Walk to Beautiful: The Power of Love and a Homeless Kid Who Found the Way by Jimmy Wayne

Thank you to everyone who came to our evening of poetry. This really is one of the best nights of the year. We always enjoy the variety and the messages that come out and touch our hearts. Love you guys! Thanks Sue for the yummy snacks.

We also enjoyed a movie night out at Debbie’s home. We watched the newest version of Far From the Madding Crowd. Very well done and enjoyable. Although the book is better and the movie didn’t develop the secondary characters as much as the book did, if you read the book you will be able to fill in the missing spots. We laughed at the foolish choices and enjoyed the popcorn and friendship.

Our next book club will be hosted by Telarry on Wednesday Feb 3rd at 7pm. Her book selection is:

Imagine being thirteen, in a strange city, hundreds of miles away from home, and your mom abandons you at a bus station, driving off into the night with her lover.
It's a miracle Jimmy Wayne survived his growing-up years. Hungry, homeless, and bouncing in and out of the foster care system, Jimmy spent more nights wandering and sleeping in the streets than he cares to remember. His father left before he was born. And his mama, when she wasn't in a mental hospital or behind bars for various small offenses, was simply too overwhelmed, trying to survive herself.
Walk to Beautiful is the powerfully emotive account of Jimmy's childhood and the unconditional love and acceptance Russell and Bea Costner gave to Jimmy. This elderly couple provided a stable home and the chance for him to complete his education. Jimmy says of Bea, "She changed every cell in my body." After his high school graduation, Jimmy went on to earn a degree in Criminal Justice because, as he says, "I knew a lot about it." But in his heart Jimmy wanted to write songs and sing.
A music company opened its doors to Jimmy, and he moved to Nashville to pursue his dreams. He had several memorable hits, such as I Love You This Much, Paper Angels, and Do You Believe Me Now?, which remained at #1 for three consecutive weeks on the Billboard Chart.
But success was not satisfying. Jimmy remembered where he came from, and he wanted to give back. With his Meet Me Halfway campaign—a 1,700 mile walk from Nashville to Phoenix—Jimmy walked halfway across America, raising awareness for foster children. Along the way he not only found a lot of crazy things, such as coins, keys, a plastic Jesus, and a Lucille Ball ashtray; but he also found himself. And more important, he found a way to forgive the people who had hurt him. Jimmy learned how to walk to beautiful—and so can you.

Sounds like a great read that you might not be able to put down! See you in February,

Diane

 

November Book Club: David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

Thank you Sue for a great evening spent discussing a larger then life woman named Olive Kitteridge. She was quite the lady and had many layers to discover. If you looked you could see a compassionate person who deeply cared or an angry misunderstood women who would just as soon discard your friendship as talk to you. Either one you saw, Olive was one to remember. Thank you so much for sharing the amazing produce. I am still munching away on my delicious peppers.

Next month we will be meeting at Beth’s home on Wednesday November 4th at 7pm. We will be discussing her choice of:

 

Goodreads says:   In his #1 bestselling books The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell has explored the ways we understand and change our world. Now he looks at the complex and surprising ways the weak can defeat the strong, the small can match up against the giant, and how our goals (often culturally determined) can make a huge difference in our ultimate sense of success. Drawing upon examples from the world of business, sports, culture, cutting-edge psychology, and an array of unforgettable characters around the world, David and Goliath is in many ways the most practical and provocative book Malcolm Gladwell has ever written.

We have read Malcolm Gladwell before and I really like the way we think and move in different directions as we discuss his thoughts. This sounds like a great one to get us all thinking again.

See you there.

October Book Club: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

We will be meeting at Sue’s home on October 7th to discuss her book choice of:

At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition--its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.

See you there.

September Book Club: Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

We hope everyone is healthy and well again. Taking off August surprised us all. We are going to discuss Tanya’s book pick on Wednesday Sept 2nd at 7pm at Tanya’s home. Her choice is:

Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. The first of his works set in Wessex, Hardy's novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships.

See you there

July Book Club: When I Found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Last month's book, The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristen Harmel was a really enjoyable book. The talk of pastries and baking alone was awesome. One must have great will power to own a bakery. We loved the characters and the hope of finding lasting love in our lives. The subject of the Holocaust was treated so well too. It was a great discussion. Thanks Luann.

Next month will be hosted by Diane at 7pm on Wednesday July 1st. We will be reading When I Found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde. This is a quick read and not very costly on a Kindle.

Goodreads says:

When Nathan McCann discovers a newborn baby boy half buried in the woods, he assumes he's found a tiny dead body. But then the baby moves and in one remarkable moment, Nathan's life is changed forever.

The baby is sent to grow up with his grandmother, but Nathan can't forget him and is compelled to pay her a visit. He asks for one simple promise - that one day she will introduce the boy to Nathan and tell him, 'This is the man who found you in the woods.'
Years pass and Nathan assumes that the old lady has not kept her promise, until one day an angry, troubled boy arrives on his doorstep with a suitcase . . .

Enjoy these lovely summer days and nights. Hope to see you in July.

June Book Club: The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel

Thanks to everyone who gathered for book club last night. We had a great discussion on a powerful book. It has opened our eyes to the struggles that many countries have faced to gain very basic elements of freedom. We have so much to be grateful for and an even greater responsibility to do what we can to bless the lives of others. Thank you Telarry. It was a great book to read and think about.

Our next discussion will be at  LuAnn’s house on Wednesday June 3rd at 7pm. Her book pick is:

                          

Goodreads says:

A baker in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, must travel to Paris to uncover a family secret for her dying grandmother—and what she learns may change everything. Hope’s beloved French-born grandmother Mamie, who wowed the Cape with her fabulous pastries for more than fifty years, is drifting away into a haze of Alzheimer’s. But in a rare moment of clarity, Mamie realizes that unless she tells Hope about the past, the secrets she has held on to for so many years will soon be lost forever. Tantalizingly, she reveals mysterious snippets of a tragic history in Paris. And then, arming her with a scrawled list of names, she sends Hope to France to uncover a seventy-year-old mystery.

A Goodreads reader says:

I really enjoyed this book. My mother suffers from dementia, so I could relate to the feelings of the main character when dealing with her grandmother's "good" and "bad" days. I've also spent many years on the Cape, so I enjoyed the setting. I thought the premise was great. Imagine discovering a completely different family history than the one you grew up believing? What feelings of loss would you feel? What would you feel you'd gained? I've read other books by this author and I'm glad she's been able to branch out into another genre. I think you'll like this book (and the food)!

Looking forward to this one!!

See you there,

Diane

May book club: In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

The Boys in the Boat was a great book to read and feel proud to be an American and proud of our connections to the University of Washington. These boys were amazing in what they were able to accomplish and all the while each one of them felt that they were the weak link. Very humble men and such amazing character traits. Great writing too!! Thanks for the video clips and for a great read Margaret.

Our next book club will be hosted by Telarry on Wednesday May 6th at 7 pm. Her selection will be:

 

Goodreads says:

Set during the waning days of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic in 1960, this extraordinary novel tells the story the Mirabal sisters, three young wives and mothers who are assassinated after visiting their jailed husbands.
From the author of How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents comes this tale of courage and sisterhood set in the Dominican Republic during the rise of the Trujillo dictatorship. A skillful blend of fact and fiction, In the Time of the Butterflies is inspired by the true story of the three Mirabal sisters who, in 1960, were murdered for their part in an underground plot to overthrow the government. Alvarez breathes life into these historical figures--known as "las mariposas," or "the butterflies," in the underground--as she imagines their teenage years, their gradual involvement with the revolution, and their terror as their dissentience is uncovered.

A goodreads reader says:

"In the Time of the Butterflies" was beautiful and sad. I loved every one of the sisters. Their sacrifice, during the Trujillo regime, made me question what I would be willing to sacrifice for freedom and it made me think about my sister. The image that made me cry and made me angry was of the sisters standing in the garden one night looking back at the lit house as their mama bustles around getting their children ready for bed. Alvarez says they look at the house with longing as if they were already dead and wishing to watch their children grow up. That decision between political upheaval and being with and living for their children haunted me. How could they sacrifice a life with their children? I know they were fighting against an oppressive, tyrannical regime and that they believed their fight for freedom was to create a better world for their children. I guess it bothers me because I admired the sisters but I wouldn't have made the same choice.

Sounds like a book that will start a great discussion.

Hope to see you in May.

April book club: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

Can I just say our discussion on The Demon in the Freezer opened our eyes a little WIDE about the possibilities of another small pox threat. Wow, to think this is still “hiding” in a freezer just waiting for our government to decide it is an acceptable risk to study it? On the other scientific hand, what a great bunch of people who worked so hard to eradicate this thing. Germs are everywhere and we can’t go crazy but we must use our heads as well. Great discussion, thanks Tansy!!

Our next book club will be hosted by Margaret on April 8th. Her selection will be:

 

Goodreads says:

Daniel James Brown’s robust book tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.
The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is assembled  by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British boat builder, but it is their trust in each other that makes them a victorious team. They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls together—a perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism.
Drawing on the boys’ own diaries and journals, their photos and memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, The Boys in the Boat is an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate story of nine working-class boys from the American west who, in the depths of the Great Depression, showed the world what true grit really meant.

A goodreads reader says:

Quite an uplifting story of the young men from the University of Washington who took the gold medal for nine-men shell rowing at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Like Hillenbrand’s wonderful book “Seabiscuit” this is a tale of underdogs overcoming personal adversities and capturing the attention of a nation laid low by the Great Depression.

Sounds like a great book, especially being from the Northwest.

See you in April

March Book Club: Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston

If you missed last month’s book club you missed a great discussion on an outstanding book. We loved Global Mom because we could relate to her sense of adventure and her love of being a mom. She is able to open your eyes to the love affair with food that the french have and how to battle governments on naming your child. She battled moving and won with poise. She offered beautiful writing and some very moving thoughts on dealing with the devastating grief on the loss of your child. You will want to read this one. Thanks Debbie. You can follow Melissa at www.facebook.com/globalmomamemoir or melissadaltonbradford.wordpress.com

Our next book will be hosted by Tansy on Wednesday March 4th at 7pm. Her book pick is:

Goodreads says:

The first major bioterror event in the United States-the anthrax attacks in October 2001-was a clarion call for scientists who work with “hot” agents to find ways of protecting civilian populations against biological weapons. In The Demon in the Freezer, his first nonfiction book sinceThe Hot Zone, a #1 New York Times bestseller, Richard Preston takes us into the heart of Usamriid, the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Maryland, once the headquarters of the U.S. biological weapons program and now the epicenter of national biodefense.

A Goodreads reader says:

This is a chilling account of the eradication of smallpox in the 1970s, the Anthrax mailings in 2001, and the possibility of future bioterrorism using genetically-modified strains of smallpox designed to infect even those vaccinated against the disease.
Officially variola majora (smallpox) only exists in freezers in the Centers for Disease Control and in the Russian Vector lab. Through interviews with those involved with the eradication and working to prevent bioterrorism a strong case is made for the Soviet government creating genetically-modified smallpox by the ton into the 1990s and how these virii might currently be in the possession of rogue nations.
You'll also learn why smallpox is most-likely the worst virus ever inflicted upon humankind and is much more dangerous than Ebola, Avian Flu, or AIDS. From 1850-1970 is is estimated that smallpox is responsible for the death of over one billion humans worldwide.

Sounds intriguing!!

Hope to see you there.

Diane

February Book Club: Global Mom by Melissa Dalton-Bradford

We had a great movie night together watching THE BOOK THIEF. The movie captured the heart of the book and did a great job with color and visual effects. Such a good book and watching it as a movie was emotional and uplifting. We humans are haunting.

Just a bit of business before we get in to the good stuff. In discussions about which night of the week is best for us to meet we decided upon Thursday night. In reality this is not the best night because we can potentially conflict with several worthy activities that we do not what anyone to have to choose between. So, a comprehensive decision has been made to make Wednesday night the official night for book club this year. We will meet the first Wednesday of each month at 7pm. We hope that each of you will be able to be with us and share your insights and feelings about the books that we choose to share. We value all of you and as no night will be absolutely perfect for everyone we hope that you will be able to join us most of the time.

Next month Debbie will be hosting on WEDNESDAY February 4th at 7pm. Her book selection will be:

                                     

After more than twenty years living internationally-sixteen addresses, eight countries and five different languages-writer Melissa Bradford shares a fantastic journey of motherhood that will inspire any family.

A goodreads reader says:    I loved this book. Cliche? I'm okay with that because this book did for me what I want all books to do for me. I was intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually fed. I found myself living inside of the author's life, watching and feeling and experiencing all of the moments she described. I laughed, I sobbed, I smiled, I stopped and pondered... and then I jumped back in and devoured her words, although as slowly as I could so the words would seep into my skin and linger. 

Sounds like a great read. See you there.

Diane        

November book club: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

Thanks Beth for a great evening together. Our discussion was so interesting when we got into “what is faith” vs “belief”. Good questions and answers. Although not his best book it was definitely a good one to read and share thoughts about.

Our next meeting will be at LuAnn’s home on Tuesday November 4th at 7pm. Her book pick is:

                            

Goodreads review says: Hetty "Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.
Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid. We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty-five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.
As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements.
Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.
This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.

A Goodreads reader says: 

We think that we know something about the atrocities of slavery because we learned about it in American history class, or we saw glimpses of it in a movie or a book. But it isn't until we confront a depiction of it that seems so real and horrible, that we realize how very little we really know of the injustice of slavery. Sue Monk Kidd has provided that depiction in this amazing novel.
In blending fact and fiction, she tells the story of Sarah and Angelina Grimke, two sisters from Charleston, S.C. who devote their lives to the abolition of slavery and to the women's rights movement in the 1800's. It is also the courageous story of Handful (Hetty),her mother Charlotte, and sister Sky, slaves to the Grimke family. While, Kidd in her notes gives details of her research and clarifies what was fact and what was fiction in the novel, I loved that one of my favorite parts of the book was true - Sarah teaches Handful to read.
The journey of these courageous children who become courageous women against the odds is a story that will stay with me.

See you at book club. I’m looking forward to reading this one.

The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

We had a great time dissecting the murder mystery presented by Mary Higgins Clark, I’ve Got You Under My Skin. Wow, at 86 she is still writing. Thanks Telarry for a wonderful evening together.

Our next book club will be hosted by Beth Nelson. We are going to change our day for meeting from Wednesday to Tuesday starting with October. We will still be the first week of the month but now we will meet the first Tuesday of the month. Beth has chosen to read:  The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom.

                                 

Goodreads review says:   The First Phone Call from Heaven tells the story of a small town on Lake Michigan that gets worldwide attention when its citizens start receiving phone calls from the afterlife. Is it the greatest miracle ever or a massive hoax? Sully Harding, a grief-stricken single father, is determined to find out. An allegory about the power of belief--and a page-turner that will touch your soul--Albom's masterful storytelling has never been so moving and unexpected.
Readers of The Five People You Meet in Heaven will recognize the warmth and emotion so redolent of Albom's writing, and those who haven't yet enjoyed the power of his storytelling, will thrill at the discovery of one of the best-loved writers of our time.

A Goodreads reader says:

This book has a wonderful premise- several people from one small town are getting phone calls from deceased loved ones. Many people believe it's a miracle while some feel it's a hoax. One man sets out to find the answer.
I'm a huge fan of Mitch Albom-his books always give me comfort and hope. However, this book was rather frustrating most of the time and featured some annoying characters that got on my nerves. I gave this book three stars only because i liked the beginning (i couldn't stop crying) and the end. However, the middle of the book (basically the majority of the story) was difficult to get through. Albom is still one of my favorite authors but his other books are much better than this one.

I’ve Got You Under My Skin by Mary Higgins Clark

                                   

Goodreads review says:    When Laurie Moran's husband was brutally murdered, only three-year-old Timmy saw the face of his father's killer. Five years later his piercing blue eyes still haunt Timmy's dreams. Laurie is haunted by more: the killer's threat to her son as he fled the scene: Tell your mother she's next, then it's your turn . . .
Now Laurie is dealing with murder again, this time as the producer of a true-crime, cold-case television show. The series will launch with the twenty-year-old unsolved murder of Betsy Powell. Betsy, a socialite, was found suffocated in her bed after a gala celebrating the graduation of her daughter and three friends. The sensational murder was news nationwide. Reopening the case in its lavish setting and with the cooperation of the surviving guests that night, Laurie is sure to have a hit on her hands. But when the estranged friends begin filming, it becomes clear each is hiding secrets . . . small and large.
And a pair of blue eyes is watching events unfold, too . . .

A Goodreads reader says: 

I know exactly to what expect from this author. A good mystery, filled with many characters and many red herrings.
She has a very unique style of writing which is pretty easy to read.
As usual, this story is filled with mystery, characters with loads of secrets which are revealed throughout the story, different POV’s which get you into the characters head.
This book had a good plot – a reality show based on reenacting unsolved murders with the actual persons involved in the case.
I found it a bit hard to engage with most of the characters – perhaps too many and a few things that just did not fit in for me.
I have been reading this author’s books through the years and I will probably read any others that she will still published. I can’t believe that she’s actually in her 80….hell, she has a damn good memory if she can still write like this.

August Book Club – I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Thanks Luanne for a great gathering to discuss a book about book clubs! We all share a love of books so talking about this book was amazing. A mother and son sharing important thoughts about life and choices and everything in-between. A great book.

Our next meeting will be at Margaret’s home on Wednesday July 30th at 7 pm. Her book pick is:

Goodreads review:  I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.
On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.
Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.
I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.

See you there!

July Book Club: End of your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

Thanks to everyone who came and enjoyed our book club discussion. What a great evening of sharing our love of books and other topics of interest we love to talk about. This is a great group of friends and we miss those who could not be there. Thanks Tanya for your Edenbrooke and for taking us back to a more royal and elegant time and place. I hope we have all found our “Philip”.

Next month LuAnn will be hosting on Wednesday July 2 at 7pm. Her book pick is:

                                     

Goodreads review says:   That’s the question Will Schwalbe asks his mother, Mary Anne, as they sit in the waiting room of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In 2007, Mary Anne returned from a humanitarian trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan suffering from what her doctors believed was a rare type of hepatitis. Months later she was diagnosed with a form of advanced pancreatic cancer, which is almost always fatal, often in six months or less.
This is the inspiring true story of a son and his mother, who start a “book club” that brings them together as her life comes to a close. Over the next two years, Will and Mary Anne carry on conversations that are both wide-ranging and deeply personal, prompted by an eclectic array of books and a shared passion for reading.

A Goodreads reader review:  An absolutely wonderfully written book that is not just the personal experience of Will Schwalbe. This book explores the power of books, reading them, discussing them and intagrating them into our lives and the lives of others. I think we all have an understanding of how important our friends and family are, but this book brings home the importance of letting those people know not just how much you love them, but how proud you are of them or how much you respect them and what they have done or the decisions they have made. Everyone should read this book, no matter what they are going through, and even if they aren't going through anything at all but just living their life.

Here are a few suggestions from Debbie that you might want to check out. Life in a Jar by Jack Mayer and Quiet by Susan Cane

Happy Reading!!

June Book Club: Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

Thanks for a great evening together. The view was amazing and the conversation so much fun. It’s like free therapy when we get together. We laugh and talk and express what ever we need to. I love you gals!! Thanks for a great discussion on what makes us valuable. Is it our appearance or what's in our heart? Reading about Nie Nie makes us all feel like there is hope in facing our challenges. We also saw a really cool segment from NatGeo about a new burn treatment. You spray on your own stem cells with a special gun and it adheres and heals in days not months. Very amazing. Thanks Syd.

Next month Tanya will be hosting our meeting on Wednesday June 4th at 7pm.  Her book pic is:

                                   

Goodreads review says:  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 Marianne 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.

A Goodreads reader says:  Edenbrooke is absolutely delightful. I wish more publishers out there would pick up romance stories like this, without the prerequisite sex scenes. There is none of that here, and instead we are treated to a romance that focuses much more on the emotions of the characters and how they fall in love. So it's a love story, not just a romance. In my experience, those are quite hard to find.

See you next month!!

April Book Club: Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Thanks for a great get together again. We had the best time discussing ideas and laughing and remembering our high school days. Star Girl was a great book to read because we all can’t be popular but we all can be ourselves and stay true to our values. Thanks Tansy and congratulations!!!!!!

Our next book club meeting will be hosted by Beth Adkins on Wednesday April 2 at 7pm. Her book pick is:

                         

A review on Goodreads says:   Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.
Paris, May 2002: On Vel' d'Hiv's 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

A Goodreads reader says:     I finished "Sarah's Key" this morning and I have so many thoughts going through my head about it. I loved the pacing of the story, how it switched between Sarah's story and Julia's story up until the point where the two merged. I loved how the style of Sarah's story was completely different than the style of Julia's story. I loved how both stories made me cry, even though I knew what was coming. I loved how realistically the characters were portrayed. Nobody was all good or all bad, just human with human frailties. I loved the depictions of the small acts of conscience and kindness. I had no idea about the roundups of Jews in France. I did know that the Nazis tended to just send children who were too young to work straight to the gas chambers. I think the author did a good job of illustrating why the French people seemed to forget what had happened and how the Holocaust indirectly affected them. I hope writers continue writing stories like "Sarah's Key" that bring the atrocities of the Holocaust to light so we can learn and not repeat those mistakes.

In May we will be reading Heaven is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph and Everyday Joy by Stephanie Nielson

Just a reminder about the blog that Debbie recommended. Its called The Moments We Stand and can be found at themomentswestand.blogspot.com

Happy reading and see you next month!

March Book Club: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

What a crazy bunch of reading nuts we are to brave the frigid winter weather to get together and discuss our book. We regretted not flying down to Arizona and having a private one on one discussion with Gena about her book but despite the cold we had a heart warming discussion about facing challenges and what success looks like. We learned interesting things about each other and had some really good laughs. Thank you Alicia for choosing this book and for hosting.

We will be meeting on the first WEDNESDAY of the month during the rest of this year.

Tansy will host our next book club meeting on Wednesday March 5th at 7pm. Her book pick is:

                      

Goodreads review says:   From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, hallways hum “Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. Until they are not. Leo urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her - normal.

A Goodreads reader says:   Stargirl is an amazing book about individuality and nonconformism. A home-schooled girl named Stargirl begins attending the public high school for her sophomore year. Stargirl is different.
She learns everybody's birthdays and on the day of, she sings them a happy birthday song -- accompanying herself on the ukulele -- in the middle of the lunch room, whether they want her to or not. She watches a young boy who lives across the street so that she can create a scrapbook for him without his knowledge. She is, in almost every way, unconventional.
The voice of the book is a young man who becomes fascinated by Stargirl and befriends her, even though many of her antics make her an outcast, otherwise. Through a series of events, she becomes wildly popular, then widely despised. For this boy, she experiments with being conventional for awhile.
The book is fascinating. It explores a lot of issues centered around social conventions and how they play in our lives for good or ill. And they take place at a stage of life when kids are most susceptible to peer pressure. Jerry Spinelli's insights are thought-provoking and engaging. In the end, the book makes you want to be a better person, perhaps in ways that aren't quite "normal." It reminds me of a talk given by Dallin H. Oaks, in which he said, "... This requires us to make some changes from our family culture, our ethnic culture, or our national culture. We must change all elements of our behavior that are in conflict with gospel commandments, covenants, and culture." The genius of it is that the book does this without being particularly preachy.

A reading suggestion from Debbie is from a blog that she found recently. It is called The Moments we Stand. It is very well written as she shares  insights about the tragic events in her life and how the atonement and the gospel has helped her get her life back. This is worth checking out.

Thanks for a great evening as always and see you next month.

February Book Club: Standing Out: Sometimes Alone by Gena Mabee

We had a great time together at the movies, even if the weather wasn’t very cooperative. We missed all those who were unable to join us and we realize we need to settle on a night to get together that will work for as many as possible. So… while we are deciding, Alicia Fawson will be hosting our next book club in February. Her book choice is:

                      

Goodreads review says: 

In her first week as a college freshman, Gena recalls the
misery of middle school, the redemption of high school
and the challenge of social maneuvering as a devout
Christian in the LDS Church who secretly craves
popularity and a boyfriend. Now she wrestles with the
uncertainty of her bold decision to go to a college where
she will once again have to figure out how to be happy
while standing out, sometimes alone.

Beth Nelson actually knows this writer. She meet her in Oregon where Beth used to live. This book comes highly recommended so it should make for a great choice for our group to read.

Looking forward to getting together.

December Book Club: Poetry Night

Thanks Tanya for hosting a great evening. We thoroughly enjoy discussing the life of  “Aunt Shirley”.  Her attitude about life in a wheel chair is so positive and catching. She truly saw the good and enjoyed herself and made a difference to so many. We also want to welcome our new friend Rachelle. We are so glad to have you join us and share your insights and love of a good book.

Our next book club meeting is going to be a first! Sue Mitchell is hosting a poetry night. Everyone is going to bring a favorite poem and then we will enjoy talking about them and looking for the imagery and all the cool stuff that makes poems so awesome. If you can’t bring a poem don’t let that stop you from coming. We want you there!

We also want to try a book exchange and December is a great month to do so. Everyone bring a wrapped book to give away. It can be one from your shelves or one from Value Village and then we will all go home with a book. Sounds fun!

We will be meeting at Sue’s home on Wednesday Dec 4th at 7pm . We will be changing our days to meet starting in January. This last year we meet on Tuesdays and we will be changing to the first WEDNESDAY of each month.

Get started looking for a poem to share and see you next month.