Our July book was On the Island by self published author Tracey Garvis Graves. This book was chosen because we wanted a light, summer-y pool book and that's exactly what we got. The majority of us read it in 1-2 days and it really was very hard to put down.
The story is about TJ and Anna who have the misfortune of being stranded on an island after a plane crash. It's a story about survival and complex relationships which is told from both TJ and Anna's points of view. The author flip flops chapters between Anna and TJ and I for one, loved this style because it allowed me to see what each person was thinking.
This was a truly enjoyable read even though it wasn't a literary masterpiece and everything seemed to always fall into place perfectly throughout the story, (not at all like the real world). We all decided we didn't want to pick this book apart and we loved it for what it was...a perfectly indulgent little Summer read that we all need now & then! Enjoy!
Appetizers- Pita chips & hummus and crudite
Dinner- Bbq chicken salad and veggie salad w/ garlic bread sticks
Dessert- Variety of decadent cupcakes
Drinks- Red and white wine
Jul 27, 2012
Jul 6, 2012
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is a mystical journey into the world of magic and illusion. The author is an expert writer and has the delightful power of painting the most beautiful scenes for us to enjoy with her choice of words. She is truly a master of writing in every sense.
The plot is very intricate but it's based around Celia and Marco who at a very young age are selected to take part in a magical competition that is never clearly explained to them. What transpires is a circus of dreams that appears suddenly in different cities throughout the world and amazes the circus goers with illusions, magic and fantasy that is beautifully put on paper for us to enjoy as well. They become star crossed lovers and it soon becomes clear that the circus has monumental, life altering powers. There are also many other memorable characters that we loved and hated which made the book even richer.
This book was not an easy read because of the intricacies of the plots and because of the descriptive writing however it was a book that demanded to be picked up any chance I had and when I did I was transported to this dark and mysterious world that I didn't want to leave. I could write a page alone on how beautifully Celia's magical ball gowns were described and I often re-read the parts three times because it was such a beautiful vision in my mind. There is a large clock located at the entrance of the circus called The Wunschtraum Clock, (directly translated from German as the Wish Dream Clock). The way the author so beautifully describes this clock and everything it can do is the stuff dreams are made of.
Our Book Club had some mixed reviews however....no one in our group really disliked the book, but it wasn't a favorite for some because they don't like circuses and magic. I daresay if one has a very logical mind then I can see how you couldn't just allow yourself to become lost in the fantasy of it all. There would probably always be that little voice of reason trying to rationalize what was just read and that could definitely be a distraction from becoming consumed and mesmerized by this tale.
Overall, I personally would recommend this book to someone who doesn't mind a book that takes some concentration and attention to detail and is able to just get lost in a tale of fantasy and magic and enjoy it for what it is, A Circus of Dreams.
Appetizers- Roasted Tomato Caprese and various cheeses, olives and crackers
Dinner- Shrimp & Orzo Salad & Mixed Greens with goat cheese, caramelized pecans, red pear and a balsamic glaze
Dessert- Assorted Gelato, Chocolate Hazlenut Biscotti & Mixed Berries
Drinks- Vino...of course
The plot is very intricate but it's based around Celia and Marco who at a very young age are selected to take part in a magical competition that is never clearly explained to them. What transpires is a circus of dreams that appears suddenly in different cities throughout the world and amazes the circus goers with illusions, magic and fantasy that is beautifully put on paper for us to enjoy as well. They become star crossed lovers and it soon becomes clear that the circus has monumental, life altering powers. There are also many other memorable characters that we loved and hated which made the book even richer.
This book was not an easy read because of the intricacies of the plots and because of the descriptive writing however it was a book that demanded to be picked up any chance I had and when I did I was transported to this dark and mysterious world that I didn't want to leave. I could write a page alone on how beautifully Celia's magical ball gowns were described and I often re-read the parts three times because it was such a beautiful vision in my mind. There is a large clock located at the entrance of the circus called The Wunschtraum Clock, (directly translated from German as the Wish Dream Clock). The way the author so beautifully describes this clock and everything it can do is the stuff dreams are made of.
Our Book Club had some mixed reviews however....no one in our group really disliked the book, but it wasn't a favorite for some because they don't like circuses and magic. I daresay if one has a very logical mind then I can see how you couldn't just allow yourself to become lost in the fantasy of it all. There would probably always be that little voice of reason trying to rationalize what was just read and that could definitely be a distraction from becoming consumed and mesmerized by this tale.
Overall, I personally would recommend this book to someone who doesn't mind a book that takes some concentration and attention to detail and is able to just get lost in a tale of fantasy and magic and enjoy it for what it is, A Circus of Dreams.
Appetizers- Roasted Tomato Caprese and various cheeses, olives and crackers
Dinner- Shrimp & Orzo Salad & Mixed Greens with goat cheese, caramelized pecans, red pear and a balsamic glaze
Dessert- Assorted Gelato, Chocolate Hazlenut Biscotti & Mixed Berries
Drinks- Vino...of course
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