie wafting through the air? A worn blanket draped across a favorite chair and a good book? The soft, silky touch of a beloved pet’s fur? Finding shelter in the protective embrace of a lover? Home is more than just a place it is a destination where you feel safe; someplace where all is right with the world; a spot you always want to be. The Girl Who Chased the Moon is all about finding that elusive point called home.

Sounds like a great book to curl up on the couch and enjoy.

Happy Reading and see you at LuAnn’s home Aug 30th.