One of our members wisely selected this book as our monthly read since the movie came out in the same month. It's not often that you read a book and see the brand new film right afterwards, so it made this month a really special experience!
The Hunger Games is the first book in a trilogy of books written by, (yet another brilliant mom), Suzanne Collins. I always feel a little strange when people ask me what the book is about and perhaps you can understand why. It's about 12 selected children from different Districts that are sent out into a brutal wilderness arena of sorts and have to hunt and kill each other until there is only one left standing. Not the stuff fairy tales are made of to be sure, however The Hunger Games is one of those books that you just cannot put down. It sucks you in and is so riveting that many of us finished this book in one to three days. That being said, we did have several discussions about the morbid nature of this book and the film and why we think this is something that we want our young people reading. As much as I personally enjoyed the book, there is something to be said about where to draw the line when it comes to our children. I feel a tad guilty that it never even crossed my mind to feel shocked and appalled that these were children participating in the games, I just allowed myself to be swallowed up by the adventure of it all.
For the most part we collectively loved this book and many of us went on to read the second and third books immediately afterwards so that it just became one giant story that flowed together into a riveting adventure. The heroine Katniss is a strong female figure which seems to be more appealing these days than delicate little flowers so we really enjoyed her along with several other characters. Of course I would be remiss not to mention the inevitable love triangle that is also part of this book and the series. I think this really appeals to the younger female readers but it didn't seems to bother my thirteen year old nephew who said these were his favorite books of all time!
Appetizers- Goat Cheese with Fresh Basil, Sun dried Tomatoes and Olives
Dinner- Spicy Beef & Barley Soup, Salad and District 12 rolls with District 1 bread (you will just have to read the book)!
Dessert- Fresh Berries with whipped cream and assorted pastries
Drinks- Effie cocktails, (Effie is a character in the book), red and white wine and cappuccino
Apr 5, 2012
Feb 17, 2012
Forever is Over by Calvin Wade
Let me just start by saying that this book comes with a warning....it is 618 pages long! Yes, you heard me correctly...here is how this book was picked.
It was my month to select a book, I did research and found that Forever is Over by Calvin Wade came with VERY high reviews. I tried valiantly to upload it on my Kindle, but it wasn't yet available on Kindle so I ordered the book on Amazon, (still unaware of how long it was). When the 90 lb. "brick" was dropped off at my doorstep a few days later I soon realized that this would probably NOT be our February book due to it's girth and the simple fact that I didn't want to be lynched by my fellow Book Clubbers. I decided that since I bought it, I would at least give it a chance and begin reading. I figured that I would probably be immediately bored to tears and justifiably throw it in the "round file" or donate it to our local library, however 5 days, a box of Kleenex and 618 pages later I was smitten.
I am both happy and relieved to say that most of us felt the same way about the book and I will not be disowned. About half of us thought the book could have been condensed a bit to lessen the length, while the other half enjoyed every little detail and thought it was OK. Since the book is so long a few of us had difficulty finding the time to devote to the book due to work and family situations so we also agreed that this book should be read when you know you will have the time to read it.
It's a journey through the life of Richie Billingham and the people he is close to. I really hate to spoil stories and I don't want to give a lot of details re: content. I really try to let the reader's journey be their own without a lot of preconceived notions to set the tone in advance however, I will say that this book is written in a very clever way. The story is told from the perspective of several different people and sometimes a certain event or incident will be re told by 3 to 4 people so each time you are able to see the event from a different set of eyes. It's very interesting to experience this author's writing style. We also felt like this book was easy to read and there are many laughs throughout.
We loved this book that focuses on life, love and precious time and do recommend it to all of you. Happy Reading!
Appetizers: Mozarella Caprese and Olive Tepanade
Dinner: Homemade Lasagna
Dessert: Lemon Tart with Fresh Blueberries, Lemon Curd and Whipped Cream
Wine: Pinot Noir and Syrah
It was my month to select a book, I did research and found that Forever is Over by Calvin Wade came with VERY high reviews. I tried valiantly to upload it on my Kindle, but it wasn't yet available on Kindle so I ordered the book on Amazon, (still unaware of how long it was). When the 90 lb. "brick" was dropped off at my doorstep a few days later I soon realized that this would probably NOT be our February book due to it's girth and the simple fact that I didn't want to be lynched by my fellow Book Clubbers. I decided that since I bought it, I would at least give it a chance and begin reading. I figured that I would probably be immediately bored to tears and justifiably throw it in the "round file" or donate it to our local library, however 5 days, a box of Kleenex and 618 pages later I was smitten.
I am both happy and relieved to say that most of us felt the same way about the book and I will not be disowned. About half of us thought the book could have been condensed a bit to lessen the length, while the other half enjoyed every little detail and thought it was OK. Since the book is so long a few of us had difficulty finding the time to devote to the book due to work and family situations so we also agreed that this book should be read when you know you will have the time to read it.
It's a journey through the life of Richie Billingham and the people he is close to. I really hate to spoil stories and I don't want to give a lot of details re: content. I really try to let the reader's journey be their own without a lot of preconceived notions to set the tone in advance however, I will say that this book is written in a very clever way. The story is told from the perspective of several different people and sometimes a certain event or incident will be re told by 3 to 4 people so each time you are able to see the event from a different set of eyes. It's very interesting to experience this author's writing style. We also felt like this book was easy to read and there are many laughs throughout.
We loved this book that focuses on life, love and precious time and do recommend it to all of you. Happy Reading!
Appetizers: Mozarella Caprese and Olive Tepanade
Dinner: Homemade Lasagna
Dessert: Lemon Tart with Fresh Blueberries, Lemon Curd and Whipped Cream
Wine: Pinot Noir and Syrah
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
This was our January 2012 book and it was wonderful! Many of us are animal lovers and so we could really relate to this book and it's unique style of being written by the dog, Enzo.
This is a story about a man named Denny who is a race car driver and the hardships that he must endure during the time he was Enzo's owner. I don't want to give any of the story away to a prospective reader but I can tell you that it's about perseverance, courage and strength and it will leave you with a whole new way you might look at your pets in the future!
As in many books written about dogs lately, it does take place during Enzo's life, so we can assume already that tears will fall! Please don't let this discourage you from reading it. Truth be told, I would have read this book over a year ago but my hesitance to read anything that may be sad about a dog stopped me. I am glad it was our January pick and we all highly recommend it to you as well!
Note- I thought it might be fun to start mentioning at the bottom of each review what we had for dinner...I mean we all love food and this could give you some good ideas for your next get together!!
Appetizer: Quiche Dip
Main Course: Penne with Truffle Butter and Parmesan Cheese (Deeelish!)
Dessert: Chocolate Macaroon Cake with Cream
Wine: Red, White and Port
This is a story about a man named Denny who is a race car driver and the hardships that he must endure during the time he was Enzo's owner. I don't want to give any of the story away to a prospective reader but I can tell you that it's about perseverance, courage and strength and it will leave you with a whole new way you might look at your pets in the future!
As in many books written about dogs lately, it does take place during Enzo's life, so we can assume already that tears will fall! Please don't let this discourage you from reading it. Truth be told, I would have read this book over a year ago but my hesitance to read anything that may be sad about a dog stopped me. I am glad it was our January pick and we all highly recommend it to you as well!
Note- I thought it might be fun to start mentioning at the bottom of each review what we had for dinner...I mean we all love food and this could give you some good ideas for your next get together!!
Appetizer: Quiche Dip
Main Course: Penne with Truffle Butter and Parmesan Cheese (Deeelish!)
Dessert: Chocolate Macaroon Cake with Cream
Wine: Red, White and Port
Aug 17, 2011
New book reviews coming soon!
Hi all-
Well, it's been a lazy summer, but certainly not for reading. We've all been busy reading but we haven't all been able to get together for Book Club, therefore I haven't posted any reviews lately. Fear not however, there will be a few coming soon!
Since we are THE BEST book club in Valencia :) we are heading out for a girl's weekend at a beachy resort and having our next book review there! This is a first for us and we are very excited for girl talk, wine tasting, shopping and of course...book discussions! The book we will be discussing on our trip is Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson and the book that we read before that was The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. Both excellent reads and both will have a review on this blog soon...I promise!
Until then, please become a friend of this blog and pass it on to others who love to read.The more comments & suggestions we receive the better of a tool this blog becomes in helping you select just the right book for you!
Happy Reading!
Well, it's been a lazy summer, but certainly not for reading. We've all been busy reading but we haven't all been able to get together for Book Club, therefore I haven't posted any reviews lately. Fear not however, there will be a few coming soon!
Since we are THE BEST book club in Valencia :) we are heading out for a girl's weekend at a beachy resort and having our next book review there! This is a first for us and we are very excited for girl talk, wine tasting, shopping and of course...book discussions! The book we will be discussing on our trip is Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson and the book that we read before that was The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. Both excellent reads and both will have a review on this blog soon...I promise!
Until then, please become a friend of this blog and pass it on to others who love to read.The more comments & suggestions we receive the better of a tool this blog becomes in helping you select just the right book for you!
Happy Reading!
Jun 7, 2011
The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
Laurel Estabrook was nearly raped the Fall of her sophomore year in college......this is how the book begins and from that moment on you are taken on a journey of twists, turns, clarity and confusion and you are left with a surprisingly twisted ending that will leave some of you overjoyed at the idea that you were completely duped or frustrated and angry at the way the author has written this book.
Our Book Club was almost divided equally by the two sides. It certainly made for a very lively and intense discussion, which is the whole point of Book Club after all!!
I'm certain that some of us may not recommend this book to others, (especially since it was thrown across the room in some instances) but I'm just as certain that some of us would highly recommend it and I for one, am one of those people. Since I'm writing the blog, I will take a small liberty and say that I could not put this book down and finished it in 2 days. I was delighted that I was caught off guard at the end because I tend to be somewhat of a sleuth and always try to guess the outcome in advance!
At any rate, this is a great Book Club book and will guarantee a good discussion! Enjoy!
Our Book Club was almost divided equally by the two sides. It certainly made for a very lively and intense discussion, which is the whole point of Book Club after all!!
I'm certain that some of us may not recommend this book to others, (especially since it was thrown across the room in some instances) but I'm just as certain that some of us would highly recommend it and I for one, am one of those people. Since I'm writing the blog, I will take a small liberty and say that I could not put this book down and finished it in 2 days. I was delighted that I was caught off guard at the end because I tend to be somewhat of a sleuth and always try to guess the outcome in advance!
At any rate, this is a great Book Club book and will guarantee a good discussion! Enjoy!
Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada
This book is set in Nazi Germany and follows the lives of several people, particularly Otto and Anna Quangel, loosely based on a real life couple Otto and Elise Hampel.
The Quangels, tired and scared of the Nazi regime, begin to write postcards that are against Hitler and his propaganda and covertly deposit them in various places in hopes that the people who find them will pass them on and an uprising amongst the people will begin to grow.
The book also follows the lives of a variety of other characters from poor working class Germans to Nazi criminals. This is not an easy read, but it's a fascinating one. Our club had mixed reviews due to the brutality and difficult subject matter, but we all agreed that we learned something new about that era. Many of us felt that what happened in Nazi Germany and around Europe during that time has been written about so many times that it's sometimes difficult to go there again and again, yet Every Man Dies alone does not disappoint.
We were also fascinated by the life of Hans Fallada, which is actually the nom de plume for Rudolf Ditzen an extremely disturbed individual who had a long history of mental issues and substance/alcohol abuse. The book does a very nice job of explaining his life's history at the end of the book.
This book is not for the very sensitive and will require your full attention, but once you become invested in the characters you just can't put it down.
The Quangels, tired and scared of the Nazi regime, begin to write postcards that are against Hitler and his propaganda and covertly deposit them in various places in hopes that the people who find them will pass them on and an uprising amongst the people will begin to grow.
The book also follows the lives of a variety of other characters from poor working class Germans to Nazi criminals. This is not an easy read, but it's a fascinating one. Our club had mixed reviews due to the brutality and difficult subject matter, but we all agreed that we learned something new about that era. Many of us felt that what happened in Nazi Germany and around Europe during that time has been written about so many times that it's sometimes difficult to go there again and again, yet Every Man Dies alone does not disappoint.
We were also fascinated by the life of Hans Fallada, which is actually the nom de plume for Rudolf Ditzen an extremely disturbed individual who had a long history of mental issues and substance/alcohol abuse. The book does a very nice job of explaining his life's history at the end of the book.
This book is not for the very sensitive and will require your full attention, but once you become invested in the characters you just can't put it down.
Mar 26, 2011
The Stuff That Never Happened by Maddie Dawson
The Stuff That Never Happened by Maddie Dawson is a story about a love triangle, family and life's ups and downs. It was a very enjoyable, easy read and our Book Club felt there were many times when we could really relate with the main character, Annabelle.
This was one of those books that you just can't wait to pick up and read. The author flip flops with chapters from the past and the present which really starts to build the reader's anticipation, although some of us would have liked to see half the book dedicated to the past and the other half to the present so they could become more engrossed in the story at hand. At any rate, Annabelle's life held something for all of us. While we all disagreed with infidelity, several of us have a,” Jeremiah", of sorts from our past who's memory will always remain frozen in time. Many of us are on the brink of becoming or have already become Empty Nester's and we also have a new grand baby in our group, so Annabelle's relationship with her son and daughter was very real to all of us.
Annabelle's relationship with her husband Grant is very complex with many years of ups and down’s. Grant is a very unique character, his personality was perplexing to many of us and we even discussed if he didn't have Asberger's Syndrome, even though this was never addressed in the book. See what happens when you get a Book Club together and start analyzing away? This story takes us through many years of Grant and Annabelle's marriage and all the twist, turns, highs and lows that go along with a relationship spanning many years.
We all had times when we were laughing out loud one minute and either seething with anger or crying the next. We highly recommend The Stuff That Never Happened to anyone over 40, we don't mean to use age discrimination but we all felt that there were so many relatable moments in this book that might be lost on someone who hasn't experienced the same life stages yet.
This was one of those books that you just can't wait to pick up and read. The author flip flops with chapters from the past and the present which really starts to build the reader's anticipation, although some of us would have liked to see half the book dedicated to the past and the other half to the present so they could become more engrossed in the story at hand. At any rate, Annabelle's life held something for all of us. While we all disagreed with infidelity, several of us have a,” Jeremiah", of sorts from our past who's memory will always remain frozen in time. Many of us are on the brink of becoming or have already become Empty Nester's and we also have a new grand baby in our group, so Annabelle's relationship with her son and daughter was very real to all of us.
Annabelle's relationship with her husband Grant is very complex with many years of ups and down’s. Grant is a very unique character, his personality was perplexing to many of us and we even discussed if he didn't have Asberger's Syndrome, even though this was never addressed in the book. See what happens when you get a Book Club together and start analyzing away? This story takes us through many years of Grant and Annabelle's marriage and all the twist, turns, highs and lows that go along with a relationship spanning many years.
We all had times when we were laughing out loud one minute and either seething with anger or crying the next. We highly recommend The Stuff That Never Happened to anyone over 40, we don't mean to use age discrimination but we all felt that there were so many relatable moments in this book that might be lost on someone who hasn't experienced the same life stages yet.
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